[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by akshay4587

I am into motorcycle touring,...
...head out to the himalayas,my humble 80K Karizma becomes my lifestyle vehicle.
The R1 you see in my profile was owned by a cousin,its one heck of a show off vehicle( i wont call it a lifestlye vehicle),and has almost zero practicality on indian roads and weather conditions...

Exactly what we are trying to focus on here, isn't it? For some, a show off vehicle (what I called a SOV earlier, and now categorize as a sLSV) is a lifestyle vehicle. Period. They are not addicted to the Himalayas like you or me. Therefore, maybe we can call a vehicle confined to city streets only to be an sLSV?

Originally Posted by Delta Wing

...what might one consider a lifestyle object?
Yachts. Sports cars (especially in India, where their utility is what again?) or super luxury cars like RR.
SUVs etc...borderlines since they're built with an emphasis to maximise their performance in all terrains, but yes, for a person who keeps an SUV for off-roading as an addition to his daily office commute, it could be a lifestyle vehicle. Scorpios with yellow number plates? Hmmm...
Modded cars, yes. A lifestyle thing to do. Or is passion/hobby out of lifestyle gambit? Dunno.

Otherwise, my pick of lifestyle vehicles rolled out of factory here in India (not in any particular order):
Zen 2-seater (remember the ad 'single and loving it?'). Don't know if it sold much.
Chevrolet SR-V. Stunning looks, soso performance, meager sales.
Yamaha 350. A beast that screams for a taming. FE-who cares?
The Bullet. The one even trains make way for. Heart-beat resembling thump of engine? Oh yes.
Reva. This one gets slammed in the looks department but environment and uber cool electric running etc...definitely lifestyle.

Utterly confused as to how to define a lifestyle vehicle in India, no? Perhaps if you look at the use these vehicles (which you've listed) are put to, categorization becomes easier. Sports cars, 2-door Zen, SR-V and Reva are all city vehicles - you'd be hard pressed to discover one on the open highway. So we put them all into the sLSV category defined earlier.

SUVs, esp. 4WD SUVs - some are confined to city streets (I know a gentleman who parks an XC90 and a Cayenne in his garage, but neither has seen mud in their entire lifetimes - they don't even come out when it rains, a rare occasion in Delhi!). Call these sLSVs again.

Others do take their 4WDs / SUVs out for touring / OTRs / soft-roading a few times a year. The rest of the year they do double duty as a city runabout (take my SUV as an example, or those of sudev or hvkumar). Now, we are a little hesitant to call our vehicles LSVs because of the primary tag attached to a lifestyle vehicle / product as described by you (and, I think, a majority of Indians):

Originally Posted by Delta Wing

Lifestyle objects would fit this description for me:
1. Something that (usually) comes at a much higher price tag than comparable performance competition.
2. For the price, one gets an object that is styled in detail in exterior (looks etc), sometimes at the cost of utility/performance.
3. The performance may or may not be better (or worse) than specialty competition. Alternately, pepped-up superior performance may be on offer with utter disregard to economy.
4. Some regular use (aam admi) feature may be sacrificed in order to give it an exclusive air (2-seaters? sports convertibles? wall hanging, futuristic looking CD players with built-in and awful sounding speakers?...)

Therefore, such vehicles as mine can be classified into what I like calling the pLSV - I would NOT pay a very much higher price tag, I am not concerned about compromising performance or improving exterior/interior styling detail, I am extremely sensitive about economy (but not at the cost of performance), and no so-called aam admi feature is sacrificed as an after-market conversion. I am sure sudev / hvkumar would agree - look forward to their response to this...

Originally Posted by Animesh

If you have a Thar and all that you do with it is commute from one point to other and wherever without feeling connected to the car in any-which-way, then it is not a lifestyle vehicle.

I assure you, such a buyer will not exist for the Thar. This is one particular vehicle that cannot sit on a fence - it'll be either an sLSV, or a pLSV.

Originally Posted by Animesh

I would consider a Lifestyle vehicle to be a vehicle where the owners thinks of the vehicle as an extension of his identity or something he desires.

So if all that you want is a mean machine and love the thrill of an offroading vehicle, or the wind in your hair and appreciate it. Then what you have is a lifestyle vehicle.

