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Monday, 17 November 2008
98 Civic Hybrids in One Day
The count 98 in one day is commendable! It’s incredible to believe that Honda has sold off 98 cars in just one day. This awesome sales figure was recorded after the company has slashed down the price of its Civic Hybrid by Rs 8 Lakh. This high sales number is obviously attributed to the sharpest and steepest decline in price tag of any car in the history of Indian car industry. A discount of nearly 40% in the price of the hybrid has lured many waning car customers. The demand has increased so much that Honda is struggling to keep the delivery in pace with the customer’s demand. It’s more exciting to know that the number sold in one day is much higher than that sold in the entire span of six months since the car was launched in June 2008. Honda still aims to sell 100 more cars and now let’s see how much hybrids ply on Indian roads. Labels: Car-Sales, Honda-Cars, Indian-car-industry
Friday, 14 November 2008
India’s First Fuel Cell Car
There are speculations in the car industry that the Tata Motors is prepared to introduce India’s first fuel cell car in association with ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). ISRO works to developing space technologies. This organization is working with Tata to produce this new prototype that would be tagged as the world’s cleanest car. Fuel cell technology is a rocket fuel technology completely based on a combination of hydrogen and oxygen. A combination of two will be placed in the fuel cells to propel the car by generation of electricity. And when the mixture is expelled from the car, the environment will get nothing more than crystals of water vapour, something that won’t create an ecological imbalance. It is also believed that this hydrogen-powered car would have hydrogen storage, regulatory and control system, all driven by the electricity generated from fuel cells. Happily, the hydrogen-powered car will have zero emissions. Whenever this car will make its debut to India, it will definitely change the image of Indian car industry. Labels: Fuel-Cell-Car, Indian-car-industry, Tata-Motors
New Car Launches Delayed
 Indian car industry was eyeing the new car launches with hopes and aspirations that the new excitement will enlighten the slow moving market. But all the expectations are shattered as manufacturers are postponing their car launches to combat the economic recession. First in line are Fiat cars, Linea and Punto. Fiat has postponed the launch of Linea to December and even the launch of Punto is pushed to next year. The company fears the poor sentiments of the prevailing car market but is optimistic that the situation will improve. Next in pipeline is the Bravo, a luxury hatchback, that was supposed to be launched early but now the manufacturer refuses to give a final date for the launch. Even the launch of Tata Nano is on a continuous delay. Earlier the launch was delayed because of the Singur issues but this time, the reason may be different. Maybe the company is not willing to capture the market with the present scenario. Even Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai have pushed their launches from the festive season to year end. Maruti A-Star was planned for launch in October during the celebrations of Diwali but now it will make its debut in November or early December this year. Hyundai has also announced the commercial launch of i20 in the domestic market by early 2009. So, with delayed car launches, new excitement and thrill have also been pushed back. Labels: Fiat-Cars, Indian-car-industry, New-Car-Launch
Friday, 7 November 2008
Half Century in 2009
Forget the downturn! Welcome 50 new cars! Though the entire economy is shaken by the global economic recession, Indian car industry is on a leap. Not in terms of car sales but definitely in terms of car launches. The year 2009 promises to change the look and faith of the car industry with half century of car launches that await you. Everything from the world’s cheapest car Tata Nano and the fuel-efficient Hyundai i20 to the high-tech and premium luxury cars like Mercedes-Benz New E-Class and Audi R8 are on the industry’s radar. Excitingly, all these will roll out on Indian roads in the next 12 months. Just imagine the number of cars on road if 50 car models are to be launched. It would far beyond the counting ability. And if in case, in the next couple of months car manufacturers announce the launch of more cars, the numbers on road will reach its peak. Labels: Indian-car-industry, New-Car-Launch
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
Fun of Motorsports in India
Motorsports in India, isn’t it paradoxical? Motorsports have never gone hand in hand with the Indian economy. But today, motorsports have made its way through the growing economy. You would be amazed to know that motorsports entered the Indian market in 21st century, a recent entry. Then too, the industry has spread its tentacles across the territory. The key reason behind the growth is the Indian car industry. The industry has become so advanced that every now and then some or the other car manufacturer put its hand on the sports segment with a desire to promote brand among a huge number of sports enthusiasts. You talk about Volv o, who recently gifted a Volvo car to the winner of the Olympic Gold medal, Abhinav Bindra. Then what say about the Honda Accord gifted to Digvijay. Similarly, many car manufacturers have associated themselves with the sports and are introducing fast cars that are capable to run across all kinds of roads and terrains. Have anyone heard about the vintage car rally, a rally that displays a perfect assortment of vintage cars. Then we have the Monsoon rally where car drivers participate in big numbers and finally the Himalayan car rally, a tough raid where car drivers have to run their cars on challenging mountain ranges across the Himalayan. You must also be aware of the recent raid introduced by Maruti Suzuki, ‘Maruti Suzuki Raid de Himalaya’. It was an interesting raid but the most challenging one. If you really have the heart to face challenges in life then motorsports in India is a fun. Labels: Car-Manufacturer, Indian-car-industry, Volvo-Car
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
Remodeled Swift for F1 Winners
We feel good to announce that the great Maruti Suzuki Swift is redesigned to a sports coupe. The transformation from four to two-door racing car will be gifted to the winners of F1 racing. It’s even more amazing to know that this sports coupe is sponsored by a renowned brand, Royal Challenge. You all must be aware by this big name. Recently, the company has associated itself with the India's Formula 1 team event. The company wanted a car that can emanate pace and passion of all the sports enthusiasts especially the ones involved in the Formula 1 racing. The brainchild of Prashant Chandra created a bang in the Indian car industry by introducing a sporty and high performance revamped Swift, renamed as RCFI. This sports coupe has burrowed the best of designs from the top leading and quintessential supercars available across the world. Adorned with a vibrant combination of black and red, the remodeled Swift has appealed the youth. This new invention has forced the global players to comment that only Indians can do such wonders. Labels: Formula-1, Indian-car-industry, Maruti-Suzuki-Swift
Monday, 13 October 2008
Good sales time for Mercedes-Benz
 Car manufacturers are rolling ahead with dissatisfactory sales figure and a drowning smile. This fiscal has seen a great variation in the sales graph due to ups and downs in the fuel prices. But…Mercedes-Benz takes a toll above all. Yes! Mercedes has showcased an accelerated growth with the car sales figure crossing about 3,000 so far this year. The Mercedes-Benz car range including C-Class, E-Class, and S-Class dominates the high sales growth. Doesn’t that dictate the changing face of the Indian car industry? Car customers being least concerned about the high fuel prices are increasingly buying luxury cars. As it is the people who can afford Mercedes can easily manage to pay for the high fuel prices. Infact, we feel that the luxury car market has nothing to do with inflation. Does it? Mercedes still has many more plans behind the veil to strengthen its foothold in India. Labels: Indian-car-industry, Luxury-Cars, Mercedes-Benz Car-Manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz-Sales
Thursday, 4 September 2008
Robotized Car Parking
Robotized Car Parking! Does this sounds strange? Well folks, this is nothing strange, it’s just an advancement of technology and innovation in the country. Gradually, the Indian car industry is pacing with innovative technological advancements. The advancement in the industry is not restricted to the entry and exit of cars but much beyond that. Innovations are also noticed in the field of car accessories, car designing and even car parking. Speculations are in the air that Mumbai is soon going to become robotized with a fully robotized car parking. The prime objective of the robotized parking is to reduce the parking hassles. With a robotized parking, a driver just needs to drive to the check in point and after that everything becomes automatic. A rotating carousel takes place of human. The carousel hands over a parking ticket to the driver. After that a robot comes into picture. Robot with sensors identifies the dimensions and size of the car and then determines the perfect parking place for that particular car. Even during exit, the driver just needs to place the parking ticket on the sensor and the rest is done by the rotating carousel. There is news that such robotized car parking work has been started on Bhulabhai Desai Road in posh South Mumbai. This work is undertaken by a joint venture between Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Akruti City Labels: Car-Parking, Indian-car-industry
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
New Launches for the Festive Season
