Pak Suzuki to replace Mehran with 660cc Alto

Aamir Shafaat Khan Published October 22, 2016

KARACHI: Pak Suzuki has announced its plans to start local production of Suzuki Alto 660cc by 2018 to replace its iconic Mehran 800cc.

The information was shared with the Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production which was visiting Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited (PSMCL) plant on Thursday.

The Senate committee asked the auto assembler to introduce global standard safety features in its new model.

The Senate delegation was led by Senator Hidayatullah and included Khalida Parveen, Kalsoom Perveen and Chaudhry Tanvir Khan. Additional Secretary, Ministry of Industries and Production, Sher Ayub Khan and Engineering Development Board CEO, Tariq Ejaz Chaudhry also accompanied the delegation. Sources said the company has already started the process of localisation of parts for the new 660cc car with local vendors.

The company in its presentation to the delegation unveiled its future plans regarding introduction of Celerio 1,000cc by March 2017 in place of Suzuki Cultus. The company had introduced Suzuki Cultus in the year 2000, replacing Suzuki Khyber.

The car assembler would also introduce imported Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV and 1,300cc Sedan Ciaz in 2017. Based on feedback, the company would consider assembling these vehicles in Pakistan, sources added.

Pak Suzuki had discontinued Suzuki FX 800cc in 1988 and introduced Mehran which had not seen any turbulence in its sale trend despite influx of used imported cars of 660-1,000cc.

Sources said the standing committee noted that local vendors are not in favour for discontinuation of Suzuki Mehran due to brisk sales of parts and accessories and its localisation content of over 70 per cent.

Pak Suzuki management briefed the committee that in its existing plant, investment of over Rs15 billion has been done.

The Senate delegation also visited Indus Motor Company (IMC) on Thursday.

The delegation was briefed about the various aspects of lMC such as production capabilities, localisation progress and the impact of the auto industry on the economy of Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2016

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Pakistan

Aamir Shafaat Khan is a Karachi-based reporter for Dawn with over 25 years of experience. He covers trade and industry, with a particular focus on market surveys, food inflation, commodity prices, the automobile sector and broader industrial issues.

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Ehs

Oct 22, 2016 11:48am

Mehran a.k.a Alto was discontinued in Europe and Japan in 1989. It's a shame that this obsolete vehicle is still being sold here in 2016. Cultus is also based on 1980s design and only left in production in Pakistan. Swift was also globally discontinued in 2010. Ravi and Bolan were replaced globally by late 1980s as well. Paksuzuki is bringing shame to the country's engineering sector and our hr talent. These vehicles are unsafe, produce high emissions, and offer zero safety features. They also have no export potential as they are obsolete. Vending industry also needs to modernize and stop living in ancient time. Enough is enough!

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Ali from India

Oct 22, 2016 11:57am

Means Grand Vitara and Ciaz will be exported from India to Pak. At least for some time Good

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Ali

Oct 22, 2016 12:13pm

So, this is the committee that is responsible for substandard cars at skyrocketing prices, in Pakistan.

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Faiz Ahmed

Oct 22, 2016 12:37pm

Good news from Suzuki first time. Welcome for considering range of consumers aspirations.

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Hamza

Oct 22, 2016 12:48pm

The cars should be auto transmission

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Fahad ali

Oct 22, 2016 12:57pm

Just check the design of that Alto 660cc ..it is like a tin can..Mehran is better than that tin can.

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ISB

Oct 22, 2016 12:56pm

"We want better cars not burger dhabas taxed so high, its more expensive than Mercedes cars."

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Hassan (Karachi)

Oct 22, 2016 01:10pm

@Ali from India Doubt that will happen with the high tension between the countries.

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umar

Oct 22, 2016 01:14pm

I think Suzuki should be banned from Pakistan because the caring they offering should be one fourth of the price they are charging plus the technology is out of date. SUZUKI is disgraceasy.

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Erdogan

Oct 22, 2016 01:19pm

Shameless govt for allowing such a cartel to run its substandard business without accountability

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amar

Oct 22, 2016 01:34pm

From 800 cc to now 660 CC ? is it an upward trend or downward trend ? 660 cc is like nano India and this issue has been discussed in Pakistan senate? i am amazed.

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Maqsood

Oct 22, 2016 01:33pm

Please safety measures********

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Inocent

Oct 22, 2016 01:37pm

The quality of Suzuki car's are extremely poor and below standards.

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Peace

Oct 22, 2016 01:43pm

All credit goes to Chinese Jiangnan TT, competitor car

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Sameer

Oct 22, 2016 02:00pm

Suzuki production line is a joke...while its models are pathetic. This goes to show you can sell tin boxes to your hearts content if certain pockets in the government are kept warm.

