Hyundai on The Move!

Hyundai Motors is in no mood to slowdown as of now. First it launched the new Verna Transform with a bang, and now, it is back in the news with the twin announcements of the Santa Fe launch and the 800cc mini car launch in 2010 end and 2011 consecutively.

The automaker announced that though it operates only two manufacturing plants in India with a total production of 600.000 vehicles per year, it will import all Santa Fe SUVs from South Korea to make them available for Indian customers. Commenting on the new SUV, a top Hyundai official said that the new Santa Fe SUV will be a completely built unit, and after two-three years it will be manufactured completely as a knocked down unit.

Till date all the SUVs made by Tata Motors have been immensely popular in Indian market, so have been the sporty Mahindra cars, but when Hyundai tried to surprise Indian mass with its Tucson SUV, it received a lukewarm response. Now, the carmaker hopes to do a better job with the new Santa Fe SUV, and has accordingly adorned it with a plethora of styling tweaks and powertrain updates, including new front fascia, front and rear bumpers and slightly updated tail-lights.

Coming to the all new mini-car, Hyundai Motors India limited has scheduled its launch in the first half of the next year. The 800 ccm or 0.8L Hyundai car will be slotted below Hyundai Santro, the predecessor of popular Hyundai i10, and is now in the final phase of development.

Top 5 Small Cars in India by Maruti Suzuki

There's one thing common in all Maruti Suzuki customers- they gawk at the stunning looks of a brand new car, revel at the news of a recent launch, but when it comes to buying cars for themselves they stick to the good old vehicles with trustworthy Maruti Suzuki logo on them. Such is the goodwill of the brand, and such is the versatility of these small cars in India.

Here are the top 5 Maruti Suzuki small cars in India till date:

Maruti Suzuki 800- Still produced in four iterations, with two costlier LPG versions, these four generations old Maruti Suzuki cars are still the most favored vehicles of car lovers who belong to the middle income group in India. If you are looking for the most economic buy, go for the AC LPG version. But one thing, you have to come to terms with - Maruti Suzuki 800 cars are more than just common on the Indian roads.


Maruti Suzuki Alto- A notch superior to Maruti Suzuki 800, the Alto wins hands down when it comes to versatility. Go for the top-end LXi model, for that makes the smartest choice. But then again, be sure to come across a hundred similar Altos once you hit the roads.

Maruti Suzuki A-Star- If you are the one those who prefer no compromise in the quality stakes, then this Maruti car is surely meant for you. Contemporary in looks, Maruti Suzuki A-Star comes powered with a three-cylinder engine from the new K-series family, and enjoys a satisfactory demand in the European market as well.

Maruti Wagon R- with the recent breathtaking launch of its Blue Eyed Boy, Maruti Wagon R is going strong and steady. It has very attractive sporty looks, and offers brilliant utilization of space and effortlessness to drive. One hardly gets to pin point a turn-off in this Maruti car, except for the tech-savvy car enthusiasts.

Maruti Suzuki Swift- You see a Swift on roads and you don't feel for a second that this Maruti car is already 5 years old. The Getz, the biggest competitor of Swift has come and went and this Maruti small car still remains fresh. No wonder, it tops the list of all-time favorite small cars in India.

Top 5 Indian Cars to Hit Small Car Segment in 2010

Indian cars have been making news for quite some time now. The domestic small car segment, especially, is buzzing with the launch of a fleet of new car models. In the year 2010, many small cars manufactured by both Indian and foreign car makers are going to make debut in the Indian auto market. Following are the top 5 upcoming Indian cars in the small car segment that car lovers in India can look forward to:

Chevrolet Spark 800

Positioned below its elder sibling (also the bigger one in terms of engine capacity) the Spark, the new Chevrolet Spark 800 is expected to come with a lower price tag. Powered with a 800cc engine, this new entrant amongst Indian cars is said to be swanked with rich features to match the exquisite design and style of the existing Spark model.

Maruti Suzuki Cervo

Maruti Suzuki has gifted many versatile Indian cars to the car lovers in India. This time it is set to launch Cervo, the new small wonder of Indian car industry. Maruti Cervo, which is said to be arriving with a Suzuki 660cc engine competent of generating about 60 bhp speed, will give Tata Nano and the upcoming low-priced cars from Hyundai and Nissan, a tough time ahead.

Fiat Bravo

Hatchbacks are not uncommon in Indian cars, but as it is claimed by the Italian car maker, Fiat, the Bravo is going to be different. The small family car will be available in both petrol and diesel variants, and will enthrall car lovers with its sleek appealing exterior and sharply rising waistline. The most striking feature of Fiat Bravo is its suppressed noise levels- both wind and engine originated, which is sure to give a relaxed driving experience to all.


