Boyracer's Blog

Ford and GM to Mahindra and Tata: The power shift

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:45:23 PST

Automobiles have been part of history of every country since the beginning of 1900's. Sweden too had Volvo (founded in 1927) at Gothenberg And Saab (founded in 1947) at Trollhattan making their marks all over the world through quality engineering and providing employment all over the country. Jaguar on the other hand was founded in Britain in 1922 when car manufacturing was at its peak. LandRover was just one model under the After the fall of the likes of Austin, Morris, Standard, BMC, Triumph, Land Rover and many others, what remained was niche manufacturers like Jaguar, Aston Martin, Lotus and Bentley sales of whom do not even touch 10,000 units per annum.Volvo was introduced by SKF as a subsidiary while Saab was introduced by Saab Aerospace as a diversified unit. Volvo was known for safety and Saab was known for its performance cars while Jaguar was a luxury notch above the Germans. During the peak of American Automobile revolution, Saab was purchased by General Motors (GM) in 1989 and Volvo and Jaguar were purchased by Ford in 1999. Land Rover passed through the hands of Leyland, BMC, British Aerospace and BMW ultimately landing in the hands of Ford. The parent companies of both Swedish brands were looking to focus on their main stream business leading to the sale while the lazy butted Americans wanted ready made technology to be bought by their treasuries which prints US dollar bills 24X7. Jaguar and Land Rover on the other hand were the remnants of a fallen British car industry.

Ford was early to enter recession but Mr. Alan Mullaly had foresight and decided to get Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo off their hands. General Motors being bigger in size was also a more corrupt corporation. Directors took heavy pays and left the company draining it of cash and leading into bankruptcy. While Hummer, Pontiac and Saturn died, Saab did find a desperate buyer. A Chinese company named Geely which makes cars using plagiarized technology purchased Volvo while Spyker cars owned by an alleged Russian mobster by GM Vladimir Antonov and Victor Muller purchased Saab. Indian carmaker Tata which was flush with money and wanted knowhow in premium cars purchased Jaguar Land Rover. Now After Spyker cars has failed to revive Saab, Mahindra has shown interest in buying Saab. The concentration of power in the Automotive field has shown a definitive shift from the United States to India. Will TATA and Mahindra repeat the same story that GM and Ford wrote in the 19th century?

Geely is one of the premier Chinese car makers. China has thrived worldwide making cheap imitation products of inferior quality. Wal-mart survives by filling its stores with 99% Chinese products. But off late after growing in size, Geely has been looking outside for quality and knowhow in car manufactury. Volvo happened at the right time in 2008. The motives behind purchase by Ford and Geely might seem same but are not. Ford purchased Volvo along with a stake in Mazda to make its own cars successful. Ford Focus, Ford Kuga and Ford C-Max were successfully built on Volvo C1 platform which also comprised of the Volvo S40, V50, C70 and C30. Geely on the other hand is looking to make a transition to Volvo completely.

Similarly Volvo S80, V70, XC70, XC60, S60 and V60 shared platform with Ford S-max, Ford Galaxy, and Ford Mondeo were based on Volvo Y20 platform. Unlike GM though Ford made no hassles for Geely while giving away Volvo which was a mutual favour. Ford was desperate for cash and buying Volvo was something no major car maker would do since Ford had completely drained all its technology for its own cars. Geely on the other hand knew that a Chinese Brand name would not get it a sound footing outside China and needed a strong brand name. The deal was set. But unfortunately Geely's ambitious plans are a bit larger than What Volvo can accomodate and bit more mainstream for a semi luxury brand. Geely wants to be amongst the major car makers in the world by selling Volvo as a mainstream product. Volvo on the other hand has always had a luxurious image. Not unlike the big three (Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW) but still above the likes of GM, Toyota, Honda, Ford and Hyundai. At the moment Volvo's new design philosophy and its precedence in safety, technology and luxury has helped the company reach sales targets but Geely is going to find it the hard way how tough it can be to build a luxury brand. Possibly a compromise they are aware of and are willing to make.

Similar to Volvo, Tata also got a clean sale by Ford. Alan Mullaly had been in talks for sometime to sell of Jaguar and Land Rover as separate brands. Tata Motors has been in the business in India for only two decades. Known mostly for its Indica cabs, the company hardly had any international presence apart from a dealer here or there. Tata Motors as a corporation is one of the biggest in the world and hence, When the time came in snatching up Jaguar for its sedan business and Land Rover for its UV's, Tata was quick to react. Ford purchased the rights to Rover Name worldwide (Rover, MG Rover, Land Rover) to be transferred with the deal. The $3 billion deal was once considered as too much for Jaguar and Land Rover which collectively hardly sold enough cars under Ford. Today JLR sells close to 20,000 units a month.

Unlike Volvo, Tata has successfully built the Jaguar Land Rover Marque as a luxury marque above the Big three German Marque's which is a feat in itself. Additionally, instead of stripping the cars, the british factory was given the freedom to operate and innovate and build upon its own cars. Today, Jaguar Land Rover is a profit making brand for Tata Motors surprising even the who's who at Ford Motor company. Tata also has slowly learnt to build its own cars more efficiently which is evident in the new Tata Aria. But Tata is yet to exploit the concept of platform sharing especially since there is a huge gap between Tata brand of cars and Jaguar Land Rover cars since Tata is known for the cheapest car in the world (Tata Nano) while Jaguar Land Rover pitch their cars above most Luxurious brands. The best proof that Jaguar Land Rover is a successful brand today is its increasing number of dealers globally and the announcement to actually produce a concept super car (Jaguar C-X16).

Saab's history separates itself from Volvo since the time GM purchased it. GM was quick to transfer knowhow to their American tin cans. But Saab had nothing of importance to learn from GM in return. Though smaller in scale, The Trollhattan based company made better cars in every aspect than the corrupt corporation, which was once the largest car maker in the world. After, stripping Saab for a decade Gm left it to fend for itself. A saab 9-5 launched in 1997 was sold unchanged for 14 years. Surprising, since even mainstream brands like Toyota refreshes their models every year. Such a practice is a strict no-no especially at the luxury end of the market. A Saab 9-3 with minor updates was also sold for 14 years. With only two mainstream cars in its portfolio and half-hearted attempts such as 9-2(Subaru based) and 9-7(Based on old GM platform) Saab was accused of not earning profit except for one year in eleven years. The govt. supported bankruptcy which was but only a curtain on the billions of U.S. taxpayers money mishandled by the top management meant that Saab, Saturn, Pontiac and Hummer had to go. The deal with Koeniggsegg going awry was a giveaway how GM wanted to kill the brand and keep the skeletons inside the box. BAIC (Chinese car maker) quickly purchased the old 9-5 and 9-3 tooling and those interested in reviving the brand reduced to a handful.

But a desperate Victor Muller and Vladimir Antonov worked out a deal to keep the company up for two decades. But The new management were not an honest bunch either. While the company was struggling to regain lost ground, the new management again was taking fat paychecks while delaying wages. The company soon went under receivership in December 2011 after GM blocked a Chinese deal that could've saved the company. Reason given by GM was that they feared the Chinese Company would compete with GM posing a threat (Which they didn't think while selling the 9-5 9-3 technology to BAIC).

While GM's Corruption drama with SAAB was unfolding, not the whole world has been a spectator. Apart from Youngman Lotus from China which is rumoured to have lost a couple of hundred Billion Euros, an Indian company has also been studying the proceedings closely. Mahindra known mostly as a UV maker before they tied up with Renault for a small car has expressed interest in buying SAAB. Mahindra learnt things the hard way when their outdated UV'S found it tough to compete but has been quick to utilize its financial standing comprising of strong liquidity. Kinetic's two wheeler business, Logan platform, Reva's electric car business and Korea based Ssangyong Car company which makes cars based on Mercedes-Benz platforms soon found themselves under Mahindra's umbrella. From making three decade old Willy's based UV's, Mahindra has come a long way in the last ten years making cars like the Scorpio, Xylo, Thar and XUV500.

SAAB can prove to be an important landmark for Mahindra since they need a premium brand (Just like TATA built upon with Jaguar) to team it with Ssangyong which has reliable and competent platform but lacks visibility and brand image. Ssangyong's vehicles have been known for their quality and workmanship especially in the UV field. SAAB's worldwide recognition for Mahindra can prove to be a boon. While the chinese have salvaged whatever remained of the technology (GM didn't oppose when Youngman Lotus purchased rights to build cars on the Phoenix architecture), Mahindra seems to be more interested in the brand image itself. Buying SAAB also makes sense since the Plant in Trollhattan will be available for much cheaper along with the tooling now that the company is bankrupt. Integrating Ssangyong cars along with SAAB can prove to be just another Jaguar-Land Rover for Mahindra where Saab makes Luxury cars competing with the Big three German marques and Ssangyong makes UV's on the premium end. Incase, Mahindra misses the point, SAAB has a superlative meaning in Indian languages. (SAAB: Means Master in Hindi and other South Asian Languages)

With the Indian Makers lapping up brands, it is clear that the power reigning in the hands of Americans has clearly moved to India. Mahindra and Tata are creating brand corporations just the way GM once did with Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Saturn, Pontiac, Hummer, Saab, Opel, Vauxhall and Holden and Ford did with Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Aston Martin, Volvo and Land Rover. How Mahindra and TATA progress learning from the American Big Three's debacles in the 19th century remains to be seen.

Awesome Concept cars- The alternate Automobile world

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:48:08 PST

Following the post on Concept Motorcycles (http://boyracer.blogspot.com/2011/11/awesome-concept-bikes.html), Here is a post on the best concept cars which can change the way we see the roads today.

1. Chrysler Ecovoyager: The concept car was launched by Chrysler at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. The Concept is a four-door, four-passenger vehicle that is simultaneously sleek, futuristic, and distinctively American. Its one-box design - and the absence of a traditional powertrain setup - allowed designers to make uniquely efficient use of the cabin's parameters. The ecoVoyager also mates an advanced lithium-ion battery pack to an advanced hydrogen fuel cell, resulting in a vehicle with a range of more than 300 miles that emits nothing from the tailpipe but water vapor.

2. BMW GINA: The GINA Light Visionary Model is a fabric-skinned shape-shifting sports car concept built by BMW. GINA stands for "Geometry and functions In 'N' Adaptations". It was designed by a team led by BMW’s head of design, Chris Bangle. The flexible, stretchable water resistant translucent man-made fabric skin – polyurethane-coated Spndex, is resilient and durable. It resists high or low temperatures, does not swell or shrink and the movement does not slacken or damage the fabric. The body changes its shape according to exterior conditions and speeds, and it also allows the driver to change its shape at will. The fabric is stretched over a moveable frame.

3. Audi RSQ: The Audi RSQ is a mid-engined concept car developed by Audi AG for use as a product placement in the 2004 sci-fi film I,Robot. It is meant to depict a technologically advanced automobile in the Chicago cityscape from the year 2035. An important challenge presented to the designers was that despite its extreme character, the car still had to be recognized by the audience as an Audi. To accommodate this demand, the engineers implemented a current Audi front-end design which includes the trapezoidal "Audi Single-Frame grille", the company's trademark overlapping four rings, and the Multi-Media Interface (MMI) driver-to-car control system. The car uses spheres instead of conventional wheels. Its two reverse butterfly are hinged to the B-posts of the body. Although this kind of collaboration was a first for Audi, a similar project was developed by Lexus for use in the 2002 film Minority Report.

4. Alfa Romeo Pandion: The Alfa Romeo Pandion is a concept car which premiered at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. It was designed by Stile Bertone. The Pandion coupé was designed as a tribute to Alfa Romeo's one hundred year anniversary. The car has an all aluminium 4.7 litre (4691 cc) v8 engine, producing 450 BHP. The most eye catching feature of the car is its doors, they open by rotating backwards, opening full 90 degree upward, the whole side of the car is one door from the front fender to the rear fender. The car has illuminated seats via fabric bulbs.

5. Cadillac Ciel: The Cadillac Ciel is a hybrid electric concept car created by Cadillac and unveiled at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The Cadillac Ciel has a 3.6-liter V6 producing 425 horsepower and a hybrid system using Lithion-Ion battery technology. The word "Ciel" is french for sky.

6. Ford Airstream: The Ford Airstream is a new concept car which made its debut at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. The concept vehicle is powered by a rechargeable plug-in hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain called hyseries drive. The interior was inspired by spacecraft images and environments portrayed in 2001: A Space Odyssey.

7. Honda FC Sport: The Honda FC Sport is a concept car produced by Honda and first shows at at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. It is described as a design study and is intended to show what a hydrogen powered sports car might look like. The FC Sport is designed for a drivetrain similar to the one found in the Honda FCX Clarity. Though the concept does not have an actual interior, Honda has stated the theoretical interior would be similar to the Mclaren F1, with the driver in the center and a passenger on each side.

8. Maserati Birdcage : The Maserati Birdcage 75th was a concept car created by automobile manufacturer Maserati and designed by Pininfarina introduced at the Geneva Auto Show. It was named to honor the classic Maserati Birdcage of the 1960 and Pininfarina's 75th Anniversary.

9. Renault Dezir: The Renault DeZir is an electric concept that was first officially presented at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The car is a two seater coupé with butterfly doors, and the interior is of red leather. It features a 148 hp mid-mounted electric motor. This gives the concept rivalry with the Audi e-tron. The DeZir is the first in a series of concept cars that are paving the way for Renault’s future both aesthetically and technologically. The series is modeled after the stages of life that a Renault customer might encounter. In Renault’s own words their customers will fall in love, discover the world, start a family, work, have fun and become wise. The DeZir concept symbolized the love stage, the Captur concept symbolized the discovery stage, the R-Space represented the family stage and the Frendzy represents the work stage.

10. Nissan Pivo: The Nissan Pivo is a concept car created by Nissan for the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show. The car is essentially a 360 degree rotating three-seater cabin on a chassis of 4 wheels, and hence eliminates the need for reversing and makes parking easier. The Pivo is powered by a Lithium-Ion battery.

Special Mentions

11. Cadillac Urban Luxury:

12. Mazda Ryuga:

13. Mazda Furai:

14. Mazda Taiki:

15. Mazda Nagare:

16. Peugeot Hoggar:

17. Peugeot Flux:

18.Peugeot BB1:

19. Citroen C-Buggy:

20. Citroen GT:

Awesome concept bikes

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 04:41:13 PST

1. Honda CB750: This 2015 Honda CB 750 is a predecessor to the 1970s-80s CB. The frame and body is a unibody contstruction combining carbon fiber, aluminum, and titanium. The concept is designed independantly from Honda by a talented 'Igor Chak'. This eco-ride is powered with a four-cylinder liquid hydrogen engine and has a six-speed dual-clutch transmission with electronic lurch and traction control. We might see the bike in production albeit with a Honda Petrol engine.

2. Yamaha Tesseract: Displayed at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show, This bike actually has four wheels excluding it from the list of motorcycles even though its purely one. Recent patent filings indicate that Yamaha may actually intend to build something like this for production. Powered by an electric hybrid liquid-cooled V-twin, the Tesseract promises ample torque and a top speed that will be theoretical everywhere but a racetrack, and when at rest, the machine will remain upright without the need for a stand via a dual arm-lock system.

3. Moto Guzzi De Guisti: Hailing from the Olevano Romano, east of Rome, Italy, Paulo De Giusti has designed some of the most striking Moto Guzzi concept motorcycles that we've ever seen. Inspired by the old Moto Guzzi productions single cylinder bikes’ style, designer Paolo De Giusti has designed three Naked bikes that flaunt their extra good looks and green credentials. Designed to be romantic is the “900 SD Big Mono Naked” that uses diesel/electric engines and comes in the red and the black models. It uses a single cylinder 903 cc with direct injection and turbo diesel engine that makes it ideal for fast riding. This would be placed in a carbon fiber and aluminum frame that uses the motor and fuel tank as stressed members.

