| The Asian automobile manufacturing market is much | | | | building cars for the Indian market. Their current line up |
| broader than many American consumers understand it | | | | of automobiles, looking as if they were built in the |
| to be. Beyond Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, and other | | | | 1950s, do not match up to current world styling |
| household names there are quite a few automakers | | | | standards. However, the emerging Indian economy has |
| that are growing in size and respectability in their own | | | | been providing remarkable growth across all business |
| markets. Two of these companies have already | | | | sectors and the Indian automobile industry is ripe for |
| committed to selling their models in the U.S., but there | | | | renewal. The Ambassador Grand, one such model, |
| are three others worth knowing about and watching. | | | | has recently been updated to meet current European |
| Starting in 2007, two Chinese automobile | | | | emissions standards. Look for a Hindustan model to be |
| manufacturers will be exporting cars to the U.S. and | | | | exported to Europe first before taking on the highly |
| Canada. Geely Automobile Company and the Chery | | | | competitive U.S. market. |
| Automobile Company are part of the first wave of | | | | Tata -- Unlike Hindustan Motors, India's Tata Motors is |
| new Asian automakers preparing to serve the U.S. | | | | currently producing cars that look as if they were |
| market. I won't go into more detail about these two | | | | designed recently. As the only Indian car company |
| manufacturers, so please read a related article I wrote | | | | featuring cars built and designed by Indians, the |
| titled, "Chinese Cars: Redefining the Market," to learn | | | | company's Indica V2 and Indigo compacts have |
| more about them. | | | | received a favorable reception at the Geneva Auto |
| Proton -- Proton Holdings, the parent corporation of | | | | Show. Plans to export directly to the U.S. have been |
| Proton Motors, is the largest manufacturer of vehicles | | | | considered but Tata cars may get to the U.S. under |
| in Malaysia. Volkswagen and Proton signed a strategic | | | | another label before then, such as Ford or Dodge. |
| partnership agreement in October 2004 whereby | | | | Beyond these five companies other state run |
| Volkswagen cars would be built on Proton assembly | | | | automobile manufacturing companies have sprung up |
| lines beginning in 2006. Apart from the VW venture, | | | | in communist controlled China. If Geely and Chery |
| Proton has a line of models of its own consisting | | | | succeed, more makes will follow and the floodgates |
| primarily of subcompact and compact sized vehicles. | | | | will be open. More choice is coming for consumers...for |
| Proton cars are currently exported to Australia and | | | | better or for worse. |
| the company is eyeing the U.S. market perhaps as | | | | Copyright 2006 - Matt Keegan is The Auto Writer |
| early as 2010. In addition to its VW relationship, | | | | covering industry trends, car parts, accessories, new |
| Japanese automaker Mitsubishi owns nearly a 16% | | | | models, the classics, and so much more. You can |
| share in Proton. | | | | save on top quality auto parts and accessories by |
| Hindustan -- Since 1950, Hindustan Motors has been | | | | shopping online today! |