In a pioneering move, Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI), leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, launched India’s first hybrid car – the globally acclaimed Civic Hybrid

Civic Hybrid

In line with Honda’s long-term commitment to the development of advanced and environmentally-friendly technologies that do not compromise on driving pleasure, the Civic Hybrid offers a rare combination of being environmentally friendly, fuel efficient and also having a high fun-to-drive quotient. The launch of the Civic Hybrid is the fulfillment of yet another commitment HSCI made to its customers – of bringing in latest technologies and models from Honda’s global line-up. It also seeks to strengthen HSCI’s efforts towards the protection of the environment and conservation of energy sources. The Honda Civic Hybrid System features a 3-stage i-VTEC + IMA that employs Honda’s 1.3L i-VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) engine to provide three stages of valve timing (low-speed, high-speed, and cylinder idle mode), combined with a compact and efficient electric motor, Honda’s IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) system. Together with highly efficient CVT transmission, the system provides nearly 47% enhanced fuel efficiency than a regular 1.8L Civic AT without compromising on driving performance. The Civic Hybrid can deactivate all four of its cylinders and operate using only the electric motor in certain steady-state cruising situations. In addition, the internal combustion engine is switched off when car comes to a stop while the brake pedal is pressed. These factors contribute greatly to the reduction of fuel consumption and emissions, particularly in city traffic. Apart from sleek, aerodynamic exteriors and new-age luxurious interiors, Honda Civic Hybrid offers the best in safety technology, including Active Headrest and four SRS Airbags (driver, assistant and side air bags), besides other safety features. The Civic Hybrid will be imported from Japan as a completely built unit and will be available in two colours - exclusive Premium White Pearl and Alabaster Silver. Presenting the new Civic Hybrid, Masahiro Takedagawa, President and CEO, Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. said, “I am proud to unveil Honda’s globally acclaimed and popular Civic Hybrid in India. In launching this car, our objective is not to get large volumes or to make a statement. Our objective is to give an opportunity to Indian customers to experience this new technology. And they can do that at any of our dealerships across India.”

Source: Honda Siel Cars India Ltd.

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Honda Siel Cars, Honda hybrid car, Honda Civic

The car industry in the region around pune in state of Maharashtra is growing rapidly as manufacturers see the potential for the Indian market to overtake China.

Just a few years ago, village Chakan 30 km from pune looked like an empty plateau of farms and grazing land.

Now, more than 2,500 workers swarm over the 2.3 square km of this village.

By early 2009, the steel and concrete hangars rising from the scrub will have become a Volkswagen plant able to churn out more than 110,000 cars a years.

To the other side is another sprawling 4 sq km plot set to house a factory for the ultra low-cost car planned by Indian motorcycle giant Bajaj and France’s Renault.

And just 10 km away in Talegaon, general Motors is putting the finishing touches to a factory which will produce 120,000 cars a year.

The village Chakan near pune in now the centre piece of one of the world’s most rapidly industrializing regions.

People here say that it is going to be Detroit of India.

The 3 plants announced so far add up to investments of more than $5 billion.

Once they are up and running this part of Maharashtra alone will be making 1.8 million cars a year more than Britain.

And these are just the biggest international projects.

Next door to Bajaj and Renault, Daimler has an assembly plant for Mercedes.

Indian jeep maker Mahindra & Mahindra is $1 billion plant in the village.

The JCB of Britain has built a heavy machinery factory in Talegaon.

“We were not ready for this kind of boom” says Chetan patil the marketing manger for the Maharashtra Industrial.

Development Corporation (MIDC). “We lost 1,900 acres of land in two years to these car makers.”

The region will employ 25,000 people in car making in two years, he says.

That still leaves it far from the 129,000 workers employed by the car industry in Detroit the historic center of America corn manufacturing, down from 316,300 in 1999.

But it is catching up fast: Every one of the 112 plots MIDC has created here has already been bought and to buy 12,500 acres for further expansion.

Patil says he is in discussions with four or five other major international companies seeking land for new factories.

Bajaj produces here 1.3 million motorcycles every year.

And 35 of the company suppliers have set up factories in the area. Pune in well located between of Delhi Mumbai.

It also has around 500.000 students giving it a vest pool of Chennai.

Tamhane says the labor shortages that had started to happen in Chakan are now lessening as new engineering colleges open.

The cost of building a factory here be almost anywhere else in the world.

But huge savings are made on manpower workers on construction sites in India are paid about $2.60 a day.

As a result, major car makers are considering for exporters locked by the six lane Mumbai pune expressway to the Jawaharlal Nehru port, one of India’s largest and most efficient.

