Seventy-five vintage cars on Sunday roared through Hong Kong in a parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The parade, organised by the Automobile Association and Yan Chai Hospital, featured an array of famous car brands.

The procession began from the bustling Chater Road in Central, passing through the Central Harbourfront, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, West Kowloon Cultural District, before finishing at Disneyland.

Speaking at the kick-off ceremony, transport minister Lam Sai-hung said the parade carried special meaning.

"The old can be renewed, and the popular can become classics. With good maintenance, vintage cars are true treasures," he said.

"Just like the country's development, 75 years of perseverance and progress have transformed it into the world's second-largest economy and a great power of the new era."

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Raymond Siu said the event added colour to National Day celebrations and boosted the city's appeal to tourists.

Siu said he was a car lover himself and many of the classic cars were his "dream cars" when he was younger.

The police chief also noted an increase in the number of cyclists killed in traffic accidents, adding the force would work with transport officials on legislation mandating bicycle helmet use.