Automotive Updates - 30th October 2014

• The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki  India (MSI) today reported a 28.69 per cent increase in net profit at Rs 862.54 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2014-15 on the account of growth in domestic sales.It had posted net profit of Rs 670.23 crore in the same period last fiscal, MSI said in a statement. (ETauto.com)

• ACMA or the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India has inked an MoU with the Nigerian Automotive Association in Delhi that aims to enhance information exchanges between both the countries, invite African delegations to India and make it easier to assess opportunities on both sides. The MoU was signed at the first ever buyer-seller meet with seven African countries and has been supported by the ministry of commerce and industry.  About 38 key buyers from sub-Saharan countries – Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa, Egypt and Botswana – were part of the visiting delegation. (Autocarpro.in)

• Slow initial demand and production issues for its “comeback” car, the Zest compact sedan, has led Tata Motors to delay the launch of its Bolt hatchback by about three months to early next year. Multiple sources close to the development told FE that the Bolt, expected to replace the Vista premium hatchback, will see start of production (SOP) from December and be launched in the market in January-February 2015, delayed from a previous SOP target of September.(financialexpress.com)

• The Harley Davidson Breakout has been launched in India at INR 16.28 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). The Softail cruiser is positioned above the Fat Boy. The Harley Davidson CVO Limited high-end tourer has been launched in India at a whopping price of INR 49.23 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). The Harley Davidson Street Glide Special has been launched at INR 29.7 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi).(indianautoblogs.com)

• The Bosch Group hopes to double its sales in Asia-Pacific by 2020 after having doubled them over the last ten years, said  Dr Volkmar Denner, chairman of the Bosch board of management, during a press briefing in Bangalore. Forecasting further strong growth for India over the next few years, the company sees India as a key pillar of its growth strategy in Asia Pacific. In India, the focus is on a new engine management system for two wheelers as well as technologies for connectivity of mobile phones to two-wheelers. It is also working on a single-channel ABS for markets such as India’s. (Autocarpro.in)

• Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) announced the opening of its 800th HEAD viz. Honda Exclusive Authorized Dealer with the inauguration of its new 4S (Sales/ Service/ Spares/ Safety) facility in the state of Karnataka. With 3170 dealers already in place across India, HMSI becomes the second largest 2 wheeler dealer network .(motoroids.com)

•  India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd has signed an MoU with Little Flower Engineering Institute , for setting up a Yamaha Training School (YTS) in their campus.This initiative is to promote and encourage economically weaker youth to acquire Yamaha's technical know-how and secure employment at Yamaha dealerships.(ETauto.com)

• After sales service is one of the critical factors that affects car buying decision and with the time it is getting more important. Now-a-days, car buyers want a hassle free after sales experience; therefore manufacturers are trying hard to improve the core after-sales processes. It is also resulting in higher owner satisfaction with the vehicle service experience. The fact is also evident in the in 2014 India Customer Service Index (CSI) Study released by J.D. Power today. The study shows that Maruti Suzuki India tops the list, while Honda and Hyundai have a tie for 2nd spot.(cardekho.com)

Automotive Updates - 29th October 2014

• After demonizing industry by her fierce resistance to land acquisition, first as an opposition leader and then as West Bengal’s chief minister, Mamata Banerjee is bending over backward to woo investors back to the state, and her first target appears to be the Tata group. On Tuesday, Partha Chatterjee, West Bengal’s education minister and a spokesperson for the ruling Trinamool Congress party said Tata Motors Ltd was welcome to return to its abandoned Singur factory, signalling the state government’s willingness to resolve its spat with the car maker through discussions.(livemint.com)

• Two-wheeler makerHero Electric today launched two models of e-cycles under Avior range, priced at between Rs 18,990 and Rs 19,290 (ex-showroom Delhi). The e-cycles that aim to tap corporate professionals in metro cities will also be available in Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai. (ETauto.com)

• Audi Q7 3.0 TDI has become the victim of brake system flaw, 382 units out of 5,000 Q7 SUVs sold in India are recalled for vacuum brake line replacement. This is a part of global recall of 70,000 Audi cars including the models A4, A5, A6, A7, Q5 and Q7.(rushlane.com)

• To facilitate seamless movement of tourist buses across Indian States, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) introduced a system for an All-India permit (AIP) or national permit for long distance tourist buses playing across the country, according to  the ministry website. As per the new plan, once the AIP is collected the central government will distribute the same to various States and Union Territories (UTs). The government will charge annual fees from tourist operators based on the type and size of the buses.(autocarpro.in)

• Indian Autos Blog learns that the new Maruti Alto K10 will launch in the first week of November. Dealers of Maruti-Suzuki have already started accepting orders for the premium entry car for a sum of INR 10,000.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Maruti turns to railway network to finish its back orders and deliver products on time to its customer who tend to run away after seeing long waiting periods. In a different approach this time, Maruti has started shipping its car via the railway network instead of the usual road network. This move is because the competition is getting stiffer and waiting time means other manufacturers take the advantage who have vehicles ready to deliver off the shelf or have less waiting period for their cars. Most back orders as we know are for their most popular hatchback Swift and Alto that are segment leading products since the moment they were introduced in the market years ago.(motorbeam.com)

• Union minister Kalraj Mishra gave small and micro enterprises a reason to breathe easy at the time of economic gloom. The macro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) minister on Tuesday hinted at amendments in exemption of excise duty on goods manufactured by the units.Mishra said the government is considering making amendments as rising prices of raw materials are taking a toll on the profitability of small-scale units and "they are losing out to the growing influence of Chinese products" in Indian market. (ETauto.com)

• A report on the Times of India states that Hyundai has received over 40,000 bookings for the Elite i20 in a short span of two months. Bookings for the Elite started on August 1, and the car was launched on August 11. Hyundai announced that it had received 15,300 bookings and 79,200 enquiries within 20 days of the launch. (indianautoblogs.com)

• Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) announced the opening of its 800th HEAD viz. Honda Exclusive Authorized Dealer with the inauguration of its new 4S (Sales/ Service/ Spares/ Safety) facility in the state of Karnataka.With 3170 dealers already in place across India, HMSI becomes the second largest 2 wheeler dealer network in the country.With the expansion of sales capacity, Honda continued its spree of spreading wings in India and reaching out to customers through expanded network in an aggressive manner.(motoroids.com)

Automotive Updates - 28th October 2014

• Country's largest carmakerMaruti Suzuki India (MSI) today launched refreshed version of its popular hatchback Swift with 10 per cent enhanced fuel efficiency, priced between Rs 4.42 lakh and Rs 6.95 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).The model, which was first launched in the country in May 2005, has been re-introduced in both petrol and diesel variants.(ETauto.com)

• The new versions of the Volvo FH, FM and FMX heavy-duty trucks have been introduced in India. The new lineup is expected to help Volvo Trucks India retain its market leadership in the premium heavy-duty truck segment. (indianautoblogs.com)

