Automotive updates 17th November 2014

• In a bid to keep pace with economic growth and to further strengthen its position in the construction equipment sector, JCB India has opened two new manufacturing facilities in Jaipur.The company has invested Rs 500 crore in the two new facilities. Speaking at the inauguration on November 14, Lord Bamford, chairman of JCB Group, said: “The inauguration of the two Jaipur facilities is a significant milestone for JCB, which has been making in India for 35 years and has grown to become one of India’s most respected manufacturers. (autocarpro.in)

• Hyundai and group company Kia have set new efficiency targets for 2020. The Korean carmakers have announced that they will increase efficiency of their cars by 25 percent within the next 6 years. The group, plan to achieve this by developing new engines, reducing the vehicle’s weight and introducing eco-friendly cars. .(indianautoblogs.com)

• Baba N Kalyani, chairman and managing director, Bharat Forge, has been conferred with the prestigious ‘IIM-JRD Tata Award for Excellence in Corporate Leadership in Metallurgical industries – 2014’. On the occasion of 68th Annual Technical Meeting of The Indian Institute of Metals, Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Steel & Mines honored Mr Kalyani with this award. The award ceremony was organised at the College of Engineering, Pune on November 14. Many distinguished industrialists, academicians, and researchers were present in this award ceremony. (autocarpro.in)

• South Korean automaker, Hyundai seems aggressive with its product strategies for the Indian car market. Buoyed by the overwhelming response for the new generation Elite i20, Hyundai is now aiming to enter into the growing compact SUV and crossover segments. The company will launch the much-awaited ix25 compact SUV in the country in the second half of 2015. (cartrade.com)

• Tata Motors Zest now commands a waiting period of up to six months on select variants. In this case it seems like Tata has been caught off-guard by the demand for the new compact sedan. In an interview with a publication Mayank Pareek, president, passenger vehicles business unit said they haven’t been able to meet demand for the car.  Pareek also said the company has sold about 10,000 units of the car since its launch. While this number is not commendable for a product priced between Rs 4.65 - 7 lakh that was launched three months ago, it is strictly a decent figure considering an average of 3,300 units a month for a newly launched product that was introduced just in time for the festive season. (carwale.com)

• Expanding its retail parts service offerings and truck servicing, TVS & Sons has introduced TVS Hypermart, an integrated automotive service centre. To implement this initiative, the company has signed an agreement with one of the largest fleet associations in Tamil Nadu, the Sankagiri Urimaiyalargal Sangam (SLUS) in order to cater to the requirements of 2,300 members and those who have a cumulative ownership of over 12,000 vehicles. The company hopes this business can touch Rs 100 crore in a few years. (autocarpro.in)

• The United States of America is a market, which promotes big displacement motorcycles and bikes. For years, it has been dominated by the likes of Harley-Davidson, the BMW and the Ducati. However, in the last couple of years, the country has shown interest in some lesser displacement bikes, which has paved the path for KTM to export its bikes to the US. The Austrian manufacturer is trying its best to make USA its biggest market after Europe and Asia. Last year, KTM had launched Duke 690 successfully, which got a great response. The Austrian bike manufacturer is planning to go ahead with its Duke 390 and RC390 sometime soon.(cartrade.com)

• Mahindra has revealed that it plans to launch three new vehicles next year. Two of these vehicles will be sub-4 meter SUVs and one will be a LCV.Pawan Goenka, the company's Executive Director told PTI, "We were slow on launches in 2013 and 2014. Now we are back with new launches. In 2015, we will launch two sub-4 meter compact SUVs and one light commercial vehicle. All the three would come on completely new platforms."(teambhp.com)

•  

Automotive Updates - 15th and 16th November

• Gurgaon-based auto component maker Sandhar Technologies Ltd has acquired the cabin business of Arkay Fabsteel Systems of Ambethan, Pune. Sandhar has taken over the design, manufacture and sale of operator cabins for backhoe loaders, excavators, wheel loaders, cranes, skid steers and tractors including assets, rights under contracts, intellectual property and proprietary information relating to the Arkay business along with the company’s regular employees. (autocarpro.in)

