The sight this evening at a fuel station in Aurangabad, Maharashtra – Image – Rohit L. Choudhari

There are a few causes for this change in prices, but the main one is the depreciation of the rupee that led to a jump in oil bill.

How badly will this affect sales of petrol cars? The immediate effect will be harsh and it will take time for the market to absorb this impact.

What are your thoughts on this petrol price hike, which is perhaps the biggest ever in a single day?

[Image Source - ngm.nationalgeographic.com]

[can't see the slideshow above? Head over to the Youtube page for direct viewing]

As you would have guessed by now, the new theme park draws its inspiration from the two blockbuster ‘Cars’ movies. The theme park officially opens on June 15th in Disney’s California Adventure, and will feature an exact replica of fictitious Radiator Spring town where the whole Cars movie was shot in.

So are you ready to take a ride of Radiator Springs?

Brihanmumbai Muncipal Corporation (BMC) is carrying out a drive in which you would have to pay a 4.5% octroi on your vehicle if it is being used in Mumbai and registered outside. Vehicles bearing the registration number MH 01, MH 02, MH 03 belong to Mumbai, any other number conveys that your vehicle is registered elsewhere and might attract the eyes of the officials.

It is mandatory for every vehicle to pay an octroi fee before being registered in the city. Usually people purchase the vehicle and get it registered in Thane or Vashi as it saves them anywhere around Rs.10,000 to Rs.20,000.

New car owners will have to take care that they pay the octroi amount before getting the vehicle within city limits. In case you buy a second hand car and the previous owner hasn’t paid the dues, you’ll be responsible for it. BMC had earlier carried out a similar drive and collected around Rs. 3.25 crore. This time the officials expect to collect around Rs. 10 crore with this initiative.

Rajiv Jalota, additional municipal commissioner also said that “If they don’t pay the octroi, then they will be fined 10% of the car’s cost. They may even face criminal case against them”.

What is yet to be understood is on what basis the vehicles are fined.

[Source - Hindustantimes.com]

The ‘Zotye Z100′ is an unlicensed replica of our Maruti A-Star or the Suzuki Alto as it is known elsewhere. This was something we were already expecting, but not at this price point.

Seems like 90% of the development cost could have just been on the following items:

• 1 Suzuki Alto (A-Star)
• 1 screw-driver set
• 1 measuring tape

No wonder they have been able to price it at 23.8-25.8K Yuan (2-2.2 lakh rupees), or at half the price of the original Chang’an Suzuki Alto that is sold in China.

If you think ‘Zotye’ sounds familiar, you’re right. That’s the same company that supplies Premier with the Rio’s CKD kits, which in turn is a modified Daihatsu Terios, Zotye acquired the license to produce.

The Fiat ‘Multipla’ has become the Zotye ‘Multiplan’. The next set of cars they have targeted to resell are previous gen Fiats (Palio, Doblo, Strada, Siena) and Hyundai Veracruz. But many of them mentioned here are at least with the made with original tooling and manufacturing rights. Seemed like a much better direction to head in, until they launched the Z100.

It does trouble me to know that the Chinese are setting out to land on the moon very soon. Hope they don’t make a cheap copy of that too!

[Source: AutoHome.com.cn and CarNewsChina.com]

However, as we know, the Hummer is no more. GM dismantled the Hummer brand because it had becomes to nonviable to sustain.

But good news for the Hummer fans! Dongfeng Motor Corporation, which is one of the big 3 auto manufacturers in China, has showcased a Hummer H3 clone at the Beijing Motor Show. Costing roughly about 1 million RMB (about 83 lakhs INR), the Dongenfeng HUV comes pretty close to the Hummer H3. Every component on Dongenfeng HUV is made in China apart from the engine which is a Cummins diesel made by Dongfeng in China under license from Cummins USA.

[Source: Chinacartimes.com]

DC’s creation – Tarzan (a 2 seater sports car) also had a Bollywood flick named ‘Tarzan – the Wonder Car’ dedicated to it. And how can you forget Avanti – India’s first supercar arriving from the DC stable.

Two new creations from DC’s stable have caught our eye – Toyota Fortuner Lounge and Mahindra Thar.

First up is the Toyota Fortuner Lounge which is an Über exclusive SUV with the comforts of a Rolls Royce Phantom. While the front fascia is a bit controversial (read weird), on the inside it’s a whole new game!

The whole interior now features a cool blue and white trim. A normal Fortuner carries at least 7 seven people in reasonable comfort. The Toyota Fortuner Lounge only carries 2 in the highest level of luxury. The second and the third row has been replaced by two massive 24-inch captain’s chairs. These seats are fully powered and at the touch of a button can recline a full 150 degrees.

