Maruti enters its name in the Guinness Book of Records

Maruti Suzuki India, a major car maker in the country, announced on Sunday that it has managed to enter its name in the Guinness Book of Records by organizing the largest-ever car parade of its most popular compact hatchback Maruti Swift in India. Maruti Suzuki has set a new Guinness Book of World Record by bringing together 342 Swift cars at a car parade in Gurgaon, company said in a statement. This world record is a testimony to the ever-growing popularity of the Swift. The new record is a victory for all the 4.5 lakh Swift owners, the statement added.



The sales figures of Maruti Swift has crossed the mark of 4.5 lakh units since its launch in India five years back. The company produces over 12,000 Swifts on a monthly basis at its facilities in Gurgaon and Manesar, still, the car is enjoying a high waiting period of 2 to 3 months.



In the initial year of its launch about 61,200 units of Swift were sold in India, which was much higher then the target company had aimed for it of 50,000 units. The Swift model is among one of the most sought-after models in not only India but also in many foreign markets including Japan, Europe. In the Denmark, Swift had topped the chart in year 2006, and is among top three since then.

In the list of largest vehicle parades ever held in the world, BMW has a unique record on its name, the company had organized the largest ever parade of gathering 1,450 units of Minis in London in year 2009, at the occasion of the 50th anniversary of this BMW-owned small car.

Source:- Maruti enters its name in the Guinness Book of Records - New Cars

GM mulling to compete Nano with a new small car

General Motors, a US based leading car maker, is mulling the option of launching a new small car in India, in competition with Tata Nano which is the cheapest car in India. The company may launch this car in association with its Chinese partner Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SIAC), which has a 50% stake in GM India. Company may use its Chinese associations to launch a rival for Tata Nano in India, a leading Indian business daily reported on Monday.



SIAC is among the top car-makers in the Chinese market and sells vehicles across all the segments. On the other hand GM is not new in the compact car segment as the company already has three popular small cars in its India portfolio. This includes Chevrolet Beat, Chevrolet Spark and Chevrolet Aveo, all of these three cars have been designed at GM owned Daewoo Motors in South Korea.

Since the launch of Chevrolet Beat in January this year, GM India has become a leading car maker of this segment with gathering more than 10,000 bookings in the starting 24 days of its launch in India. The Beat model has been launched with a competitive price tag of Rs 3,42,981 - Rs 4,03,415 (Delhi ex-showroom). Launching a small car in India will certainly help both GM and SIAC in strengthening their position in the Indian market.

Besides this, the GM India is also eying on launching a LCV (lightweight commercial vehicle) in the Indian market, in partnership with SIAC, a segment in which GM India is yet to make a mark.

Source:- GM mulling to compete Nano with a new small car - New Cars

High demand, the new growth phenomena for auto industry

auto-industry of India, which is one of the fastest growing auto market in the world, is witnessing a high demand scenario in every segment of cars including entry level sedan Maruti Swift Dzire and luxury SUV Toyota Fortuner. According to Mr Mayank Pareek, managing executive officer (marketing and sales), Maruti Suzuki, the demand has been overwhelming in the market, especially for the newer models that were keenly awaited. It has been more than what the company anticipated.



Toyota Fortuner, a luxury SUV which was launched in India in Oct last year, is not available for bookings since the month of January as company has stopped receiving bookings for this model in a bid to clear the existing long backlog. At the time when bookings were stopped the Fortuner model was available on a long waiting period of three to four months. According to Mr Sandeep Singh, deputy managing director (marketing), Toyota Kirloskar Motors, the company dosn't has enough production to match the demand that has been phenomenal and beyond its expectation. The bookings have been closed as the company dosn't want people to wait for delivery endlessly after paying hefty booking amounts.

On the other hand, Maruti Swift Dzire, India's best selling entry level sedan is going through a robust demand phase with waiting period reaching up to three months for some variants. The Dezire model, which was launched in India in March 2008, is enjoying the top position in its segment since then. In recently launched compact cars the Volkswagen Polo and Ford Figo are among the highly demanded cars in India, both of these cars are enjoying a waiting period of about 1 to 2 months.

However, car-makers in in India are working hard on their expansion plans to enhance their production capacity and catch-up with this rising demand. This includes GM, Toyota, Maruti, Ford and Volkswagen.

