Ford India to expand distribution, service network

Chennai, Nov 26 (IANS)

Car manufacturer Ford India, the Indian subsidiary of US auto major Ford Motor Company, plans to increase its customer touch points (sales and service) to 500 by middle of the decade at a time when it plans to launch eight new models, said the company's incoming chief.

"The leader might change. But the business plan has not changed. Eight new products by the middle of this decade will be launched in India. We will increase the customer touch points (sales and service points) to 250 this year and to 500 touch points by middle of this decade," Joginder Singh, who will take over as president and managing director of Ford India Dec 1, told reporters here Monday.

He said the company will launch its sports utility vehicle (SUV) EcoSport next year, the new plant in Gujarat is on track to go on stream in 2014 and global suppliers of Ford Motor Company have committed investment in India.

Singh said Ford Motor Company expects 70 percent of the growth to come from Asia Pacific region during the next decade and much of that will be contributed by China and India.

He said profitable faster growth is his vision for the company as the total investment in India will touch USD 2 billion.

According to Singh, the India growth story is valid despite the changes in the policy conditions.

Looking back at his nearly five year tenure at Ford India, Michael Boneham, the outgoing president and managing director, said he had completed his agenda.

He said the company launched Figo model-a segment accounts for 70 percent of the total car market. The capacity of the Chennai plant was expanded and a new plant in Gujarat was decided.

Agreeing that Ford India is still not a volume player, Boneham said the company is creating capacity ahead of the market.

--IANS

View the original article here

Mini to expand Goodwood trim across model range

Tasteful application or shameless marketing ploy – say what you will about the Goodwood edition Mini, but it's here to stay. According to reports, the retro hatchback trimmed out by Rolls-Royce craftsmen is just the first of many.

Although the special-edition "Mini Inspired by Goodwood" – borrowing its handle from the ancestral home of the Spirit of Ecstasy – will initially be produced in a limited run of 1000 examples, word has it that the name will be applied to an entire range of top-of-the-line offerings. In that way, the Goodwood range will parallel the performance-oriented John Cooper Works trim level as the luxury-oriented pinnacle model for Mini.

So should we be expecting Goodwood editions of the Convertible, Clubman, Countryman and the various other Mini body styles in the pipeline? It would seem that way. But while their interiors may be festooned with plush cornsilk leather and glossy burlwood veneers, don't go looking for a V12 under the hood.

View the original article here

Mini to expand Goodwood trim across model range

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) on May 2nd 2011 at 1:29PM

Mini Inspired by Goodwood – Click above for high-res image gallery
Tasteful application or shameless marketing ploy – say what you will about the Goodwood edition Mini, but it's here to stay. According to reports, the retro hatchback trimmed out by Rolls-Royce craftsmen is just the first of many.

Although the special-edition "Mini Inspired by Goodwood" – borrowing its handle from the ancestral home of the Spirit of Ecstasy – will initially be produced in a limited run of 1000 examples, word has it that the name will be applied to an entire range of top-of-the-line offerings. In that way, the Goodwood range will parallel the performance-oriented John Cooper Works trim level as the luxury-oriented pinnacle model for Mini.

So should we be expecting Goodwood editions of the Convertible, Clubman, Countryman and the various other Mini body styles in the pipeline? It would seem that way. But while their interiors may be festooned with plush cornsilk leather and glossy burlwood veneers, don't go looking for a V12 under the hood.

View the original article here

Rolls-Royce reportedly planning to expand Ghost family with coupe, cabrio, LWB sedan

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) on Dec 8th 2010 at 7:01PM

Rolls-Royce Ghost – Click above for high-res image gallery
The new Ghost has been a runaway success for Rolls-Royce, the (relatively) more accessible saloon more than doubling its sales figures and outselling the larger Phantom by order of magnitude. And as might be expected, the BMW subsidiary has every intention of cashing in its success with a family of new models.

Much as it has with the Phantom, Rolls-Royce is reportedly planning on spinning the Ghost sedan into a full range, including a long-wheelbase version, a coupe and convertible. The stretched limousine is expected to come first, with about half a foot of extra length added between the B and C pillars for more rear-seat space. The coupe and convertible versions are expected to follow.

Reports also indicate that Rolls-Royce is planning a green push by implementing more environmentally-friendly drivetrain options, although it has not yet decided exactly what form they'll take. With sister-brands BMW and Mini taking the pressure of carbon emissions regulations off its back, the Spirit of Ecstasy is more concerned with pinpointing just what its customers want, and delivering it in a finely-crafted, leather-lined burlwood box.

Photos by Rex Roy / Copyright ©2010 AOL
[Source: Inside Line]

View the original article here