New Ford Fiesta SXI Car Launched in India

Ford India raises the competitive bar with the new look and stylish Ford Fiesta SXI which brings added sophistication to the luxurious car with its chrome & silver finish.

The new front-fascia with the chrome facade and dramatic crystal barrel headlamps is visually strong and expressive, elevating Ford Fiesta's on-road presence.


"The new Fiesta SXI will make a statement with its premium new style persona. Based on our customer feedback, the new Fiesta SXI has been introduced to appeal to the young, suave and style-oriented professionals who want their cars to reflect their individual personality, signifying success, confidence and accomplishments," said Nigel Wark, executive director, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford India.

Your browser may not support display of this image. Inside, the new Ford Fiesta SXI surrounds its occupants with eye-catching luxury and comfort with its grain beige leather interiors, mahogany wood-finished center console with brushed aluminum finish adorning knobs, vents and the steering wheel. The 2 DIN MP3 Player with Aux-in capability also unwinds the occupants with its whopping surround sound.

The new Ford Fiesta SXI comes with the advanced and efficient 1.6 Duratec (petrol) and 1.4 Duratorq (common-rail, turbo diesel) engines. Both engines are fuel efficient and produce class-leading performance.

The top-end Ford Fiesta SXI variant has been aggressively priced at Rs. 6.99 lakhs (petrol) and Rs. 7.99 lakhs (diesel) (Ex-showroom, New Delhi) and will be available at Ford dealerships across India starting 3rd August.

This new Ford Fiesta SXI will stand out amidst the upper midsize segment and will take Fiesta's premiumness to the next level, further strengthening what the brand Fiesta stands for - style, sophistication, quality, fuel-efficiency, unparalleled driving dynamics, advanced safety features and a head-turning chrome finish exterior look.

Apart from its style and sophisticated comfort, there is an equal emphasis on safety, which incorporates the latest in crash energy management systems with Anti-lock braking system (ABS) with EBD. Airbags are standard for driver and front passenger along with the collapsible steering column. A first in its class feature is the fuel cut-off inertia switch, which cuts off fuel incase of a crash. The SXI is secured with central locking and PATS (Passive Anti-Theft system) that immobilizes the engine when the key is turned off.

Ford Fiesta is a car known for its superior drivability and handling. Ford Fiesta continues to receive rave reviews from the auto experts and analysts. The Ford Fiesta was a runner up in vehicle dependability in the recent 2009 J.D Power Vehicle Dependability study in the mid-size segment with a score of 183 PP/100,* achieving significantly better than the segment average of 214. The awards and the accolades showcase the fact that Ford Fiesta delivers style, together with outstanding quality and performance that consumers desire.

Ford Fiesta comes with a 2 year/ 1,00,000 kilometers warranty and an option to purchase 'Extended Warranty' that covers the car against all electrical and mechanical failures for an additional period. Along with the new Scheduled Service Plan (SSP), first in the country Roadside Assistance (RSA) and other Ford Service initiatives, add on to make owning a Ford Fiesta a delightful experience.

Source: Ford India

Related Books:
The Cars That Henry Ford Built
Ford in Touring Car Racing
What Car Dealers Won't Tell You

Read more »

BMW to Launch the Mini Hatchback in India

BMW, the world's largest premium car manufacturer is all set to launch the mini, three door luxury hatchback in India. The plans have been delayed from 2007 according to a senior official. The BMW Mini is set to be imported and would carry a hefty price tag of 2 million rupees.

Speaking about the proposed launch, the president of BMW India unit told reporters "Last year we decided to postpone the launch of Mini in India by a year, as we had doubts regarding the viability of the project. We would again take a look at it by the end of the third quarter of the calendar year".

The luxury hatchback market was not well developed in India and the investments would be substantial. He said "So we have to re-look at the potential business opportunity before launching it".

Kronschnabl said "BMW sold 1,747 BMWs in the first half of 2009, about a quarter of total Indian luxury car sales of 7,400, and its sales growth of 12 percent was better than the sector's 1.5 percent". He added "We are confident of delivering 3,000 cars to our customers in India in the year 2009."

BMW has increased the annual capacity at its Indian plant from 1,700 to 3,000 units. This was carried out on a single-shift basis at the cost of $750,000. BMW competes with European auto giants like DaimlerChrysler and Volkswagen. It makes the BMW 3 series and BMW 5 series in India and the BMW 7 series is sold by means of imported kits.

