<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/57855922.cms" />Japanese auto major <keyword id="46283" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nissan">Nissan</keyword> has launched an all new version of its <keyword id="2044634" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="SUV-Terrano">SUV Terrano</keyword>, priced between Rs 9.99 lakh and Rs 13.6 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). 
 A hybrid version of its top end <keyword id="4342792" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="SUV-XTrail">SUV XTrail</keyword> will also be launched by the end of this year, in a bid to enhance Nissan’s portfolio in the fast <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/india-is-becoming-a-hot-auto-market-toyota-volkswagen-hyundai-etc-are-looking-to-zoom-operations/articleshow/57645449.cms">growing Indian SUV market</a>. Also, Nissan’s sports hatchback and executive sedans segment in India would get to see <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Nissan-will-launch-8-new-cars-in-India-by-2021/articleshow/54716863.cms">eight new vehicles</a> by 2021. 
 
"We have interesting products lined up for India as per our plans announced earlier. This year apart from the new Terrano we will have the hybrid XTrail by the end of 2017," said Nissan India Operations President Guillaume Sicard. 
 
He added that the hybrid XTrail will be launched in very few countries, with India being one of them. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/nissan-makes-one-of-the-worlds-best-engines-but-its-days-could-be-numbered/articleshow/57723668.cms">Nissan makes one of the world's best engines - but its days could be numbered</a> 
 
Talking of the new version of Terrano, it comes with 22 new features as compared with the previous one, which include enhanced safety features like electronic stability programme, touch screen navigation and hill ascent assist. 
 
Competing with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Renault-Launches-Duster-85PS-Adventure-Edition/articleshow/36050082.cms">Renault's Duster</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/10-things-about-the-HyundaiCreta-you-didnt-know/articleshow/48161065.cms">Hyundai’s Creta</a> in the <keyword id="47445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-market">Indian market</keyword>, Terrano was launched in India in 2013. 
 
(Image source: AutoGyaan)

Terrano gets new version; Xtrail hybrid expected by year end

New Delhi, Jan 27 () Japanese automaker Nissan plans to launch one new product every year, starting with a compact SUV, as part of its revised strategy for a turnaround in the Indian market, a top company official said on Monday.
 The company, which has so far failed to make an impact in the market, now plans to focus primarily on the Nissan brand in the country and introduce multiple products with different body styles, including SUVs and sedans, going ahead instead of depending only on its SUV lineage as part of an earlier plan announced in 2018.
 It will also continue with Datsun brand, with focus on providing value proposition to the customers.
 "We plan to launch at least one new product every year going forward. The first product is going to be an all-new compact SUV which would be rolled out in the first quarter of the next financial year," Nissan Motor India Managing Director Rakesh Srivastava told reporters here.
 The company would launch multiple products in order to build a profitable and sustainable business in the country, he added.
 Currently, Nissan sells six models in India under both Nissan and Datsun brands.
 Commenting on the new product, Srivastava said the model has been designed in Japan keeping in mind requirements of the Indian market.
 "Globally, we have a range of SUV products. We are now looking to enhance our commitment to the market by coming out with a new offering in the B-SUV space (sub four metre compact SUV)," he noted.
 The company currently sells Kicks and Terrano SUVs in the C-SUV segment (one above B-SUV). It is only selling around 300 units of Kicks per month, while Terrano sales remain miniscule.
 Srivastava said the company has gained useful insights from the Kicks and that would help the company introduce the new product in the market.
 When asked to comment on future of Datsun brand in the country, Srivastava added that the company would keep selling value products under the brand while focusing on high-selling SUV models under the Nissan lineage.
 He added the headquarters has left the responsibility of the Datsun brand to hosting nations. 
 Earlier, it has been reported that Nissan was looking to discontinue the Datsun brand globally as part of a cost-efficiency exercise.
 He said the brand still has relevance in the Indian market, accounting for about 70 per cent of Nissan India's sales and is planning "product interventions" in future to strengthen it further.
 In September 2018, Nissan had announced its MOVE 2022 strategy under which it looked to position Nissan as premium mainstream brand in India building on the company's SUV heritage. It had kicked off the strategy with the launch of SUV Kicks last year.
 Under the MOVE 2022 strategy it had looked to fix its business operation in India along with Saudi Arabia, where it has made significant investment but hasn't had much success.
 Under the strategy, the company had said it would address the mass market segment in India with its Datsun brand.
 Asked if the change in the Indian market strategy has to do with the issues faced by the Renaul-Nissan alliance in global level, Srivastava replied in the negative.
 It is all due to the changing landscape in the market, which has evolved so rapidly and the company has to keep in pace with it, he added. 
 When asked to comment on sales outlook for the coming financial year, he said that the company would like to grow in tune with the industry, which is expected to post "single-digit" growth.
 On the company's BS-VI transition, Srivastava said Nissan will not offer small diesel engines but is currently working on its line-up for both petrol and bigger diesel engine vehicles to comply with the new emission norm. MSS RKL MSS HRS

