About Us

Born in '76, I've been crazy about cars for as long as I can remember. I was a demanding child; Grandpa just had to give me a short drive in his Ford Zephyr every day before leaving for work. With age, this craze became a diehard passion. Unfortunately, passion doesn't count when you want to take up automotive engineering....marks at school do. So, after studying Commerce at Bombay University, I worked in the accounting field.

I started with an ol' Ambassador and spent a lot of time watching mechanics take it apart & put it together again. That was a fabulous learning process! Soon, I began carrying out light repairs myself. As the years passed, cars changed and so did my job. I freelanced for an automobile magazine and participated in several events, rallies & endurance runs. Motorcycles? Owned a Suzuki Shogun for a while and rode the wheels off it. Commercial vehicles with monstrous torque excite me too. My current steeds are a Mitsubishi Lancer and b'Twin Rockrider 5.0 bicycle. I'd like to get home a Triumph Bonneville someday. Apart from vehicles, I have a keen interest in wildlife, cricket, football (LFC in particular) and tennis.

Team-BHP is a vault of information and its quality has remained absolutely top notch, right from the early days. Feels great to be a part of this glorious community.

Hey guys,

I'm excited to join the team of Moderators and be able to give back to this community. Team-BHP has taught me a lot about cars and made me meet some wonderful people. Best part is, there are still new things I learn here every day.

I've been in Bombay all my life. Studied at the Cathedral & John Connon School, and thereafter at HR College. I worked at 2 international banks, before arriving at the conclusion that corporate life wasn't for me. The entrepreneurship bug bit and I decided to start my own venture in the automotive aftermarket industry.

Always been nuts about cars - right from collecting Hot Wheels scale models when I was 4, then reading car magazines through the teens, to the current times when I'm called crazy because of the way I take care of my cars & all the rules I have for them. We've had a varied garage - the humble Maruti 800, 118 NE & Armada Grand, to more recently owning some Bimmers and my latest love, a 500+ BHP AMG. One thing for sure, nothing beats the sound of a high performance petrol engine!

I'm incredibly particular about maintaining my cars. A li'l extreme in that sense, yet nothing is more satisfying than seeing your ride in immaculate shape. Cars form my primary area of interest; apart from that, it's got to be gizmos, travel & airplanes.

See you on the forum.

I'm a 45-year old professional based out of Mumbai. Born and brought up in Delhi, but moved to Bombay & Pune in my teens. Spent my college years in Pune, a city I still have a close connection with, courtesy my mum maintaining a small base there.

I've been nuts about all things wheels ever since I can remember. As a child, it meant skates & bicycles. As an adult, it's pretty much everything with wheels that I can lay my hands on - from bicycles to cars to motorcycles! To be honest, I even love zipping around on my N-Torq scooter.

My professional life is fairly hectic and it means I can't take all the kinds of road-trips I'd otherwise love to... especially to remote, disconnected places. But I do make up for it with whatever best I can muster. Covid has only meant that we've taken a lot more to the road in the absence of free movement by air (or overseas) and I'm not regretting that too much. Love the phase of being able to drive to a lot of my holiday destinations. WFH means 'work from anywhere' all too often, so that again has facilitated taking more road-trips than we've ever taken in the past.

My primary hobbies revolve around endurance sports; I've taken to running, triathlons and open water swimming. Have dabbled in full marathons, half Ironmans and up to 5 km in open water.

My love for all things automobiles and this forum in particular meant I simply could not resist taking up the Moderator role when Rush offered it up in 2022. I look forward to this new avatar of my association with Team-BHP and hope to contribute to it as best as I can.

Although named Benson, I am known as Benny both on the forum, and off it. Born in Dubai, I've been exposed to exotics right from childhood itself. I came to India in pursuit of a higher education and am lucky enough to have worked with renowned software majors who shaped my career. After a wonderful time in Hyderabad, I am currently settled in Bangalore. Cars have always been a passion; I still have some scale models preserved from the early days, and a display case for these cars was a pre-requisite in my new apartment! I am the kind of driver who enjoys relaxed long drives, rather than one who gives in to the thrill of speed. Have been blessed with a supportive wife who loves road trips as well. My current ride is a Ford Ikon which I thoroughly enjoy for its wonderful steering & sharp driving dynamics.  

