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'Philippines – Tata Motors appoints distributor to launch products in Q2, 2014' plus 13 more

'Philippines – Tata Motors appoints distributor to launch products in Q2, 2014' plus 13 more

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• Philippines – Tata Motors appoints distributor to launch products in Q2, 2014
• Indonesia – Toyota reported to be developing a new challenger for Mobilio, Ertiga
• Indonesia – No facelift for Suzuki Ertiga next year
• IAB Rendering – 2015 Mercedes C Class Long Wheelbase
• Report – Hyundai only second to Toyota in German magazine’s annual quality study
• Report – Toyota could become the first OEM to manufacture 10 million units in a year
• Report – DC to show sub-Nano small car at Auto Expo; Avanti’s deliveries commencing soon
• Report – Honda Vezel NOT coming to India; Brio-based SUV under consideration
• Report – Renault India to launch entry-level, 2WD Koleos facelift
• China – VW outsells GM to become largest OEM in the country
• Report – Maruti to exhibit “Something Interesting” at Auto Expo; A-Star, SX4 replacements likely
• Spied – 2014 Mahindra Scorpio Facelift’s interior inspired by XUV
• Spied – Next generation Tata Winger (Renault Master) starts testing
• 2014 Honda City variants & features leaked! Launching on Jan 7

Philippines – Tata Motors appoints distributor to launch products in Q2, 2014 Posted: 27 Dec 2013 07:13 AM PST Tata Motors has appointed Pilipinas Taj Autogroup Inc. (TAJ) as its official distributor for passenger and commercial vehicles in Philippines. The Philippine auto industry is expected to give robust performance next year and this agreement comes in a timely manner, trusting local news reports. Pilipinas Taj Autogroup Inc. Chairman & President, David Coyukiat, says he is thrilled to introduce Tata’s “tough and reliable” models and confirms that the line-up would meet demand from personal and commercial markets. The Xenon, Vista and Manza could make up the first set of Tata cars in Philippines. TAJ is working on the launch, and deliveries are planned from the second quarter of 2014. The company is currently searching for dealers who will build the primary sales and after-sales network, and says that it shall quickly expand into other Philippine cities. The country is an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a population of about 10 crore. 4/10 vehicles sold is a Toyota, and the burgeoning middle class paired to low interest rates on car loans is expected to drive the auto market’s growth to the tune of 15 percent this year. Though TAJ or Tata Motors did not disclose the country’s product plan (they have said that petrol and diesel vehicles will come), the local media believe that the Manza, Vista (due for a refresh) and the Xenon are on the cards. Prices of the vehicles will be announced in the second quarter of 2014.

Indonesia – Toyota reported to be developing a new challenger for Mobilio, Ertiga Posted: 27 Dec 2013 07:04 AM PST According to an Indonesian media report, Toyota, the market leader of Indonesia, is currently developing “a major competitor” to the Honda Mobilio and Suzuki Ertiga. The Mobilio and Ertiga threaten to gradually erode Toyota’s market share in the light MPV segment, though the Avanza’s numbers currently look unattainable. iOtomotif learns that Toyota will present its challenger at the Indonesian International Motor Show next year (IIMS 2014). Toyota currently holds the market leadership position in the light MPV segment with the Avanza that heavily outsells the Ertiga, more often than not, clocking at least twice the volume. The second spot in the MPV market is picked up by the Daihatsu Xenia, a rebadged version of the Avanza, proving how much Indonesian car buyers trust Toyota’s engineering. iOtomotif adds that the design of the new Toyota MPV would be “more premium” than the Avanza’s, and the new MPV is also believed to be powered by a similar 1.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine as the current model. Honda’s Mobilio will land in Indonesia early next year, and the country’s analysts predict that it will be the company’s mainstay model and quickly become the brand’s top performing vehicle. The seven seater has been announced with a 1.5-liter petrol engine (in MT and AT variants) with prices below 200 million Indonesian rupiah. The new Toyota MPV would look more premium than the Avanza and would get a 1.5L engine. The Indonesian auto market is a fast-growing one in South Asia with sales up by 10.5 percent over last year. At 1.02 million vehicles, Indonesia is right behind Thailand which registered 1.12 million units for the first ten months of 2013.

