Automotive Updates - 26th May 2014

• Maruti Suzuki India officially launched the Celerio Green, the CNG-powered Celerio, in New Delhi today. Priced at Rs 4.68 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Celerio Green is available in VXi trim (manual transmission). With this, Maruti’s stable of CNG-powered cars expands to six models including the Alto 800, Wagon R, Ertiga, SX4 and the Eeco.

• Delhi-based JBM Group plans to invest Rs700 crore in automobile component business over the next two years as part of a plan to increase its annual revenues to Rs10,000 crore from Rs7,000 crore while simultaneously scouting for acquisition opportunities in Europe and America. The company has already spent Rs200 crore equally on setting up two new plants in Bangalore and Indore respectively that will get operational in the next three months.
• Europe's leading carmaker Volkswagen (VW) is revamping its India strategy five years after it entered the market, where it got pushed to the fringes due to its inability to price products competitively and come up with enough fresh offerings.

• India’s leading automakers, Tata Motors are set to launch the new Zest sub compact sedan and Bolt hatchback in August 2014. Showcased at Auto Expo 2014, the two upcoming models have since been spotted on test and gear up for launch in India in August and to be followed by launch in Nepal in September.

• Military coup and political uncertainty in Thailand has led Honda Motor Co to scale down production at the company plant in Ayutthaya by as much as 60%. This reduction in production follows fears of falling domestic demand as Honda Motors cites sales concerns which may fall below targets this year due to this political unrest in the country.

• Hero Motocorp will increase the output of the Hero Splendor and its variants starting in June, in a bid to reclaim the number 1 selling two-wheeler position from Honda Activa. The Hero Super Splendor was recently refreshed, giving it alloy wheels and fresh body colours. A report on the Financial Express states that output of variants like the Splendor iSmart, Splendor Pro, Splendor NXG and Splendor.

• Ashok Leyland has confirmed that the Ashok Leyland Boss will be assembled in the company’s Ras Al Khaimah facility in UAE to cater to the requirements in the Middle East. Since its launch in October 2013, Ashok Leyland has sold around 1,000 units of the Ashok Leyland Boss. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the company’s annual press conference where it discussed its annual report.

•  Volkswagen has revealed the first technical details and teaser images of the all-new Passat sedan and estate, ahead of the cars’ unveiling in July and their public premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October. The eighth-generation Passat will bring with it a range of new technologies and features. Thanks to the use of advanced materials – including high-strength, hot-formed steel and aluminium in certain areas – the new Passat is up to 85kg lighter than its predecessor, helping it to claim expected fuel-efficiency improvements of up to 20 percent. 

• Honda Motor Co has announced that the Japan Patent Office has granted a three-dimensional trademark registration for the shape of the Super Cub, Honda's popular and long-selling scooter. This is the first time in Japan that the shape of a motorcycle or any other product from an automaker has been registered as a three-dimensional trademark.

•  Image from Maruticarindi.in