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GM and Maruti Suzuki will add range with LPG/CNG car

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:27:55 +0000

GM and Maruti Suzuki will add range with LPG/CNG car

NEW DELHI: As petrol and diesel have become costlier after government decided to decontrol fuel prices, it’s focus alternate fuel for carmakers. And they are chalking out plans to strap more of their models with CNG and LPG variants.

Faced with a slew of new launches from the competitors in the compact segment, Maruti Suzuki is planning a blitzkreig with CNG and will launch dual-fuel variants for five of its cars, including the popular Alto and WagonR. General Motors, Toyota, Hyundai are some of the other carmakers which have CNG and LPG options for their cars and are planning to expand further.

According to officials of auto companies, alternate fuel market is likely to become stronger in the coming months on the back of their lower operating cost. As per estimates, while per km cost on petrol is about Rs 3.44, it is Rs 2.35 on diesel, Rs 2.23 on petrol-LPG and Rs 1.31 on petrol-CNG.

Dual-fuel models contribute about 15-20% of total sales, say marketing officials. “The shift will be faster to alternate fuels now,” said Ankush Arora, the sales and marketing head for General Motors in India. GM currently offers LPG on its Spark mini car and CNG on Optra and Aveo sedans. “As we go forward, companies have to provide alternate fuel as an option on many of their models,” Arora said. GM plans to launch an LPG version of its Beat compact by year-end.

Considering the potential, Maruti Suzuki has also decided to offer CNG option across various segments. So while Alto, WagonR and Estilo will have the CNG option in compacts, the SX4 will offer it in sedans and Eeco in the multi-purpose category. The company has worked on a new technology, i-GPI (Intelligent Gas Port Injection), for the dual-fuel engines and would offer CNG as factory-fitted option.

A CNG car typically carries an additional cost of Rs 45000-50000 over its petrol-only model, while the incremental cost for LPG is around Rs 20000-30000. But the market for the alternate fuels is not limited only to models where the companies are offering them. A huge market exists outside, where CNG and LPG kits are retrofitted on various models, ranging from the Honda City to Toyota Corolla to Maruti Swift.

“The only issue with a retrofitted model is that it can face problems on warranty as many-a-times car companies refuse to take them within their fold. They say that damages and accidents could be a result of the tampering done in the car while CNG/LPG kits were being installed by an outside vendor,” an industry analyst said

source: indiatimes

Maruti Suzuki Swift vs Nissan Micra by bsmotoring

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:15:09 +0000

Maruti Suzuki Swift vs Nissan Micra
The newest kid in town is the Nissan Micra and it is ready to take on the established king of the ring, the Suzuki Swift. But can beat the benchmark? Let’s find out.

With the new Micra, the little Nissan has now entered its fourth generation and takes a lot of design cues from its predecessor. The exteriors are interesting to say the least with its huge bug headlamps, the Mini-like grille and a lot of curves all round. In profile the curving roof and the greenhouse make it stand out. The Swift on the other hand uses a combination of sharp bulges and features to also lend it a unique look, alas lost out in a sea of Swifts we guess.
On the inside, the Micra uses excellent space management to liberate acres of leg, head and shoulder room, both for passengers at the front and rear. It comes quite loaded too, with keyless start-stop (a first in the segment) as well as electrically folding mirrors (all on the top-end XV), a nice stereo system and good use of materials. The problem with the Micra is there are too many surfaces and colours and that makes the dashboard appear cluttered. Some of the plastics used aren’t the best quality, but the switchgear is pretty good. The Swift is just a hue of black on the inside and nothing else. Plastic quality is commendable, but not the best, though it all fits into place very well. The Swift may not have a Start-Stop button nor electrically folding ORVMs, but it does have stereo controls on the steering and nice front seats. Space, however is at a premium here and passegngers at the rear will complain about the lack of overall perceived space. Strangely enough, it’s the Swift that has the bigger boot of the two, but the difference is marginal.

