Indian Autos Thread

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Bade
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Bade »

I am more impressed with the looks of the showroom than the cars inside them. Finally some aesthetics creeping in along with the foreign invasion.
Singha
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Singha »

there are many such stylish showrooms now all over - bmw, merc, audi, porsche, volvo lead the style guru pack. but toyota, maruti, honda, hyundai also have neat places. you can hardly find a low tech showroom or service center these days. for Rs300-400 they will send a driver to your place for pickup and drop it off in evening if you want car serviced. how much would that service cost in Massa ? I recall spending hours leafing through used copies of magazines and watching NBC in some dull waiting room of toyota center in massa :)

high strength tempered glass sheets with spider type clamps to join adjoining sheets is the default for any good showroom these days - sari shops, electronic shops like croma, coffee day, the nukkad paratha shop ... anything.

the construction industry has embraced lots of high tech tools and processes...everyone uses power tools for instance....machines worth crores fashion precision massa style shutters and panels whether in yeshwantpur, nasik or nagpur for modular furnitures and kitchens..... some bideshis are also employed by leading builders to oversee such things.

the old carpenter using a hand operated blade to shape the wood and handsaws is so passe.

everyone and their unkil in terms of kitchen and bath fittings has landed here. germans dominate with brands like hettich, haffele (blum), kaff, siemens et al. spain and italy have some brands (elica, cata...). kohler and black n decker of usa are here. desis have also upped their game. UKstan is the noteable absentee in ANY form of manufactured product here - too busy with financial innovation methinks!
Last edited by Singha on 26 Apr 2011 09:10, edited 4 times in total.
Baldev
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Baldev »

does anyone knows of this new scooter from LML,its got 200cc engine with fuel injection n i love it
http://www.lmlitalia.com/pdf/schede/sch ... 200Eng.pdf
http://www.lmlitalia.com/moduli/scooter ... idlinea=15

11.6 horsepower at 6500 rpm
15Nm torque at 4250 rpm

nice thing if launched in India
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Singha »

seems to be a higher powered bro of the old bajaj chetak.

in general high powered scooters have no found success in india - kinetic tried it with some piaggio models but didnt work. nobody is interested in chetak type scooters - bikes rule the roost. scoterettes are used by ladies and girls only. the ASEAN style step-through unisex scoot-bikes are for some reason not even sold here.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Purush »

How much is that R8 kept temptingly close to the exit of the Audi Chennai showroom?
EDIT: Nevermind. Googleji says INR 1.2-1.5 karoooaaar! :((
Baldev
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Baldev »

Singha wrote:seems to be a higher powered bro of the old bajaj chetak.

in general high powered scooters have no found success in india - kinetic tried it with some piaggio models but didnt work. nobody is interested in chetak type scooters - bikes rule the roost. scoterettes are used by ladies and girls only. the ASEAN style step-through unisex scoot-bikes are for some reason not even sold here.
after the end of WW2 aircrafts technicians who hated motorcycles like me for its uselessness thought of something else which is more useful.

so they took the aircraft's engine starter motor and fitted it to the chasis of scooter. so the 2 stroke engine used in priya,super,nv was used as main engine starter motor in WW2 and yes its looks like that.

these NV,chetaks would last 25 years compared to modern bikes,itstime for bikes in our country but yes when its come to comfort scooter is the option.

this 200cc engine is as modern as any 4 stroke fuel injected bike's engine but at reduced cost.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Baldev »

ok can someone tell me if a used bike is imported in india which has ran about 5000km and which is costing 3000 dollars US how much import duty i have to pay
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Gus »

^ a lot !!!

check at the forums at team-bhp.com
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by satya »

ok can someone tell me if a used bike is imported in india which has ran about 5000km and which is costing 3000 dollars US how much import duty i have to pay

Baldevjee

not much go for jugaad find a reliable custom clearing agent in desh , he will make the deal for u ( there's some clause as well if u r NRI & ur own vehicle abroad something something ) simple way but for teda meda raasta u can chk online sarkari sites :mrgreen:
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by AJames »

Pranav wrote:
Aditya_V wrote:
Did we get concessions for exporting smaller cars without duty? I rememebr Hyundai was saying the Duty was a problem for them to export cars made in India to EU.

