Let’s be honest: in a country where the passion for wheels is as diverse as its culture, a car is rarely just a mode of transport. For some, it’s a canvas for history; for others, a high-octane statement of power. While most of us are happy navigating city traffic in a reliable hatchback, there exists an elite league of enthusiasts who treat garages like art galleries. From vintage Rolls-Royces that once carried Maharajas to the latest hybrid hypercars, the Indian automotive landscape is witnessing a golden era of curation.
During a late-night debate with fellow enthusiasts about whether “heritage” beats “horsepower,” we realised that the stories behind these private collections are as fascinating as the machines themselves. This led us to research and compile a list of the most iconic car collectors in India. These aren’t just wealthy owners; they are curators of automotive legacy. In this guide, we break down the top 10 collectors who are defining India’s car culture on a global scale.
Table of Contents
Mukesh Ambani
Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries, owns India’s largest private car collection, often called the “Jio Garage”. Housed across six dedicated floors of his Mumbai residence, Antilia, the collection reportedly includes over 170 vehicles. The Ambani fleet is constantly evolving with the latest luxury and armoured models. Ambani recently became the first Indian owner of a ₹16 crore armoured Rolls-Royce Ghost, featuring a highly expensive custom number plate. It is also reported that he added two of the limited-edition Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 luxury roadsters, priced at approximately ₹8 crore each.
He also owns a silver-armoured Rolls-Royce Cullinan, estimated to cost over ₹13 crore, designed to withstand extreme threats such as grenade blasts. Mukesh Ambani’s Z+ security detail includes a massive fleet that ensures safe passage through Mumbai. He primarily uses a fleet of Mercedes-Maybach S680 Guard (VPAM VR10 certified) and BMW 760Li Security vehicles, each costing around ₹10 crore. The convoy typically consists of 30–40 vehicles, including white Mercedes-AMG G63s, Land Rover Range Rovers (Autobiography LWB), and MG Glosters. Several of the newer security Range Rovers share the same registration number, “9606”. Beyond security, the garage features some of the world’s most prestigious automotive brands. The collection includes a Ferrari SF90 Stradale (hybrid), a Ferrari 812 Superfast, a Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster, and a McLaren 570S Spider. Notable models include multiple Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentaygas (one in British Racing Green), and high-spec Cadillac Escalades.
Yohan Poonawalla
Yohan Poonawalla, Chairman and MD of the Poonawalla Engineering Group, is globally recognised as one of the Top 100 Classic Car Collectors. His collection, housed in Pune and often bearing the “YZP” bespoke plates, is distinguished by its historical “provenance”; many vehicles were formerly owned by Indian Maharajas or global royalty.
In early 2026, he added a brand-new Nissan GT-R NISMO in “Stealth Grey” to his collection, a rare private import in India. In November 2025, he set a world record as the first collector to showcase seven Rolls-Royce Phantoms (ranging from 1925 to 2025) at a single event during the 1000 Miglia Experience in the UAE. His 1949 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith “Mysore” won the “Overall Best in Show” title in Malta, marking a historic second consecutive win for an Indian.
The collection is broadly split between legendary vintage cars and high-performance modern exotics like the 1928 Phantom “17EX”, a unique prototype designed by Henry Royce to hit 100 mph; it is the only one in the world. He also owns a Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta (India’s only limited-edition naturally aspirated V8), a Ferrari 488 Pista Spider, a high-performance twin-turbo V8, and a Lamborghini Gallardo SE, a rare “Special Edition” (numbered 238/250) that was a gift for his wife, Michelle.
Gautam Singhania
Gautam Singhania, Chairman of the Raymond Group, is widely considered India’s most “hardcore” petrolhead. Unlike many who collect for status, Singhania is a trained racer and drifter who regularly competes in professional events like the Ferrari Challenge. His collection, housed in a multi-floor museum within his 37-storey Mumbai residence, JK House, is built around raw performance and technical modification.
Singhania’s garage is famous for three specific categories of vehicles: Hypercars like the Ferrari LaFerrari (One of only 499 in the world), Drift & Drag Fleet like the 1,000+ HP Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33) and “Purist” Machines like the Ariel Atom, a road-legal exoskeleton car with no doors or roof.
Singhania is the founder of the Super Car Club of India and the Super Car Club Garage. The facility is a specialised one-stop shop in Thane that maintains, restores, and customises exotic cars, aiming to provide international-standard restoration timelines.
