Indian Truck Sales Figures - October & November 2010

Here Truck refers to goods carriers which are having GVW >5T

Source: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/commercial-vehicles-india/91910-truck-sales-oct-2010-a.html

            http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/commercial-vehicles-india/93329-truck-sales-nov-2010-a.html

Indian Car Sales Figures - November 2010

November 2010 Sales Figures - Pan India

November was full of surprises for the Indian Auto Industry. While a drop was always expected in the sales numbers, the drastic fall has raised several questions. This shows how Automobile Dealers are skeptical in filling up their stocks for December. The trend has been that the Retail in December is low - as the vehicles being purchased during this time will have lower Re-sale value. Hence, we can expect a slew of discounts being by OEM's to boost sales at this period of the year.

Some inferences:

• The 'Nano Shining' story has taken aback.Tata's would have never expected this downfall. They need to sell atleast 5500 Nanos/month to achieve break-even. Safety issues in the car has taken a huge toll on its sales. They gotta bounce back soon or else it'll be too late.
• 
  
• Even Figo sales have reduced a bit. With the introduction of new i10 and the launch of Etios Liva on cards early next year, Ford got to revamp their campaign in sustaining their success with Figo. Figo can script Ford's glory in Indian market.
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• Totyota's Fortuner still continues to rule the premium SUV space. Toyota has given birth to a winner in this space. Fortuner still has a huge waiting period and I don't see Santa Fe creating a dent in this segment.
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• Civic sales have jumped back, but still lags behind Toyota Corolla. The Diesel rocket - Cruze still impresses us with its numbers. Laura faces stiff competition, but however does average numbers.
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• Innova has done pretty well. It proves again that Quality wins over Price. Xylo still has to fight hard to threaten Innova's leadership in MUV space.
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• Hyundai themselves wouldn't have been expecting the amazing response they are getting for i20. Time and again i20 is showing consistent performance and has proved that Indians are ready to pay a premium for a stylish yet spacious hatchback. In short, we Indians are Conservative yet RATIONAL !!
• 
  
• But, the winner of the competition is our very own ALTO. This old war horse still proves to be the match winner for Maruti. And the all new K10 have provided sufficient support to the older sibling.
• 
  
• Scorpio sales still remains consistent over time and has been a performer for Mahindra. The same applies for Bolero.
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• Although its early to say about Aria; but I still believe that the Tata's Cross-over concept wouldn't find many buyers 

Source: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/93000-november-2010-indian-car-sales-figures.html

Indian Car Sales Figures - October 2010

October 2010 Sales Figures - Pan India

This has been a great month for Automobile manufacturers. With festival season around (Dussehra & Diwali), there is expectation of surge in demand. 

Alto has proved again that it is here to stay at the top spot for long and K10 sales has just added to the celebrations!! The tallboy Wagon-R proves again that practicality is what the Indians want. The i10 again heralds the flag for Hyundai and the refreshed version stands to its name. Aria has done pretty decent numbers in its opening month. Fabia's sales have increased three fold - now that's fab !!Swift has proved again as an undisputed leader in the hatchback category. The cheapest Ford in the world - Figo is also consistently performing well. Cruze has cruised a long way to ward off competition from Civic and Corolla. 

Fortuner seems to change the fortune of Toyota in the premium SUV space (the car has already a waiting period of six months and still seems to increase more in near future!!). Innova has always proved to be a Innovative winner in the MUV space and still stands a difficult nut to crack for Aria. Scorpio is one product that has evolved as a category of its own and stands no competition. Bolero presents an excellent case to display how an entry level SUV can overcome the sales numbers of a hatch (Bolero has sold more than Figo!!) and thus stands to be the best product for Mahindra. City vents out the competition from Vento and is still doing good numbers. 

Source: All thanks to the guys in Team-BHP for the figures. For a much in-depth overview please click on the link - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/91499-october-2010-indian-car-sales-figures.html

P.S. : The sales numbers indicated here are not Retail volumes (i.e Dealer to customer) but are Wholesale figures (manufacturer to dealer)   

Stallio - Jaan Hai, Shaan Hai aur Itminaan bhi !!!

The creative team of Mahindra 2 wheelers would have brainstormed on how to make their advertisement innovative yet different from the rest. We all remember how Bajaj & Hero Honda primarily focus on stunts and out-of-reality biking scenes in their ads. So, Mahindra 2 wheelers thought why focus on fiction / stunts - when customers of this segment (110 cc) want something utilitarian at the same time with aspirational appeal.

