Ford has priced its entry level Figo petrol at Rs.3,50,000 and the diesel variant at Rs.4,48,000 which are cheaper than Hyundai Motors’ i10 and Maruti Suzuki’s Swift.

“We have kept our promise and priced all four Ford Figo models very competitively to emphasise Ford’s commitment to this huge segment of the growing Indian automobile market,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director of Ford India, launching the model in Delhi.

“Figo offers more features, interior space, technology and durability than other vehicles at this price in the segment,” he added.

Four different Figo models – LXI, EXI, ZXI and Titanium – will be available with different trim levels and designed to suit a variety of consumer tastes. All models will also be available with a Duratorq diesel engine option.

As part of the initial pricing, all Figo models will be covered with Roadside Assistance for two years.

Ford claims the 1.2 litre Figo will offer 15.6 km per litre and the 1.4 litre Duratorq diesel engine model would give 20 km per litre. A five-speed manual transmission is standard equipment on both engines.

A Ford dealer said: “Figo is a price warrior. The petrol variant is cheaper than i10 and the diesel is cheaper than Swift”.

It is learnt that Ford is looking at a monthly sales of around 8,000 units which works out to 96,000 units a year – a number that Boneham does not want to confirm or deny.

Boneham denied that Figo is a price warrior. “Figo offers right value for the price. The cost of ownership is also low. In all it is a benchmark pricing for this segment,” he told IANS.

Ford insists that Figo, a sub-B segment car, sports features that are available in B segment cars.

“In India people look at three things in a car – shape, space and the price. Figo looks great and has a larger space than others in the segment as it is built on Fiesta platform,” Sanjeev Shukla, general manager, marketing, told IANS.

Shukla said Ford will not use any celebrity brand ambassador to promote the car.

About expanding the sales network, Boneham said by the end of this year Ford would raise the number of dealerships to 200 from the current 167.

The company will also be shipping out Figo to South Africa and other countries sometime in the middle of this year.

Stylishly designed incorporating cues of the Eee PC Seashell series; it also has a large ergonomic chiclet keyboard for unsurpassed comfort to keep your fingers at ease during long hours of working. In spite of the large screen and all the processing muscle, the incorporated Super Hybrid Engine lets the Eee PC 1201T deliver a battery life of up to 6 hours.

About the launch of this latest netbook, Stanley Wu – Country Product Head – System Business, ASUS (India) said, “The Eee PC 1201T is our latest 12″ netbook that is feature rich and packs in a powerful configuration. Featuring the AMD MV40 processor, 2 GB RAM and 320 GB hard disk, this netbook is aimed at users who want more processing power and storage capacity from their netbooks. The build quality and finish is top notch and we hope that it appeals to the users looking for a more powerful netbook than those available in the market at the moment.”

He further added, “If you see the evolution of the Eee PC which can be heralded as the first netbook ever, what began as a basic 7″ netbook has today transformed into a 12″ feature rich multimedia device and this is largely a result of the demand in the market for such products.”

Further added Deepanshu Sharma, Business Head: Emerging Opportunities, AMD India, “The Eee PC 1201T powered by the AMD Athlon processor brings amazing multi-media performance and multi-tasking to a compact yet full-featured notebook, without compromising battery life. Great for your regular internet based applications like search, email, chat and social networking and even better for DVDs, digital music and photos.”

Superior Performance :

The Eee PC 1201T provides users 1080p HD video experience with stunning vibrancy, crisp visual splendor via a 12-inch high definition display. It also features the 2nd Generation AMD Ultrathin platform, which provides balanced performance across a myriad of applications.

Elegant Seashell Inspired Design :

Seemingly crafted by nature itself, the Eee PC Seashell draws its inspiration from seashells and its opalescent and glossy exterior is crafted by the innovative in-Mold Roller technology. It’s so light and compact, you can take it anywhere with you! And with sleek curves and smooth lines hugging its lustrous shell, the Eee PC™ Seashell will easily charm passers-by wherever it goes.

