Indian Car Blog – Carazoo.com

On the Road-BMW MINI Cooper

BMW’s new horse Mini Cooper hatchback is launched on 6th Jan 2012. BMW Mini Cooper is a two-door hatchback is not just a visual delight but also fun to drive. Black bumpers and contrasting external rear view mirror, the matching roof top, the luxury hatchback style is personified to leave consumers jinxed to spot the beauty of the super-curvy compact form.

BMW Mini is launched in petrol variant. Mini Cooper car will make a perfect win-win situation. Mini Cooper can seat the passengers in comfort with lot of boot space to store luggage. The multifunctional steering wheel is leather wrapped with control speed, radio and telephone. The fine leather enlightens the interiors of Mini. The automatic air conditioning gives extreme pleasure to be in the Mini Cooper. Additionally Bluetooth function with USB audio support and hi-fi sound system and high-end communication is a boon.

The in-cabin space is enough for seating 4 passengers in comfort. Interiors are quite roomy with lot of storage options. The Mini Cooper hatchback has intelligent suspension system that gives a smooth and bump-free ride. With the multilink rear axle, each wheel can react independently, even at an uneven road. Excellent braking system is ensured by the disc brakes present in the front as well as rear which are more efficient in stopping the vehicle immediately as compared to the drum brakes. Other features present are CBC (Cornering Brake Control), EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and EDLC (Electric double layer capacitor). The brake lights light up across their entire surface and during emergency braking, they start to flash. The Mini Cooper Variants is Automatic. Most adorable part of the Mini is the alloy wheels. The wheels are strong as well as light and perfectly match to Mini’s character.

The safety of this car is ensured by its rigid chassis body. Its various sensors are enough to recognize threats beforehand. Automatic Stability Control along with Traction Control prevents the front wheels from spinning. ABS (Antilock Braking System), EBD, CBC and Brake Assist are active safety features stuffed in Mini hatchback. Importantly, passive safety is given by six airbags that protect the head and upper body during a head-on collision. Side and head airbags reduce the risk of injuries to the head, chest and pelvic regions during side-on impacts.

posted by somdatta.basu @ Friday, June 15th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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January 5, 2012

2012 Delhi Auto Expo: The curtain opener

2012 Delhi Auto Expo
It is finally here! The much awaited event “The Auto Expo 2012” kicks off against the backdrop of one of the worst slowdowns to hit the industry in recent times. Though we are posting this blog almost half a day after the actual curtain raiser for the event happened, we belive in a policy of better late than never. Coming back to the Auto Expo blog, More than 50 new launches are expected from the big names in the business such as Maruti Suzuki, Ford, Renault, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz. The rising interest rates and the economic slowdown have hurt demand and sales growth has slowed to 3-4% from the heady 30% clip in posted in 2010–11.

Auto Expo is the largest automotive show in India as well as in Asia which is accredited by OICA (Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles; English: International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers). The theme is “Mobility for All”.

The 11th Auto Expo is being organized by ACMA (Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India) which is the national body of the Indian auto component industry, CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) which works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the growth of industry in India, SIAM (Society of India Automobile Manufacturers) which is the apex national body representing the leading vehicles and vehicular engine manufacturers in India.

This year it is scheduled from 5th – 11th Jan. 2012 at the Pragati Maidan , New Delhi. The forthcoming edition will showcase latest technological products, components and vehicles. The special focus will be on Green technologies and environment. There will be 1500 exhibitors from over 24 countries.

The Auto Expo is India’s equivalent of the Detroit, Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Geneva motor shows. The Auto Expo at Delhi is gaining size and stature worldwide with the global demand for cars shifting from developed western markets to emerging economies in the BRIC ( Brazil, Russia, China and India) bloc. It seems that Delhi show is trying to mimic the Shanghai Auto show, which is now the hottest destination for global carmakers. In the last two years, India has seen a growth of 26% and 30% respectively in this segment which has made Delhi a “must present” destination as car companies are lining up for a piece of the fastest growing market in the world after China.

The big names in the business are familiar to the Delhi show. This year, Ford Motor’s chief executive Alan Mullaly, six board members from the from Europe’s biggest car company Volkswagen including Ulrich Hackenberg and Skoda Auto’s global chairman Winfried Vahland are already in the town.

The Expo is full of segment-busting debutantes as car makers’ position products in new niches for some incremental volumes. The big list includes the new multi-purpose vehicle Ertiga from Maruti Suzuki, Audi’s Q3 compact luxury SUV, Ford and Renault’s mini SUVs and the Mini Cooper from BMW.

