Monthly Archives: January 2012

Pulsating Renault Pulse launched in Bangalore


Renault India, no doubt is on a roll, ever since it started tackling the Indian auto market in a solo venture. In a top down approach, Renault India Private Ltd, the fully owned subsidiary of Renault s.a.s first brought in the much acclaimed Fluence sedan followed by the Koleos SUV last year. Amidst all this, the French auto giant, with an ambition to set cat among the pigeons, also previewed its first small hatch in India, the Renault Pulse during the first Indian Grand Prix with F1 drivers Mark Webber and Karun Chandhok unveiling the car in the presence of Carlos Tavares, COO, Renault s.a.s.

Though this B-segment hatchback saw a pan India launch during the Auto Expo 2012, the car actually made inroads to Bangalore yesterday when the car was officially launched in the Garden city on Monday. With this launch, Renault India’s commitment to the Indian customers to bring in truly world class automobiles with a touch of French flair, comfort and top notch design received a boost. The Renault Pulse is expected to raise the bar for the premium segment compact cars with its vast array of features, focus on safety and performance which is both powerful and fuel efficient.

With this launch, Renault India has brought in its third product out of the five designated to be launched in India before the end of 2012.

Speaking to the media Mr. Len Curran, VP – Marketing & Sales,, Renault India said “We have come a long way to what we had committed to our Indian customers. The PULSE is a product designed and developed by our India design studio at Mumbai, focusing on the Indian customer’s aspirations, tastes and preferences. We are very optimistic about the performance of Renault’s first mass segment product and expect the PULSE to add a new chapter to Renault’s growth story in India”.

The Renault Pulse epitomizes Renault’s philosophy of bringing affordable cars with innovative technology and sporty, dynamic design. The Renault Pulse which was designed at the Renault design studio in Mumbai brings in a host of features which are user friendly and innovative. The Pulse is powered by the renowned Renault K9K diesel engine that ranks among the best-in-class in terms of fuel efficiency and performance. This engine in turn is paired with a 5 speed manual transmission. The very same engine is also seen in the Nissan Micra. The Renault K9K diesel engine is manufactured locally at the Renault – Nissan Alliance factory located in Oragadam on the outskirts of Chennai.

The Pulse, as mentioned above in the blog features the Renault K9K diesel 1.5 dCi engine under the hood and pumps out a max power of 64PS@4000rpm and peak torque of 160Nm@2000rpm which upholds the fun in driving quotient. The Pulse also boasts of a best in-class fuel-efficiency of 23.08 Kmpl. The ride quality in the Pulse is awesome thanks to the Macpherson struts in the front and coil springs in the rear, which adds stability to the ride and gives the car superb driving dynamics.

The Renault Pulse is now available in two variants to begin with such as RxL and RxZ. Both these variants are powered by the K9K diesel engine. The top of the line variant RxZ offers dual airbags adding to both driver and passenger safety, illuminated engine start/stop button, lock and unlock sensing folding outside rear view mirrors, automatic climate control, smart access key, leather wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, rear defogger with timer, roof spoiler and front fog lamps. While the RxL variant features a driver airbag, power steering, front and rear power windows, central locking, air conditioning, integrated audio system, rear wiper and washer, follow-me headlamps come as standard features. The one feature that is conspicuous with its absence is the ABS feature which is now provided as standard equipment in all top variants of B-class hatchbacks.

With standard 14 inch wheels for the RxL and 15 inch alloy wheels for the RxZ, the Renault Pulse actually stands tall. The Pulse has been targeted at the young and aspiring Indian customers looking for a bold, fuel-efficient compact car that is fun to drive in the city as well as on the highways. The PULSE will be available in Pearl White, Metallic Red, Solid Black, Metallic Silver, Metallic Grey and Champagne Gold colours. The price of the Renault Pulse stands at Rs. 5.77 lakh for the RxL and Rs. 6.25 Lakh RxZ in Bangalore.

The Pulse, like the Fluence and the Koleos, is covered under the Renault Complete Care package, which offers 2+2 year/80,000 Km warranty along with other benefits like Concierge services, 24X7 roadside assistance, Navigation assistance, etc.

posted by carazooblog @ Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 Comments Off links to this post
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Maruti Launches Upgraded Version of 2012 A-Star


India’s number one auto maker Maruti Suzuki has unveiled a reconstructed version of the A-star. The Maruti A –star has a 1 litre K-series petrol engine, but the cramped seating at the rear obstructs its way to find favor amongst Indian car buyers. The revamp is going to strengthen the car’s position. Maruti Suzuki has tried to get several enhancements on the inside and from the outside through its latest upgrade in order to strengthen the car’s position in the Indian market.



