The Future of the Indian Automobile Industry

Ford India must have been contemplating about this decision for a while now, considering the Figo is not as well designed or as popular as market leaders i20 and Baleno. This does not mean in any way that the Figo is not a good product- after all, it was instrumental for the American manufacturer to regain profits in India. But then, it doesn’t quite have the zing like the i20 or the Baleno, or does it? Apparently Ford India is currently developing a new hatchback model to take on the vehicles from Maruti and Hyundai. As described by Autocar India, the new vehicle will be made on an entirely new platform codenamed B563, which will also be used for a new sedan. Industry leaders need not worry about the positioning of this product, which will in a premium class above the Figo (no cannibalization). The USP of this platform will be that it will help the company build cost efficient cars, indirectly assisting in competitive pricing, as per a Ford spokesperson. Don’t expect it so

Excitement galore in the Indian hatchback segment these days. Why, you ask? Buyers now have an option to choose more powerful versions of their favourite cars. Such vehicles are meant for Indians who don’t want to simply move from point A to point B, but want to do so rapidly and in a stylish manner. There is no doubt that sedans look good on the roads- Mercedes S Class, BMW 7 Series, Volvo S60 and others are designed to be stunners. But then, do you always find them convenient to drive in a city? No, right? Unless there is a massive highway starting from a few kilometres away, there isn’t too much point taking out such cars. And that is exactly where hot hatches fit the bill. Which hatchbacks fit the bill? Let us explore the options one has in India: 1.       Fiat Punto Evo Abarth T-Jet 2.       Volkswagen Polo GTI 3.      Fiat Abarth 595 Competizione (performance version of Fiat 500) 4.   Maruti Baleno RS 5.   Maruti Swift Sport (expected)' Punto

Sometimes, I feel bikes bring out the "freewheeling" personality in us. Though my intention was not to accomplish the same, I could feel it taking it over after deciding to test riding the new KTM 200. Prior to riding this 25 bhp devil, I rode a Bajaj Discover 125 cc for 3 years in Bangalore, where I also rode my roommate's Bajaj Pulsar 180 cc. During a booting camp there, we also got to ride the Pulsar 200 and the Pulsar 220.   Coming back to KTM.. This happened in Navi Mumbai. I was waiting for a friend outside In-Orbit Mall, and my roving eyes caught the KTM Showroom, with a few youngsters hanging around the bike. I walked in, gave my license details and phone numbers, and got the bike to test ride. An 18 year old boy, without a helmet or any protective gear, sat behind me. He was apparently their "Test Drive Executive". After a while, I just rode on the road in front, for about 300 metres, and back. The bike did stop in between