Padmini1964–2000

The Premier Padmini is one of India's most beloved automotive icons: a licence-built Fiat 1100D produced in Mumbai from 1964 until 2000 with only gentle evolution. For decades it was the default middle-class car and, most famously, the backbone of Mumbai's black-and-yellow taxi fleet, whose final Padminis were retired only in the 2020s.

Mechanically it is a simple 1.1-litre pushrod petrol (a diesel appeared late in life) with a column or floor shift, drum brakes and rugged suspension suited to Indian roads. As a classic it is prized for cultural significance rather than performance; restoration is affordable by classic-car standards and India's workshop ecosystem still understands the car. Rust and decades of taxi-grade wear are the main enemies. A charming, historically important South Asian classic.