The Oberoi Concours d'Elegance: A peek into India's unique automotive history

A glorious scorcher of a spring day lent its magical sparkle to an array of gleaming, distinguished automobiles and motorbikes dating from the 1900s onwards, displayed among undulating grassy slopes around the Oberoi Udaivilas property on the banks of the Pichola Lake in Udaipur. Curated by automotive historian Manvendra Singh Barwani and Sandra Button, Chairperson of the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the inaugural Indian edition was unveiled on 18th February to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of Oberoi Hotels.

Images: Madhu Kapparath
HRH Prince Michael of Kent (left, standing) and seated judges applaud as the 1939 Bentley-designed Laguna V12 owned by Keith Bowley and Nishant Dossa debuted at The Oberoi Concours.


(Clockwise from above left) 1968 Alfa Romeo Spider Junior 1300 owned by Reyaz Mama; 1964 Cadillac series 62 convertible owned by Viveck and Zita Goenka; 1958 Mercedes Benz 300SL owned by HH Maharaja Himanshu Kumarsinhji of Gondal; 1950 Austin A90 Atlantic owned by Prem Raheja


Arjun Oberoi, Executive Chairman (left) and Vikram Oberoi, CEO, EIH Limited, get set for a drive to the concourse in a 1935 Bentley 3.5 litre Tourer owned by Dhanraj Gidwaney.


1935 BMW 328 Roadster, one of the most successful sports cars of the 1930s on the racing scene, owned by BMW Group. The success of the BMW 328 lay in the sum of its parts: A lightweight design, ideal weight distribution, aerodynamic lines, the perfect engine and a meticulously tuned chassis delivering flawless road-holding.


Owner Madan Mohan rides an extremely rare 1925 New Hudson TT Sports model, winning the Best of Show award in the veteran, vintage class at the Concours.


A postwar American classic, the 1958 Chevrolet Impala Sports Coupe, owned by Harshpati Singhania, was Chevrolet's offering commemorating its 50th year.


Built for the Maharaja of Mysore, this 1949 Bentley Mark VI Light touring saloon's bright red and cream finish earned it the moniker' the rhubarb and custard car'. It's now owned by Yohan Poonawala


This 1983 Maruti 800, India's first truly modern car, owned by Maruti Suzuki Ltd/ Cyrus Dhabhar, was the very first car to be delivered by the newly formed company on 14th December 1983


Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Jodhpur stands by his 1946 Hindustan 10 Saloon, the first model launched after WWII by an Indian car manufacturer, a landmark in Indian automotive history.


1966 Jaguar Mark 2 saloon owned by Rajju & Sandra Shroff (left) and 1950 Austin A90 Atlantic Convertible owned by Prem Raheja. These cars are post-war European classics, often imported by foreign embassies in India.


1930 Rolls Royce Phantom I Huntington Limousine, owned by Shrivardhan Kanoria, was launched in 1925 and fitted with an all-new six-cylinder engine of larger capacity.


1916 Emblem 680cc V Twin owned by Sandeep Kapoor. This 680 cc is a rare model with an estimated total of just 200 produced by the company based in Angola, New York.


1937 Rolls Royce 25/30 hp all-weather tourer owned by Ms R. Jaiswal. A pre-war European classic, this model was used by Rolls Royce in its Indian newspaper advertisements.


1969 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV Coupe, owned by Istiaque Nagree, features the iconic step-front nose. It underwent complete restoration work after the present owner bought it in a corroded, non-working condition.


1954 Jawa type 353/01 Kyvacka owned by Adil Darukhanawala. A precursor to the model that would be built and sold in India, this particular bike was Ideal Jawa India founder's personal motorcycle


The 1924 Rolls Royce 20hp Tourer is owned by Shriji Arvind Singhji of Mewar. Seen as the ultimate status symbol, this car was delivered new to the Jodhpur maharaja in 1924 and sold to Udaipur maharaja a decade later, in whose family it has remained ever since


1967 Cadillac Coupe de Ville owned by Ranjit Pratap. Debuting at the Concours, this iconic and rare American luxury coupe has undergone a complete restoration.


1958 Mercedes Benz 190 SL Roadster owned by Gautam Singhania. In a no-expense-spared reparation, this car features a vintage Karl Baisch 3-piece luggage recreated in cowhide with tartan fabric.


Sandra Button, Oberoi Concours Chief Judge and Pebble Beach Concours Chairman, poses for a photo with collector Gautam Singhania with his 1930 Cord L-29 Cabriolet, a stunning car which has been twice voted the Best of Show by Classic Club of America Judging.


(Clockwise from above left) 1958 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible owned by Diljeet Titus; 1960 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan DeVille owned by N Vinod Reddy; 1939 Daimler 2.5 litre Dolphin Tourer owned by Hormusji Cama; 1960 Buick Electra 225 Custom Convertible owned by Gautam Singhania


Restorer Gurmukh Singh (front) and owner Diljeet Titus ride in on a 1947 Indian Chief Roadmaster, a symbol of the golden era of post-war American motorcycles.


1939 Cadillac Series 61 Convertible coupe owned by Fateh Collection. Adopting a torpedo design, the car on display has the fantastic Fisher 2-door bodywork.


Viveck Goenka receives the Chairman's Award trophy for his stellar contribution to India's vintage and classic car community. Goenka's wife and grandson join the photocall.


1955 Chevrolet Nomad' Gone Mad', owned by Gautam Singhania, is a stunner. Finished in Glasurit paint buried under five coats of wet sanded clear, the award-winning car's custom interiors have been built to resemble a cigar lounge.


Celebrated racing champion Jacky Ickx awards owner Yohan Poonawalla in the Post-war sports cars category for his 1974 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 Roadster. This is a highly sought-after sports car by collectors and enthusiasts to this day.


Simon Kidston, Convenor and Commentator, looks on as Arjun Oberoi offers a note of thanks in the presence of restorer Keith Bowley, collector Nitin Dossa, Nishant Dossa (with trophy) and Prince Michael of Kent, among others.


Curator of the Concours Manvendra Singh Barwani (standing) and Event Director Siddhraj Singh pose for a portrait at the end of an evening celebrating automotive elegance.