Ford launches new EcoSport starting from Rs 6.79 lakh onwards

Ford India, launched the new version of its popular compact sports utility vehicle EcoSport, priced between Rs. 6.79 lakh and Rs.10.44 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). 

Ford India has readied the new version of the EcoSport to wrest leadership from Hyundai's newly launched Creta and counter Mahindra's new TUV 300. Hyundai Motor India, which launched the Creta in July, has already got more than 54,000 bookings for the SUV and is making on an average 7,000 units a month.

Visual changes are negligible, apart from signature light guides in the headlamps, which will now also feature daytime running lights/fog lamps. The interiors benefit from chrome treatment on inner door handles, cluster ring and cluster appliqué, window regulator switches and air register tabs, while the steering wheel and handbrake lever are now trimmed in leather.

"Ahead of the festive season, we have made our clever, compact SUV even more stylish with a host of smart features and enhanced power to delight consumers," Ford India president and managing director Nigel Harris said in a statement. 

The new EcoSport comes in three engine options. The petrol variant powered by 1.5 litre engine is priced between Rs 6.79 lakh and Rs 9.93 lakh, while the other petrol option powered by Ford's 1 litre EcoBoost engine is available at a range of Rs 8.53 lakh and Rs 9.89 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The diesel variant powered by 1.5 litre engine with improved power is tagged at Rs 7.98 lakh to Rs 10.44 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). 

In the new face-lifted avatar of EcoSport, Ecoboost petrol engine will also be available on the mid-variant Trend+. 

Here’s the complete variant-wise list of the additional features that will be offered with updated Ford EcoSport:

• Ambiente: 12V Power socket and rear folding seats
• Trend: ABS+EBD
• Trend+ (New Variant): IN addition to the features offered on the Trend trim, this will get dual front airbags, auto aicon, distance to empty, outside temp display, econometer, average speed, avg fuel efficiency, fog lamps, chrome grille, roof rails, signature light guide for the headlamps.
• Titanium: Smart Key, Keyless entry, Push button start
• Titanium+: Auto wipers, auto headlamps, daytime running lights, interior chrome pack, leather-wrapped handbrake.

Ford India said among other features, the new EcoSport is equipped with rain sensing wipers, automatic headlamps and electrochromic mirror that automatically deflects a beam of light from trailing vehicles to minimise obstruction to drivers.

The new version of the EcoSport, along with a new Figo hatchback and the Aspire compact sedan, will improve Ford's position in the Indian market. 

Hyundai to launch Grand i10 next month

Hyundai Motor India, the second-largest car manufacturer in the country, is beefing up its small car portfolio with a slew of new models to take on market leader Maruti Suzuki. 

Hyundai has lined up 8-10 launches in the next three to four years. It will drive in a sub-4 metre sedan in the second half of 2014, followed by a multi-purpose vehicle to take on Maruti's Ertiga and a compact SUV positioned between Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster in 2015-16. It's also exploring the potential to launch its flagship saloon Genesis in India.

The company is planning to launch new Eon 1.1 litre, which will be pitted against Maruti’s Alto K10. 

The company launched Eon in October 2011 and currently offers 814cc gasoline engine. 

In the last financial year, Alto sold roughly around 20,000 units a month, while Eon sales averaged around 7,000-8,000 units a month. 

The company will also launch its small car Grand i10 (referred to as the BA until now) in September this year, which is expected to compete with Maruti’s Swift. Grand i10 is a completely new car and will be positioned between i10 and i20. It will be manufactured at the company’s Chennai plant. 

As far as pricing goes, expect significant pricing overlap with both the i10 and i20. Expect the base petrol to start around the Rs 4.5 lakh mark, with the diesel Grand i10 priced at Rs 5.5 lakh.

“The Grand i10 has been positioned above the existing i10 and is targeted at the emerging compact high-entry segment,” the company said. 

Grand i10 will come with two engine variants -- 1.1 litre U2 diesel and 1.2 litre Kappa petrol. 

Even though the passenger car segment declined 10% this fiscal, experts feel that a new launch will bring excitement in the market. 

“Bringing a new product in the segment definitely creates a pull. In terms of product strategy, Hyundai is good at hitting the right area. They offer what Indians want. They were a bit weak on the diesel engine front, but the company will surely benefit with the new diesel engine offering,” said Puneet Gupta, associate director, IHS Automotive.  

Hyundai India reportedly is planning to launch up to four new models in the next two years, including a compact SUV and compact sedan.

