The 52nd Africa Concours d’Elegance, held at the Ngong Racecourse, saw Sati Gata-Aura take the spotlight as the overall winner. Gata-Aura’s meticulously prepared 1977 Nissan 160J shone brightest, scoring 269 points to top the cars category. Not stopping there, his 1947 MG TA followed closely with 264 points, securing the second spot. Paras Shah rounded off the top three with an MG TC, scoring 256 points.
In the fiercely contested motorcycles category, David Odhuno sped to victory with his stunning 1989 Yamaha Super Tenere, which scored 142 points—an impressive climb from his third-place finish last year. Dominique Antoine’s 1959 BSA claimed second place with 138 points, while Prateek Singh’s Yamaha Roadstar took third with 131 points.
Among the vintage vehicles, a rare 1928 Durant owned by Sachit Shah charmed the judges and was named the Most Elegant Car of the event. In the motorcycle division, Odhuno’s 2006 BMW 1200 GS was honored as the Most Elegant Bike.
Newcomer Magnate Ventures made waves with their gleaming 2019 Harley Davidson Triglide. The bike bagged several accolades, including the TotalEnergies prize for Best Engine Finish and the prestigious Victor Ludorum award for bikes, which combines points from the overall competition and costume category. Meanwhile, Kamene Wanday’s stylish 1972 Alfa Romeo Spider earned the equivalent Victor Ludorum prize for cars.
The roar of rally cars was a highlight for the crowd, with a 1977 Porsche 911 driving away with the top prize in its category. It finished ahead of Farhaaz and Shakeel, who placed with their classic Ford Escorts from 1975 and 1968, respectively.
The Africa Concours d’Elegance, organized annually by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club of Kenya, continues to draw participants from across the continent. This year’s event saw 26 entries from countries like Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. As always, members of the Uganda Bikers Association and the Pearl Bikers Africa made a memorable entrance, riding all the way from Kampala to participate. Leonard Were’s 2016 Yamaha Super Tenere took home the Best Motorcycle Entry from Outside Kenya.
But the Concours isn’t just about the competition. The event featured a lively marketplace for classic cars and motorcycles, a showcase of the Heritage Collection of vintage machinery, a children’s entertainment center, and plenty of food and refreshments.
For fans of modern vehicles, the motor trade section didn’t disappoint. Spectators had the chance to explore the latest in electric cars, including new models introduced by Loxea Kenya. Exhibitors also displayed electric bikes, new car models, and a variety of accessories like polishes, pipes, and batteries.
The success of this year’s Concours was made possible thanks to its sponsors and partners, including Safaricom, Stanbic Bank, Home Boyz, the Galleria Mall, SGA, and the Nairobi Embassy of Italy.
With a mix of elegance, excitement, and innovation, the 52nd Africa Concours d’Elegance was a true celebration of automotive passion and culture, attracting enthusiasts from all corners of Africa.