Toyota to pump in Rs 800 crore in India
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is all set to invest another Rs 800 crore towards expansion activity in India. The company will be investing this sum of money towards capacity expansion at its existing plant near Bangalore and also towards setting up a second manufacturing facility from where it will roll out its first small car for the Indian market.
Toyota, which has already invested around Rs 3,000 crore in India, currently manufactures the Innova MUV and Corolla sedan in the country, while it also sells the Camry and Land Cruiser, which it imports as CBUs.
In recent years, Toyota's arch rival Honda has stolen a march over Toyota in the Indian market. While Honda has gone ahead and launched mass-market cars like the City sedan and Jazz hatchback, Toyota still doesn't have a small car offering despite having been present in India for a decade. Also, the Honda Accord is much more reasonably priced than the Toyota Camry, while Toyota doesn't have a small SUV to counter the Honda CR-V in India.
How Toyota rejigs its product portfolio will probably decide whether it can take on Honda on an equal footing in India, over the next few months/years.
[Via: indiaautomotive]
Tata Motors May Report Net Loss
Tata Motors is most likely to report loss for the first time in past 8 years. The company has already put its future plans on hold and most of its plans that were on the drawing board have been delayed by at least 6-8 months. Tata Motors' UK subsidiary owns luxury brands Land Rover and Jaguar which are mainly seen as the reasons for poor performance. Moreover, its Singapore unit has also recorded poor sales last year.
According to experts, the net loss reported by the company can be close to nearly Rs. 300 crores. In distant past, the company had reported stand alone loss of Rs. 500 crores in 2000-01 mainly due to weak performance of its commercial vehicle sales. There is no official word from the company so far and it is slated to announce its consolidated results on June 26, 2009.
Tata Motors is also inaugurating its first JLR showroom in India on June 28th in Mumbai. The new showroom is located at Ceejay House in Worli, Mumbai. It intends to open other showrooms in Bengaluru and Ludhiana subsequently. All the Land Rovers and Jaguars will be sold by the Premier car division of Tata Motors that will handle all sales and service for both the brands.
[Via: cartradeindia]
Ford India Bets Big on Indian Market
Ford India recently got an approval for investing $500 million for setting up Indian operations and their further expansion. The parent company Ford Motors faced economic crisis and did not file for bankruptcy. Ford India is quite eager to enter the small car market in India where it currently lacks presence.
According to Ford India Managing Director, Michael Boneham, the Indian operations did not receive any distress calls from either Ford Motors in US or Ford Asian center operations in Bangkok. The company had already announced investments worth $500 million earlier and there was no intimation to the Indian operations to hold them back. The company still sticks to its original plans for India as there had been considerable slow down in the market but definitely no meltdown like the other markets.
Ford considers the small car launch to be a critical part of its overall strategy to grab larger market share and strengthen its presence in India. Ford intends to retain its brand image in India thus will go ahead with its original plans. Boneham remarks that having a small car in India is a necessity to be present here successfully.
[Via: cartradeindia]
New M-Sport kit for BMW 7-Series
Photos of New M-Sport kit for BMW 7-Series....
[Via: Paultan]
TVS launches Flame SR125
TVS has announced the availability of its 2009 Flame model in the market under the brand TVS Flame SR 125. The new commuter motorcycle is loaded with a host of exciting features that has been further enhanced to delight its customers.
According to H S Goindi, President Marketing - TVS Motor Company, "The TVS Flame SR125 comes with significantly enhanced low and mid range power delivery and better noise, vibration and handling (NVH) characteristics. The revolutionary Controlled Combustion Variable Timing Intelligent (CC-VTi) technology provides an advantageous combination of power and mileage backed by stunning looks."
TVS Flame SR 125's well proven engine is propelled by a three valve, CC-VTi technology which ensures better pickup with optimum mileage and power. Developed with AVL Austria, this 125 cc, three valve engine is tuned to the ideal tumble-swirl port combination such that city riding on this machine is really smooth and comfortable.
The engine's hi-tumble reduces the need for constant gear shifting while the swirl port returns optimum mileage. The TVS Flame SR 125 is equipped with an electric start, weighs about 123 kgs and fires a single spark plug. The bike has a top speed at 95 kmph and churns out 10.5 bhp @ 7500 rpm.
"One of the visible changes in the TVS Flame SR125 is the wider rear tyre. It is a category first. This impressive rear tyre, which has been a clamor by our customers, ensures better road grip and enhances the bike's looks. Futuristic styling with refreshing new graphics deployed in this motorcycle gives it best-in-class appeal." Goindi adds.
TVS FLAME SR 125 boasts of several style statements including stylish headlamps with two position lamps and embedded turn signal lamps which give the bike a sporty finish. The 240 mm front disc brakes are complemented with a chic triangular exhaust that is not only unique but also enhances performance and delivers the smoothest of sounds and low emissions.
