Audi Thinking about Launching Its Small Luxury Car in India

“We have no plans to sell compact cars at least until 2010 as we first want to establish ourselves as a luxury brand. But things can change according to the market situation,”

 

This is what Mr. Martin Birkner, Vice President for Marketing of Audi India, said when asked about their current plans of introducing its bestselling small car A3 and upcoming A1 in India.

 

The A3, Audi’s entry level luxury car, is credited for creating an entirely new market segment for premium compact cars in Europe. They also claim that the upcoming super mini car A1, likely to be launched in 2009 or early 2010, is going to be highly economic with its hybrid powertrain. These two are considered the best fit for its strategy to expand its presence in developing markets.

 

Though according to Audi’s preliminary assessment of the Indian automotive market that it is still not ready for the small luxury cars, the company is willing to wait for the appropriate time to go ahead with the launch. They were thinking it would be around 2010, says a top company executive.

 

“In India there is no market for small expensive cars. We know that it will be growing. But now, it is a little early to launch such products,” said a source in Audi India.

 

But without the A3, Audi’s long-term India strategy will not be able to push through. The A3 contributed 2.31 lakh out of 9.64 lakh cars that the company sold globally last year. Though things look shaky, Audi remains confident that with the right timing, the small luxury cars will be able to make its mark in the Indian auto industry. Just last year, Audi sold 350 of its cars in India, and as of July of this year, the company was able to sell 595 of their models for 2008.

 

Even if their launch would be in India, auto parts retailers like Autopartswarehouse.com have voiced their continued support to Audi’s every endeavor.

 

Source: The Hindu Business Line

Want a Luxury Car? Get It for Less than $50,000 or Less!

 

The usual train of thought for consumers is this: Luxury car = Expensive.

 

But Autopartswarehouse.com discovered something that we all thought was impossible. Luxury cars at just $50,000 or under! Still can’t believe it? Here’s how they did it.

 

Using the data from Strategic Vision’s 2007 Total Value Awards, Forbes.com was able to find and compile this list. Only counting the cars that got the score of 700 out of a possible 1,000, the study measured the classes of cars including its reliability, warranty, strong anticipated resale value, durability, innovation, and dealership and ownership experience. Added to the study was the data from Vincentric, an automotive research firm, who provided maintenance costs, calculated over a five-year period. This narrowed down the list to those cars that has the lowest costs, which include oil changes, wheel alignments and replacement wiper blades, made the list. Finally, it was down to those cars that cost $50,000 or less, and among the many in the long list, these ten proved to be worthy of their top spots:

 

1. BMW 3 Series – $36,075
2. Lincoln MKX – $35,605
3. Audi A3 – $25,930
4. Volvo XC70 – $36,755
5. BMW Z4 Roadster – $37,175
6. Lexus IS 250 – $34,185
7. Saab 9-3 – $39,590
8. Acura TL – $33,725
9. Infiniti M35 – $43,050
10. Lexus RX400h – $41,280

 

The list was compiled to help those who are making their first or secondary luxury vehicle purchase. Majority of their targets customers include young professionals with high-paying jobs, those in high-income households, and empty nesters who are transitioning into a luxury vehicle.

 

“You are treating yourself with these vehicles,” says Stephanie Brinley, senior manager of product analysis at AutoPacific, a market research firm covering the auto industry. “It is reaching a level of maturity. You’ve reached a stage in your life where you want a little more luxury, and you can afford to purchase a vehicle with more amenities.”

 

Source: Forbes.com, MSNBC

The World’s First Full-Sized, Long-Range, All-Electric Luxury Sedan Finally Completed

A surprise was revealed last August 26 at the 2008 Democratic National Convention when the of Luxury Electric, one of America’s first electric car companies, announced the plans to take their prototype car, “The Electric,” on a record-setting transcontinental trip, the first for an electric luxury sedan.

