Mahindra launch limited edition Logan called Edge

Mahindra have come up with a special edition/variant of the Logan called the edge to cater to higher segment of customers[ironical considering the Logan is supposed to be the cheap people's car after all].

Not very sure what's new in this special edition but according to ET there would be a new music system and a marginally improved interior trim.Right now I am unable to confirm but I read from the internet that Mahindra have added ABS and Parking sensors in the limited edition Logan[edge].

The Logan Edge is priced between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7.15 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

This comes on the back of renault India cutting sales targets of the logan to a down to earth figure[25,000-30,000] from the earlier target of selling 50,000 logans in India in 2008.So far for half the year they have not been on course and the sales are a dismal 12,700 units for the first six months of the year. Mahindra plan to counter this lack of demand in the domestic market by exporting the logan to other emerging markets.

Remember the Logan in India is due for a facelift soon.

[source:The Wall Street Journal]
[Image source: ecofin.files.wordpress.com]

Facelifted Logan now officially unveiled

Dacia have now officially unveiled the all new facelifted logan[it is called the new Logan].Thanks to the spy pictures from the production lines there is no real suprise in store.

Please read:
Logan to get a Facelift soon

The amount of chrome used makes me wonder if Mahindra had a word or two with the design engineers.The interiors too have been touched upon to give it more of a modern look.Not sure when this facelifted logan will make it to India but yes it will make it to the indian markets in the near future alright.

The facelifted Logan may finally have the ABS option which is missing presently hopefully Mahindra renault adds an airbag for the front passenger's safety too.

[source:Autoblog.com]

Renaults answer to the Honda city

Renault plan to launch a new c-segment car but his time unlike the claims this car is actually a proper c-segmenter capable of taking on the likes of the Honda city,Toyota vios and the Maruti SX4.lengthwise it should be approximately 4.6 meters.

This car seems to have the same front grille as the facelifted logan and since it is just an extension of the same platform there will be much more in common between the two cars.Renault definitely could have added a few radical french design touched to the car.

Although this new model would be launched by early next year[2009] in Europe,I am not sure about the Indian launch although I do have a hunch that renault will definitely consider this car for markets like India as well.

[source:Worldcarfans]

Logan to get a Facelift soon

A facelifted model of the Logan has been spotted in Europe.This new Logan sports a lot more chrome and ask Mahindra how much we Indians love Chrome.


Its just a matter of time before get the new facelifted Logan.Will this facelift revive interest and sales,well lets hope so.



There seem to be slight alterations in the interiors as well.

[Spource:worldcarfans via loganclub.ro]

Mahindra Renault Logan- An owners Perspective

Here's what a Logan owner has to say about his Logan:

1. How I bought my new Mahindra Renault Logan - space, value for Money- Review
2. Why Mahindra Logan, Renault Logan, Dacia Logan?
3. Mahindra Logan - Usability Explored
4. Is your Mahindra Logan in safe hands - After sales, What service
5. Mahindra Logan - Look out for the new version
6. Mahindra Renault Logan free service - unveiled
7. The Devil in my Mahindra Renault Logan
8. Tested on animals - Mahindra Renault Logan[the secret behind those mileage runs]
   

Mahindra to Introduce Special edition of the Logan

Flagging sales have meant Mahindra Renault have to look at new means at attracting customers towards the Logan.Mahindra-Renault now shall do a Tata[remember the Indigo XL] and come up with a special edition/variant of the Logan[not sure what this variant would be called] to cater to higher segments[ironical considering the Logan is supposed to be the cheap people's car after all].However unlike the Indigo XL this is not expected to be long wheelbase version of the Logan.The special edition is expected somewhere by July 2008.

Not very sure what would be in this special edition but according to ET all that would be special would be new music system,a slightly better interior trim.Now hopefully Mahindra do take inspiration from the scorpio M-hawk and throw in a few of the features presently available in the scorpio m-hawk for the Logan.

As it stands Logan sales are not very encouraging and after the introduction of the Maruti Dzire as was expected customers have switched to the Maruti camp.Right from the beginning have always felt the Logan was completely out of place and its high initial pricing just did not help.