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Motorcycles, Car Makers

Yamaha Motor Company, the world’s second - largest motorcycle maker, has decided to set up a joint venture company with Mitsui & Co to manufacture motorcycles in India. As part of an internal restructuring, Yamaha is planning to upgrade its Indian operations and rename it India Yamaha Motor, the Japan - based company said in a statement in Tokyo.

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shingai, Iwata, Shizuoka Pref.; President: Takashi Kajikawa) (hereafter YMC) and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Shoei Utsuda) (hereafter Mitsui) announce today the agreement that Mitsui will become a joint investor in the new motorcycle manufacturing company India Yamaha Motor Private Limited (hereafter IYM) established by YMC in October 2007.

Mitsui’s investment will take the form of an allocation of new stock shares to a third party issued by IYM for the equivalent of 30% of the company’s capitalization. In this way, IYM will increase its total capital to a planned 5.6 billion rupee (approx. 14.6 billion yen) and utilize the same factory and office facilities used by its predecessor, Yamaha Motor India Private Limited (YMI), to take over YMI’s manufacturing and business operations beginning from April. Based on this, YMI will promptly begin the closing of its books and corporate liquidation.

Through the “Yamaha-Mitsui Strategy Committee” that was established following Mitsui’s acquisition of 3% of YMC stock (announced May 2007), YMC and Mitsui have reviewed the possibilities for Mitsui’s participation in various areas of YMC’s business activities with the aim of strengthening its overseas business and cooperative ventures in other areas of business. The decision announced today is a result of these reviews and repeated discussions with a focus on a “comprehensive joint business venture in India.”

In 1996, YMC established a joint venture company with local investment to begin the manufacture of motorcycles in India. Since 2001, the company has been operated as the 100% YMC-owned subsidiary YMI. Then in 2005, a separate sales company, Yamaha Motor India Sales Private Limited, was established, after which the Yamaha motorcycle business in India was conducted by two companies specializing in manufacturing and marketing respectively.

With the stable growth of the Indian economy as a whole, the Indian motorcycle market has grown to 7.3 million units in 2007, making it the world’s second largest market in terms of demand. The aims for the future are for YMC to aggressively introduce new high value-added models and promote a sales network strategy that includes expanding the establishments of directly-run showroom/dealerships and for Mitsui to use its strengths in logistics and dealer network development to achieve a synergistic effect that will stimulate a growth in sales of Yamaha motorcycles from 120,000 units (sales amount: 18.2 billion yen) annually in 2007 to 650,000 units (sales amount: 63 billion yen) annually in 2010 and improve the brand’s presence in India.

Source: Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd.

Indian car market leader Maruti Suzuki India Limited, a Suzuki subsidiary in India, announced that it has crossed the half a million mark i.e. 500,000 units of cumulative exports.

As the ship liner, “Goliath Leader” left Mumbai port on 28 February, carrying 1180 Maruti cars to various Latin American countries, Maruti Suzuki became the first carmaker in India to cross the 500,000 units of export.

While Maruti Suzuki cars ply in all five continents, Europe has been a popular destination accounting for 56 percent of the company’s cumulative exports. Netherlands with 67,700 units followed by Italy (over 41,000) and UK (over 34,000) have been the biggest European buyers. Germany and Hungary too are among the countries that have imported over 20,000 Maruti Suzuki cars.

Amongst the non-European markets, Algeria is the biggest buyer with over 42,000 units, followed by Chile, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Just as in the Indian market, the Maruti 800, with 178,000 units, has been the most popular Maruti car overseas. Alto follows closely with 152,000 units. “Zen”, India first world car that was exported to Europe as early as 1994, was well received selling over 130,000 units cumulatively.

Next Step: Hub for World Strategic Model

In the light of Maruti Suzuki’s growing role in Global Suzuki, the company has set up a state of art assembly plant at Manesar with an initial capacity of 100,000 units. The Manesar plant production capacity is planned to be increased to 300,000 units in the next two years.

Maruti Suzuki will manufacture Suzuki’s fifth World Strategic Model, A-Star, for export. The production model will be based on the Concept A-Star, unveiled at the recent Auto Expo in Delhi. The company plans to export 100,000 units annually of this new model, to Europe and other parts of the world.

Earlier in February, Maruti Suzuki tied up with Mundra port for development of dedicated port facilities for export shipments of cars through Pure Car Carriers. The new facility is expected to be operational by December 2008. Maruti Suzuki plans its first export shipment from the new port facilities in January 2009.

Source: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION