Vintage beauties turn heads in annual car fiesta

The parade of vintage motorcycles drove up to Shivaji Park. After running along this route, these vintage beauties returned to the WTC for a prize distribution ceremony. (Express Photo By Ganesh Shirsekar)

The rally was flagged off by Maharashtra Tourism Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Nitin Dossa, Vijay Kalankari of the WTC and Vivek Phansalkar, the Mumbai Police Commissioner. While the rally for vintage cars ran from the WTC up to Bandra Worli Sea Link returning back via Haji Ali, Peddar Road. The parade of vintage motorcycles drove up to Shivaji Park. After running along this route, these vintage beauties returned to the WTC for a prize distribution ceremony.

The annual rally organised by the Vintage and Classic Car Club of India also commenced from the WTC on Sunday. (Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)

The Concours d’Elegance in the vintage category was won by Rajiv Kher for his 1934 Packard Super 8 while Yohan Poonawala was awarded the same in the classic category for his 1949 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith, previously owned and customised by the Maharaja of Mysore. With three more of his cars present at the fiesta including the Special Ford Lincoln convertible which had been presented to Mother Teresa by Pope Paul VI and later auctioned. Poonawala was also awarded under a special category “Global Ambassador for India” for his contribution in restoring heritage vehicles and for putting India on the world map by participating at several international vintage car contests.

Shankar Sundaram and Sujatha Shankar from Chennai of the Amalgamations Group and proud owners of a 1935 Rolls Royce Phantom III won the first prize in the category of best restored vintage car. (Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar)

“I’ve always been passionate about cars but my first prominent purchase was made in 2000, when I acquired the 1937 Rolls Royce Phantom III v12, previously owned by the Maharaja of Panchkot. The elegance, character and charisma of old cars are missing in today’s vehicles,” said Poonawala. Shankar Sundaram and Sujatha Shankar from Chennai of the Amalgamations Group and proud owners of a 1935 Rolls Royce Phantom III won the first prize in the category of best restored vintage car. “We bought the car in 2014 and imported it from America. As a family, we’ve been a part of the automotive industry for four generations and we own some 26 cars. Maintaining vintage cars, it’s an expensive hobby but it’s something we are very passionate about.”