Indian Car Blog - Carazoo.com

A Big Fight to Win over Small Car Buyers in India

2010-04-30T16:40:00.001+05:30

The Indian roads are just getting flooded with new cars. The latest ones on the roads are the little monsters. The small car segment has begun ruling our roads and eating up the sales of the bigger cars. The steep growth path that the segment currently exhibits looks great. This year has been remarkable for the auto industry compared to 2009.

Fuelling this growth is the slew of new and facelifted models from the automotive majors. Everybody is in the race to launch new cars; Volkswagen, Ford, Chevrolet and market leader Maruti are all in the game. With sturdy growth in the number of first-time car buyers from 24 per cent last year to 32 per cent this year, according to the JD Power statistics, the market is set to expand even more.

“One noticeable change is how two-wheeler owners are entering the A2 segment directly. First-time buyers are opting for the Rs 3 lakh-plus category instead of sub-compact cars,” said S.N. Burman of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, during the launch of the new WagonR. To cater to this market, Maruti Suzuki had spent Rs 300 Crore to give its bestselling car after Alto, the WagonR, a facelift. The base model of the new WagonR, with new chassis and interiors is priced at a competitive Rs 3.29 lakh. Who wouldn’t like to own such a great car at such a low price?

Other contenders do not want to be left behind. Auto majors like Chevrolet and Ford are also pricing their models aggressively. The base model of the Chevrolet Beat is available at Rs 3.34 lakh and Figo at Rs 3.49 Lakh. The base model of Polo from premium marque Volkswagen sells at Rs 4.42 lakh. All-time popular Maruti Suzuki is set to unveil yet another hatchback this June. That’s not all. Toyota plans to bring in the Etios later this year. Whoa! So many launches.

From Alto to the premium Honda Jazz and Skoda Fabia, people interested in the A2 segment will now have 24 models to choose from. Figo, Ford’s trump card in India, is expected to turn the company’s fortunes in the east. “With Figo, I would expect that to rise to about 8 to 10 per cent,” said Michael Boneham, the company president. The Volkswagen Polo, with a great number advance bookings happening, has also been seeing very good days.

If we speak of fuel consumption, maintenance or the cost of spares, it is mostly the smaller cars belonging to the A2 segment that win. Ford and Chevrolet are not just working on their dealership and workshop penetration and localizing their components, but also trying to reduce cost of maintenance. General Motors has been trying hard to attract customers with its Chevy promise of the 3-year warranty or 100,000km. Ford has lowered cost of ownership in terms of service intervals, cost of periodic maintenance, and cost of repairing damaged parts by about 7 to 17 per cent from the existing competition rates.

Indian Racing Circuit to Debut at the 2011 F1 Season

2010-04-30T16:18:00.000+05:30

Formula One races have always been a hot favourite of most Indians. And now, they would not have to fly to other countries to get a first hand experience of the exciting races. Yes, India is coming up with F1 racing track in Jaypee Green Sports City, about 32km from the National Capital, New Delhi.

We know that it could not get any better than that for all the F1 fanatics in India. The track has been designed by F1 circuit design legend Hermann Tilke and has undergone a number of modifications to make it even more exciting. The circuit is scheduled for a 2011 debut and consists of twists and turns through 16 corners covering 5.1km a lap. The track mostly contains medium speed corners where F1 cars would lap at an average speed of 210km/h.

The track design has undergone a number of revisions. The most important one being the Turn 3, which has been made wider now so as to allow F1 cars to go side by side adding to overtaking and drama which then continues onto the long back straight good for 320km/h before slowing down for turn 4. After an array of analysis and simulations, race organisers have concluded to modify Turn 7, in order to maximise overtaking opportunities.

Grand Stands of capacity 13,000 will welcome the cars at turn 1o and 11. The main grand stand has a capacity to accommodate 30,000 spectators, adding to the total capacity of 120,000. Selling the tickets is not a concern with the race organisers as they believe that Indian driver Karun Chandhok and local team Force

India

will pull in the crowd.

Track boss Mark Hughes said “Karun’s presence on the F1 grid has certainly whipped up a lot of interest in India.”

“The feedback from the teams has also been very encouraging and we hope the race will speak for itself,” he added.

This track would assist India to host a number of other events too, such as the A1 GP, Moto GP, Touring cars, Asia level events and so on. The Delhi circuit will not only get

India

a global recognition but also serve as an inspiration for the budding racing drivers. The circuit will witness the performance of Indian driver like Karun Chandhok and the Force India team in its debut race.

Toyota Fortuner Bookings Suspended?

2010-04-30T12:01:00.000+05:30

The Toyota Fortuner had been launched in August 2009. This macho SUV has been working its magic on the Indian roads since then. The number of prospective car buyers interested in buying this new car is only increasing by the day and Toyota is finding it difficult to manage the demands of the ever-growing consumer. The Fortuner has received robust response from the market and has so far sold around 6,500 units. The company has already increased production to more than 950 vehicles per month from the initial 500 units per month.

What more could Toyota do? The car maker has now suspended bookings for this SUV till July in India. It intends to clear the backlog of bookings by this time. The move comes at a time when the company's Indian subsidiary Toyota Kirloskar Motor is undertaking an exercise to change faulty brake kits of the vehicle following complaints from 220 customers.

"The average waiting period for the SUV Fortuner is around six months and we have closed bookings as we do not want our customers to wait. We will re-start bookings in June -July once we are able to clear the backlog," Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) Deputy Managing Director Sandeep Singh said. The company would be resuming the bookings only when the waiting period comes down to three months. As of now, Toyota has pending orders of over 6,000 units.

Just yesterday we said that Toyota was already into rectifying brake problems on the Fortuner based on customer feedback on a case-to-case basis. The company had to do this as some of its customers, especially those shifting from sedans and MUVs to the Fortuner, a four wheel drive, may have felt that the brakes were a little different.

Toyota feels the actual performance of the SUV will be different from what the traditional car drivers are used to. The brakes are perfectly fine. But, Toyota does not want to take chances. Though there has been no recall, the auto maker has been replacing the brakes. Toyota says that it has received feedback from 200 customers till date.

The hybrid car, Toyota Prius has also been doing great. The company plans to sell 200 units in India this year and has already received 80 bookings for the vehicle. Isn’t that great? While the Fortuner is India’s best selling SUV, the Prius stands as the best-selling hybrid from Toyota's stable. The car was introduced in India in January and it has received great fame as Toyota’s test vehicle for the alternative fuel technology in India.

While the Toyota Fortuner has a long waiting period of around six months, the Toyota Prius too comes with a three-month waiting period. For this year, Toyota has already ordered a consignment of 200 units and lined up the month-wise dispatch figures. TKM has delivered 12 units of the car in the Indian market since its launch.

The Toyota Prius is a car that’s imported from Japan as completely built units and is available in India in two variants at a price range of Rs 26.55 lakh to Rs 27.86 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). So, if you want to buy a Fortuner or Prius hybrid, there’s no other go. Wait a little longer for the car to reach your porch. The best things do take long to come, but it’s always worth the wait.

An Exclusive BMW Small Car for the Megacities

2010-04-29T10:52:00.003+05:30

Hopeless days call for desperate actions. German luxury car maker BMW had a real bad time last year. The auto maker showed great sales figures in key markets like China and India. The company’s global sales, however, dived down 10 per cent to 1.29 million vehicles. With sales and profits falling off so drastically, BMW AG Chairman Norbert Reithofer had to create some magic.

The man did create the magical effect. Don’t be surprised. Haven’t you heard of the recent announcement made by Norbert Reithofer? He very recently disclosed that BMW will start making a new front-wheel drive small car from 2014. Wondering what’s new? The smallest BMW car under its own brand, till date, is the 4.3 metre-long 1-series. This car is comparable to the Honda City on Indian roads. Now, the new car will be smaller, a size comparable to what is currently sold as large hatchbacks in India. Got the point?