Speaking of global standards of restoration and preservation, these cars stay as good as new because they are protected with premium paint protection films.
Late Pranlal Bhogilal
Pranlal Bhogilal (1937–2011) was a legendary Indian industrialist and a pioneering figure in the global vintage car movement. He is best known for amassing one of the world’s most significant collections of custom-built luxury vehicles, particularly those previously owned by Indian royalty. Most of his collection is housed at the Auto World Vintage Car Museum in Ahmedabad, which earned a Guinness World Record in 1987 for being the “world’s largest private garage”.
The collection includes over 200 cars, with approximately 112 on public display at the 2,200-acre Dastan Estate. His garage features roughly 36 Rolls-Royces and Bentleys, along with rare models from Maybach, Hispano-Suiza, Cadillac and Lagonda.
He was a founding member and long-time President of the Vintage and Classic Car Club of India (VCCCI), which helped formalise the classic car movement in the country. In 2024, he was posthumously inducted into the FIVA (Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) Heritage Hall of Fame, joining icons like Jay Leno and Soichiro Honda.
M.A. Yusuff Ali
M.A. Yusuff Ali, the Chairman of LuLu Group International, is widely considered one of India’s most significant luxury car owners, particularly in Kerala and the UAE. His garage is famous for housing some of the most expensive and highly customised modern luxury vehicles in India.ṣM.A. Yusuff Ali, the Chairman of LuLu Group International, is widely considered one of India’s most significant luxury car owners, particularly in Kerala and the UAE. His garage is famous for housing some of the most expensive and highly customised modern luxury vehicles in India.
In late 2025, he made headlines by acquiring a bespoke Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II, reportedly worth over ₹27 crore due to extensive customisation, including gold-flake paint and a solid gold Spirit of Ecstasy. His collection also includes a rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 180 T, which was a gift from the late Maharaja of Travancore. A unique feature of his Indian fleet is that many of his personal cars, such as his Rolls-Royce Ghost and Bentley Bentayga, carry “Govt of Kerala” nameplates. This is due to his official role as Vice Chairman of NORKA ROOTS.
Naseer Khan
Naseer Khan is a prominent 37-year-old businessman and social media personality based in Hyderabad, widely recognised as one of India’s most high-profile modern supercar collectors. Khan made national headlines in late 2022 for becoming the first Indian customer to take delivery of the McLaren 765LT Spider.
His garage is a mix of high-performance V12 engines and ultra-luxury off-roaders. The include an all-black Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge, a Lamborghini Aventador in orange finish, a Ferrari 812 Superfast and multiple G-Wagons.
Unlike many private collectors, Khan is very active in the car community. He has over 770,000 followers on his official Instagram (@naseer_khan0054), where he regularly shares professional videos and photos of his cars. He is known for taking delivery of his vehicles at prestigious locations, such as the Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad.
Boopesh Reddy
Boopesh Reddy is a prominent real estate developer and the Managing Director of the Bengaluru-based Bren Corporation. In the automotive world, he is widely celebrated as the owner of Bren Garage, one of India’s most exclusive and performance-oriented private supercar collections.
Unlike many collectors who keep their vehicles in the garage, Reddy is known for driving his cars regularly, often taking them to the office or putting them through their paces on tracks like the Madras Motor Race Track. He is currently building Bren Raceway, a private 4.1 km racetrack in Bengaluru, to further pursue his passion for motorsports.
Some of his standout collection includes the first Ferrari Purosangue (V12 SUV) in India, various Porsche 911s, a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ that’s nicknamed “Brentador” and features a custom fire-shooting exhaust, plus the only Lexus RC-F V8 currently in India.
Adar Poonawalla
Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Serum Institute of India, has a car collection that is a flashy mix of billionaire luxury and quirky, custom-built “fun” cars. While his father, Cyrus Poonawalla, and brother, Yohan, lean more towards classic and vintage Ferraris and Rolls-Royces, Adar’s taste is a bit more modern and cinematic.
The most famous car in his collection is a customised Batmobile. It’s not just a prop; it is a fully functional vehicle built on a Mercedes-Benz S350 chassis. His garage is packed with high-end European steel, often finished in understated but premium specs. He is frequently seen being chauffeured in his Rolls-Royce Phantom VIII.
He also owns the Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta, a Bentley Continental GT and the Porsche Cayenne and Panamera. Adar is known to be a “hands-on” enthusiast, often seen behind the wheel of his Ferraris on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway early in the morning.
