Indian Autos blog

General Motors launched a special edition Chevrolet Aveo with a host of new features in Delhi today. The best part of the special edition is it costs the same as the donor car, ie – More VFM.

The new set of features include useful items like leather upholstery, airbag, ABS and height adjustable driver’s seat. The change we would like to see on the Aveo would be refreshed exteriors and a diesel engine under the bonnet.

click past the break to read the press release and images.

Peugeot-Citroen is planning a global sub-compact car for India, Brazil, China and Iran as well. Peugeot is deciding to build a plant for manufacturing this car either in Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh

The company was present earlier in India from 1994-97, shut shop due to labor trouble and left to pursue interests overseas. But this time around, the company has better plans and ideas.

It is rumored that Brazil and Iran will first get this car in 2012 followed by India and China in 2013. Before the introduction of this compact, the company would sell cars imported from Europe. It would arrive in the form of CKDs and CBUs, but right now, things are still in the planning stage.

click through to read more

Its Official!

The much awaited Hyundai i40/Sonata YF will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show next year. Interestingly the dates of the show (January 11-24) overlap with the Delhi Auto Expo. It will be interesting to see if Hyundai displays a model here for us.

The new Hyundai i40 has been spied many times, we’ve brought scores of spyshots and renderings. We’ll have our version of the car up in the course of next week.

The Hyundai Sonata YF will make it to India next year. Its futuristic design will go down well with Indian consumers. It must be priced correctly, at the end of the day let us remember this is a Hyundai and in India, it makes small cars.

The base model will use a 4-cylinder engine direct injection technology will be utilized. The engine options of the next Sonata has been discussed in depth here before.

The largest electric car plant in the world with an annual capacity of 30,000 cars is to be set up in India by Reva Electric Car Company.

The Bangalore based company after investing U.S $6.1 million for the new facility starting in the first quarter of the next year, expects the idea of green energy will gain rapid popularity in India too.

The Reva can accommodate 4 and is powered by a 3 phase AC induction motor which produces quick acceleration. But that’s about it.

In India, the Reva costs around Rs 350,000 and in the UK around $12,200, which is cheaper as compared to the rivals in this category. It targets 2,000 cars this year, it did a quarter of that number the previous year.

The model loaded with a lead acid battery can travel upto 80 km in single charge and the the one with a Li-Ion battery pack can travel upto 120km and charges faster.

Reva’s direct competitor Bavina cars announced its plans of 25,000 unit annual capacity EV plant in Tamil Nadu last week.

Skoda has confirmed its SUV Yeti which was put on show at the Geneva Motor Show earlier will make it into India through the form of CKDs and assembled at the company’s facility in Aurangabad next year.

This is the exact same procedure the company adopts for some of its other products.

Skoda said it would reveal the car locally during the Auto Expo in Delhi next year and subsequently put it in the market. The Yeti is presented with petrol and diesel engines in Europe and only after the feasibility study is complete, will they come to a decision about the choice of engines for India.

The company will continue with its existing service network and in the future plans to work with VW and Audi’s infrastructure for a wider after-sales service network.

Should its price be around the 10 lakh mark, it will be a bargain.

Temperatures are on higher side during this time of the year in Kuwait. Aston Martin engineers believed this was the finest place to try out the forthcoming Aston Martin Rapide, putting it through some heat testing and logging the response.

The Aston Martin Rapide was cruising on the streets of Kuwait when one attentive car buff took out his cam and began filming. The car was partly camouflaged.

Tata Motors has announced that its Pantnagar production plant which is manufacturing the first batch of Nanos, will continue to roll out cars even after the mother plant in Sanand, Gujarat is ready next year.

Tata Nano‘s distribution to dealers around India will be taken care of by a new company – Tata Motors Distribution.

Meanwhile, the first Nano will be delivered to its customer today. More information is awaited in the coming hours.

Bentley announced the launch of two of its new four-door models in the Indian market – The new Continental Flying Spur and the Continental Flying Spur Speed. These two new additions will be sold alongside the two-door Continental GT and the Arnage R.

Before we talk about the new arrivals, we thought it would be appropriate to comment on the Press Release that we received from Bentley in this regard. The press release categorically mentions that the Continental Flying Spur is the “Fastest car in the world”..

click through to read more