New in town

Business Standard

GM India announced today that it will extend production at its Halol Assembly Plant until March 2017 while it continues to review future options for the site.  GM will also produce the upgraded Tavera at Halol.

GM to make in Halol till March 2017

MotorOctane

MotorOctane MotoDay Awards made its debut on 18th June, 2016 to celebrate the glorious moment of World MotorCycling Day on the weekend in Lavasa.  MotoDay conducted on 18th and 19th of June in Lavasa, has about 3,000 to 5,000 bikers expected for the event.

RE Himalayan wins MotorOctane MotoDay Bike of the Year 2016

Volkswagen, Europes leading car manufacturer, has successfully completed 15 cities as part of the Ameo roadshow engagement program.  The multi-city roadshow will continue through June 24, 2016, giving customers across these cities, an opportunity to experience the carline, explore its various features and make the bookings.

Volkswagen Ameo launched in Bangalore of INR 5 33 lakhs

Land Rover always has had plans to get the Discovery Sport with the new 2. 0-litre petrol engine to India. This new engine has been added to compensate for the diesel ban in New Delhi.

Discovery Sport 2 0 litre petrol launched

The government is committed to bring down the number of accidents and related fatalities in the country, said Nitin Gadkari, minister of road transport and highways.
Last week, the ministry released a report, ‘Road accidents in India 2015,’ which revealed that 1.46 lakh people were killed in 5 lakh road accidents in India last year. More than 5 lakh people were injured in the accidents and the number of persons killed per 100 accidents rose to 29.1 during the year.
According to Gadkari, 726 black spots have been identified and work is on to rectify these. About Rs.11,000 crore would be spent on this work. Crash barriers would also be installed in hilly terrains including in Himachal Pradesh, he said.
A group of ministers is working on recommendations to make Indian roads safer. This will pave the way for introducing a new Motor Vehicles Act in Parliament soon, said Gadkari. 
According to him, 10 % of the CRF funds given to each state is to be used for identifying black spots on state .

Government committed to bring down road accidents: Gadkari

BS-Motoring

Japanese automaker Honda has sold more than two lakh units of its compact sedan Amaze, since its launch in India in April 2013.
“During the span of three years, Amaze has achieved sales milestone of 2 lakh units bringing new customers into Honda fold,” said Jnaneswar Sen, senior vice-president, marketing and sales, Honda Cars India. “The car has been extremely popular in both big and smaller cities due to its strong value offering.”
Earlier in March, the company introduced a new version of the Honda Amaze with bold new exterior styling, one-class above premium interiors and several new-age features.
The new Amaze now comes equipped with Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), and is the first petrol car in its class to offer advanced CVT technology.  Customers of the new Amaze can opt for Dual SRS airbags from the base variant.
The new Amaze sports a bolder and wider stance from the front. The newly designed Front Bumper and Dual Chrome Front Grill, coupled with New Classy Rear ...

Honda Amaze crosses 2 lakh sales milestone since launch in April 2013

It looks like BMW is all set to launch the G 310 R bike in India this October. Images of the upcoming BMW G 310 R, which was caught testing on the Bangalore-Chennai highway minus the camouflage, has emerged online revealing new details.
The latest spy shots reveal that the production ready 2016 BMW G 310 R test mule does not sport major changes compared to the prototype revealed. The test bike was running on Michelin tyres, which are likely to be offered as standard, while the top speed is reportedly achieved at 170 kmph. While the claim makes the BMW offering faster than the KTM Duke 390, we will be able to confirm the same after riding the motorcycle.
The bike comes with 313cc of displacement, 34hp of power and a kerb weight of 158kg. The short-stroke, single-cylinder engine’s layout is reversed (the cylinder inclines towards the rear wheel and the exhaust exits from the rear) to create a more compact motorcycle and optimise weight distribution. 
This has all-round benefits as it ...

BMW to launch G 310 R bike in India in October

With Tata Motors' entry-level hatchback 'Tiago' registering more than 20,000 bookings in two months, the company is contemplating producing the Tiago Aktiv in small numbers initially. If demand rises for the baby crossover, the carmaker would look into a full-fledged production for the Tiago Aktiv.
According to reports, initially the car will only be made to order or in small batches, but if demand is good, the Aktiv could even be put into regular production.
The Aktiv comes with plenty of crossover bits that transform the look of the car considerably. The new chin, the most attractive-looking part, is finished in matte black, with a metallic strip used for the scuff plate. 
Metallic bits have been liberally used in other places as well, including the inserts in the running boards, the splitter at the rear and on the roof rails as well. The Aktiv also gets stickers on the doors (classy, subtle ones), more substantial-looking alloys and the door mirrors are also colour coded in black ..

