The Travancore royal family has decided to gift the Mercedes Benz car of late King Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma to Lulu group chairman MA Yusuff Ali. The family and Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma Foundation took the decision to cherish the bond between the king and Yusuff Ali.
The royal family had bought the royal car back in 1950s for just Rs 12,000. The German-manufactured car numbered CAN 42 was registered in Karnataka. The 1955 model car is now kept at the palace in Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram. The royal car was nicknamed ‘Mile A Minute’ after Uthradam Thirunal used to ride the car as fast as a mile in a minute.
According to records, the king covered 40 lakh miles in cars as a driver and passenger from the age of 38. The King covered 23 lakh miles alone in this Benz.
The car is safeguarded by Marthanda Varma’s son Padmanabha Varma and the Sri Uthradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma Foundation. Several VIPs including top officials from Mercedes Benz Benz headquartered in West Germany approached the king demanding the car at a fancy prize. However, King Marthanda Varma was not willing to sell as he a unique craze for antique items.
The royal family has decided to gift the car to Yusuff Ali as fulfilling the king’s wish. The king invited Yusuff Ali to his palace during his visit to his residence in Abu Dhabi. When Yusuff Ali later visited the king at Pattom palace in 2012, the latter revealed that he would present the car to Yusuff Ali.
