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As I write this, it’s exactly 100 years ago that this copy for an advertisement in The Times newspaper appeared – on Saturday, May 2, 1925 to be precise: ‘Rolls-Royce Ltd beg to announce that, after prolonged tests, they can now demonstrate and accept orders for a new 40/50 H.P. chassis. The 40/50 H.P. chassis hitherto manufactured by them will be sold as before… The original chassis of this type was the famous Silver Ghost, and to prevent confusion such chassis will be known as the Silver Ghost model, whereas the new chassis will be known as the New Phantom.’

Who would have thought that the first time the Phantom name appeared in print would kickstart a legacy that would continue for 100 years, and look strong enough to dominate the next century too – no other model nameplate has been around for so long. Back then, the Phantom was a replacement for the hoary Silver Ghost, which by all means was overdue. The ‘haunting’ nomenclature for the models was a clever bit of marketing by managing director Claude Johnson – a tradition that continues at Rolls-Royce to this day. Instead of the dry British legal numbering (engine type/power rating), Johnson felt that giving a name that evokes the supernatural as an attribute to the silent performance and effortless ‘waftability’ of the cars would be more evocative.

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Well, it worked, and as another old jungle saying goes, ‘The Phantom’s Silence Speaks Louder Than Words.’ The Phantom nameplate was always affixed to the pinnacle Rolls-Royce model – the one made for leaders and royalty, tycoons and stars, and those for whom peak luxury, exceptional craftsmanship, effortless performance, high levels of customisation and an elevated experience were a need rather than a want. Across eight generations, the Phantom has always been associated with people of power and influence, whether temporal or cultural. Whether you were born into wealth or became enormously wealthy, the Phantom was the Rolls-Royce that you rewarded yourself with.

Curiously, the ‘New Phantom’ – which later began to be retrospectively called the Phantom I – was not exactly new, as it used the same chassis as the Silver Ghost! The logic? Rolls-Royce did not want to spend money developing a new chassis because it believed its customers would not want to look under the body. However, what it did debut was an all-new overhead valve inline-six displacing 7,668cc – a contemporary, silky smooth, silent and powerful engine. In true Rolls-Royce tradition, the output was never revealed; it was simply deemed sufficient. Rolls-Royce only supplied the complete rolling chassis in two wheelbase lengths for the Phantom I; customers, in the meantime, would have specified their coachwork and body style with any of the Rolls-Royce-recommended coachbuilders. The New Phantom was, as you’d expect, pretty expensive, but for owners, the refinement and grace in the way it moved was worth it – even if out-and-out performance, handling or fuel efficiency was not its forte.

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An all-new chassis debuted in the Phantom II with the same engine, while the Phantom III’s highlight was the spectacular aero-engine inspired V12. The Phantom story would have ended here, as 1950s Britain and Europe were reeling from the after-effects of WWII, and an outsize, expensive automobile felt out of place. Still, Rolls-Royce made it in limited numbers – only 18 hand-built units were offered to heads of state and royalty – with the caveat that it would never be sold ahead by the first owner, and only returned to Rolls-Royce! This, the largest, heaviest, most expensive and most exclusive of all Rollers was powered by an inline-eight cylinder motor. The Phantom V took it up a notch further, and came with a 6,230 V8 and 4-speed automatic transmission built under license from General Motors that could purr effortlessly, especially in stately low-speed processions. The Phantom VI was mechanically identical, but was offered with better equipment and features. It was the last of the Rollers to feature a separate chassis. After BMW took over Rolls-Royce in 1998, the first nameplate they reintroduced was the Phantom. The seventh-generation model brought the hallowed marque into the 21st century with a bang, with its imposing spaceframe body versus the coach-built versions of the past. The Phantom VII was immensely popular and broke the volume records of previous Phantoms, with 10,327 units built across variants until it was replaced by the Phantom VIII in 2017.

I have had the pleasure of driving about four of the eight Phantom generations, and the hissing sound of the engine is the only giveaway that it’s running. Piloting it with the spectacular Spirit of Ecstasy guiding the way, with the light glinting off the imposing Parthenon grille is an experience that is tough to describe. But the Phantom’s pièce de résistance is, of course, to revel in the extraordinary luxury at the rear – a veritable seven-star hotel on wheels. What’s common across all generations is that the Phantom defines luxury, exclusivity, performance and craftsmanship on its own terms, and is not swayed by trends or styles. It stands alone, the Phantom amongst Rolls-Royces. Truly, 'The Phantom Walks In The Path Of The Ancestors, Guided By Their Wisdom.'



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Sir Henry Royce in the prototype Phantom I at his home, in 1923. 

1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Tourer ascends the Stelvio Pass on the 2023 Alpine Tour.

Illustration done in 2025 by Rolls-Royce designers as tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Phantom.

Srinivas Krishnan Opinion - Rolls-Royce Phantom

Everyone knows the old jungle saying, ‘The Phantom Never Dies.’ A tribute to the magnificent Rolls-Royce Phantom, as it celebrates its 100th anniversary this month.

Even in the present day, of turbocharging and electrification, this old adage still holds true. I was reminded of this thanks to a slightly unlikely vehicle – well, a pair of the same vehicles with different engines to be precise. The vehicle in question is known less for its straight-line speed and more for its rock crawling ability – the mighty Defender.

Disclaimer: I love the new Land Rover Defender. I love the original Defender too. In fact, one of the most fun cars I’ve ever driven is a rally-raid-prepped Bowler Defender 90. But setting aside dreams of conquering the Sahara, or perhaps the Himalayas, the new Defender remains one of the most capable cars in which to also traverse our city streets – which themselves are littered with obstacles, manmade and otherwise. Now, with the SUV in question, you could choose either a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol motor putting out just shy of 300 horsepower, or you could go the whole hog and opt instead for the fire-breathing 5.0-litre supercharged V8 monster making in excess of 500 horsepower. The latter is a bit of overkill no doubt for a trip to the local supermarket, but it’s better to have a little bit in reserve just in case – isn’t it?

Well, the V8 is certainly more entertaining. And, of course, it sounds far better. After all, who doesn’t love a V8 rumble – especially when it’s intertwined with some supercharger whine. The V8 sings, and it adds a layer of engagement that’s completely missing in its four-cylinder cousin. In fact, one of the reasons EVs are struggling to find favour with enthusiasts – despite offering blistering speed off the line – is that there’s no sound and no sense of occasion. Hearing forms an integral part of our five senses, and it’s one of the ways in which we engage with the world and make sense of it. The sound of silence is great for tranquillity but not when you want to form a relationship with your four-wheeled steed. Needless to say, the grunt from the supercharged V8 is addictive too.

But that doesn’t mean the four-pot doesn’t win back some points. It’s lighter, which means that the front end is sharper, and the handling is better. It’s more efficient, so it’ll be far nicer on your wallet (but if that was a point of concern you wouldn’t consider the V8 to begin with). Of course, the power – while adequate – is a bit of a letdown when you drive it right after the V8. But it is adequate. The question is this – is there such a thing as too much power? Being an off-roader, shod with all-terrain rubber, the V8 Defender gets quite squirrely on full power, not to mention the torque steer that exists despite the four-wheel drive system.

So, it seems the sensible choice is the four-pot and not the V8. But the extra four-cylinders and 3.0-litres give the V8 Defender a sense of capability and a character that its lesser sibling can never hope to match – no matter how tight you wear your thinking-man’s hat to convince yourself otherwise. As for having too much power? Well, I can’t say I’ve ever experienced that particular sensation… there’s no such thing as too much, in the same way that you can never have too much of a good thing! Or maybe I’m just not self-actualised enough to settle this particular debate…

There is NO replacement for displacement!

Is there such a thing as too much power? Well, I can’t say I’ve ever experienced that particular sensation…

Who said government officials don’t work? Last June, the media discovered how ‘efficient’ a Regional Transport Office inspector in Malappuram, Kerala was. In five hours, he conducted 147 driving tests and issued licenses to about 100 candidates. Later in the afternoon, he conducted fitness tests on 88 vehicles, including 38 heavy commercial vehicles. All in a day’s work? No, this superhuman officer had more charge left in him. He renewed 16 licenses before he left for the day. Wonder how much ‘work’ he took home with him. Stunned by this revelation, the Kerala transport department has since implemented stringent rules, which has reduced the pass percentage of driving licenses to less than 50%. It was 100% the year before that. Yes.

And then there is Maharashtra. According to a 2024 news report in onmanorama.com, it seems that the RTO in Andheri, Mumbai issued a whopping 76,000-plus driving licenses in 2023 based on fake driving tests using unauthorised vehicles. This was uncovered when the state’s Accountant General conducted a random audit of driving license application processing. In the audit, of the 104,000 licenses that were reviewed, 76,354 were issued after all the tests were conducted on the same set of four vehicles, with a complete mismatch between the test vehicle and the category of license issued. This is the audit data of just one RTO, while there are 53 more RTOs in Maharashtra, and over 1,100 RTOs across India, including Malappuram, of course. India, a land of immense opportunities…

Wait, that’s not all. While two officers were suspended from the Andheri RTO, last month Hindustan Times reported that the same RTO, around the same period, granted fitness certificates to 60 vehicles a day. Only 25-30 vehicles are authorized to undergo these tests per day. These fitness certificates were issued even on weekends and holidays. I am moved to tears by the sheer dedication of India’s RTO personnel.

So what’s the most effortless, clean (for you) – and perhaps even cost-efficient – way to obtain a driving license in Mumbai then? Join your neighbourhood driver training school, finish the mandatory instruction sessions and finally, on the appointed day, go along with your driving school instructor to the RTO and you’re done. Merely turning up for the test along with the driving school employee seems to be good enough to get your license. For about 9,000 bucks, your license is assured even before you figure out where the steering wheel is. And when you do go for the test, the RTO officer may opt not to even see your face, let alone figure out whether you know which of the three pedals stops the vehicle. Or what is the sign for No Entry. Or notice that you are using the brake pedal to kick-start the motorcycle. True story.

I don’t know of any other important and momentous life-altering test that we face in our lifetimes in which we are guaranteed success – even before we take it. Take Maharashtra, again. In 2023, it was reported that of the 50-odd RTOs in the state, 14 had a failure rate of less than 1%, some were even lower, at 0.5%! Surely, you must be an utter failure in life if you flub a mere RTO test in Maharashtra. Of the 32.04 lakh applicants, a staggering 97.24% were granted licenses. What a skilled, talent pool this country has! What selfless government officials! We’re blessed.

It need not be this way. There is a tremendous force pushing against any sort of RTO reform. Road transport is a state subject, the Motor Vehicle Act features in the Concurrent List. When the Union Minister for Road Transport &amp; Highways wrings his hands and bemoans that he has not been able to bring down India’s traffic fatalities, it is because he can only do so much. Even if the state government belongs to the same party as the one at the Centre, the pushback against reform is stupendous. So what if the demographic dividend of the same state gets snuffed out on the roads?

But it doesn’t have to be so. Delhi introduced automated driving tests in May 2023. In the January-August 2024 period, 80% of those who were manually evaluated got their driving licenses, while only 54% of those who took the automated test passed. A lousy pass percentage for obtaining a driving license, conversely, should make all of us happy. Unfortunately, the pace of adoption of automated tests at all 1,100 RTOs is simply not fast enough – of course, it is not the only solution to make our roads safer.

A driving license is not like Aadhar, a source of identity that every Indian is eligible to get. Driving or riding a vehicle is a privilege, you have to earn it. An estimated 1.20 crore driving licenses are issued annually – have all of them earned that privilege? No wonder, we are attaining new heights in road crashes, injuries and fatalities.

Srinivas Krishnan Opinion - Despite the dire consequences

Despite the dire consequences of letting untrained drivers and riders loose on our roads, it’s shameful that state governments are unable to clean up the license-issuing process.

No prizes for guessing that we’re talking about Elon Musk and Tesla.

At the close of 2024, Tesla – the most valuable carmaker in the world – had a market cap of $1.3 trillion. Just four months later, amidst a Trump tariff-induced market devastation, that’s down by $425 billion (with a “B”) to a “mere” $875 billion.

Conversely, the largest carmaker in the world, Toyota, has a market cap of $275 billion, despite producing over 9 million cars versus less than 2 million for Tesla and reporting a $30 billion profit – almost double of what Tesla made in the preceding calendar year.

Clearly what this means is that the cult of personality is still very much intact – but dented severely, and possibly permanently, because of the political leanings of the world’s richest man. In fact, after Musk’s support for a far-right German political party, Tesla’s sales in Germany fell by 74% in February this year. And, in a survey of 100,000 Germans, 94% of respondents said they would never consider buying a Tesla ever again. In fact, sales across Europe fell by almost 50% in the first two months of the year, as the Trump Administration admonished Europe quite publicly immediately after taking Office.

Tesla’s valuations skyrocketed over the past decade, as the traditional OEMs struggled to play catchup in the midst of a paradigm shift. Tesla soon became a posterchild – not just for the environmentally conscious, but also the tech-forward and even those who were smitten by its supercar-rivalling acceleration. Now, the challenge is three-fold – 1. the established OEMs, while still playing catchup, are at least within striking distance, 2. EVs, as a whole, have lost some of their shine as ICE is putting up a real fight, and 3. Musk’s political involvement has taken a toll on the Tesla brand. It no longer stands only for the cutting-edge tech that it develops, but also the divisive views of its CEO. Tesla, once the favourite of the liberals, hasn’t quite been able to cover up the shortfall after it’s shift to the Right. After all, conservatives tend to prefer their Ford F150s.

So, where does that leave Tesla? Well, very vulnerable indeed. It would never have shot to the top of the financial markets without the appeal of its genius CEO – and he is a genius make no mistake. But perhaps not as astute in anticipating what his involvement in politics could mean for his businesses. Or maybe it was just a miscalculation?

What looked like a masterstroke after the US elections appears to have unravelled as quickly as his cult of personality. Tesla’s brilliant designers and engineers will be wondering if there’s anything at all they can do to get the brand out of this mess. But this is clearly beyond their pay grade. Elon’s allure got the brand to where it is today, and his downfall could bring it crashing down as well. He’s clearly stepping back from the political limelight, but the question is this – once that allure is shattered, is it possible to put the pieces back together unscathed or will it it leave a scar forever? I’m afraid, only time will tell…

A cult of personality can lead to stratospheric valuations. But it can all come crashing down just as fast… 

Tesla would never have shot to fame without the appeal of its genius CEO – and he is a genius, make no mistake, but perhaps not as astute in anticipating what his involvement in politics could mean for his businesses

Nearly 100 years ago, Ford and General Motors established assembly plants in Sewri in ‘Bombay’ to cater to the promising Indian car market. Yes, even a century ago, India was considered one of the top automotive markets in the world. Despite the turbulence of the two World Wars and our freedom movement, India remained an attractive destination.

American cars won over the volume segments because of their ease of operation and repair, ability to withstand Indian road and climatic conditions, and value for money. The two American carmakers were joined by Chrysler two decades later via a tie-up with the Walchand Group. But by the end of the 1950s, the US Big Three were out of the country as India insisted on local ownership and control, among other reasons. The three would return after liberalisation in the 1990s only to pack up and leave in a decade or so – though Chrysler continues to exist in its Stellantis avatar with the Jeep brand.

As I write this, the Union Minister of Commerce is in Washington DC trying to hammer out a trade deal with the Trump administration. Ol’ McDonald is trying to protect his farm by taking action on India’s stringent import duties – on among other things – fully-built up automobiles by levying retaliatory tariffs.

If the Trump administration leans on India to cut its import duties on completely-built up units – which they see as unfair tariffs – will the American car brands get ready for their third innings in India? Will it matter if there are zero import duties on Ford, General Motors or Stellantis? Then our roads will be filled with machines India desperately wants, right? How about the GMC Yukon XL (nearly 19 feet) or a Ford F-450 Heavy Duty (powered by a trifling 7.3-litre naturally aspirated V8)? Oh, how about a Chevrolet Suburban ‘With Extra Cheese’ or a Ford Expedition MAX ‘WouldYouLikeFriesToGoWithThat?’ Nah. Think clean, this is the era of climate change. We can instead get an eco-friendly GMC Hummer EV, a mere featherweight at 4,000 kilos. You know where this is going…

More than the three legacy brands who have had a chequered history in India, it is Tesla which lit the spark against India’s tariff regime. Elon Musk wanted easy access to the promising Indian market without investing in manufacturing or assembly – especially when he has enough and more capacity in his Gigafactories to address the Indian market. India’s administration exactly a year ago pivoted and brought out a new EV policy specifically designed to attract Tesla to India, hoping to get Elon visit the country just before the General Elections were announced. Instead: No Tesla, only Trump and Tariffs.

India is considered one of the most protectionist countries in the world; we have our reasons, but most experts in this field say that our tariff regime is counterproductive. It has made us vulnerable to dealmakers like the current US President. Everything looks like a nail to him because he has a hammer in his hand.

What if India reduces its tariffs on America-made cars then, as a sop to keep Uncle Sam happy? I believe it will not have any negative effect. That’s because we are yet to see any desirable cars that the Americans currently make that India wants. Let’s assume Tesla is a household name and all Indians aspire to own one. Even after full duty exemption, they will not be cheap – Tesla will compete in the higher end of the market, selling maybe a fraction of what Elon dreams he will in India. In other words, none of the cars America makes is real competition to Indian OEMs like Mahindra Auto or Tata Motors, or even to other foreign car companies that have invested in India – not only volume players like Hyundai and Kia, but even Mercedes-Benz and BMW too. The confidence is not misplaced. Cracking open the Indian market even if it has been handed over to you on a platter is not easy. Ford, GM and Chrysler have learnt the hard way twice over that India is not for amateurs. So, will Tesla be any different?

Oh, did I say American cars are not desirable? Of course, they are – but they are not in production anymore. Yes, I am talking about vintage and classic American cars. If the Indian Government is arm-twisted into cutting import duties on these, then full support to President Trump. Make American Cars Great Again!

Srinivas Krishnan Opinion

Will it even matter if India gives in to the Trump administration and removes all tariffs on American automobiles? 

Well, that’s certainly true for the Volkswagen Group. Audi has reintroduced diesel engines on the A6, while Skoda has announced a clear intent to bring diesel back to India.


Porsche, meanwhile, is scratching its head trying to figure out how to reengineer its new EV platforms to accommodate ICE powertrains because of tepid demand. The Macan, Cayman and Boxster were all meant to be EV only, but it seems that the battery electric bet hasn’t paid off. Not only are Taycans languishing on dealer lots, but the ones that have found homes are depreciating as rapidly as their instant torque electric motors enable them to shoot off the line. The end result is that Porsche is taking an $800 million hit this year.

The dichotomy in all this is that these Porsche EVs are actually phenomenal to drive – both the Taycan and Macan really do feel like a paradigm shift and a massive leap forward from behind the wheel. Somehow, Porsche engineers are able to get their EVs to feel light on their feet and genuinely sporty while also being incredibly refined and easy to drive. But it appears that buyers at this end of the market – which is to say collectors, connoisseurs and enthusiasts – value the drama and connection provided by an internal combustion engine. And Porsche knows this better than anyone else. After all, they’re the only automaker that remains committed to the manual transmission – which, in every objective manner, is inferior to its automatic equivalent (with the exception perhaps of weight) and yet there’s still tremendous demand for Porsche ‘manuals’ simply because of the extra layer of engagement they add to a machine that’s as finely engineered as a high-end Swiss watch.

The increased rate of depreciation for these high-end EVs results from the uncertainty around battery life and their ability to provide peak performance throughout the lifetime of the vehicle. This is something that Ferrari is monitoring very closes as it prepares to launch its first all-electric supercar later this year.

Now a listed company, Ferrari has to be extra careful when it comes to demand and depreciation. In terms of sheer valuation, the market values Ferrari in the same realm as ultra luxury brands like Hermes, which create their mystique and allure from not just desirability but also the fact that people are willing to pay enormous premiums to get their hands on their wares – which also happen to be investment grade because they retain their value so well over time. Being in a position to acquire these luxury goods is even better than having access to a Swiss bank account.

Ferrari has recently inaugurated a new 'e-building,' not only to assemble its new EV but also the battery packs that go into them. Ferrari claims that this will ensure that its cars will be able to put out peak performance for decades to come and not just for the life of a single battery pack – thus ensuring its EVs retain value and desirability.

There’s no doubt that, for your everyday runabout, EVs actually make an enormous amount of sense. They’re cheaper to run, cleaner to operate, and incredibly refined, but when it comes to making the drive an experience to savour, the sound and drama added by an ICE powertrain still takes some beating – even if EVs can leave most combustion engine powered vehicles for dead in a straight line…

EVs are faltering, while diesels are making a comeback… 

The increased depreciation for EVs results from the uncertainty around battery life & their ability to provide peak performance throughout the lifetime of the vehicle

What you see on the cover of November 2024 of the <a href="https://www.autox.com/magazine/" target="_blank">autoX Magazine</a> is a glimpse of our annual mega-test. Other than merely whittling this list of 50-odd vehicles down to the top-ten machines launched in the past year, what our annual mega test enables us to do is put our ear to the ground and get a real sense of which direction the winds are blowing in. Well, all signs point to it being a gust from the East!

Spoiler alert – there are two Chinese EVs in our top-five cars of 2024. And the reason for that is very clear – they really are that good, and they really do provide class-leading value. That China is a powerhouse in EVs is not a new phenomenon, but just how much of a powerhouse is worth considering. How about the fact that 70% of the world’s EVs are made in China? Or consider the fact that <a href="https://www.autox.com/opinion/dhruv-behl/of-the-340-registered-ev-makers-in-china-only-one-is-profitable-byd-116457/" target="_blank">there are almost 350 registered EV makers in China. But only one of them is profitable</a> – BYD! And, yes, one of the two EVs in our top-five is a BYD.<iframe width="400" height="345" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QZ3yIvrZnSA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

 In Q4 of 2023, BYD overtook Tesla to become the largest EV manufacturer in the world. And in Q3 of 2024, BYD overtook Tesla in revenue for the first time. After all, BYD is the only truly vertically integrated EV manufacturer in the world today – producing its own batteries, motors, and chips. In fact, its proprietary blade batteries are perhaps the most advanced and safest battery packs around – so much so that even Tesla sources batteries for its Model Y from BYD.

Elon Musk did warn the world that it wouldn’t be the establishment that would pose a threat to his EV supremacy, but the real threat would come from China. That the traditional automakers are floundering is also not a revelation.

VW has spent the past several years developing its own EVs, but they’re simply not on par with the Chinese competition. So, VW is adopting Chinese EV platforms for its next generation of EVs – at least in China to start with. In the meantime, the German giant is planning to close three plants in its home market. Porsche, meanwhile, is talking about giving its new EV platforms ICE powertrains because of how dismal their EV sales have been of late. Across the pond, in the US, Ford is losing money on every EV sold and doesn’t expect to make a profit till 2027. The CEO of Ford, Jim Farley, even admitted to a Xiaomi SU7 being his current daily driver – presumably his way of checking out the competition. You know the world order has changed when the CEO of the car company that invented the assembly line is dailying a car made by a Chinese cell phone manufacturer.

Meanwhile, closer to home, the thaw at our Northern border may mean Chinese EV investment, which has been on ice in India thus far, may be a little closer to getting the green light. Politics aside, if the BYD Seal and MG Windsor are anything to go by, the emergence of the Chinese EV means that Indian car buyers are getting an up close and personal look at what Jim Farley and his colleagues have found – that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to compete with Chinese EVs.

The Chinese EVs That Have Been a Long Time Coming… Well, They’re Here!

You know the world order has changed when the CEO of the car company that invented the assembly line is dailying a car made by a Chinese cell phone manufacturer

Hollywood-style teaser-trailer. Dramatic voiceover accompanied by dark, foreboding visuals of a world at the edge of collapse:

Never before has the world seen danger like this. All around there is chaos and madness. Lives are at stake. Roads and highways are war zones, maiming people and taking away lives.

The terrible trio from India are wreaking havoc all around. The Oncomer: he’s coming against you! The Horner: he’s honking your brains out! Screenivas has taken on a deadlier persona… He is now Guerilla Glazz! There is no hope left. Unless…

Screen goes dark, with these words coming up in bright red, accompanied by an orchestral crescendo that abruptly stops: …unless a few unlikely heroes emerge to save us all… Coming soon to a road near you.

Scratching your head, wondering what’s going on? Well, it looks like you missed <a href="https://www.autox.com/opinion/srinivas-krishnan/superhuman-characters-inspired-by-indian-roads-118655/" target="_blank">the first part of this column</a>, which recommended that the worn-out Marvel Cinematic Universe take inspiration from the Indian Road Universe. The IRU has better believable characters than the MCU and the sad bit is that the world hasn’t even had a glimpse of their mind-numbing superpowers. I outdid Stan Lee last month by creating three fine examples of supervillains (and their alter egos) from the Indian Road Universe: The Oncomer aka Sikander Fate! The Horner aka Awaaz Bahadur! Aaand… Trinetra Kalakar aka Screenivas transmogrifying into the fearsome Guerilla Glazz!

The best thing about the IRU is that many more amazing characters inhabit it – that’s obvious, given India’s teeming masses and the unique superpowers that suddenly manifest the moment they are behind the handlebar or the wheel. For example, some individuals sprout chest hairs while driving around in a white SUV with dark-tinted glass. While others, who have barely developed chin hair, can fly a few inches off the ground on a 100cc putterette with two more of their chin hair-less friends riding pillion. Amazing.

But these are lesser superpowers. We’re here for the heroic ones with super superpowers… Quick, grab a popcorn! (On second thoughts, don’t. At ₹420 for 90gm of salted popcorn in a regular-size tub at your nearest movie theatre chain, it works out to over ₹4,600 a kilo – that’s substantially more expensive than, um, 4 litres of an exquisitely engineered synthetic oil or maybe a half-decent full-face helmet… Just saying.)

<img alt="BHOLA BHARAT Aka THE WALKMAN" height="720" src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2024/11/BHOLA-BHARAT-aka-THE-WALKMAN.jpg" width="720" style="width: 720px; height: 720px;">

<h2>BHOLA BHARAT aka THE WALKMAN</h2>

Superpower: Bhola Bharat has the ability to turn invisible – only while walking, hence his superhero name, the Walkman (not to be confused with a legendary 1980s electronic device). Policemen don’t see him, vehicle drivers and riders can’t see him, municipality officials in charge of keeping pavements unencumbered can’t see him, road planners who design stuff like pavements and road crossings also cannot see him, the electric company in charge of streetlights can’t see him… Heck, even in close quarters, the dog walkers who make their posh wards do potty on the road can’t see him.

Bonus superpower: The Walkman could have won Gold for India in the Olympics in many athletic categories, like 100/200-metre sprint, steeplechase and hurdles, and during the monsoon, high jump, long jump and triple jump. But he can’t because he is… invisible!

Backstory: Once Bhola was easily visible to everyone – he was especially unmissable when it was time to file income tax returns, fill bank KYC forms, during auspicious Diwali baksheesh days and even during election time. It was a transformative day for Bhola when a two-wheeler rider on the pavement shouted at him for walking on the pavement and blocking his way. That was the day he decided to turn invisible and become the Walkman.

Appearance: Like any of the 27% of Mumbai commuters who walk to work, unlike the 8% that use cars and the 7% on two-wheelers.

Signature dialogue: None; because his voice is very feeble.

<img alt="VALLY ROSY Aka ATGATT" height="720" src="https://images.autox.com/uploads/2024/11/VALLY-ROSY-aka-ATGATT.jpg" width="720" style="width: 720px; height: 720px;">

<h2>VALLY ROSY aka ATGATT</h2>

Superpower: Vally Rosy is an inspired biker. When he gets on a motorcycle, he is fully kitted – full-face helmet, riding jacket, riding boots, the works! No ride is too small for ATGATT, which stands for ‘All The Gear All The Time’ if you have not guessed. Remarkable superpower for being one in a billion in the world’s largest two-wheeler market, and that too, given India’s phenomenal weather and ambient conditions. Legend has it that he is not fully human, but half-man, half-bike.

Bonus superpower: He can recite all of Valentino Rossi’s achievements. And has a penchant for official Valentino Rossi gear and merchandise, from the helmet right down to the keychain.

Backstory: Vally was a conscientious child, always obeying the rules. At an impressionable age, he observed that the lives of a massive number of two-wheeler riders were being snuffed out on Indian roads. He decided that the only way to not become a statistic like them was to show he was different sort of biker: hence, the rules and the gear. A true inspiration.

Appearance: The number 46 appears everywhere around ATGATT physically and digitally – like an e-mail ID or Insta handle, for example.

Signature dialogue: I race to win (spoken with a strong Italian accent).Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/opinion/srinivas-krishnan/why-im-giving-up-on-telling-people-that-wrong-side-driving-is-wrong-and-dangerous-117771/" target="_blank">Why I'm Giving up on Telling People That Wrong Side Driving is Wrong and Dangerous!</a> 

Do you know of any characters from the Indian Road Universe? Let me know, we can make another sequel!

Superheroes from the Indian Road Universe - the Sequel!

We now know exactly what a jaded, uninspired dream factory like Hollywood needs: superheroes from the Indian Road Universe… Here’s the sequel.

As suggestions go, this is a pretty good one! It’s not mine unfortunately. Credit must go to Santosh Iyer, MD &amp; CEO of Mercedes-Benz India. In truth, this was more of a lighthearted comment, made while addressing an industry gathering organized by the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI), but look beyond the jest and there could be some real merit to the idea.

For reference, the Big Mac index was devised by The Economist in 1986 as an informal way of determining if currencies are valued correctly. The theory being that the uniformity of a certain commodity (in this case, a McDonalds Big Mac) sold across markets and comprising of a host of common ingredients – bread, meat and vegetables, of course, but also wages, rent, etc. – should provide a real-world gauge of purchasing power parity (PPP). It has since become a global standard and an easily digestible (pun intended) way of coming to terms with the vagaries of global exchange rates.

The Mercedes Benz index won’t be nearly as precise, but more of a way of measuring the wellbeing of a market – which is to say the percentage of people aspiring to own a Mercedes-Benz at some point in their lives. After all, ‘Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz…’ isn’t just a chant for Janis Joplin, but one for pretty much all consumers around the globe knocking on the doors of opportunity and luxury.

Mercedes-Benz was the first luxury car manufacturer to enter the Indian market in 1994, and ever since then the three-pointed star has come to define the term ‘aspiration.’ Suffice to say, the Indian market today is fueled by this aspiration, and it’s very much a marker of the optimism and confidence in the country at present.Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/videos/2024-mercedes-e-class-lwb-india-review-so-much-tech-but-is-it-a-better-value-autox-118697/" target="_blank">2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class LWB Review</a>

So, perhaps the Economist ought to consider adding another feather in their cap by implementing the Mercedes-Benz index – first in India, and then across the globe, in order to measure the level of aspiration and wellbeing in different markets around the world.

Oh, and I’ll take my royalties in the form of a <a href="https://www.autox.com/new-cars/mercedes-benz/" target="_blank">Mercedes-Benz</a>, thank you very much.

The ‘Big Mac’ Index is All ̇Well and Good, But What We Really Need is a ‘Mercedes-Benz’ Index…

The three-pointed star has come to define the term ‘aspiration’ As suggestions go, this is a pretty good one! It’s not mine, unfortunately.

Georgia. The country, not the American state. Yes, the one living under the shadow of Vlad the Putin. I visited it recently on holiday and was affected by the anarchy and the weirdness of Georgia’s automotive culture to write about it here. In the ten days I lived in the Caucasian country, I crisscrossed it from east to west and went from the Russian border in the north to close to the Turkish border in the west. I drove over major highways, main roads, mountain sections, city roads, and more. The road quality is brilliant in some places, and, in others, I felt right at home – because they looked as if the maintenance was outsourced to the Mumbai municipal corporation.

Georgia is uniquely located as it borders Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. This places it right at the crossroads connecting all these countries. You get lumbering truck traffic on the international highways, transporting oil from Russia and machinery from Turkey. If you have a truck fetish, this is the place to be. You can salivate over giant DAF, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Ford, Scania and MAN heavies of all colours and vintages. You would also see Sinotruk Howo trucks, helping the Chinese companies and Chinese labourers build Georgia’s road infrastructure. Of course, as Georgia was part of the Soviet Union, there are the purposeful Kamaz trucks which are new, nasty-looking GAZ trucks of the Cold War era and handsome ZILs of an earlier vintage. In fact, in some houses in the countryside, these ancient ZILs are parked as if it’s the family runabout you’d take to go into town to buy provisions.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.autox.com/opinion/srinivas-krishnan/opinion-how-companies-can-do-more-for-road-safety-than-individuals-and-even-the-government-117403/">How Companies Can do More for Road Safety than Individuals and the Government</a>

The car scene is bizarre. The country’s biggest export commodity is used cars – a business worth nearly a billion dollars a year – and its neighbouring countries and the ‘Stans take in a lot of these cars. Oh, and the locals too prefer driving these used cars as it is a lot cheaper than buying new ones. How does that manifest on the roads? Crazy. Georgia is an LHD country, but it picks up used RHD cars from Japan or Australia. So it can get a bit mental on the roads as many locals drive RHD cars in an LHD country.

Georgia takes in an enormous number of used cars from Europe, the US and Japan and has an army of mechanics and garages who work on these cars and re-export to Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan at a neat premium. Many of the cars are absorbed by the locals who take their own time to repair them. So they drive around in cars without bumpers, with fenders missing or wearing huge gashes. Virtually every other car looks like it has emerged from a recent crash, especially when you are near a port. The variety of cars is therefore bewildering – ranging from dusty Lada Nivas to muscular Camaros, and tight Subaru Foresters to bulky Toyota pick-ups. And then there are the Mercs. I thought Azerbaijan was the W124 capital of the world, till I came to Georgia. Virtually the entire production of W124s and W123s have all landed up here and still being used. Also many were gathering dust in parking lots; W124 restorers back home would weep in bucketloads if they saw these. To curb emissions, the Georgian government has banned the import of pre-2013 vehicles for local use – which has led to an upward spiral in prices. Compounding the problem is that the newer cars don’t run too well on their low-quality Russian and Azerbaijani petrol. The Georgians in the car trade are pretty mad at their Government.

With such a mind-boggling variety of machines on Georgia’s roads, I expected to see Mahindra and Tata SUVs here but didn’t spot one. I am sure there is a decent market for it in the Caucasian region. The one Indian OEM you would spot here is TVS, especially in the capital Tbilisi. You can see the occasional Apache, but it is the <a href="https://www.autox.com/new-bikes/tvs/ntorq-125/">Ntorq</a>, which is everywhere – with the Wolt delivery riders enjoying the full potential of this sporty scooter. And I suspect some of the Hondas here too are made in India.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.autox.com/opinion/srinivas-krishnan/why-im-giving-up-on-telling-people-that-wrong-side-driving-is-wrong-and-dangerous-117771/">Why I'm Giving up on Telling People That Wrong Side Driving is Wrong and Dangerous!</a>

Have you heard of the Mitsubishi Delica 4x4? These are vans (passenger or cargo) with proper four-wheel drive running gear. And Georgia is the place you come to see the third or fourth lives of these quirky vans, many of them from the 1990s. Some parts of Georgia have steep mountain roads, usually in a state of disrepair. These Delicas have found new purpose by becoming the lifeline for these locals to go up and down these rough roads. I am sure the Delica is part of the local lore or folk songs here.

Most Georgians drive like we do, which is not exactly a compliment. If you ever plan to go there, do hire a car and drive around, RHD LHD same difference. I promise you, it will be fun.

Travel Tip: Planning a Trip to Georgia? You Might Feel Right at Home

This month, Srini has a travel tip – if you plan to drive in the country of Georgia, you’ll feel right at home. And it’ll be fun…

Opinion