40th anniversary of the 480 - International Meet Up May 2026

[Martin63]

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the launch of the 480 Jan, Thijs and I have started some very early planning for another event in 2026, similar in certain respects to the one that took place in May of this year.

It's going to be from Friday 22 to Monday 25 May 2026. Unusually in 2026 this weekend combines the Pentecost/Pinksterdag/Whitsun holidays and in the UK it's the Spring Bank Holiday too. So, all being well, it should be a convenient weekend for a lot of people across Europe.

The location is likely to again be in the German/Dutch/Belgian border area region as that's pretty accessible by road from much of Europe. This year we had 480s from Finland, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Poland, France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands - apologies if I have missed anyone!

More details will follow in the coming months. Do please spread the word around the 480 community!

Going back to May of this year, the eventual total for the number of 480s across the weekend was a remarkable 103 different cars, with the peak being 96 in Eindhoven on the Saturday - thanks for the revised car count Robert! When we started the event planning in late August 2023 we would have been happy with 40 cars.

Thanks so much to everyone who attended and for the feedback that the 3 of us have all received afterwards. It was a huge amount of work by the organising team, but it was well worth it and we were delighted that so many people enjoyed it.

The video by Vadim for the May 2024 event in Bruggen and Eindhoven can now be seen here;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZFmVsjPCMc

Another video from the Swedish team is here;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNoEbprOmiQ

And the interview with the 480 Design team is here in 2 parts;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTkungTKz-U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HBVIE5J7dA&t=722s


We look forward to seeing everyone again in 2026 and hopefully many new attendees in 2026. Personally I have an ambition to see a 480 with Luxembourg plates!

[Jay-Kay-Em]

I will do everything I can to attend this.

A fitting conclusion to what seems a never ending story.

In the diary already. Not wishing time away, but bring it on!

[WillC9303]

Ah, impeccable timing for me - right around the time when my Uni dissertation will be due. That being said, I’ll do everything I can to be there with my 480 - even if it’s just for one of the days!

If it’s anything like what the last meet was, I’m sure it will be fantastic. Perhaps by then I’ll have sorted my saggy headliner and the broken heated seats (won’t happen!)

[jifflemon]

also planning to be on this one - 2 years should be enough notice period for work.....

[Martin63]

also planning to be on this one - 2 years should be enough notice period for work.....

Fingers crossed!!

[Martin63]

Ah, impeccable timing for me - right around the time when my Uni dissertation will be due. That being said, I’ll do everything I can to be there with my 480 - even if it’s just for one of the days!

If it’s anything like what the last meet was, I’m sure it will be fantastic. Perhaps by then I’ll have sorted my saggy headliner and the broken heated seats (won’t happen!)

Saggy headliner - maybe. Seats - possibly not!

It'll be great if you can make it! An incentive to finish off the dissertation early

All joking aside, I used to get dissertation/exam anxiety occasionally for 20 years AFTER I had finished full time education, so I can empathise with the feeling!

Maybe there's an angle for a 480 related dissertation topic?!

[WillC9303]

Maybe there's an angle for a 480 related dissertation topic?!

Now that's an idea…

[Martin63]

Thijs, Jan and I had another planning meeting last night for May 2026. It's a rare occasion when the late May public holiday/Whitsun/Pentacost/Pinksterdag holiday coincides across almost all of Europe.

A suitable hotel in the Cologne area has been identified with a huge car park, discounted room rates negotiated and Jan and Thijs are going to do a site visit in early January.

So it's all progressing well. Pop the dates in your diary - 22/23/24 May 2026.

[Martin63]

Another quick update. Jan, Thijs and I have just had another planning meeting with the next one (number 5) planned for early June. Everything is moving along nicely. We are anticipating that the event will take place in the Cologne/Bonn/Aachen area in western Germany - so close to the Dutch and Belgian borders.

We have taken onboard the feedback from last years event in the Netherlands and Germany and there will be additional time on drives, including some hilly areas close to the Belgian border.

Do make sure that you have the weekend of Friday/Saturday/Sunday 22/23/24 May 2026 in your diaries.

[MisterH]

I wish I could do this, but I rather fear that by then I will be waist deep in my university dissertation so time will be very much of the essence, I will have to see what I am doing closer to the time however....

[WillC9303]

I am starting to fear I may be in the same boat as Ben. Just had next years’ uni timetable through and the meet is about a week or so before the deadline! Talk about bad timing

It’s far too early to make a definitive judgement at this stage, but will have to make a decision in the weeks leading up to it.

[Martin63]

Sorry for the slow reply Will and Ben. I can remember only too well the ominous feeling of upcoming finals and the demands of a thesis/dissertation.

It's possibly easier said than done, but I guess you could try to phase everything so you are finished by mid May 2026 with then a 10 day buffer before the meet up starts.

The website for the event has just gone live at www.volvo480.info - it'll be great to see many of the European 480 community in 1 years time!

[Alex]

Hi guys, I've already signed up from Italy, we already met at the 2024 gathering. I can't wait!

[Martin63]

Hi guys, I've already signed up from Italy, we already met at the 2024 gathering. I can't wait!

That's great Alex! Yes I remember us meeting last year.

We have received 28 sign ups already, which is remarkable in less than one day.

[dragonflyjewels]

Al and I have signed up as well. Alex, we sat next next to you and Roberto at the Sunday evening meal last year. Looking forward to seeing you both again, as well as meeting Alberto Locati who I've been chatting to and seeing all our other 480 friends. I'm sure it will be another fantastic weekend.

[Martin63]

Al and I have signed up as well. Alex, we sat next next to you and Roberto at the Sunday evening meal last year. Looking forward to seeing you both again, as well as meeting Alberto Locati who I've been chatting to and seeing all our other 480 friends. I'm sure it will be another fantastic weekend.

That's great news Sylvia and I am really glad that you and Al enjoyed last year. Jan, Thijs and I were delighted with how well it went - it was so good to meet so many more 480 owners from all around Europe.

We already have 30 people signed up in just the last 4 days since the www.volvo480.info website was launched ready for next May.

Jeff and I have been swapping messages this afternoon and he's going to start a new thread for the UK and Ireland based drivers who are considering travelling in May 2026 to the Cologne area. The idea behind this is to create some pre travel check lists, getting a convoy together, swapping guidance and ideas etc.

Roll on May 2026!

[Jay-Kay-Em]

Hi Martin,

May I ask; what day will be the most "car show" like?

Basically all the things I missed in Bruggen '24. The cars parked in line, the drone photos, the guest speakers, the photograph against the 480 canvas sign, that sort of thing....

I know it's early days for an itinerary set in stone, but it would be handy to know what day to secure a hotel for a few

[edie_fox]

I'm going to attend....as a passenger princess of course! Not bought another one....yet.

Really looking forward to it all. Done very little over the past few years besides work and breathe!

See you in a year.

[dragonflyjewels]

Great news Edie. Be lovely to see you again.

[royhedger]

I will be in attendance, can't wait.