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Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Maruti has organised a night Car Rally exclusively for all the Swift owners in Delhi on 28th March. This rally was organised to celebrate the launch of the Maruti Suzuki Swift online club as the model Swift has reported a victorious 3 lakh sales mark in the country. Interestingly, in the online club Swift lovers and owners can share their views and experiences on the car. They can also get experts advices from a technical team and also post their travel experiences with the Swift. Same way, the rally also provided a common platform for all Swift owner to relish their proprietorship of the car. About 86 Swift owners together participated in the 40 km rally which was flagged off from Pragati Maidan to Mehrauli. At the end of the rally, Kartik Batra was declared as the winner who took away LCD television as the prize and the first runner-up Mukesh Kaushik was gifted with a home theatre system. The first-of-its-kind car rally completely symbolizes the true attributes of the car that is meant for dynamic and enthusiastic young generation. Labels: Car-Rally, Maruti-Suzuki-Cars, Maruti-Suzuki-Swift
Ford India has introduced a new philosophy of car service with the establishment of its first ‘Quick Service Station’. This is an innovative process designed for car servicing at Harpreet Ford in Gurgaon. This unique service facility gives you an opportunity to get a car serviced in just one hour. Now, you won’t have to wait for another day to get the delivery of a car after you give it for servicing. This helps save a lot of time for both the customers and the company. This is made possible with an ingenious idea that is implied to set up the service centre. The service centre is planned in such a way that all the technician’s requirements such as parts, oil, air, and water are available in the bay so as to save time to collect these items from other counters. You can even clearly visualize your car being serviced in a clean and conducive environment while you are waiting at the reception. This means that the bay will be clearly visible from the customer lounge enabling the customers to actually see the process of servicing. The 'Quick Service' is quite similar to the Ford's current Quality Care service which is a scheduled servicing facility. Presently, the Quick Service facility is available across over 23 dealerships in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore, and New Delhi. Labels: Car-Dealership, Car-Servicing, Ford-Cars
In December we had informed about Maruti Suzuki planning to launch a new small car in India. The new car which was earlier named as ‘Splash’ will now enter the Indian car industry with a new name called Ritz. Hailing from the B+ car segment, Ritz is festooned with a host of advanced technologies along with splashy interiors. Most of the car enthusiasts are aware of this. But we have some more to add onto this. The upcoming model has cleared the whole vehicle test approval ceremony conducted by the International Centre of Automotive Technology (ICAT). After clearing all the tests, Ritz now gets the green signal from ICAT to roll out into the Indian car market. ICAT is a part of National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) that plays a vital role in the development of automobile industry in the country. At present it’s working on the expansion of its Manesar plant with an investment of Rs 440 Crore. The plant will get an additional land area of 46 acres and will be equipped with a power-train laboratory, engine dynamometers, an emission laboratory with Euro V capability, a passive safety laboratory as well as vehicle test tracks. Labels: Maruti-Suzuki-Cars, New-Car-Launch, Ritz
Lamborghini is introducing its pathbreaking supercars one after another. At this year’s Geneva Motor Show, it thrilled the audiences with the Murcielago LP 670-4. And now it is again ready to entice the car enthusiasts with the new topless variant of the Murcielago LP 650-4. The winning roadster goes topless with exciting colour schemes and enhanced power. As the name suggests, its 6.5-litre V12 engine produces an awesome 650 bhp. The Lamborghini's patented permanent all-wheel drive system further enables the car to drive with extra power and pride. This roofless version can amazingly hit a top speed of 330 km/h and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds. The new car is a special edition which comes with the elegance of Grigio Telesto exterior that combines the beauty of gray bodywork and charm of funky looking bright orange Aranciao touches. The interior is equally appealing with a host of adornments including the asymmetric dashboard featured with black Alcantara Nera on the driver's side and black leather Nero Perseus on the passenger side. The price of this extraordinary beauty on wheels has not been announced but the car has left everyone buzzing with excitement. And the car enthusiasts are eagerly waiting to see this super exotic car on roads. Labels: Lamborghini-Cars, New-Car-Launch, Supercar
Monday, 30 March 2009
Porsche presents the Porsche Cayenne GTS Porsche Design Edition 3, a SUV that exudes elegance as well as power. The new Cayenne version carries the design trend set by the Cayman S and the Boxster S. The special dark striping on the doors and the hood along with contrasting Lava Grey Metallic paint colour gives a sporty and inspiring look to the car. Adding expression to the exterior beauty is a roof spoiler, bi-xenon headlamps, 21-inch SportPlus wheels, tinted glass, and the special badge of “Porsche Design Edition 3”. Moreover the special “Cayenne GTS” designated in black and “S” in red enhances the aesthetic appeal of the car. In the interior, the car is even more appealing and impressive. Exclusive black leather upholstery contrasts the red the instrumentation and doorsills. The front headrest of the car boasts of an embossed Porsche logo and the Bose 5.1 Surround Sound System add a touch of elegance and class. The car is powered by a 4.8-litre V8 engine that generates an awesome output and enables it to run efficiently from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.5 seconds. The new series of Cayenne also reflects the unique tradition of Porsche Design Edition with exclusive Porsche Design accessories. For the Cayenne GTS Porsche Design Edition 3, the Porsche Design Studio has created a Type P’6612 automatic chronograph that features a light titanium casing which is further enhanced by a metal strap with DLC (diamond-like carbon) coating. This elegant design is carries the striking design features of the Cayenne’s interior. The new series also boasts of the four-piece luggage set bearing the Porsche Design Edition 3 label. Labels: New-Car-Launch, Porsche-Cars, SUV
Last weekend the Formula One fans were glued to their couches with their eye fixed on the TV screens as the Formula One racing begins another season in Australia. The Brawn GP bagged one-two victory on their debut in Formula racing. Similar triumph was witnessed by a team driven by Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling for Mercedes-Benz in the French Grand Prix in 1954. Amazingly, this time the history is repeated by Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello for Brawn-Mercedes winning the ‘race of two halves’ in Australia. The drivers Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello of Brawn GP celebrated the victory with the Brawn (owner of the team). This was the same team that was sold by Honda last year due to financial crisis. No one had ever imagined that this newbie would take off in full swing in the first race it self. The team Brawn GP is owned by Rose Brawn and promoted by the Richard Branson of Virgin. The car includes new changes like revolutionary KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) which further boosts up the engine offering an additional 80 bhp. Also, the improved aerodynamic of the car supported the win. The 2009 season is the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship with ten teams participating in the race. The season was started with the Australian Grand Prix on 29 March 2009 and will end on 1 November 2009 with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix track is the latest addition on the race calendar for the first time. Labels: Car-Racing, Formula-One, Honda
Now for all prospective Nano buyers the car is only a few clicks away as Tata Motors is offering an online booking facility. Seeing the growing popularity of online purchase and the overwhelming response for the Nano website, Tata Motors has decided to take Nano online through social communities like Facebook and Orkut. It is believed that in these social communities Nano has received a tremendous response from car enthusiasts across the globe. And now Tata offers an online booking of Nano making it the first in the Indian automobile history. The Nano website offers retailing of co-branded Nano merchandise like watches, T-shirts, and phones along with a detailed section for applying the car online and that also with a secure payment gateway. So, now you can book your Nano online between the same booking period of April 9th and April 25th, 2009. You can also select your desired range of accessories from the virtual showroom available online. Also, internet booking will fetch you a discount of Rs 200 on the application form. This means through online booking you can avail the Nano application form for just Rs 100. Isn’t that amazing? So, Nano can now be booked without the hassle of queuing up for an application form along with a discount. Labels: Car-Buyers, Nano, Tata-Motors
car prices hike has become a recent buzzword amidst recession. In recent times, Indian car market has witnessed a major jump in car prices of many models. Now Mitsubishi Motors has revealed its plan to increase the prices of all its models. Mitsubishi cars will see a price hike of 4-5 per cent that will be applicable from 1st April. The company assembles its cars in Chennai through a joint venture with Hindustan Motors. Since the localisation levels in Mitsubishi models are still not very high, the company is finding it difficult to combat with the expenses on the imported kits due to rising value of Yen. Let’s have a look as to how much the Mitsubishi cars will see a price surge. To start with, the SUVs models Outlander and Pajero will get a price hike of around Rs 1 Lakh. The Cedia and the Lancer will be increased by Rs 50,000 and Rs 40,000, respectively. Also, the recently launched 2009 Montero priced at Rs 42 Lakh will see a steeper hike due to increased duty levies. Labels: Car-prices, Indian-car-market, Mitsubishi-Cars
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Skoda’s plan to launch a small car this fiscal is now postponed by more than a year. The new car is likely to be smaller than the Fabia and priced below Rs 4 Lakh. It is also planning to roll out another small car positioned below the Golf with a sticker of Rs 7 Lakh. These cars are expected to be fitted with CNG or LPG kits. But why suddenly the company advances the launch? It’s an obvious question that pops up in the minds of many. The recent launch of the Nano has dazzled the entire industry with its high-end engineering. The Nano-mania has taken a toll over car enthusiast and car buyers. Maybe this is the reason why Skoda wants to wait so that this mania can subside and car buyers can have a broader perception. The car manufacturer is just trying to read the market for Nano before making any further decision. It’s interesting to know that Skoda desires to drive its entire team of designers and engineers to go back to the drawing board to create something innovative and tantalizing. Like the Nano, Skoda’s small car is also expected to be indigenous without any compromise on quality. Just wonder what if the Nano mania does not subside? Will Skoda decide not to launch its small car? Labels: Nano, New-Car-Launch, Skoda-Cars, Small-Cars
Hyundai charges in with its innovative plug-in hybrid concept cars eyeing the increasing demand of fuel-efficient and zero emission vehicles. One such eco-engineered concept is ‘Blue-Will’ which is composed of bio-degradable materials that are light on environment. The imaginations and expertise of Hyundai’s designers and engineers have transcended all boundaries of design, quality, materials, and technology. And this is clearly reflected from the usage of recycled PET soft drink bottles, bio-plastics, and plans extracts in the car designing. You will be amazed to know that Hyundai has used recycled PET soft drink bottles to make headlamp bezels, bio-plastics to make other adornments, and materials made from plant extracts to make the interior as well as the engine area eco-friendly. Another aspect of the car that radiates elegance and fuel senses is the design flexibility of the Blue-Will found on the panoramic roof. This roof is integrated with solar panel cells that transform solar energy to electric energy and is further used to generate power for the batteries. Now the question arises what will drive this bio-degradable car? Gladly, even the engine is eco-friendly with an all-aluminum gasoline direct injected 1.6-litre and a 100kw electric motor. Hyundai’s Blue-Will is a complete eco-friendly concept that meets every expectation of a car buyer. The new plug-in hybrid concept is amazing and authentic as any other Hyundai car. Labels: Concept-Cars, Hybrid-Cars, Hyundai-Car
Though Nano is a big challenge for the small cars manufacturers, Maruti Suzuki is not much affected by the launch of the ultra-cheap car. When many car manufacturers are rushing towards the small car race, Maruti Suzuki has not revealed its interest to enter the Nano segment. The company is optimistic of its existing contender sales in the market however it’s aware of the fact that the world's cheapest car will have a marginal impact on sales of Maruti 800 (closest competitor of Nano). Maruti Suzuki is ready to face the competition and is also obstinate to cut down the price of Maruti 800. Nano is 8 percent shorter in exterior dimension compared to Maruti 800 but has 21 percent more spacious interior. However in terms of mileage and price Nano leads the Maruti 800. Will the Nano prove to be a threat to the Maruti Suzuki cars? Well, it is still an unanswered question and will be revealed within a few months. Labels: Maruti-800, Maruti-Suzuki-Cars, Nano
