Hyundai Getz to Bid Us Farewell

It's time now to say good bye to the old pal Hyundai Getz. The stylish hatchback from Hyundai Motors that once rocked the Indian car market with highest sales record in 2004, with more than 3000 cars being sold in one month, is now going to take a backseat. India's second largest car maker has decided to phase out this car model, as it is losing it to the company's other hit brands Hyundai i10 and Hyundai i20.

Getz - going...

Hyundai Getz, launched in 2004, was targeted to lure those who wanted to upgrade their small cars Maruti Alto, Santro, Wagon R to a more powerful hatch; and Getz was the best option at that point of time. But then with the launch and powerful brand promotioning of its siblings i10 and i20, the focus started getting shifted. Potential buyers started finding in i10 and i20 more premium hatchback qualities than those they found earlier in Getz. This eventually got reflected in the sales figure, which thereby led the car manufacturer to take the ultimate decision.

i20 - having a gala time!

Now, Hyundai will utilize the spare production capacity to produce more i20s and i10s that would help in reducing the irksome waiting period of two moths for their buyers. Isn't that great! And yes, the Korean car maker is also planning to pitch new variants of Hyundai i20, its premium hatchback – soon. So, rejoice!

Hyundai on The Move!

Hyundai Motors is in no mood to slowdown as of now. First it launched the new Verna Transform with a bang, and now, it is back in the news with the twin announcements of the Santa Fe launch and the 800cc mini car launch in 2010 end and 2011 consecutively.

The automaker announced that though it operates only two manufacturing plants in India with a total production of 600.000 vehicles per year, it will import all Santa Fe SUVs from South Korea to make them available for Indian customers. Commenting on the new SUV, a top Hyundai official said that the new Santa Fe SUV will be a completely built unit, and after two-three years it will be manufactured completely as a knocked down unit.

Till date all the SUVs made by Tata Motors have been immensely popular in Indian market, so have been the sporty Mahindra cars, but when Hyundai tried to surprise Indian mass with its Tucson SUV, it received a lukewarm response. Now, the carmaker hopes to do a better job with the new Santa Fe SUV, and has accordingly adorned it with a plethora of styling tweaks and powertrain updates, including new front fascia, front and rear bumpers and slightly updated tail-lights.

Coming to the all new mini-car, Hyundai Motors India limited has scheduled its launch in the first half of the next year. The 800 ccm or 0.8L Hyundai car will be slotted below Hyundai Santro, the predecessor of popular Hyundai i10, and is now in the final phase of development.

New 5-Series BMW Sold Out in All Markets

Only a month after it first went on sale in Europe and a week in the U.S., BMW's brand-new 5-Series sedan, codenamed F10, is sold out in all-markets with customers having to wait up three to four months for deliveries, according to company officials.

"The 5-Series is at the core of the BMW brand and we knew it was going to be a very strong vehicle for us," said Ian Robertson, BMW's sales boss, today in an interview at an industry conference in Bilbao, Spain. "In the U.S., where it's doing very well, it could come to between 15 percent and 17 percent of our business as we ramp up," Robertson added.

Analysts like Georg Stuerze from UniCredit in Munich suspect that the new 5-Series, which shares as much as 70 percent of its technology with the company's flagship model, the 7-Series, appeals more to consumers than its predecessor because of its less divisive styling language.

Stuerze also suggests that the new 5er is 'stealing' market share from Audi's A6 because it will be soon replaced by an all-new model.



Nevertheless, Bloomberg reported that all three premium automakers in Germany are recording significant sales growth this year with BMW announcing an 11 percent increase in deliveries in May. Mercedes claimed sales were up 17 percent with the help of the new E-Class (+84%) while Audi saw a 15 percent increase in deliveries.

Nissan Leaf is Based on the Tiida Model

Whilst the car was on display at one of the few public showings, Tarmac managed to get a drive in the prototype. Whilst the test car is based on the Tiida model, the running gear is very similar to that which will be seen in the production Leaf in a few years time.Having announced that they were to be building the Leaf EV at their Washington plant in the UK, Nissan have been taking the car around the UK on a whistle-stop tour of Europe.