While I go about my stint as a Moderator on this wonderful forum, I look forward to your co-operation and support, without which Team-BHP wouldn't have been able to achieve what it has so far.

Keep Revvin'

I have no idea how to answer the 'where are you from?' question! Born to Kannadiga parents in M.P., we lived all over central & northern India before my folks settled down in MP and I ended up in Bangalore (chasing my bread & butter). Hence, there's a part of me everywhere I've been, and I carry a part of everywhere I've been in me. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, as my alma mater's motto proclaimed.

I'm a Business Operations professional and the bread & butter are of tolerable quality, which is all that needs to be said on the subject.

Dad - a petrolhead in his own right - loves to drive, so my adolescent years were spent road-tripping the length & breadth of the country in a variety of cars; scorching summer, rainy deluge or teeth-chattering winter, we'd all pile in and roam free at the slightest pretext. Our first car was a white Maruti 800, followed by a Premier 137D, Zen MPFi, Renault Logan, Hyundai Accent and a 1st-gen Ford Figo that Dad still drives...he wouldn't part with it for a million bucks.

My favorite set of wheels remains my red & black BSA StreetCat bicycle that I rode the wheels off as a young boy. Nothing I've ridden or driven since has given me quite the same rush of freedom. A close second is my Hero Puch automatic moped that put the wind in my hair in my late teens and, in remembrance, shares its license plate digits with my current ride. Speaking of which, it's a white Tiago JTP, with red Mickey Mouse ears. My much smarter better half settled the 'What car?' debate by pointing at the JTP = "This one, get the one with the red ears"! We both love it to bits and call it Tinku, in tribute to a dear canine friend.

I signed up on Team-BHP nearly a decade ago, and my absolute favourite bit about it continues to be our steadfast refusal to engage monetarily with the automotive industry, while providing world class reviews & content that somehow keeps upping the bar with each passing year. This is now my second home, and I intend to stay a long, long while.

I'm a Keralite (Mallu, in case you're wondering) who spent the school & college years in the state itself, but later moved out (as is typical once again) to Chennai, and then Bangalore. Am part of the software industry like most young people of this city, and have worked with two of the largest MNCs; this has given me a good resume, but a bad paycheque! I sometimes repent the decision of jumping into software, as my life until 2008 was only about automobiles. I even did my engineering in this field, but then the curious cat in me wanted to see just how different was this new world that campus selection offered! Been a decade-long affair now, made sane only because this forum and the vehicles I own help keep me in touch with my passions.

Garage? I've got a Fiat Punto, Kawasaki Versys 650 and Hero Maestro (for the better half). Been lucky to have over 300,000 km of driving & riding experience. Must thank the people in my life for feeding this passion - my parents and wife, all 3 of them enthusiasts in their own right. I also have to thank Team-BHP for all my present-day friends!

The forum plays a very important role in my life as a stress buster & being the one-stop source for all automotive information. Team-BHP, as a platform, stands for us consumers and amplifies our voice so it's heard by the right people. Over the years, the forum and Support Team have proven their unbiased stance in multiple situations & threads. Proud of Team-BHP!

Hello guys,

I was born in Coimbatore and brought up in various parts of Kerala - Trivandrum, Palakkad, Thrissur and Ernakulam. Folks were working for SBI; as a result, we were wandering like nomads during my childhood (both have now retired & are merrily enjoying the new stint together). It sure was fun though - different people, different culture, new neighbours, classmates and teachers! Made a lot of good friends along the way, some of whom are still in touch.

I graduated in mechanical engineering and began my career at L&T's ship-building division (Gujarat) as a design engineer. I knew I wasn't meant to be the IT guy - software/coding was never my forte. It's the core mechanical stuff that interests me. I like things that move, make noise, can be touched and felt. Favourite pastimes - cooking, music, travelling, home maintenance and tinkering with the car. Do check out the many DIY threads that I have created on the forum. My tool collection is ever expanding - the latest addition being a nice & heavy bench vise fixed to my erstwhile computer table! A proper workbench should follow shortly. 

Current steed - the Polo 1.6L GT TDI. I love her to bits. She leaves me with a smile every time I floor the throttle. Hot hatches appeal to me - if the Golf 2.0 TDI and 6-speed manual ever makes it to India, I'll gladly hand over a cheque to VW. The co-driver's seat is reserved for Soumya, while the child seat isn't there yet! 

