The Game Changing Cars of Indian Auto Industry

[THE XOVER]

Well, well,well,ever since Mahindra XUV 500 was launched I wanted to start this thread.The Game changing cars,the cars which created buzz never ever seen before, the cars which created their own segments and allowed others to follow, the cars which changed the wheeling culture of INDIA--- World's Greatest Nation.So friends which cars you consider as game changers,your views are like goldust for this thread,please make your opinion count.Anyways here is the list of my game changing cars of Indian auto industry :::::

1] Ambassador,
2] Maruti 800,
3] Tata Indica,
4] Tata Safari,
5] Tata Nano, &
6] Tata Aria.

Feel free to agree or disagree with me and please present your views in this thread as well.Thanks to all.

THE X-OVER

 

[AMG]

The last 4 were nothing extraordinary.

 

[TSIVipul]

@XOVER:
Well,a very imaginative thread indeed.
Still my first question:
Okay,AMBY is looking good in this list.
The ICONIC MARUTI 800 surely deserves to be in this list.
Tata Indica too quite deserves to be here,because it taught Indians what diesel hatches are.

But can you explain me why the other two are here,I mean Tata Safari and especially Tata Aria?
I mean,what changes have they both brought,instead people want them itself to change..[thinking](Just disagreed because you yourself asked us to disagree if we feel so.)

Now here is my list:
1):First of all the ICONIC MARUTI 800:-
I selected this car because in my views this is the true car which taught India how to drive and also told Indians that cars are not for only high class people,but a middle class person can also dream to own a set of four wheels for himself.IS ANYTHING BETTER THAN THAT?

2):Second is the HINDUSTAN MOTORS AMBASSADOR:-
This is the car which had the identity of India associated with it,the first Indian car and had some really great comfort levels too.And what's even greater is that this car carries its tradition even today.I even today remember those movies of 60's-70's in which we used to see AMBYs.

3):Third is the TRULY ADMIRED TOYOTA QUALIS:-
When the Indians knew that diesels are nothing but just crude engines with no refinement,no good performance and a lot of hassles with a painfully high maintenance.Came in the Toyota's foundation stone for its second innings..and being true...ITS THE QUALIS ONLY WHICH HAS MADE TOYOTA SUCH A TRUSTED BRAND HERE IN INDIA.People bought Innova on the name that its the second Qualis and some people even today swear on their cars which have covered even more than 4 lac kms.
Before the Qualis,Indians had to contend themselves with the crude old Safari,Sumo etc,but Qualis,as they used to say in the ad "Maharaj ki sawari aa rahi hai"..did the same and becase the ride for the 'Maharaj' called 'Toyota'.
To see its trustworthiness and people swearing on it,one needs to go to Haryana and Punjab.

4):India's first,for India and Made in India by an Indian diesel hatch-THE TATA INDICA:-
Well,although it was a very crude car in its initial days but even that time also it was a quite good package.This car taught Indians to ride the diesel powered hatchbacks with an FE of 18-20 kpl.Before Indica,the diesel meant either buses and trucks or Jeeps and SUVs,but Indica really changed the game and produced one of the India's beiggest car segments..which we today call DIESEL HATCHES.
Indica had really opened the gates for the diesel hatchbacks in India.

5):Small and a unique design of its time,a good handler and a good performer..ITS MARUTI SUZUKI SWIFT DIESEL:-
If Indica taught Indians what the diesel hatches are,then MS SWIFT is the car which taught Indians what the refined and hassle free diesel hatches are.It taught Indians the capabilities of turbo diesels and brought the myth that 'only petrols can perform' to an end.The path opened by the Indica was really broadened and made driveable by the Swift only.

6):Last but really appreciable..THE ICONIC MAHINDRA JEEP:-
The grandfather of Bolero,Scorpio,XUV etc etc..
Whenever you see her well maintained,what you do is just admire her..from CJ to THAR..these are really iconic machines and they are here in this list because THEY TAUGHT THE INDIANS ABOUT THE ANOTHER BREED OF VEHICLES CALLED JEEPS AND SUVs..or 4X4s.
To experience the JEEP and its history..just have a look at this:-
THE M&M JEEP LEGACY(Download)..
or
THE M&M JEEP HISTORY

I know that posting such links is against the forum rules,but if you really want to experience what the Jeep really is then you must once download it..I have it with me and love watching it daily.

 

[THE XOVER]

@ TSIVipul

Tata Safari : Love or hate you can not debate, Safari was India's first comfortable 4x4 SUV.Still it rules the heart of many and for its critic it may be a vehicle full of niggles, but for its lover nothing can replace "The King". It taught Indians how to " reclaim your life" without getting their backs broken,as was the case before it was launched.Just tell me which vehicle under 10 lac rupees gives the comfort and go anywhere feel that is provided by the Safari.

 

[Nandboss]

Somebody forgot about the first luxury car from indian manufacturer with aerodynamic design and futuristic styling.
Maruti 1000

 

[AMG]

Hey Xover, are you a Tata Employee?

Coz he fanbuyism is getting out of limits.

