Milestone #15: Ford celebrates 35th Year and 15 Million units of Fiesta

In the ever changing global automotive scenario, there are very few models that stand the test of time earning plaudits critically and financially. And when they do so, it is obviously a reason to cheer and celebrate for the corresponding stakeholders. Very recently, we witnessed Honda celebrating a similar occasion with its Civic and now, we have this. Ford, the 108 year old American company recently celebrated two historic milestones of its sub-compact car Fiesta, whose global production has touched its 35th year and 15 million units.

When the Mk I Fiesta was launched in 1976, even the top honchos at Ford would not have envisaged the phenomenal success story that this new small car was going to script. Over the next 35 years, the Fiesta has gone through six generation changes before reaching the landmark figure of 15 million units in the last week of July 2011. Remarkably, the Fiesta has not grown in size over the years and has stayed true to its origins as a sub-compact car primarily destined for Europe. But, true to the famous ‘One Ford’ policy, the Fiesta is now spreading its reach in other continents as well.

The latest Mk VI Fiesta that was launched in 2008 has boosted the popularity of the brand multifold and has gone on to become Europe’s best-selling car in 2009, 2010 and possibly 2011 too. It may look familiar to us Indians as Ford recently launched the sedan variant of the Mk VI Fiesta amidst huge expectations in India. The Indian connection with the ‘Fiesta’ started way back in 1999 with the launch of Ikon which was based on Mk IV Fiesta. After that, all the other successful models of Ford India including the Fiesta Classic and Figo were all based on various generations of the European Fiesta.

Roelant de Waard, VP, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe had this to say on the occasion to celebrate Fiesta’s twin milestones, “The Fiesta is a special car that has a special place in the hearts of European customers and car lovers around the world. Times and technologies have changed, but as long as the Fiesta continues to deliver the style, economy and performance elements that have been present from the very beginning, it will remain an enduring success”. To mark the occasion, Ford also launched a series of subtle revisions in the existing Fiesta.

Milestone #14: A 1999 Ford Focus covers 1,000,000 km

Browsing through the many useless e-mails that flood our inbox every day, I stumbled upon this interesting piece of automotive trivia that has surprisingly managed to miss the eyes of Indian automotive media. The mail had this picture in it and stated that a 1999 Ford Focus in Europe has clocked a mileage of 1,000,000 km. Now, stop counting the zeros. You read it right, it is 10 Lakh or 1 Million km. Incredibly surprised by what I saw, I did some research in the internet and found out that it was indeed true.

A gentle-man in Austria by the name Mario Folger had bought this Ford Focus 1.8 TDDi 90PS model in 1999 and since then has been using this car for his personal and business trips across the country. In the first week of April 2011, 12 years after it was bought, the car had crossed a mileage of 1,000,000 km. Apparently, this was the first time ever that a Ford vehicle has achieved this historic milestone and the company obviously was elated with this landmark feat.

Speaking on the occasion to honor the car and the owner in April 2011, Steffen Knapp, Director of Ford Austria had said “This vehicle is an example of the outstanding quality of the Ford Focus. The introduction of the first Focus in 1998 was a milestone in Ford history and set new benchmarks in driving dynamics, design and quality. With the launch of the new Focus this month we continue this success story and take our entire range to a new level in terms of technology, efficiency, safety and quality.”

What is even more commendable is that the car has had just one engine repair and one clutch replacement in the entire 12 years of ownership. Almost everything else in the car is pretty much stock, just as it came out of the factory in 1999. I don’t doubt that claim as the car is absolutely spotless, shows no signs of wear and tear and still looks fresh out of the showroom floor. Maybe, it’s time to start reusing the old tagline “Built Ford Tough”, which in this case is true after all.

Milestone #13: Honda celebrates 39 Years and 19 Million sales of Civic

Few models would have done this to their manufacturers like what the Civic did to Honda. Over the years, the Civic has clearly established itself as one of the best cars in its segment with a combination of stunning looks, superior interior quality, an engine that likes to be revved hard, a chassis that makes you smile every time you push it to the limits and technology that is truly modern and ahead of its time. While Honda may not be an aspirational brand, the Civic, especially in the sporty Type-R and Si trims, really is.

