Speaking to Bentley’s director of design, Robin Page, on the drive of the Bentley Continental GT prototype I discovered that he was simply again from Miami, the place the corporate is busy developing its personal Bentley-branded luxurious residences. It’s a novel thought, however not distinctive. Porsche, by the way, has a tower subsequent door, and different carmakers like Aston Martin and Mercedes have additionally ventured into actual property. And that acquired me pondering: might an Indian model do the identical? In truth, Tata and Mahindra are already in the true property enterprise with Tata Housing and Mahindra Lifespaces.

So what would these residences appear to be? They can’t be an everyday constructing merely carrying the model identify. Homes by the aforementioned manufacturers all carry their design ethos and have some distinctive contact. The Bentley residences, as an example, use a diamond sample for the outside glass end, a nod to the model’s diamond-pattern radiator grille and the quilting on the seats. Some of the inside fixtures and switches will resemble these on the cars, too, stated Page. The highrise additionally permits homeowners to ‘drive’ as much as their houses in elevators that transport them and their cars proper to their flooring, the place every proprietor has a multi-car storage.

But again to Indian manufacturers, and I’ll admit I’m falling wanting concepts for Tata Motors. For Mahindra, although, there appears to be potential. With its robust off-road and out of doors picture, vacation houses within the wilderness could be an amazing match. These might be at hill stations or close to forests and seashores. Taking issues additional, I wouldn’t solely use the Mahindra model however the Thar moniker, too. Mahindra Thar Villas, anybody? Neat mountain houses, constructed and managed by Mahindra, with pretty off-road trails within the neighborhood.

Bikemakers, too, might get in on this. Royal Enfield Residences? Bungalows with a storage for homeowners to tinker with their bikes and a showcase-like glass window to park their prized possessions, which they might then admire from their front room. Assuming I might afford it, I do know I’d like one in my hometown in Goa.

These are only a few concepts. If given critical thought, loads of attention-grabbing prospects exist. A number of months in the past, I wrote about co-branded special-edition cars, like a Taj version Tata with a citronella or jasmine air freshener, the identical as those utilized in Taj properties, together with the lodge’s signature design motifs. So, residences by Indian automakers seem to be a very good enterprise case. In any case, this isn’t one thing an automaker does itself however in a partnership with an present real-estate firm to which the automaker lends its design, philosophy, and, after all, model identify. It’s time then for Indian automakers to transcend promoting and servicing their automobiles and entering into their prospects’ life.

Also see:

Opinion: why Indian particular version cars ought to inform tales

Opinion: Is Tata lacking a trick by not doing a modern-day Sumo?