Archive for July, 2011
Honda To Increase Presence In Indian Auto Market
The Asian continent is fast becoming a huge market for automobiles. While some European markets seem to be slowing down and the U.S. auto sales is hampered by housing problems Asian countries are increasingly becoming a favorite of car manufacturers. In fact China and Japan are only next to the United States in terms of auto sales.
Aside from these two countries another Asian country is fast becoming a hub for car manufacturers. India is now the fourth biggest car market in the Asian continent and car companies are taking notice. Not so long ago General Motors announced their interest in the growing auto market of the country. Aside from General Motors the alliance of Nissan and Renault has already started testing the Indian auto market. Following their steps towards the high ranks is the second largest Japanese car manufacturer Honda.
The company announced that they will be manufacturing and selling compact cars in the region by the year 2009. The companys decision to market smaller cars in the country is due to the fact that the threequarters of all the cars sold in India are compact cars. General Motors Volkswagen Nissan and Renault have also announced that they will be manufacturing small cars for the country. Honda’s small cars to be sold in India will be built on a plant to be constructed in Rajasthan. The company reported that they expect to spend 728 million in the construction of the new assembly facility.
Honda’s announcement to enter the small car market in India is fueled by the prediction that the countrys demand for small cars will continue to increase in the near future. It has been estimated that by the year 2016 annual car sales in India will reach 3 million units. This predicted car sales will be divided by car manufacturers such as Suzuki and Hyundai both of which have an already established buyer base in the country as well as other brands like Nissan Renault General Motors Volkswagen Honda and other domestic and international brands who are willing to invest in India.
Although it is speculated that Honda will be manufacturing small cars the Japanese car company is yet to name what model they will be producing at the Rajasthan production plant. Upon completion the assembly facility will be expected to produce 60000 vehicles annually. By the year 2014 Honda plans to expand the facility and increase its production capacity to 200000 per year. The facility will handle all the processes handled by a full time automobile assembly plant. Although Honda is yet to announce the full scale of jobs to be handled by the facility it is expected that the brake assembly for vehicles will be one of the tasks of the plant.
To meet the expected production output the new plant will be employing 4000 workers. This means that Honda will not only benefit from the growing market in India but they will also be helping the countrys economy.
About the writer: Anthony Fontanelle is a 35yearold automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
A Temporary Gas Spike Followed By A Drop In Prices
East coast motorists will need to brace themselves over the next few weeks in the face of high gas prices coming their way. Following production disruptions due to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike some parts of the country are seeing demand far outstrip supply forcing prices upwards to record levels.
If you think that paying 4 per gallon for regular gasoline is too much just wait: some stations will likely be charging as much as 6 per gallon as long as the supply change remains interrupted. Though the short term spike will be painful consumers have something to look forward to year’s end as that is when gasoline prices are expected to retreat below 3.
Disrupting the Supply Change
Gas is a volatile commodity with prices fluctuating due to supply demand market conditions interruptions due to weather and more. In the US gas prices have shifted wildly for any number of reasons but in Fall 2008 the following factors are weighing in:
Hurricane Gustav Though hardly as bad as Katrina was in 2005 Gustav flooded much of Louisiana and forced at least a temporary shut down of the thousands of Gulf coast gas platforms. Just before Ike arrived most of the platforms were back online but quickly pulled off again when it became apparent that Ike was heading to the Gulf of Mexico.
Hurricane Ike This Texassized storm brought much damage with it as millions lost electricity which shut down refineries and the pipelines serving a significant portion of the east coast. With 1.3 million gallons of gasoline pulled out of production quite suddenly demand outstripped supply causing a run on gas stations and a surge in prices.
Wholesale Prices The gas that is getting delivered to the east coast is being sold to stations at a wholesale price of around 4.85 a gallon. Add in state and local taxes plus station mark up and pump prices of 5.50 to 6.00 per gallon is likely. Fortunately no Texas refineries were damaged by the storms but power outages have taken their toll. Out of the 3500 Gulf coast gas platforms only ten were damaged by Hurricane Ike.
Bad News Followed by Good News
Once the supply disruption has been fixed gas prices should quickly return to prestorm levels. But they won’t be stopping there. With a barrel of oil now trading below 100 gas prices are expected to continue to drop as the year closes out with prices under 3 per gallon likely before 2009 rolls in.
As with anything lower gas prices should be enjoyed while we have them. Come next summer prices topping 4 per gallon will again be prevalent much higher than that if new storms knock out production.
About the writer: Copyright 20082012 Matthew C. Keegan is the owner of a successful writing and marketing business based in North Carolina USA. He manages several websites and is a contributing writer for Andy’s Auto Sport a retailer of quality Acura Integra headlights and Acura Integra intakes.
Fix Up Your Ride For Street Racing
If you’re looking to fix up your ride you’ll need to start with the engine. There are many car parts to soup up an auto’s engine and you’ll want to investigate all of them before you start. If you’re planning to join the world of street racing you’ll need every option available. From increased speed to better fuel efficiency there are a myriad of performance enhancing devices that will take your factory car to new levels as a street racing machine.
One of the basic car parts that will make an automobile hotter figuratively is a cold air intake. A cold air intake keeps the temperature of an internal combustion engine down allowing for better performance. This works on a simple principle: cold air is denser than hot air. This means more oxygen is supplied to the engine which works with the fuel to give the car more power. Besides the mechanical reasons for adding a cold air intake it also gives an ordinary car a more aggressive look and sound. Cold air intakes are loud!
Improving the exhaust system is another way to fix up a car for street racing or general performance enhancement. Look at the exhaust systems available and be sure to check the legality of each. Sometimes a manufacturer will include a “Legal in 50 States” certificate. These certificates often refer to pollution standards not noise standards. If you’re not careful you’ll get a ticket for exceeding noise levels in certain areas.
In many modern vehicles you’ll need a flash tuner in order to achieve the greatest results with engine modifications. With a flash tuner you can improve fuel efficiency and bring out the most potential in your auto. A flash tuner works with the car’s computer system to unlock hidden power in your vehicle. Without one the car parts that you added won’t reach their full potential. Adjusting the computer in the vehicle without a flash tuner can turn a highperformance machine into a limping piece of metal.
Besides the engine you can fix up your ride internally. Adding headrest DVD players are a popular option though it’s also popular with thieves. Making the inside just a bit nicer can cost a little or a lot but it’s worth it for car enthusiasts. Check out hotrod magazines for the latest in interior improvements since there’s always something new on the horizon.
Don’t forget to give that suped up car the facelift it really needs. Custom paint jobs fenders and rims all give a car personality. Use your car as an extension of yourself with a blazing flame paint job. Lower the body within legal limits and see heads turn as you roll by in your hot new car.
Car parts are one of the many ways to fix up your ride. With the resurgence in popularity of hot cars and street racing it’s no wonder that many people are competing to have the best ride in town. Take the time to make your car a sight to be proud of and then blow everyone away with the best performance possible.
About the writer: Get your street car parts and car body kits or contact Shane Hester at BlognList for quality blog links .