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Speed Owning an expensive sports car is the ultimate high. And the ultimate status symbol. Enthusiast Samir Thapar offers advice on the most popular models in India, where to buy them, what they cost and what it requires to maintain them in Indian conditions .
India has a rich heritage of sports cars. the maharajas and nawabs vied with each other to possess the best models of the era--gleaming, sleek models which were popular in USA and Europe at that time. It was not unusual, therefore, to spot an E-type Jaguar alongside an old saloon Rolls-Royce on the streets of Delhi. My own affair with these dream machines began as early as 1970. I was barely five years old when my father bought a Fiat 124 Spider. I would spend hours feasting my eyes on the sleek, smooth lines of the car. And there was no bigger treat for me than to be taken for a spin in it. In those days the roads were uncluttered and one could enjoy a fast drive within the city of Delhi itself.
In 1984 when I went to USA for higher studies, I took my fascination for cars with me. There, I had an opportunity to see and drive a large number of automobiles and learn all about them. If you are a car lover and take pleasure in seeing the sports car standing in the driveway or garage, this in itself is a tremendous high. Just gazing at this marvel of design and engineering is enough. But is it? To own a sports car means you want to drive it, and the joy of driving one is unimaginable. Delhi and Mumbai are the two cities in India where you may see the maximum number of these vehicles. Some of the most popular ones on Indian roads are the Ferrari 348 (its new avatar is the 355), Corvettes, Porsche 911, Acura NSX, Ford GT 40, Dodge Viper, Toyota Supra and Mitsubishi 3000 GT. The thrill they give a car lover has to be experienced to be believed.
A Ferrari is the supercar in the sports-car category. The two-seater 348 is a relatively `loud car'. The characteristic roar of the engine when you are accelerating or driving it at the top speed it affords (150 mph) is a thrill in itself. Sitting in one of these makes you feel like you are in a racing car, and it is an enduring regret that we do not have matching roads for this beauty in our country. The Corvette, also a two-seater, has a top speed similar to that of the Ferrari, but it is much quieter, and the performance is similar. The Porsche 911 has been acknowledged as one of the legends of sports car design and performance, and justifiably so. Another fantastic sports car, in terms of design and performance, is the Acura NSX. The Japanese are better known for their saloons and city cars, but Honda stunned the world with this car, regarded as one of the best-engineered sports cars ever. It was actually built by Honda as a competitor to the Ferrari, being in a similar price bracket. Popular opinion is that the Acura NSX has superior engineering, though the Ferrari has a brand image which is unique. And, though the NSX is a terrific sports car, it has not caught on with car enthusiasts the world over, the way the Ferrari has. A Ferrari is still a Ferrari. For those who believe that big is better, there is the Dodge Viper. This is a really huge car, introduced in the early '90s. This is the fastest one among the ones mentioned.
Before you go shopping for your dream sports car, a word of advice. All these vehicles are built with catalytic converters. It is because of this that manufacturers advise you to use unleaded petrol. Using leaded petrol destroys the catalytic converter. However, it won't damage the engine. Many people have the mistaken notion that using normal petrol in cars with catalytic converters destroys the engine. Unfortunately, in India, there is no high-octane unleaded fuel available. Only 86 octane is available against the 93 or more octane variety needed. But a judicious mix of octanes can be used without too much trouble.
Where to Buy: The biggest range of sports cars is available anywhere in Europe and North America, and if you are not fussy about left-hand drive, USA is the cheapest place to pick up a good sports car and strike a good deal in the bargain. A word of caution, however. I strongly recommend that you buy from a reputed dealer in Europe, USA or UK so that you have full access to the history of the car. This is extremely important for, if the past owner hasn't looked after the car, you could be in for big problems when you bring it into India. So, take care about this if you want to have a sports car which you can own not only with pride but also peace of mind. You also have to be prepared for paying a high customs duty for bringing your dream car into India. For example, a car costing $60,000 would end up costing you over $1,20,000 once you bring it home to India. Importing your Dream Car: If you too want to own a sports car, you have to be acquainted with the procedures. Since these automobiles have to be imported, you can do so: Through a transfer of residence. This means that the resident has to have the car in his or her name abroad for one year or more.
