At the
Motor Show in 2018, the number of vehicle exhibitors has come down to 51 from
the previous level of 59. But the number of start ups has gone up to 12 as
compared to two in the last expo. Moreover, there were 88 exhibitors in the
last expo, while this year it has gone up to 100, said the organisers. Around
24 new launches are expected at the 2018 Auto Expo.
Four-wheeler makers like Tata
Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Toyota, Mahindra, Honda Cars India, BMW,
Mercedes-Benz, Renault have taken up huge spaces at the expo. South Korean car
maker Kia Motors will be making its debut at the show as the company will soon
be manufacturing its cars in India.
Honda Cars India will unveil
its exhibition line-up in the presence of Takahiro Hachigo, President &
CEO, Honda Motor Company, Japan and Yoichiro Ueno, President & CEO, Honda
Cars India Ltd.
Among the four wheeler big
ticket players there is a huge miss this time around. The drop outs include the
entire Volkswagen family that consists of Volkswagen India, Audi India, Skoda
Auto India, Scania and MAN Trucks. The Fiat Chrysler Group is also missing.
Hence, neither Fiat India, nor Jeep would be at the show. Mitsubishi and Volvo
Auto India will continue to shy away from the Auto Expo, as they have been
doing so in the past. Ford India too has
gone missing this time around. Isuzu
Motors with its adventure vehicles have also opted out of the show and so has
Force Motors. Though Renault is taking part in the show, it’s other half,
Nissan is not participating. Datsun too will not be participating.
A one-time great participant
General Motors India will be sorely missed. GM India is no more selling its
products in India, rather it is exporting its products to the global markets
from India.
Truck majors Daimler, Eicher
and Volvo will not be participating at the show.
Big names in the car industry
like Lamborghini, Maserati, Ferrari, Porsche, Rolls Royce and Bentley, among
others may be selling in India in small numbers, but they never really bother
to participate in India because of the limited market scope here in the
country. For those not selling at all in India like
the Paganis, Bugattis, McLarens, Spykers, Aston Martins, Pininfarinas and Koenigseggs, well it makes no sense to be
at an auto expo here.
Big motorcycle players have
also taken up huge spaces at the expo. Showcasing their new products will be
the likes of BMW Motorrad, Suzuki Motorcycle, Piaggio Vehicles, Hero MotoCorp,
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, Yamaha, TVS, Kawasaki, UM Motorcycles,
Hero Electric, Lohia Auto and Okinawa among others. Hero MotoCorp and TVS Motor
Company can be expected to showcase their Dakar 2018 motorcycles. After all,
both the companies managed to do relatively well in the recently concluded
rally in South America.
Meanwhile, in the two-wheeler
section, superbike makers like Harley-Davidson, Triumph Motorcycles, DSK
Benelli, Ducati, KTM, Indian Motorcycles and local brands like Bajaj Auto and
Royal Enfield are also giving the show a miss. Organisers say that despite the
absence of several companies at the show, the 2018 Auto Expo is expected to be
a major hit with at least 24 new launches and unveiling of over 100 products.
Little known brands in India
are also gearing up to launch their products in India. Cleveland Werks of US
and start ups like Emflux Motors and Twenty Two Motors will be launching new
products. Not to be missed are the stalls put up by car toy brand Hot Wheels,
motorcycle super store brand Riderz Planet and motor home makers Pinnacle
Speciality Vehicles.
BMW INDIA
BMW will be calling in their
sportsman guest Sachin Tendulkar at its press conference. The company will be
displaying all its three different brands MINI, BMW Motorrad and BMW. Vikram
Pawah, President, BMW Group India, will address the BMW press conferences.
BMW: The first-ever BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo and the all-new BMW
M5 will be launched in India. The
next-generation BMW X3 that will be launched in India later in 2018 will also
be previewed at the Auto Expo. As for its electric cars, the all-new BMW i8
Roadster and the all-new BMW i3s would also be showcased. The rest of its
stable including the the BMW 3 Series, the BMW 5 Series, the BMW 7 Series, the
BMW X1, the BMW X5, the BMW X6 and the BMW M4 Coupe will find a place at the
BMW pavilion.