General Motors India’s Chevrolet brand is doing good business in the Indian car market. With its models like the Optra SRV, Optra Magna, Tavera, Aveo, Aveo U-VA, Spark and the Captiva, the company is basking under the warmth of success. Among its models, the Spark from the small car segment is leading the troop. Spark has hit the chart not only in India but also in other car markets bagging three million sales globally. Seeing the growing potential of the Indian car market, General Motors has planned to increase its sales target by 10 percent. Very soon the Indian car market would get to see 3 more of Chevrolet’s new car models and also the limited edition of its existing cars. It seems the plan is already executed with the introduction of the limited music edition of the Spark. The new Spark comes with various new features like the two-DIN music player system, body coloured exterior rear mirrors, mounted turn indicators, body coloured door holds, and special edition logo. Currently, the car manufacturer proudly carries over 30 Lakh customers for its little car, the Spark. The limited edition of the Captiva is also on the cards. But how much changes the new Captiva will get is still under cover. Hope the new car models and editions add more glory to the Chevrolet brand in India. Labels: Car-Sales, Chevrolet-Spark, General-Motors
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
HM-Mitsubishi Motors has launched its premium SUV 2009 Montero in Mumbai. The mega-launch ceremony of 2009 Mitsubishi Montero was coincided with HM-Mitsubishi’s inauguration of their second fully-owned showroom “Autodrome” in Mumbai. This aggressive and intelligent SUV is the crowned winner of the Dakar rally for an unprecedented twelve times. The exterior of this commanding SUV beholds a refreshingly new chrome-plated front grille and seven spoke alloy wheels. To add to the sporty image and character of the car, Mitsubishi has fitted Montero 09 with Yokahama tubeless radials that allow the car to maneuver smoothly over rocks, mud, snow, and river. This also adds to the superior off-road capabilities of the car. The interior of the Montero 09 reflects classy ambience with features like the Rockford Acoustic Design premium audio system, 5.1 Channel theatre surround, and multi-information display. Furthermore, premium leather interior in dual tone adds to the intimate ambience of the car. Under the hood, this powerful SUV is powered by a 3.2-litre turbocharged intercooled CRDi engine that generates around 161 bhp. Hindustan and Mitsubishi has never compromised on safety and so the new Montero has the best of safety features. Some of the significant safety features include anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, engine immobilizer, airbags, and cruise control. The car is available in six dazzling colour options. Both the manual transmission and automatic transmission variants of the car are priced at Rs 41.94 Lakh based on HM-Mitsubishi’s philosophy of “One Country-One Price”. Labels: Mitsubishi-Montero, New-Car-Launch, SUV
Just after a day of Nano launch, it has created a rave across the country grabbing lakhs of booking applications. Everyone is moving ahead to buy one small car for their family. The hype that was created when the Nano was unveiled at the Auto Expo 2008 is still fresh in the minds of car enthusiasts. SBI branches are receiving a tremendous response for Nano booking pouring in from all parts of the country. Amazingly, State Bank of India has alone distributed lakhs of applications for Nano booking. And this really shows the rustling interest of car enthusiasts for buying the car. SBI has tied up with Tata Motors to manage the Nano booking. At present, application forms have only been distributed. The filled applications will be received by all SBI branches, Tata dealerships, and other Tata outlets and financiers between April 9th and April 25th 2009. The applications will be processed with the help of SBI’s cash management product, SBI Fast. The bank has also set up a 24x7 helpline service to ease the booking process. Additionally, SBI loan product will ensure applicants for booking the Nano by financing 100 per cent amount at a low down-payment amount starting from Rs 2,999. Moreover, the buyers can avail Nano car loan up to a maximum period of seven years for 11.75 to 12 per cent interest rate. This is the scenario within one day of its launch. Let’s see what more the destiny holds for Nano in the coming days. Labels: Car-Loans, Nano, Tata-Motors
General Motors has come up with a cashless ownership offer to commemorate the fifth anniversary of its popular Chevrolet brand in India. This special and unique offer is solely introduced to build a strong bonding between the company and the customer and to boost buyers’ confidence on the brand. Called as Chevrolet Promise, the amazing zero ownership scheme will take care of labour cost, parts for all services, maintenance, and running repairs for a period of three years or 45,000 km, whichever occurs earlier. The offer provides customers the freedom to enjoy uninterrupted and expenses-free drive for three years. This value added scheme gives customers an opportunity to enjoy a calm and trouble-free ownership experience. Moreover, it will in turn help to improve the used cars’ value of the Chevrolet brand. Labels: Chevrolet-Cars, General-Motors, Used-Cars
Tata’s little heart is now ready to rule the car market. There is no car in India and even in the world which is cheaper than the Tata Nano, therefore it offers the cheapest mode of four-wheel personal mobility. But how far the car surpasses its competitors like the Maruti 800, Chevrolet Spark, and the Maruti Suzuki Alto in other aspects. On the mileage front, Nano scores maximum with its fuel efficiency of 23.6 km/l compared to the 800, Spark, and the Alto which delivers a fuel efficiency of 14.2 km/l, 13.1km/l, and 14.5 km/l, respectively. Moreover, the Nano is also compliant to both Bharat Stage II and Bharat Stage III emission norms unlike others that are only BS III compliance. If required, Nano can also be upgraded to meet the BS IV emission norms. But when it comes to power, Nano has the smallest 624cc engine because of which the car is not able to exceed the speed of 105 km/h whereas its competitors can easily go beyond 100 km/h with better stability and handling. Nano has minimum turning radius that makes the car maneuver more efficiently on congested city roads. It has 4 metres turning radius compared to 4.4 metres in Maruti 800, 4.6 metres in Alto and 4.6 metres in Spark. So, the Nano wins the small car race because of the high mileage, low price tag, and the minimum turning radius of 4 meters. Labels: Nano, Small-Cars, Tata-Motors
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
The MercedesTrophy is a special series of golf tournaments organized with a aim to strenghten the symbiotic relationship between the car manufacturers and the car owners. The brand also aims at bringing customers and friends closer through various activities held at the tournaments. Every year about 540 MercedesTrophy tournaments are played worldwide. All the national winners of the tournament will further participate in the world finals. This year the ninth final edition of the MercedesTrophy in India was held at the Sahara Aamby Valley in Lonavala. The mega-event marked a tee-off by Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, CEO & Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz India. At the scintillating event the national winners of the tournament carried away their winning trophies. 
Around 650 golfers from across the country participated in the MercedesTrophy 2009 held in four regional finals at Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, and Chandigarh. The world final will be held at Stuttgart, Germany and will mark an annual congregation of the finest-proven players and all Mercedes-Benz car lovers. The winning players who will now have a unique chance to participate at the world finals are Mr. Shiv Puri, Mr. Sadeev Sandhu, and Mr. Sanjay Setia. The event was highlighted by a fashion show ‘Exquisit’ that displayed Gayatri Khanna’s creation inspired from style, sophistication, and elegance of Merc cars. The unique and exquisite creations by Gayatri Khanna were a tribute to Mercedes-Benz. Every single act at the event reflects the true attributes of the Mercedes-Benz. 
Labels: Car-Manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz-Cars, MercedesTrophy
At a time when the recession is continuously hitting the U.S. car industry and consumers are indefinitely deferring their high investments on car purchase, dependable cars are extensively in demand. J.D. Power and Associates has come up with a study that ranks the dependable cars for the year 2009 to help car manufacturer to get consumers’ feedback and consumer to select the best car. J.D. Power and Associates has ranked Buick and Jaguar as the most dependable cars for the year 2009. The leaders are followed by Lexus sibling Toyota and Mercury. Surprisingly, in the last year rating Buick was in the sixth place whereas Jaguar was in10th place and this year both the brands reached the top position beating the Lexus. The ratings were given depending on the dependability study made by J.D. Power and Associates on 46,000 original owned cars. The study focuses on the problems faced by the owners of 2006 model year vehicles and rates 202 different problem symptoms across all aspect of a car. This year’s study covers overall 202 problems, split into eight major problems categories such as exterior, driving experience, features/controls/displays, audio/entertainment/navigation, seats, interior, and engine/transmission. Interestingly, the research revealed that engines components of the car models belonging to the car brands like Buick, Lincoln, Mercury, and Jaguar do not demand any replacement compare to other car brands. Labels: Car-Industry, Dependable-Cars, Toyota-Cars
Tata Nano will be available through a special booking process due to initial limited production of the car. Following the launch, it will be displayed at all the Tata dealerships and authorized outlets from April 1st 2009. Thereafter, you can book your Nano by filling the application from that will be available at Rs 300 from April 9th 2009 till the end of day April 25th 2009. You can avail these application forms at about 30,000 locations across 1,000 cities at the Tata Motors dealerships, branches of the State Bank of India (SBI), other financiers, and Tata’s outlets including Westside, Croma, Titan showrooms, and Tata Indicom exclusive stores. You can either make the entire booking amount on your own or take financing of the booking amount. To avail finance, you need to pay an amount of Rs 2999 to the financier who will submit your application to the SBI on your behalf. The company has tied up with 15 banks including the ICIC, Corporation Bank, and the Central Bank of India to provide easy car loan to its customers. Tata Motors will announce the allotment of 100,000 cars within 60 days of the closure of bookings through a computerized random selection procedure. It will be a lucky draw where only the lucky winners will be able to drive the Nano. And the deliveries of the allotted cars will commence from July 2009. Another best thing is that if in case you are not allotted the Nano you can either take back the booking amount or you earn an interest in the second phase allotment announcement. You can avail an interest rate of around 8.5% on your booking amount for retention period between one to two year and 8.75% for a retention period of more than 2 years. Labels: Car-Loans, Nano, Tata-Motors
Every news channel, news paper, and magazine is singing the praising tune for the Tata Nano. The little wonder on wheels is continuously creating sensation since its first public appearance at the 2008 Auto Expo in New Delhi. The car now made its entry in the market crossing all hurdles and troubles. We all know that the highlight of the car is its commendable Rs 1 Lakh price tag, but the actual price of the car will exceed the one lakh mark. But the question is how much? The base variant of the Nano which carries a price tag of Rs 1 Lakh is said to cost Rs 1.35 Lakh on road. This would be inclusive of road tax, registration, and also the insurance. And if one is going for a car loan option, then for a term of 5 years there would be an additional cost of Rs 2,300 (EMI) for base variant. For a high-end variant, the EMI would be Rs 3450-4000 for a five year loan while one-time insurance costs would be over Rs 6,000. Even the spare parts cost is not much different from other cars. It is learnt that individual spares of the car is likely to cost the same as those of the Indica. Many say that Nano would be a best replacement for a two-wheeler but its insurance is said to be costlier than a two-wheeler. And prices will not remain the same forever with the rising cost of living. In recent times, many car companies have increased their car prices stating inflation and high input costs. And Nano will not be an exception either. In a very short time one can see the rising price of Nano. So is it actually a ‘ONE LAKH’ car? Labels: Car-Price, Nano, Tata-cars
Monday, 23 March 2009
Wake up car lovers, its time for you to open your eyes and witness the launch of the Tata Nano. The most awaited world’s cheapest car has finally launched in India after a long series of controversies, hurdles, and speculations. Tata Nano has caught the imagination of all those present during the launch with its simple yet beautiful design and excellent engineering. Celebrated in a purely Indian style, the launch was witnessed by the moons and stars of Mumbai. Everyone in the ceremony was inspired and dazzled by the intelligently designed Tata Nano retaining its announced price tag of Rs 1 Lakh. The exterior of the car is beautified with attractive features like the stylish bumper, clear-lens headlamps, and clear-lens tail-lamp cluster. The centrally positioned instrumentation and impressive center console are the highlights of the car’s interior. The ultra-cheap car has made no compromise in safety as well. It is equipped with the best of safety features like the intrusion-resistant doors, crumple zones, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. 
The Nano delivers an impressive fuel efficiency of 23.6 km/l and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in around 12 seconds. It emits low level of harmful emissions as compared to other fuel-efficient cars and even the two-wheelers manufactured in India. The Nano is available in three variants – the Nano Standard compliant to BS II and BS III emission norms, Nano CX compliant to BS II and BS III, and the Nano LX compliant to BS III emission norms. The standard version is available with single-tone seats and fold-down rear seats, the CX variant is available in air-conditioner, two-tone seats, parcel shelf, booster-assisted brakes, and fold down rear seat, and the LX variant of the Nano is available with all the features of the CX variant along with fabric seats, central locking, front power windows, body coloured exteriors, fog lamps, electronic trip meter, mobile charger point, and rear spoiler. Here’s the most-awaited car Nano but you still have to wait till July 2009 to drive the car. It will be displayed at all Tata dealerships and outlets from April 1st and will be delivered in July 2009. 
