Kuvempu, regarded the greatest Kannada poet of the 20th century, has been kept alive by aficionados. Bengaluru’s biggest vintage car collector, Dr Ravi Prakash, is one of them and he has salvaged a rare piece from the poet’s life – his car, a 1956 Studebaker President.
1956 Studebaker President (Representative image) In the late nineties, Prakash got a call from a friend telling him of a vintage car being towed away to a junkyard. He did not want a fine vehicle to be scrapped. For Rs 65,000, a rather handsome sum then, Prakash managed to save it. Later, when he saw its registration papers, he realised the car belonged to Kuvempu. “I was so happy to be able to save this great man’s car. I had arranged the money in 10 minutes without even knowing whose car it was. But it was all worth it as it’s such an important part of Karnataka’s history,” he says.
The doctor-turned-car collector also heads the Federation of Historic Vehicles of India, which, over the weekend, put on display 25 vintage cars at UB City. Prakash’s love for cars started when he was 19. The former cardiothoracic surgeon was a national rally and racing champion between 1981 and 1984. But he hung up his gloves to concentrate on his medical education. However, his love for wheels continued and it became a passion. His 14.5-acre farm at Rajarajeshwari Nagar has over 200 vintage cars and 70-odd restored classic motorcycles — all a labour of 40 years.
Audi, Mercedes-Benz & Kalashnikov: World’s Most Beautiful Concept Electric Cars
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These e-car concepts made a quiet noise during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2018.
These e-car concepts made a quiet noise during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2018.
Mercedes-Benz unveiled a one-seater Vision EQ Silver Arrow show car that has a body made of carbon fibre, is powered by a rechargeable battery with a usable capacity of 80 kWh and has a calculated range of over 400 km. The interior has a digital cockpit — it includes a curved panoramic screen with back projection, and a touchscreen integrated into the steering wheel.
Mercedes-Benz unveiled a one-seater Vision EQ Silver Arrow show car that has a body made of carbon fibre, is powered by a rechargeable battery with a usable capacity of 80 kWh and has a calculated r..
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Automobili Pininfarina debuted its fully electric hypercar, codenamed PF0, at the show. Cloaked in a visually stunning body created from carbon fibre, extreme levels of technology and functional design define the PF0, delivering a staggering performance for a road car: a stated ambition to accelerate from 0-100 kmph in less than two seconds, break the 400 kmph top speed barrier, and provide a potential zero-emissions range of over 500 km.
Automobili Pininfarina debuted its fully electric hypercar, codenamed PF0, at the show. Cloaked in a visually stunning body created from carbon fibre, extreme levels of technology and functional des..
Read More
The German automaker unveiled the all-electric Audi PB18 e-tron that’s broad and flat, visibly inspired by the wind tunnel and the race track. The concept uses three powerful electric motors – one up front and two in the rear that deliver power output of up to 150 kW to the front axle and 350 kW to the rear. The car can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in just a little over two seconds.
The German automaker unveiled the all-electric Audi PB18 e-tron that’s broad and flat, visibly inspired by the wind tunnel and the race track. The concept uses three powerful electric motors – one u..
Read More
Infiniti also revealed a singleseat concept marrying the aesthetics of a classic grand prix racer with an electric powertrain and 21st-century materials. While the allelectric car hints at the striking future design cues from Infiniti, the Prototype 10 concept’s most important feature is its electric powertrain.
Infiniti also revealed a singleseat concept marrying the aesthetics of a classic grand prix racer with an electric powertrain and 21st-century materials. While the allelectric car hints at the strik..
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Far away from Pebble Beach, Kalashnikov — the company behind the AK-47 — last week unveiled a tiny all-electric retro car of its own, the CV-1. It has a broad front grille, a 350-kilometre driving range and is likely to help Kalashnikov enter the ranks of electric-car makers like Tesla. (Image: AFP)
Far away from Pebble Beach, Kalashnikov — the company behind the AK-47 — last week unveiled a tiny all-electric retro car of its own, the CV-1. It has a broad front grille, a 350-kilometre driving ra..
Ask him about his favourite and he says, “You don’t pick a favourite among your kids.” But prod him further and he lists some iconic cars he has collected — JRD Tata’s 1940 Buick Limousine and two cars from the Rashtrapati stable that served in former presidents KR Narayanan and R Venkataraman’s entourage. A Rolls Royce that late actor and former Tamil Nadu chief minister MG Ramachandran drove and the first car he bought — a silver Sunbeam Talbot that used to belong to Lord Mountbatten — also make the cut.
