Cult of Cars: Popin’ Rockin’ Classics

 "Modern classics are the last hurrah before the end of an era", says Perseus Bandrawalla; that era is of the internal combustion engine and Modern Classics are the highlights of its pinnacle. You could say these cars are sandwiched between the Classics and Vintage vehicles associated with the Kings and Maharajahs, on one hand;  and on the other, there are the many new-age ultra-regulated and digitalised machines. "What makes modern classics special  is the blend of old school engineering and (almost) modern electronic precision", says Perseus, curator of the Mercedes Benz Classic Car Rally and the Modern Classic Rally. gives us a low down on this growing cult and how you could get in on it.

1. Are modern classics a global category?

Modern Classic cars or youngtimers, as they are known in Germany, are cars that are usually between 10 to 50 years old, although there is no fixed definition. This includes all sorts of body styles, from coupes to even SUVs. For the show, considering the rarity of these cars in India we had cars manufactured between the 1970 to the early 2000s along with some extremely rare and limited edition supercars that are around a decade old.

2. Are they more accessible than vintage cars? 

Prices for modern classic cars are relatively more affordable than thoroughbred vintage cars. However, over the last three to four years the prices of some very popular modern classic cars like the Mercedes-Benz W123 series and the Mazda MX5 Miata have almost doubled. That said, parts availability for some modern classic cars is getting difficult, even though electronic parts catalogues or digital parts catalogues do make life a lot easier to source parts.

3. What would be your advice to someone looking at getting a modern classic?

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I'd advise them to buy a car that doesn't need too much work as your first modern classic because in many cases you can easily spend more than what you pay to buy even a running car if you do not go about with a sympathetic restoration process (atleast with your first project). I'd also advise you to buy a popular cult car rather than a very unique or rare car as maintaining or restoring a rare car can be very expensive and difficult. Lastly, I'd advise one to use these cars regularly to keep them in tip top shape. It must be noted that modern classics are fairly easy and comfortable to use regularly.

4.  Are modern classics easily available in India?

Because of the limited number of imported cars available in India pre 2000, imported modern classic cars are not very common in India. Also, unfortunately over the years, a large percentage of these cars were scrapped because of the non-availability of spares and relatively high maintenance costs. Over the past few years though, there is a huge demand for this genre of cars not only in India but globally which makes accessing these cars even more difficult these days.

5. Which are your favourites?

Some of my favourite modern classics are the R129 generation of Mercedes-Benz SL (something I've been hunting for myself lately), the Honda NSX, the Mazda MX5 Miata and the BMW E30 generation 3 series. Of course one of my all-time favourite cars is the Mercedes-Benz W124 which I think is one of Mercedes's all-time greatest hits and a quintessential modern classic for someone looking at buying their first modern classic car.

Classic Advance

The Modern Classic era saw strides in automotive engineering that changed how fast, how far and how easily you moved; and it used the advancement in electronics as a stepping stool to greater enjoyment.  “This along with the nostalgia value that these cars have meant that you do not buy into modern classic ownership, instead you buy into a lifestyle.”, adds Bandrawalla. And it seems the appreciation of this combination is growing rapidly. 

"Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh"  is one of my all-time favourites as is "Yeh hai Bombay meri Jaan", but the songs I feel belong to me as I sing are from Dil Se, Doors. I think it's all about timing. And the cult of cars is depending on a particular period more than ever feels Perseus Bandrawalla.

"Modern Classic cars are the last hurrah of the internal combustion engine cars, especially naturally aspirated performance engine cars. What makes modern classics special to me is the blend of old school engineering and (almost) modern electronic precision". This along with the nostalgia value that these cars have meant that you do not buy into modern classic ownership, instead you buy into a lifestyle."