Otherwise rich get to buy expensive cars cheap, there being no benefit to India from this concession
From the article, FTA seems to apply to all auto products, not just luxury cars ... not good for domestic industry.
Are you kidding? Luxury cars are not made in India, and are not going to be because the market here is small. Dropping tax on luxury cars will benefit Europe and lose the Indian government revenue. Small and medium cars built in Europe and shipped over to India are not viable because of the much higher cost of manufacturing in Europe which is only justified by high import duties. Free trade in small and medium cars will benefit India because as soon as the import duty is removed - Japs, Koreans, Europeans will manufacture in India and ship to Europe. This has already happened with small cars exports on a small scale with duties in place. It will increase massively if the duty is completely removed.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Vasu »

Looking forward to the next few months as many new cars enter the market.

Came across this slightly dated, but extensive, list of uncoming entries into India. Some have been launched already.

http://www.carwale.com/upcoming-cars/

Some of the cars i'm particularly interested in as potential buys are: Honda Brio, new Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Verna, facelifted Linea, the new Swift.
Also interesting to see will be Mahindra's next step in SUV's, the world SUV currently codenamed W201 (lots of spy pics on the net).
GM plans to launch the Chevrolet Sail, Its first car designed and developed in China. That should be interesting to see.

Any Toyota Etios owners/users out there? Launched with so much fanfare and goodies, but I hardly see any on the roads. I hear the interiors are really bad!
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by joshvajohn »

Volvo is up to introducing new models...
http://www.bsmotoring.com/news/volvo-is ... els/3543/1

Research and Markets: Opportunities in the Indian Electrical Vehicle Sector
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/2 ... cle-Sector
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by sum »

pandyan wrote:http://www.indiabike.com/infobank/wego_dilip/index.htm

TVS Wego review by dilip bam. This guy is freaking hilarious....check out the TECHNOs section :rotfl:
Sekondly, in case of a minor dent you can repair the dent yourself by using DENT-KiNG, which advertises early morning every day on National Geographic / Discovery / Animal Planet channels before 8am. Along with Dent-king you also get a FREE felt-pen type scratch filler called SCRATCH-PEN which covers up minor skratches. Dent-King & Scratch-Pen together cost Rs.2490/- which you can order 0n-Line. Check it out on TV if you can wake up at 7am.
If you are the lazy type (which all gearless riders are), U don’t have to move your ass, get up from the seat, push your bike, lift your skirt (~sorry seat), to allow the pump attendant to put his hose into the fuel cap hole which is behind your (or pillion’s) ass. The hole, i.e. your petrol tank cap, now has a separate identity and separate location which is independent of the location of your ass and udder nearby parts. And even to open the fuel tank cap you don’t have to move your ass from the seat.
But the PUSHLEVER of the side stand is not visible from my stance. If the PUSHLEVER had a different stance or been longer by two inches, my report would have been shorter by two sentences.
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
Almost died laughing....
Thats why i love BR. No where else would have i have even known such articles exist.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Shankas »

http://ca.autoblog.com/2011/05/12/saab- ... collapses/

Mahindra should make an agressive move. They recently acquired SsangYong Motor which will help them with their SUV's.
Logan enabled them to enter the car merket and SAAB can really help them move up the value chain quickly.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by manish »

pandyan wrote:http://www.indiabike.com/infobank/wego_dilip/index.htm

TVS Wego review by dilip bam. This guy is freaking hilarious....check out the TECHNOs section :rotfl:
Perhaps a little OT, but this brings back memories.

I remember reading Dilip Bam's articles in Auto India in the 1990s - they always were hilarious. Those days Auto India used to be the #1 auto magazine in the country (and probably the only real one after the pioneering Indian Auto declined in the early 1990s) and Dilip Bam was the main guy covering two wheelers for them, doing road tests of those Bullets, SX Enduros, KB125s, Kinetic Hondas and the likes. Thanks for linking this article - I had lost track of him ever since he left the mag in the late 1990s.

Although Auto India has become more or less insignificant now, the fact remains that along with Indian Auto, they did more for the development of the Indian auto journalism than anyone else. I remember that Hormazd Sorabjee too used to write for them before he moved out and eventually started running Autocar India. Shapur Kotwal too used to be with them IIRC, and Gautam Sen was the editor during their heydays at the top.

