Tuesday, October 23, 2007

GM India celebrates raising car sales









GM India touched its highest sales statistics yet, in India. Since General Motors introduced its vehicles to India, this is the first time the firm has enjoyed a profit with such high margins. General Motors cruises ahead of its competitors with the extremely affordable Chevy spark and the value-for-money Aveo UV-A

GM has sold more than two times the units it sold last year in the same period. General Motors India for the first time beatFord Motors India in the market share.

With the festive season on in India, GM has cut down the price of spark by over rupees 50,000/-, which is also one of the reasons for the auto major to enjoy boosting sales. Because the offer is available only for a limited period, no wonder people are rushing to GM dealers spread all over the country.

If General Motors consider extending the offer for another few days there is no doubt that our pavements will be full of GM brands. India celebrates raising car salesGM

Porsche power soon to be in India

Quick, what comes to mind when you think of Porsche? A clean cut designed sleek, fast, and incredible handling 2-door sport car with a genuine racing heritage. The ‘Made in Germany’ Porsche is soon to be launched in India.

Porsche has recently confirmed that it will assemble its top rated cars in india. Well, here are the Porsche models that will test Indian roads first: the GT and the Cayenne GTS. After the launch of the GT and Cayenne GTS, Porsche has chosen to assemble more vehicle range in India. The GT and Cayenne GTS are Porsche’s landmark models, known for a ride that quickens an enthusiast’s heartbeat.

It’ll be crazy if I’ll say getting a new Porsche is a financially savvy move. But relax. Porsche has quoted that Indian buyers can sign up with all these versions at a significantly cheaper prize. All we can do is hope that the price is the only thing that will be cheaper! After all, no want wants to drive a tin even if it does have a Porsche symbol at its front!

Expect first Indian Grand Prix in 2009




Do I need to say more about the whole so-called Formula One, the global auto racing event? Maybe you’ve been following the trickle of information flowing out ever since the 1998 Indian Grand Prix attempt when the Indian government started its attempt to get a F1 racing event in India. Tata, Mahindra, Maruti, and many other Indian manufacturers are following this event closely.

Here's another effort to bring F1 to town. Even if the Indian roads are not that much advanced for a F1 race, we have a huge number of racing enthusiasts with Narain Karthikeyan on to race and Vijay Mallya to support. The Indian Olympics Authority is also on the ground to get the race to India by the October 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Critics say that the Grand Prix will meet serious infrastructural and environmental challenges in India, but there’s no denying that India is one of the fastest growing economy in Asia with a horde of Young Indians who have high incomes and F1 enthusiasm. Reports indicate that the Formula One architects have visited New Delhi and seen several sites in the National Capital Region and have handed India a race promotion contract and a circuit rights agreement contract. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope to see the first Indian Grand Prix in 2009.

Get ready for Escudo from Maruti Suzuki in India



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While the new season of soft roaders is in full swing, Maruti quotes the launch of its new version SUV the Suzuki Escudo. Yeah, after Grand Vitara, Maruti is working on an urban cross-country vehicle. Well, that was a quick answer from Maruti to Honda's CRV and Hyundai's Tucson! Finally we are going to see some tough competition in the SUVmarket. Could the coming days be a Suzuki SUV upstart's year?

Okay, let’s check out the Suzuki Escudo. As the saying goes Escudo is expected to own a 2.0-litre petrol and a 2.7-litre diesel engine. The biggest news is that Suzuki Escudo will be a completely imported model. When it was showcased in the last Auto Expo, one look at the all-new Suzuki Escudo and it was clear that the Suzuki designers had started focusing their inspiration towards SUVs - the reasonably large and the more clean-cut lines of luxury. If you ask the Suzuki people they'll tell you that this is a second-generation of Suzuki soft-roaders. It is expected to have a prize tag of Rs 12-15 Lakhs ex-showroom in India.

Now Maruti suzuki competes in the ever more crowded SUV field and the Grand Vitara will soon have a sibling in India. It’s up to you keen Maruti Suzuki enthusiasts to cruise on over to the nearest Maruti dealers for more news on the Suzuki Escudo and don’t forget our portal – coz we provide car info before anyone else!et ready for Escudo from Maruti Suzuki in IndiaGet ready for Escudo from Maruti Suzuki in India

Hummer coming to India: Rumor or Truth?

