Big Bang Theory

Amitabh Bachchan wore those long big trousers; Abhishek brought it to the tight and fit jeans category; now the old bells are doing the rounds again. The fully covered attire gained popularity among women in the 80’s. A decade later, lesser the better became the mantra. Now, high waist and long frocks seems to be doing great. Take the case of food. People never bothered really about their diet and about getting fit and slim. Eat well, stay happy. Then we started to adopt the nutritional diet philosophy. So that the men can boast of their packs and the ladies can flaunt their curves. Well show-off hasn’t come down but they eat properly these days. They just do more exercise now to compensate. So clearly the cycle has come to the starting point again.

Tata Sierra : India's first SUV/MUV. No its not Safari and Sumo

Unless you happen to be a historian, the chances of you thinking about a car beyond 1950 are less. So the first car that set India rolling is the Ambassador. It’s big, comfortable and can seat five people easily. The first name that comes to mind when we mention Indian automobile company would be TATA Motors. And guess what. The first car that they offered: Tata Sierra – a big and bold vehicle.  This happened in the early 90’s. Then a certain Maruti 800 came over and the Indian market has since been the Mecca of small cars. For almost two decades now, the small and compact ruled the R&D minds.

Well, all that’s now past tense. The fact that in Sep-Oct only one small car was launched as against half a dozen SUV’s/MUV’s stand testimony to this fact. There are a lot more utility vehicles available now than what one would have predicted two years back. Lot of experts said that the launches at the Auto Expo were just a hype to show that the manufacturers have joined the band wagon. Well that certainly ain’t true now is it? M&M has its share from scorpio, bolero, xylo, quanto, XUV 500 and Tata from Sumo, Safari, Aria. Then the outsiders had their shot too with Duster, Koleos, Yeti, Innova, Ertiga, Fortuner, and Endeavour. Every manufacturer in the country seems to be in the hunt to get their share of some utility pie. They do realise the potential that’s at stake and the profit that will follow not just because it a little expensive than the smaller cars, but they also sell in big number. Something that’s really set the industrialists, even the manufacturers themselves confused.

Its all show off; but a very worthy contender

So what is it that made the Indian minds ponder on their tried and tested small car purchase ideology?  One. It ll make you look powerful and rich (stop frowning, that is the first reason). Two. It’s a diesel. 90% of all the SUV’s sold here are diesel and that obviously translates to reduced fuel and maintenance cost. Three. It can carry an XL sized family between cities easily without you hiring a Travera or Innova cab. Even Sedans can do that efficiently?? Please goto Point One. And this does not hint at the end of small car market in India. It is just that the disparity in petrol and diesel prices has gone up and there are not too many options in the entry level segment offering a diesel engine. So until you can afford a Figo/Swift/i20/Fabia, you were left with little choice if you wanted to avoid petrol. But experts say once the petrol prices stabilises and diesel prices starts to rise, people will move back to small petrol vehicles.

Big and heavy at an affordable price

Pretty good; but Duster + 10L? hmmm

I personally feel the future of big wheels is converging to the 7-11 Lakh range. And the more features per car per rupee per fuel that a company can offer, the more they are bound to get back.  Tata have a decent contender with the Safari/Aria. But these do not seem to be covering grounds. They need something more contemporary and SUV-ish. The ruggedness of Safari with the upmarket goodies of the Aria. Scale it down to the compact SUV league and it should do well, coz pricing has not really been a problem for Tata and M&M. M&M itself has the biggest backyard with the most offerings in here. The Bolero and scorpio that’s been there for a long time now while Xylo and Quanto for the MUV lovers. But M&M’s real hero has to be the XUV 500. That to me is the near perfect mix of how to make your buyers happy. The Renault Duster is another great deal at offer for consumers. The biggest setback for Renault would be how on earth they would intend to boost the sales of Koleos when customers can get pretty much everything they need in a Duster. Honestly I am looking forward to that one vehicle from Toyota. A Toyota Ginua (Yes, I made up that name). A compact SUV, diesel engine, and good looks. The low end Toyota cars offered here are just mediocre in the appeal factor. But when it comes to SUVs, they do have a legacy that they can boast off (Read Land Cruiser, Fortuner). At around 10L, you get a brawn friendly body with the reliability of a Toyota. Hope the Japanese sense the need of the hour.

India is just a part of the revolution. This change has been happening everywhere. The best-selling Porsche car in history is the Cayenne SUV. Yes it is sad that one of the greatest sport car manufacturers have the top spot reserved for an SUV (an ugly one at that). But the fact remains that if you need Euros to go in smoothly, you need a vehicle that will sell in numbers. And being cheaper and utilitarian than its sporty siblings it was easy to see the sales dept’s smile when you tell them the math and numbers that the Cayenne will bring in. In fact the Cayenne has sort of set the rules among the big league names entering SUV segment. Following its super success, fellow iconic brands, Bentley and Maserati have already started investing big on their own SUV. Hell even Lambo have set foot in this territory. Yeah, we do know none of these may even bother to challenge the capabilities of the old school granddaddy of SUVs, but even the Land Rover would love some competition.

We are now witnessing the biggest transformation in Indian car market. 2012 will be the year not when the world ends, but the year when a new life begins. A new chapter with a lot of offerings is now part of the history book. Let’s wait and see how the story unfolds. Will the big and strong hero survive the test of time or will he perish in the aftermath of all the hype that surrounds him. Only time will tell. Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai have a point to prove. Can these two small car superpowers challenge the strength and might of the SUVs? If you can’t beat them, join them. Maruti Suzuki already seemed to have got the hang of it.