It has been a great honour to join the Support Team. I trust you will extend your co-operation in maintaining the quality of this forum. Today, Team-BHP is what it is because of the members, the content and our unbiased approach to the Indian automotive scene. Thank you for reading and drive safe!

I am a Bombay-based Jeeper and by qualification, an MBA in Marketing from Bentley University, Boston. A rusty ol' Mahindra CJ 4x4 (on its 3rd engine yet) is the personal favourite from my garage. We Parekhs are big on road-trips, with the family frequently heading out on driving holidays. A BMW 530d M-Sport, Skoda Superb L&K, Mahindra Thar Turbo-Petrol & Nissan Sunny serve as work + play rides.

I'm a huge fan of off-roading and track racing; India offers immense opportunity for 4-wheeling, while the Buddh F1 Circuit is the stuff of dreams for a track lover. Honestly, I couldn't care less about 1/4 mile competitions, and am more into sharp handling, precise steering input, redlining a sweet engine, late braking and racing lines. 

Cars that I absolutely lust for are the Ferrari 288 GTO, Porsche 911 Turbo, Mercedes S-Class series (in particular, the W111, W126 & the brash W140), some yesteryear manual-transmission sedans (BMW M3, M5 & Lancer EVO), Mini Cooper S and pure American muscle (Mustangs & Camaros, including the newer gens). Cars deeply touch my soul...I can have the time of my life putting even a humble Maruti 800 through her paces down a curvy ghat section. How a car makes me feel is more important than its on-paper statistics.  

When it comes to everyday rides, reliability is of paramount importance to me. I'm known to be extremely critical of cars that fail to work reliably, day after day. In that, I have a soft corner for the stupendously dependable Japanese & Korean cars. I appreciate European automobiles for their build & driving dynamics, but am rather vocal about the frequent issues they suffer from. I greatly respect Tata & Mahindra for the strides they have made in engineering strength & product capability, yet will be the first to agree they have a long way to go before reaching global benchmarks. 

To Indian petrol-heads, Team-BHP is an integral part of daily life. This community is more than just a forum for car enthusiasts; indeed, it is our virtual home. I'm especially proud of the camaraderie among BHPians, and the brutally unbiased information that makes our knowledge base. Feel free to contact the Support Team with any suggestions or concerns. We are right by your side on Team-BHP.

Keep Revvin'

Rush

I am Karthik, an automobile enthusiast born and brought up in Bangalore. Although Bangalore is where home is, I am seldom found there as I'm usually travelling somewhere or the other over weekends. I'm a software developer by day and an entrepreneur by night; well into my mid-thirties now, but still the same automotive buff that I was as a toddler. I am also a data buff and love to collect all sorts of statistics on my travels, vehicles, restaurants, health and in general, anything and everything...only to later play around with that data. Of course, most of it is just useless timepass that I get trolled for :).

As an enthusiast, I prefer riding and driving engaging vehicles with sorted dynamics and powertrains, in lieu of modern gizmos or people movers. Practicality can take a backseat and fun is always given preference! When it comes to my own choices for fun, I tend to lean towards sportbikes in the two-wheeler world, and fast sedans or peppy hatchbacks in the car world.

That said, over the years, I have grown to appreciate the diversity of enjoying different genres of automobiles to become a jack-of-all-trades. Hence, I don't like to identify myself as a staunch biker or a staunch car guy as such. I love exploring and learning any new skills in the vast automotive world with an open mind and a hunger for fun - be it 4x4 SUV action, hitting fast twisties in a sedan, pottering up the Himalayas on an adventure bike, spirited fast rides on a superbike, or even leisurely riding a bicycle through the countryside. I believe there is fun to be had in every activity on wheels! I have always loved travelling to different places, and experiential travel takes up most of my free time, with some or the other vehicle in the garage. Clubbed with my love for anything on wheels, these two hobbies have formed a dangerously expensive and addictive hobby which has been consistently emptying out my wallet for the last 2 decades.

