402 - Automotive Events Since 1996

What 402 - Automotive Events Since 1996 does

402 Automotive, founded in 1996 and headquartered in Hoeven, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands, is the established market leader in automotive enthusiast events in the Benelux region. The company organizes and operates more than 20 distinct event brands spanning supercars (Supercar Madness, World of Supercars, AutoClassiqa), Japanese vehicles (Japfest, Go Japan), German vehicles (BimmerWorld, Deutsche AutoFest), American muscle (American Sunday), Italian classics (Viva Italia), general car meetings (AutoMadness, 402 CARD), and speed/lifestyle formats (Superfast, Dragrace Madness, Volkstyle Base, Kever Winter Festijn). Events are held at premier Dutch, Belgian, and increasingly international venues including TT Circuit Assen, Circuit Zandvoort, Jaarbeurs Utrecht, Rotterdam Ahoy, Flanders Expo Gent, Dubai Autodrome, QNCC Qatar, and UTAC Autodrome Paris.

The platform combines physical event production with a digital hub at 402online.com, which delivers news, video content (including influencer collaborations with figures such as Enzo Knol), an 8,730+ photo gallery, event registration, and the 402 CARD loyalty program. The company is privately held with no public financials, no disclosed funding rounds, and an 18-person core team that relies on outsourced venue operations and partner networks to execute 50+ events per year. Attendance scale is significant at flagship events — the Brussels Auto Show draws 122,000 visitors over five days, AutoMadness at Assen features 3,000+ vehicles, and Supercar Madness events showcase 300+ supercars.

Revenue is generated primarily through consumer ticket sales and event attendance fees, supplemented by sponsorship arrangements with automotive brands (Meguiar's, Louwman's Toyota World) and co-marketing partnerships with media and rally brands (StreetGasm, Hart voor Auto's). The company's go-to-market is experiential and community-driven: it cultivates recurring enthusiast attendance via social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn), email newsletter, YouTube content, and influencer amplification. Strategic emphasis in 2026–2027 is on internationalization, with new market entries into France and Qatar under a new premium show concept ("The Grand Auto Show"), marking the company's most significant geographic expansion since its 2023 entry into the UAE.

Name

402 - Automotive Events Since 1996

Legal name

402 Automotive

Website

https://402online.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

402 Automotive, founded in 1996 in the Netherlands, is the Benelux market leader in automotive enthusiast events, organizing 50+ shows per year across 20+ event brands (Supercar Madness, AutoMadness, Japfest, etc.) at premier venues in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, UAE, and Qatar. Revenue comes from ticket sales and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Event Services

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Motorsports & Racing Experiences (THAJAFAF)

Keywords

• Automotive event management
• Car shows
• Motorsport events
• Supercar exhibitions
• Auto enthusiast gatherings

Headquarters

HQ city

Netherlands

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Ticketing and Attendance Revenue: 402 Automotive generates revenue primarily through ticket sales for automotive events and shows. Events range from single-day car meetings to multi-day indoor/outdoor auto shows, attracting thousands of visitors.
2. Sponsorship and Brand Partnerships: The company likely generates additional revenue through sponsorship deals with automotive brands, as evidenced by featured sponsors such as Meguiar's and Louwman's Toyota World on their website.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

402 Automotive organizes and operates large-scale automotive events and car shows across the Netherlands, Belgium, France, UAE, and Qatar. The company runs a portfolio of 20+ event brands covering supercars, American muscle cars, Japanese cars, German cars, classics, and general car meetings at premier venues including race circuits and exhibition centers. Revenue is generated through ticket sales and brand sponsorships, supported by the 402 Online digital platform and 402 CARD loyalty program.

