• More than 50 vehicle launches by automobile manufacturers
• At least 10 first-time global vehicle launches
• 10th Auto show to set several new records
• Green theme adopted by several vehicle, component manufacturers
• Record number of foreign journalists sign up for the show
• Record number of foreign companies in components sector

The 10th Auto Expo to be held from January 5 to 11, 2010 is being organised by the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

The Indian automotive industry is all geared up to participate in a show that is billed to be the largest automotive exposition the country has ever witnessed.
The current show is expected to surpass all records set in the earlier auto expos held since 1986, in terms of domestic as well as foreign participation, international delegations, general visitors, product launches, focused pavilions, orders booked, trade enquiries, business visitors and glamour, to say the least. Host of Bollywood stars and celebrities including Ajay Devgan, John Abraham, Vivek Oberoi, Saurav Ganguly, among others will be adding to the glamour quotient at the show.

With sentiments on a dizzy high in India following record sales of vehicles in November and December 2009, the automotive industry will be looking forward to launching several vehicles from passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, heavy duty vehicles, two-wheelers to a range of electric and hybrid vehicles, besides modified vehicles. The automotive component players will be showing their latest technologies. Innovative products including fully built up off-the-road vehicles too will be unveiled by a few, a first at the show.

The show has got a global audience riveted to its proceedings, with over 1200 journalists from over 12 countries registering for the show. The current auto expo will send a clear message to world that the Indian automotive industry has come of age. The race for vehicle launches has begun even before January 5, 2010. Officially the first day of the exposition is reserved exclusively for the media. The day is also a Goodwill Day for the differently abled people to visit the show.  
“India’s auto industry ended 2009 on a strong note with both passenger cars and two-wheeler makers reporting robust growth in December sales. The previous months too had registered double digit growths. It clearly shows that the auto industry is nearly out of the woods. December is traditionally seen as a weak month for sales as customers prefer to wait for the new year to make purchases. The expo thus begins on a very positive note for the industry. Post expo, we expect vehicle sales to keep up its momentum, especially with such a large number of new launches at the show,” said Rajive Kaul – Chairman, Steering Committee, Auto Expo 2010

Record launches by vehicle manufacturers

The optimism in the air can be gauged by the record number of launches at the expo. Companies like Renault, Mahindra Navistar, Ashok Leyland, Mercedes Benz, General Motors India and Bosch would have announced their new product plans even before the show begins on January 5, 2010.

 “This year a total of thirty-two major vehicle manufacturers and more than ten electric vehicle manufacturers are participating in Auto Expo.  We are expecting more than 50 vehicle launches including commercial vehicles, two wheelers, three wheelers and passenger cars.  There will be more than ten vehicles and concepts shown in this Auto Expo, which are going to be shown first time anywhere in the world,” said Dr Pawan Goenka, President, SIAM. He added that “several battery operated vehicles and hybrids will also be unveiled in this year’s edition of Auto Expo and almost in all vehicle halls one would see new vehicles”.

Auto components progressing

The Auto Expo will act as a platform for highlighting the progress the auto-component industry has made over the last 2 years since the previous Auto Expo in terms of its growing capabilities and capacity, specially in the area of new product development and adoption of latest product and manufacturing technologies, particularly to meet the rapidly changing requirements in terms of Emission reduction, enhanced safety, security and comfort. Both Indian and foreign business visitors will have ample opportunity to see products on display as well interact with senior officials of component companies at the venue grounds, said Mr Davar.

Mr Davar added that the display will include a wide range of new and locally designed/developed auto-components, new designs of component systems like engine management systems, new age electronics like Navigation Systems, vehicle security systems etc. This expo will position the Indian auto-component manufacturers as the most ideally suited to manufacture components for small cars, thus making India a key hub for production of small cars and two wheelers in the world.

The domestic component manufacturers will be ready to welcome a large number of overseas participants. In fact, the increase in overseas participation, mainly in the components section, has resulted in an increase of 40 per cent in area at the expo. A large number of participants have come from Germany and China. Luxemburg is the new entrant at the show. All the 16 halls, the 17 hangers and the outdoor space in total comprising 125000 square metres are fully booked.

“It is very encouraging for the auto components industry in India to witness a robust growth in the domestic automobile industry for the last few months. But today our fortunes are not linked to the domestic market alone. Auto component players have spread their global footprint through foreign collaborations and acquisitions. We also hope that vehicle markets across the globe experience increased sales. This will bode well for the Indian auto components industry,” said Jayant Davar – President, ACMA

The focused theme of the expo will be ‘Green Environment’. Vehicle manufacturers are ensuring that at least part of their stalls have the green message going. A few manufacturers will be displaying their “green line” of vehicles to reduce their carbon footprint. The green message will also be amply demonstrated at the components hall as well as focused pavilions like the engine and the asli/naqli pavilions.

The 2008 auto expo had 2000 exhibitors, both Indian and foreign. Around Rs 2017 million worth of orders were generated and 2,27,335 trade enquiries were registered. For the 2010 expo, these figures will definitely be surpassed and with the Indian auto industry showing definite signs of recovery, a lot of business is expected to be generated, the organisers maintained.