Elantra’s successor, Avante sports a very contemporary look. Available in 2.0L VVT & 1.6L CRDi versions, Avante offers an excellent & comfortable ride & manages the road imperfections with ease. If you’re thinking refinement, think Avante.
http://www.driveinside.com/News/Upcoming-Cars.aspx
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Volkswagen Phaeton
Talk Phaeton, talk elite. VW’s flagship in high-end cars, this sedan stands in competition to Audi A8, Merc S-Class & BMW 7 series. Providing unrelenting standards of safety, comfort and dynamics, this stunner will be available in India as a CBU.
http://www.driveinside.com/News/Upcoming-Cars.aspx
Chevrolet New Tavera
Chevrolet New Tavera
General Motors India plans to bring face lifted Tavera in September. Tavera is well known in the taxi segment, let's hope that the new car can make a name in the personal car segment
General Motors India plans to bring face lifted Tavera in September. Tavera is well known in the taxi segment, let's hope that the new car can make a name in the personal car segment
M&M to roll out new MUV Ingenio soon
Utility vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra is all set to introduce the latest addition to its line-up, the Ingenio MUV (multi utility vehicle), from August this year. Ingenio is positioned between the bestseller Bolero and the iconic Scorpio, and industry sources expect it to retail at around Rs6 lakh.
The launch of the Ingenio will be followed by the launch of a premium SUV codenamed W201 positioned above the top-end Scorpio variant.
The Ingenio is considered to be M&M's most ambitious project after the Scorpio, and the company intends to introduce it in several foreign markets, like the Scorpio that retails as the Mahindra Goa outside India. It is to be manufactured at the company's Nasik plant in Maharashtra, and will initially have a diesel engine followed by the launch of a petrol variant and an automatic transmission variant.
Dr. Pawan Goenka, president, automotive sector, M&M, said that the sales of the domestic Scorpio were up 9 per cent, at a little above 30,000. Saying that because India's utility vehicle is primarily diesel-driven, they had introduced the petrol Scorpio only in overseas markets.
M&M has set up CKD (complete knocked down) assembly facilities in Egypt and Brazil, and has also started distribution of the Scorpio in Chile and Peru, and is looking at setting up facilities in Russia. (Also see: Mahindra Scorpio SUV, Pik-Up range launched in Brazil)
Currently in its repertoire, M&M has the Commander (recently renamed Major) and the Max at the bottom-end, followed by the Bolero, and the Scorpio above it. The Bolero is the largest seller in the M&M camp, notching up around 4,000 units per month. The Scorpio follows next with around 3,200 units sold every month.
http://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_m/Mahindra/20080223_ingenio.html
http://www.driveinside.com/News/Upcoming-Cars.aspx
The launch of the Ingenio will be followed by the launch of a premium SUV codenamed W201 positioned above the top-end Scorpio variant.
The Ingenio is considered to be M&M's most ambitious project after the Scorpio, and the company intends to introduce it in several foreign markets, like the Scorpio that retails as the Mahindra Goa outside India. It is to be manufactured at the company's Nasik plant in Maharashtra, and will initially have a diesel engine followed by the launch of a petrol variant and an automatic transmission variant.
Dr. Pawan Goenka, president, automotive sector, M&M, said that the sales of the domestic Scorpio were up 9 per cent, at a little above 30,000. Saying that because India's utility vehicle is primarily diesel-driven, they had introduced the petrol Scorpio only in overseas markets.
