General Motors will unveil a compact sedan based on the new Chevrolet Beat hatchback at the upcoming Auto Expo 2016. The new sub-four metre car is expected to be named Beat Essentia.
General Motors India, which has been working on the compact sedan since 2013, is expected to launch it in India only by next year. The Beat Essentia will be offered in both petrol and diesel variants, with powertrains borrowed from the current Beat hatchback. 
The petrol version is powered by a 1,199cc four-cylinder mill that produces 77bhp of power and 106.5Nm of torque. The diesel version gets a 936cc three-cylinder unit that churns out 56bhp of power and 124.5Nm of torque. Both the engines, according to reports, will come mated to a five-speed manual transmission.
The Beat Essentia is expected to compete with segment leaders like the Swift Dzire, Hyundai Xcent, Honda Amaze and the Figo Aspire.

General Motors to unveil Chevrolet Beat-based compact sedan 

BS-Motoring

February 10, 2016: At least four persons were killed after nearly 40 cars piled up in foggy conditions along National Highway 1 near Karnal, Haryana, on Wednesday morning. 
According to the local police, four persons who were travelling in a Figo were killed after the car hit a truck ahead, following the vehicle pile-up. Heavy fog enveloped many parts of north India on Wednesday. 
Car pile-ups have increased sharply in many parts of north India, especially along the expressways and national highways. Motorists tend to speed on these broad, four- and six-laned arteries, even on foggy mornings, despite poor visibility. 
Many motorists in India also erroneously switch on the hazard lights in dense fog, instead of switching on the headlights, not realising that hazard lights are to be used only when a vehicle has to make an emergency stop in the middle of the road. 
Switching the hazard lights while driving can confuse other motorists and also contribute to accidents.

Four killed in 40 car pile-up along NH1 in Haryana 

Tyre manufacturer MRF has renewed its contract with the International Cricket Council of global partner for the sixth edition of ICC World Twenty-20 India 2016.Four-year partnership will be valid till ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019 ends, covering eight tournaments including an ICC World Twenty-20, as well as an ICC Champions Trophy, the company said.As a global partner, MRF Ltd will have multiple branding opportunities at all the match venues during the ICC World Twenty-20, this year and future ICC events.Dave Richardson, ICC chief executive, said MRF is one of the important partners for ICC and it has been associated with the ICC in the past. The company is one of the five partners for ICC and the others include airlines firm Emirates and automajor Nissan.K M Mammen, chairman and managing director of MRF Ltd, said the association with ICC and the game of cricket presents a great opportunity for brand MRF to reach markets across the world.Sachin Tendulkar, brand ambassador for MRF, ...

MRF continues to be ICC global partner

 Chevrolet has rather silently launched the refreshed iteration of Beat hatchback, which is aimed for the Indian market. The updated Chevrolet Beat will incorporate refreshed cabin interiors and additional safety features. The little American hatchback has been launched at an introductory price tag of Rs. 4.28 lacs and the top-end model caps off at Rs. 5.55 lacs (Ex-showroom, New Delhi).The car is offered with new features like keyless entry, a foldable key, driver-side airbags that are now available on the LT variants and two brand new colours, which include ‘Satin Steel Grey’ and  ‘Pull-me-over Red’. Company also claims that the little hatchback is capable of returning a fuel-economy stat of 25.44kmpl in its diesel variants and a 17.8kmpl stat for its petrol variants (ARAI certified).Commenting on the launch, Hardeep Brar, Vice President – Sales, General Motors India said, “The Chevrolet Beat, one of GM India’s best-selling models, raises the bar in the country’s fast-growing ...

Updated 2016 Chevrolet Beat Launched at Rs. 4.28 lacs

The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) in Kochi has decided step up the drive against those altering bikes and causing pollution and health issues to the public.
Following a recent court order, the MVD embarked upon a drive against those indulging in various offences. On March 2, MVD officials with the Ernakulam regional transport office booked owners of 30 Enfield motorcycles for altering their bikes. 
According to officials, Enfield owners are the ones who mostly get their bikes altered for want of more sound. Despite the company manufacturing motorcycles with less noise, adhering to pollution standards, those buying the powerful bikes want the earlier sound and hence get the silencers altered immediately. 
The Ernakulam regoinal transport office has so far booked more than 300 persons for using motorcycles with altered parts. The RTO first suspends the registration of the altered bikes booked under the drive. To get the suspension revoked, the owners have to get the altered parts of ..

