Ford India to launch small car in India

Ford India Friday said it will launch a small car in 2011 in order to tap the growing market for compact cars in the country.

"The launch will be a game changer. It will take us into the centre of Indian market," said Ford Motor executive vice president for Asia Pacific John Parker.

The car will be priced between Rs.3-4 lakh. "It will be in the range that 70 percent Indian consumers buy," Parker told reporters on the sideline of the annual convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

Ford has invested about $500 million in India since 2008.

The company will also launch a refurbished version of its sports utility vehicle - Endeavour - next month.

"We will launch a significantly improved Ford Endeavour in a week's time. Consumers were looking for higher technology in the product and they will get the same," said Ford india president and managing director Micahel Boneham.

BMW Z4 To Be Launched In India In October

BMW will be launching its two-seater convertible roadster Z4 in India in October this year.

“The vehicle will be a brand shaper for us in India, we will launch it in October,” Peter Kronschnabl, president of BMW India, told The Telegraph on the sidelines of the SIAM convention in New Delhi.

BMW has plans to sell about 30-40 units of the car annually. The Z4 is priced between Rs. 50 lakh and Rs. 60 lakh.

The new Z4 sports car comes with a 3-litre diesel engine and was launched in Europe in December 2008. The new edition will come with a folding hard roof.

Despite adding to the weight of the car, this feature has increased its appeal. Performance parameters include a top speed of 250 kph and a 0-100 kph rev-up in 5.8 seconds.

BMW India, which is a subsidiary of Germany’s BMW Group, will launch a petrol variant of its 7-series cars with a six-cylinder engine by September.

“Last year, we sold 2,908 units and this year we are confident of crossing 3,000 on the back of new cars and a robust demand for our products,” Kronschnabl said.

The company plans to increase its capacity by 2011. BMW’s current portfolio in India comprises cars from the 3 series, 5 series, 6 series, 7 series, X6, X5 and X3.

BMW Z4 To Be Launched In India In October

BMW will be launching its two-seater convertible roadster Z4 in India in October this year. “The vehicle will be a brand shaper for us in India, we will launch it in October,” Peter Kronschnabl, president of BMW India, told The Telegraph on the sidelines of the SIAM convention in New Delhi. BMW has plans to sell about 30-40 units of the car annually. The Z4 is priced between Rs. 50 lakh and Rs. 60 lakh. The new Z4 sports car comes with a 3-litre diesel engine and was launched in Europe in December 2008. The new edition will come with a folding hard roof. Despite adding to the weight of the car, this feature has increased its appeal. Performance parameters include a top speed of 250 kph and a 0-100 kph rev-up in 5.8 seconds. BMW India, which is a subsidiary of Germany’s BMW Group, will launch a petrol variant of its 7-series cars with a six-cylinder engine by September. “Last year, we sold 2,908 units and this year we are confident of crossing 3,000 on the back of new cars and a robust demand for our products,” Kronschnabl said. The company plans to increase its capacity by 2011. BMW’s current portfolio in India comprises cars from the 3 series, 5 series, 6 series, 7 series, X6, X5 and X3.

Maruti Cars India Launches New Maruti Zen Estilo

Maruti Suzuki India Limited, country's leading car maker, launched the Estilo with all-new overall looks and advanced technological features at a glittering ceremony here today.

The Estilo represents Maruti Suzuki matching pace with the changing taste and lifestyle of 'Vibrant India'. The bolder new Maruti Zen Estilo, designed to meet the aspirations of the Indian customer, is a heady-mix of sculpted features, bold designs, new exciting colours.

New Maruti Zen EstiloLeading the advanced technological features on the new Estilo are a new engine and a transmission system. Equipped with the popular 998cc K-series engine, the Estilo delivers a superior fuel efficiency of 18.2 kmpl (ARAI test results). This BSIV compliant engine makes the Estilo the second car in Maruti Suzuki stable that meets the BSIV norms much ahead of the effective date, April 2010.

The new Zen Estilo comes with new efficient transmission technology and advanced 'Detent pin' gear shift mechanism for smooth and precise gear shift feeling for the customers.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, "The new Estilo, with a new technology engine and a new transmission, is sure to delight the customer. We are confident that the new Estilo with its bolder new design and interiors will add to the competitive edge of Maruti Suzuki in compact car segment."