Nissan revises India strategy, plans 1 new model every year; compact SUV on anvil

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48161108.cms" /> India’s <keyword id="45454" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="SUV">SUV</keyword> market has seen a downturn in the recent months despite its healthy compounded annual growth rate of 25%. Korean auto major Hyundai wishes to break this jinx with what it calls the ‘Global SUV’ – the Creta. The compact SUV has been positioned between the Elite i20 and Sante Fe, and would scuffle it out with the Renault Duster and Nissan Terrano to nudge into a market dominated by the two. 
 
While you’d get the regular updates about the Creta from anywhere, here are a few lesser known facts: 
 1. Contrary to public conjecture, the Creta doesn’t get an All Wheel Drive system unlike the segment leader Renault Duster. When asked if that’ll hamper the Creta’s prospects in the market, Hyundai officials beg to differ.”This is an competitive price for the features we offer. The value proposition remains the best”, Rakesh Srivastava, Sr Vice President, Marketing and Sales, <keyword id="93460" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Hyundai-India">Hyundai India</keyword> said. 
 
2. Hyundai claims the company saw an outrageous 41,000 enquiries and 15,000+ buyer confirmations for the Creta without a word of its specifications made official. All this in a shocking 20 days. “This is the first time in the history of Hyundai that we’ve seen such response”, Rakesh Srivastava, Sr Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Hyundai India said. 
 
3. The company would be churning out around 5,500 Creta units per month now. Given the demand it’s supposed to gear up productions to around 7,000 units. Looks like would be Creta customers might have to wait longer than they thought. 
 
4. The Creta comes with a first in class 1.6 U2 CRDi VGT Diesel engine with Automatic transmission that churns out a healthy 128 PS of Power at 4,000 RPM. 
 
5. Despite the company’s declining exports ration, Hyundai aims to export the Creta to as many as 85 countries across Latin America, Middle East, Europe and Asia for India. “Our focus, however, is to serve domestic customers better”, Han Woo Park, MD and CEO, Hyundai Motors India insisted. 
 
6. The Creta is the first in class to offer 3 years unlimited kilometers warranty and 2 yrs of optional extended warranty. 
 
7. The Creta would see a 25% and 75% split into Petrol and Diesel variants in place of the traditional 10% and 90%. Does that indicate a strategic shift in consumer choices over the long-standing diesel preference? It’s anybody’s guess. 
 
8. The SUV took a whopping Rs. 1,000 Crores worth investment on Hyundai’s part. That includes designing and assembly. 
 
9. Hyundai predicts 2015 is the ‘Year for the SUVs’. More specifically the company sees a rising demand for compact SUVs among Indians. Are they right? Only time would tell. 
 10. The company claims more than 90% of the new <keyword id="2883300" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Hyundai-Creta">Hyundai Creta</keyword> is made in India. The company holds the capacity to churn out around 5 lakh units from its factories in India.

10 things about the Hyundai
Creta you didn’t know

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> minted four used-car unicorns between November 2020 and November 2021.</li><li>A growing middle class and the rise of the millennial generation is driving the sector's growth.</li></ul>Ram Goswami bought a five-year-old Nissan Terrano last year after getting rid of his sedan. He'd owned the sedan for over a decade, but increasing maintenance costs and repairs started to pinch Goswami's pockets. The marketing professional, who's based in Delhi, purchased the SUV for ₹350,000 ($4,662) — less than half its market price."I preferred a used car over a new car since I'm getting a good deal," Goswami, 37, told Insider."If someone has enough money and doesn't need a loan, then he can go for a new car. But <keyword id="11939507" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="used-cars" source="Orion">used cars</keyword> are a blessing for people like me," Goswami added.Niroop Rajan, a techie from Bangalore, picked up a 10-year-old BMW luxury sedan last year for ₹700,000 ($9,318). It's his first car, and for him, owning a car is a status symbol."The emotion I felt from driving my parents in my car for the first time was overwhelming. It doesn't matter if it's a used one. I was overjoyed," Rajan, 31, said.While the two millennials live two thousand kilometers apart, Goswami and Rajan are part of a massive churn in India's automobile industry. Both Goswami and Rajan purchased used cars – a rapidly growing segment in India powered by digital disruption, newfound love from millennials, a buffet of financial options, and pandemic travel restrictions.<h2>Four new used-car unicorns</h2>It's a good time to be a used-car startup in India.For every new car sold in the country last year, about 1.4 used cars were sold, up from <a href="http://www.indianbluebook.com/storage/app/media/Insights/India-Pre-Owned-Car-Market-Report-3rd-Edition-2019.pdf">1.2 before the pandemic.</a>Between November 2020 and November 2021, four India-based startups that exclusively sell used cars became unicorns (startups valued at $1 billion or more) and minted a record amount of investment. India is home to about 80 unicorns total.The four startups – Cars24, Droom, Spinny, and CarDekho – raised over $1.5 billion total from global marquee investors. That's more than what these platforms raised in the previous five years put together, figures from their valuation announcements show.Market leader Cars24 saw its valuation nearly double within three months late last year. In September, it was valued at $1.84 billion; the latest funding round in December put the valuation at $3.3 billion. The company is expanding its global footprint with new branches in Australia and the UAE, and it's <a href="https://www.exchange4media.com/marketing-news/cars24-announces-international-expansion-now-operational-in-uae-australia-113641.html">eyeing the Southeast Asian market.</a> Those pouring the money include New York-based investment firm <a href="https://www.spinny.com/about-us/">Tiger Global,</a> American giant <a href="https://india.sequoiacap.com/india/companies/cars24/">Sequoia Capital</a>, <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/funding/cardekho-enters-unicorn-club-with-250-million-funding-led-by-leapfrog-investments/articleshow/86973768.cms">LeapFrog Investments</a>, Abu Dhabi-headquartered <a href="https://tracxn.com/d/companies/spinny.com">ADQ</a>, and China-based venture capital firm <a href="https://www.cars24.com/blog/cars24-raisesi-450-million-nearly-doubles-its-valuation-to-1-84-billion/">DST Global.</a> And in December, India's star sportsman Sachin Tendulkar <a href="https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/aftermarket/sachin-tendulkar-invests-in-used-car-platform-spinny/88276324">invested an undisclosed amount </a>in Spinny.<h2>The pandemic and millennials are behind the change</h2>The pre-owned car market started to outpace the new car market during the pandemic. The poor economic situation dented the demand for new cars, and the global semiconductor shortage prolonged the waiting period. Public <keyword id="11894924" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="transportation" source="Orion">transportation</keyword>, too, has taken a hit. "What happened in the last year during the pandemic is that the way people commute has changed," said Kushal Bhatnagar, an engagement manager at consulting and research firm RedSeer. "During the pandemic era, the usage of [ride-hailing services] Ola and Uber dropped. Shared mobility as a concept declined in India."All these factors have had an unintended spillover on the used car market, providing a jumpstart for startups like Droom, an online-only marketplace that offers fair pricing assessments and digitized vehicle histories.<div type="image" title="Droom CEO Sandeep Aggarwal" height="2661" width="3547" msid="90288740" hostid="261"></div>Droom CEO Sandeep Aggarwal said the growth in India's used-car market is driven by the country's growing middle class and the rise of a young population armed with disposable income."We get about 16 million monthly user traffic and about 75% of them come from millennials," Aggarwal told Insider. Indeed, millennials make up 80% of the buyer base for used cars, one <a href="https://www.motownindia.com/Bureau/Auto-Industry/3192/Millennials-Gen-Z-appetite-for-used-cars-on-the-rise-Cars24-Ipsos-Report-Motown-India-Bureau">industry research</a> found.The CEO added that the demand for used cars in India is reflective of a change in generational mentality."'My father had a scooter. After working for 25 years, he bought his first car at the end of his career. I don't want that. I want a car now,' is what a millennial thinks," Aggarwal said. "This aspirational value has been embedded in the generation of Indian millennials."<div type="image" title="Motorbikes and scooters lined up in India." height="2448" width="3264" msid="90288741" hostid="261"></div>The type of demand in the market is also shifting, two industry insiders said."Often what we see is someone will prefer a four-year-old gently used BMW for 1.2 million rupees ($16,000) to a brand new Honda city for the same amount," Aggarwal said."A lot of people who owned two-wheelers now want a car for their family and their obvious choice is a used one. The age group driving this growth is between 30 and 35," echoed Anurag Jain, the cofounder of CarDekho.<h2>Moving towards a focus on the user</h2>With an estimated <a href="https://redseer.com/newsletters/indias-used-car-market-is-unstoppable-with-its-steady-and-tech-driven-growth/">30,000 brick-and-mortar dealers</a> across the country, India's used-car market is a highly fragmented area dominated by mom-and-pop operations. Until about five years ago, most used-car services were seller-centric listing services. The segment was riddled with untrustworthy agents and cumbersome paperwork.But this is slowly changing. The segment is moving towards user experience-focused systems and buyer-focused business models.Consider CarDekho, a 14-year-old company that hit unicorn status in October. The marketplace offers end-to-end services such as doorstep pickup, financing options, insurance, post-service warranty, and long-term maintenance packages."In India, it will not be a pure-play digital transaction where one book and get the car delivered to home. Most of India will be O-to-O (online-to-offline), a blend of the digital and offline marketplace," Jain told Insider.<div type="image" title="A used car lot in India" height="1908" width="2544" msid="90288743" hostid="261"></div><h2>The road ahead</h2>While the demand for pre-owned cars <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/6617dc19-6302-42b6-9c98-94faecb0dd8c">has soared across the world</a>, India is a hugely under-penetrated market. Only <a href="https://www.census2011.co.in/hhassets.php">about 4% of households</a> in the country own a car.Globally, China leads the used-car market with 21.4 million units sold in 2019, per <a href="https://redseer.com/newsletters/indias-used-car-market-is-unstoppable-with-its-steady-and-tech-driven-growth/">RedSeer</a>. The US follows in second place with 17.5 million used cars sold in 2019. India is in fifth, with 4.4 million units sold.The country's automotive industry is expected to be worth $300 billion by 2026, per an <a href="https://www.ibef.org/industry/automobiles-presentation">estimate</a> from government-backed think tank India Brand Equity Foundation. The business of pre-owned vehicles stands to play a key role in this growth. From the 4.4 million used cars purchased in 2021, numbers are expected to almost double in five years, per <a href="https://redseer.com/newsletters/indias-used-car-market-is-unstoppable-with-its-steady-and-tech-driven-growth/">RedSeer's forecast</a>.For now, India's used-car unicorns are aggressively adding more manpower and markets to capitalize on opportunities. Droom and CarDekho are eyeing a public listing in the coming months."If we look at the large economies like the US, Western Europe or Japan, we're talking about 70%+ adoption of cars," said Droom's Aggarwal. "In India, the motorization adoption is set to grow from 22 cars per 1000 people to 200 cars per 1000 people in three decades."

