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Wednesday, 25 November 2009
 This would have been another major achievement by Tata, but it seems that the much hyped 'Air Car' project that Tata Motors undertook along with French engineering firm MDI is facing some technological challenges. Started off two years back, it seems that the company is now facing certain hurdles in terms of vehicle range and cooling. And as per the agreement between Tata and MDI, Tata would support the further refinement and development of the technology. It was planned that the project would develop a car that can run solely on compressed air, without making use of any other source of fuel. The compressed air expands inside the vehicle and the energy so released powers the vehicle. As air is not a fuel and it is just an energy carrier, it won’t have the same energy as that of a tank of CNG and so any vehicle that uses compressed air will have the problem of range. Vehicle that uses only compressed air will also face the problem of low engine temperature. As the company is now only talking and emphasizing on the negatives and drawbacks of the compressed air car, it does not possibly mean that they are moving away from the project. But we cannot also completely believe the compressed air car project will come live. All that we can do is wait and watch. The company has anyway confirmed that it will be soon launching the electric version of Indica in Denmark, UK and Norway in the next one year. Labels: Compressed-Air-Car, Indica, Tata
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, 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
Monday, 5 October 2009
 In less than ten day’s time from today, another new model from Tata Motors will be launched in India. We have been waiting for a long time now for the Tata Indigo Vista and it has been announced that the Indigo Vista will be launched but with an all new name. Tata Indigo with its new name, Manza, will be launched in India on the 14th of this month. It is still a mystery as to what would have led Tata in changing the name of the car. A very good possibility is that the company wants to give the customers a new feel about its new car. And this, the company would have thought would not happen with the little amendments on the existing name. And so a new name and a new identity is expected to bring in a new boost for the sales of Tata Indigo now renamed as Tata Manza. The Manza will be launched in Mumbai by the Chairman of the Tata Motors, Ratan Tata. The Manza will be built on the same platform as Tata Indica Vista, but it will be an extended version. The highlights of Manza will include spacious interiors, projector headlamps, centrally mounted instrumental panel, steering mounted audio control, and a dashboard similar to that of an Indigo but boasts of a superior trim. The car will be available in both 1.4-litre petrol engine and 1.3-litre multi-jet diesel engine. The expected price of the car is Rs. 5.5 lakh for the petrol model and Rs. 7.5 lakh for the diesel model. Labels: Tata, Tata-Indica, Tata-Indigo, Tata-Manza
Thursday, 24 September 2009
 Tata Nano is a car that was received by the Indian car customers with great expectations and pomp. Even though it was the cheapest car and the initial booking of the car crossed 2 lakh, there were still many who were not interested in the small car as it lacked many features that are available in the base models of cars these days. And it didn’t take much time before it hit the headlines again, for not delivering the cars on time. There also came the news about how customers, one by one, are withdrawing their booking. But now here is something which you would never have thought about. The Tata Nano is been resold, even before they are been used for a higher price! Yes, you have just read the fact right. There is still an increased demand prevailing in the market for this small wonder car. And that could be the only reason why this car is been sold by the customers before it reaches their hands. And another obvious reason, why such a resale is happening, is that are people who are willing to pay almost 30 per cent higher price for the model. This might give Tata a new idea of increasing the price of the car, even though not in lakh but at least in thousands. And it is sure that the increased price won’t bring down the demand of the car. But the company will not be doing so because the company will not be interested in breaking the promise of delivering the customers with a one lakh rupee car. Labels: Cheapest-Car, Nano-Resale, Small-Car, Tata, Tata-Nano
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
Friday, 14 August 2009
Of late, Tata Nano has been making and breaking news in the country and abroad. The term Nano might go over your head, if you listen to that term once again. But we are compelled to do so with regards to the latest great Indian rumour mill working overtime. Nano has always been a favourite amongst the Moto- journo crowd and there is not a single day without a piece of news generated without the Tata Nano being in that in the country. We all know Tata Motors’ ploy of terming this small giant as the common man’s car. And now as most of the journos have been saying that this “cheapest car in the world” will be expected to replace two-wheelers and bring in the trend of four wheelers, but in reality this concept put out by many including us in Carazoo.com will take some time for this trend to set in as there aren’t many Nano cars available in the market. In fact there will not be many cars in the Indian roads for years, but still the car will still be in news. What you will read below might as well make you sit in the edge of that chair that you are already sitting reading this blog. Tata Nano can be a really good Taxi! Yes, we just said it. Blasphemy, you say. Well, we are just keeping a mirroring our thoughts here. Tata Motors who has brought out models like Indica, Sumo or Indigo, never probably thought that their models would be a work horse of many cab-drivers and fleet operators commuting people from their work places. Now with the cheapest car tag attached to Nano, it could be a hot car amongst the taxi drivers. The fuel efficiency of the car is really tempting and dream like; and best suites the purpose of a taxi. The car has a fuel economy of 22 kmpl in city and 26 kmpl on the highways and this alone can be seen as a reason for it to have a yellow number plates. The car has been booked by many entrepreneurs and the reason could be nothing else but to deck up the Nano and include it in the new list of Taxis. If Tata Motors might read this blog and if it finds that Taxi version of Tata Nano might be reasonable, Tata Nano might even support the taxi life of Nano by releasing a diesel version of the car or by customizing the styling that best suites a taxi. You might not be surprised to see a Nano as a taxi but nod your head and consider it as a much expected sight. Well, just think what simple thoughts can give way to. Labels: Cheap-Car, Tata, Tata-Nano
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Toyota is in for a great change in the way it thinks. And the wait-and-see attitude of the company will certainly do good for the company’s expected small car that is that will be launched in 2010. Hope the customers who are yearning for the car will never get disappointed with Toyota as it has a history of satisfying its customers through their cars. It seems that this perfect picture about a small car will have shades of Tata also in it. It does not sound surprising for sure as Tata has been supplying nearly 90 per cent of its auto-grade steel and has also been helping out Toyota to choose the most accurate steel for Toyota’s largest selling MUV in India, Toyota Innova. And now Tata might also supply skin panel for the proposed small car from Toyota. This is not a probability, as it can be almost certain that Tata will be supplying steel for the skin panel of the small car. The skin panel shapes the outer part of the car and gives the car a fine look. But it should also be strong, thin and formable which makes it very necessary the steel should be of very high quality. And Tata being fifth largest steel producer and already supplying steel for the skin panels for itself, Tata Motors, Honda, Maruti, and Hyundai, Toyota might not waste time searching for another steel supplier. Toyota launched the face lifted Toyota Camry just a week ago and has already given the word that it will launch its SUV Fortuner on August 24th, much before its expected launch in the month of September. It is also expected that except for the relauch and new variants of the existing cars, Toyota is not thinking about any other car until it delivers its small car. And all of this, for the cause of bringing out its small car by the end of 2010. Labels: New-Small-Car, Tata, Toyota