First impressions of the concept car are good. It looks, too all intents and purposes, like a regular car. This of course is for good reason, as regular cars are what people actually want. With the best intentions in the world, electric quadricycles like Reva's G-Wiz will never become commonplace as they can't offer the space and pace that people accept from the cars they're used to.

To this end then, the Leaf is off to a good start. It's a five-door hatchback with space for five, a good boot, and an inoffensive shape that manages to retain a bit of character. The front is modern and equipped with large headlights similar to those on the Ford Fiesta, and the rear has a hint of the last-generation Renault Megane about it. Even the interior is much like a normal car, with normal controls and two hooded instrument clusters. Only the large digital display in the centre console really hints at the Leaf's high-tech drivetrain.

From this point, the package starts looking quite different from regular cars. The shape has been specially designed for aerodynamic efficiency - those lights split airflow over the mirrors to reduce drag, and thanks to LED technology consume less power, too. The large Nissan badge on the nose sits on a hinged flap that opens up to reveal two charging points, one for quick chargers that can provied up to 80% charge in half an hour, and the other for a more leisurely charge. Range is around 100 miles which doesn't sound like a lot, but most research seems to suggest that the majority of journeys in the UK are over fewer than eight miles, so even if you didn't put the car on charge every night most people would still have enough for ten journeys.

The test car didn't have regenerative braking but the production Leaf will do. As such, the brakes felt quite sharp, having probably been beefed up in the test car to make up for the lack of engine braking. Normally, simply backing off the power would see significant braking from the motor - to the point where using the car's brakes would be an uncommon occurence in town.



Of course, this is very much price-dependant. The number being thrown about at the moment is around £27,000 which is a lot for a small family car, but as with any technology the early adopters will bear the brunt of higher prices and this will bring down the unit cost for the manufacturers.


The Nissan Leaf is a good car even at this early stage, and a serious indication by Nissan that electric cars can walk the walk as well as talking the talk.

How to Protect Cars Paintwork

Car finishes are very delicate and require special care. Avoid washing your car at automated car washes as this is a sure way of damaging your cars paint work. The best method to clean a car is still doing it by hand. You will need two buckets filled with clean hot or cold water and a wash mitt.

Only use the best car wash products on the market. Do not use any household cleaners as it will damage your cars paint. Park your car in the shade, use a hosepipe to remove and soften the dirt on your cars paintwork. Open the tap just a little as you want a slow flow of water, don't use a strong jet of water because the high pressure will blast dirt particles into the clear cote that protects the base coat. Start with the roof and work your way down.

When you have hosed the car down, open the tap for a stronger jet of water and remove the dirt under the wheel arches, reduce the flow and hose the tires and rims. Follow the directions of the car wash liquid and mix the required quantity into one of the buckets with water. Place both buckets next to the car; dunk the wash mitt into the bucket with the car wash liquid and start washing the roof working your way down. Rinse the mitt frequently in the bucket with clean water. When you have finished washing the car, take the hosepipe and rinse the car to remove the soap suds from the cars paint. Most people don't dry the car, but for the best results dry the car preferably with a microfiber towel or a chamois leather. Use a separate towel or chamois leather for the mags. For the best protection of your cars paintwork polish your car at least once every three months. Always follow the instructions on the polish container. If your car has mags use a good brand of mag cleaner and polish to put the shine back on them. Clean the windows with window cleaner and use tire polish to polish your cars tires. Never use dirty water, cloths or abrasive polishes. When you are finished you can step back and admire your bright and shiny car, knowing that the paintwork on your car will stay in a superb condition for years to come.

Is Your Car Ready for The Monsoon Showers?