[Source:Economic Times]
[Image source: ecofin.files.wordpress.com]

Renault to develop 4 new variants of the Logan

Although at present we only have the sedan version of the Logan here in India.Renault sells five versions of the Logan globally which includes a sedan[sold here],station wagon, car-derived van, pickup and a hatchback version[called the sandero and which is likely to make it to the Indian markets].

Renault now has plans for four more new variants of the Logan one of them is an SUV for sure.What the other three are I am not sure but they should be seen on the roads by 2012 according to head of purchasing at Renault ,Odile Desforges.

How many of these actually make it to the Indian markets is unknown but we an surely expect a few of these variants to actually make it to the Indian market.

[source:the autochannel]

Renault to launch the Sandero in India by 2009

Come 2009 and we will get the hatchback based on the Logan platform in India.However what is interesting is this time renault is talking high-end unlike economy and cheap like in the case of the Logan.The sandero is expected to take on the likes of the Honda jazz and the Skoda fabia.

Basically this car is the Logan without the boot and it would be interesting to see if people are willing to pay more money for this than the sedan version[logan].The initial pricing strategy of the logan in India was a blunder and hope renault don't repeat that mistake with the sandero.Also Renault should note that by 2009 we would have global cars meant for the developed world and selling cars meant for the third world with a premium tag may just not work.

Interestingly renault plans to sell the logan mcv in India too which would mean that the entire logan platform would be available in India.

[image source:worldcarfans]

[source:NDTV]

The new Renault Logan SUV

Remember apart from selling the Logan in India Mahindra also have an agreement to sell a seven seater in India with renault.Till now it was thought that this would be the renault steppe MCV, but its price tag may be too steep and it could even be in Scorpio category which would be nothing but disaster.


Now worldcarfans have caught a test vehicle from Renault which they believe is the SUV version of the Renault Logan.The sedan clearly is a test mule for a much bigger vehicle.If priced right this could really have the potential to do much better than the Logan sedan even.Now don't know if this is the mass market small SUV that Mahindra has promised us within the next two years.Here's an artists impression of the new SUV.



Ofcourse another possibility is that we may just get a whole new Renault Logan a bigger one at that.

For the spy pictures please visit the link:
Here

[Source:Worldcarfans]

Renault's Indian Flopshow - The Logan

Yes now even renault admit that they are going nowhere with the Logan.Remember apart from the auto journalists a whole bunch of car lovers were very critical of the logan and its pricing strategy initially,where it was way too overpriced to be called a cheap car.It was a cheap car[not in terms of price] pretending to be an alternative to the Honda City.

After all the hype about it being a cheap car,the Tata Indigo was available at a much cheaper price.People certainly did not appreciate that which forced quite a few price-cuts for the company.Why the intermediate diesel variant was left out during launch is a complete mystery,the answer which I would surely like to know from renault.Also things like a lack of release for the boot from the inside,funny placement of the power window switches where not exactly designed keeping in mind the customer.Also Renault underestimated India and thought they could get away with a third world car here.

The official excuse from renault is:
"The sales target had been trimmed in line with the economic slowdown of the mid-sized car segment, where Renault's Logan sedan competes".

My prayers have been answered and Indian buyers have taught manufacturers a lesson.Manufacturers now know that just because it is a diesel and has a boot it will not sell.Expectations of the Indian buyer has now risen.

[Source:Reuters]

[Image source: ecofin.files.wordpress.com]

Maruti all set to kill the SX4

Update:
Opinion changed,Read the Maruti Dzire review first.

Economictimes has put up further details of the swift sedan and Maruti is all set to storm the markets with the swift sedan,especially the diesel variant.The most interesting fact is that the swift sedan is projected to have a base price less than the Mahindra Logan as well as the Tata Indigo dicor[common rail].The diesel car[starting price] would be priced between 5.2 lakhs and 5.4 lakhs while the petrol[starting price] would be under 5 lakhs.

