Passenger vehicle exports from India increased 43 per cent in FY22, with Maruti Suzuki India leading the segment with dispatches of over 2.3 lakh units, as per the latest data by industry body SIAM. The total passenger vehicle (PV) exports stood at 5,77,875 units in 2021-22 fiscal, as compared to 4,04,397 units in 2020-21. Passenger car shipments saw 42 per cent growth at 3,74,986 units, while utility vehicle exports rose 46 per cent at 2,01,036 units during the last fiscal, the data by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) showed.
While the Slavia comes in eight different variants, it's the base model that starts at around Rs 10.7 lakh that is most likely to take a bite out of the market share of its competitors, says Pavan Lall.
The country's leading automakers Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor reported a decline in dispatches to dealers in March as shortage of electronic components impacted production. On the other hand, Tata Motors, Skoda and Kia India posted their highest ever monthly wholesales last month. Toyota Kirloskar Motor said its dispatches in March were the highest in the last five years while Mahindra & Mahindra also reported a robust increase in its passenger vehicle dispatches in March.
Seven years after it announced Nexa, there's no mistaking the seriousness with which Maruti wants the segment to grow, says Pavan Lall.
High ground clearance, a wide cabin and tall stance all mean that the Carens glides over bad roads with ease and comfort and an engine performance that is adequate in terms of the power of this vehicle, says Pavan Lall.
Suspension that has fully acclimatised to Indian roads and handles potholes and bumps with ease, plush interiors that feel premium beyond just surface level, and aggressive and imposing design cues give this SUV a presence and profile that has little competition, says Pavan Lall.
Recently, South Korean Foreign Minister, Chung Eui-yong, dialled his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar, in New Delhi. His government, he said, "regretted the offence caused to the people of India". A day earlier, India had summoned the South Korean ambassador to express its "strong displeasure" over "an unacceptable social media post".
Ford, which had announced to quit the Indian market last year, said it was exploring the possibility of using one of its plants in India to produce electric cars for exports.
The government has asked Hyundai Motors to be more forceful in its unequivocal apology, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday on the South Korean firm's Pakistan partner's tweet on Kashmir.
Images from Day 4 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday.
Market leader Maruti Suzuki is putting finishing touches to its plan of finding its feet in what is being hailed as a battle of epic proportions in India's fastest-growing passenger vehicle segment, reports Arindam Majumder.
'Some of the launches may get deferred due to the semiconductor shortage, which is unlikely to get resolved before the second half of 2022.'
South Korean automaker Kia Motors says it will look to be a premium only brand and stay away from the entry level segment like sedans and hatchbacks. Hardeep Singh Brar, the company's India Vice-President and Head (Sales and Marketing), said that customers have accepted Kia as a premium brand. In the mass market Kia is considered to be the most premium brand. "Customers like the features and they are willing to pay for them. So, we have consciously decided that if customers like us a premium brand, let's stick to that. It is a conscious decision to stay premium and operate in that segment of the mass market," Brar said.
Tata Motors, India's third largest passenger vehicle maker, took pole position in the competitive sport utility vehicle (SUV) market in October, reveals the data from industry sources. Riding high on the Punch - the sub-compact SUV offering launched on October 18 - the Tata group flagship sold a record 23,381 units in October, higher than 20,022 units sold by archrival Mahindra & Mahindra, 18,538 units sold by Hyundai Motor India, and 15,931 units sold by Kia Motors India. Utility vehicles - that include SUVs and multipurpose vehicles - accounted for almost one in every two passenger vehicles sold in India in the first seven months of the current financial year, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.
Automaker Kia India is looking to strengthen its product portfolio as it gears up to introduce a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) in the country in the first quarter of next year, as per a top company official. The company, which currently sells three products in India -- Seltos, Sonet and Carnival -- is all set to globally unveil its fourth model, a multi-purpose vehicle (codenamed KY), on December 16. While the global showcase would happen next month, the actual market launch of the model would take place later in the January-March quarter.
Every M&M car shares a certain DNA which is rugged, with an off-roading quality and built for hard wear and tear. The XUV is all those, but also has a smoother edge for those who want city comfort now offered in competitor vehicles such as the MG Hector, Hyundai Creta, Volkswagen Tiguan and Tata's Harrier, says Pavan Lall.