Enlightenment Hunt.. in the hills of F1...

Back in 1983, the fans were excited to hear from the radio that India of all the teams was the first to tame the mighty Windies and win the cricket World Cup. The insurmountable task of not getting intimidated by the line-up which would, cut copy paste, make it to the ICC World Eleven without a thought irrespective of whether you’re from the Caribbean or not. And that is why the fact that ‘Kapil’s Devils’, as they were famously called, got the better of the Dream team bowling attack is much appreciated. So how do we know so much about all this? Well, cos you’re living in a country where a player in the starting eleven would get more attention than a movie star or a politician, a nation where the captain of the national team earns more that the best in the world of track and field or tennis, a system where a starter’s yearly contract would any day beat a lifetime monetary benefit offered to a Kabadi or Boxing player. And all this is precisely one of the reasons why F1 or motorsport has not gained attention among the early Gen-Y crowd. Come 1990s and the popularisation of TV went well for the rare motorsport crowd. Those spending their time jobless and lazing on their couch on a Sunday evening finally had a reason to rejoice.

I have no clue if Dr.Manmohan Singh’s liberalisation policy in 1991 had anything to do with it. But if there is something, well, good job! And ofcourse brilliant thinking by F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone with the TV rights. So once F1 got its fair share of viewership in India, which is by the late 1990s, it was only a matter of time before people started to go with the pack and appreciate the brilliance of the then best driver in F1, Michael Schumacher and his healthy rivalry with Mika Hakkinen. And then MS went onto win Championships number 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. And go into the history books as the greatest ever. Whether he had to return to F1 after his retirement and race with a new team with the same boss, but without that Schumi magic still in him is a different question altogether. But one thing that needs notice is the question: Is MS actually the best??? 

Michael Schumacher : Yet another German  masterpiece

I’ll admit it. In the 90s at the age of 3 or 4, I could hardly realise what a car can do, let alone speak out German names. For the better part of my 23 years, Ive grown up watching Michael Schumacher do what he does best. And that would mean watching F1 on Star Sports with commentators Steve Slator and Chris Goodwin doing their duty. And so right from childhood, the look-upto-star was always Michael Schumacher, primarily cos of the illustrious career that he had and the numbers to back him up. So by the time you’re at an age to understand and enjoy the sport, you would have decided in your mind that MS is the greatest ever driver in F1. Well, statistically yes. But it’s not like F1 started in 1989. It’s been there for decades now and yes there has to be other drivers too who are eligible to claim that title.

"   Being a racing driver means you are racing with other people. And if you no longer go for a  gap that exists, you are no longer a racing driver.   "

Undoubtedly, the most famous words in the history of motorsports. Words that clearly signify the level of concentration and commitment that defines this person more than anything. Surely it does not describe how much is being spend on R&D, materials and manufacturing, but itsports,  does give an idea of the level of skill, intensity and perfection that any other sport can only dream to match.

The Unsung Hero in the F1 World

Ayrton Senna – The man who Michael Schumacher is popularly deja-vu’d with when discussed about the controversial accident on the last race of the season to ensure his Championship. The man who again Michael Schumacher is compared with in his prime days to express the level of excellence achieved. The same man whose tragic death saw the world pause in shock and create a void that still remains to be filled.

But then couple of months back, I happen to watch TopGear where presenter Jeremy Clarkson uncharacteristically does a genuinely good documentary on Senna’s motoring life. And that’s when I thought I’d check out the movie “Senna”. It is more of a documentary than a movie. But then it’s probably the best ever Ive watched. People talk a lot about being a petrol-head or having seen F1 since his 2^nd birthday and all that usual stuff. But let me tell you this, you aint got the real deal if you do not know the facts and reality. Yes, if you’re an Indian the chances that you are a Sachin Tendulkar fanatic is supremely high.. The man who pretty much owns the record book in the cricketing world. So that is very understandable too. But every time we say Sachin is the greatest man to step foot on the pitch, there is that slight pinch of doubt in our mind about the Don. What if he was still playing now. What if they had played a Test match in opposite teams in 2012. Get the point?? And it was after watching this movie that I began to respect Senna and realise how ignorant people are about the sport and him in particular. If you have not watched it, pls get your hand on one. All jokes aside, this is a genuine request.

Wonder if the New Gen drivers can do this if they were given the cars of 1980s;

No electronics here, everythings pretty much raw

Senna started F1 with a struggling Toleman team. After consecutive modest performances in the first races, he arrived at Monte Carlo. The Monaco Grand Prix. A track which a lot of pandits admit as being the most difficult and trickiest (besides the glitz and glam). So what happens when it starts to rain on this track? Well you see a bunch of cars moving on with enough caution to stay away from side barricade and with extra caution to avoid slipping in the rain. Amidst all this, there was Senna who pretty much drove the car like he was playing NFS. Mind you, in a Toleman’s cockpit, things are a lot busier than it is on the other teams. Yet he moved at such blistering pace that none could keep up with him. In another occasion in UK, he moved from fifth place to first in the first lap of the race while raining and eventually went on to lap the entire field that race. Still not impressed??

Devastatingly brilliant in rain; may even better Gayle's dominance in T20

Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. Well this man believed he had a God given right to win. Nope. I aint kidding. That’s what the great Ayrton Senna told the reporters when he was being interviewed. Well, the way he drives, you really can’t question his words.

