We take a look at some replicas of supercars found in India.
For people who love used cars, online classifieds are a great way to look for some nice barn finds, classic cars, vintage cars, and even exotics apart from the usual mass-market cars. In my latest video, I spoke about some Chinese cars that are clones of some very popular cars and I mentioned the Geely Merrie 300 which is a copy of the Mercedes W203 C-Class.
Now, the W203 is a very popular generation of the C-Class. The earlier batches of this generation were known for issues which Mercedes eventually ironed out in later batches and these cars are available for quite cheap in the used car market nowadays. I was casually browsing the classifieds to check out some cars when I noticed a few sellers who had replicas of supercars up for grabs.
Replicas are far from the real deal but this trend has been quite popular in some overseas markets and there have been instances of people making good quality replicas too. Of course, you just cannot match the actual level of finesse and performance that a real supercar has, but still for the heck of it I decided to check out these replicas and below are the top 3 cars that amused me.
Replicas Of Supercars
Bugatti Chiron Replica – A company called 4TELS Modification in Delhi has a Bugatti Chiron replica for sale. As per the images, the car doesn’t seem to be completely ready. The body shell looks to be work-in-progress and it seems to be made of fibreglass. Cuts for the headlamps, windshield, doors, and grille remind you of the Chiron but it remains to be seen how the actual product over here turns out. The seller hasn’t posted details about the mechanicals or base car and maybe they’re just looking to sell the body, which is priced at Rs. 15 lakhs.
The real Bugatti Chiron is powered by an 8.0-litre W16 engine making 1500 HP and 1600 Nm. The Chiron comes with the largest clutch to ever be used on a passenger car. It does 0-100 km/hr in 2.6 seconds while the top speed is claimed to be 420 km/hr. The Bugatti Chiron costs somewhere in the range of Rs. 20 crores!
Lamborghini Aventador Replica – The same seller as above has posted a Lamborghini Aventador replica too. The Aventador replica is priced at Rs. 15 lakhs but the base vehicle and the engine aren’t known. As per the ad, the car is a 2016 model and has done 35,000 kms. It’s an AT and the seller claims to have done up the interiors too. If you look closely, you’ll notice similarities between this and the real deal when it comes to the lines and creases on the bonnet and side.
The headlamps have a similar design as the original car but the same level of detailing and finish seems to be missing. There seem to be certain rough edges too and these things will let people know that the car isn’t a real one. The Aventador replica is finished in a shade of yellow, but if we talk in official Lamborghini terms it could either be Giallo Spica, Giallo Orion or even Giallo Horus! As for the base car, let’s make some wild guesses, maybe a Honda Accord V6? The real Aventador comes with a 6.5-litre V12 engine making 740 horses and is priced between Rs. 5.50-7.50 crores (on-road).
Mercedes-AMG G55 Replica – The Mercedes G-Wagon is a very iconic SUV and the AMG versions have found a good amount of success all over the world. Here we have a Mercedes-AMG G55 replica that seems to be based on a Mahindra Bolero. The ad has been posted by one BOSS. The SUV is a 2012 model, has run 30,000 kms and delivers 18 km/l. The SUV is located in Hyderabad and the cost of modifications is claimed to be Rs. 21 lakhs. The asking price is 12.60 lakhs right now.
As seen in the images, there’s a lot of effort that has gone into this replica. The bumpers, lights, fenders, wheel arches, etc. remind you of the original car. The rear has been worked on nicely as well and the tail lights seem quite similar to the original ones. Of course, the story is different when you see the cabin because the replica has the Bolero’s dashboard, albeit with a Mercedes logo on the steering wheel and while some upholstery work has been done, the quality levels of the original car would be next to impossible to match.
The original Mercedes-AMG G55 used to come with a 5.5-litre, supercharged, V8 engine taking the SUV from 0-100 km/hr in 5.6 seconds. In comparison, the Mahindra Bolero comes with a humble diesel engine aimed more at durability and fuel efficiency. While the G55 has been discontinued long back, you do get the G350d and G63 AMG now. The G350d will set you back by Rs. 1.78 crore while the AMG version costs Rs. 2.50 crores (on-road).
