Although recent weeks have seen a momentary sell-off and rebound in certain 'big cap' indigenous companies, the obvious fact is that India's late 20th and early 21st century growth story has been phenomenal.
However, as a member of
the previously seemingly all powerful' BRICS, like its counterparts,
the last year or so has seen a notable slowing of what was 'warp
growth speed'. This the outcome of BRICS policy-makers seeking to
cool respective economies having seen modern industry and service
sectors develop for the benefit of top-tier entrepreneurs and their
middle-tier employees. The wealth creation of the last 15 years or so
directly transforming the lives of millions, whether from improved
employment standing, or indeed from the filter-effect as personal
income is spread amongst families, either directly in the urban home,
or from remittances sent back to rural areas.
Given its massive
population of 1.22 billion India, second only to China but with far
greater population density (>1000 per sq km) and so sociological
issues – especially so infrastructure vs population expansion. It
means that the size of the country's development challenge is viewed
as more problematic by a plethora of influential bodies, from world
health agencies to philanthropic funds to investment banks.
Moreover, whilst other
countries have distinct internal regions and identities, perhaps none
are as differentiated as that of India given its splintered histories
of: caste, religion, colonial influence, political ideology (free
markets vs mixed markets vs communism) and the interests of various
powerful families.
Nevertheless, since the
early 1990s and market deregulation, portions of yesteryear India
have been transformed, even if other sections of old India have
hardly changed. The nation has undoubtedly created a new role for
itself with global information technology and service provision,
creeping ever further up that sector's value chain. Though not as
high profile, many if its automotive firms have served their own
capabilities through foreign interest joint ventures, and though not
without endemic friction, have managed to drastically improve
internal operations and end of line product quality.
To the point now where
Chennai has become known as “India's Detroit”,
The National Car Parc -
The 'economic miracle'
seen over the last 20 years has of course been most prevalent on
India's roads as sections of the country's car parc, especially so in
large conurbations, have both swelled in numbers and reduced in age,
transforming the appearance of cities and in doing so adding to the
aspirational economic buzz of all India.
Today over 40 million
cars exist countrywide, this number excluding the enormous level of
scooters, motorcycles, 3-wheelers and light and heavy commercial
vehicles.
Statistics from SIAM
(Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers) indicate that in the
year leading to April 2014 passenger car related production will
increase by about 6% and commercial vehicles by about 8%.
The New Displaces the
Old -
As with any speedily
growing economy, even in today's slowed period, spread wealth
engenders new consumptional desire, itself satiated by a plethora of
new products from domestic manufacturers and increasingly foreign
producers, often with Indian CKD facilities for local assembly and
supplier development.
Hence the new
ultimately displaces the old.
But also a natural part
of globalisation and outcome of 'international integration' is that
India's young and middle-aged (and some older) begin to better
appreciate internationalist influence vis a vis local traditions, and
as such new mixed ideologies emerge, whether that be in food, film,
music, or indeed cars.
The domestic and the
foreign merge in new combinations, as does the yesteryear and
tomorrow; this perhaps the central theme of the 21st
century as newly advancing nations inter-marry what has been powerful
western iconography with the indigenously engrained.
This is now under-way
with India's old cars, from the more rarefied atmosphere of high
priced vintage to the world of classics restoration and increasingly
'home-grown' and 'body-shop' customisation.
Yet within the latter
arena, there is an undoubted a 'feast and famine' reality for wannabe
Harley Earls, Bill Mitchells and Boyd Coddingtons.
[NB
investment-auto-motives previously highlighted the latent creative
automotive potential of India's youth, citing the now famous Peugeot
206 advert in which a young guy converts an old car into something
approximating the latest incarnation of the compact car].
The 'Feast and Famine' of Yesteryear Cars -
The 'boom and bust'
economic history of the country has meant that during strong growth
periods the country was able to adopt external vehicle tooling via
technical transfer agreements, such as Hindustan Ambassador and
Premier Padmini, respectively from Austin and FIAT during the
1960s,with prominent use in the taxi sector, and the Mahindra 540
Jeep, a near clone of the WW2 Willys Jeep.
And of course from
Suzuki for the Maruti 800 in the 1980s. However, the stalling of the
national economy during the intervening years meant that no
continuous and so cohesive business and consumer bases were created
for a notionally natural evolutionary flow of incrementally improved
vehicles.
This, until recently
with the rise of the new middle class, has meant that new vehicle
market progression and so national car parc progression was
effectively stepped in nature; new vehicles a leap forward from the
incumbent old. This seen when the Suzuki-Maruti 800 and the Hindustan
Contessa were introduced for two-tier private use, and two-tier
governmental use.
Today both cars are
viewed as the old incumbents now that foreign brand small cars such
as Hyundai, Ford and Toyota and that BMW, Mercedes, Audi have become
within reach for some.
The consequence of this
economic history then has been to positively develop India's internal
automotive supply chain, and so create levels of internal basic
competence, a competence which itself underpinned what at the leading
edge has become a strong and very much modernised sector thanks to
Indian-Foreign joint ventures and M and As.
However, perhaps less
positively that economic history also meant that the country's
available range of 'national' vehicles was very narrow if plentiful
(Jeep, Ambassador, Padmini, 800); which in turn means that India's
own historic auto-culture is likewise today relatively narrow.
Yet given the societal
impact of these vehicles, the massive economic web of upstream and
downstream activities generated, (manufacturing component parts to
assembly to sales to maintenance to repair to end-of-life parts
cannibalisation), and reliable (once wholly captive) business models,
it is little wonder that for industrialists and policy-makers the
active lives of these icons were not so easily ended, but in the
interest of India's development necessarily had to be.
Hence Padmini sales
ended in 2000. Contessa sales similarly in 2002. The slow but ongoing
technical evolution of the Ambassador (now called 'Classic' and with
the Veer pick-up variant), fights a tide of declining sales figures
and so only a matter of time before production ceases. Maruti's 800
production for India has at last been ended, though the factory still
produces for export markets until 2015/6.
Only the Mahindra 540
Jeep appears to have been credibly reborn as Thar in 2010, both to
serve military clients, civilian forces, enthusiast off-roaders and
to act as the brand cornerstone for the M&M 4x4 range (so
following the actions of JEEP (USA) and Land Rover by economically
retaining 'living history' in specialist fields).
Hence, in popular
auto-culture there has been both “feast yet famine” of supposedly
yesteryear vehicles by way of volume versus choice. Though those very
vehicles are for the most part still in daily service to a host of
user types
Exceptions to the Rule
-
The departures from
this consist of the few remaining 'Maharaja Collections' of pre-WW2
luxury British, European and American cars (Rolls-Royce, Bentley,
Hispano Suiza, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Packard, Cadillac, Lincoln), 'Old
Colonial' vehicles, 'Emergent Classics' which tend to be lesser but
still respected marques during the pre and post 'Independence' era,
and of course any remaining imported foreign cars since 1947.
Of these, the 'Maharaja
Collection' cars tend to stay within the family holding, including
Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lagonda etc, many of which have been neglected
as family fortunes dwindled. However, given modern rarity value of
specific vintage vehicles, some highly 'Indian' custom-bodied
Rolls-Royce's with 'processional' or 'hunting expedition' status have
been restored to their near their former glory, effectively as
value-enhancing antiques.
The 'Old Colonials'
were obviously ostensibly British vehicles, brought-out by the
central governmental and military agencies for various duties, aswell
as personal cars brought out by the higher ranked officials; some of
which entered the next catergory.
The 'Emergent Classics'
are cars that include some of the forementioned, but also the likes
of Mercedes, Buick, Studebaker, Ford (T and A), Chevrolet, MG
(TA-F), Austin-Morris (large and small), Lea-Francis, Standard,
Rover, Vanguard, Riley, Hillman, Citroen, Peugeot, Opel, and now
encompass later models such as VW Beetles, FIAT 500/600/Spyder,
various Jaguars, Mercedes sedans and US 'Muscle Cars' from the '60s
and '70s. Where criteria related some owners belong to the VCCI
(Vintage and Classic Car Club of India). What is of note is how it
seems many of these cars appear to have been hidden-away during the
independence era, so as not to be status symbols during the 'all as
one' era.
[NB some of the cars
have been over-adorned, such as snake-head horns on roadster fenders
so as to mimic famous Maharaja cars – who used the snake to instil
fear/respect into their people].
As for foreign imports
between 1947 to the 1990s, perhaps only the regional vehicle
licensing authorities will have a true idea, but wealthy business
families and government – the two often closely connected –
imported various upmarket cars for business, official and personal
use, especially so from the 1960s onward.
A Rising National
Auto-Culture -
Of course from the
earliest times of 1920s machines the public's appreciation of the car
has snowballed, but especially so since the motorisation of the
country between the 1940s and 1970s
As the original Willys
Jeep became a classic in the US, so the structurally derived M&M
Jeep gained traction so to speak in India, especially so in the
Punjab where 'seeing a good thing' Sikh businessmen sought to
leverage the fascination by recreating a Willys type US
Military-esque aesthetic on M&M vehicles, this trend later
growing into a broader customisation trend with various (at least by
western standards) gaudy paint-schemes and bolt-on additions made to
the vehicles..
But, given their
ubiquity and broad used market prices, it has been largely the
amateur based modification of Ambassadors, Padminis and Maruti 800s
that have been the kingpin of Indian auto-culture to date.