On the refreshed Estilo, that packages contemporary features and style with next generation technology, he added, "Product upgradation is an integral part of Maruti Suzuki's business strategy and future plans. This is a way to include feedback from the customers and offer better products that match their tastes."

The compact hatchback new Estilo is a part of the growing A2 compact segment where Maruti Suzuki is the established market leader with a market share of 58 per cent.

Superior Technology Engine:
The Maruti Suzuki new Zen Estilo houses the K-series 'K10B' engine under the hood. The 998cc three-cylinder engine delivers a power of 68 PS@ 6200rpm and a higher torque of 90Nm @ 3500rpm. The improved engine technology enables more power, low NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) and the lighter weight of the engine helps to increase the fuel efficiency with lower emissions. The new Estilo comes with ARAI certified fuel efficiency of 18.2 kmpl.

Technical highlights of the K10B engine include DOHC (Double Overhead Cam shaft) with offset crank shaft, resulting in better volumetric efficiency, improved power and FE, high compression ratio, plastic intake manifolds for reducing weight and suction losses, Smart Distributor-less ignition (SDLi) system with dedicated plug top coils and advanced injector for superior atomization. The engine oil in the new technology K10B engine is required to be changed only after 10,000 km thus lowering the running cost.

Environment Friendly:
The new Estilo is the second model from the Maruti Suzuki stable which is BSIV compliant, thanks to the K series engine. The Estilo is also ELV compliant and 89% of the parts are environment friendly meeting ELV norms. Further, to take on the forthcoming norms of 10% Ethanol blending of petrol, the new Estilo is also E-10 compliant. Maruti Suzuki is bringing these environment-friendly features to its range of cars much ahead of the industry adopting these norms.

Superior Transmission:
A new transmission technology and a number of innovations make the new Zen Estilo a combination of power and pleasure.

The new Estilo comes with a new Cable-type transmission technology. The five-speed manual gear with synchromesh is now changed to Cable type as against Rod-type, mechanical transmission earlier. This new transmission reduces the gear shifting effort in the new Estilo, by reducing mechanical losses.

The new Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo has been fitted with an advanced 'detent pin' gear shift and select mechanism. This mechanism eliminates the sliding friction (or line contact) between parts and provides rolling friction (or point contact). This technology, in turn, facilitates smoother transition of gears, and is a first among all Maruti Suzuki products.

These engineering changes, based on customer feedback, provide gear shift assistance for the driver (the gear smoothly goes into its position with minimal effort of the driver). The mechanism reduces the friction and hysteresis losses, thereby proving smooth and precise shifting of gears. It also removes the feeling of stickiness during gear shift process.

Safety, Security & Comfort:
The new Estilo is high on safety, security and comfort.

Improved occupant safety in the form of increase in the frontal impact absorbing area, as the distance between steering wheel and front bumper is increased.

The VXi variant comes equipped with front and rear fog lamps, rear wiper and washer. Safety features like Airbag (driver side) and ABS are provided as option in the VXi variant.

In terms of vehicle security the VXi variant comes with i-CATS integrated keys, five-door central locking and anti-theft alarm.

Rear parcel shelf adds to the passenger convenience and comfort in the VXi variant. Based on customer feedback, the suspension of the new Estilo has been fine tuned to provide improved ride and handling.

Compact and Convenient:
The new Estilo has got a minimum ground clearance of 165 mm and wheelbase of 2360 mm. The tight turning radius of 4.6 meters makes the Estilo a favored car in tight parking and driving conditions.

Vibrant design, styling and looks:
In its refreshed avatar, the new Estilo flaunts expressive, bold frontline looks owing to new swept-back headlamps, dynamic front and rear bumpers, sculpted fog lamp surrounds and a new hood design with crease lines. The rich chrome detailing in the grille and the stylish wheel covers add to the premium feel and the overall appeal of the vehicle. The side door mouldings and ORVM's have been given a new design to add to the bold looks.

The interiors of the new Maruti Zen Estilo have been done up in a posh-looking two-tone beige/chocolate brown complimentary combination, which adds to the refreshing feel inside the vehicle. The seat-covers, embossed with new organically designed geometric patterns heighten the posh looks of the car's interiors.

The dash-board is in a dual tone chocolate brown and beige combination with new attractive and bright silver accent prominently on the center console, instruments cluster, steering wheel, AC louvers and gear knob. The instrument panel has an all new design speedometer, digital fuel level indicator and multi-function display.

Vivacious new colours:
The new Zen Estilo is available in three exciting variants: LX, LXi and VXi in four brand new colours:

New Colours: Ecru Beige, Emerald Blue, Dusky Brown, Quantum Orange

Existing Colours: Silky Silver, Superior White, Bright Red, Midnight Black

New Hyundai Santro ready to launch in India

India's largest passenger car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki India Ltd has recently launched the new version of it popular model Maruti Zen and now its the turn for country's second largest passenger car manufacturer Hyundai to respond with the new launch and the company is ready to launch the all new Hyundai Santro in Indian auto market. in last few months there was number of new cars launched in small hatchback car segment and to make there position stronger Maruti has introduced all new Zen Estilo in Indian market. Now Hyundai Motor India ready to launch the newer version of its most popular and successful model Hyundai Santro to gain more share in hatchback segment in Indian market. The company official said that all new Hyundai Santro will be launched in Indian market on September 01. The new Hyundai Santro will be priced in the range of Rs 3 to Rs 4 lacs.

H S LHem, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor India Ltd said that the new Hyundai Santro will be launched with some cosmetic changes at its interiors and fully revised exteriors of it. However, he refused to disclosed about the more information about the new car but he said that it will be launched in Indian market on September 01.

Hyundai Motor India also planning to phase out its premium hatchback model Hyundai Getz from Indian market in next two year as company has already launched the new i-series cars, Hyundai i10 and Hyundai i20 in Indian market and Hyundai Getz seems to be getting redundant. Also the sales of Hyundai Getz decreased from past few months. Hyundai planned to phase out Hyundai Getz completely from Indian market by 2011.

Hyundai also plans to launch a new 800cc car in Indian market by next two years as 70% of car buyers in Indian market fall below the price range of Rs 4 lacs. Hyundai is also ready to launch its most awaited SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) model, Hyundai Santa Fe in Indian market by early 2010.

Ford Launches Ikon iKool

Ford India, as earlier announced, has launched a new variant, the Ikon ikool. This new variant from Ford India has an iPOD compatible MP3 Player.

This addition in the model is surely targeting at the music lovers. The car has another added attraction; it has anti theft system with remote entry ensuring that the car is safe.

“The Ikon iKool is a fun to drive yet economical car. Its new feature rich persona along with legendary driving characteristics will appeal to the upwardly mobile and ambitious customers who want their car to complement their active lifestyles.

The Ikon has proved its mettle and raised the bar in terms of dependability and fuel efficiency during the marathon ‘Ikon Cross Country Drive’ registering an extremely low cost of ownership which makes the iKool a phenomenal value vehicle that is feature rich, dependable and affordable,” said Nigel Wark, executive director for marketing, sales and service at Ford India.

The spacious interiors of the car now have the new seat covers, which gives a sportier look for the car. The exteriors of the sedan have new iKool badging, chrome deck lid applique, a spoiler, and chrome deck lid.

The Ford Ikon ikool will be available in both petrol and diesel variants, the diesel version will be powered by an advanced Duratorq TDCi 1.4 engine and the petrol by a ROCAM 1.3 engine which offering wonderful mileage of 28 kmpl on the highways and extra smooth driving experience.

Starting 12th August the Ford Ikon iKool will be available at all Ford dealerships across India at a price point of Rs. 4.82 lakh for petrol and Rs. 5.42 lakh for diesel version (ex-showroom New Delhi).

EMI Provokes Nano Cancellations

Tata Motors has completed allotting the first one lakh Nano in July. Some 55,000 people were named 'retainees' whose booking amounts Tata Motors had retained, promising to pay them interest at the rate of 8.75%.

Currently, it has been noticed that people are cancelling their allotted cars citing the high EMI's the banks are charging on the cars than the usual EMI's.

Central Bank of India received around 9,200 applications for the Tata Nano, of which 7,200 people got their allotments. However, 4,700 applicants are yet to get their cars only in 2011, and a majority of them have opted out according to an official with the bank.

People are being deterred by the huge gap the actual car delivery date and the start of the EMI installments. This is because people are asked to pay the EMIs on the booking amount (between Rs 95,000 and Rs 1,40,000, depending on the model, and the interest paid thereon at the rate of 10%-10.5%) start a month after allotment.

It has been revealed that more "than 60-65% of the 5,000 people" who applied for the car through Union Bank of India have either not got allotment or chosen not to take it.

The Nano is being manufactured at the Pantnagar facility of Tata Motors, which has an annual capacity of 50,000 units. It is apprehended that once the Sanand plant in Gujarat is completed, the company will manufacture 350,000 units a year.

Indicruz Xover To Cruise On Indian Roads

Tata Motors is all geared up launch its Indicruz Xover, the Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) early next year.

Tata Indicruz Xover is modeled on the Tata Safari platform and this MPV gets a bold cutting-edge look. The new Indicruz will flaunt sizzling exterior similar to the Innova from Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

It will come with a more curvaceous roof, mirror mounted indicators, large futuristic headlights and grille design with the corporate logo in the centre that will accentuate the front visage of the muscular car. The car will run on 17" alloy wheels.

The premium MPV will boast an extremely large cabin that can accommodate up to seven people comfortably. The beige interior will house all the amenities required for a comfortable and pleasant driving experience. The Indicruz Xover will house navigation system and safety features like Anti-lock Breaking System (ABS) and airbags.

The Tata Indicruz Xover is expected to borrow the Safari’s 2.2-litre DICOR diesel engine that can churn out a powerful horsepower of 138 bhp. But the engine will be setup different to offer better fuel economy and improved drivability.

The Indicuz Xover will be placed against the Toyota Innova and the Mahindra Xylo in the Indian car market.

GM’s New Hope in Chevy Volt

General Motors have long recovered from bankruptcy and rearing to show the world its grit in car manufacturing. The proposed launch of the electric vehicle, like none before, is a very good example of this above statement.

Brushing aside the fact that seeing is believing and taking into consideration the past glory of the company one could believe that the assured car from GM, Chevrolet Volt, will be seen in the roads by 2010, as per the promise.

The car has many peculiarities and it is expected to mark a strong comeback by General Motors. The Volt being an electric car and is also an eco-friendly car. By 2010 or 2011, it is expected that the demand for electric cars will increase and General Motors, as it looks, believes in this prophecy.

The Volt is a hybrid car that runs on lithium-ion batteries, the best to start with to begin the list of specialties. The car, like other electric cars, need not be taken to a station for charging their batteries.

The batteries could be charged through electric power or gasoline engine, at the comfort of your home of office or where ever you are, because it just needs a 120-240V AC electrical outlet. It certainly looks like General Motors has bounced back in the big league once more.

The Chevy Volt is powered by a 150 hp electric motor and a 1.4 liter 4 cylinder engine, and with the fully charged batteries of the Volt one can commute around 40 miles.

With more than a handful of hybrid cars and more to be launched by 2011, it could be a tough sailing for the Volt.

Volvo to Launch S60 in India by 2010

Swedish luxury carmaker Volvo is planning to launch a new luxury sedan in India by 2010. The luxury sedan S60 will be launched in India after the company re-launches the car in the European car market, which will happen sometime during the middle of next year.

"We will be launching the S60 in the Indian market after it is rolled out in Europe in the middle of next year. We hope to have it in India before the end of 2010," said Paul de Voijs, Managing Director, Volvo Cars India.

The S60 has been phased out completely in May this year and the new S60 will be a completely new and advanced version of the car. The S60 would be brought to India as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) from its parent facility in Belgium.



"We will look for annual sales of, may be, around 2,000-3,000 units before setting up an assembly plant here. Our major plants in Sweden and Belgium have still got a lot of extra capacity," said Voijs.

The company seems to be very enthusiastic about the fast growing luxury car market of India. Currently Volvo has three models in its portfolio in India that are Volvo C70, Volvo S80 and Volvo XC90.

Maruti Suzuki A-Star touches One-lakh mark

Maruti Suzuki successfully rolled out its 1,00,000th A-Star model on Tuesday from the Manesar plant. The Manesar plant which also manufactures Maruti Suzuki models like SX4, Swift and Swift DZire crossed manufacturing 5-lakh units since its establishment.

This milestone was achieved by Maruri Suzuki in less than two weeks after the car behemoth made a breakthrough of manufacturing more than 80 Lakh units of the car since 1983.

"A-Star is doing very well in the export market. We are planning to export over 75,000 units of the car by the end of this fiscal," Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava said.

He also added that the Japanese car major Nissan had increased the order of the small car to 54,000 units for this fiscal from 30,000 units.

Nissan sells the A-Star under the brand name Pixo in the European market.

"At one stage Nissan was very hesitant to place order and they had reduced it from 50,000 units, which they were discussing with us. Now the total A-Star export will cross 1.3 lakh units in 2009-10," Bhargava added.

India number one car maker Maruti Suzuki has already exported over 50,000 units of A-Star to over 44 countries including Netherlands, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Angola, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Morocco, Libya, New Zealand and some Latin American nations. The making of this small car started in October, 2008.

Car Insurance Tips

When you own a car, it is legally necessary that you get it insured.

There are two kinds of Motor Vehicle Insurance:

"Motor Policy A" (Third Party Risk) the 'Act Only Policy' covers third party damages up to Rs 6000/- only. Risk from fire and theft requires an additional premium.

"Motor Policy B" (Comprehensive Insurance Policy) protects you from the following eventualities:

1. Damage due to man made or natural calamities: Natural calamities include fire, floods, hurricanes, landslides, cyclones or earthquakes. Man made calamities include, theft, riots, strikes, malicious acts of vandalism or damage occurring in transit via road, rail, waterways or air.

2. Personal accident cover: In the event of an accident, it is important that you have personal accident coverage. You may also opt for a personal accident cover for passengers traveling with you, just to be on the safe side.

3. Third party legal liability: This would cover you for legal liabilities that result in permanent injury/death or damage to property, in the event of a mishap.

The insurance policy is valid for a period of one year. If you do not make a claim during the policy period, you are eligible for a discount, which is adjusted against the renewal premium. In case your policy expires, you can still avail the no claim bonus if you renew the policy within 90 days of its expiry.

The following rates of discount apply:

* First year - 20%
* Second year - 35%
* Third year - 50%
* Fourth year onward - 65%

This insurance policy does not cover these circumstances:

* Damages arising out of mutiny, nuclear risk or war
* Depreciation and consequential loss thereof
* Mechanical/ electrical failures
* Wear and tear of car tires and tubes
* Vehicle being used other than the purpose for which it was purchased
* Damages occurring from driving without a valid license
* Damages occurring from intoxication by alcohol or drugs
* Everyday wear and tear


In case you have an accident, how do you claim your Insurance? You need the following documents to submit to the insurance company:

* Your Vehicle Insurance Policy
* Original + Copy of the Registration Book
* Original + Copy of Driving License
* FIR in case of an accident involving third party injury or damage
* Claims form + the estimated cost of repairs from your workshop

Once you submit these documents, the insurance company will inspect the damaged car and authenticate the estimated cost of repairs. Once the surveyor has completed the inspection, the car can be repaired.

Present the final bill for the repairs and a stamped receipt from the workshop to the Insurance Company for settlement of the claim. An insurance surveyor will once again certify the repaired car, after which, you can take delivery of it.

“Star of India” To Fetch 10,000,000 Euros ?

This car that you see above is the 1935 Rolls Royce Phantom II 40/50 HP Continental “All-Weather Convertible” which was custom made for the erstwhile Maharaja of Rajkot. This is a car which is also known as the “Star of India” amongst the Rolls Royce aficionados.

This Rolls Royce will soon be auctioned for an asking price of 10,000,000 Euros. While you keep counting those zeroes suffixing the numeral One and breaking your head hard to convert it into Indian Rupees we will quickly brief you about this Phantom, er, Car.

This car is one of special cars in the vast private collection of cars belonging to Hans-Günther Zach. Zach has a private museum in Mühlheim, Germany which houses around 27 cars (24 Rolls-Royces and 3 Bentleys) many of which belong to the pre-war period. Mind you, Zach is one crazy Rolls-Royce buff and yes of course it shows.

But now, probably recession has really hit everybody real hard as that shows too because Zach is planning to sell the entire private collection of cars and it is the “Star of India” which will be auctioned for this astronomical sum. If sold at the auctioned price, this Rolls Royce will be the costliest car ever sold in the face of earth.



The body of this Rolls, as we have earlier mentioned was custom built by Thrupp & Maberly and is painted in saffron ochre finish and aluminium. This 7.7-liter pushrod straight-six is a seven-seater with the interiors also decked up in saffron, a colour regarded as auspicious in India and carries a whopping fourteen headlights, which gives the car a superior appearance.

To top it all, this car has on it an inscription which reads “An impartial ruler of men of all faiths.”

Now for the real puzzle, If Zach, being aware of the economic slowdown, still puts a huge price for his Star, then he should be equally confident that he will get a buyer for his precious procession. But, who could be the buyer, who is least affected by the economic meltdown.

