Automotive Updates - 29th August 2014

• After three years of extensive deliberations on the contentious VAT refund incentive issue, the Maharashtra state government and automakers from the state have reached an agreement, thus paving the way for a slew of fresh MoUs worth over Rs 11,510 crore. (economicstimes.com)

• After imposing a penalty of Rs 2,545 crore on 14 carmakers for unfair trade practices, the CCI on Friday said it wanted to ensure that spare parts maintenance market gets less expensive for consumers.The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Monday penalised the auto makers for unfair business ways in the spare parts and after services market.(businesstoday.in)

image from livemint.com

• Maruti will have two compact SUVs in its portfolio come 2016, with the first one set to launch early next year in the form of the SX4 S-Cross. The S-Cross, though a compact SUV, measures more than 4 meters in length and hence will rival the likes of the Duster and Terrano, the company’s Chairman, R C Bhargava, said. Further, the chairman revealed that both SUVs will be available with petrol, diesel and CNG configurations to extend their market reach.(indianautoblogs.com)

• While BMW Group India will launch four new models – M3, M4 Coupe, M5 sedan and i8 hybrid – during the rest of 2014, its premium lifestyle brand Mini will also see the addition of a new model by the year-end, according to company president Philipp von Sahr. At present the Mini brand is available as the Mini hatchback, Mini convertible and Mini Countryman models in India and has a limited number of four dealerships in large cities. (Autocarpro.in)

• A report on The Hindu states that the used car market in India is expected to grow up to 2.5 times the size of the new car market owing to acceptance of used cars, increasing aspirations and expansions of organized used car sales outlets.( indianautoblogs.com)

• After starting a completely new segment of premium, retro-styled scooters in India with the Vespa range, Piaggio is now planning to introduce more modern technologies on the existing models. According to sources, working closely with Piaggio India, the company will be upgrading the current carburettor-equipped Vespa scooters with more advanced fuel injected ones.(Etauto.com)

• Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India is looking at nearly doubling the number of models to 25, including entry into SUV and LCV segments, as it aims a sales target of 3 million cars annually. The company will launch within a few months an SUV to compete with Renault’s Duster, which will be followed by a compact SUV in 2016 to take on segment leader Ford EcoSport, as part of a strategy to be present in newer segments of the passenger vehicle market.(livemint.com)

• The Hyundai Elite i20 whose bookings opened on August 1, ahead of its launch on 11th, has garnered over 12,000 orders in the first 15 days of the price announcement. As of 12th August, the new hatchback clocked 4,600 bookings. ( indianautoblogs.com)

• Suzuki has released an official image of its upcoming crossover and has named it Vitara. The crossover might be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October, 2014. The production model of the Vitara is based on the iV-4 concept first shown at the Frankfurt motor show in 2013.(carwale.com)

• The recently launched Honda Mobilio resulted in the production of Honda City sedan moving out of Greater Noida to the company plant in Rajasthan. This shift of the City has affected production and has in turn caused changes in supplies to the market resulting in longer waiting periods.(rushlane.com)

Automotive updates - 28th August 2014

• After a lull, Maharashtra saw several announcements by auto majors, all aimed at expanding their existing plants in the state. While Mahindra & Mahindra will make an additional investment of Rs 4,000 crore over a seven-year period, Bajaj Auto will also invest a similar amount. Tata Motors and Volkswagen India will invest Rs 2,000 crore and Rs 1,510 crore respectively. MoUs to the effect, worth a total of Rs 11,510 crore, were signed by the companies at a function in Mumbai on August 28. Most importantly, the government said that VAT would henceforth be applied on gross sales and not net sales as was announced in 2011. Industry had said this had taken away its competitive advantage. (Autocarpro.in)

• Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) will make an additional investment at its Chakan plant to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore over a seven-year period. The company signed a joint declaration to this effect in Mumbai today. With this, M&M’s total investment at Chakan will go up to Rs 8,000 crore. Anand Mahindra, chairman, Mahindra Group, said, "We would like to express our deep and sincere gratitude to the government of Maharashtra for its visionary industrial policies and efficient governance practices. This has prompted us to take the decision to scale up our world-class Chakan plant, making Maharashtra a key partner in our growth over the coming years. (Autocarpro.in)

• German luxury carmaker, BMW has launched the X3 facelift in India. The SUV is available in two trim levels - X3 xDrive 20d Expedition and X3 xDrive 20d xLine, which are priced at Rs. 44.90 lakh and Rs. 49.90 lakh (ex-showroom, all India) respectively.(teambhp.com)

• Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors India plans to launch a new seven-seater multipurpose vehicle or MPV to take on Toyota's popular Innova in about two years, extending its South East Asian rivalry with the world's largest car maker in the country.(ETauto.com)

• Hero MotoCorp is targeting extensive growth both where domestic sales and exports are concerned. Hoping to sell 12 million (1.2 crore) units by 2020, is a part of the company’s ‘Vision 2020’ growth plan. Hero MotoCorp also plans a new R&D facility in Kukas, Jaipur and is currently working on new products based on new platforms to change its perception from amass commuter bike maker to a strong player in the two wheeler market in the country. (rushlane.com)

• Tata Motors might just have hit the sweet spot with the new Zest compact sedan in the Indian market. As per our source, the aggressively priced Zest has garnered over 10,000 bookings within just three weeks of launch, while the company delivered just over 2000 units till the start of this week. With the overwhelming response, Tata joins the league of super successful launches that currently includes models like the Hyundai Grand i10, Xcent, Mahindra XUV500, Ford EcoSport, Honda Amaze, City, Mobilio and the likes that also managed to garner a ton of bookings within just days of launch.(motorbeam.com)

• Mahindra & Mahindra wants to ensure that it rolls out enough units of the new Scorpio (codenamed W105) from its assembly line before it commercially launches the refreshed SUV in the domestic market a few months from now.

