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.
Honda has grown from 15% in FY12 to 27% now; Yamaha has doubled share to 5% in five years.
Major automakers, including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Kia, Toyota and Honda, on Thursday reported healthy growth in passenger vehicles sales in June, recovering from the disruptions induced by the second wave of COVID-19. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) posted total sales of 1,47,368 units in June, up from 46,555 units in May. Its domestic dispatches to dealers last month stood at 130,348 units, up from 35,293 units in May, as easing of COVID-related restrictions helped the auto major to dispatch more units to dealerships.
Auto majors, including Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai and Tata Motors, on Sunday reported high double-digit growth in their domestic passenger vehicle sales in July riding on stabilisation of macro-economic factors and better consumer sentiments. Similarly, Honda, Nissan, MG Motor and Skoda also reported healthy growth in their sales last month leveraging on improved market mood amid prevailing lower coronavirus infection rate, despite supply constraints of semi-conductors. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India's (MSI) domestic sales increased by 39 per cent to 1,41,238 units last month as against 1,01,307 units in July 2020, the company said in a statement.
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.
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Maruti's exports in May were down 2.4% at 9,089 units
High ground clearance, a wide cabin and tall stance all mean that the Carens glides over bad roads with ease and comfort and an engine performance that is adequate in terms of the power of this vehicle, says Pavan Lall.
A stake sale of Reliance's real estate portfolio would help it raise anything between $1-5 billion and could be one of the triggers for the company's shares to break out.
Rajesh Karkera and Hitesh Harisinghani spotted these beauties at the Auto Expo 2018
Cumulative sales of India's top passenger vehicle makers -- Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra and Mahindra, Tata Motors, Honda Cars, and Toyota Kirloskar -- increased to 206,418 units in February over 200,322 units in the same month last year, an increase of 3 per cent.
After a very weak December quarter and a poor year-to-date fiscal year volumes-when sales plunged to the lowest in nine years, the signs in the first 15 days of January haven't been encouraging either. "Though the severity of the current wave is not as high as the previous one, it has hit the sentiments hard impacting conversion of enquiries into sales," said Vinkesh Gulati, president, Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA).
As the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic abates, India's automakers are hopeful of a quick recovery in sales volumes, led by better rural sentiment, low interest rates, improved availability of finance and a gradual uptick in business and economic activity. In fact, companies have started to ramp up production already, encouraged by high order books and the growing preference for private transport in both rural and urban areas as a means to avoid infections. In early April, the industry had been bullish as the sales trend for March showed that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic had been left behind. The total vehicle sales had grown by 77 per cent, albeit on a lower base, and for the past few months, sales had consistently touched 300,000 units per month.
Higher costs of car inventories, missing sales targets and manufacturer expectations, and soaring rentals, are eating into dealers' margins.
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The car has impressive mileage and is extremely spacious.
The impact of the collision was such that the patrolling vehicle overturned, skid for 10-15 feet and Head Constable Wazir Singh, 50, got stuck inside the vehicle, an officer said.
Take out Maruti Suzuki and Honda, and the auto sector's prospects suddenly don't look all that rosy.
With the new Verna, Hyundai takes on Honda. Beating the Honda City is something the country's second-largest car maker has taken upon itself with its new launch. Will it succeed?
A car that gives you a better resale value will reduce the cost of your next purchase, points out Bindisha Sarang.
The new entrant beats competition for the features it offers.
Maruti Udyog Ltd reported on Thursday a 61.6 per cent increase in domestic vehicle sales during February at 59,095 units as against 36,608 units in the same month last year.
India has a history of jugaad, and retrofitting vehicles is one such manifestation of the legendary Indian skill. Not so long ago autorickshaws and small Marutis used to strap on subsidised LPG cylinders and power themselves to a cheap ride. There were the odd explosions, lives were lost, but the jugaad continued. Then compressed natural gas (CNG) was introduced in Delhi following a court order. Initially, customised CNG kits were fitted to conventional (internal combustion engine or ICE) autos cheaply, enabling commuting at less than half of what you would cough up for diesel. The industry is better organised now with Suzuki and Hyundai designing CNG-fired vehicles, and Mahindra and TVS manufacturing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered three wheelers.
'It has taken us 15 years to get to where we are. It obviously doesn't happen overnight.'
Hyundai's first made for India compact sedan will be available in both petrol and diesel engines.
Apart from them, consignments of 11 top importers, including LG, Samsung, Toyota, Honda, and Siemens, will also be allowed entry, relieving them of the 100 per cent inspection rule.
Rediff.com's Rajesh Karkera and Hitesh Harisinghani bring you all the exclusive action from Greater Noida.
And just what were these cool guys discussing?
Media reports said the "Kentucky Kid", who won the MotoGP championship on a Honda in 2006, is in a serious condition.
Car deliveries during the nine-day period saw sharp year-on-year (double-digit increase for most automobile companies.
Through a combination of local manufacture and imported CBU models, the company makes and sells four SUVs, one hatchback, and one sedan.
Max Verstappen believes he can thwart Lewis Hamilton's bid for a seventh Formula One title this season if Red Bull give him the tools to do the job. Hamilton, 35, is chasing several records this season including Michael Schumacher's 91 race wins and seven titles, and has won five of the last six championships with dominant Mercedes.
Former MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden died five days after the American was hit by a car while cycling in eastern Italy, his Honda World Superbike team said.
The Ayanagar weather station recorded 122.8 mm between 8.30 am on Wednesday and 8.30 am on Thursday, which was 11 times the normal rainfall.
For the longest time the Polo GT had no real competition in terms of its build quality and product positioning. Until now, says Pavan Lall.
Vehicles would be able to offer advice during challenging driving or parking situations, while also providing company to drivers on long, solitary trips
Claiming 'right to be forgotten', reality show celebrity Ashutosh Kaushik on Thursday sought a direction from the Delhi high court to the Centre and Google that some of his videos, photos and articles be removed from various online platforms as they have a "detrimental effect" on his life.
At a price starting from Rs 849,000 and going up to Rs 12.14 lakh, the XUV300 competes with the Maruti Brezza, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, and Honda WR-V.
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