Ferrari launched cars in India starting at Rs 2.2 crore onwards

Italian luxury sports car maker Ferrari on Thursday officially entered the Indian market with popular models such as the California, 458 Italia, 599GTB Fiorano and the latest FF at prices starting from Rs 2.2 crore onward.

"Till yesterday, Ferrari was present in 57 countries. Now we are in the 58th country, which is India. We should have been in India much before and we expect to be able to sell more than 100 cars in the next 2-3 years," Ferrari SpA Chief Executive Officer Amedeo Felisa told reporters here.

The company has appointed the Shreyans Group as its official importer in India. Bookings for the cars start today with the opening of the first dealership in the national capital. The second showroom is scheduled to open in Mumbai in the second half of 2011.

The Ferrari range which will be sold in India includes the Ferrari California priced at Rs 2.2 crore, 458 Italia at Rs 2.56 crore and 599GTB Fiorano tagged at Rs 3.37 crore. All prices are ex-showroom Delhi.

Ferrari's latest model the FF, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, will also be available. It carries a price tag of Rs 3.41 crore.

The Shreyans Group is involved with luxury retail in India, including interests in products such as yachts, super bikes, fashion articles and jewellery, besides cars.

Hike on car and bike loan interest rate

If you’re planning to buy a car or a motorcycle through an auto loan, chances are that you’ll have to pay a higher interest rate even as the Reserve Bank of India, in a bid to contain rising inflation has raised the repo rate by half a percent or 50 basis points.Due to this, the Indian banking sector finds itself in a position of having to raise interest rates for auto loans by a quarter to half a percent. The decision regarding the interest rate hike is expected to arrive in the next few days.

Meanwhile, here’s a statement from IDBI Bank’s Executive Director R K Bansal,"I think banks do not have any other option but to increase rates. It could be 25 basis points or 50 basis points, depending on individual banks". With that your plans of buying a car or a motorcycle will mean that you need to set aside a larger amount each month for your EMI. Also, higher rates could slow down car and motorcycle sales, which have already shown signs of a slowdown in April, 2011.

Car and bike rally held in Mumbai

A day after social activist Anna Hazare ended his 97-hour hunger strike, Mumbaikars celebrated the veteran Gandhian's victory against corruption by taking out a car and bike rally. "Around 1,500 people participated in the rally which saw more than 200 cars and 60 bikes," said Varsha V., coordinator of India Against Corruption that supported the cause.

"People from all age groups participated in this rally. We even had a 10-year-old, accompanying the riders to register his support and celebrate the victory," she added. The rally started from Shivaji Park in South Central Mumbai and headed towards north Mumbai, passing through L.J. Road, Mahim, S.V. Road, Santacruz, Juhu Tara Road and V.M. Marg before terminating at Kaifi Azmi Marg in Juhu.

"The participants halted at several places and raised victory slogans. They were welcomed by locals who had also contributed to this cause in their own way," Varsha said. Cheered by tens of thousands of countrymen, Hazare Saturday ended his 97-hour fast for a rigorous anti-corruption law after the government met almost all his demands, elevating the reformer to the status of a cult figure.

Report about the launch of 2011 Fiesta Classic car

Team IndianCarsBikes was at the Taj Connemara in Chennai to catch the Ford Fiesta in it’s latest avatar yet, the cut price Classic Variant. Does the 2011 Fiesta Classic pack just enough punch to justify your purchase of a sedan that is more than half a decade old in India? Read on to find out.

Ford India Managing Director Michael Boneham and Marketing Director Nigel Wark unveiled the latest iteration of the Ford Fiesta Classic for the Indian market at the Taj Connemara in Chennai. The Fiesta Classic in essence is a cheaper priced sedan of the current Fiesta.

Why exactly has Ford launched the 2011 Fiesta Classic when the all new 2011 Fiesta Sedan is just around the corner?

There are two reasons for this. One is the all new 2011 Fiesta itself, which will be showcased on the 14th of April. As the new model comes in to replace the existing Ford Fiesta, Ford has repositioned the older/current Fiesta into a lower priced sedan that will now battle with the Maruti Dzire, Tata Manza and the Toyota Etios Sedan.

