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Friday, 23 April 2010
 Remember the Frankfurt Motor Show? TechArt had disclosed its first customization program for the Porsche Panamera at the auto show. It brought the TechArt Concept One to the Geneva Motor Show. Now, TechArt has decided to come up with something new. We have info on the new tuning kit called Black Edition from TechArt. We have seen lots of them. Yes, we are talking about the strict black and white outfit sported by other kits. This edition has something different. It flaunts a matte black exterior paint and a black daytime running light system. It’s awesome. Even the exterior components across the board are black and the masterpiece sports deep black 22" Formula II light alloy wheels. These are the exteriors of the deep black and powerful four- seater. What about the car’s interiors?  The interior of the Porsche Panamerafollows the same design. It has dashing black leather interiors combined with alcantara in contrast to the attractive stitching and leather piping in flamenco red. The ambience is heavenly. All interior components too including the trims, door entry guards, cup holder, and air vents exhibit themselves in the best matte black painted design giving the car a brilliant look. Black, no doubt, is a well-liked color for lot many things. But, when we talk of black cars, it is something very different. Don’t you think so? It brings a smile on the face. Just recently we have had the joy of seeing a few cars from automotive majors like Nissan and Mercedes in black. We had the Nissan 370Z Black Edition, the Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series, and the Matte Black Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster. All of these cars, festooned in all black just like this Porsche Panamera, look marvelous. The Porsche Panamera S comes packed with a 400 bhp V8 motor allowing for a 0-97 kmph jump within a time frame of 5.2 seconds. The Panamera 4S is powered by the same 400 bhp V8 engine, while the Porsche Panamera Turbo derives its power from a turbocharged V8 motor making 500 bhp allowing for a 0-97 kmph leap in just 4.0 seconds. The black in the 2010 Porsche Panamera by TechArt can mean a lot. It can symbolize characteristics like dominance, individuality, independence and experience. These concepts exemplify TechArt and its customers. The combined experience and individuality of TechArt is what has given the Panamera its appearance and so we call it the TechArt Black Edition. Superiority and accuracy in every detail – That is typical TechArt.  Labels: Black-Car, Black-Edition, Mercedes, Nissan, Porsche, Porsche-Panamera
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Tamil Nadu already boasts of being home to major automobile manufacturers that include BMW, Daimler, Ford, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and now it has one more plant added to its ever increasing list. Yes, I am talking about the Renault Nissan car manufacturing plant that was inaugurated yesterday by the Tamil Nadu CM, M Karunanidhi. Mr. M Karunanidhi, speaking on the occasion said, “I have a dream to make Chennai as one of top 10 centres for automobile manufacturing in the world,” and added, “With the establishment of Renault- Nissan car project, Chennai has become the home for seven auto majors out of top 20 global automobile manufacturers.” Tamil Nadu has always been a fore-runner in investor friendly policies and no wonder Chennai appears as one of the most favourite among the car manufacturers for setting plants. But there is a glitch; Chennai does not have advance facilities for vehicle testing and this becomes an inconvenient factor as the manufacturers have to take the vehicles to Pune for testing and certification. Excited by the State government’s initiatives, the Union government is implementing the National Automotive Testing Research and Development Infrastructure Project (NATRIP) in Oragadam at a cost of about Rs. 450 crore. The State government has already granted 304 acres of land to this project. This project is aimed at facilitating the introduction of world class automotive safety, emission and performance standards in India and ensuring seamless integration of the Indian automotive industry with the global industry. Nissan's first made-in-India car-Micra or March will roll off the production line from the Nissan Renault plant at Oragadam. This plant will also serve as the sourcing hub for the global compact car for over 100 countries, including Europe and Middle East. Labels: Nissan, Nissan-Micra, Nissan-Renault, Nissan-Renault Oragadam-Plant, Renault
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Nissan has already tied the knot thrice. Who wants to be its fourth partner? Well, please don’t misunderstand. We are talking about Nissan’s partners to develop cars. The Japanese auto makers are looking for a partner in India yet another time. Nissan’s fourth-generation Micra will go on sale in May. Now, Nissan wants to develop a car positioned between this Micra and the ultra low cost car (ULC) which it is jointly producing with Bajaj Auto. Nissan is hunting for a partner to develop this car. In addition to the already existing Renault-Nissan alliance’s three partners in India, Bajaj, Mahindra and Mahindra and Ashok Leyland, the company is looking for a fourth one. Are you surprised as to why Nissan cannot work with its current partners? Well, it has its reasons. Bajaj Auto is too busy and does not seem too interested in making an extra effort in addition to the already existing work it has in hand. The ultra low cost car will have to make it to the Indian roads by 2012. As for Mahindra and Mahindra, the company sells the Renault Logan. Nissan is not too happy with the Logan’s performance. M and M and Nissan are actually too busy with this existing car. They are thinking of repositioning the Logan and simplifying it. The Logan would not be withdrawn from the Indian market though. Coming to the Ashok Leyland-Nissan partnership, the two companies have come together to make a car that will compete with Maruti Suzuki’s Alto. This light commercial vehicle manufacturing project seems to be moving real well. The car will initially be manufactured in Nissan’s proposed manufacturing facility in Oragadam and also in Ashok Leyland’s facilities. So, this rules out possibilities of making more cars with Ashok Leyland too. Nissan wants to launch two cars; one for mid-2011 followed by the idea of the Greenfield facility. Will Nissan’s tie up with so many different partners cause an overlap? Well, Nissan does not fear that. The car maker is very optimistic. Nissan, instead, is looking at the brighter side where it can gain knowledge on economical engineering and cost-effective products coming out of the tie ups. The Japanese company has felt the need to learn more from the Indian car market. Nissan wants to focus more on the study of frugal engineering from the Indian market. It believes each tie up is for a different product to be marketed domestically and also to be exported outside. The launch of a cost-effective entry level offering in India being the fundamental reason, Nissan feels an import would not be the ideal way to go about. It wants a local partner. With successful partnerships with Ashok Leyland and Bajaj, Nissan sees no reason for not looking at another partner. The question remains, ‘Who will walk the aisle’? Labels: Nissan, Nissan-Alliance, Nissan-Ashok-Leyland, Nissan-Bajaj-Auto, Nissan-M M, Nissan-partner, Nissan-Partnership, Renault-Nissan-Alliance
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
Three months after Volkswagen bought 20 per cent stakes in Suzuki Motor Corporation, the deal seems to have ruffled the feathers of one certain Japanese car manufacturer. Yes, you read it right. It may come as a late reaction from the automaker; nevertheless, Nissan has made up its mind to review the Pixo sourcing deal with Suzuki. Nissan currently does not have a small car offering for the European market, where the crowd seems to be shifting towards more compact and fuel-efficient cars. Nissan has a deal with Suzuki under which it sources the Maruti Suzuki A-Star and sells it as Nissan Pixo in Europe. According to Maruti Suzuki Chairman R C Bhargava, Nissan does not have a choice other than to continue the sourcing agreement as the Japanese company still does not have a replacement model for the Pixo, which is doing quite well in Europe. “Nissan will be left without a small car if they terminate the agreement. We have had no formal dialogue with the company so far on the issue and our understanding is that the deal will continue for the entire duration, which extends till 2012,” stated Bhargava. But, with VW coming in picture, the scene has changed. With the help of Suzuki, VW plans to enter the small car market over the next few years and may not prefer to share its small car details, which will require huge investments with a third company. Besides, Nissan is coming up with its own compact car for the Indian and international market, for which the production will start very soon at its Chennai plant. Both these factors make the Nissan-Suzuki deal look very unreasonable post its completion in 2012. Long story short: Nissan will continue to source Suzuki Pixo till the contract ends in 2012. However if Suzuki decides to discontinue the contract after 2013, because of Volkswagen, Nissan will find somebody else. Labels: Maruti-A-Star, Nissan, Nissan-Pixo, Nissan-Suzuki-Deal, Suzuki-Motor-Corporation, Volkswagen-Suzuki-Deal
