CHENNAI: Scooters may be more preferred by urban customers but market leader Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) is kicking in a new strategy to push rural sales ahead of the festival season. The company is increasing production to better capture the rural markets, where demand is expected to rise, thanks to a good monsoon.

"Currently 28% of our total volume comes from rural markets. Earlier, the ratio was 1 scooter to 9 motorcycles in rural markets but now, of late, with better availability of scooters the ratio has improved to 3:9 ," said YS Guleria, senior VP-sales and marketing, HMSI.

Honda is able to kick off this rural focus in scooters thanks to a recent capacity addition that has allowed it to allocate more scooters for the festival season. "We started with our scooter-only factory in Sanand to breach the demand-supply gap in scooters and we have brought forward the second line in that plant to hit peak capacity by end August," said Guleria. As a result, the piling up of back orders have come down.

"Scooters back orders are down to 18,000 starting September compared to 35,000 last year. For the first time in 10 years, Honda scooters will be available off the shelf this festival season," he added. Typically, given the demand pile up, scooters were not available at the last mile in rural networks. With the new capacity addition, Honda hopes to fix that skew.

Also with a network increase of an additional 2,000 outlets in the last 3 years, HMSI is looking at a more balanced urban-rural mix. Honda commands 59% marketshare in scooters.

The capacity ramp would mean a higher share of scooters in Honda's overall sales mix. In the April-August period, 66% of the company's total sales came from scooters. With the ramp up in capacity, it will be in a position to supply enough to take that to 70% scooters.

Overall, Honda expects a more than 20% demand growth in the festival season as well as the first 10 months of the calendar. "We have been growing at a 22% trot in the April-August period as against the industry growth of 12%," said Guleria.

"We should be able to maintain 20% plus growth in the festival season and through the first 10 months. Overall we are seeing positive momentum already. The 7th Pay Commission, OROP and good monsoon should contribute to good growth," he said.

Source : Honda 2Wheelers India to push scooter sales in rural market

NEW DELHI: Swedish luxury carmaker Volvo has launched India's first plug-in hybrid SUV, the XC90 T8 Excellence, at a price of Rs 1.25 crore (ex showroom Delhi). The 7-seater SUV's T8 petrol engine delivers 49 g/km CO2 backed with an electric range of up to 40 km. It churns out 407 hp of power and 640 Nm of torque, and clocks 0-100 kmph in 5.6 seconds.

"The XC90 T8 Excellence is not only a segment first but India's first plug-in hybrid SUV and we see a lot of interest from our more affluent customers, who prefer to experience 'responsible' luxury," said Tom von Bonsdorff, Managing Director, Volvo Auto India.

It comes with three drive modes, which can be selected by a touch on the centre console - Pure (the high voltage battery is fully charged), Hybrid (default mode), and Power (combined performance of combustion engine and electric motor).

It has a host of safety features - Adaptive cruise control, Lane departure warning, Collision warning with full auto-braking, Blind spot detection with cross traffic alert, Rear collision warning, and Park pilot assist. It also comes with an integrated ionic air cleaner in the CleanZone climate system, which restricts particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10 by up to 95 percent, claims the company.

Some other features of the SUV include - surround sound system with 20 speakers, panoramic sunroof, air suspension for all 4 wheels, perforated heating/cooling and massage functions in all seats, and tyres with noise cancelation technology.

Source : Volvo XC90 plug-in hybrid launched at Rs 1.25 cr (ex Delhi)

Toyota India is looking to alter their line-up in the Indian market with the launch of the facelift version of the Toyota Etios. Moreover, the facelift Toyota Etios will be called Etios Platinum, inspired by the recently launched in Brazil with the same name.

The images of the upcoming facelift of Toyota Etios Platinum were doing the rounds on the internet for some time now, but with the images shared by AutomotiveIndia, the news is confirmed that the Japanese car-makers have started bringing the facelift sedan to dealerships across the country.

