Most of the global behemoths are churning out global platforms with India as the lead market for their new generation products.
The automobile industry may still be reeling under economic slowdown. However, not many companies have held back their investment plans. On the contrary, most of the global behemoths are churning out global platforms with India as the lead market. Many of them like Ford, Maruti and Hyundai have already deployed funds to build a brand new facility/assembly line to produce some India-specific products.
Suzuki Baleno
Hogging the limelight is the market leader Maruti-Suzuki which has lined up YRA (codename), which is the company's answer to the premium hatchback segment that is growing rapidly in India. To be pitted against the Hyundai Elite i20, Fiat Punto 90HP, the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI/TDI and the recently launched Honda Jazz, the Maruti Suzuki YRA will be bigger than the Swift (above 4 m) and is expected to be exclusively retailed at Maruti Suzuki's Nexa outlets across the country. The Indo-Japanese carmaker has already started testing its upcoming hatchback on Indian roads and will be pricing the product in the range of Rs 6-9 lakh. The upcoming hatchback will be known as the Baleno in other countries and has premiered at the 66th IAA Frankfurt Motor Show.
"The Baleno (YRA) harmoniously combines stylish design, spacious interior and new technologies. It is likely to be exported from India to Japan, Europe and other developed markets. However, it is very unlikely that the Baleno tag will be used for the domestic market," said sources requesting anonymity.
Under the hood, the Maruti YRA is expected to come with 1- litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine and a 1.3 DDis diesel engine. The premium superhatch is expected to make its market entry during the festive season of this year before other markets. Interestingly, within the first year of launch, Maruti is planning to produce around 80,000 units of YRA, of which nearly 60 per cent of the models would be exported. Some of the prominent features, the car would be equipped with include steering-mounted controls, touchscreen infotainment system, climate control, airbag deactivation button, heated front seats and central armrest in the front.
Mahindra TUV300
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has launched its compact SUV, TUV300 priced around Rs 7-9 lakh. The TUV300 is expected to enhance its market share in the utility vehicles segment. Designed and developed in-house, the research and development of Mahindra TUV300 has been carried out at the Mahindra Research Valley in Chennai. The vehicle will be manufactured at M&M's facility at Chakan, where it also produces trucks and other vehicles on the Maxximo platform.
Ford Figo Aspire
American car major Ford, which has pumped in US$1 billion for its brand new facility at Sanand from where it has recently rolled out the Figo Aspire compact sedan, is planning to bring in the hatchback version based on the same platform and facility. This new hatchback will be powered by a 1.2-litre petrol TiVCT engine and 1.5-litre DV5 diesel engine options. Just like its sedan version, the Figo hatchback will come with features like integrated music system, airbags, ABS, Bluetooth connectivity, myFord key, etc. The Figo hatchback is estimated to be priced in the range of Rs 3.9-6.5 lakh and will be replacing the current Figo. Just like the YRA, the all-new Ford Figo hatchback in India is set to launch before the Diwali season.
Nigel Harris, President and Managing Director, Ford India, said, "Drawing on our global product development capabilities, we're proud to have created a car that truly raises the bar in the segment and gives consumers a chance to own what they truly deserve. We have launched the Figo Aspire to create a benchmark in the compact sedan segment and would like to replicate that when we launch its hatchback version during the festive season."
Renault Kwid
Renault, one of the Europe's leading automobile manufacturers, is also set to bring in its next entrant, i.e. the Kwid hatchback around the festive season this year. Developed with an investment of around Rs 2,000 crore, the SUV-shaped small car will be powered by an 800 cc petrol engine and will be priced between Rs 3-4 lakh in India. Developed on Renault-Nissan alliance's global CMF-A platform, it is a combined effort from engineers in France, Japan and India. The Kwid will take on Hyundai Eon, Maruti Alto 800 and Datsun Go, which are also priced in a similar segment. To be built at the Renault-Nissan Chennai factory, as much as 98 per cent of the product will be locally sourced.
"With Kwid, Renault continues to pursue its strategy of accessible mobility for all to step up its international growth. Using a new Renault-Nissan Alliance platform and following the trail blazed by the Duster, the Kwid will enable Renault to continue its expansion and address the needs of customers who want a vehicle that is stylish, robust and easy to use," said Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and CEO, Groupe Renault, during the product's unveiling in Chennai early this year.