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India Auto News Tuesday, 05 Jan. 2010 |
National - Mercedes-Benz launches S 500 L, GL 350 CDI in India- Maruti Suzuki reaches 1 lakh retail sales milestone - German auto-component maker Bosch to invest Rs 2,000 crore in India - Ashok Leyland unveils new platform; says no co-branding with Nissan - Auto industry posts steep growth in passenger car sales in December 2009 - Delhi NGO observes 'No Honking Day' on January 1, 2010 - Two-wheeler sales soar in December 2009; Hero Honda grows 74 per cent - Hyundai to showcase electric version of i10 at 2010 Auto Expo - M&M to launch next generation mini-truck Maxximo at Auto Expo - Ford India to hike car prices - Automakers unhappy with mileage-based star rating - Hindustan Motors to launch Lancer 'Evo X' by June 2010 - Mahindra Renault to launch Logan Tourer at Auto Expo International - GM extends bid deadline for Saab |
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Mercedes-Benz launches S 500 L, GL 350 CDI in India
Mercedes-Benz India has launched two news models in the country, a day before the 2010 India Auto Expo is scheduled to begin in New Delhi. The first of these is an SUV - the GL 350 CDI - priced at Rs 64.9 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The second is the S 500 L, priced at Rs 95 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Meanwhile, the German carmaker has fallen behind competitor BMW in India in its yearly sales in 2009. While Mercedes-Benz sold 3,247 units in India in 2009, BMW sold 3,619.
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Maruti Suzuki reaches 1 lakh retail sales milestone
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has reached a significant milestone by crossing the 1 lakh (retail) sales mark in December 2009. The company sold a total of 100,874 units in December 2009, a record that MSIL executive director Mayank Pareek thinks will take a long time to break. Pareek said that customers usually shy away from purchasing cars in the year-end period. With its 1 lakh plus retail sales in December, however, MSIL has succeeded in breaking this tendency. |
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German auto-component maker Bosch to invest Rs 2,000 crore in India
German auto-component maker, Bosch, announced this week that it would invest Rs 2,000 crore in its Indian operations between 2010 and 2012. Approximately 25 per cent of the sum will be used for Bosch's Research & Development activities in India. Dr Bernd Bohr, Chairman of the Automotive Group of Robert Bosch GmbH, said in a press statement that the company believes individual markets can be most effectively served through innovations made locally, specifically for the region concerned. |
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Ashok Leyland unveils new platform; says no co-branding with Nissan
Utility vehicle maker Ashok Leyland launched a tipper and a tractor last week on its new platform known as the 'U-Truck'. Ashok Leyland Managing Director, Mr R Seshasayee, said that the company would launch as many as 25 products on the U-Truck platform in the next 18 months. The company also said that its products would not be co-branded with Nissan under the 2007 JV between the two companies. While value segment products will carry the Ashok Leyland badge, those in the niche segment will bear Nissan's name. |
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Auto industry posts steep growth in passenger car sales in December 2009
Passenger vehicle sales in India continued to grow at double-digit rates in December 2009. Maruti Suzuki's passenger car sales were up from 52,029 units in December 2008 to 71,000 units in December 2009 - an increase of 36.5 per cent. Tata Motors
sold 14,654 passenger cars in December 2009, as against 9,838 cars in December 2008. Hyundai India too saw a domestic sales growth of 42 per cent, up from 15,602 units to 22,252 units in December 2009. Honda Siel Cars India sold 4,061 units and registered a growth of 10.71 per cent.
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Delhi NGO observes 'No Honking Day' on January 1, 2010
A Delhi-based NGO, the 'Earth Saviours Foundation', has started a no-honking campaign in the capital city, and observed January 1, 2010 as 'No Honking Day'. Members of the NGO tried spreading awareness among vehicle drivers about the use of the horn, and advised them against using it without good reason. Mr Ravi Kalra, president of the foundation, said that the Association of Blueline Buses has been given a 15-day ultimatum to remove 'Horn Please' signs from all buses that sport them. |
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Two-wheeler sales soar in December 2009; Hero Honda grows 74 per cent
Two-wheeler companies in the country continued their upward climb in December 2009, with market leader Hero Honda posting a growth of 74 per cent in the given month. The company sold 373,838 units in December 2009, as against 215,931 units in December 2008. Bajaj Auto's sales went up from 119,215 units to 220,429 units - an 85 per cent increase - in the same period. TVS Motor too posted a 34 per cent increase in total sales, up from 89,285 units in December 2008 to 1.19 lakh units in December 2009.
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Hyundai to showcase electric version of i10 at 2010 Auto Expo
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) will be showcasing the electric version of its most widely sold compact car, the i10, at the 2010 Delhi Auto Expo. The company already sells a CNG version of the car. The i10 electric is a zero-emission vehicle, and is part of Hyundai's initiative to create eco-friendly vehicles for the global auto market. The company will also be displaying concept vehicles running on futuristic technology at the Auto Expo.
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M&M to launch next generation mini-truck Maxximo at Auto Expo
Auto company Mahindra & Mahindra will launch its next-generation mini-truck, the 'Maxximo', at the Delhi Auto Expo to be held in January 2010. Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, said at a press meet this week that the Maxximo has been developed on the basis of 'extensive customer feedback' and will roll out from the Mahindra-Navistar plant in Chakan. The vehicle features car-like interiors, an ergonomic design and a sporty look.
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Ford India will hike the prices of its cars by up to Rs 40,000 from January 1, 2010. The company said in a press statement this week that all its cars would see price hikes ranging from Rs 6,000 to Rs 40,000, owing to increased input costs and exchange rate fluctuations. It currently sells the Ford Ikon, the Ford Fusion, the Ford Endeavour and the Ford Fiesta in the country.
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Automakers unhappy with mileage-based star rating
Auto companies in the country are unhappy with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for proposing to rate cars on the basis of fuel efficiency. The Power Ministry is expected to implement the star-rating proposal next month, which automakers say is unnecessary as they are already making mileage details of their vehicles public. Ministry officials said that consultations with the auto industry have been on for the past few months, and that the proposal has been altered based on industry inputs. However, sources from the auto industry say that no such consultations took place.
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Hindustan Motors to launch Lancer 'Evo X' by June 2010
Hindustan Motors will be launching the tenth generation Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, or the 'Evo X', in the middle of 2010. The most powerful of all Lancer models so far, the Evo X runs on a 2-litre, 16-valve DOHC turbocharged engine and delivers 300 horsepower. It also features the super all-wheel control (SAWC) vehicle dynamics control system. The car will be imported in India as a completely built unit (CBU) and will compete with Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW vehicles priced between Rs 28 lakh and Rs 32 lakh.
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Mahindra Renault to launch Logan Tourer at Auto Expo
Mahindra Renault Private Limited (MRPL) will be launching the Logan Tourer, a new variant of the Logan, at the January 2010 Auto Expo. The vehicle's price range will start at Rs 5.50 lakh. It will be available in both petrol and diesel options, and will feature colour-coordinated interiors, hands-free telephony via Bluetooth, and VIP bags as standard. Mahindra Renault is promoting the car as ideal for long distance traveling.
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GM extends bid deadline for Saab
General Motors has extended the December 31, 2009 deadline to consider bids for its Swedish brand, Saab. While there are multiple parties interested in taking over Saab, the most important of these is luxury car company, Spyker Cars, which offered a new proposal to GM on December 20, 2009 after a failed bid. GM had earlier said that it would decide on a deal by December 31, 2009, but has extended the deadline for Spyker to January 7, 2010.
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NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES - Auto News Roundup, 29-December-2009 - Auto News Roundup, 22-December-2009 |
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