Automotive Updates- 30th June 2014

• India has made anti-lock braking system (ABS) compulsory on all new models of commercial vehicles staring April next, an endeavour aimed at making the country's notoriously accident-prone roads safer. ABS helps control vehicles during emergency braking at high speeds by unlocking the wheels and allowing traction control by electronic distribution of pressure to wheels.

• Yamaha has revealed an all-new engine technology – christened Blue Core – for the India market, introducing it in two new FZ series bikes – FZ Version 2.0 and FZ-S Version 2.0 priced at Rs 76,250 and Rs 78,250 respectively (ex-showroom Delhi). Both get the new air-cooled, 149cc, four-stroke, SOHC single-cylinder, fuel injected engine on a lightweight frame.

• Dutch lighting and healthcare company Philips said on Monday it would merge its Lumileds LED components and automotive lighting divisions into a standalone subsidiary which could potentially be spun off.The company said its lighting division would remain a key customer for the new subsidiary but that it would look for third-party investors. It did not rule out becoming a minority shareholder in the business, which could also be floated.

• Avis leasing and fleet management company in India has announced the opening of its eighth facility in NCR. With this new addition, Avis India now has 46 rental locations in 19 cities, the widest network for any car rental company in India. 

• The facelifted Nissan Sunny is slated to launch on 3rd July, 2014. 

• As opposed to Mahindra’s plans, the two-wheeler division did not pan out as the company had hoped for five years after making its entry into the Indian two-wheeler market. However in an unusual move, Mahindra shifted the 2-Wheeler division under the Automotive & Farm equipment Sector (AFS) business and is now planning to retail its two-wheelers in rural markets via the company’s pre-existing tractor dealerships. The manufacturer is optimistic that they can make this work with its huge presence in the rural market.

•  Domestic car making company Tata Motors is going to launch the all new version of its SUV safari Storme in Indian car market by the end of this year. According to reports received from company sources apart being embellishing various cosmetic changes on the exteriors and interiors, the new Safari will sport re-tuned 2.2 litre VariCOR engine developing 150bhp.

• Volkswagen dealers across the country have started accepting bookings for the 2014 Polo that is scheduled to launch on 15th July. With upgraded exteriors and most importantly a new engine on offer.

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Automotive Updates - 29th June 2014

•  Eastern region is set to push India's steel capacity with an investment of nearly Rs 9 lakh crore for creating an additional 160 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) capacity in the next 10-15 years.The Steel Ministry estimates that 16 new plants are set to come up in mineral-rich eastern states adding 42 mtpa new capacity in coming five years, another 45 mtpa in next five years and further 73 mtpa in about 15 years from now.

• Hyundai Motor India Ltd has introduced a special new scheme called ‘Pride of India’ for Central and State Government, PSUs & Public Sector Banks employees. This nationwide scheme provides Government employees with benefits to the tune of Rs. 30,000 on purchase of any Hyundai car.

• SasMos, a Rs 49 crore high quality wiring harness manufacturer, has established a state-of-the-art ‘Centre of Excellence’ for ISRO’s space grade harnesses. SasMos was founded and promoted by H.G. Chandrashekar in Bengaluru in 2007. Auto components player Rane Group took a 26pc equity stake in SasMos during 2011 so as to diversify into aerospace and defence industry.

• Ford’s much loved SUV, the Endeavour is all set to get replaced by the next-generation model and according to a report on Autocar, it will be launched in India by the end of 2015.

• Japanese car maker Honda Motors has launched the new avatar of its hatchback Jazz in Indonesian car market with starting price of 199 million Rupiah (INR 9.90 lakh) followed by price of 248 million Rupiah (INR 12.34 lakh). The new Jazz has been launched in five variants namely MT RS, RS AT CVT, S MT, S AT and A MT in both automatic and transmission system. In India it is speculated to hit the roads by 2015.   Datsun on-Do sedan which was unveiled in April is the first of three products to be launched in Russia. Production of on-Do will kick off on 14 July 2014, followed by sales next month. Second car, mi-Do hatchback will be unveiled there around the time of on-Do launch, in August.

•  In an effort to keep your cars in great condition this monsoon season, Ford India has announced Free Monsoon Ready Service Camp across the length and breadth of northen and western regions of the country. This service camp is scheduled from June 25-29, 2014.Commenting on the event, PK Umashankar, Vice-President, Customer Service Operations, Ford India, said, "Enhancing the ownership experience is an intensive and continuous process, and a strategic imperative for Ford India. The Monsoon Ready Service Camps is our attempt to offer customers a hassle-free ownership experience, even during the monsoons.,

• Daimler AG and Nissan Motor Co are jointly investing $1.36 billion to develop premium small cars and build a factory in Mexico, the companies said on Friday, in a step that deepens cooperation between the Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti brands.The companies said they will build a plant with an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles in Aguascalientes in central Mexico, where Nissan already has a $2 billion manufacturing complex.

• Rumour mills have been humming regarding the launch of more entry level cars from the stables of Audi in India in the upcoming months. It has been learnt from our close sources that after the launch of A3 sedan in India, Audi could bring Cabriolet version of A3 in domestic market. Launch will most likely take place next year around the same time. The German luxury auto major had shown glimpse of the vehicle at 12th edition of Delhi motor show held in the month of February earlier this year.

