Auto Sales in October 2010; Growth of 33.07%

The cumulative production data for April-October 2010 shows production growth of 33.07 percent over same period last year. In October 2010, production grew at 44.80 percent over October 2009. Domestic Sales recorded a growth of 45.93 percent in October 2010 as against 21.63 percent growth in September 2010. The main issues that the automobile industry is facing is the availability of parts specter of price rise in raw materials.

Domestic Sales:

Passenger Vehicles segment during April-October 2010 grew at 33.72 percent over same period last year. Passenger Cars grew by 34.29 percent, Utility Vehicles grew by 21.85 percent and Multi Purpose Vehicles grew by 50.45 percent in this period.

The overall Commercial Vehicles segment registered growth of 37.77 percent during April-October 2010 as compared to the same period last year. While Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles (M&HCVs) registered growth of 53.19 percent, Light Commercial Vehicles grew at 26.25 percent.

Three Wheelers sales recorded a growth rate of 20.74 percent in April-October 2010. While Passenger Carriers grew by 23.75 percent during April-October 2010, Goods Carriers registered growth of 8.52 percent.

Two Wheelers registered a growth of 29.38 percent during April-October 2010. Mopeds, Scooters and Motorcycles grew by 25.00 percent, 52.11 percent and 25.60 percent respectively.

Exports:

During April-October 2010, overall automobile exports registered a growth rate of 41.44 percent.

Passenger Vehicles segment grew marginally by 1.76 percent in this period. Commercial Vehicles, Three Wheelers and Two Wheelers segments recorded growth of 89.20 percent, 95.30 percent and 48.89 percent respectively during April-October 2010.

Source: Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)

Hyundai Santa Fe in India Gets 535 Bookings in Two Weeks

Hyundai Motor India Limited, the country’s largest exporter and the second largest car manufacturer, added another feather to its cap with its new luxury SUV Santa Fe receiving overwhelming response from all parts of the country by registering 535 bookings within two weeks of its spectacular launch.

Commenting on this, H. W. Park, MD & CEO, HMIL, said, “It is a matter of great pride for us to have received such an encouraging response for our recently launched luxury SUV – the Santa Fe. The globally acclaimed luxury Santa Fe has class leading features and our Indian customers have received this SUV with unparalleled enthusiasm and affection. Looking at the initial customer response, we might even consider importing larger numbers for the next year.”

The bookings for the Santa Fe opened on 18 October, 2010 and closed on 30 October, 2010. The company has planned to take in only limited number of bookings as the Santa Fe is brought into India as a Completely Built-up Unit (CBU) from the parent HMC in South Korea and demand being exceptionally high in the international market, the Santa Fe numbers would be limited in India.

The company’s initial plans were to sell around 500 - 600 units per annum but looking at the overwhelming response the company will consider bringing in more units in the coming year. The luxurious Santa Fe was offered at an introductory price of Rs 20, 95,000 (2WD) and Rs 22, 95,000 (4WD) Ex-Showroom, New Delhi.

In India, the Santa Fe is available with a 2.2L CRDi engine – the most powerful and efficient engine in its class - that delivers a maximum power of 197PS/4000 rpm and an impressive torque of 42.9 kgm/1800~2500rpm – both highest in class. Available in six speed manual transmission, with an option of 2WD and 4WD, the high-tech engine incorporates a host of advanced technologies aimed at delivering an optimal balance of performance, excellent drivability on all terrains and a segment-best fuel mileage of 14.66 kmpl (ARAI certified).

Source: Hyundai Motor India Limited

Mahindra Scorpio in Himalayas For 3 Years In a Row!

The Mahindra Scorpio, one of India’s most iconic SUVs, recently created a hat-trick at the 12th Raid-de-Himalaya which is one of the most grueling events on the Indian motorsports calendar. The Scorpio emerged the winner in a record three segments under the Adventure Trial – SUV category.

Mahindra Scorpio’s domination of the Indian SUV segment has reached new heights with this achievement. The Scorpio also won Raid De Himalaya in 2009 and 2008 in the Adventure Trial - SUV category, making this a hat-trick win! Sanjay Takale & Rahul Sancheti came overall first in the Adventure Trial – SUV Category as well as first in the Stock Expert segment. The brother duo of K Prasad and K Pradeep came first in the Pro Stock Expert segment and Raj Singh Rathore and Chandrashekhar were the winners in the Stock Amateur segment: all these adding up to a triple treat for the Mighty Muscular Scorpio.