Thursday, 4 June 2009
General Motors’ strategy to restructure the company by off-loading some of its struggling car brands is finally seeing the light of day. The company has managed to sell its European subsidiary Opel Motors to Magna from Canada, the military-style SUV brand Hummer has been taken over by a Chinese company and now a deal for the Saturn brand is in the making. Interestingly, GM is tapping Indian car majors like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra to consider a deal for Saturn. The grapevine in the U.S. suggests that bankers handling GM have been pushing for a possible sale to Indian car manufacturers. The small car brand Saturn is a familiar brand in the United States just like Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki in India. General Motor. It was setup by GM in 1985 to rival cost-effective Japanese car manufacturers like Toyota and Honda. Saturn’s small cars have attracted huge sales over the past decade but GM’s multi-brand strategy had prevented it from developing new models which might have led to its current sorry state. GM’s bankers favour Tata Motors as its acquisition of Daewoo, Jaguar, and Land Rover brands has brought it worldwide recognition. Mahindra too has been actively working on building a presence in the U.S. car market with its models Scorpio, Bolero, and Xylo. However, it might not be easy for Indian car manufacturers as they will have to fight off bids from Chinese buyers as well as Magna, a Canadian firm. Labels: Car-Brands, General-Motors, Mahindra-and-Mahindra, Saturn, Tata
Monday, 22 December 2008
It's the first time in the history of automobile industry that an Indian brand will appear on the Ferrari. This brand is none other than the Tata Ferrari has signed a sponsorship deal with Tata Consultancy Services aimed at bucking up the impact of global recession squeezing the glamour sports. Formula One the the richest sports, has recently experienced a hard pinch due to the credit crunch. The aftermath resulted in the immediate pull out of Honda and thereafter, Formula One decided to go for cost cutting measures. In response, Ferrari agreed to have the stamp of TCS on the bodywork of the Ferraris, Felippe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen, active participants for the 2009 Formula One season. The deal seems to be of great significance amid F1's plan to bring a variety of changes including sporting, technical, and economical. Tata group is not new to the F1 and Ferrari. Even in 2005, Tata had provided financial support to the winning Indian car driver, Narain Karthikeyan, when he drove for Jordan. Then again in 2006, Tata logo was embellished on the Williams F1 cars that was driven by Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg on the F1 circuits. Since then, Ferrari has enjoyed a massive benefits gained by the efforts and sponsorship of Tata. This time too Ferrari may benefit from the support of Tata. But, then the current meltdown in the market has gripped the sports so tightly that it's difficult to say that how far Formula One will drive in the path of success. Labels: Ferrari, Formula-One, Tata
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
After enlightening the world’s cheapest and smallest car, Tata Motors plans to roll out luxurious and expensive cars. Tata is now targeting the other extreme of the car segment and introduce new upmarket cars in the industry. Tata has taken over the Jaguar & Land Rover and plans to roll out luxury car models under this venture. The Nano is expected to make its debut in India by the end of this year with a price tag of Rs 1 lakh, whereas the venture plans to design and manufacture luxury cars ranging somewhere between, Rs 80-85 lakh, a price at which car buyers can buy around 85 Nanos. With such a high price swing from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 85 lakh, do you think that consumers will go for it? Tata has created its own image of producing the world’s cheapest car and now shifting towards high-end segment. This step towards producing high-end cars is a way to boost up the market for Jaguar & Land Rover and establish the name of Tata as a producer of portfolio of cars in all segments. Labels: Nano, One-Lakh-Rupee-Car, Tata
Friday, 11 April 2008
The ultra-cheap car Tata Nano will be facing another rival very soon. Ajanta - the well know clock makers are planning to roll out an electric car that may cost just around Rs.85, 000. This is definitely far cheaper to the Nano.
This electric car will also be challenging the Maini REVA which is the only electric car in the Indian car market. The details of the new car from Ajanta are not yet revealed. We’ll have to wait a little to learn more. Labels: Electric Car, Maini Reva, new car launch, Tata, tata nano
Thursday, 10 April 2008
The ‘Magic India Discovery’ tour across the subcontinent with the specially-prepared Ferrari 612 Scagliettis was an event to remember. The ‘hot’ looking Ferrari cars will probably come to India by 2010. The company is preparing a sales and marketing network in the country with an eye towards a 2010 launch. At present, we see hardly any Ferraris on Indian roads. Most of these are purchased from Ferrari's dealership in Singapore. Tata Motors is closely related with Ferrari's parent company Fiat and may come into play for Ferrari’s India launch. Labels: car event, Ferrari, new car launch, Tata
Tata Motors is slowly spreading its wings as a major car manufacturer of the world. After having established itself as an owner of luxury brands Jaguar and Land Rover and also as the creator of the world’s cheapest small car Tata Nano, it’s now eyeing the position of a major international player from India.
Tata has now bought the unused plant of Nissan in South Africa. The details of the buyout are not known but what is known is that Tata wants to make South Africa its assembly hub for their popular car models Indica and Indigo and also for its commercial vehicles. South Africa is already a major car market outside India for Tata’s cars. Tata has a presence in 10 African countries and is planning to expand it while making South Africa a hub for all African operations.
Labels: Car manufacturing, car plant, Tata, Tata Motors
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Some car manufacturers make festivals more colourful than the rest. The Indian car giant Tata Motors is coming up with some interesting offers for this Ugadi. It has cut down the prices of its flagship models Indica and Indigo. The new Indica V2 Xeta will now cost you Rs 39,000 less and the price of Indigo CS has been brought down to Rs 3.60 lakh from the current Rs 4.5 lakh. It would mean a lot of savings for the buyers. So guys! Who are waiting for the new Indigo CS can do so now. Or it will be never. The tradition of offering discounts and special offers during festival season will really encourage people to buy new cars and make the festivals a memorable event in their lives. Labels: Car-Sales, Customer offer, festival discounts, Indigo CS, Tata, Tata Indica
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
The hydrogen revolution has come to India. Tata, Honda, and Toyota are already conducting research on hydrogen-run buses, trucks, and cars. The First hydrogen fuelling station for these vehicles is said to open in the last quarter of 2008. The Indian Oil Corporation is likely to base this fuel station in Delhi as part of a government policy to convert 20 % of vehicles to natural gases. These 20% vehicles could be either public transport like buses or private transport like cars (mainly luxury cars). The fuelling station will supply hythane and hydrogen to all vehicles powered by natural gases. This is a positive move from the Indian government to save the environment before it is too late. In the near future, if small cars also join the hydrogen vehicle line-up, then pollution could soon be a topic of the past! Labels: Environment friendly cars, Honda, Hydrogen fueled vehicles, small cars, Tata
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
The Tata Sumo Grande is the next generation Sumo. It hit the market carrying a lot of expectation from its manufacturer and from people who like SUVs but can’t really afford an expensive one. Its predecessor was one of the first SUVs to reach the Indian market. I remember that the demand for the Tata Sumo was more than Tata Motors could supply. Now it is more popular as a cab because of its tough and rugged body.