4. Subaru Kickboxer: Subaru knows how the car industry is crowded and the company might be looking into alternatives including two wheelers.Designer Ian McElroy has envisioned a Subaru motorcycle that runs a horizontally-opposed boxer engine, something only few motorcycles currently run. The Subaru Kickboxer Motorcycle Concept is a street beast with muscles on muscles, thanks to its uniquely set 4 cam, 16 valve engine. The front and rear wheels feature single-side swingarms, giving the chassis a floating effect from the vehicle’s left side. The design itself is futuristic, chromed to the nines and appearing like nothing else on the road today. This Kickboxer looks more like a weapon than a motorcycle. The engine for the layman is sourced from Subaru's WRX series.

5. Kawasaki ZX-10R Vannesson Concept: If it aint raw and green, it ain't a Kawasaki. Imagined and illustrated by Jérôme Vannesson from MotoRevue, the bike is pure motorcycle design nirvana. The Kawasaki ZX-10 impression attached with the tail of a hornet, traces of an RC8 or YZF-M gives the bike an angular racer look that is very eye-catching.

6. KTM Stunt/ Race 125 : With a controlling stake owned by Bajaj Auto, A lot has begun to happen at KTM. The KTM 125 Project is said to be the start of a full series of new small-bore machines targeted at young riders. So far, KTM has introduced prototypes of a naked bike in Stunt and Race versions. KTM continues to expand its street lineup with attractive models for young riders – a smart move for creating life-long customers.

7. Bimota SB9: The daredevil amongst all companies, Bimota has literally put out concepts on sale from time to time. The Tesi and 500V-due are the prime examples. But since emerging from Bankruptcy the company has not had that wild edge it was once known for. Here comes the SB9 motorcycle. It is ok to scream oohs!! and aahs!! coz Bimota is more of a boutique biker maker than a manufacturer. They source their parts from major bike companies around Europe.

8. Husqvarna Mille 3: With that takeover by the guys at BMW, Husqvarna has got wings to fly high. This is proven with the Husqvarna Mille 3. The Mille 3 Concept is powered by a fuel-injected 933cc V-3 engine with the cylinders and heads taken from the Husky’s off-road bikes.The steel chassis brings back the classic Husqvarna central "tubone" design, a single-piece tubular form. The double rear beam with aluminium stays is fitted to the outside of the chassis uprights

9. Aprilia FV2 1200: Just like Husqvarna, Aprilia has also increased their level of daring. The Aprilia FV2 1200 is just proof enough. The heart of the FV2 1200 is Aprilia's mighty, 1200 cc, 90° V twin, a power plant that confirms Aprilia's determination to develop high capacity, high technology engines using in-house skills and competence. The minimalist bodywork of the FV2 1200 creates a stunning preponderance of volume towards the front of the bike. The result is a revolutionary, courageous and futuristic look that is destined to form the solid basis for the evolution of Aprilia motorcycle styling.

10 CR&S DUU: The CR&S DUU is a unique model around the world’s motorcycle context. For the first time two motorcyclist excellences are gathered: Italian sporty rolling chassis and design powered by a muscular American big-twin. The American big displacement engine’s attraction, and particularly its muscular torque, doesn’t have any equivalent at all. And for a lot of motorcycles fans, the air cooling system and the pushrod distribution are elements issued from a rich historical past. But it is not a model born only for the huge American open roads. The chassis and its handling performances are much more evolved than what can be thought. These parts have been engineered and designed to warrant a complete riding satisfaction on every kind of routes, even on fast bends or mountain’s narrow roads. The DUU is an innovative motorcycle, "modular and muscular", with durable materials and components, equipped with a powerful, rugged and reliable engine.

Special mentions

Moto Guzzi V12

BMW IMME 12

Hottest Female Racers in motorsport - Extra Long Anniversary Post

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:35:34 PST

DANICA Patrick: Nobody really noticed femme car drivers until Danica Patrick came along. A few Bikini Shots later, her career might have gone down but you will be finding a lot of such lists coming up regularly.

Races: Nascar, Indycar
Age 30
Awards: 2005 Indycar Rookie of the year,
Status: Married

Chrissy Wallace: Daughter of Mike Wallace (Three time winner at Daytona) and related to Winston Cup champion Rusty Wallace and Rookie of the year Kenny Wallace, Chrissy comes with a great history. At 19, Chrissy became the first female driver to ever win at Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina.

Races: Nascar
Age: 23
Awards: 2011 ASA Late Model SSeries track champion (Lebanon I-44 Speedway)
2011 ASA West Region champion
Status:Unknown

Leilani Munter: Environmentalists don't come so sexy and fast. A perfect example of how 'nice things are always committed or married to somebody else'. Beginning in Nascar, and graduating from Indycar, Leilani Munter currently races. She hasn't won much awards, but keeps the tracks sweating with her hotness all the time.

Races: Nascar(Ex), Indycar (Ex), ARCA stock car racing
Age: 35
Awards: None
Status: Married

Natacha Gachnang: Hotness is less American and more Swiss. Natacha Gachnang is a prime example of the same. She is the cousin of former Formula 1 driver Sebastien Buemi. Beginning her career in 2008, she has already raced in Formula2 and 24 Hour Le Mans.

Races: Formula2 and 24 Hour Le Mans.

Age:24
Awards: None
Status: Unknown

Cyndie Allemann: Its mostly the swiss chocolates. The lady racing drivers from Switzerland are smokin hot everytime. She is the daughter of Karting champion Kurt Allemann and sister of racing driver Ken Allemann. A bright future guranteed.

Races: Indylights, GT1 and 24 Hour LeMans.
Age: 25
Awards: None
Status: Single

Susie Stoddart: The scotts are not good with their accent, but the same is not the case with Hot Racing drivers.

Races: Formula3, DTM
Age: 29
Awards: None
Status: Married

Milka Duno: Venezuela doesnt only win Beauty contests. Milka Duno is live proof. She is best known for holding the record of highest finish for a female driver in the 24 hours of Daytona. She started racing late because she was into modelling.

Races: Indycar, LeMans
Age: 39
Awards: None
Status: Unknown

Ashley Force Hood: Ashley Force Hood is the daughter of 15 time champion John Force. Force was selected as the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series' Rookie of the Year (Funny Car division) in November 2007. On April 27, 2008, Force earned her first ever NHRA Professional-category win, defeating her father in the final round at the NHRA Summit.

Races: Drag Racing
Age: 29
Awards: Drag Racing Rookie of the year
Status: Married

Madalena Antas: Portuguese bombshell Madelana Antas doesn't mind getting dusty in the desert while racing tricked-out pickups on the rally circuit. When she is not destroying sand dunes and jumping trucks at 120 mph, she enjoys oil painting and flaunting her curvaceous assets in men's magazines.

Races: Dakar racing
Age: 35
Awards: None
Status: Single

Shannon McIntosh: This girl races cars? Really? Hard to believe, but it's true. Shannon is currently trying to climb her way up the IndyCar ladder by competing in the US F200 Championship for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing.

Races: Open Wheel Racing
Age: 22
Awards: None
Status: Single

Maryeve Dufault: Canadians have always been cool when it comes to Hotness. Maryeve Dufault is no exception. She has also continued to Model on 'The Price is Right', Maxim and Lingerie Bowl.

Races: Nascar
Age: 29
Awards:2011 Napa Parts 200
Status: Single

Amanda Stretton: Amanda Stretton (born Amanda Cohn on 24 July 1973 inLondon), is an English female racing driver and motoring journalist. Apart from her proffession, Amanda is also a good cook.

Races: Motocross, 24 Hours Le Mans,
Age: 38
Awards: None
Status: Single

Sabine Schmitz: A german racing driver, Sabine Schmitz is known for driving the BMW "Ring taxi" around the Nurburgring race track as well as being a television personality. It is rumoured that Sabine Schmitz will take on the role of Stig on Top gear.

Races: Test car driver,
Age: 42
Awards: None
Status: Married

Tiffany Chittenden: Tiffany Chittenden is back racing for VZ Racing in 2011. When she's not at the track she's working hard on maintaining her race fitness, when she gets the chance she loves to go Skiing, Jetskiing or play any competitive sport.
Races: Rotax DD2
Age: 21
Awards: None
Status: Single

Fiona Leggate: Leggate had been interested in motorsport since her childhood, influenced by her father Malcolm Leggate who had a 19-year career in saloon car racing. This led to her spending 2003 and 2004 contesting various championships including Britcar and the MG XPower trophy, and in July 2004 she set a world record for the most races contested in one day.

Races: British Touring Car Championship
Age: 31
Awards: None
Status: Single

Melanie Troxel: Named the Sportswoman of the Year by Billie Jean King's Women's Sports Foundation, Troxel won two Top Fuel events last season and led the POWERade Series point stands through the first 12 races. She was nominated for two ESPY awards in 2006 (best driver and best female athlete).

Age: 39
Races: Drag Racing
Awards: Winner of 8 NHRA National Events/ She is 1 of only 14 drivers to win in both the Top Fuel Dragster and Funny Car classes (and the only female)/
Status: Married

Jessica Barton: A Drag Racer, Model, TV Host, Nuff said.

Races: Drag racing
Age: 28
Awards: None
Status: Single

Catherina Felser: Catharina Felser (born October 2, 1982) is a German race car driver born in Siegburg, North Rhine-Westphalia. Catharina started her career in karting during 1997. She is Currently driving a KTM X-Bow at FIA GT4.

Races: GT4/ F3
Age30
Awards: None
Status: Married

Nicole Lyons: It’s in their blood and in their heritage. In Drag Racing, a largely male dominated sport, it’s unusual though to find a woman who could be on the next cover of a glamour magazine and is also a professional car builder and race car driver. Nicole Lyons is that woman and is truly a lady of Drag Racing from start to finish.

Races: Drag Racing
Age: Unknown
Awards: Unknown
Status: Unknown

Taylor Earnhardt : What better name to conclude the list than Taylor Earnhardt? Dale Earnhardt's daughter has started driving her fathers car.

Age: 23
Status: Single
Races: Nascar
Awards: None

10 cars we need in India

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 03:13:45 PST

1. Mazda RX-8- How many times have you driven a 1300cc naturally aspirated (non turboed or supercharged) engine that makes 280 horses? Especially one that has one numerous car of the year awards in 2600cc category? Yes, that is precisely why we need the RX-8. Also, the stringent regulations and the fact that Mazda is the only Wankel car maker has led to its death in 2012.

PS: Rx-8 is indeed a coupe sports car but comes with rear suicide doors for easy ingress and egress to the rear seats. It also comes with a 300w Bose sound system for the sound connoisseurs.

2. Mazda Mx-5: If aliens ever did provide us with technology for automobile evolution, this would be it. Famously called the 'Miata'. It meets the 4000 mm regulation for tax exemptions and to perfectly fit those jam packed cities. The car is as much fun to drive in the city as a Lamborghini Gallardo or Ferrari Scaglietti would be on the track. Other Japanese makers tried to compete with the Toyota MR2 and Honda S2000 but nothing has yet survived this car's smiley face onslaught. This topless car competes for attention at the beach too.

PS: Even in such tight and nimble clothing, the MX-5 got 4 star safety rating. The latest MX-5 concept 'Superlight' has been so true to the name, it also lacks a windshield.

3. Scion IQ-Before you notice the car which in itself is an eyeball magnet, it's the brand name. Toyota's answer for the North American burger fat bellied, IQ lacking, Beer thirsty youth. The IQ is small by US starndards but suits perfectly in India. I am not handing out Ferrero Rocher balls for guessing that the IQ here stands for Intelligent Quotient. The sub 3 metre car is something I would definitely purchase for my daily office commute over Tata Nano and Maruti Suzuki Alto and Hyundai Eon and also bigger cars like Maruti Suzuki A-Star, Hyundai i10, Chevrolet Beat, Maruti Suzuki WagonR, Nissan Micra and Ford Figo. The car also has numerous customization possibilities which Toyota is exploiting in the Japanese market.

PS: The car has nine airbags, vehicle stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, brake assist and electronic brake distribution.

4. Cadillac SRX- I am a fan of big cars. I drive Jap cars but still the lure of mammoth cars with mammoth engines wets my mouth. But SUV's are not my forte. But it is hard not to love the SRX with its 3.6 V6 engine and that Cadillac grille shouting 'I am the king of bling-bling'. Crossovers are the latest trend and SRX is the king of that trend whether it be style, features, interiors or plain sex appeal. Finally something Scarlett Johansson can use to look more deadly and American.

PS: GM had to cease production of a smaller engine option due to lack of sales. That's when the 3.6 V6 was launched to accompany the 3.0 naturally aspirated model option.

5. Cadillac CTS: If I have to glance at a BMW 6 series, Audi A5 or Mercedes-Benz E-class coupe, my eyeballs will stick at te CTS. We need the CTS because because we yawn everytime seeing the same old Audis, BMW's and mercedes- Benz's filling the road. Also, we need a car with so much bling it shines as bright as the sun and still manages to look like a thousand bucks.

PS: The CTS Coupe will be Cadillac's first coupe since the Eldorado, which was discontinued in 2002.

6. Dodge Challenger : I have mentioned this before and I will mention it again and again. I love Mammoth cars with mammoth engines. No wonder Dodge Challenger tops my list of dream cars. But it is also here because its the last of the species of big cars with big engines and because Camaro and Mustang are already too modern for our liking. Also because it can win us a war against the aliens. Give me one and I promise to eradicate the Richshaw infestation in India.

PS: This is the one and only car I dare buy in Furious Fuchsia pink or Plum Crazy Purple.

7. Holden Commodore: I won't repeat how I like Mammoth cars with Mammoth engines coz they look like the Dodge Challenger pictured above and Dodge Charger pictured below. But Indian families are huge and live-in relationships are taboo (I hate this world). But worry not my wedding loving friends. GM has just the right car for you. They have taken a mammoth car, put in a mammoth engine and slapped four doors on it to carry the whole family in comfort and provide you with adrenaline when you sneak out on that wild Saturday night. The car gave sleepless nights to BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz in the guise of Pontiac G8 in the USA. Also, with four doors slapped on, the car looks ready to maul you if you try to sneak even a little further on the start line. No cheating!!!

PS: Holden Commodore is actually manufactured in Australia.

7. Dodge Charger: Since Dodge Charger ties with Holden Commodore I will have to repeat how I like Mammoth cars with Mammoth engines coz they look like the Dodge Challenger and Pontiac G8 aka Holden Commodore pictured above. You don't need a beer belly, small glasses and a huge mustache to scare children anymore. Park one of these and you are safe for life. My particular favorite is the Super Bee edition complete with the yellow paint and Black stripe and a matching Hemi engine to go with it. Imagine driving a yellow car on a hot summer day in Ahmedabad...

PS: If you see a black Dodge Charger, Slow down. It's that evil cops favouraite car these days.

8. I-miev: We only have one Harvinder Singh to slap all the corrupt politicians. So nothing can stop fuel quality to drop and prices to rise. At a time like this, our only hope is this car. The Mitsubishi I-MIEV. is sexy, small, sexy, electric and sexy. Did I say it looks sexy? The car is already sold in a dozen countries worldwide to keep the purchasing costs down and save the company's Indian operations. Famous editions include the 'Hello Kitty'(no pink for me this time please) and 'i-play'(ipod special edition).

PS:The U.S. version of the 'I-MIEV' has been enlarged to accomodate the fat American youth and the name has been shortened so the company officials do not waste time trying to explain the meaning of the moniker.

9. Citroen DS3: Thanks to our leaders like Sharad Pawar, the roads in our country resemble his face. Most cars due to this reason, are high on maintainence and the ride is bumpy. Enter Citroes DS3, the car that dons French Attire, French Etiquette, French poise and French performance. Citroen has perfected it after years of experience in the rally races. A perfect car for India

PS: The car is named DS which is French for goddess.

10. Alfa Romeo Brera: If you think the cars pictured above were beautiful, welcome to automotive porn. Here is a car which will wet every common man's pants with desire. Alfarotica will be inducted in the Oxford Dictionary soon. Alfa Romeo's are expensive to maintain they say. Well, Luxury can never be afffordable, I say. Period...

PS: Croation Car of the year 2006, Autocar best design award 2006, European Automotive design award 2006, Best Sports/Coupe - What Diesel Car?, European Car of the Year 2007 in Japan, 'Best of the show' at Geneva Motor Show 2005, Challenge Bibendum 2002 award, "the Most Fascinating Car" award at the Super Car Rally 2002. Nuff said. Now bow down and pay respect to the goddess of Alfarotica.

