2011 will be remembered as the year of economic slowdown for the Indian automobile industry. Car manufacturers in India were helpless when it came down to improving the sales graph. Majority of auto makers failed to tackle economic issues like increase in petrol price, high rate of interest and decreasing value of rupee against U.S. dollar.
Its has been a tough season so far for the auto manufacturers, with Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) suffering the most because of labour disputes. Hyundai was in news for similar problems at its Chennai plant. Labour trouble was going parallel with sudden demand for diesel variants. The unavailability of labour force resulted in low production of car models and this further tumbled the sales figures.
The only positives that emerged in 2011 were the new car models. Skoda Rapid, Nissan Sunny, new Maruti Swift and Toyota Etios were among the new models that brought relief in the Indian automobile sector. Luxury car makers like BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz also assisted in lifting the sales graph.
Only few days are left in the calendar year of 2011 and Indian auto makers have started gearing up for 2012. The much-awaited Delhi Auto Expo will kick start on 7th January next year. The 11th edition of Delhi Auto Expo will be showcasing car models of some of the biggest brands in the automobile industry. Asia’s biggest automotive show is expected to help stimulate the industry and enable it to overcome the economic slowdown of 2011 that affected the growth of Indian automobile manufacturers drastically.
Tata owned British car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover will be looking forward to entice Indian customers with its all new models, namely Land Rover C-X16 and DC100. BMW’s Mini Cooper, Peugeot Citroen and Ferrari are some other global automobile names that will unveil unique models for Indian car aficionados. MSIL, India’s largest car maker, would also try to woo spectators by its concept compact SUV.
Mahindra & Mahindra is also set to surprise Indian audience at the upcoming Delhi Auto Expo. Pawan Goenka, President, automotive sector, M&M stated, “We will be displaying some relevant products and some surprises from Mahindra two wheelers, the Navistar JV, Mahindra and Mahindra and Ssangyong,”
Spectators are in for a real treat when it comes to bikes as Harley Davidson would be displaying its all new models at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. Honda is also gearing up to entice Indian youth by bringing in India-oriented motorcycles. Vice-President, marketing and sales, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI), N.K. Rattan commented, “We will possible display our first 100cc category motorcycle which is really good. We will also showcase scooters and motorcycles for mass production and some other interesting things,”
Hence, it can be said that despite all the blows received by the Indian auto industry in 2011, the Delhi Auto Expo 2012 is expected to emerge as a silver lining for the struggling car manufacturers.
