Cars on display: Sports cars steal classic cars’ thunder

Owners ask public to keep distance from vehicles, hope for more such shows.

LAHORE: The second Auto Show at Liberty Market’s parking lot on Sunday brought out droves of car lovers.

Dozens of cars were part of the Auto Show that had been organised by the Tourism and Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) in collaboration with Pakwheels. A total of 150 cars were registered to appear in the show. However, the sports cars stole the limelight from classic cars.

The cars on display in the classic and vintage category included Nissan Murano, Nissan Nismo, Triumph Spitfire, Opel Rekord 1966, Peugeot 504 (1974 model), Chevrolet Van 1973, Mercedes 109, Morris Oxford 1962, Morris Minor 1967, Datsun Cherry 100A, VW Beetle Convertible 1967, Chevrolet Impala 1962, Triumph Herald 1965, Dodge Dart and others. Mercedes S Class, E Class, CLK 350, Porsche Cayman, Nissan Skyline, G 35, 7 ,5 and X5 BMWs were some of the new cars on display.

The parking strip on the outer edge of the market was where some people showed off their prize possessions. Several cars were doing donuts, engines were being roared and raced from one spot to the other. The police did not bat an eyelid. A couple of Choppers (motorbikes) were also on the display. Car owners were asked to pose with their cars. The owners did ask the public to maintain a respectful distance from their vehicles.

Dr Waleed from Johar Town said that he appreciated the government’s effort for organising such a show. He said the arrangements could have been a bit better.

The event opened at 3pm. Shehzad Aslam, owner of a 1971 Toyota Crown said it was a good event which had attracted a decent crowd. He said that the owners had had a tough time keeping the public at a distance. He said that every one wanted to sit in the cars which was not possible.

A VW convertible van, owned by Dr Tauseef from DHA, also attracted a crowd which was amazed by its design. The van had a centre table, a TV and a single bed. The owners claimed to have gone around the country in the van. Hasan Javed, owner of a Chevrolet Belair 1957, hoped such events would be held regularly.

MNA Hamza Shehbaz spoke at the concluding ceremony and distributed participation shields. He said this kind of event caters to the youth who are a huge part of the country’s population. He said that load shedding had become a serious problem which could be tackled but the government leaders lacked the will to do so. He said that 1.2 million youngsters had participated in the Punjab Sports Festival which showed the Punjab government’s commitment to the youth of the nation.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2012.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly mentioned the names of vehicles. The error is regretted.