It's true that the summer sun is taking a bit too long to retreat, but monsoon isn't far behind. Very soon it will start raining cats and dogs and you will be in big soup with your car totally unprepared for the heavy showers. So, gear up for the monsoon and start taking care of the following things in your car before it is too late -

Tires: First and foremost, ensure that your tires are in good shape to handle the monsoons. Bad car tires are the biggest cause of accidents during monsoons as they tend to skid upon interaction with wet surfaces. And if you are driving on a water logged street, then you never know when your car tires are going to give up. So, check the pressure inside the tires much ahead of time, and give them a good tread depth so as to avoid any slips or unwanted jolts.

Windshield Wipers: Check your car wiper blades the moment it starts to drizzle. Wipers are important for providing vision while driving in rain. So, make sure they are in good condition and functioning properly in all the three speeds. Replace them as soon as possible, if you find the blades cracked as they could cause scratches on the windshield.

Brakes: Cars breaking down in the midst of roads is a common phenomenon during monsoon. So, do take your car for regular servicing during monsoons so as to ensure that the brakes are properly fitted.

Rust: Use anti-rust coating on your car fittings and car accessories if you want to avoid rust. Another way to prevent accumulation of rust is to use anti-moisture sprays.

Engine: Take care of your vehicle's engine and get them regularly serviced and fitted, so that water doesn't seep into it.

Electricals: Check the electrical connections, and get all the loose ends fitted properly prior to the arrival of monsoons to avoid any kind of disaster.

Car Interiors: Try to keep your car interiors in a dry condition. Use seat covers, and avoid unnecessary spills while on the move. The moisture in the air during monsoon is enough too spoil your lavish car interiors.

Car Perfume: Placing a good quality car perfume or car air freshener could neutralize the stinking odor caused due to monsoons. The options are endless; just go for the one that suits your mood and style.

Tata Motors Embarks on A Green Drive

“Environment-friendliness is a growing basic requirement for premium vehicles,” said Tata Motors in a recent presentation to analysts. Premium competitors in the auto industry are realizing this fact and taking responsible initiative towards eco sub-branding. Steady development of economic solutions is also an indicative of this trend. Traditional SUVs are being moved towards crossover, multipurpose and smaller SUVs, and there are similar movements towards small premium cars as well.

Keeping in tandem with the above changing trend, Tata Motors has charted a strategy for a 25 per cent carbon dioxide reduction in its Jaguar and Land Rover models. The company has taken into account volatile fuel pricing, continuing legislation on emission and taxing, while banking on two ongoing research projects — Limo Green and Range-e.

Jaguar has already displayed the Limo Green concept, a hybrid XJ equipped with a 145 kW, 295 full-load motor torque electric motor. This gasoline-electric hybrid claims a fuel economy of 57 miles per gallon (10 km/litre) and less than 120 g/km carbon dioxide emission at its top speed of 112 miles per hour.
Range-e uses a plug-in parallel diesel hybrid system to offer a premium SUV that can run as a pure electric vehicle minimizing emissions.

Mahindra & Proton Contemplates A JV

Indian utility and commercial vehicle major Mahindra n Mahindra and Malaysian car maker Proton are in talks to launch the latter's Lotus range of high-end sports cars in India as also to manufacture a small car for the masses.

Currently Lotus has got T127, Elise, Exige Europa and Evora sports cars. The makers of the sturdy Mahindra cars might get the rights to make certain models under a license or result in a JV to bring the Lotus brands for Indians.

Parallely, Mahindra is also in talks with Proton to bring the small cars of the Malaysian company to India that can be re-engineered for the Indian market. The Proton Savvy, a super mini car with a 1200cc Renault engine claims to give 24km per litre of fuel under test conditions and 16-18 km in normal situations.

Gift Your Dad A Car on Father's Day

Remember those days, when your father would easily give in to all your small requests and kiddish nagging and set out on a long drive making you sit beside him in your beloved family car? Remember how he taught you the basics of driving for the very first time? He has been your best buddy till date – isn't it? Now is the time to thank him for all that he has done for you. June 20 is Father's Day. Gift him something he is totally in love with. Gift your father a car. Here are top 3 upcoming car models that will work great as Father's Day Gift ideas:

Nissan Micra: Nissan cars have always mesmerized car lovers with their stylized looks and versatility. Now, when the brand is about to launch its latest offering Nissan Micra, do not wait further to get one for your father. The booking for the car starts this July. So, give him a greeting card saying, there's even a bigger gift waiting for him and is right now on its way. Then go ahead, and get it on time.