• With this in mind, the company has been rolling out 100 units a day since August 1, sources in the know have confirmed to Autocar Professional.Sources also say that “M&M is building a stock of nearly 5,000 units or more before it commercially launches the new Scorpio.” (Autocarpro.in)

• Tata Motors has launched its passenger vehicle range in Algeria which includes the Indica and Vista hatchbacks and the Indigo and Manza from its sedan offerings. It has appointed SPA Elsecom for distribution and marketing of the vehicles in this north-west African nation. (Autocarpro.in)

• India car major Maruti Suzuki plans to try its hands on new products as the company readies to introduce its offering in the light commercial vehicle space next year. Maruti will place completely new dealership network for its commercial vehicles. The company does not want the commercial vehicle and passenger vehicle customer experiences to collide and spoil the overall experience.(rushlane.com)

Automotive Updates - 27th August 2014

• The Karnataka government has decided to procure a majority of auto parts for the maintenance of its four road transport corporations from Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector within the state. According to Karnataka transport minister Ramalinga Reddy, the four government road transport undertakings in Karnataka will together purchase over 25 percent of their total auto spare parts of Rs 570 crore from SMEs in Karnataka annually. (autocarpro.in)

• TVS Motor Company has launched the Scooty Zest 110 at a starting price of Rs 42,300 (ex-showroom, Delhi) in the National Capital Region.The Scooty Zest is powered by 109.7-cc engine which takes it from 0-60 kmph in 11.1 seconds and gives a company-claimed mileage of 62 kmpl. The new scooterette also gets 19 liters of under-seat storage capacity for convenience.(financialexpress.com)

• Hero MotoCorp is trying hard to protect its spot as world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer as the company plans to sell nearly 12 million two-wheelers by the year 2020. The company is already working on new products, based on new platforms as it shook the motorcycle world by unveiling new products in the 2014 Auto Expo in Delhi which included the HX250R, Hastur 620 and the first diesel concept bike, the RNT.(motoroids.com)

• Polaris India Pvt. Ltd today unveiled the Indian Scout and also opens booking of the new motorcycle. The Indian motorcycle Scout is priced at Rs 11.99 L (ex-showroom New Delhi).(ETauto.com)

• TVS motors wants a larger pie of the two-wheeler market in India. Close on the heels of launching the new Scooty Zest, the bike manufacturer is eyeing an 18% market share over the span of the next two years. The growth they expect will be fueled by the recent launches as well as the ones lined up, which includes a refreshed ‘Apache’ in the next 6-9 months. (motoroids.com)

• Maruti Suzuki India, India’s leading auto maker will bring the S-Cross SX4 crossover in domestic market early next year. Showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo held in the month of February this year will be launched in India in the month of January next year. The model is already available for sale in European market. Being the first compact crossover from Maruti Suzuki India, galore expectations have been built around the vehicle.(cartrade.com)

• Zigwheels reports that, according to its sources, the Hero HX250 flagship motorcycle which was unveiled at the Auto Expo earlier this year will be launched by November this year. (indianautoblogs.com)

• America based United Motors first showcased its Renegade Commando at the 2014 Auto Expo in Delhi. Now, the Miami based motorcycle company is all set to launch this cruiser motorcycle in the Indian market at an attractive price tag of 1.25 lakh. (motoroids.com)

• Volvo is reportedly working on new three-cylinder engines which will go into production later this year. The three-pod motor will be more fuel efficient and are likely to power all smaller Volvo cars.So expect them to be bolted under the bonnet of sedans up to the S60, sportswagon tills the V60 and even in smaller XC range of SUVs. (ETauto.com)

• Auto Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), the apex auto component industry body, has signed an MoU with Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM). The MOU was signed on August 22 in Lahore as part of ICRIER’s (Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations) initiative on India-Pakistan trade normalisation. The delegation from ACMA was led by Harish Lakshman, president, ACMA and MD, Rane TRW Steering Systems Ltd, while Usman Aslam Malik, chairman, PAAPAM and chairman, Kortech Auto Industries (Pvt) Ltd, led the PAAPAM side. (autocarpro.in)

• Two-wheeler manufacturing company Bajaj Auto is aiming to regain lost ground with its two new 150-cc bikes in the second half of the current fiscal year (2014-15).Eric Vas, Bajaj Auto president (motorcycle), said, "From September onwards, we hope to come to a zero deficit situation compared to last year's monthly numbers."(ETauto.com)

Automotive Updates - 26th August 2014

• The Competition Commission of India has imposed a combined penalty of over Rs 2,500 crore on 14 carmakers for indulging in unfair practices in the spare parts market, the latest in a series of tough enforcement actions by the newest among India's regulators. Tata MotorsBSE 0.90 % faces the maximum fine of Rs 1,346 crore, followed by Maruti SuzukiBSE -0.96 % Rs 471 crore, Mahindra & Mahindra Rs 292 crore, General Motors Rs 85 crore, Honda Car India Rs 78 crore. (economicstimes.com)

image from livemint.com

• Auto major Mahindra & Mahindra today said it would challenge the trade regulator CCI's penalty of Rs 292.25 crore imposed on it for violation of trade norms in the spare parts and after services market. "The company aggrieved by this order proposes to appeal against it before the appropriate forum," M&M informed the NSE. (economicstimes.com)

