Tata Motors may display Aria crossover vehicle at 2010 Geneva Auto show

The Tata Aria Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV), which would be only crossover in India to come with four wheel drive, is slated to be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show, reports Autocarindia exclusively. Conceived as a global model, the Aria is expected to be available in domestic market initially by second quarter of this calendar year and will then go on sale in the UK in spring 2011. Speculated to be priced Rs. 12.5-14.5 lakh, Tata Aria blends the functionality and comfort of a mid-range MPV with the all-terrain assurance and capability of an SUV. Its 2.2-litre direct injection common-rail (DICOR) diesel engine delivers 139 horsepower and 320Nm of torque, and 4WD is available as an option. The top-end variant will have all-wheel drive and compete against the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Chevrolet Captiva and Ford Endeavour. However, the company is company is yet to take a call whether to get the all wheel top-variant or two-wheel drive car in the market first.


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Spyker Cars finalises purchase of Saab from GM

General Motors and Spyker Cars NV today announced that they have finalized the deal for Spyker to purchase Saab Automobile AB. Going forward, Saab and Spyker will operate under the Spyker umbrella, and Spyker will assume responsibility for Saab operations. The previously announced wind down of Saab operations has ended.


“This transaction represents the successful outcome of months of hard work and intense negotiations, all aimed at securing a sustainable future for this unique brand, and we are pleased with the positive outcome,” said John Smith, GM vice president for corporate planning and alliances. “This is a great day for Saab employees, dealers and suppliers, and a great day for millions of Saab customers and fans worldwide.”

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GM India to hire 1,000 professionals in various divisions by 2010-end

There are unconfirmed reports that GM India is looking to hire around 1,000 people in various disciplines and departments by the by the end of this calendar year. The company has said that owing to the burgeoning demand for its cars, it is looking to ramp up its output and enhancing its engineering design and design resources for the nation.GM India had also confirmed that it is on course to ramp up the number of dealerships in the country to 300 by the end of December from 206 currently. The company also plans to have 70 used-car outlets by the end of the year, up from 30 now.


To enrich the technological process in its business, General Motors is on the process of recruiting more engineers in India this year. Some 150-200 engineers will be absorbed to look after every process- transmission, engines, hybrids and controls. Currently, 700 engineers are already working at its powertrain design center to support for automatic transmission and advanced automotive design technologies at its local and global operations.

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After Toyota, Honda, Maruti, Hyundai is the latest one to join the recall list. Media reports suggest that the Korean auto giant has announced that it would recall over 47,000 units of its premium sedan 'Sonata' from its home market as well as the US to rectify a door lock problem, even though the move will not have any impact in India. It is to be mentioned that the model ‘YF Sonata’ has not been introduced in India yet. Just for the record, the YF Sonata also bagged the IIHS Top Safety Award for 2011 in US. The award is presented to the car that scores a good rating in front, side, rear and roll over crashes.


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SIAM welcomes Railway Budget initiatives for the auto industry

http://www.wheelsunplugged.com/ViewNews.aspx?newsid=5806The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers has welcomed the various initiatives rolled out for the Indian automobile industry by the Minister of Railways in her budget speech which includes setting up 10 Automotive Hubs in different parts of the country, the first of which is coming up at Shalimar, Kolkata.


The Railway Minister also declared that a freight policy in line with container freight policy is being worked out for movement of automobiles through railways. She also mentioned the induction of specific design wagons for the transportation of vehicles.

M. M. Singh, chairman, Logistics Group, SIAM and managing executive officer, Maruti Suzuki India welcomed the announcements and said that these initiatives will have significant long term impact on how vehicles would be transported in future.

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Nissan to premier global compact car at 2010 Geneva Auto Show

The world premiere of Nissan's new global compact car - the replacement of March/Micra - will be made at the Geneva International Motor Show. It is the first new model to be developed on Nissan's all new V Platform. Planned to be manufactured in 5 countries, including Thailand, India, China and Mexico, the production of this model will commence in May 2010 in India and will be manufactured at the plant that is coming up at Oragadam in Chennai. The car will also be made available in more than 150 countries.


Particular attention has been made to minimizing weight on the new V Platform, with the added benefits that it can bring in terms of economy and emissions. Sales will begin in Thailand in March 2010 and in India in July 2010, with European sales starting in the autumn.

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Test Drive : Mercedes S500 - S is for Style and Substance

Most driving impressions are just that – a driving impression of the car with the emphasis being on how the car feels according to the driver. Sometimes though, along comes a car that if treated the same way it would be ignoring the true virtues of the car. I'm talking luxury and super-luxury cars which are usually purchased for several reasons, other than the pure thrill of driving. One reason could be to make a statement. Another could be that one wants to pamper one's self, as one has done enough, worked hard in life, to warrant such pampering. So a Maruti product is infra dig. A Chevrolet just does not cut it. Honda? Been there, done that. In short, when luxury – the best in terms of luxury – is what one is after the Germans, especially Mercedes, are past masters at it. Very few cars can approach the levels of the Stuttgart company's S Class, especially when it's the S500 that was recently launched in India, the day before the Auto Expo started in January. One just don't do a plain driving impression – one has to experience the whole car.

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Indians shine at the Indo-Bhutan Friendship car rally

The 3rd Indo Bhutan Friendship Car Rally which culminated successfully at Thimpu, Bhutan. was sponsored by JK Tyre. The rally was organized by Friendship Car Rally Association and is being supported by Indian Embassy of Thimpu & Royal Bhutan Consulate in Bhutan. The theme of this year’s rally was ‘Connecting People’. The competition witnessed a lot of excitement, thrill and enthusiasm among the participants and organizers.
Indian teams kept the flag flying high by bagging the top three prizes in the open category. Arindam Ghosh & Somdeb Chanda from Kolkata bagged the first position with a cash prize Rs. 75,000 by scoring the total points of 1,043. With 1,091 penalty points in the three legs, car number four, driven by Soham Hazra and Amit Saha won the second prize with the cash prize of Rs. 50,000. The third prize went to Vikas Toshiniwal and Nirav Mehta who scored 1347 points. Dipali Poddar and Shikha Saha got the title of the Best Woman Team from India.

