Skoda Laura RS expected this September 2011

Skoda is all set to unveil thier new super performer the Laura RS this September, 2011 (expected). This is for all those who miss the performance-tuned Octavia RS. With massive power on tap and the fantastic road manners that most Skoda’s come built with, the Laura RS should go on to become one of the country’s premier enthusiast's cars.The Laura RS is equipped with a 2.0TSI engine which produces a whooping power of 200bhp and was seen in India at the performance show November 2009 in Mumbai and even at the Auto Expo'10 in New Delhi. Skoda Laura RS will comes with an exterior body kit, sportier interiors as well as the 1.8-TSI petrol engine is what will be the changes compared to the non-RS version. he Laura RS might come with six-speed manual or six-speed auto DSG box. The car also sports alloy pedals and light weight Neptune alloy wheels.

The expected price of Laura RS is around Rs 15-18 lakh.

More to know about this performer till it is released on the Indian Roads!!!

Nano Price Rise. Gets costlier by Rs. 6000

TATA Motors on Friday said it has increased the price of Nano by nearly Rs 6,000 due to rising input costs, but will retain the rate promised to the first 1 lakh customers of the low-cost car. The entry-level price of a Nano is Rs 1.23 lakh while a deluxe variant costs Rs 1.72 lakh.Tata Motors has handed over nearly 45,000 Nanos since it started delivery last July. It plans to deliver cars to the remainder of 1 lakh customers who were selected through a lottery last year from 2.06 lakh bookings before December.

The Mumbai-based company said it has begun intimating the price rise to customers who did not make the cut, but held on to bookings.

"Despite a steep increase in input prices, their Tata Nanos are being priced only 3-4 % higher, depending on the model, than the price announced at launch," the company said in a statement.

With the price rise, which it called ‘fairly nominal’ , Tata Motors joins a handful of carmakers such as Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor India that have raised prices by nearly four times in a year to offset galloping input costs.

The company also announced it would reward customers for bearing with the company through a delay in delivery due to capacity constraints.

"As a gesture of goodwill, the company has announced a choice of one-year free annual maintenance contract, or free accessories worth Rs 4,000, or an extended warranty," the statement added. Tata Motors has been steadily increasing the Nano’s production after its Sanand plant began running since June. The plant can produce 2.5 lakh units a year.

"This is the final step before the company opens up sales of the Tata Nano," it added. Tata Motors is also looking at overseas markets such as Asia and Africa to market the Nano, once capacity starts building at Sanand. It has started work on the car’s marketing in the US, executives said.

Source: IndiaTimes

'India can innovate on cost reduction of cars'

India enjoys the major manufacturing advantage over Europeanand American vehicle manufacturers when it comes to cost innovativeness, a top automobile industry official Monday said.

“We can demonstrate to the world that we can innovate. I saw three years
of conceptualisation of Tata Nano while at Tata Motors. How do you take the extra rupee out of a vehicle is a major challenge,” Hinduja Automotive’s executive vice chairman V.Sumantran said.

Delivering the K.C.G. Verghese memorial lecture on “Frontier of Automotive Engineering andOpportunities for India”, he said: “India has a huge young population and youth have to compete with each other to succeed. This offers many opportunities for India.”

Referring to the increasing number of onboard computers in a vehicle, Sumantran added that miniaturisation of components and electronics needs embedded software systems which India has the capability to provide.

The use of nano technology and increasing onboard electronics will reshape the frontiers of automotive engineering while miniaturisation is becoming important as the focus is on reducing the carbon footprint and be environment friendly, he remarked.

According to him, the role of autonomous or remote management of vehicle will gain importance and already some university students have started working on this area.

“A fair amount of autonomy will be there even in the normal vehicles that are seen on the city roads. Similarly virtualisation is another frontier of engineering which would gain importance as it would cut costs,” Sumantran added.

Delivering the special address on “Industry-Institute Relationships”, Lucas TVS’ chief executive officer N.Ravichandran said: “The need of the hour is to have synergies between industry and academic institution’s efforts. Both should identify areas of common interests and work together”.

He said a forum of experts can be formed - say retired industry officials - which the institutes can approach for advice or to lecture the students on the latest industry trends.

Source: TAT

Tata Venture to arrive this August

After the tremendous success of "Ace" in the market, selling about 5 lakh units, TATA motors said that they have planned to introduce VENTURE on August 2010.
Based on the one tone Ace platform, the Venture, which was displayed at the Auto Expo in Delhi, earlier this year, is a 5,7&8-seater people mover and comes strapped with the tried and tested Indica diesel engine (475 IDI Turbo Diesel) that belts out 70bhp.

