The rear phenomenon

Some love the Ritz's rear, others hate it. MiD DAY finds out how Bangalore's artists and designers are reacting to India's most hotly discussed backside

The rear phenomenon

Some love the Ritz's rear, others hate it. MiD DAY finds out how Bangalore's artists and designers are reacting to India's most hotly discussed backside

The unusual shape of the Ritz's posterior has become a talking point among car buffs.

Some think its shape is smart and rakish, but a good number think it is ugly.

MiD DAY spoke to auto enthusiasts, artists and designers to find out what they thought of the rear design.
Bhanutej N, journalist and car enthusiast, is among those who love it.

"Everybody thought the Santro was a bad-looking car when it first came out. I've had people telling me that the car looks like a cockroach. We just need time, we'll get used to the Ritz," he said.

Bhanutej, who drives a Palio, believes the Ritz's back is inspired by the Renault.

"It's not a shape we're used to. When Renault launched the Megane, they were making a huge style statement. Like wine, we'll acquire a taste for the Ritz," he told MiD DAY.

Abhijit Saha, artist and chef at Caperberry, said, "The styling seems contemporary to me. If I wanted to buy a small car, I'd definitely consider it."

Vikas Kapoor, graphic designer, is not a big Ritz fan. "I didn't like the car one bit. They've tried to design the rear like a spoiler that you could add on to the car, but they have failed terribly," he said.

He believes the rear looks too concave. "It seems like somebody has smashed into it from the back. It's not very appealing to me," he said.

Anita Kholay, fashion designer, is a fence-sitter. "It depends on personal choice," she said.

She believes with time people will get used to the rear shape. "You see people driving around in the weirdest cars and colours you can imagine. If it's something sporty, it will sell," she said.

Priya Sanghvi, socialite, said, "The rear is a bit awkward. It almost looks like a mouse, but just straight. I don't really like the car and I can't relate to it."

She believes the Grande Punto and the Getz are better cars in the segment.

India is only now paying attention to product aesthetics, said M S Murthy, well-known painter. He welcomed Maruti Suzuki's Ritz experiment.

Murthy, who drives an Esteem, finds the shape of the Maruti 800 simple and elegant, and is convinced the Ritz's rear could be accepted once the number of cars on the road increased.

"I quite like the design," said Rohini, an artist trained at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat.

Hatchback, watch back
>>The Ritz was launched a little less than three months ago. Maruti Suzuki's earlier hatchback, the A-Star, was launched towards the end of 2008.
>>Ritz is Maruti's fifth global release after Swift, Grand Vitara, SX4 and A-Star.
>>Much has been said about the Ritz's look, and three months on, its rear is getting a lot of attention.
>>The Ritz comes in three variants, and is between Rs 4.6 lakh and Rs 5.6 lakh (approximate on-road price in Bangalore).

If it's something sporty, it will sell
Anita Kholay, fashion designer

India is only now paying attention to product aesthetics... the Ritz's rear will be accepted once its numbers increase on the road
M S Murthy, painter