2010 Kia Venga wins iF product design award

The new Kia Venga has won the 2010 iF Transportation Design Award...

The Kia Venga, a brand-new B-segment MPV that was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September this year, has won the iF product design award. Awarded in Germany, the iF design award recognises design quality, workmanship, level of innovation and eco-friendliness.

‘B-segment MPVs have traditionally been the type of vehicles purchased out of necessity – they are cars of function and practicality,’ says Kia Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer. ‘With the new Venga, we have designed a car that will fulfil European consumers' practical requirements, while also being genuinely desirable and fun to drive.’

Inaugurated in 1953, the iF product design award is given out annually and is widely recognised as one of the world’s most important prizes for excellence in design. For the 2010 award, a total of 2,486 products were entered in 16 different categories. The Kia Venga won the ‘Transportation Design’ category, which includes cars, ships, trains and planes.

Chinese company SAIC to take over 50% of General Motors India

General Motors and Chinese car manufacturer, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) recently made an announcement to the effect that they will ‘extend their cooperation in Asia.’ Effectively, this translates into General Motors India (GMI) selling a 50% stake to SAIC. At the same time, GM will also reduce its 50% stake in its Chinese JV – Shanghai GM – to 49%, giving more control to its Chinese partner.

SAIC and GM, which currently operate no less than eight joint ventures (!) in China, have formed a new 50-50 joint venture investment company called General Motors SAIC Investment Ltd., which is based in Hong Kong and which will facilitate their expansion efforts in Asia, including India.

In 2010, GMI will launch mini commercial vehicles from SAIC-GM-Wuling’s line-up, in India. These vehicles will be produced in India at GMI’s existing facility at Halol. In the future, GMI will be able to pick small car and mini commercial vehicle models not only from GM’s global portfolio, but from SAIC’s range as well.

SAIC is, apparently, on its way to becoming something of a global powerhouse. The company bought over the Korea-based Ssangyong in 2004 and Chinese company Nanjing Automobile (which itself owns MG Rover) in 2007. Now, by buying a 50% stake in GMI, SAIC could be in a strong position to enter the Indian car/commercial vehicles market in a big way.

The alliance between GMI and SAIC is purported to help GMI by the way of allowing it to source cheaper components for its cars from China, giving it a foothold in the growing mini commercial vehicles segment, and strengthening its financial position.

However, with China’s aggressive stance towards India and given that most Chinese vehicles still seem to be sub-standard rip-offs of older Western products, whether the GMI-SAIC alliance will really work is anybody’s guess.

Renault EVs to be made available for test drives in Denmark

The Renault Fluence Z.E. and Kangoo Z.E. will go into production in 2011...

French car manufacturer, Renault, expects electric vehicles (EVs) to account for 10% of the world market for cars by 2020. The Renault-Nissan Alliance is investing four billion euros (almost Rs 28,000 crore) in its zero-emissions programme and a team of two-thousand people at the two companies is working on new electric vehicles.

In order to reiterate its commitment to production-ready EVs, Renault has decided to make some of its EV prototypes available for test drives to accredited attendees of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, later this month. The EV prototypes include the lithium-ion battery-powered Fluence Z.E. and Kangoo Van Z.E., production versions of which will be launched in 2011.

Volkswagen Beetle launched in India, priced at Rs 20.45 lakh

The VW Beetle is now in India...

Volkswagen has launched the Beetle in India. The car, imported from Mexico as a CBU, has been priced at a rather outlandish Rs 20.45 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi.

The ‘new’ Beetle launched in India was first launched worldwide in 1998, and has since then seem some minor modifications and various special edition models. The car is now an aging interpretation of the original classic that was developed in Germany back in the 1940s.

Volkswagen is said to have 150 confirmed bookings for the Beetle in India. The car is fitted with a 2.0-litre, 114bhp, four-cylinder petrol engine and a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Volkswagen also announced the launch of its Touareg SUV, which is fitted with a 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 and which gets a price tag of Rs 51.84 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi.