• A report on the Economic Times states that Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) is closely looking at a second factory to increase its production volume. The Korean car maker plans to launch two new cars every year, and will in fact, enter the hotly contested compact SUV and MPV segments as well.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Renault India Pvt Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary of Renault SAS France, has a lineup of 5 models which includes the Fluence sedan, Koleos SUV, Pulse compact car, Duster SUV and Scala sedan in India. With these, they have a market share of 2.6% (Mar 2014). Now, with two new launches in 2015, the company aims to increase market share to 5% in the next two years.(rushlane.com)

image from indiadrivers.com

• 'We can set up bus plant in Nagpur' says M.D, Scania India. (ETauto.com)

• To tap the potential of India’s rural markets, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has launched a rural outreach initiative. It comprises a mobile service van that aims to combine the services of a dealership and aftersales outlet. The first of such mobile vans was launched by Keita Muramatsu, CEO and president, HMSI, and Prabhu Nagraj, VP (customer service). The company hopes to have 11 mobile service vans by the end of the year. (autocarpro.in)

• After marketing the Mahindra Centuro Rockstar in select states, the company has now made the entry level variant of its commuter available across the nation.The Centuro Rockstar is priced at INR 43,684 (ex-showroom Delhi). The base variant is roughly INR 3,000 cheaper than the N1 mid variant. (indianautoblogs.com)

• Lauding RBI for doing a "brilliant job" with controlling inflation and stabilising the rupee, leading industrialist Anand Mahindra today hoped the central bank will cut interest rate as the economy has stabilized.(ETauto.com)
• "Now he (RBI Governor) has some breathing space, where the fuel price index would go down. So, in the next few months, if this situation continues, forex inflows are strong, IIP goes up, inflation is abetting, fuel prices are going down...This is the time now (for RBI to cut rate)," he told PTI in an interview. (ETauto.com) 

image from thehindubusinesslines.com

• KTM bikes, which are manufactured in India, are soon to be exported to the United States of America by Bajaj, as per the news reports received. This renowned company is all set to become the first one to be exporting bike models to the US. This decision comes at a time when the Austrian maker, KTM has found a strong foothold in the market.(cartrade.com)

• The recently launched compact sedan from domestic car maker Tata Motors has started making its presence among the buyers in Indian car market and is helping the car maker to regain its position in market which during last few years has witnessed shifting towards downward direction. According to reports the AMT version launched in diesel version has succeeded in attracting the buyers in Indian car market as an impact of which it has already crossed the waiting period of more than three months.(carkhabri.com)

•  Ford India’s Rs 4,500 crore plant in Sanand is almost ready. Scheduled to start production prototypes later this year, the images you see here are of Ford’s Sanand plant which were clicked last week, showing that the construction of the plant is near completion.(rushlane.com)

• The world’s largest bicycle maker by volume, Hero Cycles, has acquired a 60% stake in Mitteldeutsche Fahrradwerke AG (MIFA), Germany’s largest bicycle maker, via OPM Global.The buyout is Hero Cycle’s first overseas purchase and is considered to be a part of the company’s plans to become a global player. PTI reports that the Indian bicycle maker has invested 19 million euros (around IRN 152 crores) in MIFA via its subsidiary OPM Global. A part of this investment would meet the working capital requirements. (indianautoblogs.com)

• The compact SUV market is flourishing in India and local as well as global car makers are trying their best to snatch any opportunity to gain share in this segment. Currently, Renault Duster and Ford EcoSport are getting promising results in the compact SUV markets.Indian car maker, Maruti also realises the importance of this market segment and is planning to introduce two new SUVs in the next two years. The first SUV will be the S-Cross which is expected to enter the market early next year. Dozens of pictures of the S-Corss have emerged from different parts of the country where Maruti is rigorously testing this compact SUV. The second SUV, named XA Alpha, which was first showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo, is expected to make its entry into the Indian market by 2016.(motoroids.com)

Automotive Updates - 25th August 2014

• Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) today introduced two new grades of its newly launched multi-purpose vehicle Mobilio priced between Rs 9.46 lakh and Rs 11.55 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The new new grades of Mobilio feature audio video navigation (AVN) and rear parking camera, the company said in a statement. (economicstimes.com)

• Mahindra Two Wheelers has expanded its Centuro range with the launch of the Centuro Rockstar motorcycle. Priced at Rs. 43,684 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Rockstar is aimed at the mass 100/110 cc market.The Rockstar gets new body graphics in a combination of red, black and gold. The bike also features the golden ribs that are synonymous with the Centuro, flip key, LED pilot lamps, LED brake lamp, electric starts, alloy wheels and maintenance free VRLA battery. (teambhp.com)

• Bajaj Auto Limited, the world’s third largest motorcycle manufacturer and second largest in India, plans a new motorcycle manufacturing plant in Bangladesh. A total of four Bajaj motorcycles will be produced at this plant with an annual capacity of 1.5 lakh units. (rushlane.com)

• After having parted ways with its technical partner Honda, Hero Motocorp joined hands with the US-based Erik Buell Racing (EBR). In order to further augment its product development capabilities, Hero Motocorp has appointed Dr. Markus Braunsperger as the new head of R&D, reports ET Auto.Dr. Braunsperger has held top technical positions at BMW’s motorcycle and passenger car divisions, heading the German auto giant’s motorcycle R&D for several years.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Three German car parts suppliers have been told by China they can no longer manage their Chinese units independently but need to form partnerships with local peers, the chief executive of auto parts maker ElringKlinger told a German paper."The Chinese state has told several (German car) suppliers that they are no longer allowed to operate their Chinese subsidiaries on their own but only as part of a joint venture in the future," Stefan Wolf was quoted as saying by the Stuttgarter Zeitung.(ETauto.com)

• Nissan launched Sunny facelift on 3rd June 2014, which hinted at launch of Renault Scala facelift with similar upgrades. Now it is confirmed through an insider that Scala facelift will launch in September 2014.(rushlane.com)