Based in Las Vegas, Nev., the Luxury Electric Company has dedicated its company to bringing the first all-electric luxury vehicles to the American marketplace. Having gained an exclusive license for two rapid battery re-charge patents from the Georgia Tech Research Corporation, the company will demonstrate that same technology in Atlanta during the coast-to-coast drive.

“The new battery technology will allow full charges from any outlet in as little as 10 minutes,” said Luxury Electric founder and Nevada Democratic Party Delegate Elliott Small. “The cost of the electricity will work out to about $4 per 150 miles. Future motorists will be able to buy electricity from wind or solar power sources, resulting in a virtually zero emissions vehicle that performs as well as traditional autos.”

Small hopes that this demonstration will show that electric cars can perform as well, if not better, than its gas-powered counterparts. This also aims to reveal the practicality of electric vehicles not only for daily commuting but for delivering outstanding performance, range, comfort and durability as well.

Engineering VP of Luxury Electric, Bill Rowling, says that improvements were made to ensure that “The Electric” gets about 140 miles per charge.

Schedules as to when the historical event will occur has not been announced. Currently, the company is seeking sponsors to support the first transcontinental drive, and until then, Autopartswarehouse.com fans will have to keep waiting.

The company is currently taking orders thru their company site, with down payments placed in escrow to leverage funding opportunities and to encourage investment in developing this technology, critical to solving the global energy crisis.

Source: Market Watch

Mercedes G-class Gets Its Own Unique Fine Edition

The Mercedes G-class is the company’s SUV that’s known to be a popular vehicle in the military. And we’re not just talking about the United States alone. We’re talking about a number of countries worldwide who have taken a liking to this four-wheel drive vehicle. But since this vehicle has been stereotypically classed as a military vehicle, the people at Kicherer decided to push the envelope a bit and come up with their own take on this vehicle line. This gave birth to what they call the Mercedes G50 Fine Edition.

The Mercedes G50 Fine Edition is just one of the latest lines of vehicles that Kicherer, a German tuning company that’s known to tinker with Mercedes and Audi vehicles, came up with. This new version of the Mercedes G50 is equipped with a more powerful engine that’s capable of producing 296 to 370 hp and 390 ft-lbs of torque. It also comes with a new body kit that’s equipped with a stainless steel front grille and exhaust system. On top of these, Kicherer also installed a set of 18-inch alloy wheels and set of leather covered parts that includes the steering wheel, arm chairs, hand brake and sport buckets.

So if you’re thinking of fine-tuning that G-class you own, be prepared to fork up a sum of $34,356 or 23,205 euros. Now if you want to get the revamped SUV itself, you’ll need to shell out $136,724 or 92,344 euros. Just be warned that if you’re in the U.S., Mercedes doesn’t officially import vehicles there, so you’ll probably have to find a third party to help you ship the Mercedes G50 Fine Edition in case you decide to purchase one.

Sources: TopSpeed, Wikipedia

2010 Buick LaCrosse To Be Unveiled In November L.A. Auto Show

Being established by a big automotive company doesn’t always guarantee continuous success. That’s the problem being faced by Buick since it last peaked in 1984. Since the last time the brand enjoyed success has been more than two decades, Buick is hoping that its upcoming 2010 Buick LaCrosse will be able to shift the tide to its favor.

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse, which is set to be showcased at this year’s L.A. Auto Show has two things that will make it stand out among its predecessors. First, it’s going to be the first GM car in the U.S. that will carry its new global sedan platform. Second – although I’m not sure if it will work in its favor or not – is that the 2010 Buick LaCrosse will be the brand’s smallest sedan offering. While GM hasn’t announced the type of engine that this sedan will be using, reports have indicated that the company could be going for either a four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine that could be mixed up with turbochargers and direct injection. Spy shots have also shown that the new LaCrosse has taken inspiration from the Invicta concept.

Given the slump that the Buick brand has had, GM is hoping that this latest product will help the brand rise up from the ashes. If that doesn’t happen, don’t be surprised if GM decides to call it quits on this luxury brand.