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Nissan wants to participate in the race. I’m not talking about the FIA Formula One World Championship. It wants to participate in the recall race. So far, no problems have been escalated. However, Nissan does not want to take chances. The company is very careful about its reputation and wants to play safe. The third biggest Japanese car maker, Nissan Motors has announced to recall 540,000 cars from North America. Whoa! A big number indeed. The car makers had a nightmare just yesterday that their cars had faulty brake pedal pins and fuel gauging systems. If the nightmare turns out to be real it is going to be a huge problem. Yes, prevention is better than cure. There seems to be a partial disengagement in the brake pins of five models. This problem, if not properly diagnosed, will lead to problems in the braking system. No accidents have been reported though. Models developed between 2008 and 2010 will be recalled as of now. The Titan Truck and the Armada SUV have been included in the recall vehicle list. The recently diagnosed fuel-gauge system problem has forced Nissan Motors to recall 6 car models. What an irony! Titan, Armada and Infiniti QX56 made between the years 2005 to 2008 and Frontier pickups, Pathfinder and Xterra SUVs produced in January to March 2006 and October 2007 to January 2008 have been included in this list. Wondering what problem this problem will lead to? At a higher mileage level, the fuel-gauge system is likely to show incorrect fuel store readings. The vehicle may run out of fuel without even giving a hint to the driver. So, this is the problem and a mighty one too. This again is a fault that Nissan has discovered. Car owners have not noticed anything of the sort. Nissan has already decided. 179,000 cars from the U.S. alone and 25,800 from other regions will be recalled. Forget car owners, the company itself has not seen any problem in cars sold in South Africa. But yes, why take a chance? Nissan does not want to lose its reputation and will be recalling cars from South Africa as well. Nissan Motors has requested customers to get their cars to the dealership where a visual inspection of the car will be done. If any problem is discovered during the diagnosis the company will repair the car. Labels: Auto-Recall, Car-Problem, Car-Recall, Nissan, Nissan-Motors, Nissan-Recall
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
After Bajaj Auto and Renault, it is Ashok Leyland for the Japanese car manufacturer, Nissan. Nissan is in talks with Hinduja Group’s flagship company Ashok Leyland for developing an ultra-low cost small car for the international market. Nissan has zeroed in at a price tag not exceeding USD 5000. Nissan has already announced its plans to develop a low cost car with Bajaj Auto and Renault. However, the project is yet to come up with a solution for developing such a cheap car. China would be the top market for the small car, where the segment is growing in a big way with about 2 million units. India along with countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, Colombia and some Latin American nations will be the other possible market options. In India, the car would be competing with Tata Nano at the lower end and Maruti Suzuki Swift at the higher end. India already has a number of small cars from some very established car manufacturers including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Chevrolet. And this year is going to witness plenty of small car launches from newcomers in the small car segment in India including Honda, Ford and Volkswagen. And not to forget, Nissan is launching its Micra this year. Nissan has a formal agreement with Ashok Leyland for making light commercial vehicles in India and apart from that Nissan also uses Ashok Leyland’s engineering services for various purposes. So it should not come as a surprise if Nissan partners with Ashok Leyland for its low cost global car. The two firms had formed multiple numbers of Joint Ventures for manufacturing LCV’s (Light Commercial Vehicles), powertrains and developing technology, and setting up a manufacturing plant near Chennai. There has been some delay in setting up the manufacturing unit due to problems in land acquisition and so the partners have started producing LCVs from their respective facilities and plan to launch them by 2011. All this and some more small cars! Bring it on, says India. Labels: Ashok-Leyland, Bajaj-Auto, Maruti-Suzuki, Nissan, Nissan-Ashok-Leyland-JV, Renault, Tata-Nano
 The absolute show stopper at the Geneva Motor Show was none other but the much-awaited Nissan Micra (also knows as March in some countries). The car was unveiled by Carlos Ghosn, the Chief Executive Officer of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. Micra, which sports a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine, has been designed to be a very reliable, stylish and accessible compact car. And that’s not all, the environmental issues have been considered by Nissan and it is claimed that Micra's new engine will emit 115 grams of CO2. And in six months, a high-tech derivative will emit as low as 95 grams per km. Isn’t that simply great! The fourth generation of Micra has been designed with a very stylish face and compact dimensions. The new Nissan Micra is slightly longer and marginally lower, while its longer wheelbase enables a ‘wheels-at-each-corner’ stance. Micra is poised to attract car buyers across 160 countries, and no prizes for guessing that one of those countries is India. Nissan is trying to make a global presence of 94 per cent with its Micra launch. Nissan officials are not talking about the price range of Micra. However, it is expected to be placed in the B-segment near the Hyundai i20 and the Maruti Swift. With the 80 per cent production happening locally, Nissan will have to put a very competitive price tag on Micra. Micra will be manufactured across four global location including India. Earlier this year Chevrolet launched Beat and then Volkswagen launched its Beetle and Polo. Ford followed close behind and launched its Figo recently. The Indian small car segment is booming with most of the global car manufacturing trying their luck with small car launches. Soon to be joining the race are Hyundai’s new i30 and Fiat’s Bravo. Global auto manufacturers are flooding the Indian shores with their small car wonders but do we hear anyone complaining? I don’t think so. Labels: Micra, New-Car-Launch, Nissan, Nissan-Micra, Small-cars-in-India
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
It is common knowledge that one of the easiest ways to bring down car prices and get a foothold in the very competitive automotive market is to manufacture the vehicles locally. This brings down the car prices to a considerable extent, since the import duty on cars in India is way too high. One automotive manufacturer who has taken a similar lesson is none other but Nissan. The latest manufacturing unit, developed jointly with Renault, is ready for its launch in the month of March. This facility will roll out the latest promise of Nissan, which is Micra, to the Indian customers. A company official has also revealed that the facility will be inaugurated by the Chairman and CEO of Renault-Nissan alliance Carlos Ghosn on March 17. The Chennai manufacturing plant is developed by Renault-Nissan Automotive India Pvt. Ltd, a joint venture between the French auto manufacturer Renault and the Japanese auto manufacturer Nissan, with an investment of Rs 4000 crore. Now, beat this. This facility will have a mammoth capacity of producing four lakh units annually. India has become a favorite with global manufacturers, especially when it comes to the small car segment. This year is going to witness multiple small car launches. According to industry sources, Nissan is all ready to face the competition from the small car manufacturers when it launches its compact car, Micra, in May 2010. Nissan officials, however, declined to comment on the model of the car. Nissan will announce its global plans for the compact car, which will be manufactured in India along with other four countries, at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March Earlier this year, Nissan had said that it will shift its Micra production base in the UK to India, which will also serve as the export base for the company. Nissan currently sells three models in India, the Teana sedan, SUV Xtrail and 370Z, a sports coupe. But come 2012 and Nissan will be all geared up to launch nine models, out of which five will be manufactured locally. The Indian car market which is currently at 1.2 million units has done its charm to bring the Japanese automaker to India with its full force. Nissan has a global market share of 5.5 percent and that’s the target that Nissan is trying to achieve in India too. Way to go, Nissan! Labels: Micra, Nissan, Renault, SUV-Xtrail, Teana
Monday, 22 February 2010
A little bit of inspiration does not really hurt, does it? When most of the leading car manufacturers are running to the Indian automotive industry with their small car offerings, why should Renault be the one lagging behind? Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of both Nissan Motor Corporation and Renault SA, recently announced that a small and cheap car would be launched for the Indian customers. Ghosn also said that they are looking at manufacturing a car as cheap as $3000 and this time again their partner of choice would be Mahindra and Mahindra. This super low-cost car will not be competing directly with the Logan, which is currently priced between Rs. 428,000 to Rs 547,000. Ghosn said that Nissan and Renault are speeding up their negotiations with suppliers in India and are already in the process of analyzing all aspects of producing their super low price car. “If it makes sense, we’ll be ready to start it,” he said, but declined to give a timeframe. And that’s not all. If they decide to go ahead with the manufacturing of their small car, they will be rolling out two cars from the same platform, one from the Renault and another from the Nissan stable. The upcoming cars are likely to sport trusted parts like the Nissan strut mount, engines and stylish accessories but will be made available at a much cheaper rate. Ghosn wants to be prepared for any kind of surprises that may come from competitors launching small and cheap cars in India. He also said that though they have not finalized the deal yet their obvious choice would be Mahindra. By the end of the year 2010, annual car sales in India are likely to double and reach an all-time high of two million, with small cars making almost two-third of the contribution. And that’s exactly the reason that major car manufactures are shifting the gear to small cars. Labels: Low-Price-Car, Mahindra, Mahindra-Renault-Logan, Nissan, Renault, Renault-Small-Car
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
 The image you see here is of the all new 2011 Nissan Patrol which was unveiled recently and is bound for the Middle-East to begin with. It clearly shows the shift of the design directions of the Japanese manufacturer, Nissan. The Nissan Patrol name is synonymous with ruggedness and is considered a legendary off-roader capable of going anywhere, anytime. Under the banner of “The Hero Comes Home” the Patrol is back as an all-new seventh generation model built on a new platform, showing a radical new design, an enhanced interior comfort and luxury, new V8 engines, a 7-speed automatic transmission and a new 4WD system. According to its design director, the new Patrol is not as edgy and hardcore as its predecessor, it shows softer surfaces that add a sense of modernity to the design equation but still maintaining a ruggedness and commanding road presence. The interior of the car features now some generous amounts of leather, polished aluminum and wood grain paneling. Nissan decided that customers need a better higher quality interior for the whole family because the car is driven off-road only 15 of the time. The new Patrol offers now over 100mm more legroom for second row passengers and a roomier third row of seats as well. According to Nissan, the new SUV is now the most powerful vehicle in its class. Why is that? Because the newly developed ‘VK56VD’ 5.6-litre V8 engine with VVEL (variable valve event and lift) and DIG (direct injection gasoline) technologies delivers an impressive 400 hp and 550 Nm of torque. This engine is mated to the new 7-speed automatic transmission with a wider range of gear ratios than its predecessor which gives the off-roader the ability to deliver power faster. The new Partol also employs a Hydraulic Body Motion Control System (HBMC), which keeps the car flatter with less body roll during lane-changing and cornering, while delivering a comfortable ride in city driving and superb stability on rugged and sandy tracks. The new suspension system, employs now 4-wheel independent suspension and is being upgraded from the previous rigid axle setup. The newly developed ALL MODE 4×4 system incorporating a variable 4×4 mode package and it allows the driver to switch between four drive modes: sand, on-road, snow and rock, with the flick of a switch. Also, the car features a new Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control which can also be selected easily with the touch of a button. The new model employs a revised Tyre Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) with tyre inflation indicator which beeps the horn softly to inform drivers that a suitable tyre pressure has been reached. The car also offers a new braking system thanks to its new hydraulic brake booster and a 4-piston opposed front caliper setup with larger 358mm front discs.  Well, the all-new 2011 Nissan Patrol seems to be a true contender and competitor for the Toyota Land Cruiser. As mentioned earlier, the Patrol to begin with is just offered in the Middle-East where the rich oil-sheiks can have their part of the fun dune-bashing with this hulk and let’s just hope that Nissan also sees a lucrative market for its Patrol here in India so that Nissan brings it in here for us to write more on this beast in detail. Labels: All-New-2011-Nissan-Patrol, Automatic-Transmission, Nissan, SUV, Toyota-Land-Cruiser
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
 Well like the earlier blog that we published on Rock and Roll star John Lennon’s psychedelic Rolls Royce, this blog is very much off-beat form our usual tone of writing blogs. Nissan Cube is the epicenter of this particular blog. This car very much looks like our own home grown WagonR, but on a chubbier end. Nissan introduced its new Cube a few months ago in the European market. The car will go on sale in Spain this month. Nissan Cube comes in two engine options such as 110 bhp petrol with automatic and 106 bhp diesel. The most striking feature of the car as you see in these images is the absence of sharp edges and the designer’s usage of curvy laidback retro design. But since this car is some sort of blast from the past as retro is very much in vogue. The Cube is unlike anything known for having an asymmetrical design, which is not very nice at first glance. The front is simple and the back has to optic, in my view, misplaced, since they are almost part of the rear bumper. Cube has standard equipments like Bluetooth, browser, access and keyless start, and rear parking camera. The rear bench also has three positions for adjusting the backrest recline and is available in attractive colours such as military strategist, White pearl, turquoise sea and bitter chocolate. How does that sound? We have to say that the model is very interesting and faithfully represents the spirit of the Japanese market, but by taking into account such as the European taste is to imagine not having the expected success. Anyway this is not the last word, so we expect to see the reaction of the audience, and the final price for both versions. The Nissan Cube is for sale in Japan since 1999, and it has reached the European markets only now after almost a decade.  But guess what? No candies for guessing as this car will not be India-bound any time sooner atleast. Labels: Engine, Nissan, Nissan-Cube, Rolls-Royce, Wagon R
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Renault will present India the connoisseur of France. The French car maker is all set to drive in the Fluence. The stylish Fluence will mark Renault’s debut in the luxury car segment. Renault had earlier showcased this awesome luxury car at the 2010 Auto Expo that concluded yesterday. At present, Renault has only the Logan to offer in India. The Logan is a practical sedan which the French car maker has introduced with its Indian counterpart Mahindra & Mahindra. The Logan is spacious and very efficient, but it is equally dull. This is the main reason why the Mahindra-Renault Logan failed in the Indian car market. The Fluence will be available in both petrol and diesel engines. It will be pitted against the likes of Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cruze and Honda Civic. The Fluence is developed by Renault in association with Samsung and sold as the SM3 in Korea. However, the Fluence carries a lot of Renault styling cues. In fact, it looks very similar to the Renault Laguna. The Renault Fluence is handsomely designed. The sunken headlights look super attractive and the sharp ridge along the bonnet and the wave over the front wheels is unique. Even the taut rear and distinguished taillights are mind-boggling. The Fluence is just not about good looks. It can impart the most impressive ride and manoeuvrability. Its suspension is known for being very refined and silent. The soon-to-be launched Fluence is fuel efficient and comes with the option of 6-speed manual as well as a Nissan-sourced CVT auto gearbox. The Fluence is expected in late 2010 for around Rs 10-12 Lakh. But before, Renault launches the upmarket Fluence in India, the car maker has to shed of its impression it has created with the Logan. It has to prove the country that Renault can make great cars and has a great heritage. Labels: Fluence, Logan, Nissan, Renault, SM3
Monday, 4 January 2010
While we are speaking about the cars that will make into Auto Expo 2010, we surely do not want to miss out on a few names that had created a stir claiming to be India-bound. We had gone gaga over the launch of Fiat Linea diesel at the Delhi Auto Expo in our previous blogs posted a few months back in 2009 only to find out those guys in Fiat India still probably think that India is not yet ready for their diesel Linea. Likewise, Renault has backed out on bringing in their Sandero to the show that makes us speculate that Sandero will never get its date with the Indian Car Market. But of course Renault in India which has tied up with Mahindra and Mahindra is definitely showcasing its new Logan Tourer along with other interesting models. If that was it, Hyundai who had once taken Renault to court for the rather Santro sounding Sandero name, is not unveiling the much publicized Nano competitor at least not in the Expo. Speaking of the Nano competitor, there was one strong contender who also wanted to make a mark in the Nano market, Bajaj Auto. Bajaj Auto had gone over the boards by bringing in the concept model of their Ultra-Low-Cost car tying up with Renault and Nissan just a couple of years back, but sadly they themselves are out of the game of making cars for the moment as they will concentrate more on their thriving bike market. Luxury car maker Skoda also had jumped in the fray with its planned launch of a small car that would take on the Hyundai i10 but in Skoda’s foot-in-mouth moment, this car will not make it to the Expo this year. Other cars that will be conspicuous with their absence in the Delhi Auto Expo 2010 are Honda Jazz Automatic, Hyundai i10 diesel and Toyota Corolla Altis diesel. Labels: Delhi-Auto-Expo-2010, Fiat-Linea-Diesel, Honda-Jazz-Automatic, Hyundai-i10-Diesel, Nissan, Renault-Sandero, Skoda, Toyota-Corolla-Altis-Diesel
Monday, 28 December 2009
It just seems like the Tata Nano will no longer have a contender in its segment, at least not for now. Bajaj Auto, India’s two-wheeler maker who also was in news for quite some time with its proposed launch of its Ultra-Low-Car (ULC) tying up with Nissan and Renault to venture into the Indian Car Market has just backed out from the project and dumped the project to concentrate more on the growing two-wheeler market in India and abroad. So you can go out shopping for the Nano than hoarding the money to buy Bajaj’s ULC. Rahul Bajaj, the Chairman of Bajaj Auto is of the opinion that producing and launching of the ULC (Costing Rs 1 Lakh) is no longer a great idea. The inside sources say that car if at all launched would not even carry a Bajaj brand name which peeved the Bajaj boss man. According to Rahul Bajaj, “There appears to be no point in launching a new car when there are already so many models in the market - from Mercedes to Nano. We did want to launch a low-cost car but now we have changed our mind”. He also added “Let the company focus on bikes and then think of cars. First, the company can upgrade the three-wheelers. Maybe, we can add a fourth wheel to it and make something like a carry van, but it will certainly not be a car.” The ULC project didn’t go too well with Bajaj Auto due to branding, product details and pricing that Nissan and Renault had laid out in front of Bajaj Autos. Bajaj Auto’s managing director Rajiv Bajaj, who is Rahul’s son, was reported to have said that since there is an excess capacity in the global car market , “the company thinks that ULC, being a standalone project , will be vulnerable to business cycles” . Source: Economic Times Labels: Bajaj-Autos, Nissan, Renault, Ultra-Low-Cost-Car
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
 Nissan Motor Company will introduce its third product in India. And this will happen very soon, as soon as next month. This time the Japanese car maker will introduce a sports sedan to the Indian car market. Moreover, with the introduction the 370Z sports coupe in India, Nissan is going to be the third car company to roll out a sports sedan after Audi which rolled out its R8 and BMW which brought in its Z4 roadster. The Nissan 370Z, known as the Fairlady Z in Japan, made its first public appearance at an event in Los Angeles ahead of the 2008 Greater LA Auto Show. The 370Z is the sixth-generation of the Nissan Z-car line, succeeding the 350Z. The Nissan 370Z is expected to be powered by the VQ37VHR 3.7 L DOHC V6 with Variable Valve Event and Lift Control. This engine is mated either to a new 7-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters or 6-speed manual transmission which features the world's first synchronized downshift rev-matching system or SynchroRev Match. The engine can produce 332 bhp at 700 rpm and a torque of 366 Nm at 5200 rpm. The 370Z sports a front aluminum sub-frame, aluminum-alloy engine cradle, aluminum door panels, an all-aluminum bonnet and an aluminum tailgate. Labels: 370Z-Sports-Sedan, Nissan, Nissan-370Z
Monday, 14 December 2009
 Remember we had come up with a blog on Lexus LF-A some time back? Well, we are back again, but of course in a different beat and tune. Lexus, the luxury brand of Toyota had come out with a super car strangely named Lexus LF-A and intended to produce only 500 units of these beasts costing Rs 3 crore and above a piece. The super car which is endowed with conventional rear-wheel drive and transaxle six-speed automated sequential gearbox for smooth shifting of gears carries under its hood a 4.8-litre, 552 bhp, V10 powerful engine. Moreover, the engine revs rise and fall so quickly and with such a sharp timbre that it feels like a pure race engine. The LF-A can sprint 0-100 km/h in 3.7seconds and can run at a top speed of 323km/h. Now let’s come to the main part of this blog. You can only imagine the raw sound and thump it would create right? Toyota’s stint with F1 probably has served its purpose as the Lexus LF-A will now come with a distinctive Formula-1 inspired sound from its silencer pipe. That’s a song for a car that is fitted with an equally explicit car engine eh? The acoustics have been tuned to create a rumbling note at idle, which rises to a spine-tingling wail at higher revs. ‘The acoustic team studied the noise made by a Formula 1 car at maximum revs, then applied detailed design features to create an exhaust note for the LFA that is unlike any other car on the road, enhancing the sensation of speed and acceleration,’ says a press release from Lexus. Unlike other supercars, the LFA’s engine induction and exhaust sounds are actually channelled into the car’s cabin, so people on board can enjoy the experience as much as those on the outside. Do we hear you say Mother of God, give us more? Wishes granted, here you go… The main sound channel that pipes in the engine’s induction notes runs from the surge tank into the cabin below the main dashboard panel, while two further sound channels run to an opening in the upper cowl on top of the dashboard structure and a reflector panel low down at the front of the cabin. Together with the primary sound channel, these put the driver at the centre of what the Lexus LFA team calls the 3D Surround Sound Concept. Well, we can already see the mechs and sound engineers in Ferrari, Lamborghini and Nissan scurrying for cover or are they off for the Iron Maiden Rock concert to learn more of acoustics? Labels: F1, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, Lexus-LF-A, Nissan, Super-Car, Toyota
Thursday, 3 December 2009
It seems like Hyundai is on a roll. One year after promising to become the leading manufacturer in fuel economy, Hyundai delivered by topping the latest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy report. Hyundai passed all major manufacturers in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) including traditional leaders like Honda and Toyota.
