Mar
18
2009
New Launches & Upcoming Cars in India

New Innova by Toyota

Advanced version of Innova (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) has been launched in Indian market with an introductory price between Rs 7.66 Lakh and Rs 11.06 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) . As per Toyota officials, they are constantly upgrading their products based on customer feedback. MPV and Sedan segment customers will be attracting for additional features of Innova. It is launched in both petrol and diesel variants with key modifications.

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An article by Mahindra FirstChoice No Comments
Mar
18
2009
New Launches & Upcoming Cars in India

Cadilac by General Motors

General Motors India (GMI) is set to launch its luxury car – Cadilac in the Indian car market in 2009. It was earlier supposed to be launched in 2008, got delayed due to global car market pushed back the new car launch.
 
It will be sold at a approximate price of Rs 50 Lakh & will give the competition to leading luxury acrs from the portfolio of Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. Cadilac is 311 bhp of power with a 3.6 litre direct-injection V-6 VVT engine.
 
In addition, GMI has also announced to launch CRUZE to compete with leading sedans like Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Sonata this year. Also, GMI is gearing up to launch more products powered by CNG and LPG in the first half of the year.
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Mar
17
2009
New Launches & Upcoming Cars in India

Skoda to Roll out a Small-Sized Suv in 2010

It is not the case of the abominable snowman but Czech car maker Skoda - part of the VW Group - is getting ready to pump up its presence in the Indian car market.
 
It is an established fact that Skoda has been mandated within the VW Group (which includes the other mass market brands like VW and Audi which are also in India) to tap all newer markets in the developing world as the group's entry level marque. The Yeti is a butch little vehicle (based on the design concept of the same name which was shown in 2005) which has been designed for both urban and leisure driving and has the capability of all wheel drive. More a crossover than an SUV, the Yeti's compact nature will ensure that it would be the preferred option for those who dote on SUV-styled vehicles but didn't either have the money or were daunted by the sheer mass such vehicles sport. This pleasing crossover embraces a wrap-around windscreen, coated windscreen side-pillars (which in the automotive lexicon is normally termed the A-pillar), and the characteristic roof covering which Skoda is noted for.
 
The car will bridge the gap in the Skoda lineup between the Fabia and the Octavia and it would be the ideal ticket for those who wish to ply the urban jungle in the week while making tracks in the outback on weekends. Engine and transmission systems would necessarily mirror those already seen on the Fabia and Octavia sold presently in India though with all wheel drive capability expect a boost in both power and torque. The Yeti would predominantly be built with a front wheel drive configuration for the masses while the all wheel drive version would employ VW's 4Motion all-wheel drive gear, having specifically been made to cater to all VW group offerings with transversely mounted engines.
 
The Skoda Yeti would be priced just around Rs 10 lakh and liley to make its debut at Auto Expo in Delhi next January. The Yeti would be put together at the Aurangabad plant as a CKD operation using kits shipped in from Skoda's Kvasiny plant in Czech Republic.
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An article by Mahindra FirstChoice No Comments
Mar
17
2009
New Launches & Upcoming Cars in India

Xylo by Mahindra & Mahindra

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M), India’s undisputed market leader in utility vehicles, unveiled the eagerly awaited Mahindra XYLO at its Nashik plant ON 13TH January. The XYLO is perhaps the most complete car with luxury comforts to enter the Indian market with everything that today’s sedans offer and much more & is available in price range starts from Rs. 6,24,500 to 7.69,500 (Delhi ex-showroom)

"The Mahindra XYLO is perhaps the first vehicle in the country which has been completely engineered around the customer. The powerful 2.49 litre mEagle CRDe engine is fuel-efficient and delivers 112 bhp, allowing you to literally fly from 0-60 kmph in just 5.8 seconds. Moreover, the Mahindra XYLO offers class-defining lavish space all around such that even a 6ft tall person can stretch in comfort on the 3rd row seat. The XYLO offers an extraordinary level of luxurious comfort at a very cost-effective price for prospective sedan buyers," said Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

Sleek contours coupled with structured edges and the signature Mahindra front grille give the XYLO the sophistication of a sedan and the aggressive stance of an SUV. Integrated bumpers, chunky alloy wheels and strong curves on the bonnet and fenders add to the car’s stature. Body side cladding with chrome rails and rear lamp clusters with well defined edges add oodles of panache to the car’s design. All this makes the XYLO an eye-catching vehicle on the road. Independent AC vents ensure that the Surround Cool Dual AC cools all corners of this spacious car with individual controls for each passenger. The Mahindra XYLO is also the only car to offer flatbed front seats, just like in the business class of a world-class airline. Additional unique features include foldable flight trays behind the front seats, individual reading lamps for each passenger and conveniently placed laptop and mobile charging points.

One of the most revolutionary features of the XYLO is the tech-savvy Digital Drive Assist System (DDAS). An alphanumeric display in the centre panel, the DDAS has features such as an onboard computer to calculate mileage and distance permissible. The system is easy to read and provides useful data at a quick glance. Standard information available includes date, time, inside and outside temperature and relative humidity. It also lets you know exactly which direction your Mahindra XYLO is headed in. Press a button and you are informed of your gear position and speed. The DDAS will even tell you how long your fuel will last and share information on your average speed and the instant mileage clocked by you. All of which ensures that you derive optimum mileage from your Mahindra XYLO.
 
