Renault Pulse Unveiled

Renault Pulse is the bunny from the hat. Renault was in the lime light with its recent speculations of coming up with a small car. The list just seemed to swell from the likes of the Renault Modus to the likes of the Renault Clio, but on the D-day it was the Renault Pulse that raced across the finish line after the Indian Grand Prix.

The Renault Pulse has been designed for India from the Mumbai Renault design centre. The grand event yesterday night at Noida saw the birth of the Renault Pulse. The event was attended by F1 drivers Mark Webber and Karun Chandok.

On the racy occasion, Carlos Tavares, COO, Renault s.a.s said, “Renault is fully committed towards the Indian customers; the launch of 3 new models within 6 months clearly demonstrates this commitment. India will witness the best product, power train, technology and design from Renault”. The Renault Pulse engine will be equipped with a K9K engine which will be the best in class with superior mileage as well.

Managing Director of Renault India, Marc Nassif, said “After having established the Renault DNA with products like the Fluence and the Koleos we now launch the PULSE which will enable us to reach a much wider segment of customers. The Pulse carries forward the Renault DNA of safety, quality and innovation and we are sure the customers will like this premium compact which combines all the luxuries of a bigger sedan with the economy of a small compact. We are not only adding to our product portfolio but we are also growing our sales and service network to address the needs of our customers.”

Volkswagen Seat Looking To Sit In India

Volkswagen Seat is looking for a seat in the already overcrowded small car segment in India. This company is planning to further its base and boost up its volumes in India. The addition of Seat to could improve the company’s scale of operation and increase its reach in the market.

The company is however caught in its own trap with the trouble of being unable to differentiate the already existing Volkswagen and Skoda line up. The company is hoping that the offbeat style of the Seat and vacationing attitude of the car will be a craze with the likes of youth and people alike.

Volkswagen Seat will initially make its presence in the neighboring China and then come down to India. Recently Volkswagen has seen an improvement of 12.1 percent in the sales this year. The Seat has been a bit sluggish with the growth rate of 2.3 percent. The entry of the Seat into the developing markets is looked upon to test new waters and in the process help boost its numbers.

The Volkswagen Seat Ibiza is most probably the model to make its Indian debut. The Volkswagen Seat Ibiza hatchback which is on par with the likes of Volkswagen Polo falls between the Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Passat and is looked upon as rival to the likes of Toyota Innova and the Tata Aria as well. Poor relationships in the past with the Maruti have also dented the company’s progress and hopefully the Volkswagen Up! should salvage some lost pride. Skoda Citigo inspired from the Up! is also expected to get its Indian ticket.

All these high volume cars are built on the same platform, engines and lots of other similar parts in variably lead to huge cost savings for the company. Strategies like this could very well make the company realize its ambition of the becoming the world’s biggest car maker in the near future. In the process to achieve this numero uno tag the company is planning to splurge a mammoth Rs 4.3 lakh crore for the next five years.

Dhamaka Car Offers Available This Diwali

Maruti Alto bijli, Fiat Punto sparklers and Skoda Laura twinkling stars are not the names of crackers. They are the dhamaka car offers available this diwali. Right from the likes of entry level Maruti Alto to the high end Skoda Laura are all vying for some huge prospects during the festive season.

Most of the blasts are happening at the hatchback segment. Nissan is going all guns blazing by rolling out the maximum number of Nissan Micra cars as possible in the forth coming days. Maruti too has its own sales dhamaka in the form of discounts of nearly Rs 25,000 cash on the purchase of any Maruti Alto. This could have also stemmed from the threat of the Hyundai Eon. Maruti is no mood to be careless and has even gone a step further with Rs 15,000 cash discount.

Fiat had always been on your wish list but you could never stretch your purse strings, well then, this could your lucky day. Fiat Punto Grande is being offered at a throw away discount. Even the warmed-up hatch Skoda Fabia is offering more than a bargain deal.The Saloons are also ready with their share of the festive bonanza. Honda City is also available with a discount for all the models putting the consumer’s in a huge dilemma. The company’s move should help it maintain some breathing space from the likes of the Volkswagen Vento and the Hyundai Verna diesel.

