Ishaan Bharadwaj - Inside India's Auto Industry: Features Over Safety

In Part 2 of our insightful series with Ishaan Bharadwaj, known as '‪@TheRaceMonkey‬ (IG - theracemonkey) we dive deep into the realities of car manufacturing in India. Ishaan reveals how, in many cases, the marketing teams drive vehicle design, often overshadowing the crucial input from production teams. While brands like Toyota maintain a balance, others focus heavily on market trends, sometimes at the cost of quality and safety.
Marketing vs. Production:
Discover how marketing influences have shaped the Indian automotive landscape, often prioritizing features over fundamental quality. Ishaan discusses the significant impact this has on consumer choices and vehicle reliability.
Safety vs. Features:
Ishaan elaborates on the shifting focus from safety to feature-rich cars. He highlights how some manufacturers prioritize gadgets over critical safety features, potentially compromising driver and passenger well-being.
A Tale of Two i20s:
In a compelling comparison, Ishaan discusses his experiences with the 2012 Hyundai i20 versus the new 2023 model. He delves into the changes in build quality, driving dynamics, and overall feel, offering a seasoned perspective on what’s gained and what’s lost over the years.
Ford’s Departure:
Ishaan reflects on the negative media portrayal of Ford and how it contributed to the brand’s exit from India. He emphasizes how Ford retained the true essence of driving, focusing on quality and driver experience rather than just packing in features.
Join us as Ishaan Bharadwaj shares his candid thoughts on the Indian automotive scene, emphasizing the need for a balance between marketing-driven decisions and production insights. This episode is a must-watch for car enthusiasts and anyone interested in the real stories behind car manufacturing.
Tags:
#IshaanBharadwaj #TheRaceMonkey #IndianCarManufacturing #CarQuality #Hyundaii20 #Toyota #FordIndia #AutomotiveJournalism #CarFeatures #CarSafety

[@sun131089]

When ford left India I had four of them in the garage …I still own the last Figo diesel and the endeavour 3.2 …..I test drove everything from 50 lac onwards including Range Rover as my endeavour is now 1.5l kms but can’t find a replacement yet

[@krishnaveerla6026]

It's been a year and a half since owning the Citroën C3. I must say, it is a wonderful car with excellent suspension and handling characteristics. The Pure Tech engine, globally tested, makes it a great package, coupled with a fantastic after-sales service experience. I wonder why this car isn't achieving higher sales numbers in India. I believe this car deserves recognition among many car enthusiasts to explore its full potential.

[@blazkowicz666]

Safety rating of this car?

[@crewneckdeath6801]

cheap plastic used 3 cylinder perceived inferiority

[@shuvamdizun]

Very true on the point of quality degradation, I feel cars are now just created to ensure it breaks-down in a 5-7 year cycle.
Example - Virtus vs Vento

[@ClothierHaya]

I have Skoda Octavia mark 1 1.9 tdi 2005 model dam with 2 lakhs kilometers it just runs.. only problem you don't have parts available for it

[@realtimequickie]

Had an Ecosport AND a Figo Diesel. Just one word, BRILLIANT

[@ashokthomasGeorge]

Same happened in smartphone industry. Chinese cheap phones flooded the market. But then what else do you want from a phone. But doing the same to cars is not right. Tata Nexon is a recent example, sells truck loads, but cannot hold a candle to the ecosport if you drive it. Even the digital screen features of all these new gen cars from India and Korea, will not last long, it has cheap plastics and the screen interface is slow and glitchy.

[@mehrajmohan173]

I20 1.4 petrol back in the day was awesome

[@Buckleupnomads]

I m still satisfied with my fortuner 2014 4x4 its not a car its a emotion for me even for today , it has clocked more thn 3 lakh km on the odo nd still its sooo smooth so refined still feels like new. Even my clutch plates got changed after 1.80 lakhs kms i mean my brake pads last too 70-80k kms …thats a well build car i would say i evn have a octavia 2.0tdi nd a vento 1.5tdi nd recently added h hilux as well but still i love to drive my fortuner for almost everywhere i go 😅i love it 😊❤

[@praveenhegde8107]

Its not the features or the finesse but a reliable well engineered (mechanicals) car that matters .
Isn't people of mind the epitome of luxury.

[@dineshpatel9034]

I jst bought pre owned Citreon aircrss C5 almost half the price of new, am so surprised that how well built the car is, am so happy to own the car.

[@blazkowicz666]

How much did you buy it for approx? And how many kms on the odometer?

[@dhruvbhatia5737]

How's the ride quality

[@dineshpatel9034]

@@blazkowicz666 2022 model shine with jst 18000 kms from Delhi for jst 16.50 lacs

[@dineshpatel9034]

@@dhruvbhatia5737 in one word ' Superb' as travelled to Gujarat from Delhi as got to test 1000 kms drive back to my city. Really enjoyed the ride and feels so planted, 100 feels like 60 and sound insulation is like to another level. Really worth the money spent and mileage in real was 16.5 with 110 average speed per hour.

[@utsavchaudhuri]

@motorinc should Collab with these guys #winwin

[@visuphysio007]

Demise of ford is because it’s own service center, I had 2 ford cars, cars amazing, drives great . I loved ford but the service is shit, it’s not one service center, it’s so annoying.. you cannot blame media entirely and people are not so fools .. u cannot get parts outside service center , spars are expensive and service is so bad. I moved to Honda now it’s going fine so far

[@navishpaik]

Bravo👍

[@sangramdhore4912]

If u insist me for the Tata cars
Hexa
Safari dicor / storme
Tata Manza
I’ll love to own all of these in today’s date

[@jaivardhankohli5670]

You should expand your podcasts to spotify as well

[@ICinternalcombustion]

Thank you! That's definitely on our cards. Meanwhile Part-3 of our conversation with Ishaan is now live on the channel as well. 😊

[@shuvamdizun]

I feel the only good true ICE *CAR* left in their portfolio is Hyundai Verna Turbo DCT

[@TheZenith790]

just 1 Q who the F is ishaan