After his first year in Toleman racing team, the rise of a young star was always on the plot. I do not wish to elaborate on what is showcased so meticulously well in the movie. Just couple of things I wanted to make very clear. Before I watched the documentary/movie, I had a set of info, which I assume is what a lot of you guys have too. But that was just the outer lining. Headlines don’t always cover the full story. I believe history and attention to detail are two things that can change your perception of anything. And that is beautifully done in this and it brings out the real picture. Everybody talks about Senna throwing his car bang into his rival’s to ensure race over for both, hence assured championship. But only a handful knows how and why this happened. 

This is the not often seen video of Alain Prost banging Senna that happened an year before 

the more popular video of Senna crashing into Prost. 

I know experts tend to compare and match MS with AS and there are a lot of similarities. In the way they drive, how they strategise and also on some of the controversies they were involved in. I don’t know the truth about Schumacher’s story. But this movie does bring light on what happened in front and behind the camera. Senna’s achievement stands out also because of the fact that during his time a lot of others greats also raced with him. The likes of Alain Prost (Four time world champion), Nelson Piquet (Three time Champion) and Nigel Mansell (Another world champion) did add heat to the competition and hence bring out the best in the Brazilian. Something like how Schumacher was able to showcase his full armoury when he got threatened by Hakkinen, probably the only one eligible to be called a rival.

The fact remains that Michael Schumacher is still the viewer’s choice when it comes to best drivers, but Ayrton Senna would be the drivers pick. Stats may speak loud in favour of MS, but sometimes it’s above all that. Watch this video and you get to pick yours. Honestly, after Schumi’s run, a million documentaries will be made on him and will show him as the best ever to race. Well, I’m a fan of Schumacher myself, and would love to watch all of those. But to decide then between Senna or MS or may be even couple of others greats would be difficult. So you know Schumi’s story and stats, you can understand Senna’s after you take a look at this. So this is when you decide. Is it just coincidence that despite a lot of fatalities earlier, it was only after Senna’s accidental death that the F1 world decided to up the safety regulations and Senna remains the last driver fatality in Formula One? Leave that to you. Think about it!

Safety First

Bangalore is known for IT. I do not know why those businessmen back then chose this city, but that trend has followed since and now the place is full of them. Besides Google, MS, Yahoo! and the usual Infy, CTS, TCS and the like, there are other smaller companies that emerge from here. And the most interesting part is that a lot of these small start-ups would be initiated by an ex-employee of the big guns. So this is just how I visualise the environment in an IT firm. They make sure the employees have the right atmosphere to work, in every way. Else the people take a print of their resume, go to the adjacent IT Park, meet the HR, get a higher salary package fixed and confirm the switch. There was one thing that caught my eye when I went to one of the companies. The place was very neat. Im mean, very. There was a guy sweeping the floor. The only safety board I encountered in that building was in front of that wet floor where the sweepers did their work saying “WET FLOOR. CAUTION WHILE WALKING”. I agree that it is a nice thought to have placed that board. But having placed that there, one would expect them to have kept it at places where it is expected to be too.  This is my only visit to an ‘IT’ company. And to be honest, it was good. Forget the Safety board. AC room, individual cabin, personal computer/laptop, cafeteria, food court, the struggle to find guys amidst all the ladies who seem to be everywhere, flexible work timings, a chunk of scheduled holidays, plus unofficial holidays.. Oh Im sorry..  I meant “work from home”. How stupid of me to have misinterpreted that. And a big fat salary to match all that. How can you get bored of this life????? Ya ya I know what you’re thinking. “But we have so much work, they take every bit of soul from us to get the work done, blah blah”. If you still can’t stop cribbing, well, welcome to the world of core engineering my dear IT boys. Now think again. Wanna switch places or do you mind living your life happily ever after?? 

Safety First

It’s not until this new millennium that people really considered safety as a necessity rather than an extra that we get when buying a product. And probably the first name that comes to mind when asked to relate cars and safety will be Volvo. I do not know if there is an award for the safest car to drive. If there was one, I bet the judging panel would be scratching their heads over this one. The MC would stop at “And the nominees are……………….”

• Volvo S60
• Volvo S80
• Volvo XC 60
• Volvo XC 90

If you’re someone living in a metro, what is going through your mind now will be the sight of those big red/orange/green buses that the local Govt hired to provide a comfortable and tireless journey (read maintenance-free and higher tax). If you happen to be from the Tier II cities, then you’d be imagining a long AC buses with the name and logo of that private travel splashed on the front and side. And if you’re from neither of these places, then the chances of you having herd of a company beyond a ‘Benz’ is highly unlikely. Sorry folks, but you’re missing out on what is pretty much the most under-valued auto-brand in India. It’s got the potential to be one of the best with its new engine, seductive styling and packed performance; all at a price that could well shame the local auto makers. So why am I saying all this now? Because Volvo recently announced that they will be selling their range of vehicles at a reduced price with the entry level vehicle S60 at 23 lakh. Now when you argue that there are other cars at slightly lesser price with better dealership too, I will be thinking about Sonata, Superb, Passat, Accord and Camry. These are the major players in the segment. Well that is the difference. This ain’t the segment I’m talking about. Im talking about the actual luxury segment. Well logically speaking the better choice is to get the best value for money vehicle, irrespective of the ‘segment’. But that is where the off-paper factors come in. Besides the flooded luxury and overflowing safety equipments that come in when you have a Volvo tag on the front grille, what is also attached is the feeling of belonging to that elite group of Indians that own a proper ‘luxury’ car. And that, not many statisticians would be able to differentiate and fit that into their mathematics.


