Petrol prices in Delhi might be increasing steeply, leaving car owners worried, but Arjun Angrish Sharma is unfazed. The owner of 111 cars doesn’t need to worry, thanks to the fact that all are scale-to-scale miniatures of original cars.
The shrunken replicas resemble the original cars remarkably. “Fifteen years ago, my dad went to Singapore and got me a remote-controlled car. I was fascinated. Subsequently, the car miniatures kept in foreign brand showrooms caught my eye. Some relatives gifted me a Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Mustang in 2006. I began thinking of becoming a collector of miniature cars,” says Sharma.
A resident of Shanti Kunj, Sharma boasts of having the only model of Ford GT (1/12th the size of the original) in India. Showing off his certificate he says, “It cost me a whopping Rs. 24,000. I got it from a Bangalore store. The interiors and engine look very realistic.”
The 23-year-old proudly owns car models 1/12th, 1/18th and 1/24th the size of the original cars. “My parents have been very supportive. Unfortunately, I haven’t bought these myself, so I hope to do that soon,” says Sharma. The most prized possession is his McLaren F1. He got it especially from Italy.
He says, “I started developing an interest in cars and would read about them on the Internet and in magazines. Initially, I used to buy cars costing a few thousands, but their finishing was not good. There were not many places in Delhi from where I could buy authentic scaled down cars.”
Now, he has a dedicated cabinet to showcase his caboodle.
His room is full of posters of cars and bikes. The miniatures have the same engine design, movable wheels, seats covers, craft and steering as the originals. He believes that buying authorised ones helps. He adds, “They look real. Also, the rates of these cars are always increasing. So, whenever I want to, I can sell them off at a good price. My parents are now proud of me. They think I’m doing something constructive.”
The graduate in Business Administration wants to take up a job soon or pursue an MBA.
He says, “My friends are excited about my interest. Some are jealous, while some poke fun at me. I would love to get my name inscribed in the pages of The Guinness Book of World Records or Limca Book of Records. But that may take some time.”
Vintage cars
Subaru Impreza, Jeep Willys, BMW 328, BMW M3, Citrone, Camaro, Chevrolet Nomad
Sports Cars
Ford Mustang, McLaren F1, Chevrolet Corvette, Bugatti Veyron 16.4,
Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept, Pagani Zonda R, Koenigsegg
Bikes, airplanes and engines
Kawasaki Ninja, Ducati, Yamaha R1, BMW R1200, Hayabusa
Airbus A380, Emirates A380, Kingfisher, Air India,
Rohilkhand Railway and Fairy Queen (1855)
