Suzuki launches Grand Vitara 1.9 DDiS Diesel in Europe

Not coming to a Maruti showroom near you - the Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.9 DDiS

Suzuki has launched a diesel-engined variant of the Grand Vitara SUV in Europe. The five-door Grand Vitara diesel is fitted with Suzuki’s 1.9-litre DDiS engine and prices start at the equivalent of Rs 14.25 lakh. The diesel Vitara comes equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, in-dash 6CD changer with radio, MP3 audio-compatibility and seven speakers, heated leather seats and automatic climate control air conditioning.

Suzuki has sold more than 2.6 million units of the Grand Vitara worldwide, since the vehicle was first launched in 1988. Maruti Suzuki launched the current petrol-engined Grand Vitara 2.4 in India in July this year and the vehicle is priced between Rs 16.67-17.97 lakh. As far as we know, Maruti has no plans of launching the diesel-engined Grand Vitara in India in the near future.

Car Exports: India powers ahead of China

Car exports from India during January-July 2009 went up by 18% while Chinese car exports slumped by 60% in the same period...

According to a Bloomberg report, India currently has an edge over China when it comes to car exports. The Indian car market, which is only one-fifth the size of the Chinese car market in terms of annual volumes, is emerging as a small car production hub for companies like Suzuki, Hyundai and Nissan. And because of this, India has managed to inch ahead of China this year, in terms of car exports.

According to figures released by SIAM, India’s car exports between January-July this year stood at 229,809 units, an increase of 18% over the corresponding period in 2008. On the other hand, China’s car exports for January-July 2009 stood at 164,800 units, a 60% decline over the year-ago period. Thailand exported 263,768 cars during January-July this year, a 43% decline over the figure reported for January-July 2008. Even South Korea’s car exports for the first seven months of this year declined by 31%, at 1.12 million units.

According to analysts, car manufacturers are likely to favour India, rather than China, for setting up export bases because China requires carmakers to form joint ventures with local companies, while this isn’t a limiting factor in India.

BMW tops Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes as most sustainable automobile company

If cars like this BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept are the future of sustainable transport, we are all for it. The future? Bring it on, please!

The BMW Group has been named most sustainable automobile company worldwide (for the fifth consecutive year) in the latest Dow Jones Sustainability Index World. BMW is the only company in the automobile industry to have been listed in this sustainability index family every year since it was established in 1999.

‘We are delighted that the BMW Group is super sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World for the fifth consecutive year. This proves once again that we are well on our way to establishing sustainability as the guiding principle for all our processes. We refined our sustainability strategy in the first half of 2009 – this was the next logical step and another important milestone,’ says Dr Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW AG.

According to BMW, ‘sustainability is firmly entrenched’ throughout its entire value chain – from the development of fuel-saving and alternative vehicle concepts through clean production processes to green recycling practices. For those who might be interested, you can get more information on BMW’s sustainability initiatives on the company's website here

RECC to unveil Reva NXR, Reva NXG at the 2009 FMS

The Reva NXR and Reva NXG will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this month

The Bangalore-based Reva Electric Car Company (RECC), the first and still the only electric car manufacturer in India, is all set to unveil two new models – the Reva NXR and Reva NXG – at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. Chetan Kumaar Maini, deputy chairman and CTO, RECC, roped in Dilip Chhabria for the new cars’ styling and hopes that will help boost the cars’ sales in India and elsewhere.

While technical details and specs are not yet available, the new Reva cars are expected to have lithium-ion batteries and a host of improvements over the earlier Reva car. The Reva NXR, with a range of 160km and a top speed in excess of 100km/h, is likely to go on sale in India by mid-2010. The Reva NXG, with a range of 200km and a top speed of 130km/h, will become available by 2011. Prices for the two cars have not been announced yet.

