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Holy Land 1000 Tour 2015 – Report and Photos

1952 OSCA MT4 Ronen Topelberg
1952 OSCA MT4

The inaugural Holy Land 1000 Tour was staged March 22-27, 2015 through Israel. The reliability trial for sports and race cars at least 50 years old took place over a historically fascinating route of approximately 1,000 miles through the stunning landscapes of the Holy Land.

The Holy Land 1000 Tour was the dream of a group of Israeli vintage car aficionados. After spending many years participating in classic car events and rallies across the globe, they decided to host a rally for historic cars in their home country for the first time.\

The organizers – Elad Shraga and Amir Almagor – set out to achieve the goal of “introducing Israel to motoring enthusiasts as well as promoting the hobby among Israelis”. There is a vibrant classic car scene in Israel, but it is confined to gatherings and meeting, rarely does “sporting” use of the vehicles takes place. This event was such an exceptional event that local mainstream media termed it the “Beatles reunion” of the Israeli car scene.

The start and finish line for the debut Holy Land 1000 Tour was in the Mediterranean port city of Tel Aviv. Over the course of five days, participants visited the historic cities of Nazareth, Tiberia, Caesarea, Be’er Sheva and Jerusalem, as well as the Golan Heights, the Sea of Galilee and the lowest point of dry land on earth on the shoreline of the Dead Sea. It all added up to a voyage taking in 1,000 miles of driving and 3,000 years of history.

All the 42 participating cars, except one, reached the finish line after the exciting 1,000 mile course. Among the participating cars, notables included a 1928 Bentley 4.5-Litre; 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Brianza driven by a recent Pebble Beach Concours winner; 1935 Aston Martin Ulster; 1952 and 1955 OSCA MT4; 1955 Abarth 207A; 1958 Mercedes 300 SL Roadster; pair of Aston Martin DB5 Volantes, Ferrari 365 GTS driven by a multiple Mille Miglia winner and 1962 Porsche 356 Carrera 2; among other interesting cars. BMW Group Classic was also involved as a partner of the Holy Land 1000 Tour 2015 and dispatched three sports cars from the company’s own collection, including a BMW 507 piloted by H.R.H. The Prince of Bavaria. It was accompanied by a BMW 503 Coupe and a BMW 3200 CS.

The highlight of the Holy Land 1000 Tour 2015 was an early morning drive in Jerusalem through the walled old city to the grounds of the Wailing Wall and Dome of the Rock, allowing both mechanical and historical treasures to blend as the sun came up on Jerusalem.

Photographer Ronen Topelberg documented the Holy Land 1000 Tour 2015. We split up Ronen’s stunning pictures into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite images, all displayed in the full-width view of Sports Car Digest, while the second gallery can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all photographs.

Holy Land 1000 Tour 2015 – Featured Photo Gallery