Yet another Tata Nano (probably the sixth in the country) burst into flames, this time in south Delhi. Fortunately no one was injured. The accident took place in a parking lot in Aurobindo Marg. There were sparks from the rear of the car as soon as the ignition was switched on. Within a few minutes, the fire engulfed it. A fire tender was rushed to the site and the fire was doused within a few minutes.
The sky blue Nano owned by SC advocate Ravinder Narayan in May last year. It had done 34,000km and had been serviced once. The cars driver Patrick John was driving from Connaught Place to Hauz Khas with the advocate’s manager. The car had done 9 kms since morning. John noticed sparks coming out of the rer (engine) and leaped out just in time. This news comes at a time when Tata Motors is planning to open bookings of the Nano throughout the country in a phased manner.
Maruti Suzuki dominates the Indian auto scene and Hyundai has been holding on to second place for sometime, but not anymore. Tata motors has overtaken Hyundai as the India’s second largest car maker and credit goes to the Tata Nano for this feat.
Tata’s new plant at Gujarat has started production of the Nano and the Nano has received more than 7000 bookings in June and Tata has recorded a growth of 63% in this month itself. Even though Tata edged Hyundai by a small margin, a single months figures cannot be taken for granted but we expect the Nano to keep Tata in front of Hyundai for the time to come.
Audi - Audi India reported a jump of 36% in its sales for March this year, at 220 units, as against 162 units in March 2009. During January-March 2010, Audi sold 778 units in India, as compared to 384 units in the year-ago period. Audiis now looking at opening new dealerships across the country, in cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Chennai, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Coimbatore and Nagpur.
Maruti Suzuki - During March 2010, Maruti Suzuki sold a total of 95,123 units (79,530 units in the domestic market and 15,593 units overseas), an 11% increase over the 85,669 units sold in March 2009. Maruti sold 1,018,365 units in FY 2009-10 and this was the first time when an Indian car company sold over a million units in a financial year. The figure includes 870,790 units sold in the domestic market, and 147,575 units in exports. The A-Star (sold as the Suzuki Alto in markets other than India) continues to be Maruti’s bestseller in overseas markets. By 2012, Maruti Suzuki plans to expand its production capacity to 1,250,000 units per annum. For this, the company has announced an investment of Rs 1,700 crore at its Manesar plant.
Ford - Ford India registered a 203% hike in sales during March 2010, at 9,478 units. The company has also netted 10,000 bookings for its all-new hatchback, Figo, which was launched two months ago. ‘We are delighted at the initial response to Figo, and are incredibly proud to have struck such a positive chord with Indian consumers. The launch of Figo is the start of a transformed Ford in India,’ said Michael Boneham, President and MD, Ford India.
Tata Motors - Tata Motors sold 27,761 units in the domestic market in March 2010, as compared to 23,649 units in March 2009. During March this year, Tata Motors sold 4,710 units of the Nano, 11,618 units of the Indica range, 7,537 units of the Indigo range, and 3,896 units of the Sumo and Safari range. The company sold a total of 234,930 passenger vehicles during FY 2009-10, as compared to 200,127 units in the previous financial year.
Mahindra - Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. reported an increase of 16% in its domestic sales for March 2010, at 29,944 units as compared to 25,748 units in the year-ago period. During March this year, M&M sold 20,914 units of its utility vehicles (Scorpio, Xylo, Bolero and Pick-Ups), 351 units of the Renault Logan, and 7,695 units of three-wheelers and mini-trucks, including the new Gio and Maxximo. M&M’s total sales in the domestic market, during FY 2009-10, stood at 286,713 units – an increase of 30% over the earlier fiscal. Exports during FY 2009-10, at 10,567 units, registered a 24% increase.
Hyundai - Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) sold 31,501 units during March 2010 in the domestic market, a 27% hike over sales in March 2009. HMIL’s total sales (including exports) for March 2010 stood at 55,035 units, as against 46,159 units in March 2009, an increase of 19%. HMIL sold 162,273 units during January -March 2010, an increase of 33.5% over the corresponding period in 2009. ‘As we close the financial year, it is reassuring to see the market retain its buoyancy which was triggered by the Government’s timely announcement of the stimulus package and the consequent reduction in interest rates for car finance,’ said Arvind Saxena, Director – Marketing and Sales, HMIL. During March this year, Hyundai sold 50,175 units in the A2 segment (Santro, i10, Getz and i20), 4,276 units in the A3 segment (Accent and Verna) and 44 units in the A5 segment (Sonata Transform).
Tata Motors is celebrating the 1st Anniversary of the Indica Vista with the launch of Limited Edition Indica Vista. Component wise there is not much changes except some minor tweaks. This includes a new set of alloy wheels,TAN leather strips in cock pit and door trims. which comes in an exclusive colour combination – porcelain white bodywork with a black roof and royal gold with earth metallic finish roof and outside rear view mirrors.
Tata has further added ebony black interior and special S-TEC seats to this special edition India Vista. It will also enhance your in car entertainment experience as it comes with integrated stereo as well. Tata is offering the Special versions in two shades, Royal Gold and Porcelain White.
