Game Changer?

This comes to you right from the horses mouth! Hyundai dealers will start taking bookings for the Eon hatchback starting tomorrow while the car will be officially launched on the 14th of October.

The latest from Hyundai will slotted just below the Santro and fight it out with Maruti Suzuki’s Alto twins. The Eon will be powered by a 814cc three cylinder engine, which is essentially Santro’s engine minus a cylinder, developing 56 bhp of maximum power and 75 nm of maximum torque. The engine is said to be highly fuel efficient as well with ARAI fuel economy rating of 21.1 kmpl.

The car will be launched in total of 6 variants – the D-Lite, D-Lite(O), Era, Magna, Magna (O) and top end Sportz. The new Eon is expected to be priced in the Rs 2.5 Lakhs to 3.5 Lakhs range. With its combination of style, efficiency and price tag this looks set to be another huge success for Hyundai in India.

Jump over for the variant wise feature details after the jump.

Variant wise feature details.

D-LITE
Specification:

• 814 cc 3 cylinder in line petrol engine with 5 speed manual transmission
• 145/80 R12 tubeless tyres with silver finish steel wheel
• Engine Immobilizer
• Full size spare wheel
• Brakes-front disc/ rear drum
• Single horn

Safety

• Child safety rear door lock
• Inside rear view mirror-standard
• Front and rear ELR seat belts
• Rear centre static seat belt

Exterior

• Hub cap
• Driver side OSRVM (manually adjustable)
• Clear head, tail and side repeater lamps
• Integrated HMSL
• Chrome rear emblems
• Radiator grille (2 tone-black plus chrome)

Interior

• 2 tone beige and brown key colour
• PVC gear knob and parking brake trim
• 2 spoke PU steering wheel
• Tailgate finishing-plastic type
• Door trims-”H” board type
• Quadrant cover for passenger ORVM
• Assist grip-front (1), rear-2
• B and C pillar trims
• Sunvisor- LH and RH
• Semi cloth upholstery
• Room lamp-front-glow type
• Windshield moulding
• Speaker grille-front doors

Comfort & Convenience

• Fuel lid and tailgate opening-remote cable type
• Front and rear fixed head rest
• Heater with 4 speed blower
• 2 Speed front wiper and washer
• Clear all round glasses
• Power outlet in Fr. console
• Cup holder in Fr. console
• Floor console-STD with storage tray
• Single folding bench rear seat
• Rear door armrest (half)
• Rear seat belt knuckle holder
• M/T shift indicator
• Cluster assembly signals (speedometer, dual tripmeter, digital odometer, fuel, water pump, oil pressure, parking brake, battery charge, high beam, engine check lamp, immobilizer)

D-LITE (O) adds

• Manual AC

ERA + all features of D-Lite (O)

• Body colour bumper
• Body colour plus chrome radiator grille
• Metal finish centre fascia
• Motor driven power steering
• All round tinted glasses
• Front tinted windshield with shade band
• EPS indicator

MAGNA + all features of Era

• 155/70 r 13 tubeless tyre
• Full wheel covers
• Steel wheel with black finish
• Central locking (driver side)
• Passenger side OSRVM
• Moulded door trims
• Front door map pockets (driver and co driver)
• Speaker grill-RR boot
• Internally adjustable OSRVMS
• Front power windows
• Micro roof antenna
• Front door full size armrest
• Tilt steering

MAGNA (O) adds

• Audio (CD/MP3/FM/AM)
• USB and aux-in
• 2 Speakers  (front doors)
• Rear parcel tray

SPORTZ + all features of Magna (O)

• Driver airbag
• Keyless entry
• Front fog lamps
• Body coloured door handles and OSRVM
• 3 Spoke aluminum finish steering wheel
• Metal finish inside door handle
• Airbag warning signal on console

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With the launch of the new Maruti Suzuki Swift less than an hour away, we have managed to obtain the pricing details for the most hotly anticipated line up in the model, the ZDi.

The Swift ZDi with the 1.3 liter 75 bhp diesel engine has been priced at Rs 6.38 Lakhs, Ex-Showroom Delhi making it one of the priciest hatchback in its class. This makes it costlier than the Nissan Micra which has more features or the i20 Magna Diesel which has a more powerful engine, bigger boot space and better interiors.

Has Maruti shot itself in the foot with this pricing. Tell us more.

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As unbelievable as it may sound, Honda Siel Cars India has decided to cut the price of the Jazz by a mind numbing Rs 1.75 Lakhs (Yes its One Lakh Seventy Five Thousand)!

The company had previously announced Rs 66,000 cut in price for its bread and butter model City after sky rocketing petrol prices reduced the sales enough to get the management worried. The new pricing makes the very talented Jazz an incredible value for money given the peace mind, technology, quality, space and relatively trouble free ownership experience Honda cars are known for.

Variant wise pricing details after the jump.

It also makes you ponder on the amount of profit car makers in India earn on every unit sold in our country given that Honda is still making profit inspite of a huge Rs 1.75 Lakh price cut. All said, the new move from Honda will trigger a price correction across the B-segment premium hatchback market and the repercussions are only good for the consumer except for the consumer who bought the car recently without the price cut.

Here it is to Honda and the competition then. They have already been warned!

Base model – (Previous Price) Rs 7,45,000 <—> (Revised Price) Rs 5,87,500

Select model – (Previous Price) Rs 7,56,500 <—> (Revised Price) Rs 5,99,000

X model – (Previous Price) Rs 7,88,500 <—> (Revised Price) Rs 6,31,000

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One of the most awaited small car of our times and one of the cheapest Toyota to be launched anywhere, the Etios Liva hatchback has been launched in India with prices starting at Rs 3.99 Lakhs to Rs 5.99 Lakhs, Ex-showroom, Delhi.

The car comes in five variants – ‘J’,'G’,'V’ and ‘VX’ and will initially come with a petrol engine only. The powertrain in question is a 1.2 litre four cylinder 16 valve DOHC petrol engine, christened 3NR-FE, with maximum power output of 80 ps @ 5600 rpm and a maximum 104 nm of torque at a fairly low 3100 rpm and is mated to a 5 speed manual transmission. Performance is expected to be pretty strong given that the base Liva ‘J’ weights a feather light 890 Kgs while the top end Liva Vx weights 920 kgs giving it a power to weight ratio of 89 bhp per tonne which is better than cars two segment higher!

Detailed variant wise specifications and pricing after the jump.

Detailed variant wise specifications below. (Click to enlarge)

Toyota Liva Variant Wise Detailed Specifications

Pricing

Toyota Liva J – Rs 3.99 Lakhs, Ex-Showroom, Delhi

Toyota Liva G – Rs 4.59 Lakhs, Ex-Showroom, Delhi

Toyota Liva  G (SP) – Rs 5.05 Lakhs, Ex-Showroom, Delhi

Toyota Liva V – Rs 5.49 Lakhs, Ex-Showroom, Delhi

Toyota Liva VX – Rs 5.99 Lakhs, Ex-Showroom, Delhi

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As we reported earlier, Honda has unveiled the near production prototype of its small car Brio at the 27th Thailand International Motor Expo today.

The small car which was shown as a concept at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2010 is an A-segment rival for the hot selling Hyundai i10, Suzuki Swift, Ritz and soon to be launched Toyota Etios Liva.

The Brio is 3,610 mm long, 1680 mm wide and 1475 mm tall making it larger than the i10 and almost the same size as the Maruti Suzuki Swift. Honda has not revealed the wheelbase figure which would have helped us to make an educated guess on the interior room on offer.

Honda has not shared the technical details either but a highly fuel 1.2 liter four cylinder petrol engine with power output between 75-80 bhp is likely to power the car.

The new Brio will start with a localization level of 80% and will start production in April-May 2011 in India and is likely to be priced at Rs 5 Lakhs for the base model.

Press Release and image gallery after the jump.

Image Gallery: Honda Brio Production Prototype

Honda Exhibits World Premiere of Honda BRIO Prototype, Honda’s New Small Vehicle Developed for Asian Markets at the 27th Thailand International Motor Expo 2010

Bangkok, Thailand, November 30, 2010 – Honda debuted the world premiere of a prototype of Honda BRIO, the new small-sized vehicle developed for Asian markets and scheduled to be introduced in Thailand and India in 2011, at the 27th Thailand International Motor Expo starting November 30, 2010 (press day: November 30, public days: December 1-12.)