 

[zengetz]

@ TSIVipul

Tata Safari : Love or hate you can not debate, Safari was India's first comfortable 4x4 SUV.Still it rules the heart of many and for its critic it may be a vehicle full of niggles, but for its lover nothing can replace "The King". It taught Indians how to " reclaim your life" without getting their backs broken,as was the case before it was launched.Just tell me which vehicle under 10 lac rupees gives the comfort and go anywhere feel that is provided by the Safari.

Are we forgetting Sierra here ?? This was a game changer when it came in.
In my view, the list of automobiles I would pick that was a disruptive entry into the Indian market.

1. I agree with the views above with reference to Maruti 800, Tata Nano, Tata Indica.
2. Renault Logan. The most preferred Taxi cabs around.
3. Tata Sierra
4. Mahindra Scorpio
5. Maruti Swift
6. Qualis
7. Innova
8. XUV 5oo

Pl note I have not posted this in any specific order.

 

[Vishwas]

Maruti Alto has changed the game completely to the greatest extent and an affordable,comfortable hatch where it has become the world's largest selling car,and till today no competitors have succeeded to pull its legs down.

Next up is absolutely the Qualis as TSIVipul said, where it had put an end to the Sumo and that sumo lost all of its charm from there on till today,wow i still love Qualis and i curse Toyota people for stopping this car in the markets.Now Sumo should i.e.,is

Mahindra Scorpio: Really proved as a Macho and definitely was the reason for Lower sales number on Safari,way to go Mahindra.

Tata Nano: Yes this was the world famous car and world's cheapest too! Kudos to Tata minds to bring such a low cost car for people to enjoy.

 

[jayadev]

Maruti Swift

Tata Indica

Both became benchmark of their respective segments.later one as a premium hatch and the former for Economy .


Tata sumo.

Earlier sumo added UV into Indian Taxi segment.

 

[THE XOVER]

Sorry guys, just forgot to add two more cars in my list of game changing cars:

1] Tata Sumo : This car was launched in 1994 ,long before India heard about Qualis, Innova etc,and what a success it was, it zoomed to 1,00,000 units in no time, literally annihilated Mahindra Armada, and it was considered as ultimate status symbol then.Remember a former PM trying to save his government by bribing MPs with Tata SUMO.It was India's first successful/comfortable people mover.Hats off to tata and especially to Sumo.It was indeed a game changer of its time.

2] Tata Indigo : Another game changer of its time.Who would have heard about a sedan that would be literally "a hatch stuck with boot".It was and still is "India's largest selling sedan".Currently this car is a segment beater,segment starter(e-CS),and what I can say the sheer no.s of them in road is testimony of this 'first in class sedan' as a thorough game changer.

 

[Prads]

My dad would buy new cars as they launched,but my strongest public reaction experienced in a new car was when we got one of the first Hyundai Santro's(24th I guess) to hit Bangalore roads(1998) in a Red colour never seen in India with yellow company fog lights.
People would come up to our house gate to see the car,everyone would point at the car as we drove past.The attention would get annoying at signals.

Hyundai Santro- Some called it the ugly duckling then I did not really like the front but the back was something I had never seen & I loved it then.It was the first time in India a foreign car manufacturer made a huge investment to bring a small car of a different design called the tall boy to the public & show the Indian companies that they cannot rest on there names & need to innovate(Improve tech & specs) & make there cars exciting(boring paint shades etc).We have gone through 3 santros in our garage since then,but back in 1998 it changed the game

Maruthi Zen- Another car we had just got when it was launched was the maruthi Zen,such was the craze for this car & i kept telling my dad I really want one (i was a little kid) that i would cut out ads of the car in news papers,dad went & booked not one but two so that one would arrive sooner.One thing my dad was eager to try out was the power steering,so in a way it brought a new tech we take for granted to the mass public.

 

[Surfer]

Maruti 800, Swift, Alto
Hyundai Santro, new Verna
Honda City
Skoda Octiva
Tata Indica, Sumo
Mahindra Scorpio, XUV 5OO
Ford Figo
VW vento
Toyota Quallis, Innova
GM Tavera

 

[jayadev]

Maruti 800, Swift, Alto
Hyundai Santro, new Verna
Honda City
Skoda Octiva
Tata Indica, Sumo
Mahindra Scorpio, XUV 5OO
Ford Figo
VW vento
Toyota Quallis, Innova
GM Tavera

Looks like you have considered almost all the cars launched in India as game changers .

 

[autosafari]

The Game changers according to me are:

Maruti 800
(Changed the Indian automotive scene)

Indica
(The diesel revolution + proved that Indians can design a car)

Tata Sumo
(created a new segment)

Swift
(a refined modern looking car when introduced and emerged as a winner)

Tata Safari
(Introduced the idea of SUV in this country. Still a looker)

Mahindra Scorpio
(For various reasons)

Nano
(Placed Indian Industry in general and Indian Automotive Industry in specific into Global focus)

 

[Surfer]

Looks like you have considered almost all the cars launched in India as game changers .

Really Think more and you will realize.