It was a showcase of the very best from the history of transportation, and Hyderabad brought out its finest cars of yesteryears.

The Haig Vintage Rally 2008 that took place at the Secunderabad Club, Hyderabad, wound back the clock by bringing together a breathtaking display of vintage cars and motorbikes-from imposing Rolls Royce, LaSalle, Buic sedans that date back to the early 1920s, to the classic Cadillac, the Packard and the cute Minis.

For Haig, this is the second year of this prestigious event, with 2007 seeing the rally take place at Mumbai and Delhi. This year’s edition saw Hyderabad added to the vintage roadmap as well.

Speaking on the occasion, Asif Adil, managing director, Diageo-India, said, “Haig Gold Label Scotch whisky has a proud legacy that has lasted for 30 generations, and now it has found the perfect match with vintage.” The legacy of Haig does go back a long way, with them being the oldest Scotch distilling family in the world. It was so very apt then for the whisky manufacturers who sport the line, “Made by time,” to bring together these beautiful masterpieces that speak of the heritage of Hyderabad, and which also stand for the very best that time and history have given to the automobile.

The event was judged by automobile historian Manvendra Singh, and he expressed how he was impressed, not just by the cars, but by how well their owners knew their vehicles. In the end, the car that was adjudged the winner was the vintage 1936 Cadillac owned by Ram Prakash Agarwal. And this beauty not only had the looks, but also the heritage of having been driven by Lord Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru!

The lissome Gul Panag, who gave away the winner’s award, said, “This is a great initiative by Haig, who are a brand in their own right, with a 400-year old history. The cars I saw today have truly educated me about vintage cars, and I think both Haig and these cars stand for history and heritage.”