• Audi India have launched the A4 Premium Sport at a price of INR 38 lakhs, ex-Showroom, Mumbai. The Premium Sport is the new mid-variant which is positioned between the top-end Technology Pack and the entry-level Premium variant. (indianautoblogs.com)

• Ashok Leyland has bagged two large integrated transport projects in Tanzania and Zimbabwe, together worth $ 79.2 million (Rs 486 crore). Besides the supply of trucks, buses, LCVs, spares and allied support services (including training and developmental consultancy), these  projects will address a variety of mobility requirements in various tourism and economic development programs.Both projects have been financed by Exim Bank these projects under its NEIA scheme that supports project exports from India. (autocarpro.in)

• The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport AT has been launched in India at INR 23.55 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). (indianautoblogs.com)

• Pierre Terblanche, who is hailed as one of the best motorcycle designers of the modern generation, has recently joined Royal Enfield. Originally from South Africa, Pierre had almost 10 years of experience at Cagiva, the Italian biking conglomerate. There he was under the tutelage of the legendary Massimo Tamburini, who is often termed as the person behind the renaissance of MV Augusta. (cartrade.com)

• Premium audio and infotainment solutions company, Harman today officially inaugurated its first manufacturing facility in India, based in Chakan, near Pune. The plant, which has set up one assembly line in its initial phase, can produce up to 100,000 units per annum. The products rolled out from this assembly line will cater to Tata Motors, Fiat Auto India and Volkswagen India. According to company officials, the plant, with a built-up area spread across 35,000 square feet  can house four assembly lines and can produce up to 400,000 units per annum while operating at its full capacity. The officials did not disclose the total investments made by the firm in setting up the said plant. (autocarpro.in)

• Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is recalling 119 units of its sedan Camry, manufactured between March and July 2011 in Japan and sold in India, to rectify a defect in front suspension.The move is part of a global recall of 1.7 lakh Camry models by Japanese parent Toyota Motor Corp, the world’s biggest car manufacturer.(financialexpress.com)

• Globally renowned carmaker Ford has been known to deliver cars laden with modern high-end technology. To encourage a team of young talented and skilled professionals in India, Ford has collaborated with ITI Bangalore to launch its second Automotive Student Service Educational Training (ASSET) centre in Bangalore. (cartrade.com)

• In order to improve its sales in the country, Renault India has announced an interesting offer on its slow selling Pulse hatchback and Scala sedan. The French automaker is now selling the diesel variants of the Pulse and Scala at the price of their respective petrol versions.As part of the limited period year-end stock clearance offer, Renault is offering Scala RxL diesel variant at a lucrative price of Rs. 8.01 lakh. Adding to it, the company is also giving a 2 years extended warranty and 4 years of free roadside assistance with the car. (cartrade.com)

Automotive updates - 11th and 12th November 2014

• The United States-headquartered conformal coating giant Humiseal is looking to set up its manufacturing unit in India soon. The conformal coatings produced by Humiseal are used to protect automotive electronic assemblies. Conformal coating material is applied to electronic circuitry to act as protection against moisture, dust, humidity, damage caused by insects, chemicals, and temperature extremes that, if uncoated (non-protected), could result in damage or failure of the electronics to function. (autocarpro.in)

• Honda Cars India has started facing the heat from rivals as evident from the sales figures for the month of October 2014. The Honda Amaze has been overtaken by the new Tata Zest compact sedan during October.The Amaze managed to clock 3,482 units last month as against the Tata Zest’s 3,524 units. The Tata sedan edged past with a narrow margin of 42 units. However, the Maruti Swift Dzire with a staggering volume of 17,950 units continues to dominate the sub-4 metre sedan segment and the Hyundai Xcent finished second with 4,629 units. The Swift Dzire outsold the competition put together!(indianautoblogs.com)

• Honda India has announced that it will soon add a second production shift at its Tapukara facility in Rajasthan. Now this will only serve as good news to those who have been looking to buy the company’s popular C-segment sedan – the City. From mid-November onwards, the additional shift will boost the plant’s annual capacity to 1.2 lakh units. Speaking of which, the Tapukara facility is spread across 450 acres and features a vehicle assembly line, a diesel engine component production line and a forging plant.(carwale.com)

