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The Storm after the calm
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It might not be quite the whirlwind it was once expected to be, but the freshly revised San Storm has its virtues, discovers RACHNA TYAGI
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It's India's first convertible, the first Indian two-seater and not to forget, the first car from beautiful Goa
GOT THE LOOK The Storm is perfectly proportioned every way you look at it _ and though it's not exactly news on our roads, it still can turn a head or two
When the San Storm was quietly planning to brew a storm in the car market some time ago, by being India's first convertible, little did it know that years later people would still raise their eyebrows in surprise at the mere mention of the name. With most of us growing up on a diet of the Batmobile and David Hasselhoff's black Pontiac Trans Am, we sure were starved for our very own speed machines. When news of India's first convertible came along, the promise of India turning into Batmanland and Indians transforming into Hasselhoffs suddenly seemed to loom large. However, in 2001, the San Storm came, sans the storm. Now, five years later, it is once again in the news for making a comeback.
Growing pains
After obtaining an up-to-date powertrain from Renault, retro-engineering the package and changing the marketing strategy, launching the soft top before the hard top managed to collect a few firsts on its way - the first Indian convertible, the first Indian two-seater and not to forget, the first automobile to be produced in beautiful Goa. With drop-dead good looks and glowing paint, this car could've found a place for itself on the chick-magnet scale had it not been delayed by obstacles that resulted in delaying its debut.
Having low volume and low cost manufacturing as an important factor in mind, San decided to dip into the available parts bin (especially Maruti's) for its components. This resulted in restricting San's engineering freedom. The switchgear and AC vents are borrowed from Maruti, the AC control panel from the Uno and the steering from the Zen.
Metamorphosis time
At 3.5 metres - as short as a Maruti 800, the Storm does give the semblance of balance. While the headlamp nacelles had undergone a change, with the original Plexiglass covers being removed by the company during the homologation process to improve the performance of the headlamps, the other changes this time around, have been purely cosmetic. With clear lens, single piece headlamps, fog lamps, better-looking alloy wheels and new wheel arches the car does exhibit a fresh appeal.
The interior, which once held no aesthetic appeal and had an absolute disregard for ergonomics, has been spruced up too. With better quality seats lending a sportier feel and leather everywhere, covering up the cheap plastic, seems to have worked well, but the leather quality can still be a few shades better.
Most definitely a good looker, the bonnet of the San droops down to meet the oval grille, and the nose section therefore looks nicely sculpted, exuding a mildly aggressive air. A ridge that runs across the car, enhancing the muscular, sporty look, visually bisects the long, handle-less doors. Round tail-lamps that are set along with round turning lights lend a cute look to the petite rear section. The Storm's chassis, made of tubular steel, is a platform-plus-spaceframe type of design, compensating for the rigidity lost by the absence of a roof. The double-skinned glass fibre panels are bonded to the chassis, improving the structural strength of the body but making the chassis quite heavy. However, the chassis comes alive with faster driving.
Cheap and cheery
The 1.2-litre Renault engine is not a gas-guzzler and won't burn a hole in your pocket. Driving the car when it was introduced had shown figures of 16 kpl on a highway cycle. In town, a figure of 11.9kpl was considered "pretty commendable" with its fuel tank capacity of 30 litres.
The Storm comes with a powerful aircon, which cools the tiny cabin in double-quick time. With the vents directed at your face, you stay cool enough, even with the top down. You get no extra space for those knick-knacks except for a small glovebox and a tiny shelf below that is unlikely to hold anything in place, especially while cornering. Behind the rear seats there is space for some light luggage and the boot is pretty generous for a car of this size. Incidentally, the tape deck is a Blaupunkt system, which featured in the erstwhile W124 Mercedes E-class!
The Storm is all about image and driving for driving's sake. It is certainly not your car for practicality or even an investment. It's not your first car - you'll need something a lot more practical for that. But the Storm can definitely be your second machine, one that you take out for a spin once in a while, threading your way along the coastline, the sun setting behind your back...
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