The Future of the Indian Automobile Industry

The XUV 500 became the first diesel off road car to win the Dakshin Dare 2012, with the rally concluding in Bangalore today. It was a grueling five day rally to test the mettle of both Man & Machine. National Champion Gaurav Gill (co-driver Musa Sheriff) took the top honours, along with Lohith Urs and co driver Chipong Chiwan, in the Ultimate Extreme category.    Gaurav and Lohith clenched the moment under the Ultimate (Extreme) category . The other two categories were Endurance and Corporate. In the past, M&M has been able to wade through the toughest of terrains, especially when it comes to huge participation numbers, seen year-on-year at the Mahindra Great Escape. However, it seems quite obvious that the terrain would not be as hard as the Himalayas!   Mr. Vivek Nayer, Sr. Vice-President, Marketing, Automotive Division, M&M. said ,  "Our vehicles have conquered the southern terrain with dogged determination and confidence, creating history in Indian motor sp

Hello fellow automobile enthusiasts! As mentioned in my previous post, the Maruti Ertiga has been launched with a killer price tag of Rs 5 Lakhs, up to almost Rs 8 Lakhs. What I find funny about this is not the car itself, but the comparisons it is currently being drawn up against. Maruti has already mentioned on its website, that this is an LUV (Light Utility Vehicle).  It is a little difficult to compare an LUV with an MPV or an MUV for that matter, such as the current models of Toyota Innova and Mahindra Xylo. I completely agree that the comparison is undoubtedly an interesting proposition, but not until the Innova and the Xylo come out with their mini versions. As per speculations, a mini Xylo is expected to be launched sometime later this year.  At the end of it, I feel that as a reader or enthusiast, I am entitled to a certain amount of suspense (lesser than earlier Ekta Kapoor serials!) That should not be killed. Please do share your valuable comments on this, my fellow int

Impact of the launch of the Maruti Ertiga on the other segments of vehicles Maruti Suzuki’s new mini MUV, the Ertiga, has already begun creating waves in the automobile market, the major reasons for the same being its starting price and its unique looks. Having been originally revealed at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo, this car got mixed responses from the market. Design wise, if looked at from the rear, the car looks like a younger sibling of the Toyota Innova. The Ertiga, very snugly seems to fit into a new “mini MUV” category, for which there are no players in the current Indian market.  For the same reason, the base variant of this car has been priced at Rs 5.89 lakhs (ex-showroom New Delhi) and the top end VDi at Rs 7.80 lakhs. Along with the Ertiga, Maruti had also displayed its design prowess at the Expo, by showcasing the XA Alpha concept mini SUV, to take on the likes of the Ford Ecosport. Some of the other vehicle manufacturers, in light of the current competition,