Custodians

The 20 cars exhibited have all belonged to Udaipur's previous three Maharanas, each of whom has shown himself to be an avid motoring enthusiast.

The picks of the exhibits on display are the magnificent set of four Rolls-Royce's. The first you see is a 1924 Rolls-Royce 20H.P. This car was awarded the 'Best of Class Category, Vintage Classic in the Cartier Travel with Style Concours' in November 2008. Then is a 1934 Rolls-Royce 20-25H.P that was originally a limousine and was later converted into a pick-up by Maharana Bhagawat Singh mainly to transport the cricket team to and from the grounds. There is also a 1930/31 Rolls-Royce 20-25 H.P that was originally a Tourer and was later converted to Shooting Brake by Maharana Bhagawat Singh. Today the thought of shooting or bussing a cricket team in a Rolls Royce would seem a little extreme, but it is precisely this history that makes these cars so alluring. The remaining one is a 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II that was bought by the 76th. Custodian House of Mewar, Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur. The Phantom II is perhaps the finest car on view and as unique a vehicle as one could find.

The garage also houses two enormous 1938 Cadillacs that are still used on special occasions and come as a pair. The four-door Convertible is the Maharana's car, while the saloon is for the use of the Maharani, hence the curtains in the rear windows. Family crests adorn the rear doors of both Cadillacs, adding a further royal touch to these two majestic automobiles.

Of the remainder of the collection the bright red 1946 MG-TC convertible stands out. For lovers of sports cars seeing this speed machine is a must. Most of the other cars are rather more sedate, however. Yet vehicles such as the 1930 Ford-A Convertible or the Vauxhall-12 are no less remarkable, if only because they have so much more panache than the cars now produced by those companies. They are delightful examples of the golden age of motoring.