BMW unveils the 6 Series Convertible in India

 

BMW India has been rather aggressive with their approach to the Indian market. The company has managed to take the lead in the luxury car segment and their offerings have all been runaway successes. Now, the company has ushered in the stellar 6 Series Convertible that boasts of having an unmatched open top driving experience. The all new 6 Series Convertible is a car that is bound to stand out amongst the crowd. From its shark nose front to the flowing lines and its low and powerful stance, the car depicts a singular purpose of offering a thrilling ride.

Being a top end model in BMW India's line up, the car comes fully loaded with all the accessories one can think of and the car itself is crafted from some of the finest material both inside and out. The engine is a piece of work for the 4.4 litre V8 petrol unit with TwinTurbo technology is capable of generating 407 horse power between 5500 to 6400 rpm and unleashing a maximum torque of 600Nm between 1750 to 4500 rpm. Mated to an eight speed sports automatic gearbox with rapid gear changing capability, the 6 Series is capable of hurling itself from standstill to 100km/h in just 5 seconds. The top speed has been limited to 250 km/h, which is by far more than enough for open road motoring.

Every bit a driver's car, the BMW 6 Series Convertible will be brought into India as a CBU and therefore it doesn't come cheap and is currently priced at Rs. 95, 00,000/- (ex-showroom, All India).

Titusville draws more people to downtown

 

For singer/keyboard player Stevie Legend, Titusville offers just what he is looking for after his years of living in Denver and making a career out of his music. "I love it here. It's got such a small-town vibe," said Legend, a Titusville resident, who also is the author of "The Eternal Moment," about his life in the music industry.

Legend performed at this week's Wine Wednesday event at the Downtown Titusville Center on Main Street, one of a growing number of events helping lure people to downtown. Just this week, for example, in addition to Wine Wednesday, a weekly farmers' market reopened Wednesday afternoon at downtown's Sand Point Park; the weekly Thursday Night Live music series featured guitarist Arturo Echarte performing Latin-inspired acoustics at Nevin's Courtyard, and a Hot Dog in the City event at the Downtown Titusville Center featured all styles of franks, including free hot dogs for children 13 and younger.

Helping put it all together is Titusville downtown coordinator Gina Stanford. "People are hungry for something to do," Stanford said, so she is trying to accommodate them. In coming weeks, for example, there will be the Indian River Festival from April 7 to 10; the next of the monthly Children's Exploration events that are both entertaining and education on April 8; the Antiques Affair antiques-themed event on April 16; the TitusNites Jazz and Wine Festival on April 22; the Holistic Healing Fair on April 30; a Cruise-In car show on May 7; and inaugural Titusville Sea Turtle Festival from June 23 to June 25. History-themed ghost tours of downtown will begin later this year.

Titusville Mayor Jim Tulley often marvels at how much is in Stanford's report of downtown activities when she presents it at the monthly Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency meetings. Local entrepreneur Natasha Blount said she also is impressed by all that's going on downtown. "Now, there are things you can actually do," said Blount, who owns Sole Endeavors, a women's custom handbag, shoe and accessories business. Legend, who also is one of the musicians featured in the Thursday Night Live music series, said he's glad to see all that's happening in downtown Titusville. "It's good for the town," Legend said.

Scottsdale‘s study

 

Scottsdale has initiated a study aimed at ensuring auto dealerships are located in areas that will maximize their sales, and, in turn, sales-tax revenue for the city. The study also is looking at the feasibility of a luxury auto dealer locating a boutique in the downtown area, such as a storefront showroom on the ground floor of a future development. This is the first time the city has conducted such a study, said Jim Mullin, the city's economic vitality director.

The city's Economic Vitality Department will oversee the study, which will examine auto sales by ZIP code and brand and project growth over the next 10 years, Mullin said. The findings will be shared with dealers to help maximize their sales, he said. Mullin said the goal is to have the study completed during the second quarter of this year.

"This study will allow us to understand the potential of each manufacturer that's represented in the city, but most importantly to recruit manufacturers to the city," he said. For the first seven months of fiscal 2010-11, the city collected $8 million in automotive sales-tax revenue, up from $7.8 million for the same period in 2009-10, but down from $9.87 million for the same period in 2008-09.

Automotive sales-tax revenue also is derived from motorcycle and boat sales, parts, accessories and auto repairs. The city has two primary automotive areas, the southern Scottsdale trade area and the northern Scottsdale trade area, Mullin said. "We are trying to assess demand for both of those," he said. "We're going to be able to help our dealers in Scottsdale learn where they should be located in the city versus where they are located now. So there may be a dealer that's located on an arterial that the consumer doesn't normally think of (for auto shopping), and if by locating to a Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard or another street, we will be able to show the increase in sales and then the dealer can decide if they want to relocate."

Land and construction costs are down, so that could make it easier for dealers to relocate to another part of the city, Mullin said. Also, if a luxury dealer wants to locate in Scottsdale, the study can be used to validate what will be the best location, he said. Because of tax-revenue decreases, the city's proposed budget for next fiscal year reduces spending by $16 million from the current year.

"It's been a very tough economy and we're just looking everywhere for our tax sources, and typically car dealers make up anywhere from 20 percent to 30 percent of sales taxes in any city," Mullin said. The most dominant presence for auto dealers in Scottsdale is along Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, west of the Loop 101, and then along Hayden Road in the Scottsdale Airpark, said Knox Ramsey, president of the Valley Auto Dealers Association, which represents Maricopa County's 140 auto dealers.

"When you look at the automotive business, you want to put dealers in the path of consumers, and when the (Pima Freeway) opened, traffic patterns changed," he said. "To a degree that's what happened on McDowell Road. But nonetheless, there's still very viable businesses with great customer bases on McDowell." City officials have been exploring options that would assist McDowell Road auto dealers wanting to relocate to land on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, which is closer to the freeway, in a partnership that still would allow the city to benefit from sales-tax revenue.

The second part of the city's study involves examining the possibility of luxury auto dealers locating in the downtown area as part of future development, he said. "When you start combining downtown and the gravitational pull that Scottsdale Fashion Square has, it makes a lot of sense to locate some of the brands in downtown because of all of the activity," Mullin said. In the future, downtown could feature an auto boutique, or a showroom on the first floor of a multi-level building, Mullin said. "The overarching goal is to have the most productive car dealers in the Valley in Scottsdale," he said.

2011 Tata Nano Diesel!

 

Here’s an ICB exclusive straight from a very reliable source regarding the 2011 Tata Nano Diesel. Work on the 2011 Tata Nano Diesel is going on at a frenetic pace at Tata Motors as the Nano Diesel is the next big thing for Tata. We have many interesting things about the Nano Diesel, first of which is the launch. The Nano Diesel’s CRDI engined version should be all set to hit Indian roads by the end of 2011.

Simultaneously a lower priced Nano Diesel with a Direct Injected version of the the Tata Ace’s engine is being tested and that could follow the Nano Diesel CRDI as a cheaper alternative. However, the Nano Diesel DI’s launch is something that Tata Motors is still evaluating. Coming to the Nano Diesel CRDI, the 800cc common rail diesel engine has been developed by German diesel engine specialists FEV along with Bosch proving the injection system.

According to our source, the engine is extremely torquey and Noise Vibration and Harshness levels are pretty similar to that of the Indica Vista Diesel. Now, that is a huge positive as we were concerned about the 3 pot CRDI Diesel NVH levels considering that the petrol Nano’s engine is more on the audible side. The biggest selling point of this engine is said to be it’s fuel efficiency with Tata’s in-house testing managing 40 KMPL pretty consistently.

The boffins at Tata are gunning for an even better economy figure to ensure that the Nano Diesel CRDI really turns on the heat when it is launched later this year. Now, beat that! Coming to the fuel efficiency of the DI engined Nano Diesel, it is expected to be much lesser than the CRDI engine’s figures and will be in the range of 30 KMPL. Also, a major change in the Nano Diesel’s engine design is the location of the radiator which might be in all probability shifted to the front of the engine.

This, as Tata seems to be grappling with the temperature levels of the petrol Nano engine, especially with the CVT variant, with the radiator being located at the back of the car, struggling to cool the engine quickly over large distances. The front radiator design might be adopted in the CVT Nano, which is another product that is being developed quickly.  While that is a lot of messy plumbing, it is imperative for the Nano’s engine to remain cool and reliable. The Nano CVT could see a 2012 launch and going by our source, the Nano CVT might just be the best solution for driving in Indian traffic.

Also, there have been reports about the Nano’s boot being redesigned to allow more access by means of a hatch type rear windshield design. No such plans for the Nano exist in the near future and the Nano’s design is set to be pretty consistent for some more time. While Tata continues to explore on the interior front seat redesign, no decision to incorporate it in the Nano has been arrived at yet.

Finally, coming to the Nano fires incident, Tata has been testing the Nano Petrol all along, even after it’s official investigation declaring the Nano’s design to be safe. Here’s some good news for existing Nano owners. The Nano’s design is safe and in most fire cases reported, the improper fitment of accessories have been the cause of short circuit fires in the Nano. So, if you’re are in a spot over the Nano’s safety, don’t worry. Just go ahead and buy it. Your Nano is safe.

So, that brings us to the end of this week’s big ICB exclusive on the Nano Diesel. Stay glued as we bring you more juicy stuff soon. And thanks for reading!

Mercedes-Benz India initiates its new state-of-the art facility

 

Reiterating its position as the luxury car manufacturer with the widest & largest network presence in the country, Mercedes-Benz India today formally inaugurated its state-of-the art facility in Andhra Pradesh, - Mahavir Motors -in Hyderabad located at Kavuri Hills. This new facility was inaugurated by Peter Honegg, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India and Yashwant Jhabakh, Managing Director, Mahavir Motors.