M&M has set up CKD (complete knocked down) assembly facilities in Egypt and Brazil, and has also started distribution of the Scorpio in Chile and Peru, and is looking at setting up facilities in Russia. (Also see: Mahindra Scorpio SUV, Pik-Up range launched in Brazil)
Currently in its repertoire, M&M has the Commander (recently renamed Major) and the Max at the bottom-end, followed by the Bolero, and the Scorpio above it. The Bolero is the largest seller in the M&M camp, notching up around 4,000 units per month. The Scorpio follows next with around 3,200 units sold every month.
http://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_m/Mahindra/20080223_ingenio.html
http://www.driveinside.com/News/Upcoming-Cars.aspx
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Introducing All-new Corolla ALTIS "Designed to Inspire Envy" Style, Comfort and Luxury Redefined
New Delhi, 5th September 2008
New Delhi, 5th September 2008- Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. (TKM), today announced launch of the All-New Corolla Altis at the "India Expo Centre - Greater Noida". Present at the occasion were Mr.Yasuhiko Yokoi, Managing Officer, Mr. Soichiro Okudaira, Managing Officer & Mr. Yasuyuki Kawamoto; Chief Engineer - Corolla Altis, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC). Mr. Vikram Kirloskar; Vice Chairman, Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa; Managing Director & Mr. Sandeep Singh; Deputy Managing Director ; Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. (TKM).
Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. (TKM) introduced the 9th Generation Corolla in India in 2003. This introduction triggered a surge in demand for Premium Mid-size Sedan models in India. Since then, Corolla has set the benchmark for this segment and has met requests from the Indian Market with innovative luxury, designed to satisfy the auto consumer's appetite for perfection. Reflecting this, Corolla earned the No. 1 ranking in the JD Power IQS rankings for 2 consecutive years in 2003 & 2004. Corolla's good acceptance has also inspired several auto majors to explore the possibility of introducing models in the Premium Mid-size Sedan segment.
Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Yasuhiko Yokoi, Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) said, "Corolla has been a true symbol of Toyota passenger cars, and has contributed to the growth of the vehicle industry all over the world, with sales of over 30 million units so far. As you may know, Toyota's global sales volume was 8.4 million units last year, including 4.1 million units of passenger cars. The global sales figure of Corolla was 1.3 million last year, accounting for more than 30% of Toyota's global passenger car sales. And I'm very glad to introduce this very important 10th generation car here in India today!"
Mr. Soichiro Okudaira, Managing Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) said, "The concept this time is Happy Corolla for Our Planet. This model has been developed based upon a global point of view to maximize customer satisfaction. The DNA that has been handed down for 40 years is alive and well today. Displaying technology and concepts that are always ahead of time, our mission has been to create a new generation car. The challenge was to surpass the Toyota quality and realize a "Quality Revolution". To achieve that, we repeated the evaluation test called "5m impression" to pursue quality appealing to the five senses. The 5m impression, in particular, includes an item that appeals to customers before they get into the car, like styling. An item for feeling an immediate difference after getting into the car, like the sound of doors closing, the comfort of sitting in the seat. And an item for experiencing an immediate difference after the vehicle starts moving, like smoothness of the steering thanks to EPS, use of electronic throttle which makes the vehicle move smoothly. As a result of our efforts to always keep Indian customers firmly in mind, I think you'll find we arrived at a more than satisfactory result".
Mr. Yasuyuki Kawamoto, Chief Engineer - Corolla Altis of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) said, Based on this global theme, the new Corolla Altis for Indian customers is refined as "One Class Above" with indisputable quality and dignity, which is beyond any other car in its segment. For Indian customers, we set two priorities. The first was styling. We wanted to create a dynamic & distinctive feel for outstanding presence. The second priority was luxury & advanced features. For safety we have High Intensity discharge (HID) Head Lamp, Automatic Electro chromatic (EC) inner mirror. For comfort we have developed 8-way power driver seat, Audio Controls and MID Switch on the steering and many more. Towards the fun to drive aspect, we provided the Sequential shift, which lets you enjoy the feel of manual driving even in the automatic variant. Cruise control, Telescopic steering for all variants, Electric Power Steering ensures a comfortable ride. So I am confident that we have created a "One class above" vehicle for the Indian customers.
