The Auto Expo has finally come to a close and boy was it fun! The manufacturer attendance sheet may have been small but that did not affect the festivities or for that matter the crowds. Everyone bought their best wares and put on a fine show for the media, dealers and obviously the crowds that came over the weekend.
We have covered it all through videos, photos and of course, stories of the three days that the expo took place. As a wrap up, here are our top 12 photos from the expo shot by our photographer Kaustubh Gandhi over the course of the three days. We have selected cars from across the table to highlight the diversity at the 2018 Auto Expo.
1. Kia SP- Vitamin K
Kia is coming to India in 2019 and in a big way! They will enter the Indian market with the production version of the car featured in the photos which is the SP. In this photo you can see the highlights of the rear of the car. Firstly, the bright orange shade has made the line pop out and contrasts well with the other colours on the outside. In particular, note the G-shaped chrome laden exhaust tips.
2. Kia Stinger GT- Buldak with indicators
While the SP is the debut vehicle for Kia’s entry into India, the Stinger is Kia’s debut into the big league of premium sedans. This particular car, the Stinger GT, is a high performance version and was on display to make an impression- which it did! It’s low, long and those massive (faux) scoops do give the Stinger quite a bit of sporty credibility.
3. Renault Trezor- Future French funkiness
From South Korea we move to France and to Renault, one of the pioneers of the funky car design. The Trezor concept is a display of where Renault wants to be in the future when entering the world of GT cars. Powered by a Formula E engine, it’s got a Batmobile like appearance enhanced by the sloping hood and C-shaped headlamps.
4. Maruti Suzuki Future S Concept- en-route to Swiftly becoming an SUV
The highlight of the Maruti Suzuki stall was the Future S concept. Put plain and simple, in production form, this vehicle will become a Swift based SUV and be positioned below the Vitara Brezza. It’s bright orange hue, thin A-pillars and chunky mag wheels with off-road tyres make this compact SUV seem much larger than it actually is.
5. Toyota FCV Plus- Hydrogen powered Japanese Swiss Knife
Being at the forefront of Hydrogen powered vehicles, it only seemed logical for Toyota to showcase something like the FCV Plus. You can use it as a car or even remove the fuel cell stack and use them independently. There’s more purpose than aesthetics and this is visible in the robot-like face and massive glass area that affords a full 360 degree view.
6. BMW M4- German special forces operator
The M4 was undoubtedly the most sinister looking car of the entire Auto Expo. Finished in the evil matte black paint and sitting on the glorious Star-spoke GTS-esque wheels, the M4 was a literal definition of ‘killer looks’. The 2018 update adds Adaptive LED headlights and the stylish LED as standard, which stood out the most amongst the sharp creases of the M4.
7. Mercedes AMG GT-R- BIC breaker
The beast of the Green Hell stood proudly amongst the slew of Mercedes cars and could hardly hide itself, thanks to its bling green hue. Now known as the production car that holds the lap record at Buddh Circuit, its GT (esque) hood, strong shoulder line and black roof are all elements that are hard to miss.
8. Mahindra Thar Wanderlust- Go anywhere…literally
The Thar has been around for years now and at every Auto Expo, Mahindra builds a specialised vehicle on the body of the Thar. This time around, it’s the rather rugged looking Wanderlust concept that aims to replicate the looks of SUVs that cross continents. The chunky tyres, winch and snorkel all help enhance to go anywhere appearance.
9. Tata H5X-Homegrown Hotstepper
Tata will go into the big league for the first time with the production version of the H5X. It’s underpinned by a platform shared Land Rover and will slot in above the Hexa in the line-up. The concepts’ defining elements include the F-Pace like silhouette, heavy wheels and a shoulder line that takes some effort to be noticed.
10. Hyundai Kona-It's going to be there in every corner very soon
There’s going to be a new SUV under the Hyundai Creta and this will be the Kona. To introduce India to the Kona, Hyundai brought along the concept car from 2016. It’s got the shape and elements of the production version but with a little more flair in the form of stretched headlamps and those big fat wheels.
11. Next generation Honda Accord- X is the key
Among the sea of concept was the next generation Honda Accord that will come to India later this year. Once glance is enough to give you an idea of the car premium appeal. This is most visible in the design of the headlamps as well as the shoulder line which pops out thanks to this particular paint job.
12. Renault F1 car- Hulk's Wheels
We wrap up our top list with the something insane and in this case, it is the 2017 Renault F1 car. Even one glance is enough to tell you that there is no messing about when it comes to this machine. Every single feature and element on the car is there for performance, speed and absolutely nothing else!
Pictures: Kaustubh Gandhi
