Hundreds gathered from Madeira’s trove of classic gems for its annual concours and rally
WORDS AARON MCKAY PHOTOGRAPHY AARON MCKAY/FRANCISCO CORREIA
While wandering Madeiraʼs streets of pastel colours and flourishes of Art Deco architecture, it doesnʼt take long to also appreciate the islandʼs enthusiasm for motoring. With so few new car imports, preservation has become an ingrained part of the Madeiran automotive culture: there is a sense of pride, from impeccably restored British roadsters of the 1960s to taxi ranks of Mercedes-Benz models dating nearly as far back. It has made sense to import cars of style and durability as well as potency. The mountains that sweep its cities up from the coast lure the twin carbs, twin cams and sprint gearing of the finest cars, inspiring keen drivers and events such as the Madeira Wine Rally, which began in 1959.
The Madeira Classic Car Revival is an extension of that long-held infatuation with motoring life. Bringing hundreds of classic cars to the islandʼs capital city, Funchal, this three-day event was first held in 2012 by organisers Clube de Automóveis Clássicos da Madeira in conjunction with the regional board of tourism and culture. This year, from 19-21 May, 463 cars were on display at the Praça do Povo, a leafy seaside public park, and on Sunday a regularity rally timed some 70 of them flying along a closed portion of the Avenida do Mar to climb another kilometre up towards the Paz E Liberdade monument.
“The enthusiasm really began in the 1970s, then clubs began to form in the 1980s and from there things have moved very quickly,” explained Eduardo Jesus, regional secretary for tourism and culture. Today, estimates suggest that there could be as many as 3000 classic cars on the island.
There is no admission fee for the event, and from Friday afternoon, when the first few cars gathered around the centre stage, passers-by were easily drawn in. On Saturday, the full set arrived and attracted even bigger crowds as the show spilled across the seafront promenade into the city centre itself. A few streets up, outside the imposing 15th-century cathedral, was the Portuguese UMM Jeep converted into a ʻpopemobileʼ for the 1991 visit of Pope John Paul II. Once that had captured the interest of the wandering visitors, two rows of government service vehicles led the way down to the main event, marked by a large green banner.
The Região Autónoma da Madeira collection offered some h
