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ICML - On the Road to Success

The manufacturer of famous Rhino Rx, International Cars and Motors Ltd. (ICML), has made its foray into the Indian car market in 2007. ICML is the ancillary of the Sonalika Group which is well-known for manufacturing tractors. The Sonalika Group is one of the top 3 tractor manufacturing companies in India. With state-of-art manufacturing facility, the company is located in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Its product line up also includes multi utility vehicles, engines, and various farm equipments.

ICML has come a long way validating it enigmatic presence in the Indian car industry. Let’s peep into its charismatic profile and presence in the Indian car industry.

Heritage

ICML is the manufacturer of passenger vehicles, Multi Utility Vehicles (MUVs), and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) in the country. It was established in 2003 by L. D. Mittal with its headquarters in Delhi. Its parent company Sonalika Group is one of the speedily growing tractor companies that has registered a growth of over 1.80 Lakh in 10 years.

Considered as the pride possession of Himachal Pradesh, ICML emphasizes on environment conservation and adheres to the national emission standards. Its state-of-the-art production facility is located in a pollution-free environment at Amb, Himachal Pradesh. The company has a centrally air-conditioned plant that is well-equipped to manufacture 2000 MUVs in a month which accounts for 24,000 MUVs annually.

The company also has a strong dealership network of 170 throughout the country for sales and distribution out of which only 45 dealers are presently operational. It has entered into a joint venture with MG Rover of UK. Besides the domestic auto market, ICML is looking forward to export its product to Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

ICML group has developed hydrogen and battery-powered three-wheelers, which were showcased at the ninth Auto Expo held at Pragati Maidan in Delhi, along with its SUV model.

Flagship Model

The company only one car model the Rhino Rx from its stable in the car industry. It is an MUV manufactured by ICML in technical collaboration with MG Rover, UK. The car is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged inter-cooled diesel engine which has been sourced from Isuzu, Japan. Carrying the features of passenger and off-road vehicle, the car offers pleasant ride quality, precise handling, and generous space.

It displays a sturdy structure with a boxy passenger cabin. On the exterior, it sports simple chrome grille, clear lens wraparound headlamps, Outside Rear View Mirrors (ORVM) integrated indicators, fog lamps, and air dams. The Rhino offers air conditioning which is tested in 50+ temperatures to sub zero in Himachal Pradesh and instrument panel with tacho, speedo, fuel gauges, and telltales.

The recently launched upgraded version of the Rhino Rx has received positive response from car buyers. The company has invested Rs 1000 Crore in the production and development of this latest Rhino Rx model.

The new Rhino Rx gets a more powerful engine which is one of the best light weight diesel engines. It is packed with the advanced Rover’s Galileo Series G1 Direct Injection Turbocharged Intercooler Diesel Engine with a rotary oil pump mated with a five-speed manual gearbox. This engine is developed in cooperation with Lotus engineering and sends 101PS at 4200rpm and produces 220Nm of torque at 2400rpm. Complying with the Bharat Stage–III emission norms, the car also delivers an impressive fuel economy of 15-17 kmpl.

The upgraded Rhino Rx sports fresh new interiors, ergonomically designed dual-tone dashboard, aero-styled steering, digital LED Electronic Instrument Cluster, and extra-cushioned seat. New integrated gear console provides optimum utility space for mobile charger, cup, and bottle holders. With an overall Dimension of 4440 mm×1645 mm×1885 mm, it easily accommodate large luggage.

Besides, it also gets a new rigid and durable chassis system that helps in easy movement on adverse road conditions. This only car model from the house of ICML is also equipped with safety features such as dual impact side beam and collapsible steering column.

Future Plans

ICML has plans to launch 'World Car' by 2010 in collaboration with the well-known Italian design house Pininfarnia. The engineering and designing of the 'World Car' will be carried out under the supervision and guidance of Pininfarnia in Italy. The car's kit will be produced at ICML’s Amb facility and will be finally assembled in Italy. The 'World Car' will be first introduced in Europe and later in India. Initially, two 'World Cars' - a seven-seater SUV and a five-seater high-end premium car will make their debut. ICML has plans to invest around Rs 700 Crore by 2010 for the total expansion of its manufacturing capacity. The launch of these cars worldwide would be a historic moment not just for the company but also for the Indian car industry. For ICML, the journey through the car industry has just begun and it promises to make a huge difference in the auto sector with its trend setting products and initiatives.

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