As talks about the German car maker being close to signing the agreement with global manufacturers were doing the rounds, Kronschnabl said "All I can say at this moment is that, we are very close to signing contracts with the global manufactures and it should be in place by December 2009."

BMW India has a slew of launches slated for 2009 like the new BMW 3 series, BMW 7 series, and diesel variant of BMW X3. In order to strengthen the dealership network of which presently there are thirteen, BMW will set up new dealerships in ten more cities by the end of 2010. $30 million is the investment it has made for the Indian market including the plant that was set up in Chennai.


By: Amrith K.A.

Related Books:
BMW
Driving Machines: The BMW Story
BMW: Driven to Succeed

Read more »

Talking Cars to Grace the Roads Soon

Did you think talking robotic cars were only confined to the innumerable sci–fi movies you so adore? Well then, brace yourself as there is some great news. Talking Cars will soon be a reality. Yes, with the efforts of Indian scientists Dr. Bhibhya Sharma and Dr. Utesh Chand of the University of the South Pacific, few mathematical equations that instruct robotic cars to change lanes will be employed in robotic cars.


Speaking about its conceptualization; Dr. Sharma said 'flocking' is a biologically inspired technique commonly employed in robotics. As a result of this, robots are made to work together. According to the research, each robotic car would be controlled by a central brain, guided by a series of algorithms that enable the brain (car) to converse with each other and follow instructions so as to maintain separate lanes and avoid collisions.

Currently the concept is being tried out in 'two–wheeled' robots. Dr. Chand said, whenever the cars find itself in a merging situation, one of the cars would take the lead position. Taking this as cue the rest of the cars would follow. The team is writing mathematical equations that enable attraction towards a target; helping cars maintain lane and avoid crashing into each other.

The team working on it believes that the only challenge is to allow the robot to automatically devise the methods of avoiding collision. Let us hope the endeavor is successful and talking robotic cars grace the roads.

By: Amrith K.A.

Related Books:
Car Talk
Flying Cars
Ptls Ef3 Flying Car/Story of Cars

Read more »

Fastest Rolls-Royce Car in the World

What started out as just another 1970 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, has become the fastest Rolls-Royce Car ever built. It is powered by a supercharged 9.3 liter V8 engine able to produce up to 1350 horsepower. the interior of the car is befitting of the Rolls-Royce brand, top quality leather, 4 LCDs and stylish gauges.

Experts have evaluated this super Rolls-Royce at $318,000.



Related Books:
The World's Fastest Cars
Today's Fastest Cars on the World's Greatest Tracks
Ultimate Performance Cars: Fast. Faster. Fastest.

Read more »

Toyota Innova - Leading Through Innovation & Versatility

Toyota Innova is a name synonymous with MPV's in India and has come a long way since its launch in 2005. Having sold 178473 units till date, the Toyota Innova has been much appreciated by its Indian customers and owners as it offers the luxury of a sedan with the performance and utility of an MPV.

In January this year, a revamped version of Toyota Innova was launched with advanced and dynamic styling. The new features of the Innova were highly appreciated and such is the demand for the new and advanced Toyota Innova that 3000 orders for the same were pending with TKM as of June 30th 2009. This highlights the immense popularity of Toyota Innova - the vehicle that has reshaped the MPV segment in India.

Ever since its launch, the Toyota Innova has aimed at providing unmatched styling, comfort and utility to its customers. Last year, the Innova continued its market leadership with a 36% market share in the MPV segment. Toyota Innova was designed keeping in mind large Indian families who like traveling together. It has attained No. 1 status in JD Power survey (IQS for MPV segment) every year since 2005. In the CarWale awards 2009, Toyota Innova emerged as a category winner by being chosen as "Favorite Car for Large Families 2009" by Indian car consumers. These results were further certified by AC Nielsen confirming over 1.6 Lakh consumer votes for all award categories

The New Toyota Innova offers aerodynamic styling on the exteriors with a stylish front grill and bumper along with redesigned rear combination lights, alloy wheels and new color wooden panels. The newly introduced rear sensor helps navigate reversing/ parking with ease.

The localization content of Toyota Innova is 49 % part wise whereas value wise it is 60%.

CNG Innova – A success in the fleet segment:
Toyota has always believed in sustaining a greener and more environment-friendly future. In keeping with this ideology of providing its customers economical and environment friendly driving options, it launched the CNG version of Toyota Innova early this year. The CNG Toyota Innova has been very well-accepted in the fleet segment.