Ever since its launch in the year 1972, the Civic has gone through eight generation changes and has sold a total of an astonishing 19 million units across the globe. Very few nameplates in history, like Volkswagen’s Beetle, Toyota’s Corolla and Camry and Honda’s own Accord can boast of comparable numbers. The 8th generation model that is still being sold in India, is widely considered as the best Civic yet, with its gorgeous styling, futuristic interiors, a gem of an engine with revolutionary i-VTEC technology, sporty handling and a whole lot of body-styles and versions.

Honda has just launched the latest 9th generation model in the international markets and the initial reviews are not so great. According to critics, in its quest for lesser emissions and greater fuel efficiency in the 9th gen Civic, Honda has not only sacrificed on power output, but has also compromised on styling and handling, the three hallmarks of the previous generation model. Maybe that’s why the company has oddly decided to celebrate the 39th anniversary and 19 million sales of the car by releasing a heritage video to boast the legacy of the 'Civic' brand. Be it a marketing gimmick or a desperate move by Honda to push the all-new model, that is a legacy to die for. Let it continue forever.

Milestone #12: Audi celebrates 40 Years of Vorsprung durch Technik

Let us be clear. This is not an usual milestone that we get to see often like a 'n' millionth number of a particular car being produced by a particular company. But this is no less significant either. This is about an ad caption that was created way back to signify the common values of a brand that was having a diverse line-up of models and trying to grow beyond its German horizons.

In 2011, 40 years down the line, the caption still takes prime place in the company's ads and signifies the value of the brand just as perfectly as it did in 1971 when it was first created. The brand in question is Audi and it's caption 'Vorsprung Durch Technik'. Translated in English, the phrase means 'Advancement Through Technology' which is precisely what Audi is doing in its models.

That the caption was formed in its native German language did not make it any less popular outside Germany. In fact, in India where anything foreign catches the attention of the public, it became a style statement whenever someone has to refer to the brand. When Audi was introduced in our market, the caption was as much of a rage as the cars themselves.

With a global lineup extending from the sub-compact A1 to the R8 supercar, some of the recent technological innovations of Audi include aluminium spaceframe construction, all-LED lighting, the award-winning 2.5-liter 5-cylinder TFSI engine and the MMI Interface with Google mapping functionality. I just have a humble request to Audi - Lassen Sie die Innovationen weiter!

Milestone #11: Maruti-Suzuki rolls out 10 Millionth Car

Dominating a market when there are no real competitors to boast of is one thing. But to do that amidst mounting pressure and challenges from competitors breathing down the neck is a completely different thing altogether. Yes, come what may, Maruti-Suzuki has proved wrong all the naysayers, who predicted the decline of the company when all the global majors started setting up their shops in India.

Armed with a lineup of 15 models, Maruti-Suzuki still holds a market share of more than 50% in the burgeoning Indian car market. To put things in perspective, the Alto alone sells more every month than all the models of Hyundai, Maruti’s closest competitor in India, combined together. Now, that is dominance at its absolute best. Maruti’s dominance is not restricted to volumes alone, as the company has been voted No.1 in Customer Satisfaction for years and years together.

In its journey riddled with milestones all the way, Maruti-Suzuki has crossed yet another landmark. The company, on 15-March-2011, rolled out its 10 Millionth Car, becoming the first ever Indian company, if you can call it so, to achieve this feat. A blue colored Wagon-R did the honors for the company. With this, Maruti-Suzuki joins an elite few globally who have achieved this feat earlier including Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen and General Motors.

With Japan reeling in the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, Maruti-Suzuki has rightly chosen not to celebrate this event. Any which way it is, hats off to Maruti-Suzuki! They have really come a long, long way from launching the diminutive 800 in India more than 25 years back. There is a saying “As the going gets tough, the tough gets going”. Going ahead is definitely getting tougher for Maruti. Let’s see how tough Maruti gets to get going.

Milestone #10: Daimler celebrates 125th Anniversary of the Automobile & MB post-war deliveries touch 30 Million

“You learn something every day if you pay attention”, goes a saying. Whats so surprising is the way in which ‘life’ reminds us of this fact with amazing regularity, the most recent one for me being this news which I came to know just a couple of days back. I may boast of possessing considerable knowledge in automobiles that had made me go to the extent of blogging about it. I may have also remembered faintly the fact that Carl Benz was the inventor of motor car. But, never did I get to know all these days that, as an honor of Carl Benz’s invention, the day in which he received the patent is being observed as ‘World Automobile Day’. It was on 29th of January, 1886 that Carl Benz was awarded the patent 37435 for his ‘vehicle with gas-engine drive’.

Now, 125 years after that historic day which had changed the meaning of ‘personal mobility’, Mercedes-Benz and the parent brand Daimler are celebrating the ‘Anniversary of the Automobile’ with a slew of events. It is, quite obviously, a matter of great pride for everyone associated with Daimler. Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, emphasized the importance of the automobile on speaking on the occasion. "The invention of Daimler and Benz has changed the world for the better and it will continue to do so. History shows that when a society becomes physically mobile it also becomes socially mobile and economically successful."



The company kicked off the celebrations in the best way possible by receiving yet another patent, this time for ‘bipolar flat-cell frame’, a battery-related technology still under development at Daimler. As if to emphasize the importance of fuel cell electric vehicles, Mercedes-Benz also started a World Tour of three B-Class Fuel Cell cars which would travel across the globe in 125 days. Also unveiled during the celebrations was the latest sculpture from Mercedes-Benz Design Team, the ‘Aesthetics 125’. The sculpture not only continues the philosophy that ‘Mercedes-Benz design is art’ but also provides a glimpse of the future design language of the brand.



Also, right on time for the 125th anniversary celebrations, Mercedes-Benz also reached yet another historic milestone. Since 1945, after 65 years of post-war production, Mercedes-Benz cars with the iconic ‘three pointed star’ have been delivered to 30 million customers across the globe. Way to go MB! Now, before the reality sets in, let me start dreaming of owning a Mercedes-Benz just in time to atleast join the 150th anniversary of the automobile.

Milestone #9: Land Rover produces and donates 1 Millionth Range Rover

It requires some guts apart from loads of commitment and hard work to try and do something which has not been done before. And, if you succeed in the attempt, you stand a very good chance of your creation becoming iconic and legendary. Land Rover managed to do just that when, for the first time ever, it blended ultimate luxury with extreme off-road capabilities into a single package in the form of Range Rover. But, even Land Rover would not have guessed that the Range Rover would come this far.

Having pioneered the luxury SUV, the Range Rover, for a whooping 40 years, has literally ruled the segment with no real competition to speak of. On Nov-4-2010, the 1 Millionth Range Rover was built at Land Rover's Solihull Plant and the company celebrated the event by donating the vehicle to Help for Heroes, a charity organization. The model which did the honors was a top-of-the-line Range Rover Vogue Autobiography Edition which will be auctioned off and the proceedings donated to the above said organization.

At a time when, barring a few, most of the automotive designs are becoming dated and being refreshed almost every year or so, the mighty Rangie has continued for so long with very few changes in its basic shape. That speaks volumes about the timeless, classic and unmistakable design it is endowed with. Starting from the first-generation Classic in 1970 through the second-generation model in 1994 to the third-generation model in 2001, the Range Rover has maintained its top virtue of combining the best of both worlds - uncompromising luxury and off-road ability.

The Range Rover line-up is all set to be joined by the stunning new Evoque in 2011. It only adds to the excitement that this feat is achieved by Land Rover under the ownership of our very own Tata.

Milestone #8: Hyundai rolls out 3 Millionth Car in India

Exactly 8 months after the roll-out of it's 2.5 millionth car out of the Indian operations, Hyundai Motor India today celebrated the Roll-Out of it's 3 Millionth Car from Indian soil. Being Hyundai India's best seller by volume both in domestic and export markets, a decorated red i10 deservedly did the honors for the company in the presence of the top management officials. This day (04-Aug-2010) will go down as a red letter day in the company's history as Hyundai is only the second automobile manufacturer in the country after Maruti-Suzuki to achieve this milestone and also did so in a record time of less than 12 years.

Ever since Hyundai started operations in India in 1996 by setting up it's plant in a record time of just 17 months, it has always been a trend-setter in the country. Starting from the Santro in 1998, Hyundai continued it's successful onslaught in India with the Accent and Sonata in 1999 and 2001 respectively. This was followed by Terracan, Getz, Elantra and Tucson, all of which turned out to be less successful. Hyundai came back with a bang with the i10 in 2007, which garnered an entire gamut of awards and smashed all sales records. This was followed in 2008 by the hugely successful i20 model. Going forward, Hyundai is expected to launch the Santa Fe before the end of this year to try it's luck again in the SUV segment.

Here's wishing the company all success in it's future endeavors and to cross many more milestones.

Milestone #7: Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sports creates Land Speed Record

There are certain things in life, which when even thought about for a split-second, demand superlatives. And when it comes to the world of speed, there are quite a lot of things (and humans) which do that. Starting from Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher (greatest F1 racers ever) to the TGV and Concorde (the fastest train and jet), the list is quite formidable. And, if there is one car which has its name etched into this list, it would undoubtedly be the Bugatti Veyron.

Stung with criticism from all angles, Volkswagen, the owner of the Bugatti brand took it upon itself to deliver what it promised in the form of Veyron, even if it involved losing money on every number produced. In the process of doing so, terms like W16 engine configuration, 1001 bhp and quad turbochargers became known to the general public. Finally, when the Bugatti Veyron was launched as the World’s most powerful car at that time, the world was in awe of one of the ultimate cars that had ever been produced. Though the car’s design was not liked by everyone, the specifications and power output more than made up for it.

 

And now, when the Veyron is about to become history with the last few numbers to be manufactured, Bugatti decided to celebrate with the most fitting title to it’s super car – “Guiness Land Speed Record for a Production Car”. On July-04-2010, in Volkswagen group’s proving grounds at Ehra-Lessien near Wolfsburg, Germany, in the presence of German Technical Inspection Agency (TUV) and Guiness Book of Records representative, Bugatti sent it’s official test driver Pierre Henri Raphanel to drive the first of the Super Sports in the oval in both the directions. With speeds of 427.93 & 434.21 kph and an average speed of 431.072 kph (268 mph), the Veyron Super Sports easily set a new world speed record for a production car.

 

To commemorate this, the first five Super Sports edition produced will have the same black and orange livery as the record car. The entire Super Sports series will come with a power output of 1200 bhp and a maximum torque of 1500 Nm which are identical to those of the record car, but the Top Speed will be limited to 257.9 mph thus making the life of the tires and the occupants easier. But only a very few people, who are already lucky enough to even think of spending a fortune on buying this, will be able to get their hands on this one, what with a price tag of close to a quarter of a billion dollars and a very limited production run.



Images Courtesy: Autoblog (www.autoblog.com)

Milestone #6: Maruti-Suzuki manufactures 1 Millionth Car in 2009-10

Maruti-Suzuki India Ltd. (MSIL), which makes every second car sold in India and which commands a 54% share in the Indian automotive market created history on 23-Mar-2010 (Tuesday), when it manufactured the 1 Millionth Car of the year 2009-2010. By doing so, Maruti-Suzuki has joined an elite group of companies across the world that makes and sells more than a million cars a year. The list of companies doing so include Toyota, General Motors, Volkswagen, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Renault, Suzuki and Nissan. A blazing red Maruti-Suzuki Swift took the honors of being the millionth car of the financial year 2010. The journey of Maruti-Suzuki has been in sync with the growth of Indian Automotive Industry. While the Indian market has grown from a meagre 40,000 units annually when the first "Maruti 800" was rolled out in 1983 to the current 2 million units a year, Maruti-Suzuki has kept pace with a vice-like grip of the market and maintaining it's 50% plus market share even after the advent of global competition.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr.R.C.Bhargava, Chairman of Maruti-Suzuki said, "The landmark attained by Maruti-Suzuki fully establishes the validity of the late Prime Minister Smt.Indira Gandhi's vision when she decided to create Maruti Udyog. This vision has been fulfilled because of outstanding entrepreneurship of Mr.Osamu Suzuki, the excellent cooperation which existed between the Government of India and Suzuki Motor Corporation, and the enormous dedication, hard work and commitment of all Maruti-Suzuki employees over the last more than 26 years. The future beckons and Maruti-Suzuki will not be found wanting. Mr.Osamu Suzuki, Chairman and CEO of Suzuki Motor Corporation was among the dignitaries who graced the occasion.

With this, Maruti-Suzuki has become the first Indian automotive company to join the exclusive million club. Hope Tata and Mahindra follows suit and does India proud in the near future. 

Milestone #5: Renault-Nissan Alliance inaugrates Chennai plant

Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt. Ltd. (RNAIPL) inaugurated it's Chennai plant on 17-Mar-2010 and formally started it's manufacturing operations in the country. The event was presided over by the honorable CM of Tamil Nadu, Dr. M. Karunanidhi and the CEO & Chairman of Renault-Nissan, Mr. Carlos Ghosn. The plant, when ramped up to it's full capacity, will be able to produce 400000 cars a year and would entertain a total investment of about Rs.4500 Crore. The plant will initially start producing the Nissan Micra small car from May-2010 and the domestic sales of Micra will start from July this year. Going further, models like Renault Koleos and Renault Fluence will be made in the plant with domestic sales scheduled later in the year or early next year. The significance of this plant is that this is the first dedicated Alliance plant in the world, designed for making both Renault and Nissan cars.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Carlos Ghosn said, "Our plant in Chennai represents a key milestone for the Renault-Nissan alliance in India." Mr. Akira Sakurai, MD and CEO of RNAIPL said "The opening of any new plant is a significant achievement, but the speed and quality of execution at this plant in Chennai has been exceptional."

With the opening of Renault-Nissan plant, Chennai is now playing host to 7 of the global Top 20 Automobile Companies. Apart from Renault-Nissan, the other automobile majors present in Chennai include BMW, Daimler, Ford, Hyundai and Mitsubishi thus cementing Chennai's position as the "Detroit of South Asia".

Milestone #4: Hyundai Motor India rolls out 1 Millionth Export Car

Hyundai Motor India achieved a significant milestone on 22-Feb-2010 by rolling out it's 1 Millionth Export Car from India. The vehicle which did the honors was the new i20 which was shipped to Australia for the first time to mark the occasion. Being an industry trendsetter for exporting cars from India, Hyundai has achieved this milestone in a little over a decade thus making it the fastest automobile company in the country to reach this milestone.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. H. W. Park, Managing Director & CEO, HMIL said, “Reaching the 10 lakh export car landmark is not only a significant milestone but also a matter of great pride for the Hyundai family as it showcases the global success story that Hyundai as a brand enjoys. I take this opportunity to thank all our customers and stakeholders for their trust and support which has helped us reach this landmark. In the future we are sure to increase our overseas presence as we add more markets.” HMIL began exporting cars in the year 1999 with a batch of 20 Santros to Nepal. The first major export shipment of 760 Santro & Accent cars to Algeria from Chennai port happened on July-21-2000. 

Milestones of HMIL Exports from India:

• Oct-31-2004 - 100000


• Oct-18-2005 - 200000


• Oct-31-2006 - 300000


• Aug-06-2007 - 400000


• Mar-27-2008 - 500000


• Feb-22-2010 - 1000000

While it took 8 long years for Hyundai to reach the first 5 Lakh milestone in  exports, the second 5 Lakh cars took just 2 years. The major contributors for HMIL in exports are the Santro, i10, i20, Getz and Accent. Though Getz has been discontinued recently, the other four models continue to rake in good volumes for HMIL from as much as 110 countries across the world. As a matter of fact, Hyundai has made India it's global small car hub and HMIL is the only Hyundai plant in the world producing i10 and i20 till now. So, the next time when you see any of the Hyundai cars listed above anywhere in the world, be proud of the fact that they have been manufactured right here in India.

Milestone #3: Ford India rolls-out first Figo from Chennai

Ford, it may be recalled, was the first company to set up shop in Chennai, now widely referred to as the "Detroit of South Asia". Though the title is quite debatable, the importance of Chennai in the Indian automotive industry cannot be ruled out as well. In addition to Ford, MNC's like Hyundai, BMW, HM-Mitsubishi and recently Renault-Nissan and Daimler Trucks have also made Chennai their home. Though Ford had the first-comer advantage in Chennai, in terms of production volume, Ford was left to play catch-up with the other biggies announcing huge investments and volumes. Not anymore.

