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Monday, 8 June 2009
BMW Returns to Beat Mercedes-Benz
Ever since their arrival to the Indian car market, German luxury car manufacturers have locked horns with each other to grab a share of the lucrative market. This time, BMW has gone one up in the battle of titans by beating Mercedes-Benz in sales. BMW sold 466 cars compared to Mercedes’ 371 in the month of May. Despite economic recession and slowdown in the auto industry, the market has remained profitable for luxury car manufacturers which have posted handsome sales figures over the past few months. BMW’s surging success can be attributed to lacklustre performance of Mercedes-Benz when it comes to new car launches. Though the latter has introduced renewed and refreshed versions of its top selling car models, no new models have been brought in over the last six months. Compare that with BMW’s four new model launches this year the innovative X6 sports activity coupe, Z4 roadster, and the very expensive upgraded 7 Series. Mercedes-Benz also failed to effectively combat BMW’s innovative marketing strategies like zero percent schemes, loyalty programs, and exchange programs. Though Audi’s car sales aren’t far behind in the race to conquer the Indian car market, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are almost head to head. BMW started off in the lead at the start of the year but then lost out to Mercedes-Benz in subsequent months. After the brief lull, BMW has taken the lead again with astounding sales last month. Labels: BMW, Car-Sales-India, Luxury-Cars, Mercedes-Benz
Monday, 6 April 2009
BMW Vs Merc in India
There is competition in every segment and we can clearly see the rift between the two luxury car manufacturers from Germany. The two giants of luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, are competing very closely to be top in the Indian car industry. Merc, one of the oldest players in the Indian car market is slowly loosing its number one position to its rival BMW. BMW in the first two months of 2009 recorded higher sales than Mercedes. This is said to be the result of the attractive discounts offered by BMW to push the sales. The company stroke a heavy discount on the older version of 3-series with the launch of the new version. Earlier Mercedes was the only luxury car manufacturer to assemble its models locally in India and this offered a competitive price to Indians compared to other luxury models. But now with BMW and Audi who have also started the local production the competition level for Merc went very high. In order to strengthen their position in the Indian car market, the luxury car manufacturers are launching new models and introducing expansion plans. When BMW launched the all new 3-series and 7-series, Merc did not lag behind and introduced the super luxury famed AMG range of cars and also the new M class from the SUV segment. The competition between the car manufacturers is nothing new. It is a part and parcel of life. Every one wants to be the best and are willing to can go to any extend to prove their worth. The competition would be still tougher as Mercedes will fight to retain it number one position in the Indian car market. Labels: Audi, BMW, luxury car, luxury car manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz
Exhilarating Luxury and Sports Car Parade in Mumbai
Mumbai streets were more sublime and warm on April 5, 2009. The sunny Sunday when people normally desire to stay within the shelters of their homes because of the prickling heat and humidity had transformed into a sublime Sunday because of the Parx Super Car Show held at Kala Ghoda in Mumbai. The show was an excellent and exhilarating parade of finest sports and luxury car. Infact the key aim of introducing such a kind of event was to bring together all like-minded individuals and car enthusiasts who own and have a passion of cars especially cars that lead admiring glances and envious stares. The event was flagged by former Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan. The Managing Director of Raymond Mr Gautam led the entourage of supercars in his Lamborghini Gallardo. Other participating cars in the show were from top brands like AMG, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Porsche, and Rolls Royce. And all these were driven from Kala Ghoda to Siddhi Vinayak Temple and back through Walkeshwar and Breach Candy. For the onlookers the parade of the most scintillating and impressive cars was the most spectacular sight. Organized by Autocar India and Bellset, the Parx Supercar Show is expected to travel to other cities including Delhi and Bangalore. Labels: AMG, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Formula-One, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Narain-Karthikeyan, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Super-Car-Show
Friday, 13 March 2009
New Mercedes-Benz M-Class on Indian Roads
For all those who rejoice a joyful ride in stylish and powerful SUVs, Mercedes-Benz has launched a new M-Class in India. The new Mercedes-Benz M-Class delivers a perfect symphony of elegant styling, best-in-class performance, enhanced safety, and engineering excellence. Do you know when was the first M-Class introduced? It was launched in 1997 in U.S and after it received an overwhelming response there it was brought to India. Mercedes took 10 years to bring this powerful to India but when it was actually launched it carved its own niche. 
Now the car manufacturer has launched a new M-Class to deliver more to its valued customers. The new car features a 7 speed 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission for improved performance and handling and 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive system with a start-off assist & a Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR). Moreover, the 19 inch alloy wheels enhance the visual appeal of the car and the luxurious interior exudes warmth and elegance. It is elegantly designed with a host of technologies to mark a significant milestone in the history of M-Class. Labels: Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz-M-Class, New-Car-Launch, New-M-Class
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Force India’s New Car for 2009 Season
Force India unveils its last car ‘VJM02’ for the 2009 season. The car has given bright shades of orange and green to reflect the Indian connection and team energy. It is embalmed with extra logos. This season Force India cars will use McLaren and Mercedes-Benz engines instead of the Ferrari engine. The VJM02 also gets a McLaren-Mercedes engine, gearbox, and kinetic energy recovery. The team drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Adrian Sutil test drive the car during the launch followed by a press conference for sharing their views. Motivated, excited and not to forget the vibrant Vijay Mallya (the team boss) made key changes to the team for this season to boost up the Force India to score regular points in 2009. The team had failed to come into the top eight last year. Let’s hope this year we get to see our Force India team celebrating the victory with a Champaign and a trophy. Labels: Force-India, Mercedes-Benz, New-Car-Launch
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
BMW and Mercedes-Benz Contend to Rule Indian Car Market
BMW and Mercedes-Benz are competing with each other to conquer the Indian car market. Though both the car manufacturers hold the same position and brand image in the country, Mercedes-Benz has outshined BMW in terms of car sales. Surprisingly, the sales figure of Mercedes-Benz saw a positive growth even in the time of financial meltdown in 2008. All Mercedes cars including the E-Class, C-Class, SLK-Class, and the recently launched high-performance AMG cars have winning characteristics that has taken the brand name to the top position. Comparatively, even the new BMW cars like the 3-Series and 7-Series have set new benchmarks in the industry. Then why the sales figure of Mercedes is high? Is it the brand name or the competitive bar posed by performance, luxury, fuel efficiency, and ride quality making the rivalry more strong? BMW also has no clue for the reason of low sales report. But still the company aims to climb higher and take over its biggest rival Mercedes-Benz. BMW is gradually expanding its roots on the Indian soil to plant the seed of success in the country. After the launch of new 3-Series and 7-Series, BMW has even planned a slew of launches in near future which include the models Z4 and X6. It is also. It seems that the competition between the two car giants is aggressively building and it is yet to see who will dominate the promising Indian car industry in future. Labels: BMW-Cars, Indian-car-industry, Mercedes-Benz
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Unveiling Audi's Sportback Concept