For a mere Rs 52 lakh, you can now buy the VW Touareg right here in India...

Nissan Cube: It’s cool to be square…

The Nissan Cube makes a style statement with its anti-establishment styling...

Even before it’s been launched, the 2010 Nissan Cube has already been named by the London Design Museum as one of the 50 cars that changed the world. Er… yeah, well, we think that’s a bit too much. Sure, the Cube is an off-beat take on the small family hatchback – one that seems desperate to make a style statement with its anti-establishment styling. But a car that’s changed the world? We don’t think so!

Anyway, Nissan has released some details on the new Cube, which will be launched in Europe early next year. Apart from its intentionally boxy lines, the car’s calling card is supposed to be its lounge-style interiors, which offer seating space for up to five adults.

The Cube will initially be fitted with a 1.6-litre, 108-horsepower petrol engine, with a choice of five-speed manual and CVT transmissions. By mid-2010, Nissan will also offer a 1.5-litre diesel engine on the Cube. Prices, in Europe, for the Nissan Cube will start at the equivalent of Rs 10.64 lakh for the base model, going up to Rs 12.38 lakh for the top-end version.

Of course, Nissan has no plans of bringing the Cube to India. We will get the new Micra (or whatever Nissan chooses to call its all-new small hatchback) instead, which will go into production here in 2010.

The Cube's interiors have 'lounge-style' seating for five adults...

2011 Hyundai Sonata prepared to wage war against Toyota Camry, Honda Accord

With its 'fluidic sculpture design,' the new Sonata sure looks good...

Hyundai, which today introduced the 2011 Sonata at the Los Angeles Auto Show, claims that this sedan will set new standards in its segment. This sixth-generation Sonata features what Hyundai says is ‘fluidic sculpture design,’ and will come with Hyundai’s new Theta II 2.4-litre and turbocharged 2.0-litre direct injection (GDI) four-cylinder petrol engines, and a six-speed automatic transmission.

The new Sonata will go on sale in the US in January 2010 and is expected to come to India by mid-2010 or even sooner. Of course, Hyundai will have the car on display at the HMIL stand during the Auto Expo in Delhi, in January 2010.

Hyundai claims the new Sonata has significantly more cabin and trunk space, compared to the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Plus, its fuel economy would be second to none – 9.8km/l in the city and 14.9km/l on the highway.

It sure looks Hyundai got tired of its Sonata playing second fiddle to the Camry and Accord, and has launched a full scale assault against those cars with the new Sonata. Time will tell if the new Sonata is good enough to win that battle.

The Camry / Accord should probably be a bit worried...

Colt: The car Mitsubishi should bring to India

If Mitsubishi decides to bring it to India, the Colt should do quite well here...

We’ve said it often enough in the past and we’ll say it again – Mitsubishi needs to dump the ancient Lancer and bring some of its newer, smaller, smarter and more contemporary cars to the Indian market. Which essentially means what they should be selling here is their new global small car – the Colt.

While for some markets, the Mitsubishi Colt is fitted with a 1.5-litre, 104-horsepower four-cylinder petrol engine, the India-spec version could do with a 1.2-litre petrol engine that’s big on fuel economy. And to make it stand out in the crowd, Mitsubishi should offer an automatic transmission or even a CVT on this car.

While the Outlander SUV is all very well, volumes in the Indian market will only come from small cars in the foreseeable future. So, Mitsu, what are you waiting for…?!

Volkswagen Up! Lite shown at the LA Motor Show

The VW Up! Lite concept could be the stepping stone to a production-ready small car designed on similar lines, with a hybrid powertrain...

Volkswagen has unveiled a new concept car – the Up! Lite – at the currently ongoing Los Angeles Motor Show in the US. The Up! Lite, which draws its inspiration from the L1 Concept shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this year, features a hybrid powertrain and can achieve up to 49km/l in terms of overall fuel efficiency.

