The story of the Standard 2000. 1985-1988

Blue Thunder · 5th March 2008, 10:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhettoMAX

Guys,

Didn't Standard also make a VAN somehwere in the 80's?

I can't find any information on it. (don't ask why I am even looking lol)

Yes, u r right : that van used to be popular amongst tour operators, alongwith the older Mahindra breadbox-on-wheels van . It had a better (aesthetic) design than the Mahindra van. Once the factory closed down, Mahindra had the market all to themselves.

narayan · 5th March 2008, 10:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

The Standard 2000 was displayed in 1986 opposite the Eros Cinema in Mumbai in an exhibition of some international theme or something. I was in PAL R&D (!) then and we went and took some measurements to compare it to the 118NE (!). We had one in R&D for comparison purposes and I conducted a "city fuel consumption test" on it. It gave 4 kms per litre. It was also grossly underpowered. The original engine was a six cylinder unit. The olny decent cue I got from it was the degassing tank. I designed the Padmini S1 degassing tank out of this design, so both look similar. The Standard 2000 degassing tank had a low fluid warning indicator in it, which we did not adapt (!).

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

what was the complete specs of the S2000 ( if i may call it that way !

)..

srh · 5th March 2008, 12:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhettoMAX

Guys,Didn't Standard also make a VAN somehwere in the 80's?

Yes. IIRC the postal department (in Maharashtra region) was using is as their mail vans. In a nice blazing red colour.

directinjection · 5th March 2008, 13:09

Standard 2000 was a major status symbol at the time of its launch. There used to be news reports about who its buyers were. Mr Naval Tata, (father of Mr Ratan Tata) was among its first buyers.

IIRC, the car's ad used to contain the headline - THE ONLY THING IT COMES WITHOUT IS YOUR DRIVING LICENSE

The original Rover had a V6 engine with great pulling power which helped it win the "Caravan-Car-of-the-Year" award back home in UK in late 1970s. I have an article about that in my archives.

Rotorhead · 5th March 2008, 14:15

This car was too futuristic look wise when it was launched. Very good looking car with neat lines and way ahead of curviness on the popular amby . What killed it was the underpowered engine(power to body weight ratio) and guzzled gas as if there was no tommorow. If only the design cue could be taken up by some on the Indian manufacturers (read tata/mahindra) and put in a good engine, this thing sure will give a tough competition to a lot of current crop of cars. Can anyone comeup with some photoshop images with body mods . A flaming red one with nice side skirts, low profile rims with black alloys and some good decals should look really great on this car. How about some angel eyes? wow so many possiblities.

sanjaykk · 5th March 2008, 15:20

Isn't this the same car that was gifted to PT Usha, when she won the Olympic medal.
One of the Newspapers at that time carried an article, which mentioned the FE of this car. People then started saying that PT Usha will go bankrupt with such a low FE car. LOL!

ajmat · 5th March 2008, 16:11

First one was runoured to have been given to Sai Baba, which failed to start!

StarScream · 5th March 2008, 18:09

This is a really enjoyable thread with some fantastic stories: sleeping on the parcel tray, hooking up the defunct lights etc.
It's still a great looking car. Pitty about the engine and the FE.
I remember a story about a business family putting their Standard 2000 up for sale in Connaught Place, Delhi with a placard saying they would sell it for a pittance because of its low FE.

Steeroid · 5th March 2008, 18:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanjaykk

Isn't this the same car that was gifted to PT Usha, when she won the Olympic medal.

That is correct, except that PT Usha didnt win an Olympic medal. She ended up 4th and she got a Standard 2000 for the effort.

directinjection · 5th March 2008, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanjaykk

Isn't this the same car that was gifted to PT Usha, when she won the Olympic medal.
One of the Newspapers at that time carried an article, which mentioned the FE of this car. People then started saying that PT Usha will go bankrupt with such a low FE car. LOL!

Very true. It was gifted by the Govt. which also provided PT Usha with a driver since she did not know how to drive.

By the way, did she actually win an Olympic medal?

trrk · 5th March 2008, 18:57

Hi,

> we had a red one, my sis was bought home in one of these, was a real petrol > guzzler, gave a mileage of only 6!

In Feb 1992, I bought an 1986 model Standard 2000 in Chennai to dieselise it. I drove it to Alleppey via Erode. From Erode to Alleppey there were two of us in the car.

It took about 5 hours to reach Alleppey on a Sunday. With AC on it gave 9kpl in that drive.

I wish I had not dieselised it!

Dippy · 5th March 2008, 22:29

This thread is making for some wonderful reading. The car may have been a failure in the Indian market but just the fact that we are discussing it so much shows how popular it was.

. I still feel it was one of the nicest looking cars in those late 80's in India. For 2 lakh rupees it gave you all the creature comforts at that time which we have in our cars today, power windows, central locking, power steering and the works. It was purely the engine that killed what could have been a very successful car. A nice turbo diesel engine would have done the car a lot of good. I even remember that it was featured in the India episode of Clarkson's Motorworld way back in 1994. I havent been in one but it looked as if it was a pretty comfortable car to travel in.

And yes I would always enjoy the Appu Raja song just for those Standard 2000s in it. Loved the way they rotated on the turn tables with Kamal Hassan and the female extras dancing and posing around it.

Mpower · 5th March 2008, 23:03

Standard 2000 was the wow car of the 80s. I remember was used to drive past the Standard factory (Poonamalle??)on our trips from Blore to Chennai and you could see the cars lined up outside.

Back in the day when 35 bhp Padminis and 45 bhp Ambassadors were running around, I can't imagine why 83 bhp was not sufficient for a Standard 2000.

Steeroid · 5th March 2008, 23:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dippy

I even remember that it was featured in the India episode of Clarkson's Motorworld way back in 1994.

Yeah the episode about how we Indians need to turn to the brits every time we need a car. The Amby, Herald, followed by the S2000 (Honda fans please excuse) and finally he moved on to the grand finale - the latest, greatest Brit car for India, the Sipani Montego!

Thats about the time I started losing interest in Clarkeson's opinions about cars. About life in general, he still makes a great read.

Sam Kapasi · 5th March 2008, 23:11

You have to love Team-BHP.

Somebody revives a thread after 4 years and everyone carries on the conversation without skipping a beat.

5th March 2008, 13:09	#49
directinjection Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Faridabad/Delhi Posts: 1,705 Thanked: 785 Times	Standard 2000 was a major status symbol at the time of its launch. There used to be news reports about who its buyers were. Mr Naval Tata, (father of Mr Ratan Tata) was among its first buyers. IIRC, the car's ad used to contain the headline - THE ONLY THING IT COMES WITHOUT IS YOUR DRIVING LICENSE The original Rover had a V6 engine with great pulling power which helped it win the "Caravan-Car-of-the-Year" award back home in UK in late 1970s. I have an article about that in my archives.
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 14:15	#50
Rotorhead BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 939 Thanked: 29 Times	This car was too futuristic look wise when it was launched. Very good looking car with neat lines and way ahead of curviness on the popular amby . What killed it was the underpowered engine(power to body weight ratio) and guzzled gas as if there was no tommorow. If only the design cue could be taken up by some on the Indian manufacturers (read tata/mahindra) and put in a good engine, this thing sure will give a tough competition to a lot of current crop of cars. Can anyone comeup with some photoshop images with body mods . A flaming red one with nice side skirts, low profile rims with black alloys and some good decals should look really great on this car. How about some angel eyes? wow so many possiblities. Last edited by Rotorhead : 5th March 2008 at 14:16.
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 15:20	#51
sanjaykk BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 438 Thanked: 357 Times View My Garage	Isn't this the same car that was gifted to PT Usha, when she won the Olympic medal. One of the Newspapers at that time carried an article, which mentioned the FE of this car. People then started saying that PT Usha will go bankrupt with such a low FE car. LOL!
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 16:11	#52
ajmat Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 14,866 Thanked: 27,981 Times View My Garage	First one was runoured to have been given to Sai Baba, which failed to start!
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 18:09	#53
StarScream Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Noida/Delhi Posts: 1,263 Thanked: 665 Times	This is a really enjoyable thread with some fantastic stories: sleeping on the parcel tray, hooking up the defunct lights etc. It's still a great looking car. Pitty about the engine and the FE. I remember a story about a business family putting their Standard 2000 up for sale in Connaught Place, Delhi with a placard saying they would sell it for a pittance because of its low FE.
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 18:57	#56
trrk Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Alleppey, Kerala Posts: 2,114 Thanked: 34 Times View My Garage	Hi, > we had a red one, my sis was bought home in one of these, was a real petrol > guzzler, gave a mileage of only 6! In Feb 1992, I bought an 1986 model Standard 2000 in Chennai to dieselise it. I drove it to Alleppey via Erode. From Erode to Alleppey there were two of us in the car. It took about 5 hours to reach Alleppey on a Sunday. With AC on it gave 9kpl in that drive. I wish I had not dieselised it!
	(1) Thanks

5th March 2008, 22:29	#57
Dippy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 7,561 Thanked: 2,470 Times	This thread is making for some wonderful reading. The car may have been a failure in the Indian market but just the fact that we are discussing it so much shows how popular it was. . I still feel it was one of the nicest looking cars in those late 80's in India. For 2 lakh rupees it gave you all the creature comforts at that time which we have in our cars today, power windows, central locking, power steering and the works. It was purely the engine that killed what could have been a very successful car. A nice turbo diesel engine would have done the car a lot of good. I even remember that it was featured in the India episode of Clarkson's Motorworld way back in 1994. I havent been in one but it looked as if it was a pretty comfortable car to travel in. And yes I would always enjoy the Appu Raja song just for those Standard 2000s in it. Loved the way they rotated on the turn tables with Kamal Hassan and the female extras dancing and posing around it.
	(1) Thanks

5th March 2008, 23:03	#58
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,730 Times View My Garage	Standard 2000 was the wow car of the 80s. I remember was used to drive past the Standard factory (Poonamalle??)on our trips from Blore to Chennai and you could see the cars lined up outside. Back in the day when 35 bhp Padminis and 45 bhp Ambassadors were running around, I can't imagine why 83 bhp was not sufficient for a Standard 2000.
	() Thanks

5th March 2008, 23:11	#60
Sam Kapasi Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai (but wat Posts: 6,997 Thanked: 2,378 Times View My Garage	You have to love Team-BHP. Somebody revives a thread after 4 years and everyone carries on the conversation without skipping a beat.
	() Thanks