Long before the gates were kicked open to Meguiar’s MotorEx 2025, speculation was rife that it was going to be the biggest in the event’s long and storied history. An all-new ‘Worlds’ concept, a bunch of dynamic additions to the program, and the involvement of influencer-cum-billionaire businessman Adrian Portelli all promised to give punters plenty of reasons to hand over their hard-earned in exchange for a ticket.

And on the subject of dollarydoos, spectators had to part with far less of them to attend MotorEx this year, with a monster reduction in ticket prices. With adult passes available from just 20 bucks, kids under 16 free, and Real Street entries available for the same price as a garden-variety spectator pass, the event made for a cheap family weekend out, and a great opportunity to show off your street car at Australia’s most prestigious car show. Plus, ticket holders went in the draw to win a tough HT GTS Monaro!

In the midst of a cost of living crisis and with bastard inflation inflating like a bastard, it’s not often that you come across any product or service that offers more for less year-on-year, so it was a bold strategy for MotorEx organisers. But it’s fair to say it paid off in spades, with a record 30,000 spectators, some absolutely mega cars, the biggest performance automotive trade show in Oz, and one hell of a vibe. It really did feel like MotorEx – already one of our favourite events – had been rejuvenated.

The weather certainly didn’t do any harm, either. We’re accustomed to 14 seasons in one weekend at MotorEx, but Melbourne turned it on in the best possible way, with unseasonably warm, sunny and consistent conditions. It really was the perfect storm for what we’re prepared to call the best MotorEx ever!

Sure, we might be a little biased, but our favourite of all the new ‘Worlds’ was Street Machine Custom World, which was the biggest of the many halls at Melbourne Showgrounds. It was absolutely packed with cars, including 17 never-before-seen freshies unveiled to the world at lunchtime on Saturday. Highlights included a pair of killer pro touring first-gen Camaros; two HT GTS Monaros (one an exquisitely restored stocker, the other tastefully modified), a ‘one of none’ XY GT hardtop; a killer Hellcat-powered Valiant Charger pro streeter; and a wild VS ClubSport that set tongues wagging on account of its bold colour choice. Ex-AFL star Charlie Dixon also yanked the covers off his beautifully built, very sleepy HX Holden ute. Powered by a billet 3.2-litre RB, it went on to claim Best Overall Real Street – how good!

Custom World also played host to the Street Machine Hall of Fame, where we’d assembled some of the most influential Aussie street machines of all time. Hall of Famers included Chris Christou’s legendary XY and his son Rhys’s Tuff Street-winning XR; John Zeigler’s ute and the iconic Alley Cat panel van – both legendary builds from the formative years of our sport; and Heath van der Waerden’s Street Machine of the Year-winning Torana, parked alongside the car that inspired it, Howard Bell’s LITRE8. It was a trip down memory lane for many SM fans and a big talking point from the weekend.

Dyno World saw the MPW lads curate a number of high-powered cars to thrill the masses, resulting in some of the highest dyno numbers we’ve ever seen in competition, with Mario Busljeta’s HQ Monaro (SM, Feb ’25) spitting out a massive 3356.8hp!

Meguiar’s Superstars World played host to the absolute cream of the crop at MotorEx, with cars having qualified at various events throughout the preceding 12 months. The big winners here were undoubtedly the ProFlo Performance crew, who, between this issue’s cover car – Martin Pecotich’s HTKO Monaro – and Frank Zammit’s XW ute, ENDLESS (SM, Apr ’25) won gold in every category! With the pair so evenly matched with six medals and a Super Six berth each, it was an even money bet as to which would take the top gong at MotorEx – Grand Master. Ultimately, ENDLESS got the win by what must have been the slimmest of margins.

Across the street, it was sensory overload at LMCT+ Portelli World. There was a DJ spinning tracks, hordes of promo models handing out energy drinks, a tattoo studio, a bar, and even frickin’ laser beams! It was cool to see a couple of HSV GTS-R W1s in the flesh among a sea of Portelli’s supercars, which reached a crescendo at the rear of the hall with a Koenigsegg Jesko reportedly worth a staggering $6.5 million.

As always, Aeroflow Real Street World was the place to be if you like your cars relatable and genuinely street-driven, with a fresh batch on display out in the open on each of the two days in stunning weather.

And while drifting and burnout demos have added a dynamic element to MotorEx in recent years, cruising was a new addition to the program for 2025, and it was cool to be able to see and hear some of the cars at the event burst into life and strut their stuff along the cruise route. Entrants from our Street Machine Drag Challenge display embraced the concept, taking the opportunity to turn some laps.

Not to be outdone, the fourbie set was well represented at Car Builders 4X4 World. With a massive outdoor display made up of everything from mild tourers to wild comp trucks, and plenty of vendors peddling off-road hardware, it was well worth a squiz, too.

Traders have always been a hugely important element at MotorEx, and this year, Mobil 1 Performance World was packed to the hilt with awesome gear. Us car folk enjoy few things more than perusing new go-fast bits for our rides, and as a result, the place was overflowing with punters all weekend.

And so, the rumours turned out to be true – Meguiar’s MotorEx 2025 was indeed the biggest and wildest ever, and event co-owner Andy Lopez was stoked with how the revamped experience was received. “It was bloody awesome,” he beamed. “The cars on show were just amazing, and the range was incredible. We had 30,000 people and 1100 cars in the Showgrounds over the weekend, and the vibe was off its head. Cruising, DJs, carny rides, stunt shows, drifting – everywhere you turned, there was something mad happening. 

“The dyno show was crazy, and the LMCT+ Portelli pavilion was like a day rave with 30 mad cars as special guests! The Meguiar’s Superstars were jaw-dropping, Street Machine Custom World was packed with awesome street elite cars, and the Shannons Unveils were just stunning.”

Andy was particularly pleased with the response to the new Car Builders 4×4 World. “That was a fantastic inclusion, and it was great to see the guys and girls from the off-road community being embraced by our show,” he said.

MotorEx will return to Melbourne Showgrounds next year, Saturday 2 May to Sunday 3 May, and Andy is determined to make it even bigger and better. “Planning has started already,” he said. “To quote Adrian Portelli, if you thought this year was big, MotorEx 2026 is going to make this year look like a park-up at Bunnings!”

If you’d like to be part of it, entries go on sale 3 June 2025 at motorex.com.au.