Hyundai to roll-out new cars in mid and premium car segment in India

The Indian unit of the leading Korean car maker Hyundai has said that it will launch a number of new cars across all segments in the Indian market. By rolling-out a series of new cars in the mid and full size car segment, the company aims to change its present image of a small car maker.

With the aim of strengthening its positing in the entry level sedan segment, the company rolled-out a new version of its Verna sedan in India. The car has been priced in the range of Rs 6.99 lakh and Rs 10.75 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The company has explained that in order to become a complete player in the Indian market, it will launch new models in mid and premium size segment.

Speaking to the reporters, Hyundai Motor Corporation’s President and CEO S S Yang said, "HMIL is very important for Hyundai Motor Company (HMC). HMIL has kept pace with the growth in the Indian market and we'll offer a full line of products here." He added that the Indian market is a priority for the company and Hyundai has supported this market through technology and new models.

Hyundai has a range of cars in its India portfolio including hatchbacks like Santro Xing, i10 and i20, and sedans like Verna and Sonata Transform, and sports utility vehicle Tucson.

Hyundai to Introduce New Models in India

Hyundai Motor Co. will introduce two new vehicles in India each year until 2014 in a bid to retain its position as the second-largest car maker in Asia's third-biggest automotive market amid stiff competition from recent entrants Volkswagen AG, Nissan Motor Co. and others.

"We will have new products in all segments," Arvind Saxena, director of sales and marketing at Hyundai Motor India Ltd., told Dow Jones Newswires in a recent interview. "New products play a vital role in boosting sales."

Hyundai will soon start selling an upgraded version of its mid-sized sedan Verna as part of this product introduction plan, he added.

The company also makes small cars Santro, i10 and i20 and sedans Accent and Sonata at its factory near the southern port city of Chennai and imports and markets the Santa Fe sport-utility vehicle.

Global auto makers are queueing up to take advantage of the robust Indian economy and rising personal incomes that have helped boost demand for new two-wheelers, cars and sport-utility vehicles.

Volkswagen, Ford Motor Co., Nissan Motor, Renault SA, Toyota Motor Corp. and others have either introduced small cars or plan to do so in the near future to cater to the record-growing demand.

New car local sales jumped 30% in the financial year ended March 31--the fastest in more than a decade--to 1.98 million vehicles.

But newer entrants are challenging the dominance of older, more established auto makers including that of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. and Hyundai. The two have already lost some market share in the past year because of increased competition.

"Going forward, we are confident that we would retain our market share. New models will help us in doing so," Mr. Saxena said.

Market share of the local unit of Suzuki Motor Corp in India fell to 48.7% in the year through March from 50.1% a year earlier, while Hyundai's share stood at 18.1% from the 20.6% it held a year earlier, according to data from industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

Hyundai Motor India aims to sell at least 400,000 cars and SUVs locally in 2011, up 12% from last year's 356,717 vehicles. Still, the sales growth will be nearly half of last year's 23% rise as increasing interest costs and rising prices of raw materials such as steel, aluminum and natural rubber will likely dent demand, Mr. Saxena said.

"There would be a moderation in the whole industry. We will also grow at a similar pace," he said.

Hyundai Motor India plans to raise prices of all its vehicle models between 1% and 1.5% by Saturday due to higher commodity prices, Mr. Saxena said, marking the company's second price since January due to higher input costs.

Hyundai follows Maruti, Tata Motors Ltd., Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd., Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. and others that have all raised prices twice in 2011.

Also, exports of Hyundai--India's largest vehicle exporter--are expected to fall 11% in 2011 to 220,000 vehicles owing to weak demand for small cars in Europe.

The auto maker sells 'made-in-India' small cars to 118 countries globally and its i10 small car is made exclusively in India for the global market.

Domestic car sales hit record high in February

Car sales in India hit a record monthly high of 1.89 lakh units in February as customers advanced purchases in anticipation the government may hike excise duty in the Budget. Sales were also driven by rising disposable income with the middle-class , easy availability of loans, and a pick up in new product launches.

Car sales rose by 23% in February compared with a year earlier, data released by industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) showed Wednesday. The February sales number is higher than the record 1.84 lakh cars sold in January.

The Budget for 2011-12 , however, left excise duty unchanged at 10-22 % for different segments of cars, contrary to an expectation of a 2% hike. "Car prices have not increased much despite rise in global commodities prices like steel and rubber . Also, customers are enjoying flexible financing options. In future , however, we expect higher base of 2010 to moderate growth rate," SIAM Director General Vishnu Mathur said. Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest carmaker, reported 19.8% year-on-year growth in sales in February to 101,543 units.