VW Polo to be seen in India by 2010

The Volkswagen Polo is expected to be in the Indian car market by the end of next year. Indians have been long expecting the launch of this supermini car. But the wait just a little longer.

It has been reported three years back that the car will be available to the Indian car customers by 2009 and it will be competing against the Maruti Swift, Hyundai Getz and Tata Indica. But when the promised time has just arrived the wait is extended by another one year and the car will have a new set of rivals in the Indian market by the end of 2010.

Let us hope that the wait will finally end this year. The bookings have already begun in Europe for this fifth-generation of Polo. For the European customers, the Polo is a very familiar model and a much loved one also. But for us Indians, we have to wait until Volkswagen plans to deliver this cute hatchback to our shores by sometime in 2010.

For the Indian car customers, there will be modifications in the car so that it will meet their needs the best. But from the master car builder it will be surely some great features, as the Indian customers also have now learned the trick of not getting settled for what has been offered but asking for more.

The exteriors of the car will match its siblings the Volkswagen Jetta and Passat, but mocks at the more serious look of these models with the dual indicators, which gives the car a sportier look. As for the engine options, the base model of the car will be available in a 1.2-litre petrol and there will be a more powerful engine option of 1.2 TSI petrol motor.

The price is expected to be between 4 lakh and 7 lakh which looks quite tempting, but wait and see, what this long wait has in store.

Logan in the Path of Change

Mahindra Renault Logan, an offspring of the joint venture between the Indian car manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra and the French car manufacturer Renault though fetched good prospects initially for the company, has soon run into trouble and is hardly selling 500 units per month.
The company started realizing that the much hyped model of theirs is not bringing them profit and that their future is at stake. They had realized this some time back but did not bother to look back to rectify the problem as they did not want to figure out the problem! But now the company is finally ready to accept it and is getting ready to revive the sagging sales of Mahindra Renault Logan.
The company currently is in the lookout for more and more options to revive and boost the sales of the car. Of the many options that the company is considering are, to bring in a new model, abandon the Logan, and refresh the Logan and so on. This mid-sized sedan, which has supported the existence of the joint venture, will not be deserted by the company but instead will be given little tweaks here and there to make it a small car; in fact little tweaks will be too little to do the magic so perhaps some major ones.
Mahindra and Mahindra is in talks with the Renault to see whether they can dress up Logan as a small car and thus reducing the excise duty of the car by including it in the small car sector, which piggy backs on low duty. Let us all wait for a new Logan which will be not only seen in the green paint with a yellow number plate.

Logan in the Path of Change

Mahindra Renault Logan, an offspring of the joint venture between the Indian car manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra and the French car manufacturer Renault though fetched good prospects initially for the company, has soon run into trouble and is hardly selling 500 units per month.

The company started realizing that the much hyped model of theirs is not bringing them profit and that their future is at stake. They had realized this some time back but did not bother to look back to rectify the problem as they did not want to figure out the problem!

But now the company is finally ready to accept it and is getting ready to revive the sagging sales of Mahindra Renault Logan. The company currently is in the lookout for more and more options to revive and boost the sales of the car. Of the many options that the company is considering are, to bring in a new model, abandon the Logan, and refresh the Logan and so on.

This mid-sized sedan, which has supported the existence of the joint venture, will not be deserted by the company but instead will be given little tweaks here and there to make it a small car; in fact little tweaks will be too little to do the magic so perhaps some major ones.

Mahindra and Mahindra is in talks with the Renault to see whether they can dress up Logan as a small car and thus reducing the excise duty of the car by including it in the small car sector, which piggy backs on low duty.

Let us all wait for a new Logan which will be not only seen in the green paint with a yellow number plate.

Tata Motors Eyes Pininfarina

The famous Italian car design house and coach builder Pininfarina is up for sale. If things go right, our desi car maker Tata Motors will secure it. This will be icing on the cake as Tata Motors has recently acquired the luxury marquee brand Jaguar Land Rover.

The company Pininfarina is struggling with financial problems and is losing its influence and command over as one of the most successful car styling companies of the world. So, the decision to put it up for sale came as a part of an agreement to restructure the company's debt.

Currently, the Pininfarina family holds a 50.6 per cent stake in the company and has hired a bank to help it sell its shares. Indian car maker Tata Motors is a strong contender among its potential buyers.