The report demonstrates the effectiveness of Hyundai's value-driven fuel-efficiency strategy, which focuses on the intelligent application of cost-effective technologies. The report also substantiates Hyundai's leadership in the race to achieve the US government-mandated 2016 CAFE standard of 35.5 miles per gallon.
"Our thoughtful application of cost-effective, fuel-efficient technologies has helped us achieve our goal of leading the industry in fuel economy ahead of schedule," said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. He also added that Hyundai hoped to extend that leadership with the launch of our new direct injection, turbocharging and lithium-polymer hybrid technologies, all of which will be a part of the 2011 Sonata lineup launching early next year.
Hyundai is aligning global R&D resources at its engineering centers in California, Michigan, Korea, India and Germany to develop the Blue Drive technologies needed to achieve fuel efficiency goals. Under the Hyundai Blue Drive strategy, technologies such as direct injection, turbo-charging, hybrid drive systems and a number of others will all play larger roles in powering future models to offer consumers lower emissions, enhanced performance and more miles per gallon.
Carazoo.com here gives the list of car makers who have scored high in producing fuel-efficient vehicles according to Environmental Protection Agency Fuel Economy Reports :
Group Fuel Economy (mpg)
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Manufacturer Overall (Cars/Trucks)
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Hyundai 30.1
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Honda 29.7
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Volkswagen 29.6
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Toyota 29.4
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Kia 28.0
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Nissan 27.2
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BMW 26.9
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Ford 25.7
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General Motors 24.5
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Chrysler 23.2
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Labels: BMW, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Hyundai though is flying its flag high in the automotive world after the recession; it had to take a bow when it came to the ever competitive Japanese auto market. There is a surging demand for Hyundai vehicles elsewhere in the world, but the red-faced Hyundai Motors had to pull out from the Japanese scene citing poor brand recognition and high import duties on its cars that made it very expensive in the highly competitive Japanese auto Market. Hyundai which has in total 46 dealers in Japan has finally decided to say sayonara to the Japanese market. Hyundai just sold 800 units in 2009 and overall just 15,095 units since its entry to the Japanese market in 2001. Japan, a country where patriotism runs very high, people have given thumbs down for any foreign operators operating in the country and have welcomed the local brands with open hands where there is a huge fan following for these brands. A visibly frustrated spokesman of Hyundai, Oles Gadacz, is of the opinion that there is no scope for them in the brand conscious Japan unless they were Gucci or BMW. Hyundai, which is South Korea’s Numero Uno automaker and arguably the only company in the world to have shown an increase in sales from 2008 levels, has finally called it quits and intends to focus on its commercial vehicle sales in Japan and other emerging markets like India and China. Japan is one of the toughest markets in the world where brand value matters and not to mention intense competition from local manufacturers from the likes of Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Subaru, Suzuki, Daihatsu etc and not to mention the imports. That is one heavy competition out there. However, Hyundai’s sales have taken a massive leap in India though. Labels: Daihatsu, Honda, Hyundai-Motors, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota
Friday, 13 November 2009
Those of you who are expecting a foreign life of Tata Motors' little wonder, Nano, can hold back their thoughts for the time being. The company has now announced that it is not planning to export Nano in the near future. Instead the company wants to concentrate more on pleasing their domestic customers. After all the company is thinking in the right lines. It needs to fulfill the bonds of the native land.
The company is now concentrating on meeting the domestic demands and then shifting their interest to exporting the Nano to other countries. The company has huge pending orders and it is doubtful whether the company will be able to deliver them any sooner.
The company has cleared the safety test at the European and American countries. And we were expecting that the company has plans to launch the car in Europe and America some time soon. We thought that the ultra cheap car from Tata will be launched in the American and European countries by 2012. But now it doesn’t look so.
The company was aiming to make Nano available even to the common man in the country. And it doesn't seem that the company would give up before it achieves this goal.
Now, there can be another reason, the company will be facing tougher competition in India, with more and more companies aiming to reach out the customers with ultra cheap cars. The auto major Nissan is planning to launch an ultra cheap car in the country, the clock maker Ajanta is another example. And so Tata will be getting ready for the struggle. Labels: Nissan, Nissan-Cars, Tata, Tata-cars, Tata-Nano, Tata-Nano-Cars-India, Ultra-Cheap-Cars
Thursday, 5 November 2009
While we were writing about the Nissan small car that the company was planning to launch in India, Thailand, and China, little did we know that Nissan was in fact targeting the Nano. Nissan wants to break the vivid market, which the Tata Nano has managed to build.
We would not be surprised, this could be the dream of any car maker, such is the acceptance of Nano not only in India but throughout the world. Nano has been stealing the limelight for long now and Nissan wants to substitute itself with the little wonder, Nano. The new small car from Nissan will be launched in March 2010. But it is expected that, for the car to come to India, it will take another two months since its launch in March.
The new small car from Nissan is named V, where V stands for Versatility. And Nissan is expected to sell one million Vs by 2013.
There are other car makers whom we thought would launch cars so that they can compete with the customers' favorite Nano. But breaking our expectations, Fiat recently denied any plans of the company to launch ultra-cheap cars. Now we will all set out hopes on Nissan.
Thinking deep about what in Nano lures the customers, anyone would say, the price. And so Nissan also focuses on the pricing, which the company believes will win over the customers. Labels: Nissan, Nissan-Cars, Nissan-Small-Cars, small-cars-India, Ultra-cheap-Car
Saturday, 31 October 2009
Nissan is in the path of fulfilling its promise of launching more cars in India within the next three years. Colin Dodge, Nissan's executive vice-president for Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, has now given the Indian car lovers a pleasant news. Dodge was on an official tour to India and it was then he announced this new plan of the company. Nissan is in the process of developing a brand new platform. And the new platform the company is working on is codenamed ‘V’. ‘V’ stands for versatile.
The company will use this new concept for its new small car, which the company has planned to launch in China, Thailand, and India. Nissan had conceptualized this new platform four years back in 2005 at its R&D centre in Japan. This new platform is assigned for the new generation cars from Nissan. The company is working on this new platform so that it will meet the demands of the global market.
We are not yet sure as to which variant the company will launch in India, petrol or diesel. But we know that Nissan will produce three cars on this platform. But Indian market will get to see only two of them. We will witness the launch of the first model sometime in May 2010, two months after it will be launched in Thailand. This first car will be produced in five countries and India will be one among them. And cars manufactured in India will be exported to African countries, Europe, and some countries in the Middle East. The new V cars will have 18 per cent fewer parts, when compared to a normal compact car from Nissan. For example, when a normal small car from Nissan has 85 front seat pieces, the cars based on this new platform will have only 50.
V platform would be produced in three different sections globally. And in this the production of two models has been finalized. The first model will be a next-generation Micra, and the production of the car will begin in May next year and the sedan in 2011. It is not sure whether the company will launch its third model in India. This will be a compact multi utility vehicle.
