Automotive Updates - 05/05/2014

• First unveiled at the February Auto Expo, TVS Motor has launched its 110 cc commuter bike, the  Star City+ with a retail tag of Rs 44,000, ex-showroom, New Delhi. The launch is part of four planned launches for this fiscal, one every quarter. The next launches include the Scooty Zest followed by the Victor and Apache.

• Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) on Monday recalled 31,226 units of select variants of the Amaze compact sedan and Brio hatchback to inspect them for a possible defect in the brake system.

• General Motors India has announced the completion of one year of its Chevrolet Enjoy MPV with the launch of the 1st Anniversary edition. GM India’s president and managing director Arvind Saxena said ‎ “The Enjoy has given our customers  a  spacious  multi-purpose vehicle  and  a  luxurious  drive that  is  enabling them to  enjoy  life with their families and friends.

• A Team BHP report states that Maruti could source 1.6-liter diesel engines from Peugeot. The report seems to indicate that Maruti has commenced tests of this engine as minute details such as the ‘Maruti-Suzuki’ logo on the plastic engine cover, and the location of the turbocharger, are reported by the source. 

• Two- and three-wheeler maker TVS Motor Company will start rolling out bikes for German auto major BMW during the second half of next year, a top company official said Monday.

• * Mahindra & Mahindra, a part of the US $ 16.7 billion Mahindra Group, today announced the launch of a new model of the SsangYong Rexton, the ‘RX6’ with manual transmission and a host of features at a price of Rs 20.17 lakhs (ex-showroom, Chandigarh). The new model RX6 will be an addition to the existing model range of Rexton which has received a very good response in India. The Rexton is the No. 2 selling brand in the High-end SUV segment in FY 2013-14.

• Ankush Arora, senior vice president, commercial, has resigned, Tata Motors  confirmed. S Jayaraman, a senior executive on the product planning team, has also quit, it said.

• olvo Car Group's vehicle sales rose 10.5 percent year-on-year in April, the Sweden-based company said on Monday, the tenth consecutive month of growth for the Chinese-owned firm.

• Mercedes-Benz is doing an onslaught of AMG vehicles in India. The German automaker has brought in a big lineup of AMG cars, which are on sale in the country. Right from the C63, E63, G63, GL63 and SLS AMGs, the next AMG to join the Indian lineup will be the ML63 AMG later this month. Mercedes-Benz had showcased the CLA45 AMG at the 2014 Auto Expo and we have learned that the entry-level performance sedan will be launched in India in July 2014. The CLA45 AMG will be brought in via the CBU route and is expected to be priced at around Rs. 70 lakhs