Product overview

402 Automotive operates a multi-brand event portfolio platform centered around 402 Online, a digital hub for automotive event management and promotion. The company organizes/supports over 20 distinct automotive event brands spanning supercars (Supercar Madness, World of Supercars), American cars (American Sunday), Japanese cars (Japfest, Go Japan), German cars (BimmerWorld, Deutsche AutoFest), classics (Viva Italia, Kever Winter Festijn), and general car meetings (AutoMadness, 402 CARD membership). The ecosystem includes video content production (402 Videos), photo galleries (8730+ photos), and the 402 CARD loyalty program. The portfolio covers both indoor events (Jaarbeurs Utrecht, Rotterdam Ahoy, Flanders Expo Gent) and outdoor circuit events (Circuit Zandvoort, TT Circuit Assen, Circuit Zolder) across the Netherlands, Belgium, and expanding internationally to Qatar, Dubai, and Paris.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AutoMadness: Major automotive event featuring diverse vehicle categories including cars and motorcycles
• Supercar Madness
• American Sunday
• Japfest
• Viva Italia
• AutoClassiqa
• World of Supercars
• Belgium Auto Show
• Deutsche AutoFest
• BimmerWorld
• Volkstyle Base
• Hart voor Auto's Showtime
• Superfast
• 100% Auto Live
• Go Japan
• The Grand Auto Show
• Dragrace Madness
• Kever Winter Festijn

Products and services

• AutoClassiqa Premium automotive show featuring classic, exotic, and luxury vehicles, held at Jaarbeurs Utrecht exhibition center. Targets automotive enthusiasts and collectors interested in premium and classic vehicles.
• World of Supercars Supercar-focused event featuring high-end exotic vehicles, held at Jaarbeurs Utrecht and expanding to Paris (UTAC Autodrome). For supercar enthusiasts and owners.
• Supercar Madness High-energy supercar event held at Circuit Zandvoort, TT Circuit Assen, and Circuit Zolder, featuring track experiences and car showcases with 300+ supercars. For supercar owners and enthusiasts.
• AutoMadness Large-scale car meeting and automotive festival held at TT Circuit Assen, the biggest car meeting in the Netherlands with 3,000+ vehicles. For general automotive enthusiasts across all vehicle categories.
• American Sunday American muscle car and vehicle event held at Circuit Zandvoort and TT Circuit Assen, featuring 2,000+ American vehicles. For American car enthusiasts and muscle car owners.
• Japfest Japanese car meeting event held at Circuit Zolder (Belgium) and TT Circuit Assen, the largest Japanese car meeting in Belgium. For JDM car enthusiasts.
• Viva Italia Italian automotive celebration event featuring Italian supercars and classic cars at Circuit Zandvoort. For Italian car enthusiasts and Ferrari/Lamborghini/Maserati owners.
• Belgium Auto Show Major automotive exhibition held at Flanders Expo Gent, described as the wildest auto party in Belgium with 122,000 visitors over five days. For general Belgian automotive enthusiasts.
• Hart voor Auto's Showtime Spectacular automotive show featuring extreme performances, jet-powered vehicles, burnouts, and famous automotive YouTubers at Breda International Airport and TT Circuit Assen. For entertainment-focused automotive audiences.
• BimmerWorld BMW-focused event held at TT Circuit Assen and Circuit Zolder celebrating BMW vehicles and culture. For BMW owners and enthusiasts.
• Deutsche AutoFest German automotive event featuring German car brands, held at TT Circuit Assen and Circuit Zolder. For German car enthusiasts (BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, VW).
• Volkstyle Base Automotive lifestyle event held at Vliegveld Twenthe featuring custom cars, classics, and automotive culture. For VW and custom car enthusiasts.
• Go Japan Japanese automotive event held at Louwman's Toyota World featuring JDM vehicles and culture. For Japanese car culture enthusiasts.
• 100% Auto Live Indoor automotive show held at Rotterdam Ahoy featuring a wide range of vehicles and automotive experiences. For general Dutch automotive enthusiasts.
• Kever Winter Festijn Winter event for Volkswagen Beetle enthusiasts held at Autotron Rosmalen. For VW Beetle owners and classic VW enthusiasts.
• The Grand Auto Show New international auto show concept presented by 402 Middle East, combining indoor and outdoor activities, launching in Qatar (January 2027) and Paris (September 2027). For international automotive audiences.
• Superfast Speed-focused event held at Vliegveld Twenthe where speed and experience come together at a unique airfield location. For performance and speed enthusiasts.
• Dragrace Madness Drag racing event featuring high-speed drag strip competitions. For drag racing enthusiasts and performance car owners.
• 402 CARD Membership or loyalty card program offering benefits to automotive enthusiasts who regularly attend 402 events. For frequent event attendees seeking perks and benefits.
• 402 Online Main digital platform for 402 Automotive, serving as the central hub for event information, news, videos, photo galleries, and ticket/registration services. For all automotive enthusiasts seeking event information.