V-platform has been principally engineered for India and China. The Western versions of the V-cars will have extra importance on more refinement and body control. The V-platform will be spacious, compact and light weight. It will have a 3-cylinder, small engine and a small fuel tank of 41 litres. Labels: Nissan, Nissan-Cars, Nissan-India, Nissan-Micra, small-cars-India, v-platform
Thursday, 22 October 2009
It is a trend that is seen not only among the car makers, but it is now seen in almost all of the economic and business sectors. If you are a car savvy, then there is little chance that you do not know about the eco-friendly innovations in the motor world. And to know about the current likings of the customers, you would need to just glance through the ongoing motor show, the Tokyo Motor Show. But it also appears to be that the electric cars are winning over the hybrid cars. And the reason is very clear. The electric cars manifest the eco-friendly movement much better than the hybrid cars and so the car world is now more inclined towards them. And it is very much evident in the Tokyo Motor Show that began yesterday. There is a great love for the super-skinny electric car from Nissan and the Toyota electric concept car FT-EV II. The electric car Leaf from Nissan will be displayed for the first time at this show, the car will be launched in 2010. The high significance for electric cars is because of that the hybrid cars are heavier, much complicated than an electric car and runs on petrol. And it is no wonder that the zero emission electric cars with rechargeable batteries will in no time march towards the number one position pushing the hybrid cars behind. It doesn’t mean that the hybrid cars are not inviting any attention. The Honda CR-Z concept car debuts at the show and the crowd seems to have got completely enchanted at this sportier second version of CR-Z. It is truly a delightful sight to see how the car world is evolving. Labels: Electric-Cars, Honda, Hybrid-Cars, Nissan, Toyota
Thursday, 15 October 2009
 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. Labels: BMW, Ford, Honda, Maruti, Nissan, Porsche, Tata
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
This would be the apt time to write on what one should expect from the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show or at least mention a few models that is all set to be unveiled in the show. Mentioning about the cars that will be showcased at the Tokyo Motor Show, there are a few of them that gushed into my memory. Nissan will be launching two electric car models at the Tokyo Motor show. One is the much hyped EV, the Leaf, and the other, a concept car from Nissan, the Land Glider concept. The Nissan Leaf is available in a 24kWh of laminated compact lithium-ion batteries. It delivers a power of 90 kW of power and its electric motor delivers 80kW/280Nm. The Land Glider will be powered by a lithium-ion batteries and it is made of ultra light weight materials. The 1+1 seating arrangement of the car makes it slender enough to easily commute through any traffic situations. The Deca Deca concept car from the Daihatsu stable will be unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show along some five other models from the manufacturer. The Deca Deca concept is a multi-functional super box that can be customized in whichever way needed to hold a huge range of activities. The flat floor and pillar less, side-by-side doors make it easy to load and unload and there are also the fold away seats that can be rearranged as per the requirement. The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour is also worth a mention. It has a remarkable Whitebread efficiency. And as always, the car will feature roomy interiors, which is apt to meet any of your travelling needs. The Crosstour is supported by a modified version of the Honda Accord chassis. The car will be powered by a 3.5-litre i-VTEC V6 engine. The Motor Shows are truly the best way a car manufacturer can boast of his efforts in the past, pride of today and promise for tomorrow! Labels: Electric-Car, Honda-Accord, Nissan, Tokyo-Motor-Show
Monday, 5 October 2009
 Nissan Micra, the small car of which the car company is very proud of, has finally showcased its initial sketches to the world. This next-generation car will be sold in over 150 countries across the globe and as the pundits in the automotive field put it, Nissan’s Micra is a car which will sky-rocket the car company’s reputation and sales in an unexpected way. These sketches that we have posted in this blog show a Micra looking rather toned and rakish, a stark contrast to the current car's cute-as-a-button design ethic. The result is rather attractive, and still somewhat quirky. Nissan plans on launching the Micra in Thailand next March, and will eventually do the same in Europe in the fall of 2010. Although the car has long been built in England for European consumption, it will now be henceforth built in India, allowing the British facility to assemble the Nissan Leaf EV. We may see the new Micra in person later this month at the 2009 Tokyo motor show. If so, we'll bring you live photographs of the car. Stay tuned to Carazoo.com for all the latest news from the Tokyo show. Labels: Nissan, Nissan-Leaf-EV, Nissan-Micra, Small-Car
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Japan’s third largest car maker has denied its plans to bring in its luxury brand Infiniti to India. Nissan Motor Company revealed that high import duties on Completely Built Units (CBUs), less demand for such cars, prohibitively expensive spare parts and infrastructure bottlenecks are the reason for opting out to launch the Infiniti brand. Moreover, India is a very critical market for the car major in the long run and all its investment plans and product launches are still on track. The Infiniti car division Nissan officially started selling vehicles on November 8, 1989 in North America and its global operations have since grown to include the Middle East, South Korea, Russia, Switzerland, China and Ukraine. Infiniti began sales in additional European markets in late 2008. But the Japanese car manufacturer is willing to introduce nine new models to the Indian car bazaar by 2012. Besides, Nissan also plans to earmark India one of its key manufacturing locations for its compact cars, which include products such as Micra. The chief reasons cited by the company were low-cost advantage, vast pool of talented workforce, engineering expertise, etc. The low-cost, but trained manpower, thousands of component makers and easy access to growing markets make India an attractive destination for small cars. India will be an export hub for compact cars for many countries, especially for Europe from the second half of 2010. Nissan which is scheduled to unveil its revamped Micra in March 2010 at the Geneva Motor show plans to launch the same in India after a couple of months. It may be recalled that in the past Toyota has refuted to launch its luxury brand ‘Lexus’ in India and Honda has said no to ‘Acura’. Labels: Acura, Infiniti, Lexus, Nissan, Nissan-Motor-Company, Toyota
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
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. Labels: Maruti, Nissan, Renault, Small-Car, Toyota, Volkswagen
Thursday, 24 September 2009
True partners render and seek help at the hour of need and that is exactly what is happening between the French car maker Renault and Nissan. This year, Renault had a very sad first half, and now Nissan will be launching its compact car in India, using the compact car platform of Nissan. And this will be of great help for Renault as it will not have to spend on any product development. Both the cars, Nissan’s Micra and the Renault-Nissan compact car, which shares its platform with the Nissan compact car, as both the cars will be manufactured at the still constructing Chennai plant and will have similar component sourcing facilities and production lines. Now, this will be an altogether different car and is not the low-cost car that the two companies have planned to manufacture together with the Indian motorcycle manufacturer, Bajaj Auto and is expected to launch in 2011. Nissan has great compact car plans for India for the next few years. By the mid of next year Nissan is expected to launch a compact car with the seating capacity of five. And by 2012 three new cars will be launched using the same platform. Not only will Nissan be using the same platform for manufacturing other cars but Renault will also be using them for its compact car or sedan, or for both. This will be the first occurrence in the Indian car market where two manufacturers are using the same platform for manufacturing many cars. But don’t you think that sharing the same platform makes two cars look alike, no it is never so, Maruti Suzuki Ritz and Swift and Honda City and Jazz share the same platform, but don’t they look different? But one thing is for sure, the Indian car market will, in no time, be flooded with compact and small cars. Labels: Compact-Car, Honda-City, Maruti-Suzuki-Ritz, Nissan, Renault, Small-Car
Thursday, 17 September 2009
