The 101 Automotive Jewels of India

When Gautam Sen released his book “The Maharajas and Their Magnificent Motor Cars” back in 2011, he listed 70 glorious sets of priceless vehicles which only belonged to the princely families of India. Now, although the Indian automotive market is more youthful, not many are aware of the rich car heritage this country holds. So rich, that we petrolheads can be proud of these historic vehicles for decades to come. So the celebrated Indian author through the artistic eye of Makarand Baokar has penned down the book “The 101 Automotive Jewels of India”. This book aims to bring to light the unique, rare, well-preserved and highly sought after vehicles that still grace their presence on the Indian soil.

Two things that caught my attention the most in this book are – i) the cars are listed in the order of their make year, and ii) the inclusion of the rare and lesser-known vehicles of the yesteryears. Gautam Sen has taken painstaking efforts to bring the reader an in-depth memoir of each vehicle describing its origin, its owners, the life it led in India, their powertrains, the restoration work done on some and where it currently resides. The author kept a keen eye on the most unique and ultra rare set of wheels when compiling the list of these 101 cars. The photography of Makarand Baokar does justice to these historic cars that still shine meticulously in their metal and original handcrafted work of art. So much so that one finds it difficult to turn over to the next the page while admiring these beauties and their gorgeous silhouettes.

Arranging the cars in a chronological order helps since the reader can notice the changes in body styles with each passing decade. For instance, the earliest cars like the 1905 Daracq 15CV and 1914 Wolseley Landaulet share little in terms of their styling with the likes of the 1948 Bristol or the 1959 Lancia Flaminia Zagato. Even finding its place in the book are some quirky wheels like the 1995 Hobbycar B-612, 2003 Smart crossblade, the three-wheeled 1972 Scootacar and last but not the least, the 2008 Ariel Atom. Over the pages, the reader can also take a note of the different styling these cars have adopted from their countries of origin. The Brit vehicles like the Rolls Royces and the Bentleys differ so much from the Delage and Delahaye from France. The second section of the book also features the connoisseurs and the families who have gracefully maintained these vehicles in their pristine condition.

The 101 Automotive Jewels of India is a must-read book for those who have an affinity towards the vintage and classic cars and for those who take great pride in the rich motoring heritage of our country. The book will even boost your automotive knowledge and give you something to brag about at the next classic and vintage car rally.