• TVS Motor Company has been one of the oldest brand among two-wheeler makers in the country. The bikemaker has been reportedly planning on investing about Rs. 150 Crore for a new engine plant in Himachal Pradesh. This would be a second investment made by the company in this state. The company is currently in talks with the local government for a 50 acre land. Speaking more on the occasion, R Ramakrishnan, TVS Motor Company Ltd Director, said, “The new facility will be the company’s second manufacturing plant in the state. We started off our operations in Himachal Pradesh in 2007 with a plant in Nalagarh in Solan district. Our company is very satisfied with the performance of the plants there and the co-operation given by the government.”(cartrade.com)

• Fiat Group-owned automotive component manufacturer, Magneti Marelli has suggested that its automated manual transmission (AMT) technology is likely to be used in 30% of the cars sold in India by 2020. At present, only 1-2% of the total passenger vehicles have the system.At present, Magneti Marelli produces AMT kits in Italy and imports them as CBUs. The demand for units has been so great that the company is setting up a manufacturing facility at Manesar in the state of Haryana. The company could also use this facility to supply AMT kits to Japan and ASEAN countries.(autocarpro.in)

• Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is recalling 119 units of its sedan Camry, manufactured between March and July 2011 in Japan and sold in India, to rectify a defect in front suspension.The move is part of a global recall of 1.7 lakh Camry models by Japanese parent Toyota Motor Corp, the world’s biggest car manufacturer.(financeexpress.com)

• Bajaj is gearing up for back-to-back launches in the upcoming year. Among these new models, there are speculations that one will be an upgraded Platina, which is expected to be launched somewhere around early 2015. The Platina segment of motorcycles were somewhat overshadowed by the Pulsar and Discover ranges of motorcycles. Bajaj will hope that the series of Platina will be revived with this new-generation model in 2015.(cartrade.com)

•  Auto majors Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra today announced price increases in the range of 1-2 per cent citing higher input costs.Mahindra & Mahindra raised prices by up to Rs 11,500 (ex-showroom) of passenger, commercial vehicles and tractors, while Tata Motors has hiked prices of its commercial vehicles in the range of 1-2 per cent. (ETauto.com)

• UML, a 50-50 JV between American bikemaker UM Motorcycles and Lohia Auto Industries, is planning to roll out mid-segment (300cc to 500cc) cruisers by Q2 CY2015. In an official communication today, the company release stated that “the cruiser bikes to be launched will have engine capacities in the range of 300cc to 500cc as against the 200cc to 230cc that was announced previously. The company plans to start with about 50 dealers in the first phase in the first year (CY2015), which will mostly cover all metro cities.” (autocarpro.in)

• Indian car major Maruti Suzuki is trying to boost the sales of its hatchback, the Ritz. In one such strategy, the carmaker has introduced a limited edition of the Ritz named the Ritz Elate. Customers can also save upto Rs 65,000 by buying the new limited edition Ritz Elate. What to expect on this limited edition model? Well, it will only be cosmetic upgrade while mechanically the car will remain the same.(motoroids.com)

• ndian Railways have been transporting cars since quite some time now, but all these were either through Railway's investment or by disjoined private investment. Now, Railways have begun transporting cars by freight trains in association with the private sector as a result of the newly framed policy by the Indian Railways.The first freight train carrying 280 finished vehicles has been flagged off by Union Railway Minister - D V Sadananda Gowda from Melpakkam near Arakonam, Chennai to the multi-modal logistics park of Container Corporation of India at Khatuwas near Delhi.(teambhp.com)

Automotive Update - 10th November 2014

•  India's car sales are set to fall below the earlier growth target for FY15 set by theSociety of Indian Automobile Manufacturers(SIAM). Car sales growth this fiscal year is likely to be below 5 per cent, Sugato Sen, deputy director-general, SIAM, told reporters on Monday. In August, the industry body said it expected domestic car sales to grow between 5 and 10 per cent, helped by an improved sentiment after the Narendra Modi government took office in May following a victory in the general elections. (ETauto.com)

• According to a latest report, 30 per cent of the cars sold in India will be equipped with AMT (automated manual transmission). Currently, only one to two per cent of passenger cars sold in India are AMT cars.It was at the start of this year when Maruti Suzuki launched the Celerio with the AMT gearbox, making it the first car to be equipped with AMT. It was followed by Tata's new compact sedan, the Zest, and the recent launch of the facelifted Maruti Suzuki Alto K10. Both the cars are also available with the AMT technology, the latter, at present, being the most affordable AMT car in the country .(carwale.com)

