New 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Maybach unveiled

The Maybach marquee is possibly one of the most significant luxury car brands in automotive history. Although Maybach has always been an independent brand as such, a few years ago,Mercedes-Benz pulled the plug on it due to poor sales.

Now though, the Maybach brand is back, but not as you would have expected. Instead of an all new car, the Maybach is back as an ultra luxury variant of the new S-Class.

The S-class Maybach was simultaneously unveiled at two events, the world premier at the Guangzhou Motor Show and a presentation at the Los Angeles Motor Show thereby capturing the imaginations of the two biggest Mercedes-Benz markets globally.

At 5453 mm long and with a wheelbase of 3365 mm, the flagship of the Mercedes-Benz model range is 20 cm larger in both dimensions than the S-Class Saloon with long wheelbase.

Obviously, the rear passengers benefit from this increased size as well as from standard equipment that includes executive seats on both left and right and other exclusive details such as innovative voice amplification. In the rear, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class is also the world's quietest production saloon car.

Speaking on the occasion, Professor Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG said, "Our exceptionally successful new S-Class already defines the pinnacle of automotive engineering in a host of technical disciplines such as safety, efficiency, climate control and noise characteristics. The Mercedes-Maybach now sets the benchmark in the luxury segment even higher.,

The S-Class Maybach will be powered by a 6.0-litre V12 biturbo engine making 530PS of peak power and 830Nm of peak torque in its S version and by a 4.7-litre V8 biturbo engine that makes 455PS in the standard version. Mercedes-Maybach though is not intended to be a model variant for the S-Class but has larger implications. Just like AMG is a sub-brand of the Mercedes-Benz family, the German manufacturer intends to make Maybach another sub-brand offering ultra luxury versions of existing models. We presume the new GLS will be the next car to get the Maybach treatment in the near future.

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

Honda may defer launch of Jazz to next year

Japanese auto major Honda is likely to start the fresh roll out of its 'discontinued' hatchback vehicle Jazz in Indian market next year.

"Last year we announced that within this fiscal year we will come up with Mobilio and Jazz. But the great demand (for other models) is exceeding our expectations. So we started the second shift of our second plant," Hironori Kanayama, President and CEO, Honda Cars India, told reporters in Hyderabad on Thursday.

"The demand seems to be so strong, so the launch of the Jazzis slightly adjusted. That's what we think. We have not yet taken a decision (on the exact time of launch). We anticipate the launch of Jazz any time next year," he said.

Honda had stopped production of Jazz last year. The vehicle was launched in India in 2009 with a hefty price tag of over Rs 7 lakh which was slashed by Rs 1.6 lakh later.

Kanayama said the company plans to add another 100 dealers by the end of March 2016 to the existing 200 dealers. He inaugurated the 200th dealer-Metro Honda in Hyderabad on Thursday.

"By March 2016, we will have 300 dealerships all over the country. Of the total 200 dealers we have now, 75 per cent are in tier-II and tier-III cities and towns. The network expansion is also an essential element in our larger vision of being the most trusted company in the country," he said.

To a query, he said the company aims to achieve sales target of 3 lakh vehicles and accordingly, production capacity will be increased from the current 2.4 lakh per annum.

HCIL has two manufacturing facilities at UP's Greater Noida and Tapukara in Rajasthan's Alwar district.

Backed by strong demand for cars like Honda City, Honda Amaze and the recently launched Honda Mobilio, HCIL achieved over 1 lakh sales in the current fiscal, registering an overall growth of 43 per cent during April-October 2014 with 1,01,442 units as against 70,831 units in the same period last year.

The company hopes to achieve a double-digit growth in sales in the current year, he added.

Source : businesstoday.intoday.in

Aston Martin DB9 Volante Morning Frost revealed

After the Aston Martin Satin Jet Black Vanquish Coupe the company's bespoke customisation division, Q, has revealed a brand new DB9 Volante in Morning Frost. This one-offAston Martin DB9 Volante Morning Frost showcases the possibilities customers can have to impart a personalised touch to their Aston cars.

The car was commissioned by the British firm's official dealership in Dallas and is certainly one of the most eye-catching Aston Martin. The DB9 Volante is draped in Morning Frost and is completed with blue tinted carbon fibre details such as the front splitter and wing mirrors.

Beyond the white paint finish and the blue carbon accents, the car receives a bright blue folding roof while the interior features blue leather across the seats, steering wheel, dashboard, gauge cluster and door sills. The cabin also boasts of pristine white leather which is found alongside blue piping and blue stitching.

Power is provided by a 6.0-litre V12 engine that churns out 510PS of power and 620Nm of torque. It is connected to a 'Touchtronic 2' six-speed transmission which enables the car to accelerate from 0-100kmph in 4.6 seconds.

The regular 2014 Aston Martin DB9 Volante is currently on sale in the international market with a price tag of Rs 2.3 crore.

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com 

M&M raises vehicle prices by up to Rs 11,500

Homegrown auto firm Mahindra & Mahindra on Tuesday said it has increased prices of its passenger and commercial vehicles from this month by an average of 1 per cent, in the range of Rs 2,300 to Rs 11,500 (ex-showroom), to partially offset the impact of rising input costs.

"We have been holding back on the price hikes for a while but now it has been necessitated to partly offset the impact of rising input costs," Mahindra & Mahindra , Chief Executive Automotive Division and International Operations, Pravin Shah said in a statement.

Farm Equipment Sector (FES), a part of $16.5 billion Mahindra Group, has also increased prices of its tractors effective from November 2014.

"The increase is in the range of Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 depending upon the model.The price hike has been necessitated owing to increase in commodity prices and conversion costs," the company said.

Mahindra sells a range of passenger vehicles including the Scorpio, Bolero and XUV500 and commercial vehicles like Alfa and Gio. It also markets a range of tractor models like Arjun and Yuvraj.

M&M stock on  Tuesday closed at Rs 1260.65 apiece on the BSE, up 2.35 per cent from its previous close.

Source : businesstoday.intoday.in

Global NCAP asks Nissan to withdraw Datsun GO from India

In a setback to Nissan Motors, consumer safety testing body Global NCAP has asked the Japanese car maker to withdraw its compact car Datsun GO from the Indian market saying it was "sub-standard".

Datsun GO, which was launched in the country last year, had failed crash test results recently conducted by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP). It had failed on critical safety count.

In a letter to Nissan Chairman and CEO, Global NCAP Chairman Max Mosley urged for an "urgent withdrawal of the Datsun Go from the Indian and related markets".

"It is extremely disappointing that Nissan has authorised the launch of a brand new model that is so clearly sub-standard. As presently engineered the Datsun Go will certainly fail to pass the United Nation's frontal impact regulation.

"In these circumstances I would urge Nissan to withdraw the Datsun Go from sale in India pending an urgent redesign of the car's body-shell," Mosley said.

Applying the UN's minimum crash test standards to all passenger car production worldwide is a key recommendation of the Global Plan for the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, he added.

"Given Carlos Ghosn's responsibilities as Chairman and CEO of Nissan and President of the European Car Manufacturers Association, he should now demonstrate leadership both in Nissan and on behalf of the vehicle industry generally that corresponds to the UN's legitimate expectation that automobile safety should be improved during the Decade of Action," Mosley said.

As per the crash results, the Datsun GO scored zero stars for adult occupant protection and just two stars for child occupant protection. Its vehicle structure collapsed in the crash and was rated as unstable.

"The car's lack of airbags meant that the driver's head makes direct contact with the steering wheel and dashboard. The dummy readings indicate a high probability of life-threatening injuries. However the failure of the body shell makes it redundant to fit an airbag," Global NCAP said.

When contacted a Nissan India spokesperson said : "We have not received the letter yet?"

Source : businesstoday.intoday.in         

Porsche recalls 911, Cayman and Boxter models

After internal quality check,Porsche has issued a voluntary recall for some vehicles of thePorsche 911 Carrera,Porsche Boxster and Porsche Cayman sports car model. As a precautionary measure the German carmaker will be replacing the lock bracket on the front lid of the 4,428 two-door sports cars worldwide.

The company has found that some of the brackets may not meet the company standards and specifications in the long term. Porsche, however, claims that no incidents have been reported as yet caused by this or an unintentional opening of the front lid.

Porsche dealers will be contacting the owners of identified vehicles directly and customers would have to visit a workshop to get the bracket replaced free of cost.

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

Suzuki Gixxer bike launches in September 2014

It has a new Suzuki Eco Performance technology engine and 5-gear transmission. This is completely a new and different engine compared to the previous 150 cc bike from Suzuki which was also having 6-gear transmission. The Design and look of the bike is very sporty which must attract the youngsters. It's Ex-Showroom Price is Rs. 72,500 approx in Delhi. 

