From more stringent safety and emission norms to a bigger fundamental shift towards electric vehicles, the fast growing Indian automobile industry is staring at an unprecedented churn.

A six-speed transmission enhances the fuel efficiency of the vehicle with its better spaced gears, one of the desirable attributes of Maruti Suzuki cars even now.

Now, the auto companies or their dealers will be liable to deposit the 1 per cent charge with a government bank to be managed by the Central Pollution Control Board.

Green vehicles have failed to make much headway in India so far, but hybrid ones seem better poised to do so than the purely electric.

The all diesel S-Cross comes in seven variants - four in the 1.2 litre DDiS 200 model and three models in the upper class 1.6 litre DDiS 320 model.

The industry is hoping for continued support from the policymakers for a conducing environment to grow further and address any fresh challenges.

In what was one of the most challenging years, adverse exchange rates, after the rupee went on a downward spiral against dollar; higher input costs and fuel prices; and government hiking excise duty on sports utility vehicles (SUVs) compounded problems for automobile companies.

At 4.9% compound annual growth rate of its GDP, Africa is the world's third fastest growing region. As corporate India slowly wades through, it discovers a continent full of opportunity, peril and the Chinese.

Sales of passenger cars in India increased by a third in 2010, but rising fuel prices and shrinking margins for carmakers mean 2011 may not be so hot.