India a crucial market for global unveiling

India's global footprint is emerging as a strong force when it comes to automobiles. So much so that in recent month's manufacturers have chosen India over other countries to showcase their might when it comes to technologies and design. This fact is evident from a couple of concepts that were showcased recently by Ford, Renault and Datsun.

Ford which has been the longest front runner amongst the three names, was the first to showcase their innovation in the form of Figo Concept that aims at re-inventing the sedan itself. Its masculine front end featuring Aston Martin inspired front grille says a lot about the design philosophy adapted by the American automaker that further culminates into a striking overall design combining the side profile along with its rear stance. "The interiors are still not decided but whatever said and done, one is rest assured that it would be of global standards", claims Ehab Kaoud, Chief Designer, Ford North America.

Renault's KWID on the other hand breaks all norms in relation to design. It actually redefines the way in which we Indian look at SUV's. This fact is true as the KWID is a very futuristic looking two seater SUV that features a 4x2 drivetrain. As per Axel Breun, Design Director Concept Cars, Renault Design who was a guest speaker at the 8th Styling and Design Conclave a couple of weeks ago; such concepts aimed targeting young consumers. Mentioning India as a potential market, Axel said that the KWID was made keeping the Indian consumer in mind and there is a possibility that a production vehicle could be in the offering. Its actual time of introduction is something that he did not divulge but it could be soon, so for that one would have to wait and watch. 

Datsun which is a sub-brand of Nissan has been in the news for its Go hatch and the Go MPV but the recent Automobile extravaganza in Greater Noida witnessed the unveiling of Redi-Go Concept. This concept helps in bringing forward the design innovations being explored by both Japanese manufactures - Nissan and Dutsun to cater to emerging markets like ours. "The idea is to provide a product that is simple, modern yet attractive looking to the end customer" says Shiro Nakamura, Senior Vice President, Chief Creative officer, Design and Brand Management. He also retreated that the current trend is to build upon history and heritage which is why models such as the GTR and 370Z have been improvised year on year to suit the taste of enthusiasts. In specific, the Redi-Go Concept is a perfect blend of a small car design clubbed with the agility of a crossover. In fact it is interpreted that whenever the company brings in a production version of this concept many of the design cues could be featured as it is indicating that concepts and their design philosophy is just not restricted to showcasing in the current scenario of manufacturing.

By now it is clear that concepts are being perceieved in a different way in comparison to say a couple of years ago. Design, its philosphy and target audience are increasingly becoming more and more crucial. So is the case with emerging markets where in India stands the most to gain with major automobile manufacturers setting their sight on the economy to reap benefits when it comes intorducing new concepts and then bringing them into production for domestic as well as export use.