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Thursday, 15 April 2010
 In the past, we have heard some rumours regarding the entry of Kia Cerato in the Indian car market. But here is the latest one. According to a post by Techneclave, three test mules of not-so-well disguised Kia Cerato have been spotted doing their rounds on the roads of Kolkata. Kia, which is a low-cost sister concern of Hyundai, is planning to make its foray in the Indian market. So long, Hyundai has neither confirmed nor denied these rumours. But the latest appearances of these Kia cars prompt us to believe that these rumours might just carry some weight of credibility. Kia shares a number of its key components with Hyundai, including the engines. And so it is likely that the Kia Cerato will be positioned just above the Hyundai Verna, in the space that was once occupied by Hyundai Elantra, which has now been discontinued. Though Hyundai is doing wonderfully in the hatchback segment, it is yet to make an impression in the above Rs 10 lakh segment. So, Hyundai might be pinning its hopes on the Kia Cerato to enter the above-mentioned segment. Supposedly, the Kia Cerato would be competing with sedans like the Fiat Linea, Honda City and Chevrolet Cruze. The Kia Cerato would likely enter the Indian zone in both petrol and diesel engine offerings, as it is already doing its global rounds with the range of petrol and diesel engine offerings. And as Hyundai is already an established and trusted name among the Indian customers, it would rather offer the Cerato with a Hyundai badge than taking a chance of introducing something new to the Indian cutomers. Keep watching this space for we will be back soon with more info and news on this.  Labels: Cerato, Chevrolet-Cruze, Elantra, Fiat-Linea, Honda-City, Hyundai, Hyundai-Elantra, Hyundai-Verna, Kia, Kia-Cerato, Verna
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
If February held its head high because of the record sales figures it brought for the car manufacturers, March is not sulking either. Union Budget 2010 brought the partial rollback in excise duty reduction on cars, and then there was the price hike from few of the car manufacturers, but March kept its dignity and showed good sales numbers. Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Honda Siel, General Motors and Ford Motors represent more than 90 per cent of all vehicle sales in India, and if we take their combined domestic passenger vehicle sales into consideration, the numbers have gone up by 19.3 per cent in March, to 1,95,805 units, compared to 1,64,104 units during the same month last year. February got lucky because consumers were expecting a partial roll back in the budget and pre-poned their decisions of purchasing a car. As a result, the February sales catapulted by 34 per cent, hitting 1,94,548 units as compared to 1,45,166 units in February 2009. The last financial year started on a rather sluggish note but showed signs of recovery once the economic pace quickened. Consequently, passenger vehicle sales of these carmakers in 2009-10 shot up by 26.7 per cent, to 2,429,419 units, against 1,918,146 units in 2008-09. Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director (sales), Toyota Kirloskar Motors, said: “The increase in sales for March can be attributed to the rise in prices that would come into effect from April 1 because of increase in input costs, the implementation of Euro-IV (emission norms) and the increase in local road tax and local sales tax.” While most of the companies are still deciding on the increase in the car prices, Toyota and Maruti have already announced the precise amount. Toyota has increased the prices of Corolla, Innova and Fortuner models by Rs 5,000 to Rs 14,000 and Maruti Suzuki has increased the prices, ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 7000, on A-star, Ritz, Estilo, Omni, Swift, DZire and SX4 models. Additionally, the price of Maruti Eeco has shot up by Rs 10,000 because the introductory price has been withdrawn. Despite all these, industry experts believe that the overall growth would continue in 2010-11, but at a relatively lower rate. “The buoyancy in Tier-II and -III towns would help the industry to grow by 15 per cent in 2010-11, despite fears of increase in interest rates and high inflation,” Ankush Arora, vice president (sales and marketing), GM India, said. GM alone would register growth of 50 per cent over 2009-10, he said. Riding on the successful launch of Eeco, the Ritz, the new Grand Vitara, Estilo and SX4, domestic sales for Maruti went up 7.7 per cent in March, at 79,530 units as compared to 73,855 units in March last year. Not only that, Maruti Suzuki became the only Indian carmaker to achieve a milestone of a million units being sold in a year. Export figures also improved for Maruti. Against 70,023 units in 2008-09, Maruti sold 147,575 units during 2009-10. Hyundai’s sales jumped by 27.3 per cent last month, to 31,501 units when compared to the 24,754 units sold in March 2009. This has been the highest domestic sales for Hyundai. Thanks to Indigo Manza and Sumo Grande MKII, Tata Motors registered an increase of 17.4 per cent, at 27,761 units compared to the 23,649 units sold in March 2009. Labels: Euro-IV, February-2010-Car-Sales, Ford-Motors, General-Motors, Honda-Siel, Hyundai, Indigo-Manza, March-2010-Car-Sales, Maruti-Suzuki, Sumo-Grande-MKII, Tata-Motors
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
 Everyone is on a spree. And we are talking about a particular spree that is not making anyone happier by any degree. Car manufacturers are, however, an exception to this. Anyway, the spree that we are talking about is the latest trend of increasing car prices for various reasons. New car buyers are getting the price hike blow almost every day. First it was our very own Maruti Suzuki, which announced about the increased car prices even before the Union Budget 2010 was announced. Hyundai followed close on Maruti Suzuki’s heels and announced a price hike on its cars. The Union Budget did not do much to pacify the customers, but instead, it increased the excise duties on cars and fuel prices, not to mention the increased excise on steel prices. While we were still recuperating from all these, Hyundai has brought another blow on the young and aspiring new car owners of India. Yes, deal with it. Hyundai has announced that it is raising the prices (once again!) of all its models in the first week of April, a company official said. Talk about repetition. Hyundai is the second largest car maker in India, after Maruti Suzuki. "Hyundai will increase the prices in the first week of April," Hyundai Motor regional sales manager Kumar Priyesh said. Guess what could be the reason about this latest price hike. The company officials are saying it is because of the shift from BS III to BS IV standards is the main reason for the price hike. It is interesting to note that Hyundai has tried to contain the price hike within Rs 4500 – 5000, saying that the entire hike would not be passed on to the customers. Meanwhile, Hyundai is also planning to bring an 800 cc small car in India, which is likely to be launched in the second half of 2011. The happy and surprising news about this car is that it is going to be priced close to the cheapest model from Maruti, the Maruti 800. Hyundai is also planning to launch its Santa FE in the SUV segment by October, this year. The Santa FE SUV would be priced around Rs 20 lakh. Labels: Hyundai, Hyundai-800 cc-Small-Car, Hyundai-Motor, Hyundai-Price-Hike, Hyundai-SUV, Maruti-800, Maruti-Suzuki, Santa-FE, Union-Budget-2010
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
 Be it any industry, the customer is the boss. It is the same with the automotive industry too. The demand for cars is increasing by the day and Hyundai Motors India Ltd wants to keep pace with the demand. The i20 is in great demand and Hyundai is looking to shift part of the production load. The Korean auto maker is finding it difficult to manage the growing domestic demand and wants to reduce the waiting periods for its popular models. During the second half of this year, part of its export-related production will therefore be shifted to Turkey. The premium i20 hatchback is going to be the Turkey-produced product. Hyundai will be gaining a lot from this shift. The three to four week waiting period looks to be decreasing and this would certainly lead to better customer satisfaction. The move will also result in a shift in the share of production capacity at its facilities. It is going to be more towards domestic production as compared to exports. Wait, there’s something more. Currently, the car maker’s export focus has been on the European market. Post June, Hyundai can shift its focus to other markets like New Zealand and Australia. Must say that the step Hyundai plans to take is an intelligent one. The company’s domestic sales projection shows a growth of 9-11 per cent in 2011. Last year, as it sold 5.6 lakh units, it was close to exhausting its existing capacity of 6 lakh across the two facilities in Chennai. Whoa! Luckily, it didn’t. The Turkey shift is definitely going to help Hyundai ease out a little. On the other hand, it is going to enhance domestic sales and help the company balance its growth target. A small amount of the i20 production is going to be shifted to Turkey. Only the three-door version will be produced in Turkey. The i20’s five-door variant will continue production here. Hyundai will send them out as completely knocked down kits. As of now, the company has maintained a 50:50 split between exports and domestic sales. Very soon, this ratio will be a little heavier on the domestic sales side. It is only with the perfect volumes of production that Hyundai will be able to maintain growth domestically. Shifting a part of the premium hatchback production work to Turkey would clear up a space of 50,000 units a year in its facilities in India. Not just that. It may also enhance competence to add additional 30,000-35,000 units a year to the already existing 6 lakh capacity. This addition, however, is going to be made use of in domestic sales. Right now, Hyundai’s production is around 50,000 a month at three shifts. During the second half of the year, this is going to go high. With the steadiness of the various shops and improvisation to make the systems more efficient, annual capacity can be expanded to around 6.30-6.35 lakh. Looks like there is enough room for Hyundai to add capacity. Labels: Car-Production, Hyundai, Hyundai-Domestic-Sales, Hyundai-Exports, Hyundai-Motors-India-Ltd, Hyundai-Sales, i20, i20-Production, i20-production-in-Turkey