The Sportback concept unveiled by Audi at the Detroit Auto Show 2009 in January is the true personification of its vision for future car models and a glimpse of its new design vocabulary. The technology epitomises a pure combination of elegance, sportiness, and variability. It is a perfect example of company's stern determination to push design and technology beyond all limits. The new innovative concept will be seen in the soon-to-arrive Audi A7. This four-door coupe is to ride with world's cleanest diesel technology, the 3.0-litre V6 TDI which meets all the emissions norms of 50 U.S. states and also the EU6 standard that is scheduled to be effective by 2014. Audi has taken all possible measures to ensure an impressive fuel efficiency of 16.9 km/l. The car carrying this new concept is also not lacking behind in terms of appeal. Sporting elegance of the coupe is reflected by a flowing silhouette, dramatic lines, frameless doors, and impressive roofline. In the car's interior, sophisticated technologies and futuristic features augment the car's sporting intentions and versatility. With all these, the Sportback concept car (Audi A7) is speculated to take on Porsche Panamera and Mercedes-Benz CLS. Labels: Audi-Cars, Auto-Show, Mercedes-Benz
Monday, 2 February 2009
Mercedes-Benz’s BlueZERO Concept Cars
Current challenges in the car industry due to growing mobility requirements, stringent emission norms, and declining crude oil are gradually making the green cars a focus of public attention. Thankfully, major advancements and innovations have given birth to fuel-efficient engines, hybrid cars, and battery-electric drive systems and options of alternative fuels like CNG, LPG, Hydrogen and biofuels. These can be an answer to future needs to sustain mobility. The fascinating BlueZERO concept is a trio of green concepts designed by Mercedes-Benz with an aim to overcome challenges and meet new market needs. It displays three unique and interesting concept cars. The sandwich floor design used in these cars makes them even more attractive and inspiring. Sandwich design is a unique and impressive architecture that sandwiches the drivetrain partly in front and partly underneath the passenger compartment in a sloping position. This is done to ensure improved safety, better packaging, and optimized usage of space. Interestingly, the first concept of the trio houses a liquid-cooled high-voltage lithium-ion battery that powers an electric motor linked to the front wheels. This powerful battery runs to about 200km in a single charge and can reach a top speed of 150 km/h without expelling any amount carbon dioxide. The second concept accommodates a new generation fuel cell which generates a peak power output of 121 bhp in association with the hydrogen tank and a high voltage battery. The most interesting part of the concept is that during slow speed manoeuvres energy is used exclusively from the battery and while accelerating, the energy is drawn from both the battery and the fuel cell. The final concept holds a conventional 67 bhp turbo-charged petrol engine as well as a petrol tank. This works as a hybrid car that provides a maximum range of 600km on a tank full of petrol. With the battery power, the car can run up to 100 km in one charge. With unique architecture, engine technologies, and efficient drive systems, the Mercedes-Benz BlueZERO concept is speculated to become the future of mobility which will definitely reshape the car industry. Labels: Concept-Cars, Hybrid-Car, Mercedes-Benz
Thursday, 29 January 2009
New Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss
At the time when Mercedes-Benz and McLaren were nearing the end of the SLR exotic car range, Mercedes announced a final-run edition dedicated to the legendary British racer Sir Sterling Moss. And excitingly it is the second devoted to Moss, the first being the Stirling Moss 722. Stirling Moss is considered to be the most unfortunate driver of the Formula One race. This is because he never won any championship but is arguably the greatest all-round racing driver of all time. Mercedes-Benz and McLaren are now delightfully adding a new car named as SLR Stirling Moss to the SLR supercar range. The new car has no similarity in style and look with the SLR range. Unlike them, the new SLR has no roof or windscreen protecting the occupants and also carries two deflectors that provide some sort of protection to the car passengers. It is developed using sophisticated technology and designed with a legendary style. The SLR Stirling Moss is powered by a powerful V8 supercharged engine that generates 650 bhp. The top speed reaches 350 km/h and makes it one of the world's fastest open top cars. Production is limited to 75 cars and is scheduled to end by mid 2009. Labels: Formula-One-Race, Mercedes-Benz
Friday, 9 January 2009
More AMG Centres Across the Globe
AMG is known as the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz. These high power and super-efficient cars are tuned Mercedes cars that define the brand image of the company. Recently, Mercedes has introduced a bunch of AMG cars in India to satisfy the luxurious needs and demands of Indian car buyers. AMG cars have carved their own niche in the global car market. And the best part of these high-end super-luxurious and powerful cars is that every engine is assembled by just one engineer. That's the company's philosophy, 'One Man-One Engine'. With the increasing number of cars in the market, Mercedes also plans to establish more AMG centres across the world to provide their easy availability for its customers. As the cars are unique so would be the centres. Each AMG centre is known to be designed with distinctive surrounding that will reflect the powerful characteristics of AMG cars. About 175 centres are to be established with high quality materials, exclusive furnishings, and an assortment of colours. Labels: AMG-Cars, Car-Market, Mercedes-Benz
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Cars Made of Coconut
It's incredible that cars would now be made of coconut. Researchers at Baylor University have introduced a innovative way to transform coconut husk into automotive interiors. Researchers believe that the coconut husk can be used to design the trunk liners, floor boards, and car door interior covers replacing the synthetic polyester fibres. Most of the people will wonder that why only coconuts were selected among a long list of plants grown across the world. But the leading researcher, Walter Bradley, has the answer. He says that coconuts has been picked up from the long list because it is grown in abundance. And about 96% of the total coconut production is taken over by poor farmers who don't even manage to earn their basic living requirements with this plantation. The idea to utilize coconut fire to build automotive interiors will create a viable new market for these poor farmers along with making the cars more environment friendly. In addition, coconuts having better mechanical properties not only preserves natural resources but are also cost effective and comparatively reduces a car weight. Adding to the green concept, coconut do not emit toxic fumes and are thus light on environment. Though this concept is new for the Indian car industry, in the global car market Mercedes-Benz is know to be the first to use natural fibre in cars. The exterior of Mercedes-Benz A-Class Coupé is manufactured using the abaca banana plant replacing the traditional glass fibre. Labels: Car-Market, Indian-car-industry, Mercedes-Benz
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Mercedes-Benz to Drive New Cars in India
Mercedes-Benz is heading ahead keeping pace with other German car manufacturers like Audi and BMW. The company is planning a bunch of new car launches in the Indian car market. The first in line is the new E-Class that is speculated to be introduced in January this year. The next generation E-Class is known to be introduced with better styling, wheel-arched extension, massive bumpers, sculpted wide-frame grille, and a greenhouse. Following the E-Class would be the elite S-Class facelift that is believed to hit the successful BMW 7-Series. The proposed S-Class would be launched with new front skirt, sculpted bumpers, elegant side flashers, and a re-designed rear bumper. Additionally, Mercedes plans to introduce the fourth generation CL-Class that is expected to be launched by 2011. This new car would be designed on the platform of the E-Class and is speculated to beat the Audi A7, S-Class, and the Porsche Panamera. An innovatively designed SLK-Class and a SLR-Coupe are also significant additions in the future portfolio of Mercedes cars. Labels: Indian-car-market, Mercedes-Benz, New-Car-Launch
Friday, 2 January 2009
Cars Turn into Luxurious Gift