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IamPakistan

Oct 22, 2016 02:09pm

Like Suzuki cars, it's hard to change mentality of our vendors and users....we have not moved forwards in last 40 years as far as our Suzuki cars are concerned. Its high time.... We need to focus on car safety as thousands die every year in car crashes.

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Nasir

Oct 22, 2016 02:17pm

Can't believe that.

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Oct 22, 2016 02:42pm

@Ali from India Marti Suzuki is an Indian company. Indian gov't decides which countries the cars can be exported to.

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Oct 22, 2016 02:41pm

Alto 660 ??? Now that surely is a first. Which engine is that in the first place ?? Suzuki Japan has never used that engine for sure. What is Suzuki Pakistan up to, everything seems so fishy. No safety provisions, no emision compliance, what's going on ???

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Logic

Oct 22, 2016 02:42pm

Cant even produce a car.

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Logic

Oct 22, 2016 02:46pm

They are assemblying car not producing it. In 70 yrs you could not build a car for yourself.

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Osama Saif

Oct 22, 2016 02:55pm

Finally some good news. Eagerly waiting to see celero, Ciaz & Vitara on our roads. Hope the prices would be lower & cars would not be stripped.

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Bilal

Oct 22, 2016 03:02pm

@amar the engine capacity is not the only indicator of a cars performance or power... Depending on other systems a car with smaller engine can produce more power so this is not nevessarily a bad thing

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RAVINDER

Oct 22, 2016 03:26pm

I could not believe suzuki swift sold in India with Starting price 7,53,361 PKR and Same sold in Pakistan in 13,00,000 PKR I could buy 2 Swift in India in Same price in Pakistan.

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Shaj

Oct 22, 2016 03:32pm

@Ehs What do you expect man! Automobile industry is a joke here. Look at our bikes, they might as well have been used during the stone ages.

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saad ahmed khan

Oct 22, 2016 03:34pm

@a 660cc is the suzuki K6a engine which is fitted in ALL imported Suzuki Kei cars

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saad ahmed khan

Oct 22, 2016 03:35pm

@RAVINDER 1 indian rupee = 2 pakistani rupee

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Mazhar

Oct 22, 2016 03:54pm

Govt is earning from Suzuki. No worry about safety

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Qadeer Ahmed

Oct 22, 2016 03:57pm

Suzuki in Pakistan is the name of expensive cars in cheap quality

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ALEX

Oct 22, 2016 04:04pm

@a (what is going on ?) CORRUPTION.

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INDEPENDENT

Oct 22, 2016 04:10pm

NEWS OF THE DAY ..... DISCONTINUED MODEL REPLACED WITH ANOTHER SUB-STANDARD CAR.

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kaiser

Oct 22, 2016 04:12pm

i have just purchased Mehran , Yaar it like made by a local LOHAR, every part is fixed in very causal style...

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THINK SHUTTLE

Oct 22, 2016 04:16pm

@saad ahmed khan 1 Indian Rs = 1.56 Pak Rs

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Lost cause

Oct 22, 2016 04:46pm

Ciaz, Grand Vitara and Celerio are new models and have had good success in India. Suzuki should also export Baleno another highly successful hatchback. All these cars are produced in India in good number. Suzuki intends to export Baleno to 100 countries world wide. All these cars are moderately priced and within reach of middle class.

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Namo

Oct 22, 2016 05:05pm

Is it same Maruti Also?

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Shaukat Ali Khan

Oct 22, 2016 06:21pm

Why should the senate committee visit a car manufacturer and that too in Karachi ie too far from the capital? This is one of the reasons car manufacturers enjoy maximum profiteering in Pakistan.

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Samab

Oct 22, 2016 07:39pm

In Suzuki Bolan you get auto heated seats because engine is under the pessenger seat. No matter if it 50 degree or 1 degree you always get heated seat bravo Suzuki

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Riaz M M

Oct 22, 2016 08:32pm

Why Pakistan suzuki has so low a standard as compared to Indian Suzuki which is even able to export to Europe .Who are the powerful men allowing Pak Suzuki to continue poor standards?This cartel must be exposed.

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Ahsan

Oct 22, 2016 11:09pm

Maintaining a family car though a bare necessity, renders serious financial problems for a medium income bracket PakistanI. Suzuki Mehran is therefore most popular and the manufacturer should ensure Research to improve its performance, Fuel economy and low maintenance cost

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Putho mamon, karachi

Oct 23, 2016 03:39am

Hope it has the self driving feature also for safety.