The Ertiga depicts the entry of Maruti into the multi-purpose vehicle section. It is based on the rIII concept that made its debut at the 2010 Auto Expo. The car is expected to be priced somewhere around Rs. 7 – 8 lakhs. This car is being treated as a “big launch” as Maruti is always known for its strength, durability and understanding of the Indian car market in the sub Rs 10 lakhs segment. The Ertiga, competitor of Toyota innova and Mahindra Xylo, will be loaded with a 1.3 litre diesel engine (used in SX4)and an all new 1.4 litre petrol engine. Maruti is hoping to create a new segment with the product and expects to not only generate fresh demand but also poach sedan customers, Shashank Srivastava, Chief GM, Marketing and Sales, said.

The Audi Q3, the new vehicle from the German car company, will be a rival to BMW’s mini SUV, the X1, and is expected to priced at around Rs 22 lakhs. With the Q3, Audi is expected to move up to the second position in the luxury market, ahead of Mercedes Benz and behind BMW. “It will be a game-changer product for us and we are confident that Q3 will help us gain an edge in the luxury space” Michael Perschke, Audi India Head, said.

A number of SUVs pricing in the range of Rs 10 lakh will debut at the expo, including the EcoSport from Ford and Duster from Renault. These new products are expected to compete with the homegrown Mahindra Scorpio and Tata Safari. Mahindra will also be unveiling the Rexton and Korando SUVs from Ssangyong, the Korean company it acquired last year.

posted by carazooblog @ Thursday, January 5th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post

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February 23, 2011

Indian Women Love Audi

new-Audi-TT-1
It is a known fact that car makers in the Indian automobile space are fighting for market shares and supremacy. But there’s one car maker which has conquered the hearts of the women folk in India. Yes, Audi India has landed on the rare distinction of being the most loved car brand in India beating other car makers vying for the space with a considerable margin.

A leading Indian daily recently disclosed the above-mentioned piece of news. About 65 per cent of the women folk have already chosen Audi TT as their rides in the past.

“What is surprising is that a good number of sports cars — R8 and Audi TT (the latter with over 60-70 bookings) – are being purchased by women in India. That shows women too love to drive luxury cars, particularly sporty ones,” Michael Perschke, Audi India Head, was quoted as saying by the aforementioned source.
And of course, Audi sees the news as a way to promise greater sales in the future, hinting that 2011 is expected to bring increased revenues for the German brand. Audi is the third in the top foreign car brands in India, after Mercedes Benz and BMW.

“The Indian automotive business is showing some signs of correction due to various factors, including higher interest rates. But this does not deter us, as we feel that we will be able to replicate last year’s record growth this year too as we launch some more models in to the country,” Mr. Perschke added in a statement.

posted by carazooblog @ Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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February 22, 2011

Small Towns Become Big Deals for Luxury Car Makers

There was a time when people in small towns had to make do with the not-so-fancy cars as luxury car makers were too busy satisfying the needs of the well-heeled in the metros. But not anymore! Ever since they realized the potential, the luxury carmakers are now seen running towards these towns with all they have got. Luxury car dealers, who have already made it big in Ahmedabad, are spreading out to districts like Surat, Rajkot among others.

In the meantime, dealers are also upgrading their Ahmedabad dealerships to sell pre-owned luxury cars. Each showroom expansion investment would come up to Rs 25-30 crore, so you can expect a total investment of up to Rs 100 crore by the three major premium car dealers in the city, Parsoli’s BMW, Benchmark Cars’ Mercedes and Audi Ahmedabad.

Ahmedabad based BMW car dealer Parsoli Motors opened its new sales and service showroom at Surat earlier this month, and is also in the process of assessing the feasibility of setting up showrooms in other towns too.

“We plan to come up with one showroom each in the north, south, east and west corners of the state. Surat is very vibrant now, and is a booming market for luxury cars. So, we started off with Surat, other showrooms can come in at places like Rajkot among others”, said Talha Sareshwala, managing director of Parsoli Motors. He also mentioned that the scope for luxury cars is surprisingly huge in places like Vapi, Bharuch, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar in Gujarat.

You may find it surprising that around 90-95 premium cars sell per month in the city, and BMW has a market share of around 40 per cent. Sareshwala also plans to come up with a BMW pre-owned cars showroom here in the city. “We are planning to have a BMW Premium Selection showroom here in the city. It will come up within this year”, Sareshwala said. BMW Ahmedabad is experiencing a 40-45 per cent annual growth rate. The dealership has sold over 300 BMWs in 2010.

