Automotive Updates - 06th October 2014

• Maruti Suzuki India, the country's top car maker, on Monday launched its first new sedan car in seven years. Maruti has priced the new Ciaz sedan at a price range of Rs 6.99 lakh-9.80 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).While the petrol variant pf Maruti Ciaz is priced between Rs 6.99 lakh to Rs 9.34 lakh, the diesel variant will sell for Rs 8.04 lakh to Rs. 9.80 lakh.Maruti aims take a second stab to break into a segment where it has had little success previously. Maruti Suzuki's previous car in this segment, SX4 sedan - launched in 2007 - has faced tough competition from rivals.

• Mahindra Two Wheelers, the two-wheeler arm of Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), is set to become a co-owner of Peugeot’s scooter business. An announcement to this effect is likely to be made later this week. According to sources, the Indian company is set to acquire a majority stake in the business with an option of having full ownership later. It may be noted that M&M entered the two-wheeler industry with a similar step. It acquired an 80 percent stake in the Pune-based Kinetic Motor Company. (Autocarpro.in)

• Tata Motors’ flagship product, the Aria, has been a slow seller for the company. In a bid to make the car seem more attractive, the company introduced a revised version of the Aria in May this year. And now, to further push sales of the people carrier, Tata is offering a price cut of INR 1 lakh on the Aria. The base LX 4×2 variant which had a starting price of INR 9.95 lakhs, now carries a price of INR 8.95 lakhs.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Suzuki is developing a small capacity 800cc engine and it has been reported on several occasions. Now, it seems like the Japanese company is developing a new four-cylinder 1.5-litre diesel engine for the Indian market.The new engine might be built on two capacities - 1.5-litre and a 1.6-litre. The 1.5-litre derivative is mainly targeted at India to avail of the tax benefits, whereas the 1.6-litre engine will be for Europe. (carwale.com)

• After witnessing one of the longest spells of slowdown, the medium and heavy commercial vehicles (MHCV) segment has now started showing some canonical signs of a turnaround. Over the past five months, the segment has been witnessing improvement in fleet utilisation, freight rates and resale price; all of them considered to be indicators of a recovery.Volumes for heavy trucks - having capacity of more than 16 tonnes - grew more than 18% between April and August. Truck manufactures cite fleet-replacement demand for the trend and are confident that the industry won't witness yet another year of falling sales, which would have been the third in a row.(ETauto.com)

• Arun Malhotra, who has quit from his role as head of international sales and marketing at Mahindra & Mahindra, may join Nissan Motor India. Sources say Malhotra may join Nissan Motor India as its managing director. The move reflects Nissan’s strategy to build a strong team to take care of its sales and marketing operations. The Japanese OEM had earlier outsourced the distribution, sales and marketing operations of Nissan vehicles to Hover Automotive India. The partnership was called off in February this year. (Autocarpro.in)

• The Government is taking positive steps towards improving road safety and traffic discipline in India. In the upcoming winter session, the new Government is about to introduce a new Road Transport and Safety bill, which proposes much needed changes in the archaic Motor Vehicles Act followed in India. If the new bill is passed in the parliament without any hiccups, driving an uninsured vehicle may cost you dear. According to the new bill, If a motorcyclist is caught riding without an insurance policy, the penalty will be Rs 10,000 while owners of light motor vehicles and auto-rickshaws will have to cough up Rs 25,000. (motorids.com)

• Japanese car manufacturer, Honda has unveiled the new Jazz, CR-V facelift and HR-V compact crossover at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. Out of the three vehicles, the company will launch new Jazz and CR-V facelift in the Indian car market next year. Honda is also contemplating a compact SUV for India, but the company hasn't revealed the name of the product.(cartrade.com)

Automotive Updates - 4th and 5th October 2014

• The 197-billion Volkswagen Group, the automobile manufacturer with 12 brands, including Audi, Lamborghini and Porsche, will open an IT development centre in Pune next month as it takes steps to secure critical technical knowledge, quicken in-house processes and cut down dependence on outsourcing. ET learns that the regional competency centre is expected to house over 1,000 engineersover the next three to four years. Milan Kumar will head the centre in India, which will provide IT support to all its companies across the world by leveraging the talent available in the country.(ETauto.com)