Commenting on the success of the Scorpio, Mr. Vivek Nayer, Sr. Vice-President, Marketing, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “This win further reaffirms the tough and rugged 'Mahindra DNA' of the iconic Scorpio which is a much loved, much admired brand. It is a very proud moment for us as winning the 3rd time in a row is a testimony to the spirit of adventure of the Scorpio as well as the people who drive it so passionately! ”.

Raid de Himalaya 2010 witnessed 164 participating teams grappling with subzero temperatures, highly inhospitable weather and forbidding terrain. The robust and rugged Scorpios however dominated the six-day long competition from the flag-off at Shimla on Day 1, to the close of the rally at Manali on Day 6, maintaining their poise and position through some of the most challenging conditions on earth.

Commenting on the win, Mr. Sanjay Takale, Winner, Adventure Trial-SUV category, Raid De Himalaya 2010 said, “Finishing the Raid de Himalaya is an achievement in itself. This is a team sport and we couldn't have pulled this off if we did not work together. Team Mahindra had a job to do. The rally saw a very high casualty rate due to the treacherous and unforgiving terrain and only the cars with the best technical setup were able to pull through. My biggest advantage was my navigator, Rahul Sancheti, who was spot on with direction and the Mahindra Scorpio which never gave up, no matter what the terrain was. The roads this time tested our mettle and by winning it, we just answered it right”.

Source: Mahindra

Maruti Suzuki Q2 Net Profit Increased

The Board of Directors of Maruti Suzuki India Limited approved the financial results for the second quarter of 2010-11 (July - September 2010) here today.

The Company registered Net Sales (net of excise) of Rs 89,371 million during the second quarter of 2010-11, a growth of 26.8 per cent over the same period last year. This marked a growth of 11 per cent over Net Sales in the first quarter of this fiscal (April-June 2010).

Net Profit during the second quarter of 2010-11 was Rs 5,982 million, up 5 per cent over the same period last year. This was a growth of 28.5 per cent over the first quarter (April- June 2010).

During the Quarter (July-Sept 2010), the domestic auto industry continued to witness strong volume growth. The Company achieved its highest ever domestic sales in a quarter at 2,77,936 units, a growth of 32.9 per cent over the same period last year.

Unit Sales

During the Quarter, the Company launched Alto K10, and factory-fitted CNG versions of Alto, Estilo, WagonR, Eeco and SX4. An automatic version of A-star was also launched.

The Company’s volume in the domestic A2 segment grew by 30 per cent, while in the A3 segment, sales volume grew by 29.2 per cent, compared to sales in July-September 2009.

Sales in C segment, comprising Omni and Eeco, grew 87.4 per cent.

Network

At the end of the Quarter, sales network stood at 860 outlets, covering 598 cities (end Mar’10: 802 outlets, 555 cities).

Service network stood at 2,819 workshops, covering 1,354 cities. (end Mar’10: 2,740 workshops, 1,335 cities)

Courtesy: Maruti Suzuki India Limited

Hyundai Motor India Sales Up 23% in October

Hyundai Motor India Ltd, the country’s second largest car manufacturer and the largest passenger car exporter achieved record sales of 34,725 units in the domestic market this month which is the highest ever since the company started sales in September, 1998. This is also the first time that HMIL in the last four consecutive months has achieved over 50,000 units of sale cumulatively.

HMIL’s total sales for October, 2010 stood at 52,225 units as against 51,735 units in October, 2009 registering an increase of 0.9%. The domestic sales accounted for 34,725 units as against 28,301 units in October, 2009 while the exports dipped by 25.3% from 23,434 units in October, 2009 to 17,500 units in October, 2010.

Arvind Saxena, Director - Marketing and Sales, HMIL reflecting on this month’s performance said, “the market has been on an upswing for the last few months but the introduction of the new ‘Next Gen’ i10 has really pepped up things for HMIL with the new i10 sales growing as much as 26% in the last two months. HMIL’s strategy of innovating and giving the customers the latest has worked very well for its success and we feel our customers really appreciate our efforts. The strong domestic demand has forced us to change our product mix and focus more on the domestic market.”

The segment-wise cumulative sales for the month of October, 2010 are as follows: A2 segment (Santro, i10, i20) 46,399 units; A3 Segment (Accent & Verna) 5,730 units; A5 segment (Sonata Transform) 22 units; Santa Fe (SUV) 74 units.

