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Friday, 23 April 2010
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. Labels: Audi, Beijing-Auto-Show, Beijing-Auto-Show-2010, BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz-E-Class, New-Cars, Toyota
Thursday, 1 April 2010
 AMI Leipzig will offer the perfect platform for Audi. The car maker plans to showcase an entire array of new cars along with the current inventory. The Audi TT Roadster and Audi TT Coupe will make their debut at the Leipzig Auto Mobil International show. The all-new Audi A1, Audi A8, Audi RS 5 Coupé, the Audi e-tron show car and the car that won the 2009 German Touring Car Masters will also be some of the major attractions. 25 production cars. Yes, that is what visitors to the 2,300 square-meter Audi exhibition stand in Hall 1 will see from April 9-19. The DKW Malzoni will participate in the traditional exhibit in the Glass Hall. Equipped with three of its popular models, Audi is again going to participate in the AMI fuel-saving driving lesson. Almost all of Audi’s current range will be exhibited. During the press conference on April 9, the Audi AG head of Sales for Germany, Michael -Julius Renz will give comprehensive information on the new models and all promotional activities. The Audi TT has changed for the better. This drastically improved version of the car will make its debut in Leipzig. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of four-wheel drive, the Audi Coupe and Roadster will continue building upon the successful history of the TT models. Metropolitan, muscular and unique is the best way to describe the Audi A1. The car can be customized in plenty of ways and the advanced technology in its classy information plus entertainment system makes the drive worthwhile. This high-performance car may make an appearance at a German exhibition too. Like most car makers, Audi too has decided to work upon reducing fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emission in its vehicles. The combustion systems of Audi cars are further going to be advanced. There’s something more about Audi than just the exhibition. Next to the car exhibit, the car maker will be having its new for-sale cars. These cars will be sold under the ‘Audi Approved: plus’ brand. If you’re looking for a new Audi, you’ve got to be there. A wide array of Audi cars are believed to be adorning the 660 square-meter exhibition area. The AMI fuel-saving driving lesson educates visitors to the exhibition on how to adopt better, highly efficient driving habits. It teaches how drivers can improve the fuel economy of their cars. The Audi A3, Audi A4 and Audi A6 will be the cars used for demonstrating the efficient techniques. ‘Hidden Treasures’ is the theme for this year’s edition of the traditional exhibition in the Glass Hall. Audi will be participating with a DKW Malzoni, a hearty and vigorous 1965 sport coupé with a 60 bhp two-stroke, three-cylinder engine. Labels: AMI-Leipzig, Audi, Audi-A1, Audi-A8, Audi-Cars-for-sale, Audi-Debut, Audi-E-TRON, Audi-Exhibition, Audi-RS 5 Coupé, Audi-TT, New-Audi-Cars
Friday, 26 March 2010
 The Wills Fashion Week has taken off in Delhi and there you will get to see some of the most beautiful designs from the Indian fashion industry. Well, you must be wondering why we are talking about fashion on our blog which deals with car related topics. Let me tell you that Audi has been doing its rounds in the fashion circle from quite some time as partner and the official car, and this time too, Audi is making a statement at the Wills Fashion Week with its iconic sports car Audi TT. Audi’s design icon sports car, the Audi TT, will be the show stopper off the ramp at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn /Winter 2010 season. Audi TT, which will be showcased within the Audi lounge, will add glamour and charm to the biggest business of fashion event in India. Audi is a high end luxury car brand and is famous for having close connections with the fashion industry. In the recent past, Audi has been adding luxury and style at various Indian fashion shows. First, it was with Vogue and with Wills Fashion Week for the past three years. “Fascinating sportiness, sophistication and elegance are the hallmarks of Audi design. The Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week perfectly complements and reflects these core elements of Brand Audi. Whether in the world of fashion or cars, luxury stems from good design and superlative standards of quality. With this partnership, Audi further reinforces its philosophy of Vorsprung durch Technik: an expression of technical sophistication and innovative design”, said Benoit Tiers, MD Audi India. Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2010 is being held at the NSIC grounds at Okhla, New Delhi. This fashion week showcases some of the best designs from established and young Indian designers and pulls the who’s who of the Indian film industry and the very fashionable and rich Indian audience. The show presents itself as an amazing opportunity for showcasing high-end cars to audiences for whom luxury is a necessity. Labels: Audi, Audi-TT, Audi-TT- at-Wills-Fashion-Week, Wills-Lifestyle-India-Fashion-Week
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Cutting edge technology, world class luxury and comfort, that’s luxury cars for you, courtesy Germany. German auto giants, like Audi, BMW and Mercedes, have always had the upper hand when it came to the luxury car needs of the Indian. And as British marquees Jaguars and Land Rover arrive to India, German carmakers are bracing themselves for the fierce competition. After setting up their assembly operations in the country a number of them are now planning to enhance their total output. Anticipating on the upcoming competition and growing demand, Mercedes has already taken necessary steps to beat the competition heat. Mercedes Benz India (MBIL), which is in its tenth year of running operations, is planning to ramp up production at its Chakan plant by moving into double shift operations to meet the growing demand for its luxury cars. Mercedes believes that the SUV segment is growing faster than the luxury car segment and that it plans to penetrate the segment at a much deeper level. When the Mercedes spokesperson was contacted, he refused to comment. He said, “Right now, we are assembling variants of the C, E and S-Class here, and has an installed capacity to make 5,000 cars annually with single shift operations. At the moment, we have no plans to increase capacity. But if the market booms, we may think about it”. Now, let’s talk about another German brand which is a hot favourite among the Indians. Yes, we are talking about BMW. BMW has resolved to reach a target of selling about 4000 units in 2010 and in order to achieve it, BMW is all set to enhance production capacity at its Chennai plant. BMW India is planning to have a double digit growth in this year but its Chennai plant has a production capability of about 3000 cars a year. With its sales target being more than the production capacity, BMW is looking at investing more at their plant, however, the final figures have not been worked out yet. This brings good news for all the people in who are looking for jobs in Chennai. BMW is launching its SUV X1 next year and to cater to the needs of assembling the SUV X1, it is planning to increase the manpower by about 30 per cent. Labels: Audi, BMW, BMW-X1, German-Carmakers, Jaguar, Land-Rover, Mercedes, SUV-X1
Friday, 5 March 2010
Everybody is going green. Did you hear that? Everybody is going green at the Geneva auto show. In the past six or eight years, never has there been so much of a green talk. The 80th annual Geneva show has outdone all previous attempts. There are electric, hybrid and fuel cell cars like never before and everyone was exhibiting the green theme. Not just green, new technologies too were being showcased by many car makers. Let's see what Audi is doing.
