#AravindModel3

[therealaravind-blog]

Fan poster designed by an enthralled member of the growing fan-base wishing the best for Aravind, its heritage and its hope for the future. How many of us #Indians want to see the first #Indian car on the roads again? Last time we got rejected. This era it's going to be different. PC: © CC-NC-SA, Aravind Automobiles 1956 - 2020 Poster: Jayaram Ramachandran, IG: @jaiposterwala

[therealaravind-blog]

The 1966 Aravind Model 3 stands testament to the ingenuity of young India. Mr. Menon’s decades of hard work and perseverance culminated in this final masterpiece. Powered by an Indian-made 1,089cc, I4, petrol, producing 49hp from Fiat 1100 Delight. This was also the basis for the Aravind registration to be road-certified. During India’s quest to manufacture a truly indigenised automobile, Aravind Automobiles presented the prototype to then various heads of the Union of India, including Bhagwan Sahay – Governor of Kerala, Siddavanahalli Nijalingappa – CM (Congress) of Karnataka and of course HH Sree Chithira Thirunal – last maharaja of Kerala. However, the car was seen as too big and quite rightly didn’t fit into mobilising India’s eager population – so we went with the Suzuki Fronte SS80, which became the Maruti 800. We didn’t prioritise 100 per cent ‘make-in-India’ back then, and as a fledgling nation that had just defeated the British might, we were happy to accept the collaboration from advanced partners in Japan. Congress took the right call, no doubt leading to India’s automotive prowess in 2020 where even the epitome of English brands, Rolls Royce, too want a piece of it. Perhaps it would be fitting for Congress to look at Aravind Automobiles again, after the grandparents did, two generations later. PC: © CC-NC-SA, Aravind Automobiles 1956 - 2020 Restoration: Ambigraphy Studios 2016 - 2020

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