A whiff of vintage on city roads as annual car rally, flagged off from Horniman Circle, imbues Mumbai with nostalgia and class on wheels
The modern and vintage eras come together on Mumbai roads, as the vintage car rally makes Mumbaikars whip out their cameras. Pics/Bipin Kokate
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Style is temporary but class is permanent, the cliche goes and Mumbai's annual vintage car rally breathes life into that. Sunday morning saw vintage cars on the streets, during the 'Motul Vintage and Classic Car Club of India (VCCCI) Vintage Car Fiesta', flagged off in a blinding flash of selfies from the Gothic Horniman Circle. The fiesta culminated at a Bandra Kurla Complex hotel.
The cavalcade had citizens scurrying for their mobile phone cameras along the streets. Leading the pack was, Abbas Y Jasdanwalla with his 1903 Humberette, the oldest car to hit the roads along with his Citroen Type 'A'. His participation won the award for the 'oldest car'. Nitin Dossa was in his Rolls Royce 1938 Wraith, rolling along in regal splendour.
There was Amal Tanna with his 1920 Packard Twin Six while Viven and Zita Goenka were in their striking 1936 Cord 810 . There were 220 participants driving from Horniman Circle to Sofitel, BKC via Marine Drive. They then took the Bandra-Worli Sea Link which gave shutterbugs their Kodak moment. We saw Nishant Dossa, behind the wheel of an Alvis Sports Tourer of 1936 while Jagdish Thackersey was out in his majestic Bentley of 1947. Justice Sam Variyava with rallyist Homi Commissariat and Gautam Ashra were in a 1937 Mercedes.
Hiral Dossa was leading the 'All Ladies Team' in a 1933 Hudson 7 Sweater Phaeton. There was Vivek M Pittie who was behind in his 1921 Type II Steyr who bagged a couple of top honours, first in the Concours D'elegance for the Best Vintage Car and also for the Best Performance Vintage Car category. The Best Maintained Car in the Vintage Car category went to the 1926 Rolls Royce 20 HP owned by Amal Tanna.
Nitin Dossa president said, "entrants have been asking for another event in the calendar year!" Laughing off a question of whether we should revert to vintage fuel prices on one day of the year, Dossa said there will be more vintage festivities for the centenary year of the Western Indian Automobile Association (WIAA) in 2019.
"We will have a vintage car and bike rally but also include an event with 100 super cars." Padma Lal owner of Triumph 1929, said there was a deep connection with her car as it was a gift from her husband. "This is a 1929 car, and I got it in 1984. My husband has a love for cars and I got it as a gift."
Vintage beauty
Winners: Concours D'elegance – Vintage Car: 1921 Type II Steyr owned by Vivek M Pittie, Classic Car: 1958 easel Villager owned by Vivek and Zita Goenka.
Best Performance: Vintage Car: 1921 Type II Steyr owned by Vivek M Pittie, Classic Car: 1948 Ford Super owned by Percy M Master, Recent Classic Car: 1970 Chevrolet Nova owned by N Birla.
Best Maintained: Vintage Car: 1926 Rolls Royce 20 HP owned by Amal Tanna. Classic Car: 1959 Mercedes Benz 300D owned by Abbas Y Jasdanwalla.
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