Tata Motors to produce Tiago Aktiv 

Chevrolet has announced that it will be manufacturing the Beat Activ as well as the Essentia, which were showcased as concepts at the 2016 Auto Expo.
The Beat Activ is a ‘soft-roader’ version of the regular Beat with additional body cladding, while the Chevrolet Essentia is a sub-four metre sedan based on the same hatchback.
The Chevrolet Beat Activ as well as the Chevrolet Essentia are based on the M300 platform that underpins the current generation Beat. The exterior styling as well as the interior of the Essentia has been clearly inspired from the current generation Beat. Once launched, it will come equipped with Chevrolet’s MyLink2 system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with dual airbags and ABS.
According to Kaher Kazem, president and managing director, General Motors India, “There was an overwhelming response from our Indian stakeholders to the Beat Activ when we revealed it at the Auto Expo in Delhi. As a soft-roader, the vehicle is ready for any adventure or ...

Chevrolet to go ahead with manufacturing Beat Activ and Essentia 

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced that a dedicated FASTag lane will be ensured at 48 toll plaza on the Delhi-Mumbai and Mumbai-Chennai corridors from June 20 in a bid to promote cashless payment at toll plazas.
 
The NHAI has also decided to provide FASTags to existing monthly pass holders by absorbing the one-time cost of the tags. And to facilitate purchase of FASTag by road users, Points of Sale (POS) on 23 Toll Plazas will be made available on these corridors.  Out of these, 19 POS are already working and 4 will be added within a week.  
 
The NHAI will also organise various events and activities to raise awareness on the benefits of FASTags. It will address bulk customers through transport and truckers associations to promote efficient and economical movement of passenger and commercial traffic on these high traffic density corridors.
 
 The FASTag cashless payment mechanism was rolled out on toll plazas on national highways by the authority. FASTags ..

NHAI announces dedicated FASTag lanes at 48 toll plazas

The Group of Ministers (GoM) set up by the ministry of road transport and highways, comprising ministers from different states, has  recommended liberalising the intra-city taxi permit system and other automobile aggregation policy. 
 
The GoM, headed by Yoonus Khan, the Rajasthan transport minister, held its third meeting in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. It recommended liberalising city taxi permit schemes, but said the operators must follow rules relating to fares, fuel and safety as mandated by transport departments.
 
It also called for an upper cap for fares to be fixed by the transport departments. While aggregators could be permitted to operate in the space, they have to aggregate only taxis with legally valid permits, suggested the ministerial group.
 
Another recommendation related to improving parking facilities for taxis and other public transport vehicles in cities, with at least 20 per cent of space being reserved for public parking lots for taxis. The group also ...

State transport ministers call for liberalising intra-city taxi permit system

Hyundai Motorsport has secured its second victory of the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season with a dominant performance by the Hyundai Motorsport team's Thierry Neuville in WRC Rally Italia Sardegna.
Thierry Neuville has been on sublime form throughout the rally, extending his lead over Volkswagen Motorsport's Jari-Matti Latvala on the final day to win the rally by 24.8 seconds.
The result marks the second victory for the New Generation i20 WRC this season, and the team's third win in total after Rallye Deutschland in 2014 and Rally Argentina back in April.
Hyundai Motorsport team driver Dani Sordo also had a trouble-free run to claim his fourth consecutive fourth place position. Kevin Abbring, meanwhile, was on top of their game to finish second in the Power Stage, securing their first WRC points.
For Thierry Neuville, the victory is the result of a concerted team effort as well as the improved performance of the New Generation i20 WRC, and marks his first victory in WRC .

Hyundai Motorsport secures second victory at FIA World Rally Championship

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd resumed production on Monday morning after the maintenance closure. The maintenance closure had been advanced by three weeks to June 6-11, following a fire at the Manesar facilities of its supplier, Subros Ltd, on May 29.
"Due to the strenuous efforts made by all concerned, operations at MSIL's facilities in Gurgaon and Manesar have begun smoothly," said a company press release.
 
On May 30, Maruti had to suspend operations at its plants in Gurgaon and Manesar, both in Haryana, following a fire at the Subros plant in Manesar. Subros supplies air-conditioning units to Maruti.
For the month of May, Maruti - India's largest carmaker - reported a 10.6 per cent growth in domestic sales, but a 20.8 per cent fall in exports. The company reported a 11 per cent growth in compacts (including Swift, Ritz, Celerio, Baleno and Dzire), but a 5.6 per cent decline in sales of minis (including Alto and WagonR).
Maruti also posted a hefty 144.2 per cent growth in sales of ...

Maruti resumes production after maintenance closure

The KTM 390 Duke will get an update in 2017. The new KTM model has been spied at Bajaj Auto's Chakan plant and images of the same have been leaked on Facebook. The 2017 KTM 390 Duke is expected to be launched by the end of the year.
And from the picture it is clear that the 2017 KTM 390 Duke has undergone major cosmetic updates. The image reveals that it is featuring the KTM 1290 SuperDuke styling with the latest split headlight cluster with LED inserts. 
The headlight unit has been redesigned with a much sharper and petite unit with a slit to separate the multi-beam headlamp. The fuel tank also has been redesigned while the tank extensions are longer and overlap the USD forks. The switchgear has also been changed and seems to be the all-digital instrument console which we feel will be based on the new 690 Duke's unit. 
The frame of the bike has also been redesigned while the rear section is smaller in comparison to the existing model with integrated taillight unit which was seen in ..

2017 KTM 390 Duke expected to launch in India by year end 

Ford India has launched a monsoon service checkup camp across India, which offers its customers a free, 42-point checkup, besides a free carwash and other discounts.
The monsoon service checkup camp will be available at 376 sales and service facilities in more than 200 cities in India, according to the company. The south-west monsoon, which has already set over Kerala, coastal Karnataka and other parts of India, is expected to cover the entire sub-continent over the next few days.
Many motorists are not aware about the need to maintain their cars, especially for the rainy season. Ford technicians will do a complete check-up of the cars and also offer parts including wiper blades, batteries, brake pads and shock absorbers at a discount.
Last month, the American carmaker saw a growth in sales in the domestic market - from 4,726 units in May 2015 to 5,780 units. Exports shot up from 6,988 last May to 11,499 units.
"Ford continues to grow faster than the industry," said Anurag Mehrotra, ..

Ford launches monsoon service checkup camps across India

Honda Car India Limited (HCIL), which launched the BR-V compact SUV on May 5, has got over 9,000 bookings in a month. Capitalising on the boom in the SUV segment, the Japanese carmaker is planning to bring the HR-V from its international portfolio.
Said to be pitted against Hyundai Tucson, the entry of HR-V to India can be expected sometime in 2017, according to reports. HCIL president and CEO, Yoichiro Ueno, said that the SUV segment is the fastest-growing in India and if it observes further growth, the company will address it by launching new models. If the company goes ahead with the launch plan of HR-V, it will fill the gap between the BR-V and the CR-V. 
Based on the same platform as the Honda Jazz, the HR-V is powered by a 1.8-litre in-line 4 cylinder petrol engine that develops 142bhp and 172Nm of torque mated to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT transmission. 
The India-spec HR-V may borrow 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol unit from the Civic coupe. The diesel option will be the ..

Honda likely to bring HR-V to India

To commemorate the UEFA Euro Championship, which kicked off in France last week, German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz has launched special edition variants of A-Class, GLA and CLA in India, priced between Rs. 25.95 lakh and Rs. 35.26 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).
"The new Sport Edition of the A-Class, CLA and GLA celebrates the spirit of the UEFA EURO 2016 in India. This is a celebration of our new generation cars which epitomises sportiness, dynamism and agility not only on but also off the field," Mercedes-Benz India managing director & CEO Roland Folger said in a statement.
By launching the sport edition, the company aims to offer the young population and millennials, as well as all sports enthusiasts an irresistible product to suit their unique lifestyle and taste, he added.
"We are confident that our customers will appreciate and adore these sporty versions as much as we do," Folger said.
The vehicles, which come with sport edition badge and sport pedals will be available only ...

Special edition variants of Mercedes Benz A Class, GLA, CLA launched in India

MotorOctane ties up with MotoDreamz to conduct Indias first and only biking awards, as we get together to celebrate World MotorCycle Day.  All new bikes and scooters launched between April 2015 to March 2016 are participating in this event.

MotorOctane MotoDay Awards 2016 on 18th June

Authorities in Gurgaon have over the past 10 days seized more than 70 bikes with white number plates, which were being used as taxis by Uber. Regional Transport Authority officials have said it was a clear violation of law.
Private vehicles cannot be used for commercial purposes and they are a violation of the Motor Vehicles Act. According to the RTA in Gurgaon, it has written to Uber seeking an explanation, but the American cab-hailing firm has not responded.
Uber launched its motorcycle taxi service in Gurgaon and Bengaluru recently under the UberMOTO platform. However, authorities in both cities have cracked down on the service, as they company had not applied for permission. 
Road transport officials claim that private bikes cannot be used as taxis; many of the bike owners also drive rashly, endangering the lives of passengers. They also point out that in case of an accident, the pillion will not be entitled to any insurance claims, as they are not covered under private bikes.
In .

Gurgaon RTA authorities seize Uber bike taxis

Over 1.46 lakh people were killed in road accidents in India in 2015 and more than 5 lakh were injured, according to the ‘Road accidents in India 2015’ report released by the government.
An analysis of road accident data reveals that 1,374 accidents and 400 deaths take place every day on Indian roads. This translates into 57 accidents and loss of 17 lives on an average every hour in the country. About 54.1 per cent of all persons killed in road accidents were in the 15 -34 age group in 2015.
The report, compiled by the transport research wing of the ministry of road transport and highways, the total number of road accidents increased by 2.5 per cent from 4.89 lakh in 2014 to 5.01 lakh in 2015. 
The total number of persons killed in road accidents increased by 4.6 per cent to 1.46 lakh. The severity of road accidents, measured in terms of number of persons killed per 100 accidents, increased from 28.5 in 2014 to 29.1 in 2015.
Thirteen states accounted for 86.7 per cent of all road ...

Over 1.46 lakh persons killed in road accidents in 2015

Auto News: Find the latest auto mobile industry news, launches of car & bike news on Business Standard. Explore now for more auto news from India and around the world.

Page 297 - Auto