Hyundai launches 7th nationwide Free Car Care Clinic
Starting from 7th up till 20th September 2009, the Free Car Care Clinic will be conducted at 375 Hyundai dealer workshops across the country. For the first time, the customers can also avail this free check-up service at 30 Hyundai Authorised Service Centres (HASC) across India
Hyundai Motor India Ltd., the country's leading passenger car exporter and the second largest automobile manufacturer, in an effort to extend the advantage of its excellent services and free check-up to a larger number of its customers, today launched its seventh nationwide Free Car Care Clinic.
Starting from 7th up till 20th September 2009, the Free Car Care Clinic will be conducted at 375 Hyundai dealer workshops across the country. For the first time, the customers can also avail this free check-up service at 30 Hyundai Authorised Service Centres (HASC) across India.
The Free Car Care Clinic will offer a comprehensive 80 point check-up and a thorough examination of the engine, transmission, electricals, under-body, AC, exterior etc. The privileged Hyundai customers can also avail free car wash and special discounts on Oil & consumable and other value added services. In addition to this, Hyundai is offering an attractive 10% discounts on spare parts & selected accessories as well as 20% discount on labour charges and on Extended Warranty.
To honour and reward the customers attending the camp, daily attractive gifts and prizes are being offered during the entire period. These include exciting prizes like 10 Free extended warranties for the entire duration of the camp which will be held for 14 days making it a total of 140 extended warranties.
Prizes will be given in each of the 8 regions and the winner will receive a 32 inch LCD TV while as the first runner up will get a digital camera and the second runner up a DVD player. In addition to this there is a Bumper prize of 32" LCD TV with DVD player combo for one lucky customer.
Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Arvind Saxena, Sr. Vice President - Marketing and Sales, HMIL said: "Hyundai's Free Car Care Clinic has become a stand out service activity which symbolises the bond Hyundai shares with its esteemed customers.
Comprehensive packages at attractive discounted prices are being offered to customers in order to acknowledge their belief in our quality service and brand. Keeping in view the strong support from our customers in the last two camps, we further expect a good response and turnout for the seventh nationwide free check-up camp."
[Via: Infibeam]
BMW Car Finance in India
BMW is setting up a non-banking car finance company in India by next year. The new company will be christened as BMW Financial Services which will be a 100 percent subsidiary of German BMW Group. It will facilitate finance for BMW cars for both retail and fleet operators. It will also facilitate finance for automobile brands as well.
"We have applied for an RBI licence to set up the NBFC. We plan to invest around $50 million, staggered over a period of two years," said Peter Kronschnabl, President, BMW India. BMW India already has its financing division in India which operates on similar lines in the Indian auto market in association with banks HDFC and Bajaj Alliance. Till now it was operating as a part of BMW India but now it has applied to become an NBFC.
BMW had only 9 percent market share of the luxury car market till 2006. Its share has increased to 40 percent by 2009. It expects $50 million investments in its financing subsidiary over a period of next two years. The company is currently assembling its 3-series and 5-series models at its Chennai plant.
[Via: cartradeindia]
Volkswagen July sales up 6.7 percent worldwide
The Volkswagen Group again reported an increase in worldwide deliveries in July, the third successive month of growth. Despite the continuing difficult situation on global automotive markets, Europe's largest automaker recorded 6.7 percent growth, with deliveries totaling 556,900 (July 2008: 521,100) units*.
This means that 3.65 (January - July 2008: 3.79; -3.5 percent) million vehicles were delivered to customers during the first seven months of this year. The Volkswagen Group therefore continues to perform significantly better than the overall market, which declined by roughly 16 percent during this period.
"We are making good progress and winning market share worldwide. Our current delivery figures are above plan. That proves we are present on the right markets with the right products at the right time," Detlef Wittig, Executive Vice President, Group Sales and
Marketing, commented in Wolfsburg on Monday. "It gives us a solid, positive basis for the post-crisis period. However, the recession is not over yet, it has perhaps bottomed out, but we see no signs yet of a sustained recovery on world markets. That is why we are viewing further developments with caution," he added.
Clearly positive trend on core markets of Germany and China - The Volkswagen Group again produced a good performance on its key sales markets. Deliveries on the home market rose by 26.9 percent to 113,700 (89,600) units. The scrapping premium continued to have a positive effect. "We won as many as 250,000 new customers for the Group with the help of the scrapping premium in Germany," Wittig commented. Developments on the Chinese market were exceptionally positive on the back of state incentive programs. The Group delivered 127,900 (76,000) vehicles in China, 68.4 percent up on the same month in 2008, and also representing the highest deliveries ever in a single month.
Volkswagen could not, however, entirely escape the effects of the tense situation on many automotive markets. A total of 286,900 (295,800; -3.0 percent) vehicles were delivered to customers in Europe. The negative situation on the market in Spain and in several countries of Central and Eastern Europe in particular had an impact.
In South America, the Group sold 74,400 (75,700; -1.8 percent) vehicles in July on an overall market that contracted by 11 percent. In North America, 41,100 (42,400) vehicles were delivered to customers, representing a decrease of 3.1 percent on a market that only contracted by 13 percent as a result of government incentives. In contrast, developments in the Asia/Pacific region were very positive - mainly as a result of success in China. With market growth running at 14 percent, the Volkswagen Group delivered 139,300 (88,200) units, representing a rise of 58.0 percent.
Volkswagen brand grows deliveries in July by 15.2 percent - Audi and SEAT also report increases
The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand again performed very well: the core brand reported a 15.2 percent rise in deliveries in July to 351,000 (304,800) vehicles. Apart from models in the Golf range, there was high demand for the Lavida, Passat Lingyu, Jetta and New Bora models which are very successful in China. Deliveries in Germany grew by 38.3 percent to 60,400 (43,700) vehicles, while in China deliveries increased by 67.5 percent to 104,300 (62,300) units. As a result, 2.3 (2.21; +3.8 percent) million vehicles were delivered during the first seven months of this year.
Audi reported worldwide deliveries of 85,000 (83,200) vehicles in July, representing a 2.1 percent rise. As the market's leading premium brand, Audi benefited from positive developments in China, delivering a record 13,400 (9,400; +42.5 percent) vehicles there. Sales figures for the A3, Q5 and A6 sedan were very satisfactory. In Western Europe, the brand consolidated its leading position as the most successful premium brand thanks to growing market share.
The Czech brand Škoda reported deliveries of 55,800 (58,100; -4.0 percent). The brand made strong progress in Germany, Poland and China in particular.
SEAT benefited from the scrapping premium on the German market with a 71.7 percent rise in deliveries to 5,600 (3,300) units. 10,300 vehicles (9,300) were delivered on the home market of Spain, roughly 11 percent higher than the previous year, and the brand regained its position as market leader. In total, SEAT produced a positive result in July, delivering 33,300 (32,200; +3.6 percent) vehicles.
Courtesy: The Volkswagen Group
Hybrid From Porsche in India
Porsche is now also going the hybrid way. For its two bestselling products in its portfolio in India, SUV Cayenne and the Panamera sedan, the company is ready to introduce the hybrid versions soon. "The hybrid version of the Cayenne will go on sale in late 2010. We do not have the exact dates for an India launch yet," said Ashish Chordia, CEO of Precision Cars India, the official importer of Porsche in India.
Porsche is planning to develop an engine that will deliver a fuel economy of 11km per litre on the Cayenne hybrid as well. This is 25 per cent more than the current efficiency of 6km per litre in cities and 8.9 km per litre on highways. The hybrid models the Panamera hybrid version will roll out in second half of 2011.
Porsche is also making its luxury cars even more luxurious. It is offering to build its sedan Panamera as per customer's choice, so that the car will make you feel right at home! It is offering customization options to its customers like Silver Grey or Indian Red seat belts, Yatching Mahogany interiors, refrigerated compartments between the back seats that comes with two glasses with Porsche's logo and much more.
[Via: cartradeindia]
BMW going all out at the Frankfurt Motor Show
BMW is going to show case its premier cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show on a special circuit track. The BMW, MINI and Rolls Royce will get a good showing. Other cars on display will be the ActiveHybrid 7, the ActiveHybrid X6, and world premieres of the 5 Series Gran Turismo and the BMW X1 as well as "further additional product surprises."
As BMW is also marking the 50th anniversary of the MINI, it is going to show two birthday editions of the car, the MINI 50 Camden and the MINI 50 Mayfair. BMW will also highlight its green credentials with some measure to optimize fuel consumption and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Also BMW will be using modular reusable exhibition system which will result in less waste of precious resources.
[Via: globalmotors]
Honda Sells Super Bikes At Premium
Honda Motors Company has sold 21 super bikes in India so far at a price of Rs. 12.5 lakh and Rs. 9.5 lakh within three months of the launch of the company. "We have been able to sell 21 of our super speed bikes within three months of their launch into the country," said HMSI Head Sales Y S Guleria. We have seen the potential of these bikes in big cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and Pune and we aim to sell 100 units of these bikes in this fiscal," he added.
The company had launched two super-bikes CBR1000RR and CB1000R, which are geared towards the high-end customers interested in super-bikes. Further, Guleria also stated that the company now intends to enter the 100cc segment to cater to the popular segment demands and to generate volumes for the company. He did not divulge the price bracket for the new upcoming 100cc bikes coming from the Honda stable.
One Lakh Cars from Maruti with KB Series Engines
Maruti may not have launched the "One Lakh Car" but it has definitely rolled out the latest technology and fuel efficient "One Lakh Cars" in India. Within 10 months of commencing its production of KB series engine, Maruti has already rolled out more than one lakh units of these engines that currently power its latest brands - A-Star and Ritz.
The new KB series engine has been extremely popular amongst the Indian customers and thus Maruti has decided to incorporate the same technology in its other existing models. According the company spokesperson, "The company's Gurgaon plant has produced over one lakh KB-series engines, which are installed in the two small cars A-Star and Ritz since its commercial production began in October last year. We have definite plans to gradually introduce this next generation light-weight fuel efficient engine series in other models over a period of next 3-5 years."
The new engines are fully compliant with BS-III, BS-IV and Euro IV emission norms. Maruti A-Star is powered by 1L petrol engine that delivers a mileage of 19.6 kmpl while the Ritz is fitted with 1.2L engine that delivers 17.7 kmpl of mileage.
[Via: cartradeindia]
Porsche Books 13 Units of Panamera
Porsche is ready to launch the Panamera model in India. It has already received 13 confirmed bookings of the model. The company is facing severe sales decline in the West, especially in Europe, which is its major market. It is now eyeing Asian markets to boost grappling sales. The company has indeed a small market share in the country and still needs to make its presence felt in the Indian auto market.
Precision Motors in Mumbai are the official importers of Porsche cars in India. They expect to sell at least 50 cars this year of which 13 are already booked so far. Panamera is expected to hit the streets by October-end 2009.
The luxury sedan will be available in its top versions with a V8 power unit and luxurious features, with its price estimated to be retailed in the range Rs. 1.4 crore to Rs. 2 crore (depending on the variants) and would be imported as a CBU from Porsche's plant in Germany. The company currently sells 911, Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne models in India.
[Via: cartradeindia]
Proton eyes the Indian car market
Proton plans to sell its product in the developing Indian car market. The Malaysian manufacturer believes the Indian car market has a huge potential and a great opportunity for them.
The South-East Asian company has been in talks with Mahindra & Mahindra and Argentum Motors to enter the Indian auto industry. In a company performance review, the company stated, "On this note, we will be launching new programmes regionally, specifically in ASEAN, China, India and the Middle East… Proton will leave no stone unturned in our vision to strengthen our brand equity within the local and regional arena."
[Via: CW]