• In a recent statement, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali said that the Italian motorcycle marquee will make an official comeback to India in the first half of 2015 with the all new Scrambler motorcycle as part of its range of offerings for the country. To be produced at the company’s manufacturing facility in Thailand, the Ducati Scrambler is expected to be available at a price of Rs. 9 lakhs and will be positioned above the Monster 795 in the company’s lineup.(motorbeam.com)

• Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd (M&M), India’s largest utility vehicle and tractor maker, plans to reduce its supplier base by 10% each year over the next five years, bringing down the total number of suppliers from the current 650 to 450, Hemant Sikka, the company’s chief purchasing officer (automotive and farm equipment sectors), said in an interview last week. Meanwhile, following the integration of the two-wheeler and truck business into the parent company in the last one-and-half years, M&M has centralized purchasing of parts across two-wheelers, commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles and tractors.(livemint.com)

• Japanese auto major Nissan will drive in its second model from the Datsun portfolio, a multi- purpose vehicle Go+, in the first part of next year in India as part plans to enhance its presence here.The company is looking to increase sales of both Nissan and Datsun branded vehicles in India to meet its target of capturing 8 per cent market share in the country. (ETauto.com)

• The Maruti Ciaz will be offered in petrol and diesel engine options and currently comes with a waiting period of 2-4 months on the base and mid-range models and 4-5 months on the top-end petrol automatic and diesel models. Maruti Suzuki has definitely stirred up the right spirits with the Ciaz sedan across the country. Making a big comeback to the premium space after the debacle known as the SX4, the company has received a positive response for the Ciaz garnering 6000+ bookings.(motorbeam.com)       

• Daimler has struck a cooperation deal with Nissan Motor Co. on transporter vans, deepening a strategic alliance between the German and Japanese automakers.Nissan will supply Daimler's Japanese commercial vehicles unit Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (MFTBC) with a transporter van to be sold under the Fuso brand in key export markets, the companies said on Friday. (ETauto.com)

• Benelli could make it to India later this year with a choice of products ranging from 300cc going up to 1131cc. They have some real drool-worthy products in their arsenal. DSK Motowheels best known for handling the South Korean motorcycle maker Hyosung in India, plans to bring another international motorcycle brand in the country. With news coming in from the 2014 Intermot Motorcycle Show held in Germany, it is believed that DSK is currently in talks with iconic Italian motorcycle maker Benelli for bringing its range of motorcycles to India.

• AGC Automotive Europe, member of the world-leading glassmaker AGC, has announced that its light control glass Wonderlite has been selected for the Magic Sky Control panoramic glass roof available as an option for the new Mercedes-Benz S-class Coupé, which was released on the European and North American markets on September 27, 2014. (autocarpro.in)

• Travelling in a three-wheeled autorickshaw may soon become "outdated" in Delhi with four-wheeled autorickshaws making a entry in the national capital. We have introduced four-wheeled autorickshaws in the national capital. For the trial run, we have given three-four permits for operation of such four-wheeled autorickshaws. The new rickshaw will be a three-seater like the three-wheeled autorickshaw," said a senior official of the transport department.(ETauto.com)

Automotive Updates - 3rd October 2014

• French auto major Renault plans to enter new verticals, including used car business in India next year, besides launching two new models, to make its presence felt in the market which it sees as "the biggest challenge".The company, which is targeting a market share of over 5 per cent in India, is also leveraging on its 4,500 strong R&D Centre in Chennai to come up with products which are "right for the country".(financial express)

• Leading auto-components manufacturer Minda Industries, will partner Japanese multi-national Panasonic for manufacturing automotive batteries in India.The 60:40 joint venture between Panasonic and Minda Industries, is being set up to make batteries and cater to OEMs and as an aftermarket supplier for two-wheeler and passenger vehicle segment.(ETauto.com)

• Daimler and Renault-Nissan said on Friday they would extend a manufacturing alliance to include engines and gearboxes.In a joint press release, Daimler and Renault said the partnership would include an agreement for Renault to supply Daimler with a 1.5 litre four cylinder diesel engine for use in its Mercedes-Benz C-Class.Mercedes in turn will supply its 2 litre four cylinder gasoline engine for use by Nissan's premium brand Infiniti.Nissan has been granted a licence to make Daimler's 9-speed automatic transmission for use in Infiniti vehicles.(financial express)

