• New Cars
    • First Impressions
    • Road Tests
  • Classics
    • Classic Profiles
    • Classic Driving Impressions
    • Classics Information
    • Events and Days Out
  • Motoring For Fun
  • News & Views
  • Bookshelf
  • Technical
    • Grumpy Old Mechanic
    • Kim’s Tips
  • Features
    • Visits
    • Track Days
  • Contributors
    • About our contributors
    • Kim Henson
    • Chris Adamson
    • Kieron Fennelly
    • Ant Henson
    • Rachel Henson
    • David Miles
    • Gerald Morgan
    • Dave Moss
    • Dave Randle
    • Robin Roberts
    • Tom Scanlan
    • Glen Smale
    • Jeremy Walton
    • Keith Ward
    • John Price Williams
  • More…
    • About Wheels Alive
    • Tips for using this website
    • Useful Links

Wheels Alive

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Old cars, new cars, borrowed cars & blue cars. If it steers it's here!

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Attracting young people to the classic car movement…

27th March 2019

A Morris Oxford (on which India’s Hindustan Ambassador was based), ripe for restoration… (Photo by Kim Henson).

LEARNING FROM INDIA TO ATTRACT YOUNGSTERS TO THE CLASSIC VEHICLE MOVEMENT…

By Robin Roberts.

“We can learn a great deal from what’s happening in India right now, when it comes to attracting young people into the historic vehicle movement,” says FIVA President Patrick Rollet.

In March, FIVA (the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens or international federation of historic vehicles) held its General Council meeting in Bangalore, India’s fast growing tech city.

Explaining why Bangalore was the perfect venue, Rollet comments, “India is a country where the ‘love affair with the automobile’ is a more recent phenomenon than in the West, and it’s truly heartening to see the groundswell of enthusiasm for historic vehicles among younger Indians – at a time when European enthusiasts are worried that classics will increasingly be seen as something for the older generation.

“India has a rich automotive heritage,” concludes Gautam Sen, FIVA’s Vice President, Communications. “In the early 20th Century, carmakers thronged to India but it wasn’t until after independence that India really developed its own manufacturing industry. If America could have its Big Three, India had its Little Three – Hindustan Motors, Premier Automobiles and Standard Motors, the latter narrowed down to making the Standard Herald.

“It was also in the 1960s that the collecting bug started, although it was generally limited to a small number of enthusiasts acquiring extraordinary cars discarded by the erstwhile rajas and maharajas of India. Today, however, much as in Europe, the majority of enthusiasts are keen to collect more attainable vehicles – of the sort that were used everyday, and hence reflect the wider culture of the country.

“Clearly the Indian historic vehicle movement is enjoying great success at involving younger people, and FIVA members across the world might find their stories helpful when it comes to ensuring that our shared passion for classics lives on in future generations.”

Save Post as PDF

Categories: Classics Information, Robin Roberts

Tip: For improved search accuracy, enclose search terms for multiple words in quotation marks. For example:
"Land Rover".

Advertise with us

Recent Posts

A summer of fun at Beaulieu

Lakeland Motor Museum kicks off the start of The Club Triumph Coast 2 Coast Run

The Motor Ombudsman marks nearly one million contacts as ADR Regulations reach a decade of service

INEOS Grenadier ups its game with portal axle collaboration

New Chief Executive Officer for The British Motor Museum

Legacy of Austin pedal cars honoured with Blue Plaque at original factory site in Bargoed

Kia EV3 GT Line S – Road Test

National Motor Museum to take Sunbeam 350hp Blue Bird to Wales for the World Land Speed Record centenary

Contributors

contributors

Our well-respected contributors live and breathe motor cars; aren’t we lucky?

Contributors to the site include talented, highly-respected people (so they tell me) on the hallowed membership list of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and from the similarly well thought-of Western Group of Motoring Writers. In addition there are valued contributions from other knowledgeable and capable motoring writers who have something useful to say about all aspects of driving and running vehicles in the 21st Century. All of our team are passionate about motor cars!


Read about our contributors  ››

Tags

all-electric saloon large SUV First Impressions SUV City car luxury SUV MPV PHEV Beaulieu Suzuki Electric Hybrid EV hatchback Estate car road test Kia five door hatchback The Motor Ombudsman Seven seater SUV Coupé estate British Motor Museum Tyres National Motor Museum Compact SUV crossover plug-in hybrid 4x4

All Tags ››

Like us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook

Wheels Alive Social

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Please share our website

Contact us

We welcome your questions, comments and feedback. Please click here to contact us.

Advertising Opportunities

Please contact us if you would like to discuss advertising opportunities on Wheels Alive.

Copyright © 2025 Kim Henson, Wheels Alive