A mean machine, as you describe it, can sit in a garage or turn heads at a party - period. Then it is an sLSV. When the same vehicle is used (IF it is used) to put wind in your hair and not heartburn and wind in your buddies' abdominal areas, that's when it's a pLSV. I hope I'm starting to make sense.

Originally Posted by inreverse

I've got three vehicles for different reasons that I believe solve the lifestytle point in a day to day scenario. Like saying, "I am what I drive"

Skoda Laura: Highway driving + good diesel efficiency + tough performance.
Mitsubishi Pajero 4x4: Going onsite on rigid terrain + Bulk/People carrier + Family workhorse.
Fiat Linea: City driving + liesure outtakes.

...I believe my way of living (LifeStyle) is best personified by the vehicles I currently own.

In the first category (sLSV), a vehicle does NOT usually do duty as a workhorse.
Your Skoda Laura: Does duty as a highway cruiser, and obviously from your post, you either enjoy driving or need to travel. You choose a car that can do your job in comfort, but it's got to be a Skoda, not a Tata or Hyundai (a Safari/Manza/Sonata Embera will do the job equally adequately, without the brand presence). So the Laura qualifies as both an sLSV and a pLSV for you.
Your Pajero: It's off-roading capability is what you bought it for, and maybe any equivalent 4x4 with the same capability would have suited you too - say, the Fortuner or Endy. Here's a workhorse as you call it, not a lifestyle vehicle at all (unless, of course, you go into such terrain for pleasure, not work - which is not the case here).
Your Linea: For the city - a pleasurable car for the family, but something others would appreciate too when you drive to the mall or club. Your sLSV.

Originally Posted by inreverse

IMHO: A lifestyle vehicle is an adverb to get from Point A to Point B, which can also include all of the following verbs.

1. How fast can it go from Point A to Point B?
2. How comfortable is it while going from Point A to Point B?
3. How unique is it in the distance between Point A to Point B? So that I don't spot another one ever.
4. Does it solve the purpose of going from Point A to Point B? Terrain, Drivebility, etc

A lot of vehicles in a particular category would be fast, comfortable AND solve the purpose. But as soon as you consider uniqueness (or brand value), the vehicle dons the mantle of an sLSV.

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

SS for me soul = perceived personality while what we actually turn out to be = extension of real life. For me a vehicle is not a life style vehicle if it is dictated by how you are forced to live by the circumstances rather as HOW YOU WANT TO LIVE.

I am afraid you lost me there...
====================================
To continue on the classification:

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

...a working classification of lifestyle vehicles as they are perceived in India. All are welcome to suggest modifications and / or nominate / delete vehicles in each category.

Category 1: The Style- / Status- Oriented Lifestyle Vehicle (sLSV)
(This category of vehicles will be listed according to class, and not according to purpose, since the owner usually does not use the vehicle as either as a workhorse or for leisure travel. The car tells the world who the owner is.)

1.1: The Smart Hatch (nominations: Swift, Beat, Polo, Punto, Nano <maybe>)

• (This is probably the most favoured LSV category. The Swift projects a boy-racer image, the Beat impresses with its funky looks, the Polo/Punto boasts German/Ferrari heritage, amd the Nano - reverse snobbery?)

1.2: The Style Sedan (nominations: City, Linea, SX4, Fiesta 1.6)

• (The lower end sedans come here. The H-badge has the biggest boast value, the Linea again is about Italian traditions. Fiesta/SX4 have the boy-racer image to go.)

1.3: The Style Sedan+ (nominations: Laura / Skoda, Civic / Accord, Corolla / Camry)

• A highly brand-sensitive segment, where the big 3 - Honda, Toyota and Skoda - rule. Not sure whether VW breaks in as an sLSV yet. Pretenders like the Sonata got blown away, and the few buyers who own them never looked at them as LSVs.)

1.4: The Big Brand Sedan (nominations: any Merc, BMW, Audi)

• (Short of standing on a podium in the middle of the marketplace, loud-hailer in hand, and shouting I've arrived. I'm big, this is the vehicle to convey that statement to the world. And if it's driven by a uniformed chauffeur with a peaked white cap, well...)

