Monthly Archives: August 2010

Fiat Expresses its Patriotism through the New Punto 90HP MULTIJET

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Fait Punto 90hp In April this year, it looked like Fiat India was set to raise the style quotient of Pantaloon Femina Miss India 2010. The car maker had announced the Fiat Linea as the grand prize for the three winners of the contest. Fiat claims it has its unique way of doing things and believes the world likes it. What do you think? Last month, the auto maker brought power back into fashion with the launch of its Grande Punto 90HP MULTIJET. Now, the very same powerful and fashionable car maker has decided to go patriotic!

Fiat India just flagged off the 18-day long ‘Securing Borders Drive’ at Chetana College, Bandra. What exactly is the drive about? Well, we just celebrated Independence Day and Fiat, through the drive wants to tell everyone how differently it celebrated the country’s 63rd Independence Day. It wants to pay homage to all the great heroes who died shielding the nation.

The epic 18-day drive up to the Wagah border via Sir Crick in Rann of Kutch, and Longewala Battle field in Jaisalmer in the Fiat Grande Punto 90HP MULTIJET by students from Chetana College of Commerce in Bandra will possibly spread the message of freedom, express Fiat India’s feelings of patriotism and will also market the newly launched 90HP MULTIJET. Two of these new cars have been offered to the students and accompanying staff. While the car travels through different territories of the country, it will give the students a view of the India-Pakistan border at different legs.

It may be a publicity drive for Fiat India, but a great learning experience for the students. They would be provided with an opportunity to participate in quite a few social activities. They would also get to interact with the jawans at the border, and not to forget, an unforgettable ride in the 90HP monster. Mr. Shirish Chaudhari, Vice President, Chetana Trust considered it an honour to host the event. He believes the journey is not just a fun trip but a great learning experience and students who had embarked on this journey shouldn’t be taking things lightly.

Mr. Marius D’Lima, Head- Corporate Communications, Fiat India Pvt. Ltd., who was also present at the flag off ceremony said, “Fiat is proud to be a part of such a drive that salutes the soldiers of India. We have lent our support and hope that the journey is obstacle free. I wish all the students a happy journey and wish them all the best.”

The drive was projected to extend to Leh-Ladakh and then Khardungla which is the highest drivable point, but weather constraints like the cloudburst in Leh put off the idea. The drive would now end at the Wagha border after which the students would head back home. We too wish the students and the accompanying staff a pleasant and fruitful trip.

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Chevrolet Looking For Young Car Designers in India

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Chevrolet-Design-Website0 If designing a car has been one of your dreams, here is your chance to make it a reality. Designing a car that would be driven by thousands of people would give some kind of a high, wouldn’t it!

Autocar India along with General Motors (GM) India is hunting for people who are passionate about car designing and can come up with a creative concept for Chevrolet’s new car. Some of the company’s best selling cars in India include Beat, Spark and Cruze. And wouldn’t it be something to see a car designed by you getting adorned by the Chevrolet badge!

The Autocar-GM India contest is open to all Indian resident students between the age of 18-30 years old in the Technical (automobile design institutes) and Open (from any stream) categories. The Indian tastes and preferences should be well reflected in the designs. And while you are at it, you might want to focus on the car’s ability to tackle the Indian driving conditions, environment and safety, too.

The contest is spread across various categories including Exterior design, Interior design, colour & materials coordination, and practical design.

So here is what you need to do to participate in the Autocar-GM India contest. The entry application date that started on 1st of August closes on the 20th of this month. You can register online, after which you will be provided with a unique user ID that you can use in all future correspondence. Participants are required to submit their designs by 31st August. The designs may be created by computer-generated programs or drawn freehand. You can submit only one file per design, but you are allowed to submit any number of independent designs. The designs will initially be presented on paper (sketches and / or 2D designs).

_Chevrolet-design-sketches

You can submit your designs on www.autocarindia.com/chevroletdesign.htm in JPEG/ PDF format. Make sure your file does not exceed over 4MB per submission. Make a short summary of the design and submit that along with the file.

A panel of judges would make use of a number of parameters, such as aesthetics and visual appeal, ergonomics, developmental potential, and overall presentation, to shortlist the designs. The panel of judges would shortlist the ten best designs to conclude the finalists who will be announced at a press conference.