Peter Honegg, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented: “Mercedes-Benz invented the automobile 125 Years ago and till date our guiding philosophy has been to offer our customer ‘the Best or Nothing’. Mahavir Motors have been our able partners and have successfully represented the Mercedes-Benz brand in this market, offering best in class services & establishing a world class car ownership experience for our customers in Andhra Pradesh for over a decade now. With the inauguration of the new facility, we have now moved closer to our esteemed customers to give them a premium vehicle ownership experience. The sprawling facility, the magnificent ambience and the outstanding service will ensure that we extend the Mercedes-Benz experience to the automobile aficionados of this region. I am sure this state-of-the-art facility will go a long way in further enhancing customer delight and provide them the unique attributes that brand Mercedes-Benz brand stand for globally.”

Created over a span of ten months, this sprawling new showroom is spread over an area of 17,500+ sq. ft including the well structured showroom and the workshop. Located in the hub of the city at Kavuri Hills, the facility has been established with an investment of Rs. 100 million (10 Crores). The new facility has been conceived to offer an exciting ‘Mercedes-Benz experience’ for customers: drive-in valet service, luxurious customer lounge, Café Mercedes along with a wide range of vehicles on display. The accessories and wheel configurator, engaging audio-visual presentation, boutique collection and special play area for children are the latest highlights of the new facility. The facility also has over 30 committed and qualified personnel to cater to sales, after-sales and service and give the customers an enriched ownership experience. Equipped with high quality Mercedes-Benz equipments and trained manpower, the workshop has been built at par with the brand’s global benchmark. In addition the new facility will offer the ‘Proven Exclusivity’ program with its range of pre-owned Mercedes-Benz cars.

Yashwant Jhabakh, Managing Director, Mahavir Motors: “Till date, Mahavir Motors has sold an estimated 2200 units of Mercedes-Benz cars in Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh of which 275 units were sold last year alone. Each month, we service more than 150 cars. With our deep experience of the market, robust infrastructure and trained manpower, we are confident of providing our customers with an unmatched ownership experience. With the new showroom, we shall position ourselves even more attractively in the market.”

With establishment of the facility at Hyderabad, Mercedes-Benz now enjoys a network spread across 28 cities with over 57 touch-points in India and retains the distinction of being the leading luxury car manufacturer with the widest and most intensive network of sales and after-sales services in India.

Read more: Mercedes-Benz India inaugurates its new state-of-the art facility in Hyderabad | WheelsUnplugged
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Japan Tsunami affects Indian auto industry growth

The 8.9 magnitude earthquake and the resulting Tsunami that destroyed the entire East Coast of Japan yesterday, is going to affect the Indian auto industry too. India is probably a battle turf for Japanese auto makers.

Suzuki, Nissan, Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi all have huge set-ups in India. These manufacturers import parts and accessories from Japan. But, due to yesterday’s disaster, thesirsuppliers in Japan have stopped operating and shut their manufacturing units.

India’s largest car maker, Maruti Suzuki India, which sells every second car in the country, too relies heavily on these suppliers in Japan. Mr Shashank Srivastava, Marketing Manager, MSI, stated, “We are assessing the impact on vendors that supply to our parent company Suzuki Motor Corp.”

Suzuki Motors has a 55% stake in MSI. Even Honda Motors relies heavily on Japan for the parts of their luxury sedan Accord. Honda is set to suffer in near future due to the shutdown of their plant in Saitama.

Auto sales hit a speed bump

There’s no doubt that January and February saw rising passenger vehicle sales compared with both the preceding month and a year before. In fact, after it bucked the global recessionary trend with about 26% volume growth in fiscal 2010, this segment is expected to close fiscal 2011 (FY11) with a 30-33% growth.

But, blame it on capacity constraints, vendor paucity or the higher base effect, indications are that the growth rate for the segment would taper off in the coming months. Car dealers of some leading brands are offering either cash discounts or freebies in the form of insurance or accessories. A recent report by HDFCSecurities Ltd said: “Though industry has posted strong wholesale numbers (20-30% year-on-year) in (the) last two months, retail sales have declined by 3-7% in certain regions. This has, in effect, increased the average inventory levels in network from 10-15 days couple of months back to 25-40 days at present.”

To reduce retail stock, car makers are trying to push sales in March. Some dealers said customers are deferring decisions to buy cars, mainly due to higher interest rates, which have increased by two percentage points in the past nine months. Further, there is heightened competition in the small and mid-size segments with the entry of new global firms. The only buoyant segment is utility vehicles, which is a new segment in the Indian market. Car makers are, therefore, offering discounts to grab or retain market share.

Naturally, this isn’t good for profits. The industry is already faced with near-term challenges such as rising commodity costs, staff costs, tighter liquidity and competition, which are squeezing profit margins. For example, for the December quarter, Maruti SuzukiIndia Ltd’s operating profit margin (OPM) dipped by about 5.7 percentage points compared with a year ago. Likewise, TataMotors Ltd’s improved performance was driven mainly by its overseas subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover. Its stand-alone OPM was down by 2.35 percentage points from a year before.

Analysts have forecast a growth rate of about 12-15% during fiscal 2012, less than half of that clocked in fiscal 2011. A report by Icra Ltd points to a solid, but less euphoric future. “The Indian passenger vehicle industry will reach about 4.85 million in annual sales by FY16, representing a growth of 10.8% CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) over the next five years,” it said.