Nissan Pixo

Surging fuel prices and greenhouse emissions have become a curse to Indian automobile industry. All upcoming Indian cars are being designed keeping these problems in mind. Same is applicable for Nissan Pixo, which comes with a 1.0-litre fuel efficient engine competent of expelling low carbon dioxide emission.

Mini Cooper

Premium Indian cars in the small car segment have been in great demand for the last few years. Now, the all New Mini Cooper from is ready to hit the market. The small car from British Automotive Brand's stable (owned by BMW) is positioned to give the Beetle and the Fiat 500 a tough competition. It will be available in 3 variants: Mini One, Cooper, and Cooper S.

Nissan to Launch Ultra Low Cost Car in India

Tata Nano to find a competitor soon. Japanese auto major Nissan Motor has entered into a JV with Renault to make small cars in India. The new ultra low-cost passenger car, which will be pried at Rs 134,000, is all set to take on the might of Tata Nano, presently the cheapest car in the world. Makers of Nano, listen up!

Apart from Renault, Nissan has also roped in Bajaj Auto for this venture. The Indian car maker's margin on three-wheelers is said to be more than the current margin of Nissan in the four-wheeler segment, and with this launch, Nissan plans to increase its profitability by taking advantage of Baja's expertise in low-cost production techniques.

Gilles Normand, Nissan's corporate vice president in charge of Africa, the Middle East and India, said in a recent interview that with this venture, the car maker plans to capture the potentiality of Indian auto market in the low-cost passenger car segment, and take advantage of its expertise in small-car production. India, known for being the prime destination for small cars, witnesses a significant yearly sale of cars that are priced below Rs 360,000.

So, if you are considering another stylish addition to your small car collection after Nano, then here it comes – just a wait of another couple of years, and Nissan Mirca will be right here in India by 2012.

Tata Nano Prices to Increase Soon

If you thought your dream of owning Tata Nano will come true at a price of Rs 1 lakh, then this piece of information would shatter your dreams into pieces. The world’s cheapest car may no longer stay as cheap as Rs 1 lakh, the price at which this small wonder was launched. Tata Motors may increase the price of Nano.

Though the automaker has not disclosed the hike in price, the reason for the expected increase in prices has been made clear by Tata Motors. The increase in prices of commodities and logistics is the major reason that will affect the cost of Nano. Mr. Ravi Kant, vice-chairman, Tata Motors said,"Deliveries to the first lot of customers should be over by December. And prices of commodities and logistics have gone up, so we’ll look into the pricing of the car closer to the date of fresh bookings."

The other factor that may lead to increase in price is the commencing of Nano's production at Tata's plant at Sanand, Gujarat from April, 2010. The Sanand plant in Gujarat does not get tax concessions as the Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand. This will lead to increase in tax outgo thereby affecting the 1 lakh price tag of Tata Nano.

The second phase of bookings for Tata Nano is expected to begin a couple of months later.

Nano Electric Vehicle at 80th Geneva Motor Show

We have said it earlier that its the age of Tata Nano. The small car from Tata Motors is hogging the limelight through out the world. Nano has now reached the ongoing Geneva Motor Show. Tata Motors, the automaker displayed its small car at the 80th Geneva Motor Show. But, the small car displayed by Tata was not the basic model, it was the Nano Electric Vehicle (EV).

The Nano Electric Vehicle is an eco-friendly car that uses super polymer lithium ion batteries, as in the Tata Indica Vista EV. The Electric Nano showcased at Geneva Motor Show gives an output of 160 km and an acceleration of 0-60 kmph in under 10 seconds.

Nano in New York - Wow!!

When Ratan Tata started working on his brain child - Tata Nano, he must have never imagined that this small wonder would be such a success. The latest auto news is adding another feather into the cap of the Tata Motors, the automaker.

Tata Nano would be seen at the Hewitt National Design Museum, New York from Thursday. more at Tata Nano Being Displayed at Hewitt National Design Museum

10,000 in 25 days - Chevrolet Beat beats the heat

Small is definitely big. Beat is creating the stir in the market. The small car from General Motors is not just gaining attention for its spectacular looks, but is also emerging as a tough competition for other small cars in the Indian market. This Chevy hatchback has reached 10, 000 bookings in just first 25 days of launch..

more on Beat

Ford to Introduce a New Car in India Every 12-18 months

While Ford Figo is to reach Indian roads next week, the carmaker Ford is all geared up to give a tough competition to other carmakers in the compact car segment. Ford India has announced its plans to introduce a new car in the Indian auto market after every 12 to 18 months.

Speaking to a Business Line, President and Managing Director of Ford India Pvt Ltd., Mr Michael Boneham said, "Nearly 70 per cent of all cars sold in the country is in the small car segment. For us the majority of new launches will be in that segment across the next four to five years. What we are planning to do here is launch a new car every 12 to 18 months."

