Thankfully, the ground clearance of 170 mm is enough to avoid large speed bumps. Though, it won’t shy away from fishtailing on sand spilled roads, which is a good possibility in India. However, a 10 mm drop would have made it a bit more connected to the road while still letting it jump over most obstacles. This keeps the passenger cell intact in case of a crash. You see, we got the chance to drive two different Avantis, and two handmade cars never are the same, which helped us understand . Though it would be more appropriate to put the Avanti on a track test so as to get a better understanding of the steering, suspension and its high-speed driveability. It lends a composed and held-together feel to the car and inspires confidence.The fourth, fifth and sixth cogs will help you reach the top speed, which sadly has been limited to 200 kmph. It does affect the driving dynamics a bit since you feel slightly over the ground despite its low stance. I think DC has been very generous in finalising this part, which is good. Yes, it has some niggles, but then it's nylon rollers Manufacturers a handmade car, unlike a proper production vehicle from some big-time manufacturer.

The suspension is on the stiffer side, but the dual wishbone front and rear independent setup makes cornering a breeze. It is fun to drive, is simple, but is pleasantly complicated when it comes to visibility or driving it fast. Because of this, the quality cannot be like a Porsche or the BMW, but then we know how much these two would cost. Then it just propels in the direction its nose is pointing.The DriveConstructed using tubular steel frame and a carbon-composite skin, the chassis of the Avanti is adequately stiff. The low-slung set-up of the car means minimal bodyroll, which in turn allows you to take curves at higher speeds. The Avanti fills a void and is here to give us that essence of motoring that was lacking from our lives. Strangely, there are no airbags on offer. It lets in a lot of feedback from the ground and turning it by mere 2 to 3 degrees will make the front end move.

As far as active safety features are concerned, it gets Continental-sourced ABS/EBD unit. The large turning radius can be an issue, but other than that it's just fine and lets you play around easily.The clutch bites onto the flywheel, which results in a jerky shift, and the sensation is rather pleasing.Like every other sports car, it lights up all your senses and demands that you pay attention when you nail the throttle pedal. However, when it comes to prancing in the city or having simple, clean fun, applying the first three gears is the way to go. At 65 kmph, the revs stay in the humble vicinity of 1100–1200 rpms. In first gear, it picks up like a naturally aspirated engine, till the turbo kicks in at nearly 2200 rpm.Strolling around in high gears is easy and, in sixth gear, the car shows no signs of judder. Its KONI shock absorbers deal with mild bumps and road undulations in a composed manner and keep the ride smooth to certain a level. It picks up speed fast, not sure if it is 6-second fast, as the manufacturer claims. Though, due to the suspension travel shenanigans of a sports car, the shocks bottom out readily, followed by a thud. The independent wheels adjust to the modulating banks of the curves. Braking All four disc brakes offer a fair amount of stopping power and it is accentuated by the grippy Pirelli tyres.So if you are looking for a car which is a hoot to drive, impossible to ignore on the roads, and is decently priced, then the Avanti is your answer.

However, the meat of the power lies in the 2400–5000 rpm window, and the Avanti really came alive at that point.Safety On the safety front, the tubular frame chassis forms a safety cell for the cockpit, which acts as a roll cage. The gush of power keeps on pouring till the 5500 marker rev range and shifting up just makes the car even faster.Speaking of the steering, it is on the stiffer side and is very precise with minimum steering play. It is also good as a beginner's sports car, for it is adequately fast, but not as intimidating, once you get in-sync with the car.VerdictTo sum it all up, the Avanti will fulfil one's needs for a sports car, especially for those who want to own one, as it doesn’t cost a bomb.

A sharper bite will be more reassuring and lift the Avanti's sports car appeal.Just to set the record straight, the folks from DC told me that they have benchmarked the steering and the ride against the likes of the Porsche 911. This can happen even when the Avanti is rolling over speed-breakers or potholes at as low as 20–30 kmph. After this point, everything gets very dramatic, the turbo whooshes build up promptly. However, the brake bite is progressive rather than sharp.PS: You must be wondering about the images of two cars. The third gear gets even more engaging since, under hard acceleration, the Avanti easily flies past to a pretty good (or might I say unlawful) speed. In a car that is so mindfully engineered, providing airbags would have made its appeal stronger.With 255/35R20 upfront and even wider 295/30R20 out back, the car virtually never loses grip on clean tarmac. This is just an example of the refinement of the drivetrain, but the fourth and the fifth gears are equally sorted. Apart from the fact they make a car lot safer, it might be a critical criteria for some to not buy this car