The new A5 Cabriolet
Thursday, February 26th, 2009
The new A5 Cabriolet….
Archive for February, 2009
Nissan NV200 unveiled, to be launched in India in 2010
Thursday, February 26th, 2009Nissan, which is preparing a move into the global small van market, has unveiled its all-new NV200, a compact yet spacious van that will be available in various configurations. Featuring sliding doors and a range of petrol and diesel engines, the NV200 will be available as a seven-seater people-carrier, a cargo van and a ‘combi’ version designed to carry people as well as cargo.
‘The NV200 is our proposal for a global small van. It offers outstanding utility and smart convenience with low cost of ownership, packaged in a highly functional design. With this vehicle, Nissan aims to meet the needs of customers looking for a functional, adaptable light van. We will launch the NV200 in Japan before summer, in Europe in autumn 2009 and then in China and other markets,’ says Andy Palmer, Senior Vice President, Global Product Planning, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
Engine options on the NV200 will include a 1.6-litre petrol that produces 108PS and 153Nm of torque, and a 1.5-litre diesel (sourced from Renault) that makes 86PS and 200Nm of torque. Both engines will be mated to a five-speed gearbox. We expect the diesel variant to be launched first in India, probably by early-2010.
Tata Motors Launches Xenon XT
Thursday, February 26th, 2009Tata Motors has launched the Xenon XT (Cross Terrain), a lifestyle 4 door, 5 seater pickup in the Indian market. The Xenon XT combines the stylish road presence and comfortable interiors with the rugged off road capabilities of a 4X4
The aggressive frontal styling is dominated by the now trademark ‘Tata‘ grill complemented by large wraparound clear lens headlamps and flared fenders. The side indicators are mounted on the outside rear view mirrors while the roof rails come as standard to ease the further accessorisation of the vehicle.
The interiors are finished in Charcol grey and offer comfort and convenience features like power steering, power windows, central locking, HVAC and electrically adjustable outside rear view mirrors. The Xenon XT is powered by the 2.2 Litre Dicor VTT engine with 140 PS of peak power and a healthy 320 nm of torque.
The 4X4 mechanism is electrical shift-on-fly with a limited slip differential at the rear. The chassis is rugged ladder frame structure which offers great load carrying capabilities . The Xenon XT also comes with alloy wheels and tubeless tyres.
[Via: CC]
Chevrolet India Plans Expansion of its Operations
Thursday, February 26th, 2009General Motors India is planning to expand its operations in India. It is evaluating car financing as an option to step up its sales. It is in talks with some banks to enable car financing for its models in the country. Several private banks have tightened their grips on financing which has resulted in absence of credit in the market.
According to Karl Slym, GM India President, it would be tough to predict the sales graph for the first half of 2009 but the market is expected to recover by 2009. “Our facility in Talegaon, Maharashtra, is being expanded to have an engine/powertrain plant. The target was to sell 2,500 units of Spark Muzic and 35,000 units of other Spark variants this year,” he said.
GM India targets 10 percent sales growth in the current calendar year 2009. It expects to sell 72,000 units in India as compared to 2008. “The Indian economy is still in doldrums and the car market is unlikely to see full recovery this year. Last year also we grew by around 10 per cent despite the overall car market registering a drop of 2 per cent. This year we are are optimistic that our sales will grow by around 10 per cent year on year,” said Karl Slym.
[Via: cartradeindia]
Volvo Sales Dip in 2008
Thursday, February 26th, 2009Volvo fell short of its sales target in 2008 as it managed to sell only 100 cars in the last calendar year. The company attributes the reason to its poor distribution network. “We did not open as many dealerships as we had expected, owing to the exposure to the slowdown in the third quarter. Most of the plans moved to 2009,” said Paul de Voijs, Managing Director of Volvo India. “Moreover, we are relatively new in India and it takes time to understand how the market functions,” Voijs added.
According to the industry experts, Volvo did not fare well in the Indian market due to its high price cars that are branded more towards safety rather than luxury. The cars are extremely highly priced even for the premium segment. Volvo sells S80 and XC90 in India that are priced around Rs. 40-50 lakh. Volvos S80 is priced at Rs. 38 lakh in Mumbai (ex-showroom) .
