Celebrating the spirit of motoring,21 Gun Salute Concoursd’Elegance 2023 is going to be heldin Vadodara this year, raising the name of Gujarat on the global motoring tourism map. The Concours will exhibit the vintage & classic, rare and magnificent automobiles of the past with 3 days of motoring extravaganza i.e., from 6th to 8th January 2023 in the royal Lukshmi Vilas Palace of Vadodara flaunting Gujarat’s rich long-lived history and culture in all its glory.
The Concours is organised by the 21 Gun Salute Heritage & Cultural Trust in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, and with the strong support of Gujarat Tourism to boost Incredible India! campaign. Lukshmi Vila palace sojourning the Concours is the most impressive Raj-era palace and the largest private home built to date, covering over 500 acres of land, four times the size of Buckingham Palace. Vadodara showcases Gujarat’s excellent artistic and architectural talents from both the present and past eras.The staterenowned for its temples and historic capitalshas always put viewers in awe withthe intricate artistrycarved and crafted centuries ago. Thus, making Gujarat the perfect motoring tourism destination wheretheartistry of vintage beauties is going to be grandly celebrated. It would be a huge step forward in generating interest in India and Gujarat among global tourists and establishing ourselves as a world-class Heritage & Motoring Tourism Destination. The attendees will receive a royal welcome from the Royal House of Baroda which has a long and illustrated history overflowing with patriotism, patronage, tradition and Gujrati culture. On 6th January, the Asia’s most anticipated and talked about automobile event will have more than 200 International and National vintage engines, automotive enthusiasts, dining, and entertainment inaugurating the charisma of the event. 7th January will be D-day for car enthusiasts and aficionados as the judgment of automotives by renowned international judges will take place. 8th January, the last of the event will end with a bang as the Grand Award Ceremony and Best of Show & Category Awards will take place.
Mr Madan Mohan, Chairman & Managing Trustee – of 21 Gun Salute Heritage & Cultural Trust said “Yet another grand celebration of Indian heritage together with 200 plus featured marques from around the globe the 10th edition of the 21 Gun Salute Concoursd’Elegance will go down in history as an exclusive heritage motoring fiesta. Vintage Cars and Indian heritage are a winning combination Along with a selection of fascinating cars from the bygone era. It has been an absolute honour to see the development of what is now globally famous – The 21 Gun Salute International Concours d’ Elegance. The show has demonstrated rapid growth and has the potential to propel the image of host destination India to new heights as a heritage motoring fraternity but has also developed international significance.Organizing 21 Gun Salute Concoursd’Elegancewhich is now a globally renowned motoring event in Gujarat has been an absolute honour as the state is renowned to be the home of manygreat leaders, artists and architects of the past whose stories and art are still inspiring millions. We aspire to keep the same amount of fire alive for the vintage beauties.”
On 6th January, the Asia’s most anticipated and talked about automobile event will have more than 200 International and National vintage engines, automotive enthusiasts, dining, and entertainment inaugurating the charisma of the event. 7th January will be D-day for car enthusiasts and aficionados as the judgment of automotives by renowned international judges will take place. 8th January, the last of the event will end with a bang as the Grand Award Ceremony and Best of Show & Category Awards will take place.
On 5th January, 75 vintage cars will receive an extravagant flag-off at the historic Lukshmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara- Gujarat, to celebrate the 75 glorious years of India’s Independence. The magnificent cars will then wheel to The Statue of Unity- the tallest and most magnificent statue in the world to commemorate the AzadikaAmritMahotsavHistoric drive making it the most luxurious royal expedition.
The 21 Gun Salute Concoursd’Elegance 2023 will draw 200 vintage and classic Indian marquees. 25 International cars, 120 veteran bikes and Maharaja Carsare being exhibited in the Concours. Cars from USA, Switzerland, Belgium and France are also joining the competition of the finest. This year’s panel of judges includes 35 international judges who are renowned motoring and fraternity experts and will travel from all over the world to judge as connoisseurs of cars, beauty, taste, and design. A car collector’s assemblage is incomplete without a Maharaja Car, making India the top-tier heritage motoring destination for collectors from around the world. The Maharajas and their magnificent motoring cars have a unique place in automotive history, attracting visitors worldwide.
