Auto Expo in India
The Auto Expo, as the name suggests, is an automotive show that takes place once every two years. It is the world’s second biggest and Asia’s biggest motor show. Until 2012, this show was held in Pragati Maidan, but since 2014, this motor show is organized at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. This automotive show is jointly organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
The 15th Edition of Auto Expo will be organised at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from 06th to 09th February 2020.
The show will comprise of Auto Expo 2020 – Vehicles and Auto Expo 2020 – Components. It will display the components with technology and organize various conferences and allied events. It will also include launches of various automobile products and showcase technological brilliance.
The 14th Auto Expo was organized from 9-14 February, 2018, was the leading show of the automotive industry in India. Similar to the earlier edition, this expo consisted of two major events, viz.
Nonetheless, the Auto Expo 2018 celebrated its joint inaugural ceremony on February 8.
Origin and History
It was in the year 1985 that the idea of Auto Expo was conceptualized, the debut of which was organized in 1986. The 1986 Auto Expo acted as a bridge for technology transfer showcasing how the automotive sector in India is steering ahead in terms of the absorption of modern technologies and promotion of the national research and development programs in order to become familiar with these novel technologies in the tough Indian conditions. This was a 9-day event marked by the then Prime Minister of India – Rajiv Gandhi.
Accreditation
The accreditation of auto expo has been done by the OICA, i.e. Organization Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles. Founded in the year 1919, it is an alliance of automobile manufacturers located in the city of Paris. It acts as a connecting link between the manufacturers and several global auto shows.
The 2018 Auto Expo has witnessed involvement of various national as well as International manufacturers. Whereas several novel concepts, showcases and unveilings took place at the event, there were some interesting launches as well. Here you will get all the updates of the new launches that were unveiled at India’s biggest automotive exhibition.
Hyundai introduced the face-lifted model of the Elite i20 at a range starting from Rs. 5.35 lakh. Some minor changes have been made in the car from the exterior, such as the latest grille, updated tail lamps as well as new alloy wheels. Rest is the same. There are 10 variants available in this car and top end diesel comes with a price range of Rs. 9.15 lakh.
DC introduced their latest sports car TCA, which stands for Titanium, Carbon Fibre and Aluminum. The car is available at a price range of Rs. 45 lakh, ex-showroom and there is a limited production of 299 units of this car. It is created at the design factory of DC at Talegaon, Maharashtra.
The display of BMW at the 2018 Auto Expo has so far been the biggest at the motor show in India. Here, the show goers enjoyed the gorgeous visual sight of the new i8 Roadster and also got the opportunity to witness the all-electric i3S in the metal. However, what really stole the show was the Mercedes E-class-rivaling BMW 6-series GT which was introduced at a price range of Rs. 58.9 lakh (ex-showroom, India), including the brand new BMW X3 which arrives in May 2018. There is also latest petrol X6 which made its first appearance in India too.
It goes without saying that Mercedes-Benz holds a lot of stardom and has still kept it intact in the 2018 Auto Expo exhibit. The Maybach S 560 and S 650 received its India launch at the automotive show. The S 650 is at the pinnacle of Merc’s premium sedan pyramid and is available with a 6.0-litre V12 engine which makes it a highly sought after vehicle. The all-electric EQ SUV model was also put in the exhibition, whereas the AMG GTR previously the holder of lap record at the Nurburgring, lend a quite bright Green shade to the Merc stand.
TNT Delhi Motorbikes is an outlier famous for designing stunning bikes. The modder has designed an extensive range of brands in motorbikes. Here are some of the finest mod jobs done by TNT!
The Shunya is one of the motorbikes which made the customization house popular. It is believed to be the “World’s lowest Royal Enfield Bobber”. The donor motorbike is a Royal Enfield Electra 350. Its design part displays a chassis that is custom-built using a Hardtail as well as a personalized front-end Springer suspension motivated from a 1948 Harley-Davidson.
The motorbike was entirely build in-house and took over 1000 man-hours in its completion. Having a length of 8-feet, the Shunya looks absolutely gorgeous.
The Harley-Davidson Night Rod based personalized motorbike is amongst the world’s most custom-made Harleys. It comes with a tailor-made chopper frame. In addition, it is the only motorbike across the nation which is available with air ride suspensions, i.e. a feature that allows the adjustment of height as per the situation.
