On the chilly winter morning of December 21 in Gurugram, with temperatures hovering around 12deg C but feeling closer to 6, ‘flaming hot’ was the line-up of iconic cars at the Concours d’Elegance event organised by Bikes, Buddies and More (BBM), a community of dedicated automotive enthusiasts.
The congregation comprised 37 meticulously preserved evergreen machines tracing nearly seven decades of motoring history, bookended by a 1919 Citroen Roadster at one end and a 1988 Honda Prelude at the other, with revered nameplates from marques such as Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen in between.
These titans competed across seven core categories, and Heritage Motoring Club of India’s Awini Ambuj Shanker, along with Indermeet Singh, took on the tough task of judging while reminding everyone that every four-wheeler at the competition was already a winner. A 1929 Bugatti T44 Grand Prix Sport Torpedo claimed the Best Car of the Show, an honour decided independently of the segments.
2025 BBM Concours d’Elegance category-wise winners
1. Pre-war (up to 1942)
Winner: 1930 Stutz Series M Le Baron
Runner-up: 1937 Armstrong Siddeley limousine
2. Post-war (1945-75)
Winner: 1958 Chevrolet Impala
Runner-up: 1962 Ford Thunderbird
3. Coupes and convertibles (1945-75)
Winner: AC 16/70hp
Runner-up: 1947 Sunbeam-Talbot Ten tourer
4. Indian Heritage (up to 1975)
Winner: 1963 Triumph Herald 4-door prototype
Runner-up: 1968 Triumph Herald
5. Rolls-Royce and Bentley (up to 1975)
Winner: 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I
Runners-up (joint): 1934 RR 20/25 and 1936 RR 25/30 landaulet
6. Iconic muscle and performance (up to 1975)
Winner: 1966 Ford Mustang convertible
Runner-up: 1970 Ford Mustang
7. Modern classics (1976-90)
Winner: 1987 Porsche 944
Runner-up: 1988 Honda Prelude
Bikes, Buddies and More founder Sashank Vemparala
What began in 2018 as a small, members-only riding group has grown into a big community of riders and automobile enthusiasts, said Bikes, Buddies and More (BBM) founder Sashank Vemparala at the event. He recalled how a shared passion for everything on wheels led to the formation of BBM, which today functions more like a family than a club.
HMCI helping to preserve India’s automotive heritage
“Many of us are not just members anymore. We look out for each other and want to do a lot more for the community,” he said. Sashank also acknowledged the support and mentorship of members from the Heritage Motoring Club of India (HMCI), crediting them for their help in preserving and promoting India’s automotive heritage.