Quantifiable outcome

• 122,000 visitors over 5 days (Brussels Auto Show)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• TT Circuit AssencoreOthersPrimary venue partnership for major events including AutoMadness, Supercar Madness, Viva Italia, American Sunday, BimmerWorld, Deutsche AutoFest, and Japfest. TT Circuit Assen is a premier Dutch motorsport venue.
• Circuit ZandvoortcoreOthersVenue partnership for Supercar Madness, American Sunday, and Viva Italia events. Circuit Zandvoort is the premier Dutch racing circuit on the North Sea coast.
• Jaarbeurs UtrechtcoreOthersIndoor exhibition venue for AutoClassiqa and World of Supercars events, one of the largest exhibition centers in the Netherlands.
• Circuit ZoldercoreOthersPremier Belgian motorsport venue hosting Japfest, Supercar Madness, Deutsche AutoFest, BimmerWorld, and American Sunday events.
• Rotterdam AhoymajorOthersMajor indoor exhibition venue hosting 100% Auto Live events, one of the largest event complexes in the Netherlands.
• Dubai AutodromemajorOthersInternational venue partnership for Supercar Madness Dubai events, part of 402 Middle East operations.
• UTAC Autodrome ParismajorOthersFrench venue partnership for World of Supercars Paris edition and future international auto show concepts planned for September 2027.
• Flanders Expo GentmajorOthersBelgian indoor exhibition venue hosting Belgium Auto Show events.
• Louwman's Toyota WorldminorOthersVenue partnership for Go Japan events, showcasing Japanese automotive culture.
• StreetGasmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for World of Supercars events, combined with StreetGasm's SG2K Rally for enhanced automotive experiences.
• Hart voor Auto'sminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Hart voor Auto's media platform for Showtime events and content coverage.
• Meguiar'sminorOthersAutomotive car care brand featured as sponsor on the 402 Automotive website.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association): Major US automotive aftermarket trade show and industry body. Comparable large-scale automotive event platform, but industry/B2B trade-focused rather than consumer-enthusiast events.
• Geneva International Motor Show: Major international auto show (Salvatore Perrone era and now rebranded). Comparable as a tier-1 automotive exhibition, but significantly larger and more OEM-focused rather than enthusiast-focused.
• Messe Frankfurt (IAA Mobility): Major trade fair operator hosting IAA Mobility and other automotive exhibitions. Comparable as a large-scale auto show organizer but with a broader industry and B2B focus rather than enthusiast events.

Direct peers

• Mecum Auctions: Major US collector car auction and event company. Comparable event-driven automotive enthusiast business model with ticketed live events at scaled venues.
• Carlisle Events: US operator of multiple automotive enthusiast events (Cars, Trucks, Imports, Auctions). Closely comparable diversified multi-brand automotive event portfolio model.
• Barrett-Jackson: US-based automotive event and collector car auction company. Highly comparable as a multi-event operator focused on automotive enthusiasts with ticketed shows and auction-style gatherings.
• Top Marques Monaco: Monaco-based supercar and luxury auto show held annually. Comparable premium automotive event targeting supercar and exotic car enthusiasts with ticketed admission.
• Salon Privé: UK-based luxury and supercar concours and car show. Similar premium automotive event brand targeting affluent enthusiasts with ticketed concours-style experiences.
• Goodwood Festival of Speed: High-profile automotive enthusiast event featuring supercars, classics, and motorsport at Goodwood. Directly comparable as a premier ticketed automotive event brand with strong venue and heritage.

Emerging players

• Concours of Elegance: UK classic and concours car event. Comparable premium automotive event focused on classic and luxury car enthusiasts, but smaller scale and more narrowly focused than 402.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/facebook
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/402automotive
• Instagram402automotive.com/instagram
• TikTok402automotive.com/tiktok

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 402 - Automotive Events Since 1996