Indian-owned 1927 Hispano-Suiza H6C wins Best of Show at Schlumpf Concours
A 1927 Hispano-Suiza H6C from Ahmedabad's Pranlal Bhogilal Collection has been named Best of Show at the inaugural Concours d'Elegance International Schlumpf in Mulhouse, France. The win, achieved with restoration work still incomplete, marks a rare international concours victory for a car of Indian provenance returning close to its birthplace.
What was announced
The 1927 Hispano-Suiza H6C from the Pranlal Bhogilal Collection won Best of Show at the inaugural Concours d'Elegance International Schlumpf, held at the Schlumpf collection's home in Mulhouse on the French-Swiss border. The H6C is one of the most significant pre-war French luxury chassis, and this particular car was commissioned during the era when Indian Maharajas and Nawabs ordered bespoke coachwork from Europe's finest builders.
A mid-restoration Indian-owned H6C taking Best of Show at Schlumpf's inaugural concours resets how the world values Maharaja-era commissions.
Brijesh Chinai, son-in-law of the late Pranlal Bhogilal, looks after the collection along with his wife Chamundeshwari. Speaking after the win, Chinai said, "We weren't expecting this, but are thrilled," while noting that restoration work on the car is still ongoing. The H6C secured the top honour despite not being in finished form, which speaks to both the quality of the underlying car and the standard of work already completed.
The Pranlal Bhogilal Collection spans roughly 200 vintage and classic cars, a large portion of which are displayed publicly at the Autoworld Museum in Ahmedabad. The Schlumpf collection itself houses over 520 vehicles and is regarded as one of the most important automotive museums in the world. The win marks the H6C's return to within reach of its birthplace after nearly a century, and adds to a growing list of Indian-commissioned classics taking top honours at major international concours events.
The Car Jury verdict
This is a serious result for Indian collecting. The Schlumpf collection in Mulhouse already houses over 520 of the world's finest cars, and the inaugural concours it hosted was always going to draw deep-pocketed European entrants. For a car restored in India, owned in India, and still mid-restoration to walk away with Best of Show says the Bhogilal team's work stands up to the strictest international judging.
Brijesh Chinai's reaction, that they weren't expecting this but were thrilled, is the right note. The H6C is one of the great pre-war chassis, and the Maharaja-era custom commissions have always been undervalued internationally relative to their Pebble Beach peers. Wins like this shift that. If you have not yet visited the Autoworld Museum in Ahmedabad, where much of the 200-car Bhogilal collection lives, this is the prompt.
