4 Compact Sedans, Indian Market Awaiting the Most

Indian Auto Market is passing through a very different phase of development even though it is passing through tough time. The Auto Expo 2014 has delivered many new dimensions be it premium launches, be it global launches or be it Electric Mobility Pavilion.

But we also noticed one more thing that is growing importance of Compact Sedan. Honda Amaze has already proved in the market and other players are about to come in to the market. At Auto Expo 2014, displayed compact sedan like Hyundai Xcent, Tata Zest, Ford Figo Sedan, Maruti Swift Dzire facelift, and players like Skoda and Hindustan Motor are coming with PQ 25 Sedan and Ambassador Compact Sedan.

When it comes to Indian market, a study has proved that Indians do love sedan and it is accepted as status symbol. Another important benefit of compact sedan is that, it is more suitable on traffic congested roads then that of large cars.

In addition to that how we forget the tax implications that make car much more costly than they are. Compact sedan are classified as small cars, having sub 4 meter cars and engine capacity of 1.5–liters (diesel) / 1.2-liters (petrol). And one has to pay only 8% excise duty instead of 20% of mid-sized cars.

Here, we will help you to gain some good insight about this models that may help you in taking your buying decision. So –liters in let us drive you through Hyundai Xcent, Tata Zest, Ford Figo Sedan and Maruti Swift facelift.

Hyundai Xcent

Hyundai has unveiled its Compact Sedan Xcent, a model which is all the way similar to its precedent Grand i10. The car carries almost same design, same interior and it is also carrying similar back door too. But it has more legroom for back seats and its well-designed tail provides more luggage space.

The car may come with following features :

• The rear air-conditioner vents,
• The climate control A/C,
• The keyless entry and go,
• A rear parking camera,
• A push-button start
• A USB-ready audio system with 1 GB internal storage capacity,
• The dual airbags.

The car will be available in 1.1-litre diesel US and 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engines. These engines will have five-speed manual transmission, and petrol car will be available in four-speed automatic option. Starting price of the car may start from 5 lakhs or ranges up to 7 lakhs for high end model.

Tata Zest

Tata Motors, a struggling to maintain its market share in domestic market, has come up with two new cars, Bolt hatch back and Zest Sedan. These cars are thoroughly built on Tata Vista’s X1 platform, however the company has put huge effort to make it totally different from their precede models.

The car may have following features :

• The Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS)
• Speed sensitive power steering
• Advanced ABS
• Next-generation Harman infotainment system
• 5 inch touch screen MMI
• ntegrated HVAC with enhanced HMI for controls
• Advanced Bluetooth connectivity, voice recognition, text to speech
• Phone integrated navigation

The car will be loaded with newly developed Revotren 1.2-litre turbo-petrol and Fiat sourced Quadrajet diesel. This engine can produce 90PS of power and 200Nm of peak torque. The car has length of 3,994 mm, it means that falls under the category of small cars and will help in excise duty burden of only 8% (Duty may change if changes in policy occurs).

Ford Figo Sedan

To compete in compact sedan market, Ford unveiled its Ford Figo Sedan at Auto Expo 2014 which is based on Ka hatchback concept showcased in Brazil in 2013. The car was unveiled as global launch marking the entry of Ford into compact sedan market.

The car has new design, a trapezoidal grill and a Kinetic design.

• Large Hexagonal lower grill
• Black shaded headlamps
• 8-spoke alloy wheels
• Integrated ORVM covers
• Shark-fin radio antenna
• Media Dock

The car might be loaded with Ford’s 1.2-litre petrol engine, its 1.5-litre ‘sigma’ petrol engine or 1.0-litre EcoBoost turbo-petrol and 1.5-litre DV5 turbo diesel engine. The Figo sedan also falls into small car category so it will attract only 8% excise duty as per the recent change in policy (Duty may change if changes in policy occurs).