Priced is expected to be between 4.5 -6 lakh, Tata Motors sure seems to be on its way to capturing a niche space in this segment, as currently there are no players besides Maruti whose vehicles the Omni and the Eeco, both, come with petrol engines only. Tata’s diesel powered engine should definitely prove advantageous as this comes at a time when there’s hardly any competition for the giant automobile manufacturer.

Besides thanking customers for creating various applications for the Ace and dramatically changing the customer profile, Tata Motors also said that the Magic IRIS would be introduced around September-October 2010. (The Magic IRIS is based on the original 750 kilo Tata Ace platform)

Tata Motors also added that they plan to get into the pre-owned vehicle business as there is a great demand for pre-owned vehicles in the country. This business would be called “Tata Certified”.

PICTURES (CLICK TO ENLARGE):

Skoda Auto Clutch Care Tips

Disclaimer: The tips are provided by "Skoda Auto India" and "The Automobilez" does not bear any responsibility of the following post.

Skoda Auto Clutch Care Tips:

1. Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal.

2. Excess revving of the engine before engaging the clutch may damage the clutch.

3. Do not drive unnecessarily at too high or too low engine revolutions.

4. Always drive no more than about one length of your vehicle in first gear.

5. Always shift up into the next higher gear at approx. 2000 to 2500 engine rpm.

6. Avoid slipping the clutch especially in slow moving traffic.

7. Make proper use of handbrake for hill start rather than letting the clutch slip excessively.

8. Always refer to your car owner's manual for driving tips.

9. Have your car inspected at authorized Škoda dealer only.

Tata Motors provides complete Transport Solution to Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi

Tata Motors is providing complete transport solution to the Queen’s Baton Relay, as part of Commonwealth Games 2010. The Baton came from Pakistan today at the Wagah Border.

On its 100-day national tour, the baton will visit the capital of each state and union territory, and many other cities along the way, covering more than 20,000 km. By the end of its journey, the baton will have traversed over 190,000 km in 340 days, making the Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi one of the longest relays in the history of the Commonwealth Games.

As part of transport solution, Tata Motors is supporting with 17 Sumo Grandes, one Land Rover Discovery 4, three Buses, three covered body trucks and one media vehicle. Tata Motors is also providing fuel, drivers and routine maintenance for these vehicles.

About The Relay

The baton’s journey symbolises the unity and shared ideals of the Commonwealth of Nations, and enables communities beyond the Host City to share the Games celebrations. It also serves a functional purpose in carrying Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ‘message to the athletes’ from Buckingham Palace to the opening ceremony of the Games.

The Queen’s Baton Relay 2010 Delhi commenced from Buckingham Palace on the 29th October 2009. The baton then travelled through all other Commonwealth nations – a historic journey that covered a distance of more than 170,000 km in 240 days. The relay will conclude after the final Baton bearer enters the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the XIX Commonwealth Games on 3rd October 2010 where Her Majesty’s message will be removed from the baton and read aloud, officially opening the Games.

Verna Transform - Launched!

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), on 23rd June has launched the all new Verna Transform, a ‘Dynamic by DNA’ luxury sedan. With dynamic features and a distinctive sporty styling, the all new Verna Transform aims to answer the customer’s need for dynamic styling by complementing the power-packed performance.
EXTERIOR- About the exteriors, Verna Transform gets a fresh, new look with features like ‘Sharp eye’ headlamps that provide better illumination and also complement the new bumper design. The stylish new front grille with body coloured styled inserts gives Verna Transform a more aggressive look. The ‘cascade mesh’ air dam provides for a smooth yet dynamic look. New circular front fog lamps in stylish trapezoidal bezels make it much safer and easier to drive during the foggy winters. To complement the sporty looks, the Verna Transform has trendy LED Turn Indicators on Outside Rear View Mirrors that enhances visibility. A new set of rear combination lamps and dual tone chrome rear garnish along with two tone rear bumper with smartly placed reflector gives the all new Verna Transform an unmatched road presence and a distinctive sporty look. And as if all this was not enough, the exhaust tip with chrome finish adds to the overall sporty appeal.

INTERIOR- The interiors of the Verna Transform have been changed to increase user convenience and driving comfort. With a view to enhance the interior appeal, a unique blue LED illumination has been introduced that gives the cockpit a refined and premium look and also makes it more soothing for the eyes. The luxurious interiors are complemented by a new instrument cluster with silver surround dials that is neatly arranged and is capable of giving vital vehicle information at a glance.

