- Title: IRAN: Tehran hosts vintage car show
- Date: 22nd July 2009
- Summary: GROUP OF PEOPLE SEATED AROUND TABLE VARIOUS OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE ONE MAN TAKING PHOTOGRAPH OF HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE (SOUNDBITE) (Farsi) VISITOR OF TEHRAN CLASSIC CAR SHOW, OMID AFSHARI, SAYING: "This exhibition is very good and very nice cars are exhibited here. It would be better to have more of this kind of exhibition during the year." VISITORS TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OF CARS CLASSIC MASERATI CLASSIC MASERATI AND PORSCHE CLASSIC PORSCHE FEMALE VISITOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPH OF CLASSIC CARS CLASSIC VOLKSWAGEN 'BEETLE' CAR VARIOUS OF CLASSIC HILLMAN CAR VARIOUS OF CLASSIC MERCEDES-BENZ WIDE OF SEVERAL MODELS OF CLASSIC MERCEDES-BENZ VARIOUS OF CLASSIC 300-SL MERCEDES-BENZ REAR VIEW OF CLASSIC 190-SL MERCEDES-BENZ
- Embargoed: 6th August 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
- Reuters ID: LVAEF7YCZQA95V9LYWP6CTNYKCEI
- Story Text: The second Tehran Classic Car Show kicked-off in the Iranian capital's Niavaran Palace complex on Tuesday (July 21), showcasing almost 65 vintage car models.
Niavaran Palace, located in the northern part of Tehran, was the primary residence of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the second and last Shah to rule Iran prior to the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
But from Tuesday to Friday (July 24), the palace lawn will be transformed into a showroom for vintage cars dating from 1924-1974, some of which were once owned by the former ruling family.
Among the vehicles exhibited are a rare Rolls-Royce Phantom, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz 300-SL, Maserati, Ferrari, Ford Mustang, Cadillac and some Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
"The purpose of organising this show was mainly because not many people know that such cars actually exist in Iran," said Amir Sadr, a member of the organising committee for the show.
"Some of these cars are unique, and no one knows that they are in Iran, and especially the Iranian people, do not know that we have such a heritage of importation of cars since 1924, which is actually the earliest car that we have on this show. This was our main purpose -- to be able to show these cars to the public, show these cars and refurbish them after so many years and try to keep them in good condition for future years, and hopefully in future years we are talking about creating a museum, which this show will be the start of that," he added.
The Classic Car Association of Iran (CCAI) is a private sector organisation dedicated to the preservation, restoration and documentation of historical cars in the country. The show is organised by the Touring and Automobile Club of Iran in association with CCAI.
Visitors to the event toured with beaming eyes and snapping camera flashes as they excitedly took photographs of the antique vehicles.
"The Rolls-Royce and Mercedes cars, which are shown here, are really unique," said one visitor, Fathali Esfandiyari.
Other visitors hoped this kind of event would take place more frequently.
"This exhibition is very good and very nice cars are exhibited here," said Omid Afshari, another visitor to the show.
"It would be better to have more of this kind of exhibition during the year," he added.
Following the entry of the first car into Iran in 1900, starting from 1910 onwards, the importation of cars began to gain momentum in the country. By 1926, the number of registered cars in Iran stood at 708, with 36 belonging to foreign embassies.
Imports were typically carried out by well-off individuals and a number of famous brands were brought into the country, such as Rolls-Royce. Some of these vehicles can still be found in Iran today.
The first Tehran classic car show was held at the Saad Abad Palace complex in 2006 and was sponsored by Mercedes-Benz. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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