Friday, 26 February 2010
 After a maintaining a low-profile in the last year, Hyundai seems totally energized and rearing to go in 2010. Even though there were very few launches, new i20, and a few facelifts, Hyundai managed to be high on the sales front with its Flagship model i10. Hyundai Sonata, that was recently launched in the US market, has got pretty good reviews from the automotive media and car enthusiasts. It is creating quite a buzz among Hyundai lovers and other car buffs. Hyundai has confirmed that they would be launching the Sonata sedan in Australia as Hyundai i45 in the 2nd quarter of 2010. Since Sonata has adopted Hyundai’s European nomenclature, it will be known as Hyundai i45 on the continent “Down Under”. The all-new Hyundai i45 features Hyundai’s brand-new styling approach called the “fluidic sculpture”. It has got modern powertrain technology and new luxury features. In spite of all this jazz, Hyundai i45 be your one of the best values for money. According to Hyundai, the mid-size sedan i45 has the same technical specifications as the Sonata sedan launched in the US. The i45 is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission mated to new 2.4L Petrol Direct Injection (GDI) four-cylinder engine. It also offers the best-in-segment fuel economy ratings and provides class-leading safety features for the driver and passengers. So what is it that makes the i45 different from the Sonata? Nothing apart from the location where Hyundai builds them. While the US-spec Sonata is manufactured at the Hyundai plant in Alabama, the one to be launched in Australia are built at Hyundai’s plant in South Korea. “We are very excited to be launching the all-new Hyundai i45 mid-sized sedan in Australia in the coming months, said Oliver Mann, managing director at Hyundai Motor Company Australia. “The all-new Sonata is already breaking sales records at its home South Korean market and receiving awards in the U.S. market, so the all-new i45 sedan is also expected to make a considerable impact in the competitive Australian mid-sized segment.” So much for adopting a different name! Labels: all-new-Sonata-sedan, Hyundai, Hyundai-i45, Hyundai-Sonata, i45, i45-mid-size-sedan, Sonata
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
The 2010 Auto Expo has drawn the curtains on. It attracted nearly two million visitors during its seven days of display. From big machines to concepts to alternative fuel technology vehicles, the auto fair had something for everyone. The 2010 Delhi Auto Expo gave the world the message that the Indian automobile industry is fast on a full recovery mode. The visit of Shah Rukh Khan to the Hyundai stall to unveil the i10 electric car and stopover of other celebrities to the Expo added icing to the cake. While the Volkswagen Polo, Toyota compact car concepts and Chevrolet Beat managed to pull large crowds, Tata Motors’ Jaguar and Land Rover become the photographers’ delight. The upcoming Tata Aria and luxury concept sedan Prima also fascinated the crowd. The audience appreciated the Audi Sportback and Mercedes Benz SLS AMG. Other attractions included the Honda small car concept and the Maruti Suzuki Eeco and first indigenously designed concept car from Maruti, the R III. The Skoda Yeti and the BMW X1 too got some cheers. Toyota amazed the crowd with the launch of the Prius and Maruti Suzuki showcased its SX4 hybrid. Labels: 2010-Auto-Expo, Hyundai, Maruti-Suzuki, New-Car-Launch, Tata-Motors, Toyota-Prius
Monday, 4 January 2010
It is just unimaginable how things have changed around us in a matter of a decade or less. Let’s speak here on the advent of the Electric vehicles in the Indian context. The concept for Electric Vehicles was impossible about a couple of years ago. The scene in India changed after Maini Reva, the first Indian electric car maker put up a bold face and entered the Indian market. Yes, the going was certainly tough for Reva initially, thanks to the overly priced car which was limited only to the city use. It seemed highly impractical when the car was first launched in India. But those were the days and now these are the days. Times do change. Reva surely set up as a pioneer in safeguarding the environment with its non-polluter electric cars. Picking up the cues, even bigger and environment-conscious car makers also joined the fray in a big way after the great recession of 08-09. This was a decisive moment as the mindset of billions of people suddenly started changing in the wake of Copenhagen summit. India almost suddenly became a hot spot for the car manufactures to try out their new electric wares and cars that spat less smoke. This year’s Auto Expo certainly will be serving as a launch pad for more and more electric vehicles to hit India. This could prove a hit provided the practicality issues are sorted out soon. At the Auto Expo, almost all the car manufactures are showcasing their electric car portfolio. Staring from General Motors’s EV’s, Electric vehicles like that of Honda EV-N, Renault Twizy ZE and Toyota’s Prius Hybrid will be showcased. Toyota has been making this hybrid since 1997 but India will see the third generation version of Prius on the roads pretty soon which will have a 1.5 litre petrol engine mated with an electric motor and will give around 20 kilometres a litre. GM will have the concept Chevy Volt and the Chevy Spark Electric prototype at the show. The Chevy Spark Electric will have the same look at the petrol version but the engine will be replaced by an electric motor. The electric power train will be sourced from REVA.It must be recalled that GM and Reva Electric had signed an agreement recently to develop electric cars for the Indian market. The car is expected to debut commercially this year. The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended-range capability. It is said to be designed to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tail-pipe emissions. Tata Motors in the meanwhile is not lagging behind and we are anticipating that Tata showcases an electric/hybrid version of its Nano and also an electric version of its Indica, which has been in development in Norway. Tata had bought Norway-based electric vehicle maker Miljo Grenland/Innovasjon in 2008. The Norwegian firm will manufacture super polymer lithium ion batteries and electric vehicles based on Tata Motors’ range of products as well as conduct research and development in allied technologies. Tata Motors will soon roll out its Rs 160 crore electric car project in Norway and later scale it up for other Scandinavian markets. The Indica Vista EV has been designed and developed by Tata Motors' UK subsidiary, Tata Motors European Technical Centre. India’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki is displaying its hybrid Maruti SX4 sedan amongst other concept cars at the Auto Expo 2010. The company is working on clean fuel technologies as part of a public-private partnership ahead of the Commonwealth Games, 2010. Reva, which is India’s first electric car, showed off its NXR and NXG range of small EVs at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year. Though these cars will not be showcased at the Auto Expo, the India launch is expected soon. Hyundai too has joined the EV bandwagon and will be showcasing an i10 EV at the Auto Expo. The launch though will be at a later date. Mahindra is not falling behind of the schedule and has a couple of EVs which is all set to be unveiled at the show. Let’s hope that the Indian public gives thumbs up for electric vehicles and hybrids in this Auto Expo 2010. Labels: Auto-Expo-2010, Chevy-Spark-Electric, Chevy-Volt, Copenhagen-Summit, Electric-Vehicles, Honda-EV-N, Hybrid-Cars, Hyundai, Maini-Reva, Renault-Twizy, Toyota-Prius-Hybrid
Thursday, 3 December 2009
It seems like Hyundai is on a roll. One year after promising to become the leading manufacturer in fuel economy, Hyundai delivered by topping the latest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy report. Hyundai passed all major manufacturers in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) including traditional leaders like Honda and Toyota.
