Ford announces prices of Figo

Ford has finally announced the price details of Figo. Figo comes in four variants – Lxi, Exi,  Zxi and Titanium and two engine options – Petrol and Diesel

Figo Petrol

Ford Figo Lxi – Rs3,49,900

Ford Figo Exi – Rs3,81,900

Ford Figo Zxi – Rs3,99,900

Ford Figo Titanium – Rs4,42,900

Figo Diesel

Ford Figo Lxi – Rs4,47,900

Ford Figo Exi – Rs4,72,900

Ford Figo Zxi – Rs4,96,900

Ford Figo Titanium – Rs5,29,900

Catch Ford Figo Specification @ http://www.vicky.in/car/model/ford/figo/

Catch Ford Figo Gallery @ http://www.vicky.in/gallery/cars/ford/figo/

Hero Honda adorn’s Women’s Day with special Pleasure edition

Hero Honda world’s largest two-wheeler company induces the spirit of celebrating the Women’s Day by launching immensely popular Pleasure with dazzling Pearl White body with a blast of red. This youthful, fun loving, unique special new edition is always ahead with a notion “Why should boys have all the fun”.

The new Pleasure boasts new exciting body graphics, a stunning new elliptical meter console, an attractive new red muffler cover, and a stylish white body coloured rear grip and a maintenance free battery.

Pleasure is available at exclusively designed ‘Just 4 Her outlets’ and they can also be accessible at Hero Honda authorised showrooms. It will be available at a price of Rs.37, 250 (Ex-Showroom price, Delhi.)

Sales of Pleasure have crossed the 20,000 unit’s threshold in the month of February and continue to grow strongly.

Tata Motors Passenger Car Division smartens with Tata Motors Service Edge

Tata Motors is India’s largest automobile company country’s market leader in commercial vehicles launched Tata Motors Service Edge. Tata Motors passenger car division taken this initiative to enthrall its customers with a host of customer-desired service attributes.

Tata Motors Service Edge mainly operates on 3 core attributes ‘Response in minutes, resolve in hours’; ‘Service with unmatched reliability’ and ‘Assured value for money’. It provides speedy assistance to customers when in need, assured value for money and also ensures a comprehensive solution for any problem in vehicle.

Tata Motors already has a network of over 800 authorised workshops which are located across more than 500 cities, and the company plans to expand to over 900 workshops by 2011. The 24×7 call centre will receive and respond to customer queries, concerns & feedback.

The company assimilates post service feedback from over 200,000 customers on an average every month through various customer engagement programmes.

Response in minutes, resolve in hours

It provides 24X7 On-road assistance programme, Rapid repair, e-Service appointments, and Speed-O-service.

Service with unmatched reliability

They provide Symptom based diagnostics, Flying doctors, and Quality repairs

Assured value for money

The company has standardised and regulated service & repair charges and offers Value care, Tata Motors’ Original Parts (TOP), Extended Warranty, and Gold Club attributes.

Honda launches Jazz Select variant

Honda today added a new variant to its Jazz hatchback. Christened as Jazz select,it comes with new features such as parcel tray,alloy wheels and front mug guard. Jazz select is priced Rs7,21,000 (ex-showroom Delhi)

The Jazz comes with a 1.2 Li-VTEC engine in 5-speed manual transmission and it was adjudged as the ‘Car of the Year’ and ‘Small Car of the Year’ at the NDTV Profit – Car India and Bike India Awards 2010. Introduced in the Indian market in June 2009

The underlying approach of Honda Jazz is “Man Maximum – Machine Minimum” with this principle Jazz has achieved a new zenith by a newly developed four-cylinder 1.2-liter i-VTEC engine, featuring Programmed Fuel Injection that delivers maximum output of 90 PS (66 kW) @ 6,200 rpm and Torque of 110 Nm (11.2 kg-m) @ 4800 rpm while giving impressive fuel economy of 16.1 km/l, as per ARAI test data.

The new Select Edition is eco-friendly with the new engine that is E10 compatible and has Euro IV emission levels. The wagon is fully loaded with unique safety features like ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brake-Force Distribution System), Dual SRS airbags and pre-tensioner seat belts.

The Jazz provides a safety zone that enhances the self protection by incorporating highly, Advanced Compatibility Engineering Body (ACE) and G-CON (G-Force Control Technology). Honda’s Pedestrian-injury reduction body design helps protect pedestrians from injury in the event of a collision.

Picture of Honda Jazz Select

Suzuki gains upper hand in Maruti stakes

Suzuki Motor Corp gains upper hand in acquring the stake in Maruti Suzuki to 55%, proving the interest of Suzuki’s businessfor its Indian
subcontinent. According Indian Stake acquistion rules, if a foreign company wants to increase it’s stake, it can do so by only 5% per year. Also, if the stake hold crosses 55% threshold, the foreign company has to make an offer of 20% which, Suzuki might do sooner to taste all the business profits of No.1 Maruthi Suzuki.

If at all more stakes shall be bought by Suzuki, the Indian auto market might be a monopoly with Suzuki ranking first. Also, the 20% stake purchased from Volkswagen might also prove crucial for our market. Maruti Suzuki made a record breaking sales figures for Feb 2010, raising 22% increase one of it’s best sales records. With the introduction of higher fuel efficient K-series engines, Alto, Estilo, Wagon R, Swift, Ritz all have attracted a new attention in the market.