1.5: The SUV (nominations: Safari, Scorpio, Xenon, Getaway)

• (More metal for my money - so I rule the road. Give way to the boss - I don't say please.)

1.6: The SUV+ (nominations: Endy, Fortuner, Outlander, Pajero, Montero, XC90, Cayenne)

• (Off-road capable but never seen mud or rocks. I want you to believe that I do go off-roading, but in reality I'm actually telling you that I am rich enough to afford this stuff. And the chauffeur too.)

1.7: The Modded Cool 'n' Hot-rod

• (No nominations here - the possibilities are endless. FFE, LEDs, alloys, tyres, ICE that shatters glass, window tints, stickers - anything that says "Hey, I'm cooool...".)

1.8: The Exotic and Unique Style Statement (nominations: Bentley, Rolls, Lamborghini, Ferrari)

• (My car can outrun your jetplane while I have more comforts in my car than you can in your bedroom. Fast, luxurious and more expensive than a lot of bungalows, these sLSVs are good for that midnight run from Mumbai to Pune in 1 hour, luck permitting - but usually stick to the speed limit or are confined to a garage until someone apart from the owner needs to see them.)

(Coming up tomorrow: Category 2: The Practical Lifestyle Vehicle (pLSV))

Category 2: The Practical Lifestyle Vehicle (pLSV)
(This category of vehicles will be listed according to usage or purpose, and not according to class of vehicle, since the owner usually uses the vehicle for leisure travel. The car can also do double duty as a daily driver / workhorse, and may or may not reveal any information regarding the owner's social or financial status.)

2.1: The Highway Cruising Hatch / Sedan (nominations: Swift/DZire DDiS, SX4, Manza, Linea, Octavia, Laura, Sonata, Fiesta TCDi, Fusion TCDi)

• (This is probably the most favoured pLSV category. The DDiS engine in some of these cars has class-leading reliability and fuel efficiency. A solid feel and good high speed dynamics are what the buyer is looking for.)

2.2: The Big Tourer (nominations: Innova, Xylo, Scorpio 2WD, Safari 2WD)

• (The leader by far is the Innova here. Big family that loves to travel long distances together by road at least 2-3 times a year, economically, safely and comfortably. In the city, the same car may be doubling up as the daily driver, with just one or two people in it.)

2.3: The Adventure Tourer (nominations: Safari 4x4, Scorpio 4x4, Captiva, Fortuner, Pajero, Endy 4x4, GV)

• (The travel fanatic who does go off the beaten path, but hesitates to do so in a lesser vehicle, and keeps 4WD support as a form of insurance / peace of mind to get him back home without breaking into a sweat. Been there, got stuck, want to be there again, don't want to get stuck.)

2.4: The OTR Car (nominations: Gypsy, Classic, Thar, restored & modded Mahindra 4x4s, Scorpio 4x4)

• (There's the Mrs. at home, and there's MRS (Mud, Rocks/River and Sand) outside the city limits. Roads are for sissies.)

2.5: The Home-away-from-home (nominations: DC-designed Traveller motorhome, DKG-designed 207 camper)

• (The rarest variety of pLSV on Indian roads.)

===========================================
If what you consider to be your lifestyle vehicle cannot be slotted into one of the above classes, please write about it and we would like to modify the classification. Two-wheelers (and three-wheelers) have been ignored in the classification effort, those owning such an LSV please do not take offence.

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by inreverse

Mitsubishi Pajero 4x4: Going onsite on rigid terrain + Bulk/People carrier + Family workhorse.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Your Pajero: It's off-roading capability is what you bought it for, and maybe any equivalent 4x4 with the same capability would have suited you too - say, the Fortuner or Endy. Here's a workhorse as you call it, not a lifestyle vehicle at all (unless, of course, you go into such terrain for pleasure, not work - which is not the case here).

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Category 2: The Practical Lifestyle Vehicle (pLSV)
(This category of vehicles will be listed according to usage or purpose, and not according to class of vehicle, since the owner usually uses the vehicle for leisure travel. The car can also do double duty as a daily driver / workhorse, and may or may not reveal any information regarding the owner's social or financial status.)

