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India Auto News Thursday, 22 July 2010 |
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National - Toyota Kirloskar launches diesel version of Altis- Fiat India launches new Grande Punto variant - M&M to launch motorbikes in a few months - Maruti Suzuki to launch upgraded Alto and automatic version of A-Star - Mercedes-Benz India sells 200 pre-owned cars in 2 months - GM India to launch online advertising campaign - Fiat India to re-launch Fiat 500 - Driving licences to be centrally registered through online database within 6 months - Mercedes-Benz launches sports car SLS AMG at Rs 2.5 crore - Ford India to enter CV segment |
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Toyota Kirloskar launches diesel version of Altis
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) this week launched a diesel version of the Corolla Altis, priced between Rs 10.95 lakh and Rs 13.75 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The car is powered by a 1.4-litre D-4D Common Rail Diesel Engine, and comes with 6-speed manual transmission. It delivers a mileage of 21.43 km/litre - the best in its segment. TKM Deputy MD, Mr Sandeep Singh, said that apart from its spacious interiors and luxury features, the Corolla Altis Diesel also has the lowest NVH and the best ground clearance in its segment. |
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Fiat India launches new Grande Punto variant
Fiat India has launched a new variant of its premium hatchback,
the Grande Punto, priced at Rs 6.79 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Powered by a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine, the Fiat Grande Punto 90HP MULTIJET will set a new benchmark for diesel hatchbacks in the country. It delivers a maximum power of 93 PS and a fuel efficiency of 20 km/litre, and comes equipped with dual stage airbags, ABS with EBD, automatic climate control, and an integrated CD/MP3 player with USB. |
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M&M to launch motorbikes in a few months
Mahindra & Mahindra is planning to launch motorcycles ranging from low-cost to premium models, within the next few months. The company's two-wheeler unit, headed by Anoop Mathur, is expected to break even in FY 2011-12, and will equal its immensely successful tractor and SUV businesses in size within the next 7 years. For its motorcycle unit, the company will use designs created by Italian company Engines Engineering, which it acquired in 2008. |
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Maruti Suzuki to launch upgraded Alto and automatic version of A-Star
Maruti Suzuki will launch a new version of its highest selling car,
the Maruti Alto, in August 2010. The new Alto will be powered by a 1-litre K-10 engine, also used in the Estilo,
and will give a mileage of approximately 20.2 km/litre. The company is also planning to launch an automatic version the Maruti A-Star. The car will be launched within the next few months, and is likely to be much costlier than the existing variants of the A-Star. |
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Mercedes-Benz India sells 200 pre-owned cars in 2 months
Mercedes-Benz India's used-car business - Proven Exclusivity - launched in May 2010, has received an overwhelming response, with the company selling 200 used cars in just 2 months. The pre-owned car segment is expected to make up 10 percent of Mercedes' sales in India in 2010, according to the company's Director, Sales & Marketing, Mr Debashish Mitra. Mr Mitra said that the company would soon launch a financing arm, known as Daimler Financial Services, to support its growth in the country. |
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GM India to launch online advertising campaign
General Motors India
(GM India) will soon be launching a separate advertising campaign for online media. The company will start with a campaign to promote the Chevrolet Cruze, followed by six others. GM's decision to creative exclusive online content to advertise its products comes in the light of more and more customers researching cars on the internet before making purchase decisions. The Cruze already has a wide online presence, which has given a significant push to its sales. |
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Fiat India to re-launch Fiat 500
Italian auto company, Fiat, is planning to re-launch its premium
compact car, the Fiat 500,
in India. The company had earlier discontinued the car, due to its low sales, but is now launching it again seeing the success of the very steeply priced Volkswagen Beetle. Officially known as the Cinquecento, the Fiat 500 was first launched in the country in 2008, but was not received well, with its total sales reaching only 68 units. On the other hand, Volkswagen has sold over 300 units of the Beetle in only 8 months. |
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Driving licences to be centrally registered through online database within 6 months
The road transport ministry of India will soon complete its 'transport project', under which the details of all driving licences and vehicles sold in the country will be recorded in a national register. This will make it easier for the authorities to track stolen vehicles and detect fake licences. Already, 919 of the 990 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in the country have been computerized. The separate databases of the states will be migrated to a central database within 6 months. |
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Mercedes-Benz launches sports car SLS AMG at Rs 2.5 crore
Mercedes-Benz launched its new super sports car,
the SLS AMG, in India last week. Priced at Rs 2.5 crore, the car will compete with the Porsche Panamera
and the Audi R8. It comes with a 6.3-litre V8 engine, and can touch a top speed of 317 km/hr. The SLS is set to become one of the most successful sports-cars in India, with customers booking all ten units of the car to be sold in India even before it was officially launched. |
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Ford India to enter CV segment
Following in the footsteps of its main rival, General Motors, American auto company Ford Motor, too, is planning to launch its commercial vehicles in India. According to media reports, Ford India will be making a formal announcement regarding the CV launch within the next few months, and will introduce light and medium-duty trucks in the country in the initial phase. A Ford India spokesperson, however, refused to confirm the report, calling it mere 'speculation'. He said the company was focusing completely on the passenger car segment in India. |
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NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES - Auto News Roundup, 19-July-2010 - Auto News Roundup, 08-July-2010 |
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