The VW Up! Lite is powered by an 800cc 50bhp two-cylinder diesel engine, combined with a 14-horsepower electric motor and a twin-clutch sevens-speed DSG automatic gearbox. With a kerb weight of just 695kg, the Up! Lite is capable of accelerating from zero to 100km/h in 12.5 seconds and hits a top speed of 160km/h.

‘Using components from VW’s new small vehicles family to be launched from 2011 onwards, the Up! Lite is intended as a step towards a viable production car,’ says a press release from Volkswagen.

Tiny Nissan Roox costs up to Rs 9 lakh in Japan!

The Nissan Roox, terribly expensive by Indian small car standards...

Nissan Motor Co. has announced the launch of its new mini car – Roox – which is now on sale in Japan. The name Roox comes from joining the words ‘room’ and ‘max,’ which tells you something about the car – that it’s built to offer very spacious interiors.

Despite its boxy design, the Nissan Roox features some neat touches, like its remote controlled, power operated sliding rear doors that provide for convenient entry and exit, low-floor height, lots of space for luggage and continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Built to be a very practical, functional city car, the Roox comes with Nissan’s K6A engine (which we suppose is around 600cc, though the displacement has not been quoted in Nissan’s press release), which offers 21.5km/l of fuel economy. Turbocharged engines are available for those who must have some extra performance.

The Nissan Roox is actually built by Suzuki Motor Corp., and supplied to Nissan on an OEM basis. Nissan expects to sell about 3,500 units of this car per month, in Japan. The Roox is priced between 1.24-1.71 million Yen (Rs 6.57-9.06 lakh) in Japan and will not be sold elsewhere.

New Alfa Romeo Giulietta to make its world debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show

The 2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Simply beautiful...

The new Alfa Romeo Giulietta will be unveiled at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show, in March 2010. The original Alfa Giulietta was a hit with car enthusiasts in the 1950s, and the new one is a tribute to the original as well as to the Alfa Romeo brand, which celebrates its 100th Anniversary in 2010.

‘The new Alfa Romeo Giulietta is a sporting car capable of expressing great agility on the most demanding routes as well as providing comfort on everyday roads,’ says a press release from Alfa. Built on an all-new platform, the Giulietta will be available with a range of four turbocharged engines – two 1.4-litre petrol units, a 1.6-litre diesel and a 2.0-litre diesel. The range-topping 1750 TBi version will pack all of 235 horsepower, making it a hot hatch to reckon with!

On a sadder note, Alfa Romeo seems to be in some major trouble these days. The Fiat-owned company sold 103,000 cars last year, down from 203,000 cars back in the year 2000. Fiat is losing hundreds of millions of euros every year on the Alfa Romeo brand and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is said to be looking at various options to remedy the situation. These options include the possibility of closer integration with Chrysler or even killing the brand altogether! Final plans regarding Alfa Romeo's future will be announced by Fiat by March 2010.

New Ford Fiesta to make its US debut at the LA Auto Show

The Fiesta represents a new start for Ford in terms of building small cars for the US...

The new Ford Fiesta will be unveiled to its North American customers at the 2009 Los Angeles Show this month. First shown in China in November 2008, the Fiesta has been doing quite well, with more than 500,000 units having been sold already across the world.

The Fiesta, which will go on sale in the US in 2010, will be available in four-door sedan and five-door hatchback versions there. ‘The Fiesta sets a new standard for delivering an expressive and desirable small car in the US. We’re continuing to build on the Fiesta’s worldwide momentum to deliver a new generation of small cars for a new generation of North American customers,’ says Mark Fields, Ford President of The Americas.

‘We're delighted to be taking the next important step in our roll out of global small cars that have been led by the European arm of our product development team. We are confident that the success we are enjoying with new Fiesta in the European market will transfer to North America as customers there come to understand that small can mean stylish and sophisticated, as well as fun,’ says John Fleming, Executive Vice President, Chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe.

