Yamaha India to Launch FZ1

Yamaha is going to launch its sporty performance bike Yamaha FZ1 in India through CKD (completely knocked down) unit route. The super bike will be launched in December and will be priced between Rs 8-9 lakh. Yamaha FZ1, with its 1000cc and four cylinders , would compete with the recentlylaunched Honda CB1000R. It is pitted in the same category as the Suzuki Bandit and Kawasaki Z1000S in the international market. Yamaha, which sells super bikes in the range of Rs 14-24 lakh, plans to sell over 80-100 super bikes in India in 2010. The company hopes bike enthusiasts will overlook the cost factor and lap up its products just for the iconic value they have gained on other markets       

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Government Declares incentives on electric vehicles

The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India has announced the much awaited incentive scheme for Electric Vehicles in India by which the manufacturers of Electric Vehicles will receive financial incentive for each Electric Vehicle sold in India.

The scheme envisages incentives of up to 20% on the ex-factory prices of the vehicles, subject to a maximum limit. The cap on the incentive will be Rs.4,000 for low speed electric two wheelers, Rs.5,000 for high speed electric two wheelers and Rs. 1 lac for an electric car. In total, Govt. will provide financial incentives of about Rs. 95 Crores. Owing this these rebates, the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) expects a growth of about 100% in electric-vehicle sales.

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Chevrolet Aveo UVA 2011

Chevrolet will launch the new Chevrolet Aveo UVA next year. The pictures of the Aveo RS Concept new model show that there is a drastic change in the exterior.The existing curvy model will be replaced by a sharply designed look which looks more like Chevrolet Beat, the latest small car by Chevrolet. The dimensions of the New 2011 Aveo UVA will be larger compared with the beat. The instrument cluster will also be somewhat similar to the Chevy Beat which is radical bike like digital instrument cluster with a tachometer and a digital speedometer. The front grille has gone larger and the headlamps have become sharper resembling the big Chevrolet Cruze Sedan eyes. The tail lamp cluster is also very stylish with a high mounted brake lamp mounted on the rear spoiler which gives it a very sporty rear looks.

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The much awaited Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X launched in India

Mitsubishi has finally brought its supercar chaser, the Lancer Evo X to India. The sports sedan with rally pedigree has been launched at the ongoing Autocar Performance Show in Mumbai.
The Evo X is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine which belts out an astounding 291bhp and helps the car propel itself from 0-100kph in just 6.6 seconds. The Evo X features six-speed manual transmission, all-wheel drive, ventilated Brembo disk brakes (front & rear), ABS with EBD and seven air bags.

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Mercedes launches M-Class Grand Edition

MUMBAI: Luxury car-maker, Mercedes Benz, today launched its new M-Class grand edition in two variants--Grand Sports and Grand Executive--priced at Rs 54.11-lakh and Rs 47.91-lakh (ex-showroom Pune) respectively. 

While not much has changed the new variants come with some exterior tweaks like darkened headlamps and tail lights, LED daytime running lights, new 19-inch alloy wheels and AMG radiator grille and under guards at the front and rear. The M-Class Grand edition models also come with an AMG steering wheel, new two-tone interior colour scheme, and a Grand edition badge on the centre console.

The New M-Class was introduced in the country last year. 

"The M-Class has been a popular model series in India. The Sports Edition and the Executive Edition are very aggressively priced considering the loadings and features of this marquee," Mercedes-Benz India's managing director and CEO, Wilfried Aulbur, said in statement here. 

"We are confident that customers who expect highest standards from their vehicles will find the M-Class a vehicle that exceeds their expectations-both on and off the road," Aulbur said.

Mercedes Benz has its plant at Chakan near Pune in Maharashtra, where it produces models including C Class, E Class and the S Class        

SOURCE- ET

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Skoda Yeti launched in India

Czech carmaker Skoda has launched the much awaited Yeti compact SUV in the Indian market today.  The Yeti has been priced from Rs. 14.98 Lakh (Ambiente trim) to Rs. 16.18 Lakh (Elegance trim) (both ex-showroom Mumbai).
The 4.2 metre long Yeti is based on the Laura’s platform and features the same 140bhp diesel engine found in the latter. At the moment the Yeti comes with a 2 litre TDI CR (Common Rail) mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The Yeti boasts of all-wheel drive which normally transmits 95% power to the front wheels but can send up to 90% power to the rear wheels if conditions so demand.

