Sudhir Choudhrie owns one of the world’s largest private collections of vintage cars. Housed in the businessman’s garage in Delhi, the collection includes 37 rare, classic vehicles. Choudhrie and his team of seven mechanics have restored many of these models to their former glory.
From the early 1900s to the late 1930s, Choudhrie’s unique cars represent an exciting period of automotive history. Journey through four decades of automotive evolution via Choudhrie’s remarkable collection, which features iconic vehicles from each era.
The 1900s
Although German and French inventors pioneered the automobile in the late 1800s, many consider the first modern motorcars to have emerged in the 1900s. Cars transformed personal transportation during this decade, allowing people to travel further and more easily. Many wealthy families and individuals bought cars for status and pleasure.
Ferdinand Porsche debuted the Lohner-Porsche, the world’s first hybrid car, at the Paris World Fair in 1900. The vehicle generated electricity from two small gasoline engines to power its front wheels.
In the U.S., Henry Leland founded the Cadillac Company in 1902. Taking inspiration from car manufacturer Ransom E. Olds, Cadillac developed the idea of standardised and interchangeable car parts.
The Ford Motor Company made the iconic Model T Ford in 1908. It represented Henry Ford’s vision to create a motor car that the average person could afford and maintain. Other early 1900s vehicles include Olds’ Cleveland Runabout (1900), the Franklin Model A Roadster (1905), and the Chase Touring (1908).
Choudhrie’s collection includes Cadillacs from 1902 and a British Rover from 1906. He bought the U.S.-made cars from a British tea estate manager in southern India.
Choudhrie also owns a 1903 Cottereau Voiturine. Manufactured by Henri Cottereau’s French firm, the car has a three-speed gearbox; chain drive; and a single-cylinder, water-cooled engine that produces seven horsepower (hp). Originally owned by the Maharaja of Patiala, Choudhrie’s model is one of the first cars ever imported to India.
The 1910s
By the 1910s, the sight of a family home with a car in the driveway had become more common. In 1912, Cadillac introduced the first electric starter, an electric motor that starts a gasoline engine.
The electric starter made operating cars from the 1910s much easier, as the invention rendered the hand crank obsolete. Hand-cranking took considerable strength and often led to injuries due to engine kickbacks.
Henry Ford brought car ownership to the masses in 1913 when he pioneered the first moving automotive assembly line for his Model T. Cutting production time from 12.5 hours to 93 minutes, Ford built 15 million Model Ts between 1908 and 1927.
Classic vehicles from the 1910s include the Pierce-Arrow Model 66 (1910-18), the Stutz Bearcat (1914), and the Renault Type DM (1913-20).
Choudhrie’s collection includes a Darracq Type V from 1914. This touring sedan features a four-cylinder inline side-valve engine with a four-speed gearbox that generates 12hp. At the height of the model’s popularity, the company was manufacturing 14 Darracq Type Vs a day. The British-based Rootes Group acquired Darracq in the early 20th century.
The 1920s
Automobiles came of age in the 1920s. The decade saw many technical advancements that improved how cars functioned. These innovations included mechanical brakes, four-wheel drive, and safety glass that did not shatter. Other features included heaters and improved suspension to navigate unpaved roads.
By 1923, closed sedans became more popular than open-top cars, owing to the comfort and convenience of the covered design. U.S.-made luxury cars included Cadillac and Packard. Many wealthy people also purchased European cars like Mercedes and Hispano-Suiza.
Cars manufactured in this decade include the Rolls Royce Phantom Limousine (1920), the Dodge Roadster (1921), and the Cadillac Convertible Coupe (1928). The 1920s cars in Choudhrie’s collection include a 1921/23 Bugatti and a Hispano-Suiza H6B from 1927.
Choudhrie bought the badly damaged Bugatti from a family who had imported the car to India as a gift for their son. It’s taken over a decade to restore the vehicle’s bodywork. Choudhrie and his team of expert mechanics are currently in the multi-year process of rebuilding the engine.
The Marc Birkigt-designed Hispano-Suiza H6B is a marvel of 1920s innovation. Introduced at the 1919 Paris Motor Show, the French luxury car has an aviation-inspired straight-six engine. The advanced technology in this model extends to how the car’s deceleration activates the brake servo, enhancing its power output and conserving fuel.