TV inside the car is so bourgeois. Thus, DC has fitted the Fortuner lounge with iPads which slot into the front seat backs. The iPads also control various aspects of the interior such as the seating and lighting. How much for all this malarkey, you ask? Your Fortuner can be customized to the Fortuner Lounge for a pricey sum of Rs 8.25 lakhs

Moving on to the customized Thar. While the Fortuner still retains the DNA of the donor car, the Mahindra Thar has been completely revamped to create an urban convertible off-roader. The traditional Jeep body of the Thar has been ditched in favor of a custom fibreglass body.

The normal Thar features a very utilitarian interior. But this DC Thar has modernized interiors with full black upholstery, an LCD entertainment system in the centre console and a set of sporty pedals.

Of course, to keep you cool in summers, the DC Thar packs in an air-conditioning unit. The best feature by far is the targa roof for some wind-in-your-hair motoring. Want one? Keep 10 lakhs handy.

What do you think about these two custom vehicles?

Don’t forget to see live images of both the cars in our slideshow:

Cant see the slideshow? Head to our Flickr page

[Source: Zigwheels.com]

We’ve been glued to models like the 2014 Volkswagen Passat and models preceding it like the Renault Duster and Ford EcoSport in Indian spec for the last few months. The endeavor to bring you the future is constant and in the following months, we’d love to learn about the following vehicles.

1) Next generation Volkswagen Polo/Skoda Fabia

The MQB era has dawned and two hot properties for the Volkswagen Group in compact car markets like India in the next three-four years are the twins that call Chakan their hometown. Development of the new Fabia and Polo have certainly begun in Wolfsburg.

The Polo could come with features seen on bigger Volkswagens. Cylinder management technology is already ready for deployment while the radar-based city safety system that detects obstacles and brakes automatically is available on the Up!. This is expected to feature on the Polo as well. Engine refinement is the only grouse for diesel customers and a four-cylinder engine is the only cure to this problem.

Volkswagen should have done its research and known that rear seat travel is frequent and popular in India. A flatter floor and a longer wheelbase are changes Polo enthusiasts want to see apart from more powerful headlights. Volkswagen needs to introduce a screen in the car that controls audio system, cabin temperature, navigation, and doubles up as a TV screen during the IPL tournament!

2) Honda Brio platform derivatives?

There’s no word on the future derivatives of the Brio platform. A sedan bodied on a longer wheelbase maybe the best way to sweep off Dzire or Etios customers. Make it look like a City and the job is half done! Honda is said to be working on a 1.2-liter diesel engine which tuned to produce higher outputs can be easily compatible with the sedan.

Honda’s priorities have changed after the twin disaster in 2011. Delivering cars on time and keeping interest alive in its products remains its two highest priorities. A realistic chance is seeing Honda bring replacements to update its current fleet. The CR-V and Civic successors are available and can be launched anytime. Beyond these two models and the Accord replacement, will Honda decide to join the party? Honda fans are waiting patiently!

3) Next generation Ford Figo

Ford’s new KA, based on the B-Platform is being developed somewhere in the world. As you read this, Ford engineers are studying mockups or evaluating interiors. In our minds, hot debates on the variants, materials and components are raging between members of different design teams.

An early representation of this model could be the Start Concept showcased a few years ago in China.

Brazilian media reports claim that a sedan using this platform is also in the pipeline to replace the Fiesta Classic. We’re hopeful that Ford will use the capacity in the Sanand manufacturing plant to manufacture this small car in 2014 or 2015. The 1-liter EcoBoost engine is a great idea alongside the newly developed 1.5-liter engine from the Fiesta. This could be the closest we’ll get to driving the too-expensive-for-India Fiesta hatch.

[Image Credit - Caranddriverbrasil.uol.com.br]

4) Replacement/Facelift for Chevrolet Spark

GM India is coming out with an announcement for the Chevrolet Spark in the second half of 2012. This could be a comprehensive visual overhaul without any important changes under the bonnet. Will this facelift sport the twin port Chevy grille seen on some of the new models or is there more to this story?

A couple of years ago, it was said that General Motors is developing a small car for the A Segment. We’ve not heard about this project since the time the Nano began its roller coaster sales performance. Can this elusive A-Segment Chevy be back in focus and replace the slow-selling Spark? The Eon and Maruti’s new 800cc ambitions have realized the gold buried in this segment. Chevy needs more than just the Spark to unearth it.

5) Next generation Skoda Laura

Codenamed A7, production of the next generation Laura could begin in the Aurangabad CKD plant sometime in the second half of 2013. We’re not expecting surprises under the skin, the same 2-liter TDI and 1.8-liter TSI are going to stay on until a new generation of engines are ready. The Laura is more popular than its cousin Jetta and hence it stands a better chance of giving the Corolla a run for its money. Can we see a productionized version of the VisionD or is Skoda having other ideas?

