Nissan plans Micra for India

Nissan is building a plant jointly with its partner Renault at a an investment of over Rs4000 crores. On the new plant you might have heard a lot but here is an interesting news. Nissan plans to offer eight products across all segments in India by 2012. Nissan is finalising vendors for various products which includes hatchbacks, sedans and SUVs. Nissan will introduce one small car and one mid-sized sedan model in India within the next few years.“By 2012, we plan to have eight products in the market, of which a few will be imported. We will also export cars manufactured here in completely built-up form as per current plans,” Neeraj Garg, director, marketing and sales, Nissan Motor India, said. The small car which will be based on popular nissan’s hatchback Micra will be positioned in the A2 segment which is currently dominated Alto,Zen Estilo and Wagon R. Nissan Indian Micra will be powered by 3 cyclinder, 1.2L petrol engine to avail the small car tax benefit. Also on Nissan’s Indian game plan is a sedan powered by 1.5L engine. Though the sedan will be designed in Japan the sedan will include Indian views as well. Nissan Motor India currently selling X-Trail SUV and Teana sedan.

Honda to hike prices

Honda Siel Cars India today said it will increase the prices of its two sedans City and Civic between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 in May due to the rising input cost. A company official said the rising steel prices and other input costs have put immense pressure, which the company has been trying to absorb. “But it has reached a stage where we have to pass on a part of it to the customers,” the official said. The quantum of increase could be between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 across different variants of the two models, the official said, adding the exact amount was being worked out.

Mahindra drives Scorpio to Chile

Mahindra & Mahindra today launched the Scorpio in Chile.The Scorpio is the Mahindra’s second product to be launched in Chile after the Mahindra Pik Up Double Cab.  Mahindra is selling its flagship products in the south american country through partnership with Fortaleza of the Automotores Gildemeister Group. Automotores Gildemeister is the Chilean arm of the Gildemeister Group, one of Latin America’s most respected business houses with interests in automobiles, construction, agriculture and industrial equipment. In addition to representing Mahindra, Automotores Gildemeister also represents Hyundai and Ford in Chile. “The launch of the Scorpio will only help us further consolidate our presence in the region. We are also happy to extend our association with Automotores Gildemeister whose extensive national network will give us a definite competitive edge in the Chilean market which is highly evolved and of great importance to Mahindra,” M&M Executive Vice President Pravin Shah said.

BMW unveils new dealership facility in Kolkata

BMW India today announced opening of OSL Prestige, its dealership facility in Kolkata. With this, BMW has ten dealers across India Bird Automotive (Gurgaon, NCR), Deutschen Motoren (New Delhi); Navnit Motors (Mumbai), Infinity Cars (South Mumbai); Krishna Automobiles (Chandigarh); Navnit Motors (Bangalore), Delta Motors (Hyderabad), Kun Exclusive (Chennai), Bavaria Motors (Pune) and OSL Prestige (Kolkata). BMW is expanding its dealer network across India and it plans to have 12 dealers covering all metropolitan centres of the country by the end of 2008. OSL prestige is located on Eastern Metropolitan (EM) Bypass and a fully equipped workshop is located at Sarkarpool. The showroom covers 4300 sq ft of space and offers the customers a unique retail environment. The showroom is evolved on the signature-BMW concept of street display and the pavement flanking alongside as the customer area. The approximate area of the workshop of OSL Prestige is 16000 Sq. Ft. respectively. The workshop has 6 service bays and can service 12 vehicles a day. OSL prestige will display the BMW 3 Series (325i, 320i and 320d, 320d Highline) and BMW 5 Series (523i, 525i, 530i and 525d) that are produced at the BMW Plant Chennai, and BMW 6 Series (650i Coupé and 650i Convertible), BMW 7 Series (740Li, 750Li, 760Li and 730Ld), BMW X3 (X3 2.5 si) and the BMW X5 (X5 3.0d and X5 4.8i) which are available in the country as CBU’s (completely built-up units). The New BMW M3 Coupé, BMW M5 Sedan, BMW M6 Coupé, BMW M6 Convertible, BMW 7 Series Individual and BMW 6 Series Individual can be ordered at the dealership. BMW India has partnered with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance for offering motor insurance and with ICICI Bank to offer customised financial solutions for its customers. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Peter Kronschnabl, President, BMW India said, “Kolkata is clearly one of India’s most historic and vibrant cities representing a great confluence between traditional values and modern society and hence is a important market for BMW. With our partnership with OSL Prestige we will be able to reach out to our customers in the right manner and consistently provide them with the best products and services from BMW India that are at par with international BMW standards.”