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Automotive Updates - 28th June 2014

•  India's automotive industry has lost about 25-30 lakh jobs in the last two years due to reduction in growth rate and slowdown in commercial vehicles, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Vice Chairman Vikram Kirloskar today said."...this industry currently employs or was employing about 29 million people beginning from the iron-ore mines to the dealerships and in the last two years with the kind of reduction in growth rate and slowing down of commercial vehicles etc, we have lost-we estimate at least 10 per cent of jobs across the industry," Kirloskar said.

• While acknowledging that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's pre-Budget 2014 decision to extend the excise duty cut on automobiles sector is a welcome step, Pawan Munjal, MD & CEO of Hero Motocorp said, "Excise duty cuts should have been extended till March 2016.""The need of the hour is a long-term, consistent excise policy," Munjal emphasised. "The auto sector still continues to be sluggish. Sub-normal monsoon is likely to dampen demand in rural areas," Munjal added.

• Hyundai Motor India Ltd today announced its exclusive scheme - 'Pride of India' designed for Central/State government employees. In this special initative, Government employees will be entitled to an additional benefit up to Rs. 30,000 depending upon various models. 

• General Motors (GM.N) chief executive Mary Barra said on Thursday more recalls are possible as the No. 1 U.S. automaker grapples with a series of safety problems that have prompted the recall of 20 million cars.Barra's comments in an interview with NBC came a day after GM issued its latest in a string of recalls, this one for 33,000 Chevrolet Cruze sedans with potentially defective air bags made by troubled Japanese supplier Takata Corp .

• Unable to make a big dent in the highly-competitive Indian car market, German car major Volkswagen is lining up a slew of budget cars to go head-on against market heavyweights like Maruti SuzukiBSE -1.52 %, Hyundai and Honda. In the works are a budget hatchback and an entry sedan apart from a mini SUV, group head Mahesh Kodumudi said. 

• Skoda India’s Managing Director, Mr. Sudhir Rao, said that his company is going to focus on the “value for luxury” segment rather than the volume segment, and that the immediate focus is on the Rapid’s segment and above. Mr. Rao said that the segment below the Rapid will be considered depending on “results on new strategies”, and if these results showed a profitable and sustainable model. However, the sub-Rapid segment would not be on Skoda India’s focus until end 2015.

• German carmaker, Volkswagen will launch the Polo facelift in India on July 15, 2014.The facelifted Polo gets changes to its exterior in line with the European Polo.

• Fiat Chrysler to enter India in 2015,the first two vehicles that will be launched in India will be the Cherokee and the Wrangler. They are expected to be niche vehicles and will be brought to the Indian market through the CBU route. However, it plans to localise assembly of the vehicles sometime in the future to keep the prices competitive.

• German industrial group Bosch will cut up to 400 jobs, or about a third of the workforce at a windscreen wiper factory in Tienen, Belgium, the company said on Thursday.

• May 2014 proved to be a blessing in disguise for Honda Motor Company as two of its Asian markets – Japan and India – posted record monthly production and domestic sales.

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Automotive updates- 27th June 2014

• Czech car maker Skoda is focusing on lowering cost of product development and increased localisation for the Indian market to take on Asian rivals, as it seeks enhanced position in the value for luxury segment. The company, part of the Volkswagen group, also ruled out notions that it is scaling down business in India saying it has been consolidating its operations for an overall profitable sustainable business in the country. 

• Basant Kumar Birla-promoted Kesoram Industries is mulling a re-organisation plan that may even include selling its profitable tyre division to reduce its high debt.This is part of its plan to restructure its business. In a recent communication to the stock exchanges, the company said that it is exploring options for reorganising and realigning its existing business.

• In a new partnership scheduled to be announced next week, Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors will supply the Attrage sedan to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) for sale in Asian markets. The Attrage sedan will be badge engineered as a Chrysler and will be sold in China and other Asian markets. Fiat plans to expand its base in the Asia Pacific region as part of its long term plan and the Attrage will help increase its market share.

•  Tata Steel has no more plans to import iron ore to feed its steel-making factories, and will rely on domestic production from its own captive mines or National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), its managing director TV Narendran told ET

• The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler AG are significantly expanding their cooperation with joint development of premium compact vehicles and joint production in Mexico. Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn and Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche announced today that their companies have agreed to establish a 50:50 JV, the business entity that will oversee construction and operation of the new plant in Aguascalientes in north-central Mexico. The new plant will be built in the immediate vicinity of an already existing Nissan plant and will have an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles when fully ramped up.

• After showcasing the 2014 facelifted Sunny at the Delhi Auto Expo, Nissan will be launching the sedan officially on July 3rd in India. Launched in 2011, Sunny has been facing stiff competition in the C-segment due to presence of strong players such as Honda City and Hyundai Verna. With the facelift, Nissan is trying to give its Sunny a new lease of life, assuring its stand against the competitors.

• Ashok Leyland, India's second-largest truckmaker, is planning to raise about Rs 600 crore to Rs 700 crore through an qualified institutional placement to pare debt. Ambit, Kotak Mahindra, and Citigroup have been appointed bankers for this transaction.ET learns that the fund raising is likely to be concluded in the next couple of weeks,.People close to the company told ET, the QIP may lead to the equity dilution of 6.1% in the company, which will bring down promoter's stake down to 39% from 41.25% in March-2014, according to BSE filing.

