Pune News : Vintage and Classic Cars rally in Pune receives enthusiastic response
Pune: The charm of old cars has always captivated the youth, and the recent Vintage and Classic Cars Rally in Pune was no exception. Organized by the Vintage & Classic Car Club of India and the Race Course Turf Club, the rally saw an impressive turnout of vintage cars, motorcycles, and scooters, with over 70 to 80 valuable classic vehicles and around 30 to 40 vintage scooters and motorcycles participating.
The rally, which was flagged off and the prizes distributed by Additional Commissioner of Police and former Commissioner of Police Amitabh Gupta and Joint Commissioner of Police Sandeep Karnik, went on a nostalgic journey down the memory lane. The event also marked the awarding of the Vintage Car Trophy in memory of Baburao Sanas to Ravi Avelu’s Ford V8, and the Classic Car Award to Yohan Poonawala’s 1948 Bentley Mark VI.
The rally route covered various landmarks in Pune, including Race Course Turf Club, shooting ground, Sarasbaugh, Dandekar Bridge, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, Garware Bridge, Agricultural College Flyover, Juna Bazar Road, Zilla Parishad, Hollywood Gurdwara Road, and ended back at Turf Club. At every intersection, citizens applauded and vehicles passing by stopped to enjoy the spectacle.
The rally featured an impressive lineup of vintage and classic cars, including those owned by Bollywood and Hollywood stars. Among the notable vehicles were Subhash Sanas’ Dodge Kingsway, which was used by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and his family, a convertible Impala used by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Hollywood star Al Pacino’s Mercedes Benz, Amitabh Bachchan’s white Mercedes, and Vinod Khanna’s A number of vehicles, including a 2-door silver-colored Mercedes and vintage cars of other celebrities. The oldest car in the rally was Shekhar Chaverekar’s 1919 Overland, and there was also a special attraction – the 1938 Norton Fatfati.
One of the highlights of the rally was the participation of India’s oldest rally driver, 87-year-old Dr. Prabha Nene from Pune, who drove an Austin 7. Other foreign cars that were part of the rally included Rolls Royce, Bentley, Chevrolet, Morris Convertible, Austin, and Ford.
The event was attended by dignitaries such as RWITC President Surendra Sanas, Vintage and Classic Car Club of India Chairman Nitin Dosa, Rally Organizer and Museum Subhash Sanas, and other officials. Subhash Sanas was felicitated for his contribution to the event.
