Pune Auto Expo to showcase vintage vehicles used in World War II

Baljit Singh, a vintage car enthusiast based in Pune, said motorcycles such as Norton 500 and vintage editions of Volkswagen, which played crucial roles during the 1930s-1940s war period, will be exhibited in Pune next month.

Norton served as the primary supplier of military motorcycles and continued to be one of the main providers to the British Army throughout WWII. Additionally, British Army Nortons were distributed to Commonwealth forces, including those of Australia, New Zealand, India, and the Canadian Army.

In addition to this, Volkswagen’s Jeep version will also be displayed in the exhibition. The Jeep was also a part of WWII.

“My son received the Norton 500 as a gift nearly three years ago, but it was in a severely deteriorated state. After acquiring it, we meticulously restored the Norton, bringing it back to a fully functional condition,” he said.

Baljit plans to exhibit additional vintage scooters and cars from his collection to enhance the appeal of the expo. With the inclusion of scooters such as Lambretta, Vijay Super, and various editions of old Vespa to the car collection, he will unveil classics like the Ambassador 1967, Maruti 1984, and more.

While focusing on the event’s theme – ‘EV First… Nation First’, P N R Rajan, convener, Pune Auto Expo, said the display at the Expo will include cars, electric vehicles, batteries, charging and infrastructure, auto components and spares, auto electricals, automotive testing, service equipment and tools, research & development, and other auto accessories.

The four-day exhibition will be co-sponsored by the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) alongside other private and public organisations including Maha Metro, MSRTC, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), among others.