Hmmm, this is interesting.
inreverse's Pajero does its duty. I think any big 4WD car (like Gurkha, Bolero) would have done the same. But inreverse opted for a Pajero over others. Doesn't that make it a LSV? Perhaps a sLSV?

I am not getting the link between leisure and LSV? Why can't a workhorse, not used for leisure, be a LSV?

[rohanjf]

At the cost of sounding funny and stupid, let me explain my view of what is a lifestyle vehicle. For me, it is simply a vehicle that reflects your lifestyle.

I went for a Palio MJD because it is an exclusive car, just like me. It is not inexpensive to maintain, just like me. It runs on diesel, to show that I like to drive a lot. I keep it dirty, to show to the world that I am a bachelor (how many married people get their cars cleaned only during its regular service?).

[rhandle]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

So there we are. rhandle is looking for the unique, expensive and head-turning sLSV. But isn't your own Gurkha a pLSV? Where would you like to classify that vehicle? As an LSV or not?

I dont consider Gurkha as LSV. It was a needed to fulfill one of my needs, since I use to travel to Jungels a lot. Gurkha I would like to classify as utility vehicle for me. If not Gurkha then I would have bought Gypsy. In fact still planning to. May be a modified Gypsy like mixture of Khan Sultan and Allan's combination be classified as LSV for me.

Talking about RR it has been my passion since childhood ... (might be because RR shares same initials like me)

It's not about being big and bad but nice and dignified.

[RajaTaurus]

@SS Traveller, Good analysis and broadly reflects trends in India.
btw, in both categories Cedia is not figuring and I can sure understand why. Like the tagline of Mitsubishi North America goes "It's different... for a reason'. hahaha.

[anupmathur]

DocSS, what an amazing exercise!
Why can't we keep life simple?

Hmm...wonder where I fit in?
Is mine a sLSV or a pLSV?
Never thought about it. It's what I needed for trips to the Himalayas, and it is what I could afford. If I had more disposable income I would have still bought the same!
If I had had less I would have settled for a Gypsy again! Or maybe a Bolero.

For city use it's the WagonR most of the time.

[Delta Wing]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Utterly confused as to how to define a lifestyle vehicle in India, no? Perhaps if you look at the use these vehicles (which you've listed) are put to, categorization becomes easier. Sports cars, 2-door Zen, SR-V and Reva are all city vehicles - you'd be hard pressed to discover one on the open highway. So we put them all into the sLSV category defined earlier.

SUVs, esp. 4WD SUVs - some are confined to city streets (I know a gentleman who parks an XC90 and a Cayenne in his garage, but neither has seen mud in their entire lifetimes - they don't even come out when it rains, a rare occasion in Delhi!). Call these sLSVs again.

Others do take their 4WDs / SUVs out for touring / OTRs / soft-roading a few times a year. The rest of the year they do double duty as a city runabout (take my SUV as an example, or those of sudev or hvkumar). Now, we are a little hesitant to call our vehicles LSVs because of the primary tag attached to a lifestyle vehicle / product as described by you (and, I think, a majority of Indians):

Therefore, such vehicles as mine can be classified into what I like calling the pLSV - I would NOT pay a very much higher price tag, I am not concerned about compromising performance or improving exterior/interior styling detail, I am extremely sensitive about economy (but not at the cost of performance), and no so-called aam admi feature is sacrificed as an after-market conversion.

Confusing? Not really. However, the definition of lifestyle as 'way of life for an individual, group or a community' is a very broad (all-inclusive, if I may say) and selective definitions are made depending on the criteria used for distinction as lifestyle.
So, you in your SUV doing a daily office run may not be in a lifestyle vehicle but when you take the same SUV to hazardous slopes and terrains, it sure would be so.
The criterion, as you said, is the use the vehicle is put to (or has to be put to). My list defines the uses the vehicle can be put to by default design of lifestyle into it which the owner would be forced to follow. So, 2 seaters cannot be used as family cars even if so desired. That makes a Carrera a lifestyle vehicle. Also, a Scorpio is a lifestyle vehicle if used as shown in the ad of the executive on a golfing spree in the desert but not so if a Scorpio is used as an A to B vehicle full of suitcases and people (which still makes it a good vehicle to own).
Then again, to each his own, er...different lifestyle.