Maruti Swift Dzire facelift

The Swift and its Sedan Swift Dzire has huge success on Indian roads, but now competition has really tough ahead. The launch of Amaze, and Grand i10 has already created a huge buzz in the market, in addition to that Ford Figo Sedan, Zest and Xcent is coming soon in the market.

Upgraded Features :

• New front bumper
• Revised headlights
• Daytime running LEDs
• And 16-inch wheels may be included in upper end variant.
• Boost blue metallic shade for upper end variant

The engine will remain same as existing models but it is likely to feature a start-stop button, heated seats and cruise control.

2014 Fiat Linea may be priced from Rs 7.64 lakh onwards; launch soon

2014 Fiat Linea may be priced from Rs 7.64 lakh onwards; launch soon

Fiat took the wraps off the 2014 variant of the Linea at the recently concluded Auto Expo. The car is expected to be launched within a few days now and might be priced starting Rs 7.64 lakh.

There is no official statement from the car manufacturer about the launch of the revised Fiat Linea, however, some dealerships across the country have revealed the pricing of the various models. The car, which has a revised front fascia, will be made available in six colour options. This includes two new colours- Sunbeam Gold and Magnesio Grey.

The 2014 Fiat Linea will be made available in both petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol variant is powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged T-Jet engine that produces 114bhp of power and 207Nm of torque. The diesel trim, powered by the 1.3-litre Multijet engine, churns out 93bhp and 209Nm of torque. Both these engine options are mated to a five-speed manual gear-box.

If reports from a website are to be believed, following would be the prices of the different variants of the new Fiat Linea-

• 2014 Fiat Linea Active T-Jet – Rs 7.64 lakh

• 2014 Fiat Linea Dynamic T-Jet – Rs 8.56 lakh

• 2014 Fiat Linea Emotion T-Jet – Rs 9.22 lakh

• 2014 Fiat Linea Active Multijet – Rs 8.24 lakh

• 2014 Fiat Linea Dynamic Multijet – Rs 9.36 lakh

• 2014 Fiat Linea Emotion Multijet – Rs 9.79 lakh

Jaguar F-Type Coupe Launched at 1.21 Crore

Jaguar Land Rover, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, displayed Jaguar F-type Coupe at Auto Expo 2014 and now it has launched it at the price of 1.21 Crore. The car is considered as one of the most beautiful car in the world. It is the the most dynamically capable, performance-focused, production Jaguar ever.

The Coupe is as similar as F-Type convertible, but it has hard top, that will enhance its look as well as driving experience. The company claims it as pure Jaguar sport car. Jaguar F-type Coupe will give effortless, exhilarating performance. The car features a gently sloping, delicate roofing that makes it just seamlessly beautiful.

The car will be available with three engine option variant, F-Type, F-Type S and F-Type R. The F-Type standard variant will have 3.0 Liter V6 340hp engine that will enable car’s powerful and efficient performance. It has 18 inch Vela alloy wheels.

The F-Type S will have 3.0 Liter V6 380hp engine that will delivered the top speed of 171mph. it has 19 inch propeller alloy wheels, steering wheel-mounted shift paddles and sport suspension with Adaptive Dynamics.

The F-Type R will have 5.0 liter supercharged V8 engine that produces 550hp, accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 4.0 seconds. Top speed can be up to 186 mph, 20 inch Gyrodyne Silver alloy wheels, and sport suspension with adaptive dynamics.

Does This Excise Duty Cut Is Enough to Revive Auto Industry?

Ahead of General Election, P. Chidambaram has tried to regain lost sentiment in auto industry. The move has been considered as pre-election strategy. The Finance Minister said in his speech that “To give relief to the automobile industry, which is registering unprecedented negative growth, I propose to reduce excise duty,” P. Chidambaram said.

As data released for car sale in January, 2014, it is clear indication that sale has continued to slump in January giving numbers around 1,60,289 units in a month, which is decreased by 7.29%. At this point what will be the effect of excise duty cut on the industry?

Policy Changes:

The excise duty on small cars have been reduced to 8% from 12% earlier. While the excise duty on SUVs, a fastest growing car segment in country have been reduced to 24% from 30% earlier.

