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Breaking News: Nissan coming out with small car in 2 years 2008-04-23 13:49:00 Japanese car manufacturer Nissan
will introduce a car based its best seller Micra, in India in 2 years time. The hatchback turned 25 last year, and has sold across the globe for its reliability, build quality and user friendliness. Nissan plans to upgrade the Micra sometime in 2009, which will eventually be their debut car for India. The small car segment makes up 75% of the sales numbers and this move by Nissan indicates that it wants to make hay while the sun shines.Nissan plans to introduce 8 models within 2012, out of which a few will be imported. The cars will roll out of the Chennai plant which Nissan along with partner Renault are setting up at a whopping 4500 crores. One high-end and another low-end small car will be the first candidates to be produced in this plant. Two engines ar Read more:Breaking
Fiat Linea caught testing in Hosur 2008-04-23 07:32:00 One of the team-bhp members has photographed the forthcoming Fiat Linea
, when it was clocking test miles in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The stylish sedan from Fiat, will be up for sale possibly in a month or two with in both petrol and diesel variants. Unveiled earlier in the Delhi Autoexpo, both the Grande Punto and Linea are Fiat's comeback models, which are an attempt by the company to pounce back into the sales charts with big numbers.
Scoop: 2009 BMW 3 Series 2008-04-23 06:47:00 Looks like the ever-energetic spy shooters have done it once again. The 2009 BMW 3 Series was photographed testing. The facelifted 3, sports LED tail lights, a bigger mirror and a new i-drive system. The front-end looks to have been tweaked, but other than that, Chris Bangle's art work has been left alone. It is only a matter of time before the updated 3 arrives in India. Read more:Scoop
BMW wants to be No.1 by 2010 2008-04-23 05:32:00 BMW eyes the No.1 spot in the list of premium car makers in India. It plans to get there by 2010 beating rivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz.The company plans on selling 2000 units in India this year, after a successful 1,387 units in 2007. BMW outsources 10 percent of its components from India and is currently screening a large number of Indian component makers to increase that figure. BMW is also considering to manufacture the 3 and 5 series cars over here, which will lower the price tags considerably. Both those cars arrive in the form of CKD's presently and are put together in the Chennai plant. Until now, 110 crores has been invested by the company which provides direct employment to 200 people and has 10 dealers operating across the country. Read more:wants
Volvo seeking to set up R&D base in India 2008-04-23 03:27:00 Cars from Volvo are one of the safest and most stylish ones you can possibly step into. Their entry into India
was quite recent, and the Swedish car giant is already having plans of setting up a research and development base, much like its competitors GM and Suzuki have done. The brand Volvo has got a big reputation, much of it was built by its array of fascinating buses and trucks it has offered India for a long time. Their cars are known for state of the art safety features and technology. Earlier this month, Volvo announced that it will launch 6 new models including the XC 70 SUV within this year.Impressed with India's design and engineering capability, Volvo wants to set up a R&D base in India. It is also trying to add 7-9 new dealers to its list, who will all try to achieve sellin
Mitsubishi joins the small-car bandwagon 2008-04-22 12:22:00 If it is India, then it's definitely small car news. After Hyundai, GM, Tata blah blah..and a dozen other manufacturers are busy developing their own 'nano' versions, Mitsubishi
don't want to be left behind and has recently announced that its forthcoming global car will be released in markets like China and India. Expect this subcompact car to share its territory with the Pajero's and Montero's anytime in 2010. Similar to the Tata Nano, this car will be rear engined too but will come with a 1.0 litre engine. Looks wise, it will be very similar to its brother, the 'i' car.
