The decision of buying a car does not come overnight. An intelligent buyer will research well before he takes the plunge of buying one.
You might have all made plans for the ongoing festival season. And it also includes the plan of buying a car, and you are just blessed with so many new options. And these new cars will surely push you off into a deep sea of thoughts where it might take a few more weeks for you to make a peaceful and satisfied decision for which you will not regret about later.
There are a whole range of new car models that is being presented to the Indian car audience. And this has happened in a short span of one to one and a half months. To add on to the list of car launches are cars that has been launched with a minor facelift, or an upgraded version or new variant of the existing model.
For those who have settled their thoughts to buy an SUV has the large number of choices. As we have mentioned in a previous blog of ours, it was raining SUVs in India for the past few months. There was an upgraded Discovery 3 and Range Rover launched on September 23. And this launch was soon followed by the launch of Freelander 2, Ford Endeavour, facelifted Nissan X-trial, and the new Audi Q7.
The two most acclaimed models of Honda, City and Civic, came as new offerings for the Indian car crowd. The Honda City gets a new variant and a facelifted version of the Civic was launched. The two top luxury car makers of the country Mercedes-Benz and BMW also had gifts for its customers this festival season. Mercedes-Benz launched its new 2010 E-class and BMW launched a new Roadster, Z4.
The facelifted version of the existing Teana was also launched by Nissan. Porsche also made its presence through Porsche Panamera, a four seater sports sedan.
Chevrolet also launched its sedan Cruze this week, just days before Diwali. Finally yesterday, Tata launched its mid-size sedan, Tata Manza. And we are still waiting for the launch of the re-launch of Maruti SX4 and the new SUV from Premier motors.
Well, what do you think? A whole lot of cars, right, now it is up to you to take a clever decision.
Yes, we were also eagerly waiting for the launch of Maruti’s Diwali gift, the new Maruti Suzuki SX4. The company had many promises about the car and that was expected to be launched yesterday, October 13, 2009.
Maruti, even though is the master car manufacturer of the county, has certain limitations. And it was SX4, which belongs to the A3 premium segment, which suffered the most. The car during the initial days after the launch was able to top in sales. But the glory subsided soon and the sedan was not able to stand the competition from other major car models.
The final blow was the launch of the new Honda City. And then the SX4 was not able to take it anymore. The superior designing and performance of Honda created a huge competition for Maruti and as a result the sales of SX4 came down considerably. This also gained more momentum to the view that Maruti Suzuki is good at manufacturing small cars and but luxury cars are not its cup of tea.
And the new facelifted model of SX4 from Maruti is expected to erase off this view. But where is the car? There could be a reason why the company didn’t launch SX4 yesterday as reported by many news. The Indian car company might have thought in an Indian way. Yesterday was Tuesday, a day which is considered to be inauspicious by the Indian mass. The company would not want to challenge the age old belief that Tuesday is not a good day for starting any new ventures. The company, we expect would relaunch the SX4 today or tomorrow.
Or is it waiting to enter the Indian car market together with Tata Manza, a mid size sedan!
It is nothing but complete confidence that Maruti Suzuki has gained from all these years in the Indian car market. Maruti has always been a successful player and the models from the car maker, all of them, were always capable of satisfying the likes of the Indian car customers.
From Maruti 800 to the Maruti Suzuki Ritz, the company has always been a leader in the Indian car market, small car market in specific. There is also a popular notion that Maruti makes great small cars and better than big models.
Its excellence as a small car maker can be accepted without disputes. And now the company is making most of the market favourism prevailing in India for the small cars. The company is planning to bring out yet another car. The new small car from the Maruti’s stable will be codenamed YP8. But unlike before, there is a huge difference this time regarding the developing and marketing of the model. This car will be a purely Indian car, which will be made exclusively for the Indian car market.
This desi car will be designed and manufactured keeping in mind only the Indian road conditions and customer needs. And now Maruti is in the process of shaping up its desi YP8 at the company’s facility in Gurgaon.
The car will be built on the Maruti Swift platform and will have a K-series engine similar to the one you will find in an A-Star. For bring the first ever desi car from the company, the engineers at the Maruti is working in groups now, which would be concentrating on design, interiors, and engine.
This small car is expected to be unveiled at the Delhi Auto Expo next year. As the car is fully developed and designed in India, by Maruti, it need not have to pay any loyalty to Suzuki.
Isn’t it wonderful to think that the car makers have finally started to think the Indian way?
We are still not the first, but we are certainly among the best small car market in the world. The Indian car market is now the second largest small car manufacturer. This is of course an achievement we can boast about. But this should not be a surprise for those who know the booming demand for small cars in India.
The demand for small cars in India is not a new trend. The passion for small cars has a long history in the Indian car market. Most of the favourite cars of India are small cars. The Maruti 800, Maruti Alto, Hyundai Santro have all been successful for their compact nature and affordable pricing. And the auto makers were also happy to boost the small car sales bringing out more small cars. And this has now resulted in India becoming the second largest small car market in the world, where Brazil adorns the first place.
The Indian small cars are in demand not only in the domestic market but there has also been a huge requirement globally resulting in a very high export percentage. Maruti has contributed a major part in the increasing sales of small cars. It has launched, in the past one year, very famous small cars including A-star, Ritz and facelifted Estilo.
The future of small cars in the Indian market is also bright and gay. There has been a huge list of small cars that is awaiting its entry into the Indian small car market. Volkswagen Polo, Ford Figo, and Chevrolet Beat are just a few among them.
Major companies like Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and Renault will be launching their new small cars in the near future. Meanwhile, companies like Toyota and Honda has already requesting the government to change the criterion that specifies a small car.
It seems that the Indian small car industry will witness a huge change and it will be driven by the never fading demand for small cars.
The world’s largest automobile market of the United States has dramatically changed in the past year due to global economic recession. The automotive industry in Amercia has collapsed after the recession brought leading car players GM and Chrysler at the verge of bankruptcy. And, even other car manufacturers were forced to ask for cash support to keep their businesses live.
Many of the U.S. auto companies are finding it hard to recover the losses. Chrysler has already succumbed to its losses and now the Italian car manufacturer Fiat plans to take over the company. General Motors has already taken a huge fund from the government to support its business.
It is believed that at present Ford is the only manufacturer in America that has successfully retained its independent position in the auto market. The car manufacturer refuses to take financial aid from the government but then till how long will the company carry on with the losses? The situation in American car market has become so serious that in the future months even Ford may need to borrow money from the government to support its successful business.
Car manufacturers there are worried that the number of car buyers will decrease as days go by and the investments made on them will go down the drain. But in India, the situation is not the same.
The Indian car industry is climbing the positive track with more and more car manufacturers rolling out new cars to spark a new excitement in the market. All the new cars launched in the market are designed with best of cues and packed with host of technologies to entice waning car buyers. Many Indian car manufacturers like Maruti and Hyundai are witnessing positive curves on the sales graph.
However, the severe loss faced by GM in the U.S. has put its impact on GM cars in India as well. Despite of GM’s aggressive marketing strategy and promotional campaigns, the car manufacturer is not successful in regaining its lost position. Maybe the future has something good for GM. India has given a new hope to many car manufacturers and GM may also find its way out of recession.
Maruti Motors, the leading car manufacturers in India, is planning to start car designing from a scratch by the turn of the decade.
In order to turn its plan to a fruitful end, the company is in process to hire more numbers of skilled and talented engineers and designers. The hired professionals would be accelerated to the cause of innovative car designs, electrical features and mechanical car works. The company desires to bring a revolution in the entire Indian operation and plans to make India a global design hub for small cars.
Till now, Maruti has been importing innovative technology from its parent company, the Suzuki Motors. But the company now plans to develop its own design centre. Thereby, it is working hard to turn its ambition into a reality and build new cars from a scratch in India by 2010-2011.
At one end of the spectrum, when Fiat announced to open a R&D centre and Maruti is planning to start a design centre, at the other end the Volkswagen is also working on to open a research centre in India.
The plan of setting up a research centre in India is a step to expand its market share in the mushrooming Indian car industry. The proposed centre is expected to be in line with the accident research centre of the company set up in China almost three years back. In the established research centre, skilled professionals research the causes, aftermaths and other essentials of the car accident and then use the findings in incorporating safety features in the cars. The similar approach is set for the Indian research centre.
The Volkswagen believes that different countries have different cultures, road and weather conditions. These differences invite a need for completely different set of safety measures and features in the cars available in different countries. India also has its own ifs and buts when it comes to car safety and accidents.
The company plans to research all the accident sites in the country and then incorporate safety features in accordance to the India specific conditions.
Currently, India has limited infrastructure to incorporate a range of safety features. The company is looking forward to fit in some features while the rest like lane departure indications and night view are not supported by the Indian infrastructure. Volkswagen promises to gradually bring out these features as well.
There is nothing new to say that Maruti Suzuki is one of the leading
car manufacturersin India that produces a line of high-end car models. The best part about Maruti is the thought that pulls the company to produce a range of models catering to different sections of the Indian society.
Apart from creating top-end models, Maruti now makes a move towards making Indian roads safer than ever. The company in association with the Delhi Government opens driving schools to train car drivers. The move is not only restricted to drivers safety but also ensures safety for the passers by and other people sharing a common road.
Maruti comes up with around 42 new Institute of Driving Training and Research (ITDRs) in Delhi and NCR. The company also plans to extend the association and sign a memorandum with other state governments to open more and more number of ITDRs across the country.
Maruti driving schools are not for profit margins and gains but truly for safety. The company desires to produce an accident free road for its consumers and prepare skilled drivers so that Maruti carsdo not create any havoc on Indian roads.
Influenced by Tata, Maruti and Fiat, Ford also plans to roll out some interesting and exciting small cars to India.
