Monthly Archives: March 2010

Mahindra and Mahindra inaugurates Plant at Chakan

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Mahindra and Mahindra achieved another milestone on Saturday when it inaugurated its Rs 5,000-crore new manufacturing plant in the industrial hub at Chakan. This plant, supposedly, will enable the company to produce its entire range of automobile products under one roof.

This facility, which is spread over a span of 700 acres, will have an initial capacity of three lakh units and will manufacture M&M products including the 0.75-tonne Maxximo, the 49-tonne Mahindra Navistar truck and the sports utility vehicle (SUV) range that it plans to launch in the US market.

“The plant has been envisioned as the hub of innovation and technology for the Mahindra Group, with several new products, including our new SUV and pick-up line rolling out from here,” Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) President (Automotive Sector) Pawan Goenka said in a statement.

Goenka also mentioned that the Chakan facility incorporates flexible features, which will allow the company to respond rapidly to changing customer needs.

With a capacity of three lakh units, the first phase of the construction of the plant, has consumed an initial investment of about Rs 2500 crore. The second phase will further increase the investment to Rs 5,000 crore.

The plant was inaugurated in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and M&M Vice Chairman and MD Anand Mahindra.

Recently M&M had announced that it was planning to launch at least nine new vehicles by March 2011 and the inauguration of this plant goes on to prove their commitment.

In the beginning, Mahindra and Mahindra will manufacture the entire range of medium and heavy commercial vehicles from the joint venture with Navistar ranging from 25-49 tonne tippers and trucks. It will also manufacture other models if the increase in demand required the company to do so.

Now, let’s talk about something that Mahindra and Mahindra should really be applauded for. We are talking about the eco-friendly initiatives that the M&M Chakan plant has taken. The Chakan plant comes fully equipped with numerous eco-friendly features. Solar energy and waste heat from the oven exhaust are used to reduce the consumption of LPG and electricity in the paint shop. This leads to reduction of 3,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually at full volume.

This initiative from M&M will set an example for many auto manufacturers.
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Alonso brings victory for Ferrari at the F1 opener in Bahrain

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The first race of the F1 2010 Championship, which happened this Sunday at the Bahrain racing circuit, has given an excellent start to Ferrari. In what seemed like a nail-biting racing event, Fernando Alonso, the Spanish driver for Ferrari, finished the race sixteen seconds ahead of his team mate Felipe Massa.

Massa was severely hurt last year in Hungary and this was his first race after that. He seemed very pleased with his second finish at the 2010 Grand Prix season opener.

Sebastian Vettel, who finished fourth place, started on pole position for the race but had to slow down due to exhaust problem. There on it was a different story. First it was the Ferrari drivers, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, who took over Vettel and then British driver Lewis Hamilton, who finished third, managed to overtake. We can say it with a great amount of certainty that without the exhaust problem, Vettel would have finished first.

Defending champion, Jenson Button managed to be one among the top ten by securing the seventh position.

And now, let’s talk about the much hyped return of Michael Schumacher. Seven times world champion, Schumacher started at the seventh place in the grid and had to satisfy himself with the sixth position.

“I can live very well with sixth position and it gives both me and the team a good base to make progress. I have every confidence that we will improve the car,” Schumacher said.

Let’s focus our attention on our home-team, Force India. Vitantonio Liuzzi secured the ninth position for Force India, while fellow team-mate Sutil had a first-lap spin in Webber’s oil slick and finished twelfth after dropping right to the back of the field.

Karun Chandhok, who was racing for the Formula One Team Hispania, crashed his HRT on the second lap.

The refuelling ban, though created an initial slow-burn effect, made the racing much more entertaining.

Ferrari, with 43 points, is leading ahead of McLaren which has got 21 points. Mercedes is on 18 points, and Red Bull is on 16. Ferrari driver Alonso has firm grip on the title with 25 points, Massa on follows with 18, Hamilton on 15, Vettel on 12, Rosberg on 10 and Schumacher on 8.
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Toyota’s Road Safety Initiative

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In 2008, the Delhi Chief Minister, Mrs. Sheila Dikshit launched the TSEP in Delhi. Wondering what TSEP is? Yes, most of aren’t even bothered about traffic safety. Accidents always happen to others and not to us. TSEP is the Toyota Safety Education Programme. It is an interactive learning programme on road safety and is designed for the primary and higher primary school children.

