“The historic vehicle world is at last coming back to life in some places,” according to Tiddo Bresters, president the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens. “Where Covid is under control, enthusiasts are getting out on the road, expressing the wish that life will steadily return to normal.”
In support of that statement, FIVA, the international federation for historic vehicles, sent along some images from vintage vehicle events held recently in Kolkata, India, and Macau, China.
In the city formerly known as Calcutta, FIVA said, “the Classic Drivers Club enjoyed ‘anecdotes, banter and wonderful weather’ with owners bringing out such gems as an eye-catching 1930 Auburn 6-85 and two Rolls-Royce Phantom IIIs.”
And that wasn’t the only gathering. A few weeks later, the 117-year-old Automobile Association of Eastern India held the largest historic vehicle event in Kilkata, a gathering featuring vintage motorcycles.
The event in Macau was FIVA’s first there and attracted 52 cars and 54 motorcycles for a showcase on the pit lane of the Macau Grand Prix circuit before leaving to parade around the city and on to Taipa.
Motorcycles at Kolata 
Motorcycle at Macau
Le Mans race postponed
While some events are taking place, the 89th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race has been postponed until August 21-22. The Automobile Club l’Ouest said the postponement was made in hopes that by late August, pandemic regulations will be relaxed to the point that spectators will be able to attend the race.
“Holding the 24 Hours of Le Mans behind closed doors for the second year running would be unthinkable,” Pierre Fillon, ACO president, was quoted in the announcement. “We are therefore doing all we can to avoid that happening and to give competitors a clear view of the whole season. We are working very hard to put on a safe event, with all the necessary health precautions in place. This year’s race promises to be another thriller as the new Hypercar class makes its debut.”
The new Hypercar category replaces the Le Mans Prototype as the premier class for sports car endurance racing and will be based on production supercars in an effort to recapture some of the glory of the Ford v Ferrari. In fact, Ferrari recently announced it has a Hypercar in development for Le Mans 2023.
Revised schedule for Bespoke Rallies
Responding to easing restrictions regarding the coronavirus pandemic, Bespoke Rallies has revised its schedule of events for 2021, while also sharing an early peek at 2022 events.
The season will begin June 23-27 with a new 4-day event for vintage vehicles, the Pennine 1000, to visit the Pennines, Yorkshire Dales, Cheviots and Souther Uplands of Scotland.
Events then resume September 8-10 with the Highland 1000, which will travel from Erskine to Edinburgh. Following are two events outside the UK — the Pyrenees 1000, September 29 to October 3) in France and Spain, and the 19-day Grand Tour Canarias (November 2-21), an “island-hopping escapade” visiting Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.
“We know from our postbox that classic car enthusiasts everywhere are desperate to take to the road once more and enjoy the camaraderie of our events,” Bespoke Rallies managing director John Brigden is quoted in the announcement. “This quartet of rallies should hopefully help them to put the gloom and doom of the COVID era behind them.”
In addition to its 2021 schedule, Bespoke Rallies said it plans a Cuba Classic rally for January 4-21, 2022, and a Dakar Enduro from February 28-March 20, 2022.
For more information, visit the Bespoke Rallies website.
London Concours salutes Porsche
The London Concours, scheduled for June 8-10 at the Honourable Artillery Company HQ, has announced Porsche as the “Great Marques” class for its event. A 12-car grouping will be featured in the salute to the 72-year history of the German sports cars.
Consider it a car show at speed
Historic Sportscar Racing opens its 2021 vintage racing season March 31 to April 2 with the Spring Fling at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. The event is scheduled for Wednesday through Friday so competitors and spectators can be home for the Easter holiday weekend.
Audrain Newport Motor Week sets schedule
The 2021 Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week has published its schedule of events and begun ticket sales for the various events planned for September 29 through October 3 in Rhode Island.
Among those events are seminars featuring the likes of Jay Leno, Jay Ward, Bill Warner, Lyn St. James, the Revs Institute, Spike Feresten. Wayne Carini and Donald Osborne.
For more information, visit the event website.
Cinci salutes motorsports, Lincoln centennial
The 2021 Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance, to be held June 12-13 at Ault Park at Mount Lookout, will feature “An Exhibition of Motorsport Excellence” including open-wheel, stock car, endurance and “straightline speed” vehicles, organizers have announced.
In addition, featured classes will include 100 years of Lincoln, the 60th anniversary of the Jaguar E-Type, 50 years of the Datsun/Nissan Z, and microcars.
EyesOn Design show moves to September
The annual EyesOn Design car show, an event organized by Detroit’s working auto-company designers to benefit the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology, has been postponed from its usual Father’s Day date to September 19 at the historic Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan.
The 2021 show theme will be “Marques of Extinction: Significant Designs of Bygone Brands.”
Organizers said the September date was selected because of its proximity to the September 21-26 dates of the inaugural Motor Bella show.
2021 car show and concours calendar
The following are dates currently set (but subject to change) for a variety of concours d’elegance, car shows and driving tours scheduled during 2021:
March
12-13 – Goodguys Lone Star Nationals, Fort Worth; 13-14 – Taste of Motorsports, Chandler, Arizona; 27-April 4 – Easter Jeep Safari, Moab, Utah
April
8-11, Charlotte AutoFair, North Carolina; 9-11, Goodguys at Scottsdale, Arizona; 10 – Meadowbrook Park, Prairie Village, Kansas; 19-22, AACA Southeastern Division Chain of Lakes Tour, Florida; 21-25 – Spring Carlisle, Pennsylvania; 23-25 – Goodguys North Carolina Nationals, Raleigh; Derbuy GT tour, Belgium; 24 — Caroline Cruise, Kannapolis to Concord, North Carolina; 25 – Simply Aston Martin, Beaulieu, UK; 30-May 1, Darryl Starbird’s National Rod & Custom Show, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
May
1 – Big Displacement Showcase, Seal Cove, Maine; McPherson College CARS Club, Kansas; 9 – Simply Vauxhall, Beaulieu, UK; 14-15 – Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals, Pennsylvania; 15 – Vintage Travel Trailer Rally, Hickory Corners, Michigan; 15-16, Goodwood Members’ Meeting, UK: 16 – Simply Audi, Beaulieu, UK; 20-23 – Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, Amelia Island, Florida; AACA Founders Tour, Davis, West Virginia; 21-23 – Goodguys Salt Lake Nationals, Utah; 23 – Simply Electric, Beaulieu, UK; 28-30 – Goodguys Nashville Nationals, Tennessee