The new and improved Sumo Grande has many more features and has an exciting and fresh appearance. I know its too early to say, but this new dynamo may just make a lasting impression on the Indian market and in Indian hearts.
Article Submitted by Harsh Kanuj Labels: New launch, SUVs, Tata, TataSumo
Friday, 22 February 2008
I dropped by a Tata dealership recently to see if I can book a Tata Nano. To my surprise, I found that the car has been booked all the way till 2010 and then I wondered ‘Mera Number Kab Ayega’? However, it’s good news that the Nano is finally rolling out in October or early November. It’s officially announced. I’ve been waiting for that car for a very long time now. When critics said that the car would be delayed till 2009 or further, I had become a little apprehensive and had almost convinced myself that the car would never hit the market. Though, I’m forced to wait in a long queue for the car, I do have this thing to look forward to. Until then I’ll just continue to drive my old Maruti 800. Submitted by LongNanoQueue Labels: Maruti 800, Tata, Tata Motors, tata nano
I have been reading stuff on Carazoo for quite some time now and I find the portal really interesting. As a college student, I would get into conversations on how cars could be the next fad for students like bikes are these days. Like it was cycles in the old days, now everyone rides to college on bikes. We believed a day would come soon when students could match the colours of their cars to their clothes. With cars like the one-lakh Tata Nano which is about to enter the new car market soon, that day might be just around the corner. Article Submitted by AK
Labels: Carazoo, College students, Tata, tata nano
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Car manufacturers are coming up with new ideas to attract new buyers. Now, can you imagine a car manufacturer offering free petrol as an incentive? But that is exactly what Tata Motors had announced. The company has tied up with Hindustan Petroleum to offer free fuel worth upto Rs. 20,000 to all new buyers of Tata Indica and selected models of Indigo and Fiat cars. But this offer is limited only to people living in Delhi and the surrounding region. I never thought such a day would dawn in India when petrol is offered free with every car buy. Sounds like a line from an advertisement, but it’s a fact. I wish the same scheme was extended to Lucknow too. From Tata Roadie Labels: Buy Car, car incentive, Fiat, New Car, Petrol, Tata
A lot of changes have been taking place in the small car segment since Tata Motors unveiled their Rs. 1 lakh car ‘Nano’ at the auto expo. It has encouraged many car manufacturers to start their own small cars on the lines of the Nano. Previously, I had read about Bajaj, Mahindra, Nissan and Renault planning to bring out cars similar to the Nano. Now, I just found out that Suzuki had prepared ground and had taken up a small car project called ‘A’ long before the launch of the Nano at the expo.
It’s a big challenge for car manufacturers to fit their small cars with efficient engines and good standard equipment. It seems to me that many car manufacturers still have no clear idea as to what type of engine would suit their ultra-cheap small car. I know that Suzuki’s small car will be equipped with a 660 cc engine and i believe Suzuki is the first to finalise an engine for the small car project.
Article Submitted by Murali Labels: Nano, One Lakh Car, Small Car, Suzuki, Tata, Ultra cheap cars
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
I was surprised that Tara Tiny has come to rival the Tata Nano. Tiny is priced at Rs 99,999. It is just Re One less than the Nano showroom price. I think it is hilarious. We may soon just have to go to the supermarket to buy cars, instead of showrooms! Get me some bhindi and cauliflower and a Nano/Tiny on the way back!!! I think Tara would have earned some respectability if it had quoted the same price as the Tata Nano or added some extra technology to make it slightly more different than the Nano. It makes cars look so cheap that there is no difference between household groceries and cars. I believe that there should be some kind of understanding between the car manufacturers to quote such prices. Anyway, I’d rather go for Tata that is established than for Tara who may just blink like a Tara for some time and vanish in the galaxy of cars! Article Submitted by Joker
Labels: One Lakh Car, Tata, tata nano, Upcoming Cars
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
Friday, 15 February 2008
I have always appreciated Tata for their exemplary social responsibility programmes. I recently came across news that Tata has employed 80 youths from the displaced Singur farm land area into their company. These youths are now being given 15-month training to turn them into multi-skilled workers. They will be given on-the-job training at the Tata Motors facility.
I believe this will give major relief to the West Bengal and Nandigram-Singur farmers protest issue. I am not here to take any sides in the protest. I am just conveying my thoughts over the developments - that is all. Tata should employ more people from the local population. This will help turn the once-poor town into another Jamshedpur.
Article Submitted by VJ Kumar Labels: car jobs, employment, Nano, Tata
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
I was happy to read that Indian goods are more agreeable to the western market consumers than Chinese stuff. I hope this extends to cars made in India as well. I went to Malaysia for a trip and my gang of friends had this Toyota Qualis pick us up. I didn’t get a look at the name of the SUV when I was getting in, but the ride was so comfortable and spacious that I looked at the name tag at the back and it said Qualis! This model was NOT like the tin cup we get in India. This made me realize that India is still treated to low-quality products. Indian car manufacturers have received little support from big players before, but the fast growing economy has made foreigners look at Indian companies seriously. Today, it is Mahindra and Tata Motors that are slowly penetrating these foreign markets. I wish that these guys start manufacturing international standard products like Maruti is trying to do and then sell these quality products within India as well. Prices be damned – I want quality for a change! Article submitted by SwamiLabels: Car market competition, Mahindra, Maruti, Quality of car products in India, Tata, Toyota
Thursday, 7 February 2008
I recently read that Maruti is planning to come up with a low cost car which will be in competition with Nano. But I also came across news saying that the company denies this news and says it is a rumor. At present they have no plans of making a car that will be priced below the Maruti 800. The company is now concentrating on rolling out strategic models like the A-Star and Splash in India. Their recently launched SX4 and the Grand Vitara are performing extremely well ensuring international standard and style to consumers. If Maruti’s low cost car is just a rumor, then I will definitely be disappointed coz Maruti is one of the most reliable brands with good service. Tata’s Nano must be sighing in relief! Labels: Maruti, Small cars market in India, Tata, Ultra cheap cars
Thursday, 31 January 2008
The sale process of Tata buying Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) is almost done. Throughout the process, the entire auto industry analysts have unanimously said that the $2-billion reported bid price by Tata is too high and that JLR would be difficult buys at any price looking at their past history. Ford Motors acquired Jaguar in 1989 and Land Rover in 2000. Both companies are now valued at $2 billion. Ford had paid $2.5 billion for the Jaguar and around $2.7 billion for the Land Rover from BMW. It still remains to be seen if Ford will decide to sell these brands to Tata Motors for a loss. The fact that even though these brands saw major losses in 2006, the year 2007 has seen a major turn around. These brands have churned out a profit margin that not only made a mark in 2007, but also covered their losses in 2006. This recently revealed fact is definitely not a good sign in favor of Tata if they are looking for a good bargain. On the other hand, this could encourage Tata to go all guns blazing and acquire the two brands at any cost. I just hope that one of my fav Indian car companies who has seen so much success in the last few years, does not get blinded by the big names that Jaguar and Land Rover represent and dig a hole for itself in the coming year. Article Submitted by J C BoseLabels: BMW-Cars, Ford, Jaguar and Land Rover, Tata
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Nano’s godfather Ratan Tata has been nominated for the second highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan. He has already received the Padma Bhushan award in 2000. A little peep into his personal life will reveal the secret of his success. Born to Parsi parents, he is one of the most respected and successful businessmen. After pursuing his assignment for a short period in Los Angeles, California, he returned to his home country and took up responsibility of his family business, turning down an offer from IBM. His hard work and dedication gave him the position of a group chairman in 1991. The first Indian passenger car ‘Indica’ was rolled out by them in 1998. Why am I telling you all this? Because I admire this guy and the achievement he has made shows that anyone, including me, can make it to the top! Article submitted by Crown Jewel Labels: Nano, Ratan-Tata, Tata
I am completely excited about the Jaguar and Tata scenario unfolding in the US. Get set going for the Jaguar-Tata production plan. As per media reports, Jaguar has displayed its new models to the Tata Group, its new parents.
