Roaring to life: Britain’s famous Napier-Railton racing car to make its Asian debut at Hong Kong Classic festival

Classic car fans will get to see one of the most iconic vehicles in motoring history next month, as the Napier-Railton makes its first visit to Asia.

The 24-litre endurance racing car, which dates to 1933 and is considered a national treasure in Britain, will be the star attraction at the Hong Kong Classic motoring festival.

The event will feature more than 100 heritage cars and motorcycles, but the highlight is expected to be a chance to see the Napier-Railton, which racked up 50 world records in its first five years, “roar to life”.

“This rare breed is a car so staggering it’s impossible to reconcile yourself to the fact that it’s more than 80 years old, such is its engineering effectiveness, not to mention physical presence, power output and soundtrack,” read the website of Britain’s Goodwood racetrack.

The car, valued at some HK$100 million, is owned by the Brooklands Museum  of Surrey, England. Among the car’s many achievements is a world 24-hour speed record of 231km/h at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the United States in 1936. A track record at the Brooklands Outer Circuit, set by British racing driver and fighter pilot John Cobb, stood until the circuit’s closure in 1939.

The Hong Kong Classic is open to invited guests on October 9 and to the public for the following two days at the Central harbourfront events space.