Ford, VW, Nissan, Skoda, Audi, General Motors may give Auto Expo 2018 a miss

At least six automobile companies are likely to skip the biennial Auto Expo 2018, South Asia’s largest show, as they seek to cut costs amid weak sales.

Ford India Pvt. Ltd, Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd, Skoda India Pvt. Ltd, Audi India Pvt. Ltd, Nissan India Pvt. Ltd, Ducati India and General Motors India Pvt. Ltd (which is exiting India) have decided against participating in the show, at least one executive in each of the companies said, requesting anonymity.

Eicher Motors-controlled Royal Enfield, Bajaj Auto Ltd and Harley-Davidson India Ltd skipped the show in 2016 citing high participation cost and inadequate returns and have also decided against participating in next year’s event.

A Skoda India spokesperson confirmed that the company will not participate. Emails sent to the other companies did not elicit any response till press time.

The executives cited non-availability of India-specific models to showcase in the show and financial constraints as reasons for not participating.

“They have not been able to sell vehicles. All the money that they get from customers, half of that goes to the government in terms of taxes,” said a senior executive at a car maker who did not wish to be named.

In the four months ended 31 July, sales at Ford India grew 0.24% from a year earlier; GM India sales plunged 70%; and Nissan’s sales fell 7.15%. Skoda India’s sales grew 29% and Volkswagen grew by 3.84% from a low base. That compares with the 7.29% growth in the Indian passenger vehicle industry during the period.

“Auto Expo is not only about price that they pay for the space but also about construction, labour, imported materials and cars,” the industry executive cited earlier added.

While several companies are likely to skip the show, SAIC’s MG Motor unit, Peugeot and Kia Motors Co are likely to participate for the first time.

A spokesperson for Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the organizers of the Auto Expo, said that preparations are going on and it’s still receiving bookings.

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK : for detailed news.

Our breaking Meteorite news of November 2011

Suzuki Swift Sport technical specifications leaked

While last few weeks were all about whether the Suzuki Swift Sport is coming to India or not, today's marked for the technical details of the car. While Suzuki did drop teasers and unveil dates for the new Swift Sport, they conveniently skipped the power train details. Now a leaked scan of the brochure gives out all the information.2018 Suzuki Swift Sport gets body work as well as 17-inch blacked out alloys.

The 2018 Suzuki Swift Sport gets a tuned 1.4-litre turbo petrol Boosterjet motor that's good for 140PS/230Nm. The engine sends power to the front wheels through a 6-speed manual or automatic. While the manual Swift Sport is claimed to deliver 16.4kmpl fuel efficiency, the auto returns 16.2kmpl. Expect the Suzuki Swift Sport to also have a sub-10s acceleration number with a kerb weight less than 1,000kg. In comparison, the Fiat Abarth Punto weighs nearly 1,200kg and makes the same amount of power.

with thanks : yahoonews : LINK : for detailed report

A Ragpickers interview - It can be Life threatening !

Flipkart launches first private fashion label Divastri

BENGALURU: Flipkart has announced the launch of its first private label in the fashion category to tap into the demand for women's ethnic wear. With the launch of Divastri, the company is targeting unstitched garments category, typically served by long tail merchants in a bid to control quality and pricing in the segment. 

“We have some basic line of private label but Divastri will be our first brand in the fashion space,“ said Rishi Vasudev, VP of fashion (retail) at Flipkart. “We have selected over 20 sellers, some of whom double up as manufacturers to licence the brand and sell on the Flipkart fashion marketplace. We have started with a selection of 1,500 and will soon ramp it up to 2,500.“ 

According to Flipkart, fashion accounts for more than 60% of all units sold on the online platform.Of this, nearly half the units sold are in the ethnic wear and Indian contemporary wear category. 

Vasudev said the company will be introducing new labels in the coming months as part of the fashion vertical. The current line will meet quality standards with a uniform design story for its offerings, he said. The share of fashion in the company's gross merchandise value has remained stat .. 

Source : Economic Times : LINK  Pics source : DIVASTRI : LINK

Petrol powered Audi Q7 launched at Rs 67.76 lakh

MUMBAI: Audi on Monday announced the launch of the petrol powered Q7 40 TFSI quattro in India, starting at Rs 67.76 lakh (ex-showroom). Propelling the car is the 2.0-litre TFSI engine that powers multiple models from the fleet of the German carmaker - including the TT Coupe.

The inline-four motor churns out 252PS and 370Nm of torque, said to accelerate the car from standstill to 100kmph in 6.9 seconds. Audi also claims a lightning-fast power redistribution through quattro permanent all-wheel drive, and a top speed of 233kmph. The declared fuel efficiency of the Q7 petrol is 11.68kmpl which is approved by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). The SUV also gets segment first Audi Virtual Cockpit and a smart Audi Smartphone Interface.