The US-spec Ford Fiesta will be fitted with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 118 horsepower. Along with spirited performance, the engine is also quite economical, providing 17km/l. The car’s standard five-speed manual gearbox has ratios that have been selected to provide a good mix of lively acceleration as well as fuel economy, while a six-speed automatic will also be available on the US Fiesta.

This Fiesta – rather than the one currently sold in India – seems to be a vehicle that could allow Ford to successfully take on cars like the Honda City and Maruti SX4 in India. However, whether Ford India will actually bring this car here remains to be seen. We suppose all shall be revealed at the Auto Expo in Delhi next month…!

New Infiniti M Line to compete with Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series

The new Infiniti M37S is being pitched as a competitor to the likes of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series. A bit ambitious, we think...

Nissan’s luxury car division – Infiniti – has announced details of its new M Line, which it says will be ‘a more exclusive alternative to the traditional stalwarts of the executive class, such as the BMW 5-series and Mercedes E-Class.’

To be launched in 34 world markets (sadly, not including India) in 2010, the rear-wheel-drive Infiniti M37 will be available with a 3.7-litre petrol V6. A diesel V6 will also be available, though details regarding its displacement have not been released yet, and a petrol-electric hybrid will also join the line-up in 2011. All engines will be mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Among other things, the new, third-generation M37 will feature lightweight aluminium components, 4-Wheel Active Steering (4WAS), a full complement of safety electronics, 16-speaker Bose sound system, luxurious trim materials including high-grade wood and leather, Bi-Xenon headlamps and a long list of optional extras.

Alongside the M37, Infiniti will also offer the G37 saloon, which has been revamped for 2010. Pitched as a sports sedan, the 2010 G37 will be available with a petrol V6 engine and four-wheel drive or four-wheel active steer options.

Sadly, the Infiniti name has no brand cachet in India, which is probably what's stopping Nissan from bringing Infiniti cars here. Still, someday, maybe...

The Infiniti G37 has been revamped for 2010...

Silver, white, red and blue were the most popular car colours in India in 2009, says DuPont GACP Report

Buying a car in India? DuPont says you're likely to pick up one that's either silver, white, red or blue, the most popular car colours in the country...

Automotive colour specialist, DuPont has announced that silver, black and white are on top in the first-ever ranking of worldwide vehicle colour popularity. Now in its 57th year, the annual DuPont Global Automotive Colour Popularity (GACP) Report has listed the top 10 most popular car colours in the world as under:

1. Silver – 25% percent
2. Black – 23%
3. White – 16%
4. Gray – 13%
5. Blue – 9%
6. Red – 8%
7. Brown/Beige – 4%
8. Green – 1%
9. Yellow/Gold – 1%
10. Others – Less than 1%

‘By gathering and analyzing colour popularity data around the globe, DuPont is able to better identify trends and help our customers in the automotive industry develop colour palettes for the future,’ says Nancy Lockhart, colour marketing manager for DuPont OEM Performance Coatings.

‘The auto industry is an increasingly global business, so regional and global colour data are vitally important to designers,’ she adds. Interestingly enough, DuPont’s report suggests an ongoing convergence of colour choice globally, with the top three colours – black, white and silver – growing in popularity worldwide.

‘It's important to recognize that most people today, no matter where they live in the world, have access to cutting-edge information about popular colours from many sources like glossy magazines and fashionable websites and often will see the same widely distributed films. The top colours become ‘aspirational,’ with a universal appeal,’ says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director, Pantone Colour Institute.

The market in India shows strong preference for silver (26.4%), white (23.4%), red (16.1%) and blue (10.9%), with the remaining colours each garnering 6% or less of the market.

In North America, white (17.8%) remains the top colour choice, with black (17%) and silver (16.7%) in second and third place. However, while black’s popularity has gone up by six percentage points from 2005, silver and white have dropped in popularity by about two percentage points over the past five years.

In Europe, the top colour black (27%) continues to gain popularity over silver (19.9%), which is continuing to decline. White is growing in popularity but remains a second tier colour with 10.2% of the market.