Here is what the finalists get. The first prize winner gets a free Chevrolet Beat. The second finalist gets to visit a GM Design Studio in North America or Equivalent Prize Money. And the third finalist gets to visit a GM Design Studio in Asia or Equivalent Prize Money.

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A Formula One Racetrack near Mumbai Pune-Expressway?

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Red Bull Sea Link India is growing sporty, don’t you think so? We have our country hosting the Commonwealth Games this year, and then the 2011 Delhi Grand Prix next year. The Asian Games were conducted in India way back in 1951 and 1982 after which the country may have hibernated. Now, if all goes well, India might have not just one but two world class racetracks.

Yes, the news is in the air. India too would then have the potential of hosting any motor race, even the Formula One races. The Maharashtra government is planning it all. But, what do you think? Should a track be built? Are all these project ideas aimed at enhancing the country’s talent and wealth, or swallowing it and making the wealthy politicians richer?

We hear that state-run Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), an agency responsible for planning and implementing development projects is spending time and efforts on the 700 acres of land along the Mumbai-Pune expressway planned for the racetracks. The racing track which may be developed with private partnership could soon be shaped into reality.

A Maharashtra state government official said that the project was still at the discussion level. “MMRDA plans to first hold a meeting with interested parties on August 17 to take the idea forward. The proposed site along the 93-km Mumbai-Pune expressway is ideal. However, the final site will be decided on after taking into account suggestions from those interested in investing in the project.”

He added that MMRDA would soon appoint a consultant to develop the project. “The consultants will suggest whether or not the project is feasible. We have also got to discuss how the project should be structured if the private sector is involved. The cost of the project will be announced once the consultants submit their report.”

Now, since the Uttar Pradesh government has already decided to set up the motor racing track near Greater Noida, the racetrack proposed to be constructed in Maharashtra would be the second such facility in the country. Almost three years ago, in October 2007, a Rs. 1,600 Crore contract had been signed by Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) with JPSK Sports Private Limited to manage an F1 race in the country. This track, spread over an area of 4,000 hectares with a length of 5.5 km, may see completion by April 2011. Fingers crossed! The seating capacity here is expected to be 2,00,000.

Back to the Maharashtra racetrack, the track may host local races like Formula Rolon, Chevrolet, MRF, Polo Cup, two wheeler races and several Asian level and International Motorsport events. However, we are yet to see what the consultants think of the project and if it is feasible. The cost involved would be revealed when the consultants give their approval. And, if the consultants say thumbs up, they would further have to discuss the arrangements and structuring of the project if the private sector is involved.

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Tata Nano to be Available on the Spot

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new tata nano Around a couple of months back, we had told you that there would soon be on-spot availability of the Tata Nano, and friends, the news is now official. Just as planned, the production of the Nano at the Sanand facility has significantly ramped up and Tata Motors now plans to do away with the need to book a Nano. It is now easier to get our hands on the world’s cheapest car. Tata Motors will do away with bookings for the Nano in Maharashtra, and very soon in a few months’ time, will extend this to other parts of the country as well.

We have something more to add to this piece of news: Last Tuesday the company recorded the highest profit in its history. Observing the company’s awesome performance, a rating agency by the name Standard & Poor, raised Tata Motors’ credit ratings to positive on Friday. It said that steps taken by the company to reduce debt and the improvement in its operating performance had prompted the upgrade. “We raised the rating on Tata Motors to reflect the sustained improvement in the operating performance of JLR and the company’s India operations over the past year,” said S&P.

Till now, anybody who wanted to buy the Nano had to pay some cash and book the car. Henceforth, that will not be the case. You see the Tata Nano, you like it, you make the payment, and you can take it home right away. Most of the Nanos booked initially in 2009 have already been delivered, thanks to the ramped up production at the Sanand factory.

“At this point we do not have any specific guidance on a date. We will announce the opening up of sales at an appropriate time,” said a spokesman for Tata Motors. However, it is clear that it will happen sometime soon. Tata Motors plans to produce around 20,000 units every month by December. Do you mean to say 600+ Tata Nanos every single day? Yes. The Sanand facility has the capacity to manufacture 2.5 lakh units which can be further increased to up to 3.5 lakh units. At its make-shift facility in Pantnagar, Tata Motors already produces around 4,500 Tata Nano units every month.

