Oberoi Hotels & Resorts announces The Oberoi Concours d’Elegance. Over its 90-year history, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts has been committed to promoting and preserving Indian heritage and hosting prestigious classic and vintage car rallies around its award-winning properties. In keeping with this tradition, The Oberoi Concours d’Elegance will set a new benchmark to showcase the finest vintage and classic automobiles and motorcycles from India and abroad.
The Oberoi Concours d’Elegance will be hosted at The Oberoi Udaivilãs, Udaipur, in February 2024. Set against the majestic backdrop of Lake Pichola and traditional domed architecture of the resort, The Oberoi Concours d’Elegance will celebrate the remarkable design and craftsmanship of the world’s most sought after and distinctive vehicles. Owned by Indian royalty and private collectors, the Concours will be a unique opportunity to view some of the rarest and most historically significant automobiles restored and preserved over many generations.
The event will be curated by India’s leading automotive historian, Mr. Manvendra Singh Barwani. In addition, a distinguished panel of classic car cognoscenti from across the globe will judge cars and motorcycles in different classifications. Ms. Sandra Button, Chairman of the prestigious and globally renowned Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, will serve as Chief Judge.
Mr. Arjun Oberoi, Executive Chairman, of The Oberoi Group, said, “Oberoi Hotels & Resorts are delighted to host and promote the celebration of beauty, innovation, and craftsmanship that has defined a century of the most exceptional automobiles of the world. Our automotive legacy is amongst the most significant and historically important. With The Oberoi Concours d’Elegance, we look forward to placing India on the world’s Concours stage and showcasing the very best of automotive heritage and excellence”.
Mr. Manvendra Singh Barwani added, “The Oberoi Concours d’Elegance will take the heritage of automobile culture and the history of India to an international level, showcasing the finest vintage and classic automobiles and motorcycles. Moreover, with Indian restoration work on par with international standards, we can compete with international entries on our home stage.”
Both automobile and motorcycle entries will be expertly curated, and those wishing to participate must undergo a rigorous selection process. Prospective entrants are invited to contact Oberoi Hotels & Resorts at Anshul.bhatia@oberoigroup.com with information about their prospective entry. This must include model details, chassis number(s), and specific history of their vehicle(s), with recent photographs (high resolution).
Oberoi Hotels & Resorts is founded on the belief that the guest is everything. This philosophy is evident in our people and manifested most visibly in the sincere personal care and attention that is afforded to every guest.
While it is true that Oberoi’s exceptional properties, accommodations, and facilities contribute greatly to the esteem in which we are held, we measure our success by the value of the human interaction practiced by our people and deeply felt by our guests.
Sandra Button, Chairman, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
One of the most influential people in the classic car world today, Sandra Button is the Chairman of the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. An Executive Director for decades prior, Sandra was made Chairman in 2002, and under her leadership, the event has grown from strength to strength to become the most prestigious classic car show in the world. She continues to inspire others and is an integral part of the growth story of the world collector car hobby, not only via Pebble Beach but also by supporting events worldwide by participating in or officiating at them.
She has been highly supportive of the Indian classic car fraternity, both via the promotion of Indian collectors and cars internationally, as well as judging Indian events in the past. Her guidance has been invaluable in shaping the preservation of India’s classic car heritage for future generations.
Manvendra Singh Barwani, Curator, The Oberoi Concours d’Elegance.
Manvendra Singh founded India’s first vintage and classic car restoration workshop in 1978. Today, he is a well-known and respected automotive historian, as well as an acknowledged authority on vintage and classic cars in India. He has been featured on numerous television programmes on the subject and co-authored the book ‘The Automobiles of the Maharajas with Sharada Dwivedi. A founding member of the Vintage and Classic Car Club of India, Manvendra conceived and then served as Curator for Cartier Travel with Style Concours d’Elegance.
He has been a Judge at the Pebble Beach Concours since 2012 and helped organise the 2012 ‘Maharaja’ and 2018 ‘Car of the Raj’ classes for the Concours. In 2018, he was awarded the prestigious ‘Lorin Tryon Trophy’ at Pebble Beach, for his contributions to the collector car world. He has judged many international events and is on the distinguished ‘Best of the Best’ awards panel. A member of the Society of Automotive Historians, he has also served as the Indian delegate on the FIA Historic Motorsport Commission. He is a judge for Autocar India ‘s Car of the Year awards.
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