ALGARVE CLASSIC Cars, the largest vintage car rally in the Iberian Peninsula, now in its 14th year, will be staged from July 14 to 16, bringing some 150 classic motorcars, and their proud owners, to the Algarve. And it’s not only participants from Portugal who will enter the rally; Spain, England, Belgium and France will also be represented this year.
Over the three-day event, motor enthusiasts will be able to marvel at classic models made between 1926 and 1974 by Rolls Royce, Bentley, Porsche, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Ferrari and BMW, to name just a few of the four dozen brands that will be represented. The total route of this rally spans around 200km, encompassing Faro, São Brás de Alportel, Loulé, Albufeira, Silves, Portimão and Lagoa, providing the public with plenty of opportunities to get a good look at the old beauties.
Algarve Classic Cars 2006 gets underway in Vilamoura today (July 14), when the cars will be displayed at Vilamoura Marina at the beginning of the afternoon. Then, at 7pm, drivers will perform a circuit of the area, including the Casino.
On Saturday morning, participants in the next stage will be setting off from Parque da Pontinha in the centre of Faro, at 9.30am, in the direction of Loulé, for the classic circuit entitled “City of Loulé”, to start from Avenue José Costa Mealha. After a journey to São Brás de Alportel, the final section of this stage will take place in Albufeira, in Avenida dos Descobrimentos.
Lunch is being organised at the Tivoli Arade Hotel in Portimão, from where the drivers will be setting off for Lagoa, where the third stage will get underway at 3.30pm. The afternoon will see a circuit of Armação de Pêra at around 4pm, and then it’s back to Vilamoura for a dinner being hosted at the Casino.
Sunday is the last day of the rally, when the fourth stage will take place. The cars will be leaving Vilamoura mid-morning for a complementary race at Parque das Cidades at 11.30am, arriving at the Tivoli Marinotel in Vilamoura at 12.30pm, where the winners of each class will be announced.
Algarve Classic Cars is being organised by the Clube Português de Automóveis Antigos, with support from Loulé Câmara and sponsorship from BP Ultimate.
