It’s a bright December Sunday morning, and the usual crowd of joggers, walkers and cyclists on the south Mumbai boulevard of Marine Drive have more than just a view of the sea to admire.
At the Nariman Point end of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose road (as Marine Drive is officially known), there’s possibly the biggest collection of vintage Mercedes-Benz cars India has ever seen, and a crowd of 100 people jostling for the best view of the classics.
The 70 cars have gathered for the Classic Car Rally, started last year by the German car giant in association with Autocar India.
Some of the oldest, rarest and best maintained Mercedes motors in the country have come to Mumbai for the event, which allows collectors to come together and show off their precious gems. And what beauties they are.
The cars are assembled in chronological order, and walking from the front of the line-up to the back before the rally gets underway offers a visual history of Mercedes’ heritage.
It’s a bit of a battle walking through the crowds, filled with owners, family members, and classic car aficionados who are spoilt for choice, but first up behind the start line there’s perhaps the biggest gaggle of all trying to get a view of where it all began; the 1886 Patentwagen.
It’s not the original (of course) but a replica that is lovingly owned by Hemant Kumar Ruia, who says only him and his sons drive it.
“I don’t even take it out onto the street,” Ruia says.“This rally is an extremely rare occasion.”
His sense of protection towards the car is shared by many owners here, but it’s understandable, because it isn’t an easy job getting some of these ancient examples in shape.
Maintenance is a serious consideration for the owners of vintage and classic cars. For many it’s a hobby that becomes as time-consuming as a profession, and it’s not cheap either, due to expensive import taxes and a lack of readily available parts. Most custodians have a favourite workshop and monthly schedule they follow to keep the car in shape – and deep pockets, too.
Some of the cars were salvaged from dire situations: paint peeling off, rust clinging to ancient parts, engines struck by the sickness of age. One such perfectly restored example lies next to the replica of the Patentwagen, and draws many admirers.
It’s the 1937 170 V, and it is dripping with elegance in the Mumbai sunshine, but owner Shamoon Karachiwalla, reveals just how much work was required to get it in its current state.