Ford Motor has shifted all its focus towards the production of small cars with desires to target all the sections of car buyers. The company has plans to roll out a portfolio of small cars in various countries round the world including India. Ford also desires to realign its facilities and factories to manufacture more fuel-efficient engines.
The company is also in a mood to make its Mercury brand an essential part of the small car production strategy. This clearly states that Ford plans to imitate some of the attractive features of Mercury and place them in its line of proposed small cars.
So many small cars are entering the market. Will this hamper the market for huge sedans and luxury cars?
The current car industry in India is revolving around cheap and fuel efficient cars. The main reason is increasing road traffic. With an increase in the number of cars on Indian roads, drivers of luxury cars are spending longer hours on road to reach their destination compared to small cars. Also, larger cars require comfortable parking space but with increasing number of cars, the parking space is decreasing.
Driven by these factors and by the production of Nano, Maruti also plans to come out with its small and cheap car, Cervo. When Tata is almost ready to roll out the world’s cheapest car in India, Maruti Udyog Limited announces the launch of Cervo priced within the 1 Lakh price bracket. Maruti also plans to roll out a revamped Maruti 800 with a more contemporary look. Both these Maruti cars are proposed to roll out as tough competition against Ratan Tata’s dream car.
Cervo is a mini car recently launched in Japan with an engine of 660cc offering 54 bhp. The car is compliant to Japan’s 4-star emission standards. The same car is proposed to launch in India by the end of this year with certain radical changes to comply with Indian conditions. In comparison to the Cevro, the Nano is expected to offer 30 bhp with a 700 cc petrol engine. In terms of fuel efficiency, Suzuki cars have always been the most fuel efficient cars in their respective segments.
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.
Maruti seems to be going from strength to strength. The company has continued to maintain its lead in the Indian market despite of tough competition from competitors like Hyundai, Chevrolet and Honda. The company has innovated itself over number of years and has rightly identified the pulse of Indian consumer demands. It is gearing up its production capacity to meet the long list of demand.
With its plans to touch the 10 lakh cars per year in production, it will further grow in Indian Automobile Industry. The company has an impressive line of cars and still stands apart with the latest launch of Swift DZire.
Maruti Suzuki is taking the initiative to open its first superstore where all variants of its car models will be displayed in every available colour. The store will have a recreation corner for your kids and a lounge for you to relax and take your own time to choose the car you want to own. The new experience will make car buying fun and easy.
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.
Is India still stuck in old world? The cars sold in India still carry the age old designs. Interestingly, they are still selling in large numbers despite being put in history books in mature western countries. Look at the line up of cars, sold as premium cars in India like Hyundai Accent, Octavia, Ford Ikon and Mitsubishi Lancer. Moreover, Indians are forced to pay fancy sums for these outdated cars.
The only new models which can be called contemporary are Hyundai i10, Volkswagen Passat, Maruti A-Star and Honda CR-V. Car manufacturers are taking marketing old cars as new in this country. Will the car buyer be forced to be stuck in time wrap?
It has been a bad beginning for the Auto Industry in stock market this fiscal. First it was hike in interest rates, followed by stringent measures adopted by financial institutions and now increases in prices of raw materials. The downward performance this fiscal follows the impressive performance in 2006 - 2007. The higher interest rates, hard financial options have resulted in negative sales figures of automobile companies resulting in poor performance of the auto stocks.
But, financial observers see downward trend in car sales figures only as a time phrase which could recover by the second quarter. The Indian auto Industry has been in the global news this week with the Tata Motors clinching the Jaguar and Land Rover deal from Ford Motor. But the stock markets have not been favorable for the Tata Motors yet. Soon after the announcement of the deal on Thursday Tata Motors shares plunged by 6.39 per cent at Rs 636 dragging the BSE Auto Index down 1.79 per cent. Tata Motors share had been on the downtrend ever since Ford announced that Tata Motors was the preferred bidder for its luxury brands in January.
Tata Motors on Friday opened at Rs 654 and closed at 645.85 a loss of Rs 9.50. Similarly, Maruti Suzuki which is heavily affected by increase in raw materials opened at 834.75 and closed at 829.25 a loss of Rs 9.05.
All those small car owners who thought that they could now get a DZire sedan by paying just Rs 75,000 more than Swift hatch back’s cost, take note of this. Maruti Suzuki has decided to increase the introductory price for DZire. Rise in input costs of aluminum and copper are forcing Maruti to increase the price of Dzire. The prices are likely to be revised in the next few weeks.
So all those who want the new DZire will have to rush to Maruti outlets soon and book your cars, otherwise you will end up paying more than you thought. What with the cost of interest, rising cost of accessory and rising fuel costs. Anything more will certainly burn your pockets.
There was a time when introduction of a new model took years in India. Going down the memory lane, we could find that Ambassador actually rolled out only one model till late 90’s and Fiat had only two models for India for over twenty years. When Maruti came in the early 80’s it revolutionized car industry, but new models were not forthcoming. But now the time seems to be changing so fast that if you blink you could miss a model.