Mercedes Benz India has already opened its pre-owned cars service, ‘Proven Exclusivity Program’ in the city recently. Mercedes Benz has been in the Indian market for more than 10 years now and has around 30,000 cars plying on the road. It has planned to get cars that are not more than six years old, refurbish them and sell through their outlets.

Audi is planning similar things too. Audi, which recently launched its premium sedan A8L in the Indian market, is also looking at expanding its network in Surat, along with opening a pre-owned cars service here in Ahmedabad.

Samir Mistry, managing director, of Audi Ahmedabad said, “We are coming up with a new showroom at Surat by end of April, while we are also upgrading our current showroom in Ahmedabad to a 20,000 square feet one by February 2012. We plan to start a pre-owned cars service in Ahmedabad soon.” Audi sold 285 cars in Ahmedabad in 2010, up 60 per cent from 2009.

posted by carazooblog @ Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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February 8, 2011

Audi India Diving for India’s No. 1 Slot in Luxury Car Market

audi_logo
When Indians consider buying a luxury car, the first names to pop-up are either Mercedes Benz or BMW. Audi comes mostly as an afterthought. But the Volkswagen Group firm has decided to change all that and wants to become the leader in the Indian luxury car market ahead of compatriots BMW and Mercedes Benz.

Audi India, which currently occupies the third position behind BMW and Mercedes Benz, has said that it is looking for more than 50 per cent sales growth this year as it gears up to launch new models in the country. And the war has already started with the upcoming launch of premium luxury car: the Audi A8L
“By 2015 we aim to be the number one in the Indian luxury car market,” Audi India Head Michael Perschke said.

Audi India expects the Indian luxury car market to grow tremendously and cross 50,000 units annually in the next five years from about 15,000 units in 2010, he added. When Mr. Perschke was asked about Audi’s sales target during this year, he said: “We are aiming to sell a minimum of 4,500 units and we expect the luxury car market to grow to 20,000-25,000 units.”

Last year, Audi India sold 3,003 units, which translated into a growth of 81 per cent compared to the sales in the previous year. BMW has maintained its firm grasp in the Indian market and has managed so far to keep the competition at bay. BMW sold 6,246 units in India in 2010.

Mercedes Benz sold a total of 5,819 cars between January and December, 2010. It is also the highest ever sales figure achieved by Mercedes Benz in India. Audi has already sold 480 units in January 2011, its highest ever monthly sales in India, as against 306 units in the same month last year, up 57 per cent.

The company showcased the latest version of its flagship sedan A8, priced from Rs 89 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) onwards. And the luxury bug that has bitten Indians, Audi has already secured bookings for about 150 units, which will be delivered in the next 3-4 months.

“More models will be launched this year, including the new A7 and A6,” Perschke added.

Additionally, Audi India is also expanding its dealership network to 20 by the end of this year from 15 outlets at present.

posted by carazooblog @ Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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January 27, 2011

Maruti ranked seventh on nation’s most trusted 300 brands: Study

According to study conducted and published recently by Trust Research Advisory (TRA), a leading research organization dedicated to understanding and simplifying concepts related to Trust, Marutihas been ranked at seventh position out of the Nation’s most trusted 300 brands.

The automobile sector has made quite an impression on the nation as one of the most trusted sectors, according to a study released by The Trust Research Advisory (TRA). The report has ranked India’s first indigenous car brand Maruti, at seventh place, whilst leading two-wheeler brand Hero Honda came in at 13th place and international luxury brand BMW at 33rd place. Hyundai drove in at 43rd place, whilst TVS at 54th place. Toyota was ranked at 66th place, Ford at 74th place, Mercedes Benz at 81st position, Audi at 104th place and Suzuki at 118th place. Skoda was 126th on the list, whilst Tata was at 159th place. Ferrari was at 162nd position.

Maruti’s Composite Brand Trust scores stay very close to the average line with the third lowest variance across the 10 composite parameters showing a strong consistency. Whilst there are no major shifts seen in these composite scores, the little extra edge is given to Maruti’s Brand Trust by its outward appearance, representative of the brand’s attractive appearance, appropriate expression, conformation to high standards.

Whilst the brand maintains a good balance in composite scores, its zonal pulls and variations are quite high. Maruti’s East and North zone trust indices are substantially higher than the other two zones. The East zone pull leads the lowest brand trust zone, the west by three times and the next lowest zone, south by almost two times. Maruti’s highest score among primary attributes of Brand Trust is in the brand’s consistency over time, something that Indians will relate to closely.

