[GTO]

PETROL HEADS UNITE

In This Series, We Meet Unusual Groups. This week, Kamini Mathai gets talking to Team-BHP To Know Your Car Better Join This Group Of Auto Enthusiasts

How fast can that 800 of yours go? What’s a good car for city roads? Petrol, diesel or LPG? Car questions plaguing you? Answers beyond your reach? Perhaps you ought to catch up with this group of car enthusiasts.

Predominantly an online community, Team-BHP, which consists of a group of auto enthusiasts (who love to call themselves petrol heads), has a presence not only in India but in several countries around the world too. It was established in February 2004 by a group of people from various parts of India who just wanted to talk cars. The Chennai chapter got “real” in 2004 itself when about 10 members decided to meet up face-to-face. The city group, which has now grown to more than a 100, meets once or twice a month for discussions and test drives.

Online, the group has discussions on everything from car reviews and advice on tuning and owning cars to manufacturing trends and lists of problematic cars — all from the people who actually own the cars. The site, Team-BHP - The Definitive Indian Car Community - Home, now boasts of over five million annual visitors from all over the world.

Says Rush Parekh, 31, a businessman and one of the coordinators of the group: “Team-BHP is a community of, by and for Indian petrol heads. There is absolutely no funding from the automotive industry. So, whatever you find on the site is unbiased and neutral, which is why you will find no automotive ads. We talk cars here, about racing them, souping them up and more.” Membership to this club is free, he adds, and open to anyone who loves cars.

Madan Menon, 28, who owns an IT infrastructure services company, and is an active member of Team-BHP, says this forum is simply the best way to get to know your car. “Online, we usually get queries or have discussions but we make it a point to meet at least once or twice a month. We usually get permission from the Madras Motor Sports Club and meet at the Sriperumbudur race track. Sometimes it’s a pay-and-practice session; other times the team organises a “track day”. Members always bring their own cars,” says Madan, who adds that he enjoys the track sessions as he get to see how fast his Palio can go and what he can do with it. “The club does not encourage street racing or rash driving but over here on the track you can really get to go fast under safe conditions. All drivers have to wear helmets and have their seat belts on, so do the people sitting in the car with them. And not more than two people are allowed in a car at a time. This is one way to really test the capabilities of your car. Besides, you get to learn a lot about your car,” adds Madan, who is officially a Team-BHPian, a position you apparently have to earn. On the site, a newbie is someone who has less than 50 posts to his credit, a BHPian has between 50 and 1000 posts, a senior BHPian has more than 1000 posts, while the distinguished BHPians are specialists in fields such as music systems, highways, off-roading, etc.

Not all members have their own cars; some join in because they love cars and want to buy one at some point in their lives. Like Chennai member Ravi Kiran, 24, who works in the sales department of a multinational company. “I’m looking to buy a car and I find this is the best place to find out more about automobiles. The kind of people you meet here are from various walks of life and various age groups but have one common passion — cars. And you can learn a lot from them.”

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Can anyone name the fellows in the pics.
one is yeti.

[srijit]

Woot, spreading the world is important.

ps: Isnt that an old photo? Have seen that before. And where are the Chennai guys in that photo?

[badboyscad]

This is GREAT. Proud to be a bhpian.

[Aditya]

Ashish, this pic was taken in Nov. 2005.
Here is a clearer one for you. You've met a few of us. try to recognise the others.
Read about it here: London Article

[swale84]

Thats a photo of an old Bombay meet!

I can see Priyank (F 50), Robin (Rtech), Gautam, (N_C), Yuvraj (Mad Monkey), Sam (Sam) , Aditya (Aditya?), GTO (Rush) & DIppy. The picture is too unclear to recognise any of the others (if I do recognise them that is)

I'm guessing that's GTO's jeep everyone is sitting on?

Edit: Just saw the clearer pic out up by Addy. I see Kartik (Fireblader ) and is that Jiggy to Sam's right?

[Bass&Trouble]

Yeah it's Jiggy to Sam's right. The guy to Dippy's right looks like Navin (at a meet? Thats a first!). Behind the monkey is Nikhil. Not sure if he's on the forum.

[aaggoswami]

Great!
No wonder, one thread about a dealer's complain causes tension to manufacturers and they have to act!

Excellent. But I would like to know who is whom in this image. I am able to spot only one person " Sam Kapsi " who is standing on the hood of a short wheelbase jeep.

EIT : Who is Rush ? I.e. Rush Parekh. His interview is there london Article and says he is the founder member of T-BHP.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Great!
EIT : Who is Rush ? I.e. Rush Parekh. His name is there in the london Article and says he is the founder member of T-BHP.

ask this question to GTO.
only he can answer.

@ samurai :A nice Chennai article with 3 year old Mumbai photograph.

i was wondering whether this photo is taken at marina beach or marine drive

[kpzen]

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

Behind the monkey is Nikhil. Not sure if he's on the forum.

NSX on forum .

[Samurai]

A nice Chennai article with 3 year old Mumbai photograph.

[abhinav.gupta88]

The report too looks a bit old.
It says it now has members now grown more than 100!

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by abhinav.gupta88

The report too looks a bit old.
It says it now has members now grown more than 100!

the figure is not for entire team-bhp but for city group of chennai.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by abhinav.gupta88

The report too looks a bit old.
It says it now has members now grown more than 100!

I think Madan80 mentioned today that he started the company a couple of months back, so this report is not so old

Am I right Madan?

[aaggoswami]

Sorry to bring it here, but then who is GTO-Touring ? Same avatars, I got really confused in one of the " What Car " thread.

I never knew before arguing in the forum that GTO is founder member. All I knew is that he had Jeep, C-Class ( that was replaced ) and VTEC G1HC.
Anyways, CONGRATULATIONS GTO/RUSH AND OTHER FOUNDER MEMBER/S.