The TSEP pilot project was launched in Bangalore in 2007 following its launch in other metros in 2008. The Joint Commissioner of Police-Traffic, Delhi, Mr. S.N Shrivastava and Managing Director of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa were also present during the launch of the programme in Delhi.

You won’t believe this. In addition to the 117 schools in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore, the programme has been successfully conducted in 28 schools in Delhi. It is a way of brand promotion. But goodwill too is involved a lot. Over 2,30,000 students have got the traffic education over the past three years.

Very recently, on the 11th of March, Toyota Kirloskar Motor conducted the TSEP at the Delhi Police Public School in New Delhi. Do you know what exactly TSEP does? Well, Toyota creates awareness about traffic safety amongst school children. The school teachers too are trained through a one-day training programme. They also help students participate in government initiatives to create awareness about traffic safety.

Over the years, Toyota has been trying hard to educate children and youth on traffic safety. These youngsters are the ones prone to the highest number of road accidents. Their aim is to make the future generations in India better motorists. This year Toyota plans to cover 1,00,000 students educating 150 schools on road safety. 250 teachers have already been trained. How about having a society with better road sense? Keep up the good work, Toyota!

The car maker has involved the Traffic Police Department too in the metro cities. It has tried promoting road safety through drawing and painting contests held at the Toyota dealerships. Interactive classroom sessions comprising two modules have also effectively communicated the road safety message through the trained instructor. Traffic rules and regulations, basic guidelines for drivers and interactive quiz programmes have been part of the initiative.

An animation film using the popular mascot, Traffy educates children in a fun way. The two main characters Aki and Maya try creating safe roads with Traffy’s guidance. The traffic safety puzzles, board, card and computer games too promote education with a pinch of entertainment. Toyota has also set up stalls in schools. These stalls or safety booths display safety messages and visuals on traffic safety.

Toyota is trying its best to promote road and traffic safety. So many schools have joined in. We only hope that the safety virus spreads as soon as possible making India and especially the metros accident-free zones.
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Honda launches new Accord with electric sunroof

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Honda Accord with Sun roofHonda has launched its new Accord with 3.5-litre V6 engine and the most ‘electrifying’ feature, among others, is the electric sunroof. This premium sedan from Honda had it all in its previous versions and now, on customers’ demand, it has included one more feature of attraction. Talk about customer care!

Adding to the luxurious feel of the new Accord are Ambient Light and Footlight that will enable the passengers to see through the controls without any confusion. The new Honda Accord has also got two keyless remote entry systems that will further enhance the convenience quotient of the car. Honda Accord 3.5L V6 has got some technological advances too. It will now feature a Bluetooth interface for mobile phone connectivity.

Honda Accord is powered by a 3.5L V6 i-VTEC engine which can generate 271 bhp and 339 Nm of torque. This makes it the most powerful in the history of all Accords ever built and provides a driving experience that is on par with luxury vehicles from higher segments.

The VCM system, featured in the V6 3.5 litre Accord, gives it an edge because of its unique combination of fuel efficiency and maximum power. The Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system can switch between six-, four- and three-cylinder combustion depending on the driving conditions and delivering maximum power while still maintaining economical fuel consumption. The Active Noise Control system has been designed to provide high levels quietness and smoothness while cruising on all six cylinders.

Honda Accord 3.5L is available in four different colours including Tafeta White, Bold Beige Metallic, Crystal Pearl Black and Alabaster Silver.

The complete Accord range will be available at the price of (Ex-showroom Delhi) Rs. 18.5 lakh for 2.4 litre MT, Rs.19.3 lakh for 2.4 litre AT and Rs 26.15 lakh for 3.5 litre V6.

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The Rough and Tough Solar-Powered Volvo

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Solar Powered Volvo Dakar Race TruckHave you heard of the Dakar Rally? Well, for those who haven’t heard of it, the Dakar Rally or simply “The Dakar” is a long-distance off-road automobile race in which most of the competitive special sections are off-road, crossing dunes, mud, camel grass and rocks. The vehicles too are true off-road tough automobiles rather than the modified sedans used in other rallies. The race is organized by the Amaury Sport Organisation.