Labels: New-Car-Launch, One-Lakh-Car, Tata-Motors, Tata-Nano-Launch
Get ready to witness the most awaited world’s cheapest car ‘Nano’ in Mumbai where it will be launched today after a couple of hours. A new history will be created in the voyage of automotive discovery in the glorious journey of Tata as well as global auto industry with the Nano launch. The plan of launching a 1 Lakh car was cropped into the mind of Ratan Tata when he saw a man riding in a motorbike with his kids and wife drenching in the rain. This very site aroused a feeling in his heart to do something for middle class people who can only dream of purchasing a car. Now with the entry of the Nano, millions of people can now afford to buy a four wheeler which was impractical for them earlier. When the company first showcased the Nano at the 2008 Auto Expo in New Delhi, it received an overwhelming response but competitors were surprised by the budget announced by Tata. They questioned the veracity of the project. The little car facing a series of hurdles is now set to hit the roads. The car is aerodynamically structured with a dimension of 3100mm * 1500 mm * 1600 mm. On the exterior you will find clear-lens headlamps, clear-lens tail-lamp cluster, and consistent body panel gaps. The interior is packed with a host of innovations including the centrally positioned instrumentation and an assortment of advanced safety features. The key feature of the car is the rear positioned 623cc engine that transfer power to all wheels efficiently. The engine will be mated to a 4-speed manual transmission, front McPherson strut suspension, and rear independent coil spring. All these high-end technologies will be able to improve handling, stability, and performance of the car. An estimate power of 32 bhp and a fuel efficiency of about 20 km/l are also worth appreciation. It is believed that almost a decade ago when Tata’s first passenger car Indica was launched, Tata had experienced a similar downturn and recession. Surprisingly, inspite of the crisis Tata Indica became one of the leading passenger cars in the Indian car market and now the same history is expected to repeat with the Nano launch. The success of Nano also plays a crucial role in financial health of the company because Tata has experienced a heavy loss in sales of its commercial vehicles due to which the company has been unable to repay the loan it took for the acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover. With this car, Tata has redefined ‘creative designing’ and ‘frugal engineering’ proving it capability to produce a scintillating car with the best of technologies at a price as low as Rs 1 Lakh. Now, just hold your breath and get ready to feel the splash of Nano waves under the glory of sunset today. Labels: Nano, New-Car-Launch, Tata-cars
The new Audi A4 Allroad showcased at the Geneva Motor Show recently is a perfect choice for off-road car lovers. Based on the A4 Avant Wagon, this excellent Audi’s off-road crossover will come with the new A4 Allroad Quattro that will be a significant addition in the car to gain traction off-road. The car will be able to offer exceptional off-road capabilities coupled with mind-boggling performance. The elegant cues complemented by wider fenders, rugged bumpers, fog lamps, and new air intake housings make the car look aggressive yet beautiful. It is expected to be driven by a responsive 2.0-litre turodiesel engine that will generate a power of around 142 bhp and fuel consumption of 7.1L/100km. Drivers will have the option to select between three different modes - comfort, standard, and sport with the help of a new drive select feature that adjusts throttle response, the Servotronic power steering, and S tronic’s shift points in automatic mode. The car is speculated to be rolled out as a sedan as well as a wagon. With all the best features and technologies it seems that the 2010 A4 Allroad Quattro is well suited to travel most places. Till now, there is no evidence of its Launch in India in the near future. Labels: Audi-A4, Audi-Cars, New-Car-Launch
India’s iconic car designer Dilip Chhabria again proved his artistic talent by displaying his creative arts at his first art exhibition held in Mumbai. The exhibition showcased 14 paintings and 14 sculptures beautifully blended in red and black. The sculptures were brilliantly made of contrasting materials comprising natural wood, glass, aluminium, steel, acrylic, and crystal. Interestingly, these paintings and sculptures reflect various corners, angles, and surfaces of a car depicting their automobile connection. The great Indian designer had painted cars on a three-dimensional sphere. This was possible because he has an innate understanding of cars that helped him to brilliantly collaborate art with technology. Amalgamation of technology with craftsmanship though prevalent in other countries is unique and fresh idea in India. Whether Dilip Chhabria’s paintings will be able to create the same sensation as his designed cars did will be clear with the time. Till then, we can only say that this much talked about designer will always remain an icon in the Indian automobile history. Labels: Car-Designer, Dilip-Chhabria
Friday, 20 March 2009
Eyeing the success of the Spark and the U-VA, General Motors is enthusiastic to introduce another small car priced at Rs 4 Lakh. The new car will be a global product and is expected to get 50% indigenisation component. The new small car is expected to roll out from the Talegaon plant in Gujarat by this year end. General Motors’ business is constantly growing in India, whereas in home ground it is going through a trouble time experiencing plunging sales and financial crisis. The growing demand for small cars in India has inspired the company to bring in more small cars into the market. Hope the new small car will too carry the stylish design and attractive features like Chevy’s other small cars. It will face competition from the yet to be launched Honda Jazz, Hyundai i10, i20, Maruti Suzuki Swift, and the Skoda Fabia. Labels: General-Motors-Cars, New-Car-Launch, Small-Cars
If you are yearning to enjoy the freedom, fun, and adventure of flying, then the ICON Aircraft can satisfy your craving. ICON Aircraft is a Southern California based organization that is presently working on designing a flying car to deliver the joy of flying to all those who ever dreamt of a flight. The company feels that the fascinating proposed car will transcend all boundaries of imaginations and technologies. It’s just a way to brighten every heart with the experience of recreational flying. You can even rejoice the feeling of driving a sports car in air. That’s awe-inspiring! The car that will fly with the winds will obviously be lighter than the ones that ply on road. But the price won’t be lighter. Once the flying car is introduced, it would be no less than flying a personal space aircraft. There is not much information revealed about the car and we don’t even know that whether such a car will ever come to India. But all we know is that the flying icon would pioneer a bunch of path-breaking technologies and the most stunning design concepts, something that may even change the faith of global car industry. Labels: Car-Industry, Flying-Car, Sports-Car
The used car market is on speedy ride enjoying good sales volume. Many big car companies are trying their fortune in the sector and now Mercedes-Benz has shown its interest in the pre-owned car market. The company wants an organised strategy to sell the pre-owned Mercs in the country. The used car programme of the company is already active globally and very soon Merc lovers will experience its presence in the segment in India too by this year’s end. Mercedes-Benz has plans to invest around Rs 150 Crore to develop proper infrastructure in the country. Despite the worsening economic condition, Mercedes-Benz did not saw much decline in sales though it experienced financial problem to some extent. The global recession has proved lucky for the used car market as their sales graph grew higher compared to the new car market. Car manufacturers which already have their network in the segment are satisfied with consumers’ response. Hope Mercedes-Benz too enjoys a successful ride in the segment and continues to attract buyers with its used cars as well. Labels: Mercedes-Benz-Cars, New-Car-Launch, Used-Cars
It is long been known that the competition between the cars under the Volkswagen group has always been an issue. Now the all-new Superb launched recently is set to take over its sibling, the Volkswagen Jetta. Though the group has shared its innovations and technologies with all its brands including Volkswagen, Skoda and Audi, yet the three of them possess different ideologies and behold their authenticity in the market. The Superb is ready to take a head-on-battle with the Jetta with the help of its enticing features comprising captivating style, distinctive exterior adornments, and refined interiors. The sibling rivalry will go stronger with the price disparity between the two models. The new Superb is comparatively priced within the segment where Jetta is much cheaper than its predecessor. When compared to the Jetta, the new Skoda Superb delivers a comparatively stronger visual emotion. The sharp styling lines, the expressive profile, and the elegant chrome glint make the car more imposing on road. Even the interior of the car boasts of innovative technologies and features. Paying around Rs 2 to 3 Lakh for elegant styling and host of innovations is worth the extra expense made on the new Superb. The company has high expectation with the car and has target to sell around 1,000 cars by the end of this year. Let’s see to what extent the new car live up to the expectations. Labels: New-Car-Launch, Skoda-Superb, Volkswagen-Jetta
Thursday, 19 March 2009
The Maruti Suzuki A-star proved its thrifty nature by accomplishing an impressive mileage of 39.48 km/l in a fuel efficiency rally held in Mumbai recently. Earlier, when the A-Star was tested for its fuel efficiency before its launch by the ARAI, it delivered a top mileage of 19.6 km/l. During that time there were many car buyers who actually doubted the city performance of the car because a mileage of around 19 km/l in city is commendable. But later, it was revealed that the recorded mileage was the efficiency of the car on highway. The city mileage of the scintillating A-Star is around 14.5 km/l. Even if the A-Star does not deliver a mileage of 19 km/l in city, the outstanding performance of the car is proved in the Mumbai rally. Amazingly, in a similar rally held in Chennai, a winning contestant recorded a top mileage of 37.6 km/l in his A-star. In both the rallies the cars were driven on a predetermined 60 km route and the fuel tanks were sealed after fueling up to avoid any kind of tampering. Incredibly, among 51 participants in the Mumbai rally and 45 participants in the Chennai rally, the A-Star won the game. This definitely proves the frugal nature of the car and also highlights the efficiency of the new K-series engine. Labels: Fuel-efficiency, Maruti-Suzuki, Maruti-Suzuki-A-Star
BMW is experimenting rocket science in cars to go with the advancing modern age of science and technology. What we would see five years down the line is clearly portrayed by the car manufacturer that has joined hands with the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to use their technology in order to boost fuel efficiency and lower harmful greenhouse emissions. The theory that NASA uses to send their rockets to space involves the use of thermoelectric generators that transform thermal energy into electricity. BMW desires to bring the same concept to earth and use the thermoelectric generators in its range of luxury cars. When these generators will be equipped in cars, the transformed electrical energy will be used to charge the batteries of the hybrid or electric cars. This will tremendously help improve fuel efficiency and drastically reduce level of emissions. Presently, the skilled engineers of BMW are experimenting on the use of this technology at the company’s high-tech experimental lab in Palo Alto, California. The company is expecting to introduce the rocket science in their cars in the next five to six years. It is believed that a BMW sedan will experience about 13% reduction in fuel consumption with the car running on rocket science. The generators powering the space rockets are very expensive. And so BMW is also trying to introduce better strategies to pass on least price increase to the buyers so that the technology can be commercially viable. BMW feels that in the next 20 years the NASA technology is sure to take over other alternative fuels. Labels: BMW-Cars, Car-Manufacturer, Fuel-efficiency, Luxury-Cars
If you love to take a ride on electric car then the Jim Dowle’s dream electric car is perfect pick up for you. Christened as P1 sports car, the proposed electric car is composed of lightweight composite body panels and two electric motors placed on either side of the car’s chassis. The lithium-ion batteries fitted in the car gives a stunning acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in an amazing 2.9 seconds and offers a practical top speed of 370 km. It’s a little hardtop sports car with stunning looks and commanding presence. It also features four-wheel-drive and long wishbone suspension front and rear to improve performance. Adding to the worth of the car is the regenerative braking technology for topping up the charge of the lithium-ion batteries. The P1 Sports car is a perfect answer to an ideal electric car with no compromise and is smart enough to drive the 21st century. Speculated to be launched by 2012, this car will definitely raise the bar for electric cars. Hang on! As the speculated launch time is not for the Indian car market. So, till then you can dream a ride on this tantalising electric car. But as the industry is switching over to electric cars, India may witness the launch of Dowel’s electric car in future. Labels: Electric-Car, Indian-car-market, Sports-Car
Mahindra Xylo has received an overwhelming response from auto enthusiasts and car buyers across the country. The new Mahindra car is appreciated for its strong value proposition of status and luxurious comfort. In a span of only two weeks, the company has excitingly sold 1,788 cars and made a booking of over 4,000. Now the company rides the Xylo to South Africa. The versatile and spacious Xylo is expected to create a completely new platform in the South African market that is considered to be a strategic market for Mahindra’s overall globalization strategy. Suiting the taste and aspirations of South Africans car buyers, only the luxury model E8 and the base model E2 is introduced. Even the leading Mahindra Scorpio was driven to the same market. This clearly indicates that Mahindra drives all its successful models to the country. Maybe the company feels that South Africa is one of the most promising and dynamic car markets. The launch of Scorpio there was a new milestone in their successful journey and the launch of Xylo consolidates the company’s presence in the country. Though the car offers outstanding value, the question arises is it actually the right product for the South African market? The Xylo proved its credibility soon after few days of launch in India. Let’s see how much time the African market takes to ensure the same success of the car. Labels: Mahindra-and-Mahindra, Mahindra-Xylo
