Indian Car Blog - Carazoo.com

Guess what? Maruti Suzuki might be riding a high wave with their production output surpassing the parent company itself but that does not stop India’s largest car manufacturing company to stop at it.

Maruti Suzuki has been ruling the roost in the compact segment and it is a known fact that 2 out of every 3 cars sold in India is a Maruti Suzuki. Maruti Suzuki wants to further consolidate their position in the Indian car market and how?

Maruti plans to launch another compact car Cervo in the Indian market by the end of 2010. Though Cervo was seen a replacement for the already successful Maruti cars like Alto and Wagon R, Maruti Suzuki plans to launch the Cervo that will co-exist with the popular other models.

This compact car is a five door car which features a 54 bhp, 1-litre and has a sleek and stylish body and going by Maruti’s pricing standards, they might just price it right. If the rumors are to be believed, Cervo might be priced between 2-3 Lakh. There is not even an ounce of doubt that once Cervo is launched in India with this price tag, it will become the fastest and the most selling model for Maruti Suzuki.

If we have to summarise the Cervo, it looks much similar to the Honda Jazz but with an economical price tag. The fit and finish of the car is praise worthy and has enchanting looks. The interiors of the car resembles a Swift or the SX4 and has loads of space, be it the head room, leg room or the boot space. We hear that the car comes equipped with front semi-bucket seats, 4-speed auto gearbox, a K6A DOHC engine with VVT and bluetooth capability. The car which has already been launched in the Japanese market is quite a hit.

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Ferrari F1 team has gone the Mercedes GP Petronas way. They just launched their 2010 challenger, the F10, and as predicted there seems to be a heavy influence from the RB5.

The F10 has a longer wheel base than last year’s car which improves the car’s weight distribution because of the enlarged fuel tank owing to the refuelling ban. In the aerodynamic details front, the F10’s carries most of specifications from the previous F1 car. This car is believed to have an aggressive double diffuser.

One of the most striking changes is to the nose, which is longer and raised higher in the distinctive style of Red Bull’s 2009 RB5. The onboard camera housings, which every car must be fitted with, have been moved back from the tip of the nose.

The front-on shot reveals slightly smaller air intakes for cooling, which is most likely a consequence of this year’s car on having KERS. Under the skin the radiators are likely to be longer and narrower than last year’s to fit around a larger fuel tank, a compromise other teams will have to make.

There are small turning vanes in front of the sidepods, upon which the rear view mirrors are mounted. The sidepods themselves have a more sculpted aerodynamic shape.

The arrival of Santander means the car has white front and rear wings, as it last did in 2006. Former communications sponsor Alice’s logos are no longer visible on the car.

We here bring in some of the basic technical specifications that Ferrari has given though the information is not very revealing itself.

The F10 has a chassis made up of Carbon-fibre and has a honeycomb composite structure. This car features the Ferrari longitudinal gearbox, Limited-slip differential, seven speed plus reverse semi-automatic sequential electronically controlled gearbox for quick shift, Brembo ventilated carbon-fibre disc brakes, Independent suspension, push-rod activated torsion springs front and rear and has a combined weight of 620 kg. Ferrari F10 features a Type 056 cylinder block in sand cast aluminium engine with eight cylinders which has been placed in a 90 degree V formation.

The drivers lineup include Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso and the reserve driver Giancarlo Fisichella. It should be noted that 37 year old Fisichella who joined Ferrari from Force India last season to stand in for the injured Felipe Massa, had been linked in the media with another move given Renault and new teams US F1 and Campos are still to complete their driver lineups. But Giancarlo Fisichella has made his point clear that he would like to stay with Ferrari F1 team.

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Mercedes GP F1 Team which is also known as the new Silver Arrows Formula One works team recently unveiled its new livery at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.

Nico Rosberg and seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher along with team management Ross Brawn, Nick Fry and Norbert Haug were introduced to guests with a presentation and press conference.

Over 600 guests, including 200 media representatives and 200 Mercedes-Benz employees, visited the Mercedes-Benz Museum, one of the biggest and most famous car museums in the world, to see the launch of the team and the unveiling of the new Silver Arrows livery. Mercedes-Benz employees from the company’s manufacturing plants in Untertürkheim and Sindelfingen, 100 of whom were invited for their outstanding performances and 100 selected through a popular internal draw, also had the opportunity to take their first look at the new MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team.

The event opened with a welcome speech by Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars before Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg unveiled the new Silver Arrows livery for the 2010 season on last year’s car. The team’s 2010 car, the MGP W01, will make its track debut at the first Formula One test in Valencia on Monday 1 February, with the 2010 Formula One season starting in Bahrain on 14 March.

The new silver and green livery creates a true marriage between the heritage of the Silver Arrows and the team’s title partner PETRONAS. The legacy of the Silver Arrows goes back to the 1934 Eifel Race when, on the evening before the event, the white paint was sanded off the Mercedes W25 race car to fulfill weight regulations (750kg formula) and the silver colour of the aluminium surface of the car appeared. This season, with the return of the Silver Arrows, the MGP W01 will shine in silver combined with a flow of iridescent silver and green shading. On the nose and other parts of the car, traces of black carbon fibre visible are visible – a reminder of the first Silver Arrow of 1934.

Seven time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher who will be driving for this team said “Finally the 2010 Formula One season is firing up! I have to say that I am totally committed to this new challenge. This season feels like a re-start for me and I am so motivated. We have a very exciting combination at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS. We have a World Champion team in every sense of the word and I cannot wait to get into the car for the first time in Valencia.”

He also added that he is convinced that MERCEDES GP PETRONAS will be in a very good position to fight for the championships this season and said that he will definitely give it a go. Recounting on the nostalgic feeling he said “driving for Mercedes-Benz again is like the closing of a circle for me as I started my racing driver career with the three-pointed star on my helmet. This is another reason why I cannot wait for the competition to get underway.”

The other driver for Mercedes GP Nico Rosberg during the unveiling of the new livery said “You can really feel the successful motorsport history of Mercedes-Benz here at the Museum in Stuttgart and to be part of the new Silver Arrows team and that racing heritage makes me feel extremely proud and motivated. Since joining the team in November, I have spent a lot of time at the factory in Brackley, at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth and here in Stuttgart, which has given me the opportunity to settle in and get to know everyone. I have seen how hard the team is working on the new car and I really can’t wait for the opportunity to drive it for the first time in Valencia next week. I am looking forward to working with everyone at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS and will give it my all to reward their fantastic efforts with good on-track results this season.”

Ross Brawn, the Team Principal of Mercedes GP and the erstwhile owner of the Brawn GP said it was a privilege to be here at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart for the official presentation of the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team. With your first look around the Museum, you realise the fantastic racing heritage of Mercedes-Benz and we hope to be able to contribute to those successes going forward. Our team has been working extremely hard throughout last year and over the winter on the development of the MGP W01 and everyone at the team is looking forward to the start of testing in Valencia next week. We have two excellent drivers in Nico and Michael, who will form one of the most exciting and one of the best partnerships on the grid, and with the support of Mercedes-Benz, Aabar, our new title partner PETRONAS and all of our team partners, everyone is looking forward to the 2010 Formula One season with anticipation.”

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It seems like all the major car makers in the country are tying up with one or the other banks so that they can sell their wares quite effectively in the country. Bucking this trend is Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd which has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Bank of India to provide auto retail financing to their prospective customers.

The State Bank of India will be one of the preferred financiers for the entire range of vehicles marketed by Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited (TKM) in India.

The agreement was signed by Mr. Sandeep Singh, DMD of Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited (TKM), and Mr. P. Nanda Kumaran, Chief General Manager, State Bank of India Personal Banking Business Unit in Mumbai in the presence of Mr. Anup Banerji, DMD & Group Executive (NBG) of SBI and Mr. H. Nakagawa, Managing Director of TKM. Among those present on the occasion were the officials of both SBI and Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited (TKM).

The MOU aims at targeting high end customers who will be availing car loans from SBI above Rs. 5 lakh onwards. SBI has come out with a special scheme called SBI Advantage Car Loan Scheme for this niche segment.

This scheme is applicable to individuals - Salaried, Professionals, Self employed, Businessmen and Proprietary /Partnership firms, who are income tax assesses and whose income/net profit or gross taxable income is Rs.2.50 lakh and above. This scheme will be implemented in all RACPCs, all PBBs, all District Head Quarter Branches, Project area branches and Branches specially authorised by AGM (Region). Maximum loan amount will be 48 times of NMI or 4 times of NAI.

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The Formula One season of 2010 is around the corner and the 1st month of the New Year almost is a passé. We have seen, heard and read a lot on F1 in the year 2009, the hits and misses, titles and scandals… F1 certainly has been a good thing for the fans in 2009 with Jenson Button finally emerging out in the top as the World’s Drivers Champion after a close fought fight with rivals for this coveted award.

When we thought that 2009 was almost over, came in the news of the King of F1, Michael Schumacher returning back to the grid, no, not in a customary Red Ferrari F1 car but in all whites, the official colour of the newly formed Mercedes GP F1 team and will be driving the Mercedes Silver Arrows F1 car.

There have been many changes in the teams and drivers in the 2010 F1 season when compared to 2009 F1 season. The drivers have changed their loyalties to different F1 teams; some F1 teams have disappeared and have been replaced with newer ones.

We here give you the list of the teams and their respective drivers participating in the 2010 season of F1.

Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will be driving for Team Ferrari F1 this season. Yes Alonso has shifted his loyalties yet again from Renault F1 Team while Massa who was injured in the 2009 F1 season has returned back in the prancing Horse team and will be proving his mettle.

Mercedes who had partnered McLaren and supplied engines for the McLaren Mercedes Team has picked up a major share in the last year’s victorious team Brawn GP to form Mercedes GP where Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher will be doing the driving duties. This is a big year for Schumi as lots of expectations has already started running high on this Seven-time world champion.

Red Bull F1 team which has closely followed Brawn GP last year will be retaining last year’s drivers line up in Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, while McLaren F1 team will have the youngest world drivers champion Lewis Hamilton and last year’s world Drivers Champion Jenson Button performing their driving duties. Sauber F1 team, the remnants of the erstwhile BMW SAUBER F1 Team will have Kobayashi and pedro de la Rosa discharging their driving duties.

Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg will be driving for Williams F1 team this sedason while Force India F1 cars will be chauffeured by Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi. Likewise Sebastian Buemi and Alguersuari will be driving for Team Toro Rosso. Renault F1 which hit a rough patch in 2009 with a string of scandals have for the moment confirmed just Robert Kubica as their driver and they are yet to give heads-up on the other driver.

The new teams apart from Mercedes GP to take part in this year’s Formula One races will be Lotus Malaysia with drivers Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen driving the F1 cars for them. Other teams in the grid will be Virgin Racing driven by Timo Glock and Lucas di Grassi. USF1 will feature Pechito Lopez as their driver while Field Goal F1 team has announced Bruno Senna to be their drivers. These two teams along with Renault are expected to come up with more names pretty soon.

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It has been confirmed that Audi concept car E-Tron has not been damaged in the fire that erupted in the Audi stand at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show on Thursday. The freak fire mishap which happened in the Audi stand saw forceful evacuation of the visitors there. The Auto Show organizers were quick to issue a statement saying that the fire was quickly contained and there were no injuries.

Though the fire was first seen in the Audi stand at the show, Audi spokespersons have said that there had been no damages on the production cars or the E-Tron Concept car that was displayed at the show. They also mentioned that no injuries were reported on Audi’s stand by the visitors or the Auto Show staff. The fire seems to have started above our stand and not on our stand stressed the Audi spokesperson in an emailed message and added that the investigation by the proper authorities was on.

This second version of the E-Tron electric car is described as the “little Brother” of the earlier version of the E-Tron which was displayed in late 2009. The 2010 E-Tron made its formal debut earlier this month at the media kickoff of the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Audi still has to confirm whether or not the second E-Tron is going into production at a later date.

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Just jog down your memory lane and recollect the Hyundai i 10 Electric that was showcased in the 10th Auto Expo which was unveiled by none other than the Badshah of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan. Got it??? Yep, It’s time for us to speak a few thing about it.

This cute car was introduced as a concept model at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and was promised the delivery of the same in late 2010. Well good news guys, Hyundai are sticking to its promise.

More good news around the corner, just keep on reading… This electric car based on the popular i 10 model being currently manufactured and sold in India will be partially built in India. Most the frames and the body parts might have a “Made in India” tag in them when it reaches South Korea where the batteries and the power train will be assembled and installed.

Yes, South Korea is where the Hyundai i 10 electric will be exclusively launched. You read it right, exclusively, as the car will be initially sold to fleets and government agencies, but consumer sales are expected to follow within a year, probably as a 2011 model.

Hyundai i10 electric has a mileage of 100 miles per charge and is equipped with a 49kW motor, 16kWh in batteries, and will be the first purely electric vehicle to come from Hyundai.
Well, the world can further wait for this beauty is still to prove its crash test standards.

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Chevy Beat is in the Indian market and how? After its launch just a day before the commencement of the 10th Auto Expo, Chevy Beat has been the centre of attraction anywhere it is seen.

The parent company General Motors is quite happy about this car which saw its global launch here in India.GM hopes that their Beat breaks into the sales charts of the country as a top grossing model pretty soon.

GM which is contemplating to sell at least 5000 units of the Beat per month is heavily banking on the North Indian sales as the North Indian market alone accounts for about 40 per cent of all small cars sales in India. So it’s quite evident that GM hopes to sell 1,600-1,700 units of the Beat in the North Indian region alone.

The deliveries of the cars would start from January-end or early February. It must be noted that the Chevrolet Beat was put through over a million km of durability tests in extreme weather conditions and crash tests both in India and abroad to prove its utility on Indian roads. The beat has been launched in three variants viz. Beat PS, LS and LT, carrying price tags (ex-showroom) of Rs 3.34 lakh, Rs 3.54 lakh and Rs 3.94 lakh respectively.

Beat will be launched in 170 countries around the world, including Europe, Asia and North America. Besides this, GM also has ambitious plans lined up for India and will soon foray in to the commercial vehicle market in India by launching light vans and pickups in a collaboration with a Chinese automaker.

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Your own earnings may not be enough for buying a costly vehicle like a car. Hence, borrowing the money through a loan becomes part of buying the vehicle for most of the people. While any loan can provide you the finance, but take note that personal car loans are specifically carved out for the purpose, meaning that the lenders are already familiar with your needs and availing of the loan is usually convenient. But you must meet certain conditions.

Before you apply for these loans, ensure that you have checked your credit report after taking out all the copies from the major credit rating agencies. The report has recorded all the payments that you made in the past towards old loans and the lenders will study it for the risks. Hence, report to the agencies about any inaccuracies in the report.

Another aspect of the loan that you should prepare for is the down payment to the lender. The lender will ask you to pay a percentage of the loan in advance in order to sort of secure the loan amount. Hence, start saving money for the down payment. Moreover, the down payment is useful for the borrowers who have a bad or poor credit history, as a sizable payment can extract not only timely but its approval of the loan interest rate may therefore be lowered.

