Mumbai: Vintage Car Rally on Sunday

By Rons Bantwal
Bellevision Media Network

Mumbai, 9 Mar 2014: Some of the country’s most prestigious cars will feature in the annual VCCCI Vintage Car & Motorcycle Fiesta that will be flagged off at 9 a.m. from Horniman Circle on Sunday, March 9.

 
The event is organised by the Vintage and Classic Car Club of India (VCCCI), India’s official body for vintage motor vehicles that is affiliated to world body FIVA, in association with the Western India Automobile Association.

 
As this rally’s popularity increases with every passing year, entries have poured in from all over India for this year’s edition too, that includes rare cars from 1900 till date. The rally showcases some of the most important cars, making it a legendary event that draws great enthusiasm from participants and spectators.

 

 
The rally will begin and conclude at Horniman Circle. While the actual route will remain undisclosed till a minute before flag-off, enthusiasts can see the cars and two wheelers as they meander their way from Horniman Circle to Acres Club, Chembur via Peddar Road and Worli and back.

 
The Fiesta is open to cars and motorcycles manufactured between 1940 and 1980, along with some rare cars till 2013, which fall into the Modern Classics category.

 
This year’s rally will include some exceptional cars that have not been seen in any Indian rally till date. The attractions will include the Ford, Rolls Royce, Packard, Bentley, Buick, Cadillac and Volkswagen.

 
There will be cars from the stables of press baron Viveck Goenka and Mumbai Samachar proprietor Hormusji Cama, Hemant Kumar Ruia, Fali Dhondy and Nitin Dossa, among others.

 
Among the beauties to watch out for are, Ruia’s majestic 1919 Minerva, Goenka’s stunning 1933 Commander Phaeton Studebaker, Dossa’s 1947 Cadillac and 1952 Chrysler, and the rare 1932 Lancia Astura owned by Rajesh Himatlal who will be participating in the rally after a long hiatus. The governor of Madras, the Pune Commissioner of Police and three Mumbai Police Commissioners had used Dossa’s 1952 Chrysler.

 
Also in the fray will be Cricket Club of India president Sevanti Parekh’s 1984 Rolls Royce which will make its debut after landing all the way from Dubai.

 
In the two-wheeler segment, the attractions will be the 1939 Royal Enfield, 1943 Triumph, 1954 Shooting Star BSA, 1959 Lambretta and Girgaum resident Sandeep Bhiwandkar’s limited edition 4-Speed 1963 Vespa.