The very first body fabricated by Figoni: early streamlining on a 1924 Bignan 11 CV chassis. Joseph Figoni - Le Grand Couturier de la Carrosserie Automobile -

https://www.facebook.com/J.Figoni

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1030930571627724&set=a.743948226992628

Prior to India gaining its independence from Great Britain (post WW2 in 1947), the country comprised more than 600 kingdoms, that's a lot of car collectors, as any google search of Maharaja's cars will show. It was a Maharaja who bought the very first car in India in 1892

English dancer Stella Mudge was dancing in the legendary Paris troupe, the Folies Bergère, when she met her prince charming: a certain Paramjit Singh, from faraway India, a scion of the royal family from the state of Kapurthala, in the Punjab. 

Kapurthala was already famous for its architectural monuments and beautiful gardens. Once called the Paris of Punjab, it was not unusual for the heir apparent of Kapurthala—the Tika Raja to be in Paris.

Tika Raja Paramjit Singh was already married to a princess from the royal family of Jubbal, Brinda Devi, and they were the toast of Paris, the ‘jewels in the crown’ of French society, mingling with deposed European crowned heads, including King Alphonso of Spain and Queen Marie of Rumania.

However, Tika Raja obviously couldn’t resist to the charm of the glamorous English beauty, Stella Mudge. And thus began an intense relationship that lasted some 15 years before the Tika Raja  (eventually the Maharani when her husband became the Maharaja in 1949) decided to marry Stella in 1937, making her his third wife, and as a wedding gift, gifting Narinder Kaur neé Stella Mudge, not just any old car, but one of the most astoundingly beautiful cars on sale then, in 1937: this Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS sports coupe. (now in the Nethercutt collection) 

Sometime in 1939 Stella de Kapurthala (as she was often called) decided to unload her wedding gift. Luigi Chinetti, the famous Italian American racer and importer of exotic cars, arranged to have the Talbot-Lago sold to a wealthy Southern Californian playboy called Tommy Lee.

https://magazine.derivaz-ives.com/1937-talbot-lago-t150-c-ss-a-princes-gift-to-his-wife/

1949 Bentley MkVI chassis built for the Maharaja of Mysore, bodied by Hooper to its elegant 8111 saloon design

https://www.magnetomagazine.com/stunning-maharaja-cars-to-headline-new-auto-royale-uk-event/

https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/maharaja-road-king-concours

The maharajas of Mysore were keen motorists and had a huge fleet of luxury cars which included several Rolls-Royces, the last of the Wodeyar dynasty, which ruled Mysore in south-west India from 1399 to the country's unification in 1947, was one of the world's wealthiest men, being worth the equivalent of £35billion at his death in 1940

This Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost car is nearly hundred years old. The car was owned by the Mysore royal family until the 1960s when it was sold to Victor Barclay in the UK. It has been maintained in mint condition and even won the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Class during the 1995 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2031237/The-Penelope-Pitstop-maharajas-Indian-royals-400-000-cartoon-like-Rolls-Royce-colourful-brolly.html

https://www.classicandsportscar.com/news/classic-car-events/maharaja-cars-to-star-at-pebble

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17264/lot/571/

From the collection of the Maharaja Gaj Singh Ji of Jodhpur. Barker bodied Torpedo Tourer

https://singhiv.wordpress.com/2017/12/05/a-tale-of-two-similar-rolls-royce-silver-ghost-cars-of-maharaja-umaid-singhji-of-jodhpur-and-maharaja-vijaysinhji-of-rajpipla/rolls-royce-silver-ghost-1920-50re-rebodied-barker-torpedo-tourer-maharaja-of-jodhpur-ex-h-j-mulliner-limousine/

https://www.gqindia.com/content/cars-maharajas-drive-gq-india

The Maharaja of Bharatpur, for example, is believed to have owned as many as 200 Rolls-Royce cars at one point. Incredibly, when the company didn't accord him with the sense of sycophantic service he was accustomed to, the miffed Maharaja turned some of his Rolls-Royce cars into garbage collecting vehicles. I posted about that in 2013 https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-teach-rolls-royce-lesson-and.html

A one-off 1934 Phantom II 40/50 HP Continental ‘All-Weather Convertible’, custom made for the then Maharaja of Rajkot, Thakore Sahib Dharmendrasinhji Lakhajiraj, in 1934

The car features saffron-colored paintwork symbolizing the purity of Hinduism. The fenders and hood are a brilliant polished aluminum to reflect the intense Indian heat. Etched into each door, the hood, and the glass of the side windows is the crest of Rajkot

https://thedailyguardian.com/how-the-star-of-india-found-its-way-back-home/

https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/the-marque-of-the-maharajas-how-rolls-royce-rolled-with-indian-royalty-2723995/

1930 second-series Phantom built for Maharaja of Rewa. The boattail rear deck, with yacht-like wood planks, opens to reveal a trio of shotguns and assorted pistols that were used during tiger hunts.