In addition to selling the new Reva cars in India, Chetan Maini also wants to target aggressive growth in overseas markets. For this, he will look at technology licensing, which would allow overseas companies to manufacture Reva vehicles for their markets locally, at relatively low costs. Maini wants to take his cars to European and North American markets in the near future and RECC is already working on readying its new manufacturing plant near Bangalore, which will have a capacity of 30,000 units per annum.

New Audi Q7 launched in India, prices start at Rs 53.40 lakh

The new Audi Q7, possibly the best SUV in its segment

Audi has launched the 2010-spec Q7 SUV in India, which features minor cosmetic differences as compared to the older variant. The new Q7 is available with a choice of one diesel and two petrol engines – 3.0 TDI (240bhp, 550Nm), 3.6 FSI (280bhp, 360Nm) and 4.2 FSI (350bhp, 440Nm). All three come with Quattro AWD and prices start at Rs 53.40 lakh, ex-showroom.

The new Audi Q7 is widely regarded as the best SUV in its segment and comes with bits like six-speed automatic transmission, 18-inch alloy wheels, adaptive air suspension and high-end navigation and entertainment systems. The vehicle is now available at all of Audi’s 12 dealerships in India, in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Mumbai and Pune.

Audi sold 1,128 cars during January-August this year, which is a 62% growth over last year’s sales for the eight-month period.

2010 Hyundai Santa Fe announced

The new Hyundai Santa Fe is coming to India in 2010

Hyundai has given what it calls a ‘mid-cycle refresh’ to its Santa Fe SUV, which, incidentally, is also due to be launched in India in 2010. The new Santa Fe will be available with 2.2-litre diesel and 2.4-litre petrol engines, though only the latter is expected to make its way to the Indian market.

The 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe features a six-speed automatic transmission, completely redone interiors, improved rollover protection and optional 4WD. The 2.2-litre diesel version has 197 horsepower while the 2.4-litre petrol packs 174bhp. Both engines are fully Euro V-compliant.

For improved fuel economy, the new Santa Fe is fitted with a new alternator management system, which disengages the alternator when the clutch is suppressed, allowing it to spin freely, thus eliminating drag. The SUV also has an ‘Eco’ feature which uses red, white and green lights to indicate fuel efficiency. Even the tyres used on the new Santa Fe use a new kind of silica compound for lower rolling resistance, hence better fuel economy.

Hyundai says changes to the Santa Fe’s exteriors have been kept to a minimum and are limited to a new three-slatted front grille, restyled front and rear bumpers, and revised headlamps, fog lamps and rear combinations lamps.

Whether the Hyundai Santa Fe will be successful in taking on the Honda CR-V, Toyota Fortuner, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Ford Endeavour, Chevrolet Captiva and Mitsubishi Outlander in the Indian market remains to be seen.

Honda Accord Crosstour gets negative response on Facebook, Honda responds

Most people on Facebook seem to think the Honda Accord Crosstour is 'ugly'...

While it hasn't even been launched yet, the new Honda Accord Crosstour is getting (mostly) negative feedback on Facebook. Some reactions to Honda's new SUV-estate crossover are downright amusing - you can see these on Facebook here. Also see Honda's response to what people are saying about its new car.

Mitsubishi, PSA Peugeot Citroën to work together on EV development, will co-develop Euro-spec i-MiEV variant

Peugeot and Citroen will both develop their own version of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car, which will be launched in Europe by end-2010

Osamu Masuko, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), and Philippe Varin, CEO of PSA Peugeot Citroën, recently signed a cooperative agreement that will see the two companies work in cooperation in the area of electric vehicle development.

The companies will together develop a new variant of Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV electric car, which will be sold in Europe. Peugeot and Citroën will both sell their own versions (with only minor differences) of this car. Production of the Euro-spec i-MiEV is expected to start by October 2010 and the car will be commercially launched by end-2010.

Maruti Suzuki to shift car production from Gurgaon to Manesar, will set up new factory in India by 2011

Maruti will gradually shift most of its car production from Gurgaon to Manesar

Maruti Suzuki, which started production of its cars in India, in Gurgaon, back in 1983, is now planning to gradually shift the production of some its cars to its newer facility in Manesar. The building from where Maruti operates in Gurgaon was constructed in the early-1970s, though it was refurbished and modified before Maruti Udyog began production there in 1983.

