Category Archives: quality of life
Ferrari Enters to Navigate the Potholes
Ferrari opened its first retail showroom in India a few weeks ago. This country has become one of the most attractive destinations in the world for super luxury automobiles. Mercedes and BMW seem almost outmoded by comparison – with a particular sect of customers.
Meanwhile, Rolls Royce, Bentley and Lamborghini have been around for some time. Yawn. So, enter more exotic super-luxury cars to expand the range and please the fancies of the new billionaires and super rich of India. Aston Martin, Bugatti, Maserati and Koenigsegg (Confession: Not being in the same league, I had to look this one up to find out that it was the Swedish super sports car) are here now.
Now, it’s Ferrari’s turn. All major models will be available in India, and price ranges are from roughly $500,000 to $1 million for their cars.
My, but how far we have come!
The dynamic of these super-luxury automobiles navigating the potholes and traffic of India’s roadways reminds me of…what was it again? Oh yes, yin and yang. 🙂
Here are some interesting facts about this market:
- Demand is not just in the top metros; Just like Mercedes has become a staple in Ludhiana, Punjab, these luxury cars are entering smaller metros such as Surat…and Kohlapur!
- The average age of the customers is 33-34 (down from 40-42).
- They are the rapidly increasing number of billionaires (or their kids) in this country who yearn to show off their new wealth with everything from super-homes to yatchs, private planes and flashy, super-expensive automobiles.
- What do they do? They may be rubber barons, diamond traders, exporters, or factory owners found not just in the large metros of India but smaller towns as well.
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Photo by: By Kaotic.nite (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
India says:I want a better quality of life.
“I want a better quality of life”. This phrase and battle cry, I believe, is what is transforming India today. It will also continue to make this country tick in spite of all odds.
The human motivation for a better quality of life is not measurable, but it is certainly palpable. Here in India, it is an underlying human energy that is gathering steam and taking on a life of its own.
I look at India and I see major dichotomy (doesn’t everyone?). Let me group my thoughts into two high-level categories that I will call the bad news and the good news.
The Bad News (let’s get it over with first!):
- Corruption at all Levels of Government
- Looting of the Treasury by Bureaucrats
- The Parallel Cash Economy and the Scourge of Black Money
- Ineffective Government Services for All Citizens
- More Poverty than there should be!
- Lack of adequate Far-thinking, Honest, Visionary Public Sector Leadership
The following cannot be changed or stopped: each person’s innate need and wish to continually improve his or her quality of life – especially once they have had a taste of what is possible.
The resulting motivation is so significant that it has the power to exponentially multiply and transform worlds. Witness the ongoing transformation in India!
A person who has had his eyes opened to possibilities will reach for that better quality of life, even if it’s one step at a time.
Added all together, this will reach gigantic proportions at various economic strata, and therein – in these vast numbers – lies the magic.
That is why economic progress here can only increase and propagate. With its momentum and gathering force, no one will be able to stop it – not even an ineffective government. Think of it as a runaway train. But one that is headed to a good place.
Final Thought: What is the true potential of this country if it did not have to deal with so much of the bad news?
Photo: By Lakshmi Prabhala [CC-BY-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
The Yin and Yang of Life Anywhere 