Kolkata is set to relive the charm of early motoring as the 55th Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally returns this Sunday. It reaffirms its status as the oldest running rally of its kind in the country. The rally will be flagged off at 9.10 a.m. from the Royal Calcutta Turf Club’s Polo Grounds in Hastings. The prestigious occasion will once again turn city roads into a moving museum of automotive history.
Started in 1968, the rally has grown into a celebration of an era when engineering brilliance and elegance went hand in hand. This year’s edition will see around 160 vintage and classic cars and 50 two-wheelers participating in a 30-km journey.
The impressive field includes 52 vintage cars, 35 classic cars, eight neo-classical cars, seven vintage bikes and 18 classic bikes. Legendary marquees such as Triumph, Studebaker, Chevrolet, Dodge and DeSoto will feature alongside iconic British names like Austin, Morris and MG.
Among the standout attractions will be the oldest car in the rally, a 1906 Renault Frères. Owned by noted collector and restorer Shrivardhan Kanoria, this vintage piece is fondly known as ‘The Lady in Red’. The 118-year-old French automobile, with its wooden wheels encased in rubber and carriage-like form, represents the very dawn of motoring. Originally owned by Mr Kanoria’s father, the late Shashi Kanoria, the Renault remains the centrepiece of the family’s collection. Shrivardhan believes that cars must be driven to survive. For that reason, he maintains all his vehicles in strict running condition and will self drive the historic machine at the rally.
Another highlight from the Kanoria stable is a rare 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom I. A left-hand-drive, American Springfield-built model, this vehicle once belonged to Mrs Andrew Carnegie, wife of the legendary philanthropist. Restored from near ruin, using authentic techniques and period-correct components, the Phantom stands as an evidence of meticulous craftsmanship and historical reverence.
Equally steeped in family legacy is Ananda Chowdhury’s 1913 Gebruder Stoewer. It was custom-built in Germany for his great-grandfather. One unique feature of this vintage piece is that it doesn’t use a battery instead, it starts with a magneto. The open tourer body of the vehicle reflects a time when innovation was driven by necessity. The car is painstakingly maintained almost entirely by Chowdhury himself. It embodies generations of inherited mechanical knowledge.
The two-wheeler section promises its own share of fascination. The 1923 Panther Sloper 600cc-owned by Syed Afzal Uddin Hossain is believed to be the only regularly running example in India. With its sloping engine, exposed valve rocker and hand-gear shift, the motorcycle has been in the Hossain family for three generations. This machine remains a crowd favourite for its distinctive design and balance.
The rally will also feature a rich line-up of heritage vehicles, including the 1922 Austin, 1925 Chevrolet, 1925 Citroen, 1926 Ford, 1926 Studebaker Erskine, 1927 Dodge, 1928 Essex, 1929 Fiat, 1932 Baby Austin and 1932 Singer, among many others. Together, these legendary cars and bikes promise to turn the annual rally into a rolling chronicle of timeless engineering and craftsmanship.