Over 50 classic Mercs to take part in Mumbai rally
Mercedes classic rally set for Sunday, December 13 run.
Come Sunday, December 13, the streets of Mumbai will be graced by some of the finest classic Mercedes-Benz cars around. Normally secured behind closed garages and hidden under multiple dust covers, the rally will be a unique opportunity for Mercedes lovers in the city to come and see some of the finest cars in the country gather together in the same place. And this is no static display, the cars will drive around Mumbai, so you'll be able to see, hear and even smell some of them.
Running for the second consecutive year, the Classic Car Rally 2015 is organised by Mercedes-Benz and is run in association with Autocar India. It will kick off from Nariman Point at 10am and this will be best place to view the cars and speak with the owners.
The route is quite simple. Travelling by Mumbai's western coastline via Marine Drive, Pedder Road, Haji Ali and the Sea Link, the participants will drive in a convoy all the way up to the western suburb of Bandra before heading back to the starting point. Traffic will be regulated with the help of the Mumbai Traffic Police and you could position yourself at some spots along the route to see these grand old ladies purr past.
So, what are some of the timeless beauties you can expect to spot at the rally? There will be the gorgeous 190SL (W120) drop top, a favourite of stars and a rather celebrated sight on the streets of yesteryears' tinsel town. The S-class has always been a flagship model for Mercedes and you'll get a chance to see almost every iteration of it on the drive, from the earliest W111 fin-tails, to the gorgeous W108, the iconic W126, of which so many were imported to India and even the W140, the tank, that probably was the toughest built S-class ever.
Then there will be the two-seater Pagoda (W113) from the '60s, a 450SL (R107 series) from the '70s, and even a SEC coupe from the W126 series, one of the most sought-after models back in the day. And you'll also get a chance to catch 170V Roadsters, among many others. Some of the oldest cars present at the parade will be there from as far back as the Second World War and though Mercedes has never marketed estates in India, some like the W123s and W124s, would be there as well. There'll even be a 300S Adenauer convertible.
Also, make sure you get a good look at some of the interesting details on display in some of the more luxurious cars. But the star of the show will be the Patentwagen – the first car ever built. The actual car from 1886, of course, won't be there. This is a replica built right here in India, by Coimbatore-based UMS Technologies.
So, it promises to be a starry Sunday with some seriously gorgeous Mercs flooding the Mumbai streets. Make sure you set your alarm nice and early; the cars will start lining up from 9:00. See you there.
Spectator Guide
10:15 Marine Drive
10:30 Walkeshwar
10:45 Neapean Sea Road
10:50 Hali Ali
11:00 Worli Sea Face
11:15 Bandra Worli Sea Face
11:30 Worli Sea Face
11:40 Haji Ali
11:50 Pedder Road
12:00 Marine Drive
* Times are subject to traffic conditions
Courtesy : Autocar