Source:- High demand, the new growth phenomena for auto industry - New Cars

Proton to launch a small car in India

The Malasyian car maker Proton is soon going to launch its first car in the Indian market. The car would be a small car and is expected to be based on the EMAS concept recently showcased at the Geneva Auto Show. There are speculations that the car is designed by Italdesign Giugiaro of Italy. The hatchback would offer comfortable seating for 4 adults and would measure 3,550-mm length.



The the EMAS concept displayed at the Geneva Auto show would be used by Proton to develop many small cars for small car markets like India and China, informed the company sources. The top officials from the company quoted that the key markets Proton is focusing on, these days are India, China, Asean and the Middle East.

The reason behind the focus on these markets is the sizeability and the potential for growth. The company has already been in touch with some of the original equipment manufacturers and contract-assembly service providers. The company also mentioned that it wishes to make the most of time and reach Indian markets as soon as possible.

Apart from the small car for the Indian market, another small car in the company's global portfolio is the Savvy. The engine of this car is sourced from Renault. The same is supposed to be extended for Indian markets as well that is, the engine for the upcoming car might me sourced from Renault.

Its been more than a decade now that the company has been looking forward to debut in the Indian market. Initially there were news that the company is in talks with Hindustan Motors to take up a joint venture which was later shelved due to some financial constraints.

Source:- Proton to launch a small car in India - New Cars

Yamaha to increase its rural market share

Major two-wheeler players of Indian auto market, India Yamaha Motor is planning to establish its strong position in the rural market. The company is targeting to increase its sales to double digit in rural market by the next 5 years. The fully owned Indian subsidiary of the Japanese giant Yamaha sold 2.2 lakh two-wheelers in the Indian auto market last year.



Now, the company is expecting to grow its total sales by up to 30 percent in the current calender year. Besides, India Yamaha Motor intends to open 1,000 new outlets in sub-urban and remote areas of the country by 2014. Pankaj Dubey, National Business Head of India Yamaha Motor said,"We will focus to strengthen our presence to continue growth in the rural market.



The company has seen till now a good sales in big cities of Urban areas. The rural two-wheeler market is not fully used and hence gives a large growth potential, he added. The company is also planning to introduce its new 125cc bike, Yamaha SZ soon in India. It will also suppose to increase its sales volume in the rural areas. On the other hand, world's major sports bike player, Ducati motor has launched its most popular Ducati Monster in the Indian auto market.

Source:- Yamaha to increase its rural market share - Bikes in India

Ford Mustang AV-X10 2010 Auto Gallery

Ford Mustang AV-X10 2010

Ford Mustang AV-X10 2010

Ford Mustang AV-X10 2010

Ford Mustang AV-X10 2010

Ford Mustang AV-X10 2010

Ford Mustang Warriors In Pink 2009 Car Pictures

Ford Mustang Warriors In Pink 2009

Ford Mustang Warriors In Pink 2009

Ford Mustang Warriors In Pink 2009

Ford Mustang Warriors In Pink 2009

Car Market witnessing a flurry of buyers

The Indian automotive market is blooming like never before. Major car makers across all segments are busy redesigning their existing range or are involved in launching brand new cars in the Indian market. The purchasing power of the Indian buyers also seems to be on an all time high as the rush and blitz at various company showrooms is maddening.



With the demand increasing at a lightening speed, the car manufacturers are finding it difficult to meet the demands but are happy with such a positive response from the buyers. Most of the car models, whether they are the existing rulers are new entrants, are witnessing long waiting periods that on an average is around 2 months.

Maruti Swift has been the pride of the company since the time it was launched. Both Maruti Swift and Maruti Swift Dzire have waiting periods of upto two months. Joining the league is the Van-based model Maruti Eeco. Ford Figo, Volkswagen Polo, Chevrolet Cruze and Chevrolet Beat are the latest entrants in the Indian market and have already become immensely popular amongst the buyers.



The buyers are seen lined up at the company showrooms carrying the booking amounts, to be amongst the early buyers and make efforts to shorten the waiting periods. These companies are forced to ramp up their production in order to meet the demands. Ford and Volkswagen have already started with the second round of manufacturing.

Ford India is also planning to recruit 700 new employees with a view to meet the demands and occupy the expanded manufacturing capacities. One model that needs a special mention in this regard is Toyota Fortuner, an SUV that has been immensely popular ever since it was launched. Toyota Motors had to indeed stop further bookings of the car as the demand was much more than the company had expected.