Going a step ahead and breaking all records, one of the most successful sedan manufacturers, Mitsubishi has now decided to launch one new model in India every six months. They are even planning to introduce the sophisticated SUV Outlander in few months, which will be manufactured in India. It seems launching of new small cars, luxury cars, SUVs and sedans within span of short period may soon become a trend among car soon become car manufacturers.
Swift sedan Dzire is making a sudden appearance on Wednesday and not on Saturday as aired before. It it will be launched on Wednesday. It could give Maruti Suzuki two days of publicity and long queues of buyers booking it over the weekend.
Whatever, it is a clever strategy by MSIL to make quick sales and ensure long demand over several months. Its only sedan in market now SX4 which is already on top of the charts and Dzire seem to repeat history. Many believe that though the car similar to Swift in appearance has several firsts in its features.
All those who thought that tinkering with cars was a mechanics jobs, wake up. The car sector has undergone tremendous change in the last few years. Mechanics alone will not be able to do all the jobs. Believe it not!
The car industry requires as much as 10,000 automobile engineers in the next decade. They are required by the best names in the industry like BMW, Mercedes, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Ford Motors and others. They are even hiring freshers for their most enterprising jobs. All those who want to associate themselves with the greatest upcoming cars can look into these careers.
It’s great news for the hunchback car Maruti SX4. It has topped sales in the midsize car segment beating the likes of the elegant Honda City ZX and the very fuel-efficient Hyundai Verna (especially the diesel version). When the SX4 was launched, it was recognized easily because it looked ‘different’. As with all cars, some people liked the design and some didn’t. And now, with news of its successful sales, we know that ‘many’ liked it.
Suzuki is finally growing out of its small car image in India. An image created by the popular Maruti 800 and Alto.
Maruti has been an impressive company over the years and it still remains a first choice for many people who look forward to buying small cars and mid-size sedans on a reasonable price budget. Now, Maruti has earned the reputation of being the first car company to train women in driving.
Maruti hit upon the idea of opening driving schools across the country and it has gone down well with women car enthusiasts. Their Driving school largely attracts women and most of the students are women. It has registered an impressive number of aspiring women drivers to learn the skills. So far, about 15,000 women have graduated from this school leaving the men spellbound. This is a really unique initiative from Maruti.
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.
Maruti is known for its commitment to provide cars at affordable prices and has proved it with the huge number of Maruti 800 cars it has sold over the past two decades. When most car companies are targeting urban customers by offering good discounts and free after sale services, Maruti is focussed on rural customers.
Maruti will encourage rural masses to buy its cars by lending financial help to them. They have tied up with Shriram City Union Finance to help rural people get timely and hassle free financial assistance.
As we mentioned before, the Tata Nano is basking in glory at the Geneva Motor Show and so are its designers. But it’s not just they who are being appreciated. The Indian team of engineers and their Japanese counterparts, who designed the Maruti A-Star concept car, are also receiving praises for their work. While the Nano has been stealing most of the attention, the A-Star has been well received at the motor show and has managed to make a few heads turn towards it.
People waiting to buy a small car at a very good price now have a reason to smile as a few big car manufacturers in India are reducing prices of their cars. The excise cut for small cars announced in our new union budget has tempted many people to now consider making a purchase.
Maruti, Tata and Hyundai have announced huge reductions in prices of their car models to encourage people to start buying and to bring the benefit of the excise duty cut to the common man’s doorsteps. Prices cuts range from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 20,000. And it’s not just the old and established models like Maruti 800 and Tata Indica that come with this. Even the newly launched models like Tata Indigo CS are available with a huge discount. Truly a season of celebration for car lovers!
The car enthusiasts’ sporting season seems to have just started this year. The Maruti SuzukiDesert Storm Rally 2008 will kick off on March 15. The event is going to be pretty exciting as it’s going to be one of the biggest car rallies to be ever held in the country. The rally is a pure test of nerves for the rally participants who will have to brave the scorching heat and the desert storms. The participating cars will also be pushed to the limit. But more than car performance, the rally will test the driving skills of drivers.
The event will be kicked off at New Delhi from where it will not only cover dry deserts but also scenic roads at Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Khimser and Jaipur. This car rally is really something to look forward to.
Maruti never seems to be tired of gushing. First it was the record sale of one million Maruti Alto cars. Then, the achievement of exporting half a million cars from India. Now read this. Maruti has received an award from the finance ministry for paying a huge excise duty of nearly Rs. 2,500 Crore in the current fiscal up to January. And its still not over, there are two more months to go before the end of the financial year. Looks like Maruti is having a great time at the moment!
Maruti’s achievements don’t seem to be so surprising anymore. They seem to be setting records over and over again. After being in India for more than 20 years, they have set another record. First, it was news of one million Maruti Alto cars being sold till date. Now, for the first time in India, a car manufacturer has exported half a million cars. Maruti is truly adding a lot of feathers to its cap with such achievements.
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.
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.
