Issue 16 | March 2012

C N C M A C H I N E S E N G I N E E R I N G A U T O M O T I V E

A Quarterly Newsletter

NOW WITH A

NEW LOOK

& DESIGN

Premier PulseLaunch of new employee-centric section

CSR Initiatives Premier gives back

News You Can UseMindSpark ’11 reignited

India’s first and only

gets a makeovercompact SUV

www.premier.co.in3

The Story So Far: The RiO timeline... Page 4

WWith the makeover of the RiO, India’s first and only compact SUV, Premier Ltd. revives and reiterates its commitment to originality and to delivering products that make a difference and fulfil contemporary needs.

The RiO caters to a niche segment between mid-sized passenger cars and larger utility vehicles, and offers the best in both worlds – easy maneuverability of a car and the power styling of an SUV.

It is aerodynamic and with its unique styling, the car exudes a quiet strength and sophistication. It also comes equipped with technology that allows it to intelligently switch the engine to standby mode when not required, making it an eco-friendly vehicle.

COVER STORY

Premier ltd. showcased petrol and diesel variants of the stunning, revamped compact Suv rio at the auto expo 2012 in new Delhi. the massive enquiries that came in from customers and dealers at the event proved that the car is here to stay.

a new ChaPter InexCellenCe

The RiO is available in four colours – red,

white, silver and black.

VISITORS TO THE RiO STALL35000

DEALERSHIP ENqUIRIES122

auto expo in figures

In Pictures: RiO shines at the Auto Expo 2012... Page 5

Premier plans 200 Authorised Service

Stations for RiO by June 2012... Page 6

Premier Today 4

COVER STORY

The petrol engine version of the updated RiO was launched in phases across major metros and select Tier II cities in October. On October 3, a company outlet – Premier Ltd. Design & Technology Centre – was opened in Bangalore.

The petrol variant of the RiO was displayed at the Autocar Performance Show at Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, from November 17 to 20. The dazzling red RiO drew massive crowds and generated tremendous curiosity as show-goers and media persons visited the stall and appreciated the slick interiors and its cute, unique look.

In December, the petrol variant was showcased for two days at various malls in Mumbai (R City – Ghatkopar, Inorbit – Malad, Korum – Thane), Pune (Inorbit) and Indore (C 21). The promotional event garnered an overwhelming response including several on-the-spot bookings and many confirmed future sales. Promos also ran on the well-known FM channel Radio City 91.1 in Mumbai. Print advertisements ran in newspapers such as Mid-Day, Bombay Times, Deccan Herald and Bangalore Times.

October 2011

LAUNCH

APPEARANCE IN AUTOCAR PERFORMANCE SHOW

RiO STEPS OUT RiO IN THE PRESS

November 2011 December 2011

THE STORY SO FAR...

1. Mr. Srinivasan Agaram, Assistant Manager (Automotive), Premier Ltd. giving a box of sweets to the first customer—

Mrs. Winne D’Souza.

2.&3. The first RiO rolls out of the Premier Ltd. Design & Technology Centre, Bangalore.

1

3 2

Visitors had the option to take the machine for a test drive.

Autocar India, January issue

The Statesman, January 12, 2012

The Times of India, January 7, 2012

www.premier.co.in5

7

54

AUTO EXPO 2012PRAGATI MAIDAN, NEW DELHI1. Crowds at the Premier Ltd. stall curious to find out more about the revamped compact SUV RiO.

2. The RiO gets great feedback from visitors on the graffiti wall at the Premier stall.

3. Mr. Simon Fernandes, Assistant Manager (Sales), Automotive, Premier Ltd. speaks to visitors about the RiO’s new features.

4. Team Premier at the Auto Expo 2012.

5. A German visitor takes a closer look at the RiO engine on display at the expo.

7. Premier Ltd. showcased three stunning variants of its new RiO at the event.

6. A white RiO takes centre stage at the Premier stall. 1

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2

Premier Today 6

COVER STORY

GROWING EVERY DAY

BREAKDOWN SERVICE

Dealership network

NEW DEALERSHIP RADHIKA MOTORS, BHARUCH, GUjARAT

PREMIER FAN BECOMES PREMIER DEALER

The company has also decided to ramp up its after-sale service network all over India by setting up ‘Premier Authorised Service Stations’, branded as ‘PASS’. The company plans to have 200 such service centres for the RiO nationwide by June 2012 in an effort to expand the service network for RiO customers. Its targets include growing to 100 dealerships and 300 service stations by December 2012, for easy service and repair in all major markets. Premier will also offer RiO spare parts at very reasonable prices.

