For World Motoring Heritage Year, historic cars of all sorts – from proper pre-War classic cars to modern masterpieces – will descend on Paris for a five-day celebration of the automobile. Oh yes, “modern” in this context should not be mistaken for contemporary but if you’re interested in classic cars, you already know that.
The car is an important part of human history, civilization even. Journalist Jonathan Glancey called the car “a tin god, one of our own making,” and perhaps that is why it inspires such reverence. This is why an organization such as the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) – a group dedicated to preserving historic cars – even exists. For World Heritage Year, FIVA, in association with UNESCO, has organized a series of events between November 16 and 20 covering all aspects of classic car ownership. The AFP reports that it will include a symposium on the skills and training needed to ensure the next generation of mechanics can keep cars like the E-Type Jaguar on the road for another 50 years, plus showcases aimed at convincing new drivers to fall in love with older cars. As our friend Eli Solomon always reminds us, having a mechanic who understands and can work with your classic car is hugely important.
It is not all symposiums and talks at the event this year though. Paris Week, as FIVA is calling it, will also see a huge parade of classic cars and motorbikes taking to the streets of Paris.
“We want to celebrate the pleasure of owning and driving historic vehicles, and the cultural importance of these vehicles to our global heritage, as well as addressing some of the challenges we face in a changing world,” said Patrick Rollet, President of FIVA. As a matter of fact, FIVA has another reason to party in 2016 – it is marking its 50th anniversary.
Corrado Lopresto won the FIVA award for his ‘half-and-half’ Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ Zagato at the 2016 Villa D’Este © courtesy of BMW Group AG
As part of World Motoring Heritage Year, FIVA has been attending some of the world’s most renowned concours d’elegance events – from Pebble Beach to Villa D’Este – and presenting awards for historically significant cars that it believes have been expertly preserved.
The winners will be descending upon UNESCO’s headquarters in Place de Fontenoy, where they will make up a free exhibition that will open to the public from November 14. This might be the best time in history to have exactly this sort of global event because the electric drive train and autonomous driving technology will be changing the face of our “tin god” forever. Indeed, it may already have happened.
To be sure, the tour of Paris parade will be global. “We already have interest from enthusiasts in countries as diverse as India, Argentina, Lebanon, the USA and New Zealand, as well Cyprus, Slovakia, Holland, Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and many others. Some 27 countries from five continents have already confirmed, and we are hearing from more every week,” said Rollet.
But when the Tour commences on November 20, Rollet wants as many people as possible to join the procession, whether they’ve received an official invitation or not. “We are hoping a great many people will bring their own historic cars, motorcycles and commercials – or borrow them, or even rent them, to join this international celebration of World Motoring Heritage Year and the deep pleasure of owning, driving, or simply seeing vehicles from our shared history,” he said.
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