Basically, it all started as a club show… an event in NY state for some locals who’d banded together to form Club H2O. The club fizzled as clubs do when priorities change, and the remnants were picked up by Jay Shoup. Shoup’s a local to Ocean City, Maryland so you can probably see where this is going.
Today, H2Oi is more than just a show… literally. The car show is the anchor, bringing in thousands of Audi and Volkswagen enthusiasts to Ocean City, MD in order to attend one of the more laid back events that marks the end of the summer show season. During the day, they hit nearby Fort Whaley for the event, and at night they cruise the nearby Coastal Highway that bisects the peninsula of Ocean City, MD like one long swift cut top to bottom.
Over the years, it is the off-campus activities that are the most likely draw for even more car enthusiasts. Cruise the coastal highway or pop into one of the countless get-togethers in neighboring parking lots and you’ll be astounded by just how many enthusiast cars can be seen taking over the area. Nearly every car on the strip and most in nearby parking lots are modified in some way. There’s a more rampant mix of eclecticism in town, as owners of other European brands, Japanese marques and even some exotics join the mix.
In part, these other cars can likely be attributed to the wide-ranging taste of the stance scene, but others have just come for the four-wheeled party. In addition to the modified compacts, you’ll find trucks of the high-roller or coal-roller variety, muscle cars and more.
The final concoction is somewhat flammable. Toss so many hot cars, large egos and alcohol into the mix, and you’ll get burnouts, fights, fireworks and the occasional accident like a would-be Cayman drifter who instead met a curb to the demise of at least a wheel/hub assembly and likely considerably more.
To be fair to Ocean City, the town itself is surprisingly patient. The place hosts bike week, various muscle car weeks and even Senior Week (as in partying graduating teenagers and not frolicking retirees). Theoretically, Ocean City has seen it all before… but then again, they’re only human. They still need to enforce some degree of the law, and as such many non-conforming cars were impounded and drunkards arrested. Perhaps that’s for the best though, as this show may eventually have to find a new home if that element can’t reign in the most idiotic of the downtown party.
Back at Fort Whaley, the show is still the draw for the most VAG brand enthusiasts. The formula is relatively simple… the usual judged show also gets an invitation-only Top Dog class for the most extensive and original builds.
In addition to Top Dog, this year also saw a dedicated show area created by Orchid Euro for cars that have been featured in the UK’s Performance VW Magazine. This effectively doubled the number of the most elite builds, among which we spotted Blair Peterman’s 1.8T-swapped B1 Audi Fox representing the four-ringed side of the VAG family.
Elsewhere around the event, it is evident that the growth isn’t just on the nearby Coastal Highway. Vendor count was also on the rise, seeing more hard part and software suppliers like APR and Unitronic taking on a substantial role versus some past years when end-of-season timing drew vendors selling lower-priced T-shirts and decals.
The mix of cars remained as eclectic as ever. B5 and B6 Audis seem to be the most common, but other four-ringers ranging from B1 Foxes to multiple examples of the latest S3 and RS 7 models suggest the demographic of the show may be shifting upward as new owners come into the Audi brand and long-time show attendees grow older and can afford more expensive offerings.
One group of cars making more of a show at H20i is the latest A3/S3 range. New S3 sedans had just begun to hit market just weeks before H20i, though we counted at least three of these – one APR development car, one Sepang Blue dealer car and finally a matte wrapped Special Edition from Virginia that will launch as a new project car series here on Fourtitude in the coming weeks.
Several A3 sedans also popped up. We counted at least two, interestingly neither being S line models but both proving that even the non S line car can still look the business. First up was the Shiraz Red project car owned by Black Forest Engineering. Second was a silver car we’ve just added to our fleet as a basis for some modification stories and fitted with H&R coilovers, carbon fiber exterior pieces from Audi Accessories and a set of R8 GT wheels that have been hanging around our 4 Season TT S line departed several months ago.
Of course, this show is more about style than it is about pace. It’s not that there aren’t fast cars at H20i, but there is no racing element like Waterfest’s ¼ mile drag strip and autocross course, so most H20i attendees are on the lookout for the latest trends in modifying. To be sure, these trends continue to evolve.
OE plus is one of the most dominant styles amongst Audi fans. Some use it as a way to add finishing subtle touches like a Suzuka Grey 2.7T-swapped B7 S4 with DTM edition bodywork, while others go for more significant transformations like this S6-based RS 6 sedan hosted by NGP Racing.
The mainly air-ride equipped stance scene is also alive and growing. Their numbers seem to grow every year and we find the Audi TT and also various forms of A4 wagon are some of the more favored Audi platforms for this set.
Whatever the style or Audi model, H2Oi continues to grow as a spectacle for enthusiasts of the brand. Compared to events like last week’s WEC/Tudor race or Audi Club National Meet in Austin Texas, it is a wholly different world and culture. However, it shows yet another facet to the Audi aficionado lifestyle, and thus worth a look if you have the time for an early autumn vacation next September.
Check out hundreds of photos from H20i weekend in our photo gallery linked at the bottom of this story.
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