Volkswagen announces prices for new Polo, in Europe

The fifth-generation VW Polo, which is coming to India in 2010

Volkswagen is now inviting its European customers to book the new Polo, with deliveries scheduled to start by mid-October this year. Depending on the variant, the car is priced at the equivalent of Rs 8-12 lakh.

The fifth-generation VW Polo, which will also be launched in India next year, is one of the best selling small cars in the world. The new one is being made available with a choice of five engines – three petrol and two diesel – and a choice of five-speed manual and seven-speed DSG twin-clutch automatic gearboxes.

When the Polo comes to India in 2010, we expect it to be offered with a 1.2-litre petrol engine, though a 1.6-litre TDI diesel might also be offered at a later stage. Prices in India could start at around Rs six lakh, though the ‘Indian Polo’ will probably not be as well-equipped as its European sibling, in order to keep prices in check.

2010 Porsche 911 Turbo: First official pics, specs

The 201o Porsche 911 Turbo coupe and cabriolet is fitted with an all-new twin-turbo 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine that produces 500 horsepower!

Porsche has announced the 2010-spec 911 Turbo and the iconic German supercar once again features performance and handling that’s better than its predecessor. The new 911 Turbo will make its public debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September this year.

The seventh-generation 911 Turbo is fitted with Porsche’s all-new 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine that features direct fuel injection and twin turbos with variable turbine geometry. Power output is a suitably impressive 500bhp.

The engine can be combined with a seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (no, don’t even try to pronounce that, we’ll just refer to it as ‘PDK’) double-clutch gearbox, with paddle-shift technology.

The new 911 Turbo will accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds and has a top speed of 312km/h. And at around 8.5km/l, the fuel efficiency is not too bad either. Well, at least for a supercar.

The Porsche 911 Turbo, which will be available in coupe and cabriolet versions, will go on sale in Europe in November this year and will be priced between Rs 81.50-87.25 lakh. We expect Porsche to start offering this car in India by end-2009 or early-2010 and the price could well be in excess of Rs 1.60 crore.

HM-Mitsubishi may launch Evo X in India in 2010

The mighty Mitsubishi Evo X just might come to India next year!!

According to some hard-to-believe reports in the media, HM-Mitsubishi is planning to launch the latest iteration of the legendary Evo – the Evo X – in the Indian market in 2010. The company is expected to display the Evo X at the Auto Expo in Delhi in January 2010 and launch the car in India subsequently.

Unlike the Mitsubishi products currently on sale in India (most of which are completely outdated and offer underwhelming performance at an overwhelming price!), the Evo X is the real deal. It’s fitted with a 2.0-litre engine that produces around 280 horsepower, which allows the car to accelerate from zero to 100km/h in less than five seconds!

Indeed, the Mitsubishi Evo is one of those rare four-door saloons that offer near-supercar levels of handling and performance and that can’t possibly come cheap. Which is why Mitsubishi, during 2010, will aim for sales of 100 units or less for the Evo X. The car could be priced at Rs 30 lakh or more, which would certainly make it a very niche product – strictly for the wealthy enthusiast only.

The Mitsubishi Evo X takes on its equally legendary rival, the Subaru Impreza WRX STi

US President Barack Obama announces $2.4 billion in grants for EVs, batteries

US President Barack Obama is making sure his country doesn't fall behind Europe and Asia, when it comes to the development of electric cars and the associated infrastructure

The United States of America is really, really serious about electric cars. So much so that the US President, Barack Obama has announced a grant of $2.4 billion for the development of electric vehicles and the batteries to be used in these EVs. The money will be divided between 48 different projects, all of which will work towards furthering the cause of EV technology development in the US.

Of the $2.4 billion announced, $1.5 billion will go to US-based manufacturers to produce batteries and their components, $500 million will go to US-based manufacturers who produce electric motors, electronics, and other drivetrain components and $400 million will be spent towards buying thousands of plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles for tests and demonstrations in several locations

Incidentally, the newly restructured GM will also get close to $250 million for the production of high-volume battery packs for its new electric car, the Chevrolet Volt. The money will also be used for construction of US manufacturing facilities to produce electric drive systems for the Volt and other GM cars.