Some people really know how to make their loved ones happy in any occasion. Popular bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has gifted his adorable wife Twinkle a Bentley convertible worth Rs 3 Crore on her birthday. Wow such an expensive car! Earlier the gifts used to be simple and affordable but with today's high standard of living gifts have also become expensive. This is not the first time that someone is being gifted a high priced car like Bentley. Many celebrities are following the trend of gifting such a costly gifts to their loved ones and friends. Amitabh Bachchan gifted a Bentley car to his son Abhishek Bachchan on his 31st birthday. Big B had also received a Rolls Royce Phantom for his outstanding performance in the movie ‘Eklavya’ by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. When we are talking about Bollywood, we just can't avoid King Khan who is also fond of spending money on gifts. For his film ‘Main Hoon Na’, he had gifted Hyundai Terracan to Farah Khan. Again, after the super success of blockbuster movie ‘Om Shanti Om’, he presented her a Mercedes Benz worth Rs 40 Lakh. With changing time and fashion, cars have become more than just a commodity for commuting. Nowadays cars display social status and style. They are now become a favourite gift choice of Bollywood celebrities and business tycoons. Giving just a card or a bunch of flowers was considered the most romantic gifts but now it is loosing its charm with people turning materialistic. These costly gifts can only be affordable by the high class society. Middle class people can just dream and read about such gifts! Labels: Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce-Phantom
Friday, 5 December 2008
Mercedes-Benz Celebrates 20000th Car in India
Mercedes-Benz celebrates the 20000th production of its car in India. Mercedes made its entry in the Indian car market in 1995 and since then the company is heading with leaps and bounds. The first car the company rolled out in March 1995 was the dazzling Mercedes-Benz  E-Class. Amazingly, the 20000th car rolled out from the company’s plant in Pune on April 9, 2008 was again an E-Class. It’s just a coincidence which has now become a reason to celebrate. To add to the celebration, Mercedes rolled out the 20000th E-Class with an Iridium Silver exterior and a Black leather interior. Furthermore, the E-Class is personified with an additional badge, ‘20000’, that gives a distinctive look to the glittering and path-breaking E-Class. Another reason that adds to the merriment of rolling out 20000th Indian Mercedes from the production lines is the sales of 10000th E-Class till date in India. This achievement by Mercedes validates its commitment to thrive and prosper even through turbulent times. Labels: Indian-car-market, Mercedes-Benz
Friday, 21 November 2008
Brainchild of Mercedes-Benz
 The brainchild of Mercedes-Benz, Adaptive High-Beam Assistant system, will now be available on all Mercedes cars starting from spring 2009.
Just think about what you do while driving during mid-night. The visibility often reduces at night and you turn on your car’s headlights to have enough light that can take you to your destination. At times you may even find that a car approaching from the other lane distracts your vision with its high beamed headlamp. And sometimes you put on your car’s headlamp in low beam so that the other drivers are not distracted. Swaying the headlamp between high and low beam at times blind you to see object approaching towards you and may even cause an accident. This is a very common problem faced by all car drivers during night especially when driving on highways. To combat the situation of toggling with the headlights, Mercedes-Benz has come up with a new technology christened as Adaptive High-Beam Assistant system. This innovative car technology senses the traffic conditions with the help of a camera and adjusts the focus of car headlights automatically in accordance to the sensed conditions. It also detects the steering input and adjusts the focus for safe driving at tight corners. This new system is designed with a desire to improve safety and driving comfort. Labels: Car-Technology, Mercedes-Benz
Monday, 3 November 2008
Beauty of the Vintage Car Show
Open your eyes for the glittering vintage car show! For the first time in the history of Indian automobile, some of the rarest gems will be displayed together.  You would be glad to know that the world renowned jeweller Cartier brings its Travel with Style Concours to India. This is a complete display of some of the most exciting vintage cars of the automobile history. Even more impressive is the 60 classic cars to be displayed that also include 1931 vintage Pierce Arrows, 1928 vintage Mercedes-Benz owned by Vijay Mallya, Jaguar SS 100 owned by Jackie Shroff, 1939 Daimler of media baron Viveck Goenka’s, and 1939 six-seater Mercedes of Jaipur jeweller Sudhir Kasliwal’s. The entire portfolio of showcased cars is divided into three categories Vintage Classics, Post-War Classics, Exotic Classics, and Roadsters. Vintage Classics includes the oldest Indian cars, Post-War Classics includes a range of old cars from British, Europe and America, Exotic Classics includes non-conventional cars; and Roadsters include a range of convertible sports car from British, America, and German. It’s impressive and even proud to know that much of these cars have never been displayed anywhere across the globe. India is the first to witness the catwalk of such a huge diversity of vintage cars. The car beauties are further personified with the presence of a number of national and international celebrities like Imran Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Prince Michael of Kent, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, The Earl of March and Kinrara, photojournalist Don McCullin, Formula One cars designer Gordon Murray, and tycoon Sir Michael Kadoorie. If all this excites you and fuels your senses, if you really wish to rejoice the old beauties, and to meet the known celebrities, then the perfect place for you is the Royal Western India Turf Club in Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. Yes, the vintage car event is held at this club starting from November 1, 2008. Labels: Car-Show, Formula-One-cars, Mercedes-Benz
Monday, 13 October 2008
Mysore Rolls in Luxury
 The scion of Mysore Royal Family, Srikanta Datta Wadiyar, has a deep obsession about cars and it is wonderful to know that he owns15 luxury cars. This big count is surprising but is true. Even more amazing is the fact that he registers all his cars with a registration number 1953, the year he was born. Among a fleet of 15 luxury cars in his collection, he owns five BMW and one Mercedes-Benz. This clearly reflects his passion for BMW cars. It is bound that the passers by will stop in reverence each time when one car from the fleet is zipped on Mysore roads. There are few among us who used to feel that high-end luxury cars would have a comparatively lower demand in India due to its very expensive price tag but looks like the trend is changing. The luxury car passion of Wadiyar is a proven example for the growing demand of premium cars in India. Labels: BMW, Luxury-Cars, Luxury-Cars-Collection, Mercedes-Benz
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Luxurious Limousines on Delhi Roads
Once again, the car industry has proved its connection with a sports event! BMW and Mercedes have plans to roll out a number of luxurious limousines on Delhi roads by 2010. Delhities, don’t jump with joy, these top-notch limousines are not for you, for tourists. Almost 150 cars are to be rolled out in the form of taxis. The launch is aimed at providing world class travel experience to tourists from across the world during the Common wealth Games. With these high-end cars, the government of India desires to greet visitors with a brand new fleet of cars. Can you guess how much the government is investing to roll out these cars? Nearly about Rs 200 crore! Recently, Honda also showed its interest in Indian sports by gifting Honda Accord to the winner of the game. What do you think? Is this a branding move by car manufacturers? Or an initiative made by the government? Whatever it is, this move has proved the deep association of car industry and sports industry in the country. Labels: BMW, Indian-cars, Mercedes-Benz
Wednesday, 1 October 2008
New Guard Limousine Hits Indian Shores
Mercedes-Benz has introduced the S600 Pullman Guard Limousine in the Indian car market. The car is not yet launched but can be imported if anyone wishes to have one such high-end, super-luxurious, and techno car. The introduction is coupled with the celebration of the 80th anniversary of special protection unit, a unit that has till date offered five generations of luxury limousines to the royal class around the world. The new Guard is designed on the concept of integrated security with highest degree of protection. It holds a 5.5L, twin-turbo V-12 engine that delivers 517 bhp. In addition, secure sealing fuel tank, fire extinguished system, and run flat tyres are also outfitted in the next generation Limousine. Though this new Guard will rarely be found on Indian roads, it will definitely hit the royal and luxurious cars savouring luxury car segment in India since years. Labels: Indian-car-market, Luxury-Car, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz- S600-Pullman-Guard-Limousine
Monday, 15 September 2008
Next in Line is i40
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
E-Class or 5-Series! The Battle is on…..