MINI: MINI will launch the
next-generation all-new MINI Countryman in the country. MINI will liven up the
atmosphere further with the display of the MINI Hatch, the MINI Convertible and
the MINI Clubman.
BMW Motorrad: The all-new BMW F 750 GS and the all-new BMW F 850 GS
motorcycles will be launched in India.
Motorcycle enthusiasts will also have an opportunity to preview the
most-awaited motorcycles in the Indian market ahead of their launch – the BMW
G310 R and the BMW G310 GS. Other displays will include the BMW S 1000 RR, the
BMW R 1200 GS, the BMW R nineT, the BMW R nineT Scrambler, the BMW R nineT
Racer and the BMW K 1600 B.
HONDA MOTORCYCLE & SCOOTER INDIA LTD (HMSI) / Honda 2Wheelers India
HMSI will be showcasing 11 new
models for India at the Expo. To fulfil its commitment to India of launching four
brand new models in 2017-18 , the company will be debuting its final 4th model
of 2017-18 – a brand new motorcycle. This year, Honda 2Wheelers India’s
pavilion is themed - “Transforming the Way India Rides Ahead”. Honda will debut
its exciting product line-up for 2018. On the product side, Honda 2Wheelers
India will showcase a total of 11 new models for India – which is its ever
highest in the Indian Auto Expo.
Continuing to introduce
innovative products ahead of time, Honda pavilion will also display for the
first time a total of 10 new exciting upgrades for 2018. Get ready for major
changes in Honda’s 6 domestic production two-wheelers and 4 international fun bikes.
Making its first ever appearance in India after
its global debut in Tokyo Motor Show 2017 is Honda’s latest electric vehicle
(EV) concept – the PCX Electric scooter.
Honda’s pavilion promises to
be a feast for racing buffs in India. Get ready to witness the pinnacle of
Honda engineering first-hand as RC 213V - Honda’s 2017 MotoGP winning bike
ridden by World Champion Marc Marquez makes its first appearance.
Honda’s brand ambassadors - Taapsee Pannu and
Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar will visit the Honda pavilion in the weekend (10 –
11 February).
HYUNDAI MOTOR INDIA
Hyundai
Motor India has taken up the entire Hall No. 3 on the ground floor at the India
Expo Centre. The company’s MD & CEO YK Koo has confirmed that the company
will roll out its first electric car in India in 2019. It could be the Hyundai
KONA. Whether or not there would be a KONA here, maybe, but one thing is for
sure, the company is bringing in its electric car Ioniq for the expo. Apart
from this, Hyundai would definitely be showing its motorsport side and a lot
about its technological progress.
KIA MOTORS INDIA
Kia Motors India (KMI) will
make its Indian market debut at the expo by unveiling the SP Concept, alongside
a showcase of 16 of the brand’s global models.
Inspired by Indian heritage
and driven by advanced technology, the Kia SP Concept hints at the company’s
plans to introduce a new SUV to the Indian market in future. Bold and stylish,
the SP Concept combines sophisticated beauty, breakthrough technology, and high
functionality in a SUV form.
Alongside the global debut for
the SP Concept, Kia will showcase its global range of cars at Auto Expo. Kia
will exhibit its wide range of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and a range
of other cars – including the exciting new Stinger sports sedan. Kia Motors is
looking to replicate its global success in India, the world’s fastest growing
car market.
MARUTI SUZUKI
Built around the theme of Transformotion,
the Maruti Suzuki pavilion will be spread over 4200 sq metres. It will have the
largest vehicle display with a spectacle of over 18 vehicle models on display
in ARENA, NEXA and Motorsports zones.