Premier has also tied up with ‘India Assistance’ to provide 24x7 breakdown service. Additionally, the company has taken further steps to provide 24x7 mobile service attending to service calls within 8-10 hours at any given place across India.

“We look at spare parts purely as customer service and not as a profit centre. Consequently, our spare parts cost much less than comparable vehicles.

RiO customers will not face any problem with sales, parts or service.”

Rakesh Mehta VP (Automotive), Premier Ltd.

Mr. AP Goel, General Manager, Sales & Marketing (Automotive), Premier Ltd. cutting the ribbon at the inauguration ceremony.

Awarding the dealership certificate to Mr. Bipin Bhai and Mr. Mansukh Bhai.

How closely can one be associated with his car? Mr. Madan Lamba of Mumbai has been raising the bar since birth. He entered the world in a Premier car, when his mother delivered him in the car on the way to the hospital and he was born into a family that owned 32 Premier taxis.

Mr. Lamba even studied in a school known as the Premier High School. He carried on the family business of

selling spare parts until 1985, when he decided to start Madan Motors – an outlet to buy and sell cars. And in 2009, he became the only Premier dealer in Mumbai. Quite evidently, Mr. Lamba shares a special bond with Premier and it has always been a part of his life. And over the years, he has become increasingly proud of the improved quality of Premier cars and the better profile of its new customers.

Premier Ltd. plans to add 30 dealers to its existing network of 50 dealers, taking its overall network to 80 dealerships by June 2012. Two new dealerships are expected in the East zone in Mizoram and Siliguri. Four new outlets in South are set to open in Srikakulam, Bangalore, Coimbatore and Pondicherry. The North zone is set to have 10 new dealerships in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Agra, Delhi, Dehradun, Ghaziabad and Jammu, while the West zone will have nine new outlets.

www.premier.co.in7

8

Mr. Deepak Olkar Satisfied customer.

NOW ON OFFERThe RiO’s fresh look includes new curvy headlamps, an integrated grille and spoiler — giving it a much more sophisticated look. These changes have necessitated a new hood and side panels, which, along with the new bumper, have improved the overall aerodynamic efficiency. And the new beige upholstery has given the cabin a livelier and more spacious feel.

Both the variants are available countrywide with interior colour choice of either grey or beige. All models are equipped with power steering, front power windows, electrically-operated door mirrors, roof-rails, rear spoiler, central locking systems and CD/MP3 players. The higher models have additional features such as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), keyless entry and alloy wheels. RiO is also equipped with split foldable rear seats, thereby providing multiple seating configurations. The 1.3-litre CRDI Multijet diesel engine variant is expected to be available by April 2012.

LOWEST TURNING RADIUS

LARGEST BOOT SPACE

4.71158

metres

litres, with folded seats

mm

HIGHEST GROUND CLEARANCE

200HIGHEST FUEL EFFICIENCY

16kmpl

RiO Diesel1489cc turbo diesel engine

Based on Peugeot technology TUD5 Delivers 65BHP Offers 16 kms/litre of fuel efficiency

Features:

DX LX w/o ABS, LX

Ex-showroom price (Pune):Starts at Rs. 5.71 lakh

RiO Petrol 1173cc (1.2-litre) petrol engine

Based on AVL technology Delivers 77BHP Offers 15 kms/litre of fuel efficiency

Features:

GX GLX

Ex-showroom price (Pune): Starts at Rs. 4.7 lakh(The lowest in the SUV segment and the best compared to other compact SUV cars)

“Wow! I have never really experienced such a smooth long drive before. It is indeed a pleasure driving the GLX model of the compact SUV RiO (petrol variant). I knew I had to own

one the moment I got to know about it. The power steering, power mirrors, beige interiors and most of all the boot space is exceptional.”