Maruti achieved another important milestone this week and added a new feather to its cap. The “Let’s Go” car Alto crossed the 1 million production mark this week. The small car has come a long way since its launch 8 years ago. It was first introduced as a better-looking alternative to the famous Maruti 800. The Alto was a huge success and saw better sales compared to the 800.
The car has always been famous with the people because of its easy handling in heavy traffic and parking has never been a worry due to its compact size. The Alto is a great car and all those who have bought it will vouch for the same. Some buyers have formed a permanent connection with this car and still retain their old Alto.
May be Maruti Suzuki India did not want to discontinue the Esteem after all, but was forced to do so. I recently came across the report that the Bharat Stage III emission norms will come into effect from April 1. This will imply that manufacturing units will have to discontinue production of those cars that do not meet and comply with the emission norms.
The law has not only come down heavily on diesel cars, but also old cars which spewed pollution happily. Diesel cars have high emission levels as compared to petrol cars. Unfortunately Esteem came into this category and the low sales drove the company to consider closing down its production.
My father owns an Esteem and I admire the car for its power. While I understand that such laws are necessary, I don’t like the idea of not having the opportunity to buy a great car like the Esteem. I think Maruti should just change the engine of the car and improve its emission and restart its sales.
I was happy to read that Indian goods are more agreeable to the western market consumers than Chinese stuff. I hope this extends to cars made in India as well. I went to Malaysia for a trip and my gang of friends had this Toyota Qualis pick us up. I didn’t get a look at the name of the SUV when I was getting in, but the ride was so comfortable and spacious that I looked at the name tag at the back and it said Qualis! This model was NOT like the tin cup we get in India. This made me realize that India is still treated to low-quality products.
Indian car manufacturers have received little support from big players before, but the fast growing economy has made foreigners look at Indian companies seriously. Today, it is Mahindra and Tata Motors that are slowly penetrating these foreign markets. I wish that these guys start manufacturing international standard products like Maruti is trying to do and then sell these quality products within India as well. Prices be damned – I want quality for a change!
I recently went to inquire about the sale price of my seven year old Maruti 800. To my surprise I found that the 800 had lost nearly 30 to 40 percent of its value, post the launch of the Nano. The used car dealer said that he could not offer me more because they did not expect a market for 800’s after the launch of this tiny cheap car in Diwali. I was left baffled.
I always thought that the 800 will continue to fetch a good resale value. It never occurred to me that a tiny car could throw a spanner in my plans without even having hit the roads. I would advise that those who are looking to sell their old 800’s and Wagon R’s should do so now. Otherwise it could go for a few thousands like the Fiat Padmini’s and Premier’s of the 90’s.
I recently read that Maruti is planning to come up with a low cost car which will be in competition with Nano. But I also came across news saying that the company denies this news and says it is a rumor. At present they have no plans of making a car that will be priced below the Maruti 800.
The company is now concentrating on rolling out strategic models like the A-Star and Splash in India. Their recently launched SX4 and the Grand Vitara are performing extremely well ensuring international standard and style to consumers.
If Maruti’s low cost car is just a rumor, then I will definitely be disappointed coz Maruti is one of the most reliable brands with good service. Tata’s Nano must be sighing in relief!
I just checked out this online survey of used car owners, where the sedan type of car gave the best value for money and the winner was Maruti Baleno. The second place was taken by the Maruti Esteem. Is it any wonder that Maruti car has the best resale value!?! The Tata Indigo diesel came in third, but overall most of the diesel cars showed poor performance and were basically a joke!
Now, for a person like me, this sort of survey and other research stuff that I have done easily tells me that I should blindly go for a Maruti used car. I mean, after all, Maruti continues to rule the used car market as it does the new cars arena. It also indicates that I should preferably go for a petrol car instead of diesel though gas prices could be a problem. But if I consider the amount I’ll save on servicing a diesel car, it sort of makes up for petrol being the more expensive of the two fuels.
Any other stuff that I should consider before going for a used car?
While reading a recent interview of Honda Motors’ chief operating officer for South Asia, I came across him saying that they have brought robots from Europe for their Indian facility. The ultra modern and sophisticated robots are engaged in the painting division. No doubt Honda has able robots. Honda is credited with having created the most advanced humanoid robots popularly called ASIMOs. The latest ASIMO is capable of providing uninterrupted service to office guests.
So Honda has brought in robots to replace their painting division. But what needs to be highlighted is that when unemployment runs so high in the country and the automobile sector being one of the largest employment sectors, a company like Honda Motors thinks it’s fine to let robots do some work too. In contrast, Tata and Maruti are fine examples of employee recruitment and satisfaction. A recent study has revealed that car buyers were inclined to choose Maruti products because of high employee satisfaction within the car company.
I am of the opinion that Robots are fine where labour shortage is a problem. But it’s impractical to engage in such moves where there is surplus labour available. I own one of Honda’s cars and am impressed with the quality of their engineering. But when i ponder over the effect of such tactics from employers in all manufacturing facilities and domains, I can’t help but worry. It would please me greatly to know that skilled Indian hands are at work at Honda Motors’ plant in Manesar.