[Via: cartradeindia]
Tata Nano to be launch on 23rd March
Thursday, February 26th, 2009The Tata Nano will be launched on the 23rd of March, and not the 3rd as was earlier believed. Tata Motors said in a statement on Thursday that the Nano would be launched in Mumbai on March 23, and that it would be put on display in showrooms across the country in the first week of April. Bookings for the car will open in the second week of April.
Initially, Tata Motors will not add any new dealers to its existing dealership network, but it may do so after a few months. The booking amount for the Tata Nano will be announced on the date of the launch. Unconfirmed reports say that the booking amount is likely to be Rs 70,000. The Tata Nano will be priced between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 1.34 lakh.
[Via: motorbeam]
Facelifted Skoda Laura Coming In May!
Thursday, February 26th, 2009Skoda India will launch the facelifted version of the Laura in the Indian market in May this year. Both the interiors and the exteriors have been spruced up considerably. Front fascia is completely redesigned with new nose, larger superbly detailed headlamps, a new bumper with restyled fog lamps and restyled grille.
The bonnet has also been redesigned slightly to give the front a bolder more stronger front profile. The changes to rear end are limited to slightly redesigned tail lamps and bumper. New design alloy wheels complete the changes to the exterior. The interior redesign include a new four spoke steering wheel, redesigned central console with green backlighting.
The top end version will also feature the new Multimedia Interface System which combines the in-car entertainment, GPS Navigation and mobile phone connectivity all operable via a single interface. The new Amundsen stereo has touch screen interface with self explanatory graphics to make it easier for the first time users.
The new Laura will also the get the uprated petrol motor, namely the 160 bhp TSi and slightly more powerful diesel. The new Laura is expected to cost slightly more than the current version.
[Via: CC]
BMW launches X6 in India
Thursday, February 26th, 2009BMW X6 today launched the world’s first sports activity vehicle X6 in two variants – X6 xDrive50i (petrol) and X6 xDrive30d (diesel). These cars are available in the country as Completely Built-up Units (CBU) and can be ordered across all BMW dealerships in India.
The new BMW X6 has all the agility and elegance of a coupé plus the impressive versatility of an SAV. The BMW X6 draws its strength from two exclusive automotive worlds to create a new one. The first Sports Activity Coupé. Equipped with BMW Dynamic Performance Control, this is a coupé that knows no limits, especially in terms of driving dynamics.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Peter Kronschnabl, President, BMW India said, “We are proud to introduce the world’s first Sports Activity Coupé, the new BMW X6 in India. With xDrive all-wheel drive technology, the BMW X6 premiers in India with the newly developed Twin Turbo engine and is the first vehicle in the world to offer Dynamic Performance Control. It is our goal to provide the Indian market with an entirely new type of car that continues to provide our customers with the highest standards of all-round quality, safety, and perfection to ensure the highest levels of comfort and luxury.”
The ex-showroom prices of the new BMW X6 are.
BMW X6 xDrive50i: 82,90,000.00
BMW X6 xDrive30d: 65,90,000.00
[Via: Vicky]
Volkswagen India Hosts 2nd Suppliers Meet
Thursday, February 26th, 2009Around 280 suppliers from India and abroad participated in a two day Suppliers Conference hosted by the Volkswagen Group. This, the company’s second international such conference, aimed to lay the foundation for a co-operative partnership in India and provide an understanding of the automotive division of the Volkswagen brand as well as the manufacturing plant in Chakan that is to be commissioned soon. Volkswagen is already in touch with about 400 registered suppliers.
“The conference is a platform to know each other better and establish Volkswagen as a local manufacturer and a long-term business partner in India. He added that the objective is to motivate and train the suppliers about the Volkswagen’s standards, processes and systems required for the suppliers daily dealings,” said Mr Joerg Mueller, President and Managing Director, Volkswagen Group India and Volkswagen Brand India.
[Via: motorbeam]
Bentley Continental Supersports Photos….
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009 
Bentley Continental Supersports Photos….