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Even amidst recession the Indian car industry has witnessed a good growth. When the global car markets are experiencing slop under the clutches of financial meltdown, the Indian car market seems to be headed towards positive scale. Many new car models and variants were launched this year proving to be mascots for the car manufacturers. The Indian car market was dull for more than eight months but as every dark cloud has a silver lining, the slagging car market too bounced back with impressive sales. The February sales rose to double digits. Surprisingly, India’s leading car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki reported a jump of 20 percent in sales in February in contrast to last year. International car giants like General Motors and Ford too saw high sales figures in India while they are struggling with the Japan and the U.S. markets. Luxury car manufacturers are also happy with the Indian car market and want to expand their networks in the country despite the global downturn. For instance, Mercedes-Benz India has registered a growth of five to six per cent compared to the other countries. Seeing the market potential, Rolls Royce and Bentley are planning to foray the Indian car market with their upmarket cars. It is learnt that this was possible due to the strong government’s support that ensured excise duty cut by four per cent, lower interest rates on car loans, and easy export operations. India proved itself globally that even at the time of downturn, it is sanguine and capable to withstand the crisis. Labels: General-Motors, Indian-car-industry, Maruti-Suzuki
The world’s cheapest car ‘Nano’ is all set to roll out on Indian roads in a week’s time. As the car beholds a cheap price tag so does its advertisements. Tata has brilliantly adopted a low-cost advertisement philosophy to rustle up the Nano interest. Grippingly, the Nano is widely being advertised on social networking sites like Facebook and Orkut. These are unique online techniques to market innovative ideas and concepts. The Nano message is widespread through these sites and amazingly the car has received high-traffic. Tata Motors has spent around Rs 24 Lakh for this digital advertising campaign. And you would be surprised to know that Nano has received a countless number of comments and remarks on these networking sites. Many of the foreign car buyers have showed their interest in the Nano through these sites and are expecting the car to be driven to other countries as well. Tata has developed a strong media platform even in India where internet penetration is not as high as in the foreign countries. The company even plans to sell the Nano through online dealerships to contribute to the factor of cost saving. The key aim behind this is to make the Nano a real affordable and ultra-cheap car in all regards. Click here to browse through the Tata Nano website to know more about the car. Labels: Nano, Tata-Motors, World’s-Cheapest-Car
Mahindra & Mahindra is planning to bring ‘The Devil’ to India. Shocked? It’s not about any horror movie or a drama. ‘The Devil’ is the name of a new car model that Mahindra is planning to manufacture for the VIPs in India. Inspired by the Obamamobile (President Barack Obama's official car), the new car would be built on the lines of the presidential car. It is a good effort by Mahindra & Mahindra as there are no such cars in India even for our prime minister. The maximum security in cars for the VIPs in India is the bullet proof cars whereas the presidential Limo is fully armoured. The chassis projected with a 5-inch steel plate under the car protects in case of any kind of risky situation, for instance a bomb plantation under the car. The tyres are shred and puncture resistant, wrapped in steel rims underneath. This allows the car to travel on top speed even if the tyres are blasted. Interestingly, the cabin holds a foldaway desktop, laptop computer with wi-fi, state of the art satellite phone, and a direct line connection to the Vice president and Pentagon. The doors are 8-inch thick weighing as the cabin door of a 757 Boeing jet with armour plated. There are defence accessories like night vision cameras and pump-action shotguns. It is also armed with tear gas cannons. In case of any emergency, there are also bottles of blood. Besides all this, the Cadillac Limousine also has the ability to withstand the rocket and chemical attacks. Now this is the car which exists in practical. In India, we cannot expect any VIP car to be enhanced with all these features but yes atleast ten percent of this is necessary. Would Mahindra’s Devil possess all these safety and security features? Labels: Cadillac-Limousine, Mahindra-and-Mahindra, New-Car
Get ready to gain green advantage with the Logan CNG and let other go green with envy. Mahindra-Renault has recently added a CNG variant to its popular Logan’s portfolio and made a significant move towards green technology. The heart of the new CNG Logan is a 1.6-litre petrol engine fitted with a 12 kg CNG tank. The powerful Renault engine generates a power of 84 bhp and offers a smooth ride in city traffic. The running cost of the car is comparatively much lower with around Rs 1.25/km. It also features a suspension that irons all the bumps on the road and offers a comfortable ride on every journey. The exterior and interior reflect some of the modest cosmetic changes. The Logan CNG is beautified with chrome plated front grille, body coloured bumpers, and body side moulding on the exterior. The car’s interior is no less radiating elegance, beauty, and functionality. The silver accents accentuate the elegance of the ambience. Features like cabin heater, front head restrain, lumbar support, ergonomically designed seats, parcel shelf, moulded floor carpets, and trunk room light enhance the comfort level. Adding to the premium look is a wooden centre console and end rack. Seat covers in rich textile add to the contrasting theme of the car’s interior and shares a perfect synchronization with the door trims. Available in three variants, the Logan CNG is also packed with a host of advanced safety features like the collapsible steering column, halogen headlamps, head restraints, and anti-theft electronic encoded safety system. Labels: Logan CNG, Mahindra-Renault, New-Car-Launch
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Honda seems to have good time in terms of sales even in the time of recession. Apart from its success in India, the company has witnessed whooping sales in Philippines. The car manufacturer dominated the Philippines passenger car segment with 39% market share. The credit goes to the all-new Honda City that grabbed nearly 60% of the passenger car sales. The third generation City spread the magic with its cutting-edge design and best-in-class features. Other models too chipped in with their share in sales. The sporty looking Civic sales grew by 4% whereas the Honda Jazz and the Accord too posted a good sales growth. If we take a look at the Indian scene, the company is also successful in tantalising the Indian buyers reporting a surge of over 47 % growth in sales in February and 9 % increase in sale in December. Hence, Honda is stepping towards success zone worldwide proving its credentials and efficiency. Labels: Car-Manufacturer, Car-Sales, Honda-Cars
Time has come to think small! All car manufacturers are racing with the concept of their distinctive small cars and so is the Jaguar Land Rover. Jaguar-Land Rover is planning to roll out a small car with a little help from the UK government. The car will be purely based on the Land Rover’s LRX concept vehicle. LRX concept is the smallest, lightest, and most fuel-efficient car that made its first debut in the Detroit Auto Show last year. And now the company aims to put the innovative concept on road. LRX is born out of passion and speaks of Land Rover design language. With a highly desirable identity, the concept is styled with reinterpreting cues, floating roof, rising beltline, round headlights, and traditional Land Rover tailgate. Moreover, the compact size defines the need of present day car industry. The innovative concept by JLR not only defines a style statement but makes a power statement too with intelligent power management system and revolutionary technologies. The best part is the beautiful interior designed with recycled materials. This lightweight concept by JLR kitted out in sustainable technologies is a perfect answer to the present day challenges offering fuel efficiency, lower emissions, lower fuel consumption, thrifty designs, and engineering excellence. Labels: Car-Manufacturers, Jaguar-Land-Rover, Small-Cars
It’s time for all Toyota car owners to experience quality revolution with an attractive summer campaign called Suhana Summer that offers 7 special packages and free check-up for all Toyota models. Toyota car owners can avail this service from March 16 to April 15 which will be conducted in 69 dealerships across the country. Toyota being the pioneer in the `Customer First' approach throughout the world has introduced this campaign to coincide with the vacation season in India. Customers who are planning for long trips for summer holidays can tune up their cars in advance to ensure a hassle free journey. The company is trying its best to surpass other car manufacturers in every aspect. It’s understandable that Toyota wants to hold its consumers in the wake of the recession by providing this type of customer-centric services. Moreover, the company smartly expresses its concern over the relationship that its shares with the buyers which still continue even after a car is sold. Labels: Car-Manufacturer, Car-Owners, Toyota-Cars
If you are an ardent fan of Toyota cars then you should get ready to spend more on them. Following the current price hike trend in the industry, Toyota has recently announced a hike of up to Rs 50,000 on the Innova and the Corolla Altis. As both the Innova and the Corolla Altis are the two leading cars from Toyota’s stable, the price hike has become essential for the company to successfully roll out the required numbers of cars. The price of the Toyota Innova is increased in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 whereas the price of Corolla Altis is raised in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000. Toyota reveals that the decision of price hike is taken eyeing the recent changes in the rupee/dollar and yen/dollar exchange rate. The rising operational costs are also one of the key reasons behind the price increase. Till date somehow the company was able to absorb the cost. Now it’s really become tough for Toyota to absorb the costs. And in order to survive in the fluctuating market and to maintain a steady growth, it has pushed some of the pressure towards the buyers. Labels: Car-prices, Toyota-Cars, Toyota-Innova
Monday, 16 March 2009
Though the global recession has affected the new luxury car sales, the pre-owned luxury cars are still rejoicing their sales. The used car market is experiencing high scale growth grabbing buyers of small cars as well as mid-sized premium sedans. Seeing the great potential of luxury cars in the used car market, car brands like Merc, BMW, and Porsche are planning to try their hands in the used car segment. Porsche plans sales target of 200 new cars this year but for the used car it is likely to plan a higher target. Likewise, BMW who carries a high brand vale in India is also looking forward for a good sales number from the used car market. However, German Mercedes-Benz is planning to foray the used car market by 2010. New cars must be envying the pre-owned cars as they are really making impressive sales. It seems the competition is growing aggressively robust in the used car market compared to the new car market. Labels: Luxury-Cars, New-Cars, Used-Cars
Bajaj’s small car that was showcased at the 2008 Auto Expo will not debut on the scheduled date. The car was earlier announced to make its debut by 2011 but now it may see a delay of five to six months. It is said that the company is not content with the design and positioning of the proposed ultra-low-cost car. The project will start from the scratch as the older project insisted on major alteration in terms of design and other details. It is sad to know that the teams who worked over a year to finalise the project will have to begin from the sketch. It is also speculated that the project could see further delay due to technical hitches as well as the financing problems at Renault’s end. During the tie-up stage between the three car manufacturers, it was decided that the power train, platform development, and supply lines would be provided by Bajaj whereas Renault-Nissan will chip in with design and engineering for the ‘small car’ project. Carrying a little higher price tag, this new car is expected to offer better performance and mileage compared to its rival Nano. Labels: Low-Cost-Car, Nano, Small-Car
The new Innova is significantly contributing in accelerating the business of Toyota in India.The refreshed version of the Innova introduced in January 2009 with modest cosmetic changes in exteriors and interiors drives the sales of Toyota. It was introduced with the aim to provide its customers all that they aspire. The car manufacturer had brilliantly used unmatched expertise and experience to design the innovative ‘Innova’ to drive car enthusiasts with a powerful sensation. Since the time the new Innova has launched, the car has recorded sales of 3,647 cars. It’s really unbelievable to record such high numbers in about less than two months. This shows the impact the innovation in Innova has done on car buyers. Some significant car features that drove the sales of this new car are automated climate control, new steering control, and multi- information display. When the car was launched, Toyota was sure of its success and today the sales number proves the significance of the car in its product portfolio. Infact, it exceeds the company’s expectations from the new Innova. Labels: Innova, New-Car-Launch, Toyota
Legendary and beautiful Fiat 500 was recently gifted to the world’s iconic doll Barbie on her 50th birthday. The small cute little car was created by the company’s Style Centre ‘Centro Stile’ in association with the toy giant Mattel to commemorate the occasion. If you see the customized Fiat you would be left spellbound with the eye-catching bright pink exterior that matches the gleaming pink nail paint of the Barbie. The seats draped in silky silver laminated Alcantara fabrics symbolize the elegant apparel of the world’s most beautiful doll. When you take a deeper glance to the interior, you’ll find a host of features designed to suit the needs and tastes of the Barbie. The car packed with natural silk yarn floor mat, glove box treasured with brilliant coloured lip glosses and nail paints, and LED lit vanity mirror forms a perfect outline of Barbie’s legendary silhouette. But don’t think it’s a toy car. The pink Fiat 500 is a timeless car that was driven around the world's fashion capital, Milan. What keeps on wandering in the mind is the fact that the two shares in common. For some, there is no force that drove Fiat to develop a customized car for the Barbie. But if you closely look at the rich heritage of both the Fiat 500 and the Barbie you’ll actually come to know the true significance that Fiat 500 play in the 50th celebration of Barbie. Barbie is not only the most popular doll but the oldest doll that has driven the sentiments of little girls over the last 50 years. Similarly, since 50 years Fiat 500 is enticing car enthusiasts with its looks and performance. Both of them have their individualistic position and a legendary 500 gifted to the legendary Barbie reflects the glorious years that they have passed in different industries. Labels: Car-Customization, Fiat-500, Small-Car, Toy-Car
Friday, 13 March 2009
For all those who rejoice a joyful ride in stylish and powerful SUVs, Mercedes-Benz has launched a new M-Class in India. The new Mercedes-Benz M-Class delivers a perfect symphony of elegant styling, best-in-class performance, enhanced safety, and engineering excellence. Do you know when was the first M-Class introduced? It was launched in 1997 in U.S and after it received an overwhelming response there it was brought to India. Mercedes took 10 years to bring this powerful to India but when it was actually launched it carved its own niche. 