• Tube Investments of India Ltd has set up a Rs250 crore factory at Tiruttani in the outskirts of Chennai to manufacture large diameter tubes, in an attempt to reduce its dependence on the auto sector. The facility has an installed capacity of 11,000 tonnes of tubes a month. Though the capacity is idle because of poor demand, the market for such tubes used in infrastructure equipment is growing, said L. Ramkumar, managing director of the Murugappa Group company.(livemint.com)

• Hyundai Motor will soon stop producing the Santro, the South Korean automaker's launch model in India that has become a synonym for the company and earned the country the label of a small-car manufacturing hub. Another hatchback that was once popular in the local market, theChevrolet Spark, is also nearing the end of its life cycle. The final batch of Santros will roll out of the assembly line in the last week of November, while GM is expected to end production of the Spark in December, said people with knowledge of their plans. (ETauto.com)

• On October 27, 2014, Vasundhara Raje, chief minister of Rajasthan, inaugurated a new flat glass (float) production plant in India, in the presence of François Richier, French ambassador to India, and Pierre- André de Chalendar, chairman and CEO of Saint-Gobain. Located in Bhiwadi, near New Delhi, in the state of Rajasthan, this line started production in March 2014 following more than three years of work and an investment totaling 140 million euros (Rs 1,096 crore). (autocarpro.in)

• Maruti Suzuki is driving in the country's cheapest automatic car early next month. The company has chosen its Alto 1000cc model for the automatic variant, which is expected to be priced at under Rs 4 lakh.The company focused on the automatic category with the Celerio compact and plans to introduce it on other models in the coming time, sales & marketing head R S Kalsi said. (ETauto.com)

• Honda Cars India have announced a recall for three of its models, the Brio, Amaze and CR-V, due to a possible incorrect assembly of the Baffle Plate in the inflator of the driver-side airbag. The driver-side airbag inflator would be replaced free of cost in 1,040 units of the Brio, 1,235 units of the Amaze and 63 units of the CR-V.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Indian arm of the leading tyre manufacturer Bridgestone has announced a contribution of INR 1 Crore to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for flood affected Jammu and Kashmir. With this donation, Bridgestone aims at providing aid to the affected people in that region, and expects a speedy recovery for them.(cardekho.com)

• Earlier this month, Japanese two-wheeler major, Honda held the foundation stone laying ceremony for a new manufacturing facility in Vithlapur, Gujarat. This factory, which will be functional in 2015, will be the world's largest scooter only manufacturing facility. During the function, the company also revealed that it would commence production of the CBR 650F in the country from next year.(teambhp.com)

•  

Automotive Updates - 27th October 2014

• Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi exhorted global manufacturers to 'Make in India', Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has put in motion plans to manufacture a premium sports utility vehicle under the Jeep brand as part of a Rs 1,500-2,500 crore investment in the country and export it to key markets including the UK, Australia and South Africa in the next two years.The development work for the first premium SUV to be made in India has begun under the project code-named M6 or 556 and production of the C-segment vehicle will begin by the end of 2016, four people close to the development told ET, adding that the strategy to use India as an exports hub will help the company reduce its losses in the country. Experts say that Fiat Chrysler's move will further enhance the brand image of India. (ETauto.com)

• Mercedes-Benz India today launched the performance-oriented version of the GLA Class, the GLA 45 AMG, at INR 69.6 lakhs, ex-Showroom, Mumbai.zike the CLA 45 AMG that was launched in July this year, the GLA 45 AMG is powered by the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 360 hp at 6,000 rpm and 450 Nm of torque between 2,250 – 5,000 rpm. This motor is the world’s most powerful series production four-cylinder engine. (indianautoblogs.com)

• Tata Motors Ltd, the passenger and commercial vehicle manufacturer of the $103 billion Tata Group, has raised a total of $750 million by selling bonds to investors in Asia and Europe in a transaction which closed on Friday. “This is a benchmark issuance which is likely to be listed in Singapore,” said a person familiar with the issue, adding that Citibank NA, Credit Suisse Group AG, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ) and Standard Chartered Plc were the bankers to the issue.(financialexpress.com)

• Mahindra has launched the Thar Adventure Edition. Only 30 units will be produced and the company has not revealed the prices of the vehicle yet.(motorbeam.com)

image from indiancarbikes.in

Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) today announced that it would carry out preventive replacement ofDriver Side Air Bag Inflator of 1040 units ofHonda Brio, 1235 units of Honda Amaze and 63 units of Honda CR-V manufactured between September 2011 and July 2014 as part of Honda's global recall regarding a possible incorrect assembly of the Baffle Plate in the Inflator. (ETauto.com)

• Economic Times reports that Mahindra & Mahindra has started working on a quadricycle to rival the Bajaj RE60 which is on the verge of going on sale in India. Codenamed ‘C101′ it is expected to be ready by 2017. The compact passenger commercial vehicle, codenamed C101, is reported to be based on an all-new platform and according to the publication’s sources, one European model has already been imported for benchmarking and conceptualization purposes.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Maruti Swift Dzire facelift launch will follow hatchback’s by december 2014. Upgrades will include all those listed in Swift facelift, engine and transmission options will remain same. Maruti Dzire facelift with cosmetic and functional changes to be seen in upcoming Swift facelift is also expected to be pricier by around Rs. 25,000 (for top end variant).(rushlane.com)

• Tata Motors has been working on a new hatchback that is expected to be launched in 2015. Test mules of the car, codenamed Kite, have been seen on numerous occasions near the company's Pune factory. Positioned between the Nano and the upcoming Bolt, the Kite will be based on the Indica's platform and will take on the Maruti Suzuki Celerio and similar hatchbacks.The Kite is likely to feature Tata Motors' new design language with the signature honeycomb grille and a roofline that slopes down backwards.(teambhp.com)

• PTI reports that Nissan India will announce a recall for the Micra and Sunny in India, to solve an issue relating to their airbags. The recall is part of a global program which has affected over 8 million cars from various brands (Nissan, Honda, BMW, Ford, Toyota and GM to name a few) that are equipped with airbags made by Japanese supplier, Takata. In India, Nissan will recall about 9,000 units of the Micra and Sunny manufactured between 2010 and 2012. (indianautoblogs.com)

• With enormous success that Apache models have been witnessing, TVS is all set for the launch of the latest model of this two-wheeled motorbike! After the large number of sales of Apache RTR 160, the next model wasn’t able to attract the expected amount of customers, hence recording a decline in the sales. But without losing hope, TVS is ready to give a stiff competition to Bajaj Pulsar 200.(cartrade.com)