Mr. Vikram Kirloskar, Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said, This year's target is to sell 63,000 vehicles. And by fiscal 2015 we are aiming for a market share of about 10%, the Altis marks our big step towards the achievement of this goal. We are also planning to introduce several new models in the near future to meet this goal. Regarding the small car that everyone has been waiting for, we aim to start Production and Sales around the end of 2010 or early 2011. So get ready for even more excitement!
Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said, To help everyone become more familiar with this incredibly advanced new Corolla, we gave it the name "Altis," which is derived from the word "altitudinous" meaning "the Absolute Superiority". Our goal is to sell an average of 2,000 vehicles a month. And as the name implies, we aim to make the Altis the best-selling car in its class. Up until now, Corolla has been popular with businessmen. But making it attractive to young executives will create a new market in the C segment. Altis's main selling point is Toyota's unparalleled quality, and our ambition is for the Corolla Altis to revolutionize Indian consumers' quality expectations, raising them to a higher level. It is to communicate this message to the Indian market that we have also changed our corporate slogan to "Quality Revolution".
Mr. Sandeep Singh, Dy. Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said, We are offering the Corolla Altis in three grades, the 1.8 G M/T, the 1.8 G(L) M/T and a top-end grade 1.8 V(L) A/T model. The Corolla now delivers max power of 130 HP, which is 7 hp higher than the earlier model. The 1.8G M/T grade which is an equivalent of the previous H2 model, has been improved by the addition of features like Electric Power Steering, Optitron Combination Meter, Multi-information Display, Steering wheel with Audio Controls & MID switch and many more. The medium-grade 1.8G (L) M/T model has features like HID headlamps with washers and 8-Way Power Driver Seats with Power Lumbar Support.
And the top-grade 1.8V (L) A/T model has features like Cruise Control and Gate Shift Type Auto Transmission with Sequential Shift.
On the sales front, we are planning a marketing blitz with simultaneous 100 events at shopping malls, airports and showroom nationwide. It will be an all-out effort, starting tomorrow, to bring more customers into contact with the car by showcasing the Altis throughout India.
The All-New Corolla Altis is the second Corolla launched in India. The theme of this car is "Happy Corolla for our Planet" and its mission is to appeal to consumers' five senses. Toyota's objectives for the launch include further consolidation of Toyota's position in the premium mid-size segment with its renowned and internationally celebrated product, getting out the key messages and vision of the management, and projecting Toyota as a leading automobile player in India. To achieve these objectives, Toyota will implement a two-phase plan of a pre-event and launch event strategy.
The vehicle's features include an 8-way power driver's seat, HID headlamps, steering wheel with audio controls and MID switch, and an Optitron meter.
The Toyota Altis comes in 3 grades: the 1.8 G M/T, the 1.8 G (L) M/T, and the top-end 1.8 V (L) A/T Model. The Corolla now delivers max power of 130 HP, 7 HP higher than the previous model.
Toyota in India is targeting at achieving Corolla Altis sales of 2000 units per month in the year 2008.
Toyota is launching a Marketing Blitz at 100 shopping malls, airports, and showrooms across the country.
Read More
For further information or clarification, contact:
Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. BUZZ Communications Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi
Mr. Ashish Kumar
General Manager - Marketing
Tel no. 080-665533080 (ext: 3444)
Email: ba_kumar@tkm.co.in Achal Paul / Neha
Tel 011-43596661 / 2
Mobile 0-98101 62377/98106 57434
Email:achal@buzzcomm.in / neha@buzzcomm.in
http://www.toyotabharat.com/inen/news/cor_altis_release.asp
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Suzuki to unveil A-STAR in October
The Times of India
New Delhi: Suzuki is all set to unveil its much-awaited new compact A-Star at the Paris Motor Show in October, lifting curtains off a model that could replace the best-selling Alto in India in the long run. In Europe, it will be sold under the name 'Alto' and the Indian name is yet to be announced. A-Star will be produced solely in India for global markets and will hit the roads by October-November this year. The compact will come with a 1000cc aluminium petrol engine and is among the 'world strategic models' Suzuki is launching for a greater push globally. For the Indian market, the pricing could be Rs 3 lakh-plus, though company officials refused to comment on this. The car promises CO2 emission levels below 109 gm/km (much lower even to future European norms of 120 gm/km). While 1 lakh units would be meant for exports, mainly to Europe, the company would sell 50,000 units in India, while selling some to fellow Japanese automaker Nissan. The concept model of this car was designed and developed jointly by Maruti Suzuki and Suzuki Motors, marking it the first time when designers from Maruti's R&D team were involved from the very beginning. Suzuki said the all-new Alto (for Europe) builds on the company's strengths in the small-car development. While the Alto was discontinued in Europe around two years ago, it is currently the best-selling model in India.