Similarly, Ford will get more than $90 million while Chrysler will get more than $70 million, which the two companies will spend towards the development, testing and deployment of electric vehicles.

With Asian countries like China and Korea also steaming ahead on EV development, we wonder when India will wake up to the reality that all cars in the not-too-distant future will be battery-powered. Apart from RECC, which soldiers on with the Reva, we have very little happening in the areas of hybrids and/or electric cars, which we’re sure is at least partly because of the complete lack of a clearly defined government policy towards the development of electric cars and related infrastructure.

We hope the Indian government takes its cues from Obama and announces some incentives for Indian car manufacturers, who must be encouraged to spend more time, effort and money towards the development of next-generation EVs.

British-built Hondas to be exported to Japan

The British-built Civic Type R hatchback will be exported to Japan in 2010

The British can, apparently, build a Honda better than the Japanese themselves can. Well, at least a certain type of Honda – the Civic Type R hatchback, in this case. Manufactured at Honda’s plant in Swindon in the UK, the Civic Type R hot hatch will be exported to Japan in 2010, where it will be sold in limited numbers.

Since the Japanese market already has a homemade four-door Civic Type R saloon on sale there, the British-built model will be sold as the Civic Type R Euro in Japan. Apart from the UK, the Civic Type R hatchback is also sold in Australia and South Africa. This 200-horsepower hatchback sprints from zero to 100km/h in 6.6 seconds and hits a top speed of 235km/h.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate: First official pics

The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate. Not coming to India. Probably...

Mercedes-Benz has announced it will launch its new E-Class Estate in Europe by early-2010. According to the German luxury car manufacturer, the new E-Class Estate will be one of the safest cars in the world, with truly cutting-edge technologies and driver-assist systems like drowsiness detection, automatic emergency braking and adaptive highbeam assist. The car will also feature an air suspension system with self-levelling at the rear, quick-fold read seats, new load compartment management features and a power-operated tailgate.

Mercedes-Benz launched its first Estate back in 1977 and the company has sold more than one million units of these vehicles over the last three decades. The E-Class Estate will be offered with six engine options, including petrol and common-rail diesel engines. However, while companies like Premier Automobiles, Fiat, Tata Motors, Skoda and Maruti Suzuki have tried, Estates have never done well in the Indian market and so we doubt very much if Mercedes-Benz will bring its latest Estate to India. Of course, the new E-Class saloon will be here very soon and we expect it will successfully take on the BMW 5-series and Audi A6.

Mahindra to export 30% of its China-made tractors

According to a report on Bloomberg, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. plans to use China as an export hub for its farm equipment, in order to take advantage of lower production costs (compared to India) in China. M&M, which has two farm equipment manufacturing plants in China, already exports a very small number of tractors from there, but may increase that to as much as 30% of its production over the next five years.

In China, M&M currently has an 80% stake in Jiangling Motors Corp. and a 51% stake in Jiangsu Yueda Yancheng Tractor Manufacturing Co. According to M&M, the basic infrastructure for facilitating manufacturing is significantly better in China and costs are around 25% lower compared to India. Hence, M&M is not only looking at increasing tractor production in China, it’s also said to be considering sourcing components from China for use at its plants in India.

Irmscher, GM team for special edition Chevrolet Cruze

The Irmscher Chevy Cruze looks totally hot!
Via Autoblog

General Motors and German tuning house Irmscher have come together to create a ‘tribute’ to Bumblebee, of Transformers. And no, this one is not a yellow Camaro with black stripes, but a black Cruze with orange stripes and 18-inch orange wheels! The car has also been lowered by 30mm though no performance mods have been carried out – the 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine remains stock.

The Chevy Cruze ‘Bumblebee’ will be shown at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September this year. In the meanwhile, GM India is all set to launch the Cruze in India, by October this year. The car will take on the Toyota Corolla Altis, Honda Civic and Skoda Laura and its pricing is expected to be a ‘value for money’ proposition.

Mercedes-Benz to invest Rs 4,780 crore in Chennai, will ramp up CV production capacity in India

The all-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class will be in India very soon...

Mercedes-Benz plans to invest around Rs 4,780 crore towards increasing production capacity of trucks, at its plant in Chennai. However, the time frame for this proposed investment has not been announced by the company yet.

Mercedes, which produced about 4,000 units in India last year, is currently witnessing a slowdown in sales in the country. The German luxury car manufacturer sold only 1,500 units in the country during January-June 2009 and hopes to improve its performance in the second half. The new E-Class luxury saloon, which is due to be launched in India very soon, is expected to provide a fillip to M-B sales in the country.

Clunkers banned in Kolkata, no cash for owners

The old vehicles ban in Kolkata is expected to affect as many as 6,500 taxis in the city

In Europe and in the US, governments have been running ‘cash for clunkers’ schemes where owners were given cash incentives to trade in their old vehicles and buy new ones. Taking its cues from the West, the city of Kolkata has also banned old vehicles – commercial vehicles that are more than 15 years old – though no cash incentives/rebates are being offered to owners of such ‘clunkers,’ for the purchase of new replacements.

The old vehicle ban in Kolkata will affect an estimated 3,000 buses and mini-buses, around 6,500 taxis and thousands of autorickshaws. The operators of these vehicles and their respective unions are opposing the decision to ban their vehicles and are threatening to go on a strike. The ban has been enforced in order to try and curb pollution levels in the city, which is so bad that up to 70% of all Kolkata residents are said to be suffering from various respiratory problems because of it.

Some of those who own and operate the old and polluting vehicles that have been banned, say that they are willing to switch to newer, cleaner vehicles, provided they are given loans with low interest rates and easy repayment terms, with which they can buy new vehicles. However, given the precarious financial situation in which the West Bengal state government is said to be in, we seriously doubt if any such loans would be forthcoming from the government.

Tata Motors logs 18% growth in sales in July 2009

Tata Motors has announced an increase of 18% in its total sales (including exports) of commercial and passenger vehicles in July 2009, at 48,054 units, as against 40,729 units sold in July 2008. The company’s domestic sales of commercial and passenger vehicles for July 2009 stood at 45,599 units, a 23% increase over the 37,033 units sold in July last year.

Commercial Vehicles

Tata Motors’ sales of commercial vehicles in July 2009 in the domestic market stood at 28,408 units, a 27% growth over the 22,381 vehicles sold in July last year. LCV sales stood at 17,750 units, a growth of 44% over July last year. M&HCV sales stood at 10,658 units, a growth of 6% over July last year and the highest since September 2008.

Cumulative sales of commercial vehicles in the domestic market for the fiscal were 100,464 units, a growth of 7% over last year. Cumulative LCV sales were 63,180 units, a growth of 32% over last year, while M&HCV sales stood at 37,284 units, lower by 19% over last year.

Passenger Vehicles

The passenger vehicle business reported a total sale and distribution off-take of 19,881 units (17,191 Tata + 2,690 Fiat) in the domestic market in July 2009, a 32% increase compared to 15,064 units (14,652 Tata + 412 Fiat) in July last year.

Sales of Tata cars, at 14,537 units, grew by 21% over July 2008. Despatches of the Tata Nano began during the month, and the sales were 2,475 units. Indica range sales were 8,563 units, a growth of 14% over July last year. The Indigo range recorded sales of 3,499 units, lower by 22% over July last year. The MUV range of Sumo/Safari accounted for sales of 2,638 units, flat compared to July last year.

Cumulative sales and distribution offtake of passenger vehicles in the domestic market for the fiscal were 70,572 units (63,028 Tata + 7,544 Fiat), against 67,559 units (65,746 Tata + 1,813 Fiat) last year, a growth of 4%.

