The nation is celebrating Gandhi Jayanti today. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi, and his role in India’s independence is something we all studied in classes and books as we grew up. He was known for his simple and modest way of living. As part of his campaigns against British rule, Mahatma Gandhi used to travel to different states, then known as provinces. As he never owned a car himself, he used to travel in cars owned by wealthy followers from the area he was visiting. Here we have a list of such cars in which Mahatma Gandhi traveled.
Ford Model T
The first car on the list is also the first mass-produced car in the world. Mahatma Gandhi used this car on several occasions. He was seen using the car during a rally in Uttar Pradesh after being released from Bareilly Central Jail in 1927. The Ford Model T was powered by a 2.9 L side-valve, reverse-flow cylinder head, inline 4-cylinder petrol engine. The engine generated 20 hp and had a top speed of 72 km/h.
Packard 120
As mentioned above, all these cars that Mahatma Gandhi traveled in were not owned by him. Some of these cars were actually owned by his supporters, particularly industrialists. One such supporter was industrialist Ghanshyam Das Birla, and Delhi Cloth & General Mills founder Lala Shri Ram. These two industrialists offered their Packard 120 saloons to Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to Delhi in the 1940s.
Like many American cars, the Packard came with a long bonnet and a massive engine. It was powered by an inline eight-cylinder engine that generated around 110 PS. The car had the engine placed at the front, sending power to the rear wheels.
Studebaker President
The third car on the list is the Studebaker President 8 saloon. Mahatma Gandhi used this saloon during his visit to Mysore. It is a 1929 Studebaker President made in the USA. Like many American cars of that era, this saloon had a massive road presence. It was a huge sedan, powered by a 5.5-litre inline 8-cylinder engine.
The car produced 100 PS when it was new. This massive 8-cylinder engine also generated 353 Nm of torque. The engine was mated to a 3-speed gearbox.
There is not much information available about the ownership of this particular vehicle, but we know that the same vehicle has been restored and is currently on display at Payana Car Museum on the Mysuru-Bengaluru expressway.
Other than the Studebaker, we are not sure whether the other two cars still exist in anyone’s garage or museum. The reason why we had so many American cars on Indian roads at that time was because India didn’t have a car brand of its own. Most of these cars were imported by wealthy industrialists or members of the royal family who could afford them.
We had brands like Hindustan Motors start their operation by 1942. It was only after the launch of Ambassador that many Indians switched from cars from foreign brands to Indian ones. The majority of people in India were still relying on bicycles and other modes of transport to commute.
The post These Are The Cars That Mahatma Gandhi Travelled In first appeared on Cartoq.
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