In addition to the features available in top model of Indica Vista the 1st Anniversary Edition comes with:
- All New Alloy wheels
- Ashen Color S-TEC Leather Seats
- 1st anniversary emblem
- 2 DIN Music System
- Ebony Black Color Interior Scheme
- Tan Leather On Cockpit & Door Trims
- Available In Royal Gold and Porcelain White
- Roof & Outside Rear View Mirros Painted In Earth Metallic Shade
The Indica Vista 1st Anniversary Edition Diesel is priced at Rs 5,20,000 (Ex-showroom Mumbai), while the 10th Anniversary Safire Petrol Indica Vista is priced at Rs 4,27,000 (Ex-showroom Mumbai). The prices of 1st Anniversary Edition are around thirty thousand more in comparison to the price of top model of Indica Vista.
Tata Motors is in the process of upgrading the world’s cheapest car Nano in the coming few months. Acting on the feedback from the market, the car will get small but significant upgrades with in the next six months. The Nano will get a higher rev limit at 6000 rpm compared to the conservative 5000 rpm earlier. The higher rev limit will improve performance especially in the first two gears allowing greater pull from the engine, important when going up an incline with full load, but the top speed will remain the same at 105 kph.
Other changes include a newly modified outside rear view mirror which is less cumbersome owing to the movement of the mirror with in the casing negating the need for moving the whole assembly while adjusting. The newer design will also make it possible to introduce electric adjustment in the future if Tata Motors wants to. The doors will also have check straps to limit the door opening. The most significant upgrade in the coming months will be the tailgate which can be opened improving the utility. The present sealed glass unit is inconvenient especially when there are passengers sitting on the rear seat.
The limited capacity is also a blessing in disguise for the company as the changes can be in-corporated before the production is shifted to the main plant in Sanand, Gujrat. Tata Motors is also in advanced stages of the development of the Tata Nano Diesel which will be introduced by the end of 2011. The all new twin cylinder engine will be one of the smallest diesel engine with common rail technology and will develop a healthy 40 bhp.
Toyota Prius may be the most successful and the most fuel efficient car around the world with its best hybrid technology but the car ranks amongst Top 50 ugliest cars around the world. World’s cheapest car from Tata Motors is also included on #50 in the list. Top 50 cars in past 50 years around the globe have been identified and listed by Business Week. Some of the other cars listed are Chevrolet El Camino which has front and rear similar to a pick up vehicle. Its 1982 model with its front grille is said to be looking like it’s “wearing dental braces.” Citroen Ami has weird looking windows and roof extending like porch roof from the back.
Lightburn Zeta was designed by cement mixers and washing machine manufacturers and its front grille resembles a fence and headlights popping out like protruding eyeballs. Wartburg 353 has nothing that can be claimed as a pretty sight and Volkswagen Thing is nothing more than a Beetle engine fitted inside a large metallic matchbox. AMC Gremlin was launched on April 01 1970 has a shockingly weird looking back, saucer hub caps and missing rear windows. Bond bug, Ford Pinto, Ford Mustang, Bricklin SV1, Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar, Volvo 340, AMC Pacer, Chevrolet Chevette, Aston Martin Lagonda, Martra Rancho, Subaru Brat, Yugo and many more are listed under the Top 50 Ugliest cars in past 50 years.
According to the latest statement in London from Tata Motors MD, Ravi Kant, the company may allow Tata Nano to be assembled and sold under a different brand name by other manufacturers. Ravi Kant was spaaking at an award function in London where he indicated that Tata Motors will allow micro-assembly units that can produce 10,000 units a year.
“Tata Motors was always toying with the idea of outsourcing a small batch of Nano to third-part automakers. However, it is just in its embryonic stages and the company will take a final call in due course,” well-informed sourced from the industry were quoted saying about Tata Motors.
It is presumed that Nano under different brand name will be sold in the Indian market only as it has yet not made its foray into the overseas market. So far Tata Motors has delivered 7506 units from its Uttrakhand plant in Pantnagar. Tata Motors also has a joint venture with Fiat Auto India Limited and Fiat will be looking after the overseas marketing of Tata Nano. It is quite speculative that Fiat may assemble additional units of Tata Nano under a different brand name.
World’s cheapest car, Tata Nano appears to have developed a technical snag prompting Tata Motors to launch a pre-delivery audit of the car’s electrical systems and inspection of the units already sold.
Three cases of the car developing short circuit near the combination switch in the car’s steering wheel have already been reported from Delhi, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. The cars have had smoke emnate from the steering wheel area even when parked with ignition off and in one case has caused the area around to melt due to heat. Following the incidents, Tata Motors has decided to do a pre-delivery audit of all the electrical circuits and has also offered to check the cars that are already with the customers.
The company isnt however calling this as a “Recall”. According to a company spokesman the problems are not generic and hence there is no question of a recall but pre-emptive checks may be carried out on cars that have already been handed over to the customers. Two of the customers from Lucknow and Ahmedabad have already given their Nano for repairs to their respective dealerships which have been repaired at free of charge. The other customer from Delhi is yet to give the car for repairs and has instead lodged a complaint with the police citing manufacturing defect as the reason for the mishap.
Tata Motors which had a 21% stake in Hispano Carrocera has now acquired the remaining 79% shares by the way of exercise of the existing call option through mutual agreement with the other share holder Investalia S.A Spain.
The agreement cements Tata Motor’s ongoing commitment to Hispano Carrocera. The company will now further strengthen the ongoing initiatives to improve operational efficiencies such as productivity improvement, cost reduction, and new product development, to improve market share of the company and enhance brand value. Tata Motors is confident that Hispano will now emerge as an even stronger force in the Spanish as well as Global bus and coach markets.