The rally which started off in 1978 usually started in Paris, France and the vehicles rallied till Dakar, Senegal. That is why the rally is called “The Paris-Dakar” or Paris to Dakar Rally. But in 2009, due to the 2008 security threats in Mauritania, the Dakar Rally was held in Argentina and Chile in South America. That was the first time the race was organized outside of Europe and Africa. In, 2010, it returned to South America.
Graphics of the basic structure of the Solar powered Volvo Truck
The race is open to amateur and professional entries who usually make up 80 per cent of the participant population. The distances covered at each stage vary from short distances up to 800–900 kilometres per day. Now, the year 2015 of the Dakar Race is going to see something special.

The solar-powered Volvo plans to make its presence known at the 2015 Dakar Rally. The news hasn’t been fully confirmed though. We, however, wish to see the tough beauty of the solar-powered car make its way through the endurance race. The demand for fossil fuels is increasing by the day and so are the prices. At this stage what could be better than having our vehicles use alternate sources of energy? It would be really great to see the rough and tough solar-powered Volvo win the rough and tough rally.

Graphic depiction of the interiors of solar powered Volvo SUV
The concept of the Volvo using the renewable source of energy is based on a hybrid drive train. A combination of fuel cells and solar energy is going to assist the diesel engine in delivering electricity to the hub motors in each of the wheels. Exploring slick and smooth movements, the shape of this Volvo automobile is surely going to challenge the very usual truck format and the Dakar Rally will hopefully be the best platform for its promotion.

The Volvo concept auto is targeted towards commercial use though. It is aimed at being an emergency vehicle helping out as a rescue automobile or as a mobile hospital. The solar roof is going to give the Volvo the required power. However, at the rally, don’t you think it will be much better if the vehicle uses wind power? It will never run out of energy then as wind will be abundantly available in the open space of the rally. How about having small turbines in the vehicle that produce lots and lots of energy? Wouldn’t that be a great idea?
Rear view of the Solar Powered Volvo Dakar Race Truck
This Volvo qualifies as the biggest solar-powered concept car. Did you know that? Don’t you think the car, though it has the solar top, is pretty cool to sport around too? If the concept turns out true how we wish we could be a part of the Dakar Rally to see the Volvo zoom in the sandbanks, mud and rocks.


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All New Fiesta Sedan

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2011 Ford Fiesta SedanGood news for all those Ford Fiesta fans. The latest scoop from Ford is that it is planning to launch a face-lifted version of its C segment sedan, Fiesta. The new Fiesta sedan, which is already being sold in the Chinese market, is likely to hit the Indian roads either by the end of this year or in the earlier months of 2011.

Ford India had earlier revealed its plans of rationalising and upgrading its product portfolio in India and Fiesta sedan and hatchback may come pretty soon in India. Though the price range of Fiesta sedan is a matter of speculation, it will be competing with Maruti Suzuki SX4 and Honda City. Ford has, however, refused to comment on the story.

When asked about their plans to launch the Fiesta sedan in India, Michael Boneham, president of Ford India said, “Right now we are focusing only on Figo, which is expected to be the game-changing model for us and the company. Having said that, we’ll not restrict ourselves with only one model and many global models are expected to add to the company’s pipeline. As far as the new Fiesta models (both hatchback and sedan versions) are concerned, I’m not ruling out its possibility. This is primarily because, India, China and Brazil are emerging markets for us and every new model is important for us in the long run.”

The new Fiesta sedan was unveiled during the Ghangzou auto show held in China last month, during which Ford had revealed that the new sedan will be built across Asia – India, China & Thailand. The new Ford Fiesta will be equipped with a variable valve timing 1.6-Litre VVT (Variable Valve Timing) engine in both petrol and diesel versions, so has been claimed by a number of leading auto magazines.

Recently launched Ford Figo is already receiving rave reviews, and to say that the very competitive pricing of Figo has made it an instant favourite of Indian car buyers, would be an understatement.

Figo has already revived Ford’s spirit in India and the launch of Fiesta hatch and sedan should help Ford re-establish its roots in the Indian car market.
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Small Cars Capture the Indian Market

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The Geneva motor show has begun and car makers are busy displaying their small and eco-friendly cars. Each of them is trying to outdo the rest with new technologies wrapped up in the small packages. What does the general public look for in a car? Isn’t it the brand and the wallet-friendliness? While it is possible to get the brand at a rock-bottom price, there’s no stopping.

