Ivan Vicario Martin
Mobility City hosted on Thursday, May 18, the presentation of the book History of the Automobile in Aragon. Aragonese Association of Sports Classics, four decades spreading a passion. Its author, the motor journalist Enrique Marco, collects in this work the main automotive milestones in this Community, as well as the activities carried out by the AACD.
José Luis Rodrigo, CEO of Ibercaja Foundation, welcomed the more than 150 attendees who did not want to miss the premiere. Among them were representatives of the Government of Aragon, Zaragoza City Council, Civil Guard, Police, press and various automobile-related personalities.
The presentation included an exhibition of a sample of the chapters that the work deals with by its author. Then the president of the AACD, Jose Manuel Bernard, closed the act by encouraging everyone to read this great compilation that brings together the most relevant facts in terms of Competition, Industry, Events and various curiosities in its pages.
THE BOOK HISTORY OF THE AUTOMOBILE IN ARAGÓN
La Aragonese Association of Sports Classics has published a work that includes both the more than 40 years of history of this association, as well as the main milestones related to the automobile in this Community. These include the field of competition, industry or events.
It is written by him Aragonese journalist specialized in automobile Enrique Marco, a member of this club since 2002. In the 250 pages that make up the book, they narrate, with a very personal approach, well-known episodeslike the arrival of Opel to Figueruelas, the passage of the races in the urban circuit of Alcaniz to the creation of the Motorland macro-complex, as well as the gestation of the Baja Montesblancos and its subsequent development.
Others that are more forgotten are also described, such as sports Nardi or the one with the SUVs jeep viasa, both manufactured in Zaragoza. Likewise, some projects are detailed that were about to further increase the notoriety of this territory, such as the frustrated speed circuit of La Muela. Images of the planned route are shown.
There are very striking anecdotes, such as the one that occurred in the Pilar festivities of 1981, with acrobat Frank Valverde jumping into the Ebro river from the Santiago bridge before 70.000 spectators at the wheel of his Ferrari V12.
VERY COMPLETE
In addition, it is given a review of the beginnings of motorsport in Aragon -since 1914- or to the first vehicle construction projects -in the 20s-. The book recounts more recent and playful episodes that placed Aragón as a privileged location for the organization of major motor events. From initiatives such as the one that in 2008 filled the Paseo de la Independencia with hundreds of SEAT 600 enthusiasts, to the record number of people enrolled in a national rally (2.570 vehicles participating in the 2CV Spain 2013 held in Motorland). Not forgetting the nine successful editions of the Motor Show Festival held at the Zaragoza Fair between 2003 and 2012.
Regarding the part dedicated to the Association founded by Jose Manuel Bernard, stand out, of course, the eight editions the Hospederías de Aragón International Rally. They left spectacular images with cars that are usually only seen in museums circulating through our main points of tourist interest. Further back in time, but no less relevant, were the ten editions of the international concentrations (between 1980 and 1992). They gathered in Zaragoza the main personalities of the automobile scene of the time, aboard spectacular collector cars.
Much more recently, we find the acts of celebration of the 40º Anniversary, which had HM King Felipe VI as Chairman of the Honor Committee. There was no lack of an emotional offering of a cloak to the Virgen del Pilar and a colorful Elegance contest was organized.
NOW ON SALE
For the preparation of this book, the author has researched for three years among the newspaper archive of Heraldo de Aragón, the club library and the personal archives of many celebrities in this sector, in addition to having his own experience and participation in many of the chapters he describes; while for its edition, the AACD has had the collaboration of the Government of Aragon, Fundación Ibercaja, Mobility City, Pikolín and Heraldo de Aragón.
The book History of the Automobile in Aragon can be ordered on the website paris bookstore, from where they ship to all of Spain. It is also possible to buy it in the physical store, at Paseo Fernando el Católico, number 24, in the capital Zaragoza.
