The outflow of small cars from Maruti’s stable is ridiculously constant. It announced the new Zen Estilo last week, and within no time, focus has shifted on to another small car for India.
The new “eco” small car will be made in Thailand to benefit from the tax sops the government offers for vehicles following certain regulations (sub-1,300 cc, delivering fuel efficiency of 20 km per litre and under 120 grams of CO2 emissions per km). Our very own Tata is putting together a small car which will also fall under the eco category.
Moreover the Indo-Thai free trade agreement assists in sourcing componenets at a much cheaper rate now. The same has prompted Maruti to source CKD (Completely Knocked Down) kits of the eco car from Thailand and assemble it locally.
Though the details are not clear, could it be an all new small car to take on select variants of the Nano? With the 800 retiring next year, one finds it hard it to believe it will be anything else.
Peugeot-Citroen is planning a global sub-compact car for India, Brazil, China and Iran as well. Peugeot is deciding to build a plant for manufacturing this car either in Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh
The company was present earlier in India from 1994-97, shut shop due to labor trouble and left to pursue interests overseas. But this time around, the company has better plans and ideas.
It is rumored that Brazil and Iran will first get this car in 2012 followed by India and China in 2013. Before the introduction of this compact, the company would sell cars imported from Europe. It would arrive in the form of CKDs and CBUs, but right now, things are still in the planning stage.
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Skoda has confirmed its SUV Yeti which was put on show at the Geneva Motor Show earlier will make it into India through the form of CKDs and assembled at the company’s facility in Aurangabad next year.
This is the exact same procedure the company adopts for some of its other products.
Skoda said it would reveal the car locally during the Auto Expo in Delhi next year and subsequently put it in the market. The Yeti is presented with petrol and diesel engines in Europe and only after the feasibility study is complete, will they come to a decision about the choice of engines for India.
The company will continue with its existing service network and in the future plans to work with VW and Audi’s infrastructure for a wider after-sales service network.
Should its price be around the 10 lakh mark, it will be a bargain.
It seems the wait for the entry level sports bike Kawasaki Ninja 250R will soon be over with Bajaj finally announcing its launch in May-June 2009 . Below is the news, which was published earlier in the Economic Times.