The luxurious E-class from the legendry car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz is the most popular and successful model in India. This is now under the threat from another big player BMW’s 5-series. The imperial E-class has ruled the Indian road for a long time, but now the BMW 5-Series is slowly taking the legacy. And the credit for this goes to the BMW’s all new 530d model, which made recent news of its launch. It is creating a new standard of luxury and performance in its class. The luxury car demand in India is growing that is pushing the car manufacturer to introduce more models with unique features as the competition is very high. Another fat player who is trying to butt in this battle is Audi A6 with its luxury charm. It’s just a start with the new 530d model. The coming time will only tell who will dominate the luxury segment. Labels: Luxury -Cars, Mercedes-Benz, New-Car
Friday, 1 August 2008
C63 AMG Drives to India
Mercedes-Benz drives its most striking car, the C63 AMG to India. A tough competitor for M3 coupe! Priced at around Rs 78 lakh, the car is brought to the country through the import route. It is a highly modified version of Mercedes C class. The C63 is outfitted with a powerful V8 engine with a capacity of 6.3 litre generating a maximum torque of 600 Nm. The car has the ability to propel 0-100 in just a span of 4.5 seconds. That sounds amazing! The company is excited and glad with this launch in India and plans to bring more AMG variants to India. Like other car manufacturers Mercedes also wants to increase its share in the country. So many car manufacturers are competing with each other and it has really become difficult to say who will hold the maximum market share at the end? Labels: C63-AMG, Car-engine, Luxury-Coupes, Mercedes-Benz
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
BMW Launches 530d
BMW rejoices its success with the launch of 530d in India. The five series of BMW is a big threat for the age old Mercedes-Benz in India. The BMW has created a competitive platform of luxury cars in a span of two years. The f\5 series of BMW is not as old as the existence of Mercedes-Benz in India. Yet, BMW is seen to be ahead in the race. The new 530d is available with more efficient engine, enhanced horsepower, and advanced safety technologies coupled with BMW’s USP (Unique selling point), Night Vision. This premium segment sedan is powered by six common diesel rail engine (CRDi) that generates 235bhp. The company has also introduced two other variants of the car, 520d and 530d Highline. All the car models launched have the highest standards of all-round quality, safety measures coupled with highest levels of comfort and luxury. These new car models are also available in a rainbow of vibrant and sophisticated colours. Labels: BMW-Cars, Mercedes-Benz, New-Cars
Monday, 28 July 2008
Lewis Hamilton Rocks Mumbai, India!!
Lewis Hamilton was in Mumbai on 24th as a part of his sponsorship commitments to Vodafone. His driving had the spectators in a tizzy at the makeshift stands at the Hakone Go-Karting track. The spectators went mad over his one handed drifts. After showing off his skills in a special Vodafone liveried Go-Kart, he judged a race involving three Vodafone Contest winners. A very elated spectator yelled 'Lewis, beat Kimi at Monza'. 'Im working on it' he yelled back. A small autograph session followed. A slight rain hampered the full use of the track. We also got to learn the limits of F 1's new wet weather master. Hamilton slated that the Mercedes C63 saloon he was chauffeured in was not the ideal car to drive on Mumbai's rain soaked roads. Apparently, a big 450 bhp saloon on wet, Indian roads are off limits for this F1 megastar. Mere mortals, beware! Last season Hamilton came unnoticed and was just another desperate attempt to fill the slot vacated by Kimi Raikkonen. The tale of Hamilton bears lot of striking resemblances to Lightning Mc Queen's dream debut in the Piston Cup in Disney’s Blockbuster CARS. Hamilton had a dream to start his F1 career finishing 3rd at 2007 season's opener at Australia and even gave his more experienced peers a run for their money in his opening season itself which was nothing but spectacular. By the end of the season he was touted to be F1's next big thing. He has more reasons to celebrate as he had a good start to this season, presently leading the Drivers standings. His dominating victory at his home GP in the UK has left many calling him the next RAIN MASTER. I do know that it is too early to adorn him with such a big honour which was previously held by the legendary Michael Schumacher. Hamilton's Race Day schedule as follows: • Wake up at 8am. Most races are in the afternoon, so no need to peak into the day early. • Breakfast with trainer (no training as they emphasize on storing energy). • Drink as much fluids as possible. • Attending drivers meeting and also sponsors & drivers' parade. • 30 mins before race, time to get into race gear and relax. • Listens to Bob Marley and watches TV. • Race over 2-3kgs of liquid lost. • 2 hours interaction with media. Get back to hotel and freshen up. • Celebrations (if the mood is upbeat) • Briefing session with engineers - he gives as much feedback as possible and the info will be fresh in his mind • Bedtime Submitted By: Shrawan indianautosblog.com/2008/07/hamilton-rocks-mumbai/ Labels: F1, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-Benz
Thursday, 24 July 2008
BMW’s 5 Series Beats Mercedes E class
 It is really shocking to know that a successful car like Mercedes E Class is under threat after the launch of a comparative BMW 5 series. E class series from Mercedes-Benz is the car that comes to mind most vibrantly, a car that has established a niche in the luxury car segment. Many of the premium car owners own this car because of the embodied luxuries, comfort and classy design. It is a car that adds status to life and now it has come under threat. Is this really true or just a rumour? The E Class cars have a good sales report in the Indian car market. The latest versions of this car are even more interesting and appealing as they are personified with Bi-Xenon headlamps in the exterior coupled with a 3-way Memory package. Inspite of having a good reputation in the market, BMW's highly potent 5-series beats Mercedes E Class. The 5 series is a car loaded with dynamic design, elegant style, enhanced comfort and standard safety features. Infact, these are the cornerstones upon which the car enjoys the bliss of success. BMW’s car gives a sheer driving pleasure. Don’t you think that E Class also gives awesome driving experience? If features and comfort level of both the cars are similar, then why there is such a tough competition? Why is Mercedes-Benz under threat? Labels: BMW, Car competition, Mercedes-Benz
Thursday, 26 June 2008
New variants added to Mercedes’s E-Class
In India, Mercedes-Benz itself means ‘luxury’. No cars from Mercedes are devoid of luxuries and comfort.
Luxury car segment in India is growing upwards with more and more cars entering the segment. Mercedes-Benz has now introduced two new variants of E-Class, E220 CDI and E230, to add to the status and attractiveness of the E-Class luxury cars introduced in 1995. E220 CDI is loaded with a 2.2L four- cylinder diesel engine and a price tag of Rs 38.99 lakh, whereas E230 gets 2.5L V6 petrol engine and a price tag of Rs 41.14 lakh. The company is expecting more growth potential with the introduction of these variants. Rest all is up to us how we deal with these cars and the loaded luxuries. Labels: Car-Launch, Mercedes-Benz
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Mercedes-Benz is also Environment Conscious
Desire for luxury is a desire for all! And now when luxury comes with green tag and cheap running cost, no one will like to keep themselves away from the tempting pie. The luxury car manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz has introduced its luxury sedan equipped with CNG-complaint engine.  CNG being the cheapest fuel is becoming the cynosure for the manufacturers as well as users. This has also inspired the company to come up with something innovative that can be a complete blend of comfort, luxury, performance and fuel efficiency. Trust, the new variant of Mercedes-Benz meets all the above. The company also has plans to launch its B class B170 NGT and the E 200 CNG sedans, already launched in the US and Europe. A long term plan of producing cars that ply on CNG technology is also banking on the company’s industrial platform. Even the affluent class people are affected with the increasing fuel prices. Any one will go for an option which provides luxuries for less cost price. CNG variant of Mercedes-Benz is definitely a good luxury choice. Labels: CNG-cars, Mercedes-Benz
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
Mercedes with CNG!
With the growing demand of green cars, most car manufacturers are trying to trim their engine displacement and bringing in eco-friendly variants. Luxury car manufacturer rarely go for technology change. They assume that changing from petrol to fuel efficient technology will result in loss of power. They are afraid of loosing the tag of powerful engine car.
But that myth seems to have been broken by luxury car maker leader Mercedes. Mercedes-Benz has come up with two new CNG sedans in India. The variant will more fuel efficient than the Maruti Suzuki 800 which runs on petrol.
All luxury car manufacturers should go for this as more car buyers are opting for fuel efficient cars. The alternative fuel will change the image of Luxury cars for forever. Labels: CNG cars, eco-friendly cars, luxury cars, Maruti Suzuki, Mercedes-Benz
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Mercedes to get its own plant in India
We all know that luxury car manufacturer BMW and Audi have started manufacturing cars in India for the domestic market. But the oldest player in luxury segment Mercedes, is coming up with a new plant at Chakan, Maharashtra. The company plans to roll out 12,500 units per year for the domestic and neighbouring markets. The plant will manufacture passenger and commercial vehicles. Mercedes has been a favourite car of high society in India. Now it has been a huge hit with the creamy layer of North India. By manufacturing passenger cars in India, the company will be able to drop down prices of some vehicles. The lower price tag will make Mercedes cars affordable to many more segments of consumers. Mercedes and BMW are running neck to neck in the luxury car segment in India. With a new plant and lower prices Mercedes-Benz will give a tough competition to BMW in future. Labels: car plant, Mercedes-Benz
Friday, 25 April 2008
BMW aims to sell 2000 cars in 2008
BMW has been riding high on its success in India since its entry about a year ago. After reaching a sales figure of nearly a thousand cars last year, it’s now aiming at twice the figure for 2008. They have already taken steps in this direction by increasing production capacity at their Chennai plant and are currently looking to source components locally. The BMW 3 Series and 5 Series models produced at the Chennai plant have been immensely popular with the Indian public.
BMW’s strong sales encouraged it to introduce more of its car models to the Indian market such as the popular M Series and the customizable and completely imported 7 Series. BMW has also been tempted into considering the launch of the famous premium hatchback MINI Cooper. The MINI Cooper, however, is not on the list of BMW’s priorities at the moment.
Before BMW’s arrival, German rival Mercedes-Benz took up nearly 50% of India’s fast growing luxury car market. Over the past 14 months, BMW has successfully stolen some of that market away. The top selling model for BMW in India has been the 3 Series which competes with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The popular Mercedes-Benz E-Class sees competition from BMW in the form of the 5 Series model.
Excellent aftersales service and great customer relationship have been selling points for BMW. The successful setup and operation of the Chennai plant for local production of the 3 Series and 5 Series cars has been critical to BMW’s success. Labels: BMW, Car sales, Mercedes-Benz
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
Mercedes-Benz has different story to tell
With its advent in the year 1994 in India, Mercedes-Benz becomes the pioneer in luxury car segment in India. The company offer wide selection of car in India. It has recorded 20,000th Mercedes-Benz on April 9 which exceeded the production line. The 20.000th Mercedes-Benz was not any model but Indian E-Class. This record will really prove effective in expanding its wings more in the Indian market. Sales statistic is also impressive, it has sold about 1,000 cars in the beginning of the year 2008 which is almost 60% more compare to last year sale. The company is preparing to beat its competitors in luxury car segment with its new plant at Chakan in Pune which is expected to roll out cars in 2009. Well, it is a good news for all car lovers who want to see more Marcedes-Benz cars in Indian roads. Labels: car production, Mercedes-Benz
Monday, 24 March 2008
Think car, Think India
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.
