One might think that the Indian automotive industry is already saturated with a flurry of manufacturers competing in various segments for your money. However, the ongoing 11th Auto Expo has some new entrants vying for a slice of the action. Here we take a look at the top five new brands to enter India.
One might think that the Indian automotive industry is already saturated with a flurry of manufacturers competing in various segments for your money. However, the ongoing 11th Auto Expo has some new entrants vying for a slice of the action. Here we take a look at the top five new brands to enter India.
Mini
The British icon of the 1960s, the Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation, but is now under BMW ownership. The Mini brand is considered the British equivalent to the Volkswagen Beetle.
The base Mini Cooper has been priced at Rs 24.9 lakh and the more powerful Mini Cooper S will retail for Rs 27.9 lakhs. The Convertible and the Countryman Crossover are also available for Rs 29.99 lakh and Rs 31.99 lakh respectively.
Triumph
Mini is not the only iconic British brand that has made its way to India. Making its impact with a big bang, Triumph Motorcycles have launched seven models for India. With prices ranging from Rs 5.5 lakh for their Bonneville to Rs 22 lakh for their monstrous cruiser Rocket III, there's a Triumph for everyone.
Triumph will have three to four dealerships in the first year of its operations, which will go up to 12 in the next three years.
Peugeot
Even though the first Peugeot to roll out of their upcoming India plant is at least two years away, the French automotive giant displayed a slew of models, including the beautiful 508 sedan and the 24 hours of Le Mans winner 908 HDi race car.
Piaggio Vespa
At different points of time, the world's first scooter, Vespa, has been manufactured in India by Bajaj and LML. This time around, Piaggio India unveiled the retro-styled Vespa at the Expo. The brand is currently sold in over 100 countries across the world.
SsangYong
SsangYong Motor Company is the fourth largest South Korean automobile manufacturer. The company will be launching its SUV Rexton in India which will take the fight to Ford Endeavour, Toyota Fortuner, Honda CRV and the likes. It is powered by a 2.7 litre turbocharged common-rail diesel engine which makes 181 BHP of maximum power and 402 Nm of torque. It also comes with three rows of seating which allow up to seven occupants.
What now remains to be seen is whether SsangYong will be able to replicate the success of its fellow country manufacturer Hyundai.
Also on display is the XIV–1 crossover concept, which is supposed to merge the attributes of a B-segment SUV with the running costs of a small family car.
