Monthly Archives: January 2010

Fiat Planning Hybrid, India-Specific Small Cars

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If the sources are to be believed, Fiat India could come out with a hybrid car in India by 2010 end or early 2011 other than the India-specific small car.

If the news comes right from the horses’ mouth, we all have every reason to believe it. Rajeev Kapoor, President and CEO of Fiat India said that the hybrid car certainly will be powered by CNG and petrol and also mentioned that Fiat India was also working on an India-specific car but he refused to give out more details. He was speaking to reporters at the ongoing Auto Expo held in New Delhi.

Fiat is very optimistic on doubling the sales of its existing models and will be introducing more variants of existing models, but denied any launches of new cars in India.

Rajeev Kapoor maintained that “Other than the variants launched today, we will not introduce any new models per se”. He also mentioned that Fiat planned to sell about 46,000 units doubling last year’s 23,000 vehicles which were sold.

He was quite optimistic that Fiat’s models Grande Punto and Fiat 500 could not pick up sales last year as the models were launched in the end of 2009 but 2010 would be a successful year for them.

The company Wednesday unveiled the diesel version of Fiat 500, three variants of Grande Punto and two of the Linea model.
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BMW Woos Indians With Three New Models At Expo

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BMW hit the right button in India by unveiling three of its new models at the Delhi Auto Expo 2010.

The cars which BMW India unveiled were the sports car Gran Turismo, sports coupe’ X6 M and super luxury sedan 760Li. BMW India already on a high after beating compatriot Mercedes-Benz India in the Indian car sales terms now plans to invest $ 50 million in India to start its auto finance business in the middle of the year.

The company has taken over the luxury car market leader Mercedes Benz in 2009 in terms of sales and expanded its market share to over 40 per cent in the luxury car segment.

“Despite all challenges, BMW India delivered strong operating performance in 2009 and achieved a market leadership in the luxury car segment. This is the most successful market entry for BWM in any country,” said BMW India president Peter Kronschnabl.

BMW Gran Turismo (GT) was launched as a limited edition model with only 100 units up for sale now in India and has been priced at Rs 63 lakh (ex-showroom-Delhi), while the X6 M carries a price tag of Rs 1.29 crore and the BMW 7 series sedan 760Li will lessen the pockets of the wealthy by Rs 1.3 crore.

The carmaker also showcased its sporty utility vehicle (SUV) X1 at the auto exhibition. BMW will import X1 as a completely knocked down unit and will churn it out of its manufacturing plant in Chennai to be sold to Indian consumers from 2010 end. BMW X1 is considered to be chapter in itself in the company’s India strategy.

BMW India during the ongoing Auto Expo hinted that the company had made additional plans to pump in additional investment to expand its capacity at Chennai and the details of the investments were not disclosed but the company is quite optimistic in hiring additional workforce at the plant.

BMW that sold 3,619 cars in the country during 2009, currently, has the capacity to produce 3,000 units annually working in a single shift. The company produces cars under its ‘3’ and ‘5’ series at its Chennai plant but imports other premium models like its ‘6’ and ‘7’ series cars. BMW has also sought a licence to operate its wholly-owned auto finance arm BMW Financial Services as an NBFC.
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New Hyundai i10 Electric at Auto Expo 2010

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Hyundai i10 EV

Hyundai Motors is following in the Tata Motors footsteps at least for the moment. Hyundai on Wednesday has announced that it will consider bringing in its electric vehicles into the Indian market as Hyundai is all set to capture the gradually increasing market for these cars.

Hyundai Motor India which is a 100 per cent subsidiary of the Korean giant, showcased its electric version of its small car i10 at the ongoing 10th Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Speaking to the reporters after unveiling the electric version of the popular Indian small car, Arvind Saxena, Director of Marketing and Sales for Hyundai Motor India Ltd expressed hope that the the new found interest in electric vehicles would present Hyundai with a huge opportunity to bring in electric vehicles technology to the Indian market in the near future.

Though he denied giving any time-frame as to when the electric cars will be introduced in India, but we speculate that Hyundai also might study the feasibility of the Indian markets to bring in the electric cars here.

It should be noted that the i10 electric was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September last year and the company plans to produce the car in limited numbers for the South Korean market from this year. Hyundai i10 Electric is a zero-emission vehicle that reconciles motoring with the environmental aspirations of customers looking for a vehicle with the best possible ecological footprint.”

Previously, in 2007, Hyundai had launched the Hyundai i10 with internal combustion engine in 2007.At present; HMIL is the country’s largest car exporter and the second largest car manufacturer with a line up of alternate fuel technology in vehicles like the CNG and LPG versions of its small car Hyundai Santro. This would be followed with its sedan Accent and small car Hyundai i10.

Currently, only Reva produces electric cars for the Indian market but recently Tata Motors also announced its plans to bring in the Tata Indica Vista electric in collaboration with a Norwegian company to ply it here in India after studying the feasibility.

Hyundai Motor India’s pavilion displayed its futuristic technology in the form of concept vehicles to highlight the superior and advanced technology that the company has pioneered. The company also showcased the sports variant of its luxury sedan Genesis at the auto show.

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Audi India unveils Sportback Concept at Auto Expo

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Audi Sportback Concept CarWe had in our earlier blog maintained that Audi was showcasing its Concept car in the ongoing Auto Expo 2010. We now bring you the story in detail.

Audi to commemorate the centenary of the brand, Audi’s display included the heritage Audi Front 225 Roadster, the Audi India product range and the Audi Sportback Concept car. Audi’s stall was inaugurated by Mr. Peter Schwarzenbauer, member of the Board of Management of Audi AG Marketing and Sales, and Benoit Tiers, managing director, Audi India.

Peter Schwarzenbauer maintained that Audi has shown exceptional promise since it began its operations in India. Audi since then has grown from strength to strength in every facet of the business. Audi India will continue to play a pivotal role in the worldwide growth strategy of Audi AG. The Audi Sportback Concept car, which is being displayed in the Auto Expo effectively demonstrates Audi’s future design vocabulary. He also promised to bring latest models from Audi to India stating that it was the part of their commitment to the Indian customer.

The Audi Sportback concept car symbolizes the Sportback principle in its purest form in the combination of elegance, sportiness and variability. The two international show cars and the current Audi India product range reflect the past, present and the future glory of Audi AG.

The technology of the Audi Sportback concept is markedly futuristic. With its pronounced coupé-like silhouette and large rear hatch, the 4.95 m long, 1.93 m wide and only 1.40 m high vehicle is boldly progressive for the luxury class. The Audi Sportback concept derives its power from the world’s cleanest diesel technology, the 3.0-liter V6 TDI clean diesel almost completely eliminates nitrogen oxides. This concept car is expected to return with impressive fuel consumption figues of 5.9 liters of diesel per 100 kms.

“We have successfully exceeded our projected sales targets for two consecutive years and have strategically created a niche in the Indian automobile industry. Audi India immensely benefits from the state-of-art-infrastructure, modernised working processes, large pool of skilled personnel and favourable logistical conditions that AUDI AG provides. We will continue to provide unmatched quality to our customers in India, reflective of our philosophy of ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’,” said Benoit Tiers.

Audi, the German luxury car manufacturer, showcased an array of models at the 10th Auto Expo in New Delhi.
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Skoda’s Yeti makes India debut at Auto Expo

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Skoda YetiThe snowman or the Yeti is finally here for all of you to see. We are speaking about the Skoda Yeti ladies and gents.
Skoda Auto India unveiled its international best seller SUV Yeti for the first time in India at the ongoing 10th Auto Expo 2010 being held in New Delhi.

With this SUV, Skoda Auto India would soon have 5 models in its portfolio. The Skoda Yeti was unveiled by Reinhard Fleger, Member of the Board, Sales and Marketing, SkodaAuto and Thomas Kuehl, Member of the Board, Sales and Marketing, SkodaAuto India.

Reinhard Fleger at the unveiling ceremony expressed his optimism on the Indian car market and said that the Indian automobile industry continues to be among the most promising car industries across the globe and it shall continue to grow in the coming year backed by an estimated GDP growth of about 7per cent.

Skoda has a market share of around 25 per cent in the mid size segment since Skoda’s debut in the Indian market about 9 years back. Skoda also has aggressive plans lined up for the Indian market and aims to emerge as a major player in the Indian automotive growth story and Yeti certainly is a core aspect of the plan that Skoda has set for India.

Skoda Yeti is known for its ruggedness, contemporary design, luggage space and most of all Yeti meets the needs of environmental care which is a In-thing now.

The Skoda pavilion also has displayed the Fabia Elegance, the Laura Laurin and Klement trim level and a Top end Superb with a 3.6 FSI V6 engine and 4WD featuring the 4th-generation Haldex clutch system with the automatic 7-speed DSG gear box at the Auto Expo 2010.

Visitors to the Skoda stall will be thrilled to the European models such as Superb Combi Elegance, Fabia Sportline and the environmentally-friendly GreenLine also displayed at the Expo along with Octavia RS with 2.0 TSi petrol engine, offering a generous output of 147 kW (200 bhp), is a reminder of the sports tradition in Skoda’s long history.
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Tata Nano aims for America, to Undergo Additional Crash Tests

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Nanao displayed in the Auto Expo
Tata Nano is America bound and how? Tata Motors is working on a Nano variant for the American market and is expected to be ready in about three years.

Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Motors claims that the America bound Nano will feature a bigger engine and will undergo additional crash tests to derive at a point blank answer to silence the skeptics about Nano’s safety.

Tata Motors is also concentrating on the developed markets apart from the American market to develop an electric version of the same.
Tata Motors now beaming with pride with the acquisition of Jaguar-Land Rover is looking to bring the luxury cars to the emerging Indian car market while marketing its cleaner electric cars like the Nano and Indica EV in developed markets like the US and Europe.

Tata Nano which was launched in the 9th edition of Delhi Auto Expo had to clash head on with issues such as land acquisition in Singur from where the initial production of the Nano was slated to happen and hence the first Nano was rolled out from the company’s Pune plant. Later the first batch of 100,000 cars had to be rolled out from the Sanand plant in Gujarat.

