In a first in the Indian automotive industry, Stellar Skoda, the leading Skoda dealership in the country, signs on cricketing great Kapil Dev as brand icon.
Kapil Dev with Stellar Group CEO Abhimanyu Tripathi at the Stellar Skoda showroom in Ahmedabad.
When two icons come together, it is a sight to behold. That is exactly what transpired last month when Škoda India’s leading dealer in the country, Stellar Škoda, announced their partnership with cricket legend Kapil Dev. Commemorating 40 years of the first cricket World Cup win for India, Stellar Škoda, which is based in Gujarat, created history by becoming the first dealer to sign on a brand ambassador. Stellar Skoda dedicated an entire day celebrating this momentous occasion. But before we get on with how the day went, let’s quickly take a look at Stellar Škoda and its achievements.
“Kapil Dev’s stellar passion, commitment, and performance are qualities that deeply resonate with us at Stellar Skoda.”
— Abhimanyu Tripathi, CEO, Stellar Group
Stellar Autohaus was set up in February 2019 by accomplished real estate and finance entrepreneurs Kamlesh Tripathi and Rupen Modi. The company began its operations with a single Skoda dealership in Ahmedabad and within a short span of time, Stellar Škoda opened dealerships in Vadodara, Surat, Mehsana, Bharuch, Bhavnagar and Anand. The brand covers everything from sales, service, spares, accessories, finance and pre-owned cars, ensuring that they can cater to a wide spectrum of customers. In 2022, Stellar Skoda officially became India’s No. 1 Skoda dealer and also bagged the award for highest volume of sales for the company in the same year. With such an astounding growth in less than half a decade, Stellar Škoda has, not surprisingly, attracted attention. And it was only natural that they partner with one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of cricket, Kapil Dev Nikhanj, the Haryana Hurricane who inspired a generation of Indians to dream of bowling quick and who held them in awe with his flamboyant batting.
Besides Ahmedabad, Stellar Group has dealerships in Vadodara, Surat, Mehsana, Bharuch, Bhavnagar and Anand.
When Kapil Dev arrived at the Stellar Skoda showroom in Ahmedabad, he spoke to the staff about the importance of spreading the message of safety to their customers, both prospective and current, and urge them to be always safe on the road and drive responsibly. Later, at a well-attended press conference, Kapil Dev, along with Stellar Skoda founder Kamlesh Tripathi, and CEO Abhimanyu Tripathi, made news of the partnership official. “We are delighted to have Kapil Dev as our Brand Icon in India. He is a role model for millions of Indians. His Stellar passion, commitment, and performance are qualities that deeply resonate with us at Stellar Skoda. We are confident that his association with our brand will help us connect with our customers at a deeper level and drive our growth in the Gujarat market,” said Abhimanyu Tripathi.
On his part, Kapil Dev said, “I am thrilled to be associated with Stellar Skoda, a brand known for its Stellar services, innovation, performance and exceptional customer experience with India’s safest cars like Kushaq and Slavia. I look forward to working closely with the Stellar Skoda team and helping them achieve their goals in the Indian market.” According to Abhimanyu Tripathi, Kapil Dev will soon feature in a new brand campaign “What Drives The Legend” for Stellar Skoda, which highlights the company’s commitment to delivering innovative and reliable products to its customers. The campaign will showcase Kapil Dev’s personality and his association with Stellar Skoda cars, thereby highlighting the connection of India’s safest car with Indian consumers.
Kapil Dev at his candid best during an event hosted in his honour by Stellar Skoda.
When we got an opportunity to sit down with the legend, he elaborated on why he thought safety should be given the most priority in cars. “Comfort, speed and even looks do matter, but I first want to know how safe the car is,” said Kapil Dev. On being asked about some of the best roads he’s driven on, he said that while he played cricket in England, he used to fancy roads in Germany and other parts of Europe. He did go on to say that over the past eight to ten years, the roads in India have improved drastically, and rued that so had the traffic. And was it true that most of his cars have ‘1983’ as the licence plate number? “It’s very close to my heart; my colleagues and staff take as much pride in it,” said Kapil Dev.
The former Indian captain’s day in Ahmedabad ended with a spectacular dinner that was attended by prominent personalities in the city. During a one-on-one with radio jockey RJ Devaki, Kapil Dev recalled his journey from the early days when despite longing to buy a good car for himself, the inability to maintain it prevented him from fulfilling his dreams. His inspiring story, and particularly the importance he attached to responsible driving and safety, left a lasting impression on the audience.