The third-largest Japanese car major Nissan Motors have unveiled the facelifted Teana and X-Trail in India.  Nissan has much hope for its luxury sedan with a makeover in India. The new Teana carries a sweeping arch along the bodyline that reflects it’s graceful and distinguished image. The new Teana has bigger front grilles that impart a 3-D image. A sharp line climbs the fender from the wraparound headlamps to grab attention. The stylish integrated fog lamps on the bumpers add élan to the sedan. The exterior mirror contours are crafted to reduce wind noise. The Teana stands tall on 17-inch alloy wheels. The new Nissan Teana sports retractable stylish glass sunroof with UV protection, which lets the rear seat passengers enjoy the sun, filling the cabin with an open air ambience. The sophisticated interior comes in convincing wood finish and simply laid-out, easy-to-use controls. The cabin gives a suite-like experience with supple leather seats, sofa-like armrests, wood grain trim and pampering ottoman-style leg-rest to support the lower legs. The rear seats can rival any high-grade sofas with massive shoulder and back support and the space is more than adequate. There are rear air-con vents and the cabin has an airy feel. There is an LED indirect illumination on the center console that shines softly to create a more welcoming interior ambience. The soft-touch buttons and the LED indirect Illumination on front passenger and rear door grips take driving luxury to the next level. The Nissan VQ engine series has made into World’s 10 Best Engines list for 15 years in a row. The new Teana is endowed with this reputed high performance engine. The 2.5-litre V6 DOHC engine is bigger than the old Teana's 2.3-litre version. The engine can churn out a power of 180bhp. The new 2.5L, V6 engine provides quick response, smooth acceleration and abundance of low and mid range torque and high-end power. Moreover, the enhanced performance of the intake/exhaust system and a six-point engine mounting help to minimize noise. The second generation model of the Teana comes in two variants in Indian market. The 2.5XL variant is priced at Rs. 21,03,000 and the 2.5XV comes with a price tag of Rs. 25,40,000 (Ex showroom, New Delhi) The new Nissan X-trail SUV flaunts a tough, masculine, individualistic stance. The Open Window graphic with lower waistline ensures good visibility and the High Ground Clearance makes the SUV secure from all road conditions.  The Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) comes with a roof-rail with lamp that accentuates the body design of the X-Trail. The SUV sports a large sunroof that allows fresh air and bright light to come in. Coming to the interior, the new X-Trail is highly luxurious. The cabin comes in high quality beige interior finish with soft touch dashboard in chrome/silver that conveys a high quality finish. The interior is quite practical with a lot of cubby holes and cup holders and a bigger boot space with a removable drawer for added convenience. The renovated X-Trail is fitted with the new M9R Diesel Engine under its hood. The 2L 4-cylinder in-line, turbocharged engine can tap 150 bhp. The engine ensures a smooth drive without vibration or strain like a petrol engine. The X-Trail can sprint 100 km in quick 10.88 seconds. Even though the X-Trail has been designed mostly for road use the intelligent four-wheel-drive system gives the X-Trail off-road capability too. The new X-tail comes in three editions: LT, SLX and SLX. The LT and SLX come with a 6-speed manual transmission gearbox and the SLX AT is equipped with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The facelifted X-Trail is priced at Rs 20.81 Lakh for the LT, Rs 23.18 Lakh for the SLX variant and Rs 25.08 Lakh for the SLX AT (Ex-showroom, New Delhi). With a combination of a punchy and refined engine, practicality and good off-road ability, the new Nissan X-Trail is a very good buy. Labels: Luxury-Sedan, New-Car-Launch, Nissan, Nissan-India, Nissan-Motors, Nissan-Teana, Nissan-X-Trail, SUV
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
 The Nissan Leaf, the electric car, will be launched in the Indian market only after it has been launched in many other countries. It would be first launched in Japan and at the same time it will be launched in the United States and Europe. The Nissan Leaf will surely gain good business from the growing interest for electric or more eco-friendly cars in the American car market and it will not be a different case for Leaf in Europe also. And there is a possibility that China will also be in the list of countries where Leaf will mark its debut. The Nissan Leaf is been already unveiled at Nissan's headquarters Yokohama in Japan and it will be launched by the end of this year in Japan, US, Europe, and China, but the Indian car buyers need to wait longer to glance the Leaf. But will the Indian car buyers be really waiting for the Leaf that is expected to come after one or two years, in fact they will not be very keen on it as there will be more options available in the home country by then. The Indian made Reva cars might pose a good competition for the Leaf as there will be two new models from the brand, NXR and NXG, available in the Indian car market by 2011. Within two years time there might be lot more options such as the Bavina cars, a new Indian Electric car company and Tata, which is expected to launch the electric version of Indica in Norway and might launch same or a different model in India. Even though the pricing of the new electric cars are not announced, the Leaf will be priced minus the battery and this could be a great advantage for the car against other electric car models. And also the Indian car buyer’s fascination for foreign car models will work favourably for Nissan. But the question still lingers as to will the hatch be available in the Indian markets by 2012, as the earlier the more beneficial. The Indian car lovers who have not seen much of electric cars in two years will become one among the most demanding electric car customers. Labels: Nissan, Nissan-Leaf, REVA, Reva-NXR, Tata
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
 Nissan, the Japanese car manufacturer, is preparing itself to compete against the biggies in the Indian Car Market. Nissan knows the capability, capacity and potentiality of the growing Indian Economy. Nissan like any other auto manufacturer has a feeling that growing Indian car market can revive its sales and boost its coffers in the longer run. The Japanese car manufacturer has a strong faith in the developing Indian economy and the growing demand of the Indian customers has left no signs of hesitation among the carmakers. More importantly, Nissan which has a bearing in the Indian market for about the seven years now with its popular models like Nissan X-Trail and Nissan Teana, has been researching the Indian car market and has understood the small car fanaticism of the Indians and wants to be in the thick of the action by launching a small car here. Nissan gearing to grab that big chunk of the small car market in India, has plans to launch a list of compact cars for the Indian car lovers and the most special among them would be the small car from Nissan, Micra also named as March abroad. The company is putting in hard efforts preparing itself for this cause. Though the company has plans to open a manufacturing unit in Chennai, the fact still has not been confirmed yet. With a little bit of help from Renault, Nissan would probably be able to make a steady march into the Indian car market. The next generation Nissan Micra that is expected to be launched in India will be built on the new ‘A’ platform. The Micra will not be the only car that will be built based on the platform A, but there will be two other models that will share the platform with Micra. It will be again quite long wait as the company has plans to launch the next-generation Micra only by March 2010 and the car will not be available in the Indian market soon after it has been launched globally but will take another two or three months before it hits the Indian roads. Labels: Nissan, Nissan-Micra, Small-Car
Monday, 29 September 2008
Wake up car importers! It’s time for car importers to open their eyes and see the expected price hike for imported cars. Yes, the prices for imported cars are expected to rise due to the weakening of rupee against dollar. At this stage of downturn, car exporters are rejoicing the market but reality is that the importers will have a tough time. We just wonder how severely this will affect the foreign car manufacturers like Mercedes, BMW, Nissan, Volvo, and Porsche, who are importing their cars to India as Completely Built Units or CBUs. Even Honda CR-V would be affected by weakening of the rupee. This will definitely increase the prices of imported cars. All the luxury car manufacturers are trying hard to cushion the impact on Indian car customers but till how long? Labels: BMW-Cars, Car-Manufacturers, Honda-CR-V, Imported-Cars, Luxury-Car, Mercedes, Nissan, Porsche, Volvo