• Hindustan Motors Ltd (HM) has announced a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for all 2,200-odd permanent workers at its Uttarpara factory near Kolkata and communicated its offer in an unprecedented manner, by posting a notice at the gate of its now moth-balled production facility for the Ambassador car. HM is offering as compensation Rs100,000 in cash plus statutory dues to each of its workers.(livemint.com)

image from livemint.com

• Magneti Marelli, the component arm of Italian carmaker Fiat SpA, is increasing its investments and level of commitment in India. As part of this expansion, it is setting up a new plant for lighting at Sanand in Gujarat to meet the requirements of two important customers – Maruti Suzuki and Ford India – which are in the process of establishing their manufacturing footprint in the state. “This is the first time that we are entering Gujarat as Magneti Marelli does not have a presence in the state so far. We will cater to carmakers who are establishing their plants there for instance Maruti Suzuki, and also Ford which will have a significant four-wheeler presence in the state,” Saju Mookken, country manager of Magneti Marelli India (MMI), told Autocar Professional in an exclusive interview. (Autocarpro.in)

• Italian performance car manufacturers, Ferrari and Maserati (both owned by Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles although Ferrari will be spun off) will re-enter India next year, reports the Economic Times. Maserati is currently in the process of appointing an eight-member team to run its national sales company, after which it will decide on dealerships, and hopefully start operations by the second half of 2015.Ferrari on the other hand will manage its Indian operations from Dubai. According to the publication, a “high-level” team from the company came to India last month to finalize its dealer partners.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Churning up a profitable year in India with the stupendous success of the Maruti Suzuki Celerio AMT, Fiat owned Magneti Marelli is eyeing the country as one of its critical markets and also plans to offer a range of other mobility solutions to various manufacturers. In a recent interview, Saju Mookken, Managing Director and Country Manager, Magneti Marelli India confirmed that the Italian company will introduce its low-cost fuel injection technology for two-wheelers that will debut in Hero MotoCorp’s range of two-wheelers.Mr. Sokken stated that the affordable Magneti Marelli fuel injection technology will be available on a Hero motorcycle that will be ready by early 2015.(motorbeam.com)

• Amtek Global Technologies, a unit of Amtek Auto, has secured a long-term loan of 235 million euro (over Rs 1,800 crore) from global investment firmKohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), to replace its existing short- term loan. As part of the definitive agreement inked between the two firms, KKR will provideAmtek Global Technologies (AGT) 235 million euro of long-term, flexible financing to replace its existing bridge loan and consolidate all of the company's existing debt. (ETauto.com)

• Travelling almost 24,000 kms in 54 days, Honda Amaze has now found itself a place in the famous Guinness World Records books for making the ‘Longest journey by a car in a single country’.(rushlane.com)

Automotive Updates - 8th and 9th November 2014

• Japanese auto majorHonda is looking to rev up sales of high performance bikes in the Indian market with plans to assemble them in India and sell at an affordable price. The company's two-wheeler Indian arm Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) will start the programme with its CBR 650 model that will be launched in the first half of the next year. At present in the high-end category, HMSIsells only imported motorcycles with price ranging from Rs 14 lakh to Rs 31 lakh. It is seeking to tap the performance segment at affordable range by offering its upcoming model CBR650 at less than Rs 10 lakh. (ETauto.com)

• The Economic Times reports that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is working on a plan to make ABS (Anti-lock braking system) compulsory for two-wheelers in a bid to reduce the number of accidents on the road, and to increase their stability under braking.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Maruti Suzuki is set to enter the commercial vehicle scene with a light commercial vehicle (codenamed Y9T). The truck has been spotted testing on our roads and at the company’s plant before. Now it has been spied with an enclosed loading bay. The Y9T is likely to be based on the Suzuki Carry, which is sold in global. Maruti is expected to use parts from its other budget offerings parts in the Y9T to keep its costs in check.(team-bhp.com)

image from maotorbeam.com

• Japanese auto giant Honda Cars India is quite optimistic about its sales performance as it expects sales from the North-East to grow by a massive 50 per cent in the financial year 2015. A strong demand for petrol-powered cars in the region has prompted Honda to set the rather ambitious target.  "The market in North-East holds a lot of potential for growth of Honda Cars. We are expecting about 50 per cent sales growth in this region during 2014-15," HCIL Senior Vice-President (Marketing and Sales), Jnaneswar Sen has been reported saying. (carwale.com)