Cumulative sales of the Indica range at 37,412 units, reported a growth of 13%. Cumulative sales of the Indigo family were 12,422 units, lower by 29%. Cumulative sales of the Sumo/Safari range were 10,690 units, lower by 29%.

Exports

Tata’s sales from exports at 2,455 vehicles in July 2009 were lower by 34% compared to 3,696 vehicles in July last year. The cumulative sales from exports for the fiscal at 7,676 units were lower by 40% over 12,855 units in the same period last year.

Bajaj Auto sales show marginal decline in July 2009

Bajaj Auto has reported a negligible decline (less than 0.5%) in its motorcycle sales during July this year, at 168,163 units, as compared to 168,971 units sold in July 2008. The company’s total two-wheeler sales declined from 169,971 units in July 2008 to 168,731 units in July this year. Exports improved marginally, from 67,253 units in July 2008 to 68,585 units during July this year.

Bajaj’s total sales (including three-wheelers) in July this year stood at 192,835 units, as compared to 193,704 units in July 2008. According to a company press release, Bajaj expects its performance to improve over the next few months. The company is also expected to launch a new entry-level commuter bike in the 100-125cc segment, though there is still no word on when it'll launch the much-awaited Kawasaki Ninja 250R.

HMIL domestic sales up 54% in July 2009

Hyundai will ramp up production in India by 20% from September this year

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) has reported a 53.94% increase in domestic car sales in July this year, at 23,193 units, as against 15,066 units sold in July last year.

The company's cumulative sales (including exports) were up 25.98% in July this year, at 45,543 units, as compared to 36,152 units sold in July 2008. Exports were up 6% at 22,350 units, as compared to 21,086 units in the year-ago period.

HMIL sold 41,779 units of the Santro, i10, i20 and Getz Prime, 3,720 units of the Accent and Verna and 44 units of the Sonata Transform during July this year.

Hyundai expects the Indian car market to stabilise and sales to improve over the next few months. Hence, HMIL will increase production by about 20% from September this year. The company will run three production shifts at its plants and will hire additional manpower to deal with the increase in production.

Hyundai is also expected to launch a brand-new small car in India, by 2011. This car, which will be smaller and cheaper than the company’s current entry-level model, the Santro, will also be sold in some of Hyundai’s markets outside Asia.

Valentino Balboni speaks about the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 VB

Last month, Lamborghini unveiled the Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni (see here), built to honour the man who served as test driver at the Italian supercar company for 40 years. Now, Valentino himself is here to talk about the car...

2010 Audi S5 cabriolet now being offered in Europe

The new Audi S5 cabriolet can now be ordered in Europe

Audi, in Europe, is now accepting orders for the new S5 cabriolet, which is fitted with a supercharged petrol V6 that produces 332 horsepower and 440Nm of torque. Priced at the equivalent of Rs 33.70 lakh, the S5 cabrio also gets a seven-speed twin-clutch S-tronic transmission and the latest evolution of the Quattro all-wheel-drive system, with an optional sport differential that’s capable of varying torque not only between front and rear axles but also between each rear wheel.

The car also comes with an optional adaptable dynamics system that enables fine-tuning of throttle response, shock absorber settings and steering feel. The engineered-for-enthusiasts S5 cabrio sprints from zero to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds and is electronically limited to a top speed of 250km/h.

Offering the best of both worlds, the S5’s lightweight soft-top opens in 15 seconds, closes in 17 seconds, can be operated while the car is on the move (at speeds of up to 50km/h) and according to Audi, reduces cabin noise to near fixed head levels. The car rides on 19-inch alloy wheels and comes fitted with Xenon headlamps and LED taillamps and daytime running lights.

Audi, which currently sells the A4, A6 and A8 sedans, Q7 and Q5 SUVs and R8 supercar in India, has no cabriolets/convertibles in its India-lineup. However, the S5 cabrio is one car we’d sure like to see in Audi showrooms in this country!

