Motor Show
 
 
 Up Beat!
 

 


Chevrolet India have definitely turned up the tempo by pricing the Beat at Rs 3.34 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). Launching the car a day before the Auto Expo commenced was a somewhat sly move by the manufacturer, which served the intended purpose of both drawing the limelight, and putting the industry on notice that Chevy is indeed serious. And the pricing certainly seems to have paid off in terms of the response received from the public – ensuring that the Beat does actually go on to become a heartthrob. Featuring a 1.2 liter petrol engine, the Beat does appear tough, smart and sexy – as advertised. Its trump card, of course, is that it’s unique and unconventional – a trait that should prove to differentiate it in the small car space. And the interior styling complements the exterior quite nicely as well – especially the instrument cluster, which is an adaptation of what’s normally seen on a motorbike (see our full review, as published in the January 2010 issue, at www.autox.in).

Apart from the Beat, Chevy also showcased the E-Spark, which is a full EV (electric vehicle) developed in collaboration with Bangalore based REVA Cars – who have the world’s largest fleet of electric cars in operation. This model could well go on to become a game changer when it’s launched in the fourth quarter of 2010 – for Chevrolet, as well as the Indian market. Also on show was the captivating Camaro, and highly anticipated Volt.

 

For the People

The Polo has been the talk of the industry for some time, and was finally launched at the Expo – with, actually, some great cinematography courtesy of VW’s cameramen. So where exactly does the Polo fit in? Competing in the premium hatch segment, the Polo is set to take on competition all the way from the Maruti Suzuki Swift to the Hyundai i20. It’ll be in showrooms post-March with two engine options, a 1.2 liter petrol unit producing 70 horsepower, and 120Nm of torque, as well as a 1.2 diesel – also producing 70bhp, but a more gutsy 180Nm of torque. Believe it or not, VW is offering a brand new 1.2 liter diesel unit on the Polo especially designed and manufactured keeping Indian conditions in mind. Both, on the inside and outside, the design has a perceptible Teutonic feel, courtesy of its clean lines and excellent fit and finish.

Also on display was the Polo Cup variant, which will form the Polo Cup racing series, as part of the JK Tyre National Racing Championship – scheduled to start in June this year. As expected, the Polo Cup is a more serious machine – but a diesel no less. It features a 1.6 liter CRDI engine producing a healthy 130bhp at 4000rpm and 250Nm of torque at 2000rpm. And with race tuned suspension, full roll cage, a 6-speed transmission, and JK racing slicks, it’ll be a great sight on track as it revolutionizes tin-top racing in India.
 
 

     
 Dominant Force
   
     
     
 

Having an entire hall to themselves, Maruti made no bones about highlighting the fact that they’re the dominant player in this emerging marketplace. Expanding on their small car prowess, this year Maruti had the RIII concept on show. Fully conceived and designed in India, this concept had 20 designers and engineers working for about nine months to see it take shape. It’s evident from the very well thought out and executed RIII Concept that Maruti is now looking to use its domestic resources to design futuristic cars from the ground up. The RIII, which essentially stand for ‘Row Three’ to illustrate its three rows of seating, is a small MPV that opens an entirely new market segment and offers all the features and attributes of a sedan in a vehicle that’s more spacious and edgy. Both the exterior and interior design point to the depth of talent that Maruti’s been able to develop under the leadership of its R&D Head, I.V. Rao.

Shifting from concepts to real machines, the recently launched Kazashi in the US was also on show to give viewers a hands-on experience of the excellent fit-and-finish of this entry level luxury model from Suzuki, which is scheduled for a late 2010 / early 2011 launch in India (see our full review of the US spec Kizashi elsewhere in this issue).

Mindful of the omnipresent green theme, along with all the other manufacturers at the Expo, Maruti unveiled another concept called the Eeco Charge, which is a pure EV (electric vehicle) developed in-house under the guidelines set by the National Hybrid Propulsion Programme (NHPP) of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. The Eeco Charge is powered by a 50kW motor and a 24kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which promises a range of 100 kilometers and a top speed of 100km/h. Another vehicle showcased as part of the program, which is also to be used during the 2010 Commonwealth Games, is the SX-4 Hybrid. This features the same electric motor and battery pack as the Eeco Charge, which enables it to run upto 30km/h and 15 kilometers on battery power alone – beyond which it uses the aid of a 1.2 liter petrol engine. Clever stuff – but technology such as this will only make its way to consumers with proper Government incentives.

  
     
 

A Small Car – the Toyota Way
 

At the absolute forefront of the global launches was Toyota Kiloskar Motors, which has finally expanded into the Indian small car space with an all-new model called the Etios – in both sedan and hatchback trim. These models will be manufactured in India for both the Indian and export market. Specially designed for Indian conditions, the Etios sedan featured a 1.5 liter petrol unit, while the hatchback had a 1.2 liter petrol engine to fit the small car regulations. It took 2,000 engineers from India and Japan four years to come up with this all-new model. And whereas the sedan appeared fairly conventional, it was the hatchback that attracted most of the attention, as it looked stunning in blue – not to mention quite sporty courtesy of its sharper lines.
  