"There was more demand in the market than what we could supply as we faced severe scarcity for our highrunning models like Alto and WagonR," a senior official from Maruti said. Hyundai sales grew 5.3%, while Tata Motors car sales grew 14% during the month. Two-wheeler sales in February grew 22% to a record 10.22 lakh units. The growth in the segment was primarily driven by market leader Hero Honda that posted 24% increase in sales to 4.62 lakh units last month. Sales of trucks and buses grew 11% in February to 64,057 units led by Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland , and Eicher Motors.

India's total domestic vehicle sales in the current fiscal year is expected to grow 26-27 % year-onyear , higher than SIAM's earlier estimate of 18%, said Mathur. However, rising interest rates on auto loans and spiraling global commodities prices, including crude oil, are concerns for the sector going forward.

Maruti All Set To Launch Their First Made In India Car

Maruti Suzuki India Limited, is the largest car company and automobile manufacturer having near about half of the domestic car market share. Its all time hit models like Maruti 800, Maruti Alto and recent models like Maruti Swift, Wagon-R, DZire are known to all. Now the company is planning to launch its first completely made in India New Cars by 2012 and final design of this model will be released in the first half of next year. Final work on the design and other aspects is in full swing, as reported by a source.

Also according to information this complete made in India Maruti car will be placed along with small car segment like Maruti Alto and company is working really hard to launch this Maruti car by 2012 and to make this car also a grand success.

Maruti Suzuki partial subsidiary of Japanese auto giant Suzuki, is working seriously for the company's future car models and also on its growth programme. To carry on development programme of this Maruti car, company is planning to invest a sum of Rs 1,500 crore at in the next 3-4 years time at Rohtak R&D center which is the only center having equipments and standards comparable other than one in Japan. Main manufacturing plant of Maruti Suzuki is located at Gurgaon and Manesar which have annual capacity of more than 7 lac units. One of the spokesperson without disclosing the information about new car told that Maruti Suzuki India is always eager to satisfy their customers and will always work towards the technological development and better facilities.

Also if reports are to believe Maruti Suzuki India Limited is launching this first made in India model to challenge other competitors like Hyundai Motors and to better companys grip in the domestic market.

And to further adding to it, Hyundai Motors is also engaged in designing and developing a model which will be placed below Hyundai Santro to compete with Maruti Alto. So those who are not interested in buying a car in near future may wait for these models to change their minds and make decision.

Maruti Suzuki launches new 1000cc Alto, to take on competitors

Maruti Suzuki has launched a new version of Alto, with a more powerful engine compared to its existing model. The new version has a 998cc engine, compared to 800cc earlier. It is suppose to provide the highest fuel efficiency among petrol cars in the A2 segment, 20km per litre.

On the exteriors, it has been refreshed to give a distinctive look. The design of headlamps & tail lights is changed. The front and rear bumpers are new. It is 125mm longer than the earlier one. It is designed to be wider and taller too. All these make the car look bigger.

On the interiors, the gears and brake system are superior, giving a better driving experience. There is more leg-room for the rear seat passengers.

The car will be available in lxi and Vxi variants, in 6 colors: Sunlight Copper, Midnight Black, Fire Brick Red, Superior White, Ecru Beige & Silky Silver.



It prices range between Rs 3.03 – 3.16 lakh, ex-showroom, New Delhi, Rs 3.08 lakh – 3.21 lakh, ex-showroom, Bangalore.

On an average 20,000 units of Alto are sold every month. With the increased features provided by the new Alto, the sales figures are sure to go up. The market leaders Hyundai Santro and Chevrolet Spark are sure to face a stiff competition.

Maruti Suzuki has been a market leader in the small car segment, having around 50% of the market share. However, for the first time this has fallen to 47% and Maruti Suzuki is in top gears to regain its market share. Launch of Alto K10 is a beginning step towards this.

Toyota to roll out small car 'Etios' in December

Toyota Kirloskar Motors has announced clearly that its small car ‘Etios’ will be launched in December 2010. Toyota organized a boot camp for its Fortuner SUV owners. During the occasion, Deputy MD Mr. Sandeep Singh of Toyota Kirloskar Motors announced that the new facility for the new car ‘Etios’ will be completed soon and hence the production will start a little ahead of December. Etios will be launched in this December and the sales will start in January 2011.

Buzz up!
Toyota has poured in a huge sum of Rs. 3,200 crore to set up a new factory to produce the small car Etios which has an initial capacity of 70,000 cars per annum. The new plant at Bidadi, near Bangalore and also adjacent to Toyota’s mother plant in India, can be extended to produce as much as 2 lakh cars per annum in the next two years. Toyota Etios is expected to be priced at Rs. 5 lakh and above.