By importing it through an export house or trading house, depending on the value of their exports (there are certain eligibility criteria which they have to meet). This route can enable you to import a brand-new sports car, even three. However, there is one limitation--you cannot sell the vehicle for a period of five years. If you don't want to go through either of the above two routes and don't mind spending a little money, there is a third alternative. You can contact any one of the dealers in Mumbai or Delhi who specialise in imported cars. Then, within a month, these dealers will deliver a sports car according to your specifications, including colour and model, right to your doorstep. But the price tag will be higher. Here, you will end up paying 20 to 25 per cent higher than the amount you would have paid for acquiring the vehicle through the first two means. Choice of Car: For a buyer, choosing a car can have two criteria. If you are a speed freak and money is no constraint, then you can go in for a Dodge Viper, Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette, or Acura NSX. These are very high-performance models. And they have, so to say, plenty of snob value, for those who look at these cars in these terms. And the Ferrari, of course, is the ultimate status symbol. However, if you are looking for a more affordable sports car, which would not be such a high-performance one, then you can shop for a Toyota MR2, Toyota Celica, or BMW-M3, or BMW-Z3 (also known as Roadster). These are as much fun (their top speeds are similar), though they may not be as attention-getting compared to the former. In India, these sports cars are used more for social outings than actual high-speed driving which is what these vehicles are known for. Here, we do not have the autobahns as in Germany or Europe, where the quality of the roads ensures that you can enjoy the thrill of driving or even racing these cars. You can push these cars to their limits over there (do about 150 to 160 miles per hour), if you have the special skills to drive these vehicles. Even though very good roads suitable for these kinds of automobiles are available in USA, the speed limits imposed there can be a constraint. Our roads are not exactly made to support such cars. You would be trying to commit suicide if you try that kind of high-speed driving over here. You have to content yourself, as most owners of these vehicles I know, in using them to go visiting friends, going for parties, or short weekend drives. Driving it (speed-wise) like a normal car, that is. Also, besides the quality of our roads, they are also crowded, which makes manoeuvring these vehicles as difficult as high-speed driving. If you want to enjoy these cars within the city (you can't go to Europe for an autobahn every time you want to try out your car!), you can take them out at late night or early morning, and drive around when there is little traffic. There are some fine roads in south Delhi for this. Outside the city, the road from Chandigarh to Shimla is the best option I can think of for enjoying the pleasure of driving these high-performance cars and exploiting their speed potential. This is a nice, hilly road and wide enough. However, taking your dream car uptil there for this pleasure is another thing! And since the special fuel, which is necessary for these vehicles, is not available on the way, you might have to take another vehicle, along with you, which carries this fuel. But then the delight is worth it. In India, for the most part, we derive our pleasure of sports cars from just knowing that you own one, and looking at it parked in your driveway. These are not everyday office cars, and so you end up driving them less often than the normal car. The mileage done is about 1,000 miles per year or, at most, 1,500 miles. And even this, not at the top speed these automobiles are built for--just cruising around. Despite everything, however, it is worth it. If someone asked me why these cars when you are in India, I would say, even if I was able to drive it once a week, it would be worth it. It is a love, a passion that cannot be explained with logic, reasoning or cost-benefit analyses. THE MAINTENANCE OF A SPORTS CAR A sports car has aesthetic value and the pleasure it gives you might be immense. However, these cars need a lot of care and attention, preferably personal. You cannot depute a driver to oversee even an oil change--you have to do it yourself. Most people I know in India who own sports cars are car enthusiasts in the real sense of the term. They have a deep knowledge and awareness of the kind of care these special vehicles need. You have to be very careful about the road on which you drive. Not all roads in India are conducive to meeting the exacting performance levels of sports cars. There are not too many suitable maintenance workshops. The most refined petrol that we have is 93 octane and using this fuel in high-performance sports cars causes pre-ignition to the engine, which can be disastrous in the long term. The solution is to mix 93 octane with aviation gas, which is 100 octane. From my experience, I would advise that the ratio of the mixture should be 75 per cent of 93 octane, and 25 per cent of 100 octane, which gives you the requisite octane level to give the high-performance sports car the fuel that it requires for trouble-free running. A lot of people I know run their sports cars on normal gas because: (i) they are not aware of these technicalities, and (ii) they would rather not go through these hassles. I, personally, am very careful, and have noticed that even a Toyota MR2, which is just an ordinary sports car (nothing fancy), suffers from pre-ignition if the proper fuel is not used. You can actually hear the pre-ignition sound from the engine, if you listen carefully. And with the top-end models, you can have major problems if you use wrong fuel. Then there is the question of spares. These are not available in India at all. Even the basic things like oil and fuel filters, fan belts, etc., have to be imported. Therefore, one has to stock all these items and many more along with the car one acquires. And a final word of caution. When you take your car anywhere and park it, please see that it is well-protected over there. These cars, I can say from my own experience as well as that of my friends, often get vandalised: they are scratched or damaged by persons who are around there or just passing by. However, since it is your dream car, it is up to you to protect it and so have it parked in a completely safe place where it is secure, or ensure someone is keeping an eye on it. *Approximate rates based on car retail prices in North America and inclusive of customs duty in India (110 per cent). |
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