While the interior and exterior features have been given a completely fresh look the Verna Transform retains the powerful & popular powertrain of its predecessor. The petrol variants include – 1.6 VTVT & 1.6 SX VTVT – while the diesel variants include - 1.5 CRDi VGT, 1.5 SX CRDi VGT & 1.5 SX VGT (AT). In order to appeal to a larger target group, Hyundai will be offering the customer choice of factory fitted or after market audio system on the VTVT and VGT variants.

The 1.6 litre petrol variant develops an impressive power of 103.2PS@5500 rpm and torque of 14.9kgm@3000 rpm. The 1.5 litre diesel variant develops a whopping power output of 110 PS@4000 rpm and an impressive torque of 24kgm@1900 - 2750 rpm. The top end diesel variant will be available with both - a 5-speed manual and the unique to segment 4-speed automatic transmission.

Back Again

I know, I have not been updating the blog for the past few months. I am sorry about that. Actually I was very busy with my studies and all that I didn't get a chance to write, update my blog. But, now I am back and yes, with a change too.

I thought of change the old name "TOP GEAR" with a new one "THE AUTOMOBILEZ". As such the blog address got changed from http://the-top-gear.blogspot.com to http://theautomobilez.blogspot.com . Remember its AUTOMOBILEZ, a "Z" is in there not "S" :). So, friends if you have been bookmarking the old address, then kindly replace it by the new one that is http://theautomobilez.blogspot.com or just press "Ctrl+D" to bookmark "THE AUTOMOBILEZ".

Thanks.

Have fun surfing!

Honda Siel Cars India Ltd Sales : December 2009

Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) Ltd., leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, sold 4,061 units and registered growth of 10.71% increase in sales in the month of December 2009 as against 3,668 units sold during the corresponding month last year.The cumulative sales of the company during the fiscal year period April-December’ 09 was 43,626 units as against 33,700 units sold during the same period last year marking an increase of 30% in sales.

Model wise sales break-up: City: 3269; Jazz: 269; Civic: 363; Accord: 113, CR-V: 47

TVS Motor Sales : Decmeber 2009

TVS Motor Company registered significant growth of 34% in December 2009, registering total two wheeler sales of 1,19,701 units against 89,285 units in the corresponding period of the previous year. The company's cumulative growth therefore stood at 10 % with sales of 1,109,054 units in the current financial year up to December 2009 against 1,006,724 units in the same period last year. Domestic sales of the company witnessed a steady increase in sales posting 42 % growth with sales of 1,02,479 units in December 2009 as against 72,355 units in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Motorcycle sales witnessed 24% increase in sales registering 49,560 units in December 2009 when compared to 40,057 units recorded in December 2008.The company's scooter sales grew by 45 % with sales of 21,566 units when compared to 14,912 units in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Showing signs of recovery, exports recorded a marginal growth of 2% registering sales of 17,222 units of two wheelers in December 2009 as against 16,930 units in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Skoda to roll out "YETI" in India

Skoda India Pvt. Ltd. is ready to launch its small SUV in the Indian auto market. First showed up in 2005 Geneva Auto Expo, the Skoda Yeti has been expected to make its way to the Indian Ground by January, 2010. The Price of Skoda Yeti will be around Rs. 10 lakhs. Skoda Yeti is expected to be launched in India at the auto expo to be held next year on Jaunuary.Skoda Yeti is expected to come with two engine options that are petrol and diesel engines. The petrol variants will be available 1.2L, 1197cc, Turbo Charged, DOHC petrol engine and 1.8L, 1798cc, Turbo Charged, DOHC petrol engine.

●1.2L, 1197cc, Turbo Charged, DOHC petrol engine is expected to give 104.7 PS at 5000rpm and 175Nm of maximum torque at 1500~3500rpm.

●1.8L, 1798cc, Turbo Charged, DOHC petrol engine will give maximum power of 160PS at 4500~6200rpm with the maximum torque of 250Nm at 1500~4500rpm.

●The 2.0L, 1968cc, Turbo Charged diesel engine will give 140PS of maximum power at 4200rpm with 320Nm of maximum torque at 1750~2500rpm.

Honda introduces the CB Twister

HMSI on thursday has launched its 110cc bike the Honda CB Twister to mark its entry into the mass bike segment. To hit the market in February next year, the new bike will be available in three variants, with prices starting at Rs.42,000.

