Pune-based renowned car design house, DC Design, continues to test the Avanti in India. Two test mules of the supercar were again spotted testing on the Mumbai-Pune expressway.
DC Design seems to be making some final changes to the car. We did not see any new components as compared to the earlier test mules. However, what caught our attention is that these camouflaged vehicles had a makeshift fuel cap-lid which is seen on Bajaj and KTM motorcycles. It might seem funny to see these components on a supercar, but we think this is an interim and temporary component used on this test mule.
First unveiled at the 2012 Auto Expo, again exhibited at this year's biennial event, the Avanti will be India's first made-in-India supercar. It has been designed and developed entirely in our country. The production version is expected to retain most of the equipment from the car showcased at the Auto Expo.
The DC Avanti is powered by the Ford EcoBoost four-cylinder 2.0-litre DOHC mill that has been critically acclaimed all over and features direct injection. This engine churns out 245bhp of power and 366Nm of torque and comes mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
The initial models of the DC Avanti will be produced at their workshop in Pune, followed by mass production from their Gujarat plant. Since the engine is Euro 5 compliant which can be upgraded to the upcoming Euro 6 norms, the company can later also think of exporting it to other markets. For the Indian market, the company plans to price the car in the Rs 25-30 lakh bracket, making it an extremely affordable supercar. It might be launched this year or by early 2015. It will then create a different category in itself as no other supercars made by any Indian manufacturers are available yet.