Last year the company has come up with the automatic version of the A-Star to make it more appealing. Based on the customer feedback, scooped front seats back was introduced to enhance the leg room for rear passengers.



The A-star is now equipped with new interiors with beige upholstery. This imparts a feeling of airiness and space. The front headrest has been modified to impart a roomier feeling. The rear seat gets a 50-50 split to increase the convenience and storage space. Handy cubby holes, bottle holders have been added for comfort and ease. New integrated rear spoiler for sportiness has been introduced. Front seat head restraints reworked to give more spacious feeling. ABS and Airbags are also available as an option for the customers. Maruti has come up with two new colors Pearl Caffeine Brown, Metallic Glistening Grey. The 998cc K10B petrol engine which churns out a power of 67bhp and 90 Nm of torque remains the same. The car has been recognized by ARAI with a fuel efficiency of 19 km to the liter.



Explaining the modifications, Mr. Shashank Srivastava, Chief General Manager, Marketing said, “The smart modifications in the spiced-up A-star are in line with customer feedback and seek to enhance the overall look, feel and comfort of the buyers.” The new version of the car will go on sale from 27th January 2012.

posted by carazooblog @ Friday, January 27th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post
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Mahindra Reva NXR – Diwali Bumper


Mahindra has displayed the Reva NXR at the Auto Expo 2012 held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Reva NXR was one of the most watched cars at Mahindra’s display area. The REVA NXR is all electric plug-in hatchback that has been developed by Reva Electric , a Bangalore based electric car company that Mahindra had acquired some time back.

Dr. Pawan Goenka, President Automotive sector, Mahindra & Mahindra said the Reva NXR will be launched around Diwali and the further details pertaining to this car will be made public then.

Electric cars are limited to their low range and small space, but Mahindra seems to have overcome these issues through Reva NXR. The Reva NXR is more stylish with more spacious interiors as compared to the existing Reva making it an ideal family car for maneuvering in the city.

The Mahindra Reva NXR is four seater, two door model from Mahindra Reva that can achieve a decent range of 160 kilometers per charge of its lithium ion battery stack. The Reva NXR can reach a maximum speed of 104 km/h. It is equipped with 15-inch alloy wheels, with disc front brakes and drum brakes at the rear.

Mr. Anand Mahindra, who unveiled the Reva NXR said “We want to change the way people commute. And we want to do it in a way that is responsible, that is clean, that does not tax the planet and that makes the experience of commuting guilt-free and a very joyous one.”

Mahindra claims that the Reva NXR will cut fuel expenses drastically. Over the past four years, Reva has sold 4500 vehicles across the globe. Mahindra has bigger plans for Reva NXR once it is launched in Diwali. The Reva NXR is expectd to be priced at Rs. 6 lakh for the lead acid version and Rs. 10 lakh for the lithium ion spec.

Mahindra is keen to push the Reva brand up the ladder and the NXR will be its launch pad to make electric cars more visible on Indian roads.

posted by carazooblog @ Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post
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Maruti Suzuki hikes car prices


India’s number one automobile manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, has hiked the prices of all its car models by 3.4% except for the Maruti Suzuki Dzire to compensate rising input costs and the impact of currency fluctuation. The depreciating value of Indian rupee and the higher input cost resulted in the hike of the prices.

Maruti sells a varied range of models starting from the Maruti 800 which starts at a price of Rs. 1.97 lakhs to the top-end Kizashi, which is priced at Rs.17.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). There has been a hike of price ranging from Rs. 2400 on the Sx4 sedan to Rs. 17300 on the diesel variant of its Swift hatchback. Earlier, the Sx4 sedan was priced between Rs. 7 lakhs to Rs. 9.11 lakhs (Ex-showroom Delhi) whereas the Swift Diesel was priced between Rs.5.27 lakh to Rs.6.47 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

There is an increase in the expense of importing parts than before due to the continual weakness showed by the Indian currency when compared to the US Dollar, the currency of choice in the import-export markets.

The Maruti Suzuki Dzire sedan is the only model whose prices haven’t been hiked as a new replacement model is about to hit the market. The Maruti new Dzire compact sedan will replace the existing Dzire although the base variants of the existing Dzire will continue to ply on the roads under the taxi segment. It will be launched in the 1st week of February, 2012.

The new Dzire’s prices will be higher than the older version, even though the compact Dzire sedan is less than 4 m in length thus qualifying for the excise duty benefits which the Government of India offers to the manufacturers whose cars measure less than 4 meters in length. The increase in price is due to the 150 new features which have been added in the new Dzire compact sedan.

