The Truckstar Festival in Assen (Netherlands) has been inspiring truck enthusiasts and professional drivers from all over Europe for 45 years. What began in 1980 with fewer than 100 trucks has long since developed into the largest truck event in the world. In 2025, over 2300 trucks, including numerous vintage trucks, rolled onto the famous TT Circuit, transforming the Assen racetrack into the center of the European truck community. The Truckstar Festival is more than just an event - it is a highlight in the calendar of all truck drivers and truck fans in the Netherlands and throughout Europe.
This aerial photo shows only a section of the festival grounds, but gives an impression of the size of the event. At the top right of the picture, you can see the grandstand for spectators of various truck demonstrations. It has a wavy roof. (Photo: Truckstar/Aero Eelde)
Highlights 2025: vintage trucks, show trucks & action shows
Already on the day of arrival on Friday, participants and fans from the Netherlands and all over Europe flocked to Assen to be part of the gigantic truck show. On the last weekend in July, the Truckstar Festival offered a varied program of freight forwarding vehicles, show trucks and vintage trucks. Highlights included the election of the “most beautiful truck in the Netherlands” as well as numerous action shows, live music and presentations by the major European truck brands. More than 57,000 visitors celebrated their passion for commercial vehicles at the Truckstar Festival Assen - the largest truck event worlwide and the most important meeting place for the European truck community.
Photographed shortly before arriving at the Truckstar festival grounds: a Scania L 80, pimped out with all kinds of accessories (exact model name: L 80 38 S, built in 1870).While cabover trucks are hardly ever seen in the US anymore, the 1977 Kenworth K 100 C is a real eye-catcher on the access road to Assen.Calm before the rush of visitors: older and newer DAF and Scania trucks on Friday evening, the day of arrival.
History of the Truckstar Festival: from 1980 to today
The first Truckstar Festival took place in 1980. At the time, the event was held in an exhibition hall and attracted fewer than 100 trucks. Due to its great success, the festival moved to the large race track in Zandvoort in its second year (1981). Until 1991, the Truckstar Festival was held at various venues, including Tilburg, Leiden, Utrecht and Zandvoort. Since 1992, it has been held annually at the TT Circuit in Assen. The Truckstar Festival is by far the largest event of its kind in terms of the number of vehicles taking part. 2,300 vehicles come to Assen every year, and if space were not limited, there would be more than 3,000; the starting places are extremely coveted.
The second largest truck show is the Iowa 80 Truckers Jamboree in Walcott, USA, where hundreds to over a thousand trucks come together. The exact number varies, but the organizers often speak of “several hundred”. The event takes place at the largest truck stop in the world and attracts tens of thousands of visitors. In third place is the Casino Truck Show in New South Wales, Australia, which was officially attended by 620 trucks in 2023 (according to the organizers, there were actually even more).
Spectacular action shows and much more
In Assen, the public was able to admire the participating vehicles throughout the weekend. However, it was not easy to see them all. The sprawling grounds, punctuated by seemingly endless rows of trucks, offered ample opportunity to lose one's way. But there were definitely divisions: For example, there were vintage truck areas as well as a section for US trucks. Heavy goods vehicles also had their own area. Nevertheless, there were exceptions everywhere.
The two aerial photos show the festival grounds in their entirety. The top photo was taken from the north, the bottom one from the south (photos: Truckstar/Aero Eelde).
But it wasn't just the 2300 or so vehicles lined up that were there to marvel at. A fairground with many attractions appealed to the public, as did the spectacular performances on the racetrack in front of the main grandstand. There were motorcycle stunt shows, monster trucks bouncing over piles of tires or scrap cars, car soccer and racing trucks spinning on their own axis in the bends because the track was deliberately covered with a layer of water. The “decibel contest”, in which the truck with the most deafening exhaust noise was determined, was particularly fun. Towards the end of the event, there was a “Special Paint Defilé” with elaborately designed tractor units painted with particularly creative airbrush motifs.
