Vintage and Classic Car Club of India (VCCCI), India’s official body for vintage motor vehicles in association with the Western India Automobile Association and Mumbai Traffic Police today organised the annual 21st Haig-VCCCI Vintage Car and Motor Cycle Fiesta. The rally witnessed (pre-1940), Classics (1941-1970), Modern classics (up to 2008) cars and motorbikes.
The cars covered a distance of roughly 40 kilometres.“We have received more than two hundred entries and it’s an Indian record. You can expect in the future a few more rallies. We are coming out with an International Rally next year and it will be good,” said Nitin Dosa, Chairman Events, the Vintage & Classic Car Club of India (VCCCI).
Interview with Mr.Ravi Pisharody VP Marketing & Sales Tata Motors
Tata Motors which created a new segment through the launch of magic and winger looks to expand the area of applications of the two products. It has come out with a ambulance variant of winger and soon it will launch the cargo variant of Winger. We interviewed Mr.Ravi Pisharody VP Marketing & Sales, Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors in Chennai. “The response to the products has been good and Tata motors foresees more potential in this segment” he said.
This year is going to be yet another remarkable year for Tata Motors CV division. The successful ace will get its cousin in 2008. The new ace 1T which Tata Motors showcased at the Auto expo will hit the market during the second half of 2008. Also, Tata Motors will make its debut in Thailand – world’s 2nd largest pick-up market this year. The much expected Xenon will hit the Thailand market first by this April or May and the indian market will get the Xenon soon after that. “Tata motors is contemplating whether to launch single cab or double cab version of Xenon in India”, Mr Pisharody said.
Interview with Mr.Ravi Pisharody VP Marketing & Sales Tata Motors
Tata Motors launches Magic and Winger
Tata Motors today officially launched its Magic and Winger in Tamilnadu. The glitzy event is attended by journalist,dealers and officials from Tata Motors.
What made Tata to create a new segment in the already crowded market? What is the potential of this segment? these queries are answered through a innovative show called “There is no business like Travel Business”. The ‘profito’ show’s hero excited the viewers through dance and his business ideas. At the end of the show he found magic and winger as a profitable partner.The message is simple! tata motors wants to replicate the success of Ace through the magic and winger. To create the buzz among the consumers, Tata is hosting this kind of shows across India.
Nissan to build small car in India
Renault and Nissan today reached an agreement with Tamil Nadu government to build a plant in Chennai. The $1.0 billion car plant will have a capacity of 400,000 cars a year. Both Nissan and Renault will have equal stakes in the project. The integrated facility includes an engine and powertrain plant, also with a capacity of 400,000 units. The 400,000-unit vehicle capacity will be divided almost equally between the two companies.The announcement comes a month after Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., India’s largest sport-utility vehicle maker, pulled out of a venture with Renault and Nissan, leaving them without a local partner. The plant will make its first car by 2010 and will manufacture four models, Nissan spokeswoman Pauline Kee said. Nissan plans to sell 100,000 cars in India by 2012.
Renault – Nissan small car:
Nissan has four models in the pipeline for the plant and is developing an A-segment entry-level car, said Colin Dodge, senior vice president, general overseas market operations. Obviously, if you want to be in India you have to have a compact car,” Dodge said. Small cars make up more than two-thirds of sales of passenger vehicles in India, which are expected to nearly double to 2 million units by 2010.
Ferrari’s Magic India Discovery tour
Following the the China 15,000 Red Miles tour in 2005, the Panamerican 20,000 tour in 2006, and the latest 60th anniversary around-the-world relay in 2007, Ferrari will start a new Prancing Horse adventure in India called ‘Magic India Discovery Tour’. Ferrari’s Magic India Discovery Tour will start from Mumbai on February 25th and returns to the same city on May 8th having covered a route stretching more than 11,000 kilometres. Two 612 Scaglietti models one red, the other white (both sporting a specially designed livery) will ply in the Indian roads during the tour. Here’s the route and main stages where you may come across these machines.
The route and main stages
The Magic India Discovery is divided into 12 stages and runs over 72 days. It starts in Mumbai at the Gateway of India, a monument celebrating the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to the country. The two 612 Scagliettis will immediately head south along the stunning eight-lane motorway that is the jewel in the crown of Indian’s infrastructure. The first stage ends in the city of Goa, now a popular tourist destination once ruled by the Portuguese. The tour continues still further south to Mysore and then Trivandrum, the southernmost point of the Indian peninsula, before turning north towards Bangalore, the capital of India’s innovative technologies industry. Hyderabad and Ramosi, home to the Bollywood film industry, provide the backdrop to a stage that ends in Vizak on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. The 612 Scagliettis will then drive along the east coast to the city of Kolkata (Calcutta), once the headquarters of the legendary British East India Company.
The cars’ journey along the river Ganges begins from Calcutta and runs via Varanasi, a sacred city to Hindus, and Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its Hindu and Jain temples. From here, the tour makes its way to Lucknow also known as the Golden City of the East. The next stage takes the Ferraris through the Corbett National Park and Tiger Reserve named in honour of the former man-eater hunter Jim Corbett. The tour then continues on towards New Delhi, following a northerly route to the Dharamsala, home of the exiled Dalai Lama, and Amritsar, the centre of the Sikh religion. The next stage runs from the Indian capital to the city of Jaipur, taking in Agra where the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the one of the seven wonders of the modern world, the Taj Mahal, as a monument to his dead wife in 1632. The final two legs of the tour take the cars through all of the most famous areas of Rajasthan which is home to endless palaces built by the Maharajas and also calls to Jodhpur, the final stop-off before the cars make a triumphant return to the India’s industrial capital. The Magic India Discovery will enjoy the invaluable support of the Tata Group, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services, Taj Hotels, Shell, Fiat India Pvt Ltd., Alcoa, Pirelli, Saima
Tata launches Sumo Grande
Tata Motors today commenced sales of new Sumo Grande. Sumo Grande is powered by a 2.2 litre direct injection common rail (DICOR) engine, and fitted with a variable turbocharger producing maximum power and torque of 120bhp and 250 Nm. The Sumo Grande sports new styling including clear headlamps, and a cutaway air dam in the front. Designed with a longer wheelbase of 2550 mm (existing 2400 mm), the vehicle will sport a 3-row seating with third row seats. Sumo Grande will be available in three variants, will be priced in the range of Rs 6.55 lakh to Rs 7.49 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Update: Tata motors Sumo Grande will be commercially available from dealerships located in metros and select large cities from February 22, 2008, and progressively across the country in a phased manner. The new Sumo Grande combines the looks of an SUV with the comforts of a family car. It has been specifically designed to satisfy the needs of city customers in the areas of driveability, maneuverability and fuel efficiency. The Sumo Grande sports an all new styling with clean chiselled looks mating with flowing contours. The tall aggressive stance is complimented by large clear headlamps, and a cutaway air dam in the front. The clean rear look, with the spare wheel tucked under the body, is accentuated by attractive tail lights and a chrome overlay. Designed with a longer wheelbase of 2550 mm (existing 2400 mm), the Sumo Grande sports comfortable 3 row seating with best in class third row seats. Beige interiors are complimented by fire and stain resistant fabric upholstery. Dual HVAC with roof integrated louvers ensures personalised climate adjustment for the occupants in each row. Power steering, power windows, motorised ORVMs, height adjustable driver’s seat and a state of the art CD/MP3 music system further add to the comforts and convenience of a family traveling in the Sumo Grande. The vehicle is powered by the new generation 2.2 L direct injection common rail (DICOR) engine, fitted with a variable geometry turbocharger creating a perfect blend of performance and fuel efficiency. Maximum power and torque of 120 PS and 250 Nm, coupled with high torque levels over a wide RPM band enhance driveability in stop start city traffic. For a vehicle its size, the Sumo Grande is extremely maneuverable with the turning circle radius of 5.25 m, similar to a small car. The Sumo Grande will be available in 3 variants – Lx, Ex and Gx — all of which have two seating configurations – 6+1 and 7+1. The vehicle will be available in 7 colours, including 4 new shades, Sunset Orange, Zephyr Green, Mineral Red and Marine Blue. It comes with an enhanced warranty of 2 years or 75000 kms. (whichever is earlier). An additional 2 years’ warranty can be availed through the extended warranty option.
Mahindra eyes Chrysler’s Jeep unit
Mahindra which wants to be Land Rover one day is eyeing Chrysler’s iconic Jeep unit. Interestingly Mahindra got into auto business in 1945 through manufacturing licensed Willys Jeeps. Mahindra still builds a CJ-derived model called Commander in both soft-top and hardtop versions. If Mahindra acquistion plan do not go through, there are few more options as well. Mahindra may do some contract engineering work in India for Chrysler, as well as the possibility of the companies exchanging equity stakes. In the meantime, Mahindra is gearing up to sell versions of its older Scorpio SUV and pickup next year in North America, through an independent distributor, Global Vehicles USA, based in Alpharetta, Georgia. The distributor has said it may assemble the pickup, which will be rebranded as the Mahindra Appalachian, in Ohio from knocked-down kits to avoid a 25 percent tariff imposed on imported trucks. The company also has said it plans to offer a diesel-hybrid powertrain in 2010.