Courtesy: Hyundai Motor India Ltd

Maruti Suzuki October Sales Up 39.2% in 2010

India’s car market leader Maruti Suzuki India Limited sold a total of 118,908 vehicles in October 2010, growing 39.2 per cent over the same month last year. This includes 11,353 units of exports. In October 2009, the company had sold a total of 85,415 vehicles including 13,864 units for export markets.

For the first time, the company crossed 1 lakh units sales mark in the domestic market in October 2010, touching 107,555 units. The previous highest domestic sales was 95,148 units in September 2010.

The October 2010 sales marked the highest ever numbers in all large volume segments:

- A2 segment: 77,502 (previous highest 68,921 units in Sep10)

- A3 segment: 11,621 (previous highest 10,883 units in May10)

- C segment: 15,379 (previous highest 14,157 units in Aug10)

In October 2010, the sales in A2 segment grew by 50.7 per cent while in the A3 segment the sales growth was 32 per cent, as compared to October 2009. The sales growth in the C segment was 91.8 per cent while sales in B segment were up 151.2 per cent over October 2009.

Courtesy: Maruti Suzuki India Limited

Tata Motors Sales Rise 21% in October 2010

Tata Motors’ total sales (including exports) of Tata commercial and passenger vehicles in October 2010 were 64,757 vehicles, a growth of 21% over 53,404 vehicles sold in October 2009. The company’s domestic sales of Tata commercial and passenger vehicles for October 2010 were 58,807 nos., a 16% growth over 50,552 nos. sold in October last year.

Cumulative sales (including exports) for the company for the fiscal are 444,870 nos., a growth of 50% over 296,354 nos. sold last year.

Commercial Vehicles

The company’s sales of commercial vehicles in October 2010 in the domestic market were 34,329 nos., a 12% growth compared to 30,541 vehicles sold in October last year. LCV sales were 20,689 nos., a growth of 11% over October last year. M&HCV sales stood at 13,640 nos., a growth of 14% over October last year.

Cumulative sales of commercial vehicles in the domestic market for the fiscal are 238,571 nos., a growth of 48% over last year. Cumulative LCV sales are 136,031 nos., a growth of 36% over last year, while M&HCV sales stood at 102,540 nos., a growth of 67% over last year.

Passenger Vehicles

The passenger vehicles business reported a total sale and distribution offtake of 26,503 nos. (24,478 Tata + 2,025 Fiat) in the domestic market in October 2010, a 19% increase compared to 22,232 nos. (20,011 Tata + 2,221 Fiat) in October last year. Sales of Tata passenger vehicles are 24,478 nos., a growth of 22% over October 2009. Sales of the Tata Nano were 3,065 nos., higher by 2% over October last year. The Indica range sales were 9,732 nos., higher by 1% over October last year. The Indigo range recorded sales of 8,292 nos., a growth of 69% over October last year. The Sumo/ Safari/ Aria range accounted for sales of 3,389 nos., higher by 38% over October last year.

Jaguar Land Rover sales continued their upward trend.

Courtesy: Tata Motors India

TVS Motor Posts 48% Growth in October 2010

Robust demand for its products across all segments of the two and three wheeler industries has enabled TVS Motor Company to post a total sales growth of 48% in October 2010. The company registered total sales of 195,271 units in October 2010 against 131,941 units in October 2009. Cumulative total sales for the period April to October 2010 therefore stood at 1,184,065 units.

Two Wheeler

During the month, total two wheeler sales of the company grew by 46% with sales of 191,822 units against 131,029 units registered in October 2009.

Cumulative two wheeler sales for the period April to October 2010 increased 34% with sales of 1,162,861 units over 868,509 units in April to October 2009.

Domestic sales of the company grew significantly by 45% with sales growing from 118,563 units in October 2009 to of 173,771 units in October 2010.

Scooter sales led the growth quotient with a substantial increase of 58% from 28,301 units in October 2009 to 44,659 units in the current month. Motorcycles sales too grew by an impressive 49% with sales increasing from 56,465 units in October 2009 to 84,233 units in October 2010.

Exports registered a growth of 45% with sales increasing from 12,466 units in October 2009 to 18,051 units in October 2010.

Three Wheeler

The company sold 3,449 units of three wheelers in October 2010 against 912 units in the comparable period of the previous year. Cumulative three wheeler sales for the period April '10 to October '10 stood at 21,204 units, a growth of 232% over the same period of the previous year.

Robust demand for its products across all segments of the two and three wheeler industries has enabled TVS Motor Company to post a total sales growth of 48% in October 2010. The company registered total sales of 195,271 units in October 2010 against 131,941 units in October 2009. Cumulative total sales for the period April to October 2010 therefore stood at 1,184,065 units.

