Archive for June, 2009

Test Drive – Mahindra Xylo E6 Part 1/2

Mahindra Xylo 2 - 1

When I had gone to pick up the Mahindra Xylo from the parking lot, I wasn’t that excited, had not seen the Xylo in depth like Shrawan did during the launch, all I got were glimpses of it on the Mumbai roads.

I expected the Xylo to be another Mahindra product like the Bolero and Armada. To my surprise initially the Xylo didn’t look anything like a Mahindra, looked much different and up market, the design not so conventional, the tall stance hinted it was a vehicle bigger than the Scorpio. I won’t stress much on that as I have done it already in the initial report.

So, let’s see what the Xylo has up its sleeve.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 30th, 2009 and filed under Car Reviews, Mahindra, Mahindra xylo

Jazz Update – 1,800 test drive requests in 2 days; 1,000 booked in week 1

Jazz Update – 1,800 test drive requests in 2 days; 1,000 booked in week 1

Honda is also somewhat successful in this as they have received around 1,800 test drive requests in 2 days with help of banners etc on related sites.

The ads are displayed on Yahoo India, Rediff, IBNlive, In.com and on Indian Autos Blog too.

1800 test drive requests in 2 days is a good figure but the big question is actually how many people turn up to take the test drive and eventually how many of them are going to purchase the car. We’ll get to know about it soon.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 30th, 2009 and filed under Honda, honda jazz

New VW Polo records 24,000 pre-launch bookings in Germany

New VW Polo records 24,000 pre-launch bookings in Germany

The new VW Polo is making headlines already. Infrastructure is being put in place for the roll-out of the Indian Polo, overseas, it is getting ready to attack its segment players in a grand manner.

During this period of recession when it’s tough to expect even a 1,000 pre-launch bookings, the New Polo has scored 24,000 which is definitely some kind of achievement.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 30th, 2009 and filed under Volkswagen

Question of the day

Indian Autos Blog is all about innovation. Almost.

Today, we present you with the inaugural post of a daily section which revolves around cars and bikes. From today, every week day, we will quiz you with teasers, images and questions. Along with the question the following day, we will post the answer to the previous day’s question with the winner’s name.

Sounds like fun to us. Today’s question is simple as it sounds – Identify this car.

Clue – It is sold in India.

Wondering where to write your answers? Obviously! Click on the title of this post and enter your answer in the comment box that appears below.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 30th, 2009 and filed under QOTD

The Suzuki Swift Motorsport gets sportier

The Suzuki Swift Motorsport gets sportier

Suzuki introduces the Suzuki Swift Motorsport edition.

Good things are always hard to find, and so is the Suzuki Swift Motorsport edition launched in France. Only 40 units are made available.

The limited edition Suzuki Swift Motorsports model is fully loaded with 17 inch alloys, stainless steel pedals, a leather steering, front fog lamps, spoiler, dual exhausts and large air inlets.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 29th, 2009 and filed under Suzuki

Tata cuts expenditure; Prima and other future models delayed

Tata cuts expenditure; Prima and other future models delayed

The acquisition of Jaguar-Land Rover by the Tata’s for $2.3 Bn was a costly mistake. It recently posted the first loss in 8 years. So the end result? Guess what! No funds for new projects.

The recently-unveiled (during 2009 Geneva Auto Show) D-segment sedan Prima has been put on hold. However, Tata Motors is gearing up to roll out the sedan version of the Indica Vista by Q1 FY10. It will be manufactured at the new Fiat-Tata joint venture plant at Ranjangaon and is expected to be priced at around Rs. 5 lakh. (Swift Dzire are you listening?).

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 29th, 2009 and filed under Tata

Volkswagen could take Suzuki’s help in making budget small cars

Volkswagen could take Suzuki’s help in making budget small cars

Thanks to its expertise in small cars, Suzuki has been the second largest car maker in Japan and its subsidiary Maruti Suzuki has a 54 % market share in India.

Tata Motors’ Nano priced at around $3,500 has also provoked great interest across the globe. Car makers are following the footsteps of the Indian car maker in making something similar.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 29th, 2009 and filed under Small cars, Volkswagen

Would Renault learn from its mistakes this time?

Would Renault learn from its mistakes this time?

