The government’s fuel policy was the main culprit for the high incidence of pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) told the Supreme Court.
The apex body of auto manufacturers tried to dispel the impression of the court that diesel cars emitted more pollutants than the petrol version. The Supreme Court was hearing the plea on the ban on registration of diesel cars and SUVs above 2,000 cc, imposed by it, till March 31.
Siam said that faster implementation of Bharat Stage V and BS-VI emission norms would help reduce pollution. But if the fuel supplied by the petroleum companies did not conform to these standards, it would be a futile effort, it argued.
According to Siam, auto manufacturers were willing to introduce BS-V compliant cars by 2019, a year before the government deadline. But non-availability of BS-V fuel by 2019 was deterring the industry from introducing the vehicles.
“It is ironical that on the one hand India has 

Government

BS-Motoring

Revv, a car rental company set up by former McKinsey associate partners, has launched its operations in Hyderabad, deploying a fleet of 50 cars across various models.
The company, based in Gurgaon, plans to launch operations later this month in Bangalore. According to Karan Jain, co-founder and COO, Revv, the company has seen a terrific response in Hyderabad after its launch. “Our average fleet utility is more than 70 per cent,” he said. “We see enormous potential in Hyderabad and envision it becoming a 250-300 car market within the next one year.”
Jain, who started the company along with another former McKinsey associate partner, Anupam Agarwal, last July, says Revv hopes to start operations in one or two new cities every month over the coming months.
Self-drive car rental firms are rare in India, as most people hire vehicles along with drivers. But Revv sees opportunity in the self-drive market, with consumers wanting to rent vehicles instead of buying them. The company delivers the 

Revv car rental drives into Hyderabad

India Kawasaki Motors (IKM) organised a clinic at the state-of-the-art test tracks of the Institute of Driving Training and Research (ITDR), Pune, recently. IKM has been actively conducting safety riding clinics across India to promote two-wheeler safety.
The company has the skills and knowledge for such training programmes for its customers. The programme covers training on risky manoeuvres such as panic braking.
“Whatever I have, I want to share if it helps riders,” said S. Nishikawa, director, IKM. “Needless to say, it would not have been possible to organise this clinic without the support from IDTR Pune, and I want to specially mention their involvement, as a note of gratitude.”
IDTR Pune has conducted scientifically engineered training programmes to inculcate safety consciousness and safe driving habit in Pune. “I’m concerned about the rise in two-wheeler accident cases, and have to expand our activity further more especially for the younger generations” said K. Madhavraj, head .

Kawasaki, ITDR Pune collaborate for two-wheeler safe riding

German luxury sports carmaker Porsche launched the diesel variant of Panamera in India on Wednesday. The vehicle is priced at Rs1.04 crore, ex-showroom Mumbai.“The Panamera Diesel Edition is a thrilling four-door sports car that provides an abundance of driving pleasure, combined with styling accents that typify this specific model from Porsche,” said Pavan Shetty, director, Porsche India. “The range of additional equipment available as standard makes this premium model a truly attractive offering for our enthusiasts.”
The diesel variant is equipped with a 250hp engine, 19-inch alloy wheels in Panamera turbo II design, and bi-xenon headlights operating the Porsche Dynamic Light System.
Additional standard features include adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management, park assist (front and rear), reversing camera, electric slide and tilt sun roof, soft close doors, four-zone climate control and Power Steering Plus.
The diesel edition is powered by a 3.0 litre V6 ..