Among the thousands of trucks on display, there were also many models from the new DAF generation with a wide variety of paint finishes to admire.A Volvo had also found its way into this row of Scania youngtimers, but nobody seemed to mind (and why should they?).The Scania L 110 was produced from 1968 to 1975. In the photo, the 1971 L 110 54 AK looks quite small between its neighbors, Swedish cabover trucks from later model years.German vintage trucks were also represented in Assen. One example is this Mercedes LA 312 from 1960.Those who couldn't find a spot on the festival grounds due to overcrowding could park their trucks in the parking lot instead. Among these vehicles was this magnificent Scania R 142 from 1984.Huge and tiny: a monster Audi and a mini peewee in front of the stage, where live music attracted the audience later in the day.Spectacular: monster trucks took a run-up to race over a ramp and jump over stacks of tires. The audience was thrilled.The Scania L 36 with its short bonnet was produced from 1964 to 1968 and was only available in a few European countries, outside Scandinavia probably only in the Benelux countries. The model shown in the photo has a cleverly designed “fake” box load, behind which a living area is concealed.In addition to the many old and new commercial vehicles, there were numerous “side attractions” in Assen, including an entire fairground, a children's playground with a car painted entirely in blackboard paint and inviting visitors to decorate it with chalk, and many stands selling accessories and emblems. As every year, Willem Kuipers had set up his bookshop, where all the important truck books, including some rarities, could be purchased.Throughout Friday, more vehicles arrived, including a 1994 Scania T 143 E 8x4 with an impressive 501 hp engine.There was no shortage of visitors throughout the weekend. On the contrary, it was quite crowded, as 57,000 truck fans from all over Europe had made their way to Assen.Two classic Scania trucks from Germany: Andreas Schmidt, an operator from the small town of Blomesche Wildnis, brought his two Scania cabovers. In the foreground is a model from the Series 2, which was built from 1981 to 1988.This vintage truck also looks almost like a toy car among its powerful neighbors. The hood shape of the old Volvo flatbed truck dates back to the 1940s. We were unable to find more precise details.A small parade of veterans: a 1971 DAF A 1304, a 1967 Mercedes 710 short-nose truck, and a Saurer D 290 B from Switzerland, built between 1980 and 1984. This Saurer model was also available as a cabover.The DAF YA-328 with a 132 hp Hercules gasoline engine was designed as a military vehicle. Between 1952 and 1958, 4,510 units were produced for the Dutch army. In the armed forces, the YA-328 was nicknamed the “Fat DAF.”There was a colorful parade of new vehicles at the DAF stand. The weather was a bit changeable during the festival, but there was only a little rain.The yellow and blue color combination is very appealing and is used for their vehicles by Dutch companies Douma Staal BV and Walinga Transport BV, both based in Sneek. On the right of the picture is a Scania T 500 from 2013.IVECO was particularly well represented at the Truckstar Festival 2025. Many impressive color combinations adorned the S-Way tractor units. Some examples can be seen here. The two photos on the right show the latest model from 2024, which features a slightly modified grille and the new IVECO logo. Please also note one of the photos at the end of this report.In the Netherlands, DAF has a market share of almost 29 percent in heavy trucks, ahead of Volvo and Scania. At the Truckstar Festival, it almost looked as if Scania was leading the rankings – not only in this picture, which was taken on Friday before the weekend crowds arrived.Paintwork is everything. With a well-thought-out color design, the new Mercedes with Pro Cabin looks really appealing. On social media, many people classify it as unattractive – to put it mildly. That's why it's important to counteract this and show ways in which the Pro Cabin can be visually enhanced.A little Scania history lesson in the parking lot in front of the event grounds. From left: The LB 141 was built from 1976 to 1981, the Type 142 with R cab from 1981 to 1988. The 143 Streamline was available from 1992 to 1996. The vehicles came from Switzerland and Germany.Scania conventional trucks have not been produced since 2005. However, there is still demand, albeit not on a scale that would justify large-scale production. For this reason, some European body builders have decided to convert Scania and Volvo cabover trucks into conventional trucks. The best known of these converters is Vlastuin from Renswoude in the Netherlands. Countless conversions of Scania and also some Volvo cabover trucks have already been carried out. They have been on display at various locations at the Truckstar Festival.Here, the layman marvels and the expert (right in the picture) is amazed. The explanation is simple: Polish truck converter Jacek Gaj modified a Scania tractor unit and brought the result to the Truckstar Festival. The conversion caused a stir and divided opinion. After all, it is admirable that someone has the courage to go their own way and consistently carry out such a complex conversion.From 1980, DAF built conventional trucks with Magirus cabs and their own hoods. There were two versions: the N 2800 and the N 3300. Production ended in 1986. Two examples of this rare series were on display at the Truckstar Festival – it's comforting that they have been preserved.To get to the festival, you first had to drive through the Tunnel of Fame and then reappear on the Road to Glory. The photo shows an ERF type E 12 TX, which had apparently just arrived from Great Britain.The Mack MH 613 was a particularly attractively designed US cabover truck. It was produced from around 1984 to the early 1990s. The model shown here dates from 1989.The US truck section featured many vehicles of different ages. To the right of the Kenworth K 100 C cab-over truck, which was already shown at the beginning of this report, we see an American Volvo VN from 2005.Endless American conventional trucks: on the far right, a 1998 Kenworth W 900 L, next to it a 1977 Peterbilt 359 Classic.
