The HAL car. Developed by Hindustan Aeronatics Ltd. We don't know if it was meant to fly in a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang way!



An 'economy car' produced by the Defence Production Organisation of the Ministry of Defence. Released in 1960 it was meant to cost only between Rs 4,000-5,000.



An Ambassador from 1971 adapted to run on industrial alcohol. Developed by Deedar Singh of Lonavala near Pune.



A mystery. We don't know much about this Aravind car, but we can guess why it was never made - that grill would have scared off any potential buyers!



Another model we're not sure of, but this full length recliner innovation would have been more popular.



Sona Car from Sona Automobile Industries Ltd.



Another electric car developed by Mr.P.V.Raghavaiah of Autonagar, Vijayawada.



Another electric car developed by Mr.P.V.Raghavaiah of Autonagar, Vijayawada.


Electric car developed by the College of Military Engineering, Kirkee.



Sanjay Gandhi in the prototype of the Maruti.



The launch of the Maruti800 in Mumbai. Diamond merchant Mr.Sameer Jhaveri, who got the first car in Mumbai, receives the keys from Mrs.Manju Sanghi, wife of Mr.Mahendra Sanghi, director on the board of Maruti.




Mrs.Gandhi at the launch of the first Maruti car.


Three wheeler fibreglass car from Sunrise Auto Industries in Bangalore. Would become the Sipani Dolphin.



The Standard2000, India's first indigenous luxury car.


The Nano is an impressive engineering feat, but it should be noted that it is hardly the only car to be dreamed up by Indian auto experts.

Some of the many indigenously developed, or adapted models, made it to market, like the Standard2000 or the Sipani’s Dolphin. Others remained prototypes like the HAL car, rather surprisingly developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, or many examples of electric cars or those meant for alternate fuels.

They may not have succeeded, yet their spirit of invention has perhaps found fruition in the Nano, and as a tribute we have created a gallery; To know more click here