Sources: Kicking Tires, AutoBlog, Jalopnik, Wikipedia

Luxury Cars Turn Green: Meet the Trident Iceni

Who would have thought that the words “luxury” and “eco-friendly” can go so well together?

Meet the Trident Iceni. Designed and manufactured by Phil Bevan, the Trident Iseni is a rear wheel drive empowered by a Duramax turbo diesel engine with 550 horsepower at 3800 rpm. Sourced from GM, the 6.6l V8 turbo diesel, located behind the centre line of the front axle, enables it to cover 2,000 miles on a full-fueled tank, zooming off to over 200 miles per hour. It can go from 0-60mph in less than 4 seconds and deliver up to 100mpg. What’s even better is that this green two-seater sports car can run on biodiesel without any invalidation of the warranty, making it one of the most eco-friendly sports cars around.

The secret behind their fantastic fuel economy is a technology called torque multiplication that can also be applied to all kinds of diesel cars. Torque multiplication decreases fuel consumption and reduces emissions by keeping a car’s rev range low. This is achieved by an 8-speed automatic inside the gearbox, enabling the car to make full use of its huge torque by keeping the engine operating within its peak performance band. And with its fully folded stainless steel chassis that not forms a complete safety cell around the occupants against front and side impact but also has a unique central spine rollover protection, it has been tested and proven to have the highest torsional rigidity (17000lb/ft per degree) of any car tested.

The body and chassis both have a life time guarantee against rust, corrosion and degrade and the boot has enough space for luggage and golf clubs. If you plan on buying a luxury car without causing damage to the environment, go ahead and grab one of the 500 Iceni that will be produced. The Trident Iceni sells for around £75,000 or $150,000 and comes with a two-year manufacturers warranty and service intervals are 1year/100,000 miles.

Parts for the Iceni will soon be made available thru local auto parts retailers like Autopartswarehouse.com.

Source: Trident, Conceptcarz.com

Test-Driven Audi R8 Takes A Dip In A Nearby Netherlands River

A luxury car is expensive. If it wasn’t, it wouldn’t have the word “luxury” attached next to it. That means that if you happen to own one, you need to make sure that it’s properly maintained and taken care off. Aside from maintaining its condition, you also have to ensure that nothing bad happens to it when you’re driving it. Unfortunately, this guy from the Netherlands forgot about that.

This 33-year old man took out an Audi R8 for a test drive when he –allegedly – hit a bump on the road, making him lose control of the car and causing him to crash in a nearby river. Of course, if he was driving at relatively low speeds, the worse that could’ve happened was the bump would’ve probably damaged the undercarriage of the vehicle. He also would’ve probably maintained control of his vehicle. But since he was going 80 mph (some say he even reached 125 mph) in a 50 mph zone, well, getting thrown into a river doesn’t come as a surprise.

While crashing your own luxury car is bad, having to crash one that you took out for a test drive is even worse. You not only have to pay for the car, you end up with having one that’s a total wreck and requires additional repairs.

Thankfully, the driver managed to survive the accident, even though the embarrassment of the whole incident will probably scar him for life. Hopefully, this serves as a lesson to us all that you should never crash a vehicle that isn’t yours, especially a very expensive luxury vehicle that just happens to be a new one.

Source: TopSpeed

Autopartswarehouse.com Congratulates Lexus as the Most Dependable Luxury Cars

When buying their first luxury car, people often don’t know which brand to choose from. They think that paying a premium guarantees dependability, but they are wrong. Sometimes it just leads to frustration. Unless you chose wisely and bought a Lexus.

According to the 2008 J.D Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) released early this month, Lexus topped other brands not only as the most dependable overall, but its models also dominate the list of the most dependable luxury cars.

The VDS is a study based on responses from more than 52,000 original owners that measures the problems experienced by original owners. This year, they measured the 2005 model-year vehicles in nine categories: ride, handling and braking; sound system; features and controls; seats; engine; transmission; heating, ventilation and cooling; and vehicle interior and exterior. It was conducted for four months starting January.