Fiat is going all broke making every other competitor drop their jaws with discounts close to a lakh for the festive season. Even the slow and steady Ford Fiesta is being paraded with an exchange bonus, free insurance and free give away of the complete set of accessories for the petrol engines until the end of October 2011.

Even the rich daddy of the car segment seems to have dropped from the heavens. Luxury car maker Skoda is ripping off a huge cash price value on the 160 bhp petrol variant of the Skoda Laura. Mercedes-Benz has even breached the space by breaking the roof with a huge, huge, huge and a huge discount for the GL350 CDI.

Renault Pulse Is the Small Car for India

Renault Pulse, the secret’s been finally revealed. Yes, it’s not the Modus, it’s not the Clio. It’s the Renault Pulse, the new small car that is finally going to be unveiled on the 29th of October on the sidelines of the Indian Grand Prix. The car will be the third in the series of Renault’s upcoming cars followed by the release of the Renault Fluence and Koleos in the D-segment sedan class.

The Renault Pulse will be a hatchback inspired from the Nissan Micra platform. The Pulse will have the same V-platform and will also be equipped with the same engine and specifications similar to the Micra. The resemblance does not end here and the car is also expected to be doled out from the same Chennai manufacturing factory facility.

The Renault Pulse will be bolstered by the same triple cylinder and 1.2 gasoline engine. The diesel cousin of the Renault Pulse will be equipped with a more powerful 1.5 litre engine similar to the one on the Nissan Micra. The shock absorbers will be of MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam for the rear.

The interiors of the car will have a never seen before style for the dashboard, a new drive wheel and inside door panels. With regard to the cabin space the passengers and boot the space will remain the same. Given that the Pulse and the Micra will be like siamese twins one can expect them to even have the same wheelbase for both the front and the rear track. Even the overall length of the Pulse will be an inch to inch rip off the Micra.

The only difference and probably a huge one would be the market positioning of the two cars. The Nissan Micra was more of a premium segment car therefore one can expect the Pulse also to be a bit higher on the costs. The cost will be justified with some good features as well. The car will be equipped with a driver and passenger airbags and ABS for safety. On the comfort and luxury factor the car will have features like climate control, keyless entry and start, and automated controls built on the steering wheel among others.

The Renault Pulse will be looking to give a run for the money to the likes of Maruti Swift, Honda Brio, Hyundai Eon and Ford Figo etc.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Hybrid Confirmed For India

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Hybrid is soon going to be a reality on the Indian roads. The auto maker is all set to deliver the popular luxury car in the Indian market very soon. The plan of launching the car in the Indian terrain had been in the loop for a long while but now the company has officially confirmed the launch of the latest variant of the new Lancer for the desi audience.

On more information regarding the launch of the new Lancer Evolution Hybrid model, the President, Mitsubishi Motors, Mr. Osamu Masuko said, "We will start work on the project next year, and it will be ready within three years. I have set the goal of developing a sporting car featuring electric power."

The development comes as a huge Christmas bonanza; in fact previously the company had intentions of putting an end to the production of the Lancer Evolution X and explained that the present model of the Evolution X will be a swan song in the hugely famed car’s line up. Putting the past behind the company has decided to continue with the car by launching a new generation Lancer Evolution very soon.

The out of the world Mitsubishi Hybrid Lancer Evolution X will be of utmost eco friendly in nature and will have the least carbon footprint as possible on the environment. On the power front the car will not be a disappointment and will deliver a whopping power of over 350 bhp, as compared to 291 bhp of the current model of Lancer Evolution X. All this development is possible due to the addition of a new electric motor delivering 63 bhp. After the reversal of the decision, Mitsubishi has revealed that the Evo of the future will be a diesel-electric hybrid. The car is expected to give a run for its money to the likes of Maruti Suzuki Kizashi and Hyundai Verna Fluidic.