Automotive Updates - 18th and 19th October 2014

• Hero MotoCorp said on Monday that it will invest a total of Rs 5,000 crore across five manufacturing plants and its new R&D centre. The country's largest two wheeler maker aims to grow its market share in two-wheelers to over 50% at home, at a time when erstwhile partner Honda is gaining strength, and expand presence in overseas markets like South America, the US and Europe.While a plant is being built each in Colombia and Bangladesh, three of the new plants will come up in India, starting with Neemrana that will open this week and will be dedicated to premium bikes. Construction at Hero's fifth plant at Halol, Gujarat will also start next month, while a sixth domestic plant in Andhra Pradesh will be built starting next year. (financial express)

• Yamaha Motor India Sales Pvt. Ltd., today introduced its Blue core concept in the new SZ-RR Version 2.0, an upgrade to its SZ-RR bike launched in 2013. New Yamaha SZ-RR version 2.0 colour choices available are Red Dash, Ivory White, and Green Arrow at a price of Rs 65,300 (ex showroom Delhi), and Rs 66,461 (ex showroom Chennai).(rushlane.com)

• The Karnataka government has recently cleared two major auto projects in the state worth Rs 355 crore, involving two automotive suppliers – Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts’ (TKAP) and  Cataler India Auto Parts. According to a statement released by the state government, the State High Level Clearance Committee (SHLCC) chaired by the chief minister has cleared 13 projects with an investment of over Rs 9,912 crore. These projects are expected to create 6,000 jobs in the nine districts of the state. The projects involved are Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts’ (TKAP) new Rs 250 crore investment and Cataler India Auto Parts’ project for Rs 105 crore in the Bidadi Industrial Area, Ramanagara Karnataka. (autocarpro.in)

• A report on ZigWheels reads that Nissan has started production of the Datsun Go+ MPV at the Renault-Nissan alliance plant in Oragadam, Tamil Nadu. However, the market launch of the Go+ won’t come before early next year. The cars made this year will likely be used for dealership display, demos and roadshows, where the car is unveiled to prospective customers in places with high footfalls like shopping centers.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Magna International Inc has announced that 18 of its manufacturing divisions across six countries, including MPT Amtek in Delhi, have received the General Motors Supplier Quality Excellence Award for demonstrating the highest levels of quality performance over the past 12 months.  This is the third year GM Global Supplier Quality & Development has honored suppliers that made noteworthy contributions to GM. The award is given to specific manufacturing locations which have met or exceeded a stringent set of quality performance criteria and have achieved the cross-functional support of the entire GM organization. (autocarpro.in)

• Global launch of Fiat Avventura will take place in India this week. Benchmarked against Ford EcoSport, Fiat Avventura has already received over over 300 pre-launch bookings, our sources reveal. Fiat Avventura for India will come in two engine options – 1.4l FIRE petrol 4 cyl engine, generating 90 PS @6,000 rpm and 115 Nm @ 4,500 rpm. This variant will be offered in two trims – Active and Dynamic. Another engine option is in the form of a 1.3l MultiJet diesel 4 cyl unit.(rushlane.com)

• Ahead of any new car launch, automakers have to maintain a balance between strong sales and optimum production, failing in either can be upsetting for the brand. So after gauging the market response for the new XC90, Volvo has decided to boost the production capacity so as to meet the market demand.  The Swedish automaker reportedly will add 1,300 jobs and boost production at its manufacturing facility in Sweden in the first quarter. All of these efforts are being carried out to meet rising demand for the flagship XC90 SUV and a few other new models. (carwale.com)

• The new Force Gurkha was ‘launched’ in February 2013 at the Bus and Utility Vehicle Show in Noida. However, sales of the SUV did not start last year, or even this year for that matter. Now though, it seems that the Gurkha will see deliveries soon as dealers of Force Motors have started accepting bookings for the car. (indianautoblogs.com)

Automotive Updates - 16th and 17th October 2014

• , Kawasaki Z250 was launched in India. Apart from this, over 10 months, Kawasaki ZX-10R, Ninja 1000, Z800, ZX-14R and Ninja 300 have been launched in India. Alongside, the company has opened 4 dealerships in Pune, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. Kawasaki ER-6n was launched in India today, strengthening its portfolio here. The naked streetbike from India Kawasaki Motors is priced at Rs 4.78 lakhs.(rushlane.com)

• In an effort to bring the renowned Italian motorcycle brand Benelli to India, DSK Motowheels will assemble and launch a portfolio of five bikes by December 2014. DSK Motowheels has formed another entity called DSK Benelli (it also sells Hyosung bikes under DSK Hyosung brand), which it will use to assemble and distribute the Italian bikes in India. The company will have to initially assemble these bikes at its Wai assembly plant, where it currently assembles the Hyosung bikes imported in the form of CKD kits from South Korea. According to Shirish Kulkarni, chairman, DSK Benelli, the Wai facility currently has an assembly capacity of 10 bikes per day, which translates into 250 bikes per month in a single workshift. (autocarpro.in)

• Maruti’s new launch, the Ciaz, has a waiting period of nearly 3 months in major metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. The news is no different in smaller Tier II cities where the sedan has a minimum waiting period of a month. ealers of Maruti-Suzuki are first delivering cars to customers who pre-ordered it. According to the company, the Ciaz received more than 10,000 bookings even before its market launch on October 6. However, Maruti anticipated this demand and started production of the car as early as August this year.(indiaautoblogs.com)

• The all-new Mini will be launched in India in early 2015. The company has released a teaser indicating that the new range of Mini vehicles will be here shortly. Through a promotional campaign, the company is giving a chance to contestants to drive the all-new Mini.(teambhp.com)

• Japanese pick-up manufacturer Isuzu Motors India has opened its first dealership in Noida – Fahrenheit Isuzu – which is also its first outlet in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP). Based on the 3S model of spares, service and sales, this is Isuzu’s 11th outlet in India and will cater to the NCR and UP region. The company’s long-term target is to reach 60 outlets by end FY’2016. The Noida dealership will push sales of its two locally assembled vehicles – the MU7 and the D-MAX pickup – available in three variants. Isuzu is optimistic of garnering sales of 20-25 units every month from this outlet to start with. (autocarpro.in0

• Fiat India is bracing up to launch the Avventura crossover on October 21. This is an important launch for the Italian carmaker as they begin to expand their lineup in India which so far included only the Punto and the Linea.The Avventura is based on the Punto hatchback and will share the same powertrain and mechanicals, but has quite a few distinguishing factors over its hatchback form. It gets a tailgate mounted spare tyre, body cladding and a higher ground clearance of 205 mm which is a segment best for hatchback-based crossovers. (carwale.com)

• Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India pvt ltd (HMSI) today laid the foundation for its fourth plant in India. The manufacturing plant, set to come up in Vithalapur, 80 km away from Ahmedabad, will be dedicated solely for the production of scooters.Spread over 250 acres, the plant will have an annual capacity of 12 lakh units (1.2 million units), making it the world’s largest scooter-only manufacturing facility.( indianautoblogs.com)

• Hella India Automotive, the wholly owned Indian subsidiary of German automotive parts supplier Hella, has announced the expansion of its production facility in Dhankot, Haryana, with the start of production of its Body Control Module (BCM)  and Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) systems for the Indian market. With this, the company has expanded its Dhankot plant to cater to growth in its Electronics business division. As part of its aggressive growth strategy, with plans to harness its global technologies and customise them for OEMs in India, the supplier has introduced state-of-the-art SMT lines for its key focus products – Body Control Module and Remote Key Entry for Indian customers. (autocarpro.in)

•  Honda Cars India will increase their dealership number to 230 in around 150 cities by the end of 2014-15 financial year. This is nearly 35 per cent increment in dealership network says Jnaneswar Sen, Sr. Vice President, Marketing &Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd. The company at present has 195 dealerships in 127 cities across the country.(cardekho.com)

automotive Updates - 15th October 2014

• Leading bus maker Wrightbus International, which is setting up its bus body manufacturing facility near here, would commence operations early next year, a company official said today. North Ireland-based Wrightbus has partnered with Daimler India, subsidiary of German commercial vehicle maker Daimler for manufacturing bus body for its Bharat Benz range of buses. The bus body building facility will be part of the new bus plant proposed by Daimler India Commercial Vehicle. (ETauto.com)

• Volkswagen barely edged out General Motors for second place in the global auto sales race during the first three quarters of the year, but Toyota was expected to keep its lead to stay in first place.GM said today that is sold 7.372 million cars and trucks worldwide from January through September. Volkswagen said that its global light vehicle sales totaled 7.40 million for the period, but a spokesman in Germany would not provide a more precise figure.(financialexpress.com)

• Taiwan-based tyre manufacturing Maxxis Group will set up its plant near Sanand in Gujarat. The announcement came after a high-level Maxxis Group delegation led by company president Wally Chen met Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel and discussed the roadmap for the project, the Gujarat government said in a press release issued here on Wednesday.(livemint.com)

• After the successful run in the UK,Hinduja Group flagship companyAshok Leyland will introduce an electric version of Optare buses in India early next year and plans to make them here, a top official said today. The company holds a majority stake in Optare PLC, UK. "The UK government with its green fund scheme really supported Optare and that has allowed Optare to innovate more and come up with newer technologies. (ETauto.com)

• International automotive supplier Continental is having the world premiere of its Continental new water-cooled turbocharger with an aluminium turbine housing for global vehicle production at the ongoing 8th International Suppliers Fair (IZB) at Wolfsburg, Germany from October 14 to 16. The Continental turbocharger is characterised by its optimized response behaviour. Furthermore, its lightweight design supports the automotive industry in its efforts to meet highly ambitious consumption and emission targets.  (autocarpro.in)

• While Fiat India is prepping itself to launch the Avventura next week, a report suggests the Indian arm of the Italian auto giant will be launching the Abarth 500 hatchback in November. With the launch of the 500 Abarth, Fiat India will be having 5 products in its line up next month. The Fiat 500 Abarth was showcased the Auto Expo 2014 this February. The company also showcased the 500 Abarth at Fiat outlets all over the country for customers and car enthusiasts in the month of March this year. Fiat will be selling the car in India via the CBU route.(motoroids.com)

• Toyota Motor Corp said on Wednesday it would recall a total 1.67 million vehicles globally in a voluntary move to address three separate defects including a faulty brake master cylinder that could hinder the brake's performance.Toyota said in an email it was not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths resulting from the defects. Some 1.05 million vehicles will be recalled in Japan and 615,000 overseas.(businesstoday.in)

• Maruti launched its Ciaz sedan last week at a starting price of INR 6.99 lakh while the top-end variant is priced at INR 9.8 lakh (both prices ex-showroom, Delhi). But come January 2015, the current ZXi (O) and ZDi (O) will be superseded by the ZXi+ and ZDi+ as the new top-end trims.(motorbash.com)

• Hungary-based navigation developer NNG, which calls itself a ‘one-stop shop’, has revealed plans to expand aggressively in the India market. On October 13, the company showcased some of its top global navigation solutions in Mumbai and said that excellence in in-car HMI (Human Machine Interface) is its topmost priority.   NNG and its local Haryana-based strategic partner Ayana Navigation Solutions (ANS) exhibited their VIP Technology Showroom which comprised a collection of the customised navigation solutions that NNG provides in India and other countries like Germany, China, Japan, United States and Hungary. (autocarpro.in)

•  

Automotive Updates - 14th October 2014

• In an effort to inject new life into its Etios sedan and Etios Liva hatchback sales, Toyota Kirloskar Motor has launched the face-lifted Etios and Etios Liva.  Prominent changes on the face-lifted versions of the two cars include a brand-new design for the grille and front airbags as standard on all the trims. Other additions, as per trim levels, include a seatbelt warning indicator, electrically-adjustable wing mirrors, reversing sensors, new fabric seats, and faux-wood finish for armrests. (Autocarpro.in)

• Credit-rating agency ICRA has declared that the current fiscal would see the Indian two-wheeler industry growing by a healthy 9 percent. ICRA says that the industry would hit 23 million units in 2016-17, growing at a CAGR of 9 percent. Last November, ICRA had predicted that by 2016-17, the industry would reach a figure of 21-22 million units. So far in this fiscal year, the industry has remained robust, registering a growth of 14.8 percent. This growth rate, incidentally, is the fastest since the 2010-11 fiscal, after which the industry has faced slower growth.(indianautoblogs.com)

•  Tata Motors has received an order for 623 Tata Marcopolo buses from various State Transport Authorities. The order includes 120 units fromCalcutta State Transport Corporation, 120 units fromMeghalaya Urban Development Authority, 73 units fromTripura Urban Transport Company Limited, 270 units fromAssam State Transport Corporation and 40 units from Chattisgarh (Naya Raipur Development Authority), the company said in a statement today. (ETauto.com)

• The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) is in talks with the Union Commerce Ministry to formulate a strategy to increase exports to Sri Lanka, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.    SIAM’s director-general Vishnu Mathur told Autocar Professional that 22 countries have been identified as potential markets. SIAM wants government support to help negotiate tariff barriers and import duties. India’s exports to Sri Lanka which includes cars, two-wheelers and commercial vehicles have been affected by high duties have brought exports to a standstill. Exports to Algeria, an important African market, have been affected by new regulations that prevent sale of India-made vehicles. (Autocarpro.in)

• Maruti Suzuki, India's largest carmaker in terms of sales, is planning to launch a slew of products in the country to try and increase its market share to over 50% from the 46% which it currently holds.The company is working on a strategy which will see 12 products being introduced across various segments including many new ones such as sporty hatchbacks, utility vehicles, commercial vehicles and large vans.(teambhp.com)