• Mercedes-Benz has no plans to increase its stake in Aston Martin at present, according to Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche. The two car companies forged a technical partnership last year that resulted in Daimler owning five percent of non-voting shares in Aston Martin. Speaking at the Paris Motor Show, Zetsche said the current five percent stake Mercedes has in Aston is ideal because it “would not be in Aston’s interests to be incorporated into a big corporate organisation, as it would include risk”. (Autocarpro.in)

• US auto giant General Motors on Friday urgently halted deliveries of two 2015 flagship model pickup trucks after discovering a fault in their airbag safety system. The firm is contacting a “small” number of customers who already bought the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado or the GMC Canyon to urge them to bring the cars in for repair as soon as possible.(livemint.com)

•  Foreign investors have been allowed by the RBI to buy up to 45 per cent of the paid-up equity capital in Apollo Tyres."Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs)/Registered Foreign Portfolios Investors (RFPIs), through primary market and stock exchanges, can now purchase up to 45 per cent of the paid-up capital ofApollo Tyres Limited under the Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS)," RBI said in a notification.(ETauto.com)

• Hyundai has showcased two new turbocharged petrol direct injected (T-GDI) engines at the Paris Motor Show including a 1.0-litre triple that will be installed in the new i20 next year. The engines are 1.0-litre and 1.4-litre units which are part of a new generation of engines from the Korean company's Kappa family. The smaller unit is a 998cc triple that's based on Hyundai's existing Kappa 1.0-litre MPI engine, albeit with various enhancements and new technologies, including direct petrol injection and a small, single-scroll turbocharger. Developed at Hyundai's European Technical Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany, can be tuned to produce up to 118bhp and 127lb ft of torque. (Autocarpro.in)

• Setco Automotive's foray into theaftermarket business has helped the clutch supplier offset the loss of revenue from medium and heavy commercial vehicle, or MHCV, makers in one of the longest spells of slowdown in the industry over the past decade.The component maker is the largest clutch supplier to MHCV makers, accounting for 100% requirement of automakers such as Tata Motors, Eicher Volvo and AMW, and nearly 65% of Ashok Leyland's requirement.(ETauto.com)

Automotive Updates - 1st and 2nd October 2014

• Magna International Inc has announced that one of its subsidiaries has signed an agreement to acquire the Techform Group of Companies, an automotive supplier of hinges, door locking rods and other closure products.  The acquisition combines Techform's product technology and processing expertise with Magna Closures' system integration, global footprint and world class manufacturing capabilities. On completion of the transaction, Magna will acquire Techform's facilities located in Penetanguishene, Ontario; Portland, Tennessee; and Hefei, Anhui China. (Autocarpro.in)

• Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMS) fourth manufacturing unit in India is all set to come up in Gujarat. After establishing facilities in Manesar (Haryana), Tapukara (Rajasthan) and Narsapura (Karnataka), this will be their fourth plant in the country. Situated close to Maruti Suzuki plant, HMSI plant in Gujarat will have manufacturing capacities of 1.2 million two wheelers (scooters + motorcycles) per annum. (rushlane.com)

• Maruti Suzuki has recalled 69,555 vehicles due to a potential faulty wiring issue, making it one of their biggest recalls in the country.This recall exercise has been called for around 55,938 units of the old Swift Dzire, 12,486 units of the old Swift and 1,131 units of the Ritz manufactured between March 8, 2010 and August 11, 2013.The company said that this exercise is limited to vehicles within the above specified range and does not pertain to any other vehicle of the company or its exports. (carwale.com)

• The Panasonic Corporation of Japan and the UNO Minda Group have entered into a joint venture to develop, manufacture and sell lead acid storage batteries in India. They will float a new joint venture company to address the growing market for lead acid storage batteries for two- and four-wheeler vehicles, some for mainly for the aftermarket and UPS in India leveraging the knowhow and technology from Panasonic while tapping the mutual customer base.( Autocarpro.in)