The report demonstrates the effectiveness of Hyundai's value-driven fuel-efficiency strategy, which focuses on the intelligent application of cost-effective technologies. The report also substantiates Hyundai's leadership in the race to achieve the US government-mandated 2016 CAFE standard of 35.5 miles per gallon.
"Our thoughtful application of cost-effective, fuel-efficient technologies has helped us achieve our goal of leading the industry in fuel economy ahead of schedule," said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. He also added that Hyundai hoped to extend that leadership with the launch of our new direct injection, turbocharging and lithium-polymer hybrid technologies, all of which will be a part of the 2011 Sonata lineup launching early next year.
Hyundai is aligning global R&D resources at its engineering centers in California, Michigan, Korea, India and Germany to develop the Blue Drive technologies needed to achieve fuel efficiency goals. Under the Hyundai Blue Drive strategy, technologies such as direct injection, turbo-charging, hybrid drive systems and a number of others will all play larger roles in powering future models to offer consumers lower emissions, enhanced performance and more miles per gallon.
Carazoo.com here gives the list of car makers who have scored high in producing fuel-efficient vehicles according to Environmental Protection Agency Fuel Economy Reports :
Group Fuel Economy (mpg)
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Manufacturer Overall (Cars/Trucks)
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Hyundai 30.1
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Honda 29.7
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Volkswagen 29.6
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Toyota 29.4
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Kia 28.0
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Nissan 27.2
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BMW 26.9
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Ford 25.7
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General Motors 24.5
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Chrysler 23.2
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Labels: BMW, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen
Friday, 20 November 2009
Of late, India has cemented its place as the hottest destination for auto makers across the world. Car manufacturers invested on the growing Indian car market and they are now reaping the harvest of their investments. Japanese Suzuki Motor Corporation has emerged as the largest car maker of India with its Indian arm, Maruti Suzuki. Suzuki trebled its full-year global net income forecast on the back of strong Indian operations, despite sluggish sales overseas. While home market Japan as well as European countries contracted for Suzuki, India remained the only market to grow, with first half sales here moving up by 24 per cent at 4.7 lakh units against 3.8 lakh units in the corresponding period. Ten year old Korean car company Hyundai follows the Japanese car behemoth in this regard. It has a capacity of producing around 6 lakh units, half of which service export markets. The company has earmarked India as one of the hubs for manufacture of models like i10, i20 and Santro and sells India-made cars to over 100 countries. While developed markets in Europe and US remain under pressure, operations in India have been gradually growing. The company's cumulative sales in January-October 2009 period have grown by 12 per cent year-on-year at 4.57 lakh units (4.07 lakh) with domestic sales up 11 per cent at 2.39 lakh units and exports up 13 per cent at 2.17 lakh units. Honda too gets a sizeable portion of its revenues, sales and profits from its Indian subsidiary. It will bring its proposed small car for India by 2011. Beleaguered General Motors has its business flowing only in India in these hard times with its Chevrolet brand. Volkswagen, Fiat and Ford are expanding in India. While Nissan and Renault are trying to establish a firmer grip in the market shares and are coming with a low-cost car. Labels: Chevrolet, General-Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Indian-car-market, Maruti-Suzuki, Suzuki-Motor-Corporation
There has been a huge change in the export target of the Indian car makers, they have amended it, not to the higher end, but downwards. And the reason for this is the European government. Yes, you read it right, the governments in Europe have exhausted cash incentives for small fuel-efficient cars. This will be, for sure, a huge hit on the large scale export of Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki India. These companies for the last eight months have been enjoying the benefits of the generous policy. During the period of the policy, these companies were exporting in large numbers. During this period car exports jumped 32 per cent to 3.10 lakh cars over the same period last year. In Europe, the demand for A-Star, i10, and i20 was at a highest rate. And about 80 per cent of cars that came from India saw Europe as their target market. France, Italy, Germany, Austria, UK, Spain, and Netherlands were among the countries that offered cash benefits of up to 5,000 Euros to buy new energy-efficient cars emitting lower carbon-dioxide. Even though countries such as Netherland and the UK still ready to offer incentives on new cars, most of the other countries have exhausted their budget and withdrawn benefits. Hyundai Motor India has acted to the situation quiet promptly by cutting down its export to 40 per cent from its current 50 per cent. Hyundai has shifted part of its i20 production to its plant in Turkey during the second half of the next year. Maruti Suzuki is still in the process of decision making. The company might drop its export percentage from next quarter as Europe has cut down on such incentives. Indian car manufacturers have the privilege of higher margins and profits on cars sold abroad. Labels: Car-Export, Hyundai, Hyundai-i20, Maruti-Suzuki
Thursday, 19 November 2009
 Hyundai has plans of launching its facelifted Verna in India. The new Verna has already has made its appearance in the Korean car market. And now the company is launching it in the country with much expectation. Guessing on what would have made Hyundai think on these lines of launching a fresh looking Verna, we can get an answer. Even though not the only reason, the launch of the revamped Maruti SX4 and Ford Fiesta could be a motivating factor behind the company’s decision of launching the facelifted Verna in India. The company launched its much loved sedan, Verna back in 2005. Since then the car has not received any major change in looks. The growing competition in the auto industry might have made the company think about bringing in the new looking Verna to India. We are not sure as to what exactly would be the changes that the car would receive. And whether it will be able to conquer the hearts of the Indian car lovers as its predecessor did. We are also not well aware of the launching date of this new Verna and what possibly would be the price that should be spend to owe one. Anyways, waiting eagerly. Labels: Ford-Fiesta, Hyundai, Hyundai-Verna, Maruti-SX4
 The Hyundai Genesis is going to make its India debut in the upcoming 2010 Delhi Auto Expo. This adds another luxury car to the Indian car market menu. The Hyundai Genesis is a rear-wheel drive luxury sedan introduced initially as a concept car in the 2007 New York International Auto Show. This gorgeous sedan has won the ‘Car of the Year’ award in Canada, North America and China. Hyundai says that the Genesis can offer the performance of a BMW 5-Series and the interior packaging of a 7-Series. The Genesis sedan is a luxury sedan that was designed to compete with the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class, Infiniti M and Lexus GS. Hyundai was in fact not planning to bring this car in India, but the Korean company must have changed its mind looking at the recent sales growth of luxury cars in the country. The full size Genesis comes with three engine options, none of them less than 6 cylinders in size. The Hyundai Genesis utilizes a speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering and comes with four-wheel disc brakes. The suspension is a multi-link setup in front and a 5-link setup in the rear. The Hyundai Genesis includes dual front airbags, front and rear side airbags, side-curtain airbags, ABS, brake assist, EBD, traction control and electronic stability control as standard safety features. Labels: Hyundai, Hyundai-Genesis, New-York-International-Auto-Show
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Indian small cars have been quite a hit in the markets of Europe. It has been a consequence of the scrappage scheme or the green drive by European nations. The governments of Germany, France and the UK had asked its citizens to exchange their old cars for new fuel-efficient and eco-friendly ones. Moreover, these governments also promised to reward people who are buying fuel efficient cars. This led for a demand for Indian small cars where big cars dominated the local markets once upon a time. The scheme profited Hyundai Motor India and Maruti Suzuki and they became the key players in export of cars to the European market. The A-Star, i10 and i20 became the most ‘sought-after’ cars of the European market. But, with the passage of time things have taken a different turn and Indian small cars started having trouble in the European market. The exports of these cars have started shrinking as scrappage schemes in various European markets are set to lapse by the end of the year. Hyundai Motor India and Maruti Suzuki have witnessed their exports go off to 35-40 per cent in the last few months on the back of incentives offered by Germany, France and the UK governments. Germany and Austria have already ended their scrappage scheme and other countries are expected to wind up their green drive programmes by December. As a result, exports to Europe start declining and Indian carmakers have started hunting for a new market besides Europe. But Indian carmakers are still hoping against hope that the European nations will announce new schemes to encourage small car exports or to extend the existing scrappage scheme. Labels: Hyundai, Maruti-Suzuki, Maruti-Suzuki-A-Star
