Exposition to showcase slew of new small cars
NEW DELHI, January 4: A host of new cars, particularly small cars, from leading automobile manufacturers like General Motors, Ford and Telco are expected to hog attention at the Auto Expo '98, beginning here in less than a fortnight.The 168 billion US dollar General Motors (GM), Ford Motor Company, Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, Mercedes Benz, Daewoo, Mitsubishi, Fiat and others are expected to display their latest vehicles, targetting some for the Indian market. Indians are not to be left behind as the country's largest private company, the Rs 10,000-crore Telco, is expected to display its "small car", often mentioned as chairman Ratan Tata's dream project. Nearly 800 exhibitors, virtually the who's who of automobile industry, are participating this year making the auto expo '98 Asia's largest automobile show. The auto expo will begin on January 15 and end on January 21. Korea's largest Chaebol Hyundai, with its 100 per cent Indian subsidiary currently engaged in the operation of building a factory near
Madras, is expected to unveil the "Atos" model during the show, though the company is planning to make "Accent" cars in India. Toyota, which has entered into a joint venture with Kirloskar group to make utility vehicles in India, will unveil the 1997 version of its popular "Corolla" model. Another Korean Chaebol Daewoo Motors, which currently makes the "Cielo" luxury cars in India and has firmed up plans to manufacture "Royale" and "Caravan" buses, will unveil its "D'arts" small car. Telco will unveil its small car, reportedly called "Indica", - the project the company has been working for long. The two small cars from Daewoo and Telco are aiming to share the pie with India's largest passenger car company Maruti Udyog Ltd which has cornered over 80 per cent of the car market. General Motors (GM), after having tasted success with its "Astra" model in its joint venture with the Birlas, has more in store for India since the visit of its chairman Jack Smith to the country last year. GM is displaying
the Opel "Corsa", a small car that is expected to be introduced in India in the future, and the Opel "Vectra" luxury car.It is also unveiling an all-wheel drive "Frontera". Not to be left behind is arch rival Ford, currently operating in India on a 50:50 joint venture with Mahindra and Mahindra that makes the "Escort" cars, will display its world car "Mondeo". Ford, incidentally has plans to introduce its "Fiesta" and "Ka" in this country and also a more powerful version of the "Escort".
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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