Engine,  Mileage  & Performance : This bike sports a 155 cc powerful engine. Compared to all the 150 cc bikes I personally feel that it is the most powerful engine. The sound of the engine is pretty roaring which gives you a sports bike feel. It has awesome pickup, not just the starting pickup but also while driving in 4th or 5th gear the bike gives good pickup.

Tyres, Disc & Silencer : This bike sports wide tyres, 6-spoke 17-inch alloy Wheels. The Rear tyre is 140/60 & Front is 100/80. The only sad thing is that there is no Rear Disc available, but I feel that there is no need of Rear Disc, the Controlling of the bike is good enough without Rear Disc. The bike has 266mm Front  disc  130mm Rear Drum. 

www.autopriceindia.com
by Ajay Gupta

Chevrolet City Express is another badge-engineered Evalia

The Nissan Evalia may not be a popular car in India but world over, it is a successful vehicle for its practicality and affordability. It not only sells as the NV200 which is essentially the Van's global title, it also sells as the Evalia and Ashok Leyland Stile in India and the Mitsubishi Delica in Japan.Chevrolet was looking for a model under the Express van in the United States and the Evalia became a quick fix.

The Chevrolet City Express slots in under the Express van in Chevrolet's commercial vehicle fleet in the USA. It isn't powered by Renault's 1.5-litre K9K diesel motor that does duty in the Evalia. Instead, the City Express gets a 2.0-litre petrol engine pumping out 132PS of peak power and 139Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a CVT gearbox.

The City Express for the US market gets traction control system, ABS and disc brakes all round. Being a cargo body style, the side doors get full sheet metal and the rear opening is a side hinged double door for easy loading.

The City Express will take on the Ford Transit Connect in the USA. Both GM and Ford in the American market have a range of light duty commercial vehicles. In India as of now, there isn't much scope to enter this market as there are plenty of players already and the numbers aren't too high.

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

Nissan to recall 9,000 units of Micra, Sunny models in India

New Delhi: Japanese auto major Nissan is recalling 9,000 units of its compact car Micra and mid-sized sedan Sunny in India to replace defective airbags as part of a global recall.

The recall will cover cars manufactured between 2008 to 2012 that use safety airbags made by its supplier Takata. "Nissan plans to begin notifying customers soon. Nissan dealers will replace the driver airbag inflator with a correctly manufactured part at no cost to the customers for parts or labour," a Nissan India spokesperson said.

The global recall of 2,60,000 units by the Japanese auto major affects models, including Note, March/Micra, Sunny/Almera/Versa, Patrol and Cube. These are affected by a driver airbag concern that Takata reported to Nissan, the company said.

Ever since auto industry body SIAM started voluntary vehicle recall for safety related issues in India in July 2012, over seven lakh vehicles have been recalled by various manufacturers including Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra, Toyota, Ford, Honda and General Motors.

Last month Maruti Suzuki India announced recall of 69,555 units of Dzire, Swift and Ritz models manufactured between March 2010 and August 2013 to repair wiring harness fitment.

In April this year, in one of the biggest vehicle recalls in India, Maruti Suzuki recalled 1,03,311 units Ertiga, Swift and DZire - manufactured between November 12, 2013 and February 4, 2014 to replace faulty fuel filler neck. Last year, General Motors India recalled over 1,10,000 units of its multi-utility vehicle Tavera to address emission and specification issues.

The government is in process of framing a mandatory recall policy that would entail penalties as part of the new Central Motor Vehicle Rules.

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Hyundai Verna facelift to hit roads in 2015

New Delhi: Hyundai Motor India Limited is planning to launch a facelift version of its sedan car Hyundai Verna, according to various media reports.

The new Verna will be launched by early 2015. The Korean carmaker will be giving an upgrade to the fluidic-design model.

The car will sport a new front grille, bumper and headlamps along with new LEDs and a rear bumper. According to sources, the interiors of the C-segment sedan will not be changed much. In addition, improvements in the current 1.4 litre petrol and 1.6 litre diesel engines of the Verna are expected in the new model.

The new Verna will be similar in looks to the Solaris, which is sold in Russia. The car may get 6-speed automatic transmission, currently available in the Solaris.