But once you are behind the wheel, the equation changes. The Micra’s 1200cc, three-cylinder petrol engine is torquey and the ratios are nicely spread out for both city and highway use. Acceleration is brisk with 100 kph coming up in just under 15 seconds. Top speed is a shade under 160 kph which is par for the course. Overall driveability is decent, though there are some issues. Since it is a three-cylinder unit, the engine sounds coarse past 5000 rpm and the gear shifts aren’t as slick as you would expect. Moreover, a lot of tyre and wind noise seeps into the cabin once you’ve crossed 80 kph. The Swift on the other hand has a four-cylinder 1.2-litre K Series unit that is refined, torquey and more powerful than the Micra (84 bhp vs 76 bhp). Acceleration is even more brisk and it can cross the 100 kph mark in just 13.5 seconds. Top speed is marginally better too at 165 kph. Overall refinement and driveability is good, and the gear shifts are slicker, although it’s the Micra that makes for the better city car.

Dynamics have been the Swift’s forte and the Swift with its numerous revisions over five years has now built up to be a car with good ride and handling balance. The ride quality has particularly improved, especially low and high-speed ride, although it is the Micra that outsmarts it in this aspect. Handling is beautiful, especially on-the-edge where the Micra’s soft-suspension setup makes it a bit wooly and brings in a fair amount of body roll. Braking on both cars is good, but it’s the Swift that tends to brake with more confidence.

In the end, there can be only one winner. The Swift is more adept dynamically, has a better engine and is more refined. It’s also backed by Maruti’s unfalliable service network, which the Micra can’t boast of. But it’s the Micra that seems to find the sweet-spot. It rides brilliantly, is well loaded, has more space and seems better put together. It also is more practical on a day-to-day basis and is more efficient too (14.05 kpl for the Micra vs 13.5 kpl for the Swift, overall). And it is the better car of the two.

source:bsmotoring

Hyundai I40 Wagon/sedan to hit European showroom in Q2 and Q4 of 2011

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:31:38 +0000

Hyundai I40 Wagon/sedan to hit European showroom in Q2 and Q4 of 2011

we don’t know why some asian car Maker is deley launch of it’s D-segment car in European market.according to auto express Hyundai I40 Wagon/sedan to hit European showroom in Q2 and Q4 of 2011 respectively,although the sedan version of I40 is ready since november 2009.it’s is same situation for Kizashi, Suzuki is deley “full lauch” of the car until further notice.may be it’s because Eu’s economic just recovering or Suzuki may waiting for Kizashi diesel and wagon ready.

here is some word from auto express that got chance to drive the I40…..

Small cars have been big news for Hyundai as the firm’s rise up the sales charts continues apace. But can it enjoy the same success further up the range?

One model which could hold the key is the new Sonata YF, which will be badged i40 when it arrives in the UK next year. The eventual annual sales target for the newcomer is 8,000 – a far cry from anything ever achieved by its predecessor.

To get an early taste of what British buyers have in store, we tried the world’s first right-hand-drive versions on the scenic roads around Cape Town in South Africa.

Initial impressions are largely positive. To our eyes the Sonata YF is an attractive car, with elements of the Mercedes CLS evident from some angles. However, UK customers are promised one or two tweaks. The grille for the British market will be toned down significantly, while Audi-style LED lights will be fitted at the front and rear.

Inside there’s plenty of space to get comfortable behind the wheel, and adequate legroom at the rear. The cabin quality continues the improvement Hyundai has made in recent years, although some of the plastics didn’t feel as sturdy as we might have hoped. Again, the firm promises this will be sorted before the model hits our shores.

The car we drove was fitted with a 2.0-litre petrol, although this engine won’t be offered here. Instead, a 1.7-litre turbodiesel, which will be fitted to the ix35 later this year, is likely to attract the bulk of British sales.

It will be available with two different power outputs initially – around 115 and 140bhp. A 140bhp 1.6-litre petrol will also be available. Gearboxes comprise the new – and impressive – six-speed auto we tried and a six-speed manual.

In terms of handling, the Sonata YF is competent rather than characterful. It threads through corners with no major problems, but it’s not a car you would choose for an involving driving experience. It’s more at home cruising on long straights, although the ride comfort is slightly compromised, as well. Too many road imperfections found their way into the cabin for our liking. Again, though, these issues will be addressed before the model goes on sale in Europe.

So there are one or two questions for the Sonata YF to answer at this stage, but what we do know already is that the UK-badged i40 will be tremendous value. With prices starting at £16,500 for the saloon (on sale in Nov 2011) and £18,000 for the estate – which unusually will be made available first, in May – it will significantly undercut rivals.

Emissions which will match or better models from the Ford Focus class will also appeal to fleet buyers. These facts alone should ensure it helps to continue the Hyundai success story.

source: autoexpress

Toyota to Produce ‘Etios’ Engines, Transmissions in India

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 01:03:45 +0000

Toyota to Produce ‘Etios’ Engines, Transmissions in India
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces that Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts Pvt, Ltd. (TKAP), TMC’s joint-venture auto-parts manufacturing company in India, will produce engines and transmissions for a compact passenger car newly developed for the Indian market. Production of the vehicle, the “Etios”, is scheduled to begin in late 2010.

TKAP plans to produce approximately 100,000 engines per year starting in the autumn of 2012 and approximately 240,000 transmissions per year starting in early 2013. Production for the Etios represents an investment of approximately 9 billion yen and approximately 500 new jobs.

TKAP currently produces manual transmissions for vehicles such as the “Fortuner”, which is manufactured in India, Thailand and Argentina, and axles and propeller shafts for the “Innova”, which is made in India. Production of engines and transmissions for the Etios will make India an important production base not only for vehicles but also major components.

As a part of its continuous growth strategy, TMC intends to increase local production in line with expansion in emerging markets. TMC, based on its founding philosophy of contributing to society through the manufacture of automobiles, is helping develop India’s automobile industry while steadily supplying products suited to the market’s needs.

Outline of TKAP
Company name     Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts Private Limited (TKAP)
Location         Bidadi (32 km southwest of Bangalore), Karnataka, India
President        Hisashi Suzuki
Equity           TMC: 64%;
                        Toyota Industries Corporation: 26%;
                         Kirloskar Systems Ltd.: 10%
Establishment    April 2002
Production cap. Front and rear axles (52,000 units/year);
                 propeller shafts (52,000 units/year);
                 R type manual transmissions (170,000 units/year)
Site area        202,000 m2
Start production July 2002
Employees        Approx. 800 (as of April 2010)
source: Toyota

Volkswagen wants to work with Maruti on new models

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 01:46:47 +0000

Volkswagen wants to work with Maruti on new models

German automaker Volkswagen has said that they are willing to work in collaboration with Maruti on new products for the global markets.

Volkswagen own 19.9 per cent stake in the Maruti’s parent company Suzuki.

“There will (be) some projects which will hit the Indian market. Let’s wait and see,” Volkswagen (VW) management board member Christian Klingler told PTI.

Asked if there is a possibility of VW jointly developing products with Maruti Suzuki India (MSI), he said: “Of course, there is a possibility of developing products together, (but) I cannot confirm it.”

VW said: “We are in the face of really exciting opportunities and we really want to come out when the projects have a certain degree of realization. So let us give it some time.”

The company further admitted that Suzuki is going to be an important partner for them in the Indian market which is growing at an impressive rate.

He said that the partnership between VW and Suzuki is all about leveraging on each other’s strengths. “Suzuki is very strong in the Asian market, including India and Japan. They have knowledge in the small car segment, which is pretty unique. They make small cars and make money. Lot of manufacturers make small cars, but they don’t make money,” Mr. Klingler said.

“Suzuki (also) has lot of interest on the technologies that we have,” the VW board member added.

He said there would be a lot of synergy between the firms in many areas, such as utilising MSI’s supplier base. “There are lot of discussions going on about synergies and one synergy could be at the suppliers’ level as well,” Mr. Klingler added.

Officials of MSI and VW India were understood to have met in May to explore synergies in production and vehicle design.