• Honda To Invest Rs. 1100 Crores In New Gujarat Two-Wheeler Plant, The new Gujarat plant will attract an investment of Rs. 1100 crores and will churn out 1.02 million two-wheelers every year from the facility.(motorbeam.com)

• Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) and its employees are contributing Rs 2 crore to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund in helping relief and rebuilding efforts for Jammu and Kashmir flood victims.(rushlane.com)

• Mahindra Two Wheelers will begin shipping its first global scooter – the 110cc Gusto – launched in Delhi today within 10 days. It has an introductory price of Rs 43,000 for the Dx variant and Rs 47,000 for the Vx version (all ex-showroom Delhi). The targeted export markets are Nepal, Sri Lanka, Latin America and Africa. The first lot of Gusto scooter exports will kick off with shipments of a few hundred units with total exports constituting 10-12 percent of total sales. (Autocarpro.in)

• Honeywell Aerospace (NYSE: HON) and Tata Power’s Strategic Engineering Division (SED) has signed a licensing agreement to produce Honeywell’s Tactical Advanced Land Inertial Navigator (TALIN) in India.(rushlane.com)

• Petronas has signed up with Maruti Suzuki (MSIL) as their Genuine Lubricant Partner to supply MGDO 5W40 for its diesel vehicles. As a Maruti Genuine Lubricant Partner, Petronas benefits through this partnership. Petronas now gets access to Maruti Suzuki’s sales and service, network in India, which stood at 3,100 service workshops in over 1,445 cities on last count. Petronas’ MGDO 5W40 is being supplied in Bazaar trade. Rest assured, Petronas stands to benefit from MSIL’s outreach owing to its large network in India. (rushlane.com)

• Honeywell Turbo Technologies, a leading developer of automotive turbochargers, sees great promise in the use of turbocharges over the next few years. Global Turbo Forecasts released by the company indicate that the industry will generate $12 billion (Rs 72,000 crores) by way of revenue with equipping 49 million vehicles with turbochargers by the year 2019. (rushlane.com)

Automotive Sales India - September 2014

This report have the details of  following category on the basis of result declared by respective organisation .

- Passenger Vehicle

- Two Wheeler

- Commercial Vehicle

- Tractors

- Three Wheeler

Automotive Updates - 30th September 2014

• Mercedes-Benz India launched its GLA entry-level crossover today. Based on the same platform as the A and B Class hatchbacks, the GLA rivals the likes of the Volvo V40 Cross Country, Audi Q3 and BMW X1. The GLA is available in two versions in India. (Indianautoblogs.com)

• Suprajit Engineering has acquired the speedo cable business from Coimbatore-based Pricol Ltd. In a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange, the company said it executed a business transfer agreement with Pricol for the acquisition on a slump sale basis. The business has annual sales of around Rs 10 crore with major OEMs and aftermarket customers. The company is in the process of transferring the plant and machinery from one of its facilities at Bangalore.(Autocarpro.in)

• Delphi Automotive PLC has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire media connectivity module supplier, Unwired Technology LLC, expanding its data and media connectivity capabilities. Unwired Technology LLC is a market leading designer and supplier of high-speed USB connectivity modules and wireless headphone systems for the global automotive industry. (Autocarpro.in)

• Maruti Suzuki India will recall 69,555 diesel vehicles (55,938 units of the pld Dzire, 12,486 units of the earlier Swift and 1,131 units of the Ritz) manufactured between March 8, 2010 and August 11, 2013. The recall exercise is for inspection and repair of the wiring harness fitment in the specified vehicles and does not pertain to exported vehicles. Maruti Suzuki dealers will contact owners of all the affected vehicles. The dealer workshop technicians will inspect the wiring harness fitment condition and carry out the necessary repairs, free of cost. (Autocarpro.in)

• Honeywell Turbo Technologies, the leading global developer of automotive turbochargers, released its Global Turbo Forecast that estimates the industry will generate $12 billion (Rs 73,692 crore) in revenue by equipping 49 million vehicles with turbochargers annually by 2019. The Honeywell Global Turbo Forecast is a proprietary analysis and estimate of automotive industry trends and is based on comprehensive data received from global vehicle- makers, third-party analysts and industry experts. (Autocarpro.in)

