Archive for September, 2009

First TV Commercial of Mahindra Pik-Up on air in Australia

‘Made for the hardest places on earth’

That is the tag line given to the Mahindra Pik-up (Scorpio Getaway) in Australia. Synchromesh Marketing with clients like BMW and Volkswagen, is the one behind this ad.

The Mahindra Pik-Up was launched in Australia in 2007 and what you see here is the first advertisement of the vehicle which went on air in TV channels of Australia. It depicts the refreshed Pik-up‘s unshakable in any adverse conditions and serves its purpose without a jerk.

Claire Tynan, CEO of Mahindra Automotive Australia -

TV is the easiest way to achieve wider reach and to catch the attention of the masses

Mahindra is excited about the campaign and expects boost in sales, IAB will keep an eye on that as well.

Modulo and Mugen kit for 2010 Honda CR-V

2010_Honda_CR-V_Modulo- 1Honda CR-V, a product that shares many features with the Honda Civic is still not the best seller or ‘the’ SUV in the Indian market.

To make it a more tempting buy, Modulo and Mugen are offering accessories to both the US-spec and UK-spec 2010 Honda C-RVs.

The new CR-V on the block will feature new front and rear bumpers which are definitely more sporty, new grille and 19 inch alloys.

Along with those goodies, you also get a new exhaust system, side skirts, roof spoiler plus a pressure monitoring system by Mugen.

You must check the pictures after the break to understand the additions.

Nissan 370Z arrives in India in January 2010

Nissan 370z

The Nissan 370Z’s intentions in India were traced after it appeared on the list of Nissan cars for our country in the slides projected during the launch of the new X-Trail and Teana.

Now, a company official has spoken and confirmed the 370Z’s arrival in January next year (Auto Expo?)

Hover Automotive India (marketing partner of Nissan, India), vice-chairman, G M Singh -

Nissan will launch its sports car 370Z in the Indian market and is expected to be rolled out in January 2010

The arrival of the 330hp Nissan 370Z isn’t going to send Mahindra or Tata back to their drawing boards as prices are expected to surpass even the existing products in the Nissan lineup. The company agrees the market for such an expensive sports car isn’t flourishing, but on the long run, it’ll help make an extra buck or two.

first-production-cruze

The upcoming Chevrolet Cruze’s Delta 2 platform already underpins the Chevrolet Volt and the new Vauxhall/Opel Astra. GM is not putting it to rest anytime soon as the number of vehicles on the field with the Cruze’s architecture is about to increase.

Australian car maker Holden’s partner Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), is embarking on a truly exciting journey. They are going to develop a performance car using the Cruze’s platform. The specifications have not been frozen and design also is in the early stages.

To tap the most out of the structure, HSV’s engineers are currently studying every aspect of the Cruze car to estimate how much of punishment it can handle, a critical stage in a performance car’s life .

Only after the study will the design of the car be determined – whether the end result will be a sedan or a hatchback.

HSV Managing director Phil Harding -

We’re looking at it from a business case, don’t ask me when or what engine, but I know what it can look like because our styling department is working on it

Porsche Panamera debuts in India on October 1

Panamera_India

The Indian debut of the Porsche Panamera takes place on the 1st of next month in the country’s financial capital. Though the prices or the trim levels have not been confirmed, it is widely believed that the base model will set you back by a cool 1.4 crore rupees.

As we reported earlier, Porsche has a target of 50 Panameras this year and the company has already managed to convince 13 buyers to book one even before its official unveiling.

We’ll bring you more information and high resolution photographs from the launch floor on October 1st, so stay tuned.

chevrolet_cruze_2.0_VCDi

The 125PS diesel-engined Chevrolet Cruze uses the same 2.0-liter engine that otherwise makes 150. The tuning is performed to put the Cruze in the band of vehicles which qualify for lesser taxes on the roads of the UK.

The underpowered detuned Cruze comes in two trims — entry-level S model is equipped with air conditioning, electronic stability control, a CD-radio with auxiliary input socket, front electric windows, remote central locking, a Thatcham approved alarm and electrically adjustable heated door mirrors as standard.

The Cruze LS on the other hand retains all the above equipment and along with comes electric rear windows, 16-inch alloy wheels, chrome grille surround, rear park assist, steering wheel audio controls and a leather-covered steering wheel and gear knob.

click through to read the press release

2009-Kawasaki-Ninja-250R-red

The cat is out of the bag. The hotly anticipated Kawasaki Ninja 250R will be launched in Pune on the 5th of next month marking the second approach of Kawasaki into India.

Bajaj, after going through a rough patch, recovered strongly after its Discover motorcycle surpassed milestones and in turn it bettered its overall sales compared to the previous year. As per our friends in the motorcycle circle, the new Ninja is arguably the most anticipated bike. Thousands of them are waiting to get on its saddle and take it for a spin.

What this means is the numbers are only going to read better.

click through for a 36 image Ninja 250R Slideshow and to read more

Suzuki_GSX-R125_1

If Yamaha could save itself by introducing a bike that shared a common vein with the lord of all performance motorcycles – R1 – why not Suzuki introduce the GSX-R125 and get themselves in a position with immense scope to get a considerable edge over Yamaha, as the bigger Gixxers would have already hit the road.

Suzuki in its second innings in India, has moved the right coins. Having launches the Hayabusa and Intruder motorcycles, it is waiting for the festive season to pickup to release the Gixxers. Suzuki is also working on scooters, some of which could be performance oriented.

The GSX-R125 spied here is not very far away from its launch. It will come with a 15bhp 125cc water cooled four stroke engine. It will weigh a feather and its rear disc brakes prompts a decent acceleration and top speed figure.

The big question here is if Suzuki have thought of the performance starved Indian market in the bike’s launch roster.

click through to view the additional images