TKM has recently bagged an order of 50 CNG Innova to be delivered to Carzonrent. According to Mr. Rajiv K. Vij, CEO, Carzonrent, "Given the low operating costs of the CNG Innova, it provides an economical option for the fleet segment. Also, we live in a world that is increasingly environment-conscious and thus, by adding the CNG Innova to our fleet, we’d like to do our bit to contribute to a cleaner and healthier future."


Source: Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private Limited

Related Books:
Toyota Camry
Toyota Corolla Repair Manual
Toyota: A Saga of Success

Read more »

Picsquare.com: Photo Rakhis & Photo Chocolates add brilliance to Raksha Bandhan

Pictures carry timeless appeal and are memories frozen in time. When photos are combined with gifts, the result is a truly appreciated, treasured, and unforgettable belonging. The favorite online gifts site Picsquare.com understands how deeply human feelings are attached to gifts and has introduced a magnificent range of personalized and pre-designed gifts suitable for every occasion. For the festival of Raksha Bandhan this year, Picsquare.com has introduced a new concept in the form of customized photo rakhi.

"Raksha Bandhan is a unique Indian festival with a singular meaning. Conveying the right message of dutiful and devoted feelings through our personalized and pre-designed gifts is the fundamental principle of Picsquare.com Our latest addition of photo rakhi and photo chocolates will add to the sanctimonious fervor of the occasion." says Kartik Jain, co-founder of Picsquare.com.

The process for creating a customized rakhi is very simple. Shoppers can simply login to their Picsquare account and upload their favorite photograph which they would like to appear on the rakhi. A personalized rakhi will truly grasp the sentiments of the receiver and will make it a cherished and beloved symbol.

Keeping in line with its commitment of introducing new gifts from time to time, Picsquare.com has launched yet another unique gift called photo chocolate. This remarkable gift is actually an edible photo frame made from chocolate with a favorite photograph scanned on it. Edible colors are used for printing confirming to US FDA & EU standards.

Alongside, Picsquare has introduced another unique concept in the form of rakhi greeting cards, photo rakhi mugs, and rakhi photo books for Raksha Bandhan. Shoppers can also avail of a brilliant promotional offer in the form of a gift certificate worth Rs. 150/- which entitles them to a Rs. 150/- discount on purchases of Rs. 750/- or above. Users simply need to enter the promotional code FREE150GC to avail of this offer once per order on multiple orders. This voucher is valid till 9 August 2009. So, shoppers can commence their shopping right away and make the most of this brilliant offer!

A stupendous range of rakhis is also available from Infibeam.com. Shop for a splendid array of rakhis like zardosi rakhi, kids rakhi, bhaiya-bhabhi rakhi, rakhi thali, rakhi gifts, return gifts, and a lot more with free shipping options in India, USA, Canada, UK and other countries.

About Picsquare.com & Infibeam.com:
Picsquare.com is a market leader in online photo printing and customized gifts. Personalized products such as photo greeting cards, collage posters, photo-books, t-shirts from Picsquare are ideal gifts for special events such as birthdays and festivals.

Infibeam.com is an exciting new shopping destination online. With novel search and navigation, detailed product descriptions, crisp images and best customer service, the team at Infibeam.com is dedicated to providing customers with an supreme shopping experience right at your doorstep. Choose the product you want and leave the rest to Infibeam.com.

Read more »

Bajaj to Launch Discover 100cc Bike in July

Bajaj is all set to foray into the 100cc bike segment yet again. Earlier Bajaj had defocused on the 100cc segment but has now decided to make a renewed entry into the segment. This decision has been taken at a time when close rival and leader, Hero Honda is going great guns with its 100cc warhorses Hero Honda Splendor and Hero Honda Passion.

The company will use the Discover brand name for the new bike and it will sport the company's DTS –Si or digital twin spark swirl induction engine technology. Speaking about the launch, S Sridhar, CEO of Bajaj Auto's 2-wheeler business said "yes, we have decided to bring the Discover with a 100cc engine. The bike will give 100cc customers the brand experience of a Discover, but at an affordable cost".

He added "We are launching this 100 cc bike DTS-Si. This 100 cc bike will give a mileage of 80 km per liter and run for 100 km in a day." The company is projecting this bike as a “long distance bike" and is targeting to sell 2 lakh bikes in a month.