Porsche unveils Panamera Diesel Edition for India

Volkswagen has named its new compact sedan for the Indian market as ‘Ameo,’ it was announced on Wednesday.
The Ameo, meaning ‘I love,’ will be unveiled on February 2 on the eve of the Auto Expo. The sedan enters a crowded market, where it will face competition from the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, the Honda Amaze, the Ford Figo Aspire, the Tata Zest and the Hyundai Xcent.
The Ameo has been designed specifically for India and will be produced at its Chakan plant near Pune.
Earlier this month, the German automaker had said it would be unveiling three new products at the 13th edition of the Delhi Auto Expo – the Indian compact sedan (now revealed to be the Ameo), Tiguan and the Passat GTE.
“With an exciting combination of products based on performance, best-in class safety features, build quality and innovative technology, the lineup underscores Volkswagen's continued commitment and aggressive growth plans for the Indian market,” said the company.
The Delhi Auto Expo will see the ...

Volkswagen names Indian compact sedan as Ameo

The new Ford Endeavour 2016 was launched in Mumbai on Wednesday. The American auto major has priced it at between Rs24.75 lakh and Rs29.46 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).
This was the third car launch for Ford in fiscal 2015-16. The 2016 Endeavour, with a major model change in over a dozen years, is quite different from the outgoing model. It comes with two engine options – a 2.2-litre 4-cylinder with 160PS on tap, and a 3.0-lite, 5-cylinder motor with 200PS of maximum power.
It also features the terrain management system, helping you tackle any surface, on-road or off, at the turn of a dial. The TMS allows the driver to shift-on-the-fly to maximise traction and stability, and to stay in control. The system comes in various modes including normal, sand, snow/mud and rock mode.
The 2.2-litre manual and automatic have a claimed fuel efficiency of 14.12 km/l and 12.62 km/l respectively, while the 3.2-litre engine returns 10.91 km/l of diesel. The vehicle comes in seven variants.
The Ford ...

Ford launches all-new Endeavour

TVS Motors relaunched its Victor and introduced the Apache RTR 200 on Wednesday. The TVS Victor had initially been launched in 2002, but was withdrawn a few years later.
“We have been at the forefront in bringing new and relevant technology to our customers,” said Venu Srinivasan, chairman, TVS Motor Company, at the event. “TVS Motors is defined by its state of the art engineering, excellence in technology and superior quality of products. Our commitment to our customers is our primary focus.”
According to him, the latest launch is yet another reiteration of the TVS promise, to deliver high quality, customer centric products. K.N. Radhakrishnan, president and CEO, TVS Motors, said the company was constantly evolving and offering technologically superior and youthful products.
The two new products complement its existing product portfolio and have a strong potential for growth in their respective segments, he added. “We have no doubt that both these motorcycles will be well accepted by 

TVS launches Victor, Apache RTR200

The Special Protection Group (SPG), which protects VVIPs, has moved the Supreme Court seeking an exemption from the ban imposed by the apex court on the registration of high-end diesel vehicles with an engine capacity of over 2,000 cc in the National Capital Region.
The SPG said that for effective protection of VIPs, high-end vehicles – including armoured, non-armoured, escort and technical vehicles – are used. A protective motorcade has heavy vehicles with engine capacities of more than 4,000 cc because of security features, it added.
The ban imposed by the Supreme Court would have a direct bearing on the protection standards, the SPG said in its plea before the apex court. 
The court imposed the ban on registration of new vehicles in the NCR till March 31. Automobile manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Mahindra & Mahindra, who had sought a lifting of the ban, had claimed that modern diesel engines do not cause more pollution than petrol ones.

SPG seeks exemption from SC ban on diesel vehicles above 2000 cc capacity

The race is on and Maruti seems to be ahead in December. According to figures from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, Maruti’s premium hatchback, the Baleno sold 10,572 units in December against Hyundai’s Elite i20 sales of 10,379 units. The Korean carmaker’s tally was higher in November, though.
Hyundai’s well respected Creta will also find competition from Maruti’s Vitra Brezza, due to be launched after February’s Delhi Auto Expo. 
The Baleno, now being sold through Maruti’s new retail format Nexa, is one of the most ambitious products for India’s largest carmaker and also the mainstay for the Nexa channel. 
Featuring a 1.2-litre petrol engine or a 1.3-litre diesel engine, the Baleno has dual air bags and ABS as standard variant. Maruti executives say there is now a waiting period for the Baleno as the response from consumers has been strong.

