Cars and Bikes at Auto Expo 2008

Auto Expo 2008 – Vehicles I liked

This Saturday, I visited the 9th Auto Expo 2008 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. Held in the month of January, once every two years, this event is the earliest opportunity for Delhi’ites to view the latest models of cars and bikes before they are launched in the market. Here is a list of some cars and bikes, which caught my attention.

General Motors Cadillac CTS

General Motors Cadillac CTS – This dark red saloon is so ultracool. It was first seen in the Matrix Reloaded movie. The Cadillac CTS was launched in 2007 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, USA. It has GM’s new 3.6-litre direct-injection V-6 VVT engine. No idea about the price.

Volvo C70

Volvo C70 – I liked this red sports car a lot. This car has a three-piece retractable hardtop that transforms the automobile from coupe to convertible on the press of a button. It should be available in the market later on in the year and is expected to cost around Rs. 42 – 44 lakhs.

Hyundai QarmaQ

Hyundai QarmaQ – This concept car from Hyundai looked real sexy. The Hyundai QarmaQ has many new safety and environmentally friendly features like a pedestrian safety system. This system absorbs crash energy in the event of a collision with a person and is useful in India where jaywalking is a common occurrence. Part of the body of the QarmaQ is made out of recycled plastic bottles.

BMW M3 Coupe

BMW M3 – This white coupe comes at almost double the price of the Volvo convertible at Rs. 74 lakh. The convertible has a 4.0 litre V8 engine that propels the car to 100 kph in 4.8 seconds with a restricted top-speed of 250 kph. Wish I were filthy rich!!

Triumph Rocket III Classic from UK

Triumph Rocket III Classic from UK – This motorcycle was clearly the most handsome bike at the Auto Expo 2008. It was displayed in a relatively empty hall with engine parts and other accessories. Best of all, the hostesses were allowing people to get close to the motorbike and take photos. Wish I could take a ride on this bike with Salman Khan!! Ha Ha!!

Yamaha Super Sports 2008 YZF – R15

Yamaha Super Sports 2008 YZF – R15 – This bike had a huge crowd surrounding it. The Yamaha YZF R15 has a 150cc liquid cooled 4 stroke single 4 valve fuel injected engine which is environmentally friendly. It looked sexy but was not as grand as the Triumph.

Suzuki Motorcycles’ Hayabusa

Suzuki Motorcycles’ Hayabusa – First seen in the movie Dhoom, the 1,340-cc one seater Hayabusa will be imported in India towards the end of July. Though the bike is available in the international market for only Rs. 4 lakhs, in India, it will cost Rs.8 lakhs because of import duties. With a wide wheelbase of 1,485 mm, the Hayabusa motorcycle offers great speed along with good maneuverability over sharp turns.

There were many other foreign car manufacturers like Audi, Mercedes, Kawasaki, Honda and Skoda at the Auto Expo 2008, but I didn't like those cars or bikes as much as I liked the ones mentioned above. Hope you enjoyed the pictures and photos I put up!!

Did you visit the Auto Expo 2008? Which car or motorbike did you fancy?