Besides the impressive mileage, the wheelbase is longer than competing bikes and has a sturdier suspension. The specific pricing has not been announced yet and it will be pitted against the big selling category like Hero Honda Splendor and Hero Honda Passion, both of which cost around Rs. 40,000. The bike would be targeted at semi- urban areas where fuel efficiency is top priority.

By: Amrith K.A.

Related Books:
Complete Guide to Mountain Biking Skills
Street Bikes
Dirt Bikes

Read more »

Funny Bikes: Crazy Bikes Around the World

Related Books:
Super Bikes
Biking to Work
Sport Bikes

Read more »

Skoda Plans to Debut Skoda Yeti Soon in India

The Czechoslovakian automaker Skoda has already started rolling out the Skoda Yeti from its plant, and it seems that this car will hit the roads soon. According to sources who are close to the project, this magnificent SUV will be displayed at the forthcoming Delhi Auto Expo 2010. As you will already know, the Delhi Auto Expo is a premier platform for car manufacturers and car lovers in the country. Earlier this car was put up at the Geneva Auto show in 2009.

For the Indian market, the company plans to launch the Skoda Yeti SUV close to around 2010, though there is no official confirmation from the company yet. Some of the features that the company plans to include for the Indian debut are a 4x4 variant and a 1.8L TSI petrol engine that will be adapted to Indian conditions. With a robust and elegant look, this vehicle has the power to create a sturdy impression with its 17 inch wheels and a neatly styled body. Though there are growing environmental concerns about SUVs, the Skoda Yeti has made some attempts at reducing the fuel consumption and emission.

For longer journeys, there is ample luggage space of up to 1,760 available in the Skoda Yeti by removing the rear VarioFlex seating system. There is ample safety features included as well. Though there is no official confirmation about the price, it is expected to cost between INR 10 to 12 lakhs.


By: Nihit Aurora

Related Books:
CD-Hyundaii-Mazda 81-98 Cars, Suv
CD-Toyota 83-2000 Cars, Suvs, Trucks
Catalog of Mustang Id Numbers 1964 1/2-93

Read more »

Rakhis & Rakhi Gifts for a Happy Occasion at Infibeam.com

The Indian festival of Raksha Bandhan brilliantly depicts the everlasting bond of sibling love that begins at birth and continues for a lifetime. Also colloquially known as Rakhi, nearly every city, town, and village in India will be celebrating this festival on 5th August 2009.

On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, the prominent retail site Infibeam.com has launched a special catalogue of rakhis, rakhi gifts, rakhi sweets, and rakhi hampers, so that sisters from India as well as around the world get to choose their favorite rakhis and related gifts for this occasion.

Commenting on the occasion Mr. Vishal Mehta, CEO and Founder, Infibeam.com, mentioned "Raksha Bandhan is a wonderful occasion that depicts the inseparable bond between brothers and sisters. At Infibeam.com we understand the sentiments involved, so we have placed a wide catalogue of rakhis, rakhi gifts and rakhi return gifts for the occasion."

Shoppers can pick from exquisite varieties of zardosi rakhi, pearl rakhi, gold rakhi, silver rakhis, bhaiya bhabhi rakhi, kids rakhi, and many other traditional and contemporary varieties.

Customers can also pick up splendid rakhi gift hampers like rakhi with chocolates, rakhi with dry fruits, rakhi mithai hampers, and many more. Also available are a fine range of mithai thalis, dryfuit thalis, pooja thalis and a selection of rakhi sweets for this joyous occasion.

Infibeam.com has also placed a large variety of rakhi return gifts for sisters. Shoppers can choose from a variety of apparel and accessories such as salwar kameez, sarees, beauty products, perfumes, watches, jewellery, gift certificates, and many more. Looking at the wide reach of the Indian Diaspora abroad, shoppers can arrange to send their choice of rakhi gifts and rakhi to USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and other countries.

Alternatively, people living abroad can send rakhi to India by choosing to send rakhis and rakhi related gifts to their dear sisters. Placing orders from the site is very straightforward. Users can simply select the products from the online catalogue to add them to their cart and proceed to the checkout. After paying online via one of the convenient payment methods, Infibeam.com will take care of the logistics from order processing to delivery.

About Infibeam.com:
Infibeam.com is a wonderful and exciting new destination online. The company focuses on selling a variety of products via the Internet, which includes latest mobile phones, books, cameras, watches, health equipments, gifts, apparel, and a lot more at guaranteed lowest prices.