Another interesting observation is that yes there would be a ZDi version[i.e. a version offering ABS+airbags,climate control,integrated music system[most probably with steering based controls as well],alloy wheels and all the other stuff available on the Maruti SX4.There would be two engine variants a 1.3L petrol version and the multijet 1.3L diesel.

This brings to mind a very important question ,why go ahead with the Maruti sx4 instead of the swift sedan ? What is that one big thing which would differentiate the Swift Sedan[dzire] and the SX4 .The swift sedan diesel is more than adequate on the power front while being much more frugal when it comes to your fuel bills.The initial cost too is less and the most important part is that because the swift and the SX4 share so much it would not be so different from inside both the cabins.Yes you say space but trust me you could sacrifice that easily,as it is not an enormous difference.I don't know how the swift sedan will be to drive but something tells me city folks would appreciate the dzire more than the SX4.Even the best marketing guy will have a tough time keeping a customer away from the swift sedan and instead sell him an SX4.For the "Aam Aadmi" after all why pay such a hefty premium for the SX4 when there is little to choose between the two and in all possibility the interior of both the cars would be identical.

I am sorry to say but Maruti is all set to shoot itself in the foot for the greed for additional customers.The swift sedan will undoubtedly kill brand SX4 and the success Maruti did achieve with selling a premium[better put as expensive] car.Future customers of premium cars of Maruti are certainly not getting any positive signals.The SX4 is all set to go the Baleno way,the countdown has begun.

[Image source:Yahoo autos]

Also read:
Maruti to launch Swift sedan on March 6th 2008[Edit:Now 26th March]

Review of the Maruti Dzire.

Tata Indigo CS not for the beauty conscious

I was able to spot two Indigo CS which where being tested by Tata and if people called the Indigo boot odd don't know what they would say about the Indigo CS.This car would not score very high in the looks department,pictures do not tell the whole story you should see this car in person.Not surprisingly,its the rear section of the car which you don't want to look at.

However expect the Indigo CS to give better mileage[FE] than the Indigo[full sized] and that is after what will matter the most in this segment.What is commendable is that we get a sedan for under Rs. 4 lakhs and it has very good bootspace although looks suggest otherwise.The Indigo CS is the smallest sedan in the world and driving and parking it would not be very different from its brother the Indica[a hatchback].This car in all probability would be cheaper than the third generation Indica expected soon on the roads and it would be interesting to see which of the two people would prefer.As far as the Logan is concerned Tata is really going for the kill,I am just wondering how Mahindra Renault would respond.

Another car which I saw under test was the good old Tata safari,now was it a test mule for something else or an export model I have no idea but visually there were no changes on this test vehicle.

Mahindra launch LPG variant of the Logan along with another delux version

Here's another option for people not so interested in the diesel engines on offer,Mahindra Renault have launched an LPG variant of the Logan called the Logan emerald for an addtional cost of Rs.35,000-40,000.BUt then with such a premium don't you get the diesel engines which would still be the preferred choice considering the fact that automotive LPG has not yet caught up in a big way in India

Heres the details:

Logan Emerald:
The Logan Emerald is equipped with an LPG kit developed in technical collaboration with Renault engineering and Landi Renzo. At present, the kit is undergoing evaluation tests and Mahindra Renault hopes to introduce it in the second quarter of this calendar year. The price of the kit will be approx. Rs. 35,000 – Rs. 45,000 with a tank capacity of 42 litres.
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Mahindra Renault have also taken a hint from Tata and gone in for a fully accessorised mode[ like the Indigo XL,however in this case there is no extra legroom].I guess you are better off getting this done at an after-mart accessory store on your own,would be cheaper and a whole lot better after all it would be according to your taste.Details below:

The Fully Loaded Accessorized Logan

The sophisticated Purple tones and brand new interiors and exteriors of the Fully Loaded Accessorized Logan add a touch of royalty and style to the car. The vehicle’s 14 inch alloy wheels enhance its overall appeal while original mud flaps not only keep the exteriors clean but also add a stylish edge. The sleek chrome muffler cutter is not just a visual treat but also prevents corrosion of the exhaust pipe. The special ‘park master’ parking sensor beeps to tell you how close you are to an obstacle.

