Road Hog

Back in 1954, Premier Automobiles began making cars in partnership with Fiat. Their Fiat 1100 Millecento (1954, ’55), was followed by the Elegant (’56, ’57), the Select (’58, ’59, ’60, ’61) and the Super Select (’62, ’63, ’64), each with minor modifications over the previous model. They are direct ancestors of the Premier Padmini, still ubiquitous on Indian roads; and not just in small towns — Mumbai taxis are still almost exclusively Padminis. The original 1100s, fondly known as “Dukkar Fiats,” for their rounded, porcine appearance (dukkar is Mumbai lingo for pig), are rare, though. We’re delighted to note that they’ve suddenly become very sought after.

A year or two ago, you could buy one for a few thousand rupees.

Now, functional, well-maintained 1100s, with genuine parts and accessories (working meter dials, plastic horn buttons with the Fiat logo, tail lamps with the original coloured glass, and so on), have been sold for as much as Rs. 1.25 lakh. Dukkar enthusiasts have their own clubs — you should have no trouble finding them online — where you can find out more, and perhaps get yourself a piece of Indian automobile history. Of course, if you have one of these lying around, it’s time to get out the sandpaper and the grease pot. You could soon be taking the little piggy to the market.

Image: Rony Vesuna

The 1100 is back and is much sought after