The Supreme Court on Monday extended until further notice the ban on registration of new diesel vehicles with an engine capacity of 2,000 cc and above in Delhi and the National Capital Region.
The court, however, agreed to relax the order in the case of taxis with all-India tourist permits which ferry BPO employees in the region. The IT and BPO industry have reported huge losses because of the ban. There are about 55,000 diesel taxis with all-India permits.
However, the ban on diesel taxis continues, despite the ongoing agitation by drivers. The apex court imposed the restrictions late last year to curb growing pollution in the NCR. It asked taxis to switch over to CNG as a fuel. But only a section of the taxis have replaced their diesel engines with CNG kits.

SC extends diesel ban till further notice, eases norms for BPO taxis

BS-Motoring

Audi India is likely to launch the all-new A4 luxury sedan in August this year. The A4 is one of the most popular models and an important one for the German carmaker.
The all-new A4 has been on sale in international markets since mid-2015 and was showcased in India at the 2016 Auto Expo in February. As on the current A4, a 2.0-litre diesel unit will be at the core of the new car's engine range. In India, the four-cylinder unit, part of the VW Group’s new engine family, will be offered in the 190hp guise, up 15hp from today’s A4 35TDI. 
With the new-gen engine to be assembled in India from next year, the engine will come mated to Audi’s S Tronic 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox which is a big departure from the old A4’s use of the Multitronic CVT system. It is learnt that there is also the possibility of this engine being offered with the option of a six-speed manual gearbox. 
Internationally, the new A4 is available with 1.4- and 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engines, while the carmaker is ...

Audi likely to launch its new A4 in India in August 

Royal Enfield, which sells various popular models like Bullet, Classic, Thunderbird and Continental GT, is planning to invest Rs. 600 crore during the current fiscal for product development, setting up of two R&D centres and expansion of manufacturing capacities in India and the UK.
 
"We will be investing Rs 600 crore towards product development, setting up of the two technical centres, in Leicestershire, UK and Chennai, enhancing our manufacturing capacity and market development activities across geographies," Eicher Motors Ltd Managing Director & CEO Siddhartha Lal said in statement.
The UK technology centre will be operational by the second half of 2016-17 while the Chennai centre will be operational by 2017-18, he added. 
"In FY 2016-17, we plan to manufacture 675,000 motorcycles," Lal said, adding, "Our immediate business outlook remains strong and Royal Enfield continues to grow consistently, competitively and profitably towards leading and expanding the mid-sized ...

Royal Enfield to invest Rs. 600 cr on product development & R&D

South Korean automaker Hyundai aims to launch two new products every year, expanding its footprint across the country to offer customers, products and services "beyond their expectations."
Young Key Koo, managing director, Hyundai Motor India Ltd, said in Chennai on Friday that the company would also open more global dealer space identity (GDSI) and digital showrooms, automated workshops, and introduce 'Experience Hyundai' programmes for brand and product, sponsorships.
Koo was speaking at the commencement of the company's 20th foundation day celebrations in Chennai. He announced Hyundai's vision of attaining "market leadership position in the Indian automobile market," and becoming the "most beloved and trusted auto brand in India."
HMIL, India's second largest car manufacturer and largest exporter laid the foundation for its factory in India on May 6, 1996 and began operations on September 1998 by commissioning its first integrated car manufacturing plant outside Korea in ...

Hyundai to launch two new products every year

TVS Motor Company has topped customer satisfaction with after-sales service for two-wheelers in the inaugural JD Power 2016 India Two-Wheeler Customer Service Study, with a score of 773, performing particularly well in all five study factors. 
Suzuki with a score of 764 ranked second and Royal Enfield came third with 758. With an industry average customer satisfaction rating of 757, the survey puts Yamaha in fourth position, just ahead of Honda (750) at fifth; all these were above the industry average of 748 points. 
The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction with the after-sales service experience at original equipment (OE) authorised service centre during the first 12-24 months of ownership. The study focuses on what matters most to customers when they take their two-wheeler in for service and also analyses the processes that define the service experience. 
JD Power said two-wheeler dealers in India face significant competitive pressure from independent workshops, which are .

