A simple human mind is more complex than anything an automobile company can build. Its needs and wants are far more intricate than the most technical of engine components.

So, when you have an opportunity such as an Auto Expo to showcase your innovation to the common man, what do you do?

From navigational devices that play your favourite movie to vehicles that run on Hydrogen, the 9th Auto Expo packed all the punch of technical wizardry.

Carmakers teamed up with component manufacturers to reveal a bevy of products and technology that left the common man dazed with awe. With global warming catching up fast, companies showcased their alternate fuel technologies with enthusiasm.

Honda, Mahindra & Mahindra, Skoda, Mitsubishi and a host of others displayed their expertise in green technology. Covering a wide range of advanced power train solutions, Mahindra displayed different platforms of driveable full hybrid vehicles, micro (start/ stop) hybrid vehicles, bio-fuel vehicles, an electric passenger vehicle, a hydrogen combustion engine vehicle and many recyclable materials and reusable technologies.

B100 and B20 bio-diesel vehicles on Scorpio and Bolero platforms were displayed at the show to illustrate Mahindra’s bio-diesel programme. Bio-diesel is derived from renewable plant sources, which can greatly improve energy security and conventional fuel depletion concerns.

M&M has also been successful in developing the first hydrogen-powered Alfa 3-wheeler vehicle. Not far behind is the FCX Concept, the second-generation Fuel-cell car from Honda, which pioneered the fuel cell technology.

A Fuel-cell vehicle is powered by an electric motor, running on electricity generated by a fuel-stack, which uses hydrogen as its energy source. The FCX Concept boasts a fuel cell system that delivers more power in less space, in a unique, low-floor fuel cell platform.

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t’s a next-generation sedan with a low centre of gravity and a full-sized cabin, offering the kind of driving pleasure and roomy interior previously unimaginable in a fuel cell vehicle.

The FCX Concept also features Honda’s advanced intelligent technologies that reduce driver burden and the spacious interior allows for extra large seats to maximise comfort.

Then in Mitsubishi’s cute i-MIEV you have an electric vehicle that can be charged (up to 80 per cent) in 30 minutes, using a special charging system, as well as charged overnight using household electricity outlet.

R Shantaram, MD, Hindustan Motors says, “For a vehicle of its class it outperforms even a gasoline vehicle.”

For low priced vehicles component manufacturers are gearing up to provide solutions. Bosch ‘Value Motronic’ is one example. In this new management platform for gasoline engines, intelligent software is the key to providing maximum functionality at minimum cost.

Also, SABIC Innovative Plastics (formerly GE Plastics) and Hyundai Motor Co presented the Hyundai QarmaQ, with around 30 different environmentally progressive technologies.

U Venkatakrishnan, automotive general manager at SABIC Innovative Plastics explains, “High grade plastics are the future of automobiles. Designers get greater expressive freedom to create complex 3D shapes that could not have been achieved with conventional production methods and materials such as metal and glass. Pedestrian safety can be achieved by using elastic fenders. In Europe people have begun adopting plastic as a substitute for metal and glass.”

But the hottest gizmos that hogged the limelight were navigators. Delphi’s palm-sized device Nav200 is preloaded with maps of various Indian cities. It comes with a 1 GB memory card, where you can store phone numbers, music and other data.

The monitor of the device shows the current location of the driver and the route to a particular place where he wants to reach. With the similar features, German major Blaupunkt and iRoute also showed their navigators.

And to provide a complete entertainment solution in cars Alpine will soon launch a system that will combine everything from navigation to music, movies, communication and even gaming.

Then there were alerts, which help the fleet operators to keep a track of their vehicles. Indian commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland displayed ‘Alert’ -- a GPS-based telematic device, which informs about the location, status, driving patterns. It can be connected to the phone and can send reports on vehicle’s whereabouts.

So, till now if you thought that auto expos were only about cars and bikes, it’s time to think again!

Global car makers have been enthused by the Nano to announce the launch of their own versions of Ratan Tata's dream car.

Nano, the Rs1-lakh wonder car from the house of Tatas may have to deal with a strong competitor on the roads two years later if Carl Ghosn, chief executive officer, of French carmaker Renault SA and its Japanese affiliate Nissan has his way.

Apart from Bajaj Auto, which has also unveiled the concept for its small car at the start of the Ninth Auto Expo in Delhi, costing $3,000, automakers like Hyundai are also planning small car offerings.

Significantly Ghosn said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that Renault and Nissan would launch a new car at the same price range as the Nano in India and that the model would go on sale within ''a year and a half'' of the scheduled launch of the Nanao in late 2008.
Renault SA and Nissan were earlier planning to roll out a $3,000 car but have now scaled down the targeted price and Ghosn said that the expected cost might be around $2,550 dollars or Rs1.2 lakh.