"Cars are driven by people. The guiding principle behind everything we make at Volvo, therefore, is and must remain, safety", Co-founder of Volvo.


So what is all this hype about Volvos and safety. I mean it has got to be exaggerated. Ummmm.... No! For a start, what is the first safety feature that we recognise in a vehicle? A seat belt. A Volvo engineer invented and patented the modern say 3 point Safety Belt. The Volvos then introduced the first 3 point seat belt for the middle of the rear seat and a child safety cushion integrated in the middle armrest. In 1991, it introduced Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) which channeled the force of a side impact away from the doors and into the safety cage. To add to the SIPS, Volvo was the first to introduce side airbags and successfully install them as standard equipment needed in all models. In 1998, Volvo developed and was the first to install a head protecting airbag. Apparently the side head protecting curtain airbags can reduce the risk of death in a side impact by upto 40% and brain injury upto 55%. Impressive stuff i guess...!! Volvo also introduced its Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), a safety device to prevent injury to front seat users during collisions. in 2004, they developed BLIS system, which detects the vehicles entering the Volvo's blind spot with a side view mirror mounted sensor, and alerts a driver with a light. That year also saw Volvos sold in all markets equipped with side-marker lights and daytime running lights. In 2006, Volvo's Personal Car Communicator (PCC) remote control has been launched as an optional feature with all Volvo S80. Before the driver enters their car, he can review the security level and know whether they have set the alarm and if the car is locked. Additionally, a heartbeat sensor warns if someone is hiding inside the car.


And that's about it as for the Volvo's safety features. That's a lot of stuff they've done.. Wait!!!! There's even more...

Simple n Sensible

Volvo's Collision Warning with Auto Brake feature - It issues visual and audible warnings, begins to apply the brakes, and increases brake hydraulic pressure when sensing a likely collision with another vehicle. But Volvo is developing the technology one step further by detecting people with wide-angle radar technology that allows the vehicle to "see" people.


Volvo's Lane Departure Warning system - delivers an audible warning when the vehicle moves across lane markers without using turn indicators. In future applications. Volvo would like to integrate collision avoidance by Auto Steering - a feature that uses camera and radar to self-navigate a vehicle back into its original lane if it wanders into the path of oncoming traffic.

Proud to be a pedestrian?? This one's for you

While we most often think of the safety of a car's internal occupants, it's important to remember than a two-ton weapon of mass destruction moving at highway speeds is also extremely dangerous to pedestrians outside the car. In addition to a new Pedestrian Detection system, Volvo has introduced the world's first external airbag. Located at the base of the windshield, the airbag deploys from a cavity that expands upward from the rear of the car's hood in the event of a collision with a pedestrian.

“It’s better to be Mr.Late than Late Mr.” – That’s just a traffic police message that I happened to see near my place. Besides the lighter side, it makes sense too, dusnt it? But then there are unavoidable situations every time when even the most cautious of drivers gives a day off to patience and crosses the line. And what Volvo has done here is to make sure that if anything were to go out of hand, not just the passengers inside the vehicle but also the unfortunate soul who happen to be crossing the road at the wrong time, things would be much better than it could have been a decade ago. And for that, Volvo has to take home the credit for raising the bar and making sure its rivals also keep up. And to be honest, when it comes to saving lives, we wouldn’t mind a good competition as to who does it the best. Well Done Volvo!!

Heart says Yeah.. Mind says Hell Yeah..!! 

Well this is what it is if you’re a cricket fanatic. Consider you being the owner of a franchisee in IPL. You’re sitting at the auction for buying and setting up your team for the next season. You have room to fit in one more foreign player. You can prefer having to spend a little extra to get a Big Bang Chris Gayle or an express fast Dale Steyn. Or you can be a little smart. Pay a little lesser and get hold of the big Jacques Kallis. He may not be the fastest bowler on earth. He may not have a SR of 160 as some of the T20 specialists. But he has the right mix of all that’s needed to make him, in my opinion, the best all-rounder in world cricket.  That pretty much is the case here. The S60 still lacks the poise of the C-class, the dynamics of a 3-series or the sheer quality of an A4 - but it does offer a unique set of strengths – Luxury, safety, performance and a price tag that would make any manufacturer awe. This is the one - a convincing alternative to its more established German rivals. Finally.. But my heart says even this one will go down as one of those that always had but never did. Sad but admittedly 
true. 


For those Passat, Superb and the like aspirants, you really need to be sick not to have a look at this. Yes, Volvo's service network in India aint that great. But only if people buy their vehicle, will they setup any. And.... for those Bimmer, Audi takers, you've some decision making to be done. Go for prestige and invest the proven choice of style and pride. Or be a little smart and challenge the system.. Let the world know there is a new kid in town.

Losing the Battle; Winning the War...

I happen to ask couple of my friends about what comes to their mind when they think of Germany. Two of them said German Football, Ballack and Bundes Liga while one of them about German being a hard language to grasp and learn. The closest positive response I got was from a super-nerd classmate of mine. He suggested that Germany is the country that built the Autobahn; it’s the fastest motorway, so many lanes and thereafter continued on and on. Yes I agree, India is primarily an Asian car dominated market. Maruti, Hyundai and Tata claim 80% of the market. But cars to Germany are like cricket to India. And I was surprised not many people knew that Germany is home to the biggest car makers of them all.

