The Spa Classic usually hosts about a dozen car clubs, that occupies their usual location year after year, offering a fancy spot to follow the event, but also the opportunity to test one’s driving skills at the track.
The BMW, Porsche and TVR gatherings are familiar sights, and they enjoy prime locations to watch the event, even if nothing beats the cosy corner of the Ferrari Drivers Club that usually rents the fanciest place of Spa-Francorchamps, the Hotel de l’Eau Rouge.
This year one of the main spectacles was the Nissan clubs gathering 100 of Nissan/Datsun Zs, reunited to celebrate its 50th anniversary of the Model.
The club showcased dozens of classic Zs in classic time-conform or tuned versions, along with modern successors like the 300zx and 350z.
Fans of French cars probably didn’t leave disappointed: the Peugeot club celebrated the 35th birthday of the 205, but the real deal was the Alpine stage and club meeting on the other side of the pits.
Still outside there was a whole range of Aston Martins of all sizes and ages (including exotics like the four-door Lagonda and Rapide).
Inside the hairpin corner of the la Source, there was a usual gathering of the Belgian BMW club, with a lineup of classics and youngtimers.
My favourite stage was brought by Alpine, with a lovely selection of classic specimen of the original Alpine A110 that bagged the very first WRC championship title along with a few successive Alpine and Renault sport models.
The centre stage was taken by the current Alpine A110 test cars that awaited interested customers for a test drive on the race track, where the car should feel right at home.
