Vintage Car Hupmobile In Coonoor, Postcard 1927
A photo postcard dating to 1927 of a Hupmobile vintage car in today’s times at Coonoor. Seated is a Britisher Norman Wood Smith with his likely driver standing beside the car. Seemingly on a tour around India or South India or the Nilgiris, we will not exactly know which. But this was usually the norm with British officials during their stay in the country.
Many English families in India took off in their cars to tour the countryside. Essentially to know the country, people, and culture better. Hupmobile cars were fairly popular across India for their rugged use. Manufactured by the Hupp Motor Company in Detroit. They brought out the first car in 1908, with good sales, around 1600 Hupmobiles were sold.
The Hupmobiles did well into the 1920s. By now with a great reputation, they attracted the finest engineers. With their ever-changing engine design, adding more power to it, boosted sales. Likewise, the price range of the cars would also increase naturally. But the stock market crash in America (the great depression) was the dampener.
Their sales plummeted since customers could not afford the additional fuel cost. This was the beginning of the end of the Hupmobile. Despite all their efforts to revive sales that were plunging in the 1930s. By making it fuel efficient, and even bringing in experienced collaborators. It did not help, the company closed down in 1940. Today this would be considered a great vintage car for collectors. Click on the photo for better view.
Did you know – there were many foreign brands of cars in India before independence. Subsequently, only two or three brands were in operation in collaboration with Indian firms.
From the collection – Raja Ravi Varma’s “Mohini On A Swing” – Vintage Print 1930s., Britishers At A Badminton Party India – Old 1880 Photo., Esplanade Road & Tram Mumbai, Old Postcard 1905., Bombay Fort And Harbour – Old Map/Plan 1754.