For a petrol head, there are only three countries which concern them. Germany, Italy, USA. Yeah, that’s right. USA does get a place in that list. The reason being the US population themselves, for whom muscle seems to be the symbol of power and status. Yes, muscle cars happen to be a prominent category in the US, in fact analogous to luxury or sport cars in other parts of the world. And that’s exactly the reason why the US has built the best muscle cars in the world - something like saying Toyota makes the best engineered vehicles for the most efficient people. Ford Mustang - the Adam and Eve of muscle cars, Chevrolet Camaro - much more than the Bumble Bee cutiepie image, Dodge Challenger – muscle pedigree in its skin, Chevrolet Corvette – supercar symbol in the USA.

Italy, besides designer names and trend setting fashion statements, is also the home to multiple iconic car manufacturers. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Maserati, the upcoming Pagani and so on. The cars from Italy tend to live to the name of being a driver’s car. The passion for driving and the feeling of you being part of the car, rather than prioritising the luxury and techo aspects, has always been an Italian trademark.

Then there is Germany. The land where cars were born (quite literally) and is now home to the biggest names in the Auto industry. From VW, to the lux trio of Merc, BMW and Audi to the ever usable Porsche, the list goes on. And as mentioned, the Autobahn serves as battle ground for these biggies either to test their latest or to keep track of what the competitors are upto, cos in Germany that motorway comes above the president. Let’s zoom in on the big three of the German Auto industry. Mercedes Benz, Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) and Audi. Think of luxury and the names of cars that first pop up will be one of the above, unless you’ve seriously thought about the Jags or a VW Phaeton. If you’re thinking about a Bentley or a Rolls, nice meeting you, please click on the top right corner X button to continue.

Clash of the Titans... Or is it?????

So, for men like us who cannot afford a Rolls, let’s open up the options to the sub-rolls category. OK. What is the point of buying a car like that? It’s pretty much only larger in size, has a cosy seat and an engine more in power. A sub-10 lakh sedan would perform the same with reduced maintenance. Well, let me take you back, say 853 years. There would have been a Mughal ruler Jaganshid Khan and a poor peasant Jugalbog Singh. While the peasant would have walked to the farm, the king would ride on his artic white horse that has a ruby-studded cling cling add-ons on its nose. The peasant would have plain rice while the Mughal dude, rice and sabji with freshly made curd and a paan to finish it off. While the poor farmer wears just enough to hardly cover the skin, his holy highness would have a dress made from the finest of cotton, with stones and gems attached. Think of it. Whyyy?? If he could rule one of the largest empires in the world, how can he be so senseless. When you're a King, Live like one!

I bet this was what had gone through the minds of the BOD, Mercedes Benz, when they decided they’re gonna cash in on luxury cars. Make cars that might be on the higher end of the budget of an average customer wanting a vehicle to transport him from A to B. But make sure it has goodies that will turn on a certain section of the billion-numbered nation. That idea struck cords with the above average population and hence luxury cars were born in India. Merc being the first to invest in this idea took the lead, or should I say it remained a Numero Uno when it began operations in India in 1994. For a decade, it was the only player to have a say in this growing segment. People started liking the prospect of a luxury car. Knowing very well that, owning a Merc was like a status symbol, a sign of wealth and authority over the comrades around. The recent growth in the luxury car market in India is much more than mere market dynamics in a particular car segment. It is a reflection of the changing lifestyle of the affluent class in the country. In India, the luxury car segment has been growing at an average rate of 20% or above during recent years; it seems to be least affected by the global financial crisis. During worst recession period when world was facing low market demand trends, Indian luxury car segment grew at 23% despite a 0.5% decline in passenger car sales.

The Number Games 

Now there have been talks about how BMW has overtaken Merc in the luxury car race and Audi having 80% growth in India last year and is closing in on Mercs tail. I agree, the BMW is the driver’s car, the best in class steering and a drive feel that a Merc may not match upto. Audi’s generous techno gadgets and its youthful engine may be a master recipe to rope in the young guns. Merc engines on the other hand might not give you a stampede-in-your-chest feel in a drag race either. That’s the point isn’t it. For a country that has more than 150000 millionares, tell me how many of those would actually spend the time driving these high end saloons. It is a sad but true fact that this end of the market is primarily chauffer driven. That’s something which I wouldn’t prefer but then the sight of a company director stepping out from the rear doors pulled open by the driver in white uniform has unmistakably set in. You sign the cheque and the chauffer gets to have all fun at the wheel. That would be tragic. The fact remains that the three point star still stays true to its objective of providing ample space and comfort with the luxury that a millionaire deserves. When people buy a car spending this grand an amount, the company ought to spend generously for its proud owner. Not that the engine lacks power in comparison to the competition; it has pretty much enough, if not more. Just that it delivers all that power in a way that makes you feel easing. The engine noise does not enter the cabin to ruin the ambience either. The old SLK convertible had a flap on top of the wind screen in the driver’s cabin. When the head of another Auto company had come to investigate the Merc, he asked the sales man what the purpose of that electronic flap was. He explained when the roof goes down and the passengers want to get the open feel of a cabriolet, yet not disturb their well combed hair, press the button to open up the flap which will divert the air flowing over the wind screen, away from your hair. Although the majority wouldn’t use this feature every day, there will be instances when you’ll need them. The Boss was so impressed by the attention to details that he gave an order for one without even a phone call.