At present, the automaker is preparing to launch its hatchback - Ford Figo in small car segment. This most awaited model will be competing with small cars from the Hyundai Motor India, Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors. With Figo is to be launched in the first week of February, the automaker is moving actively to create a better market on the Indian car industry. Meanwhile, seeing the strategy of Ford India in launching vehicles, it seems Ford car lovers will have to wait for another 12 to 18 months for another small car from Ford.

Revised Prices of Maruti Suzuki Models

Effective 16th January, 2010, Maruti Suzuki has increased prices of all its car models. India's biggest and most favourite automaker, Maruti Suzuki has increased the prices that varies from 0.17 percent to 1.47 percent. Ask Maruti the reason for this rise and they have a valid answer to justify this plunge in car rates. The reason is - to recover the increase in the input costs arousing out of raw material costs over the past year.

Ex-Showroom Prices in Delhi (in Rs)
Model	New	Old	Increase	Change %
M800 Std	191646	191146	500	0.26
M800 Std Ac	213062	212562	500	0.24
Alto Std	231585	231085	500	0.22
Alto Lx	265262	264762	500	0.19
Alto Lxi	283878	283378	500	0.18
Omni Cargo LPG	194725	192725	2000	1.04
Omni Cargo	213706	213206	500	0.23
Omni (Eight Seater)	221268	220768	500	0.23
Omni LPG	230388	227388	3000	1.32
Esteem Lx	445968	444968	1000	0.22
Esteem Lxi	476223	475223	1000	0.21
Esteem Vxi	511520	510520	1000	0.20
Baleno Lxi	576173	575173	1000	0.17
Versa Dx	433575	432575	1000	0.23
Versa Dx2	471779	470779	1000	0.21
Versa Std	360182	359182	1000	0.28
WagonR Lx LPG	345106	340106	5000	1.47
WagonR Lxi LPG	373160	368160	5000	1.36

However, there is no increase in the prices of Swift, Zen, Baleno (Vxi) and WagonR (Petrol).

Shouts of Eco Echo Through Auto Expo

It's the age of eco-friendly vehicles. The impact of the global warming has also appeared in Auto Expo, pushing the automobile companies to produce the cars which are environmentally friendly.

Bollywood Megastar Shah Rukh Khan got down to ongoing Auto Expo to kick off the new electric version of Hyundai's i10, presented by the Korean auto giant. The Hyundai i10 Electric is an emission free car that will go on sale on the company's home market in the second half of 2010.



The i10 Electric will be powered by a 49kW (66.6 PS) electric motor under the hood and driving its front wheels. The exhibition of the i10 Electric reasserts Hyundai's commitment to develop environment friendly cars in the global market.



Another Giant of automobile- Maruti Suzuki displayed a small multi-purpose concept vehicle 'rIII' at the Auto Expo, claiming it will fulfill the need of Indian consumers. On the other hand Honda unveiled small car concept, for now known simply as the Honda 'New Small'. The car is slated for a 2011 release in India and Thailand.The design of the car looks utterly new, with extensive use of LED lights an the overall shape of the car is from a new school of design altogether.

Rs 1 crore Nano at Auto Expo 2010!!

Did your eyes popped out? Or you thought I have made a blunder by writing 1 crore instead 1 lakh. I know it is hard to believe but it's true. Tata Nano worth 1 crore is expected to be a part of Auto Expo 2010. If you are still confused, then let me elaborate on it.

Dilip Chhabria who is a renowned automobile designer is behind this massive surge in price. He has worked hard on Nano - the people's car of India. Chhabaria will not only change the engine but will always give the small car a luxurious feel. The biggest change in the 1 crore Nano is that - from a five seater small car, Mr. Chhabaria has changed it into a two seater luxurious car. Ready to pay that price for this Nano worth 1 crore. What do you have to say on that???

Taller Alto in Japan! Don't We Need One?

Maruti Suzuki has launched a taller Alto in Japan. This all new Alto has more space and is ideal for taller drivers in India. With minor modifications in some car parts, the taller Alto is almost similar the previous version.

This taller Alto launched in Japan offers a comfortable riding experience as well as steady handling of the car. Few more benefits of this latest version of Suzuki Alto include front & rear door openings that helps in easy stepping in & out. The driver seat of taller Alto allows better visibility thus a more safer drive. Now with so many advantages of Taller Alto, don't you think Indians deserve this new Alto model more than Japanese.

What's the Buzz About Small Cars?

Just overheard someone betting to see a number of small cars at the upcoming auto show. So, what? What is the big deal in it? I don't understand why everyone around is so happy about new cars coming to India. We had our Maruti 800s, then we had our Alto, Reva, Omni, etc. And now we even have our own Tata Nano. Why do we need more of small cars?