The world’s cheapest car was launched on 23rd March last year and Tata Motors started delivering the car a little after that. Surprisingly, the data till March this year shows that 30,350 units of the Nano have already been sold. This year, Tata Motors has sold around 23,779 units between April and July. The delighted car maker has close to 1.5 Lakh bookings.

The S&P rating agency said, the improvement in Tata Motors’ operating performance, along with the company’s debt reduction measures, has improved the company’s cash flow protection measures and liquidity position. “The positive rating outlook reflects our expectation that the company will maintain its improved operating performance, especially at JLR, thereby further improving its financial risk profile.”

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Forster Shows the Road Ahead for Tata and JLR

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carl forster Carl Peter Forster was appointed as the CEO of Tata Motors at a time when the Indian automobile industry had just recovered from a brief crisis. In a recent interaction with the Indian media, Forster revealed the strategies of JLR and Tata Motors. Tata would focus on expanding its business across geographies, leverage its research and development strengths across India and the UK, and, of course, product portfolio expansion is also on the cards.

Forster also mentioned that right from product platform to engines, JLR and Tata Motors are working together on a number of projects. Of course, the engine agreement with Ford is intact till 2013 but JLR is also ready for tripartite arrangement with Fiat for smaller engines as it plans to launch smaller vehicles.

Last year was a difficult time for JLR, but sales have picked up pace in this year. The demand for JLR cars is more than supply for both JLR and Tata Motors. Blame it on the shortages of components or the company would have sold even more vehicles. Forster said, “Downturn was rapid, but the recovery has been much faster and it has taken a lot of suppliers by surprise. We are facing constraints on the engine front, on the casting front and we are working with our suppliers to supply more components.”

The new car launches from JLR have pushed the sales by more than 30 per cent since the beginning of 2010. The quick recovery in the traditional markets of Jaguar and Land Rover, like US and UK, has helped the company sustain at its full capacity.

“We are on the lookout for a JV partner in China to set up an assembly operation, we would also be setting up an assembly line in India next year. To begin with we will assemble the Freelander in India and after that we will assess the market for future models.” said Forster.

While here, he also cleared the controversy of the closure of one of the two JLR West Midland plants. “The company is not closing down the plant but it is merging the two plants into one to gain on economies of scale and bring down the cost per unit. There will be no job loss and the company is currently in discussion with the Union to come to a common stand. ” When asked if company has any plans of listing Jaguar and Land Rover, Forster said, “As of now we have no plans, but we can’t rule that out for future”, he said.

Land Rover_Tata_Jaguar

Tata Motors is planning to launch the new Aria, Venture and a new Safari in India this fiscal year. On the international front, it will launch three Jaguar models including a station wagon and a roadster.

Also on focus is the company’s JV with Fiat. Forster admitted that he was unhappy with the Fiat sales volumes in the Indian market. To tackle the problem, Tata plans to expand Fiat dealerships and launch new products. While Tata would continue to leverage on Fiat’s expertise in passenger car engines, it will also tap the Italian company’s expertise in the commercial vehicle segment.

“Tata has all the ingredients to be a big player globally. We are a dominant player in the Indian market and we now want to be a big player at the international level. Our aim is to tap the global market in the commercial vehicle segment,” he said.

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A New Local CEO for Ssangyong?

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Mahindra Ssangyong Ideas seem to be moving with rapidity at the M&M camp. Days after the car maker was chosen by the ailing Ssangyong Motor as its preferred bidder, Mahindra has started planning the future. We hear that utility vehicle major Mahindra & Mahindra is planning to have in place a Korean national at the helm of Ssangyong Motor after the acquisition.

M&M was selected as the preferred one from the final list of three bidders, and the auto maker is looking at signing a preliminary deal with Ssangyong by end of this month. The deal, however, will possibly touch the completion stage only by November.

If prior issues are taken into consideration, labour issues seem to be the highest troublemakers. These issues have been highly unstable in the past, and sources say that having a local chief executive would be ideal for handling these complex work force matters. Secondly, though M&M plans to blend with Ssangyong to rise higher, it still intends to have the Ssangyong brand separate from itself. So, having someone outside the Mahindra fold to take care of day-to-day matters would be an intelligent decision.

