Dilip Chhabria's DC Design in talks with automakers for capital infusion

Ace automobile designer, Dilip Chhabria, is in talks with carmakers for a capital infusion as he seeks to play a more prominent role in India through his firm DC Design.
 
“We are looking for a capital infusion because of an explosive growth we are seeing in the automotive industry. As we have a unique position in the market, we thought why not take an advantage,” Chhabria told Business Standard.
 
Depending on the valuation, DC Design is willing to cede a majority or minority control. “We are not hungry or greedy,” he said.
 
Best known for customising cars, vanity vans for film stars, airplane interiors, and utility vehicles for high net-worth individuals and multinational corporations, DC Design does over 60 projects in a month on an average. Depending on the level of personalisation, the models command a steep premium. The company launched DC Avanti, India’s first indigenously-developed super car, in 2015.
 
Given the “deep contacts” Chhabria has developed in the industry over the past 20 years, he is confident of being able to “crack something in the next two months”.
 
The company said it would prefer an automaker with an expansive distribution network as that would help tap into manufacturers’ network and make its products more accessible. “We have a brand connect with the consumers who are willing to pay top dollars,” said Chhabria.
 

DC Design started off as a company that customises cars, but over the past few years, has diversified into interior applications. “While it helped us to build the brand, we realised we had to move up the value chain and maximise the yield per square foot, per employee. We had to deliver value, which was more innovative,” he said.
 
Well aware of the growing propensity among buyers to personalise their vehicles, carmakers are doing their bit. Maruti Suzuki, for instance, has an ‘i Create’ personalisation programme that offers as many as 120 customisation options. These include exclusively designed roof wrap and hood graphic options, striking exterior body styling kits, alloy wheels etc.  It launched the interior flocking kit in various colours for the Swift along with interior styling kits and a new range of seat covers. Tata Motors also introduced the concept with the Nexon under Imaginator — its online platform to visualise and customise models.
 
“Styling is emerging as an important criterion among buyers. DC partnering with a company will be a win-win for both,” said Puneet Gupta, associated director at I.H.S Automotive, a sales forecasting and market research firm.