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As you read it first at vicky.in few weeks back, Maruti today launched CNG variants of five cars – Alto,Estilo ,SX4,Wagon-R and Eeco.
The prices are as follows
Maruti Alto CNG – Rs3,23,000
Maruti eeco CNG – Rs3,64,000
Maruti Estilo CNG – Rs4,05,000
Maruti wagon-R CNG – Rs4,11,000
Maruti SX4 CNG – Rs7,47,000
All prices are ex-showroom Delhi
Pictures of Maruti Wagon-R CNG
We have just driven Volkswagen Vento 1.6L petrol, Volkswagen Vento 1.6 petrol Automatic and Volkswagen Vento 1.6L diesel. From Maruti stable, we have driven Maruti A-star Automatic. Back to back test drives for. Stay tuned for our exhaustive test drive and review on these cars.
Volkswagen Vento
Maruti A-star Automatic
We have been teased by a few cruiser bikes in India and we definitely need more. Catch the affordable cruisers @ http://www.vicky.in/slideshow/affordable-cruiser-bikes-in-india/ and do suggest your wish list of cruisers for our country!
Introduction | Bajaj Avenger 220cc | Royal Enfield Thunderbird | Hero Honda Karizma | Yamaha Enticer | Conclusion
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The efficiency of Indian technology will be exhibited through domestic engines of JLR from Tata Motors, said the company’s Chief Executive. This task will forbade the prolonged posture from Ford which has been in the venture of supplying JLR engines. JLR came to Tata Motors’ fold right back 2008 on a deal of $2.3 billion. The deal included a volume of contracts for purchasing vehicle components and technical-know how from Ford. These elements of contract are in the verge of exhaust in another 5 years. But the company likes to take over the mettle with a policy of in-house make involving domestic engineers and technologists of India and the UK. The company is now more conscious of image building as the engines from Ford may diminish the product superiority. However, there is no comment from Ford yet since the contract may involve billions of dollars to Ford. The official said Ford could not afford but the situation demands so and it is time for Tata too to have a close link with UK operations. This will be added with the increase in Indian suppliers for both India and the UK operations, he said. The move is to amalgamate the net strength in Europe and India, he added. As of now there is no move to offshore the operations of JLR than the UK he firmly told. The situation too has not materialized for full operations in India for JLR it is known.
In another move, there is a proposal to press the services of Indian engineers to mould the design of Defender Jeep possessing the British Icon. The Defender with its 4 x 4 option will have to rule the road in the coming years and for that the services of Indian technologists are crucial, he added. The attention now is on small cars and small engines so it is no surprise that the focus has been made on these lines globally. The preference for small engines is for power efficiency and economy. It is on these lines that the developing countries like India and China are going in for economy models on reduced cost. Tata Motors is to take up the assembling of Land Rover Freelander in India in 2011 with major local components. This is to counter the likes from BMW and Mercedes who are in the verge of importing more components for local assembling. This process involves reduction in the price of components reflecting the overall price of the vehicle. Tata is in search for a JV in China to promote its Jaguar Land Rover in China market, including local sourcing and local assembling. Tata targets to sell around 25000 units on China during this fiscal.
The service outlet scheme from Mahindra &Mahindra in India will get additional outlets numbering 450 in another 4 years. The existing 9 outlets are not sufficient enough to meet the demand, felt the company and the move comes after the period of two years, said its chief operating officer. The outlets may arise out of company’s own or on franchise basis, he added. The First Choice is M&M’s 100 subsidiary and a part of chain activities of multi-car workshops across the country. He further stressed the quality-oriented service outlets in a bid to offer the very best in the industry to meet the time and money of the customers. M&M’s growth stint till June has been 80% compared to the dismal show in last two years. M&M delivers a monthly volume of 20000 utility vehicles and he expressed the hope to increase this number in coming months. Recently the company announced its new scheme called Independence Day Promotion.
The once popular motorcycle in 125cc segment from TVS, Flame, is back now after a short break for two years. The CMD of the company said there will be a little volume of Flame to start with and probably with the twin-spark plug version, he added. Two years ago there was a dispute between TVS and Bajaj over this twin-spark plug tech for which Bajaj claimed the patent right. In the legal tussle the TVS got restriction from the court and subsequently got relief from the Supreme court through an appeal. Simultaneously the company was in the process of making Flame with single spark plug. The judgment favoring the company made it to proceed with twin spark plug.
