NEW DELHI, JULY 22: Telco is preparing a station wagon on the Indica platform as part of plans to introduce different variants of the much-acclaimed car even as the company has decided not to roll out its mid-size car this year. The Stationwagon is among the three variants of Indica that the company is planning to introduce, Telco sources said here.``We had promised to introduce several variants of the car and work is already on for the Stationwagon. We are working on the modalities and firm plans are yet to be finalised.'' The company is also yet to finalise a time frame for launching the variant.Regarding the mid-size offering, the sources pointed out that the car would not be launched in the current year in view of the present market conditions and internal economics. ``However, it has certainly not been put off or delayed. We are keen on foraying into the segment and will come out with our model at the appropriate time,'' the sources said adding that no specific time frame has been set for thelaunch.The mid-size car was earlier scheduled to hit the Indian roads in the second half of 1999. This was as part of the company's plan to roll out a new passenger car model every year.Telco is also contemplating to make the Indica available off-the-shelf towards the last quarter of this fiscal. A final decision on the same would be taken once the company dispatches the entire lot of 60,000 units.``We have already achieved 3,500 units per month production target and would be hiking it up to 6,000 units per month by August. At this level, we are also likely to exceed the target.''Once the company crosses the targeted 60,000 level, it is likely to either call in for fresh bookings or offer the car off-the-shelf, he added. Meanwhile, senior Telco officials have indicated at a hike in prices of all its passenger cars, including the 'Indica', as a result of the cost escalations incurred for making them Euro-II compliant.Stating that all its vehicles, including the commercial vehicle line-up, wouldbe Euro-2 compliant by April 2000, the officials said the Euro-II Indica would sport a multipoint fuel injection and would be introduced in the domestic market by the year-end. Other passenger vehicles will also be introduced simultaneously.However, they refused to divulge details on the extent of price hike. ``The exact prices would be determined by competition and market forces.'' The production cost is expected to go up by Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 per vehicle. ``But how much of this is to be passed on is yet to be decided.''The route followed by Telco to reach Euro-II compliance with the existing quality of fuel included using high pressure fuel injection pumps, turbo chargers with inter-coolers, exhaust recirculation, and catalytic convertors for diesel vehicles, and for petrol vehicles, using multi-point fuel injection engines, close loop air fuel ratio control, advanced three-way catalytic convertors, and exhaust air recirculation.Telco is India's largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Itintroduced India's first indigenously developed passenger car - the Indica - in December 1998.