In this regard, the
personalisation / customisation manner has unsurprisingly been very
reminiscent of US trends in the 1950s, Northern European trends in
the 1960s, Southern European trends in the 1970s and early 1980s,
Eastern European trends in the mid to late 1980s, and likewise
Brazilian trends in the 1990s.
In as much as those who
could afford to buy an aesthetically aged car would seek to
differentiate it by adding what were modern yet generic cosmetic and
basic performance accessories – from wheels to rear spoilers to
sun-strips to sports seats to sports exhausts to inlet vents - plus
seeking to mimic famous motor-sport paint-schemes, or create their
own (these often referring to the vehicle brand) whilst painting over
often rusted chrome bumpers and bright-work with black or
body-coloured paint.
This essentially the
standard option given the limited financial resources available to
young men and sometimes women, and their limited customisation
facilities. It seems that only a minority of enthusiasts prefer to
retain true vehicle originality, given the usual desire for a
stand-out statements that gain kudos from other guys and attention
from the opposite sex.
Hence, in India, like
many other developing places previously, it has been a case of “new
twist on an old theme”
Engineering Education -
Since the formation of
the mining industry, textile industry, the railway system and other
industries, the role of the engineer has been revered by the masses,
an engineering education seen as a passport into the middle classes
and to gain roles of local influence and so status. In the early days
of the 'British Raj' such opportunities were restricted to the
Anglo-Indian community, generally the sons of mixed marriages
conveyed into engineering management and local station and track
management roles.
But as the fruits of
Independence took hold, and to a greater degree merit overtook
nepotism, so more opportunities opened up for the broader masses,
from apprenticeships to post graduate roles. Though it must be stated
that often simply a new form of inter-generational nepotism emerged
given familial connections to and reliance upon the railway.
Nevertheless, like
general medicine, pharmacology and the bar, engineering became an
esteemed profession. And unlike in the west (except for Germany)
where in a “post-industrial age” it offered little reward
(monetary, career or otherwise), and so rightly witnessed depleted
numbers, the fact that India still has yet to mature economically
means that for the most part professional engineering has maintained
its attraction to the masses.
Hence, for the national
and individual good, successive Indian governments and industry
leaders have long recognised the need to mould its youth: by creating
ever more subject attuned engineering educational paths in both
private and state-run establishments.
Yet, in reality,
typical of an EM country (and indeed many so called developed
nations) the fact is that middle and higher professional learning is
only realistically available to a relative minority – the fortunate
few. Whilst national statistics indicate that 83% of 15/16 year old
people are in education, there is a dramatic fall-off in numbers
thereafter given the cost of education to both state and private
purse and the pressures (though easing) to conform with making a
living, getting married and having children – these obvious
limiting factors to higher learning.
However, scant research
in this topic – via a reported E&Y report - gives reason for
hope It now appears that 20% of teenagers enrol in tertiary courses
(ie post mandatory school), though drop-out figures were not
provided. And since 2001 the female engineering graduate intake has
doubled.
A separate nationally
published report from the AICTE (All India Council of Technical
Education) highlights that in 2012 there was an intake of 3.4 million
for technical diplomas, and as of 2013 there are 3495 degree level
engineering institutions with an annual enrolment of over 1.2 million
students.
Educational Fakery -
The spiritual /
religious fakir, sadhu, yogi, swami has long been viewed as a person
of learning and distinction, hence Ghandi's influence with his
university learning and ascetic, humble manner. Someone who typically
lived as a beggar existence was based upon charitable alms, or as
often money/food/shelter swapped for spiritual learning.
Unsurprisingly, such a
way of life also offered possibilities for confidence tricksters,
those who could 'spin a yarn', gain trust and exploit open hearted
(gullible) others.
[NB Rudyard Kipling's
novel 'Kim' highlighting both the 'pure' path of the guru and the
hustling path of his young 'follower' Kim].
As prevalent in China
and other EM nations, the very existence of an educationally
aspirational populace, albeit with only a small income, itself offers
income opportunities to the 'fakers'.
The empty promise of a
good education as springboard to a better life used as leverage when
'fronted' by slick marketing. In this respect the creation of the
internet has been a godsend to such exploiters, with little more than
an impressive website, often illustrated by pictures of supposed (ie
false) students, staff and facilities, using convincing face to face
sales-people, with their obligatory impressive laptop, projector and
screen.
As such 'educational
fakery' has become rife.
Whether it be the
creation of false institutions claiming public funds, using contrived
syllabuses and non-existent student enrolment, or whether they be
privately run places which heavily advertise and gain first term or
initial annual fee, but in reality offer little in the way of
facilities and qualified teaching faculty, either imminently but
often gradually, dissolving once monies received and any (if indeed
any) initial official supervision satisfied.