Labels: Auto market competition, BMW, engineers, job scenario in Indian auto industry, Maruti, Mercedes-Benz, Upcoming Cars
Friday, 14 March 2008
Mercedes Hybrid on the anvil
Everyone knows that luxury cars, apart from being luxurious, come with large and powerful engines that give low mileage. Luxury car manufacturers take pride in their powerful gas guzzlers and talk loudly about their cars’ power and performance. Mercedes-Benz wants to shift from that notion.
It is soon to unveil the first hybrid car to use lithium ion batteries as a power source. They are calling the car ‘S400 Blue Hybrid’. It will come with a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine that will be accompanied by a 15 KW electric motor. No more re-fuelling your luxury car. It’s expected to come some time is 2009. Labels: hybrid cars, luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz, new car launch
Thursday, 6 March 2008
Luxury cars are selling big time
Indian car enthusiasts have always been passionate about luxury cars. They have an undying spirit and love for owning such cars. This obsession with luxury cars may be one of the strongest reasons for the success of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and the likes. Within a span of a few years, the Indian car industry has started to become swarmed with famous global car brands from renowned car manufacturers who have globally proved their mettle. These car companies have received a great response to their luxury cars. Most of their sedans, small cars and SUVs have become a grand success inspite of being highly priced. This trend is clearly seen in the successful sales numbers that each of the luxury car makers have achieved over the past few years. Last month saw 241 BMWs sold. BMW is so confident of the market that they have set themselves a sales target of 10,000 cars by 2010. Audi and Mercedes-Benz have similar success stories to tell. Labels: Audi, BMW, Car sales, luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
Punjab is Mercedes heaven
The city of Ludhiana in Punjab boasts of 700 Mercedes-Benz cars, the highest for any city in India. It is amazing that the city is able to afford so many Mercedes. Punjab has a total of 1500 luxury car Mercedes-Benz. It must be a visual treat to watch one Mercedes after the other lined up in a traffic signal.
Mercedes have also become the new status symbol of the business class there. Grooms are being gifted with Mercedes-Benz is now passé in Punjab. In 70’s green revolution in Punjab brought in tractors for the first time in India, and now Mercedes on city roads may be proving that there is a luxury car revolution, taking place. Labels: Luxury car segment, luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz
Rear wheel drive cars have become very rare
Most cars in the Indian car market today are front wheel drive. The reason for this is that the front wheel setup is simpler and cheaper to build compared to the rear wheel drive. The construction of rear wheel drive is slightly more complex. Also, front wheel drive cars are more popular in India because they are lighter (meaning that they give more mileage) and they perform well in slippery surfaces (meaning that they are better suited for Indian roads and for the rainy season). All these factors have killed the rear wheel drive cars in India which actually give better acceleration, better braking, and a better feel of driving. Rear wheel cars are more zippy and fun to drive. Comparatively Front wheel drive is slightly boring. The rear wheel drive concept is now limited only to a few MUVs, commercial vehicles and expensive luxury cars like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. Labels: Cars in India, Front wheel drive, luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz, rear wheel drive
Monday, 3 March 2008
India Gains due to China’s Piracy Tag
China is famous for piracy, whether it is to do with films, music, or technology. The piracy-den tag has robbed china of becoming a major hub for the expensive cars in the world. If you look at the number of research labs and production facilities coming to India, even though China offers better infrastructure and cheaper labour, you can’t help but wonder why?
Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and even Ferrari have set up their bases in India for fear that their technological wonders may no longer remain unique if their ideas and technical innovations are exposed to the Chinese market to be forged, duplicated, and sold as good imitations at much cheaper rates. More car manufacturers like Volvo and Volkswagen are also setting up their facilities here. After all, car manufacturers have to not only pay attention to profit and sales, but also to technological innovations that will help them grow better and faster than their competitors!
Labels: Auto market competition, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Piracy in Chaina's auto industry
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
IPL and Cars: can they be far?
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, Car advertisement, Cricket, Hyundai, Maruti, Mercedes-Benz
Friday, 15 February 2008
J&K Goes for Luxury on Wheels!
It seems that tranquility is coming back in terror stricken Jammu and Kashmir. A Chandigarh-based dealer has reported that at least 8 Mercedes cars were sold last year to J&K residents. It is very rare for car manufacturers to reveal the status of sales in J&K. This means that tourists are making a come back to the state and his will push sales of luxury vehicles. J&K could become the biggest market for luxury cars in India if tourism is revived in the state. This could put the terror stricken population back on track for business and developments.
I hope that these stats remain a reality for a long time to come. Labels: Car sales, Luxury car segment, luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz
Friday, 1 February 2008
The Cool gets Cooler – New Merc C-Class
The launch of new Mercedes-Benz C-Class didn’t get much media coverage at last month’s Auto Expo in New Delhi, even though I couldn’t get my eyes off this beauty. Now when mini-car talks have become almost stale, the luxury car is slowly making an appearance in the news. To everyone’s surprise, this entry-level sedan has sold over 200 units during the three weeks since its official launch – one of these beauties is lying in my friend’s garage and I actually got to ride in it! I haven’t ridden a smoother vehicle…it was awesome! I took it to the highway – no vibrations, cool braking, excellent acceleration, and I will run out of adjectives if I try to describe it all. All I can say is ride it to know it! Article Submitted by VJ Labels: Auto expo, Luxury sedan, Mercedes-Benz
Monday, 28 January 2008
Benz with the ‘C’ touch
‘Agility at your Command’ that’s the new tag line for Mercedes-Benz that launched and updated its ‘C’ segment cars in India. Mercedes has been around with its operations for almost 11 years now in India. C-Class is the most popular model and a worldwide leader in its segment. Mercedes-Benz has always had a special place in the luxury car segment with its widest choice of product. The NEW “C-Class” is more power-packed, spacious, and stylish too. It is longer than its predecessor and the body as well as the wheel base is wider. The interiors are already posh and elegant but with the little changes made it gives total comfort. Benz always retains its elegance and beauty no matter what the changes, but it is definitely a plus to see that this beauty doesn’t take its success for granted. Labels: luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz, New launch
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Honda Accord: A Cool Sedan
In India, one of the most impressive models from Honda is the ‘Accord’. It’s a nice and sturdy car with classy interiors. It’s also ahead in terms of performance and technology. The 2.4-litre i-VTEC engine is one of the best from Honda and luxury features on the car are unparalleled. To a certain extent, the car can even be compared with the Mercedes-Benz ‘C’ class and the BMW 3 Series.