Monday, 12 October 2009
The other day we were talking about the silver car colour mania. Indians also are swept off their feet by this colour. Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor India have affirmed that the market for them is for whites, silver and other subtle colours. These two Indian car majors have said that 50 per cent of the total sales of the industry are still for the all-time favourites, while red stands at 11-13 per cent. For Maruti, it is all about silver, golden and white. Even Honda says that almost 50 per cent of its sales are off-white and silver. The red colour signifies premium and prosperity and is winning hearts of the Indian car buyers. It is such a hit that car makers are finding it difficult to meet the delivery dates for red coloured car. Almost 50 per cent of the orders for the new Skoda Superb are for Rosso Brunello which is a shade of the colour red. And Skoda Auto India is gearing up to meet the huge demand for that colour. The Czech car company is also seeing an increasing demand for black, which till recently was not really preferred by Indians. Indian car customers symbolize colour with different things. The colour white signifies power, black is considered as ‘evil’ and red as prosperity. Chocolate and blue colours are some of the contemporary car colours. Moreover, the choice for bright colours can be attributed with the age of car buyers. It is a general belief that the young crowd prefers brighter colours. While, most feel what sells is what is shown in the advertisements. A large number of the car ads feature bright colour cars. For example, the cars in the ads of Fiat Linea and Grande Punto, Skoda Superb and Honda Jazz come in red. And it has to be mentioned here that that the maximum sales of Linea are for red, courtesy the advertisement showcasing Linea in Flamenco Red, wine red for Fiat India. Labels: Car-Colours, Fiat-India, Fiat-Linea, Honda-Jazz, Hyundai, Maruti-Suzuki
No, this is not yet another car from Hyundai. This is a car that we have been waiting since long. And finally, it will be launched to grace the Indian roads very soon. Hyundai i30 will be available in India by the end of this year. Another couple of months and you can own one for yourself, the latest from the i-series, i10 and i20.
The i30 will be a C-segment premium car that will be available in India in both diesel and petrol versions. It is a without a doubt that one could predict the future of i30 in India. Hyundai will not disappoint its customers and now as the competition in the Indian car industry high, the company would not dare on betting on the car. But it would rather bring out perfect machinery with no compromises made on the features, designing or performance.
The Hyundai i30 will be spotted in a very attractive design. It will have roomy interiors and safety and comfort features including EBS, Steering mounted audio control, iPod direct plug, anti-lock braking system (ABS), airbags (6 airbags in total), electronic stability program (ESP), traction control (TC), electronic brake force distribution (EBD). The five-door premium hatchback is designed by Hyundai’s European team.
The dimensions of the car, 4245 x 1765 x 1480mm (length x width x height), together with a the large wheelbase of 2650mm offers great interior space. It also has 340 liters of boot space with rear seat upright. Even though the company looks very compact, it is packed with the most modern features and will be the most spacious car in its segment available in India. The car is expected to be priced between Rs. 9 lakh and Rs. 12 lakh.
It seems the car makes it easy for us to take decisions about our new car. Labels: Hyundai
Thursday, 1 October 2009
 The Indian market can now expect two new models from Hyundai. The new facelifted Hyundai Verna and the all-new Sonata will be launched in India, but we don’t know why. But it is written for those curious customers who would love to know more about these possible newbie’s that will make its entry into the Indian market without much delay. The sixth generation Hyundai Sonata has already been launched in South Korea. It is not the same Hyundai Sonata which we see in the Indian roads. Instead, it is a brand new car that is named as Sonata in the Korean market. And the reason for this is that Sonata is the most popular sedan of Korea. When the car gets launched in India there is also a possibility that it will be named as i40 in the Indian markets, as there is already a sonata available in the Indian market. Hyundai is also expected to launch the Sonata in the European markets with the name i40. The car uses the new ‘fluidic sculpture’ design. It has very sophisticated and dynamic designing of the car looks very similar to that of a Mercedes CLS. The all-new Sonata is powered by a 2.0 Theta ll MPi engine and has a six speed automatic transmission. The car is also equipped with the most modern safety features. Hyundai has also plans to launch its Verna. The new 2011 Hyundai Verna has a similar body and roof lines to the existing Verna. The new Verna will also have a ‘fluidic sculpture’ design philosophy. There will be both petrol and diesel engines. And it is expected to be available in 1.6ltr gasoline engine with equally advanced hybrid powertrain. The latest Verna will also have new turn indicators embedded ORVMS and set of alloy wheels. It is not known when both these models will enter the Indian car market, but hopefully within the next two years. Now the question is which model will be readied to fill in the gap of Hyundai Getz that will be phased out completely by 2011. The Santa Fe luxury SUV that is scheduled to be launched in early next year cannot anyway be substituted for this A2 compact car. Is it the sub-Santro 800cc city car that is expected to be launched which will be replacing the Getz? Alright, leaving room for the guessing, we can still wait for the real happening. Labels: 2010-Hyundai-Sonata, Hyundai, Hyundai-Getz, Hyundai-i40, Hyundai-Verna
Thursday, 17 September 2009
What would have been that encouraging factor for Hyundai from which the idea of a low-cost car stemmed, without further thoughts; it could be the Tata’s dream child, Nano. This small wonder has been in the news for some time now, and what would stop Hyundai from making one such car so that they will get flaunted and praised like never before. Or is Hyundai really concerned about the interest of the Indian crowd who would be greatly pleased to have such economical cars. Could be both, but India is an emerging market and this new car, for sure, will not be a reason to regret for the company later in the future. And again, the country’s common interest on small cars will be of great benefit for the company. The company had voiced its ideas of bringing out a small car in the beginning of this year, which they are planning to launch in India and other similar emerging markets. And now more details of the car are revealed. It will be an 800cc new model car which will be manufactured at the company plant in Chennai. And the most attractive part, the price, it will be priced at Rs 1.77 lakh. It is not as cheap as a Tata Nano, as the base model of Nano costs only Rs 1.25 lakh, well, it seems like no one can really compete with Nano in terms of the pricing. But there are still more hurdles to cross before we could say whether this small car from Hyundai is a competent to Nano and the Maruti models such as the Maruti 800 and Maruti Alto. It is not sure when this model will hit the Indian car markets, but let us expect that the launch of this low-cost car will happen soon. Labels: Hyundai, Low-Cost-Car, Tata-Motors, Tata-Nano
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Celebrations have started for Hyundai and the company is ready to share the pleasure and joy of its 10th birthday in the country with its most priced customers. A decade long life of Hyundai in India has been rewarding for the company; it has been accepted and adorned by its customers for bringing out the most reliable cars. But for Honda it is a different reason to celebrate, the festival season in the country that will not end for another couple of months give Honda a reason to increase its sales and also celebrate and the Win a Car Contest has been introduced for this reason. Hyundai Motor India Ltd offers nationwide Free Car Care Clinic from the 7th of September till the 20th. This is not the first time the company is conducting a nationwide venture, but the seventh time in this short period of ten years of the company’s tenure in the country, but with this time there are lot more goodies. Conducted across 375 Hyundai dealer workshops, for the first time, the Hyundai customers can avail this service at Hyundai Authorised Service Centres (HASC), 30 of them across the country. The car will be undergone a complete 80 point check-up. The engine, under-body, exteriors, transmission etc will be given a thorough check up, in fact no part of the car will be left unexamined. The esteemed customers of Hyundai will get a free car wash, other value added services, and special discounts on oil and consumables. The discount percentage also mounts for each service, if it is a 10 per cent discount on spare parts, there is an attractive, much higher 20 per cent discount on labour charges. But things are a little different with Honda customers, as only those customers, who buys a Honda from September 7 to October 31 this year has a reason to rejoice as there is a change for them to drive home another Honda in less than a month’s time. The company also offers special accessory packages for the Jazz, Civic, City, Accord and CR-V. This is not all the company is celebrating its birthday with high pomp and there are return gifts too, if you are lucky. Extended warranty, gift hampers, a first prize of 32” LCD television, and the list does not stop here. Each Hyundai customer should make most of this opportunity, understanding that such golden opportunities do not happen every while. But this is surely a great way of treating its customers, gifting them an unforgettable Free Service. And for those who are planning to buy a new car never fail to check out Honda cars, not one, two of them as you may win another very soon. Labels: Honda, Honda-City, Hyundai
