It seems as if the rich and wealthy in India are getting a little extravagant and flashy with their choice of vehicles. Moving on from chauffeurs driven luxury saloons, wealthy Indians are now buying fast and sleek two-door sports cars. This shift in their choices, according to industry experts, is giving the Indian car market slightly more breathing space.
According to reports and statistics, the younger population is boosting the sales of such cars. They are young, successful, intellectual and have a penchant for displaying their status. Michael Perschke, Brand Director of Audi India, explained the concept, saying, "The aspiration and mindset of a luxury sports car customer is very different. Such people are game changers, successful, self-achievers and progressive in their values. These customers are young at heart, and are largely self-drivers."
Sales reports from top dealers suggest that 40 per cent of the super brand imported cars are two door machines. Managing Director of Exclusive Motors, Satya Bagla, gave his opinion on the reason behind people preferring coupes. "Indians prefer form and functionality. These two-door compact luxury coupes are packed with extreme power coupled with the practicality of a sports car and are currently driving the market," said Bagla.
Two-door models like Bugatti, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Aston Martin and Porsche are cars that are attracting buyers. Till some time back, Indian luxury car buyers were confined to 20-foot long premium sedans. However, with the introduction of British and Italian marquee brands, the tastes and preferences have changed. Notably, with price not being an influential factor for buyers, the sales markets clocks a rate of around a 1000 vehicles per annum. Among people who own such cars are film stars, real estate tycoons, mine owners and infrastructure magnates. Eberhard Kern, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz India, said, “Rather than majestic cars, Indians prefer individual-type cars like coupes and convertibles for drive-anywhere comfort. From a holiday to even a local mall experience, these customers like their machines for all desirable motoring experiences."
Audi, famous German luxury car maker, sells vehicles like R8 V10, R8 Spyder and RS5, which fall in the high price (crore) category. Michael Perschke explained how the sales of two-door sports cars has grown by a colossal 210 per cent since 2008. “This clearly indicates that the segment for two-door sports cars is increasingly gaining ground in the Indian luxury car market. In fact, we are the market leader in the super sports car segment in India," he said.
Rolls Royce Wraith, a two-door model that was recently introduced globally, has been receiving a lot of enquiries, according to Yadur Kapur, the brand's importer in India. “Wraith has been crafted for the new generation and India, having one of the highest numbers of young billionaires, has witnessed a huge demand for this sole two-door Rolls Royce super car,” he mentioned.
