CZECH auto maker Skoda Auto’s Indian subsidiary Skoda
A hike in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 would be effective from August 1. “ The price hike has been necessitated by a variety of cost- push factors like surge in freight costs and in prices raw materials,” Skoda
Ratan Tata, whose Tata Motors bought the marque as part of its $ 2.3- billion purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover earlier this year, was looking to revive Daimler, the Times reported. The car, which is a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II, may be remodeled into a super- luxury version to rival Bentley and Rolls- Royce — funded from a kitty of a billion pounds earmarked to develop new models at Tata- owned manufacturing units in
The paper said Tata’s plans, which include selling these cars to rich customers in
The Luxury car market in
Mercedes
Mercedes
BMW
BMW has sold 1,323 cars in the first five months, which is almost equal to the 1,387 cars the company sold during the full last year.
Volkswagen
The Volkswagen group has managed to sell 810 premium cars of its two brands Audi (470 units) and Volkswagen (340 units).
Audi
And Porsche is aiming to double the tally of its car sales this year by selling over 200 premium cars.
Clearly, financial sector meltdown and the consequent wealth erosion hardly seem to be dissuading buyers of high-end cars in
“If you look at the segment we are operating in, price sensitivity of the product is not an issue,” says Kurt Rippholz, head, communications, Volkswagen
To this Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, chief executive officer and managing director, Mercedes
According to the 2008 Wealth Report by Merrill Lynch Cap Gemini there are around 1,23,000 millionaires in US dollar terms in India. Also, the country has a significant number of young, rich and enterprising people in smaller cities who are spoilt for choice. And manufacturers are strutting their products to lure them.
Bentley
So, the top- end luxury cars such as Bentley and Lamborghini, which cost upwards of Rs 2 crore, and that can only sell around 25 and 10 cars, respectively, for exclusivity sake, have industrialist buyers queuing up — for four to six months — to get their cars. But it’s the entry- and mid- segment luxury cars that are selling like hot cakes among the class aspirants.
Lamborghini
This year till June, Mercedes sold 1,000 C-Class cars ( Rs 25 lakh onwards). In fact, in March alone, it sold over a 100 Mercedes S-Class cars ( Rs 70 lakh onwards).
BMW sold 666 cars of its 5 Series and 355 units of its Series 3 cars upto end- May this year.
BMW
Last year Audi sold 107 units of its Q7 model while Porsche sold around 90 cars of its
Professionals in their thirties who have a global lifestyle and hail from smaller towns are the main customers in this segment,” says Aulbur. And to sell these new cars, companies are expanding their distribution network thick and fast. New dealerships are being set up in Tier II, III cities.
There is a sizeable population of Mercedes cars in cities such as
Volkswagen, in its second phase of expansion opted for cities such as
Porsche is looking at having nine dealerships by 2010 from the current two and is also looking at building a steady relationship with Indian customers. So, it’s zip, zap zoom time ahead for the luxury car market in
HYUNDAI Motor India Ltd ( HMIL) on Wednesday shipped its first consignment of disassembled knocked down ( DKD) cars to 
The company’s Sriperumbudur plant near Chennai has been nominated by Hyundai Motor Company as its global manufacturing hub for small cars meant for exports. Earlier, the company was exporting its Santro model to
H. S. Lheem, Managing Director of HMIL said that Hyundai i10 has achieved over 100,000 units of export orders in record time of less than seven months from diverse countries spanning different continents making it one of the most popular cars to be launched recently.
TATA Motors Ltd is open to
Fiat has a joint venture with Tata to manufacture and distribute cars, engines and commercial vehicles. Tata also said the Tata group was in talks with Italian defence and aerospace company Finmeccanica SpA about supplying helicopter parts. The head of Fiat’s Iveco truck unit told an Italian newspaper in May he expected to resume talks with Tata on possible accords after the
The Finnish- language forum claims to be first of its kind in the world, and wants to provide an alternative to what its members perceive as foot-dragging in the oil and auto industries. It is working in the tradition of ‘ open source’ projects laid down by information technology. “ If we succeed it will create similar projects across the world with whom we can share what we know,” said project participant Jukka Jarvinen, adding that a similar scheme was being launched in
Electric cars have struggled to shake off a quirky image with tiny sales of often fantastical vehicles at prohibitive prices, or economy- sized golf carts with limited range. But because they are charged from the power grid and make more efficient use of energy, they produce fewer emissions and are seen as a promising clean- air alternative to petrol powered vehicles.