Maruti, which has three plants in Gurgaon, currently produces the 800, Omni, Versa, Gypsy, Alto, Wagon R, Estilo and Ritz cars there, while the A-Star, SX4, Swift and Swift Dzire are made at Manesar. Gradually, however, Maruti will shift most – if not all – car production to Manesar and use its Gurgaon facility for engine assembly and machining.

Suzuki also plans to set up an all-new factory in India by 2011, for which it will invest more than US$250 million. The new factory is likely to be close to the company’s Manesar facility, though this has not yet been confirmed.

New Ford C-MAX to make its debut at the 2009 FMS

The new Ford C-MAX will be launched in Europe by mid-2010

The new Ford C-MAX ‘multi activity vehicle’ will make its world debut the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. The vehicle takes its design cues from the iosis MAX concept car shown at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, and, according to Ford, it ‘adopts a more dynamic passenger-car look, with a coupé-like sweeping roofline, while still retaining comfort, space and practicality.’

The new C-MAX will introduce some new technologies to the Ford range, including an all-new 1.6-litre EcoBoost direct-injection petrol engine and features like semi-automatic parallel parking and a blind-spot detection system. The C-MAX will be launched in Europe by mid-2010, though we don’t suppose this vehicle will make it to India.

Mazda3 MPS: European sales start on October 1

The new Mazda3 MPS will be available in Europe from next month

Mazda’s new hot hatch, the Mazda3 MPS, will go on sale Europe on the 1st of October this year. The car is fitted with a 2.3-litre petrol engine that produces 260 horsepower and 380Nm of torque, pushing the MPS from zero to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 248km/h.

The Mazda3 MPS also comes with bits like a six-speed transmission, torque-sensing limited-slip differential (LSD), 18-inch alloy wheels, 320mm ventilated disc brakes, a high-spec 10-speaker Bose audio system and Bluetooth. Safety technologies include anti-lock brakes (with electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist), traction control, stability control and multiple airbags.

Prices for the car, in Europe, start at the equivalent of about Rs 17 lakh.

Hyundai i10 Electric to make its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show this month

The battery-powered Hyundai i10 Electric will go on sale in Korea next year

Hyundai is all set to ramp up its ‘Blue Drive’ eco-initiative at the Frankfurt Motor Show this month. The Korean company will exhibit a range of its new eco-friendly technologies and products that show Hyundai’s commitment to lowering emissions and improving the fuel economy of its vehicles.

The Hyundai i10 Electric, a production-ready zero emissions vehicle which is set to go on sale in Korea in the second half of 2010, will be unveiled for the first time at the Frankfurt Show. Powered by a 49kW motor and a 16kWh battery, the i10 Electric has a top speed of 130km/h and a range of 160km. A high-tech vehicle, the i10 Electric features x-by-wire systems for functions like steering, air-conditioning and braking.

Hyundai ix-Metro, a Hybrid Electric CUV for the European market

The all-new Hyundai ix-Metro, a Hybrid Electric CUV for the European market, will also be unveiled at Frankfurt. Created by Hyundai’s Global Design Team based in Namyang, Korea, the ix-Metro is powered by a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, mated to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Other Hyundai vehicles that will be on display at Frankfurt will be the Elantra LPI Hybrid, Blue Will Plug-In Hybrid Electric concept vehicle, ix35 SUV and the new Santa Fe.

The new Hyundai ix35 SUV will also be on display at Frankfurt

Gordon Murray’s T.25 city car to offer flexible seating for up to three people

Gordon Murray's T.25 city car will seat up to three people and its size should be just perfect for congested city streets and tight parking spaces

Like the legendary McLaren F1 supercar, Gordon Murray’s T.25 city car is also designed around a central driving position that would allow a maximum of three people to sit in the vehicle. According to Gordon Murray Design, ‘The central driving position gives unparalleled control and visibility whilst supporting the ultra-flexible interior space. In maximum ‘shopping mode,’ the T.25 can be driver-only but offers 750 litres of stowage space which is equal to 6 shopping trolleys in volume.’

