Quick Drive: 2015 DC Avanti
Just a couple of weeks ago, we rode the Mahindra Mojo and remarked about that motorcycle’s extended development cycle, and how it’s been seen in some or other form for years. The DC Avanti is a bit like that. If you have business between Pune and Mumbai, chances are that you’ve chanced upon the impossibly low and sleek Avanti and like many others, wondered what a camouflaged Lamborghini is doing on the Expressway.
The DC Avanti is no Lamborghini, though it’s ergonomic oddities might occasionally remind you of one. It is, however, unique in every way. Indian-made, it’s a mid-engined sports car with a fibreglass body and a metal space frame. You get two seats, a manual(!) transmission, air-conditioning, navigation and no rear view mirror. There is very little in the way of electronic trickery. You don’t get traction control, power goes only to the rear wheels and there’s no computer to interpret your inputs and adjust engine parameters. It’s an elemental sports car, the sort you’d end up building once you have more time and money than you know what to do with. It feels stripped down and purposeful, and demonstrates performance when you punch the go pedal.
But that’s the thing: for almost Rs 35 lac ex-showroom, you expect more for your money. The DC Avanti feels a bit like a low-volume kit car. It’s certainly low volume, but there’s much about the finish that needn’t be the way it is. Interior materials look and feel cheap. Rubber beadings are roughly stuck on, the fibreglass looks unfinished where it meets metal and darker parts of the paintwork don’t look quite as smooth as they should. Choice of switchgear is also odd, with DC opting to use flat buttons to toggle the AC and the power windows. But take a step back and it’s impossible to miss. Or pass without a second, third look. In this lurid sunset yellow colour, we had a hard time making room for our cameras to take clean shots; we were inundated with selfie-hunters. So much so that we ultimately had to move to a more private location to finish the shoot.
That’s the other thing: you can’t buy a car that looks like the Avanti no matter how much money you spend. It cuts a serpentine figure with its contours, character lines and stance, while recalling Italian sports cars in profile. If you want a car that’s guaranteed to attract attention, buy the DC Avanti and mission accomplished. However, if your golf buddies are already driving imported exotics, save yourself the mockery.
To be fair, DC has made an effort to bring the Avanti up to scratch. We just wish it was consistently applied. In the driver seat, your console is a single, large TFT screen that displays instrumentation digitally. It’s bright, colourful and easy to read. Not so much the air-conditioning controls, which take a bit of guesswork and shading with your palm to read and set properly. The seats are sporty and comfortable, looking and feeling the part. The footwell is abnormally deep, and I’m not sure if the clutch pedal even hits the firewall when depressed fully. The drilled metal pedals are in a comfortable position unlike some Italian sports cars we could mention, but ergonomics are a bit weird. The steering column obstructs the right knee when you’re moving your foot to the brake, while the left knee hits the hard centre console. Much of this annoyance melts away when you punch the throttle.
There’s adequate thrust from the 2.0-litre turbo V6 engine sourced from Renault, which generates 250bhp and 340Nm of torque. The 6-speed manual transmission gives you the sort of tactility that’s missing from today’s digitally perfect automatic gearboxes. It’s not the best we’ve driven, but it’s okay. Once the turbo spools up, all you’ll hear in the cabin is the turbo whistle and a lot of whooshing. The exhaust note is moderate in volume, but not particularly evocative. More than one person remarked about it sounding like a Diesel engine. But that doesn’t really matter while your in the driver’s seat, picking up speed with some alacrity. The claimed gross weight of the Avanti is just 1580kg, but it feels heavier in motion, which may have something to do with the huge 20” alloys shod with Pirelli P-Zero rubber that stay stuck to the tarmac like an abusive relationship. The ABS-equipped disc brakes are also good, but with a very light pedal action.
Steering feel is heavy, but turning radius isn’t as bad as one would expect from a low, wide sports car. Ground clearance is a pleasant surprise, with more than enough space to negotiate the most Himalayan speed bumps. And we’re pleased to see that this clearance doesn’t impact the visual drama of the car.
We want to like the DC Avanti. It’s locally-made, offers a package that’s impossible to buy at twice the price and looks like a freaking space ship. But times are different, and customers have exposure to international brands that set the standard in product design and experience.
If your ex-racer friend modified your family sedan to be a hard-edged sports car or drag racer, you’d forgive all manner of inconsistencies because of the bespoke, sporty nature of the vehicle. If you look at the DC Avanti through the lens of a DIY enthusiast, it’s incredible: mid-engine, turbo, manual, Lambo looks. As a finished product that costs about as much as a European luxury sedan, it has some way to go.
Originally published at ThrillOfDriving.com on December 7, 2015.