Voting for the most beautiful truck in the Netherlands
Traditionally, the election of the most beautiful truck in the Netherlands took place on Sunday afternoon. Throughout the event, the public had the opportunity to inspect the lined-up candidates and watch the owners and drivers remove even the tiniest speck of dust that had dared to settle on the paintwork. After all, it's not just the design of the vehicles that matters, but also their state of maintenance.
As soon as the monster truck stunt show on the racetrack was over and thousands of spectators had gathered in the grandstands, the beauty contest began. The shiny trucks drove slowly past the spectators while presenter Michael Oudman greeted the drivers and gave a few details about the vehicles over the loudspeaker. A jury then selected the three winners. First place this year went to the Scania S 660 of trucking company Rick van der Wijst from Zeeland. The jury praised the 25.25 meter long LZV combination as “well maintained down to the last detail”. Rick van der Wijst and his crew received a big trophy and proudly celebrated their victory.
The competition to find the “most beautiful truck in the Netherlands” was dominated by Scania vehicles, many of them with particularly elaborate paintwork and selected accessories. These photos show just a few of them.Some of the candidates had already earned various accolades in previous years and proudly displayed their trophies behind the windshield.Discreetly painted and well protected from kangaroos, cows, and other creatures that like to frolic on Dutch roads, this stylish tractor-trailer entered the race.The winner is announced amid a shower of confetti. To the applause of the spectators in the stands, Rick van der Wijst receives first prize for his 25.25-meter-long Scania with a five-axle trailer.The lucky winner: Rick van der Wijst presents the coveted trophy to the press and the audience in the stands, together with his crew, sponsors, and friends.Here it is once again in all its glory: the impressive Scania S 660 belonging to the Rick van der Wijst haulage company from Zeeland, photographed after leaving the festival.
All in all, a successful weekend
When the Truckstar Festival came to an end on Sunday afternoon and thousands of trucks made their way home, it was time for the truck spotters - of whom there are countless in the truck-loving Netherlands. Even as teenagers, they are on the road with their cell phones so as not to miss anything. They also like to obstruct each other when the vehicles leave the event site. But seasoned men with professional cameras and powerful lenses also line the streets to capture the spectacle of the departing trucks on their memory cards for eternity. It is a spectacle in the literal sense of the word, as hardly any drivers refrain from sounding the deep-sounding compressed air horns almost continuously. Enthusiastic youngsters encourage them to do so by making corresponding gestures.
Some of the spectators watching this scene had not even visited the festival itself - perhaps because they were put off by the admission prices: 58 euros per person for the whole weekend, 45 euros for Saturday only, 32.50 euros for Sunday only, 15 euros for children (valid for both days). However, they didn't want to miss out on the seemingly endless row of colorful trucks during the departure. Many people not only lined the roads to the nearby freeway, but also crowded onto the freeway bridges so as not to miss anything. However, the general honking would not stop, whereupon the police subsequently sent out hundreds of fines to all vehicle owners who were caught “unnecessarily activating the horns”. They, in turn, decided to defend themselves against this, because blowing the horn at the end of the Truckstar Festival was a tradition that had been established many years ago and was therefore “necessary”.
