Keeping the heritage motor running

CHENNAI: It’s almost that time of the year when the East Coast Road would stand witness to the hundred-odd assortment of vintage cars and heritage bikes would parade down to Pondy, in a grand display of oldworld charm and well-preserved automotive function.

Only this year, caught between the need to hunker down in light of the virus and the earnest desire to keep automobile enthusiasts their share of joy, the Madras Heritage Motoring Club finds itself some middle ground. In lieu of their annual ‘Chennai to Pondy Heritage Drive’, this year, they will be hosting The Chennai Heritage Auto Display 2021. Despite the new face to the festivities, there’s much in store, assures Kannan H Kumar, the club’s secretary.

“We expect to showcase around 50 vintage and classic cars and 25 bikes. All these vehicles are owned by our 100-odd members. The highlight this year is the working replica of Benz Patent-Motorwagen. It’s an 1885 model — considered the first automobile in the world. Some of our members will be driving it,” he announces. The Benz is a new addition to the club, owned by MS Guhan, film producer and sun of AVM Studios’ M Saravanan. “He recently got this vehicle from UMS Technologies, Coimbatore.

They are the patent owners of this vehicle in India,” he adds. Next highlight is the replica of the Ford Quadricycle, an 1896 creation — Henry Ford’s first work. This one, too, is sure to garner plenty of attention, he surmises. Amid such familiar excitement, there’s plenty of attention being paid to the safety of club members and visitors, it seems.

All COVID protocols — social distancing, wearing masks, using hand sanitisers and such — will be strictly adhered to, assures Kannan. While they do not plan to livestream the event, as has become the norm over the past few months, they will make videos and pictures of the event available on their social media platforms soon after, he adds.

The motor vehicles of yore will be on display at the AVM Rajeswari Kalyana Mandapam in Mylapore, on January 10 from 10 am to 2 pm. Entry is free.