There were certainly qualities adhering to the Tata Group, which emanated from the persona of Ratan Tata. Most notable of these would be the low profile he maintained, which sharply contrasted the in-your-face celebrity status, celebration of wealth and pursuit of importance many of liberalised India's rich, love, notes Shyam G Menon.
India can become the number one automotive manufacturing hub in the world within five years, but auto companies need to enhance safety features to reduce deaths due to road accidents, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday. In his inaugural address at the Auto Expo 2023 here, the minister for road transport and highways asserted that the government's target is to reduce these accidents by 50 per cent before the end of 2024 while asking the auto industry to take suo moto action for road safety as the government doesn't want to make anything mandatory. Gadkari's sentiments were also echoed by Minister of Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey, who lamented that while India has only 1 per cent of the total overall vehicles, the country accounts for 11 per cent of the total global deaths due to road accidents.
Though this is a fraction of the Euro 31 billion worth of auto parts the group buys in a year, there are indications that more is in the pipeline.
US-based Xtreme Defense Security, providers of auto glass security systems, on Monday said it was looking at setting up a manufacturing unit in India.
Despite the high fuel prices, SUVs and MPVs are becoming increasingly popular in India.
Honda has all of a sudden stepped up the game by announcing seven new products at the 2012 Auto Expo. One of these products -- Honda Dream Yuga Commuter Bike -- will get Honda the volumes in the Indian market and will help them challenge Hero MotoCorp.
When the world's cheapest car was launched to global fanfare at the 2008 Delhi Auto Expo, a Singaporean journalist asked Ratan Tata whether he had considered the traffic implications once the Nano hit the roads.
To tax the small car 'like crazy' so that the market does not grow until an efficient and affordable mass transit system is in place is short-sighted in the extreme.
Pictures from the Bangkok Motor Show where the car has been displayed show a well designed car by Honda that resembles nothing anyone has ever seem in a Honda stable.
The model will be assembled at its 4,000-acre facility coming up at Sanand in Gujarat.
While the electric version will open for bookings starting August 12, the internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts will make their debut after September 2, says Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com.
So, how impressive is the Toyota Etios? We find out as we drive one.
Tata Group company Tata Elxsi that is into product designing and animation on Thursday said it will increase its headcount by about 400 this year as the company looks to increase its services and businesses, specially in the US.
The company sold about 1,000 trucks last year in special segments like mining, registering a growth of about 20-25 per cent.
Toyota Motor Corporation unveiled the much-awaited small car that it developed for the Indian market at the Delhi Auto Expo.
German luxury car maker BMW on Tuesday launched BMW Gran Turismo, BMW X6M and BMW 760Li and plans to ramp up capacity of its manufacturing plant at Chennai.
Earlier, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had said the fiscal stimulus given to the industry to combat the adverse impact of the global financial meltdown would not be withdrawn before the budget next year.
Iconic US motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson on Tuesday said it will bring 12 motorcycles in the Indian market priced between Rs 6.95 lakh and Rs 34.95 lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi). Bookings for Harley-Davidson motorcycles will open from April 2010 at dealerships to be announced in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chandigarh. The delivery of motorcycles will start from June 2010.
The company is looking at buying steel and electrical components from Indian suppliers for the car to be cost competitive, Honda Motor Co executive vice-president and representative director Koichi Kondo told reporters while unveiling the concept of new small car at the Auto Expo in New Delhi.
The company is also planning to roll out three more products during the next financial year.
'In terms of semiconductors, challenges do remain in the pan industry, but I think we are much better than where we were a year or so back.'
With competition hotting up, Skoda had to drop the prices of the Fabia.
The bookings of the Yeti had started a few months ago and the company claims it to be difficult to meet all the current orders till this year end.
'The customer is fast changing, and she demands newer experiences that wealth can buy.'
Tata Motors on Wednesday launched a new version of its multi utility vehicle - Sumo Grande -- priced between Rs 6.55 lakh and 7.49 lakh (Rs 655,000 and Rs 749,000), ex-showroom Delhi.
Is India's infrastructure fit to absorb a sudden surge in cars?
Honda has decided to price the small car below Rs 500,000 to be able to compete with Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai i20.
Tata's first electric car has impressive power, torque and acceleration figures.
Speculations are on about the price of the car which is expected to be between Rs 350,000 and 450,000.
Meanwhile, pre-construction work has begun at the Nano plant site in Sanand near Ahmedabad. Spread across an area of 1,100 acres of land, the plant will bear an investment of Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion).
Global positioning system (GPS) devices are the upcoming trend in car accessories.
The group, which aspires to be a significant player in the two-wheeler market, is also working on adding an additional production capacity to meet future targets.
Starting April this year, 11 cities across India, where the Bharat Stage III norms are currently in place, are supposed to upgrade to BS-IV and the rest of the country where BS-II norms are followed are to move towards BS-III norms.
Tata group chairman Ratan Tata on Tuesday virtually ruled out any investment in Singur and said the company would gladly return the land if compensated.
The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki on Tuesday said it plans to have an output of 15 lakh (1.5 million) units by 2015 to maintain its 50 per cent market share in the Indian car market.
The company, however, did not say when it plans to commercially launch Aria.
