Toyota to launch Corolla diesel in August in India
Toyota India has confirmed that it will launch the Corolla Altis diesel in India during August. Indians have waited way too long for this model, which should automatically force Honda to speed up their diesel engine plans for Civic. Indian Autos Blog contacted Mr.Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director of Toyota Kirloskar Motors, regarding the diesel model and he had this to say - "We will launch the Toyota Corolla Altis diesel in August for India. We will bring it to India in the form of CKD" Mr.Singh had expressed interest in the Altis diesel last year, and during the Land Cruiser Prado launch, it only got stronger. During the launch, he reaffirmed that Toyota were keen on launching the diesel model in India.
[Via: IAB]
GM India to launch Chinese MPV
On the back of the newly structured GM India, in which Chinese auto giant Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) has 50 percent ownership, a whole raft of new models is expected from Wuling Automobiles, which in turn is a joint venture between GM and SAIC in China. While the initial plan is to launch small commercial vehicles from the GM Wuling portfolio, GM India is looking at opportunities in the passenger car segment too under the new joint venture. There is a plan to introduce Wuling's new CN-100 MPV, known as the Hong, Guang and produce it in GM India's new Talegaon plant in Maharashtra.
The Hong Guang was first premiered at the Beijing Auto Show in China recently, and you can tell from the design that it is primarily targeted at the Chinese market. However, by Chinese standards, the styling is pretty subdued and this is sure to make it more palatable to Indian tastes. The general profile of this people-mover is actually similar to the Mahindra Xylo. It has a distinct nose or bonnet section that is not raked as steeply as that of the Toyota Innova, and a large passenger area with two doors. The designers have also used a crease in the side to break up the considerable mass of the body. And like the Mahindra and the Toyota, it's also a body on frame design.
The nose of the vehicle is actually quite attractive. The nicely shaped headlights and grille are set as a single element, much like on the Honda City, and there is a large opening in the lower bumper section as well. Cat eye-like fog lamp enclosures complete the look of the nose. The rear of the car, however, is very generic and plain despite some styling creases.
GM is likely to concentrate on selling a seven-seater version of this MPV in India that targets both the private and taxi market. The vehicle features a two-tone car-like dash, with the dials and vents reminiscent of the Chevrolet Aveo. The seats have generous bolstering and the MPV can be configured with a 2+2+3 seating arrangement. The second and third row of seats can be folded flat or removed altogether for more flexibility.
Wuling has not taken shortcuts with this car either. The ladder frame chassis has been tuned by none other than Lotus and the suspension has been tuned to deal with a wide variety of road conditions. In China, the CN-100 will be sold with only petrol engines - in fact, Wuling has no diesel engine technology. For India, GM will use its own version of the Fiat 1.3 Multi-jet which was jointly developed by GM and Fiat. While the capacity of the motor is small, it has more than sufficient torque to get the job done. And GM are very bullish about it. "The CN100 is an option we are evaluating for India, and the SDE diesel engine is available to us too, but we need to check the feasibility of using it in this vehicle ",Matthew Tsien, Vice-President, SAIC GM Wuling.
GM is looking at pricing this MPV quite aggressively and a price of around Rs 5-6 lakh is being considered. Sourcing the car from China will give a huge cost advantage and even the engine will be relatively cheap as it will be locally produced. In fact the 1.3 Multi-jet will share parts with the three-cylinder diesel that will be launched in the Chevrolet Beat, giving huge economies of scale. If executed right, the Wuling van has a very strong chance of being a runaway success. This is one Chinese-based product the competition should not underestimate.
[Via: AutocarIndia ]
Nissan Micra Booking Amount, Specifications and Variants
The all new fourth generation Nissan Micra has been unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. Nissan India has launched this all new small car in India and sale will start from 15th July 2010 and it is going to play very crucial and key role in plans of Nissan for Indian Market. Nissan Micra will be displayed in all Nissan showrooms across the country from tomorrow - 25th May. The company has also decided to start the pre-order bookings for the Micra at all these showrooms. Customers can visit these showrooms and book their car against an initial booking amount of Rs 50,000. The sales for Nissan Micra will commence in July 2010. The company is expected to rollout an advertising campaign for the car shortly.
Engine & Suspension of Nissan Micra
- 1198cc 3 cylinder In-Line Petrol Engine
- 75 Bhp Power with 104 Nm of Torque
The all-new naturally aspirated HR12 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine, which will be on offer in India employs valve-timing control (VTC), which will generate maximum power of 75 Bhp with maximum torque of 104 Nm. The engine is available with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Not satisified merely improving performance levels, engineers excelled in developing ride and handling characteristics which combine agility, refinement and poise. Mounted onto Nissan's new signature V-platform, the suspension has been designed to be both compact, minimizing intrusion at the rear for maximum trunk space, but not at the expense of the car's on-road dynamics. Particular attention has been paid to bump absorption, meaning that the Micra will ride serenely over challenging road surfaces, not suffer from wallow or float, and cruise effortlessly at highway speeds.
Variants of Nissan Micra
Nissan Micra is available in 4 variants.
- Nissan Micra XE
- Nissan Micra XE Plus
- Nissan Micra XL
- Nissan Micra XV
Price of Nissan Micra
Though the price of Nissan Micra has not been announced but it is expected to be priced between 3.5 lakhs to 5.5 lakhs. If it is priced as per the speculations then it will be a instant hit. Micra will set new standards for small cars when it will be launched in India.But the only problem for Nissan India is small dealer and service network.
Shades Available in Nissan Micra
Nissan Micra is available in 6 Shades:
- Sunlight Orange
- Blade Silver
- Storm White
- Onyx Black
- Pacific Blue
- Brick Red
Mahindra buys stake in Reva
Mahindra & Mahindra has struck a deal to be a majority shareholder at Reva Electric Car Company. The company has picked up a 55.2% equity stake in Reva through equity purchase from the promoters as well as fresh equity infusion of Rs 45crore into the company.
Post the buyout, Reva Electric Car Company has been renamed as Mahindra Reva, and it will have Dr. Pawan Goenka as the Chairman of the new board. Mr. Chetan Maini will continue to be on the board and also be the chief of technology & strategy.
Mahindra has already demonstrated the execution of diesel hybrid tech on the Scorpio Hybrid and the hydrogen Alfa three-wheeler, and is currently working on an electric version of its mini-truck, Maxximo. Mahindra REVA's EV tech will be adapted for these and other M&M vehicles. Mahindra REVA will now have access to Mahindra's vehicle development technology and distribution network, thereby significantly enhancing its ability to launch a state-of-the-art electric vehicle for global markets.
Speaking on the acquisition, Mr Anand Mahindra, VC & MD, Mahindra & Mahindra said, "With issues such as climate change and carbon footprint taking centre stage globally, eco-friendly transportation becomes the need of the hour. Mahindra already has an established sustainable mobility solution programme and our association with REVA will only help us further expand our green footprint both in India and overseas".
Dr. Pawan Goenka, President (Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors), Mahindra & Mahindra said, "This is a key strategic acquistion for Mahindra in its march towards sustainable mobility. Mahindra and REVA bring complementary strengths together, ensuring that Mahindra's engineering expertise, global distribution network, sourcing clout and financing support will give REVA vehicles a potential to significantly gain in market penetration while Mahindra benefits from REVA's EV tech for its own products."
Mr Chetan Maini, Chief of Technology and Strategy mentioned, "The EV market is poised to grow significantly and we concluded that in order to seize the opportunity we need the resources and experience of a major automotive manufacturer. As a result of Mahindra's investment, Mahindra REVA will be able to scale, innovate and accelerate and so to deliver better products to more customers in more places."
[Via: AutocarIndia]
Mahindra eyes SsangYong Motors
Mahindra is learnt to be keen to make a bid for the ailing Korean ar manufacturer SsangYong Motor Company. Bidders had to submit their letters of intent by end of May. The acquisition of Ssangyong may be a good fit for the Indian company in its quest to become a global player in SUVs and pick-ups. The Korean company has two plants, one of which makes SUVs such as the Rexton II and a luxury saloon called Chairman, and the other plant manufactures engines.
M&M may have to shell out up to $300 million to bid for Ssangyong, which has been attracting investments since December 17, 2009. China's SAIC is the single largest shareholder in Ssangyong. Some years ago, M&M had planned to introduce the Rexton in India under a licensing agreement but that never materialised.
[Via: AutocarIndia]
Bajaj-KTM’s Rs 1 lakh bike
We have been talking about KTM bikes coming to India since Baja displayed the Austrian bike in the 2008 Auto Expo. Finally we have some official news that India's second largest two-wheeler maker, who is jointly developing performance bikes with KTM, will launch the much awaited bikes in 2011. We had earlier reported that the Bajaj-KTM is looking at introducing a 125cc bike with a max power of 15bhp, which complies with the European norms. But fresh information suggests that the bike will be priced around Rs 1 lakh. A 125cc bike at that price will not fetch large numbers in terms of sales, which mean that the firms might be looking at launching a bigger bike, probably 200cc plus. Praise the lord!
According to Bajaj Auto Two-wheeler, CEO, S. Sridhar - the new product will be first launched in Europe and then in India and this will be sometime during the next financial year. The bike will be assembled at Bajaj's Pune plant and will be sold with the KTM marquee through their Pro-biking showrooms . These showrooms currently sell the Kawasaki Ninja 250R along with Bajaj products. Kawasaki which recently opened their Indian arm and will introduce more performance bikes from its international range, which will also be marketed through these showrooms. Finally, bigger bikes with newer technology are making their way in to the Indian market. Now it's just a matter of time for the enthusiast to quench their need for speed.
[Via: BikeIndia]
Tata Concludes Investigation Into Nano Incidents
Tata Motors has undertaken a comprehensive investigation related to the cause of fire in two Tata Nanos. On the basis of the findings of the investigation, conducted by a 20-member internal team and an independent forensic expert, Tata Motors assures all customers that the Tata Nano is a safe car. The investigation reveals that the incidents in these two cars, which were being transported to or from dealers, were isolated instances and the reasons are unrelated. This further establishes the conclusion that the Tata Nano's design is robust. The Mumbai incident in March 2010, approximately one-and-a-half hours after delivery to a customer, was found to have remnants of a foreign object on the hot exhaust system which most probably led to combustion.
In the incident of the second car in Gujarat's Anand district in April 2010, which was being delivered to a dealership, there was evidence of a ruptured fuel line. The investigators' conclusion that the Tata Nano is safe and robust is also visible in the problem free driving experience of thousands of owners since deliveries from July 2009. The company has, notwithstanding, decided that it will allay any concerns by owners by inspecting all cars with customers and, where necessary, add additional protection to ensure the car's safety. Beginning May 24th, each owner will be individually contacted over the next few weeks to fix appointments for such inspections. These inspections would be provided free of cost to the customers. These inspections do not constitute a recall.
[Via: Motorbeam]
Nissan Micra production kickstarts in India
Nissan Motor India today announced the start of production of its 'Made-in-India' compact car (hatchback) Nissan Micra at its manufacturing plant at Oragadam, near Chennai. "In an exponentially growing and challenging Indian automobile industry, we are introducing a product that has been specifically designed keeping in mind the discerning consumer needs of India. The India made Micra will supply to strategic markets such as Europe, Middle East and Africa and this is only possible due to the high quality skills of Indian team," said Toshiyuki Shiga, Chief Operating Officer, Nissan Motor Company.
Nissan Micra will be displayed in all Nissan showrooms across the country from tomorrow. The company has also decided to start the pre-order bookings for the Micra at all these showrooms. Customers can visit these showrooms and book their car against an initial booking amount of Rs 50,000. The sales for Nissan Micra will commence in July 2010. The company is expected to rollout an advertising campaign for the car shortly.
More than 85 per cent of its parts used for the new Nissan Micra are procured through around 96 local vendors and half of them are located in Chennai. "We always had a clear strategy for India and this has been clearly reflected in our investments in the first manufacturing plant for the alliance in Chennai. We are now confident that the Indian customers will like our product offerings beginning with the Nissan Micra, and this is the right product at the right time," said Kiminobu Tokuyama, Managing Director and CEO, Nissan Motor India.
The plant which started production has a capacity to produce 400,000 units per year at full ramp up. The plant is spread over an area of 640 acres, represents an investment of $990 million. The initial production capacity at the plant will be 200,000 units with one line and the company is looking at producing more than 80,000 units. The plant employs 1,900 workers and will reach 3,000 in two years time. The company, along with its supplier park in Chennai, estimates a total of 6,000 jobs to be created in the region.
The new Nissan Micra, built on a new versatile platform - the V-platform, is designed to have broad appeal to customers in both emerging and developed markets. Nissan Micra was designed and tested in Japan and fine-tuned to meet the differing tastes and needs of customers worldwide. The Nissan Micra is a reliable, stylish and eco-friendly car for people who enjoy everyday driving. The compact hatchback, with its affable appearance, is also engineered for easy handling and sprightly performance, while realizing class-leading fuel efficiency.
[Via: BusinessStandardMotoring]
