The Indian auto industry has travelled a long way since the country's first auto show was organised at a five-star hotel in New Delhi some two decades ago.
In technology, trends, volume, investment and manufacturing capacity, India is an altogether different world today than it was in 1998, when the first auto trade event was held at the Oberoi Hotel as a closed affair dominated by the Tata Group.
The Auto Expo 2016 held at the grand exhibition venue of Indian Expo Mart in Greater Noida was a global affair in every sense.
The event attracted leading vehicle manufacturers from 20 countries and witnessed 80 launches.
(View Photo Gallery)The expo was characterised by the presence of top corporate bosses, high-octane vehicles, celebrities and a massive turnout of car lovers. It saw a record footfall of 700,000.
Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest carmaker, kicked off the four-day event with one of the most talked about launches, the Vitara Brezza. It was followed by a series of big launches and announcements from other leading automakers.
Iconic US car Jeep Wrangler, Mercedes extreme four-wheel car G 500 4×4, Ford’s most famous car Mustang, and the Hyundai Carlino compact SUV were among the most talked about cars.
Many top industry names made it a point to register their presence at the biennial event.
Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry, Mahindra Group chairman and managing director Anand Mahindra, Hero MotoCorp chairman and CEO Pawan Munjal were some of the big Indian auto makers who unveiled their latest offerings.
(View Photo Gallery)Tata, which has been struggling to boost domestic sales, showcased its compact hatchback the Tata Zica, while Mahindra unveiled the all-new concept coupe XUV Aero.
In the two-wheeler segment, Mahindra unveiled two concepts based on its flagship Mojo motorcycle.
Japanese companies and delegates dominated the show, displaying their formidable technological advances.
Suzuki Motor's president and chief executive T. Suzuki launched the most anticipated car of the expo, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. Honda Motor's president and chief executive Takahiro Hachigo unveiled the seven-seater crossover utility vehicle 'BR-V'.
Celebrities like Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Alia Bhatt, Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar added glamour to the show, endorsing their respective brands.
(View Photo Gallery)Mahindra’s e2o sports, Renault Eolab, Audi prologue were the famous concept cars displayed at the expo.
The auto expo also showcased a number of two-wheeler beauties. Despite the absence of Royal Enfield and Harley Davison, there were enough scooters and motorcycles for bike-lovers to feast their eyes on.
The Honda NAVI Mini Bike, which is a cross between scooter and motorcycle and has an affordable price of Rs 39,500 is expected to be the next big thing in the local market.
TVS’s sports bike Akula and concept scooter TVS Entorq210, Renegade Commando of UM Motorcycle and Hero’s MotoCorp's first in-house bike Splendor iSmart 110 were among the most admired.
While the razzmatazz was impressive, it remains to be seen whether the buzz created will translate into bug bucks for the auto industry, which saw declining sales in January.
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