 

At the other side of the hall, the wait for a hybrid from the Toyota stable finally came to an end, as the most popular hybrid in the world finally made its Indian debut. And while the technology is clearly cutting edge, Toyota will have to count on the Prius’ cache vis-à-vis the green credentials it affords its owners if it is to meet sales targets – since it has a fairly steep price tag of Rs. 26.5 and 27.8 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). Also on display was the futuristic Fine-S hydrogen fuel cell concept.

Of course, it was the Etios that stole the show, as Indian small car buyers can finally look forward to Toyota quality when the sedan first hits the market in October this year. The hatch will debut in early 2011, and come in under Rs. 5 lakhs. A diesel option is also being readied for future launch.
  
  Good things do come in small packages
Minutes after the Toyota Etios global launch, in the same hall, Honda took the wraps of its own small car concept for the first time – referred to, quite matter-of-factly, as the ‘New Small Concept.’ And while Tatsuya Natsume, Director Marketing, Honda Seil Cars, admits that the Etios is typical Toyota, and a good design, he relishes the opportunity to compete directly with Toyota in this market. He points out, however, that Honda is not market-share driven – rather they focus on the consumer and the technology that goes into their cars, and let the chips fall where they may.

It’s clear that the Honda concept isn’t production ready like the Toyota, but boy is it a good looking car. And Natsume assures us that, while they do have to look at the production worthiness of the details, the basic design will stay. The car is expected to debut in 2011 and have essentially the same 1.2 liter petrol unit as its bigger brother, the Jazz. You may want to wait for it, because it too is expected to come in under Rs. 5 lakhs – and with Honda’s brand value in India, this has the possibility of really shaking up the small car market in the country. Natsume is well aware, however, that the market will
  
 
be very competitive, as he points to the fact that the global small car war has truly taken shape in India over the past two years with the introduction of cars such as the Hyundai i10, i20, Maruti A-Star, Ritz, and now the Chevrolet Beat, VW Polo, and Toyota Etios. The beneficiary of all this, of course, is you – the consumer.
  
   
     
 Star Power
     
 

Hyundai almost caused a riot at the Expo when Shah Rukh Khan arrived to unveil the i10 electric. The i10 EV is powered by a lithium polymer battery pack that has an energy density of 16kWh – this is about 20% more than the lithium ion equivalent, while also being lighter, which gives it an all-electric range of 160 kilometers. The battery pack feeds a 49kW electric motor that produces the equivalent of 69 horsepower. Normal charge time is five hours, although if you have access to an industrial current, you can achieve an 85% charge in just 15 minutes. The car appears quite usable on the performance front as well, with a top speed of 130km/h, and a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 15 seconds. The EV goes on sale in Hyundai’s home market of South Korea at the end of the year – if and when it’ll make it to India is yet to be decided. At the other end of the spectrum was the beautiful Genesis coupe, which has won many accolades in the US market – stay tuned for a full review in our next issue.
  
     
     
  Nations Pride  
     
     
 
Tata stole the show, and then some, at the previous Auto Expo with the introduction of the Nano. And while they couldn’t possibly be expected to make the same impact this time, India’s homegrown manufacturer had some tricks up its sleeve nonetheless. In addition to its new line of commercial vehicles and people movers, Tata Motors also showcased the all-new, and impressive, Aria MPV. Despite its dual-exhaust tips at the rear, this crossover MPV has Tata’s familiar 2.2 liter CRDI diesel engine – barring which it’s all-new inside and out, including its platform. And while its striking design aims to position it as a monocoque crossover, it’s actually a body-on-frame chassis for added strength – that being said, Tata engineers have worked hard to ensure that it maintains a car-like ride. It does, however, have all-wheel drive on-demand for added versatility. It’s on the inside, however, that Tata appear to have taken a massive leap forward with the Aria. Fit and finish, as well as design, appear to be on a completely different level in comparison with any other vehicle from the Tata stable. It features a fair bit of technology as well, such as an in-dash GPS, Bluetooth connectivity, Cruise Control, and dual Airbags. It’s certainly a step up for the brand, and could serve to unsettle not only the Toyota Innova, but also compact SUVs from a segment above.
 
     
     
 
Jaguar Land Rover weren’t far from the mother ship, and served to awe show-goers with its jaw-droppingly beautiful designs. The man responsible for those designs, Englishman, Ian Callum, was on hand to unveil the new model that Jaguar introduced in the Indian market – its all-aluminum XJ flagship luxury sedan (priced at Rs. 94 lakhs, ex-showroom, Delhi). Also on hand was Jaguar MD, Mike Driscoll, who was bullish on the future of the brand 18 months after the Tata Motors acquisition. He was happy to note that Jaguar’s back to its roots of being an independent company making sporty cars once again. Land Rover, meanwhile, displayed its entire line-up, as well as its range of V8 engines in all their glory.
 
