Troubled Times
ANOTHER YEAR has flown by, and 2016 seems to have passed quicker than 2015. The new car market was just about picking up over the last couple of months but we will have to wait and see what effect the demonetisation of the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes has on the economy and the auto market over the next couple of months. At the moment, people are grappling to get enough money to meet their day-to-day expenses and the purchase of an automobile will not be a top priority.
After the VW diesel issue, the biggest news in India, and not only just the automobile industry, was the abrupt removal of Cyrus Mistry from the chairman’s post at Tata Sons. In the last four years, since Mistry’s take-over, Tata Motors have come a long way. His vision of setting up an R&D centre in the United Kingdom paid rich dividends, improving the quality of the cars in terms of design, build quality and overall performance. For example, the Tiago can hold its own against the best in the segment. From the way things were moving forward under Cyrus Mistry’s baton, it was evident that Tata Motors were well placed to go on and give the likes of Maruti and Hyundai a run for their money.
This month we have listed all the contenders for the Readers’ Choice Car of the Year Award. You may have your say for the Car of the Year by voting for your favourite car.
In this issue we also have the first drives of two new SUVs: the Toyota Fortuner and the Hyundai Tucson.
EDITOR – ASPI BHATHENA