Tata Motors was named as preferred bidder by the car giant Ford for sale of its two Brit luxury brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, after evaluating interests by Mahindra and Mahindra and the private equity firm OneEquity.
This definitely looks like the Ford Group in the US has made up their minds and that soon Indian roads may be swarming with Land Rover and Jaguar brands! Labels: Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Tata
Friday, 25 January 2008
(Arun Kumar narrates his experience at the opening day of the Auto Expo that happened recently)
My new year can’t get any better than it already has as today I managed to get entry into the first day of the Auto Expo here in Delhi. I’ve been in this freezing city for the past two days and all dinner conversations have been about the Auto Expo. Today being my last day here as I fly home tomorrow evening, I decided to make a few calls and see if there was any way I could be sneaked into this highly exclusive preview day. Well, as luck would have it, friends were able to pull strings. All they said was, just go there and walk past gate no. 7 and see if anyone stops you. If they do, just say press aadmi and you should sail through. My friends were right. I sailed through! First impressions Pragati Maidan is huge! It takes approx. 15 minutes to walk from one place to another. But the Gods were kind to me as I got to witness almost all the launches in the first half of the day. The first launch that I caught [10:30 am] TATA Sumo Grande was kind of significant for me as my interest lies heavily in the utility vehicles segment. Unfortunately there weren’t too many on display today, unless I just couldn’t find all of them in that vast desert of a venue. But coming back to the Sumo Grande, I have to say that it’s a very impressive effort from TATA Motors. I missed the pre-launch hungama as that was for press aadmis only, but drama is not my cup of tea anyway. I got to see the car up close and take a few pictures and that was enough. First impressions it reminded me of the Scorpio from a side angle, but that’s not such a bad thing as it’s a welcome change from the bread box looking Sumo Victa. It’s a good thing that the makers have finally paid some attention to styling and looks. The interior is very comfortable with beige interiors and a height adjustable driver’s seat. It’s also got a 2.2 DICOR engine that claims to give 16 kpl. Well that’s still left to be seen, but I will agree that the Grande is loaded with features. Things I could take note of: Dual AC with separate louvers for the second and third row seats, Tilt adjustable steering Height adjustable driver’s seat, Electric ports for both front and rear passengers, Puddle lamps, and Comfortable 5-speed gear shift Speakers on doors. It comes fitted with Alpine CD/MP3 player with 6 speakers and a USB port, Large clear lens headlamps and a cutaway air dam in the front. Not bad, I thought the rear is very bus-like though. But, at least it’s got the spare wheel under the floor, which makes it a tad neater. It’s got the same sporty alloys as the Safari. I know TATA Motors is in the spotlight for its One-Lakh so called miracle car, but honestly, my expectations aren’t too high about it. But with the Grande, I had no clue about its launch, which is supposed to happen sometime in Feb. I like the looks of it. The styling has definitely improved, the colours are more attractive and so is the price. Delhi Ex-Showroom is Rs 6.55 Lakh for the Sumo Grande LX [Base model] and Rs 7.49 Lakh for the Sumo Grande GX [top end]. Submitted by Arun KumarLabels: Auto-Expo, New launch, Tata
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Tata plans to come up with an electric car. I am happy to note that Tata Motors has considered making a green car for Indian roads. On one hand the company is manufacturing Nano, which is likely to raise pollution levels in India even though they claim that it has passed the Euro emission tests, and on the other hand there is a plan for an electric car. The company seems to be heading in all directions. It seems it is in a tearing hurry to make it big in the car industry. Tata need to thoroughly think of a strategy to make good feasible cars for the use of the common middle-class man across the world. Electric cars have performed poorly in India mainly because of re-charging problems, low output, and absolutely no help as petrol bunks. Tata needs to develop a performance oriented electric car if it wants to compete in this line of cars being manufactured. Submitted by RajuLabels: Electric Car, Nano, Tata
Dilip Chaabria, the style guru of Indian cars does not spare any car without adding his creativity to it. He has used his fabulous imagination to create quite a few small wonders. DC’s Ambierod at the Auto Expo changed the look of our oldie Ambassador giving it new life. Amby’s redesign proved that with little creativity and hard work, any car can look posh and trendy. Now DC has laid his hands on the yet to be launched Tata ‘ Nano’. It is already a funky, small looking marvel and he will customize it to look more or less like a spaceship. What has he done to the ‘Nano’? He groomed everything starting from gull wing doors to the xenon and LED light panel to wider wheels, and equipped it with the fastest bike power engine of 1400cc called Hayabusa – a power monster that will turn this cutie into a roller-coaster. The interiors were also loaded with next generation gadgets like a PC screen featuring internet, navigation, games, and, last but not least, a customized instrumental panel. This is a great design for the next generation Nano car, but definitely no where related to the price tag of the current Nano. Wonder if Tata will bring this version out sometime in the near future at a higher price tag. Labels: Auto-Expo, Car-Designs, Tata
The Nano made a big debut at the Delhi Auto Show. The talks of Nano even reached the ears of Detroit. Detroit is currently holding the biggest auto fair in North America, and Tata’s cheap car is again the centre of attention. Despite a Chinese SUV that debuted at the show at Detroit at generated a lot of interest, the Nano initiated a discussion among car lovers and media across the state. A section of the international media went further to say that the car held centre stage at the Detroit show and it was not even on display. Nice to see a desi car ruling the car industry and media across the globe surpassing the green angst. Labels: Auto-Shows, Tata
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
In recent days, I am only hearing about the Nano as the first small car to hit the auto market in the world. How can it be called the first small car when Fiat had already launched such type of a small car long back? Going down memory lane, one of the biggest auto manufacturing companies, Fiat, tried its luck in making the world’s first small car and had launched the “Fiat 500” with much fan fare in 1957. This car had created so much flutter in the auto industry, especially in the European market, that within a span of a few months after launching this small car, the sale of two-wheeler had come down drastically in Europe. Most families opted for Fiat 500 and it has still remained as the first choice for many people opting for small cars in Europe. As far as the Nano is concerned, it should not be called the first small car ever made in the world with people in mind. However, it might be the first car in the world to hit the roads with as low as a Rs 1 Lakh tag. The Nano can be credited and labeled as the first 1 lakh car in the world not as the first small car in the world. At first sight, the Nano looks like a replica of the Fiat 500. The shadow of the Fiat 500 can be noted in various parts of the Nano. In terms of design, style, a rear-end engine, and fuel efficiency, one cannot see much changes between the two cars. Nano is undoubtedly the pride of the Indian auto industry and it will definitely become an integral part in shaping India's car market history.