While the Yeti’s proportions might not make a large visual impact, it’s nimbleness and compact dimensions are a boon for driving in the city. 

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2010 SEMA LASVEGAS MOTOR SHOW

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Mercedes-Benz for Rs 15lakh??

Mercedes is looking at getting cars based on its new front-wheel-drive platform to the Indian market. Unlike the current crop, that includes the A- and B-class hatchbacks that use an expensive sandwich floor construction, the new platform will be cheaper and will have a huge range of cars.
The mother plant for these cars is likely to come up in Hungary where Mercedes, like Suzuki, will make use of cheaper labour rates to make its cars more cost effective. But Mercedes engineers and designers we spoke to at the Paris Motor Show insist this will not be at the cost of Mercedes-Benz build quality, something they have fought so hard to get back recently.

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Bookings Open for Nissan Micra Diesel

Nissan has launched a media campaign for its upcoming Micra diesel which will launch before Christmas this year.
Nissan dealers across the country have already begun taking bookings for the Micra diesel even though final prices haven’t been revealed. The diesel Micra is expected to be powered by a 1.5-litre diesel engine and is being claimed by Nissan to deliver an overall mileage of over 23kmpl. The car’s light weight coupled with this high torque diesel engine will give the Micra a spirited drive while being light on the wallet.
While the Micra hasn’t yet set the sales charts on fire, the diesel engine variant could change that and lead to a sales spurt for the Japanese carmaker. Nissan would do well to price the Micra diesel competitively alongside the Figo diesel which would be one of its main competitors.

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BMW to launch new hybrid supercar

It’s official! BMW will build a plug-in hybrid supercar inspired by the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept (pictured here).
The mid-engined supercar will be built at the company’s plant at Leipzig in Germany within two years time. The Vision supercar will use advanced materials like carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) chassis and body panels to keep its weight close to the concept’s 1,450kg, amazingly low for a car in this segment.
BMW is expanding the plant and creating a new production line which will be able to churn out carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) chassis and body panels, which the new car and the upcoming Megacity electric compact car will be made from. While the concept uses a three-cylinder 1.5-litre diesel engine paired to a pair of electric motors to produce 323bhp, the production version could use a petrol engine mated to one electric motor for cost rationalisation and simplicity.
It is reported that BMW’s Vision supercar will cost upwards of Rs. 1 crore (without import duties) and will compete primarily with Audi’s e-tron and Mercedes-Benz’s SLS E-Drive.

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Harley-Davidson to assemble bikes in India

Iconic bikemaker Harley-Davidson will begin local assembly of bikes at its upcoming plant in Haryana in the first half of 2011.
Currently all Harleys are imported as completely built units thereby attracting the highest rate of import duties and tariffs. Local assembly will enable Harley to price its bikes cheaper by 20-25% and reach out to more premium bike buyers and enthusiasts. The new plant in Bawal, Haryana will be able to only assemble 200 bikes per year and the capacity will be increased as demand goes up.
At present the entry level Harley Davidson bikes is priced at Rs. 6.95 lakh but this figure is likely to go down by a couple of lakh as local assembly begins next year. The first bike series to be assembled in India will be the 883cc Sportster.

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MINI coming to India in 2011

BMW’s niche brand MINI will be available in India by the middle of 2011. The iconic British brand which is owned by the German carmaker will make its entry into the Indian market after the launch of BMW’s X1 SUV early next year.
MINI will launch the Cooper hatchback followed by the Countryman crossover. The MINI Cooper will be powered by a 1.6-litre 181bhp petrol engine and will be priced around Rs. 20 lakh owing to the high duties that imported cars attract. The larger MINI Countryman will be priced a tad higher. Both these models will be niche players in the Indian market and would attract buyers due to their novelty value end exclusivity.

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