Monthly Archives: January 2008

Jaguar displays new model lines to Tata

I am completely excited about the Jaguar and Tata scenario unfolding in the US. Get set going for the Jaguar-Tata production plan. As per media reports, Jaguar has displayed its new models to the Tata Group, its new parents.

Tata Motors was named as preferred bidder by the car giant Ford for sale of its two Brit luxury brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, after evaluating interests by Mahindra and Mahindra and the private equity firm OneEquity.

This definitely looks like the Ford Group in the US has made up their minds and that soon Indian roads may be swarming with Land Rover and Jaguar brands!

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Bollywood actor to drive ‘green wheels’

Global warming is a very serious concern and is worrying everybody. If every individual puts an effort, then we will definitely overcome the environment crisis we face today. The environment’s care has already been initiated, with Indian car makers rolling out electric cars and other options like Hybrids.

It is interesting to know that behind their glamorous fame, the Celebs also have a caring and loving heart for nature. Akshaye Khanna, Bollywood actor, who has graced the Indian silver screen with his marvelous performances, opted for greener wheels.

Akshaye was so impressed with the concept of an electric car, a compact car clubbed with environmental-friendly features that he thought of contributing in a small but sensible way to save the planet by owning a Maini REVAi. Hope this will prompt others to help ‘Save our Earth’.

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Benz with the ‘C’ touch

‘Agility at your Command’ that’s the new tag line for Mercedes-Benz that launched and updated its ‘C’ segment cars in India. Mercedes has been around with its operations for almost 11 years now in India. C-Class is the most popular model and a worldwide leader in its segment.

Mercedes-Benz has always had a special place in the luxury car segment with its widest choice of product. The NEW “C-Class” is more power-packed, spacious, and stylish too. It is longer than its predecessor and the body as well as the wheel base is wider. The interiors are already posh and elegant but with the little changes made it gives total comfort.

Benz always retains its elegance and beauty no matter what the changes, but it is definitely a plus to see that this beauty doesn’t take its success for granted.

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Hyundai to go ‘Public’

Every newspaper, every magazine, and every person, including kids, have been talking about the one-lakh Nano. Let’s take a break from the ‘One Lakh Car’ and divert our mind to something new like …the ‘Public car’. What kind of a car is this?

Hyundai Motors India is putting their brilliant thoughts together to bring out a car that will suit India as well as other eastern countries. This will be again for the small car segment, definitely a tough competitor for Nano. We have to wait for some more time to know more details about it but it is expected to be rolled out in three years.

Hyundai’s others models like the Santro in the B segment, Getz Prime, i10 in the B+ segment, the Accent and Verna in the C segment, the Elantra in the D segment, the Sonata Embera in the E segment, and the Tucson in the SUV segment are already a success. Only time can tell who is going to rule the road – the ‘Peoples car’ or the ‘Public car’?

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Indian F1 Challenger to be unveiled

Great news for Formula1 fans! A new challenger from Force India F1, owned by Vijay Mallya, will be showcased in Mumbai. It will make its debut in Barcelona next month, Feb 2008. That’s a few weeks from the season’s first grand prix. The car will start with a three-day test.

Force India F1 is a Formula One motor racing team formed in October 2007. This team is the result of the agreement signed between Vijay Mallya and Michel Mol who invested close to Rs. 5 Billion and bought the Spyker F1 team.

The Work-In-Progress Challenger was released at Birmingham and even though it looks like the same old Spyker, there are noticeable differences like an enhanced gear box. The final track model will be worth following.

I wish they make a serious bid for the championship this time rejoicing their victory from the podium, making India proud.

Submitted by Raghavan

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Engine maker comes to India

India continues to attract hordes of car manufacturers; another Italian firm VM Motori has joined the bandwagon. The company is planning to establish an engine manufacturing facility in India. The total production is estimated to be 40,000 engines annually.

VM Motori would cater to car manufacturers and other vehicle segments as well. The initial investment is expected to be Rs 88 Crore. Presently the company is scouting for an Indian partner and trying to finalize a partnership deal. The company wants to have an equal presence in north and south India. Another step forward in India’s evolution of turning into a car manufacturing hub.

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Tata Sumo Grande

(Arun Kumar narrates his experience at the opening day of the Auto Expo that happened recently)

My new year can’t get any better than it already has as today I managed to get entry into the first day of the Auto Expo here in Delhi. I’ve been in this freezing city for the past two days and all dinner conversations have been about the Auto Expo. Today being my last day here as I fly home tomorrow evening, I decided to make a few calls and see if there was any way I could be sneaked into this highly exclusive preview day.