The Audi A1 has suggested having an extra fitting under the cargo area floor. Wondering what it could be? Well, a tiny 254cc single-rotor Wankel engine may hide beneath the cargo floor area. Do you know what a Wankel engine is? For those who don’t, it is a four-stroke, internal-combustion rotary engine without reciprocating parts. Yes, Audi seems to be doing something interesting and will not tell us anything more about the special engine it is using. We do not even know who will be supplying the engine for the car.
There’s one thing I can tell you though. The engine’s weight; it is as light as 154 pounds. This includes the weight of the power generator and electronics. Remember the Mazda ads those days? How can anyone forget those. "Hummmmm" – that was how the engine would go. Yes, there is going to be no noise or vibration in the cabin. The spins are going to be smooth and consistent at 5000rpm and just 65 dBA when measured from outside and directly behind the car and hearing the exhaust. This little engine is very powerful too. The Audi engine is capable of churning out a power of 20bhp and can further extend the 50km range by 200km running on 12 litre of fuel.
Want some more insider information that I managed to get? Something cool? You just have to disclose your destination information to the navigation system. Audi’s three-dimensional database will immediately get into action. It will customize the range-extender control specially for you. If you tell the navigation system that you would be driving up that hill but will coming down soon after, it will not fire the engine. It knows that its share of regeneration will be offered on the way down. Not just that. The system is also intelligent enough to ensure that there is sufficient range to move silently in a combustion-free town centre at the end of your journey. Did I not tell you that the news would be cool? It is actually supercool, right?
That was the Audi's special Wankel engine for you. Everybody is showing off their new technologies and Audi A1 tried this. The light and smoothly spinning rotary engine originally invented by German engineer Felix Wankel in the 1950s seems to be working the wonder for Audi. Labels: Audi, Audi A1, Audi at Geneva auto show, Audi cars, Audi engine, car engine, rotary engine, Wankel engine
Thursday, 11 February 2010
 If you remember, we had written a blog on Audi A1 hatchback a couple of months back and we are back with the same topic just for those curious readers who were on the look for the actual launch of the A1. Audi on Wednesday revealed the brand new A1 hatchback, a new dimension to the compact class which promises to be dynamic, emotional and individual. The new car wants to attract young customers who live in major cities and are looking for a vehicle designed for the urban environment. Besides the impressive design, the A1 offers also a sporty and high quality interior. According to Audi, the customers can customise numerous details to tailor the car to their personal tastes which means you will have plenty of options to make your car unique. The instrument panel is suggestive of an airplane wing while the four round air nozzles are reminiscent of the turbines of a jet.  The available infotainment and multimedia systems available come directly from the luxury class. Audi offers the top of the line is MMI navigation plus, a media center that sets new standards in the compact segment. With the LED interior lighting package, the A1 brings 100 percent LED technology to an interior in the premium compact class for the first time. The design of the car is unique and modern, and includes the side line with the distinctive roof arch, the coupe-like C-pillars, the large wheel wells and, of course, the front end with the typical single-frame grille. Also, the hood and rear hatch encompass the body, while the lights are three-dimensionally moulded and present an unmistakable design, day or night. Under the hood Audi offers four engines for the A1, two TFSI gasoline engines and the two TDI diesels that cover a power range from 86 bhp to 122 bhp. The entry-level gasoline engine is the new 1.2 TFSI. It generates 86 bhp and produces its peak torque of 160 Nm already between 1,500 and 3,500 rpm. Coupled with a five-speed manual transmission, the four-cylinder accelerates the A1 from 0 to 100 km/h in 12.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of 179 km/h. In the EU driving cycle, it consumes only 5.1 liters of fuel per 100 km, which corresponds to only 119 grams of CO2/km. The 1.4 TFSI ups the ante with 122 bhp. Its peak torque of 200 Nm is continuously available between 1,500 and 4,000 rpm. Together with the seven-speed S tronic, the 1.4 TFSI gets the A1 up to highway speed in 9.1 seconds. Top speed is 200 km/h. The more powerful 1.6 TDI unit produces 105 bhp and 250 Nm between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm, and is coupled with a five-speed manual transmission. This engine pushes the car from 0 to 100 km/h in just 10.8 seconds while the top speed is 187 km/h. The second version of this diesel engine delivers 90 bhp and 230 Nm of torque between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm. Coupled with the five-speed manual transmission, it accelerates the A1 from 0 to 100 km/h in 12.2 seconds. Its reaches a top speed of 179 km/h and offers exemplary fuel economy of 3.8 liters/100 km, which corresponds to 99 grams of CO2/km. The entry-level model will be priced at around 16,000 euros.  We hope that Audi India also brings in this hatchback to India as the Indian car market is the trusted small car market that they can vouch on for the sales of their Audi A1. Labels: Audi, Audi-A1, Hatchback, Small-Car
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
 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. Labels: 2010-Detroit-Auto-Show, Audi, Audi-E-TRON, Concept-Car, Electric-Car
Monday, 11 January 2010
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. Labels: Audi, Auto-Expo-2010, BMW-X1, BMW-X6-M, Fuel-Efficient-Cars, Land-Rover, Mahindra, Skoda, Skoda-Yeti, SUV, Tata-Arai, Tata-Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
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. Labels: Audi, Audi-A4, Audi-A6, Audi-New-Q7, Audi-Q5, Auto-Expo-2010, Sedan, SUV
Friday, 18 December 2009
 Come February 2010 and Audi is all set to reveal its long-awaited city car, a hatchback in that, the A1 at the Geneva Auto Show. We assure you that the launch certainly is a going to be a gala event as Audi has stepped aside from the stereotype and monotonous car launches elsewhere and is banking the new technology to take the centre stage for this launch. The Audi A1 is being launched online. Yes, you read that just right. Online. This small car when launched would have a long list of contenders to take on in the market, starting with the retro car, BMW’s Mini. Though Audi A1 would not have the cult status like the Mini, it certainly is a first premium car in the sub-compact segment as claimed by Audi and Audi is heavily banking on this new unexplored segment, when it launches the Audi A1. We are speculating that A1 would probably be rigged with engine range comprising of 1.2L which produces 86 bhp, 1.4L with 122 bhp, turbocharged 1.4 Litre that spurts out 170 bhp and 1.6 L that spews out 90 bhp petrol engines or 2.0 L common rail diesel engines. Although initially thought to be based on Volkswagen Group's MQB (Modular Transverse Matrix) platform, the A1 was later reported to be based on the PQ25 platform, the same platform used in the SEAT Ibiza Mk4 and the VW Polo Mk5. Audi famous Quattro technology also might be there in the offering in the Audi A1. We do know for sure that A1 looks very much like that of the existing A3, but probably a size smaller than that. Expect Audi to release more information gradually in coming weeks. Labels: Audi, Audi-A1, BMW-MINI, Car-Launch, Hatchback, Quattro, Small-Car, Volkswagen-Polo
