Inspired by nature

If you go back through the pages of world automobile history, it will present to you many success stories which have set many a benchmarks. From the time the first Internal Combustion engine was made to these modern times where fuel prices have touched unimaginable heights(crude oil prices projected to touch $200 a barrel soon) , the world automobile industry has seen many ups and downs. Picking from these success stories ,there are some car models which are worth mentioning on account of their style. Man is a part of nature and has been inspired by its many features. Cars which caught the imagination of buyers because of their 'not so common 'styling inspired by nature (animals) are worth discussing.

I am talking about cars which have been given either style or names which got inspiration from animals. Volkswagen Beetle stands out in this category being the most loved car which was designed to look like a beetle. "The bug" as it is called started production in 1938 and held the record for longest running and most produced automobile of a single design. The Bug has set benchmarks for other American subcompact cars as well. Though analysts predicted a bleak outlook for the Bug when it was launched due to its noisy and bumpy ride , it proved them wrong and came in the first four in an international poll conducted for the most influential car of the twentieth century behind Ford Model T,Mini and Citroen Ds. Several factors contributed to its success out of which 'the looks ' hold the first position considering that the manufacturers didn't alter the style of the Bug for so long.

The story doesn't end with The Bug . The Bug can be termed as a cute car but there are other fierce models which have developed a rather powerful brand reputation like the Lamborghini Diabolo(looks of a raging bull), Ferrari F430(inspired by spider), Porsche Cayman(style that of a cayman),BMW 5 Series(the eagle eyed sedan),BMW z4(front grille resembling a shark face), Dodge Viper (fierce look of a viper) and many more. When we consider the huge success of the above mentioned brands , style or their looks is not the only thing that has contributed . The performance and other features also hold equal importance. The fact that the first reaction of a potential customer comes out of sight , the styling of the car makes a strong factor for the manufacturers to consider. In these modern times when cars not only satisfy the transportation needs of its owner but it also serves to satisfy the personal character and identity and that is exactly why companies like Lamborghini has developed a brand identity that can lure speed loving niche market.

Now let us see what is the Indian scenario. Indian companies have always been dependant on its foreign partners for design of cars. Though this scenario is fast changing as India is on its growth path and more and more institiuions are coming up which produce graduates capable of uplifting the Indian automobile industry. India is fast becoming the manufacturing hub of companies like Hyundai,Suzuki etc and so it is important that we Indians comeup with strong brands like the Beetle. With Maruti Suzuki Alto and Hyundai Santro leading the export bandwagon, Indian companies like TATA, Maruti,Mahindra and Mahindra and soon to come Bajaj cars can do much better if they produce strong brands like the Beetle and give the foreign marktes much craved stylish cars. Indians need to change the foreign perception of Indian cars scoring low on looks. Strong brands combined with the low manufacturing costs in India can raise Indian companies to the league of German auto majors like BMW , Diamler , Volkswagen etc in the world automobile market. With the likes of" Kamasutra " inspiring young Indians to design cars the future is not at all looking bad for Indian automobile Manufacturers. They surely can turn to nature for help as we are an inseparable part of nature!