Maruti

Data from the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) indicates that passenger car tyres produced in India between April and September increased by seven percent to 189.90 lakh units, according to a media report.
RNCOS, a business consultancy service said in its report on the Indian tyre industry that radial penetration in the passenger car segment in India was almost 100 percent and commercial vehicles had begun to use radial tyres, as well. It expects this segment to be the largest growth segment over the next few years.
The ATMA figures showed that production of tyres for medium and heavy commercial vehicles (M&HCVs) declined by two percent over April-September 2015, which made a heavy impact on the tyre industry as such tyres account for 55 percent of the tyre industry’s revenues.

India

Royal Enfield, which has set up a wholly-owned subsidiary to take over its North American operations, will be launching three models in 2016 in the US and Canada, besides appointing dealers in nearly a hundred cities by the end of the year.
The 115-year-old company, a division of Eicher Motors Ltd, will be launching the Continental GT, the Classic and the Bullet in North America. Royal Enfield bikes were being distributed in the US by Classic Motor Works, but from the New Year it has set up a wholly-owned subsidiary to run its North America operations.
Rod Copes, president, Royal Enfield North America, told a US publication that the company has grown at more than 50 per cent year-on-year for the past five years. The former Harley-Davidson executive said that Royal Enfield, with bikes averaging 500cc, aims to attract new American bikers and current bikers. “We think it’s a very exciting time for Royal Enfield,” he said.
In 2015, Royal Enfield recorded remarkable growth, expanding sales 

Royal Enfield to launch three new models in North America

By Austin Lobo
The best time to buy a car is obviously when you absolutely need to buy one. In most cases, buying a car is a rather carefully thought-out investment. For many Indian families buying a car is like owning the second most precious asset after property. 
Most people would look for a car that would give them optimal mileage and low maintenance costs, hassle-free ownership, decent power, safety and nowadays, people look for space within the car, features that come with it and its look, feel, and style. 
The car is no more a vehicle that gets the family from place A to place B but it has become a status symbol that tells about its owner (especially to neighbours and friends).
Besides, since cars depreciate by about 50 percent by the fifth year, you would need to look at its resale value as well.
Having done the research, when should you buy? A car that shows the manufacturing year as 2015, for instance, is stuck with that date even if you bought it in December 2015. You might 

The best time to buy a car

In an attempt to lure prospective buyers, Maruti Suzuki today announced that they have decided to cut the prices of the S-Cross in India.  The price cut, which is upto INR 2 lakhs depending on the variant, is being offered with the sole purpose of attracting more customers.

Maruti Suzuki slashes price of the S Cross by INR 2

MotorOctane

Here is a video of the Tata Hexa that has been spotted on test.

Tata Hexa spotted   VIDEO

Maruti Suzuki today has announced its highlights for the Auto Expo 2016.  This includes the much anticipated debut of their compact SUV the Vitara Brezza.

Sneak preview of what Maruti Suzuki has in store for us

India’s largest automobile manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) plans to open 250 Nexa outlets by 2016-17, up from just 100 at present.
Last July, MSIL launched Nexa, its new premium sales channel, creating a new format of retail experience for the customer. The company has been taking new initiatives in all areas of business to attain its medium term goal of two million annual sales by 2020.
On Monday, the company said it would also double its relationship managers at the Nexa outlets to 5,000 by 2016-17. About 150 new outlets would be opened by March 31.
Maruti has sold about 45,000 cars through Nexa over three past six months. These outlets sell only premium Maruti cars including the S-Cross and the Baleno. 
According to R.S. Kalsi, executive director, marketing and sales, MSIL expects to increase sales through Nexa to 15 per cent of its total sales by 2020, up from 10 per cent at present. It aims to have 400 Nexa outlets in just four years.
The company also plans to sell ..