Japan saw a wide swing of colour popularity for the year, ultimately aligning more with the North American and European markets. White remained the top colour choice at 28%, dropping 4 points from 2008. Silver dropped five points to 23%, tied with black.

In contrast, the Chinese vehicle market experiences fluctuations in colour preference. Silver rose four points to 36% for the year to remain the top colour, with black dropping eight points to 23% as the second most popular colour.

Bentley Mulsanne: Production starts early next year, European prices to start at £220,000

The new Bentley Mulsanne is likely to cost more than Rs 3.5 crore in India!

Bentley Motors, which unveiled its new flagship model – the Mulsanne – at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance event in August this year, has announced that production of the car will start early next year. Prices for the 2010 Bentley Mulsanne will start at £220,000 (Rs 1.69 crore) in the UK, which means this V8-engined luxury grand tourer is likely to cost more than Rs 3.5 crore when it finally comes to India, which will probably not happen before 2011.

According to Bentley, ‘expression of interest’ in the new Mulsanne easily exceed 2010 production targets for the car, which will be built at the company’s facility in Crewe, in the UK. To give you an idea of exactly how a Bentley Mulsanne is in a different league from, say, a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or a BMW 7 Series car, the Mulsanne will be offered in 114 paint colours, 21 carpet colours, nine wood veneers and 24 interior leather hides. Hand-built to a large extent, each Mulsanne will take up to nine weeks to assemble!

2010 Volkswagen Amarok: First official pics, more details released

The 2010 Volkswagen Amarok - a tough, capable cargo hauler...

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has released the first official images and more details of its new pick-up, the Amarok, which will be available in four-door double cab, and later, single cab versions. The vehicle will be launched in South America, Europe and Australia in 2010.

With a payload capacity of up to 1.15 tonnes, maximum towing limit of 2.8 tonnes and cargo area of 2.52 sq.m., the VW Amarok will be offered with a choice of rear-wheel-drive and switchable or permanent 4MOTION all-wheel-drive. In true pick-up tradition, the vehicle also features body-on-frame construction, with a tough ladder-type chassis that’s optimised for cargo hauling duties.

The Amraok will be available with a choice of 2.0-litre common-rail turbodiesel engines, both of which come with a six-speed manual transmission. Volkswagen currently has no plans of launching this pick-up in India or elsewhere in Asia.

Hyundai now sells the most fuel-efficient cars in America

In the US, Hyundai now leads the race to build more fuel-efficient cars...

Hyundai has come out on top in the latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy report in the US, with the Korean carmaker beating all other major car manufacturers in Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). Hyundai claims it’s now leading the race to achieve the US government-mandated CAFE standard of 35.5mpg (15km/l), which will come into effect from 2016.

‘Our thoughtful application of cost-effective, fuel-efficient technologies has helped us achieve our goal of leading the industry in fuel economy ahead of schedule. Now we hope to extend that leadership with the launch of our new direct injection, turbocharging and lithium-polymer hybrid technologies, all of which will be a part of the 2011 Sonata lineup launching early next year,’ said John Krafcik, President and CEO, Hyundai Motor America.

Here’s a quick look at how various manufacturers fared in the EPA fuel economy report. The figures below represent average fuel economy figures for each manufacturers' range of cars:

Hyundai 12.79km/l
Honda 12.62km/l
Volkswagen 12.58
Toyota 12.49km/l
Kia 11.9km/l
Nissan 11.56km/l
BMW 11.43km/l
Ford 10.92km/l
General Motors 10.41km/l
Chrysler 9.86

Two-wheeler sales in India during November 2009

November was a good month for two-wheeler sales, with almost all manufacturers logging significant growth, though Hero Honda still leads the way by a big margin...

Suzuki Motorcycle India

Suzuki Motorcycle India reported a 47.66% hike in its sales in November 2009, at 14,745 units, as against 9,986 units sold in November 2008. According to the company, the new Suzuki GS150R motorcycle and Access 125 scooter were primarily responsible to the increase in sales. ‘This growth momentum will further accelerate in coming months,’ says Atul Gupta, VP – sales and marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India.

