'With 600 horses under the hood, the M5 that comes in a four-wheel drive avatar has historically been a track car, which means it's not going to be at its spirited best on city streets.' 'But this version, which is the sixth generation, has bits and bobs that do try to make it more compatible for everyday commuting,' says Pavan Lall.
After Ducati, Harley Davidson and big bikes from Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki it's now the turn of the iconic British bike-maker Triumph Motorcycles to make its move in India.
Jagdish Khattar, Maruti Suzuki's managing director, talks about the need for small cars, global players expanding in India, and why his company will prosper.
In a few years there may be 100 Japanese companies in Gujarat, while Chinese firms may commit investments of over Rs 6,000 crore.
The industry needs stimuli to help revive consumer demand and conversions.
Through a combination of local manufacture and imported CBU models, the company makes and sells four SUVs, one hatchback, and one sedan.
Top carmakers, including Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai and Honda, are expecting a spike in their sales following the implementation of 7th Pay Commission recommendations.
Maruti Suzuki has given Nexa franchises to only existing dealers.
Seven years after it announced Nexa, there's no mistaking the seriousness with which Maruti wants the segment to grow, says Pavan Lall.
According to a report by rating and research agency CRISIL, it now takes six years to recover the premium-between Rs 100,000 on small cars and Rs 300,000 on luxury sedans-paid for diesel variants.
The auto industry expects lower taxes and interest rates from Budget 2015.
Maruti Suzuki, with a half a dozen models ranging from the best-selling car Alto to WagonR, Swift and Estilo accounts for around 57 per cent of the small car market in India. In the premium hatchback segment, the company's market share stands at a robust 48 per cent.
Domestic passenger vehicle sales declined 0.84 per cent to 2,63,773 units in November from 2,66,000 units in the year-ago period. Motorcycle sales, too, declined 14.87 per cent to 8,93,538 units. Vehicle sales across categories registered a decline of 12.05 per cent to 17,92,415 units from 20,38,007 units in November 2018.
The market for compact cars has become really cut-throat.
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), the country's largest car maker, has initiated a service campaign to inspect a probable fault and replace a part of the clutch operation system in the Ciaz, its mid-size sedan.
With festive season around the corner, automakers are launching their best cars.
The trend is expected to gain momentum as global vehicle makers in India, particularly from Japan, ride on hybrids to meet the more stringent fuel efficiency norms that take effect in 2022.
After 2014, our growth has been average of around 5%. If this continues, we will remain here like Egypt, Brazil, South Africa and Bangladesh, points out Aakar Patel.
Masahiro Takedagawa, president and CEO of HSCI, feels his company can record double-digit growth this year, owing to an improving economy and continuous government effort to boost spending.
The price differential between diesel and petrol has narrowed. But there are still enough reasons to opt for the diesel variant.
Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhat all turned up at the 13th edition of the gala car fair.
Records of millions of car owners are mined to generate leads, pitch sales and get feedback to develop vehicles, says Ajay Modi.
This year's edition, three years lost to the pandemic and scheduling, wore a distinctive shade of green, and, as would befit an era of technology shift from internal combustion engines to electric motors, had a clutch of high-technology exhibits and concepts. But the excitement of the expo's heyday was missing.
While the Slavia comes in eight different variants, it's the base model that starts at around Rs 10.7 lakh that is most likely to take a bite out of the market share of its competitors, says Pavan Lall.
The challenges of transition to stricter emission norm BS-VI from BS-IV and compliance to new safety norms thereby making vehicles costlier are lurking around the sector.
What worked for Hyundai in India when so many other auto manufacturers have had to eat humble pie? Pavan Lall finds out.
Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Hyundai stand to gain the maximum, given their large portfolio of products in the sub-4 meter segment.
Rishi Mehra explains the pros and cons of buying a used car on either car loan or personal loan
Model 3 received 180,000 orders worldwide.
Each year, at least 10 million Indians marry and the market is estimated at nearly $35 billion, growing at about 25 per cent annually.
Renault Kwid is taking things one step further with the French automaker offering a product that is high on value and style.
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.
In absolute terms, prices will go up by Rs 5,500 to Rs 47,000, depending on the model and prevailing prices.
Chinese automakers Great Wall Motors, FAW Haima Automobile, and Changan Automobile, after dithering about entering India for some years, have been encouraged by the robust sales performance of the late entrants Kia Motors and MG Motors even in a slowing market.
This is the first decline since June this year when car sales declined by 11%.
The latest Hyundai i20 is an exciting car, given the overall drive experience, transmission, ride quality and tech. And while it may not be as low cost as a Maruti or come with the "heavy German steel-feel" of the Volkswagen, it does carve out a niche for itself at pole position with a combination of technology, styling, drive and ride comfort, and low cost of ownership, says Pavan Lall.
Experts suggest that it's best to go for the bundled product that has only one-year own damage cover.
Yeh Meri Family is rescued by the actors. All of them have delivered on the warmth and crankiness of a close-knit family without putting on any hum saath saath hain fakery, observes Deepa Gahlot.
The Carens is a warning for cars such as the Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar, Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Innova Crista and Mahindra XUV 700, because Kia punches much harder than others in its weight category.
Scooters, once the fastest growing sub-segment, also declined for the second consecutive month in September.
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