Automotive Updates - 4th July 2014

• Harley-Davidson India has received the ‘Trade Excellence’ award for operational excellence in manufacturing, by the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC).

• Honda, in it’s endeavour to fulfill many unfulfilled dreams has announced it’s most affordable bike, the Honda CD 110 Dream for Rs. 41,100. The bike will satisfy the most primary need of this category, which is mileage.

• In the build up to the launch of the Tata Zest and the Bolt, the automaker has started promoting the 1.2-litre Revotron turbocharged petrol engine that powers the duo. The Tata Revotron Labs, which are inaugurated in 15 cities across India, attempt to engage the prospective customers and spread the brand awareness of the 1.2T Revotron.

• Tata Motors is looking at launching a couple of models each year till 2020 as the company looks to ramp up its portfolio in the competitive Indian car market."We are working on a product strategy that started last year. The plan is to bring a couple of new vehicles every year," Tata Motors President, passenger vehicles, Ranjit Yadav told PTI.

• The Hyundai Grand i10 became the fastest car to reach the 1 lakh sales milestone in India. The hatchback has achieved this feat in just 10 months, Hyundai said today in an email.

• BMW has scheduled to launch the hybrid version of its flagship sedan - the 7 series, on July 23 at an event in Gurgaon. This model will be known as the BMW 7 series ActiveHybrid.

• SVLL Connect, a group company of Siddhi Vinayak Logistics Ltd (SVLL) which is one of the largest fleet operators in India, is set to expand its recently launched inter-city personal vehicle service. The company, whose fleet of cars has already started plying in Mumbai, Pune, Vapi, Surat, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Jaipur, Delhi and NCR, aims to extend the service to Chandigarh, Mohali, Udaipur, Bangalore, Chennai, Jalgaon in a few months’ time.  In May this year, SVLL Connect signed one of the largest passenger vehicle deals with Tata Motors ordering 2,000 cars comprising the Manza, Indigo eCS and 1,000 Arias. The vehicles will be deployed for corporate hire, large families and individual users.

• Hinduja Group flagship company Ashok Leyland has raised over Rs 666 crore through allotment of shares at a price of Rs 36 apiece to institutional investors.

• The company in a filing to the BSE said that its fund raising committee has "approved the issue price of Rs 36 per equity share (share), which is at a premium of Rs 1.70 per share, to the Floor Price of Rs 34.30 per equity share."

• U.S. auto giant GM said on Friday it had suspended production at its main South African assembly plant in the southern city of Port Elizabeth because of a strike at components suppliers.

• Indian Autos Blog has learnt through official sources that Honda Cars India will relaunch the Honda Accord in the next financial year.

• Shanghai GM today announced that Wang Yongqing has been appointed president of the joint venture, succeeding Wang Xiaoqiu. Zhao Xuelin, former deputy secretary of the Shanghai GM party committee, will replace Wang Yongqing in his current position.

image source internet.