'Car Crazy' 85 Year-Old Grandpa Buys His 60th Car: A BMW 2-Series
Lately, we’ve been seeing a lot of videos and reports about celebrities and young entrepreneurs buying expensive cars and SUVs as part of expanding their garages. While many buy these expensive vehicles to showcase their rich lifestyles, there are a few who genuinely appreciate automobiles and are true enthusiasts. We have come across many of them online. For this enthusiasm, age is often not a barrier, and that is exactly what this 85-year-old man from Kerala, who has bought over 60 cars to date, proves.
The video was shared by the Behindwoods Ink YouTube channel and features an interaction with 85-year-old Narayanan Pillai from Mavelikkara, Kerala. A former advocate and Australian citizen, Mr. Narayanan has always had a deep fascination with new cars.
As soon as he began earning well, he made it a point to buy them. His very first car was an Audi Fox, a rebadged version of the Audi 80, which he purchased while living in Australia. Since then, he has added several more vehicles to his collection.
Unlike many enthusiasts, Mr. Narayanan doesn’t maintain a large, permanent car collection. Instead, he prefers to buy a car, use it for a year or two, and then sell or exchange it for a different model or brand. He spent around 43 years in Australia and another 7 in the UK. After moving to India, his first car was a Volkswagen Jetta, which he used for about a year before trading it in for a new one.
Over time, he developed a preference for luxury cars due to their superior comfort and advanced features. Among all the brands available in India, BMW holds a special place for him. Since 2008, he has exclusively driven BMWs and has purchased around 14 of them from EVM Group dealerships in Kerala.
Narayanan Pillai’s current vehicle is a BMW 2 Series sedan. He shares that he genuinely enjoys driving, which is why he has never hired a driver. He frequently takes his car on long road trips, often traveling to Tamil Nadu. During his time in Australia, he drove across nearly every part of the country.
He notes that the road conditions in Kerala don’t compare well to those in Tamil Nadu or other states. In conversation with the presenter, he explains his preference for luxury brands, saying he has a passion for speed and feels these cars provide a greater sense of safety than most others.
Narayanan Pillai even takes the vlogger for a ride in his new BMW 2 Series sedan. During the drive, he mentions that he’ll likely keep the car for about a year. Once a promising new model hits the market, he plans to replace it.
He’s specifically eyeing the facelifted version of the 2 Series sedan, though he’s also considering upgrading to the 3 Series. He notes that the 2 Series is suitable for Indian roads: it's not too large, making it easy to handle, and it comes equipped with a good range of features.
The BMW 2 Series sedan seen here in the video is currently not available in the market. The 2 Series has been discontinued from our market while we await an updated version. The 2 Series sedan is available with a 2.0-litre twin-turbo petrol engine that generates 189 Bhp and 280 Nm of peak torque.
The diesel version of the sedan comes with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that generates 187 Bhp and 400 Nm of peak torque. This is a front-wheel-drive sedan with the engine paired to an automatic transmission.