India’s most premium vintage cars and bikes rally ie 21 Gun Salute international Vintage Car Rally and Auto Expo 2014 are back with a much larger canvas. Delhites with a taste for antique cars must have had their fill on Saturday as around 135 gleaming vintage cars and Bikes connected Historic Delhi and Millennium City Gurgaon.
What is to be seen here is the congregation of vintage cars pompously walking the road ramp in style and pride. Some of the most popular vintage car models that come to participate in this annual event were the 1929 BUICK 50 LX, 1929 ROLLS ROYACE and 1933 Hudson, which is the only vintage car left worldwide debut in the rally. Besides, Jaguar, Rolls Royce 1912, Bentley 1947, Rolls Royce Phantom I, Chevrolet etc. Started from Red Fort, the rally passed through Old Fort, Teen Moorti, Dhaula Kuan NH8, before reaching its final destination Leisure Valley Park sector 29 Gurgaon. It was joined by 25 more vintage bikes and scooters.
A joint initiative of Madan Mohan, Managing Director 21 Gun Salute and Heritage Motoring Club of India, 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Rally was one of the biggest vintage show in India held so far.
Samarjitsinh Gaekwad, Maharaja of Baroda flagged of this caravan of vintage beauties from Red Fort. Before flagging off, he specially walked to the vintage cars parked at the venue and took special interest in armed forces vehicles of by gone era like the jeeps.
Madan Mohan said: “The seed we had sown four years ago in the form of first 21 gun vintage car rally has taken the shape of country’s most premium vintage car rally. The promise we had done last year to take this rally to international level is becoming true with the onset of 4th edition of 21 gun salute international vintage car rally and show. The 4th edition of 21 gun salute vintage car rally is not just a rally but we have conceived it as a festival of heritage to showcase the royal automobile legacy of this universe. The festival will be for two days at Leisure Valley sector 29, Gurgaon”.
A stately procession of Buicks, Fords, Rolls Royce, Plymouths, Austins, Willys and many other restored classics held the onlookers spellbound on the way to Gurgaon. The vintage drive saw cars of pre war eras from the 1920s to the glorious time of 1965s including Willys Overland 1909 Rolls Royce 1912, Fiat 501 1919, Wolsley Ten Roadster 1920, Rolls Royce Phantom 1 1925, Rolls Royce, Twenty Series K, Barker Tourer 1927, Dodge Brothers – WW Armed Carrier 1942, Ford Jeep 1942, and vintage bikes such as Sunbeam 500 cc 1926, BSA M 20 500 cc 1940, Triumph 3 HW 1942, Norton 1942, Norton 1940 Corgi 1948, Lambretta Deluxe 1959 hail from the exotic lands of United States, United Kingdom, and other countries of the world.
“21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally and Auto Show’ was initiated with a Vision “To create and provide a platform for car connoisseurs to showcase their collections and for people to witness the heritage, aura and glamour of the Royal Vintage Luxury Cars” Madan Mohan pointed out. The cars and Bikes of bygone era which probably many of us haven’t heard or seen across the globe are here in this rally, so you can imagine the magnitude of 21 gun salute international vintage rally and auto show. The jewel among vintage cars Hudson 1933, the ony car left world over is here in this rally. 1929 BUICK 50 LX owned by Nawab Jamiyat Khan II of Balasinor one upon a time, 1929 ROLLS ROYACE and many more vintage beauties are right here in this rally. Each and evry vintage car and bike we have chosen very carefully from a pool of out of 4500 cars to showcase the real vintage heritage of this universe. This year we are having over 135 vintage cars and bikes this year connecting Historical Delhi and Millennium city Gurgaon.
This year’s event earmarked another milestone in the history of vintage automotive events in the country since for the first time this year three international are participating in an Indian vintage car rally. Besides Delhi and Gurgaon, we have vintage cars here from Hyderabad, Bangalore, Bombay, Pune, Kolhapur, Kanpur, Jaipur and Kolkata. “This year we are riding for a good cause! There are thousands of differently-abled children in India, who exist on the fringes of the society. On most occasions we tend to forget about these little kids. This year 20 of these special children will join us in celebrating the royal automobile heritage of India. The first 5 vintage cars of the rally will give a ride to a group of these children, spreading awareness about the need for a more inclusive society. This annual event has always attracted stellar participation from the higher echelons of the society. In attendance, this year would be more than 30 Maharajas, several CEOs of the Fortune 500 Indian Corporate Companies and some of the leading car manufacturing companies of India like Toyota, General Motors and Ford”, Madan Mohan added.
The name ‘21 Gun Salute’ is derived from a formal Hierarchical system of Imperial Salute. The concept 21 Gun Salute is based on prosperity and Dignity in the eyes of sovereign and it was the highest level of Honor to five Princely states ie Hyderabad, Mysore, Jammu & Kashmir, Baroda and Gwalior. As the name suggests, 21 Gun Salute is not just a place to dine, but make you revisit the old bygone era of India and its rich heritage culture. A collection of rare vintage cars and bikes along with memorabilia are a nod to owner Madan Mohan’s years of antique and vintage collection. The diners will get to experience the royal Indian legacies which will make them feel like a Prince.
The News Hour India by Kenath Jayashankar Menon 
I like it very much and I also want to join next time with my Rajdoot GTS / Jawa / Yezdi and Lamby