• Indian Autos Blog has understood that the KTM RC200 will also be launched on September 9 along with the RC390. Here is a latest set of spyshots of the KTM RC390 that were uploaded by the ‘KTM RC390 – India’ Facebook page (unofficial)..(indianautoblogs.com)

• Toyota has been taking its time to make the new Innova apt for the market. It seems that the Japanese manufacturer does want to make sure that the model is hit only in the Indian markets but also abroad like in the nations of Philippines and Thailand. Toyota has invested a huge sum of 2.76 billion INR to boost the localisation of parts of the Innova. All the procedures are taking place in Philippines. Imported parts are being brought from Thailand and being assembled for the localisation process. The localisation content of this vehicle will be somewhere around 30 per cent as fixed by the brand. Pressed parts and components would be 50 per cent of the total investment as depicted by the company.(cartrade.com)

•  Bosch has developed a new 24-volt starter motor portfolio: the HEF109-L "large" heavy-duty starter motor for commercial vehicles and off-highway applications. The new starter motor generates 18 percent more power than the tried and tested "M" (medium) type starter motor on which it is based, and thus delivers a maximum output of 9.2 kilowatts. (ETauto.com)

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Automotive Updates - 23rd and 24th August 2014

• The Suzuki Access has been in the market since 2007. The company also launched few special editions of the scooter, such as the Access Limited Edition as well as the Being Human edition. Now, the Japanese bike maker has launched the Access facelift in India, priced at Rs. 53,223/- (on-road, Delhi). The facelift is a very minor cosmetic update and does not carry any significant changes on the product. Companies keep giving such minor updates to their products to keep them fresh until a new generation of the said product hits the market.(motorbeam.com)

• Living up to the expectation it had built for itself before going on sale in India, Honda’s Mobilio MPV has received a gush of bookings from customers. Launched exactly a month ago in domestic market, Honda so far has received 14,000 bookings for Mobilio. While the company delivered 3,365 units in last week of July, discrete sales figure for the month of August will be revealed by beginning of next month. However from what we have come to know from bookings roped in until now, Mobilio’s diesel variant is more in demand than the petrol version. Almost 85 per cent of the bookings received so far belong to diesel variant. HCIL anticipated demand for diesel variant to be more than the petrol variant, however they had not expected that the response for diesel version will be so overwhelming.( cartrade.com)

• In what the company terms as a ‘normal treasury transaction’, the Bajaj Group has sold off all the shares it had held in Force Motors. A total of 23 percent stake was sold over a period of little over a year. (indianautoblogs.com)

• Mahindra & Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector (FES) today announced the launch of the new Arjun Novo, the most technologically advanced and stylishly designed new generation tractor in Maharashtra. The Arjun Novo is based on a whole new platform which can also be used to build some higher and lower capacity models.(motoroids.com)

• Launching the nation's first ethanol-run bus on a pilot basis, union minister of public transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said the central government would fund more such buses for the civic bodies. "I will give 200-500 ethanol-run buses to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). Minister of urban development Venkaiah Naidu has assured to fund the buses under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). I talked to Naidu on Thursday on this," the minister said.(ETauto.com)

• Automotive portal CarDekho.com has launched the iOS version of its phone app, the first among car portals to do so.Their recently released Android app has clocked more than 100,000 downloads, CarDekho is targeting 4.8 mn iOS users in India who are a prime car-buying segment. (finanacialexpress.com)

• Nitol Niloy Group, the sole importer and distributor of Tata vehicles in Bangladesh has launched the Tata Nano at 80,000 Takas (around INR 6.23 lakhs).(indianautoblogs.com)

• Joining its range of high-end Adventure motorcycles, KTM has unveiled the 2015 1290 Super Adventure that will make its world premiere at the upcoming INTERMOT show in Cologne, Germany on 30th September 2014. The new 1290 Super Adventure shares its underpinnings with the 1190 Adventure R and will be positioned alongside the latter when it goes on sale next year. KTM is tight-lipped about the details on the 1290 Super Adventure and apart from its engine size; there is not much that we know about the motorcycle coming from the Austrian manufacturer. (motorbeam.com)

• The 3M Car Care, touted as the single organized player in car detailing and a unit of the Automotive After Markets Division of 3M, today launched its first store in Chandigarh in the presence of legendary athlete Padma Shri Milkha Singh.Vishesh Nigam, General Manager, 3M Car Care told during the inauguration that Ludhiana and Jalandhar in Punjab and Jaipur in Rajasthan would be the other stores to opened in couple of months. (finanacialexpress.com)

• Dilip Chhabria headed DC Designs has been testing its first production car, the Avanti rigorously through various parts of India. DC Designs first showcased the Avanti at the 2014 Auto Expo. The latest images of the Avanti come from Motoroid reader and follower Samarth Modi spotted and snapped the car on Mumbai-Pune Expressway. This time, the car was spotted tackling heavy rain on the expressway.(motoroids.com)

New Vehicle Launch in July 2014

Passenger Vehicle
Manufacture	Model
Volkswagen	Polo facelift
Mercedes-Benz	CLA 45 AMG
Jaguar	XJ premium sedan
BMW	7 Series sedan
Porsche	Macan
Mercedes-Benz	CLS 350
Honda	Mobilio
BMW	R nineT
Commercial Vehicle/Bus
Manufacture	Model
VECV	Pro 1000 and 3000
Ashok Leyland	JanBus
Two Wheeler
Manufacture	Model
Hero MotoCorp	Passion Pro TR
Honda	Honda CD 110 Dream
Tractor
Manufacture	Model
Mahindra	275 DI ECO

Automotive Updates - 22nd August 2014

• Tata Motors Ltd’s board has approved a proposal to develop two sports utility vehicles (SUVs) with assistance from its UK luxury car making unit Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) as the Indian company looks to position them as global products, according to two people familiar with the development who spoke on condition of anonymity.(livemint.com)

• Maruti Suzuki India, the country's largest car maker, expects voting by minority shareholders to happen sometime in October for approval of its plans to let parent Suzuki Motor Corp own a proposed new plant in Gujarat."We haven't yet fixed a date. It could be in October probably but not certain yet," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Chairman R C Bhargava told reporters in the national capital.(businesstoday.in)

• Given the Narendra Modi-led government’s focus on infrastructure and his recent call to drive manufacturing in India, Milacron LLC, the global leader in high precision plastic processing technologies and control systems, has announced plans to further invest $30 million (Rs 181.95 crore) in its India operations. The firm plans to invest $20 million (Rs 121.30 crore) in Ferromatik Milacron India’s Ahmedabad facility to double its manufacturing capacity of injection moulding machines and blow moulding machines as well as commence production of extrusion line. (autocarpro.in)
  

• Tata Motors, country's largest automobile manufacturer by revenues, will be using the 'hub-andspoke' model in which India will be the key manufacturing base while it will have mini-hubs in overseas markets. ET has learnt that the company is adopting the hub-and-spoke manufacturing model where the company plans to set up mini-hubs in potential markets like Africa (South Africa, East Africa and North Africa), the Middle East and South East Asia. The second phase will embark on setting up small assembly bases in Europe and Latin America. The company has set a target to be among the top 5 players, in those markets. (economicstimes.com)

• After successfully launching the second generation Elite i20 premium hatchback in the country, Hyundai India will focus on the compact SUV segment, an all-new turf for the South Korean manufacturer. The automaker is eyeing to increase its market share in India and is betting big on the new segments including MPVs to bring in substantial volumes for the company. The Korean automaker currently retails only the Santa Fe SUV in India and will launch the ix25 compact SUV next year (Hyundai’s next new product launch although the Elantra facelift will come before) that will be locking horns with the Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano, Ford EcoSport and the likes in the segment.(motorbeam.com)

• August 21 was a green-letter day for Toyota. Its UK manufacturing operations switched on almost 13,000 solar panels to power the Deeside factory in North Wales. These solar panels will provide up to 10 percent of all the electricity required for manufacturing at the site, which makes petrol and hybrid engines for Toyota Avensis and Auris models sold throughout Europe. The solar array, commissioned as a multi-million-pound project delivered by British Gas, will significantly reduce the site’s carbon emissions. It took three months to install the panels, supplied by Tata Power Solar, which cover an area that’s the equivalent of almost eight football pitches. .(autocarpro.in)

•  Sweden's SKF, the world's biggest bearings maker, said on Thursday Alrik Danielson would succeed Tom Johnstone as chief executive from 2015.Danielson has served as CEO of Hoganas, a producer of metal powders, since 2005. He worked previously at SKF from 1987 to 2005, holding a number of positions including president of its industrial division and serving as a member of its executive committee.(ETauto.com)

• Earlier today, Scania Commercial Vehicles India handed over India’s first ethanol-fuelled city bus to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for a trial run. The trial run spans three months and involves 5 buses during which Scania will bear fuel, staff and maintenance costs. Following a key hand over, the bus was flagged off by Shri Nitin Gadkari.(rushlane.com)

• Maruti SuzukiBSE 0.19 % India expects the economy to recover in the months ahead and is planning to launch a Light Commercial Vehicle ( LCV) next year, said Kenichi Ayukawa, MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki. "We are expecting that economy will recover. The current demand trend should continue," Ayukawa said. "At the end of this month, is the festival season. We are expecting a good result for the following month also," Ayukawa said. (economicstimes.com)

• While the narrowing price gap between petrol and diesel fuels has resulted in petrol cars now outselling their diesel-engined counterparts, India’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki still sees huge potential in its diesel car portfolio. According to R C Bhargava, chairman, Maruti Suzuki, diesel-engined cars currently account for 49 percent of the total car market in India. However, for Maruti, the sale of diesel-run cars from its stable currently stands at only 29 percent to overall company sales, leaving behind huge scope for its diesel cars to catch up with market numbers.(autocarpro.in)

• BMW has started the production of the 5 Series with the second generation of popular automatic gearbox, the eight-speed ZF 8HP. Called 8HP50, the new gearbox will be first seen in the BMW 520d variant and will eventually be used in all other cars from different manufacturers.(carwale.com)

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•  images from economics times

Automotive Updates - 21st August 2014

• Porsche India launched the Cayenne Platinum Edition today at prices of INR 84.93 lakhs, ex-Showroom, Maharashtra, and INR 86.5 lakhs, ex-Showroom, Delhi. The Platinum Edition is available exclusively with the 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine.(rushlane.com)

• The new variant of Reva e2o was launched in Ahmedabad. It will come at an on-road price of INR 5.72 lakhs. (motoroids.com)

• Honda Cars India has met with quite a bit of success with their compact sedan, the Amaze. The car recently crossed the one lakh sales milestone and the car still enjoys a good demand in our country. This demand is expected to go up with the upcoming festive season and the manufacturer plans to cater to these demands by maximising its production.(carwale.com)

• Bajaj Auto ranked 96th in Forbes' most innovative companies list. (ETauto.com)

• Carzonrent announced the single largest luxury car order from Mercedes-Benz India with 120 C-Class luxury sedans. The newly acquired corporate fleet of C 220CDI sedans makes Carzonrent the only brand with that many luxury cars.(rushlane.com)

• Honda Cars India Ltd announced that it has sold more than 1 lakh cars powered by its 1.5L i-DTEC diesel engine in the country. The diesel variants of the Honda Amaze, Honda City and Honda Mobilio have clocked over 90 crore kms cumulatively as per service data.(motoroids.com)

• Thailand, the second largest economy of the ASEAN region, is targeting investment from Indian automotive OEMs and suppliers not just to cater to local industry but also to tap the export market. Indian companies keen to invest in the country will have several industry friendly initiatives including a modern industrial park, low income corporate tax, IPR protection, well-built infrastructure and Sea Park. (Autocarpro.in)

• Automobile manufacturer Tata Motors is eyeing to capture more market share in the compact sedan market, following the launch of its latest product "Zest", according to a top company official. "Our market share is relatively small. We have the (compact sedan) Indigo in this segment. It is about six per cent. Now with this launch it (market share) will grow quite strongly", Tata Motors Ltd, President, Passenger Vehicle business unit, Ranjit Yadav told reporters here. (economicstimes.com)

• Audi drives in God’s Own Country second time after the Kochi and this time, the company opened its dealership in Kozhikode. Its the Audi’s 35th dealership in the country. With the inauguration of Audi showroom in Kozhikode, the automaker also announced the availability of Audi A3 in the city.(cardekho.com)

• Japanese auto parts maker NSK said Tuesday it had been hit with a $28.5 million fine for violating China's anti-monopoly laws, part of a wider crackdown that has ensnared major firms including Audi and Chrysler.The company said it was "fully cooperating" with China's National Development and Reform Commission, which slapped it with the 174.92 million yuan ($28.5 million) penalty in connection with the sale of ball bearings.(ETauto.com)

• Bajaj has recently launched the Discover 150 officially; however, an interesting revelation by the popular two-wheeler manufacturer has left everyone a tad surprised. Bajaj has decided to call it curtains on the successful Pulsar 135 LS sometime in the near future. The exact date has not been revealed, but it is almost certain now that sooner or later, the company will stop producing this model. Though, the release of Pulsar 135 was equally astonishing as it was not expected that Bajaj would go down below 150 cc.(cartrade.com)

• Girish Wagh, the man behind Tata Motors' much-touted budget car Nano, has blamed "external factors" for the poor run of the vehicle, while also linking the failure to the last-minute withdrawal of the factory from Singur in West Bengal that led to delays in deliveries.Wagh, the main architect of Nano, also feels that the tag of "cheapest car in the world" badly hit the chances of the model. (economicstimes.com)

• Baba Kalyani, chairman and managing director of Bharat Forge, has been awarded the Doctor of Science honoris causa by Peter Meehan, deputy chancellor, Deakin University. He was accorded the honour at the University’s Waterfront Campus in Geelong, Australia on August 20. (Autocarpro.in)

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Automotive Updates - 20th august 2014

• Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), the global tractor market leader in terms of volume, has had its first major launch in 14 years with the Arjun Novo today in Chennai. The Novo, which means ‘to renew’ or ‘to reinvent’ continues Mahindra's trend of naming products that end with an 'O'. The tractor, available in two engine variants (52 hp and 57 hp) is targeted at strengthening Mahindra's position in the above-48 hp tractor segment, where it has a 40 percent market share. (Autocarpro.in)

• The TVS Scooty Zest 110 automatic scooter which was unveiled at the Auto Expo in February has been launched in India at INR 42,300 (ex-showroom Delhi).(indianautoblogs.com)

• With an eye on increasing market share in India, Korean auto major Hyundai is gearing up to enter the compact SUV and multi-purpose vehicle segments from next year.Buoyed by strong response to its newly launched hatchback Elite i20 and success of compact sedan Xcent, the company's Indian arm Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) is also looking forward to a strong festive season sales.(finanacialexpress.com)

• Terra Motors Corporation, Japan’s leading electric two- and three-wheeler manufacturer, plans to introduce an electric three-wheeler in the Indian market around October this year. It is believed the company will undertake contract manufacturing for the product with a Rajkot-based manufacturer. Terra Motors is looking to price the electric three-wheeler very competitively against conventional three-wheelers and is banking on offering low operating costs. The existing electric three-wheeler market in India is pegged at 100,000 units.(autocarpro.in)

• Mahindra has tried their best to keep their 110 cc scooter under cover. However, it has been spied several times on the road during test drives. Though it has been internally known as G101, the model would be called Zesto. As of now, three colours have been confirmed for the 110 cc scooter – red, white and black.(cartrade.com)

•  In an organisational re-structuring Mahindra & Mahindra recently elevated senior vice president sales & customer care (automotive) Arun Malhotra as Chief of International sales and marketing for automotive and farm sector. Vijay Nakra has taken over as the new senior vice president, sales and customer care for automotive division. He was previously vice president sales. (ETauto.com)

• Mahindra Logistics Ltd (MLL), a subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra, has announced that it has acquired a majority stake in Lords Freight (India). This acquisition will provide impetus to Mahindra Logistics’ expansion plans. (autoarpro.in)

• TVS Motor Company, the Chennai-based two-wheeler manufacturer is looking forward to capture the third position in the nation’s ever increasing two-wheeler market. Riding high on back to back launches in the running financial year, the company expects to make a breakthrough in the list of top three manufacturers in the country. In this context, the company has the scooter Zest in the pipeline and renewed variants of the Victor and Apache models. Currently, it is behind Hero MotoCorp, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India and Bajaj Auto in the existing two-wheeler market.(cartrade.com)