Renault Modus Is The Next Operandi

Renault Modus will look to seal the fate of the company in the Indian markets. Renault has already realized the paradigm shift of its other contemporaries and how the small car market in India plays a big role in the Indian market.

For any car maker in India to truly establish itself it has to go a big way with its small cars. This is exactly what Renault is planning with the Modus. Renault has made its intentions clear with the launch of five new cars for the upcoming year. The Renault Koleos and the Renault Fluence have already hit the Indian shores and the only thing that lacked in its portfolio was a small car which is now very soon to be a reality.

Renault Modus had been gathering a lot of flash lights and was also reported to have been caught during some test drives at the Renault Nissan plant in Chennai. The Renault Modus has two cousins namely the Modus and the Grand Modus. However, it is speculated that the Grand Modus will not make its way to India. On the specifications front the, Modus will be equipped with the same engine as the petrol and the diesel variant of the Nissan Micra.

It is also expected to come with the same 1.2-litre petrol power plant and a 1.5-litre dCi engine of the Fluence as well. The Modus was the first small car to get a 5 Star Euro NCAP (an assessment programme that judges car safety) rating.

The Modus will complete a trio of sorts for the company’s portfolio within this year. The Modus can expect to see the light of the day at the Indian Grand Prix in the last week of October, in Delhi. The Renault Modus is expected to compete with the likes of Nissan Micra, Maruti Ritz, Honda Brio and the Hyundai Eon.

Ford Endeavour Hurricane Is Coming This Diwali

Ford Endeavour Hurricane 4X4 is looking to cash in big time this festive season. The car maker is looking to woe the audience during this auspicious period and ramp up its sales volumes.Ford has always tried to make the maximum use of the festive season and now has come up with the launch of an all terrain sports utility vehicle (SUV) Endeavour. The new Endeavour 4x4 Hurricane limited edition will be a value for money buy and also have an aggressive and eye catch appearance. The car will also be loaded with safety systems and comforts.

The Endeavour 4x4 Hurricane Limited Edition will be available with an attractive price of Rs. 20, 13,244. The revamped car will have a heavy front nudge bar that makes it a mean machine with its tough outlook. The specially designed chrome exhaust trims, 5th-door convex mirror and the standard hurricane body decals all make the car rip through even the worst of hurricanes.

"The introduction of the Endeavour 4x4 Hurricane Limited Edition offers value for money coupled with distinct class and safety features for our customers during this festive season. This special variant offers aggressiveness, adventure and agility with features that improves safety, adds style and class'', said Michael Boneham, President and Managing Director of Ford India.

The space factor inside the Hurricane Limited Edition has been dealt with, keeping it mind the comfort of all the occupants. With three rows of seats and satisfactory legroom, the Endeavour 4x4 Hurricane Limited Edition has commensurate room for seven people and their luggage."We are encouraging the outgoing, adventurous customer to take the new Hurricane where no one has gone before and come back impressed with its off-roading, safety features and overall performance. This is an extremely capable machine winning acclaim for its wonderful dependability," Boneham added.Ford Endeavour is a well known competitor against the SUVs like Toyota Fortuner, Tata Safari, Mitsubishi Outlander, Mitsubishi Pajero, BMW X1, Chevrolet Captiva, Skoda Yeti.

Mahindra To Launch The Cheapest Mini SUV

Mahindra is all set re write the SUV market in India with the launch of a mini SUV with an estimated pricing of Rs.3-4 lakh which is sure to create huge waves across the market. The project is secretly working under the codename S101 and the mini-SUV will be made available in both petrol and diesel variants with 1.0-1.2L engines powering the petrol variant and a 1.5L engine running the diesel cousin. The Indian SUV leader is teaming up with the South Korean Ssangyong Motors to bring up this latest marvel.

