Ford Motors is setting its sights on unveiling new compact car made for the Indian market. The new car model is the Ford Figo, a new and fresh face which is Ford’s bet to compete with the growing demand for small cars in India. Only the exterior design was revealed to the public at the press conference held in New Delhi and further details will be unveiled once the vehicle production launches in 2010.

For the record, Figo is an Italian word for “Cool”. Production for the Ford Figo will be held at the expanded integrated manufacturing facility near Chennai.

Image Courtesy: BBC News

(Source) Press

Tags: BBC, car model, compact car, debut, figo, ford motors, India, integrated manufacturing, italian word, new car, new delhi, new ford, news source, small cars

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Seems that, at the last minute, the big three automakers (which aren’t so big any more, ho ho, that really isn’t funny in any conventional sense) Ford and GM and Chrysler caught on to a fact that they probably should have caught on to long before now, that big cars are out.

What’s in, you ask? Golf carts!

Okay, so I’m being a little facetious there– but I’m not too far off from the truth.  The key thing here is, people don’t want bigger and more  than they had last year.  People are a little more willing to fix what they have and make do rather than going out and buying the latest and greatest.  To be fair however, some of this is forced on them.  Loans for big and fancy are a whole a lot harder to come by than they were this time last year, let alone this time five years ago.

But a small loan for a small car? Comparatively, far simpler.

Will this trend stay a trend?  No way to know that just yet.  But you know we’ll keep an eye on it.

Tags: auto loans, big cars, car buyers, car buying, Loans, small cars

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It appears that being tied up with the other regional brands has become a burden for most people. For Maruti, it looks like they are planning to go solo as they are on the prowl for expat and Indian engineers associated with the troubled US, Europe and Japan carmakers to form the core of their own cars from scratch in India.

Until now Maruti’s technical expertise had been restricted to giving facelift to older Suzuki cars like the Zen and Omni and upgrading them to meet the new emission norms. Although the Indian R&D team was involved in the development of Swift, Dzire and SX4, their major work was conceived in Japan. The local R&D centre, which will spearhead design and development of small cars in India, will change all that. The unit will also have testing facilities to carry out research on safety and newer technologies and will sport a testing track.

The company plans to up headcount of engineers 30% to 1,000 by 2010 to churn out new cars. Maruti, which has traditionally hired freshers from engineering colleges in India, will be tapping several top engineers and designers with experience to broaden talent pool. Maruti Suzuki India managing director S Nakanishi said: “India is Suzuki’s largest operating business, contributing more in sales and profitability than even Japan. Suzuki wants it to evolve as a full-fledged car company with capability to develop cars from scratch in future.” Suzuki has already announced $2 billion investment by 2010 in India for capacity expansion and new product development.

(Source) Economic Times

Tags: capacity expansion, car company, d centre, development source, engineering colleges, facelift, freshers, headcount, indian engineers, maruti, nakanishi, new cars, newer technologies, regional brands, small cars, suzuki cars, talent pool

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You read that right, Bill Ford, Executive Chairman over at Ford, actually wants gas to go back up in price. Hell, he even wants the US Government to instate a gas tax which would artificially increase the price of gas.

Ford (the guy not the automaker) defends his position giving the following statement:

When gasoline went to $3.50 a gallon we saw a sea change in customer behavior. Now people are turning away from more fuel-efficient vehicles and taking the bigger vehicles. I’ve been talking for five years now about the need for a gas tax. We have to have some predictability on fuel pricing and that price signal has to be strong enough so customers will continue buying smaller, fuel-efficient cars.

You do have a point, Mr. Ford, but is forcing the American public to buy fuel efficient cars the right thing to do? In my opinion it would without a doubt work, but that doesn’t mean I want gas to go back up; perhaps if automakers provided more special incentives on fuel efficient cars, we would get the same positive feedback. What do you think?

Read (AutoBlogGreen)

Tags: bill ford, fuel economy, fuel efficiency, gas mileage, gas tax, Green, small cars, tax

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Maruti has revealed that in 3 to 5 years time, they will be launching their own line of hybrid cars and compressed natural gas (CNG) variants for three or four models in the domestic market. The plan is part of the company’s broad strategy to develop small cars that run on alternative fuel technology.

“We are developing electric car technology for India. But it might take us up to the next five years or more to manufacture and sell electric cars in the domestic market,” said Maruti Suzuki Managing Director Shinzo Nakanishi.

Maruti Suzuki Chairman R C Bhargava, added, “We are working on multi-fuel variants and some models have been identified for CNG. A CNG kit currently costs over Rs 40,000 and that is expensive. Also, these cars can only be launched in 2010 or 2011, when there is a pan-India CNG filling system from companies like Reliance.”

Bhargava pointed out that even Delhi lacked sufficient CNG filling systems for commercial vehicles. The company has already launched LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) variants of the Maruti 800 and Wagon R.

(Source) Business Standard

Tags: alternative fuel, commercial vehicles, Compressed Natural Gas, electric car, electric cars, hybrid cars, hybrids, maruti 800, maruti suzuki, petroleum gas, small cars

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Going compact or small is the trend these days and while many are relying on the information from publications, the web and the ever reliable word of mouth, others may find it better to catch a glimpse of the best Microcars at the New York International Automobile Show sponsored by The Vintage Microcar Club. The Microcar display includes a 1965 Peel P50 owned by The Lane Motor Museum that seats one person and is powered by a 50cc 2-stroke motor. Only 46 were originally produced and 22 survive today.

“Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as ‘The Smallest Production Car Ever Made’, the Microcar display is sure to be a huge hit with show goers large and small,” said John LaSorsa, NYIAS Chairman.

Ushering in the latest motor trends, the 2009 New York International Auto Show will unveil an expansive collection of cutting-edge design and extraordinary innovation. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and futuristic concept cars. More than 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display. NYIAS is owned and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.

(Source) Press

Tags: automobile dealers association, Concept Cars, expansive collection, futuristic concept, guinness book of world, guinness book of world records, international auto show, lasorsa, microcars, motor trends, new york auto, new york auto show, new york international auto show, production car, small cars, stroke motor

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If you are among the SUV buffs, here is a great guide you can bank on before making any purchase. Consumer Reports has named the top picks for 2009 that included two new models–the Toyota Highlander and the Chevrolet Avalanche, as top choices for midsized SUVs and pickups.

Having proven reliable in its first year since a major redesign, the top-rated Toyota Highlander dethroned the Hyundai Santa Fe, last year’s winner in the midsized SUVs category, while the improved reliability of the new Chevrolet Avalanche helped it to replace the Chevrolet Silverado as top pickup.

Despite the arrival of more gas/electric hybrids, the Toyota Prius remains Top Pick in the “green” car category for the sixth straight year. The Prius’s 44 overall mpg is the best Consumer Reports measured in any five-passenger car.

Here, by category, are the 2009 Top Picks.

SMALL SEDAN: Hyundai Elantra SE. The Elantra SE ($18,695) is a comfortable, roomy small car that provides good fuel economy, a quiet and nicely finished interior, and plenty of features for the money. Only the SE version comes with standard electronic stability control, which is absent on many other small cars.

MIDSIZED SUV: Toyota Highlander. The Highlander ($26,000 to $41,000) is a very refined and versatile vehicle. It provides a comfortable and quiet ride, a nicely finished interior, three rows of seats, and decent fuel economy for its class. The Highlander Hybrid’s fuel economy, 24 mpg overall, is among the best of any SUV in Consumer Report’s Ratings. First-year reliability has been excellent.

PICKUP TRUCK: Chevrolet Avalanche. The Chevrolet Avalanche full-sized crew cab ($36,000 to $47,000) is one of the most versatile and comfortable pickups that Consumer Reports has tested. Its unified bed and cab helps give it a solid feel and a comfortable, quiet ride. Its innovative partition, between the cab and the bed, can be folded to allow longer cargo to extend into the back of the cab.

BEST OVERALL VEHICLE: Lexus LS 460. With a road test score of 99 out of 100, the Lexus LS 460 ($64,000 to $77,000) is Consumer Reports’ highest-scoring vehicle. It provides a luxurious, uncompromising driving environment, with a supremely comfortable ride and a roomy, well-finished, and exceptionally quiet interior. The LS is brimming with electronic amenities, yet the controls are easy to use. Its 380-hp, 4.6-liter V8 and eight-speed automatic transmission deliver smooth, quick acceleration and relatively good fuel economy.

FAMILY SEDAN: Honda Accord. The Honda Accord ($21,000 to $31,000) is a roomy, well-rounded sedan that’s easy to live with and enjoyable to drive. It offers a comfortable ride, agile handling, and efficient, refined four- and six-cylinder powertrains. Electronic stability control is standard, and crash-test results are impressive.

UPSCALE SEDAN: Infiniti G37. One of the highest-rated sedans tested, the G37 (33,000 to $36,000, formerly G35) combines sportiness and luxury in a very appealing package. It has a very lively powertrain, agile handling, a comfortable ride, and a nicely appointed interior. For 2009, it also has a larger, 328-hp, 3.7-liter engine and a seven-speed automatic transmission, which improves fuel economy.

FUN TO DRIVE: Mazda MX-5 Miata. The Miata ($22,000 to $29,000) is a true sports car at a reasonable price. With quick, precise steering, a crisp-shifting manual transmission, and balanced handling, it virtually tied the Porsche Boxster in test scoring, but it costs about half the price.

SMALL SUV: Toyota RAV4. Thanks to a larger and more powerful four-cylinder engine and other upgrades for 2009, the RAV4 ($23,000 to $30,000) narrowly outscored the Subaru Forester to remain our Top Pick for the third straight year. It provides agile handling, a roomy and quiet interior, a comfortable ride, and an optional third-row seat. The four-cylinder version gets the best fuel economy of any automatic, nonhybrid SUV CR has tested.

MINIVAN: Toyota Sienna. The Sienna ($26,000 to $38,000) offers a spacious, versatile, and comfortable way to carry up to eight people. Consumer Reports found that the quiet, well-finished interior rivals that of some luxury sedans. Electronic stability control is standard. This is the only minivan available with all-wheel drive.

GREEN CAR: Toyota Prius. Despite the arrival of more gas/electric hybrids, the Prius ($22,000 to $24,000) leads this category for the sixth straight year. The base model’s 44 overall mpg is the best Consumer Reports has measured in any five-passenger car. The interior is roomy and versatile, and reliability remains excellent. A redesigned Prius will arrive in early summer.

(Source) Press

Tags: chevrolet avalanche, chevrolet silverado, electric hybrids, electronic stability control, fuel economy, green car, hyundai elantra, hyundai santa fe, lexus ls 460, small cars, top choices, toyota highlander, toyota prius, versatile vehicle

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