Yearly Archives: 2012

Eicher has launched Eicher 11.14 a highly fuel efficient 14.5T GVW truck. The new product will bridge the gap between the 12/13 T & 16 T segments. Eicher says it will redefine and change the image of the 9- 9.5 ton payload segment with its unmatched features and benefits.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Vinod Aggarwal, CEO VE Commercial vehicles Limited said: “The highly fuel efficient Eicher 11.14 with its value delivery at relatively lower cost is all set to bring about a profitable change in the way the 9-9.5 Ton payload capacity trucks operate in India”.

Eicher wants to create & establish a new segment which will attract customers of the 16T market by providing them the benefit of a Heavy duty truck in addition to the savings of a medium duty truck. Eicher 11.14 with its best in class fuel efficiency and other operating parameters will be the right fit product for applications and segments which are currently being catered by the 12/13 T -16T Heavy duty trucks, specifically- Market Load, Milk /Water Tanker, Parcel Service, Machinery Transport, Pharma, Gas Cylinders and Courier segments

The salient features of Eicher 11.14 are:

· Best in class fuel efficiency-leading to higher savings and profits with low operating cost
· High Pickup & acceleration – faster trips
· Heavy duty truck benefits at almost medium duty pricing meaning low initial investment
· Fuel efficient Engine: 114 H.P (E-483-Diesel 4 Cylinder)
· High Pulling Power
· Heavy duty Transmission: ET40S5 Gear Box
· Big Tyres: 9.00 x 20 -16 PR
· Power Steering as standard

Eicher is also counting on its 200 authorized service centres and over 10000 private mechanics trained by Eicher, to provide customers with the confidence that it will be easy to ensure the vehicles are maintained as per recommended service protocols.

CAR magazine has posted the official invite to Lamborhgini’s Crossover unveiling at the Beijing Motor Show. The SUV/Crossover’s silhouette on the invite is the first official confirmation of a Lamborghini Crossover. Whoa. We’ve come a long way since 2007. In this video Lamborghini’s Stefan Winkelmann denies any plans for an SUV, but the rumour mill must have generated that much interest in a possible Lamborghini SUV, that Winkelmann has decided to go ahead.

The Urus will be built on the same platform as the Volkswagen Group’s other premium SUVs from Audi, Porsche, VW. The Urus will be be powered by the Gallardo V10 tuned to produce 584 horsepower.

Image Source : CAR Magazine, Quattraporte

Again, the Duster was spotted by an IAB reader Gokulraj who caught on camera a white and a black Duster. Both models spotted seem to be base variants since the rear bumpers is not the aluminium finished one we’ve seen on the Red Duster.

Source : http://indianautosblog.com/2012/04/renault-duster-caught-on-test-yet-again-video-images

This is either the CSC, CLA or simply Mercedes-Benz’s idea of a compact sedan. Can you actually peel your eyes off it? We cannot.

The Concept Style Coupe, CSC will be unveiled to the world at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show and will be powered by a 208-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine seen in the A-Class hatchback. The CSC is expected to be built on Mercedes’ new MFA platform. It is also rumoured that the production version of this concept will be given the name CLA.

How unfair would it be that you can get the most good looking car from the Mercedes-Benz stable at a price point lower than any Mercedes Benz sedan in the market? Not very unfair, if you ask us.

Audi proudly states that Ducati will be a third pillar for the car maker, having already acquired the Ducati and Italdesign brands from Italy. AUDI AG and the Volkswagen Group say they are impressed by Ducati’s progressive control systems and special combustion chamber process of Ducati engines, their resulting sporty character, and Ducati’s extensive know-how in lightweight construction.

Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, declared: “Ducati is known worldwide as a premium brand among motorcycle manufacturers and has a long tradition of building sporty motorcycles. It has great expertise in high-performance engines and lightweight construction, and is one of the world’s most profitable motorcycle manufacturers. That makes Ducati an excellent fit for Audi.”

Peter Mosch, Chairman of the General Works Council of AUDI AG, explains that the employee representatives of AUDI AG support the Company’s sustainable, co-determined growth strategy. “We must use the opportunities offered by globalization for Audi – and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Everyone at Audi is looking forward to working with our new colleagues from Ducati,” commented Mosch.

In 2011, Ducati sold around 42,000 motorcycles and generated revenue of some €480 million, employing around 1,100 people.

Do visit Riot Engine for the Editor’s perspective on what this acquisition means for the parties involved.

In the presence of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu J. Jayalalitha, and members of the Daimler AG Board of Management, DICV inaugurated its state of the art plant in Oragadam built over an area of 160 hectares. The plant has been completed in a record 24 month period and will also house the integrated research and development center and the state-of-the-art test track. Daimler says the plant is one of only three Daimler truck plants worldwide to combine truck assembly and components production at one location. The total investment of DICV is 4400 Crore Indian Rupees (over €700 million) including the manufacturing facility for BharatBenz brand trucks as well as research and development.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, explained, “Our new Oragadam-Chennai plant shares Daimler’s stringent quality standards with its sister plants around the world and is unique at the same time. It is the only Daimler plant in the world that houses products which combine Indian engineering with German and Japanese DNA under a single roof. This way, we are optimally positioning ourselves for one of the world’s strongest and fastest-growing truck markets.”

