At the port of Rotterdam on September 6, our 1967 Volvo Amazon “disappears” into a 40-foot container, only to emerge unscathed at the port of Hainan on November 8. A relief for us and the beginning of a beautiful adventure on the island of Hainan; the Hainan Open Classic Rally 2024 (HCR).
Structure of the rally
The HCR is an international rally for classic cars built before 1975 (I’ll get back to that!).
The field of participants consists of enthusiastic classic car enthusiasts mainly from the Netherlands, Belgium and other European countries, but also a stray American and some Australians are in attendance. A total of 70 participants from 16 countries. The remaining 30 participants are Chinese, mainly from Hong Kong, who have become interested in classic cars in recent years. Prosperity leads to luxury consumption in China as well. Chinese drivers may participate with cars up to 2005.
The rally has 5 stages following the “bullet arrow” principle (see photo). The total distance in 5 days is about 1100 kilometers and basically takes us all over the island with overnight stays in cities such as Sanya, Haikou, Wenchang and Wanning.
Basically, because the typhoon that swept over the island a week earlier made a mountain trek across the island via Qiongzhong impossible. Because of the storm and driving rain, many roads in this mountainous area are still impassable. This means last-minute improvisation for the organization, something the Chinese are good at, but which leads to chaotic scenes. Thus, thanks to the changed schedule, we drive through a village and end up at a street market, where we are enthusiastically greeted by all the stall owners while driving. Each day has several partial stages that must be finished to the minute. With Chinese traffic, the chaos of such a local market, traffic lights that turn red for minutes in China and sometimes modified routes quite a challenge.
Drastic changes
Although I know China from experience, four years expat in Shanghai from 2005 to 2009 and then also visited Hainan several times as a leisure traveler with the family, China has changed dramatically and yet again not. I do not recognize Hainan in terms of infrastructure. Rolling asphalt, lots of high-rise buildings and very modern city centers, a profusion of electric cars with progressive styling and of fine quality. Volkswagen is rightly concerned. Lots of half-finished high-rises; I think still resultant of a centrally planned economy, hampered by COVID. And as a highlight on the south coast, about four towers, more palisades, which at first I can’t place at home, but turn out to be rocket installations for an ambitious space program by China.
Once when we took a cab ourselves in Sanya, the driver reported that his battery was low. He drove to a special charging station. A lever lifted the cab 20 cm, automatically removed the battery and immediately installed a new one. We clocked the entire stop at exactly 2.27 minutes. Less than a “normal” refueling in the Netherlands, in other words.
And yet also the same
Not changed is the initially somewhat reticent, yet curious look of the average Chinese at our car, which after a Ni Hao on our part turns into a generous smile and response, which in turn embarrasses us in language. When we gesticulate that our Volvo really is part of Geely after all and therefore actually Chinese-made, the cell phones come out and we feel like Max Verstappen after a victory.
Also not changed, but certainly intensified is camera surveillance. There are cameras at least every 100 meters on the sometimes meandering route through deserted areas, and we are very frequently blinded by flash cameras that record us relentlessly.
Unsolicited supervision
The epitome of “service” involved a request to the front desk clerk at my hotel if my laundry that was on the bed in my room could be picked up. After some fidgeting behind the counter, the clerk turned the screen and asked me if it was the white bag lying on my bed. I was stunned but, again, I have nothing to hide. In our cars we were given an emergency button that connected to the organization. “In case of emergency, press it for three seconds and help is on the way,” was the instruction. Participants who strayed from the plotted route soon had a follow car behind them that led the “lost” back to the course. So the device also had another function.
The why of the rally
Mr. Zhong is the mastermind behind this rally. A retired army officer who has previously organized a similar rally near Beijing and Shanghai. The rally is under the supervision of the FIVA (Federation International des Vehicules Anciens). That means status and international recognition for the organizer. He welcomes us with a lot of Chinese protocol. Every rally day Chinese regional dignitaries, red stage, big LED posters as background, ribbons to be cut and speeches highlighting the glory of city and country and the rally. And, of course, us as a backdrop for the press
and photographers, gathered in large numbers.
The conversations with journalists go by a kind of “handy. They enter the question on their device and the screen immediately displays the translation into Dutch; visa versa. Mastering the language is no longer necessary on either side and we also notice this among the staff in hotels and restaurants, who also use these devices. So Chinese people no longer need to learn the language to communicate with foreigners.
So this year a rally in Hainan, which from 2025 will become a “special economic zone” with the necessary tax benefits. One hopes to generate a lot of international attention and investment with the publicity of the rally. But above all, according to Mr. Zhong, Hainan will be the only area in China where classic cars are allowed on public roads. And then the penny drops with us or locally the yuan!!!
Hainan is rapidly developing into a kind of Southern France, Marbella or perhaps Dubai? What could be better for the wealthy Chinese (or Russian?), after buying a luxury apartment or villa, to park a classic car in the garage and let it out for a while during vacation and receive admiring glances. The right classics are also often good long-term investments. Modern Porsches, Lamborghinis and Rolls Royces are already in abundance in China; the real distinction, of course, lies in, say, a classic Mercedes Gullwing worth 1 million euros or more. Some of our participating classic car intermediaries got spontaneous visions like the first shoe salesman in a country where people walk barefoot.
And the winner is...
Competing in the standings was a Dutch Army DAF YA-66, complete with flags of the Netherlands and China and a team of two gentlemen in camouflage suits. They drove proudly in the lead and caused Mr. Zhong some headaches. The vehicle was production 1974, registration number 1975.
On the third evening an announcement appeared that registration number 1975 was excluded and there would be a special sub-category for 1975 and later, which would therefore include all Chinese participants. There was much uproar among the contestants, as the DAF was driving just outstanding and would be a deserved winner. The compromise ended up being the podium for the drivers of the DAF but without the car. Such a photo could then pass censorship.
And the Volvo????…….. which came in second just 2 minutes/penalty points behind. It remained uneasy in Sanya for a long time….
