Automotive Updates - 25th September 2015

• Bajaj Auto Ltd, the Pune-based maker of motorcycles and autorickshaws, said on Friday it will introduce a four-wheeler called Qute to more than 16 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe.In India, Bajaj is waiting for the Supreme Court to give it permission to sell the motorized vehicle the company calls a quadricycle.The vehicle is powered by Bajaj’s water-cooled, 4-valve engine that claims to offer 36km per litre fuel efficiency.(livemint)

• ZF Hero Chassis Systems, the 50:50 joint venture of ZF India and Hero Motors, today inaugurated a new plant in Oragadam, Kanchipuram district on the outskirts of Chennai city. The new facility will assemble front and rear chassis systems for passenger cars. It has a plot size of 7,200 square metres. In accordance with the local-for-local concept, ZF Hero wants to provide its customers with products from local production wherever possible. Equally, design-to-market considerations play an important role in this regard. ZF engineers are located in the new plant in order to specifically meet the requirements of its customers. - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-national/zf-hero-plant-chennai-assemble-chassis-modules-bmw-9372#sthash.AXbp0DQe.dpuf

•  Volkswagen will fire three top executives on Friday, a senior source said, as the German carmaker tries to recover from a scandal over its rigging of US vehicle emissions tests.One day after chief executive Martin Winterkorn quit, the source said the head of the company's US operations and top engineers at premium VW brands Audi and Porsche would be dismissed, regardless of whether they knew about the cheating.(Etauto)

• The made-in-India sportscar Avanti from DC Designs has finally been launched in India at a lucrative price tag of Rs 35.93 Lakh (Ex-showroom, Pune). The vehicle was first unveiled more than three years ago at the 2012 Auto Expo Event held in Delhi. Speaking more on the occasion, Dilip Chhabria, founder and head of DC Design, said, “We are proud of the fact that it is indigenously designed and developed in India for Indian customers and for Indian roads. It's now a car that the young can aspire. Usually when you're young, you can't afford a sports car. But with this, we are trying to reach out to the young aspirants to be able to afford a sports car because in other countries the sports car is a huge segment by itself”.(cartrade)

• Maruti Suzuki India, the country's largest carmaker , has reached a wage settlement agreement with workers at its Gurgaon and Manesar plants, under which employees will get an average salary hike of around Rs 16,800 per month spread over three years.Under the three-year agreement, to be implemented with retrospective effect from April this year, the workers will receive 50 per cent of the increased salary in the first year and the 25 per cent each in the remaining two years.(businesstoday)

• Along with Mercedes-Maybach S 600, launched at INR 2.6 crores, Mercedes Benz India has also introduced Mercedes-Maybach S 500 today.Mercedes-Maybach S 500 will be assembled locally at the Mercedes Benz India plant in Chakan, Pune. Measuring 5,453mm in length and sitting on a wheelbase of 3,365mm, the Mercedes-Maybach S 500 grows in dimension as compared to the regular S Class. This results in better cabin space especially for passengers at the rear wherein two individual, electrically adjustable seats are seen. There are also a few exterior changes that add even more luxury to the S500.(rushlane)