• Japan's Panasonic Corp said on Tuesday it has agreed to buy a 49 per cent stake in Spanish auto-parts maker FicosaInternational SA for an undisclosed amount as part of a "capital and business alliance".In a statement, Panasonic said the companies plan to combine their know-how to accelerate the launch of electronic technologically advanced automotive mirrors that support safe driving.(ETauto.com)

• In an interaction with Takashi Hata, Chairman of Nissan in India, Africa and West Asia, it was revealed that there are some big announcements in store for India. Not only Nissan plans to enter the luxury car market, they also want to get their GT-R sports car to India. For luxury brand Infiniti, they are also mulling plans to commence local production in the country so as to ensure that pricing is competitive. The Indian luxury market as on date is dominated by BMW, Audi and Mercedes and Nissan wants a slice of this pie as well.

• Girnar Software Pvt Ltd, owners of auto portal CarDekho.com, and ibiboGroup have announced an agreement whereby GirnarSoft will acquire Gaadi.com, one of India’s leading auto portals, for an undisclosed amount. With the combined volumes of CarDekho.com and Gaadi.com exceeding 15 million monthly visitors, this transaction positions GirnarSoft as the undisputed #1 player in auto search and lead generation business in India,.(cardekho.com)

• Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), which is yet to make a mark in the two-wheeler space, today launched a new 110-cc scooter 'Gusto' as the homegrown auto major seeks to challenge the supremacy of Japan's Honda in the domestic market.Gusto, priced Rs 43,000 onwards (ex-showroom Delhi), is pitted against Honda Activa, HeroMoto's Maestro and TVS Jupiter.The scooter will be available in the western and northern markets of the country to begin with.(Financialexpress)

• Maruti Suzuki’s new mid-size premium sedan, the Ciaz, will be launched in India on October 6. This car was unveiled at the Auto Expo in February this year and will be the SX4 replacement. (carwale.com)

image from livemint.com and nissan - magazine 

Automotive Updates - 29th September 2014

• Tata Motors Ltd, India's No. 1 automaker by revenue, has poached a top executive from rival Maruti Suzuki Ltd as it looks to strengthen its passenger vehicle business and regain market share.Mayank Pareek will join on Oct. 1 as president of the passenger vehicles business unit, Tata Motors said on Monday. Pareek was formerly head of sales and marketing for Maruti, the nation's top carmaker by volume.(financialexpress.com)

• Toyota Motor has revived plans to launch its Lexus luxury brand in India where sales of high-end vehicles have bucked the trend in an otherwise weak auto market by growing at a double-digit pace for three straight years. Toyota sells Lexus across all major markets, with US being the largest. It deferred the plan to bring Lexus here in 2012 because of high import duty and a sluggish local auto market. (economicstimes.com)

• Entering the lucrative 110 cc automatic scooter segment today, Mahindra announced the launch of their all-new scooter Gusto. This is a global scooter, which has now been launched in India, export to overseas markets will soon follow. Available for an aggressive price tag of Rs 43,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi), Mahindra Gusto competes with the likes of Honda Activa, TVS Jupiter, Hero Maestro and TVS Scooty Zest. (rushlane.com)

• Dunlop India's West Bengal plant at Sahaganj, which had remained closed since 2011, reopened  and both the state government and management headed by Pawan K Ruia are optimistic on sustained phase-wise revival of the plant.The reopening of the plant at Sahagung in Hooghly district just before the Durga puja is seen as a major achievement by the state government and Rs 5,000 as part payment of one-time settlement due comes as a great relief to the workers in distress.(ETauto.com)

• Steel Strips Wheels Ltd (SSWL), the Punjab-based automotive steel wheel manufacturer, has decided to expand its capacity following increasing demand from OEMs, particularly for passenger cars, and the aftermarket, both from the domestic and international market. The company will increase its annual production capacity by 1,500,000 wheels. The wheelmaker will invest Rs 5 crore to expand capacity and the additional capacity will see fruition by April 2015. (autocarpro.in)

• Nissan has announced the appointment of Guillaume Sicard as president, Nissan India operations, effective October 1, 2014. Sicard has been serving as Nissan’s deputy president in India since July, 2014.Sicard takes over from Kenichiro Yomura, current president of Nissan India operations, who is returning to Japan where he has been appointed general manager, Africa Business Management Department, Nissan Motor Co. Sicard will report to Takashi Hata, senior VP of Nissan Motor Co, in charge of Africa, Middle East and India region.(autocarpro.in)

