Independent India is 75 years old. Old enough to have accomplished a lot, and young enough to be energized by new possibilities every day. We capture different aspects of the old and the new in listicles of 75 fun, inspiring, surprising and meaningful facts in this special Independence Day Series.

India@75 | 75 vehicles that shaped the Indian automotive industry

Parth Charan

India’s automotive landscape has always been rich, right from the turn of the 20th century. But it is independent India whose automotive trajectory has shot-up skyward going from a barren landscape filled with colonial relics to a becoming a bonafide manufacturing powerhouse known for robust, frugal runabouts and now, heavy-duty luxury cars. As one of the key markets of the 21st century, India’s car market has witnessed evolution at a steadily rapid rate, with the best yet to come. Here are 75 landmark vehicles that defined the country’s automobile manufacturing sector and mobility as we know it.

Mahindra CJ (1947)- In hindsight, only a military vehicle was fit to tame India’s unpaved topography. The original Jeep - the CJ proved to be perfect for the task, going on to become the precursor of the modern SUV.

Hindustan Ambassador (1957)- A symbol of 50s-era British motoring, the Morris Oxford was one of the most lasting remnants of the British empire. As a mobiliser of India’s political class, it was a symbol of upward mobility, while also going on to become an equaliser of sorts, serving as a family car, staff car, city cab among other things.

Shaktiman/ MAN 415 (1959)- Another truly iconic lifeline of the Indian Army, the MAN 415 or the Shaktiman, was another product of the Jabalpur ordnance factory, and an unflappable ally serving as the most widely-used medium capacity truck for over three decades before being replaced by the Ashok Leyland Stallion.

Premier Padmini (1964)- The Premier Padmini provided a bit of Italian flair to India’s otherwise moribund automotive space. This rear-wheel driven, column-shifter operated four seater truly withstood the test of time like no other car, outliving even the Ambassador as Mumbai’s ubiquitous kaali-peeli cab. Highly popular among private collectors, the Padmini’s appeal remains timeless.

Nissan Jonga (1969)- A World War relic-turned indispensable military ally, the 60s Nissan Patrol was rechristened the JONGA, after local manufacturing commenced in an ordinance factory in Jabalpur. The Jonga (Jabalpur Ordnance aNd Guncarriage Assembly) continued production (under licence from Nissan) till 1999 before it was phased out from Military fleets by the Mahindra MM540.

Bajaj Chetak (1972)- Many believe that it was the Maruti 800 that mobilised the nation, but that distinction actually goes to the Bajaj Chetak. The brainchild and most lasting legacy of the late Rahul Bajaj.

Royal Enfield Bullet (1977)- Another remnant of the Empire, the Enfield Bullet was a lifeline of sorts in post-Independence India, serving in the Army, in privately-owned farms and just about anywhere you could point its circular cowl at. Although originally designed for British b-roads, the Bullet became an all-purpose standard motorcycle in India with the sort of provenance few brands have claim to.

Yezdi Roadking (1978) - Before the arrival of the Japanese giants, it was a humble Jawa-derived Czech legend called the Yezdi that was the most reliable and rugged runabout.

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Yamaha RD350 (1983)- The Yamaha RD350 sowed the seeds of performance motorcycling in a performance-starved market like India. Its two-stroke, parallel-twin motor was unfathomably sophisticated for its time. Sadly it proved to be too much of a handful, and wasn’t entirely fuel efficient. Still, the RD350 continues to be a precursor to all manner of performance bikes in India, today.

Maruti Suzuki 800 (1983) - The first of many, the original 800 started a revolution. Reliable and efficient - it opened the market’s doors to Japanese engineering, and there was no looking back.

Maruti Omni (1984)- A microvan to most, a van to us, no vehicle had the load-bearing capacity of the stout-little Omni. The first, most reliable form of cargo transport, the Omni was up for anything.

Hindustan Motors Contessa (1984)- Falsely assumed to be a muscle car, the Contessa did nonetheless possess the swagger of large American sedans at a time when few other cars did. A fine stop-gap measure on the road to European luxury.

Kinetic Honda (1984)- Born of a joint-venture between Kinetic and Honda, the aptly named Kinetic Honda was a two-stroke time capsule, containing technology that was far ahead of its time. Which explains its near two-decade run.

Maruti Suzuki Gypsy (1985)- The Gypsy may not be the first all-terrain runabout, but it certainly was the most stylish. A Suzuki Jimny built to Indian specifications, its cool factor, rugged masculinity and bone-rattling ride were something every '90s kid aspired to.