Indonesia – No facelift for Suzuki Ertiga next year Posted: 27 Dec 2013 06:49 AM PST The marketing director of PT. Suzuki Indomobil Sales (SIS), Davy Tulian, told Detik Auto that a lifecycle change, either minor or major, is not on the plan for the Suzuki Ertiga in Indonesia next year. This implies that India may also not get an Ertiga facelift, as Indonesia sells vehicles exported by Maruti Suzuki. The magazine asked Tulian how the company was coping with what could be a very challenging 2014, as Honda plans to challenge the Ertiga with the well-priced Mobilio. He said that the prepared strategy emphasized on improving the quality of the products and services and that “measures to deal with the arrival of new products” were in place. Though Suzuki have shown many interesting Ertiga concepts at motor shows, a facelift is not in sight. As for the target, Suzuki aims to increase the Ertiga’s market share in Indonesia from 18 percent to 20 percent. The Ertiga accounted for 38 percent of Suzuki sales in Indonesia this year and is on course to finish as Indonesia’s third or fourth best selling vehicle for 2013. The arrival of the Mobilio is seen as its biggest challenge. To increase its operational field, Suzuki sells an automatic variant of the Ertiga in Indonesia, though this variant is unavailable in India. The company does not sell diesel variants in Indonesia, but that could soon change as the car’s production moves to a bigger factory in Tambun in 2015. [Source - Oto.detik.com]

IAB Rendering – 2015 Mercedes C Class Long Wheelbase Posted: 27 Dec 2013 03:40 AM PST In a recent interview, Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Group Research & Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, confirmed that the company would develop a long wheelbase (LWB) variant of the new C Class exclusively for the Chinese market. That got our render artist, Shoeb, to work on the stretched C Class over breakfast today, and here is the image. The C Class LWB will continue to use the aluminium hybrid construction as the regular model. While we don’t know the exact increase in length, it shouldn’t be over 8-10 cm. The liberated space will go towards enhancing the rear seat legroom of the car. Production of the car is set to commence in China later next year, and the C Class LWB will go up against rivals such as the Audi A4 L, BMW 3 Series Li and Volvo S60 L. Dr. Weber earlier stated that it would take lesser time to manufacture a new C Class thanks to new production methods the company had developed. European deliveries of the new C Class will commence in March next year, while pre-bookings are underway. To begin with, Mercedes has announced three engine options for the car. The public debut of the new C Class will take place in mid-January next year at the Detroit Motor Show.

Report – Hyundai only second to Toyota in German magazine’s annual quality study Posted: 27 Dec 2013 03:20 AM PST German magazine Auto Bild has rated Hyundai as the 2nd best in its annual quality satisfaction report. The magazine rated 20 OEMs that are selling their wares in Germany including the trio of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. As we would expect, Toyota secured the coveted first place. Along with being ranked 2nd, Hyundai also saw its sister company, Kia Motors, being ranked as high as 6th place. Hyundai has managed to beat the German trio of Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW to secure the 2nd spot in Auto Bild’s report. Hyundai’s European models are developed at a technical center in Germany and manufactured only in Europe. Mercedes-Benz took the third spot tied with Japanese car company Mazda in the list that has been put together annually since 2001 by the magazine. Kia was joined in 6th place by Skoda, BMW, Audi and Honda. Hyundai has taken to the Nurburgring like a cat to milk as it had even released a TV commercial for the Genesis that was filmed at the ‘ring. Auto Bild takes into account customer feedback, warranty, recall information, maintenance requirements, extremely detailed tests of the car, durability, and notably Hyundai scored high on customer loyalty. Hyundai’s 2nd spot could be attributed to the company’s R&D centre in Russelsheim, Germany, which designs cars solely for Europe and Hyundai’s manufacturing plants in Turkey and Czech Republic which are dedicated to addressing European demand.

