The Suzuki Swift was strangely given a boot in India. So many of my friends did not like its looks once it was launched. The rear tried to replicate the 7 Series while the lines on the side was reminiscent of a Bentley, which was not very convincing. I remember quizzing everyone about the Dzire and some even quit speaking to me when they came to know I liked the Dzire’s looks.
But look at what magnitude of success this car has tasted. It has outdone all its classmates and the predictions of mine in college, selling almost two times the number its nearest competitor managed. Many controversial designs have done well in India. The Mahindra Xylo and the earlier Honda City are also good examples in this case.
The new Chevrolet Spark is a type of car one likes to see, stay as a hatch. It surprisingly holds back most of the concept’s lines, which is a good thing. Even the existing model remained as a hatch through its entire life.
Now news is out that in the future, a sedan variant of the stunning Spark will come out of the Brazilian production line.
click through for more details
Autobild India carried a photoshop mock-up last month of the upcoming new small car from Ford for India and similar markets. The new small car as we reported earlier, will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September with a 1.2-liter petrol and 1.4-liter diesel engine.
The new small car from Ford could be named Splash in India. It is certain that the company has used an older generation Ford Fiesta platform to base this car which will begin at around 3 lakh rupees. The new small car shares components with the existing Fiesta, like the A.C vents, door handles among other small items.
The 2011 Suzuki Swift was spied again, the new shots are more revealing than the previous batch.
The next-generation Suzuki Swift is covered with camouflage but the front grille reveals the new family face that debuted on the Kizashi which was shown last week. The headlights are like the existing ones, I think has grown slightly. Likewise the car must have gained a few cms across and along.
A hybrid variant is also said to be in the works, which needs some deep thinking since space is limited.
In India, the Swift sells with Fiat’s multi-jet engine and also has a sedan variant.
The K-Series engine could find a home under the new Swift’s bonnet. It is early in the game to speculate anything else.
TVS has come up with its new model TVS Flame SR125. It is a 125 cc bike capable of generating 10.5 Bhp@7500 rpm and a maximum of torque of 10nm@ 6000 rpm. The bike comes with a 3 valve CCVTI engine (controlled Combustion –variable timing Intelligent).
This technology, the company claims, provides you a combination of both power and better mileage. The tumble-swirl port combination not only helps in less gear shifting in the city riding but also provides better mileage at the same time.
The fuel tank capacity is only 7.5 litre. The kerb weight of the bike is 123 Kg for the drum version and 126 Kg for the disc one.
The styling of the bike has been improved by the all new body graphics. It also comes up with a wider rear tyre this time helping for achieving better grip on the road. The digital console consists of a bright LCD screen which displays information like ODO meter, trip meter, fuel indicator and clock. There is a new feature in this bike called IMI (intelligent mileage indicator) which tells you the instantaneous mileage of the bike as you ride it. The service reminder indicator is also present in it. The on tank storage is really handy for the storage of small items like a small water bottle or any kind of documents.
click through to read more
The Hyundai i20 was launched with a diesel engine a few weeks back. Customers felt it was priced beyond their expectation and Hyundai was quick to defend themselves citing export content as a reason for higher cost.
Hyundai, as we said before, is planning to launch the i10 with a CRDI 1.1-liter engine. The company is planning to setup a facility for producing engines locally that will bring down the cost of the i10 and the i20 CRDI by up to 15%. At present the CRDI engine is exported and the 1.1-liter engine could also be transplanted to the entry level Santro in the future.
It won’t be a sports bike or the hotly anticipated Ninja.
Battered by the market conditions and the prosperity of its opponents in India, Bajaj is doing whatever it takes to get back on its feet. It plans to launch another motorcycle, which market analysts think would be a bike in the 100-125cc segment.
The new bike would be Bajaj’s attempt to put some speed breakers in the path of the Splendor and Passion motorcycles from Hero Honda, which rule the roost.
Bajaj has a meager 9% market share in the 100cc segment while its rival Hero Honda has 80%. It had launched the Discover 100cc motorcycle last month to give it some hope of moving ahead and not losing more to HH. The 100cc segment contributes to one-third of the total motorcycle market in India.
Hero Honda’s 100cc models are CD Dawn, CD Deluxe, Splendour, and Passion while Bajaj has just the Discover and Platina. Naturally, progress will happen only if Bajaj fattens its line-up.
With the new launches, Bajaj hopes to inch towards its previous overall 2-wheeler market share of 36%, which now has slipped to 21%.
Tata Motors says it will deliver up to 60,000 units of the ultra-cheap Nano, by July 2010, Touted as the world’s cheapest car, the Nano is getting its passport prepared to wade international waters after the mother plant Sanand reaches completion.
Ratan Tata said the new Sanand plant will be ready by the financial year end and it would have a capacity of 250,000 units per year.
The Nano is currently manufactured at the Pantnagar facility, where the Ace pickup truck is made, which has an annual capacity of 50,000 cars.
The company says the first 1,00,000 deliveries will be completed by October-December 2010 from both the facilities.
click on the post title to read more
Wishes of common man answered!
My Envisage
The dream that was vision in 2003 from the glass of the back bench of the ultra luxury car, seeing a family of 4 souring in the rain on the scooter has been realised on 18th July 2009 when Chairman of Tata Motors, Ratan Tata hands over the key of the first “Nano car” or “People’s Car” or “The world’s cheapest car” to Ashok Raghunath Vichare in Mumbai.
That indeed is one of the greatest achievements in Indian automobile Industry and auto Industry across the globe. This engineering marvel depicts a part of a “new breed of 21st-century cars” that embodies “a contrarian philosophy of smaller, lighter, and cheaper” and potentially portrays a new era in inexpensive personal transportation.
“Don’t we owe a salute to Mr. Ratan Tata getting the wishes of common man answered”
Behind the Steering
This weekend while driving my Chevy Optra Magnum Diesel 2.0 LT I was wondering, what is the reason behind this car not having the sale number it deserves?
click on the title to continue reading
