The Oberoi Concours d'Elegance 2026: History Unfolded And Explored Through Opulent Vintage Classics

A celebration of timeless elegance, history unfolded and explored through opulent vintage classics once owned by the Maharajas of princely India and bikes, with a racing past, telling stories of glamour, grit, and adventure.

This was not just a show of India's classic automotive heritage; the second edition of the Oberoi concours d'elegance clearly positioned India's arrival on the stage of automotive restoration and exhibition, with the scenic lakes of Udaipur as the perfect backdrop for a ceremonial drive and display.

A vintage car is judged not just by its quality of restoration but also by its ability to rev up, navigate the roads, and come back to base with an engine that needs to be in running condition to make the cut. At the Oberoi Concours d'elegance more than 90 cars and 32 bikes were participants in various categories.

Arjun Oberoi, Executive Chairman of the Oberoi Group, the host for the event, said, " Two years ago, we were celebrating our 90th anniversary, and we wanted a nice event where we could celebrate India's heritage, and the motoring side of India's heritage appeals to all of us. These cars are all about detailing and defining the finer things, and the most refined autmobiles fit into this , the cars that are here some are just one of a kind, and it's important to realise that they ended up in India. The Maharajas had a love and affection for the finest and the best, and we want to be associated with it. The Udai Vilas hotel is a stunning settting and with events like these, we want to promote tourism, and we want more arrivals. There is so much potential for tourism here , as far as looking at other Vilas as options, maybe we will do Agra- Jaipur or Ranthambore, and we may do a smaller showcase of classic cars as well."

Manvendra Singh from the former royal family of Barwani, the curator for the event, says each car for the concours was chosen and hand picked not only for its finesse in restoration but also for its history. The appeal of a vintage classic lies in the stories it carries, and most of these cars carry not only whispers of India's royal past but also stories of indian mechanics, their proficiency and skill honed sometimes merely by practise and without any formal training.

"In the early part of the century, the maharajas thought cars were toys or a curio , the first one arrived in Patiala, and it was shown at garden parties, but then it evolved, and the Maharajas realised it was more comfortable and convenient than a horse carriage or buggy.

India has a distinct place in the world's automotive history. There is a Purdah car which is nowhere in the world , the hunting cars are unique, and there is also a  ceremonial car , ingact the maharaja of Mysore would use his car to bring the Goddess Chamundi to Mysore for Dusshera celebrations in his car".

Cars used by the Maharajas reflected the taste, the passion, and the pursuits of the time, making them interesting sociological studies. The Kashmir experimental rolls, for example was commissioned by the Maharaja of Kashmir to use for a race after Dusshera to see who can go downhill fast. The oudah cars used by the royal queens are not to be found anywhere in the world, and the throne car of the Nizam of Hyderabad is a monument in its own right.

Car restoration in India is at par with international standards, says Manvendra Singh. Adding further, he said- "When you curate cars for a show like this, you look at the car, its restoration, also whether it reflects India's heritage and history and craftsmanship. These cars are a tribute to Indian craftsmen and coach builders; they were so proficient that they built coaches for Rolls-Royces. There was a time the company would simply ship the chassis to India and Indian coachmakers would build car coaches . They were not formally trained, but they had a sense of proportion and eye and hand coordination they made horse carriages and buggies and then adapted to cars. In the old days, initially, all vehicle bodies were handcrafted, and this is the legacy of Indian craftsmanship reflected in these cars."

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At the Oberoi Concours d'Elegance, more than 90 cars and 32 bikes were  participants in various categories, but the show was dominated by the Rolls-Royces. Seven of them were owned by Pune-based Industrialist Yohan Poonawalla, including one that was owned by Queen Elizabeth , plush with burgundy velvet interiors and champagne  flutes , another owned by the Emir of Qatar, and a specially designed experimental Rolls , one of its kind used by the Maharaja of Kashmir for racing 

Clearly, the Rolls Royce was a favourite of princely India, lending itself to state carriage , ceremonial occasions; its bespoke and custom-built bodies allowed princely India to integrate the cars with feudal customs, like the Purdahs, for example. 