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Mercedes-Benz cars are known for style, sturdy build and reliability. These cars come with safety features with notable exceptions. Mercedes-Benz cars come with six driver and passenger airbags,4-wheel anti-lock braking system, Neck-Pro crash-responsive head restraints, 3-point driver and front passenger shoulder belts including height adjustment, emergency tensioning, adaptive belt force limiter, rear 3-point seat belts, including outboard emergency tensioning, outboard belt force limiter, and outboard automatic height. Compared to Mercedes-Benz’s rival, Audi cars, do not have 4 wheel anti-lock braking system. Moreover, both Audi and BMW cars have head airbags where the Mercedes-Benz cars have airbags and crash-responsive head restraints. It has been found out that head airbags do offer extra protection during crashes by deploying between the head and window, but head restraints are reusable and can be reset after being deployed. Besides, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) provides extra control and improved safety in difficult braking situations. For the price range it falls into, Mercedes-Benz offers the added value of a unique standard safety feature not offered in other similar C-class sedans, even higher-priced models. When considering C-class sedan style, price, performance, and safety, the Mercedes-Benz provides a safety advantage to drivers and passengers. Labels: Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Safety-Features
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
 If you are interested in cars you will be equally interested in car accessories as well. And so here is the latest car tyre from Bridgestone, which was unveiled recently. The new tyre, Adrenalin Potenza RE001 from Bridgestone is a high performance car tyre. The tyre is originally a sports tyre, but it promises great driving pleasure irrespective of the car it is fitted to. These tyres provide great driving comfort not only for a high-end car but also for a normal car. It is great news for those who would like to race around with their cars as you will now be free from the tangles of a low performing tyre that does not give you the feel of ease. The tyre will be available in 17 and 18 inch rims. The tyres are targeted mainly at the luxury cars, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche, customers. Bridgestone aims at ensuring the customers with a great driving experience, taking away all the trouble that are caused by tyres. And so the Adrenalin RE001 is developed in a way that will not give troubles of powerful grip and speedy response. It has an asymmetrical rigid tread design for high cornering forces at a lower steering angle. For better sidewall stiffness and handling and steering response the tyre has a semi slick shoulder design and an asymmetrical rim guard. It also has a provides larger contact area with the ground and this gives the driver better direct response and feel and which helps in getting more steering information. Adrenaline RE001 has very low noise level gives a smooth response to steering inputs. It also promises an excellent wet and dry performance and superior grip for an easy driving. These superior quality tyres are sure to offer great driving experience. Labels: Adrenalin-Potenza- RE001-Tyres, Audi, Bridgestone, Car-Accessories, Car-Tyres, Luxury-Car, Sports-Car
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
The Frankfurt Motor Show concluded on 27th September amidst much fan-fare. A total of 781 auto manufacturers and auto parts manufacturers from 30 countries took part in the show to display about 100 new models, during the motor show. Aston Martin presented the four-door coupe Rapide and Audi unveiled the R8 Spyder and the E-Tron Concept car. Ford came with its 7-seater C-Max minivan and Lamborghini with Reventon Roadster that carries a 6.5-liter V12 651 bhp engine with all-wheel-drive. The Lexus LF-Ch Concept combines stylish design and full hybrid technology. The Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari is a small exciting car that will provide practical urban mobility. Ferrari also showcased the 458 Italia. The 2011 Volvo C30 is an awesome hatchback that will go on sales in US in 2010. Jaguar showed its 2010 XJ at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The updated 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo appeared alongside the 911 GT3 RS and 911 Sport Classic in Frankfurt. BMW presented the Vision EfficientDynamics concept at the Frankfurt Auto Show along with the BMW 335d, X1 and X6 Hybrid. The last of the GM-engineered Saabs, the Epsilon II-based 2010 Saab 9-5, debuted at Frankfurt too. Volkswagen came up with the L1 Concept, e-Up! The muscular Bentley Mulsanne, the Mini Coupe Concept and the Mini Roadstet Concept were revealed too. Bugatti present the Sanf Bleu and the electric buggy that once belonged to the King of Belgium. The refreshed 2010 Dodge Caliber also made its official debut at Frankfurt. The Mazda MX-5 Superlight Concept made its first public appearance at the Auto Show. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Wagon, the Mercedes-Benz SLS Electric and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG also revealed at the 63rd IAA. The Opel Ampera is a four-door, plug-in series hybrid that was still in Opel's booth at Frankfurt and the 2010 Prius plug-in hybrid concept grace Toyota’s stall. The Maserati GranCabrio too showed up on the Stage. India’s only electric car company, REVA displayed its NXG and the NXR models. Labels: Audi, Bentley-Mulsanne, Frankfurt-Motor-Show, Volkswagen
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
 Audi has presented its E-TRON concept car at the ongoing Frankfurt Motor Show. The E-TRON is a performance sports car with electric drive system that runs on four motors. There are two motors which are located at the front and rear axles that drive the wheels making the concept car a true Quattro. The E-TRON can produce 313 bhp and 4,500 Nm torque. Moreover, the two-seater E-TRON can sprint from 0 to 100 km in just 4.8 seconds. The lithium-ion battery in the car provides a truly useable energy content of 42.4 kilowatt hours to enable a range of approximately 248 kilometers. The design of the Audi E-TRON concept car defines its place at the major leagues of sports cars, while the package takes into account the specific realities of an electric vehicle. The battery is directly behind the passenger cabin for an optimal center of gravity and axle load distribution. Car with electric drive systems took to the roads around 1900, yet till date no car manufacturer has a car powered exclusively by batteries in its lineup even though electric driving potentially offers numerous advantages. Electric cars reduce the dependence of transportation and the economy on the raw material petroleum. They produce no direct exhaust emissions and thus ease the burden on the environment. However, there is still a lot of work to do before electric cars are ready for mass production. Labels: Audi, Audi-E-TRON, Audi-E-TRON-Concept-Car, Concept-Car, Electric-Car, Frankfurt-Motor-Show
