Car News - Latest Indian Car News & Views | CarWalehttp://www.carwale.com/news/Latest news updates on Indian car industry, expert views and interviews exclusively on CarWale.Copyright 2012 CarWaleCarWale RSS Generator7787<![CDATA[Honda sales grow marginally in July 2011]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/7787-honda-sales-grow-marginally-in-july-2011.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/7787-honda-sales-grow-marginally-in-july-2011.htmlCarWale Team8/1/2011 6:52:00 PM1865http://img.carwale.com/ec/7787/img/m/7787_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/7787/img/m/7787_lHonda Siel Cars India (HSCI) sold 4,725 units in the month of July 2011 as against 4,685 units during the corresponding month last year registering a growth of 1%.

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Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) sold 4,725 units in the month of July 2011 as against 4,685 units during the corresponding month last year registering a growth of 1%.

4092 units of Honda City were sold, as the City now cruises ahead in sales in its segment. While Honda sold 275 units of Jazz, 233 units of the Civic, 84 units of Accord and 41 units of CR-V. 

 

]]>7632<![CDATA[Honda slashes City prices]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/7632-honda-slashes-city-prices.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/7632-honda-slashes-city-prices.htmlCarWale Team6/14/2011 4:11:00 PM3911http://img.carwale.com/ec/7632/img/m/7632_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/7632/img/m/7632_lThe price of the Honda City,  has been revised after enforcing considerable cost reduction efforts in the supply chain & manufacturing, will be effective from June 14, 2011.

]]>Honda Siel has reduced the prices of the Honda City considerably. The company has brought down the costs through further localization and cost down activitiesfor thier volume models. The changes will come into effect from 14th of June. The reduction will be quite a bit and essentially add to making the car more competitive agaist its current competitors. Given below are the changes in prices.

 

 


Price Change : Summary

 W.E.F : 14 June 2011

Type

Ex-Showroom (Delhi)

Current

New

Diff

City

EMT

8,15,000

7,49,000

(-) 66,000

SMT

8,64,600

8,19,600

(-) 45,000

VMT

9,09,800

8,64,800

(-) 45,000

VMT Exclusive

9,60,900

9,16,900

(-) 44,000

]]>7517<![CDATA[How does the new Hyundai Verna stack up against competition?]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/7517-how-does-the-new-hyundai-verna-stack-up-against-competition.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/7517-how-does-the-new-hyundai-verna-stack-up-against-competition.htmlCarWale Team5/11/2011 5:50:00 PM22563http://img.carwale.com/ec/7517/img/m/7517_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/7517/img/m/7517_l
The Verna with four engine options and nearly 10 variants plugs every gap possible in the upper C-segment currently dominated the Volkswagen Vento and the Honda City in the that order. Not only does the Verna offer both petrol and diesel engines, it have two of each catering to the segment just below as well. What will also work in the Verna’s favour are the features on offer as well as the car’s styling. Yes, the styling might be a tad over the top, but it will bring in prospect buyers into the showroom for sure. We believe the Verna has every attribute to make it to the top of the C-segment sales chart.

]]>The Verna with four engine options and nearly 10 variants plugs every gap possible in the upper C-segment currently dominated the Volkswagen Vento and the Honda City in the that order. Not only does the Verna offer both petrol and diesel engines, it have two of each catering to the segment just below as well. What will also work in the Verna’s favour are the features on offer as well as the car’s styling. Yes, the styling might be a tad over the top, but it will bring in prospect buyers into the showroom for sure. We believe the Verna has every attribute to make it to the top of the C-segment sales chart.

Quick comparison:
Hyundai Verna vs Volkswagen Vento - The Vento has a more premium brand in its favour, besides a potent and efficient powertrain in the form of the diesel 1.6-litre engine. The Vento is also spacious and well built and had good ride and handling characteristics. The Verna though has more engine options and though we haven’t tested them, seems very delicious on paper. The Verna too is spacious and has more features on offer. And it has a comfortable ride as well. Handling though isn’t as good as the Volkswagen.

Hyundai Verna vs Honda City – Like the Vento, the City too has a higher brand value attached to it compared to the Verna. It’s also a good looking car, and again, like the Vento, pretty spacious. It’s built well too and though it cannot match the Volkswagen’s ride and handling balance, the City isn’t far behind. But, the Verna continues to be the best equipped car in its class while it also comes close to the City both in terms of comfort and spaciousness.