• Two-wheeler manufacturer Hero MotoCorp has announced the appointment of internationally-acclaimed automotive technology expert Dr Markus Braunsperger as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Before joining Hero MotoCorp, Dr Braunsperger has worked with German automotive manufacturer, BMW, where he spent 25 years in various roles covering the entire gamut of R&D, production and corporate strategy. (motoroids.com)

• It is reported that Fiat India, the Indian alliance of Italian car maker Fiat Motors is going to launch its highly awaited Contemporary Urban Vehicle (CUV) Avventura in Indian car market on October 20, 2014, just before the arrival of Diwali festival. The CUV was showcased during the Indian Auto Expo 2014 held earlier this year and there it succeeded in receiving appraisal from segments of car industry.(carkhabri.com)

• Fiat has confirmed to RushLane that the much awaited Abarth 500 will be launched next month in India, to quench the thirst of fans and also compete with Volkswagen Beetle, BMW MINI Cooper, 1 Series and Mercedes Benz A Class.(rushlane.com)

• Owners of certain Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan and estate models will need to make a trip to the dealership soon as the German carmaker has announced a worldwide recall pertaining to the vehicle’s steering mechanism.While around 10,500 examples have been recalled in the US, over 8,145 vehicles are said to be affected in the UK. The crux of the recall is an issue with the steering mechanism, especially the steering column coupling lock which may not have been installed correctly during the production. This defect would result in an apparent noise coming from the steering system; however, in extreme circumstances the vehicle’s steering control could be affected.  (carwale.com)

• Bajaj Auto Ltd’s second-quarter profit fell the most in 17 quarters after the two-wheeler maker took a one-time expense related to its Pantnagar factory in Uttarakhand. Net profit fell 29% to Rs591 crore in the three months ended 30 Septemer from Rs837 crore a year earlier, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. Excluding the one-time expense, the company would have reported a profit of Rs853 crore.(livemint.com)

Automotive Updates - 13th October 2014

• About 150 striking union members of Bosch Ltd's plant here were arrested today when they tried to stage a protest in front of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's residence against the government's decision to prohibit their strike. The members had gathered with an intention to stage a protest without permission, DCP Bangalore Central Sandeep Patil said. He said all of them have been released on bail now. Around 1,000 workers had gathered. (ETauto.com)

• High tech components manufacturerBharat Forge and global aerospace, defence and security major Safran have announced a long-term partnership under which Bharat Forge will supply critical high integrity forged and machined components, for commercial aircraft applications to Safran's global affiliates. (ETauto.com)

• Japan’s Kawasaki is aiming to sell more motorcycles in India than last year. Though the Indian market for superbikes and premium segment bikes is not that large as on date, Japanese two wheeler major, Kawasaki Motors, is optimistic about significant growth in India during the fiscal 2014-15. India’s superbike market is growing, Kawasaki too expects to grow with that. Keen to grab a large share of the premium segment pie in the country, Kawasaki Motor India is predicting a 30 to 40% increase in sales in the current fiscal. This was mentioned by Shigeto Nishikawa, Deputy Director of Kawasaki Motor India at the opening of a new company outlet in Chennai. .(rushlane.com)

• ZF CEO Dr. Stefan Sommer  and the chairman of the BAIC Group, Xu Heyi, in Friedrichshafen, Germany, during the initial contract signing for a JV for chassis system assembly.ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation (BAIC Group) have for the first time founded a joint venture for developing and assembling passenger car chassis systems. Dr Stefan Sommer, CEO of ZF, and Xu Heyi, chairman of the BAIC Group as well as its passenger car division BAIC Motor, signed the joint venture contract in Friedrichshafen on October 9.(Autocarpro.in)

• Hungary-basedcar navigation solutions provider NNG today said it is eyeing 70 per cent market pie from the after-market segment in the next four years.The company which offers its navigation software to car manufacturers directly had launched a new solution callediGO Primo Nextgen which can be seamlessly integrated with smartphones, in association with its local partner ANS.(ETauto.com)

• Mercedes-Benz India will launch its fourth AMG vehicle – the GLA 45 AMG, this month, on October 27. The GLA 45 AMG is based on the GLA-Class that made its official debut last month and is apparently sold out for the year. This is the second four-cylinder AMG vehicle to go on sale in India after the CLA45 AMG.(carwale.com)

• Nissan has announced a major expansion of its schools engagement activities in the UK, using electric vehicles, motorsports and its manufacturing excellence to excite thousands of young people about careers in industry. A range of workshops, competitions, practical activities and facility tours will see more than 15,000 students experience the innovation and excitement of 21st century automotive design, engineering and manufacturing over the next two years. (Autocarpro.in)

• Renault-Nissan Alliance reports a higher number of women in manager-level positions globally YoY. Renault leads in setting an auto industry benchmark for women at senior executive levels. Renault-Nissan Alliance continues making strides in its commitment to closing gender gap. Both companies report a higher percentage of women in manager-level positions globally in 2013 compared to 2012. At Renault, women accounted for 18.4% of manager-level positions globally in 2013, up from 17% in 2012. 19.3% of the company’s 2,000 global key positions were held by women, up from 17% in 2012.(rushlane.com)

• Toyota has given a minor nip-&-tuck treatment to the Etios duo; both the vehicles are reportedly launching in couple of days. After the launch, Japanese manufacturer will have updated Etios family, sedan-hatch-duo along with the Etios Cross. Adding to it, the recently launched Cross variant of the Etios has spruced up the low sales of the Etios hatch in the country.(cardekho.com)

Automotive Updates - 11th and 12th October 2014

• The two-wheeler scene in India is one of the most competitive and profitable businesses to be found anywhere in the world. There are millions of them sold in the country every year and the number only rises as each annum goes by. And according to the Indian Credit Ratings Agency (ICRA), the industry will bear witness to a 9% increase in growth for the year 2014-15. According to ICRA, the industry is expected to report a Compounded Aggregate Growth Rate (CAGR) volume of 9% and will touch 23-million units which includes domestic and export sales over a medium term (2016-17).The industry also noticed a strong increase in growth during the previous 5 months of this fiscal, with sales volumes booming by an impressive 14.8%, and that by a long shot, is the industry’s quickest growth since 2010-11.(motoroids.com)

• Organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) along with the Auto Cluster Development & Research Institute (ACDRI), Pune and Auto Component Manufacturers’ Association (ACMA), the third edition of the Auto Ancillary Show 2014 (AAS) has begun on a high note in Pune on October 10. The show was inaugurated by Rajeev Jadhav, IAS, Commissioner PCMC; Malay Shrivastava, ED, ITPO; Rita Menon, IAS, CMD, ITPO; Rajeev Dashputre, MD, ACDRI; Sandeep Balooja, VP, ACMA; SK Dudani, secretary, AIADA, and Vinnie Mehta, DG, ACMA. (Autocarpro.in)

