Small cars are all the rage in India and the expo was not found wanting in this category. GM took the lead by launching the Chevrolet Beat. With a price tag of less than Rs 4 lakh, the new Chevy already has other companies scrambling to rework their pricing strategy. Volkswagen unveiled the Polo in India for the first time, and Honda launched its ‘new small car’. While the Polo will hit Indian roads in another two months, Honda’s car won’t do so until 2011. Toyota marked its entry into the compact segment with the Etios, a global car that will be commercially launched later this year. Market leader Maruti Suzuki didn’t have anything new but showcased a hatchback version of the SX4. With more players coming in, competition in this segment is all set to heat up.

Toyota Etios

Honda Small Car

Chevrolet Beat

Volkswagen Polo

Our Pick:
VW Polo: This small car is a marvel of German engineering. It looks good, it’s got plenty of room and should make for a great drive.

Green wheels

The expo saw many an automobile manufacturer showing off its green credentials. Hyundai’s i10 electric was the biggest attraction, thanks largely to brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan. But it was General Motors’ e-Spark that got people thinking about turning over a green leaf. With technology from Bangalore-based Reva, this electric car will hit the road later this year. Reva had two of its own models on display at the Expo. Toyota Prius, the world’s bestselling hybrid car, was also on show. Maruti had the SX4 Hybrid and Tata Motors the Indica Vista Hybrid, but both are some way away from commercial launches. On their part, Hero Electric and TVS had many visitors flocking to their stalls to check out their green bikes. Clearly, it won’t be long before green vehicles make it into the mainstream.

Hyundai i10 Electric

Tata Indica Vista Hybrid

Chevrolet e-Spark

Hero Electric Scooter

Toyota Prius

Maruti Suzuki SX4 Hybrid

Our Pick:
e-Spark: The Spark is a great car. The e-Spark promises to be just as great. And environmentally friendly. It may help electric cars to finally take off in India. All you need is a plug point. And electricity, of course!

Luxury Cars

There’s only one word to describe these beauties: wow! Even if no test drives were offered, the touch and feel of their curves and lines were good enough for many. The Tatas, of course, showed off the Jaguar, while Mercedes and BMW stopped people in their tracks with a couple of models scheduled to be commercially launched in India later this year. The two German carmakers also had other models on display. Volkswagen unveiled the handcrafted Phaeton, which will be available in India shortly. Another VW group brand, Audi, which is celebrating its 100 anniversary, offered a limited edition A6 at Rs 37 lakh. With less than 10,000 luxury cars being sold in India annually, car makers are clearing sensing a huge opportunity here.

Mercedes Benz GL 350 CDI

Jaguar XJ

BMW X1

Volkswagen Phaeton

Mercedes Benz S Guard

Our Pick:
Mercedes Benz S Guard: If it sports the three-pointed star, it has to be awesome. The preferred ride of heads of state, the S Guard will cost you Rs 6 crore.

Concepts

Some looked like they had been plucked out of a sci-fi movie while others were more down-to-earth. Most won’t hit the road for another two to three years but heightened people’s anticipation anyway. Tata Motors put the Aria on show, while Toyota had a version of the Innova, and Mahindra, a concept of the Xylo. The Renault Twizy belonged to the sci-fi category, while cars from Hyundai, Audi and Mercedes were more realistic. Maruti Suzuki showcased its R&D capabilities with the rIII. Consumers got a sense of how vehicles would evolve as engineers mingled with them and explained the finer details. Even three-wheeler passengers look set for a better ride in the future, if the Mini Iris takes off.

Toyota Fine-S

Mercedes Benz Fascination

Maruti Suzuki RIII

Hyundai Genesis

Audi Sportback

Renault Twizy

Our Pick:
RIII: Suzuki’s first ‘Made in India’ MPV may look very different when launched in 2012-13. But the flowing design and blue lounge lights made it stand out.

Showstoppers

These beauties easily overshadowed the glamorous models standing around them. Every one of them, from the vintage Audi Front 225 Roadster 1935 and the Mercedes SLS AMG to Renault’s Formula 1 Racer and GM’s Chevy Camaro, attracted eyeballs aplenty. Each came with a price tag of well over a crore, but that didn’t put off the admirers. Even the humble Rs 1 lakh Nano had a modified version, courtesy ace car designer Dilip Chhabria of DC Design. The price: Rs 1 crore. It’s still in the making, though. DC also had people crowding around another of its models, the Super SUV Imperator—a cross between an SUV and a supercar. All in all, each of these vehicles was a showstopper.

Mercedes Benz SLS AMG

Audi 225 Roadster

Renault F1

DC Imperator

Chevrolet Corvette

Our pick:
Audi 225 Roadster: It debuted in 1935 at the Berlin Motor show. Even today this beauty stands out in a crowd. The six-cylinder engine produces 50 bhp. A powerful drive indeed.

Superbikes

These guys separate the men from the boys. Bike lovers salivated at the prospect of riding them but had to maintain a respectful distance. Each of these superbikes has an engine capacity of at least 800 cc. And most cost more than the average small car on Indian roads. Harley-Davidson’s reputation alone was enough to attract enthusiasts to its stall. The American icon’s Sportster was, naturally, the cynosure of all eyes. Japanese bikemaker Yamaha had its own showpiece, the R1, on show. Many of the fairer sex also flocked to its stall thanks to the presence of brand ambassador John Abraham. Suzuki’s Intruder wasn’t far behind in winning the oohs and aahs, nor was Honda’s Fireblade. However, some bikers felt a little let down because there weren’t more of the big models on display. On the whole, though, everyone went home happy.

Yamaha R1

Suzuki Intruder

Honda Fireblade

Harley-Davidson Sportster

Our Pick:
Harley-Davidson: It’s difficult to pick just one from the Harley stable, so our pick is the whole lot. Each is a sleek marvel, marrying style with technology. Ride one to know why it’s the best.