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Maruti Suzuki recalls one lakh A-Stars to replace fuel pump gaskets

India’s leading passenger carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India, has officially acknowledged that it is recalling around one lakh A-Star cars to replace faulty fuel pump gaskets. Maruti, in its official statement, has revealed that it has received reports of leakage in the fuel pumps and all the cars affected by the recall were manufactured before 22nd August, 2009. Furthermore, the company has indicated that it has already kickstarted the repair process last year and has already done the repairs in around half of the affected units. It may be recalled that Maruti Suzuki had launched the A-Star model in 2008 and it has been pretty successful for them and also export this model to several international markets for the parent company Suzuki. Nearly, 60 per cent of the A-Star recalls were sold in global markets, the rest from domestic customers.

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Audi to present the RS 5 at 2010 Geneva Auto show

Audi has announced that its RS 5 will debut at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show. The RS 5 is the latest torchbearer in a tradition dating back over 15 years to the RS 2 Avant: superior handling in the mid-size class. The car will come with a 4.2-litre FSI V8 engine delivers 331 kW (450 hp) at 8,250 rpm and – between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm - transmits a maximum of 430 Nm (317.15 lb-ft) of torque. The ultra-powerful eight-cylinder engine averages 10.8 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (21.78 miles US mpg) - far less than its main competitors. The sales of the model will begin in the spring. Its basic price will be approximately 77,700 euros.

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Force India announces technical restructure for 2010 F1 championship

The Force India Formula One Team has announced a restructure to its technical department ahead of the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship season, due to James Key, technical director, leaving the team to pursue new opportunities. Mark Smith, formerly design director, will now become technical director and will assume responsibility for the entire mechanical and aerodynamic design of the team’s challengers.
James has been a long-standing member of the team, first joining Jordan Grand Prix in 1998 as a data engineer before progressing to test engineer and later senior race engineer for Takuma Sato. In 2003, James joined the aerodynamic group and was then promoted to head of vehicle science towards the end of that year before becoming technical director in 2005.
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Made-in-India VW Polo launched

Volkswagen, Europe’s largest car maker launched its much awaited premium hatchback the New Polo in Mumbai today. The New Volkswagen Polo is now available with a petrol engine and will soon be followed by the diesel variant. The petrol variant is equipped with a 1.2 litre engine with an output of 75HP @ 5400 rpm and a Torque of 110NM @ 3750 rpm. The diesel variant is also equipped with the 1.2 litre engine with an output of 75HP @ 4200 rpm and torque of 180 NM @ 2000 rpm. The New Polo comes in three trim levels Highline, Comfortline and Trendline; is paired with a 5-speed manual gear box.

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By Invitation : California Superbike Racing School in Chennai by Navroze Contractor

It is very fortunate for the riding community in India that we have amongst us, enthusiasts who can make a difference. TT Vrdharajan, MD of Preethi Mixers and Grinders and Dinesh Reddy, MD of Red Rooster Racing brought to us the California Superbike Racing School. Andy Ibbot, director of CSRC, the legendary trainer of champions, with four of his colleagues gave the lucky 24 riders hands on training in riding better and faster.
The CSRC has been around for 30 years, started by Keith Code who needs no introduction. The school has trained Wayne Rainey and many more world champions. Andy Ibbot’s starting philosophy is: 'The skills we teach is for all types of riders, and the skills they gain is for life. Let us be brutally honest, a rider who can improve his riding skills reduces the risks to himself and others'. A few weeks before coming to India, Ibbot was fine-tuning Valentino Rossi, need I say anything more?
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Automatic version of Cruze introduced by Chevrolet in Bangalore

General Motors India today launched the Chevrolet Cruze AT in Bangalore at a ceremony presided over by its president & managing director Karl Slym. The manual version of Chevrolet Cruze launched in October has already redefined the D-segment with its coupe-like design proportions, comfortable interiors, class leading features and other exclusive product attributes. The 6 Speed Automatic Transmission will be offered on the LTZ variant which also comes with a host of features like PEPS, Push Button Start, Cruise Control, Smart Screen and Electric Sunroof to name a few. The Automatic variant will also be available in a special 3 coat paint called White Diamond in addition to the exciting six colors already on offer.
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44th Statesman Vintage & Classic Car Rally to flag-off in Delhi on February 28

Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna will flag-off the 44th Statesman Vintage & Classic Car Rally on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at the majestic building of Statesman House in New Delhi. A record 130 entries have been received for this year’s rally which is truly India’s biggest and most popular vintage sporting events. These rare beauties will travel between Delhi and Greater Noida before returning to the picturesque Rail Museum for prize distribution.
The sturdy Fords, little Austins, Bentleys, Lagondas, Minnervas, majestic Rolls Royce, stylish Chevrolets, Buicks & Jaguars, a pleasing 1914 John Morris, the erstwhile Nizam of Hyderabad,s fire engine are some of the timeless machines participating in this year's rally, drawing passionate heritage motorists from across India.
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The Bentley Boutique at Geneva Motor Show 2010

Bentley is delighted to announce the opening of its first ever dedicated Boutique at the Geneva Motor Show this year. Motor show visitors will be able to choose from a selection of Bentley branded merchandise from the Bentley Collection, together with a limited edition range of new products designed exclusively for the 2010 show. Also on display will be a number of products produced for Bentley under licence from best-in-class partners: Breitling watches, Tibaldi pens, Stockinger safes, Estede eyewear and zai skis.