When it comes to promises, auto- makers are keen to capitalise on mounting consumer concern about high gasoline prices which are prompting trade- ins of gas- guzzling SUVs. But the Finnish group offers an outlet for fans who have so far been disappointed by the car industry. Some experts say it will still take 5-10 years for alternatives to petrol-fuelled cars to take root, given the capacity challenge for an auto industry that is adding 65 million new cars a year to a fleet of 1 billion.
The group is starting small. It has identified demand for more than 500 electric conversions in
GERMAN luxury car manufacturer Audi would launch its acclaimed sports car R8 in 
“ We will launch R8 in October- November in the last quarter. We already have the first order ( in 
Audi sold 350 cars in
“ As we target sales of 1,000 cars in
“ We have more or less launched the brand in 
Audi’s model range in
Prices of the new Audi A4 start at Rs 29 lakh ( ex- showroom Mumbai without CST, transportation) The company sold 470 cars in the January- June period of 2008 and with Audi, A4 will definitely cross the 1,000- mark.
Audi builds its A6 model at its
When you decide to buy a stereo system for your car or revamp your car’s audio system, you need to start with its music source —the in- dash receiver/ player. In- dash receivers/ players improve the overall sound quality of your music system. Most of them come with a CD player supporting various formats: CD- R, CDRW, MP3, and WMA. Some of them even support the Apple iPod and Satellite radio. Car audio manufacturers (Kenwood, Pioneer, Alpine, JVC and Sony) offer a wide range of head units to choose from. One should buy a head unit (in dash receiver) with optional preamp output. This is needed when you decide to put an amplifier in the future. Buy the head unit with a built- in CD Changer or add a CD Changer to your existing car stereo system so you don’t have to fiddle with controls and CD cases while you drive.
SPEAKERS
Good quality speakers maximise the sound potential of your car. Manufacturers such as JBL, Alpine,
SUB WOOFERS
Sub woofers reproduce very low bass frequencies to provide thumping bass sound. You’ll need an amplifier to drive your sub woofer and a place to install an 8- to- 15- inch unit. You can mount it in a trunk enclosure, under a seat, or in aside panel or cargo tray. The larger the sub woofer, the lower the frequency it will produce.
AMPLIFIERS
Car amplifiers add to the overall volume of your car audio system, driving your speakers without causing distortion. Amplifiers tend to improve the clarity and detail of music being played. Amplifiers should be placed under a seat, inside the trunk of your car or in the rear of your car. Car amplifiers are recommended for big cars with a larger interior space. They come in all ranges from 100 Watts to more than 2000 Watts. Do some research and go for the big buy.
It is important to invest in a good car music system to make your daily commutes bearable.
In-car entertainment has come a long way from the days when there were just a few options: AM/FM radio and/or cassette tape player. Now, improved audio-visual technologies and increasingly sophisticated entertainment tastes mean that cars can become mobile concert halls, or even mobile video arcades or theatres for kids (and others) in the rear seats. A lot of focus is also being put on infotainment. There are a lot to expect from the state-of-the-art in-car entertainment system today. They are called multi-media on wheels.
Companies offer music systems that have a navigational device fitted on to the dashboard, with a microphone to attend calls, a parking camera to be able to park safe, roof mounted screens with DVD player, Bluetooth connectivity and game-port attached to the DVD. In-car-entertainment system makers have to quickly adapt to the changing entertainment trends. So blue-tooth connectivity to transfer songs from your mobile to the music systems is what the new age car drivers are looking for. Not to forget the option to connect the iPod with the car music systems.
The in-car entertainment system is not only for listening music but also for watching movies and television shows. New systems have the added advantage of its music being controlled not only by the driver but by those sitting at the back as well. You just have to sit back and chill. Since music is the best time-pass on Indian roads during peak hours, it makes good sense to buy a worthy audio system for your car.
Indian road conditions are harsh and the dust factor makes things worse. Consumer spending research points out that, after tyres the biggest accessory spend in the car market is on audio systems. While high-end cars pack quite a bit of technology into the humble car stereo, even volume-end cars are beginning to get a taste of designer decibels. A good music system for your car should be able to absorb shocks and vibrations in various road conditions. Also, depending on your driving habits, your passenger mix, your entertainment preferences and your budget, you can choose from a growing range of in-car products to turn driving into a vibrant, enveloping entertainment experience.
Industry sources say that those music systems with front loading or what are more popularly known as the slip down variety, are the hottest selling variety. A poor car audio system will definitely spoil the experience when you are driving your favourite toy. Although the investment for a good system is steep, it is definitely worth the buy. However, not all expensive systems perform well — a lot depends on proper installation. The type of car you drive also plays an important role in what kind of car audio system you should build up. A great audio system is created with the acoustics of a car in mind. To get the best quality of sound, you should compare your audio system and experience it live in as many different environments as possible.
There are a number of features that set a good sound system apart from a bad one. Obviously, more expensive systems will usually offer more of these goodies than cheap ones.
Large, well-spaced buttons:
The whole idea about the operation of a music system is to make it as seamless as possible so that it causes a minimum amount of distraction to the driver: Large buttons are easier to find and use. Try to find a unit with generous spacing between the buttons. This makes the unit easier and safer to use.
Large, informative display:
A display with large numbers and a clear readout makes for an enjoyable listening experience. Try to find a head unit that shows all the pertinent data in one glance. Many units do this well, but some are designed to display only one piece of data at a time.
A generous power amp:
Look for a system with a good power amp. You can tell a good power amp by turning the system above half volume and still hearing clear amplification. If it distorts and begins to get "fuzzy" that means it's running out of steam.
Front loading CD changer:
This cool feature offer a six-disc changer built into the centre stack.
New generation cars are teamed with innovative and advanced technology to include wider options on safety. The key factors contributing to the increasing number of fatalities on roads are high speed, overtaking and alcoholism. The best way to add more number of years to life is to follow the traffic rules, road regulations and safe driving tips. The increasing number of vehicles in the country has catapulted the importance of safety. While we can’t do much about the circumstances we all are in, here are a few tips to keep you safe on road:
If these points are kept in mind when you taking your car out, chances are there that you will reach home safe and sound to be with your loved ones.
Better cars, and lots of them. The change has come quickly. Faced with high gas prices and a weak economy, GM's sales fell 16 per cent for the first half of the year, with trucks off 21 percent and cars down nearly 9 per cent. GM has lost billions of dollars during the last three years. The company on Tuesday announced a combination of cuts, borrowing and asset sales that would raise $ 15 billion to weather the recent slump in US auto sales and the rapid shift from trucks to cars. Henderson, who concedes that GM has some repair work to do on its car brand image, says the change will have to come one or two models at a time.
It will follow the path of the new Chevrolet Malibu, which saw sales jump 46 percent in the first half of the year and average sale prices rise $ 4,000 over previous
One model, the sleek new Chevrolet Cruze due out in 2010, is the replacement for the clunky Chevrolet Cobalt small car. GM plans to power the Cruze with a 1.4- liter turbocharged four- cylinder engine, allowing it to get around 45 miles per gallon ( 19.13 kilometers per liter).
Jetta, launched 29 years ago in Europe, has established a name for itself in the US as the most popular car from a European manufacturer, claimed Volkswagen Group India’s president and managing director Joerg Mueller, adding that it has sold 80 lakh Jetta variants till date, globally.
Speaking on the occasion, Mueller said Volkswagen’s proposed
HYUNDAI Motor India Ltd (HMIL) on Tuesday rolled out a new model of the i10 compact car fitted with its latest and more powerful 1.2 litre Kappa engine that is expected to give five per cent more mileage than the existing 1.1 litre engine fitted in the car.The new engine also emits less exhaust fumes. The i10 will also have a 4-speed automatic transmission variant, which will be more convenient for women especially in heavy city traffic as they will not have to press the clutch and change gears, HMIL managing director HS Lheem told journalists.
The Kappa i10 is available with Hyundai dealers at an entry level price of Rs 3.9 lakh. This compares with the existing i10 which costs Rs 3.37 lakh. The car is being launched in three variants —the Magna, Sportz and Asta with the high-end automatic transmission model with a sunroof priced at Rs 5,43,644.
This variant will also be fitted with front airbags and an anti-lock braking system. Lheem said the new engine and transmission plant at Sriperumbudur near Chennai has the capacity to produce 2,50,000 units of the new Kappa engine every year for powering the i10 cars to be sold both in the domestic as well as European markets. “The engine has been developed at a huge cost of $450 million over 41 months and will be produced in
The Kappa engine has an aluminium block, which makes it much lighter than the other engines, improves the power- weight ratio as well as fuel efficiency. It also helps cool the engine more quickly. The engine is fitted with a double overhead cam shaft, 16 valves and 32 bit microprocessor, which enables it to deliver more power with less noise and vibration.