Special grain leather upholstery gives the interiors a rich look and feel, while the wood finish centre console adds a touch of class. The Fully Loaded Accessorized Logan also boasts of a complete entertainment system, consisting of a 45 x 4 watt music system which plays CDs and is MP3 compatible. You can also use the Bluetooth facility and the ipod interface. The unique thermo cooler and warmer allows you to store food and beverages at the temperature of your choice.

Source:Moneycontrol.com

Tata reveal all new Sumo and the Compact Indigo at the Auto Expo

Tata have revealed an all new sumo [based on the new tata xenon , pickup truck from tata].The new vehicle is a mix of an Muv and an Suv and looks definitely to be an improvement over its predecesor.Tata says there is a big difference in ride and handling,while the sumo would be powered by a 2.2L dicor engine[specs awaited].Will post the pics of the sumo as soon as I get my hands on it but for the moment can say it has a touch of the Mitsubishi Montero to it.The wheelbase of the Sumo grande has increased to 2550mm as compared to 2400mm of the Sumo victa.The sumo would be available for sale next month onwards and is expected to be priced between Rs. 6.55 lakhs and 7.5lakhs.The new Sumo is called the Sumo Grande.

Unconfirmed yet but according to media reports,its the same 2.2L VTT dicor engine as on the safari for the sumo as well[if that's the case who needs the safari,the sumo being relatively smaller than the safari may seem more powerful and may even be fun to drive].Toyota[innova] and Chevrolet[Tavera] really need to get in better engines,the competitors have all raised the bar.

Tata also revealed a compact version of the Indigo with minor changes which have made the car eligible for the 8% excise duty rebate.This means this version called the Indigo CS would be a cheaper option for consumers who are looking at a sedan but can't afford the present Indigo.The car will have a 1.2Lpetrol engine as well as a 1.4L diesel engine option.Further details awiated.

Image from worldcarfans

Press release from Tata Motors:

Indigo CS (Compact Sedan): The world’s first sub four-metre sedan, the Tata Indigo CS is positioned as the first car for young professionals. It carries forward the cabin seating comfort and space package, that is now closely associated with the Indigo range and a capacious 400 litre boot. Clever and efficient design has made it possible to encapsulate this entire package within the four metre length, making this car a complete package to address the combined demands of space and manoeuvrability in our congested cities. The Indigo CS sports a stylish new tail light cluster in the rear embedded in a smart new rear profile completed with a new, trimmer rear bumper. The front of the car has also been visually differentiated with a new front grille and new headlamps.

The new car is available in both petrol and diesel variants. The petrol variant is equipped with a multi-point fuel injection engine powered by a 32bit microprocessor and churns out a maximum power of 65PS @ 5200 rpm. The diesel variant comes with the turbo-charged intercooled engine that generates 70PS @ 4500 rpm. The petrol variants will have beige interiors, while the diesel variants will have black interiors. The Indigo CS will be available in two trim levels – a basic AC model & an AC, power steering model. It will be made available in an exciting new Scarlet Red colour, apart from the existing range of Indigo shades. Priced attractively, the car goes on sale mid-January 2008.
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Sumo Grande: The new Sumo Grande combines the looks of an SUV with the comforts of a family car. It has been specifically designed to satisfy the needs of city customers in the areas of driveability, manoeuvrability and fuel efficiency. The Sumo Grande sports an all new styling with clean chiselled looks mating with flowing contours. The tall aggressive stance is complimented by large clear headlamps, and a cutaway air dam in the front. The clean rear look, with the spare wheel tucked under the body, is accentuated by attractive tail lights and a chrome overlay.