Now the car manufacturer has launched a new M-Class to deliver more to its valued customers. The new car features a 7 speed 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission for improved performance and handling and 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive system with a start-off assist & a Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR). Moreover, the 19 inch alloy wheels enhance the visual appeal of the car and the luxurious interior exudes warmth and elegance. It is elegantly designed with a host of technologies to mark a significant milestone in the history of M-Class. Labels: Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz-M-Class, New-Car-Launch, New-M-Class
Toyota recognized for their ‘Green car’ technology is once again working on another new eco-friendly concept. The car brand is already celebrating its high position in the green car segment with its Prius Hybrid. This time the car manufacture is thinking distinctive and productive developing a super-efficient plug-in hybrid that has frame made out of seaweed which will hit the showrooms in next 15 years. It does sound little weird but not impossible. With the new concept the car would develop on the already hypergreen 1/X plug-in hybrid concept, which weighs 926 pounds. The carbon-fibre body would be replaced with plastic derived from seaweed. Toyota will convey its green vision of the future at the Melbourne Motor Show by unveiling three green cars- New generation Prius, a cool Camry concept designed in Australia and the 1/X (Seaweed concept). Now with the people concerned for the greener nature and as long as the cars are eco friendly in nature, affordable, safer there seems to be no reason for such a smart cars not to make good sales. Labels: Car-Manufacturers, green cars, hybrid cars, Toyota Cars, Toyota Prius
Hyundai rejoices the success of i10 as this small and global car achieves fastest sales of three lakh. Though in the recent times Maruti Suzuki Swift and Chevrolet Spark has also reached the three lakh mark but the i10 beats its competitors in terms of time required to reach this significant mark. Hyundai i10 was launched on October 31, 2007 and went global in December 2007. And have experienced three lakh sales in even less than two years. This marks a new milestone in the successful history of Hyundai in India. You would be glad to know that out of the total three lakh cars over 1.44 lakh cars have been sold in the Indian car market and around 1.56 Lakh units were exported across Latin America, Middle East, European Union, and South East Asia. And the maximum sales it rejoiced in Germany. Hyundai has always focused on providing the best of design and technology along with best value for money. And the success of i10 is nothing strange because it has all the winning attributes that reflect the tradition of Hyundai cars. The car is innovatively designed, inspiringly luxurious, intelligently driven, and intuitively safe. And a series of awards the Hyundai i10 had received in the year 2008 along with the ‘Indian Car of the Year’ award is a sure sign of its credibility. Labels: Chevrolet Spark, Hyundai cars, Hyundai i10, Hyundai i10 Sales, Maruti Suzuki Swift, Small Car
If you own a Hyundai car then once again you can celebrate an opportunity to get your car checked for free at the Hyundai’s Free Car Care Clinic held at all Hyundai dealerships between 16th March to 29th March 2009. This is not the first time Hyundai has introduced such a concept. Even in the past years the car manufacturer had organized such an event and had received an amazing response. In the clinic you can get a comprehensive 80 point check-up of your car along with a thorough examination of your car. The examination not only includes the engine testing but also the transmission, electrical components, brake system, under-body, exterior dents, tyre condition, and cooling system. The check-up and examination will be done completely free of cost but if there are any repairs or replacement to be done you have to pay the cost of the car component. You will get some discount on the spare part and on service merchandising like engine flush, anti-rust coating, and car polish. Driving your car into the free car care clinic may also win you some attractive prizes and gifts. Labels: Hyundai cars, Hyundai Free Car Care Clinic, India
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Porsche 911 GT3 and Cayenne Diesel made a grand entry at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. These stunning models made their first appearance to the public portraying both tradition and the future – dynamic performance and superior economy of the sports car legend Porsche. 
The new 911 GT3 turns more powerful, faster, crisper with more dynamism compare to its predecessor. With the same six-cylinder engine the new version now delivers 435 bhp which is upgraded with extra 20bhp against its old model. Extra power means better performance and vrooms from rest to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds with the top speed of 312 km/h or 193 mph. Besides the power, the GT3 gets high-tech aerodynamic modifications enhancing the new look. It is also attributed with PSM (Porsche Stability Management). The second highlight of the show Cayenne Diesel is the most versatile SUV outstanding driving dynamics, safety and off-road qualities. The popularity of the Cayenne is visible wit the Porsche recently rolling out the 250,000th Cayenne from its Leipzig plant in Germany. The diesel version of Cayenne carries the same look Cayenne V6 petrol engine. Under the hood of Cayenne diesel we get to see 3-litre refined V6 with an output of 240 bhp. The striking SUV accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 8.3 seconds with the top speed of 214 km/h or 133 mph. Highest and impressive fuel economy is the limelight of the SUV. 
Cayenne Diesel also features an exclusive Porsche’s six-speed Tiptronic S automatic PSM Porsche Stability Management that is well tuned with description the diesel engine. Labels: Porsche, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche Cayenne Diesel, SUV
Honda is in full swing to strengthen its roots in India. And a new step is moved by the launch of the all-new Honda Accord in India. The new Accord is powered by a 3.5-litre i-VTEC engine that is mated to VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) to enable flexibility of engine cylinders to ensure astounding power output. It is available in two variants, 3.5-litre Accord V6 3.5 and Accord V6 3.5 Inspire, and both the variants are in compliance to strict emission norms. If you talk about the visual appeal of the new car it’s awe-inspiring. The aerodynamic contours, elegant lines, forward thrusting nose, flared fenders, sleek headlamps, distinctive front grill, and stylish twin exhausts reflect unmistakable characteristics that will leave the onlookers spellbound. And when you step into the interior you’ll find well-appointed cabin with woody panel and welcoming features. Being extremely spacious the cabin beholds a host of innovations and technologies including the advanced audio system, 8-way electrically adjustable driver seat, rear AC vents, and a reading lamp. The advanced audio system with easy-to-use audio multi-selector dial and rear audio controls adds more drama and expression to the intimate ambience of the car. The vast, well–appointed cabin and the graceful woody panel of the Accord V6 are designed to transport you to a new level of indulgence. The accord V6 is an extremely spacious and a luxurious sedan in its class. While its comfortable interiors let you truly enter a class above, its expansive interior creates a lot more space. Tune in to an advanced audio system with a centre multi-selector jog dial, and rear audio controls. There is no compromise in safety as well. In the new Accord you can ensure a safe journey with thrilling driving experience. The most significant safety features in the new Accord are Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with intelligent six airbags, Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body, G-FORCE Control Technology (G-CON). Brilliant styling, spacious cabin, functional features, powerful engine, and enhanced safety together rejoice a perfect symphony in the New Accord. Labels: Honda Cars, India, New Car, new car launch, New Honda Accord
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Legendary Porsche 917 celebrates its 40th anniversary with a big bang. This iconic racing car made its first debut in the Geneva Motor Show on March 13 forty years ago. And you would be amazed to know that just in a span of one month 25 cars were produced and sold out in the market. Since then the car has retained its position as one of the most successful racing cars of all time. The first introduction of Porsche was powered by a 4.5-liter engine that generated an astounding 520 horsepower. It was artistically designed to meet the demands and requirements of different racetracks. The company had also introduced the ‘short-tail model’ that was actually designed to suit the needs of heavily twisting roads that required high contact pressure for fast cornering. On the other end, a ‘long-tail model’ was introduced for fast racetracks. 