Article Submitted by N Vishnuprathap
Labels: Auto market competition, Fiat, Small cars market in India, Tata
Saturday, 12 January 2008
Tata Motors’ ambitious One Lakh Car the ‘Nano’ has finally happened but how honest is it in terms of price? Will the Nano really cost just 1 lakh rupees?
What I know is that it will be offered in 3 variants and only the base variant will have an ex-showroom price of one lakh. To know exactly how heavy it’s going to be on your pockets, you’ll have to wait until October when the Nano will be commercially launched. I can tell you this much though… if you are saving exactly one lakh for this car, you might find yourself falling a little short when you go to purchase it. Don’t forget that you’ll be paying VAT, octroi and related taxes for the car. The price is definitely going to cross the ‘one lakh’ mark by a few thousand. I’m thinking 1.4 Lakh. Still a good price for a car though.
Submitted by R. Raghavan Labels: One Lakh Car, Prices, Tata
Thursday, 10 January 2008
Everyone’s wait for Tata’s One-Lakh Car is finally over. The much awaited people’s car has been unveiled at the largest Auto Expo that India has ever seen. The name chosen is “Nano” that represents its size and technology used.
Guesses about this car’s name were making rounds in various forums and blogs. The various options explored were Jeh, Miracle, IndiOne, Indi-Va, Tata-1, and even Atom. The strongest competition was between the name ‘Nano’ and ‘Jeh’, since “Jeh” are the first three letters taken from the name Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy, founder of the Tata Empire, JRD Tata. I guess ‘Nano’ is the ideal name for this car with its in-built ‘nano’ technology.
Now the wait starts for the ‘Nano’ to be commercially launched. The expected month of launch is October in the midst of Diwali. Labels: Auto-Expo, New launch, One Lakh Car, Tata
Tata Motors has launched the much awaited Sumo ‘Grande’, a new version of its popular MUV. It will be up for sale within the first week of February. The model will be available in two variants and both variants will be powered by a 2.2-litre DiCor engine. The Grande is styled to look like a SUV and drive like a sedan. Tata Motors expects the new model to increase Sumo sales by 30 percent. The Grande will be priced between Rs 6.55 lakh and Rs 7.49 lakh. Tata can only hope that the Grande will bring back the grandeur that the Sumo once had. Labels: MUVs, New launch, Tata
While reading a recent interview of Honda Motors’ chief operating officer for South Asia, I came across him saying that they have brought robots from Europe for their Indian facility. The ultra modern and sophisticated robots are engaged in the painting division. No doubt Honda has able robots. Honda is credited with having created the most advanced humanoid robots popularly called ASIMOs. The latest ASIMO is capable of providing uninterrupted service to office guests. So Honda has brought in robots to replace their painting division. But what needs to be highlighted is that when unemployment runs so high in the country and the automobile sector being one of the largest employment sectors, a company like Honda Motors thinks it’s fine to let robots do some work too. In contrast, Tata and Maruti are fine examples of employee recruitment and satisfaction. A recent study has revealed that car buyers were inclined to choose Maruti products because of high employee satisfaction within the car company.
I am of the opinion that Robots are fine where labour shortage is a problem. But it’s impractical to engage in such moves where there is surplus labour available. I own one of Honda’s cars and am impressed with the quality of their engineering. But when i ponder over the effect of such tactics from employers in all manufacturing facilities and domains, I can’t help but worry. It would please me greatly to know that skilled Indian hands are at work at Honda Motors’ plant in Manesar. Submitted by Ramesh H. M. Labels: Honda, Jobs, Maruti, Tata
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
A lot of mystery surrounds the launch of Tata Motors’ one lakh car. Its design has created a huge interest in top auto designers across the world. Recently, Formula One designer Peter Stevens brooded over the design of an Ultra Low Cost Car (ULCC). He likes to call it his biggest challenge so far. Stevens has been associated with the Formula One team and has designed powerful cars including the McLaren F1, Lotus Espirit and the MGSV Sports car. But what’s makes the design of the cheap car difficult is that it has to be built with simple instruments and the simplest of mechanisms. Maintaining low production costs would be priority. After thinking about it for some time, he was able to outline a few key points to focus on with the design. He suggests that good fuel economy would be an important factor for the car. An aluminum body would turn out to be expensive hence cheaper materials would have to be included into the design. The car would also have to miss out on many comfort features and power accessories. However, Stevens has not yet come up with a conclusive answer. It seems Ratan Tata has made people look at car ownership as an inverted pyramid with millions of people at the top. Soon the dynamics of car manufacture will change forever and car design will focus on common people instead of the wealthy. Once considered luxury goods like television, mobile phones, housing, have now become common. Cars, we think, will be no different soon. Labels: Car-Designs, One Lakh Car, Tata
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
The much hyped Tata ‘one lakh car’ may not eventually roll out of an Indian facility. Tata Motors is planning to assemble it at its Thai plant before launching it in India. The company is also planning to create a component manufacturing hub around the plant.
Tata has submitted an application to Thailand’s Board of Investment requesting permission to invest as much as Rs. 800 Crore for the assembly plant. The proposal is likely to be considered by the Board some time next week.
With Tata looking to China for components and Thailand for labour, it remains to be seen what the company is looking for in Indian companies to contribute to this project. Labels: Assembly, Car-components, One Lakh Car, Tata
Friday, 28 December 2007
Tata Motors is well ahead of the rest in a race to capture the market. But the reputed auto giant seems unfulfilled when it comes to design and safety on its models and not without reason. Take a look at the Tata Sumo. The vehicle has a strong chassis and a good powertrain that’s probably picked up from Tata’s truck line-up. However, inspite of recent model remakes, it retains its tin-box image. Another model which received a new look recently is the Indica. Besides being reliable and economical, the car has catered to passenger convenience to a good extent. Yet the styling still looks pretty dated and reminds one of cars that ruled the roads a decade ago. Tata should work toward seeing off the current taxi-wala image of these indigeneous models.