Hyundai Verna vs Fiat Linea – The Fiat Linea’s strongest attribute has to be its looks. And ‘visual’ being the first step towards a buying decision, it has the biggest hurdle sorted. The Verna too in that sense will draw buyers. And with its interiors being finished and more opulent, if not better styled, prospect buyers might stay with the idea of buying a Verna longer. As far as equipment goes, the Linea was hitherto the best equipped car in its segment. Now though, the Verna has claimed that crown, mainly on account of offering more safety features. As far as the driving experience goes, the Linea still has an edge. It has better ride and handling and in the T-jet, a great petrol engine as well. As for the Verna, its diesel engines will be the main stay.

]]>7274<![CDATA[Honda Civic now with a Sunroof]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/7274-honda-civic-now-with-a-sunroof.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/7274-honda-civic-now-with-a-sunroof.htmlCarWale Team1/18/2011 11:43:54 AM1869http://img.carwale.com/ec/7274/img/m/7274_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/7274/img/m/7274_lHonda Siel Cars India launched the new Honda Civic with a sunroof. Bollywood actor Chitrangada Singh along with Mr. Tatsuya Natsume, Director, Marketing, HSCI and Mr. Jnaneswar Sen, Vice President , Marketing, HSCI unveiled this new ‘avtaar’ of the Civic. Honda Civic will have a new colour Urban Titanium along with the existing colours available in the range. The Manual Transmission variant of this Civic will be priced at  Rs.13.53 lakh while the Automatic Transmission is  Rs.14.27 lakh (both ex-showroom Delhi)

]]>Honda Siel Cars India launched the new Honda Civic with a sunroof. Bollywood actor Chitrangada Singh along with Mr. Tatsuya Natsume, Director, Marketing, HSCI and Mr. Jnaneswar Sen, Vice President , Marketing, HSCI unveiled this new ‘avtaar’ of the Civic. Honda Civic will have a new colour Urban Titanium along with the existing colours available in the range. The Manual Transmission variant of this Civic will be priced at  Rs.13.53 lakh while the Automatic Transmission is  Rs.14.27 lakh (both ex-showroom Delhi)



Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Tatsuya Natsume, Director, Marketing, Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. said, “We are delighted to introduce the new Civic with sunroof which further augments the style quotient of the car and make it even more desirable. We believe that this variant will greatly appeal to the customers for whom the style is a way of life.”



Honda introduced the City Exclusive last year and now the add-on with the Civic, is trying its best to grab the attention of the consumers. Honda’s plan to bring its hatchback Brio to the Indian market is certainly on track and we will see the car in the market this year.

]]>7113<![CDATA[Nissan India to launch Sedan soon]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/7113-nissan-india-to-launch-sedan-soon.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/7113-nissan-india-to-launch-sedan-soon.htmlCarWale Team12/10/2010 4:20:43 PM3721http://img.carwale.com/ec/7113/img/m/7113_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/7113/img/m/7113_lNissan India launched the Micra diesel variant and announced that they would soon be launching the sedan version in the country. When asked if it was the Sunny that would make its way here, Manoj Kumar, VP Operations, Hover Automotive India Pvt. Ltd. said, " We are still working on what name to give but we will be launching both the petrol as well as the diesel variant soon."

]]>Nissan India launched the Micra diesel variant and announced that they would soon be launching the sedan version in the country. When asked if it was the Sunny that would make its way here, Manoj Kumar, VP Operations, Hover Automotive India Pvt. Ltd. said, " We are still working on what name to give but we will be launching both the petrol as well as the diesel variant soon."

When asked if he could provide us with any information with regards the engine capacity of the sedan he said, "We have the technology in place now but it is too soon to reveal the configurations of the engines." We feel that the sedan too will be brought to life by the Logan engine but of course it will be more refined and with a larger output.

The Nissan Sedan will compete with the Volkswagen Vento and the Honda City and will make its way to the market late next year. The sedan will be produced in Nissan-Renaults Chennai Plant. With expansion plans on the horizon, Nissan India is planning spread their wings by increasing their dealership base. With the sedan on the way they will surely need a good network in place. We will get you more news on Nissans expansion plans so stay tuned!