Circumstances appear to
have improved with some scams caught and many 'skeleton' colleges
closed down, but it will remain a crucial issue given the innate,
ever ongoing, lack of professional supervision within the state
system, the fundamentally poor achievements of state education (for
many reasons) and the large grey area between the public-private
educational realm that enables such scams to operate.
Auto-Engineering Mania
-
However, the appetite,
indeed 'hunger', from India's youth is enormous, perhaps especially
so when such educational and professional ambitions can be connected
the widespread adoration of vehicles.
Of course, the majority
of young males, whether from urban, rural, wealthy, 'middling', lower
or indeed bottom-tier backgrounds tend to (stereotypically) have four
prime interests: cricket, the opposite sex, music and cars. Whilst
cricket proffers the idea of competitiveness and teamwork, girls
proffer social interaction and increasing equality and music as a
social glue, whether from an ipod or at festive gathering, it is
vehicles which offer directly accessible engineering learning.
This is typically
self-taught for millions, whether from maintenance and repair of a
family tractor and pick-up in rural areas, the father's HGV truck for
independent hauliers, a used scooter or motorcycle, or for a minority
the 'hand-me-down' family vehicle.
So where needs must,
many Indians have necessarily had to become adept at vehicle
mechanics and general amateur engineering.
Back Street Creativity
-
The internet is abound
with Indian youth redesigning the HM Contessa as a new national
musclecar, this idea no doubt born from the many personal Contessa
projects which have spawned over the preceding 15 years or so, some
well executed, some less so.
In tandem with owners
clubs such as the Contessa Club, this then points to a possibly
emergent sub-culture, and thus possible commercial basis, for the
development of so called iconic Indian cars.
View youtube and
various older vehicles and personal 'classic' projects can be seen.
[NB One titled
“Contessa India's Only Muscle Car by Tarun mp4”. Whilst similar
in name, this has no connection whatsoever to myself Mr Turan Ahmed,
investment-auto-motives, of London, England].
There are various
actors, individuals and groups, perhaps the most prominent being
Team-BHP, itself trying to grow a tribal following via the internet
and meets, and the lesser known but academically connected
TMW-Craftsmen.
Academia Meets
Commercialism -
It has been known that
for industry and students alike the transition between the
college/university and the workplace can be less than smooth given
the typically very different environments. Though it should be noted
that given the structures and strictures of colonially created
bureaucratic systems spanning across education, state and industry,
India has historically had less transitional friction. However, as
supra-national and state centralisation is de-constructed and newer
sectors and entrepreneurial efforts emerge such transitional friction
has surfaced.
Hence the importance of
'sandwich learning' which as the name suggests involves a set period
working within industry to bolster real world learning, contextualise
academic learning and acclimatise students to the workplace.
Whilst such initiatives
and relationships have been well entrenched between universities and
conglomerate industry, in order to create the managers and leaders of
tomorrow, it now appears that the industrial sandwich or at least
parallel industrial exposure amongst local colleges and local firms ,
so as to help create a similar capability a local level.
The following
initiative, noted for its pros and cons, has the hallmarks of such an
initiative:
Team Motor Works /
Craftsmen -
'Team Motor Works' is
advertised as based opposite the Raheja College, SantaCruz (West), in
Mumbai 53.
Thus located in a
Mexo-Californian sounding area, seemingly seeking to emulate a US
West Coast perception, and is self announced as “Craftsmen”. It
seeks to create a name with overtones relating to 'West Coast
Customs' and 'MetalCrafters'.
These name used by a
well known American custom body-shop, which undertakes one-off and
small series specials such as performance cars and concept cars such
as the 'Iacocca Mustang'. And also by an precision fabricating firm
in Massachusetts. As well as overtones of yesteryear hand-made
quality.
TMW/Craftsmen touts
itself as offering :
“India's First Muscle
Car Prototype” (The Contessa Project)...”Handcrafted car made in
a Workshop in Mumbai”...”With a team of young engineers”...”and
Suraj Bhalla ('the Mustang Man / Daytona Man')”...”The Daytona HM
Contessa”.
However, it must be
stated that the end result does not actually qualify as a true
“muscle-car” in the American or worldwide sense, given its small
engine size within a large (if shortened) body. Its 0-60km/h time of
7 seconds is slow by modern and historic standards, given that 7
seconds has been an acceptable 0-100km/h (or 0-62mp/h) time for the
last 45 years or so.
