Indian Autos blog

The old adage is very fitting in this situation – A fool with a tool is still a fool.

The Chevrolet Aveo hatchback (U-VA in India) is an intelligent car. OK, you don’t get a lot of power or wheelspin. You get a basic hatchback with a lot of space and rear legroom. In short, this car fits the bill perfectly if you and your pals are seeking a getaway vehicle after committing a bank robbery.

Our good friend John over at the car connection lays the rest out in a perfect manner -

But if you’re going to use it (Aveo) for a getaway, hang onto your car keys after you rob that bank.

Neglecting that handy hint landed a gang of four robbers in the clink in the town of Bear, Delaware, yesterday, after one of them locked the keys to his Chevrolet Aveo in the bank they had just robbed.

Three men wearing wigs, along with one woman, entered the Artisans Bank yesterday morning just after 9 am. They fired a shot into the ceiling, tied up two employees with duct tape, and herded six others into a bathroom.

After forcing an employee to get money from the vault and teller drawers, they fled–leaving the car keys inside. Once they realized they couldn’t get back inside, the female getaway driver pulled up in a Ford Escort and sped them away.

The police soon after tracked down the Ford Escort and arrested the convicts. Now they all are going to have a certain reunion sparked by a show stealing act. In jail.

Moral one of the story – Don’t rob a bank

Moral two of the story – Don’t use an Aveo Don’t forget the keys in the car

Moral three of the story – An old Ford Escort is much slower than the modern day state-of-the-art police vehicle

German luxury car maker Audi will start assembling its Q5 SUV in India by March 2010. The German company is expecting a big boost in sales as the vehicle’s price tag is expected to come down.

The company will use the Aurangabad facility where it assembles the A4 and A6 at present. A new line will be setup which would have an annual capacity of 500 Q5s per year.

Audi India Managing Director Benoit Tiers -

“We have already sold 1,128 units this year. If everything goes well, I hope and we have a good chance to sell 1,700-1,800 cars in 2009, which will be an increase of about 70 per cent.”

In a land far away from India, preparations have started for the production of a special Grande Punto variant which runs on LPG.

In the Serbian factory of Kragujevac, equipment is getting in place for the production of the eco-friendly variant later this month.

The Grande Punto is not new to such alternate fuels. Only last year in Italy, a Grande Punto that runs on natural gas was introduced.

Whatever Mahindra’s world car proclaims itself to be, it is going to be a fantastic product full of features and technology. The latest offering – Xylo – has all the features in the world – items like the DDAS, foldable-bed-seats were very handy during our test drive.

Climate control, a LCD display, cruise control and a pile of other gadgets and gizmos are anticipated on Mahindra’s world car scheduled for 2011. The world car is also Mahindra’s first monocoque frame vehicle. Till now, Mahindra relied on the old school body-on-frame construction which has plenty of drawbacks.

Our photoshop wizard SRK, has brought out Mahindra’s world car with sketches of the Xylo, Bolero and Scorpio in his drawer. This car will be Mahindra’s biggest SUV and an effective vehicle to explore the West. It is safe to expect petrol engines and possibly a Scorpio hybrid-inspired hybrid powertrain apart from the regular CRDI powerplant.

If there is one company who knows how and where to place their products perfectly, it’s definitely Maruti Suzuki. When you think there is no space left or no new product can merge into the existing portfolio, Maruti rises and comes out with the product, successfully.

Few months back when Ritz was to be introduced, everybody was speculating where it would be placed. Some said it would be placed between Wagon R & Swift and some said it would be placed above the Swift as an answer to i20 & Jazz.

To every one’s surprise Maruti launched it in the price bracket of Swift, again every body said it would cannibalize Swift sales and again Maruti proves everybody wrong.

70% of Swift sales account for Diesel and rest Petrol but when it comes to Ritz its other way round, 70% of its sales account for Petrol and rest Diesel.

Rather than Ritz cannibalizing Swift sales, it is conquering the market where Swift was doing less.

The reason for the same is introduction of brilliant K-Series Petrol engine in Ritz which is very frugal and because it’s a 1.2 ltr engine, the Ritz in turn also becomes applicable for excise benefits which further sweetens the deal it its favor.

If the Swift gets the same K-Series engine, will the line distinguishing the two products become thinner?

You never know. Maruti might have an answer to prove that is false too.

For now all I have to say is its Ritzing Swiftly…!

To revel a century of Suzuki’s operations, a new limited edition version of the strongly established Suzuki Swift hatchback was launched in New Zealand market.

Based on the Swift GLX version, the Swift RS features 15-inch aluminium alloy wheels, a rear upper spoiler, front fog lamps, smoked reflector headlamps and RS monikers.

Interiors get a dash of freshness with sports bucket front seats covered in Alcantara upholstery.

A leather wrapped steering wheel has silver stitching, the list also includes climate air conditioning, keyless starting and entry and electrically folding door mirrors with indicators inserted.

Exteriors:-

The Captiva is one of the most handsome looking SUVs money can buy. Look at those big chunky head lamps, roof rails and huge OVRm’s which provide awesome visibility.

Stand in front of it and you realize its imposing dimensions. The most attractive part is its front-end. But the same can’t be said about its rear which is absolutely plain and makes you feel like it’s a MUV rather than a SUV.

click on the post title to read the rest

Hyundai Assan, a joint venture between South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd and Turkish industrial conglomerate Kibar Holding, will begin manufacturing the Hyundai i20 in Turkey from May 2010.

The Hyundai i20 will roll out of a plant in the northwestern industrial city of Izmit, with a $75 million investment.

The plant’s maximum annual capacity is 80,000 units a year in the first phase, and 70,000 of those models are for consumption of other European countries.

Production at the Chennai plant was bogged down due to labor strikes. Further, India was not part of any free trade agreement with European nations which was an unfavorable condition.

However, Hyundai will continue to churn out vehicles for non-European markets like Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America and other South East Asian countries from its Chennai plant.

Source – Wall Street Journal