Posts for 'New Launches' Category

Country's second largest motorcycle maker Bajaj Auto today said its motorcycle sales grew by eight per cent in June at 175,903 units, while total two-wheeler sales rose by seven per cent to 177,112.

However, the three-wheeler sales for the month were down by 14 per cent at 19,629 units, the company said in a statement.

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Total two and three-wheeler sales zoomed five per cent at 196,741 units last month, Bajaj Auto said. Exports surged 33 per cent in June to 64,878 units, it added.

Motorcycle sales grew 13 per cent in Q1 FY09 owing primarily to the strong performance of 125 cc + DTS-i portfolio.

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Today's consumers are passionate about staying in touch and want to be connected no matter where they are home, work, school or vehicle. To focus on the experience and connect customers to the things that matter the most, Chrysler LLC will now bundle innovative consumer technologies under one umbrella name - "uconnect." The function of the feature is directly in the name - uconnect phone, uconnect tunes, uconnect gps, uconnect studios and uconnect web.

"We set out to connect customers to the things that matter most to them," said Deborah Meyer, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer - Chrysler LLC. "The role for 'uconnect' in the 2009 model year places the focus on the customer experience and how the features will make their life easier."

What it does: Uses Bluetooth(R) technology to provide voice-controlled wireless communication between the occupants' compatible mobile phones and the vehicle's onboard receiver. New for 2009, the hands-free system automatically downloads up to 1,000 phone book entries from supported phones. The system also recognizes three languages, and is capable of learning. Voice commands can manage onboard phone book entries, select radio stations and access voice mail. Voice memos can be recorded using the microphone that's integrated within the rearview mirror. Three memos of up to thirty seconds each can be stored in the system. The hands-free option promotes safety, freedom, value and flexibility.

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Governments do not usually launch cars. Companies do. Wednesday, however, was different as Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit launched the battery-operated vehicle Reva and announced a 29.5% discount on the vehicle. The Delhi government also announced that it would consider incentives for and subsidies on hybrid cars the automobile industry's latest answer to environmental pollution and rising fuel prices.

"We will certainly consider concessions for the hybrid cars and welcome any new technology that helps improve air quality," Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said after unveiling a new version of 'Reva', India's only electric car that is getting concessions from the government.

In April this year, the cabinet had decided to give a 29.5% concession to purchasers of battery-operated vehicles. The concession includes a 15% subsidy on the base price of the vehicle, a VAT refund of 12.5% both of which will be paid through the air ambience fund that was created out of the 25p cess the state government had imposed, about three months earlier, on every litre of diesel. A 2% concession on road tax and registration expenses will also be sourced from the same fund. The state government has already earned Rs 10 crore from the cess, Dikshit said.

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FORD Motor has announced cuts in production for the second time in two months and has given up on ending its losses by next year, as the scramble by all three Detroit car makers to switch to smaller cars begins to raise questions about how they will get enough cash to ride out the storm.

Ford said the plunge of US truck and SUV sales -- due to record-high petrol prices -- was forcing the new cuts. It even pushed back the launch of its redesigned F-150 pickup truck that once was expected to drive the company's recovery.

The moves suggest the company is bracing for a greater loss in 2008 than its $US2.7 billion loss last year, and Ford said it no longer expected to break even by next year.

In the past few days it has emerged that Ford and General Motors are seeking ways to raise new capital, while Chrysler has slashed costs to conserve cash.

GM CEO Rick Wagoner said the company had enough cash for 2008 but he declined to elaborate any further.

On Friday, Ford chief financial officer Don Leclair said the company had enough liquidity to see it through the year. But earlier in the week CEO Alan Mulally met billionaire investor and major Ford shareholder Kirk Kerkorian and the two discussed Ford's likely need for more capital.

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Following the roaring success of its new hatchback i10, South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor India (HMI) plans to launch its bigger siblings in India.

Taking a cue from the German luxe brands BMW and Mercedes Benz, which have had a good run in the Indian market, Hyundai, the largest exporter of cars from India, will launch at least three new cars under its i-series for the domestic as well as the overseas market.

The next in line is i20, which will debut during the festive season in October while the other two variants—i30 and i40 will come to India in the next few years. These new cars will come as new launches or replacement for the existing products.

Owner of New Port Lincoln Mercury, Dennis Murphy will celebrate 29 years in business with the unveiling of the 2009 Lincoln MKS. Murphy, pictured in his showroom stands next to the MKX, Lincoln's current hot-seller.

 Reaching higher and into the future is where Dennis Murphy, owner and president of New Port Lincoln Mercury is heading.

A native of Miami, Murphy relocated to New Port Richey in May 1979 to open New Port Lincoln Mercury.

As a sharply dressed Murphy sat in his office last week, he explained that the car industry is the only business he has known. Murphy, and his partner at the time, Bob Nunn, sold their first car at the end of July 1979.

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Big pick-up sales are hit by high gas prices and reduced construction spending. Automaker also expects more production cutbacks.

With sales of full-size pickups in a steep decline, Ford Motor Co. said Friday it is delaying the launch of its new, redesigned Ford F-150 pick-up by two months.

The full-size pick-up, which had been due to enter showrooms in early fall will now come out in late fall, instead.

Ford also announced more production cutbacks. The company said it will produce 25% fewer vehicles in the third quarter of this year than it did in the same quarter of 2007. The cuts will be among Ford's large trucks and SUVs.

Meanwhile, Ford said it is working to boost production of its small cars and crossover SUVs, products that have been attracting more sales this year even as overall auto sales have dropped.

The Ford F-series has been the top-selling passenger vehicle in America for 26 straight years. Big pickups have been a popular and profitable item for Detroit Automakers. But high gas prices and a declining home-construction market have hit truck sales hard.

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The US automobile giant Ford Motor Co proposes to launch its small car for the Indian market by 2010 and will set up a new unit soon to manufacture engines, top officials said on Thursday.

"Small car segment holds 75 per cent in Indian market and when we launch the small car that's when the real volumes will come in," Ford India managing director and president Michael Boneham told media at the launch of the company's new car.

He also said Ford's new engine manufacturing facility will be set up in 2009-10 with a capacity of 250,000 units per year. "The plant will fulfill the entire domestic demand and will also cater to the needs for ford in the Asia Pacific region."

The company also launched a new sports variant of the mid-sized sedan here Thursday - the Fiesta S that clocks 0-100 km in 11 seconds. Also launched was an upgraded SXI variant of the Fiesta featuring new front grille and head lamps.
Boneham said the company has now increased the warranty for all its cars to two years or 40,000 km to two years or 100,000 km, whichever was logged first.

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First the good news for those caring for environment: Japanese auto giant Honda Motors Co. on Wednesday introduced India to the first hybrid vehicle-- the Civic Hybrid that runs on a petrol engine assisted by an electric motor.

The bad news: Thanks to a hefty 104 per cent duty that the government levies on imported cars, the hybrid version would cost Rs 21.50 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), almost double the price of the conventional variant.

The prohibitive pricing may keep out buyers, but Honda hopes it would make a strong statement about the future of the auto industry in the backdrop rising oil prices and concerns of growing carbon emissions.

"We are not looking for volumes here but showcasing our technological prowess. We want the Indian consumers to experience this new technology which surely is the future of cars," said Masahiro Takedagawa, President and CEO at Honda's Indian subsidiary.

A hybrid vehicle is basically driven by a conventional petrol engine with an assisting electric motor that is powered by a battery.  Due to the assisting electric motor the petrol engine is smaller but it delivers the same performance with lower emissions and higher fuel efficiency. The Civic hybrid for example has a smaller 1.3 litre gasoline engine (the normal Civic is powered by a 1.8 litre engine) but delivers around 50 per cent higher fuel efficiency.

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Toyota is one of the major players when it comes to hybrid cars. In fact, some of its hybrid models are well-preferred by environmentalist celebrities. Among them is one of my favorite actresses, Julia Roberts. A Toyota Prius costs around $22, 305, but I’m sure Julia is not after the cost or the savings she can get from driving a gas/electric hybrid vehicle. For her it’s more about helping save the environment with less emission.

Aside from being a hybrid, what other characteristics make Prius a great car to have? As you can see, it has a great and streamlined form. It features spoke-alloy wheels, multi-reflector halogen headlamps, and color-keyed front and rear bumpers. With the chrome-type finish grille no one can mistake your Toyota Prius for anything else. It is also of a modest size that can seat five persons and still have enough space left for luggage. Advanced airbag system and anti-lock brake system are only some samples of how the Prius keeps you safe on the road.

And you know what? Toyota Prius is not only a great choice for women like Julia Roberts. This is also the preferred vehicle of hot Hollywood actors, like Leonardo DiCaprio.