An outstanding effort by a homegrown company, really!
The front end is stunning, even if the inspiration from the Ferrari 458 is too obvious. Look at the car in person and she's something else...the low, wide stance gives it an amazing personality. It's only the droopy rear that is a let-down; things are good right up to the B Pillar. But I don't like the rear 3-quarter look at all. Somehow, the design flow from front to back lacks synergy. However, if you look at the Avanti from the dead rear, it's nice in a supercar'ish way. The Avanti's dimensions are as follows : Wheelbase 2700 mm, Length 4623 mm, Width 1967 mm and Height 1213 mm. The kerb weight is 1,562 kilos while the ground clearance is 155 mm.
Power comes from a Ford-sourced EcoBoost 2.0 liter direct-injection turbo-charged petrol with 240 BHP (@ 5,500 rpm) and 366 Nm of max torque (@ 3,500 rpm) on tap. The motor has variable valve timing tech as well. It's a mid-engine RWD layout, and power is delivered through a 6 speed manual. Ford's dual clutch Automatic will be available as an option at a later stage. Rumour mills insist that a 400 BHP Honda V6 will follow too. Under the skin is a space frame chassis, while the suspension gets unequal length wishbones with coil overs. Yep, the steering is a hydraulic rack & pinion unit.
I've been told that "it's no Audi R8" on the open road, yet it's quick enough to keep you entertained. Expect a 0 - 100 of just under 7 seconds with a suspension that's sufficiently grippy. The Avanti is not intended to be a track-day tool with a super-stiff set up. Rather, the car has been tuned for everyday usage. Also, the car is electronically limited to a top speed of 250 kph.
The Avanti should cost ~24 lakhs ex-showroom; that's about the money you would pay for a D2 segment sedan in India (including the likes of the Toyota Camry). I can think of a good number of customers who'd buy this for the flash, and some others for the potentially enthusiastic drive experience. I think DC's biggest challenge is to deliver on acceptable levels of quality & reliability. My advice : Don't pack it to the gills with gizmos that will eventually fail. Rather, focus on mechanical simplicity & durability.
Nearly all power-train, electronic & suspension parts are imported. A majority of these brand-name performance parts are used in other cars, and can be bought off the shelf (or online).
Sales & service will be from 5 DC-owned outlets in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai and Hyderabad. 4 to 5 mules are currently being tested. The final assembly with be performed at Talegaon, Pune. Deliveries start in 2013 & the planned annual production is of 300 units.
Could have done with a better name though. "Avanti" just doesn't suit a sports car IMHO.
Projector eyes & 5 LEDs:
Neat design up until the B Pillar area. It's downhill (pun intended) there after:
Bang from the rear, the Avanti looks as imposing as from the front. Very supercar'ish:
Possibly the worst angle to view this car in. Too droopy:
Single wiper unit. Some amount of storage should be available under the hood:
Piano-black finish on the roof & A-pillars:
255/35 R19 Pirellis on the front. 295/30 R19s at the rear:
330 mm ventilated disc brakes with AP Racing callipers at all 4 corners:
Air-feed to the engine bay:
Funky dual exhaust design:
