Old beauties on wheels dazzle fans at Concours d’Elegance

Some of the vintage cars at CBA Concours D'Elegance 2019 held at Ngong Racecourse, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Nairobi County’s vintage beauty, a 1968 Austine Princess headlined this year’s CBA Africa Concours d’Elegance at the city’s Ngong racecourse yesterday.

The car that was used by Nairobi’s mayor was driven to the ramp by Henry Mungai.

Also on show was 1947 MGTD belonging to Gata Aura.

The event attracted international entries with three vintage motorcycles from South Africa and 13 from Uganda.

There were also five cars from Uganda highlighting the continental status of one of the classiest events on the Kenya motorsport calendar which has been held by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club since 1970.

The oldest machine was a 1916 BSA motorcycle owned by Bevan Beckman. It was up against a 1925 DKW belonging to Satpal Jabbal who is a multiple overall winner of the event.

The Vintage Motorcycle Club of South Africa team sponsored by Galleria Shopping Mall included a newcomer, Barend Barnard, who rode his 1980 BMW Café Racer around the Racecourse parade ring. Johannesburg-based Martin Kaiser was on his third visit to Kenya with a 1969 Norton Commando.

Motorcycle competitors

Among the motorcycle competitors who made first appearance was Stephen Mbuthi who has been painstakingly restoring a 2010 Suzuki TF 125. His motorcycle was the first machine to be assessed by the judges followed by a Honda CBR 600R entered by  Morrison Ssenyange, one of the members of Uganda Bikers Association.

A 1927 Dodge belonging to Magdi Riad was the oldest car to be driven on the ramp. The American saloon car competed for the top spot with a 1928 Ford Tudor and John Wroe’s 1928 Ford Model A pickup.

Regular participant in the motor show,  Paul Chemngorem, who has participated in the event for more than 30 years, was aiming for victory in the up to 1300cc touring car category with his 1962 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia.

Other potential class winners were Ugandan Leslie Carvell with a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle and Kakooza Wazzir who had driven his 1996 Mitsuoka Viewt from Kampala to be at the show.

Tumaini Muthiga made his first appearance in a 1973 Mini Morris in the up to 1000cc touring class. He was later back in the motorcycle category with his 1999 Harley Davidson.

Among the favourites in the cars category were Sati Gala Aura with his 1947 MGTC, Veronica Wroe’s 1934 Rolls Royce Boatail and the 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL belonging to Sachit Shah.