Best motorcycles of all times

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 03:19:05 PST

1. Kawasaki H2 Mach III and Mach IV (1969-1980): Introduced in 1968, Kawasaki earned repute as the wild driver solely based on these bikes. t was the quickest production motorcycle at the time. When motorcycle journalists expressed disbelief, Kawasaki suggested they take a new H1 to the drag strip. Using a regular production model with only 7 miles on it, Tony Nicosia ran the quarter mile in 12.96 seconds at 100.7 mph (162.1 km/h) for the press to witness. The official figure was 12.4 secs by Mike Wenzel. Updated with more power and better front disc brakes, the H2 Mach IVbecame the undisputed king of the streets, even beating legendary muscle cars of the era such as the Plymouth Hemi Cuda. It was notoriously dangerous, being prone to up-and-over wheelies and speed wobbles. The dangerous handling characteristics arising from its mediocre frame design caused it to be nicknamed the "Widowmaker" by motorcycle enthusiasts of the 1970s.

2. Yamaha RZ/RD 350 (1973-1995): Released following the success enjoyed by the Kawasaki Mach machines, Yamaha launched the Yamaha RD350 (RZ350 in certain markets). The bike had several innovations for the two-stroke machine such as reed valve equipped intake system. The frame of the bike was derived from another Yamaha bike the TZ. Being lower in capacity Yamaha made less power than Kawasaki thus proving a better handler. Some 1979 models also had a larger bored 400cc engine and US dealers are also rumoured to have received 500cc models for a short duration. A liquid cooled model was also launched with the monikers 'LC' which set the Company sales charts on fire. The biked was launched in India under the name 'Rajdoot 350' but cult followers renamed it 'Yamdoot 350' on the lines of Kawasaki 'Widowmaker'.

3. Honda NSR 500 (1984-2003): Honda was the last of the motorcycle makers to enter the 2-stroke performance segment learning from the drawbacks of the other bike makers. The Honda NSR500 debuted in 1984. The NSR 500 led to Honda winning ten 500cc grand prix races with six in a row from 1994-1999. A 250cc sibling also won six grand prix championships sealing Honda's name in the the racing world at the top. The NSR series was the last of the motorcycles to be retired due to emission restrictions and fuel polictics of the United States. Very few of the 500cc series were available for retail sale and only 250cc models survive.

4. MV Agusta F4 CC(1999-present): It costs an arm and a leg and possibly more to own one of these motorcycles. But the motorcycle that announced the rebirth of MV Agusta is nothing less than a technological and design marvel. Designed by Massimo Tamburini, The F4 is unique with its four pipe undertail exhaust. The engine was derived from the 1990–1992 Ferrari Formula One engine. MV (Cagiva at the time) quickly deviated from the Ferrari design, but they kept one important feature, the radial valves. The F4 engine is unique in the sense that it is the only radial valved motorcycle engine currently in production. With 200 bhp on tap, the bike is not only the most expensive but also the most powerful and most composed to drive on road as well as track. MV Agusts also holds the record for the highest number of limited edition variants. (18 till date). Priced at 100,000 pounds the bike has titanium engine parts.

5. BMW S1000RR (2009-present)- BMW manufactured 1,000 production models in 2009 to satisfy World Superbike homologation requirements, but expanded production for commercial sale of the bike in 2010. In certain limited edition versions, the bike matches MV Agusta F4CC in performance numbers at a slightly lower price point. The bike has an uneven front fairing design which the German designers say is to facilitate aerodynamics at high speeds. The bike is already a holder of numerous awards and the viral ad for the bike has already crossed a record number on Youtube.

6. Norton Commando (1967-1977)(2006-Present): Winning the 'Machine of the Year' award for five years in a row (1968-1972), Norton was an immidiate rage upon its availability for sale. Based on an older design and engine, it was the surprise hit for the company. The 750cc engine was borrowed from the Atlas. In 1975, Britain's reducing capital treasuries led to political upheavals leading to bankruptcy of the Original Norton. The company name has since seen many owners in US and the UK finally resting in the hands of Norton Racing UK. The new machine was built on the basis of the original Commando, with upgraded components and a significantly modified engine.The Commando 961 SS combined traditional Norton cafe racer styling with new technology. This included carbon fibre wheels to reduce weight, a counterbalanced engine, and a chro-moly tubular steel frame.

7.Triumph Bonneville T100 (1959-1983)(1985-1988)(2001-present): The Bonneville from Triumph is one of the oldest surviving motorcycle name in the world. Named after the Bonneville Salt flats used by motorcycle companies for testing and speed record runs, the motorcycle has made a record for itself. The current version, produced since 2001 by the modern successor of the original company, is a completely redesigned and re-engineered evolution of the original design. Since the arrival of the current 'Hinckley Bonneville', produced in Hinckley, the earlier T120 and T140, produced in Meriden, have been referred to as 'Meriden Bonnevilles', to distinguish between the versions.

8. Ducati 999 (1987- Present): Ducati's signature sports bike made humble beginnings in the Ducati 851. The first bike under Cagiva ownership to use Desmodronic head provided this bike with the much needed punch. The 888 saw a bigger engine and electronic fuel injection. The subsequent ducati bikes have won numerous Motorcycle races. Ducati's supersport bike has also won design awards and being displayed regularly at numerous fashion shows.

9. Royal Enfield Interceptor (1960-1970): n 1960, Royal Enfield introduced the first motorcycle bearing the name Interceptor. It had a highly tuned version of the company's biggest engine, the 692cc vertical twin and was only sold in the USA and Canada. The newer 750cc bikes are known for their reliability and torque. The engine cases were beefed up to withstand the increased torque. What sets this engine apart from other contemporary British twins is that the crankshaft was dynamically balanced from the factory which made these bikes one of the smoothest British twin engines ever. The models were sold until the british Subsidiary went bankrupt.

10. Jawa 250/350 (1946-1996)- One of the rare jewels to come from the Russian countries, Jawa's 250cc and 350cc motorcycles were a worldwide success due to their reliability. These were the only models to be produced worldwide under different names even after the companies bankruptcy. Frantisek Janecek began manufacturing Wanderer motorcycles under licence in 1927 in order to diversify the interests of his arms factory. Having bought the tooling for a 500 cc model, in 1929 he rebranded the machine with the name JAWA, derived from the first two letters of the words "Janacek" and "Wanderer". Based on their reliability and capability to run on spirits, the bike was termed 'forever bike, forever value'.

Ten Awesome leaders 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 07:18:15 PDT

1. Sergio Marchionne: born June 17, 1952, Sergio Marchionne is an international manager best known for his turnaround of the Italian automotive group Fiat and, more recently, for managing the US automotive group Chrysler from bankruptcy to profitability. He is of Italian origin but brought up in Canada. Marchionne currently holds several roles of major importance, including serving as CEO of Fiat S.P.A., Chairman and CEO of Chrysler Group LLC, and Chairman of Fiat Industrial S.P.A., and its principal subsidiary CNH. He has also served two consecutive terms as Chairman of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. In 2009, he was instrumental in Fiat Group forming a strategic alliance with the ailing US automaker Chrysler, with the support of the US and Canadian governments and trade unions. Less than 2 years later, following its emergence from Chapter 11, Chrysler returned to profitability (Q1 2011) and repaid all government loans (May 2011). Dodge's car and truck line are now split into two, "Dodge" for cars, minivans and crossovers and "Ram" for light and medium duty trucks and other commercial-use vehicles. Also Chrysler and Lancia cars will share the same platform since both brands do not co-exist in a single geographics location. 'Imported From Detroit' has been touted as the best advertising slogan of the year by various trade pundits.

2. Carlos Ghosn: Carlos Ghosn is a Brazilian-Lebanese-French businessman who is currently the Chairman and CEO Japan-based Nissan and holds the same positions at Paris-based Renault, which together produce more than one in 10 cars worldwide. Ghosn is also Chairman and CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, the strategic partnership overseeing the two companies through a unique cross-shareholding agreement. For orchestrating one of the decade's most aggressive downsizing campaigns and spearheading the turnaround of Nissan from near bankruptcy in the late 1990s, Ghosn earned the nicknames "le cost killer" and "Mr. Fix It.". When he joined the company, Nissan had debt of $20 billion and only three of its 48 models were generating a profit -- and reversing the company's sinking fortunes was considered "mission impossible.". Ghosn promised to resign if the company did not reach profitability by the end of the year, and claimed that Nissan would have no net debt by 2005. He defied Japanese business etiquette, cut 21,000 Nissan jobs (or 14 percent of total workforce), shut the first of five domestic plants, and auctioned off prized assets such as Nissan's aerospace unit. in one year, Nissan's net profit climbed to $2.7 billion from a loss of $6.1 billion in the previous year. Twelve months into his three-year turnaround plan, Ghosn had Nissan back in the black, and within three years it was one of the industry's most profitable auto makers, with operating margins consistently above 9% -- more than twice the industry average.In May 2005, Ghosn was named president and chief executive officer of Renault. When he assumed the CEO roles at both Renault and Nissan, Ghosn became the world's first person to run two companies on the Fortune Global 500 simultaneously. He is also the only person to have a comic book published based on his life.

3. Anand Mahindra: Anand Mahindra is the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of one of India’s largest enterprise, Mahindra and Mahindra. Mahindra was a co-promoter of Kotak Mahindra Finance Ltd, which was converted into a bank in 2003. Under Anand Mahindra's leadership, the Mahindra Group has set global ambitions and benchmarks for success. The company has grown rapidly through both acquisitions and greenfield business development with several high-profile mergers in the past few years, including the acquisition of Satyam Computer Services in 2009, Kinetic two-wheelers in 2009, Reva Electric Vehicles in 2010, and Ssangyong Motor Company in 2010. In 2002, the company launched an indigenously developed SUV, the Scorpio, which today has gone global. 'Knight of the Order of Merit' by the President of the French Republic. After the breakup of the Mahindra-Renault Alliance, the company has rejuvenated Logan car sales from 200 per month to more than 2000 units per month in a span of 6 months.

4. Rahul bajaj: It takes a lot to build a slogan people remember even after decades. 'Hamara Bajaj' is one of them, a national treasure of sorts. Rahul Bajaj is the man behind the company that made the slogan famous, Chairman at Bajaj Auto and a member of Parliament. What many people considered taboo was considered an opportunity by Rahul Bajaj during the license raj. The burgeoning demand for scooters was satiated only enough to make sure that the scooters appreciate in value after years. If you had foreign currency, your delivery period was shortened from 10 years to a couple of years for the iconic Bajaj Chetak. While the slump of scooters demand in the days of liberalization and globalization caught the company's profits, with the help of collabration from Kawasaki, Bajaj was quick to enter the motorcycle segment. Today while Hero Moto Corp is the largest two wheeler company in India, Bajaj Auto beats them in Motorcycle market share and even the Japanese lag behind. Today Bajaj Auto makes indegenous motorcycles under the Pulsar and Discover brand names and also sells Kawasaki branded motorcycles in the premium end keep a firm grip on the market share. The advertorials have held the cultural value and are a treat to watch even today.

5. Alan Mulally: In the 2009 recession, The largest car manufacturing base in the world fell apart. Two of the three companies sheltered against bankruptcy. The third company had recorded huge losses the year before, yet survived. The company was Ford Motors. The man responsible for such a feat was none other than Alan Mulally, currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company. He began his career with Boeing as an engineer in 1969 and was largely credited with BCA's resurgence against Airbus in the mid-2000s. One of Mulally's first decisions at Ford was to bring back the Taurus Nameplate. He said that he could not understand why the company previously scrapped the Taurus, which had been one of the company's best sellers until losing ground in the late 1990s. Mulally took over "The Way Forward" restructuring plan at Ford to turn-around its massive losses and declining market share. In 2008, amid mounting losses during an economic downturn, Ford announced a proposal on December 2, 2008 to cut Mulally's salary to $1 per year if government loans were received and used by Ford. During hearings for government loans to Ford, he and other industry leaders were criticized for flying to Washington, D.C. in corporate jets. During a subsequent meeting, he traveled from Detroit to Washington by a Ford-built hybrid electric vehicle, while selling all but one of the company's corporate jets. He is also largely credited for achieving a wage rate of $55/hour compared to $76/hour with the UAW (Union of Auto Workers).

6. Martin Winkerkorn: Think Audi, think Volkswagen, think Skoda, think Porsche Automobili, think Lamborghini, think Bentley and Buggati. The thinktank behind this company is Martin Winkerkorn. In 1993 Winterkorn became head of "Group Quality Assurance" at Volkswagen AG, and was appointed General Manager of Volkswagen AG with power of attorney in March 1994. The rest is history. The man responsible for VW group's prominance in the market today. Volkswagen rose to being the thirst largest carmaker taking advantage of the 2008 United States recession which affected big car makers including GM, Chrysler, Ford, Toyota and Honda. VW went on a market expansion spree also signing a controlling agreement with Suzuki especially for the Indian operations and buying Italdesign Guigiaro studios.

7. Chung Moon Koo: At a time when The Germans and Americans were controlling the market and the Japanese were on an offensive, A Korean car maker decided to stand amongst them. Today Hyundai stands as the fifth largest car maker in the world. Chung Mong Koo is much credited with improving the reputation, perception and sales of Hyundai vehicles by shifting the automaker's emphasis from production to quality. Togather with Kia Hyundai has cars are now more known for their quality than their quirky Korean designs. Being one of the latest entrants in the automobile industry, Chung Moon Koo has definitely made the cut taking the company to great heights globally.

8. Roberto Colaninno: Roberto Colaninno is the name that took Piaggio to become the worlds fourth largest two wheeler company. Piaggio's financial position was in a bad shape, but its brand was still well known and its products were featured in many Hollywood films thanks to the Vespa ET4. In 1995, Colaninno had pulled off Europe's then largest-ever hostile takeover when he took control of Telecom Italia SpA. In October 2003, Colaninno made an initial investment of 100 million euros through his holding company Immsi SpA in exchange for just under a third of Piaggio and the mandate to run it. Chief executive Rocco Sabelli redesigned the factory on Japanese principles, and changed it so that every Piaggio scooter could be made on any assembly line.Unlike the turnaround recipe applied at U.S. auto makers, Mr. Colaninno did not fire a single worker. Today Piaggio holds Aprilia, Derby, Laverda(defuct), Gilera, Moto Guzzi and Vespa brands.

9. Brij Mohan Lal Munjal: Brij Mohan Lal Munjal created the worlds largest two wheeler company in Hero Motors. Honda was regarded worldwide as the best automobile maker in the two wheeler market strongly based on the ruggedness in which Hero Motors products are used. The credit goes to Brij Mohan Lal Munjal. Today after the breakup with Honda, the company is still going strong on sales developing new products.

10. Venu Srinivasan: Venu Srinivasan is the Chairman and Managing Director of TVS Motors, and also the Managing Director of Sundaram Clayton Ltd. He has also served as the President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the year 2009-10. In 1990, when TVS Motors' joint venture partner Suzuki refused to bail the company out after a ravaging strike, Srinivasan decided to deal strictly with the labor unions. He shut the factory down for three months, and forced the unions to relent. Then he overhauled the company operations by upgrading the plant, investing in new technology and implementing quality programs.TVS Motors split with Suzuki in 2001, and started manufacturing on its own. Today TVS is the most famous name on the Indian racing scene and the company is the third largest in market share behind Hero moto Corp and Bajaj Auto.