• Bajaj Auto Limited reached a settlement with unionized workers of Vishwakalyan Kamgar Sanghatana (VKS) at the company’s plant in Chakan near Pune, thus bringing to an end a long standing unrest between management and union of Bajaj Auto Limited.(rushlane.com)

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Automotive Updates - 19th August 2014

• Volkswagen India today said that it will start assembling engines at its manufacturing plant in Chakan, Pune (Maharashtra) towards the end of the year. A full-fledged engine testing facility will also come up adjacent to the line. Volkswagen India is investing 30 million euros (INR 240 crore) for the 1.5L engine and its assembly and production. The new engine line will generate over 260 jobs.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Tata AutoComp’s own facility is responsible for all the plastics in the Zest’s interiors and on the outside too. The dual-tone dash, adjustable air vents, controls, glove box, etc., and the body-coloured bumpers are all supplied by Tata AutoComp.(motorbash.com)

• Earlier this month, Toyota Technical Training Institute (TTTI) celebrated its fifth convocation ceremony and conferred academic degrees to 64 students from rural Karnataka for successful completion of its three-year training course (2011-2014). The event was attended by Vikram Kirloskar, vice-chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), Shekar Viswanathan, vice-chairman, TKM, Naomi Ishii, managing director, TKM, and other senior dignitaries from the company. (autocarpro.in)

• Maruti Suzuki India Ltd will seek the approval of minority shareholders in October to enter into a deal with Suzuki Motor Gujarat, a subsidiary of its Japanese parent Suzuki Motor Corp., that plans to build a plant in Gujarat, a senior executive at India’s largest car maker said. Maruti will buy cars from the subsidiary, according to a plan announced in January that raised the hackles of investors and proxy advisory firms, prompting the vote. (livemint.com)

• As part of development initiatives undertaken by the recently elected central government, Nitin Gadkari, Union minister of road transport and highways said that the government working on a process to implement a new law wherein the Regional Transport Offices (RTO) may be scrapped. Instead, a new and efficient alternative system shall be in place in the coming months.(cartrade.com)

• Showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo in February, and spied testing on various occasions, the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz sedan is now ready for official launch in September, just ahead of the festive season in the country. The Ciaz sedan has entered production at the company plant in Manesar, even as Maruti Suzuki has officially pulled the plug on the SX4 midsized sedan.(rushlane.com)

• The made-in-India Ford EcoSport has surpassed the 1 lakh sales milestone (domestic wholesales and exports combined).The mini SUV was launched in India on June 26, 2013 and due to production constraints the waiting period for some variants exceeded 9 months (a dealership that IAB contacted late last year asked 12 months for an EcoSport AT to be delivered). (indianautoblogs.com)

• Halla Visteon Climate Control (HVCC), the 70-percent owned subsidiary of Visteon Corporation, has opened its first manufacturing facility in South America. The new plant in Atibaia, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, assembles heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) components for automakers in the region. (autocarpro.in)

• The government said Thursday it has made progress in providing financial aid to public sector undertaking (PSU) Scooters India to revive its operations.According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, financial infusion of Rs.31.90 crore out of 70.38 crore as equity and provision of Rs.20 crore as interest free plan loan for working capitalhave already been approved.(ETauto.com)

• What comes as a respite for the two-wheeler owners in the country is the new regulation laid down by Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA). According to this rule, two wheeler owners will not have to get their insurance policies every year. Instead of this rule, the owners will have to get the paperwork redone, once every three years.(cartrade.com)

• Olof Persson, president and CEO of the Volvo Group, will take up the position as co-chairman when United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon assembles a high-level advisory group on sustainable transport. The advisory group, consisting of 12 members, is to provide recommendations on sustainable transport actionable at global, national and local levels. (autocarpro.in)

• With an aim to launch a new product every three to four months, Chennai based two wheeler firm TVS Motor Company aspires to increase market share to 14% by the end of this fiscal from a current 12%.

image from volkswagen.co.in and indiancarbikes.in

Automotive Updates - 18th August 2014

• German carmaker, Volkswagen has launched the Vento Konekt, a limited edition version of the Vento sedan. The Konekt package is available on the Comfortline and Highline variants of the car.The Vento Konekt is equipped with a Blaupunkt infotainment system with a 7-inch TFT touchscreen colour display, GPS navigation and hands-free and Bluetooth-enabled telephony. The system is integrated into the centre console and features the latest Igo-Navtech maps for navigation, USB connectivity and iPhone/iPod compatibility.(teambhp.com)

• Dealerships of Volvo Auto India say that the company has launched the R-Design body kits for the S60 sedan and XC60 SUV.(indianautoblogs.com)

• The Indian automobile sector, which faced major slowdown in demand in the last two years, witnessed about 85 per cent decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) to only USD 73 million during April-May this fiscal. During April-May 2013, the automobile sector received USD 478 million FDI, as per the data of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). (economicstimes.com)

• Tata Motors is looking to launch 20-25 new platforms in the coming years, Ravi Pisharody, the company's Head-CV & ED told ET Now. "About 20-25 will be completely new platforms. However, including BS4 variants, CNG variants there will be 100 plus products." Pisharody said.(ETauto.com)

• Force Motors plans to assemble Mercedes GLA and CLA engines. Investment to the tune of INR 1,000 crores are being planned by commercial vehicle maker Force Motors over the next four years. This investment will be channelized to various developments in the country which will also include a new assembly and testing plant in Tamil Nadu.(rushlane.com)

• German Luxury carmaker, Mercedes-Benz India announced a 2.5% price hike across its product range sold in India from September 1, on swelling input costs and the prevailing high exchange rate. (ETauto.com)