Everything regarding the S101 has been kept sealed. Mr. Rajan Wadhera, Chief Executive, Technology, Sourcing and Product development, on the upcoming plans of the company said that, "Work on a new platform should be concluded very soon and it will be on the compact side”. Currently SUV cars from MNC automakers come at a premium price tag of 15-20 lakh and Indian car makers offer the same at a price tag of Rs 6.5 lakh.

Presently entry segment cars in India are ruling the roost with the likes of Tata Nano (priced between Rs 1.47 lakh to Rs 2.05 lakh), Maruti Suzuki 800 (Rs 1.99 lakh to Rs 2.42 lakh), Hyundai Santro (Rs 2.84 lakh), Maruti Alto (Rs 2.39 lakh to Rs 2.89 lakh), Hyundai Eon (Rs 2.71 lakh to Rs 2.93 lakh) and Maruti Eeco (Rs 2.95 lakh).One must tread the path of buying a low cost entry level cars with caution and only price should not influence the purchasing decision. Customers should tread the path of buying a car with caution and keep in mind that low costs always does not lead to a good value buy. Sooner or later you might end up losing a lot more if you have not brought the right car.

Maruti Ertiga The New Mini MPV

Maruti Ertiga is all set to give some stiff competition to the likes of Toyota Innova
in January. The company is now ready to set foot in the multipurpose vehicle (MPV) segment, for the first time. The company is now looking to spread its business across the entire length and breadth of the car market and ensure that not even a single area remains untargeted by the leader in the auto car market.

Maruti has the distinction of being India's largest car maker. In fact the company sells every second car in the country and has decided not to rest on its past laurels and is all set to very soon un wrap its first MPV, the Ertiga. This invariably leads to a serious threat in the already existing car brands in the segment. Ertiga made its debut as a RIII concept in India.

The seven seater multi utility vehicle will look to vie for people looking to buy a bigger vehicle or double up as a family car. The car will also come at a cheaper price compared to its competitors with a starting price of Rs. 6 lakhs and will go up to 9 lakhs for the higher end models. Official sources from the company also confirmed the same and told that the cost factor of the car would be kept quite affordable while other details were kept quite secret.

The Ertiga will look and have the dimensions of any other standard mini MPV on the road. The car will be adorned with light and sleek materials and is expected to carry a rich posh look. The MPV is expected to compete with the likes of Chevrolet Tavera, Tata Sumo Victa, and Mahindra Bolero, Mahindra Scorpio.

India’s First Grand Prix Just Got More Real

India’s first Grand Prix just got more real as the curtains on the Buddh International Circuit was dropped. Formula 1 fanatics have already been going crazy to get their eyeballs on the first Indian Grand Prix and there has been a mad surge for the tickets. The tickets are priced between Rs 2,500 and Rs 35,000.

The tickets for most of the stands are already sold out but this has done very little to deter the fans from digging deep into their wallets to get hold of a seat at the greatest spectacle in motor sports. In spite of the tickets priced at a high range of Rs 2,500 to Rs 35,000 for the magnificent grand stand, the organizers are walking away happily to the banks and are completely confident of a resounding success despite the expensive pricing of tickets.

The launch put rest to all the doubts regarding the racing spectacle’s quality and readiness for the October 30 showpiece. The 5.4-km long racetrack, Jaypee's Buddh International Circuit, was formally opened admist the presence of Manoj Gaur, the chairman of Jaypee Group, Vicky Chandhok, president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) and Karthikeyan.

The track got its spiritual (name) connection from the founder of Buddhism, the great Gautam Buddha. As a matter of co incidence the track is located in the Gautam Buddh Nagar District. The entire racing area measures over 875 acres, with the fastest run on the track clocked in less than 1 minute 27 seconds at average speeds crossing 210 kmph. The venue will host the complete sixty laps of race. "It's the greatest sporting infrastructure created by a private company and it also conforms to the latest set of FIA guidelines," said Gaur.