I thought ’’Karizma’’ was a silly name for a mobike...Ok! The Auto Industry can afford the occasional goof up in coming up with creative names for vehicles...but it looks like the GM marketing guys are also equally brain dead when it comes to selecting a name for their latest car..imagine calling a good car ...Optra. If it were a dog, it would have bitten its master for naming it so. :-D Well! If you have a different opinion, just to prove that I am right...I’ll give you a test. Go to Mouthshut product search and type Optra. Other than my review you’ll get a product called Optra in the Printer section!!!! :-) Howzaat!!!
If the marketing guys at GM had their creative bRAINS washed away in the monsoon RAINS, the GM engineers were sure working hard on the car design and engine. Kudos to them. As I went to the showroom to have a look at the Optra, I was already in the negative frame of mind thinking a car called Optra would not be any great shakes....But..was I wrong or what!
The first thing that struck me about the car was that it was not one of those sleek sexy designs...it had a few blunt edges here and there...but the design was overall appealing. Then suddenly my jaws dropped..my eyes popped out of their sockets...No! No! No!...It was not some good looking feline in a tiny skirt which did the trick...it was the sight of a ’’original’ Blaupunkt , 5- CD changer, 6 speaker system in the car , that was giving a music buff like me those palpitations... Just close your eyes and imagine yourself driving on a highway, The lamp posts whizzing past you in a blur, the black tarmac streched ahead of you, the love of your life sitting next to you, and ’’Tequila Sunrise’’ thummin’ from the Blaupunkt in the background... Hmmm! ...How ever I write, I’ll never be able to capture these feelings in a few words...Sorry Guys!
Poof...Back to reality..The Showroom...The Car...Inside the Optra...Processed Dead animal hide(leather) was all over the place...seats, sides, . steering ..all leather trimmed...but! Ho! Hum!..nowadays this was becoming passe..almost standard expectations from the GM guys...I would have had a heart attack if I saw the same in a Maruti but with GM this was expected. Next, Please!
Power steering, Power windows...power everything..plus some nick-nacks like Can holders, mobile holders .
But hey! Stop. Freeze frame..now listen hard... What really impressed me was the engine - 1799 cc & 16 Valves of rippling liquid muscle, which can reach u to speeds of 100Kms in just 10.5 seconds..Gulp! Driving at 150 Km/ Hr would be a breeze in this mean machine. This guy is simply radioactive. Are the Indian roads ready for this comet on wheels? (I Know! I Know!...what’s the big deal ..there are faster cars on Indian Roads..Hai! Na!..Well ..tell me how many ’’Indian’’ manufactured cars give you such speed thrils..that’s the key word here)
At a price range of 7.89 Lacs to 8.2 lacs, This car will surely BE A WINNER. If I were to give you two reasons why this car will be a initial winner, they would be
1) Design : The general Indian psyche is to love a design that is not very sleek and smooth. We, Indians still like designs which are slightly unconventional and boxy , maybe its our ambassador and Premier Padmini Hangover. I think that is one of the reasons why Ford Ikon/ Skoda are hits in the market place.
2) Engine : The GM engine can always be trusted to deliver what it says. No tall claims with this car. What you see...you are bound to get.
So in plain speak, I think Optra has impressed me as much as a ’’Mini Atom Bomb’’ would impress Osama ...but if only they would choose a better name next time around...hmmm..’’Uranium for thought’’