Indian automotive aftermarket may touch Rs 75,000 crore by 2020

The domestic automotive aftermarket, which has grown at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14 per cent in the last five years, is expected to touch Rs 75,000 crore by 2020, a report said Monday.

by industry body CII named 'Transformation Shifts in Mobility and Impact on Aftermarket in India' said.

"Total aftermarket has grown at a CAGR of 14 per cent over the last five years. The vibrant automotive sector is driving the growth of the automotive aftermarket in India and is estimated to grow at Rs 75,000 crore by the fiscal year 2020," the CII said in its report.

The states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala together contribute more than 75 per cent of the total aftermarket potential, it added.

Noting that increasing vehicle ownership (new and used vehicles) in semi-urban and rural markets are driving demand for auto components, the report said the number of vehicles are expected to grow 6-7 per cent during the next year.

"This offers substantial opportunity for independent aftermarket service providers both existing and new entrants to grow," it added.

According to the report, India's move towards a unified tax regime and push for 'Make in India' offer opportunity to establish and strengthen the local presence.

In addition, relatively lower manufacturing costs make it possible to make the country an export hub for auto parts similar to the case in news cars, it said.

India is targeting the deployment of five to seven million electric vehicles in the country by 2020 under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020.

The NEMMP is targeting 400,000 passenger battery electric cars (BEVs) by 2020, which could lead to a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 120 million barrels of oil, the CII report stated.

CII also expects the new mobility solutions market to grow to around USD 2 trillion market by 2030.

Revenue from the taxi cluster alone is expected to exceed USD 1 trillion by 2030, the report said. 

2018 Hyundai Santro Clocks Over 38,500 Bookings

The AMT variants contribute 30 per cent to the overall sales while 18 per cent of the overall sales is attributed to the CNG variants.

The 2018 Hyundai Santro is turning out to be a volume driver for the Korean carmaker. Hyundai Motor India has announced to have received over 38,500 bookings and 211,000 enquiries for the all new Santro since its launch on October 23, 2018. We have already reported that waiting period for the new Santro at present is up to four months depending on the colour and variants. Hyundai has decided to ramp-up the production of the Santro and has increased the sales target to 10,000 units in November in a bid to bring down the waiting period.


Speaking about the booking numbers, Y K Koo- MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Limited said, "The all new Santro is a true expression of Hyundai brand in India. The modern stylish tall boy design, new age technology, comfortable and premium cabin, all around safety and performance of the all new Santro has won the aspirations of Indian customers making it a trendsetter product. We are overwhelmed with the positive customer response and strong appreciation of the all new Santro."

The new Hyundai Santro is equipped with an AMT gearbox which contributes 30 per cent to the sales and as we have reported earlier, Hyundai could also prioritize the production of the AMT variants. The company fitted CNG variants of the Hyundai Santro contributes 18 per cent to the sales.The AMT gearbox which the Hyundai Santro is equipped with has been designed in-house at Hyundai. The 2018 Hyundai Santro is powered by a 1.1-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine which develops 69 bhp at 5500 rpm and 99 Nm of peak torque at 4500 rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox as standard while the five-speed AMT is also available as an option.

The total cost of development of the 2018 Hyundai Santro is ₹ 700 crores and it's been developed on the new K1 Platform which as we reported earlier, will also underpin all the future sub-four meter Hyundai models. The new platform has made the Santro 63 per cent more rigid which according to Hyundai will in-turn aid it to meet the new crash test norms. However, as of now the Santro is equipped with just a driver side airbag and ABS with EBD as standard while dual airbags and speed warning system are available in the top two variants.

F1: Hamilton Wins As Alonso Finishes 11th In Season Finale Abu Dhabi GP

Lewis Hamilton took his 11th win of the season with the F1 Abu Dhabi GP, while McLaren's Fernando Alonso finished 11th in his final race in the sport.

It was a spectacular end to yet another season of the Formula 1 Championship with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton took this season's 11th win amidst much drama at the Yas Marina circuit, while Fernando Alonso completed the last race (for now) of his F1 career in 11th place, bringing an end to an illustrious career in the sport. The former world champion was also announced as the driver of the day after a fantastic drive. Finishing on the podium though behind Hamilton were Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who finished second 2.5s adrift, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished third, 12.7s behind the race leader.


The race started with a massive collision on the opening lap as Romain Grosjean and Nico Hulkenberg send the latter's Renault flying. While Nico was thankfully uninjured, the incident did end his race for the day. Hulkenberg turned in to the apex of the right-hander and hit Grosjean's front-left, which pushed the Renault into a barrel roll. The car came to stop when upside down against the outside barrier, but left Hulkenberg unhurt despite briefly catching fire. The trackside was quick to extract him and was rushed to the hospital and was declared unhurt. The virtual safety car was immediately deployed post the incident which lasted on the track for the next five laps with Hamilton in the lead.

At the restart, Hamilton was again in P1, pulling at least a second clear of teammate Valtteri Bottas. The top drivers had switched to supersofts at the time. The Briton ran the longest stint of any driver after pitting on Lap 7, a second clear of Vettel. The same lap saw Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari switch off on the final corner on the start-finish line, abruptly ending the Fin's final race with Scuderia Ferrari. Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas, Vettel and Ricciardo extended their stint on the ultrasofts, while Verstappen continued his run on the hypersofts.

Verstappen had received an early engine warning but overcame the issue thanks to a fail-safe, as he charged towards P3 passing Bottas and teammate Daniel Ricciardo, denying the latter a podium finish in what would be his last race with Red Bull Racing before switching to Renault in 2019. Pitting late, Bottas, who was second to Hamilton early in the race dropped heavily after facing some problems under hard braking. The first lock up on Lap 35 allowed Vettel to move past to second, while Ricciardo caught up a lap later. Mercedes pitted Bottas again but the fresh tyres didn't help the driver as he finished fifth behind the Red Bull. This season turned out to be a winless championship for Bottas.

Coming in sixth was Carlos Sainz in what was his last race with Renault so far, fetching an appreciable result in the bottom half of the top 10, while Racing Point Force India's Sergio Perez finished eighth, trying to defend P7 but eventually lost it to Charles Leclerc of Sauber. The final spots were taken by the Haas duo Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, who finished ninth and tenth respectively.

Alonso's final F1 appearance in the future saw the driver pick-up a five second penalty late in the race for a track limits offense. The penalty though did not affect his final standing. The Spaniard will continue with his other racing commitments though including IndyCar and Endurance Racing, as aims to bring the Triple crown home. In terms of retirements, Hulkenberg and Raikkonen were joined by Marcus Ericsson, Esteban Icon of Force India and Pierre Gasly. The latter two retired after finding smoke coming from their cars respectively, early in the race.

Mahindra Alturas G4 Launched In India; Prices Start At ₹ 26.95 Lakh

The all-new Mahindra Alturas is the company's flagship SUV and it has been launched at a price of Rs. 26.95 lakh. It is essentially the 4th generation model of the Ssangyong Rexton.

The all-new Mahindra Alturas G4 has been officially launched in India, at a starting price of ₹ 26.95 lakh (ex-showroom, India). Mahindra's new flagship SUV will be available in two variants - Alturas G4 2WD and Alturas G4 4WD, and latter is priced at ₹ 29.95 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Essentially, Alturas means pinnacle or height, which is quite an apt name for the new SUV considering the new Alturas G4 is the biggest and the most premium SUV to be launched by Mahindra yet. In India, the Mahindra Alturas G4 will rival the likes of the Ford Endeavour, Toyota Fortuner, Isuzu MU-X and even the Skoda Kodiaq.

The Alturas G4 is essentially a Mahindra badged version of the SsangYong G4 Rexton, and we first saw it at the Auto Expo 2018. Since it's the same SUV, the visual changes are quite minimal. In fact, the only mentionable difference is the new grille, which signature Mahindra look with bold vertical chrome slats and the brand logo at the centre of it. The Alturas G4 SUV features HID headlamps with integrated LED daytime running lamps, along with an aggressive front bumper which comes with a second set of LED DRLs which act as cornering lamps as well.

The Alturas G4 also comes with a set of 18-inch alloy wheels, ORVMs with integrates turn signal lights, and large roof rails. The rear section, on the other hand, features a set of wraparound LED taillamps, a roof-mounted spoiler with integrated brake lights, and the Alturas G4 has its name lettered just above the loading lip.

(The materials used inside the cabin of the Mahindra Alturas G4 are premium and feel good to touch)
As for the cabin, the Mahindra Alturas G4 comes with dual tone Nappa leather interior, leather finished door trims and soft-touch dashboard, LED cabin lights and a sunroof with anti-pinch function. The SUV also features a 7-inch fully-digital instrument cluster, an 8-way power adjustable driver seat, 3-zone climate control, electronic parking brakes and more. The SUV also features an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 3D view camera and rear parking assist, rain sensing wiper smart power tailgate and more. The Alturas also comes with 9 airbags, ABS + EBD, Electronic stability programme, ARP, HDC, HAS, BAS, and ESS.

Powering the SUV is a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder, BS-6 ready diesel engine that is tuned to belt out a maximum of 178 bhp at 4000 rpm, and develop a peak torque of 420 Nm at 1600-2600 rpm. The motor comes mated to a 7-speed automatic torque converter sourced from Mercedes-Benz, as standard and comes with optional 4-wheel drive as well. As of now, Mahindra doesn't have a petrol engine on offer.

Mahindra Alturas G4 vs Ford Endeavour vs Toyota Fortuner vs Isuzu MU-X vs Skoda Kodiaq: Spec Comparison

The all-new Mahindra Alturas G4 is set to go on sale in India this week, on November 24, and it'll be the company's new flagship SUV. The new SUV is essentially a rebadged version of the fourth-generation SsangYong G4 Rexton that will be sold in Indian as a Mahindra product. The Mahindra Alturas G4 will be the first full-size 7-seater SUV to come with the Mahindra badging, and in India, it will rival the likes of the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Skoda Kodiaq, and Isuzu MU-X. While we have already reviewed the SUV and were quite impressed, how does it fair against its rival? While we will be doing a comparison review, for now, here's where the new Mahindra Alturas G4 stand against its competitors, on paper.

Exterior and Dimensions

The new Mahindra Alturas G4 is surely a looker. Similar to other SUVs in this space, the Alturas G4 also comes with a massive stance, with butch proportions, and a lot of chrome elements among others. We see a similar theme on the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Skoda Kodiaq, and Isuzu MU-X. The five SUVs in this list come with either LED or Bi-LED headlamps with LED daytime running lamps, LED taillamps, and all come with the option of 18-inch alloy wheels.

In terms of dimensions, though the Ford Endeavour is the longest among all at 4892 mm, followed by the Alturas G4 at 4850 mm, the MU-X at 4835 mm, the Fortuner at 4795 mm, and at last the Kodiaq at 4697 mm. In terms of width and height though the Alturas G4 leas at 1960 mm and 1845 mm, respectively. The Kodiaq is 1882 mm in width and the shortest at 1676 mm. The Endeavour and MU-X both measure 1860 mm in width, while their height is clocked at 1837 mm and 1840 mm respectively. The Fortuner is the slimmest at 1855 mm and comes with a height of 1835 mm.

The Mahindra Alturas also happens to offer the longest wheelbase at 2865 mm, followed by the Endeavour at 2850 mm, the MU-X at 2845 mm, the Kodiaq at 2791 mm, and finally the Fortuner at 2745 mm. As for ground clearance, the Ford Endeavour has the most at 255 mm, while the Alturas G4 is right behind at 244 mm. The MU-X, Fortuner and Kodiaq follow at 220 mm, 215 mm and 188 mm, respectively.

Features and Interior

All SUVs come with a well-equipped cabin as well. The Mahindra Alturas G4 comes with dual tone Nappa leather interior, leather finished door trims and soft-touch dashboard, LED cabin lights and a fully-digital instrument cluster, power adjustable driver seat, 3-zone climate control, electronic parking brakes and more. The SUV also features an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 3D view camera and rear parking assist, rain sensing wiper smart power tailgate and more. The Alturas also comes with 9 airbags, ABS + EBD, Electronic stability programme, ARP, HDC, HAS, BAS, and ESS.

The Kodiaq comes with 12-way adjustable driver and front passenger power seats, memory function for driver's seat, and electrically adjustable lumbar support for the passenger seat. There is an 8-inch capacitive touchscreen system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ambient lighting, hands-free park-assist and more. On the safety front, the SUV gets 9 airbags as standard (first in its segment) along with a host of features such as ABS, ESP, traction control, all-round parking sensors, and reverse-parking camera. The Isuzu MU-X gets 3-spoke steering wheel looks a bit dated but it does come with mounted controls for music, telephony, and more. Other comfort features include climate control, aircon vents for all three rows, integrated 7-inch infotainment system, cruise control, centre locking with keyless entry feature and more. Isuzu MU-X just gets dual front airbags, ISOFIX mounts for the child seat, ABS with EBD, brake assist, electronic stability control (ESC), traction control system (TCS), hill start assist (HSA).

The Ford Endeavour comes with bucket-seat at the front, multi-information display, keyless entry, power windows with one touch and anti-pinch action and rear parking sensors. The new Ford Endeavour also gets voice control functionality on the steering wheel, rain sensing wiper, dual-zone AC-automatic climate control, cruise control, power folding 3rd-row seat, terrain management system, and more. On the safety front, it gets 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability programme, traction control system, hill launch and descent assist, and Ford MyKey among others. The Toyota Fortuner includes a touchscreen infotainment system with audio connectivity and navigation, ambient lighting, multi-function steering wheel with paddle shifters, automatic climate control, electric tailgate and a whole lot more. The SUV continues to offer three-row seating with the second and third row foldable, to make way improved cargo space. Safety features are also similar to the other two with offerings like - airbags, ABS, rear parking sensor, rear parking camera, keyless entry and much more.

Engine and Transmission

The Mahindra Alturas gets 2.2-litre diesel engine which makes 178 bhp and 420 Nm making it the most powerful among all. The engine is paired with a 7-speed AT assisted by 4x4 (4x2 also available). The engine is euro-6 ready and there will be neither a petrol engine nor a manual transmission even as an option for now. The Skoda Kodiaq gets a 2.0-litre diesel engine that makes 148 bhp and 340 Nm of peak torque and comes mated with a 7-speed DSG gearbox only. Toyota Fortuner with a 2.8-litre diesel engine makes 174 bhp and is mated to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The Ford Endeavour gets two engine options - a 2.2-litre diesel and a 3.2-litre diesel mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 2.2-litre engine makes 158 bhp while the 3.2-litre engine makes almost 200 bhp.

BMW India Cars To Become More Expensive From January 2019

BMW India has announced a price increase of 4 per cent across its product range.

BMW India has announced to increase the prices across its model range by up to 4 per cent from January 2019. The rise in prices could be because of the cyclical revision which happens due to various macro-economic factors such as increase in the input cost, or increase in freight rates due to increase in fuel prices. However, BMW India has not cited any such reason. According to the information, the increase in prices is only limited to BMW and Mini cars which are sold through 44 BMW dealerships across India. The information did not mention anything about BMW Motorrad.

Speaking about the decision, Vikram Pawah, Chairman- BMW Group India said, "BMW India remains at the forefront of the luxury car market, offering 'Sheer Driving Pleasure' through its aspirational products and unmatched levels of customer centricity. From 1 January 2019, BMW India will increase the prices of its cars by up to 4%. BMW India will continue to present an extremely attractive value to its customers through pioneering products, best-in-class service experience and comprehensive financial solutions and offers from BMW India Financial Services."

The range of locally produced BMW cars in India include the BMW 3 Series, the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, the BMW 5 Series, the BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo, the BMW 7 Series, the BMW X1, the BMW X3, the BMW X5 and the MINI Countryman. BMW also sells the X6 SUV, the Z4 Convertible, the M2 Competition, the M3 Sedan, the M4 Coupe, the M5 Sedan, the X5 M SUV, the X6 M SUV and the i8 which are available in the country as completely built-up units (CBU).

Tags : BMW, BMW india, BMW cars in india, 

2019 - Tata Harrier Interior Teased Ahead Of Reveal Next Month

The Tata Harrier is the new compact SUV from the Indian auto giant and anticipation levels are high from the Hyundai Creta rival. While the production-spec Tata Harrier's exterior has been fully revealed in images, the automaker has now teased the interior of the SUV in a video. While revealing little about the cabin, the video does give a glimpse of what to expect from the upcoming offering. The new Tata Harrier is slated for a debut in December 2018, while the official launch is slated for January 2019.

The teaser of the new Tata Harrier showcases the dashboard. The video confirms a floating 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system similar to that of the concept and a dual-tone finish in grey and brown on the dashboard. The three-spoke multi-function steering wheel is likely to sport a new design over the ones that we've seen since the Zest. Expect the number of buttons to be minimal across the dashboard, barring the controls for the automatic climate control. The teaser also reveals chrome surrounds of the air-con vents.

The Tata Harrier's touchscreen infotainment system will be loaded with features including navigation, Bluetooth telephone, reverse camera display, MirrorLink, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and more. The system is likely to be sourced from Visteon, which also makes the infotainment systems for the Range Rover Velar. A Harman audio system will also make it to the Harrier.

Tata Motors has already revealed details on the powertrain for the Harrier. The compact SUV will be the new 2.0-litre four-cylinder, diesel engine sourced from FCA and has been badged as the Kryotec. The new motor also powers the Jeep Compass and churns out 140 bhp on the latter. The Harrier's power figures haven't been revealed yet and is likely to be revealed next month. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual, while an automatic version is likely to be introduced later.

Bookings for the Tata Harrier have already commenced across dealerships for a token amount of ₹ 30,000. Prices are expected to be extremely aggressive on the SUV starting at around ₹ 12-16 lakh (ex-showroom). Deliveries for the Harrier are expected to start around February next year.