The Gondal Royal Family
The Royal Family of Gondal in Gujarat is legendary in the automotive world for maintaining one of the most significant and well-preserved private car collections in India. Unlike many other royal collections that were sold off, the Gondal collection remains largely intact and is housed at the Royal Garages in the Orchard Palace complex.
The collection spans from 1907 to modern supercars and includes roughly 32 to 36 vintage and classic vehicles on public display. The collection has been nurtured across three distinct eras. Maharaja Bhagwat Sinhji began the collection in 1907. Followed by Maharaja Jyotendrasinhji Vikramsinhji, known as “Jyoti Bapu,” he was a champion racer who famously won more than 15 races at circuits like Sholavaram in his Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster.
The present Maharaja, Himanshusinhji, has earned the nickname “Mr AMG” for his modern passion. He owns an elite collection of nine high-powered Mercedes-AMGs, eight of which feature V8 engines. Their current collection includes Delage D8 S, a Packard 120 Convertible, a Jaguar XK150 and a Surtees TS11 (a rare Formula 5000 racing car, one of only a few extant in the world).
Viveck Goenka
Viveck Goenka, the Chairman and MD of the Indian Express Group, is one of India’s most respected automotive purists. Unlike many who buy modern supercars, Goenka is world-renowned for his obsessive restoration skills and his unparalleled collection of off-roaders and vintage masterpieces.
Goenka is perhaps best known for owning the largest private collection of Land Rovers in India, consisting of over 25 classic models. Goenka doesn’t just collect cars; he restores them to a factory-original standard that has won international acclaim. In 2023, a 1949 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith restored by Goenka for Yohan Poonawalla won the “most sensitive restoration” award at the famous Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy.
His collection includes over 250 vehicles ranging from American “boats” to European sports cars. They include 1951 Standard-Vanguard, a 1935 Derby Bentley, a 1961 Imperial Crown and 2 of Saddam Hussein’s vintage cars. His 4×4 fleet also includes a rare 6×6 Land Rover, custom Camel Trophy off-roaders, Jeeps, Jongas, and even a Unimog.
Why protect your car collection with Aegis PPF - India’s most advanced PPF?
Restored vintage and luxury cars require specialised care to maintain their aesthetic and historical value. Collectors prioritise long-term preservation techniques to prevent the “enemies” of classic cars: rust, UV-induced fading and physical damage.
Having a PPF coating provides with physical defense as it absorbs impacts from debris that would otherwise chip the paint. These films can self-heal minor surface scratches and scuffs too.
Car owners and collectors prefer Aegis PPF due to these benefits:
- Superior Clarity & Aesthetics: Using Triple Extrusion Technology, Aegis eliminates impurities to provide a mirror-like glossy finish with high optical clarity, preserving the deep original paint depth collectors value.
- Advanced Self-Healing Technology: Minor scratches and swirl marks disappear quickly when exposed to heat from the sun or warm water, ensuring the vehicle’s finish remains flawless without frequent detailing.
- Great Hydrophobicity: With a water contact angle of over 140 degrees, it repels water and grime effectively, making these often-complex luxury vehicles significantly easier to maintain.
- Anti-Yellowing or Fading: Its DuroFlex topcoat and high-concentration UV inhibitors are designed to prevent yellowing, oxidation, and chemical etching caused by intense sun, heavy monsoons, and industrial pollutants.
While PPF protects the exterior, it does nothing for the cabin. Regular car detailing services are needed to deep-clean high-quality materials like leather, wood and suede used in luxury cars.
Concluding Thoughts
The top car collectors in India are more than just wealthy individuals; they are the guardians of automotive art. From the high-tech marvels in the Ambani garage to the historical treasures of Gondal, these collections represent the pinnacle of Indian passion for the automobile.
Want to ensure your own vehicle, whether it’s a daily driver or a future classic, receives the same level of care? Visit CarzSpa for professional paint protection film and detailing. Because every car deserves to be treated like a collector’s item.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is the biggest collector of cars?
The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah is the biggest car collector in the world, with an estimated 7,000 luxury and rare vehicles in his collection.
2. Which car is VIP in India?
While there are many VIP cars in India, the most used ones are Range Rovers, Mercedes Benz S-Class, Maybach S-Class and the BMW 7 Series
3. Which is India’s costliest car?
The costliest car in India is the Rolls-Royce Phantom Centenary Edition
Share:
