tata -ite!

Tata Manza

I think I am the only person in the world who actually vouches for Tata cars. Facing ridicule for driving a taxi, the bad engineering or sniggers from friends as they sit behind the wheel and commence driving my truck each of them are dutifully ignored by me as they are made to notice the immense head space, the powerful engine and the manner in which it pushes off almost all other small cars off the road.

As a tataite – I am the only one rooting for the Tata Manza to be added to the family for its next addition.

Friends have been groaning at my choice, the brother rolling his eyes and in general the south Indian nod has been following me.  Without fail each friend or acquaintance when asked to pick a favorite car, stuck to the Maruti’s, Hyundai, and the Fords. 

The dear Tata remained Cinderella that no one wanted to dance with.

Armed with this information, I test drove everything.

Started with the Hyundai  1-20 –

Decent interiors, limited power, and lots of jazz, heavier and more sluggish than the 1-10

Hyundai i-10

Hate where the gear is, though it is a zippy drive

The Ritz and Beat are ugly, the Figo did not come under my scanner and the Estillo looks like a child grew the dinky size to a whole new proportion. So that is that and then we came to the Tata cars

Punto

Zippy and how, Cozy and powerful it vroomed on the road like a cat purring after a good scratching session. The wipers and indicators were set the wrong way, but it felt smooth. Hmm only drawback it is a fiat! Who drives those things?

Vista

Yuck is what I yelled out at that one and wanted to step out immediately

Manza

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm… I loved it!!!

The power, the price, the steering, the space, the gears, the indicators worked, the everything made me feel rich and powerful. Like a man on the roads!! And then to add to it was the looks that were not crafted like a truck.

Almost everyone sniggers about the Tata cars. I feel protective about them like one would for an underdog. This emotional thinking for a car is the stupidest idea ever, but hey it seems to let me atleast consider a manufacturer that everyone else ignores.

So on my recent trip, I catapulted from the car the moment i saw a Manza on  the roads, charged towards the back and took a snap of the car, rapped my knuckles on the window of the not so amused Tamil driver, and gushed animatedly about how he was driving a MANZA!! a fact that he was yea.. well aware off. 

Such was my excitement, that i remained rooted to the spot with gibberish English foaming at my mouth at the Tamilian, and ultimately Excel Macroman had to come to the spot, stand a few inches behind me and indicate to the driver that i was insane. Retarded really, before gently leading me back to the oh so not a Manza zen!!

Sigh- Dad wants to buy an i-10. pity pity pity