12.1″ Widescreen display with HD 1366 X768

Experience the clear and vibrant pictures and movies you’ve previously enjoyed on a bigger scale with the Eee PC 1201T. With the largest screen ever featured on an Eee PC, its 12.1″ widescreen 16:9 display provides HD-quality visuals at resolutions of up to 1366 x 768.

A New World of Multimedia Possibilities

The Eee PC 1201T comes preinstalled with ArcSoft SimHD, which up scales standard definition video content to high definition. SimHD, a plug-in for ArcSoft TotalMedia Theater, dramatically enhances the quality of images and supports a wide range of file formats. Users can enjoy a smooth 1080p HD video experience on the unit’s 12.1″ high definition screen.

6 hours battery life with Super Hybrid Engine

With the exclusive ASUS Super Hybrid Engine’s increased power efficiency, the Eee PC can deliver an impressively long battery lifespan-eliminating worries about power while on-the-go and easily keeps users connected for full day.

Large Ergonomic Chiclet Keyboard for Unsurpassed Comfort

The Eee PC Seashell’s chiclet keyboard is more comfortable to type on and hence leads to less fatigue for prolonged hours of use.

◦Operation lifetime subject to product model, normal usage conditions and configurations. The estimated maximum battery life in Windows® 7 is measured with MobileMark 2.

Model: Eee PC 1201T-BLK007W

Price: Rs. 21,490/- (excluding taxes)

Warranty period: 1 year

Specifications:

Operating System

DOS

Display

12.1″ LED Backlight WXGA Screen (1366×768) with Color-Shine (Glare-type)

Intel CPU & Chipset

Athlon Neo MV-40 (1.6GHz)

Memory

2 GB DDR II

Wireless Data Network

WLAN 802.11b/g/n @2.4GHz, Bluetooth2.1

Hybrid Storage

320GB HDD

Camera

0.3M Pixel with Zoom in/out function

Audio

Hi-Definition Audio CODEC
Stereo Speaker
Internal Mic.

Graphics

Embedded Graphic AMD HD3200

Input / Output

1 x VGA Connector
3 x USB 2.0
1 x LAN RJ-45
2 x Audio Jack (Head Phone / Mic-in)
Card Reader: MMC/ SD(SDHC)

Battery

6 cells Li-ion Battery Pack, 6 hrs (6cells, 47W/h) battery life

*Operation lifetime subject to product model, normal usage conditions and configurations. The estimated maximum battery life in Windows® 7 is measured with MobileMark® 2007.

Dimensions

296×208x27.3~33.3mm (w/ 6cell battery)

Weight

1.46Kg (w/ 6cell battery)

Infusion

Black

Accessories

◦All specifications are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers. Products may not be available in all markets.
◦PCB color and bundled software versions are subject to change without notice.
◦Brand and product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective companies.

Commenting on Nivea’s association with Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2010, Mr. Kai Boris Bendix, Managing Director, Nivea India said, “Nivea for Men has been recently recognised as the No 1 Global Brand in Male Grooming category and Chennai Super Kings, has been rated as this year’s “Most Valuable Team” in Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket with a brand value of USD 48.4 Million. We believe that there is a definitive fit of our brand values with that of CSK and therefore the wining saga goes on for both the Leaders to make a combination like none other!”

As a part of this association, NIVEA for Men in association with the Chennai Super Kings brings you a contest like no other; wherein the winners get the opportunity to meet the CSK super heroes and win CSK merchandise, VVIP tickets to the finals and semi-finals along with tickets to matches in your own/ neighbouring city! All one needs to do is to buy any NIVEA for Men moisturizer and participate in the contest! Besides the contest, NFM will promote the association with CSK through national touch points such as Cafe Coffee Day, Food Bazaar.

Jolen Whitening Face Wash cleansers gently wash off dirt and darkening dead skin cells without stripping the natural moisture of the skin. This is the ingredient that allows users to see instant results after washing.

On the onset of this launch, Mr. Udit Garg, MD , Kundan Care Products Ltd (KCPL) said that the that the ideal woman’s beauty is not patchy and pale skin but fair, clear skin, that is free of all blemishes. This crème brightens the complexion giving luminosity, radiance and natural glow and softness without dehydrating the skin”.