• Tata group's Land Rover has forayed into an elite club of world's 100 most valuable brands as the only Indian-owned entity, while iconic Apple has retained its top slot with nearly USD 119 billion valuation.Land Rover, an iconic British car brand owned by Indian conglomerate Tatas, has been ranked 91st with a brand value of $ 4.47 billion and is one of the five new entrants on this annual list compiled by leading brand consultancy Interbrand.(ETauto.com)

• Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, India’s largest tractor and sports utility vehicle (SUV) maker, would be observing the so-called ‘no production days’ at its tractor plants located at Rudrapur and Jaipur for four days during the remaining period of October, to align production with sales requirements, the company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Friday. The management, it said, does not envisage any adverse impact on availability of tractors in the market due as a result.(livemint.com)

• If the Renault Duster AWD has caught your fancy and have booked one for yourself, make sure to check the driver’s seat belt direction before accepting delivery. The seat belt lock on the Duster AWD has been fitted in the wrong direction facing the B-pillar instead of the seat. While the issue may not catch one’s eye at first glance, the occupant will certainly find out later due to the discomfort of a twisted belt. A manufacturing glitch we assume, the seat belt lock needs to change direction and we are pretty sure Renault dealers will oblige to change the same free of cost. (motorbeam.com)

• After over 20 years of successful cooperation between the Volkswagen Group and the Chinese JV partner First Automotive Works (FAW), the two companies have extended the existing partnership for another 25 years until the year 2041. In addition, the Volkswagen Group and the Chinese JV partner SAIC plan to invest in a testing and proving ground of Shanghai Volkswagen (SVW) in the western Chinese province of Xinjiang.  (Autocarpro.in)

• Hyundai has launched the ix25 compact SUV in China. The SUV gets two engine options, six variants, 4WD and loads of goodies. It is priced between Rs. 11.96-17.95 lakhs in China. Hyundai has finally launched its new ix25 compact SUV in the Chinese market. (motorbeam.com)

• Scania Commercial Vehicles India Pvt Ltd, has delivered 150th Scania P 410 8x4 Tipper to one of India's largest mining contract companies, BGR Mining and Infra Private Limited of Hyderabad.Scania's partner for off-road truck segment - Larsen & Toubro (L&T) facilitated this transaction. The Scania tipper is fitted with an 18.8 cubic meter, rock body and come equipped with two pedal Opticruise, a fully automated gear-changing system for improved fuel efficiency which helps in driving.(ETauto.com)

• Nissan India Operation’s new president Mr. Guillaume Sicard revealed that the Nissan Terrano AWD is slated to launch in India next year. The Renault Duster AWD has just been launched in the country and its cousin from Nissan will feature the same hardware. The i-DriveTech shift-on-the-fly 4×4 system, a creation of Nissan, features three driving modes – 2WD, Auto and AWD.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Delhi government has decided to provide the buyers of these vehicles (either electric scooters or cars) a 15% subsidy off the MRP of the vehicle on their purchase. The amount is to be credited back to the customer’s bank account within a span of two months from the date of purchase of the electric vehicle.The buyers will not only benefit from a reduced MRP on the initial purchase, but will also see other bright sides of opting an EV. These include niceties such as zero VAT and a mouth-watering (probably) 50% off on road-tax for the buyer.(motoroids.com)

• It is reported that country’s leading car manufacturer MSIL is going to bring the facelift version of its most popular hatchback Alto K10 sometimes during this month. Earlier it was reported that company would be bringing the facelift of Alto K10 earlier next year, but now with festive season commencing company is planning to bring the refreshed version of hatchback by mid of this month. According to sources the facelift will include cosmetic changes and also some greasy changes.  (carkhabri.com)

• MAI Carbon Cluster Management GmBH, a research effort funded by the German government, is making steady progress to cut the costs of carbon fibre by a whopping 90 percent. The head of the 80 million Euro project (INR 618.5 crore project), Klaus Dreschler, is reported to have said that the research team has reached a ‘halfway point’ towards its ultimate objective. (indianautoblogs.com)

Automotive Updates - 10th October 2014

• Hubli, located in Northern Karnataka had recently missed on luring Hero MotoCorp set-up to lucrative offer from Andhra Pradesh is now wooing Hyundai Motor India Ltd to set up a production plant there. If successful, the benefits would be mutual as the localities would get employment opportunities, whereas Hyundai Motor, second largest automobile brand in India shall get low cost production benefits. An approximate investment of about Rs 1,000-1,500 crore shall provide about 5,000 job opportunities.(carkhabri.com)

• Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy firm, recently voted Nissan as one of the world’s best brands for 2014. Nissan ranked 53, compared to the previous year’s 65 in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands Study. According to the study conducted by the firm, the contributing factors for the vote were aspects such as Nissan’s strong financial performance, vast and diverse product portfolio and current market leadership for its electric cars. (motoroids.com)

•  The government today said it is taking various steps, including help start-ups to get easy loans and opening 500 incubation centres in the country, for boosting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector."We have decided that we will run 500 incubation centres in the country. At present there are only 84 centres. I request the corporate sector to encourage people to open these centres. It will help in providing skills and employment to youths," MSME MinisterKalraj Mishra said here at a CII function.(ETauto.com)

• In an initiative to bring commercial vehicle manufacturers’ technologies and buyers’ aspiration together and introduce new trends in the industry, the three-day International Commercial Vehicle Fair (TICVF) kicked off at the Chennai Trade Center today. The aim is to provide a platform for fleet owners, logistics operators, transport companies, state transport undertaking (STUs) and transport associations across the country. Overall, 55 participants inclusive of truck OEMs, tyremakers, components manufacturers, lubricant makers, vehicle tracking and telematics providers and finance companies have put up stalls at the venue. (autocarpro.in)

• General Motors announced today that worldwide sales of the Chevrolet Beat (Chevrolet Spark in international markets) crossed the 1 million figure. The small car was introduced to India in 2010, and at the Auto Expo this year, the facelift was launched. GM India has sold over 178,000 units of the Beat in India since its inception. Recently, the company started exporting the Talegaon-made Beat to Chile in South America, and going forth, more export markets are under consideration including Africa.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Trying to find ground in the premium space of the auto market, Maruti Suzuki took its first step with the recently launched Ciaz sedan and will soon introduce new products in the Rs. 8 lakh and above segments. While the S-Cross is lined up next for launch in 2015, the Indian auto giant will bring the all new Vitara to India by 2017. The crossover was officially unveiled at the last week’s 2014 Paris Motor Show and will be rivalling the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, Honda CR-V and Hyundai Santa Fe internationally, while the Skoda Yeti is perceived as its main rival in the country.(motorbeam.com)

• Ford India, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, has announced its first Automotive Student Service Educational Training (ASSET) Centre in collaboration with Social Welfare Technical School, ITI Cochin. This program aims to create a pool of talented and skilled professionals for the automobile industry. The first Ford ASSET Centre was inaugurated by P.K. Umashankar, vice-president, Customer Service Operations, Ford India. (motoroids.com)

