The Accord has taken over the market, and is the number one seller with sales touching the 1,900 unit mark (A5 segment size: 3200 units). 
“With a market share of 24%, Honda has been at the top of the premium segment. We will continue to provide the latest technology to the customer on a regular basis,” says an optimistic Masahiro Takedagawa, President, Honda Siel. Even Gaur adds, “Honda is an established brand in India and enjoys a brand equity few can match. The company caters well to the customer with the best of products.”
In the mainstay A3 segment, Honda has however lost its sheen after the advent of the Maruti Suzuki SX4 and the Swift Dzire. The company’s City has been subjugated to the number four spot and apparently a newer version is on the cards. India by far is a very important market for Honda outside the developed world but now the company is no longer in an ‘You can’t touch me! Ha! Ha!’ position. The competition is firing all cylinders and the ASIMO robot may not really be the mean-bad guy, but Honda urgently needs to re-direct all its resources from the robo-labs to the car-labs... Or else, only the mean guys (ASIMOS?!!!) would need the Honda!
Shinji aoyama, president, hmsi
B&E: On HMSI’s future plans.
“With a market share of 24%, Honda has been at the top of the premium segment. We will continue to provide the latest technology to the customer on a regular basis,” says an optimistic Masahiro Takedagawa, President, Honda Siel. Even Gaur adds, “Honda is an established brand in India and enjoys a brand equity few can match. The company caters well to the customer with the best of products.”In the mainstay A3 segment, Honda has however lost its sheen after the advent of the Maruti Suzuki SX4 and the Swift Dzire. The company’s City has been subjugated to the number four spot and apparently a newer version is on the cards. India by far is a very important market for Honda outside the developed world but now the company is no longer in an ‘You can’t touch me! Ha! Ha!’ position. The competition is firing all cylinders and the ASIMO robot may not really be the mean-bad guy, but Honda urgently needs to re-direct all its resources from the robo-labs to the car-labs... Or else, only the mean guys (ASIMOS?!!!) would need the Honda!
Shinji aoyama, president, hmsi
B&E: On HMSI’s future plans.
SA: Our production is about 1.2 million. Now we will take a few years to expand our production to 3 million units. Currently we sell about 80,000 units every month; we would like to increase this figure considerably. But we have no plans for a new plant.
B&E: On HMSI’s consumer base.
SA: Our customers are young and those who want style from the product.
B&E: Will HMSI be affected by the current market downturn?
SA: I think the overall industry has been affected by the slow down. However, HMSI will not be affected by this situation in a major way.
B&E: On HMSI’s hybrid plans.
SA: No hybrid plans for now. However we are looking at the 800cc + segment where we intend to launch products. These will be CBUs therefore expect a price range of above Rs.10 lacs.
B&E: On the new CBF 125.
SA: The new bike will target style conscious young customers and there will be a lot of demand from there. We expect to sell 80,000 units of the bike in this financial year alone.
B&E: On the scooter segment.
SA: We can expand in the scooter segment. If we offer more efficient products and offer more value, the scooter promises great growth for us...
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
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authoritative neighbour, Russia, which bombed the Georgian cities and snatched control of her seceded province of South Ossetia. While Russia stopped its assault after a week of adventure, it did not do so before stretching her attacks on ‘mainland’ Georgia. Tanks, heavy artillery and infantry were already on the outskirts of the Gori in central Georgia when ceasefire orders were finally read out. This was the first ever attack on a Georgian city in ‘Georgia Proper’. The attack is said to have intensified after Georgia announced a unilateral ceasefire and withdrawal of troops from South Ossetia, which many believe were actually chased out by the Russian forces.
the best among peers is what spears a man ahead of the race. But all these desires come with lots of constraints – lack of finances being one of them. One such aspiration that has remained long unfulfilled for many Indians is the desire to own a family car. But no more! The second hand car market has made all those dreams of driving an opulent vehicle come true. The growing used car market across the country in the form of both organised and unorganised players is a testimony to the vast potential of this segment.
to the environmentally concerned speed junkies. The cutting edge design features a canopy style door opening and all wheel drive system.