How millennials and the pandemic are powering India's used-car market, where 4 startups hit unicorn status in one year

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/47866732.cms" /> 
Hyundai is set to launch its new global SUV - the Creta in India by next month. It boasts of Hyundai’s flagship Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design and shares the Verna’s1.4-litre U2 CRDi petrol and1.6-litre CRDi diesel engines. 
 
The car would be available in Hyundai showrooms soon at a possible starting price of Rs. 8 Lakh. The more popular diesel variants are expected to be priced between Rs. 9-12.5 Lakhs (ex-showroom prices). 
 
The Creta notably stands taller than sub 4m SUVs like Ford’s EcoSport. However, this niche segment is already dominated by two formidable rivals ready to scrap it’s out till their last breath. Business Insider India gives you a peek into what the Creta would face once it’s thrown into the ring: 
 
Renault Duster 110 PS Diesel R8Z Plus (Diesel) 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/47866754.cms" /> 
The Duster looks to impress you with features. It has cruise control, navigation System, a touch-screen entertainment system and posh leather seats to poise you on. 
 
Under the hood comes with a 1.5-litre 108.45bhp 16V dCi THP Diesel Engine that churns a healthy245Nm of torque at 1750 rpm. 
 
The Duster returns an acceptable 16.1 kmpl in the city and 19.64 kmpl out on the highway. It’s priced at 12.4 Lakhs (ex-showroom). It is the chief rival of the Creta. 
 
Nissan Terrano XV 110 PS (Diesel) 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/47866776.cms" /> 
Nissan’s Terrano is at par with the Duster in the engine front. It comes fitted with Nissan’s 1.5-litre 108.5bhp 16V K9K Diesel Engine that gets you 248Nm of torque at 2250rpm. 
 
The only fronts that the Terrano trumps the Duster on the features front are that it provides rear A/C vents and a cigarette lighter to keep smokers happy. 
 
It rolls out a competitive 16.0 kmpl in the city and19.01 kmpl on the highway. But at a price tag of Rs. 12.6 Lakhs (ex-showroom), it might seem a tad bit pricey. 
 
(Image Credit: Indiatimes)

Rivals for
the new Hyundai Creta

If you have been thinking about driving your dream car home, it might just be the best time to do so. Indian auto industry players, like Hyundai, Mahindra, and Ford have announced attractive offers before <keyword id="6354679" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="GST">GST</keyword> is implemented on July 1. Hyundai is offering discounts ranging from Rs 25,000, on Elite i20, Rs 2,50,000 on Santa Fe, Rs 45,000 on Eon, Rs 62,000-73,000 on Grand i10, Rs 80,000-90,000 on Verna and Rs 25,000 on its new XCent till June 26, 2017. Datsun, on the other hand, is offering free insurance and reduced interest rates. <keyword id="44883" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Maruti-Suzuki">Maruti Suzuki</keyword>, India’s biggest carmaker, has decided to broaden its discounts to Rs 25,000-35,000 on Alto and Swift. Mahindra, similarly, is offering Rs 27,000 off on Scorpio, Rs 61,000 on TUV300, Rs 72,000 on KUV100 and Rs 90,000 on XUV500 till June 30. There is a strategic reason behind these discounts, says a senior industry executive on the condition of anonymity. "Dealers can claim 60% input tax credit on stocks lying unsold till June 30. While most companies have agreed to provide financial support to dealers during the transition, the effort is to liquidate inventory to the extent possible ahead of July 1." To lure customers who are waiting till GST gets implemented in the hope that prices would fall, Honda has come up with an innovative scheme. "If vehicle prices decline post GST, the company will directly refund the difference to the consumer. The buyer is not required to pay any additional amount if price of the model purchased goes up from July. This is valid for all models till the end of this month," a dealer of <keyword id="1381889" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Honda-Cars-India">Honda Cars India</keyword> told <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/auto/news/industry/ahead-of-gst-rollout-carmakers-offering-direct-price-benefits-and-free-insurance-to-lure-buyers/articleshow/59150792.cms">ET</a>. Volkswagen, to lure its set of customers, is offering discounts of Rs 76,000 and Rs 1,00,000 on Polo and Vento cars booked till June 20, even if payment is deferred till June 30. Other than this, the company is also offering reduced interest rates, free insurance, road-side assistance and extended warranty for three years. Not willing to be left behind, Nissan has come up with price benefits of up to Rs 80,000 on its popular SUV Terrano, while Micra can be claimed at Rs 25,000 discount. Ford too is offering price benefits on Figo, Aspire and EcoSport, depending on variants.

