He lives in a quaint mansion inherited from his father. But it is not just the mansion that he inherited. He has gone a step forward and acquired his father’s passion too. That is the passion for vintage cars.
Director of Advaith Hyundai, SVS Subramanya Gupta, inherited this interest from his father SV Sreenivasa Setty, who also had a great liking for cars. This passion is alive in Subramanya Gupta who is the proud owner of exotic vintage machines.
Ford Prefect, Humber Super Snipe, Adler, Austin, Citroen, Morris Mini Cooper, and the more giant Ford Grain Truck… the list of his collections go on. A true follower of the phrase ‘old is gold’, he has been successful in preserving them. “Owning and maintaining these old cars is a hobby and a passion,” he says.
Subramanya Gupta says his father, who helped the poor during World War II, was also an affluent person who had the warmth for luxury. “My father was very fond of cars and he owned four cars which were the best imported vintage cars during that time (1942). His cars were spick and span. I did not inherit those cars as I was just seven years old when he passed on. But the fervour for these cars is a genetic disposition and this is the root of my hobby,” says Subramanya.
An impassioned lover of cars, he agrees that his passion is an expensive affair. “I was fond of cars from when I was a boy. But it turned into a passionate collection after I started making money.” It was “somewhere around 1992-93” that he had his first pride possession, which was the Ford Prefect bought from a relative. The next in line was the stylish Humber Super Snipe that was originally owned by the Nizam of Hyderabad. The mesmerising beauty and comfort of these cars motivated him to include more to his collections resulting in him owning many more like the Mercedes Ponton, Ford Model AA, Jaguar, Chevrolet Fleetmaster. The Fleetmaster won the ‘Indian Category Award’ at the Cartier Heritage Show in Mumbai. “The Humber Super Snipe owned by the Nizam was in a bad condition. There was a restoration process that took place after which it is in a perfect running condition,” he informs.
A perfectionist, he never fails to keep these cars spotless. A reckoned name in the automobile industry, he has dedicated technicians — Sirajuddin and Suri — who he says “give their heart and soul to restore these cars”.
“I want all my cars to be in mint condition. These cars were meant to be luxurious and I like to maintain that luxury in them,” he adds. An admirer of the technology of these grand-old machines, he is not a big fan of the attention he gets while driving them. He says, “We take these cars on a drive where there is not much crowd as I do not like the attention. We load the car on a flood-bed truck, take them out of the City and then enjoy the drive.” This passion of his is sure to continue as his son Agastya Gupta knows all about these antique automobiles. “I am trying to maintain whatever my family had interest in and the journey has been going on. My father owned a vintage Austin and I am looking forward to adding this to my collection,” wraps up Subramanya.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> MetroLife / by Prajna GR, Bengaluru / DHNS – March 24th, 2015
