The art of collecting: Sudhir Choudhrie’s journey through vintage cars

Many know Sudhir Choudhrie as a seasoned entrepreneur and businessman. He’s also an expert investor, whose ventures have included Air Deccan, Ebookers, and Alpha Hospitals. His sector-spanning career success won him the Asian Business Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

Choudhrie is also one of India’s most prolific vintage car collectors. The car connoisseur has amassed a private collection of 37 classic automobiles, all built before December 1939. His deep appreciation for automotive history and craftsmanship has led him to restore many of these classic models.

From collecting toy cars during childhood to ambitious restoration projects later in life, Choudhrie’s love for vintage cars goes beyond mere ownership. His decades-long dedication to the art of collecting classic vehicles represents a profound connection to a bygone era of motoring excellence.

Sudhir Choudhrie’s lifelong love affair with vintage cars

Choudhrie can trace his affinity for vintage cars back to his boyhood in India. He fondly recalls playing with Dinky Toys and Matchbox cars, iconic automobile toy brands that captured his imagination.

Collecting these toys when he was six or seven years old laid the foundation for a ‘lifelong love affair’ with vintage vehicles.

As the years passed, Choudhrie’s passion for classic cars only intensified. He attended vintage car rallies during college.

Later, he supported his wife Anita as she competed in and won many races. Choudhrie still enjoys classic car events like the Goodwood Revival.

Many wealthy people enjoy collecting expensive items. For Choudhrie, the attraction of collecting vintage cars lies in their quality craftsmanship. Reflecting on his collection, Choudhrie says, ‘The special appeal of vintage cars … [is] the simplicity of the engineering, combined with the quality.’

It’s this marriage of engineering ingenuity and timeless elegance that continues to captivate Choudhrie and fuels his passion for collecting and restoration. Choudhrie and his dedicated team of mechanics breathe new life into these automotive relics, meticulously returning them to their original conditions.

From painstakingly sourcing original parts to navigating the complexities of vintage engineering, each restoration project can take years. For example, Choudhrie has invested over a decade into restoring one vehicle’s bodywork.

On top of that, it’s taken three years to get permission to send the car’s engine to the UK so classic car specialists can rebuild it.

A look at Sudhir Choudhrie’s collection

Kept safe in a large garage in Delhi, Choudhrie’s collection is a testament to his eclectic taste and discerning eye for automotive excellence. The collection comprises models from renowned manufacturers around the world, offering a panoramic view of motoring history.

For now, Choudhrie’s collection is private. Looking ahead, the entrepreneur envisions a future in which the public can experience his remarkable collection. He has plans for a dedicated car museum to showcase these vintage vehicles. The museum will also serve as a tribute to the enduring legacy of automotive craftsmanship and ingenuity.

Choudhrie hopes to establish a trust for his collection, ensuring its preservation for future generations. This way, his vintage cars will continue to inspire and captivate automotive enthusiasts for years to come.

One day, classic car lovers will be able to visit Choudhrie’s car museum, as well as a gallery housing his Indian art collection. The facilities will be part of a hotel and convention centre where guests can mix business with pleasure.

In the meantime, here’s a look at some of the models in Choudhrie’s collection.

Mercedes-Benz

Amongst the crown jewels of Choudhrie’s collection is a convertible Mercedes 320 Cabriolet D from 1938. As the first classic car Choudhrie ever bought, this four-door, custom-built vehicle holds a special place in the collector’s heart. He acquired it in 1980 for 50,000 rupees, which translates to roughly £11,300 in 2024.

Choudhrie’s collection also contains a Mercedes-Benz 170V Sedan W from 1937. Manufactured from 1936 to 1955, this model’s distinctive profile makes it a favourite amongst collectors.

Additionally, the car’s four-cylinder inline side-valve engine and four-speed gearbox make it a uniquely powerful vehicle for the period. It also has independent suspension.

The Mercedes-Benz 170V W136 series Cabriolet A from 1937 is another gem in Choudhrie’s collection. Like the Sedan, this two-door model features independent suspension and a four-cylinder inline side-valve engine with a four-speed gearbox.

Choudhrie also owns a Mercedes-Benz 230 W21 series Cabriolet D from 1936/37. This four-door model has a six-cylinder side-valve engine with a four-speed manual gearbox.

Other classic European brands

Venturing beyond German engineering, Choudhrie’s collection boasts several unique classic cars from Europe.

These include a vivid yellow Fiat 514 1930S from Italy and a 1914 Darracq Type V from France. The Darracq has a tourer body and a four-cylinder inline side-valve engine with a four-speed gearbox.

Choudhrie also owns a Hispano-Suiza H6B from 1927. Built in France, the H6B has a slightly larger engine than its predecessor the H6, which the company first released in 1919.

In fact, the H6B’s straight-six engine took inspiration from aircraft engines. Another of the car’s revolutionary features is the way deceleration drives the brake servo to provide more power.

The stories behind the classic cars

Choudhrie’s collection boasts an impressive assortment of U.S. classics, including Cadillacs from the early 1900s. He bought these cars and a 1906 Rover from the British manager of a southern Indian tea estate.

Choudhrie also owns a Cottereau Voiturine from 1903. Once owned by the Maharaja of Patiala, this Cottereau Voiturine is one of India’s earliest imported automobiles.

Completing the French segment of the collection is a Bugatti from the 1920s. This vehicle has a rich history that spans continents. Before Choudhrie owned the car, it belonged to a Bombay-based family who manufactured umbrellas.

The family had the vehicle imported to India as a present for their son. However, the son became blind and never drove the car.

When Choudhrie purchased the Bugatti it was in a dilapidated state. The family had kept the car in a garage, but a collapsed roof left it badly damaged. Undeterred, Choudhrie set about restoring the Bugatti to its original splendour.

Choudhrie notes that ‘the stories behind the cars are often very interesting too.’ It could be said that Choudhrie is a collector of classic cars and of these vehicles’ stories. These cars can tell us much about automotive history as a whole and the enduring appeal of cars globally.

About Sudhir Choudhrie

With over 30 years of experience in numerous industries, Sudhir Choudhrie has cemented his impressive reputation as a business magnate. Despite facing challenges like a life-threatening heart defect early in life, his unwavering resolve drove him towards global success.

Choudhrie founded Adidas Indian Trading with Adidas AG in 1995. Adidas Indian Trading was pivotal in establishing 180 Adidas stores across India. Choudhrie also opened cutting-edge manufacturing facilities across the country, helping to boost India’s economy.

Additionally, Choudhrie ventured into aviation when he invested in Air Deccan, India’s first budget airline, in 2003. The airline experienced exceptional growth within five years. By 2008, Air Deccan was operating 200 flights a day and carrying seven million passengers a year.

Aside from aviation and exports, Choudhrie’s entrepreneurial spirit has fostered partnerships across sectors like real estate, hospitality, and health care. He has helped private equity firm C&C Alpha Group expand its many subsidiaries in these industries, including Alpha Hospitals.

In 1999, at the age of 50, Choudhrie underwent a life-saving heart transplant operation. World-renowned heart surgeon and Emmy award-winning TV host Dr.

Oz performed the operation at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Choudhrie received the heart of a young man who died in a motor accident.

In the years following the successful surgery, Choudhrie established the Sudhir Choudhrie Professorship of Cardiology in Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center. He also wrote his memoir, From My Heart: A Tale of Life, Love, and Destiny to inspire others.

Choudhrie is a Radcliffe Fellow of Oxford University’s Green Templeton College. He worked with the college to establish the annual Emerging Markets Symposium in 2008.

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