VROOM INTO THE PAST

TNIE brings you glimpses from an exhibition of vintage vehicles organised by Classic and Vintage Motor Club of Kerala, a band of motor enthusiasts

- RONNIE KURIAKOSE

Malayalis have always been fascinated by premium vehicles, and lending weight to it is the fact that over 20 big luxury car showrooms line the nearly 25-kilometre stretch from the Kochi airport to the city centre. According to industry reports, Kerala accounts for roughly one-sixth of all top-end vehicle sales in the country.

However, this fascination is not limited to the new and shiny, or the fast and fantastic. Vintage vehicles, too, have their own appeal and their fair share of admirers. And nowhere was this more profound than at Rajendra Maidan in Kochi on Sunday, where the Classic and Vintage Motor Club of Kerala (CVMCK) organised its eighth annual exhibition.

TNIE visited the exhibition to admire the vehicles on display, to learn about the club, its future plans and more.

The exhibition

Nearly 100 classic and vintage vehicles dotted the parking lot of the Maidan. Despite the forecast of hot, sweltering weather, the day remained unseasonably inviting with a cool breeze. Being a weekend and that too a public holiday (Republic Day) meant that there was a steady stream of visitors, far beyond your usual enthusiasts and motorheads.

For the senior citizens that arrived here, the exhibition was likely an avenue to lay their hands on vehicles they once owned or fancied getting in their youths. For the youngsters, uncoupled from the mechanics of machines in this era of the electric, it was open house.