India – in motoring terms has come a long way and leading car makers can smell the cake and all of them want a piece of it. But what has caused this turnaround in the otherwise conservative and safety-first mindset.

With the youth of India motoring on full throttle and the much respected elderly using their vehicles for commuting from point A to point B as easily and economically as possible (wish we could say the same about the former) the Indian Automotive market cannot be better placed. Finally there is a clear demarcation between the segments and people know what is best for them. Best for them does not usually mean what is economical and that, which would suffice, but one, which makes them explore the other aspects of motoring – style, power, performance, handling and just good old-fashioned torque! And it is all available right here in our country (It’s a little work, but not like you are looking for a 67 Shelby Mustang) I am sure you have noticed that in just a couple of lines, the word economical makes its presence felt. But gear up for the new wave as it is not about economy anymore. We have woken up!

Socially active India does not resort to layers of gold on the fingers and torsos of our fellow men and women to be recognized. It’s got to be the car they drive around in (or the one borrowed from a rich cousin or dad directly) that makes the statement. Cars have always and always will remain an extension of ones personality and character. Drive around the city hubs and hotspots and you are sure to be captivated by a gorgeous Italian beauty (not the dames, more like a Ferrari) with sweet decibels of a finely engineered V8 or the technical brilliance and assurance of a Japanese sports car or the poise and controlled aggression of a Pajero or Land Cruiser screaming out – “ Drive me around the Western Ghats! Please”. Then there are those that stretch your jawbones a little wider, more than what the almighty intended. But he won’t mind and I am sure he would react the same way when he sees a Rolls Royce, or the Bentley Azure. Not just because they are state of the art in engineering and landmarks for luxury, because he is seeing it in India and so are we! This is what society is craving for and getting. The three-pointed star is now passé (except for the S-class of course) and the Ambassadors, contrary to the name, do not represent our car market nor does it reflect our Indian aspirations.

Now I can stutter on for hours and pages with the luxury and status symbol segments but let’s face it, India as a whole is not there as yet. She is on a growth curve and moving forward. But while on the growth curve, her roots and values still ride on modesty and functionality aka Wagon R. Here is where it gets a little tricky. The attitude now is “ why not spend a lakh or two more and get a sedan or a family hatchback rather than a Maruti 800.” This is the growth curve we are on; it’s a gentle climb, not one that shoots straight up to a Civic. We move from segment to segment (price wise). Flamboyance is left to a fraction of the demography.

Then there are those brothers of mine who live by flamboyance accompanied by all its minute nuances of neon lights, matching window tints and body arts. Pop the hood and nuances dazzle you with upgraded exhausts (for that racing thrust orchestrated with precision) and turbo chargers. Drop the hood and you can still hear the power engulfed aficionados talking about valve timing and fuel injection and latest gizmos available, which I am quite sure, is on their next shopping list. It’s all here and they are ready to have it and to flaunt it. The effervescent and stately Contessa, is transformed into a muscle car with radiator flaps punching out a hole in the hood and bulging out. And we are not talking about an imitation of just any muscle car. We are looking at Dodge Chargers and Ford Mustangs! My have we grown.

It’s a complete given that everyone wants to be noticed and spoken about and written about. By everyone I means Indians too. Yes, there always will be this part in us which talks about gold, fixed deposits (FDs to the uninformed), and property as growth and wealth indicators. This is on the decline and I am happy to say so. More and more of them say, wait a minute, my investments can wait, lets live a little. And why not! Practicality can take a hike in my grandfather’s Premier Padmini! Let me feel the dash of acceleration in a Hayabusa or an R1. “There are no roads for them beasts”, Mr. Practical squirms. But as Indians we make do with what we got, don’t we? Forget make do; we have a ball with the limited resources and infrastructure.

Okay, I may be getting a little carried away. Practicality will always win and should. But unconventional does not mean bad but definitely is more fun. If we can afford the thrill and excitement we will go for it. Have we already come full circle where we move on to Electric and Hybrid everything? No. We are leaving that for the Western community and Al Gore. A certain Mr. DiCaprio and few other Hollywood hotshots have gone the Prius way! But never will we see any of our big screen big earners in a small Reva (sorry but that’s the best I can do here to compete with the Toyota Prius). They are all for the fuel guzzling Hummers and Lexus’, and rightly so. Our country will always dream big and so for a country with so many aspirations and desires full circle will take an epoch. Until then it’s either stand back and watch or scratch out your savings and splurge and be watched. The Indian Automotive bandwagon is no stuttering palanquin anymore. A lot lies ahead to look forward too. Perhaps Jeremy Clarkson would review the latest homegrown offering. You never know with our country and that’s what we love about it.

This article was a user contribution which was submitted under ‘Aspire & Become Motoring Journalist’ contest.