Well, as luck would have it, friends were able to pull strings. All they said was, just go there and walk past gate no. 7 and see if anyone stops you. If they do, just say press aadmi and you should sail through. My friends were right. I sailed through!

First impressions Pragati Maidan is huge! It takes approx. 15 minutes to walk from one place to another. But the Gods were kind to me as I got to witness almost all the launches in the first half of the day. The first launch that I caught [10:30 am] TATA Sumo Grande was kind of significant for me as my interest lies heavily in the utility vehicles segment. Unfortunately there weren’t too many on display today, unless I just couldn’t find all of them in that vast desert of a venue. But coming back to the Sumo Grande, I have to say that it’s a very impressive effort from TATA Motors. I missed the pre-launch hungama as that was for press aadmis only, but drama is not my cup of tea anyway. I got to see the car up close and take a few pictures and that was enough.

First impressions it reminded me of the Scorpio from a side angle, but that’s not such a bad thing as it’s a welcome change from the bread box looking Sumo Victa. It’s a good thing that the makers have finally paid some attention to styling and looks. The interior is very comfortable with beige interiors and a height adjustable driver’s seat. It’s also got a 2.2 DICOR engine that claims to give 16 kpl. Well that’s still left to be seen, but I will agree that the Grande is loaded with features.

Things I could take note of: Dual AC with separate louvers for the second and third row seats, Tilt adjustable steering Height adjustable driver’s seat, Electric ports for both front and rear passengers, Puddle lamps, and Comfortable 5-speed gear shift Speakers on doors. It comes fitted with Alpine CD/MP3 player with 6 speakers and a USB port, Large clear lens headlamps and a cutaway air dam in the front. Not bad, I thought the rear is very bus-like though. But, at least it’s got the spare wheel under the floor, which makes it a tad neater. It’s got the same sporty alloys as the Safari.

I know TATA Motors is in the spotlight for its One-Lakh so called miracle car, but honestly, my expectations aren’t too high about it. But with the Grande, I had no clue about its launch, which is supposed to happen sometime in Feb. I like the looks of it. The styling has definitely improved, the colours are more attractive and so is the price. Delhi Ex-Showroom is Rs 6.55 Lakh for the Sumo Grande LX [Base model] and Rs 7.49 Lakh for the Sumo Grande GX [top end].

Submitted by Arun Kumar

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Does India dare?!

After the recent auto expo, I have noticed that there has been slightly less emphasis on the Mercedes and BMW makers in the media. Many of the car enthusiasts would have liked to know more about these luxury cars, as they have something new to offer every time. However, the media space was completely taken by the small cars. The news channels and information portals covered very little about these luxury brands.

I, for once, would have enjoyed seeing a proper assessment of these cars by Indian anchors. I wonder if Indian car analysts just take these makers quality for granted as good and so don’t say much, or that they do not have the daring to question the quality of such highly-acknowledged brands?

Article submitted by Rashmi

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Apollo Breaking Ice in Europe!

Cars were not the only thing on the podiums at the Expo. There were more accessories and parts for cars as well. The cars looked great, but I was impressed with the Apollo section at the Expo.

Apollo Tyres displayed its winter tyres – Acelere Ice and Hawkz Ice, for passenger vehicles. This icy range of winter tyres will cater to the European and North American markets, where they are recommended to change their car tyres to tackle the subzero temperatures and road conditions during the winter season.

Now what is the difference between a regular tyre and a winter tyre? I didn’t know, so I Googled it. The differences lie in the compounding and tread patterns used. Acelere Ice and Hawkz Ice utilize advanced technology to give greater suction capability. The Ice range will also help Apollo Tyres Ltd ensure a round-the-year total brand experience for its export market across the globe. This would be the first time that an Indian tyre company is manufacturing winter tyres for the European market. Pretty COOL I think!

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Malaysia truly Asia…..Now India

We have Japanese, Koreans, and Europeans and now it’s going to Malaysians who are going to try their luck in the Indian auto market. Proton cars are manufactured by Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd (Proton), based in Malaysia. The second-generation Proton Saga has just launched a new version of their model.

I saw these cars being ridden around when I was in Kuala Lampur and my first thought was – not bad, pretty cool! I did a little research. The Proton Saga, from the sedan class, was the first Proton model, based on the Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore. It rolled off for the first time in September 1985. The 100,000th Proton Saga was produced in January 1989. It still retains its glory as the best top-selling model even though there are more advanced models in Malaysia now, most probably because of its affordable price.

The company plans to focus on the Indian auto market like every other foreign investor. They will also focus on Southeast Asia, China, and Australia. However, no set date can be found anywhere on the net as to when these guys want to launch the Proton in India. Could be good competition to existing sedans in India.

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