If you want to borrow greater amount for buying a new car, then personal car loans require you to pledge a property like home or even the very car you are going to buy. Its deal papers will be with the lender until you repay the loan completely and you can drive the car. But the loan amount will not exceed the value of the car. Low loan rate of interest is the chief benefit of the secured.

If you are a tenant or non-homeowner, the loan can be availed in the unsecured option, without collateral. But only a smaller amount of up to  £ 25000 is usually approved and interest rate goes little higher.

Repayment of both the secured and unsecured personal car loans ranges up to 5-7 years. Compare different offer of the loan on internet for finding out the loan at competitive rates and at fewer additional charges.

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Mercedes Benz India has done what it has thought is best. They have widened their product portfolio of the popular E-Class model series by introducing two new engines the E 250 V6 and the E 250 CDI (BE). Both variants are introduced in the popular 'Elegance' styling line.

“We have continued the aggressive price position of the New E-Class with the debutante models: the E 250 V6 is priced at Rs. 41.13 Lakhs while the E 250CDI (BE) costs Rs. 39.87 Lakhs Ex-showroom Mumbai. Our endeavor is offer the best value for money to our discerning E-Class customers” commented Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India.

The New E-Class has been a runaway success since its India debut in September 2009. In the last quarter itself, over 450 units of E 350 and E 350 CDI have been sold in top-of-the-line Avantgarde styling.

The New E-Class has also won critical acclaim for its driving dynamics, performance, aggressive looks and environmental compatibility: it has been hailed as the 'Best Premium Luxury Automobile of the year' in India at the NDTV-CAR Awards 2010, CNBC-Overdrive Awards 2010, ET - ZigWheels awards and lastly the UTVi - Autocar Awards 2010. The E-Class also won the 'Green Steering Award' at AutoBild Awards 2010.

For more than 50 years, the saloons in the E-Class and their predecessors have been acknowledged as trendsetters in the arena of luxury, safety and driving dynamics. Continuing this tradition with an unrivalled combination of the latest in technology assistance, the New E 250 V6 and E 250 CDI also safety features the distinctive technologies of the New E-Class like that of the drowsiness detection system, LED daytime lighting, Intelligent Lighting System, Advanced Parking Guidance, etc., that make the E-Class a 'Thinking Partner'.

These features can not only see, feel, and respond to dangers by means of its “reflexes,” but also act independently to prevent accidents or minimize their effects.

In the meanwhile Mercedes Benz India with these two launches expects to post a double-digit sales growth this year.

"We are looking at a double-digit growth this year. We have now a whole range of products that are being launched immediately," said Wilfried Aulbur.

Mercedes-Benz India, fully owned by Daimler, manufactures cars and trucks in India at its Pune facility. The company has drawn-up aggressive growth plans with a huge investment happening in Chennai, Aulbur said, without giving further details.

"We are increasing our engagement with India with Indian suppliers. We are getting additional support in engineering and logistics that we are building up to make sure that we can leverage the advantages of India more aggressively," Aulbur said.

The company has made Rs 250-crore investment in its Pune facility, having capacity of 5,000 vehicles which can go up to 12,000 vehicles.

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The wait is finally over. The “Fair Lady” is here in India to stay. Nissan Motor India has launched its iconic sports car, the Nissan 370Z in India.

Nissan Motor India is the subsidiary company of Japan’s third largest automobile firm Nissan Motor Corporation. Nissan India has entered the league of the sports cars selling companies in India with this launch. Nissan is the third car company to roll out a sports coupe after Audi which rolled out its R8 and BMW which brought in its Z4 roadster.

This sports coupe, Nissan 370Z, a sixth generation car of the Z-series also called as the “Fair Lady” in Japan and other markets where the car is sold has a powerful 7-speed automatic with paddle shifters and 6-speed manual transmission which features the world's first synchronized downshift rev-matching system or SynchroRev Match coupled with a even powerful 3696 cc V6 engine that generates 332 bhp at 700 rpm and a torque of 366 Nm at 5200 rpm.

With its short wheelbase and wide track, the Nissan 370Z hugs the road, while its quick, nimble response, smooth, predictable linearity and precise, reassuring stability make it so easy to handle that you’ll feel as if the car is a part of you, acceding to your desires as naturally as your hands or your eyes.

This car though very diminutive in size weighs well over 3000 lbs. The 370Z sports a front aluminum sub-frame, aluminum-alloy engine cradle, aluminum door panels, an all-aluminum bonnet and an aluminum tailgate.

In the area of safety technology, Nissan pursues innovation as part of its “Safety Shield” concept, an advanced, proactive approach to safety issues based on the idea that cars should help protect people. This approach provides various measures to help the driver and passengers better avoid dangers in ways that are optimized to each of a wide range of circumstances that the vehicle may be in, from “risk has not yet appeared” to “post-crash.”

The company has a plan to unveil four models in India under its fully imported category cars, and is yet to decide on the fourth model. Nissan 370Z gains the credit of capturing the third position in the series of fully imported cars followed by Teana and X-Trail.

The price of the Nissan 370Z with 6-speed manual transmission is around 53 lakhs while the 7-speed automatic transmission costs 54.50 lakhs. Nissan 370Z comes in 8 exciting colours with two interior options.

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Lamborghini, the iconic super car brand from Italy has been doing its homework all right. If we thought Lamborghini was basking in the glory of its Murcielago and Reventon models, than we in for a pleasant surprise. Lamborghini has just come out with its new Jota.

The new Lamborghini Jota will be the official successor for the legendary Murcielago, which is the current top model. We got some spy pics of the Jota being tested on a VAG test track in Scandinavia. This Jota seems to be a perfect super car in the making. The car has done a lot of test laps at high speeds and driven at a low temperature of -25 ° C, which means that the customer can play in the snow with his new toy the Jota.

In size the successor does not differ much from the current model, we'll see larger air intakes along the side. We find a front bumper in the same style as the Lamborghini Estoque. Once more pictures we will emerge a better idea, but as we see now we get an overall innovative design as some it would want.

But don’t expect Lamborghini to stick to the current motors for the Jota as we hear that even though the famous six-liter V12 engine chunk was still on standby, this beast could generate about 700 bhp. Wow, that’s a one bit of a power house for the Jota. The Lamborghini Murcielago SV LP670-4 which currently in the market is powerful but the Lambo engineers see more potential to reaped out of this engine.

The weight reduction is the “in-thing” and almost every car maker is banking on it. The Lamborghini Jota will get a new Aluminium Space Frame which means that the door panels are made of extra light material such as carbon. Swedish specialists Haldex have developed an entirely new system that goes in line with the existing Lamborghini’s all-wheel drive.

Well, don’t expect for the good guys in Lamborghini to launch or unveil the Jota this year as they have already launched the SV LP560-4 and it does not make any sense to mar its sales. But come this 2011, we would have a new Lamborghini to report on in the Lamborghini Jota.

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Hold on for this piece of information. 2011 Porsche Cayenne seems to be in a hurry to come out of the closet.

Just a couple of months before its planned unveiling at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show, this 2011 Porsche Cayenne which shares the ladder-frame with that of the Volkswagen Touareg, has been described in the German press after a private introduction to the German press on Dec 15.

As per the official information that we have gathered from Porsche, 2011 Porsche Cayenne will come in three engine options, a turbocharged, 500 bhp, 4.8 L V8, a 400-hp 4.8-liter V8 and a 300-hp 3.6-liter V6. So what’s new in the 2011 Porsche Cayenne? The 2011 edition Cayenne comes with improved fuel efficient engines and has shed its unwanted flab. Read 10 per cent of the weight reduced compared to the current Cayenne. Diesel and Hybrid versions of the same, though is planned will not make inroads to US of A.

There will be a successor to the recently introduced Cayenne diesel model with a turbocharged, 240-bhp 3.9-liter common-rail diesel seen in the diesel version of the 2010 Audi Q7.

In addition, the Porsche Cayenne will also use the Hybrid power train adopted for the forthcoming Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, which combines an Audi-engineered combination of a supercharged 330-hp 3.0-liter V6 with a 47-hp electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. But Volkswagen has not yet planned any of these to American market.

All the Cayennes will come with an eight-speed automatic transmission while the European models will incorporate the automatic start-stop feature. This 2011 Cayenne will lack the gene it always flaunted proudly; off-roading capacities since the low-speed transfer case will be deleted making the Cayenne a pure-on-road vehicle. Blasphemy, you screech? Yes I understand, we in Carazoo.com are equally shocked.

Well Porsche compensates the absence of off-roadability with its new fuel-efficient engines. Porsche claims to have reduced the fuel-consumption up to 23 per cent in their gasoline-powered engines. Porsche also claims that the new Cayenne Hybrid will achieve 28.7 mpg on the European driving cycle, plus it will meet the European standard for C02 emissions of 200 gm/kilometer, which will significantly reduce its tax burden and thus increase sales.

Porsche seems to have hit the gym to cut out the unnecessary flab it had all these years to get back in shape.
The 2011 Cayenne loses 10 per cent of its current weight with the Cayenne S having shed an impressive 396 pounds to weigh just 4,553 pounds. Even so, Porsche says the Cayenne includes more than 154 pounds of assorted new features.

On which diet did Porsche go to achieve this super figure, you might ask? Well, this dramatic reduction in weight has been achieved through a regime of quick thinking exercises. These exercises include a new production process for the doors that saves 86 pounds, the deletion of the two-speed transfer case and an increased number of aluminum chassis components which shaves a further 146 pounds. This new generation Cayenne also combines a chassis with high-strength steel with aluminium hood, doors and a tailgate.

As with its predecessor, the second-generation Cayenne will be manufactured in a two-stage process that begins at Volkswagen's plant in Bratislava, Slovakia, alongside the Audi Q7 and Volkswagen Touareg and then ends with final assembly at Porsche's factory in Leipzig, Germany.

The first public outing for the 2011 Porsche Cayenne will still be at the Geneva auto show in March. North American sales are planned to begin in May 2010.

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Tata Nano always seems to amaze us in every ways possible. Just fresh after winning the Indian Car of the year (ICOTY) award recently, the Nano has followed its winning ways. This time around Tata Nano has won the prestigious Bloomberg UTV- Autocar Car of the Year award.

The Bloomberg UTV- Autocar Awards 2010 which were presented by HDFC Bank on January 15th 2010 in a glittering ceremony at the Taj Lands End, Mumbai had most of the industry stalwarts attending the show. The special guest for the evening was Formula 1 racing champion Narain Karthikeyan while the chief guest of the function was Minister of State for Road, Transport & Highways Sri. R.P. N. Singh.

Tata Nano has beaten 21 strong contenders by bagging the award. This accolade carries an authority and credibility only the Autocar brand can deliver. Ratan Tata, chairman, Tata Sons, after accepting the award for Tata Nano, said the recognition is for the full team that worked on the car, and the challenge now is to exceed expectations...

The list of categories and their winners were:

Bike Of The Year - Bajaj Pulsar 135 LS
Small Car Of The Year - Tata Nano
Premium Hatchback Of The Year - Maruti Suzuki Ritz
Best Luxury Car - New Mercedes E-class
Luxury SUV Of The Year - Toyota Fortuner
Saloon Car Of The Year - Chevrolet Cruze
Best Variant Of The Year - Skoda Laura
Best Driver's Car - BMW Z4
Technology & Innovation Award - BMW 7 Series
Green Award - Mercedes E-class Blue Efficient
Car Advt Of The Year - Fiat Linea Father & Son Advt
Viewers' Choice Car Of The Year - Toyota Fortuner
Viewers' Choice Bike Of The Year- Bajaj Pulsar 135 LS
Import Bike Of The Year - Honda CB 1000R
Best Design & Styling - Fiat Grande Punto
Best Value For Money Car - Tata Indigo Manza
Manufacturer Of The Year - Maruti Suzuki India

The awards jury consisted of Dilip Chhabria (India’s leading Car Designer), Manwendra Singh (India’s leading Automobile Historian) Hormazd Sorabjee (Editor, Autocar India) Shapur Kotwal (Deputy Editor, Autocar India) Renuka Kirpalani (Editor, Autocar Show), Rajeev Khanna (former Rally Driver) and Naren Kumar (6-times National Champion). Speaking on the awards, Mr. MK Anand, CEO, Bloomberg UTV, said “The Autocar Awards honour unmatched excellence in the automobile industry. The awards are awarded after a meticulous selection procedure by some of the best names in the country.”

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The trucking scene in India certainly seems to have changed a lot as the global biggies starting plying in the Indian truck market since the new millennium. Hitching a ride on this trend is Mahindra and Mahindra, once a hard core utility jeep maker who has entered the now lucrative truck manufacturing business in India to move the new emerging India ahead.

Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd. (MNAL), the commercial vehicle joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) and Navistar Inc. of USA has unveiled the MN 49 and MN 40 trucks for the Indian market at the 10th Auto Expo held in New Delhi.

In 2005, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and International Truck and Engine Corporation, the operating company of Navistar, entered into a JV to manufacture light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles for India as well as export markets. The joint venture is in the process of addressing every segment of the commercial vehicle market from 3.5 tonne GVW to 49 tonne GVW with variants of passenger transport, cargo and specialized load applications. Mahindra Navistar aims to expand its product line over the next two years to emerge as a full range commercial vehicle player.

With this JV, a new chapter has been written in the Indian trucking scenario. Mahindra Navistar’s MN 49 and MN 40 trucks, the 25 tonne and 31 tonne trucks respectively have been designed, developed and tested for Indian roads and usage conditions and are capable of negotiating the toughest terrain. These trucks are made for India and made in India by utilizing the world renowned trucking expertise of Navistar Inc of over 175 years.

These trucks, MN 49 and MN 40 have been developed keeping the unique requirements of the Indian market in mind. They incorporate Navistar’s MaxxForce® engine which has proven itself across the world for its power and fuel efficiency. Their spacious and ergonomic design coupled with a better power to weight ratio and a high load carrying capacity makes them ideal for quick delivery of goods.Mahindra Navistar trucks are powered by the world renowned MaxxForce® 7.2 litre CRDI engine which is also the most modern engine in its class in terms of product configuration as well as components technology for the HCV segment in India. With the 4-valve per cylinder technology, the engine has been designed for better performance, higher power, better fuel efficiency and stricter adherence to emission standards.

The transmission of these mammoth trucks consists of 9 forward syncromesh gears and 1 reverse. Mahindra Navistar trucks are equipped with tilt and telescopic power steering which make driving these beasts a breeze, while the GPS vehicle tracking system allows you to keep abreast of the truck’s progress along its route. Both the MN 49 and MN 40 trucks have been rigorously tested and meet stringent international safety standards. The spacious and ergonomically designed cabin with various sleeper options also makes them suitable for continuous long hauls.

The Mahindra Navistar range of medium and heavy commercial vehicles is being manufactured at M&M's new Greenfield Plant at Chakan, near Pune. The plant, which spans over 700 acres, has been set up with investments of over Rs. 4,000 crore and will produce other M&M products as well.

