Automotive Updates - 22nd July 2014

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• The performance car with the most powerful four-cylinder engine is here in India! Mercedes-Benz has launched the CLA 45 AMG in the Indian market for a price of Rs 68.50 lakh. The compact super saloon is the AMG version of the CLA sedan and the most affordable AMG car in India. The company has also announced that the regular CLA model will come to India in the next six months.(carwale.com)

• Porsche has launched the Macan compact SUV in India, priced at an exorbitant Rs. 1 crore for the Macan S Diesel, while the Macan Turbo costs Rs. 1.11 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi). The price is ridiculously high because the Cayenne which is a bigger vehicle that sits higher in the Porsche line-up is priced from Rs. 79 lakhs in the country. 

• Porsche is taking advantage of the fact that the Macan is completely sold out in global markets while all units allocated to India for 2014 have already been booked. The annual production capacity of the Porsche Macan is 50,000 units. The vehicle is a cousin of the Audi Q5 and is based on VW Group’s MLB platform.Read more at http://www.motorbeam.com/cars/porsche-macan/porsche-macan-launched-india-priced-rs-1-crore/#yDUWB0bZqsjrfmxo.99

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• Commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland has proposed to sell three of its subsidiaries, including two overseas arms — Albonair GmbH in Germany, Avia Ashok Leyland Motors in the Czech Republic — and Albonair (India) — in the next 12 months. The move to sell all the loss-making companies is aimed at consolidating its operations further as well as cut mounting costs, said ALL sources.(financialexpress.com)

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• In a bid to take advantage of the growing luxury car market in India, Nissan’s premium luxury brand Infiniti would be foraying into the country in the future.Talking to Times Of India, Mr. Andy Palmer, chief planning officer, Nissan, said that it is “inevitable” for Infiniti to venture into India but the timing and product bandwidth need to be right.

•  He added that local assembly of Infiniti cars, preferably at the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s Orgadam plant near Chennai, would be the viable business model since import duty on CBUs (Completely Built Units) is high . Read more: http://indianautosblog.com/2014/07/infiniti-india-q30-qx30-138336#ixzz38Cg8uWp7 

•  Mercedes-Benz opened its new Shanghai Training Center, its largest passenger car training site globally. The facility is capable of providing 140,000 Participant Training Days every year. The strengthening of Mercedes-Benz’ Chinese training infrastructure goes hand-in-hand with the company’s fast-pace network initiative in the country: 100 new dealership outlets will be opened through 2014, of which 65 percent will be in fast-growing lower tier cities. . - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/mercedes-benz-largest-passenger-car-training-centre-china-6046#sthash.vPQDsupA.dpuf

• With lack of any product in the segment between Etios and Corolla, Japanese automakers Toyota, along with their Indian counterparts Kirloskar Motors will be introducing the Vios sedan in India.It was reported earlier that Toyota will not be bringing Vios to India as they plan to produce a new car on the Etios platform. But, Japan’s Nikkei now reveals that they are in fact going to bring the Vios sedan to India.Read more at http://www.rushlane.com/toyota-etios-production-end-vios-launch-plans-12125732.html#OdJmTYPTkZF7ugDh.99

• Battery maker Exide Industries today reported 16.68 per cent increase in net profit at Rs 185.3 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2014.The company had posted a net profit of Rs 158.8 crore in the same period of previous fiscal.(etauto.com)

• In what is an interesting announcement, Mr. Manoj Arora, head of sales and marketing, PT Tata Motors Indonesia, told Otonity.com that the company will launch the Tata Vista automatic in the country later this year.Read more: http://indianautosblog.com/2014/07/tata-vista-automatic-indonesia-138308#ixzz38CfzKINP

• Infosys has completed successful transition to begin operations in FY 2015 Q1 of Daimler’s European data centres. Infosys will manage Daimler’s daily data center operations while looking to innovate and improve.Infosys and Daimler AG’s collaboration strengthens optimizing data center operations using secure cloud technologies to support continuous improvement and implementation of best practices. Read more at http://www.rushlane.com/infosys-daimler-enterprise-operations-office-india-12125789.html#RmCMBLWw4gy6dGzP.99

• Earlier this month Faurecia, the world’s seventh-largest automotive supplier, inaugurated its new North American headquarters and Automotive Seating TechCenter in Auburn Hills, Michigan (US), in the presence of Rick Snyder, governor of the state of Michigan, Kevin McDaniel, mayor of Auburn Hills and Yann Delabrière, chairman and CEO of Faurecia. 

• The new facility, spread across over 25,000 square metres, includes a full-fledged Seating TechCenter with prototype metal shop; trim development lab; just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing lab; structural testing lab; environmental testing chambers; noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) and electrical lab; and semi-anechoic chamber for sound testing. More than 700 people are now based in the new building. - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/faurecia-inaugurates-american-hq-seating-tech-centre-6041#sthash.qZb2w3dn.dpuf

• Eyeing rural and semi-urban buyers, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) Monday entered into a retail finance tie-up with Sarva Haryana Gramin Bank.According to the two-wheeler manufacturer, the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on retail finance was entered at a special ceremony in Gurgaon.(etauto.com)

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• images from paultan.com and ashokleyland.com

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