Two Wheeler

During the month, total two wheeler sales of the company grew by 46% with sales of 191,822 units against 131,029 units registered in October 2009.

Cumulative two wheeler sales for the period April to October 2010 increased 34% with sales of 1,162,861 units over 868,509 units in April to October 2009.

Domestic sales of the company grew significantly by 45% with sales growing from 118,563 units in October 2009 to of 173,771 units in October 2010.

Scooter sales led the growth quotient with a substantial increase of 58% from 28,301 units in October 2009 to 44,659 units in the current month. Motorcycles sales too grew by an impressive 49% with sales increasing from 56,465 units in October 2009 to 84,233 units in October 2010.

Exports registered a growth of 45% with sales increasing from 12,466 units in October 2009 to 18,051 units in October 2010.

Three Wheeler

The company sold 3,449 units of three wheelers in October 2010 against 912 units in the comparable period of the previous year. Cumulative three wheeler sales for the period April '10 to October '10 stood at 21,204 units, a growth of 232% over the same period of the previous year.

Courtesy: TVS Motor Company

General Motors India October Sales Up 36%

General Motors India has registered an impressive growth of 36% in sales in October 2010, compared to the corresponding period last year. It sold 10051 units in October 2010 against 7413 units in October 2009.

The October 2010 sales comprised 3251 units of the Chevrolet Spark, 3021 units of Chevrolet Beat, 1594 units of the Chevrolet Tavera, 957 units of the Chevrolet Cruze, 405 Units of Chevrolet Aveo, 328 units of Chevrolet Aveo U-VA, 333 units of Chevrolet Optra and 162 units of the Chevrolet Captiva.

The increase in the sales was primarily driven by the response to Chevrolet Cruze, Beat and Spark. Chevrolet Cruze and Beat have become the industry benchmarks in their respective segments and a winner among consumers in India, with their best-in-class design, performance and other product attributes. Chevrolet Spark continues to register impressive sales, clearly validating it as the one of the most sought after car in its segment in terms of styling, performance and fuel efficiency offering a value for money proposition. Other car lines have also registered impressive growth during the month.

Commenting on the performance, Mr. P. Balendran, Vice President, GM India said, “We are excited by the continued overwhelming response to Chevrolet Cruze, Beat and Spark. Introduction of best-in-segment cars from the 300 series, increase in customer outreach through distribution network, our unique value proposition like Chevrolet Cashless Ownership offer and our promise to deliver quality and performance are the factors that have led to the impressive sales.”

Chevrolet will complete 100 years of its successful operations globally, next year. With a wide array of products and services, Chevrolet has brought unmatched product quality and unparalleled performance to the customers around the world. Inspirational designs, superior technology and innovative programs have made Chevrolet one of the most-loved and sought after brand worldwide.

Courtesy: General Motors India

Mahindra Auto Sales October 2010

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M Ltd.), a part of the US $7.1 billion Mahindra Group, today announced a 34% growth in its auto sales numbers for the month of October 2010 which stood at 34,495 units as against 25,670 units during October 2009.

The company’s domestic sales stand at 32491 units during October 2010, as against 24538 units during October 2009, an increase of 32%. Auto division exports have grown by 127% during the same period.

The Passenger UV segment has also registered a growth of 21%, having sold 15908 units in October 2010, as against 13114 units during October 2009.

Mahindra embarked on its journey in 1945 by assembling the Willys Jeep in India and is now a US $7.1 billion Indian multinational. It employs over 1,00,000 people across the globe and enjoys a leadership position in utility vehicles, tractors and information technology, with a significant and growing presence in financial services, tourism, infrastructure development, trade and logistics. The Mahindra Group today is an embodiment of global excellence and enjoys a strong corporate brand image.

Courtesy: The Mahindra Group

Hyundai Motor India Signs MoU with Oriental Bank of Commerce

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), the second largest car manufacturer and the largest passenger car exporter of the country, and Oriental Bank of Commerce, a leading public sector bank, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at providing easy finance options for their respective customers.

The MoU was signed by Mr. Arvind Saxena, Director, Marketing & Sales, HMIL and Mr. S.C. Das, Deputy General Manager- Marketing, Oriental Bank of Commerce on behalf of their respective organisations.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Arvind Saxena, Director, Marketing and Sales, HMIL, said, “We are pleased to announce this partnership with the Oriental Bank of Commerce, one of the prominent and leading banks in India. This association will help us to reach out to more customers with easy finance options to buy our cars. This association reiterates our commitment to provide our customers with a convenient finance option for buying our vehicles.”

