Aston Martin Arrives in India

Aston Martin joins Ferrari S.p.A, Maserati S.p.A and Volkswagen AG's Bugatti and Lamborghini units in India with the U.K.-based company Friday launching three models for the country's sports car enthusiasts.

"India represents a new opportunity for us," said Michael van der Sande, chief commercial officer at Aston Martin.

The company will sell the V8 Vantage, priced at 15.50 million rupees, the Rapide at 21.5 million rupees and the One-77 for 200 million rupees in Asia's third-largest economy that has already prompted Daimler AG, BMW AG, Audi AG, Bentley and Jaguar to introduce luxury cars for India's rising number of millionaires and billionaires.

"A decision to bring the Aston Martin brand to India is driven by a strong level of interest and enthusiasm from potential customers in an emerging luxury market."

Aston Martin on Friday starts a dealership in Mumbai and will open a second dealership in New Delhi by the end of May.

Expanding sales in India and China have provided global auto makers new market opportunities with business in Europe and the U.S.--their primary markets--stagnating.

Aston Martin was in 2007 sold to Kuwait's Investment Dar Co. K.S.C. and Adeem Investment by its erstwhile owner Ford Motor Co.

Will you spend Rs20 crore on Aston Martin?

Aston Martin announced that they will be entering India which is the one of the fastest growing markets for automobile in the world. The will be launching three new models in this country. Aston Martin, a British luxury sports car manufacturer joins the growing list of Lamborghini, Bugatti, Maseratti and Ferrari who have started selling their products in India to a big section of sports car enthusiasts.

Aston Martin’s chief commercial officer, Michael van der Sande, said that India is a new opportunity for them. This automobile company will be offering V8 Vantage which costs 15.5 million Indian rupees or USD $348,341, One-77 which costs 200 million rupees or $4.5 million and Rapide which costs 21.5 million rupees or $483,146.



Lalit Choudhary from Performance Cars, the official dealership for Aston Martin in Mumbai said that India is a big market and it is growing rapidly. Hence it cannot be ignored. Aston Martin is a very expensive car brand and over their past history of 97 years, they have sold just 5,000 cars to the richest in Asia, United States and Europe. This company is expecting to see one quarter or their cars to the Middle Eastern and Asian countries over the next 5 years.

Donnelly refused to reveal any details about the number of cars they are planning to sell. A second dealership will be opened at New Delhi by May. A lot of automobile makers are looking at Chinese and Indian markets to see their products as their Europe and US opportunities have started to dry up.

Aston Martin was a company found in 1914 and the inclusion of showroom in Mumbai increases the global dealership network to 134 dealers in 42 countries.

Go green, go Tesla

Honda and Toyota aren’t the only ones making green cars… Tesla’s Roadster is a superb sportscar and its fully electric!


Who doesn’t like a powerful sports car? But after the ex-communication of SUVs, the fuel guzzling sports cars have started attracting some dirty looks. In India, of course, seeing a sports car is, in itself, an event that warranties more awe than derision. But elsewhere in US$137-a-barrel land (read USA), you will probably catch people lower their heads when confronted with a sports car and look away, hoping to be caught admiring a more efficient Honda or Toyota sedan.

Thankfully, due to some innovative companies, sports-cars needn’t go the same way as the SUVs and pick-ups. They could turn hybrid, still retain the power and looks and get to be trendsetters. Like the Tesla Roadster.

All in the name

You might have heard of Tesla Motors, based in San Carlos, California. And if you have ever read up on green cars, then you have come across the Roadster as the only in-production completely electric sportscar.

The story goes that more than a century ago when Thomas Edison was fiddling around with direct current he had an argument with a Serbian immigrant, Nikola Tesla over a payment of US$ 50,000. While no one is really sure if Edison finally paid or didn’t pay the amount to Tesla, what is known is that Tesla went on to champion the alternating current. Edison meanwhile unveiled the very first nickel-iron electric car battery but it didn’t work out. Apt then, that a century later, the concept of electric cars panned out and the first real electric sports car is called Tesla.

The Tesla Roadster looks like any other sportscar trying to make its mark. It’s sleek with curving lines and some surprising touches. Like the ‘gills’ in the front or the angular wing mirrors or the indented rear bonnet. And it looks very familiar. If you are wondering why, it’s because the Roadster has been developed with the help of Lotus Cars, which extended the chassis of the Lotus Elise to fit in the 1,000-pound Roadster battery. To counteract the added weight, engineers decided for a full carbon fibre body, making it lighter and affordable. The Roadster is less than 10 per cent of the Elise, except for the windshied, airbags, tyres and some dashboard parts. The rest is all genuine Tesla.

The car itself has undergone numerous prototypes from 2004 and 2007. While the batteries have proven excellent, Tesla has had to do more work on the transmission. Already, the second version is being used in production models and a third and fourth versions are under development. The blogosphere is abuzz with how Tesla might counteract a weak transmission and what options they have. But for all that the car still hits from 0-100 in a little more than 4 seconds, good enough for a sportscar, you think?

The genius under the hood

Clearly, the most amazing part of the car is the 3-phase, 4-pole electric motor that develops a maximum power of 248 bhp and a maximum torque of 270 Nm, as good as any other sportscar! What’s more, if you were to compare the efficiency of the motor to a regular petrol one, the Tesla Roadster delivers a whopping 24 kmpl! That is almost 1.5 times higher than the Toyota Prius, the current icon for green cars. On full charge, the 6831-cell, lithium ion battery will give a run of 350 km. Tesla even claims that the Roadster’s efficiency is six times that of rival sports cars (though they don’t really take names) and that its CO2 emissions are ten times less. If green is not enough, Tesla even has thought out the laptop-battery-blowing-up scenario. The cells are all liquid cooled by the same time-tested refrigerant used in ACs and the cells are even immersed in 27 square metres of surface area to squelch any hot spots that might otherwise be left out.

Kick off

The Tesla Roadster created a huge buzz with all serious motorists when it finally went into production in March this year. Self-confessed motoholic Jay Leno said, “If you like sports cars and you want to be green, this is the only way to go. The Tesla is a car that you can live with, drive and enjoy as a sports car. I had a brief drive in the car and it was quite impressive. This is an electric car that is fun to drive.”

A more serious Motortrend aptly capped it all when it wrote that the car was not only undeniably efficient but would be ‘profoundly humbling to just about any rumbling Ferrari or Porsche that makes the mistake of pulling up next to a silent, 105-mpg Tesla Roadster at a stoplight.’ For our part, we can’t wait for the Roadster to make it to India.

Ferrari 458

The new Ferrari is badged 458 Italia and has a mid-mounted V8 like the F430 it will replace.



It features a new, 4,499cc engine developing 562bhp and a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission.



The aerodynamically efficient shape also generates downforce.



The car was unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September before going on sale next spring, with a price of about £150,000

Top 10 Car Makers of the World in 2009

We know you are a car lover. You dream of the speedy Ferraris, exotic Jaguars, and luxurious Maybachs. Have you ever thought about the car makers, in terms production and revenue? Here we bring you the list of the world's top ten car makers of 2009. The list is compiled by the Automotive News Data Center as per the global units' sales in the first half of 2009.

World's 10 Largest Car Manufacturers

Toyota
Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation is the world's largest car manufacturer. It has sold 3,564,105 units in the first half of 2009 compared to 4,815,442 units in the first half of 2008. Though Toyota reported an annual net loss of US$4.4 billion on May 8, 2009, it could still emerge as the world's largest car maker. The Japanese giant has been severely affected by the 2007-2009 financial crises. Toyota ventured into the automobile industry in 1934 with its first product Type A engine. It manufactured in its first passenger car the Toyota AA in 1936. Toyota Motor Corporation was established as an independent and separate company in 1937.

General Motors
General Motors was established in 1908 by William C. Durant. It is world's second-largest car maker. General Motors was world's number one car company for consecutive 77 years from 1931 to 2007. Because of the economic conditions, the beleaguered car giant went bankrupt on June 1, 2009. On 10th July 2009, the company emerged from" Chapter 11 bankruptcy" reorganization. In spite of all these, General Motors could sell 3,552,722 units compared to last year's 4,541,125 units.

Volkswagen
The Volkswagen Group is the world's third largest car maker. It sold 3,100.300 units this year compared to 3,265,200 units of previous years. The Volkswagen Group constitutes the car brands like Audi AG, Bentley Motors Ltd., Automobiles Bugatti SA, Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A., SEAT, Skoda Auto and heavy goods vehicle manufacturer Scania AB. Recently, Porsche has united with the Volkswagen Group. The German luxury car company was founded on May 28, 1937 under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler wanted a "people's car". Volkswagen literally means 'people's car' in German.

Hyundai-Kia
Hyundai-Kia has emerged as the world's fourth largest car manufacturer. This year Hyundai-Kia jumped up a rank above. The Korean car maker showed global sales for the first half of 2009 at 2,153,000 units. The Indian subsidiary of Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, the Hyundai Motors India, is the country's second largest car manufacturer. The Hyundai Motor Company was founded in 1967. It became the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group when Hyundai Motor Company purchased 51% of South Korea's second-largest car company, Kia Motors in 1998.

Ford
Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. Presently, it is world's fifth largest car maker with 2,145,000 units of global sales. This year, Hyundai-Kia edged out the mighty Ford of the fourth position. In 2007, Ford fell from second to third-ranked car maker for the first time in 56 years, behind only General Motors and Toyota.

PSA Peugeot-Citroen
The French car company sold 1,586,900 units in 2009. Last year it showed a sale of 1,844,700 units. The company was formed in 1976 and sells under the Peugeot and Citroen brand names. PSA is the second largest automaker based in Europe.

Honda
The Honda Motor Company secures the seventh place with sales units of 1,586,000 compared to last year's 2,022,00 units. Honda became Japan's second largest car maker in 2001 by superseding Nissan. Moreover, Honda is the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines. The company was founded by Soichiro Honda on 24th September 1948. Soichiro Honda dreamed to provide a personal mobility to everyone. The first production car from Honda was the S500 sports car.

Nissan
Nissan Motors was founded in 1932. It is among the top three Asian car companies. Nissan is in the eight position with 1,545,976 units. Last year it sold 2,013,611 units in the first half. Nissan faced severe financial difficulties in 1999 and entered an alliance with Renault S.A. of France. The Nissan VQ engines, of V6 configuration, have featured among Ward's 10 Best Engines for 14 straight years, since the award's inception.

Suzuki
Suzuki Motor Corporation is the ninth largest car manufacturer in the world. The company began as Suzuki Loom Works in 1909 under Michio Suzuki. Suzuki started producing cars in 1955. Maruti Suzuki, the Indian arm of the Japanese car honcho is India's largest car manufacturer. The car company sold 1.152,000 units this year compared to 2008's 1,283,000 units.

Renault
Renault is the world's tenth largest car maker with 1.106.989 units this year. Last year, it sold 1.326,164 units. Renault S.A. is a French carmaker producing cars, vans, buses, tractors, and trucks since 1899. The company was formed by Louis Renault, his brothers Marcel and Fernand, and his friends Thomas Evert and Julian Wyer. Renault has joined hands with Nissan on March 27, 1999. The Nissan-Renault Alliance is world's fourth largest car maker if their individual units were taken together. Nissan-Renault Alliance sold 2,652,965 units this year.

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.

India: The Future of F1?

India has its very own F1 team, the first among Asian countries apart from Japan and also had Narain Karthikeyan as its first and only driver in F1 so far and with the Indian GP expected to join the FIA world championship calendar by 2011 things are looking good for the country.

But all this has not happened in the last few years as Indian Motorsports goes way back in time and it had a humble beginning in the industrial town of Coimbatore often called as the motorsport capital of India. It is in Coimbatore where the first open wheel racing was started in the mid 80’s and originally it had wealthy industrialists customizing their own cars and racing among themselves.

The dream of an Indian GP and India’s first F1 team began in the year 2007 when Vijay Mallya thru' his Kingfisher Airlines decided to sponsor the Toyota F1 team and promised to bring F1 to India.

Though initially there was some talk in 2005 about the potential of either Hyderabad or Bangalore as possible venues, nothing materialised and it was in 2007 that Mallya after his takeover of Spyker F1 along with Bernie Ecclestone had a provincial agreement with the Indian Olympic Association to bring F1 to India and Delhi was chosen as the venue and it is expected to hold its first race by 2011.

2005 was the most important year for the country with relation to F1 as Narain Karthikeyan after years of competing in the British F3 and Formula Nippon series made his debut for the Jordan F1 team.

Though he did nothing spectacular that year as Jordan was in a deep decline and he managed to score points by coming fourth in the controversial USGP as only six cars took the field. He was consistent and proved that he can put some decent performances provided he had a decent car.

Due to various sponsorship issues that happened to be his last year as a driver in F1 as the next two years he spent time testing for the Williams F1 team. Though he was in F1 for only a year he proved that India can also produce F1 drivers and that it is possible for an Indian to compete in the championships.

Though none of the actual fans expected Narain to actually even score points during the 2005 season but the Indian press which at times does show blind patriotism over-hyped his team there and could be one of the factors which led to his decline.

When Vijay Mallya bough the Spyker team and renamed it as Force India, there was a buzz in the paddock that Narain Karthikeyan could well make his comeback with the new Indian team but Mallya felt Narain was too old for the long term future of the team and decided to bring in ex-Renault driver Giancarlo Fisichella and young German talent Adrian Sutil for the two seats.

This was the end of Narain Karthikeyan’s F1 dreams and he right now competes in the A1GP and also made his Le Mans debut this year.

Though India is yet to have a proper systemic structure like other counties, it is still able to produce drivers of International quality and currently two of its drivers Karun Chandhok who competes in GP2 series and Armaan Ebrahim who competes in the new launched FIA F2 World Championship are both touted as potential future F1 drivers.

Karun has already tested the Red Bull Racing car and if he manages to have very good 2009 GP2 season, well he could either land a driver’s seat or even a testing role with the Force India or even the STR team.

The future for F1 is looking very good especially with expected Indian GP in 2011 and the Force India F1 team currently on the grid; all it needs is an Indian driver to score points in the Force India team to really have a big boom.

Currently among the global sporting events F1 is the most watched sport after Cricket and the English Premier League. Many cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Delhi have sports pubs which show the races and you can see lot of people in both Ferrari and also McLaren gear. These two apart from Force India are the most popular teams in India and it is very common to see F1 fans discussing who is superior between Ferrari and McLaren.

Things look bright and the media will play a crucial role and currently there is more than enough coverage for F1 but then with Cricket being the only major sport which gets the attention of the nation, F1 may never become the mass sport.

It surely would become the favourite sport among the urban educated Indian people as they belong to the 25 to 35 age bracket and many of these fans even go to Singapore or Malaysia to watch the races. Only an Indian GP will tell the true story of how successful F1 can become in India.

Lamborghini sees India as big market for future

Iconic Italian sports car maker Lamborghini has big expectations from India and has identified it as a “big market for the future”. In India since 2006, the company is now working on expansion plans and is confident that the rapid economic growth and new-emerging billionaires would make India one of its strong markets in the coming years.

“India is a big market for the future for Lamborghini. It is a big country and the attitude of buyers is now changing and they are becoming more open to buying ultra luxury high-style brands like ours,” says Enrico Maffeo, global director of sales and customer service for Lamborghini, told TOI.



Lamorghini, famous for its raging bull logo, sells the Gallardo and the Murcielago sports cars in India that are also available in their various variants like the lightweight Gallardo Superleggera and the convertible Gallardo Spyder, all of which retail for a hefty Rs 3 crore-plus.



Maffeo, a regular visitor to India, said high price was not much of a deterrent for their target customers who choose a Lamborghini for its exquisite design, high-profile branding and uncompromising performance. The company, which currently retails in India through its only dealership Exclusive Motors of Delhi, hopes to sell ten of its famed cars here this year. “Our business is not that much about volume. It is more of brands and desirability. Our plan is to create brand awareness, and the sales will follow,” he said.

Maffeo said as the company expands in India, Lamborghini would also increase its distribution network here. “We plan to have a new dealership in Mumbai next year and follow it up with one in Hyderabad in 2010,” he said.

But just when it looks to expand and grow in India, it also faces competition from rival like Ferrari. Alarmingly, Ferrari may get assistance from domestic heavyweight Tata Motors, the joint venture partner of Ferrari owner Fiat, when it decides to come to India. Maffeo said any new brand had to go step-by-step in any market. “And don’t forget. We are part of the Volkswagon group that already has presence in India through brands like Volkswagon, Skoda, Audi and Bentley.”

Karthikeyan hopes to out-pace A1 GP rivals

As swanky Ferrari-powered cars throng the A1 GP grid, Team India spearhead Narain Karthikeyan reckons his Formula One experience would stand him in good stead and a top-six finish is quite an achievable target for the outfit.

Karthikeyan believes the introduction of Ferrari engines and chassis, following A1 GP's six-year deal with the Italian giant, will reduce the gap with Formula One and would be almost akin to driving an F1 car.

"Though it's going to be an unknown territory for all the drivers, who are yet to see the new car, I know what to expect," Karthikeyan told reporters after Team India unveiled its new livery and rookie drivers Armaan Ebrahim and Parthiv Sureshwaran here on Wednesday.

"I believe my Formula One experience would help," he said. Karthikeyan sniffs his chance in the first three races after, which A1 GP would have a two-month gap.

"We have to do well in the first three races. After that, there is a two-month break and others might catch up with us by that time," said Karthikeyan, who became the first Indian F1 driver when he joined Jordan in 2005 and was Williams' test driver the next year.

"Hardly any A1 GP driver has Formula One experience and that is a huge boost for us," Team India CEO Andaleeb Sehgal said.

David Clare, CEO of A1 GP Asia Pacific, also shared the view and said, "Team India has done reasonably well in the last season and with Narain's Formula One experience, I think they would win more races this year.

After all, Narain understands the car faster than any other driver. "I expect Team India to be the most competitive Asia Pacific outfit this season," he added.