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Tata Nano catching fire, have been making news everywhere. Are you curious about the 6 Tata Nanos which burnt into ashes and the reason behind the incidents? Catch all the details @ http://www.vicky.in/slideshow/is-tata-nano-a-safe-car/
Introduction | Nano catches Fire Case I: September’09 | Nano catches Fire Case II: October’09 | Nano catches Fire Case III: October’09 | Nano catches Fire Case IV: March’10 | Nano catches Fire Case V: April’10 | Nano catches Fire Case VI: August’10 | Conclusion
Bajaj Auto is not self content with its status as the country’s second largest and the world’s fourth largest automobile manufacturer. The temptation to reach the peak and the hunger to attain the supremacy is with the company chairman Rajiv Bajaj, which resulted with the alliance blooming among Bajaj, KTM and Kawasaki. The alliance would make a motorcycle on a global platform with the partners sharpening the R&D wing and facilities. Of the partners, KTM is an integral unit for cost effective means to be derived from Kawasaki which will be reflected on the alliance, he said. However, Bajaj is in an off the record JV with Kawasaki for its SE Asian and Latin America operations.
Bajaj has set afoot its brand image in the markets of Colombia and Philippines on its own and Kawasaki gives the back up for the Japanese market. In the JV with KTM, Bajaj shares 31.72% for taking advantage of the Japanese company’s technical know-how and marketing the roducts in Japan. All these deals are without involvement of money stake in the ensuing tripartite alliance. He clarified that there won’t be any instant equity share among the allies except a common platform for product ranges and marketing to yield cost profit. Bajaj will boost this benefit to other partners. Bajaj for its part, is seeking new platforms for engine and design which the other two players may extend.
The Indian auto maker Tata Motors is very soon launching the electric versions from this month,said its Chairman Ratan Tata. Disclosing the proposal at a conference in New York, he detailed the ongoing process of the electric car and about the proposed US version of the world’s cheapest car Nano. Ratan Tata had earlier mentioned the launch of Nano in the US market in another two years. The commercial launch of this compact and the cheapest car has started six months ago and the company may roll it down soon. Tata Motors is offering its service to the Cornell Institute for the sake of awarding Tata Scholarship Fund for Students from India, to $50million.
The scholarship is applicable for Tata-Cornell Initiative in Agriculture and Nutrition. The program is mooted to revamp the downtrodden poor in India.
Catch the Bajaj Avenger 220 Test Drive and Review @ http://www.vicky.in/slideshow/bajaj-avenger-220-cc-test-drive-and-review/
Introduction | Avenger 220- New Features | Engine and Performance | Ride and Handling | Braking | Good Bits and Bad Bits | Verdict
The launch of the low priced car has made Honda to press in for more dealerships by 28% in India from 2011. Before 2012, the number of dealers would be 150, spread over 90 cities from
the current 117 placed in 71 cities. The average increase will be one a month, said its VP for
marketing. The company wants to get closer to the customers through more dealers and intensive ad campaigns he added.
Honda Siel Cars India is launching its low priced edition at Rs5 lakhs during the Q2 of 2011. SIAM indicates that cars at the length of less than 4 metres and at the cost of Rs5 lakhs have the potential of 79% in the net sales. With this launch Honda will pit itself against Polo from VW AG, Hyundai i20, Maruti Swift, Nissan Micra. The industry analysts view this segment as getting rapid increase in proportion to the Indian population, which means the share of the players is not matching the potential. The Indian car market’s share is that during 2009 it was 8 out of every 1000 units against 435 in the US, 24 in China and 231 in Russia, said Ernst & Young.
Honda India has been witnessing a fall in its sale by 4% during July against the 35% hike faced in the whole car market in the Asian region. However, the industry still feels that the growth in the Indian car market may witness a slow pedalling during the year end in the wake of emission norms, price rise of components and interest rates hike. This is quite contrast to the 35% growth found in the FY ended March 2010.
Honda’s compact car will come off its facility in Greater Noida, which is capable of delivering 1 lakh annual units and the current production is 61000 annual units. Depending upon the unexpected demand there will be production from the second plant at Rajasthan. In addition
there will be more localization for components, making the suppliers too increased, from the current 105 to 124. The proposal is for the ensuing FY, 2011-12. This, Honda feels may yield
reduced the import costs, and procuring more benefits.
A sudden outbreak of news surged in the camp of Honda, revealing that it may peel off 20% share of Hero Honda to the benefit of Munjals. There is an unconfirmed reports that negotiations are on in Japan between Hero corporate and another equity company KKR in this regard. The report indicated that Munjals may receive a minimum 20%share from Honda with KKR receiving 6%. However, such reports are negated by Honda Motors. Consequent to the hoax, the index of Honda witnessed a fall by 7% at Rs1714.90 (< by Rs76.10 at 4.25%) making the closing rate to Rs1669.90. This reversal made a the counter turn over amounting 5.56 lakh shares.
