![]() | #31 | |
BHPian Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Santa Clara, CA
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| ![]() Not that selling two (or more) generations of cars was enough, we also have had examples of completely discontinued cars being introduced here. Two such cars are: 1. Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo This was the first generation Suzuki MR Wagon/ Nissan Moco in Japan sold from 2001-2006. It was introduced in India December 2006 to replace the aging Zen. Japan got the second generation MR Wagon in January 2007. Reaction: Flop Even after the facelift with a better front, attractive colors (silver and blue) and a newer generation K-series engine, sales failed to pick up. The car had to compete with the WagonR which has been a strong seller since a long time. The car is popular with the ladies, maybe because of the visibility it offers. The Estilo and A-Star were replaced recently by the Celerio. 2. Toyota Qualis The Qualis was the third generation Kijang which was initially sold from 1986-1996. It was given minor changes and introduced in India around 1999. Reaction: Hit Quote:
Source: Wikipedia Entry for Toyota India Last edited by amolbh : 17th April 2014 at 15:59. Reason: Adding market reactions. | |
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![]() | #32 | |
Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Faridabad/Delhi
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DCM wasn't just a cloth company when it entered the CV business. Among other things, the company also made automobile components. | |
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![]() | #33 | ||
BANNED Join Date: May 2011 Location: Ghaziabad
Posts: 210
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Excellent thread. Thank you. | ||
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![]() | #34 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Hyderabad
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We owned an NE118, a Ford Escort 1.8 Diesel and a Fiat Uno Diesel. Although the Uno was slightly better, both the Ford and NE118 required their A/Cs to be turned off when climbing a steep hill/ under full load. The Escort was in fact the most horrible car in this aspect and my dad used make fun of it by saying that the A/C switch should be moved onto the Gear Lever and then Ford could claim to be selling a car with 10 forward gears, that was how differently the vehicle behaved with the A/C off. | |
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BHPian ![]() | ![]() Awesome fun to read! Rated a well deserved 5 Stars. Hope to come across many more such interesting trivia. I think the Suzuki F8B is the longest running engine in production in India. The 796cc, 2 valves/cyl engine started with the Maruti 800 in 1983 and still continuing with the Omni. Please correct me if I'm wrong though. I had a query on similar lines: which was the first two door to be manufactured in India? Is it the Standard Herald, or did we have something before that? |
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![]() | #36 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Cubicle
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| ![]() We once had a M800 sized hatchback sold in India, which was rear wheel drive. Which one? The Sipani Dolphin, which was essentially the British Reliant Kitten. Last edited by KiloAlpha : 17th April 2014 at 16:43. Reason: Fact check |
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![]() | #37 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Delhi
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![]() | #38 |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: udumalaipettai
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| ![]() Very insightful thread GTO. According to my dad, Ambassadors of the early sixties and before were welded again after they were sold. Some owners would apply a coating of brass and repaint the cars. |
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Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Faridabad/Delhi
Posts: 1,609
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Permission was earlier refused to Tata for foreign collaboration for the proposed LCV foray. So, TM launched its ambitious "Project Jupiter" whereunder the company was to create an indigenous LCV within 18 months flat! The end result was Tata 407. The 18 month deadline was also met although the product was developed from scratch! That's how the famous Sumant Moolgaonkar ran Tata Motors! In contrast, the Tata Motors of 21st century takes 4 years to launch Safari 18! Quote:
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It also came with 165/80/14 tyres! Quote:
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Maruti never had any R&D deptt. in India so the question of complacency does not arise! Everything in R&D was done in Japan. All of Maruti's decisions were and are still dictated by the Japanese. Not transferring gearbox technology was Suzuki's tactic to make more money out of Maruti! Faced with depleting foreign exchange reserves, it's no wonder that the Govt. of India protested! | ||||||||||
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![]() | #40 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Garden City
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| ![]() Excellent thread GTO. Incredible facts well put together. Quote:
Hyundai used to sell getz as a 1.3 l, but it had a 1341 cc engine. Toyota used to sell qualis as 2.4 l, but it had a 2446cc engine. And KTM sells the 990 Super Duke(999cc) and 1290 duke(1301cc), though not in India(200,390,690 are produced). | |
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![]() | #41 | |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: India
Posts: 824
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Thought of sharing these advertisement pictures again so that we can revisit the earlier time, though they have been shared in the forum earlier as well. ![]() ![]() ![]() Can someone highlight when was the first 5 speed Maruti 800 launched. I believe this was after the launch of Indica. The deluxe variant of Maruti had 5speed gearbox and so was the case with Indica. Though, I am not sure about it but some members may be knowing this. Last edited by mints21 : 17th April 2014 at 17:25. | |
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![]() | #42 |
BHPian ![]() | ![]() Don't Know if its already posted. Maruti Suzuki Manesar Detroit of India A car rolls out of Maruti's Manesar Plant every 0.6 seconds at full production capactiy.It has a total production capacity of 5,50,000 vehicles per annum. ![]() Source: Had heard about the production time at a seminar conducted by ARAI folks. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maruti_Suzuki |
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Senior - BHPian ![]() | ![]() Quote:
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BHPian ![]() Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: CBE,Erode
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| ![]() Almost everybody born in 80s will have a relationship with Ambassador. When I was a kid, we used to fight to sit in the lap of the person at front corner seat! That was because of the 'cut-window' which will blow air at your face when the car is moving ![]() Air-condition was a luxury at that time and the 'cut-window' was a boon! This feature disappeared on future Ambassadors (BHPians-from which year/model ?) ![]() |
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![]() | #45 |
BHPian Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: TN - 07
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| ![]() My two Bits on this lovely thread. 1. The Daewoo Matiz was probably the only car where you could both push and pull the clutch pedal to engage the clutch. 2. The entire Bajaj scooter series - Chetak, Super and Cub had a waiting period of more than 6 months. |
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