Addressing the launch, Rahil Ansari, Head, Audi India, said, "This is the year of 'Audi Reloaded' for us. 'Audi Reloaded' just doesn't mean new products or new touch points but it signifies a nimbleness to tweak the strategy as per the market demand. We have taken a strategic decision to increase our petrol mix and started off the process with the launch of the Audi Q3 1.4 TFSI in March this year. We do have some other surprises planned for this year."

The car is already available in India with a 3.0 TDI engine which is no different from the new petrol version in the terms of design and functionality. The car continues to feature adaptive suspension along with the electromechanical power steering and shift paddles. Key highlights of the Q7 include a high-end infotainment system, four-zone automatic climate control, cruise control, auto park assist and eight airbags among the other features.

The car is also available in Premium Plus edition and the fully loaded Technology edition.

Source : TOI : LINK

iPhone 8, iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus to launch on September 12, Apple confirms launch event

Apple will dispatch the iPhone 8, said to be an uncommon commemoration release iPhone, on September 12 alongside the iPhone 7s and the iPhone 7s Plus. The organization has conveyed welcomes for a dispatch occasion that it is holding at Steve Jobs Theater inside its new grounds in Cupertino, California. At the occasion Apple is not just going to reveal the iPhone 8, which is probably going to have an interesting and never observed outline, yet in addition the refreshed iPhone 7s and the iPhone 7s Plus that will succeed the current iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus. In the meantime, the organization is additionally prone to demonstrate another Apple Watch, which will have bolster for cell network worked inside it.

Not at all like in the earlier years when Apple has energetically indicated in the occasion welcomes about the items that it would later disclose, for the September 12 occasion the welcome is basic. It has the bright Apple logo – yes, that half-chomped Apple – and a message saying “how about we meet at our place”. By our place Apple just means its new grounds that somewhat opened in April this year and by vivid Apple logo, the organization may be indicating at new hues for the iPhones.

However, regardless of whether Apple prods it or not, it is currently broadly realized that the organization will reveal another unique release telephone at the September 12 occasion. This will be the iPhone 8, and it will check the tenth commemoration of the iPhone, which was first presented in 2017. Given that the iPhone 8 will be costly (and extraordinary), Apple will likewise present the iPhone 7s and the iPhone 7s Plus for lesser mortals. These two telephones will be successor of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, separately.

iPhone 8 specs, elements and cost

While in the past the new iPhone was utilized to be a secretive item until its revealing, over the most recent few years the iPhone dispatches have dependably been gone before by genuinely exact breaks. This time too the new iPhone, which happens to be the iPhone 8, has seen what’s coming to its of breaks. All the best components about the telephone have been affirmed. Here is the thing that the gadget will presumably bring:

– The iPhone 8 is set to accompany a noteworthy update. There are gossipy tidbits that Apple is backpedaling to the immortal outline of the iPhone 4 for the iPhone 8. At the end of the day, the iPhone 8 is required to accompany the a plan that will have glass on the front (screen) and a glass cover on the back. The gadget will have a metal edge.

– One of the most huge parts of the iPhone 8 is that it won’t have the physical home catch. Rather it will accompany a virtual home catch under the glass cover on the screen. To the extent its unique finger impression sensor is concerned, that is apparently moving to the Apple logo on the back cover. In a way the plan appears to be like what Google Pixel telephones as of now have.

The iPhone 8 will probably accompany an OLED screen, which will be a noteworthy change for the iPhone. In spite of the fact that telephones like the Samsung Galaxy S are utilizing AMOLED boards since their earliest reference point in 2010, Apple has proceeded with the IPS LCD innovation. This time for its exceptional release, in any case, the organization is planning to move to the OLED board. The iPhone 8 configuration will perhaps guarantee that the screen will have thin bezels, like the greater part of the top of the line Android telephones. As of now, the unmistakable size of the screen is not known but rather it is required to be more than the 5.5-inch show that the iPhone 5 Plus employments.

– The iPhone 8 will accompany enhanced cameras. This is one territory where the iPhone is currently lingering behind. The sensor in the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus falls behind the picture sensor in the telephones like the Google Pixel and the Samsung Galaxy S8. Gossipy tidbits are that with the iPhone 8, Apple will settle this. The iPhone 8 will likewise have double camera setup like what is there in the iPhone 7 Plus. One of these cameras will utilize general focal point while the other one will have a zooming focal point to empower highlights like zoom photography and representation mode.

– The iPhone 8 will in all probability accompany 3D confront acknowledgment, which will be utilized to open the gadget.

On the front and back, the camera equipment in the iPhone 8 will likewise utilize equipment that will empower the utilization of the telephone as an enlarged reality gadget. In the iOS 11, Apple has effectively constructed help for expanded reality equipment.

– The iPhone 8 is probably going to have remote charging.

