50 new models will be launched this year, making India the world's largest growing car market
50 new models will be launched this year, making India the world's largest growing car market
Undeterred by the slump in the Indian car segment last year, global and domestic automakers are launching as many as 50 new cars this year.
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The Fiat Linea, the Ritz from the Suzuki stable, followed the car launch spree that started with the Mahindra Xylo in January.
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The latest to be unveiled this month were Audi Q5, the latest version of Chevrolet Spark and Honda Jazz.
6 per cent growth
Shapur Kotwal, deputy editor of automobile magazine Autocar Professional, said, "India still has the lowest number of car models compared to the rest of the world.
And so car makers are trying to add choice." The Indian car market is growing strongly at six per cent.
Apart from India, China is the only other growing market in the world.
Vivek Pahwa of gaadi.com said the period between models of cars being launched abroad and then in India had considerably gone down from about two years earlier to a few months in recent times.
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"The new Suzuki Ritz that was launched last month has already sold 8,500 units," said Pahwa, indicating the upward momentum in the car sales market.
Maruti Suzuki on top
According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), many manufacturers saw a dip in their sales in 2008.
"Now, to sustain themselves in the market, 2009 will get to see the launch of 50 new models," said a SIAM report.
Though it has filed for bankruptcy in the US, General Motors will roll out a car that will be priced below Spark and Cruze from the premium class in the Indian market.
The automatic version of Captiva is also in the list. "We're challengers," said Karl Slym, president and MS of GM India, as their sales in India rose about 10 per cent last year, to 65,702 cars.
But the company is still a distant fifth to market leader Maruti Suzuki, which sold 7,11,818 cars.
Major launches
Honda's Jazz launch in Mumbai today will challenge Skoda Fabia, Maruti Swift and Hyundai i20
Hyundai Motors plans to replace its Elantra with Avante sedan and also bring in Santa FE as an SUV
Fiat's Grande Punto (hatchback segment) and Bravo (sedan)
Tata Indicruz, a crossover vehicle and new version of Indigo range built on the platform of Indica Vista
Volkswagen's new plant near Pune will soon roll out the Skoda Yeti, Roomster and Fabia's Combi variant.
Renault's joint venture with Nissan will see few new launches in the form of Megane in the hatchback and Sandero sedan from Renault stable and Micra hatchback and Murano SUV from Nissan portfolio.
In the luxury car segment, there is BMW 7-Series range, Mercedes-Benz with its new E-Class and also Alfa Romeo159 from Fiat.
The Indian automibile industry crossed a landmark with total vehicle production of 10 million units.
Car sales was 8,82,094 units against 8,20,179 units in 2004-05.
The two-wheeler market grew by 13.6 per cent with 70,56,317 units against 62,09,765 units in 2004-05.
Commercial vehicles segment grew at 10.1 per cent with 3,50,683 units against 3,18,430 units in 2004-05.
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