Article submitted by Kishore Nandan Labels: Facelift, Indigeneous, Tata, Taxi
Thursday, 27 December 2007
Recent reports in the Western press about Tata motors’ prospective takeover of the Land Rover and Jaguar brands have raised a few disturbing questions. News analysis and blogs seem perturbed by Tata’s bid for the iconic British brands. The Western media raises the phantom issue of brand image dilution at the hands of the Tata’s; a car manufacturer they associate with the world’s cheapest car – the infamous one-lakh car. Their premise is that the image of the big brands that Tata is eyeing may take a beating as a result of this. Does the argument hold water? Another question is whether Western car enthusiasts are really so baffled by the change of ownership that they would overlook the survival of Land Rover and Jaguar. Yet another question is, why such discomfiture on the part of some journalists and bloggers? Do people really have so much idle time as to waste it on such issues? Are vested interests in act here? If not the common people, then who’s writing such obnoxious stuff? The answers to these questions deliver a clearer picture of the situation. As far as the Tatas are concerned, their business credentials are solid. Tata is not just a business conglomerate but a business house that has contributed immensely to the making of modern India. Tatas belong to a generation of conscientious businessmen; a generation of yore who believed in giving back to society from what they got. The Indian Institute of Science and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research stand testimony to their benevolence. In India, the Tatas are clearly seen as ‘businessmen with professionalism’. The conglomerate has always been led by a visionary businessman, be it the founder Jamshedji or the current leader Ratanji. Tata’s business success is a story of India’s rising economic strength. It’s not the question of Tatas winning or losing the bid for Jaguar and Land Rover. They have won many a time and have also lost on a few occasions. The outcome of the bid is by no means a standard to gauge the Indian car maker. It will not mean the world if they win and will definitely not be the end of the road if they lose. But, is there anyone else who has stepped up to the task at hand? Only a handful of companies have actually filed for the bid and now only two remain in the race, one of them being a private equity entity - EquityOne. In this case, what’s really disturbing is the scale of dissemination of such ideology. Would Western car buyers really want to know who made the car they are driving or where it came from? The current views are clearly an indication of restlessness and a result of the propagation of an old belief system pertaining to developing countries. Be what it may, Asia is truly rising. Article submitted by Krishnaraj ShastriLabels: Jaguar, Land Rover, One-Lakh-Rupee-Car, Tata
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
As India is emerging as a global hotspot for four-wheelers, top guns in the auto industry are inventing ways to capture the largest share and fiddling with the buzz word - ultra-cheap cars. Renault- Nissan is looking at replacing auto rickshaws from Indian roads completely. They have already entered an agreement with Ashok Leyland to churn out low cost trucks and with Bajaj Autos to engineer a $3,000 car by 2010. India's Tata Motors aims to launch its long-awaited $2,500 car in 2008. Maruti is currently out of the ultra-cheap car loop. Tata is still in the fray even after a lot of political turmoil in their small car plant in West Bengal. It is time for consumers to ponder about how the Renault- Nissan combo is going to compete with the three-wheelers in India. Labels: Ashok Leyland, Bajaj, Buses and Trucks, Maruti, Nissan, Renault, Tata, Three-wheelers, Ultra cheap cars
Monday, 10 December 2007
After Suzuki’s big guy sounded the auto world off about the safety and pollution consequences of yet-to-be-launched ultra cheap cars in India, I was wondering why Indian auto experts were silent. However, the point of concerns are different, the crux of the matter boils down to a lot of other factors characterising the changing environment and energy consuming patterns in India. Efficient technology and efficiency norms have become important, say specialists from the automobile industry. The Indian car makers are been quiet about it. Few days back even Tata tied up with ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) to develop the country’s first proto model bus powered by gas. The bus will not run on an engine, but on electric power produced out of a mix of hydrogen and oxygen. May be it’s the time for others also to pump in some money in their R&D sectors to help control environment pollution in the country, as India becomes the favourite car market in the world, beating China. Labels: Automobile research and development, Corporate social responsibilties, Environment friendly cars, Suzuki, Tata, Ultra cheap cars
Wednesday, 5 December 2007
Honeymoon days for small cars seem to be over, now experts are looking at them from a critical standpoint. The Japanese mini-car specialist, Suzuki Motor is taking a cautious view to the race to build a $3,000 car in India. India's Tata Motors has previously said it plans to introduce a $3,000 car into the market by next year, while Nissan and Renault are also considering jointly launching a similarly priced vehicle in India by 2010. Wonder how environment protection has suddenly become an issue to the Japanese car maker? Suzuki is worried about the low-cost cars meeting global standards of emission and automobile safety. Whether these cars would include airbags or seatbelts is yet to be seen. The Maruti Suzuki India Limited market share majority is owned by the Japanese automaker, which now has a market share of more than 50 percent in India. However, its dominance is increasingly challenged by global automakers who will not rest until they take a large bite out of the extremely delicious Indian auto market pie. Labels: Auto market competition, Low budget cars, Maruti Suzuki, Nissan, Renault, Small car market in India, Suzuki, Tata
Monday, 3 December 2007
If Tata and Suzuki is on the war front, who will be the winner? Well, now you know Tata Motors Ltd. is set to present its ‘ One Lakh’ car at the Auto Expo 2008. After launching this new car, Tata will beat the ‘Two Lakh’ car of Suzuki – the Maruti 800. M800 is the lowest level priced four-wheel automobile that is currently in the Indian market. After much anticipation and questions as to whether the new 1 lakh car will be a reality, Tata has announced it will debut on the Auto Expo 2008. I have faith in them but Suzuki’s says ‘No way’. Suzuki started producing M800 in 1983 in India. The vehicle is still on the market as the least priced car. Tata’s One Lakh Car will be positioned as the least priced soon, because Suzuki has not yet announced its entry into the ultra low priced automobile market. While Tata is on exploration with this new People’s dream, Suzuki is busy capturing hearts with its new hit: the “ SX4” sedan. The question still remains as to who will win this battle in the ultra-cheap small car market. Labels: Car market competition, Maruti Suzuki, One-Lakh Rupee Car, Small car market in India, Tata
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Ashok Leyland is a big name in the heavy motor vehicle world. However, not many know that it’s Hinduja Group’s Flagship Company too. It plans to launch its next-generation range of hybrid trucks and buses in the upcoming years. The company is developing electronic shift-by-wire transmission technology and electronic-controlled engine management systems to take fuel efficiency to a new level. This move may have been triggered by Tata’s Hydrogen Bus initiative. According to sources, their aim is to enhance both automotive power and fuel efficiency in the to-be-developed new age vehicles. The electronic shift-by-wire transmission is expected to decrease the fuel consumption by 5 percent. The company is working on both electric battery and bio-fuel modes for its hybrid range of vehicles in India. Ashok Leyland has been doubling-up its head count at its technical centre in Chennai. It now has over 600 engineers and researchers, up from a mere 100 in 2003. Even in the R&D, it has been pumping in a lot of cash. Small cars and big cars, Indian car makers are not behind the race with their global counterparts; as for quality, we will have to wait and drive! Labels: Ashok Leyland, Auto market competition, Buses and Trucks, Hybrids, Launches in India, Tata