Ex-Showroom Prices

BMW 3 Series

320i 26, 75,000

325i 32, 70,000

320d 29, 45,000

320d highline 30, 45,000

BMW 5 Series

523i 36, 65,000

525i 40, 50,000

530i 44, 60,000

525d 42, 00,000

BMW 6 Series

650i Coupé 78, 95,000

650i Convertible 87, 10,000

BMW 7 Series

740Li 79, 25,000

750Li 86, 50,000

760Li 1, 23, 80,000

730Ld 73, 30,000

BMW X Series

X3 2.5si 41, 50,000

X5 3.0d 1 55, 40,000

X5 3.0d 2 62, 30, 000

X5 4.8i 78, 25,000

BMW M Series

M3 Coupé 74, 20,000

M5 Sedan 1, 00, 50,000

M6 Coupé 1, 23, 70,000

M6 Convertible 1, 30, 60,000

Rising food prices, blame Biofuel

Biofuels were developed as part of plans to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, held responsible for global warming, but since they take up land that would otherwise be used for food production, they have been increasingly blamed for soaring food prices. The World Bank said earlier this month that increased biofuel production had contributed to the rise in food prices. Most world leaders shares the same opinion. “A conflict is emerging between foodstuffs and fuel with disastrous social conflicts and dubious environmental results,” outgoing Italian prime minister Romano Prodi said at the International Energy Forum. Agricultural prices were not only being driven by rising demand but also by increased cultivation of biofuels, “creating strong tensions in a number of countries,” he added. Biofuels were developed as part of plans to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, held responsible for global warming, but since they take up land that would otherwise be used for food production, they have been increasingly blamed for soaring food prices. Qatari energy minister, Abdullah bin Hamad al Attiyah said the world would have to choose “what its priority is going to be — driving or eating.” He rejected suggestions that high oil prices were behind the food crisis. “It’s not oil that should be questioned, it’s biofuels, which are at the root of the problem,” al Attiyah said.

Volkswagen Chinese jetta the Bora

Volkwagen showcased its new Jetta for China at the ongoing Beijing Auto Show. The new VW Bora (Jetta in China) is the second is based on the 5th generation European VW Jetta. Volkswagen jointly developed the new jetta (Bora) with its second local partner the FAW (first being the Shanghai Automotive). Interestingly Volkswagen presented two new models- Lavida an Jetta produced through two local partners which will compete against each other in the market. The Lavida is made in Volkswagen’s joint venture with Shanghai Automotive, the New Bora in Volkswagen’s other joint venture with FAW. Volkswagen wishes to ditch its JV with FAW but the Chinese government does not allow it to do so. Clearly Volkswagen is in catch 22 situation.

Coming back to new jetta, the Bora adopts Volkswagen’s design characteristics such as “the muscular and clear modulations, an unmistakable C-pillar, the trapezoidal line of the headlights, the typical V shaped radiator grille that is integrated in the lines of the engine hood.” However, the Bora takes into consideration Chinese cultural elements with prominent front and rear end styling that is inspired by a lion.

volkswagen new Jetta (Bora)

Nissan’s new Teana unveiled

Nissan has unveiled the new Teana at the ongoing Bejing Auto Show. Teana was designed under the concept of modern luxury and relaxation. The Teana is Nissan’s most expensive ‘Made in China’ model, it’s equipped with Nissan’s famous 3.5 liter petrol which is shipped in from Japan to the factory in China. Teana will be also available with V6 engine (VQ25DE and VQ35DE versions) and XTRONIC CVT. “When we introduced Teana in 2004, it sent a clear signal that Nissan was serious about growth in China,” said Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO, Nissan Motor Company Ltd. “The all-new Teana again demonstrates our commitment to high quality and world-class products for the Chinese consumer,” continued Ghosn.

Note: Nissan Teana is exported as the Nissan Maxima and Nissan Cefiro to certain markets, not to be confused with the Nissan Maxima sold in North America. It shares a platform with the North American Nissan Maxima and Nissan Altima, as well as the Japanese market Nissan Presage.

Hero – Daimler to invest Rs4400 crores in India

Hero – Daimler today unveiled its Rs. 4,400-crore joint venture plan to build commercial vehicles in India. “This joint venture will first focus on light and medium commercial vehicles which will be developed with specific Indian conditions in mind to be launched by 2010. By 2012 it will roll out heavy commercial vehicles,” Daimler Trucks Head Andreas Renschler told. In the new venture Daimler Hero Motor Corporation (DHMC), Hero group will hold 40 per cent equity in the joint venture, while Daimler will have the remaining 60 per cent stake. Daimler would invest Rs.1,386 crore in equity, while Hero group would be putting in Rs. 900 crore to take 40 per cent stake. Daimler Hero Motor Corporation will first focus on light and medium commercial vehicles which will be developed with specific Indian conditions in mind to be launched by 2010 and it will roll out heavy commercial vehicles by 2012. The top-end specialised product portfolio of Mercedes-Benz trucks like Actros would be rolled out from DaimlerChrysler India’s new Chakan plant. The more volume-oriented, lower-end ones will probably be handled by the new JV.

Hero Honda hikes price of Hunk,Splendor, Passion and CBZ

Owing to the rising input cost Hero Honda has increased the prices of Splendor Plus, Passion Plus, CBZ and Hunk. A price rise in the range of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 across these products.

“Within cost, last week we have increased the prices of many of our products by Rs 500-1000. We have been trying to absorb rising commodity prices, but it has reached a stage where we need to pass it to the customers,” Hero Honda Managing Director Pawan Munjal told