It may also be remembered that Ford India committed an investment of $ 500 million for it's small-car project (Figo) and for the engine facility. Now that the plant is ready, the first Ford Figo rolled out of the Chennai plant on Feb-05-2010 in the presence of the Honorable CM of Tami Nadu, Dr.M.Karunanidhi. The "Job 1" Ford Figo was driven off the assembly line less than 6 months after the public unveiling of the car by the President & CEO of Ford Motor Company, Dr.Alan Mulally. The Figo will be launched in the first quarter of the year 2010 with a 1.2L Petrol and 1.4L Diesel engine. With the new Assembly & Engine plant going into production, the total engine capacity at Ford India will reach 250,000 from the current 60,000 units per year.

79% of the diesel and 60% of the petrol engine components are sourced from the local suppliers. Overall, the Ford Figo will be launched with 85% local content, thus enabling Ford to price the car competitively. I expect the Figo to undercut the current small-car benchmark i10 by atleast 20,000 rupees for comparable variants. Ford needs to get it right this time with the Figo if it expects to stay in the fight in getting a slice of the lucrative and growing Indian car market. With that hope, three cheers to Ford for the "Job 1 Figo"!

Milestone #2: Hyundai crosses 25 Lakh Car Production in India

Let me settle things first. This blog is not a Hyundai PR Website. Now that things are clear, let me also state that I wish that there are some other automobile companies to rival Hyundai in constantly attracting media attention and being in spotlight. Seriously, this Korean company is not only growing globally in terms of sales, models, profits and brand image but is also setting milestones across the globe. Following my previous post of Hyundai's milestone in Alabama (USA), it is now the turn of it's Indian subsidiary Hyundai Motor India (HMI) to achieve a significant milestone.

The cumulative production of cars in it's plant at Sriperumbudur, 35 kms from the auto hub of Chennai, crossed 25 Lakh units today (08-Dec-2009). Hyundai started operations in India in the year 1998 after completing the construction of the greenfield facility in a record time of 17 months. The first car "Santro" was launched in September 1998 and it went off to become one of the most popular cars to be made in India with a total cumulative sales of 15 Lakh units till date. Cars like the Accent, Sonata, Getz, Elantra, i10 & the recent i20 have followed the Santro and continued the legacy of Hyundai in India. Of the total 25 Lakh units produced, approximately 16 Lakh units were sold in India and 9 Lakh units were exported.

Hyundai Motor India has always been a trendsetter of sorts in our country and this event is no exception. Hyundai has achieved this milestone in just a little over 10 years - the fastest in India and only the second auto manufacturer after Maruti to achieve this milestone.

Milestone #1: One Millionth Vehicle rolls off Hyundai's Alabama Plant

November-30-2009 will go in books as a red-letter day for South Korean auto-major Hyundai's American subsidiary - Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA). The day marked the "Roll-Out of 1 Millionth Vehicle" from the plant which started operations in 2005 with the mid-size Sonata sedan and henceforth added the crossover Santa Fe to it's lineup. In a short span of a little over four and a half years, a total of 655,496 Sonatas and 344,504 Santa Fes were built to achieve this landmark.

Speaking on the occasion, HMMA President & CEO, Mr.H.I.Kim said, "Our guests of honor today are without a doubt the team members wearing the Hyundai logo on their chest. We've overcome many challenges since production began in 2005 and through it all our Team Members never turned away from those challenges. It is because of them that we were able to accomplish this tremendous milestone."

It seems that Hyundai is on a spree of achieving milestones across the globe. On November-03-2009, Hyundai reported that the worldwide cumulative sales of it's Santa Fe SUV has touched 2 Million units. This included 500,000 unit sales in the Korean domestic market. This multiple award-winning and successful model was launched by Hyundai in June 2000 and it has steadily gained in popularity in most of the markets it was launched in. The Santa Fe is in it's second generation now and it was given a mid-cycle facelift very recently.