Kochi: The Royal Mercedes Benz car of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom will be gifted to NRI businessman M A Yusuf Ali.
Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma had announced his decision to present the car to the chairman of Lulu group Yusuf Ali in 2012
when Ali visited Pattom palace in 2012 on Varma’s invitation.
The 1955 model German made Mercedes Benz 180T car registered in Karnataka under CAN 42 was bought at a cost of Rs12,000.
The car, which has run 40 lakh miles, is now
at the Kowdiar Palace.
Marthanda Varma started using it when
he was 38 years old drove it even when he was 85.
Many wealthy buyers queued up before his palace to acquire it any cost, but Varma was in no mood to agree to the deal.
The Merc company’s offer to give two new vehicles in exchange for the royal car was also rejected, the reports said.
And now the royal family has decided to present the car to Yusuf Ali soon.
Born on March 22, 1923, Sree Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma passed away on December 16, 2013. He was the younger brother of the last ruling monarch Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.
Photo Credit: Facebook
