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.
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.
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.
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.
The bad news is that the company has reported an output constraint at its plants because some component vendors were unable to keep pace with the faster production cycle.
This is the total of both, direct and indirect employment growth as a result of the expansion. Estimates put together by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) say this will be the extra added between now and 2012, to support the ever-increasing demand for new vehicles.
These companies are keen on having a presence in the segment below their current range of premium sedans, whose market is relatively smaller in size.
Rise in prices of essential inputs increases cost of producing cars, making them less affordable.
Leading carmakers are considering raising prices of their vehicles across the board, if the government withdraws the excise duty benefit in the coming Budget.