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Yogender lodha

Oct 23, 2016 04:10am

@a Indian government do not have any share in MSIL. Only Indian investment companies like LIC, ICICI, and HDFC etc has upto 15%share in MSIL rest of the share are in open market. Since almost all car in made in india with almost zero imported material so you can say that it is an Indian car. Also note that MSIL turnover is more than Suzuki Japan turnover that is why MR. Osamo Suzuki consider it most important country and planning to improve capacity from present 1.5 million to 2 million by the end of 2018. This is way gujrat plant is coming up and will start production by next year first half onwards.At this year we became fifth largest automobile make in world as there is slowdown in South Korea and Indian companies are having a growth of 10%

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سے Shaam (Hanafi)

Oct 23, 2016 05:10am

congrats! Great Model!!

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Anurag Gautam

Oct 23, 2016 05:48am

Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) is the largest automobile manufacturer in South Asia. Earlier known as Maruti Udyog Limited (till 2007), the company was responsible for the automobile revolution in India. Maruti currently has two operational units in Gurgaon and Manesar near Delhi and is further expected to expand its operations with a new facility in Gujarat.The Suzuki powertrain plant is also a part of the same campus and supplies engines and transmissions to all the Maruti diesel vehicles. Maruti Suzuki's Gurgaon facility has an installed capacity of 3,50,000 units per annum (per shift) and produces close to 9,00,000 units annually. The Manesar facilities comprise a vehicle assembly plant with a capacity of 5,50,000 units per annum. The Manesar and Gurgaon facilities have a combined capacity to produce over 14,50,000 units annually. MSIL is also the third largest passenger car exporter in India after Hyundai and Nissan, exporting mainly to the African and European countries.

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SS India

Oct 23, 2016 07:55am

One thing I have read about Suzuki is that among all brands being sold in India, Suzuki motor vehicles have better mileage, cheap spare parts, less maintainance etc. but also that suzuki stood last in crash tests. So the safety factor is not looked after well.

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Writings on wall

Oct 23, 2016 09:34am

Suzuki 660 cc will fail in Pakistan. It has low hp and on load it's pick up is effected.There are news that some party is importing 800 cc Mehran replica from China,that will catch the market.

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Vague Buster

Oct 23, 2016 10:51am

Dear Mechanical Engineers, for your information, there are lots of 660cc cars used all across the globe including Japan. For Example, Nissan Cube, Nissan March, Mitsubishi Mini Pajero and most of them are successful only Tata Nano was a big flop because it is Indian quality which we all know is far behind even from Chinese goods in terms of quality

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Pratt

Oct 23, 2016 12:54pm

@saad ahmed khan he has given in pak. Rupees 7,87,000 /- conversion , ok , india market is big for Suzuki but still Suzuki is earning fat profits in Pakistan

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Faizan

Oct 23, 2016 01:12pm

@Fahad ali you are absolutely right

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Muhammad Irfan

Oct 23, 2016 01:58pm

I am glad to know anout 660CC alto car. I want to know, have you any option to advance payment in instalments and deliviry of car can be the end of full payment.

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techscribe

Oct 23, 2016 04:14pm

@Lost cause After having driven the Baleno hatchback I was disappointed. The earlier Baleno they had was a 1.6 liter car that was very torquey. I can push it to 100 kpm in the second gear.

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Sanjeev

Oct 23, 2016 06:23pm

All the cars are grossly underpowered.660cc with the ac on will not move.

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Salman

Oct 23, 2016 06:41pm

It is high time suzuki should be asked to dispose off its garbage or get banned . Thousands of people have lost their life cuz of their failure to introduce any safety measures

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Oct 23, 2016 09:42pm

@Lost cause Again, Indian gov't decides which countries Maruti Suzuki cars are exported to !

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Amit

Oct 23, 2016 11:42pm

Vitara and ciaz are made in inxia even Suzuki 660 cc engine is down grade of k10 engine produced in india to avoid dispute they will first export to there sungapur unit and from there go to pakistan due to double taxation and higher logistics cost

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Zara Abbas

Oct 24, 2016 04:04am

this report has been contradicted by suzuki on a another website

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Steel Wall

Oct 24, 2016 05:43am

@Ali from India .Sorry we have plenty of cars plant here. Besides we have heavy trucks plant too,like Hino. We need India to buy products from us,so that the balance of payment improves.

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AHA

Oct 24, 2016 06:06am

With more numbers of motorways built, these toys are useless. You need minimum 1.5 ltr engine and 1 Ton vehicle to feel safe on motorways. The money spent on these is waste. An autorikshaw is better than these tin cans.