People often think they are safer in an SUV than a Sedan or a hatchback. If you ask me I'll say that the Hummer is the safest and coolest SUV around. Agree? Sunil Shetty’s choice and a definite yes from all Indians who want a muscular and aggressive car that laughs at looks and speaks with performance!



The Hummer is a South African SUV known for its ‘goes anywhere’ nature. It has a Vortec 3.7L engine that is astounding and makes off-roads simpler. Indian potholed roads will feel like butter on toast from inside this powerful animal.

Hummer is on its way to India. General Motors recently announced that the Hummer H3 will launch in India sometime next year. However, GM is a little worried about the market possibilities. The general feeling is that the super premium brand vehicle will represent a niche market in India, but the current Indian market psychology leans towards small cars like the Chevy spark.

I say - come on GM, take a chance! We may wait for a while to get behind the wheels of a Hummer, but if you wait too long there are companies that will take your slice of the proverbial Indian auto market pie and the Hummer will be left high and dry!

Stay tuned to see Caparo T1 on Indian Roads!



Let’s hope for a new growth in Track car productions in India in the coming years. Caparo the company known for the T1 track car is developing a new small car for India. The UK based Caparo’s ‘city car’ would be licensed for production to other manufacturers in the local market in India. As global auto makers likeToyota, Honda, and General Motors have announced plans to launch a compact cars in India; we can hope that one of these MNCs will franchise Caparo's city car for production in the Indian local market.

Learning from manufacturers like Renault, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Fiat, Caparo too sees the value in an Indian foray with a partner to rationalize investments and get a head start for production, sales, & service. Caparo is in talks with multiple potential automakers for a possible alliance in India. The car that is under development in Caparo’s Chennai factory will find a new space in the heart of the hard core car racing enthusiasts.

This T1 racing car is a high performance two-seater designed with the style and function that resembles a Formula One race car. T1 offers a lightweight body and chassis made out of advanced composite materials. The T1 will be showcased in India in Auto Expo 2008. Let’s wait till the show to experience the craftsmanship of Caparo.

Mercedes Viano MPV to run on Indian Roads



We’re already jealous that Europeans get all the good models of the Mercedes Benz before we do, but Mercedes will soon remedy this situation by launching the Viano for us. Yes, Mercedes has done it again and this is great news for those planning to pick up a high-end Luxury cab from Mercedes Hey the multi purpose luxury cab looks truly innovative, I must say!

Mercedes quoted Viano for Rs. 45 Lakh. If you are thinking about other luxury cabs available in India, I don’t think you are going to have a deja-vu in Viano. Inside Viano you can walk around and change the seating positions as per your convenience. Yeah, it might look like a crazy thing to say, but it’s true. The van has 8 seats with a sliding track mechanism that allows you to choose legroom space according to your need.

In India Viano has a cheaper competitor, the Toyota Innova that is available at a prize of below 10 Lakh. However, Mercedes is a class apart! So, all you Mercedes fans, you can stop reading right now and put the Viano in your 2008 wish list.

Jaguar to introduce two more models by next year in India

Jaguar is planning to introduce two new models to the Indian market by next year. Invariable of the fact of whether Tata will buy Jaguar or not, the manufacturer is all-set to launch its models XF and X-type by late next year.

The models are expected to be sold by the sole Indian Land Rover dealer Navnit Motors. The XF model holds Jaguar’s future, though the model will not be rolled-out before March 2008. XF model will pose a tough tiff to the BMW5-series and the Audi A6
The X-type is based mostly on the Ford Mondeo model and is likely to adorn a price tag that reads between rupees 35-50 lakh. Next year end is a long time. Maybe by that time Jaguar would have sold itself to one of the other strong bidders. However, Tatashould keep its hope alive!

First Step of Tata’s Expansion in Car Market



India’s auto major Tata Motors has taken a first step of its expansion. Tata has tied-up with the Italian Fiat Auto to market the Fiat car Grand Punto and Linea in the Indian Market.The vehicles will be sold in the country through Tata and Fiat dealers.