India Yamaha Motor

India Yamaha Motor reported a 2% increase in sales during November 2009, at 17,055 units, as compared to 16,701 units sold in November 2008. ‘We expect the demand to continue at a similar level in the coming months amid improving economic conditions and consumer sentiments,’ says India Yamaha CEO and MD, Yukimine Tsuji.

Hero Honda

Hero Honda reported a 32% hike in sales during November 2009, at 381,378 units, as against 289,426 units sold in November 2008. ‘This is the 11th consecutive month when we have registered sales of over three lakh units. We hope to maintain the momentum in the coming months,’ said Anil Dua, Senior VP - marketing and sales, Hero Honda.

Between April-November 2009, Hero Honda’s cumulative sales stood at 3,037,556 units, a 21% increase over the 2,508,214 units sold in the year-ago period.

TVS Motor

TVS Motor clocked a 23% increase in cumulative sales during November 2009, at 120,844 units, as against 98,402 units sold in November 2008. Between April-November this year, TVS sold more than 989,000 units, as against 917,000 units in the corresponding period last year.

TVS’ domestic sales went up by 38% in November this year, at 106,000, as compared to 77,491 units in November last year. The company sold more than 25,000 scooters and 45,080 motorcycles during November this year.

Bajaj Auto

Bajaj registered an 84% increase in the sale of its motorcycles during November this year, at 242,390 units. Cumulative sales (including scooters), at 276,759 units, were up 73%.

Car sales in India during November 2009

Guess how many CR-Vs Honda sold in India during November this year...

Maruti Suzuki

Maruti Suzuki reported sales of 87,807 units during November this year, an increase of 84% over the sales figure for November 2008. For the period April-November 2009, Maruti’s sales, at 646,139 units, grew 29.4% over the corresponding period in 2008.

In the A2 segment (Alto, Wagon R, Zen, Swift, Ritz and A-Star) Maruti sold 56,005 units during November this year, a 60% hike over the sales figure for November 2008. In the A3 segment (SX4, DZire), Maruti sold 8,741 cars during November this year, a 46.3% increase over sales in the year-ago period. The company’s exports during the month stood at 11,448 units.

The end of November this year also marked another occasion for Maruti – exports of the A-Star (sold as Suzuki Alto all over the world) crossed the 100,000 units mark. The company had started exporting the A-Star/Alto in January this year and the car is now exported from India to 69 countries around the world.

Hyundai India

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) logged cumulative sales (including exports) of 55,265 units during November this year, an increase of 28.5% over November 2008’s figures. Sales in the domestic market during November 2009, at 28,162 units, were up by 92.8% over the sales figures for November 2008. HMIL’s exports, however, fell by 4.6% during November this year, at 27,103 units.

During November 2009, in the A2 segment (Santro, i10, Getz, i20), HMIL sold 50,501 units, the A3 segment (Accent, Verna) comprised 4,748 units, while sales in the A5 segment (Sonata Transform) stood at 15 units. HMIL also sold one unit of the Tucson SUV.

Honda Siel

Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. (HSCI) sold 5,125 cars during November 2009, an increase of 2% over sales in November 2008. During November this year, HSCI sold 3,856 units of the City, 551 units of the Civic, 172 units of the Accord and 546 units of the Jazz. Surprisingly enough, no CR-Vs were sold during the month.

Between April-November this year, HSCI sold 39,555 units – an increase of 31.7% over sales in the year-ago period.

Tata Motors / Fiat

A total of 20,706 Tata and 1,965 Fiat cars were sold in India during November this year, as compared to 14,327 Tata and 285 Fiat cars sold in November 2008. During November 2009, Tata Motors sold 3,406 units of the Nano, 9,111 units of the Indica range, 5,963 units of the Indigo range and a combined total of 2,226 units of the Sumo and Safari range.