Maruti Suzuki Gypsy (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Hero Honda CD100 (1985)- The first true commuter motorcycle, which has fundamentally remained unchanged, the CD100 was a true workhorse. It’s ability to take abuse, and its fuel economy made it a masterpiece of Japanese engineering, one which continues to ply the hinterland even today.

Force Traveller (1987)- Fondly known as the Tempo Traveller, this mid-sized bus from Force Motors has traversed the length and breadth of the country endlessly ever since it was launched in 1988. Since then it has grown in size, but its fundamentals remain unchanged.

Hero Puch (1988)- The Puch made mopeds cool. A feat that has never been repeated since. That 60cc, two-stroke motor could be heaps of fun too.

Bajaj Sunny (1990)- The first gender-neutral mobiliser of India’s youth, the Sunny was fashionable, practical and cheap. The first “scooty”, it even allowed 16-year-olds the chance to ride it while holding a licence for gearless scooters.

Tata Sierra (1991)- What Land Rovers are to today’s generation, the Tata Sierra was to 90s kids. A facsimile of 70s American SUV design, the Sierra was unconventional, butch and oh-so-cool.

LML Vespa Select (1993)- Born out of a joint-venture between India’s Lohia Machinery Limited (LML) and Italy’s Piaggio, the LML Vespa brought some much-needed Italian flair to the staid two-wheeler space. That two-stroke, 150cc motor didn’t hurt its prospects either.

Maruti Suzuki Zen (1993)- Bringing a lightweight aluminium engine into the mix, the Zen unlocked the performance potential of a Maruti Suzuki family hatch. An enthusiast favourite till date.

Maruti Suzuki Esteem (1994)- One true-blue sedan to rule them all. At least for the better part of the 90s. More powerful than the 800, more stylish and spacious too, it kicked-off the sedan craze with a 1.3-litre engine and traditional Japanese style.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W124) (1994)- Merc’s arrival following the liberalisation of the Indian economy marked a major turning point for the automotive industry and gave the country, still relying on two-decade old technology, its first taste of contemporary German luxury. The W124 E-Class established Merc as the top luxury player – a throne from which it’s yet to be displaced.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W124). (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Hero Honda Splendour (1994)- The successor to the CD100, the Hero Honda Splendour continued the mission of its predecessor with considerable resolve.

Mitsubishi Pajero (1994)- What did movie stars, real estate moguls and political hotshots all have in common? They all liked to be seen exiting the rugged, rally-bred Mitsubishi Pajero. At one point, it was THE SUV to own, representing power, sophistication and style. Although successive models tried to regain the original’s popularity, none came close with the Japanese carmaker eventually shutting shop in the country.

Opel Astra (1996 )- Opel’s run in India may have been short-lived, but it did briefly manage to enrich India’s premium sedan space with sharp European styling cues and distinguished performance.

Honda City (1997)- Establishing Honda as the top maker of sedans in India, the City proved that Japanese cars, thus far known for frugality and resilience, could also be fun to drive. Despite its missteps the brand continues to remain one of the best-selling sedans in the country.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno (1998)- The first premium offering from a maker of small cars, the Baleno proved that Maruti Suzuki had the chops to make aspirational products which were fun to drive.

Hero Honda CBZ (1998)- Before the Bajaj Pulsar surfaced, there was only one favourite among novice riders and that was the Hero Honda CBZ. As famous for its style as it was for its performance, the CBZ remained, for a brief moment, peerless.

Hero Honda CBZ. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Mitsubishi Lancer (1998)- Fresh off a series of international rally wins the Lancer name carried considerable heft in the 90s, prompting Mitsubishi to offer its maiden sedan, based on the Gallant, bearing the Lancer name. It worked, because the Lancer represented a major upgrade from the likes of the Esteem in terms of power and luxury.

Hyundai Santro (1998)- The original tall boy of the group. The Santro made Hyundai a household name in a country where Maruti Suzuki held a monopoly over the small car market. Things were never the same.

Tata Safari (1998)- No SUV from Tata, not even the mighty Sumo made quite as much of an impact as the Safari. It was the brand’s first full-sized SUV, seating 7 in relative luxury while offering off-road prowess at a reasonable price.

Tata Indica (1998)- For a home-grown car to take on Japanese giants was no small feat but the mighty Indica pulled it off. Despite its quality not being up-there with the best, it was the first sign of India’s manufacturing capabilities and a major evolutionary leap for brand Tata Motors.

Daewoo Matiz (1998)- In the relatively uncultivated budget hatch space in the late 90s, the Matiz stood out as a truly innovative piece of design - compact on the outside, roomy on the inside. An instant hit.

