How could a turbocharged, direct injected petrol engine suit an Indian small car?
This is exactly the same question we posed to the head honchos of Ford India at the recent Fiesta media drive in Bangalore. Ford announced the development of a 1-liter, 3cyl Ecoboost engine for compact cars last week which we’re told can produce up to 120hp. This could be suitable for cars like Figo, Ka (pictured) Fiesta and Focus and with the One Ford strategy in place, there’s no way such a lucrative engine will miss the Indian operation’ eye.
But how could such expensive technology be suited to small hatchbacks (next generation Ka, Figo and Fiesta hatch) which are in such price-sensitive segments? With so much reluctance, we’re seeing car manufacturers adopting DOHC and variable valve timing on small cars. How can a car company think of adding a turbocharger or the more expensive direct injection technology when such is the condition?
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A while ago we caught this prototype under testing in Sweden and we were convinced that this was the Felicia revival from Skoda. However, we were quite wrong about our judgment because the car is more than two years away and no one tests a car years away from the production line without any camouflage.
A few months later, more spyshots have surfaced of this mystery test mule. This time it was caught in Munich at a petrol station. So if this is not the Skoda Felicia, then what is it?
Could this be the new Octavia that is being tested? Skoda India has made clear that the Rapid is NOT a replacement to the new Octavia but is an ‘all new’ vehicle just for the developing markets such as India and its neighboring countries. Clearly, the Octavia (called as the Skoda Laura over here) is due for an upgrade shortly.
With the Golf’s front and Octavia’s rear, is this then the Skodawagen Golavia?
Not really.
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It has been quite an eventful year for Audi India. After launching the Audi A8 in early 2011, they launched the supercar R8 with a V10 engine. We expected them to take it slow from there but Audi India immediately launched the A7 and the RS5. The German giant wheel continues turning as Audi India recently announced the commencement of production of their all new executive sedan, the 2011 A6 in India.
Audi India Head Michael Perschke -
The commencement of production of this next generation Audi A6 is in line with our long term strategy for India and is a precursor to its much-awaited launch later this year.
The new Audi A6 will be manufactured in 16 work cycles of 126 individuals. Over 2,000 units are expected annually from the Aurangabad plant where VW family cars like the Jetta, Passat, Superb and Laura are assembled.
The Audi A6 will be launched in September 2011 with an array of petrol and diesel engines. Stay tuned as the story unfolds.
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IAB readers would surely know that Sri Lanka was the first foreign market to get the Tata Nano. After countless meetings with Taiwan, Bhutan and some African countries, Tata Motors finally decided that Sri Lanka would be a perfect market for their little wonder.
However, it seems that the Nano – billed as world’s cheapest car has not touched down on the private car market. Instead, a local company has bought 45 units of the Nano as Taxis. The company has also plans to introduce 200 more Nano Taxies within six months. The Nano Taxi is marketed at a lower price than air-conditioned cabs and as a better alternative to ubiquitous three-wheel taxis (read Bajaj Auto).
The Magic Iris could have done this job better but there’s no way Tata can choose who buys the Nano. Ultimately it is the customer who decides the positioning and target group of a product.
Is this good for the Brand ‘Tata Nano’?
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The Indian Motorist is a very fuel conscious person and for very good reason. We are probably the only nation in the world petrol is more expensive than Jet fuel. With petrol hovering close to Rs 70/Litre, the age old question ‘Kitna Deti Hai?’ has suddenly climbed on the top of the list for new car buyers. Even Car companies are aggressive marketing their fuel efficiency figures to lure customers.
To make the customers understand these fuel efficiency figures better, the government proposed a system of certified fuel efficiency labels a long time ago. However, as is with these bureaucratic decisions, the whole proposition was delayed because the Bureau of Energy Efficiency had to convince the auto giants as well as the road transport and highways ministry.
Finally, after two years since the first announcement, news has come in that Bureau of Energy Efficiency has almost finalized fuel efficiency labeling rules and the pilot project is ready for deployment. Labels on cars are to be voluntary to begin with but will be mandatory by March 2012. The government expects that this comparison of fuel efficiency labels will improve the overall fuel efficiency of the industry by 20-25 percent by 2015.
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As Ford prepares to launch the new Fiesta in July, more information on the vehicle has been shared to Indian media. Before we post the full review we’ll share some interesting facts on the new Fiesta -
- India gets a convex-edged rear view mirrors while America has a dual mirror arrangement
- Ford has changed the horn for India as they believe drivers in India “communicate more.” The tone and clarity has been upgraded for heavy duty cycle. Europe and America have less powerful horns
- Ford has planned to upgrade the display on the dashboard in the future. The backlight could be changed to blue from red. The Indian Fiesta has a display screen between the two dials showing fuel consumption in liters/100km and liters/hour which are absurd to the layman. Regionalization of the Fiesta is being looked into. The Fiesta refresh is a long time away, but these changes are expected.
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When VW announced that it had acquired a 19.9% stake in Suzuki Motors, there was quite literary a stir in the market. Fresh after the Porsche buyout, everyone expected VW to take it slow. However, in its aim to become the number 1 automotive company in the world, VW did not want to leave any stone unturned.
However, we have hardly seen any magic from the JV. Earlier, rumors were buzzing that VW will re-work the Suzuki A-Star and will make its own entry level hatchback. However, as we reported earlier, those plans have been scraped.
Later, the Maruti Suzuki SX4 was launched with a Fiat Multijet. Then the news came, Maruti Suzuki will be deploying the same Fiat Multijet Diesel for the 2011 Swift and Swift Dzire. Clearly, VW TDi engines either proved to be too expensive to procure or had higher maintenance cost. Furthermore, at the high level meeting, the bosses of both companies also discussed the possibility of Fiat subsidiary Magneti Marelli supplying Suzuki in India with an automated manual transmission system.
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Day one of Ford Fiesta deep dive program has drawn to a close and a cosmos of information was unleashed by Ford representatives flown in from America, Australia and Germany who’ve held key positions in the Fiesta project. These experts shared their knowledge on the new Fiesta and a sneak peek into what’s in store for Ford globally. As the event wore on into the late hours, topics shifted from B-Platform vehicles to global products and what experience has taught these skilled individuals in developing not only everyday cars but concept cars, alternative propulsion systems and the like.
I’m going to post photographs of the presentation slides shown from the evening. They contain all possible details and facts of the Fiesta from an engineering angle. IAB brings this to you first!
We’re the first market in the world to receive the new 1.5-liter petrol and diesel engines.
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How could a turbocharged, direct injected petrol engine suit an Indian small car?