TVS Motor tops JD Power customer satisfaction study

An auction house offers the chance to bid for the last car purchased by the rapper

How about Tupac's Hummer?

Bloomberg

The Indian government has approved a plan for constructing 1,000 km of Expressways under NHDP Phase-VI at a cost of Rs. 16,680 crore on a design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) basis. 
The main criteria for selection of Expressway corridors will be the traffic volume. It was also decided that the highest density corridor (the 400-km-long Vododara-Mumbai Corridor) be given top priority and considered for feasibility study. 
It was also decided that the remaining 600 km be selected out of the routes identified on the basis of traffic volume. The high density corridors approved under NHDP Phase-VI are: Vododara-Mumbai Corridor (400 km) in Gujarat and Maharashtra; Delhi-Meerut (66 km) on NH-58 in Delhi/UP; Bangalore-Chennai (334 km) on NH-4 in Karnataka/Tamil Nadu; Delhi-Jaipur (261 Km) on NH-8 in Delhi/Rajasthan; Delhi-Chandigarh (249 km) on NH-1 and NH-22, (now changed to Delhi-Ludhiana-Amritsar-Katra Expressway) in Delhi/Punjab/J&K; Kolkata-Dhanbad (277 km) on NH-2 in West ...

Government approves plan for 1,000 km expressway network

Mahindra Automotive Australia Pty Ltd on Friday announced the launch of the Automatic Transmission version of the XUV500, a world class family SUV, in Australia.
The Automatic Option will be available in two variants - W8 2WD and W8 AWD with prices starting from $31,900 for the W8 2WD variant. It will be available across Mahindra Australia dealerships.
The seven-seater New Age XUV500 offers a second generation 6-speed automatic transmission with an AWD option. The all new Automatic Transmission has been sourced from leading global supplier, AISIN, Japan. The new vehicle takes the driving experience to the next level with easy cruising on city roads as well as on challenging terrains.
Speaking at the launch, Pravin Shah, President & Chief Executive (Automotive), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, "With its winning combination of aspirational styling, advanced technology, safety features, comfort and convenience, the XUV500 has created a niche for itself and has been a game changer ...

Mahindra Australia launches automatic transmission version of XUV500

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) is planning to increase capacity of its Karnataka plant by six lakh units to take the total to 18 lakh with an investment of Rs. 600 crore in the next two years.
"By the end of this financial year, our capacity, including the new plant, will be 5.8 million. In the next two years, we are planning to add one more line (with 6 lakh units per annum capacity) to our Karnataka facility. The investment would be Rs 6 billion (Rs 600 crore)," Keita Maramastu, President and CEO of HMSI said. 
The two-wheeler maker aims to enhance its market share to 30 per cent in the current fiscal on the back of additional capacity creation from the fourth plant in Vithalapur in Gujarat, he said.
"Our current market share is 27 per cent. We expect 3 per cent increase during the current year. Again, it depends on market conditions also," Maramastu added. 
Honda is optimistic of looking for a good chance for sales growth this year. With the recent launch of its ...

HMSI invests Rs. 600 crore to increase capacity at Karnataka plant to 18 lakh

Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta will launch its India operations from May 11. According to sources, MV Agusta will initially commence operations in Pune, Mumbai, Surat, Bangalore and Delhi.
It was earlier reported that the Kinetic Group had signed a partnership with the Italian company for bringing MV Agusta superbikes to India. 
It is learnt that the dealership for MV Agusta bikes will be under a different business unit but inside the Kinetic Group itself. However, it won't be a part of Kinetic Engineering of the Kinetic Group. Kinetic will set up a network of world-class showrooms in India's top cities to retail MV Agusta motorcycles. The sales and service will be taken care of by Motoroyale.
With more than 40 per cent of its global revenues coming in from Europe and US, MV Agusta is hoping to make its mark in the ever growing South Asian market and India can provide them with the required base. 
These superbikes are packed with high-end technology and race-derived ...