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Mahindra-Renault, Paris-based car manufacturer, has selected India to be its car design hub for its proposed ultra-cheap car. The car is under development under the joint venture with Bajaj Auto. Till date, Renault has designed its entire range of cars in Paris but now with the growing opportunities in India, the company decided to target India and establish a design center in Mumbai. Though the main car design framework will be rolled out from the Mumbai centre, small inputs on designing will also be received from Nissan design team and other Renault’s design centres across the world. At present, it is believed that almost 10-12 Indian car designers are working on the Renault’s small car project. The key motive of the joint venture is not to produce a cheap car but to design a car with improved fuel economy and the one that meets the emission standards. After forming a design framework, the car will start its production in the Chakan facility in Maharashtra. Expected to roll out in 2011, the car is follows the vision of this joint venture. Labels: Car-Design, Indian-Car, Nissan, Renault, Ultra-cheap-Car
Friday, 1 August 2008
The Nissan Motors plans to start the production of its upcoming car, the Micra, at its new facility in Chennai. The facility in Chennai is a joint venture between the Nissan Motors and Renault. The Renault agrees to the production which is expected to start soon so that the car is launched at the scheduled period in 2010. The starting price of Micra will be around Rs 4.5 lakh. Nissan is laying more pressure on complete localization of the car to meet the costs and gain a profitable margin. The company has also signed a partnership with the Hover Automotives in India. This partnership is restricted to the marketing, sales, after-sale services and dealer development of the Nissan cars. The Hover is also putting in great efforts to increase the Nissan dealers from 5 to 55 and earn market coverage of about 80%. Will the alliance between Nissan and Hover give profitable returns to Nissan? This is a big question because currently many car manufacturers are in race to earn maximum market coverage and hold the highest amount of share in the Indian economy. Labels: Micra, Nissan, Renault, Small-Cars, Upcoming-Cars
Thursday, 17 July 2008
 The Indian car industry is caught in the middle of high inflation and interest rates, soaring fuel prices, and a steep decline in car demand and sales. The steep deviation has caught the industry by surprise. The Bajaj-Renault-Nissan alliance now plans to roll out a portfolio of electric cars with a keen desire to boost the sluggish car demand. The alliance desires to go beyond the ‘ultra low-cost car’ to introduce a range of electric vehicles in India. The company accepts this as a new marketing strategy and has a confirmed belief that car sales will boost as a result of this new marketing strategy. The Bajaj, Nissan, and Renault alliance is not restricted to the production of one single vehicle. The alliance is negotiating to extend their ULC partnership and produce a portfolio of electric vehicles in different segments with varying price tags. The alliance lays its focus on India because it is one of the most cost-effective production centres in the world even after inflation. Labels: Bajaj, Electric Cars, Nissan, small cars
Friday, 20 June 2008
Bajaj and Renault-Nissan had signed a joint venture to produce small cars to compete with the Nano. But, now the Joint Venture has decided to drive further, beyond the reach of small and low-cost cars. They are now planning to widen their platform and produce a portfolio of different cars ranged at different prices and characteristics as well. It has realised the fact that there is no gain in just competing with one single car simply on the basis of price. Good, they are moving ahead with a desire to make their ultra-low cost (ULC) platform flexible and produce something better. They have announced that their new range of cars may cost over Rs 1.50 lakh, but it will not compromises with quality – engine performance, transmission, unique interiors, style, fuel economy and emissions. Life is costlier than Rs 1 lakh! So, don’t just go for price, look all aspects and then decide for one. Labels: Bajaj, Nissan, Small-Cars
Friday, 6 June 2008
India has become a hot destination for several foreign car manufacturers. Luxury car manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi already have their presence in the country and manufacturers like General Motors, Ford, Toyota and Hyundai have been around for a long time. A recent entrant into the Indian car market has been Nissan. It’s planning to shift its small car manufacturing facilities to cheaper places like India and Thailand. This will not only improve the price positioning of Nissan’s cars in existing markets but will also provide a foothold in the Indian market. Nissan plans to bring its small car Micra to India and wants to develop two more cars based on the same platform. While these cars are being developed with richer markets such as Europe in mind, India will not lack behind in consumerism. The Micra is expected to cost somewhere in the range of Rs 3-4 Lakh.
Labels: new car launch, Nissan, small cars
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Nissan is one of the big names in car industry. It has always created a niche in the car markets across the world. It has already brought in SUV X-Trail and luxury saloon Teana. Both these cars are priced Rs 40 lakh. It will also be introducing a premium SUV Murano with the same price tag. However, with such an ambitious plan for India, Nissan is establishing itself in the Indian niche market and may give a tough fight for BMW and Mercedes cars. But Nissan is not stopping with it. The company is planning to bring eight of its products to India by the year 2012. There are rumours that the company is planning to bring small car Micra. The small car will be positioned in the A2 segment and will compete with Zen Estilo and Wagon R. It will be powered by a 1.2 liter petrol engine. Nissan also plan to bring in another sedan, but the details about it are still a mystery.
Labels: Indian car industry, Nissan
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
I am, like many of my friends, waiting breathlessly for the Tata Nano. I also was curious about its rival Bajaj Lite. While Nano continues to be in the news everyday, Lite was in the limelight for just a single day when it was unveiled and then it practically vanished.
Lite is light years away from a launch in India. Bajaj Auto was planning to launch the car in collaboration with Renault-Nissan, but the process which was moving ahead slowly now seems to be ending. Renault and Bajaj had jointly initiated a feasibility study of ultra-low-cost cars in India in July 2007. The study is now expected to be completed by March this year.
The newspapers don’t tell me what the result is going to be of this study. I can’t find anything on the net. Where is the Lite? Does anyone have any idea? I would like to get some info on this car – help!
Article Submitted by Curious Swami Labels: Bajaj, Cheap-Cars, Nissan, One Lakh Car, Tata, ultra low cost car
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
I am not an avid auto news reader, but today one news topic caught my attention. Apparently, Japanese top car maker, Nissan is planning to reshuffle its Indian top management. Shohei Kimura is named to take over as MD and the CEO of the India Operation of Nissan. Mr. Kimura is already serving the company as a Vice President of India Operations.
Kimura’s International experience and extensive knowledge would definitely come in handy for the Indian market. I know that while the competition is getting tough, most car makers are making sure that the top management is changing hands and being given over to outsiders – like Suzuki. This refreshing move gives me hope that not ALL manufacturers will believe that success can only be delivered by foreigners.
Shohei Kimura, congratulations and wish you luck! Article submitted by AJ Labels: Japanese, Nissan, Suzuki
Monday, 17 December 2007
With big auto players like BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan have already markets stormed the Indian markets, now its turn of Porsche, the German luxury car maker, which is all set to expand its operations in India. As its first step, Porsche recently inaugurated a $ 2 million showroom in Mumbai. They plan their next pit stop at Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. The company hopes to continue its legacy in the sports car segment and intends to take it to a new high. Amongst its model, Porsche’s Cayenne rules the Indian road. Labels: Audi, BMW-Cars, Luxury car segment, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche
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Remember the Frankfurt Motor Show? TechArt had disclosed its first customization program for the Porsche Panamera at the auto show. It brought the TechArt Concept One to the Geneva Motor Show. Now, TechArt has decided to come up with something new. We have info on the new tuning kit called Black Edition from TechArt.