The T.25’s driver will have the option of using the car in either full automatic mode, or in manual mode with push buttons (instead of a gear lever) for selecting forward, reverse and neutral. The car will be very easy to drive, maneouver in congested city traffic and park in limited spaces.

Gordon Murray Design is currently in discussions with several interested parties to put the T.25 city car into production, using GMD’s iStream manufacturing process, which among other things, reduces the area and investment of a typical car factory by as much as 80%.

HMSI sales up by 13.82% in August 2009

The recently revamped Honda Activa is still the largest selling scooter in India

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has announced a 13.82% increase in total sales during August this year, at 96,149 units, as compared with 84,476 units in August 2008. Motorcycle sales in this period went up from 30,454 units to 37,108 units, while scooter sales went up from 54,022 units to 59,041 units.

HMSI is looking at increasing production capacity at its plant in Manesar from the current 1.07 million units per annum to 1.5 million units per annum, by mid-2010. The company will also be investing about Rs 200 crore towards R&D activity in India and towards upgrading its two-wheelers to make sure they comply with BS-III norms.

Ford India to invest US$500 million, will ramp up production capacity at Chennai plant

Ford India plans to launch an automatic variant of the Endeavour SUV in India very soon

According to reports in the media, Ford plans to invest about US$500 million towards boosting production capacity at its plant near Chennai, and introducing a much higher degree of automation at the plant.

Ford India, which plans to launch a brand-new small car in India early next year, aims to increase capacity from the current 100,000 units per annum to 200,000 units per year. The company is, at present, running a single shift at its plant and produces around 30,000 units per annum. However, with the introduction of its small car, Ford expects sales to go up dramatically, hence the 100% hike in production capacity.

A significant chunk of the planned investment in Ford India’s Chennai plant will go towards increasing automation levels, and many functions that are currently carried out by hand will now be performed by industrial robots. The process of modernisation and automation at Ford’s plant in Chennai is expected to be completed by mid-2010.

UAE aims to become CV industry growth hub in the Middle East

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, has pledged full support for Commercial Vehicles Middle East, which will be held in March 2010

The UAE is aiming to position itself as a regional focal point for the commercial vehicles industry in the Middle East, which is now targeting major growth as the market recovers from the effects of the global economic crisis.

The region’s first specialised trade event for commercial vehicles in Dubai, which will be held in March 2010, has been endorsed by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE). Sulayem has pledged full support of the ATCUAE for Commercial Vehicles Middle East and said he expects the new trade event to help deliver more major growth for the industry in the region.

‘The UAE’s commercial vehicles market grew by 38.5% between 2000 and 2005, and between 2007 and 2008 some regional distributors saw sales triple. The commercial vehicles industry demands its own specialist regional showcase, and the ATCUAE is eager to actively support an event which will bring together the industry’s key players and lay the foundations for more growth,’ says Sulayem.

Taking place from 9-11 March 2010, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Commercial Vehicles Middle East is being organised by Streamline Marketing Group in association with Reed Exhibitions. While the event is still seven months away, it has already attracted confirmations of attendance from some major commercial vehicles manufacturers, including Hino, BMC and Temsa.

The UAE is at the centre of regional growth in the commercial vehicles sector, largely due to the country’s expanding public transport requirements. The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) recently announced a US$517.7 million deal for 518 buses to act as a feeder network for the Dubai Metro, while in April this year, the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport announced that it will add an additional 500 buses to its fleet by the end of this year.

Commercial Vehicles Middle East will feature an international conference, specialised seminars and workshops, an indoor vehicle display area and an exhibition featuring a comprehensive range of products and services from around 100 manufacturers. The event is expected to attract more than 8,000 visitors, including key officials from regional transport authorities and other government departments.

