Motorclassica muscle ready to roar

MOTORCLASSICA will roar into Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building this weekend with a special spotlight being shone on all things muscle car – both Australian and American.

From hero nameplates developed in the Pony Car wars through to homegrown icons like the Charger, Falcon GT and Monaro, the reimagined Motorclassica event will cover what organisers say is “an even greater depth of classic and contemporary machinery” than ever before.

“Much of Australia’s muscle car culture since the 1960s has been formed on the back of a wide range of muscle car innovations,” said Motorclassica event director Jon Treherne.

“Over the years, big horsepower and wild styling have combined to produce a diverse array of machines that fit the muscle car genre, with larger-than-life presence endearing the cars to a tribal following.

“After a two-year hiatus, we’re really proud of the incredible array of vehicles we have gathered for our 2022 Motorclassica showcase. In addition to our muscle car feature, we will also celebrate all things Shelby in recognition of that company’s 60thanniversary.

“Of course, outside of all things V8, Motorclassica is set to once again provide something for everyone, with a collection spanning from the earliest examples of the automotive age, through a wide selection of sports and tourers, and the latest and greatest hypercars – it will all be on show,” he said.

Mr Treherne said tribal lines will be drawn in the Concours section of activities, with Holden to go head-to-head with Ford for honours.

From the red side, the iconic HX Sandman Panel van defined the carefree 1970s, with options provided by General Motors allowing enthusiasts to specify their wagons in an incredible array of combinations.

Various generations of the legendary Monaro nameplate will be present, which saw the marque truly step up to the challenge of motorsport. The car that added to the brand’s fabled exploits, the Torana LC GTR XU-1 will also be represented.

For lovers of the Blue Oval, a selection of Ford’s most significant Australian-produced iron will take centre stage alongside some of the best locally based examples sourced from North America.

Between the various Phases of the GTHO Falcon produced prior to the “Supercar Scare”, Ford will also be represented by the classic refinement of the later Landau model. Meanwhile from the USA, a sweet selection of Mustangs will cover top-tier examples of the line from its remarkable history.

Adding depth to the muscle car conversation will be prime entries from Chevrolet and Dodge, while joining the Australian-made offering on show, an R/T Valiant Charger is also set to star.

In celebrating 60 years of Shelby, Motorclassica will offer up numerous examples of top-flight examples that pay tribute to Texas native and motorsport legend, Carroll Shelby, with notable Cobra and Mustang models to be a feature of the special Motorclassica Concours gathering.

“It’s exciting that Motorclassica is returning in 2022 to coincide with worldwide Shelby 60th anniversary celebrations,” said Mr Treherne.

“With power, handling and presence, we are proud of the Shelby collection that we have arranged, with the assistance of board member Nez Demaj which covers a wide array of the brand’s vehicles from the early years to the present, showcasing the evolution of the marque.

“The Shelby display is just one attraction of our reimagined event, which covers every motoring taste, from classics to contemporary, and muscle car power through to sleek sports car styling gathered from right around the world.

“Motorclassica will also feature a wide range of new attractions, which will add to the spectacle that the team has developed over the past decade,” he said.

An example of the Shelby hardware on display will be a 1965 Shelby Cobra 289 'Slalom Snake’ prototype, which opened the model up in a specialist guise to dominate the club autocross scene of the era.

The car to be displayed was campaigned extensively in competition trim, including in drag racing, like many of the other Shelby fettled cars to be exhibited.

Another 1965 427 Cobra Street meanwhile was shipped to Ford Advanced Racing in the UK, and displayed at the 1966 Brussels Motor Show, with it now being one of two genuine 427 Cobras that reside in Australia.

One of the earlier Mustangs to be featured is a 1965 Shelby GT350 Fastback, which was a six-time record holder on drag strips of North America under the moniker “Super Horse”.

Another popular Mustang will no doubt be the Shelby GT350 from the Hertz Rent-A-Racer Program, which was offered for hire for the grand total of $17 per day, plus an additional fee of 17 cents per mile.

The display car ultimately raced in Sporting Car Club of America competition through to 1979, before being drag raced in Japan.

Also featured in the collection is some big banging iron from the peak of the Pony Car wars, including examples as fitted with the 428 Cobra Jet V8 powerplant.

Meanwhile, at the modern end of the spectrum, a 2020 Carroll Shelby Signature Series Mustang shows how far performance has come, with the car’s 5.0-litre Whipple Supercharged V8 pumping out a whopping 825hp.

Motorclassica will also pay tribute to a horse of a different colour – Ferrari’s famous yellow Prancing Horse.

Celebrating both 50 years of Ferrari Club Australia and the 75th anniversary of the prestigious Italian brand, Australia’s premier festival of motoring will showcase millions of dollars of rare and desirable Ferrari models from the last seven decades.

“Ferrari evokes the passion of enthusiasts like no other, so it is with great pride that Motorclassica is to host a significant local celebration of the brand’s 75th anniversary which coincides with the Ferrari Club Australia’s 50th anniversary,” said Mr Trehern.

