My Tryst with Standard 2000. Review on Hindustan Contessa - Diesel

A word about how I chose this car. I had seen Standard 2000 here and there in Chennai and Hyderabad. I had dim memories of this car from block busters of the late 80s like Agni Nakshatram and Kamal Hassan?s Apurva Sagotharargal where the car featured prominently. In fact in the latter film a dance sequence was shot in the factory premises of Standard Motors Products of India Limited itself with all the cars parked in a semi-circle, hazard lights blinking. Ever since my eyes fell on it, I was more enamored by to its royal looks, sleek body and above all its size. I feel sorry that this wonderful car is out of production.

Standard 2000 is one of the first indigenously built luxury cars of India. During its heydays from 1984 to 1990 it competed with Hindustan Motors? Contessa Classic and gave a run for its money and the fledgling Marutis came no match for it. In those days, for the price of almost six Maruti cars you would get one Standard 2000! UK?s celebrated Rover SD1 cars became Standard 2000 in India. Standard 2000 pioneered many hi-tech features which are so common in today?s cars. Much to the dismay of Standard 2000 owners, frequent labor & other problems made the company to shut down operations. With that the car passed into history. But, if you carefully observe, admirers for this car abound even today.

Well-known for its stunning foreign car looks Standard 2000 is sure to make heads turn around when you are on the move. The old car?s appeal is based on solid values such as safety, sturdiness, space & comfort. The car is a challenge to any new luxury car!

Originally the vehicle came with a 2000cc petrol engine and hence its name ? Standard 2000. Unfortunately, the mileage was awfully low and soon owners began to replace it with diesel engines.

Looking at it either way, it appears as a royal Presidential limousine or as a big zamindar?s car with its sleek body. Moreover, you can easily pick it out as it stands out distinctly in any parking lot! Standard 2000 is a class apart from others and not just a part.

The main plus point in this car is its size. Competing with Contessa Classic, Standard 2000 is big - King-size in every aspect whether it is the cabin space or the legroom/headroom, the boot or the engine or the fuel tank or simply the size of the car in itself! It appears to me that Standard 2000 has been well-designed for ensuring highest level of passenger comfort with many sophisticated features. To top it all, it looks grand to be driven around by a chauffeur. Simply put, Standard 2000 was the owner?s pride and onlooker?s envy.

Little did I realized that the car would have so many features like digital clock, hazard lights, flash lights, rear wipers, trip odometer, RPM meter, defogger, water splash both at the front and back windshields, child lock which were incorporated way back in 1987 itself! There is even a lamp inside the boot which lights up on opening the door. All I knew about this car was that it is a luxury sedan possessed only by the rich and the famous which enhanced their status and prestige and never imagined it would have features of this range and sweep. We were simply astounded and happy to see all the features and above all almost everything sound and working well. The power windows buttons were placed in teak wood panels in the door interiors. Power steering, power brakes apart from the central locking was the most useful of the features.

The large 65 litre fuel tank was well enough to drive up to 700 kms non stop without refueling en route. All these made me to feel that this was something I hadn?t expected to come along and realized that this was more than I had bargained for. We embarked upon a voyage of discovery and it was joy to discover hitherto unknown features of the car. First came the reading lamp tucked in obscurely in the dashboard just below an AC vent. Then I chanced to find the fuses hidden below the dashboard and another one in the trunk. Next came the rear water splasher which was a rare one even in today?s car except for luxury cars. Finally, the presence of lamp inside the trunk which lights up on opening was a big discovery. Due to clogged up dust and wear and tear the connecting wires had been loosened and on fixing up it worked well. It made us to wonder how much thoughtfulness has gone into the design of the car.

Our first outing in this car was to Yadagirigutta, a pilgrim town small hill 60 kms from Hyderabad. The trip was smooth and memorable. We had a nice darshan and towards nightfall we reached home safely. This problem-free trip made us feel happy that the vehicle is in good condition and we had no reason to regret the purchase.

September 11th, kindly excuse the coincidence of the date, saw Dad making his debut with the car to his office. His colleagues were surprised to see it. Everyone was all praise for the car ? its looks, features and the comfort it offered. No one made any adverse remarks about Standard 2000. Some of the old-timers admitted that when the car was introduced they had admired but couldn?t buy. They recalled how the car created sensation during its heydays and how people just went crazy to see it, move around in it leave alone own it.

The young among them who had never seen the car before were bowled over by the looks. Dad was very proud about the car. Just as expected it drew a lot many curious gazes from other road users. The first day drive went without any hitch and Dad came home grinning from ear to ear with tales how his friends reacted. I was happy to hear them.

Soon, Dad was all praise for the car?s fatigue-free power steering, AC and felt it was like flying while in 5th gear. Dad took great pride in showing the car to his closest friends and was much gratified by their reaction.

In 2002 Diwali eve Dad had a couple of days holidays and we decided to spend the time in a pilgrimage trip to Srisailam. Though we got the car checked by our mechanic who declared it fit for long distance travel, yet we had our own apprehensions about the car ensuring a problem-free trip. For, you know, there are a thousand and one reasons for a vehicle to break down en route. But our fears were unfounded when our very first long trip sans driver went without a hitch.

Starting at 7 am and with halts in between for breakfast and refreshments we reached the hills a little after 1 pm. The journey was smooth and we had to stop once just to check up the radiator water level. The roads were fine and at some stretches the road was quite bad and at some it was too good for a ghat section. The car cruised along at an average speed of 65-70kms and at times we clocked 80kms. Beyond that we didn?t feel it was safe.

After all, it was Dad?s first trip without a driver and he told that it was an acid test for him before embarking on a much longer journey in the times ahead. He handled the car well and none felt the jerks or any discomfort throughout and after the travel. The ghat road winded up at places quite steep and the car climbed with ease in second gear and sometimes at the third. It proved that it could give a mileage of 14kmpl. Dad didn?t feel any driving fatigue thanks to the superb power steering and we hadn?t any thanks to the air-conditioner and bucket seats.

Soon, every month, we took short trips to pilgrim centers in and around Hyderabad like Sanghi Nagar, Keesaragutta, Chilkur. We enjoy the long drives on the national highways.

Our car is one of the rare of its breed to be seen and still running in the roads of Hyderabad today. It announces our arrival in style, loud and clear.

Ever since we came to own Standard 2000 it has become part of us. And even though the car is out-dated we are proud about it!