• Hinduja Group flagship company Ashok Leyland has put its foreign subsidiary Albonair GmbH on the block as a part of its strategy to reduce debt.Albonair GmbH, with headquarters in Dortmund (Germany), has developed complete solution for selective catalytic reduction and urea dosing system conforming to Euro 4,5 and 6 six emission standards for commercial as well as passenger vehicles. (ETauto.com)

• In what could be a significant step ahead for the Indian two wheeler industry, auto component leader Bosch has announced that it has developed an affordable and robust engine management system that is aimed at making low-cost two wheelers in the Asian markets including India more intelligent and efficient. In stark contrast to the European two wheeler market which is dominated by sportsbikes, Asian markets are populated by sub-250 cc scooters and motorcycles which are used as means of transportation. A vast majority of these commuters run on IC engines with carburetors and hence provide massive room for improvements when it comes to efficiency and emissions. (indianautoblogs.com)

• A racing car, developed by Swiss students, has broken the previous world record for electric cars, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 1.79 seconds.The new acceleration record was set by students from ETH Zurich and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, who also designed and built the vehicle.The ‘grimsel’ electric car smashed the previous world record when it accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in just 1.785 seconds.The previous record of 2.134 seconds was held by an electric car built by Delft University of Technology.(financialexpress.com)

• The Honda City has had a tremendous run in the C2 segment since its launch in January this year. However, to accomodate the Mobilio MPV, which joined the Honda line-up in July, the company decided to move the production of the car from its Greater Noida facility to its new plant at Tapukara in the state of Rajasthan. This resulted in City deliveries being halted for a while and long waiting periods for the car. The City went on to lose its position as segment leader to the recently launched Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. In October Honda sold 5,120 units of the City compared to 6,345 units of the Ciaz.Honda has responded by adding a second shift at the Tapukara plant. With this step, the company intends to reduce the waiting period for the City. Honda claims that it will also see full capacity utilization of Tapukara plant. (team-bhp.com)

Automotive Updates - 7th November 2014

• The Rolls Royce Ghost Series II was launched in India today at a price of INR 4.5 crores, ex-Showroom, Mumbai. Exterior changes are reserved to redesigned LED headlights, a tweaked front bumper, chrome inserts in the air intakes and new alloy wheel patterns.Inside, the Ghost features two new wood veneers, an upgraded infotainment system with on-board WiFi and a high resolution 10.2-inch display with an upgraded touchpad controller. An optional Bespoke audio system can also be ordered.(indianautoblogs.com)

•  Bain Capital raised $400 million by selling a nearly 4 per cent stake in India'sHero MotoCorp , or about double its initial target, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Bain Capital sold 8.55 million shares, or nearly a 4 per cent stake, in India's biggest maker of motorcycle and scooters, the sources said, declining to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media. (ETauto.com)

• Daihatsu could develop low-cost models with India as the prime target market.Reuters reports that Toyota’s Executive Vice President Yasumori Ihara has asked Daihatsu’s management earlier this year to help develop affordable small cars suitable for the Indian market. While the Japanese stalwart dominates the family MPV and 7-seat SUV segments in India with the Innova and Fortuner respectively, performance in segments below is not up to the mark. The sales of the Etios twins, which received minor updates recently, have been dwindling over the years. (indianautoblogs.com)

• Suzuki Inazuma has not been able to catapult the company’s rankings in the quarter-litre motorcycle segment of the Indian two-wheeler market. A hefty price tag and old-school design did not attract many customers. And now, there is a very good possibility that the Japanese two-wheeler major may be planning to pull out the product from the Indian market. Why? To begin with, Suzuki has taken off the Inazuma from its official India website.(motoroids.com)

