[GTO]

Now coming back to the list of cars that Stratos thinks need a design change:

1:Tata Safari - Oh boy, this car is well-past its sell by date. No amount of fuel injected petrol engines and awesome advertisements is going to move it off the showroom floors. The quality still sucks for a 9 lakh vehicle and I have never been a fan of its narrow width/tall stance look. I'd prefer the Sierra Turbo anyday.

2:Ford Ikon - Structurally the Ikon is still pretty much with the times. On the looks front the new meshed grille etc. has done its bit to make it look better but yes a redesign should be coming anytime soon.

3:Maruti 800 (Ignis might replace it) - Nope the Ignis aint going to replace it. No manufacturer in the world, the top 5 volume producers included, can make the 800 as cheap as Maruti is. Its still the no.1 seller and not without reason. The 800 is cheap (only 2599/- per month EMI's), basic and utilitarian buttttttttttt it is also fuel-efficient, reliable and has acceptable levels of ride and quality for the first-time car buyer.

4:Tata Sumo - Tata got a little caught up with pushing the Indica project, and did not devote as much time and resources to the Sumo as they would have liked to. That said, with the Scorpio + Qualis + Isuzu Panther (expected soon), they will be launching a new Sumo in the near future.

5:Maruti Esteem (Liana might replace it) - Okay, the current esteem is just too out-dated and I would not recommend a new Esteem to anyone. More so because the price difference between the Esteem Vxi and the Baleno Lxi is down to 30000 odd. Products are over-lapping and Maruti should bring in the brilliant Liana.

6:Mahindra Bolero (new Bolero expected by 2005..as told by my DAD). - Well, ideally the Scorpio should have replaced the Bolero.


However, one car that has surprisingly not come up on anyones list is the Baleno. Its a pretty decent car, excepting for the UGLY rear end. Redesign the rear end to make it look a little attractive, new headlights and better quality interiors - Maruti would have a tough time fulfilling orders. Buttttttttttttttttttttttt however ugly the Baleno is, I would still much rather drive it around than the new Honda City.

GTO