• Speaking to Autocar Professional on the marketing strategy for the new car, Jnaneswar Sen,  senior vice-president (marketing and sales), HCIL, said that while the metros will be the largest markets for the MPV, Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities will garner the highest proportion of sales across India. “Volumes of the Mobilio will depend on pricing and production capacity but it will be good value for money. It will mark the evolution of the entry MPV segment,” he said. 

• Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will begin selling Jeep, the SUV brand central to its global expansion, in India in 2015, the brand's chief, Mike Manley, said on Thursday.Manley said the original plan was for Jeep to enter the India market in late-2013, but that was delayed because he did not feel the brand would enter the market strongly at the time.

• German industrial group Bosch will cut up to 400 jobs, or about a third of the workforce at a windscreen wiper factory in Tienen, Belgium, the company said on Thursday.

• May 2014 proved to be a blessing in disguise for Honda Motor Company as two of its Asian markets – Japan and India – posted record monthly production and domestic sales.

• Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz India would soon double its production capacity at its existing plant in the country at Chakan near Pune, a company official said today. "The plant expansion is in the final stage and in the process of getting all approvals. It will be ready for use very soon," Boris Fitz, VP (sales and network development) of Mercedes-Benz India, said here. 
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Automotive updates - 26th June 2014

• BMW India’s plant near Chennai has rolled out a new, locally-assembled BMW X5 SUV today. Initial deliveries of the vehicle, for which bookings began at the end of May, will commence by the end of the month. According to the company, demand for the new X5, which was launched about a month ago in Pune, has pushed the waiting period to three months. The X5 xDrive30d being locally produced at the Chennai plant is a diesel variant.

• Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz would start manufacturing at its second plant shortly, which would help the company double its production capacity in India, an official of the company said. "The second plant is in the final stage and in the process of getting all the approvals. The plant will be ready for use very soon," Boris Fitz, VP (sales and network development) of Mercedes-Benz India said. 

• Nissan and Daimler have given the go-ahead to invest in joint production of a future generation of Mercedes and Infiniti compact cars in Mexico, sources with knowledge of the plan said on Thursday.The two companies announced a news conference on Friday to unveil what Daimler described as the largest collaboration yet in its alliance with Nissan and French partner Renault.

•  Garmin Ltd, part of the Garmin Corp of the USA and a satellite navigation product developer, is in talks with carmakers like Maruti Suzuki India, Honda Cars India, Hyundai Motors India and Tata Motors for introducing its 2014 PND product portfolio as an accessory in their existing and new cars and mini SUV models.

• Toyota Motor Corporation has revealed the exterior design and Japan pricing of its hydrogen fuel cell sedan, first unveiled as a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show last year. The car will be launched in Japan before April 2015, and preparations are underway for launches in the US and European markets in mid-2015. In Japan, the fuel cell sedan will go on sale at Toyota and Toyopet dealerships, priced at approximately 7 million yen (Rs 40.6 lakh) excluding consumption tax. Initially, sales will be limited to regions where hydrogen refueling infrastructure is being developed. US and Europe prices have not yet been decided

• South Korea's transport ministry on Thursday said it plans to fine Hyundai Motor Co an estimated 1 billion won ($1 million) for overstating the fuel economy of its Santa Fe sport utility vehicle (SUV).

• Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine has been voted the 2014 International Engine of the Year, winning the award for the third consecutive year. A panel of 82 automotive journalists from 35 countries – including Hormazd Sorabjee, editor of Autocar India – also named the engine ‘Best Engine Under 1.0-litre’ again for the third year in a row, at the Engine Expo 2014 in Stuttgart, Germany.

• General Motors Co is preparing to recall about 33,000 Chevrolet Cruze sedans with potentially defective air bags made by troubled Japanese supplier Takata Corp, the automaker said late Wednesday.In a crash, the driver-side air bag on the 2013-2014 Cruze could fail to inflate, GM said.

• A new £24 million (Rs 245 crore) government fund is set to give UK-based automotive suppliers a welcome boost as they look to grow their businesses. Announced today by business minister Michael Fallon at the Automotive Council’s Meet the Buyer event at ExCeL London, the Tooling Funding Programme will help component manufacturers design, develop and manufacture new tooling where they would otherwise fail to acquire funds.

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Automotive Updates - 25th June 2014

•  In a major relief to the automobile industry, finance minister Arun Jaitley extended the excise duty cuts that were implemented by the UPA government until December 31. The reductions were set to expire on June 30.Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers deputy director general Sugato Sen welcomed the move."This is a great relief for the automobile manufacturers and we hope this will help us maintain the positive momentum that the industry saw last months," he said.

• Japanese auto giant Toyota will start selling its first fuel cell sedan this financial year, with a price tag of around 7 million yen ($70,000), the company announced Wednesday.The vehicles will be rolled out by March and beyond the home market during the summer of 2015, it said, in a move that will see the environmentally friendly cars available in the United States and Europe.

• The new version of Opel's best-selling Corsa car will arrive in European showrooms at the end of 2014, it said on Tuesday, as General Motors seeks to return its second-largest brand to profitability.

• AMW today announced that the company had entered into an agreement with L & T Finance to provide retail financing options for its range of medium and heavy haulage vehicles and tippers. 

• The West Bengal government is contemplating introducing green taxis in the metropolis."We are planning to introduce the first four seater electric car as city cab strictly meant for city limits including Rajarhat and Salt Lake," state Transport minister Madan Mitra said here today after reviewing the car."We are thinking of naming this as 'city cab' and it will be a no refusal cab service," he added.