Mr. Klingler said that VW is also looking at increasing sourcing of components from India for its global operations.

“We cannot say anything definitive at this moment, though this possibility cannot be excluded. There can be a lot of things to be learnt, cooperated,” Klingler said.

He said “very good exchanges” were currently underway between top officials from both the companies to thrash out common strategies, not only for India but for other crucial markets. “India does play an important role in this partnership.”

Klingler said a “long list of projects were in the pipeline” and these could include a joint product strategy. “However, it is too early to speak anything concrete about common products.”

A new entrant in India, VW is yet to gain firm ground. It had started production from its Chakan plant this year, at an investment of Rs 3,500 crore. The plant has an annual capacity of 1,10,000 cars.

In contrast, MSI is the largest brand in the country, accounting for over 55 per cent of its 15 lakh unit car market. The Japanese company is also ramping up its R&D division by investing around Rs 1,500 crore in an upcoming centre at Rohtak, to be used for developing cars for India as well as the ASEAN region. This would be SMC’s largest R&D centre outside Japan.

For next small car, Nissan gets inputs from Alto buyers

admin — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:48:11 +0000

For next small car, Nissan gets inputs from Alto buyers

Nissan, which is gearing up for the commercial launch of the Micra next Wednesday, is simultaneously preparing the groundwork for its next small car being planned jointly with Ashok Leyland.

Even though the project is still in the concept stage, sources said small teams from Nissan have been talking to owners of the Maruti Alto to find out what draws them to the car. The Alto is the largest selling small car in the B-segment with monthly numbers of around 25,000 units.

“The Nissan team has been collating feedback on owners’ experience with the Alto, while checking out what additional features they would like in a similar product,” a person who was involved in the exercise told Business Line.

The B-segment typically kicks off with an ex-showroom (Mumbai) price of Rs 3-lakh and it is here that Nissan has planned its next small car. Ashok Leyland will be its partner if everything goes according to plan. The duo is now gearing up to launch light commercial vehicles from two plants in Chennai and Hosur.

The Alto was launched some years ago to give owners of the Maruti 800 the next best alternative to an entry-level car. In the process, its sales have soared while the 800 is barely doing around 2,500 units a month. The Alto has also struck the balance comfortably between urban and semi-urban markets from the viewpoint of being an aspiration product.

Critical segments

Nissan is, therefore, zeroing in on a strategy which will see it present in critical segments in India that will continue to be growth drivers in the coming years. The Micra, expected to be priced in the Rs 4-5.5 lakh range, will be part of the B plus category and will compete with the likes of the Swift, Figo and Polo.

Incidentally, the Micra is part of the Nissan Motor India stable (which is also tipped to roll out a sedan and sport-utility vehicle in two-three years) and the next small car will be specific to the alliance with Ashok Leyland. It will be priced in the Rs 3-lakh range which will pitch it directly against the Alto, Santro, Indica etc.

Renault strategy

Nissan’s global ally, Renault, is also following a similar strategy for its small car which will begin with an offering in the B plus and then go down to the B segment. The fact that the cars will be part of the Nissan V-platform in Chennai will mean tremendous savings in costs and a competitive price in the process.

Further down the cost pyramid, the Renault-Nissan combine is in talks with Bajaj Auto for an ultra-low cost car that is expected to be priced upwards of Rs 1.5 lakh. It has been touted as the challenger to the Tata Nano though the project will focus on high mileage (of at least 30 km to a litre) so that two-wheeler riders will have a good reason to graduate to a car.

thehindubusinessline ,image not relate to text

Fiat small car for India in 2012,to rival Suzuki Alto

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:53:08 +0000

Fiat small car for India in 2012,to rival Suzuki Alto

Fiat India is keen on expanding its business hold in India and has accordingly planned new launches for the Indian auto market over the next few years. One of their significant first moves is to develop a small car for the competitive Indian auto market. The development will be a result of their JV collaboration with Tata Motors. Speculations are rife about the expected launch to be around the end of 2012.

It is to be mentioned here that the company also confirmed the fact that the much-talked about new small car will not bear any resemblance to the company’s Uno and will be placed below the Punto in the Indian market.

said the company’s MD for India. The proposed new will be all Indian – in make, – and will come under 1.0 lit category he added. In all the car will be designed to meet the demands of Indian customers. The company’s R&D wing is busy studying the technicalities involved in crafting the car to suit the Indian specifications. The move is made to induce more customers to Fiat’s fold thereby increasing its presence in the larger pie of the car market in India-from the current 1.5%.

Hyundai’s i10 and Ford’s Figo and GM’s Beat followed by VW’s Polo . The industry analysts feel that Ford has to reshape its dealer network to penetrate the small car segment. Another factor that Fiat must ensure is the easy availability of cheaper spares in domestic aspect. Currently Fiat is having a joint dealer network with Tata Motors but anything good will materialize only when Fiat does it on its own, feel the analysts. The after sales service is the key factor in running the show they admit.
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Kia is looking to build plant in India by 2012

admin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 02:29:53 +0000

Kia is looking to build plant in India by 2012
KIA was seeking to build a plant in India to produce 300,000 vehicles a year starting from 2012, the automaker Said Wednesday. “We’re conducting a feasibility study to select a site for the plant near Chennai,” a Kia spokesperson said.
“Based on data from Hyundai Which Entered the Indian market in 1998, we’re Estimating costs and time to build the plant, as well as demand forecasts Examining and Hyundai’s sales figures there,” he added. Currently Hyundai operates two plants in Chennai with a combined annual output of 600,000 cars. Of the 560,000 Units Produced at the plants last year, Hyundai sold 290,000 in India, grabbing a 20-percent share of the market.
Kia’s move apparently motivated by ITS Has Been wish to find an alternative market to Europe, the destination of the Majority ITS exports, Where Has Been sluggish demand due to the recession.
1.4 million passenger cars sold in India Last YearThe Indian car market is Expected to Grow to 3 million units by 2015 to become the World’s fourth, trailing only China, the U.S. and Japan.

Volkswagan plans to market car that smaller than Polo in India

admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 01:05:24 +0000

Volkswagan plans to market car that smaller than Polo in India

German auto major Volkswagen on Sunday said it is mulling the introduction of a car smaller than the Polo in India to tap theVolkswagen Polo

“Believe me, we will have something smaller than the Polo. We are working on it,” Volkswagen Group’s India Communication Head Kurt Rippholz said here.

He, however, clarified that nothing has been finalised yet.

Volkswagen started manufacturing in India earlier this year and rolled out the Polo. It invested around Rs 3,500 crore at its Chakan plant in Maharashtra, which has the capacity to produce 110,000 units per annum.

“First you have to conceptualise and then assess the market potential,” Rippholz said.

The small car market in India is the second fastest growing market in the world after China. It accounts for about 75 per cent of the total car market.

On the models below the Polo that could be considered for India, he said, “There’s the Fox in Brazil and the Ebisa that’s sold in Spain. But India is a different market. First, we have to decide which car will it be.”
VW is also mulling over launching a new variant of the Polo in India.

“Internal discussions are on,” he said, adding that production of VW sedan Vento, which is based on the Polo platform, will start in July in India.

Vento will be positioned between the Polo and the existing Jetta sedan, he added.
Rippholz said VW expects to touch the full capacity of its Chakan plant by 2012

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Nissan Motor Co. plans to source 35,000 A-Star/Alto small A-segment cars from Maruti Suzuki

admin — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:17:49 +0000

Nissan Motor Co. plans to source 35,000 A-Star/Alto small A-segment cars from Maruti Suzuki
Nissan Motor Co. plans to source 35,000 A-Star/Alto small A-segment cars from Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. this year, the managing director and chief executive of Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. said Tuesday.

Nissan previously planned to source 29,000 cars from Maruti in 2010, Kimonobu Tokuyama told reporters.

Nissan buys the A-Star/Alto from Maruti Suzuki, the local unit of Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corp. under a contract agreement and sells it as Pixo in Europe until 2012 .

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