The luxury car market was separated into seven segments. Some segments, such as sporty cars, have as few as six vehicles, while others have more than 20.

In the study, the Lexus brand recorded the lowest number of reported problems at 120 per 100 vehicles, and is the second most desired brand among luxury buyers (Porsche ranked as No. 1). The only category where the Lexus did not rank first was in the compact premium sporty car category because this was the only segment that Lexus does not have a model (the Honda S2000 took the first spot instead).

“They listen to the voice of the customer, and they take it to heart.” says Neil Oddes, director of product research and analysis for J.D. Power and Associates. That’s the secret behind the wide variety of dependable cars they consistently produce. Lexus makes improvements in the design and manufacturing processes based on feedback consumers give in studies like the VDS.

The only other luxury brands that ranked better than the industry average of 206 problems per 100 vehicles were Acura, BMW, Lincoln, Jaguar, Porsche and Infiniti. As for the Cadillac, it fared well in the study in general, ranking 3^rd at the reported 151 problems per 100 vehicles.

“Lexus sets the benchmark for the industry,” says Oddes. “It is renowned for quality because they are driving the voice of the customer.”

Source: Forbes.com

For the Super Luxury Car, Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin Work Together

Hidden under the name Project Alligator is the collaboration work between Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin. Their goal? A Super Luxury Car.

Sounds impossible, but these two giants are really working together to make the luxury car of your dreams.

No one knows for sure what the two has got inside their sleeves as of yet, but everyone is just inching to know the outcome of such intriguing alliance. As we all know, Mercedes is popular for its AMG performance arm that makes some of the most potent V8 and V12 powerplants in the automotive world. Aston, on the other hand have always inevitably been powered by engines of such architecture and this would go down well with its intended objective of continuing the run of front-engined , rear wheel-drive sports cars and 2+2s. Just imagine seeing this in the showrooms in the future: looking slick in its Aston designed exterior and running on an AMG massaged direct injection V12 petrol engine mated to the ultra-modern and highly effective 8-speed automatic developed by Mercedes. Thinking alone makes it look impossible. But if anyone would do it, it would only be these two giants.

Which brings us to the question, what does the two get out of this arrangement? Quite a lot actually, especially with regards to the traditional craftsmanship with its rivals: its German competitors. Everyone, including Autopartswarehouse.com fans, just can’t wait until Benz and Aston confirms everything by revealing that most coveted luxury car they are working in their labs.

Source: The Economic Times

Lead Weights to Be Phased Out By 2009 in California

Chrysler puts an end to the use of factory-installed lead wheel weights in vehicles sold in California by July 31, 2009. A court settlement between the Oakland-based Center for Environmental Health, Chrysler and the three largest makers of lead wheel weights for the U.S. market, has been approved by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller.

Wheel-weight producer Plombco Inc. of Canada will end shipments of lead wheel weights to California by the end of this year. Producers Perfect Equipment Inc. and Hennessey Industries, both based in LaVergne, Tenn., will stop shipments to California by the end of 2009.

There had been no statement as to how this would affect auto parts retailers like Autopartswarehouse.com, but the companies are assuring that weights made of steel or zinc alloy will be used in place of lead. Those weights are larger and cost up to 30% more, Mark Aiken, vice president of sales for Plombco says. However, because wheel weights typically cost less than 50 cents each and there are generally only two per wheel, the higher cost shouldn’t have a big effect on consumers, he said.

The lawsuit filed last May stated that wheel weights falling off vehicles release 500,000 pounds of lead each year into the environment in California. They also end up in landfills, where the lead can leach into groundwater and poison the water supply.

Wheel weights made out of lead were used for decades since it is cheap and heavy, allowing mechanics to use relatively small weights when balancing tires. But lead has been proven to be a highly toxic metal that can cause brain damage and other nervous-system disorders, especially in young children. Lead poisoning had been a serious environmental issue for the past century and people have since then taken steps to analyze and ban products that contain lead.

Source: Los Angeles Times, Wikipedia