Source : zeenews.india.com

Honda to Start CBR-650 Production in India From Next Year

Ahmedabad: Riding upon the 'Make in India' appeal, auto giant 'Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Private Limited' (HMSI) will start production of its high-end sports motorcycle 'CBR-650' in the country from next year, a top company executive said here today.

"We announce that (from) next year Honda will start making CBR -650 in India. By this, we will not only open up the skill of our existing manpower but it will also showcase the Honda India's manufacturing quality to the world," HMSI Vice President Y S Guleria told reporters here on the sidelines of a foundation stone laying ceremony for its upcoming plant at Vithalapur in Ahmedabad district.

However, Honda is yet to finalise the facility it has in the country from where it will start manufacturing CBR-650.

Besides the upcoming unit at Vithalapur, Honda has a total of three plants in Haryana, Rajasthan and Karnataka.

When asked about the capacity of the Vithalapur plant, Mr Guleria said that the quantum is yet to be decided.

"As of now, we have not decided on units as numbers are too small... and very quick decision can be taken, but we are not expecting very high volume," he said.

Mr Guleria further said that the Japanese auto giant's purpose to start making CBR-650 bikes is in tune with the 'Make in India' commitment of the company.

Honda has also not finalised the price tag for the sportsbike for its Indian customers.

"The purpose (to start manufacturing the bike in India) is to build in India and also the affordability aspect will be considered for customers with Make in India commitment," he said.

CBR-650 is 649 cc sports bike with the four-cylinder double overhead camshaft (DOHC) engine technology and having the six-speed gearbox, as per the Honda website.

Source : profit.ndtv.com 

Toyota recalls 1.67 million cars to address three separate defects

Toyota Motor Corp said on Wednesday it would recall a total 1.67 million vehicles globally in a voluntary move to address three separate defects including a faulty brake master cylinder that could hinder the brake's performance.

Toyota said in an email it was not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths resulting from the defects. Some 1.05 million vehicles will be recalled in Japan and 615,000 overseas.

About 802,000 Crown Majesta, Crown, Noah and Voxy models manufactured between June 2007 and June 2012 will be called back to replace a rubber seal ring in the brake master cylinder to prevent brake fluid from leaking. If brake fluid has already leaked, the brake booster will be replaced.

Car makers have faced heightened global scrutiny on how quickly they share information with regulators and the public since a massive recall crisis in 2009 battered Toyota's reputation and sales. Most vehicle recalls are issued on a voluntary rather than mandatory basis.

The Japanese company recalled 6.39 million vehicles globally in April in its second-largest recall announcement ever. Two months later, Toyota issued a recall of almost 2.3 million vehicles globally for faulty airbag inflators that have also plagued other car makers.

A second recall of about 759,000 vehicles globally, including 423,000 in the United States, will fix faulty fuel delivery pipes that could, in the worst-case scenario, cause a fire through a fuel leak. Some of these vehicles are also subject to the first recall.

Toyota will also recall 190,000 front-wheel drive Corolla Rumion and Auris models in Japan, built between October 2006 and October 2014 that are not equipped with an idling feature to fix a defective fuel evaporative emission control unit.

Shares of the car maker closed 0.2 per cent higher in Tokyo at 5,990 yen after the recalls were announced, while the exchange's Topix index gained 0.8 per cent.

Source : businesstoday.intoday.in

Tata JLR only Indian company in world's 100 most valuable brands

                                       

 Tata group's Land Rover has forayed into an elite club of world's 100 most valuable brands as the only Indian-owned entity, while iconic Apple has retained its top slot with nearly $119 billion valuation.

Land Rover, an iconic British car brand owned by Indian conglomerate Tatas, has been ranked 91st with a brand value of $4.47 billion and is one of the five new entrants on this annual list compiled by leading brand consultancy Interbrand.

Apple - maker of iPhone mobiles, Mac computers, iPad tablets and iPod music players among others - is followed by Google on the second position ($107 billion). These are the only two with brand values in excess of $100 billion.

While Land Rover is the only Indian-owned entity on the list, there are at least six other brands ranked among top 100 that are part of the entities run by Indian-origin CEOs.

These include Satya Nadella-led Microsoft (5th with brand value of $61 billion), Indra Nooyi-led Pepsi (24th; $19 billion), Shantanu Narayen-led Adobe (77th; $5.3 billion) and Ajay Banga-led MasterCard (88th; $4.7 billion).