Sources say, “As products of both M&M and Ssangyong are separate, catering to different segments of the value chain and operating in totally different markets, it is essential to have a chief executive who is a Korean and knows the brand well.”

In India, M&M is the leader in the utility vehicle segment with a market share of around 60 per cent. However, abroad, its presence in the very same segment is not too visible. Without a manufacturing base abroad, it has to depend on exports. Ssangyong, on the other hand, sells its SUVs through more than 1,300 dealers outside South Korea. M&M is now eyeing the world SUV market and Ssangyong’s global presence can help the Indian auto major climb new heights.

Who will the new CEO be? Any guesses? Well, right now it is not even clear if the new CEO will be from Ssangyong’s existing management or from outside. M&M had appointed Chetan Maini, a founding member of RECC, as the chief of technology and strategy at Mahindra Reva after buying 55.2 per cent in Reva Electric Car Corporation in May. So for now, it does look like M&M wants in place an expert with sound knowledge of the operations.

M&M will also try its best to rebuild the dwindling Ssangyong brand. Even in its very own South Korean market, Ssangyong’s share has dipped to below 5 per cent. It had a double-digit share just a year ago. M&M has inked all commercial considerations, employment guarantee and source guarantee and source of funding for the buy-out. M&M says that there has been a balanced relationship between the trade union and management and it expects to take it forward.

It looks like the plans are all ready, as sources say, M&M, in its bid offer, put down a business investment plan and volumes the company should see happening. Confirmatory due diligence will be done after signing the MoU. Mahindra & Mahindra is set to acquire up to 70 per cent stake in Ssangyong Motor Company.

Reports say that the Indian auto maker has also been assured of a USD 50-million debt write-off by the Korean company’s creditors and as per the MoU, the entire bid amount will be invested in Ssangyong. It will be used to close part of its long-term debt, which is currently pegged at around USD 500 million.

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Mercedes Races Ahead of BMW to Top Spot in India in Jan-Jul Period

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Mercedes_logo Mercedes Benz recently celebrated the 1 Million sales mark of its popular C-Class sedan since it went on sale in its current avatar back in 2007. And now, the company has hit another high. Mercedes Benz India has defeated BMW in the race for the top spot in the Indian luxury car segment in the first seven months of the year with a massive 79.31 per cent jump in sales.

The two German luxury car manufacturers have been in a constant tussle for securing the number one position in the luxury car segment in India. Last year, BMW had taken precedence and established itself at the number one position. But this time around, Mercedes Benz has sold a total of 2,921 units in the January-July period, compared to the 1,629 units in the same period last year, as per data released by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

Quite contrastingly, BMW is not far behind with total sales 2,718 units in the seven-month period compared to 2008 units in the same period last year, a growth of 35.35 per cent. In 2009, BMW had managed to grab the top position in the Indian luxury car market with a jump of 33.78 per cent at 3,619 units in 2009. The German carmaker had sold 2,705 units in 2008.

On the other hand, Mercedes sold 3,247 units in 2009 against 3,625 units in 2008, a decline of 10.42 per cent.

mercedes-benz-bmw

Industry experts are on constantly watching the two auto manufacturers, and they are quite unsure as two who would emerge the winner at the end of the year.

“It is really hard to tell who will become the number one as the difference between the two is not much,” an analyst, who asked not to be identified, said.

Mercedes, which was one the earliest car manufacturers to set shops in India, had strayed from its focus for some time, but it has come back with a bang. BMW has just appointed a new India head and is expecting him to come up with new strategies.

BMW Logo on a car

Meantime, Audi is catching up with Mercedes Benz and BMW too. So, if not immediately, in some year, BMW and Mercedes will have to watch out for another competitor. In the January-July period, Audi has sold 1,535 units as compared to 981 units sold in the same period last year a growth of 56.47 per cent.

BMW has an assembly facility at Chennai with an annual production capacity of 3,000 units. Popular models like the 3 and 5-Series sedans in petrol and diesel variants are rolled out from the plant. BMW is also planning to start the assembly of the SUV X1 once it is launched by the end of the year.

Mercedes has a manufacturing plant in Chakan in Maharashtra with an annual manufacturing capacity of 5,000 units. The plant is engaged in the manufacturing of models like C Class, E Class and the S Class.