The activities of 2009 were so challenging for TVS and it was on the moves of stabilizing its market rather on precipitating the legal issue. The production of twin spark plug Flame will commence once the existing single spark Flame lots exhaust it is understood. If it materializes then it will become the key figure for TVS to exhibit its product range- Star Max 100, Jive 110cc. of these the latter sells 8000 monthly units and the company expects to sell around 12000 units next month to be followed by 15000 units during the festival season. TVS is happy with the sale of its moped since it has become a sunset product after customers going agog for motorcycles. TVS received a 20% increase in the sale of its moped with a sale target of 65000 units this year. The growth zone is likely outside South it is learnt breaking the assumption that mopeds are pets of the South. The sale of moped increases following the need tempo from the customers across the country. if at all the moped’s sale is less then it indicates the overall dull market. TVS is more safe and comfortable with its moped sale in spite of low margins.
After a hectic parley, M&M has at last got its choice from Ssang Yong for operating globally. This will make the company achieve its ambition of becoming a key global player in the industry, said its Vice Chairman. With an MOU following suit, the entire process will be over in another three months he added. The deal, it is unofficially known, may involve a huge amount in order to make Ssang Yang a debt-free company. (Ssang Yong has %640 million). M&M has a sound financial stability for acquiring this deal – a surplus fund of Rs2500 crore with the equity position of 0:3:1. In another move, M&M is diluting its stakes in companies where it has heavy investments. With this venture M&M intends to market the products of Ssang Yong- Korando and Rexton SUVs, in India . these may be manufactured locally in its Chakan plant where M&M ‘s own SUV W 201 is under development. M&M believes in its R&D set up and the link with SsangYang will further intensify its operations and increase the product platform for better marketing, he added. The company is happy with its internal engine capacity even though Ssang Yang has two plants for its with the annual capacity of 120000 units. M&M is quite happy with its sale this year, 44000 units of which half of them being overseas sale.
Come this September, the world class car maker Mitsubishi will be increasing the price of its new SUV Outlander [images] by two percent which will mean the scrapping of the introductory offer. The JV with the Indian car maker Hindustan Motors made Mitsubishi enter into India freely and recently launched the SUV at Rs19.95 lakhs which is still lesser than the earlier version by Rs70000. The car comes under BS IV norms and the price increase is inevitable, said the Vice President of HM.
The new version sold like hot cakes-150 units -because of the introductory offer while the earlier model fetched just 35-40 units. The company hopes to sell 250 units during August, he added. Mitsubishi is in India since 1998 and has been in a JV with HM for selling Lancer, Cedia, Pajero and Montero SUVs. The entire range in Evolution cars is in the offing, after recession spree, along with the latest version Pajero. The company foresees an increase in the sale of Pajero during this fiscal- last year it sold 2200 units. The JV is backed up by some 40 dealers in the country.
To those of us, who are not satisfied with OEM’s service centres, catch the slide show @ http://www.vicky.in/slideshow/car-and-bike-service-centres-in-india/ which briefs the various third party service centres that provide that extra bit of care for your cars and bikes.
Introduction | MyTVS Car Service Centre | Castrol Bike Zone | Bosch Car Service Centre and Castrol Pitstop | Mahindra First Choice Services Limited | Orix Auto Infrastructure Services Limited | Carnation Auto Car Services
The inevitable price rise of its cars has made Hyundai to come out with the justification of the hike in the raw materials. With no time bound rise, the company said the input cost has increased at large making the company to announce the hike, on the lines of Maruti which has since increased the price for its models by Rs7500/ barring Alto. The cost of tyres has increased due to the rise in the price of rubber. This has made an increase of 10% in the price of tyres and there has been a projection of increase by 25% if the situation continues so. Apollo Tyres has already increased its price by 10% and is in the process of making an another one. while the steel rate too rose which is the major constituent for the components. Hyundai is in a grave situation to overcome these rise and at the same time is to convince the customers on this issue.