Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), in co-operation with Mawater Centre, has set up a special pavilion showcasing classic and modified cars at the eighth edition of Qatar Motor Show (QMS).

QMS, organised by QTA and Fira Qatar, is being held at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre until Sunday under the theme ‘Driving to Innovation’.

The pavilion is part of QTA's ongoing efforts to enhance its community participation and support the development of tourism products and experiences stemming from Qatari heritage and culture, it has said in a statement.

Ahmed al-Obaidli, director of exhibitions at QTA, said: “QTA supports community initiatives. Our strategic partnership with Mawater Centre extends beyond QMS to include several other projects. We value Mawater Centre’s contribution to QMS - whether it’s the cars on display, the garages and shops or those organising the pavilion."

The Mawater pavilion has witnessed a huge public turnout, the statement notes. A collection of 87 classic and modified cars, including pickup trucks, modified classic cars, new modified cars, modified 4-wheel drives, cars with modified engines, Nissan Skyline, GR R34, GT R35, Classic Z, drag cars, Toyota Supra and others, have kept the crowds entertained throughout the event, which began on October 17.

Apart from these cars, the Mawater pavilion also features sections for auto spare parts, accessories, simulation devices, as well as spaces for virtual games, cafes and rest.

The Mawater section has organised a competition in 17 categories for those participating with their cars. A specialised committee of experts and technicians will rate the cars to announce the top three winners from every category. Moreover, one participant will be chosen for the grand prize of the best participating car in the pavilion.

Mawater Centre's participation in QMS, which is sponsored by QTA, reflects the organisers' new strategy of enriching content and catering to the tastes of all car fans in Qatar, the statement adds.

Abdullah Mohamed Fahed al-Hajeri, general co-ordinator of Mawater, said: "Mawater Centre offers free services to the public in order to develop Qatari talent in the area of classic and modern automobiles. Our participation in QMS is a significant addition to the centre, allowing us to meet a new segment of classic and modified car enthusiasts. We always seek to provide the best and most exciting services to these car lovers.

"We have a successful partnership with QTA. We are very pleased with this partnership and all the support that QTA extends to Mawater and its cause, whether at QMS or other events in which we take part."

Mawater currently has more than 2,000 members and it participates in 50 to 60 events annually. This is the centre’s second participation in QMS. In the 2017 edition, the centre showed only modified classic cars, while this time around it has 13 categories of cars on display, as well as accessories and parts for garages and retailers.

HE Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications, opened QMS 2018 on October 17 under the patronage of HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

Fourteen new cars were revealed for the first time in Qatar and in the region on the opening day of the exhibition amid great interest from car fans and media representatives who viewed more than 180 cars participating in the eighth edition, QTA said.