Morocco and historic cars, a very strong combination that has very ancient historical roots

There is a great interest in motoring around the country, in fact the first Mercedes-Benz car produced
was purchased by Moulay Hassan I, the Sultan of Morocco from 1873 to 1894. He was the first person to buy a car Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG) the company that would later become Mercedes-Benz. and the first monarch to own a gasoline car. All the royals of Morocco inherited a great passion for the automobile: the sultan, later king, Mohammed V was fascinated by the great American cars, his son, King Hassan II, a great reformer, had a passion for Mercedes-Benz cars, like his grandfather. Ditto the current ruler, H.M. King Mohammed VI, who particularly love the cars of the three-pointed star, for their style and comfort, combined with the sportiness of some models.
The royal garage, in fact, houses five hundred cars and employs on a permanent basis one hundred people who are dedicated to the maintenance and restoration of this huge four-wheeled historical heritage. Morocco hosted the automobile Grand Prix from 1924 to 1958, and saw the most famous drivers of the past race: Chiron, Trintignant, Gordini, Behra and Moss.
In the past, the big brands had representatives in the country: French manufacturers had, of course, the lead, but American manufacturers were also very present in the kingdom.
It dates 1959 the foundation in Casablanca by Fiat, the French subsidiary Simca and the Moroccan kingdom, of the car factory named SO.MA.C.A., Societé Marocaine Construction Automobiles, which has produced several models, also following agreements with various other European brands: Fiat 600, 1100, 1500 & 2300, Simca Aronde & Ariane, Renault R4, Austin and Opel.
In order to safeguard the historical heritage and bring together enthusiasts in 2013, the Royal Moroccan Vintage Vehicles Federation, FRMVE, was founded in Casablanca to gather associations representing the interests of collectors' vehicle enthusiasts in different cities of the Kingdom. Its president, Srhir Zinoune, a car enthusiast since adolescence, a cultured collector, entrepreneur, has been the driving force behind the creation of this association, in the convinced belief that always the union is the strength, and the results have arrived. He is at the head of a council of expert advisors, all with skills useful to the cause of the historic vehicle. The main objective of the FRMVE is to encourage the safe use of these vehicles, more than 25 years old, to the delight of owners, enthusiasts and the general public. In its vision of international openness, since 2016 FRMVE has been recognized as a member of the Federation Internationale Vehicules Anciennes (FIVA). In 2018, FRMVE signed a partnership with the Mobility Club Morocco (MCM), the sole representative of the International Automobile Federation (FIA). The aims of the federation and the clubs that belong to it are: - the preservation and enhancement of this industrial, cultural and artistic heritage, their conservation, the enhancement of knowledge, practice and tools of this heritage in order to pass them on to the next generation.
- The consolidation of partnerships with the workshops approved by the federation.
- The compilation of vehicle classification certificates according to the standards of "collector's
vehicles"
- The protection of existing rights regarding the use of historic vehicles in their original condition and their unlimited use in road traffic.
- The representation of member associations and all members in relations with public authorities and private bodies.
- The maintenance of relations with event organisers, clubs, regions and groups of vehicle enthusiasts.
- The technical and logistical support to affiliated clubs.
- The promotion of general interest in the history of our vehicles through presentations and
publications.
- The conservation of Moroccan heritage through the restoration of cars and their circulation with
safety standards for driving.
Thanks to the joint efforts of the Ministry of Transport, Logistics and Waterways, the Customs Department and the Ministry of Youth and Sport, FRMVE has contributed to the development of the Moroccan automotive heritage with several thousand certified vehicle.
The Certificate of vintage vehicle allows: 
- Customs clearance of the imported vehicle
- Conversion of the vehicle's standard registration document into a "registration document for a collector's vehicles"
- Exemption from payment of the annual tax.
- The subscription of a specific and advantageous insurance (FRMVE Convention - Insurance)
- The vehicle's appraisal by a technical committee.