The other reason of course is the discontinuing of the Ford Ikon. Since Ford India has just stopped producing the Ford Ikon, it’s Indian portfolio has a void in the entry level sedan segment. Hence, the older Ford Fiesta will now sit in place of the Ford Ikon as an entry level sedan at a starting price of INR 5.49 Lakhs for the petrol version and INR 6.48 Lakhs  for the diesel version.

How has Ford managed to price the Fiesta in the range of the Maruti Suzuki DZire, the Tata Manza and the Toyota Etios Sedan?

This has been achieved by replacing the dashboard of the Fiesta with that of the Ford Figo Hatchback. Also the plastics such as the bottle holder and the glove box are from the cheaper Figo Hatchback which has helped Ford cut corners and price the Fiesta Classic competitively.

So, why should I buy the Ford fiesta Classic over the Dzire , Manza and the Etios Sedan?

The Ford fiesta in essence is a C-plus segment car that is half a segment higher than the C-Segment trio of the Dzire, Manza and Etios Sedan. So, like upper C segment cars, the Fiesta Classic has bigger and a more powerful petrol engine while the diesel engine, while being less powerful than the Dzire and the Manza’s Multijet units is equally frugal and more drivable, especially in the city due it’s almost negligible turbo lag.

The Fiesta Classic also has class leading dynamics that is better than all three cars in question here and the Fiesta’s good road holding manners has to be experienced to be believed. It is basically the cheapest Driver’s car in the sedan category in India.  So, the Fiesta drives better than these cars and also has a rorty 100 Bhp petrol engine that is highly responsive. Overall, you’re getting a bigger car(read more snob value) which is better built at a cheaper price.

What are the downsides of the Fiesta Classic when compared to the Dzire, Manza and the Etios Sedan?

Since Ford has cut corners in the interiors by dumping the erstwhile Fiesta’s dashboard for that of the Figo, the quality of plastics feel cheap. Also, the finish of the car, at least the one at the launch, has plenty of rough edges that is unacceptable in a Sedan that sits in the C-Segment. Also, in car equipment levels falls massively short of the Tata Manza.

Space in the Fiesta’s rear is smaller than the Tata Manza and safety features like airbags and ABS are available only in the top end SXi version which makes it costlier than the Dzire-Manza and Etios Sedan trio. The 1.6 Duratec Petrol though ultra responsive and fun to drive is less fuel efficient than the Dzire and the Etios.

Team ICB’s Verdict

Go for the Ford Fiesta if you don’t mind a slightly dated looking car which you can own for two to three more years before it will start really looking it’s vintage. Buy the petrol version if you enjoy driving and you won’t go wrong. The SOHC, 2 valve, common rail diesel is extremely frugal and responsive too even though it is a generation older than the 4 valver, DOHC CRDI Diesel engines.

But post 120 kph, the going gets slow on the diesel. So, buy if if you’re looking for a comfortable and relaxed mile muncher. The top end versions of both cars, though coming with ABS and Airbags don’t make much sense at the price levels. So, only the base variants make sense due to the cut price. All said, the Fiesta Classic is still a decent buy for those who are on a cramped budget but want a well built, fun to drive C segment sedan.

Ford Fiesta Classic Prices Ex-showroom Delhi

Petrol LXi: INR 5.49 Lakhs Petrol CLXi: INR 5.99 Lakhs Petrol SXi: INR 7.45 Lakhs

Diesel LXi: INR 6.48 Lakhs Diesel CLXi: INR 6.89 Lakhs Diesel SXi: INR 8.51 Lakhs

Here are a bunch of images you might want to go through and this is the 2011 Ford Fiesta Classic Brochure.

Hyundai Elantra 2011 launching in India will follow the Verna RB!

April 2011 is when Hyundai India will unveil the 2011 Hyundai Verna RB Sedan for the Indian market. Now, a little birdie tells us that Hyundai is also preparing to launch the 2011 Hyundai Elantra/Avante Sedan once the dust settles after the Verna RB’s launch.