• The world’s largest two wheeler maker (by volume), Hero Motocorp has filed to trademark its upcoming flagship offering, the HX250R in Europe, as per reports by various international media. The new quarter litre sportsbike which premiered ahead of the Auto Expo this year has been developed with inputs from the company’s US-based technical partner EBR. It is to be noted that Hero Motocorp holds nearly 50% stake in the American superbike maker. (indianautoblogs.com)

• Hyundai today made global debut of its India bound ix25 compact SUV in China, after revealing the concept version at 2014 Beijing Motor Show followed by showcasing the production version at Chengdu Motor Show couple of months later. Prices in China starts from 119,800 RMB (approximately Rs. 11.95 lakh) to 179,800 RMB (nearly Rs. 17.93 lakh).(cardekho.com)

Automotive Updates - 9th October 2014

• Nissan on Thursday appointed Arun Malhotra as the new Managing Director for Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. Malhotra will report to Guillaume Sicard, President -Nissan India Operations. Prior to joining Nissan, Malhotra was the chief of International Sales and Marketing for the automotive and farm sector of Mahindra & Mahindra.(ETauto.com)

• Indian car major, Maruti Suzuki is likely to face legal action for receiving pre-launch bookings of its latest sedan, the Ciaz, without revealing the details of the vehicle. Although pre-launch booking is not an old practice, the move comes after former Railways Minister and MP Dinesh Trivedi filed a complaint. Trivedi claims that he has received many complaints from the public about the company taking pre-launch booking. Consumer affairs ministry has communicated with the car maker and asked why it shouldn’t initiate action under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.(motoroids.com)

• Nissan India has silently launched the Terrano Anniversary Edition on its website. As the name suggests, the edition celebrates the first anniversary of the car, and is limited to 450 units. Interestingly, one can book the Anniversary Edition only through Nissan India’s website. Even if you do approach a dealer, the car will be ordered via the website only, says Nissan.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Farm equipment majorEscorts Ltd today announced implementation of a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) as part of its organisational restructuring under which 350 employees have exited the company."With an operational focus on improving business performance, Escorts Ltd has successfully implemented group-wide future-oriented VRS, aimed particularly at restructuring Escorts Auto Products," the company said in a statement.(ETauto.com)

• Manfred Kantner has been appointed Head Sales India, and Far East at Volkswagen passenger cars wef October 1, 2014. Prior to this he was Managing Director of SEAT Deutschland GmbH. 48 year old Kantner succeeds Dr. Wolf-Stefan Specht (45). The latter has taken over as Volkswagen Passenger Cars Head of Sales Europe since  September 1. Both managers report to Christian Klingler, Board Member for Sales and Marketing for the Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand.(rushlane.com)

• One of the leading brands of superbikes DSK Hyosung today opened its first exclusive showroom in Chandigarh showcasing bikes costing from 2.75 lakhs to Rs 5.79 lakhs.Shirish Kulkarni, Chairman, DSK Hyosung announced during the launch that this would be our first showroom in Chandigarh and 40th overall in the country. Talking about Punjab and Chandigarh markets, he said that Company already has a showroom at Ludhiana in Punjab. (financialexpress.com)

• Swedish commercial vehicle major Scania is bagging new orders for its vehicles at a regular pace in India. One of its major customers, BGR Mining & Infra has announced that it will add 500 Scania trucks in its off-road truck fleet to serve in its multiple coal mining sites. The Hyderabad-based BGR Mining, one of the major coal mining contract operators, has started buying Scania trucks since March this year. Within a span of six months, BGR bought 149 off-road trucks from Scania. (Autocarpro.in)

• The UAE-basedGulf Petrochem Group has made two acquisitions in India in this fiscal year and is scouting for more to expand its presence here. Gulf Petrochem Group announced on Wednesday that it will make an open offer to acquire up to 26% of Sah Petroleums, which is listed on the Indian bourses, after buying 72.23% stake in the company from its promoters.(ETauto.com)

• Volkswagen (VW) confirmed the news of a new compact sedan which the group is developing specifically for India. VW confirmed that the car will be a sub-4 metre compact sedan based on the PQ25 platform of the Polo and will have the same 2456mm wheelbase. The idea behind this move is that VW will benefit from the excise duty exemptions and that in-turn will make this compact sedan more affordable and also profit VW. The car will be slotted between the Polo and the Volkswagen’s best-selling sedan in India, the Vento. (motoroids.com)

• Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd has launched its new customer care program, Vespa Care to achieve exceptional customer care so privileged Vespa customers can avail of 24×7, 365 days Road Side Assistance across 51 Indian cities.(rushlane.com)

Automotive Updates - 8th October 2014

• Country's leading two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp today launched two new products in the market to cash-in on the festive season.The company launched 100 cc Splendor Pro Classic, which has a cafe racer styling, priced at Rs 48,650 (ex-showroom Delhi) and another 100 cc on-road-off-road bike Passion Pro TR at Rs 51,550 (ex-showroom Delhi).(financialexpress.com)

• Mahindra Tractors, the world’s largest tractor maker in terms of volumes, has launched the Mahindra Yuvraj 215 NXT compact model.The 15 HP tractor is suitable for small land holdings and inter-culture operations. The Yuvraj 215 NXT is the first product in its segment to feature a water-cooled direct injection engine.(indianautoblogs.com)

• BASF India has opened its large production facility in Dahej, Gujarat, India, today. With a total investment of € 150 million (Rs 1,168 crore), the facility is the largest single investment of BASF in India. The site was opened by Anandiben Patel, prime minister of Gujarat, Saurabhbhai Patel, minister of finance, energy and petrochemicals of Gujarat, and Michael Heinz, member of the Executive Board of BASF SE, together. Heinz said: "The strengthening of our production platform in India is part of our investment plans for the Asia-Pacific region, in which we want to invest more than € 10 billion (Rs 77,870 crore)  between 2013 and 2020.  (autocarpro.in)

• Mahindra’s flagship, the XUV500 will be launched in a hybrid form in 2015. The company says that this new system (termed E-Motor by Mahindra) will bump the fuel economy by a noticeable 18% when it hits the XUV500 in production form and the SUV will be the first manual diesel-hybrid car in the world. We at Motoroids are quite chuffed to see this development in the Indian automobile space and think that this will get the ball rolling for other Indian car makers to come out with similar cars as rivals to the XUV.(motoroids.com)

• Petronas, the Malaysian Oil and Gas company has been a well known brand in the global market. Petronas Lubricants is Indian automobile biggie Maruti Suzuki's new partner for sales and service in the Indian market. As for Petronas, the deal is of immense importance as Maruti Suzuki holds over 3100 service outlets in the country. In India, the Petronas brand operates in India through distributors and collaboration with OEM's like Fiat, Piaggio and Tata Motors. Besides engine lubricant, the company also manufactures and markets machinery, transmission Fluid and other industrial equipments .(cartrade.com)