• In a surprise revelation, the much-hyped ‘Honda City’ has just been dethroned by the understated Maruti Suzuki Ciaz as per the monthly sales data. And it has apparently succeeded in filling the vacuum that SX4 and Baleno were not able to.Maruti Suzuki has retailed 6,345 units of Ciaz in the month of October while Honda managed to sell 5,120 units of City. This has also brought an end to the massive uncertainty Maruti was undergoing for quite some time in this segment.(financialexpress.com)

• Honda has doubled the production capacity of its Tapukara manufacturing unit in Rajasthan. The company has been facing production issue, which leads to an increase in waiting period of some of its products. Now, the production unit can produce up to 10,000 units from previous 5,000 units to reduce waiting period of its best selling mid-sized sedan- the City.(cartrade.com)

•  Commercial vehicle makerAshok Leyland is taking the help of investment bankers and talking to potential buyers to sell off - or sell a stake in - its German subsidiaryAlbonair GmbH and Prague-basedAvia Ashok Leyland Motors. Albonair specialises in emission treatment systems and Avia is a truck-making unit. (ETauto.com)

• Volkswagen India has silently discontinued the Touareg mid-size luxury SUV in the country owing to poor sales. While the German automaker’s compatriot Mercedes, BMW and Audi are doing consistently well in the same segment, the Touareg failed to garner much attention despite being a very capable SUV in the segment. One of the main reasons cited for the low sales has been brand Volkswagen itself. Even though it is positioned as a premium brand, the German automaker does not command the same snob value as a Mercedes or an Audi would with the M-Class or the Q5 respectively.(motorbeam.com)

Automotive Updates - 6th Nov. 2014

• Crash test results from Global NCAP in Delhi this week reveal Nissan’s Datsun Go received a zero-star safety rating. Datsun Go structure collapsed and was rated unstable when testing. Crash test dummies saw high forces placed on them, giving reason to believe grave risk of death or serious injury. Datsun Go small car body shell’s unstable finding deems it pointless to include airbags in the car, which means even adding safety features would not have a safe effect.(rushlane.com)

• Poly Plastics Auto Components has opened a new facility in Chennai at an investment of Rs 20 crore. The plant is located in the Nissan supplier park, near Oragadam. In the first phase, the plant will produce injection moulded parts including wheel rims covers for both Renault and Nissan. Poly Plastics is one of the biggest suppliers of car decorative parts including emblem monograms, grills, garnishes, wheel rim covers and wheel caps, fohg lamps door handles and ash trays, body side mouldings and moulded parts. Kapil Gupta, joint managing director, said, “In the first phase, the plant will make wheel covers, injection moulded parts and other decorative parts for the cars for Renault and Nissan. We can expand the plant three times the current size and subsequently will add more products and customers.” (autocarpro.in)

• US private investment firmBain Capital is selling $200 million worth of shares in Hero MotoCorp Ltd, with an option to sell more, according to a term sheet seen by Reuters. Bain Capital is selling nearly 4.3 million shares in India's biggest maker of motorcycles and scooters at a price range Rs 2,859.58 to Rs 2,963.30, the term sheet showed. (ETauto.com)

• Harman, a premium audio and infotainment solutions company is all set to commence the production operations at its Chakan facility. According to sources closely associated with the development, the company is expected to start manufacturing the passenger vehicle-specific audio systems by mid-November 2014. It can be recalled that nearly two years back, Harman, a US-based company (2013 net sales: USD 4.3 billion), had announced its plans of investing USD 10 million in the first phase to setup a production plant in Chakan. The planned production plant, which is expected to have an annual production capacity of 400,000 car sets, will tap the OEMs based in and around the Pune automotive belt. (autocarpro.in)

• Country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) is investing up to Rs 4,000 crore in the next 2-3 years in key areas like product development, R&D and marketing infrastructure, a senior MSIL official said on Tuesday. MSIL would also focus more on bringing out models with auto gear shift technology, going forward, executive director- engineering, CV Raman said."Currently Rs 4,000 crore worth of investments are going into research and development, product development and marketing infrastructure over period of two to three years (including the current year).(businesstoday.in)

•  Premium luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce will launch the Ghost Series II, in India,on November 7. The Ghost got a few changes in 2012; however the Series II gets more subtle changes to the exterior and interior also a few additions to the options list.(carwale.com)

