Sudhir Choudhrie, one of India’s most successful businesspeople, has collected vintage cars for over 40 years. His diverse collection now contains 37 vehicles, including a 1938 Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet D and a 1927 Hispano-Suiza H6B.
Many collect vintage cars for their financial value, seeing them as smart investments. For instance, Choudhrie’s first vintage Rolls-Royce cost him $3,000–4,000 and is now worth more than $250,000. However, that’s not the reason he enjoys collecting them.
For Choudhrie, the ‘special appeal’ of vintage cars lies in their intrinsic beauty and historical significance. They are symbols of a bygone era, reflecting history, culture, and technological progress. Here’s what the vehicles in his collection can teach us about engineering and design.
The Historical Significance of Vintage Cars
Choudhrie has always loved old cars, a passion that started when he began collecting Dinky toys and Matchbox cars as a child. While he appreciates the attraction of vehicles from the post-war era, his interest goes back even further, to the pre-war years. He has collected a variety of cars all manufactured before December 1939.
Many credit Karl Benz with launching the first petrol-engined car in Germany in 1885. Early motor cars developed during the late 19th century were closer to ‘horseless carriages’ than the modern automobiles we know today. These early cars had many features of traditional carriages and lacked the advanced technology and design innovations that came later.
Car designs changed drastically during the early 20th century, reflecting cultural trends and technological advancements. Choudhrie owns several models from the turn of the century, including Cadillacs from 1900 and 1902.
These early Cadillacs represent the infancy of car manufacturing and the pioneering spirit of the time. Before Henry Ford introduced the Model T in 1908 – and with it, the popularisation of vehicle mass production – manufacturers hand-built vehicles. The first Cadillacs were two-seaters with 10 horsepower, single-cylinder engines.
The Cadillac brand sprang from the dissolution of the Henry Ford Company in 1902, when Ford left after a dispute with his investors. Henry Leland, an engineer with his own manufacturing company, convinced the investors to continue producing automobiles using his engine design.
Choudhrie’s collection also contains a 1903 Cottereau Voiturine. Previously owned by the Maharaja of Patiala, it’s one of the earliest vehicles imported to India. The Maharaja had a liking for French-made cars: His first imported vehicle was a De Dion Bouton steam-powered car, which he acquired in 1892.
Engineering Marvels in Sudhir Choudhrie’s Collection
One reason why Choudhrie finds vintage cars ‘more satisfying’ than classic cars from later decades is ‘the simplicity of the engineering, combined with the quality.’
Vintage cars heralded many engineering innovations. For instance, the internal combustion engine replaced steam engines in the late 1800s, making cars more affordable. Starter motors – now standard in modern cars – replaced hand cranks, which often caused accidents. Cadillac was the first company to produce cars with electrical starters in 1912.
Meanwhile, Alfred Horner Munro developed automatic transmission in 1921, securing UK and U.S. patents in 1924 and 1927, respectively. While many manufacturers still make cars with manual transmissions, the automated system makes driving easier overall.
Many of the vehicles in Choudhrie’s collection showcase the early automotive industry’s leaps in engineering. For instance, his 1927 Hispano-Suiza H6B is a prime example of luxury and performance combined.
First unveiled at the 1919 Paris Motor Show, the Hispano-Suiza H6B features a six-cylinder overhead camshaft engine inspired by aircraft engines. Designed by Swiss engineer Marc Birkigt, the car also features a sophisticated assisted braking system. The system was highly advanced for its time, so much so that Rolls-Royce licensed the technology for its use.
The first vintage car Choudhrie ever purchased was a 1938 Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet D. Although the vehicle was in terrible condition, he later discovered it was custom-built, which greatly enhanced its value.
The 320 features a six-cylinder engine and a coil-sprung independent suspension all around, ensuring a comfortable ride. Several early motor cars featured a coil spring front suspension, but the 320 was amongst the first to include four-wheel suspension.
Sudhir Choudhrie’s Treasures of Early Automotive Design
The aesthetics of car design have also evolved over the decades. We’ve come a long way from the boxy ‘horseless carriages’ of the 1900s to the sleek, streamlined vehicles of today.
Initially, automobile manufacturers built cars for functionality, with little thought for style or aesthetics. As more people became car owners, brands shifted their focus to creating vehicles that were not only functional but also visually appealing.
One of the first major leaps in car design came in the 1920s-30s with the advent of streamlining. Designers drew from aerodynamic aeroplane shapes, incorporating sleek, rounded lines to reduce wind resistance and boost speed. This trend led to the creation of iconic cars like the Mercedes-Benz 540K and the Bugatti Type 57.
Bugatti has a legacy of blending artistic design with engineering excellence. Right from its inception in the early 1900s, the brand epitomised the fusion of art and technology. Choudhrie owns a 1921/23 Bugatti that exemplifies the brand’s commitment to beauty and high performance.
The Art Deco Era of the 1920s-30s was a period of major social, technological, and cultural transformation. The Art Deco style typical of the time featured bold geometric shapes and opulent ornamentation, which many car designers embraced.
The Fiat 514, produced from 1929 to 1932, is an example of this Art Deco style in car design. Choudhrie owns a striking, bright yellow Fiat 514 1930S with a black top that showcases the iconic curves and lines of the Fiat 514 series. The bright colour emphasises the vibrant, modern design trend of the era.
The Importance of Preservation and Restoration
Collectors like Choudhrie play a crucial role in preserving automotive history. He has gone to great lengths to restore his vehicles, beginning with the first vintage Mercedes-Benz he bought in 1980.
For Choudhrie, restoration isn’t just about fixing a car; it’s about maintaining a piece of history. He’s spent over a decade restoring his 1921/1923 Bugatti, which he bought from a family in Bombay. Although he and his team have put the car’s body back together, the engine still needs refitting.
Choudhrie stores his collection of vintage cars in a garage in Delhi. Although the cars aren’t currently on public display, he plans to build a car museum to showcase the collection. This museum will sit alongside an art gallery, hotel, and convention centre.
Additionally, Choudhrie intends to place the collection in a trust, ensuring that people can continue to learn about the origins of automotive engineering and design.
‘For me, the pre-war period was the real heyday of the motor car, ’ Choudhrie says. ‘This is a way to ensure it is never forgotten’.
About Sudhir Choudhrie
Sudhir Choudhrie is a prominent Indian-born entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. He is an investment advisor to C&C Alpha Group, an international private equity firm. Since its inception in the early 2000s, the group has achieved lucrative exits in sectors like healthcare and aviation.
Throughout his business career, Choudhrie has established a strong reputation for helping the companies he invests in flourish. In 2003, he invested in Air Deccan, India’s first budget airline, which Kingfisher bought for around $500 million in 2007. He has also founded various ventures, including the Magnum International Trading Company Ltd.
Choudhrie’s philanthropic work focuses on healthcare and education. He has made notable contributions to institutions like the University of Oxford and Columbia University Medical Center, where he underwent a life-saving heart transplant in 1999. Choudhrie published a book about his experience in 2017 called From My Heart: A Tale of Life, Love, and Destiny.
In 2013, former UK Prime Minister Theresa May awarded Choudhrie the Asian Business Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to international business.
Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sudhir-choudhrie/goodwood-is-glorious-but-_b_17910588.html
Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sudhir-choudhrie/goodwood-is-glorious-but-_b_17910588.html