[Rajachu]

can we call LSV as a vehicle shows the real you and your life style which is not shown or not yet.may be we are using something different for the daily life due to reasons but a vehicle shows your attitude and passion.like an offroader wants one like Shans+Allans gypsy combination.A tourer like rainmaker needs a vehicle as a tourer come camper.For Arka it would be a bomb proof,4X4,some of us a Thar is going to be life style vehicle?hope iam driving in the right terrain

Raj Achu

[wanderernomad]

SS mate thats where regular himalayan sojourns help, lol they keep you updated up there. No offense meant though and hope none is taken.

[Animesh]

Doesn't matter how much theory is thrown behind the word "Lifestyle car". It boils down to one question. Has your car got SOUL?

[sbraj]

To get some insights, I just searched for 'Lifestyle vehicle' in google. You know what? This thread appeared as the top 3rd link.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by sbraj

Hmmm, this is interesting.
inreverse's Pajero does its duty. I think any big 4WD car (like Gurkha, Bolero) would have done the same. But inreverse opted for a Pajero over others. Doesn't that make it a LSV? Perhaps a sLSV?

I am not getting the link between leisure and LSV? Why can't a workhorse, not used for leisure, be a LSV?

Any workhorse bought for its style quotient can be considered an sLSV - why not? But inreverse specifically states that his Pajero is meant for

Going onsite on rigid terrain + Bulk/People carrier + Family workhorse

Style was not a factor determining his purchase decision. Just because he can afford a stylish & expensive car may not mean he bought it as an LSV.
@ inreverse: You're welcome to correct me.

Originally Posted by rohanjf

For me, it is simply a vehicle that reflects your lifestyle.
I went for a Palio MJD because it is an exclusive car, just like me. It is not inexpensive to maintain, just like me. It runs on diesel, to show that I like to drive a lot. I keep it dirty, to show to the world that I am a bachelor...

The perfect Category 1.1 sLSV!

Originally Posted by rhandle

I dont consider Gurkha as LSV. It was a needed to fulfill one of my needs, since I use to travel to Jungels a lot. Gurkha I would like to classify as utility vehicle for me. If not Gurkha then I would have bought Gypsy. In fact still planning to. May be a modified Gypsy like mixture of Khan Sultan and Allan's combination be classified as LSV for me.

Your travels to the jungles are not for business I presume, but for pleasure? In which case, you've got a Category 2.3 LSV, though I've known you to have used your Gurkha often enough as a Category 2.4 LSV.

Originally Posted by RajaTaurus

@SS Traveller, Good analysis and broadly reflects trends in India.
btw, in both categories Cedia is not figuring and I can sure understand why. Like the tagline of Mitsubishi North America goes "It's different... for a reason'. hahaha.

Thanks, Raja. Cedia = Category 1.2 or Category 2.1? You decide... The nominations are supposed to come from you, and I've just given a few examples. Sometime soon, I propose to start a poll if possible, to decide the nominations (and maybe a winner) for each category.

Originally Posted by anupmathur

DocSS, what an amazing exercise!
Why can't we keep life simple?

What? and spoil all the fun???

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Hmm...wonder where I fit in?
It's what I needed for trips to the Himalayas...

Category 2.3 LSV - I think you'll agree...

Originally Posted by Delta Wing

The criterion, as you said, is the use the vehicle is put to (or has to be put to). My list defines the uses the vehicle can be put to by default design of lifestyle into it which the owner would be forced to follow. So, 2 seaters cannot be used as family cars even if so desired. That makes a Carrera a lifestyle vehicle.

Nothing forcible about a buyer's purchase decision in choosing a 2-seater when he has a family of 6. He chooses that lifestyle vehicle, either as a statement to his neighbour, or for the pleasure of a quick trip on the highways, all alone or with just the wife/a solitary friend along.

Originally Posted by Delta Wing

Then again, to each his own, er...different lifestyle.

That's why all the separate categories!