The Hyundai Elantra could arrive into sometime during the Indian festive season and has been selling in markets abroad for some time now. The fifth and the latest generation Elantra has been received extremely positively mainly as the new car represents Hyundai’s new styling philosophy, which has been a far cry from the ugly Hyundai’s of yore.

Also, the mechanicals of the new 2011 Hyundai Elentra Sedan has got high acclaim. For instance, the 2011 Elantra Sedan features a six speed automatic gearbox, which is a first for Hyundai. Also, the sedan comes with a host of class leading convenience and safety features.

The car will come with both petrol and diesel engine options with the 1.6 Liter petrol engine using Hyundai’s latest Gasoline Direct Injection(GDI) technology to produce 140 Bhp of power and 170 Nm of torque. Along with the class leading power and torque figures, this engine is also highly frugal due to GDI technology.

While the specifications of the diesel engine remain unknown at the moment, knowing Hyundai India, one of Hyundai’s latest crop of CRDI diesel engines could make it into the 2011 Elantra. Pricing is expected to be in the range of the Civics and Corollas of the world at INR 12-14 Lakhs.

Audi R8 V10 Spyder introduced in India at a price of INR 1.47 Crores!

As scheduled, Audi India pulled the wraps off the 2011 Audi R8 Spyder “drop top” supercar at the ongoing Mint Luxury conference at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai. The SuperCar is essentially a convertible version of the hard top Audi R8. Featuring a 5.2 Liter, FSI V10 engine good enough for 525 Bhp and 530 Nm of torque, the Audi R8 Spyder will give you all the kicks of a supercar while also letting the world know you’ve arrived as you can drop it’s top at the drop of a hat, literally.

In 19 seconds, the Audi R8 Spyder will go from a coupe to a convertible, with the minimum of fuss. With a nought to hundred sprint time of 4.1 seconds a top speed of 313 Kph, this supercar rides on massive 19 incher wheels with a full time all wheel drive “Quattro” mode. Made of lightweight aluminum with the required reinforcements to make sure that the car’s body remains stiff at the extreme speeds and performance this machine is capable of, the Audi R8 weighs 1,720 kilograms.

While this is a full 160 kilos more than the R8 Coupe, all these reinforcements will ensure that the high performance R8 Spyder super car is also a very safe car to do those stupendous speeds on. Audi India has priced the Audi R8  V10 at INR 1.47 Crores, ex-showroom Maharashtra. Now, while that is a lot of money, the Audi indeed is a bargain in this world of Ferraris and Lamborghinis which cost almost double as the Audi R8 Spyder.

Konigsegg Agera to be unveiled on 29th March 2011

Don’t bother to pinch yourself or slap your own face because this is actually the reality. Christian Von Konigsegg is coming to India with his latest hypercar, the Agera. According to some insider news, IndianCarsBikes has come to know that the Agera will be launched in India on the 29th of March. The Swedish supercar maker has signed InterGlobe Enterprises, the parent company of Indigo Airlines as their Indian distributer.

The Konigsegg Agera is one of the very few cars that could give a Bugatti Veyron a run for its money. Thats right. We are talking about top speeds in excess of 400 kmph (249 mph). The Agera as we know is the replacement for the old CCX. The power comes from a 5.0 litre, twin supercharged V8. This massive engine produces 940 bhp @ 6900 rpm and a stratospheric 1000 Nm of torque which available right from 2700 to 6170 rpm.

The car is made of Carbon fibre with aluminium honeycomb and integrated fuel tanks for optimal weight distribution and safety. This makes it very light and aids in improving acceleration. 0-100 kph is over in just 3 sec. The Agera rides on 19 inch front and 20 inch rear wheels. 392 mm ventilated ceramic discs upfront and 380 mm ventilated ceramics at the rear do the job of stopping the car in time.

With almost a 1000 horsepower on tap and speeds of over 400 kph, the Agera is not a car that will be easy on your pocket. Over a combined European driving cycle, the Agera does 6.8 km per litre. We expect the price of the Agera to be over Rs 10 Crore. Bugatti too has lined up its 400+ kph hypercars for India. The Veyron SS could be priced around Rs 16 Crore. So, compared to the Veyron SS, the Agera seems to be a bargain!