Like Hyundai and Ford, Toyota is also planning to export its small car “Etios” to overseas market. Innova is Toyota's bestselling vehicle, with 48,000 units sold every annum, followed by Altis with 13,000 and Fortuner with 9,000. With the launch of Etios, Toyota is expecting that its sales will increase double fold in 2011.

Hyundai to launch Santa Fe in India this year

Korean automobile major Hyundai Motor India Ltd would introduce its popular Sports Utility Vehicle 'Santa Fe' in the Indian market as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) this year, a top company official said.

Santa Fe was first introduced globally in 2001 as Hyundai's first SUV.

"We will bring the Santa Fe SUV to India this year. It will be completely built unit. But after two-three years we may consider it for manufacturing as (Completely Knocked Down) unit", company's Managing Director Hang-Woo Park told reporters at the sidelines of a function here.

HMIL Marketing and Sales Vice president Arvind Saxena said the existing SUV, Tucson, would not compete with Santa Fe as both are built on different platforms. "There are no plans to give a facelift to Tucson.It will not compete with Santa Fe". However he declined to name a price for the new variant.

On plans to introduce a 800cc small car, he said it was in the development stage and was planned to be launched in India by 2011. HMIL had invested close to Rs 800 crore on producing the car, whichwould be slotted below Hyundai Santro, he said.

Saxena said the recently launched upgraded version of Hyundai i20 had received very good response from the market.

He said all of Hyundai's models would be given aa facelift. "You know the segments we operate in. We will give a facelift to all models", he said. The Hyundai stable currently offers Santro, i10, i20, Accent, Verna and Sonata models.

He said HMIL planned to sell around 5.25 lakh cars this year, of which 50 per cent is from the domestic market.

Saxena said the number of dealerships would be increased to 320 from 289 at present by the end of 2010.

He claimed the company has a 20.8 per cent market share in South and aimed to increase it to 22 per cent by year end.

Saxena said the company has also identified newer export markets and may export to countries like Vienna, New Zealand, Russia and Australia."Already we are exporting to 110 nations. We want to add another 10 more markets this year", he said.

Park and Saxena were here to officially inaugurate HMIL fourth dealership 'V3 Hyundai' in Chennai.

Hyundai to launch 800 cc car both for India and export markets

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HTML) is planning to launch its 800 cc small car by 2011-12. The wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motors Company is taking this step foreseeing the demand for small cars which is likely to touch 2 million units in India by the time this car gets to launch here. The Hyundai 800 cc cars will be both for Indian market and exports markets.


But the company made a clear remark that it had no intentions to give a competition to Nano as it does not have the capacity to manufacture Rs. 1 lakh car.


Hyundai is planning to undertake the production of this new 800 cc variant on the tunes of Maruti 800 and is supposed to hit the market with an affordable range. Hyundai is the largest seller of the small car


segment. Its current best seller is i10 but Hyundai plans to offer a car at a price tag lower than i10 this time.


“We hope to bring our smaller car than Santro, which will be an 800 cc vehicle, by 2011,” said H S Lheem, Managing Director Hyundai Motors India. He, however, did not divulge details like price range of the car. The car is aimed to hit not only the Indian domestic market but the company also plans to cater to the export market as well. The design of the car will be prepared in Korea.


The research and development work has already started at R&D centers at Hyderabad and Namyam (Korea). The company however has not revealed much about the product specification but there are anticipations that this car would be a petrol variant with 800 cc engine. These units have the capacity to manufacture 20,000 units per month and 600,000 units per year. HMIL has also promised a preview of its i20 car in the hatch back segment with a code name PB at the Paris Auto Tariff Show on October 2.


Hyundai is probably impressed by what Maruti 800 did to the Indian small car segment. Maruti Udyog happens to be the only company that boasts of having a monopoly in the small car segment in India. Hyundai’s new 800 cc car is bound to face tough competition from Maruti’s Alto, Maruti 800 and Spark. The company aims to take forward this sensation by launching yet another affordable small car, looking at the growing market of small cars in India.

Hyundai’s ‘Always Around’ campaign enters third consecutive year

With the novel idea of ‘Always There, Because We Care’ , Hyundai Motor India Ltd, the country’s largest passenger car exporter and the second largest car manufacturer, is back with its nationwide service initiative - ‘Always Around’ campaign in a mega avatar for the third consecutive year.

Starting from November 8th the ‘Always Around’ campaign will provide free check-ups for its customers at convenient locations. Last year around 80,000 Hyundai vehicles across 6,000 locations attended the camp.