Report – Toyota could become the first OEM to manufacture 10 million units in a year Posted: 27 Dec 2013 02:25 AM PST Toyota Motor Corp could soon become the first car manufacturer in the world to cross the 10 million per year production mark this year, according to the Japanese Times. Total production for this year has grown by 0.9 percent to touch 9,337,668 units, including units produced by Hino and Daihatsu brands. Toyota attributes its third consecutive rise in demand to demand for new hybrid vehicles before a new consumption tax comes into effect in April 2014. The rise in production is thanks to increased demand from USA, Europe and China. November this year saw the company’s output rise by 13.3 percent to 889,242 units, making it the third straight month of double-digit growth. With a consumption tax scheduled for April 2014 looming in the air, Japan is expected to buy a lot more than usual this December, with enquiries already coming in to see if vehicles will be delivered prior to March if contracts are signed now. Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus has also handsomely contributed to the group’s potential record-breaking year. Toyota has announced that it is targeting total global production output of 10.12 million vehicles and sales of 9.96 million units for 2013. As of November, the company had manufactured 9,337,668 units and sold 9,093,000 units. Even if Toyota matches its last December’s production figures this December, it will manufacture close to 9,993,000 units. Meanwhile, Toyota’s position as the world’s no 1 manufacturer might be under threat from VW once again, with the German company’s growth going up by 11.2 percent to 9.02 million units.

Report – DC to show sub-Nano small car at Auto Expo; Avanti’s deliveries commencing soon Posted: 27 Dec 2013 01:39 AM PST DC Design has big plans for the upcoming Auto Expo. The design house will showcase two of its new products at India’s largest motoring event which takes place in the first week of February 2014. The two-seater hatchback will be smaller than the Nano. Dilip Chhabria told Financial Express that while one of the products is a four-seater convertible SUV, the other product is an “extremely small car”, smaller than the Tata Nano. Chhabria said that the SUV is irrationally dimensioned, yet “drop dead gorgeous”. The small car on the other hand will be a two-seater measuring under seven feet long. Both products will be priced between INR 18-40 lakhs, and will target a niche, young audience. In February 2014, the first batch of 25 Avantis will meet their owners. While these 25 cars will be delivered at the previously committed price of INR 25 lakhs, future Avantis will be costlier by at least INR 5 lakhs. From June 2014, DC will make 100 units of the Avanti each month at its Talegaon plant in Pune, Maharashtra. The Avanti’s deliveries commence from February 2014. This image of the car testing was sent to us by our reader, Mr. Kiran Manjal. The Avanti will source its power from a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, capable of firing 240 bhp. The 1,562 kg car will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in under 7 seconds. See more images of the DC Avanti from its unveiling Chhabria revealed to the newspaper that he wants the company to transform from a customizer of cars to a low volume niche manufacturer.

Report – Honda Vezel NOT coming to India; Brio-based SUV under consideration Posted: 27 Dec 2013 01:24 AM PST A recent report by Autocar suggests that Honda will not introduce the Vezel in India anytime soon. Given the weak Indian rupee, the Japanese carmaker will be unable to price the crossover competitively with the likes of the Duster, Terrano and EcoSport. The Vezel’s hi-tech interior would drive up costs of the car in India. Yoshiyuki Matsumoto, managing officer Asia and Oceania, confirms that the Vezel will be an expensive proposition for the company in India. Matsumoto says that localization of components will take up too much effort and resources, citing an example of the crossover’s electric handbrake: local manufacturing of this component will take up a lot of investment, while swapping it for a regular handbrake will incur significant R&D costs. In a bid to ensure a product in the growing crossover space, Honda is believed to be working on an SUV based on the Brio platform. The advantage of using the Brio’s platform is that a high level of cost competitiveness can be achieved. Also, Honda engineers have experience in optimizing this platform for the Amaze and Mobilio MPV. The Brio’s platform has been successful in spawning a sedan and MPV. Can it replicate the success with an SUV? However, given that the Brio’s platform was never meant for an SUV, engineers will have to redesign it (modifying the wheel well to house larger wheels is one such example). It remains unknown whether the upcoming SUV will measure under 4 meters in length, or whether it will be a seven seater. Matsumoto told reporters at the Tokyo Motor Show last month that products in the SUV and MPV category will be launched around 2015. [Source - Autocarindia.com]