• General Motors India has commenced vehicle exports to Chile. The first 140 left-hand-drive Chevrolet Beatswere shipped from the Mumbai Port Trust of Maharashtra on September 25 and are expected to reach Chile in the next few weeks. The Beat is manufactured at GM’s facility in Talegaon, Maharashtra and is one of the most popular products in their line-up as it is a fuel-efficient hatchback. As part of GM CEO Mary Barra’s recent trip to India, she participated in the rollout of the first Beat for export on September 10. The Talegaon manufacturing facility has an annual production capacity of 170,000 vehicles and 160,000 engines.(carwale.com)

• Japanese auto electronics parts maker Rohm Semiconductor has set up its new R&D Centre in Bangalore. With this, the company has chalked out plans to play a major role in the Indian automotive electronics market. Talking to Autocar Professional, Akihito Tomii, managing director, Rohm Semiconductors India, said the company is considering India as one of its potential markets. The company manufactures auto electronic parts in the areas like integrated circuits (ICs), discrete semiconductor and passive electronic components. Currently the company has a workforce of around 35 employees in India, of which 25 engineers will work in the R&D Centre, which commenced is operations in May this year.   (autocarpro.in)

Automotive Updates - 27th and 28th September 2014

• American bike maker UM Motorcycles has agreed to form an equal joint venture with electric two-wheeler maker Lohia Auto to manufacture and market its products, starting with cruiser motorcycles."We have finalised our terms with the Indian company to start a joint facility and roll out the American bikes in the domestic market," Rajeev Mishra, director at UM Motorcycles India, told ET.He said a definitive agreement for the 50-50 venture with an initial investment of Rs 120 crore will be signed shorty. (ETauto.com)

• Mark Exhaust Systems Limited (MESL), a joint venture between Rattan Kapur & Associates and Maruti Suzuki India made two acquisitions in the past few months and looks at taking its Group turnover (Rattan Kapur & Associates) from Rs 1,400 crore in FY14 to Rs 2,000 crore by next fiscal year. The company, a couple of weeks ago, acquired 100% stake in Haryana-based BWI Shock Absorbers for $ 1.5 million. (economicstimes.com)

• Czech carmaker Skoda has been chalking out plans in recent times to gain a good amount of popularity in the local market. Recently, Skoda India has launched the new Rapid sedan with 1.5 Liter TDI engine and 7 speed DSG automatic transmissions. The new Rapid is available at a starting price tag of Rs. 7,22,230 (Ex-Showroom Delhi). As for colours, the new Rapid features options like Brilliant Silver, Candy White, Cappuccino Beige, Deep Black Pearl, Flash Red and the new Toffee Brown colour.(cartrade.com)

• Global commercial vehicle major Daimler is looking to replicate the success of its trucks business in India in the bus segment as well with its new bus plant in the country slated to be operational by second half of next year. "In the second half of next year, we will launch buses under the Mercedes Benz and Bharat Benz brands. Indian bus market is huge. (Bus operations) will be fully comparable to what we have achieved in trucks in India," Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) Managing Director and CEO Erich Nesselhauf said. (economicstimes.com)

• Mahindra will launch the Quanto with an automated manual transmission (AMT) by end of the financial year. The Indian carmaker expressed its intention of launching an AMT on the Quanto at the Auto Expo this year, and had also showcased the car. Mahindra referred to the technology as ‘autoSHIFT’.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Volkswagen AG is planning to deploy SEAT into India aiming at budget car segment dominated by Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. If the plan works well on paper, SEAT could be introduced in the country by 2018. Right now SEAT is the only brand left to be established in India from Volkswagen AG’s stable.(rushlane.com)

• Ford has decided to phase out its best-seller Figo hatchback from India and will replace the model with a new-generation car — also to be badged as Figo — by late next year. The company will also phase out Classic' entry sedan to make way for the new mid-size car that was showcased at the Delhi Motor Show in February this year. (economicstimes.com)