Back home, I still jealously guard a huge stack of Auto India issues from the 1990s - it is astonishing and pleasantly surprising to see how far our auto market has come from those days. Before web access became commonplace, magazines such as Auto India were the only windows into the fascinating world of cars for the mango kid-abduls like me.

We have indeed come a long way in a very short time!
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by JE Menon »

First I'm hearing about this Dilip Bam. Totally with it, and hilarious. More from the WeGo scooter review:

Keeping up (or down) with traffic is a breeze. Roads are not too good, the rains just got over and the pot holes are not filled up yet bcoz politic0 pockets are not filled up yet, waiting for the k0ntrakt0rs to fill their pockets which are deep indeed, and lining the deep pockets of politic0s is a long tailoring process. Takes time. So the roads are bad....

In any case, a gearless scooter is hardly made for racing on highways. Gearless scooters are majorly used for city traffic by <1>females <2>older people <3>physically challenged people <4>learners <5>people who lack confidence <6>couch potat0s - who want to save their energy on biking and use it on FACEBooK !
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Klaus »

manish wrote:
Although Auto India has become more or less insignificant now, the fact remains that along with Indian Auto, they did more for the development of the Indian auto journalism than anyone else. I remember that Hormazd Sorabjee too used to write for them before he moved out and eventually started running Autocar India. Shapur Kotwal too used to be with them IIRC, and Gautam Sen was the editor during their heydays at the top.

Back home, I still jealously guard a huge stack of Auto India issues from the 1990s - it is astonishing and pleasantly surprising to see how far our auto market has come from those days. Before web access became commonplace, magazines such as Auto India were the only windows into the fascinating world of cars for the mango kid-abduls like me.
I remember vividly that I was one of the few who used to get access to the innermost chambers of the library, where issues of Auto India and BS Motoring were kept in a large pile, also use to cut out profiles of featured race-bikes and such. Standard recipe when internet had not caught on yet. I remained one of the privileged members, who obtained access to this chamber, thanks to the old librarian who never bothered to check back on the magazines after I'd left. A whole stash of pictures and posters still adorns the 'attic' at my place back home.

And yes, I too missed Dilip Bam, I assumed that he'd left the profession for good. Thanks for posting the link!
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Ambar »

BS Motoring was a very late entrant to the Indian auto magazines scene. But they had their own style. BSM was dominated by Mallus, and most of them were part-time writers who did a terrific job of keeping readers entertained without getting too dry and technical. Back in the 90s i had 4 subscriptions running all together for Indian Auto,BSM,Car and Bike and later OverDrive. I am still good friends with a couple of former BSM guys who have moved on from journalism to other fields.

Sadly though, the last time i checked the magazine rack in India, the current crop of auto mags are all "desi editions" ( Why not a desi edition of Playboy instead, hain ji?) of big international labels. Gone are the days of funny bawa and mallu run auto press.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by joshvajohn »

GM India may produce electric mini-car at Talegaon after showcasing the model next month
http://articles.economictimes.indiatime ... r-mini-car
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by bart »

pandyan wrote:
Ambar wrote:Sadly though, the last time i checked the magazine rack in India, the current crop of auto mags are all "desi editions" ( Why not a desi edition of Playboy instead, hain ji?) of big international labels. Gone are the days of funny bawa and mallu run auto press.
Magazines are soo yesterday; reviews are more social now. Team-Bhp will eat all the phoren magazines and Indian magazines for lunch wrt to indian auto scene.

So true. Also, auto mags are extremely biased partly due to advertising money and partly because the journalists have grown up ashamed to be Indian and can't be seen praising an Indian brand while at the same time some Jap/Korean brands can do no wront.

TBHP is the BR of the Indian auto scene. So much info archived and searchable, so many knowledgeable folks, scoops on car launches and releases, and absolutely the best, unbiased reviews available. Except for the the odd piece by Adil Jan Darukanwala or Hamzad Sorabjee, reading an auto mag instead of TBHP would be like reading TOI/Outlook etc when one can go to BR. And for a site set up by enthusiasts/volunteers and run along with their regular jobs, the level of proactive moderation on TBHP is amazing.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Vasu »

The 2011 Verna gets over 5,000 bookings within first weekof its launch!