The star attractions at the
Maruti Suzuki pavilion will include:
a) Concept Future S communicating a new design language for compact
vehicles. Designed in-house by Maruti Suzuki designers, Compact Future S marks
a big shift in the way compact cars are designed in India. The next level of
"design evolution” in terms of design proportions, body sculpting and
stimulating fusion of bold patterns and superior accent colours has been
achieved through the Concept Future S.
b) Concept e-Survivor: an innovative Concept Electric Vehicle (EV),
that reinforces the company’s commitment to launch an electric vehicle in India
in 2020. It is a design study model for a compact SUV that pays tribute to
Suzuki’s proud 4WD heritage.
c) Maruti Suzuki will showcase
a working model of the next generation Suzuki Hybrid system (HEV) that
currently powers Suzuki Solio and Suzuki Swift cars manufactured and sold in
Japan
d) India launch of all new third-generation Swift.
MERCEDES-BENZ INDIA
The key highlight of
Mercedes-Benz’s product offense will be based on three distinct product attributes:
Luxury, Versatility and Future Mobility. Making its much awaited India debut
will be the the ultra-sophisticated, Mercedes-Maybach S 650 sedan. The
forerunner of Mercedes-Benz's new product brand for electric mobility globally-
EQ,the ‘Concept EQ’ will be showcased to clearly manifest Mercedes-Benz’s
direction towards creating a sustainable ecosystem of services, technologies
and innovations. The name EQ stands for "Electric Intelligence" and
is derived from the Mercedes-Benz brand values of "Emotion and
Intelligence".
Also to be showcased is the
all New E-Class All Terrain. The New E-Class All Terrain is like a SUV, thanks
to its SUV like greater ground clearance, SUV like large wheels and 4MATIC
all-wheel drive as a standard feature, making it a versatile vehicle. The
All-Terrain has a striking SUV look with powerful
flared wheel arches and SUV
radiator grille. The most eye-catching feature of the striking front is the
SUV-style two-fin grille with a star integrated in the centre. The distinctive
front bumper and the panelling in underride guard-look, electroplated in
silver-chrome, also contribute to the robust SUV appearance of the E-Class
All-Terrain.
The E-Class All-Terrain made
its global debut at the Paris Motor Show in 2016 and will have its India debut,
later in 2018. The Mercedes-Benz family at Auto Expo 2018 will comprise of:
• AMG: F1 Car, AMG GT R, AMG
GLC 43 Coupe and AMG SLC 43
• Show Car: Concept EQ
• Specialty Cars: E-Class
All-Terrain and C-Class Cabriolet
• Sedans: Mercedes-Maybach S
650, New E 350 d, C 250 d Edition C
• SUVs: GLA 220 d 4MATIC, GLC
220 d, GLS 350 d
There will be an AI based
Chatbot, which is a first in the industry, using artificial intelligence to
answer customer questions on Mercedes-Benz products. It will also have an
artificial reality based function which will further enhance customer
interactivity with the Bot.
RENAULT INDIA
Renault India is all geared up
to showcase a wide array of products ranging from design, performance and
concept cars. Renault will showcase its prowess from its global portfolio along
with F1 racing car highlighting cutting-edge technology and breakthrough
innovations. Also on display would be the existing range of Renault India
product portfolio with innovative themes. As a hallmark of innovation, Renault
has planned an array of digital and exciting customer-engagement programmes for
the visitors.
SUZUKI MOTORCYCLE INDIA
Suzuki Motorcycle India will
showcase 17 models, both in scooters as well as the motorcycle category.
Amongst the biggest attractions will be the Suzuki Ecstar Moto GP race bike –
the GSX-RR, the Gixxer Cup racing model, the motocross variants – the 2018
Suzuki RM-Z450, the 2018 Suzuki RM-Z250; and the 2018 Suzuki DR-Z70.