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Apoorv

Oct 24, 2016 06:14am

Looks like Pakistan doesn't care about low end stuff like rail engine and cars ..... Pakistani engineers are concentrating on missiles only

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Sunny Sulai

Oct 24, 2016 06:15am

@Sanjeev Please understand Sanjeev . These cars are manufactured only for Pakistan Citizens (Terrorists) . The purpose of the car is to carry bombs. Car bombs. It can carry 300 kg of bombs, enough to destroy high value targets. Nothing more. Users of this cars are having specific requests. Ignition should be though remote. PakZuki is now concentrating on remote that can operate 5 kilo meters away. What else Pakistan need. These vital information of the specification of this bomb carrying vechicals are available in Panama Papers. Please read Panama Papers carefully. Imran Party has already booked 10,000 such cars. Now their great patriot Syeed has booked 20,000. Enough 30,000 cars in 3 days is a big deal.

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Arij H Khan

Oct 24, 2016 07:21am

They should be introducing hybrid vehicles

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barangd

Oct 24, 2016 08:47am

What about import of Mehran from China. A few months back it was very much in talks now the talk is nowhere. Is there any "stay from any court"?

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Muscat

Oct 24, 2016 09:05am

Pakistan auto sector is a shame. Looting and plundering consumers , i dont think we are getting even 25% of what we are paying... Visit overseas and see what era we are in :(

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indian at heart

Oct 24, 2016 10:19am

@Vague Buster If indian quality of car is that bad then why india is exporting huge no. of cars in Europian countries where environmental norms are very stringent??

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Podmari

Oct 24, 2016 10:37am

I have a 500 cc bullet. Am sure my bike can drag this car easily even if it is kept with Hand brake pulled. Camon guys... have something similar to Swift atleast if not ciaz. BTW Ciaz is now almost 9.5L INR for the base model (Chennai) so its likely to be over 16L or 17 L Pak Rs by the time its released in 2017

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azfar

Oct 24, 2016 10:41am

pak suzuki is a shame to auto mobile industry enuff is enuff please

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SinghBling

Oct 24, 2016 11:05am

What a pity ... talking about 660 cc car in 2016 ... Indians are using 500 cc bikes normaly...but for PAK seems ok...degradation spotted

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Simba

Oct 24, 2016 11:39am

@RAVINDER "I could buy 2 Swift in India in Same price in Pakistan." The big difference is that there are huge, state of the art manufacturing facilities in India which bring down the cost to market. Indian auto industry is miles ahead with all major car makers having manufacturing facility in India (Volkswagen, Benz, Suzuki, Hyundai, Ford, Fiat, Skoda,etc). This has made the Indian car makers competitive (Tata, Mahindra,...)

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Vague Buster

Oct 24, 2016 11:48am

@SinghBling even Americans look like a little girl in front of Indians.

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shankar

Oct 24, 2016 12:06pm

@Yogender lodha. Indian normally doesnt directly invest in any of the ventures. The investment normally happens through SBI, HDFC, ICICI, LIC, UTI or IDBI etc. Government funds these institutions through the re-financing mechanism.

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Anand

Oct 24, 2016 12:13pm

660cc by 2018 and from Suzuki (aka Maruthi Suzuki in India)??? Their entry level model runs on 800 CC (Alto 800)... what is this 660CC??? and this will be manufactured in Pak that too from next year??? Come on why go down???

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khan

Oct 24, 2016 12:26pm

to introduce global standard safety features in its new mode ??? suzuki has no safety at all speciallly mehran, touch the knobs they will come in your hand, locks are so substandard that anyone can easily open the doors and the bumber......... suzuki is a waste of money.

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Ramesh Nakhwa

Oct 24, 2016 12:35pm

Dumping from India at very high prices ???

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mpp

Oct 24, 2016 12:45pm

India has given Pakistan most favored nation status in business then why not Pakistan export Indian made motorcycle and car from India . There is huge quality stuff if available in very competent price bracket from Indian manufacture in car and motorcycle segment.

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Ramesh Nakhwa

Oct 24, 2016 12:50pm

Same company, different countries. One country it becomes market leader in another country it is cursed by everyone. In one country it has 50% market share and exports lots of models and is known for trust and quality. In another country it is overpriced and known for shoddy quality. This does not speak of Suzuki it speaks of Pakistan and India and 2 different approaches and the results.

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sangun

Oct 24, 2016 01:13pm

Don't like the names of these cars Mehran, Khyber etc. C'mon it's a car not a place or a person!

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FAZ

Oct 24, 2016 01:33pm

@Anand Use google. For your ease, key in the word "kei cars"

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Vague Buster

Oct 24, 2016 01:47pm

@SinghBling Yes - Tata nano and maruti are driven by ghosts in India, public drives only 8 cylinder BMW