http://www.marutisuzuki.com/Suzuki-to-unveil-A-STAR-in-October.aspx
New Delhi: Suzuki is all set to unveil its much-awaited new compact A-Star at the Paris Motor Show in October, lifting curtains off a model that could replace the best-selling Alto in India in the long run. In Europe, it will be sold under the name 'Alto' and the Indian name is yet to be announced. A-Star will be produced solely in India for global markets and will hit the roads by October-November this year. The compact will come with a 1000cc aluminium petrol engine and is among the 'world strategic models' Suzuki is launching for a greater push globally. For the Indian market, the pricing could be Rs 3 lakh-plus, though company officials refused to comment on this. The car promises CO2 emission levels below 109 gm/km (much lower even to future European norms of 120 gm/km). While 1 lakh units would be meant for exports, mainly to Europe, the company would sell 50,000 units in India, while selling some to fellow Japanese automaker Nissan. The concept model of this car was designed and developed jointly by Maruti Suzuki and Suzuki Motors, marking it the first time when designers from Maruti's R&D team were involved from the very beginning. Suzuki said the all-new Alto (for Europe) builds on the company's strengths in the small-car development. While the Alto was discontinued in Europe around two years ago, it is currently the best-selling model in India.
http://www.marutisuzuki.com/Suzuki-to-unveil-A-STAR-in-October.aspx
Maruti's A-Star to meet European Emission Norms
Business Standard
New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki's compact A-Star, which will be launched in October, is expected to surpass the earlier strict emission norms announced by the company.Emission from the A-Star not only complies with the Euro 3 (Bharat-3) norms that are operational in 13 Indian cities, including Delhi, but also geared to meet stringent emission norms that will be implemented across Europe in the coming years.The A-Stars CO2 emission will be even lower than 109 gm/km which we had envisaged earlier. This is much lower than the European emission norms that require cars to emit 120 gm/km in the future said Shinzo Nakanishi, MD, Maruti Suzuki.India's Euro 3 norms is 5 years behind those currently enforced in Europe, while Euro 4 norms that are enforced outside the 13 Indian cities are 10 years behind European benchmarks. While gaseous and particulate matter comprise Euro 4 gradation in India, Europe's emission reports estimate the CO2 discharge levels only. Lower CO2 levels in cars means the car has superior fuel efficiency, said Anomita Chowdhury, Associate Director, Centre for Science and Environment.Maruti Suzuki's decision to manufacture the A-Star car in India is part of parent Suzuki's overall strategy to make India the manufacturing hub for the production of small cars like the Alto, Swift, and Maruti 800. We may consider manufacturing the A Star later in China which will cater to the Chinese market only. In that case we may have to export auto components from India to China, said Nakanishi.The firm hopes to export about one lakh units of the A-Star to Europe. In about 2-3 years from the launch, we may export to S America and the SE Asian region, he said.As part of its strategy to consolidate its position in the A2 segment, which will witness newer players like Nissan, Toyota, and Honda this year onwards, Maruti Suzuki has indicated it will launch the compact Splash next year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