Mahindra Navistar has put in place an extensive sales and service network to cater to its customers. In addition to the existing network of dealers, MNAL is adding 50 new dealers across the country. Besides this, MNAL will also draw on the vast pool of M&M auto and tractor channel partners to use as an extended network for servicing customers’ needs.

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The world’s cheapest car Tata Nano is now being readied for sale in the US market. The car will be ready for US distribution in about three years.

To meet the emissions and safety standards of US, the Tata Nano is going through modification.
Tata Motors has already made a European version of the Nano that will cost about $8,000 when it debuts in 2011. Hence it can be said that the US version of the Nano is expected to come in a comparable price quotation.

The reasons behind this hefty price tag are the structural changes that needed to be made, the changes required as far as emissions are concerned and additional features for the Western market.

Moreover, the Nano’s two-cylinder, 623cc engine has to be engineered to meet stronger the US pollution standards. Besides, airbags have to be added as a safety feature, the roof needs to be strengthened and the front bumper lengthened to meet US requirements.

The Spartan interior with flat bucket seats, three knobs, a horizontal switch and a steering wheel also have to be changed to comply with US safety standards that limit movement of passengers not wearing seat belts.

If the $8,000 price tag holds true, it would cost far less than the $9,970 Hyundai Accent, currently the car with the lowest base sticker price in the U.S., according to the Edmunds.com automotive website.

It should not be forgotten that the price excludes shipping!

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General Motors has earmarked India as a strategic market. It has introduced the Beat under its Chevrolet brand and has unveiled the e-Spark which will hit Indian roads by October.

Now, the beleaguered car maker is involved in a project involving a new car model that would be built from scratch in India by 2011-12. This car would be developed almost entirely in the country, using the technical expertise and know-how of GM India's design studio in Bangalore.
If rumours have to be believed, then this car is going to be a compact car which will be fuel-efficient and eco-friendly. Moreover, this car is likely to be positioned below the Chevrolet Spark.

General Motors India will also foray into the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segment in the country next year with three LCV variants as part of its joint venture with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC). The company will also start production of petrol engines in the mid-fourth quarter of this year from its powertrain facility in Talegaon. The production of petrol engines would be followed by diesel engines and the company would manufacture 1.6 lakh units in the first phase.

Besides, General Motors India will export newly-launched Beat to markets in Europe and Asia Pacific after a year of production.

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This seems to be a lucky day for us. We have just written a blog on a rare 1925 touring Type 22 Bugatti which was salvaged from Lake Maggiore in Switzerland after 70 long years. Now we have an equally astonishing blog related to Bugatti Veyron.

The black Bugatti Veyron, one of the worlds’s most desired cars and a car that can do a 0-60 mph in mere 2.5 seconds is up for sale. This car is not just any other car but has been previously owned by none other than the 2009 World champion Jenson Button himself. But why is Jenson selling this? Maybe the Veyron feels a bit slow for Benson.

This car has a eight-litre 16 cylinder engine, a top speed of 253mph and only has 1500 miles on the clock. Maybe Jenson was a little too busy concentrating on his F1 winning ways that actually driving it.

Though the ad for this car was posted in the Auto Trader website which read "Two owners, 2nd being a current Formula 1 driver will be authenticated," didn't get too much attention when it was first posted.

But now the "current Formula 1 driver" had been identified as Jenson Button and he has just scooped the F1 title it is thought someone is more likely to come forward with the £899,995 … we only wish it could be us offering £ 5 more than the asking price and take it for £900,000.

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Yes, the headline that you read actually summarizes everything. The rare 1925 touring Type 22 Bugatti, has spent the past 70 years at the bottom of a lake in Switzerland is all set to sell for £80,000.

Alright, but how did this Bugatti find its way to a watery grave you might ask. It’s all thanks to the efforts of an overzealous tax official that in 1936, this beauty was pushed into Lake Maggiore after the owner abandoned it having failed to pay the import tax.

So since 1936, this rare Type 22 Bugatti has sat corroding 160ft below the surface of the water, only being visited by members of a local diving club.

But they have now raised the Bugatti which will go under the hammer at Bonhams( A privately owned auction house)… though looking at the fragile body-work we hope that the new driver doesn’t hit it too hard on roads.

Expert car renovators claim that 20 per cent of the car is still salvageable, half of the chassis and most of the aluminium casings which means that the car can be saved and can be returned to its original splendor.

The car is expected to sell for around £80,000 with all money raised going towards the Damiano Tamagni Foundation which is based in Ascona, Switzerland.

A spokesperson for Bonhams said, "One of the most extraordinary lots ever to be offered at auction, a touring Bugatti which lay at the bottom of a Swiss lake for over seventy years, will also be going under the hammer at Retromobile. The spokesperson also added “The Brescia Bugatti has inevitably suffered some damage during its extensive stay underwater. It could also prove to be a most interesting restoration project."

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Porsche Cayenne has always been a favourite off roader for the headstrong, luxury loving, SUV freaks. But this has been a thing of concern for many green peace and ecological workers around the globe as this gas-guzzling SUV from Porsche though majestic in nature has a tendency of spitting noxious smoke into the nature.

Well, it’s about time that we all come out of trance of the smoke spitting image of Porsche Cayenne circling our heads and come back to reality. Now thanks to a small German company RUF, which specializes in conversions of high-powered sports cars, has built what it calls the first Sports Utility Vehicle(SUV) running purely on zero-emission electric power and based on the Porsche Cayenne. Yes, you read it right. Zero-emission from a Porsche Cayenne.

This Porsche Cayenne called as Stormster is a e-vehicle driven by Siemens electric motor with an output of 270 kW/ 367 hp. With a total weight of 2,670 kg, RUF lists acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in just ten seconds. The top speed is electronically regulated at 150 km/h to give the car a range of 200 kilometers on one charge. How cool is that?

The lithium ion accumulators are supplied by Li-Tec Battery GmbH. Li-Tec is the first manufacturer of lithium ion battery cells in Europe, designed for the automobile industry using ceramic storage technology. Hankook developed the winter tyres for the all wheel drive Stormster which is fitted to RUF classic five-spoke lightweight wheels.

The Stormster made its first public debut at the European Climate Change Conference held in the Danish capital Copenhagen last month. We hope that Volkswagen heeds to this and takes its newly acquired Porsche company to a all-new level by bring out as many e-Cayennes aka Stormsters to the car markets as an answer to the queries of the eco-soldiers.

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Mahindra and Mahindra, one of the leading Indian auto companies is on a high after winning five auto awards.

Mahindra Xylo, India’s first “sedanPlus” vehicle scored a hatrick with three awards from the automotive media. The awards that Mahindra Xylo bagged is the MUV of the Year from NDTV Profit Car and Bike awards, UV (Utility Vehicle) of the Year from CNBC TV 18 Overdrive awards and MPV of the Year from Zigwheels Car and Bike awards.

The recently launched Mahindra Duro Power Scooter was declared the Scooter of the Year by NDTV Profit Car and Bike Awards.

Mahindra’s Micro Hybrid technology also proved a winner when it received the Auto Bild India Golden Steering Wheel for Technology of the Year for its path-breaking FuelSmart system imbibed in the Micro Hybrid Technology.

Mahindra and Mahindra have certainly come out of their utility car builder image it started with, many decades ago and has become a world class car maker in the world. Mahindra and Mahindra has tied up with French based auto maker Renault to produce the Mahindra Renault Logan.

Mahindra have also come up with a plan to develop a brand new SUV platform that will eventually replace its flagship SUV Scorpio in the years to come.

Mahindra recently launched the Mahindra Navistar trucks at the just culminated Auto Expo 2010 held in New Delhi to foray into the Indian and world trucking scene.

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Get a load of this. Rolls Royce has taken 60 orders in November-December 2009 for its newly launched Rolls Royce Ghost in India. How cools is that? India is finally back to its old ways in the global business of buying Rolls Royce cars, punching above its weight. This fact certainly is a nostalgic-feel for the RR marquee.

India is back in track from where it started for RR market. The new breed of Indian business tycoons are following in the footsteps of the pre-war maharajahs in their quest for luxury cars, snapping up the new $600,000 Rolls-Royce Ghost at the fastest rate in the world. The first Ghost will be delivered to a Chennai based realtor next month.

Rolls-Royce, the iconic British carmaker now owned by BMW, is hoping for big things from the Ghost, a “baby” 2.4-tonne luxury sedan that is about 40 per cent cheaper than the company’s flagship Phantom range.

Rolls Royce’s global sales dropped southwards with just 1000 RR Phantoms being sold in 2009 when compared to 1212 in 2008 thanks to the Global recession. But RR is quite optimistic this year and targets selling 2500 units of Phantom and Ghosts this year. The Ghost, was unveiled at the September 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show as the new entry level Roller.

Though Abu Dhabi and Dubai were the top sales outlets for Rolls Royce in 2008, thanks to the global financial crisis, the Middle-East luxury car sales is now cooling off and the new markets for the RR is emerging from the Asia-Pacific particularly from countries like China and India. RR expects to sell over 400 units with China accounting for half of the sales while India, Japan and Australia raking the rest of RR units.

RR though is targeting the global market for its sales, Indian car market will always remain special to the Rolls Royce as the saga of RR in India dates back to 1907 when Maharaja of Gwalior, Madho Rao Scindia , imported the first example of the car to India , just three years after Rolls-Royce was formed.

India, pre-independence though predominantly a British Raj, was a royal mass of land with over 500 princely states in it. Most the maharajas and Royals of these princely states were avid buyers of the brand, customizing them to suit Indian conditions. The Nizam of Hyderabad, for example, had a fleet of 50 Rollers, while the Maharajah of Patiala had 44 in his collection.
But with the coming of Indian independence in 1947, royals and Maharajas were forced to abandon their ostentatious lifestyles and lead a life of austerity for many decades to come. Their Rolls-Royces were garaged or sold to private collectors, such as the industrialist Pranlal Bhogilal, who has a collection of 200-plus vintage cars on his estate near Ahmedabad.

Further financial privation for the royals came in 1971 when then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi abolished the Privy Purse system of payments to them. By this time Rolls Royce had withdrawn from the Indian market and it was not until 2005 that it returned, appointing Navnit Motors in Mumbai as first authorized RR dealer in almost 50 years. Navnit subsequently opened a showroom in Mumbai’s Atria Mall in May 2006, and this was followed by a second Rolls-Royce dealership in India in September 2008, when Select Cars opened a showroom in New Delhi.

Going by the reports of the latest world wealth published by consulting firms Capgemini and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, India had 84,000 US-dollar millionaires at the start of last year, down more than 30 per cent from an estimated 123,000 at the start of 2008, when share markets were at their peak. Of the 84,000, about 1000 Indians are in the “ultra” high net worth category, with assets above US$30 million, while between 50 and 100 are billionaires. India has already become a land of modern new age Maharajas.

While high net worth individual numbers may have receded a little from early 2008, the return of strong economic growth in the second half of 2009 in both India and China points to strong sales ahead for sellers of luxury goods. China’s GDP growth in 2010 is likely to be around 9 to 9.5 per cent, while India should reach 7.5 per cent. That compares with just a 2.2 per cent outlook for the US and 3.5 per cent for the world overall.

This is what makes India a fertile hunting ground for Rolls-Royce and other luxury car purveyors such as Bentley, which is owned by BMW’s rival German maker Volkswagen. Maybach, the Mercedes-Benz luxury model, rounds out the trio of brands at the top catering to the “chairman” segment, where customization is the name of the game. Family crests, cocktail cabinets, special carpet trim and unique colour combinations are among the personal touches most often requested.

In addition to the “chairman” luxury-car segment, there is also strong Indian demand for sports-style “supercars,” where names like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche dominate the market.

Source: The Australian

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Renault will present India the connoisseur of France. The French car maker is all set to drive in the Fluence.

The stylish Fluence will mark Renault’s debut in the luxury car segment. Renault had earlier showcased this awesome luxury car at the 2010 Auto Expo that concluded yesterday.

At present, Renault has only the Logan to offer in India. The Logan is a practical sedan which the French car maker has introduced with its Indian counterpart Mahindra & Mahindra. The Logan is spacious and very efficient, but it is equally dull. This is the main reason why the Mahindra-Renault Logan failed in the Indian car market.

The Fluence will be available in both petrol and diesel engines. It will be pitted against the likes of Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cruze and Honda Civic.

The Fluence is developed by Renault in association with Samsung and sold as the SM3 in Korea. However, the Fluence carries a lot of Renault styling cues. In fact, it looks very similar to the Renault Laguna.

The Renault Fluence is handsomely designed. The sunken headlights look super attractive and the sharp ridge along the bonnet and the wave over the front wheels is unique. Even the taut rear and distinguished taillights are mind-boggling. The Fluence is just not about good looks. It can impart the most impressive ride and manoeuvrability. Its suspension is known for being very refined and silent.

The soon-to-be launched Fluence is fuel efficient and comes with the option of 6-speed manual as well as a Nissan-sourced CVT auto gearbox.

The Fluence is expected in late 2010 for around Rs 10-12 Lakh. But before, Renault launches the upmarket Fluence in India, the car maker has to shed of its impression it has created with the Logan. It has to prove the country that Renault can make great cars and has a great heritage.

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Fiat India has been doing their homework well since their second outing in the Indian Car market. It’s a known fact that the first outing of Fiat was disastrous and left a sour taste in the hearts and minds of Indian people.

This time Fiat has got the equation just right and has come out in the Indian car market like never before. They have launched three trend setting models in India in 2008-09 while they already had their Palio holding ground for them in India while they had left India momentarily.

Fiat India brought out their popular models like hatchback Punto, sedan Linea and premium luxury small car Fiat 500 tying up with Tata Motors. But in order to further explore the Indian car market, Fiat India has come out with new variants of the Linea and Punto at the just culminated Auto Expo 2010. Fiat also unveiled three Punto variants during the Expo named Punto Sports, Punto CNG and Punto Trendz.

Fiat Punto Sports gets its power from the 1.3L Multijet Diesel engine which produced a healthy 90 bhp and has a property of variable geometry turbo charger. The maximum torque produced by this engine is 205 Nm. The Sports edition seems to be a nice concept and is it is the livery that it carries that deserves all attention apart from the engine. Punto Sports is priced at Rs 6.5 lakhs and will be competing against the likes of Maruti Swift and Ritz, Ford Figo, Toyota Etios, Volkswagen polo and Skoda Fabia.

Fiat Punto Trendz is a interesting display in the Fiat stands at the Auto Expo. Fiat Punto Trendz sports a Limited Edition 1.2-L FIRE petrol engine and comes with a CD/FM/MP3 version and it is one of the latest updates which are available from the manufacturer. Fiat Punto Trendz is a limited edition car that might be priced on the higher side and the level of decals attached is absolutely mind-blowing.

