Decades after it rolled off the assembly line, ‘Lal Pari’ continues to mesmerise vintage car enthusiasts. The latest testament to its timeless charm came at the 21 Gun Salute Concours d’Elegance in Gurugram, where it picked up an award at the prestigious event featuring 125 classic cars and 50 heritage motorcycles.
Among the dazzling lineup—ranging from Maharaja cars to historic icons like the 1903 De Dion Bouton, a 1917 Ford Model T Roadster, and a 1948 Bentley Mark VI Drophead Coupe—‘Lal Pari’ stood out as one of the star attractions.
Thakore, 49, fondly recalled his lifelong bond with the car.
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“This is ‘Lal Pari.’ When I was three years old, my father bought it for me. We have grown up with it—going to the zoo, enjoying picnics, and even driving to cinemas. It was part of my wedding celebrations in 2000, and my wife’s ‘vidai’ happened in this very car,” he told PTI.
A decade ago, the family decided to restore the MG roadster to its original factory condition. That decision sparked a bold idea—to drive ‘Lal Pari’ back to the very place where it was built.
“Since we brought it back to its factory condition, we thought—why not take it back to the factory?” Thakore said.
Thus began an epic journey that saw three generations travel from Ahmedabad to Mumbai, before shipping the car to Dubai and driving through Iran, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Croatia, Italy, Switzerland, France, and finally, the UK.
The cross-continental expedition had its share of challenges.
“In Iran and Dubai, temperatures soared to 45°C, while in France and England, it rained and dropped to 8°C. We faced technical issues too—our car’s axle broke in Croatia while climbing a steep gradient,” he recalled.
Despite frequent breakdowns, the journey was defined by human connections.
“Local residents would come and help us. It felt amazing,” he said.
For Thakore, the biggest challenge wasn’t the terrain or weather—it was the belief that they could accomplish the journey.
“Since no one had done this before, we kept wondering—will we be able to do it? But once we committed, we embraced every challenge,” he said.
Beyond being a personal adventure, the journey carried a symbolic message. The car’s number plate, ‘GRA 9111’ from Gujarat, piqued curiosity in every country it passed through. Its hood monogram, featuring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel flanked by the flags of India and the UK, embodied a shared history.
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“We wanted this journey to be about the connection between India and England. So we thought—why not mount Sardar Patel on a British car and take him around the world as a message of unity?” Thakore said.
At the event, he also showcased a brick salvaged from MG’s factory in Abingdon.
“I was given this brick as a memento. It even has a number on it—only a few were saved after the factory was demolished,” he said.
Though the car’s original owner remains unknown, Thakore’s family has been its proud custodian since 1979.
Decades later, ‘Lal Pari’ continues to turn heads—not just as a piece of automotive history, but as a symbol of heritage, adventure, and nostalgia.
With inputs from PTI