– The iPhone 8 will be controlled by iOS 11. It will doubtlessly utilize Apple A11 processor, which will be the cutting edge processor. The iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus utilize A10 processor. Additionally the iPhone 8 is relied upon to accompany 3GB RAM and no less than 32GB inward stockpiling.

– The iPhone 8 is relied upon to have a cost of around $1000. In India, the cost of the telephone could be near, or even above, Rs 1 lakh. Universally, the iPhone 8 is required to go at a bargain after September 23. In India, it will conceivably dispatch in October or early November.

Source : informalnews : LINK : for more details

Apple iPhone 8 : September 12 launch

Apple iPhone 8 launch will take place on September 12, 2017, and the company has officially sent out invites for the same. Apple’s event will take place at the Steve Jobs Theater, Cupertino which is a first for the company. The Steve Jobs Theater is in the new Apple Park campus in Cupertino, the one that looks like a giant spaceship.

For Apple, iPhone 8 marks the tenth anniversary of their best-selling device. The device will mark some major changes and sport new features. Here’s a look at the top five features to expect in the iPhone 8.

Apple iPhone 8 OLED bezel-less display

The big change in the iPhone 8 will be the display. Apple will ditch the LCD display we have seen till now in favour of a bezel-less less OLED one. According to various leaked images, iPhone 8 will have a 5.8-inch display, but thanks to the lack of the bezels on side and reduced ones on top and bottom, it will sport a more compact form factor. This could be closer to how the Galaxy S8 is with its own 5.8-inch Infinity Display.

But as a more recent report from Bloomberg indicated, the iPhone 8’s display won’t have dual-curved edges and will be flat. The full frontal display will be taller with rounder corners, according to the report. The report, which is based on images of the devices that the publication has seen, adds that with the iPhone 8 “the earpiece, facial recognition sensor, and selfie camera” are placed at the top of the screen in a cutout.

Apple iPhone 8 will get rid of the aluminium chassis and have a glass body.

Apple iPhone 8 Home Button is gone forever

With the full-frontal display, Apple will also get rid of the home button on the iPhone 8. The Bloomberg report has listed out how Apple has been testing a digital one, which will allow gestures like going to the multi-tasking screen, going to home screen etc.

According to the report, this software bar can be dragged “up to the middle of the screen to open the phone.” So how will users manage multi-tasking on the iPhone 8 given there is no home button? The report says it will be redesigned like a set of cards and the digital button can be used to switch to this mode.

Apple iPhone 8 no Touch ID, but there’s a facial recognition scanner 

Will they or won’t they? That’s the question around the future of the Touch ID scanner. Well-known Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo had earlier written in a note that Apple iPhone 8 won’t have a fingerprint scanner under the display. He said the technology has not yet improved to the point where it can be successfully implemented and added the Touch ID will be replaced by the 3D Face Recognition scanner on the front of the device.

Apple is instead opting for a facial recognition scanner, according to Kuo’s report. Later Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman also put out a detailed report saying Apple will adopt this solution to unlock iPhones.

Apple iPhone 8 wireless charging

Apple iPhone 8 will see the company finally adopt wireless charging for its devices. While some reports claimed Apple will get rid of the Lightning cable for Type-C USB, it doesn’t look like this will end up happening.

Recently a report on Japanese blog Macotakara claimed the iPhone 8’s wireless charging speeds will be slower than the current standard. It added the iPhone will use inductive charging at 7.5W, which is half the speed of the latest Qi 1.2 standards. The company will have a special iPhone 8 wireless charger. Apple is also expected to introduce fast charging to the iPhone 8. According to reports, even the iPhone 7s ,7s Plus will get fast charging capabilities.

Apple iPhone 8 Glass and steel design

We’ve seen several leaked images, reports indicate the iPhone 8 design will see a big change from the earlier iPhone 7, iPhone 6s series. The aluminium chassis we saw on the earlier phone is gone, and instead Apple is opting for a metal glass design. The front of the device is all glass, there’s a steel frame on the side, and glass on the back. Apple will adopt the glass and steel design previously seen on iPhone 4s, iPhone 4 for the iPhone 8. We’ll have to wait and see if iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus also end up with something similar.

with thanks : IndianExpress : LINK

Top 7 SUVs to be launched this festive season: Tata Nexon, Renault Captur, new Ford EcoSport and others

September is here and that means the festive season has started. Expect automakers coming up with countless special and limited edition models to lure customers. The increased number of cars during festive season is the major driving force of automaker's annual sales and hence most of them have something to offer.

Apart from that, there are new vehicles in the lineand facelift of existing models are also lined up. SUVs are one of the top selling segments in the country and there are many such vehicles ready to enter the market in the coming months.

with thanks : Yahoo News : LINK : for detailed news report.

Tata Nexon ready for launch in 2017

Tata Nexon - most likely to be launched in September 2017 - Dealers have already started the bookings - Price range expected 6 to 9 lakhs - will be a fierce competitor to all the top known brands in the market.