The branded merchandise is themed around 'A Celebration of Colour'. We have selected vibrant accents from the exciting new colour hues of the cars on the show stand, and have worked with Robert Ettinger of London to produce a Limited Edition range of small leather goods comprising luggage tags, key fobs, passport holders and coin purses. Hand-stitched entirely in England from Bentley’s own hides, Ettinger’s leather goods reflect the finest workmanship and materials. Ettinger is proud to hold royal warrants.

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Anand Mahindra is the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 winner

Anand Mahindra, is the vice-chairman and managing director Mahindra & Mahindra, was named the ‘Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009’ at a function in Mumbai on February 16, 2010. Furthermore, Mahindra will represent India at the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year Award’ function at Monte Carlo, Monaco, in May 2010. It is to be mentioned that Ernst & Young India launched the awards in 1999 and earlier recipients of the award include N R Narayana Murthy, Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Brijmohan Lall Munjal, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Subhash Chandra, Anil Agarwal and Tulsi Tanti.

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Opel Flextreme GT/E Concept to debut at 2010 Geneva Auto Show

Opel will unveil its Flextreme GT/E concept car at the 80th Geneva Motor Show (March 4 – 14), that will boost the company’s credentials as a leader in green technologies, offering expressive design with efficient environmental performance – and engineered with German precision. In Opel’s strategy for achieving more independence from fossil fuels, electricity plays a key role. The 4.7-meter long Flextreme GT/E concept illustrates how extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) technology can be plugged into large or mid-size vehicles, as well as compact cars such as the upcoming Ampera.

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India's biggest cycling event held in Mumbai by BSA

India’s first ever international cycling event, BSA Hercules India Cyclothon and Being Human Tour De Mumbai - Mumbai Cyclothon, held today morning at Bandra Reclamation, received tremendous response, with enthusiasts from all walks of life such as international cyclists, national cyclists, amateur cyclists, cycling aficionados, working professionals, housewives and school children participating, thereby adding color and fervour to the whole experience. Organized by Sport18, the sports marketing division of the Network18 group and ID Sports – a sports management company, the event also witnessed participation from a host of celebrities, government officials, officials from International Cycling Union (UCI), Cycling Federation of India (CFI), Maharashtra Cycling Association (MCA) and Corporates.

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Mahindra Great Escape in Jodhpur puts vehicles to test with off-roading action

The 58th Mahindra Great Escape, one of India’s most loved off-roading adventures, recently concluded in Rajasthan’s ‘Sun City’ – Jodhpur. A total of 50 Mahindra SUVs negotiated a challenging route across 35 km of steep inclines and undulating sand dunes, providing unlimited fun and excitement. This exclusive annual edition of the rally was by invitation only and saw eminent personalities from all walks of life enjoy the Mahindra spirit of adventure. The rally was flagged off by Aravinda de Silva, former Sri Lankan cricketer and Ambuj Sharma, Joint Secretary, Heavy Industries, Govt. of India at Khimsar Fort and concluded at the Khimsar Dunes.

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Hyundai Motor India ships its first batch of i20 cars to Australia

Hyundai Motor India achieved yet another significant milestone with its cumulative exports crossing the 10 lakh mark. The Indian arm of the Korean auto giant, with its manufacturing facilities in Chennai, on 22nd February’10, began its first consignment to Australia comprising 500 i20 models. With this shipment, Hyundai is the first automobile company in India to achieve this feat in a record time of just over a decade.
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Mercedes-Benz India presents S-Guard Special Protection vehicle

Mercedes-Benz India presented its prestigious new luxury limousine, the S-Guard with integrated Protection, also known as a Special Protection Vehicle. The S-Guard follows a long and unique tradition of large, armoured, prestige limousines from Mercedes-Benz and encompasses cumulative experience of 80+ years of manufacturing vehicles with factory-integrated special protection. This model comes powered with a twelve-cylinder bi-turbo engine offering a displacement of 5513 cubic centimeters and with an output of 380 kW/517 hp with 830 Nm of torque. “Like the luxurious and spacious S-Class, the new S-Guard treats its occupants to a travelling environment characterised by generous accommodation and highest comfort while ensuring maximum occupant safety for the leaders and captains that shape the future of countries and corporations,” commented Sunhats Kadlaskar, director - Corporate affairs, Human Resource & IT, Mercedes-Benz India.

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More than 50,000 Pulsar 135LS sold in first 75 days since launch

Bajaj’s latest offering in the sports segment, the Pulsar 135LS, is a huge hit with a record 50,000 units sold in its first 75 days since launch. This is a new volume benchmark for any performance bike launch in this country. The Pulsar 135LS, where LS stands for Light Sports, is the ‘first of its kind’ bike in the country, has cutting edge technology mixed with great looks and features at an attractive price point (Rs.51,000 ex-showroom Delhi).
The Pulsar 135LS has been the most appreciated bike by Auto-Experts this year. It has not only won ‘Bike of the Year’ awards from renowned Auto Magazines and Channels but also awards for its cutting edge technology and for also for being the viewer’s favorite.

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Takashi Nagai will be the new prez & CEO of Honda SIEL from April 2010

Honda Siel Cars India will be having its fourth president and CEO from April 1, 2010. Takashi Nagai woulod be taking over from Masahiro Takedagawa who has served as HSCI’s president & CEO for the past 5 years since assuming the position in April 2005. Nagai, who is currently the executive vice- president of Asian Honda Motor Co. Ltd. Thailand, will also assume the position of president & CEO of Honda Motor India Pvt. Ltd.
Masahiro Takedagawa moves to Honda Canada Inc. as president & director after completing his tenure in India. During the five years of Takedagawa’s leadership, HSCI witnessed rapid expansion from a production capacity of 30,000 units per annum in year 2005 to 100,000 units per annum in 2008 and commensurate increase in dealership network from 52 facilities in 41 cities (March 2005) to the current 117 facilities in 70 cities.