Indian Motorsports League custom racing bikes announced

The Indian Motorsports League is a brand new concept that will soon be launched in India. The IML was conceived on the lines of the popular IPL. We had earlier reported about the concept of the IML which was the brain child of 15 top racing professionals. Races will be held all across the country starting with 5 cities.

The IML will consists of different types of racing including single-seater racing as well as superbikes. Drivers from all over the world will take part in the series. Teams will also tap in to local talents thus helping promote racing as a sport in the country. We hope, IML does to the sport of racing, what IPL did to 20-20 cricket.

The Indian Motorsports League’s Facebook page has kindly shared with us the concepts of the racing bikes that will feature in the series. We are thankful to IML for sharing them with IndianCarsBikes and we look forward to more updates from you side in the future.

New offerings from Royal Enfield New Bikes 2010

Barely months after Royal Enfield made a huge splash with it’s Classic UCE500 EFI model in India, here they are again, revealing two hot new color variations  at the 10th edition of the Auto Expo New Delhi.

Royal Enfield Classic Battle Green: This model carries an olive-green garb, not unlike the color of the Royal Enfield Bullet’s the Indian Army Jawans ride. This “Battle Green” motorcycle was the cynosure of all the eyes at the Royal Enfield pavilion. This Classic UCE500 EFI Model will not make it to Indian markets for now & will be exported to the USA in the coming months.

This primarily due to the fact that the Indian RTOs have outlawed the painting of civilian motorcycle in army colors. What a shame really, for the fact that Indian won’t be able to buy the  Classic UCE500 EFI with the terrific looking military green color scheme.

Royal Enfield Classic UCE500 EFI Chrome: Unlike the Military Green colored model, You and me residing in India can buy this maroon and chrome colored Royal Enfield Bullet Classic UCE500 EFI. This motorcycle model will be available in showrooms around the world from the month of April 2010 and yes, that includes India. In the US market, the Royal Enfield Bullet Classic UCE500 EFI  will carry a price tag of  $6000.  In India though, you can ride one home for about INR 1.4 Lakhs.

Both these models are primarily targeted towards foreign markets with the Maroon and Chrome model set to hit  the Indian market shortly.

Meanwhile, in the final death knell to the pre-unit construction Cast Iron engine, Royal Enfield has announced plans of moving its entire production line up to the  new unit construction engine platform from April 2010 to meet the Bharat Stage IV emission norms that will come into effect in April, 2010.

The company also featured Cafe Racer Motorcycle Concept which will be first introduced in the European Markets in the year 2012 and then later on in India.

“The year 2010 is an absolute crucial year for us as we are going to have a full switch over to a new engine platform from a 50-year-old one,” Eicher Motors MD and CEO Siddhartha Lal said at the Auto Expo. Royal Enfield is a part of Eicher Motors Group.

“We are producing 20 per cent of our total output from the new platform but from April it will be 100 per cent. All work and the investment have been already done,” Lal added.

The company is investing Rs. 80 – 100 crores by 2012 to double its manufacturing capacity to 1 lakh units at its Chennai plant.

The Company sold about 52,000 units in 2009 as compared to 43,000 units during the year 2008 and is forecasting to meet 60,000 units figure by the end of year 2010.

Don’t miss to catch a glimpse of the Royal Enfield Pavilion brought straight to your computer screens by means of our picture gallery.

Lamborghini Gallardo got injured by owner!

Gallardo destroyed in China

A Lamborghini Gallardo owner in China has just committed something only a true follower of communism could do. The Gallardo owner from Qingdao, a city located in China’s eastern Shandong province murdered his Italian beauty in broad daylight with the help of a few men in boiler suits.

This is what it looked like before boiler suit clad monkeys attacked it

The owner was apparently protesting against the Italian company’s bad customer service, in honor of World Consumer Rights Day. The car’s owner hired people to publicly destroy the vehicle when it failed to function after a service by an official Lamborghini service center.

This is what it looked like before boiler suit clad monkeys attacked it

The owner was apparently protesting against the Italian company’s bad customer service, in honor of World Consumer Rights Day. The car’s owner hired people to publicly destroy the vehicle when it failed to function after a service by an official Lamborghini service center.