Report – Renault India to launch entry-level, 2WD Koleos facelift Posted: 27 Dec 2013 01:08 AM PST The Renault Koleos facelift will be launched in India shortly, and Autocar reports that the French carmaker will introduce a cut-price version of the crossover this time. Renault will launch an entry-level 2WD version of the Koleos in India. But will a lower price mean higher sales? To begin with, the entry-level Koleos misses out on the four-wheel drive system, and sends power to the front wheels. Though exact details aren’t explained, Renault will offer the 2WD Koleos with fewer bells and whistles as compared to the 4WD model. The 2014 Koleos range will however feature an improved version of the existing 2.0-liter diesel engine. The refreshed Koleos will produce 171 bhp (which is 23 bhp more than the current Koleos) and 36.7 kgm of torque (the current Koleos churns 32 kgm of torque). While the 4WD version will retain a 6-speed automatic transmission, the cut-price model will make do with a 6-speed manual gearbox. The 2WD Koleos will not get an automatic transmission, instead a 6-speed manual gearbox will be available. In a bid to reduce prices further, Autocar reports that Renault’s manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu has started local assembly of this 2.0-liter M9R engine. The rest of the car, as earlier, will be assembled. When Renault announced its independent entry into the Indian market, it was hoping for cars such as the Koleos and Fluence to be brand shapers. However, sales of the Koleos have never really taken off, and though Renault has other products such as the Scala and Pulse, the Duster continues to be the sole volume generator for the brand.

China – VW outsells GM to become largest OEM in the country Posted: 27 Dec 2013 12:55 AM PST Volkswagen is set to overtake General Motors as the largest automobile seller in China. As of November 2013, VW has a close to 70,000 car lead over the American manufacturer in the world’s largest automobile market, says an AutoNews.com report. China is the largest market for both companies. VW has recorded a 17 percent rise in sales till November this year. China will receive close to $25 billion (Rs 15,515 crore) in investment from VW through 2018 for expansion. In just the first 11 months of this year, VW has sold close to 2.96 million vehicles, up by 17 percent. However, VW’s president and CEO for China operations said that the company is facing supply issues and that it would sell more if they could produce more. The Audi A3 sedan, along with a new A4, will be launched in 2014 in China. Audi, part of the VW group, will start selling the locally made A3 compact sedan and the refreshed A4 sedan next year in China, says the report. The new VW Bora and a Skoda sedan are other models slated to be launched soon. As for GM, it will introduce four new models in 2014 in China. GM’s low-cost brand in China, Baojun, will also introduce a compact hatchback and a multi-purpose vehicle next year. The lack of adequate models from GM for China has seen the company registering a lower than average growth rate this year. Total vehicle sales in China, including buses and trucks, reached 19.9 million units till November this year. [Source - AutoNews.com]

Report – Maruti to exhibit “Something Interesting” at Auto Expo; A-Star, SX4 replacements likely Posted: 26 Dec 2013 10:12 PM PST R C Bhargava, Chairman of Maruti Suzuki, told Economic Times that the carmaker will exhibit “something interesting” at the upcoming Auto Expo in February 2014. However, Bhargava did not go into the specifics of the product(s) that would be showcased. The Suzuki A:Wind Concept debuted at the Thailand International Motor Show last month. We have long speculated that Maruti could show the next generation models of the A-Star and the SX4 at the upcoming Auto Expo. Pre-production prototypes of both cars have been caught testing in India many a time, and Suzuki has also shown a concept version of the next generation A-Star (known as the Alto in many international markets) at the Thailand Motor Show last month. Dubbed the Concept A:Wind, the small global hatchback has been announced to enter production in Thailand next year. The concept A:Wind measured 3,600 mm in length, 1,600 mm in width, 1,540 mm in height and came with a 2,425 mm wheelbase. Suzuki announced that it was powered by a 996 cc engine paired to a CVT gearbox, while the production version is expected to use the same 1.0-liter K-Series engine powering the current model. The Suzuki Authentics concept inspires the design of the SX4 replacement. The SX4-successor on the other hand draws its inspiration from the Suzuki Authentics concept that was shown at this year’s Auto Shanghai. The sedan has already been exposed sans camouflage, and is expected with a 1.4-liter K-Series petrol engine and the 1.3-liter Fiat-sourced MultiJet diesel engine. Could these be the “interesting” models Maruti has in store for us?

Spied – 2014 Mahindra Scorpio Facelift’s interior inspired by XUV Posted: 26 Dec 2013 09:29 PM PST These images of a camouflaged, 2014 Mahindra Scorpio facelift test mule were snapped by Car Toq, while the vehicle was testing in Pune, Maharashtra. The Scorpio facelift gets an XUV-inspired steering wheel, while the AC vents are redesigned. According to Car Toq, the top-end variant (seen in these images) of the Scorpio facelift will get features such as projector headlights and blackened headlamp lenses. Designers have redone the bonnet scoop of the SUV, and its reported to sync well with the overall looks of the car. At the rear, Mahindra will ditch the current taillight arrangement of the Scorpio, favoring a rectangularly-shaped layout. A set of redesigned bumpers and alloy wheels will complete the exterior round of changes. Inside, the refreshed Scorpio gets its steering from the XUV500. The circularly-shaped AC vents have given way for rectangular vents with chrome surrounds, while the music system is expected to be an upgraded, touchscreen unit. The dashboard will sport a beige color and will have wood inserts for a more upmarket feel. The air scoop on the bonnet is repositioned as seen in this test mule. The Scorpio facelift will retain the seating configuration of the current model (2+3+2 layout). Also, we don’t expect any drastic mechanical changes, and the 2.2-liter mHawk engine will continue to be offered with a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. Mahindra is expected to lift the veil off the refreshed Scorpio at the Auto Expo in February 2014. 2014 Mahindra Scorpio Facelift Image Gallery

Spied – Next generation Tata Winger (Renault Master) starts testing Posted: 26 Dec 2013 08:29 PM PST An Indian Autos Blog reader snapped these images of the next generation Tata Winger in Pune, Maharashtra. For the next generation Winger model, Tata Motors would borrow the Renault Master’s platform, as seen in these spyshots which show a left-hand drive, camouflaged test mule. The next generation Tata Winger will be based on the Renault Master’s platform. According to our sources, Tata will launch the Master-based Winger in the later part of 2014. However, the current Winger, which in turn is based on the old Renault Trafic’s platform, will continue to be sold, albeit with a minor facelift. The Master-based Winger would be positioned above the current Winger as a more luxurious alternative. As far as engine options are concerned, Tata has plenty of choices they could explore. The base variants of the new Winger could use the 2.0-liter TCIC engine, which is capable of producing 90 bhp at 4,300 rpm and 190 Nm of torque between 2,000-3,000 rpm. Image of the Renault Master added for reference. The 3.0-liter engine powering the Sumo Gold is also a suitable candidate for the new Winger. This engine produces 70 PS and 223 Nm of torque in BS 3 spec, and 85 PS and 250 Nm of torque in BS 4 spec. Tata would launch the new Winger in late 2014. Top-end variants of the new Winger could sport the modern 2.2-liter VariCOR engine which is used in the Safari Storme. This powerplant develops 140 PS and 320 Nm of torque in the Safari. Like the current Winger, we expect the new model to have various seating configurations. For reference, Tata sells the Winger in 9+D, 12+D and 13+D configurations as of now. We expect to learn more about the new Winger in the days to come.

2014 Honda City variants & features leaked! Launching on Jan 7 Posted: 26 Dec 2013 07:35 PM PST Honda Cars India will launch the all-new 2014 City on January 7, 2014. Following the global reveal held in India on November 25, Honda is yet to announce the prices for the new City, and even the number of variants and variant-wise features are unknown…until now. Team ICE say that this is the specification sheet for the new City diesel, and according to the information present here, the new City will be available in five variants – E, S, SV, V, VX. All variants of the City diesel will sport ABS, EBD and a driver airbag as standard, while the top three variants get a front passenger airbag in addition.