By IANS
New Delhi : Car design guru Dilip Chhabria has moved beyond tweaking Aston Martins. The DC Designs chief Thursday unveiled his super luxury concept car “Ambierod” here at the Auto Expo 2008. Inspired by the “Ambassador” car, the Rs.40-million ($1 million) Amberioid was unveiled by Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt.
“The Ambassador reminds us of everything that was good and bad about India in those days. Amberoid is an attempt to evolve a legend. I want Amberoid to connect with India’s future,” Chhabria said.
Ambierod, in fact, is the most expensive designed car ever to be showcased at the Auto Expo.
Chhabria’s ode to Ambassador is equipped with a sleekly designed instrument panel backed by a satellite navigation system, rear vision camera, three LCD televisions, Internet and videoconferencing-enabled flat bed and multi-coloured mood lighting.
Apart from the Ambierod, the DC Designs also rolled out a sports car under its own brand.
Christened ‘S’, the sleek and mean machine carries a price tag of Rs.2.5 million ($63,635). The engines, transmission, suspension and the brake system have been sourced from global manufacturers. This desi Ferrari offers 100 kmph in 3.7 seconds flat.
“This car has taken 50,000 man hours to design and we plan to invest Rs.500-600 million to set up an assembly facility at Pune for making 300 units of ‘S’ in a year.”
The DC Designs already has an order for the Ambierod and expects to sell around 10 of them each year.
India’s makeover master will also soon launch the country’s first automotive design school.
So the next time you see a spanking new concept car on a turntable being drooled over at a motor show, do remember to check the label. It could be a DC.