Noisy motorcycles come under scanner in Kochi

Japanese carmaker Nissan is expected to launch another car for the Indian market at the Delhi Auto Show 2016. Nissan is also expected to launch a third car in the Datsun range on the concept of Ready Go. This is expected in the third quarter of 2016.
The Datsun Ready Go will be made on the Common Module Family, a platform that is an arrangement between alliance partners Nissan and Renault to build a wider range of cars from a smaller pool of parts, resulting in cost savings. 
Renault's latest launch, Kwid, is based on this module. Nissan's strategy this year is to increase market share from the current 1.5 percent to five percent in the Indian passenger car segment, where sales amounted to over 2.6 million cars in 2014-15, up 3.9 percent year-on-year. Towards this end, the company will also augment its dealer network to 300 this year.

Nissan to launch car for Indian market at Auto Show 2016

 Mahindra has launched its micro SUV, KUV100 at a price of Rs. 4.42 lac (ex-showroom, Pune). Bookings for the KUV100 had already started a couple of weeks back and are sure to take a boost after this impressive pricing. KUV100, where KUV stands for Kool Utility Vehicle, has no direct competitor in the Indian auto market. However, it is likely to compete with the B-segment hatches, majorly with Hyundai Grand i10, Maruti Suzuki Swift and Ford Figo. Having said this, Maruti is expected to launch Ignis sometime this year which will also fall in the same segment.Speaking of the mechanicals, Mahindra KUV100 is powered by brand new three-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. The petrol will be the mFalcon G80 1.2-liter unit. The engine produces 82 bhp @ 5,500 rpm and 114 Nm of peak torque in between 3500-3600 rpm. The diesel will be the mFalcon D75 1.2-liter turbo diesel. The engine generates 77 bhp @ 3750 rpm and 190 Nm of max torque between 1750-2250 rpm. KUV100 has a third seat in the ...

Mahindra KUV100: Key specs of the \'Young SUV\'

General Motors CEO Mary Barra is taking on the added role of chairman of America's largest carmaker. The company said in a release that its directors unanimously elected her to lead the board, replacing Theodore Solso, who will stay on as the board's lead independent director.
When Barra, 54, took over as CEO in January 2014, she was the first woman to lead a major global carmaker. Her appointment came shortly before GM became embroiled in a scandal over faulty small-car ignition switches. But she led GM through the crisis and a related series of embarrassing safety recalls, the statement said.
In July 2015, Ms Barra said her company would invest $1 billion in India as it looked to make India its key manufacturing hub. The company has a plant in Talegaon in Maharashtra, where it would make the investment.

General Motors names Mary Barra as chairman

Hyundai Motors, the second-largest carmaker in India, plans to hike the price of all its models. The increase will range from Rs3,000 to Rs80,000 depending on the model.
The hike follows the imposition of additional infrastructure cess on all cars by finance minister Arun Jaitley in his budget speech on Monday. All petrol, LPG and CNG cars, with a length not exceeding four metres and engine capacity of 1,200 cc or less, will be taxed an additional one per cent.
Diesel cars with an engine capacity of less than 1500 cc will bear an additional tax of 2.5 per cent, while all other vehicles with higher engine capacity and SJUVs will be costlier by four per cent.
Hyundai’s entry-level Eon will be dearer by Rs3,000, whereas its top-end model, the SUV Santa Fe, will be costlier by Rs80,000. Its popular compact SUV, the Creta will now be more expensive, ranging from Rs26,000 to Rs65,000, depending on the variant.
Tata Motors had also announced a price hike across various models. 
Hyundai saw ..

Hyundai hikes price of cars by Rs3,000 to Rs80,000

Tyre major MRF has said that it is exploring possibilities of setting up a new plant outside South India, and a possible location could be Gujarat.Koshy K Varghese, executive vice-president-marketing, MRF Ltd, said: "We look at options outside the South wherever opportunities throw up. Gujarat could be one of them."He was talking to reporters today in Chennai after signing a global partnership deal with International Cricket Council for sponsorship.Varghese said the company is looking at opportunities both within India and outside, mostly in ASEAN countries."We need to look at the long term. We should not say, the market is down, so let's not invest. We have kept investing. We will look at options. Gujarat is one of the options," he said.The company currently has nine plants in the country and most of them are located in South India.Referring to the price cut was on account of the fall in prices of natural rubber and crude oil, he said the company dropped prices by 9-10 per cent in ...

