10 forgotten luxury cars in India
A luxury car is a car with a premium price, performance, and status over conventional vehicles. The phrase is subjective, reflecting both the car's attributes and the company's brand image. It's difficult to recall the brand names of the many modern luxury automobiles sold in the market these days. Previously, though, this was not the case due to a lack of high-end vehicles. A few of these luxury automobiles were well-known in the 1980s and 1990s. Let's take a closer look at them and reminisce about their glory days.
The Contessa was a luxury car popular on Indian roads in the 1980s and 1990s. The Contessa was introduced in 1984 as the Vauxhall VX. The Contessa was considered underpowered initially, with a 1.5-liter 50bhp engine connected to a 4-speed transmission but was revamped, and its new avatar in the late 1980s had an Isuzu 1.8-litre engine. That produced 85bhp and was dubbed the 'Contessa Classic.' It received a 2.0-liter diesel engine in the 1990s, a huge hit. Many people loved the Contessa because it was a pleasant cruiser with a considerable road presence. It gained popularity immediately after its release and was primarily a smash hit among government leaders. It was also used to symbolize luxury in Bollywood films. After demand dwindled, production was finally halted in 2002, but due to its cult following, it still commands a high price.
Premier 118NE made its debut in 1985 based on the Fiat 124. The car gets its name Premier 118NE since it was equipped with a 1.1-liter Nissan A12 engine (Nissan Engine) introduced by Premier auto in India. This car was renowned for its swift transmission and gentle ride qualities.
When it first debuted in 1990, it looked modern and was the main topic of conversation. It was equipped with a 970cc engine that produced only 46bhp. It was in no way decisive, and its fuel efficiency was poor. It was resurrected as the 'Esteem' in 1994, with a 1.3-liter all-aluminum engine producing 65bhp, making it the sedan with the best power-to-weight ratio in the country. In 1999, a fuel injection version with 85 horsepower was also released. The Esteem was the best-selling sedan; however, it was discontinued in 2007.
In 1995, Daewoo introduced the Cielo. The Korean manufacturer had high hopes for this vehicle, stacked with features. The Cielo was modeled on an Opel Kadett from 1980 and included a 1.5-liter engine with multi-point fuel injection and producing 80bhp of power. It had power windows, adjustable power steering, a central locking system, and OVRMS.
In 1995, Ford formed a joint venture with Mahindra & Mahindra to enter the Indian market. The Ford Escort was the first vehicle from Mahindra Ford. It would be the 6th generation vehicle with a 1.3-liter petrol engine that was considered underpowered at the time. The car failed to attract customers despite having a spacious rear and top-of-the-line features like power steering, ORVMs, air conditioning, and a music system. Maybe it was the terrible fuel efficiency that kept customers at bay. They launched it with a 1.8-liter diesel engine, but by then, it was already on its way out due to low sales and was eventually phased out in 2001.
In India, the Opel Astra was General Motors' first C-segment sedan, debuting in 1996. At that time, Astra had some upscale features and ushered in a new era of premium craftsmanship and refinement. It boasted a 53-liter fuel tank to feed a 1598 cc engine that produced 75.94 bhp, 121 Nm of torque, and a top speed of 160 km/hr. However, the lack of spare parts and expensive servicing worked against it. In 2003, the automobile was ultimately phased out.
In 1985, the Indian manufacturer Standard rebranded the European Rover SD1 as the Standard 2000. The 2.0-liter engine produced 83 horsepower and reached a top speed of 145 kilometers per hour. However, the car's low fuel efficiency, high price, and government legal measures caused it to be phased out in three years, with only around 2000 units sold in that short period.
The Impala was first launched by General Motors in 1958. The full-size sedan was a powerful luxury still sold in the United States. It boasted a powerful 5.0 liter 6 cylinder inline engine that generated 153 bhp with a 2-speed automatic transmission. It made its way into India through the export market.
The Rover Montego, one of India's first luxury cars, was introduced by Sipani auto in two variants: sedan and station wagon. It was equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission and a 2-liter 1991 cc turbo-charged diesel engine that produced 81 horsepower. It had premium features of those times like power steering, power windows, and air conditioning. Unfortunately, a price tag of Rs 11 lakh was way too much in those times and turned out to be the primary reason why the car could never take off in the Indian market and finally perished in 1995.
The 309 was introduced in India through a joint venture with Premier Automobiles Limited and received a positive reception from buyers thanks to its fuel-efficient 1.5-liter diesel engine and competent 1.4-liter petrol engine with 75 horsepower. The 309's 85-bhp diesel engine was later utilized in the Maruti Esteem, Zen, and Hyundai Accent diesel. It, however, met its end in 1997 when the strategic partnership between the two businesses drew to a close due to labor and economic problems.