The shape of cars to come
By H. Kishie Singh

THERE is no doubt that the automobile has arrived in India and that too in style, with class and a bang loud enough to be heard by all auto manufacturers around the world. General Motors, Ford and now Toyota, the world’s three largest auto manufacturers all have the ‘made in India’ label. That is a statement in itself. It shows the measure of confidence that these companies, all world leaders, have placed in India.

It should also be remembered that Mercedes-Benz, one of the world’s most sought after names has had the ‘made in India’ label for a few years now.

There is hardly a car that an auto aficionado aspires to possess that is not available off the shelf (well almost!) in India. That, by itself, says something! A sea change from five years ago, when waiting was common and "what’s the premium?" was the first question in a buyer’s mind.

The Qualis is a boxy-looking MPV. Were it not for the superb paint, fit and finish which really do improve the visual acceptance of a machine, it could be mistaken for a mundane Sumo from a distance. And the Sumo is the target of the base model Qualis at Rs 4.50 lakh. Top of the line Qualis is over Rs 7 lakh. That is quite a range, but then so is the range of options and accessories.

Toyota’s initial offering was well received for the simple reason that Toyota means reliability, ruggedness and longevity. However, comfort may be compromised in the interest of it being an MPV — Maximum People Vehicle — in India. And why did Toyota opt for skimpy 14" wheels?

The Indian giant MUL was present with a stunning line-up of fun vehicles from Suzuki. They showed off the Baleno, the soon-to-be-introduced Wagon R, the versatile

Omni van — all aimed at the fun-loving crowd. The Baleno was a crowd-puller as was the Vitara Grand which, unfortunately, won’t be available in India. Suzuki also displayed the C-2 — a two-seater which probably will never be seen. The MUL also had the loudest music. Bone-jarring, mind-numbing and senseless.

By gentle comparison, the Hyundai pavilion was an oasis of sanity and silence in the world of booming Bose speakers. Soft lights, Strauss waltzes and beautiful cars set a tasteful display. The centre stage was occupied by the Euro Sport, a

concept car from Hyundai. A meaner, sleeker machine will be hard to find. The Triburon Turbulance, in a corner of the platform, was another sleek two-seater sports tourer in production in Korea but not for Indian roads.

What the Indian motorist may be treated to by Hyundai could be the Sportage, a true off-road vehicle with a four-wheel drive. It has a diesel engine, inter cooler, five doors bull bars, fog lights and a superb interior. Comfortable and room, Hyundai already has had success with the odd-looking Santro and the sleek, swift Accent. The luxurious four-wheel drive will appeal to the urban cowboy as well as to those who really need. it.

The cutest car of the show was a concept car called Lil’. And it was just that — little and cute!

The strangest looking car was the Fiat Multipla Bipower. It runs on conventional fuel plus CNG. Very clever! But the shape from any angle was a brand new experience!

Fiat also displayed the Alpha Spider. A more alluring rear end you will not find. Rear boot lid, lights, bumper and fender all moulded into one. I would never overtake this car!

The oldest and boldest car on display was — yes, the amazing Ambassador. Now, as a luxury limousine. It just won’t go away.

Opel, of Astra and now Corsa fame is a 100 years old this year. It showed the Corsa Cabriolet. A two-door, four-seater convertible — but again not for the Indian market.

The house of Tata was in full form. From huge trucks and buses to the Sumo, Sierra, Safari, Indica and the Magna, the latest offering from Tata. The Tata stall, always the biggest, offers the most amazing array of machines. This year Tata made history by showing its concept car, the Aria, built on the Indica platform. Just one car but a giant leap for the Indian auto industry.

Another indicator of the booming Indian auto market is the fact that Delphi has decided to go for the after sales market. Delphi, once part of General Motors and now a giant on its own had global sales of over $ 25 billion in the first three-quarters of 1999. Delphi, with 168 products in its arsenal, supplies something as O.E. to every manufacturer in the world. After being firmly entrenched in the O.E. market, Delphi is now aiming at the after sales market. At their R and D.H.O. Delphi produces one patent a day.

The most splendid display was the array of Mercedes cars. No doubt this car is in a class of its own, not only for its visual appeal, but also the highest level of engineering excellence.

Dr D. Frietas-Tillbecker, the outgoing M.D. of MBIL, said: "You will need all your senses to experience a Mercedes!"

Ford officially launched the 1.3 Ikon, even though it has been on the roads for sometime. As many as 27 new vehicles were launched during Auto Expo, 25 of them on the first day itself. The vehicles ranged from two-wheelers and three-wheelers to ten-wheelers and the huge Volvo (twenty-two wheeler).

Ford will also endear itself to the Indian public by sponsoring Narian Karthikeyan in the Formula 3 races in Europe. Narian could be India’s first entry into Formula 1 racing. The Formula 3 car that Narian will be racing was also on display.

Philips had a very novel and visually appealing display. The booth produced mist and fog conditions and one could actually see the value of fog lights over normal lights.

Amaron is a new name in car batteries. They are high life batteries with zero maintenance. Leak-proof, the battery is completely sealed with only the two terminals sticking out. It has a built-in handle for lifting it. Their secret is silver alloy grids as opposed to the conventional lead. This cuts water loss and corrosion. The product carries a 36-month guarantee.

Mahindras has a new logo and offer a service on the Internet. You can design and order your car on the Net! The rest of Mahindra display, though interesting, had really nothing new to offer.

Michelin, one of the best known tyre manufacturers and the originator of the radial tyre, will soon introduce their range of passenger tyre cars. They have a unique "Pax" tyre which combines the tyre with the rim. It is one unit and will run even after puncture. The "run flat" tyre will soon be here!

The finale of the show was the presentation by J.D. Power. J.D. Power is a market research and analysis organisation and has a high credibility. Terms such as CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) and IQS (Initial Quality Survey) which define the yardstics of quality control for auto manufactures around the world, have been coined by them.

The Daewoo Matiz won the Best Compact Car Award and the Most Appealing Midsize Car Award. The best midsize car was the Mitsubishi Lancer. Most appealing MUV was the Tata Safari and the Honda City won the award for the highest Customer Satisfaction Index.

The 5th Auto Expo ended with a bang to propel the Indian auto scene into the new millennium.