This Diwali may light up the darkness of Indian car industry. The current quarter of the fiscal has paved a rocky path for the Indian car industry. But now, the industry wakes up with a slew of launches due during the festive season of Diwali. The start up of the launched was kicked by Tata Motors with its recently launched Tata Indica Vista. Vista is kitted with the Fiat multijet engine and the company is sure that the sale of Vista will reach a peak during the Diwali season. Indica Vista is to be followed with the launch of Tata Nano. The company is also planning to launch Land Rover and Jaguar models during the same period in order expand JLR’s footprints in the country. Meanwhile, the Toyota Motors is ready to launch its Corolla Altis and Honda Seil India is ready with its new generation Honda City in September. The Maruti A Star is also lined up for launch in October, right during the festival time. Mitsubishi plans to drive the Lancer Gallant and the SUV Outlander to India in October. With all these scheduled launches, the Mahindra & Mahindra also makes a decision to roll out its new platform Ingenio MUV. Other cars lined up for the season are Fiat Linea, BMW 7 Series and Hyundai i20 hatchback. Car manufacturers are desperately looking for incremental sales with the forthcoming launches. Most of them are sure that the festive season will boost the sagging fortune of Indian cars manufacturers and will definitely reap good benefits. Will the expectations of car manufacturers get fulfilled? Will Diwali really lighten up the darkness of Indian car industry? Labels: Indian-car-industry, New-Car-Launch
German Technology Dances in India
The German car manufacturers like BMW, Porsche, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz are dancing on the Indian continent. These manufacturers have spread their wings wide in the Indian car industry and are gradually emerging as renowned luxury brands. Today, if you take a survey of all ardent car lovers, then 99% of the fans will speak praises and verses of the German technology installed in Indian cars. At some point or the other everyone must have dreamed to own high-end luxury cars like Mercedes-Benz C Class, Mercedes-Benz M Class, BMW 530 D, BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, Audi A 4, Porsche Cayenne, and Porsche Cayman. Indian buyers have a range of these cars when it comes to luxuries and comfort. The range also includes some incredible athletic cars, magnificent sedans, sport coupes and excellent convertibles. Many Indian car buyers are so much fascinated with the in-built German technology that they are not bothered about the high price tag for the extent of luxuries and comfort they are getting. That’s the place of ‘German’ in India! But do you really think that German technology have overpowered the Indian car industry? Or is it only a part of the entire industry platform? Labels: Car-Manufacturers, Indian-car-industry, Luxury-Cars
Monday, 18 August 2008
Car Customisations Leads the Indian Car Industry
The market of car customisation is on the cards. The Indian car industry is now dominated by customised cars. Legendary cars are undergoing customisation to meet the changing needs of individual customers. The art of customising cars has also given an opportunity to the industry to produce better and more reliable car models. Now you can jazz up your car with anything you like. Most of the car manufacturers including the Volkswagen, Ford, Chevrolet and the Mitsubishi offer all its customers an incredible opportunity to customise their own cars. The major areas where customisation can be done are car wheels, entertainment systems, restyling products, suspension pieces and under the hood. Today, the car customisation industry in India is powered with vibrant hot rod, street rod and muscle car culture. Hot rods and street rods are adorned with better and more powerful engines whereas muscle cars behold powerful engines. All the modifications are made with deep consideration of the choices, likes and desires of the customers. The Ambassador, Fiat Padmini and the Mitsubishi Lancer are some of the best modified and customised Indian cars if you are hunting for a hot rod or a muscle car. Labels: Car-customisation, Indian-car-industry, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
India Turns into a Small Car Hub
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
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Super Mileage Car Ready to Beat Inflation
Garuda, a super mileage car, is finally ready to be launched! The launch of this super mileage, fuel-efficient car in this era of rising fuel prices and high interest rates is a big revolution in the Indian car industry. The launch of this car is also credited to the various issues including oil crisis, environmental pollution and aggressive search of alternative fuel sources. The new electric car is manufactured by students of Mechanical Department of RV College of Engineering in Bangalore and is expected to be unveiled in August, 2008 at the college campus. This super fuel efficient car is designed and manufactured with latest cutting edge technology. This will be the first Indian car that is completely ready to participate in the "SAE Supermileage International Competition" in USA and "Shell Eco-Marathon" in the UK. Will the proposed launch of Garuda threaten the only electric car Reva Maini in India? Reason being that both the cars have a common start, from the Indian IT hub, Bangalore. Labels: Electric-Cars, Fuel-efficient-Car, Indian-car-industry
Friday, 25 July 2008
Agony in the Car Market