Fiat Punto CNG also was displayed at the Auto Expo 2010 in the Fiat stands. It has now become a common amongst the car manufactures to come out with vehicles fitted with flexi-fuel optioned engines. Fiat India to tap this market has come out with their Fiat Punto CNG flexi fuel vehicle. This car can run both in CNG and petrol. Punto CNG uses a 1172 cc FIRE engine with a CNG kit which generates 68 bhp and will be pitted against the Maruti Suzuki WagonR Duo. Fiat India has priced Punto CNG Rs 5 lakh( ex-showroom-Mumbai).

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The 2010 Auto Expo has drawn the curtains on. It attracted nearly two million visitors during its seven days of display. From big machines to concepts to alternative fuel technology vehicles, the auto fair had something for everyone. The 2010 Delhi Auto Expo gave the world the message that the Indian automobile industry is fast on a full recovery mode.

The visit of Shah Rukh Khan to the Hyundai stall to unveil the i10 electric car and stopover of other celebrities to the Expo added icing to the cake. While the Volkswagen Polo, Toyota compact car concepts and Chevrolet Beat managed to pull large crowds, Tata Motors’ Jaguar and Land Rover become the photographers’ delight. The upcoming Tata Aria and luxury concept sedan Prima also fascinated the crowd. The audience appreciated the Audi Sportback and Mercedes Benz SLS AMG.

Other attractions included the Honda small car concept and the Maruti Suzuki Eeco and first indigenously designed concept car from Maruti, the R III. The Skoda Yeti and the BMW X1 too got some cheers. Toyota amazed the crowd with the launch of the Prius and Maruti Suzuki showcased its SX4 hybrid.

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Guess what? The concept of the small car “new small” which Honda had displayed in the Auto Expo 2010 is scheduled to be launched in 2011. If this is news that you think you already knew, check this out.

The small car of Honda’s will have around 80 per cent of its components made in India. Now that’s a news that we bet you might not have heard of right? Honda also expects that the small car that it will produce in India, sell as many as units as its best seller ‘City’ does.

"Our new small car, to be launched in 2011, will have a rate of around 80 per cent in localisation of components," Honda Siel Cars India Director (Marketing) Tatsuya Natsume told reporters during the 10th Auto Expo in New Delhi.

The small car from Honda will be rolled out from the company’s plant in Greater Noida and Honda will take all measures to meet the demands of the customers as soon as the car is launched.

Honda also is looking to increase the use of local components of its existing models in India to around the same percentage. While its City and Jazz cars have around 75 per cent localisation of components, the Civic has 71 per cent and the Accord 28 per cent.

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Hyundai Motor India Ltd has been on a roll ever since the start of the New Year. After its successful outing at the recently culminated Auto Expo 2010, Hyundai has come up with two special initiatives to increase its focus on the customers.

The first initiative in this line is the Road Side Assistance Programe which is aimed at providing emergency road side assistance services round the clock. The program is designed to enhance the customer ownership experience and ensure that customers get immediate and hassle free service in the event of any car breakdown. This initiative of Hyundai will be available as a complimentary service with new vehicles for two years starting February 1, 2010, while existing customers will be offered this option at the best rates.

This 24x7 program covers services such as wheel change, fuel delivery up to 5 litres, arrangement of taxis for the customer, opening the vehicle in the event of a key lock-out, rectifying electrical problems related to the battery and fuse, on-spot repairs for complaints that can be attended to on site and car towing to the nearest workshop in cases of an accident.

Hyundai has tied up with Mondial Assistance; the world leader in Roadside Assistance Services who operate in over 200 cities largely with their company owned fleet of Assistance vehicles, Flat bed tow trucks and trained Technicians for this program.

The second initiative that Hyundai has come up with is the online launch of an i 20 fan club to reach out and connect with all the existing and potential customers of Hyundai i20. This i 20 fan club will be termed as “Uber Trooper” fan club. A special website ‘www.ubertroopers.com’ will be launched soon, which will give i20 fans an opportunity to share their experiences, knowledge and articulate their viewpoints with others.

Hyundai is of the opinion that it is important to demonstrate how well companies understand their customers in today’s challenging environment. These two initiatives reflect Hyundai’s continued dedication to meeting and exceeding each customer’s individual needs and requirements.

There would also be an exhibition of i20 accessories at all Hyundai dealerships through a tie-up with Mobis. All the members will be engaged through interesting schemes, discount offers, contests and a host of other special events.

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What would you have done if you have loads of money with you and you are the boss of Formula One? Try getting in line to buy a car firm of course.

Yes, that’s exactly what Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone is trying to do. He wants to buy the struggling car firm Saab and breathe life into it. In this process Bernie has tied up with the Luxembourg based investment company Genii Capital to launch a takeover bid.

Ever since the Motown meltdown started, GM in a bid to go leaner and meaner has put their Swedish car brand Saab for sale to try to slash the debts that they are in. Saab is a car brand that has been neglected by the GM and Bernie also is echoing in the same sentiment.

Though a clear picture of Bernie’s involvement in the bid process has not been revealed officially, it is said to at around £ 2.3 billion. Whoa, that’s a huge sum you say. Not a problem if you are the F1 boss.

Genii Capital, who are also tied up with Bernie for this bid and who have invested in Renault’s F1 racing team last month in a statement said that they were aggressively working towards a successful closing of the transaction and clinch the car firm.

But the race for Saab is getting better and better with Dutch car firm Spykar, who also have F1 connections running in to get Saab. Spykar had bought the former Jordan and Midland teams to form their own F1 team before selling the team to Force India at the end of 2007 season. Spykar is also trying aggressively to launching their own winning bid for Saab.

Meanwhile General Motors wants to concentrate on their core brands such as Chevrolet and in this regard GM boss Ed Whitacre has made clear his desire to get rid of Saab. He was quoted saying last week “Just show up with money and you can have it”. GM also has threatened to close Saab if their year-long search for potential buyers proves fruitless.

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We have seen a lot of Maruti Suzuki SX4 ply on Indian roads. But what if you see the same SX4 ply on the Indian roads in a new avatar, hatchback…?

Well the hatchback SX4 is not new to the world but is certainly new to India. One of these was displayed in the Auto Expo 2010 held at New Delhi last week.

This was for the first time Maruti Suzuki was showcasing the hatchback version of the popular SX4 in India that too at the Auto Expo. As we said earlier SX4 hatchback is not new to the world as it is the best seller for Suzuki in the European markets. The SX4 hatchback available in Europe has multiple engine options including the 2.0litre, 1.6 litre and 1.5 litre petrol engines.

Here at the Auto Expo 2010, a Prussian Blue Pearl SX4 hatchback which was displayed carried a 2.0 litre engine and has been exclusively imported for display purpose in India’s biggest Auto show. This car is Suzuki Motor Corporation’s urban sport crossover. This car has the right big car attitude, imposing looks and a nimble engine that powers this little SX4.

The mantra of style, space, high driving position, hatchback practicality and fuel economy that the SX4 hatchback carries in it, has made the SX4 hatchback a winner. This little wonder car also has a short turning radius, short gear ratios and a rigid body structure. This hatchback can seat 5 adults with at most comfort. The features that come along with this hatchback are two-wheel-drive (2WD) and an optional All-Wheel-drive (i-AWD) system. The driver can engage the i-AWD system from 2WD at a press of a button without sacrificing the fuel-efficiency. The SX4 hatchback also features the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and a low piston friction in the engine contributes to enhance fuel-efficiency, output and torque.

This little cute car is also loaded with features like that of door-mirror-mounted turn signal lamps and attractively designed aluminium-alloy wheels that add spottiness to the exterior design. Apart from these the other features that this car features is information display that is integrated into the instrument cluster for user-friendliness, a keyless start system for convenience, Onboard ESP for added stability and safety, ABS and EBD and six airbags all for safety. Low noise-cutting measures to promote comfort.

On the exterior the SX4 hatchback has a sophisticated new mesh-type front grille, all-new aluminium-alloy wheels that complement a bold contoured design. 16” inch wheels, high and elegant seat and door-trim upholstery enhances refinement. This hatchback also features a 60:40 split rear seat with single-folding design for passenger convenience and luggage-carrying flexibility and other features.

Lets just keep our fingers crossed to see if Maruti Suzuki makes the SX4 hatch back available here in India with all these features as well.

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Maruti Suzuki India Limited, India’s leading car manufacturer took another leap at the Auto Expo 2010 by showcasing its SX4 Hybrid to conquer the new greener India.

This hybrid concept from Maruti Suzuki is one of the exciting initiatives undertaken by Maruti Suzuki to enhance its Research and Development capabilities and gear itself for the greener technologies. Through this exercise Maruti Suzuki is keen to expand its learning on green technologies that put minimal stress on non-renewable energy.

SX4 Hybrid is a full parallel Hybrid concept with Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) on a sedan platform. The SX4 Hybrid Concept has been developed in-house by a team of Maruti Suzuki Engineers. The team worked under the Government initiated National Propulsion Programme (NHPP) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Sources (MNRE)’s High Energy Density Battery Development Programme.

The SX4 Hybrid concept showcases how eco-friendliness and personal mobility can be attractively packaged together as an exciting product.

This concept car features a full parallel hybrid which means the car can run both on petrol and battery both at the same time. The concept features an electric motor and twin clutch arrangement with advance Lithium-ion battery technology. The SX4 Hybrid concept combines a 1,2 litre petrol engine and a 50 kW (67 bhp) electric motor along with 5-speed Automated Manual Transmission to provide high fuel efficiency with lower emissions. The SX4 Hybrid is also capable of running solely on its electric motor, offering a further boost to fuel efficiency and zero emission modes in city driving.

In line with the ambitious NHPP and MNRE programme outline, Maruti Suzuki will demonstrate a fleet of SX4 Hybrid for the Commonwealth Fames to be held in October 2010, with intent to showcase the hybrid vehicle technology efforts of Maruti Suzuki.

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The cars that we have seen from Renault until date in India seems to very much in contrast from what the French car maker decided to show at the Auto Expo 2010 held in New Delhi.
Renault, which trying to gain the foothold of the Indian car market with its JV with Mahindra and Mahindra to produce the Logan here in India showed the stunned visitors what it had in its kitty other than the drab looking Logan. Renault displayed the models which it will be launching in India some time in 2010-2011.

The Renault pavilion at the Delhi Auto Expo was abuzz with activity. They showcased cars like the Renault Fluence, legendary Megane, Laguna, Koleos, eco-car Twizy and Formula One car. Need we say more?

Lets talk about Fluence. This is the car which is yet to be launched in India, but this car will mark Renault’s independent entry to the sedan segment in India. This car should make the likes of Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and the Skoda Laura worry for their position here in India for the sheer presence of flowing design and classy looks of the car. The company though did not specify the engine options it would come with or the price.

The other car which attracted a lot of eyeballs towards it was the unique copper red coloured Renault Megane. The interiors of this Megane looked stunning with interiors dine in grey though it carried a simpler tone. This car will be the second offering to India after its entry level sedan Renault Logan.

Renault Laguna was also a hit amongst the visitors to the Renault pavilion. This car carried class from bumper to bumper. This premium sedan could be imported to India via CBU kits. This car competes with Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and VW Passat in the international markets. We hope that the competition is also stretched to the Indian shores.

Other car from Renault that stunned the onlookers was the Koleos which was shining in dark black. This SUV will soon make inroads to the Indian car market to take on other counterparts in the SUV segment.

Also in display was Renault’s eco-friendly Twizy Z.E concept which left the visitors awestruck. This unique looking car was undoubtedly a star of the Renault Pavilion.

But the main attraction in the Renault stand was the 2009 Formula One car and the V6 Megane sports car. The F1 fans were in for a treat when the R8 F1 2009 car that was raced by Nelson Piquet junior was kept as a part of display.

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Guess what? In a classic case of role reversal when the Americans are shunning their big, large SUVs in favour of smaller fuel-efficient cars after the global recession, Indians are vouching for these gas-guzzlers.

Owning an SUV in India always was a status-symbol and now with the just concluded Auto Expo 2010 at New Delhi, it has become evident that both the car makers and Indians are paving way for the SUV genre to take hold of India.

The fact that leading car makers of the world are launching their SUV’s in India just boosts the claim. Global biggies like BMW, Audi, Land Rover, Toyota, Skoda, Volvo and Volkswagen are launching over half-a-dozen SUV’s in the next six months. How does that sound. Raid of the SUVs? India’s potential as a growing car market is unrivalled and these auto makers are just cashing in the trend with their pricey SUVs.

Take a look at these stats. Indian automobile industry for the month of Dec 2009 has posted a whopping 68 per cent growth in sales at 10.05 lakh units, while the passenger car sales grew 40.27 per cent at 115,268 units.

Posting a straight ninth month growth trend in a row, the northwards movement has seen similar activity in the Sports Utility Vehicles or the SUVs market both at the manufacturer as well as the consumer level. SUV market, the once niche segment contributing just 15 per cent of total vehicle sales in India is threatening to blow over the top and become a major contributor to the passenger car market.

In a way to enter this niche segment in India, car makers are planning to manufacture most of the new products locally to reduce cost, rather than relying on imports as they have done in the past.

German car maker, BMW has launched its flagship SUV model X6M with a price tag of Rs 1.3 crore (ex-showroom Delhi) and has drawn big plans to capture market share in the segment. BMW has brought its entire SUV portfolio at the Auto Show speculating that SUVs soon will become the next big thing in the Indian car market. With BMW’s compact SUV X1 hitting the Indian market soon, BMW hopes that its vehicle sales in India will double from the now 15 per cent later this year. The company will start assembling the X1, priced more competitively at around Rs 25 lakh making it the cheapest SUV from BMW, at its Chennai plant in the next few months.

Compatriot Audi India also has the same story to tell. Audi has reported 58 per cent rise in SUV sales in 2009 and would commence local production of its compact SUV Q5 soon. It will also bring its most powerful SUV, the V8 4.2 Litre Q7, in limited numbers.

SkodaAuto India which unveiled its Skoda Yeti SUV at the Auto Expo 2010 held in New Delhi is also upbeat on Yeti’s sales in India. SkodaAuto will locally produce the Yeti with all top-end luxury features to sell the Yeti at a highly competitive price. Skoda Yeti might roll out from the Aurangabad plant.

Volkswagen also has been weaving a similar story. VW has brought its flagship Toureg SUV into India at the price of Rs 60 lakh and has planned to bring in its smaller Tiguan SUV also.

Toyota, the Japanese player in the Indian market with its Indian subsidiary Toyota Kirloskar Motor also sensing the demand for SUV’s in India launched its Fortuner which has a six-month waiting period due to an unanticipated rush for bookings and the new Land Cruiser Prado diesel to appeal the diesel-crazed Indian luxury SUV customers.

The Korean car maker Hyundai Motor India on the other hand is also getting ready to bring in the Santa FE by mid-2010. The Santa FE is a crossover SUV based on the Sonata platform and is expected to take on the Chevrolet Captiva, Honda CR-V and the Nissan X-Trail.