The deteriorating sales of Logan hasn’t deterred Renault’s aggressive plans of producing cars at its Chennai plant by 2011. According to Mr Marc Nassif, Country General Manager, Renault India, Renault globally has small cars, sedans and sport-utility vehicles, its just that they have to select the right model that’s best for India.

Renault is expected to launch its first compact hatchback next year, followed by a notchback in 2011 (possibly the Sandero and its derivative). Renault has frozen investments in its JV plant with Nissan at Chennai, but it could use that facility.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 29th, 2009 and filed under Renault

Jaguar Land Rover comes to India; Details, 190 exclusive images from the event

Jaguar Land Rover India Mumbai Launch 171

Tata Motors acquired JLR some time back but only today did they formally introduce the JLR brand in India at a lavish brunch event at The President.

The function was presided over by the chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors Mr Ratan Tata, Mr Ravi Kant Vice Chairman Tata Motors, Mr P.M.Telang MD Tata Motors, Mr David Smith CEO Jaguar Land Rover, Mr Phil Popham MD Land Rover, Mr Mike O Dricoll MD Jaguar and Mr Ravi Dube President Passenger Cars Tata Motors.

The event was attended by a large number of people, every big media company had its representative there.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 28th, 2009 and filed under Jaguar, Tata, land rover

Paint booth issues affect Palio production; Why make it in the first place?

Paint booth issues affect Palio production; Why make it in the first place?

News that Fiat Palio sales are sagging, is not new. But why is Fiat still persistent on selling its oldest model in India?

Minor cosmetic changes didn’t help Fiat when it had launched the upgraded Palio a couple of years back. Even the addition of 1.3 L multijet to its engine portfolio didn’t improve its prospects much (maybe it was too late?).

Fiat Palio sales has nosedived to just 388 units during Jan-Apr ’09 down 72% Y-o-Y. However the management states that problems arising from the incapable paint shop as the reasons for decline in sales. Whatever the management says, its high time Fiat brings in the new small car to achieve its sales target of two lakh cars by 2014.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 27th, 2009 and filed under Fiat

Spied – First image of Hyundai i40 rear undisguised

Based on what we’ve heard and what we can make out from this low-resolution picture, the rear portion of the Sonata YF is tidy, sharp, fluid, poised, brisk, funky, cool and a whole lot of other things.

Did the design engineers of the Hyundai i40 derive all their inspiration from the Indian Ocean?

Even the spy shots portray how the car flows from bumper to bumper. Would I be wrong if I said this is the most stunning car Hyundai’s ever made?

We can’t repeat the details an specifications of the i40, we’ve done it over and over, you just have to read our earlier posts under the Hyundai Sonata YF/i40 category to learn more.

You’ll gain a world of knowledge by doing so.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 27th, 2009 and filed under Hyundai, Hyundai Sonata YF, Spy pictures

Spied again – New Fiat Grande Punto

Spied again – New Fiat Grande Punto

In the form of the Grande Punto, Indians have got a brand new car to boast about. Very soon, people in other countries will also receive one, and that car would arrive in India say in two years time.

By then, an all-new Grande Punto would have penetrated markets overseas. And the story continues.

Bottom line – many manufacturers unload the old, somewhat outdated stuff into India. Note, I’m not taking anything away from Fiat or the Grande Punto.

Neither am I referring to Maruti Suzuki who lived most of their life in India by introducing ‘new’ cars that were already an average grandfather’s age.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 27th, 2009 and filed under Fiat, Fiat Grande Punto, Spy pictures

Skoda Yeti – Launch scheduled for the 2010 Delhi Auto Expo?

Skoda Yeti – Launch scheduled for the 2010 Delhi Auto Expo?

Sources tell us the Skoda Yeti SUV will be Skoda’s next big launch in India. The Yeti will be displayed at the country’s biggest occasion for car enthusiasts and manufacturers – the 2010 Delhi Auto Expo

The Skoda Yeti which was shown at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show is set to arrive in Indian showrooms in early 2010. It expected to be priced in range of Rs 10-12 lakhs and would become the first SUV launched by a non-Indian auto maker in that price bracket.

Read More

See Also:
Entry posted on June 26th, 2009 and filed under Skoda
Next Page »
« Home