Jaguar XJ: Money shouldn't come in the way when you are considering a gift for your father on his special Day. He has always ensured, you get the best thing in life; so now, give him the car that is next to nothing – Jaguar XJ. Pure luxury redefined, this iconic car is now being made available in India by the master car maker Jaguar Land Rover. Powered by a 5.0-litre 383bhp AJ-V8 Gen III naturally aspirated direct-injection V8 petrol engine, Jaguar XJ will surely make your dad feel special on Father's Day.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X: To be launched in the month of July this year under the moniker Evo 10, this model of Mitsubishi car is surely going to be a big hit amongst die-hard car lovers. So, if you see your father in this category, do not wait longer. Prepare yourself to get him one for the Father's Day this year. Such is the car's charisma that even a few days' delay won't make much difference to him.

And The Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally Winner is ... Mahindra Rodeo!

They came, they saw, they won. Mahindra Two Wheelers, a part of the US $7.1 billion Mahindra Group, and a first time participant in the Gulf Monsoon Scooter Rally, recently grabbed the winner's cup in Mumbai. National champion, Shamim Khan, represented the company at the event. And which two wheeler did he get to ride? - Mahindra Rodeo of course. The versatile scooter known for its durability and power took everyone by surprise with its sheer grit on tough, dirty tracks.

Commenting on the occasion Mr. Anoop Mathur, Sector President and Member of the Group Executive Board, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, "With this victory, the Rodeo has proved itself on the tough track, a clear validation of the fact that it is one of the most powerful scooters in its class.”

The perfect choice for the young urban male, the Mahindra Rodeo is a high performance, feature-packed scooter with a distinctly macho demeanour. Rodeo, the PowerScooter from Mahindra, has everything to sensitize your riding experience. The dazzling looks of Rodeo takes shape from its streamlined bodywork, horn rimmed headlamp and sporty body graphics. The Mahindra Rodeo surely, is designed for you, your world, your belongings and everything in between.

Maruti Suzuki Goes Green & A New Swift on The Way!

Maruti Suzuki is on a roll these days. First it launches the new Wagon R with a bang, then it announces the coming up of the brand new Maruti Alto with a 1000cc K Series engines, and now it is back in news again – this time with the plans to launch a new Swift! And yes, the iconic car maker has more to tell – it has joined the green brigade, and is soon going to equip all its top-selling brands like Alto, WagonR and SX4 with a CNG engine.

The coming up of the brand new Maruti Suzuki Swift in the international market, though not confirmed officially, definitely confirms the car's journey to India sooner or later. The new Suzuki Swift will sport a 1.2-litre diesel engine with an added dual variable valve timing, which will produce more power and torque than the current Maruti Swift. As per speculation, power and maximum torque of the new Swift car will be in the range of 94 PS @ 6000 rpm and 118 Nm @ 4800 rpm respectively. This will make it the most powerful 1.2 litre diesel engine car in India, even surpassing the presently ruling Jazz’s 90hp engine.

What more can you expect from the new Swift? - Well, it will be more spacious, more fuel-efficient, and far easier to drive on any terrain. With so many added values coming in one package would you mind coughing out a few thousand bucks extra before signing on the dotted line? Of course not.

And now coming on to the car maker's CNG venture, Maruti Suzuki India has already planned to launch a new series of CNG-fired versions of its cars to retain its 50% share in the Indian automobile market.
These cars, which will come with a new factory-fitted technology unlike its retrofitted predecessors will be priced at a premium of around 15-20%. Justified, isn't it?

Yamaha to Explore Rural Indian Two Wheeler Market

In a bid to double its sales volume in India, Yamaha Motor is seriously considering a foray into the rural segment of the Indian two-wheeler market.