The Royal Enfield Continental GT is a distinct looking motorbike that comes in a stock form. TNT Motorbikes considered the model, sliced and welded it so that a completely new look can be given to it. The Café racer DNA in this motorbike is found to be replaced with a more advanced sitting posture.
The gorgeous Rasta emulates Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight. The motorbike has a tailor-made milled duralumin top tree plate along with knurled handle risers in steel that comes with drag handlebar. Its fuel tank has been replaced with a bespoke Rasta theme fuel cap in addition to a tailor-made 9-inch wide wheel spoke in aluminum having 80 SS spokes in the anti-clock display.
Since the sale of scooters has gone up the roof, mostly manufacturers are willing to cash in on this binge. This year has therefore witnessed the unveiling of some really interesting scooters at the automotive show.
Its name Burgman is generally reserved for the flagship scooter of Suzuki, which is proposed in several different displacements internationally. The inspiration behind this model has been Suzuki Access 125. What makes this Suzuki Scooter so attractive is its maxi-scooter styling which also allows it to stand out from the other brands in its competition.
Hero has entered into the segment of 125cc scooter with two latest models, viz. the Duet 125 and the Maestro Edge 125. It’s the same engine of 125cc that gives power to both the vehicles. Though the Duet is more suitable for the older people, the Maestro on the other hand is suitable for the younger generation to flaunt its sporty styling. Whereas these two vehicles don’t possess LED headlights, they rather come with LED tail-lights, digi-analogue instrumentation, service indicators, outer fuel-filling and a side-strand.
Honda came up with a pleasant revelation for its audience by bringing in the latest version of the most celebrated scooter in India. This two-wheeler giant from Japan displayed the new Activa 5G but without disclosing its price range at the 2018 Auto Expo. Honda has introduced a Deluxe variant for the fifth generation buyers. This model has an instrument cluster in digi-analogue which gets ECO as well as service-due display lights. Besides, the Activa 5G comes with an all-LED headlamp, including chrome styling inserts. Featuring an innovative front look for carrying small bags and a sturdy muffler protector in metal make for a gorgeous look of this edition.
The Aprilia SR 125 is introduced in a glossy Blue and matte Silver shade with a price range of Rs. 65,310 at the 2018 Auto Expo. This two-wheeler is powered with 1255cc engine with a motor of 9.5hp at 7,250rpm as well as 9.9Nm of torque at 6,250rpm. It is truly meant for those buyers who are looking for SR-type handling and styling at pocket-friendly prices.
Companies and Countries Contributors in 2018
The 2018 Auto Expo began with around 1,200 participants from more than 20 countries. Honda came up with its EV concept car; Maruti Suzuki presented its ConceptFutureS – distinctly styled with SUV-like features; then there is Renault which showcased its car with electric concept, TREZOR. TREZOR is a two-seater electric car, which is 2.18 meter broad and 4.7 meter long with a height of 1.08 meter. The MD of Hyundai Motor India Ltd introduced Elite i20, the finest compact hatchback. Toyota India makes to the B-segment marketplace with its premium-class sedan ‘Yaris’. The majestic BMW 6 series Gran Turismo was also unveiled at the 2018 Auto Expo.
So from the luxury car brands, only two from the leading five, i.e. BMW and Mercedes Benz have become a part of the show.
Seven from the leading 15 carmakers, three prominent truck makers and two international two-wheeler majors, i.e. Royal Enfield and Bajaj Motors, did not make to this biennial auto show. The makers of superbike, i.e. Triumph and Harley Davison also have missed the edition. Following are the reasons that explained the absence of the leading automakers:
The participation of 20 countries from across the globe has been observed, whereas many of them are from India, the other participants come from China, USA, Taiwan, Canada and Italy, to name a few.
Tickets for the 2018 Automotive Show can be bought from BookMyShow whereas some specific Delhi metro stations also sell tickets for the show.
No unauthorized scooter, roller skate, bicycle, skate board, etc is allowed inside the place. Parking is permissible only at the designated parking locations and it is completely free for everyone. Organizers do not owe any responsibility for any damage, loss or theft of any of your vehicle inside the designated parking location of the show. Place that is immediately around the India Expo Mart is a No Parking Zone.