This rare salute to the spirit of motoring will showcase some of the finest and most incredible, and rare cars in the world namely the 1948 Bentley Mark VI Drophead Coupe, 1932 LanciaAsturaPininfarina, 1930 Cadillac V-16, 1938 Armstrong Siddeley1928 Gardner roadster, 1911 Napier etc. Rare cars from Veteran and Edwardian class in which the oldest car participating in the Concours being from 1902, pre-war American, pre-war European, post-war American, post-war European, many rare Rolls Royce and Bentley vintage beauties, Playboy cars, special cars from Bollywood, Tollywood, Mollywood and many more.
Apart from the above, for the first time in the history of motoring heritage, the Maharaja cars of Baroda are also being exhibited at 21 Gun Salute Concours d’ Elegance.
The spotlight of the Concours will be on the 1948 Bentley Mark VI Drophead Coupe, a single-design car specially made for HH Maharani Baroda will be grandly exhibited in the 10th edition of 21 Gun Salute Concoursd‘Elegance after it exited India in 1966. The vintage beauty has roamed around the world and sat in garages adorned by famous collectors from America and Spain but 21 Gun Salute successfully bought the Indian automobile honour and history back home in 2015. Bringing back the spark and charm of the beauty was painstaking as its restoration required its parts, upholstery and even the shade of its original paint to be imported from London. Now, the Maharani car will bask in the glory it deserved for all these lost years.
Being an automotive enthusiast collector Mr Madan Mohan is passionate about preserving India’s automotive heritage, and the 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally &Concoursd’Elegance aims to help him achieve his goal of making India a World-Class Motoring Tourism Destination. He is the driving force behind this heritage motoring venture, which narrates the untold legacy of motoring as well as India’s rich cultural heritage, adding a new dimension to Heritage Motoring in India.
Mr. Madan Mohan is a renowned figure within the global motoring fraternity and has been a lifelong car collector and enthusiast. He never lost sight of his automotive fascination, which in one regard, became a reality in the year 2000, when he purchased his first-ever vintage car Dodge Victory 6, 1928 (previously owned by Raja Saheb of Khetri). Now, in 22 years, he owns 328 vintage cars, 43 jeeps, and 106 bikes along with clocks, typewriters, and other antiques. He has been a part of the jury panel at various global motoring shows that include Masterpieces Concoursd’Elegance(Germany), Concoursd’Elégance Suisse (Switzerland), ZouteConcoursd’Elegance (Belgium), Hampton Court Concours (UK), Trump National Concoursd’Eleganceand La Jolla Concoursd’elegance (U.S.A).
He strongly believes in preserving India’s automotive heritage, and the 21 Gun Salute Concours d’ Elegance aims at taking forward his vision of establishing India as a World-Class Motoring Tourism Destination. Mr Madan Mohan is the backbone of this heritage motoring venture that narrates the untold legacy of motoring, and the rich cultural heritage of India, adding a new facet to Heritage Motoring in India.
Since its first historic show in 2011, 21 Gun Salute International Concoursd’Elegance has since been a prominent and recognized award and Concours automobile event helping to preserve and display the authentic history of cars. The show has grown rapidly and has the potential to propel the image of the host country, India, to new heights as a heritage motoring fraternity, but it has also gained international significance. The show has won awards at not one, but two prestigious events, including The Historic Motoring Awards 2018, London, and the Concours were named the ‘Most Innovative & Unique Tourism Product’ at the National Tourism Award (2016-2017), which was presented by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The 2018 Historic Motoring Awards.
Government Officials, Bureaucrats, More than 100 Royal Family members, Automotive Enthusiasts, International & National Vintage Car Collectors will be present at the 21 Gun Salute International Concoursd’Elegance 2023.