Huge discounts were offered on many car models in December due to which there has been a strong sale in December. Until recently, many automakers refrained from increasing car prices which was due in early 2012 to balance the declining car sales. But as Maruti has increased the price, other automakers may also hike the prices.

posted by carazooblog @ Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post
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General Motors hikes prices of its car models

After Maruti Suzuki, India’s number one automobile manufacturer has hiked the prices of all its car models by 3.4%, following its footsteps, General Motors India has also hiked prices of all its car models by 0.5 per cent and 1.75 per cent depending on the car model. The price hike is across to compensate rising input costs and the impact of currency fluctuation. The depreciating value of Indian rupee and the higher input cost resulted in the hike of the prices. Now the GM cars will be expensive by Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 15,000 depending upon the model of the car.

Presently, General Motors India are selling 7 car models in India out of which three car models (the Aveo U-VA, the Tavera MUV and the Captiva SUV) are going to be replaced by their facelifted versions. As the price hike is going to affect the present models, they are planning to launch the new models after a couple of months.

General Motors has car models across the spectrum, right from the entry level Chevrolet Spark hatchback to the top of the line Flagship Captiva SUV. After the hike, the company’s entry level car, the Spark, which was earlier priced between Rs. 3.24 lakh and Rs. 4.04 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) will increase by about Rs.3000. The Beat diesel which was earlier priced between Rs.4.29 lakh and Rs.5.45 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) will be costlier by RS.10,500. The company’s mid-sized Cruze sedan will become costlier by Rs.15,000 which was available in the range of Rs.12 lakh to Rs.14.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Multipurpose vehicle Tavera will see a price hike of Rs.10,000 to Rs.13,000, depending on the variant, which was priced in the range of Rs.6.62 lakh to Rs.7.56 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). General Motors will also introduce four new car models in the Indian market for 2012. Like Maruti, the reason for this price hike is the increase in input costs and the depreciating Indian rupee.


As Maruti and General Motors have increased the car prices, other car makers also may join the price hike brigade, as there have been announcements of price hike in December 2011 itself.

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Maruti Suzuki to launch “The Dzire 3.99 Compact Sedan” next month

Maruti-Swift-Dzire-2012-Front View
Contrary to the popular belief that Maruti Suzuki India will launch the Ertiga much before it launches the Swift Dzire Compact sedan, here is a piece of news that could bring a smile on the Swift DZire lovers.

In the early days of next month, Maruti Suzuki India is all set to launch its Maruti Suzuki Dzire 3.99 compact sedan. The Dzire compact sedan will be priced less than the present Dzire sedan. As the name depicts the compact Dzire sedan is less than 4 m in length thus qualifying for the excise duty benefits which the Government of India offers to the manufacturers whose cars measure less than 4 meters in length, in a way it helps in reducing the cost of the vehicle. The Dzire 3.99 Compact Sedan will be placed below the current Dzire sedan, which is also expected to get a facelift very soon. Since its launch in 2008, 3.2 lakh units of the Dzire has been sold so far. The existing model did not enjoy the excise benefit of 10 per cent on small cars as it is longer than four metres.

The Dzire 3.99 compact sedan is expected to be based on the Swift platform therefore will possess a front end similar to the new Swift. The interior will be more luxurious and spacious owing to the increased wheelbase which the new platform provides. The interior quality will be enhanced as this sedan is going to use the interiors from the new swift which already possesses a better quality dashboard.

Maruti-Swift-Dzire-2012-side profile

The Dzire is expected to be equipped with a 1.2 litre K-series petrol engine churning out 80 bhp power (the same engine which is available in various models of Maruti such as Swift, Ritz and Dzire) and 1.3 litre Multijet diesel engine that Fiat supplies MSIL (Maruti Suzuki India Limited). It will deliver 75 bhp power and the torque will be 190 Nm. The Dzire compact sedan will prove to be a fuel efficient sedan. By the way, a automatic transmission might also find its way in the new Dzire CS.

“We have invested a lot on the new Dzire. It is on a brand new platform. There are at least 150 new features compared to the existing Dzire and it is unlikely that the new one will be priced lesser,” Maruti Suzuki India Managing Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) Mayank Pareek said. He said that the company and its vendors have invested over Rs 230 crore for the model change and the new Dzire is expected to be available in both petrol and diesel option. He also added that “There is demand for the existing one and we will continue it for some specific variants for the commercial segment.”