Tata is one of the strongest bidders for Jaguar and Land Rover. It has been more positive and is taking great initiatives in recent times. A tie-up with the Italian firm shows its capability and firm stance. This joint venture can be taken as a positive mark for all of Tata’s future plans.

Tata is the first name that pops-up when it comes to auto makers in the Indian market. It is all because of the One-Lakh Rupees people’s car. The world’s cheapest car is first being manufactured by our own desi firm. Indeed something to make us all proud. Let us all wish a grand success to Tata in all its future ventures!

Diesel cars - Racing to the Top in Indian Car Market

Raising petrol prices have made manufacturers think seriously of an alternative. Though air cars and gas fitted cars are in the list, it is diesel cars that are gaining popularity.



Now, diesel cars are designed to be more environment friendly without too much of a price difference. It is less money and low emissions that are bringing diesel vehicles to the top. Auto manufacturers are also taking keen interest in this front. Recently launched diesel vehicles include chevrolet optra and HyundaiGetz prime to name a few. Other auto majors are planning to launch diesel variants that can pose sturdy competitions to petrol vehicles.

Though it was initially thought that diesel vehicles give-out more pollutants and are troublesome, extensive research has put an end to this notion. Diesel vehicles spill-out lesser pollutants than the petrol engine.

I have been a petrol car lover since the beginning, but now with all these benefits that accompany diesel cars, I am definitely switching over to diesel. With low emissions and less expenditure on gas I can retain a fat wallet while avoiding guilt towards the environment.

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Can Can Cricket - The newest cup in world cricket is ours. How does this change the game? ...

CRICKET SPECIAL NEW TEAM INDIA

The heart stills thumps with excitement and the mind lingers in magic. You continue to hear echoes of the roar that went up when S. Sreesanth made the final touch to the cricket ball, for the second time in two matches against Pakistan, in the ICC World Twenty20 tournament. In the earlier game he ran out Misbah-ul-Haq to help India tie the game, and win by 'bowl-out', a first in T20's short history. And in the final, he got under the lap shot that the plucky Misbah attempted and helped all the emotional floodgates come crumbling down.

The mind's eye replays some amazing pictures.



The partying went on till 3 am, leaving players drained. A few of them woke up so late they had no time to shower before leaving for the airport.

Joginder Sharma lying prone, unable to resist the impact of the sudden pressure release at the fall of the last wicket. Others scrambling for souvenir stumps and bails before getting into a huddle. A distraught Misbah-ul-Haq going down on his haunches. Team India setting off on a victory lap of the majestic bull
ring that is known as the Wanderers Cricket Stadium. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni putting his shirt on a boy who had come all the way from Botswana and bought a 2000 rand (about Rs 14,000) ticket.


Khallas! A jubilant Indian team after the last Pakistan wicket falls

Champagne awaited the Men in Blue in the dressing room. Perched on a cupboard, Dhoni uncorked the first bottle amidst loud cheering. And when the Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sharad Pawar walked in and declared a $2 million bonus for the team, the cheers became louder.

The team had just won the top prize of $490,000 and the BCCI had announced a bonus that was four times larger.

Shahrukh Khan, cheering the team all along, was at hand to greet the players for their fantastic showing. And, late at night, the BCCI bosses hosted a party for the team


India had discovered a young set of new heroes with steely hearts and calm minds. The class of '83—Kapil's Devils—is now Dhoni's Dynamos.

at the Jacaranda Hall in the Sandton Sun. Apparently, the partying went on till 3 am, leaving the players drained. A few of them woke up so late that they had no time to even shower before heading to the airport.

Long before all this, India had discovered a new set of young heroes with steely hearts and calm minds. The class of 1983—Kapil's Devils—now has young company in Dhoni's Dynamos. So long as they can keep their heads on their shoulders and feet on the ground, names like Rohit Sharma and Joginder Sharma can do the rounds in the ODIs for some time. And with the right breaks, Rohit may even graduate to being a fine Test player. His success has sparked debates on whether India should now invest in the young and let the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid fade away from the one-day international scene. It may be a bit premature for that, but this team, led by the calm, collected and quick-witted Dhoni dished out memorable fare in the shortest form of the game at the international level—cricket on cocaine, if you like.


Yuvraj and Dhoni doing a victory lap

The side came in unannounced, with no pressure of expectations weighing it down. But the power of self-belief and teamwork created a momentum all its own. Yuvraj Singh led the batsmen with two blazing knocks against England and Australia. "He is in a great mindset obviously, he is confident, he is seeing the ball well, and he is just trusting himself," said Australian skipper Adam Gilchrist. "He hits a short ball for six, then you pitch up and he hits that for six as well, he is just in a confident frame of mind." Gautam Gambhir's three half-centuries lent a solidity at the start of the innings and allowed the later order batsmen the freedom to go after the bowling in the death.




Skipper Dhoni did not get to face too many deliveries but chipped in with those useful scores.

The 20-year-old Rohit Sharma personified the gung-ho attitude that the team wore, scripting two superb and creative finishes against South Africa and Pakistan in the final. "When you win a match for your team, the outlook of your team-mates toward you changes," he said. "They start looking at you differently. That performance against South Africa was very important because they had never seen me bat before. After that knock, all the players were backing me, very happy with my performance. They were supporting me also because I had not played any match in England."


A bit down under: That's the end of the Aussies, in the semi-finals

Even though bowlers like the comeback kid Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh had played T20 cricket in England and brought their experience to bear, bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad's inputs to the bowlers were critical.



"The knock against South Africa was important as the other players had not seen me bat before. Then they were all backing me," says Rohit.

Rudra Pratap Singh and Pathan were India's bowlers of the tournament, allowing themselves not more than one below-average game. As Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said after the final, R.P. Singh has developed enormously as a new ball bowler from the time he made his Test debut in Faisalabad early last year.
"He has added a couple of yards of pace and bowls a very good line and length," Malik said. As for Irfan, he has come back from a spell in the wilderness, his technical niggles sorted out, hungry and eager. Pathan found that magic at a critical moment in the final. S. Sreesanth was all pent-up aggression in the semi-final against Australia and made the difference between the two sides, while Harbhajan Singh gladly took charge of bowling some pressure overs. And, coming in for a lacklustre Ajit Agarkar in the last four games, Joginder Sharma made an impact too, handling the task of bowling the last over in the semi-final and final.
"I always believe when players have been selected, they have to be given an opportunity," cricket manager Lalchand Rajput said. "It is easy to label someone that he is not good enough but unless you go and see, you will not be able to find out. Give them big games and see if they can handle the pressure. Joginder


It was a vastly improved fielding side. Skipper Dhoni didn't have to hide any of his fielders. There was a runout in nearly all the games.

handled that very well when he bowled the last over in our last two games," he says.

One of the good things about this side is that Dhoni did not have to hide any of his fielders. "When a team fields like we did consistently throughout the tournament, we tend to add to our total. If we make 150, we are actually challenging the opposition to make 165 to win. We have had a runout in nearly every game and that helped us," says Dhoni. Yuvraj Singh produced a direct hit against Pakistan in Durban to see Kamran Akmal's back, Rohit Sharma sprinted from cover and broke the stumps when he was in mid-air to send South Africa's danger man Justin Kemp back to the dugout, while Robin Uthappa produced the magic from extra cover to cut short Imran Nazir's blitz in the final game. And who can forget the catch that Dinesh Kaarthick took at second slip to dismiss South African captain Graeme Smith. Fielding coach Robin Singh could break into a smile at the manner in which the young team rallied to his demands.


R.P. Singh gets Shaun Pollock, South Africa exits

Above all, the event discovered a new captain in Dhoni. He chose to downplay attempts to praise his leadership. "The captain hasn't done much," he said, with no false modesty. "The players who have been given responsibility have delivered. There was no [specialist] batsman who hasn't scored runs, the fielding had been very good overall.




Yuvraj has been very good, while Harbhajan has made a very good comeback. This side is confident, enjoying one another's success and backing each other." Dhoni's brave captaincy came in for much praise. Former Australian captain Ian Chappell picked Dhoni's leadership as one of his favourite moments. Chappell referred to Dhoni's decision—prompted by Harbhajan Singh's suggestion—to bowl the off-spinner in the 18th over of the semi-final against Australia. In the final, he was brave enough to bring an extra man into the circle to save some singles and put that much more pressure on Pakistan.


Super Sixes: Yuvraj Singh at his mesmerising best

And he backed all of that with an unwilting, hard-as-nails attitude, as India played an intense brand of cricket that its teams have often been capable of—but have only shown sporadically.



India played an intense, unwilting brand of cricket which it has often been capable of in the past but has showcased only sporadically.

Dhoni's side tackled pressure like it did not exist. Take a look at the matches that India played after rains forced it to share points with Scotland in the opening game. First up, it took on Pakistan and made just 141 for nine but fought back gallantly to tie the match and win through the bowl-out to make
it to the Super Eights.

The three teams it was grouped with—New Zealand, England and South Africa—had more experience of the T20 format and nobody gave much chance of India winning any of those games. The 10-run defeat by New Zealand seemed to set the tone but India surprised everyone with an amazing 18-run win against England and followed it up with a crushing 37-run conquest of South Africa. "Bring on Australia," screamed the fans. And India answered that with a 15-run victory in the semi-finals over the team that everyone is in awe of. And in the final, India made some 15-20 runs short of the average first innings score at the Wanderers and yet managed to eke out a five-run win against Pakistan.

Indeed, pressure was a constant companion but instead of letting it get to its nerves, the team fed off it and used it as an ally to turn on a show of high energy.
"Take for example, the final. Misbah-ul-Haq was making that late charge and caused us some tension but we knew they were only a wicket away from wresting the initiative again. We knew they didn't have wickets in hand. Pressure becomes a very important aspect in big games. We always thought that as


An amazing 18-run win against England and a crushing 37-run conquest against South Africa had fans crying, "Bring on Australia".

the game approached the final stages, our chances would increase," says Dhoni.


Flag march: The Indian team after winning the T20 World cup do a run of the Wanderers in Johannesburg

The other positive factor common to each of these games was the enormous self-belief that the Indian team exuded. That is a quality that the Australians have showcased when dominating world cricket. The defeat against New Zealand was a turning point. Cricket manager Lalchand Rajput drew upon his management background to make a presentation to the side before it met England in the first of the do-or-die games. "Coming together is the beginning, keeping together is progress and working is success," he told the team and it responded to that clarion call. Ask Australia's wicket-keeper and stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist if he is surprised by the energy levels of the Indian side and he gives the side a thumbs-up. "No, I am not surprised at all. They are a relatively young team, many fresh new faces. They are obviously trying to make a name for themselves and impose themselves on the opposition. That is what you expect from young cricketers coming in and being exposed to situations like that.



All credit to them, they are enjoying their days out in the park and that's great."

So then, is this the new Team India? It would be tempting to see this squad take over and play the 50-over format as intensely but it would be foolish to write off the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. For, they still bring much value to the table with their batsmanship. "This is the future and we have the bench strength," says Rajput. "If you have good bench strength, it means that the senior team remains strong, aware of the young guns breathing down their necks. There would be tough competition when the selectors sit down to pick 15.


"There was no batsman who didn't score runs. This side is confident, enjoying one another's success, backing each other," says Dhoni

Of course, the big three have a long season ahead and I am sure they will all come back refreshed." The selectors have to empower the captain and the youngsters, back them to succeed in ODIs and eventually in Tests. Dhoni reiterated that the T20 squad and some players back home would form Indian cricket's

bench strength. "Those playing in this tournament plus a few guys back home are our bench strength," Dhoni said.

But that is a pleasant headache that the national selectors will now face. The ODI series against Australia may have been scheduled to begin in Bangalore but it will take


"They are a relatively young team. They are obviously trying to impose themselves on the opposition. All credit to them," says Gilchrist.

a bit of time for the euphoria caused by India's success in the form to evaporate. "Whatever match I play now will be challenging because everyone will be focusing on me, looking at my performance. I will enjoy that challenge," Rohit Sharma said. Of course, India will be watching, with bated breath.