The engine meets the latest Euro5 emission norms and emits only 119 g/ km of carbon dioxide, which is the lowest for this class of cars, Lheem claimed. He said the i10 has been doing well in both the Indian and European markets. The company had sold as many as 7,500 units of the i10 in the domestic market in the last eight months and had an order book of 1.1 lakh units in exports over the last seven months. Over 70 per cent of the car market in
The fast growing sales of i10 have taken Hyundai’s market share in the country from 19.5 per cent to 25.4 per cent and cover part of the gap with market leader Maruti. Lheem said the company was also working on a diesel variant of the i10, which is currently being exported. However, the cost at the moment was too high for the Indian market. “We are working on ways to reduce the cost of the diesel engine and making it more affordable for the Indian customer, but this, however, will take some time,” he added. HMIL has emerged as the largest exporter of cars in the country. Lheem said that about 40 per cent of the products were being exported from the Indian plant while 60 per cent was sold within the country.
Fancy accessories add up to a great looking car that gives you a comfy drive too.
Cars are not just for driving–as we all know. Cars are also meant for showing off, meant for comfort and meant for style. The six month or yearly trips to the workshop for a dose of maintenance are also not enough. Driving a great set of wheels means driving something that looks good, feels good and impresses the world. And no matter what type of car you drive, not matter what it costs, accessorising means adding a great deal of oomph value to the baby. It also improves the functionality of your car.
What kind of accessories do you get?
Think of all the hours you spend commuting to and fro when it comes to work. Think of the time you spend driving around your family, shopping for groceries, dropping the kids off to school... Seems like part of your life is spent inside the car, isn’t it? So it’s obvious that you’d want it all dolled up, with some fancy gizmos and extras to give you a comfortable drive. What are the accessories that you should be focusing on?
FOCUS ON INTERIORS
Car seat covers:
The first thing to remember after getting anew car is to get car seat covers. Apart from protecting the seats from grime and these also add padding to make seating comfortable. Seat covers in the market now cost anything from Rs 1500 to Rs 4500 and more... (the fancier the car or the brand the higher the prices). While choosing seat covers, pick one with extra padding if you need more cushion. Seat covers made of fabrics like neoprene or polyurethane keep the temperature regulated when the weather warms up. You can make a statement of sorts with leather covers or contrast cream interiors with brightly coloured covers.
Floor mats:
Your car will have a carpet when it comes from the manufacturer. To not ruin it thanks to the dirt and grime from your shoes and to add to the good looks of your car, floor mats are mandatory. Rubber or coir, there are various options for your car mats. Get one with some colour to brighten up the interiors of your car.
Steering wheels:
Ah! the thin, boring steering wheel that came with your new car... It made driving such a chore, didn’t it? Now, increase your car’s style quotient with something fancy... Like racing- style steering wheels, comfortable foam- padded steering wheels, leather steering wheels or something unusual.
Shift knobs:
Shift knobs, too, can be changed to something fancy. Today, the market will give you everything... from racing cars to classic cars.
Gauges:
Does your dash need some flash? If you don’t have twinkling and blinking instrumentation –something like the cockpit of a Boeing 737 –on your dashboard, it doesn’t feel like you are doing much driving, are you? If parts to improve the performance of your vehicle are added to your car, check out how these are working with gauges. Make sure they are in tune with the factory parts of your car.
Organisers:
Create order out of chaos. You find some fancy organisers in car markets nowadays and these come in use when you want to stash away your papers, cellphone, organisers and other important stuff.
EXTERIOR CAR ACCESSORIES
Ooh la la! This is a whole new ballgame altogether. Get the old lady glowing with fancy lights, grand fog lights –everything that add up to making her look more fancy on the speed bahn. However, before that it would be important to consult the little black book of traffic rules and find out what is challan- able and what is not. Do remember, however, that exterior car accessories can improve the safety quotient of your car.
Car lights:
The blue- white of Xenon bulbs make for bold cars –traffic rules permitting. Some people go in for neon under- car lights to add some drama to the drive. Fog lights, etc are also critical to safety when you are driving in foggy conditions. Always ensure that you get the best of makes when it comes to your car lights. Rear lights too are of various kinds. You can get something fancy for your number plates to show off too.
In-car entertainment systems:
From LCD monitors, ceiling ACs and ceiling monitors to DVD players for some super movie- watching and music- listening, entertainment inside cars is getting so hi- tech that there will come a time when you won’t just feel like stepping out of your car.
Roof racks:
Need extra space when you’re packing up your car for a vacation and some things just won’t fit in the trunk? Get some fancy roof racks and pile on the stuff. A great way to utilise space.
Grilles:
These don’t have much to do for the performance of your vehicle, but grilles make for some real fancy car decor. Stylish grilles are very popular with people who want to bling it on with style.
CREATE A LOOK
Sometimes, car designers can work wonders with your vehicle. Some TV programmes feature great ideas to dress up one’s drive. While you can get your mechanic to do some upgrades, you can use your creativity and work out some very stylish themes. Use a few accessories to create magic.
Batmobile anyone?
Get a great paint job, with some sleek xenon lights and silver car seats. See if someone can add tail fins.
Movie star looks:
Flashing a red car? Try to get under car lights in the same colour. See if anyone will tailor you seat covers with flecks of gold, or silvery tones. Add some really flashy gauges to make your dash look like something from outer space, and hooray... You are a star on the road.
Get eyeballs to stick:
Creative paint jobs –seen the ones that look like bullet holes? –fancy sunscreens, weird car colours, antennas in the front over the windscreens, everything that looks otherworldly and grand should be tried out. You are going from one place to the other, and giving people something to look at is not such a bad idea, is it?
Taking care of your tyres is easier than you think. Check out these important points to see if you’re doing the right thing.
BALANCING :Properly balanced tyres are important for driving comfort and long tyre life. Unbalanced tires can cause vibration, resulting in driver fatigue, premature tyre wear and ruined suspension. Tyres should always be balanced when they are mounted on wheels for the first time, or when they are remounted after repair.
CARE : New tyres feel different from the tyres that were replaced. Drive carefully as you become familiar with their performance and handling characteristics. Differences are most noticeable while braking, accelerating, cornering, and driving in the rain. You need new tyres when the tread is worn down to where you can see a solid bar of rubber across the width of the tread. Sometimes inserting a coin to measure the depth of the tread tells you how much your tyre is worn.
DRIVING:Avoid speeding if you want to increase the life of your tyres. Excessive heat is generated while driving at high speeds, increasing the rate of wear, and reducing its durability. Avoid fast turns on curves, fast starts and sudden braking.
INFLATION : Always use the air pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. You can find the proper tyre inflation level in your owner’s manual, posted on the edge of the driver’s door, on a door post or on the inside of the glove box door. Remember to check your air pressure when the tyres are cold. Don’t have time to go to the garage all the time? Keep a good pressure gauge handy. Also, it is very important to remember not to try any stunts and try to repair tyres yourself. It takes a trained professional to determine if your flat tyre is safe to repair. When a tyre loses its air pressure, it must be removed from the wheel for a complete internal inspection. Tyres driven a short distance while flat can be damaged beyond repair. Most punctures smaller than ¼"and confined to the tread area can be repaired by trained personnel using industry approved methods. Tyres with punctures on the sidewall or tyres worn below 1/ 16" can not be repaired.
ROTATION :Regular and proper tyre rotation promotes uniform wear. Tyres should be rotated in a"modified X" pattern, meaning only the tyres being moved to the drive axle are crossed to the opposite side of the vehicle. The remaining two tyres are moved from the drive axle to the free rolling axle, remaining on the same side of the vehicle. This method of rotation helps promote even and uniform tread wear pattern for all four tyres. These should be rotated at least every about 10,000 kms. It is a good idea to rotate four- wheel drive vehicles every 6,000 kms. Check your vehicle manual for information.
Audi has no plans to introduce a car smaller than next year's A1 supermini, says CEO Rupert Stadler.
That means it won't be joining Seat and Skoda in borrowing the rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive city car platform that VW is developing.
The chassis has been doing the rounds of recent motor shows, in the guise of the VW Up!.
Stadler also said the company won't be looking to build anything more niche or extreme than the R8 supercar that has given the likes of Porsche, Aston Martin and Maserati a wake-up call.
However, he would like to see the Q5 family of compact 4x4s enlarged, which he thinks would be 'a very sensible step', and said he would 'not be against' a high-performance Q5, badged S or RS.
It's unlikely there will be a convertible Q5 like the concept car shown at the
'We got positive feedback from that car, but not enough to make us say "let's start it",' he said. 'There would not be sufficient markets interested in taking it.
'I have driven a development model and it feels very different to be sat so high up with the roof open, but it would be too much of a niche car.'
HYUNDAI Motor India Ltd (HMIL) on Monday reported a34 per cent increase in domestic car sales during June at 21,881 units while the country’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki recorded a flat growth of 0.7 per cent selling 56,411 units during the month. SUV maker Mahindra &Mahindra (M& M), which markets diesel- run vehicles, recorded an eight per cent growth during the month. Hyundai did well with its i10 and Santro, while Maruti Suzuki notched up a high growth of 48 per cent in the A3 segment with its Swift Dzire and Sx4 models, selling as many as 5,807 units during the month, compared to 3,923 units in June last year. Inclusive of exports, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd reported a slightly higher growth of 2.22 per cent rise in total vehicle sales during June at 61,247 units, compared to 59,917 units in the same month last year. 