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
 German luxury car maker Audi will be unveiling two new cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The suave 2010 Audi S5 Sportback will have a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 engine under its bonnet. The supercharged engine will churn out 333 bhp of power and feature seven-speed S-tronic gearbox, Quattro all-wheel-drive and sport differential as optional feature. The 333 bhp V6 pushes the S5 Sportback from static to 100km in just 5.4 seconds and can hit an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h. The Audi S5 supercharged V6 engine can take 9.7 liters of petrol to travel 100 kilometres. The car will run on 18-inch alloy wheels and 19- and 20-inch wheels are also available as optional. The “5-door coupe” (We don’t understand how a ‘coupe’ can possibly have more than two doors?!?) comes with LED daytime running lights and rear lights, electrically adjustable sports seats upholstered in Silk Nappa leather, leather multifunction steering wheel with aluminium-finish shift paddles and a choice of carbon, wood or stainless steel mesh trim. The Audi A5 Sportback is set to be launched in Europe in the first quarter of 2010. The price of the coupe starts at Rs 41 Lakh (€57,900). The enchanting Audi R8 Spyder is all decked up to make its first public appearance at the 63rd IAA Cars in Frankfurt, Germany. The 2-door convertible will be powered by a 5.2-litre V10 FSI engine that can deliver a robust power of 525 bhp. The engine is mated to Quattro all-wheel-drive. The gorgeous R8 Spyder is the best in open-top motoring from Europe. Audi makes uses of carbon fibre to build the body parts and the electro-hydraulic foldaway top is made of leak-proof cloth to reduce weight without having to compromise on structural integrity and stiffness. The Audi R8 Spyder can sprint from inertia to 100 km in only 4.1 seconds and from zero to 200 km in 12.7 seconds as well as can go on to a top speed of 313km/h. The R8 Spyder is adorned with 19-inch wheels, full-LED headlamps, a rear spoiler that deploys automatically at high speeds, electrically adjustable seats, Bang & Olufsen audio system, climate control system and Audi’s MMI controls with navigation system. The base version of the Audi R8 Spyder comes with a price tag of Rs 1.11 Crore (€156,400). This breathtaking car will be launched in Europe early 2010. We expect Audi to roll out some of the units of the S5 Sportback and the R8 Spyder in India by the end of next year. Labels: Audi, Audi-R8, Audi-R8-Spyder, Audi-S5, Frankfurt-Motor-Show, Luxury-Cars, Quattro
Friday, 11 September 2009
 This is one among the many plans of Audi, a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen, which has been revealed recently. The company is planning to locally assemble a model in India. Though the company has not specified the model that will be assembled in the country, it has given us a hint that it will be an SUV. And working on this lead the most popular guess is Audi Q5. If the guess is right, then the Q5 will be the third model from the luxury carmaker that will be assembled in India, Audi A4 and A6, being the other two. If you are expecting a change in price then you are mistaken, the Q5 will be still priced at Rs 44.94 lakh for its 3.0 TDI Quattro and Rs 38.94 lakh for 2.0 TFSi Quattro. And there is fine explanation for this and that is the company has already launched the model at the CKD or local assembly price and the company does not differentiate between CBU and CKD. This shift in the location of assembly is a part of the company’s plan to expand its business in the country. Audi till this time of the year has marked a 62 per cent hike in its sales compared to the last year. And this has been a true encouragement for the company in the midst of economic slowdown and it is planning to bring in new models next. The company has also not revealed the expected date on which it will start assembling its model. With most of the information about the model and other details still shrouded in mystery, nothing stops the car lovers in the country from speculating. Labels: Audi, Audi-A4, Audi-Q5, Luxury-Car
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
 To move on with the changing trend and times in the luxury car segment, Audi has planned to give its urban butch SUV, Q7, a facelift. The new 2010 face lifted Q7; will sport a new exterior in the form of new re-designed grille with chrome finished with thick vertical highlights. The SUV will have a new set of headlights, which will have Audi’s LED daytime lights and LED turn indicator. Even the front and rear bumpers and their under protectors have been altered. The Audi Q7 will have a new LED tail lights and has a latest door moulding. The Q7 will also receive new wheels. So many tweaks here and there will surely bring out a new Q7, which will the Q7 a refreshingly new look and that is exactly what Audi is aiming at. Not only the outer shell will get a new look, but the interiors of the car will also receive a revival. Audi has taken care to rework and improve the form and finish of the instruments and switchgear and it also new interior moon-lighting. And the SUV will have the latest version of MMI infotainment system which has a 10GB internal hard-drive The Q7 will still have its 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine that allows a 6-speed manual transmission. Facelift aside, the new brake energy recovery system adds technicality to the whole refreshment process of the car. This is something that is not very intrusive and so not mentioned about it one would rarely notice it. The best part about the facelift is that the automaker has concentrated on the needs and opinion from its most valuable customers. The refreshed Audi is expected to hit the Indian roads in 2010, but the price is still not available. And this new Audi Q7 will surely quench the thirst of a die-hard Audi customer. Labels: Audi, Audi-Q7, Luxury-Car-Segment
Monday, 3 August 2009