Then in 1972 Porsche introduced a new variant of the 917 with turbocharged engine that produced an awesome horsepower of 1,000 bhp. As and when new technologies came into existence Porsche continuously made efforts to fit them in its legendary 917 so that the car can be compatible to the changing needs and demands of the industry. You would be glad to know that the Porsche Turbo 911 that we rejoice today is also an advanced version of the iconic 917. The 911 was a result of Porsche’s efforts to transfer the racing technologies that powered 917 to on-road sports cars. Even today the Porsche 917 is tagged as one of the ‘greatest racing car of the automotive history’. It’s been 40 years the car is rejoicing this position and expects to retain the same in years to come. Labels: Geneva motor show, Porsche, Porsche Turbo 911, Porsche Turbo 917, Racing Car
If you are an ardent lover of Honda Cars then it’s time for you to save your pockets. Honda is soon going to raise the prices of its entire range of cars in India by Rs 30,000 to 3,54,000. Though it’s tough to accept the price hike at this stage as recessionary pressure is not completely relieved. But the manufacturers have no other options left with them. In the past 8 months Indian rupee has depreciated by over 16% and the Japanese Yen has strengthened by 10.5%. Currency fluctuations have driven Honda to increase car prices. And this is mainly because it has tremendously increased the cost of import. For some time the manufacturer did absorbed the impact but how long? No car manufacturer can carry on absorbing the impact of high input cost as well as high import cost anymore. And so is Honda. Honda CR-V is an imported car model whose price has been increased by Rs 3, 54,000. The prices of Honda City has been increased in the range of Rs 30, 000 to Rs 35, 000 and Civic has been raised by Rs 50, 000 to Rs 60, 000. Even the Honda Accord will now be costlier by Rs 1, 00, 000. The price of CR-V, Civic and City will be effective from April 1, 2009 whereas Honda Accord will bear the revised price tag from March 16, 2009. Labels: Car-Manufacturer, Honda CR-V, Honda-Accord, Honda-Cars, Honda-City, Honda-Civic, Honda-Price-Hike, India
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Its time to feel the 7 star experience of Skoda Superb launched in India with refined styling and engineering. The elegant and superior designs reflect the rich heritage of Skoda cars. Its captivating style and distinctive exterior adornments delivers a strong visual emotion. Designed with sharp styling lines, aggressive front expression lent by wide piercing headlamps, and elegant chrome glint on the car adds dynamism and expression to the visual beauty. Even the front radiator carries the chrome detailing that softens the aggressive front appeal. The exterior of the car beholds a complete package of chrome detailing highlighting every edge and angle of the Superb. The same elegance of chrome detailing is carried into the interior as well. Crafted with quality materials and eye-catching colour tones the interior cabin is invitingly warm. Elegant chrome accents on the dashboard, instrumentation, door trims, and door handles accentuate the aesthetic appeal of the car. The ambience is further complemented by natural wood tones in the décor, dual rich tone of Onyx-Ivory, and premium shade of ivory on the Nappa leather seat. The interior is also packed with refined and convenient features that deliver a 7 star experience to pamper you on every journey. Its 12-way electrically adjustable driver seat with programmable memory makes every journey comfortable by making it possible to obtain a personalized seta position. Adding to the refined comfort of the car’s interior are other elegant and functional features like the electric sunroof, electrically powered passenger seat, integrated six CD changer audio system, automatic air-conditioner, retractable screens for rear windows and rear windscreen, and adjustable rear air-conditioning vents. The new Skoda Superb comes with a TSI (Turbocharged petrol engine churning out 160 bhp. With a blend of elegant design, brilliant styling, high-end safety, powerful engine technology, and excellent engineering, the new car will carve its own niche in the Indian car market. Skoda superb with all its powerful design cues and technologies will strongly compete with the leading Honda Accord in India. Labels: India, New-Car-Launch, Skoda Superb, Skoda-Cars
Car rallies navigating between countries have always proved to be a highly prospective means in building up the good relation between the two countries. And the India-Bhutan car rally, which was flagged off from Siliguri in West Bengal is another best example of a good relation between the two countries. This is the second Indo-Bhutan friendship car rally organized jointly by Indo Bhutan Friendship Car Rally Association and India-Bhutan Foundation. The car rally will also help in bonding between the two countries and be active in endorsement of trade, commerce, tourism and road connectivity. The second rally is the successful result of the first Indo-Bhutan rally held in the year 2007 which included 9 participants from Bhutan and 25 from India. The number of participants increased in the second rally with a total of 50 contestants (35 participants from India and 15 from Bhutan) will participate covering a distance of 300 km in India and 200 km in Bhutan. Each teams comprised of two members. Labels: car rally, India, India-Bhutan Car Rally
Audi crowned with four rings is now planning to bring a facelift version of its luxury sedan A6. The new A6 will roll out on Indian roads by the year end with refined exterior and interior modifications. The changes in the new A6 would be highlighted by a redesigned taillight, stylish lenses inspired by R8, and striking LED technology. Compared to the old A6 the new car will also receive all new bumper followed by rectangular fog lamps and large trendy air intakes. The exterior will be further upgraded with new sporty alloy wheels. The interiors too get attention with aluminum trim on the steering wheel, and high resolution graphics on the instrumentation. As per the speculation in the air, the new Audi A6 is said to be powered by a Turbocharged V6 engine. The existing Audi A6 is already a great success in the Indian car market and let wait and watch to see what the new A6 will have to offer its fans. Labels: Audi-A6, Audi-India, Indian car market, Upgraded Audi A6
Global economic conditions have still not relieved the car industry from its clutches completely. Though the market is seeing some modifications but there are no tangible signs of improvements. Even at this stage Audi is tapping on the Indian market with high hopes and dreams. The luxury car manufacturer is continuously taking the recession impacted time as an opportunity to prosper. Audi made its entry to the Indian car market in 2006 and since then the company is doing wonders. And now Audi plans to sell about 1,500 cars this year targeting about 40-50% growth in the India. The company strongly feels that it has experienced good sales even in the time of recession and so looking to a bright future with confidence is something acceptable. Audi strongly feels that Indian car market is growing aggressively and is loaded with lot of opportunities. And the market is gradually maturing for high-end luxury cars. In response to this, Audi plans to introduce a host of new car models in the country and strengthen its presence in the country. Audi’s mission in India is speculated to experience the launch of Q7, A4, A1, A4 Allroad, A5 SB, A7, R8 Spider and Q5. Before the launch all the models will be thoroughly checked for their compatibility with the needs, preferences, and desires of Indian car buyers. Audi also has plans to source auto components from India and is expected to counter negative impacts of recession through wise investment and continuous process optimization. Audi takes India as a significant growth driver. Labels: Audi-Cars, Audi-India, Indian-car-market, Luxury-Car-Manufacturer
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
The Scorpio fans who are waiting to buy, then this the right time as the car manufacturer is offering a ‘big’ cash discount of Rs 34,000-70,000 on its Scorpio. Very recently the M&M launched the all new Scorpio Mighty Muscular with attractive exterior and interior. But what made the Mahindra’s to offer such a huge cut in price? To start with is the commodity price which has come down compared to the prices in December. With manufacturing of Xylo, an MPV the company also learned the art of saving money with out compromising on quality. And these reasons helped them to take the decision of bringing down the Scorpio prices. The aforesaid reason could be the true but there are also other reasons that completely support the price slash. Like, with the launch of the new Mighty Muscular Scorpio, the company wants to finish the old stocks of Scorpio so that the new version will start its sale with full swing. Whatever be the reason, all that matters is that the buyers are at the gaining end. So the don’t waste your time thinking. If you think, the Scorpio is worth your choice, then go ahead a make a good deal. Labels: Car-Manufacturers, Mahindra and Mahindra, Mahindra Scorpio, Scorpio Discount, SUV
Porsche is all set to foray the world of SUV with its Cayenne experiencing a runaway success in sales worldwide. Leader in sports car manufacturing, Porsche celebrated the success of its SUV by rolling out the 250,000th Cayenne from its Leipzig plant in Germany. Swathed in white and powered by a 3.0 litre 6-cylinder, 240 bhp diesel engine, Porsche Cayenne was destined to an Austrian customer. Porsche decided to expand its product line by adding SUV in 2002. This decision shocked many critics but Porsche proved its success in the SUV segment too and 250,000 cars sold in 6 years is definitely a commendable achievement by the luxury car manufacturer Porsche. Cayenne received an amazing response since its launch. This technologically advanced SUV made impressive sales of 150,000 cars globally from its first generation. Whereas the second generation Cayenne launched in 2007 made still remarkable sales with higher fuel efficiency, higher drive performance, and improved drive-handling. The diesel engine is also the latest addition to its portfolio and the first diesel Cayenne was showcased at the recent Geneva auto show. Today we get to see seven models in the Cayenne series. These excellent performers with the Porsche gene rock the roads every way. Labels: new car launch, Porsche Cayenne, Sports car, SUV
Small and beautiful Abarth 500 is one of the hottest future cars that retain a blend of Fiat’s lineage and Abarth’s tradition. Abarth is an Italian racing car manufacturer that is now a significant part of Fiat. The styling of the car is not emphasized much on visual appeal and aesthetics but on performance. It is creatively crafted with a need to optimize aerodynamics. And this is done by adding sporty side skirts, a larger roof spoiler, and a deep aerodynamic diffuser at the rear. Complementing the exterior appeal are the twin intercoolers, extended nose, and triple air intakes that reflect the distinctive characteristics of historic Abarth cars. Though the exterior and styling is not much focused the Abarth 500 makes a commanding presence on road. Inside the car exudes warmth with welcoming features like shift-light LED, aluminium pedal, leather steering wheel, sporty bucket seats, advanced car audio system, and Fiat’s innovative Blue&Me hands-free communication system. Safety is also maximized with a host of car safety technologies including seven airbags. The heart of the Abarth 500 is pumped by a 1.4-litre turbo engine with an output of 135bhp. Completely designed on the platform of Fiat 500, the new Abarth 500 is expected to make its entry to the Indian car market in a couple of years. This proposed car with its small structure, beautiful appeal, and powerful technologies will be a significant milestone in the rich heritage of Indian car industry as well as the Fiat’s journey in India. Labels: Abarth-500, Fiat, Future-Cars, Indian-car-market, New-Car-Launch
If you have an ardent passion for classic cars, the thought of seeing the legendary Ford Gran Torino on the big screen will definitely captivate your heart and mind. The Gran Torino is a living testament to spirit and performance and transcends the boundaries of design and technology to leave onlookers spellbound. The captivating qualities of the Torino are reflected in Hollywood superstar Clint Eastwood’s latest movie that is named after the car itself – “Gran Torino”. The obscured soul of the character in the movie as a Korean War veteran with bitter memories of death and bloodshed is clearly reflected by the classic Gran Torino that he lovingly preserves in his garage. The movie is releasing in Indian theatres on Friday, March 13, 2009. In the movie, the iron-willed Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski, played by Clint Eastwood, is a widower who is irritable, tough-minded, and an unhappy old man who does not get on well with either his kids or the neighbours. The people he once called his neighbors have all moved or passed away, replaced by the Hmong immigrants that he despises. Resentful of virtually everything he sees - the drooping eaves, overgrown lawns, and the foreign faces surrounding him; the aimless gangs of Hmong, Latino and African American teenagers who all think the neighborhood belongs to them. 
