Gm New Target

To increase its sales, up to six new models will be introduced by the company within two years – including two commercial vehicles – with a diesel-powered version of the Chevrolet Spark on sale in a “few weeks,” according to company boss, Karl Slym. Used Cars Sale

GM has already unveiled the first engine developed by its Indian unit: a 1.2-litre petrol engine, which will initially be offered in the Spark from February and later extended to other models. The locally produced unit will further help the company to compete with rivals such as Suzuki, Hyundai and Ford. Hyundai Showrooms in India

Starting this year, similar models found in China have also been introduced to India, with profit shares expected to rise by five per cent.

Benz Premium Small Car

We’ve always maintained that if you wish to survive in the auto business, you’ve got to have a small car in your portfolio. The German’s are slowly but surely realizing this fact. Up till now the German brands were concentrating on the luxury end of the spectrum only. Now though, Mercedes Benz is planning a small car for the masses, a premium hatchback infact.

Is Mercedes Benz India considering the A-Class or the B-Class hatchbacks? Well, only time will tell. But for now, we think Audi and BMW might be forced to bring in their players too. BMW however, had totally refused to plans of a 1-Series for India. While, it is still not clear if Audi is considering the A3 for India. If Mercedes Benz continue with their aggressive strategy to capture the lower end of the market, BMW and Audi might have to rethink their future plans.

Figo Bags Autocar Awards

The Figo was awarded 'Car of the Year Award 2011', 'Value for Money Car 2011' and 'Premium Compact Car'. Beside these it also won the 'Viewers Choice – Car of the Year 2011'.

maruti service stations

The Figo has been in the limelight this year and this is clearly visible in the kind of sales figures the company has seen. Ford India has already sold 60,000 units of the Figo since its launch in March 2010. In addition to recognizing the Figo's virtues, Ford India has been named "Manufacturer of the Year 2011" for its innovative practices in manufacturing and engineering excellence. Ford also came out with the 4x2 Endeavour this year (read first drive) which gives us an idea of the companies stratergy to woo the customers looking for an SUV.

 

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new Toyota Priuses

The Prius C Concept will provide the inspiration for a Yaris-sized Prius supemini that will launch in North America in the first half of 2012, a car Toyota claims will be the most efficient and best value hybrid car in any segment yet.

Toyota is keen to offer an even more efficient smaller hybrid at a lower price point and to that end will aim the production version of the C Concept at “young singles and couples who want an eco-sensitive, high-mileage, fun-to-drive Prius”.

Its modern styling takes cues from both the standard Prius and the recently refreshed Vitz (Yaris) supermini in Japan albeit with a much more striking front end. The Prius’s slippery shape has been successfully scaled down to supermini proportions, although concept car features such as its heavily sculpted bonnet, big chrome-effect alloys, large glass rear screen and headlight design are unlikely to carry over into production.

Whether the C Concept has a future in Europe is not clear. The firm has already confirmed a hybrid version of the Yaris for Europe in 2012, and it is not thought Toyota would want two cars competing against one another in a segment.

Technical details have also not been revealed at this stage. It’s unlikely that the Yaris will be able to accommodate the 1.8-litre petrol engine from the Prius and Auris powertrains. But Toyota does have 1.33 and 1.0-litre motors at its disposal.

The Prius V is also unlikely to have a future in Europe, given the presence of the Verso in Toyota’s European range. “A hybrid Verso would be ideal,” said a Toyota source, “but that won’t happen for now as it’s mid life-cycle. We don’t want to be importing cars to Europe that could steal sales in a segment we already cover. The US doesn’t have anything like the Verso, so a Prius MPV makes sense, filling in a gap in the model range with a name people know.”

The Prius V has more than 50 per cent more load capacity at just over 960 litres than the standard conventional hatchback, with an low, wide access at the rear to allow for easy loading.

It shares its platform and 1.8-litre petrol-electric Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain with the standard Prius and its styling is unmistakably Prius, growing slightly in height and length to allow for the extra load capacity. An extra row of seats isn’t added but the rear bench slides to allow for extra loading capacity.

Harley davidson for 5.5 lakhs

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Harley Davidson is kicking off its CKD offerings in India from January 1, 2010, with deliveries starting from Feb-end. The range will now start from a price tag of Rs 5.5 lakh  for the Sportster Super Low, while the Sportster 883 Iron is priced at  Rs 6.5 lakh ex-showroom Delhi.

Harley aficionados certainly have much to rejoice as the new price tags are sure to add to the appeal of the Harleys as well as being them within the reach of many more. And, there is more to come. Harley Davidson will add more models to the CKD operations and will announce these in the coming months.

Toyota to set-up rare earth plant

Technorati Tags: toyota,plan,rare,earth,india

Toyota Motor Corporation’s group company, Toyota Tsusho Corp. will build a rare-earth processing plant in India to secure mineral supplies from 2012.

The plant, to be based in Orissa, will provide 3,000-4,000 tonnes of rare-earth minerals in a year that will be used to produce hybrid and electric cars, and other high-tech products. Construction of the plant will begin next year and the minerals will be shipped to Japan starting 2012.

Japan’s leading auto manufacturers are scrambling to secure supplies of the metals after exports from leading producer China were stopped amid political tensions. The plant in India will manufacture rare-earth products of the process of extracting uranium and thorium fuel from monazite minerals at Indian Rare Earth Ltd – a subsidiary of India’s atomic energy agency. Japan’s Shin-Etsu Chemical Company will provide technical assistance.

Toyota Tsusho had surveyed the rare earth resource potential throughout the world and is also developing the minerals in Vietnam. With the two plants, the company will be able to supply around 10,000 tonnes of rare-earths a year in 2013.

Audi A7 in India – autocar scoop

These are the first pictures of the soon to be launched Audi A7 Sportback, spotted on Indian soil being driven towards Pune on a test. Obviously Audi did not want anyone to notice it and hence the car had no model badge or logos on the wheels. The tailpipes suggest that it is a diesel version, probably a 3.0-litre V6. As soon as the Audi’s drive took notice of our company, he tried to lose us, a sure give away.

The front end of the A7 has an aggressive stance with the single frame Audi family grill styling incorporated with striking LED Headlamps. The design overall resembles the flagship Audi A8 sedan but has a distinctive for door coupe styling. The interior is loaded with acres of leather, wood and brushed aluminum combo with a pop-up navigation system screen. The cockpit of A7 resembles the larger A8 but there are some styling differences to help make it unique.

The A7 Sportback is designed to fill a niche between the A6 and A8. It offers big-car interior packaging for four people, the practicality of a rear hatch, a sizeable boot and what Audi calls a ‘four-door coupé’ shape.

The Audi A7 is 4.97m long and 1.91m wide, which is 17cm shorter and 4cm narrower than the A8 saloon. This car does away without the A8’s aluminum space frame, but Audi has made extensive use of the metal in its body, including the doors, bonnet, hatch, front bulkhead and a cross member in the boot. In two-wheel-drive form the A7 has a kerb weight of 1695kg. That’s over 100kg lighter than the car’s most obvious rival, the Mercedes CLS350 CDI.

Audi will officially launch the A7 Sportback sometime in mid-2011.