Tata Motors is looking to achieve compact dimensions for its current Indigo model. Tata has had to make sheet metal changes to the car, not an easy or cheap option. The Indigo’s extended wheelbase is the same as is the rear suspension, but the bumper and boot have been chopped to fit the four-meter length. Once Tata qualifies for this sop, it will mean a significant reduction in cost of around eight percent on the car’s ex-factory price. For the Indigo, this could work out to be around a Rs. 30,000 reduction depending on the model and Tata will have to pass on a fair amount of this to buyers, if it is looking to deliver better value. Probably the best part is that the shorter boot section will actually improve the Indigo’s fat-bottom looks. The Indigo Compact could change the entire dynamics of the entry saloon segment, impacting the Mahindra-Renault Logan, Maruti SX4, and various others. Labels: Car-competition, Compact sedans, Indian car manufacturer, Mahindra-Renault, Maruti Suzuki, New look, Tata
Friday, 23 November 2007
Buying a car is no more a luxury for Indians, it’s a necessity. For the global automotive industry, China is now a passé, India grabs all their attention. Last year, car sales in India totaled in 1.1 million with compact hatchbacks accounting for nearly three quarter of that. Time for Maruti, Tata, or Mahindra to pull up their socks, foreign automakers like Nissan, Hyundai, and Renault are aiming big in India. A recent auto survey says that the car market in India is growing at an average of 20 percent a year, outpacing even China. Nissan already made its entry to the Indian market with Renault SA of France and Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd and sold its Logan like hot cakes early this year. Japan’s carmakers are not behind in this race, the biggies like Toyota and Honda have already pronounced their presence here loudly. Maruti 800, Alto, or Santro says small car is always a big hit in India. Incited by Tata's super-cheap People’s Car next year, Nissan and Renault are projecting a car that may sell for as little as $2,500. And now India’s two-wheeler giant Bajaj and Renault are discussing the possibilities of ultra inexpensive cars. With this pace, bicycle and two wheelers may look like extinct products of the auto world. Labels: Bajaj, Car manufacturers in India, Car-competition, Honda, Hyundai, Mahindra, Mahindra-Renault, Maruti, Nissan, Renault, Tata, Toyota
Tata Motor’s Social Responsibility Index will now outsmart many players now. They initiated a green project with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for developing a 60-seater proto-model bus powered by gas by 2010. The bus will not run on an engine, but on electric power produced out of a mix of hydrogen and oxygen. It will use hydrogen fuel cell technology as against combustion technology which burns gasoline. The frame and chassis will be developed by Tata Motors, and ISRO will provide the fuel technology. The estimated cost of the bus will roughly be Rs 80 Lakh with per kg of hydrogen gas that will have running cost of around Rs 120 per kg or more. Like CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) enabled public vehicles helped in controlling Delhi’s pollution in the last few years, this new project by Tata and ISRO is a great step towards climate control and a small step towards scheming Green House Gases (GHG). Labels: Environment friendly engine, Hydrogen fueled busus, Tata
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
The Indian SUV market is so competitive that the big boys make no delays. Tata has recently launched the new Safari to keep the existing demand of Safari going and the answer for that from Mahindra was quick, announcing the launch of the Scorpio 2.2L Eagle before the end of this year. Now it’s time to see GM defend itself in this hard core competition. GM has announced plans to launch the new Chevrolet Tavera. While competition is heating up, GM is right in the firing line as ever before with this limited edition Tavera. As reports say GM has no plans to launch an all new Tavera with a new engine. It will be a face-lifted version of the existing Tavera with additions in the exterior and interior features. This new Tavera will come out as a limited edition. This new Tavera has all sort of unique features. Despite the existing features of Tavera the face-lifted Tavera offers a larger grille with a bigger Chevrolet bowtie and an elongated air dam. Inside, a three spoke steering wheel replaces the existing two spoke and it gets a new instrument panel and a projected central console. The space above the glove box is now covered and is made as an additional glove box. I am sure the other SUVs in the market will line up soon with their new versions to continue to keep themselves in the market. Labels: Chevrolet, Improved interior features, Limited Edition launch, Mahindra, SUVs, Tata
Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Nissan wants to make a $3,000 car. Nissan recently confirmed that it is confident of being able to develop a $3,000 car in India with proposed partner Bajaj Auto Ltd. The Renault-Nissan alliance has been doing serious research for the production of this new $3,000 car. Tata quoted its One-Lakh-Car would be a rear-engine, 600-cc, four-door hatchback. A series of question is still in the air. What are the features the car will host? How can a car offer the essential safety measures with such a price tag? Will the engine and power be enough to carry four or in some cases five people? Nissan is confident about the $3,000 car’s production for India and Tata’s claim is still not disproved. Let’s wait and watch to see what new turns the Indian auto market will take. Labels: Bajaj, Car-competition, Indian low budget cars, Nissan, One-Lakh Rupee Car, Renault, Tata
Thursday, 15 November 2007
Hyundai must be celebrating the launch of the over-awaited brand new i10 and preparing to hype publicity about the soon-to-be-out Santa Fe. Honda must be whooping with joy anticipating the upcoming Jazz. Nissan is busily weaving its net with more Indian partners to debut more great cars. But check out what Tata is catching up with. Sure they are also busy launching new models and getting into joint ventures, but our Tata is now tracking its brand loyal customers through a new website called Watblog.com. Carazoo normally does not cover anything other than cars, but we are going to make a small exception here, because the news is something really, really special. It may well be the next very serious car sales action from the Tata brand. The intention behind this new website is to promote its new Indica Xeta model. Tata’s Watblog.com is offering its new Xeta fans some Video-Chop jobbies through a video contest. The theme for the contest video should express the tagline idea ‘You Gotta Be Dumb if You Miss the Xeta’. Howz that? We liked it. What do you say? Planning to participate? If you win you can be the owner of a brand new Tata Indica Xeta just like that! Labels: Carazoo, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Promotional campaign, Tata, Video-making competition
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
