Honda to showcase small car prototype at Thailand Motor Expo

Honda Siel Cars India on Tuesday said it will showcase the prototype of its proposed small car at the upcoming Thailand International Motor Expo this month and will launch the vehicle in India in 2011.

Japanese car giant Honda had unveiled the concept of the vehicle at the Delhi Auto Expo this year and said it will be priced below Rs 5 lakh.

In a statement, Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) said the world premiere of the prototype of the new small-size vehicle will take place at the forthcoming 27th Thailand International Motor Expo 2010, starting November 30.

HSCI, the joint venture between Honda and the Siel Group, further said the proposed small car is "scheduled to be introduced to India and Thailand in 2011".

Based on this prototype, Honda will introduce two versions of the small car, the statement said.

"In India, Honda will introduce a model developed exclusively for the country's growing small car market. In Thailand, Honda will introduce a model that complies with the country's high fuel efficiency standards," it said.

Maruti Suzuki launches Eeco in Mumbai

India's largest manufacturer of passenger cars, Maruti Suzuki, launched Eeco, a multipurpose vehicle here.

Maruti had rolled out Eeco at Auto Expo 2010, recently held in New Delhi.

"The initial response to Eeco is very good. It will be available across all our counters in the country," Maruti Suzuki India Chief General Manager (Sales), R S Kalsi, told reporters while unveiling the vehicle here on Wednesday.

Maruti Suzuki Eeco is a five-door, C segment vehicle with a 1200 cc engine.

The company has launched three variants of Eeco at a price range of Rs 2.7 lakh–3.03 lakh.

The vehicle will be available in six colours.

Tata to Launch U.S. Nano

Tata Motors, the people's car of India, could, in just a matter of years, drive into the U.S. auto scene.

At the opening day of India's 10th Auto Expo in New Delhi on Tuesday, Tata Motors'chairman announced that the company will bring the small, affordable car to the U.S. in three years, albeit with modifications to make it more appealing to the U.S. market -- mainly the inclusion of larger engines, which would require additional crash tests.

"We recognize that there is a market for the Nano in developing countries," Ratan Tata said. "We also recognize there is a market for a low-priced car in the developed world." The Nano is currently priced at about $2,500, making it one of the cheapest cars in the world.

The introduction of the Nano to the U.S. could follow sales in Europe by the end of 2011, according to Reuters.

Alongside auto majors like Toyota, Honda and Suzuki, who showcased compact and "green" cars during the auto expo, Tata Motors unveiled four low-, mid- and high-end vehicles, according to the The Economic Times of India. Among them were a seven-seater multipurpose vehicle named Tata Aria, an 8-seater Tata Venture, the Magic IRIS and the Jaguar XJ sedan.

Tata's New car: "NANO"

Ratan Tata today unveiled, what is perhaps the most-hyped four-wheeler of the year at the Auto Expo show in New Delhi. Nano is priced at Rs 1 lakh, excluding taxes.