Source:- Car Market witnessing a flurry of buyers - New Cars

Malaysia's Proton to launch a new compact car in India

Proton, a Malaysia based car maker, is planning to make its debut in the Indian market with launching a small car with a competitive price tag. The new car will be based on the the EMAS concept to which company has presented at the Geneva Auto show last month. The new small car will be a five-door hatchback designed by an Italian firm Italdesign Giugiaro. The concept which was shown at the Geneva auto show was a four-seater model with a total length of 3,550-mm.



The company is aiming to sell this car in markets like India and China, which are one of the fastest growing auto-markets in the world. Besides this new small car, the company has another compact car 'Savvy' in its global portfolio. The Savvy model will be powered with a 1200cc engine which will be out-sourced from Renault. It is speculated that the company may look for possibilities of sourcing engines from Renault for its India bound compact car too, as Renault has invested heavily at its engine production facility in Chennai. However, there is no confirmation form either of the company on this regard.

Its about a decade since the company is planning to enter in the Indian market, but due to the financial problems the company had rescheduled its plans. Last year, the company was in talks with the Hero group for a joint venture in India but these talks couldn't reached to the fruition.

Source:- Malaysia's Proton to launch a new compact car in India - New Cars

Mahindra bids for S Korean SUV maker Ssangyong

Mahindra & Mahindra, country's largest SUV maker has made bids to buy Ssangyong Motor Corp, a South Korea’s bankrupt firm. Interestingly, Renault group, a France based leading car maker which has recently ended a 5 year old joint venture with Mahindra group, has also made bids for this Korean firm. The Mahindra and Renault had entered into a partnership in year 2005 when both of the companies started manufacturing Logan sedan in India. But due to the recently surfaced differences on the issues like pricing and designing the joint venture came to an end in April 2010.



The bidding value for Ssangyong Motor Corp, which has around 2% market share in the Korean market, is expected to be in the range of $300-$500 million. The company sales some of the popular SUV's in the Korean market including Rexton and Kyron which will definitely help Mahindra & Mahindra in enhancing its operations in markets like South-Korea if it gets succeed in buying this bankrupt firm.

Company's expertise lies in turning around sick companies and therein lies the primary synergy for its interest in the company. It has identified value in this company and therefore, has put in a bid for the same, said Mr Pawan Kumar Ruia, in a statement to a leading business daily.

Source:- Mahindra bids for S Korean SUV maker Ssangyong - New Cars

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2010 New Car Pictures

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2010

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2010

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2010

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2010

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2010

Ford Mustang Convertible 2010 New Car

Ford Mustang Convertible 2010

Ford Mustang Convertible 2010

Ford Mustang Convertible 2010

Ford Mustang Convertible 2010

Ford Mustang Convertible 2010

Honda intends to export 110,000 units this fiscal

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) is intending to increase its export market by exporting 110,000 units in the current fiscal year. The company exported 80,000 units in the last year. HMSI president and chief executive officer, Shinji Aoyama said," We are not only exporting to developing countries but also to the developed nations of Europe. The company would invest Rs. 500 crore within the next one year into its second two-wheeler manufacturer plant that would be established in Alwar, Rajasthan.



Honda is believing to sell over 15 lakh two-wheelers in the current financial year from 12.7 lakh units of two-wheelers sold in last fiscal year. The company's motorcycle sales were at 5.2 lakh units and that of scooter sales were also at 7.5 lakh units in the previous Financial year (2009-10). The company registered 18 percent sales growth in the last year. Besides, HMSI is expecting to continue its 18 percent sales growth in the current FY10, he added. Honda's present Harayana and Manesar plants annual capacity is around 15 lakh units. HMSI has recently launched a new sporty version of Honda Unicorn in the premium segment in the Indian auto market, Honda CB Dazzler. On the other hand, Bajaj Auto has also introduced one another model of its Bajaj Discover in the 150cc segment.