The revelations were a result of a study, published by Trust Research Advisory (TRA), a leading research organization dedicated to understanding and simplifying concepts related to Trust. The study, compiled into a 116-page report titled “The Brand Trust Report, India Study, 2011” was launched at a press meet, held recently, in New Delhi. The Brand Trust Report, India Study, 2011 is the result of years of detailed research to understand trust which included several hundred hours of discussions with communication experts and behavioural scientists.

N. Chandramouli, CEO, Trust Research Advisory (TRA) said, “The parameters under which this comprehensive study was carried out by TRA, is the first of its kind in the country. I believe that this detailed study on Brand Trust, will benefit the automobile sector in the long run. I wish them all the best in all their future endeavors and hope they make their way higher in the coming years as one of India ‘most trusted brands’.”

posted by carazooblog @ Thursday, January 27th, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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January 21, 2011

BMW Comes out with a new 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine

BMW Engine
BMW has finally come out with its 2.0L four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. This oil burner codenamed N20 was in the making for quite some time now. The 2 Liter turbocharged engine now will replace the classic naturally aspirated 3.0L six cylinder engine which is doing duty in many of BMW’s car models. This new engine might also be seen in the BMWs in Indian market soon.

Though the company is mum on the details of the engine, we expect that the new engine will power the likes of BMW 1-Series, BMW X3, 3-Series, Z4 roadster and 5-Series models in the Indian market. Did we miss out to say that this new engine is the first ever four-cylinder petrol engine employing BMW’s Twin-Power Turbo Technology.

The new engine which comes with a all-aluminium crankcase is just not light, but with a twin-scroll turbo charging system, it is quite powerful also. Any BMW car fitted with this dream of an engine must cruise like a knife in the cake. To top it all, the N20 engine is mated with the advanced version of company’s VALVETRONIC variable valve control system.

BMW Engine 1jpg

Now, For those magic numbers that you all have been so patiently reading this blog for, here it is. The new 2.0L engine is capable to pump out a peak power of 245 bhp at 5,000 rpm alsong with a top torque of 35.6 kg/m at 1,250 rpm. Its just not the numbers which looks promising here, the fuel economy and the emission level also has been drastically decreased comapred to the same of its existing 3.0L power-train.

posted by carazooblog @ Friday, January 21st, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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January 12, 2011

Maserati slated to come to India

2011+maserati+quattroporte
Maserati is coming to India. Make way for the Maserati. Yes, you read it right. The Italian luxury and sports-car maker will be here in India anytime within the next upcoming 6 months.

Ferrari S.p.A, the Italian super car maker that is owned by the larger Fiat Group, owns Maserati brand. It is a well-known fact that Ferrari is eying the very lucrative Indian luxury car market and will make its presence felt in India soon.

The speculation of Maserati brand making inroads to India gathers feathers as the brand boasts of a portfolio that includes Quattroporte range, the GranCabrio and GranTurismo series. These are the very cars that Maserati would be launching in India incase it comes here. We expect Maserati to price its products anywhere between 1Cr and 1.5Cr.

2011-maserati-granturismo-convertible

Now that luxury brands like Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Bentley, BMW, Audi, Bugatti, Lamborghini etc have already started laughing their way to the banks, Fiat does not want to be left out and the decision of bringing in Ferrari and Maserati is quite sane.

Since its launch last year, Porsche’s 4-door sports crossover sedan, Panamera, which costs over a crore rupees, has been doing great in India. Now, Maserati, the original maker of the 4-door sports crossover sedan, the Quattroporte does not want to be late to the party already being enjoyed by the German Luxury car makers in India. Aston Martin, the English Luxury car-maker also is supposed to gate crash the party with its 4-door sports sedan, the Rapide soon.

Lets hope to see all these beauties plying on Indian roads pretty soon.

posted by carazooblog @ Wednesday, January 12th, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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January 12, 2011

BMW beams with “JOY” as luxury car sales zoom

BMW_Logo_
BMW, the German luxury carmaker is on a roll here in India. The Indian subsidiary of the German luxury car giant, BMW India has retained its leadership position for the second consecutive year even as Mercedes-Benz and Audi continued to record excellent growth.

Though the year started with Mercedes Benz taking the lead, BMW India closed in on the gaps quickly and outclassing its compatriots vying for the luxury car space in India. BMW India delivered 6,246 cars in 2010, recording 73 per cent growth in sales over 2009 and capturing 40 per cent market share in the luxury car segment, which is estimated at around 15,000 units annually. BMW India rode on stupendous sales of its 3 Series which stood at 2,432 units and 5 Series which raked in 2,403 units respectively. This again translates into 111 per cent growth and 51 per cent growth in its respective segment. The total number of cars sold in the domestic market exceeded the company’s target of 4,200 units in 2010.

