The figures are encouraging for the auto industry amid apprehension that due to higher cost and lack of fuel availability, cars with stricter emission standards may not be popular in initial stages. Automakers had even cited this confusion as one of the reasons for dwindling car sales in India, reports Arindam Majumder.
The prices will be decided during the time of launch, as TVS hopes that given the cost increase, the government may consider bringing down GST for two-wheelers.
Buying a car, particularly a diesel-powered one, is set to pinch the customers' pockets even more from the next financial year, as the second phase of Bharat Stage VI (BSVI) emission norms kicks in. The rules require cars to be compliant with real driving emission (RDE) norms, which measure pollutants emitted by cars while they are being driven on the road, unlike in a laboratory test. The norms may increase the cost of producing diesel vehicles by nearly Rs 75,000 to Rs 80,000, and petrol-powered ones by Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000, analysts said.
Let alone a discount, they might not even get the model, variant or colour of choice in BS-IV-compliant vehicles.
Domestic passenger vehicle dispatches witnessed a 13 per cent year-on-year rise in April as demand remained robust across segments, industry body Siam said on Friday. The total passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealers rose to 331,278 units last month compared to 293,303 units in April 2022. Market leader Maruti Suzuki India dispatched 137,320 units to dealers last month against 121,995 units in April last year.
Unveiled in December last year, the Altroz, which is the industry's first BSVI diesel-ready car. is also the first vehicle model based on the brand's Alfa platform and the second vehicle showing the Impact 2.0 design language. Besides Altroz, Tata Motors also launched the BSVI versions of Nexon, Tiago and Tigor.
The entire range of Hyundai's diesel cars - from compact ones to SUV models, including the soon-to-be-launched Aura - will be eco-friendly.
Maruti is sticking to this strategy at a time when rival Hyundai is looking to make the most of the monopoly it will have in the compact diesel segment from April 1, 2020, when the BSVI emission norms kick in. The market leader's confidence stems from the rapid shift in favour of petrol in the PV segment. For newer models such as MG Hector and Seltos, nearly 75 per cent bookings are for petrol variants, Kia has 55 per cent from petrol variants. The change in customer preference from diesel variants to petrol has happened quickly over the past few years.
Several carmakers, including car market leader Maruti Suzuki India pulled the plug on diesel models citing higher costs for BSVI variants leaving buyers with limited options.
Passenger and commercial vehicle prices are expected to rise as automobile companies invest in upgrading vehicles to meet stricter emission norms that kick in from April next year. The Indian automobile industry is currently working to make their products meet the second phase of Bharat Stage VI, equivalent to Euro-VI emission norms, in real time driving conditions. Four-wheeler passenger and commercial vehicles will need more sophisticated equipment to be added to meet the next level of emission standards.
'Battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen ICE, could be the three technologies which have the potential of being zero emission and that are what we will have to work on,'
Tata Motors on Wednesday forayed into the CNG segment with the launch of Tiago and Tigor trims, priced between Rs 6.09 lakh and Rs 8.41 lakh respectively (ex-showroom Delhi). The Tiago iCNG range is priced between Rs 6.09 lakh and Rs 7.64 lakh while the three variants of Tigor iCNG are tagged at Rs 7.69 lakh, Rs 8.29 lakh and Rs 8.41 lakh respectively. With the launch, the homegrown auto major plans to strengthen its position in the CNG market which has been growing at a fast pace. "It is very clear that the CNG segment is going to witness a steep growth over the next few years.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai and Tata Motors reported a double-digit increase in dispatches to dealers in April as the demand remained robust especially for the sports utility vehicles. The country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said its domestic passenger vehicle wholesales rose 13 per cent to 137,320 units last month as against 121,995 units in April 2022. Sales of mini cars, comprising Alto and S-Presso, fell 18 per cent to 14,110 units as compared with 17,137 units a year ago.
Component makers don't see any recovery yet, but manufacturers believe the end of poor sales is nearing its end.
As many as 11 Mercedes models are impacted by the ban.
Long have I waited for a car to replace the Tata Safari feel in driving, and this updated version of the Tata Harrier is just IT, exclaims Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com.
