Honda Jazz-es up compact car segment

After over a decade-long presence in India with bigger cars like Honda City, Civic, Accord and Honda CR-V, Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) on Wednesday forayed into the mass volume compact car segment with Honda Jazz. The car, which is available in three variants, is priced between Rs 6.98 lakh and Rs 7.33 lakh (ex showroom Delhi) and is so far the most expensive super-mini car available in the country.

“Around 75-80% of the total passenger car industry in India is compact cars, and with Jazz we have entered into this segment,” says Masahiro Takedagawa, president and CEO, HSCI, adding that the segment should contribute to expanding the company's business in India and eventually take up its market share to double digit as against 4-5% now.

According to Takedagawa, the company is looking at selling close to 2,000 to 2,500 units of Jazz a month, which would be half the number of Honda City. HSCI, on an average, sells 3,500 to 4,000 units of Honda City a month.

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Auto majors gear up to develop greener, smaller cars

The Indian automotive industry is set for a major transition, with manufacturers in the country looking at developing greener and more compact cars, in a bid to combat the on-going surge in the fuel prices and to stay competitive in the budget conscious market.

"In the next three to five years,the Indian automotive sector will see a major transition from conventional cars to greener and more compact cars," say Manish Khurana and Saurabh Jain, automotive analysts, Data monitor Ltd.

The work has already begun. Companies like Tata Motors have not only gone ahead and developed cars like Nano, which is set to race through the super mini segment in the country, but have also announced plans to introduce a petrol electric hybrid version of Indica. Market leader Maruti Suzuki is also set to launch an LPG (liquid petroleum gas)version of its popular model M800. This is over and above the company's LPG variant of WagonR.

Even Mahindra & Mahindra does not want to be left behind and has already unveiled a diesel electric hybrid version of Scorpio at the recent Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Says Arun Jaura, chief technology officer, Mahindra group, "We have a presence in hydrogen-hybrid, bio-fuel, electric, and CNG technologies.And now are working with the government on hydrogen-CNG technology." He ex plains that in addition to the technology changes the company is undertaking, there has also been reduction in the weight of the cars with more use of aluminum, while engines have been made smaller but with more power."All this is in line to make cars more fuel efficient." "The power density in the engine has gone up than what it was in the past, "Jauraadds." Earlier,the power in the engine was 25-30KW/litre,which now stands at 40KW/litre," he said.

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