Rajkot’s pride Rolls royally at Pebble Beach auto show

The Star of India, a 1934 Rolls Royce is the first car ever from Gujarat dazzled among an array of vintage cars, in one of the most esteemed car shows in the world — the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance auto show in California, US.

The Star of India, a saffron coloured Rolls Royce Phantom II is owned by erstwhile royal family of Rajkot. Erstwhile prince of Rajkot state, Mandhatasinh Jadeja was present at the event. His prized wheels, was amongst 11 other uber vehicles in the ‘cars of Maharajas class Rolls Royce’ category. The car, a star attraction on the tour, ran very smooth and was in perfect motorable condition.

Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance 2012 showcased more than 180 vehicles on the tour on August 16. The tour was a 75 mile long rally that commenced in the morning from Collins Field in Pebble Beach and proceeded through what is also called the Seventeen Mile Drive to South of Rio Road, Carmel in California.
“This car was the last design by Henry Royce, before he passed away in 1933. The motto of the erstwhile Rajkot estate is inscribed in Sanskrit on the doors and windows of this car,” Jadeja said.

The Star of India has an incredible history, having been built for the Maharaja of Rajkot and later sold and sent to Europe in 1968. Mandhatasinh Jadeja, a former prince and great-grandson of the Maharaja, acquired the car in 2010 in an auction as a birthday present for his father, returning it to India for the first time since it was sold 44 years ago.