From uncommon to not so common

Shahwar feels that the likes of the 320d or the Q3 have become far too common on our roads. Now he only cranes his neck for AMGs or Bentleys. When I was a young boy, I used to love the thought of visiting Delhi. The ice creams were delicious, but the cars were even better. It was as if Delhi was also the country’s automotive capital. Compared to the present day, you could almost say that the roads were virtually devoid of traffic back then. In the 1980s, the new Ambassador Mark II and Padmini Fiat would rub shoulders with the likes of an Impala, Dodge, Desoto, Plymouth, Ford V8, Willys, Buick, big Austin, Mercedes, Rolls-Royce even, Jaguar, and what have you. Although their numbers consistently dwindled, the sight of these majestic and huge cars never failed to turn heads and bring a smile to the lips of onlookers. Most of these cars were, at that time, relatively popular among Indians. Although I never got tired of admiring them, I also knew that these beauties were from a bygone era. I wanted to see the newer cars, and most of them came out through the gates of the embassies. The ones that had the blue CD number plates. New generation Jaguars, BMWs, Mercedes’, Volvos, Hondas, Toyotas, etc., also graced the tree-lined streets of the capital. They were few in number, but were simply delightful to look at. Not surprisingly, the owners were the who’s who of society. Things remained like that for a long time, but about a decade-and-a-half ago, the floodgates opened. Now the streets are full of these cars. The other day I was stuck in bad traffic at Delhi’s South Extension market, and, within a span of 15 minutes, I saw four brand new Jaguars. These Jags cost a king’s ransom, but there are many who are more than willing to shell out that kind of money for the bragging rights that come with having one of them in the driveway. Look at the number of Range Rovers, Beemers, Mercs, Audis, and Volvos on the road these days. These cars sure are head turners, but I wonder if they’ve lost their shine a little bit? Many of them are not quite as exclusive as they once were. The BMW 3 Series doesn’t turn heads anymore, nor does the Audi Q3, and neither even does the Q7 to a large extent. These models are very successful, and have sold in large numbers such that they’ve become victims of their own success – as they’ve become far too common to be exclusive. The manufacturers and banks have collaborated in such a manner that it’s made it much easier to own many of these models. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a case of sour grapes, I’m all for nicer cars on our roads – but from a bystander’s point of view, I’d rather ogle at a G-Wagon, an AMG, a BMW M5, a Bentley, Ferrari or a Lambo than strain my eyes on a 3 Series. Cars like those are real marques, and they ‘demand’ your attention. It’s a joy to behold, as these fantastic cars glide past you ever so gracefully. They invariably bring a smile to my lips, punctuated with a whistle. I still don’t mind straining my neck for these truly exclusive machines on our roads.