In a highly aspirational society like ours it is not always possible to fulfil our dreams. For instance almost all of us go for brand new super cars though we may not be able to afford them on our own. Capitalizing on this psyche DC Design has come up with an innovative idea whereby a high-end car lover can possess something which resembles a Lamborghini, Ferrari or a car which will make them stand out in the crowd.
DC Design founded by Dilip Chhabria is known for modifying cars and counts many biggies of the Indian film industry among its clients. Now the company has built a car from scratch – a process started two years ago. At the recently concluded Auto Expo the company showcased three stunning cars. One of them Avanti is a mid-engined two-seater car launched two years ago in the expo. Also launched was DC Eleron an SUV and a small two-seater, Tia. The unveiling of the cars was done by the Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan in the presence of a huge crowd at the DC pavilion. Speaking on the occasion Kareena said, “It gives me immense pleasure to be a part of such a remarkable launch. DC Design is clearly the most prominent and promising name in the Indian automotive design industry. Both Eleron and Tia are spectacular looking cars and are sure to create a buzz amongst Indian auto enthusiasts.”
Dilip Chhabria at the event said, “I want the most desirable car in the world to bear the Made in India tag. For Avanti which we launched two years ago we are looking at manufacturing 2000 units per annum starting third quarter of this year. For Eleron and Tia we are looking at 500 units and 1000 units per annum respectively by 2016. We have currently invested more than Rs.85 crores for the production of Avanti and Rs.50 crores each for the production of Eleron and Tia so far and are looking at further investments in the coming future. We are not a global player, we will not build millions of cars a year, but I promise you, the few thousand that we will put out every year will be the sexiest cars on Indian roads.”
Avanti, the sports car with stunning looks is a mid-engined rear wheel drive two-seater. It has a two-litre turbocharged petrol Euro-5 compliant engine which produces 250 hp and has a torque of 360 Nm. It can go at a maximum speed of 180 kilometre per hour with an acceleration time of 100 kms/hour in just 6 seconds and has a turning radius of 6 metres. This alternate to super sports car is priced at Rs.30,00,000.
To tap the SUV market the company designed Eleron. The chassis has a race car style double wishbone suspension up front while strong air suspension units hold up the rear -- an arrangement to deliver the sharpness of steering and a firmly planted ride. Under the hood is a Euro-5 compliant turbocharged engine of 2.0 litre capacity producing 265 bhp of power and 360 Nm of torque. The Eleron has been electronically limited to a top speed of 200 kms/ hour top speed and a 0-100 km/hour acceleration time of 9.0 seconds as claimed by the company. Transmission will be an all-automatic affair, a proper 5-speed gearbox with torque convertor doing duty in transferring power to all the four wheels. The SUV rides on large 22-inch wheels wrapped with 285/45 tyres. It has got two large doors helping the occupants get in and out with ease. The four seats are well sculpted with built in headrests and power controls for position, rake and massage. There is a long central console that runs the length of the cabin from the dashboard right through to the rear defining the space for the four occupants .The overall length of the SUV is 5055 mm, height is 1710 mm and the width is 1965 mm. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) is 2500 kg. However, the true standpoint of the Eleron is the adoption of a Targa-roof, which gives it a convertible capability for open top motoring and also all-weather protection at the same time along with a built-in rear roll-over structure which is part of the design detail. Eleron is priced at Rs 35,00,000 but one has to wait for another two years.
The nifty two-seater Tia has been crafted for city use and that too in style. With a modest wheelbase of just 1620mm, the car measures from end-to-end only 2550mm and has a width of 1688mm, a height of 1406mm. It’s a mid-engined rear wheel drive car. It is powered by a 1.2 litre, three cylinder, turbocharged petrol motor that drives the rear wheels via a 4-speed automatic transmission. The engine has a power output of 120 bhp and a torque of 190Nm. Tia’s top speed is said to be electronically limited to 160 km/hour and the 0-100 acceleration time in 9.0 seconds which is more than enough for a car of this size. The “barchetta” (barchetta being Italian for little boat) style marks this cutie differently. The Targa top in this car is more sportily crafted, especially the roll over hoof. This stunning convertible is priced at Rs.18,00,000 but again you have to wait till 2016 for owning this beauty.
The power trains for all the three gorgeous vehicles will be sourced from a named European carmaker for which a memorandum of understanding has already been signed between the two. The name of the engine provider has not been revealed by DC Design. So, as of now you can place an order for the sports coupe and will have to wait for the other two Eleron and Tia.