According to reports, the new Toyota Etios Platinum will come with minor cosmetic changes and no mechanical changes.

Engine:

According to reports, the new Toyota Etios Platinum will come with the same 1.5L petrol engine and 1.4L D-4D diesel engine. However, the only changes made to the mill is that the clutch system and shock absorbers of the Etios Platinum diesel variant is tweaked for better performance. Apart from this, there is no other change to the powertrain of the upcoming Toyota Etios Platinum.

Design:

Exterior:

From the images leaked online, it looks like the front side of the upcoming Toyota Etios Platinum will feature a new chrome plated V-shaped grille, redesigned bumper with larger intakes and boomerang shaped round fog lamps in the front.

However, the rear side of the Toyota Etios Platinum gets refreshed bumpers, among other changes.

Interior:

On the inside, the new Toyota Etios Platinum gets a redesigned instrument cluster with refreshed speedometer and a digital tachometer along with new wrapping for the steering wheel. Moreover, it also comes with dual-tone dashboard and power-operated ORVMs.

Features:

If reports are true, then the upcoming Toyota Etios Platinum will come with ABS and EBD as standard feature.

Source : Toyota Etios facelift to launch tomorrow in India

The price bracket from ₹ 5 lakh to ₹ 10 lakh is the one where the majority of Indian come to and buy their cars. This price bracket caters to all sorts of segment such as the hatchbacks, compact sedans, compact SUVs and so on. Here is our pick of the top 5 cars in the ₹ 5 lakh to ₹ 10 lakh bracket.



1. Ford EcoSport: 

The EcoSport was one of the earliest sub-compact SUVs to have come to India. It is a well-built car and has the typical solidity associated with Ford cars. Another advantage is that the Ford EcoSport has multiple engine options with a 1.5-litre diesel engine, 1.5-litre petrol engine and a 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, which has been voted as the engine of the year on multiple occasions as well. Should you choose the automatic variant, you can specify it with a dual-clutch transmission, which is the only one in its class. There are 11 variants to choose from so there are enough options for the buyers as well. Apart from these, the Ford EcoSport also comes with a host of features and safety systems. The highway and city manners are impeccable and thanks to its size, it is easily manouvreable in the city and to park as well. The top end models come with Ford's SYNC system with voice control. The 1.5-litre diesel variants have an ARAI rated efficiency of 22.27 km/l, while the 1.5-litre petrol variants have an ARAI rated efficiency of 15.85 km/l. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost variants have an ARAI rated efficiency of 18.88 km/l. The prices for the Ford EcoSport start from ₹ 6.93 lakh and go up to ₹ 9.82 lakh (All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi).

2. Hyundai Elite i20: 

There is little to doubt the fact that the Hyundai Elite i20 is one of the best models that can be bought in this price range. It was voted the Indian Car of the Year in 2014 and is the benchmark for premium hatchbacks in India. The Hyundai i20 has three different engine variants which are a 1.2-litre petrol, a 1.4-litre diesel and a 1.4-litre petrol which comes only with a 4-speed automatic transmission. The petrol engines are paired to a 5-speed manual transmission unit while the diesel engine variants are mated to a 6-speed manual. Like all Hyundai models, the Elite i20 comes with a long list of features. It looks really good and has a solid build quality. The ride quality is great and the Elite i20 handles decently well too. Step inside the car and you can see that the quality of materials used along with the upholstery and plastics are of good quality and give you that premium feel. ). The ARAI rated fuel efficiency of the Elite i20 petrol, Elite i20 diesel and the Elite i20 automatic are 18.6 km/l, 22.54 km/l and 18.6 km/l respectively. There are 11 variants of the Hyundai Elite i20 and the prices start from ₹ 5.59 lakh and goes up to ₹ 9.01 lakh (Ex-showroom, Delhi)

