Delhi

Me and my cars: Dhananjay Badamikar

From being a true Mercedes aficionado to having classics like the Fiat 126p, Citroën Traction Avant, Tempo 1200, Badamikar shares his passion for cars.

1 min read•6 Apr '25

Autocar India News Desk

What are you driving and why?

I drive a Fiat 500 Giardiniera, with which I’ve participated in the 21 Gun Salute Concours d’Elegance. I also own other classics, such as a 1980 Mercedes-Benz 230 (W123), Fiat 126p, Citroën Traction Avant, Tempo 1200, and many more.

What’s next on your wish list?

The Land Rover Defender 110 V8 for its performance and off-road capabilities.

The most fun you’ve had in a car?

Driving my 1939 Tempo 1200 from Pune to different cities for various vintage car events. I have driven this beast almost 10,000km through the beauty of our country.

Favourite/Dream money no object car?

The 1936 Rolls-Royce Phantom III.

Who is your all time greatest motorsport hero?

Michael Schumacher.

Badamikar also owns this Citroën Traction Avant.

Favourite road?

The drive from Pune to Goa via the Anuskura Ghat, for its hair-pin turns and great views.

What’s on your automotive bucket list?

The 1970-80’s Mercedes-Benz SL 450 (R107) convertible.

What would you do with your last litre of fuel?

Fill it in my favourite car and drive it as far as possible.

Your ideal 5 car/bike garage would be?

Mercedes W123
Fiat Elegant
Land Rover Defender
Citroën H Van
Volkswagen Beetle

Which was your first Car?

My first car was a Fiat Premier Padmini in 1992.

Readers also viewed

Me and my cars: Sumeet Wadke

Me and my cars: Gururaj Pawar

Me and my cars: Rashna Batliboi

Suggested Features

10 most affordable SUVs, MPVs with second row captain seats

Three-row SUVs and MPVs are quite popular in India thanks to their expanded seating capacities

4 min read•2 Apr '25

Viraaj Bhatnagar

most affordable SUVs and MPVs with second row captain seats

Every compact car with a 10 inch touchscreen or larger

Most mass-market car companies are now offering touchscreens of 10 inches or more, with 10

6 min read•1 Apr '25

Uday Singh

Tech Talk: Recycling rare earth elements in electric vehicle motors

The problems associated with rare and difficult-to-obtain materials – as used in motors that power EVs as well as batteries – provide a good reason for focusing on recycling and finding al...

2 min read•30 Mar '25

Jesse Crosse

The Maharaja of Gondal: Mr AMG

When you’re a Maharaja and a big car collector, it doesn’t come as a surprise if you have a couple or three powerful AMGs in your collection

6 min read•29 Mar '25

Shapur Kotwal

Kia EV6 facelift vs rivals: price and specifications comparison

The recently launched Kia EV6 facelift packs an array of exterior and interior updates along with a bigger battery, with no bump in its ex-showroom price of Rs 65

3 min read•28 Mar '25

Uday Singh