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Mahanarayam Scindia , son of Union Minister Jyotir Aditya Scindia and a member of the royal family of Gwalior, said, “This Rolls-Royce was among the first few brought into India by my great-great-grandfather. My great great grandfather gifted this to the Nizam of Hyderabad when he had a daughter, so its called a Baby Rolls . If  you look at the Rolls-Royce, they were not normal; they were unique, customised, and one-on-one. It is great to have this history brought back to India through events like these. This Rolls was used in our family mainly for ceremonial purposes, and it was used to drive around most of Gwalior, and we took pictures in the palace of  my ancestor in the car. The family also used it for hunts, so there are places to keep guns, and there is a suitcase at the back, and it was also used for picnics. "

From 1912 to 1947 1/4th of the Rolls-Royces produced in the world were commissioned for the Indian market. After America and Europe in the years between the wars, India was the third biggest market for Rolls, with its clients being the rulers of Princely India.

Interestingly its a relationship that has endured. Even today, the Rolls Royce figures in India have grown in double digits in the past 4 consecutive years, appealing to a market where 60 % of the country  is still chauffer driven the Rolls carries a status symbol for  the upwardly mobile elite.

The passion for vintage cars also makes sound economic sense , new age owners say these unique cars not only give them entry to an elite club but are also investments that appreciate over the years like works of art. Gurpreet singh an architect by profession, is the owner of the Saurashtra Special Vehicle , a Rolls Royce Phantom 1928 model with an original number plate SS103.

" Its a very interesting car its a Maharaja Bhavnagar car. He sent his 17-year-old to buy a car and body builders at Barker and Co , and he got a sports two door body built for the car . The Royal family realised this was impractical, and the car could not be used for ceremonial purposes, so some years later it was sent back to Barkers for rebodying, and then, after independence, the Maharaja of Bhavnagar gave it to the municipality, who used it as a fire tender. The Bhavnagar municipality cut it into two and used it as a fire tender."

Most of the stories of restoration are fascinating in themselves, like Pallab Roy 's story of finding his mercedes in a warehouse selling scrap . hailing from the former royal family of Kassimbazar in West Bengal, Pallab knew a beauty when he spotted one . It took years, but his mercedes a sports roadster has now been restored by him personally and his son, Saurav. The black beauty was completely hand built and has a unique disappearing top that can be pulled up to create a cover.

Vintage Mercedes , Buggatis, Mustangs , bikes over a 100 years old , a 1905 old mobile, and the Delaunay Belle Ville 1910 bought by the Darbhanga royal family , the Oberoi Concours d'Elegance is  a display curated after  detailed research and fine examination. But the luxury car market in India is not just about heritage , it is also now a market that is growing in three-tier cities like Ahmedabad, amritsar and even udaipur the host of the show. 

BMW officials said that in 2020, 0.7 % of the market was luxury cars; today, 1.1 % of the market is the luxury segment. Young IT professionals , doctors, chartered accountants , business men are driving India into a guilt-free spending zone. 

Says  Hardeep Brar , President and CEO, BMW Group India, " The BMW is now in 30 cities, and we will be showing our presence in 10 more cities this year . The BMW has a fifty fity balance, which is the cornerstone of its engineering . its high speed acceleration and responsive editing and driving dynamics are unmatched, and the new indian is definitely our customer," he explains.

The last weekend in Febuary in the city of Lakes brought together a heritage of craft and revival which went beyond engineering and design.

At the Oberoi Concourse was the Thomas Goode table, iconic and fine table ware which added a dimension to this celebration of luxury . From a dessert plate commissioned for Balmoral Castle  , Queen Victoria's private retreat in the scottish highlands , to an Isadora Crystal Pineapple and belgian fine lace on which exquisite porcelain were laid out to the newwly opened Rolex salon , select luxury brands made a quiet statement at underscoring their presence at The Concours with precision , endurance and timeless design.

The grand finale a Tarun Tahiliani fashion show, echoed the spirit of the event- Fluid silhouettes, known for his mastery of the drape. Tarun Tahiliani with a deep root in Indian craft heritage created a dialogue between the past and the present on stage.

Embodying the ethos of the Oberoi Concourse d' Elegance- a synthesis of heritage, history, restoration, and a romance that lingers enchantingly after the tables have been folded up and put away.