BMW 3-Series to be Showcased at the 2016 Indian Auto Expo

Bajaj Auto has launched its CT100B commuter motorcycle at a price of Rs. 30,990 ex-showroom New Delhi. The bike will return a stupendous fuel economy of 99.1kmpl. Bajaj Auto, which claims the cost of the bike the 'best ever’, is also offering a two-year warranty on the motorcycle.
The CT100B, which is a more affordable version of the CT100, is an attempt by the manufacturer to re-establish its name in the base commuter segment, since the company had been focusing at the premium end. 
In terms of design, the CT100B looks the same as CT100, with a simple round headlight and the same fuel tank and side cowls. Evidently, Bajaj is focusing on attracting prospective buyers with price and fuel efficiency numbers of the motorcycle rather than its looks.
When you see the CT100B’s round headlamp and the same fuel tank, it also resembles Bajaj’s Boxer, sold in the segment years back. However, the company claims that the flat seat on the CT100B is thicker and more comfortable than before. The ...

Bajaj CT100B commuter bike launched at Rs 30,990

Maruti Suzuki’s hatchback Alto has crossed the 3-million sales milestone in the Indian market.
“It has taken 15 years and 6 months to achieve this record, and Alto is the only Indian auto brand to cross this milestone,” the company said in a statement, adding that the average sales of Alto per month for past 10 years exceeded 22,000 cars.
Additionally, Maruti Suzuki has exported over 3.8 lakh Alto cars to over 70 countries with Sri Lanka, Algeria, Chile, the UK and the Netherlands being its top markets.
The company feels that Alto’s all-round package by way of competitive pricing, track record of low cost of maintenance and widespread sales and service network set itself apart from competition and helped maintain the leadership position. When Alto was launched in 2000, the price of LX variant was Rs.2.99 lakh. Today’s price is Rs.3.94 lakh.
With the success of Alto, Maruti Suzuki has kept the brand rejuvenated with latest technology, design and features such as airbag and auto gear ...

Maruti Alto crosses 3-million sales milestone

 Ford has decided to launch the next generation Endeavour on 20th January 2016 and they are taking this intermittent time to make sure that everybody knows this. Move around any city and you might come across huge hoardings with the giant SUV pasted on it. Visit Facebook and one might come across the Endeavour there as well. Since 2008, which is the last year of the old Endeavour’s glory as Toyota Fortuner came into the picture. This is the first time since its showdown with the Fortuner that it is regaining its lost popularity. Let’s see what sets the latest edition apart from the current SUV lineup present in India.ExteriorsNow every car in this segment has a substantial amount of size. The Trailblazer is the biggest and the Fortuner and the Pajero are of the same size. Likewise, Endeavour has a burly-don’t-mess-with-me appeal to it. In addition, it looks far more contemporary than the rest. The hexagonal chrome grill looks dominating on the front end, flanked by the understated ...

2016 Ford Endeavour: Back With A Bang!

Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold 11,215 vehicles in February, with the domestic market accounting for 10,312 units. In February 2015, it had sold 11,802 units.
“Our monthly sales for February has picked up when compared to January 2016,” said N. Raja, director and senior vice-president, sales and marketing, TKM. “However, the ban on registration of diesel vehicles in Delhi and NCR still continues to affect our sales as these markets constitute 8-10% of the market share of both the Innova and Fortuner.”
Referring to the budget, Raja said it was expected that the government would come out with some measures to promote alternate fuel technologies which would have helped the environment also. 
“The Indian auto industry is already taxed at very high levels in comparison to most countries,” he pointed out. “To promote sustainable development of the country, the government must use this tax for the development of infrastructure, enhancing safety and enabling advanced, cleaner technologies to be ..

Toyota reports slight decline in February sales

TVS Motor Company today launched its new four stroke moped TVS XL 100, which is available in Tamil Nadu market currently. The TVS XL 100 comes at an ex-showroom price of Rs 29,539.The new TVS XL 100 is powered by a 99.7 cc four-stroke engine, which effortlessly delivers 4.2 PS power with excellent initial pick up and a top speed of 60 kmph. TVS XL 100 returns a mileage of 67 kmpl under simulated test conditions as per TVS Motor standards, said the company."The all new four stroke moped TVS XL 100 has been designed to meet the evolving needs of today s customer and is one of the most affordable, reliable, easy to ride, powerful multi utility two wheelers in the market," said J S Srinivasan, Vice President, Sales and Service, TVS Motor Company in a statement.The new TVS XL 100 has a detachable rear seat with a robust rear flatbed platform to enable carrying of loads.The moped comes in five colours of black, red, green, blue and grey. Along with TVS XL Super and TVS XL Heavy Duty, TVS XL 

Hyundai Announces 2016 Auto Expo Lineup!