Designed with a longer wheelbase of 2550 mm (existing 2400 mm), the Sumo Grande sports comfortable 3 row seating with best in class third row seats. Beige interiors are complimented by fire and stain resistant fabric upholstery. Dual HVAC with roof integrated louvers ensures personalised climate adjustment for the occupants in each row. Power steering, power windows, motorised ORVMs, height adjustable driver’s seat and a state of the art CD/MP3 music system further add to the comforts and convenience of a family traveling in the Sumo Grande. The vehicle is powered by the new generation 2.2 L direct injection common rail (DICOR) engine, fitted with a variable geometry turbocharger creating a perfect blend of performance and fuel efficiency. Maximum power and torque of 120 PS and 250 Nm, coupled with high torque levels over a wide RPM band enhance driveability in stop start city traffic. For a vehicle its size, the Sumo Grande is extremely manoeuvrable with the turning circle radius of 5.25 m, similar to a small car.

The Sumo Grande will be available in 3 variants – Lx, Ex and Gx -- all of which have two seating configurations – 6+1 and 7+1. The vehicle will be available in 7 colours, including 4 new shades, Sunset Orange, Zephyr Green, Mineral Red and Marine Blue. The Sumo Grande range is priced in the range of Rs.6.55 lakhs to Rs.7.49 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). It comes with an enhanced warranty of 2 years or 75000 kms. (whichever is earlier). An additional 2 years’ warranty can be availed through the extended warranty option. The vehicle will be available in showrooms across the country from the first week of February 2008.

In the Aftermath of the Renault-Mahindra split should you buy the Logan

For quite some time we could see that the Renault-Mahindra JV was not exactly a happy marriage and there where differences in opinion,like for instance Mahindra did not agree with the one lakh car concept which Renault is interested in.The fact that the Logan did not really do well only added fuel to the fire.Then ofcourse Renault tied up with other manufacturers and in all probability could actually compete with Mahindra for Light commercial vehicles.Some believe Nissan may compete with Mahindra in the SUV/MUV space as well.

Predictably Mahindra pulled out of the JV but they say they would continue their co-operation with regards to the Logan.So should you go and buy the Logan.In my opinion no.The company itself seems so confused and don't know about the future prospects as to who would take care of the Logan customers.Which dealerships would cater to the Logan in future.The car itself in its first year is now depending on heavy discounting and ads so what would happen in a few years time.

However if you are the type who would change your car in the next few years but don't mind drop in resale value then you could consider the Logan.Also if you plan to use the car as a taxi then it could be the perfect vehicle with its high FE and low maintainance costs.If you are not one of these then its best to play it safe and look at the other options,one car business models for manufacturers has so far proven not to be a successful one.

Mahindra Logan now available with a Rs.35000-40000 Discount

When the Logan was launched most unbiased auto experts had pointed out the fact that for the Indian markets the Logan was overpriced.Mahindra wanted to fetch a premium on a cheap car so what was the end result.Apart from a month where Mahindra over enthusiastically claimed it as India's largest selling sedan the Logan has not really gone down well with the Indian consumers. Logan's failure could be one of the major reasons Mahindra kept away from the cheap hatch which renault planned to bring to India[Now bajaj will partner Renault for the same].

Mahindra also did not want the car to cater to the taxi segment according to their initial press release but now they are doing a complete U-turn and expect a major chunk of sales from the Taxi segment.The logan[diesel gives exceptional mileage,highway 21-22kmpl is what I heard last] and this is could attract the taxi segment and so also the low maintainance costs.Now to boost sales Mahindra are all set to offer a discount of about 35000-40000 on the Logan[must add that is a pretty high figure for a newly launched car].That means bad news for the earlier customers in terms of resale value.Also mostly likely this car could go the Indica way and be a tourist car favorite.

The Logan has important lessons for the Automobile manufacturers in India.The Indian buyer is getting more and more smarter,Don't think that we would just lap up cars for the third world anymore just because they are[rather appear to be] reasonably cheap.

As for the Logan after this discount the car now is within striking distance of the Tata Indigo[a place where it always should have been in the first place] now expect a boost in sales mostly at the cost of the Indigo but that joy may be short lived ones competitors launch new vehicles[includes Tata who plan a revamp of the Indigo as well]