On one gloomy night, his neighbour Thao, a young Hmong teenager, tries to steal Walt’s Ford Gran Torino on being pressured by Hmong gang members to steal it. Even though Walt catches Thao red-handed, he does not turn him in to the police. Instead, he sets upon reforming the young teenager and here begins the actual story that is driving, entertaining, and compelling. Thao’s family shows great respect and concern for Walt and these lead to a rejuvenation of his lost soul. All along he’s believed that he's going to hell for all the people he killed and does not want Thao to throw away his life by joining the gang, getting killed by them, or getting arrested for killing anyone. With his new found friendship, he begins to feel a desire to make a whole new beginning with kindness, friendliness, and generosity. Labels: Cars-and-Hollywood, Classic-Cars, Film-Release, Ford-Gran-Torino
Monday, 9 March 2009
A couple of months ago Maruti Suzuki in association with Autocar announced the Young Drivers Contest. Winner of the contest was to be gifted the scintillating Maruti Suzuki A-Star. The winner, Zubin Antalia, received the keys to the A-Star for his excellent performance and driving skills showcased in the contest. He is a Mumbai resident who has great knowledge and awareness of traffic rules and road safety. Zubin was awarded the car after the national finals held at the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) in the capital. Maruti has many cars in its portfolio, but the A-Star is its latest creation and this competition was an effective way to promote its new car. Maruti has always been associated with road safety and has been actively involved in imparting world class driving training through its authorized driving schools and training centres. This contest was a part of Maruti’s mission to improve road safety and make Indian roads safer. In December 2008, the car manufacturer had introduced a National Road Safety Mission with a burning desire to impart driving training to at least five lakh people across the country in the next three years. Labels: Autocar, Maruti Suzuki, Maruti Suzuki A-star
Brace yourselves! The Audi Q5 is planning to launch in the Indian car market by June 2009. The luxury car manufacturer has taken this strong decision of the new car launch despite the downturn in the market. Though the Audi India stable is already enjoying the success of the Q7, the car manufacturer decided to offer a compact SUV to India for those so inclined. Audi Q5 was launched in Europe in 2008 with four versions but India will initially see only two variants. Similar to the Audi Q7, the Q5 will also offer both petrol (2L TFSI) and diesel (3L TDI) engines. This luxury off-roader will be brought to India as a completely built unit. There is possibility of the Q5 being locally assembled in Audi’s Aurangabad plant, but the company first wants to ensure a good volume of sales or demand before taking up the task of local production. Before the launch of the Audi Q5, Audi enthusiasts will get to see the all new upgraded version of the luxury sedan Audi A6. Labels: Audi-India, Audi-Q5, new car launch
The olds cars still shame the new cars despite the huge disparity in the quality. Though the car market has recently witnessed many new cars equipped with all-new innovative technologies and luxurious features, the old cars are consistently spreading their fragrance in the market. Among the old lot, cars like the Maruti Suzuki Alto, WagonR, Indica, and the Hyundai Santro still remain favourite among the car buyers. Surprisingly, these models are registering wonderful sales and have beaten more than 150 new cars in sales report in the past decade. Though the new cars have created an enthusiasm and curiosity among the buyers initially, they often fail to retain the charm as the old models do. For instance, the new models like the Maruti Zen Estilo, Chevrolet Aveo UV-A, Hyundai Getz, Ford Fusion, Skoda Fabia, and the Fiat Palio have plunged into infancy just in few months of their launch. When the Maruti’s new car models like the Zen Estilo and the A-star are not doing well with their sales, the old models like the Alto, WagonR, and even 800 are still grabbing impressive sales. Hyundai’s flagship model Santro outshines it siblings like the i10 and the i20 in sales performance. Tata’s 10-year old Indica also holds the same fame even after the launch of its new versions, the Indica V2 and the Vista. Labels: New-Car-Launch, Santro, Tata-cars
The Salon International de l’Auto or, more popularly known as, the International Geneva Motor Show was initiated in 1905 and continues to hold the world at awe with its amazing displays of current and future cars and car accessories. The 79th International Geneva Motor Show is being held from March 5th to 15th, 2009, at the Geneva Palexpo. The Geneva Motor Show has always been a lavish affair and this year is no different with Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Pagani, Spyker, Maserati, and Bentley finding their way onto platforms. A special hall christened the Green Pavilion is reserved to display cars and technologies that are developing concepts to go “green”. This 2000 square meter of space is designed and furnished differently from the other halls and also presents a bonus feature of educating drivers to drive their own vehicles in an “econoecological” (eco-friendly) manner. Carazoo was an enthusiastic visitor to the 2009 Geneva Motor Show and came back with loads of photos of some amazing and some stunning and some real out-of-the-world concept cars. Feast your eyes on them below:     For more pictures click here.Labels: Carazoo, Concept-Cars, Geneva-Motor-Show
Friday, 6 March 2009
A powerful sensation drives the car industry when one thinks about two new car launches by the same car manufacturer in a span of just one month. Look back to the month of January when Mahindra launched its powerful Mahindra Xylo. The car was launched with a symphony of brilliant styling, technology, performance, and safety. Further, what enhanced the worth of the car is the revolutionary m-Eagle CRDe engine. Amazingly, till date the Xylo has recorded 9000 bookings and the company is still planning to ramp up production to meet the increasing demand of the car amongst car enthusiasts. The impressive number of Xylo bookings has driven Mahindra & Mahindra to introduce another new car in the Indian car market. It is the refreshed Mahindra Scorpio that is rightly tagged as the ‘Mighty Muscular’ Scorpio. The car is a true reflection of the muscular DNA of Mahindra. The Mighty Muscular Scorpio beholds a strong demeanour that is complemented by a stylish new front grille with a glint of chrome in the middle, gladiator-like wraparound bumpers, striking bonnet with a new hood scoop, easy-to-grip door handles, and electrically-powered outside rear view mirrors. Powerful multi-focal headlights with sunrays reflector smoothen the night driving experience and an embossed Scorpio logo on the side cladding adds drama to the aggressive structure of the car. In the car’s interior, you’ll find a dash of luxuries radiating warmth and elegance. The plush interior cabin is draped with rich fabric upholstery and comes with features such as advanced car audio system, sporty new gear knob, and ergonomically designed seats. The most exciting introduction in the new Scorpio is the revolutionary m-Hawk engine under the bonnet. The Mighty Muscular is driven by a beastly 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine that generates 120 bhp and can make the car accelerate from 0 to 60 km/h in just 5.7 seconds. The new car with its advanced diesel engine and micro-hybrid technology is gentle on the environment and becomes the first car in India with Bharat Stage IV emission compliance. The SUV consumes 7 to 8% less fuel in city conditions compared to the previous m-Hawk BS III engine. It is available in five variants - LX priced at Rs 7.21 Lakh, SLE at Rs 8.2 Lakh, VLX at Rs 9.2 Lakh, VLX BS4 at Rs 9.3 Lakh, and VLX Auto priced at Rs 9.99 Lakh (Ex-showroom New Delhi Price). Labels: 2009-Mahindra-Scorpio, Mahindra-Scorpio, Mahindra-Xylo, Mighty-Muscular-Scorpio, New-Car-Launch
Maruti is preparing its small car ‘Alto’ to compete with the proposed Nano. The car manufacturer is trying to significantly reduce the car price but not in line with the Nano price segment. The Rs 1 Lakh car has become a threat to the Indian car models especially the small cars. Even the used cars are expected to see slow sales after the launch of the Nano, forecasting the catastrophe used car dealers are cutting down the prices of the pre-owned cars. Now Maruti is trying to do the same but not with immediate response. The manufacturer feels at present there is no such need to be afraid of the Nano because right now not many consumers may be able to own the car as Tata will initially produce only limited numbers of the car. But after Nano volume gain critical mass, Maruti will announce a significant mark down in the price of the Alto. A question is still buzzing in the minds of many car enthusiasts. Why Maruti Alto and why not Maruti 800? Maruti 800 is presently the cheapest car in the country and the car manufacturer can easily push down the price of the car in line with the Nano. And overall the new M800 has all advanced and functional features that still retain the significance of Maruti’s iconic car in the car market. The only reason why Maruti800 was not chosen to take over the Nano is the incompatibility of the car’s engine to meet Bharat Stage IV emission norms. Soon all the cars plying on Indian roads have to follow stringent Bharat Stage IV emission norms. And according to Maruti the Alto is the best option as its 800 cc engine can be easily upgraded to meet the proposed emission norms in the country. It’s not easy to predict things at this stage, the exact scenario will only be revealed once the Nano actually makes its entry into the Indian car market. Labels: Maruti-800, Maruti-Suzuki-Alto, Nano
Good news for Accord lovers! New Honda Accord with a 3.5-litre V6 engine is on its way and is expected to be introduced in the Indian car market next week. The new engine will churn out an awesome power of 279 bhp that will mark new milestone in the successful history of the Accord. The new car is likely to carry a price tag of around Rs 25 Lakh. The present generation of the Accord is a complete blend of style, comfort, and elegance. The aggressive looks and striking presence makes the car one of the most commanding sedans on Indian roads. And above all what makes the car a hot choice amongst car buyers is the revolutionary 2.4-litre i-VTEC engine that generates 179 bhp. It’s clear that if a power of 179 bhp has made the Accord a success then the engine delivering a power of 279 bhp will definitely set new benchmarks in its segment. Possibilities are there that the manufacturer may not make modifications in the exterior and the interior as the car already has impeccable and eye-catching structure, style, and beauty. Just a replacement of the engine with a more powerful technology is enough to ignite new excitement in the market. Labels: Honda-Accord, Indian-car-market, New-Car-Launch
The venerable Chevrolet Spark is rejoicing a position that was enjoyed by the legendary Maruti 800 for decades. With over three million models sold globally, the car has tasted great success and acclamation. Spark is a burning torch for General Motor that is gradually spreading its light across the length and breadth of the Indian car market. Even on foreign soils the car is equally gaining momentum. The winning attributes of the Spark that make it popular worldwide are its timeless beauty, brute power, outstanding performance, spacious interior, impressive mileage, and flamboyance character. It is also a great city commuter that can easily navigate through congested city roads. To celebrate the high sales of the car, General Motors has offered car discounts on its range of car models in India. The company offers an attractive discount of Rs 55,000 on the winning Chevrolet Spark, Rs 28,000 on the Tavera, Rs 50,000 on the Aveo, Rs 30,000 on the Aveo U-VA, and Rs 70,000 on the Optra Magnum. The success of Spark in the global car market is a sure sign of its credibility and with this the manufacturer is sure to register higher sales volume in the approaching months. Labels: Cars-Sales, General-Motors, Indian-car-market, Spark
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Volkswagen is ready to reveal its green and fuel efficient Polo BlueMotion concept at the Geneva Motor Show 2009. The car is expected to make its debut in the U.S. market by 2010. Excitingly, the Polo concept is going to enthrall the audiences with its outstanding appeal, green character, and unmatched performance. The presence of the car will compliment this year’s ‘green’ theme of the Geneva Motor Show. The car is powered by a new three-cylinder direct-injection 1.2-liter TDI engine that produces 74 bhp and emits 87 g/km of CO2. The small size of the engine ensures fuel consumption of just 3.3L/100km making the car one of the most economical models in the world. Besides keeping minimum engine size, the company has also equipped the car with latest fuel saving technologies. It also features an advanced engine start/stop system and a regenerative braking system which help to reduce alternator related engine loads. The company has stressed on every minor detail to make it fuel efficient like 10mm reduction in ride height, a modified front end, an aerodynamically optimized underbody, aerodynamic exterior, and 15-inch alloy wheels. Looks like the car is going to break all records in term of mileage and emission and these two characteristics will prop the car to flourish in the market when it will actually witness the commercial launch. Labels: Concept-Car, Fuel-efficient-Car, Volkswagen-cars
With approaching 2009 election, car manufacturers are experiencing a sudden rise in SUV demand. As SUVs are easily driven on rough terrains and carries large number of seating capacity, they are preferred by most of the politicians for their election campaigns and rallies than a sedan or a small car. Now the car manufacturers are following the ‘ant strategy’ storing their food so that they can utilize it at the time of actual need. The car brands like Ford, Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M), and Tata Motors are storing their warehouses with SUVs foreseeing the demand of these vehicles in the forthcoming elections in the country. The Mahindra Scorpio, Ford Endeavour, and the Tata Safari are favourite among the politicians. Earlier, the Tata Sumo and the Toyota Qualis served the Indian politicians a lot during the election campaigns and rallies but now as they are discontinued, other SUVs from different brands have taken over their positions. It seems the elections excitement is not just among the politicians but also among the car manufactures who see this as an opportunity to make profit. Labels: Car-Manufacturers, Mahindra-and-Mahindra, SUV
It’s little surprising to know that the manufacturer ‘Aston Martin’ who is well-known for combining power, beauty and soul on wheels has revealed its new ‘ugliest Car in the World’. The 1980s Aston Martin Lagonda known to be the ugliest cars in the world appears in new avatar at the ongoing Geneva Motor Show. The new Lagonda is far ahead of its old model in ugliness. It now comes with four-seater, 4WD concept car. It is surprising because it has unveiled the car at a time when the car industry is facing a major downturn. Contradictorily, the company has manufactured some of the compellingly beautiful cars in the world like the DBS, DB9, Vanquish and the Vantage. The company feels that the revival of the iconic Lagonda will bring performance luxury in the car market around the world for the model and will further increase the brand reach across the globe. Aston Martin is planning to sell the Lagonda in the international markets like Russia, the Middle East, South America, China, and India. Yes in India too! But it is difficult to say that how many buyers it will grab in the depressed market condition when people are opting for small, cheap, and fuel efficient cars. Atleast not in the cost and style conscious market like India. Labels: Aston-Martin-Cars, Concept-Car, Luxury-Car