As part of the agreement, both HMIL dealers and the bank will utilise their respective customer databases for growing their car loan business. The tie-up is extended to cover financing options by all the branches of the bank in India. Both the partners will utilize and leverage each other’s strengths to sell Hyundai vehicles along with the bank’s car loans and schemes.

The Oriental Bank of Commerce is one of the oldest banks in India with 1,573 branches and extension counters, 1,038 ATMs and more than 15,000 employees. The bank offers a host of services including cash management service, retail lending, internet banking and mobile banking.

Courtesy: Hyundai Motor India Limited

Tata Nano Price Increased; Effective from November 1 2010

Tata Motors is taking a minor price increase on the Tata Nano, effective from November 1, 2010, to partially neutralise the steep increase in input costs in the last two years. The average increase is about Rs.9000/- (ex-showrooms), with prices varying from city to city and model to model.

As of now, Tata Motors has announced open sales of the Tata Nano in the states of Kerala (since August 2010) and Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal (since October 2010). The company has tied up with 39 Banks, NBFC, Cooperative and Gramin Banks to offer customers with loans for purchasing the Tata Nano at attractive rates of interest. More such arrangements are in process. As a result of these tie-ups, the Tata Nano can be owned at an EMI of less than Rs. 3000/-.

Source: Tata Motors India

Honda CBR250R: New Road Sports Bike in Asia Coming Soon

Honda will produce the new Honda CBR250R road sports model in Thailand and launch sales in November. This Honda CBR250R will have the largest engine displacement of any vehicle produced by Thai Honda Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Thai Honda), Honda’s motorcycle production company in Thailand, and will be its first full-fledged road sports model. Following in the footsteps of last year’s PCX 125cc scooter produced and sold by Thai Honda, the CBR250R will be launched as a global model for export to a wide range of countries such as the ASEAN countries, Japan, Europe, North America, and Australia. In Japan, the CBR250R is scheduled to begin sales in the spring of 2011.

R&D for the Honda CBR250R was advanced in both Japan and Thailand starting with the development phase. To satisfy a wide variety of customer tastes from around the world, Honda set up the phrase the “Sport Quarter for One World, CBR250R” as the development concept with the aim in mind of creating a model that allows riders of all kinds, from beginners to experienced riders, to feel the fun of maneuvering a motorcycle.

Thai Honda, the production base for this model, began motorcycle production in 1967 and first started to export to Japan in 1988 with the Cub 100EX. It has produced over 18 million motorcycles to date (as of the end of June 2010) and has exported motorcycles to numerous regions such as Europe as well as its natural base in Asia. Using production engineering and know-how contributed by Kumamoto Factory, the lead plant for motorcycle production, Thai Honda is striving further to enhance its structure for the supply of high-quality products.

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (Pvt.) Ltd. will also start production of the Honda CBR250R next spring and extend sales from India to South America. Honda will also offer the CBR250R at a more affordable price in the diversified Indian motorcycle market by effectively carrying out global procurement of parts and materials in the same way as Thai Honda.

The CBR250R is equipped with a newly-developed liquid-cooled 250cc 4-stroke 4-valve single-cylinder DOHC engine that is easy to handle. High environmental performance that meets Euro 3 emission standards and Thailand's sixth emission standards was realized by adopting an electronically controlled fuel injection system (PGM-FI) as well as an O2 sensor and taking advantage of the combined effect with a catalyzer fitted inside the exhaust pipe.

The full-cowl body presents a highly advanced design full of functional beauty. The light and compact frame, made of a highly-rigid diamond shape in a truss structure, offers agile handling and steady maneuverability as a sports model, while the cowl design enables optimal control of the wind toward the engine or the rider.

In the area of safety technology, the CBR250R's specifications incorporate Combined ABS, a world first for a 250cc-class road sports model into a designated type. The Combined ABS makes vehicle movements more stable during braking by bringing together a Combined Brake System (CBS, a front- and rear-wheel interlocking braking system) and an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS, a braking system that prevents wheel lock during sudden braking or under unfavorable conditions).

Source: Honda Motor Co., Ltd

Maruti Ritz Crosses 1 Lakh Sales Mark

Maruti Suzuki Ritz, which had created history by achieving the fastest ever 50,000 sales, added yet another feather in its cap by clocking the fastest ever sales of 100,000 units today in A-2 premium segment. The car which was launched in May 2009 has received an incredible response from the very first day of its launch.

At its launch, the Ritz not only created a flutter in the competitive 'A-2 premium' segment, it was immediately hot-listed by the media and industry. Many accolades followed (please see box for details), and the super-car won the Car-of-the-Year in India and abroad, for its path-breaking looks and styling, superior safety features and its ability to balance a dynamic driving experience with a comfortable ride, bold styling and excellent road handling. Ritz delivers superb fuel efficiency of 17.7 kmpl in petrol and 21.1 kmpl in diesel.

Speaking on the occasion, Mayank Pareek, Managing Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales), said, “We are overwhelmed by the terrific response given by our customers to the Maruti Suzuki Ritz. The Ritz was targeted at our discerning customers who, while valuing the traditional Maruti Suzuki attributes of fuel efficiency, reliability and performance, also desired contemporary looks and attitude in the vehicle. The fastest 1 lakh sales mark is customers’ endorsement to all these attributes Ritz stands for.”

The Ritz, developed on the successful Swift platform and positioned at the premium-end of the compact car market, has been specifically designed for India. Maruti Suzuki engineers worked with the Suzuki design team in Japan to co-design the car and carry out India-specific changes such as superior transmission, improved suspension and better ground clearance.

The Ritz was also India’s 1st BS IV complaint car to be launched in the passenger car segment.

The Ritz is available in two power train options: 1.2-litre, four-cylinder K Series petrol engine with maximum power of 85 PS and the highly successful 1.3-litre, DDiS diesel unit that delivers a maximum power of 75 PS. The Ritz comes with Drive-by-wire technology in both petrol and diesel variants. This along with the 32-bit Engine Management System provides faster signal processing and quick response.

"The Ritz reaffirms our commitment to offer world class products to the Indian market. Since a majority of our customers are young who would prefer nothing but the very best in technology and styling, we would continue to feed the market with world class products” added Pareek.

Maruti Suzuki has also started exporting Ritz to Indonesia.

Source: Maruti Suzuki India

BMW Navigation Professional to Feature on BMW 7 Series Car Models

BMW India will launch BMW Navigation Professional as standard feature on all BMW 7 Series models from 01 November 2010. BMW Navigation Professional is a comprehensive solution with all on board systems. BMW Navigation Professional operates through the on board iDrive control with integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) and a full-colour 10.2-inch high-resolution display, instrument cluster and rear-seat navigation control.

Dr. Andreas Schaaf, President, BMW India said, “BMW was the first manufacturer in Europe to launch an integrated navigation system for a series vehicle in 1994 which formed one of the foundation stones for innovative systems to network vehicles with their surrounding environment. The BMW Navigation Professional continues to set the benchmark in the luxury car segment in India by offering integrated navigation system as a standard feature”.

Currently the BMW Navigation Professional is being introduced in the flagship model the BMW 7 Series and subsequently will be offered in other BMW models.

BMW Navigation Professional is extremely is easy to operate and guides you quickly to your desired destination. The destination can be conveniently entered in the BMW Navigation Professional using the iDrive or voice control, available as an option. A variety of entry formats for destination entry are available that include PIN (Postal Identification Number) intuitive spelling entry and previous destinations.

The current location of the vehicle is established automatically by the BMW Navigation Professional with the help of the Global Positioning System (GPS). BMW Navigation Professional calculates the best route and guides you step by step to your destination. A digital map of the area can be viewed with a zoom function on the high-resolution display. Instructions are given visually as easy-to-follow arrows and/or as clear verbal instructions over the sound system.

BMW India dealership locations and contact details are also mapped in the BMW Navigation Professional to provide easy access for aftersales and service across all locations in India.

BMW India has engaged the services of CE Info Systems Private Limited, a leading provider of digital map data and consumer navigation services which provides GPS based enterprise solutions under the brand MapmyIndia. Map updates will be available at BMW India dealerships twice a year keeping the data current and more comprehensive with enhanced navigable attributes like one-way, turn restrictions etc. and more number of cities at a detailed level.

Standard Features in BMW Navigation Professional include Fixed, full-colour 10.2" display with1280x480 pixel resolution, Intuitive operation with BMW iDrive controller with direct-selection buttons, Extended 9.2" info display in the instrument cluster, Hard-disc supported system including 12 GB memory, BMW Radio Professional with tuner, Anti-dazzle monitor with split-screen function (navigation system/on-board computer), GPS assisted orientation, North-up, Perspective and of Direction destination mapping options. Optional Features available are Voice control for navigation functions, TV Function and Head-up display.

Source: BMW India