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DC Design unveils two new cars at Auto Expo 2014
NEW DELHI: India’s premier automotive design and specialist car manufacturer DC Design is ready with two exciting new concepts to delight automobile enthusiasts at the 2014 Auto Expo. Keeping in line with the firm’s philosophy and also its previous track record for delivering drop dead gorgeously styled vehicles, the two new concept cars are production bound in 2016.
The DC Eleron and the DC Tia represent DC Design’s ability to conceive an idea for various niche segments and then design and develop a vehicle with unique attributes that go beyond mere style. While the Eleron is an open Targa-topped SUV with radical lines, the Tia is a nifty two-seater runabout for town use with outrageously crafted lines yet packing in a proven small driveline.
Both the cars were unveiled today by the award winning actress and style icon Kareena Kapoor Khan and Mr. Dilip Chhabria, Founder, DC Design. Speaking at the launch, Mr. Chhabria said, “I want the most desirable car in the world to bear a ‘Made in India’ tag. For Avanti which we launched two years ago we are looking at manufacturing 2000 units per annum starting third quarter of this year. For Eleron and Tia we are looking at 500 units and 1000 units per annum respectively by 2016. We have currently invested in the excess of INR 85 crores for the production of Avanti and INR 50 crores each for the production of Eleron and Tia so far and are looking at further investments in the coming future. We aren’t a global player; we will not build millions of cars a year, but I promise you, the few thousand that we will put out every year will be the sexiest cars on Indian roads.”
Making heads turn at the launch Kareena Kapoor Khan also added, “It gives me immense pleasure to be a part of such a remarkable launch. DC Design is clearly the most prominent and promising name in the Indian automotive design industry. Both Eleron and Tia are spectacular looking cars and are sure to create a buzz amongst Indian auto enthusiasts. I wish the team the very best for these car launches.”
The Eleron is DC Design’s high-end take for a top line SUV with a difference! The name has been phonetically conceived from the aeronautic term ‘aileron’ given that the nature of the car’s design takes in a supposedly duo-layered approach as regards its bodywork, the upper half seemingly floating on the lower base whichever way you tend to look at it.
From the deliciously overwhelming Eleron SUV, DC Design moves fast-forward to the mega-mini segment with its all-new two-seater runabout the DC Tia! It isn’t difficult to understand why such a car given its small footprint but with radical turnout given that the Indian car market’s fortune lies at the base of the pyramid and this is where an added premium positioning is ripe for the times. DC Tia again treads the space frame chassis route with carbon composite bodywork – a sure shot recipe for strength and structural integrity while keeping weight down to a bare minimum.
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Sapphire Foods FY26 revenue rises to Rs 3,125 crore, posts loss
Q4 revenue at Rs 792 crore, FY26 loss at Rs 32 crore amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: If growth is on the menu, profitability seems to have taken a brief detour. Sapphire Foods India reported a steady rise in topline for FY26, even as rising costs weighed on profitability. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,125 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, up from Rs 2,882 crore in FY25. However, the company swung to a loss, reporting a net loss of Rs 32 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 17 crore in the previous year. Total income for the year stood at Rs 3,153 crore, while total expenses climbed to Rs 3,167 crore, reflecting pressure across key cost heads.
In the March quarter, revenue came in at Rs 792 crore, compared to Rs 711 crore in the same period last year. The company reported a quarterly net loss of Rs 13 crore, against a profit of Rs 2 crore a year earlier.
Cost pressures remained visible across operations. Material costs rose to Rs 995 crore for FY26, while employee expenses increased to Rs 428 crore. Other expenses, the largest component, stood at Rs 1,229 crore, underscoring the impact of store operations and expansion-related spends.
Depreciation and amortisation expenses also climbed to Rs 392 crore for the year, reflecting continued investments in store infrastructure and growth.
At the operating level, the company reported a loss before tax of Rs 37 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 23 crore in FY25. Exceptional items added Rs 24 crore to the cost burden during the year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 3,256 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 3,041 crore a year earlier, indicating ongoing expansion. Net worth stood at Rs 1,389 crore.
Despite profitability pressures, operating cash flow remained resilient at Rs 507 crore, highlighting underlying business strength and demand stability.
The numbers paint a familiar picture in the quick-service restaurant space, growth continues to be served hot, but margins are still finding their footing.