• Globally, Honda Motors is recalling about 2 million vehicles manufactured between August 2000 and December 2005 for a possible fault with the airbags. The recall affects the Honda Accord, CR-V and Jazz. A report on the Economic Times states that the Accord sold in India from 2001 to 2005 (Sixth and Seventh generation models) is part of the affected cars.

• A recent report on Live Mint newspaper proposes that Honda Cars India is planning an investment of Rs.4,000 crore to build an automobile manufacturing plant at Vithalapur in Gujarat. Honda’s third factory in the country (following the establishments in Greater Noida and Rajasthan that leave it with a capacity of 240k cars per annum today) would have an annual capacity of 100k-125k cars a year.In February this year, Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India Pvt. Ltd said it had acquired 100 hectares of land in Vithalapur for a new INR 1,100-crore production unit that comes on stream in 2016.

• AMW Motors Ltd has entered into an agreement with L&T Finance to provide competitive retail financing options for its range of medium and heavy haulage vehicles and tippers. The pact will help provide loans at attractive rates for all classes of commercial vehicle operators, including retail customers and will be available across the range of AMW vehicles such as tippers, the new AMW haulage range and other special purpose vehicles. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed today by A Ramasubramanian, president, AMW Motors, and G C Rangan, COO, L&T Finance.

• French automaker Renault launched the Duster compact SUV in 2010 under Dacia badge. This model has been doing tremendous business for the car manufacturer as the company managed to sell over 1 million Dusters worldwide. According to French media, the next generation Duster will go on sale in 2017.

•  image from wikipedia

automotive Updates - 24th June 2014

• Mercedes Benz India on Tuesday launched the limited edition variant called 'Edition 1', celebrating the first year anniversary of its new generation compact cars 'A Class' and 'B Class.' Edition 1, carries a price tag of Rs 26.17 lakh and Rs 28.75 lakh ex-showroom Mumbai respectively. Only available in the diesel variant, only 100 units of each of A and B Class will be up for sale. 

• Nissan Motor Co Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn, one of the highest-compensated executives in Japan, said he was paid 995 million yen ($9.8 million) in the financial year that ended in March, up 0.7 per cent from the previous year.

• Times of India reports that Suzuki Motorcycle India is set to launch 6 new locally made scooters and motorcycles, apart from CBU and CKD models, over the next three years. At present the company’s product portfolio is populated by three scooters and three motorcycles in addition to CBU and CKD imports.

• Dana Holding Corporation, which supplies highly engineered driveline, sealing, and thermal-management technologies that help improve the efficiency and performance of vehicles with both conventional and alternative-energy powertrains, has received Hino Trucks’ ‘Excellence in Quality Improvement’ award.  Dana accepted the award, which recognises superior improvement in parts-per-million (PPM) defect performance at Hino's annual supplier business meeting this month.

• In less than two months since its Indonesian launch, the Datsun Go+ has received over 3,500 bookings.

• With uncertainty looming over excise duty structure on automobiles as reduced rates expire on June 30, Hyundai Motor India may raise vehicle prices if the cess rate is reverted back to the levels before the interim Budget in February.

• The Kinetic Group and Belgium-based Ikaros Solar Group, a leading global player in the photovoltaic (PV) market, have set up a joint venture company named Ikaros Kinetic Solar Pvt Ltd. The JV will provide customised solutions to cater to low-capacity solar PV installations of 20KWp to 1 MW focusing on residential and commercial roof-top installations.  It will also cater to EPC requirements of utility scale PV projects from 1 MW and above for developers under the National Solar Mission, state policies, large manufacturing plants in the automotive, steel, pharma and textile sectors. It is also keen to develop solar farms. The shareholding pattern of the JV is Ikaros 51 percent, Kinetic Group 25 percent and Pune-based power electronics company Intelux India, 24 percent. Autocar Professional had broken this news story on May 20.

• Mahindra & Mahindra has issued a statement at the National Stock Exchange that it has no definite plans to set up a plant in Brazil, contrary to what was reported by the media recently.The publication reported with a quote from Dr. Pawan Goenka, Executive Director and President, M&M (automotive and farm equipment sector), that the automaker is considering a production plant in Brazil to circumvent the heavy tax structures.

• TRW Automotive is to launch its next-generation seatbelt retractor – the Floating Spool 1 (FS1) – which offers reduced weight and smaller dimensions when compared with previous systems. The global FS1 technology is starting production with several vehicle manufacturers in Asia, Europe, North America and South America during the second quarter of 2014.

• Volvo Cars starts production of the new Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar at its Torslanda plant. A total of 750 cars will be produced of the S60 and V60 Polestar model this year, heading to customers in Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the USA. 

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Automotive Updates - 23rd June 2014

• Bajaj is believed to have already produced 2,000-2,500 units of the RE60 quadricycle at its Waluj plant in Aurangabad. A source told the Autocar Professional that Bajaj has started producing the quadricycle in both left-hand drive and right-hand drive configurations, and is carrying out final stages of validation before exporting it.

•  India produced just a little over seven million tonnes (MT) of steel, accounting for five per cent of the global output of 141 MT in May, World Steel Association (WSA) has said.India's production growth rate of 1.6 per cent in May over the same month last year was also lower as compared to the global average of 2.2 per cent.

