In a little over six months, Bajaj, the country's second biggest two-wheeler maker, has sold over 500 units of the Kawasaki Ninja 250R, price Rs 2.69 lakh (the 269,000 same as a Maruti Suzuki Alto car).
According to sources, the products would be priced in the range of Rs 2.3-2.4 lakh in the European market. However, the Indian market price is yet to be determined.
The country's largest car producer -- Maruti Suzuki -- is caught in a cleft. There is growing demand for its cars, but it does not have sufficient production capacity to feed this demand. To top that, this capacity constraint is not likely to be lifted before 2012.
Manufacturing lines at various car producing facilities across the country started to roll out the new range of Bharat Stage-IV compliant vehicles in the 13 notified cities from April 1, according to the Union government guidelines on emission norms.
Tata Motors now eyes the US, European and African markets.
However, storage capacity way behind even present public distribution system procurement need.
Tata-promoted Taj Hotels may decide to add the Nano to their line of chauffeur-driven cars used for guest transfers.
New units of the iconic Maruti 800, Ford Ikon (1.3 petrol), Fiat Palio, Skoda Fabia (1.2 petrol) and Octavia (1.9 TDI engine), and Chevrolet Tavera (2.5 DI) of General Motors will no longer be sold in the 13 notified cities from Thursday, which constitute 40-50 per cent of total car sales in the country.
Delhi may become the first state to move to direct cash pay-outs of subsidies on kerosene sold through the public distribution system (PDS). The petroleum ministry said it has "welcomed" a proposal to this effect from the Planning Commission, which acted on a plan suggested by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
"For 2010-11 and beyond, the Kirit Parikh report will be the benchmark. The report is being studied.These decisions are politically sensitive issues and have to be sustained over a period of time," Petroleum Secretary S Sundareshan told Business Standard. "It is impossible to insulate the Indian consumer against the movement in international oil prices."
The skyline is getting crowded by the day--not only in the big cities but across the country. India is expected to double the number of branded hotel rooms from 100,000 now in just three years. Leading the pack are global hotel chains, which will add over 300 hotel properties (an estimated 55,000 rooms) in the country by 2013.
Although the broad contours of the proposed agreement with Ashok Leyland to build a range of small cars is yet to be outlined, Nissan's intention is clear counter Volkwagen's plans with Suzuki to target the compact car segment.
Chennai-based Ashok Leyland Ltd, the second largest truck maker in India, has inaugurated an integrated manufacturing facility at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. This unit, in which Rs 1,500 crore (Rs 15 billion) have been invested, is the company's seventh.
Auto makers, who enjoyed a record-breaking sales run over recent months, are now bracing themselves for upheaval, led primarily by changing government policies and rising inflationary pressures.
'Prices can be adjusted now. The government can even temporarily cut taxes'.
As the April 1, 2010 deadline nears for introducing Bharat Stage-IV emission-compliant vehicles, manufacturers are worried about the availability of the BS-III fuel.
The move comes after Renault's troubled five-year partnership with Mahindra & Mahindra failed to provide the French company with a platform to become a serious player in the country.
The company had got 100,000 bookings in the first phase.
Manufacturers that mainly sell diesel cars like Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Toyota, Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen anticipate a significant fall in sales if the government accepts the Parikh committee's recommendation of a flat tax of Rs 80,000 on diesel cars, because of a widening cost differential with petrol variants.
Manufacturers that mainly sell diesel cars like Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, Toyota, Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen anticipate a significant fall in sales if the government accepts the Parikh committee's recommendation of a flat tax of Rs 80,000 on diesel cars, because of a widening cost differential with petrol variants.
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