Gallardo pays the ultimate price

Still, what ever be the occasion, how could one crush a Gallardo to pieces with a hammer? We think its utterly inhumane to destroy a thing of beauty, which is the Gallardo. We love supercars, here at IndianCarsBikes and protest to this communist-ical act against one of the Sant’Agata decendants.

Ferrari FF and Lamborghini Aventador delivers up for a full year!

Indian Cars Bikes was amongst the few Indian auto blogs that brought you detailed juicy updates from the 2011 Geneva Motor show. The happenings from the show, especially updates from supercar stands of Lamborghini, Ferrari and Pagani were fed to you on a daily or sometimes hourly basis. Our coverage might have helped you decide on your next supercar buy, I guess.

For those who have made up their mind on which supercar would drive in to their garages, here is some bad news. If you’ve decided to go for a Lamborghini Aventador or Ferrari’s new four-seat FF, then we suggest you either postpone your buy or be ready to wait for atleast a year until your baby is delivered to you.

Thats right, the Aventador and Ferrari FF are sold out for the current production year. The economic recession seems to have had little effect on some pockets, ain’t it? But, for once even if you’re filthy rich, you will have to endure a waiting period that is way longer than humble family sedan buyers.

Comments about 2011 Geneva Motor Show

The Geneva auto convention of the new decade with all its glitz and glamour opened today. What auto companies of the world were planning for the show was almost clear and the line-up promised this year could only be described as exciting. We at Indian Cars Bikes love to bring you the happenings of auto shows from around the globe and the 2011 Geneva Motor show was no exception. This is one of the biggest auto gathering of the year after Detroit. As for as new launches are concerned, well, the biggest names from the supercar industry are present at the show with their feather weight masterpieces coupled with huge gas-guzzling engines.

To start with, the Italians were at the forefront with the hottest of the lot with Pagani, Lamborghini and Ferrari showcasing new models at the show. We have been covering the buzz from the supercar world for the last month or so and Geneva is the place where all the heavyweights have gathered with their creations. Ferrari revealed the FF, four seat coupe that replaces the 612 Scaglietti for the first time. Rival Lamborghini on the other hand presented the Aventador. Pagani made sure that their car grabbed all the limelight with the impressive yet understated Huayra.

Alfa Romeo’s 4C Concept which as the name suggests is a diet version of the 8C Competizione sports coupe. The car is lighter than the 8C and features a direct-injection turbo four from the Giulietta QV with 200 bhp of shove. It is a concept at the moment but Alfa Romeo is currently evaluating the possibilities of putting  the car into production. We think this car may see the light of the day sooner or later and is one of the hottest cars on display this year, especially when it looks like this!

Its not all Italian at the Geneva show this year. Swedish brand Koenigsegg had the gorgeous but mad, Agera R on display. A 5.0 litre twin turbo V8 is mounted in the middle of the car produces a Veyron busting 1100 bhp. With this amount of oomph screaming behind your back is all you need for the adrenaline rush of a lifetime all the way upto 250 mph. Hot car? Hell yeah!

Porsche and Aston Martin arrived with the Boxter S Black Edition and Vantage S. Aston Martin also showcased the Virage for the first time. The Virage slots in between the DB9 and the DBS. Jaguar had the faster, tauter, XKR-S with an eye-popping blue paint-job and black wheels. The car looks menacing, especially when the base model of the baby Jag looks equally exquisite.

Going to race at Le Mans - Nissan/Playstation GT Academy winner

Motor Racing and Formula 1 in particular is every auto enthusiast’s dream. I am a massive fan of WRC  and have always dreamt of getting behind the wheel of a WRC car ever since I first started following motorsports. Getting in to the top levels of auto racing is a very tedious and long process. Infact, it takes many years for to get anywhere near the top level of professional motorsport.

The Hamiltons and Vettel’s have all been through an arduous process of scrutiny and selection to get to Formula 1, the pinnacle of motor sport racing. GP2 is regarded as the penultimate level of racing before F1. All the racers on the grid today have kickstarted their racing careers young, by Karting.

