Not to mention the claim that the first in the calendar of world motor show to open the doors, Auto Expo in New Delhi, once every two years, is more important to showcase the key changes and new developments that can be expected in techenieblizhayshie two years in the Indian market .
And if the previous edition of the show in 2010 index of small personal mobility vehicles, which were to be launched this year - the 11th - Auto Expo 2012 was loaded with solutions of the family mobility. With innovations and presents as due-to-be-produced concept cars and MPV and SUV in the segment, it would seem that the average family is now India's only interested in group travel, or maybe they're going to be more prudent and would like to keep in the cost of passenger per kilometer low in these inflationary times. Or is it car pooling is expected to become the norm in the future?
However, the reasons for the new trends and preferences for compact van family and affordable compact utility sport vehicles, not hard to see. As with the feedback that we constantly receive from Smartbuy individual car buyers about the need of the family or tourist affordable compact car that has a position short haircut and a road presence SUV, I'm sure the producers have seen a need among institutional buyers, too.
Indian families still shared the family in most cities and often buyers are looking for an asset that may serve as suburban office and weekend tourist joint family. Institutional buyers, who are seeing their operating margins will be to the south due to the hike in fuel prices would have to look for a car with a smaller footprint - both in terms of fuel consumption and size.
From the producers point of view, it must have been difficult to develop and manufacture vehicles in these two related categories, and still keep costs low enough to make them attractive for the Indian middle class. Most often, you would have a platform that can be used in conjunction with existing, successful low-cost platform. It is therefore not surprising that the first to roll out new car in this new compact MPV / SUV category will be Maruti Suzuki India, a company that is a leader in the field of compact cars. The success of the new Mahindra Xylo Mahindra XUV and 500 shows that a stylish, affordable car with a diesel engine in this vehicle class can really get rid of customers of sedans in the same price segment.
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga will run until April of this year and will try to catch the buyers in the hatch with his style of design, but the seven-seat configuration. The central premise Ertiga to capture the imagination of young up mobile Indian who is looking for his family a tourist, but does not want to oversize vehicles.
Ertiga at Auto Expo 2012 is the final production. Maruti also introduced a new compact SUV concept called the XA Alpha. Positioned as an elegant SUV concept called the XA Alpha fresh look at the SUV segment and captured our attention with its compact size, aggressive and futuristic details. According to Maruti, "Alpha" in XA Alpha is a trend and novelty that young people connect. "A" means that this compact, 4-meter concept, designed for customers wishing to enter the segment SUV. 'X' denotes the cross-category.
The fact is that most viewers do, however, is that Maruti final means of production does not seem to carry too much of the design concept and futuristic features. This was the case with A-Star, and now with Ertiga too. Let's see how Alpha XA turns out that if it goes into production.
Ford India, which had a taste of mainstream success with Figo small car, will join the race with its compact SUV. The company has demonstrated a chic design concept Ecosport, and named her city SUV. Ecosport make it to market by the end of the year and will sport three-cylinder, one-liter turbo diesel and 1.5-liter diesel engines. The new compact SUV, is said to be based on the platform Fiesta.
Other concepts at Auto Expo this year, which contains a lot of promise - though it will take much more time to do it on the market, if at all - it's Hyundai Space hexes. The code name HND-7, a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) concept, which will focus on the efficient use of interior space with innovative interior design. The vehicle has eight thin, hexagonal seats that fit together like puzzle pieces, the maximum interior space with a minimum width of the vehicle.
Hexa space is focused on urban customers in 30 and 40 which require lifestyle and living in the bustling cities of emerging economies in the world. As the new Sonata, the new concept is also based on the principles of "Fluidic Sculpture", which gives his bold character lines on the sides.
The site offers multiple configurations - center seats fold flat for increased comfort, the second row folds flat for a limousine features a number of back folds flat for easy cargo use. In addition, seven seats folded for transportation of heavy and all eight are added for camping. Despite the spacious interior, outer hexa manages a narrow overall width, the key to maneuver in crowded streets.
On the other hand, compact utility, sports car, which is likely to be launched first, in the second half of this year, to be precise, this Duster Renault, Renault fourth car in the Indian market.
The new Duster will be positioned as a compact premium, yet affordable sports car utility. Renault officials, however, have not announced prices, specifications and trim levels of the Duster yet. This is a medium-sized crossover will attempt to combine the comfort of a sedan and a bold design and performance SUV. Duster will be produced with high local content and will be available in both petrol and diesel variants.
Another vehicle in the MPV / SUV segment, which will make it here this year will be Nissan Evalia. Previously codenamed NV200 MPV, Evalia be seven-seater with sliding doors on both sides in the rear. The car will be about 4.4 meters in length and may sport the same 1.5-liter diesel engine DCi, which is currently available in Sunny.
Meanwhile, Tata Motors launches Safari Storme, like redesigned, modified version of its SUV Safari, with a 2.2-liter engine and a variable DICOR geometry turbocharger. Toyota Kirloskar Motor also announced a new face lifted version of the MPV Innova and Fortuner SUV.
Among the cars, which were exhibited at the exhibition, which will make it very soon will be Hyundai Sonata. Hyundai, which has had the two previous generations of the Sonata in the market already, we hope to score better with this new model of the gene. Looking much more attractive and in keeping pace with the new design philosophy liquid, the new Sonata will certainly be situated at an affordable price of other luxury-segment sedans. Expo also saw the start the MINI brand finally here. The iconic British brand is part of the BMW Group and its four models were launched in the Rs 25-31 lakh price range.
Super Bikes
Auto Expo 2012, which goes on today at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, also witnessed the launch of new high-profile bike. One extremely popular super bike brands, which officially entered the Indian market after the exhibition is a triumph. The triumph brought the bike in the portfolio of seven chosen from the four known families of their model. The composition includes a Modern Classic - Bonneville, the iconic Speed Triple naked sportbikes and Street Triple, Tiger 800XC SUV and a bicycle Supersports Daytona 675. Prices will start from Rs 5.5 lakh for Bonneville and a range of up to Rs 22 lakh for the flagship roadster Rocket III.
However, buyers will have to wait about six months before the orders for these bikes can be accommodated in the company's dealerships here. Three outlets, one in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore will be created initially, and a fourth, possibly in Chandigarh in the next few months.
More and more passionate buyers looking to purchase a large aspirational brand bike, Triumph and others are already here - Harley-Davidson and Ducati - hoping to raise the volume of key models here. Hurley, who already has a facility in Haryana, will now be locally collected two more models FXDB Street Bob and FXDC Super Glide Custom. This will allow the company to offer their bikes at a low price due to economies of import duties.
Street Bob, the big twin rigid classical style with a float will be the most affordable 1600 cc bike in India, south of the price tag of Rs 10 crore. Another bike that will now be locally produced FXDC Super Glide Custom, which is powerful custom-style bike with lots of chrome detail, and will be priced at Rs 11.5 lakh (ex-showroom), reducing RS 4 rupees, compared with CBU its price last year.
Other major launch at the exhibition was a bike Ducati Monster 795. Specially designed for emerging markets in Asia, M795 was launched at a very aggressive Rs 6.99 lakh ex-showroom. Engine 795 is a legendary monster Desmodue, air-cooled, two candle L-Twin engine, which has 87 hp, which gives a unique sound of Ducati. M795 is available in India since its launch in several other South Asian countries like Thailand.