MV Agusta to make its official launch in India on May 11

Audi is all set to launch its flagship SUV 'SQ7' in India. The German auto giant, which had introduced the SUV last December, will bring in the sportier version of the luxury SUV SQ7 around the festive season.
The latest addition to the Q7 line-up, which sits on top of Audi's range, could carry a price tag that's Rs. 25 lakh higher than the regular Q7. 
This new SUV will not only look a lot sportier than the standard version but will also come with a larger power plant. The SQ7 gets a 4.0-litre V8 unit that pumps 441PS of power along with a staggering 900Nm of torque. 
The SQ7 rockets to 100kmph from a standstill in just 4.8 seconds and goes all the way up to 250kmph. The EPC helps the twin-turbochargers to work more efficiently and reduce turbo-lag by maintaining a higher volume of air in the induction system much before the turbochargers can start working their magic, especially in the lower rev range. The electromechanical active anti-roll bars reduce body roll while cornering - ...

Audi likely to launch SQ7 in India this Diwali

The next phase of implementation of the controversial odd-even scheme in the capital is likely to happen only in the winter season this year, says Delhi Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. 
According to him, this is on account of the fact that there is an urgent need to improve public transport. “So once that is in place within a year, the odd-even scheme will be a much bigger success," he said.
Government sources said a big hurdle faced during odd-even II was the weather. Hence, the scheme wasn't likely to return during summer. "Air pollution, for which odd-even was started, is not a problem during the monsoon. So, one can expect the next phase only in the winter, when pollution reaches scary levels and public support for the scheme is high," said an official. 
For odd-even II, the CM thanked the people of Delhi, who had "followed rules better than Americans". He also thanked the DTC, auto and taxi drivers, civil defence volunteers, the transport department and traffic police for making .

Next phase of odd-even only in winter: Kejriwal

Jaguar has imported the new XF sedan for homologation in India. The sedan was spotted on a flatbed while being transported to the Automotive Research Association of India facility.
The British car maker had displayed the XF sedan at the 2016 Auto Expo earlier this year. 
While the car spotted is reported to sport a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine, it is learnt that Jaguar has also imported a couple of XFs with a 2.0-litre diesel engine.
The 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder unit comes in two states of tune - 160 BHP and 380 Nm and 178 BHP and 430 Nm. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. This engine is from Jaguar's Ingenium engine family.
Jaguar has been unable to sell the XF diesel in New Delhi since the Supreme Court has banned the registration of all diesel vehicles with engines over 2,000cc in the city. The introduction of the new engines will allow Jaguar to sell the XF diesel in the national capital once again. The XF competes with the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz 

New Jaguar XF imported to India for homologation

Etios, the most successful mid-size sedan from Toyota Kirlosakar Motor, has been caught testing on Indian roads wearing camouflaged front and rear bumper suggesting that a facelift is in store.
This entry level sedan is likely to be launched in India during the festive season of 2016. Launched in 2010, the Etios sedan has been continuing without major changes in the market and test mules suggest a facelift is being readied.
The spy pictures indicate the front end of the new Etios has been facelifted for a contemporary look. The grill has been redesigned, where the sleek lines flow to form a V-shaped grille in the centre with 4 slats and housing a Toyota logo.
The bumper has also been redesigned, featuring re-designed intakes and fog lamp enclosures that look similar to the Toyota Vios.
Judging by the wrapped areas, it is expected to feature a chrome bar running between the tail lamps and a slightly facelifted lower bumper.
On the interior, the 2016 Etios is covered with new fabric ...

Toyota Etios sedan facelift spotted on test in India

Piaggio India is working on expanding its motorcycle distribution network in India. After opening its first Motoplex store in Pune, the company plans to open three more in India this month.
According to company sources, the long-term plan is to have one distribution network in every state capital over the next two years. The Motoplex store is a multi-brand outlet which deals with Vespa, Piaggio as well as Moto Guzzi bikes. The one in Pune is company owned (one of three in the world), and the rest will be dealer-operated premium outlets.
All existing Vespa dealers will become Vespa and Aprilia dealers and start selling the SR150 scooter once it goes on sale in a few months. Piaggio says that it intends to start the Aprilia SR150’s commercial operations in August 2016. Production of this premium scooter with full localisation has already begun at the Baramati two-wheeler plant last month.
Meanwhile, Piaggio India is also getting ready to handle the Vespa GTS300 sales. Vespa GTS300, the .