• Stating that car makers in India meet the country’s safety norms,auto industry body SIAM today defended Maruti Suzuki and Nissan, which had failed crash tests conducted by Global NCAP on their Swift and Datsun GO models respectively.Lashing out at Global NCAP, an umbrella body of consumer car safety testing bodies, for “scaremongering”, SIAM Director General Vishnu Mathur said: “Every country has its own safety requirements. Our cars are meeting safety norms set by the government.”(finanacialexpress.com)

• Chennai-based Rajsriya Automotive Industries, a tier-I supplier of sheet metal pressed parts is opening a new plant in Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh in January in order to be at a location close to its largest customers, TVS Motor Company. The Himachal Pradesh plant will supply products to TVS’s existing product in the initial phase. “We bought the land four  years ago and have just finished the construction and supply will start soon”, said P S Govindachari, managing director, Rajsriya Automotive Industries.   To cater to Chennai-based customers, the company recently opened a new integrated powder coating plant within its existing facility at Sriperumpudur. Both the plants together involve an investment of Rs 30 crore. (autocarpro.in)

•  

Automotive Updates - 5th Nov. 2014

• Stating that car makers in India meet the country’s safety norms,auto industry body SIAM today defended Maruti Suzuki and Nissan, which had failed crash tests conducted by Global NCAP on their Swift and Datsun GO models respectively.Lashing out at Global NCAP, an umbrella body of consumer car safety testing bodies, for “scaremongering”, SIAM Director General Vishnu Mathur said: “Every country has its own safety requirements. Our cars are meeting safety norms set by the government.”(financialexpress.com)

• The famous Japanese automobile manufacturer, Yamaha, has been working on the low budgeted bike under the name, Project INDRA (Innovative and New Development based on Responsible Analysis).The company has employed many dedicated Japanese employees to engineer this easy-to-pocket bike.It has been planned that the manufacturing of this bike will start in the upcoming 180 acres Chennai plant, out of which, 60 acres is proposed to be kept aside for these 8 Japanese vendors who are helping in designing this bike. A confirmed feature about this bike is the installation of KYB suspension.(cartrade.com)

• Mahindra Ugine and Mahindra CIEAuto jumped 20 per cent each on Monday — the highest possible trading limit of the day — after the Bombay High Court approved their merger and other subsidiary companies. Mahindra CIE Automotive surged to Rs 218.75 and Mahindra Ugine closed at Rs 558.30 on Monday. The swap ratio for the merger is 2.84. This means Mahindra Ugine shareholders will get 284 Mahindra CIE shares for every 100 Mahindra Ugine shares. (ETauto.com)

• With orders for 10 city buses, the Thane Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra joins 15 other Indian cities that have inducted the Volvo 8400 city bus into their fleets. According to Volvo Buses, orders have also been received from the Mira-Bhayandar municipal Corporation, the  Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation and the Assam State Transport Corporation for its city bus. Besides these, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has placed a repeat order for the 8400. (Autocarpro.in)

• There were reports about Renault working on a new budget hatchback to slot under the Pulse. The French carmaker has codenamed this project XBA and is also developing a new 800cc motor to be used in it which will make its debut with this car. This engine might use a twin-cam set-up and will breathe through four-valves per cylinder. Although, Renault is tight-lipped about this development, in all probabilities it might be a three-pot motor. The engine is being designed to strike a right balance between efficiency and power. (carwale.com)

• Hero MotoCorp Ltd (HMCL) has announced its plans to enter European markets by end-2015. The company made this announcement at one of the biggest event for two-wheelers at Milan in Italy organised by EICMA, the marketing body of Italy's National Association of Bicycles, Motorcycles and Accessories (ANCMA).  In the first phase of its European foray, HMCL will launch its products in Italy, Spain and France followed by the UK and Germany in the second phase. The company will launch its first serial-hybrid scooter Leap in these markets, and subsequently bring more models including scooters and motorcycles.  (autocarpro.in)

• Recently conducted crash tests by Global NCAP on popular Indian hatchbacks have revealed that they fare badly in the case of an impact when it comes to driver and passenger safety. It's not just the lack of the safety features such as airbags and anti-lock brakes that is the cause of their failure, but the structures of most of the models tested have even been termed as unstable. The Government of India however, seems to be on the path to making cars safer in the future.(teambhp.com)