The duty on large cars have been reduced to 24% from 27% and on mid-sized cars it have been reduced to 20% from 24%.With the rough calculation, this excise duty will cut around Rs. 12000 to 17000 on small segment cars,Rs. 24000 to 30000 on medium segment cars, and Rs. 50000 to 80000 on SUVs.

Potential Impact and Expert Views :

On the day of announcement market responded with very good buzz among voice of all stake holders of auto industry. Immediately, responding to the move many manufacturer came to capture the eyes customer by announcing some percentage point cuts in the prices of cars and claiming that the advantage has been forwarded to customer.

Now question arise that, Will this some percentage point cut on price of cars change its demand ? Will manufacturer be able to keep this move constant ahead of continuously increasing price of raw material ? What companies are more benefited with this move?

“We believe that this reduction in Excise Duty would reduce the acquisition price thereby making vehicles more affordable which would improve the consumer sentiment and hopefully revive the demand for vehicles,” Vikram Kirloskar, President, SIAM  said.

“It was a very nice budget, he did not fall for populist measure despite its being electioneering months. He has announced cut in excise duty of cars, SUVs, farm equipment and bikes which will definitely help in revival of demand, However, I did not hear anything for the commercial vehicle which badly hurt. I hope that there is something to revive this sector.” Ex- SIAM President Pawan Goenka said.

Even welcoming this move Kris Gopala krishnan, President CII, has thanked our finance ministry and said that this move is what CII believes in. he has appreciated this move showing confidence in revival of the industry.

Now talking about response from auto players, Nissan Motors India has decreased price on their car up to 6 %. “The price reduction by Nissan is in the range of 4 to 6 per cent and will apply to Micra Active, Micra, Sunny, Evalia, Terrano and Teana,” Nissan Motor India said in a release issued. Mr. KenichiroYomura, President Nissan Motor said “We at Nissan are happy to pass 100 per cent of the tax benefits to our customers.”

“We have… passed on the entire 4 per cent benefit to customers. We have asked all our dealers to sell the vehicles at lower prices,” Said Atul Gupta, Vice president, Sale and Marketing, Maruti Suzuki.

“The reduction in Excise Duty would substantially reduce the prices, making cars more affordable. The quantum of benefit will vary from Rs. 10,000/- to Rs. 1,35,300/- across all the models. Hyundai Motor India Ltd will extend the benefit of these excise duty cuts to customers with immediate effect & will also support its dealerships suitably.” Said Mr. Rakesh Srivastava, Sr. Vice President Sales & Marketing, HMIL.

Volkswagen have reduced price of Polo by Rs. 18000-31000, for Vento Rs. 14,500 to 27000 and for Jetta Rs. 38000-51000 have been reduced.

Premium car makers Audi and Mercedes have also flown with industry move and has lowered priced up to 3.82 lakhs on their cars. And Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra, and other car manufacturers are no exceptions.

So, looking at above price cuts, it seems like this change would definitely improve the sentiment of the industry, but it remains question mark that up to what extent demand law would work. But yes, there will be increase in the demand for luxurious car, as this price cut results in around Rs. 2 to 3 lakhs discount.

It is also important to mark that if this excise duty cut delivers its proposed results, positive impact can be indicated in share prices of auto shares. This move will also give relief to depressed margin of the auto manufacturer and allow them to ensure smooth running of operation.

And in the last, a very important point which I must put in front of you, is that after upcoming election, new government will continue the same policy? And finally, it is very good to see some positive indications after pretty good time in auto industry but what we can do is only hope for more favorable environment ahead.

CarWorld1.com India’s preferred car website can help you buy a new car in Ahmedabad.

Car Makers Hyundai, Maruti, Nissan, Volkswagen to Audi and Mercedes cuts Car Prices

Its quick decisions by auto players to reduce the prices of cars, post excise duty cut by Finance Ministry. On the move of reduction in excise duty auto player tried to win their potential customer by waving the flag of “we are passing the benefits of excise duty cut to customers.’ And it is a good news for customer who looks forward to even smaller discounts.

 Nissan Motors India has decreased price on their car up to 6 %. “The price reduction by Nissan is in the range of 4 to 6 per cent and will apply to Micra Active, Micra, Sunny, Evalia, Terrano and Teana,” while Volkswagen have reduced price of Polo by Rs. 18000-31000, for Vento Rs. 14,500 to 27000 and for Jetta Rs. 38000-51000 have been reduced. On other hand Atul Gupta, Vice president, Sale and Marketing, Maruti Suzuki announces, “We have… passed on the entire 4 per cent benefit to customers. We have asked all our dealers to sell the vehicles at lower prices.”

“The reduction in Excise Duty would substantially reduce the prices, making cars more affordable. The quantum of benefit will vary from Rs. 10,000/- to Rs. 1,35,300/- across all the models. Hyundai Motor India Ltd will extend the benefit of these excise duty cuts to customers with immediate effect & will also support its dealerships suitably.” Said Mr. Rakesh Srivastava, Sr. Vice President Sales & Marketing, HMIL.

Premium car makers Audi and Mercedes have also flown with industry move and has lowered priced up to 3.82 lakhs on their cars. And Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra, and other car manufacturers are no exceptions.

Nissan Motors India has decreased price on their car up to 6 %. “The price reduction by Nissan is in the range of 4 to 6 per cent and will apply to Micra Active, Micra, Sunny, Evalia, Terrano and Teana,” while Volkswagen have reduced price of Polo by Rs. 18000-31000, for Vento Rs. 14,500 to 27000 and for Jetta Rs. 38000-51000 have been reduced. On other hand Atul Gupta, Vice president, Sale and Marketing, Maruti Suzuki announces, “We have… passed on the entire 4 per cent benefit to customers. We have asked all our dealers to sell the vehicles at lower prices.”

“The reduction in Excise Duty would substantially reduce the prices, making cars more affordable. The quantum of benefit will vary from Rs. 10,000/- to Rs. 1,35,300/- across all the models. Hyundai Motor India Ltd will extend the benefit of these excise duty cuts to customers with immediate effect & will also support its dealerships suitably.” Said Mr. Rakesh Srivastava, Sr. Vice President Sales & Marketing, HMIL.

Premium car makers Audi and Mercedes have also flown with industry move and has lowered priced up to 3.82 lakhs on their cars. And Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra, and other car manufacturers are no exceptions.

A Seamless Beauty: Jaguar F-type Coupe

Jaguar Land Rover, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, displayed Jaguar F-type Coupe at Auto Expo 2014 and now it has launched it at the price of 1.21 Crore. The car is considered as one of the most beautiful car in the world. It is the most dynamically capable, performance-focused, production Jaguar ever.

The Coupe is as similar as F-Type convertible, but it has hard top, that enhance its look as well as driving experience. The company claims it as pure Jaguar sport car. F-type Coupe gives effortless, exhilarating performance.The car features a gently sloping, delicate roofing that makes it just seamlessly beautiful.

The car will be available in its three formats that are F-Type, F-Type S and F-Type R. Specification for all three models are as follow:

F-Type (Standard)

This model has 3.0 Liter V6 340hp engine that will enable car’s powerful and efficient performance. It has 18 inch Vela alloy wheels.

The car has 8-speed “QuickShift” ZF transmission with Sport mode, intelligent stop and start system, Braking System with silver calipers. Leather and Suedecloth sport seats with six-way power/manual adjustment.

It is loaded with GPS navigation system with Traffic Messaging Channel and 380 watt Meridian audio system with 10 speakers.

F-Type S :

This model has 3.0 Liter V6 380hp engine that will delivered the top speed of 171mph. it has 19 inch propeller alloy wheels, steering wheel-mounted shift paddles and sport suspension with Adaptive Dynamics.

Smart Key system that enables keyless entry and exit. Ambient interior lighting with five colour choice, power folding, heated exterior mirrors with integrated LED turn signals.

F-Type R :

The high end variant of F-Type Coup R, will have 5.0 liter supercharged V8 engine that produces 550hp, accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 4.0 seconds. Top speed can be up to 186 mph, 20 inch Gyrodyne Silver alloy wheels, and sport suspension with adaptive dynamics.

The car has 3-spoke leather flat-bottomed steering wheel with Ignis gear shift paddles, dual zone climate control, reverse parking sensors, climate pack with heated seat and heated steering wheel.

It has garage door opener, HD Radio and Sirius satellite radio and Meridian 770W Car Audio system.

BMW India to Launch Five Cars at Auto Expo 2014

With increasing premium segment car market, luxury car makers are putting more effort on market penetration. German car maker BMW is among top three luxury car seller in India, and wants to upscale themselves in coming Auto Expo 2014 with introduction of five new models. 

These cars includes electric super car in the guise of the new BMW i8, a new large SUV the all-new BMW X5, the BMW M6 Gran Coupe super sedan, the new notchback BMW 3 Series GT and the new MINI John Cooper Works.  

BMW i8 The production version was unveiled in 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, followed by 2013 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. This car will be available in the US market by spring of 2014.  

BMW X5 The all-new BMW X5 will finally be making its way to India going up against the likes of the Mercedes ML-Class and Audi’s Q7. Expect some competitive pricing by BMW to capture some of its lost market in this segment.  

BMW Gran Coupe The car 6 series Gran Coupe uses a TwinPower Turbo diesel engine that has been tuned to offer great drive dynamics as well and enhanced fuel efficiency. The 2,993cc diesel unit on the new 640d has a 6 cylinder layout and offers 317PS @ 4400rpm and a solid 630 Nm of torque between 1,500-2,500rpm. Mated to an 8 speed automatic gearbox it can hit a top speed of 250 km/hr.  


BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo (GT) The GT model is 200mm longer, 50mm taller and 17mm wider than the regular 3 Series model. The wheelbase has been extended by 110mm, which creates a lot of room inside the car. Specifically for the rear passengers, the extended wheelbase has served to generate better comfort with more legroom and headroom. Inside the vehicle, the company offers 520-liters of boot capacity, and with the split fold rear seats down the boot space enhances upto 1600-liters. The new GT Series runs over flat tyres instead of full-sized spare wheel.

 
Mini John Cooper No technical details have been released for the car ahead of Detroit Motor Show, but the production JCW model is expected to get a higher-output version of the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that develops 189bhp in the new Cooper S. The current Mini JCW develops 208bhp and the 2014 is likely to be boosted to about 220bhp.  

Source - India’s preferred free used car listing portal in Ahmedabad, India promise to help you buy the right car at the right price on CarWorld1.com. Carworld1 is leading used car listing company, where you can find the Used Car, New Car seller and buyer in India.

Toyota halts sale of some of its model in the US

A Japan based, world’s biggest car maker Toyota has told its dealers to not to sale some of its cars equipped with seat heater. The company said that a part of the seat fabric is affected models could burn at the rate specified by US regulatory authority.

The models affected by this move include the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra. Company said, so far no case of fire of injury has been reported. They also said that around 36000 models are currently under holding with their dealers, about 13% of their inventory. These number does not include models that are already sold and those in transit.

Adverse Effect to Company!!

After recessional period, company was able to boost its sale in the US market, it is enjoying third position in the US market after General Motor Co. and Ford Motor Co. with around 14% market share.

Sales of company may affected as country is facing extreme winter situation, when demand for heater sear is growing. However the company wants to address this issue quickly to avoid a big recall, as company has recalled nearly 20 million vehicles across the world in last 2 years.

CarWorld1.com is India's most preferred Car listing Site. Find latest news updates on Indian car industry, Upcoming Cars in India, expert views and interviews exclusively on CarWorld1.