If you think only global biggies are eying this niche SUV segment, don’t be fooled. Even Indian car makers like Mahindra and Mahindra and Tata Motors also have been doing their homework. The SUV market from Indian companies like M&M and Tata Motors, grew 21 per cent to 1.04 lakh units in April-December 2009 over the year-ago period. These home-grown giants are trying hard to cater to the growing SUV market by bringing in their SUV models.

Tata Motors which recently unveiled its Tata Aria is slated for release in Feb 2010 while Mahindra and Mahindra is also gearing to roll out its premium SUV which will be positioned above Scorpio and will be built on a all-new platform with a different design, architecture and specifications. Another Indian company ICML also is planning to bring in their SUV which will debut in first part of 2010.

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What if the biggies like Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen and others are hankering for a bigger chunk of the Indian small car markert. Our desi bred Maruti Suzuki India is not a least bit concerned with their onslaught of new models as India’s largest car maker has repositioned its strategy by planning to bring in refreshed variants of its best-selling cars Alto, WagonR and Swift.

What’s new you may ask? These models will be here in India with a much cheaper price tag. How cool is that? Now that’s what we call as competition. In an industry first, Maruti Suzuki India who makes every second car sold in India, is going against the industry practice of launching new variants at higher prices.

Maruti has always come out with great moves and this move of the Indian car biggie comes in line with the company’s CEO S Nakanishi’s view that 2010 will be the toughest year for Maruti. If you can remember Mr. Nakanishi had earlier said “We have to gain volumes to protect our market share with global car makers entering the compact car segment.”

The new variant of Alto which is slated for launch in three months from now, will be much cheaper than the cheapest variant of Alto which is currently available in India. This move was widely speculated as Maruti always wanted to take on the Tata Nano with the M-800 but M-800 will not be sold in the 11 cities that will adopt Bharat-IV emission norms. The new variant of Alto might be priced at sub-Rs 3 lakh which is sure to garner the magic numbers Maruti wanted to garner from its new variant.

Likewise, Maruti also is re-designing its existing products in its portfolio like that of Zen Estilo which will be cheaper by Rs 50,000 than the outgoing model. Similarly the newly launched Maruti Suzuki Eeco, the new multi-purpose vehicle is priced at Rs 2.59 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi) which is almost a lakh cheaper than the outgoing Versa.

In the same way Maruti is also bringing in its new Swift petrol with a 1.2 litre KB series engine against the existing 1.3 litre engine in the first half of 2010. This model could be priced Rs 35,000 less than the existing model. Maruti Suzuki also has a catch here. All cars in India with 1.2 litre petrol engine and under 4-metre of length attract 8 per cent excise duty compared with 20 per cent for larger vehicles. Maruti Suzuki is expected to pass on the excise benefit to customers.

Maruti is refurbishing its entire portfolio as per the international norm of revamping cars every three years. Most of its cars have attained that cycle of change. Moreover, these models have older engines that will be replaced to meet the new emission norms applicable from April.

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The All-New Jaguar XJ, was launched at the Auto Expo 2010 held in New Delhi. Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata sons and Tata Motors unveiled this beast at the Expo.

The all-new Jaguar XJ brings a daring new spirit to automotive luxury, with a mix of striking design, breathtaking performance and engineering. The car was premiered worldwide in London in July 2009, and deliveries across the world are beginning this year. Bookings for India too have opened, and deliveries will begin from June 2010.

Speaking upon the occasion, Mr. Tata said, “The operation of Tata, Jaguar as well as Land Rover vehicles is deputy of the record base, as well as the citation the brands have been receiving in posterior marketplace opportunities. The Company is focused upon assembly the full operation of patron needs whilst being unwavering of the environment.”

The All-New Jaguar XJ reflects a vision that defies preconceptions and transforms the idea of luxury. It is a blend of stunning design, intuitive technology and intuitive thinking. A contemporary luxury car that is beautiful, exhilarating and sustainable. Jaguars are renowned for their elegant sporting lines and the all new XJ, with its fluid, contemporary style, is the boldest interpretation yet of Design Director Ian Callum’s vision for Jaguar in the 21st century.

A panoramic glass roof is an integral part of the all new XJ’s design concept, enabling the car to have a lower, more streamlined roofline, while dramatically enhancing the feeling of light and space inside. The long wheelbase offers a sumptuous and refined environment for rear seat passengers with an additional 125mm of legroom. The all new XJ cabin blends elegant, contemporary design with the comfort, luxury and unmistakable sporting style of a Jaguar.

Inside the car, in addition to the traditional leather-and-wood sumptuousness, there’s a dual view 12.3-inch high-definition Virtual Instruments console and an 8-inch touch-screen that can project DVD movies or television programmes to the passenger, while the driver views vehicle functions or follows satellite navigation. Sound options include a 1200W Bowers & Wilkins system, which is comparable in audio quality to the best in-home entertainment. Options include hard drive-based audio and navigation systems, and comprehensive connectivity for portable audio and video devices via the powerful Media Hub.

The all new XJ’s beauty is more than just skin deep: it is constructed using Jaguar’s aerospace-inspired aluminium body technology, which makes the XJ lighter than its rivals. These technologies significantly improve performance, handling and economy while delivering increased strength, refinement and safety.

The new Jaguar XJ is available in standard and long-wheelbase versions, with a choice of 3.0-litre V6 diesel, 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 petrol and 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engines. All engines are mated to a shift-by-wire six-speed automatic transmission that also allows the driver to shift gears manually (without using a clutch) via steering wheel-mounted paddles. Of course, the car comes with a long list of high-tech bits like air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics (continuously variable damping), Active Differential Control, LED taillights and a host of others.

The XJ is available to order now (dependent on market), with the first customers due to receive their cars in early 2010. Prices for the new XJ range start at £52,500 (Rs 42 lakh).
Tata Motors owned Jaguar now has luxury sedans Jaguar XF, XFR and Jaguar XKR coupe and convertible in its portfolio that are being currently sold in India.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor announced the expansion of ‘Toyota U Trust’ today. ‘Toyota U Trust’ was set to facilitate sales, purchase and exchange of Toyota and non-Toyota cars.

‘Toyota U Trust’ aims to offer potential customers an opportunity to exchange their old cars of any make for a brand new Toyota, allowing them an opportunity to upgrade. It will also cater to customers who want to exchange their cars for competitively priced used Toyota cars. Customers will also be provided with a wide range of value added services, including finance options at the ‘Toyota U Trust’ outlets.

‘Toyota U Trust’ was launched in Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai, as a pilot project in 2007-08, and has received an encouraging response ever since.

Customers are eligible to obtain certification for the Toyota vehicles they purchase through ‘Toyota U Trust’, which are eligible for warranty as well. The special warranty booklet for certified Toyota cars will come with a warranty up to 1 year/15,000 km. In addition to this, the cars can get up to three labour free services at Toyota dealerships. Warranty is provided on the engine and gearbox/driveline of all certified Toyota cars, across the country at all Toyota dealerships.

Speaking during the launch of ‘Toyota U Trust’, Mr. Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said “The used car market in India is almost as big and important as the new car market. Toyota U Trust aims at encouraging the sales of our new compact car – Etios, enhancing dealer profitability, and increasing the residual value of Toyota vehicles, which will in turn help increase the new car sales. We wish to heighten the customer experience and ensure transparency while all customers are treated at par with new car customer. We will cover 20 outlets in 15 cities by the end of 2010”.

The U Trust website has been launched to facilitate registration, test drive booking, vehicle booking and easy access to information on vehicle history and stock availability etc.

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Maruti Suzuki’s pavilion was for sure a favourite pit stop for many visitors who came to the 10th Auto Expo held at New Delhi.
The reason behind this was that the country’s largest car manufacturer has lined up an array of cars at the pavilion. There were concept cars, cars for the mass and then the once car which everybody wanted to see it in their own eyes. The Suzuki Kizashi.


Maruti Suzuki has been a master of the small car segment on India since long now and they are very happy and proud about it. But Maruti is still to conquer the bastion of luxury cars and premium cars in India. They have not met with much success in their previous outing with the Baleno. But then Maruti Suzuki re-charted their strategy to bring in the SX4 as a replacement for the Maruti Suzuki Baleno which met with moderate success.

The company also bought in the sedan version of the popular Maruti Suzuki Swift called the DZire and went on to be the market leaders in that segment. Now Maruti Suzuki wanted to ply in the segment where the big players of the automotive world in India play, the D-Segment. Keeping the D-segment as a strategic entry point for its luxury models in India, Maruti Suzuki conceived a car which the world would WOW at. So along came the Kizashi.

Kizashi in Japanese means “A sign of great things to come” and true to the name the Kizashi is a new synonym for Sportiness and elegance. This car is a combination of Japanese quality and European style flair. Suzuki Kizashi is the sixth World Strategic model from the Suzuki Motor Corporation’s stable. Suzuki bills this car as the new stimulant for D-segment choice with engaged driving and lifestyle enjoyment.

There were two Suzuki Kizashi adorning the Maruti Suzuki pavilion at the Auto Expo. The first Kizashi was draped in Snow White Pearl colour body paint while the second Kizashi wore Star Silver Metallic body clothing. Suzuki Kizashi is powered by a 2.4 litre VVT petrol engine coupled with a six-speed manual transmission and equipped with Continuously Variable Transmission which delivers a huge peak power output of 131 kw @6,500 rpm. The cars showcased at the Expo had a 2-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive options as well.

Design Concept of Kizashi

The design concept of the Kizashi that was envisioned by the designers was that of a dynamic athlete in motion. And therefore the designers had to keep three points in mind and those were
• A body honed through daily training for victory.
• Consistent great emotional strength and willpower for tackling
New challenges
• Powerful presence of a winner.
As the designers started working on these three points to churn out a car that could be a clear winner they also came up with Suzuki design philosophy characterized by expressions of solidarity, stability, quality, and thematic clarity.

Styling, Comfort, and Convenience

Suzuki Kizashi has a bold and aggressive styling that imbibes the Japanese craftsmanship and European-style design. This car is tailor made for driving enthusiasts and is complemented by 18’’ aluminium wheels. The styling is contemporary which communicates both sophistication and performance.

The cabin reflects Suzuki’s expertise in space efficiency in proportions that optimize roominess and comfort by extracting maximum benefit from the space afforded by the D-segment dimensions. This certainly was a task that Suzuki Motor Corporation did with precision though this was the first attempt of Suzuki to dabble in the D-Segment car building.

The interior design is upscale which falls in line with Kizashi’s performance characteristics. Driving enthusiast certainly will appreciate the sporty, chic instrument panel, and customers seeking luxury will be pleased with appointments that include high-quality upholstery and an automatic air conditioner with independent left and right controls.

The luggage bay is also not compromised with Kizashi’s optimal proportions. The immense boot, offers huge space for all the bags for a long holiday drive with the family.

Performance and Handling

Suzuki Kizashi has an exceptionally rigid steel uni-body and reinforced Macpherson-strut front suspension and multilink rear suspension that afford a crisp and nimble handling with excellent stability and low chassis vibration. This technologically brilliant car is engineered to accommodate all-wheel-drive. Customers can choose a newly developed i-AWD system that evokes driving enthusiasm while promoting control. Kizashi’s braking is also a state-of-the-art with all-round disk brakes that include 16’’ ventilated front discs that deliver confidence-inspiring stopping power.

Suzuki Kizashi is a product of constant testing and tuning conducted in diverse conditions around the world. Kizashi was tested in extreme conditions like coldest Minnesota and hot-weather Death-valley in North America. The handling of the car was tested in challenging country roads of United Kingdom and on autobahns and the Nurburgring in Germany. The i-AWD system of the Kizashi was tested and tuned in New Zealand.

The superior body rigidity and suspension efficiency of the Kizashi is just marvelous as the noise and vibrations are extremely low thanks to the optimized aerodynamic efficiency.

Safety in the Kizashi

Suzuki Kizashi sports an outstanding range of safety technologies to ensure high levels of driver confidence and control. The standard Active-safety equipment in the Kizashi includes an anti-lock braking system, electronic braking-force distribution, and an ESP with traction control that heightens driver confidence by promoting stability during cornering maneuvers, acceleration, and emergency maneuvers and on slippery roads.

Passive-safety features include a light, energy-absorbing body in which structures that absorb and disperse impact energy are combined with a deformation-resisting cabin in line with Suzuki’s proprietary Total Effective Control Technology (TECT) concept. The front seatbelts have pre-tensioners and force limiters. Suzuki Kizashi also features six to eight airbags, depending on market needs for further protection.
Maruti Suzuki has made no official announcement of the pricing of Suzuki Kizashi, but it is expected to be in the range of Rs. 10 Lakhs to Rs. 13 Lakhs based on the options. It is going to be a good competition for Honda Civic , Toyota Corolla , Skoda Octavia and Chevrolet Cruze.

No doubt, Maruti Suzuki India right now has a product it always wanted to serve as a launch pad for the D-Segment in India. With the Suzuki Kizashi, Maruti Suzuki has a clear winner in their hands.

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Tata Motors which showcased its full-scale product portfolio at the Auto Expo with 37 vehicles from the Tata, Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Amongst the Tata cars that were displayed, three new Tata cars certainly turned more than a few heads towards it. Tata Aria, the Tata Venture and the Tata Magic Iris were all jointly posing for the flashbulbs of the cameras. Jaguar XJ which was launched also stole the thunder away when it was launched by Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors.

But there was a special someone who was certainly being noticed, The Tata Indica Vista Sport.

It seemed that the plain looking Indica Vista had gate crashed at the 10th Auto Expo held in New Delhi wearing royal garbs. This car, Tata Indica Vista Sport, a concept, which was draped in the youthful Alphanso Orange body colour, contrasted with a dark shaded roof, highlights the car's sportiness, matched with ebony black interiors and black leather seats.

The flared wheel arch trims and accentuated fog lamp slots surely exuded oodles of power. The carefully contoured bonnet flares and the black treatment on the Vista's distinctive petal-shaped headlamps assert its feline poise, made complete with a trendy aerofoil rear roof spoiler.

This car looked every bit a stunner at every angle. We hope Tata Motors makes this concept a reality to see that its sales charts go skywards. Tata Motors with this car has an ubersexual in their hands, Price it right and market it right and Tata Motors could have a fan following for this little aggressive cutie-pie.

What actually livened the Tata Motors pavilion was the two Nanos LX models which were kept on display. This was Tata Motors’ demonstration of the Tata Nano’s adaptability to customer desired look and personality. The first car a Cocktail Red body painted Nano looked very much feminine with attractive floral patterns on the doors and bonnet. This car unmistakably was for wooing women customers as the interiors of this car also replicated the outer stance of the car with floral pattern designs fitted with start-stop feature.

The second Nano was specially conceived for masculine gender as the Nano was painted in Wild Lime colour to soothe the male sensibilities added with leather seats and door pads. Both the Nanos are air-conditioned and equipped with electronic trip meter, music system, mobile charger point, central locking, tinted glasses, front power windows and fog lamps.

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Mahindra and Mahindra gladdened by the success of its Scorpio has made elaborate plans to develop a brand new SUV platform that will eventually replace its flagship SUV Scorpio.

