[DRIVE_ADDICT]

Today i went for the Chennai Auto EXPO at Trade centre and came back disappointed. Some major auto makers totally ignored the expo it seems. I didn't find Audi, Ford, Chevy, Renault, Fiat, Honda, Mahindra (passenger car), even Tata (passenger car) outlets.

And automobile makers who were there also limited their products on show. VW kept only Vento, Passat and Jetta. Skoda too limited their products with Rapid, Laura.

The only relief is Harley Davidson, they had bring down 5 avatars of HD for show and Merc brings one AMG.

Whether things will expand in the next 3 days? I dont know.

The entry fee is Rs. 50/-. I got one free pass from my friend who is working in Tata so no loss .

[gopinathann]

I was planning for it in the weekend. Looking at your comments I am going to drop off the plan.

[vineethvazhayil]

If it is anyway close to what it was like back in 2009 (when I visited), please stay away! There was nothing worth seeing there and I felt like I wasted my time to go there!

[vijayk]

I believe there will be more stalls and brands come up on Saturday and Sunday (14th & 15th July) as there will be more visitors during weekends comparing weekdays. I found this same kind of difference during any other expo (Property fair / Home fair) in CTC, Chennai.

Some links:
India Auto Expo largest automotive show focusing on latest Technologies and Products
India Auto Expo 2012 in Chennai | Register Free Online | Chennai Trade Centre,Chennai, Tamil Nadu | 12Jul2012

[kaush666]

I will be going this Saturday. Hoping to see few more stalls by that time as per vijayk's experience.

[arjab]

Paid a visit today in the late afternoon. Very , very ordinary and nothing to write home about.
Exhibitors Present:
1) Maruti [A-star, Swift, Dzire, Estilo] No Kizashi, Ertiga, Vitara etc
2) Skoda [Superb (locked - "Car will get dirty Sir", Rapid, Laura] No VRs, No Yeti
3) VW [new Jetta TSi Comfortline, Vento, Passat], no polo, no Touareg, no Beetle
4) Hyundai [ i20, Verna Fluidic, Eon]
5) Honda Motorcycles [ imported range almost all incld Fireblade and the commuter bike range - full]
6) Ashok Leyland [ DOST and derivatives]
7) Tata Motors Small Commercial Vehicles Division [ Xenon Pickup, Winger]
8) Mahindra Small CV division [Bolero Maxi Truck, Genio Pickup and Maxximo]
9) Bee-Em-Double-You [6 series droptop, X3, X6]
10) Merc [ SLS 6.3, C and E]
11) Harley-Davidson [ almost all their models and the most attractive stall]
12) Nissan [Micra, Sunny, X-Trail]
13) Toyota [Fortuner, Altis, Innova]
14) DC [ modded Innova and a weird bug-eyed, actually "cross-eyed bug" model based on ( i assume THAR) because the sales rep at the stall insisted that the "cross-eyed bug" was a "Zeep-like-car-S'aar"
15) a bicycle stall [ i forget the name, but it had a smattering of Bianchi and Cannondales]
16) Some guy selling "World Automotive Supplier Data" CD's . Upon grilling him about the accuracy of the data he sheepishly said its 50-60%!
17) Auto magazines [Autocar, WhatCar, Bike, CV etc]

Notable absentees:
Honda Cars, FIAT, Tata Motors Car division, Jaguar, Land-Rover, Mitsubishi, Renault, Mahindra Cars, HM, Chevrolet, Ford

Some accessories stalls are there. Mainly seat covers with everyone of them claiming their respective seat covers are the best !
The TOM-TOM Navigation system stall was the best. They were running a lot of interactive games and giving a good demo of the various TOM-TOM models.
Michelin stall was also nice. knowledgable people answering all your queries.