The new Tata Safari Dicor 2.2 has hit the Indian roads and is no doubt ruling them too. It outdoes all other SUVs in the market and that too by a large margin. The new improved exterior and the plush interiors both help Safari Dicor 2.2 bag the top slot in its category. And with the sales figures on the rise I think this beast is here to stay. The main feature that distinguishes the Safari Dicor 2.2 from its variants and its competitors has to be the incredible engine that Tata motors has developed right from scratch. The engine unleashes mind-blowing power, torque and top speed that leave the competitors way behind in the race. This machine is equipped with top class safety measures. Right from ABS and EBD to air bags for the driver and the co-driver to the innovative Reverse Guide System, Tata Safari Dicor has it all. A perfect vehicle for the hardcore off-roaders, Safari Dicor 2.2 conquers all terrains. Priced at 11.5 lacs, this SUV is worth every penny. Article Submitted by Sam MalhotraLabels: Car manufacturers in India, New look, Safari DICOR, SUVs, Tata
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
Tata and Fiat are in the news again; first it was with Tata Motors One-Lakh Car, then Tata’s recent partnership venture with the Italian Fiat Auto followed by their first joint venture project Grand Punto and Linea (B and C segment cars respectively) which will be launched by 2008. Today they are on this page because they are taking up another new step in the small cars segment. This new car is to be launched by 2010 and will be a possible replacement to the Palio. Since the Palio has been a slow mover compared to the other small cars of same class, Fiat-Tata decided to replace this model and have already started working on the developments of the new car. This ‘jugalbandi’ is currently concentrating only on the Palio petrol version (1.1 and 1.6 liter). The other versions like the Fiat Palio (diesel version) and Fiat Siena/Petra have been discontinued. Their joint network will definitely increase their distribution and servicing strength. Fiat has approximately 65 dealers and is planning to expand to a 100 more by 2008, when the new Fiat models will be launched. Let’s wait and watch for this new under-cover small car, maybe it will prove to be a lucky charm for Fiat! Labels: cars-India, Fiat, Indian car market, Launches in India, Small Car, Tata
Monday, 29 October 2007
Tata extends the variant list of Indigo Marina by adding two more variants - GSX III and SX III. GSX is a petrol version and SX is a diesel version. GSX is priced at 5, 80,645 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) and SX is priced 6, 32,134 Lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). With the addition of two more variants, Indigo Marina swanks of seven variants altogether. Both the variants get a host of luxury, safety, and convenient features that include height adjustable driver’s seat, rear center armrest, VCD player MP3 with headrest mounted LCD screens, power windows, audio warning for key in-door open and key out-door open and headlamps on, rear defogger, and double foldable rear seats. The rack and pinion steering wheel with collapsible steering column is standard. The engine is coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission. The diesel engines can deliver 69 hp of power and the petrol engines give-out 85 hp. With the festival of lights fast approaching, the company has added new variants at the right time. Labels: Growth in Indian auto industry, Indian car manufacturer, Indian car market, New variants, Tata
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
Indian metros are overflowing with vehicles from various Indian and Foreign manufacturers. However, the demand for more and better choices is not yet satiated. Major car manufacturers are launching more and more cars to attain the top position in this jungle of automotives. As newer cars release, people expectations also rise. Price and mileage are two important aspects that the majority of Indian’s focus on. However, no one like to compromise on quality either. Almost all the manufacturers are trying to meet these expectations. Tata is first in line with its One-Lakh People’s Car. Other manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, Chevrolet, Hyundai, and Honda are all getting ready to launch passenger cars as early as next year, so that they can stay alive in the competition. India is emerging as one of the most exuberant marketing hubs for cars of all sorts. Manufacturers have come to realize that the smart buyer is measuring all choices and therefore the more choices one manufacturer provides, the better the chances of that manufacturer surviving in this jungle. GM’s recent foothold in India has made a positive impact and the manufacturer is keen on turning India as one of its marketing centers. This sudden frenzy to capture the Indian market will see the launch of over 20 new cars early next year. It is a real dilemma for customers who had planned for a car by the end of the year. With most of the cars set to be launched in a few months, it is difficult to decide whether we should wait for the new launches or buy something which is already in the market. As far as my opinion goes, I would definitely wait! The more the cars in the market, the better the deals I get. For all I know, I could even decide to go for a model that already exists, but due to market competition, it will cost me much lesser then than it will now. Why settle for a prawn when you can get a seafood platter for the same price?!! Labels: Auto market competition, cars-India, Chevrolet, Growth in Indian auto industry, Honda, Hyundai, Imported cars, Indian car market, Launches in India, Maruti Suzuki, Tata
Friday, 19 October 2007
Now it’s time to hear it, see it in action, to feel it in the hands of our Indian army; wild in the streets - the new armored Safari. Tata Motors has lined up an armored Safari for the use of the Indian Army. The most fascinating thing about the armored Safari is the hand-grenade protection, shatter-proof glass, and side bomb protection with firing ports. Thanks to ever-developing technology and systematic and creative ideas. We have seen Tata’s cars roll out on Indian roads in almost all vehicle segments. We have heard of Tata’s 1 Lakh car. Now, it is time to see bullet proof vehicles for high net worth individuals (HNIs). Reports had indicated that Tata is also working on a new segment that will mainly offer a land mine-proof and bullet-proof vehicle on the Safari platform for HNIs, such as businessmen and political leaders. Like most new innovations, it sounds a lot advanced than it probably is. Hooray! What a concept. Just when many brands have started to offer defense purpose vehicles to the Indian army, Tata went a step ahead. The features will hopefully make VIPs prefer the new armored safari over a regular car. The new vehicle that is currently on track in Hyderabad is reportedly under assessment by the Indian army. Labels: Armored cars, Indian army transport, Indian car manufacturer, Indian car market, Tata
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Do I need to say more about the whole so-called Formula One, the global auto racing event? Maybe you’ve been following the trickle of information flowing out ever since the 1998 Indian Grand Prix attempt when the Indian government started its attempt to get a F1 racing event in India. Tata, Mahindra, Maruti, and many other Indian Manufacturers are following this event closely. Here's another effort to bring F1 to town. Even if the Indian roads are not that much advanced for a F1 race, we have a huge number of racing enthusiasts with Narain Karthikeyan on to race and Vijay Mallya to support. The Indian Olympics Authority is also on the ground to get the race to India by the October 2010 Commonwealth Games. Critics say that the Grand Prix will meet serious infrastructural and environmental challenges in India, but there’s no denying that India is one of the fastest growing economy in Asia with a horde of Young Indians who have high incomes and F1 enthusiasm. Reports indicate that the Formula One architects have visited New Delhi and seen several sites in the National Capital Region and have handed India a race promotion contract and a circuit rights agreement contract. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope to see the first Indian Grand Prix in 2009. Labels: Formula 1 racing, Global market, Imported cars, India, India Trail, Mahindra, Maruti, Tata
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