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Maruti Suzuki Autocar Young Driver 2010 hunt to begin soon

Maruti Suzuki-Autocar Young Driver 2010 programme, a nationwide search for India’s best young driving talent, is set to begin shortly. Maruti Suzuki - Autocar Young Driver 2010 tests the competitors' knowledge of traffic rules, awareness of road safety along with their real-world driving skill. This contest is open to all individuals, between the age of 18 and 30, with a valid Indian driving license. The winning finalist will be adjudged as the winner and awarded the Maruti Suzuki A-star as a grand prize. He will also be the ambassador of safe driving and promoted by Autocar India and Maruti Suzuki on numerous platforms.
Season One of the Young Driver of the Year saw a total of 3,07,665 online visitors who had checked out the contest and over 4,000 drivers were competing for entry into the second round. Eventually 35 contestants made it to the Grand Finale held at the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR), New Delhi.
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Renault-Nissan to inaugurate Oragadam plant on 17th, 2010

Renault Nissan Automotive India plans to inaugurate its Rs. 4,500 crore passenger vehicle joint venture plant at Oragadam on March 18 this year. PTI had earlier reported that that Renault-Nissan Automotive India’s MD Akirai Sakurai met Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister M. K. Stalin in Chennai and urged him to inaugurate the plant. It is widely believed that Nissan's first made-in-India car-Micra or March-will roll off the production line on 17th March, 2010. As a preview to the plant opening ceremony, Carlos Ghosn would be addressing a press conference on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 5:30pm at Hotel Trident, GST Road, Chennai to provide an overview on the business and growth strategy of Renault-Nissan alliance in India.
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Volvo Cars associates with cricket in India for 3 ODI tournaments

In line with its long and enduring partnership with sports events around the world, Volvo Auto India today announced its association with cricket in India. The man of the series in the India vs. South Africa 3 - match ODI tournament will be presented with the recently launched ‘Volvo S80 twin - turbo diesel’. The Volvo S80 is going to be the most luxurious car ever to be presented to a cricketer in India. The car would be on display inside the stadium at all three venues selected for the series - Jaipur, Gwalior and Ahmedabad on February 21, 24 & 27 respectively.
Paul de Voijs, managing director, Volvo Auto India said, “In India our association with sports has been a vital part of our sponsoring strategy – it gives us inspiration as well as exposure. Tournaments serve as an ideal platform for us to showcase our brand and interact with our potential customers. He added, “This time we take our association to the next level by presenting the new Volvo S80 twin-turbo Diesel to the man of the series, adding to the excitement that cricket already attracts in India.”
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Hyundai India rolls out 'Miles & Smiles Rally 2010' in New Delhi for its i20 customers

Hyundai Motor India has announced that it has rolled out the ‘Miles & Smiles Rally 2010’ for its i20 customers in New Delhi. Covering a distance of approximately 81 km, the rally was flagged off from Hotel Crowne Plaza, New Friends Colony and culminated at the same point. Sponsored by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Wynn’s Mekuba (as associate sponsor), the rally garnered a phenomenal response with as many as eighty (80) Hyundai i20 cars – both 1.2 litre petrol and 1.4 litre diesel variants - customers and their families participating with gusto.

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Abhisekh Mishra-Hanumant Singh duo win Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2010

The Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm rally culminated in a grand finale today with Abhishek Mishra-Hanumant Singh winning in the Xtreme category for cars and Jes David claiming the trophy for bikes. Raj Singh Rathore took home the prize in the Ndure category, while Sanjay Takale converted his steady lead into a victory in the Xplore run.
The last and deciding competitive stage, 67 kilometers long, consisted of driving in an open area of undulating plain. Amartej Buwal, who was also in the contention for winning the Xtreme trophy during the early hours on Friday, drove his car into a pond, while negotiating a sharp bend.

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Audi A1 supermini launch not for India at the moment

Audi India, which has achieved a remarkable growth in the last few quarters, has said that it has no plans to introduce the A1 supermini in next few years. It was reported pretty recently that Audi India’s parent company has revealed the details of its A1 model and is also going to unveil the model at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show. The sales of the initial 3-door A1 model are anticipated to start in continental Europe in the summer of 2010, followed by the United Kingdom in September 2010. A 5-door A1 Sportback model is also expected to be launched later. As a newcomer in the compact segment, it appeals to a modern customer group – a young, urban, lifestyle-oriented public. A1 customers – many of whom are expected to be women – are interested in design, music, fashion and sports. The entry-level model will be priced at around 16,000 Euros.

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Adrian Sutil takes over for Force India in Jerez

Force India's Adrian Sutil took over the VJM03 for the penultimate day of testing at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit today. In hugely improved weather conditions, Adrian completed 69 laps of the Spanish track as he worked through a programme of long and short runs, weight distribution and race preparation.Tonio Liuzzi will resume driving duties tomorrow for the final day of the four day test.
Adrian Sutil said, "Today was our first proper shot at dry running this test and it went pretty well. In the morning we did a few short runs and some set-up work and then in the afternoon moved on to longer runs and getting more information on the new tyres.
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Volkswagen to make India its export hub for auto components

Following its cues from other global auto biggies like General Motors, BMW and other Volkswagen AG is also jumping on the global sourcing bandwagon as the German luxury carmaker has decided to source auto components in huge sums within the next couple of years. As reported earlier, that Wolfsburg-based company has already set up its International Purchase office (IPO) in the country and is currently evaluating several component manufacturers in order to identify potential suppliers. But now, media reports suggest that it has already started sourcing components for our global operations — particularly for plants located in Russia and some European countries — in a small way Furthermore, VW aims to earmark India as an export hub for components to Europe in the next fre years.
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Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2010 promises to be even tougher

The 8th Edition of Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2010 which was flagged off by Shashank Srivastava, chief general Manager (Marketing), Maruti Suzuki, from Noida, promises to be tougher than ever before as the terrain is worse and the distances are longer this time around. This year is witnessing the highest ever participation by motorsport enthusiasts. The 250 rallyists with 100 odd cars and 20 bikes will be traversing over 3,000 km through the interiors of Rajasthan and along the Gujarat coastline before culminating at Udaipur in Rajasthan.
Compared to the last edition of the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm where rallyists have had to drive 20-30 km of tough terrain at each leg, rallyists will now be driving through at least 100-200 km of rough tracks every day. While it will put the vehicles and the drivers under tremendous stress, the rallyists with their cars and bikes are undeterred.
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Mahindra First Choice in talks with auto companies to procure used cars

Mahindra First Choice Wheels, India’s largest multi-brand pre-owned car company, is reportedly in talks with car manufacturers like Tata Motors, General Motor, Maruti, Volkswagen, Skoda, Ford to source pre-owned cars. It is to be mentioned that Mahindra First Choice is the country’s preferred pre-owned car mart and is India’s only organized multi-brand player, with 100 plus outlets in over 60 towns across India. The company plans to expand this number to 300 outlets in the next three years. This implies that customers will soon be able to choose from a range of certified pre-owned cars throughout India, including the metros and tier-2 towns and cities. As part of it transparency efforts, the company would also be launching a new mathematical pricing model on its portal soon. It registered a turnover of Rs. 220 crore last fiscal and expects to close the current fiscal with around Rs. 400 crore.
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All-new Volvo S60 to premier at 2010 Geneva Auto Show

The all-new Volvo S60 has its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on the 2nd of March. It makes its entry into one of the automotive world's toughest segments backed by an extrovert attitude never before seen in Volvo showrooms. The all-new S60 is built at the Volvo Cars factory in Ghent, Belgium. The first cars will be delivered to customers in early summer 2010.
"The sporty design delivers a visual promise of enthusiastic driving characteristics and I can assure you that the all-new S60 truly lives up to that promise. Its driving properties are better than those of any previous Volvo. What is more, the car's innovative new technologies help you become both a better and a safer driver," says Volvo Cars President and CEO Stephen Odell.

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Toyota Corolla Altis CNG variant available in Delhi, NCR and Mumbai

Toyota Kirloskar, which has recently launched CNG variant of Corolla Altis sedan at the Auto Expo, has confirmed that the model is now available at all dealership outlets in Delhi, NCR and Mumbai. Also displayed at the recently held Toyota ‘Q World programme’ in Mumbai, the Altis will sport CNG kits fitted at the dealership level. Although there are no interior and exterior changes, a 12kg CNG cylinder in addition to the 55-litre fuel tank is fitted in the boot that takes up about ¼ of the 475 litre boot space, as revealed by company sources. The CNG vehicles will cost Rs. 80,000 over MRP of the petrol versions and is also expected to be available in other cities as well. It is to be mentioned that the Corolla Altis CNG features a 5-speed manual VVT-i 4cylinder 16-valve 1.8-litre petrol engine with a power output of 132 bhp and 17.3kgm of torque.

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Mahindra XYLO Mileage Marathon winner Khattar gets mileage of 27.7 km/litre of diesel

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M), the market leader in the utility vehicles segment in India, recently organised a unique XYLO Mileage Marathon, a special Mahindra Top Gear club initiative, for its customers in Delhi. Intended to highlight the vehicle's superior mileage feature, the drivathon saw participation from 60 XYLO families and engaged them in an effort to generate enhanced customer acceptability and endorsement.
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Force India's Paul Di Resta and Tony Liuzzi at VJM03 testing in Spain

Inclement weather conditions again played a starring role in testing at the Circuito de Jerez, Spain. With the heavy rain showers and high winds that have so far characterised the testing showing no signs of abating, Force India was obliged to modify its testing schedule slightly to allow the race drivers the best chance of the forecasted better weather later this week, with Paul di Resta getting another half day testing in the VJM03 before Tonio Liuzzi took over in the afternoon.
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Commercial production of Tata Nano to at Sanand by April this year

Tata Motors is gearing up to begin the commercial production of Nano at its mother plant at Sanand by April this year. Media reports have already indicated that the vehicle maker is already carrying out trial runs of the aforesaid car at its aforementioned plant in Gujarat. At present, the company produces Nano from its Pantnagar facility in Uttarakhand in which about 180 Nanos are being assembled daily with engines produced in Pune. It may be recalled that after pulling out of Singur, the company was forced to use the interim plant in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, for a large part of this year, where the Ace pickup is also produced. Tata Motors is expected to produce around 40,000 Nanos this fiscal though numbers will increase four-fold to over 1.7 lakh units during 2010-11.

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Hyundai i-Flow Concept Car to premiere at 2010 Geneva Auto Show

At this year’s Salon International de L’Automobile in Geneva on March 2nd, Hyundai will unveil an all-new concept car which pioneers a new look for a D-segment sedan. A sketch revealed today gives a first glimpse of the concept car – named i-flow – which will make its world premiere at next month’s show.
Styled at the company’s European design headquarters in Russelsheim, Germany, i-flow is expected to attract much attention, thanks to its striking appearance – the latest product of the company’s evocative new form language, ‘fluidic sculpture’. The name i-flow reflects the exceptionally aerodynamic shape and the flowing lines of the concept car’s eye-catching styling, and retains the ‘i’ prefix of Hyundai’s established nomenclature.

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Jaguar to unveil the fastest XK ever at 2010 Geneva Auto Show

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar will unveil the latest dramatic evolution of its supercharged XKR coupe at the Geneva Motor Show in March. This XKR delivers a significantly raised maximum speed – up to 174mph from 155mph – and bold styling changes that create an evocative and unique supercharged Jaguar.The XKR Coupe unveiled at Geneva showcases two new optional performance and styling packs – Speed Pack and Black Pack - that are introduced to the XK range at 2011 Model Year. Jaguar customers have the option to personalise their vehicle to create a car that offers even greater performance without compromising the refinement and luxury for which every Jaguar is renowned. By raising the XKR’s maximum speed the new car has extended its sporting credentials taking it even further into supercar performance territory.