One of Tata Motors’ contenders is a French industrial company called the Bolloré which is presently developing the Bluecar EV with Pininfarina. It has also been rumoured that Ford is also looking at the deal.

Tata Motors is in partnership with Fiat, which has its Ferraris and Maseratis designed by Pininfarina. So, the Indian car company is expected to have a better stand compared to others.

The car styling firm was established as the Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by Battista "Pinin" Farina. It has designed Ferraris and Maseratis and also other models such the Ford Streetka, Peugeot 406 Coupe, Fiat Coupe, Alfa Romeo Brera and Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin. The famous Pininfarnia has also worked with other major car companies like Peugeot, Alfa Romeo, Cadillac, Jaguar and Volvo over the last seventy-eight years.

Pininfarina also worked on the Tata Prima concept car that was presented at Geneva Motor Show earlier this year.

Top 10 Most Expensive Cars of the World

If you love cars and everything about them, then this write-up is just the prescribed one for you to read. Here you'll find an eclectic list of the top ten most expensive cars in the world.

These cars aren't just rare. They are beautiful, extreme, powerful and sometimes in avant-garde ways that mainstream cars can't follow. Their top speeds set records. Their technology is pioneering, and affordable to the people with deep set of pockets with enough moolah. While, when the richest of the rich can posses these super cars, we still can drool thinking about them right?


They’re Luxurious, They’re Fast ... and they are World’s Most Priced

Bugatti Veyron
The legendary Bugatti Veyron tops the list of the world’s most expensive street legal car available in the market today at $1,700,000. It is the fastest accelerating car reaching 0-60 in 2.6 seconds and the second fastest car after SSC Ultimate Aero at 407 kph.

Lamborghini Reventon
The second place goes to the Lamborghini Reventon that debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. This is the most powerful and the most expensive Lambo ever built priced at $1,600,000. It takes 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and has a top speed of 356 km/h. Its rarity, limited to only twenty units, and slick design are the reasons why it is so expensive and costly to own. It is said that the exterior styling of this supercar was inspired by the fastest of airplanes.

McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 takes the third place with a price tag of $970,000. This was, in fact, the fastest and most expensive car in 1994. Even though it was built 15 years ago, it has an unbelievable top speed of 386 km/h and takes just 3.2 seconds to reach 60 mph. The McLaren F1 established its place in super car history as the world's fastest production road car. Described by many as the finest driver's car ever built, the McLaren F1 excelled both on the road and the race track. Although the production of McLaren stopped in 1998, it remains as one of the fastest production cars ever made in terms of sheer top speed.

Ferrari Enzo
This is the only Ferrari that has made it to the list. It is priced at $670,000 and is the most famous supercar ever built. Named after Ferrari’s founder Enzo Ferrari, this car was built to commemorate Ferrari’s first World Championship of the new Millennium in 2002. The Enzo has a top speed of 348.8 km/h and can reach 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Only four hundred units of this supercar were ever manufactured.

Pagani Zonda C12 F
The Pagani Zonda C12 F comes from a small independent car company called Pagani, in Italy that manufactures roughly ten cars per year. Apart from being the fifth expensive car in the world, this Pagani Zonda also holds the fifth position for the fastest car. This supercar promises a top speed of 346 km/h and it can reach 60mph in 3.5 seconds. The price tag of $667,321 is attached to Pagani Zonda C12 F.

SSC Ultimate Aero
Priced at $654,400, the SSC Ultimate Aero begs the sixth place. The SSC Ultimate Aero might be low on price!, compared to the other super cars mentioned above in the page. But don’t just let the price fool you as it is the fastest of street legal cars in the world with a top speed of 414.31 km/h and reaching 60mph in 2.7 seconds. Shelby Supercars built only 25 specimens of this car which has a found a place in the Guinness World Records for its invincible speed.

Saleen S7 Twin Turbo
The Saleen S7 Twin Turbo snatches the third rank for the fastest car in the world. It has a top speed of 402 km/h and it can reach 60mph in 3.2 seconds. This true supercar is available for $555,000. The Saleen S7 Twin Turbo is America's first exotic supercar with mid-engine configuration.

Koenigsegg CCX
The eighth position is claimed by Koenigsegg CCX that can be yours for $545,568. The CCX can accelerate 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. The Swedish car, currently at the forth place in the fastest car standings, is giving its best shot to emerge as the fastest car of the world. It has a top speed of more than 395 km/h. But, according to Koenigsegg, the CCX has a top speed of 417 km/h, which has not been officially verified.

Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
This sports car is quoted at $495,000. A GT supercar, the SLR McLaren is the fastest automatic transmission car in the world that can achieve 332 km/h. The SLR McLaren Roadster can accelerate 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. The Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster is a luxurious convertible with a powerful engine. It is jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive.

Porsche Carrera GT
This Porsche come with a price sticker of $440,000 and is placed in the tenth position. It has all the qualities of a supercar with dynamic stability control and a top speed of 330 km/h. It can achieve 60mph in 3.9 seconds. The Porsche Carrera GT applies the absolute calibers of a true racing car to offer an unprecedented driving feeling on the road. The first Porsche Carrera GT went on sale in the United States on January 31, 2004 and 604 units were sold till Porsche discontinued production of the Carrera GT due to changing airbag regulations in the US.

2010 New Toyota Camry to be launched on July 31

Toyota Kirloskar Motors will launch the face-lifted new 2010 Toyota Camry with an athletic new frame in New Delhi. The 2010 New Toyota Camry flaunts dynamism and intelligence with the combination of athletic styling and modern design.

The 2010 New Toyota Camry comes with a wide array of new features and design. The new sedan gets a major overhaul on the exterior with fascinating front grille, well-formed front bumper and an enlarged lower air intake for better air flow.

The new Camry will display dazzling headlamps and revamped tail lamps that command attention. The High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps ensure better and whiter light for front visibility while they appear to be blueish-white to oncoming cars. The car also equipped with sun-roof. The 2010 Camry will run on 16-inch 10-spoke steel wheels with full wheel covers.

The luxury sedan comes with a 2.4L in-line 4 cylinder DOHC engine that can deliver a power output of 165 bhp. The New 2010 Toyota Camry comes with two transmissions such as a quick shifting 6-speed manual transmission and a slick 6-speed automatic transmission. The car receives a well-tuned McPherson Struts suspension on the front wheels and Dual Link suspension on the rear wheels that provides a smooth and joyous ride.

This luxury sedan boasts a generous, comfortable and luxurious interior. The cabin sports stylish fabric seat covers and cool door trim with integrated armrests with dual front and rear map pockets.

Some of the exciting features included in the 2010 New Toyota Camry are an audio system equipped with a new USB port for auxiliary music sources, Bluetooth(R), integrated satellite radio, single-CD, and MP3 and Bluetooth(R) streaming music capability.

Moreover, Vehicle Stability Control with traction control and auto up/down power windows will come as a standard features for all the models of the new 2010 Camry.

The 2010 Toyota Camry will come in new two impressive shades, Beige Mica Metallic and Dark Green Metallic.

BMW Withdraws from Formula One

This comes as a shocker for many Formula One fans. BMW has announced that it is withdrawing from world’s most viewed motorsports event Formula One racing! … BMW becomes the second team after Honda withdrew its candidature by end of 2008.

Well, BMW says that it is withdrawing from the racing event to restructure its motorsports activities. While the company claims that it wants to dedicate more resources to develop new racing technologies, but critics beg to differ.

BMW has been involved with Formula Once racing since 1980’s. It was an engine supplier to Brabham and helped clinch eight Formula One victories and one world title. Following the 1986 win, BMW exited from the F1 motorsports events till 2000. They again got back as the engine suppliers to Williams team which secured 10 victories over five years. BMW became an official Formula One entrant in 2006 after acquiring the Swiss Sauber team.

However, the current decision is hailed as a Landmark decision by BMW which has had three successful years, previously. BMW has struggled enormously in all events held this year. The team also lost its Credit Suisse sponsorship owning to the global economic meltdown. The company faced a huge credit crunch and BMW was unable to find a suitable replacement sponsorer for its F1 motorsports venture.

The decision has rendered a big blow to the Formula One event organisers. They fear that more teams will pull out form the event in the coming days. The FIA, the sports governing body has rushed into damage control mode. It is considering asking the main five constructer teams to sign an agreement to agree to continue to race till 2012. If this gets through the drive with which Formula One races are held will be diluted significantly.

Further Formula one’s involvement goes beyond mere racing in F1 events. It has been one of the manufacturer to run the Formula BMW junior championship. Leading racer Sebastian Vettel was found in this event. There are many other contributions of BMW towards FI.

The Formula One racing has become poorer by the exit of another car manufacturer.