KATHMANDU, Aug 31: The 12th edition of NADA Auto Show kicked off on Tuesday at Bhrikutimandap, Exhibition Hall, Exhibition Road. This edition of the show was jointly organized by NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal and Global Exposition and Management Services Pvt Ltd. 

As many as 16 brands of four-wheelers, 19 brands of two-wheelers and six brands of heavy commercial trucks are on display at the show.

Raj Kumar Pandit, an ex-army officer and Textile businessperson, had made up his mind about the car he was looking. He tried few of the cars showcased at the show and said, “Though the cars have a great feel to them, you can only be sure once you drive them on the road. The price range will definitely matter because higher the price, lesser the chance that people with average income will choose to buy the vehicle.”

Where Pandit said he was not brand conscious, Prani Raj Panday, a bachelor’s degree graduate from Silver Mountain School of Hotel Management, said one needs to be brand conscious while buying cars. “I’m looking for comfort, looks and affordable ground clearance, which will be great for long tours with family and friends.”

Amid the car show, Ford was celebrating its 100 year anniversary, while people had gathered to inquire about and take photos of the celebrity car Mustang. “Though there are no new products this year, we had envisioned a better market for Mustang, the muscle car, and the customer response has been amazing. In the coming days, we hope to better promote our idea,” said Kishor Maharjan, officer of showroom sales at GO Automobiles Pvt Ltd.

Girls dressed up in pretty costumes trying to sell shiny cars can only do so much to enrich the customer's experience when it comes to car-hunting inside an enclosed hall.

Similarly, Manish Odari, an MBA student from Sunway International College, was looking at his dream bike CBR at Honda’s stall. “What I like the most about the bike is its sound. Other specifications like the engine and the brand itself are also impressive.”

Not only automobiles, the show is also offering car parts and accessories. Basu Shrestha, deputy product manager of Sipradi Autoparts, was seen briefing customers about their new offer that has five-year warranty on tires.

Meanwhile, IME Automotives also provided a bumper door prize on tickets, the prize being an UM Renegade Commando 230cc motorcycle.

It wouldn’t be unfair to say that the NADA Auto Show started with a bang. However, girls dressed up in pretty costumes trying to sell shiny cars can only do so much to enrich the customer's experience when it comes to car-hunting inside an enclosed hall. 

Events as grandiose as the NADA Auto show are often deemed hard to organize as there are a lot of things that could possibly go wrong. One of them being the difficulty of getting competitors to work under the same roof on a larger scale.

Another question was about the security provisions in the exhibition hall, if the existing security is enough to safely escort all of its visitors in case of a medical or security emergency. Provision of water and air conditioning system within the hall would be the next thing the association could work on. 

The show is slated to run till September 3.