The Indian Car Tuners

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 05:57:26 PDT

1. Red Rooster performance- Red Rooster performance specialized in Tuning Mitsubishi Cedia which is the Indian Rally favorite alongwith tuning other cars. The company stock Spider Diesel Tuning box, Tein suspension parts, Toora Steering wheels and seats, BMC Air Filters, Exedy Racing clutch, NGK Spark plugs, Turbosmart turbo solutions, Haltech Engine Management solutions, Garrett turbo solutions, Malpassi Fuel Pressure regulators and other reputed brands. Equipped with high quality tooling and products, Red Rooster is a quality shop for your cars performance needs. The company is based in Bangalore but has recently opened outlets in Chennai and Mumbai.

www.redroosterperformance.com/

2. Autopsyche- Delhi based Autopsyche rose to fame with their innovative and efficient design mods. Only a handful of tuners have successfully installed Scissor doors on lancer and made it look like a thousand bucks. Autopsyche is now a complete solutions shop for automobile performance. Apart from custom paint jobs, body kits and car accessories Autopsyche now also provides Green and K&N air filters, Magnaflow and HKS mufflers, aeromotive and fuellab fuel pressure regulators, NGK spark plugs, Spitfire/MSD/HKS ignition solutions, koni/ Bilstein and Eibach suspension parts, petes diesel tuning boxes and car audio solutions from various reputed brands including rainbow, Image Dynamics, Bull Audio and Dyna Audio.

www.autopsyche.com

3. The Automators- For a dead city like Ahmedabad where money lives and dies in the safe deposit boxes, The Automators is more than a car enthusiast can ask for. The shop carries Mobil1 oil products, Pipercross/ Green Cotton/ K&N air filters, Pete's diesel tuning boxes, NGK spark plugs and Remus Exhaus systems. It is also the authorized Yokohama dealer for the city.

Website N/A

4. N1 racing- N1 is a Mumbai (Bombay) based car tuner. The company carries Mobil1 oil products, Magnaflow exhaust systems, pipercross air filters, MSD ignition products, Exedy performance clutches, Turbosmart turbo accessories and NGK spark plugs.

www.n1engineering.com/

5. Performance Zone- Started as a Porsche parts supply shop, Performance shop today covers all aspects of car tuning. On a personal level, for a potential tuning parts shopper, the website is extremely friendly. The company specializes in Body kits, Custom lighting, custom car audio systems, HKS/ Remus/ Magnaflow Free flow exhaust systems, K&N Air filters, Petes diesel tuning box, NGK spark plugs and FIA approved racing suits and gloves for the professional racers.

www.performancezone.co.in

6. Pete's- Hailing from Kochi, Petes made a dent into the whole lot of car tuners who thought Diesel cars were not made for fun. Science was proven wrong and Petes came up with an awesome product which sealed its status as a quality car tuners. They provide Custom Code Turbo remaps and upgrades, pete's own diesel tuning box, Milltek sports exhaust solutions, carbonio air filters, SPEC performance clutches, Bilstein/ H&R suspension systems, Green Cotton Filters and Milotec body kits.

www.petes.in

7. Methods Automotive- Basd in Bangalore, Methods Automotive is one of the pioneer companies to begin the Tuner scene. Bangalore being the hub has also helped the company rise to fame. Starting from a handful brands via local imports, the company has come a long way. The company currently provides K&N air filters, Sparco seats and steering wheels, Koni suspension systems, NGK spark plugs and Remus Exhaus system.

www.methods.co.in

8. Race Dynamics- Another Bangalore based company with sound engineering qualities. The company carries petrol engine tuning boxes, diesel engine tuning boxes and HKS Spark plugs, Air filters and engine oil.

racedynamics.in/

9. FRK Racing- Known for its attention to detail, FRK racing is another run of the mill tuner company from Bangalore like the ones mentioned above but with more experience than most out there. They provide services such as engine upgrades and ecu remaps and provide Pipercross air filters, custom exhaust solutions, Koni suspensions and body kits.

www.frkracing.com

10. KS Motor Sport- Based in Mumbai, KS motors sport prouds itself in being more technically sound than the other run of the mill tuner shops. They frequent the Racing events and speed runs and have numerous awards registered to their name for the hard work they put in. The company provides Revo engine management and Evo conversion kits for the lancer.

http://www.ksmotorsport.co.in/

Racing tracks / circuits

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 07:55:02 PDT

1. Nardo Ring: The circuit is located in Nardo, Italy and gains its name from the same.The track length is 12.5kms and is round in shape. The circuit is designed in such a way that the driver can drive at 240kmph (150 mph) while not turning the steering. The Koenigsegg CCR broke the record for the fastest car at Nardo before being beaten by Buggati Veyron at another circuit.

2. Circuit De Monaco- The most unique race circuit till date the circuit is named after the city. The circuit is laid on the roads of the city. The circuit is mostly used for Formula racing in the month of May. The building and dismantling of the circuit on the city roads takes a total of 9 weeks and is a major source of revenue. The track is also famous for containing both the slowest corner and an extremely fast corner at the same time. The track length is 3.34kms.

3. Indianapolis motor speedway- The circuit is located in Speedway, Indiana, USA. The track is 2.5 miles/ 4.0 kms in length. The circuit is one of the oldest built in 1909 and has a capacity of 400000 making it the largest seating capacity of any racing circuits in the world. Apart from hosting F1 racing for a short duration the track is mostly used for Nascar, Moto GP and Indy car racing events. The starting line is unique in that it is made of bricks.

4. Daytona International Speedway- Daytona circuit is located at Daytona beach Florida and is one of the more beautiful tracks. The circuit is host to Daytona 500 race which is one of the signature races of NASCAR. The track length is identical to Indianapolis at 2.5 miles/ 4.0 kms. The Daytona circuit is also the only circuit to host the F1 power boat racing at the Lake Lloyd situated on the circuit premises itself.

5. Circuit De la Sarthe - Unknown to most people, the Circuit De La Sarthe is located at Le Mans, France. This has led to the circuit being famously called the Le Mans circuit. The circuit is mostly known to host the 24 hours Le Mans GT races. The circuit is one of the longest in the world at 13.6 kms/ 8.46 miles. The Le Mans Motorcycle race and Moto GP motorcycle race are also held here.

6. Silverstone circuit- One of the very few well built tracks located in the UK, the Silverstone circuit is based in Northampshire and Buckingham shire counties of UK. The circuit is 5.9kms / 3.66 miles in length. The circuit has hosted Formula One, Moto GP, WSBK and Le Mans races.

7.Catalunya circuit- The circuit de Catalunya is located in the famed city of Barcelona, Spain. The circuit is 4.65 kms/ 2.87 miles in length. The circuit is responsible for holding the Spanish F1 Grand Prix. The circuit construction was taken place at the same time as construction for Olympic games. Thanks to the extreme testing for R&D that takes place at Catalunya, the circuit is the hot favorite amongst all race car drivers. The circuit has also hosted Moto GP motorcycle races.

8. Laguna Seca Racing Circuit -is located in California USA. The circuit length is 2.23 miles/ 3.6 kms. The name Laguna Seca is Spanish for dry lake. The circuit is so named since it is located on the bed of dried lake. A man made pond has since been added to the venue.The circuit has hosted Can-AM, Trans-AM, American Le Mans, WSBK and Moto GP races. In recent times Mazda has officially sponsored the track renaming it as Laguna Seca Racing Circuit.

9. Sepang International Circuit- Sepang International circuit is located in Sepang, Malaysia, very near to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It is very famous Track for Formula1 and Moto GP races. The circuit is 5.54 kms /3.44 miles long. The Sepang circuit is famous for its very beautifully designed stands and boasts of more than 100000 spectator capacity.

10. Nurburgring- Based near the town of Nurburg, The Nurburgring race track is one of the more widely known racing centers. The old track before Nurburgring was termed as 'The Green Hell' and considered the most demanding circuit in the world. The track is one of the longest at 28.26 kms/ 17.56 miles.

11. Gilles Villeneuve- Gilles Villeneuve Racing circuit is a race track located in Montreal, Canada. Unlike most American race tracks, The Gilles Villeneuve race track is the most well maintained and prepared for races such as Formula1, Canadian Grand Prix, Nascar and Grand AM series. After being dropped from the F1 list for 2007, the Montreal GP turned out to be the longest race in 2011. It is also the only circuit to be constructed on an Island on river St. Lawrenece. Before the death of Gilles Villeneuve, the circuit was known as Il Notre Dame circuit. The circuit is 4.36 kms / 2.7 miles long.

12. Yas Marina Circuit- The Yas Marina Circuit is located at Abu Dhabi and holds the race for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Along with Gilles Villeneauve, it is one of the few tracks to be located on an island. Along with Bahrain International Circuit (The Bahrain International Circuit has been awarded by FIA as the best track to race at for the facilities, design and technology) is the only one of the two race tracks in the Middle East. The circuit is 5.554 km (3.451 mi) long. Abu Dhabi Race track holds the distinction as the only race track to have held a day-night F1 race.

13. Buddh Circuit- The Buddh International circuit is located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. The circuit is 5.141 km (3.194 mi) long. The circuit is has been the most famous for the political corruption and intervention in support of the circuit. The circuit construction has hampered the surrounding areas leading to road jamming, water and electricity problems and pollution. The circuit is a part of the bigger Sports center which is under construction.

14. Irungattukottai Race Track- Irungattukottai race track is located at Sriperembudur, India. Hence it is also known as Sriperembudur race track. The track is 3.717 km (2.310 mi) long and is the oldest race track in India. It is owned and operated by Madras Motor Sports club.

15. Kari Motor Speedway-The circuit is located near Coimbatore, India. It is 3.2 km (1.4 mi) long. Originally a runway for power gliders, the place was owned by Mr. Karivardhan who was an avid racer on the Indian scene. The racetrack is famous for car and motorcycle testing and various local and sub-continental racing events at held at the venue. JK corporation manufacturing JK branded tyres is a major sponsor of the racing events held at this track.

Branded Performance divisions, stock performance cars

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 06:09:15 PDT

1. Nismo (Nissan): Abbreviated for NIssan MOtorosports International, the branch of company takes care of taking the cars to the gym for beefing up. A seperate entity now under Nissan the company was formed in 1984 with the merger of Special Car Testing division and Publication Division 3. The first car built under Nismo was the Saurus.

What followed after the Saurus was Nissan's global success, the GT-R Skyline.

The company provides spoilers and diffusers, alloy wheels, engine and suspension parts for all Nissan, Datsun and Infiniti cars. An annual Nismo fest is also held to show off the Nismo designs every year.
website: http://www.nismo.co.jp/

2. Abarth (Fiat): Abarth was created as a separate entity than Fiat in 1949 by Austrian Italian Carlo Abarth. After years of successful racing results Fiat finally decided to buy out the performance company in 1971 after which Porsche and Simca did not get the performance support and Fiat was the sole benefactor. Some models built by Fiat or its subsidiaries Lancia and Autobianchi were co-branded Abarth, the most famous being the Autobianchi A112 Abarth, probably the most popular "Boyracer" vehicle of its time on account of its lightness and low price.

For comparison, a 2007 Fiat 1.4 500 makes 100 horses and 130nm of torque from its stock engine. Abarth engineers unveiled to the market an Abarth Assetto Corse 500 with 200 horses and 300nm of torque.

The brand did see a dip in market recognition during the 1990's and 2000's but Fiat relaunched it in 2007 looking at the compeition with a Fiat Punto Abarth. www.abarth.it

3. STI (Subaru): Subaru Technica International is the motorsports division of Fuji Heavy Industries Car brand Subaru. The company specializes in the preparation of a variety of vehicles for the Subaru World Rally Team which competed in the World Rally Championship (WRC). Formed in 1988 Subaru's STI was one of the last entrants in the field from Japan.

Traditionally "Cherry Blossom Red", as it's called in the US or "Rubine Red" as it's known in Australia (both of which are actually rather pink) is used as STi's signature color. It is seen as a masculine colour in Japanese culture. STI also provides parts for racing and street applications in Japan. In the US, STI parts are distributed and sold by SPT (Subaru Performance Tuning) although increasingly they are being made available under the STi name. http://www.subaru-sti.co.jp

4. F (Lexus): The newest performance division from Lexus was formed in 2006. The "F" stands from flagship and Fuji Speedway which is the main testing site for Lexus performance cars. The company started operations by launching the Lexus IS-F model in 2006.

The company launched a production supercar in 2010 to compete directly with Nissan GT-R and Lancer FQ successfully with a4.8 L 1LR-GUE V10 engine.

The accessory line from 'F' series is branded as F-Sport and the company is currently working on "F" versions for the complete Lexus lineup. www.lexus.com/f-sport

5.MazdaSpeed (Mazda): MazdaSpeed began life as Mazda Sports corner in 1968 through a local Japanese dealer for his performance and racing team. In 1991, Mazdaspeed car won at Le Mans, a feat no other Japanese team has managed.

Mazda took over complete ownership in 1999 of what was now MazdaSpeed. The predecessor of Mazda 3, the Protege was the first actual car to have the MazdaSpeed treatment.

Mazdapseed is now applied to the complete lineup from the company and a dedicated racing tournament is also held. www.mazdausa.com

6. AMG (Mercedes-Benz): Formed in 1967, the company was then known as AMG Engine Production and Development, Ltd. The letters "AMG" stand for Aufrecht, Melcher and Grobaspach. In 1990, Daimler-Benz AG and AMG signed a contract of cooperation, allowing AMG to leverage Daimler-Benz's extensive dealer network and leading to commonly developed vehicles. On 1 January 1999 the company acquired 51 percent of AMG shares, and AMG was renamed to Mercedes-AMG GmbH. On 1 January 2005 Aufrecht sold his remaining shares to DaimlerChrysler, and since then it has been a wholly owned subsidiary.

AMG is only one of the few company performance divisions that handle complete engine changes. AMG is also the supplier of engines for the Pagani's Zonda supercar.

While AMG remains the company arm, Brabus, Renntech and Kleemann also specialise in only Mercedes-Benz performance cars.www.Mercedes-AMG.com

7. SRT (Chrysler): Short for Street and Racing Technology, SRT was formed in 2004 with the merger of performance arms for Plymouth and Dodge Viper. Unlike with other companies, SRT is used by chrysler for all Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles.

The number that follows the "SRT" prefix denotes the number of engine cylinders the vehicle has. For example the Chrysler 300C has a 5.7L Hemi V-8; Therefore the SRT version is known as the Chrysler 300C SRT-8, which has a 6.1L Hemi V-8. Similarly, the Dodge Viper SRT-10 along with the Dodge Ram SRT-10 have an 8.3L V-10.

Apart from SRT, Dodge cars also use R/T monikers (Road and Track) for their cars. www.drivesrt.com

8. Quattro (Audi)- Quattro was initially the All wheel drive system derived by Audi to compete with BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Later a sports car was named by Audi as Quattro in 1980. Finally Audi took over Quattro as the name of its performance division in 1983.

Quattro primarily specializes in producing high performance Audi cars and components, along with purchaser specified customizations. While not marketed openly, Quattro GMBH is also responsible or high performance Audis like the RS4, S and the R8. Also Quattro is not allowed to sell directly to the public like other performance arms. However, it does now sell 'quattro GmbH' branded lifestyle products and accessories via Audi franchised outlets.

A similar operation called "Volkswagen Individual GmbH", founded February 2003, is provided for Audi's VW Group sister company Volkswagen Passenger cars at Wolfsburg. Volkswagen Individual GmbH produce the Volkswagen ".:R" series of cars, including the Golf R32 and the latest Passat R36, and are also able to provide purchaser requested customisations under the "Volkswagen Individual" label, similar to "Audi exclusive", during the initial factory manufacturing process. This service is also offered routinely to purchasers of Volkswagen Passenger Cars 'flagship' models - the Phaeton and the Touareg, at their respective plants.
www.audi.com, http://microsites.audi.co.uk/microsites/SLine

9. SVO/ SVT (Ford): SVO stands for Special Vehicle Operations under Ford Motor Company. Founded in 1981, SVO was one of the pioneers to design and develop performance parts and accessories related to the company's racing programs. The first ever car built was the Mustang SVO. The SVO Mustang was designed to compete directly with European sports sedans like BMW 3 Series.

Lately, Ford has let the SVO brand stay in the background, but a Ford Mustang 2015 version is to debut under SVO plate. Under the absence of SVO, Ford has let Special Vehicles Team (SVT) take to the forefront. Ford is planning to globalise their SVT operations.

Speculation suggests that as a result of Ford's plan to globalize their vehicles, SVT and the European RS division will merge, thus aligning all American and European performance vehicle activity together. www.fordperformancegroup.com

10. M-BMW: BMW M, also known as M-Technik or just "M" (for Motorsport) was initially created in 1972 to facilitate BMW’s racing program, which was very successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Later, BMW M began to supplement BMW's vehicles portfolio with specially modified higher trim models. These M-badged cars traditionally include modified engines, transmissions, suspensions, interior trims, aerodynamics, and exterior modifications to set them apart from their counterparts.

