Automotive Updates - 12th January 2015

• Gurgaon-based auto components manufacturer, Jumps Auto Industries Limited has acquired German firm Honasco Kunststofftechnik GmbH (Honasco) and its allied companies from the Joerg Schwarzbich Group at an undisclosed price. Established in 1960, Honasco, with employee strength of 130, has manufacturing facilities inGermany and Poland. Its sales turnover during 2013 was Euro 25 million. The major clients of Honasco include Johnson Controls, BSH, Rollax, Grammar, Volkswagen Group and Miele etc.(ETauto.com)

• Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Volkswagen Group Sales India Pvt Ltd (VWGSIPL) have announced the appointment of Kamal Basu as head of marketing and public relations, effective January 1, 2015. Basu, who joined Skoda Auto India as marketing head in 2012, oversaw product marketing, lead management, communication and media, and also worked closely with sales, aftersales and dealer network teams. In addition to his work in automobile marketing, he has a very strong background in advertising, having spent close to two decades working with top-level agencies like RK Swamy BBDO, Rediffusion Y&R and with Saatchi & Saatchi as CEO. - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/volkswagen-india-appoints-kamal-basu-marketing-head-7326#sthash.Y2miJSgU.dpuf

• US Secretary of State John Kerrytoday visited auto major Ford India's upcoming manufacturing plant at Sanand in Gujarat that will double the company's production capacity in the country.  "Ford's upcoming plant at Sanand is envisioned as a state -of-the-art facility and recently played host to Secretary of State John Kerry on the sidelines of a visit to Gujarat," a Ford India spokesperson said in a statement. Kerry visited the plant as part of his trip to Gujarat to attend the 7th Vibrant Gujarat Summit. (ETauto.com)

• Following the launch of Ghost Series II in Mumbai last November, Rolls-Royce rolled into the Indian capital last evening and received a gala reception at The Grand New Delhi. The event was attended by Delhi’s A-listers in the corporate fraternity and society. It also witnessed, one of the first and the youngest owner of the Ghost Series II, Paras Gupta, Director Mothers Pride, from New Delhi, felicitated by the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars team at the event. The Series II retails INR Rs 4.5 crore (ex-showroom India).(motoroid.com)

• Mahindra has introduced a new variant on the new Scorpio. The Mahindra Scorpio S4+ as it is called is available with 2WD and 4WD, and is priced at INR 9.7 lakhs and INR 10.83 lakhs respectively, ex-Showroom, New Delhi.Read more: http://indianautosblog.com/2015/01/new-mahindra-scorpio-s4-plus-launched-163934#ixzz3ObyrAvXJ 

• Two years after Great Wall Motor, one of China’s biggest SUV manufacturers, set its sights on entering India, a second car maker – Changan Automobile – is looking at a possible India foray. News reports suggest that Changan executives were in India in November  to understand the challenges of entering the Indian market. Changan Automobile’s product range includes compact carss, sedans, people-movers and pick-up trucks. It has six manufacturing bases in China – in Chongqing, Beijing, Jiangsu, Hebei, Zhejiang and Jiangxi  – and 15 vehicle and engine factories with an annual capacity of two million vehicles and two million engines. The company has R&D outfits in the UK and at Detroit. - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/wall-changan-automobile-china-kicks-india-recce-7328#sthash.dmvg2cN1.dpuf

• This year, Ford India will be replacing the Classic sedan and the Figo hatchback with the next-generation Figo compact sedan and hatchback respectively. The compact sedan is expected to come first and media reports suggest that the production of the car is likely to begin before the end of the first quarter of the year.The Figo compact sedan will be less than four metres long and will rival the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent and Tata Zest.(teambhp.com)

• The Hero HX250R will be launched by June 2015, we have learned for a person close to the company. The automaker showcased its quarter-litre bike at the 2014 Auto Expo and multiple rumours suggested a launch in November. However that did not happen and we reported instantly about the bike set for a mid-2015 sale date. The HX250R was delayed due to reasons which Hero MotoCorp couldn’t control. The company had decided about manufacturing the motorcycle at its Neemrana facility but couldn’t get workers to shift there, thus resulting in the delay.Read more at http://www.motorbeam.com/2015/01/bikes/hero-hx250r/hero-hx250r-launch-by-june-2015-priced-under-rs-1-6-lakhs/#rEw1yoG7DK3ITDSZ.99