Called Sunswift 111, the car that resembles an aeroplane wing is a leader on the international stage, boasting advanced aerodynamic design and high-efficiency electrical systems.

It seats two people and with an array comprising about 11 square metres of solar cells, can average 100 km/hr on little more that 2kW of energy, which is about the same amount of power used by a vacuum cleaner.

The car holds the Transcontinental World Record from Perth to Sydney and was first in the two-seater class, fourth in the adventure class and eighth outright in the recent Darwin to Adelaide solar car race.

The team also won the CSIRO Technical Innovation Award.

Sunswift has been the flagship engineering project in the faculty of engineering at UNSW.

In the past 10 years, hundreds of students have spent hundreds of hours working, testing and racing their solar vehicle all over Australia: Darwin to Adelaide, Perth to Sydney, Sydney to Melbourne and Adelaide to Sydney.

It will be on show in Jack Brabham Park and will circulate on the old motor racing track through the day.

At the other end of the scale is a 1908 MAB Special, a chain driven machine fitted with a huge Liberty V12 aeroplane engine.

The car, owned by Canberra eye surgeon Dr Stuart Saunders, was made in Aubervilliers, France, by Malicent et Blin.

It was found in a farmyard at Wagga Wagga, NSW, and has covered 20,000km since its long and painstaking restoration.

Guests at the car show include Australian rally champion co-driver Sue Evans and motor racing legend Bob Jane.

Cars ranging from Morris Minors to GT Falcons, Jaguars and Cadillacs will be on show.

The Gnoo Blas Car Club hopes businesses will get behind its billycart derby to be run as a side event to the show.

It will be run on the grass with the pusher and driver alternating at the halfway mark.

Entry forms are available from the Orange Visitors Centre and Greg Harvey's garage in Peisley St.