News from the sidelines of SIAM(Society Of Automobile Manufacturers) annual convention
* Royal Enfield much hyped Unit Constructed Engine(UCE) and gear box unit is being developed will be based on the controversial twin-spark technology. The new twin spark Unit Constructed 350cc engine will power the new Thunderbird model, which is expected to hit the market in two months. Bajaj Auto and TVS are already in war over the twin spark engine.
Royal Enfield CEO RL Ravichandran said: “Despite being a twin-spark plug engine, our technology is totally opposite from that used by Bajaj Auto and TVS Motors. Our engines have valves, while they (Bajaj Auto and TVS Motors) predominantly use overhead cams in their engines. The twin spark plug technology is already in use for many decades and we have used it in our engine architecture to make it more efficient and make combustion easier.”
* Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt Ltd on September 05th said it will launch 3-4 new two-wheeler models in the next three years and will invest Rs 400 crore on new product development and capacity expansion. “Our plan is to introduce about 3-4 new models, including a 100 cc bike, in the next three years in the Indian market,” company President and CEO Shinji Aoyama told PTI on the sidelines of SIAM Annual Convention here.
*Honda Siel Cars India on September 05th said it was planning to launch two models in India, including its popular hatchback ‘Jazz’, to mark the company’s foray into small car segment in the country. We are still two years away from launching a small car in India, but have zeroed down on Jazz along with another model to mark our foray into the small car segment,” HSCI Senior General Manager (Marketing) Jnaneswar Sen said. Sen also said if the company introduces Jazz in India, it would come with some modifications from the model being sold in other countries.
* Sen also said the company would soon launch an upgraded variant of its popular sedan Honda City. “We will soon launch the upgraded variant of Honda City, which will come for higher prices than the existing prices,” he added. Honda Siel Cars India new City will come equipped with a host of safety features in the first half of September. HSCI is expected to refurbish the interiors and introduce new integrated music system, air bags and anti-lock brake system in the City. The new car will be priced lower than the City ZX VTEC, which comes at an ex-showroom price of Rs 8 lakh in Delhi. SX4 range is available at Rs 6.3-7.2 lakh while Logan’s price band is Rs 4.7-6.5 lakh. The new City is expected to be the last variant from the current platform, as the entire product is likely to be replaced by the next-generation model in 2008.
* The government of India plans to set up national design institutes in participation with private players specifically for the automobile industry as part of efforts to give a push to the sector. The Ministry of Heavy Industries has proposed this initiative entailing an investment of Rs 100 crore in first phase to the Planning Commission for 11th Five-Year plan. An institute of design for the automotive industry will soon come up, for which the government will also invite private players for discussions,” Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Joint Secretary Surajit Mitra said at the SIAM conference on Septemeber 05.
* Mahindra and Mahindra(M&M) is gearing up to launch its new SUV – the ingenio next year. Mahindra will position the ingenio between scorpio and bolero and will price accordingly. The ingenio which will take on Toyota’s innova will come with superior diesel engine.
* Mahindra and Mahindra plans to buyout a design firm in Italy to push up its design skills. “The company is looking to acquire a design company in Italy,” Mahindra Group Chairman Keshub Mahindra.
* Mahindra & Mahindra may be choosen by Nissan to market and sell its upcoming small cars. Maruti Suzuki has told on september 05th that it no longer in talks with Nissan to market its small cars. Maruti Suzuki and Nissan were in talks for many months regarding the issue. On the other side M&M is keen to establish a marketing joint venture with Nissan, similar to the JV it is already operating with Nissan’s sister company Renault. Japan’s Nikkei newspaper reported that Nissan had decided to join a project between Renault and two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto Ltd to develop and produce an affordable car.
Other news:
Mahindra going hybrid
Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) is currently test-piloting Scorpio’s mild-hybrid variant and full-hybrid variant. A prototype will be running by January and we plan to introduce the same in the market in 2008 itself,” M&M President (automotive sector) Pawan Goenka said. Scorpio mild and full hybird would be priced higher than the current Scorpio petrol and diesel models. The full-hybrid Scorpio will run on electricity and petrol. In the mild-hybrid version of scorpio, a conventional Scorpio’s engine will have the option of being turned off whenever the car is braking or stopped yet restart quickly and cleanly. When the engine is off, accessories can run on electrical power.
Honda plans to bring Hybrid civic
Honda will bring its Hybrid civic to india in 2008. ”We have plans to launch the Civic hybrid in India by next year. The cars would initially be imported as completely built units (CBU),” said Jnaneshwar Sen, senior Gm (marketing), Honda Siel Cars India.
Crash test to become mandatory for indian cars
Similar to European Union and US, India is going to make a mandatory crash test for vehicles. The ministry of road transport and highways has finalised the draft ‘automotive industry standards’ for the new crash tests (frontal crash and frontal off-set and side-on impact crash safety tests), is now awaiting adequate testing facilities.Once these necessary infrastructure is made, crash test will become mandatory. The testing facilities will be set up at ARAI in Pune and the different centres of NATRIP. The government of India is aligning itself with the standards of Economic Commission of Europe on these safety tests. These safety norms may come into effect by 2008-end or early 2009, will result in phasing out of vehicles not meeting them. Maruti 800, Esteem, Versa, Omni, Ford Ikon, Tata indica and the half-a-century-old Ambassador, in their present form, are likely to fail the proposed crash tests. Crash tests are meant to check if a vehicle moving at 40 km per hour breaks fully without harming passengers. Currently, the steering-impact test and the seat-belt anchorage test are mandatory. These are far lighter than the international norm where cars have to undergo frontal, frontal-off set and side-on impact crash safety tests before being launched.
source: economictimes