In Electric Dreams
BBC TopGear India|October 2017

IN THE SMALL CITY OF SAHARANPUR IN UP, A FATHER AND A SON ARE MARRYING THE PAST WITH THE FUTURE

 

Rohin Nagrani
In Electric Dreams

Saharanpur in UP has a dichotomy that seems to grab every small city in India by the scruff of its neck. Old traditions and ways of working are increasingly being threatened by modernisation. It’s a potpourri of the then, now and at times, the moffusil, as these cities struggle to retain an identity in an era where sameness has become the norm.

The soldiers at the gates of such cities are people like Anhad and his father, Kanwardeep Singh Jaura who are putting on a brave fight, in a quest to not only retain their city’s last vestiges of talent, but marry it with a unique identity that has appeal far beyond its borders. Saharanpur is known for its mangoes and furniture industry and the influence of the latter on the father-son duo and their creations can’t be understated.

AJ Motoarts, their brainchild, produces some of the most unique electric cars ever seen in this country. It all started with Kanwardeep, an ardent fan of all things antique and vintage. What started as a fascination at a young age, turned into an obsession as he began collecting coins, books, marble paintings, clocks, watches and old cameras from the early part of the last century. As his passion grew, he moved on to motorcycles, collecting scooters and twin motorcycles such as BSAs, AJS, Triumph, Ariel and Moto Guzzi, buying and even restoring them. Even that wasn’t enough, so he wanted to start collecting vintage cars as well. However, this time, the roadblock wasn’t the cars, but the size of his wallet.

Denne historien er fra October 2017-utgaven av BBC TopGear India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra October 2017-utgaven av BBC TopGear India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BBC TOPGEAR INDIASe alt
The Next Great Family MPV?
BBC TopGear India

The Next Great Family MPV?

“Whoa, that’s a nice-looking Minivan!” Said no one ever.

time-read
6 mins  |
November 2024
MG COMET
BBC TopGear India

MG COMET

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD THOUGHT THIS CAR TO BE COMPLETELY useless when it came out.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
BMW i7
BBC TopGear India

BMW i7

WHEN THE i7 PULLED INTO MY GARAGE AND PARKED ITSELF next to the Mercedes EQA and the MG Comet, it just struck me that this is how the future will be.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP
BBC TopGear India

SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP

McLaren's finest faces off Corvette's nat-asp swansong as the Brits and the Americans square up... in a Spanish playground. Expect fireworks

time-read
6 mins  |
November 2024
NEXT LEVEL
BBC TopGear India

NEXT LEVEL

Thought the 750S was fast? The McLaren P1's successor - the W1 is ready to spread its wings

time-read
6 mins  |
November 2024
MANUAL LABOUR
BBC TopGear India

MANUAL LABOUR

Two cars from opposite ends of the performance spectrum with one crucial thing in common...

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
PRO VS SLOW
BBC TopGear India

PRO VS SLOW

At last, we have our hands on the Valkyrie. But is its performance only accessible for the pros... or can anyone enjoy it?

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
THE OUTBURST OF OFFROADING
BBC TopGear India

THE OUTBURST OF OFFROADING

The high-volume market is a point of interest for all manufacturers here in India.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
THE BATTLE OF CRUISER-COMMUTERS
BBC TopGear India

THE BATTLE OF CRUISER-COMMUTERS

WHO DOES THE BEST COMMUTER WORK WHILE NOT BEING A TRUE COMMUTER MOTORCYCLE?

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2024
LEAVING EVERYTHING ON THE TRACK
BBC TopGear India

LEAVING EVERYTHING ON THE TRACK

FT. YMRP ROUND 3 From being second, I DNF'd from the race on the last corner

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024