Monthly Archives: April 2009

Drop in Cab Services Affect Car Sales

Since most of the companies are experiencing a slowdown due to the financial crisis, they have withdrawn most of the facilities including cab services. Cabs are used to ferry employees of IT, IT enabled services, and for tourism sectors. But now cab services are increasingly seeing a decline.

Well, the overall situation has also affected the car manufacturers. It is observed that sales of popular cab models like the Chevrolet Tavera, Tata Indica and the Toyota Innova have fallen drastically. Obviously, this has resulted in loss on sales slump for the car manufacturers.

Toyota has admitted that at least 20 percent of Innova sales are contributed by cab services. But it is now declined to 10 percent. The demand from the taxi segment has fallen and so is the demand for financing the vehicles.

The cascading effect of the slowdown has also touched the banks. They have found that many taxi operators have started defaulting on their loans due to lower income. Currently, the banks do not have any rules to confiscate the vehicles and release their loans. The effect of slowdown is clearly visible everywhere which has tremendously impacted all the sectors including car industry.

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Classically Traditional Mahindra Souvenir Concept

New Mahindra Souvenir Cars In India

Mahindra’s traditional jeep got lost somewhere in the crowd of new car models. But a classic is always an exemplary possessing a great value. In order to get its charm back, Mahindra is offering its traditional jeep ‘Mahindra Classic’ with a Souvenir Concept.

Available on order from Mahindra customisation, everything about this jeep is special and the new Souvenir is developed according to buyer’s specification. It is powered by the tried-and trusted MOl TC diesel engine and has the option of both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. The Souvenir concept is the closest clone of the Mahindra Classic.

The colour coded interiors of the Souvenir Concept is complimented with front bucket seats with arm rest, rear bucket seats with arm rest, seat belts for all seats, customised upholstery, colour coded custom carpeting & mats, roll cage assembly in powder coated black, roll cage padding in black, and custom-built dash panel in matt black finish.

The exterior is classy with custom-made front bull bar in stainless steel, front grill mesh in powder coated black, auxiliary twin lamps mounted on front guard in transparent lens, head lamp grill guard in powder coated black, modified front wheel fenders to inset the parking lamp assembly, custom styled wheel arches in matt black finish, modified windscreen assembly with drop down mechanism, supports on bonnet for windscreen, custom painted body shell, alloy wheels with broader tyres, custom-made side guards in stainless steel, custom-made rear guard in stainless steel, modified body shell & re-panelling, and custom styled foldable roof canopy in black.

Don’t delay to grab the opportunity to own a fully customised Mahindra jeep. Share your innovative ideas with the engineers and drive home the classically traditional Mahindra Souvenir Concept.

New Mahindra Souvenir Cars In India New Mahindra Souvenir Cars In India

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Chinese Dragons to Fire into Indian Car Market

Indian car market being the fastest-growing car market in the world has captivated many western auto biggies. Interestingly, the Chinese car leaders also couldn’t stay away from the alluring and rising Indian car industry.

Realizing the prominence and potential of the Indian car market, Chery Automobile and Great Wall Motors of China is planning to enter the market through a joint venture. Currently, these manufacturers are seeking a local partner to make their debut.

Till date, Chinese car manufacturers were focusing in the markets like U.S. and Europe. And since the volume started falling down because of the economic crisis, they are forced to divert their attention from these markets.

Nothing is confirmed yet but it is said that Chery is in talks with the Sonalika group for introducing small cars in India. The company is expected to introduce their cars by 2010 with competitive price.

Great Wall Motor (GWM) which primarily into SUV and utility vehicle production is also in talks with various local vendors for partnerships. Recently, the car manufacturer has also expanded its portfolio with MUV and hatchback. The company is looking for a partner in India which is already involved with model assembling.

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Shah Rukh Khan to Drive Hyundai Tucson during IPL

New Hyundai Tucson Cars In India

India’s popular actor Shah Rukh Khan will be seen travelling in Hyundai car for the entire season of IPL (Indian Premier League). Incidentally, Shah Rukh Khan owns the Kolkata Knight Riders cricket team and is also the brand ambassador of Hyundai Motors.

Managing director of Hyundai Motors South Africa Mr. Alan Ross handed over the Hyundai Tucson keys to Shah Rukh Khan at a ceremony in Cape Town. Shah Rukh Khan will be using Hyundai Tucson for himself and his entourage accompanying him in South Africa. The car will be for his exclusive use during his stay in South Africa.

Hyundai Santro is a bestselling model from the company’s product line up in South Africa. The Indian subsidiary of the company which manufactures the Santro and the i10 exported around 10,000 models to the South African markets.

Mr. Khan has been the brand ambassador of Hyundai Motors since the company entered India with its flagship model, the Santro. The company expresses that his face in the advertisement helped it a lot to settle firmly in India. King Khan also created a record by becoming the only brand ambassador to have a longest association with a company. Hence, Hyundai Motors has decided to offer him the Hyundai car as a gesture of its goodwill to the actor. It seems Shah Rukh is also taking the association seriously and is promoting the brand not only in India but also in South Africa.

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McLaren’s Green Sports Car

McLaren is all set to introduce green sports car by 2011. It is learnt that the car will be the most environment friendly of its type and will set a new benchmark in the industry. The question arises will the green attitude of the car hinder its performance? The answer is no as the use of cutting edge technologies in the car will considerably improve its performance while ensuring the safety at the same time. The car is said to be positioned against the Ferrari F 450 and the Lamborghini Gallardo.

The new car will carry the design of the famous McLaren F1. But it will have sharper lines and larger dimensions compared to its sibling. Car designer Frank Stephenson will take the responsibility to design the car. He plans to give it a catchy look with edgy lines, a low nose and two huge side air intakes behind the cabin. The car will have a conventional two-seat layout unlike the F1‘s famous central driving position.

Beside this car, the company is also planning to launch a new range of sportscar by 2010. For the new range of models, it has to bear an additional investment of 250 million pounds for setting up a new McLaren car production facility in the UK. This expansion plan from McLaren which would prove to be a vital step in the development of the car industry will provide an excellent job opportunity for nearly 800 people.

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Pontiac Recedes to History

General Motors has finally decided to kills off the Pontiac brand after being hit badly by the aftermaths of recession. The brand will be wiped out completely by the end of 2010. It is a part of cost cutting plan by the company which is seeking a bailout package from the U.S. government. After Pontiac, General Motors will stress on the brands like Hummer, Saab and Saturn.

The closure of these brands was on cards for a long time since General Motors has been hit by financial problems and huge debts. The closing of the brand is one of its attempts to convince the federal government about its seriousness to continue its business. This will help the company receive cash from the government and also help avoid the bankruptcy option.

Pontiac cars have been under production since 1926 and are sold in U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The first Pontiac car was powered by a 39 bhp, 3.1-litre engine. Some of the classic Pontiacs are the GTO, Firebird, Trans-Am, Fiero and the Bonneville. The Fiero is a cult figure among car enthusiasts. Many modern supercar styling is inspired by Fiero. Pontiac car have also been featured in many films and television shows.

The death of some of General Motors brands was imminent because of its redundant policies. The company follows a policy of producing and selling the same car under different brands. Due to this the Cadillac brand was on its death bed a few years ago until it was revived by some fresh models. Many of the GM trucks available under the brand name of Chevrolet, Saturn, Pontiac and Chevy cars are very similar except for some cosmetic changes.