GM has exciting prospects for India 2008-04-22 10:24:00 General Motors forayed into India
way back in 2003 with their Tavera MUV. Five years on and several milestones later, GM's new plans are optimistic and exciting
. The Tavera MUV has appealed to the cab market as well as families. Their Aveo sedan has seen steady sales numbers. Their small car Spark, is attracting a large volume number of customers, which has left the production section gasping for breath.GM has set itself a target of 90,000 cars for 2008, which is 30,000 more than the target they achieved in 2007. This naturally means that they have to step on the gas, and increase their service outlets accordingly. GM plans on increasing the number from 145 to 160 service stations which will take care of fulfilling the 'Chevrolet Promise.'GM has a lot to offer in the future. Their Innova-l
India's Detroit shaping up 2008-04-22 09:17:00 From Mahindra to Mercedes, Chakan, which lies 30 km from the city of Pune, is rapidly developing into India
's Detroit
. Foreign auto manufacturers including the mighty Germans, want to put their money setting up their facilities in this place.Whats happening in Chakan in a few years time. Mercedes, VW, Mahindra, Renault, GM and JCB will produce their vehicles, which will total to 1.8 million vehicles annually (Tip : That's more than what the country Britain churns out annually).The VW plant, which commences production next year will produce 110,000 cars every year. Renault, which will partner Bajaj in making the low cost car, will produce the hot-selling type of cars later next year (Tata plans 2.5 lakh cars a year, Bajaj would be looking at similar numbers if things work out). Diamler Chry
Video: Tata Nano launch from Delhi AutoExpo 2008-04-20 14:25:00 The Tata Nano is truly a special vehicle that puts India on the global forefront of engineering potential and strength. What was once termed 'impossible' or 'foolish' is now a 'challenge'. Bajaj and Hyundai will take up the fight along with VW and a bunch of other electric car manufacturers who seem to have quite a few interesting prospects on the table. The Tata Nano launch video doesn't seem to bore me how many ever time I watch it.I'm not implying to say that Ratan Tata should feature in the next Dhoom, but the Nano is truly the superstars amidst others. You can relive the moments that made history and did India proud after the jump.Part 1Part 2Part 3
Spied: GM's future MPV 2008-04-20 00:42:00 GM's next MPV was photographed testing in the United States. The 7-seater Toyota Innova look alike might well be GM's answer to the forthcoming Tata Indiva and Mahindra Ingenio. According to the photographers, the car's development was done entirely in GM's South Korean facility.Built on GM's delta chassis, this car is slated for production in mid 2009. Due to the absence of any sort of protection up front, the shooters noticed an intercooler under the bonnet, which confirms its turbocharged-diesel heart. They also say that this car will be rebadged as Daewoos and Opels and sold in different markets. With that said, it is only a matter of time before it arrives in India.Source- Winding RoadIf you enjoyed this post and want to keep a daily track on all the news here, then you can subscribe
Porsche's plan for India 2008-04-20 00:22:00 NDTV recently Interviewed Porsche
's Managing Director for Middle East and Africa, Deesch Papke and asked him everything from the idea behind the new GTS to the company's future plans in India
.NDTV: What do you hope to achieve with Porsche Cayenne GTS?Deesch Papke: Porsche Cayenne GTS is the result of an opportunity that we saw within our product range, which is to fit a new product nicely between Porsche Cayenne S and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S. We took the standard V8 engine in the Porsche Cayenne S and changed the dynamics of car to make it similar to turbo. The engine in Cayenne GTS is slightly more powerful with different suspension setting, making it a more sporty and dynamic car.NDTV: Cayenne is already popular among customers witnessing great growth in terms of sales. So did you re
Motorcycle prices shoot up 2008-04-19 15:08:00 Motorcycle prices have gone up. And some of them by even Rs, 1000. The culprits being rubber, steel, aluminium and other raw materials, which have become costlier. The manufacturers couldn't absorb the full pricing pressure any longer and had to pass on part of the burden to its customers. Prices were brought down after the budget by some margin, but after this announcement, those numbers have been dragged down to little or nothing.Bajaj's Pulsar and Discover models cost more while the other bikes in the Bajaj line-up bear the same price tag. The TVS Apache RTR 160 will set you back by an extra 700 bucks, while the other bikes under the TVS roof will cost you 200 to 1000 bucks more. Hero Honda Passion and Splendor models will cost anywhere between 500-1000 Rs more.When Inflation hits, it h Read more:Motorcycle