Good for Hyundai.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by rohitvats »

pandyan wrote:
manish wrote:erhaps a little OT, but this brings back memories.

I remember reading Dilip Bam's articles in Auto India in the 1990s - they always were hilarious.
Manish - Wow! Another Auto India/Dilip Bam fan! I used to plaster my bedroom wall with the Auto India phoren car center spread posters. (peugeot 406, bertone blitz..which my uncle used to pronounce complete with british accent as Berto Neblitz, and other cars) and not to forget nail-polish pink Sutlej/DC buses...

sum wrote::rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
Almost died laughing....
Thats why i love BR. No where else would have i have even known such articles exist.
Sum - He is a very gifted writer! I keep reading his review every few days :D
I have neven read his articles but met the fellow in person in Pune.

That style of writing is actually an extension of the person he is - very eccentric by normal standards. Married and divorced thrice and all that...and no, this is not some private info on the guy...but something he'd tell you himself and part of his folklore.

He actually leases 2-wheelers to students in Pune - these are ones he got for review and others which he collected. He is also an avid trekker.

In me MBA days, during the first 15-days orientation phase, "Bam Presentation" was the final act. In me college auditorium, every student (freshers) was expected to give presentation with him being the only judge. One got marks out of 100 and in his words, he be looking for "panache". no boring india-pakistan or FMBT...but something quirky which has characters. The highest marks received so far was 99 out of 100 by me superior....he actually walked in the audi stage with a donkey which had a placard saying "I'm Bam". And then went on to explain why the donkey resembled Bam (characteristic wise). I was part of the last group (the whole batch did not volunteer - some of us soosai bummers did) which gave this presentation - it was dis-continued after me batch.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by pgbhat »

Singha
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Singha »

saw the 2011 verna yday. shares the new fluidic design with the i20. size and shape looks directly targeted at honda city and verna has a diesel version too iirc. hopefully hyundai will bring their new sonata next. the dated old sonata has no sales in india for quite some time now.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by chetak »

California to Chennai, Magic Bus
A technology that can make passenger buses lighter and more efficient comes to India in its search for mainstream acceptance.
By Ashish K. Mishra

http://www.forbes.com/2011/05/25/forbes ... ology.html
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by nithish »

Tata Motors reports booming profit
India's top vehicle maker Tata Motors on Thursday reported a nearly fourfold increase in annual profit, boosted by booming sales and strong demand for British brands Jaguar and Land Rover.

Net profit was 92.7 billion rupees ($2.04 billion) for the year to the end of March 2011, up from 25.7 billion rupees in the previous year, the company said in a statement to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Total sales rose 24.2 percent to nearly 1.1 million units, while revenues jumped 33 percent to 1.26 trillion rupees in the last financial year.

Jaguar and Land Rover saw improved sales, with demand for luxury cars rising in key markets like the United States, Europe, Russia and China as they recover from the global economic crisis.

Jaguar Land Rover net profit for the fiscal year touched 1.04 billion pounds on revenues of 9.91 billion pounds ($16 billion), the company said, without giving comparative year-earlier data.

Sales of JLR cars rose 25 percent from a year earlier to 243,621.
Tata Motors Begins Exports of Nano, World’s Cheapest Car
India’s Tata Motors has announced that it has begun exporting its Nano city-car. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, the company exported a total of 498 units – though in a bizarre twist, the final destination of the cars has not been disclosed. “We will make an announcement regarding exports of Nano very shortly,” said a Tata Motors spokesperson, in a report published by The Hindustan Times.

When it went on sale in 2009, the Nano was hailed as the world’s cheapest car. Base models in India started at approximately $2,200. Of course, for that kind of money you don’t get lots of luxury. Entry-level Nanos did without radios, power brakes, and even door-mounted map pockets. Yet during my time behind the wheel of a Nano in Mumbai, India, the jellybean-shaped sedan impressed me with its nimble handling and roomy cabin. A 35-bhp 624 cc 2-cylinder engine, mounted in the rear of the car, provides (modest) power.

