The Oberoi Concours d’Elegance
STORY | Karl Bhote
Photography | Kaustubh Khare
The Oberoi Concours d’Elegance made a terrific debut in 2024 in the historic city of Udaipur in India. The setting is magical, with the Oberoi Udaivilas being counted amongst the best luxury hotels globally. The display of such a varied selection of cars amongst the sprawling lush lawns, intricate arches and domes, and the ever-courteous staff makes for the most memorable experience. The forces behind the event are chairman Arjun Oberoi and curator Manvendra Singh Barwani, the global authority on Indian motoring history and long-time Pebble Beach Judge. It was Barwani who first brought the concept of such an event to India in 2008 with Cartier, and the movement has since seen tremendous growth. The team of judges and invitees for the event are remarkable, with many greats gracing the occasion, including Sir Jackie Stewart, Derek and Justin Bell, and Giacomo Augustini. Simon Kidston returned as the master of ceremonies, as did Sandra Button as Chief Judge. India truly is a must-visit on the global concours calendar.
In the days of the British Raj, hundreds of Princely States dotted the vast expanse of India, and pretty much all of them indulged in fine automobiles, mostly customized to their tastes – sometimes understated formal purdah cars for the ladies of the house, or sometimes flashy, polished tourers and cars fitted out for hunting. A favorite brand was Rolls-Royce, and a total of 25 cars were entered in various classes, including special displays.
I count a 1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental with aerofoil coupé coachwork by Gurney Nutting —the very last one built — among my favorites. The car has been in the owner’s family for well over 60 years, and is used rather often, yet remains in concours condition – having even won its class at Pebble Beach a few years back. The car was originally owned by the Maharaja of Jodhpur, whose cars were a special featured class at this year’s event – cars shown included a delightful Bugatti Brescia, and the class winner was a very handsome Derby Bentley again with Gurney Nutting coupe coachwork.
Indian Motor Racing debuted as a surprise new class — something we haven’t typically seen on the concours circuit, but a very welcome addition. India’s motor racing peaked in the 1950s and ‘60s across unused airstrips in Calcutta, Bangalore, and Bombay, amongst others, and a very varied line-up of cars was handpicked from across India. Many of these are rare survivors rather than trailer queens. The class win went quite rightly to a stunning Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, in the same family since new, and with a chequered racing history.
I especially liked another new 2026 class, Indian Coachbuilt Then and Now. The class was divided into cars bodied in India during the period, and for the first time, cars that have been built recently in a period style earned a place in an Indian concours. This opens a new avenue for tribute and replica cars – a trend that cannot be ignored. The class win went to a stunning 1935 Cadillac V12 Roadster, built to a Fleetwood design that never left the drawing board.
Quite a few cars were shown for the very first time, and my pick of those had to be a Series 1 Jaguar E-Type roadster that has covered just 2,000 miles from new, and has been retained by the same family since it was bought new in England before coming back to India a couple of years later – a true time-warp. The occurrence of entering cars with long-term ownership is surprisingly high.
Like most events of late, the number of prizes awarded was huge. Best of Show, however, was taken by a very elegant Bentley 4.25-liter MX with a rich royal history, being bought new by the Nawab of Bhopal and later gifted to Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur for her wedding. With the biennial event being confirmed for 2028, I really look forward to seeing which new cars and classes are pulled out of the proverbial hat – block your calendars now!