 Shedding over hundreds of pounds, it’s Audi’s turn now to lose weight and reshape itself. Audi is getting ready to bring in a new era of car engineering and together with it an ultra-modern view of cars. Audi has always been experimenting on ways to bring out more comfortable, stylish and hi-tech cars. Hoping positive results, Audi is getting ready for a new race. It should be noted that this weight-reduction program is not alien to Audi but, Audi has been, for years, trying to bring down the weight of its cars. Audi’s experiments in 1994 proved successful in bringing out weight-reduced cars such Audi A2 and Audi R8. And now Audi is getting ready to do more wonders by making its car lighter than ever. This evolutionary shift in thought will benefit the car business a great deal. It is the conventionally powered cars of Audi that is going to gain from the weight reduction program. This step by Audi is very valuable for making its cars hybrid and electric power trains. Audi is concentrating on cutting down the pounds of its outer shell, whereby it believes to reduce more weight. More and more tests are being conducted on this and Audi is successful in bringing out an S5 that weighs 880 pounds lesser that the original version. The new S5 has aluminum body and is built with hybrid steel. The next-generation-car dream of Audi appears very apt during this time of recession, when most of the brands are trying to bring out their best and prove their unbeatable stand in the automobile market. With this kind of innovative thinking, Audi leaves space for the car lovers to dream of a bright future. Any specific features of this next-generation car are still unknown. Even though Audi for the time being is concentrating on developing light-weight cars, it is not ready to compromise on other important factors such as performance, safety, and elegance. Audi considers this as a very important phase for a better tomorrow. The launching date of this new invention is yet to be decided. This new less-weight version is expected to be launched in all the countries including Brazil, India, and China where it runs its business. Labels: Audi, Audi-R8, Safety-In-Cars
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Come this June 28th, Tata Motors' high profile acquisition, Jaguar and Land Rover, would thread the Indian roads. Tata Motors had acquired the iconic British luxury car brands of Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motors in 2008. Both the brands will first hit the shores of Mumbai followed by cities like Ludhiana and Bangalore. Though there is no confirmed news on the models associated with the premium car brands entering the Indian market, speculations are rife that two models from Jaguar, XF and XKR and three models from the Land Rover stable Discovery 3, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport might brave Indian roads. India is seen as a lucrative market for super luxury brands like Rolls Royce, BMW, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, Maybach and Bentley in recent years. The demand for these luxury brands are high in the Indian market and importing of these cars clearly supports the aforesaid statement. The JLR showrooms will be not only seen in metros but also smaller cities. Available as an completely built unit, the price tags of these models are still kept in wraps. Labels: Audi, Bentley, BMW-Cars, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Land-Rover, Tata-Motors
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Audi has launched the Q5 in India. It is not just another model from Audi as the Q5 has much to it to charm Indian luxury car buyers. It blends trendy design, luxurious interiors, and sporty looks into a single compact package. It is second in the “Q” series of SUVs from Audi, the first being the widely popular Audi Q7. The Q5 has striking similarities to its older sibling Q7 but is much smaller in size. The Q5’s compact design and lowered stance are better suited for Indian roads. The new SUV is available in two engine options - 2.0-litre TFSI petrol with a maximum power output of 211 bhp and 240 bhp 3.0-litre TDI V6 diesel, both of which are direct injection units with turbochargers. The Q5 combines beefy pulling power with impressive fuel efficiency. Striking features of the newly launched Audi Q5 include drive select option, Audi’s Multi-Media Interface, rear seat DVD entertainment system, keyless entry and push-button start, xenon plus headlights with LED technology, premium Bang & Olufsen surround sound system, 3-zone automatic air conditioning, and reverse parking camera. Attitude, class, and performance of the Audi Q5 have made it a much-loved car in Europe where it has won Golden Steering Wheel and Best Off-Roader awards for 2009. It’s expected to outperform the Q7. Suitable for crowded roads as well as highways, the SUV is a travel anywhere companion. The petrol version is sold at Rs 38.29 Lakh and the diesel variant costs Rs 44.19 Lakh (ex-showroom price Delhi). Labels: Audi, Audi-Q5, New-Car-Launch
Monday, 6 April 2009
There is competition in every segment and we can clearly see the rift between the two luxury car manufacturers from Germany. The two giants of luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, are competing very closely to be top in the Indian car industry. Merc, one of the oldest players in the Indian car market is slowly loosing its number one position to its rival BMW. BMW in the first two months of 2009 recorded higher sales than Mercedes. This is said to be the result of the attractive discounts offered by BMW to push the sales. The company stroke a heavy discount on the older version of 3-series with the launch of the new version. Earlier Mercedes was the only luxury car manufacturer to assemble its models locally in India and this offered a competitive price to Indians compared to other luxury models. But now with BMW and Audi who have also started the local production the competition level for Merc went very high. In order to strengthen their position in the Indian car market, the luxury car manufacturers are launching new models and introducing expansion plans. When BMW launched the all new 3-series and 7-series, Merc did not lag behind and introduced the super luxury famed AMG range of cars and also the new M class from the SUV segment. The competition between the car manufacturers is nothing new. It is a part and parcel of life. Every one wants to be the best and are willing to can go to any extend to prove their worth. The competition would be still tougher as Mercedes will fight to retain it number one position in the Indian car market. Labels: Audi, BMW-Cars, luxury car, luxury car manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz
Mumbai streets were more sublime and warm on April 5, 2009. The sunny Sunday when people normally desire to stay within the shelters of their homes because of the prickling heat and humidity had transformed into a sublime Sunday because of the Parx Super Car Show held at Kala Ghoda in Mumbai. The show was an excellent and exhilarating parade of finest sports and luxury car. Infact the key aim of introducing such a kind of event was to bring together all like-minded individuals and car enthusiasts who own and have a passion of cars especially cars that lead admiring glances and envious stares. The event was flagged by former Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan. The Managing Director of Raymond Mr Gautam led the entourage of supercars in his Lamborghini Gallardo. Other participating cars in the show were from top brands like AMG, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Porsche, and Rolls Royce. And all these were driven from Kala Ghoda to Siddhi Vinayak Temple and back through Walkeshwar and Breach Candy. For the onlookers the parade of the most scintillating and impressive cars was the most spectacular sight. Organized by Autocar India and Bellset, the Parx Supercar Show is expected to travel to other cities including Delhi and Bangalore. Labels: AMG-Cars, Audi, Bentley, BMW-Cars, Ferrari, Formula-One, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Narain-Karthikeyan, Porsche, Rolls-Royce-Cars, Super-Car-Show
Monday, 29 September 2008
