Classic cars rally begins in Fengxian
Two classic vehicles taking part in the rally on show at Fengxian Museum on Tuesday
Over 50 classic vehicles from 18 countries will compete in a rally across the Yangtze River Delta region in late September.
The cars, with an average age of 50 years old, will set off from Fengxian District in southern Shanghai and drive 1,200 kilometers through popular tourist attractions in Dongtai, Wuxi and Changzhou in Jiangsu Province, Anji in Zhejiang and Ningguo in Anhui.
As part of the 2019 Shanghai Tourism Festival, the Yangtze River Delta Open of International Classic Cars will be held between September 19 and 29. It is organized by the International Federation of Ancient Vehicles and China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
The cars won't compete for speed but in driver control. Drivers must precisely control the time between two points throughout the journey. Their average speed will be under 60 kilometers per hour to showcase the elegance of the cars along the route, according to organizers.
The classic vehicles in the rally will include a Ferrari 250 sports car and a Bugatti 4057.
The event will become one of the largest classic car competitions in China and be on par with the Mille Miglia in Italy, Goodwood Revival in the United Kingdom and Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in the United States, an official with the Classic Vehicle Union of China said on Tuesday.
Various exhibitions about the classic cars and Shanghai's automobile manufacturing industry will be held along with the rally.
The cars will start from the Nine Tree Art Center in Fengxian's Nanqiao Town and drive back to the city at the newly unveiled Fengxian Museum. After the rally, all the vehicles will be exhibited beside the museum along Jinhai Lake.
During the rally they will pass popular attractions such as a bamboo forest in Anji and Huanghai Forest Park in Dongtai, known as China's largest coastal plain forest covering about 45 square kilometers.
The event aims to promote tourism and culture in the Yangtze River Delta region to global audiences, according to the Fengxian government.
In November 2018, integration and coordinated development of the area was declared a national strategy. It was announced by President Xi Jinping at the opening of the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai.
Fengxian aims to play a key role in Yangtze River Delta integration with its central location. It also plans to develop an industrial center for new energy and intelligent automobiles, according to the district government.