Hence the resultant advertisement - although mockery of Karizma, Pulsar & CBZ Extreme has been done; but have also bought in some comedy and fun factor attached to it. A simple display of its features is also done, like - 

• Styled in Italy
• ProTouch Electric Start
• Full Digital Display
• LED Tail Lamp

I wouldn't rate the creatives of Mahindra 2 wheelers very high. Although they have shot the ad keeping the target segment in mind, the focus isn't clear in the message. However, Amir Khan's presence would make the ad much noticable. 

The Ad:

Etios All the Way... "Revolutionizing Quality"

                                  Toyota: Trying to reign the future of Indian Automobile Market

Toyota has always dominated the space it existed. Be it the premium sedan category with Corolla or the MUV space with Innova. Even its unexpected success child Fortuner has created a niche for itself; with a waiting period of almost 6 months - it has just altered the way Industry works. No-one ever saw such a huge demand for a 20-odd lakh SUV (which was already dominated by the likes of Captiva, Fortuner and CR-V). Although its Camry didn't do great numbers, still it has a own fan following.

Along the years; Toyota has carved an unique recognition for itself - QUALITY. This is something that infuses fear amongst its competitors. Toyota has the potential to hit big in the market. And I say Toyota has taken a well thought-out strategy; i.e. understood the market well, created a name for itself, built a whole bunch of well-established dealers and most important of all - tuned itself according to the market requirements.

Now is the time Toyota needs to strike hard and without any flaw!!! They need to be well prepared for a long-run in this ever competitive mass market (which has the presence of the mighty Maruti to VW; from emerging Ford to reigning Hyundai). Toyota with its agency Dentsu has launched its communication of Q Promise. The most vital link in the Etios gameplan is the Toyota dealer. The company has raised the number of dealers from 40 to 60 and the number of sale and service points from 82 to 150 in the last two years. 


Toyota has a great time till now. The conversion of footfalls in Toyota dealerships is 32 per cent, way above the industry average of 20 per cent. It is due to the rigorous training of the Manpower - "Training is done to everybody in the dealership, even the doorman and the also attendant who serves tea!!". Toyota spent the whole of 2007 researching the Indian market. Teams met different customers groups: Young people, old, single, married etc. Dealers were taken on board to get their feedback. In early 2008, Toyota finally said it would go ahead with the car. Since then, Narita Ke, the chief engineer of the Etios, has made innumerable trips to India, and lived with families here to understand their habits and needs. He observed, for instance, that all Indians are in a hurry to take off as soon as the traffic signal turns green; they therefore need that additional pick up. Similarly, a car has to be easy to park. Indians often accommodate three passengers on the back seat; so it is essential to give good comfort towards the rear of the car. The Etios, which has been developed in Japan, will “give a very good driving experience, very good space, high ground clearance and best-in-class fuel efficiency,” says Singh.

And recently Toyota Kirloskar Motor has roped in musician A R Rahman as its Brand Ambassador. Commenting on the signing up of Rahman, TKM Managing Director Hiroshi Nakagawa said: "There is a very strong connect between the product and its brand ambassador, with both being, 'global', 'innovative', 'reliable', and a 'class- above quality'." On his association with Toyota, Rahman said: "I believe real quality is created when skill meets dedication, when insight meets inspiration, when passion meets perfection. This is why I am happy to be associated with Toyota. The same values drive Toyota in whatever they do."

Toyota has a lot in stakes with this product. they have indigeniously designed Etios keeping the Indian market in mind - pretty evident from the Etios logo!! The Sedan is all ready to be launched on December this year and the hatchback by March'2011. While Toyota is unraveling its intentions; we auto enthusiasts can just wait and hope for the best J
source: business standard
            wheelsunplugged

Indian Car Sales Figures - September 2010

September Sales Figures - Pan India

source: team-bhp

Mahindra Mojo & Stallio : Breaking the ice for Mahindra 2 wheelers into the Indian motorcycle segment

The segment which was always dominated by the Bajaj’s and the Munjal’s saw the entry of another Indian Business House – Mahindra’s!!! Mahindra’s foray into the 2-wheeler segment was like a whirlwind. Firstly Mahindra bought an Italian Engine and Design boutique firm Engines Engineering in 2008, and later acquired Kinetic Engineering Limited’s two wheeler business which displayed Mahindra’s seriousness in 2-wheelers business. Even their Mojo has been inspired from Malaguti MR250 (Design of Engines Engineering).

World class Italian design, raw power, adrenaline and speed. India’s bikers can look forward to all this and much more as Mahindra 2 Wheelers’ Stallio and Mojo motorcycles made their debut at a high voltage launch in Mumbai on September 30.