Mahindra has hit the right pedal in this step and will invest close to Rs 700 crore in this ambitious project. This SUV might be Mahindra’s attempt to go global and target the international markets such as U.S, European countries and the Middle East. Mahindra has been eying for a international product ever since the inception of its now flagship product the Mahindra Scorpio.

Pawan Goenka, President, Mahindra and Mahindra was stated saying that “We are developing a new SUV platform, which will replace Scorpio. This platform will be compatible with the markets abroad and will be exported from India. We are looking at investing around Rs 600 crore-Rs 700 crore in the project.”

This new SUV will be manufactured at the company’s Chakan plant in Maharashtra and will be positioned at a higher segment than the flagship Scorpio. The investment in the new SUV platform development is the part of Mahindra and Mahindra’s $ 1 billion capex plans, which includes half a billion investment on the chakan plant alone.

The Chakan plant will also produce the Maxximo mini truck which was unveiled on Tuesday at the 10th Auto Expo. Mahindra Maxximo will be pitted against the Tata Ace, which is currently the market leader in its class. Mahindra has invested close to Rs 350 crore in developing the Maxximo mini truck which is powered by a2-cylinder CRDe engine. Mahindra hopes to sell 10,000-20,000 units in the light truck market in India.

The company had showcased the cargo version of the Maxximo but a pick-up version on the same platform is also under development. A battery-operated version of the Mahindra Maxximo was also showcased at the Auto Expo.

The company plans to introduce the compact pickups from its stable in the US market by the first quarter of 2010 and the mini trucks will be built on the Scorpio platform with a modified engine.

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General Motors India showcased its electric car e-Spark in The Delhi Auto Show 2010. The E-Spark has been manufactured by GM India in technical collaboration with REVA, pioneers in the electric car domain. This is in line with GM India and REVA`s commitment to introduce environment friendly mobility solutions in the country.

The electric version of Chevy’s small car in India, the Spark, e-Spark is GM India`s bold move into the Battery Electric Vehicle segment and will be India`s first 4-door Passenger Electric Vehicle. The e-Spark will be one of the leading platforms of GM in India in its `Drive to Green` initiative.

Karl Sylm, president and managing director, GM India in the occasion of unveiling of the e-Spark said “GM’s ability to develop platforms and REVA’s capability in developing electric drive-trains and control systems will result in the consumer having a wider choice of EVs. We hope Central and State government will extend t he necessary support to develop the necessary infrastructure for electric vehicle charging and providing specific financial benefits to consumers, who make the choice to adopt an environment-friendly mode of personal transport. We look forward to the support of the Honorable Chief Minister of Delhi in our Drive to Green initiative.”

The e-Spark will come equipped with remote diagnostics system that will allow Service Engineers to monitor each car remotely for vital parameters and customers can be informed in advance if the need arises. This will minimize vehicle downtime and allow for advance readiness for vehicle servicing prior to arrival at service stations.

This is a path breaking initiative that has the ability to re-define how automotive companies in India working in partnership plan for future mobility solutions keeping the carbon footprints and environmental issues in mind. The e-Spark will be one of the leading platforms of GM in India in its `Drive to Green` initiative. E-Spark might be priced around 7-8 Lakhs when launched in India in about a couple of months.

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Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest car maker today launched its much talked model Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) Eeco at the Delhi Auto Expo. An electric version of the vehicle also was displayed at the show.

The shocking factor with the launch of this MPV is its price. Hold your breath guys… Rs 2.59 lakhs (Ex Showroom Delhi). Though this is the introductory price, it certainly looks captivating. Eeco was particularly designed for India keeping the Indian roads in mind.

Shinzo Nakanishi, CEO and MD of Maruti Suzuki India had every reason to cheer about this launch. He said that the "Maruti Suzuki engineers have specially developed the Eeco, its new powerful engine and a new transmission system to meet the diverse consumer aspirations that look for a vehicle that fit a large family and at the same time provides flexibility for dual use."

Maruti Suzuki Eeco Focus on ‘A Big Car’ with space and comfort for family,BS-IV compliant, Superior functionality and drivability,Superior, in-house developed 1200 cc petrol engine with 73 bhp power,Flexi-seating with 5 and 7 seater options ,First-time ever DSA transmission Roomy interiors,Petrol Fuel efficiency 15.1 kmpl, Sliding doors add to ease entry and exit, Beige and grey dual-tone interiors,It offers Air-conditioning High ground clearance and ELV compliant.

The Maruti Suzuki Eeco is a five-door, C segment vehicle, which has been specifically designed for India by the auto-major. Eeco comes with a new, powerful and highly fuel efficient 1200 cc engine. This new engine delivers 73 bhp of raw power @6000rpm, a high torque of 101Nm@3000rpm specifically designed to meet the Indian driving conditions.

Maruti Suzuki is hoping to sell 40,000 units initially annually. Indian customers' unmatched sensitivity to pricing has meant the market has been dominated for nearly 30 years by Maruti Suzuki, which sells one of every two cars on Indian roads.

The Maruti Eeco will replace the flop Versa model in the market. The car will be capable of carrying five to seven people. With this, Maruti Suzuki also is hoping to create a new segment in India.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motors, the subsidiary of Japan’s Toyota Motor Corporation unveiled the third generation Prius in India at the Auto Expo 2010 today.

Prius which means ‘to go before’ in Latin stands true to its name. Toyota Priusis the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle since 1997 and has received world-wide acclaim. Toyota Prius is also the most successful hybrid in the world with cumulative sales of nearly 1.5 million.

Mr. Sandeep Singh, the DMD of Marketing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor during the unveiling of Prius said through the launch of the Prius, Toyota is keen to demonstrate its commitment to offer the latest eco-friendly automotive technology to its customers in India. He also added that “Toyota will continue to popularize environmentally friendly vehicles in India to further our efforts to help save the environment.”

The Toyota Prius that belongs to the third generation features the latest of its pioneering technology, the Toyota Hybrid System II (also called Hybrid Synergy Drive) and has one of the best aerodynamic performances. Toyota Prius has proved its worth as a world-leading fuel efficient car. Prius is equipped with a 1.8L, 2ZR FXE engine that churns out 134 bhp and also features Electrically controlled CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission.

The other features present in the Prius are Push start system and smart entry, Audio and Bluetooth controls with touch sensor on steering wheel. Toyota Prius gets safety features like that of ABS, BA, EBD, VSC, Traction Control and 7 airbags.

The Third-generation Prius comes with three driving modes − Power Mode, Eco Mode and EV (Electric Vehicle) Mode, − as well as a host of dynamic features that combine to give improved driving pleasure with superior environmental performance.

The Prius will be available in limited numbers in two variants, priced at 26.55 lakh and 27.86 lakh, ex showroom, New Delhi, and bookings start from today.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor apart from the Prius also launched the Corolla Altis CNG while Innova CNG and Camry Hybrid were on display at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi.

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The German car maker and Europe’s largest car maker, Volkswagen, showcased its premium flagship model the Phaeton at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2010 today.

Volkswagen always wanted a chunk of the growing luxury car market in India. Products from its sister brands such as Audi, Skoda, Bentley and Lamborghini though are being currently sold in India, Volkswagen has brought in its much famed Phaeton luxury car into the Indian car market.
The Phaeton, offers high end luxury features providing top notch technology, pure quality and above all it is handcrafted, thereby making each Phaeton unique in itself. Need we say more about the VW Phaeton?

Phaeton is positioned in India as handcrafted luxury sedan that is equipped with 3.6 litre V6 Petrol Engine that delivers a power output of 280 bhp @ 6250 rpm and a maximum torque of 370 Nm @ 3500 rpm. The Volkswagen Phaeton is paired with a 6 Speed tiptronic gearbox and stands on an imposing 17” alloy wheels.

The Volkswagen Phaeton is also loaded with luxury and safety features. State of the art features reeks out everywhere in the car. Some of the features the VW Phaeton comes with are 12-way electric seat adjustment with memory, climatronic auto air conditioner, cruise control, rear seat entertainment system, parking distance control for both front and rear and superb leather upholstery. The Phaeton is concealed beneath every millimeter ensures maximum comfort, safety and pleasure for true drivable experience delivering the complete in smoothness of ride.

Speaking of the safety features in Phaeton, this beast is equipped with 8 airbags, ABS, Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP) advanced pedestrian system, and Anti-theft alarm system.

Hold on, there is more to read. The Phaeton is exclusively built at Volkswagen’s Glass Factory at Dresden, Germany. The design of the car is an expression of its personality; the Phaeton is characterized by uncompromising attention to detail high quality materials and immaculate workmanship. Each details in the Phaeton complements the harmony of the overall design. Understated and sleek, every aspect of the Phaeton’s design includes elegance, power and purity of form.

The perfectly crafted Phaeton each piece of equipment displays a wealth of attributes all help to ensure the well being of the Phaeton owners.
The Phaeton will be priced at Rs. 75 Lakhs (Ex showroom Delhi) and will commence sales from March this year.

Volkswagen already has sedans like Volkswagen Passat and Jetta while it introduced the iconic New Beetle and SUV Touareg at the fag end of last year. VW launched its Polo hatchback in the Delhi Auto Expo 2010 on Tuesday.

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The Government of India has finally done what it should have done long time back. Constitute a committee to decide how cars will be rated on the basis of fuel-efficiency.

Kamal Nath, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways said ‘We have formed a four-member committee to prepare the norms for rating fuel efficiency of cars.’ This statement from the minister comes two days after the auto makers in India said that they were not very comfortable with the Government’s move.

‘The industry is wondering what the star rating is all about,’ said Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) director general Dilip Chenoy. He added that the star rating will not give any additional information to the customer as the auto makers already inform passengers about the mileage and other features when they buy vehicles. He was speaking at the curtain raiser event of Auto Expo 2010.

The proposal to rate cars on the basis of fuel efficiency comes from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), and the power ministry is expected to implement it soon.

The rating will be done on a voluntary basis initially, but will be made mandatory later.
Industry representatives said the new five-star rating will only duplicate norms that are already in place. ‘But we are not opposed to declaring fuel efficiency,’ said SIAM president Pawan Goenka.

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Tata Motors can be rightly called as the movers and shakers of the Indian automobile market. With wide variety of products adorning their portfolio such as passenger cars for common man to luxury cars to ultra-rich, commercial vehicles like that of trucks, buses, pickups and so on, Tata Motors is very much rooted in the Indian motoring scene.

It is a tremendous feat by the Tata Motors to transform itself from a truck manufacturing company to passenger car maker. It was just last year when Tata Motors brought in their world’s cheapest car, the revolutionary Nano for the people who would want to upgrade from their humble scooters and motorcycles.

Tata Motors can feel the pulse of the people of India like no one else. Thanks Ratan for being an Indian for Indians. Now, in an attempt to reach out for the auto rickshaw wallas who would want to upgrade for a four-wheeler from a three-wheelers, Tata Motors has brought in a new pint-sized four-wheel passenger car named Magic Iris at the Delhi Auto Expo 2010.

Ratan Tata unveiled this vehicle in the Auto Expo which is a mini version of a minivan and is developed specifically for India with the company claiming that it "aims at upgrading the quality of travel for those who depend on three-wheelers". Magic Iris can seat up to five people and is “controlled by a steering that provides car-like on-road stability, while the hard roof, made of sheet metal, provides car-like safety" as per Tata Motors.

The stunning features of this mini-van are the “car-like clear lens headlamps and tail lights" and is powered by 0.6 liter water cooled diesel engine that churns out 11.3 bhp and can reach a speed of up to 55km/h. Tata Magic Iris will be expected to go on sale in India later this year.

This might be a relief for those passengers who are cautious travelling in an auto-rickshaw in India.

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It seems that Mercedes-Benz is changing its strategy globally. In fact it is trying to hold on to the tried and tested formula of building sports cars which is very much in vogue now.

Mercedes-Benz is aiming to challenge the Porsche 911, with its new car design. Engineers and designers at Mercedes-Benz are reportedly working on a new sports car based on the shortened version of the 2010 SLS AMG’s platform which will challenge the Porsche 911 directly.

It looks like Mercedes-Benz suddenly got a cue from its old revolutionary design model SLS gull wing. The new sports car from Mercedes-Benz will replicate the 2010 SLS AMG’s platform and aluminium construction minus the trendy gull wing doors.

Bringing in the conventional front-hinged door is Mercedes-Benz’s effort to bring down the costs. The power unit in the new sports car will feature AMG’s next generation 5.5 liter V8 engine with direct-injection and turbo charging technologies which delivers a power output of around 500 bhp. This sports car is reportedly fast making 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds.

By the way this new sports car will probably called the SSK AMG and is due to be launched in 2014. Of course, Mercedes-Benz might as well bring in a open-top roadster version for those who would like to feel the fresh air in their hair.

Mercedes-Benz while bringing out this sports car is also aiming to make AMG, the in-house tuner of Mercedes-Benz as a separate sports car manufacturer to challenge other smaller rival sports car and super car makers like Pagani and McLaren.

Other models in the pipeline include an all-electric SLS AMG due in 2013 and a possible SLS AMG Black Series.

Cross your fingers as we assure you that this car will certainly be India by 2014 as we are guessing India by that time would be a resourceful car market for all the luxury car and sports car makers.

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Tata Motors Group displayed the widest range of products and environment-friendly technologies at Auto Expo 2010.

Tata Motors unveiled the Jaguar XJ and the 4×4, 7-seater Crossover Tata Aria. Other prominent unveilings from the house of Tata Motors include Tata Venture, a hatchback sized 8-seater MPV, Tata Magic Iris, a novel four-seater public transportation vehicle, The Tata Motors Group has unfolded the full scale of its product portfolio and the breadth of its technology capability with a display of 37 vehicles, from the Tata, Jaguar and Land Rover brands, at the Auto Expo 2010.

Among them are three new Tata vehicles – the Tata Aria, the Tata Venture, the Tata Magic Iris – and the all new Jaguar XJ, which were unveiled by the Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, Mr. Ratan N. Tata.

In passenger vehicles, the Group’s displayed its entire range from Jaguar luxury saloons and Land Rover SUVs to Tata Indigo Manza sedans, Tata Indica Vista hatchbacks, the Tata Safari, the Sumo Grande MK II, the Xenon XT, and two specially conceived Tata Nano cars. The Nano has been declared as the 2010 Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY).

The technology capability on show includes environment-friendly hybrid and electric powertrains, conventional engines with higher fuel efficiency, lightweight vehicle architecture, all contributing to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, besides state-of-the-art drive technologies, latest infotronics, ultra-modern passenger comfort, safety and entertainment systems.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Tata said, “The range of Tata, Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles is representative of our technology base, and the direction our brands are taking in pursuing market opportunities. The Company is focused on meeting the full range of customer needs while being conscious of the environment.”