On domestic front, the Access, the Gixxer and
the newly launched Intruder, the symbolic of Suzuki’s renewed focus on the
premium scooters and motorcycle segments will be available to visitors for the
touch and feel. The new Intruder would be displayed in both the colours -
Metallic Oort/Metallic Matt Black No 2, and Glass Sparkle Black/Metallic Matt
Titanium Silver.
TATA MOTORS
Tata Motors will showcase 26 new smart mobility solutions across its
passenger and commercial vehicle business. The Indian OEM will be showcasing
its smart mobility solutions in a specially curated theme showcased across its
pavilion. The company also has plans to premier some key PV and CV models. It
will also debut its new Impact Design 2.0 in the passenger vehicles space. In
the commercial vehicle space, Tata Motors will redefine some segments to
reflect purpose, strength and quality.
TOYOTA KIRLOSKAR MOTOR
Toyota Kirloskar Motor will showcase
its premium new launches, facelifts and concepts. The company will be out in
force with a show-stopping reveal and many more distinctive displays under the
thematic banner of “Driven by a Better Future”. The Toyota pavilion will be conceptually
designed as a “City to Come" which defines Toyota’s ideal image of “a
city” from India‘s immediate future.
TWENTY TWO MOTORS
A company that has raised
around 1.6 Million USD till date and planning to raise another 15 million USD
in coming year, will be launching its first smart electric scooter FLOW. The
Electric Vehicle is connected to cloud servers on the go. With Sense Deep
Logic, the system has been dotted with state of the art sensors and smart
features. Real time connectivity to cloud ensures that one can keep an eye on
system performance. Integrated app provides a glimpse into system even when you
are thousands of miles away.
CLEVELAND CYCLEWERKS
Through Laish-Madison Motor
Werks Pvt Ltd, Cleveland CycleWerks’ exclusive partner, the company will be officially
launching two motorcycles from its existing range of bikes. The models - ACE
and Misfit, fall under the café racer category. There will be various design
options for both the models which would be available for the Indian consumer
and it will be showcased at the expo.
EMFLUX MOTORS
Emflux Motors willbe launching an electric motorcycle that will have a range of 200 km in
city ride condition, can accelerate from 0 - 100 kmph in 3.0 Seconds and can
achieve a top speed of 200 kmph (Electronically Limited). The vehicle will be
powered by Li-ion 9.7 kWh high power cells. The main features of the Emflux
superbike include Brembo Brakes, Ohlin’s Suspension, Dual channel ABS, Single
Sided Swingarm, fully connected smart dashboard with AI capabilities. More
details and features be unveiled at the expo.
HOT WHEELS
Hot Wheels, from the house of
Mattel Toys, has released sketches of two cars with a post teasing that they
have something exciting in store at the Expo for their fans. The concept
sketches suggest two distinctively different cars; One looks like a brawny
muscle hotrod with Hot Wheels’ signature flames decal and the other looks like
a racer, sketch cues indicate a NASCAR like look. One look and you will know
that these are pure-breed Hot Wheels original concepts.
PINNACLE SPECIALITY VEHICLES
Pinnacle Speciality
Vehicles (PSV), a division of Pinnacle
Industries Limited is all set to showcase Finetza, a customised expandable
motor home at the Expo. The first of its
kind in the Indian market, the Finetza series, a converted motor home aims to
transform road trip experiences and is fully equipped for amazing outings with
family and friends. The company announced Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir as its brand ambassador ahead of its participation
and launch at the expo.
The Finetza will feature
elegant and luxurious interiors with a galore of features. As you enter the
van, you are welcomed by a lavish lounge area equipped with recliners and
loungers. It will have a seating capacity for up to six passengers. The rear of
the vehicle will have a private cabin with a sofa, which once expanded,
converts into a full-size bedroom. The lounge area will also have a motorised
convertible bed. The vehicle comfortably sleeps 4.
The Expo will also feature,
PSV’s Opisia Series- the modified executive business van, Magnifica series -
the modified tourer, and a modified product display van.