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Photo: S. Subramanium

A full show Visitors jostle to get a glimpse of Tata’a Nano

Inevitably, all the attention surrounded Tata’s Rs.1 lakh car, Nano that was unveiled in front of a boisterous gathering. Such was the craze for Nano that Tata’s other new car, Sumo Grande went almost unnoticed. The smart and sturdy Grande is positioned to give competition to the likes of Scorpio and Tavera.

The auto show proved to the world the potential which India has in making low cost and eco-friendly vehicles. Though Nano was leading from the front, the scooter and bike manufacturers had their claims too, with promises of CNG kits for two wheelers that could bring down the cost of travel to an unbelievable 15 paise per km.

The Expo saw the launches of Bajaj Lite, a small car concept, Maruti Suzuki’s Star and Splash,Chevrolet Captiva by GM, besides a new Indica. Skoda came out with its small car Fabia and Firefox its Madone, a 5.2 Bicycle, with a price tag of Rs.1.68 lakhs! Maruti Suzuki launched the Swift sedan which is expected to hit the roads in March 2008 replacing Esteem.

But more attention surrounded Ashok Leyland which came up with its iBus, powered by ‘e core’ Bharat III engine. A fully integrated GPS, GSM, GRPS vehicle, this onboard unit enables web based tracking and monitoring.

while Ratan Tata takes a look at the Maruti Star

Being easy to track, it can go a long way in preventing some of the crimes committed in public transport buses in the Capital. The bus is loaded with goodies like Wi-Fi connectivity, on board passenger infotainment system, an infra-red camera with ultrasonic sensors mounted at the rear, which acts as a collision warning system. Passengers will have the choice between travelling ‘Executive’ or ‘Economy’ class, in the same bus. All this at a price of Rs.60 lakhs.

Volvo unveiled the C 70, a three-piece retractable hardtop that transforms it from a coupe to a convertible at the touch of a button. Mitsubishi unveiled the Montero, Outlander, Lancer Evolution and the i-MiEV. Hyundai showcased its concept cars, Veloster and QarmaQ, which drew a large number of fans. Santa Fe, an SUV may also be launched in India.

Royal Enfield was giving tips to bikers interested in travelling long distances. Mahima, a woman biker from Chandigarh, and a student from Delhi University, who has travelled from Delhi to Goa and back, shared her experience with the audience. It took her five days on her Enfield bike to reach Goa. Another biker Bawa, who has biked all the way from Delhi to Kanyakumari, has also gone thrice to Ladakh from Delhi.

The Expo was not just about new car launches, but also car designers and engineers giving a new look to the age old conception. For instance, there was Addo Glitz giving a new look to a Honda Civic, the Lamborghini-style doors were superimposed on it, and could be fitted to any mid size car. Call it the soul of Lamborghini on the body of a Honda Civic, if you will!

Ashok Leyland’s iBus also attracts a crowd

Adding to the glamour of Expo were the female models, who drew more attention from the public than the products they were displaying. Launches, design studios, workshops, tips on travels and fuel saving, the Auto Expo had it all.

There was a crowd too, both inside the halls at Pragati Maidan and the roads leading to it. But will the footfall result in an increase in sales of vehicles? Drive down the road of imagination to find out!

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