Mini SUV segment to boom with Maruti, Volkswagen & Tata entry

        Ford has managed to pull out a rabbit out of the hat through the highly successful Ecosport. The mini SUV segment in India is still in infancy and has very little competitors as of now and Ford Ecosport is enjoying the privilege of being the winner in the segment.

        But things are going to change soon. Hyundai is coming up with a mini SUV codenamed ix25 which has already spied testing alongside Ford Ecosport and Renault Duster on Indian soil. Now the spy picture of Maruti’s mini SUV based on Alpha XA concept has given a broader dimension to the segment. Being a Maruti, it can offer a product very competitively to its competitors, the trend which Maruti Suzuki has been following for a long time.

        Volkswagen is planning to bring Taigun in 2016 and mini Duster or new low cost mini SUV from Renault is also on the cards. Tata Motors is launching Nexon mini SUV soon. So in coming years we will see a huge demand as well as competition in the mini SUV segment in India. Does B segments 2005 to 2014 success story will be carried to mini SUV segment? Chances are more likely...

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After Chennai, is Sanand the next automobile capital of India?

     Tamil Nadu has many automobile manufacturing companies in India and it would not be wrong to say Chennai is the automobile capital of India. Now Sanand, the permanent home for Tata Nano is the hot designation for automobile companies in India to set up its plant.

     French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen will start works for its plant in Sanand next month. Peugeot is re-entering into Indian market after 10 years and plans to invest Rs. 4000 crores in its plant. The other major car manufacturer Ford India has already started work on its second plant in Sanand which too will see investment close to that of Peugeot’s. Ford will roll out its first car from Sanand plant in 2014.

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Mahindra’s design issues

     We have never seen a good looking vehicle from Mahindra, except the Bolero, thanks to its bold front grill.

     Right from MM 540 International to today’s Xylo, Mahindra vehicles have not be able to turn heads. Many of you might argue for Scoprio’s design, but we should tell you, the Scorpio was a hit because it was the first off-roader cum SUV in Indian market with rounded contours. Tata Safari was big flop because of its engine. The Scorpio’s other success secret was its engine.

     Coming to the latest W201 SUV design, Mahindra has put some effort to make it stand out from its competitors. The unique door handle design and huge rear wheel arch are some of them to mention. But by the front picture of W201, which was posted on a facebook fan page, the vehicle did not impress us honestly.  It is still premature to say that as we still have not seen the complete picture of the SUV. Let’s wait and see if Mahindra could indeed pull out a head turner. 

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Peugeot 207 hatch entry to hot up B Segment

     Peugeot 207 hatch’s entry to Indian market will further hot up the already crowded B Segment. Though the French are late to enter India, the design and quality of Peugeot products have their own essence with which it can gain a decent market share. The design of 207 might seem similar to other cars on road in India but the car does demand attention because of its invigoration personality.

     Peugeot 309 which was launched a decade and a half ago in India was known for its refined engine and durability. It was unfortunate that ‘309’ could not sell in large numbers, which as all because of marketing issues and nothing to do with 309’s technicality. The international version of 207 is 4045mm long and we are sure Peugeot will work on the bumpers to shorten the car to come under 4 meters. With over 1800 mm width, the 207 promises to give class leading interior space.

     Peugeot has two diesel engine options, a 1.4L & 1.6L HDi engine for 207 in the other parts of the world. In India, the 1.4L HDi engine will find its place under the 207’s hood. The 1.4L HDi engine produces a decent 70 Bhp of power. Since Peugeot’s diesel engines are known for its smoothness, the 207 will deliver good performance and fuel efficiency as well.


     Peugeot 207’s built quality will also be good, keeping in mind about Peugeot’s quality standards. With a good engine, fuel efficiency, build quality, style and large interior space the Peugeot 207 hatch aims to give run for their money for the cars in B Segment. Expect the Peugeot 207 hatch to be priced around Rs. 6 lakh


What do you people think? Your opinion is most welcome…

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Honda City diesel? Wait till 2013

     With the rising fuel prices, people are switching to diesel cars, thanks to the latest diesel engine technology which has improved the performance and fuel efficiency of diesel cars.

     Honda City had been the market leader in the C Segment cars in India because of its sheer performance and better fuel efficiency than its competitors. Well we have to say that it no longer stays at the top because of the Vento diesel.

     Volkswagen had targeted the Honda City before launching and it is succeeded to some extent in tress passing the Honda City category. Volkswagen’s Vento diesel has indeed caused damage to the Honda City party.

      Honda seems to be the worried automobile manufacturer. First it was the Tsunami and Earthquake in Japan which has caused damage to Honda and secondly the raising fuel costs. Since Honda has no potential diesel engine for its medium segment cars, it is finding difficult to sustain the markets especially in India.

      Honda had announced that it is developing a small diesel engine for it s cars. But that will not happen before 2013. We feel Honda has speed up its diesel engine development to sustain in this cut throat competitive market.

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