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
Are we asking for more if we expect the new Hyundai Tucson to be launched in India? Certainly not, in the present condition of the Indian car market has made Indians dare to dream big on the car models that should be available to them. In fact the Indian customers should rejoice about their heavenly plight, where they get what they seek. Dreams and wishes apart, let us see what the new Hyundai Tucson crossover has in store for the millions of the car craze fraternity worldwide. As mentioned, it was just a dream to see the new Hyundai Tucson on the Indian roads, it is not an impossible dream though, so let us hope the dream will be soon cherished as what has happened with many other variants lately. And more over carmakers like Toyota and Nissan are introducing their new car models, Hyundai will consider this new Tucson as a true rival for the many other car brands. But for the Korean car lovers the reality is very flowery and enchanting. The Hyundai has launched its new Hyundai Tucson in Korea, Hyundai’s homeland. The car is a perfect blend of Hyundai’s new design language and the ix-onic concept car. It also has panoramic glass-roof, downhill brake control (DBC), rear-view camera, hill-start assist control, vehicle dynamic control (VDC). Available in the driving option of both the front wheel and all wheel the car will be available in one gasoline and one diesel engine. And the most attractive new is that the company has plans to export this new car globally. Labels: Crossover, Hyundai, Hyundai-Tucson
Thursday, 20 August 2009
 A regular reader, who updates himself on everything related to cars, will find it a little awkward to find him reading about electric cars on and on and on. In fact he should also be realizing that the trends for more electric and eco-friendly cars are just beginning to set in. Companies, one after the other, are launching or announcing the launch of new electric cars. The new one in the legion is none other than the Korean carmaker, Hyundai. The company after much trials and experiments is all ready to showcase a green car in the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show that will be held in September. The company has already announced its plans to unveil its new electric car, but nothing more about the specifications or features of the car is available. But yes, one thing has been made clear by the company is that it would be their successful small car model Hyundai i10 that would go green. Hyundai i10 will not be the only model that will have a green heart but the i20 is also expected to follow its sibling in this line very soon. These models might take a year or two, or even more, before it will be available for the customers, but the mere thought that it has taken an initiative will bring in a sigh of relief for the company, as it reminds itself that it is on its way to be the fourth largest green carmaker. Hyundai also has plans to launch three cars, an electric vehicle, a fuel cell, and a hybrid version, but for all of this the company is asking for a time period of three years. So let’s hope by 2012, it will be an eco-friendly environment for Hyundai. But curiosity grows on to know when Hyundai cars will paint India green. Labels: Eco-Friendly-Car, Hyundai, Hyundai i10
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
India is believed to be a vast pool of talented and skilled professionals. And that’s the reason why global car manufacturers are eyeing Indian car designers and engineers for their firms. New car launches and technological innovation in the recent times clearly reflects India’s ingenuity. With this, car manufacturers like Renault, Nissan, Honda Motors, and Suzuki Motors Corporation are hiring professionals from the Indian R&D centres for their global headquarters. Manufacturers around the world are even outsourcing creative designers and skilled engineers from India. Maruti is set to send 80 of its existing engineers to Japan to train them on the development of new car models. It is believed that every year 30 new recruits from Maruti Suzuki India are sent to Japan, some to work on the global projects and some are trained on the development of India specific models. Hyundai Motors is also sending some of its most talented engineers to Korea, Frankfurt, and Detroit to work on the company’s global project. And Honda with a focus on India specific models is also planning to send its technical staff to overseas countries. Indian talents are gradually being exposed in the global automotive world and are gaining prominence. This exposure will also introduce them to advancements and innovations taking place in the global industry which will further help foster the growth of Indian car industry. Labels: Auto-Engineers, Car-Manufacturers, Honda, Hyundai, Indian-Car-Designers, Maruti-Suzuki
Monday, 25 May 2009
Hyundai has recently launched its most eco-friendly variant, the Hyundai Accent Eco that comes with a factory fitted LPG kit. The new Hyundai Accent variant offers a safer and reliable ride. The LPG cylinder comes with a factory fitted kit certified by the Department of Explosives (DOE), agency that looks after safety requirements of the explosives and petroleum sectors, and the Automotive Research Authority of India (ARAI), a premier automobile testing and certifying authority. The LPG kit before being fitted into the car has undergone a severe leakage detection test three times to ensure improved safety. A special fuel filler cap is installed to prevent wear and tear of the parts. The biggest advantage of the LPG cylinder is its ‘Toroidal’ design that allows intelligent use of space and offers larger cargo compartment. In addition to the ample luggage space, the interiors sport a smart and ergonomic design. The Hyundai Accent Eco comes with a separate petrol and LPG fuel tanks to ensure optimized driving range. When travelling over long distances, drivers can conveniently change from LPG to petrol with one switch. The other highlight includes the two year warranty on the LPG kit, making it the most attractive proposition in the Indian car market. These factors ensure that passengers enjoy a smooth, safe, and eco-friendly ride. Labels: Factory-Fitted-LPG-Kit, Hyundai, Hyundai-Accent-Eco
Saturday, 18 October 2008
Compared to last year, this September saw more car sales despite of a drastic slump over the past two months due to inflation and increased fuel prices. The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has measured that passenger car sales in September rose by 3000 units compared to the same month last year. The picture was looking grim due to decreased sales and it is obvious that the current numbers are much better than what was expected. Maruti Suzuki saw a marginal increase in sales by about 180 units compared to September 2007. Hyundai has done much better with nearly a 24% increase. Not all car manufacturers though have registered improved sales. General Motors sold roughly 5% less than last September. The September sales scenario is pretty much is variable for each car manufacturer. Some have lost and some have gained. But the overall sales of cars this September is marginally higher to the sales last September. This is a very positive picture for the Indian car industry. Labels: Car-Sales-India, General-Motors, Hyundai, Maruti-Suzuki
Friday, 17 October 2008
In line with Maruti Suzuki and General Motors, Hyundai also hits the govt. sector to boost car sales during the festive season. Hyundai Motors announces a special discount upto Rs 31,000 on various car models exclusively for government employees. These discounts are directly aimed at cashing on higher salaries and arrears. Smartly, the company has targeted the employees who are due to receive the debts after revision in the Sixth Pay Commission. Amazingly, these offers will go on till November 2008 for scheme, for both state and central government employees. In view of the fact that government employees are due to receive the arrears after revision in the Sixth Pay Commission, the arrears can be utilized as down payment for purchase and the revised salary increment would help them to accommodate their monthly installments, the company said.  The company said it has tied up with State Bank of India, Axis Bank and HDFC Bank to offer finance schemes to the government employees for car purchase. Hyundai would offer discount for Santro, i10, Getz, Accent, Verna. Labels: Car-Discounts, General-Motors, Government, Hyundai, Maruti-Suzuki
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
Friday, 8 August 2008
Honda has already started the ‘green revolution’ in the Indian auto industry by rolling out the Civic hybrid and Toyota will soon follow the lead by introducing the hybrid version of the Prius to India. And now it is the turn of another major car manufacturer, the Hyundai, to join the revolution. The Hyundai is working on to develop its own hybrid technology and once completed the technology will mated with the small car in India. As per their strategy, they expect to roll out a gasoline-electric hybrid version of its sedans by 2010, which will be later implement in larger hybrid vehicles. But before all this, the company will launch the world’s first hybrid vehicle (Avante) to be powered by LPG and will be the first to adopt advanced lithium polymer batteries. Hope they also plan to roll out similar vehicles (Avante LPG hybrid) in India. Labels: Hybrid-Cars, Hyundai, Small-Cars
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
India will be soon turned into a global hub for small cars! Hyundai Motors has recently announced to make India its global hub for small car. The company has a very transparent picture about the Indian market. The Hyundai i10 is successful in gathering the customers’ attention and now i20 is on the way to roll out. The car will be solely manufactured in India. Hyundai i20 is a hatchback sedan from the “B” segment and will compete with Skoda’s Fabia and Ford Fusion. This auto player from South Korea had entered the Indian market ten years back and has rolled out successful models to country. The brand also carries an attractive campaign with the heartthrob bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan and the bubbly tennis ace Sania Mirza as its brand ambassadors. Labels: Hyundai, Indian-car-industry, Small-Cars
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Many car manufacturers are invading India to make the country a hub for small cars production. The Hyundai Motors being a smart player also plans to make India its global centre for small cars. The company will use India for manufacturing and exporting small cars and earn higher margins. Cars produced in India are comparatively low in price because of the easy availability of skilled talents as well as low-cost of labour and machinery. Hyundai has rolled many small cars till date among which few were locally produced. The recognised Hyundai’s i10, launched last November, was manufactured exclusively in India. The upcoming Hyundai’s i20 model will also be solely manufactured in India. Hyundai’s i10 belongs to the ‘A’ segment whereas the upcoming i20 will belong to the ‘B’ segment. The company wishes to line up a portfolio of small cars to offer a wider choice to Indian customers. Hyundai has set a sales target of around 530,000 units for both the domestic and export market. But inflation and high fuel prices are taking a toll on car sales, thereby reducing the margin. May be by the end of this year, things get sort out and Hyundai gets a brighter era to continue the launch of its innovative models. Labels: Car-Manufacturers, Hyundai, Small-Cars
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
With the hike in prices of petrol and diesel, leading car manufacturers are in the process of introducing more fuel economic variants (such as LPG and CNG) of their existing car models. Hyundai Motors has introduced a CNG variant of its popular midsize sedan ‘Accent’. The 1.5-litre petrol engine of the Hyundai Accent is now available with a CNG kit in the new CNG variant. The driver can easily switch between petrol and CNG modes using the manual selector switch in the car. The CNG kit comes with a Lambda control system that ensures Euro III emissions on the car. The new variant is very promising and could give the Accent a boost in sales. Hyundai has also been planning to launch LPG variants of almost all its car models with the Hyundai Santro Xing LPG being the most awaited of them all. Labels: CNG cars, Hyundai, new car launch
Thursday, 5 June 2008
While car companies rejoiced in the months of March and April when car sales were high, the succeeding month of May left them in tears. After April, car sales started dipping. While the car industry posted a growth of 22 percent in the month of April, the record for May was a mere 13-15 percent.
Maruti continues to lead as always followed immediately by enthusiastic Hyundai. But General Motors which has being doing well over the last couple of years has witnessed a sudden slowdown.
With input costs for car manufacturers being ever on the rise and as the world crude oil will continue to price $120 plus per barrel, the Indian car industry needs to come up with a new strategy to arrest falling car sales.
Labels: Car-Sales, General Motors, Hyundai, Maruti
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Hyundai wants to modify its highest selling hatchback Santro Xing and launch it again. The Santro will be fitted with a lighter 1.1 liter diesel engine that produces a whopping 75 bhp. The car will give an impressive mileage of 20 kmpl which is good fuel efficiency rate. Most Indian buyers will be impressed with it. Now who can beat that! Hyundai itself! With the new small displacement engine it is surely going to become a major competitor for a lot small cars. It may be launched in May or June 2008. Santro has already become a huge hit in urban areas. With its new avatar it could become a nightmare to its rivals.
Labels: Car-Engines, Hatchbacks, Hyundai, small cars
Hyundai Motors has contributed a lot in auto industry by offering stylish, powerful and stable cars to millions of people in India at reasonable prices. After achieving a tremendous success in car business, Hyundai is now moving to rapidly growing luxury bus market in India. The Hyundai will manufacture buses in collaboration with London based Caparo group.
When we talk about Hyundai, the pictures of Hyundai’s popular small cars including cute i10, Getz Prime, Santro Xing will emerge in our minds. Hyundai has been in car business for the past many decades, so it easily understands what customers are expecting from it.
As it always worked as per the whims and fancies of its customers to keep them happy by releasing many good cars and enjoyed a great patronage of its customer for maintaining quality in its products, will also capture commercial vehicle market by manufacturing well-equipped buses in future. Labels: Car manufacturing, Hyundai, luxury buses, small cars
Friday, 11 April 2008
One of the cutest and most recently launched models from Hyundai Motors, the i10 has been much appreciated by the Indian public. It has now bagged the ‘Indian Car of the Year – 2008’ (ICOTY) award. The car was judged on the basis of quality, drive and overall performance. Other factors like fuel efficiency, ride, handling, safety, comfort, driver satisfaction and price were also considered before cars were ranked on a 25-point scale where a maximum of 10 points was given to a car.
The i10 was unveiled last year and falls into the small car segment. It comes with a price tag ranging between 3.5-4 Lakh. It has already won many hearts with its performance and style. It’s the first compact car to come with a sunroof option. Labels: Car-Awards, Hyundai, small cars
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
Now-a-days, car manufacturers are not only giving thrust to push up sale of their small cars or luxury cars, but also taking much care of their customers even after sale. Realising the fact that maintaining a good rapport with customers is as important as striking a deal with them to push their sales, some car companies have started after sale servicing to keep their customers happy and to help them to get solved any problems in their new cars after buying from them without shelling out an additional amount from their wallets. Maruti, Tata Motors and other companies started free car servicing after sale, now Hyundai has taken up this task and wanted to build a good rapport with its customers by launching after sale servicing campaign. It has launched a unique campaign of free car care clinic. The nationwide two-week long campaign will be held from April 2 to April 14. The company plans to reach 1.5 lakh consumers. Such customer-service oriented campaigns would definitely be praised by the customers. Labels: Auto market competition, car services, Hyundai, luxury cars, Maruti, small cars, Tata Motor
Friday, 28 March 2008
India’s dream of becoming a global small car hub may not become reality. Car manufacturers, who are till recently beaming over the reduction of excise duty on small cars, are now considering limiting their exports to maintain profitability as the government has not given incentive to encourage the exporting of passenger cars. Lack of incentive from the government is expected to affect the growth of export business of many car manufacturers. Sale of small cars, sedan and luxury cars is increasing in domestic market but lack of incentive for export and continues depreciation of the dollar, is bound to affect the sale of many cars in overseas market. Discouraged by the government’s disinterest in encouraging export business, largest exporter of passenger cars from India like Hyundai motor, Maruti Suzuki are seriously considering to downscale their original target of exporting 50 productions from India. Government should join hands with car companies to make India a global hub for small cars by giving some impetus to small cars export business. Labels: car incentive, Exporting cars, Hyundai, incentive for exporting, luxury cars, Maruti Suzuki, small cars
Thursday, 27 March 2008
It seems that B and C cities are emerging as profitable markets for car companies in the last year. The rising income and easy accessibility to loans have been largely responsible for driving car sales upwards in these cities. As metros have been are soon going to become a stagnant market, it makes sense that car manufacturers look for cities other than metros. Most of these car buyers in these cities are first time car owners and obviously go for entry level cars. It is believed that Hyundai accounts 40 per cent of its sales including small cars and luxury cars are in cities other than the metros and six big cities in India. And the most popular models have been Santro and i10. Labels: Car-competition, Car-Sales, Expansion in business, Hyundai, luxury cars, New i10 model, small cars
Thursday, 20 March 2008
Hyundai’s women’s day with Santro scheme has worked magic. The company followed a soft approach towards the rising number of working women drivers and managed to successfully attract customers. It had offered a women’s day special scheme on the Santro Xing model starting March 1st.