The value of stolen vehicles crossed the Rs 1,000 Crore mark in 2007 according to a study made by the National Crime Records Bureau based in Delhi and passenger cars formed a major chunk of it. It was alarming to note that cars that come fitted with high-end audio equipment and expensive accessories score pathetically low on security.
In the Indian car market, only premium & luxury cars come fitted with the latest anti-theft devices and the lesser cars are more prone to theft. These anti-theft devices should be made mandatory for all cars. Maruti was the first Indian company to offer the iCATs (Intelligent Computerized Anti-Theft System) as an option on all its models.
Other car manufacturers should take a cue from Maruti and give away anti-theft devices with all their cars instead of leaving the option open to the car buyer. As there are nearly 30 launches lined up for the upcoming auto expo, it would be best if all small car manufacturers took note of this. The government should make it mandatory for all cars to be equipped with anti-theft mechanisms.
The used car market is flooded with various models that are being offered at competitive prices. Today, there’s a trend of acquiring new cars regularly by disposing off previously owned ones. Models such as the Maruti800 of the 90s can be fetched for as low as Rs.50, 000. Can a cheap car be a good buy? After all, one can’t really rely on old parts and might have to shell out a lot of money on upgrades.
Questions like these and many more had left me in the lurch. I had to do a lot of research before I struck a deal for a 1996 WagonR LXi last November.
By now, I have driven it for about 20,000 kms and have found it to be really economical. It gives great mileage of around 14 within a traffic-congested city like Bangalore. At times, I’ve even got a mileage of 16+ within the city. Another thing that I liked about the car is its ground clearance. Even on bumpy roads, I haven’t faced problems. I agree that this has also got to do a lot with driving habits and the kind of fuel we use.
The WagonR, inspite of its boxy looks, is value for money and fun-to-drive. The ‘R’ in WagonR stands for ‘Recreation’.
One of India’s best loved cars, the Maruti Esteem, is no more. It’s sad news not only for esteem lovers but also for race enthusiasts. The model was first launched in 1994 replacing India’s first sedan the Maruti 1000. The Esteem was admired for its smooth performance and its capable 85 bhp 1.3-liter petrol engine. Many buyers have loved the fuel economy it delivered.
The car figured in several Indian racing circuits and was a favorite among drag racers. It was acknowledged as a car that required low maintenance and managed low running costs. Many buyers willingly chose the Esteem for its easy handling and ride quality. The model has also been popular for its high resale value. Interestingly, one of IT legends Mr. Azim Premji owned an Esteem and travelled to work in it everyday that too when he figured in the “richest people in the world” list!
The design of this wonderful car, however, received constant criticism from several quarters and was termed dated. Despite this, this entry-level mid-size sedan fared well it terms of sales volume and competed well with other sedans.
Esteem will be succeeded by the Swift sedan in March 2008. As with its hatchback sibling, the Swift sedan will come with a hefty price tag. The base petrol will start at around Rs.5 lakh and the fully-loaded diesel could touch the Rs.6 lakh mark.
We last heard about the esteem when Maruti announced a massive discount of Rs 57,500 for the month of December. It’s sad to note that such an illustrious car will soon figure in history books!
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!
He fought and he won. He’s a common man just like you and me. But persistence and patience make him stand out.
This is a tale of one Pankaj Kapur who bought a brand new Maruti Alto on 19 June 2005 only to find it defective. Although a spanking new, it was sluggish on gear shifts and on acceleration. And if that wasn’t enough, the engine squealed.
Waking up to harsh reality, he dialed Maruti’s Helpline and they made a lame effort at rectifying the problem. It wasn’t long before the same problems resurfaced. On approaching Maruti directly, they refused to replace the car.
Not to be kept quiet, he filed a case with the District Consumer Forum. Though it took more than two years for the court to fix the issue, he now stands vindicated. The forum ordered Maruti Udyog Ltd. to pay him a compensation of Rs.3,14,000 (the cost of a new Alto). It also asked the company and the dealer to pay him an additional compensation of Rs.50,000 for the mental agony and harassment he faced.
This kind of behaviour reflects poorly on a well recognized brand such as Maruti. But the tale certainly enforces our belief in the justice system and even more in the District Consumer Forum.
If you are looking for a new Maruti, buy it now. Maruti is offering a huge discount under a special savings scheme- Happy Customer Offer. The discounts on various models range from Rs 18,500 to Rs 57,500.
The announcement before the company scheduled hike in prices for its various models by up to Rs 12,000. Dealers are asked to publicise the discount scheme. Omni gets a good discount of Rs 18,500, while the flagship hatchback 800 would be cheaper by Rs 26,000.