Getting behind the wheel of a Le Mans race car is a job better left to the experienced lot. Except for Lucas Ordonez, a 25 year old chap from Spain who has got the opportunity to hop in the seat of a Signatech Nissan LMP2 machine at the 12 Hours of Sebring in Florida without prior racing experience that is. How? Well, Mr. Lucky Lucas began competing in Nissan and Playstation’s GT Academy when it first got started back in 2008.

Lucas came out victorious amongst 25,000 other gamers from over the world and Nissan thought, he should given the chance to take his skills from Gran Turismo to a real race track. It was that easy or that difficult! He is preparing for the race for the last 3 years because, the car he will be driving is not your average Nissan but a 200 mph endurance racer. IndianCarsBikes wishes Lucas good luck. Drive safe and very fast, Lucas!

Why Harleys at INR 3.3 Lakhs?

The past few days have been anything but joyous and hope filled for the Indian automotive enthusiast like never before. Right from the India-EU Free Trade Agreement(FTA) which could make luxury cars manufactured in the European Union to the Indo-Japan FTA which simply could translate into cheaper spare parts for high end Japanese motorcycles as well as cheaper imports from Japan. Now, here is another massive bit of buzz that could potentially have motorcycle enthusiasts dreaming and dreaming big.

Indian Alphonso mangoes turned sweeter when they were exchanged for Harley Davidson to set shop in India. Barack Obama’s visit to India, earlier this year seems to have further sweetened the deal for motor heads as Harley Davidson is making a massive shift in tack. Now, instead of merely setting up an assembly facility to assemble CKD kits from the United States, Harley Davidson India will now go the whole hog and manufacture it’s cult motorcycles in India, ground up. And this includes an Indian vendor base as well since Harley Davidson is aiming at a “mother plant”, which will be the first of it’s kind outside of it’s manufacturing facilities at USA.

What will then happen? You and me can finally start dreaming big. Dreaming of riding on the rapidly improving Indian highways, with the wind in our faces, with the soul stirring exhaust of the engine, with what motorcyclists cherish the most, the absolute freedom in the heart, the freedom of being one with the open road. Just you and the machine and the road. Sorry for the circumvention, but in other words, Harley Davidsons could be sold for as low as INR 3.3 Lakh as manufacturing in India is a whole load cheaper than that of America. And with Indian vendors making Harley parts, it won’t get better than this.

As Indian manufacture of Harley Davidsons begin, Harley will also start exporting it’s made-in-India motorcycles to other emerging markets where Harleys sell for steep prices due to their high manufacturing costs in Uncle Sam country. So, what that means is more jobs for Indians in India and more sales for Harley, in India as well as in other emerging markets. A win-win situation, ain’t it? As for the Japanese big four, this should serve as a good enough reason to contemplate at least CKD assembly operations to gain the all important volumes as the Indian elephant’s purchasing power peaks.

Meanwhile, we’re still perplexed at why the folks at Financial Express are going hammer and tongs at Harley for setting up base in India, with them even going to suggest that national interests have been replaced by corporate interests. Sounds very, very leftish. All said, right here, on ICB, we carried a wordy piece on how India could save Harley Davidson, and just in line with our analysis, it really seems to be happening. And that, if not anything else is one more reason for you to stop by everyday at www.indiancarsbikes.in.

India Car And Bike Price Hike Again

Auto companies, reeling under heavy input costs, say they may not be able to absorb any hike in duty and additional burden would be passed on to the market. These include top companies like Maruti and Hero Honda, which witnessed 20% dip in quarterly profits on account of higher input costs. "We are concerned as there is already a lot of pressure due to higher input costs. If the excise duty goes up, we will have no option but to pass it on to the market as we are in no position to absorb any additional cost," Maruti Suzuki's CGM (sales & marketing) Shashank Srivastava told TOI. So, an entry-level car priced at around Rs 3 lakh will be dearer by Rs 6,000 if the excise goes up by 2%. Auto companies had in early January hiked prices by around 1.5%-2% to offset higher input costs. Used Autos

Hero Honda said any additional hike is difficult to absorb. "All options are open. While rising commodity prices and inflation are key determinants, what happens in the Budget is very crucial," said Anil Dua, V-P (marketing and sales).

