Automotive Updates - 3rd July 2014

• The Toyota Etios Xclusive limited edition has been launched at INR 5.98 lakhs and INR 7.10 lakhs for the petrol and diesel variants respectively (ex-showroom Delhi). Recall that Toyota had for the first time introduced the Xclusive edition last year on the Etios.

• Japanese car maker Nissan today rolled out a new model here of its mid-size sedan Sunny, both in petrol and diesel variants priced between Rs 7.29 and 10.22 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).

• Nissan has announced the opening of its second production plant in Thailand. The new facility will be a production hub for the NP300 Navara, Nissan's new-generation pickup truck, destined for export to 45 countries around the world. The first NP300 Navara pickup rolled out on July 1, with sales beginning today. Two versions are available: King Cab and Double Cab. The price of the King Cab ranges from 575,000 to 842,000 Thai Baht (Rs 10.52 lakh to 15.40 lakh), while the price for the Double Cab version ranges from 656,000 to 996,000 Thai Baht (Rs 12 lakh to Rs 18.22 lakh). Deliveries will begin in mid-Aug .

•  Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd , the maker of Subaru vehicles, said it is recalling 539 vehicles in Japan over potentially explosive passenger seat air bags supplied by Takata Corp.

• Audi plans to have a plug-in hybrid variant of each of its key models by 2020, and the firm's research and development boss Ulrich Hackenberg has revealed further details about how the plan will be implemented. Hackenberg was speaking at the launch of the A3 Sportback e-tron, which he described as “a benchmark for other plug-in hybrids”. He said Audi had decided to prioritise plug-in hybrids over other forms of alternative powertrains, because “they meet all of our customers’ expectations”.

• Shareholders of Tata MotorsBSE 3.03 % have rejected proposals to pay higher salaries to three of the auto major's top executives including late Karl Slym.The proposals that entailed doling out higher pay packets - beyond the permissible limit - were put for shareholders' approval and were rejected "due to inadequacy of profits in company for FY 2013-14".Salary proposals for Tata Motors' executive directors -- Ravindra Pisharody (Commercial Vehicles) and Satish Borwankar (Quality) -- and Slym (late managing director) have been rejected by the shareholders through postal ballot. 

• Japanese two-wheeler major, Yamaha is working on a low cost motorcycle for the Indian market. The company aims to sell the bike at a price of US $500 (approximately Rs. 30,000).

• Norma Group, a global market leader for engineered joining technology, has given given its first-ever ‘Global Supplier Recognition Award’ to selected suppliers. In 2014, the award for outstanding performance and results goes to EMS Chemie Holding AG (EMS). The Switzerland-based EMS is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-performance polymers and specialty chemicals.

• India – and Asia – are increasingly becoming key contributors to Nissan’s six-year Power88 growth plan, which sees the Japanese manufacturer committed to an 8 percent operating profit margin by the end of fiscal year 2016 and targeting 8 percent market share.

• Audi, one of the pioneering OEMs in automotive lightweight construction, is introducing new, lightweight suspension springs made of glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) in an upper midsize model before the end of the year. The GFRP spring, which Audi developed in collaboration with an Italian supplier, even looks different than a steel spring. It is light green, the fibre strand is thicker than the wire of a steel spring, and it has a slightly larger overall diameter with a lower number of coils. Most importantly, however, it is some 40 percent lighter.

• Apollo Tyres board today said its board has approved a proposal to invest USD 340 million (around Rs 2,025 crore) to upgrade its manufacturing facilities at Chennai and Kalamassery (Kerala).

•  image from internet. www.briggsnissanlawrence.com