The company would roll out the BS-VI range of products and an automatic transmission version of its latest car 'Triber' next year.
The Gurkha 2021 is built on a ground-up modular architecture platform with an all-new wider and longer body, full new interiors, a new crash-compliant, high-strength chassis, new coil spring suspension on all four wheels fine-tuned to achieve the right balance and offer the best in class ride quality on multiple surfaces -- tarmac, rough rural roads and off the road, the Pune-based company said.
Among the cars unveiled at the Auto Expo on Wednesday was Mahindra and Mahindra's e-KUV for Rs 8.2 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi. With a single charge range of 150 km and a 55 min fast charging upto 80 pc, it was both a head-turner and a conversation-starter.
The biggest spender was Tata Motors, with Rs 4,224.6 crore assigned under the R&D head.
The overall volume at India's top four M&HCV makers - Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Volvo Eicher, and Mahindra & Mahindra - fell 59.5 per cent to 31,067 units during the month.
Czech automaker Skoda on Monday forayed into the midsize SUV segment in India with the launch of its new offering Kushaq, priced between Rs 10.5 lakh and Rs 17.6 lakh (ex showroom Delhi).
The domestic luxury car segment is a key beneficiary of GST within the automobile space as prices are set to come down by up to ten per cent in most cases. Roland Folger, MD & CEO, Mercedes Benz India, speaks to Shubham Parashar on the significance of these changes on the industry and other issues.
Equipped with a host of features including seats with massaging function, climate control, remote controlled door, 15 speaker surround sound system, the car also has agility control suspension system.
Czech automaker Skoda on Thursday globally unveiled its all new SUV Kushaq which would take on the likes of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos in the fastest growing mid-sized SUV segment in the domestic market. The model is the first production car as part of the company's India 2.0 project. Under the lead responsibility of Skoda Auto, Volkswagen Group is investing 1 billion euros in its model campaign in the Indian subcontinent to strengthen its presence.
While the latest, fourth-generation Swift makes no pretence of being a performance car or the last word in luxury, what it does stand for is amply evident, notes Pavan Lall.
The new year will see a line of hatchbacks (including compact SUVs) hit the Indian roads. Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com offers a peek.
Primary steel producers in the domestic market have raised product prices by 2.5 to 3 per cent for December to address margin compression and in anticipation of a demand pick-up.
Domestic tyre demand is seen to grow by 7-9 per cent over the next five years.
Tyre companies are stepping up on exports to offset declining volumes from domestic OEMs.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors on Thursday reported robust sales in March as a shift towards personal mobility and pent up demand continued to help companies push dispatches to their respective retail partners. Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Honda Cars and Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) also reported strong sales last month as compared to the year-ago period, when dispatches were adversely impacted due to the impending transition to BSVI from April 2020 and the nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India said its domestic sales stood at 1,49,518 units last month. The auto major had reported sales of 76,976 units in March 2020.
Mahindra is the latest among a clutch of other manufacturers that have been using services, fuel efficiency and packages as unique selling proposition. Sales of Mahindra's heavy trucks dropped to 3,427 units in the eight months from April to September.
The industry said if the policy was announced, it would have taken 28 million vehicles bought before March 2005 off the road.
As Mahindra readies to unveil its latest version of the Jeep that is so beloved of adventure enthusiasts, the urban crowd as well as the countryside, Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com traces the vehicle's journey through the decades.
An increase in sales across all categories in the automobile industry, has made need for higher working capital inevitable.
If you think the XL6 is a brand new, from-the-ground-up car, you have another think coming, says Pablo Chatterji.
Pawan Goenka, tells Shally Seth Mohile the Alturas, by far the most-expensive model wearing an Indian badge.
Dealers of Tata Motors in most parts of the country have stopped placing orders for this small car in the last three-four months and the showrooms are displaying contemporary models such as Tiago, Tigor, Hexa and Nexon.
It is advisable to stick to mid-caps with sustainable financial metrics rather than those offering the promise of faster growth.
At Rs 28.19 lakh - Rs 32.97 lakh (ex-showroom India) it delivers excellent value for its combination of road presence, gizmos, safety, off-road capability and driveability.
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