• Maruti Suzuki has launched a limited edition of the Celerio hatchback called the VXi+. Based on the VXi variant, it features some cosmetic changes and additional accessories. Maruti claims that these changes cost Rs. 20,000, but will be available for customers at a reduced price of Rs. 13,990.(team-bhp.com)

• In its first month of launch, Honda Motor's Mobilio has captured the second spot in India's utility vehicles market, outselling Toyota Motor's Innova and Maruti Suzuki's Ertiga. Honda sold 5,539 units of the multi-purpose seven-seat vehicle in August, according to data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. The data indicate the Mobilio eating into the market share of similarly sized Innova and Ertiga as well as Ford Motor's compact sportutility vehicle EcoSport. The Ford vehicle kept its fourth place intact as the Ertiga fell two places down to the fifth spot on the list led by Mahindra & Mahindra's Bolero, which still sees strong demand, especially from rural and semi-urban buyers, despite being in the market for many years. (economicstimes.com)

• Skoda has said that it has put its Indian investments on hold due to uncertainties with regard to policy framework. The Czech automaker in an interview with ET has said that it has put its small car project on hold and will invest on facilitating existing projects. Sudhir Rao, chairman and MD of Skoda Auto India, said that various issues like technology transfer agreement; fine by the CCI on several automakers as well as several other issues has prompted it to put its plan on hold. He added that they would reconsider the decision if the uncertainties with regard to policy is cleared. (carwale.com)

Automotive Updates - 26th September 2014

• Automobile major Mahindra & Mahindra would continue to focus on utility vehicles segment with the launch of fresh products on new platforms, a top company official has said. "The utility vehicles (UV) segment is the core focus area of Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) where concentration will revolve around this segment," Jyoti Malhotra, VP (Sales) of the company said today. (economicstimes.com)

• Indian car major Maruti Suzuki wants to utilise the festive season to maximise its sales as the manufacturer has introduced the limited edition Maruti Celerio VXi+ to attract more consumers towards the brand.This limited edition Celerio VXi+ comes with cosmetic upgrades like body coloured ORVMs with integrated turn indicator and body coloured door handles. (ETauto.com)

•  American bike maker UM Motorcycles has agreed to form an equal joint venture with electric two-wheeler maker Lohia Auto to manufacture and market its products, starting with cruiser motorcycles."We have finalised our terms with the Indian company to start a joint facility and roll out the American bikes in the domestic market," Rajeev Mishra, director at UM Motorcycles India, told ET.(ETauto.com)

• According to Nikkei, Isuzu Motors and General Motors will jointly develop a pickup truck for emerging markets. The new pickup will be manufactured in Southeast Asia and India, and sales will start in Thailand and Indonesia as early as 2015. Nikkei did not reveal the source of this information, but said that a formal announcement will be made by the companies on Friday.(indianautoblogs.com)

• Volkswagen AG is planning to deploy SEAT into India aiming at budget car segment dominated by Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. If the plan works well on paper, SEAT could be introduced in the country by 2018. Right now SEAT is the only brand left to be established in India from Volkswagen AG’s stable.(rushlane.com)

• Ford Motor on Friday announced that it was recalling 850,000 vehicles in North America due to a systems glitch that can stop air bags from deploying in a crash. Ford issued the recall following problems in the restraints control module, a key part of its safety system that takes information from front crash sensors and other sensors and activates air bags and seat-belt pretensioners.(livemint.com)

• Japanese auto parts maker FCC Company has purchased its Indian partner Rico Auto's 50% stake in their equal joint venture FCC Rico for Rs 495 crore, signalling continued interest among Japanese companies to invest in India's automobile sector. The transaction, valuing the two-decade old company at.Rs 990 crore, is the result of a strategic decision taken by both entities to focus on their individual strengths and capabilities to create value and drive growth, two people with direct knowledge of the deal said. (economicstimes.com)

• Ford has decided to phase out its best-seller Figo hatchback from India and will replace the model with a new-generation car also to be badged as Figo by late next year.The company will also phase out Classic' entry sedan to make way for the new mid-size car that was showcased at the Delhi Motor Show in February this year. (ETauto.com)

