Latest Car News in India

Diesel car offering is the success mantra in India

Year 2012 seems to be bringing in surprises to the car industry in India. Where some new cars launched by car makers have failed to fetch sales, some have to suffer due to lack of diesel option. However, an overall slight slowdown in sales is witnessed. When the Korean car maker introduced its small car Hyundai Eon in October 2011, it hoped to gain volumes as high as 12,000 cars a month but currently the car maker is able to sell half the figure only. On the other hand, Honda offering Honda City and Honda Civic faced a drawback due to the non availability of diesel option. Whereas amidst this there are car makers like Renault that has launched the only diesel car Renault Pulse.  

It is said that with not as expected sales of Hyundai Eon and other Hyundai cars has pulled the Koreans down to the third pedestal thus reinstating Tata to be the second largest car maker in India. Experts believe that Eon sales have been low due to absence of diesel model. Meanwhile it is believed that the Indian car buyers have also changed, they want reassurance regarding a model by seeing more of such cars on the roads, Arvind Saxena, director, sales and marketing, Hyundai Motor India reportedly said.  

On the other hand, car makers also witnessed saturation in sales in the metros and other prominent cities and sensing this Hyundai, Maruti are chalking out a strategy to move to the villages in search for prospective buyers. Significantly, Tata has already implemented this strategy and has witnessed increase in Tata Nano sales. The Tata Nano sales have increase from 3000 units per month to 7500 units in January.

Meanwhile, with the Toyota Etios sedan and Toyota Etios Liva hatchback in, and not forget Toyota Innova, Japanese car maker is now the second largest car Japanese car maker in India after Maruti Suzuki. This position was held by Honda lately.