BackAuto Expo 2014: Concept cars draw motoring enthusiasts
Showcase of a record number of concept automobiles at the Expo are signs of a maturing market that is India
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Mumbai: India’s biggest auto show, Auto Expo 2014, ended on Tuesday after unveiling more concept cars than ever before to over half a million visitors, in a departure from norm that industry experts said signalled a maturing market.
Over 561,000 people visited the seven-day exposition in Greater Noida on the outskirts of Delhi.
In a marked departure from previous shows, the number of production-ready models were fewer this year, even though there were record unveilings.
In line with international motor shows in Geneva, Frankfurt and Tokyo, manufacturers showed their future designs and engineering capabilities more than actual production models. This leitmotif of the pavilions, said motor show regulars and the industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), was a sign of a maturing auto market.
“It also shows that auto makers are reposing confidence in Indian buyers with regard to validating a concept," said Vishnu Mathur, director general at Siam.
Deepesh Rathore, co-founder and director at Emerging Markets Automotive Advisors, a consulting firm, agreed. “When auto companies start showing models that demonstrate technology, it means they can offer models that are capable of meeting the future needs," said Rathore.
Models unveiled by 47 manufacturers at the 12th edition of the motor show included a range of cars, two-wheelers, trucks, buses and three-wheelers. Close to half were production models that are expected to hit the Indian roads over the next 10 months or so.
The rest were concepts.
Typically, depending on the criticality of the model for a company, it takes anywhere between three to five years for a concept to travel from being an idea at the research and development centre to the production line.
“They (auto makers) have put up a brave front in a tough time and spent for models which may never see the light of day," Hormazd Sorabjee, editor of AutoCar India magazine, said. Car sales in India, declined for the first time in 11 years in September amid a slowing economy and weak buyer sentiments. Sales fell 7.6% to 160,289 units in January, according to figures released by Siam on Tuesday. Sales have fallen 5.2% so far this fiscal year that ends in March.
“Normally we have seen that new products create a buzz and improve the sentiment in the market. With the success of this Auto Expo, we hope that negative sentiment will subside," said Sugato Sen, deputy director general at Siam.
Key models that are either meant for production or are ready to be launched soon include Maruti Suzuki India Ltd’s Celerio, India’s first small car with an automatic manual transmission; Honda Car India Ltd’s Mobilio, a multipurpose vehicle which has been selling in South East Asian markets like Thailand; Nissan Motor India Pvt Ltd’s sub-brand Datsun’s small car Go; Hyundai Motor India Ltd’s Xcent, a sub-four metre sedan; and Tata Motors Ltd’s Zest sedan and Bolt hatchback.
Among luxury brands, Audi AG’s A3 and Harley-Davidson India’s Street 750, stood out in the entry-level segment. Mercedes-Benz India Pvt. Ltd unveiled the CLA compact luxury sedan and the GLA compact SUV. Mass market two-wheeler makers Hero MotoCorp Ltd, Bajaj Auto Ltd, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd, too showcased their line-up of performance-oriented motorcycles that are expected to be launched in the near future.
Interesting concepts that were unwrapped included the Kwid from Renault India Pvt. Ltd, the idea of a sub-compact crossover and the first concept that the French carmaker has shown outside Europe.
The Kwid is a tiny crossover with scissor doors, pop-up lights and chunky tyres and aimed at young Indian buyers who want an affordable, fun car tailored for India’s roads. Its compact design with short overhangs makes it look like it is ready to go off-road.
Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, the only firm in India to make electric cars, took the wraps off its concept, the Halo—a two-door, two-seater electric sports car. The company claims that the car with a top speed of 160kmph gives a range of 200km on a full charge.
Maruti’s pavilion had the SX4 Cross and Ciaz (premium sedan) concepts. And Ford Motor Co.’s compact sedan concept, based on the Figo platform, was another interesting offering.
Amit Kaushik, principal analyst at IHS Automotive, a sales forecast and marketing research firm, said a fast conversion of concepts into production models will help sustain interest among buyers.
The organizers of the show which include Siam, ACMA (Auto Component Manufacturers) and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), got a thumbs-up from exhibitors as well as visitors from India and abroad, according to Siam’s Mathur. Under fire for poor crowd control and mismanagement in 2012, the biennial show was moved from its traditional venue in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, to Expo Mart in Greater Noida, 40km from central Delhi.
“We have seen an encouraging response from the public to this edition of the motor show, negating fears of a low turnout as the show is being hosted out of Delhi for the first time," said Sen.
With inputs from Amrit Raj in New Delhi.
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