The revolutionary design of the Hispano-Suiza H6B in Choudhrie’s collection makes it one of his most treasured pieces.
The 1930s
The 1930s saw car manufacturers embrace more modern features and offer more aerodynamic designs. Vehicles also became more powerful: the 1930 Cadillac 16 was the industry’s first car to offer a 16-cylinder engine.
Alongside more powerful engines came new inventions like automatic transmission and hydraulic brakes. Car design of the 1930s also moved away from traditional four-square styling towards streamlined, tear-drop shapes.
The first vintage car Choudhrie ever bought was a convertible Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet D W142 series from 1938. The four-door vehicle has four side windows and a striking profile that makes it immediately recognisable to collectors. Mercedes-Benz phased the model out of production after 1942 to make room for the next generation of cars.
When Choudhrie bought his Mercedes-Benz 320 in 1980 it was in terrible condition. However, its custom-built nature ultimately made it far more valuable than the original purchase price.
Choudhrie also owns a Mercedes-Benz 170V Sedan W from 1937. The car’s four-cylinder engine, powerful four-speed gearbox, and independent suspension make it an unusual vehicle for the time.
Other 1930s cars in Choudhrie’s collection include:
- A bright yellow Fiat 514 (1930) with a black top.
- A Mercedes-Benz 170V W136 series Cabriolet A (1937).
- A Mercedes-Benz 230 W21 series Cabriolet D (1936/37).
- An Adler Trumpf Junior (1937).
- A DKW F7 Deluxe convertible (1938).
Sudhir Choudhrie: Safeguarding Automotive History
Choudhrie’s unique collection is currently unavailable for public display. However, he plans to place the collection in a trust for future generations to enjoy. The avid collector will also construct a car museum to showcase his remarkable vehicles.
Forming part of a luxury hotel and convention centre, the museum will sit alongside a gallery exhibiting Choudhrie’s collection of Indian art.
Choudhrie describes the pre-war period as “the real heyday of the motor car.” By safeguarding these classic vehicles, he ensures the enduring remembrance of this extraordinary chapter in automotive history.
About Sudhir Choudhrie
An innovative, accomplished entrepreneur, Sudhir Choudhrie has experience in global trade, diplomacy, philanthropy, and politics. Throughout his career, he has earned a strong reputation for successfully fostering the growth of the companies he invests in.
In 1975, Choudhrie founded the Magnum International Trading Company, which focused on exploring and expanding India’s export markets. In 1995, he set up a joint venture with Taj Hotels Resorts, subsequently developing Taj Kerala and a portfolio of local resort destinations. That same year, he introduced the Adidas brand to India, building a network of 180 stores and manufacturing facilities.
In 2003, Choudhrie invested in Air Deccan, India’s first low-cost airline, which Kingfisher bought in 2007. He has also served as a non-executive director of Ebookers, a pioneering travel website. Cendant Corporation acquired Ebookers in 2004 for $450 million.
Today, Choudhrie brings his decades of expertise in growing businesses to C&C Alpha Group. He has helped the private equity firm expand its many subsidiaries in sectors like health care, real estate, and hospitality. Notable successes include the sale of UK-based Alpha Hospitals to Cygnet Health Care for £95 million in 2015.
Choudhrie is a Radcliffe Fellow of Green Templeton College at Oxford University. In 2013, former British Prime Minister Theresa May awarded him the Asian Business Lifetime Achievement Award.
Sudhir Choudhrie’s Philanthropic Work
A proud philanthropist, Choudhrie supports several health and education charities in the UK, the U.S., and India. Passionate about the arts, Choudhrie established the Stellar Art Foundation, which builds bridges between Asian artists and the UK and U.S.
After undergoing a successful heart transplant operation in 1999, Choudhrie became a significant benefactor of the Columbia University Medical Center in New York. In 2009, he donated $2.5 million to fund the Sudhir Choudhrie Professorship of Cardiology.
Choudhrie has written a book about his life-changing surgery called From My Heart: A Tale Of Life, Love, and Destiny.
