Pictures: Baher Amin / The Peninsula
DOHA: The first ‘Qatar Classic Cars Contest & Exhibition 2020’ opened at the Porto Arabia Boardwalk at The Pearl-Qatar yesterday in the presence of prominent Qatari businessmen and classic car enthusiasts in Doha.
The four-day event, which is sponsored by the Minister of Culture & Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, was organised by the Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association in partnership with the United Development Company (UDC), master developer of The Pearl-Qatar and Gewan Island.
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of the Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association, inaugurated the event, along with Ibrahim Jassim Al Othman, UDC President, CEO and Board Member, and Omar Alfardan, Vice-Chairman of the Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association. About 50 luxury classic cars which fall into different historical categories, some of which dating back to 1925, are participating in the exhibition, where a specialised symposium under the title “Classic cars... A passion for the past and an investment for the future” will be organised. A competition will also be held wherein the best participating cars will be chosen and their owners will be honoured during the event.
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani (centre), Chairman of the Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association, with Ibrahim Jassim Al Othman (fourth right), UDC President, CEO and Board Member, and Omar Alfardan (third left), Vice-Chairman of the Gulf Qatari Classic Cars Association, with other officials at the Qatar Classic Cars Contest & Exhibition
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, Alfardan said that the luxury classic cars industry is continually growing in Qatar, with more young people also starting to invest in these valuable and timeless commodities.
“We see continuous growth and passion (in classic cars). And we see even young people embarking on loving such beautiful cars. People who appreciate luxury cars also appreciate the history of the car. And most of the manufacturers have started revisiting their history, and are now highlighting it in order to justify the value of the cars they are now producing,” he added.
Alfardan, who is exhibiting 11 classic cars during the event, including a 1925 Rolls Royce and a 1937 Phantom 3 among others, is also an owner of a classic car museum in Doha which houses over 100 classic cars.
“One of my first cars, which is from 1911, was owned by George V, former king of the United Kingdom, and he was crowned on that car,” he added.
According to the organisers, the exhibition, which will be held annually, seeks to encourage investment in classic cars, highlight its history in Qatar, and introduce the various stages of the classic car industry in the country, while encouraging the hobby of acquiring classic cars. The exhibition, which is also expected to be a leading tourist attraction, is aimed at enhancing the role of the private sector in promoting tourism in the country in various sectors, including the classic car industry.
In a statement, UDC said the event brings together classic car enthusiasts, sheds light on the history of this hobby in Qatar, and positions The Pearl-Qatar as an iconic site that combines heritage and modernity in Qatar.
With this in mind, UDC constantly endeavours to provide a platform to support popular hobbies and host many events, including seasonal festivals and traditional celebrations which have proven to be very successful in attracting thousands of visitors to The Pearl-Qatar.