Leading carmakers Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai witnessed a double-digit drop in sales in October on account of the global semiconductor shortage impacting production. Kia India, Honda Cars and MG Motor also saw a fall in dispatches last month as compared with October 2020. However, companies like Tata Motors, Mahindra, Nissan and Skoda managed to post positive numbers last month despite the supply chain challenges.
The global semiconductor shortage hit passenger vehicle sales in September, with major manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Mahindra & Mahindra reporting a decline in sales on Friday. Kia India and Honda Cars also reported a dip in wholesales last month as compared with the year-ago period. Carmakers like Tata Motors, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Nissan and Skoda, however, reported an increase in passenger vehicle dispatches last month despite supply chain issues.
India is a market for low-priced cars with low running costs. The global majors don't have models that fit the bill; only Maruti and Hyundai have successful entry-level models, observes T N Ninan.
Besides their country of origin, General Motors, Ford Motor and Harley-Davidson have another trait in common: all three have failed in India, the world's fifth largest automobile market. All three of them took a tough call to de-prioritise India as a market amid disruption from heightened regulations and sharper focus on capital allocation by the parent.
Volkswagen's new SUV is set to lock horns with half a dozen rivals, says Pavan Lall.
England's leading players could boycott the high-profile Ashes series against Australia, later this year, as they do not want to be confined to their hotel rooms close to four months due to strict quarantine rules in the country.
England men will begin their 2022 home summer with a three-match Test series against world champions New Zealand.
The MG Motor India management is focused on scaling up and launching smaller cars to play the long game in the country, says Pavan Lall.
Jasprit Bumrah on Monday became the fastest Indian pacer to reach 100 wickets in the longest format of the game. Bumrah achieved the feat in the ongoing fourth Test against England when he removed Ollie Pope for 2 in the second session of the final day.
A proud Virat Kohli rated his team's bowling performance in the fourth Test among the top-three during his captaincy stint, extolling his players' strong character as India scored a superb 157-run victory over England after conceding a huge 99-run lead.
'We know what we need to focus on and we take a collective decision as a group. Everyone is happy with the win. It gives us more motivation to win the next Test. We have the belief, we are just looking forward to the opportunities. The fans have been amazing as well'
Images from Day 5 of the fourth Test between England and India, at The Oval, on Sunday.
James Anderson bowled a peach of delivery that rose from full length and got a faint edge, which went straight into the gloves of wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.
Rajneesh Gupta lists all the important numbers from day three of the Oval Test.
Images from Day 3 of the fourth Test between England and India, at The Oval, on Saturday.
Images from Day 2 of the fourth Test between England and India, at The Oval, on Friday.
For Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), which has just started executing a comeback strategy for wresting back ground it lost to rivals, this could not have come at a worse time. The maker of the Bolero Neo and the Thar models on Thursday said it would have to halt production at its automotive plant for a week due to the worsening supply situation of semiconductors.
Passenger vehicle majors like Hyundai, Tata Motors, M&M, Toyota Kirloskar and Honda on Wednesday reported growth in domestic sales in August riding on festive sentiments, although market leader Maruti Suzuki posted a decline amid a semiconductor shortage affecting the industry. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) reported domestic sales at 110,080 units, as compared to 116,704 units in the same month last year, down 6 per cent. "Sales volume of the company in August 2021 was affected due to electronic components shortage.
England vice-captain Moeen Ali expects The Oval pitch to turn a bit later in the Test, starting Thursday.
In all likelihood, vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane would get another chance but over the past two years, his inconsistency has hurt this team badly.
'Gulzarsaab's words are lucid and singing them is like painting a picture.'
All-rounder Ben Stokes returns to England's squad for the first two Tests against India next month after he missed the two-match series against New Zealand in June following a finger injury he sustained during the Indian Premier League earlier this year.
Automobile exports from India recovered in the first quarter with all vehicle segments, including passenger vehicles and two-wheelers, witnessing growth following an improvement in the pandemic situation across various international markets. As per the latest SIAM data, total vehicle exports during the April-June quarter this fiscal stood at 14,19,430 units as compared with 436,500 units in the same period of 2020-21 which saw massive disruptions due to the COVID lockdowns across the country, hampering sales as well overseas shipments. SIAM director general Rajesh Menon told PTI that while two-wheeler shipments were better than previous three years, passenger vehicles, three-wheelers and commercial vehicles export numbers were yet to catch up with numbers in the first quarter of 2018-19 fiscal.
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Saturday was added to Surrey's squad for the County Championship fixture against Somerset, starting on July 11 at the Oval in London.
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