Maruti to open 250 Nexa outlets by 2016-17

In a bid to save lives of road accident victims, the Tamil Nadu government plans an innovative initiative, operating motorcycle ambulances to reach victims within the ‘golden hour.’
The health department’s trauma care initiative will see paramedics head to the accident site on bikes carrying essential medicines. According to an official, these bike ambulances would be able to navigate through traffic snarls and reach the victim at the earliest.
Traditional ambulances take a long time to provide aid to victims as they find it difficult to manoeuvre through city traffic. But the bike-borne paramedics are expected to reach the victims, especially in congested areas.
The first phase of the initiative will be launched in Chennai next month, according to the department.

Tamil Nadu to launch bike ambulances to treat accident victims

As part of Tata Motors’ elaborate plans to engage with its customers, the Indian auto major organised a rally to celebrate the spirit of Zest. In all, 154 Zests, the compact sedan from Tata Motors’ stable, participated in the rally held in Pune.
In addition to highlighting the advantages of the car, the company and participants managed to create a new Asian record for being part of the largest convoy of a single branded vehicle.
In the rally held on January 17, the participants covered a distance of 21.19km driving in formations of three. The starting point of the rally was at Pan Card Club, Baner.
The rally was the latest in the series of events organised by Tata Motors to connect and listen to its customers, showcase its products and help change public perceptions with regards to its cars. Earlier, a Zest mileage run was organised across 19 cities of India with 665 vehicles participating.

A record for Zest

Isuzu Motor India is expected to start production at a new plant in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh from April. It has discontinued production at the Hindustan Motor plant in Thiruvallur in Chennai. 
The Japanese utility vehicle maker is expected to start with an installed capacity of 50,000 units at its Sri City plant. This would be expandable to 1.2 lakh units a year. The company has invested Rs3,000 crore on the facility.
Isuzu is also expected to unveil its seven-seater MU-X. The company said it would also showcase its pick-up truck, the D-Max along with a new offering, that industry experts believe will be the MU-X, at the Delhi Auto Expo in February.

Isuzu to switch production to Sri City plant from Chennai

Michelin, the world's tyre technology leader, is expected to launch the Michelin Pilot Road 4 and Pilot Power 3 in India, designed for high-performance motorcycles. 
The launch of the tyres, which can be used on motorcycles from companies like Kawasaki, Ducati, Aprilia, Benelli, Yamaha, Hyosung and Honda, is in response to high demand for performance motorcycles. Michelin said that according to industry analysts, the market for motorcycles of 500 cc and more will more than double over the next five years.
Michelin has also introduced the Michelin Latitude Sport 3 tyres in India. The launch helps the company to strengthen its product portfolio in India. The company said the Latitude Sport 3 (LS3) is the third generation of Latitude on-road SUV and CUV tyres in the Michelin line-up. 
The design of the new tyre conveys an image of power and control and is capable of supporting the vehicle weight and driver expectations with enhanced safety performance, while delivering outstanding grip ..

Michelin India may launch premium radial two-wheeler tyres in India

Motorcycle sales dipped sharply in December 2015, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam). Total sales of motorcycles fell to 724,807 units in December 2015, as against 770,519 in the same month in 2014.
But scooter and scooterette sales were up marginally; they rose from 374,601 in December 2014 to 386,305 units the following year. Hero MotoCorp, the largest two-wheeler manufacturer, saw a significant dip in sales of motorcycles. While December 2014 motorcycle sales added up to 432.123 units, the figure had come down to 393,495 units a year later.
Sale of scooters/scooterettes, however, were up – from 74,509 units in December 2014 to 82,517 units in December 2015.
Bajaj Auto reported a spurt in the sale of motorcycles, which went up from 106,919 (in December 2014) to 120,322 last month. 
But Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India saw a decline in the sale of both motorcycles (from 110,884 units in December 2014 to 92,280 units in December 2015) and scooters ...

Sharp fall in motorcycle sales in December

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