There’s going to be Ferraris, Porsches, American muscle cars, JDM Classics and much more.
Widely considered to be the greatest generation of cars, Modern Classics are currently the toast of the automobile scene. Consisting of some of the greatest advances in power, performance and technology, Modern Classics today are fast gaining popularity and price, even placing many traditional vintage and classic cars in the shade. This year’s Modern Classic Rally is particularly significant. Held at a time when the shift to EVs is well underway, it is a reminder of just how varied and storied the history of the automobile is. So, here’s a quick walkthrough of some of the awesome, significant and fun cars headed to our show, many of which will surely make you go wow.
Where do we begin? Well, how about a never-seen-before collection of American muscle. And boy, oh boy, do we have a stellar line-up! Big block American V8s that make huge torque and power, large sporty cabins with brilliant chrome detailing and some very distinctive and brilliant designs. Some of the cars attending the meet include everything from the iconic V10 Dodge Viper, Mustang Mach One, Mustang Shelby GT500 (Eleanor), Dodge Charger, Pontiac Trans Am, Plymouth Barracuda, Z28 Camaro to a pair of Corvettes. The only other place you are likely to see a line-up like this is at a museum in the USA.
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Alfa Romeo sedans were trend setters, blending sporty and practicality together
These cars not only defined that era but were also part and parcel of the American dream. And the most amazing bit? Unlike European sports cars and supercars, most of which were out of reach for the average Joe, these high performance cars were semi-affordable and as easy to fix as most Yank tanks. What’s more, come to the Modern Classic Rally and you’ll get to hear them start up, rumble, growl, shake the ground and even accelerate into the distance. Make sure you tell us which exhaust you liked the best.
From the USA, we fly to Italy – Maranello, Modena and Milan. First up, we have some Ferraris; not just any Ferrari – these are the creme de la crème. Cars with track-focused mid-engine V8s with reduced weight, uprated suspension systems, lighter bodies and additional power, like the mad F430 Scuderia, the legendary 458 Speciale Aperta and the more recent 488 Pista. Sure, we are stretching the Modern Classic brief here, but how crazy is it that we have three of these super specials here! There’s so much evolution here from the naturally aspirated engine to the turbo, from limited use of aero to the use of the F1-like S-Duct on the Pista. And let’s not forget the latter’s 711hp and 0-100kph in 2.85 seconds. What a set. Want to see where it all started for Ferrari’s V8s, we also have a 328, the successor of the 308.
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Honda/Acura NSX and Beat are sportscars that bookended the genre for the Japanese company.
After this, we shift to Maserati, the trident brand that focused more on GTs than sports cars. The stunning 4200 with its flowing lines and seminal GT profile is just a timeless design that looks stunning even today. Its design is similar to the Ferrari 275’s profile and there’s the legendary twin-turbo V6 and iconic square framed lights.
From Modena, we move to Milan and Alfa Romeo. To the peoples’ champion and what Enzo Ferrari called the ‘Mother’ of Scuderia Ferrari. Our Alfa Romeo line-up starts with the 1750 Guilia, the genius of designer Giugiaro clearly apparent even during his early days at Bertone. Of course, under the hood is the famous twin-cam four, reputed to be the best four-cylinder in the world for years. Then we have the 2600 GT, with a six-cylinder under the hood, the stunning Duetto convertible with its boat-like tail, and a pair of Alfa sedans that firmly put the words performance and sedan together, influencing others like BMW so heavily down the line. And then, just to spice things up, from Bologna there’s a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.
458 Speciale Aperta was the last naturally aspirated V8 from Ferrari in this series.
There are three world rally championship-inspired cars – the brilliant to drive Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII, a Subaru WRX hatchback and Ford’s sublime Focus RS. The Focus RS is one of the best driving front-wheel-drive cars, with the legendary Richard Parry-Jones at the helm of the development team. Then there are the sports cars and supercars from the late 90s like the Dodge Viper, the Honda NSX and the 996-generation Porsche 911 – a hulking V10, a perfectly balanced and executed V6 with the engine in the middle, and the rear-engined flat-six, respectively. What a set!
There are other surprises, many even more evocative and ground breaking than the cars revealed here. We even have a Formula 5000 car powered by a racing Chevy V8 that sounds like the ideal blend of Formula 1 and CanAm. Hear it rev, what an engine. Also check out the early layout and aero of the shovel-nose design with its ducting up front and rear spoiler.
So be there, come and see them on display on March 1, at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai. Come see them before they become too valuable and get locked away forever. Limited tickets available in the link here.
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