https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/the-marque-of-the-maharajas-how-rolls-royce-rolled-with-indian-royalty-2723995/

1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost ‘Throne’ car of the Nizam of Hyderabad

https://www.fortuneindia.com/people/vintage-on-wheels-2/105842

1919 Daimler 45 HP of Sir Seth Hukumchand Family, with the trim pieces gold plated, and the paint was a special gold color

The gold plated bell as a radiator mascot has its own story. It was supposed to be unholy to horn at the holy cow! Hence gold bell was put in place as a radiator mascot with the string attached and pulled by the driver should the path of the car be blocked by a holy cow

https://www.prewarcar.com/the-indian-philanthropist-and-his-golden-daimler

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/pre-war/184678-gold-1919-daimler-sir-seth-hukumchand-print.html

https://www.overdrive.in/news-cars-auto/features/2017-cartier-concourse-delegance/

https://www.autox.com/exclusive-stories/travelling-with-style-cartier-concours-delegance-2017/

https://www.pressreader.com/india/evo-india/20170321/287427805937004

The Maharaja Sir Manmathanath Roy Choudhary of Santosh, next to his Chenard et Walcker.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2011/feb/08/maharajas-motor-cars-in-pictures

the luxurious Rolls Royce was originally ordered by Mehboob Ali Khan, the VI Nizam as a state limousine in 1911. The car is a 1912 make with chassis number 2117, a 40/50 horse power engine capacity and bodied by noted coach builder Barkers of Edinburgh, who were asked to develop a special body which was to epitomize a throne on wheels while retaining the regal splendour of the Nizam's grand court. 

"However, before its completion, Mehboob Ali Khan passed away in 1911. It was delivered in 1912 to the VII Nizam, who used it only for ceremonial occasions. It was maintained by the Hyderabad State Railway at its garage. During his career of 26 years in Hyderabad, the Nizam travelled in the car sparingly, which is why it had run only 356 miles," Kishan Rao said.

http://hyderabadsirfhamara.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_3513.html

WWII broke out shortly after the Auto Salon and the Delahaye factory was now behind German lines, so this car sat out WW2 in a customs crate on a New York dock, then Delahaye folded after the war, so the car was auctioned off.

https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/slideshow/10-winning-cars-2016-pebble-beach-concours-delegance/1938-delahaye-165-figoni-falaschi/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/582589785103319/permalink/2693514757344134/

1937 Cadillac Series 90 Hartmann Cabriolet originally commissioned by international playboy Philippe Barraud.

He wanted a custom car constructed on a grand scale and in late 1936 ordered a 452-inch w.b. Cadillac V-16 chassis through the Edelweiss Garage in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Garage was located near Lake Geneva in the area that is referred to as the Swiss Rivera.

Cadillac shipped a bare chassis, one of only two that year, around the world to Switzerland and there it was bodied in Lausanne by Willy Hartmann. Barraud wanted to body the chassis in his own home town so he could personally suprvise the work.

to see the above image of the owner being dwarfed by the car... is a striking reminder of how BIG cars were then.

The design was accented in chrome and definitely mimicked the French masters Figoni et Falaschi which pioneered the trend from a painting by Geo Ham. https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2017/04/geo-ham-study-for-hispano-suiza.html

Philippe Barraud kept the car until the 1960s, and it was found abandoned in a Swiss field in 1968 in poor condition and was sold for only $925 USD

this isn't the most amazing Caddy that Pebble Beach has seen, last years purple Saoutchik bodied Caddy was more amazing https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2017/11/saoutchik-bodied-1948-cadillac-series-62.html as it's not a simple copy of a Figoni et Falachi body design from the 1936 Delahaye Torpedo, fender skirts, headlight zippers, auxiliary headlights, the side swoosh, and the dorsal fin.

For more examples of the seminal Figoni et Falachi design spawning imitators with nothing original to add, https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2016/01/i-was-wrong-to-admire-vanvooren.html

also compare it to the Figoni et Falaschi design of the Delahaye 135 Competition Court Coupe  https://www.supercars.net/blog/delahaye-135-competition-court/  and the Delahaye 165

https://www.automobilemag.com/news/best-cars-of-the-2018-pebble-beach-concours-delegance/
https://www.supercars.net/blog/1937-cadillac-v16-hartmann-cabriolet/
http://theoldmotor.com/?p=145216
https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-1937-cadillac-is-poised-to-wow-pebble-beach-1531831417

this Talbot has me wondering

how easy would it be to imagine this as a 3 wheeler?
Did this inspire the Star Wars  Pod Racers?
What would this look like if the fenders were removed, and you could see the tires?