San Storm (1998) The long-forgotten San Storm may not ring a bell today. But at one point in the 90s, it qualified as an admirable attempt at making a low-cost, sports car. French styling, lightweight body work the San Storm had potential that ultimately went unrealised.

Maruti Suzuki WagonR (1999)– Maruti’s response to the tall boy Santro, the WagonR has withstood the test of time in a way its chief competitor didn’t. Still one of the largest selling cars in the country for over two decades, its mix of space and ease-of-ownership is hard to match.

Ford Ikon (1999)- The car that kicked-off the Ford story in India. Unlike the premium Ford Escort, the Ikon sold in vast numbers, and remained a favourite in the enthusiast community. Stylish, quirky and quick. Truly worthy of its name.

Toyota Qualis (2000)- The Qualis was the first SUV to showcase Toyota’s near-indestructible build quality, it proved that when it came to cross-country or inter-state journeys, while carrying upwards of 7 people, across harsh unforgiving terrain, you were better off with a Toyota.

Skoda Octavia (2001)- Taking India’s luxury car-market by a storm, the Octavia established Skoda as the undisputed market leader in the executive luxury sedan space – and it’s yet to be dethroned.

Reva (2001)- That the world’s first mass-market electric car was a frugal runabout designed in India is testament to the country’s problem-solving capabilities. A more unassuming motoring icon has never existed.

Bajaj Pulsar 180 (2001)– The Pulsar single handedly started a revolution bringing a level of performance and frugality to the motorcycle space that India hadn’t seen before. A right of passage for a generation of young riders, its launch heralded a new era of motorcycling.

Bajaj Eliminator (2001)- India’s first locally made cruiser motorcycle, the Eliminator came with a Kawasaki motor, before morphing into the more affordable Bajaj Avenger that continues to be sold in large numbers even today.

Honda Activa (2001) - With manual, two-decade-old scooters showing their age, Honda’s motorcycle manufacturing subsidiary stepped-in with the automatic Activa whose near-indestructible built, fuel economy and ease-of-use changed the two-wheeler space forever, making it an instant, and lasting bestseller.

The Activa's near-indestructible built, fuel economy and ease-of-use changed the two-wheeler space forever.

Ford Mondeo (2002)- The poor man’s Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the Mondeo brought European levels of sophistication and performance to India, buffing up the blue oval’s halo considerably by doing so.

Hero Honda Karizma (2003)- The Pulsar may have given us a taste of performance motorcycling, but it was the Karizma that offered fistsful of it. The Honda-derived 250cc engine was a gem, and the semi-faired styling made the Karizma the first middle-wieght performer after the RD350.

Royal Enfield Thunderbird (2003)- A major milestone in the re-baptised Royal Enfield’s comeback story, the Thunderbird was the brand’s first step in diversifying its portfolio, offering a cruiser in a line-up crowded with varying types of the classic standard that is the Bullet.

Mahindra Scorpio (2003)- The Scorpio rebranded Mahindra from a maker of agricultural runabouts to an urban SUV-manufacturing tour de force. The rest, as they say, is history.

Mahindra Scorpio. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Ford EcoSport (2003)- Arguably Ford India’s greatest hit and lasting legacy, the EcoSport was among the few crossovers which changed market preferences in its favour. It’s powerful 1-litre turbo petrol proved that cubic capacity was no impediment when it came to having a peppy motor.

Toyota Innova (2005)- Three-row seating, strong diesel powertrain and the ability to run for thousands of miles without so much as a rattle. The Toyota Innova single-handedly wrote the rule-book for MPVs in the country. Anything that followed was simply a scaled-up or scaled-down version of it.

Maruti Suzuki Swift (2005) - The 2005 Swift hit the reset button on Maruti’s dated formula for making hatchbacks. Instead we had a car that was also sold internationally, featured striking design and interiors which made it an instant bestseller.

Audi Q7 (2005)- Arguably Audi’s greatest sales success in India, the once-bestselling first-gen Q7 established the brand as a maker of premium cars. The Q7 shook-up rivals like Merc and BMW whose SUV offerings didn’t make as much of a mark then.

Honda Civic (2006) - Proper V-TEC performance, a digital speedometer - there was much that made the Honda Civic an instant hit, not least of which was its absolutely sensational design.

TVS Apache (2006) - The Apache was TVS’ rebuttal to the likes of the Pulsar, at a time when the market was just opening-up to two-wheeled performance. A fierce rivalry sparked, leading to many equally potent iterations on either side. The winner? The consumer.

BMW 3-Series (2007) - The First BMW 3-Series in India showed the difference that true Bavarian performance could make. The 2007 BMW 3-Series was an instant future-classic, showing that luxury and driving fun weren’t mutually exclusive.

Tata Nano (2008)- The ill-fated Tata Nano is significant precisely because it proved that in India, a mass-market frugal runabout is nothing if it isn’t aspirational. Its failure changed the course of the brand.

Ratan Tata at the Tata Nano launch event (Image credit: ratantata/Instagram)

Tata Marcopolo (2008)- Bringing a level of comfort to the public transport sphere, the MarcoPolo was one of the few locally made buses whose sophistication and comfort was on par with those of BharatBenz and Volvo.

Toyota Fortuner (2009)- The undisputed king of the road, the Fortuner’s domineering road presence and tank-like Toyota built quality has kept it comfortably atop the premium-SUV foodchain for nearly two decades.

VW Polo (2010)- The odds of a German carmaker cracking India’s competitive hatchback segment were slim, but the Polo, despite its relatively high price, managed to become a runaway hit thanks to its unparalleled performance and German built quality.

Mahindra Thar (2010)- With soft-roading and rugged SUV boxes ticked-off by the XUV and the Scorpio, Mahindra had room for an off-road adventurer friendly niche product. Flash forward 12 years later and it’s one of their bestselling cars and an off-roader of true repute.

Mahindra XUV500 (2011)- From the gentrified but rugged Scorpio to the soft-roading XUV500 - Mahindra’s transformation from a maker of agricultural off-roaders to sophisticated, tech-heavy family SUVs was complete when the XUV500 arrived.

Renault Duster (2012)- Originally made by Renault-owned Romanian car brand Dacia, the Duster proved to have just the right attributes to make consumers permanently lean towards compact SUVs - it was robust, built like a fort, and designed to take on considerable abuse.

Hyundai Creta (2015)- The Creta is the yardstick by which Hyundai India can gauge how far it has come since the days of the Santro. As one of the best-selling cars in the country, it became the car that proved urban crossover SUVs are the norm.

DC Avanti (2015)- Calling it India’s first indigenous sports car may be a stretch, but customiser-turned-designer DC’s maiden offering was an admirable attempt at a home-grown sports car, featuring a Renault Megane engine.

Hero Impulse (2016) - Having parted ways with Honda, Hero Motocorp soon woke-up to the fact that the best motorcycle for Indian roads is an off-road ADV. The Impulse remains a major milestone for the home-grown two-wheeler manufacturer.

Jeep Compass (2017)- It takes a special car to single-handedly change the fortunes of an ailing American giant in India. And the Compass did that, ensuring that Jeep, unlike its sister concern Fiat, stayed the course in India and emerged a heavyweight.

Lamborghini Urus (2018)- As the bestselling Lamborghini in India, Urus’ sales success is testament to the market’s potential for high-powered sports luxury cars, especially when they come with the added utility of a thoroughbred SUV.

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 (2018)- The arrival of RE’s 650 twins marked the coming-of-age of Royal Enfield which had relied on its old single-cylinder blocks for too long and suffered because of it. The new parallel-twin unit had none of the setbacks and all of the charm, turning Royal Enfield into an international sensation overnight.

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Tata Nexon EV (2020)- The Nexon EV will go down in history as the car that kicked-off the EV craze in a country where the odds were stacked against it.

Ather 450X (2020)- Ather’s flagship offering may not be the fastest or the best-selling e-scooter in the market. But its reliability and consistency make it India’s best e-scooter export by a mile.

Mercedes-Benz GLC43 AMG 4Matic (2020) Although not sold in vast numbers, the GLC34 AMG makes it to this list purely because it bears the distinction of being the first locally-assembled AMG in the country, and therefore a major vote of confidence in the country’s ability to make high performance cars.

Ola S1 Pro (2021)- The Ola S1 Pro may have had its fair share of problems, but Ola’s sheer scale of operations is unprecedented in the country’s manufacturing history. For that alone, this fast e-scooter gets a spot.

BMW M340i (2021)- Not quite an “M” car, but as far as locally assembled Beemers go, this one is the quickest.

Tata Punch (2021)- The first car to bring five star GlobalNCAP safety levels to the sub-compact SUV space, the Tata Punch’s status as a bestseller is proof that customers now actively prefer to buy safer cars instead of cheaper ones.

Volvo XC40 Recharge (2022)- The country’s first locally-assembled luxury EV, the XC40 Recharge has proven that if the price is reasonable, then demand for high-powered, long-range EVs is never going to be an issue.

Honda City Hybrid (2022)- Almost two-and-a-half decades after it was introduced, the City sub-brand continues to evolve, this time with a hybrid electric powertrain working as a pit-stop on the way to electrification.