Tata Nano gets " absolutely safe" tag

     Tata Motors has claimed that its mini car Nano is “absolutely safe” after the probe team found “no manufacturing defects” in it. Tata Motors had initated a comprehensive investigation into the fire accidents which involved two Nanos couple of months back.

     The investigation was done by a 20 member team from Tata Motors and an independent forensic expert from UK. The investigators revealed that the fire incidents were not related. Tata Motors has started pre-emptive checks on all Nanos on road starting from May 24 this month. However the company declined to term it as a recall.

Press release:

"The Tata Nano has undergone all the necessary validations before delivering to customers - this includes more than 300 prototypes which together covered more than 2 million km of safe operation in all conditions," as said by a company official.

According to the company spokesperson, "Each customer will be contacted personally for the check and we will be providing service free of cost, including additional protection, wherever required."

Get ready for the Chinese invasion

     Chinese auto manufacturer is testing its Hover CUV which is expected to be launched soon in India. Have a look at the Hover CUV spy pictures.

Volkswagen Rocktan SUV to be built on SX4 platform

     Ever since VW bought 20% stake in Suzuki, lot of knowledge about cars have been in exchange between the two companies. The first vehicle to be produced from the partnership will be VW Rocktan SUV which will be based on SX4 platform.

     Rocktan crossover SUV will be positioned between CrossPolo and Tiguan and is likely to be launched in India. It is expected to be priced around Rs. 12 lakh. Powering the Rocktan will be a 1.4L petrol motor and a 2.0L oil burner.

     Rocktan crossover is likely to take on Toyota Urban Cruiser and Nissan Juke in the International markets.

Skoda Yeti to be launched in India soon

The much awaited premium SUV from Skoda Auto - 'Yeti' will on Indian roads soon. The vehicle is in final stages of testing and will be launched in couple of months. Our reader Dr Mohan Kumar got a chance to capture some spy pictures of Yeti being tested near the Bosch campus in Koramangala, Bangalore. Spy photos will be uploaded as soon as possible.

Skoda Yeti is likely to be priced around Rs 12 to 14 lakhs. With a dynamic and unique coupled with Skoda's bullet proof built quality Yeti is sure to create a niche for itself in the Indian market. Its SUVsh look and smaller dimensions might attract young urban folks who want smaller vehicles to maneuver in the city traffic and yet make a style statement.

Hyundai i10 - most fuel efficient petrol car in India

     Hyundai i10 powered by a 1.2L Kappa engine has been rated as India's most fuel efficient petol car in compact car segment. i10 also reached a new milestone of being top seeling vehicle in the small car segment.

     The BS IV complait 1.2L Kappa engine achieved a mileage of 19.81 kmpl under test conditions. Due its good fuel efficiency i10 has managed to be the largest selling vehicle in its class. In last 12 months Hyundai sold 1,49,242 untis of i10 in Indian market breaking all previous records.

Press Release:

Arvind Saxena - Marketing and Sales Director, Hyundai Motor India said: “The extraordinary fuel-efficiency of Hyundai i10, best among the petrol cars in its segment emphasizes Hyundai’s overall technology leadership in making highly fuel-efficient cars. We hope that the best-in-class mileage of i10 will enable us to increase our market share by reaching out to a larger customer base. We are also glad that i10 continues to be number one selling vehicle in its class. This reflects the confidence customers place in our brands”.

Chevrolet Aveo CNG launched in India

     Chevrolet has launched a CNG variant of its mid sized sedan Aveo in India. The Aveo CNG runs on both petrol and CNG fuel and will be available in select markets in India.

Press Release
Mr Karl Slym - “The launch of the Aveo CNG is a testament to the importance that GM India attaches to green technology and environmentally friendly mobility solutions. Its running cost is approximately 54 percent lower than a similar vehicle powered by petrol and 25 percent lower than a similar vehicle powered by diesel. Because of the lower operating economics and the growing number of CNG stations being built across India, this new offering is expected to appeal to both individual and fleet customers. Under normal driving conditions, the Aveo CNG has a range of 180 to 200 kilometres on a full tank of CNG and is BS IV compliant.”

The Aveo CNG is equipped with next generation computer controlled CNG injection technology along with host of many other features

- Seqential injection kit for precise fuel delivery and efficient combution.

- Stable performance of engine in CNG mode.

- CNG compatible engine - less engine damage in CNG mode.

- Reinforced suspension to support the additional mass of the CNG cylinder in the boot.

Never say die Ambassador

     Hindustan Motors, India's oldest automobile manufacturer is in talks with a foreign company for powertrains for its old work horse Ambassador. Currently the Ambassador sports a 1.5 litre diesel which is getting dated with time. Its 2.0 litre diesel engine is under test at the ARAI for its certification, and the petrol, CNG and LPG engines have been upgraded to BS IV complaint.

     Hindustan Motors is planning to pump in more funds through its non core business/assets to strenthen its finance. It is also expected that the company might increase its stake with its parter Mitsubishi Motors in India.However the company officials declined to confirm any reports.

     HM and Mistubishi JV in India is more than a decade old and offers a unique service of same price for a particular model all over the country under 'One County One Price scheme'. Mitsubishi will launch two new models this year and Lancer Evo sedan will be one of them. The JV will increase their dealerships from existing 16 to 50 during this year.