Thanks guys for speaking your mind on this topic. Something more I wanted to add on some very pertinent points raised time and again in this forum and elsewhere in the print and visual media.
We have been made to think that imports are bad, it will kill local industry etc etc the usual protectionist crap. If not for imports or rather foreign competetion. Indian companies would not have improved, innovated ,found the resolve to fight it out with the foreign competitors. one really has to admire companies like Tata, Mahindra, Bajaj,Enfield they put Indian brains to work and were able to prove to the world that inspite of the fact that we were way behind in the technology race thanks to bureaucratic controls and skewered political ideology. WE ARE FAST CATCHING UP, the West is still trying to figure out the costing of the Tata Nano. Imagine if we were still driving around in Premier Padminis or Shakeelas and Ambassador mark X's or booking Bajaj Chetaks for our grandchildren. Those who did not anticipate the changing times and refused to change fell by the wayside. Premier Automobiles, Ideal Jawa. Hindustan Motors has managed to maybe just survive, but they are yet to develop a product of their own.
The other common refrain by foreign manufacturers like Mercedes/BMW/Audi the Indian market is too small, then they should'nt be here. India and China are the worlds two fastest growing automobile markets and they definetly need us!! Let these companies sell their cars in India at European prices, there will be more Mercs/Beemers and Audis than in the Middle East. Common guys common sense how many Merc E classes will they be able to sell at USD100,000 a piece in the US or for that matter for 80,000 Euros a piece in Germany. Our small market!! absolute organic manure they have been feeding us for years!! We suckers have been on this ride for a long long time!!
The other sob story, no foreign manufacturer will set up shop and survive in India if we dont put in place protectionist policies.Really !!the fact is that they need our vast markets and our buying power to survive, we are the last frontier. And more, they will gladly produce in India, where on earth are you going to find components of the finest quality at these prices. Where can they hire some of the finest brains in the technology business paying peanuts, even factory floor labour at ridiculously cheap rates. we are good at what we do, we are learning quality fast and we will be among the best. Where can they find consumers who pay silly money for any crap they produce!! To top it all don' they compete in the rest of the world, where its an absolute free for all.
For years we Indians have been taught or rather indoctrinated that we are poor, we are backward we do not deserve to enjoy the better things in life. Cars, aircondtioners,televisions the endless list of goodies classified as luxuries, taxed to kingdom come. it has only deprived the common man of the better things in life.And what has happened to the billions in taxes. the netas and the babus have been having a ball at our expense.
I am a strong believer in democracy and our fundamental rights, the freedom of expression is paramount and a free press is a must. But our motoring press the less said about it the better. an all expense paid new car launch foreign junket with all the freebies is all that is neccessary to elevate a taxi to a super luxury saloon. I'm told that Dacias(Logan) and Skodas are the cheapest cars in Europe, please correct me if I'm wrong, but every Indian motoring journal will till you that they are some of the finest luxury cars in the world and that we are fortunate to be able to buy them. Check out the recent months auto mags. The Honda Accord V6 at almost thirty lakhs (similiar car in the Middle East costs about 12 lakhs) is a supercar, mind blowing performance blah blah, this is what they write about a run of the mill family sedan which might have a fine engine but wallows like a whale and delicate as an eggshell. When will our motoring press stop supporting this crap and become more realistic.
We as hardcore automobile enthusiasts must enlighten the motoring public, what we need is an Indian Ralph Nader. am sure we can find one amongst us. ANY TAKERS!!
Last edited by Jaggu : 2nd April 2009 at 18:15.
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