Originally Posted by Rajachu

may be we are using something different for the daily life due to reasons but a vehicle shows your attitude and passion.like an offroader wants one like Shans+Allans gypsy combination.A tourer like rainmaker needs a vehicle as a tourer come camper.For Arka it would be a bomb proof,4X4,some of us a Thar is going to be life style vehicle?hope iam driving in the right terrain

Some LSVs are incapable of being used as daily drivers, while others are amenable to doing double duty. A DC-motorhome cannot be conveniently taken to the mall or for shopping, but Arka's jeep can if he chooses to. If Arka's jeep ONLY went to the mall, and was not put through MRS, it would be a Category 1 LSV; in reality, it is a Category 2.4 LSV with a vengeance!

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

SS mate thats where regular himalayan sojourns help, lol they keep you updated up there. No offense meant though and hope none is taken.

. What goes up must come down!

Originally Posted by Animesh

Doesn't matter how much theory is thrown behind the word "Lifestyle car". It boils down to one question. Has your car got SOUL?

As I said before...

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

For me, a car is a car, and there are different kinds of cars that

• I can afford to buy and run
• I like the looks and performance of
• Does the job I want it to do

So what exactly is a lifestyle vehicle?

Would you please elaborate some more on what exactly you mean by a car with SOUL?

Originally Posted by sbraj

To get some insights, I just searched for 'Lifestyle vehicle' in google. You know what? This thread appeared as the top 3rd link.

Wow! This thread is supposed to BE the insights!

[thewhiteknight]

As far i reckon, a lifestyle vehicle is a vehicle which affords the owner an 'alternate lifestyle an usually has these attributes:

1. Is not usually driven on a daily basis and will almost always be a 2nd car. Is usually driven during the weekends or holidays. I know of enough people who own RD's and 4*4's but choose to come to office in their pulsars and zens.

2. Not reflective of a person's affluence or wealth. Is reflective of how a person spends their spare time or even wants to spend their spare time. someone living in a city might drive a swift daily but a gypsy on the weekends and someone living in the rural parts might have a bolero 4*4 as a daily drive and a SX4 while commuting on the highway or to the city.

3. Does not contribute to a person's importance or standing in society/world at large. Can be as cheap as an old gypsy (which i want) or as expensive as a rangie or a lambo.

4. May turn a number of heads due to the 'rarity' of the vehicle which also leads me to say, it is not usually a commercial success. I still look twice at a fusion because i wanted to own one due to the space/power/other factors it offered. but when it came down to it, i bought a Swift ZXI because i knew the service was generally reliable, spares were cheap and it fell into my city lifestyle. in other words, something that suited my needs when i was doing most of what i needed to do.

5. Is rarely let go, usually with a lot of heartbreak, and demanded by a change in daily lifestyle or space or cold hard cash. Having said that, it is possible that a lifestyle car will not always be maintenance free like some of the other commoner cars but owners will love to tinker around and fix things when they do break down. People who own lifestyle cars usually have a lot more patience with them as opposed to their daily drives.

6. Comes with a highish price tag from the manufacturer but usually the run is limited to 'as much as can sell'. i doubt a manufacturer is looking to sell it as a mass product but the product is meant more for image building, a change from the usual line-up without having to make too much of an investment. Keeps them in the news a la 'New car from XXXX'.

I think Lifestyle vehicles are in some way, considered 'not safe' wrt. economy, safety, power etc...People dont view them as sound investments which are made with the head but rather investments which appeal to the heart, like the lambo which is utter nonsense to use everyday but oh damn, a drive to die for. ofcourse if i had a lambo i would use it everyday and die and be born again and again and again and again.


My list of lifestyle vehicles available to the common man:
1. Ford Fusion: Ford's service reputation, not too good economy, high price tag (how can i buy something that looks like a hatchback for the money in which i can get a Mitsu Lancer). Personally, i think it was waaay ahead of its times. arent all hatchbacks trying to shift to more space, bigger on the inside and all that.

2. For a city dweller, a 4*4, depending on the budget, from a Jonga/Gypsy to a Forester/grand vitara. carries the entire family anywhere, loads of fun outside the city, death inside.

3. For a country boy, a sedan/hatch depending on budget and areas of travel. Reasons remain pretty much inverse of the city dwellers.

And thats my take on lifestyle vehicles :P