Automobile

India’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp is planning to enter Brazil by 2016 as it looks to consolidate position in the fast growing South American market.

It also plans to begin work on its manufacturing facility in Columbia in the next two months, investing USD 70 million.

“We are looking to enter Brazilian market around the Olympics in 2016. We are developing some engines specifically for this market. Its an attractive market for us,” Hero MotoCorp Managing Director and CEO Pawan Munjal.

Tata Motors reported 5.14 per cent decline in global sales, including that of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), to 77,575 units in May.

The company had sold 81,783 units in the same month last year.

In the passenger vehicles category, the global sales last month were at 48,414 units, as against 43,142 units in May 2013, up 12.2 per cent, Tata Motors said in a statement.

Sales of luxury brand Jaguar Land Rover rose 24.85 per cent to 38,998 units in May, compared with 31,210 units in the same month last year.

Terming India among the fastest growing markets, US-based carmaker Ford today said it has decided to make the country as its export hub.

“We have decided that India will be an export hub for Ford. We are exporting to over 50 countries from here and are increasing it overtime,” Ford Motor President and Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally said.

Ford India has two manufacturing plants in the country – one in Gujarat and another at Maraimalai Nagar near here.

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover Wednesday reported a 20 percent increase in global sales to 38,831 units in May.

The Jaguar brand sold 6,450 units, up 4 percent, while Land Rover sold 32,381 units, a growth of 23 percent, the company said in a statement.

JLR’s sales rose 53 percent in China, while in North America it was up 19 percent, the UK up 15 percent, Asia Pacific up 11 percent, and Europe up 8 percent, it said.

Expensive cars have carried off the bestseller tag from Maruti Alto. The model has been pushed to the third spot, with sales of 17,311 units last month. The pole position has been taken by none other than but the DZire, which comes at double the price.

All top spots taken by Maruti Suzuki, its Swift hatchback has taken the second spot, but, unfortunately Alto has been pushed to the third slot for the first time in its over-two decade existence in India. Whereas the subcompact sedan DZire sold 18,953 units last month, Maruti Suzuki sold 17,936 units of Swift hatchback.

German commercial vehicle maker Daimler’s Indian subsidiary has forayed into Bangladesh market by launching FUSO Trucks manufactured at its plant here, making it the sixth overseas destination.

Daimler India Commercial Vehicle, the Indian arm of Stuttgart-based Daimler AG, along with Daimler Group company Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, launched FUSO Trucks, in Bangladesh making it as the sixth strategic market since beginning of exports in May 2013.

Domestic passenger car sales grew by 3.08 per cent to 1,48,577 units last month as compared with 1,44,132 units in May 2013.

According to the data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), motorcycle sales in May this year grew by 11.71 per cent to 9,84,469 units as against 8,81,288 units in the year-ago period.

Total two-wheeler sales during the month grew by 16.3 per cent to 14,02,830 units from 12,06,173 units in the same period of the previous year.

Japanese two-wheeler maker Yamaha, better known for its performance bikes, is turning to fuel efficient technologies for the Indian market as it eyes a bigger share in the country’s two-wheeler segment.

As it tweaks its strategy of focusing on ‘performance’ to ‘performance with mileage’, the company plans to introduce fuel efficient technologies in its upcoming launches as well as upgrades of its existing models.

India’s oldest car maker Hindustan Motors, which declared suspension of work at its Uttarpara plant on May 24, has terminated the services of around 240 managerial staff.

The company, however, retained some staff in disciplines such as finance and HR.Company sources told PTI that the termination notices on the staff were served yesterday.The company had given employment to around 2,300 workers.

At a time when some of the city-based domestic auto makers are facing labour unrest, luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz says it has not witnessed a single-day production loss, since its entry in India over last two decades and has zero-attrition in blue-collar category.

General Motors has announced four more vehicle recalls, totalling about 106,000 in North America, including one to fix an air-bag system likely tied to one crash involving an injury.

GM, which faces tough scrutiny from US regulators and lawmakers amid an ignition-recall scandal it links to 13 deaths, yesterday said the majority of the cars affected — 89,126 — were in the United States.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL), which agreed to let parent Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) own an upcoming plant in Gujarat, expects to save about Rs 10,500 crore in the first 15 years by not investing in the facility.

In a presentation filed to the BSE related to the contentious Gujarat plant, the company said it proposes to enter into a contract manufacturing agreement (CMA) with Suzuki Motor Gujarat (SMG), a fully owned subsidiary SMC.

General Motors India today launched a limited edition of its entry level compact car Chevrolet Spark priced up to Rs 3.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The new edition, having additional features such as outside rear-view mirrors with integrated turn signals, will be priced between Rs 3.44 and 3.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), the company said in a statement.