Bajaj troubled with cheap Chinese look alikes 2008-04-19 13:00:00 China is in the news again. And this time it's Bajaj with whom they are messing with. Cheap Chinese
look alikes of Bajaj's popular models are being sold in Latin America and the Middle East. The Chinese cleverly use Bajaj's attractive design on their cheap bikes, and sell them at discounted price, some manage to sell even at 25% lesser than the original.Bajaj has a very possessive nature about its belongings which was seen earlier this year when TVS tried mimicking Bajaj's Dts-i technology on their 125 cc bike, Flame, which now comes sans the technology after a case was lodged against them.Chinese manufacturers of fake bikes operate under different names. Furthermore, the bikes arrive into the markets from China in the form of kits. The fakes share nothing in common with the Bajaj's other Read more:troubled
DC's latest mind boggling creation- Tata Winger Executive Van 2008-04-19 02:18:00 Dilip Chhabria a.k.a DC, is known for his wacky designs and unique creations. He takes a mundane and boring Ambassador and transforms it into something that would make a spaceship from Star Wars blush. The Ambirod was displayed in the Delhi Auto Expo earlier this year proving that he's in the league of the Giugiaros.Now, he's got all the attention by giving new life to a Tata Motors' Commercial Vehicle. The Tata Winger is a rebadged Renault Trafic Van sold here in India, aimed at organizations which believe in stylish transportation. He's refreshed both the interiors and exteriors, and my god, the outcome is phenomenal. Interiors-Vehicles from Tata Motors lack excitement on the inside with cheap plastics and poor fit and finish. The interiors sport a look similar to interiors found in Le Read more:Executive
Tata Nano-Just 50,000 of them will be made in 2008-09 2008-04-18 08:13:00 Only 50,000 units of the Tata Nano will roll out of the Singur factory between the months of September 2008 and March 2009. Tata Motors are plagued with production problems and have resorted to this solution.What's a little startling to believe is that only 15,000 Nano's will be produced between September and December 2008 and according to an official in Tata Motors, dealers in Gujarat alone got as many as 20,000 inquiries since the time of its launch earlier this year. If only 50,000 of them are produced in the first 6 months or so, the waiting list and waiting time is going to be mighty long.Sources in Tata Motors say that the bare-bones version which is priced at 1.30 lakh (on road price), surprisingly will account to only 20% of the sales. The major share of its sales will be taken up
Fiat 500 wins best diesel small car 2008-04-18 02:50:00 The 500 will be available in the Indian market within a few months and this piece of news is another reason why you must pay a stratospheric price for a small car. The Fiat 500 (read fashion accessory) has grabbed another award which has gone into its ever bulking trophy cabinet. Best Diesel small car award from What Diesel Car? magazine in UK is its latest accolade.With more than 50% of the cars sold in UK being diesel
s, this award projects the 500's capability of being a strong performer in spite of the tough competition prevailing in U.K. This award also shows that the Italian small car offers more than looks and style. It protects both the environment and its passengers with an excellent safety rating and a technically advanced eco-friendly engine (Euro 5-ready units), same as the one
Car prices set to increase in the coming days following high input costs 2008-04-18 01:15:00 Sheet metal prices, cost of plastic and rubber have all risen, some by upto a whopping 20%. The input
costs are climbing leaving automakers with tough calls to make.As a result of all this chaos, car prices are set to increase 2-3% in the next few days. Premium cars will cost anywhere between Rs 14,000-16,000 more and entry-level cars will cost Rs 4,000-6,000 more. Small car prices were reduced by up to 4%, due to the excise benefits that the budget had to offer. But with this news, expect the prices to climb and reach the level they were a couple of months back.Even a slight rise in prices results in unrest amongst car buyers. Maruti knows that well and is devising a price strategy to reduce the burden on the customers. Honda said it will study the commodity prices as well as the currenc
Fiat's long term plans and models 2008-04-17 09:59:00 The theme at the moment and for a long time to come is small cars. And Fiat don't want to be left out of consideration. Here are Fiat's new models
that will be available in developing markets like China, South America and India. The new small car is likely to be called Uno and no, it does not look boxy or boring. The second model is a crossover SUV that will pit against the Captiva, CRV and the possibly the next-gen Tata Safari when its out on the market.The B Compact or Uno is based on the Grande Punto platform and will be marketed as a modern family car with affordable Italian style. Internationally, it will be available in 3 and 5 door versions and will be positioned to be an alternate buy for the Grande Punto. Expect the 5 door version here in India once it is launched.The Fiat C X-Ove Read more:plans
