The Hindu Business Line : Two years of speed

The last two years have been the most active for the Indian automotive industry with an unprecedented number of new vehicle launches at almost every price point and in every size segment. During this period quite a few milestones were crossed such as the million-passenger vehicles per annum mark being reached, the prospect of India being a hub for the production of small cars coming closer to reality and European majors, including BMW, Renault, Audi and Volkswagen, deciding to set up shop in India. With so much happening, the last two years also saw a palpable revving up of interest and awareness among the people about products and developments not just in India, but world-over.

Bikes & Cars was started with the objective of offering readers insights, market information and test-drive opinions so that in making a purchase decision they would have a ready-reckoner on the mind-boggling varieties of two-wheelers and cars available in the market. Nor were the opinions merely focused on performance parameters, but included market nuances and after-market realities. The 108 editions of Bikes and Cars have test-driven, reviewed or profiled some 80 different bikes and cars, both new models and variants, besides offering a selection of technology and general articles, both in-house and foreign agency sourced, covering such issues as alternative fuels, hybrids and global alliances.The last two years have also been a learning experience for Bikes & Cars, as much about the auto industry as how to offer more relevant content for the ever well-informed reader, whose incisive queries land regularly in the Q&A inbox.

Not without reason, some of Bikes & Cars' choices have gone on to win both the market and the bike/car of the year awards. The Bajaj Pulsar, the Toyota Innova (the prediction that its sales would start slow but pick up soon enough has been proved right), the Suzuki Swift and the Honda Civic, to name a few.

The two-page special is in two sections that focus on three new bikes and two spanking new cars that are to hit Indian roads soon. Both the cars have the potential to capture the Indian buyers' attention and the Bajaj Pulsar's assault just doesn't seem to end.

As Bikes & Cars heads into the third year, here is hoping that the readers will continue to have as much fun and derive as much satisfaction in buying and driving the bikes and cars recommended.

Please send feedback to smuralidhar@thehindu.co.in

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