Ford Figo India

This is what Ford's new car for the Indian market. It's fresh and attractive - a sure shot recipe for success indeed. We take a closer look on. 

Ford said the Figo, which is colloquial Italian for "cool" will be sold in India and exported to international markets. Small cars with an engine capacity of 0.8ltrs to 1.6ltrs comprised 73% of the 1.22 million cars sold in India in the year ended March 31. The four-door hatchback will be produced at Ford India’s factory in the port city of Chennai. 

Ford Figo will be available in both Petrol and diesel. There’s also a new 1.2-litre Duratec petrol and 1.2 liter diesel and a 1.5 liter diesel engines. 

Fuel Petrol / Diesel

It makes a decent 70bhp, is tractable and has good mid-range performance. 

It starts feeling strained at around 5000rpm, and labours to its 6600rpm redline.

Peak torque of 10.4kgm 

Ford’s claimed 0-100kph figures are 15.5 seconds for the petrol variant

Ford claimed 0-100kph figures are 15.8 seconds for diesel models.

Gearbox :  5-speed manual

Transmission Type                  : Front-wheel drive

Body Type Monocoque, five door hatchback

Type 4-cylinder in-line
Expected Price                       : 3.5 to 5lac in INR

The overall design is rather chunky and muscular with neat accents and details all around. The flared wheel arches and the kink running between them front to back ad a strong sense of character. The rear is rather pretty too with the vertically stacked tail lamps and shapely rear window.

All in all, the Figo isn't an overly radical design - it is in keeping with large hatches available from other manufacturers in the country - which is a good thing.  Interiors seem fresh as well from the little that the released images show.

DISCLAIMER: We are not associated, affliated or connected with any ONE or GLOBAL by any means. 

Honda Recalls City ZX & Jazz

Followed by GM's recall in U.S., here Honda Siel Cars India has said that it will recall 8,532 units of the 2nd generation City (City ZX) that were manufactured in the year 2007. The recall is due to a defect in the power window switch, and the exercise is a part of the company’s global recall initiative.

The move comes on the heels of Honda recalling a total of 6,46,000 units of its Jazz and City models globally due to a faulty window switch. The recall has been carried out after detecting potential problem of smoke coming out from the driver side power window switch if water enters the window during heavy rains.

However, none of the Indian cars have been detected with the defect and recalling 8,532 units of the City is just a precautionary measure. Honda Siel Cars India, said it would "call back 8,532 units of second generation City, manufactured in 2007, for a preventive part replacement of power window switch."

The recall will not affect the third generation City and the newly launched Jazz models that are currently on sale in India. The replacement would be carried out free of cost and the company would communicate directly with the owners of the cars, which are covered under this part replacement. Honda’s announcement comes three days after Toyota Motors had declared that they would recall 2.3million vehicles due to a sticking accelerator pedal fault. However Toyota’s Indian operations were not affected by the parent company’s move.

Fiat Punto India

Fiat India Automobiles has launched its premium hatchback, the Grande Punto in India. The all-new international bestseller comes to India in three engine options - the 1.4-litre FIRE Petrol and the 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel were expected options, but Fiat has also thrown in the surprise 1.2-litre petrol option to reap in the excise benefits. The car will be available in four varying trims - the Active, Dynamic, Emotion and fully-loaded Emotion .

Fiat Punto 80 ELX 16V

Performance Acceleration (0-100 km/h) 12.3 secs
Capacity 4 Cylinders 1747 cc DOHC (with hydraulic tappets)
Maximum Power 96 kW / 130 bhp @ 6300 rpm
Peak Torque 164 Nm @ 4300 rpm
Dimensions Length 3800 mm
Performance Acceleration (0-100 km/h) 8.6 secs
Top Speed 205 km/h
Expected Price : 5 - 7lac in INR (depends on models - approx)

The pricing reflects this too. The 1.2-petrol will be available only in the basic Active trim and will go for Rs 3.99 lakh ex-showroom Delhi. The 1.4 FIRE petrol has been priced between Rs 4.66 lakh and Rs. 5.61 lakh between variants. The 1.3 MultiJet diesel is also set to give established Indian hatches a good run for their money with pricing between Rs 4.85 lakh and Rs. 6.11 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi.

Volks Wagen Polo

European car manufacturer Volkswagen has launched the first VW hatchback model VW Polo  will hit the Indian roads. The Polo is a premium hatchback that will be manufactured from the recently inaugurated Volkswagen plant in Chakan. Volkswagen Polo with both petrol and diesel models. The car will be available at from March 2010 at Volkswagen showroom across the India.