The bike flaunts an elegant backlit digital console that prominently displays the first of its kind intelligent mileage indicator (IMI), low fuel warning and service indicator. The rear end of the bike sports a dual lens tail lamp that is first in its class. TVS Flame SR 125 is the only Indian motorcycle to be equipped with a gadget boot which provides the facility of on-tank storage.
"The disc brake version is priced at 47,550/- ex-showroom comes in dual tone colours of red and blue along with an all black edition and is available at all TVS dealerships across the country. However, for those not wanting in the disc brake, the bike is also available with drum brakes. " Goindi said.
Michelin All Set To Invest Rs 7,000 crore In India
Michelin & Cie, the world's second largest tyre maker is planning to invest Rs 7,000 crore ($1.48 billion) over a 10 year period in India to make and market radials tyres and tubes.
Michelin is currently in talks with the Indian authorities for the project deemed to be one of the largest FDI inflow into the country. This is a result of the joint venture with the Delhi-based Apollo Tyres which failed to take off. Apollo Tyres has already given a NOC (No Objection Certificate) to the French tyre giant to start its operations in India.
Michelin has sought the aproval of the government tp acquire 100 per cent stake in a new company Michelin India Tamil Nadu Tyres formed in April 2009. The company will set up the proposed greenfield unit, which would absorb investment worth Rs 4,000 crore in its first phase running into 2016.
The first phase of the proposed project in Tamil Nadu would provide jobs to around 1,500 people, which may go up to 2,000 after further investment of Rs 3,000 crore is made in the second phase.
Demand for tyres has fallen across the globe in the past few months citing the economic reccession. However the tyre sales in India has not been affected due to the rise in passenger car and two-wheeler sales.
[Via: Carazoo]
Maruti To Launch Zen Estilo With K-Series Engine
Maruti will phase out the current F10D engine of the Zen Estilo and will plant the 1.0 K-Series engine in it. The 1.0 K-Series engine is a 3 cylinder unit which does duty in the A-Star and is known for being fuel efficient.
Along with the engine change, Maruti will also do minor cosmetic changes to the exterior as well as the interior to keep the car looking fresh. Due to Bharat IV norms Maruti has no option but to change the engines in almost all its cars.
[Via: motorbeam]
Toyota reports record sales of the Prius
When Toyota launched its new generation Prius, the hybrid car, it had an expected sales target of 10,000. But Toyota far exceeded its own expectations because it had a whopping order book of 180,000 vehicles instead! It seems like the Japanese are scrambling for a piece of the action.
Prius has now become the top selling car in Japan, toppling the Insight, Honda's hybrid vehicle and its nearest competitor. While the Insight is selling for $19,700, the new Prius is priced at $20,900, but it gives better mileage than Prius's previous model.
The government in Japan is also offering incentives to buyers of new hybrids in the form of making them tax free. Similar to the US's cash for clunkers scheme, in Japan a person trading in a model which is 13 years or older, gets a rebate of $2,500; without a trade he still gets $1,000 off.
Strangely enough the older model of Prius is also being sold and is doing very well. Hybrid car sales have picked up in Japan and elsewhere. In the US the car has still to arrive in larger numbers and so it sold only 700 pieces last month, though the older model still managed to notch up a figure of 10,091.
Overall, Japan's auto sales figures have gone down, registering a 24 percent drop when compared to last year's figures.
[Via: wheelsnews]
Historic Vauxhalls to be shown at 2009 Goodwood FoS
At the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, which will be held between 3-5 July this year, Vauxhall will exhibit two of its historic concept cars that haven't been put on public display (except for the company's Luton-based Heritage Centre) for nearly two decades.
The first of these cars is the XVR concept, which was first unveiled in 1966 in Geneva. This two-door sports-coupe features gullwing doors, pop-up headlights and all-independent suspension - high-tech stuff for the 1960s.
And the other car is the SRV concept, which was first shown at the 1970 Earls Court Motor Show in the UK. The car combines Italian supercar panache with four-door practicality, electric self-levelling suspension and other high-tech bits, some of which have actually made it to production Vauxhall cars over the last few years.
In addition to its concept cars, Vauxhall will also show its most powerful production car ever - the VXR8 Bathhurst S Edition, which is powered by a supercharged, 6.2-litre V8.
[Via: indiaautomotive]
Jaguar and Land Rover Are Expected Next Week
Tata Motors is all geared up to launch their recently acquired iconic auto brands Jaguar and Land Rover in India on June 28. These premium cars would be imported to India in CBU (Completely Built-in Units) kits.
Tata Motors have also planned to set up JLR showrooms in smaller cities to set up a broad dealer network and chart a India-specific marketing and distribution strategy for these high end cars.
Tata is contemplating to introduce the entire Land Rover SUVs in addition to models like Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport. The Land Rover Discovery 3 and Freelander would arrive in India later this year as Tata is till working on modifying the cars to suit Indian conditions.
Jaguar's range of premium saloons which are India bound are Jaguar XK, Jaguar XKR, Jaguar XF and Jaguar XFR.
[Via: carazoo]