     
     
 
Under the same roof, Fiat India also unveiled some interesting new variants of the existing Linea and Grande Punto. The Linea’s 1.4 liter petrol engine gets a turbocharger – giving it an additional 20 horsepower to bring it to 110. The Linea also gets a new transmission, known as the Dualogic, which allows the driver to choose between automatic and manual modes – it’s actually a sequential manual gearbox with a conventional clutch, which means it’s also more efficient than a traditional automatic. The Grande Punto gets a Sports version, which means that its 1.3 liter Multijet diesel now produces the 90 horsepower it’s capable of. It also gets some nice touches on the inside and out, which should complete the hot hatch package. Italian style now comes with a little more substance.
  



  Interview with Rajeev Kapoor, President & CEO, Fiat India Automobiles
     

autoX: Regarding your joint venture, there is a perception that your partners have benefited much more from you, than you have from them. Your partner’s cars are improving because of your engine. Would you care to comment on that?

Rajeev Kapoor: That is the job. See, this is a very unique relationship. Nobody in India or abroad has tried this business model before. Lots of people have joint ventures – Hero Honda has one, Mahindra-Nissan also. Joint ventures are limited to a product, or financial issues. Having a distributor appointment, which is also a barter, is very unique. Let’s understand something – how many have been able to get 65 dealerships and reach 100 in one year? The tie-up gave us a jump start, and increased our reach at the same time. Secondly, the relationship was actually done to improve Tata Motors products. It is not that it was a side benefit for them. When we tied up, it was clear that we would supply them with engines. It was agreed that we would manufacture their new car in Ranjangaon, the Tata Manza. See, both partners had to have a win-win relationship.
     
 

AX: Tell us about Fiat in terms of the range for 2010?

RK: We keep on tapping market intelligence, we keep on talking to our customers, and we felt there is a need to expand the range of the Punto and Linea to fulfil some very specific needs of the market. So the Punto Trendz is aimed at youngsters – it has bright colours, a good sound system, but without the unnecessary frills that raise the price, while not compromising with the safety and drivability, which is now becoming the trademark of the Fiat brand. We displayed a very high-powered Punto, which is 90bhp – this practically becomes a racing car with all the safety features intact. We are gauging the interest in having a sunroof, and we will decide if the car should have a sunroof or not. So these two cars will be hitting the road this year as far as India is concerned.

We also have feedback on the Linea – a lot of people like the car, but are gasoline drivers and want more power than at present. So we have showed a Linea with a turbocharged gasoline engine developing 110bhp, and this car will be launched this year. This will actually be the top end Linea in the range. All the standard up-market features will be there. So now we have completed the range – there will be a Punto for everyone and also a Linea for everyone. We will concentrate on these for the next twelve to fifteen months before we think of doing anything else. But I have something else on the cards. You can see we have displayed here a Bi-fuel, which is a very high-end technology in terms of CNG and gasoline. There are some very unique features in this Punto – one is the boot space we have been able to create by hiding the CNG tank. Secondly, one of the unique features of this car are the controls – in a normal CNG car you push a button to switch fuels. Also you have to open the boot to fill the tank. In this car, using Fiat and Magnetti Marelli’s technology together, the car runs like any other car. No switches or buttons to be operated. Depending on the throttle response, the system decides which fuel it wants to run, and keeps on switching back and forth. Also, the filler for the gasoline is the filler for the CNG too. So it’s like a normal car. With both the tanks, the driving range of this Punto is about 1,000km, which is a long distance. After getting all the feedback and incorporating it, our endeavour would be to launch this car next year. We are also displaying here a car with an automatic transmission, called Dualogic. The same technology is used in Ferrari – it offers you a choice between a paddle-shift or a gear lever shift. The benefit of the system is that it gives you excellent fuel economy. We are planning this in the Punto, but that will take a little more time.

AX: What about the Palio - are you phasing it out?

RK: No, the Palio has not been phased out, it is very much there. It’s just that there was only so much space available to us! It will continue in the same avatar.

AX: How do you plan to change the general perception of Fiat in India, how will you take the brand higher in the consumers mind?

RK: Well, there were three phases of Fiat. There was the joint venture with the Doshis. After that it was the full operation of Fiat, which is the time the Palio and the Uno were launched. And the latest phase, which is a joint venture with the Tata Motors. While the cars were launched in 2009, the work on strengthening the service and spare parts network started in 2008 itself. We have established a separate warehouse of spare parts in Chakan. We have reduced the logistics bank, stocking norms have been established, and the training of dealer mechanics is being done by us to understand the technology of Linea and Punto. We have regional training managers, but we also have a training centre in Ranjangaon. We also have flying doctors. However, when you talk about servicing our old customers, we still have a few problems. These are owners of Petra and Uno cars (we are still manufacturing the Palio). Those two cars have gone through several changes in the Fiat world. So a lot of parts are no longer available. The dies have been scrapped. But, in the last eight to ten months, we have been able to find most of the alternates from around the world. So we are able to service these two cars also to a very great extent.

  
     
   

 
     
 
 
     

 
 

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