DC Avanti review, test drive

STAND-OUT FEATURES

Most of the sex appeal for this car, however, won’t come from the technical specifications. It’s the low slung dimensions that are likely to get you lathered up first. The design has been around for a bit, and we’ve seen it at successive Auto Expos, but here in the flesh, I’m particularly drawn to the muscular-looking nose and ‘shoulders’ of the car. The surfacing of the bonnet is just right, the black line in the centre breaks up the mass nicely and the lines around the wheel arches look really tight too.

Designer Dilip Chhabria has always been very clear that he wants the car to be both aggressive and elegant, but he wants it to look like nothing else. The chin, with its wide-open mouth, does have a bit too many lines for my liking, but the tightly executed doors and the upper and lower vents look just spot on.

DC is also a designer who loves to shock. All you have to do to experience this is walk around the rear of the car and look at the long, almost Le Mans race car- or a 1930s Auto Union type C-like tail. Now tightened up from the cars shown at the Auto Expo both in 2012 and 2014, the long tail along with the big overhang is an acquired taste. The flat surface looks stunning and so do the huge black slats that sit over the engine compartment. The gently curving flying buttresses, however, give the rear a bit of a droop. One thing’s for sure though – it does stand out.

DC’s Avanti, India’s first mid-engined car, is clearly attractive to look at, feels reasonably quick and is plenty of fun from behind the wheel. There’s also little doubt that at an expected price of Rs 35 lakh, you’ll also be getting a lot of car for your money. The Avanti, however, isn’t a finished product yet. Yes, DC has put a huge effort into getting this car right and only the last 10 or 15 percent remains; but that still means our verdict on the Avanti will have to wait till we drive the final showroom-ready car. What we can tell you until then, however, is that the Avanti really does have the potential to be a genuinely appealing homegrown sportscar. And that will be a first.