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Fiat India to phase out Palio with BS-IV emission roll out

Less than a month after Maruti Suzuki’s decision to not upgrade the M800 to make it BS-IV compliant, Fiat has decided not to follow suit with its Palio hatchback. According to a report on DNA, the Indian arm of the Italian automaker is not looking to make Palio BS IV compliant, which means the car’s sales will be stopped by March, in cities where BS IV norms are coming into effect this year. And with the countrywide adoption of these norms in 2015-16, the Palio will ultimately be phased out completely before that. The aforesaid newspaper has also stated Fiat India will now zero in on Grande Punto instead of the Palio. Currently, the Grande Punto is available in 1.3-litre diesel and 1.2-litre petrol engines, and new Sports variant is likely to be added to the line-up in the near future.

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Tata Motors rolls out new high-end variants of Indica Vista

Tata Motors has introduced new high-end variants of its Indica Vista model called the Aura+, which are now equipped with safety features like airbags and ABS. While the price for the variant the Aura+ powered with Safire MPFI petrol engine is Rs. 4,49,502 and the variant, Aura+ powered with Quadrajet Common Rail Diesel engine is priced at Rs. 5,35,328, ex-showroom Delhi. The new variants will co-exist with the current Indica Vista range of models and is rolled out from its Pune plant.

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Force India testing resumes in Jerez

The Force India Formula One Team resumed its VJM03 testing programme at the Circuito de Jerez today as the first of a four day programme got underway. New test and reserve driver Paul di Resta got his first taste of the 2010 challenger in the morning before Adrian Sutil took over for the afternoon's running.
As was the case for last week's test, running was punctuated by heavy rain storms and cloudy skies with high wind also a disrupting factor. However in a productive day working through set-up and control systems checks, Paul completed over 300km while Adrian covered 120km, bringing the day's mileage to more than 450km.
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Honda Siel relaunches the base version of City midsize sedan

India’s leading premium carmaker, Honda Seil Cars India (HSCI), which had stopped the City’s E variant last year, has now relaunched the model during late January. It may be recalled that HSCI discontinued the base version of City after launching its super-premium hatchback-Jazz, as the latter’s top-end version was priced too close to the former’s base version. A dealer based in Delhi has revealed that the Honda E variant costs Rs. 7.94 lakh (Ex-Showroom, Bangalore). Henceforth, the Honda City would be as 1.5 EMT, SMT, VMT & VAT and the price range goes up to Rs. 9.58 lakh, ex showroom Delhi.

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Saga Auto is Skoda India's new dealer in Jaipur

Skoda Auto India, one of the premium automobile manufacturers in India, on 17th February’10, has announced the opening of Saga Automotive India Pvt Ltd, a new dealership in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The exclusive dealership showroom was inaugurated by Thomas Kuehl, board member, Sales and Marketing, Skoda Auto India, and Sanjay Maheshwari, Dealer Principal, Saga Automotive India Pvt Ltd, on Wednesday, 17th February 2010.

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Hyundai India opens dealership in Hyderabad

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) has inaugurated a new dealership–‘Mody Hyundai’ situated at Survey No: 33, Kompally Road, Medchal Highway -7, Near Bowenpally Check post. Secunderabad. This is the 17th dealership in Andhra Pradesh taking the total number of dealers in the Southern 2 region to 24.
Promoted by Nihar K. Mody, the new dealership is spread across a built up area of 50,000 sq feet with 3S facility (Sales, Service & Spares), and boasts of a capacity to showcase the entire range of Hyundai cars. Exclusive customer and separate driver’s waiting lounges are also available.
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Relio Quick to host Auto Mall in Mumbai from 5th-7th March 2010

Relio Quick is all set to bring one of the largest shows on automobile in Mumbai. After the stupendous success in Bangalore, Delhi and Chandigarh last year, Relio Quick Auto Mall 2010 is back & all set to delight the auto aficionado of the financial capital of India at Bandra Kurla Complex from 5th – 7th March 2010.
An extravaganza full of action and entertainment, Auto Mall 2010 –Mumbai, will host some of the best automobile brands in the country along with the related products and services. This exhibition will be further complemented by premium lounge for display of luxury cars & bikes, vintage Cars, modified cars and bikes.

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Audi India to kick off Q5 assembly operations at Aurangabad from mid-2010

Audi India, which has achieved a remarkable growth in the last few quarters, is all set to assemble its Q5 compact SUV at its Aurangabad facility by the middle of this calendar year. However, the price of the model will not be changed. It is to be mentioned that Audi India has raised the performance bar in the SUV segment by launching Audi Q5. Winner of the Golden Steering Wheel and the Best Off-Roader in Europe in 2009, this sporty, versatile SUV comes to India with two powerful engines: 2.0 TFSI (petrol) and 3.0 TDI (diesel). The Audi Q5 range starts at Rs. 3,829,000 for the 2.0 TFSI and Rs. 4,419,000 for the 3.0 TDI (ex-showroom Mumbai) and is being offered in six exciting colours - Stratos Blue, Garnet Red, Ice Silver, Meteor Grey, Phantom Black and Ibis White.

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Tata Fiat outfits to hold free service checkups in Delhi this month

Tata Fiat has announced that is set to continue its free service check up campaign in Delhi on 20th and 21st February 2010, which is part of a nationwide service campaign for all Fiat customers. This nationwide campaign will mark the first comprehensive initiative under the ‘Fiat First’ banner. The free check ups will be held at sixteen of Tata Fiat’s dealer outlets across Delhi. The dealer outlets that will offer the free service check ups are: A-One Motors, Him Motors, Rama Motors, Sanya Motors (Mayapuri), Sanya Motors (Okhla), Techno Automobiles, Elegant Cars, ABS mercantile, Dhingra Motors, Automobile Sterling, Tayal India Motors, Triumph Auto, Tuli Motors, Rachna Automobiles, Trans Automobiles and Dynamic Automobiles.

