The New Tata Nano diesel likely to be launched in India by March 2012

With the gap between the prices of petrol and diesel fuels is getting wider and wider, a large number of the car buyers in the country are looking forward to buy a diesel run small cars like Tata Nano. The Tata Cars sales counters across the country are receiving a considerable number of enquiries for the diesel version of the small car Tata Nano, which is expected to be launched in the country by the first quarter of next year.

Besides a new diesel engine, the new Tata Nano diesel is expected to be carrying a number of upgrades including better interior seat cushioning and upholstery with new color combinations, new exciting color options at exterior, anti-roll bar, improved suspensions system and Power steering.

Tata Nano

The new Tata Nano diesel is expected to be showcased at the upcoming Delhi international Auto Expo in the month of January 2012. The car is expected to drive high volume sales in the Indian market as price of petrol is continuously increasing.

The petrol version of Tata Nano model was launched in the country in March 2009 and since then it has been a roller-coaster ride for Tata Nano in the Indian market. The sales of the car dipped to mere 509 units a month in November 2010, after reaching a peak of 9000 units in July 2010. The launch of diesel variant will further strengthen the position of Nano model in the country.

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New Skoda Rapid coming in India

The Czech Republic based premium car maker Skoda Cars is all set to launch its new India portfolio sedan – Skoda Rapid in the Indian market on November 17th. Besides selling in India, the car maker is also looking forward to export the car to the overseas markets in future, from here. Skoda is expecting the Rapid sedan to drive high volumes for the company, and it would become the best selling India portfolio car of Skoda, even leaving behind the sales of premium hatchback Fabia.

Speaking to the reporters in Jaipur, Skoda Auto India Marketing Head Tarun Jha said, "This car is specifically designed for India and the launch will be the global launch for the car. At a later stage, it may be introduced in different markets across the world."

Skoda Rapid

According to Mr. Jha, the company has not decided anything about the exports yet as the car is meant for the domestic market. However, it may export the Rapid to some neighboring countries later.” "It may become the best-selling car for us in India. It may be a game changer for us," he added.

The Skoda Rapid will be rolled-out in the price segment of Rs 7 to 9 lakh, in both diesel and petrol versions, the car will be taking on with the likes of Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Fiat Linea, Nisan Sunny, Volkswagen Vento and Ford Fiesta.

Skoda is aggressively expanding its dealership network in the Indian market. The firm plans to take the total number of its dealerships to 100 dealers by the end of this year from existing count of 82 dealers

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Honda's New Honda CR-V revealed in India

Honda's Japanese website has published images and specs of the production CR-V for 2012. The actual car will be shown at the LA Auto Show next month. The new CR-V is based on a completely new platform, according to Honda Cars.

What is completely new is the look - the jutting lower jaw has now gone, replaced by a much cleaner front. The grille has three horizontal chrome strips not unlike that of the Maruti Dzire (which has only two.) The basic silhouette remains the same, but the way the rear glass, roof and tail-lamp integrate are very reminiscent of Volvo SUVs. The dinner-plate wheels of the concept have been exchanged for more realistic rims.

On the inside, Honda claims that the interior has got even more spacious with a lower floor that should help those that use the boot a lot. The car retains upgraded versions of the 2.4-litre petrol and the 2.2-litre diesel: let's hope Honda brings the latter to India this time. The automatic gearbox might be a six-speed one this time, which should help aids both performance and economy.

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The New Renault Pulse to be revealed in India

Renault, the French automaker that is best known in India for its unsuccessful partnership with Mahindra & Mahindra, is all set to unleash Renault Pulse, its new hatchback. Though speculation was rife that the carmaker will launch a hatchback version of its popular mini-MPV Renault Modus, company officials have stated that the upcoming vehicle will not be a smaller version of the Modus. Instead, it will be an all-new car that has been developed keeping in mind mileage and Indian road conditions. They have clarified that this car is not among the models that it sells in Europe, so Indian buyers can expect a whole new package to hit the roads quite soon.

The French car manufacturing giant has chosen an excellent day to unveil this vehicle – the first Indian Grand Prix. However, full specifications and details will be discussed at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2012. The upcoming Renault Pulse is expected to be built on the V platform, which the company shares with its sister concern, Nissan. Other cars built on the Versatile platform are Renault Clio and Nissan Micra.

Notably, Pulse is expected to be powered by the same engines that run the Micra. If this turns out to be true, then the petrol variant will be equipped with a 1.2 L, 3 cylinder engine that is capable of generating 74.9 hp power and 1.4 Nm torque with utmost ease. Likewise, the 1.5 L, 4 cylinder diesel engine will be able to produce power output of 63.12 hp and torque of 160 Nm. Both the cars will have 5-speed manual transmission systems to ensure a smooth driving experience.

