Want to liven up your weekends? Acquire one of these practical classics.
You love cars; that’s why you are a regular reader of this page. And I am pretty sure you love to drive too. But there’s a limit to the fun you can have in your 1.2-litre front-wheel driven hatchback — even if it’s brand-spanking-new. There’s a limit to the number of traffic signal Grands Prix that you can do every day, right? So here are some collectible, practical classics that we have put together; of course, you can commute in them occasionally, but more than that, they will change your life. Get these machines, get a piece of history, get an attitude... and get a life.
KARMANN GHIA / VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 
‘I have always wanted a Bug.’ Everyone says that. So what are you waiting for? The Beetle is an easy car to own — it is not difficult to maintain, parts are easy to get and there are Beetle support groups in most places. Driving it is a sensation not many cars can give you — the distinctive beat of the boxer engine combined with the rear placement of the engine makes it a unique experience. That apart, what prophets and messiahs are to organised religion, the Beetle is to automotive history; it certainly is no ordinary classic. Prices have gone up, but for what you’d pay for a new hatchback, you could get a decent runner. Still, to some, the Beetle may be too common — after all, over 21 million units were produced. One option is to scout for a Volkswagen Microbus, which was essentially a van developed using Beetle underpinnings. The first-generation T1s are hard to come by, so even the T2s should do fine. The Microbus is incredibly practical and I know of a collector in Mumbai who uses his immaculate T1 to transport relatives and luggage to the airport.
But there is one car that offers the practicality and affordability of the Beetle along with the joy of owning a sports car — and that is the Karmann Ghia. Put together by Karmann and designed by Ghia and built by liberally using the Beetle parts bin, the Karmann Ghia is about as exotic as it gets without the accompanying stratospheric price tag. Karmanns may not be easy to find in India, but you never know when you might come across one. If you do, don’t let go.
FORD/ WILLYS JEEP/ LAND ROVER DEFENDER 
So your regular set of wheels is an SUV. Why don’t you get yourself one of these machines, which are the ancestors of all SUVs that you see today? The Ford or Willys GPW, better known as Jeeps, have a history that stretches back to the Second World War and that makes them that much more special. Like with the Beetle, these Jeeps are easy to source and maintain. And there are several online communities that help you get parts and keep them ship-shape. Mechanically simple, these Jeeps come loaded with attitude — you had better look the part when you drive them! The best part of owning a Jeep is that you can transform it into a convertible when the weather gods are kind. And they are particularly handy in no-road conditions.
The Landie also hails from the same era, but it’s not a war machine, unlike the Jeep. Development of the Land Rover was influenced, post-Second World War , by the GPWs. It may have mundanely utilitarian origins, but today, the Landie is considered a legend — frankly, if you see one, bow down before it. Land Rovers can be seen still doing duty in and around Darjeeling! Again, these machines are uncomplicated because of their utilitarian origins and are built to outlast the next world war. The Defender name was retrofitted to the Land Rover in the 1990s — so if you can’t get one of the ancient Landies, look out for used Defenders — they are newer and just as good.
MAZDA MIATA / MX-5/ EUNOS ROADSTER 
If God were to drive a roadster, it would be this. All those above names are that of the same car, better known as the Miata. This modern classic is a Japanese tribute to the famous British roadsters made by Triumph, MG and Lotus in the 1960s and ’70s — only it was practical, reliable and didn’t drip oil on your garage floor. The Miata is a back-to-basics roadster, the kind of car they don’t make anymore (well, that’s not true, as Mazda brought back a new Miata in 2006 — but you know what I mean). The Miata is extraordinary because it is one car that had all the elements just right — an energetic engine at the front, rear-wheel drive and superb balance between the two axles. Add to that a snappy five-speed gearbox, a compact and light body and a precise, well-weighted steering, and you got a car that was a willing tool in the driver's hands. The Miata is not a car, it’s an indulgence. That's because it’s just the driver and the car, nothing in between. Miatas of different generations are available (easy to recognise: the first generation had pop-up headlamps, they were fixed in the second one) and can cost anything between Rs 4 and 8 lakh, depending on their condition.
FIAT MILLICENTO 
Go ahead, smirk if you will. You can’t be seen in Grandpa’s car, right? But have you driven one lately? Drive a properly maintained Millicento and you’ll wish it never went away from the family. The roaring engine and the gravelly sound it makes while idling is enough to make you fall in love with it all over again. Then when you click-click your way through the column-mounted gear lever, raising the revs each time you do that, you’d think that there’s a sports car hidden inside. These Fiats are effortless to drive even in day-to-day traffic, they are as practical as your Santro and are easy to maintain. Given the right colour scheme, these Fiats will turn more heads than a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW. Those in the know have been quietly acquiring these cars and consequently, they are getting hard to find. But keep a lookout for one — there are Fiat clubs that will help you put it back in shape even if it’s not in concours condition.
MERCEDES-BENZ W124S 
These were the fit Mercs to be assembled in India by Tata Motors, but that’s not the only reason why the W124 is considered a classic. This series of Mercs contributed to what we think of the three-pointed star today. They were over-engineered (as if they were battle tanks), they spoke old-world wealth even if you were nouveau riche, they smothered anything that the road could throw up and they could handle abuse for decades. No, they don’t make the likes of these anymore. The W124 E-Class was available in both petrol and diesel options and we have seen some available for as cheap as Rs 2 lakh, cars that needed a little bit of TLC, that’s all — getting a W124 into showroom spec shouldn't be too hard on the pocket anyway. A pristine W124 on the move is a sight that moves you.
