Event: Something for everyone, MotorClassica 2015

MotorClassica 2015 Front

MotorClassica 2015 has come and gone and as expected it didn’t disappoint. The exhibition was outstanding, something we can only describe as ‘eyegasmic’. It was difficult to contain our excitement as we wandered from vehicle to vehicle. We at ForceGT embrace the old and the new. We feel that to fully understand the design choices made on modern cars, we need to know a bit about their heritage. That’s what makes MotorClassica special. The sheer number of classic/rare vehicles and modern cars on display guarantee a view into their history and evolution.

For us, the star of the show was delivered by BMW and their 1970’s 3.0 CSL and Hommage R Concept. This was the second time the Hommage concept has been in public view since its debut at Concours d’Elegance in August. The extravagantly designed coupe clearly features retro styling and design elements similar to that of the classic CSL – the roof spoiler, boot wing, fender vents, C-pillar roundels and shark nose bumper – are notable similarities between the vehicles. The air deflectors running along the bonnet are also a typical reference to that of 1970’s aero.

The futuristic appearance of the interior is actually designed in a very minimalistic fashion with nothing more than a digital gauge cluster, information panel and flight inspired steering wheel.

BMW-3.0-CLS-HOMMAGE-R

Motorclassica had the greatest line-up of classics, everything from the Ford Model T to the Holden Brock HDT LJ GTR XVI Torana were on show. A particular favourite of ours was the beautifully restored 1934 Bentley 4.5L “Blower” Special. This incredible machine was designed as an early racer and only 50 of these amazing vehicles were produced. The stunning design features and attention to detail kept us in awe. Despite the Bentley Blowers top speed being around 160km/h, it was considered a supercar in its day.

Other favourites include the wide selection of Morgan’s on display, particularly interesting however was the current model 3-wheeled Morgan designed to hark back to simpler times of adventurous/carefree driving. The “3 wheeler” Morgan can be personalized by the customer to appear war-torn with design elements such as RAF roundels, Bullet holes and other WW2 air force graphics. The 3 wheeler is powered by a S&S V-twin motor similar to that found on motorbikes and is paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Its top speed is 185 Km/h.

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Our jaws dropped when we entered the supercar zones, millions of dollars worth of vehicles that we all wish we could own. The incredible collection contains the Mclaren F1 valued at $10 million, the Pagani Zonda worth a cool $1.5 mill and the $1 million Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, which are surely among some of the most stunning vehicles ever built. Ferrari fans had alot to be excited about, with the inclusion of the F40, 288 GTO and Testarossa in the lineup. The list goes on with the Ford GT, Porsche Carrera GT, Lamborghini Diablo and BMW M1.

The collectors auction was also a sight to behold, with the big ticket item being a 1914 Rolls-Royce Landaulet Silver Ghost that fetched a whopping $600,000 on the auction block. The next highest vehicle was the 1949 Jaguar Xk120, which fetched $575,000  – an incredible $125,000 over the estimated price. Our personal favourite however, was the 1974 Marlboro Holden Torana SLR 5000 that fetched $250,000, a great investment for the purchaser having bought it for $45,000 less than the estimated price.

TORANA-SLR5000-BROCK-MARLBORO-HOLDEN-DEALER-CAR-MOTORCLASSICA
Throughout the weekend exhibitors were competing for various awards amongst various classes of vehicle. However, the ultimate award was the coveted ‘Best in Show’ award. This year, the prestigious award has gone to the stunning 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso. The winning Lusso is one of only 350 built and was originally sold in California. Multiple owners in the US shared the vehicle before finally being imported into Australia in the 1980’s.

This has been the 6th annual running of Motorclassica and quite possibly the best motor show we have been to. We sure had a blast this year and highly recommend anyone with a passion for cars to come down to next year’s event.

Check out our photos from the event below.