Ivan Menezes-led British drinks giant Diageo, which also owns majority stake in India's largest alcoholic beverage manufacturer United Spirits, also has two portfolio brands - Smirnoff (34th; $13 billion) and Johnnie Walker (86th; $4.8 billion) - on the top 100 list.

Land Rover has been ranked higher than many big global brands like FedEx, Huawei, Heineken, Pizza Hut, BOSS, Nokia, Gap and Nintendo.

"Exemplifying British engineering and expertise in the SUV category, the iconic British brand (owned by TATA of India) has invested heavily in product creation, facility, and infrastructure," Interbrand said.

The leading brand consultancy further noted that "with 115 awards across its car range (led by Range Rover with 55 awards), Land Rover is finally getting the recognition it deserves and has improved its J D Power scores significantly."

"With the customer at the heart of the company, a clear focus and significant investment in improving design and quality, and demonstrating world-class technology and innovation, Land Rover is fully equipped to experience accelerating success in the forthcoming Age of You," Interbrand added.

Among top-ten, Apple and Google are followed by Coca-Cola, IBM, Microsoft, GE, Samsung, Toyota, McDonald's and Mercedes Benz.

Apple's brand value increased 21 per cent year-on-year, while for Google it was 15 per cent and for Coca Cola it was 3 per cent.

To be included in Best Global Brands, a brand must be truly global, having successfully transcended geographic and cultural boundaries, Interbrand said.

It must have a significant presence in Asia, Europe, and North America, as well as broad geographic coverage in emerging markets.

Moreover, the brand must have a public profile and awareness across the world's major economies.

Sinource : businesstoday.intoday.in

Tesla unveils new Model S electric sedan variant with 'autopilot' features

Hawthorne: Tesla Motors on Thursday took its first step toward automated driving, unveiling features that will allow its electric sedan to park itself and sense dangerous situations.

The company also said it will roll out an all-wheel drive option of the Model S sedan that can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds yet doesn't compromise the vehicle's efficiency.

The car is like having a "personal roller coaster," Tesla CEO Elon Musk joked after making the announcement at the packed event in Hawthorne, California.

Tesla's announcement had been eagerly anticipated since Musk last week tweeted that it was "about time to unveil the D and something else."

Onstage on Thursday, Musk said "D" stands for "dual motor," meaning Tesla's all-wheel drive vehicle will have a motor at either end of the chassis to increase control.

In addition, Musk said that the Model S cars that are rolling off the line today already have the hardware for what he called "autopilot." The features include a long-range radar, image recognition so the vehicle can "see" things like stop signs and pedestrians, and a 360-degree ultrasonic sonar.

The car can park itself in a garage, turn on the air conditioning in advance of a trip and recognise obstacles on the road. He cautioned, however, that "autopilot" was not fully autonomous driving and would not allow a driver to fall asleep at the wheel.

The new features will give Tesla momentum while consumers wait for the launch of its third vehicle, the crossover SUV Model X, next year, said one industry analyst.

"Until the Model X arrives, a vehicle that will substantially amplify Tesla's appeal and volume potential, these upgrades should keep the Model S at the forefront of advanced personal transportation," said Karl Brauer, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book.

Automakers are racing to develop such features as cars that apply brakes automatically when they sense an impending collision or slow down because a vehicle ahead on the highway has warned that traffic has stopped. However, the automakers say the transition will be evolutionary, with such features added slowly over many years as new models are rolled out. Meanwhile, Internet search company Google Inc is developing the technology for a completely driverless car.

General Motors said last month that its Cadillac brand will introduce a car in 2016 that communicates with other vehicles and will also introduce a vehicle that incorporates semi-automated hands-free driving technology.

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Hire Tata Nano car for self drive at just Rs 399 per day

Car rental firm Carzonrent and Tata Motors have inked a pact to launch an initiative in the Delhi/NCR region, under which customers would be able to hire a Tata Nano car for self drive at just Rs 399 per day.

As part of the 'Myles City Drive' initiative, Tata Motors would supply 200 Tata Nano Twist cars to Carzonrent fleet for self-drive service in the Delhi/NCR region.

"This association with Tata Motors is a step forward on Carzonrent's endeavour to build long term partnerships with auto manufacturers to develop a dynamic ground mobility landscape in India," Carzonrent Managing Director and CEO Rajiv Vij told reporters in New Delhi.