I have been on Team-BHP.com since 2009, and was a silent reader from 2006-09 before I decided to engage as a contributor here. I have immense respect for all the information exchanged, the depth of knowledge on probably every topic on earth, the ability to interact with & learn from like-minded enthusiasts (not just via the forum, but also in meets and trips) and above all, for being the fantastic platform that this forum has become to enthusiasts around the globe. I am excited to join the Mod Team and contribute to the strengthening of this forum as it continues to redline the Indian automotive scene! Thanks once again for giving me an opportunity to be a part of Team-BHP.

So, here I am and it feels good...really good to be part of the Moderator Group on Team-BHP. 

Who am I?

Before you misconceive me to be a slice of the extra special like the other Mods, let me admit that I'm just one of the regular old timer members. In a Team-BHP first, this is also a previously banned member to be promoted to Moderator status!! You'll remember my posts only if you frequent the Motorcycles section, especially anything Superbike related. Large bikes make me go weak in the knees :)

I graduated in Commerce back in 2004 and followed it up with a post-graduate program in Actuarial Science. At one point, I thought I was going to be a mad mathematics & statistics geek. Jump to late 2005, I started to shoulder responsibilities in the family business of heavy engineering & infrastructure machinery. I was asked to stay back for a couple of months and give it a shot. Well, I still haven't moved! Most of our four wheeled acquisitions are decided by the head and I'm glad that we've managed just fine through the years. I'm a fan of no nonsense fuel-efficient cars that are high on practicality, rather than snob value. My daily drive is a Mahindra Scorpio SLE. A Toyota Innova, Ford Ikon & Skoda Laura 2.0 AT are the other cars at home.

For the two-wheeled stuff, I hand out full authority to my heart and the result is a tricked out Honda CBR 954RR, running some of the absolutely best upgrades available. In third gear, she redlines at 244 kph...and there are yet more ratios to use. 

Team-BHP is a very special part of my life (automotive and otherwise). A lot has changed since late '04 when I first joined the forum. We've grown from a handful of members to thousands today! The knowledge base has also grown exponentially, while the discussion topics are equally widespread. I'm looking forward to putting my Moderator hat to effective use, and controlling all of that spam you shouldn't be posting in the first place. With a machine that hits the ton in less than 3 secs, be sure this Mod is going to catch up with you in no time :)

I am part of the 'Old Man Brigade' at Team-BHP. Since I was born in my aunt's dispensary, my folks had no choice but to accept me as theirs (I was the only baby there). Later in life, the same aunt requested my father to send me to NYC (where she had migrated to). Dad was only too happy to see his terror go. So off I went to school, college and IBM in the States. Fast forward to '95, I moved to India for good. Married in '99 and have my own little terrorist (Aditya) now.

I love cars and have helped restore a lovely Spitfire. But I love I.C.E. (In Car Entertainment) even more. In the winter of 1969-70, I attended my first rock concert. The Who with Keith Moon were visiting and they even left their HiWatt & Marshall Amps behind. About the same time, Dad got me my own spool deck (7" reel, 3.75 and 7.5 ips) along with a Philips valve radio...enough for the audio bug to bite. In high school, I built my own amp & speakers. I also tuned Dad's Premier Padmini using stobes and other fun stuff. 

The house parking spot has seen a Honda City AT (Wife), Daewoo Matiz (Mom), Skoda Octavia 1.8 vRS (spectacularly maintained) and Toyota Camry (backseat comfort). 

You'll usually find me over in our I.C.E. forum. I'm referred to as an old man not only due to my chronological age, but also because my friends include septuagenarian audio gurus. 

Hello everyone!

I was born and brought up in the city of Bangalore. As with any automotive enthusiast, my love for cars began at a very young age, starting with a collection of multiple hot wheels scale models. To further pursue my interest in cars and bikes, I found myself choosing an under-grad degree in mechanical engineering. Over the 4-year course, I met many like-minded people with whom I shared my love of cars, bikes and travel, which gave way to some of the most memorable road-trips till date.

Post my engineering, I went to the United Kingdom to get my Masters in Automotive Journalism. The highlights being a visit to the Geneva Motor Show and a drive in a Porsche 944 Turbo on the country roads of the UK.

A Kia Seltos currently occupies our garage space, used both as a daily and a highway mile muncher. Parked next to it is my TVS Apache RR310 motorcycle, which itself has seen quite a few clicks on the odometer.