Piaggio India working to expand Indian motorcycle distribution network

Despite the Supreme Court ban on diesel vehicles and the trending eco-awareness in the country, fewer customers are opting for CNG powered vehicles.
Companies too have tweaked their production plans and want to include more petrol variants rather than CNG ones. The reason for this according to industry experts is the paucity of CNG filling stations in the National Capital Region.
Maruti Suzuki, which has the largest portfolio of factory-fitted CNG vehicles in the country, registered a modest increase of 3% in sales of CNG vehicles in the last financial year at 59,800 units, compared to 58,000 sold in the previous fiscal. The company currently offers CNG options in six models – Alto, Alto K10, Celerio, WagonR, Eeco and Ertiga.
WagonR accounted for nearly half of these volumes with sales of around 29,000 units of CNG-powered versions. Eeco CNG was a distant second with sales of over 11,000 units. CNG vehicles contribute around 5% to Maruti Suzuki's overall volumes at present.
RS Kalsi, .

Few takers for CNG powered vehicles

The BR V is based on the same platform as the Amaze and the Mobilio

Honda BR-V: Complete CarDekho compilation

Agencies

The BR-V is based on the Brio's platform, just like the Amaze and the Mobilio

Honda BR-V vs Mobilio - What's different?

Visits by international clients that were a routine affair in the NCR has suddenly become an area of major concern as companies don't know how to find CNG-fitted Mercedes, BMWs or Jaguars to pick up high-profile visitors from the airport. 
The managers are left with little other choice than to scramble a CNG-fitted van or hatchback which is not the kind of welcome the corporate elite in India either expects or gives. Industry analysts feel this may hurt Gurgaon's global image as a corporate destination.
Says Raman Roy, one of the pioneers of the BPO industry in India, who had a tough time explaining to his clients why it took close to two hours to reach the meeting venue from the airport: "It's because there were no cabs available. It was very embarrassing and such things reflect very poorly on the industry. We are not even able to provide cabs for our clients."
The solution was that Roy's BPO, Quatrro, got its employees to pick them up in their private cars. "We told them we will pay 

No luxury cars for international clients of Gurgaon firms

The Supreme Court’s decision to ban diesel vehicles in the NCR is having its impact on the BPO sector, which employs more than 250,000 people in Delhi and NCR, and accounts for nearly $7.5 billion in revenue. 
The BPO and IT sector is trying to lobby hard with the government to get the Supreme Court to reconsider the ban on diesel vehicles in NCR.
According to reports, industry body National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) has sent a letter to the ministry of heavy industries, ministry of transport, Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), and the ministry of environment, asking for the CNG infrastructure to be strengthened for full compliance with the order.
The two main issues highlighted are female employee safety and lack of an adequate CNG infrastructure that could hurt business.
"This is a matter of great concern, especially for security of women employees who work in night shifts," said a DeitY official, who is familiar with the ...

BPO-IT sector worried over diesel vehicle ban in NCR

Looks like the BMW G 310 R will see an early launch in India as the super bike has been spotted testing for the first time on the roads in south India.
The super bike seen on the Indian roads, wearing a blue shade and minimal camouflage, is identical to the one showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo in February this year, when BMW Motorrad officially announced its Indian entry. 
Having made its global debut late last year, the G 310 R is one of the most awaited motorcycles in the quarter-litre segment and will be the first product to come from the much talked about TVS-BMW alliance. BMW G 310 R has been built by the BMW group in collaboration with TVS as they partnered on sub 500 cc engines.
The street-fighter has been built with the engineering and R&D teams of the German auto giant, whereas the Indian manufacturer will be producing the bike and exporting it globally from its Hosur based facility. 
The BMW G 310 R has a 313 cc single cylinder liquid cooled engine with an output of 34 hp ...

BMW G 310 R spotted testing on Indian roads

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