hen it comes to anything on wheels, Agent 007 and Dilip Chhabria seem to share the same penchant for Aston Martins and customised cars. Rishad Saam Mehta comes away shaken and stirred after meeting India’s leading automobile designer.

The Aston Martin DB7 oozes exotica! There are no two ways about it. The car is a potent mixture of raw power, total indulgence and sexy curves. This is a car that makes a statement. Old 007 also realised that the Aston Martin went better with vodka martinis and he’s back to his original set of wheels in the new flick ‘Die Another Day’.

Among the many celebs who aspire towards it is Posh Spice. But while she dreams about owning one, I stand face to face with Mr Dilip Chhabria, who actually does own a Aston Martin DB7 Vantage.

“Why this car?” I start off. He tells me that in his profession it is important to make a statement with your set of wheels and doing that with one of his own creations would be in bad taste, sort of like blowing his own trumpet.

The Aston Martin screams exclusivity. It is also well proven, pedigreed and, of course, comes with an awesome V12 engine.

“Being a car design guru, what is it about the DB that makes it endearing?” He replies without a moment’s hesitation: “Ever since I saw this car a couple of years ago, I wanted it. The subtle aggression, the flowing lines, the British elegance and its history make this car a very desirable package.”

And what about our roads, the huge potholes, the massive speedbreakers? Won’t the car scrape its underbelly there? Pat comes the reply: “That I am willing to live with. As a matter of fact, the cars I customise for my customers sometimes have lesser ground clearance and they don’t face a problem. So why should I?”

D uring the course of our conversation, Mr Chhabria tells me that of all the cars he’s owned and driven (which include the S-class, a BMW 5-series and an SLK), the one he enjoyed the most was... wait for it... the Tata Sierra. Photographer Ashley almost chokes over his tea and my jaw drops. Pleased with the effect he’d caused, Mr Chhabria explains with a twinkle in his eye: “It gave me a certain amount of abundance. The car rode and drove well. At that time I was at the beginning of my career and I couldn’t afford anything beyond that. The car also was a good platform that lent itself to a lot of experimentation in design customising. The basic proportions were right and it had enough meat to play around with.” He fondly remembers that wherever he went with his customised Sierra, he would be stopped and asked about the design job done on the car. Mr Chhabria attributes the growth of his business to the success of being able to build on the Sierra’s platform.

And DC’s message to budding designers out there? There’s a glorious future ahead. This stems from the fact that each person wants his or her car to be unique. Manufacturers themselves have admitted that the future lies in customising. Plus, with people’s spending power on lifestyle products getting better by the day, the sky is the limit. But, it is not a bed of roses. One should learn to take risks and have the courage and confidence to believe in their vision.

I can’t resist one last question: “The massive power of the V12 engine is wasted in a city like Mumbai. So what is it about owning a V12?”

“Son”, he replies, “It’s all about the brag factor. No one ever uses the full potential of these cars — be it a Ferrari, a Porsche, or a Jag. Even abroad, they have speed limits of 65mph (104kph), which means a humble Toyota can do the same speeds as your exotic. These cars are all about the pleasure that comes from the smugness of knowing (and people knowing) that you have a V12 under your bonnet.”

“Exotic cars are all about irrationality. The more irrational they are, the more attractive and desirable they become. You can’t drive these cars to work everyday, but at the same time, the knowledge that you have an irrational car sitting in your garage gives you a high that’s difficult to match.” I nod in agreement over this rational statement as we say our goodbyes and give the Vantage a long, lingering look before we leave.