Over the past few years as a motoring journalist, I have gotten the chance to drive a varied list of cars & bikes. I have also been a part of multiple ride and drive events across the country, gaining some amazing experiences and memories along the way. I am very happy to be a part of Team-BHP, which is an amazing place to share knowledge, learn and interact with like-minded people.

As the eldest from the team, I am popularly known as the "Old Man" on Team-BHP. I am essentially an arts person with a career in the world of advertising. I was born in Calcutta, but eventually left that city for Bangalore. I love cars, photography & digital art and blend all three into my profession. You'll also find me trying (desperately) to make time for my sketching and water colours. Meeting people is top on my list; I see this as a good way of viewing life. Music preferences include jazz, soundtracks and anything else under the sun, except for rap, disco & remix. 

In Bangalore, I am known as the "Amby guy", primarily because of my immaculately restored 60+ year old HM Ambassador. The Amby has had engine transplants n number of times. In today's context, it's almost like the 'Last man standing'. Another family member is the black Optra 1.8. They both bring special feelings in their own ways. 

As a proud Moderator of the most interesting car community, it's a pleasure to see Team-BHP growing every day. Cheers!

I'm Sanjay - born & brought up in Mumbai (absolutely love this city!). Did my schooling in RM Bhatt High School, 11 & 12th from Ruia College and Electrical Engineering at VJTI. Since, I've spent 2+ decades in the IT industry. 

Love books (I buy a lot & read a few of them) and cars (obviously). My current lineup has a Mahindra XUV500 & Maruti Alto. Every year, I look forward to an 8-10 day road trip to a new state, and a few quick getaways in the monsoons. Travelling, driving and photography - my 3 passions go hand-in-hand really well. I also enjoy cycling, swimming & trekking. Every once in a while, I do crazy things like '100 km treks in 36 hours' and '100 km cycle rides in ~5 hours'. 

The journey with Team-BHP started in 2010. It's been a great experience reading genuinely high quality, original content (be it new car reviews, ownership threads or travelogues). Felt like I belong here and thus, started contributing to the best of my knowledge. I have benefited immensely from Team-BHP because of the no-nonsense nature of the forum. No junk, no spam, no sponsored messages, no biases (to the maximum extent humanly possible). It's pure information & experience shared in plain English. I love the discipline in terms of disallowing ANYTHING that compromises the quality of the forum. In the role of a Moderator, I hope to pay back at least part of what I got from this community. 

See you around the forum and hope to catch you in person at a Team-BHP meet-and-drive!

Hello folks! I spent most of my childhood with a car/truck toy in hand and making V8 sounds. We always had a car at home - an Ambassador with a column shifter, that my dad bought for Rs. 20,000 and sold for Rs. 40,000 twenty years later. Over time, we got an 800, Zen and Santro Xing in the family. When I turned 16 (ahem, no wait...18!), I simply took the Maruti 800's keys without asking and drove away, with my elder brother in the passenger seat. Have owned a variety of cars over the years including an Optra 1.8 LT (my first car), Civic (bought pre-owned), A-Star AT (second car, bought pre-owned) and BR-V CVT.

I love driving & travelling, and that's what made me sign up for Team-BHP. To pen down my travel exploits! I then slowly moved on to other sub-forums and am addicted now. I'm not a traditional car enthusiast though. Would rather read about a Bajaj Qute / Tata Nano / Renault Lodgy than a Huracan Performante / Koenigsegg XXX. Cars that are accessible to everybody and solve problems interest me.

Professionally, I joined a VC-funded startup after college as an internet marketing executive. But we mostly played Quake III Arena and didn't get much work done. Naturally, we ran out of money in less than 2 years. I then set up my own internet marketing company with a couple of friends and this time, we did far better. It took us 10 years to run out of cash! However, even when I was in college, I was drawn to the stock market and how various businesses are run. Since 2011, I have been a full-time stock market investor & derivatives trader. I spend most of my time reading on various topics. Might start reading about the Porsche 911 and somehow end up on something about World War II. Darn Wikipedia. Amazingly, Team-BHP is my primary source of news about the Indian economy. You can get a pulse of what is happening just by spending some time in the 'Indian Car Scene' forum. For me, spending time on Team-BHP is work!

Hi everyone! This is Tanveer Singh who the Team-BHP folk know as just TSK. 

