Indian Autos blog

GM India today showcased the Chevrolet Beat Electric Vehicle in a demo program in New Delhi. The Beat EV is part of the ongoing celebrations of World Environment Day and is brought to India to study the feasibility of electric vehicles in major metros.

IAB readers were hinted of this development back in the last week of May 2010 when we said the Beat EV would be internationally relevant and hence a better product to invest on.

GM will start testing the car in India with no definite plans to launch the model. It has a range of 130km and takes about 8 hours to charge completely.

The battery pack is adopted from the Chevrolet Volt which in its concept form was shown at the Auto Expo in New Delhi last year.

GM had tied up with REVA to bring out a Spark EV. The demonstration covered widely by the media, was conducted at last year’s Auto Expo. But soon after Mahindra acquired REVA last year, GM severed ties and said it will pursue an internal EV program which the Beat EV is the result of.

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IAB brings the details first at your doorstep!

Our representative Kaustubh Shinde has reached the Force Motors press conference in Mumbai to to understand the strategy behind the Force’ passenger vehicle plans we’ve talked so much about. He tells us that the launch is just about to begin and the vehicle will be branded “One.”

As suspected, the dealer network retailing this vehicle will be different and is not connected to the commercial vehicle division. Force One will be equipped with a Daimler-sourced 2,134cc 4cyl CRDI engine producing 320Nm or torque and 140bhp of power. The vehicle’s front will be adorned with projector lamps. Localization content on the new SUV is about 75%. The suspension was tuned by UK firm Lotus Engineering.

The Force One will sport a new company logo and will form a part of a new passenger vehicle division. The focus of the company until now has been on rural utilitarian vehicles. The passenger vehicle division is operational from today, while the launch of the Force One is about three-six weeks away. Dealerships will sport a contemporary design.

By the end of next year, Force will have a family MPV on the market with about 98% Indian content and as 2013 ends, a premium SUV built using the selling experience of the One will be introduced. This can serve as the replacement model for One with more features and suited better to the SUV buyer. Force will invest 1,000 crores over the next few years on its automotive business.

Update – The event has drawn to a close and Force has chosen not to display the vehicle today. The launch is expected to unfold in the next 3-6 weeks where we will see the vehicle up close.

An “ardent admirer” of IAB has sent us the complete details of the Etios Liva consisting of the specifications and list of features for the different variants. As this is a reader contribution and even though comprehensive, we have to classify the information as speculation.

The Etios Liva will be presented in four variants (J, G, V and VX) like we predicted with the top-end model having features such as Dual SRS Airbags, ABS, EBD, Immobilizer, Keyless Entry, steering-mounted audio controls, dual tone interiors, leather wrapped steering wheel, alloy wheels and chrome inserts on the grill and door handles.

All variants of the Liva will have a 45 liter fuel tank, 251 liters of luggage volume, disc brakes at the front and drum at the rear and 5-speed manual transmission. Two higher-end variants have 15 inch wheels while the basic variants have 14 inchers.

The J variant is not expected to have power steering, body colored fitments, audio system or even assist grips for passengers. The starter could priced at well under four lakh rupees.

Etios Liva will be available in 7 colors – Vermillion Red, Celestial Black, Serene Bluish Silver, White, Symphony Silver, Harmony Beige and Ultramarine Blue.

In a press release issued this afternoon, TKM (Toyota Kirloskar Motor) announced the launch of the Etios Liva takes place on the 27th of this month. The Liva’s launch was deferred from April to June due to the heavy demand for the sedan.

Sandeep Singh, DMD Marketing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor -

We have delivered more than 20,000 Etios cars as on date. We have successfully reduced the waiting period to less than 1 month by undertaking necessary steps to increase the production. We look forward to a good response for the Etios Liva.

Since its entry into India with the Qualis in the early 2000′s, Toyota has not sold any products in the hatchback space. To brighten things up and gain traction, Toyota will have “a slew of youthful and fun filled activities” in the Liva’s marketing campaign. Like the Etios, the Liva will have a TV ad campaign containing tunes composed by the Mozart of Madras AR Rahman.

Toyota had taken the concept version of the Liva, unveiled at last year’s Auto Expo on a yatra around India. The Q World program exposed the vehicles to over 1 lakh potential buyers, Toyota notes.

IAB had already carried a story listing out the variants. The Liva will be powered by a 1.2-liter DOHC 4-cylinder petrol engine producing 80 bhp power and 104 Nm torque.

IAB reader Jishnu mailed us snaps of the mini Xylo this morning that reveals fresh details of the car. The pictures provide a comprehensive look at the product.

From the images and Jishnu’s email, we understand

1) It will be equipped with stop-start button
2) It will be a 5+2 seater. Jump seats fitted to the rear are strictly for children in the family.
3) A 3 pot engine producing 70hp and 160Nm of torque will be strapped to the vehicle
4) There will be no roof-mounted AC like on the normal Xylo
5) The compact Xylo stands on 205/65/R15 tires
6) Seat backs will have aircraft style trays
7) Spare tire will be mounted on the rear door
The tiny quarter glass behind the jump seat will make it look like a grown up Wagon R

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An unsuspecting group of journalists were given the first look of the Renault Koleos facelift for international markets, expected in India during October last afternoon. Assembled in Delhi to witness the handing over of keys to the Renault’s first customers in India, journalists were briefed on future products by the French delegation.

Slides were projected and without any warning, the scoop appeared in front of us. We were the first in the world to see two images of the Koleos projected on the screen for not more than a few seconds. We are the first blog in the world to show you these photographs.

Renault told IAB that Koleos will be a segment breaker. It will stand in direct competition to crossovers like the Honda CR-V, BMW X1 and SUV’s like the Toyota Fortuner and Chevrolet Captiva. It is expected with a two-liter diesel engine producing around 150HP mated to a 6-speed transmission.

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The details are out of the first contender of the three major hatchbacks (Liva, Brio & Swift) that are expected to hit Indian Auto Market in 2011. It is official – The Toyota Liva will grace us all on the 27th of this month in Delhi. The much anticipated Liva will be the first of the new challengers that are expected to create a stir in the Indian hatchback market.  [ Read More ]

The wait for the most awaited hatchback of 2011 just got a bit longer. As much as IAB wants to get its hands on the 2011 Maruti Suzuki Swift, we are afraid that all of us will have to wait for another quarter for the actual launch. This time, it is the labor-management relationship to blame. The recent Labor-Management standoff at Maruti’s Manesar plant has taken a toll on production.  [ Read More ]