General Motors India is also affected by the troubles faced by its parent company. While investments are still coming in, General Motors India does not sound as upbeat as it was a few years ago about taking over the Indian car market. The Indian arm of company should be careful to avoid such multi-branding of similar cars. Indian customers may not take it lightly.

posted by admin @ Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 Comments Off links to this post
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Volkswagen Begins Trial production of Polo

Volkswagen has started the trial production for its upcoming small car ‘Polo’. It will be the first locally made car from the company’s stable in India which is set to be unveiled at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2010.

The commercial production of Polo is likely to start soon after its display at the Auto Show. The car is based on the Skoda Fabia platform. Polo is likely to help Volkswagen make inroads into the huge small car market in India that is primarily dominated by Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motors.

The Chakan plant where the Trial production of the Polo was recently flagged off has a capacity to manufacture 110,000 cars per annum. The Chakan plant will follow company’s two-shift theory unlike other German plants which work 3-shifts. The company has provision for only 35 percent of automation as against the 98 percent of automation it has in Germany. The company has made the highest investment worth 580 million euro in India. Well, Volkswagen seems to be serious about the Indian car market. And will definitely succeed in taking over its rivals if its continue expanding its network as well as product portfolio in the country.

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Baby Rolls Royce Turns into a ‘Ghost’

Rolls-Royce finally revealed the name of its new model series at the Shanghai Auto Show. The car which was earlier christened as RR4 and nicknamed as ‘Baby Rolls-Royce’ was showcased as a concept car at this year’s Geneva Auto Show. The name of the car is now confirmed as Rolls-Royce Ghost.

The name is unique but interesting which will surely click the Indian buyers. The name reveals car’s breadth of abilities. It is the first car among the new generation models to carry a reminiscent name. This name was earlier used by the company for cars that were rolled out between 1906 and 1925.

‘Ghost’ will be built on all-new platform at Goodwood manufacturing plant sharing paint, wood, and leather workshops with the Phantom series of cars. Over the last 18 months, the car manufacturer has expanded all its areas for the development of the model. The 5.4 Meters stylish Ghost comes fitted with a 6.6-litre turbocharged V12 engine that gives impressive dependability and refinement.

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Nano Mania Continues in India

Nano mania is haunting car dealers across the country even after the termination of bookings on April 25. Surprisingly, dealers were found to receive booking orders on Sunday and Monday against the officially stipulated time. The huge response for Tata Nano in Mumbai has pushed the dealers to unofficially open the booking.

It is learnt that a couple of dealers in Mumbai and Goa sold application forms for the Nano and accepted bookings. Soon after the Tata Motors officials noticed it, they sent a directive asking them to stop all bookings for the car immediately.

The dealers defended themselves by saying that they accepted bookings only on outright purchases. No finance was available as banks have stopped all financial support on Saturday. Hence, only aspirants who were able to pay the full down payment were allowed to make the bookings.

The dealers were under pressure to meet their targets for Nano bookings. The company also admitted that most car dealerships saw immensely hectic activity on the last day of bookings. More applications were sold on the closing day than in the preceding days. The company is expected to disclose the total number of bookings received by the end of this week. The first phase of allotment of cars will be made 60 days after the closure of bookings.

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Audi R8 Crowned as Classics of the Future 2009

New Audi R8 Cars In India

The dynamic Audi R8 is tagged with the title of “Classics of the Future 2009” by Motor Klassik magazine. The “Classics of the Future” award is conducted every two years and the winner is selected based on a poll participated by readers of the magazine. This is fourth time that the German trade journal has organized readers’ poll. Since 1979, around 78 models have been selected out of which some of them have already become genuine classics.

Born of powerful ideas, Audi R8 carries unmistakable design and technical precision that ensures an impressive driving experience. It is a perfect sports car for speed enthusiasts and a winner in all respect.

As a mark of this achievement, Audi will offer another version of the car which will be powered by a 10-cylinder engine. It is not just Audi R8 who scored in the show from the company’s stable, Audi A6 also bagged the third position in the category of “full-size car of the modern age”. It’s a matter for pride not only for the brand but also for India as both the cars are available in the country.

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