Every Sunday early morning, a number of cars and motorcycles, some vintage or classic ones, or even sports cars or supercars, gather at the heart of Hyderabad around Tank Bund or its vicinity. These are members of Cars ‘n’ Coffee, an automotive forum of car and bike enthusiasts who take their precious rides out for a spin every week on Sundays and then meet fellow enthusiasts and bond over a cup of coffee. The conversation obviously revolves around cars and rides and generates a positivity and joy that can only be shared among fellow enthusiasts.
Since 2000, Cars ‘n’ Coffee has become a global phenomenon where car enthusiasts gather with their vehicles, socialise and share their passion. The community in Hyderabad is not part of the global movement but has been trying to fill up the vacuum since car shows and rallies have become a thing of the past in the city. The city indeed required a space to nurture the enthusiasm and love for cars.
Cars ‘n’ Coffee was formed in June last year as a platform for building a community of enthusiasts in Hyderabad. “Anybody with a passion for cars is welcome. There is no agenda for our meets. It’s just about meeting to have fun. There’s no telling who will run into or who is bringing a special treat. There lies the charm of Cars ‘n’ Coffee,” said Deepak Kumar Gir, a vintage car restorer and aficionado who founded Cars ‘n’ Coffee. You might come across a 1969 Austin, a Willys Jeep, a Beetle, a military Jonga Jeep, a 1951 Morris Convertible, a Mercedes-Benz EQS, a BSA or Yezdi bike.
The community meets on 54 Sundays a year and conducts four mega meets annually as well. Once a month, a drive meet is also conducted alternately, opting between a heritage location or a resort. Moreover, there are no restrictions on the rides, nor is any kind of judging involved. Families are welcome to these meets to spark interests among kids and create incredible memories of spending Sundays among cars and bikes, particularly historic ones.
MEGA MEET
On 23 June, over 300 cars and motorbikes gathered for a mega meet at the Imperial Garden in Secunderabad. This was the second edition of the mega meet held since June last year and actually saw a huge response, both from car owners and enthusiasts. It was truly a meet where iconic vintage beauties were juxtaposed with modern masterpieces, creating a fascinating contrast for car enthusiasts who flocked to the venue to get a glimpse of their dream machines. For the mega meet, the community came up with several categories, including vintage and classic cars and motorcycles, followed by Indian classics, and then came super, sports, muscle and exotic cars. There were war-era Jeeps, classic SUVs and modern classics as well. A Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, a Volkswagen Beetle, a Ferrari 488, a Rolls Royce Phantom, a twin R8 V10, a couple of Fiat Padminis, Contessas, Land Rovers, Porsche 911, a Classic Porsche Carrera, a Chevy Impala, a Packard, a Ford GPW 1942 Jeep and two stroke bikes rubbed shoulders, among others, against the beautiful setting of Imperial Gardens.
In July, Cars ‘n’ Coffee also celebrated Hyderabad’s heritage by conducting a drive to the charming Old City, touring the iconic Charminar and Pathergatti areas. A 1936 Austin 10 or the Classic Ambassador cruising on the road leading to the imposing Charminar was truly a sight to behold. Although most car clubs are looked upon as elitist, Cars ‘n’ Coffee has been able to evade that label. Any enthusiast, even those without a vehicle, is welcome as long as they abide by certain simple rules, like no touching without owners’ permission. Similarly, owners are not allowed to rev their vehicle. “An automobile is an expression of human endeavour. We are simply custodians of such works of art,” Gir pointed out, explaining why the cars should not be hidden out of sight in garages and shared with those harbouring the same passion.
But Cars ‘n’ Coffee does not want to confine itself to being just a meet and greet event. The members are also gearing up to take up serious issues on behalf of car owners, particularly vintage car owners who face several problems. One of the key issues is the hefty penalty imposed when owners go for re-registration of their vintage cars after it has lapsed, notwithstanding the fact that the vehicle was off the roads during the intervening years. Earlier, there was such a provision, which has since then been done away with under the new rules. Moreover, the blanket ban on import of car tyres by the Government of India due to dumping of Chinese tyres has created a hurdle for the vintage car owners to procure original tyres for their rides.
Hyderabad was once home to the best and expensive automobiles in India. However, a large number of vintage beauties are today languishing in the garages. Moreover, the lack of regular events, rallies or shows has also become a stumbling block for the community of enthusiasts to engage and thrive. Hopefully, Cars ‘n’ Coffee will fill up the void and uphold the automotive heritage, car culture and camaraderie of Hyderabad.