BMW India has launched 2010 New 5 series in India. The new BMW 5 Series Sedan is entering the market with the world’s first straight-six petrol engine with Twin Power Turbo, High Precision Injection and Valvetronic (225kW/306hp) in the BMW 535i as well as straight-six petrol engine in the BMW 523i (150kW/204hp). The latest generation of straight-six diesels featuring an all-aluminium crankcase and common-rail direct injection develop 180kW/245hp in BMW 530d and 150kW/204hp in BMW 525d.
BMW 523i and the BMW 525d is outfitted with 8- speed automatic transmission while BMW 535i and the BMW 530d boasts 8-Speed Sports Automatic transmission with shift paddles on the steering wheel. The 523i, 525d and 530d will be produced at the BMW Plant Chennai. The ex-showroom prices of BMW 523i, BMW 525d and BMW 530d across India are Rs 38,90,000,Rs 39,90,000, and Rs 45,90,000 respectively. The 535i will be available as a CBU (completely built-up unit) and will have an ex-showroom price of INR 58,00,000.
Chennai based Tyre Store is offering a range of Michelin tyres that can not only be fitted on superbikes, but can also be used by owners of small capacity Indian bikes.
Available in various sizes, the range includes Power One, Pilot Power 2CT, Pilot Road 2 and Power Sporty too. While the former three are for imported superbikes, the last one is available in 100/90 R18 size that fits most 150cc+ Indian bikes.
After the huge success of recently launched Apache RTR 180 & Flame SR125, TVS India is has launched all new scooterette – TVS Wego. It has been launched with a price tag of 41,000 (Ex-Showroom). It is powered by a new 110cc engine which also powers the TVS Jive. The 110cc engine generates maximum power of 8.4 Bhp at 7500 rpm with 8 Nm of torque at 5500 rpm. TVS has good experience in manufacturing scooterettes with automatic trasmission as they are selling TVS Scooty n good numbers.
After the huge success of recently launched Apache RTR 180 & Flame SR125, TVS India is has tapped the market of clutchless bikes with the launch of TVS Jive. It has been launched with a price tag of 42,500 (Ex-Showroom). Jive comes with with 4-speed transmission but features an handfree gearshift and It comes with Tmatic technology. TVS Jive comes with gear Indicator and underseat space (bottle,umbrella and document). It is powered by a new 110cc engine which also powers the TVS Wego.
The 110cc engine generates maximum power of 8.4 Bhp at 7500 rpm with 8.3 Nm of torque at 5500 rpm. TVS has good experiance in manufacturing bikes with automatic clutch as they are selling TVS Neo in Indonesia and it is selling in good numbers.
Bajaj India seems to be all set to rock with New Pulsar 135, which is expected to be launched on 8th December, 2009. The teaser website is up – http://goodbyetraffic.in/ – which shows a black Pulsar wrapped under white semi-transparent cover which gives a glimpse of New Pulsar 135. On hovering the cursor around fuel tank you can see the Bajaj Pulsar logo with smart new design air scoops which gels very well with the design of the fuel tank. On hovering at the rear end of the bike you can see it will feature split seat with nitrox suspension.
No official statement has been made about the technical details, specifications and price of New 2010 Pulsar 135. May be the engines will remain the same – it can be only a cosmetic makeover to give pulsar a fresh lease of life. Let’s wait and watch!!
Rolls Royce has launched the Ghost has been launched in India and at Rs 2.5 crore and above, it’s now one of the most expensive luxury cars available in the country. Rolls-Royce expects to sell a total of around 75 cars in India in 2010, of which the Ghost could comprise 50-60 units. Rolls-Royce, which sold 15 units of the Phantom in India last year, sold a total of only 1,212 cars worldwide in 2008. Now, with the smaller, less expensive Ghost joining its line-up, the British luxury car manufacturer is hoping to double its sales in 2010 and expects future growth to come from countries like China and India.
Powered by a 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 that kicks out 563 horsepower and 780Nm of torque, the R-R Ghost is fitted with an eight-speed shift-by-wire automatic transmission from ZF. The car accelerates from zero to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds and hits an electronically limited top speed of 248km/h.With dealerships only in Mumbai and Delhi, Rolls-Royce has a very limited presence in India, but has still garnered 25 bookings for the Ghost already.
Volkswagen India is going to launch the Beetle in Indian on 4th December, 2009. It is going to compete with the likes of Fiat 500 and it will be imported as a completely built unit in India which will make it pricier due to high import duty.
It is expect to be priced around Rs. 20 lakh for the base variant and can go upto 24 lakh for the convertible variant. The company has planned a complete advertising campaign including internet, print, electronic and digital media to generate a furor about its upcoming high cost model. The main aim of launching Beetle in India is to build a brand image in the country.
French tyre manufacturer Michelin will set up a new manufacturing facility at Gummidipoondi (about 40km from Chennai), for which it will invest Rs 4,000 crore over a period of seven years. Michelin intends to produce truck and bus radial tyres at this plant, which is expected to be operational by 2012. These tyres will initially be meant only for the Indian market, though Michelin may also cater to some overseas markets at a later stage.
Michelin’s tyre manufacturing facility will be situated on a 290 acre chunk of land situated in the SIPCOT industrial estate at Gummidipoondi. Michelin, which already supplies tyres to companies like Honda, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo in India, currently imports most of its tyres from its plant in Thailand.
This isn’t Michelin’s first foray into the Indian tyre market. The company first came to India with MRF in the early-1990s (the partnership was dissolved in the mid-1990s) and then set up a joint venture (for truck and bus radial tyres) with Apollo Tyres in 2003, which also ended in 2005.
Mahindra India will soon be setting up its new automotive project near Chennai, at an investment of around Rs 1,800 crore. The Tamil Nadu Cabinet cleared the proposal recently and the TN government has also allotted 200 acres of land (of the total 450 acres that will ultimately be needed) for the project.
At its new facility in Chennai, M&M will manufacture its utility vehicles, tractors, light commercial vehicles and auto components. The company will also build a test track at the new facility, and an R&D centre and vehicle design studio at Maraimalainagar near Chennai.