“In 2010, we embarked on the second wave of India market offensive with a carefully planned and passionately executed business strategy. In terms of the sales growth rate, India was among the top three markets for BMW after China, which saw over 80 per cent growth. India and Korea followed it at around the same level,” said BMW India President Andreas Schaaf.

BMW sales for 2010

The BMW 3 Series – 2432

The BMW 5 Series – 2403

The BMW 6 Series – 12

The BMW 7 Series – 535

The BMW X1 – 187

The BMW X3 – 28

The BMW X5 – 228

The BMW X6 – 189

The BMW Z4 – 82

The BMW Gran Turismo – 150

Mercedes-BenzLogo

Similarly, Mercedes-Benz sold 5,819 cars in 2010, the highest-ever sales figure registered by the company. Its sales volumes grew by 80 per cent during the year, with key growth drivers being its E-Class model with 2,490 units, C-Class with 2,070 units and the SUV range with 523 units sold. It also registered its best-ever December sales at 710 units, registering growth of 115 per cent. The strategy of Mercedes-Benz for the Indian market has been focused on offering a comprehensive product portfolio, delivering the highest value to the customer as well as ensuring world class sales, after sales and vehicle ownership experience. These initiatives coupled with aggressive product launches and network enhancement to smaller towns and cities have reinforced the strong traction with the Indian market in 2010.

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Another leading German luxury carmaker, Audi, sold 3,003 units in 2010, thus growing at 81 per cent. It had sold 1,658 cars in 2009. Sales for December stood at 212 cars, recording a growth of 96 per cent. It is eyeing 50 per cent growth in 2011. “We have exceeded our projected goals for the third year in succession…we expect to see further growth this year, thanks to our aggressive product offensive beginning with the Audi A8 L and a slew of other exciting launches during the year. The launch of the new A6 later this year will also deliver additional momentum. We will continue to expand and strengthen our existing network across the country and are focused towards enhancing the overall customer experience,” said Audi India Head Michael Perschke.

Bottom Line: The Luxury car segment in India is on the growth mode and there seems to be no saturation point for the segment anywhere in sight. The luxury car segment, which is still an untapped market in India, will lure more and more players in this segment in the longer run.

posted by carazooblog @ Wednesday, January 12th, 2011 Comments Off links to this post

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December 17, 2010

X1 and Fortuner Record Huge Bookings

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In an age where everything in India, right from food to clothing, is influenced by the American culture, it comes as no surprise that the Indians are shifting their vehicle preferences to fuel-guzzling SUVs. After Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh incriminated the use of SUVs in India, the number of people craving for them has increased ever more.

Toyota Fortuner and BMW X1 have received overwhelming response from the market, despite their steep price tags. Both the models are positioned at the entry premium tag in the SUV segment. While Toyota has halted the bookings for the Fortuner, it is BMW X1 that is scaling new heights, with customers wanting to buy the vehicle although the German company is yet to formally open bookings for it. The X1, whose deliveries would start in January, will be the most affordable model from BMW in the Indian market.

Some sources say that BMW will price the vehicle at Rs 22-23 lakh, much below their entry-level sedan 320i (3-Series) priced at Rs 26.95 lakh. And the customer response just goes on to show that the launch of this SUV would catapult the sales statistics of the German car maker in the Indian market.

“Although bookings for the X1 haven’t opened yet, consumers are making payments for it in advance. There is a huge interest for the vehicle which is a result of a teaser campaign we had started six months back,” stated a spokesperson at BMW India.

And here is something that would just show you the extent to which people in India are smitten by the new BMW SUV. Some of the BMW dealers say that, since booking for the X1 hasn’t been opened yet, customers are instead booking the 3-Series and are asking for this to be replaced with the X1 when BMW starts accepting bookings for the latter.“If you are booking the X1 now, you will only get the vehicle in May,” said a BMW dealer.

Toyota is reopening nationwide bookings for the Fortuner on January 1, and apparently the company is running an order backlog of 5,000 units for the model. And that when the consumers know that they will have to wait for like 6 months to take possession of the vehicle.
bmw-x1-india-rear-photo

“We are not planning to hike the Fortuner’s production, as there is no room for expansion (at the Bangalore factory). We are focusing on the Innova, whose production is much higher,” stated Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director, sales and marketing, Toyota Kirloskar Motors.

But Toyota does not seem to be threatened by the arrival of the BMW. “They are two very different vehicles, with distinct characteristics. However, generally when there is a huge waiting period for a model, then people certainly will try to explore other options,” said Singh.