The best brains of Audi have come up with an innovation that will take the frustration out of waiting for traffic signals. Audi’s innovative system, christened as Travolution, is an awesome technology. This system will inform the driver in advance when the traffic lights ahead is going to change and whether the car will pass the signal at the current speed. The most interesting part of this advanced system is that if there is no traffic on road, then this latest invention by Audi will automatically turn the signal green. The system would be supported by new hardware installed at every traffic signal. Isn’t it something exciting and convenient? This device is still under development and is being tested in Ingolstadt, Germany. Such advanced technology will have a greater impact in Indian car market but sadly as every goodie comes last to India, so will this Audi Travolution. Labels: Audi, Audi- Travolution, Indian-Car
Monday, 15 September 2008
With so many new cars coming to the Indian car market, Hyundai is also busy is producing a new premium sedan for the country. Speculations in the air murmur that the proposed new car will christened as i40. The first launch of ‘I’ series by Hyundai was i10, a car that is successfully running on Indian roads. Thereafter, the company introduced the most fuel-efficient kappa engine in the car to make the car more reliable with better fuel economy. Driven by the positive response of Hyundai i10, the company decided to launch another i-series car christened as i20. The new car is expected to launch by the end of this year, expected to create a benchmark in the Indian car market. Now, when the company is almost near the launch of i-20, Hyundai is in plans to roll out another i-series, codenamed i-40. But, this new car will not follow the hatchback trend; it will be an exciting premium sedan. The exterior appeal of i-40 is expected to be a blend of Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. This is also said to be revamped version of the existing Hyundai Sonata. The car is to be launched in Korea in 2009 and is speculated to roll out in India in the next couple of months. Labels: Audi, Hyundai, Indian-car-market, Mercedes-Benz, New-Cars
Monday, 18 August 2008
Gone are the days for SUVs when they were highly appreciated and liked by Indian consumers. But rising inflation and high fuel prices have now put an end to the production of SUVs. Car manufacturers across the country especially the ones like Mahindra & Mahindra who are mainly into the production of SUVs are facing a tough time. These huge cars are numbered as high fuel guzzlers and have a bad eco-image. This has reduced the sale of Mahindra Scorpio, Toyota Innova, Maruti Gypsy and other cars in segment. With a keen desire to fight the battle and raise the market for SUVs, car manufacturers are now hunting for better and reliable alternatives that can drive the sale of these cars. The Mercedes, BMW, Audi and the Porsche are also planning to enter the SUV segment and produce compact cars in the segment with the combination of off-road qualities and luxury comforts. Will the past days come back for SUVs? Labels: Audi, BMW-Cars, Mahindra-and-Mahindra, Mercedes, Porsche, SUVs
Monday, 28 July 2008
It’s really a difficult decision to judge the best premium executive cars with excellent Mercedes C class, delectable BMW 3 series and heart rendering Audi A4 leading the premium car segment. After the launch of these three cars in the Indian market, there is a tough competition between them. No one is able to decide which car is the best. All have their own specific features, appealing design and exclusive performance. Mercedes C class provides a comfortable and superlative ride along with better road stability and communicative steering. BMW offers high end models with wonderful interiors, innovative features and attractive design. The 3 series has rear wheel drive with better driving experience. The latest contender, Audi A4, is creating a revolution in the segment. The car is exclusively designed with a classic shape, super cool touches, dynamic design, and superb ride comfort. The car is perfect for Indian roads with all wheel drive to improve traction and enhance road stability. Among these three excellent and delectable contenders of premium car segment, it’s really difficult to choose one. Which one will you choose? Labels: Audi, Best Cars, BMW-Cars, Luxury -Cars
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
All sports car enthusiast! Be ready to quench your thirst for race cars with Audi’s new R8 model. The German luxury car manufacturer is all set to launch its sporty R8 model in India by autumn this year. This exclusive model combines incomparable high performance, unique design and include features for day-to-day drivability. The car comes with 420 hp of its 4.2 V8-FSI engine and has aluminum frame body. It just matches up with its body shape and provides more varieties of choices to customize interiors according to the customer’s druther. Wow! It’s a cool option. India has been a significant market for Audi and there is a marvelous interest for the Audi by the Indian car buyers. First customer pre-orders are already placed at Audi dealerships in India. The car has already won several awards in Germany and Europe along with a double triumph at the 2008 World Car of the year awards like “World Performance Car” and the `World Car Design of the Year’. Do you think the car will be to make a similar impression in India? Well, we have to wait till its roll out for Indian roads. Labels: Audi, New-Cars, Sport-Car
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
 Audi, German luxury car brand, plans to absorb import taxes on its newly launched A4 sedan to India instead of transferring the cost of import to the consumer. The only reason to absorb taxes is to maintain the announced price tag of the new Audi A4 before its launch. Volkswagen Audi is planning to start local operation for A4 at its Aurangabad facility by the end of this year. Till then, Audi is not willing to have a price difference just because of the import duty levied on the A4 for the next few months. After local production starts, the company will save on import taxes to bring down the cost price of the car. This will make the car affordable to most Indian buyers. The company announces Audi A4 to be the cheapest Audi car in the country, costing Rs. 29 Lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai) for the diesel version. The expected sales target for A4 is about 300-400 units this calendar year. Audi is also committed to locally manufacturing its other luxury cars like the A6, A8, TT Coupe and Q7 by the next fiscal year. Labels: Audi, luxury cars, new car launch
Tuesday, 6 May 2008
Electric cars have become the new research area in auto sector. It could be the answer to the fuel problem and increasing pollution witnessed today. Fossil fuel is drying up fast, but car consumerism is increasing like never before. Almost all Asian countries have big car market. If this trend continues, one day we may have several cars but no fuel to run. In order to search an alternative to avoid this possibility, several car manufacturers are opting for electric cars. Audi is now contemplating on developing electric cars too. The company plans to launch it in 5-10 years. It will have zero emission. Audi is a late entrant in the alternative fuel research field. Although, it has a larger research department than that of Mercedes Benz, Audi has now turned its attention to develop electric cars. Audi has been in the forefront of car engineering and the same can be easily repeated with the electric cars. However, Audi may not wish to compromise on the key factors like speed and performance, which has brought in several laurels. Labels: Audi, Electric Cars