Source:- Honda intends to export 110,000 units this fiscal - Bikes in India

Ford to hike Figo price from 1st June

Ford India, a subsidiary of US based Ford Motors, is all set to increase the price of its recently launched Figo model in India due to the rise in price of raw materials and steel. The company has decided to hike the prices of its best-seller Figo small car starting 1 June, 2010, it said in a statement. The rise would only be on the Figo small car models and would not be more than 2 per cent on any of the variants. The rising cost of steel and the steady increase in other raw materials is the main cause for this hike, said Ms. Diptee Sethi, Corp Communication Head, Ford India, in a statement given to a leading auto magazine.



The company had launched the Figo model with a very competitive price tag as against its competitors in this segment like Volkswagen Polo, so an small increase in the price will not affect its sales in India. However, price of the other models of Ford India portfolio will remain unchanged.



The Figo model was launched in India in the month of March this year in both diesel and petrol versions, at the starting price tag of Rs 3.5 lakh. Since its launch in India, the Figo model is receiving a very good response from the Indian buyers, as its bookings has crossed the 20,000 mark in India in just 3 months of its launch in the country. The Figo model is competing with some of the most popular compact hatchbacks in India including Chevrolet Beat, Maruti Swift, Hyundai i20 and Volkswagen Polo.

Ford Ikon, Ford Fiesta, and Ford Endeavour are the other models in company's portfolio in India.

Source:- Ford to hike Figo price from 1st June - New Cars

Reva enters in a new era with Mahindra merger

Reva Electric, a well know electric car maker in India which has recently been acquired by the Mahindra Group, was started selling its vehicles in India since year 2001. The company was formed as a joint venture with two foreign companies- Detroit’s General Motors and Silicon Valley VC fund Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ).

The company had recently entered into a tie-up with General Motors to manufacture the electric versions of GM's compact car Chevrolet Spark in India, which was a major success for the company as it was the first time that an Indian comoany would provide electric car technology to one of the largest car makers of US.



At present, the REVA is marketing its cars in 24 countries across the world automobile market, with an overall vehicle population of over 3500, arguably the largest EV fleet globally. REVA recently premiered its next generation electric car models, the NXR and NXG which received an enthusiastic response. Mahindra REVA will now have access to Mahindra's vehicle development technology and distribution network, significantly enhancing its ability to launch a state-of-the-art electric vehicle for global markets.



The decision of giving its control to the Mahindra group was a bit surprising for many market watchers as the company was doing very well at the time of this merger. On the other hand Mahindra group has strengthened its position in the Electric Vehicles domain with the acquisition of a majority stake in REVA Electric. The company will be renamed Mahindra REVA Electric Vehicle Co Ltd. Under the new agreement which was signed by both the companies, M&M will own 55.2% equity in Mahindra REVA by a combination of equity purchase from the promoters and a fresh equity infusion of over Rs 45 crores (approx US $10 million) into the company. The buyout makes the Mahindra group a strong global player in the electric vehicle space.

Source:- Reva enters in a new era with Mahindra merger - New Cars

Volkswagen Phaeton to launch in June; tagged at Rs 76.3 lakh

Volkswagen Phaeton will be launched in the next month and would be priced at Rs 76.3 lakh. The car would be brought in as a completely built in unit. This car would be the third CBU import by the company, the other two being the Touareg and the new Beetle. The car however has not received any booking as of now, perhaps due to the niche market it caters to, company sources suggest.



Volkswagen Polo, on the other hand has a waiting period of 3 months currently. The car was launched in March this year and has received tremendous response from the users. Depending on the model and the variant the car has waiting periods of nearly 2-3 months. The customers are getting impatient to get the delivery of their favourite car.

The booking amount for Volkswagen Polo Rs.50,000/-. The Chakan plant of the company which is occupied in the manufacturing of the car is escalating volumes as it is soon going to witness the production of its new sedan Volkswagen Vento. The production of Vento is expected to begin from July this year.

Neeraj Garg, member of the board and director, Volkswagen India, shared that there are over 9000 bookings of Polo so far which is a great indication as customers are ready to wait for the car even for a period of three months.

Volkswagen Polo is compared to Skoda Fabia many a times, but is priced much lower than the latter. Mr. Garg clarified here that although there are different brands in the segment and it is competitive but there is no conflict of any sorts.