The unveiling of the all new Jaguar XJ marks its India launch. The all-new Jaguar XJ brings a daring new spirit to automotive luxury, with a mix of striking design, breathtaking performance and engineering. The car was premiered worldwide in London in July 2009, and deliveries across the world are beginning this year. Bookings for India too have opened, and deliveries will begin from June 2010. Displays from Land Rover, the gold standard in 4×4s, include the Model Year 2010 Discovery 4 and the Range Rover Sport, which expand Land Rover’s 2010 product range in India.

The Tata Aria, to be launched in the second quarter of 2010, blends the functionality and comfort of a mid-range MPV with the all terrain assurance and premiumness of an SUV. Its unique design and construction makes it robust, elegant and comfortable. The interiors, with three rows of theatre style seating, present a luxurious world of premium features comprising 3D surround sound, dimming roof lamps, in-dash built in GPS, a state-of-the-art infotainment system, multifunctional steering wheel, dual air conditioning with automatic climate control and cruise control. Top-of-the-line safety features include 6 airbags and ESP, offered by an Indian OEM for the first time. Besides, the chassis frame comprising advanced hydro formed members, a stiffened body cage, and dual zone collapsible steering make the Aria one of the safest vehicles.

Its 2.2 Litre Direct Injection Common Rail (DICOR) diesel engine, delivering 140 PS power and 320 Nm torque, is mated, in the 4×4 option, with an all-wheel drive with torque on demand, which senses and distributes torque to the wheels in accordance with the terrain.

The less than 4 metre long Tata Venture, to be launched soon, has the footprint and maneuverability of a hatchback car, but the interior space of a utility vehicle comfortably accommodating 8 passengers and ample luggage space. The interiors, with a two-tone beige and black theme, are comfortable with dual heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) with roof-mounted ducts. A glasshouse effect with plug-in windows for second row passengers makes it distinctive. Driver comfort has been addressed with power steering, power windows, reverse parking aid, keyless entry with engine immobiliser and rear wipers. Safety features include collapsible steering and side impact beams.

It is powered by a 1.4 Litre turbo diesel engine delivering 70 PS power, with best in class fuel efficiency among diesel MPVs. The Tata Venture will be available in 5, 6, 7 and 8-seater options in 3 row front facing configuration.

The Tata Magic Iris, to be launched this year, is for public transportation, offering safer and more comfortable mobility for those who depend on three-wheelers. Its spacious car-like cabin can comfortably seat four passengers – three at the back and one in the front beside the driver. With its car-like on-road stability and sheet metal roof it provides car-like safety.

The 611-cc water cooled diesel engine, backed by a 10-litre fuel tank, is capable of running larger distances with a top speed of about 55 kmph and yet higher engine life. With its bouquet of features, the Tata Magic Iris will be the ideal small passenger carrier which will upgrade both the quality of public transportation and also the income of their owners.

The recently unveiled 10-to-75 tonne, 150-to-560 PS Prima range of trucks, trailers and special applications has set new benchmarks in India and matches the best in the world in its power, speed, carrying capacity and trims. The range comprises 10 major variants of tractor-trailers, rigid trucks, tippers, mixers and cranes, and special applications. Besides India, it has already been introduced in South Korea, where it has won the prestigious Grand Prize of 2009 Good Design Selection of Korea recognising its excellence in design, functionality, quality and safety.

While expanding its portfolio, the Group is focusing on environment-friendly technologies. Jaguar’s lightweight vehicle architecture, Land Rover’s e_TERRAIN TECHNOLOGIES SERIES, the Nano with the lowest CO2 emission among Indian cars, the Indica Vista EV, to be launched this year, the hybrid Starbus and existing CNG/LPG powered Tata passenger and commercial vehicles are all representative of how the Group is pursuing the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emission and usage of conventional fuels for a low-carbon world.

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

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

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

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

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

The company Wednesday unveiled the diesel version of Fiat 500, three variants of Grande Punto and two of the Linea model.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Audi, the German luxury car manufacturer, showcased an array of models at the 10th Auto Expo in New Delhi.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Honda Motor Corporation on the very first day of the Delhi Auto Expo unveiled its concept small car which will be hitting the roads by early 2011 in India.

This small car has been conceptualized for emerging markets like India and Thailand to begin with but may gradually be launched in the global markets.

The name of the just-unveiled small car was rather unusual as Honda simply preferred to call their car as “New Small”.

The design of the cars looks very modern yet contemporary with extensive usage of LED lights. Though the grill of the “New Small” resembles that of the Honda Jazz, that’s where the similarities end as this new car has a design which is out of the mill with raked C-pillar, clam-shell bonnet with a nice twinge of curves and bends along the body of the car.

If the sources are to be believed, this small car will be powered by a 1.0 VTEC engine, while the 1.2 litre engine from the Jazz might also be a possibility. This car is slated to compete against the Hyundai i10, Maruti Suzuki Swift and the base version of the Hyundai i20.

Also at the Honda bay was the CR-Z concept, the first sporty hybrid to sport a manual gearbox, the entire range of Indian cars, three Jazz concepts including a Mugen-tuned version and ASIMO, Honda’s humanoid robot.

Honda Motor will join other global auto makers, which are keen to tap into the budget-conscious Indian customers' demand for such compact cars. In India, Honda Motor operates as Honda Siel Cars India Ltd., a joint venture with an Indian business conglomerate Siddharth Shriram Group.

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The People’s car maker Volkswagen has finally done it. It has launched its indigenously built Polo hatchback in India during the Auto Expo week here in Delhi.

Volkswagen will be selling the Polo in India from March onwards. The Volkswagen Polo comes both in diesel and petrol engines. The sedan version of the Polo also is slated to be launched in the second half of 2010 which also will be built using the same platform of the Polo hatchback.

The company expects to garner its market share in the Indian Car market by about 8-10 per cent in the next 4-6 years. Speaking on the wake of the launch of VW Polo, Jochem Heizmann, Volkswagen AG Member of the Board of management said that “The Polo stands for German engineering and top technology. It is lively young cosmopolitan made in India car."

The 1.2 litre VW Polo which comes in three variants is being currently manufactured in its Chakan facility in Pune.

When it comes to the pricing, The Polo is said to be very competitive and will be in the range of Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20 and Skoda Fabia. But the exact price will be only out when the cars reach the dealerships in March this year.

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General Motors India increased the prices of its four models by 0.5 to 1.5 per cent with effect from Jan 5th to offset the steep rise in input costs.

GM blames the price hike on the increasing input cost on essential raw materials like steel, rubber and aluminium. The price rise is applicable on Chevy models such as the Spark, Aveo, Cruze, and Tavera. But the good news is that the prices of Captiva, Optra and Aveo U-Va will not be increased taking into account the market feedback.

General Motor of India makes eight models in the domestic market--the hatchbacks the Spark and Aveo UVA, the Aveo, Optra and Cruze in the sedan category, SUV Captiva, and MUV Tavera and the just-launched Beat in the small car.

Another American car company Ford also joined the price hike fest with GM on its models in India.

Ford India had said that it will hike the prices of all its models to offset pressure from higher input costs and exchange rate fluctuations from January 1. The company will raise prices between Rs 6,000-Rs 40,000 across its product range. Ford India produces Ikon, Fusion, Fiesta and sport-utility vehicle Endeavour at its factory near Chennai.

Some leading automobile majors like Skoda India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Fiat had earlier announced that they will hike prices from January. Czech car-maker Skoda India will raise prices from Rs 10,000-20,000 from January on all of its models sold here in India.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor also upped the prices of three of its key models - Innova, Corolla Altis and Fortuner by up to 2 per cent from January 1.

Fiat also has increased prices of two of its cars, the Linea and the Grande Punto by 2-2.5 per cent owing to increasing input costs. The prices would go up by about Rs 15,000 on an average and upto Rs 25,000 for some of the versions.

Prices of base metal copper has risen more than 130 per cent this year and is on course to record its biggest annual increase in more than 30 years. Aluminium rates jumped to USD2,165.25 a tonne, its highest level since October 2008. Price of silver, which is also used by the automobile industry in a small way, has risen by 1.4 per cent to $19.34 an ounce.

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The seven-day 10th Auto Expo this week could attract around 20 lakh visitors. This sum certainly is higher than those at similar events held last year in Shanghai and New York as per the Expo organizers.

This Auto Expo 2010 is going to be the mammoth automobile vent as about 2,100 participants from 30 countries will participate in the event, which will boast of over 1.25 lakh square metres of exhibition space. Last year Shanghai attracted a crowd of six lakh visitors while New York drew 12 lakh visitors for its Auto show.

The Delhi Auto Expo was first introduced in 1986 and since its inception lots of things have changed. Despite a clash of dates with the Detroit show, traditionally the biggest auto industry gathering, the Auto Expo event in Delhi has grown in prominence aided by the shifts in the global automobile landscape.

According to Pawan Goenka, president of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) speaking in the curtain raiser for the event said, ‘We will have 40 percent more visitors this time and will have over 10 global launches and 50 other launches with all well-known auto makers taking part.’ He also added that the organizers were expecting around two-million visitors.

The event which began today will be formally inaugurated on Jan 7 by Heavy Industries Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Commerce Minister Anand Sharma.

The event is being organised by SIAM, Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at Pragati Maidan here.

The expo will witness the largest-ever overseas participation with companies from Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Taiwan and Britain participating. Luxembourg will be the new entrant at the expo in 2010.

This time commercial vehicles, two-wheelers and other variety of automobile accessories will also be on display.
This year will mark a major change in the routine. Honda and Toyota are displaying small car concepts which will be unveiled globally at the Expo.

That’s a first for both and although some of their alternative concepts were shown elsewhere, the Delhi show comes a close second. In terms of scale too, the event has come a long way. The next show happened in 1993 when the first wave of cars from Daewoo, Hyundai, Ford and GM were about to roll out on Indian roads.

Japan’s Toyota unveiled the Etios concept small car that has been especially designed for the Indian market and will be seen on roads by 20l1. Likewise, German carmaker Volkswagen also is on cloud number nine to showcase its much-awaited super-mini Polo.

Others like the US-based car maker General Motors will add a radically different looking car named Beat which incidentally was launched in India yesterday to its existing line up of compacts here. Honda, too, will reveal a new model.

Other displays at the event will include a wide range of new and locally designed and developed auto components. Many of these component designs have been patented in the country as well as overseas. The auto sector is betting big on the event as makers of luxury cars are increasingly looking at making India a sourcing hub for components, besides using more local components in cars for the domestic market.

‘The Auto Expo will act as a platform for both Indian and foreign business visitors where they will have ample opportunity to see products on display as well interact with officials of component companies at the venue,’ ACMA president Jayant Davar said.

The Indian automotive industry has a turnover of more than $18 billion (Rs.90,000 crore) and expects to gain significantly through new tie-ups, partnerships and marketing initiatives duringthe event. India’s 15-18 per cent annual growth and its nearly 2 million units estimated sales this fiscal make this the fastest growing market after China. The focus of autodom has moved to Asia, and the event is a beneficiary the organisers added.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd, the Indian unit of Toyota Motor Corporation on Tuesday unveiled its small concept car, Etios, at the Auto Expo in New Delhi.

This will be Toyota’s launch pad for the Indian small car market in the days to come. This global car as Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director of Toyota Kirloskar says will enter the mass volume segment. Toyota had invested about Rs 3,200 crore to set up its second manufacturing facility in Bangalore to bring out the car on roads by early 2011.

"With the introduction of the Etios we will enter the mass volume segment. We are looking at a sales volume of 70,000 units in the first year," he said.

"After the slowdown, we are now in a difficult situation and we are trying to achieve constant recovery. The Indian market is very important and big for Toyota and it is expected to grow up to four million units by 2015," Toyota Motor Corp Vice Chairman Kazuo Okamoto said on the sidelines of the Auto Expo.
The company would launch both hatchback and sedan under the Etios series with 1.2 litres and 1.5 litres petrol engines respectively.

Toyota had earlier said that it would start selling its first small car in India by late-2010.
Toyota Kirloskar, which is 89 per cent owned by Toyota and the remainder by India's Kirloskar group, currently produces the Innova multipurpose vehicle, the Corolla sedan and the Fortuner SUV at its factory outside Bangalore.

It also imports and markets the Land Cruiser and the newly launched Land Cruiser Prado SUVs, as well as the Camry sedan.

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Car makers in India have a reason to welcome the New Year with much enthusiasm as car sales in India are soaring higher.

India’s numero uno car maker Maruti Suzuki reported a 36 per cent growth as it sold 71,000 units against 52,029 units in December 2008. Year-end discounts and a lower base did the magic for the company as it happened in case of other car makers also. Maruti Suzuki’s portfolio of small cars saw sales going up 42 per cent in December at 52,236 units against 36,831 units.

Its rival Hyundai also announced a healthy 43 per cent jump in December sales at 22,252 units against 15,602 units in the same month in 2008.

For Mahindra & Mahindra and General Motors, December was a month of over 100 per cent growth. Mahindra & Mahindra pack of utility vehicles such as the Scorpio, XYLO, Bolero and others saw a growth of 120 per cent at 16,999 units against sales of 7726 units in December 2008.

General Motors India figure increased 104 per cent as it sold 8,258 units against 4,041 units in December 2008, making it the highest-ever monthly sales figure achieved by the company since its inception. The December sales included 4,147 units of Chevrolet Spark, 616 units of the newly-launched Cruze and 859 units of the Chevrolet Beat which is launched today.

Czech luxury car maker Skoda Auto India reported a 52 per cent growth in its sales during December last year at 1,113 units compared with 732 units in the corresponding month previous year. The company hopes to show a better performance this year with further revival of the Indian economy.

With economy is expected to grow around 7.5-8 per cent in 2010 and more introductions of new models the car sales growth will be better.

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The Auto Expo, which will be flagged off tomorrow, is going to be another big event in the Indian motoring history. This auto fair will be a platform for the car makers to show off their creations. This Auto Show promises much more than car debuts, it will also play host to over two lakh visitors and promises to be bigger and better than before.

Maruti Suzuki will display a total of seventeen cars at the 2010 Auto Expo that begins tomorrow. Some of these cars are the Suzuki Kizashi sedan, the R III MPV concept, the Eeco MPV, YR9 small car and the Y3 small car concept to start with. The Kizashi will be the car company’s first attempt to enter the D-segment sedan in India. It will be powered by a 2.4-litre petrol engine borrowed from the Grand Vitara, but with more power and a six-speed sequential auto gearbox.

The upcoming Eeco is a facelift of the Versa with a Euro-IV 1.2-litre K Series engine. The R III concept will be an all-new MPV to take on the Xylo. The R III will be based on the SX4 platform and will boast a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel and a 1.4-litre K Series engine. The YR9 is the replacement for the Wagon-R, with more comfort and space on the inside and a 1.2-litre petrol engine. The YR3 is Maruti Suzuki’s first indigenous product to be designed, developed and manufactured in India. It is being designed as an 800 replacement.

Mahindra and Mahindra will display the new Xylo D2 variant that comes with a 2.5-litre, 95 bhp common-rail diesel engine, the Thar which an off-road lifestyle vehicle, the Bolero concepts and possibly its World SUV concept.