The Two Wheeler Sector of Mahindra aims to design and market a full range of scooters and motorcycles for the Indian and global markets, thus establishing a robust and end-to-end two-wheeler business in every segment of the industry.


“In the last twelve months Mahindra 2 Wheelers has achieved a milestone by registering a sale of 1.5 lac units – a clear validation of the success of our niche PowerScooters strategy. We are now all geared up to redefine the biking experience in India with the Stallio and the Mojo which are a potent blend of global technology and innovation and will take the category to the next level,” said Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra Group.

Specifications:

Ø  Available in two variants - priced at Rs 44,699/- for cast alloy wheels with self start, fully digital console & Rs 41,199/- for spoke wheels with kick start (ex showroom Pune)

Ø  4 years manufacturer’s warranty                                                                        

Ø  Biking can now be fun-filled and stylish - offers features that add to style thereby creating a new niche  

Ø  Multimedia marketing campaign featuring Aamir Khan     

Ø  Available in Derby Red, Colt Black, Equus Blue,  Buckskin Yellow & Ranch Green

Ø  Handcrafted, one of its kind                                                                                                             

Ø  Priced at Rs 1.75 lakh (ex showroom Pune)

Ø  Blends cool retro styling with best of global technology & design - 4 Valve  DOHC 300 cc power plant                                                                                    

Ø  Sports aerodynamic ‘tear drop’ shape and a classic gold frame assembly with twin headlamps                                           

Ø  Leading European vendors – Ducati Energia, Paioli & Pirelli (Italy), J Juan (Spain) – contribute to the making of the Mojo

Available in red and black with decal customisation options 

Suzuki Swift: All set to become more Aspirational !!!

Maruti Suzuki is all set to bring their new edition of Swift in the early 2011. Maruti was facing a tough time before Swift's presence. Swift gave Maruti a stronghold in B-segment and recently has even made itself the most Aspirational Car in the category (Frost & Sullivan Award).   

Maruti Suzuki Swift has become a truly global vehicle. It is built with typical Japanese precision, attention to detail, tested for unique Indian road conditions and customer requirements. Maruti Suzuki Swift is an example of the growing recognition for Indian intellectual and engineering capabilities. Maruti Suzuki's R&D capability, evident time and again in its efforts to upgrade existing models, has attained a new definition with Maruti Suzuki Swift. 

With time, Suzuki has decided to evolve this leading sports compact car and make it more aspirational. Hence, the all new Suzuki Swift - This is turning out to be one of the most anticipated cars of 2011. Now as far as its looks are concerned, one thing that can be said with certain amount of confidence is that it has a tad bit more space than its predecessor, at the very outset it certainly looks more gorgeous.  And its rear end is just shouting “different” “different” !!!

And Suzuki has also launched a new campaign - "I'm your fan" in  Europe. That's the proud statement by everyone who has experienced the new leading sports compact. It's revolving around people who are into modern design, ecology-minded, and looking for an exhilaratingly dynamic driving-experience.

The business of movies...

The box-office collections of Hollywood’s Avatar and Bollywood’s 3 idiots caught a lot of attention last year. Even the profits of big enterprises looked tiny in front of business these movies had made. They were a perfect example of how profitable entertainment industry is!!!

Many companies grew in last 5 years which had ventured into movie-making. UTV saw excellent performance of its movies and was the biggest winner in this time. Even India’s one of the biggest conglomerates – Reliance jumped into movie production and distribution. Eros International plc did pretty fine. Many giants also launched their IPO’s. Our very own Big Cinemas is all set to venture into Hollywood!!!

Movie-making is primarily a risky business. Though it can reap profit of multitude times within a short period of investment; it can also wash away all your investment. The trend these days is to create a huge hype around the movie and try to garner as much collection possible within the first week of the release of the movie. Nowadays a movie is christened hit/flop based on the first week collection itself.

This makes it extremely necessary for the production companies to plan and execute extensive marketing activities right from creating intuitive teaser of the movie to generating controversy/hype among the fans. A lot of Reality shows are also benefitting from this trend as they get to invite stars into their shows and even provide them a platform to promote their movie.

The trailer of much-talked Hrithik/Aishwarya starrer is out. So, I thought what better time for this topic on movies. UTV produced, Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed saga promises to be different.. In the trailer atleast J

First Look-

How to BRAND a Diamond

It is always necessary to differentiate your product from others. This is how the concept of Branding evolved – Earlier days livestock were used to be marked, so as to identify the owner. The essence lies in differentiating yourself. And De Beers knew what exactly to do to -

UNIQUES STONES!!!  WITH THEIR OWN UID’S !!!