]]>6864<![CDATA[SkodaAuto India to Unveil New Sedan in the Later half of 2011]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/6864-skodaauto-india-to-unveil-new-sedan-in-the-later-half-of-2011.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/6864-skodaauto-india-to-unveil-new-sedan-in-the-later-half-of-2011.htmlCarWale Team11/2/2010 7:09:41 PM4768http://img.carwale.com/ec/6864/img/m/6864_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/6864/img/m/6864_lSkoda Auto India will soon be launching a sedan, for the time being named as SK215, somewhere in the last quarter of 2011. Skodas latest offering was the facelifted Fabia and later on this year the Yeti too will find a place in the SUV segment. The SK215 is a sedan and will be based on the Fabia platform.

]]>Skoda Auto India will soon be launching a sedan, for the time being named as SK215, somewhere in the last quarter of 2011. Skodas latest offering was the facelifted Fabia and later on this year the Yeti too will find a place in the SUV segment. The SK215 is a sedan and will be based on the Fabia platform.

Skodas SK215 will compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Vento, the Honda City, the Fiat Linea and the Hyundai Verna. The price of the car is expected to be between 8-10 lakhs. We believe the SK215 will get the 1.6-litre petrol mill from the Volkswagen engine stable, and probably even the 1.6-litre TD CR engine recently introduced on the VW Vento. On paper, this car sounds like a killer, lets just hope its the same in flesh. Watch this space for more!

]]>6685<![CDATA[Honda Rolls out the new City Exclusive]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/6685-honda-rolls-out-the-new-city-exclusive.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/6685-honda-rolls-out-the-new-city-exclusive.htmlCarWale Team10/6/2010 5:02:31 PM5815http://img.carwale.com/ec/6685/img/m/6685_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/6685/img/m/6685_lHonda Siel Cars India have launched an exclusive variant of the Honda City, with several new interior and exterior luxury features. The introduction of the exclusive variant during the festival period might just boost the sales of the new Honda City. The new variant is an addition to the City line-up, offering a distinctive combination of refined styling and high quality. The additions of leather seats & leather steering in MT & AT and leather gear shift knob (only in MT) enhances the feeling of luxury and elegance of the car.

]]>Honda Siel Cars India have launched an exclusive variant of the Honda City, with several new interior and exterior luxury features. The introduction of the exclusive variant during the festival period might just boost the sales of the new Honda City. The new variant is an addition to the City line-up, offering a distinctive combination of refined styling and high quality. The additions of leather seats & leather steering in MT & AT and leather gear shift knob (only in MT) enhances the feeling of luxury and elegance of the car.

The car gets a Chrome trunk garnish and Chrome door sash moulding along with an 'Exclusive' rear badge and Body coloured mud flaps that enhances the ownership experience of the Honda City 'Exclusive'. With this, the Honda City range also gets a new colour- Urban Titanium - apart from the existing colours- Taffeta White, Alabaster Silver, Crystal Black Pearl, Bold Beige Metallic and Habanero Red.

Speaking on the occasion was Tatsuya Natsume, Director Marketing, Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. He said, "Honda City is one of the most successful and desirable brands in the country. The ‘exclusive’ variant is aimed at further delighting our customers with exclusive luxurious features during this festival period."

]]>6528<![CDATA[Honda Siel Announces the Great Honda Fest]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/6528-honda-siel-announces-the-great-honda-fest.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/6528-honda-siel-announces-the-great-honda-fest.htmlCarWale Team9/15/2010 2:11:38 PM3634http://img.carwale.com/ec/6528/img/m/6528_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/6528/img/m/6528_lHonda Siel Cars India Ltd. (HSCI), leading manufacturer of premium cars, today announced the beginning of "The Great Honda Fest", with the launch of Special Editions of its cars; the Jazz, City, Civic, Accord and CR-V. The special editions will have special accessories kits, which will be made available at a special price for the forthcoming festival season.

]]>Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. (HSCI), leading manufacturer of premium cars, today announced the beginning of "The Great Honda Fest", with the launch of Special Editions of its cars; the Jazz, City, Civic, Accord and CR-V. The special editions will have special accessories kits, which will be made available at a special price for the forthcoming festival season.

