India Auto Expo sees 40 exhibitors

Chennai, May 26, 2013: India Auto Expo 2013, organised by Vijay Shanthi exhibitions, was held at the Chennai Trade Centre between 23rd and 26th May. Playing host to close to 40 exhibitors, the show saw a steady stream of visitors over the four days. Although smaller than the last year’s show, this year’s edition saw exhibitors vary from dealers of popular OEMs to those offering navigation solutions.

India Auto Expo saw city-based dealers of Volvo, BMW, Toyota, Hyundai and Tata Motors vying for orders at a time when car sales are slowing down. Conveniently, Canara Bank set up a stall at the expo, offering car loans at special rates to the visitors of the show. Two-wheelers saw representation in the form of Suzuki, Honda, Ducati and Harley-Davidson. It was revealed during the show that Ducati is setting up an exclusive dealership in Chennai on the scenic East Coast Road. The showroom is expected to be operational in six months’ time.

International exhibitors were far and few. iTUK, an Iranian manufacturer of aftermarket CNG and LPG kits for two-wheelers, displayed its wares for the first time in the country. The company manufactures regulators and tubes that are required to convert a carburetor-based two-wheeler to operate in either CNG or LPG, along with petrol. The Tehran-based manufacturer is still looking to get the necessary permissions from Indian authorities. iTUK managed to attract some eyeballs with a modified Bajaj Pulsar that it fitted with LPG cylinders. According to Ali Fazeli, technical manager for iTUK, the company already sells aftermarket CNG kits for use in scooters in Thailand. “India is a bigger market for motorcycles rather than scooters. So we are looking to set up distributors here after we get the permissions,” Fazeli said. With separate regulators for three stages, a motorcycle fitted with iTUK’s CNG kit has a minimum range of 80km and meets Euro II emission norms.

The exhibition also showcased products from seat cover and car cleaning product manufacturers and dealers from Chennai. Visitor footfalls however were down and while some exhibitors blamed the city’s sweltering summer, others said that the sheer number of automobile-related shows that take place in Chennai thins out the crowd.

KARTHIK H