The Honda Accord is definitely a blast with features like G-Force control technology, adjustable steering with volume control buttons and automatic headlights. The car redefines safety, luxury and comfort in its segment. It’s one of the coolest sedans around. Go ahead and pamper yourself with the Accord. Submitted by Gopal M. Labels: BMW, car comparison, Honda, Mercedes-Benz
Monday, 31 December 2007
Gifts on wheels
How would you like if someone gifts you a car? WOW! And what would be your reaction when you realized it was a luxury car? Hmm… No words right? Now hold your breath for those real ones. As a token of appreciation our legendry Amithab Bachchan was gifted with Rs. 3.5 crore Rolls Royce Phantom for his outstanding performance in the movie ‘Eklavya’ by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Big B has gifted a Bentley car, imported from London to his son Abhishek Bachachan on his 31st birthday. That’s not all; there is another piece of information attached to it. Reliable sources reported that the hefty custom duty some was paid by their close family friend and a politician Amar Singh. Now is this a gift from his dad or Amar Singh is still under cover. It is becoming a trend among the celebrities to gift a car for any occasion. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan loves gifting too. Three years ago, for his film ‘Main Hoon Na’, he had gifted Hyundai Terracan to Farah Khan and recently happy with her direction for ‘Om Shanti Om’, he gifted a Mercedes Benz of worth Rs.40 Lakh. If the trend of gifting cars goes on, then our automobiles sector will definitely be on the top position in terms of sales. Good going… Labels: Gifts, luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls Royce
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
Innova to get a facelift for 2008
Toyota Innova, India's most preferred Multi Purpose Vehicle, is all set to get a facelift soon. The sporty looking Innova is on the roads everywhere in the country. It’s been the most preferred choice for cabs and is very popular with large families. Its competitive pricing has done it wonders. Toyota wants to give the Indian public an even better looking Innova. The slightly re-designed Innova could be on the market by 2008. The second generation Innova will undergo several minor changes. The focus will be on bumpers, headlights and taillights. On the inside, the model could add a new climate control system and parking sensors. With the new Innova speculated to be larger than its predecessor, parking sensors could be just what the people would want for a long car such as this. Toyota’s idea of a facelift for the Innova could be to get a better hold over the MPV segment. With news of the Mercedes-Benz Viano hitting the market soon, we aren’t too surprised. Price is definitely not something Toyota would worry about with the Viano. Labels: Facelift, Innova, Mercedes-Benz, MPV, Toyota, Viano
Monday, 17 December 2007
Porsche to spread its wings wider
With big auto players like BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan have already markets stormed the Indian markets, now its turn of Porsche, the German luxury car maker, which is all set to expand its operations in India. As its first step, Porsche recently inaugurated a $ 2 million showroom in Mumbai. They plan their next pit stop at Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. The company hopes to continue its legacy in the sports car segment and intends to take it to a new high. Amongst its model, Porsche’s Cayenne rules the Indian road. Labels: Audi, BMW, Luxury car segment, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
159 to flag-off Alfa Romeo in India
It’s a luxury-branded world we live in. Thanks to Google, I’ve got a leak on what Alfa Romeo in India will look like. Iconic, that is the perfect word suited for Alfa in India. I had never seen one of these before so I thought of googling it up more. Really wide, pretty low, and very sporty. It’s rare that we come across some great sporty cars in India. It is interesting in the fact that Alfa will bring a new face for Fiat in India. There are some nice details about Alfa Romeo. Alfa is a car that can compete head-on with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class and the Audi A4 in India. The exterior is pretty sweet. The unique grille housed between the jewel shaped headlight offers something we will have to wait for. And the news is that Alfa Romeo 159 will be the mainstay of the brand in the Indian market. Surprisingly the 159 has been Alfa’s most successful compact saloon in recent times. Alfa look forward to price it competitively against the locally-assembled Mercs and BMWs. Alfa will certainly sell up to par with a price that of BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. However, sources say Alfa 159 should be launched with an entry price of Rs. 28 Lakh. I think sales will heavily depend on Indian road conditions and the company’s service back-up. Article Submitted by Suresh RaoLabels: Audi, BMW, Car market competition, Compact luxury sedans, Fiat, Mercedes-Benz, New Car, New launch
Friday, 30 November 2007
Next Mercedes E-Class will be built in India
Well, Benz seems almost tired of importing cars from abroad to India. Mercedes-Benz has really been trying to step it up as an economical-luxurious brand auto maker in India. I am glad Merc has finally decided to assemble the next-generation E-Class at its Pune plant. BMW has chosen, instead, to market its high-end models in India as completely built-up (CBU) imports. This Merc dream is expected to come true in the year 2010. Almost about nine months after the international debut of the vehicle. We have seen most of the high-end luxury automakers leaning towards importing their cars as completely built imports. The difference here is that Mercedes didn’t want to leak out any sort of possible chances in exploring itself in the Indian market. Mercedes have already proved its success in assembling C-Class, E-Class, and S-Class lines in India Chasing the prototype is fun. What say BMW? Labels: BMW, Car competition, Driving imported cars, Economical buy in luxury segment, Imported models built in India, Mercedes-Benz
Thursday, 15 November 2007
Nissan plans to bring Infiniti to India
People often ask me “What type of a car is your dream car?” The answer is usually “A car with elegant looks and luxury and a brand name that does not need an explanation.” I think it’s the same with most people. Now here comes my question “What comes to mind when you think of Infiniti?” Luxury! Infiniti is one of the most luxurious cars that people dream about. These imported Infiniti models will soon assault the Indian market by the in-time idea from Nissan Motors. Infiniti, the Nissan-owned company, is planning to debut its Infiniti brand of luxury cars in India. Watch out Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, Volvo, and Volkswagen. Upon introduction, the Infiniti will be presented in the luxury, small car, mid-sized sedan, and the commercial vehicle segments. The Infiniti versions are priced in the range of Rs. 15,30,000 - Rs. 23,40,000 in the US market. The Infiniti price tags for the Indian market are yet to be announced. Nissan is happy with the Indian market and its local partners. However there is no information about who the local partner will be for Infiniti. After the joint ventures with Bajaj Auto, Mahindra&Mahindra, and Ashok Leyland, who will be the next? Labels: Ashok Leyland, Audi, Bajaj, BMW, Imported cars, Launches in India, Luxury car segment, Mahindra, Mahindra-Renault, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Volkswagen, Volvo
Friday, 26 October 2007
Alfa Romeo will soon challenge Audi, Merc, and BMW in India