Stay tuned for more updates on the event.

Iveco Electric Daily: South America’s first battery-powered LCV to go into production by 2010

The Iveco Electric Daily LCV is likely to go into production next year

Commercial vehicles manufacturer, Iveco has presented a prototype of its new electric LCV – Electric Daily – in Brazil. The Electric Daily is likely to be the first zero emissions light commercial vehicle produced in Latin America. Iveco has been working on research and development of electric propulsion for more than two decades and the very first Daily, with pure electric drive, was shown back in 1986.

The Electric Daily project sees Iveco collaborating with Itaipu Binacional, an organisation which manages the world’s largest hydroelectric generating station, which is situated on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. The production of the prototype will enable suitability testing to be carried out, looking specifically at the utilisation of electrical energy for the transportation of goods and passengers. With the realisation of this project, Iveco aims to be the pioneer of zero emissions transportation in the Latin American market.

The Iveco Electric Daily prototype is equipped with three sealed Zebra Z5 sodium, nickel and chloride batteries, which are maintenance free and totally recyclable. The vehicle has a range of 100km and a fully laden top speed of 70 km/h. Once tests have been completed, the Electric Daily is expected to enter production at the same site where the Fiat Palio Electric is already produced. This also builds on the partnership initiated in 2006 between Fiat and Itaipu Binacional for the production of the first pure electric car in Brazil.

Mercedes-Benz BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS: First official pics and details released

The Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS electric car

We don’t know why Mercedes-Benz often bestows such long names (which inevitably also include some capitalised alphabets as well...) upon their concept cars. Take the latest one for example – the Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS electric car. Whew! Earlier it was the much used and abused ‘i’ prefix that was added to everything and now it’s super-long names and capitalised alphabets. We wonder what the next fad is going to be…

Anyway, as you can see in the pics here, Mercedes-Benz’s newest electric car concept looks pretty cool and is painted metallic brown-bronze, which seems to be the colour of the season. According to Mercedes, the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS (referred to as ‘BZECP’ from now on) combines environment-friendly electric mobility in the city with unrestricted suitability for long-distance driving.

A part of Mercedes-Benz’s sustainable mobility program, the BZECP is fitted with a three-cylinder, 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 67bhp. And, of course, there’s a lithium-ion battery pack that powers the car’s electric motor, which produces 100kW and 320Nm of torque. According to Mercedes-Benz, the BZECP can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in less than 11 seconds and has a top speed of 150km/h. With the engine charging the car’s batteries, the BZECP’s total range is as much as 600km, while it can also run 100km in electric-only mode. Charging time is six hours.

We don’t suppose the BZECP will go into production anytime soon, though an actual production car which uses many of the BZECP’s technologies may be out by 2010-2011. Mercedes-Benz has emphatically documented that electric cars will not be replacing vehicles with combustion engines any time soon. ‘The electrification of modern, high-tech engines will, however, play an increasingly important role in the drive system mix of the future,’ it adds.

Subaru Impreza now available with a diesel engine!

The Subaru Impreza with a diesel engine? Is nothing sacred anymore?!

The unthinkable has happened – the legendary Subaru Impreza is now available with a diesel engine. Yes indeed, the Impreza, with all its giant-slaying World Rally Championship (WRC) lineage and the main rival to the equally legendary Mitsubishi Evo for so many years, is no longer for petrolheads alone – diesel lovers are also welcome.

Already available on the Legacy, Outback and Forester, Subaru’s four-cylinder 2.0-litre ‘Boxer’ diesel engine, which produces 150bhp and 350Nm of torque, is now an option on the five-door, all-wheel-drive Impreza. The Impreza diesel goes from zero to 100km/h in nine seconds and hits a top speed of 203km/h.

All the usual Impreza bits seem to be there on the diesel – six-speed gearbox, front strut/rear multi-link suspension, carefully honed chassis that benefits from Subaru’s permanent AWD, specially tuned Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) stability system and so on. But a diesel Impreza just doesn’t sound right, somehow.