On Wednesday, the BSE Sensex was up 48.76 points or 0.29 per cent to 17,101.30. The average daily volume in the last quarter being 1.36 lakh shares, 1.64 lakh shares were traded in the counter and stocks went from Rs 1472 to a high of Rs 1519.90. Since Feb, till 9 March 2010, stocks had outperformed the market rising 10.75% compared with the Sensex’s 6.30% rise. Over the last quarter it underperformed the market, falling 6.78% as against 0.42% decline in the Sensex.

India’s second largest selling car maker, Hyundai, has an equity capital of Rs 144.46 crore with a Re 5 face value per share. Rs 1488.15 being the current price, it discounts the company’s Q3 December 2009 annualized EPS of Rs 95.19, by a PE multiple of 15.63. The Figo has come out with the destructive price to compete with cars from other auto giants like GM’s Beat, the Maruti Swift and Ritz, the Hyundai i10 and the VW Polo.

The cool car has come with 1.2 litre petrol and a 1.4 litre diesel engines. The pricing seems to be superb. The petrol variant prices range from Rs 3.49 lakh – Rs 4.42 lakh and the diesel models are in the Rs 4.47- 5.29 lakh range. The mileage too is simply great; 15.6 and 20 kilometer from every litre of petrol and diesel respectively. As if the Figo is just not enough, Ford plans to launch a few more small cars to make the competition tenser.

We know that these little cars have already captured 70 per cent of the domestic market. What are car manufacturers planning to do now? Something more? Just a while ago Nissan and Toyota announced their plans to bring in small cars in the Rs 4 lakh range in India. Maruti shares had risen 0.69% on 9th March and Suzuki Motor raised its stake in the company to 55%. This set off rumours that the move was part of a bigger plan to take full control of India’s top carmaker. Only recently did Suzuki raise its stake in Maruti to 55% through secondary market purchases.

At the close of the year 2009 Suzuki had 54.21% stake in Maruti. Did you know Suzuki may increase its stake further? In India, carmakers can make acquisitions of up to 5% a year and anything over 55% will require Suzuki to make an open offer for another 20%. So, it’s clear enough now that the increase in the stake must be part of a larger strategy to take full control of Maruti. Suzuki’s latest alliance with Volkswagen that saw the German group pick up a 20% stake in the Japanese group further justifies the doubt.

Maruti Suzuki India‘s profits jumped 221.9% to Rs 687.53 crore on a 62.5% rise in sales to Rs 7372.65 crore in Q3 December 2009 over Q3 December 2008. It produces buys and sells cars and parts. With all these changes, we only feel that the big cars will have to shy away a little. The sale of small cars is going to be real quick. The small ones will have to fight each other too with better technologies and pricing as weapons. Which one will you buy?
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Bahrain buzzing with F1 racing

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Bahrain GP TrackBahrain is currently in the grip of a motorsport fever that is popularly known as Formula One. Bahrain International Circuit is bustling with activity as the BIC team, Formula 1 teams and staffs, marshals, medical personnel and other logistical staff prepare to host the region’s largest motor sport phenomenon.

The Bahrain Formula One race that starts on 14th of this month flags off the 2010 International Automobile Federation (FIA) F1 World Championship and brings in the landmark 60th Anniversary celebrations of the motor racing sport.

People in Bahrain have already started spotting their favourite Formula 1 drivers as they arrived at the Bahrain racing circuit. Some F1 drivers were even seen relaxing with their team members. They also visited their team garages to get a close and final look at their car’s assembly, while many others set out by road car or bicycle to learn the new track layout ahead of the weekend Grand Prix.

Also seen on the racing circuit were Fernando Alonso of Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber of Red Bull, Sebastien Buemi of Toro Rosso, Nico Rosberg of Mercedes GP, Pedro de la Rosa of Sauber, Heikki Kovalainen of Lotus, Adrian Sutil of Force India, Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi of Virgin, Nico Hulkenberg of Williams, Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov of Renault, and Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok of Hispania Racing Team.

