But truth is always in numbers, and here’s one important factoid – both Hyundai and Suzuki agree in their international handouts that India provides a major chunk of their sales, as well as an even more important segment of their global profits. So, and this has been something that more than a few little birds have chortled into my ears – the word is out. As on date, automobile sales in India are rocking, non-stop from factory to dealer and thence to customer – like butter slipping off a frying pan. A good monsoon is forecast, so that will mean more sales.

However, it’s towards the fourth quarter that the two market leaders will unleash their flagship vehicles, and aim to venture out of just the small hatchback segment – with the new Hyundai Sonata and the equally new Suzuki Kizashi. Look out Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. As someone who’s driven all of these extensively – both these cars will take the Honda / Toyota duo head-on in every possible way. And at prices that will simply make this summer’s heat feel like a cool swim in a Himalayan spa.

Product portfolios from car manufacturers continue to get more diverse, as traditional small car makers delve into the luxury car space, while some foreign manufacturers who called it wrong, bringing in their bigger (for India) cars, have had to do some quick back-steps and bring in their smaller cars – all of which has led to improved products at lower prices.

There’s still a perception problem here though – the canny Indian customer rightly perceives the cost of spares and maintenance for a manufacturer of small cars going to big cars as not too expensive. Logic says that they’ve already built economies of scale – all the way from the factory till the service centre.

But do it the other way around, as Skoda, VW, Honda, and now Toyota see it – and your PR as well as Corp Comm department can do what they want – but nobody is going to believe that a small car from a large car maker is going to be frugal. Sadly, that’s true too – I happened to accompany a friend with a Honda Jazz to a Honda dealership, and was scandalised at the service and spares prices.

So, the next step in the car bazaar – fourth quarter 2010.