A 50 % waiver on loan processing fee and loans at 0.75 % lower rate of interest than market rate were offered that brought the car loan percentage to 13.5 or 14 percent. After the success of this scheme, Hyundai has extended the scheme for the entire month of March. Labels: Car-Loans, Car-Sales, Hyundai
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
How could the cars be far from cricket? After all, we have seen so many cars be displayed in cricket stadiums and then be given away to winners. The Indian Premium League has been all over the news for the past few weeks and car manufacturers have been just as eager to join the band wagon as have been the filmstars involved in it. The first IPL matches are commencing in April and Hyundai has already become an associate sponsor. They have bought an air time of 200 seconds per match for advertisements and other promotional campaigns. Hyundai is the only car manufacturer showing its products during the IPL matches.
As the battle of IPL begins, so will the battle of car promotions. Maybe we will see some cricketers endorsing cars for small towns as they too hail from such places. Like Dhoni from Ranchi, Harbhajan from Mohali, Irfan Pathan from Baroda, and Zaheer Khan from a small town in Maharashtra. In the past, Sachin Tendulkar had endorsed the Fiat Palio for some time. Follow the little master! Labels: Car-Advertisements, Hyundai, Sports
Friday, 14 March 2008
If you thought that plastic was only for the interior of a car, think again. In the future, almost all of the car could be made of plastic except the really essential components like the engine. That would probably have to remain in metal casings.
Car manufacturers have been experimenting with polycarbonates and carbon fibre. Not only are these materials lightweight, they also have strength and durability. In fact, the Hyundai QarmaQ car model is believed to have been made using recycled PET bottles. The car boasts of 30 new features all made from plastic. It looks more stylish than ever before. Labels: Car-features, Hyundai
The good old Ambassador car from Hindustan Motors is slowly moving out of government patronage. It was like the ‘Bhishma Pitamah’ of the car industry. It was always there when younger and newer car models kept hitting the roads and it hung around for a very long time.
Over the years it came to symbolize bureaucracy. The government has now decided to replace the fuel guzzling ambassadors with the more stylish and fuel efficient Ford Ikon Flair. This comes after a recent approval for the Hyundai Accent. The golden age of the Ambassador is finally at an end. Labels: Ford, Government, Hindustan Motors, Hyundai
Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Here's something that Ford has come up with to help car buys benefit from the excise duty cut in our latest union budget. It has reduced the price of Fusion's diesel variant by Rs. 22, 000. The very day the union budget was announced, Indian car manufacturers like Maruti and Hyundai reduced the prices of many of their small cars. Taking a cue from them, Ford too dived in and thus the Fusion diesel story. If the current trend continues, we could see even more car manufacturers reducing prices of small cars pretty soon.
Labels: Car-competition, Car-Sales, Ford India, Hyundai, Maruti, Reducing model price
The cute i10 is already making waves in the small car segment and recently walked away with a lot of awards and appreciation. Now, Hyundai is waiting to launch the new i20 hatchback and is expecting a repeat of the i10's success story. i20 is next in the i-series from Hyundai of which the i10 has already arrived. With the i10 being so impressive, many wonder what the i20 will be like and expectations are really high for this upcoming car. Hyundai is undeniably setting new standards and raising the expectations of car buyers. The i20 is coming to India some time later this year. Labels: Hatchbacks, Hyundai, Hyundai Santro, i20, New Car, New i10 model, small cars
Saturday, 8 March 2008
It’s a story of Tortoise beat the Hare in a “car race”. Last month, the Mahindra-Renault Logan suddenly sold out in large numbers to overtake Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Maruti Suzuki SX4. The Logan has always been appreciated for being a good mileage car. But for a long time, its price wasn’t helping sales. Promotional campaigns weren’t going its way either. The ‘most spacious sedan on Indian roads’ was unable to make much space for itself in our highly competitive car market. It was slowly drifting into oblivion.
A new price strategy from Mahindra-Renault has come to the Logan’s rescue. The family sedan now comes cheaper at Rs 4.5 lakh for petrol and Rs 5.75 lakh for diesel variant. Now, the car is most probably filling Mahindra Motors’ balance sheets alongside the Scorpio. We thought the new union budget might encourage Mahindra-Renault to come out with a smaller version of the Logan but that’s not what they have in mind. It will remain just the same. We hear there’s a new brand campaign in the works though. Labels: Car-Discounts-India, Car-Sales, Honda, Hyundai, Mahindra-Renault, Maruti Suzuki
Thursday, 6 March 2008
Hyundai Motors is keeping track of its customers by following them wherever they go. They aren’t even sparing their customers out on their jogging or shopping routines. It’s all for a very good reason – to maintain a lasting relationship with customers.
Hyundai is on a mission to provide good after-sales service to its customers. It’s ‘Always Around’ campaign aims at providing free car check-ups to customers. Service teams from Hyundai will render their services at various locations like parks, shopping malls, and apartment complexes. It seems Hyundai has realized the importance of maintaining good customer relations after a car sale. Labels: Auto market competition, car services, Hyundai, sales strategy
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Car manufacturers are becoming increasingly clever at sales strategies to boost sales. It’s now a popular business strategy of many car manufacturers to offer special discounts during festivals and other special occasions to attract people to buy their cars.
Hyundai Motor India Ltd. is trying to make the International Women’s Day on March 8th more special for women. It’s offering a discount of Rs.14, 000 on the Santro Xing automatic transmission model to commemorate this special event. This special offer, which has started from March 1st itself, will surely tempt many women into driving home a Santro. Labels: Car-Sales, discounts, Hyundai, sales strategy, Santro Xing
Thursday, 28 February 2008
I give the Hyundai i10 a ‘perfect 10’ score when it comes to mileage. It gives 16 kmpl even with the AC on. It’s impressive because other small cars like Maruti WagonR and Hyundai Santro Xing manage to give just 15-16 kmpl without even having the AC on. Looks like Hyundai has planned ahead for the hot summer in India with this new car. I think this could be a good selling point for the car in the coming few months. I also find that the car has just the right comfort that one would expect for its segment. It also comes in some magnificent colours that only Hyundai offers. It’s a car that one can take on enjoyable long drives without worrying too much about re-fuelling.
Submitted by Jaggesh Labels: Car market competition, Fuel economy, Hyundai, small cars
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
Hyundai Verna headlights are very dim for driving on any road. It is so dull that I nearly collided with a stationary mini truck while driving my friend’s Verna to my residence two days back. I feel that the Verna, though a beautiful car with good driving dynamics, has paid little attention to headlights, which are the best safety devices in a car. In India, when people and small vehicles keep crossing your path it is important that the headlight highlights the path ahead of you properly so that collision is avoided, but a dim headlight compounds the problem. I am surprised that an international company like Hyundai has paid little attention to such regular details.
