The Hindustan Motor Contessa. Though it was a remake of the UK based General Motor's Vauxhall Victor (a fact that I didn't know until today) it used to be the Beast of the roads and still is considered to be one. Many refer to their cars as "baby" (in a feminine gender), nothing wrong, but if I were to own one of these beasts, it will definitely be called a 'rogue'.
I wasn't really interested in cars back then but I still liked the long body and rogue looks of this beast. Easily the 'macha*' version of the western muscle cars. With its 5-speed manual transmission, 1817 cc displacement, and 75 bhp look reasonable for its vintage. After all, for the Indian roads, it seems far reasonable. This beast is still a hearthrob and obsession for some in the country. Unfortunately, the Company stopped production in Chennai in 2001 and people have to go to other states to get one today. It would be a total a#$-whoop, like a sip of refreshing panneer soda in the Chennai summer, like a bite of Saravana Bhavan's Masal Dosai after a tiring shopping in Renganathan street, like getting off a Chennai MTC, if Hindustan Motors came up with a new version of this rogue in the future. I would love to own one.
* - macha is the most commonly used word in the sub-urbs and college commmunities of today. Though it technically stands for either 'sister's husband' or 'wife's brother', it is the most popular endearing word between friends. I use this word especially because I am tired of seeing "Desi" everywhere to refer to Indians. No offense, I do respect the national language, but I prefer calling my people 'machas' to 'desis'. whoop-on machis and mamus.... varta?
2 comments:
Ah! The Contessa was one of the two cars I used to drool at when I was a kid. The other one was the humle Premier Padmini!
It is sad that the Indian manufacturers don't have much market now.
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