Jolen Whitening Face Wash “Skin Whitening” made from whitening ingredients, which nourish and revitalize the complexion to make skin look white fresh, soft and beautiful. It is best suited to remove dirt, oil and make up from face. Jolen Whitening Face Wash cleanses the skin thoroughly but gently, while whitening and nourishing it at the same time. Unlike other whitening hard soaps that dry the skin, Jolen whitening face wash is packed with oil that keep your skin soft, smooth and radiantly rosy white. The ingredient that whitens the skin from within, going deep down to the cell level to prevent the formation of melanin, the pigment that gives the skin its brownish color. Its acts as a Cleanser and toner (2 in 1) for the skin and available in 60 ml and 100 ml. Price 50 /- and 70/- respectively

Jolen Facewash Gel enriched with active natural ingredients to gently and effectively cleans your skin and to nourish & revitalize the complexion to make skin look fresh, soft and beautiful. It is best suited to clean your skin from all impurities and makeup. Variants in Cucumber, Neem & Lemon, Fruit & Rose Water. Available packs of 60ml tube pack and 100 ml. Jolen products will be available in 3rd week of March in all major super markets and general stores. Price 45 /- and 65/- respectively

Availablity: Available at all leading Cosmetic stores.

Rollover plan creates a new paradigm in the telecom industry where the month gets extended to 90 days. This is  in line with TATA Teleservices DNA of creating unique value proposition for its customers like Pay Per Second, Pay Per Call and NOW ‘Rollover Plan’.

“Speaking on the launch, Mr Anil Sardana, Managing Director, Tata Teleservices Limited, said, “TTSL has always been the undisputed leader by launching innovative tariff concepts like Pay Per Second & Pay Per Call in the Indian telecom industry and today I am proud to say that we are launching yet another industry first—The ROLLOVER Plan, exclusively for our Tata DOCOMO Enterprise Customers.”

“Innovation in tariff alone doesn’t give any operator a runaway success—it is understanding the nuances of customer usage patterns and integrating customer needs and value propositions into our product strategy that are key to a sustainable business model. Taking the first mover advantage, we have consolidated an aggressive proposition that offers transparent tariff along with the facility of carrying forward of unused free usage for a period of 3 months—this feature will definitely benefit and interest our enterprise customers,” Mr Sardana further added.

Under the offer, there are four variants of plans available RO 500, RO 799, RO 1000 and RO 1099 available at a monthly rental of Rs 500, Rs. 799, Rs. 1000 and Rs. 1099 respectively.

The other highlight of the plan is that it extends the concept of ‘per-second’ billing. It also makes available the free usage in seconds. For example the RO 1099, offers 150000 seconds of free local calls and 72000 seconds of free STD calls per month thus offering its customers with complete transparency and unmatched benefits. The customers can carry forward the accumulated unused free talk time and free SMS each month, for a period of three consecutive months. The roll over benefit will be applicable for 8 consecutive cycles with each cycle comprising of 3 months.

Catering to a huge fan base, Yuvraj Official Merchandise was launched under Yuvraj Singh’s brand name ‘YUVI’ along with his signature, with designs based on him and his cricketing exploits.  ‘YUVI’ will be available across all Crossword stores from a price range of Rs.30 to Rs.935. The brand includes a wide array of super quality products such as mugs, sippers, key chains, posters as well as ‘Back to School range’, including school bags, pencil boxes and lunch boxes.

On the launch of his merchandised brand, Yuvraj Singh said, “I am immensely happy to have my own brand of merchandise out, as it gives my fans an opportunity to have something of mine, moreover I feel it could inspire the youth to go out and be great at what they do, so come get a piece of YUVI”.

On the need for celebrity merchandise in India , Dino Morea added “ Coolmaal had to be created, was just a matter of time, everybody wants a piece of their favourite celebrity, now they have an opportunity to do so, celeb merchandise will be made easily available, and very affordable.”

Expressing his views on the occasion, Sivaraman Balakrishnan, Deputy Manager – Marketing, Crossword Bookstores, said, “We are proud to be associated with Cool Maal. Products like sippers, school bags, pencil boxes have been accepted well by our customers in the past. The Cool Maal range of Yuvraj Official merchandise will broaden the market for these products”.

On the future plan of the brand Malay Parekh added “The range would be expanded to include memorabilia such as miniature signed bats and many other products to cater to Yuvraj’s fans of all age groups.

The initiative is applicable to 200ml, 300ml returnable glass bottles (RGB) and also on 500 ml, 600 ml 1.25, 1.5, 2 and 2.25 liters PET bottles. As part of a unique, under the crown initiative consumers just need to SMS “THUNDER” followed by the 9 digit unique code to 9099 699 699 from their GSM / CDMA mobile phones.

Additionally consumers also have the option to Call 186 0233 0233 and register their code through an Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS). A computer generated lucky draw would provide consumers a chance to win “Suzuki GS150R” motorbike every hour for the next 45 days, and also get a chance to win One Hayabusa, during the entire offer period.

The initiative is designed to leverage the popularity of digital media like mobile phones (Both GSM & CDMA & IVRS), internet, amongst soft drink consumers All India and would run from 6th March to 19th April, 2009.To create awareness about ‘Thums Up Thunder Wheels’ digital initiative, the company would also be launching a captivating TV commercial

Anand Singh, Director Marketing, Coca-Cola India, said, “Coca-Cola in India has always believed in adding excitement, refreshment and fun into the lives of its consumers. The launch of ‘Thums Up Thunder Wheels’ initiative is yet another endeavor in this regard, wherein consumers get an opportunity to win attractive prizes. I am confident that our consumers would find the initiative extremely appealing.”

Present in more than 600 stores across the country, IDEE Eyewear has revived their Prescription Frames collection – an all spanking new look to pep your fashion spirit this season.

Spring/Summer 2010 unveils a compilation of sleek, stylish eyewear fabricated in multifarious colours, surface and texture. Rimless, semi-rimless and full frames come in a combination of metallic and acetates. It’s no more ‘hiding behind those frames’ but ‘bring on those frames to complete the look’. The Spaniards wore them as they believed that glasses made them look more important and dignified and they surely had a great foresight!! Flock to your nearest optician to protect and adorn.

The range is priced between Rs. 1100 – 1700 and is available in leading optical retail stores.

Designed to impress. Built to last:

Striking design, uncompromising quality and exciting engines. That’s what you can expect from the fabulous New Polo, the tough little performer that’s packed with big car credentials. Stylish, elegant and understated, the New Polo is designed to stand the test of time. Beautifully crafted inside and out, it is a testament to Volkswagen’s lasting quality standards. Built for the long haul and designed to endure, the New Polo is not just for now. It’s for keeps.

Sheer comfort:

Opt to sit inside the New Polo and you will immediately appreciate what sets it apart from the rest.
Superb styling surrounds you with high quality materials and attention to detail. A host of features inside simply ensure you reach your destination relaxed and in sheer comfort. At the end of the day, all one needs is a drive to leave the world behind.

Engines and transmission:

A selection of powerful engine variants ensures that you enjoy exceptional performance, impressive power and smooth handling together with ground-breaking economy. The New Polo offers a choice of petrol and diesel engines, all designed to deliver dynamic performance. The range starts with a 1.2 litre petrol unit which develops 75 PS (55 kW). This engine promises superior fuel economy without any compromise on power. If it’s extraordinary power that you desire, the 1.6 litre petrol engine which develops 105 PS    (77 kW) will surely delight you. The 1.2 litre diesel variant of the New Polo will soon be available in India.
 
Reliably safe:

The New Polo is loaded with a wealth of advanced safety equipments, which makes every journey as safe as possible. A comprehensive airbag system for occupant protection, along with an ultra high-strength steel frame, makes for an indigenously structured passenger cell. Add to that, an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) which provides individual wheel braking preferences. It’s all about sitting back and enjoying the drive with the reassurance of security.
Pricing:
 
1.2L petrol variant is priced at Rs 4.34 lakhs, ex showroom New Delhi while the 1.2L diesel variant comes at Rs 5.32 lakhs ex showroom New Delhi.

The New Polo is available in the following variants: Trendline, Comfortline & Highline