BMW to celebrate Mini’s 50th birthday with two special-edition variants

The Mini is 50 years old this year and BMW wants to celebrate with two special-edition cars you see here - the Mini 50 Camden and Mini 50 Mayfair ...

Mini, the iconic British car brand (though it’s now owned by BMW, a German company…) will be 50 years old on the 26th of August this year. And BMW is going to celebrate by launching two special-edition variants at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The two special-edition cars – the Mini 50 Camden and Mini 50 Mayfair – will be present at the BMW stand in Frankfurt. Also, BMW will focus on its ‘Minimalism’ concept, which is a package of measures developed to optimize fuel consumption and to reduce emissions.

IYM, SMI sales up 46.85% and 20.35% in July 2009

India Yamaha Motor (IYM) reported a 46.85% hike in its sales during July this year, at 17,316 units, as compared to 11,792 units sold during July 2008.

IYM recently inaugurated its new manufacturing facility at Surajpur, in UP, and also launched a new variant of the FZ16 – the Fazer 150.

In the meanwhile, Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMI) also registered an increase of 20.35% in its sales during July this year, at 12,585 units, as compared to 10,457 units sold during July 2008.

Hero Honda, HMSI sales up by more than 30% in July 2009

Hero Honda Motors Ltd. has reported an increase of 30.39% in its sale during July this year, at 366,808 units, as compared to 281,316 units sold in July 2008.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) also reported a 32.24% hike in total sales during July this year, at 112,855 units, as compared to 85,343 units sold in July last year. HMSI’s motorcycle sales went up from 27,723 units in July 2008 to 45,748 units during July 2009. Scooter sales went up from 57,620 units in July 2008 to 67,107 units during July this year.

Nissan Leaf unveiled, world’s first EV designed for real-world requirements, claims Nissan

The Nissan Leaf will be launched in Japan, Europe and the US by end-2010

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. today unveiled the Leaf, a medium-sized hatchback which the company claims is the world's first affordable zero-emissions car. The Leaf EV, which is powered by lithium-ion batteries, has a range of more than 160km and can carry up to five people.

Nissan will launch the Leaf in Japan, Europe and the US by the end of 2010. ‘The Leaf ushers in a new era of mobility – the zero-emission era. The car is the embodiment of Nissan's radical, transformative vision for the future and the culmination of decades of investment and research,’ says a press release from Nissan.

‘Nissan Leaf is a tremendous accomplishment – one in which all Nissan employees can take great pride. We have been working tirelessly to make this day a reality – the unveiling of a real-world car that has zero, not simply reduced, emissions. It's the first step in what is sure to be an exciting journey – for people all over the world, for Nissan and for the industry,’ said Nissan President and CEO, Carlos Ghosn.

Nissan will announce pricing for the Leaf towards the end of 2010 and the company expects the car to be competitively priced in the range of a well-equipped C-segment vehicle. Additionally, the Leaf is expected to qualify for an array of local, regional and national tax breaks and incentives in markets around the world.

The Leaf is powered by laminated compact lithium-ion batteries, which generate a power output of over 90kW (120bhp), while its electric motor delivers 280Nm of torque. According to Nissan, this will offer performance and drivability that’s comparable to a similarly priced IC-engined vehicle. As an added advantage, the Nissan Leaf has no tailpipe, no emissions and is mechanically far less complex than an IC-engined vehicle.

Via a 200V home outlet, a full recharge will take about eight hours, though the Leaf’s li-ion batteries can be quick-charged to 80% of full capacity in less than 30 minutes. According to Nissan, these charging times and a range of 160km is sufficient to meet most drivers’ requirements worldwide.

‘Our car had to be the world's first medium-size practical EV that motorists could afford and would want to use every day. And that's what we've created. The styling will identify not only Nissan Leaf but also the owner as a participant in the new era of zero-emission mobility,’ says Masato Inoue, Product Chief Designer at Nissan.

