As a child, Diljeet Titus developed a fascination for his grandparents’ classic cars. He even planted his toy cars in the ground, hoping they would grow into trees filled with real ones.
But it wasn’t until decades later, when he established his own law firm that he had enough money to start investing in his passion. Beginning in 1999, Titus built up a collection of classic cars, and by now owns 72 of them, including historic Cadillacs, Chevrolets, and Rolls Royces. He also owns the only Stutz in India, produced by the American Stutz Motor Company. For him, collecting cars is like collecting art.
“While during my initial years of collecting, I bought almost every vintage or classic (car) that came my way, I have been more focused over the past two years,” Titus, general secretary of the Heritage Motoring Club of India, said in an email. “Over these two years, I have bought cars only if they were rare, custom-built, had low mileage, and documented provenance.”
His collection now includes vehicles that once belonged to India’s maharajas, well known for splurging on luxurious rides. In 2003, Titus opened up a museum to display his cars, as well as a number of vintage motorcycles, horse carriages, and auto parts from the past.
This week, some of Titus’s classic cars are on display at New Delhi’s Auto Expo. Here’s a selection of them:
