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Filed under: Cars

Hong Kong Diary - Cars

Taxi

Well, it had to be about cars didn't it? I had to rant and rave about them.

I will not go hyperbole on how I keep turning my head at every street corner virtually every 3 minutes. But I do.

Given the fact that housing itself is expensive here, parking is even more so. This coupled with great public transportation, most of the ones who own cars are the ones who can afford the really great ones. I have seen some great cars in the last 10 days (apart from the classic Toyota taxis). I am listing down the ones I think are worth mentioning.

Ferrari 458 Italia (Yellow)
Ferrari California (White)
Ferrari 599 (Black) (I saw no red Ferraris, maybe because the cabs are red here)
Mini Cooper S
Mini Cooper Classic
BMW Z4 (gets a mention only because I love it)
BMW Z3 (with Matte finish Black paint *wipes drool*)
Aston Martin DB9
Aston Martin Vanquish
Aston Martin Spider
Lamborghini Gallardo
Lamborghini Gallardo Spider
Jeep Wrangler
McLaren MP4 (in the showroom)
Golf GTI
Volkswagen Scirocco
Maserati GranTurismo
Porsche GT3RS
Porsche Panamera

I will add a few more in the next couple of days I am here as I see more of them. I haven't mentioned many other cars like Mercedes, BMW and Lexus luxury cars because they are not really exotic. Of course they exist here too like everywhere else. (I will continue to pretend that the entire reading world really cares about all of what I just said)

Maybe I sound like an idiot raving about cars which others might see around them everyday, but I have never been to a place where I saw all of them within a small area in just a week's time; so screw you! Also, maybe I sound like a 5 year old kid talking about seeing all these cars for the first time, well, I am one.

Dear Santa,

Guys love making lists. Especially lists which are similar to 10 things…

 

Considering it's Christmas Eve and with all the wish/gift lists going around, I though I would make one too. I will keep it short and simple for Mr. Claus.

 

Here goes nothing:

 

  1. Ferrari 458 Italia (Black/Red)
  2. Fiat 500 - Abarth Edition (Yes, I want both the cars)
  3. LG 55LD650 LCD TV
  4. Onkyo HT-S7200 Home Theatre System
  5.  Xbox 360 Slim - Kinect Bundle
  6.  Nikon D7000
  7.  Samsung Galaxy S 2
  8.  Be a Race Marshal at the Inaugural Indian GP on 28th October 2011
  9.  Tickets to El Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu in April 2011
  10.  Tickets to the Belgian GP at Spa Francorchamps on 26th August 2011 

No, I don’t want some of them.

 

Yes, I want ALL of them.

 

No, they are not in any order.

 

Yes, only Mr. Claus can grant me these wishes; for now.


Merry Christmas!


Happy New Year!

Audi trying to 'Break the Spell'

via youtube.com

This is one of the most well made car commercials I have seen in recent times. I love the way it is attacking all the marquee and established manufacturers at the same time. This ad is made for the US market where Audi appears to be the underdog; and everyone loves the underdog.

Audi is trying to position itself as the rebel which offers all the choices that their competitors are offering under one brand and without the stereotype. It basically is telling people that you are doing nothing but conforming to stereotypes if you drive the other cars; and this would reflect directly in the statement you are trying to make about yourself. As I said in my last post, it is all about making a statement.

This commercial is an excellent example of how one can throw an open challenge to the established players in a cluttered market and try to change the thinking of the consumers to force them to choose your brand.

Finally, I love the way the R8 pulls up in the street for the kid to drool at. I just wish it was not silver! ;)

Dead end for the first ever Indian dream

I love cars! I love them beyond everything. It does not really matter whether they are Ferraris or Mahindras. I just love the idea of a car. It is so much more than a ton of steel, plastic and glass over 4 wheels! It is just a romantic experience for a car lover to own any car.

Indians got the first taste of this experience in a big way in 1983 when the Maruti-800 was launched.

Maruti_20090420

Picture Outlookindia

The one pictured above was the first model of the legendary car. It was small, good looking, utilitarian and did the job. Most of the other cars were the bulky Ambassadors by Hindustan Motors. The 800 was the perfect Indian car. 

Then came the upgrade in design. 

Maruti-800

My family had this one. The thing about 800s is, that it was the most common first car. It was the cheapest, most practical, most economical to run and not really ugly; basically a proper value for money buy. Which is the most important quality that any Indian looks for, in anything, in everything. 

Then came another major upgrade in design for this workhorse.

Maruti_800

Picture via Indiacar

This was to keep up with all the major launches from the likes of Hyundai and Tata. 

Somewhere around this time Maruti also launched the Alto. This was basically to hedge against the people who were growing out of their first cars (which more often than not were 800s) and moving on to other manufacturers.

Maruti-suzuki-alto-1

Picture Rushlane

This was not only more contemporary in terms of design, it was also more powerful, better equipped and a little more car for the little more money you paid. Once this was launched, rumour mills started working that this was the replacement to the over worked 800.

The 800 was never just a car, except maybe now. It was a dream. It was an aspiration for the Indian middle class. Let us not getting into an economics lesson and analyse why it did well for so long, others will do that. This car is a part of our culture and history now as Suzuki plans to phase it out in India. One of the major reason for doing this of course is that the dream of the Indian has evolved now. 

At the same time it is also time for those who could not even dream of an 800 to start dreaming. 

2182989910_c83b50ecc8

Picture SpeakIndia

But this is not the space to talk about it. Today I reserve a permanent parking space for the first Indian dream. 

I love this car! The original design the most. It was epic!
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