Minor accessories stalls, selling cheap Chinese/Thai accessories like dusters, washing mitts etc. One stall was selling some rain repellant for the windscreen in a Otrivin Nasal Drop sized bottle (it smelled like Otrivin too!) for 400rs per bottle - with few takers. apparently according to the seller the stuff is so good that even bird-poo on your windscreen will slither off! Wow!

What worried me was that the general lack of enthusiasm shown by the car sales people. The hostesses had been instructed by the dealer sales staff to get the number of every sole (pun intended) that pitter-pattered across their respective stalls. The sales reps themselves were very uninterested.
At the VW stall I asked them which trimline of the Jetta Tsi was displayed and it took the fellow 10 minutes and a phone call to confirm that the vehicle displayed was the Comfortline.
Toyota was worse. Upon asking whether the T-Fort was the 4wd or the 2wd version, the sales rep got totallly confused and just handed me the T-Fort brochure.

At least, the grub corner, serving Aloo-Papri-Masala-Chaat outside was nice

If you can't visit, don't fret - you have not missed much

[kailashnj]

Some pictures would have been really good too to go along with the description above as that would have helped many others to decide whether they should go or can skip the show

[DRIVE_ADDICT]

Ok so it seems there is no improvement from yesterday. What arjab have seen is exactly what i saw on the first day of the Expo.
Kailashnj, yes your suggestion is valid, but i have not taken my camera with me yesterday, since i drop off from office directly to the venue.

Its nothing like big Auto expo(s), one can kill some time if he/she wishes there.

[nickatnite]

Originally Posted by kailashnj

Some pictures would have been really good too to go along with the description above as that would have helped many others to decide whether they should go or can skip the show

There have been atleast three auto expos in Chennai along with special events( Merc and Audi promos, supercar show etc.) this year so i'm really not complaining. This show seemed like a continuation of the Hindu lifestyle show where there were cars displayed. i took some pics of some cars i liked as the rest can be seen at any street corner.

[amtak]

^^ This adaptation of Dost as an Ambulance is simply mindblowing. I like it

[TheARUN]

The DOST Ambulance looks awesome, very stylish, fitting into the ambience of top-end hospitals and also very practical to reach any crowded corner of the city

[rajeev k]

Yes quite true, the Dost ambulance turned out as the show stealer after round one. The Dost turned out to be the opponent for Force Traveler and could throw serious challemge where the Tata Winger failed.

[satishkc]

Originally Posted by arjab

Minor accessories stalls, selling cheap Chinese/Thai accessories like dusters, washing mitts etc. One stall was selling some rain repellant for the windscreen in a Otrivin Nasal Drop sized bottle (it smelled like Otrivin too!) for 400rs per bottle - with few takers. apparently according to the seller the stuff is so good that even bird-poo on your windscreen will slither off! Wow!

We had put the stall for the Rain Repellant, I donot know how you can smell a Airtight sealed bottle , also we never told anybody that bird poo will slither off , only it is easy to wipe off.

[n.devdath]

These regional Auto Shows fail miserably since they are more of "Dealer Shows" than "Manufacturer Shows". Bangalore has one or two every year and they too are a waste of time, BUT...


Chennai is the new Detroit of India (Or Detroit the Chennai of USA) and an Auto Show here, should IMO, get ample manufacturer participation, support and encouragement. Chennai based Co's like Mahindra and Ford not participating is really appalling.

Sad.

[designersf]

Originally Posted by arjab

What worried me was that the general lack of enthusiasm shown by the car sales people. The hostesses had been instructed by the dealer sales staff to get the number of every sole (pun intended) that pitter-pattered across their respective stalls. The sales reps themselves were very uninterested.
At the VW stall I asked them which trimline of the Jetta Tsi was displayed and it took the fellow 10 minutes and a phone call to confirm that the vehicle displayed was the Comfortline.
If you can't visit, don't fret - you have not missed much

Looks like most missed Renault Zoe's new touchscreen Infotainment system that was on display and working at TomTom's stall. Alongside it was Renault Fluence EV's infotainment system.