The latest launched motorcycle Honda CB Twister's has a 110cc engine. The bike's engine is expected to develop 9 Nm of maximum torque at 6000 rpm and will produce 9 bhp of maximum power at 8000 rpm. With 110cc engine, the latest launched bike in India Honda CB Twister expects to deliver a mileage of 70 km/litre.

The first look at Honda CB Twister gives the feel that is is inspired from CB1000RR. The rear of suspension is coil spring whereas, the front of it is telescopic fork. Honda Motorcycles has kept the instrumentation analogue that is similar to other Honda products like other Honda products, instrumentation is analogue. Honda CB Twister motorcycle also comes without tachometer and with tubeless tires.

The Honda CB Twister will be available in 5 colours - Pearl Night Star Black, Pearl Fuji Blue, Pearl Amber Yellow, Candy Sonic Green and Pearl Siena Red.

Moreover, the Honda CB Twister will be featuring Front Disc Brake, Alloy Wheel, Hunk-ish Red Springs at the rear.

“We will continue to provide exciting products and lead the expansion in each two-wheeler segment. CB Twister is a perfect combination of new age style and unmatched performance with economy. With the latest cutting edge technology, the bike is bound to expand the 100-110cc segment further,” said HMSI President and CEO Shinji Aoyama.

According to the automaker Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, their latest launch Honda CB Twister has no plans to compete with motorcycles like Hero Honda Passion and Hero Honda Splendour that are in the same segment of the market. HMSI hopes to sell 2.2-lakh units in the next fiscal.

Mahindra to launch SYM Cevalo 125cc in India

Mahindra and Mahindra is all set to launch its new motor bike the SYM Cevalo 125cc in Delhi Auto Expo, 2010. SYM Cevalo 125cc will be the first Motorbike from Mahindra.
Mahindra SYM Cevalo 125cc will be feturing 125cc SOHC, 4 valve, air cooled, fuel injected engine producing 15bhp, Single Disc Brake system,17 inch wheels with a stylish looking alloys and big tyres to go and Silencer will give a power bike look.

Price of SYM Cevalo 125cc will be anounced after its launch in Delhi Auto Expo, 2010.

Pictures by: Xakarya

Bajaj Pulsar 135cc successfully launched

As notified in our earlier post "New Bajaj Pulsar 135cc Revealed", Bajaj has finally launched the all new Pulsar 135cc today.

Equipped with a 135cc air-cooled, 4-Valve DTSi engine, the Bajaj Pulsar 135cc will be delivering 13Ps Power. The new Bajaj Pulsar 135cc will be giving mileage of 68.1km/litre (as certified by ARAI). The new Bajaj Pulsar 135cc has been priced at Rs. 51,000 (ex-Delhi Showroom)

The Bajaj Pulsar will come in two colours - Cocktail Wine Red & Midnight Black.

Bajaj Auto Chief Executive Office S Shridhar told, "The Pulsar brand has been strongly associated the sports segment in this country. The new Bajaj Pulsar 135 LS leads the change in democratising the thrill of biking and accelerating the growth of sports segment in this country".

Bajaj Pulsar 135cc manufactured from Chakan Plant in Maharashtra. Chakan Plant will have a capacity of 35,000 units per month.

India Yamaha Motors Sales : November 2009

Yamaha Motor has registered growth in sales of 2% during November 2009 as compared to the corresponding period last year. It sold 17,055 units in November 2009 as against 16,701 units sold in November last year.

Expressing happiness over Yamaha’s continued strong performance in India, Mr. Yukimine Tsuji, CEO & MD, India Yamaha Motor, said, “We are delighted that our sales have consistently grown throughout the year. Our Fazer, FZ series and R15 continue to receive good response from the customers.”

“We expect the demand to continue at a similar level in the coming months amid improving economic conditions & consumer sentiments and are looking forward to demonstrate the next generation of Yamaha products during the forthcoming Auto Expo”, he added.

In a bid to provide impetus to motorcycle sports in India, Yamaha is organizing India Bike Rally in association with BigAdda.com starting December 7, to offer bike enthusiasts from across the country an opportunity to explore different cities and villages and in the process, discover the real India, on Yamaha bikes.

General Motor Sales : November 2009

Car maker General Motors India today reported a 65.27 per cent increase in sales in November at 7,118 units, its highest ever sales recorded in the month since start of its operations in the country 13 years ago.

The company had sold 4,307 units in the same month last year, General Motors India said in a statement.