The Indian compact car market, which accounts for more than 70% of the total market, could witness major action in the near future with Hyundai’s Kia and Toyota Motors owned Daihatsu planning their entry. 
This could happen as early as in 2018-19. It is reliably learnt that while Kia is likely to select Tada in Andhra Pradesh for its manufacturing facility, Daihatsu is in the process of conducting feasibility studies to understand the dynamics affecting the cost structure of operating in India.
Hyundai Moto Corp aims to have a 20% stake of the Indian market by 2020 and for this it needs more models and additional capacity in volumes.
It is learnt that Kia is likely to invest around $500 million to build a factory with a capacity of 300,000 units a year. Hyundai is likely to support Kia with engines and press parts, with the latter doing the painting, body work and assembly in house to keep the cost low. 
It is for this reason that Kia is planning to set up operations in Andhra Pradesh 

Competition in compact car segment likely to heat up with entry of Kia, Daihatsu

Indian Automaker Mahindra has launched its all electric scooter GenZe in a Californian city this week as part of its effort to create a niche space for itself in the green technology two-wheeler market in the US.
Mahindra's GenZe 2.0, the first connected all-electric scooter, was conceived in Silicon Valley and engineered/assembled in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Designed to help alleviate challenges associated with urban commuting, parking, congestion and pollution, the scooter was formally launched at a recent event in Oakland, California in the presence of the city Mayor Libby Schaaf and Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra.
"Oakland is the perfect place to combine electric bikes and electric scooters, with mobility sharing and solar power. Projects like Bike Solar Oakland and San Francisco's Scoot Networks are the type of Smart City Initiatives we are launching in Oakland," Schaaf said.
"We are so happy to be working with Mahindra GenZe - this is the kind of innovation and partnership ..

7 Things That Make Mahindra KUV100 Special!

2016 may only be a few days old, but F1 has already made its presence felt before the season starts. Max Verstappen put in an impressive performance in an F1 car amid an Alpine landscape in the build-up to the Hahnenkamm ski races at the legendary Streif ski run in Kitzbühel. The awe-inspiring sound of the Red Bull Racing world-title winning car with snow whirling around several metres into the air at the back delighted the 3,500 people watching at the edge of the circuit marked by ski gates.
The Scuderia Toro Rosso driver described how it felt to race the beast of a machine on a ski piste right in the middle of the Alps, saying: “It was really cool and was so much fun. Keeping the car on the track was a real challenge.” On being asked how a Dutchman can drive so well on snow in the mountains of Austria, Max Verstappen smiled and said: “We are definitely better at ice skating. Marcel Hirscher’s mother is from Holland too, so I guess he got his skiing talent from her.”
The Red Bull ...

A spectacular show in the Alps

Automobile industry lobby Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has urged the government not to succumb to pressures from the European Union on the question of reducing or eliminating duties on imported cars.
In an interaction with commerce secretary Rita Teaotia, representatives from SIAM and other domestic Indian carmakers urged the government not to include the import of completely built units (CBUs) in the forthcoming India-EU FTA talks.
Teaotia is expected to hold talks with her EU counterparts in Brussels later this month on the free trade agreement, known as Bilateral trade and investment agreement between India and the 28-nation EU. Two-way trade between the two adds up to almost $100 billion.
The pact aims to reduce or significantly eliminate tariffs on goods. However, the domestic auto industry is lobbying against including import of CBUs under the agreement. But many European carmakers, who have a presence in India, are naturally not opposed to the move.
While ..

SIAM urges government not to accept EU proposal for duty-free imports of CBUs

Autoline Industries, a Pune-based mid-size engineering and auto ancillary company, has launched its own designed and manufactured four-wheeler accessories for selected models.
The company manufactures sheet metal components, sub-assemblies and assemblies, foot control modules, parking brakes, hinges, cab stay and cab tilt, exhaust systems, tubular structures and fabrications for large OEMs in the auto industry.
Autoline has nine manufacturing facilities across India, including three in Chakan, one in Pimpri and one in Bhosari (all in and around Pune), three units at Pantnagar and one in Dharwad

Autoline to produce accessories for select models

February 24, 2016: Mercedes-Benz India has launched ‘Edition E’, the refreshed version of its highest-selling luxury sedan, the E-class, to celebrate 20 years of the start of production of the first luxury car to be ‘Made in India.’ 
The E-Class is also the highest selling luxury sedan in the country, with more than 32,000 units on Indian roads. ‘Edition E’ blends the characteristic sporty design, unmatched comfort and luxury with exemplary safety features. 
The luxury sedan was launched by Roland Folger, managing director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India and Piyush Arora, executive director, operations, at the company’s Chakan plant near Pune.
“It is a moment of immense pride for us that the E-Class which is the highest selling luxury sedan in India, completes 20 glorious years of production in India,” said Folger. “The E-Class which was the first luxury sedan to be produced by Mercedes-Benz for the Indian market, also kick started our journey in India.” 
According to him, 20 years of ...

Mercedes-Benz launches 'Edition E' to mark 20 years of E-class production in India

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