The DDAS also has an inbuilt warning system which will prompt you to put on your seat belts in case you forget or if you attempt to drive with the handbrake engaged, for instance. The Intellipark Reverse Assist has a visual prompt in the rear view mirror which shows you the distance between the rear bumper and any object behind your car.
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An article by Mahindra FirstChoice No Comments
Mar
17
2009
New Launches & Upcoming Cars in India

Hyundai to Launch i20 Diesel Variant This Year

Hyundai Motor India has firmed up its plan to introduce a diesel variant of its premium compact car, the i-20, by the end of the year. The company that already sells the diesel variant of the model for the European market is now considering offering a similar option to its domestic customers.
 
In the end of December when the company launched the model, it had said that it would consider the option based on market demand. "We will launch the i-20 diesel for the domestic market this year. But we are yet to finalise the engine size," said Mr Arvind Saxena, Senior Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. The company sells the car equipped with a 1.2-litre petrol engine for the domestic market to avail itself of the excise duty benefit on compact cars. It also sells the diesel variant for the European market with an engine size of 1.6 litres.
 
However, to gain from the lower excise duty on compact cars, it is likely to bring the car either in a 1.4-litre engine or in a 1.5-litre engine.
 
The company is already selling a higher number of units than expected. Hyundai, which had aimed to sell 2,000 units of its i20 on an average on a monthly basis, received an order of 2,500 units last month. Of this, the company delivered 1,700 and the remaining will be sold in the current month.
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An article by Mahindra FirstChoice No Comments
Mar
10
2009
News & Events

M&M To Ramp Up Xylo Production Following Good Demand


Mahindra and Mahindra, said that it was ramping up production of its high-end brand 'Xylo' in a bid to reduce the waiting list for the product.
"For the Xylo, we have a waiting list of five weeks. We are now trying to lower that. We are already doing that (ramping up production)," Mahindra and Mahindra's Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Anand Mahindra, told reporters on the sidelines of Frames 2009 organised by industry chamber FICCI here.


The company last month launched its Mahindra Xylo, a multi-purpose vehicle targeting high-end customers.
The auto-maker said that it "has the lowest inventory level with dealers probably in history."


"Our inventory with dealers is lower than what we targeted because we were apprehensive about where the market was going," Mahindra said.


M&M, which is a dominant player in the rural market for tractors, said it would consolidate its position in the rural market and have plans for the segment.


"We have more than 40 per cent market in rural India in the tractor segment. So we have to have plans for the rural market," Mahindra said, adding that as per its data, there has been more than a 20 per cent CAGR growth rate in farmers' profit margins since 2006

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An article by Mahindra FirstChoice No Comments
Mar
10
2009
News & Events

back Used Cars Rescue Car makers And Buyers

More car for your money? It’s possible. Plenty of new models in the used car market have made it easy for car owners to trade up at a good bargain. At the same time, manufacturers are also happy, since this means that more new cars will disappear from showrooms now.
 
Traditionally dominated by economy hatchbacks, the used car market is now seeing a big chunk of buyers upgrading to premium hatchbacks and sedans such as, the Hyundai i10, Accent, Maruti Swift, SX4, Ford Fiesta and Honda City. Also, car owners are now opting for a quicker replacement.
 
Sample this: Almost 80% of customers who buy a new car intend to sell it within five years, a survey by JD Power revealed. Compare this to a time when nostalgic car owners would cling on to their prized set of wheels for more than seven to eight years.
 
Says Shubhabrata Saha, CEO of Mahindra First Choice Wheels, “The Honda City is a current favourite. A used car buyer usually looks for value for his money. Hence, trading up is a logical phenomenon.” And why not, when for the price of a new car you can bring home a well-maintained pre-owned car from a certified retailer and that too, with a one-year warranty and all the frills
 
"The question for a car buyer is whether he can get a better car within the budget that he has set aside for a small car," explains Maruti Suzuki chief GM (sales support) Ravi Bhatia. "The recent availability of new models in the used car market has answered that question," he adds.
 
For instance, now it is possible to buy a relatively new one-year-old Rs 8 lakh plus Honda City ZX GXi for around Rs 6 lakh. And a well-maintained few-months-old Rs 5.5 lakh Maruti Swift VDI (diesel) will cost you roughly Rs 4 lakh.
Also, the rising number of compact and fuel-efficient models in the new car market now means that the used car market is no longer limited to first time buyers. In fact, the domestic pre-owned car market, which is almost as big as the new car market, has been growing at 20% y-o-y.
 
Last year, nearly 1.1 million used cars were sold in the country. In comparison, the new car market has been woefully stagnant for quite some time now. That means that a third of new cars sales last year were facilitated by the movement of used cars. Only 10% of the total pre-owned cars sold in the market are through the organised used car business.
 
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An article by Mahindra FirstChoice No Comments
Mar
9
2009
News & Events

Toyota to Cut Production till Feb

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said it will continue to maintain a 30 per cent production cut till February. The company had begun cutting production since November to adjust supplies according to the demand.
 
"From November onwards, we have been cutting production to adjust supplies as per the demand. We expect to maintain the same schedule till February. After this, we except the production to be normal," said Mr Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director of TKM, at the sidelines of the launch of its new Innova priced between Rs 7.66 lakh and Rs 11.06 lakh (ex- showroom Delhi).
 
   
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An article by Mahindra FirstChoice No Comments