Treasures on wheels

Highlighting the rich automobile history of India, the third edition of this globally recognised vintage car exhibition and competition promises to be better than the last. The Cartier Travel With Style Concours d’Elegance to be held on Sunday at The Taj Lands End, Bandra, will showcase over 60 rare and preserved cars and 30 motorcycles from across the country.

Talking about the selection process, Curator, Manvendra Singh of Bharwani says, “First, these cars have to meet the specifications of the categories. For example, for the Edwardian Class only automobiles from the first decade of the 20th century are eligible to be displayed. For this I’ve done extensive research to shortlist the relevant automobiles that best display the unique Indian heritage.”

This edition of the biennial exhibit is unique as for the first time motorcycles will be on display. Orchestrator and car aficionado Mark Shand says, “Not as ostentatious as the Maharajas’ cars, motorcycles have still played an important part in mobilising India. The subcontinent was home to some of the finest examples. Another interesting segment on display is the Shikar Class cars, that were  meant for shikar, but not necessarily for big game hunting. This is an intriguing facet of Indian automobiles which has not been explored in depth so far.”

Talking about the challenges of restoration, Mark adds, “It can be a very tedious process and the collectors of such vehicles face many challenges. It’s hard to source the correct spare parts, since some of these vehicles are very old and are often imported. However, the ingenuity of Indian collectors is in restoring their cars in a way that not only brings them back to their formal glory but also  lends a unique stamp of Indianness.”

Quiz him on some of the most unique vehicles on display and he says, “One of the best preserved is the 1906 Napier Colonial Tourer owned by Princess Esra of Hyderabad. A unique throne configuration seating was designed so that everyone in the passenger cabin faced the Nizam. Another striking automobile, would be the Rolls Royce Phantom II Thrupp and Maberly owned by Maharaja Udit Pratap Deo of Kalahandi. Not driven for over forty years, this was built as a ‘purdah’ car (meant for ladies, who were required to be behind curtains).”