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Maruti Suzuki Launches A-Star Automatic

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Maruti-Suzuki-A-star-Automatic Challenged with falling market share, Maruti Suzuki had to come with a more permanent fix for the situation. And guess what, the long brainstorming sessions in the MSI camp have already had quite a few head starts.

The launch of the new Alto K10 was closely followed by the launches of five factory-fitted CNG models across various segments. Right from the SX4 sedan, to MUV Eeco, you have CNG options now in even a small car like Alto. Popular hatchbacks like WagonR and Estilo has also been launched with the factory fitted CNG engine technology.

And as if all these launches were not enough to worry the competitors, Maruti Suzuki has gone ahead and launched the automatic transmission variant of its A-Star. And the prices look good too. The Maruti A-Star Automatic, priced at Rs 4.34 lakh Ex-Showroom Delhi, has quite an upper hand compared to the Hyundai i10 Magna Automatic, priced at Rs 4.56 lakh Ex-Showroom Delhi.

Maruti Suzuki has launched the A-Star automatic in just one variant – Vxi. It comes with all the features of the top of the line ZXi except airbags, rear defoggers, remote locking, tachometer, parcel shelf, fog lamps and body coloured door handles and ORVMs. That sounds like a little disappointing. But, you can still be happy about the ABS and EBD that are standard with the automatic A-Star.

The automatic gearbox featured in the A-Star is an old fashioned 4-speed torque converter automatic, which is kind of slow but will be quite competent on the city roads. Maruti has not played with the brilliant K-series 1.0L engine featured in the A-Star. The dynamics remain unaltered, too.

Maruti-Suzuki-A-star-Automatic-price

Maruti Suzuki had started the export of locally manufactured automatic A-stars sometime back. And introducing it in the Indian market makes a lot of sense, as the demand for automatic gearboxes pick up pace in the country. A lot of people including women, beginners and older citizens prefer an automatic to a manual. And considering the good looks, coupled with a powerful engine, the A-Star automatic is bound to strike a chord with the Indian crowd.

Another important aspect of the A-Star that is bound to get notice is the economy of the car. Compared to the fuel efficiency of its prime competitor, Hyundai i10 automatic, the A-Star gives more mileage. While the i10 will give you 16.67km/l, the A-Star will offer 17km/l. Not only the i10 is costlier than the A-Star, it also comes with fewer features (ABS unavailable on i10 Magna AT). Looks like A-Star automatic is finally ready to steal the show from the i10 automatic.

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The Grand Launch of CNG Variants of 5 Maruti Cars on a Single Day

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Maruti-Suzuki-CNG-cars August had just begun and we told you that Maruti Suzuki would launch 5 cars in CNG version on a single day during the second week of the month. That day finally arrived and the launch of all five cars happened on Friday, two days before Independence Day. Very recently, a sibling was born to the best-selling Alto, the Alto K10, and now, the car has received another CNG partner. The other four models introduced in CNG were compact cars Estilo and WagonR, MPV Eeco and mid-sized sedan SX4.

The recent shock of its slip in market share below 50 per cent for the first time in history seems to have completely shaken India’s largest selling car maker, yet has made it even stronger than earlier. A 1,000-cc K-Series Alto, the A-Star hatch with an automatic slush box, and now, the five CNG cars; all stand up high to tell the nation of the car maker’s strength and determination.

As per SIAM, Maruti sold 2,82,488 cars during the April-July period, translating into a 47.68 per cent share in the overall 5,92,405 units market. During April-July 2009, Maruti had a 53.13 per cent share of the 4,40,069 units car market, with sales of 2,33,811 units.

“The development is significant on multiple counts. This is the first instance when a car manufacturer has developed and launched factory-fitted, technologically superior CNG engines in India,” said Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) managing director and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi. “The company’s big ticket entry into the CNG fuel segment augurs well for the environment,” Nakanishi added.

Unveiling the 5 variants of the five popular models on August 13th was a way of unveiling the company’s flagship CNG engine technology, ‘intelligent-Gas Port Injection’ or i-GPI. The green mantra that all five cars chant must have brought Mr. Jairam Ramesh, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) Environment and Forests to unveil the cars.