Safety First - SLS style

And of course, safety. If you have the cash to buy a car in this segment, it’s highly unlikely that you are not a big name in your company. Even if you might not, your boss and colleagues are interested in you being around for a longer while. Safety is another critical chapter to define a car in this class. And the benchmark was set long back by this same auto giant. The racing fans would have noticed, when the motorsport’s purest form, F1, decided in 1996 that Mercedes will be the car used as the official Safety car, it speaks a lot. If it was the CLS earlier, it’s the SLS now that leads the pack of mighty beasts behind it.

Now the question from my counterpart is what if Im rich, Im still young, I love luxurious cars but at the same time want to have mad fun in the driving seat. I doubt if an Audi or Bimmer can give you all of that in one package. Yet Merc answers those demands with little help from a good old friend of its. They call it the AMG. Holy Mother of Christ!! For those ambitious ones out there, get a load of this. So much for your ‘uncle’s car’. Yes, it comes at a price. But you were the one with all the demands!!

Operation Desperado

Its a fact that films that are a brand itself would try negotiating with companies and say that the actor would use only their cars in the movie an stuff. Mission Impossible did that with BMW. It was a sad sight that they did not have a supercar status vehicle to offer for Tom. And so they had to cover it up with a concept car. I mean c’mon. The damn thing does not even exist now. But then a lot of things in MI 4 is fictional. So….

There never was a race. Statisticians wanted to avoid unemployment, hence the number games to brainwash those innocent deep pocketed bosses. Think of the wish list that’s available in India alone.

C-Class             CL-Class            CLS-Class             E-Class Saloon, Coupe, Cabriolet            GL-Class              M-Class             R-Class              S-Class                 SL-Class            SLK-Class              Maybach        G 55                  SLS AMG

Based on the purpose, driver, bling factor, ruggedness, luxury or adrenaline, you can get your orders in the form of any one or more of the above cosy mobile lounges. Who wants to talk about the vehicles in the BMW and Audi stable now. Wake up people. For a company that build the first Automobile, you really think Mercedes Benz is bothered about sustainability issues??

Hyundai 3D - Now Running

Dilip Chhabria. For those unfamiliar, he is the founder of DC Design Pvt Ltd, which specialises in automotive designing, conceptualising and manufacturing. To earn a degree from DYPDC, you need to start by submitting your portfolio involving sketches of cars, bikes, trucks and couple of other concepts that they mention in the form. My friend wanted to give it a try last year. He had his ideas on how the car wanted to be, which made things pretty easy. The headlights, tail lamps, pretty much everything. And when he translated it to pencil sketches it looked neat but plain, without a personality. Good but not gracious. That’s when I noticed something missing. A line. Not the window base line, nor the lines on the grille. Something called a shoulder line or crease line or character line. I can see why it is called a character line. The car looks blunt and 2D without one. He was hesitant to draw and I wanted to show him a pic of some car that defines my ideas clearly. Eventually, he got the point but not without a lot of explanation. All because I did not have a car to show him what I had in mind.

Well that’s till a month later

“New Thinking, New Possibilities” – Hyundai’s new marketing tagline. I can see what they mean. Although they used this tagline as a combo with their new design language, the Fluidic sculpture design, it seems to work wonders. What Hyundai has come up with here is an elegant and pleasing design that can be argued as the best facelift job of the decade. The old Santro, dull and sleeping. The new Santro, better but still boxy with a couple of lines. The Getz, pleasing but predictable. The old Sonata, infamously known for its Merc face and Jaguar rear. Even I could have made it a little more original. Then there is the Accent which if you look at it, makes it more American than Korean. It’s no doubt, accidental, that it turned out looking more muscular than intended, which is a pillar of a reason(and the hype of CRDi tech) why it actually kinda clicked. The i10 was pretty, but it was like that village girl Savitha hesitant for any make up.

It was then that Hyundai probably hired a new crew of design surgeons to perform the plastic surgery that would transform a Julia Robert to Ang Jolie. The transition began with the i20. I had tried to convince myself that the front hood and the logo positioning are not xeroxed from the ever hunk and sexy hyper car – Mercedes McLaren SLR and the rear to the S-class. It just gave a wanna be look. But it dint take me long to get out of that. And when I did, I started appreciating the swooping lines on the sides, the swept back headlamps and the good to look at rear.

If the old i10 was paavam little Savitha, this is Savitha Babi in her red carpet attire. People bought it more for its reasonable reliability, maintanence and service. Yes the looks did compliment the package. It’s sharp and actually installed the fluidic theme completely. It was definitive but seemed to be hiding something.

The Eon is how an entry level budget car must be. As much as a like this car, there is a part of me that does not want the Eon to be successful. It’s probably the best option for anyone to open your own garage, but may be the thought of Maruti Suzuki being a home brand is what’s hurting me when I see a serious contender to the Alto. While the Alto played it safe with flat panels and simple architecture to reduce cost, the Eon decided to question conventions and breaks loose on the fluidic design, though may be a tad too much for my liking. Those heavy front lamps and muscular wheel arches add to the flair of this beautiful little car. The interiors too seem better than its bigger brothers. 

Hyundai Verna

Amazing to notice that when people talk of the fluidic design, they tend to speak of the Verna before anything else. Its bold and beautiful, muscular yet elegant. Arguably the best looking car in production in India today. Think of muscle, there is the Cruze. Think of unique styling, there is the Fluence. The most radical design, Civic. An intimidator, well there’s the Fortuner. But you never really had sub 10lakh car that one would buy just because it looks stunning.  Especially when you consider the prev-gen Verna. Not the Verna that which was launched in 2005. I’m talking of the Verna Transform. That will go down as the poorest facelift ever, to an otherwise dull but decent looking car. I mean, think of it. Who called it a facelift anyway! That makes the new car even more sensuous.

The level of detailing that has gone into this body is simply mind blowing. The European design team has got the blend perfectly. For starters, it is decently proportional. The rear looks chunky with sufficient overhang to not disturb the weight distribution, besides the stance and the front being eye-catchingly sharp. The rear has a heavy and flowing feel to it. The side profile is to me the sexiest. That shoulder line burst out from nowhere to reach the rear lamps. Wait! Till you look a little more towards the front end, only to realise that it actually starts from the fog lamps (that isn’t a typo, I did mean the fog lamps) and still manages to look good as it slashes across the door handle and merges to tail lamps. A lot of cars have experimented with different crease line styling, but the difference which I've been waiting for so long for an Auto manufacturer to try out was to make this line more like a sword than a formality twine like line drawn with a scale. It is now no longer straight and simply drawn to connect two points. It’s a perfectly flowing curve and more importantly 3D. The line is actually protruding out of the skin. There have been a lot of design changes from the Verna Transform, but this one is essentially what makes the new design ‘fluidic’. Besides the shoulder line, what is prominent on the door panel is a neat undercut at the bottom of the side door panel.

Unmistakable hexagonal grille, new-gen headlamps and a pair of sharp fog lamps.. Awesome..!!

Up front is where all the drama being talked about merges to make this C+ segment car a marvel to look at, even from miles away. The headlamps share the same curves from the new breed of Hyundais. The second most stylist feature of the exterior design is the fog lamps. It may not be very be useful in Indian weather, but those little skilfully detailed L-shaped fog lamps, are a brilliant way to grab attention, especially when the Vento and City seem to be easily claiming its share in the diesel and petrol market.

It was made to target the City and Vento. Well, the interior makes the rivals look like a budget package.

Coming back to the Hyundais, the interiors are about lines drawn with a single long curve with good ergonomics in mind. The central console has a long line up of features and with the air-con and buttons converging to the gear knob, it blends in neatly with the dash board. The Verna has tried making the hood look muscular not by giving it an outward hunkness as seen in every car but by having a smooth ridge in the hood. Everything that it touches turns gold seemed to be the manthra with the Verna. And it has done the trick even with this experimentation. The hood looks bold and fresh and will take a while to get the outdated tag. And mind you, this is despite constraining to the strict pedestrian safety rules. In the looks department, the Verna comes a proud second only to its elder brother, Elantra. We all know the Elantra. Nope. Not the boring checked dress worn saloon. This is the new and upgraded Elantra which has everything going all fluidic. From the swooping headlamps and the sexy tail lamps, everything looks just designed to be winning the car pageant contest. And the Sonata which takes the last spot on the podium is yet another beauty from the Hyundai stable. 

Bet they had this car in mind when they named the prev version as the Elantra 

One thing that was missing for brand ambassador, King Khan, was the lack of glam factor people associate the Hyundais with. So much for that! I wonder if he had anything to do with this makeover decision….. Ponder how much ever you want on how this popular but hard to accept brand has elevated its image to something more desirable and worth buying. Stunning looks, decent performance, value for money package and a widespread service network. Way to go.. And with the improvements in its technology, people cannot overlook these cars because they come from a Korean company. After Samsung and LG, we now have something more to link India’s obsession with Korea. No complaints!!

Big Bazaaar

Let’s start with the basics. As per the Oxford dictionary, a ‘CAR’ is a road vehicle with an engine and four wheels that can carry a small number of passengers. But let me get this straight. If you’re the kind of person who thoroughly agrees with that, then this is where you stop. Cause it’s much more freaking exotic and versatile than a mere transporting of people. Hmpf…. And like how music talents get to perform at the reality shows, the actors at the Bollywood filmfare awards, even the Auto manufacturers would want a stage to perform. And they do it at an event that’s globally called the Auto Expo.

1. If you want the car to get public attention, you've it all wrong Audi.  2. DC get a Big B Launch
3. Nissan and Ranbir continue their bond.  4. John looked great. The scooter, aah OK..!!

The Delhi Auto Expo was probably the best platform for them to showcase whatever they had, have and will be having in the coming years. Well I think it is pretty fair to say that it was a grand success. I mean it’s only into the second year and the response from the market seemed more than satisfactory. The fact that multiple global players were keen to step foot in India itself speak of the immense potential in this upcoming market. From scooters, motorcycles to passenger vehicles, hybrid and electric concepts to heavy duty trucks, it was more than a mere display of gorgeous gleaming metal beauties.

Not a bad shot Suzuki..!!

LUV?? Dont ask me...