Toyota may import engines for its small car from Asean countries 2008-04-17 08:31:00 It seems like Toyota
will import engines
from Asean countries Thailand and Indonesia, to avail the benefits of the free trade agreement, which the govt is likely to sign shortly. A free trade agreement between countries allow them to import and export products free of any taxes. Toyota is presently developing a small car for both the Indian and overseas markets which it plans to launch by 2010. Toyota will invest Rs 1,400 crore in building a new plant from which this new car will roll out of.Both Thailand and Indonesia have plants which produce engines. Though Toyota is looking at localizing majority of the components, the engine and transmission would most likely be imported from the existing plants in those two countries. Moreover the investment on making engines locally is pointless whe
Tata Nano caught testing in the city 2008-04-16 14:55:00 A red colored Tata Nano is caught testing in the city. This car is similar to the one that was photographed by an Overdrive magazine reader last month in Pune. The quality of video is poor. The biker is trying his best to keep pace with the car, signifying that it can definitely reach some decent speeds and has good acceleration. The car spied here is the standard model which does not have any of the items like Air Conditioning or Power steering.
Flickr Photo of the Day 2008-04-16 14:26:00 The Pagani Zonda S. Dressed in carbon fibre. And dressed to kill! Photo
graphed by Stephen Hayes. You can check out his entire work here. Read more:Flickr
Maruti won't compete with Nano 2008-04-16 12:16:00 We have heard it a million times. But lets hear it one more time. Chaps at Maruti would run with their hair in their hands if someone puts this question up again.Will Maruti compete with the Nano?Nope. A 660cc engine car priced at $3800 or Rs. 1.5 lakh was rumored to be developed by Maruti which would compete with the Tata Nano. But Maruti had earlier released a press statement, a slightly emotional one as one would call it. It also contains some serious information on its future models.The press release read “Maruti offered the first People's Car, Maruti 800, about 24 years ago. Since then, India's middle class and Maruti's customers have grown in every facet of their lives. Their incomes have gone up significantly. Their lifestyles have improved in ways that were hard to imagine a deca
Will the Hyundai TB replace the aging Santro? 2008-04-16 11:24:00 It all started for Hyundai
back in 1997 with a 0.8 litre engine and Shahrukh Khan. Month after month and year after year, the Santro has sold consistently in large numbers. A strong indication of that is the next-gen Santro, i10, sells beside the Santro instead of replacing it. Its hard to think of a reason why the Santro should be replaced.The TB would offer better space and more engine options much like the current Getz. It would also be styled in a more appealing way. The car would hit Indian shores only after its International launch which is quite some time away.With that said, one must also be reminded of the diesel-engined Santro, which is set to arrive anytime next month. The Santro will be powered by a 1.1 litre, CRDi engine which would push out a 75 bhp. The Santro diesel would g
Chrysler and Chery bond closer 2008-04-16 10:56:00 American automaker Chrysler
inked a pact with Chinese automaker Chery
last year for selling its cars China. Part of the understanding was Chery's small car A1, would in turn be sold in the United States re-badged Dodge. The deal has everyone looking now-Chrysler is taking this up seriously and with a solid reason. The demand for small cars in the United States is rising as is fuel costs. The Chery A1 is infact in the final stages of its tests program which is required for it to be sold overseas. The compact sedan A3 will be Chery's next product after the A1.The Chery A1 looks like a Chevrolet Spark/Matiz clone. As long as it is safe, reliable, cheap to run and exciting to drive, there shouldn't be a problem. Read more:closer
4x4 Logan spotted! 2008-04-16 10:03:00 The low-cost Dacia/Renault Logan
has been spotted in its 4-wheel drive form. The boxy sedan sells like hotcakes in parts of Europe and the initial idea of Dacia was to create a low cost basic sedan that would take customers from Point A to B. The front-engined, front-wheel drive car has taken the 4-wheel drive transformation. Why? Hmm..I'm not exactly sure...The Logan platform has been used extensively by the company to make anything from station-wagons to pickup trucks and maybe now, its time for a SUV to take shape? I guess Dacia/Renault are putting this platform to good use. The 4 wheel drive version could cater to cost conscious customers who want to do some serious mud plugging and conquer tough terrains.
Brand new Tata Nanos roll out of Uttarakhand 2008-04-25 14:53:00 The first few Nanos were born at the Tata Motors plant in Uttarakhand yesterday. The production line was undergoing trial runs as it saw the birth of the first few cars which are rearing to change the way India travels. The Uttarakhand plant is where the Tata Ace and Magic commercial vehicles are being produced, and soon the CNG variant of the Magic will also join that list.These cars are samples of the actual ones which will be available in the market, the ones which were displayed at the Delhi Autoexpo were test mules, which were built separately for test purposes. Around 70 more test vehicles will be produced from the Uttarakhand production line, as it gears up for the real action in September, later this year.The first few thousand Nanos will be from this plant, as the Singur plant wil Read more:Brand
Skoda Fabia- 2 million and going strong! 2008-04-25 12:12:00 It's nice to see a car reaching stratospheric production figures once in a while. On the other hand, this news bit makes me wonder where the Fabia
was for all this while and why Skoda
didn't bring this to the India a long time back. But 2 million
is quite a lot, and that's one fact you can't take away from them. That's right, this premium hatch from the Czech manufacturer has 2 million examples on planet Earth.You can buy this hatch in India in both diesel and petrol variants. The Fabia sold in India was introduced in early 2007 in International markets. The Fabia hatch and estate versions, which isn't available here, have been delivered to over 63,000 happy customers this year alone all over the globe. Now, that quite a lot and there are vital reasons behind this staggering sales number.O Read more:Skoda Fabia
A look at the Tata Xover 2008-04-27 11:56:00 Tata's Crossover concept, the Xover, is what the talk is all about. When launched, the Xover will compete with the likes of Innova and the upcoming Mahindra Ingenio. This vehicle was displayed at the Geneva auto show back in 2005, and proved to be a crowd puller. The distinctly shaped headlamps and the not-so-tata looking interiors are a welcomed change in the existing setup which would make a polymer engineer blush.The design elements are unique and classy. Any concept car's would be, but that takes nothing away from the effort that has gone into making the Xover. Glance at it's side profile and you would be instantly reminded of the Indigo Marina. The mirror mounted indicators and the Sumo Grande like grille up front add flavor to this stylish crossover which stands on 17 inch wheels.On
Classics:Tata Safari Ad 2008-04-26 17:01:00 It's been a long time since this Ad was taken off air. Indigenously developed in India, the Tata Safari
was the only logical option for ones who wanted to indulge in serious mud-plugging those days. Enjoy! Read more:Classics
CNG and LPG variants of the Renault Logan coming your way! 2008-04-26 14:56:00 Its Official. CNG and LPG variants of Mahindra's flagship sedan Logan
, will be out on sale in the next 3-4 months. The Logan seems to have worked for Mahindra and the statistics describe it's runaway success; 12% of the C segment market share.The alternate fuels will power the 1.6 litre petrol variant, which will approximately become dearer by 50,000 rupees. The inflation has taken no prisoners, and as a result, a price hike of Rs, 4000 to 5000 was also announced on both the petrol and diesel versions of the Logan.The company plans to up the number of existing dealers from 94 to 144 by the end of 2008. With this announcement, four launches are awaited from Mahindra. The Scorpio A/T, Bolero Micro-hybrid and the CNG/LPG Logans will be out by the end of this year.Err...did anyone say Ingenio? Read more:Renault
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