Tata Nano launch on track
Tata Motors has said that they are still planning to launch their new car Tata Nano as per the original schedule. The company is all set to move their plant out of Singur in West Bengal.
The problems in Bengal have already delayed their plans by almost a month though the company hopes to begin limited production at their other plants in the country.
Tata Motors said in a statement: "The Nano car will roll out during the last quarter of the calendar year between October and December as promised." The company said that they cannot resume work in Singur unless there is a congenial atmosphere.
Tata Nano when launched would become the cheapest car in the world. The company aims to price the base model at Rs. 1 lakh ex-factory though it would cost a bit more in the market.
[via: techwhack]
Yamaha introduces additional accessories for R15
R15 is the first model for the Indian market designed in the true supersport image and featuring a high-level balance of enjoyable running performance on winding roads.
Packed full of state-of-the-art technologies, R15 boasts performance worthy of a supersport model and a body design that evokes the image of the YZF-R series and gives visual expression to the quality of its ride. Yamaha India has recently introduced additional accessories for R15:
- Single seat cowl
- Carbonfibre patterned tank projector pad
- Racing stand
- LED flasher set
- Rim stripe tape & much more…
Maruti to Bring CNG Variants of its Cars
Maruti Suzuki is planning to launch CNG variants of its cars in India. "Alternative fuel technology is the future. We will be looking at CNG variants of our vehicles," said MM Singh, managing executive officer (production), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, on the sidelines of the CII 7th Manufacturing Summit 2008.
Rising fuel costs have forced every car maker to launch alternative fuel option cars in the market. There has been a surge in demand for such model in markets like India which are extremely price sensitive. "With prices of oil and other commodities rising, the chances of them reverting to their lower prices are improbable. Small cars are the future.
Here's an opportunity for Suzuki Motor Corporation to leverage its expertise in manufacturing smaller cars economically," said RC Bhargava, Chairman of Maruti Suzuki, addressing the shareholders at company's 27th AGM.
[Via: cartradeindia]
Audi Cars in South India
Kochi has emerged as the new market for Audi cars in South India. The German luxury car owner recently announced its new dealership in Kochi along with cities like Lucknow, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kolkata. It now has total 12 dealerships across India the Kochi dealership will come up at Maradu near NH by-pass.
All the Audi showrooms in all the cities will have separate workshops complete with modern equipment to service its cars. The showrooms will be designed to display the complete Audi experience along with showcasing complete international Audi experience.
[Via: cartradeindia]
Kinetic to invest Rs 30 crore in Mahindra Two Wheelers Pvt Ltd
Pune-based two-wheeler manufacturer Kinetic Motor has announced that it will invest up to Rs 30 crore in Mahindra Two Wheelers Pvt. Ltd., to buy 2.95 crore equity shares of the latter. Kinetic took this decision during its extraordinary general meeting held yesterday.
Kinetic's EGM also approved an increase in its authorized share capital from the current Rs 88.56 crore to Rs 93.56 crore, by creation of new five lakh redeemable cumulative preference shares of Rs 100 each.
[Via: Indiaautomotive]
Ultra Motor to set up its second e-bike manufacturing facility in India
Ultra Motor India Pvt. Ltd. (UMI), the Indian subsidiary of the UK-based Ultra Motor, is looking at setting up another e-bikes manufacturing facility in India, somewhere in the north. The company already has a manufacturing facility in Hyderabad.
UMI plans to invest Rs 150 crore towards product development, and the marketing and distribution of its electric scooters and bikes in India. The company aims at catering to the requirements of southern and western markets in the country via its plant in Hyderabad, and is looking at setting up its second plant somewhere in north India, to cater to market requirements from other parts of the country.
UMI, which has a sales target of 45,000 e-bikes this year, recently launched the Marathon, which has a range of up to 100km and which is priced at Rs 32,000 ex-showroom Chennai. With the rising prices of petrol, a certain section of entry-level scooter/motorcycle buyers are now switching to electric power, and UMI is trying to leverage that development.
[Via: Indiaautomotive]
Volvo opens car dealership in Hyderabad
Volvo, which currently has a range of 10 models in its car lineup for India, has opened a new dealership in Hyderabad, in partnership with Talwar Cars. This dealership will start selling Volvo cars by the end of this year. Volvo, which now has dealers in Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Hyderabad, plans to add dealers in Cochin, Bangalore and Pune by mid-2009.
Volvo sees a strong demand for its cars in the Indian market and may even set up a manufacturing facility in the country by mid-2010. The company already has a sales target for 400-500 cars for this fiscal and hopes to increase that number by many times over the next few years.
[Via: indiaautomotive]
Suzuki releases 2009 Wagon R Stingray in the Japanese market
Suzuki has launched the all-new Wagon R in the Japanese market. And the base model Wagon R is joined by the even more stylish and upmarket Wagon R Stingray.
The new Suzuki Wagon Rs retain their trademark boxy styling, but get a longer wheelbase, new body panels and revised headlamps and taillamps. And since this is the Japanese market we're talking about here, these Wagon Rs are far more high-tech than the ones we get here in India.
These new Japanese market Wagon Rs get 660cc engines mated to a 4- or 5-speed automatic transmission, depending on trim level. A CVT version is also available, and the Wagon R Stingray Turbo, with CVT, even gets paddle shifters.
[Via: Indiaautomotive]
New Mitsubishi Cedia
As the festive season approaches, car manufactures try their best to lure buyers by either launching a new model, giving discounts or by facelifting their existing car. Mitsubishi decided to facelift the Cedia with addition of some more features.
[Via: Motorbeam]