Vijay Sethupathi, a self-confessed fan of automobiles, has now added a BMW motorbike to his collection. Not stopping there, the actor acquired his year of birth for the vehicle registration number. According to DC, the plate now reads – TN 01 BH 1979.
When it comes to film stars, the age-old adage ‘every man needs a hobby’ holds true. Most of them are obsessed with vehicles. Vijay Sethupathi is no exception in this regard.
Costing approximately Rs. 4 lakh, the BMW G3 10 GS is the latest addition to his ever-expanding collection. The Seethakaathi star already owns a Triumph Bonneville Classic and a vintage collection of Yamaha RX 100 and a 1974 model Jawa. His car collection currently consists of a BMW 7-Series, Mini Cooper and a Mitsubishi Lancer.
He recently opened up about his about his love for automobiles in an interview. “I remember being fascinated with bikes during my school years. When I was in Class IX, I used to ride very fast and a neighbour spotted me and complained to my mother.”
Like many boys, he remembers all the motorcycles owned by his father. “My dad was a civil engineer then and the bike was given to him by his company. He subsequently bought a Rajdoot, but he found it difficult to kick-start, and so went on to ride a Hero Honda and then a Bullet. The last bike he bought was a Bajaj Wave.”
“The first bike I rode was a brown TVS 50 when I was in Class VI,” he recollects.
Automobiles had an even bigger role after his entry into films. “After I got into Tamil cinema, I went through a phase of depression. I felt that I was not getting the recognition that I deserved despite working hard. I remember telling my manager that since no one was celebrating us, we ought to do it ourselves. So, I decided to ‘award’ myself a BMW.”
He vividly remembers how he felt when he drove it for the first time. “It was a white BMW 7-Series, and it’s still with me and close to my heart. The salesman brought it to me for a test drive, but when I drove it, I felt like a king. It mesmerised me.”
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“Actually, at that time, I didn’t even have the money to make the down payment needed to buy that car. I told the salesman that, but since I was a celebrity, he sold it to me. It is a special car because I feel that it gave me the much-needed confidence that I was lacking at that time,” he adds.
He also admits to his love for vintage cars. “I have a special affinity towards old cars. I once had an old Benz model, but it didn’t last long with me… because my family members felt that it brought me misfortune. My dream is to buy a 60s model Benz. If that doesn’t happen, I hope to at least buy a new Benz, take it to DC Design and make it look retro.”