Central to the design is a high performance gas turbine powering each wheel independently.
roof. And under such circumstances, one of the most affected is the Indian mutual fund industry. In fact, its miserable run over the last couple of months have left investors really disillusioned. Following the AMFI data, the joint average AUM of the 34 fund houses in the country plunged to Rs.5,296.29 billion in July, compared to Rs.5,647.52 billion in June. This 6% drop in AUMs marked the second successive month of losses. However, in the meanwhile, A. P. Kurian, Chairman, Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) shares with B&E’s Sunanda Roy, the initiatives taken by them & concerns that need to be addressed.
have hit the Indian terrain! The epitome of strategic alliance of the two lions from the Hollywood blockbuster can be well compared to the business alliance between Anil Ambani promoted Reliance Infrastructure Limited (R-Infra) & Chinese power equipment maker Shanghai Electric Corporation. No doubt, with this unprecedented deal (Indian domestic power utility player tying up with a power equipment-manufacturer), Ambani is looking at a larger picture. The Chinese component of that picture is expected to increase in the coming time in view of the ongoing Indo-China business treaty. Even if its with or without the Chinese partners, to say the least! But then, will the alliance really support Ambani junior in getting his desired chunk of the power and energy market flesh?
hat now a Goldman Sachs report says that factors like little time left before the government’s term expires, the need to pacify and meet the demand of allies and the next general election, might force the government not to take up any controversial issue or bill in the Parliament? In similar lines, disinvestment and listing efforts of the government, too, have been in the news lately. More than a dozen IPOs and FPOs are expected to come into the equity market. But firstly, it doesn’t make sense to bring equity offers when the markets have lost more than 34% in dollar terms since mid-May; and secondly, across the board approvals are required, clearly going against the logic of time remaining before the next general election. But then, the government does need money to fill in the huge fiscal gap (see graph above) that its ridiculously populist measures have created. Evidently, it is looking for quick-fix solutions since it has failed to adhere to the requirements set by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act.
between the developed and least developed world. You either help or face the consequences for not helping. BBC, CNN et al speculated that global terrorist organisations like Al-Qaeda have entered into the diamond trade in Africa, which exemplifies that Africa is becoming prime concern for global security. Ironically, many countries like Ghana, Senegal, Mali and Benin are witnessing GDP growth but not able to eliminate hunger, poverty. While these factors remain rampant in the world’s poorest continent, they’ve become the critical weapons for terrorist recruiters.
instability and uncertainty about its future. For a long time, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed has been criticising his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The war of words between the two has now resulted in a vertical split, with the 82-year-old Mahathri Mohamed quitting the ruling alliance United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). While resigning, Mohamed has levelled serious charges of incompetence, corruption and nepotism against Badawi. Analysts expect many members of UMNO to follow Mohamed and leave. This could jeopardise the future of UMNO that has been ruling Malaysia ever since the nation attained independence in 1957.
high-end luxury cars and wear designers clothes, employ maids and a full time cook, and regularly vacation abroad. By 2025, there will be 9.5 million Indians in this class and their spending power will hit 14.1 trillion rupees- 20% of total Indian consumption. Long-established spending attitudes are already changing rapidly. For generations, Indians did their daily shopping at fresh-food markets and regarded packaged foods as ‘stale’. However, just like their Western counterparts, a new generation of busy urban Indians is starting to appreciate the convenience and choice offered by packaged foods.
is limited to developing countries only. But not quite, though. The highest governing body in sports, International Olympic Committee had accepted bribes- in the form of cash, entertainment, business favors, travel expenses, medical expenses, and even college tuition fees for members’ children. There were seven high level inquiries held into the Olympic Games city-bidding process recently.