Automotive Updates - 30th January to 1st February 2015

• Mahindra & Mahindra, the leading home-grown utility vehicle manufacturer, said it conducted raids across six auto spare part makers and sales outlets in the country, to counter the 'ever-growing' threat of counterfeit products.The auto maker seized more than a thousand items from raids conducted jointly with the police at shops, traders, packing and manufacturing units in the northern region, Mahindra said in a statement on Thursday.(businesstoday)

• The board of Rico Auto Industries today approved transfer of the company's investments held in three subsidiary firms to Rico Investments, another unit of the auto component manufacturing firm. The company's board has approved sale and transfer of investments in RAA Autocom, Rasa Autocom and Rico Jinfei Wheels to another subsidiary firm Rico Investments, which has been incorporated for the purpose of holding investment in the group companies as a core investment company, Rico Auto Industries said in a filing to the BSE.(ETauto.com)

• The Coimbatore-based Amrita University, one of the premier institutions of higher learning in India, has opened the Amrita Automotive Research & Technology Centre (AARTC), a joint venture between Amrita University and Automotive Test Systems. The Rs 15 crore facility set up in the university headquarters at Coimbatore was inaugurated by Dr K Tamilmani, director general, Aeronautical Systems, DRDO and the guest of honour  Rashmi Urdhwarshe, director, ARAI Pune, on January 28. - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/amrita-university-auto-research-atre-nd-tech-centre-coimbatore-7522#sthash.HowPwdIn.dpuf

•  Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited (SMIPL), a subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan today launched Swish 125 at Rs. 51661 (Ex-Showroom Delhi).The Swish 125 comes with features such as a New Digital Meter with Service Reminder, Dual Trip Meter and Digital Clock. The new scooter from Suzuki comes with a large under seat storage capacity of 20 litres and a fuel tank of 6 litres. (ETauto.com)

• After having purchased a 51 percent stake in the French brand Peugeot Motorcycles, Mahindra Two Wheelers has now imported six of the French brand’s scooters to their headquarters in Mumbai, states a report on Autocar India. Some of these scooters do hold a potential to be sold in India as mass market products, but Mahindra is quite tight lipped about the whole operation at this moment.Read more: http://indianautosblog.com/2015/01/6-peugeot-scooters-spied-india-166195#ixzz3QWvgY3ao 

• After failing to meet high expectations with its small car Nano,Tata Motors is planning several initiatives, including introducing an automatic gear shift version, to revive sales."We have in place more initiatives to strengthen the Nano portfolio," a Tata Motors spokesperson said, refuting reports that the company was looking to phase out the model due to continuously falling sales. (ETauto.com)

• Maruti Suzuki is expected to launch the Super Carry LCV in India in the month of May. The company plans to sell the vehicle in limited numbers initially as the LCV market in the country is weak.In the first year, Maruti is aiming to roll out 80,000 units of the Super Carry from its Gurgaon manufacturing facility. This number can be ramped up to 1,00,000 units later. The company is also planning to use a new network of dedicated dealerships to sell the vehicle.(Teambhp.com)

•  Pune-based DSK Motowheels will start selling five superbikes from its Italian partner Benelli's stables from March with prices ranging between Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom prices).The company, which had entered into an agreement with Benelli last October to bring the Italian superbikes into the country, will roll out the bikes initially in eight cities. (ETauto.com)