In a world of expensive Lamborghinis and Ferraris, DC gave Indians an affordable sports car.
It’s been 79 years since India gained its freedom from British colonisers, and in these 79 years, the Indian automobile industry has grown to become one of the largest in the world. Thanks to frugal engineering, wise strategies, foreign partnerships, and several other innovations, primarily employed by Indian automakers, India has reached this stage. Not to be forgotten, gratitude must be paid to those foreign carmakers who came to India, trusting the market to expand their global presence.
However, despite their success, Indian car manufacturers have little to offer in the sports car segment. In fact, there is no sports car from an Indian manufacturer. Sports cars are found in India, but they are mostly associated with foreign and luxurious brands, such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, and others. However, there was once an Indian brand that took the bold step of producing India’s first sports car at an affordable price.
(Credit- HT)
DC stands for Dilip Chhabria, an Indian automotive designer who saw the bold dream of creating India’s first road-legal sports car. In 2012, DC’s first car, the Avanti, made its debut at the Delhi Auto Expo – the car derived its name from the Studebaker Avanti, a luxury coupe manufactured by Studebaker in America between 1962 and 1963.
With a price tag of INR 36 lakh (when the car was launched in 2015), which would’ve been around INR 58 lakh in 2025, the Avanti was an extremely affordable proposition for those who wanted a sports car but could not afford a Lamborghini or Ferrari.
Despite a massive flaw, i.e., the car, worth 36 lakh, did not feature basic safety equipment like airbags, it still managed to grab the limelight, and within no time, 450 units were booked.
(Credit- Carblogindia)
Under the hood, the car drew power from a Renault-sourced Euro V-compliant 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that churned out a peak power of 248bhp and 340Nm of maximum torque, resulting in a top speed of 180 kilometres per hour. Although the car did not feature airbags, DC considered the Indian road conditions and therefore gave the car a ground clearance of 155mm, which is much better than its counterparts.
The car was sold in several international markets, putting India’s name in the sports car segment. However, in 2020, DC’s fall took place.
(Credit- India Today)
In 2020, the Mumbai Police began investigating DC after discovering that several of Avanti’s vehicles had misleading registration numbers. Moreover, numerous Avantis had their chassis and engine numbers registered to another car in Haryana. The investigation further led to the revelation of a scam – police found that DC itself had purchased several Avantis on loan, posing as customers to avoid high taxes on premium cars. Such allegations led to the arrest of owner Dilip Chhabri and contributed to the downfall of the brand.
(Credit- BBT)
Five years later, India still doesn’t have an affordable indigenous sports car, but the DC Avanti will forever be etched in the history books of the Indian automobile industry, which went from being an audacious dream to a bold reality.