The new small BMW will, however, still be a premium luxury car. The small one will at least easily fit inside an overcrowded parking lot though. The BMW small car will have hybrid engine technology and will be designed for metro residents. For the first time, a BMW car will have a front-wheel drive. The manufacturing of these cars is believed to be cost effective, and on low-power city conditions, possibly better.

BMW has started exploring alternative energy sources and we will have the newcomer with an innovative hybrid engine. Great go BMW! The car maker is already making considerable changes in its engine technologies. While car buyers even today get the company's fuel-efficient and powerful "Efficient Dynamics" system, the company has set in motion a wide-scale test of an electric vehicle with 600 electric versions of the "Mini" being driven across the globe.

BMW is now launching both full and partial hybrid technology across a number of cars in its range. So, does this not make it clear that the car maker’s small car plans join together with the company's larger game plan? The new small car, hailed as the "Megacity Car" by BMW, is a car designed for the needs of the world's megacities. And this is where India fits in.

Our cities are growing so large and on the fully packed roads of these large cities, a small, efficient BMW would work a lot better than a gigantic luxury sedan. Efficient engines mated with hybrid technologies can work wonders. BMW may not have plans to launch such cars in India immediately. However, it does look like the car maker is persuading car buyers to go green.

BMW was India's largest luxury car brand last year and wants to cling on to the top spot this year as well. 3000 BMW cars were sold last year. The outgoing BMW India President, Peter Kronschnabl, has set his team a target of 4,000 cars this year. With the Indian economy back on its feet, the target may not be a stretch.

Rolls Royce Phantom – The Incontestable Wedding Car

2010-04-29T10:49:00.005+05:30

Are the wedding bells going to ring soon? Wondering what car to hire? We would say, go with the latest trend. How about a Rolls Royce Phantom? Nothing can beat this car. A leading limousine hire company just conducted a poll for identifying the most popular wedding car. Which car do you think stood on top? Yes, we’ve already said it. The Rolls Royce Phantom emerged as the clear winner for the title.

This car’s Rolls Royce name has for long been synonymous with magnificence and glamour. So, it's certainly not surprising that the Rolls Royce Phantom is the vehicle of choice for couples on the most important day of their lives. In the UK, the car is so popular that a brand new website had been set up, dedicated to the provision of these vehicles. It offered the best selection of the finest Rolls Royce Phantoms in the country. From vintage models dating back to the 1920's to the latest sleek coupe models fully fitted with the latest gadgets, new cars or the old ones, Rolls Royce Phantom cars will never lose their splendor and radiance. Rolls Royce Phantom – the evergreen car for celebrations!

Not just weddings, the Rolls Royce Phantom can be the ultimate for any occasion including corporate events, red carpet functions, anniversaries, luxury shopping trips, and birthday celebrations. A customer may be just another customer while renting out a car. But just ask for the Rolls Royce Phantom and the magical effect will soon appear. You will surely be treated to a fully suited chauffeur who will assist you with every detail of your journey, from opening doors, to popping open your bubbly, to lining up your favourite tunes on the sound system, nothing is too much trouble.

The latest models of the Rolls Royce Phantom are loaded with the best-in-class onboard features which make sure passengers enjoy comfortable, entertaining, and relaxing rides. With the state-of-the-art entertainment system complete with DVD player, plasma screen, and the high-tech sound system you would want to keep travelling all the while and never reach the destination. The air conditioning, opulent leather seating with the provision of the champagne bar in the car add to the car’s luxury.

In India, the Phantom is available in two variants; the Base and the Extended Wheel Base (EWB). The luxury car has been royally designed and sports a 6.7-litre V12 engine that stirs up 453 bhp. Power is passed on to the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.

Just like its noble exteriors, the interior gives a feeling of extravagance which is embellished with premium quality leather hides that perfectly match the wood styling. The instrumentation is well placed with classic gauges and simple audio and climate controls. It also offers iDrive-like interface with a mouse-style controller veiling inside the centre console.

So, have you made up your mind to have the royal Rolls Royce Phantom hired for your special day? The Rolls Royce Phantom – the synonym of sophistication and finesse.

Toyota Replaces Brake Kits in the Fortuner on Case-by-Case Basis

2010-04-29T10:42:00.009+05:30

Recently, we have been hearing lots about the Toyota recalls. Now, the car maker has admitted to replacing the brake kits in its bestselling SUV, the Toyota Fortuner. The sports utility vehicle was launched in August 2009 and soon after, the car buyers had started complaining about poor braking. Automobile maker Toyota Kirloskar Motor Ltd is now replacing the kits only on a case-by-case basis and not approaching customers to get them changed.

The drama happened. Only later, i.e., cars manufactured after February 2010 carried the new brakes. Those who own the Fortuner car built before this will have to get the brakes replaced. Toyota is doing it free of cost of course. At least 180 customers who had bought the car have complained to the company regarding the brakes.

“We did receive queries from consumers regarding the brakes and merely returned them to give a better feeling of braking to the driver. The quality of braking and the distance it takes for the car to stop remains the same. As the returning required changing the whole kit, hence the brakes were changed. There is absolutely no compromise on the safety of the consumers,” said Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director, marketing, TKML. Singh emphasized that “there is no case of a recall in the Fortuner as the brakes are perfectly fine”. Really?

The company has seen and borne enough. If we consider the car maker’s inventory across the globe, nearly 8 million Toyota cars have been recalled in the past year for various defects. Have the recalls marred the company’s reputation? TKML claims that the kind of problems it is encountering with the Fortuner is common in the business. It didn’t put a number to the costs it is incurring on account of changing the braking system, but said it had a budget for warranty-related expenses.

Toyota is right. The defects may be common in the business. Also, it is surprising to note that the Toyota Fortuner has come out as the country’s best selling SUV just eight months after its launch. The roads have already seen 8,000 units and the figure is more than all other comparable SUVs put together during the period.

A Delhi-based Fortuner owner said that he had bought the new SUV in December. Since day one, he had a feeling that there must be some braking problem until finally in January he bumped into a biker after the car refused to stop in time in spite of applying the brakes. After persistent haggling with the dealer, they fitted the brakes of the Prado, Toyota’s other SUV, in February. But Singh said, “Within a month of its launch (August 2009), we decided to educate consumers on what to expect from a 2 tonne vehicle”. He explained that a new SUV would definitely have a different feel than a new car.

“It will not perform like any other sedan and it needs to be driven in a different way. Much of the problem is not technical but in the mindset of the customers. The car is a big success and had there been any major issue, customers would not be buying it like this,” he said. India has an active consumer redressal system involving consumer courts. However, we do not have any recall laws.

Mitsubishi plans to launch compact car in India

2010-04-29T10:26:00.005+05:30

Well, another car manufacturer has woken up from its deep slumber and taken notice of the fast growing small car market in India. This time around, it is a Japanese carmaker better known as Mitsubishi Motors. Mitsubishi is considering the launch of a compact family hatchback in India over the next three to four years.

Mitsubishi is planning to bring the new small car that it is developing for the Thai market. The project, which is intended to attract investments into the Southeast country, is being backed by the Thailand government.

This car is built on a new platform and features a 1.3-litre petrol engine. Mitsubishi would likely retune the engine and decrease the capacity of the car in India, so as to avail the advantage of the excise duty norms laid out by the government.

Passenger cars lesser than four metres in length and engine capacity of not more that 1.2 litres in petrol and 1.5 litres in diesel fall under the lowest tax slots in India.

The Indian arm of the Japanese motor company, however, is denying any such plans. Pritam Saikia, head-Marketing, HM-Mitsubishi refused to offer any comments. He said, “Although India is an emerging market for Mitsubishi, it is too premature to comment on our future product plans, including the small car. Having said that, all our expansion plans are on track and we will take a call on our small car plans at a later point of time.”

The company has earlier planned to launch a compact car in India in 2011-12. But the plan took a back seat following the economic meltdown and a scarcity of funds. But as things pick up pace, the company is reviving its old plans.

