Dharmendra's First Car: The Emotional Story Behind His 1960 Fiat 1100 [Video]
When it comes to veteran Bollywood actors, the name of Dharmendra tops the list. Known for his brilliant acting and aura, Dharmendra or “Dharam Paaji” has starred in numerous hit movies over the period of his career. So just like all the Bollywood megastars, when he started earning a decent amount of money, he bought himself a car. This car was a Fiat 1100 sedan, which was bought by him back in 1960. The actor, in one of his posts, had shared the details of his first car that he bought.
Dharmendra’s emotional connection with his Fiat 1100
The image and the nostalgic details of Dharmendra’s Fiat 1100 were shared by him in an Instagram post via his official handle. In the post, the veteran Bollywood actor was standing next to his Fiat 1100 sedan. He mentioned that this particular vehicle was bought by him back in 1960, and he paid Rs 18,000 for it.
Today, younger generation readers might think that Rs 18,000 does not sound like much. However, back in the day, it was a big chunk of money, and spending that amount on a car was a big deal. In his post, Dharmendra shared that this particular Fiat 1100 sedan holds deep emotional and nostalgic value.
What is even more funny and interesting about this particular Fiat 1100 owned by Dharmendra is that, in an interview, he told the reason why he never sold this vehicle. The actor has mentioned that he feared that one day he might lose his job of acting. So, to avoid financial distress, he kept his car as a backup. He added that if things did not work out in acting, he could use it as a backup taxi.
Dharmendra's Fiat 1100
In the post shared by Dharmendra, we can note that his Fiat 1100 is not finished in the standard white or black color from the era. Instead, it is finished in the classy shade of olive green and has bronze/copper accents on the grille and other trims. This suggests that most likely it was restored at some point in its life to make sure that it can last generations.
Back in 1960, Fiat offered the 1100 sedan with a 4-cylinder 1,089 cc petrol engine. It was capable of producing 36 bhp. As for the transmission, it came equipped with a 4-speed manual gearbox. In addition to the exterior, the vehicle's interior has also been restored.
Dharmendra's current vehicle
Presently, the veteran actor cannot drive due to his age. Also, the Fiat 1100 sedan was an amazing vehicle back in the day. However, today Dharmendra prefers to travel around the city of Mumbai in his old generation Range Rover. He also owns other cars, including a Mercedes-Benz SL500 and a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Recently, he was also seen being driven around in his son and popular Bollywood actor Bobby Deol’s latest generation Range Rover Autobiography. His SUV is finished in the classy shade of Fuji White and has a tan interior. He has opted for the P400 variant of this SUV.
Powering Bobby Deol's Range Rover is a 3.0-litre inline 6-cylinder petrol motor, which makes 394 bhp and 550 Nm of torque. It comes mated to an automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive system. This SUV is priced at Rs 2.6 crore ex-showroom.