The start of production of the BharatBenz heavy-duty trucks are scheduled already for the 3rd quarter of 2012. The plant in Chennai has an initial production capacity of 36,000 units per year and is designed to allow an increase up to more than 70,000 commercial vehicles per year. Some of the BharatBenz trucks are based on the Mercedes-Benz Axor platform, whereas some on the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter platforms.

The huge investment by DICV in India is justified by the numbers presented by Daimler. The company says the modern domestic segment, which accounts for four percent of all trucks in India, is expected rise to almost 80 percent by 2020. With a product portfolio of 17 BharatBenz commercial vehicles by 2014, DICV is preparing for the promising Indian truck market with a volume of more than 330,000 vehicles in the weight classes of 5 to 49 tonnes in 2011.

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles has pulled out all stops in India, and intends to localize 85% of components to benefit from the expanding market in India. Marc Llistosella, CEO and Managing Director of DICV, declared, “Filled with pride and joy, I dedicate today’s plant opening to the employees of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles. Our work-force is primarily Indian and has steadily increased to include more than 1,400 employees today.Our focus on localization has resulted in more than 40 percent of our suppliers being located within a 40-kilometer radius of the plant. Overall, our BharatBenz trucks will have a localization rate of 85 percent in India.”

DICV cooperates with over 450 suppliers who were selected after stringent quality and due diligence tests. In cooperation with local car and commercial vehicle dealers, DICV has built up a nationwide retail network that will encompass around 70 locations by the end of 2012. The retail network will be expanded to more than 100 dealerships by 2014.

Andreas Renschler, Daimler Board of Management member responsible for Daimler Trucks and Daimler Buses, emphasized at the plant inauguration in India, “DICV is an outstanding example of Daimler Trucks’ Global Excellence strategy. Our worldwide production network and our global research and development efforts enable us to develop, manufacture, and sell trucks in India, for India. We do all of this in close proximity to our customers, for our customers.”

The Daimler subsidiary Daimler Financial Services will offer financing and insurance products for dealers and customers in support of BharatBenz vehicle sales.

Good times ahead for DICV, we think.

Audi will present RS Q3 concept at the Beijing Auto Show. Powering the concept is the 2.5 TFSI that combines two classic Audi technologies – gasoline direct injection and turbocharging. From 2,480 cc of engine displacement, it generates 360hp of power. 0-100 in 5.2 seconds and it has a top speed of 265 kph.

A seven-speed S tronic transfers power from the engine to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive. Thepower is transmitted almost exclusively to the front wheels. When slip is detected there, the quattro can redistribute forces to the rear axle via a hydraulic multi-plate clutch with electronic control – instantaneously and variably.

The single-frame radiator grille is trimmed with brushed and polished aluminium. A distinct 3D effect is brought about by offsetting the honeycombs to one another. A silver quattro signature takes its rightful place in the lower part of the grille.

The headlights are slightly tinted; inside them, some chrome parts are dark or covered by panels of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). The bumper has been redesigned with powerful edges around the outer air intakes. The front spoiler is also made of CFRP. Its lower section is matt black. The entire lower section of the bumper is coated with blue clearcoat paint.

The roof spoiler runs a long way towards the rear; its middle section has been slightly shortened compared to its outer sections. It is painted in the body color Ordos Blue – a matt blue with a slight yellow tint. At the rear, the lower bumper section has a sporty and angular style. The diffuser insert, which integrates the two large elliptical tailpipes in typical RS look, has been shifted far upward. Again here, Audi designers chose a combination of blue clearcoat and black CFRP. The rear lights and auxiliary lights in the bumper are tinted in anthracite and are made of clear glass.

The alloy wheels of the Audi RS Q3 have high gloss front surfaces while the sides are sandblasted.

The blue black theme continues inside with black Fine Nappa upholstery in contrast with Dark blue Alcantara. In the tachometer, Chinese characters replace the usual Arabic numerals. RS Q3 badges adorn the instrument cluster, the seatbacks, door sill plates and floor mats.

Images courtesy of die hard Apache fans from Facebook.

Celebration time people!

More details have emerged and the announcement of the official launch date, April 23rd has dampened our spirits. We think the celebration was a bit too hasty. A launch this soon could only mean a hasty botox job and nothing more. The new Apache will primarily be an end of life facelift. While the faux carbon fibre accents and tricolore stickers on the tail piece are visible in these images, the mechanical bits are expected to remain the same. We shall refrain from any further comments until the launch which is anyway, just next week.

The instrument console as well as the rearsets have been redesigned.