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
Audi has always been synonymous with luxury and comfort. It would never give any chance to its customers to blame it for quality as it keeps releasing new version of its luxury cars very frequently to attract more customers. Now, Audi is releasing the new A4 luxury sedan in July with certain modification and additional features. The A4 will be sold at the price of locally assembled car in India. Though the new A4 will be imported initially, it will sport the price tag of a locally assembled car. The new version of A4 was already launched in Europe a few months ago and became a grand success there. Audi India will assemble the A4 at its plant at Shndra and expects to sell 500 units of the new A4 in the first year. Labels: Audi, Audi-A4, Luxury car segment, Luxury sedan, new car launch
Thursday, 6 March 2008
Indian car enthusiasts have always been passionate about luxury cars. They have an undying spirit and love for owning such cars. This obsession with luxury cars may be one of the strongest reasons for the success of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and the likes. Within a span of a few years, the Indian car industry has started to become swarmed with famous global car brands from renowned car manufacturers who have globally proved their mettle. These car companies have received a great response to their luxury cars. Most of their sedans, small cars and SUVs have become a grand success inspite of being highly priced. This trend is clearly seen in the successful sales numbers that each of the luxury car makers have achieved over the past few years. Last month saw 241 BMWs sold. BMW is so confident of the market that they have set themselves a sales target of 10,000 cars by 2010. Audi and Mercedes-Benz have similar success stories to tell. Labels: Audi, BMW-Cars, Car-Sales, luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
The race is on to capture the small car segment in India. While many car manufacturers are toying with ideas of releasing small cars at ultra-low costs to reach out to the common man in India, foreign car manufacturers are also thinking the same.
BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Volvo and Fiat for example are striving hard to make their cars affordable in India and also to enable at the least upper-middle class to be able to own their cars by shelling out decent amounts. Not to be left behind, Fiat has already decided to roll out its most popular European small car Fiat 500 and the Fiat Bravo at Rs.10 lakh in India. Volkswagen and BMW are waiting to release the Beetle and Mini Cooper brands respectively within the limit of Rs. 20 lakh. The entry of foreign cars with competitive price tags in India will surely make Indian car manufacturers to give good cars at reasonable price. Labels: Audi, BMW-Cars, Fiat, Foreign cars, Small car market in India
Friday, 29 February 2008
Get into any modern luxury car and the first thing that catches the eye is the array of buttons on the dash. Even the steering wheel gets paddle shifters and audio controls. Added to this, there are cars with a GPS facility and an LCD screen.
Get into any Merc or BMW and be amazed by the number of functions being packed into the small space. It will require the genius of a race car driver or a professional mechanic to actually understand the functions of all the buttons. A person will need to study the car manual for over a week to understand the various technological marvels that a luxury car comes with. Only the cockpit alone of a luxury car like the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, and Mercedes S-Class could cost up to $20,000 to $30,000 (Rs. 8 to 12 Lakh). The question, however, is why so many gadgets when most of these luxury cars are driven by chauffeurs? Wouldn’t it be better to concentrate more on the rear seat comforts of a luxury car? Maybe luxury car makers should concentrate more on rear comfort and less on cockpit confusion! Labels: Audi, BMW-Cars, Car-Accessories, GPS, LCD screen, luxury cars
Monday, 17 December 2007
With big auto players like BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan have already markets stormed the Indian markets, now its turn of Porsche, the German luxury car maker, which is all set to expand its operations in India. As its first step, Porsche recently inaugurated a $ 2 million showroom in Mumbai. They plan their next pit stop at Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. The company hopes to continue its legacy in the sports car segment and intends to take it to a new high. Amongst its model, Porsche’s Cayenne rules the Indian road. Labels: Audi, BMW-Cars, Luxury car segment, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
It’s a luxury-branded world we live in. Thanks to Google, I’ve got a leak on what Alfa Romeo in India will look like. Iconic, that is the perfect word suited for Alfa in India. I had never seen one of these before so I thought of googling it up more. Really wide, pretty low, and very sporty. It’s rare that we come across some great sporty cars in India. It is interesting in the fact that Alfa will bring a new face for Fiat in India. There are some nice details about Alfa Romeo. Alfa is a car that can compete head-on with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class and the Audi A4 in India. The exterior is pretty sweet. The unique grille housed between the jewel shaped headlight offers something we will have to wait for. And the news is that Alfa Romeo 159 will be the mainstay of the brand in the Indian market. Surprisingly the 159 has been Alfa’s most successful compact saloon in recent times. Alfa look forward to price it competitively against the locally-assembled Mercs and BMWs. Alfa will certainly sell up to par with a price that of BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. However, sources say Alfa 159 should be launched with an entry price of Rs. 28 Lakh. I think sales will heavily depend on Indian road conditions and the company’s service back-up. Article Submitted by Suresh RaoLabels: Audi, BMW-Cars, Car market competition, Compact luxury sedans, Fiat, Mercedes-Benz, New Car, New launch
Friday, 16 November 2007
After one very successful year, BMW India echoes only one slogan “Thanks to the Indian BMW die-hard fans, we need more.” Here is today’s big story: BMW has just shown interest in expanding its dealers in India. It looks like BMW is moving forward with a systematic method of ruling the Indian luxury cars market. The German formula in India has great demand since its debut. The company has sold a total of 1,100 units till now and currently they have eight dealers in India. With the new expansion, the company is expected to up the dealer number by four in the coming few months. Main targets of expansion are Pune, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Surat, and Coimbatore. BMWs reply to the new entries from Audi and Volkswagen is cracking and this definitely promises to be an interesting tale. Labels: Audi, Auto market competition, BMW-Cars, Imported cars, Luxury car segment, New launch, Volkswagen