Tata Motors will finally let the world get a peek at the Indicruz, Nano Europa and the Prima sedan. Korean Hyundai will buzz in the i10 Electric and the Genesis coupe. The i10 electric will be unveiled at the Expo by none other than Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan.

Toyota will launch its small car, known as the EFC800L. It is based on an all-new platform and will be powered by a 1.2-litre petrol three-cylinder engine and a 1.4-litre diesel engine taken from the Yaris sedan. Toyota will also bring in the Prius hybrid and will also showcase the new Land Cruiser Prado diesel and the i-Real concept.

On the other hand, Toyota’s arch rival Honda will drive in its small car concept. The Honda small car will be powered by a new 1.0-litre petrol engine using VTEC technology. Apart from the small car, Honda will showcase the CR-Z hybrid.

General Motors will display the Beat, which it has launched in the country today. To add some colour and muscle to the show, the car behemoth will expose its Chevrolet Camaro, the Cruze WTCC, the Chevrolet Volt and the electric version of the Spark.

The three-pointed star has unleashed the GL 350 CDI and a new variant of the S-Class, the S500L, in the Indian car market today. Along with these two new cars, Mercedes-Benz will showcase the E-Class Coupe that might be going on sale in 2010 with petrol and diesel engine options. The SLS AMG will also grace the German luxury car maker’s stall.

India’s number one luxury car maker BMW will be launching an all-new car that is in a class of one, the 5 Series GT. BMW India will offer both the petrol and diesel variants and only 100 units of the vehicle will be made available in 2010. The other big showcases will be the BMW X1, the BMW X6 M, a 760 Li, BMW’s flagship car along with other BMWs that are currently available in India.

Audi will come out with the A7 concept. The other big displays will include a vintage Horch, the Audi R8 and other Audi cars currently on sale in India. Volkswagen is planning to splash the Polo. VW’s Touareg and Beetle, will also share space with the Polo as will the Jetta and Passat.

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On the wake of the Auto Expo 2010 which commences tomorrow, Mercedes has launched two new models in India.

The first of these two Mercs is an SUV, the GL 350 CDI. The GL 350 CDI features the Mercedes’ BlueEfficiency Technology and has a fuel efficiency of 10.75 km/litre and is priced at Rs 64.9 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The other model that was launched today is the Mercedes S 500 L which also is the new version of its luxury sedan, the Mercedes S Class. Mercedes S 500 L gets a 5.5 litre V8 petrol engine that can deliver a power of 388 bhp and is priced at Rs 95 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The S500L Limousine, when launched, will be the most expensive car to be built in India.

The German carmaker has fallen behind its compatriot competitor BMW in India in its yearly sales in 2009. While Mercedes-Benz sold 3,247 units in India in 2009, a decline of 10.4 per cent compared to the previous year’s sales, BMW sold 3,619. Wilfied Aulbur, MD and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, said that the company was confident of attaining a double-digit growth in 2010. Its focus, he said, is not on leadership but on profitable growth.

Wilfied Aulbur said that the sales were lower in 2009 as they had replaced their existing E-class with a new model, and there was a waiting period on the new cars. But the guys in Mercedes India were contemplating the company’s sales to grow in “double digits” in 201 with the launch of newer models.

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BMW India is the number one in the luxury car segment in India and portrays a symbol for dynamic and forward striving people. BMW India achieves leadership position by increasing its market share in the luxury segment of the Indian automotive market to over 40 per cent in 2009 (from 9 per cent at the end of 2006).

With 3619 cars delivered to customers in the calendar year 2009, BMW India has achieved the “highest sales by a manufacturer in the luxury car segment in a year” till date.

In 2009 BMW India sold 1155 units of 3 Series, 1590 units of 5 series, 28 units of 6 Series, 350 units of 7 Series, 101 units of X3, 83 units of X6 and 25 units of Z4 coupe respectively.

The years 2007, 2008 and 2009 were very demanding years for BMW India and, at the same time, the most successful market entry for BMW in any country recently. Various activities initiated during this period have provided BMW India with a solid basis to develop a strong foundation.

2009 was not been an easy year for the automotive industry and that applies equally to BMW India. It stood its ground in a fiercely competitive environment with new ideas and the strength to promote new products. BMW India was prepared to meet the challenges head on to ensure the company’s success. These qualities enabled BMW India to effectively weather the stormy conditions, continue to invest in its future, anticipate trends and be prepared for the future.

Despite all challenges, BMW India delivered strong operating performance in 2009. With a carefully planned and successfully executed market entry strategy, and consistent sales performance, BMW India achieved market leadership in the luxury car segment in India.

Mr. Kronschnabl further added, “Now more than ever, we see that the number one position in the market is not everything. But, the future belongs to India and if you want to benefit from the dynamics of the Indian market later, you need to act today. This is what we did. Our commitment to India was among the strategic decisions that had to be taken right away.”

BMW Group took a bold step in its Asia strategy in 2007 by establishing the BMW India Headquarters in Gurgaon (National Capital Region), a Central Parts Warehouse in Mumbai, and the BMW Plant Chennai in Tamil Nadu. Presently, the BMW Plant Chennai produces the BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series Sedans in petrol and diesel variants and has a capacity to produce 3000 units per year on a single shift basis. In medium term, BMW India has employed around 200 people; up to 600 additional jobs have been created in the dealer and service network. Presently, BMW India is present at 16 locations in the Indian market.

BMW dealerships presently display the BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series that are produced at the BMW Plant Chennai.

BMW dealerships also display the BMW 6 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW X3, the BMW, the BMW X6, BMW Z4, and the BMW Gran Turismo which are available in the country as CBU’s (completely built-up units). The BMW M3 Coupé, BMW M3 Convertible, BMW M5, BMW M6 Coupé, BMW M6 Convertible, BMW X6 M, BMW 6 Series Individual and BMW 7 Series Individual can also be ordered at BMW India dealerships.

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While we are speaking about the cars that will make into Auto Expo 2010, we surely do not want to miss out on a few names that had created a stir claiming to be India-bound.

We had gone gaga over the launch of Fiat Linea diesel at the Delhi Auto Expo in our previous blogs posted a few months back in 2009 only to find out those guys in Fiat India still probably think that India is not yet ready for their diesel Linea.

Likewise, Renault has backed out on bringing in their Sandero to the show that makes us speculate that Sandero will never get its date with the Indian Car Market. But of course Renault in India which has tied up with Mahindra and Mahindra is definitely showcasing its new Logan Tourer along with other interesting models.

If that was it, Hyundai who had once taken Renault to court for the rather Santro sounding Sandero name, is not unveiling the much publicized Nano competitor at least not in the Expo.

Speaking of the Nano competitor, there was one strong contender who also wanted to make a mark in the Nano market, Bajaj Auto. Bajaj Auto had gone over the boards by bringing in the concept model of their Ultra-Low-Cost car tying up with Renault and Nissan just a couple of years back, but sadly they themselves are out of the game of making cars for the moment as they will concentrate more on their thriving bike market.

Luxury car maker Skoda also had jumped in the fray with its planned launch of a small car that would take on the Hyundai i10 but in Skoda’s foot-in-mouth moment, this car will not make it to the Expo this year.

Other cars that will be conspicuous with their absence in the Delhi Auto Expo 2010 are Honda Jazz Automatic, Hyundai i10 diesel and Toyota Corolla Altis diesel.

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Chevrolet has done the most audacious thing ever. When the commencement of Auto Expo is just a few hours away, chevy has launched its ultra-radical design hatchback, the Beat.

Chevy Beat is car which cannot be called cute but it certainly is a macho looking car and stands out as a towering personality against its competition, the Suzuki Ritz and Hyundai i10. The nice lines on the bonnet has a very aggressive look, while the large head lamps make it appear more substantial and less top heavy than one would like to believe.

The car is certainly spacious with roomy leg space and head space when compared to other cars in its class.Beat is powered by a 1.2-litre S-Tec engine that uses a double overhead camshaft to produce 79 bhp of power and can reach 160 kph easily. The Chevy Beat is also shod with 155 section 14-inch Apollo Acelere rubber.

The Chevrolet Beat comes in three variants such as the PS, LS and the LT. The Base PS version comes with power steering, manual AC and rear folding seats and is priced at Rs 3.34 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi while the LS version features a chrome grille, central locking system and rear parcel tray and is priced at Rs 3.54 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi. The fully-loaded LT variant has roof rails, auto AC, tilt steering and rear power windows. ABS and airbags are on the options list which is priced at Rs 3.94 lakh.

With that sort of pricing, the Chevrolet Beat has all the right ingredients to make life very difficult for Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki.

The Beat will be on display at the General Motors pavillion at the 2010 Auto Expo.

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It is just unimaginable how things have changed around us in a matter of a decade or less. Let’s speak here on the advent of the Electric vehicles in the Indian context. The concept for Electric Vehicles was impossible about a couple of years ago. The scene in India changed after Maini Reva, the first Indian electric car maker put up a bold face and entered the Indian market. Yes, the going was certainly tough for Reva initially, thanks to the overly priced car which was limited only to the city use. It seemed highly impractical when the car was first launched in India.

But those were the days and now these are the days. Times do change. Reva surely set up as a pioneer in safeguarding the environment with its non-polluter electric cars. Picking up the cues, even bigger and environment-conscious car makers also joined the fray in a big way after the great recession of 08-09. This was a decisive moment as the mindset of billions of people suddenly started changing in the wake of Copenhagen summit.

India almost suddenly became a hot spot for the car manufactures to try out their new electric wares and cars that spat less smoke. This year’s Auto Expo certainly will be serving as a launch pad for more and more electric vehicles to hit India. This could prove a hit provided the practicality issues are sorted out soon.

At the Auto Expo, almost all the car manufactures are showcasing their electric car portfolio. Staring from General Motors’s EV’s, Electric vehicles like that of Honda EV-N, Renault Twizy ZE and Toyota’s Prius Hybrid will be showcased. Toyota has been making this hybrid since 1997 but India will see the third generation version of Prius on the roads pretty soon which will have a 1.5 litre petrol engine mated with an electric motor and will give around 20 kilometres a litre.

GM will have the concept Chevy Volt and the Chevy Spark Electric prototype at the show. The Chevy Spark Electric will have the same look at the petrol version but the engine will be replaced by an electric motor. The electric power train will be sourced from REVA.It must be recalled that GM and Reva Electric had signed an agreement recently to develop electric cars for the Indian market. The car is expected to debut commercially this year. The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended-range capability. It is said to be designed to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tail-pipe emissions.

Tata Motors in the meanwhile is not lagging behind and we are anticipating that Tata showcases an electric/hybrid version of its Nano and also an electric version of its Indica, which has been in development in Norway. Tata had bought Norway-based electric vehicle maker Miljo Grenland/Innovasjon in 2008.

The Norwegian firm will manufacture super polymer lithium ion batteries and electric vehicles based on Tata Motors’ range of products as well as conduct research and development in allied technologies. Tata Motors will soon roll out its Rs 160 crore electric car project in Norway and later scale it up for other Scandinavian markets. The Indica Vista EV has been designed and developed by Tata Motors' UK subsidiary, Tata Motors European Technical Centre.

India’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki is displaying its hybrid Maruti SX4 sedan amongst other concept cars at the Auto Expo 2010. The company is working on clean fuel technologies as part of a public-private partnership ahead of the Commonwealth Games, 2010.

Reva, which is India’s first electric car, showed off its NXR and NXG range of small EVs at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year. Though these cars will not be showcased at the Auto Expo, the India launch is expected soon.

Hyundai too has joined the EV bandwagon and will be showcasing an i10 EV at the Auto Expo. The launch though will be at a later date.

Mahindra is not falling behind of the schedule and has a couple of EVs which is all set to be unveiled at the show.

Let’s hope that the Indian public gives thumbs up for electric vehicles and hybrids in this Auto Expo 2010.

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Volvo India seems to be the odd car maker out in the Auto Expo 2010. It has confirmed its non-participation in the Expo, but that’s nothing for Volvo India considering what they are doing in the side lines quietly.

We had written a blog on Volvo XC90’s foray into India’s Bollywood with the blockbuster flick 3 Idiots during the fag end days of 2009. Now Volvo India is proving its presence in India with a unique way, promoting sports.

Volvo Auto India is a new operator in India, a fast-growing market and one of the most competitive in the world. Volvo established a presence in India just over two years ago and has since then worked intensively to market the Swedish brand. With a corporate office in Gurgaon, Volvo Auto opened its first dealership in March 2008 and currently markets its products through its dealerships in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kochi, Pune and Chennai.

Volvo Auto India strengthens its commitment to sports by continuing its association with the Aircel Chennai Open 2010. As part of this association, the tennis courts of Chennai Open will showcase the luxurious Volvo XC90, a luxury SUV that embodies vibrancy, energy and sportiness. All dignitaries and participants/ players will have the opportunity of taking the Volvo car experience at the Aircel Chennai Open 2010.

According to Mr. Paul de Voijs, Managing Director, Volvo Auto India, "We are delighted to partner with Aircel Chennai Open 2010 for the second time. We view the 'International ATP Tournament' event as an excellent platform to showcase our luxury cars and reach out to a larger audience. Volvo stands for safety, environment and lifestyle and Chennai Open provides us a window to better our brand visibility amongst our target audience. In addition, the association enhances Volvo's commitment to India."

Aircel Chennai Open 2010 is an adequate and potent tool that would communicate Volvo's brand attributes of excitement and liveliness. The brand has had a rich history of being associated with sports such as golf, tennis and sailing across the globe. The company's 'Volvo Ocean race' is one of the world's most-watched events, which also came to India last year. Volvo had been closely associated with tennis through ATP Volvo International and this partnership with the Aircel Chennai Open 2010 further strengthens Volvo's association with the sport.

Aircel Chennai Open 2010 is being held from 4th-10th January, 2010 at the SDAT stadium, Chennai. The tournament will feature an impressive line-up of stars including Robin Sodeling, Marin Cilic, Stalisnas Wawrinka, Carlos Moya, Somdev Devvarman and Mahesh Bhupati. Both Indian and International participants will compete for the titles of one of first ATP of the new season.

So far Volvo currently sells two models, the Volvo XC90 and Volvo S80 but the coming years they are lining up more new models. The first one to be launched during 2010 is the Volvo XC60.

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BMW India is all geared up for the big day tomorrow. This German luxury car maker will be launching the new BMW Gran Turismo, new BMW X6 M, and the new BMW 760Li at the Auto Expo 2010.

Apart from all the above mentioned models, BMW will also unveil the new BMW X1in the Expo, which is scheduled to be launched in India by the end of 2010. Let’s all hope to get more from BMW when Mr. Peter Kronschnabl, President, BMW India will address the press briefing and will share the details of the market strategy of BMW in India for the year 2010.

The press briefing will be held tomorrow, 5th January at 1:00 p.m in the BMW India Pavilion, Hall No. 9, Auto Expo 2010, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

The BMW Pavilion will also be displaying the BMW Z4, BMW X5, BMW 3 Series, and the BMW 5 Series.

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