According to MSI Chief General Manager (Marketing) Shashank Srivastava said that the company is planning to discontinue the mid and top variants of the existing Dzire and offer the base model with chopped off version. He also added that the new Dzire will be launched in the first week of February. The new Dzire will be manufactured at the company’s Manesar plant. The pricing has not yet been finalized.

Maruti-Swift-Dzire-2012-Rear View

The dispatch of the Maruti DZire CS have already begun and its about time before the dealerships flaunt these cars in their showrooms. As for the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, we wouldn’t mind waiting for another month or so as we already waited for the MPV for the past two years since it was first showcased as a concept in the 2009 Auto Expo held at New Delhi.

Image Coutesy: Rajesh Dogra

posted by carazooblog @ Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post
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Maruti Suzuki new car model to replace the aging Alto and 800

maruti800_cutout
Maruti Suzuki, India’s number one automobile manufacturer is the market leader in the car segment both in terms of number of vehicles sold and revenue earned. Maruti Suzuki brought revolution in automobile industry in India. The company was formed in 1981 and the production of its first car “Maruti 800″ kicked off in 1983. Since then, the company has produced several cars out of which Maruti 800 and the Alto hatchbacks have been very successful models.

But these successful models from the House of Maruti soon could fade to the black as Maruti Suzuki is planning to phase out the Maruti 800 and Alto Hatchbacks with newer, more contemporary model. As the BS4 norms have started ruling, Maruti 800 has been moved to BS3 cities as it doesn’t conform to more stringent emission levels.

As Maruti 800 was moved to BS3 cities, Maruti Alto made its way into BS4 cities as the entry level hatchback. It has occupied Maruti’s place and has been the bestselling car in India for a long while with a sale of around 15,000 units per month. Many a times the count has reached to 25,000 units per month. Alto is facing a tough competition with Hyundai Eon, therefore Maruti Suzuki is trying to come up with some replacements for these two cars- Maruti 800 and Alto.

maruti_Alto

Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director of Maruti Suzuki said “Some day we have to change… Their replacement model is under development. Who knows, we may also decide to continue with the Alto 800 and let the market take a call on its future.” The models which are going to replace the old Maruti 800 and Alto will feature 800 cc engine with a better fuel efficiency than the present F8D engines. The interiors will also get a stylish and luxurious look to cope up with the changing times. We can expect new entry level Maruti cars in the upcoming years.

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Audi Cars steal the show at the Auto Expo 2012

new-audi-q3
Audi India, the subsidiary of Audi, showcased its entire product line up comprising of Q3, the compact SUV to the camera-magnet R8 Spyder during the Auto Expo 2012.

Audi Q3:

The star at the Audi pavilion was certainly the yet to launched Q3 compact luxury SUV. Mr. Peter Schwarzenbauer, member of the board of management of Audi for marketing and sales along with Michael Perschke, head, Audi India at Pragati Maidan were present during the Auto Show. The Audi Q3 can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in just 3.8 seconds and can attain a maximum speed of 317 kmph. The Audi Q3 is expected to compete with BMW X3. The Audi Q3 is likely to come with a petrol and diesel engine option which is going to be mated to dual-clutch S- Tronic transmission. It will be equipped with a 2 litre TFSI turbo-petrol engine churning out 211 bhp power and a 2 litre 176 bhp turbo-diesel engine. The Audi Q3, when launched in India will squarely be targeting for the BMW X1 customer.

Audi A8 L:

Audi India displayed the high-security version of Audi A8 L at the Auto Expo 2012. The Audi A8 L Security is equipped with a 6.3 litre W12 engine which churns out 513.6 bhp power and torque of 625 Nm. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 in 7.3 seconds and can attain a peak speed of 210 kmph. The A8 L Security is Class VR 7 ballistic protection standard compliant.

2012_audi_a8_l_w12

Audi A3 e-tron concept:

Audi A3 e-tron concept which was displayed in the Auto Expo depicts a technically sound vehicle. The sedan is equipped with features like upgraded MMI operating system, best-in-class infotainment system and drivetrain. It has 1.4 litre TFSI motor churning out 211 bhp power coupled with a 27 bhp electric motor.

Audi S6:

The Audi S6 is equipped with a 4 litre Twin Turbo V8 motor churning out 414 bhp power. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 in less than 5 seconds. It can be used for day to day commuting.

The 5.2 litre V10 R8 Spyder sportscar by Audi was also displayed at the auto expo.

posted by carazooblog @ Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post
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Mercedes-Benz coming up with more models in India

Mercedes Benz New M-Class
German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz has displayed a number of cars at the Auto Expo 2012 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. They will assemble more models in India. They will start assembling the B-Class hatchback and the M-class SUV later this year at its Pune plant and will also increase the plant’s capacity which produces 15,000 cars a year at present to more than 25,000 cars in the next five years.