The Nissan Leaf is the first in the company's forthcoming line of EVs and is a major milestone in the realization of the Renault-Nissan Alliance's vision for zero-emission mobility. The first of Nissan's EVs will be manufactured at Oppama, in Japan, with additional capacity planned for Tennessee, in the US. Meanwhile, lithium-ion batteries are being produced in Zama, Japan, with additional capacity planned for the USA, the UK and Portugal, and other sites for investment are under study around the world.

We’ll admit that here at India Automotive, we’re quite excited about the Leaf. This really could represent a new era in motoring, where we’re finally freed from the IC engine and from shelling out big bucks at the petrol/diesel filling station once a week.

It’s also a pity, however, that Indian car manufacturer – the Bangalore-based RECC – which took the lead with electric cars so long ago, has not been able to take the Reva to the next step forward. When it was launched five years ago, the Reva had a range of around 70km, a top speed of around 50km/h and luxuries like air-conditioning.

The Reva could seat two (slim) adults and two small children and… well, it was probably the world’s first relatively affordable EV. Of course, the Reva would not meet crash testing and safety norms, which we’re sure the Nissan Leaf will. Then again, RECC’s limited resources simply can’t be compared to Nissan’s much deeper pockets and much greater engineering expertise. Still, we hope RECC hasn’t given up just yet and that India is yet there in the electric vehicles race...

The Nissan Leaf could well bring about a sea change in the way cars are made, sold and used

Honda Siel logs 12% sales growth in July 2009

Despite being a bit too expensive, the Jazz did not do too badly, with Honda Siel selling more than a 1,000 units of the car during July this year

Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) reports a 12% increase in sales during July 2009, at 4,857 units as against 4,337 units sold in July 2008. The company sold 17,625 units in the period April–July 2009, as against 16,412 units in the year-ago period, an increase of 7.4%.

HSCI sold 3,268 units of the City, 1,037 units of the Jazz, 299 units of the Civic, 223 units of the Accord and 30 units of the CR-V, during July this year.

TVS Motor logs 2% increase in sales in July 2009

TVS' motorcycle sales showed a decline, but scooter sales went up during July this year

TVS Motor reported a 2% increase in sales during July this year, at 350,000 units, as against 343,000 units during July 2008. The company’s revenue for Q1, FY 2009-10 stood at Rs 988.70 crore, a 7% increase over the Rs 925.45 crore reported in the year-ago period.

In the domestic market, TVS sold 154,000 motorcycles and 67,568 scooters during July this year, compared to 171,000 motorcycles and 65,545 scooters during July last year. Sales of the TVS King three-wheeler went up from 765 units during July 2008 to 2,223 units during July this year. The company’s exports, however, slid from 42,214 units in July 2008 to 32,067 units during July 2009.

Maruti Suzuki sales up 33.4% in July 2009

Maruti exported more than 50,000 units of the A-Star (new Alto) during July 2009

Maruti Suzuki has announced a 33.4% increase in total sales during July this year, at 78,074 vehicles (including 10,546 units for export). The company’s total sales during July 2008 stood at 58,543 units (including 5,632 units for export).

During July 2009, Maruti exported more than 50,000 units of the A-Star hatchback, which is said to be doing very well in Europe. The company also launched its new Grand Vitara SUV, which is powered by a more powerful 2.4-litre engine, in the domestic market.

Sales of the Maruti 800 went down from 4,953 units during July 2008 to 2,796 units during July this year. However, sales in the A2 segment (Alto, Wagon R, Zen Estilo, Swift, A-Star and Ritz) went up from 34,795 units in July 2008 to 48,115 units during July this year.

Maruti’s sales in the A3 segment (SX4, Dzire) also went up from 6,009 units in July 2008 to 9,101 units in July this year. For a more detailed break-up of Maruti’s sales figures, refer to the image below.

Model-wise break-up of Maruti's sales during July 2009