The Japanese two wheeler major has fortified a tremendous presence in the cities and urban areas aided by the brand image over the years, but now it wants to continue the stint as the premium bike maker in rural sectors as well. With a series of new launches like Yamaha Fazer, Yamaha YBR 110, and Yamaha YZF-R1 2010, Yamaha intends to woo rural young Indians who are also rearing to explore newer vistas in life.

Again, bikes are not all that Yamaha India have in store for their rural clientele. They have scooterettes and mopeds as well, and are readying to launch the power scooter Yamaha BW's 125 Fi in no time.

In line with this plan, Yamha has set a target of 1000 outlets in sub-urban and hamlets in India along with sub-dealers in another five years. Presently there are 430 standard dealers, which will be increased to 450 in another five years.

It should be mentioned in this regard that in fiscal 2009, Yamaha sold 2.2 lakh units, and is now expecting to grow by 30% this year. This is amidst the overall growth of 25% in the Indian motorbike market with the sale of 7341139 units.

Drive home Yamaha BW's 125Fi scooter- Will soon be launched in India

Yamaha Pvt Ltd. is soon going to hit the Indian automobile industry with the new BW's 125Fi. The Z series and YZF-R15 products of Yamaha were well accepted by the customers and now it is BW's 125Fi in the row. BW's 125Fi was internationally first introduced in 2008, recently its latest version has been launched and the same model will be launched in India.

The new Yamaha scooter will target youngsters and others who like driving a scooter. Yamaha indeed will face a tough competition, as Honda continues to dominate the scooter market in automobile industry. Yamaha is best associated with bikes and now it aims to create a similar niche for scooter market by launching BW's 125Fi at affordable price.

Stylish BW's 125Fi is powered by fuel injected,4 stroke single cylinder, air-cooled, 125cc engine. Impressive design and quality of this scooter makes it perfect for drive on undeveloped roads as well.

So, to fun while driving think about Yamaha BW's 125Fi scooter, be the first one to drive home this scooter!

Wait till July....Nissan Micra is ready to hit the Indian roads!

For those who are willing to buy a new car within a range of 4-5 lakh can wait till mid of July, as Nissan Micra is soon going to hit the Indian roads by July mid. This small car is available for display at the Indian showrooms and will be seen on road by mid of the next month. For those who want to book this car in advance can make a down payment of Rs 50,000 and get the car booked.



Nissan is available in four models namely XE, XE plus, XL and XV, where each model has addition of some new features. Luxurious Nissan is available in six colors Brick Red, Onyx Black, Storm White, Blade Silver, Sunlight Orange and Pacific Blue.

With the entry of Nissan, Indian car market is bound to see a tough competition, as other small cars are equally accepted in the Indian car industry. So, Let's see, what Nissan has stored in for its customers!

Cars with Automatic Transmission- Latest Trend In Indian Auto Market

There is no doubt in saying that Indian car industry always has something new to serve its people. Indian car industry comes up with efficient technologies and attractive designs that enhances one's driving experience, as well. Now lets talk about cars with automatic transmission, they are very common in foreign countries but in India, they are still gaining popularity. Most of the car manufacturers are gradually coming up with the new variants which are equipped with automatic gear box. Another important aspect that need to be considered, cars with automatic transmission is getting good consumer response and in turn experiencing good sales.

It has also been experienced that automatic cars are very popular among women drivers, as automatic transmission unit does not require a driver’s intervention while driving. The driver is only required to use the acceleration and brake pedals as and when required. So, he/she can comfortably enjoy the drive without having to change gears. And that is why women drivers feel easy to drive, which in turn leads to high sales growth of automatic cars.

Some of the models which are enabled with automatic transmission are Chevrolet Captiva (AT version), Honda City, Hyundai's i20, Mitsubishi Outlander, Fiat's Linea, etc. Unlike before, the car manufacturers are now coming up with five to six speed automatic transmission systems which result in better and improved pick up, fuel-efficiency and performance of the car.