Processing .....please wait.. 
The article has been forwarded.... 
MLR Motors up for small car
By siliconindia
|
Wednesday, 22 November 2006, 18:30 IST
Hyderabad: MLR Motors is in talks with a European carmaker to set up a Greenfield car plant in Andhra Pradesh, according to a recent report in the Business Line.
The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy announced that MLR Motors has approached the State with a plan and that they would allot about 250 acres for the proposed plant. The company was negotiating with the State Government for some incentives and allotment of land either at Tada
near Nellore or near Visakhapatnam.
Lokeshwara Rao, Managing Director of Lokesh Machines, a machine tool manufacturer and supplier of engine blocks to automotives in India, said, "They were keen on the project and preferred not to disclose the strategic partner till firming up other issues with regard to manufacturing unit. Once the land is allotted, we expect to complete the project within 18 to 24 months."
B.V.R. Subbu, former president of Hyundai Motor India said that they have been in negotiations with a European company, and are working on designs that conform with Indian requirements. This meant fine-tuning the designs for local requirements. The diesel powered car would be a `small car' that would be bigger than the Maruti 800, Alto and Santro, and slightly smaller than the Indica. The company is in the process of evaluating design-related issues as it will take at least two years for the rollout. MLR Motors is might also be trying to obtain the patent for the Uno platform from Fiat of Italy.