Formula One Race in ProgressAnd last but not the least, seven time champion Michael Schumacher of Mercedes GP and Jenson Button of McLaren also showed up.

There were other high-profile visitors who also landed at the Bahrain International Circuit. President of the General Organisation for Youth and Sports, Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa showed two thumbs-up for the excellent preparation done ahead of the Grand Prix event.

Today BIC will open its gates to the lucky all three-day ticket holders who can take an exclusive walk down the F1 pit lane.
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Will Spyker Make it to the Tracks?

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Spykar Developmental SUVDid you think Spyker has forgotten its D12 Peking-to-Paris sports SUV project after purchasing Saab? It’s over four years now since the D 12 Peking-to-Paris concept was launched. It was unveiled at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. Just after that the fight for Saab began and Spyker seemed to forget the development of the concept car. Spyker has finally saved Saab from nothing and now, the CEO Victor Muller has confirmed that the development of D12 will begin in a short while.

Spyker may even change the car’s name from D12 to D8. This thought took its foundation when powerplants were swapped last year. The D12 hinted at the 500 bhp 6-litre Volkswagen W12 engine. Now, the D8 would indicate the vehicle’s supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine. The same engine is found in the Cadillac CTS-V. The name of the car, however, has not been finalized. Also, the project will not just resume but will also speed up. The facilities, parts and technology that Spyker has after the purchase of Saab will help a lot in accelerating the process.

Are you wondering what the Peking to Paris refers to? Well, it indicates the Peking to Paris endurance rally held in 1907 from Peking which is now called Beijing. An almost standard Spyker car driven by Frenchman Ch. Goddard had participated in this Beijing to Paris rally. After a three-month drive, this car came second.

The Spyker D12 Peking will be using a 373 bhp Volkswagen W12 engine. This powerful engine will let the car zoom from 0 to 100 km/hr in just 5 seconds and the speed is going to be really high. The top speed will be 296 km/hr. The price of the D8, however, is going to be as heavy as the D12 price tag. The standard Spyker design would be carried by the car. The D8 would also carry a 2,000 kg curb weight and suicide doors.

The luxurious four-door sedan from the Dutch manufacturer was designed by Michiel van den Brink. After its introduction, the high-performance crossover SUV had received over 100 orders. The U.S. seems to be the new D8’s major target. This car, even after being known as an SUV, has plenty of features of a typical Spyker sports car. It is more like the C8 with which it shares features like the aeroblade wheels and smooth rear view mirrors.

Will the long-awaited sports SUV from Spyker make it to the tracks? How soon will it come? Well, since the development is going to start off in full swing, we hope it comes soon.
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Small Sandero from Mahindra Renault

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Mahindra Renault SanderoWhile it is already confusing for car buyers to choose from among the small cars in India, here is something that will add to your choices or woes, whatever you might want to call it. Mahindra and Renault Joint Venture is coming with a new hatchback for India called Mahindra Renault Sandero.

Sandero will be available in both diesel and petrol variants. While the petrol version will be powered by 1200 cc engine, the diesel one, equipped with a 1500 cc engine, will be more powerful.

The five-door Mahindra Renault Sandero hatchback is very spacious when compared to its counterparts in the small car category. Sandero is about 4.02 meters in length, with a storage capacity of 320 litres. The rear doors, which open at an angle of 67 degrees, add to the spaciousness of the car.

Pawan Goenka, head of Mahindra’s automotive division, said he was not in a position to make any immediate comment on the matter. “Nothing has been decided as yet. Talks are at a preliminary stage,” he said.

Considering the current scenario in the Indian small car market, the Sandero seems like just the perfect deal for Mahindra and Renault. Sandero would give Renault an entry into the small car segment, without making any fresh investments. And Mahindra, which has so far ventured in the utility vehicle category only, should be as much happy to bring a small car.Mahindra Renault Sandero Boot

Mahindra Renault Sandero would be built at the Nashik facility. Since the Mahindra Renault Sandero is built on the Logan platform, it would be much easier to assemble the car at the Nashik plant. Mahindra’s existing network, which also distributes Logan, will be distributing the Sandero.

Mahindra and Renault formed a Joint Venture in February 2005 with a 51:49 partnership. Later they lined up an initial investment of about Rs 700 crore for their Nashik production facility.



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