Vehicles which have been modified by BMW Motorsport, but are not full M Cars, may feature "M" badges, whilst full M Cars will have "M" badges with the model number. In recent years, there have been M-badged accessories available on non-M cars, usually as factory options

Cars under the Mini Cooper Brand and Rolls Royce brand do not use the M lineup of parts. Like Brabus, BMW supplies cars to Alpina for performance enhancements which operates independantly. http://www.bmw-m.de.com/

Special Mention
Mustang- Shelby: While there are performance brands for multi brands or complete brand line-ups, one car stands out. The Shelby Mustang has its own charm that wins against any other Mustang version or Shelby tuned car. The Shelby Mustang grille replaces the running horse logo with that of a Cobra which is now equally recognized over the world. www.shelbyautos.com

Ralliart (Mitsubishi): Founded in 1984, Ralliart is the only Company performance division which was as well known as the company itself. The operations were scaled down in 2010, but Ralliart brand will be continued on performance vehicles after the loss making company was hit badly during the recession. Licensed by the Ralliart division, Mitsubishi's UK arm builds a special version of the Lancer Evolution which is more powerful than any of its siblings badged as FQ (which stands for Fucking Quick) . The FQ models have been tested to be better performing than Super-cars like the Koeniggsegg, Ferrari and Lamborghini. www.ralliart.com

*- Information sourced from various articles including www.wikipedia.com

Ten things Tata should do to turn into a global manufacturer

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:10:11 PST

Tata has long been a major player defining the Indian car market. Currently the second largest car maker including trucks, TATA has worked hard to make the Middle class Indian mobile with the Nano and the Indica. But more than two decades of experience has not helped TATA reach the mantle of a global carmaker apart from the Jaguar Land Rover acquisition. Here are some important changes the company needs to focus on to appeal to a wider audience.

1. Better Engine Platform Utilization: Over the years Tata has developed a lot of engines in both Petrol and Diesel configuration. To add to the range for competing better in the market Tata has also sought Fiat's help (Fiat India is a 50:50 venture) for holding a wider range of engines and gearboxes. Including Jaguar, Land Rover and Fiat acquisition Tata at the moment has

Tata Indica/Indigo/XL/Marina Platform
Tata Vista/Manza platform
Tata Nano/Pixel/MagicIris/ Ace Platform
Tata Safari/ Aria/ Grande/ Xenon platform
Tata Sumo/TL platform
Tata Winger platform ( based on Renault Trafic design)
Tata Venture platform
Jaguar XJ
Jaguar XF (Ford platform)
Jaguar XK
Land Rover Defender
Land Rover FreeLander (Ford Platform)
Land Rover Discovery/ Sport platform
Land Rover Evoque paltform
Range Rover Platform
Fiat Linea/ Grande Punto Platform
Fiat Palio Stile platform
Fiat 500 platform

In Total Tata has 18 platforms in its kitty to maintain including the luxury brands and the fiat venture. While major car makers today are cutting down on platforms to increase the margin, Tata has an huge number of platforms at its hand. The company needs to reduce the platforms for a better capacity utilization and economies of scale. Also more car designs such as a coupe and convertible are needed too.

The current generation Sumo/ Spacio has been outdated and is being outsold by competition. Just like VW uses the same platform for VW, Skoda and AUDI vehicles Tata can utilize Land Rover platforms for its Utility vehicles including the Safari, Grande, Aria and other vehicles. The upside for Land Rover will be the economies of scale helping profitability and increased margins while helping Tata minimize the build quality issues, uneven panels and ergonomics and low brand image. The defender platform is apt for Tata Sumo, Spacio, venture and winger models. The Freelander will make a nice platform for Xenon pickup and Grande. Finally the Safari and Aria can be based on the Discovery Platform. This will help the company erase its biggest weakness which is the public perception. Here the point is not to kill the platform the merge two platforms for a more economic and competitive single platform.

A similar exercise needs to be undertaken by TaTa by where the Vista/ Manza platform needs to be slowly outsourced on the Fiat Linea/ Punto platform . Fiat is having a hard time making sales targets. Sharing more than engine and gearbox will help both the companies just like the Land Rover Tata situation where economies of scale help in profit margins. Tata already has a lot of engines too.

4.4 Diesel V8 (Land Rover)
3.0 Diesel V6 (jaguar/ Land Rover)
3.0 Disel (Sumo, Safari)
2.7 Diesel V6 (Jaguar/ Land Rover)
2.2 Diesel (Land Rover)
2.2 Diesel (Grande, Aria, Safari, Xenon)

2.0 Diesel (winger, Sumo, Safari, TL)
1.4 Diesel Dicor (Venture, Indica, Vista,Marina, Indigo, XL, venture, )
1.3 Multijet (Vista, Manza, Fiat cars)
.6diesel (Iris, nano, Pixel)

.6 petrol (Nano, pixel, Iris))
1.2 petrol (Indica)
1.2 Petrol (Fiat Cars)
1.4 Petrol (Indica, Marina, Indigo, XL)
1.4 petrol (Vista, Manza, Fiat cars)
2.0 Petrol (Land Rover)

2.1 petrol (safari)
3.2 Petrol I6 (Land Rover)
3.5 petrol (Silhoutte)
4.2 Petrol V8 (Jaguar)
5.0 Petrol V8 (Jaguar/ Land Rover)

2. A stronger and sharper brand image: Tata is looked at more like a utilatarian car maker. More individual buyer marketing for Xenon and TL (Thar and Gateway for example)is necessary. The products do not show on the Tata Motors website. Grande MKII also needs to be provided with more features and a better image so that it can fight with Scorpio while the new Safari Merlin replacement can take the fight to the new Scorpios premium car. This will also aid in pulling Aria at a higher price segment. Pulling Grande MKII up the price ladder will also create a space for pitting Winger platinum againast Innova and Xylo and Tavera.

3. An easy to use website: Internet has fast caught on as a medium which provides immense information for car buyers. Tata Motors will not generate any business with a better website but it sure helps in providing a lot of information. Loads of models are not provided and information is scarce too. It also helps to include Merchandise (watches, sunglasses and pen, Mobile phone) to be retailed on the website. The merchandise products can be Tata brands itself such as Titan watches, Fastrack sunglasses etc.

4. Choice of alternative fuels: With the corruption catching up in petrol companies in India, prices have risen explicitly even though quality is still lacking. In such a scenario, buyers are fast looking at the alternatives. Diesel is one field where Tata Motors has a strong presence. But the company needs to catch up with CNG LPG options fast. Brands like Maruti and Chevrolet have provided their complete line ups with CNG and LPG options to cater to the increasing demand for non petrol vehicles.

Also Mahinra and other international care makers are betting high on electricity as the alternative source. Tata needs to prepare for the onslaught. For those who are not aware Tata Motors has put in enormous R&D for oneCAT and has also succesfully prepared electric Indica and Ace models in the past. Tata has also bought Miljøbil Grenland/Innovasjon which is an alternative energy company for the same. But any updates are yet to be made public by the company. Succesfuly prototypes of Tata Vista and Nano have also be caught on test grounds.

But the most important addition would be of a 650cc two cylinder or a 975cc three cylinder diesel motor for use in Tata Nano and Tata Indica. Chevrolet has succesfully pulled this feat off in the latest Chevrolet Beat Diesel.

5. Automatic Transmission: Fact: No Indian Hatchback on sale today has a diesel automatic option. Mahindra was quick to develop an Automatic option for its Scorpio diesel. Maruti and Hyundai have been offering automatic transmission in their A-Star and I-10 hatchbacks. This makes Tata only car maker in the top five domestic car makers to not have an automatic transmission. With increasingly congested traffic situations an Automatic Manza against Honda City/ Verna/ Vento/ Fiesta will help bring customers to the Tata showroom and sell more cars.Not to forget that an Automatic Tata Vista will be the only car in the market in the diesel segment. While Jaguar Land Rover cars have automatic transmissions, Tata can also source automatic transmission from Fiat just like they sourced the manual transmission for Tata Vista.

6. Tata Customization programme: With increasing awareness and competition in the market, carmakers offer more and more models to cater to a wider audience. While custom car packaging has caught on outside the country, this concept is yet to make it mainstream in India. Mahindra for starters has begun providing customer with such custom vehicles. Volkswagen also provided a similar custom programme for its Polo hatchback on launch. I remember how on my purchase HM-Mitsubishi had offered me to provide wth a car in my colour with my choice of upgrades in three weeks. The same confusion was taken care of by the dealer when I wanted my Basic Honda Jazz to be kitted with aluminum wheels over steel wheels. I still missed out on the USB port for the audio. In addition engine upgrade options should also be provided. Tata Motors has a common engine platform for most cars. Selling engine upgrade spares via dealerships will provide Tata with a better brand image through spare availability and let users decide what engine configuration they are interested in. A 1.4 Tata Indica with DOHC head from the XL family can take the fight to Polo and Fabia in the 100bhp hot hatch game.

7. Technology upgrade- Tata cars while growing leaps and bounds in quality still leave a lot to be desired in features across the range. Most car makers today have provided ABS, EBD and Airbags across the range. In comparison Tata has these features only in Safari, Aria, Manza and Vista.Those who have demoed the 'My tata connect technology' will also agree that buyers will be willing to pay for 40K premium even in the most basic of cars like the Tata Nano. Connectivity is the buzz word in the markets today and even a fledgling car maker like Saab (just entered bankruptcy) has shifted to Android UI for its cars. Connectivity and communications integration in cars will lead to much efficient transition when the electric car wave hits the market in the near future.

8. Efficient capacity utilization: Tata motors has found it tough to increase the sales compared to market leaders Maruti and Hyundai. This has also led to plant efficiency falling to below 70%. Tata motors is already exporting to Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Spain, Italy, Poland, Turkey and the United Kingdom but its major presence is still found on the Indian subcontinent namely India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Nepal. It is an excellent opportunity to dump the slow moving stock in the international markets for competitive prices joinyl with some strong marketing and promotions. This will lead to Tata building a strong customer base worldwide and keep the plant efficiency above 80-90%.

9. Enter Rally Racing: At a time when Bajaj was selling Pulsar unchecked by competition TVS brought its Apache face to face and has changed the game. Customers are now buying TVS motors Apache motorcycle as much as the Pulsar. This was made possible by TVS motors racing team which followed the motto 'race on Sunday, sell on Monday.' This is not the first time a car maker has taken to this slogan. Nissan, Ford, BMW, GM, Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Subaru and many other car makers have followed the practice in history. It is a known fact that while not every customer buys a car to race, racing pumps adrenaline into everybody's minds. Hence racier looking cars always catch more fancy. A successful sales strategy by HM with the Lancer in the late 1990's had given the company so much leverage, it was one of the best selling cars. Tata need not go outside their stables for more success stories of racing and car selling. When Tata introduced the Tata Silhoutte sports car based on the Indica platform, enthusiasts all around the country thronged discussion forums to know more about it and buy if it was in their reach. Tata needs a strong presence in the INRC and other national rally championships where it stands a better chance to survive considering the cheaper spares and maintainence and stronger build.

10. Annual design refresh: The first Tata Indica appeared in the market on 1998. Indica V2, Vista and Vista V2 have followed in what has been the lifespan of 13 years. In comparison Suzuki's Alto (800/Alto/A-star) has seen more than 20 refreshes in 20 years. Ford's Fiesta has seen 10 refreshes in close to 7 years and Honda Civic has seen 4 refreshes in five years. With the sales spurts Tata has witnessed along with launching a refresh, it is quite evident that such tatics help the company keep the car abreast with competition even though it may only include an upholstry change, grille redesign and headlight changes. To make some buzz or the other in the market has become the necessity since the market is now crowded with more than 25 manufacturers.

10 Car Audio brands to sweeten the sound your vehicle makes

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:43:38 PDT

1. Pioneer: Formed in 1938 Pioneer was so famous at one point in time that 40% of the duplicates were sold in its name. The company makes and sells Amplifiers, component speakers, Co-axial speakers, subwoofers, head units and audio processors. The premium products are categorized as 'Premier'.

website- www.pioneer-india.in

2. Kenwood-JVC: The Behemoth in car audio and Wireless products joined hands with the electronics giant to form JVC Kenwood corporation in 2008. Till date the products do retain their independent identity. Kenwood makes and sells navigation units, Head units, component speakers, co-axial speakers, amplifiers and subwoofers.The premium products are categorized as 'Excelon'.

www.india.kenwood.com

JVC makes and sells products under JVC mobile brand name. The company makes and sells Multimedia units, head units, co-axial speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers.The premium products are categorized as 'drvn' replacing 'Exad'.

www.jvc.co.in

3. Alpine: Formed by a joint with Motorola Alpine bought out the American company's stake after being founded in 1967. The company range includes head units, multimedia units, sound processors, amplifiers, component speakers, coaxial speakers and subwoofers. Their premium range is categorized as 'F1'.

http://www.alpine-asia.com/india

4. Clarion: Clarion was formed in 1940 in Japan. upto until a few years Clarion had a minority stake in Nissan. The company manufactures Multimedia units, Head units, navigation units, amplifiers, coaxial speakers, component speakers and subwoofers. The company doesn't have a dedicated premium lineup.

http://www.clarion.com/in/en/top.html

5. Blaupunkt: Blaupunkt is one of the oldest car audio manufacturers to date founded in 1923 as 'Ideal'. The company has recently been spun off by Bosch to Aurelius AG. The company produces Head units, co-axial speakers, subwoofer and amplifiers.

www.blaupunkt.com

6. Harman international (JBL, Infinity, Harman Kardon, Mark Levinson): Usually known in India by its brand JBL, was formed in 1946.The Indian arm is mostly taken care of by Sahil International. The company also known for its home audio products makes and sells co-axial speakers, component speakers, subwoofer, amplifiers, Head units and sound processors. The premium products are sold under the Infinity brand name.

www.indiajbl.com

7. Rockford Fosgate: Rockford Corp was founded in 1980 mostly as an amplifier manufacturer. The company manufactures and sells Head units, signal processors, amplifiers, co-speakers, component speakers and subwoofer. The company also has a separate value brand named Lightning Audio. The premium products in Rockford Line are sold under 'Power' name.

www.rockfordindia.com

8. Soundstream: Soundstream is now owned by Power Acoustik which also sells under power acoustik/ epsilon/ Kole/SPL/ farenheit/ Precision power. While the Soundstream of yore competed with Rocford Fosgate for its quality amplifiers (Lil wonder and Human reign) the company had a fall after Chinese took over the market with Duplicates. After a decade the company's products have again been reviewed to have the same quality levels. The company manufactures and sells amplifiers, subwoofers, component speakers, co-axial speakers, signal processors, power management kits, multimedia units, visual displays. Soundstream Human reign and lil wonder are its premium range products.

www.sspl.com

9. Kicker: Kicker car audio is a leader in car audio at present. The company was formed in 1973 and now owned by Stillwater designs inc. The company manufactures and sells Amplifiers, Subwoofers, Component speakers, co-axial speakers, subwoofer boxes and signal processors.

www.kickerindia.com

10.Mcintosh/ Denon/ Boston Acoustics: Denon Marantz holdings or D&M inc has one of the best quality audio brands under its kitty. That is the reason it features here before reputed names such as Focal audio and JL audio. The companys Mcintosh car Head units are supposedly the best in the business while Boston Acoustics manufactures quality speakers. The company has a range of head units, component speakrs, amplifiers, co-axial speakers, subwoofers and signal processors.

www.ap.bostonacoustics.com

HM launches a new vehicle part-II

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:33:29 PDT

Continued from http://boyracer.blogspot.com/2011/08/hm-launches-new-vehicle.html

A recent article has caught my eye recently and I will be putting it down here. The reason why this article is important is because the author has taken the pains to provide some correct information which is not readily available.

The car with a made-in-Calcutta tag is going retro to stay relevant in the age of sleeker, stronger and speedier.