It’s raining discounts in auto market ahead of GST rollout

<ul><li><keyword id="6374528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="toyota">Toyota</keyword> will be launching <keyword id="44883" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maruti-Suzuki">Maruti Suzuki</keyword>’s <keyword id="6379565" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="baleno">Baleno</keyword> under their brand starting next financial year.</li><li>Cross-badging is a concept that, in the past, has only yielded temperate results for automobile companies. </li><li>That being said, Suzuki’s and Toyota’s respective competitive advantages are complementary to each other which may play in their favour.</li></ul>A partnership that was cemented earlier this year between Maruti Suzuki and Toyota is bringing their first project to fruition. A crowd favorite, the Baleno will be the first vehicle to be cross-badged between the two companies. In the first year, somewhere between 20,000 to 25,000 Maruti Suzuki Balenos will be shipped off to the Toyota Motor Corporation. The <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Auto/YAsSEGIGNJpjFrNaJzKzdO/Baleno-to-be-the-first-Maruti-Suzuki-car-to-be-sold-as-a-Toy.html">report by Mint</a> indicates that this will be an annual exchange. Once Toyota has the cars, they will be selling them through their own dealership network starting Q1 of FY 2018-19. Their respective competitive advantages are complimentary in nature but might not be enough to solve the dilemma of how successful cross-badging will be in India. What is cross-badging? To cross-badge a car essentially means launching the same car under a different brand with some minor alterations that are, more often than not, only superficial. Even with the Baleno, plans indicate that the car will undergo some interior and exterior changes that could include alterations to the head lights, tail lamps and the front grill of the car. But, here’s the thing, cross-badging isn’t a concept that India is familiar with and past projects have performed the usual humdrum way. And, the Baleno isn’t the end of the road for Toyota either. The company has plans of launching Suzuki’s Brezza under their brand as well while Suzuki will introduce the Corolla under their banner. Mutual benefits This partnership utilises the <keyword id="1700148" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Competitive-Advantage">competitive advantage</keyword> of each company in a complementary manner. It’s essentially <keyword id="1673374" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ricardo">Ricardo</keyword>’s trade theory playing out in real life where one entity trades its most efficient product against its counterpart’s most efficient product. David Ricardo developed the classical theory of comparative advantage in 1817 to explain why countries engage in international trade even when one country's workers are more efficient at producing every single good than workers in other countries. While Toyota has the hang of the executive sedan segment, they haven’t had much luck in the lower-end of the market. And the opposite is true for Maruti Suzuki. It’s not that Toyota hasn’t tried. The Etios was their attempt at cracking India’s most high-volume segment of <keyword id="6381299" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="automobiles">automobiles</keyword>, but alas, the car wasn’t able to make a substantial mark. And, this isn’t only true with India. Toyota may be on the track to become to world’s third largest automobile player with investments all over the globe but they’re yet to capitalise in the densest markets around the world. With the Baleno and the Brezza, Toyota will have another shot at making an impact in the competitive hatchback segment of automobiles in India. More than dominating the market on product alone, economics of scale will also come into play once Suzuki starts manufacturing the Baleno from Toyota’s plant in Karnataka by repurposing the currently unutilised capacity of the hub. And it’s not that Suzuki will get the short end of stick. More than using the Corolla to further expand their market share in the executive sedan segment, Toyota’s pool of knowledge, when it comes to electrical vehicles (EVs), holds greater utility for the company. In the past, a similar partnership between Volkswagen and Suzuki didn’t yield any results. Partnerships have were also pursued between Volkswagen and Tata as well as Mahindra and Ford without substantial outcomes. On the other hand, the Renault and Nissan alliance brought about the Renault Duster and Nissan Terrano SUVs. Even the partnership between Volkswagen and Skoda yielded the Volkswagen Vento and the Skoda Rapid. All these cars did decently well in this country. The Suzuki and Toyota partnership can thus work either way, we’ll have to wait and watch.