The car costs the equivalent of Rs 16-18 lakh in Europe but now matter how drivable or how economical or how sensible it may be, we’d never want to have one. No, when it comes to the mighty Subaru Impreza, we’d much rather have an old WRX STi or a P1. A diesel Impreza? What a sell-out that must be…

First Lotus Evora delivered to UK customer

The first Lotus Evora goes to one Matthew Melling of Twickenham, in the UK

One of the hottest British sportscars at the moment, the new Lotus Evora is now prowling the streets in the UK. The very first of these cars was recently delivered to Twickenham-based Matthew Melling, who has to be one of the luckiest car owners on the planet.

Many Lotus dealers around the world have already taken possession of their demo cars and Lotus has enough bookings for the Evora to take care of the next five months’ production of the car. The Evora is powered by a 276 horsepower V6, which doesn't sound all that impressive for a high-spec sportscar, but then Lotus sportscars have always been more about handling rather than outright power.

Apart from the UK, Lotus is officially present in the US, Malaysia, Germany and, inevitably, China, which seems to get all the good stuff that India doesn’t! Still, we’re sure some mega-rich car enthusiast in Delhi or Mumbai is already on the phone to Lotus right now and an Evora should be making its way to India as a private import sometime in the near future…

Audi logo revised for the first time since 1990

The new Audi logo

According to a press release from Audi, ‘The way the brand is visually depicted across all media is set to change this week as reworked designs for its famous interlocking rings logo remodel its corporate identity for the first time since 1990.’

The above, of course, means that Audi now has new logo – one that adopts a new ‘3D’ treatment for the rings and the word ‘Audi’ written in a new font. The cars, we suppose, will remain as brilliant as ever and we really do want that R8…

Honda Siel reports 4% increase in sales during August 2009

Honda Siel Cars India has reported a 4% increase in sales during August this year, at 4,102 units, as against 3,945 units sold during August last year. HSCI sold 1,029 units of the Jazz, 2,536 units of the City, 231 units of the Civic, 229 units of the Accord and 77 units of the CR-V, during August this year.

Skoda Auto India: Sales up 33% in August 2009

Skoda Auto India has reported a 33% hike in its sales during August this year, at 1,463 units, as compared to 1,103 units in the year-ago period. The company sold 627 units of the Octavia and Laura, 276 units of the Superb and 560 units of the Fabia during August this year.

Bajaj Auto: Motorcycle sales up 4% in August 2009

Bajaj sold 182,441 motorcycles in August this year

Bajaj Auto has reported a 4% increase in motorcycle sales during August 2009, at 182,441 units, as compared to 175,274 units in August last year. Total two-wheeler sales went up from 176,631 units in August 2008 to 183,051 units in August this year – an increase of 3.63%. Exports in the same period went up from 71,105 units to 75,164 units – an increase of 5.71%.

Hyundai Santro relaunched with minor cosmetic updates

This 'new' Santro is essentially the same car as the 'old' Santro...

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) has relaunched the Santro hatchback, with prices now starting at Rs 2.63 lakh for the non-AC version. The ‘new’ Santro GL and GLS are priced at Rs 3.28 lakh and Rs 3.48 lakh each, while the equivalent LPG variants cost Rs 3.49 lakh and 3.69 lakh.

The bestselling Hyundai in India, the Santro is still fitted with the same 63bhp, 1.1-litre engine that’s reliable and reasonably fuel-efficient. Changes to the car’s exterior include a colour-matched (instead of black) grille at the front, new wheel covers and a rear spoiler. Inside, there’s a rear parcel tray, new front seats and ‘premium’ fabric and ‘premium’ silver plastics.

It doesn’t really matter that the ‘new’ Santro is actually very much the ‘old’ Santro – it’s definitely not a new car. But still, for those who may be looking for an economical, reliable and reasonably spacious small car, the Santro still fits the bill and HMIL should probably be happy with that.