Ford India’s popular compact sport utility vehicle EcoSport may be shipped to the US for sale starting October 2017,multiple people familiar with the process said. The automotive world''s most coveted market may finally see some made-in-India cars running on its roads. Ford India''s popular compact sport utility vehicle EcoSport may be shipped to the US for sale starting October 2017, multiple people familiar with the process said. Ford has already begun work on developing a face-lifted version of the SUV for the North American markets. It has also kicked off a preliminary tendering process to source components and the request for quotation is for as many as 90,000 units a year, which is more than the number of vehicles it sells in India. No US car maker has ever exported cars made in India back to its home market. If Ford gets the green signal, it will mark a historic first not only for the American car maker but also for India, which has built robust manufacturing base car exports thanks to investments by Hyundai, Maruti, Ford and other auto giants over the years. Made in India cars have been exported to many markets including those in Europe. India is already a key export base for Ford Motor it ships India-made compact vehicles to Europe. Mahindra & Mahindra had plans to take a pickup version of the Scorpio to the US, but that hasn''t happened. Motorcycles made by Royal Enfield and KTM, and Mahindra''s tractors are sold in the US. A Ford India spokesperson said the cheap replica watches uk company "would not like to comment on speculation around future product and manufacturing plans". In a recent interview with ET, Ford Motor Chief Executive Mark Fields said he wouldn''t rule out the possibility of exporting from India to the US. "In business, you never rule out from the beginning certain opportunities. But it all comes down to making sure first and foremost that wherever the product is manufactured, you want to make sure that it is high quality and meets the expectations of consumers," he had said. "In business, you never rule out from the beginning certain opportunities. But it all comes down to making sure first and foremost that wherever the product is manufactured, you want to make sure that it is high quality and meets the expectations of consumers," - Mark Fields, Ford Motor chief executive But the biggest threat to India''s chances come from Ford Thailand, which too is competing for the order to supply the SUV for the US and Canadian markets. "The plan for exports to the US from Asia was there right from the start. As the company was globally restructuring operations, the clarity on whether India or Thailand was being studied," said one of the people. "It seemed that the project will go to Thailand in 2014, but now the company has begun discussions with Indian vendors to source additional US volumes from India." Ford entered India two decades ago and has so far invested more than $2 billion (Rs 12,800 crore at current exchange rate), but is still struggling to turn profitable it is currently sitting on accumulated losses of more than Rs 1,000 crore. As local demand didn''t match expectations, it decided to export vehicles from India, starting with the Figo hatchback in 2010. Its plan was to ship 30-40% of total production, but in the past two years it exported more than half the local output. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015, Ford India exported 78,814 of the 1.53 lakh vehicles produced in India. The EcoSport accounted for almost 70% of the fake omega watches shipments.

renault first showcased the Kwid in concept form at the 2014 Auto Expo. Less than 4 metres in length the Kwid concept was to be the French car maker’s entry into the small car business. But when they official unveiled the production version sometime back, it came out in a form not many would have thought of. Looks: Now the Kwid will mark Renault''s entry into the compact Hatchback segment and will compete against the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Alto and the Hyundai Eon, but it looks like none of the offering in its class. The Kwid with its high bonnet that leads into the large front grille and muscular headlights on either side of it looks menacing. The huge front bumper holds circular fog lamps and the air dam. Much like the Duster, the Kwid too flaunts bulky wheel arches in profile but this one is complimented well by body cladding running down the sides. The rear too with its clean yet rugged design goes well with the overall design. Interiors: While the exterior design is rugged, the dashboard too looks pretty well built, especially for an entry-level car. The three-spoke all-black steering wheel flaunts the big chrome Renault logo. Despite bring a low-cost car, the Renault Kwid sports an all digital instrument cluster behind the wheel. And then there is the touchscreen infotainment system that is expected to come with phone connectivity, Radio as well as navigation in the higher variants. The Kwid will be the first car to based on Renault’s new CMF-A platform and offers ample of space in front and back. In fact the boot space seems to be the best in the segment. Price: Knowing that the segment is a hard one to break into with established manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, Renault has taken a slightly different approach to its offering. First off, they have given it a crossover like design and to make things a little more intense, its price is expected to be in the Rs 3-4 lakh range. Expected to be launched in the festive season later this year, the Renault Kwid will be an interesting entry in the compact Hatchback segment and is sure to set new benchmarks.