This year, the ‘Always Around’ campaign has grown much wider in terms of locations and reach and will continue till December, 2009 covering 6,500 locations wherein Hyundai will be reaching out to around 90,000 customers in an effort to make them smile by ensuring that their car is in the best of condition. Around 4,000 vehicles across 270 locations nationwide are expected to attend the camp on the launch day itself.

The mega ‘Always Around’ campaign will be conducted at various locations which customers in their normal course of life frequent on an everyday basis like Joggers Park, Shopping Malls, Apartments, Multiplexes, etc. The ‘Always Around’ campaign is truly innovative one as it reaches out to the customers at a time and a place where it is most convenient for them and at no extra cost. For example, while the customer might be busy shopping in a mall, his car is serviced and cleaned which saves both his time and money as it is a free service, and the advice that he gets from trained technicians helps him maintain his car even better.

Along with the camp various value added services and schemes are offered e.g customer Referral Scheme, Hyundai Advantage, Health Check-Up Camps, customer education towards improving the vehicle mileage/performance, information related to Hyundai products, etc are also part of this campaign.

Commenting on the campaign, Arvind Saxena, Sr. V P, Marketing & Sales, HMIL said, “At Hyundai it is our belief that owning a car is a special experience; and the experience should be one of delight. With Always Around campaigns, we offer our customers the most convenient after sales service. The positive feedback received from the campaign till now has encouraged us to value add by adding more locations and offering more attractive schemes and offers.”

The ‘Always Around’ campaign will offer a comprehensive 17 point check-up and a thorough examination of the vehicle and services such as tyre and vehicle polishing, coolant and oil top-up. The Hyundai team will also collect suggestions and feedback on the performance of the vehicle & after sales service. The customers will also have a chance to see and test drive the latest Hyundai cars which would be there on display at the venue.

This year Shell India has partnered with Hyundai as the recommended lubricant supplier for ‘Always Around’ activity throughout the year. There will be active participation from Shell India at various locations to support the event to enable them to take valuable feedback directly from the customers.

Hyundai Motor India Limited

Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea and is the second largest car manufacturer and the largest passenger car exporter from India. HMIL presently markets 54 variants of passenger cars across segments. The Santro in the B segment, the Getz Prime, i10 and the Premium hatchback i20 in the B+ segment, the Accent and the Verna in the C segment, the Sonata in the E segment and the Tucson in the SUV segment.

Hyundai Motor India, continuing its tradition of being the fastest growing passenger car manufacturer, registering total sales of 489,328 vehicles in the calendar year (CY) 2008, an increase of 49.6 percent over CY 2007. In the domestic market it clocked a growth of 22.4 percent as compared to 2007 with 245,397 units, while overseas sales grew by 92.5 percent, with exports of 243,931 units.

HMIL's fully integrated state-of-the-art manufacturing plant near Chennai boasts of the most advanced production, quality and testing capabilities in the country. In continuation of its commitment to provide the Indian customer with global technology, HMIL commissioned its second plant in February 2008 which produces an additional 300,000 units per annum, raising HMIL's total production capacity to 600,000 units per annum.

HMIL has invested to expand capacity in line with its positioning as HMC`s global export hub for compact cars. Apart from the expansion of production capacity, HMIL currently has 271 strong dealer network across India, which will be further bolstered in 2009.

In 2008, HMIL also successfully completed 10 glorious years of operations in India and to commemorate its achievements, initiated a unique trans-continental drive from Delhi to Paris in two of its hugely popular i10 Kappa cars. The drive created automobile history by completing a distance of 10,000km in just 17 days after which the i10s were showcased at the Paris Motor Show in October. In fact it was at the Paris Motor Show that HMIL first unveiled the Hyundai i20 and the car received a phenomenal response from the auto enthusiasts across the world. Hyundai Motor India also accomplished the landmark of producing the fastest 20th lakh cars in India in 2008.

Like 2008, the year 2007 had also been a significant year for Hyundai Motor India. It achieved a significant milestone by rolling out the fastest 400,000th export car. Hyundai exported to over 100 countries globally; even as it plans to continue its thrust in existing export markets, it is gearing up to step up its foray into new markets. 2007 also saw the launch of the i10 and yet another path-breaking record in its young journey by rolling out the fastest 1,500,000th car.

Hyundai`s new model i10 made a clean sweep of all the "Car of the Year 2008" awards from the leading automotive magazines and TV channels like BS Motoring, CNBC-TV18 AutoCar, NDTV Profit Car & Bike India and Overdrive magazine. The i10 was also the choice of the discerning automotive media of the country as they conferred the prestigious "Indian Car of the Year" (ICOTY) award to the i10 as well.