Fiat 500, BMW’s Mini and Volkswagen Beetle in India
the Royal Challenge
Yes, after B,B+ and B++ yet another Hatchback segment is going to evolve in India. Fiat has officially confirmed that it will launch its two door lifestyle car Fiat 500 Cinquecento and Bravo in India soon. “These cars (Cinquecento and Bravo) will pave the way for two of our mainstream launches, the Fiat Linea sedan and the Grande Punto hatchback which will be launched in September and December 2008 respectively,” said a Fiat spokesperson. “We expect to sell the Fiat 500 to people who want to make an automotive statement but don’t want to show-off with another big limousine,” the Fiat spokesperson added. “We expect it to be a hit with the celebrity circuit and trendsetters in the metros since they are aware of the value a genuine lifestyle statement the 500 makes.” An 1.4L petrol engine developing 100bhp will power the Fiat 500 Cinquecento.
BMW which has been conducting a feasibility study for the introduction of Mini in India seems to made up its mind. “We are now finalising the details and we think there is a small yet definite market for Mini in India. But do not expect it to be cheap,” said Peter Kronschnabl, President of BMW India.
European ‘people’s car,’ Volkswagen’s Beetle will hit Indian roads by the middle of this year. “Volkswagen is known as Beetle in India. We have studied the market and feel that there is space for Beetle. We are planning to make it available in the middle of this year through imports,” Prinz said. Volkswagen Beetle will be available in 1.9 litre TDI diesel variant as early as April-May this year.
These cars is sure to push Indian’s love on hatchback to a new extent. But there will be only few takers as these cars will be priced upwards Rs15 lakhs
Ford’s new Endeavour Thunder+
Unlike in the past, manufacturers are keenly watching competitors move. Few weeks back Maruti Suzuki refreshed its flagship product swift to defend its territory from the new debutant Skoda fabia. Today Ford has come out with a new Endeavour to defend its leadership against Chevrolet’s new captiva. With the new endeavour Thunder+ Ford adds a new member to the endeavour family. Unlike the new swift, the new Endeavour is not just a cosmetic job but a new beast with a much powerful engine. New Endeavour’s all new 3.0L produces 13PS and 44Nm more than the previous 2.5L engine. The new 16-valve DOHC 3.0-litre turbodiesel TDCi engine cranks out 380Nm of maximum torque at 2500rpm and maximum power of 156PS at 3200rpm. Other than the new engine the new Endeavour Thunder+ gets some smart features such as Puddle lamps, mirror mounted turn indicators, roof mounted DVD player and Six CD changer and MP3 player with six speakers. For the safety of the occupants, new Endeavour Thunder+ is equipped with active safety technologies such as anti-lock braking system (ABS) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) system to assist the driver during high-demand situations. Endeavour Thunder+ is equipped with dual front airbags. Endeavour Thunder+ also has an engine immobilizer and an anti-theft alarm ensuring complete vehicle security. The Endeavour Thunder+ is offered in an attractive palate of colours: such as Panther Black, Brush Steel, Diamond White, Jeans Blue and Mystic Wine. The Endeavour Thunder+ is priced attractively at Rs. 17, 32,000 [Ex-showroom, Chennai].
Endeavour for Indian military:
Ford says it is also considering a military version of the Endeavour for Indian defence use. “We do have military version of the Endeavour in different countries and bringing it into India should not be an issue to us,” Ford India Vice-President Marketing and Sales Scott McCormack said. It all depends on the specifications and requirements by the Indian military. Talks are going on now, he added.
Hindustan Motors to expand dealership
Hindustan – Mitsubishi which plans to roll out Outlander SUV and new lancer plans to expand its dealership. Hindustan Motors on Monday said it would expand dealerships for Mitsubishi products to 45 by the end of this year as part of its plans to shore up sales in India. Currently, it has 33 Mitsubishi dealerships in the country. “By the end of calendar year 2008, we will have 45 dealer locations pan-India and North India will continue to be in our focus where we already have 10 dealerships,” HM Managing Director Ravi Santhanam said.Hindustan and Mitsubishi have a partnership under which the Indian firm sells the Japanese auto maker’s products, including Lancer, Cedia, Pajero and Montero.