Under the initiative, Delhi based Carzonrent would also offer the Nano cars to customers on a hourly basis at Rs 99 and also for a whole month at a rent of Rs 6,999.

Customers would also be able to book the car online as well as rent directly from the company's 43 operational centres across the Delhi/NCR region.

Vij said the Myles City-Drive with Nano Twist is aimed at empowering customers and to enjoy everyday life a little more.

Commenting on the initiative, Tata Motors Head Institutional Sales Deepankar Tiwari said: "Through this partnership we will reach out to a larger customer base and give them an opportunity to experience the Nano in a self drive avatar."

Carzonrent, which started Myles (self drive) initiative last year, currently has a fleet of around 600 vehicles under the vertical.

"We started this initiative last year with a fleet of 14 cars. Now the self drive vertical has 600 cars and we expect it to touch 5,000 units by 2016," Vij said.

The company currently offers various cars ranging from Mahindra e20 to Mercedes-Benz under the self drive initiative across 16 cities in the country.

Elaborating on the 'Myles City Drive', Vij said the company would first begin with Delhi/NCR and later expand to other parts of the country.

Source : businesstoday.intoday.in

Hero MotoCorp launches two bikes priced up to Rs 51,550

Country's leading two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp on Wednesday launched two new products in the market to cash-in on the festive season.

The company launched 100 cc Splendor Pro Classic, which has a cafe racer styling, priced at Rs 48,650 (ex-showroom Delhi) and another 100 cc on-road-off-road bike Passion Pro TR at Rs 51,550 (ex-showroom Delhi).

Commenting on the launches, the company said: "Having kicked-off the festive season with record 6-lakh plus sales in September, Hero MotoCorp has lined-up a slew of new products, including refreshes and variants in the festive season."

Hero MotoCorp had reported over 30 per cent jump in sales in September to six lakh units, riding on strong festive season demand.

The company said Splendor Pro Classic offers a distinct riding experience with its cafe racer styling and its features include classic single seat, vintage style cafe cowl and sporty handle bar.

On the other hand, the Passion Pro TR offers an adventurous ride to young Indian bikers with its ability to take them off the conventional roads, it added.

Source : businesstoday.intoday.in

Maruti Launches New Sedan Ciaz to Take on Honda, Hyundai

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, the nation's top car maker, set an aggressive sales target for its first new sedan car in seven years, in a bid to break into a segment where it has previously had little success.

Sales of mid-size sedan cars in India, the world's sixth largest passenger vehicle market, fell nearly 23 per cent to 155,089 in the fiscal year to end-March from 200,176 a year ago, industry data showed, as high inflation and interest rates deterred customers.

But car makers, including Maruti, are betting on a revival in growth in Asia's third-biggest economy after a new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took power in May.

Maruti aims to sell between 60,000 and 80,000 of its new Ciaz cars next year, at prices starting from R

s.

 6,99,000 ($11,359) ex-showroom in New Delhi for the base gasoline variant, chief executive Kenichi Ayukawa said at a launch event.

With the Ciaz, Maruti will take a second stab at a segment in which its SX4 sedan, launched in 2007, has faced tough competition from rivals, including Honda Motor Co and Hyundai Motor Co, and lagged in sales.

"We have to enhance our quality. Not only with the car, but with our sales," Mr Ayukawa said when asked why Maruti, which sells nearly one in every two cars, has struggled with premium cars.

Maruti pitched Ciaz as a classier, roomier, European-styled fuel efficient car, targeting India's aspirational drivers who want to upgrade to a mid-sized sedan. It will be available in both gasoline and diesel variants and in seven colours.

The company received 10,000 bookings for the car before it announced the price, Mr Ayukawa said.

Analysts said Maruti has a better chance of success with the Ciaz than it did with the SX4, but some saw the sales target as ambitious.

"It is a competent model but I am not sure of the sales target," said Anil Sharma, a senior analyst at IHS Automotive, which has estimated full-year Ciaz sales of about 26,000.

Maruti's SX4 sales fell 40 per cent to 4,029 in the fiscal year to end-March. By comparison Honda sold 35,844 City sedans, 17 per cent higher than the previous fiscal.

"There is a lot of learning they have achieved from the SX4," Deepesh Rathore, an analyst at Emerging Markets Automotive Advisors, said before the launch.

A comparatively inferior quality was one reason why Maruti's SX4 could not compete with Honda's City or Hyundai's Verna sedans, Mr Rathore said, adding that Ciaz would make up for that.

The Indian car market is also looking up, Mr Ayukawa said. "After three years of slowdown, some signs of growth are visible," he added.

Source : profit.ndtv.com

Mercedes-Benz India sales rise 16 per cent this year

German luxury carmaker Mercedes- Benz on Thursday reported 16 per cent increase in its sales in India to 7,529 units in the first nine months this year.

The company had sold 6,461 units in the same period last year,Mercedes-Benz India said in a statement.

Commenting on the sales performance, Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director & CEO Eberhard Kern said: "The first three quarters of 2014 has been very satisfying for Mercedes-Benz given the tough market conditions the industry battled."

He further said: "We have launched eight new cars, sold more cars than ever before, expanded to newer markets, added newer customer base, connected with more customers through our brand connect programmes and offered more value to our customers."

The results of these initiatives have been an inclusive growth for the brand in India in the first three quarters, he added.

Mercedes-Benz India's SUV portfolio is on the highest growth path and witnessed an impressive growth rate of more than 100 per cent, the company said.

The popularity of the SUVs is closely followed by the compact cars. The compact portfolio which includes the A-Class and B-Class, witnessed a strong traction, it added.

The company's flagship model, the S-Class , continued its popularity run and remained sold out for the remaining year and the recently launched CLA 45 AMG was instrumental in adding new customers to the Mercedes-Benz brand fold.

The latest luxury SUV, the GLA-Class will be available for sale only from this month, it added.

Source : businesstoday.intoday.in

Renault to enter used car business in India, 2 new models in 2015

French auto major Renault plans to enter new verticals, including used car business in India next year, besides launching two new models, to make its presence felt in the market which it sees as "the biggest challenge".

The company, which is targeting a market share of over 5 per cent in India, is also leveraging on its 4,500 strong R&D Centre in Chennai to come up with products which are "right for the country".

"India is the biggest challenge for Renault in the next two years we have high ambitions from the Indian market. It is very important for us," Renault Chairman of AMI (Africa, Middle East and India) Region Bernard Cambier told PTI on the sidelines of Paris Motor Show.

Spelling out the company's new business plans he said: "We have plans to develop some new services. I have ambition with Sumit Sawhney (Renault India Country CEO and MD) to develop the used car business and lot of things like that."

Sawhney said the entry into used car business would help the company in overall brand building.

"When a customer is coming today to buy a Renault car he already owns a car, so he is looking forward to an exchange platform where he can get right value for his existing car," Sawhney said.

He further said: "Also if a customer wants to buy a Renault car we can always give him the option to liquidate his existing Renault car to buy a new one. So used car business is important from customer point of view and for dealers it gives them turnover."

Asked by when the company planned to operationalise the vertical, he said: "We want to start this business next year."

Commenting on the preparations for the launch of a multi purpose vehicle (MPV) and sub-Rs 4 lakh car in the Indian market, Sawhney said the company is working to develop "right products at right price" as it wants to have a strong entry in the two volume segments.

"What we have seen is that a lot of companies have not brought the right product or at a right price. So at Renault what we are trying to do is to bring a right product at a right price at a right time so we are leveraging our technology centre in Chennai," he added.

Stressing that Renault doesn't want to be a marginal player in India, he said: "One point is that wherever we want to go we want to have a strong entry in that segment. We don?t want to be a marginal player in that segment so that is a clear vision. So we are building a strong runway for Renault in coming years."

He added that the two segments would be able to push the company's market share in India to over 5 per cent in the next three years. .

Renault, which currently sells five models including mid sized SUV Duster in India, had a market share tad over 2 per cent in the country last year. The Indian passenger vehicle market stood at around 2.5 million units last fiscal.

When asked about the product line up after 2016-17, Sawhney said: "For future lineup we cannot share details now but we can assure you that we will come up with products post 2016-17 also. So it's not that we are not going to bring in new products."

Terming the entry into small car segment as an "opportunity", he said, the category is poised for growth with the opening up of the economy.

"Small cars is a very big opportunity today with economy opening up and you don't have many international players in that segment and that we in Renault see as an opportunity very clearly," he said.

All the products which will be introduced would have the capacity to create a sub-segment as Duster created one for itself, he added.

Source : businesstoday.intoday.in