The Santro and the Accent also received the "TNS Voice of the Customer - 2008" award for the Premium Compact Car (Santro) and the Entry Mid size Car (Accent). In March 2008 it achieved yet another milestone by rolling out the fastest 500,000th export car.

In 2007, the Hyundai Verna had also bagged some of the most prestigious awards starting with the Overdrive magazine's "Car of the Year 2007", the "Best Mid-size Car of the Year" award from NDTV Profit Car & Bike India, the "Best Value for Money Car" from CNBC Autocar and "Performance Car of the Year" from Business Standard Motoring.

Hyundai cars have been a favorite at all awards ceremonies and has won many awards. The Sonata Embera won the "Executive Car of The Year 2006" award from Business Standard Motoring magazine and NDTV Profit Car & Bike India had declared the Tucson as the "SUV of The Year 2006".

Not only this, HMIL has also been awarded the benchmark ISO 14001 certification for its sustainable environment management practices.

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.

Hyundai Motors launches face lifted new Santro

Hyundai Motors has unexpectedly launched its face lifted version of its flag-ship model, Santro.

Hyundai’s first car in India and the so called original tall boy, Santro has set a firm footing since its official introduction in 1998. The new face lifted Santro has been designed with luxurious interiors and improved exterior features to grab the attention of the customers.

The new face lifted Hyundai Santro comes with a price tag of Rs 2,63,999 for the Non-AC while Santro GLS (LPG) will carry a premium of 3,69,499.Ex showroom Delhi. The colour scheme in the new face lifted Santro will come in 8 exciting colours such as Crystal White, Black Diamond, Sleek Silver, Electric Red, Dark Grey, Silky Beige, Berry Red and Sparkle Blue to appease the buyers.

The original ‘Tall Boy’ Santro has been continuously improved to meet the changing customer needs and has kept itself abreast of the latest technology and design. While the new Santro continues to be powered by the trusted 1.1 eRLX Epsilon engine that develops a whopping 62 bhp and has a proven fuel-economy, durability and power-efficiency.

The new face lifted Santro has many added features to considerably raise the bar for cars in this segment. On the exterior the new Santro will be distinguished by a body coloured Radiator Grille and Full Wheel Cover and the rear gets decidedly more sporty with the addition of a Rear Spoiler which further highlights the new look Santro.

For the interiors, the new face lifted Santro boasts of several significant design revisions with premium sophisticated new fabric in dual-tone Beige & Brown with premium silver touches at multiple locations which adds significantly to the spacious interiors and enhances the visual appeal of the interiors. A rear parcel tray has been added to provide convenient storing for utility items. The new sporty front seats add to the style and comfort factors.

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.

Hyundai's new all-rounder diesel i20

We have talked about the Hyundai i20 before. We know that Hyundai has been in India for just 10 years (though it feels much longer) and that there is a Hyundai car for every one. We know that from one car initially the company makes 33 variants of passenger cars across different segments. So why should Hyundai’s new i20 have me intrigued again? Because the car we drove earlier had the i10’s Kappa engine in it and now Hyundai has just introduced two new engines – a 1.4L petrol and a 1.4L common rail diesel. With these two new engines Hyundai has just moved up into a new segment and issued a challenge to the other players in the market.

Most things have not changed – Its still a five-door car, with the same dimensions as that of the Kappa-engined version (LxBxH = of 3940mm x 1710mm x 1505mm) and a wheelbase of 2525mm. Features have not changed much either – the AC/heating, the tilt & telescopic steering, split folding rear seats, front & rear power windows, and the multi information display are all there along with keyless entry, height-adjustable driver seat, electrically adjustable door mirrors and airbags.

The i20 definitely attracts attention. It attracted a lot of attention when it was launched at the Paris Motor Show and it still gets eyeballs to turn appreciatively on Indian streets. Under the skin you have MacPherson struts with gas-charged dampers at front and a torsion beam suspension. The rear dampers are also gas-charged shock. The i20 received a5-star rating at the Euro-NCAP crash because of all the active and passive safety equipment incorporated in it, including antilock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD).

Hyundai i20 Awarded Five Star NCAP Rating For Safety

The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) has announced that the Hyundai i20 has gained the maximum possible score and has been awarded the five star NCAP rating for safety. This is indeed a great achievement for a car the size of the i20 as compacts are not known to be high on safety. The i20 after its launch in India and globally has certainly raised the benchmark for compact cars (B segment) not only in terms of performance, build quality, ergonomics and aesthetics but also majorly in terms of occupant and pedestrian safety. And the confirmation of this is the NCAP, 5 star rating which is the first for any car produced in India.

The i20 five-door model scored exceptionally well on all four parameters of the NCAP safety test which assess newly launched cars on four main criteria of safety – adult occupancy, child protection, pedestrian protection and safety assist. The i20 achieved the highest possible score resulting in the highest overall rating.

Notably the i20 attained 88 per cent in the adult occupant protection tests, including the new whiplash assessment. The car’s active head-restraints, front seatbelt, pre-tensioner and six airbags – front, side and curtain – played a key role in achieving success in the tests for frontal, side barrier and car-to-pole impacts.

Equipped with high levels of standard safety equipment, the i20 scored an impressive six out of a maximum seven points in the safety assist category, receiving top marks for its seatbelt reminder and Electronic Stability Control (ESC). The computerized ESC system helps to minimize the risk of skidding by applying brakes to individual wheels to direct the car where the driver wishes to go.

The Hyundai i20 has an extensive list of active and passive safety equipment, including six airbags as standard, active head-restraints, front seat belt pre-tensioners, anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Stability Control, and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD).

The i20 received an average score of 80.25 percent, the highest among the six models assessed under the new NCAP rating scheme. The average is based on scores from the four categories: Adult, 88, Child, 83, Pedestrian, 64, Safety Assist, 86. Further noteworthy is the fact that the 64% score for the pedestrian protection test is the highest among all models.

Commenting on the achievement, a delighted H. S Lheem MD, HMIL said “This is a proud moment for Hyundai. The i20’s five-star rating is recognition of our commitment to providing customers with class leading safety and performance. The i20’s equipment level which includes a set of six airbags is a benchmark for cars in not only this segment but one above. This and other safety features easily allow the i20 to meet the stringent European safety norms and without a doubt the i20 is one of the safest compacts on road today. As a company we are committed to not only meeting the norms but also bettering them through constant research and development. The NCAP rating will undoubtedly increase the appeal of the i20 for our customers.”

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) is the country’s largest passenger car exporter and second largest car manufacturer. The i20 is manufactured at HMIL’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sreeperumbedur, 35 km outside Chennai. The i20 is only manufactured in India and exported to the European Union and other countries from India and also sold in the domestic market. The i20 was first revealed at the Paris Motor Show in October, 2008 and in November 2008 the first batch was shipped to the European market from HMIL’s Sriperumbedur plant. In India it was launched on December 29, 2009.

Toyota launches CNG version of Innova in India

Toyota Kirloskar Motor finally launched CNG version of Innova in India, its multi purpose vehicle that has become ubiquitous on Indian roads. Besides personal use a large number of agencies providing taxi services have included it in their fleet.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor before launching the CNG variant tested various types of CNG kits on Innova at its Bangalore based facility. The new kits for CNG are being supplied by Minda Auto Gas, which is also the original equipment supplier to Hyundai for its flagship car Santro and Maruti Suzuki for its LPG based WagonR Duo.

It is said that Toyota is looking at the CNG option to tap the vast commercial segment of tour operators and fleet owners. Innova is the market leader in this segment.

Toyota is banking on the high-demand of CNG vehicles, which deliver high mileage and offer low cost of operation. Already a large number of CNG and LPG cars are available in the market including General Motors Optra, Hindustan Motors Lancer, and popular compact cars like the Santro and the WagonR Duo.

The Innova, launched in India in 2005, created a different experience for customers with its exterior and interior features that redefined the automobile segment in the country. Since then, the Innova has cut a niche for itself by offering the luxury of a sedan with the performance of an MPV.

The Innova has continued its market leadership in 2008 with a 36% market share in the MPV segment. The Innova is a result of the unique IMV project from Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) that has broken new grounds in the way automobiles are created.

Ford sets early 2010 target to launch small car in India

Armed with a $500-mn investment outlay, Ford Motors has set early 2010 as the target to launch a small car in India, start its new engine-making unit and double the assembly line capacity, a top official said here.

The US-based giant will also unveil its refurbished Ikon by next month to expand its range of offerings in the country that includes Fusion, Endeavour and Fiesta, said Michael Boneham, managing director and president of Ford India.

"Ford now has a presence in only 30 percent of India's automobile market segments. We are entering other segments too. These are exciting times," Boneham told IANS at the company's factory at Maramalai Nagar on the outskirts of the Tamil Nadu capital.

"We are also commissioning a new engine manufacturing unit. It will serve both the domestic and global markets. It will have the flexibility to produce diesel and petrol engines. The idea is to go for higher localisation in the months to come."

Speaking about the small car project, the Ford official said it was being designed and developed specifically for India by a global team. "It will meet the needs of Indian conditions - like water wading, air-conditioning and emission standards."



While declining to divulge any further information on the project, Boneham said it will have a sub-1.2-litre engine with a length of no more than four metres to avoid higher taxes. "It will be very, very competitive in that segment."

Ford's first offering here was the "Josh machine" Ikon that rolled out in 1999 from this city, often called the Detroit of India for hosting auto companies like Hyundai, BMW, Mitsubishi, Ashok Leyland, Caterpillar, TVS, Tafe and Same.

Nissan and Daimler are among some global players that have definite plans to set up their units in this city.

Boneham said the company's integrated engine plant for 250,000 units per annum will be its first outside Europe and will make low-displacement engines for cars to be rolled out of its Indian plant for both domestic market and exports.

He said the existing $26-mn diesel engine assembly plant, with a capacity for 50,000 diesel and 10,000 petrol engines for Fiesta and Fusion, would be eventually integrated with the new plant.

The company has the capacity to assemble some 100,000 cars per year at its facility here, which will be doubled to 200,000.

Queried about the future of its tie up with the Indore-based Avtec that supplies 1.6 litre petrol engines, Boneham said: "We will continue to work with them. We will look at sourcing components from Avtec."

He also sought to dispel the perception that the cost of ownership of Ford cars was high compared with those offered by Japanese and South Korean companies, as several factors like fuel efficiency and servicing were also involved.

"As per our study, in some parts we are costlier and in some others we are cheaper. Overall, we are very competitive in this area. We are working to lower component costs further. Our diesel engine is more fuel efficient than many others," he said.

"High localisation is intended to achieve that. We are extremely quality conscious. Today, we can say we are far more satisfied and comfortable with our vendors."

Ann Street Auto Sales to sell India's Mahindra diesel vehicles

Most shoppers go to Ann Street Auto Sales searching for late-model used cars. But by next spring, the 50-year-old dealership at 1970 Alpine Ave. NW turns a corner, becoming the region's first new-car source for three diesel-powered vehicles from India.



Mahindra & Mahindra, better known among agricultural circles for its line of farm tractors, is on the brink of selling its Scorpio seven-passenger SUV and two models of utilitarian pickups as early as March, said David Brock, the dealer's general manager. He's heading the expansion into new car sales at Ann Street Auto, and saw the Mahindra line in Atlanta last fall.





"Their main SUV, the Scorpio, is a seven-passenger comparable to the Explorer, or a little bigger," Brock said. "They'll all come with direct-injection diesels, so they're very, very clean for the environment, and a lot higher on gas mileage." How high? In the 32 to 35 mpg range, Brock said. "It's almost double anything out there right now," he said. Mahindra's U.S. distributor, Global Vehicles, is based in Alpharetta, Ga.

But the India automaker already plans to bring pickup assembly to an Ohio plant as soon as next year, Brock said. He expects the Scorpio to sell in the $24,000 range, with the two yet-unnamed trucks in the $20,000 range. The biggest market may be in the farm community, where Mahindra tractors are the No. 3 seller in the U.S. Brock initially investigated a Romanian automaker, but that deal fell through. He is less enthused about the prospect of autos from China.

"I don't think they'll be here for a while," Brock said. "There's a lot of cars out there that are a lot cheaper in other nations. But by the time you add the expense of making them work in the U.S. market -- anti-rollover, air bags, ABS brakes -- I just don't see it happening down the road."



Newcomers to the U.S. car market face fierce odds, especially when they try to set up a dealership network. That's the biggest challenge for Chenfang, Mahindra or any other automaker not yet stateside, auto analyst Grand Rapids Erich Merkle said.

Although a car from China could sell for less than $10,000 here, Merkle said, Toyota Motor Co. already has the small Yaris in place to compete with it. The Yaris starts at $12,000, but it has a big advantage over Chenfang: a big dealer network. "Buyers know Toyota is going to be here. They brought the Yaris over here as a defensive move against any Chinese automaker coming into the market," Merkle said.

The Mahindra SUV and basic pickups might appeal to a niche crowd, Merkle said.



"The vehicles are a little on the crude side; they don't have all the comfort and convenience features," said Merkle, a Crowe Chizek analyst.

"They look more like a piece of farm equipment than anything else." The tractor business is the key to the new line's success, Brock said. Mahindra already has two tractor plants in the U.S. and has been in the market for 10 years. "I really believe they're growing at the grassroots," he said.

As for reliability, Brock said, he realized Kia and Hyundai first imported lower-quality cars "until they got their act together." But Mahindra won't go that route. "They're not going to bring over an inferior product," Brock said.