The plans also included reinforcement of fresh capital to increase the production capacity at its Chennai plant to 1,00,000 units from about 12,000 units annually.

The development of the eco-car is funded by the Board of Investors in Thailand and an aggregate of Baht 8 billion, equivalent of Rs 1,100 crore, has been earmarked for the project. The project meets the criteria earlier set by the board which requires a minimum production capacity of 1,00,000 units per annum.

Small cars have always proved to bring in the much desired (or needed) sales volume for a car maker. The most suitable example would be the Ford Figo. Figo helped save the Ford boat that was sinking fast. Hope Mitsubishi small car would do the same trick for the carmaker.

Mitsubishi has been in India for more than a decade but the absence of a small car has been a major drawback affecting its market share. Mitsubishi has so far launched only its premium sport utility vehicle (SUV) and upper mid-size sedans in the Indian market. Mitsubishi currently sells the Pajero, Outlander, Montero, Lancer and Cedia in the Rs 7.75 lakh to Rs 38 lakh range.

Better late than never. What say!

Land Rover Middle East supports Emirati woman adventurer

2010-04-29T10:17:00.007+05:30

Car manufacturers take up to a number of marketing strategies. And a tried-and-tested one is sponsoring sports events. Sometime back Volvo gave away its twin-turbo diesel car S80 to the winner of India-South Africa ODI tournament and recently, Toyota decided to sponsor the National Junior Golf Tour.

And here is another one to add to the list. Land Rover Middle East and UAE dealers Al Tayer Motors will be sponsoring Emirati adventurer, Elham Al Qasimi.

Elham Al Qasimi is heading to the North Pole, which makes her the first Arab Woman to do so and she is receiving a little help from the Tata Motors owned British off-road marque, Land Rover.

Elham started her unassisted and unsupported expedition to the Geographic North Pole on the 11 of April. The journey will take three weeks on skis. During her stringent training programme in London, she seemed to involve pulling a Range Rover that weighs about two-and-a-half tonnes.

Land Rover and Al Tayer Motors gave Elham a 2010 Range Rover Sport which assisted her during her training regime to replicate the motion of pulling a dogsled during her unaided trek across the North Pole. Elham also got an opportunity to continue her training on a different terrain when Land Rover UK provided her with a 2010 LR4 model, which she successfully pulled under the supervision of an expert team.

Elham started out by pulling one tyre of a saloon vehicle and then she advanced to pulling two tyres of a 4x4 vehicle. Elham seemed very pleased with the initiative taken by Land Rover and went ahead to laud its spirit and endurance.

“Land Rover's sponsorship of my North Pole expedition is a testament to their strong commitment to support and partner with individuals that embody the same sense of spirit and adventure that shines through in all their cars,” said Elham.

“I am very proud that Land Rover is my partner in this because they have a history of supporting successful adventure expeditions. By allowing their brand and name to be associated with adventurers who are breaking pre-conceived notions and boundaries and stretching the limits of human endurance and strength, Land Rover shows that they passionately believe in the same indomitable attitude and spirit,” added the much determined and spirited young Emirati.

The Range Rover Sport given to Elham is a part of the new 2010 Land Rover line-up which is available throughout the UAE. The SUV offers top-end luxury, high performance, latest technology and fuel efficiency with less carbon emissions. A slew of other high tech features and upgrades add to the appeal of the new 5.0l petrol 2010 Land Rover range

Didn’t we earlier say that women can do everything, right from designing a car to pulling a monster of a Land Rover.

The Junior Golf Tour – Toyota Plays Along

2010-04-28T11:56:00.007+05:30

Recently, we had Volvo playing games. Car makers have started promoting their brands through sports, and now, Toyota too wants to play along. The National Junior Golf Tour has found a long term sponsor in Toyota Kirloskar Motors. The quest to explore India’s talent, to discover potential Olympians to represent our country at the 2016 Olympic Games has already kicked off. The Toyota Etios Tour 2010 at the Golden Greens Golf Resort Gurgaon has begun.

120 junior golfers in the age group of 10 – 18 yrs will be participating in this elite level national ranking championship. National and international junior team selections are entirely based on the performance of the junior golfers during this tour. Toyota indeed has done a great job sponsoring the tour.

The development of junior golf in India gets high support here and the annual golf tour encourages the Indian junior golfers to focus on intensification of their preparation for training programs. There’s nothing more encouraging than the Etios Junior Golf Tour to nurture young talent. The Toyota Etios Junior Golf Tour does what it can to inculcate in today’s young players the focus and the drive required to emerge as winners in prestigious international forums such as the Asian Junior Amateur Championship and ultimately, the 2016 Olympic Games.

“We welcome Toyota as the new title sponsor of the IGU’s National Junior Tour. We are very pleased to have Toyota and Rishi Narain Golf Management associated with this tour which will surely lift the tour to a new level of professionalism. We see huge potential in our juniors and there is no doubt that this is the training ground where we will find the players for the 2016 Olympics and beyond”, said Maj Gen Parmar, Director General, Indian Golf Union.

The Toyota Etios Junior Golf Tour consists of seven 4-day tournaments every year. The seven tournaments have been spread across regions all over India with one of these tournaments in April, three in May, two in November and one in December. Following one practice round on day one, this 4-day event begins on April 27th and is the Indian Golf Union’s official National Junior Tour. The schedule will be exciting. Top ranked IGU merit list players will be competing in 4 age group categories, “16 – 18”, “14 – 16”, “12- 14” and “10 -12”.

The Toyota Etios Junior Golf Tour marks a new epoch in junior golf. The current National Men’s Champion, Chikkarangappa from Bangalore will be leading the charge at age 16. He will play at least four tournaments on the Junior Tour. Ashbir Saini, the recent Nepal Open winner who beat several top professionals in Kathmandu, will also be joining.

Top juniors participating would be Manu Gandas ( #1 ) from DLF GC Gurgaon, #2 Shubhankar Sharma from Army GC, Delhi and Honey Baisoya #3 from Delhi GC from the 14-16 yr age group. In the 12 – 14 yr category, in action will be #! Piyush Snagwan from DLF GC, #2 Virad Madappa from Kokota, #3 Firoz Garewal from Chandgarh and #4 Vidhit Singh from Delhi. In the 10 – 12 Yr category, #1 Karandeep Kochar who won 6 tournaments last year leads the field from Chandigarh, #2 Arjun Puri of Delhi and #3 Arjun Prasad from Hyderabad are the top ranked players.

If the Volvo S80 was presented to the man of the series at the India-South Africa ODI tournament, here we have the entire golf event sponsored by Toyota. Way to go Toyota!

Toyota may launch diesel variant of Etios

2010-04-28T11:20:00.002+05:30

Ok, we all know that Toyota would be launching its Etios hatchback and sedan in India. So what is new? Toyota may launch the Etios in diesel variants too. Doesn’t that sound like a bit too good to be true!

Toyota Kirloskar Motors, the JV between Toyota and India’s Kirloskar Group, has announced that it may consider launching its upcoming new car, Etios, in diesel variants. All in an effort to gain a better share in the great Indian hatchback segment.

"During the Delhi Auto Expo and at other events, we have received lot of customer queries regarding a diesel engine for the car. Considering the response, we are also looking at bringing out a diesel version of the Etios, but nothing has been finalised so far," Toyota Kirsolkar Motor (TKM) Deputy Managing Director Sandeep Singh said.

He also said the company is looking at the Etios as its primary weapon to penetrate the Indian market. "The Indian small car market is a huge one where we had no presence so far. The launch of the Etios will mark our break into the strategic market," Singh said.

Commercial production of the Toyota Etios would start at TKM's second plant in Bangalore, from the beginning of December this year. The car is likely to be launched in the same month or, in worse case scenario, in during the first quarter of 2011.

Toyota will launch the Etios initially in petrol variants. While the hatchback Etios will feature a 1.2 litre engine, the sedan will have a .5 litre engine. The company is keeping mum on the pricing of the car. Sandeep Singh said: "The final price will be decided later. While the hatchback will compete with Maruti Suzuki's Swift, Hyundai's i20 petrol and Volkswagen's Polo, the sedan version will be positioned along Maruti's DZire and Tata's Manza."

The cars are priced between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 6.75 lakh. So Etios is likely to follow a similar line in its pricing policy. And a localisation rate of 70 per cent in the component parts is sure to bring down the cost.

The company’s second car plant in Bangalore, which swallowed an investment close to Rs 3000 crore, will be dedicated entirely for the production of Etios. . However, the engines will be imported from Japan

"The Bangalore facility will have an initial capacity of 70,000 units annually and we will roll-out the same number of Etios(es) during the first 12 months. While India will be the focus market, we will also look at exporting the car later," Singh said.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor already has a plant in Bangalore, which has an annual production capacity of 75,000 units.

The company is also expanding its dealership network to cater to the demands that the launch of the new cars would create. "By the end of 2011, we will have a total of 150 dealerships across the country, up from 98 currently. The focus of the outlets would be to capitalise on the expected demand for Etios," Singh said.

So much for beating the competitors in the Indian market. Do we see some of them having sleepless nights already!

Raj Surprises Shilpa Shetty with a Blue Lamborghini

2010-04-28T10:42:00.006+05:30

The rumours are all around. Shilpa Shetty had been recently spotted sporting her brand new Lamborghini. That was the team spirit. Wondering how? It was a blue Lamborghini, the official colour of the Rajasthan Royals, her IPL cricket team. Shilpa Shetty and her hubby Raj Kundra took their brand new, blue Lamborghini for a spin in Bandra, Mumbai. They drove by their own restaurant and club, Royalty.

The couple sure made quite an impression in their dashing, blue ride. Shilpa Shetty couldn’t find a better idea to show off her 'Rajasthan Royals' Lamborghini at her nightclub. How appropriate! The actress and businesswoman was intelligent enough to explore this new way to support her cricket team wholeheartedly. The "Dostana" item girl had been following the Rajasthan Royals until the very end, hoping they would make it to the finals of this year's IPL season. Shilpa put in an appearance at pretty much every IPL game her team played to cheer them on. She had regularly twittering her feelings, so fans could follow.

One of her last tweets before giving up on a chance to go to the finals looked like the actress had still not lost hope. She knew that the chance of the semi-finals was over but still thought that there could be a divine chance. It was the 20-20 after all and anything could happen. As Shilpa took off to Mumbai she was still smiling and trying to be positive. She wasn’t happy with her team’s performance. It wasn't up to the mark and RCB had played real well. It deserved the win. She also apologized to all her RR fans.

Her dream of winning this IPL season was shattered. But that hadn’t put this hardcore cricket fan down. She was showing off her brand new 'Rajasthan Royals' ride. That’s why we say ‘team spirit’. The imported four-wheeler was a gift from her husband, Raj Kundra, who bought it for his wife after attending a game in Jaipur. He presented the new car to Shilpa saying that there was Rajasthan Royal’s merchandise waiting for her. The hot car finds a hot owner.
Raj who is a car fanatic is believed to have several luxury cars in London. Last year, in South Africa he had hired a bright red Lamborghini to ride around in. Lamborghini has achieved widespread recognition for its sleek, exotic designs, and its cars have become symbols of performance and wealth.

Image courtesy: Desihits.com

Geely shows-off Emgrand GT hybrid coupe at Beijing

2010-04-28T10:32:00.007+05:30

The Beijing International Auto Show is at its peak now and car manufacturers are unveiling their models one after the other. The latest one to impress the audiences is the Chinese car maker, Geely. Yes, you guessed it right. It is the same company that has been hogging the limelight for quite some time with the purchase of Ford’s Volvo unit.

But apart from that, Geely is doing its bit to glamorise the Beijing Auto Show with its Emgrand GT plug-in hybrid coupe. Sounds interesting, right. Let us give you some details about the hybrid baby of Geely. The Emgrand GT hybrid coupe features classic sports car proportions and looks fairly attractive, provided you can take your eyes off the over-done grille. The GT hybrid emerges from Geely’s new top-level Emgrand sub-brand and gets some points, courtesy the impressive specs.

The Emgrand GT is a plug-in hybrid car with a 2.4-liter inline-four that produces a maximum power of 160 horsepower. The output is supported by a pair of 27.5 kilowatt hub-motors that give the GT all-wheel-drive capability. Each of these motors adds 132 foot-pounds of torque. At this time it is difficult to say which axle is being driven by the engine and which gets the motors. The Emgrand GT is likely to be introduced during 2014.

Geely has been a fairly good player in its native market. But the international credibility of the company never came to the front. But the acquisition of Volvo has certainly slotted Geely amongst the top guns of the industry. And with the unveiling of the Emgrand GT coupe, Geely is trying make its presence known as a top-flight player in the industry.

Mercedes-Benz India starts "StarDrive in Mumbai" programme

2010-04-27T11:29:00.004+05:30

We all know how privileged the Mercedes buyers are and Mercedes Benz India is trying to prove that. Yes Mercedes Benz India has conceptualised a special extravaganza to highlight the safety features, and engineering technology that all its cars are so famous for. The programme also presents an opportunity to prospective buyers and customers to learn critical road safety skills in a safe and controlled environment.

This is a first-of-its-kind driving experience programme in India and Mercedes being a forerunner in the luxury car segment, it is not very surprising that it has beaten its competitors to it. The programme, named the StarDrive, started at the Juhu Aerodrome in Mumbai. The event was supported by presenting partners Michelin & Mobil 1.

The cars participating in this programme were Mercedes ML-Class, GL-Class, C-Class and E-Class in this event. Through unique simulations, the dynamics of vehicles including safety, agility and performance in either conditions of off-road and on-road are brought to the fore. And the participants could experience the tangible advantages of some of the important safety technologies like Pro-Engineering Package, Airmatic, etc. during the course of the driving programme.

Mercedes Benz has always been among the top leaders in introducing new technologies globally as well as in India. Customer safety has always been one of the main principles driving the company’s innovation and technologies. And, India being on the global map as one of the top car consumers, it is only very apt on Mercedes’s part to introduce such a programme, which is sure to lure new buyers.

Over the years, Mercedes Benz has introduced a number of new technologies, the prominent ones being the Integral occupant protection system (PRE-SAFE), Neck-Pro, PARKTRONIC to the latest addition – Attention Assist System. All these technologies have set a benchmark in the automotive industry.

Debashish Mitra: Director, Sales & Marketing, Mercedes-Benz India: “Mercedes-Benz StarDrive Experience is aimed to give our customers and participants a one of its kind opportunity to personally experience the unmatched safety technology of our cars besides offering them an opportunity to further hone their driving skills. The StarDrive combines essential elements of driving experience with simulation of critical road situations; combines the Mercedes-Benz spirit of innovation with a genuine spirit of fun”.

Presenting partner, Mobil 1 said: “Mobil 1” is the oil of choice of more than 55 car manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz. Mobil 1 is formulated for high performance engines, and is chosen for AMG specifically to enhance engine life, provide superior protection against harmful deposits, contribute to cleaner running engines and dramatically reduce friction as compared to conventional engine oils.”

Mahindra in race for Ssangyong Motor

2010-04-27T11:19:00.009+05:30

Mahindra is going at it again. It is rumored to be one of the potential bidders for the troubled Ssangyong Motor, South Korea’s smallest automaker. Mahindra previously has ruffled its feathers during the bidding for high profile Jaguar-Land Rover along with Tata Motors in 2008.

Ssangyong Motor, currently under South Korea’s bankruptcy protection, is looking for potential buyers back home and abroad. On Monday, Indian car maker Mahindra and Mahindra reportedly joined the group of investors interested in taking over the troubled carmaker.

As per the Korea Economic Daily, Mahindra & Mahindra, the manufacturer that accounts for more than 50 percent of the sport-utility vehicle market in India, is planning to bid on Ssangyong, which mainly sells SUVs. The newspaper reported that the Indian company sent a letter to Ssangyong expressing its interest in acquiring management rights. It cited no sources for the report.

A spokesman for Ssangyong yesterday declined to comment, but said, “There are three or four companies that are showing interest in an M&A.” In December, a court approved Ssangyong’s turnaround plan, which calls for the stake of former owner Shanghai Automotive Industry to be reduced from 51 to 11.2 percent.

It also includes a plan to convert almost $1 billion of debt into new shares. New stock will account for 50.1 percent of all shares and open bids for the stake will be accepted. Also in December, Seoul Invest, a local private equity fund manager, said in interview with local media that it would bid to buy Ssangyong. Earlier this month, SM Group, a local aluminum products maker, showed interest in participating as well.

Ssangyong said it will officially announce its plan for the auction early next month and receive letters of intent from investors by the end of next month. The preferential bidder will be determined in August, with the contract to be finalized by the end of October, the company said.

Earlier in the day, Ssangyong shares rose more than 5 percent on the Mahindra & Mahindra news, but they ended 1.9 percent down from Friday. “It’s likely because fundamentals decide the stock price,” said an automotive industry analyst.

He added, “The company has not released a new car for a long time, excepting updates to its existing models.” Ssangyong does have plans to release the C200, a new SUV model, within this year.

Let’s all hope Mahindra and Mahindra comes out successfully with the Ssangyong Motor to India.

Hyundai unveils new Verna at the Beijing Auto Show

2010-04-27T10:39:00.007+05:30

Hyundai has finally unveiled its Verna, which is being touted as the successor to its Accent entry sedan, at the Beijing Auto Show. The Hyundai Verna is due for a facelift for quite sometime now and it will make its grand entrance in 2010-11. The new generation Verna will feature a Gamma gasoline engine with multiport fuel injection.

Hyundai has developed this car specifically for the Chinese market. And it is likely to go on sale at the end of this year. Spokesman Oles Gadacz has revealed that the US market will get a modified version of this car, but he declines to give an idea about the timeline for the launch. But it is almost certain that the subcompact car will be redesigned for the 2011 or 2012 model year.

Hyundai has stressed on three important things while designing the Verna: power, performance and fuel efficiency. Powering the new Hyundai Verna would be the new generation Gamma gasoline engine, featuring multiport fuel injection. In China, the Verna will be launched in 1.6 litre and 1.4 litre petrol engine variants. While the 1.4 litre gamma, available with a five-speed manual gearbox or four-speed automatic, pumps up 106 Bhp and 135 Nm of torque, the 1.6 litre petrol engine, paired with a smooth-shifting four-speed automatic transmission, produces a maximum power of 121 Bhp and 155Nm of torque.

Hyundai Verna is built on a new low-floor platform and sloping roofline, both of which enhance its aerodynamics and fuel economy. Hyundai has made use of ultra high-tensile steel which enhances the stiffness in handling and better crash protection of the car.

Verna has got a longer wheelbase (101.2-inch) and a low roofline which give the car a very stylish look, without compromising on the cabin space. The boot of the car has a capacity of 454L can easily store as many as four golf bags along with three small tote bags. So Hyundai scores another point here.

Hyundai has not revealed any information regarding diesel engine Verna. But as we know Hyundai, we can expect a common rail diesel engine to be featured in the new Verna.

The subcompact will be sold as Verna across the globe, except the US, where it will be known as the Hyundai Accent.

The new Verna will be manufactured at Hyundai’s high-tech Beijing plant from July and will go on sale in the second half of this year. The new car will be launched first in the Chinese market, and will gradually be introduced in other markets. The new Verna will hit the Indian roads later this year and will be competing with sedans like Fiat Linea and Honda City.

Verna may sport a price tag of Rs 8-10 Lakh, which looks like a good buy for a car that looks big.

LP 670-4 SuperVeloce Chinese Edition at the Beijing Auto Show

2010-04-27T10:34:00.005+05:30

The 2010 Beijing Auto Show that began just the other was open to the press on Friday. We did give our readers a preview of the Beijing show. Today, we have something more. Almost all car makers are grabbing their share of the emerging markets and what can be better than the 2010 Beijing Auto show if any of them is interested in capturing the Chinese car buyer’s mind? Today, we bring to you details of the Italian super sports car maker Lamborghini.

When Lamborghini made its entry at the auto show, the audience was stunned. The car maker presented a highly exclusive edition of the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce. It was the Chinese Edition. The car’s value is further hiked by the fact that the exclusive edition will be limited to a maximum of ten numbered cars and will be offered to the growing group of sports cars collectors in China only. Furthermore the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera celebrated its Asian premiere at the Beijing auto show.

Automobili Lamborghini's strong performance at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show and the special edition of the flagship Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce that the Italian super sports car maker unveiled exclusively for the Chinese market, draw attention to the car maker’s steadfast loyalty to China and the development of a super sports car culture in the country.

Last year, Automobili Lamborghini had pulled off an 11 per cent growth in China. Last week, on the 20th of April, Lamborghini launched its seventh Automobili Lamborghini China dealership in Shenzhen. This will soon be followed by the inauguration of an eighth showroom in Xiamen. Lamborghini considers it total pleasure to share its passion with China's super sports car drivers, collectors and fans. Nice way of pleasing the Chinese car buyers must say.

Just ten special edition Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce cars across the globe and these new cars would be designed and manufactured exclusively for China's most discriminating super sports car enthusiasts. Do you see the orange stripe on the car? This stripe symbolizes the power of an erupting volcano. But, it sure decorates the flat grey painted carbon shell of the car. Every model holds a numeration badge with the name of its owner. Personalization personified.

This car, Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce has been one of the most fascinating super sports cars of all times and Lamborghini describes it as "exceptionally purist". While the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640 is a great model, the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is an even more extreme top model. It is more powerful, lighter and faster than the Murciélago LP 640. With the output of the 6.5 liter V12 increased to 670 bhp and a weight reduction of 100 kg, the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 2.3 kg per bhp. It leaps from zero to 100 km/h in merely 3.2 seconds and hits top speed at 342 km/h.

With its stupendous performance, cutting-edge precision and incomparable high-speed stability, the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is the ultimate performance car for advanced sports car drivers. It was extensively altered and redeveloped in almost every aspect to make it achieve the substantial weight reduction of 100 kilograms. From chassis to engine and transmission, right through to the interior, the car was modified.
The engine output increase from 640 to 670 bhp was due to optimized valve timing and a reworked intake system. The significantly modified aerodynamics with substantially increased downforce enhances car stability even at very high speeds. The large "Aeropack Wing" and its added downforce give a top speed of 337 km/h.

Mercedes-Benz has No Plans of Launching the A-Class in India

2010-04-27T10:25:00.004+05:30

Towards the end of last month there was speculation about the launch of the Mercedes A-Class in India. We had said that this entry level luxury car would finally be adorning the Indian roads and that it would be priced at Rs 16-20 lakh. Till date, 1.6 million units of the three or five-door hatchback have been sold worldwide and we hoped that all went well for the company in India too. What did you think? Would there be any buyers? Well, right now, there’s a twist in the story. Mercedes-Benz India denies introducing the A-Class in India.

Mercedes Benz has positively denied media reports which claimed that the company is planning to launch its A-Class models in the Indian market. The Indian arm of the German luxury carmaker says that it has not set timelines for any new cars in the entry-level A-Class and B-Class models in the country. The question remains, if the cars are launched, will there be any buyers?

Had Mercedes-Benz not considered the launch of the car in India at all? The company must have thought over the loss and profit possibilities after the car gets launched in our country. Then, it must have occurred that conditions at this point of time were sure unfavourable for the launch of an entry-level car with a luxury car price. The launch of both, the A-Class and B-Class models from the German luxury car maker would not be conducive for Indian aspiring car owners.

A company official said that the company firmly denies any such plans and all speculation surrounding the A-Class model’s rollout in India was untrue. Not long ago, a couple of media reports had claimed that Mercedes-Benz India was looking at the possibility of introducing the A-Class in the Indian market, quoting Peter Trettin, president and CEO of Daimler, Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. As of now, Mercedes-Benz India calls it speculation.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a small car produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz. The first generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class was the W168. It was introduced in 1997 and the second generation model was the W169. These were launched in most of Mercedes’ worldwide markets except China, North America and India. The A-Class is available as a three or five-door hatchback. The B-Class is the entry model in China, Canada, Australia and Mexico, and the C-Class is the entry model in the U.S.

In the A-Class, seven types of motors compliant with the Euro 4 emission norms are available. All are four-cylinders: four petrol (gasoline) (A150, A170, A200, A200Turbo) and three diesel (160CDI, 180CDI, 200CDI) mated with either 5 or 6-speed manual transmission. A continuously variable transmission system called Autotronic Constantly Variable Transmission or CVT is an optional feature. However, we now know that none of these variants are going to garnish the Indian roads.

The car is designed according to Mercedes-Benz concept of ‘touch and feel’. The car can be controlled with a thumb’s touch on the multi-function power steering. It comes with the Mercedes COMAND APS, a navigation system for directions via GPS. The Parktronic system offers signals indicating how far the car is from an obstacle. When the car enters a tunnel or underground space, it goes into the tunnel mode, where the windows and panoramic sliding sunroof get closed. Amazing car, but the features are not quite affordable to Indian car buyers.

Team MRF Grabs the Malaysian Rally 2010 Title

2010-04-26T13:34:00.002+05:30

The other day we told you that Team MRF was all set with a two-car team for the 2010 Asia Pacific Rally Championship. The Malaysian Rally just got over and what a great finish that was! India's Team MRF Tyres delivered a 1-2 finish at the Malaysian Rally 2010, the first round of the APRC. Katsu Taguchi won the title ahead of Gaurav Gill. Both drove Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 cars.

38-year old Taguchi has formerly been an APRC champion. Great benefits came in when leader Alistair McRae with co-driver Bill Hayes dropped out on with a broken radiator to abandon his 27-second overnight lead over the Japanese veteran. With co-driver Mark Stacey, Taguchi’s performance was phenomenal.

Our very own Gaurav Gill did very well too. The 28-year old from Delhi and Indian champion, along with co-driver Glen Macneall, amazed everyone with spectacular performance. He was the quickest through the opening five stages. It was the overheating brakes that posed a problem and Gill fell behind.

Team MRF won in spite of the presence of excellent contenders. Their Mitsubishi cars stood by the racers and saw them end the Malaysian Rally successfully. The field included three topnotch competitors, former World Rally drivers Chris Atkinson and Alistair McRae, and Karamjit Singh, the former World Rally production car champion. Both Atiknson and Malaysian Karamjit packed up on the first day. 39-year old McRae’s case was a little different though. It seemed like the Scotsman would win the title. A nasty bump at the end of Stage 10, with six more to go, destroyed the racer’s dream. The bump left his Proton Satria Neo S2000 with a damaged radiator and he was forced into an early exit.

Taguchi never looked back as he seized the opportunity to coast home to victory in a total time of three hours, 19 minutes, 07.7secs over the 589 km rally. In the end, he had something to say. 'Accidents do happen in rallying and it can cost you the race. It has happened to me before. Today was my day I suppose. But to be honest, I must admit that Alistair has a very fast car and for me to close the gap would have been quite difficult. What's more, all of us have to face up to a very tricky venue with plenty of challenges, especially the condition of the track,' said the Yokohama native Taguchi.

The Proton R3 had a real sad ending. Everything went on well until Alistair's mishap and the problems undergone by the team’s other entrant, Chris Atkinson with co-driver Stephane Prevot. His car suffered an electrical failure. 'But that's rallying. You can have a perfect day and then you pray everything will be fine the next. But sometimes, it don't work out that way,' said McRae.

While Team MRF grabbed both first and second positions, coming in third was Indonesia's Rifat Sungkar in a Subaru Impreza WRX with Malaysia's Muhammad Rafiq Udhaya, also in a similar vehicle, finishing fourth.

In fact Rafiq's achievement had taken the limelight off local favourite Karamjit Singh and his desire to win his 11th All-Malaysian Rally title. The Malaysian, however, had never-ending problems popping out of his eight-year old Mitsubishi Evo-8 that crashed his dreams on the very first day. Race cars can have their own way.

The Volkswagen Vento Nee Polo May See a July Launch

2010-04-26T10:44:00.004+05:30

The Polo has been very successful in India. Volkswagen now plans to come up with a sedan version of this hatchback. Looks like the new car will be born to win; to compete with the likes of Swift Dzire, Hyundai Verna & Fiat Linea. The Polo already has a sedan version called the Volkswagen Polo Classic in other countries. But in India, the car maker will be naming the car "Vento".

In Italian and Portuguese, Vento means wind. It follows the VW tradition; the tradition of being named after prominent winds. We hope Indians accept the sedan just like the Polo hatchback. The German car maker sees India as one of the most important markets for the Vento. It looks at selling 25,000 units a year once production is in full swing.

The present Polo Classic is produced in Brazil, South Africa and China and Australia gets it from China. The Polo Classic is the first right-hand-drive Chinese-manufactured car to be exported to a developed country. The new Polo sedan will probably carry the same design as the Polo hatchback. It may be something like what Tata has done with Indica/Indigo and Maruti Suzuki has done with Swift/Swift Dzire.

The hatch and sedan may be similar up to the B-pillar. In the front, just the grille and lights may differ a little from the Volkswagen Polo. The Vento’s rear is well integrated with the body. VW engineers knew that the Polo’s rear seat would be insufficient for sedan buyers, and so, the wheelbase has been extended by around 50mm for enhanced legroom.

The roof will not taper down sharply like in the hatchback providing better headroom too. The cushy seats are durable too. It certainly looks like the Honda City has been the Vento’s benchmark as far as durability and comfort are concerned. Boot space may be around 500 litres with the option of having a split seat.

Equipment levels will be higher than in the Polo and the high-end version could get extra features from the Volkswagen Jetta. VW is believed to be taking great care as far as safety is concerned. The Vento will include a high-quality, torsionally-rigid body shell, an advanced chassis design and standard features like five three-point seat belts, airbags, and ABS anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-pressure distribution.

Initially the Vento will have two engine options – petrol and diesel. Both engines displace 1.6 litres and deliver 105 bhp. However, the diesel has a thumping 250 Nm of torque to the petrol motor’s 155 Nm. Their driving characteristics too are going to differ. Like in the Jetta, the Vento’s petrol engine a naturally aspirated unit but more advanced. While the Jetta’s 1.6 motor had two valves per cylinder driven off a single cam, the Vento has a four-valve head and double overhead camshafts. The Indian Vento may carry the same engine.

The 1.6 common-rail diesel comes from the same engine family as the 1.2 turbo-diesel that powers the Polo and the bigger 2-litre diesel under the hood of the Jetta. Carrying this 105 bhp engine, the Vento won’t be more than a 100kg heavier than the Polo. The power-to-weight ratio is going to be great. The petrol Vento may not equal the Honda City in pace. The diesel Vento, however, should be a close match for the 110 bhp Hyundai Verna diesel.

Both engines are sure going to give great fuel economy and drivability. VW plans to price the Vento between Rs 7-9 lakh. The car is believed to go on sale this July.

The Beijing Auto Show 2010

2010-04-23T15:20:00.001+05:30

The Beijing Auto Show 2010 has already begun and we bring to you the latest info from the auto show. There were around 2,100 companies from 16 nations and regions exhibiting their products.
Today is the day. Yes, today, the event is open to the press. The auto exhibition area's 200,000 square meters are literally adorned with cars, including plenty of concept cars.