The target date for the launch of the cheap car from Renault Nissan can thus be expected to be around early 2010.
Renault and Mahindra manufacture and market the C segment Logan in India. The car, branded as Dacia Logan in Europe, is sold on the value-for-money platform in India priced between Rs4.5 lakh and Rs6.5 lakh for the top-end version.

Car sales in the developed markets like the US, Japan and Europe, are either falling or growing at less than 5 per cent per annum according to statistics from the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles, an international grouping of auto makers. Further the US market has started showing recessionary trends.

Against this the passenger car market in India has grown at an average of 14 per cent a year over the past three years.

For Renault SA to scale down the price of the new, low-cost, made-in-India car by $450 is almost compulsory since the future potential in small cars is enormous given the size of the two-wheeler market. About 7 million motorcycles are sold in India annually against one million cars and ten per cent of the motorcycles sell for more than Rs55,000.

That the Nano is likely to sell at no more than Rs1.15 lakh – Rs1.20 lakh, at least initially, and will give Tata Motors a huge prime-mover advantage in capturing the mindspace of a large number of consumers. Thus any carmaker wanting to occupy the small car slot had better not try breaching the Nano's price barrier to begin with.

By Ratan Tata's own admission Carlos Ghosn has been the only head of a global carmaker who has believed and backed Tata's efforts to build a Rs1-lakh car while others were publicly sceptical. Ghosn's confidence in being able to come out with a low-priced car to rival the Nano is not misplaced especially since the Renault Nissan car is likely to be made in India and is likely to employ the same methods used by Tata Motors to scale down the price of the Nano.

The low-cost manufacturing methods employed in India have already impressed the French carmaker enough to sign separate deals with Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, Ashok Leyland Ltd and Bajaj Auto for making small trucks and smaller cars.
Even Europe's fourth largest automaker, Germany's Volkswagen that owns brands like the Audi, Bentley, Buggati, Lamborghini, SEAT, Skoda and the Volkswagen range of commercial vehicles, and entered the Indian market late last year, is planning to launch a small car in India though not at a price to rival the Nano, would be technologically superior and priced attractively enough to attract a number of buyers.
According to Andreas Prinz, Volkswagen India's managing director for passenger cars, safety and quality are of prime concern at Volkswagen and hence the company does not intend to compete at the lower-end of this segment and is not looking to introduce a Rs 1-lakh car in India.

Volkswagen, which is targeting to attract a 10-per cent share of the Indian passenger car market by 2018, plans to expand the Indian auto market on the back of its proposed small car, the first of which will be rolled out in 2010, says Prinz.

Volkswagen's small car in India will be based on its mini-hatchback Polo. The company is developing a whole new range of engines for this car and is actively considering a 1-litre diesel / 1.2-litre petrol engine, and a sub-1.3 litre diesel engine for the new car.

Volkswagen is also in the process of setting up a dedicated small car manufacturing facility at Chakan Industrial Park near Pune at an investment of Rs2,400 crore, the largest German investment in India.

Carmakers like Japan's Toyota Motors and Korea's Hyundai are also planning small cars for emerging markets.

According to report from rating agency CRISIL, Nano's launch would end up expanding the Indian car market by 65 per cent as it will prompt other players to enter the mini car category over the next few years and entice a section of two-wheeler owners to upgrade to cars.

Volkswagen has signed a partnership agreement with the Bangalore-based PCH Group, making it the authorized dealer for Volkswagen in Bangalore. Volkswagen has also launched its Passat sedan in the city, which is priced at INR2.5 million, a Press Trust of India report has said.

PCH presently has an interim facility for Volkswagen at Ulsoor Road, under the name Elite Motors.

The agreement will have PCH investing approximately INR500 million to set up two showrooms for Volkswagen cars in India. The first showroom, offering 3S facilities spares, sales and service, will be based at Hosur Road and is likely to be inaugurated towards the end of 2008, company officials have said. Plans are on to open a car boutique by June 2008, which will provide Volkswagen offerings in India. Two additional showrooms are likely to be opened by Elite Motors by the end of 2008.

Andreas Prinz, managing director of Volkswagen Passenger cars at Volkswagen Group Sales India, said: "India is a key market, with Bangalore being one of the important markets. We are expecting higher sales in the future."

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), one of India's fastest growing automobile manufacturer and car exporter, is planning to come out with a "public car" for developing countries.

"We are planning to come out with a public car that is suitable for India as well as other eastern countries," H S Lheem, HMIL managing director, said.

