Avanti Going Back in Production

[Ernie]

Chhabria to unveil desi supercar at auto expo

TNN | Jan 5, 2012, 01.34AM IST

CHENNAI: The select super car club, which boasts names like the Lamborghini Murcielago and the Ferrari Enzo, will now have an all-Indian member. Auto style guru Dilip Chhabria's DC Design is using its expertise in customizing and prototyping luxury cars to launch India's first ever desi supercar which will be showcased at the Auto Expo and unveiled by Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. DC has set up its own production unit in Pune from where it plans to bespoke manufacture around 300 super cars for the Indian market.

To be called the Avanti-a throwback to the Studebaker car of the same name which ruled the roads back in the '60s-the car's biggest USP, say sources, will be its pricing. The DC Avanti will likely be priced at around Rs 25 lakh, almost cheek by jowl with the Rs 28 lakh tag to be sported by the Caterham super cars that Dabur is launching in India. DC boss Dilip Chhabria is clear about the kind of business this segment can fetch. "Currently the Rs 30 lakh plus category sells around 22,000 units a year in India while the Rs 1 crore plus category sells around 1000 cars. A product with the right specs that's also priced right should be able to grow this affordable super car niche to about 500-1000 units a year."

Benchmarked in terms of dimensions to the likes of the Ferrari Enzo and the Lamborgini Murcielago, the DC Avanti will be built using practices and processes similar to OEMs. It will go through a homologation process, and will have safety compliance features like airbag and ABS. The car will be hand-built in DC's new, upcoming facility in Pune, and will be totally self-reliant on production of chassis, body, trim, interior, assembly, with a large customer interaction area for bespoke customizing. "This project has been committed an investment of Rs 60 crore by way of internal accrual, debt and equity infusion," said Chhabria. "This investment will cover production, testing, and services upgradation."

[Charlie Kile]

Chhabria to unveil desi supercar at auto expo

TNN | Jan 5, 2012, 01.34AM IST

CHENNAI: The select super car club, which boasts names like the Lamborghini Murcielago and the Ferrari Enzo, will now have an all-Indian member. Auto style guru Dilip Chhabria's DC Design is using its expertise in customizing and prototyping luxury cars to launch India's first ever desi supercar which will be showcased at the Auto Expo and unveiled by Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. DC has set up its own production unit in Pune from where it plans to bespoke manufacture around 300 super cars for the Indian market.

To be called the Avanti-a throwback to the Studebaker car of the same name which ruled the roads back in the '60s-the car's biggest USP, say sources, will be its pricing. The DC Avanti will likely be priced at around Rs 25 lakh, almost cheek by jowl with the Rs 28 lakh tag to be sported by the Caterham super cars that Dabur is launching in India. DC boss Dilip Chhabria is clear about the kind of business this segment can fetch. "Currently the Rs 30 lakh plus category sells around 22,000 units a year in India while the Rs 1 crore plus category sells around 1000 cars. A product with the right specs that's also priced right should be able to grow this affordable super car niche to about 500-1000 units a year."

Benchmarked in terms of dimensions to the likes of the Ferrari Enzo and the Lamborgini Murcielago, the DC Avanti will be built using practices and processes similar to OEMs. It will go through a homologation process, and will have safety compliance features like airbag and ABS. The car will be hand-built in DC's new, upcoming facility in Pune, and will be totally self-reliant on production of chassis, body, trim, interior, assembly, with a large customer interaction area for bespoke customizing. "This project has been committed an investment of Rs 60 crore by way of internal accrual, debt and equity infusion," said Chhabria. "This investment will cover production, testing, and services upgradation."

I wonder if some pictures or artist rendorings are available?

[Ernie]

Here are the pictures. They plan to build 200 cars in 2013. Does that number 200 sound familiar?

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/276889/dc_design_avanti_revealed.html

Edited January 6, 2012 by Ernie

[sat65]

It's a shame to see the Avanti name going on a car that looks nothing at all like an Avanti.

[Ernie]

OK, now they are talking about the Studebaker Avanti in India!

"New Delhi-based DC Design have unveiled the Avanti supercar, inspired by the Studebaker Avanti from the 1960s."

http://luxedb.com/india%E2%80%99s-avanti-supercar-by-dc-design/

Ernie N.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Ernie

[J Boyle]

That car has about as much to do with the Studebaker Avanti as the Avanti airplane does.

Just using the name...along with a greeting card company, stuffed toys and appliances.