The Indian auto market famously known for its appetite for small cars seemed like a once-upon-a-time myth when all the major companies decided to invest on SUVs, MUVs, MPVs etc. Besides the updates to the existing models (Yeti, Fortuner, Safari, Aria), the turnout in the SUV department was immense. Almost all the major players wanted a share in the rapidly growing SUV category. Even the granddaddy of small cars, Maruti Suzuki, decided to have a go at the upcoming UV segment, with a production ready seven seater, Ertiga, which they like to call as an ‘LUV’. What does all that abbreviation mean?? Well, it’s a Life Utility Vehicle. OK. Do they hire people for these or are they reeely serious when they make these names. But that thing can be in your garage for 5.9lakh. Want a relative statement? The Xylo does not have a petrol version. And the diesel is slightly on the higher side. The top end Innova will need to try hard to keep itself below twice as expensive as the base model Ertiga. Who dare question their dominance in India again…!! Then there is also a compact SUV named XA-Alpha (which is bound to get a name change. This is just not typically maruti). We all would have played Memory. That game for kids aged around 10. There will be two cards having same picture. Similarly a dozen other pairs too. You lay all these cards randomly with the image facing downward. Pick one card and try to find out the other card having the same pic from the pack. I bet that game has not reached to certain parts of Japan, where a company by the name of Suzuki does its duty. Legend has it that after graduating from Snake and Ladder, they skipped the next course and went directly to chess..!! Hmmm.. Interesting…….  Whether the on road version of the XA-Alpha will have the same looks remains to be seen, considering their poor reputation of matching the concepts with the actual production cars. I kind of like how it looks now, though it could have scored a couple of more points with the front grille and the blank rear.

Defender Concept 100

Sophisticated and Sensual

While Mahindra & Mahindra took this opportunity to give the spotlight to the already launched and hugely successful XUV 500 and also on India’s first electric car, REVA, Tata Motors was generous enough to give all their cars a little upgrade. This includes the new LPG fitted Nano, style and features upgraded Safari, Aria and Vista and a cute little Pixel. “I don’t consider it to be a flop. I consider that we have wasted an early opportunity.” These lines made the news when Ratan Tata was asked to comment on the not upto the expectation sales of the world’s cheapest car. However, Tatas British brothers, Land Rover did have a go at the Indian audience with the Defender and Evoque. If even Victoria Beckam was called in to give her touch, you can understand how much potential Rover has seen in this beauty.

The Hyundai fans were many after the fluidic design striking a perfect chord with the customers. They did not disappoint them either by displaying the new Elantra and Sonata. Even the Detroit brothers managed to get enough out of the show, with Ford clearly ahead of GM in the favourability list (coutesy – EcoSport and the new Automatic Fiesta). Chevorlet just seem to be out of ideas after a brilliant run with the Cruze and Beat.

Hide 'N' Seek Act before the Expo

Another Indian major (more in the two and three wheeler segment) decided to enter the quad wheel league not with a car but a ‘four-wheeler’. Mind you it is also very cheap and very anti-CO2. And they did it two days before the big Expo. It could have meant two things. One, they wanted the people to make sure people got enough glances at it. So a single press conference with the unveiling of the BAJAJ RE60 would be perfect. But think of the contrary view. Having analysed the scenario, they would have realised that the kind of hype that a Nano generated in the last edition of the Delhi Auto Expo back in 2010 cannot be recreated because there were around 60 vehicles up at display. If not this, the audience has a lot of other cars to take a look at. And this I believe is the reason why they went with this conservative policy of unveiling it before the Expo.

French Flair

795 izzz here

As for immigrants, well, it was a big rush to be honest. With the Germans already having set the tone, it was now the turn for their fellow Europeans. Peugeot could have been where Hyundai is right now had they captured the mindset of the Indian audiences almost a decade back. Unfortunately, it was a retreat..!! Now the French army is back. And they have brought their best swordsman along. The 508. It’s got the appeal and the armoury to challenge the in-house members. The Italians too came sniffing for Indian fishermen. Ummm I mean, Indian customers. Unfortunately it is not the Italian company you have in mind. Not the Baby Bull, the Red Namaskar Horses nor the Alfa Romeos. This time, it is a monster. A Ducati Monster 795. And it’s not just Ducati, the long-time king of the Indian roads, Vespa, makes a return to the sub-continent.

              

                       

Yes, not a doubt. If the French and Italians join, will the British be far behind. The time has come for the iconic MINI to show the people here why it has such a cult following across the globe. Triumph is yet another Britain company that decided to invest in India. And I really don’t see why not. Brilliant move I say.  

Ladies n Gentlemen - DC Avanti

It is every manufacturers dream to make a supercar. It is like winning a medal at the Olympics. With only a handful of manufacturers from our country, it was an ambitious dream to want a supercar from India. Well, now it has happened. I do not know whether to call it the most obvious choice, but then a Tata or M&M is very unlikely to venture into this segment. So that leaves us with DC. And hence the DC Avanti was born. And truth be told it really does look like a supercar. What DC does for a living besides conceptualising cars is that he luxury-ises normal Innovas or Scorpios into a 40lakh version which has pretty much everything. So now that he’s built a supercar, he ought to be very generous about the luxuries.

In recent years, a couple of new segments having immense potential have gradually evolved from the otherwise hatch, sedan, SUV and luxury vehicles bracket. There is a Premium hatchback, entry level sedan, premium sedans, MPV, MUV, entry level luxury saloons, SUVs, luxury cars, performance cars etc, etc. What all this means in consumer terms is that we now have more options to choose from and precisely a car to fit our budget and requirements. So if the buyer decides to go conservative, it could mean a poor return for the companies. But if All Izz Well in the auto world, the price hike in fuel, raw material inflation or the budget should not hinder anyone who has set his eyes on a fine investment, and that could be the turnaround Indian motor industry wants to revive the market.