Engine Displacement: 1.4 litre TDI; 1.2-litre and 1.6 litre petrol
14" alloy wheels
Seat capacity    : 5
Gear box           : Both 5 speed
Estimated price: Rs 4.5- 6.9 lakh

Volkswagen Polo is available with both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol variants of Volkswagen Polo are powered by the 1.2L, 1198cc, 3 Cylinder, petrol engine with five speed manual transmission gearbox. This engine can produce 75PS of maximum power at 5400rpm with 110Nm of maximum torque at 3750rpm. This engine delivers excellent engine power and performance so that the car can touch the 100kmph mark in just 14.2 seconds and never vibrates even after 100kmph speed.

The diesel variants of Volkswagen Polo are loaded 1.2L, 1199cc, 3-Cylinder diesel engine that produces 75PS of maximum power at 4200rpm with 180Nm of maximum torque at 2000rpm. The acceleration of these diesel variants are bit lower but its mileage is better than diesel variants.

The Beetle - VolksWagen !

The 'Bug' is all set to roll out on Indian roads as the company Volkswagen brought it. And all this even as the Indian version 'Nano' from Tatas hogged the limelight since its unveiling at the Auto Expo in New Delhi.

the Beetle – as German car maker Volkswagen has firmed up plans for its introduction in the country. The company has been looking at using the Beetle as a brand building tool for Volkswagen as it prepares to get into the highly competitive Indian compact car segment by 2010

Volkswagen launched the new gen interpretation of the iconic Volkswagen Beetle in India recently, at a price of  20+lakhs. At that price, the car will remain a flagship model, a brand building exercise. Guess neither the company nor car buyers will have a problem with that! Expected sales for the Volkswagen Beetle, according to the company, is 300 units. There are already some 170 advance bookings for the Beetle across India. The Beetle comes to India as a CBU, duties make up more than half of the price of the car on Indian roads.

Techy spec's ..

Powered by a 2000cc four cylinder Petrol Engine.

115 Bhp powers the front wheel.

Body Type                             : Coupe/Convertible

No of Doors                           : 2

Seating Capacity                   : 4

Fuel Tank Capacity              : 55 L

Egine Type                            : 2.5L inline- 5cyl

Transmission                        : 6-speed automatic

Max. Power                          : 150 hp @ 5000 rpm

Max. Torque                        : 170 Nm @ 3750 rpm

Brakes                                  : Front & Rear Disc

Steering Type                       : Rack & pinion

coupe Variat                         : 5speed manual transmission

Convertible Version            : 6 speed Automatic
Price : INR 20lac+ (approx)

Volkswagen has six variants – S, S PZEV, S Convertible, S PZEV Convertible, Blush Edition Convertible and Blush Edition PZEV Convertible. Another new car which was launched recently – the Fiat 500 – can be considered a competition for the Beetle; that is priced at arond Rs 15 lakh.

Disclaimer : The contents of this report are based on information generally available  to the public from sources believed to be reliable. No representation is made that it is timely, accurate or complete. We are not responsible for any errors, omissions or representations.

Chevrolet Beat from GM.

                               

The latest car to hit the Indian roads is the small wonder introduced by Chevrolet, called Beat. The mid-range hatchback car is all set to compete with the likes of Swift, Hyundai i10 and Ritz.

Beat has been designed at General Motors’s (GM’s) Design Studio in Bupyeong, South Korea, taking inputs from the global network of GM designers. It has been built on the same platform as Suzuki's Splash. The car was recently launched at the Auto Expo in New Delhi. The stylish, suave and aggressive-looking car will prove to be an attractive addition to the huge range of small cars in India.

The specifications and features of Chevy Beat : 

Engine : Chevy Beat will have a 1.2 L engine with efficient MPFI (Multi Point Fuel Injection Technology).

BHP    : The engine is capable of delivering a maximum of 82 bhp.

Fuel   : Both in Petrol-1200cc and Diesel Variants. Diesel by end of 2010.

Maximum horsepower : 80.5 PS @6200 rpm

Maximum torque        : 108 Nm @4400 rpm

Gears                           : Manual transmission - 5

Brakes                         :  Discs in front, drums at the rear

Fuel efficiency (mileage) certified by ARAI: 18.6 kmpl

Power steering, ABS, power windows, central locking,  tachometer, alloy wheels

Steering Type              : Power Steering

Seating Capacity         : 5

Fuel Tank Capacity     : 35 L

Body Type                   : Hatchback ( Looks like 3 door hatchback.