The mid-size Esteem gets the highest discount of Rs 57,500. The company's bestselling hatchback Alto is shedding Rs 24,500. Petrol and LPG versions of Wagon-R have cut price by Rs 45,000 and Rs 24,500 respectively. A discount of Rs 48,000 is being offered on Zen Estilo. Unfortunately, the fast selling Swift and SX4 do not carry any discounts. Maruti is also offering finance payouts and exchange bonuses apart from the discount offer.
As India is emerging as a global hotspot for four-wheelers, top guns in the auto industry are inventing ways to capture the largest share and fiddling with the buzz word - ultra-cheap cars.
Renault-Nissan is looking at replacing auto rickshaws from Indian roads completely. They have already entered an agreement with Ashok Leyland to churn out low cost trucks and with Bajaj Autos to engineer a $3,000 car by 2010. India's Tata Motors aims to launch its long-awaited $2,500 car in 2008.
Maruti is currently out of the ultra-cheap car loop. Tata is still in the fray even after a lot of political turmoil in their small car plant in West Bengal. It is time for consumers to ponder about how the Renault-Nissan combo is going to compete with the three-wheelers in India.
All efforts to creation of goodwill through corporate social responsibility activities go a long way in marketing and eventually sale of the products, according to a recent study.
During the survey nearly 80 percent of Indian’s said that they would go for car makers who create employment opportunities in India and have environment friendly policies. Maruti got loads of praises for its high quality vehicles provided at low cost and its effort towards job creation in India.
It was also appreciated for bringing in international brands, in joint venture with Japanese car maker Suzuki, at the same time of their international launch. The automotive sector as a whole was lauded for job creation and employee satisfaction efforts. However the survey revealed that the automobile companies need to do more for environment conservation.
Reading the blogs here, it appears that GM, Honda, Toyota, and many others are planning to do just that.
Alto, from the makers of Maruti, the county’s highest selling car has achieved breathtaking sales of two lakh units in the last eleven months. This makes Alto the first car in India to cross the Two Lakh domestic sales figures mark in less than a year. One Lakh sales has come in just 150 days.
This small segment car was launched in the year 2000 and over 6.25 Lakh Alto cars have been sold in the domestic market. Some of its best ad campaigns like Lets go…… and Boondon Mein…… (which was accorded the Silver medal at the prestigious EFFIE Award 2006) has created a niche for Alto in everyone’s heart. It has several variants and it will be interesting to know if further variants are added with people’s increase in demand for the Alto. So ‘lets go….’ and join the Alto fan club.
Buying a car is no more a luxury for Indians, it’s a necessity. For the global automotive industry, China is now a passé, India grabs all their attention. Last year, car sales in India totaled in 1.1 million with compact hatchbacks accounting for nearly three quarter of that.
Time for Maruti, Tata, or Mahindra to pull up their socks, foreign automakers like Nissan, Hyundai, and Renault are aiming big in India. A recent auto survey says that the car market in India is growing at an average of 20 percent a year, outpacing even China.
Nissan already made its entry to the Indian market with Renault SA of France and Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd and sold its Logan like hot cakes early this year. Japan’s carmakers are not behind in this race, the biggies like Toyota and Honda have already pronounced their presence here loudly.
Maruti800, Alto, or Santro says small car is always a big hit in India. Incited by Tata's super-cheap People’s Car next year, Nissan and Renault are projecting a car that may sell for as little as $2,500. And now India’s two-wheeler giant Bajaj and Renault are discussing the possibilities of ultra inexpensive cars.
With this pace, bicycle and two wheelers may look like extinct products of the auto world.
Ok, am sure that we all know Maruti Suzuki is the top leading automaker in India. It’s a pretty exciting fact that no matter where you go in India, you can see a Maruti vehicle. From the last seven years MarutiSuzuki is the top ranked in JD Power’s India Customer Satisfaction Index study. Continuing in the first position this year Maruti scored 838 points out of 1000 and the most interesting thing is that Maruti was the only carmaker to score more than the industry average of 777 points.
According to the JD Power’s India Customer Satisfaction Index study the factors contributing to overall satisfaction are the percentage of problems experienced in a car, service quality, and the user friendly service. Take a look at the maintenance services that Maruti is providing. I would say it is truly instant, easily accessible, and affordable. Also the problems experienced in Maruti cars are less. I personally have the opinion that Maruti Services have a very user friendly attitude.
The brands that follow Maruti in the ranking are Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, and Ford. These automakers scored 765, 745, 740, and 737 points respectively, making themselves fit in the top four positions after Maruti. Compared to last years score these automakers showed vast improvement in their scores. Honda, Skoda, and Hyundai showed the highest improvement.
He's undoubtedly the reigning king of Bollywood; Carazoo wishes Shah Rukh Khan a very happy birthday. This gizmo loving actor drives a bright red Pajero.
The Mitsubishi Pajero was a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors in November 1973. In 24 years, it has gone through complete redesigns four times and now has a lower and wider stance compared to it predecessors.
The fourth generation was introduced at the Paris Motor Show on September 30, 2006 with new interior styling. This was also accompanied by enhanced safety with dual-stage SRS front airbags as well as new side-impact and curtain airbags.