Tata Motors also unveiled the Nano Europa at the Geneva Motor Show 2009. The European version would provide high fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions of less than 100 grams per kilometer and is rumored to cost about $6,000.
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Audi to Display Concept car at Auto Expo

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German luxury car maker Audi will be displaying a concept car which also is one of its heritage model along with the Indian product range at the ongoing 10th Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Audi still has not disclosed the details of the concept and the heritage models it will be displaying in the show. Audi which is celebrating its centenary year will also launch its newly launched brand logo in the Auto Expo.

It has to be taken into consideration that Audi India has shown consistent growth in its sales which indicated a greater and wider acceptance of the brand here in India. Audi launched new models such as Audi A6 sedan and SUV’s such as Audi Q5 and New Audi Q7 in 2009 and also introduced three new engines to its existing range of Audi A4 sedan and also opened up new dealerships in Mumbai, Kochi and Ahmadabad.

Apart from these, Audi also announced the limited edition offer on Audi A6 2.7 TDI which is priced at Rs 37 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai) from January 1.

The existing portfolio of Audi India comprises of sedans such as Audi A8, A6 and A4 while SUVs like Q5 and New Q7 adorn the Audi stable as well. Audi also has sports coupes such as Audi R8 and Audi TT in its portfolio.
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Renault starts the Expo with Twizy

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Renault Twizy Concept CarRenault barged in the Auto Expo 2010 party by unveiling Twizy, its compact electric car.

The chief minister of Delhi Mrs Sheila Dikshit flagged the Renault Twizy concept car to ceremoniously begin the Expo for Renault.

Twizy, a two-seater concept electric car was earlier showcased in the Frankfurt Motor Show if you remember it, we had carried a blog o the same. Twizy is quite unique with its ultra-compact dimensions of 2300 mm length and 1300 mm width and very retro in design.

Twizy is Renault’s version of innovation of the next generation electric cars. Twizy however is classified as a quadracycle and does not need to comply with the full panoply of safety regulations. And most importantly the carbon imprints is lessened by car as the car does not have doors and therefore minuses the need of an air conditioner.

The concept car Twizy is a rear wheel drive and weighs 420kg. It is powered by a 15kW engine that Renault claim produces 20PS of power. The electric motor has range of 100kmph with a top speed of 75kmph. The four-wheeled scooter is due for production in late 2011.

Apart from this car, Renault has much more to offer in its pavilion at the Delhi Auto Expo 2010.
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Tata Motors showcases Aria

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Tata Motors unveiled the Aria, the cross-over between a multi-utility and sports utility vehicle, at the Auto Expo here in New Delhi.

The Tata Indicruz is renamed as Tata Aria and Tata Motors like to call this cross-over as the four-wheeler built for Indians by Indian engineers.

However, Tata Motors still has us guessing on the possible date of commercial launch of Tata Aria in India. Tata’s current lineup includes sedans such as Tata Indigo Manza, Tata Indigo, hatchbacks, Tata Nano, Tata Indica and Tata Indica Vista, SUV’s and MUVs include Tata Safari and Tata Sumo Grande MK II.

Tata’s progression from a truck manufacturer to passenger car manufacturer has been tremendous. Last year’s Auto Expo highlighted the Tata Nano to the world as the cheapest car in the world and smallest car in the world which went on to become a big hit on its own.

“Apart from the Tata Aria, there will be products from Jaguar series of buses and a new world truck, new alternate fuel vehicles and electric vehicles,” Tata group chairman, Ratan Tata, said at the Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Tata Motors also is previewing passenger carrier Magic Iris and MPV Venture, besides the Jaguar XJ. Tata Motors is quite bullish on the electric and hybrid programmes and projects and is displaying the Indica Vista Electric in the Expo along with other hybrid and electric models.
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Maruti unveils new concept six-seater car

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India’s largest passenger car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on Tuesday showcased a concept prototype of its six-seater family car at the 10th Auto Expo in New Delhi.

The concept prototype that Maruti Suzuki launched was called as RIII. The company clearly stated that it was showcasing the prototype for now and the variants will be decided later. Concept RIII is a next generation compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle designed in-house by a team of young and energetic Maruti Suzuki Engineers.

This concept car was built on the central theme of ‘togetherness’. RIII offers elegance, sportiness, excellent roominess and space for the big family with bigger needs without the car looking awkwardly voluminous or bulky. This car was conceptualized for semi-urban cities and congested lanes and by-lanes of the cities.

The small car major will also showcase its electric vehicle built on the lines of Eeco, an affordable family car, available in two versions with three rows and two rows seating options with the seating capacity of five and seven passengers respectively.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Shinzo Nakanishi told reporters that Maruti is optimistic about its sales growth in 2010.

‘The company will be able to maintain its sales growth despite the pressure of raw material costs, inflation and the rise of the yen against the rupee,’ Nakanishi said.

Asked if Maruti will be able to maintain its 50 percent market share over the next three years, he said: ‘This is not an easy job this year with so many new cars being launched. We have to make preparations for this.’
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