Choose a product of your choice and leave the rest to Infibeam.com! Team at Infibeam.com is dedicated to provide you with the lowest prices, best selection, and a really cool experience you will find no where else online.

Read more »

Tata Nano Could Overtake Maruti 800 & Omni

The days may not be too far away when the Tata Nano will dominate the rural car market by outpacing the Maruti 800 and the Maruti Omni. Actually, both these models are not compliant with the BS IV norms, hence this could drive them off the road. Also, the new BS IV compliant M800 is not expected to hit the markets until 2011, which could work in favour of the Tata Nano.


According to Kapil Arora, partner at Ernst & Young, "This (absence of Maruti 800 and Maruti Omni) would mean no direct competition to Tata Nano. The important question is whether Tata Motors would be able to manufacture enough units of Tata Nano that would meet the demand."

Tata Nano has already climbed the popularity charts and is already a hot favorite with many Indian customers. However, the major issue with Tata Nano currently is that its mother plant is not operational currently. Though the plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2009, it already seems that Tata Nano has lost the crucial lead time that could have been successfully used to obtain an advantage over the Maruti 800 and the Maruti Omni.

Currently, Tata Motors has acquired a loss of around Rs. 2500 crores largely due to the acquisition of luxury brands internationally. Therefore, the company needs to sell around 2.5 lakh units of the Tata Nano in order to cover the losses. It is expected that this figure should be reachable given the growing clout of the Indian consumer in present times.

By: Nihit Aurora

Related Books:
J R D TATA (Set) : Letters
Ratan Tata
Tata s Business and Growth Strategy

Read more »

New Yamaha Fazer 150cc Launched in India

Yamaha India launches its all-new 150cc Fazer sporty bike at a price of Rs 72,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The Yamaha Fazer has been positioned along with the company's existing FZ portfolio bikes Yamaha FZ16 and FZ-S.

Mr. Yukimine Tsuji, CEO & Managing Director, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd. said, "It gives us great pride to say that we have reached yet another milestone in the history of India Yamaha Motor as we inaugurate the new plant and launch Fazer."

Yamaha Fazer Concept:
The Yamaha Fazer, gets its DNA from the global Fazer series known for their sports touring, awesome looks. It has a "Look-at-me" appeal with the triple macho design concept giving it a concentrated form with excellent ergonomics. It has the beautifully contoured color – coordinated aerodynamic cowling to keep the wind blast at bay. With its comfortable riding position and seat the rider can enjoy a week end getaway or head off on a touring holiday.

Just like Yamaha FZ16 and Yamaha FZ-S, Fazer carries the Monocross suspension to ensure agile running performance and handling. The placement of this model's 'MidShip Muffler' toward the center of the machine gives it a good concentration of mass, exhaust efficiency and handling. Yamaha Fazer has the '140/60-17' size rear radial tyre with a 60% aspect ratio contributes to better grip and handling stability.

The New Yamaha Fazer will be available in four color Electric Blue, Midnight Black, Lava Red and Flaming Orange.


Courtesy: India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd.

Related Books:
Yamaha Yzf-R6 Repair Manual
Haynes Yamaha XVS650 & 1100 '97 to '05
Yamaha: Yzf- R1 '98 to '03

Read more »

Porsche to Launch Cayenne Hybrid in India

Porsche is all set to launch the hybrid variants of the popular models Cayenne. The company is supporting eco-friendly models of its cars in addition to other sports car makers like Ferrari and Lamborghini.

Porsche has begun work on its SUV model Porsche Cayenne in a bid to bring its hybrid variant into the market. The new models are likely to come by next year. Following this, the new eco-friendly model of the luxury sedan Porsche Panamera will be brought to India. A revised engine that will deliver 11km/l on the cayenne is being devised. This would be an advancement of 25 percent of the present fuel efficiency of 6 km/l and 8.9 km/l in the city and on the highway respectively.

In India, currently five variants of the Porsche Cayenne are available. It includes GTS and Turbo variants. The completely built units come with a price tag of Rs. 56 lakhs. Since in India there is an option for CNG and LP models, the hybrid market is still in the nascent stage. Hence the marketing strategy to sell the hybrid variants in India needs to be really worked on.


By Amrith K.A.

Related Books:
Porsche
The Affordable Porsche
Porsche 911

Read more »