3. Maruti Suzuki Baleno: 

It's been a little less than a year since Maruti Suzuki launched the Baleno and it has done wonders for the company. With a known nameplate and an all-new car, the Baleno is a premium hatchback and looks the part every bit. The Baleno is good value for money and spacious interior, which is comfortable for 5 passengers. Now the biggest advantage is the fact that with the Maruti Suzuki Nexa showrooms, customer experiences have improved and there is a lot of value addition to the entire car buying experience. The Baleno can be bought either with a 1.2-litre petrol engine or a 1.2-litre diesel engine which have a fuel efficiency of 21.4 km/l and 27.4 km/l respectively. There are 10 model trims of the Baleno with prices starting from ₹ 5.25 lakh to ₹ 8.35 lakh. The Maruti Suzuki Baleno can be purchased only from Maruti Suzuki Nexa outlets.

4. Ford Figo Aspire: 

Perhaps the best looking compact sedan in the segment, the Ford Figo Aspire has a proportionate design too. It is built solidly and is fully loaded with some impressive features such as optional six airbags, two standard airbags across all models, Ford's SYNC system, a 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission and so on. The cabin is spacious and the interior trim is really attractive. That itself might be a deal-maker for many. The Ford Figo Aspire has a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine which have an ARAI rated fuel efficiency of 18.16 km/l and 25.83 km/l. There are 9 models whose prices starts from ₹ 5.28 lakh to ₹ 8.20 lakh.

5. Skoda Rapid/Volkswagen Vento: 

These two cars share the same underpinnings and share the same engines as well. Of course, the two sedans look and feel different. The trim and equipment levels are different as well. The Volkswagen Vento is the more premium looking and feeling of the two while Skoda is offering some really good after sales and service packages with the Rapid. This gives the Rapid a slight edge as far as value for money is concerned. There is enough kit in both the cars and the build quality is great too. Both the Rapid and the Vento get 1.6-litre petrol engines and 1.5-litre diesel engines. One can also choose from a 5-speed manual, a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission. There are 15 model trims for the Skoda Rapid and the prices start at ₹ 8.02 lakh and go on till ₹ 12.32 lakh. Similarly, the Vento has 10 model trims and the prices start at ₹ 8.26 lakh and go on till ₹ 12.71 lakh. (Ex-showroom, Delhi)

Source : Top 5 Cars Between ₹ 5 Lakh to ₹ 10 lakh

New Delhi: Japanese two wheeler manufacturer, Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited has launched the special edition of Access 125. The Access 125 Special Edition will be available exclusively in Pearl Mirage White colour and will cost Rs. 55,589 and 58,900 for the Drum Brake and Disc Brake respectively (Ex Showroom, Delhi).

According to Satoshi Uchida, Managing Director, SMIPL, "The Access 125 has been one of our most successful models. We have enhanced the fashion quotient and introduced the Access 125 Special Edition to diversify our presence in the segment and cater to the evolving needs of our customers. The Access 125 Special Edition is an indivisible combination of substance and style which gives it a retro feel and makes it stand out in the crowd."

Suzuki unveiled the Access 125 Special Edition at a fashion show, where models walked the ramp sporting Jack & Jones clothing, matching the trendy outlook of the Special Edition. Suzuki has formed a strategic business partnership with Jack & Jones, and the fashion show was a collaboration by both brands.

The scooter comes with a trendy, maroon coloured leatherette seat cover. It comes with a special edition logo, round shaped chrome mirrors and brown coloured floor board which give the scooter a retro look and make it stand out in a crowd. This retro style is guaranteed to appeal to trend conscious riders.

The Access 125 Special Edition is equipped with convenient everyday features such as an easy self-start, chrome styled headlamps, analog-digital display and a mobile charging socket as standard equipment. The scooter will also be available with an optional front disc brake. All these features make the Access 125 Special Edition pleasurable and easy to use as your daily vehicle!

Source : Suzuki launches Access 125 special edition at Rs 55,589 (Ex-Delhi)