Vintage cars have always charmed people with their sleek curves, engine, and details of meticulously restored dashboards. The desire for vintage cars and the ever-growing community of individuals who are captivated by the nostalgia and love for these has led to them becoming great investment vehicles too
As per the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index, the asset value of classic cars appreciated by 25% year-on-year in 2022. So, if you are planning to invest in one such car, here are some tips by Gurugram-based Madan Mohan, Founder of 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally
Madan Mohan owns over 360 vintage cars, over 40 jeeps, nearly 100 bikes, and 56 trucks. He says from an investment point of view, the rarer the car, the better
Madan Mohan, who started collecting cars in 2000s, suggests the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost models from 1907 to 1915. Similarly, the 1925-28 Phantom carries a better price. He said, “The Rolls-Royce Phantom was available a decade ago for Rs 50 lakh. Today it sells at auction for Rs 4 crore.”
The oldest car in Madan Mohan’s collection is the 1886 Benz Motorwagen. It is the first automobile invented by Carl Benz and it runs on benzene. “It can run on a bottle of whiskey also,” he said. Take a look at some of the other cars owned by him
Madan Mohan says, “If the car was owned by Maharaja, the price can go up by 30%.” He has bought nearly 150 cars from various erstwhile Maharajas. One of his favourite cars is a 1948 Bentley Mark VI, which was specially manufactured for the Maharani of Baroda Shanta Devi
Another special car in Madan Mohan’s vintage car collection is a 1948 Buick Super 8 convertible. It was once owned by Maharani Gayatri Devi
Madan Mohan also owns a 1938 Armstrong Siddeley. It is a seven-passenger limousine specially commissioned for the then, Maharaja of Kapurthala - Maharajah Sir Jagatjit Singh Sahib Bahadur