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World debut for V6 Panamera in 2010 Beijing Auto Show in April

Following the launch of the Panamera last year, Porsche AG has announced the expansion of the model range as it is gearing up to unveil the V6-powered Panamera and Panamera 4. Positioned as its new entry-level Panamera sedans, it will be making its world debut at the Beijing Motor Show in April this year. While the existing Panamera is powered by normally aspirated and turbocharged V8 engines, the new variants are powered by a brand-new 3.6-litre V6 featuring Direct Fuel Injection and developing maximum output of 300 bhp (220 kW) plus peak torque of 400 Nm/295 lb-ft. Following Porsche’s nomenclature, the Panamera transmits its power to the road via the rear wheels, while the Panamera 4 comes as standard with active all-wheel drive.

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Tata Motors forays into combat vehicles for defence sector

Tata Motors today announced the launch of a Mine Protected Vehicle, as part of its strategy to enhance the scope of its defence business right up to frontline combat vehicles. The company has displayed the vehicle at the ongoing DEFEXPO India 2010. The company, which has been a supplier to India’s defence and paramilitary forces since 1958, already offers an extensive portfolio of troop carriers and logistics vehicles. The launch of combat and tactical vehicles and equipment will allow it to leverage the entire defence mobility spectrum. Speaking on the occasion, P.M. Telang, managing director (India Operations) of Tata Motors, said, “Our aim is to participate in the entire defence value chain. Besides consolidating our traditional supplies, going forward we will also participate in creating vehicles and equipment specific to the defence sector as also offer our expertise in upgrades and life extension programmes.

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Ford India to phase out Fusion superhatch

On the sidelines of announcing its dealership rollout pan-India, Ford India Private Limited (FIPL) has stated that it has firmed up its plans to phase out its not-so-successful car, Fusion in the medium term, without revealing any timeframe. The Fusion was launched in the Indian market in 2004 and is available in three variants and the company had promoted it as a combination of a hatchback and sports utility vehicle.

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India Yamaha Motors denies relaunching RX100 model

India Yamaha Motor Private Limited, the Indian subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Company, has categorically denied media reports that claimed that it was planning to relaunch its famed RX100 model. It is to be mentioned that Business Standard has recently reported that the Japanese bikemaker is currently looking for various opportunities including style, engine type and other factors before launching it. The company will maintain the same design of the earlier bike that provided some impressive results in the 1985 till 1996, as claimed by the BS report, adding that Yamaha RX100 will sport with the stricter emission norms might be with BSIV and including four-stroke engine and the company has said that they won’t launch it two-stroke model.

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Ashok Leyland entry into armoured vehicles announced at DEFEXPO 2010

Hinduja flagship, Ashok Leyland, the largest supplier of logistics vehicles to the Indian Army, today announced their entry into the armoured vehicles space with the unveiling of three new products – Armoured Stallion, Armoured Bus and Mine Protected Vehicle – at DEFEXPO 2010. Ashok Leyland has over 55,000 special purpose vehicles in service with the Defence forces that include the Stallion 4x4, Light Recovery Vehicles, Water Bowzers, Truck Fire Fighters and Field Artillery Tractors. The Indian sub-continent with its diversity and complexity of terrains provides an ideal proving ground and the Company’s special applications vehicles have been performing in altitudes varying from sea level to over 5,500 meters above sea level and in temperatures ranging from –40 Degrees Celsius to +55 Degrees Celsius. All these three new products showcased at the Expo have been developed using the standard Stallion aggregates and components to ensure commonality of items, ease of maintenance and repairs, thereby significantly improving the uptime of the vehicles.

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Defense Land Systems India unveils its products at 2010 DEFEXO

Defense Land Systems India, a joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and BAE Systems, that will soon be operational, today unveiled its range of vehicles including Mine Protected Vehicle India [MPVI], the FH77 B05 Advanced Howitzer, etc at DefExpo 2010, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. It is to be mentioned that the will be manufactured at the Defense Land Systems, India plant at Prithla near Faridabad.

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Ford India opens 28 dealers in 24 cities in 24 hours to ready for Figo launch next month

Ford India, preparing for next month’s launch of the all-new Ford Figo, today opened 28 new authorised Ford dealer facilities in 24 cities, improving market availability and service facilities for its full line of vehicles. The new retail stores bring Ford’s dealership total to 164 facilities located in 97 cities across India. In the past two years, the number of cities with a Ford outlet has jumped more than 30 percent. New facilities have opened in New Delhi, Sangrur, Haldwani and Gwalior in the North; Durgapur, Dhanbad and Guwahati in the East; Hyderabad, Chennai, Warangal, Vellore, Salem, Vijayawada and Malappuram in the South; and Bilaspur and Mehsana in the Western region. New showrooms and workshops also are now located in Jaipur, Thane, Ahmednagar, Pune, Vapi, Ahmedabad and Cochin.Download the original attachment.

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Tata Motors appoints Cark-Peter Forster as CEO of its Group

Tata Motors has appointed Carl-Peter Forster as the Group chief executive officer of the company. He will have the overall responsibility of Tata Motors Operations globally, including Jaguar Land Rover.
Forster, 55 years, has twenty-four years of international experience in the automobile industry. Most recently he was the head of General Motors, Europe, where he looked after Opel/Vauxhall, Saab and the European activities of Chevrolet. Before joining General Motors in 2001, Mr. Forster has had 13 years of experience in BMW where he held various positions including that of Managing Director of BMW South Africa and was also on the Managing Board of BMW responsible for manufacturing.
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Gulf Oil rolls out 8th Gulf Foster a Child Car Drive

Gulf Oil Corporation Ltd., a Hinduja Group company, has today concluded the eighth year of their social initiative ‘Gulf Foster a Child Car Drive’. Mumbai Police Commissioner, Shivanandan flagged off the drive from Police Ground, Worli and ‘Teen Patti’ stars - Dhruv Ganesh, Shraddha Kapoor, Siddhartha Kher & Vaibhav Talwar spent some memorable time with the kids at the finishing point in Acres club, Chembur. The winners were announced by the movie debutants and the lucky winners of the ‘Gulf Foster a Child Car Drive’ gets a chance to meet the stars of the movie ‘Teen Patti’.The winners of ‘Gulf Foster Child Car Drive 2010’ who will get a chance to meet the legend, Amitabh Bacchan are Geeta Castelino, Alpa Patel, Ajay Arun Sawant and Gilchrist Gonsalves.

