KARACHI: The pride and joy of classic car collectors was put to the test once again on Wednesday as the 18th Annual Cross Country Vintage and Classic Car Rally, under the aegis of the Vintage and Classic Rally Drivers Association of Pakistan (VCRDAP), kicked off from Karachi on Wednesday.

After making stopovers in Sukkur, Multan, Lahore, Nurpur Noon and Islamabad, the rally will eventually culminate in Peshawar on Oct 29. This year, too, the classic cars participating in the rally include some dating back to 1960. The oldest car this time is a 1960 Chevrolet Impala along with a 1963 Chevrolet Impala, a 1972 Toyota Corona, a 1977 Mercedes 240D, a 1980 Mercedes 500SL and a 1986 Mercedes 300SEL, to name a few.

“This first-ever classic car rally of Pakistan started from Karachi on Nov 5, 2010 and has since been regularly held every year. The VCRDAP is a cluster of all the classic car rally drivers of Pakistan, who have taken part in different classic car rallies held in Pakistan since 2010. The aim of holding this unique national motoring event is a big step forward in projecting a soft image of Pakistan to the outer world, year after year,” said VCRDAP’s founder and President Imad Samad.

Lucky to be on an autumn break from her school, his and Fozia’s 14-year-old daughter, Maryam Samad, is also coming along. The youngest participant of this rally in 2011 at the age of only six months, Maryam this year will take turns riding with her father sometimes and with her mother at other times.

Cars from as far back as 1960 take part in rally that ends in Peshawar on Oct 29

A unique feature of this year’s rally is a women’s team of Fozia Imad and Sabina Mansoor. Fozia, a rally participant as a driver for a third time (she has otherwise been accompanying her husband for 14 to 15 years), is driving a black 1977 Mercedes 240D and Sabina is driving a red 1952 MG TD. Sabina’s husband Capt Mansoor ul Islam, meanwhile, compliments her by driving a green 1952 MG TD. Fozia’s husband Imad is in a red 1960 Chevrolet Impala, which belongs to his friend Rais Matloob Ahmed. “It is the oldest sedan in this year’s rally,” said Imad.

All the cars in the rally are well-maintained and in great shape. “We have kept them in proper running condition so that they can undertake this long cross country journey,” said VCRDAP’s Vice President Shoaib Qureshy, who also founded the Antique Cars Museum. “This rally is a statement of the passion and the spirit of veteran rally drivers,” he added. Shoaib is himself driving a 1980 Mercedes 500 SL.

He also briefed that the rally will feature a Grand Classic Car Show at the Pink Polo Festival in the Lahore Polo Club Grounds on Oct 26, which will be hosted by the Patron of VCRDAP Adnan Hayat Noon, an avid classic car enthusiast, rally driver and collector. “Another 30 cars will join this rally from Lahore onwards. Among them are a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado, a 1968 MGB GT, a 1959 Austin Healey 3,000, a 1961 Jaguar Mark 10, a 1972 Mercedes 300SEL, a 1965 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, a Rolls Royce Silver Spur, a 1977 VW Campervan, a 1965 Ford Mustang, 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia and several others,” informed Shoaib.

“After Lahore, en-route to Islamabad, the rally will make a stopover at the beautiful and historic estates of Nurpur Noon, where Adnan Hayat Noon and his family are hosting the rally participants. In Islamabad, they will be hosted by the CEO of Murree Brewery Isphanyar Bhandara, who is himself a well-known Mercedes Benz collector,” VCRDAP’s vice president added.

“The rally will conclude in Peshawar, where the VCRDAP Peshawar members have organised an elaborate closing ceremony to mark the completion of this iconic cross-country journey,” VCRDAP’s General Secretary Ahmed Agha concluded.

The drivers and their families have all taken care to pack warm clothes with them as they know that after Sindh they would be facing cold weather.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2025