Refusing to divulge further details, he said it usually takes three years to bring out a new car. The new vehicle in the small car segment will presumably be brought out to compete with the Nano, Tata Motors' "People's Car".

HMIL markets 34 variants of passenger cars across segments. The Santro in the B segment, Getz Prime, i10 in the B+ segment, the Accent and Verna in the C segment, the Elantra in the D segment, the Sonata Embera in the E segment, and the Tucson in the SUV segment.

Lheem was speaking to newspersons at the inauguration of a new dealership of the company here Friday.

The new dealership is spread across a built-up area of 2596 sq metres and provides facilities of sales, service and spares. The showroom will also have the used car showroom Hyundai

Just when you thought you were spoilt for choice, there is Tata’s Nano, the car for the common man. So what are the options before you — in case you’ve decided to sell your bike and go for a four-wheeler?

Tata’s Nano

When Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Motors, unveiled the people’s car ‘Nano’ in New Delhi, it took the global automobile industry by surprise.Nano has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head-room. It can comfortably accommodate four persons. With a length of 3.1 metres, width of 1.5 metres and height of 1.6 metres, Nano can effortlessly negotiate the roads in cities as well as in rural areas. Nano has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. The lean design helps maximise performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency (20 km/ltr). Nano comes in three variants. Standard and two deluxe models with AC. The standard one will cost Rs 1,00,000, excluding VAT and transportation cost. “The car has also gone through a full frontal crash test as per standard norms,” says a press release from Tata. “The Nano is eight per cent shorter than Maruti 800, the cheapest car on offer currently in India, on bumper to bumper length, but is 21 per cent more spacious,” claims Tata. The people’s car will be launched in India by the end of 2008.

Reva

Reva is a fully automatic, battery operated car. It can accommodate two adults and two children. The battery should be charged according to usage. The approximate charging time is three to six hours. Reva comes in four variants. Standard, AC, Classe and Reva I. The Standard version comes with low battery warning light, fuel gauge, folding rear seats, map pockets, adjustable headrest and special tubeless tyres. Reva AC has a separate electronic motor to control the air conditioning system so that it won’t affect the speed while the AC is on. Reva Classe comes with a pre-cooling AC system, which helps cool the interior of the car while charging or parking. The speed limit is 65 kmph. Reva-I, the most advanced version, gives speed efficiency of 80 kmph compared to its earlier versions. Reva-I has a hill-restraint feature that allows better negotiation on slopes and hair-pin curves. The starting price of Reva is Rs 3,45,000.

Maruti 800

Maruti 800 is still the cheapest and most user-friendly car available in India. The important aspect of this car is its mileage, which can go up to 17 km/ltr on city roads and above 20 on highways. There are two variants in this category: 800 MPI BS STD III and 800 MPI BS AC III. It has Bharat Stage III, a hi-tech 32 ECM ultra-refined engine. Collapsible steering columns, high mount stop lamp, clear lens headlamps and front grille are the extra features. The ex-showroom price of the standard version is Rs 1,94,434 (non-metallic) and the AC model is Rs 2,15,071. With an overall length of 3335 mm, Maruti 800 has 4.4m minimum turning radius. The ground clearance is 170 mm.

Maruti Alto

An improved version of Maruti 800, Alto does its job well. It has a fuel-efficient three-pot motor with a four-valve head. There are three variants. Standard, LX and LXI. The LXI version comes with power steering and AC. All models are equipped with an immobiliser. The price starts from Rs 2,32,000. The most important aspect of Alto is its mileage. Even with AC, it gives a mileage of above 15/litre on city roads.

Santro Xing

“The active intelligence technology empowers the engine to think and operate at its best under usage condition, delivering maximum power and mileage,” says a brochure from Hyundai. Santro Xing is equipped with larger ventilated front disc brakes, which assures effective braking. Another interesting aspect is its pick-up. The price starts from Rs 2,90,000 onwards.

Chevrolet Spark

What makes Chevrolet Spark different from other cars is its compact and stylish design. The specially designed headlights and taillamps add colour to its look. With a wheel base of 2345 mm, its turning radius is 4.6 m. There are four variants in this model — 1.0 E, 1.0, 1.0 PS, 1.0 LS and 1.0 LT. The interior is superb. “The advanced Smart-Tec Engine maximises power and torque at lower speeds, making the Spark ideal to commute in city roads as well as highways,” says a brochure from Chevrolet. Another aspect of this car is safety. No one can beat Chevrolet when it comes to strength. And it is similar in the case of Spark. Almost half of its body shell is made of high strength steel. The price starts from Rs 2,80,000.