A team of 30 engineers is racing against time at Hindustan Motors’s new R&D centre in Uttarpara to rebuild the Ambassador into a city slicker with fashionably retro styling and a peppier engine under the bonnet.

Already late by a year, the retro Ambassador will finally hit the road in its hatchback and sedan versions next August. “We are going to relaunch the Ambassador on a new platform, and with a lot of technical changes, in the second quarter of 2012,” Prakash Jha, the managing director of Hindustan Motors, confirmed to Metro.

The Amby revamp project had been outsourced to the Pune-based Onio Design Pvt Ltd, which did the initial design and research for the retro car. “We have since taken over the project and have been working on it since last February,” said Sandhya Pande, head, Vehicle Strategies & Development.

The new Ambassador will retain the monocoque platform that gave the vehicle its roominess. “We will also maintain its heritage look and iconic features,” Pande said.

What will change are the engine, transmission and suspension sytems. The Ambassador will have a peppier engine of 1.5 litres and 1.8 litres respectively for the hatchback and sedan. While the company is due to launch a BS IV-compliant petrol engine for the current Ambassador by the end of this fiscal, the new Ambassador will have a CrDi engine (diesel motor) that is being sourced from Europe.

The hatchback, the prototype of which is ready for tests, will be less than four metres in length to make it eligible for excise cuts. It is likely to be priced between Rs 3.5 and Rs 4 lakh, a company spokesman said.

The entry-level sedan will offer C-segment luxury features like leather seats, a new retro-looking dashboard, Bluetooth and other gizmos. Safety features like ABS (anti-lock braking system) and EBD (electronic brake distribution) will be optional. Coming to the other car based on the new Ambassador, the retro Ambassador sedan will compete with the current crop of C-segment sedans with the 1.5 Liter CRDI diesel engine and the 1.8 Liter BS4 petrol engines powering it. While the common rail turbo diesel engine is being developed from scratch, we hope that the 1.8 Liter Isuzu petrol unit gets more than just a BS4 certification compliance, as it isn’t exactly known for its frugalness, one factor which is the need of the hour in India. The C-Segment Ambassador sedan will have a host of new features like ABS, EBD and leather seats to add to the luxury quotient.

“The Ambassador is known for its product life cycle, safety and robustness. When the state government was phasing out commercial vehicles 15 years and older, we had 20-year-old taxis on the road. Tell me, which vehicle has such a long running life?” demanded managing director Jha.

The current model of the Ambassador is based on the 1950s Morris Oxford III. The UK-based Morris Motor Company, of course, discontinued the model about 50 years ago.

Hindustan Motors has often been accused of being reluctant to adapt to newer technologies. Automobile designer Dilip Chhabria, who created the Rs 4.4-crore Amberoid that was inspired by the Ambassador, said: “It is an uphill task for the company (to revive the Amby). Apart from some very timid efforts, they haven’t done anything to it for decades. Being an icon is what has powered Amby sales since 1950s. I believe the company should treat it the way Porsche has treated the 911 and BMW has treated the Mini.”

The Ambassador sold 8800 units in 2009-10, but and the figure dwindled to 6,700 units in 2010-11. The retro Amby is, therefore, Hindustan Motors’s last-ditch effort to revive this iconic passenger car that ruled the roads through the sixties and seventies till the Maruti 800 changed the way people drove in India.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110811/jsp/calcutta/story_14357767.jsp
By- Anasuya Basu

HM Launches a new vehicle

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:03:59 PDT

HM has just lauched the Veer. It reminds me of HP Veer. Apart from the sealed fate both do not have much in common.

HM has recently reported to BIFR as reported by me here. http://boyracer.blogspot.com/2010/05/hindustan-motors-reports-to-bifr-as.html Since then, the Managing Director resigned and company got in Mr. Manoj Jha as replacement.

The rein holder definitely wanted to make some noise and HM announced an Ambassador Redesign. Rumours were spread that HM was getting help from Studios in Italy. Fact was HM only visited a domestic company named 'Onio' designs.

After months of wait for HM supporters HM has finally launched the HM Veer. The sad part is Veer looks nothing more than a redesigned Hindustan Porter

It shouldn't be much of surprise how HM is moving towards commercial vehicles segment with the launch of HM Veer and Shifeng sourced Winner. But The sad part is the ill developed product. Mahindra and Tata both have succesfully capture the single cab pickup and double cab pickup markets with vehicles like the Tata Xenon, Tata TL4x4, Mahinra Getaway and Mahindra Camper. These vehicles also had a limited niche market appeal. Sadly, HM Veer falls in the no mans land.

With a focus on the commercial vehicle segment, ailing auto maker Hindustan Motors (HM) is expecting a revival of fortune in another three years' time, a top company official said on Monday. The vehicle priced at 3.3 lakh (ex showroom Kolkata) is built on the Ambassador platform of the company's Uttarpara facility in West Bengal.“We have honoured our commitment by launching Veer. Four new vehicles will also be launched this year. These will come both from our Uttarpara and Chennai plants,” he said.

It was speculated that HM might launch a sub 4 metre sedan/hatch aka the Verito or Indigo CS. But Hindustan Motors has instead decided to go for a commercial passenger segment with the next product being a 7-9 seater Van again based on the Ambassador.

The company sold 10000 units of the Ambassador last fiscal and with the launch of the variant of the same platform it is hoping to sell 50000 units. Sadly, for enthusiasts, the company does not have plans to relaunch the Contessa or upgrade the Ambassador platform to compete in the retail customer segment. Neither is there a cash strapped plan to build a seventh generation lancer derived Hatchback to compete with the Toyota Etios/Liva and Mahindra Verito. The company has also lacked the vision to study how Lincoln Town car and Austin LT cabs kept the companies alive while they built on their brands using newer platforms.

Priced at 330000 INR, the vehicle retains the same engines used on the Ambassador.

10 steps to getting the best bargain while buying an automobile

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:54:12 PDT

1. Keep two cars on the list to buy: All the cars in the market today are equivalently well built with some being frugal while others better built. It is safe to keep two cars on the list since not all car makers have a dealer near you. Even more convenient if you have two dealers for the same car maker. I was looking to get a Honda Jazz, I was also looking at a Nissan Micra. In Ahmedabad we have Landmark Honda (my previous experience was sad with them.) and a newly opened Emerald Honda. Nissan has only one 'Petal Nissan' though.

2. Always Test drive the same car you are to buy twice: Usually dealers do not keep all variants for Test Drive. But if you do not get to test drive the same engine/ transmission option you want, just walk away. I wanted to test drive a Hyundai I20 Diesel before purchase. The dealer did not have a test drive car. For Honda Jazz ' gave us a test drive first at our door step and next at their dealership. Also remember to test drive the car on the roads you usually drive on in the way you drive. But, also remember that you do not own the car and you are not racing on the track.

3. Let the Salesperson call you back: Never call back or return to the showroom before the sales person calls you. It is important that the customer is provided with a call back. If the dealership does not call back, they are not bothered with providing you a good service either. I received a call back from Fiat Showroom three months after I had already bought my car. Additionally, letting them follow up shows that you are in control.

4. Keep a track of the bargain you are getting: It is important to understand the current schemes on the car before you even finalize on it. This is necessary for you to know how much you can bargain further. Also do not get book a car after seeing a heavy discount advertisement. It might be an inventory sell out for a new model. If it is then you can go crazy during the bargain. But make sure the car has sold enough to ensure easy spares availability. Maruti 800 went out of sale but the last units were lapped up by the market because spares are readily available. Skoda on the other hand had a 9 month old Fabia waiting to be sold. Another reason is because the car is slow selling. This should not bother if the car fits your requirement. A Tata Indigo Marina is not an everyday car for Tata but buyers who buy them are pretty satisfied. Sometimes competition encourages heavy promotion too. In the end it is always the buyer who wins. But remember that it is the total price you pay that is important irrespective of how big an amount the dealer shows to you. Ask them how much in total you pay.

Additionally, after you have decided to buy the car, ask the sales executive on what further discounts he will provide. For this step, you should be prepared with prices of competing cars in the market and prices from various showrooms. I initially began the bargaining talk by telling the sales person how the Volkswagen Polo petrol is cheaper than Honda Jazz and how he might lose a sale. The sales person wont match the price but it is a nice beginning to getting a bargain. Let him bargain and reduce the price before you show any intent. Once you get to level to of bargain, dish out what the competing same brand dealer is offering. I had a quote from Emerald Honda to show to Landmark Honda before he reduced the price. Do not hesitate to walk to the other dealer for a better bargain. This will take some time but it is worth it if you are looking to save good money. Bargain until both the dealers confirm they cannot go any low and you know there is no more margin for bargain.

PS: White and silver coloured cars are universally best sellers irrespective of the brand or model. Discounts are less on these colours and they also fetch higher resale. If you are planning to keep the vehicle for long and do not care about resale ask the dealer for a different colour to your liking for a better price. I selected a blue colour and I got a further cash discount.

5. Freebies are essential too: Depending on how well the car is equipped, you can begin bargaining further for the free accessories which form an integral part of the car experience. Here is a list of things you can get free or for a subsidized price.

1. Stereo system
2. Additional quality speakers for stereo system
3. Alloy Wheels
4. Glass tint/ Sun film
5. Floor mats
6. Cabin freshener
7. Bumper guards
8. Door protectors
9. Boot parcel tray
10. Teflon coating for body and engine
11. A full tank of gas
12. Extended warranty
13. Audio auxiliary/ iPod/ usb cable
14. Spoiler
15. Body kit
16. Fog Lights
17. Drilled pedal kit
18. Steering cover
19 Seat covers
20 Remote central locking kit.

The list goes on and you should try to get the most out of the deal. Remember, the showroom owner is rich and you are parting with your hard earned money.

6. Select your own car: The dealer is out to clear his inventory but it is important for the customer to remember that no two cars are built the same. Walk to the stock yard and look for at least two cars units before selecting on one. Check for the manufacturing date. If you got a huge discount, chances are that the sales person will sell you an older dated car. Check the VIN for more information. If you do not know how to read a VIN number just plain ask the sales person to show you car papers reflecting the VIN number. Look for defects/nicks/ or repair jobs. Then select the car you want. Make sure a proper PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) has been carried out and the car meets the latest emission regulations.

7. Finance options: Many people pay cash upfront while many select Bank loans for depreciation/ tax benefits. For loan options a further loan payout pass on is possible for the customer along with insurance. While the dealership may provide more discount for upfront cash payment. Select the one that suits best. CAVEAT EMPTOR: Banks are white robbed bandits when it comes to loans, select the right financing options from a reputed bank and look where you sign even if they make you sign 500 pages. It is extremely important to note that while availing a loan can help you buy a premium car, it is up to self to ensure that the installments are affordable.

8. Check the documents and the transactions: Check the whole transaction with every minute detail possible. Inspect how and where the discount has been given and how it reduces your total price or adds an extra for a lower price. Seldom do sales persons play around prices to make customer feel they have got a good deal while that is not the truth. Do not go by the ex-showroom and on-road prices listed on the paper by the dealer.

9. ASK Nothing is as crucial and important. Ask reasons and replies for every single doubt or questions you have. Satisfy yourself that you are getting what you have agreed for.Ask for clarifications if even a single point seems fishy.

10. Warranty and coverage: A warranty these days is usually part of the deal that you get on the car. While other brands such as Fiat advertised a 24+24 warranty package, Honda has a 4 years warranty in place. Check all the details of the warranty. My Honda Jazz had issues with window linings leading to slow window operation. The four year warranty took care of it.

RACING Wrist watches- What's the lap time?

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:38:56 PST

1- Rolex Daytona-

2.Ducati Corse Watch.

3. DucatiTudor

4. Denissov Moto Style

5. Chanel J12 Superleggera

6. Tissot Nascar

7. Panerai Ferrari FER015

8. Koeniggsegg CCX by EDOX

9.Yamaha V-MAx Choronograph

10. Tissot T-race Moto GP edition

11. Breitling Bentley GMT

12. Longines Sport Grande Vitesse

13. Oris williams F1 skeleton engine

14. Orient Rally

15. EDOX WRC

16.Titan Octane ROTR

Tag Heuer carries a complete range of racing watches under the Carrera, Carrera grand F1 and other names.

Chopard mille miglia, 1000miglia

Porsche Design as per the name has a range of racing watches in its lineup

LML is back and it has a plan.

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 13:47:32 PDT

LML was once a pioneer in the scooter market in India. An over zealous growth plan gone horribly wrong and employee strikes pulled the company down. The Singhania's were looking for a lifeline for the company while diversifying into to other businesses when Credit Suisse stepped in with fresh capital. This was about 6 years ago. So what has LML been up to? the reply is..... A lot!!

My first motorcycle was an LML Adreno. The semi fairing look stole my heart and it was extremely comfortable to drive. The handling was better than Hero CBZ and Bajaj Pulsar. But the extra weight and smaller engine did the bike in. It's Cousin the 'Energy' fared slightly better but met with a similar fate.

But my tryst with LML has continued in the form of the LML Scooter that my friend owns. The story is same nationwide since LML was the only other scooter maker apart from Bajaj. During the Bajaj monopoly days when their scooters were only available for Forex currencies, LML broke the mould. A bigger, better and stronger scooter. It was again the scooters that saved LML six years ago after being declared sick by BIFR (Board of Industrial and Financial Restructuring) which is an equivalent of Bankruptcy. The company began operations by exporting scooters to Europe, Africa and Middle East as a retro and fun alternative. The bank account saw a jump and the company decided to stick to scooters even when the Kanpur based firm re-entered India.

The company is still in red and bleeding millions but the capital has grown and sales have increased year over year. The old scooter has been smacked with chrome, bigger alloy wheels, electric start and disc brakes. Voila!! you have a successful recipe. Today LML has the only geared scooter in the market with a promising Fuel Efficiency figure enough to pull customers into the showroom. The company is also planning a similar smacking on their mildly successful 'Freedom' motorcycle targeted at the 110cc mass market. A 125cc engine is also rumoured also to power a gearless scooter. The only gearless scooter LML made was the Trendy which again had bombed in the market. The company is seeking to infuse fresh capital either via private equity route or through dilution of equity stake in order to fund development of new products.

Besides,LML has caught the nerve of the customers who use geared scooters. Most scooters are used as robust but fuel efficient goods haulers. Keeping this need in mind LML is launching a 200cc scooter in the coming two months priced at 47000. It will be the same NV 150cc scooter now on sale in India with a bigger engine. This will be an important launch since Honda Activa's and Dio's have not been able to withstand the heavyduty use and the Eterno did not click for Honda. The 200cc four stroke engine mated to a four speed hand shift gearbox generates 11.5 Bhp and 14.5 Nm of torque. LML claims a mileage of 50 KMPL for this scooter but ARAI figures are yet to be released.

The downside of the company's plans is that the dealer penetration has only firmed up in North India around their Kanpur factories. The sales only cover Delhi, UP, Punjab and Haryana. But on the upside, the new scooters have received rave reviews globally for their build quality. The Select 4 features a 150cc four stroke engine producing 8.6 Bhp of peak power at 6200 rpm and 11.3 Nm of peak torque at 4250 rpm. The engine is mated to a cable shift, hand operated 4 speed manual transmission. The kick start version will cost INR 47, 140 while the electric start version will cost INR 50, 948, both prices ex-showroom, New Delhi. A 150cc motorcycle is planned for later part of 2012 rumoured to be based on the mildly successful LML Beamer. Hopefully LML can still tie-up with Daelim looking at the success of Hyosung Garware tie-up.

India- the new Chopper wars capital

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:13:48 PDT

Want to Buy a new motorcycle in India? Looking at a cruiser/ chopper? It is not the best time to buy one. Why? Read on.

Harley Davidson has been the icon of American motorcycling community since the time of inception. Harley has made inroads into the hearts of enthusiasts via an excellent marketing strategy and sale of more t-shirts than some t-shirt brands itself. 'Indian' on the other hand was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world when the Japanese wheels were not even born. Polaris saw the opportunity and entered the American motorcycle market with their Victory motorcycles at a time when Harley Davidson was facing quality and legal issues. What, you may think has this got to do with purchasing your motorcycle in India? Well, They all are coming to a dealership near you by 2012.