A new variant of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be launched after this China auto show in Beijing. Car makers have already begun targeting emerging markets like Brazil and India. How can China be left behind? The new vehicle launches have already begun at the Beijing auto show in a race to capture China's fast-growing market among loose sales elsewhere.

Till around 1995, there were hardly any private cars in China. But now, the scenario is different. The explosive sales growth in the emerging markets has become the highest. Watching the new long-wheelbase sedans from leading luxury brands like Audi and BMW at the Auto Show 2010 is sure going to be a treat to the eyes. An all-new high-powered Ferrari 599 GTO and a V6-powered Porsche Panamera are also going to add excitement.

Lamborghini is all set to showcase the special model that it has made exclusively for the Chinese market. Ford is not going to stay behind. It will present its all-new global concept that could be sold in China, Europe or the US. We will wait for this car to make an entry in India. Chinese home brands like BYD, Chery and Geely will also geared up with their new models for an international audience. The show is going to enhance their confidence too.

Chinese auto makers have come up with plenty of hybrid, electric and fuel cell models. While SAIC Motor Corp has come up with the Roewe 550 plug-in hybrid, Roewe 750 hybrid and E1 electric concept car, FAW Group is showcasing its EV electric concept car, the Besturn 70 and Besturn 50 hybrid cars. Changan Automobile Group will be displaying its Benben electric car, S469 hybrid minivan, Zhixiang and the Yuexiang hybrid car. Chery Automobile is all set to flaunt the S18 electric car, the electric version of QQ compact car, the hybrid version of Riich G5 sedan and the M11 hybrid car. BYD Co is geared up to show off the E6 electric car, F3DM and F6DM plug-in hybrids. Brilliance Auto, Geely Automobile Holdings and Lifan Group too will be displaying their innovations.

China's auto market tore down the global economic disaster and sales shot up by a huge difference of 45 per cent last year to 13.6 million vehicles. This goes to say that China is quite ahead of the 10.5 million vehicles sold in the United States last year. This year has been great too. Sale of the units in China has increased rapidly and growth has accelerated to 11.9 per cent in the first quarter. A conference is also going to take place to discuss the growth and other factors.

GM will be unveiling its all new electric Volt MPV5 concept car, a Chinese-made minivan and a compact sedan at the auto show. Whoa! That’s quite a lot from the world's largest automotive manufacturer. Meanwhile, Ford's latest Focus sedan gets an Asian debut and the company is unveiling a new concept car.

Toyota too is on the same page and will be showcasing fifty vehicles including the new stylish gas-electric hybrid concept car. Toyota is trying its best to leave its footprints on the market by providing numerous vehicles. The car recalls will soon be forgotten and the launches will probably last longer in everybody’s mind.

Ford Motors to Unveil the Start Concept at Beijing

2010-04-23T11:22:00.006+05:30

Ford Motors will unveil their Start Concept at the Beijing International Auto Show. It took almost three years for the American manufacturer to design this car. The design study focused at designing a car that was small chic and affordable. The Start Concept boasts of Ford’s Drive ONE strategy pillars of Drive Smart, Drive Quality, Drive Safe and Drive Green.

The Ford Start concept will feature the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder EcoBoost engine which addresses the sustainability needs of the present world. This engine will provide the power and drivability which is typical of a more powerful engine while still maintaining CO2 rating under 100 g/km. This yet EcoBoost engine will go into production very soon. The new engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission.

“In an era of constant visual noise, we have created a car that conveys visual purity and harmony, in which every line has meaning and purpose. The Ford Start delivers a dynamic, personality driven design that stays true to the global Ford brand,” said J Mays, group vice president, Design, and chief creative officer.

Like any other concept car these days, Ford Start concept also focuses on one theme, environmental sustainability. Start concept’s body panels are made from recycled composites, while recycled fibres have been used to design the interior panel. The exterior sloping and curving bring down the drag and enhance fuel efficiency levels. High strength steel and aluminium has been used to bring down the weight of the car. Low-rolling-resistance Michelin Green X tyres have been used to bring down the weight further. And guess what, all this weight saving strategies have helped Ford to 308 pounds from the Start concept’s weight

So far so good. But the good streak of the Start concept continues to its interior features too. The interior allows for quite a bit of customisation. There are snap fittings which allow for change of colour of the seat inserts. Ford also claims that the dashboard can easily be adapted for production of left- or right-hand-drive vehicles. The six-inch touch screen in the center console offers an Apple-style interface called MyFord Mobile Concept, which resembles apps on an iPhone or iPad. This also allows for easy access to the climate-control system, engine diagnostics, and various warning readouts.

There is a voice command technology which allows the driver to control all his phone’s features. However, the system automatically disables text-messaging features while driving

Ford has said that it was built to get responses from customers and that it does not plan to build the car. But even if this car does not make it to the production, we can still see some of its components in Ford’s upcoming cars.

The All-New _Blue-Eyed Boy" WagonR Launched

2010-04-23T11:02:00.006+05:30

Today seems to be an auspicious day for Maruti Suzuki. The car maker has just unveiled the all-new WagonR, ‘The Blue-Eyed Boy’ in India. The car had already arrived in dealerships across India and finally we have news of the vehicle’s launch. The new WagonR has undergone design changes on its exteriors. The facelift has given the WagonR a new headlamp cluster, a new smiling grille and fresh front bumpers. On the inside, the macho version of the car sports an all-new dashboard design and enhanced plastic quality.

Maruti has invested Rs 290 Crore on the enhancement of the WagonR. The new model has made its entry with a 1.0-litre K-Series engine that can churn out 60 bhp of power. The new 998cc three-cylinder K10B engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The performance is amazing with a mileage of 18 kmpl. The new WagonR will have Bharat Stage IV emission norms and will be produced from the company's Gurgaon facility. The engine is packed with 67 bhp and a maximum torque of 90 Nm. The cable type transmission and new frame type suspension offer great stability on all terrains. The NVH levels are also enhanced. Maruti has reworked the front suspension to ensure the car handling gets better.

WagonR has forever been one of the highest-selling models for Maruti Suzuki. In March 2010 the sales numbers for the existing Wagon R were a few units above 11,000. Since its launch the WagonR has found 8.8 lakh homes in India and 55,00,000 worldwide. The WagonR was first introduced in India in 2001 and took some time to find favour among buyers due to its non-conventional design for that time. At that time, the car was powered by a 1061cc engine producing 64bhp. In 2006 Maruti gave the car a facelift including a new nose job.

Are you wondering about the new WagonR’s price? Maruti has done a good job by pricing the new WagonR at Rs 3.28 Lakh for the LX variant. The LXi variant would cost Rs 3.57 lakhs; VXi would cost Rs 3.81 lakhs and the VXi version with ABS plus Airbags would cost Rs 4.12 lakhs. The design, as we can all see, is bold and aggressive. The new version is more muscular compared to its predecessor. The V-character line accentuates the WagonR’s character. The bigger and sweeping headlamps with the blue tint look like a pair of sparkling eyes. The wider bumpers stretching to the corners only add to the athletic appearance of the car.

The new WagonR, with a more modern and curvier look, has a sloping roof and blazing fenders. The bigger and wider wheels and upright rear character makes sure the macho one gets a second look. The large doors help you enter and leave the car with ease. Then, there is the chrome accentuation in front and the back with the WagonR brand engraved in chrome in the rear. The new car sure has improved rear visibility.

Coming to the dual-tone interiors of the new car, it has 3-D fabric seats with 60:40 split rear seats. You can find silver accentuation all around. The new tilt steering wheel, ergonomic gear knob and the new speedometer design take care of the driver’s comfort. The new WagonR comes with an integrated audio with AUX-in and 6-band graphic equalizer for ultimate entertainment on the drive. The full-trim interiors including A, B and C pillar trims create an excellent ambience.