With the hassles of inflation and hikes, the car market in India is facing a tough time. The first quarter of the fiscal year has brought agony in the market. In India, car prices are now observing a next hike in all the car models. Increasing raw material cost is compelling car manufacturers to go for regular hike in car prices. First time, the car prices were raised in January by almost 3%, next time the prices were raised in May-June by almost 4% and now this month is experiencing the third round of price hike. This time the reason for increase is the high cost of all metals used in the automotive industry. Prices for aluminium, copper, nickel, plastic, steel and rubber have increased all of sudden, resulting in more input prices. This has eventually forced all car manufacturers to raise their car prices. The net turnover of the average cost of raw materials has gone up to almost 74% from about 69% within two years. Apart from increasing manufacturing costs, the industry is also facing problems with oil shortage, to be increased road tax and many more factors that are actually hampering the growth and success of Indian car industry. The expected increase of car prices is about Rs 5000 for small cars and Rs 12,000 for the luxury brand models. The price of the Honda City has already been increased by Rs 15,000 and the new Honda Accord by Rs 30,000. Maruti and General Motors are trying to evaluate their best option to provide the affordable price to their customers. Labels: Car-Manufacturers, Indian-car-industry, New-Cars
Thursday, 10 July 2008
India Soon to Become the Small Car Hub
After the production of Nano, global auto players have their eye on Indian engineering skills. Car manufacturers from all over the world are sourcing our country for competence and components. Global car manufacturers now have a perception that India can be a hub for the production of small cars. They are confident that by outsourcing their production to India, they will benefit a lot in terms of efficiency and cost cutting. Maruti is ready to come up with its ‘A-star’ model. The company is also laying focus on research and development for developing a unique engineering pool in India. Other car players like Hyundai, General Motors and Honda have also accepted India as a sourcing hub for next generation small cars. The road is not long for India to become the small car hub. Labels: Indian-car-industry, Small-Car-Hub
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Portfolio of Luxury Cars in India
Luxury car manufacturers are continually lining up new cars for India. Even after such a high inflation, the luxury car segment is not affected. This segment is constantly growing in India. Earlier, the Indian luxury car market was headed by Mercedes-Benz. It was the only brand name in luxury segment. But, now many models and makes have emerged. Some of the popular and leading luxury car makers today are BMW, Porsche, Rolls Royce and Audi. All these manufacturers have come up with unique, stylish and elegant cars like Audi A4, Porsche 911 Carrera, BMW 5 series and Mercedes E class. Mercedes-Benz is also planning to roll out its spruced up M class and SLK models. All the models are priced between Rs 37 lakh and Rs 1.5 crore depending on the make and luxury features. Most of the car manufacturers are moving towards small car segments and hybrids but luxury car manufacturers are still happy with the sale. Even the car dealers emphasise more on luxury cars. Labels: Indian-car-industry, Luxury-Cars
Friday, 27 June 2008
Magna Expanding in India
Good to know that major car makers and auto suppliers are entering the Indian market and making the industry more competitive and winning. Magna, North America's largest auto parts supplier, is now planning to open a new factory in India. This plan is implemented with a desire of boosting car sales in Asia. India being the cheapest resource for production and manufacturing is targeted by the company. The factory is expected to start next year in Pune and will produce powertrain parts for Indian car industry, cutting its dependence on North America. Do you think the expansion plan of Magna will be successful? We definitely think so because so much efforts and investment can never go waste. This factory will definitely bring a win-win situation for the Indian car industry. Labels: Indian-car-industry, Magna
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Proton Set to Drive in India
Good news for car lovers! Proton, a Malaysian national carmaker, is planning to launch three of its models, Savvy, Saga and Persona in India. These models are expected to enter the Indian car market next year. Currently, these models are undergoing trials and technical evaluation to meet the demands of Indian roads. Savvy is a 5 door mini car with an engine of 1.2 liter, Saga is a sedan with an engine of 1.3 liter and Persona is a mid-size car with an engine of 1.6 liter. Falling between the price range of Rs 3.7 lakh and Rs 6.5 lakh, these cars are expected to compete with the highest selling cars of Tata, Maruti, Hyundai and General Motors. Labels: Indian-car-industry, Launch of new car in India
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