It certainly helps when Bollywood Icon Amitabh Bachhan says he is buying a Harley Davidson. A publicity stunt unmatched by any other (I have to disagree since I am a fan of Royal Enfield 'Leave Home' commercials.)

Garware motors also wants a pie of this market with the launch of the ST7, but what this Hyosung / Garware product doesn't have is legacy and appeal that a Harley Davidson, Indian, Victory or Royal Enfield has.

Royal Enfield was primarily a British icon. The bullet is reminiscent of the the pre-war times. Their ammunition business history find hint in their readapted tagline "Made like a gun, goes like a bullet" with the launch of their classic models. The company dissolved in 1971 but the Indian arm bought rights in 1995 and continued making the motorcycles. After Mr. Siddharth Lal was given the reins by Eicher India to put the company back into black, Royal Enfield has grown quite respectfully. Today Royal Enfield also has a presence in USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Middle East and other locations via signature dealerships.

The story goes a full circle now that Harley Davidson has entered India. One might not realize this to be an important step since Harley has been present in many other countries too. I wouldn't go on about how India is the fastest growing economy and it is a world superpower blah! blah! blah!. Harley-Davidson is here on an agenda. Looking at the success of Royal Enfield, they have decided to call India home. This plan wasn't made in a day but neither was it made in a decade. It all began when the Milwaukee, Wisconsin based company announced their 2009 annual results. The company was bleeding enough to dissatisfy shareholders and not last another year in all probability. Their superbike ambitions had gone horribly wrong with the purchase of MV Agusta. The American economy jumping into the well was also a major reason. The company cut off its Buell street motorcycle arm. MV Agusta was again back into Italian hands as Harley sold it off for peanuts.

Polaris owned Victory also was coming off strong since the parent company had heavy pockets. Harley's outdated designs were replaced by Victory's new flashy styles. Another big shock came in the form of the return of the world's first largest motorcycle maker 'Indian' based in massachusets. Polaris made a big dent in the media again when it announced buying 'Indian Motorcycle INC.'from UK based Stellican LLC. Polaris was definitely out to cause damage to Harley Davidson. How victory and Indian are positioned by Polaris is yet to be seen.

According to interbrand, the value of the Harley-Davidson brand fell by 43% to $4.34 billion in 2009. On April 29, 2010, Harley-Davidson stated that they must cut $54 million in manufacturing costs from its production facilities in Wisconsin, and that they would explore alternative U.S. sites to accomplish this. The announcement came in the wake of a massive company-wide restructuring, which began in early 2009 and involved the closing of two factories, one distribution center, and the planned elimination of nearly 25% of its total workforce (around 3,500 employees). The company announced on September 14, 2010 that it would remain in Wisconsin. But with growing cut-throat competition, Harley has looked east and decided to call India their home. The company launched 12 models simultaneously showing how serious they are with this market. But the real agenda is turning India into an Export hub. A similar story of how Royal Enfield transitioned to India.

This is definitely a smart move by Harley Davidson. The lower cost of manufacturing will lead to the company increasing their profit margins and reducing their retails prices denting the competition. But, Polaris industries being a bigger corporation reacted immidiately by announcing their entry into India by 2012. Definitely an Auto Expo debut then? Harley-Davidson has been smart enough to chalk out a two-throng plan here. Assuming how Polaris will react, Harley-Davidson has also setup a plan in Brazil. But it is the Indian plant that has helped them price the Superlow 883 model at 5.5 lacs, the cheapest Harley todate. This is keeping in line with Victory's cheapest model which is priced in the U.S. equivalent of 5.68 lacs.

Unlike Harley Davidson, Royal Enfield is more of a corporate arm of Eicher India similar to What Victory and now Indian are for Polaris Industries. The head team of Royal Enfield did hit back into the market last year with a retro design (first in 5 years). The company also revamped its old long-stroke single 350cc engine alongside the launch of the new 500cc engine. The bikes got proper disc brakes and button start to keep in business. While the top of the line Classic 500 model sells at a much lower price tag than the 883cc Harley Davidson, Royal Enfield needs to introduce bigger engines fast if it needs to have a bigger share of the market pie. It is safe to say that the company is in a safe position with a lower price tag (150000 INR against 550000 INR) atleast for now. But looking at the onslaught of other makers, It would be wise on Eicher to hit hard while the iron is hot.

While Royal Enfield has generally enjoyed a cult status in India in the absence of any other major cruiser motorcycles, the owners have had to live with Quality niggles. Also Royal Enfield's major chunk of revenues have come from the Indian Armed forces. The company has but been smart enough to interact with the owners and fan clubs in improving the quality and technology to build a stronger foundation. It would be safe to say that bike owners have provided Royal Enfield with a status similar to what Harley Davidson has enjoyed in the United States. But unlike Harley Davidson, Royal Enfield doesn't have a prominent and cemented sales network apart from the handful of dealers here and there.

Harley Davidson on the other hand is coming of with experience in rock music tours and sale of merchandise which the competition sorely lacks. It shouldn;t come of as a surprise if Royal Enfield languishes in their sales targets while Harley climbs the ladder steadily. Polaris is yet to enter the cut-throat market but the corporate marketers need to be better prepared to make inroads against to historic icons. Victory and Indian Motorcycle's strength lies in the big bore engines but at the same time the company lacks a small capacity engine. Unlike Royal Enfield which lacks a big capacity engine. A 600-800cc engine is rumoured to be in development at UCE, the company's engine partners. Harley Davidson is in the best situation with a larger engine range.

It remains to be seen if Polaris decided to play a dual brand strategy largely played in the car playing arena. Toyota for e.g. has Lexus and Scion, Honda has Acura, Ford has Lincoln, Gm has GMC, Chevrolet, Buick and Cadillac. Polaris may employ a similar strategy to take on both the low-end and high end or stock form and custom form of the cruiser market. Also, with the history and brand of 'Indian' (remember Burt Munro from Down under???) Polaris is now stronger than before to take the competitors on a global scale. Eicher just needs to pace up a little if it needs to stay in the race against Harley Davidson and Victory- Indian onslaught. Whatever the outcome maybe, the winner will be the Indian customer.

The revolution of the Indian Automobile Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 14:45:42 PDT

India has been touted as the second fastest growing economy after China. IT, Iron and steel, textiles, coal, pharmacy and various other sectors have seen India shining. Automobiles too have seen a tremendous growth. But where the Indian automobile industry has lagged off late is growth in the number of home grown and bred manufacturers. I realized this after a conversation with a friend as to how none of the Indian brands have a global appeal, be it any field of business apart from biryani and Chicken Tikka.

Germany boasts of BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Opel. France boasts of Renault, Peugeot and Citroen and Piaggio. Japan boasts of Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Nissan, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Subaru. United States boasts of Ford, GM and Chrysler which themselves run multiple brands. While these brands sell internationally, other brands are only limited to their home country. This includes the 100 or so Chinese brands which copy other major cars models and survive selling in their own province. Sadly, Indian car makers face a similar crisis.

What exactly are the reasons for such crisis apart from the prevalent government corruption? The issue as raised by Mr Ratan Tata recently is the fact that only a couple domestic makers have been able to make it big enough to survive in the long run. I used the term ‘make it big’ and not global since none of the Indian car/motorcycle brands has reached a global status irrespective of their advertising slogans and punch lines. In this regards, government needs to be more attentive and supportive than corruptive.

Here is a contrasting fact. India is the largest two-wheeler market in the world with sadly no major two wheeler company attaining global status. We currently boast of Hero, Bajaj, TVS, Mahindra, Royal Enfield, Vibgyor and LML. But only Hero, Bajaj and TVS have reached adequate sales to be called world class manufacturers. Royal Enfield is a lifestyle arm of Eicher and caters to a niche market. LML and Mahindra (formerly Kinetic) have yet to reach enough sales just for survival.

Vibgyor on its part has remained absent since the company’s introduction at the last Auto expo with press releases promoted by none other than Sourav Ganguly. Considering the dearth of major two-wheeler manufacturers worldwide apart from the big four Japanese makers and Peugeot, it is surprising how Indian makers are still finding it tough to find a footing of this multi million vehicles a year industry.

LML which had started with a golden run with the help of Piaggio, decided to go alone with the onset of 21^st century. The once revered name along with Bajaj quickly went under after their risk with motorcycles did not pay off. LML has always been known for sturdy and comfortable products. Their motorcycles were exactly that. But customers didn’t know if LML knew how to make bikes. The company took over heavy debt and stopped production for more than a couple of years. Only recently did it begin production on a small scale after a moderate FDI. Motorcycles are not a part of their current portfolio.

The LML story is not new for the Indian 2-wheeler industry since Kinetic has had a similar fate. The company started successfully being the only variomatic (automatic) vehicle maker in India. But with the launch of competing variomatic scooters and end of collaboration with Honda, Kinetic has only gone downhill since. A similar fate awaited their venture into the motorcycle segment along with Hyosung (Hyosung re-entered last month in collaboration with Garware). The Firodia’s finally decided to call it quits and sell off the company to Mahindra’s. Similar to LML, Mahindra (previously Kinetic) has only recently begun making moderate sales needed to sustain in the market based on durable and affordable scooterettes from SYM motors.

The Hero Honda breakup signs towards a similar story repeating all over again. One might not agree looking at the numero Uno sales position Hero Motors enjoy. But, Hero Motors has not had a new model on sale for the last 7 years. Their venture into the electric scooters has also not paid well (LML owners have also invested in this field).

The dark horse of this field has been TVS motors. Venu Srinivasan has been able to steer the company clear of trouble with constant R&D and efficient administration. Also to note that TVS-Suzuki was not in a leadership position during their love story. TVS Wego has been received as a scooter better than foreign competition and TVS Apache has also been received as the best sports bike in its segment. TVS has also recently entered into 3-wheeler segment where Bajaj was enjoying a monopoly (Piaggio has also entered this segment successfully).

Adding strength to Ratan Tata’s statement is the slow transition of Bajaj from a domestic bike maker to a multi brand seller. Since Rahul Bajaj transferred the reins to his son, the scooter maker has had a complete change in its way forward. Bajaj, once known for its scooters doesn’t have a single scooter in its portfolio. Also, with the success of Pulsar, Bajaj has decided to turn into a multi-brand sales company than remain a domestic 2-wheeler manufacturer. In this regards, Bajaj has bought a major stake in KTM apart from its existing collaboration with Kawasaki. With the launch of KTM bikes in India, Bajaj will be selling Kawasaki, KTM, Pulsar and Discover range of bikes with the latter two brands being manufactured by Bajaj itself.

The situation is no better within the Indian car industry. Only Mahindra and Tata have been able to breach the domestic boundaries and sell abroad. To give credit where it is due, there are more global car makers than two-wheel makers.

India currently boasts of Tata, Mahindra, Force, Hindustan, ICML and premier. Hindustan Motors was a pioneer car maker that survived testing times which others like Sipani could not. But, Birla backed HM does not have a survival story to say. Instead HM was successful thanks to the baburaj prevalent at the time. This has been proven by looking at how HM has only survived over a single model sold since 1956. Apart from its incompetent engine changes shared for cheap with Isuzu, HM has not really tried to develop or share a new car platform over 5 decades apart from the HM Contessa and their latest stint with a Chinese truck maker. HM last year reported to the BIFR which is a step before filing for bankruptcy in India.

The story as with LML and Kinetic is repeated here with Premier Motors. Mumbai based Premier LTD had a spat with Fiat during their successful sales of Padmini and 118NE leading to Premier exiting the business altogether. Over a decade later, the company is back with a Daihatsu based Rio built by a Chinese maker. Premier used an old TUD5 Peugeot Diesel engine after heavily modifying it for today’s common rail competition to keep costs down. With cash flowing in from Premiers other operations, Premier Rio BS-IV is rumoured to be re-launched with the Indian super engine Multijet from Fiat (its old partners). This can be Premier’s make it or break it step.

ICML has not had it rosy even though they decided to go alone and built a competitive car. ICML is a venture of the third Largest Tractor makers Sonalika. ICML has left Sonalika searching for cash as the company has not sold enough cars to turn a profit but burnt heavily in the process. ICML had to scrape its small car platform which could’ve led to the company getting insulin shot in the arm. The company is rumoured to have stopped manufacturing and exit the car business if sales do no pick up.

Force motors major mainstay was its Vans which sold well with the tourist operators. But Force has been consistent (albeit slowly) with model upgrades in a contrast to how other car makers keep selling the same cars. Force is about to launch a new premium SUV. The new SUV is based on an old Benz platform just like every other UV that Force manufactures. This has helped Force garner profits even with meagre sales. Force motor has not exactly been able to breach the consumer markets due to lack of any sort of marketing and their major sales still come from the Tourist operators.

Mahindra has been one of the older automobile makers in India along with HM. Mahindra’s mainstay was Willys styled jeeps which were a hit with the Indian army. The army contracts and lack of major UV makers or imports made sure Mahindra had a monopoly and lots of money. No doubt Mr. Anand Mahindra calls himself a man hailing from a moderate family (pun intended). Finally with the onset of 21^st century and competition heating up Mahindra was forced to ramp up quality and brought Scorpio, Bolero and Xylo to the market. The company has held its market share well and purchased a majority stake in SsangYong and purchased Indian electric car maker Maini. Apart from its 4-wheeler intentions, Mahindra has also purchased Kinetic’s 2-wheeler operations.

Tata motors have over its two decade history been touted as the only car maker who has had constant R&D and least foreign support. Tata has also gone ahead and purchased Jaguar Land Rover for a heavy price and turned them into profit making brands. A feat which major companies like Ford failed at. But Tata has overtime hit a roadblock with R&D and increasing its market share. Its initial stint with selling their cars to Tourist cabs for extremely cheap prices has backfired. Indian consumers somehow have a problem with their cars being associated with cabs, even if they are better than competition.

This brings us to the fact that Indian manufacturers are finding it increasingly tough to find foothold on their home ground. The first and foremost point to note is the consumer notion of how Indian products are inferior to those of the foreign makes. Tata Indica costs cheaper than competing cars. Tata has also made sure it is loaded to the gills for its price point backed by a huge sales network. Tata has also made sure that Indica has an extremely low cost of ownership. But the company’s initial stint of selling to tourist cabs has left the company scarred in the eyes of consumers. The same is the case with ICML. The company’s product Rhino has not been able to survive in front of Toyota Innova even with loads of Kit and effective pricing. Sonalika’s image as a tractor maker has not helped either partly due to company’s lack of financing advertisements. Premier’s prior history of ditching its customers is fresh and the car kits they import from China are not exactly of good quality either.

With a little bit of fault on the customer perception and a major bit on company’s lacking competitive products, the government needs to stop corruptions on their part and reduce excise and customs on parts imports so as to facilitate domestic makers with strength in technology and quality and better pricing.

5 cars that spoiled the brand

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:08:08 PDT

Here are five examples of cars that sell successfully but diluted the brand image previously enjoyed by the company.

1. Cadillac CTS Wagon or the car that should've died before production: What happens when the car targeted towards the young Hip-hop crazy money no matter populace is suddenly put in front of upper middle class mother of two? Claps for the Cadillac CTS Wagon. A definitive and desperate step to fight the European and Swedish luxury brands. Cadillac needs to remember that its brand image is as American as it can get and and American blood doesnt drive wagons.

2. Porsche Chayenne or the star child that does not belong on earth: The Chayenne outsold most other cars from the Porsche stable since its release. If Chayenne had come any earlier, VW today would be under Porsches ownership (go google). But the fact remains, Chayenne looks like the alien bully who is half alien and always threatening other earthling Porches. And then, don't we already have our fair share of Touaregs and Q7's? Porsche went crazy and went on to launch the Panamera. Don't we already have luxury family cars?

3. Porsche Panamera or why dating women will never be the same again: Porche stands for two seater sports cars from Stuggart that display grace and attitude alongwith raw power. Porche's attempt at trying to be the Maserati of today with a frugal diesel?? When the company loses track of success, it bring in cars like these. Porshe is dead, Long Live Porsche!!!

4. Mini Coupe/ clubman etc or why Paul Mccartney cannot wear Polka dot and look like a rock star: In the history of Automobiles, Mini is (was!!!) a legend. You never mess with the legend. BMW didn't know this. Neither did they take the cue from VW (or rather the HM Ambassador). The damage is irreversible.