In terms of pricing, the car is expected to sport a tag of Rs. 4 Lacs to Rs. 5 Lacs, thus giving tough competition to many popular cars, such as Nissan Micra, Honda Brio, Hyundai i10, Maruti Suzuki Ritz and Maruti Suzuki Swift. In fact, Sudhir Rao, Deputy Managing Director, Renault India said “The car will be positioned between (Maruti’s) Swift and (Nissan’s) Micra”. This gives a clear indication that the company is targeting the pole position of the Indian hatchback segment with the upcoming Pulse.

A lot of its success depends upon its design, which has been kept under wraps till now. Considering that the car is not expected to sport the looks of a smaller Modus, it will be difficult to speculate how it will appeal to Indian audiences. The official website of Renault India displays an upcoming car that boasts of a tall boy design, which may eventually turn out to be Pulse, though there was no confirmation for the same. According to rumours, the car may even look like Micra with some modifications, though the chances of that are quite slim.

This car will be built at the company’s Chennai plant, where the Micra is also developed. However, many people have sighted the test mules of Modus in and around Chennai, so speculation is that the company may launch the mini-MPV in India as well. However, according to officials, the car is in India as part of validation testing, which is being carried out in eight countries in order to develop the next generation of Modus. Moreover, the company has categorically said that Modus will not be launched in India. So, all eyes will be on today to see the third car that Renault will launch in the domestic market.

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New Nissan shifts gears in India now

Sunny, launched last month, was Nissan’s fifth car in India in four years. The car maker is now on an overdrive and is planning at least four launches in the next one year.




If Sunny, priced at around Rs 5.78 lakh, will compete with Maruti SX4, Chevrolet Aveo and Fiat Linea (a diesel version will follow in the next few months), Nissan has decided to take the predictable route – the small car, which is a must-have for all car companies wanting to succeed in India.


It plans to launch a compact car positioned below the Micra, which will allow it tap the segment of around Rs 3.5 lakh. The car has been under development for the past one year and Nissan expects to showcase it in 2013-14.

“Demand for diesel models has been evolving at a rapid pace in India. We have the 1.5 litre diesel engine on the Micra now but we have to look for something smaller than that for the future. May be it could be a 1.1-1.2 litre engine,” says Satoshi Matsutomi, vice president, product planning and program management office, Nissan Motor India.

Besides small cars, Nissan is aiming to address the other segments in the market as well. At the upcoming international Auto Expo to be held in New Delhi, the company will showcase a multi-purpose vehicle (a multi-seater van), aimed at attracting buyers who like to travel in groups and to address the commercial demand from hoteliers.

Although the exact positioning of the vehicle is not yet clear, the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) will target customers who are now opting for Mahindra’s Xylo, Toyota’s Innova and Tata’s Aria. The vehicle is based on a modified platform of a van sold by Nissan internationally.
“Nissan’s brand needed to be established; so the company introduced a sports car, a premium SUV and sedan. Nissan did not hurry its launches and this strategy has paid off well for the company. The top-down brand building ploy worked well for Micra,” says an analyst based in Delhi.

The Japanese carmaker, which had a market share of 0.80 per cent till September and sold 13,000 units last financial year, has beefed up technology and looking for strong distribution tie-ups.

It has been working with Defiance Technologies, a Hinduja Group Company for sourcing engineering and IT services for the small car. While the Micra will continue to compete against Maruti’s Swift, the new compact car will take on Hyundai’s i10, Ford’s Figo and Maruti’s Wagon R.
Nissan India presently has five models under its fold, two of which are made in its Chennai factory. Five of the nine models will be made in the same factory. It is preparing to launch one more product through the imported route next year. Sources say that a Juke crossover is likely be brought to India.

Further, to avoid complications relating to distribution especially when it launches the small car, Nissan is said to be keen on bringing the sales, service and marketing company, Hover Automotive India, under its control.

Hover Automotive India (HAI) has already started laying the ground work for the small car entry, beefing up its expansion of sales outlets. It sells Nissan cars through a small network of 40 outlets but aims to add another 60 before the end of next year.
Moez Mangalji, chairman, Hover Automotive India, says, “If any proposal of bringing Nissan as an equity partner in Hover is put forward, we would be happy to have them. However, there has been no such proposal as yet.”

Sources say that Nissan will pick up substantial stake in HAI before the launch of the small car. A mail sent to Nissan India seeking reply on the same remained unanswered.
Riding on the success of Sunny, which grossed 659 unit sales in the first nine days of launch Nissan hopes to more than triple sales to 40,000 units by March.
Micra, its premium hatchback priced around Rs 4.10 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), saw sales of a little less than 1,500 units last month. Sales of the Micra were mostly centered around the urban areas due to limited presence of sales outlets.