A rare track day, open to the public, provided unadulterated supercar entertainment mainly due to these two reasons

• The cars at hand were a combination of supercars and luxury models. There was something for everyone.
• No driver played Michael Schumacher or stamped his authority over other cars through hard or reckless driving. Unleashing a truck load of horsepower on a race track can reduce even the most experienced enthusiast behind the wheel to a second grader.

About 25 kinds of cars entertained spectators through drag races and hot laps. The cars were driven by their owners and there were no mishaps or forgettable incidents. The pick of the lot was undoubtedly the Ferrari 458 Italia, a rare example here in Chennai that belonged to the director of Golden Homes.

The two hour event kept the jam-packed crowd (people climbed atop water tanks and lined up along the protection fence on the straight to get a glimpse of the action) interested all the way till the end even as the temperature soared close to 40 degrees centigrade. The well-informed gathering cheered for cars that usually sit on their mobile phone screen or desktop wallpaper as images.

The mouth watering fleet of cars that included the Lamborghini Murceilago Gallardo, Aston Martin Rapide, BMW M3, Nissan 370Z, Porsche 911 Turbo, Jaguar XF-R, Rolls Royce Ghost and Audi R8 V10 let loose, followed by similarly spec-ed cars having a go at each other in a drag race.

The event began at half past eleven when the first convoy of supercars entered the track and to do a formation lap. The cars then retired into the pits and as each car was driven into its garage, the organizers encouraged owners to rev the engines. The engine not of the C63 AMG won the loudest applause, the burble still rings in my ears! As the cars cooled off, the media got to interact with drivers and photograph these exotics, which otherwise never come together as a group.

The latter half of the event was louder in both intensity and sound as the late comers 458 Italia, Aston Rapide and XF-R had joined the bandwagon. Drag races were staged between equally capable cars followed by another round where drivers were allowed to choose their competitors.

We’re not discussing horsepower figures or time sheets, rather we’ll let you go through two slideshows with 550+ photographs.

Indian Autos Blog would like to thank Gokulraj of ZapStore.com, Arvind Ravikumar of Mark Corporation, HKH and Muthu Narayan for shooting most of these images. You are rockstars and our readers are going to love your work.

Slideshow 1 – Madras Exotic Car Show – Static cars

Can’t see slideshow above? Head over to the Flickr gallery page directly.

Slideshow 2 – Madras Exotic Car Show – Cars on the track

Can’t see the slideshow above? Head to the Flickr Gallery page for images.

Do I have to pay more for a diesel car?

No. The speculation of additional duty on diesel cars was indeed ‘a speculation’. The Finance Minister steered cleared of imposing any taxes on diesel cars.

So does that mean that there are no changes in the price of the cars?

Ahh! Here comes the tricky part. The government has increased the excise duty on cars. Excise duty is a percentage of the cost of your car and is different for different body-engine combination. Here is the list of increase:

So have the automakers increased the prices?

Yes. Most major manufacturers have already announced their price hikes.

Who has taken the maximum beating?

The luxury car manufacturers such Mercedes, Audi and BMW will take maximum heat because their will get more expensive by a good 3-4 lakhs and upwards.

Any focus on Green Technology like in developed countries?

Yes but very limited. Hybrid vehicles would be granted exemption from the basic custom duty of 10%. Full exemption from basic customs duty and a concessional rate of Central Excise duty of 4 per cent has been extended for another year. Hydrogen/Fuel cell technology will now enjoy a concessional excise duty of 10%.

Looking fuel price disparity, I bought a diesel car. But then I heard that government is planning to increase diesel prices. Is it true?

Nope. Diesel will continue to be under regulation of the government. No price increase.

So diesel is the future?

Yes, at least till the next budget is presented. Carmakers are expanding their diesel presence to meet up the expected rise in demand. Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki and Honda will establish new diesel engine plants very soon.

1) Exclusive galleries from launches – We posted a truck load of images from the launch of the Volvo D3 range and will use it in future launches as well.

2) Exclusive spyshots – They aren’t copies of what you see here on front page – We recently posted Sushil’s snap of the i20 facelift and Fenin’s spyshot of the Chevrolet MPV that you wouldn’t have seen anywhere else.

3) Exclusive updates on the auto industry – we upload pictures and short stories that you don’t see here.

4) Question of the Day contest – We’re having fun asking our fans wacky questions and leave them stunned with our facts! We’ve had so many participants when we organized it on our blog, and so we’ve moved it to a sharable, likeable platform.

5) Interacting with other fans of IAB – Do you know who else is just like you?

So if you aren’t our Facebook fan or Twitter follower yet, you get to lose out on half of the fun.

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