This new Pajero has a lower center of gravity for better on-road handling manners, whilst the new body has over three hundred per cent more twisting firmness. However, what revolutionizes this Pajero is that it utilizes a unibody (a one-piece frame and body structure) construction, as opposed to the previous body-on-frame (box-ladder). This helps in providing a longer suspension stroke. Its fuel tank is now strategically placed between the axles for better safety.
King Khan surely enjoys driving this widely-dreamt racing car, but his journey to this Pajero was not all smooth sailing, his first car was a MarutiOmni. Wish you luck SRK!
Do I need to say more about the whole so-called Formula One, the global auto racing event? Maybe you’ve been following the trickle of information flowing out ever since the 1998 Indian Grand Prix attempt when the Indian government started its attempt to get a F1 racing event in India. Tata, Mahindra, Maruti, and many other Indian Manufacturers are following this event closely.
Here's another effort to bring F1 to town. Even if the Indian roads are not that much advanced for a F1 race, we have a huge number of racing enthusiasts with Narain Karthikeyan on to race and Vijay Mallya to support. The Indian Olympics Authority is also on the ground to get the race to India by the October 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Critics say that the Grand Prix will meet serious infrastructural and environmental challenges in India, but there’s no denying that India is one of the fastest growing economy in Asia with a horde of Young Indians who have high incomes and F1 enthusiasm. Reports indicate that the Formula One architects have visited New Delhi and seen several sites in the National Capital Region and have handed India a race promotion contract and a circuit rights agreement contract. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope to see the first Indian Grand Prix in 2009.
India’s auto major, Maruti, is very keen to launch the sedan built on the Swift platform. This sedan is expected to hit Indian roads in the month of January next year and would compete with its own sibling, the SX4. Not only this, Maruti Suzuki is also planning to pose a tough tiff to manufacturers like Skoda and Honda with models like Splash, Kizashi, and Jimny.
According to the source closely associated with the company, the making of Esteem is almost taken a back-seat. The new Swift sedan will be priced less than the SX4 and is expected in two variants – a 1.3L multi-jet diesel engine and a 1.3L petrol engine.
The diesel variant is built keeping in mind Tata’s Indica and Indigo and Hyundai’s diesel cars. Maruti has also asked its suppliers to be ready to supply machinery needed for this mega project. Recently, Maruti unveiled a concept car Kizashi at the Frankfurt motor show, which is said to make its second appearance at the Tokyo Motor Show very soon. It is designed to compete with the A4 segment cars from other manufacturers like Honda, Toyota, and Skoda. Kizashi is expected to come with a price tag of 10-12 lakh.
Land Rover, the top rated British automobile manufacturer, is all set to make a debut of its compact SUV, LR2 in India. Navnit Motors, Land Rover's sole Indian distributor is planning to get LR2 to launch in India.
The LR2 is expected to be the cheapest variant from Land Rover in India. It would be priced at around Rs 35-lakh ex-showroom. It might be the increasing demands in the Indian auto-market that has made Land Rover take this decision. The distributor of Land Rover in India expects to double the annual volume to over 60 units this year.
This strictly muscular LR2 is very luxurious and that plays an important role in the Land Rover's portfolio. A definite winner for all those macho Indian men. It is the most fuel-efficient model from Landy. It caters to more adventurous drivers. The LR2 could well be the best looking SUV on the road today. When it joins the Indian market frenzy, it will compete with cheaper SUVs such as the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, and Maruti Grand Vitara or the Mitsubishi Montero that falls in about the same price range. Doesn’t look like a tough fight unless price gets in the way!
Hyundai, one of India’s premier auto majors, announced that their well-known Getz Prime will get a diesel variant. The diesel variant is said to give the much expected fuel economy of 17 km/l, which will help long distance commuters.
The Getz Prime diesel adorns a noiseless 1.5L engine CRDi turbocharged engine is said to deliver a power of 110 bhp, which is sure to leave everyone breathless. Getz Prime comes with a price tag of rupees 5,69,000/- (ex-showroom Delhi) and is said to be available from the second week of October.
This new Getz Prime diesel is sure to pose a nose-to-nose competition to the MarutiSwift diesel, which is priced between rupees 4.73 lakh to 5.25 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
The great sales target achieved by Hyundai motors in India has made a strong impact on the company. In order to show their interest in the Indian car market, the company has decided to launch its compact car “PA” first here in India. Indian roads will witness Hyundai’s “PA” first, a couple of months before it hits other countries.
The growth of the Indian market for compact cars and Hyundai’s massive growth in India for the past nine years has definitely made the manufacturer consider India as a first priority. India is also said to be one of the healthy markets for premium cars to compete, which is also a reason for the firm to choose India as the first place to see its code-named car.
Hyundai PA, after its launch, is expected to replace the Hyundai Santro and pose a sturdy competition to other compacts such as the Chevrolet Aveo and the Maruti Alto that are currently ruling the roost.