1937 Talbot Lago with Figoni and Falaschi body work, original owner was a Follie Bergere dancer who wed a Maharajah

an online Concours de Elegance has the most unusual cars, I'm posting the best variety to entice you to look at Cardomain.com

Talbot T23 Figoni & Falaschi Teardrop Coupe
Voisin C14
Willys Knight 66B Plaid Side Roadster

Talbot Figoni & Falaschi 7-23 Faux Cabriolet
Talbot Figoni & Falaschi 7-23 Faux Cabriolet
Stout Scarab
Ruxton Roadster
Rolls Royce PII Jonckheere Aerodynamic Coupe

Peugeot 402 Pourtout Roadster
Packard 845 Waterhouse Convertible Victoria
Mercer Raceabout
Mercedes 90 HP Labourdette Skiff

for a complete and extensive gallery I photographed in Sept 2010 see http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/09/1912-mercedes-model-37-with-perfect.html

Maserati A6 Zagato Coupe, I love the Zagato double bubble roof

Locomobile Old 16 Special
Locomobile 48 Series VIII Sportif
Locomobile 48 Series VIII Sportif
La Nef Runabout
Kissell Model 6-45 Gold Bug Speedster

Kissell Kar Touring
Itala Grand Prix
Itala Grand Prix
Isotta Fraschini 8A Castagna Cabriolet
Horch 853 A Erdmann & Rossi Sport Cabriolet

Graham Supercharged Convertible Coupe
Gobron-Brillie Skiff Body
Ferrari 500 Mondial Pinin Farina Berlinetta
Farago Pontiac CF
DuPont Model G Speedster

DuPont Model G 4 Place Speedster... noticing immediately the "Woodlight" headlights that the Ruxtons all had, however, DuPont's did not have the similar shpaed turn signals on the fenders
Duesenberg Speedster
Duesenberg J Kollins le Grande Cabriolet
Detroit Electric Brougham
Detomaso Mangusta

Delahaye 135 Competition Court Coupe Figoni & Falaschi Delahaye 135 Competition Court Coupe Figoni & Falaschi
Shifter in the Delage D6 Le Mans
Daniels D19 Submarine
Daimler Double Six 40 50 Walter Sport Saloon

Daimler Double Six 40 50 Walter Sport Saloon
Daimler Double Six 40 50 Walter Sport Saloon
Daimler Double Six 40 50 Walter Sport Saloon
Chrysler GG Imperial Victoria Waterhouse Convertible
Bugatti Type 57 C Voll & Ruhrbeck Cabriolet

Bugatti Type 57 C Vanvooren Cabriolet
Bugatti Type 57 C Roadster
Bugatti Type 57 Atalante Coupe
BMW 507 Prototype
Bizzarrini 5300 GT Spider SI Prototipo

Benz Blitzen Benz Speed Record Car
Bentley Speed Six Blue Train Special
Bantam Roadster
Ballot 2LT Torpedo ( I think the pop up windshield for the back seat is amusing )

Austin Touring (copare this to the restored one 17 photos after this)
Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato
American Underslung Touring Car
American Underslung Scout 22-A

Alfa Romeo Canguro
Alfa Romeo 1900SSZ Zagato
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Spider
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta

Stanley Steamer gauges
Goofy concept... but interesting to look at

Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Worblaufen Cabriolet

Just a great looking photo
The spare tire doubles as the rear bumper. I've posted about this car before, I believe it's a 57 Healey. The one I posted about is blue, if you go looking for it in the archives
Airflow, and I love the setting
Marmon
Austin Touring

Thomas Flyer


Daimler Double Six 40/50 Walter Sport Saloon
Interior of Mercedes Labourdette Skiff

Zagato body, and immediately identifying side trim
1936 Voisin C28 Aerosport Aero Coupe
1936 Hudson Custom Eight Convertible Coupe

1934 Duesenberg Model SJ, the record setting Mormon Meteor Speedster, Two supercharged SJ engines were built up by Augie Duesenberg and Ed Winfield using new high-lift camshafts and huge updraft Stromberg UU3 carburetors. http://www.rickcarey.com/Catalog%20Descriptions/Gooding%20081504%20Mormon%20Meteor.htm

Winner of the Pebble Beach Concours De Elegance Best Of Show. Harley Earl released the 1957 Pontiac Bonneville in honor of Ab Jenkins, the owner and record setting driver of this car.
Both above and below are Duesenburg Indianapolis 500 real race cars, the black is a '31. The white, '32

1913 Packard Runabout
1912 Pierce Arrow 36

This yellow, and the following red, are the rare and ultimate American sports car... the AMX 3
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/11/amx-3-links.html
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2007/01/heres-background-story-on-amx3-love.html
http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2006/11/beautiful-amx-3.html

I'm interested in factory supplied tools.

BMW 3/15 Dixi
Bugatti Type 55 Roadster

Lancia Aprilia Pinin Farina Cabriolet
Maserati A6G Frua Spyder
Maserati Boomerang Concept ... this is one cool concept. I can't think of a reason it wouldn't be better than a conventional instrument cluster on the dash board.
Mercedes Benz 700 SS

Serenissima 308 Jet Coupe

Via http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/event_list/&mode=annual choose what event you want to look at the photos of!