Tata Motors’ exports during November this year stood at 3,994 units, an 87% increase over exports in November last year.

In the commercial vehicles segment, Tata Motors sold 29,408 units in the domestic market during November this year, an increase of 81% over sales in the year-ago period. During November 2009, the company sold 16,901 LCVs and 12,507 M&HCVs.

In the meanwhile, Fiat has already sold around 20,000 cars in India during CY 2009, and hopes to close the year with sales of 23,000 units. The company is hopeful of crossing the 50,000 units sales figure in India during 2010.

M&M

Mahindra & Mahindra sold 15,193 units of its utility vehicles during November 2009, as compared to 7,523 units during November last year. However, sales of the Mahindra-Renault Logan declined from 300 units in November 2008 to 279 units in November this year.

M&M’s three-wheeler sales during November 2009 stood at 5,137 units, as against 2,305 units in November 2008. LCV sales went up from 302 units in November 2008 to 778 units in November 2009.

Mahindra’s total domestic sales went up from 10,430 units in November 2008 to 21,387 units during November this year. Exports went up from 525 units to 1,200 units for the same period.

Between April-November 2009, M&M sold 137,603 units of its utility vehicles as against 97,839 units in the year-ago period – an increase of 40%. However, exports for the same period declined by 27%, going down from 7,036 units to 5,089 units.

General Motors India

GMI sold 7,118 units during November 2009, an increase of 65% over the 4,307 units sold in November 2008. During the month, GMI sold 4,202 units of the Chevrolet Spark, 1,264 units of the Chevrolet Tavera, 524 units of Chevrolet U-VA, 412 units of Chevrolet Aveo, 518 units of Chevrolet Cruze, 114 Units of Chevrolet Optra and 84 units of the Chevrolet Captiva.

Skoda Auto India

Skoda Auto India sold 1,425 units during November this year, a 183% increase over the 504 units sold in November 2008.

Ford India

Ford India registered a 13.5% growth in year-on-year sales in November 2009, at 2,520 units, as against 2,219 units during November 2008. 'We will continue to leverage the momentum gained and build on it as we get ready for the launch of the Ford Figo,' said Nigel Wark, executive director, marketing, sales & service, Ford India.

Audi

Audi reported sales of 1,550 cars between January-November this year, as against 974 cars in the corresponding period in 2008. During November 2009, Audi sold 101 cars in India, a 12% hike over the 90 units sold in November 2008.

Volkswagen Polo wins 2010 European Car of The Year Award

The VW Polo is 2010 European Car of the Year!

Volkswagen is definitely on a roll – the German company was voted Europe’s best carmaker last month, and now the VW Polo, which is also scheduled to be launched in India next year, has won the 2010 European Car of the Year (ECOTY) award, edging out vehicles like the Toyota iQ, Opel Astra, Skoda Yeti and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

While the Volkswagen Polo took the 1st spot with 347 points in the 2010 ECOTY, the Toyota iQ stood in 2nd place with 337 points, while the Opel/Vauxhall Astra took 3rd, with 221 points. The ECOTY jury comprised 59 auto journalists from 23 European countries.

‘The new Polo stands for German engineering, craftsmanship and superior cutting edge technology. The fifth-generation Polo was designed to address customer expectations with even greater uncompromising standards. That is why we are naturally very pleased to see our efforts validated in the form of this award,’ said Professor Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management, Volkswagen Group.

ECOTY winners over the last 15 years:

2010 Volkswagen Polo
2009 Vauxhall Insignia
2008 Fiat 500
2007 Ford S-Max
2006 Renault Clio
2005 Toyota Prius
2004 Fiat Panda
2003 Renault Megane
2002 Peugeot 307
2001 Alfa Romeo 147
2000 Toyota Yaris
1999 Ford Focus
1998 Alfa Romeo 156
1997 Renault Megane Scenic
1996 Fiat Bravo / Brava
1995 Fiat Punto