• COMSOL Multiphysics, a provider of simulation software for product design and research to the automotive OEMs, has setup its office in Pune in order to be closer to its customers. Pune branch being the firm’s third branch in India will work towards strengthening its support services in the western region via software sales, technical support, training sessions, workshops, user conferences and customer events. (autocarpro.in)

• Ford India, in an official communication, has informed about the change of organisational structure in the company. Mr Vinay Piparsania will now be the Director Marketing, Sales and Service operations at Ford Global Business Services.Ford’s Global Business Services (GBS) division provides support to nearly every Ford location around the world in the areas of IT, Engineering, Finance and Accounting, Automotive Financing, Marketing, Sales and Service, Analytics and Purchasing.(motorbeam.com)

Automotive Updates - 25th September 2014

• Gearing up to meet an increasing competition in the SUV segment, Mahindra & Mahindra on Thursday launched the new Scorpio priced between Rs 7.98 lakh-Rs 11.46 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai). The new Scorpio will take on the likes of Renault Duster and Tata Safari Storme. (economicstimes.com)

image from zigwheeles.com

• Skoda has launched the 2014 Rapid at Rs 7.22 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. The Rapid doesn't get a facelift although it does get a mechanical update that has the potential to be a gamechanger in this segment.The changes are in line with the Volkswagen Vento that was launched a day before. Skoda will take on the new Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Maruti Ciaz in this refreshed battle. (ETauto.com)

• Stating India has the potential to become the biggest car manufacturer of the world, country's top car maker Maruti Suzuki today hoped factors adversely affecting competitiveness of manufacturing will be removed quickly, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to make India a manufacturing hub."Costs of production in India increase because of various government policies, procedures, regulations and the way some of the laws are implemented," said Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. at the 'Make in India' campaign. (economicstimes.com)

• Exports are an important part of Volkswagen India’s strategy to make its India operations more cost-effective going forward, and the company is keen to use more capacity at its Chakan manufacturing plant. The facility has a  130,000 unit capacity and currently runs two shifts. Michael Mayer, director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, made these comments at a round-table meet on the sidelines of the launch of the Vento 1.5 TDI turbo-diesel automatic. (autocarpro.in)

•  Mahindra & Mahindra today launched Yuvraj 215 NXT, a 15-HP tractor, in the Capital."...the Yuvraj 215 NXT is part of our vision to deliver FarmTech prosperity to farmers in Delhi through its multiple application features," Mahindra & Mahindra, Vice President, Marketing, Tractor and Farm Mechanisation Business, Ravindra Shahane said in a statement.(ETauto.com)

• Scania’s club-class luxury bus was spotted doing rounds in Bangalore and is one of the most luxurious buses available with amenities on par with airplanes. With presence only in the western part of the country, the company could launch its services in the Southern region soon.(motorbeam.com)

• Just as India has become a global hub for the manufacture of cheaper copycat medicines, the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) ruling in August requiring car makers to supply parts more widely could encourage the production and sale of non-certified generic components in the domestic auto market, which is also the world's sixth largest."We have the ability to make good quality products, we have our techniques and this is our chance to prove it," said trader Umesh Seth, sitting in a poky store where hundreds of sheet metal parts wrapped in transparent plastic are piled on racks. "It is about time we get an equal opportunity."(businesstoday.in)

image from cnbc.com

• Mahindra and Mahindra Limited is trying their best to revive their two-wheeler business at the earliest. For this purpose, they have come up with a smart strategy that will boost their chances of marketing the two wheelers. It has planned that it will sell its scooters and motorcycles through its passenger vehicle outlets in the main metropolitan cities. It is expected that business for this brand will increase faster, banking on this strategy. Rajesh Jejurikar, who is the chief executive of the tractor and two-wheeler wing of Mahindra and Mahindra, said, “The added effect of the synergy, which we were not leveraging earlier, needs to kick in.” (cartrade.com)

•  Panasonic Corp is in talks about taking a stake in Spanish auto parts maker Ficosa International SA, sources with knowledge of the matter said, part of its big push into the automotive field as it seeks more stable profits.Ficosa's products include advanced driver assistance systems with safety features such as blind spot detection, assisted parking and lane departure warnings. Panasonic is looking at the joint development of such systems, the sources said.(Etauto.com)