Eyeing the success of the Logan, Mahindra-Renault has added a new variant into the car’s portfolio to further increase the sales performance of the car. Named as Logan Edge Connect, the new model is the extension of the Logan Edge with new convenient and attractive features. With the introduction of this new variant, now the total count of Logan variant is 13. The new car sports high-end music system. The high-end version of Logan offers hands-free option but Logan Edge Connect gets an addition and interesting feature of integrated hands free telephony system for the convenience of the driver. It also comes with an advanced Driver Information System (DIS) that easily provide useful data like fuel consumption, average speed, and duration for which fuel is likely to last. The Logan Edge Connect comes within the price range of Rs 5 Lakh to Rs 7 Lakh. Mahindra-Renault is introducing new stuffs to make its Logan more special and competitive. Let’s see how much the new Logan variant aids the joint venture to grab good sales. Labels: Logan, Mahindra-Renault, New-Car-Launch
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Car manufacturers enjoyed a good share of pie when the government announced the 4 per cent cut in CENVAT in December 2008. But despite the reduction in the excise duty, many car manufacturers like Hyundai Motors and Maruti Suzuki increased the prices for its models blaming the rising input costs. Following them, even other car companies like Honda is also likely to hike its car prices of all the models. During the announcement of the excise cut, the revenue department supposedly highlighted the purpose of the reduction that was solely done to benefit car buyers. Initially, the prices were slashed but the car companies in the veil of high input cost hiked the prices again beating the purpose of the cut ordered by the government. Eyeing all this, the government is now in talk with the car companies asking them to pass on the complete benefit of 4 per cent cut in CENVAT to the consumers. It is disappointing that the car manufacturers took away the benefits that were totally entitled for the consumers. Labels: Car-Manufacturers, Car-prices, Honda-Cars
Force India unveils its last car ‘VJM02’ for the 2009 season. The car has given bright shades of orange and green to reflect the Indian connection and team energy. It is embalmed with extra logos. This season Force India cars will use McLaren and Mercedes-Benz engines instead of the Ferrari engine. The VJM02 also gets a McLaren-Mercedes engine, gearbox, and kinetic energy recovery. The team drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil test drive the car during the launch followed by a press conference for sharing their views. Motivated, excited and not to forget the vibrant Vijay Mallya (the team boss) made key changes to the team for this season to boost up the Force India to score regular points in 2009. The team had failed to come into the top eight last year. Let’s hope this year we get to see our Force India team celebrating the victory with a Champaign and a trophy. Labels: Force-India, Mercedes-Benz, New-Car-Launch
Buick Y-Job is a striking and inspirational car designed by a world renowned designer Harley Earl in 1938. This is not only one of the most significant American car designs but is also known to be a signpost for concept cars. The Buick Y-Job is excitingly the world’s first concept car that was created with a desire to test buyers’ reaction to a specific design and style. The car was designed by Earl who was the chief designer of General Motors. Unlike the concept car designed in the modern era, the world’s first concept car was fully functional as it was used by Earl for his personal transportation for several years. The elegant design of the car was complemented by power-operated hidden headlamps, wraparound bumpers, flush door handles, and elegant styling cues. Earl with his Y-Job introduced new trends in design and engineering. And amazingly when the car was first displayed in the 1938 Chicago Auto Show, it attracted mass lovers. Even then the car never went into production but today it is considered to be a historical treasure. This inspirational Buick Y-Job became the vision of concept cars that has actually reshaped the car industry. General Motors used the car as a sales weapon to attract car buyers and the same is now followed by many car manufacturers around the globe. Labels: Car-Manufacturers, Concept-Cars, General-Motors
This year’s Geneva International Motor Show at Geneva Palexpo marks the beginning of spring in Europe with a host of innovations and new car models scintillating the pavilion. The auto show was started in 1905 and since then it’s held every year during March in Geneva. The first and significant auto show of Europea will display about 120 new car models this year that are speculated to make their debut in the global market in a couple of years. The most striking part of this year edition is the green theme that will display a host of ecological and economical models. Infact most of the car manufacturers are set to introduce their unique green concepts to woo reluctant car buyers. It’s amazing to know that it’s the first time in the history of Geneva Motor Show that the show has turned one of its seven exhibition hall just to showcase the eco-friendly cars. Fiat, Renault, and Volkswagen are placing smaller and more economical petrol and diesel engines under the bonnet of their striking car models. General Motors that is presently undergoing a tough crisis is also set to display the electric version of the Ampera sedan. And a new car manufacturer Tesla will unveil an all-electric sports car that can run from 0 – 100 km/h in 4 seconds. Even Bentley has entered green revolution with 461kW and 12 cylinders engineered car driven by both biofuel and petrol. With this exhilarating show round the corner, all car manufacturers are expecting a reverse gear in plunging sales, lay-offs, and plant closures. Labels: Car-Manufacturers, eco-friendly cars, Geneva-Motor-Show
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Dependable and reliability are the two major aspects that car buyers look for while purchasing a car. If these two factors are overlooked or misguided by a car manufacturer, the company loses credibility, brand image, and customers’ confidence. Astonishingly, Mercedes Benz and one of its dealers have been dragged into court for misleading a customer by selling a limited edition of a car under tag of it being the latest model. The customer approached the Merc dealer in February 2003 to buy a C-180 model of Mercedes Benz which is a regular edition. But he was offered with another model of C-180K which was the limited edition. The sales person misinterpreted the customer by hiding the fact of ‘limited edition’ and saying it was a latest model introduced recently in the market. Learning the faulty information given to him, the customer headed to the consumer court and after studying the case the court asked the manufacturer and the dealer to pay a sum of Rs 5 Lakh for the deceptive act. The argument stated that the car had already been used for over 50,000 km by the consumer and this dispute raised by the dealer was overruled by the court saying that it was immaterial. It is transparent from this incidence that we could not depend on dealers blindly for information. So it is better to make a complete market research of a car before stepping into any dealer showroom. Labels: Car-Dealers, Car-Manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz-Cars
The price of the sporty and agile Honda CR-V is set to increase by about 30 per cent in the coming months. The main culprit to blame for this is the devaluation of rupee as major portion of the components is imported from countries like Japan and Thailand. Following the Honda CR-V, other car models from the house of Honda are also likely to witness a jump in prices. The Honda CR-V is chosen first by the company to hike the price because the car is imported to India as a completely built unit (CBU). The company is aware of the fact that it will saddle the customers, but if the prices are not increased, Honda cars will see a major loss in business. Being an icon for style and performance, the dazzling SUV is sold in 160 countries with more than 2.5 million accumulated sales units. It shares a good number in the sales figure of Honda cars in India. Now with the price hike, the car may experience a cold market but it can only be substantiate after the price is actually raised in practicality. Labels: Car-prices, Honda-Cars, Honda-CR-V
The brainchild of Ratan Tata ‘Nano’ that has created a benchmark in the history of global car market due to its super-thrifty engineering and distinctive concept is now set to come in European version. The European Nano will go public for the first time at the ongoing Geneva Auto Show. But will the European Nano be same as the Indian Nano? No we don’t think so. European market has comparatively higher norms when it comes to safety and emissions. And so the European Nano will also be technologically superior with better compliance to emission norms. The car is likely to have certain significant modifications and a comprehensive design change to meet the European standards and conditions. Some of the standard features in the European Nano are car audio system, a left-side wing mirror, air conditioner, and alloy wheels. The introduction of these features along with mandatory safety features will definitely increase the speculated price of the European version. And further to that the shipping cost of the car from Indian facility will add to the cost. Couple of years ago it was hard to digest the incredulous reality of the Nano. But then the fact that good things come in small packages hold true with the Nano. So, now when the Nano is all set to roll out on Indian roads, Tata is making hard attempts to introduce the car in European markets. Nano can prove to be a wakeup call for Europeans as many think that this world’s cheapest car symbolizes purity of mobility. Labels: Car-Market, Nano, Tata-cars
India’s leading SUVs the Tata Sumo and the Safari is gearing up to flavour the American roads. Eyeing the potential of the Latin America SUV market, the company has planned to introduce the cars in the continent. It has a healthy growth rate in the auto segment and has similar norms with regards to safety, emission, and quality. So it won’t be difficult for the company to introduce modified SUVs that may suit the American conditions. Tata will take the cars to America with its existing partner Fiat. It will manufacture and market SUVs in Latin America in collaboration with Fiat. It is also rumoured that the SUVs may manufactured at Fiat’s existing facilities in Cordoba, Argentina. If it happens then the cost of exporting the cars will not add extra pennies into the price tag. Tata is exploring growth opportunities in various international markets for its commercial and passenger vehicles. Tata is also evaluating possibilities to introduce the Nano to the American markets. Sadly, Tata currently is witnessing a severe meltdown due to its quarterly loss. But we feel that the launch of the Nano will definitely revive the company’s business and will bring a better future market for it. Labels: SUV, Tata-cars, Tata-Safari
Monday, 2 March 2009
The perfect combination of beauty and power on wheels ‘Skoda Laura’ is all set to come in a new avatar. Accredited across continents for its stunning looks and advanced technology, the Laura is said to get a facelifted version soon. Excitingly, both the exterior and the interior will get modifications. Revamped front fascia will be seen with a new nose, larger superbly detailed headlamps, a new bumper with restyled fog lamps and restyled grill. The hood will also receive minor changes perfectly matching with the bold profile. The rear gets lighter changes with a slightly redesigned tail lamps and bumper. The alloy wheels with new designs will further add glamour to the car. The plush interior will be adorned with a new four spoke steering wheel, all-new central consoles with green backlighting. The high-end version may get a Multimedia Interface System which comprises the in-car entertainment, GPS Navigation, and mobile phone connectivity– all operable via a single interface. With all these yummy features, the new Laura will definitely cost higher compared to the existing Laura. Labels: New-Car-Launch, Skoda-Cars, Skoda-Laura
The harsh financial meltdown, surging fuel prices, and the distressing market condition have not able to put back car manufactures’ plan to introduce the fuel guzzling premium SUVs into the Indian car market. Instead there is plethora of SUVs awaiting debut in the country. Surprisingly, when the global recession has tremendously spreading melancholies across the globe dragging many big car companies towards bankruptcy, biggies like Audi, Porsche, General Motors, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, and Mercedes Benz are all set to bring SUV fever with their breathtaking premium SUVs in India. Interestingly, at a time of falling car sales SUVs saw a positive growth in sales graph. The SUV segment also witnessed entry of new enthralling car models and variants like Tata Xenon, new variant of Safari Dicor, and Innova CNG. Big, bold, and beautiful cars are the latest trend in the car industry. Premium SUVs with cutting-edge technology, stylish exterior and interior satisfying the needs are getting more popular among the Indian customers. The long list of SUVs from different manufacturers waiting for launch proves their demand in the market. The Toyota Fortuner, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, Audi's Q7, redesigned BMW X5, Audi Q5, upgraded Volvo XC90, and the Range Rover are some of the top awaiting launch in India. Car industry is experiencing a gradual shift of trend from sedan and small cars to SUVs and it seems to get more prominent in the coming time with arrival of more premium SUVs in the country. Labels: BMW-Cars, Indian car market, SUVs
Overwhelmed with the success of Safari, Tata Motors has launched a new variant of the car to deliver its valued customers an assortment of striking features at an attractive price tag. The existing Lx, Ex and Vx variants witnesses the new Gx variant in the car’s portfolio. The Gx variant is placed below the top-end variant Vx with a competitive price tag. The new variant rides in with enhanced bold and rugged appeal of the car as well as with interior refinements. The exterior of the new variant offers a dual tone combination that makes it the first for the Safari range. In the interior, the sport unique leather cum fabric upholstery adds more charm to the warm ambience. Adding to the interior refinement are the reverse guide system that helps the driver while reversing and the antilock brakes with the electronic brakeforce distribution. The indicators on the outer rear view mirrors further give a pleasurable driving experience. This significant feature will soon to be available on other Safari variants as well. The new variant of the leading SUV will be available in both 4x2 and 4x4 versions at a price of Rs 9.95 Lakh (ex showroom Delhi) and Rs 10.87 Lakh, respectively. Labels: New-Car-Launch, Safari-DICOR, SUV, Tata-cars
Now you can expect more from the Innova as Toyota has introduced the CNG powered Innova. Delightfully, the car will now provide more mileage, increased engine oil life, and reduced maintenance costs. Toyota marks a significant milestone in the history of Indian car industry by introducing the first energy efficient multipurpose vehicle in the country. Toyota Innova, since its inception in 2005, has carved its individual niche in the market. CNG being an ecofriendly, reliable, and economic fuel will further increase the popularity of the car. With the CNG kit the driver of the car can switch over from petrol to CNG using a manual switch. All the existing petrol variants of the car are fitted with a 12 kg CNG tank that holds an advanced Lambda control system to meet Euro III emission norms. The running cost of the Innova on CNG is amazingly around Rs 1.6 per kilometer or may be even less than that based on the driving habits and situations. The CNG Innova will gradually become the need of hour with about 50% saving over diesel in running cost and also around 90% less emission. Highly economical and eco-friendly CNG kit adds an extra cost of Rs 85000 to the existing price. But you can rejoice the experience of driving a CNG Innova only if you reside in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Surat, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad. Vadodara and Vijaywada will also witness the launch soon. Presently, the company has plans to introduce the CNG powered Innova only in these 7 cities. But we are sure that the car will do wonders in a short span of time and then the launch of the car will spread across the lengths and breadths of the country. Labels: Innova-CNG, New-Car-Launch, Toyota-Cars
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