It worked on the second attempt! The fifth edition of Madeira's Classic Motor Exhibition Funchal had actually been scheduled for May 7 and 8, 2016. However, due to a storm warning, the organizers pragmatically decided to postpone it by a week. So on May 14 and 15, 2016, around 700 classic cars built up to 1980 gathered on the seafront in Funchal. And in much better weather conditions.
Classic car scene on the island
Funchal is located on the island of Madeira, southwest of Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of over 110,000, Funchal is not a large city, but compared to the total population of Madeira Island, which is not quite 270,000, it is certainly a dominant size.
In keeping with its location, the classic car scene is a comparatively closed society; nobody drives by in their old car by chance.
This makes the classic car enthusiasts all the more enthusiastic about organizing their biggest event every year, to which not only cars, but also motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and commercial vehicles are invited.
Beauty competition ...
The best-restored and most elegant classic cars were also awarded prizes in Funchal, accompanied by flower girls and on the red carpet, as it should be.
An extensively restored Jaguar XK 140 from 1955 was named "Best of Show", while the most elegant vehicle was an Alfa Romeo Duetto from 1966.
Winners were also chosen for the motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles.
... and memories of great races
The first car race in Madeira took place in 1935 with the "Rampa dos Barreiros". It was won by Ribeiro Ferreira in a Bugatti. In honor of this race, three special races were held on Sunday after the beauty contest in front of a large crowd under the name "Rampa dos Barreiros", in which the aim was to drive exactly the same time three times.
The crew of an MG A Roadster did this best, beating the other 69 participants.
See and be seen
A beach promenade like the one in Funchal with its park-like grounds is of course the ideal place to show off your classic car and to take a closer look at the vehicles of friends and colleagues. And accordingly, a friendly atmosphere with a strong nostalgic note unfolded on the weekend of May 14/15, 2016, allowing visitors and participants to travel back in time. Most of them want to be there again next year, you can understand why.