Hero Honda directs its status to the keen sense portrayed in the rural sector of India and the perfect dealer/service network. The company has 3500 customer touch points including dealers, service centres and stock points. There are two manufacturing facilities, in Gurgaon and Dharuhera, with global standards. The third and full-fledged facility at Haridwar is just one year old. Hero Honda’s sale figure for the Q1 of 2010-11 is up by 10.28% at a sale of 12,34,039 units against 11,18,987 units in the corresponding period of last year. The back up from Honda is coming by way of an investment of Rs530 crore for the expansion activities and erection of a
new plant in Rajasthan during 2011-12.
Have a quick sneak peek on the future cars and amazing technologies @ http://www.vicky.in/slideshow/mode-of-transportation-in-future/
Introduction | Jaguar 2040 | AER | Straddling Bus | Peugeot Vers | 2030 Solar Car | Nissan Pivo2
Maruti Suzuki today launched special / limited edition of swift called “Swift one million edition”. Swift one million edition comes with new colour called “Goldsmith Black”. Swift one million edition also comes with smart and attractive features like splendid graphics, special integrated stereo with USB and speakers, luxurious leather seats, cushions, foot-mats and an artistic decal on the exteriors.
The Swift One Million Edition is available in Vxi version (Petrol) at a price of Rs. 483,079 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Maruti will sell only 1,000 units of this Swift celebration model.
The country’s second top most car maker Hyundai could not resist the delay in launching its SUV Santa Fe and it has planned to do so in another two months. There has been high potential in this segment and Hyundai is offering its SUV at Rs22-24 lakhs, said its VP for marketing and sales. The new Santa Fe, to come as a CBU, will be a 7-seater, instead of 5, and will have a 2.2 lit diesel engine. Hyundai’s earlier SUVs Terracan and Tuscon have been in the limelight for want of global design. The company is well aware of the huge potential in SUV, a growth of 18-20% from the premium sector. The forerunner in this segment is Toyota Fortuner in a dominating stature and Hyundai is to counter the moves of this Fortuner.
Other players in this segment are Skoda Yeti, Nissan Murano, Chevrolet Captiva, Ford Endeavor, Nissan X-Trail, Honda CR-V and Mitsubishi Outlander. The SUV segment is a big avenue for every player to enter with might and the global need for SUVs is based on the fuel-efficiency. Hyundai is in an alarming situation with its entry-level Santro, i10 and i20 but same is not with its Sonata and Elantra. Of these two, Elantra will be no more in the market but Sonata will come in a refined form. But everything will come off only after the settling of Santa Fe, he added.
The Indian auto giant Tata Motors is on the verge of availing the technological back up from its British partner JLR. This is for enhancing the quality of the new compact cars, said its MD. The move will involve utilizing the technology for design, the reduction of noise and vibration to make the product entirely relieved of any complexities. The targeted vehicles for this proposal are Indica, Indigo and Nano. Tata feels JLR is the ideal platform to rectify the technical flaws of its vehicles, as there had been fire incidents related to Nano some months ago. A group of 20 engineers from JLR joined the experts of Tata to examine the incident of fire in Nano. But the team found nothing serious about it and reported that it had been a normal case as with any other vehicle. The team found no inferior components and certified the genuineness of the vehicle. Tata’s choice of JLR comes in the wake of the latter’s impressive performance in Q1and the result is the creation of this synergy.
In another move, JLR too needs Tata’s role in designing engines for meeting the European emission norms. There will be a JV for developing engines for both companies. As of now, JLR is getting engines from its former ally Ford. Tata is fully aware of the significance of JLR’s role in promoting passenger cars globally especially ASEAN region. Tata has already withdrew from the Thai project as it found the project was not conducive. Hence the focus is on the ASEAN region. The future market strategy is to examine each market before launching vigorously and Tata is contemplating on launching another compact car on the lines of Nano.
It may stand between Nano and Indica to counter the market potential of Alto’s annual sale of 2.5 lakhs. Also, Tata Motors is eyeing on more potential for assembling Land Rovers domestically to increase the net volume. For Tata the experience of technical back up is not new as it had already been with Daewoo / Hispano Carrocera. Under the JV with Daewoo Tata involves in delivering trucks and the JV with Hispano is also doing good. Hence the one now with JLR will make Tata more comfortable and cost efficient, said its Chairman.