[vvijay]

Take any A segment / B segment hatch/sedan, there is always this base variant that comes with exteriors showcasing black unpainted door handles and ORVMs, cost cutting agreed!

For that matter, to see a similar C segment base variant, especially a global car wearing the same black plastic door handles and unpainted ORVMs makes it a total eye-sore! EcoSport Ambiente, Vento Trendline, City Corporate Edition (Outgoing only) are examples.

I mean, it is understood that manufacturers create a base variant to undercut that x.99 lakh rupee price point and make it a marketing tactic, later on upgrade those potential customers into the mid variants considering thin margins. But come on manufacturers, we are happy we have global models populating the Indian auto shores, but it is pathetic to see them on our Indian roads with such loathsome looks especially when we've seen them as global models.

Comments/views welcome! Mods - append it into the appropriate thread if need be.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by vvijay

Take any A segment / B segment hatch/sedan, there is always this base variant that comes with exteriors showcasing black unpainted door handles and ORVMs, cost cutting agreed!

For that matter, to see a similar C segment base variant, especially a global car wearing the same black plastic door handles and unpainted ORVMs makes it a total eye-sore! EcoSport Ambiente, Vento Trendline, City Corporate Edition (Outgoing only) are examples.

I mean, it is understood that manufacturers create a base variant to undercut that x.99 lakh rupee price point and make it a marketing tactic, later on upgrade those potential customers into the mid variants considering thin margins. But come on manufacturers, we are happy we have global models populating the Indian auto shores, but it is pathetic to see them on our Indian roads with such loathsome looks especially when we've seen them as global models.

Comments/views welcome! Mods - append it into the appropriate thread if need be.

I can understand the point you have made here but manufacturers create those base variants keeping the people and their budgets in mind.

Not all can buy a mid or top end variant of any given car, it is difficult for an individual who makes his daily bread by slogging out and decides to buy a car after years, such ones need the base variant to satisfy themselves initially. Once they start earning further they climb the ladder of variants and classes.

To keep the costs down manufacturers have to resort to such practices else all cars will be having their prices northwards.

Anurag.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

I can understand the point you have made here but manufacturers create those base variants keeping the people and their budgets in mind.

Not all can buy a mid or top end variant of any given car, it is difficult for an individual who makes his daily bread by slogging out and decides to buy a car after years, such ones need the base variant to satisfy themselves initially. Once they start earning further they climb the ladder of variants and classes.

To keep the costs down manufacturers have to resort to such practices else all cars will be having their prices northwards.

Anurag.

+1 to Anurag. There is a vast majority of people who have to plan for years for even buying a base version of the entry level car in India.
Also agree with OP that many are eyesores. I remember the new Alto 800 with black bumpers being the latest! However, when seen from the financial point of view, it must be making some reasonable sense (& cost cutting) to the manufacturers and buyers, hence it will be unfair to blame any of the two.

BTW, my car also has black bumpers (Old Jelly bean) and body coloured bumpers were not in vogue back that time. Every time I visit the body shop, the ASC is eager to do a bumper painting job at Rs. 5.5K! I refrain myself as with the bumpers kissing the traffic umpteen times on road, that is not going to look very nice for too long!

Regards,
Saket

[aswin ajith]

Very true. Totally agree. While C segment base models are much better, the base models of B2 segment hatches are the ugly ones leave alone the A segments small hatches. I mean I am not even talking about power windows or central locking. How much does it cost the company to atleast get those rims painted black and add a set of wheel covers ? Another case is the omissions of a tachopod but thats understandable. But those barebones rims without wheel covers is absolutely an eyesore on the swift, ritz and the dzire since these are the premium offerings from the B2 and C1 segments. The Germans are much much better in this regard. Case in point the VW Polo Trendline. IMO the best base model this side of 10lakhs should be the Fluidic Verna. Total VFM.

[SmartCat]

You are all underestimating the power of MBA degrees. It's a marketing technique.

Make the base variant ugly. Make the top variant expensive. And then crank out high margin mid variants in the thousands.

[volkman10]

Isn't this the way the auto industry works internationally too?

Cheers!

[libranof1987]

The no. of people going in for a car of a higher segment (say the Honda City CE) just because a bare-bone base variant is available will be much higher than those put off by how ugly it may look.

So, it's a win-win for the manufacturer and consumer.

[ani_meher]

I think the base versions - especially for some vehicles (like Liva and Etios) where the base version doesn't even have the power steering - are only present so that company can claim 'Starting from xx Lakhs' at some ridiculously low amount. I don't know whether even now it is the case, but it was the case when the twins were launched, and just to claim the low starting value, the base versions were crippled beyond belief.

