Autoblog

Nissan/Renault considering Nano competitor for India

Chris Shunk — 2008-05-08T09:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Economy, Hatchbacks, Nissan, Renault, India

Countries like China and India are a hotbed for the auto industry, and every major automaker is looking to improve its standing in the emerging markets while they're still on the ground floor. Low-cost micro cars are all the rage in the East, and Nissan/Renault is looking into getting a piece of that action by producing a Nano fighter. Nissan Motor India Director Neeraj Garg told The Times of India that while higher priced sedans and SUVs are also scheduled for India's booming auto market, a low-priced hatch is also on the wishlist if the pricing is right.

Company officials say that the low-cost transportation could be among six new products scheduled for India by 2012, and with the country's low-cost labor, Nissan/Renault could also export any vehicles it makes there.

[Source: The Times of India]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

In India, Kama Sutra inspires young car designer

Jeremy Korzeniewski — 2008-04-30T18:34:00+00:00

Filed under: Contests, India

We've heard the styling of some Italian cars being referred to as sensual before, so it comes as little surprise that the Italian styling firm Pininfarina's interest was piqued when it heard that a young Indian's car designs were inspired by the ancient love-making guide Kama Sutra. Ramesh Gound, a student of the National Institute of design in India says, "When I thought of what the world associates with India, it is Kama Sutra that came to my mind. After studying Kama Sutra, I realized its essence and my theme emerged -- two objects coming together and moving in one direction with a force of passion." He adds, "the exteriors of the body curve and become part of the interiors of the car." Yeah... so it sounds like his studies into Kama Sutra proved useful. For all of his hard work, Gound was rewarded with an internship at the famous Italian design house.

[Source: Times of India]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota considering Indian plant for small car production

Chris Shunk — 2008-04-29T08:56:00+00:00

Filed under: Economy, Geneva Motor Show, Toyota, India

Click above for more high-res images of the Toyota iQ

Toyota has been working on an affordable small car that will be cost-competitive in emerging markets, and Autocar is reporting that India is being considered as a destination for production. India makes sense due to its low-cost labor, and with competitors like the Tata Nano going for as little as $2,500, the world's biggest automaker will need to cut cost everywhere it can. There is no word as to exactly what vehicle would be produced in India, but one option is Toyota's production iQ from Geneva, which is scheduled to begin production later in 2008. Toyota is looking for initial sales of the iQ to crest 100,000 units.

Gallery: 2009 Toyota iQ

[Source: Autocar via Winding Road]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rumormill: Tata looking to buy stake in MV Agusta

Jeremy Korzeniewski — 2008-04-28T13:03:00+00:00

Filed under: Motorcycles, India, Tata, Rumormill

Click on the image above for pictures of the Brutale 910 R

Volkswagen may not be the only auto manufacturer interesting in a storied Italian motorcycle maker. Hot on the heels of its purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover, rumors are swirling that Tata may be considering purchasing a stake in MV Agusta. According to a few Indian and Italian sources, Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group, is reportedly in talks with Claudio Castiglioni, the man running the show at MV Agusta.

Tata's involvement with MV Agusta could inject a unique flavor to the Indian conglomerate's portfolio, which has already been boosted by its acquisition of the two aforementioned classic British marques. A healthy injection of cash could do wonders for MV Agusta as well, considering what it has already proven capable of even in its currently meager financial position.

Gallery: MV Agusta Brutale 910R

[Sources: Faster and Faster, India Automotive, Motoblog]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Suzuki Swift DZire takes a dip during test drive

Dan Roth — 2008-04-11T18:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Suzuki, Driving, India

It's a common test-driving practice to attack a corner a bit aggressively and "see what she can do." A swan dive was the answer a driver in India received from a four-door Suzuki/Maruti Swift DZire during a test session. The car skidded out of control, hit a large rock, and then tumbled into the Shambhavi River. The attempt to emulate the Amphicar wound up more like an impression of Alvin, unfortunately. All four occupants were injured and ended up in the hospital, while the car itself appears to be a total loss upon its winching to shore. Reckless driving has been cited as the cause, although with a name like Swift, it's possible the driver was just trying to follow instructions. We wonder if driver training in India is as dismal as here in the United States, and judging from the looks of the car, we're inclined to think that the injuries were due to a lack of seatbelt use. Thanks for the tip, Rahul!

Gallery: Suzuki Swift crash

[Source: Daijiworld]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Zip it! Mumbai holds a no-honking day

Chris Shunk — 2008-04-09T06:58:00+00:00

Filed under: Etc., India

For the aggressive driver, the horn can prove to be a powerful ally, but it can also annoy the snot out of everybody around them. In Mumbai, India, the noise pollution emanating from the auto-sax is so bad, the heavily populated city decided to have a no-honking day. Here in the States we have a special "day" just about every day of the year, but seldom do we mobilize 2,000 volunteers to ensure the occasion is honored. Mumbai did just that, as the un-paid help toted signs reminding the city of 1.5 million to keep their hands off the horn. While volunteers put the clamps down on every day horns, the fuzz get involved if someone had a tricked-out aftermarket honk.

To prove a point about noise pollution and physical and mental well-being, the folks over in Mumbai also celebrated World Health Day. We can't see how being stuck in traffic with Tatas, bicycles, cows, and elephants and not being able to release stress by honking can be good for anyone.

[Source: The CarConnection]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ferrari to begin selling in India by 2010

Noah Joseph — 2008-04-01T15:18:00+00:00

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Supercars, Ferrari, India

Click to view more of the Ferrari Magic India Discovery in hi-res

As the pair of specially-prepared Ferrari 612 Scagliettis make their way across the subcontinent in the Magic India Discovery tour, news has emerged that Ferrari plans to enter the growing market there by 2010. The reports emanate from India's Economic Times, which quoted tour coordinator Gabriele Lalli as saying that Maranello was preparing a sales and marketing network in the country with an eye towards opening there in 2010.

Currently there are a few dozen Ferraris in India (aside from the promotional 612s) that were purchased from Ferrari's dealership in Singapore. Sponsoring the Magic India Discovery is Tata, whose close relationship with Ferrari's parent company Fiat may come into play as the Prancing Horse gallops towards India. Until then, we've compiled a big gallery of more than 50 of the latest high-resolution images from the Magic India Discovery tour, which you can view by clicking on the thumbnails below.

Gallery: Ferrari Magic India Discovery

[Source: The Economic Times via Automotive News Europe - sub. req'd]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Build your own Tata Nano. You know you want the sticker package.

Alex Nunez — 2008-03-27T20:03:00+00:00

Filed under: Economy, India, Tata

Click above for a gallery of custom Nanos

For the time being, you have to live in India to buy a Tata Nano. The new people's car is slated for domestic consumption only for now, but that doesn't mean you can't unleash your inner Nano shopper. That's right, Tata's website now allows anyone to customize their own version of little fun-sized runabout. While the car's feature set is limited by necessity -- loading it up with options would run up the price, which would in turn defeat its purpose -- you can do a fair bit of personalization. The standard car gets brighter colors, while the ironically-named Luxury trim features more muted hues. From there, depending on the trim level, you can add foglamps, a number of wheel designs, and best of all -- decal packages! Throw on some racing stripes and crank up the IndiPop; 30-horsepower never looked so fast!

Gallery: Tata Nano Customizer

[Source: Tata Motors via Motive]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Maruti Suzuki unveils ironically named Swift DZire sedan

Noah Joseph — 2008-03-26T15:39:00+00:00

Filed under: Economy, Sedans/Saloons, Suzuki, India

Click above (if you must) for more of the Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire

It's a shame that more of Suzuki's line-up isn't as well designed and executed as the nimble little Swift hatchback. But we swear, this was not what we had in mind.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., the country's largest automaker and majority owned its the Japanese parent company, has taken the wraps off of the ironically named Swift DZire today, initial spy shots of which we lamented several months ago. Rather contrary to its name, we're left wondering what's so desirable about a trunk that it's worth butchering erstwhile attractive hatchbacks. The resulting conversion ends up looking like the hatch version, only with a tumor growing out the back. Maruti calls its "The Heart Car", but we'll go for the bypass, thank you very much.

More details are available at the DZire micro site, in the press release after the jump, and images in the gallery below for those with bizarre fascinations.

Gallery: Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire

[Source: Maruti Suzuki]

Continue reading Maruti Suzuki unveils ironically named Swift DZire sedan

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Officially Official: Tata buys Jaguar Land Rover for $2.3 billion

John Neff — 2008-03-26T10:41:00+00:00

Filed under: Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, India, Tata

Ford has issued a press release confirming that it has sold both Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors for an approximate price of $2.3 billion, which comes under some numbers as high as $2.65 billion that were being tossed around yesterday. The rumor that Ford will contribute to pension funds associated with the brands is also true, as it confirmed that $600 million will be dropped into the retirement coffers of the brands once the deal closes. It is, of course, subject to regulatory approval in a number of countries, but the automaker expects the deal to be done by the end of the following quarter. As part of the deal, Ford will continue to supply powertrains, stampings and other unnamed vehicle components to Tata for "differing periods", as well as R&D research, environmental and platform technologies, and even accounting services, among others. Clearly the ties that bind Jaguar Land Rover to Ford are strong and will take some time to undo. Judging from the press release, it seems all parties involved, including the employees of Jaguar Land Rover, are pleased with how the deal went down, and for the time being both brands will be run business as usual during the transition period.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Officially Official: Tata buys Jaguar Land Rover for $2.3 billion

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mahindra to show diesel-hybrid pickup at SAE Congress

Jeremy Korzeniewski — 2008-03-25T07:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Trucks/Pickups, Green, Misc. Auto Shows, India

Potential buyers interested in the upcoming Mahindra & Mahindra Appalachian pickup truck will get a sneak-peek of the new machine at the upcoming SAE World Congress, April 14-17 in Detroit, Michigan. The most interesting part of this news, though, is that the vehicle on display will sport a diesel/electric hybrid drivetrain, which could be the first and only such system sold in the U.S. The standard diesel Appalachian truck is expected to come with a 2.2-liter four cylinder diesel engine putting out between 140 and 150 horsepower along with 300 lb. ft of torque. Expected to sell in the low $20,000 range and be available in both two and four-door versions, Mahindra could potentially re-ignite the small truck market abandoned long ago by American automakers. With the hybrid option coming in at around $5 grand more, before any available tax credits are applied, we think that this upcoming Indian truck will make some waves here in the states when it goes on sale in 2010.

[Source: Diesel Forecast]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM to launch second small car in India

Dan Roth — 2008-03-18T10:01:00+00:00

Filed under: Economy, Chevrolet, GM, India, Tata

General Motors can claim about three percent of the car market in India, and it wants more. Tata's $2,500 Nano will still be the lowest priced new car in the world, but GM wants to offer something less expensive than its $7,350 Spark for Indian buyers. Group Vice President David Reilly points out that while a sub-Spark would be inexpensive, competing directly with the Nano is not something GM intends to do. If a bargain basement GM were developed, it could be leveraged in other markets besides India - it seems feasible that it'd be easily ported to the also-emergent Chinese market.

Three quarters of cars sold in India are small vehicles, and if the General can ratchet up its market share with a new model, the gains in other new markets with explosive growth could help further offset the sluggish performance of sales in the United States. To help achieve that goal, another manufacturing plant is currently underway in Pune, and should be fully up and running by the end of this year. There are also plans for an engine plant in India, though no details are forthcoming yet.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

BMW considering luxury microcar for sale in India

Damon Lavrinc — 2008-03-12T19:56:00+00:00

Filed under: BMW, India

It's been sporadically reported over the past few months that BMW is considering offering a new microcar to battle it out with the smarts and Toyota iQs of the world. An Isetta revival seems plausible, but in markets outside of Europe and the U.S., the determining factor for consumers is price.

BMW might be looking to India to launch its newest breed of mini mobility, something that would be similar in size to the recently released Tata Nano, but come equipped with more of the luxuries normally associated with the German marque.

The PTI News agency originally reported on BMW's initial exploration into this new vehicle, and our friends over at World Car Fans contacted BMW for more information. According to BMW's spokesperson, there are no plans to compete with the Nano, but the automaker is exploring "the future [of] mobility," a wonderfully canned answer from a PR department if we ever heard one.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Awesome Indian ad for Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle

Jeremy Korzeniewski — 2008-03-11T18:32:00+00:00

Filed under: Videos, Motorcycles, India

Follow along past the break to watch the entire video

While Bajaj is primarily known for its line of retro-style scooters in America, Bajaj is a major player in their home country of India in the motorcycle market. Their flagship model, the Pulsar, is a very respected motorcycle in India, and thanks to a tip from sanyam, we're able to show you this awesome video of the Pulsar in action. Good videography, professional stunt riding and well planned choreography make quite a display, even when the riders are mounted on machines with a mere 200cc of engine capacity. In case you were wondering, that 0.2-liter manages 18 horsepower, which looks to be plenty to have fun with, and it makes bikes like the Ninja 250 even more desirable. We wish that more small-bore sportbikes were available on our shores, but buyers have historically flocked to the much faster and more expensive middleweight class.

Videos such as this one make us glad to be internet-addicts, 'cause you know that corporate lawyers would have a hard time approving an ad in the U.S. Check the video after the jump.

[Source: Youtube]

Continue reading Video: Awesome Indian ad for Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Tata World Takeover Part XVXVXIIIXVX: Indian automaker may buy stake in Ferrari

John Neff — 2008-03-07T10:57:00+00:00

Filed under: India, Tata

It's becoming increasingly apparent that India's largest automaker Tata cannot be stopped. On the verge of finalizing a deal to acquire Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford, Tata is now rumored to be interested in buying a stake in one of the most beloved performance marques of all time: Ferrari. We stress that this is a rumor, because it stems from a quote given by Tata's chief Ratan Tata to Italy's L'Espresso in which he reportedly said that he's always dreamt of being a fighter pilot (takeover of Bob Lutz?) and participating in the shareholding of Ferrari.

The reason this rumor has some legs is that Tata already has an established relationship with Ferrari's parent company Fiat. It's on the board of Fiat and has some engine supply deals with the Italian automaker. Fiat owns an 85% stake in Ferrari with an option to purchase an additional 5%. Could Tata, the maker of the world's least expensive auto, one day have a stake in the company that builds some of the world's most expensive and exotic autos? We wouldn't bet against Tata at this point.

[Source: L'Espresso via Motor Authority, Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Geneva 2008: Spending time with the Tata Nano

Damon Lavrinc — 2008-03-05T19:02:00+00:00

Filed under: Economy, Geneva Motor Show, India, Tata

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Tata Nano.

The Geneva Motor Show provided our first opportunity to get up close and mildly personal with Tata's potentially revolutionary Nano. Overall, we're pretty damned impressed. The squat dimensions and short overhangs lend themselves well to the Nano's protuberant proportions, and as much as we tried, we had a hard time finding where Tata really skimped on the exterior elements.

There were two models rotating on stage, the $2,500 "basic" version that's garnered more press than Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan combined, and the lesser-known "luxury" version that gets an enhanced interior, some color-keyed body panels, fog lamps and larger wheels with an additional bolt (the lesser model only sports three lugs versus the upgraded model's four). Unfortunately, when we asked to take a look inside, the nice gentlemen from Tata kindly told us that the doors were locked and we'd have to make better use of our telephoto lens. That might be an indication as to where Tata skimped on materials, but for the money, the intended audience won't be expecting Audi-quality interiors.

Gallery: Tato Nano - Live from Geneva

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ferrari sends two 612 Scagliettis on Magic India Discovery

Noah Joseph — 2008-02-21T12:28:00+00:00

Filed under: Sports/GTs, Marketing/Advertising, Ferrari, India

Click above to view more images of Ferrari's continent-jumping Scagliettis

You'd be well rewarded for picking a Ferrari GT car for a road-trip, but for an off-road transcontinental rally? Ferrari says "Why not?" once again with the Magic India Discovery Ferrari. The latest of the company's continent-crushing tours, the Indian event follows 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 last year.