Sales in Europe were planned for 2011, though the larger and more luxurious Nano “Europa” has been delayed. Plans to sell the car in the U.S. have also been mentioned, though specifics have been scarce. Sales of the Nano in its home-market of India nearly came to a halt late last year, as Tata Motors worked to source the cause of engine fires in several Nanos. Last November, sales of the Nano skidded to only 509 units. However, in April of this year, the Nano posted its best month ever with sales in India of 10,012 units.

Tata Motors, which also owns Jaguar-Land Rover, has made no secret of its intention to sell and build the Nano in other emerging markets, such as South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The destination of these first exported Nanos could provide a major clue regarding the company’s long-term plans for its low-cost car.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Gaurav_S »

Gujarat clears 500 acre for first Maruti plant outside Haryana
The source said that in the last few months, there has been a series of communications and a final announcement could be expected soon. The plant is likely to build the A-Star, Estilo and Swift. Currently, Maruti only exports the A-Star. In 2010-11, Maruti exported 59,450 A-Stars to Europe.
This is a big development in Sanand. Obviously there will be people opposing this move for farmers loosing agri land etc etc..Gujarat seems to be giving tough competition especially to TN considering both have port connectivity. Haryana is good for domestic demand but not ideal for export due to increased transportation costs.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by nithish »

First Land Rover rolls out of Indian factory
Mumbai-based Tata Motors opened its first Indian factory on Friday for Land Rover, the formerly loss-making British brand aiming to make inroads into the booming South Asian market.

A Freelander 2 sports utility vehicle was the first to roll out of the assembly plant on the outskirts of Pune, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) from India's financial capital Mumbai.
Image
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Altair »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jivb7lupDNU

Why cannot India produce this kind of stuff?
Imagine how we can transform India into a hyperpower if we can reduce the technology cost by mass production. India has the population and spending power to make this work.
They closed their company because economics did not work out. If they had marketed in India, it might have been a different story.or am I dreaming?
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by rahulm »

Have now driven the Mahindra Xylo, 540 and Commander. Based on these 3 models, I have no hesitation in concluding that MM cannot make refined vehicles from an interior fit and finish and NVH stand point.

However, MM excel in the art of masterful disguise. The synchromesh gear box is actually a cleverly disguised sliding mesh gear box. :rotfl:

Maybe, the Scorpio and Bolero are different.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Singha »

xylo interior fittings are poor quality that much was clear to me even in a auto show without driving it.
the exterior is not much to write home about either.

there can be 4x4 or suv vehicles with good quality interiors - this fact is lost on them somehow. they could take a tip from hyundai or maruti on how to keep costs down yet still produce decent quality interiors.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by chetak »

Singha wrote:xylo interior fittings are poor quality that much was clear to me even in a auto show without driving it.
the exterior is not much to write home about either.

there can be 4x4 or suv vehicles with good quality interiors - this fact is lost on them somehow. they could take a tip from hyundai or maruti on how to keep costs down yet still produce decent quality interiors.

The Tata Aria seems OK
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Singha »

imo tata is yet to reach the interior plastic/button/knob quality and general 'feel' of medium price foreign cars like corolla/civic/jetta. thats the point where it gets globally competitive and acceptable to all markets. they need one vehicle that is able to sell strongly in south america, asia and africa atleast against whatever the koreans/japanese/euros are able to throw at it - folks like vw, renault, daihatsu, suzuki, hyundai have good small cars.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by rahulm »

And who voted the Xylo MUV of the year?1 year hard labour in a Siberian re-training camp for them.

If it starts like a truck, snarls like a truck, drives like a truck and looks like a car, it must be Mahindra (copyright reserved!)

All models of the Indica and Indigo still have the plasticy feeling interiors with tacky buttons and levers compared to Jap and European rivals. I had a long discussion with a TATA General Manager and he agrees that there is a more improvement possible and that TATA is working hard towards this end. His said the the latest Indigo has fixed many of these issues.

