Automotive Updates - 20th and 21st April 2015

• Schaeffler AG, the 12 billion euro German auto parts manufacturer, is considering making India a global hub to make two-wheeler and tractor components. It plans to invest Rs 900 crore over the next five years in India on localisation and research & development. Dharmesh Arora, president and CEO automotive at Schaeffler India, said in an interview with ETAuto.(ETauto.com)

• Hyundai Motor India on Monday launched a new variant of its premium sedan Elantra priced between Rs 14.13 lakh and Rs 17.94 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)."The sedan will be available in both diesel and petrol options. While the petrol variant is priced in a range of Rs 14.13 lakh and Rs 16.45 lakh, the diesel option is priced between Rs 14.58 lakh and Rs 17.94 lakh (all prices ex-showroom Delhi)", the company said in a statement.(businesstoday)

• Maruti Suzuki India continued its hold on the country’s carmarket in 2014-15 with its models Alto, Swift, Dzire and WagonR retaining the top four positions.According to a data by the Society of Indian AutomobileManufacturers (SIAM), Maruti’s entry level small car Alto sold 2,64,492 units in 2014-15 as against 2,58,281 units in the previous fiscal, up 2.4 per cent, retaining its numero uno position for the tenth year in succession.(financialexpress)

• Volvo, the Swedish luxury carmaker, today launched the petrol derivative of the V40 Cross Country in the Indian car market. The petrol V40 Cross Country is priced at Rs. 27 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).Under the bonnet is a 1.6-litre turbocharged EcoBoost engine sourced from Ford. This engine is capable of producing a top power output of 185PS and a peak torque of 240NM. Power is transmitted to the front wheels of the car via a six-speed automatic transmission. The V40 Cross Country is one of the most powerful cars in its league. It accelerates to 100kmph from stand still in just 8.5 seconds.(cartrade.com)

• tractor maker Sonalika, on Monday, announced appointment of former Hyundai Motor India President BVR Subbu as an Independent Director on its board.An automobile industry veteran, Subbu has over three decades of experience in various organisations, including Tata Motors. Subbu joined the Tata Administrative Service in 1977, and held variety of line responsibilities at Tata Motors. (ETauto.com)

• Utility vehicles (UVs) are the most searched used car type on Google in India. This finding is part of a report, compiled by Google India in association with Mahindra First Choice Wheels, which analyses the search trends of used car queries and actual market behaviour in India. Mahindra First Choice Wheels is a leading multi-brand certified used car player in the country. Pre-owned UVs constitute a majority (47%) share of all used car queries in India and are the primary driver of online used car demand. They are followed by hatchbacks (20%), sedans and luxury cars. This growth in demand also matches with offline sales for SUVs at Mahindra First Choice outlets across India, where SUVs sales have grown from 6% to 10% in the past 3 years. - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/google-suvs-driving-demand-pre-owned-car-market-india-8250#sthash.lqS6jdKB.dpuf

• German auto major Volkswagen is planning to make India a low-cost manufacturing hub, catering to both the emerging as well as developed markets. Also, as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, the company will be investing Rs.1,500 crore for localisation and produce cost effective products, Volkswagen India chief representative Mahesh Kodumudi told PTI on the sidelines of the Hannover Fair.(livemint)

• Toyota Motor is set to become the first carmaker in India to voluntarily make antilock braking system (ABS) a standard fitment in all its locally made vehicles. This move comes after it started offering airbags in all its cars since October last year. Toyota's headquarters in Japan and its Indian unit, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, are deliberating on this and all its vehicles are expected to roll out with ABS starting 2016-17, said people with knowledge of the plans. (ETauto.com)

• While the base T2 e2O variant now costs Rs 4.99 lakh, the premium T2O Quick2Charge variant costs Rs 5.38 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).Barely a fortnight after the launch of the launch of the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) India scheme by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Enterprises in collaboration with SIAM, Mahindra Reva has substantially prices of its e2o all-electric car.The e2o’s pricing now starts at Rs 4.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai), down Rs 1.77 lakh over the previous Rs 6.76 lakh for the base T2 variant. The premium T2O Quick2Charge variant now costs Rs 5.38 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai), a reduction of Rs 1.74 lakh compared to the earlier Rs 7.12 lakh price-tag.The price reduction, according to the company, will be over and above any other incentives already on offer.- See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/mahindra-reva-slashes-e2o-price-rs-177-lakh-8248#sthash.wkRJBinr.dpuf