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Our city and its wheels

Mangalore definitely has its own character on wheels. M. RAGHURAM meets those who make the motorhead pool in and around the city

PHOTO (top): S. SUBRAMANIUM

STATELY BEAUTIES ALL Vintage car rallies are a big hit in Mangalore.

To call Mangaloreans motorheads would be an understatement. In Mangalore your lifestyle is definitely not complete without the right set of wheels. The potholed roads don't matter; BMWs, Mercs, Audis, Skodas, Buicks and Volvos find a place in garages as soon as they are launched anywhere in the world. Mangalore's passion for automobiles had made it a place of pilgrimage for car lovers. The Renault 1903, which boasts wooden wheels, is the proud possession of D. Veerendra Heggade. His car museum at Dharmasthala, 105 kilometres from here, takes one through the proverbial walk down memory lane. Dr. Heggade's collection has a Ford 1951 V8 engine (one of the few pieces produced by the motor giant), a Ford military jeep manufactured in 1943, which served the U.S. army during the Second World War, and a Yaz, 1941, Russian armoured vehicle with a weather control system. Mahatma Gandhi used the 1926 Studebaker Open Tourer, in mint condition, when he toured Mangalore in 1932. It is a prized in the collection.

Dr. Heggade feels that cars have their own character. He says modern cars are made for speed, efficiency, comfort and safety while automobiles in the past were rugged machines designed with utility in mind. That was why cars like Studebaker, Plymouth, Buick and Cadillacs were huge in size. They offered comfort and, more importantly, dignity to those who owned them. A 1956 Cadillac, with power steering and power windows, could easily hold a small car in its boot; it is now with a private collector in Mangalore.

Veerendra Heggade showing off one of his other vintage beauties.

Things started really happening here in the 1990s when the Indian market for automobiles was opened up for foreign makers. In fact, all major car manufacturers eye the Mangalore market and have found the response terrific. Hyundai was the first international player to arrive and was soon followed by Ford, General Motors, Honda and recently, Skoda. The pioneer of automobile dealing in Mangalore, Sanjiva Rao of Standard Hyundai says even when the Italian two-wheeler Lambretta was launched in India, Mangalore was one of the first of the few cities to get it. "People here are just thrilled to see a new automobile running. When Hyundai was launched in the 1990s, the response was enthusiastic and the city is one of the largest buyers of the Santro and Accent. The road show by Hyundai is a runaway success every time," says Rao.

Successful vintage rally

The Karnataka Vintage Car Club (KVCC) found its rally a resounding success when they held it here on January 26, 2006. A total of 30 vintage cars participated including a 1903 Renault with a Deon engine, a 1954 Chevrolet, a 1933 Mercedes. These stately beauties and many others made heads turn during a 90-minute run that started from Nehru Maidan after the Republic Day parade. One of the real oldies was a black 1915 Ford Model T with wooden wheels. The car, which was in running condition, did not let down the owner on that day much to the delight of the thousands of onlookers.

The 1903 Renault in a special enclosure at Dharmasthala.

KVCC is keen on bring back old automobiles for not only their sentimental value but also for their worth. Mangalore Motor Sports Association functionaries add that the grand old vehicles bring smiles on the faces of senior citizens, harking back to the times of their salad days.

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