To grab a pie of the growing market of mid-segment sedans – petrol being costlier than diesel in India due to the subsidy element – several car makers have kickstarted efforts to make arrangements for diesel engines. Companies like Maruti Suzuki, Volkswagen, General Motors, Honda, Nissan to name a few have started developing engines themselves.
General Motors recently launched the smallest diesel engine in India strapped on the Beat hatchback. The diesel variant of the car has been well received in the market, according to General Motors.

Exports will remain as the focus area for the company, according to company executives. About 85 per cent of its production is exported. The Sunny and Micra will form the backbone of Nissan’s export strategy.

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The new Sedans throngs in the year 2011

The most recent addition to the sedan segment is the Nissan Sunny, produced by Japanese car maker, Nissan Motor Company Limited. This mid-size sedan joins the league of stalwarts like Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Volkswagen Vento, Honda City, Toyota Etios and Hyundai Verna. The new Hyundai Verna Fluidic is another addition to the segment in 2011, which stands out from the rest in terms of design theme, known as the 'Fluidic Sculpture'. Hyundai Motor India Limited, which entered the sedan segment with Accent, is expected to receive positive response for Fluidic.

India's most trusted car maker, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, is taking further strides in the rapidly growing sedan segment. Sales of Maruti SX4 diesel received a boost after being credited with 'OBD-2' compliant certification, a first-of-its-kind accreditation in India. The capability notifies the driver regarding any fault in the emission control system. In addition, Maruti introduced its first luxury sedan in the form of Maruti Kizashi. 

Sedans

In a quest of revival in India, Renault S.A. launched Fluence, being positioned in the C segment. Showcased at New Delhi Auto Expo 2010, Renault Fluence was among the most awaited car in India in 2011. Moreover, the sedan has been launched in both petrol and diesel versions, to take on the well-established models.

Czech Republic based subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, Skoda Auto, is coming up with a new compact sedan car MissionL, by the end of 2011. Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2011, Skoda Mission L is sportier than the existing league of Skoda sedans in India. The sporty sedan, with loads of new generation features, will carry price tag falling between Rs. 10 lacs and Rs. 12 lacs.

Honda Motor Company has also unveiled the upcoming edition of its Civic model at the Detroit Auto Show. The revised edition has undergone a number of changes in its interiors as well as exteriors. The move to launch the new edition by the Japanese car manufacturer is believed to pose competition for Toyota Corolla Altis and Chevrolet Cruze.

In the luxury segment, 2011 witnessed the launch of highly awaited models like Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The premium segment of sedans has become experienced increased competitiveness, with Volvo S60 and BMW 5 series models under its belt. One of the most prestigious luxury car maker, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited, introduced the new variant of its Ghost model in India at a starting price of Rs. 3.05 crore.

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Hyundai Cars Going to launch Hyundai's small car Eon at Rs. 2.69 lakh

Korean auto major Hyundai Cars Company on Thursday launched entry-level compact car Eon that has been developed specifically for the Indian market, at an introductory price of between Rs. 2.69 lakh and Rs. 3.71 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The company, which operates through wholly owned subsidiary Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), said the car has been designed and developed keeping Indian consumers in mind.
The Hyundai Eon, which will compete with Maruti Suzuki India's bestselling model Alto, is powered by a 814 Cc petrol engine.

Alto is priced between Rs. 2.32 lakh and Rs. 3.17 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) and is the bestselling car, averaging about 20,000 units a month.

"Eon has been specifically built keeping in mind the varied Indian conditions and special requirements of the customers here. It will further expand our market share in the fast-growing small car segment in the Indian market," HMIL Managing Director and CEO H W Park said.

HMIL has invested Rs. 900 crore on the development and production facilities for the Eon.
HMIL Senior Director marketing and sales Arvind Saxena said the company has plans to produce up to 1,50,000 units of the Eon on a 12 month basis.

Asked about export plans, Park said: "Later on, we may consider exporting the Eon to markets in South America and South Africa but the present focus is on the Indian market."
Besides Hyundai, other car makers are also lining up new launches for a pie in the hottest (by volumes) segment. Tata Motors is developing a car sized between Nano and Indica. Volkswagen's 'Up' is also expected to debut in India by next year. And encouraged by the success of Figo, Ford is developing another car below Figo's price point.

Though auto sales have slowed down because of rising interest rates and petrol prices, sales of small cars are still robust, meaning small cars are still 'big' in India.

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