Honda BRIO Prototype is being developed with Honda’s advanced technologies, while further advancing Honda’s “man maximum, machine minimum” concept*1. Being developed as a commuter which is easy-to-use even in urban areas, the Honda BRIO prototype adopts an easy-to-handle compact body (length 3,610mm x width 1,680mm x height 1,475 mm) while ensuring enough cabin space achieved by highly efficient packaging. With this vehicle, Honda thoroughly pursued the creation of an advanced exterior form, which is compact while asserting a strong presence.

For the mass-production model, which will be an entry-level car, for which demand is increasing in newly emerging nations, Honda will develop unique versions for Thailand and India to reflect different customer needs in those markets. Moreover, with this vehicle, Honda will leverage the resources Honda has cultivated through its motorcycle business and utilize local sourcing of parts and materials such as sheet steel.

For the Thai model that is scheduled to be introduced in March 2011, the fuel economy of more than 5liters/100km*2 will be targeted so that the vehicle will qualify as an eco-car by the Thai government, and a starting price of approximately 400,000 baht will be targeted as well. For the Indian model that is scheduled to be introduced within 2011, local customer needs for a small car will be reflected and local content will be increased to create a model that achieves a good balance between vehicle performance and price.

“Honda would like to expand the joy of mobility to more customers in Thailand, India and other Asian countries through the introduction of a new small vehicle with compact and highly efficient packaging by utilizing our own experiences cultivated by motorcycle business here in Asia,” said Takanobu Ito, President and CEO of Honda Motor.

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Toyota Etios Liva

Toyota will launch the much awaited Etios saloon developed especially for the Indian market, tomorrow. And while the hatchback sibling isn’t coming tomorrow, we do know that it will be called Etios Liva when it is launched in the first quarter next year.

Powering the Liva will be a 1.2 liter four cylinder petrol engine developing 80 bhp of maximum power which should also bring in the small car excise benefit. The performance is expected to be impressive given that Liva will be one of the lightest hatchback around at just 890 kgs! We just hope that lightness doesn’t come at the expense of rigidity or safety.

There will be no diesel option at launch but Toyota will plonk in the 1.4 liter four cylinder turbocharged diesel from under the hood of the Corolla Altis Diesel minus the variable geometry turbocharger. The maximum power output will be a decent 70 bhp but given the relatively light build and engine efficiency, expect decent performance and some sterling fuel efficiency figures.

The Etios Liva is expected to be priced in the region of Rs 4.5 to Rs 6 Lakhs.

As always we will be covering it extensively so stay tuned!

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Hyundai Motor India Limited has equipped the hot selling i20 with an optional GPS based Audio Visual Navigation system to celebrate its phenomenal success in the domestic market.

The system is being offered as an option on the Asta variants of both Petrol and Diesel and is 2 Din system with 5 inch LCD display and a touch screen interface with satellite based voice-guided navigation system.

It contains a wealth of details about locations, route options, the nearest Hyundai touch points and numerous other points of interest like restaurants, hotels, hospitals and malls. The SD memory card with pre-loaded navigation software enables users to save favourite routes and also guide different users driving to the same destination through the use of voice prompts which are available in more than a dozen languages including 8 Indian regional languages.

More details after the jump.

The AVN system comes with complete in-car entertainment and connectivity features. It also doubles up as a video player which supports video playback from the iPod/USB drive. For greater safety and convenience, audio controls are provided on the steering wheel while a remote is provided for the convenience of the rear seat user. The in-built Bluetooth with an audio streaming function enables one to handle calls while driving besides playing music through the phone.

The new i20 with the AVN system has a starting price of  Rs. 630,439 (ex-showroom, New Delhi) for the 1.2 Petrol Asta which is a whopping Rs 55000 more than the Asta 1.2 Petrol with AVN making it a verrry expensive option.

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Update: Tata Motors has just issue a press statement stating there is no recall. Beginning the 3^rd week of November, each owner will be informed about these measures (described below). Option lies with our customers on whether they would like to avail for these measures. This will be provided at no cost to customers. For additonal information, read the press release after the jump.

Tata Motors today has announced that it will be recalling ’some’ of its small car Nano to install safety measures that will prevent it from catching fire.

“Yes, customers have been informed. Some have been already recalled,” said P M Telang, Tata Motors Managing Director (India Operations).