“Enzo Ferrari truly created an icon of the motorised world, with his company not only succeeding on the racetrack, but also in the hearts of devotees with a remarkable line-up of road-going models.

“Partnering with the Ferrari Club Australia, the Saturday of Motorclassica will transform into the biggest of the four sanctioned activities set to take place this year in Australia. 

“The parade will feature 75 Ferraris covering the whole gamut of models from the brand’s remarkable journey, and it will be a sight to see,” he said.

From the early 1970s Dino 246GT and 365 GTs, through to legends of the 1980s, such as the Testarossa and 328, the line-up will feature many desirable nameplates from the past two decades.

From the F360 to the 612, 599, F430, and 458, through to the California and Portofino, plus recent examples of the 812, Roma and F8 Tributo, the array of exotica is sure to bring the roads of Melbourne alive.

Within the Concours section of proceedings, there will be a special class celebrating Ferrari, with some key early entries set to cover from the classic to the contemporary. Highlights include a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Pininfarina, one of nine produced by the factory in a right-hand drive configuration, as campaigned in races by David McKay at the legendary Bathurst and Longford circuits.

In contrast, a more modern 1994 Ferrari 512TR heads to Motorclassica with originality at its core, with its delivery factory-fitted protective plastics still in place. Impressively, the car has travelled less than 3000km over its 28-year life.

Another feature will be a 1977 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 Coupe 2+2, a significant pivot for the Prancing Horse, with its shift to a mid-mounted V8 architecture also coupled with a move to Gruppo Bertone design.

Meanwhile, a 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina is set to display, a model which saw the manufacturer return to front-engine products after a 23-year-long model gap dating to the final Ferrari Daytona.

Staying in Europe, Motorclassica will also pay tribute to BMW M which celebrates its 50th year in 2022.

BMW Australia said it will cap a year of events and launches surrounding the 50th year of its high-performance M brand with “a spectacular display at the Motorclassica 2022 festival”, bringing together a “range of models from its past, present and future”.

M Division will be represented at the festival, which was last held in 2019, with an elaborate outdoor installation that showcases the brand and a range of models from its past, present and future.

The display will include the newly announced BMW XM – the first BMW M car to integrate a plug-in hybrid drive system and the first standalone model developed by the brand since the M1 of 1978 – the highly anticipated 375kW M3 Touring, the first five-door variant of BMW M’s high-performance models in the midsize passenger class, and an ‘eyes only’ chance to inspect an unnamed model BMW said will make its world premiere in the week following Motorclassica 2022.

Other prominent BMW exhibits include the new i4 M50, a 1973 3.0 CSL, a 2016 M4 GTS – of which only 700 were made – and the ‘lightweight legend’ of 2003, the BMW M3 CSL.

“Our exhibition space at Motorclassica 2022 will truly celebrate the BMW M division in grand and appropriate style, providing fans a very special opportunity to experience models from our history that have shaped the brand, alongside those that have only just been revealed to the world, and even one that has yet to break cover,” said BMW Group Australia general manager of marketing, Alex McLean.

Joining the specialist displays at Motorclassica is an extensive and unique collection of Concours grade vehicles covering classifications including the Golden Age of Motoring up to 1918, Vintage and Post War through to 1945, Post War up until 1960, New Age Classics – British and European (1961-80), Modern Classics (1981-92), Supercars (1992 and on), American plus Australian Classics from the period covering 1950-80, as well as two divisions of Classics from the Track.

New for 2022 is the Icons of Speed feature, which covers the modern hypercar era, entailing the best of the best from the Bugatti Veyron through to Ferrari, Lamborghini and beyond, while Motorclassica’s Marque Park will feature with premium Australian Car Club culture on display in the forecourt of the Melbourne Museum.

“It’s incredibly exciting to be bringing Motorclassica back to life as Australia’s premiere festival of motoring,” said Mr Treherne.

“We welcome aboard Duttons as a major partner for the event, their focus on luxury, prestige and classic cars is perfectly aligned with our own exotic and rare gathering of top-tier showpieces.

“During the downtime between events, we have been able to put a lot of thought into all aspects of what makes Motorclassica great, and we have subsequently developed many new initiatives that will add to the experience of exhibitors and visitors.

“We also welcome Mark Jansen onboard as our Chief Curator, who along with our curatorial board has secured an incredible array of machinery for the event. Additionally, Neil Matthews has been appointed Motorclassica Chief Judge following the sad passing of John Virgo, who was a tremendous friend to all in the classic car world.”

A returning feature for 2022 is After 5, with visitors able to gain a new perspective of the classics on display, with entry on Friday and Saturday nights available for $35, with the price of admission inclusive of a glass of wine.

Another fresh addition will be the Interactive Zone presented by Trak Racer, with visitors able to experience the latest in racing simulation and compete for fastest lap with some amazing prizes up for grabs.

Attendees will also be able to shop for their next project, memorabilia, or favourite motoring merchandise, with a selection of motoring related products located on both the ground and gallery levels.

Tickets are now available for the event which will be hold at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building, 11 Nicholson Street Carlton from Friday 7 October to Sunday 9 October. More information is available at motorclassica.com.au