“We will strengthen our local sourcing to control costs and offer the luxury of Mercedes cars in the sub- Rs 25 lakh category,” said Debashis Mitra, director, sales & marketing. This Auto Expo, Mercedes-Benz has come up with its powerful open top car, the SLS AMG roadster. This is equipped with a 6.3 litre V8 engine that churns out 563 hp power and can accelerate from 0-100 kmph in just 3.8 seconds and can attain a maximum speed of 317 kmph. The SLS AMG Roadster is priced at about Rs. 3 crores.

The new M-Class SUV launched by Mercedes Benz has a perfect blend of design, technology and performance. It features strong exterior and luxurious interiors. The M-Class SUV is loaded with many safety features, providing best comfort and ample of space for cargo. It has been designed and developed for a fantastic driving comfort both in plain and rough terrains.
The length and the width of the SUV has been increased while the height has been reduced. It has softer flowing lines, eye like headlights, with LEDs, bulging wheel arches and new tail lights which imparts a dynamic look.

SLS-AMG-Roadster

It also features the ECO start-stop function which automatically switches off the engine when stuck in traffic jam. There are many safety features available in this SUV like the ABS (Anti-lock braking system) , ESP (Electronic Stability Program), ETS (Electronic Traction System), nine logically positioned airbags and PRE-SAFE technology that warns the driver regarding any hazard, well in time.The M-Class Mercedes Benz is equipped with a four-cylinder V6 2987 cc engine that is capable of churning out a maximum power of 258 hp at 36000 rpm and a maximum torque of 620 Nm at 1600-2400 rpm. The fuel consumption is 7.4-6.8 litres per 100 km. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 7.4 seconds and attains highest speed of 224 kmph. The M-Class is priced at 58 – 60 lakhs.

Mercedes Benz also displayed Concept A-Class and fuel cell technology based cars which will be introduced next year. Other cars which were on display are the 18 cars ranging from S-600 Pullman to DTM racing cars.

S-600-Pullman-a-Mercedes-Benz-limo2

posted by carazooblog @ Thursday, January 12th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post
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Toyota unveils Etios and Liva racing concepts at the Auto Expo 2012

toyota-etios-TRD
Toyota had its own way of Jazzing up things at the 11th Auto Expo. Not only did the Japanese company showcase all the products in its portfolio at the Expo but also gave the plain Jane Etios siblings that much needed spunk by draping the cars in racing livery.

The Cars, Etios Sedan and Liva hatchback racing concepts were showcased at the 2012 Auto Expo. The cars sported racing kits brought out by TRD (Toyota Racing Development), one of the most accomplished and acclaimed companies in motorsport. TRD is organizing the upcoming Etios Motor Racing (EMR) Trophy for which Toyota has unveiled these racing concepts. The motorsport venture is an extension of the Toyota’s new image that Toyota is going to create in India.

Toyota-Etios-Motor-Racing-Series-Introduced-at-2012-Auto-Expo

The EMR series which will be held in the second half of 2013 will be based on one-make racing championship platform, with 5-6 individual race events. Initially The Etios sedan petrol will participate in the first season. The racing parts of the cars participating in the race will be supplied by TRD and the cars will be FIA (The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) qualified. Toyota is also planning to team up with Red Rooster Racing International, India’s motorsport expert, based in Bangalore. The Etios racing platform would be a boon for the young racers who want to pursue their career in motorsports. Here, they will be trained by experts to gain the competitive edge.

Toyota in order to take the motorsports closer to the youth of the country plans to take the EMR concept cars in exhibition races and roadshows. These cars will be touring 13 cities and 22 Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. dealerships across India. The driver selection will be done online at www.toyotaetios.in/emr. There will be tests like simulator evaluation and go-karting conducted by instructors from Toyota after which drivers will be finally selected.

Toyota-Etios-Motor-Racing-Series-Introduced-at-2012-Auto-Expo-1

“The Etios Motor Racing is a special project to us, and we are very excited to introduce it to not only motorsport enthusiasts but also all existing Toyota fans and customers in the country. Capitalizing on our global motorsport heritage, and with support from experts of the renowned Toyota Racing Development, we see it as an ideal grass-roots category for young drivers to learn and make their way up the motorsport ladder. Through our racing initiatives, we will make motorsports more accessible not only to participants but spectators as well.” Mr. Sandeep Singh, DMD- Marketing said.

Toyota-Etios-Race-Car-Concept-Etios-Racing-Program Liva

posted by carazooblog @ Thursday, January 12th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post
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