Thursday, 15 November 2007
People often ask me “What type of a car is your dream car?” The answer is usually “A car with elegant looks and luxury and a brand name that does not need an explanation.” I think it’s the same with most people. Now here comes my question “What comes to mind when you think of Infiniti?” Luxury! Infiniti is one of the most luxurious cars that people dream about. These imported Infiniti models will soon assault the Indian market by the in-time idea from Nissan Motors. Infiniti, the Nissan-owned company, is planning to debut its Infiniti brand of luxury cars in India. Watch out Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, Volvo, and Volkswagen. Upon introduction, the Infiniti will be presented in the luxury, small car, mid-sized sedan, and the commercial vehicle segments. The Infiniti versions are priced in the range of Rs. 15,30,000 - Rs. 23,40,000 in the US market. The Infiniti price tags for the Indian market are yet to be announced. Nissan is happy with the Indian market and its local partners. However there is no information about who the local partner will be for Infiniti. After the joint ventures with Bajaj Auto, Mahindra&Mahindra, and Ashok Leyland, who will be the next? Labels: Ashok Leyland, Audi, Bajaj, BMW-Cars, Imported cars, Launches in India, Luxury car segment, Mahindra, Mahindra-Renault, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Volkswagen, Volvo
Friday, 26 October 2007
There has been considerable debate over the last few years regarding the best high-end sport- luxury brand car available in India. It was widely thought that the big three brand competitors are BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. Now, I’d like to take a moment to welcome our new competitor, an all new sport-luxury brand from the Italian carmaker Fiat. Here’s the name you’ve been waiting for: the Alfa Romeo 159. In the 2008 Auto Expo, which is going to be happening very shortly, Fiat is going to announce the debut of Alfa Romeo and the date to import it to India in the first half of 2008. Current information suggests that the Alfa Romeo will be available at selected Fiat dealers in India. Well, from what I understand, Alfa’s engine transplants will add either a 2.2 liter engine or a 3.2 liter V-6 engine that will make a very hearty 260 to 730 horsepower respectively. Fiat has confirmed that the entry prize of Alfa will be 28 Lakh. Let’s gaze at the history of Alfa. Alfa was the first car that introduced the trend for twin spark plugs in the 1960s. The Alfa 156, launched in 1997, was the first car that was powered by a common-rail diesel engine. All this and the car is still competitively prized. As far as we know it’s the cars endure in Indian road conditions and the company service back-up that will eventually decide the success of the new ‘Romeo’ in India. Labels: Audi, Auto market competition, BMW-Cars, Fiat, Imported cars, Indian car market, Mercedes-Benz, New launch
Friday, 5 October 2007
After a long pause, Peugeot, the French automaker, is once again gazing at the Indian market with a low cost model that is under development. Who can blame them for a second glance – at the rate the Indian automobile industry is growing; manufactures have to be blind not to notice us! The company seems still worried about the failure faced by Peugeot and Premier Automobiles Ltd. (PAL), their joint venture partners, in their formative years in India. The cause for the closure of Peugeot in India had termed differently, as poor performance and joint venture failure. Its struggles to survive in the Indian market have resulted in the eventual exit of the company from the Indian auto-scenario in November 1997 – just a year before the auto boom started. Even if the company didn’t play any important roles in the Indian Passenger car market, we cannot forget Peugeot as it was one of the first automobile MNCs to enter India. As the Indian auto market has been a matter of interest for foreign automakers, like Volvo, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, and many others from around the world, Peugeot is again getting ready to seek its luck in India. Our automobile industry has come a long way from the time they were here – we now not only have a splatter of automobile MNCs, but also a wider consumer interest. So, a definite green signal to Peugeot from my side! Labels: Audi, BMW-Cars, Car-manufacturers-in-India, competition, Indian car market, Peugeot, Volkswagen, Volvo
Monday, 1 October 2007
After the successful launch of Passat, Volkswagen has scheduled its popular vehicle Polo (no it’s not the mint!) to launch in 2009 in India. Volkswagen, the people’s car (it’s actually pronounced as “Folks wagon”), is likely to set the production plant of Polo by the end of 2009 and the full scale production is expected to start by 2010. After Polo Volkswagen launches, the small car buyers in India will have fun. Polo is one of Volkswagens ever successful car and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. The Polo in India would be a completely new version, but I hope that all the cool stuff about it is not compromised for good mileage. I mean mileage is good, but the Polo is one of Volkswagen's most popular small cars globally as it is. Volkswagen can definitely do well in the Indian market even though brands like Audi and Skoda are around, coz it is easier to get your hands on – money factor. I mean you can see a few Lamborghinis flying around in India. Volkswagen has inked a deal with the Maharashtra government for producing its cars from Pune. Posted By Art.Labels: Audi, competition, Indian car market, launch in India, Skoda, small cars, Volkswagen
Monday, 24 September 2007
 An all-new Audi A4 is all-set to be unwrapped at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The new A4 will sport a modern and stylish build. It will carry-over the same huge grille but will have a new set of LED headlamps that will light-up more rapidly with less usage of power. The curved rear gives the car a unique look. The car shares the same platform called MLP (Modular Variable Platform) as that of Audi A6 and A8. Compared to the current A4, the new A4 gets a longer wheelbase to efficiently balance the weight and increase interior space. With roomy and comfy interiors the new A4 might hit the Indian roads in a short time. For the driver’s comfort, the new A4 comes with an adaptable steering system, which adapts to the driver’s driving style. For Indian roads, it is said that the car might adorn a 150 bhp diesel engine. Labels: Audi, Imported cars, India, Indian car market
Thursday, 5 July 2007
Germany based Volkswagen is all set to launch “ Passat”, which will be the first model assembled in India. In order to strengthen the sales, this major car company is planning to set up a supplementary company, Volkswagen Group Sales India Private Limited. The corporation is primarily aiming at metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore to set up its dealership network and then it plans to steadily increase the operations to other Indian cities. The Indian subsidiary will work as an autonomous delivery company for Volkswagen and Audi in India and has plans to import a few models. No doubt, a car with all the advanced amenities will rock on Indian roads very soon. Labels: Audi, Volkswagen to launch Passat
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