Qatar Classic Cars Contest and Exhibition inaugurated on November 17 features 50 classic luxury cars some of which dates back to 1931. Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula
Doha: Take a trip down memory lane with classic luxury cars which date back to 1931 as the “Qatar Classic Cars Contest and Exhibition” has been formally opened yesterday featuring 50 automobiles.
The exhibition located at Medina Centrale, The Pearl Qatar, will run until Saturday (November 20).
In a message, Chairman of the Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association said: “Qatar is a home to some of the most important owners of classic cars in the world.”He said the association seeks to build bridges of communication between classic car lovers, besides providing a ground for communication and exchange of experiences among them.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Gulf Qatar Classic Cars Association Vice Chairman Omar Al Fardan highlighted the cultural significance of the event.
“Cultural events are not only to do with art but also classic cars. And classic cars, they represent an era in the history, and that era being displayed or demonstrated, brings a culture to the nation, which means there are people or owners who have the passion for such cars, representing they have a refined taste for them, and that by itself is a cultural theme,” he added.
The Gulf Qatar Classic Cars Association’s new website www.classiccars.org, which is available in both English and Arabic languages, was also launched during the event.
All pictures by Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula
Japanese Ambassador to Qatar H E Satoshi Maeda, one of the guests said the event is “amazing and beautiful.” One notable Japanese car exhibited in the event is a 1973 Nissan – Datsun.
The oldest car on display is a 1931 Rolls Royce Phantom I, which was Rolls Royce successor in 1925 for the original Silver Ghost, the Phantom had a larger engine than the Silver Ghost and used pushrod-operated overhead valves instead of the Silver Ghost’s side valves. Among the other automobiles include 1937 Packard; 1940 LaSalle Series 50; 1946 Lincoln; 1950 Jeep; 1953 Rolls Royce Silver Dawn Drophead; 1955 Pontiac Star Chief; 1954 Jaguar XK 120; 1955 Ford Thunderbird; 1957 Mercedes Benz 220s; and 1959 Cadillac DeVille, among others.
There is a plan to hold the same event in 2022 before the FIFA World Cup. The association will be partnering with other Gulf associations to bring their cars in Qatar.
