CHENNAI, Aug 15: May be it had failed to get its gears in place. Or that's what the impression one got as the curtains came down today on Autofest '97, the much-hyped about automobile show in the city of Chennai. This maiden auto show in the Detroit of India fell into the `also run category' at the end.

Organised jointly by Wisitex Foundations and Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry , AutoFest '97 saw participation by about 115 exhibitors. But the mere number was not enough to raise the interest level in the four-day show. Those who walked in to have a glimpse of the `emerging new order' in the auto field, made a quick exit. Understandably so. For, big boys like Telco, Ford, Mahindra, Hyundai, TVS Suzuki, Ashok Leyland et al were conspicuous by their absence at what was touted as a `national auto show'. The middle-class friendly Maruti, too, chose to skip the show. That one of its dealers had participated was of little consolation though. ``With no major names on display, the show lost all its glamour'', says Harish Haran, an official with one of the auto firms in the city said.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.