I recommend that whoever brings home a Verna, change the headlight to a better one as soon as possible. It is a necessity. From KL Poonawala Labels: car safety, Hyundai, safety devices, Verna
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
It seems that the Indian Premier League (IPL) fever is catching up in the auto sector too. After some famous Bollywood stars and prominent Indian businessmen forayed into the IPL, it has become as popular as English football. Hero Honda signed a partnership in the Indian Premier League looking to promote their bikes heavily over the next couple of years. Maybe some car manufacturer will also consider this opportunity and come forward soon. Maruti or Hyundai are always on TV so they might be most interested in this. But then, maybe Mercedes and BMW will be interested.
Article submitted by Crickraxyjunk Labels: BMW-Cars, Car-Advertisements, Hyundai, Maruti, Mercedes-Benz
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Now-a-days, there’s a great demand for used cars in India. It’s difficult to figure out the exact reason for this. It’s most probably because cars have now become very affordable to most middle class families. Small cars like Maruti 800, Chevrolet Spark, and Santro Xing are available at very attractive prices. To be able to buy new cars and better cars, people are selling off their old cars without giving much thought to the actual re-sale value of the car. This has led to a rise in the used car business. It has turned out to be very lucrative business.
Many car manufacturers are cashing in on this trend. Maruti came out with their TrueValue service some time back. Hyundai called their business “Hyundai Exchange”. Now, Toyota has started its own used car outlet in New Delhi. They are calling it “U Trust”. They are looking forwarding to helping people pick-up good used cars at minimal prices and are also providing financing options as a value-added service. Labels: Hyundai, Maruti, new cars, old cars, second hand cars, Toyota, Used cars
Every day, competition between car manufacturers to get a hold on the small car segment seems to be increasing. Small cars are obviously the most popular type of cars in India these days. They are easy to maneuver in traffic, easy to park and also easy to maintain. So, every car manufacturer is concentrating more on the small car business.
Hyundai Motors just opened their new car plant at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu where they already have a plant. Their small cars Getz Prime, Santro Xing and i10 have been a success in the country. Without such success, no company would dare to start a second plant at the same place. Labels: Car manufacturing, car plant, Hyundai, small cars
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
When I saw two i10 models displayed in all their splendor at one of Bangalore’s famous shopping malls, the crowd around them told me why it outsmarted the Santro despite them being from the same family. Perhaps, i10 is Hyundai’s greatest creations for the small-car-loving junta. Hyundai brought out this exciting new city-car that is fun-to-drive, affordable, and practical. It also offers you quality and equipment that no other car companies can offer at same the price. What’s best in the car for a city drive is its width, which is exceptionally long compared to its competitors. I talked to friend who bought this small wonder and he said that it was the best decision he has made yet. I am definitely willing to catch the “i”! I’ll put in another blog once I get my Hyundai i10 delivered and have had a go in it! Article submitted by KS MurthyLabels: Hyundai, New i10 model, Popular cars in India, Small Car, Small car market in India
Thursday, 7 February 2008
I saw this cool ad recently in an online portal by Hyundai i10 that said ‘start your married life with i10’. I got married a couple of months back and this ad got me to thinking. Hyundai is promoting the i10 as a marriage gift to newly married couples, which looks like a smart way of promoting sales in a country where most people get married between 18 to 30 years of age and have started earning from the age of 21. I mean as soon as I got married, the first thing I wanted to do was get a nice new car! Four of the five recently married colleagues in my office took a loan out and got a car within one to two months after their marriage. So, this definitely looks like a trend that many manufacturers may not have paid attention to. Looks to me like a shift in the promotional tactics of car sales. It is no longer the middle-aged parents driving their families out for holidays, but rather a newly wed couple going off for small vacations to affordable places every weekend! Well I was definitely influenced and from what I have heard the i10 is a great car to have, so I just placed an order and hope to get it soon! Labels: Car-Sales, Hyundai
Monday, 28 January 2008
Every newspaper, every magazine, and every person, including kids, have been talking about the one-lakh Nano. Let’s take a break from the ‘One Lakh Car’ and divert our mind to something new like …the ‘Public car’. What kind of a car is this?
Hyundai Motors India is putting their brilliant thoughts together to bring out a car that will suit India as well as other eastern countries. This will be again for the small car segment, definitely a tough competitor for Nano. We have to wait for some more time to know more details about it but it is expected to be rolled out in three years.
Hyundai’s others models like the Santro in the B segment, Getz Prime, i10 in the B+ segment, the Accent and Verna in the C segment, the Elantra in the D segment, the Sonata Embera in the E segment, and the Tucson in the SUV segment are already a success. Only time can tell who is going to rule the road - the ‘Peoples car’ or the ‘Public car’? Labels: Hyundai, Nano, One Lakh Car
Thursday, 17 January 2008
Designed at Hyundai’s Europe's Design and Technical Center in Russelsheim, QarmaQ is Hyundai's Advanced Technology Demonstration Vehicle (ATDV) showcased at least 30 environment friendly technologies at the 2008 Auto Expo in New Delhi. The innovative solution is created to reduce severe injures in Utility Vehicles (CUV) pedestrian collisions. Everyone things of car owners, Hyundai’s innovative technology things of commoners also, thanks to that! The design concept, QarmaQ also shows environmentally responsible solutions, which is elegantly incorporated to enhance safety. Moreover, it's 2-liter diesel engine is fully compliant with EURO5 emission regulations. It sports all the latest technologies like, high-pressure fuel injection and fine fuel spray atomization for higher torque and better power output. Hyundai have definitely doing more on progressive technologies. Labels: Auto-Expo, Environment friendly cars, Hyundai
Hyundai’s new model i10 has bagged several awards to make the car manufacturer proud. Hyundai has a distinguished track record in winning awards - Santro won the car of the year award in 1998, Getz in 2005 and the Verna in 2006.
The i10 has bagged awards for excellence in build quality, handling, driver comfort, safety, and ride quality. BS Motoring awarded it with the ‘Car of the year’ award. It scored a hatrick by winning the same award at the NDTV Car & Bike Awards and at the 9th Overdrive awards. The model has also received the ‘Automotive Critics Choice’ award for driving excellence.
With the launch of this great car, Hyundai has set new benchmarks in the small car segment. Encouraged by the huge success of this new model, Hyundai is already considering the introduction of an upgraded version of the i10 called the i20. Labels: Hyundai
Thursday, 3 January 2008
Looks like the December discount scheme has worked for Maruti and Hyundai. December is apparently a time of the year when car sales slump due to the year model factor. A car bought in December this year would have lesser resale value as compared to a January model in the coming year. However, for the same reason, December is also a time of the year when car makers offer heavy discounts on most of their models. The gimmick has worked well for Maruti and Hyundai. Indians and discounts can’t be separated from each other. Maruti reported a 10 per cent increase in sales. Popular models such as Swift, WagonR, Zen Estilo and Alto have reported a northward trend while the 800 hasn’t fared so well. The company has sold roughly 6000 units more than it did during the same period in 2006. Similarly, Hyundai has managed to sell 4000 more than the year 2006 figure of 11,000. Much like Maruti, Hyundai kept appearing in the news frequently in 2007 with launches of the Sonata Embera Diesel, Getz Prime, Santro CNG, Sonata Embera AT and the much hyped i10. This had left consumers extremely interested. No doubt the companies devised the discount scheme to tide over slow sales and low interest rates but they finally got the nerve of the Indian consumer. Be it soaps, shampoos, electronics or even cars, discounts do sell! Labels: Car-Sales, discounts, Hyundai, Maruti
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In the past, we have heard some rumours regarding the entry of Kia Cerato in the Indian car market. But here is the latest one. According to a post by Techneclave, three test mules of not-so-well disguised Kia Cerato have been spotted doing their rounds on the roads of Kolkata. Kia, which is a low-cost sister concern of Hyundai, is planning to make its foray in the Indian market.