GM India has been targeting first-time buyers and young nuclear families with its Chevrolet Spark car. The car is powered by a 1-litre petrol engine.

German car-maker Mercedes Benz on Thursday rolled out the locally made diesel variant of its luxury sedan S Class 350 priced at Rs 1.07 crore (ex-showroom Maharashtra).

This is for the first time that Merc is introducing the diesel variant of its popular S Class models.
Besides, the company also commenced generation from its 100-kw rooftop solar plant at the Chakan facility, which will produce 1.50 lakh units of power annually.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) today launched a special edition of its sports utility vehicle XUV500, priced at Rs 13.68 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).

The special edition–XUV500 Sportz, which has been built upon the top end model of XUV500, comes with various external and internal features including rear-view camera and leather-fabric seats.

“This new offering of ‘XUV500 Sportz’ aligns with our leadership position in Indian motor sports and rallying and reflects our sporty DNA very well,” M&M Chief Marketing Officer, Automotive Division, Vivek Nayer said in a statement.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) Chairman R C Bhargava and its Managing Director as well as CEO Kenichi Ayukawa, along with other top MSIL officials, met Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and state finance minister Saurabh Patel here today, to sort out issues.

The meeting took place to sort out issues which arose after MSIL gave powers to its Japan-based parent firm Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) to set up and operate the Hansalpur plant in Gujarat.

After three major US companies – Boeing, Abbott and Honeywell – auto major Maruti Suzuki has now come in support of India’s intellectual property rights (IPR) regime, saying the “very strong” domestic laws are on par with international standards.

American pharma sector had alleged that Indian IPR laws discriminate against US companies and violate global norms.

Ford shows off ‘smart’ Mustang at Taiwan tech showUS auto giant Ford showed off its new Mustang at Asia`s biggest tech fair Tuesday, billing it as “the smartest Mustang to date”, with voice controls and early warning collision systems.

Due to go on sale in Asia-Pacific in 2015, the slick sports car can connect to drivers` mobile apps using a platform which will be introduced to Taiwan, New Zealand and Thailand next year for the first time, the company announced at the Computex conference in Taipei.

Japanese car giant Honda plans to nearly double sourcing of auto components, including engine parts, from India to over Rs 800 crore during 2014-15.

The company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) is also planning to double exports of vehicles from the country to other parts of the world.

“We are targeting to increase our component exports and it will be nearly doubled. It will cross Rs 800 crore during the current fiscal,” HCIL Senior Vice President (Marketing and Sales) Jnaneswar Sen.

Country’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp Monday said its Senior VP (Sales & Marketing) Anil Dua has put in his papers.

Dua will continue in his current role till June 24, Hero MotoCorp Ltd said in a statement.

Confirming the development, Dua said: “I have accepted an exciting opportunity outside of the country to begin a new chapter in my professional career.”

India’s oldest carmaker Hindustan Motors, which declared suspension of work at its Uttarpara plant on May 24, on Monday made an interim payment to workers.

The company paid Rs 7,000 each to around 2,500 workers with the total outgo touching Rs 1.8 crore, sources in Hindustan Motors said.

The money was credited to the bank accounts of workers, they said.

The sources said that the company had to arrange funds since there was no cash earnings as sale of Ambassador cars had dwindled resulting in zero production of the iconic brand.

Buoyed by positive sentiment over the formation of a stable government at Centre, domestic car sales saw an upswing in May with major firms, Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Honda and Ford reporting good growth.

Yet, others such as Mahindra & Mahindra, General Motors India and Tata Motors reported decline in their domestic sales during the month.

The country’s largest car-maker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said its domestic sales rose 16.4 percent during the month to 90,560 units as against 77,821 units in May 2013.

Dented by high fuel and interest costs in a slower economy, automobile manufacturers reported mixed sales for last month.

Sales of India’s largest passenger car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki reported an increase of 19.2 percent in its total sales, including exports, for May at 100,925 units.

The company sold 84,677 units in the corresponding month of 2013.

The company’s domestic sales surged by 16.4 percent to 90,560 units during the month under review as compared to 77,821 units sold in the corresponding month of last year.

Car maker Ford India Monday said it sold 12,288 units last month, up from 5,993 sold in May 2013.

In a statement, the company said domestic sales stood at 6,053 units last month, up from 4,002 units sold in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The company exported 6,235 vehicles, against 1,991 units in the corresponding period last year.

Country’s largest car-maker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Monday reported 19.2 per cent rise in total sales in May to 1,00,925 units as against 84,677 units in the same month last year.

The company said its domestic sales rose 16.4 per cent during the month to 90,560 units as against 77,821 units in May 2013.

Sales of mini segment cars, including M800, Alto, A-Star and WagonR, declined by 7.5 per cent to 29,068 units as compared to 31,427 units in the year-ago month, MSI said in a statement.PTI