In a clear sign of the growing preference for small, smart and fuel-efficient cars, leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have lined up a slew of mini hatchbacks that are set to hit the roads in the next 12-15 months. Tentative price points of these cars will be between R2 lakh and R3.5 lakh, largely to tap the segment between the ultra low-cost Tata Nano and the Maruti Suzuki’s WagonR. Among the top car makers which have started developing such models include Hyundai Motor, Tata Motors, General Motors, Renault and Volkswagen-owned Skoda.
For instance, South Korean subsidiary firm Hyundai Motor India is working on a small car that is likely to hit the roads in the first half of 2012. Though the company has ruled out the car being in the ultra low-cost segment, it is expected to be very competitively priced. Similarly, the French car maker Renault has made its intentions clear with at least two small car launches lined up for next year. Managing director of Renault India Marc Nassif told FE that the company expects the mini-hatchback space to be an active growth driver for Indian OEMs and the company is going to bring a car in this segment. Tata Motors has also started working on a proposed small car that would bridge the gap between the Nano and Indica. According to reports, the car is currently being developed under the codename of ?Dolphin?. A final announcement from the Tatas is still awaited. General Motors and Skoda are also developing cars which will be their cheapest offering in India to date. Apart from these, Nissan, in alliance with Ashok Leyland, is expected to launch a small car.
What is interesting to note is that most of these car makers launched sedans or facelift versions of their existing sedans in the past one year.