Historical Snapshot -
The original and
ascribed definition has always been a 'big block (ie powerful) engine
in a small body”. The trend originated from installing large car's
large engines into medium-body and small-body cars (by American
standards) a customisation trend which had been seen from even before
WW2 with Southern 'Moonshiners' even supposed 'Stock Car' racers.Then
taken-up by returning servicemen across the USA, and by young men
during the 1950s economic boom. Thereafter put into formal production
by Detroit's Big 3 by the early 1960s, especially so under Pontiac,
Dodge/Plymouth and Ford (Ford-Shelby) monikers. Creating renowned
model names such as GTO (itself mimicking Ferrari's 'Grand Turismo
Omologato'), Charger / Challenger/ 'Cuda (Barracuda), RoadRunner,
Falcon Cobra and Shelby-Mustang (aswell as others).
The Indian Project -
Base Car and
Modifications:
The Hindustan Motors
Contessa – itself a version of the 1972 Vauxhall FE VX 4/90 – has
been given a 'muscle car cloaking' (overtones of Pontiac GTO to Buick
Rivieria MkIII). An obvious inspiration given the Contessa's own late
'60s/70s GM international styling themes as a badge engineered
Vauxhall Victor/VX; itself a stylistically muted interpretation of
the GM full-size car range of the time; the Riviera perhaps the most
flamboyant.
So the bodyside is
heavily altered: the wheelbase shortened by cutting the car into two
sections, removing a portions and welding together, the rear door
removed, the front door extended, the B-pillar moved back, new front
quarter light window, and a new 'Riviera' curved rear quarter-light
window shape added. The rear sill-panel exhaust outlets reflecting
hot-rod side-pipes and various renowned nameplates. The front sees
new pointed bumper, new grill and deep wrapped chin spoiler with
integrated side-lamps, trunk area retained with new lip, a centre
mounted 'Shelby petrol filler cap, and the rear panel given what
appear the tail-lights of a similar period Japanese large sedan.
Various internal cabin enhancements added, though retaining OEM
dashboard items “for driver function”.
The original Isuzu
1800cc engine and standard gearbox and differential remains.
[NB Though slightly
lightened in overall mass, it is this low performance (pick-up truck)
engine with unaltered transmission ratios prohibits actual muscle-car
performance].
Thus giving a standard
2-door 'American coupe' (ie not fastback) appearance; though without
the Riviera's true pilarless DLO, nor its echoing lower swage-line,
though using slightly 'top rolled' rear-quarter panel and no pseudo
'boat-tail' rear-end. Instead given 1970 GTO-like 'blisters' across
front and rear fenders, though they uncomfortably cross the round
wheel arch, thus neither stylistically referential nor fully
functional as a motorsport style 'blister' to widen the wheel well.
The choice of wheel
type however has been good, though not exacting, aesthetically in
keeping with the period and general visual cues. And almost
obligatory, the ride height has been lowered to remove the tyre to
wheel arch gap and visually lengthen the vehicle.
Also added are custom
interior trim fittings such as centre console. Though with apparent
period detailing, it is disengenuous – as has been stated - to say
the car is “1966” given that it did not appear until 1972.
“Inspired by '66” would be better.
[NB the Riviera was far
more personal (luxury) car of the time than muscle car. The prestige
aspect seen by the boat-tail parody, the 'boat-tail' itself a parody
even in the 1920s when the shape was for was for more 'show than go',
more so reflecting upmarket 'lake-land' lifestyles than the
aerodynamics of speed record cars].
[NB Ironically, with
the short roof-line and perceptionally extended bonnet, in proportion
the end result steers toward a smaller, visually softer incarnation
of a 1970s Bristol Brigand/, 1980s Blenheim].
Through the later part
of its gestation, at first the vehicle was painted in yellow with few
trim fittings, but presently in a Shelby-esque blue with obligatory
white centre stripe.
Procurement Issues:
Whilst standard
Contessa parts and trim are available, the choice of increasingly
rare 'new old stock' for any such project inclusion is becoming
rarer. Items such as the rear tail clusters re-appropriated may incur
future sourcing problems, unless there is direct strong contact with
a supplier that has tens or hundreds of such items. And even so
pricing pressure for such rare parts are increasing with the global
trend for older Japanese vehicles, especially so with JDM (japanese
domestic market attributes).
This specific item can
of course be altered to another similar rear lamp bezel and lens, but
the scarcity, sourcing and pricing issue may still remain
Advertising:
Given the nature of the
initiative, the target customer group and the undoubted low budget
for advertising, the use of youtube video posts to reach a broad
domestic and international audience is the natural option.
The posts intend to not
only show the build progression, but also the knowledge of the
participants in a staged conversional context.
From a European
perspective there is a lot of PR chatter, which (with all respect)
has very much become the modern Indian manner when speaking English,
what can be called the “Ameri-Indian” way (the way Indians of all
ages have adopted American-English fast-paced speech patterns, itself
from NY and LA influence).
Also within
TMW-Craftsmen advertising is the role of the enthusiastic 'client',
even when driving a partially finished product with no installed
dashboard etc. The fact that he urges others to do the same, ie
selling the product's and group's virtues, so early in the process
likewise suggests a less than simple (ie involved) client-firm
relationship.
The Outcome -
Whilst the project can
be all too easily criticised in execution, depending upon one's
aesthetic, technical and commercial knowledge, the fact is that the
very creation and appearance of the car and its similar “muscle-car”
and “hot-rod” counterparts from locations across India must be
congratulated.
Such efforts
crystallise and solidify the dreams of millions of boys and girls and
indeed men and women. And crucially demonstrates that a vision to
reality 'recipe' consisting of great enthusiasm though few resources
can come to fruition with patience and effort.
[NB Unless you have
personally stripped and rebuilt a car, from a bare-bones shell, there
is little understanding of the amount of work involved].
By various Western,
Asian and indeed Indian standards the facilities are crude, but
similar to what Americans would have called a 1950s 'Back Yard
Chop-Shop' - before that name became associated with criminal
car-parts dealings. 'Chopping' the A/B/C pillars was required to
reduce height of roof and window apertures, and 'chop' the body
section to reduce or lengthen wheelbase and track.
As such the initiative
should be highly commended for trying to further the 'twist on an old
theme' of Indian auto-enthusiasm, and seeking to do so with
increasingly insightful engineering and styling prowess, so seeking
the ideal of true design (where science and art effectively meets
harmoniously)
“But, But, But” -
However, the venture
also unfortunately raises other concerns, specifically the
organisational, funding and overall commercial set-up, but most
critically a question regards the issue of student education.
As seen previously with
'Educational Fakery', across the world, but seemingly especially so
in an economically emerging Asia, the issue of non-existent and
sub-standard education has raised an ugly spectre.
Possible Exploitation
of Automotive Education -
The TMW / Craftsmen
initiative may have been originally established with high-minded goal
and within the Mumbai context wholly accordant to the rules and
regulations pertaining to student placements working in industry or
indeed external student project-work.
[NB
investment-auto-motives admits to having no insight whatsoever
regards India's national or regional work placement policies and
standards].
Thus TMW / Craftsmen
may be completely 'on the level'.
However, from an
independent, external perspective, it also unfortunately has the
veneer – by way of specific elements - of something questionable:
as viewed from the video postings provided.
“The Shop-Front” -
Any well planned
underhand activity will seek to obviously appear credible so as to
draw enthusiastic attention from the required 'targets', whether in
this case they be educational bodies and students themselves.
And the notion of an
“Indian Muscle Car” well accords to both student interest, Indian
auto-industry evolution in the high margin 'specialist' and
'after-market' fields, and befitting those two criteria, is thus seen
as a prime engineering educational platform by national
policy-formers and local colleges. Thus seemingly a “win, win, win”
for student, industry, educationalists and politicians.
But such a formula
could be exploited by much hype and little substance; so to creation
of the 'shop front'.
The TMW / Craftsmen
videos likewise highlight automotive 'eye-candy' by way of a BMW
sedan, a newer Audi sedan, and various 1960s Ford Mustangs
(seemingly an original car, a recent modern Mustang and a
'hybridised' original car with modern model front bumper.
So providing the
commercial and educational initiative with apparent authenticity and
gravitas.
Personnel :
As for the initiative,
is led by a Suraj Bhalla (Principal Craftsman) a man who from his
various youtube posts endeavours to become the 'Boyd Coddington of
India'. His name is also variously written as Suraay (?) He
undoubtedly has a passion for cars, the original Ford Mustangs in
particular, and has a good working knowledge of vehicle systems.
More so, appears to
have what for many youngsters is a glamorous 'Bollywood' lifestyle
with expensive cars, foreign travel and an aura of being 'cool'.
One of his video's
reflects on the apparent massive amount of work needed to rid a 5
year old Maruti of its rust. Though quite why any client should seek
to rationally spend so much money on a 5 year old car appears
illogical, especially since in a vehicle of that age the rust problem
will inevitably have been limited to skin panels so not requiring a
full strip-down of the shell. However, some owners are prepared to
spend fortunes on modifying vehicles, which though hard on the pocket
does allow body-builders and technicians to further their work.
Such a extensive works
however might raise concerns by Indian authorities about money
laundering. Thus TMW (Bhalla) should maintain scrupulous project
accounts and verify that project funds are from legal sources
Bhalla also suggests
that his students/apprentices, should not go and work for their
family firm, but instead earn respect for themselves externally, ie
under him. This then suggests that only wealthy and middle-class
people are able to come into the Craftsmen fold. This in turn
indicates that at some later stage the family wealth of these people
will be tapped into, either by injecting funds into the business or
by more probably opening a similar TWM-Craftsmen operation elsewhere
under their control, but as a 'paid-in' franchise. It also obviously
also undermines that particular family's succession planning and
intrinsic managerial capabilities.
Of the Craftsmen R&D
team, two full names given, the aforementioned and a Harssch
Agrawaal, thereafter various nicknames and common abbreviations such
'Deep', 'Bobs', Gabz and Mridol. Thus highlighting the leaders and
his #2 enjoy full name-checks (credits) whilst other contributors –
presumably the students - are virtually anonymous.
Facilities:
The main concern herein
is the apparent absence of basic safety equipment at TMW / Craftsmen.
Yes, the innate working
culture in much of India is lax, haphazard and dangerous (see
ship-breaking as an example), because of the 'life is cheap' attitude
and willingness of bottom-tier people to work as told in sparse
conditions.
However, whilst TMW
Craftsmen propagates supposed knowledge and professionalism, the
absence of even basic welding/brazing eye-goggles and gloves, as well
as spray mask and again) eye-goggles is astonishing. Even with
goggles and gloves injuries can occur, but they greatly add to the
safety margin.
There is a workshop
sign that reads “On Daily Wages” which indicates that TMW
operates a flexible staff policy, very possibly necessary depending
on order book levels and of course reduces fixed and variable
staffing overheads, which provides budgetary advantage. Yet given the
premium cars sat outside – whether self owned or client's – the
fact is that basic safety equipment is obviously affordable. Any
concerns of its theft, which is well justified. Means that it should
be demanded to be purchased by workers, though obviously its cost
amortised over averaged daily rates.
Likewise, the tendency
to wear trendy open-toed flip-flops/thongs, whilst staying cool in
both senses, affords another potential problem.
Without such safeguards
it appears that TMW is willing to forsake safety for profit, and this
becomes reputation damaging.
[NB India's healthcare
bill might well be reduced dramatically with the proper formulation
and adherence to healthcare rules, but such efforts would also impact
the profitability of private doctors; little wonder the masses wish
to become doctors!].
Project Timetable:
It was stated that the
project took 9 months to complete.
The video-diary first
shows the gearbox removal/servicing as of January 2012, followed by
an excerpt of the body-shell being cut as stated in September 2011.
Also there appears little logical continuity of the build process
regards the removed and painted-red suspension components vs the
engine and transmission work.
Obviously the
video-diary should be chronological, with if possible a time-lapse,
showing the full deconstruction and re-build process
Syllabus:
TMW-Craftsmen offers
its students theoretical and practical vehicle systems learning, yet
that was only conveyed by a few highly unprofessional pages of paper
attached to a back wall, with very limited information regards the
syllabus, simply vehicle sub-system area (Body, Chassis, Engine,
Transmission etc) with what appeared an accordant 250-300 teaching
hours per section.
To depict a complete
vehicle design and engineering course in such a manner is sadly not
convincing.
Formal Design Brief:
No obvious design brief
shown
No general description
No detailed design file
No concept drawings
Formal Engineering
Scope:
No specific engineering
brief
No original
specification data and datum points (standard car GA etc)
No orthographic
projections of final prototype vehicle (finished car GA etc)
No statement of works
No fabrication drawings
for adaptation of the body-shell
No fabrication drawings
for newly made parts
Formal Cost Analysis:
It seems all undertaken
in an unprofessional 'suck-it and see' manner, not worthy of best
practice even in India (academia and industry) , let alone elsewhere
within core and after-market auto-industry sectors of advanced
countries.
Whilst this approach
allows for adaptive flexibility through the build process, does not
identify basic design engineering principles, nor production
engineering principles, which themselves underpin true commercial
parameters such as man-hours, bill of build materials costs, bill of
sundries costs, apportioned facilities overhead and variable costs
etc
The Commercial Agenda ?
-
Having undertaken a
basic review investment-auto-motives believes that TMW-Craftsmen's
actual intent, and ultimate business model, is in fact seven-fold?
1. Educational Income
from Students
2. Restoration of
Original US Muscle Cars
3. Creation of 'Indian
Muscle Cars'.
4. Restoration of
Original US Chopper Motorcycles.
5. Creation of 'Indian
Chopper' Motorcycles.
6. Create Core Brand
for Commercial Expansion (eg aftermarket)
7. Creation of
Franchised network of customisation shops across India
To do this TMW and
similar operations must identify and nurture a new generation of, low
cost, classic car restorers, who themselves are from monied
backgrounds so that they can carry the mantle onward elsewhere.
Simultaneously,
creating a web-effect of income generation for TMW-Craftsmen's
singular or major shareholder(s).
Initially, having the
pupils pay for the what would effectively be an apprenticeship of
American muscle car restoration whilst also going through the
problematic development process of re-creating a singular or series
of 'Indian muscle-car(s)' from the plethora of Contessa's still
available in the country.
To then sell these
cars to a new auto-tribe of professional, mid income earning
enthusiasts as Indian interpretations of iconic Fords, GMs and
Chryslers. The business model giving strong per unit profit margins
over what could potentially be many hundreds (possibly even
thousands) of Contessa adapted vehicles.
Meshing Education and
Commerce -
The auto-sector has a
vital history between academia and commerce, with the likes of
'naked' Ariel Atom road and track car born from the academic vision
of Coventry University's ex Lecturer Simon Saunders and a few
students; a team that bore the bones of the original concept and
prototype.
Such publicity spawned similar efforts such as the
futuristic Super 7 in the form of the “Toniq R” from
ex-Huddersfield students Baxter and Williams, with the massively
important assistance of Stuart Taylor Motorsport and Hemlock
Engineering; even if today in road legal form much of the original R
visual cleanliness has disappeared.
The Ariel Atom and
Toniq R examples demonstrate that academia and commerce can mesh
together to create new product variations, these similarly “new
twists on classic themes”. However as Saunders and Williams will
attest, the route to final development and then to market can be
tortuous.
And in these two
instances, the founders had the assistance of very skilled supplier
cooperation to make it happen, including the ability to create
one-off 'prototyped' items that allowed bespoke fitments.
Unlike these extreme
examples the Craftsmen Contessa project starts from a complete car,
so the obvious commercial imperative is to utilise as much maintained
carry-over and off-the-shelf pre-engineered content as possible.
However, where as Atom
and Toniq R where effectively fully formed concepts, the former of
high unique engineering content whilst the latter relying much on
proprietary content from specific kit cars, the fact is that the
concept was fully formed before being released from academia.
From this viewpoint, it
can be simplistically seen that the western approach is that of a
heavy bias to academic concept origination thereafter matured
externally, whilst the Indian approach is that of little or no
academic origination but workshop technical adaptation of the
previously fully formed.
Thus, because of
historical difference and core competencies, western and eastern
perspectives regards bespoke and custom-car development is
necessarily different.
The very fact that
India has such a large hand-crafting population, across many
disciplines, from metal-work to textiles to clothing to gold and
silver personal adornments, and that it has had to be inventively
pragmatic, means that there is a natural political and industrial
imperative to put this capability to use.
Building a National
Reputation for Automotive Hand-Crafting -
The Indian IT
revolution during the 1990s and 2000s which served the world, from
call centres, to programmers to now apparently specialist service
consultants, helped to form the bedrock of the modern middle-class.
Up until 2008 ever increasing demand and a large but ultimately
limited capable labour supply drawn from graduates saw wage and
salary rates rise, so creating that aspirant consumer class which
desires the best of Indian but also the new and western.
That new middle-class,
itself now partially suffering, is however a world away from the
plethora of uneducated unskilled and semi-skilled people which make
up the majority of the workforce. The mass of low cost labour, and
the need to create jobs for them, has thereby impeded the industrial
reforms required in various sectors, from ship-dismantling to the
railways.
Whilst automation has
taken place in various sectors, in automotive assembly perhaps most
notably (though not for all models), the low skilled and low cost
mass labour force can offer its services to what could be a newly
developing and potentially thriving sector – vintage and classic
vehicle restoration, aswell as of course using similar skills to
underpin a new world of customised cars.
To Conclude -
This being web-log #351,
given this number's overtones, it was deemed appropriate to
review emergent auto-culture within the powerful economic engine that
is India.
(Perhaps revisiting the subject again at web-log #427).
(Perhaps revisiting the subject again at web-log #427).
Whilst far from a
complete inspection of the true detail of the matter, it is hoped
that investment-auto-motives has been able to provide a broad
overview of how the discipline of automotive engineering may be spread yet wider by the
renewed interest in older vehicles, so providing new
avenues of impetus and value creation for academia and industry alike.
Both the efforts of those leading the way, and those less visible, should be appreciated.
Vitally, the manner in which such activities are undertaken – especially regards college sandwich courses and post graduate employment – deserves far greater attention by supra-national and local authorities.
Lastly, the business
models 'invisibly perceived' by investment-auto-motives, whilst
ambitious, well integrated, and able to construct new light industrial and service possibilities, should now offer greater financial and physical safety to a still necessarily flexible workforce..
If such a legacy could be achieved through auto-heritage in the emergent giant that is India, then the Shelby Cobra will have positively superceded the demon that was the Maharaja's Python.