Ravi Sud, Hero Honda's CFO, said any hike would have a negative effect on demand. "We would like the concession to continue as it has helped in the growth of the industry. The two-wheeler sector is very sensitive to prices and any hike will pinch growth," he said.

The government had extended a total of 4% concession on the excise duty after recession hit global economies in late 2008 and early 2009. The benefits boosted demand to record levels and saw the Indian auto industry emerge among the fastest-growing markets globally. Interestingly, the growth was achieved even after the government withdrew the benefits partially by raising excise duty by 2% in the Budget last year. The buoyancy, say analysts, strengthens the government's case to up the duty again and bring the duty back to the pre-crisis level. However, the auto industry is arguing that sales are already under pressure on rising interest rates and fuel prices. Hyundai Showroom in India

"If the excise duty goes up, it has to be passed on by the industry. There is no way the industry can absorb the burden," Pawan Goenka, who heads auto body Siam and is the president of Mahindra's automotive division, said. He said the effect of excise hike could be "severe" for the industry as it already reels under the negatives of higher interest rates and commodity prices. Jnaneswar Sen, marketing head of Honda Siel, said, "Yes, we will increase prices if the excise duty goes up."

Vintage Car Festival

Over 145 vintage cars and bikes will participate in the 2011 Vintage Car Fiesta that will kick off from Horniman Circle at 9 am on Sunday. Minister Chhagan Bhujbal will drive a 1947 Buick convertible owned by Western India Automobile Association executive chairman Nitin Dossa and navigated by rally driver Vimal Shah at the event.used autos in India

It is for the first time that a Heritage India Class is being introduced by the Vintage and Classic Car Club of India to encourage the owners of fiats, ambassadors etc.ebikes in India

ZigWheels Car And Bike Of the Year

“We would like to dedicate this award to all our customers and our employees for making the Figo a grand success,” said Ford India president and managing director Micheal Boneham . Ford Figo has sold nearly 60,000 vehicles since its launch in March last year, making it one of the largest selling vehicles from the Ford India garage.

cars 4 sale

The evening also saw the presence captains of the industry , including celebrated auto designer Dilip Chhabria, Vivek Nayer of Mahindra and Zig-Wheels editor-in-chief Adil Jal Darukhanawala. Toyota Kirloskar, maker of vehicles such as Fortuner and Innova, won the award for the best car manufacturer award for the year while Yamaha India walked away with four awards, including the viewers’ choice bike of the year. Honda Motor Cycles and Scooters India also bagged three awards for its innovation and technological achievements.

Maruti dealers

International car maker BMW was awarded the Prestige luxury sedan of the year, while the Tata group owned Jaguar XS vroomed away with the CBU prestige sedan of the year. With Skoda Yeti being adjudged the best SUV of the year, sister companies—Skoda and Volkswagen—shared between them nearly five awards, which included the compact car of the year. “Volkswagen has been consistently catering to the Indian customers and we are happy to be recognised” said Volkswagen India director Neeraj Garg.

ebikes

Etios And Twister Win Awards

With sustainability and environment conservation being the need of the hour, automobile manufacturers are under constant pressure to reduce the carbon footprint of their vehicles. CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards 2011 reiterated this need for green technology by bringing together all the industry stakeholders on a single platform and highlighting the road ahead for the Indian automobile sector.

The awards witnessed the presence of personalities such as Rajeev Bajaj, President, Bajaj Automobiles; R. C. Bhargava, Chairman, MSIL; Hiroshi Nakagawa, MD, TKM; Capt. Gopinath, Founder, Deccan 360; Dia Mirza and Dino Morea from the Bollywood fraternity, Kiran Bedi, Indian social activist and a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Dinesh Kumar, the spectacular sporting star who brought glory to India at CWG and again at the Asian Games and the renowned ad man, Prasoon Joshi.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Anil Uniyal, CEO, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC AWAAZ said, "Over a period of 11 years, CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards has established a benchmark for automotive excellence within the industry. Each year, with the introduction of new award categories, the CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards seek to honour those conglomerates which have set an example in automotive engineering by striking a balance between customer satisfaction and environment conservation.