How Dilip Chhabria 'changed' everyday cars

The automobile style guru Dilip Chhabria, or DC as he is commonly addressed, has been giving cars a makeover for over two decades.

His designs sometimes overwhelm auto enthusiasts, put them in awe, and at times are too artistic for their taste.

He has designed automobiles not just for Indian wealthy and celebrities; he also made the first prototype for the Aston Martin Vanquish that appeared in the James Bond movie Die Another Day.

He truly has ‘an artist’s sensibilities and an engineer’s mind’ as his website describes him.

In his long list of achievements, the latest one is India’s first sports car DC Avanti that would cost Rs 25 lakh (Rs 2.5 million).

Let’s take a look at some of the cars under Rs 15 lakh (Rs 1.5 million) that he has redesigned.

Suzuki R3 Concept

Maruti Suzuki called on DC Design to build a showcase vehicle called R3 Concept for 2010 auto expo. And what you see here was the result.

You can see this car on Indian roads right now. Wonder which is this car that bears the Suzuki Logo on the steering?

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Suzuki R3 Concept

The car that was called R3 Concept is now sold as Maruti Suzuki Ertiga.

Click NEXT to see other cars under Rs 15 lakh that went under DC’s scalpel…

Toyota Innova

When two legends meet, there has to be something radical. DC reconfigured the Toyota Innova and styled it to make it ultra luxurious.

Wonder how the interior looks? Click NEXT to see it…

Toyota Innova

What you see in the picture is DC Lounge Innova Famile with Exterior Kit Type V.

The luxury features added to the interior include 19-inch LCD TV, DVD player, chiller, front and rear reverse camera, swivel jump seats, a leather upgrade and a body kit for Innova.

Other add-ons involve glass, cup and mobile holders. The DC Lounge does have laptop connectivity as well. The door panels are managed by proprietary switch controls.

DC Lounge Innova can comfortably seat four people.

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Mahindra XUV 500

Just like the Innova, Here’s the DC Lounge package on Mahindra XUV 500. For this package, the seats are redesigned. The second row and the foldable last row sears are replaced by 24-inch captain seats.

Click NEXT to see the exterior of DC modified XUV 500…

Mahindra XUV 500

It has air craft themed roof module with ambient reading lights, touch screen controls on the armrests, two LED TVs with a DVD player and a pair of laptop tables for the busy bees.

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Honda City

This is a Honda City redesigned by DC. To reach out to masses, DC had tied with carnation to sell customisation kits for cars.

These kits include customisation of front and rear bumpers, bonnet enhancements, side skirting and fog lamps and alloy wheels.

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Hyundai i20

Here’s how to make a good looking car better! The car, i20, has great looks with its sharp creases and European design. DC took the elegance and added the right mix of sportiness to it.

DC Design redid the front bumper and added an aggressive mesh grille and a wider air dam. At the rear, it added twin trapezoidal exhaust. The side profile too has changed.

Click NEXT to see the interior of i20…

Hyundai i20

To add to the sportiness, DC design added eight spoke alloys and the interior is done in the white-red combo to make it stand out.

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Tata Aria

Continuing DC Design’s range of Lounge, here’s Tata Aria. Treatment to the car is similar to Innova and XUV 500.

The two rows of seat have been replaced by captain chairs that can be controlled electronically.

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Tata Aria

An entertainment system is bolted on the partition between the driver and the passenger seat.

DC has crafted the seats and door trims in leather to provide an extreme sense of luxury. The panels around the partition look like faux wood or plastic finished like wood.

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Volkswagen Polo

DC Design wanted to turn Polo into Volkswagen’s best sports car. The customisation done: sporty front bumper, VW frontage lamps make way for slit shaped renditions and the fog lamps and air-dam have been refitted to complement the huge bumper.

about Polo’s modification…

Volkswagen Polo

Polo exhibits a three-door rendition with an augmented suspension and massive wheels.

The rear lamp has been given a complete makeover, it has dual exhaust, the interiors feature sporty bucket seat and a touch-enabled audio system.

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Chevrolet Beat

DC Design customised this Chevrolet Beat way back in 2007. The car was displayed at the NY auto show.

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Chevrolet Beat

The Chevrolet Beat was unveiled at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. This concept was a front-drive, three-door hatchback, derived from the Daewoo Kalos.

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Ambassador

For ministers to ride in style, DC has customised the Ambassador. The exterior may look simple but it oozes elegance. The read modification is on the inside.

Click NEXT to see the interior of VIP Amby…

Ambassador

DC feels that the Ambassador is pride of India just like England has Mini and Germany has Beetle.

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Renault Duster

One of the recent customisation that came from DC Design was Duster makeover. The company introduced a very unique body kit for the SUV that costs Rs 3.49 lakh.

The body work is finished in matte black and the chrome lozenges are replaced by DC logos at the front and at the back. Custom DC alloy wheels and a polished side steps are a few other body changes.

Click NEXT to read about the interiors…

Renault Duster

The interior is completely transformed. DC Design gave it a marine style cabin with a faux wood and leather finish. The rear bench is replaced by two six-way adjustable captain chairs and a giant LCD screen sits on the driver’s seatback.

A foldable tray table and entertainment controls grouped on the centre partition.

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Maruti Suzuki Swift

DC Design modified Maruti Suzuki Swift.

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Maruti Suzuki Swift

DC Design modified Maruti Suzuki Swift.

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Nissan Sunny

Now, if you want a car that gives you comfort of luxury cars that costs 10 times as much, this DC kit is for you. DC Design has customised Nissan Sunny to give it extreme sporty looks.

Don’t go by the exterior that looks like yet another Sunny. It’s the interior that gives you comfort that rivals Mercedes Banz’s luxury cars.

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Nissan Sunny

The middle seat has been removed and in it’s place exists a full length armrest. There seems to be a cool box present just behind it. The entire interior has been wrapped in a red colour scheme.

The two individual rear seats are electrically adjustable as you can see from the array of buttons on the armrest.

A large LCD screen has also been fitted behind the driver’s seat.

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Ambassador inspired Ambierod

One car that probably awed every auto enthusiast unanimously is the DC Ambierod. Probably because Ambassador had been around for a long time and no one thought such customisation is possible.

The car, however, is not just a redesigned Ambassador. Rather, it is influenced by the Amby. “The idea behind selecting the Ambassador design was to create a nostalgic sense associated with the iconic car while feeding the needs of the future Indian car,” states DC Design’s Tumblr page.

about Ambierod...

Ambassador inspired Ambierod

Fitted with V-12 BMW engine, the features a satellite navigation system, three LCD TVs, internet, rear vision camera and multi-coloured mood lights in xenon.

The price of the car - hold your breath - is Rs 4 crore (Rs 40 million) and buyers have already lined up for it.