Glitz, glamour mark
Auto Expo Day 1
New Delhi: A host of launches and
unveiling of a series of models and concepts amid a dash of Bollywood glamour
marked the glitzy start of the auto extravaganza.
The 11th Auto Expo, which began
with Maruti Suzuki India unveiling its 'XA Alpha' concept SUV, also saw Tata
Group chief Ratan Tata making perhaps the first public appearance together with
his successor Cyrus P Mistry at the unveiling of Tata Motors' new vehicles.
While Bollywood superstar Amitabh
Bachchan was the main attraction at the launch of DC Design's Avanti sports
car, which is priced at Rs 30 lakh ex-showroom, actor Katrina Kaif got the
biggest cheers at the unveiling of Audi's Q3 SUV.
When it came to automobile
brands, BWM group's iconic Mini brand was the highlight of the day as the company
announced its India launch with prices going up to Rs 31.99 lakh.
India Yamaha Motor and Nissan
Motors India also had their respective brand ambassadors John Abraham and
Ranbir Kapoor unveil new products during the day, while Farhan Akhtar and Irfan
Khan were the main attractions at Mercedes Benz's unveiling of its A-Class
concept car.
While only a few auto-makers
launched new cars and two-wheelers, many showcased new concepts and
to-be-launched models.
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter
India announced a Rs 1,000 crore investment for capacity expansion in the next
3-4 years, while Mahindra & Mahindra said it is investing Rs 800 crore over
the next 3-4 years to develop a joint platform for two products with Korean
subsidiary SsangYong Motor.
On a day where there was more
showcasing of concepts than the launch of production models, the country's
second-largest car-maker Hyundai used the opportunity for the global premiere
of a new concept multi-purpose vehicle 'Hexa Space', which it intends to launch
in the next three to four years, and also showcased a new version of the
Sonata, to be launched in India by February-end.
While Tata Motors displayed four
concept cars equipped with alternate fuel technology under the brands Tata Nano
CNG, Indigo Manza diesel-electric hybrid, Tata Starbus Fuel Cell and Tata
Indica Magic Iris CNG, Ford Motor displayed its compact EcoSport SUV in India
for the first time.
Premium car manufacturer
Mercedes-Benz, on the other hard-launched its luxury M-Class SUV, priced at Rs
58-60 lakh, along with a powerful open-top vehicle, SLS AMG Roadster, with a
price tag of about Rs 3 crore.
It also showcased the future of
automobiles with its A-Class concept and fuel cell technologies.
German auto major Volkswagen also
unveiled a concept car and the latest version of the iconic Beetle.