6000 Honda Amaze units booked in India within 5 days

The Amaze was expected to be Honda's trump card in the initial part of the year 2013 to spearhead sales and by the look of things, progress seems to be on track. This new entry level sedan that was launched on April 11, has already recorded 6000 bookings in just 5 days. Reportedly, some cities already have waiting period of 2 months for this vehicle.

Not only is the diesel variant of this vehicle more powerful than the competition, but it is also most fuel efficient, at 25.8 kmpl. With the 1.5 litre i-DTEC diesel engine under its hood, a power of 99 bhp is generated. Similarly, the petrol version comes with a 1.2 litre i-VTEC engine, good enough to produce 87 bhp of peak power. The diesel version is more powerful than the diesel variant of segment leader Maruti Swift DZire, which generates 74 bhp of power. In addition, both automatic and manual gearboxes are available in the Honda Amaze, whereby automatic transmission is fitted only in the petrol version.

A new television commercial (TVC) has been launched for the Honda Amaze, which is commonly aired during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Simultaneously, a print advertisement for this car has also been revealed in popular newspapers. The Hindi version of the print advertisement states 'Badle aapki duniya', which means 'Change your world' in English.

It was very necessary for Honda Cars India to launch a capable vehicle in the diesel category, as competition was bringing the Japanese company down. In the mid level sedan segment, Hyundai Verna Fluidic and Volkswagen Vento really took the sting out of the Honda City, by having successful diesel variants that were being lapped up by customers. As a result, sales of the flagship model City were rapidly declining. Based on this, Honda decided that diesel variants need to be launched by them throughout the Indian market and so, the Amaze was born. As per industry sources, Brio diesel and Jazz diesel are also expected to be launched in 2014.

The brilliance of Honda engineering, coupled with its brand image in India, is sure to make the new Amaze a best seller. It has been well recognised by loyalists as a brand that can be trusted for the quality of its products. In terms of price point, the base petrol version of the new Honda Amaze can be bought at Rs. 4.99 lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi). Similarly, the base model of its diesel variant is priced at Rs. 5.99 lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi).