Hey guys

I know by now most of you have got all the dope on the expo, but I’ve decided to continue sharing my experiences with everyone [and photographs].

I bumped into the editor of an auto magazine at the expo while I was checking out the Montero. I heard him say, ‘this is one bloody fantastic off roader,’ - referring to the Montero. The feeling I got was that if one were a die-hard off-roader, then the Montero was an excellent buy.

The Montero’s got a 3.2 V6 Diesel engine. Apparently, it’s no great shakes in the city. But the interiors are near perfect with its soft leather upholstery, centre information display, heated seats and a fuel economy calculator.

Right beside the Montero sat the all new Mitsubishi Outlander.
Its styling is quite superb, I thought. The Outlander has a very aggressive body styling with the deep-set headlights and thick bumper. It reminds me of the Range Rover somehow, but I could be completely off the mark. But I think if you’ve got the money and are in the market for that CR-V, wait a few months and check out the Outlander, it’s surely going to give the Honda CR-V a good run for its money. Another interesting bit of news is the custom designed sound system [courtesy Rockford Fosgate]. It has four six-inch speakers, twin dome tweeters, a 10-inch sub-woofer and a 650 watt amp sound.

And now… friends… presenting… the Mitsubishi Evo! I just lost my senses for a minute when I saw the car. I keep fantasizing a late night flat out drive from Marine Drive to the suburbs and back! And to make it interesting, race it against my friends Ford Mondeo! [evil laugh].

The two litre, turbocharged engine

I sat in the Evo – bucket seat heaven! The feeling was almost surreal. I think I’m still getting over the encounter. I had a morbid thought of calling up the ‘make a wish’ foundation and telling them a whole bunch of lies just for my ‘special wish!’ Who wants to meet Shah Rukh Khan! Just put me in an Evo for an hour and I’ll die a happy man.

I’m definitely looking for a car this year; suffice to say it’s not going to be a Mitsubishi [too expensive], although a second hand Lancer wouldn’t be that bad. But I’m rather more interested in a bigger vehicle. I’d like to know when the Sumo Grande is going to be launched. My first impressions weren’t bad at all. I’d love to do a test drive and see if Tata’s have stuck by their promise of better comfort and quality.

If anyone gets any news on the Grande, please pass it on my way. I’d really appreciate any information.

I took a few pics of the bikes section. Honestly, I’m not big on two-wheelers, but there were some really cool looking bikes at the expo. Will post pics soon.

Next up –The Hyundai Avante, the Hyundai Santa Fe and the rather ugly girls that posed by the Hyundai concept cars.