Old beauties put Jaipur in retro mood

This year is turning out to be very interesting for residents of Jaipur, especially those who have a passion for automobiles.

Just last month, from February 2 - 3, the city had the privilege to host the 2nd Vintage and Classic Motorcycle Show, where a magnificent gathering of bikes belonging to the times of the World Wars turned the entire city into a wonderful show of culture and heritage.

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And last week, exactly a month after the resplendent motorbike show, Jaipur got the opportunity to welcome a grand procession of vintage cars that arrived in the city from various parts of the country to participate in the 15th Vintage & Classic Car Rally.

Organised over March 2 - 3, this was the 15th edition of the legendary vintage car show put together by the Department of Rajasthan Tourism in association with the Rajputana Automotive Sports Car Club and Audi Jaipur.

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Since the year 1996, when this event was brought into existence with the aim of encouraging restoration of classic rides among enthusiasts, this Rally has today grown to become one of the most eagerly awaited car shows of the year.

In fact, so enthusiastic has been the response of auto-aficionados towards this event that over the 17 years of its existence, the Vintage & Classic Car Rally has evolved from the initial participation of just 14 cars in 1996 to a fabulous number of 114 this year.

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With Audi Jaipur playing a major role in the organisation of this event, one of the most attractive rides on display at the exhibition came from the camp of the auto-giant itself.

Audi 100, the iconic vintage car that was presented to the legendary cricket star, Ravi Shastri, back in 1985 as a token of appreciation for his spectacular performance in the World Series Cricket that year, was the 'Kohinoor' amidst the hundreds of gems that were on display last Saturday.

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Brilliantly restored by the German car-manufacturer, with special help from its unit in Jaipur, over the last one year for this show, this gorgeous Audi from the past was accompanied by a number of its futuristic cousins as well, putting together a marvellous exhibition of the evolution process that Audi has undergone over the years.

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The beautiful lawns of Hotel Jai Mahal Palace of Jaipur were chosen as the venue for this splendid show, serving as the stage for the exhibition on Day 1 and as the kick-off point for the grand rally on Day 2, when those enticing vintage cars, in their most fascinating regalia, set out for a trip across the city along with some of the modern age participants to pass through the historical points of Jaipur.

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To flag off this extraordinary pageant of tradition and innovation, none other than Michael Perschke, Head, Audi India was invited to the Rally.

Moving on, let's take a look at the amazing cars that made the 15th Vintage & Classic Car Rally the huge success that it turned out to be.

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With some truly spectacular classics that have also been known to star in movies like Queenie, Gandhi, Veer, Zubeida and Bhool Bhulaiya put up for display in its lawns, Hotel Jai Mahal Palace was a show of breathtaking charm and glamour last weekend.

Mr Avijit Singh, who also happens to be a member of the organising committee of the event and the Secretary of the Rajputana Automotive Sports Car Club, alone brought five of the most enthralling participating cars to the Rally.

They include a glittering Rolls Royce from 1951 and four convertible sports cars, namely the 1964 Ford Mustang, the 1975 Mercedes 280 SL, the 1951 MG TD and the 1959 Daimler SP 250.

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Apart from these, there was a whole convoy of vintage cars that was driven from Delhi to Jaipur exclusively for the Vintage & Classic Car Rally by the famous HMCD (Heritage Motoring Club of Delhi) to add spark to the show.

Owned by Mr Daljeet Titus, a well-known restorer of classic automobiles, all twenty of these beautiful rides, be it the 1935 Buick Series 90L, the 1935 Auburn 651 Boat Tail Speedster, the 1948 Pontiac or the 1961 Mercedes 240 D, were a sight to behold and a view to cherish.

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Besides providing the spectators with a rare opportunity of getting to know and experience the captivating charm of these marvels of automotive engineering, this event also served as a fantastic platform for bringing forward some really important issues related to vintage cars and their restoration processes.

One of the biggest hindrances, as revealed by the owners of the participating cars, that show up during the restoration of most of these cars is the non-availability of their spare parts in the present day market, which makes the task all the more complicated.

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But, it is the passion and sheer love of these enthusiasts for these heritage cars that keeps them going. And they proudly say that even the most advanced Japanese technology of today cannot parallel the strong and sturdy power-houses of these historic rides.

All in all, the 15th Vintage & Classic Car Rally was a fantastic show of heritage and technology for the auto aficionados, with the only hitch being the unavailability of technical details for the various models put up for display.

This would surely have made it much more informative for the laymen visiting the show.

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