Automotive Updates - 18/04/2014

• Undeterred by the management's veiled threat of acting tough, Bajaj Auto employees union today said it will go ahead with strike plans if its demands, including allocation of CSR funds for education of the children of employees, are not met.

• Isuzu Motors India has opened its first showroom in Tirupati, its second showroom in Andhra Pradesh and third this year. President and MD Takashi Kikuchi inaugurated the new dealership along with Shigeru Wakabayashi, deputy MD, Isuzu Motors India.

• After zeroing in on Cheyyar in Tamil Nadu for its newest manufacturing facility over 5 years ago, Mahindra and Mahindra have finally confirmed that the new plant will become operational from 2015-16.

• The government plans to impose an additional 30% environment compensation charge on diesel vehicles and is considering tightening the emission norms by mandating fuels compliant with Euro-IV norms by next year and Euro-V norms by 2016 while it is targeting Euro-VI norms by 2021.

• ELECTRIC/hybrid cars (XeVs) and two-wheelers could become attractive options for the Indian buyer, with the Centre planning to offer fairly large subsidies ranging from Rs 8,000 up to R12 lakh, reports Roudra Bhattacharya in New Delhi.

• Volvo has revealed its plans for the future with its SPA platform.A report on Autocar India suggests that Volvo has confirmed up to 9 models on the same SPA platform. The report also reveals that Volvo will build its future models on three distinct pillars.

• Audi A3 has been named the 2014 'World Car of the Year' after being voted by 69 jurors from 22 countries at the New York Motor Show.

• General Motors says it sold 2.42 million cars and trucks in the first three months of the year, keeping it slightly ahead of Volkswagen in the global sales race.

• Plaintiffs' lawyers are seeking to draw Continental Automotive Systems US, the maker of airbag systems in recalled General Motors Co vehicles, into litigation over an ignition-switch defect that has been linked to 13 deaths.