Diamonds had become a commodity where any Diamond company couldn’t differentiate themselves. So, De Beers thought why not pitch diamond just as precious stones, but stones which have their own unique identification numbers like we humans will have.

Boast of a unique car, an outfit, and a phone and now diamonds too! De Beers group of companies has launched its premium diamond product called Forevermark after launching brands like asmi, nakshatra etc. The specialty or the uniqueness of these Forevermark diamonds is that they are claimed to be natural, uniquely inscribed, individually chosen and beautifully crafted. More importantly each diamond has an icon and unique identification number (as shown in the picture) inscribed on the table facet of the diamond. The inscription is about 0.05 µm deep and applied using an undisclosed De Beers technology.  

According to the company's press release, only diamonds which are 0.14 carats and above in size, SI2 clarity and above, L color and above and good quality cuts and above meet Forevermark standards.

The 4Cs: cut, clarity, color and carat are met amidst strict parameters and the company claims that Forevermark diamonds are only selected from sources which adhere to the UN-mandated Kimberley Process.

Great positioning I must say.  The Indian consumers are trying out variety and curious about the diamonds sourcing. Change in fashion trends, bold designs and classic shapes are in.

Another upcoming trend is the use of diamonds in traditional Indian jewelry such as the mangalsutra, haathphool, armlet and maangtika.The men are not to be left behind either. men love our concept of grading and certification as they are more practical when it comes to diamond shopping, while women are more emotional about the jewelry they buy. Hence it targets both in a wise manner.

Nice concept of building a forever relationship with your consumer. Each diamond comes with a number through which the customer can log in on the website which will remain the same even after decades. Positive future ahead for diamonds, with people boasting of two unique identification numbers - one for themselves and one for their diamonds!!! Isn’t it exiting??

Now I am confused! Is it that humans are tagged with numbers or stones given an identity??? ;)

-Summu Saif

Hyundai i10, re-christened !!!

The fourth bestselling car (after Alto, Wagon R & Swift) in the Indian Automobile market gets a makeover and for good. It was launched here in India on 23^rd September, 2010. Hyundai i10 was already a hit among the Indian car buyers; but Hyundai knew that needed to evolve to stand apart in the highly competitive hatchback segment. And this led to the birth of the New i10. The new i10 is powered by a 1.1 litre, iRDE petrol engine which will offer great performance along with an unmatched fuel economy. The unit develops 66.7PS@5500 rpm of maximum power and a peak torque of 10.1Kgm@2800 rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission with a console mounted ergonomic, short throw, i-shift gear box which frees up the space between the driver and the passenger seat and also gives an unique look - a first for this segment. To make in-city driving effortless it comes with an electric power steering.

Now this is a shocker - The top-end model of the i10 comes with features like a panoramic sun-roof (a first for this class of cars), rear spoiler, leather wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, keyless entry, 2-DIN audio system, reverse parking sensors and also offers an Automatic transmission variant too!!! What the i10 Kappa2 is now bringing into the Indian market is technology - both in terms of gadgets as well as engine technology, in a segment that hasn't seen much of both yet.

The new i10s changes aren't just cosmetic - the biggest change in character that the car gets is in its engines. While Hyundai will continue selling both the iRDe and the Kappa engines side-by-side just the way they have been doing till now, both engines get upgrades. The 1.1 litre iRDe2 now sports bigger intake and exhaust valves as well as a special coating on its pistons.

So, will the new i10 re-instate the glory of Hyundai??? Let time answer that… All the best Hyundai J

Source: Zigwheels

Etalkindia

BUZZ of the day: Tata Aria

Sometimes I wonder why automobile manufacturers are vigorously employing internet and viral marketing as their communication tool along with other platforms. In the recent past a lot of Auto companies done something similar, like-

•       The most popular of all – Xylo. Mahindra had always been a fore-runner in using World Wide Web. Even the launch of Scorpio was said to be one of the best online launches in Indian Automotive History. And they bettered with Xylo; it had created an immense impact and curiosity among customers and gathered millions of clicks on its website. XYLO had also generated tremendous interest among bloggers and auto enthusiasts in the online world.
•       Recently Bajaj also tried capturing online audiences with the ads of the launch of their new website mypulsar.com which is one of its kind Experiential Website. It is India's first website that completely shot in video. The website is uniquely designed in 3D video version that takes the visitor’s virtual experience of the brand to the next level. The website brings unique experience to users by using the latest in video and web technology.
•       In international scene, 2 wonderful examples for similar creative ideas would be:

o   http://www.a-to-s.co.uk/home.php - This interactive website by Mercedes is a gem. It will strike you with awe. You will explore the endless possibilities of using Internet to connect and interact!!!

o   http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Vehicles/2010/M/MExplore.aspx#Technology – This state of art website by BMW will literally place you on a racing track and explain how the technologies in a M-series car work.

A lot of similar happenings are reality with these day automobile manufacturers. So Tata Motors thought why not do something similar with Aria. And this led to the birth of www.buildadreamcar.com This is not just yet another ordinary website. But is an interactive platform where the participants will be asked to enter a contest and then be provided tools to assemble a car right from its engine and chassis interiors and then the whole car.

Aria is gonna launch in less than a month. The new interactive site is to create some excitement ahead of the launch of the car. The new website has been intuitively designed to let people know about the advantages and features of the components of the Aria while building the car. This will not only create interest, but will make people more familiar with the USPs of the Aria.

Aria would be India’s first cross-over car and is seeded to be Tata’s big ticket entry into the luxury segment. It is even speculated that Jaguar engineers have worked on the interiors of Aria. The Aria will be powered by a 2.2-litre DICOR diesel engine goof for 140bhp of peak power at 4000rpm and 320Nm of peak torque at a low 1500rpm. Expect the new AWD crossover to cost upwards of Rs. 12 lakh.
Source: Motoroids
letmeget.com

Volkswagen or Voicewagen ???

Today morning was full of surprises for Times of India readers in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Pune. It wasn’t due to any shocking news but a well thought and deliberated advertisement!!! And whats the return of this huge marketing spend and hoopla? I say it’s getting noticed and for good. Indians have a conservative mindset and are reluctant to try anything that’s new or un-tested. This made Volkswagen adapt a wide-spread marketing blitz right from its entry into the Indian market.

With its intention of making deeper inroads in the Indian Automobile segment VW had launched a similar print campaign last November where all editions of Times of India and Economic Times had close to 16,000 square centimeters of print space. The basic offset was to familiarize Indians with the 70-year-old European car maker. This was the time where they had only 4 up-market cars in their kitty – Jetta, Passat, Beetle and Touraeg. This made VW establish itself as a premium brand and it later helped to leverage on this communication during their launch of Polo.

So, what was so special about today’s advertisement?  VW has notched up a global first of sorts by carrying “talking advertisement”. Similar ad was also displayed on yesterdays Hindu edition.

The opening page of the wraparound carries this announcement:

“The Times of India and Volkswagen have created four pages of content as part of a special media innovation. Don’t miss reading and listening to this ‘speaking newspaper’.”

On the last page of the wraparound is a full-page Volkswagen ad for its new model Vento.

As the page is opened a light-sensitive speaker—yes, a light-sensitive speaker— weighing no more than a mere 10-15 grams and stuck on the extreme left panel in the advertisement (above), belts out the line in a loop:

“Best in class German engineering is here. The new Volkswagen Vento. Built with great care and highly innovative features. Perhaps that’s why it breaks the hearts of our engineers to watch it drive away.

“The new Volkswagen Vento.  Crafted with so much passion, it’s hard to let it go.

“Volkswagen. Das Auto.”

The same Volkswagen ad runs in other papers without the audio.

So, what say?? Was this blitzkrieg worth doing?? I believe, YES. This is the time when manufacturers need to differentiate and innovate in their communication. And what better time for VW when they already have 2 of their number-crunching models – Polo and Vento at showrooms!!!

Way to go VW J


source

Skoda Yeti : A new breed of Compact SUV

Skoda Auto is all set to enter the first of its kind "Compact-SUV" segment with its Yeti. As the name suggests Yeti is something novel in its category, all set to revolutionize a new category by itself. Last year we saw the sudden upsurge of high-end SUV's such as Fortuner, Captiva. Be ready to witness the beginning of the so called compactness within the SUV segment. Skoda Auto is fully confident on its product as its cater to both city and off-road conditions. This part of the market was dominated by the likes of Scorpio for the value conscious customers, but the real competition would start now. Even Mitsubishi is planning to bring its Mini Outlander (also known as the RVR). 

This segment was first exploited by our very own Indian company Premier Motors by its product Rio. This phenomena of Urban Crossover concept is catching well within the automobile manufacturers and I'm sure that we gonna see a slew of similar launches within the next year.


As per the reviews, Skoda's Yeti seems to be a promising new car:    

Wishing it all the best!!!