The 12-stage event starts and ends in Mumbai, covering 7,000 miles of the subcontinent along the way, kicking off on February 25 and ending on May 8. Like the 612s in China and the 599s in the Americas, the pair of Scagliettis being driven for the event are essentially stock, receiving only a slightly raised suspension and some aluminum plates to protect the undercarriage, plus the special paint job you see in the images in our gallery below. Follow the jump to read all the details of the 72-day journey.

Gallery: Ferrari Magic India Discovery

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Ferrari sends two 612 Scagliettis on Magic India Discovery

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Autoblog Podcast #87

Dan Roth — 2008-02-16T13:31:00+00:00

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Concept Cars, Podcasts, Hybrids/Alternative, Minivans/MPVs, Trucks/Pickups, Crossovers/CUVs, Acura, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, GM, Suzuki, Volkswagen, India

The Chicago Auto Show wasn't that eventful, but that's what we lead off Autoblog Podcast episode #87 with. The Challenger was the biggest deal, followed by the Denali XT, and then a bunch of inconsequential things. We did find ourselves talking about the Suzuki Equator and the Ford Transit Connect, too. We give you our first up close and personal impressions of the Challenger SRT-8 in this podcast. We also saw the VW Routan, which certainly doesn't conjure warm, fuzzy memories of Type IIs gone by. Chevy's Traverse calls into question the usefulness of Saturn's Outlook in the product lineup. Speaking of GM badge-engineering, we got word this week that Pontiac will not be getting a Trans Am companion to the Camaro, dang. Another disappointment is the rumor that Cerberus is going to let the Viper run down without rewinding the clock for a third generation. We wrap up by touching on the possibility that an Indian pickup could be the first diesel hybrid in the US, even though it's not even being imported yet, and we're sure that when it gets here, it'll generate even more hate than the new Acura RL. 42 minutes, that's it. Sorry it's a little late this week, it's all Alex's fault, I swear.

SUBSCRIBE to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
LISTEN to the show now
ADD the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Tata already planning 2nd-gen Nano for Europe

Noah Joseph — 2008-02-12T13:28:00+00:00

Filed under: Economy, Euro, India, Tata

Click to view the Tata Nano in our hi-res image gallery

Tata's cut-price Nano budget car isn't even on the market, and already the Indian automaker is planning its successor. In an interview with German magazine Focus, Tata's Girish Wagh revealed that the second-generation Nano will be developed in four years from now and designed for an assault on the European market.

In order to market in Europe, the next Nano will need to comply with the stringent Euro 5 emissions and safety standards, and Tata will target three liters per 100km, down from the current Nano's already tiny-sipping 5L/km. Before the next Nano is ready for the European market, Tata will focus on its domestic market for two-three years, after which it will look at expanding into Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. As we reported earlier, Tata plans to avail itself of Fiat's dealer network in exchange for Jaguar-derived platforms for the upcoming Alfa Romeo 169 sedan.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Gallery: Tata Nano

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Force India blings out the VJM01

Noah Joseph — 2008-02-11T16:58:00+00:00

Filed under: Motorsports, India

Click on the image above o view in high-resolution

Force India F1 became the latest team to unveil its new car for 2008 late last week when it took the wraps off of the VJM01 at a glitzy Bollywood-style affair in Mumbai. While to outsiders all F1 cars might look the same from year to year and from team to team, in this case it actually is the same. VJM01 is just a repainted Spyker F8-VII, which the rebranded team inherits from its predecessors. So the real news is the racing livery, which Force India displayed on the renamed car for the first time on Thursday.

As you can see from the pictures, the Ferrari-powered VJM01, named for the team's new owner Vijay Mallya, has a base white paint job with gold and "tungsten" (dark silver) accents and a little red thrown in just for fun. Its primary sponsor is Kingfisher, the airline and brewery that Mallya owns and which previously sponsored Toyota. With Super Aguri's fate hanging in the balance, Force India became the second to last team to confirm its drivers for 2008, with Giancarlo Fisichella joining Adrian Sutil behind the wheel, while Tonio Liuzzi is relegated to test responsibilities.

[Source: Force India F1]

Gallery: Force India VJM01

Continue reading Force India blings out the VJM01

Permalink | Email this | Comments