I work in the VLSI industry, but I'd surely be a better fit in a travel show. Yep, you could call me the "Travelling Moderator". My better half & I love to travel and share our experiences. You'll find several travelogues from us on Team-BHP, with the destinations including some pretty exotic locales from India & abroad. 

It was in '05 that my love for cars brought me here. Little did I know at the time of enrolling that Team-BHP is going to turn into a lifelong addiction. With time, I found myself becoming increasingly active on the forum...discussing, debating & interacting with other BHPians. This community simply became a second home. They say all techies check their email the first thing they arrive at work. Well, my first click goes to Team-BHP. I have made great friends with people I've never met, and probably won't for a long time either. This is what Team-BHP does to you.

I used to be a sports car fan until the travel bug bit. Now, having a "go anywhere" 4x4 SUV is mandatory. My other area of interest is photography. You'll find some breathtaking pics in my reviews & holiday reports. 

Thanks for reading my profile. This is how I roam.

Greetings! I was born and brought up in Pune. Automobiles have always been a part of my life - I grew up around toy cars & auto magazines. When I got my first bicycle, I actually used to ride down to the nearest highway to watch cars & trucks drive by! In the back of my head, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in cars, and thus got into automotive writing while still pursuing a post-grad degree in Computer Management.

I drive a 2012 Tata Nano and am quite proud of the li'l marvel. It's my first car & the only one in the family. I've had a fair share of long drives in the Nano, the most notable being Delhi-Pune on three occasions, Delhi-Shimla, Pune-Goa and numerous Pune-Mumbai trips. I'm happy to report that the car has never let me down. My first two-wheeler was a Bajaj Sunny which was later replaced by a Honda Dio.

Through my career as a motoring writer, I've had the opportunity to drive some rather interesting rides. Pushing the Audi R8 V10 at BIC was a truly memorable experience, and so was a stint in a VW Polo R Cup race car. List of favorites? The Honda S2000, BMW E46 M3, BMW E60 M5 & Ferrari 360 CS.

It's an honour to be part of such a distinguished community of petrolheads. I look forward to contributing towards the growth of this very unique platform.

I was born & brought up in Kerala where I lived for the initial 20 years of my life. Then moved to Singapore and have been based out of this small city-state for almost 2 decades. Team-BHP happened by accident & I've been hooked to this space ever since! Not a surprise because I have a huge affinity for anything that is well-maintained and done with honesty + integrity. The amount of knowledge-sharing we have here is remarkable, whether it is on the Indian car scene, or even stuff like streaming television and weight loss!

I used to ride a motorcycle back home, but nowadays, the interest is mostly in cars. More than 0-100 figures, I like cars and brands that maintain an identity, while still focusing on driver engagement. I am also a keen observer of how passenger car markets are evolving globally, and how those innovations filter down into the Indian car scene (especially on the safety & EV fronts).

Really happy to be part of the Moderator team. Am looking forward to maintaining the famed Team-BHP quality, and engaging in healthy discussions with esteemed BHPians worldwide.

I was born in Kolkata, but have lived in a multitude of places across the country. My father had a highly transferable job in the Ministry of Defence. I'm one of those eternal KV'ites who did his schooling from different KVs, and still believes they are one of the better schooling options in India. I was part of the typical middle class milieu of the last millennium, growing up in a socialist India. Dad used to ride a Lambretta that I had my eyes set on. One fine summer afternoon, I took off on this scooter and my love affair with wheels began. 

I've had extensive experience with Tata cars. It started with a Sierra...a different car compared to the quintessential Maruti 800s of the time. Over the years, I went through an Indica, Indigo and Manza. My current ride is still a Tata, besides a Mahindra XUV500. I am a driving freak who needs no excuse to head out of the city. My friends find it baffling that I categorize a 500 kms drive as a "short" one. Well, one of my recent trips to Himachal resulted in 6,000 kms of driving! There is some romance in chasing the setting sun on a deserted highway, with barren lands all around and an express train running with you to keep company. 

I am an MBA by qualification. At work, I manage teams in charge of development, testing, production support and services in the infrastructure world (mostly middleware). At home, I love to cook and read. 

One constant companion in all my walks of life is Team-BHP.com. Even in the busiest of schedules, I still find time to take a quick pip into Team-BHP. That's the dose of caffeine we all need now, don't we?