•  Japanese automakers on Monday recalled nearly three million vehicles worldwide over an airbag defect that could pose a fire risk.Honda said it recalled about 2,033,000 vehicles which were produced between August 2000 and December 2005, including more than one million in North America and 668,000 in Japan.Two other automakers -- Mazda and Nissan -- also recalled hundreds of thousands of vehicles over the same problem, which was also responsible for earlier recalls by Toyota.

• The Tata Nexon crossover concept shown at the Auto Expo this year is 21 months away from its market launch in India. The concept previewed a sub-4 meter length crossover that would rival the likes of the Ford EcoSport and the upcoming Mahindra S101.

• South Korea's SK Energy Co Ltd and Hyundai Oilbank Co Ltd have won tenders for a one-year supply of gasoline and diesel to stations that undercut pump prices, said an official at Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC), one of two firms that had invited the tenders.

• KTM exited the Brazilian market in 2012 when its partnership with local distributor Izzo Group ended. The Bajaj-owned Austrian two wheeler maker is now planning to re-enter Latin America’s largest two wheeler market with a new partner in the form of Dafra Motos. Dafra Motos also partners with BMW, Ducati and MV Agusta brands in Brazil.

• With the June 30 deadline fast approaching for expiry of reduced excise rate, car makers want the government to extend it further even as they adopt a wait and watch policy before considering price hikes. "We certainly hope that the government of India will give us an opportunity to continue keeping our customers happy," Nissan Motor India, VP sales and marketing, Ajay Raghuvanshi told PTI. 

• image from autocarindia.com

Automotive Updates - 22nd June 2014

• India’s leading two wheeler manufacturing company Bajaj Auto has confirmed to launch its RE 60 Quadricyle sometimes during the month of October 2014. According to company sources the quadricyle has gone for production at company’s production plant located at Aurangabad. The auto maker had showcased the quadricyle during the Indian Auto Expo 2014.The quadricylce receives 216cc liquid cooled, four valve, fuel injected engine with triple spark and powered by petrol engine.     It is speculated to be offered in both LPG and CNG variants. 

• With the June 30 deadline fast approaching for expiry of reduced excise rate, car makers want the government to extend it further even as they adopt a wait and watch policy before considering price hikes. "We certainly hope that the government of India will give us an opportunity to continue keeping our customers happy," Nissan Motor India, VP sales and marketing, Ajay Raghuvanshi told PTI. 

• Citroen’s C4 Cactus is more than just another compact car. It’s a manifesto on wheels for the brand’s move down-market as parent PSA Peugeot Citroen struggles to return to profit. The car, lent to reporters for test drives this week as European sales get underway, sports slightly wacky features including bench seats and rugged-looking squishy plastic “Airbump” exterior door panels developed by BASF.

• Auto major Mahindra & Mahindra has been developing a range of electric vehicles will review technology patents that American electric car maker Tesla Motors has made free for applicability to its products. Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles, a part of the Mahindra Group, has been working on a variety of electric vehicles (EV), including sports car 'Halo', which it expects to launch commercially in the next three years. 

• By the year 2016-17 the Indian two-wheeler industry is expected to reach a size of 22-23 million units spurred by a volume CAGR of 8 to 9pc, says a report published by ICRA in 2013. Global technology leader Lanxess hopes to tap this market with its specialty elastomers that offer the opportunity to replace conventional elastomers in two-wheelers with products that can ensure high performance.

• Vehicle prices are likely to increase from July 1, as the excise cut on automobiles announced by the previous government to spur demand is expiring on June 30.It is likely that the government will return to the previous excise duty structure. That will increase the price of utility vehicles by as much as 6% and cars and bikes by 4.5-5.0%.

• Following a great response for the Mobilio since its launch in January, Honda has now introduced a new top-of-the-line RS variant in Indonesia. The Honda Mobilio RS will be made available in both manual as well as automatic transmission options at 203.5 million Rupiah (Rs. 10.19 lakh) and 214 million Rupiah (Rs. 10.72 lakh) respectively.

• Japanese car major Nissan might be planning to introduce more SUVs in India. Nissan introduced the Terrano (a rebadged Renault Duster) last year and has tasted some success selling the SUV.

• Takashi Hata, chairman for Africa, Middle East and India, Nissan Motor Company, speaking to a publication said, “The Terrano is a big hit. So this is telling us something about SUVs (in the Indian market). SUVs are a great segment in which we’d like to play; it’s a matter of time.

image feom cars.sulekha.com

Automotive Updates - 21st June 2014

• Vehicle prices are likely to increase from July 1, as the excise cut on automobiles announced by the previous government to spur demand is expiring on June 30.It is likely that the government will return to the previous excise duty structure. That will increase the price of utility vehicles by as much as 6% and cars and bikes by 4.5-5.0%.

• Japanese car major Nissan might be planning to introduce more SUVs in India. Nissan introduced the Terrano (a rebadged Renault Duster) last year and has tasted some success selling the SUV.

• Tata Motors has silently launched the 4×4 variant of the Xenon commercial pickup truck in the country as updated by our reader Tushar and has priced it at Rs. 7.93 lakhs (on-road, Pune). The pickup is a blander looking version of the Xenon XT and gets clean lines with a simplistic front grille. You do get body coloured front and rear bumpers as well as wheel covers. The loading bay uses an all steel load body for a stylish look and to haul heavy weights with ease. The double cab variant of the Xenon 4×4 pickup is available in the luxury trim option that comes with decent features on offer.

• Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are locked in a tug of war to lure the country's largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp  into setting up its new plant in their state. The company that sold 6 million vehicles last year is looking at investing in South India.

• Europe' s top carmaker Volkswagen group has scaled down its India market share target to 7-8 per cent by 2018 against the 20 per cent projected earlier as it struggles to make headway in the highly-competitive market dominated by heavyweights like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. 

• Mahindra & Mahindra recently established its North American Technical Centre (MNATC) in Troy, Michigan, the US, to tap the region’s rich automotive talent pool.Talking to Financial Express, Dr. Pawan Goenka, Executive Director and President, automotive sector, M&M, said that the European R&D operations are on hold but the US Technical Center would develop an all new global UV (which Financial Express learns is an MPV) to go on sale in 2017 starting from India.

• Six Slovenian state-owned firms and banks sold 54 percent of car parts maker Letrika to Austrian rival Mahle Holding Austria GmbH, state-owned company SDH, which coordinated the sale, said on Friday."We received two bids for the company and Mahle offered the best price, that is 67.1 euro per share. The consortium of sellers decided to accept the offer," SDH said in a statement.

• It isn't just the industry lobby groups but even government departments are pitching for continuing the excise duty concession for key consumer sectors such as automobiles and white goods to spur demand and boost sluggish industrial activity. 

• Tablets, GPS systems, electronic billing on autos help customers. "Cars have all the latest technology updates whereas autos don't have such facility & that's why we wanted to bring this system into autos. After work, drivers can use the tablets for own use" Mansoor Ali Khan Chairman, Makkal Auto. Autorickshaw drivers of Chennai have gained notoriety for being pushy and rude. But of late, entrepreneurs are trying to give the trade an image makeover by using technology to offer b etter services to passengers. 

Image from indianautoblogs.com

Automotive updates 20th June 2014

• Vehicle prices are likely to increase from July 1, as the excise cut on automobiles announced by the previous government to spur demand is expiring on June 30.It is likely that the government will return to the previous excise duty structure. That will increase the price of utility vehicles by as much as 6% and cars and bikes by 4.5-5.0%.

• Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL), India’s first quadricycle manufacturer, is gearing up to begin exporting its RE60 soon, two sources close to the development told Autocar Professional. While it is known that the company has set up a monthly production capacity of 5,000 units of the RE60 at its Waluj, Aurangabad plant, it is believed to have  already rolled out around 2,000-2,500 units of these vehicles, which currently occupy the massive stockyard within the Waluj factory premises.

• Europe' s top carmaker Volkswagen group has scaled down its India market share target to 7-8 per cent by 2018 against the 20 per cent projected earlier as it struggles to make headway in the highly-competitive market dominated by heavyweights like Maruti Suzuk and Hyundai. 

• : Uniform excise duty on passenger cars, a scrappage policy and implementation of GST feature among the top expectations of the Indian automotive industry from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first general budget,Society of Indian Automobiles Manufacturers during an interaction with the Commerce Minister suggested the government should extend the reduced excise duty on vehicles.

• Hero MotoCorp, as part of its plunge into the hybrid two-wheeler segment, is to roll out its electric serial hybrid scooter Leap in February 2015. To be made at Hero’s Gurgaon plant, the manufacturer is looking at small volumes of the Leap to begin with, say sources in the know. An annual production figure of 6,000 units is what is estimated and, depending on demand, this could see a spike.  

• Mahindra and Mahindra LtdBSE -2.87 % said on Friday that it had no 'definitive' plans about setting up a manufacturing plant in Brazil, as reported by a newspaper. A media report on June 17 said that Mahindra was considering building a manufacturing plant in Brazil to circumvent local tax barriers, quoting Pawan Goenka, president of the company's automotive division. 

• Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd fell 2.4 percent on worries that weak monsoon may hit its tractor sales, investors say.Nearly a third of the company's revenues come from tractor sales which are largely dependent on farmers' incomes that can get severely impacted due to any shortfall in rains, analysts say.

• VW India will launch the refreshed Polo towards the middle of next month, Indian Autos Blog was told by its sources. The 2014 VW Polo facelift will launch in mid-July. The refreshed Polo will get a new front bumper with redone chrome enclosures for its foglights.         

•  image from indianautoblogs.com
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Automotive Updates - 19th June 2014

• Kicking off a price war in the mid-sized sedan segment Ford India today launched the new version of its Fiesta model, priced up to Rs 9.29 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The new Fiesta will directly take on Honda City and Hyndai Verna and is priced Rs 67,000 to Rs 1.7 lakh lower than the competition, depending on the variant. 

• Precision Camshafts Ltd (PCL), which manufactures over a million chilled cast iron camshafts every month at its Solapur plant in Maharashtra, has announced a strategic alliance with EMAG Germany to acquire tried-and-tested assembled camshaft technology which employs the EMAG-patented 'Force Free Heat Shrink' process.

• Maruti Suzuki India Limited has commissioned a new 1MW mono-crystalline photovoltaic solar power plant at its Manesar facility. The company says the Rs 10.3 crore solar power plant will help it offset CO2 emissions to the tune of over 1,200 tonnes per annum.

• Honda has been promoting the Mobilio MPV at various locations prior to its launch scheduled in India in July this year.However, Honda had some special plans for Indonesia where the Japanese manufacturer officially launched the Mobilio RS, a premium version of the Mobilio MPV. 

