| Sixty years separate the DeSoto and the BMW you see in the pictures. The DeSoto was assembled in India by Premier Automobiles under licence from Chrysler in 1947, while the BMW is assembled in India by a 100 per cent subsidiary of the German company in 2007 "" both imported into India in pieces and then put together. |
| Local content in both these cars is less than 10 per cent. Premier localised the cars heavily later on and even the engines and gearboxes were cast at its Kurla plant, while the Bavarian manufacturer is planning a localisation programme too. Fuel cost three rupees and eight annas to an imperial gallon then and it costs Rs 48 for a meagre litre today. |
| Post-war American iron like the DeSoto was built to last and lots of examples still survive. Modern BMWs feature crumple zones and a host of safety features, but they do have a certain lifespan "" most bits are designed in such a way that they can be recycled without harming Mother Earth. Back then, the word recycle did not exist. |
| While the modern automobile "" like the BMW 325i you see here "" has come a long way when it comes to design, technology, computing power, safety, acceleration and top speed, the similarities with the DeSoto are too much to dismiss. |
| Both are essentially four-door sedans with inline six-cylinder engines powering the rear wheels. Have we really made that much progress? |
| 1947 DESOTO |
| Price: Rs 12,000 in 1947 was premium money when you consider the fact that a Morris 8 cost Rs 4,000 |
| Split windscreens were necessitated since curved glass was prohibitively expensive once upon a time. Today designers can get really adventurous with their lines and safety glass can be made available in any shape. Quarter-glass windows are making a comeback since they improve visibility in modern cars |
| Like the BMW, the DeSoto sourced its power from an inline six-cylinder engine that powered the rear wheels. Its 12-volt electrical system is still the norm after all these years. A move to 24-volt was suggested but never happened. |
| The DeSoto made roughly 30 hp from its leviathan engine and could manage a top speed of around 120 kmph. At 4-5 kmpl, fuel economy was not exactly its strength. The DeSoto had a semi-automatic transmission, and combined with Chrysler's "Fluid Drive" system, it was as easy to drive as this BMW, which features an automatic transmission |
| Large American cars feature rigid rear axles and leaf spring suspension even today. The DeSoto was no different and it could handle "no-road" situations better, while the multi-link suspension of the BMW still finds it difficult on those bad roads that haven't disappeared |
| Chromium plating! Though the '70s and '80s snubbed chrome in a big way, the shiny metal surfaces are on their way back now, but are used judiciously "" for instance, on top of the BMW "kidney" grille. The new material is called plasto-chrome (chromium-plated plastic surfaces). |
| In the DeSoto, real chromium added weight and made the car even more thirsty. And pedestrian safety was unheard of in those days. Today's legislators will freak at the thought of a cheese-grater grille travelling at good speeds on the road. New generation cars inspired by the hip-hop brigade have lots of chrome or "bling" on them |
| The chrome bumper was the most important safety feature. Don't know about its impact absorption capabilities, but it could withstand animal impacts without damaging the car. Safety became an issue only in the late 1960s and early 1970s. |
| 2007 BMW 325i |
| The 325i will set you back by Rs 35 lakh including bells, whistles and iDrive. Steep indeed in a country that manufactures arguably the cheapest car in the world, the Maruti 800 (Rs 3 lakh) |
| The snarling inline-six under the sinuous BMW hood displaces only 2500cc but develops 218 bhp. |
| Given the road, this engine can propel the 325i to 243 kmph. If you drive with a light right foot, the engine which features variable valve timing, will return 8-9 kmpl easily. But if you want economy, you can always buy a diesel version that guarantees 14 kmpl. Back in the days of the DeSoto, even trucks were powered by petrol engines. The BMW's automatic gearbox lets you shift gears manually thanks to the "steptronic" feature |
| The BMW 3 Series is safer than many bomb shelters thanks to an array of safety features "" both passive and active. In-car entertainment has really progressed and the 325i features a radio, CD player as well as a television! All communication, entertainment, navigation and climate control can be operated via iDrive, a little "double-click" device that was invented by BMW and is now seen in most luxury cars |
| Alloy wheels and "runflat" radial tyres for the Beemer. Though radials (by Michelin) were made available for cars 60 years back, they became the norm in India only in the mid-90s. While pressed steel wheels, as seen on the DeSoto, are still the affordable way to fit tyres. Cross-ply tyres lasted long but had smaller contact patches and hence less grip and braking efficiency |
| External rear view mirrors! Please note the absence of them in the DeSoto. Even today some carmakers offer only one external mirror as standard. The BMW here features streamlined ERVMs that ensure minimum drag. They can be electrically adjusted from inside and they will adjust by themselves when you are reversing. Intelligent? Very |
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