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BMW India targets 3,000 car sales for 2009
After holding the numero uno spot in the luxury car segment for the last few months, BMW India is chalking out robust plans to retain its position . ...Read more

Nano to rule cities as green norms push M800 off road
The world’s cheapest car, Nano, is likely to wrest the leadership position in the small car segment within a year as the ruling market leaders ...Read more

Tough Road Ahead for JLR Brands in India
Tata Motors is planning to sell only a modest number of its luxury brand cars in India this calendar year. It aims to sell around 100-120 units ...Read more

Autonet Cuts Out Middleman for In-Car Wi-Fi
Autonet Mobile, the maker of an in-vehicle Wi-Fi hub that connects laptops and phones to the Internet while on the move, was counting on its partners. ...Read more

Skip That Traffic; Fly Your Car Soon
In a couple of years, when you're stuck in traffic, you'll have the option to fly off in a two-seater vehicle to reach your destination. An American company ...Read more

Until the mid-80s, the only cars really available in India were the Ambassador, a relic of the Mark series, sold by Hindustan Motors and the Premier Padmini, a Fiat from the 60s, sold by Premier Automobiles. These two cars monopolized the Indian market for close to 40 years, both companies churning out similar looking units year after year. A change in a model typically meant the addition of a light here, a fan there or a different kind of number-plate, and it didn't take much to get a car-user excited. I remember the buzz generated in the early 80s when Premier announced that for a small extra amount we could get floor gears and bucket seats fitted in the front seat.

Today you can walk into a showroom and drive off with the car of your choice if you have the money. This may not seem like a big deal, but it was only 15 years ago when even money couldn't get you a car without a waiting period ranging from a few months to a few years depending on the model and your influence. In the 70s, the waiting period for a car was 3-5 years. I remember my Dad telling me that he managed to get a Fiat in those days only after he wrote an impassioned letter to the board of directors outlining how he desperately needed a car as part of his profession. And then too, he had to use the influence of another friend to get the car out of turn, a process that itself took a year.