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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