Aug 28, 2003 03:47 AM
18968 Views
(Updated Aug 28, 2003 03:47 AM)
One of the first big cars to come to India, unfortunately, by the worst equipped company to herald in any such sea-change. The result was predictable - big, inefficient, tacky. Looked better than its 50 year old predecessor, the Amby, but performed as badly. This is one company that should call it a day.
Likely that only Birla employees will use this car, ostensibly to please the bosses.
It is hard to negotiate, with its odd steering and large size, moreso, for Indian roads where taking turns is a luxury. But, to be fair, a person sitting in a Contessa starts looking way beyond his age.
HM has possibly never heard of shock absorbers and the minor changes they try and introduce from time to time for unidentifiable reasons just makes the car perform worse. Somehow, the car appears to be manufactured by favouring the lowest bidder for its parts, and obviously, or archaic machinery.
Nevertheless, I hear the Chairman of the company has gone on to say that HM isn't doing well because they don't manufacture steel. (Duh!) That alone speaks volumes about the competence of the Chairman and his team.
All said and done, its mechanics are so elementary, any hobo can make it work again, if its stops suddenly - which is expected.