The last 16 photos in this report show individual vehicles arriving and departing. During the festival, they are difficult to photograph, surrounded by other vehicles and spectators. First up is Spaansen's IVECO S-Way with a low-loader semi-trailer, which carried everything you could possibly need at a festival.Harmonious color scheme: Scania L 141 as a tractor unit with refrigerated semi-trailer, built in 1979.The Volvo L 49 Titan rolled off the production line from 1959 to 1965. The beautifully painted tractor unit with the type designation L 49509 dates from 1965 and was therefore one of the last of its kind.Stan Robinson Ltd., based in Stafford, presents itself online as one of the UK's leading logistics companies. The company's more than 150 vehicles are elaborately painted with different designs, giving them a distinctive appearance. At the Truckstar Festival in Assen, “Stan the Man” presented a stylish DAF tractor unit.The Berlin-based mobile crane rental company Mobi Hub came to Assen with a Volvo with a low-loader trailer. We do not know whether the black transporter was used as a mobile home during the event.The cabover truck with the type designation Scania 770 S has 770 hp. However, the picture shows a 770 ST, as can be seen on the front. The “T” stands for “Torpedo,” a term commonly used in Dutch for a conventional truck. The magnificently painted semi-trailer truck comes from Ireland and belongs to the fleet of BM Transport Ltd. based in Monaghan. The vehicle was converted into a conventional truck in the Netherlands by Vlastuin.A rare but very welcome sight these days: a 515 hp Iveco Eurostar from 2001. It's great that there are people who preserve less popular vehicles – we say: well done!Its sloping front made it unmistakable: a 1969 DAF A 1600 shortly before arriving at the Truckstar Festival grounds.The British R.T.Keedwell Group from Somerset was founded in 1969 and now has more than 500 vehicles. A uniform appearance and elaborate paintwork are the hallmarks of the company. A 770 hp flagship from Scania was presented in Assen, loaded with a 143 Streamline tractor unit built by Scania between 1992 and 1996.A new generation of IVECO tractor units: The changes are barely noticeable on the outside, apart from the new IVECO logo and the three recessed handles in the radiator grille. The vehicle is operated by Ladyliner Transport, based in Maasbree and Kessel-Eik in the Netherlands.A stylish combination of transport vehicle and load: a 1971 Volvo F 88 brings its predecessor from the 1940s or 1950s home. That's a long way away in Esbjerg, Denmark.This extra-long rig was one of the candidates in the beauty contest in Assen. The picture shows the discreet but elaborately designed Scania S 660 approaching its destination, the Truckstar Festival 2025.In terms of load capacity, the five-axle Volvo tractor unit with its powerful loading crane and four-axle low-loader trailer was perhaps somewhat underutilized. However, the transport of the Mack tractor unit was a real eye-catcher and a worthwhile photo opportunity.This semi-trailer, loaded with two historic International farm tractors, was also a wonderful sight. The Scania Streamline tractor unit, type R 143, was built in 1992.A very special treat for all truck enthusiasts came all the way from Italy to Assen. The typical Italian rig, consisting of a four-axle truck and an equally four-axle trailer with a turntable, was a Fiat 691 N 8x2, which was introduced in 1971.This Scania T 143 Streamline, photographed in the evening light, rounds off the Assen report for 2025. The model was built between 1994 and 1996. Retrospectively we wish the driver a safe and relaxing journey home to Haastrecht in South Holland.
However you experienced the Truckstar Festival - the mammoth event was a successful weekend for every truck fan, regardless of whether you like pimped-up trucks, lovingly designed trucking company vehicles or vintage trucks. Once you've been there, you'll definitely be making your way to Assen again next year.
Text and photos: Steve St.Schmidt (aerial photos: Truckstar/Aero Eelde). Some of the photos in this article were not taken on the festival site itself, but in its surroundings during the arrival and departure of the participants, as this was the only way to take photos of individual vehicles.
Check out the report from the Truckstar Festival 2024. Just click here!