Tyre Size                     : 155/70 R14
Price in INR                : 4-5lac (approx)

Chevrolet Beat looks like a 3-door car, due to the secret rear door handles being integrated into the car’s C-Pillar. An integrated spoiler is one of the standard features of the car. Chevrolet Beat comes attached with many safety features, such as Driver and front passenger air bags, 4-channel/4-sensor EBD-ABS system and seatbelt with load limiter. Beat has been introduced in three variants; Chevrolet Beat 1.2, Chevrolet Beat 1.2 LS, Chevrolet Beat 1.2 LT and available in 7 colors. The car's price believed  between Rs 3,34,000 and Rs 3,94,000 (ex-showroom price), to appeal to the average car consumer in India.

Disclaimer : The contents of this report are based on information generally available  to the public from sources believed to be reliable. No representation is made that it is timely, accurate or complete. We are not responsible for any errors, omissions or representations.

Concept Car from Toyota - Etios !

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announces its production and sales subsidiary in India unveiled today - under the banner: "World First, India First" - a concept version of the "Etios*", a compact car newly developed specifically for the Indian market.Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private, Ltd. (TKM) is showing the concept car at the 10th Auto Expo automobile show in New Delhi, which runs until January 11.

The Etios is aimed at family users in India's rapidly growing automobile market. Reflecting its "one class above" theme, the Etios' styling evokes a sense of advanced status, and, along with a spacious interior with abundant storage space, it aims to offer both smooth and powerful driving and excellent fuel efficiency. To make the car as affordable as possible for potential customers, thorough use of local parts will be pursued to keep costs low. On display at the show are a sedan version with a newly developed 1.5-liter gasoline engine and a hatchback version with a newly developed 1.2-liter gasoline engine.

Etios chief engineer, Yoshinori Noritake, said at the show: "I visited many Indian cities and homes to learn the market and to hear from the consumer directly. Over four years, more than 2,000 engineers have been involved in the development of the Etios, and each has devoted his or her best effort with no compromises. I am convinced in my heart that the Etios offers joy of ownership and quality of life to consumers in India."

TKM will produce the Etios from late 2010 at its second plant, which is now being built expressly for the new car. Annual sales in India are set at 70,000 units. Exports are planned.  TKM exhibit, with its key message of "Quality Revolution", comprises a total of14 production and concept vehicles, including the third-generation "Prius" gasoline-electric hybrid passenger car, which is scheduled to go on sale in India in 2010, the "Prado" SUV recently unveiled for the Indian market, the "i-REAL" personal mobility vehicle and the "Fine-S" fuel-cell hybrid vehicle.


Price expected from 4.5lac in INR.

Toyota stops some model sales, suspends output - U. S

Toyota Motor Sales USA has temporarily stopped dealers selling eight models involved in the recall for sticking accelerator pedals announced on 21 January, 2010 and will also suspend production. The unusual move affects 2009-2010 RAV4, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2005-2010 Avalon, some 2007-2010 Camry, 2010 Highlander, 2007-2010 Tundra and 2008-2010 Sequoia models, some of which are built and sold only in North America.

Toyota will also stop producing vehicles in five North American factories for the week of 1 February "to assess and coordinate activities". The affected plants are in Canada (Corolla, Matrix, RAV4); Indiana (Sequoia and Highlander); Kentucky's line 1 (Camry and Avalon); Subaru of Indiana Automotive (Camry) and Texas (Tundra).

The sticking accelerator pedal recall is separate from the on-going 4.26m-vehicle recall of Toyota andLexus vehicles to reduce the risk of pedal entrapment by incorrect or out of place accessory floor mats. Approximately 1.7 million Toyota Division vehicles are subject to both separate recall actions.

The later recall of about 2.3m vehicles is to correct sticking accelerator pedals on Toyota models following "isolated" reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in some vehicles without installed floor mats. It's possible pedal mechanisms may mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position, the automaker said.

"Helping ensure the safety of our customers and restoring confidence in Toyota are very important to our company," said Toyota division general manager Bob Carter in a statement. "This action is necessary until a remedy is finalised. We're making every effort to address this situation for our customers as quickly as possible."

"This could be an extended issue. It is very serious," IHS Global Insight analyst Aaron Bragman told the Los Angeles Times, which noted that US industry observers could not not recall a time in recent history when a carmaker had stopped both production and sales of so many models at once.

The eight models affected accounted for 57% of US sales last year of all Toyota brands, including Lexus and Scion. Bragman estimated that the move could stop the production and sale of up to 105,000 Toyota cars and trucks a month, based on the most recent sales figures. He noted the sales freeze came just as Ford, General Motors and Hyundai all were improving quality and mounting aggressive sales and marketing campaigns.

"This is the mother of all 'stop sales', it appears," Fritz Hitchcock, who owns Toyota dealerships in Santa Barbara, Northridge and the City of Industry, told the LA Times.

“Toyota needed to send a clear message they care more about their customers than monthly profits. And they are.”