While Suzuki might have long term plans for Indian car market, Maruti is eyeing to increase it’s production per year from 1 to 1.5 -1.75 million in the next strategies. Will the hatchbacks and low-cost production strategy of Maruti-Suzuki, which in fact is same as Tata and Hyundai, be successful? Let us wait for the future..

Bajaj launches new Platina 125cc

After stopping Platina 125cc for a while, Bajaj has re-launched the Platina 125cc in the market. The new Platina 125cc comes with few cosmetic changes as well as a modified powertrain unit. New platina 125cc gets all new body graphics. The new platina 125cc engine develops 8.5PS of peak power at 7000rpm and 10Nm of peak torque at 4000rpm (the earlier platina 125cc developed 9.5PS of peak power and 10.85Nm of peak torque). Going by the figures, it seems the platina 125cc is tuned down. But the new platina 125cc comes with 5-speed gearbox in opposed to 4 speed gearbox of previous one. Due to these changes, Bajaj has managed to shave 3kg from platina. Now the kerb weight stands at 110kg. New Platina 125cc is priced Rs36,000 (ex-showroom)

Pictures of new Platina 125cc

Ford to launch Fiesta small car in India

You read it first at vicky.in

After the launch of Figo, Ford might come up with another small car for the Indian market. Ford’s next hatch will be new generation Fiesta hatchback which was just launched in European markets. Ford has already said it would launch a new product every 12 or 18 months. Fiesta hatchback could be next on the line. Supplier sources of Ford India has said to vicky.in, Ford has already started working on this Fiesta hatch and test production may start in few months. But what surprising us is Ford is looking at price tag of Rs8lakhs plus for this Fiesta hatchback. The launch of Fiesta small car may happen by end 2010 or early 2011. Whether Ford can sell an expensive small car in India? only time will tell.

Ford next generation Fiesta sedan is expected to hit the Indian market by 2011.

Pictures of Ford Fiesta small car

Ford to launch Figo March 09th

Similar to last year, we are witnessing an avalanche of hatchbacks into Indian market. Following the Volkswagen Polo launch, Ford Figo is all set to hit the market on March 09th. Figo will come in both petrol and diesel variants. Figo is expected to be aggressively priced as Ford has re-used the components and ensured cost cutting at every level.

To read Vicky test drive report on Ford Figo visit http://www.vicky.in/blog/ford-figo-driven/

Nissan Unveils Micra

Nissan today officially unveiled the Micra at 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The fourth generation Micra gains importance as it will be produced in India and come to sale from May 2010. “Combine 25 years’ experience of designing compact cars for city driving… with a totally new, versatile platform and Nissan production know-how… and the result is modern, simple and destined to be a serious competitor on the world stage, ” said Carlos Ghosn. Developed on the V- platform (which could be the platform for next generation Clio too), this new Micra promises better driving characteristics and comfort for all the passengers. The ultra light weight developed through intense weight reduction techniques will be fuel efficient as well. Nissan 2010 Micra the cute hatch comes with two engine options – 1.2L 3-cylinder petrol engine (naturally aspirated) and supercharged 1.2L engine.

Indian Micra will receive the 1.2L engine producing 80bhp of maximum power and 108Nm of peak torque. The engine produces 115g/km and thus environmental friendly too. Mounted onto Nissan’s new signature V-platform, the suspension has been designed to be both compact, minimizing intrusion at the rear for maximum trunk space, but not at the expense of the car’s on-road dynamics. Particular attention has been paid to bump absorption, meaning that the Micra will ride serenely over challenging road surfaces, not suffer from wallow or float, and cruise effortlessly at highway speeds.

Features in Nissan Micra

The features list of Nissan micra includes reversing sensors,Intelligent Key,touch-screen combined audio and satellite navigation system, glass roof, automatic wipers, speed sensitive volume on the audio, a push button start-stop system in addition to a drive computer which supplies drivers with real time fuel economy information, cruising range and outside temperature. On the security side, the car is also fitted with a speed-sensitive automatic door locking system.

Safety systems in Nissan Micra

The Micra will be fitted with ABS, dual front airbags, curtain and side airbags, Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) and pretensioner seatbelts as standard equipment.

Nissan will kickstart its Chennai plant on March 17th and launch of Micra in India will happen in May.

Catch More Nissan Micra Pictures @ http://www.vicky.in/slideshow/nissan-micra-pictures/

Pictures of 2010 Nissan Micra (India bound)

Tata unveils Nano electric

Tata Motors further sweetened its ultra low cost Nano by adding an electric variant. The world’s cheapest car is now environmental friendly. Nano electric is unveiled at Geneva motor show. Mr. Ravi Kant, Vice Chairman, Tata Motors, said, “Electrification will be an integral part of our initiative to launch environment-friendly vehicles. The Indica Vista EV will be introduced in select European countries, beginning this year. We will progressively introduce electric vehicles in all relevant markets.”

The Tata Nano electric offers the practicality of a real car, compromising nothing in the pursuit of providing environment-friendly personal transportation for the modern consumer. Nano electric will seat four individuals comfortably in its spacious interiors, which the Tata Nano is known for. It will have a predicted range of up to 160 km and an acceleration of 0-60 kmph in under 10 seconds. Tata Motors continues its innovative approach with the Tata Nano electric, using super polymer lithium ion batteries, as in the Tata Indica Vista electric, which provide superior energy density to conventional batteries.

Pictures of Tata nano electric