The Great Honda Fest will start from September 15  and will go on till November 5, 2010. The event will offer incredible value to the Honda customers who choose to purchase their dream car during this period. Apart from the Special Editions, Honda cars will also have some attractive offers during the Festival period.

Mr. Jnaneswar Sen, VP Marketing, Honda Siel Cars India said, "Through the Great Honda Fest we wish to join our customers in their celebration, in this festival season. This is in line with Honda's philosophy of offering enhanced value to people who aspire to buy a Honda."

]]>4186<![CDATA[Ford India Gears up For Figo: Opens 28 New Dealerships ]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/4186-ford-india-gears-up-for-figo-opens-28-new-dealerships.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/4186-ford-india-gears-up-for-figo-opens-28-new-dealerships.htmlCarWale Team2/16/2010 3:15:22 PM3745http://img.carwale.com/ec/4186/img/m/4186_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/4186/img/m/4186_lFord India wants to leave no stone unturned when their much talked about Figo hits the market, expected next month. The company has announced opening of 28 new authorised Ford dealer facilities in 24 cities.

]]>Ford India wants to leave no stone unturned when their much talked about Figo hits the market, expected next month. The company has announced opening of 28 new authorised Ford dealer facilities in 24 cities.

The new stores will take the total tally of Ford dealerships to 164 in 97 cities across India. In the past two years, the number of cities with a Ford outlet has jumped more than 30%.

Of the 28 new outlets, 14 offer full 3S (Showroom, Sales and Service) facilities, while seven of the new facilities are service workshops, providing a full line of mechanical services. The remaining new outlets are sales showrooms, where visitors will find a full line-up of Ford vehicles.

As Figo gets ready to hit the market, Ford has set out an aggressive growth particularly in Tier II and Tier III¹ cities. "Growing our dealership base, building strong business fundamentals and getting closer to our customers are areas of high priority as we gear up to launch our new Figo and enter this high volume segment in 2010,'' said Michael Boneham, president and managing director, Ford India.

''Tier II and III cities are significant for Ford.  We have opened new facilities in 13 Tier III cities, and more than 40% of Ford service outlets are now located in secondary markets,'' added Boneham.

New facilities have opened in New Delhi, Sangrur, Haldwani and Gwalior in the North; Durgapur, Dhanbad and Guwahati in the East; Hyderabad, Chennai, Warangal, Vellore, Salem, Vijayawada and Malappuram in the South; and Bilaspur and Mehsana in the Western region.

Also as part of the expansion is a new showroom in the East Delhi Metro Rail Station. This new showroom provides visibility and convenience in a high traffic location and makes it more convenient for customers to shop for Ford vehicles. This is the first Ford showroom located in a Metro Rail Station in the Asia Pacific region.

New showrooms and workshops also are now located in Jaipur, Thane, Ahmednagar, Pune, Vapi, Ahmedabad and Cochin.

]]>4174<![CDATA[Luxury Carmakers Eye Tier II and III Cities]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/4174-luxury-carmakers-eye-tier-ii-and-iii-cities.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/4174-luxury-carmakers-eye-tier-ii-and-iii-cities.htmlCarWale Team2/15/2010 2:01:15 PM1139http://img.carwale.com/ec/4174/img/m/4174_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/4174/img/m/4174_lIn a new development in the auto citing the strong economy resilience India showed, leading carmakers are heading towards the tier II and III towns to push up sales.

]]>In a new development in the auto citing the strong economy resilience India showed, leading carmakers are heading towards the tier II and III towns to push up sales.

Leading brands who are venturing into these towns viz Jaipur, Goa, Coimbatore, Bhubaneshwar, Indore, Surat and Lucknow are names like BMW, Mercedes and Audi who are known for super power cars.

Mercedes’ brand new dealership in Surat, launched in December, clocked 11 cars in its first month. Gujarat as a state sold 30 Mercs priced between Rs 27 lakh and Rs 5 crore.

Very recently, Nissan took their 370Z on an all India promotion tour because they felt markets are opening up in these tier II and III cities as well.

The one hiccup facing these super brands are the lack of infrastructure in these towns to set adequate distribution channels.

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