Source:- Volkswagen Phaeton to launch in June; tagged at Rs 76.3 lakh - New Cars

Mercedes may develop low-cost fuel efficient cars in India

Mercedes India, country's largest luxury car maker, is expected to roll-out a new cheaper and fuel efficient car, specially designed for the Indian market. The company believed to be developing a new India bound car at its Mercedes Front-wheel-drive Architecture (MFA) platform. The new Front-wheel-drive Architecture will possibly be implemented in company's high product range in the Indian market, as per reported by a leading auto-magazine in India.



The new technology will certainly help company in reaching-out more and more starting range luxury class buyers in India. It will also enable the company to roll-out fully featured cars at a very competitive price, which in turn strengthen its position in the Indian market. Besides this, the company is also planning to launch a luxury SUV in the Indian market by year 2013, which will compete with popular cars like BMW X1 in this segment.



The Mercedes Benz India sold 321 units in April 2010 taking the cumulative sales for January- April 2010 to 1603 units, accounted for a growth of 80% as compared to April 2009 and 69% as compared to Jan- April 2009. Company's intensive customer engagements, aggressive product introductions coupled with deep network penetration and focus on customer delight have ensured that it is the preferred choice for luxury car aficionados. its sales numbers reflect its traction with the market, Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India said while releasing the sales figure of the month of April 2010.

Source:- Mercedes may develop low-cost fuel efficient cars in India - New Cars

Tata plans to expand JLR in China

Tata Motors, which has recently announced more than 30 percent increase in its total revenue, is now eying to expend its operations in the Chinese market through increasing the presence of its British subsidiaries Jaguar and Land Rover, there. Company is planning to increase presence of its JLR in China as it is expecting a considerable volume growth will come from there in the coming years, said, Carl Peter Forster, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Tata Motors.



Chinese automobile market is one of the largest auto market in the world and has a high growth potential in the passenger car segment. Both Jaguar and Land Rover have performed very well in the Chinese market which has encouraged the Tata Motors to expand operations of these two brands in that market.



Tata Motors has recently reported consolidated revenues (net of excise) at Rs. 92,519.25 crores posting a growth of 30.5% over Rs. 70,880.95 crores in the previous year. There has been strong volume growth both at Tata Motors and at Jaguar Land Rover.

The Consolidated Profit before Tax (PBT) for the year was Rs. 3,522.64 crores compared to a Loss before Tax of Rs. 2,129.25 crores. The Consolidated Profit after tax (PAT) for the year was Rs. 2,571.06 crores, a significant turnaround from a loss of Rs. 2,505.25 crores in the previous year. The consolidated financial performance is not comparable to the previous year 2008-09 on account of the acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover in June 2008.

Source:- Tata plans to expand JLR in China - New Cars

Volkswagen inaugurates its first outlet in Pune

Volkswagen India, a subsidiary of Germany based leading car-maker Volkswagen, has inaugurated its first authorised retail outlet in Pune, named as Volkswagen Pune. The company will be selling all of its India portfolio models at this outlet including Volkswagen Passat, Touareg, Beetle, Phaeton, Jetta, and recently launched Polo. Today, the company will write the next chapter of the success story of Volkswagen India, the inauguration of the first Volkswagen dealership here in Pune. the company is proud about this.



Because it is the sale of the cars that makes the success of the vehicle models "visible" – in the true sense of the word – when it is seen on the city roads or on the express highways. Distribution is a fundamental aspect of the sales precisely: it is the dealerships even more precisely; it is the families which operate the dealerships, said Mr Joerg Mueller, president & managing director, Volkswagen India Private Limited, on the occasion. Volkswagen India, which had recently launched its compact hatchback Polo in the country, which is receiving an overwhelming response from the Indian buyers of this segment, has grown significantly in past few months.



The company has plans of increasing its dealership base further in the country to reach-out more and more car buyers. At present, Volkswagen India has about 43 dealerships in the country and most of them are in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. The new Volkswagen Pune outlet has enough space to display 10 cars at a time in its showroom with a 30 bay workshop which is enabled with state of art body paint workshop and accidental repair equipments.

Source:- Volkswagen inaugurates its first outlet in Pune - New Cars

New passenger cars from GM India by end of 2011

General Motors India, a subsidiary of US based leading car maker General Motors, announced on Thursday that it will roll-out some new passenger and commercial vehicles in the country by next year in association with its Chinese partner Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC). Last year, General Motors India had become a 50:50 joint venture with US auto giant GM and Chinese SIAC, that invested heavily in its Halol plant in Gujarat to produce light commercial vehicles (LCVs) from SAIC's portfolio.



Mr Karl Slym, GM India President and Managing Director said while briefing to the reporters on company's plans of launching new vehicles in India, that after the partnership with SAIC, GM in India has a wider menu to choose from with products from SAIC also available. By the end of next year or early 2012, the company plans to launch LCVs in one-tonne capacity, which could be simultaneously followed by passenger cars.

In December last year, the company had announced that it will manufacture its commercial vehicles in India at its Halol facility, following the shifting of production of GM's utility vehicles like Tavera to its Talegaon plant. The Halol plant has an annual production capacity of 85,000 units where company is currently manufacturing its popular cars in India including Chevrolet Spark, Chevrolet U-Va, Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet SRV, Chevrolet Optra Magnum, Chevrolet Cruze, Chevrolet Tavera and Chevrolet Captiva.

Source:- New passenger cars from GM India by end of 2011 - New Cars

Tata Nano may get a new marketing strategy in India

Tata Nano, the small car sensation which was launched in India in March 2009, is all set to be rolled-out from Tata's Sanand plant by the end of this year. However, the high enthusiasm and excitement which Nano had generated at the time of its launch in India is seems to be missing this time around. It is widely speculated that the company may come-out with a fresh marketing campaign to revitalise the market for Nano in India.



Tata Motors is all set to inaugurate a Nano production facility at Sanand next month which will be heaving a production capacity of 2.5 lakh units. Company is eying to cut-short the current long waiting period for Tata Nano model by utilizing the full capacity at this plant. The company had stopped booking of Tata Nano model after receiving 1 lakh orders initially, last year, and till now it has managed to deliver about 35,000 units of Nano in India.



The company is bound to provide the Nano at its initial price tag to the first 1 lakh allottees as these allotments are price protected, however, company may increase the price of this car as the booking reopens in last quarter this year. However, there is no announcement from the company's side regarding the price rise of Nano till now. Tata's had to relocate their Nano plant from Singur, West Bengal to Sanand in Gujarat, due to a series of Political agitations on farmer land acquisition.

Source:- Tata Nano may get a new marketing strategy in India - New Cars

Pulsar 135LS crosses 100,000 sales mark

The Pulsar 135LS has reached landmark 100,000 units sale since launch. This new addition to the Pulsar family has been one of the most talked about brand with a unique product proposition. The Pulsar 135LS, where LS stands for Light Sports, is the ‘first of its kind’ bike in the country, has cutting edge technology mixed with great looks and features.



The Pulsar 135LS is powered with a state of the art 4-valve DTS-i engine delivering 13.5 Ps power. With its chiseled lines and aggressive stance, a sporty split-seat, aluminum clip-on handlebars and a host of other features this 135cc Pulsar delivers a power packed performance. The light kerb weight of only 122 kg gives it a great Power-to-weight ratio of 110.6 Ps/tonne to make it optimum balance of agility and comfort to maneuver hustle-and-bustle of urban traffic. It comes at an attractive price point (Rs.52,997 ex-showroom Delhi).



The Pulsar 135LS had been the most appreciated bike by Auto-Experts this year. It has not only won “Bike of the Year” awards from Auto Magazines and Channels but also awards for its cutting edge technology. Mr. S. Sridhar, CEO-2Wh said “With the launch of the Pulsar 135LS, our aim was to democratize the thrill of biking by making performance accessible. Not only have expert bikers and specialist auto magazines and channels greatly appreciated the bike, the response from customers too has been overwhelming. The strong growth numbers have been achieved with innovative activations and digital campaigns backed by a very strong product offering”

Source:- Pulsar 135LS crosses 100,000 sales mark - Bikes in India

Bajaj Auto aims to sell 3 lakh bikes per month

Bajaj Auto is targeting to sell three lakh bikes per month from beginning of May 2010. The company is also eyeing to increase 50 percent sales in the current fiscal year. Previous year, the company's average sales was 2.09 lakh per month. Mr S Sridhar, CEO, Bajaj Auto (two wheeler) said," We have already sold 2.85 lakh bikes in April 2010. Besides this, Bajaj Auto has recently introduced a new version of Bajaj Discover, which is equipped with 150cc engine. The new Bajaj Discover 150cc is priced at Rs. 46,000 (ex-showroom-Delhi). After launching Discover 150cc, the company hopes to get higher market stake in the premium segment.



On the other hand, Bajaj Auto is ready to launch new premium Austrian KTM bikes in India from FY12. The market stake of Bajaj increased of 27 percent from 17 percent in the Q4 period of 2009-10, he added. The all new Bajaj-KTM premium bike will be available around Rs. 1 lakh. Mr. Sridhar Said that the new premium bike, after the launch in Europe auto market, will be available in the Indian auto market. The company had invested 20 million euros to grow its market stake with KTM at 35.7 percent from 31.9 percent. The new bikes will be marketed under the KTM brand through Probiking outlets. Bajaj-KTM jointly developed bikes to be manufactured in Bajaj's Chakan Plant in Pune. Meanwhile, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has also introduced a new 150cc version of Honda Unicorn, called as Honda CB Dazzler in India.

Source:- Bajaj Auto aims to sell 3 lakh bikes per month - Bikes in India

Volkswagen Polo witnessed spectacular stunts in Mumbai

Volkswagen India, recently held a stunt show at the Inorbit mall parking lot in Malad, Mumbai. What is the most exciting part, is the car used for the stunts. Volkswagen Polo, the company's newly launched hatchback was the beauty at the event. The stunt show was named as the "Polo Ultimate drive experience". The stunts were performed by world's best action performer Ronny Wechselberger. Ronny works with Volkswagen at their driving experience department in Wolfsburg.



The car was put across a series of driving tests like drifts, 360 degree turns, donuts and burnouts. The car performed well on all the fronts and charmed the audiences. Volkswagen Polo was recently launched in India and received a maddening response from buyers across India. The car has received such great responses that the demand has superseded the supply. There are more than 9000 bookings made already for the car at various dealer outlets of the company. Volkswagen is soon going to launch a sedan to compete against Honda City, called Volkswagen Vento. The production of this new upcoming sedan has already started at the company's plant at Chakan.

Source:- Volkswagen Polo witnessed spectacular stunts in Mumbai - New Cars

Tata Motors' total revenue jumped 30.5% in FY 09-10

Tata Motors today reported consolidated revenues (net of excise) at Rs. 92,519.25 crores posting a growth of 30.5% over Rs. 70,880.95 crores in the previous year. There has been strong volume growth both at Tata Motors and at Jaguar Land Rover. The Consolidated Profit before Tax (PBT) for the year was Rs. 3,522.64 crores compared to a Loss before Tax of Rs. 2,129.25 crores. The Consolidated Profit after tax (PAT) for the year was Rs. 2,571.06 crores, a significant turnaround from a loss of Rs. 2,505.25 crores in the previous year. The consolidated financial performance is not comparable to the previous year 2008-09 on account of the acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover in June 2008.



On March 30, 2010, the company has divested its controlling stake (20%) in Telco Construction Equipment Company Ltd. The resultant profit of Rs 1057.92 crores is included in other income. Tata Motors has reported a Basic Earnings Per Share (EPS) of Rs. 48.64 in 2009-10 for its consolidated operations in 2009-10 as against a Loss Per Share of Rs. 56.88 in 2008-09.

Tata Motors Stand-Alone Financial Results Financial year ended March 31, 2010 Tata Motors gross revenue for the financial year 2009-10 was Rs. 38,364.10 crores (2008-09: Rs. 28,568.21 crores). The revenues (net of excise) at Rs. 35,593.05 crores representing a growth of 38.9% over Rs.25,629.73 crores in the previous year. The PBT for the year is Rs. 2,829.54 crores, an increase of 179.1% over Rs. 1,013.76 crores previous year.



The PAT for the year is Rs. 2,240.08 crores, an increase of 123.7% over Rs. 1,001.26 previous last year (after exceptional item of a loss of Rs.850.86 crores recognized on redemption of preference shares by TML Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company) Volume recovery led by introduction of new products and strong continued growth in the existing portfolio, continued focus on cost efficiencies and price increases undertaken by the company to combat strengthening commodity prices aided the company to grow realizations and deliver double digit operating margin of 11.74%. Operating profit (EBITDA) came in at Rs. 4,178.28 crores in FY 2009-10 compared with Rs. 1,752.44 crores in the previous year.

Source:- Tata Motors' total revenue jumped 30.5% in FY 09-10 - New Cars