• Domestic car maker Mahindra and Mahindra has said that production at its all production units across the country will remain close for four days during the ongoing month. The halt at production units according to company sources has been due to low demand of Mahindra utility vehicles being sold in Indian car market.  Commenting on this halt, one of company’s senior officials said that the decision of halting the production for four days has been taken to maintain the proper balance between production and sales.(carkhabri.com)

• Tata Motors wishes to produce a new car from their plant in Sanand, Gujarat and are in talks with the Gujarat Government for the same. The current contract which the company has with Government of Gujarat is only extended to production of Nano with incentives granted to the company on the form of soft loans which are based on Value Added Tax paid on the sale of Nano.(rushlane.com)

• After being together for more than five decades with cross holdings in their flagship companies, the Bajaj group seems to be parting ways with the Firodias as the Bajaj investment arm sold most of the shares it held in Force Motors, majority owned by the Firodia family.Between June 9 and August 5, Bajaj HoldingsBSE 2.53 % and Investment sold in the open market roughly three-fourths of the shares it owned in the maker of light commercial vehicles. (economicstimes.com)

• Rajiv Bajaj, managing director of Bajaj Auto, is convinced that Bajaj will not enter segments that “others have created” referring to the 100/110 cc segment, and will instead engineer its own segments.At the launch of the new Bajaj Discover 150F and 150S twins last week, apart from stating that the segments created by others are not rewarding for business, Mr. Bajaj also said that the company will henceforth focus on the Pulsars, “bigger” Discover models and three-wheelers. Earlier, it was confirmed that Bajaj will stay away from the scooter segment as of now. .(indianautoblogs.com)

•  With an aim to provide job-oriented training programmes to the state's unemployed youth, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje inaugurated the country's first skill development centre here.Speaking after inaugurating the centre, which has been set up under the 'Livelihood Skill Project', Raje urged the people of the state to fight casteism, regionalism and communalism which were obstructing the path of development.(ETauto.com)

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•  image from Jagran.com and livemint.com

Automotive Updates - 16th and 17th August 2014

• India's ambitious plan to become a global hub for small car exports has taken a hit due to falling shipments to Europe, while unfavourable environment in the neighbourhood has led to lost opportunities to the tune of $2 billion. According to the latest Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) data for the April-July period this fiscal, car exports were down 5.02 per cent to 1,71,274 units as against 1,80,332 units in the year-ago period. 9economicstimes.com)

• After months of negotiations and intermittent unrest impacting production, Pune-based Bajaj Auto and its Chakan plant unions have finally reached a wage agreement under which the management has agreed to hike the wages by up to Rs 10,000 per month.As per the revised wage agreement, permanent employees having been with the company for five or more years will get a wage hike of Rs 10,000 a month while those having spent three years or more will be given Rs 9,500 a month. (ETauto.com)

• The SX4 S-Cross is the first jointly developed product from MSI and SMC.A report on the Economic Times states that Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) will pay lesser royalty to parent Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) starting with the upcoming compact crossover, the SX4 S-Cross. The reason is that MSI’s engineers will enhance their role in the development of products henceforth. (indianautoblogs.com)

•  Yamaha Motor India Limited, the Indian subsidiary of Japanese two-wheeler maker, will focus on increasing sales of the deluxe motorbike (150cc) and scooters in big cities under a new "top-down" approach as it seeks to double market share in the country to 10% over the next three years, a top executive said. (ETauto.com)

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• As reported earlier German luxurious car maker BMW will launch the refreshed version of its luxurious compact SUV X3 showcased during Geneva Motor Show 2014, in Indian car market during the month of August this year. It is now reported that the car maker is going to launch the refreshed version on August 28, 2014.(carkhabri.com)

• Utility vehicle major Mahindra & Mahindra will stop production for up to four days this month across its automotive plants in the wake of weak demand.Aligning production with sales requirements, the company would be observing no production days at the automotive plants for up to four days during the remaining period of August, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) said.(ETauto.com)

• Austrian bike manufacturer KTM, which works in India along with Bajaj Auto, is going to be really occupied in the month of September. After successfully launching and promoting the Duke series in India, KTM is set to launch the RC set of bikes, namely 390 and 200. While the launch of KTM RC390 was sure, it was unclear as to whether the firm would also introduce the RC200. However, sources and various automobile tabloids claim that come 9th September, KTM RC200 shall see the light of the Indian market.(cartrade.com)

• In an attempt to have a go at small car giants Maruti and Hyundai, Honda is reportedly working on a new hatchback to be positioned below its current entry level Indian model, the Honda Brio.The Honda mini car would be powered by a new 1.0-litre petrol engine that is also on the anvil, reports Financial Express. The newspaper’s sources say that the motor in question would be available in both guises – naturally aspirated and turbocharged. (indianautoblogs.com)

• General Motors Co will invest 6.5 billion reais ($2.8 billion) in Brazil over the next five years, Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra said on Thursday, reaffirming the automaker's long-term plans despite a sharp downturn in the local market. (ETauto.com)

• Honda Cars India have updated Indian Autos Blog that the Mobilio has received over 13,800 bookings so far. The MPV which was launched on July 23, recorded sales of 3,365 units last month, giving the Japanese car maker a domestic tally of 15,709 units. (indianautoblogs.com)

• Maruti Suzuki comes at the top position in the Indian auto market. It has captured most segments like entry-level hatchbacks, premium hatchbacks, compact sedans and compact MPVs very well. The company has a C-segment sedan Ciaz coming up next month with the SX4 S-Cross is due for launch early next year. Maruti pays some amount of royalty to Suzuki every quarter because even though the vehicles are manufactured in India, their development takes place in Japan. Now, top officials from Maruti have stated that they are aiming to launch new SUVs and MPVs in India in full force and implementation of this plan will take place as early as next year.(motorbeam.com)

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