• Ratings agency IcraBSE 0.21 % today revised downwards its tractor sales forecast for the current fiscal to 4-6 per cent from 8 per cent earlier.The agency said untimely rains in some parts of the country during February and March impacted Rabi crop as well as consumer sentiments. 

• More Tata Nano variants are in the pipeline, as Tata Motors tries every trick in its bag to flog a dead horse. The planned variants include a turbocharged Tata Nano and an electric Tata Nano.

• Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover has announced an investment of 200 million pounds at its Halewood plant in the UK to support introduction of its upcoming SUV Discovery Sport. 

• Harley-Davidson might be planning to launch its first ever electric motorcycle on June 19.In a 15-second long Youtube video, it is shown that a bike of some sort goes by on the route 66, it must be a Harley but it doesn't sound like a Harley because it is quieter like the jet engine of a very small plane.

• General Motors Co on Wednesday received more awards for initial quality from JD Power than any other automaker in the US market, as its chief executive officer was grilled by a US congressional committee about safety issues. It was the second year in a row that GM had the most models named with the best initial quality in the annual JD Power study.South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co took five awards and was the best overall mass-market brand in the survey, jumping to fourth place from 10th a year ago.

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•  image from motoroid.com

Automotive Updates - 18th June 2014

• Genset manufacturer Cooper Corporation is planning to enter the light commercial vehicle (LCV) market once the automobile industry recovers from the current recessionary trend. Cooper Corp, which is also in the business of manufacturing engines for automobile firms, is ready with the prototype of the small commercial vehicle, Rajesh Walke, GM (engine business), said. 

• The world’s largest two wheeler maker in terms of volumes, Hero Motocorp, is augmenting its domestic production capacity with addition of new production facilities. According to a PTI report, Hero Motocorp is planning to set up a production unit in South India to cater to the region’s demand.

• The West Bengal government has asked the Hindustan Motors management to submit a detailed revival package for its closed Uttarpara plant in the next two days."The management has been told to submit a revival package by June 19 and also how the company plans to clear the dues of workers," Labour Secretary Amol Roy Chowdhury told reporters after a tripartite meeting called by him. 

•  Thailand's Board of Investment said on Wednesday it has approved 18 investment application projects worth about 120 billion baht ($3.7 billion), mainly in the auto industry.The approved projects included one by Toyota Motor Corp. to spend 51.5 billion baht for production of pickup trucks and parts, the board said.The projects approved on Wednesday are among applications worth more than 700 billion baht awaiting approval.

• Honda dealers will officially commence bookings for the Honda Mobilio in early July, just ahead of a market launch that will take place in late July.A Honda Cars India spokesperson confirmed to Indian Autos Blog that official pre-bookings will commence in the early part of July, however, a few dealers maybe accepting bookings unofficially before.

• Global component supplier TRW Automotive has, earlier this month, opened its largest-ever technical centre – a 66,000 square metre facility – located in Anting, China. The facility, which has been designed and built to house more than 20 scientific testing labs supporting all of TRW's main business areas including braking, steering and suspension, occupant safety and safety electronics, will employ more than 1,200 members of engineering, research and technical staff.

• Steel has the capability to remain the preferred material for the automotive industry, ArcelorMittal chairman and CEO Lakshmi Mittal has said, reopening the debate on use of aluminium vs. steel in automobiles.

• Indian Autos Blog learns that the launch of the Zest in scheduled in August and the Bolt hatchback would enter the market about a month later. Both cars are based on the ‘X1′ platform but are packaged in a more compelling way. They benefit from extensive improvements to the exterior, interior and hardware.

• Lanxess, the specialty chemicals company, is betting big on the two-wheeler industry in India to drives sales of its high-performance elastomers. The company says its high-performance elastomers like Therban, Perbunan, Krynac and Baymod N can help replace conventional elastomers in two-wheelers. 

image from livemint.com

Automotive Updates - 17th June 2014

• Diesel prices should be immediately hiked by Rs 5 per litre, the Kirit Parikh Committee has recommended while favoring reduction of the quota of subsidized LPG to 6 cylinders per household in a year from 9 at present.The panel has recommended Rs 4 per litre increase in kerosene and Rs 250 per cylinder hike in LPG rates, Parikh told reporters after presenting the report to oil minister Veerappa Moily.

• Sweden's Volvo Car Corp, with help from its Chinese owner Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co , plans to make China an export hub and beat its 2014 sales target for the country by at least 13 percent, a senior Volvo executive said.Geely's strategy for Volvo is being closely watched as a possible model for other Chinese companies that have had limited success digesting and managing major consumer brands.

• With the launch of the new Bolt hatchback imminent, Tata Motors is rumoured to have stopped production of the BS4-compliant version of the Vista. The move will ensure that the Bolt’s sales are not threatened by its older sibling.

• Ford India is all set to launch the Fiesta facelift this month. It is expected to be priced aggressively in the Indian market to set their C segment sales on fire. But that would be all for 2014. The American manufacturer is set to introduce three new cars in 2015, across the segments. The first one is the next generation of the company’s most popular model, the Figo. The second car in question is the Figo sedan. Ford will launch the new Endeavour in 2015 that has been built from ground up.

• Transmissions with dual clutches are already in use in cars. Now Volvo Trucks is the first manufacturer in the world to offer a similar solution for series-produced heavy vehicles on certain Volvo FH models (with Euro-6 D13 engines with 460, 500 or 540 hp options) from end-2014.