All in all, this WagonR is a spacious package. It has the best-in-class wheel base of 2400mm which is over 40 mm more than the original WagonR. The legroom too is best in the segment with distance of 100 mm more than its predecessor. The 240mm front seats welcome even tall users to have a seat. The headroom is great.

Let’s go to the utilitarian add-ons in the new WagonR. It has push-type cup holders with a utility hook and a sturdy, deeper glove box with an integrated shelf, a rear parcel tray and an integrated tool box. The utility basket under the co-driver’s seat sends a message loud and clear ‘while I am here, do not throw waste out of the car’. Environment care must say. There is a front door map pocket and soft inserts on the floor console to safeguard the cell-phone camera unit.

The mirror, an electrical outside rear view mirror (ORVM) offers great visibility. Power windows, keyless entry, foldable assist-grips and the new HVAC unit providing a temperature reduction of four degrees than the existing model; the WagonR comes loaded with all these features. Safety features are crowded in the all-new WagonR. In the high-end variant, ABS & dual airbags, rear defogger, wiper & washer, driver seat belt indicator and the i-CATS security system take care of driver and passenger safety.

The cosmetic surgery that the car has received, takes the earlier design one level higher into the upmarket urban car territory. We'll have to wait and watch if it is able to beat more established contenders like the Chevrolet Beat and the Hyundai i10.

John Cooper Works (JCW) World Championship 50 Edition Reaches the US

2010-04-23T10:55:00.003+05:30

Here is the big news from the British car maker MINI. MINI has confirmed its plans to offer the John Cooper Works (JCW) World Championship 50 Edition in the United States.

MINI dealers in US had been experiencing a good demand for the John Cooper Works World Championship 50 special edition and they expressed their interest in bringing the car to the US shores. And finally MINI decided to give in to the demands of the MINI US dealers by exporting 50 units of the hand-built luxury car. The deliveries would begin late spring / early summer.

The public got a glimpse of the special edition model during the 2009 MINI United Festival in Silverstone, England. The global production run for the car has been confirmed for just 250 vehicles.

The limited edition car has been inspired and influenced by John Cooper's son, Mike Cooper and it is a tribute to the 50th year anniversary of Mini’s and John Cooper’s first F1 championship victory.

1959 was a glorious year for both MINI and John Cooper. That was the year when Alec Issigonis presented his concept for an all-new small car featuring a transverse-mounted front four-cylinder engine. The concept had space for four occupants and luggage. In the same year, John Cooper got his first Formula One World Championship title with Jack Brabham at the wheel.

The JCW World Championship 50 edition is based on MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop and sports some attractive peculiarities. The car’s Connaught Green colour would remind you of the 1950’s and 60’s era when the British race cars used to be the same colour. The bonnet and the roof get stripes in Pepper White. Then, the car gets the the John Cooper Works Aero Kit, gloss black versions of the 17" Challenge spoke wheels, custom numbered side scuttles, a unique Championship Red Lounge Leather interior and carbon fiber accents throughout.

Even the floormats have been stitched in red so as to match the red stitching found on the shifter and parking brake boots. The instrument panel trim get adorned with a panel that has John Cooper Works' signature

Like the standard JCW Hardtop, the Limited Edition gets a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine which can generate a maximum of 208 bhp and 192 lb-ft (260 Nm) of torque.

Considering that you can get more powerful car for the same price, the car may seem to be a little expensive at $40,300 (including the destination and Handling costs). But then this is a limited edition production and you cannot compare it with others.

2010 Porsche Panamera Black Edition by TechArt

2010-04-23T09:58:00.005+05:30

Remember the Frankfurt Motor Show? TechArt had disclosed its first customization program for the Porsche Panamera at the auto show. It brought the TechArt Concept One to the Geneva Motor Show. Now, TechArt has decided to come up with something new. We have info on the new tuning kit called Black Edition from TechArt.

We have seen lots of them. Yes, we are talking about the strict black and white outfit sported by other kits. This edition has something different. It flaunts a matte black exterior paint and a black daytime running light system. It’s awesome. Even the exterior components across the board are black and the masterpiece sports deep black 22" Formula II light alloy wheels. These are the exteriors of the deep black and powerful four- seater. What about the car’s interiors?

The interior of the Porsche Panamerafollows the same design. It has dashing black leather interiors combined with alcantara in contrast to the attractive stitching and leather piping in flamenco red. The ambience is heavenly. All interior components too including the trims, door entry guards, cup holder, and air vents exhibit themselves in the best matte black painted design giving the car a brilliant look.

Black, no doubt, is a well-liked color for lot many things. But, when we talk of black cars, it is something very different. Don’t you think so? It brings a smile on the face. Just recently we have had the joy of seeing a few cars from automotive majors like Nissan and Mercedes in black. We had the Nissan 370Z Black Edition, the Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series, and the Matte Black Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster. All of these cars, festooned in all black just like this Porsche Panamera, look marvelous.

The Porsche Panamera S comes packed with a 400 bhp V8 motor allowing for a 0-97 kmph jump within a time frame of 5.2 seconds. The Panamera 4S is powered by the same 400 bhp V8 engine, while the Porsche Panamera Turbo derives its power from a turbocharged V8 motor making 500 bhp allowing for a 0-97 kmph leap in just 4.0 seconds.

The black in the 2010 Porsche Panamera by TechArt can mean a lot. It can symbolize characteristics like dominance, individuality, independence and experience. These concepts exemplify TechArt and its customers. The combined experience and individuality of TechArt is what has given the Panamera its appearance and so we call it the TechArt Black Edition. Superiority and accuracy in every detail – That is typical TechArt.

Tata aims to become the second largest automaker in India

2010-04-22T11:15:00.006+05:30

Tata Motors’ Sanand plant is all ready and will start producing the Nano by April 30. With this starts another thing which we would like to refer as a new rivalry between Tata Motors and Hyundai Motor Co.

The Sanand plant will manufacture up to 250,000 units of Nano per year, which is about 80 percent of Hyundai’s India sales last fiscal year. Hyundai holds the second spot on India’s largest automaker list.

Tata is trying to fill-up 100,000 advance orders for the Nano. Those sales added to the new output may assist the Indian carmaker to regain the second place, after being stuck on the third place for three consecutive years. The Nano project would prove to be profitable only if the volumes are significant.

Meanwhile, Tata Motors also has to find out the causes of the recent Nano fire accidents and clear the confusion and doubt that it has created among the Indian masses. And as the “small wonder” from Tata, of late, is getting a lot of global attention, it becomes imperative that they launch a massive damage control campaign.

Tata Motors sold 30,350 units of Nanos from July through March. And according to a survey done by CSM Worldwide Inc, Indians may buy as many as 1 million low-cost cars a year by 2016. Tata Motors would definitely want to help fill the rising demand for small cars.

Hyundai, South Korea’s biggest carmaker can produce up to 600,000 vehicles a year at its Chennai factory. “We have no intention of getting into the Nano segment at all,” said Arvind Saxena, a director of Hyundai’s India unit.

In the initial sales period in April, Tata received a whopping 206,703 Nano orders and the first 100,000 customers for the 624-cc model were chosen by lottery. The entry level Nano costs about 123,360 rupees ($2,800) in New Delhi.

Tata started selling cars in 1999 and boosted vehicle sales by 26 percent to 201,399 units in the fiscal year ended in March, and got 13 percent of Asia’s third-largest passenger- car market. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) Suzuki leads the show with 50 percent and Hyundai controls 21 percent of the Asian passenger- car market.

Tata, which started selling cars in 1999, boosted vehicle sales 26 percent to 201,399 units in the fiscal year ended in March, giving it 13 percent of Asia’s third-largest passenger- car market. Suzuki led with 50 percent, and Hyundai controlled 21 percent, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

Demand for new cars in India has increased at its fastest in six years during the last fiscal year. Global automakers like Ford and Volkswagen are targeting the Indian drivers as the disposable income rises to new height and India becomes the second largest car market.