Other companies' base versions, of say Chevrolet, are pretty good in terms of basic creature comforts like power steering and AC, and you can always put up additional features from the outside market. In fact, out of top version of lower segment vs base version of higher segment, I generally recommend the second, as you can always add up features (except safety ones like ABS/airbags etc), but you can't increase the engine size or the cabin size in future.

[vvijay]

Originally Posted by saket77

+1 to Anurag. There is a vast majority of people who have to plan for years for even buying a base version of the entry level car in India.
Also agree with OP that many are eyesores. I remember the new Alto 800 with black bumpers being the latest!

My point is not on any A or B segment cars guys. In fact, I agree that point equally with you on them.

My take is, seeing such an aesthetic glaring cost cutting on a luxury car as Vento or EcoSport is not appreciated. Heck its C segment, and whomsoever pays close to a million bucks on such a car certainly deserves better looks. And for what such a car stands for. Hyundai never did it with Verna. Likewise some other manufacturers too. That's respectable I say!

[narayan]

Contrary to what you guys are saying, I personally find many of the base variant exteriors quite appealing - e.g. Ecosport, Vento , Duster etc where the black orvm, door handles look quite good. If you go up segments, the base model Scorpio/Safari with black bumpers look very macho as well.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by vvijay

Hyundai never did it with Verna. Likewise some other manufacturers too. That's respectable I say!

Haha...as soon as I hit quote button, your edited post came up excluding the i20! So that' s pointless to say that i20 is priced higher than the competition including the Polo, swift, FIgo etc!

Originally Posted by narayan

Contrary to what you guys are saying, I personally find many of the base variant exteriors quite appealing - e.g. Ecosport, Vento , Duster etc where the black orvm, door handles look quite good. If you go up segments, the base model Scorpio/Safari with black bumpers look very macho as well.

A great story teller, a certain Mr. Sam Kapasi once said that a car with body colored bumpers, door handles, OVRMs & everything else looks like a car dipped in a bucket of paint!

And yes, its subjective too. I like body coloured bumpers but can easily avoid door handles painted in glossy colours.

[aswin ajith]

Seems like this is indeed a highly subjective topic. But I'll still say that Maruti definitely needs to learn a thing or two from the Europeans when it comes to specifying base variants for their cars.

[arjab]

All vehicle programmes are given a cost target. The Chief Engineer or Chief Vehicle Engineer is given a ruthless cost target to meet for what is known as SOP (Start Of Production) target. To meet the SOP target, much tears, hand-wringing, supplier-squeezing-till-the-poor-bloke-almost-dies are done.
This cost target is usually ex-factory gate, hence excise and all other retail levies are not added. Thus the presence of a "skeleton" model in the line-up.
Once that is achieved the variant is handed over to marketing & sales who continues to spice up the range with various embellishments and churns out higher variants.

Most base variants do not bring in a profit sale-wise. It may just meet the manufacturing cost viability but not necessary sales (once you account for all taxes, customer discounts etc). Thus the marked lack of enthusiasm on part of dealerships in not pushing base versions.

In fact the only car which made decent profits even in base version was the good old Maruti 800 in its heydays!

[W.A.G.7]

Nice thoughts there in the thread. For many people (including me) when I could afford my own car, the base variant was the one in target. Anything else and it would have thrown my planning in disarray. Most of the times I feel the base variant satisfies 90% of what you want to have. (Which ticks the right boxes for most people). Anything else could classify as nice to have. Personally speaking, at present I feel that the base variant gives you much more option to customize your car the way you like it!!

I feel the moral of the story is - The outlook towards the base variant is ultimately decided by the $$$ power in your pocket. If I could afford the top end or mid variant, I would go for it, else the base variant would be my best option and would be the best too !!!

[jessie007]

I personally prefer base or mid variants, as they offer the best value and that is why manufacturers also try not to produce or sell base variants as they have the lowest margins on the same.

Coming to the thread topic of looks, you can decide with images of my base variant. Black side-view mirrors & door handles offer a good contrast while viewing, especially with lighter colours. They are practical also for congested city driving as the outside rear-view mirror bears the brunt of unintentional contact with other traffic. Marks on a coloured mirror cover look uglier. Bumpers nowadays are colour coded only in all cars barring maybe alto & a couple more, so not much of an issue.

Interiors are also subjective, but I would any day prefer an all black interior, as compared to an all beige one (impractical as gets dirty easily) - dual tone is fine but with a preponderence of black.