Ahead of World Environment Day, Maruti Suzuki has announced that it has achieved an 11.6 percent reduction in CO2 emissions in the last five years. The company said that this was made possible through continuous innovation in engine technology, alternative fuel and hybrid technology. Maruti was the first carmaker to introduce factory-fitted CNG cars in India in 2006 and at the Auto Expo last year, showcased the Swift Range Extender hybrid, a petrol-electric version of the Swift hatchback. Commenting on the achievement, Kenichi Ayukawa, MD and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “In the last few years, the company has worked systematically towards reducing vehicle emissions and achieved new benchmarks. The recent new models, product upgrades and even minor changes have been substantially more fuel efficient than the outgoing ones." courtsey: autocar

NEW DELHI: Ford India will launch the much-awaited compact sedan Figo Aspire in India in early August, people familiar with the matter told ETAuto. When ETAuto contacted dealers in Delhi, some said they have already started bookings for the car with a minimum amount of Rs 1 lakh. This new car is going to play very crucial role in setting up Ford''s fate in the Indian market. Figo Aspire could be a major game changer for the company after success of Ford EcoSport as Ford India''s sales has started dwindling. The carmaker sold 75138 units in FY14-15 with a decline of 11 percent. The sedan is currently going through 25 cities tour as part of pan-India road show, campaign "What Drives You?" which started on May 6. This 10 week-long campaign is likely to end by third week of July. The Figo Aspire sedan is based on the Ford Figo sedan concept shown by American carmaker during the 2014 Auto Expo and the production version carries a strong resemblance with the concept. Ford will be offering the new Figo Aspire compact sedan in both petrol and diesel engine option, with a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel and a 1.2-litre TiVCT petrol. The Ford Figo Aspire will take on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Xcent and Honda Amaze and is expected to be priced between Rs 5.2 lakh to 8 lakh.

Audi launched the RS6 Avant in India at Rs 1.35 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi) today. The RS6 Avant is a high-performance version of the luxury carmaker’s A6 Avant estate. This performance estate follows Audi’s recent launches of the new Audi TT and the facelifted RS7 Sportback in the country. The RS6 Avant is part of the carmaker''s 10 new model line-up planned for India this year. The RS6 Avant is powered by a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine churning out 552bhp and 71.4kgm of torque, which is also found in the RS7. The engine comes mated to an eight speed automatic gearbox. Power is channeled to all wheels via Audi''s Quattro all-wheel drive. Incidentally, the all-wheel drive system is one of the RS6''s key differentiators to purely rear-wheel drive rivals as the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and BMW M5.Audi claims the RS6 Avant can scramble from 0-100kph in 3.9 seconds, while going on to hit a top speed of 305kph. Of course, the RS6 also stands out for its estate shape. While estates have met with little success in India in the past, Audi believes the market has matured and buyers are ready to give estates a serious look. Moreover, Audi India head Joe King is of the view the launch of the RS6 gives Audi a crucial first mover advantage in this niche of the luxury car segment. While the appeal of estates in India may be up for debate, there''s no denying the RS6 is a handsome car. On the outside, the RS6 Avant is a sharp-looking performance estate with a sculpted grille bearing the word Quattro in bold lettering, along with sporty air intakes, bumpers and sideskirts. The car features LED headlights with an arrow-style LED running lamp that cuts straight through the center. The RS6 Avant has an adaptive air suspension that lowers the body by 20mm. Audi is offering the RS sport suspension with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) as an option. Moreover, the RS6 Avant gets 20-inch wheels as standard; 21-inch wheels will be offered as an option. The RS6 Avant will be brought in to India as CBU, and in limited numbers. The premium car manufacturer is keen on increasing efforts to maintain the leadership that it presently holds in the luxury car market in India. In FY 2014-15, Audi posted record sales of 11,292 units, up 11.51 percent from the previous year, beating arch-rival Mercedes to the No. 1 spot by selling just 79 units more. BMW on the other hand, is behind two German automakers in India by a large margin.