 |
 |
India Auto News Thursday, 01 Apr. 2010 |
National - VW India launches new variants of Jetta, Passat- Petrol, diesel to cost more as BS IV norms come into effect - Maruti 800 discontinued in 13 cities - Harley-Davidson appoints dealers in 5 cities; bookings to begin in April 2010 - Pawan Goenka takes over as head of M&M's Farm Equipment Sector - Autorickshaw drivers in Delhi go on strike - Nissan may establish new manufacturing facility for entry-level compact car International - Toyota to share hybrid technology with Mazda- Geely to focus on Chinese market to drive Volvo sales - Corrigendum |
||||
VW India launches new variants of Jetta, Passat
Volkswagen India (VW India) launched a 1.8-litre petrol version of the
Passat and a 2-litre diesel variant of the Jetta this week.
The petrol version of the Passat, priced at Rs 19.2 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi),
comes with a TSI engine known for its superior fuel efficiency and power. The car's competitive pricing makes it a stronger contender in the luxury car segment. The new variant of the Jetta is powered by a common-rail diesel engine, and comes at a price of Rs 13.9 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). |
||||
Petrol, diesel to cost more as BS IV norms come into effect
Prices of petrol and diesel will go up by 50 paise and 26 paise per litre respectively with the introduction of BS IV norms in 13 cities this week. In Delhi, petrol will now be priced at Rs 47.93 per litre and diesel at Rs 38.10 per litre. The other cities mandated to follow BS IV norms are Mumbai, Chennai,
Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Surat, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Solapur. Meanwhile, the rest of the country will switch from BS II to BS III norms over a period of 6 months, starting from April 1, 2010. |
||||
Maruti 800 discontinued in 13 cities
India's first 'people's car', the Maruti 800, will no longer be sold in the 13 cities that are switching to the Bharat Stage IV (BS IV) emission norms this week. The M800 has been around for 26 years now and was, for a long time, the highest selling car in the country. Approximately 28 lakh units of the car have been sold so far. However, earlier this year, Maruti decided not to upgrade it beyond the BS III level because of the costs involved. |
||||
Harley-Davidson appoints dealers in 5 cities; bookings to begin in April 2010
American motorcycle manufacturer, Harley-Davidson, appointed its first batch of dealers in Bangalore, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, New Delhi and Mumbai this week. The company started operations in India in August 2009, and will introduce 12 of its models here in June 2010. All models will be brought to the country as Completely Built Units (CBUs), and will be priced between Rs 6.95 lakh and Rs 34.95 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Bookings will begin on April 20, 2010. |
||||
Pawan Goenka takes over as head of M&M's Farm Equipment Sector
Mr Pawan Goenka, President of Mahindra & Mahindra's Automotive Sector, took the additional responsibility of the company's Farm Equipment Sector (FES) this week. Mr Goenka replaces Mr Anjanikumar Choudhari, who retired on March 31, 2010, as President - FES. The move to appoint Mr Goenka as the head of FES is a part of M&M's strategy to create greater synergy between its automotive and farm equipment businesses and bring down sourcing costs. |
||||
Autorickshaw drivers in Delhi go on strike
All 55,000 autorikshaw drivers in Delhi will go on strike for 24 hours this week, starting from the midnight of March 31, 2010. Their major demands include a hike in auto fares with waiting time in
traffic jams built into the fare, and more autorickshaw stands and shelters across the city. The strike will also be used as a means to protest against Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's recent statement that
autorikshaws would be phased out from the city. Auto drivers want the CM to take back her statement. |
||||
Nissan may establish new manufacturing facility for entry-level compact car
Japanese company Nissan is planning to establish a new manufacturing facility in India to produce an entry-level compact car with an approximate price of Rs 2.5 lakh. The car will be positioned below the Micra, and will be developed by Nissan along with a new partner-company. Nissan is currently in talks with Ashok Leyland for the new venture, but it may consider other potential partners as well. The car will be in the same segment as the
Maruti Alto, and is expected to sell in large numbers. |
||||
Toyota to share hybrid technology with Mazda
Japan's number-one auto company, Toyota, will be providing hybrid technology to Mazda Motor under a new agreement. Mazda, which is currently Japan's 5th biggest automaker, wants to launch a new vehicle powered by its own next-generation gasoline engine and Toyota's hybrid system, by 2013. Mr Masaharu Yamaki, Executive Vice President of Mazda, said that hybrids were "spreading fast in Japan" and that the company wanted to launch a model in the domestic market quickly. |
||||
Geely to focus on Chinese market to drive Volvo sales
Zhejiang Geely, the Chinese company that recently bought Volvo Cars
from Ford Motor, is eyeing the burgeoning Chinese car market to lift the fortunes of the ailing Swedish brand.
The loss-making Volvo has much to gain from China, where sales volumes continue to grow even as international markets decline. Industry analysts are of the opinion that if Li Shufu, the Chairman of Geely, succeeds in making Volvo a popular brand in China, the company can return to profitability inspite of its sagging sales in Europe. |
||||
|
In the March 25, 2010 issue of India Auto News, we published, incorrectly, that Mr Andreas Schaaf headed BMW's Russian arm prior to his appointment as the chief of the company's Indian operations. Mr Schaaf is currently Vice President - Sales and Marketing, BMW Group Korea, and will assume the position of President - BMW Group India in May 2010. We regret the error. |
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES - Auto News Roundup, 30-March-2010 - Auto News Roundup, 25-March-2010 |
||||
|
Send questions, thoughts, concerns and criticism to: editor@driveinside.com How to Advertise About DriveInside.com Unsubscribe from this mailing list. |
||||
.jpg)