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Maruti Suzuki presents Young Drivers 2010

In a recently published Global Status Report on Road Safety, the World Health Organization has revealed that more people die in road accidents in India than anywhere else in the world, including the more populous China. Driver education, stricter law enforcement and better infrastructure are the need of the hour. Maruti Suzuki and Autocar India have joined hands to do their bit to make Indian roads a safer place by instituting the Maruti Suzuki - Autocar Young Driver 2010 programme.
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Tata Aria Crossover to hit showrooms by second half of 2010

The Tata Aria Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV), which would be only crossover in India to come with four-wheel drive, is expected to be available in the country by second quarter of this calender year. Speculated to be priced Rs 12.5- 14.5 lakh, Tata Aria blends the functionality and comfort of a mid-range MPV with the all-terrain assurance and capability of an SUV. Its 2.2-litre direct injection common-rail (DICOR) diesel engine delivers 139 horsepower and 320Nm of torque, and 4WD is available as an option. The top-end variant will have all-wheel drive and compete against the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Chevrolet Captiva and Ford Endeavour. However, the company is company is yet to take a call whether to get the all wheel top-variant or two-wheel drive car in the market first.

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Bajaj Auto soft-launches 2010 Pulsar 150, and Pulsar 220cc DTSi

Bajaj Auto has soft-launched the 2010 edition of the Pulsar 150 & introduced an additional variant of Pulsar 220 DTS-i to keep product excitement alive in the market. This variant is available in 4 colours viz. Midnight Black, Plasma Blue, Cocktail Red & Mist Grey Silver and priced at an attractive Rs. 68,498 (Ex Showroom price – New Delhi).

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Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid to be unveiled at 2010 Geneva Auto Show

Exactly 110 years after Ferdinand Porsche developed the world’s first car with hybrid drive, the Lohner Porsche Semper Vivus, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is once again taking up this visionary drive concept in production-based GT racing. A Porsche 911 GT3 R, with a hybrid powertrain developed specifically for racing, will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March this year. The car will later be tested in long-distance races around the legendary Nürburgring track in Germany and will also participate in a 24-hours race around the Nordschleife in May this year.

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Tata Motors testing hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles

Tata Motors is always in the news for technological innovations. Not resting on its laurels with the world’s cheapest car ‘Nano’, India’s leading vehiclemaker is pulling out all stops to create benchmarks one after another. Though it could not be officially confirmed, Economic Times claims that Tata Motors European Technical Centre plc (TMETC), a 100 per cent subsidiary of Tata Motors, has developed a range of hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles and is currently undertaking trial runs of these buses and light trucks.
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SLS AMG & E-Cabriolet debut at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York

Despite snowy conditions for the start of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week this February 11-18, 2010, the Bryant Park tents were red hot with the New York debut of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and E-Class Cabriolet. While not on sale until spring 2010 and a yearlong wait list, the 2011 SLS AMG is the most eagerly anticipated sports car to hit the international car market. Its first New York appearance is the runway shows in Bryant Park, a backdrop worthy of its status given the 60 plus designers showcasing their fall collections and more than 100,000 attendees expected to descend on the tents for this "fair well" season before the shows move to Lincoln Center in September.

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Toyota reveals redesigned 2011 Avalon at Chicago Auto Show

Toyota introduced the boldly redesigned 2011 Avalon at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. Evoking a time when travel was sophisticated, elegant and comfortable, the new Avalon possesses a distinctive new exterior style while offering a restyled interior rich with premium touch points and practical new technologies. The new Avalon has dynamic and expressive lines, and an infusion of comfort, safety and technology advancements that enrich the driving experience. Upgraded equipment and technology features, such as a touch-screen navigation system with real-time traffic, and Bluetooth hands-free phone capability with music streaming to the audio system are among the improvements that enhance the 2011 Avalon’s excellent blend of spaciousness, comfort and technology. The redesigned 2011 Avalon will begin arriving at Toyota dealerships nationally in spring 2010.

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Honda Odyssey Concept displayed at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show

The Honda Odyssey Concept, on display at the Chicago Auto Show, introduces a sleek and distinctive exterior styling direction for the next generation of the industry's best-selling minivan, set to debut this fall. The Odyssey Concept dramatically departs from conventional minivan styling with its low and wide stance, highlighted by a lightning-bolt beltline that further distinguishes the vehicle's profile. Compared to the current Odyssey, the Concept's slightly lower roofline (-1.0 inch) and wider stance (+1.4 inch) contribute to a sleeker, stronger and more dynamic presence with improved aerodynamics that help increase fuel economy. Forthcoming improvements to the production Odyssey's interior are designed to further enhance the current model's accommodating space for people and cargo.

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Nissan releases all-new small crossover Juke for European market

Nissan revealed for the first time its all-new small Crossover, Juke, which is designed to offer a refreshing alternative for customers who are shopping in the small car segment of the market, but uninspired by the traditional offerings, Juke is a distinctive combination of SUV toughness and sporting style and will inject some much needed masculinity and dynamism into the small car market, as claimed by Nissan Motor Company. The decision to introduce the industry's first small crossover into the small car market reflects Nissan's philosophy of challenging conventions in Europe.

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