5. Aston Martin Rapide or why James Bond is ashamed of being a Brit gay snob: I would call it the onset of recession. Those who love cars are dying and those who look at the fuel guage more than on the road have taken over. Aston Martin decided to give up rather than go down fighting and they redid the Lagonda. Yes!! a bloody and sad day in the automobile history books.

The world's best in cars -2011

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:44:36 PDT

Quickest production car
World's quickest production diesel car- Audi A8 4.2 does 0-60mph (0-100kmph) in 5.5 seconds
World's quickest production diesel car- Audi Q7 v12 does 0-60mph (0-100kmph) in 5.5 seconds

World's quickest production petrol car - Buggati Veyron Supersport 2.5sec (0-100 kmph/ 0-60mph)
World's quickest production petrol car- Ariel Atom 2.3 secs (many consider Ariel Atom as a Kart)

World's Quickest production Electric car- Tesla Roadster 3.7 secs (0-60mph/ 0-100 kmph)

Fastest production car

Worlds Faster production diesel car- Jaguar XJ v6 diesel 165mph 266kmph

World's quickest production petrol car - Buggati Veyron Supersport 431kmph 268mph

World's quickest production electric car- Tesla Roadster 217 km/h (135 mph)

Biggest engine

World's biggest production Petrol engine- (Crate engine only) - GM Performance ZZ572,
9.4 L (572 cu in) V8 engine

World's biggest production petrol engine - Bugatti Veyron 7.993 L (488 cu in) W16 engine

World's biggest production Diesel engine- 6.7 L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel V8 Scorpion (with AVL)
6.7 L Cummins Turbo Diesel I6 (for Chrysler)

Most Powerful
Most powerful production petrol car (natuarally aspirated) Aston Martin One-77 559kw/ 760ps/ 750 bhp

Worlds most powerful production petrol car (forced induction)- SSC Ultimate Aero TT 960kw/ 1305ps/ 1287 bhp

World's most powerful production diesel car- Audi Q7 V12 TDI 368kw/ 510ps/ 500bhp

World's most powerful production diesel car (naturally aspirated)- Ford F-250 138kw/188ps/185bp

World's most powerful production electric car- Lightning GT 300kw/ 408ps/ 402bhp.

Highest Torque

World's Highest torque in a production petrol car (forced-induction)Petrol- SSC Ultimate Aero TT - 1,508 N·m (1,112 ft·lbf)

World' highest torque in a production petrol car (naturally aspirated) - Dodge Viper SRT-10 759 N·m (560 ft·lbf)

World's Highest torque in a production diesel car- Dodge Ram Heavy duty 1,085 N·m (800 ft·lbf),
Ford Super Duty V8 TDI 6.7 L - turbo V8 engine

World's highest torque in a production Electric car- Lightning GT 3,300 Nm of torque

Highest power to weight
World's highest power to weight ratio in a production petrol car (Naturally-aspirated)- Caparo T1 V8 1045 hp/metric ton (1.91 lb/hp) 429 kW (583 PS; 575 hp) and 470 kg (1,036 lb)

World's highest power to weight ration in production petrol car (Forced-induction) - SSC Ultimate Aero TT V8 1,107 hp/metric ton 960 kW (1,305 PS; 1,287 hp) and 1,197 kg (2,639 lb)

World's highest power to weight ratio in a production diesel car - Audi Q7 V12TDI - 189 bhp/tonne

World's highest power to weight ratio in production electric car- Lightning GT 217bhp/tonne

Highest redline

World's highest engine redline in a production petrol car- Ariel Atom- 10,600 rpm

World's highest redline in a production electric car - Tesla Roadster- 14,000 rpm

World's highest redline in production diesel car - Audi V12 TDI 4750rpm

Worlds highest redline in production electric car - Tesla Roadster -14000 rpm

Information partially referenced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_automotive_superlatives

India Automobile sales April 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Tue, 03 May 2011 03:54:08 PDT

Car/ Motorcycle- Scooter Sales India April 2011

Micro Hatch
Maruti Alto- 25462/ Tata Nano - 10012 units/ Hyundai Santro 8133/ Chevrolet Spark- 3887/ Maruti 800- 2528/ Maruti A-Star- 1525/

Entry Level Hatch

Hyundai I-10- 12415/ Maruti WagonR- 12229/ Tata Indica/Vista- 4250/ Chevrolet Beat- 2444/ Maruti Estilo- 2342/ Fiat Palio-19

Mid-Size Hatch
Maruti Swift- 10622/ Hyundai I20- 8068/ Ford Figo- 6013/ Maruti Ritz- 5263/ Tata Indica/Vista- 4250/ VW polo- 3755/ Skoda Fabia- 1561/ Fiat Punto 1220/ Nissan Micra- 1198/ Chevrolet U-Va 148/ Honda Jazz sold 112 units/ VW Beetle- 16

Entry Level Sedan
Maruti Dzire- 11797/ Tata Indigo/Manza - 5282/ Toyota Etios 4657/ Hyundai Accent 1114/ Mahindra Logan (Verito) -1006/ HM Ambassador- 397/ Chevrolet Aveo 155

Mid-Size Sedan
Tata Indigo/Manza- 5282/ VW Vento- 2866/ Maruti SX4- 2102/ Hyundai Verna- 1854/ Honda City- 1542/ Ford Fiesta- 1092/ Fiat Linea sold 810/ / Chevrolet Optra 368/ Mitsubishi Lancer+Cedia- 20

Entry Level Luxury Sedan
Chevrolet Cruze- 939/ Toyota Corolla Altis- 776/ Skoda Laura- 421/ Honda Civic- 253/ Volkswagen Jetta- 162/ Maruti Kizashi- 35

UV

Mahindra Scorpio- 4144/ Tata Safari- 1193/ Toyota Fortuner- 739/Tata Aria- 286/ Ford Endeavour- 214/ Chevrolet Captiva- 172/ Skoda Yeti- 132/ Mitsubishi Pajero- 76/ Mitsubishi Outlander- 42/ Hyundai Santa Fe- 32/ Honda CR-V- 22/ Maruti Grand Vitara- 7

Honourable Mentions

Porsche Cayenne- 57 units

PS:
Fiat Palio sales have stopped and the units sold are leftovers. Tata Indica and Tata Vista sales are combined hence noted at two places. Similarly, Tata Indigo/CS/XL and Tata Manza sales are combined and hence displayed at two places.

ICML, Force and Premier sales N/A.

2-Wheeler Sales April 2011

Hero Motors (motorcycles)- 517099
Bajaj/ Kawasaki - 322235
TVS Motors-167744
Honda- 136623
Yamaha- 34476
Suzuki- Not published
Mahindra- 9558
Royal Enfield-NA
LML-N/A
Hyosung- N/A

Automobile Design Houses

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:55:05 PST

1. Pininfarina: Carozzeria Pininfarina or Pininfarina as it is popularly known is the worlds most reknowned car design studio. Based in Italy, the design studio is mostly famous for their Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa Romeo designs.

2. Zagato: Founded by Ugo Zagato, Zagato Designs is a company based in Italy. Zagato is famous for its dsigns for Spyker, Aston Martin and Fiat cars. Zagato unlike other designers is known to lend their name to cars.

3. Guigiaro Italdesign:Founded by Giorgetto Giugiaro, Giugiaro Designs/ Italdesign is another of the marvels from Italy. The design house is famous for the designs of reknowned Delorean, Ford Mustang and Lotus Esprit S1 and Fiat cars.

4. Bertone: One of the oldest Design houses in Italy, Carozzeria Bertone is also famous for the Lambretta scooter designs. Some of the notable designs are Lamborghini Miura, NSU Sport Prinz, Alfa Romeo GTA, Lamborghini Countach, Lamborghini Diablo and Chevrolet Niva.

5. Ghia: One of the lesser known design houses, Ghia is more famous for its American Designs. Carozzeria Ghia is closely linked to Ford but also famous for its designs for Volkswagen, De Tomaso, Chrysler and Renault.

6. DC Designs : DC designs is an Indian design company founded by Dilip Chhabria. His studio is wellknown for the Aston Martin Vanquish and HM (Hindustan Motors) Ambassador based Ambierod.

7.Scaglietti: Scaglietti is one of the ferrari centric Italian car design studios. Today the design house is owned by Ferrari and famous for the Testarossa and 250 GTO models.

And here are some independant car designers well known for their designs.

Chris Bangle:

Manvendra Singh Gohil:

Richard Teague

Chip Foose:

Mitsubishi Motors- How to sell good products badly.

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:57:04 PDT

Mitsubishi Motors is the sixth largest Japanese car manufacturer worldwide mostly known for its Lancer and Pajero cars. But since the dawn of the 21st century Mitsubishi has struggled worldwide to get acceptance in the market and sales have been minimal. Mitsubishi which has a more than 90 years of successful car building history starting from the Fiat Tipo based Model A has more than tradition and history going in its favour.

That doesn't deter the fact that Mitsubishi's new car releases are still waited for with abated breath. Their racing and rally heritage is unchallenged and their engines and build are still one of the best. This is definitely a rare feat considering the huge cover-up scandal Mitsubishi was engulfed in 2002.

Most car companies falter when their think tanks cannot come up with a universal plan. Ford Motor Company before and Ford Motor Company today is the best example to name. Mitsubishi has the right models in its portfolio but they chose the wrong markets, advertising strategy, partners and shelf space.

To begin with, Mitsubishi Motors in India has had a downfall in the 13 years of its operations. What started as a paramount success run turned to fizzle after a couple of years. Even new models could not help jump start the once burgeoning business. A politically sick Partner in HM, A relic model portfolio and indifferent dealership attitude are to blame.

Mitsubishi Motors in North America again had a sound start with Chrysler rebadging their cars for sale. The 2002 Scandal was a life threatening scare but new competitive models did help to an extent. Wrong Market reading and poor marketing and awareness are giving Mitsubishi Motors North America Sleepless nights. Mitsubishi UK fares slightly better with the FQ series and the i mini. But the results are not very cheerful in Europe either.

So what exactly went awry? Mitsubishi has been selling the Galant/380 name tag since 1969. The Galant gave Mitsubishi the much needed big car then. Unlike the Camrys, Accords and Maximas, the Galant had more of the American Muscle look. But while the ninth generation car had everything to be a success, it bombed. Even in the Australian Market the 380 was dropped. Mitsubishi did introduce the car to Taiwan and China but missed the opportunity to launch it in India and Malaysia. The Galant is not present in Germany, Korea, Brazil or India where big cars bring equity and awareness to the company. The PS platform which forms the basis for the Galant does not support Rear wheel drive but the 4g69 and 6g75 pack enough grunt to keep the car up against competition.

Coming to the lancer, Mitsubishi through its subsidiaries is currently selling three different versions of the Mitsubishi Lancer worldwide. This leads to inefficient use of resources and reduction of profitability due to economies of scale. Honda has introduced a mini Civic for the Asian market named the 'City. Nissan has a mini Altima named the 'Sentra' and Toyota has the recently introduced the Vios/ Etios. Mitsubishi has a lost opportunity in using the Eighth generation lancer as the Mirage or Cedia to fight at the lower end of the market while the Lancer gets a freehold at the higher end against the likes of Corolla, Civic and Altima. At the same time the seventh generation lancer needs to be stopped from production as it only leads to corrosion of the brand image.

Considering Mitsubishi Motors globally has only made losses in the last decades, funds are definitely tight. This hampers new platform designing and conceptualization. Here the company has overlooked a very important platform share design. The Lancer coupe/ Convertible can be added to the sedan and sportback cars. Many might argue that a lancer coupe/convertible will eat into the Eclipse sales. The Mitsubishi Eclipse is based on the larger PS platform on which the Galant/380 is also based. For a company known for fun to drive cars, such a model will only cement its success further. Platform sharing will help keep manufacturing costs down helping improve profitability. Mitsubishi did have a coupe based on the seventh generation lancer.

The Lancer Sportback on the other hand needs more visualization globally as many are not aware of the cars existence even in the markets it is sold. Such platform sharing designs are already present at VW, Suzuki, Toyota, GM and Chrysler so Mitsubishi has a tried and tested plan at hand.

Mitsubishi needs to bring in the Mitsubishi I mini car to North America ASAP as the time is right. Fiat has just launched the 500 and Ford is selling the Fiesta hatch. Bringing in the 'i' will bring customers to the showroom. Stating the fact that Mitsubishi i is the most awarded Mitsubishi in sometime will only strengthen matters. The Americans have learned that big egos and big cars are bound to fail and hence the time is right to strike the iron while its hot. The 'I' MIEV will also complement the petrol version.

In fact, so strong is the 'I's need for Mitsubishi that the company needs to launch the car worldwide as a special edition car. Such as move will work as a brand marketing exercise for the company yearning to build its reputation.

Killing the Ralliart made sense at Mitsubishi amid mounting losses and the pressure of economies hit by recession. But the equity of the brand Ralliart is strong enough to not let it die. AMG for Mercedes, Nismo for Nissan, Mugen for Honda and SRT for Dodge are some of the famous examples. Mitsubishi has also failed to encompass its other models under the Ralliart name successfully apart from the Lancer.

The same also applies to the Evolution portfolio. The portfolio ends with the Lancer and Pajero. I am sure those who swear by the Lancer EVO FQ-400 would love to get their hands on a performance Eclipse Evolution FQ-500 or a Colt Evolution by Ralliart smoking dirt at much powerful sports cars.

Peugeot Citroen is the sixth largest Car maker in the world and the second largest European car maker. Many of their models are re badged Mitsubishi cars including the successful Outlander. Also Mitsubishi and Peugeot Citroen are collaborating on their next generation electric car. With such strong ties the company should look at platform sharing for their newer sedans saving R&D and production costs. Under the circumstances where Mitsubishi is considering cancelling the PS platform Mitsubishi can look to share the Peugeot RCZ platform sharing for its Eclipse and mid-size sedan models.

Coming lastly to the model that Mitsubishi can bank for volumes is the Colt. Japanese are not known for their diesel engines unlike the European counterparts. The Colt needs a diesel and introduction to a diverse market as small cars are a rage today. As of today the Colt is not present in China, America, Korea, Brazil, India, Mexico, Canada and various other major car volume countries.

Looking at the number of Car companies in production, Mitsubishi needs to take some corrective step soon or fear getting lost into the oblivion which would also mean existing only in the books of history.

North American Cars we miss today

noreply@blogger.com (Devarshi Fadia) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 07:29:36 PDT

The Number of car makers hailing from North America over the years surpass the total car makers worldwide. Here are some that made a notable impact.

1.Duesenberg: Born in Auburn, Indiana. Duesenbergs weere best known for their quality and luxury.

2. Delorean: Very rarely does an extremely shotlived company make a car that gets a place in the books of history. Delorean is it. It is remembered for the one model it produced — the distinctive Stainless steel Delorean DMC-12 sports car featuring gull-wing doors — and for its brief and turbulent history, ending in receivership and bankruptcy in 1982.

3.AMC- The Chrysler as you know today is built on the foundation of the excellent technology and design inherted after merging AMC (American Motors Corporation) including Jeep which is the backbone of Chrysler today. American Motors Corporation (AMC) was an American automobile company formed by the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.

4. Auburn Automobile Company- Another company that had modest success unless World War took its toll with materials shortage.

5. Brewster cars: One of the most disctintively designed cars ever. literally.

6. Pierce-Arrow: One of the founder companies of Detroit.

7. Packard - The second of the first generation three from Detroit.

8. Peerless- The third of the primary Detroit three.

9. Bricklin: Canada is not exactly known for automobiles even though a major chunk of cars running in United States come from Canada. Bricklin was a true Canadian Sports car. Here is the SV-1.

10. Desoto: A Star of Chrysler corporation at one time, Desoto was a known name.

11. Oldsmobile - One of the oldest running car brands under GM. This brand has been voted as the most powerful discontinued brand in USA.

12. Hummer: The latest casualty at GM. Half the world still lives under ignorance of the extinction of this car.

13. Pontiac: The most loved car brand that GM destroyed by its own hands.