• Daimler has announced that its Mercedes-AMG division has acquired 25 per cent stake in the Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta. Both the companies have also signed a cooperation agreement on a long-term partnership. Neither of them has disclosed the transaction amount but the rumours suggest that the deal stood at €30 million. The deal will be finalised towards the end of next month and Mercedes-AMG has announced that they will appoint one member to MV Agusta's board of directors. (carwale.com)

• 
  

Automotive Updates - 4th Nov. 2014

• Maruti Suzuki has launched the new Alto K10 starting at Rs 3.06 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The new Alto K10 gets styling as well as mechanical updates in its new avatar. At Rs 3.80 lakh, the Alto K10 is the most inexpensive automatic car to be sold in India.As a part of its styling upgrades, the Alto K10 now gets new bigger headlamps, a new two-piece grille with a chrome strip at the upper part and a big Suzuki logo.(carwale.com)

• The popular hatchback Maruti Swift and the entry level hatch Datsun Go have both failed the latest rounds of the Global New Car Assessment Program (Global NCAP) crash tests. The Global NCAP results are indicative of how safe a car is on the road, and in the event of a crash. To get certified, the car in question must have airbags and Anti-lock Braking System at the very least. (autocarpro.in)

• Under a project code-named INDRA, abbreviating for Innovative and New Development based on Responsible Analysis, Yamaha is working on a new low-cost bike for the Indian market. The bike is said to be available under Rs. 30,000 by 2017.The catchy price and the company’s reputable sheet tends to make this a great deal, but one will have to wait for a long time to witness the launch of this bike. This Japanese automaker’s Indian R&D team is working in collaboration with its Japanese counterpart.(cartrade.com)

• Tyre manufacturer Yokohama Rubber Company has inaugurated its first manufacturing facility in Bahadurgarh, Haryana. This is the Japanese manufacturer’s first plant in India. On the occasion, the company also launched a new range of tyres, the Yokohama Earth -1.( indianautoblogs.com)

image from autocarpro.in

• AG Industries, a leading manufacturer of plastic auto components and injection moulded parts to OEMs such as Hero MotoCorp, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Escorts and many others, is betting big on the increasing role of plastics in automobiles and has chalked out aggressive growth plans in the near future. With plans of growing at 20 percent during the ongoing financial year, this Rs 1000 crore company (2013-14 turnover) is aiming for a targeted turnover of Rs 1200 crore for FY2014-15 on the back of diversifying into the four-wheeler segment. It is to be noted that this company, which was established in 1993, has been primarily engaged in developing and supplying plastic parts to the two wheeler industry. (autocarpro.in)

• Pune-based RSB Transmissions has signed a Technical Assistance Agreement with Jidosha Buhin Kogyo, Japan to manufacture and sell propeller shafts for SCV/SUV/LCV segment for the domestic and export market. SK Behera, vice-chairman & MD, RSB Transmissions said, "This venture will further boost market growth of propeller shaft for RSB in SCV/ SUV/LCV segment pan India and overseas. RSB propeller shafts already have a majority domestic market share and this collaboration will give us a technological edge to make further inroads into hitherto untapped markets."(ETauto.com)

• Mercedes-Benz India has officially confirmed that the 2015 C-Class will be launched in the country on the 25th of this month. The car was launched in the European and American markets a couple of months back and we won’t have to wait until next year to get it.(motoroids.com)

•  Volvo Construction Equipment has appointed Dimitrov Krishnan as Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Volvo CE, India, as of October 15, 2014. As the new head of Volvo CE's sales and service in India, Dimitrov Krishnan will be responsible to further strengthen Volvo's leading positions in the premium segment of India's construction equipment industry. (ETauto.com)

• Maruti first launched the AMT – Automated Manual Transmission technology in the Celerio, at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo earlier this year. At launch, they had expected about 25% of the total sales to come from AMT variant. But to their surprise, almost 50% of the Celerio sales were of AMT model. This opened a golden gate for Maruti Suzuki India, leader in small cars.(rushlane.com) 

Automobile Sales - October 2014 - INDIA