Same chap states with conviction that in the contemporary trucks (MCV, HCV) sector TATA has arrived and there is not much separating them and the Germans. Don't know if this is a tall claim or true.
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Singha »

the automobile industry kind of makes sure each newcomers gets some award as "xyz big thing of the year".
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by uddu »

First week with Tata Indica Vista EV
http://www.owningelectriccar.com/first- ... ta-ev.html

We had a test drive of the TATA Indica Vista EV a few months ago and were impressed with the build quality, design and size both inside and out of the pre production model. Our car is still pre production but they have completed some updates including ride, handling and interior. It now feels a much better finished product. The seats are full leather and comfortable with good support.

My first journey in the TATA is the school run with both children. Turn the ignition on and the car starts beeping and then quiet. The dash is lit up and the Neutral light has stopped flashing, we are ready to go. Foot on break and put it in drive gear and were off, nice gentle pull away and very quiet. At slow speeds you can only here {hear} some road noise.

On our estate there are lots of 90 degree bends as a traffic calming measure. The first thing that I notice is the lack of power steering. After being used to power steering for quite a few years it takes some adjustment to get used to the heavy steering. Out of the village and onto faster roads. The A road I have to use has a 60 MPH speed limit about half a mile if this journey is up hill. The car can keep to a steady 60 MPH up hill, although this will drain the battery more than going at slower speeds.

In the first 11 hours of using the car we have completed 111 miles with one top up charge, this included a journey from Coventry to Worcester.

My first impression of our new car is very good and I am looking forward to the year driving with the TATA. In the next few weeks we are planning to complete some range tests, to see what range can be achieved driving on different road conditions and speeds.
Aditya_V
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Aditya_V »

uddu wrote:First week with Tata Indica Vista EV
http://www.owningelectriccar.com/first- ... ta-ev.html

We had a test drive of the TATA Indica Vista EV a few months ago and were impressed with the build quality, design and size both inside and out of the pre production model. Our car is still pre production but they have completed some updates including ride, handling and interior. It now feels a much better finished product. The seats are full leather and comfortable with good support.

My first journey in the TATA is the school run with both children. Turn the ignition on and the car starts beeping and then quiet. The dash is lit up and the Neutral light has stopped flashing, we are ready to go. Foot on break and put it in drive gear and were off, nice gentle pull away and very quiet. At slow speeds you can only here {hear} some road noise.

On our estate there are lots of 90 degree bends as a traffic calming measure. The first thing that I notice is the lack of power steering. After being used to power steering for quite a few years it takes some adjustment to get used to the heavy steering. Out of the village and onto faster roads. The A road I have to use has a 60 MPH speed limit about half a mile if this journey is up hill. The car can keep to a steady 60 MPH up hill, although this will drain the battery more than going at slower speeds.

In the first 11 hours of using the car we have completed 111 miles with one top up charge, this included a journey from Coventry to Worcester.

My first impression of our new car is very good and I am looking forward to the year driving with the TATA. In the next few weeks we are planning to complete some range tests, to see what range can be achieved driving on different road conditions and speeds.
THis is now pretty standard in Indian Hatches including TATA sold in the 4 Lacs Plus bracket in India.
nachiket
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by nachiket »

^^They have probably excluded it from the electric version. To reduce the power requirement maybe?
Purush
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Purush »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13886024
Staff wages are invariably the last thing to go before any company has to give up and call it a day.

This is precisely the situation in which Swedish carmaker Saab finds itself, having already suspended production after failing to pay suppliers.

The reason could not be simpler - Saab does not sell enough cars.
Under investment

It sold just 30,000 last year, with analysts suggesting it needs to sell 120,000 just to break even. No business can sustain such losses for long, let alone a relatively small company with very little cash in the bank.

And here lies the problem. Under the ownership of US car giant General Motors (GM), Saab was able to sustain losses. Following the sale to Spyker, now called Swedish Automobile, it cannot.

Under GM's stewardship, which lasted for 20 years, Saab suffered from chronic under-investment, analysts say.
Time for some Indian company to snap up SAAB for cheap if possible and move all the tech + manufacturing to India.
Singha
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Re: Indian Autos Thread

Post by Singha »

saab has absolutely no car that can sell in developed mkts vs the rest of the pack.

and they have never built a car for developing countries.

so fatkat tenured professors in ivy league univs who like to profess a fake air of poverty, quirkiness and modesty seem to be the only core clientale left.

with any luck some chinese co will buy it and go underwater.
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