We don’t know exactly how many vehicles will be recalled as we have to check how many Nanos have to be rectified.” he said when asked how many vehicles were effected. The company has already sold 70,000 Nanos in India.

source: timesofindia

“The company has taken up several corrective measures and will now offer cover tool on catalytic converter to prevent the car from catching fire. It will also install fuse in electrical components to avoid short circuits,” said Tata Motors Group CEO and Managing Director Carl-Peter Forster.

A total of 6 Nanos reportedly have caught fire with the latest incident in August from New Delhi which happened three months after a company probe declared the car was “absolutely safe” in May 2010.

Press Release

Tata Motors reconfirms robustness of Tata Nano design

Mumbai, November 10, 2010: Basis some media reports on the Nano recall, we would like to clarify that Tata Motors is not recalling Nanos. We would like to state again, as we had done in May 2010, that the Tata Nano is a safe car with a robust design, state-of-the-art components and built with an uncompromising attention to quality in all aspects.  This has been re-established through a second analysis, conducted during the months of September and October 2010. Customers can rest assured that there are no generic defects in the Tata Nano.

Besides, our customer satisfaction studies with current Tata Nano owners indicate that about 85% are satisfied or very satisfied with the car, because of it being ‘small yet spacious’, its performance, maneuverability, durability, low operating cost and safety. Some owners have taken their Nanos on country-wide trips or to altitudes like Khardungla, the world’s highest motorable road. This adequately corroborates the Tata Nano’s reliability and safety, as was seen during the validation of the car with about 300 prototypes which covered more than 2 million km of safe operation before launch.

The investigation, by a team of internal and international experts, has once again concluded that the reasons for the incidents in few Tata Nano cars are specific to the cars which had such incidents. We have noticed instances of additional foreign electrical equipment having been installed or foreign material left on the exhaust system. It is also our belief that as we penetrate deeper, the Tata Nano will be bought increasingly by users in the hinterlands not fully familiar to cars.

Taking all this into account, we have decided to make the car even more robust. We will do this by providing additional protection in the exhaust system and the electrical system.

Beginning the 3^rd week of November, each owner will be informed about these measures. Option lies with our customers on whether they would like to avail for these measures. This will be provided at no cost to customers.

These actions do not constitute a recall.

As at the end of October 2010, Tata Motors has delivered over 70,000 Tata Nano cars. The company has already declared open sales in Kerala (since August 2010), and (since October 2010) in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. We are receiving good response from these states. Open sales will gradually be extended state by state.

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Click on the image to see it in high res

Honda today has announced its plans to world premiere the new small vehicle concept in near production ready version as a prototype at the upcoming 27th Thailand International Motor Expo 2010 which will start from November 30.

Click on the image to see it in high res

The new prototype builds upon the New Small Vehicle Concept which was showcased at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi and will represent packaging that is closer to the mass produced model.

Honda intends to introduce two different models of the small sized vehicle, both based on the same platform and sharing the same basic shape but catering to different market needs. For Thailand, the model will comply with the high fuel efficiency standards prevalent in the country while the Indian model is being developed exclusively for the ever growing small car market.

Honda has not given out any powertrain details but a fuel efficient 1.2 liter petrol engine is expected for the Indian market. The new small car will be launched in the year 2011 and is expected to be priced close to Rs 5 Lakhs.

Stay tuned for more updates!

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Nissan India has started taking bookings for the diesel variant of the Micra which will go on sale from December 2010.

The diesel variant will be powered by a simply 1.5 liter dCI engine delivering a modest 65 bhp and 16.3 kgs of maximum torque. The same engine also does duty under the hood of the Logan and is expected to perform much better in the ligher and smaller Micra and deliver sterling fuel efficiency too.

Although Nissan hasn’yt announced the pricing,  customers interested in the new Micra can book their’s for an initial booking amount of  Rs 50,000 at any of the 20 Nissan dealerships across the country. The Micra diesel is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 4.5 to 5.8 Lakhs.

“The success of petrol variant of Micra in the domestic market has given us huge confidence to introduce diesel variant within six months from the launch of petrol version. We are confident that the diesel-powered Micra would fulfill the discerning needs of Indian Customers.” said Kiminobu Tokuyama, MD & CEO, Nissan Motor India.

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