The 12th Auto Expo is being held in Greater Noida's India expo Mart. This has been a very anticipated Auto Expo alright. There was a sense of expectation and anticipation about it, especially since the auto industry has been in the grips of its worst ever slowdown. But despite the gloom in the sector, its showing at the 12th Expo has been impressive.
Manufacturers have been careful to not just present new cars and bikes, but have also kept the Indian buyer firmly in view, when doing so. This is why there are some strong themes and ideas that have stood out for me.
What a concept!
The first most important one for me is something that also brings me a great deal of pride. It's not just about the emerging markets play - many manufacturers have chosen the Delhi Auto Expo as the place to make their global debuts and unveils.
Renault has never showed a concept car at a motor show outside Europe. Until now! The Kwid is a subcompact crossover concept that could point to a future vehicle of similar proportions. Honda too chose to show yet another of its future Vision concepts - the Vision XS-1 - which highlights the use of interior space, exterior sportiness and a crossover style 3-row seating configuration.
Datsun also chose India once again to show the next car in its fledgling line-up. The concept is called Redi-Go, and could add a smaller more compact car to take on the likes of the Maruti Alto 800 and Hyundai Eon. Mahindra wowed us all by showcasing the Halo concept which is essentially an electric sports car. Mahindra has decided to green light this project and will spend between Rs. 250-300 Crore on it.
Going smaller!
This may not be new or specific to the expo itself, but we are seeing strong product themes. The subcompact sedan, which lets you have a boot while still staying below 4 metres in length - so as to gain tax incentives. Hyundai launched its Xcent in this category which debuts in March on the market. Tata Motors has the reworked Manza based sub4 metre Zest which looks way more upmarket than its predecessors. And Ford has showed us a car which points to its own subcompact. The Figo concept will spawn a production car in 2015 and it will also mean a new Figo hatchback too!
Subcompact SUVs Galore!
It's not just sedans that are staying below 4 metres in length, so are SUVs! After the Quanto and EcoSport, now many others are set to join the party. VW has shown the Taigun concept which is based on the up platform. The Taigun seems just right for India, but I hope Volkswagen gets it here sooner than later.
Trying to attract a similar buyer is the Chevrolet Adra concept which has been designed in India. There is no market launch date on this one either sadly. But Fiat is trying to create a similar appeal, and says it will definitely launch its Avventura this year. Based on the Punto, this slightly rugged looking car will sport a spare wheel on the rear tailgate.
Luxury attack!
The premium car makers are also in overdrive at the expo. Audi has finally taken the wraps off its A3 sedan in India. The launch will be in a few months which is when prices will be announced. BMW has excited the market by saying its hybrid sportscar - the i8 - will be here by the year end, and it also launched the new generation X5 SUV and the 3 Series GT. Mercedes-Benz has grabbed the spotlight by announcing the CLA compact luxury sedan and the GLA compact SUV. Both share their platform with the A-Class, and just like that car will eventually be made in India. And Jaguar has shown the F-Type Coupe which too is going to be available in India soon.
Best of bikes
The very hot Pulsar 400 from Bajaj, the Hastur from Hero, and the Mojo from Mahindra are future powerful bikes, with a stress on good looks. Speaking of powerful, the Honda CBR 650F is also announced for India - and what's more, it will also be assembled here. Honda has also launched its Activa 125, while Hero has shown us three scooters - Dash, Dare and ZIR. We have also had huge amounts of interest from the smaller players - even the niche ones. Vardenchi has launched the T5 sports bike, for which it will source its engine from Vardenchi's Italian partner Moto Morini. Harley-Davidson has launched the street 750 - its first bike to be made completely not just in India, but anywhere outside the US. Triumph has brought in its Daytona as it had promised, and Hyosung has launched the 250cc version of its Aquila.
So far the expo has been fun, full of surprises and then some. We have also seen electric rickshaws courtesy Lohia and Terra, big trucks from Volvo-Eicher or Mahindra, and so much more. As the public days begin we look forward to seeing how people react to it all.