• Honda has started taking booking for its upcoming MPV Mobilio with an upfront payment of Rs 51,000 for both petrol and diesel model. In a desperate move to conquer the growing MPV segment, the manufacturer is keen to launch the Mobilio in next couple of weeks.

• GM is said to have started working on a new project, codenamed Amber - a new platform from ground up, on which three new cars will be built.These vehicles - a premium hatchback, a compact sedan and compact SUV will be targeted at emerging markets like India, Brazil, Russia, Thailand and Mexico. General Motors plans to design the new platform in Europe and engineer it in Brazil.

• The Mann+ Hummel Group is to showcase its newly developed FreciousPlus cabin filter this year’s Automechanika Frankfurt to be held from September 16 to 20. According to the company, the FreciousPlus cabin filter binds allergens almost completely and, as far as possible, prevents bacteria and fungi penetrating the air in the passenger compartment of cars and commercial vehicles.

• A very optimistic Mahindra 2-Wheelers had showcased the Mojo 300 concept at the 2012 Auto Expo, and was expected to be one of the first products in the then evolving quarter-litre segment. However, two years down the line, the quarter-litre segment is at its peak and the Mojo is still under testing albeit having received several corrections. The updated Mojo was showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo earlier this year and we spotted the bike on test wearing camouflage, as the launch date comes closer.

• The Ssangyong compact SUV was caught on test in China recently. The EcoSport rival from Ssangyong is codenamed X100, and will be unveiled in early 2015.

Image from http://www.vinavu.com/2013/01/25/diesel-robbery/

Automotive Updates - 16th June 2014

• French auto major Renault today launched a special edition of its mid-sized sedan Scala in India priced between at Rs 8.48 lakh and Rs 10.51 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). 

• Steel Strips Wheels Ltd (SSWL), the Punjab-based automotive steel wheel manufacturer, has bagged an export order for supply of 30,000 wheels to the Russian passenger car aftermarket. The company says it is exploring the potential of supplying its entire product portfolio.

• Hero MotoCorp, India's largest two-wheeler maker, is looking to start selling bikes in the US next year, hoping to create a niche market for its products.

• The company, which entered as many as 18 global markets in the past one-and-a-half years, is confident that its motorcycles will be accepted well in the US.

• Work on a grounds-up platform codenamed “Amber” to underpin three vehicles is in motion at GM’s garage, Economic Times has reported.The platform will spawn competitors to the Maruti Swift, Honda Amaze and the Ford EcoSport, in Brazil, Russia, India, Thailand and Mexico.

• ArcelorMittal inaugurated an $832 million steel plant -- Valin AreclorMittal Automotive (VAMA) Steel -- to produce high strength automotive steels that are currently imported into the local market.

• Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today met representatives of automobile industry body SIAM and discussed challenges faced by the sector that is reeling under a prolonged demand slump."Discussed issues facing automobile industry with representatives of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)," Sitharaman tweeted.

• Yamaha Motor Co has produced its three millionth automotive engine today. To mark this milestone, a ceremony was held at its Iwata Main Factory and attended by Takaaki Kimura, the senior managing executive officer and representative director, as well as around 200 representatives from the Automotive Business Unit and the Manufacturing Center. 

• Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher is reported to have come out of coma and been moved out of the French hospital where he was being treated.

• Suzuki India has slashed the price of the the Suzuki GW250 Inazuma by a whole INR 1 lakh, Overdrive reports. The new price stands at INR 2.1 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi) Suzuki has confirmed the price alignment after many prospects did not convert to customers because of the steep price.

• By 2025, more than 75 percent of all new pickup trucks produced in North America will be aluminium-bodied, according to a survey of automakers conducted by Ducker Worldwide, global consulting and research firm. 

Automotive Updates - 15th June 2014

• Tata Motors has suspended production of all its Nano variants including the standard CX and LX for now, and is only rolling out the Twist, the power steering variant. The aim is to create a bigger market for the Twist and also to partly lower inventories of the non-power steering variants.

• General Motors India is focussing on improving efficiency in its operations and exports to reduce losses and overcome stress on its financial viability and future sustainability due to the tough market conditions.

• "The business environment is very challenging. No doubt about it. Many other OEMS are also under stress in the current market situation where volumes are under stress," General Motors India President & Managing Director Arvind Saxena told PTI.

• After recently announcing that auto makers could use their patents, Tesla Motors has set an example for other auto makers to share the technologies with other companies. Now, according to reports, BMW and Tesla executives recently held a meeting earlier this week to discuss the possibility of sharing the latter company’s Supercharger network. This move could lead to the creation of charging stations usable for different types of electric cars.

• Suzuki has gone way too aggressive with their plans in India. After launching many products through all segments in the market, they said to themselves that the Inazuma should not suffer. Suzuki has deducted Rs. 1 lakh from the sticker price and the rest, Rs. 25-30,000/-, depending on city.

• World’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer by volumes, Hero MotoCorp will be making its entry in the Latin American country Brazil by 2016. The move comes as part of the company’s plans to enter 50 new markets by 2020. Brazil is one of the fastest growing markets in South America and the automaker wants to capitalize on.

• Continental has over the years worked its way to being a leading sponsor in professional football. Continental’s tyre division is official sponsor of the German DFB Cup, Major League Soccer, 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and UEFA EURO 2016 in France.

image fron livemint.com