requesting some pix of the BABES to be kindly added to the album ...

here is my share of pics.
performance expo 09 by Pixagogo

@ Vikas and GS


Some really nice snaps there guys..

a lot more is always welcome..

Autocar India Performance Auto Show '09

Reaching Mahalakshmi from Churchgate I'm forced to brake hard thanks to some fools crossing the road on a green signal. The Innova in front of me comes to a sudden halt making me brake hard too. No screeches whatsoever and I controlled it well. If only that 'Uncle' behind me had seen ahead and not rammed into me. My poor baby suffered a broken RVM in the parking lot at work and now a scratched rear mudguard. This calls for a full service.

Anyways, save for last year I have always been a regular at Autocar's performance shows. However this time I'd like to say that it wasn't as good as the last time. But anywho, we did enjoy towards the end

Before you enter, there's this group of young college students with their made-at-home formula car. I wasn't too interested in it and hence chose to go past them. Bang at the entrance to the hall are 3 cars from the Supercar Club of India. The Nissan GTR, Porsche Carrera(not too sure on the actual name) and a BMW (Z3 me thinks).

Next up is the DC stall with one wicked looking Nano and a luxury Innova.
The Nano's design has always been elegant and cute. Some may say cartoonish. But that depends on one's view point. The grand daddy of India's aftermarket modders, Dilip Chabbria or DC as he is better known has done an excellent job at masking the Nano's humble looks. Those huge air dams at the front make you wonder if the tiny motor is turbocharged! The rest you can see in the pictures. I personally liked the Innova's interiors with that large video screen and all the wood and light accents of chrome in the cabin.

From an Innova that probably ran over a few trees to another Toyota that will make you run over mountains. The New Landcruiser has massive road presence which can be yours for a not so high 1,730,0000 rupees only. (Also had the Camry and the Fortuner on display)

Next was an enticing looking Laura RS in the same shade that made the original a cult vehicle in India. Of course the sane looking version was also there joining the RS and the Superb.

Ford came in with their latest Endeavour to capture the C segment, the Fiesta. While GM showed off their Cruze in a bold red colour. Good looking car this. Fiat had the cute lil' Cinquecento and the Punto. And some cute lasses sitting behind them too. Mercedes was present with a spoiler and skirt sporting C class in red, an M class and of course the new E. If you happen to be someone like me who has always adored the E class brand, it may take you some time to get used to the new quadrilateral style of the headlamps. But they are in keeping with Merc's latest styling trends. Although the tail-lamp looks good when lit up and stuck to it's German design roots, they don't look very much like those of a Merc. Or maybe it's just me. :P

This time Gautam Singhania decided to keep his priced possessions away from the glaring eyes of starved enthusiasts and not to forget the wannabes too.(Please do not make fun of my ID. :P)

The only motorcycle manufacturer to have shown up was Suzuki. One xBhpian(Kartik..sorry dude i dont remember your id.) described the stall well. with the Access and GS150R sharing the limelight with the 'Busa and the Intruder 'twas fitting to say, Suzuki India: "This is what we can do but this is what we really do"

There was this one tiny stall with a solitary man probably in his late forties and a rally modded Baleno. This by the way is one of the highlights of the show for people like you and me. But more on that later....

Jaguar displayed the XK. Beside it was the Land Rover that kept setting off it's alarm possibly due to high sensitivity. K&N and other modifier friendly spare parts were also available. Winsey wanted to buy some cleaner for his filter and we also checked out the scale models.

The JCB was truly the centre of attraction. "Sure cars aren't rocket science. Except maybe this one." That statement is truly fitting for a diesel that claims to be the fastest in the world. And I'm sure googling the JCB Diesel Max will give you the lo-down on this rocket of a car. Massive exhausts, two parachutes and carbon fibre(yes, i finally touched that hallowed material!) doses that would shame the latest production super cars. Ok maybe that was an exaggeration but who cares.

The 4x4 experience thing was present this time too.

But what made the show worthwhile for us was the executive at the Lamborghini stand who calmly obliged to our cries for firing up the Orange Babe.
The car was literally shaking from side to side from the sheer force of those pistons rumbling away in that V10. Not to forget the acrid smell of burnt fuel, the exhaust fumes and yes the reverberating sound from those massive pipes. Cool stuff! And at that moment nothing could put it better than good old Mumbaiya style slang. "Sau rupay paisa vasool!" But this goes only for the Lambo. Otherwise like I said earlier the show was dull. Add to that the lack of motorcycles this time.

The Performance Auto show will be on for the next 3 days.
Those who still feel they wanna go can do so. Maybe someone can pester the people to start up the Porsche and the Intruder too.


xBhpians at the show:
Winzee
Kartik
Velociraptor
Ajinkya
Some others[sorry guys I cannot remember your names. ]
and of course yours truly

Thanks guys 'twas because of you all that I waited and my starved ears got to hear a V10!
Nice meeting y'all
God bless.

Just came back home,thanks to the damn traffic.Wasn't that good as the last years,though luckily they fired up the lambo and man what a sweet sound it makes.Saw the JCB racer too.
Ps-the Babes were awesome too

some of the guys will be heading this saturday again for some purchase,i mite tag along too.

Nice pics Guru and Vikas.. The GTR looks sexy.. Drooling

Ok. after seeing all the pics and discussions, i might just not go.. Last time was better that this. There were loads of bikes and cars. This time the variety is looking less..

ya true....looks like hayabusa and intruder are the only performance 2 wheelers in india.....and yes the gs150 and access 125 too

Thank you Guru, you saved me some money on fuel and some precious time :P

Satyen there is on thing intresting.Nitro R/C cars they are frigin cool man.Must check out that.

Let me guess, they are outside the tent, near the parking lot... blasting to glory! .... am i right! Happens every freaking year man!

O is it,I gues i missed it last year.
Nd may they were also bored this year,Cause they were not outside.BTW they had quite a few models there,They said starting range from 7k which is electric which does 60kmph,Nd the nitro one they said 17k i guess.
Just some info i got,
i know u know even that

LOL - it is right outside my office so a 2 minute drive for me. Next time something happens here - I'll be the official first-hand correspondent. You guys decide what to do about it after I post pics

He he he, No man, nothing like that!
I have been going there almost every year.... only to be 'usually' disappointed !

Yeah, with your nice swanky phone you can send us live pics and all.... a La-breaking news!

I guess the ONLY expo I was happy was when they showed the P200! That was some surprise!

Lovely photos there! Thanks for sharing.