Maruti-Suzuki-CNG-cars-Launch

Maruti Suzuki India Chairman RC Bhargava said, “We are happy to bring contemporary CNG technology to the Indian customer. We are confident customers would value our i-GPI technology that is safe, reliable, clean, responsive and environment friendly.”

The Intelligent Gas Port Injection bi-fuel technology is a highly reliable Dual ECU (Engine Control Unit) technology that delivers accurate amounts of gas to the engine thus ensuring improved and consistent performance under various driving conditions. It makes sure more power gets ejected through the retro-fitted CNG vehicles. The result would be a smoother ride like that of a petrol-fuelled vehicle, plus better fuel efficiency. The factory-fitted CNG cars passed through all the quality checks, processes and systems similar to a regular car manufactured at Maruti Suzuki.

i-GPI or Intelligent Gas Port Injection bi-fuel technology

The i-GPI technology employs separate injectors for each cylinder. Gathering inputs from the ECU, metered CNG quantity is allowed to the engine through gas ports. For better fuel usage, there’s a dedicated ECU that controls the quantity of CNG for different driving conditions.

Customers do not have to worry too much as the CNG technology comes factory fitted, thus letting customers enjoy the full warranty benefits including extended warranty. The company’s CNG cars can also enjoy the nationwide back up of over 2700 Maruti Service Stations. That’s great!

Finally, here are the killer prices of the newly launched CNG variants of the five popular models:

Alto LXi – Rs 3.23 Lakh Eeco 5-STR AC – Rs 3.64 Lakh Estilo LXi – Rs 4.05 Lakh WagonR LXi – Rs 4.11 Lakh SX4 VXi – Rs 7.47 Lakh

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Tata Motors To Launch Indica Vista and Ace in Europe in Electric Avatar

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TataIndicaVistaElectric Tata Motors is planning to try its luck in the electric vehicle segment with the launch the electric versions of Indica and Ace. But don’t get your hopes so high yet. For the time being Tata plans to launch these two vehicles in the European markets only.

Mr. Ravi Kant, Vice-Chairman said that the company would begin retailing electric vehicles in the UK and Scandinavian nations. And the Brits can get a taste of the Indica Vista by September-October when the car gets launched in the country. The electric variant Indica Vista and the Ace pick-up are almost in the last stage of development. The Indian car manufacturing company had displayed the Indica Vista EV at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009 and the Ace EV at Zaragosa in 2008.

Tata Motors has preferred to launch these vehicles first in the UK, particularly because the current British government is all gaga over electric vehicles and promoting them under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Grant Programme. So the Brit land can prove to be the perfect platform for launching vehicles such as the Vista and Ace.

Additionally, Tata Motors European Technical Centre had earlier received a GBP 10 million loan to develop the Indica Vista EV in the UK. The company has invested a total of GBP 25 million (Rs 180 crore) in the project.

Both the electric vehicle projects have received great inputs from the Norway-based Miljo Grenland in which Tata Motors has a 72 per cent stake. Since the Scandinavian countries, like Norway, Denmark and Sweden, are already equipped with the right infrastructure and are more EV-friendly. The infrastructure for electric vehicles in India is but in its nascent stage. So, that robs us of our rights to complain that Tata has chosen another country for the launch of the electric variant of this amazing vehicle.

Earlier, there were rumours that Tata Motors was planning to launch the electric variant of Nano that was displayed at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The company has refuted them saying that they are focussing on the launch of electric variants of the Indica Vista and Ace Pick-up. Tata also said that they have no plans of introducing the electric Nano.

In India too, the company has given no indications of any electric vehicle launch. “Infrastructure support, primarily the network of charging stations, is practically absent in India. We cannot have electric vehicles without Government support, especially for setting up stations,” said Mr Ravi Pisharody, President, Commercial Vehicles.

TATA-ACE

Tata Motors has also drawn out a hybrid programme for its luxury brands, Jaguarand Land Rover. The Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) engineering centre in the British Midlands is developing both diesel- and gasoline-electric hybrid powertrains for use across Jaguar XJ and XF model ranges.

Initially, JLR’s hybrid engineering group is working to incorporate the ZF eight-speed box with the 3.0 TDI V6 and a 46 bhp electric motor. The system will quickly spread across the XJ, XF, XK Jaguars and the Discovery, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport and 5 years down the line, it may be upgraded with plug-in capability.

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