Classic Holden metal to lift Motorclassica turnout

MOTORCLASSICA is expecting its biggest year yet, aiming to attract 24,000 visitors to the three-day event thanks to the inaugural involvement of Holden which will display 23 heritage models including the Efigy, 48-215 prototype, Hurricane and Torana GTR-X.

The event, located at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building from October 13 to 15, will be held just days ahead of Holden’s local production wind down on October 20, with the brand also showcasing five generations of Commodore including the VB, VN, VT, VE and next year’s imported ZB.

Speaking to GoAuto, Holden senior manager of external communications Haydn Lane said the timing of the event coincided neatly with milestones in the brand’s history.

“It ties in with the 100-year anniversary of Holden producing car bodies on a large scale,” he said.

“We thought it’d be fitting to pay tribute to the Commodore with the last locally made Commodore rolling off the line in Elizabeth in the week follow Motorclassica.”

However, headlining this year’s event will be Ferrari and its 70th birthday celebrations which will see the Italian supercar-maker bring together iconic cars throughout its history – from the classic 195 EL to the recently released LaFerarri Aperta – as well as taking part in the Tour Classica cruise through Melbourne city.

The Ferrari’s Owner’s Club of Australia have also organised for 70 of its vehicles to attend, while the brand will host special guests including Australian motoring journalist Peter Robinson and classic car specialist James Nicholls throughout the weekend to share stories about the marque.

Ferrari Australia CEO Herbert Appleroth said the brand was “thrilled to be officially celebrating this major 70th anniversary milestone with our friends and fans in Melbourne”.

“The spectacular collection expertly curated by the team at Motorclassica beautifully illustrates the longstanding history and affinity Australia has with Ferrari,” he said.

Motorclassica event director Paul Mathers said the gathering of Ferraris at this year’s event will be one of the most significant in the country.

“We are incredibly proud that Motorclassica has been selected as the stage for Ferrari’s official 70th anniversary celebrations in Australia,” he said.

“Our team has worked tirelessly for more than two years to curate this Ferrari 70th anniversary collection. We encourage motoring enthusiasts and fans of the Ferrari marque to come and see for themselves the most important collection of Ferraris ever gathered in Australia.”

To be held in Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building from October 13 to 15, the automotive extravaganza will also feature a large presence from other new-vehicle manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, Lamborghini, Jaguar, Porsche and Maserati.

One of Motorclassica’s principle partners, Mercedes-Benz, is teasing an Australia debut of one of its new models, as well as six vehicles on show and celebrations for 50 years of AMG.

While the show cars are yet to be revealed, attendees will be able to take part in a Mercedes-Benz and AMG drive experience over the weekend.

Notable vehicles at past Motorclassica events include a Porsche 911 R, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Black Series, Abarth 124 Spider, Lamborghini Aventador Miura, Maserati Levante and Alfa Romeo 4C.

Noticeable absentees this year however, will be BMW which, after showcasing its headline-stealing M4 GTS and i Vision Future Interaction porotype at last year’s event, will skip this year’s festivities, and Audi, who have yet to attend since Motorclassica’s inception in 2013.

Classic and collector cars are also displayed and auctioned at the event.

With an average attendance record of around 21,000, Mr Mathers revealed to GoAuto that there is potential for the event to expand beyond Melbourne.

“We are becoming broadly known both locally and internationally,” he said. “I think it’s unlikely we will move away from Melbourne – no other city has a venue quite like the Royal Exhibition Building, which is, and always has been such an important character in the Motorclassica story.

“The question is more would we take the Motorclassica brand to another city or country, and certainly if we felt there was an appetite in another market we would entertain that idea of expansion.”