There has been considerable debate over the last few years regarding the best high-end sport- luxury brand car available in India. It was widely thought that the big three brand competitors are BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. Now, I’d like to take a moment to welcome our new competitor, an all new sport-luxury brand from the Italian carmaker Fiat. Here’s the name you’ve been waiting for: the Alfa Romeo 159. In the 2008 Auto Expo, which is going to be happening very shortly, Fiat is going to announce the debut of Alfa Romeo and the date to import it to India in the first half of 2008. Current information suggests that the Alfa Romeo will be available at selected Fiat dealers in India. Well, from what I understand, Alfa’s engine transplants will add either a 2.2 liter engine or a 3.2 liter V-6 engine that will make a very hearty 260 to 730 horsepower respectively. Fiat has confirmed that the entry prize of Alfa will be 28 Lakh. Let’s gaze at the history of Alfa. Alfa was the first car that introduced the trend for twin spark plugs in the 1960s. The Alfa 156, launched in 1997, was the first car that was powered by a common-rail diesel engine. All this and the car is still competitively prized. As far as we know it’s the cars endure in Indian road conditions and the company service back-up that will eventually decide the success of the new ‘Romeo’ in India. Labels: Audi, Auto market competition, BMW, Fiat, Imported cars, Indian car market, Mercedes-Benz, New launch
Friday, 12 October 2007
Mercedes Viano MPV to run on Indian Roads
We’re already jealous that Europeans get all the good models of the Mercedes Benz before we do, but Mercedes will soon remedy this situation by launching the Viano for us. Yes, Mercedes has done it again and this is great news for those planning to pick up a high-end luxury cab from Mercedes. Hey the multi purpose luxury cab looks truly innovative, I must say! Mercedes quoted Viano for Rs. 45 Lakh. If you are thinking about other luxury cabs available in India, I don’t think you are going to have a deja-vu in Viano. Inside Viano you can walk around and change the seating positions as per your convenience. Yeah, it might look like a crazy thing to say, but it’s true. The van has 8 seats with a sliding track mechanism that allows you to choose legroom space according to your need. In India Viano has a cheaper competitor, the Toyota Innova that is available at a prize of below 10 Lakh. However, Mercedes is a class apart! So, all you Mercedes fans, you can stop reading right now and put the Viano in your 2008 wish list. Labels: Cars in India, Imported cars, Indian car market, Launches in India, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota
Tuesday, 25 September 2007
Mercedes flags off 'India Trail'
A unique plan to delve deep into the hearts of Indians, the Mercedes Benz pioneers of the luxury segment started on the India Trail today. A series of 7 cars will be participating in this Journey that starts from Pune. This drive will go through almost all parts of southern, western, and northern India. Covering over 40,000 kms between today and Oct 10, Mercedes is trying to strengthen its solid bond between India and the Mercedes-Benz brand. Showcasing the rich and diverse culture, heritage and natural beauty of India, the India Trail mainly focuses on the process of driving available Mercedes-Benz cars in the country. India Trial features the entire portfolio of diesel cars from Mercedes-Benz in India — S-Class, C-Class, E-Class, M-Class, the Bio-Diesel C-Class, and the Viano. Labels: car manufacturers, cars, India, India Trail, Indian car market, Mercedes-Benz
Friday, 14 September 2007
DaimlerChrysler’s first step of expansion in the Indian market
DaimlerChrysler is associated with the production of the very popular luxury car – the Mercedes-Benz. With its growing business and popularity, DaimlerChrysler is prepared to open a new plant in Pune. The money invested is 50 million euros. The company has acquired 100 acres of land in Pune that will resume the work by 2009. This new plant, which is built to manufacture 5,000 cars annually, will manufacture 1,000 units more compared to the leased plant in Pune. According to company sources, the process from the rented plant will be shifted to the new plant. The new plant is constructed keeping in mind the demand for the cars manufactured by DaimlerChrysler in the Indian market. The new plant is deemed to take-up multiple roles as a manufacturing plant and an assembling plant. Assembling of heavy trucks will start by the end of the year and manufacturing of luxury buses will start from next year at the same plant. Labels: car manufacturers, cars, India, Indian car market, Mercedes-Benz
Tuesday, 11 September 2007
DaimlerChrysler to set-up a plant in Maharashtra
DaimlerChrysler India has recently signed an agreement with the Maharashtra government to open a new facility in Chakan, Pune. Out of the 100 acres of land that the company is going to acquire, one-third of the area will be dedicated to the first-phase production plant. This plant, which will start functioning from January 2009, will have the capability to produce over 4,500 units annually. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class, C-Class, and S-Class models will be assembled at this unit helping to drastically cut down manufacturing/production costs and also decreasing vehicle market prices. Although, the company remains tight-lipped regarding the amount involved in the deal, it is estimated that the company has invested approximately 250 Crores, to set the deal right. There are also strong chances of DaimlerChrysler India introducing hordes of other models to the Indian market in 2008 and 2009. Labels: car manufacturers, cars, Indian car market, Mercedes-Benz
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
DaimlerChrysler - from Mercedes to public transport in India
Germany’s luxury car manufacturer DaimlerChrysler is planning to get into the public commuting sector in India. DaimlerChrysler builds cars that allure the rich class of the urban Indian society. It recently launched the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class in India that costs close to one Crore. As this manufacturer witnesses a massive growth in its passenger vehicle ( Mercedes-Benz) production and consumption, it now wants to target the public transport sector in India. A successful truck trade in India has led this manufacturer to believe in the idea of manufacturing buses to gratify the Indian public. Though the final decision is yet to be taken, DaimlerChrysler seem keen to enter India in this segment. The positive growth in India’s auto parts market that caters to the auto part requirements of different parts of the world and the noticeable increase in the sales of luxury cars in India has made DaimlerChrysler look at India with optimistic eyes. Labels: cars, India, Mercedes-Benz, public transport
Monday, 11 June 2007
Imported cars in the Indian market
India is emerging as one of the fastest growing markets for foreign cars. With the people earning more, investments to lead a luxurious life-style with an expensive car is also increasing. Imported cars are the top choice for most business executives. India's automotive trade is set to double by 2010 and then double again by 2016. India is turning into one of Asia's major car markets. Automotive industries from Korea, Japan, and the US are in tough competition with each other to make a place for themselves in the Indian automobile segment. Renault in joint venture with Mahindra & Mahindra launched Logan and Hindustan Motors is in collaboration with Mitsubishi. The automobile industry is witnessing a growth of 10% annually. Foreign manufacturers invest heavily on Indian automobile market because of their ensured knowledge of good returns. Indian economy's growth rate is allowing its citizens to change their life-styles. Many Indians are ready to spend on chic and flamboyant cars, which enhance their style of living and play a major role in signifying the societal status of a person. However, most foreign cars are imported to India rather than being manufactured here, such as the Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz SLK, and so on. This is mainly because even though luxury cars are in high demand, only a small segment of people can afford to buy such expensive cars. Indian manufacturers feel that it is not feasible to manufacture cars in small numbers. Importing a car causes further increase in prices. However, this does not deter the rich in India - the higher the car price, the more the prestige that goes with it. Labels: Audi Q7, Foreign car manufacturers to launch more vehicles in India, Logan, Mercedes-Benz
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