"We are pleased to see such robust growth for all our car lines and we believe these world class products will further propel the Chevrolet brand in the market," GM India Vice-President P Balendran said.

He said the company has received very good response to its recently launched luxury sedan Chevrolet Cruze. It sold 518 units of the car during the month.

Besides, during the month the company also sold 4,202 units of the Chevrolet Spark, 1,264 units of Chevrolet Tavera, 524 units of Aveo U-Va, 412 units of Aveo, 114 units of Chevrolet Optra and 84 units of the Chevrolet Captiva.

Mahindra & Mahindra Sales : November 2009

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M Ltd.), a part of the US $6.3 billion Mahindra Group, today announced that its domestic auto sales for the month of November 2009 stand at 21387 units, as against 10430 units in November 2008, an increase of 105.1%.

Total UV sales in November 2009 which includes the Scorpio, the XYLO, the Bolero and Pick-Ups stands at 15193 units as against sales of 7523 units in November 2008, which is a growth of 102%.

Mahindra’s YTD domestic sales stand at 178447 units in November 2009, as against 147300 units for the same period last year.
The company sold a total of 22587 vehicles (Domestic + Exports) in November 2009 as against 11515 vehicles sold in November 2008.

TVS Motor Sales : November 2009

TVS Motor Company has posted 23% growth in November 2009, registering total two wheeler sales of 120,844 units against 98,402 units in the corresponding period of the previous year. The company continued to post growth in sales for the eighth consecutive month, registering a cumulative growth of 8% with sales of 989,353 units in the current financial year up to November 2009 against 917,439 units in the same period last year. Domestic sales of the company witnessed a quantum increase in sales positing growth of 38% recording 106,836 units in November 2009 as against 77,491 in the corresponding period of the previous year. The company's scooter sales grew by 38% posting 25,115 units when compared to 18,210 units in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Total motorcycle sales of the company stood at 45,080 units in November 2009 when compared to 45,276 units recorded in November 2008.

Exports recorded sales of 14,008 units of two wheelers in November 2009 as against 20,911 units in the corresponding period of the previous year.

During the month, the company unveiled two novel products, 110 cc motorcycle TVS Jive and 110 cc automatic scooter, TVS WEGO. TVS Jive features innovative T-Matic technology with rotary gear technology coupled with an automatic clutch. The bike's anti-stall mechanism makes smooth riding possible at low speeds even in high gears, without the engine shutting off. The downward rotary gear system enables the rider to reach neutral straight from top gear. The bike can be started in any gear and is fitted with an electric start for convenience. TVS WEGO is a multi-user, family-friendly and sleek metal bodied scooter that strikes a perfect balance between stability and maneuverability, power and mileage, and sturdiness and ease, making it a delight to ride for any category of users.

The company hopes to add around 15% to 20% to its monthly sales, once these new products are made available in the market.

Honda Siel Cars India Ltd Sales : November 2009

Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) Ltd., leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, sold 39,555 units during the fiscal year period April-November 09 as against 30,032 units during the same period last year recording an increase of 31.7%.

The company sold 5,125 units in the month of November '09 as against 5,025 units sold during the corresponding month last year recording an increase of 2%.

During the month of November, the third generation Honda City crossed the significant milestone of selling more than 50,000 units in 12 months.

Model wise sales break-up: City: 3856; Civic: 551; Accord: 172; Jazz: 546. There were no dispatches for Honda CR-V during November 09.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd Sales : November 2009

Hyundai Motor India Ltd records highest ever sales in November 2009. HMIL’s total sales for November, 2009 stood at an all time high of 55,265 units against 43,020 units in November, 2008 registering 28.5% cumulative growth. The domestic sales grew at a whopping 92.8% and accounted for 28,162 units as against 14,605 units in November, 2008 while the exports dipped marginally to 27,103 units as compared to 28,414 units last November – a fall of 4.6%.

Commenting on November, 2009 sales Arvind Saxena, Sr. Vice President - Marketing and Sales, HMIL said, “The overall economic scenario has been positive and this has translated in to more footfalls in the showroom and higher automobile sales as indicated by this month’s figures. We hope the economy will continue on a growth trajectory as it will help the Indian automotive industry to maintain a double digit growth figure.”

The segment-wise cumulative sales in the month of November, 2009 are as follows: A2 Segment (Santro, i10, Getz & i20) 50,501 units; A3 Segment (Accent & Verna) 4,748 units; A5 Segment (Sonata Transform) 15 units; and SUV Segment (Tucson) 1 unit.