The automotive industry is fundamentally about gaps, if you think about it. A manufacturer believes that a certain gap exists in the market, a need that isn't being met. It decides to do something about it and conjures up a product that it believes will fill that gap, and meet that need. Sometimes, what it also wants to do is to create a gap that nobody really thought existed, in order to be seen as a first-mover in that slot. When I chatted with some Maruti Suzuki officials during the Fronx media drive, they said that their belief was that a car was needed to fill the gap between the Baleno ('premium hatchback') and the Brezza ('compact SUV'). They were convinced that there were plenty of prospective buyers out there who wanted something more substantial-looking than a Baleno - but who were also not willing to pay Brezza-levels of money; hence the Fronx, an entry-level SUV'.
Now, is this a case of a genuine market need being met, or of a manufacturer creating a need because it felt like it? I'll leave that to you to decide. I'll also leave it to you to decide what you think 'Fronx' means. Apparently, it's a portmanteau of 'frontier next', which... doesn't make much sense, at least to me. It puts the car in a long and illustrious list of Japanese car names that make you raise an eyebrow Bongo Friendee, Naked, Active Urban Sandal, Mysterious Utility Wizard and many more. Nevertheless, there's no doubt that the name does make you stop and do a double-take, so there's that.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2023-Ausgabe von Motoring World.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2023-Ausgabe von Motoring World.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
DESTINI REWRITTEN
With a pretty major design overhaul, has the Hero Destini 125 found a new footing altogether?
OLDIE'S GOLD?
History makes yet another comeback with the BSA Gold Star 650. Is it what you were hoping for?
THE HIGH OF THE TIGER
Triumph's big cat is in its most ferocious avatar yet
LAUGHTER HOURS
This! This is the greatest single of all time!
BULL'S EYE?
Audi's new flagship SUV — or a budget Lamborghini Urus?
DARK HORSE
The Alcazar is now available in a new avatar, and the multi-faceted SUV deserves more attention than it got in the past
CURVV-BALL!
Tata's new mass-market SUV coupe may have more than a few tricks up its sleeve
GIVEN A RAISE
The EQS SUV looks like an EQS sedan on stilts but it offers a lot more than that
FOR MUCK'S SAKE!
No scooters, commuters or old bikes... this year's Pune Off-road Expedition was serious work
ALL THE WAY UP!
Exploring the vast landscape of Ladakh with Renault India's lineup - why would we say no?!