• Two-wheeler manufacturerTVS Motors plans to produce 10,000 units per month of its newly launched TVS Scooty Zest 100, a company official said here today. Zest, aimed at young girls, would be availabe in the market from October 15, TVS MotorsSouth Zone Manager Satheesh Kumar told reporters after launching the vehicle. (ETauto.com)

• Yamaha Motor India is all set to open its new manufacturing plant in Chennai with an installed capacity of 400,000 units early next month. The new facility, which will start product in CY15, will roll out the 113cc Alpha scooter initially and gradually start producing other scooters. The company, which sold around 450,000 two-wheelers in CY13, is targeting sales of 600,000 units in this calendar year. Export sales last year were 200,000  in 2013 and the same number is likely to be maintained this year. Like its scooter-making rivals in India, Yamaha remains bullish on the scooter segment which has recorded close to 30 percent growth in CY14 thus far. (autocarpro.in)

• We already know that Toyota has been making plans to launch its luxury brand Lexus in India. Now, its ace Japanese rival Nissan too has similar plans. Nissan is coming up with a new strategy to gain a higher customer base in India. One part of the strategy is to introduce the Infiniti brand here. Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury arm. Since we have seen the premium vehicle segments dominated by Mercedes, BMW and Audi growing substantially since the past few years, Nissan too is eyeing these segments and wants to cash in on the demand. The newly-showcased Infiniti Q30 has the ability to compete with the Audi A3, Mercedes A-Class and the BMW 1-Series.(motorbeam.com)

• Hero Cycles bought 47% stake in 105 year old, currently loss making Germany’s largest bicycle maker Mitteldeutsche Fahrradwerke AG (MIFA) in August 2014. Before acquiring controlling interest, Hero has called off the deal.(rushlane.com)

•  Car rental firm Carzonrent andTata Motors have inked a pact to launch an initiative in the Delhi/NCR region, under which customers would be able to hire a Tata Nanocar for self drive at just Rs 399 per day. As part of the 'Myles City Drive' initiative, Tata Motors would supply 200 Tata Nano Twist cars to Carzonrent fleet for self-drive service in the Delhi/NCR region. (ETauto.com)

• Volkswagen India has announced the launch of their 24-day mega carnival ‘Volksfest 2014’ starting today, 8th October. The Volksfest 2014 will be held till 31st October and customers can avail of a range of valuable offers, exciting benefits and assured gifts. Coinciding with the festive season in India, the Volksfest 2014 brings best deals on car finance, attractive offers on new car purchase, after sales services including road side assistance, benefits on selected Volkswagen genuine accessories and merchandise, body and paint services.(cardekho.com)

Automotive Updates - 7th October 2014

• Homegrown auto majorMahindra & Mahindra today said its two-wheeler arm has made an offer to acquire 51 per cent stake in Peugeot Motocycles, part of the 54 billion euro PSA Group based in France. In a statement, M&M said under the "binding offer" made by Mahindra Two Wheelers Ltd (MTWL), there would be an "infusion of 15 million euro into Peugeot Motocycles (PMTC) to finance projects implemented through strategic partnership, and further sale of shares by PSA, which would allow MTWL to take 51 per cent stake in PMTC." (ETauto.com)

• Close on the heels of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US of the A, the world’s largest largest motorcycle manufacturer in terms of sales, Hero MotoCorp is about to launch their motorcycles and scooters in America. Hero has already started filing trademarks for eight models with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Amongst the models which have been filed for trademark on August 19th include the Hero Splendor, Pleasure, Karizma, Hunk and Eco Deluxe. On August the 29th, the largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world filed additional trademarks for the Xtreme Sports, Splendor Pro Classic and the HX250R.(motorids.com)

• JCB India Limited furthers the Government of India’s endeavour to promote Make-in-India campaign. The company has introduced concept of Telehandler called Loadall 530-70 and Loadall 530-110 in India beside Indian built Skid Steer Loaders SSL 135 and SSL 155. Both these models are made in India. Loadall is to be used across all industries such as Agricultural Logistics, Construction and Process Industry. It promises efficient handling of material and mechanized handling processes. SSL is also known as the Robot and regarded as the safest in the world.(rushlane.com)

• Car market leader Maruti Suzuki is aiming to sell initially 60,000 to 70,000 units of its newly launched mid-size premium SedanCiaz in the country."The initial plan was to sell about 60,000 to 70,000 units in the country. About 10,000 customers have already made their bookings of which 60 per cent are for diesel cars and 40 per cent for petrol vehicles", Ram Suresh Akella, Commercial Business Head (Southern Region), told reporters here today.(ETauto.com)

• Tata Safari Storme will undergo a minor facelift; the company is believed to have started testing the facelift version of the SUV. Launched in 2012, Safari Storme could not garner the kind of response company had expected it would. Hence this is a much needed makeover Storme is going through to survive amid fierce competition it has around it.(cartrade.com)

• Toyota is looking to enter small car segment in India to compete with Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. The company is planning a sub-compact car under Rs. 7 lakh mark where the company has least presence. News about a new Toyota small car for India was revealed in an interview by Economic Times with Naomi Ishii, one of the youngest Managing Directors at Toyota. According to Naomi Ishii, Toyota is weak in under-7-lakh segment which accounts for 70% – 80% of the car market.(rushlane.com)

• Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd (GOLIL), which manufactures and markets long drain engine oils , and Mahindra & Mahindra, the world’s biggest tractor maker (by volume), have announced their partnership for the tractor segment in India. Under the agreement, Gulf Oil will manufacture and supply ‘Mahindra Genuine Oil’ under the ‘Mahindra M-Star Super’ brand name for its dealer workshop network along with Mahindra-Gulf Co-branded lubricant line for the ‘Bazaar segment’ under the ‘Gulf XHD M Tractor’ brand name based on M&M’s ‘MKM’ (Mileage ka Master) platform, giving an extended drain interval of 350 hours. (autocarpro.in)

• Autocar Professional reports that Pune-based DSK MotoWheels, a company which assembles and sells the Hyosung motorcycles in India, is looking to expand its horizon by entering into a partnership with Italian sportsbike maker Benelli. According to the publication’s sources, DSK MotoWheels is on schedule with the partnership arrangement and would bring the century old sportsbike brand to the country sooner than later.(indianautoblogs.com)

•  Toyota Kirloskar Motor, in collaboration with Toyota Motor Corporation and its nationwide dealer network, has announced the launch of its advanced training model for Automotive Service Advisor under the Toyota Technical Education Program (T-TEP), at Government CPC Polytechnic, Mysore. T-TEP, a special training module in which Toyota has tied up with industrial training institutes, was launched in 2006 in India. After a span of eight years, T-TEP is now associated with more than 36 Institutes (Industrial Training Institutes and Polytechnics) under the program. (autocarpro.in)