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)

•