Baleno will now be a Toyota vehicle

NEW DELHI: It wasn’t too long ago when compact sports utility vehicles were attracting Indian customers by the dozen and were enjoying long waiting periods, but a year-long downturn has changed all that, with these hugely aspirational vehicles now being offered at a discount by desperate car companies trying to push sales. 
 
So, if you are looking to buy a car, this could perhaps be the best time to do so, given the current discounts and freebies. 
 The rebates are available in not just hatchbacks or sedans, but even in SUVs like the <keyword id="43777" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Renault">Renault</keyword> Duster or the Nissan Terrano, which are being offered with insurance freebies and exchange bonuses. 
 
This comes in the backdrop of passenger car sales gaining some respectability, hinting at good times ahead, prompting carmakers to roll out the goodies in the usually lean monsoon months. These freebies are likely to continue for three-four months as companies try to maximise capacity utilisations and cut inventories. 
 
<img src="/photo/37561650.cms" style="margin: 5px; float: left;" /> 
 "Discounts are at an historic high and have helped the industry to arrest the decline to some extent. We have seen some positivity in the market for the past two months and the aggression of carmakers to get more customers and increase traffic at the showrooms to help utilise plant capacities to the full," said Rakesh Srivastava, senior vicepresident (marketing &amp; sales), <keyword id="108829" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hyundai-Motor-India">Hyundai Motor India</keyword>. 
 Regular models like the <keyword id="177982" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Maruti-Alto">Maruti Alto</keyword> or <keyword id="596" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Hyundai">Hyundai</keyword> i10 have been coming with discounts,but vehicles like the Duster, Terrano or even the Honda Amaze that didn’t come with any deals until last year, are now being clubbed with offers of free insurance and exchange bonuses. 
 The county’s largest carmaker Maruti <keyword id="6911" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="suzuki">Suzuki</keyword> India is offering customers the highest discounts since inception and riding on big-bang exchange carnivals through its dealers across the country to attract customers to trade their old cars for new ones. 
 
"It’s perhaps the best time to buy new cars as the slowdown has brought windfall gains to customers. Discounts in June are up by around 30-40% than last year with virtually every model now carrying some freebie," said a senior Maruti Suzuki executive, preferring anonymity. Car sales registered a 3% growth in May this year after a 16-month gap, reinforcing the possibility of a possible turnaround in the festive months ahead. 
 In absolute terms, the average discounts on most models are in the range of Rs 35,000-Rs 55,000 for the current month which are almost double that of last year, <keyword id="6356318" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Dealer">dealer</keyword> sources say. 
 
"The freebies are not just restricted to older cars, but are available in high potential cars like Maruti DZire, Hyundai Verna and even Mahindra Bolero," said a Delhi-based multiple franchise auto dealer. 
 
Analysts tracking the auto industry say that the trend is likely to continue for the next few months. "Auto industry is going through a tough phase with passenger vehicle sales having taken a knock. While the main triggers are inflation, higher interest rates coupled with negative sentiment of customers, auto makers are offering deep discounts to create some sort of demand," said Abdul Majeed, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers. 
 
"In fact, very attractive prices are being offered to customers on almost on all models." Many of the carmakers are also offering discounts in June to make way for newer models that are expected to hit the market around the festive months starting late August. 
 
But going by the sluggish conditions, the quantum of discount makes it an attractive preposition for buyers even as the government has extended the excise benefits on automobiles until December.

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