Automotive Updates - 7th and 8th December 2015

• Eicher Motors on Tuesday said it has suffered a production loss of 11,200 Royal Enfield motorcycles so far due to heavy rains and flooding in Chennai.Due to heavy rains and flooding in Chennai, both of Royal Enfield's production facilities in Thiruvottiyur and Oragadam were shut since December 1, 2015.The company resumed production of motorcycles on December 7, 2015. However, due to a high rate of absenteeism by the company's employees and issues with our local suppliers, the company will be running at approximately 50 per cent capacity this week, and plans to be back up to 100 per cent capacity by next week, Eicher Motors said in a regulatory filing.(businesstoday)

• Volkswagen’s chairman of the Board of Management, Matthias Müller, has joined the Supervisory Board of Audi AG and becomes its chairman with immediate effect. Berthold Huber will continue to be deputy chairman. Furthermore, the two vacant seats for members representing the shareholders will be newly occupied by Julia Kuhn Piëch and Josef Ahorner. Matthias Müller has been a member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG since March 1, 2015 and its chairman since September 25, 2015. - See more at: http://www.autocarpro.in/news-international/matthias-muller-chairman-audi-supervisory-board-dr-knirsch-takes-hackenberg-technical-head-9821#sthash.NtdbqOYI.dpuf

• The Mercedes A Class facelift has been launched in India at a starting price of INR 24.95 lakhs (ex-showroom, Mumbai). This completes the automaker’s launching spree of 15 cars in the calendar year.Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this year, the updated entry level luxury hatchback carries minor design revisions, equipment upgrades and powertrain tweaks. The major visual enhancement comes in the form of the diamond grille which is now standard across all the variants. A reprofiled bumper and optional LED headlamps complete the changes upfront.(rushlane)

• Fiat Chrysler shareholders have overwhelmingly approved the spin-off of supercar maker Ferrari into an independent company.Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, who is also Ferrari's chairman, confirmed that Fiat Chrysler's remaining 80 percent stake in Ferrari will be distributed to its shareholders.(ETauto)

• Japanese auto major Toyota will hike prices of its vehicles across all models in India by up to 3% from January to offset rising input costs and unfavourable foreign exchange fluctuation.The company, which is present in India through a joint venture with the Kirloskar group — Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) — is, however, yet to finalise the details on the quantum of hike on individual models.(Livemint)

• General Motors India has appointed Kaher Kazem as their new president and managing director with effect from January 2016. The Australian will be based out Gurgaon and replaces Arvind Saxena who took up the post in February 2014.