GM recalls another 3.4 million cars for ignition problem

The bulk of the 2000 to 2014 model-year cars -- 3.2 million -- are in the United States, the largest US automaker said on Monday.

GM said that the ignition switch may move out of the "run" position if the key is carrying extra weight and is jarred, such as when the car hits a pothole or crosses railroad tracks.

Switching out of the "run" position affects power steering, power braking and could cause air bags not to deploy in a crash.

GM said it knows of eight crashes and six injuries related to this recall.

The company said the recall stems from its review of ignition issues following the recall in February of 2.6 million Chevrolet Cobalts and other small cars for ignition switch problems.

The cars covered in the newest recall are Buick Lacrosses, Chevrolet Impalas, Cadillac Devilles, Cadillac DTS, Buick Lucernes, Buick Regals, and Chevy Monte Carlos, from various model years between 2000 and 2014.

GM said addressing the problem would involve replacing existing ignition keys with new ones designed differently, or retooling existing keys.

"Until the rework or replacement is completed, owners of the recalled cars are urged to remove additional weight from their key chains and drive with only the ignition key," GM said.

GM also announced US recalls for 165,770 vehicles for a variety of problems, including with automatic transmissions and power steering.

It said it would take a charge of about USD 700 million for recall repairs in the second quarter, including the USD 400 million provision it previously announced.

The automaker is under congressional and, reportedly, Justice Department investigation over why it failed to act on the Cobalt ignition switch problem until this February despite knowing about it for more than 11 years.

That problem has been tied to dozens of accidents and at least 13 deaths, according to GM. Outside analysts have said the death toll could be much higher.

The company is facing multiple lawsuits for that problem, which analysts say could ultimately cost the company billions of dollars in damages.

Source: Auto News in Hindi

From post.jagran News

Yamaha launches FZ, FZ-S and Fazer bikes in new colours

Yamaha has launched some product refreshes to pep up its lineup in 2014. Yamaha Motor India Sales has launched the variants of the bestselling Yamaha motorcycles namely FZ, FZ-S and Fazer in vibrant colour schemes and graphics to boost sales and create more excitement among customers and motorcycle aficionados.

In all, three new colours for each FZ, FZ-S and Fazer motorcycles have been introduced along with some stylish and aggressive graphics. The refreshed Fazer is priced at Rs 77,351, FZ at Rs 70,411 and FZ-S at Rs 72,385, all ex-showroom in Delhi.

The 153cc FZ series and Fazer motorcycles are two of the most popular products offered by Yamaha Motor India Sales. These bikes have gained immense traction among customers since the launch of FZ series in 2008.

"The new colours have been introduced to suit the need of customers who are always looking at upgrading to a more stylish product to match their ever changing fashion statement and personality," the company said in a statement.

FZ boasts of street friendly performance and riding experience. Similarly, the Fazer is known for its edgy, sporty look and high performance. Fazer gets its DNA from the global Fazer series known for their sports touring and looks.

"The new FZ-S is meant for the stylish and attention seeking macho man. Dubbed as 'Lord of the Streets,' FZ-S is designed and engineered with the potential for active and even aggressive enjoyment of around-town Street riding," the company statement said.

The engine specs remain unchanged with the same 153cc, air cooled-single cylinder four stroke engine doing the duty. The engine generates maximum power of 14 PS at 7500 rpm and is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.

Source: Automobile Industry News

From indiatimes News

Kinetic exits Mahindra 2 Wheelers; sells stake for Rs 182cr

Kinetic Engineering Ltd (KEL) on Monday exited the two-wheeler segment completely by selling its remaining stake in Mahindra Two Wheelers to private equity firm Samena Capital for about Rs 182.1 crore.

The Pune-based company had originally acquired the stake in November 2008 when Group firm Kinetic Motor Company sold its two-wheeler business assets to M&M in a cash and stock deal. Subsequently, the home-grown auto major merged Kinetic Engineering with itself in 2012.

According to the company, the deal with Samena Capital involves certain committed payments, including NCD repayments and cost of financing. The net proceeds would be around Rs 109.8 crore, which KEL will use for its business operations.

Commenting on the transaction, KEL Vice-Chairperson Sulajja Firodia Motwani said the stake divestment is done to focus more on the automotive systems business.

"We will utilise the proceeds to meet various obligations of the automotive systems business, including working capital and FCCBs/debt repayment requirements to strengthen our balance sheet," she said.

Ambit Capital was the sole financial adviser to KEL for this transaction.

Kinetic is currently focused on building its automotive systems business through various Group companies.

The Group has made good progress in building a strong base in engine and transmission systems in KEL, motor business in Kinetic Taigene as well as automotive electronics business in the Kinetic-Ducati alliance.

Ramesh Venkataraman, Senior Partner at Samena, said the early success of the 'Centuro' bikes has demonstrated what the Mahindras are capable of and "we look forward to an exciting and fruitful relationship in the years to come."

Set up in 2008, Samena is a principal investment group focused on Asia and has offices in London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mumbai.

Source: Auto News in Hindi

From BT News

Cars to watch out for at the Auto Expo 2014

The 12th edition of the Auto Expo is all set to begin. For the first time, this mega automotive event will be organised over two venues. While the Components Show will be held at Pragati Maidan in Delhi from February 6-9, the Motor Show will take place at the new venue called the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida from February 7-11.

Organisers believe that such a step will ensure that the event is of global standards and is without the chaos and crowd mismanagement that marred previous shows. The overall display space this time is up by 30%.

Buying a new car? Check Prices

Last year was a very tough year for the automobile industry in India on the whole with factors such as the slowdown in the economy, rising fuel costs, less disposable income and poor sentiment negatively affecting sales.

The Auto Expo 2014 is expected to infuse some amount of positive sentiment into the industry; this may just revive the auto industry to an extent. As many as 70 new vehicles will be unveiled at the Motor Show, with 26 global unveilings, of which 15 are cars. Alongside, there will be a special theme pavilion to promote hybrid and electric mobility.

Buying a used car? Check Prices

This is going to be the biggest show India has ever witnessed, and we are gearing up for comprehensive coverage. But before that, let’s have a look at some of the hottest car unveilings.

Source: Automobile News

From TFE News

AI to join Star Alliance this summer, will IndiGo, SpiceJet be next ?

Will India become the first market where global airline grouping Star Alliance looks to partner a low cost carrier (LCC)? This prestigious grouping has already decided to take Air India into its fold after an earlier failed attempt and makes no bones about wanting a second airline from India to also join in. 

 CEO Mark F Schwab made it clear that the new full service airline, being set up by Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, is not an obvious choice for the Alliance. AI should get integrated into the alliance by the summer of 2014 and then, the field will be open for LCCs like IndiGo, SpiceJet to woo Star Alliance. 

Will they? More importantly, will Star Alliance want its first ever LCC member from India? This alliance comprises 28 of the world's powerful airlines like Singapore Airlines, Air Canada and Lufthansa and has no LCC member till now. Through the alliance, AI will get enhanced connectivity and greater passenger revenue besides opportunity to code share with big global airlines. Schwab spoke at length on several issues in a chat with journalists last night. Excerpts: Read more.. 

Source: Latest Automobile News

From Frist Post News

Maruti to take on arch-rivals with its new compact model Celerio

Market leader Maruti Suzuki India Ltd ( MSIL) is betting big on its new compact model Celerio with automatic gear shift to take on arch-rivals Hyundai's Grand i10 and Honda Brio. The new compact car, scheduled for launch on February 6, is expected to be aggressively priced to attract customers in the price- sensitive market.

According to MSIL, Celerio, with a fuel efficiency of 23.1 km per litre, will be offered in six petrol variants- four with manual transmission and two with automatic gear shift.

The car comes loaded with several features like alloy wheels and Bluetooth connectivity across variants. Celerio, which sports 1- litre K- next engine, would be available in seven colours.

ALSO READ:How Maruti bounced back after its labour strife of 2012
Celerio auto gear shift variants will have the flexibility of both manual mode and auto drive mode in the same car with a mere shift of the gear lever. While such a facility exists in premium sedan models, this is the first time that a compact model will be offering the option.

MSIL chief operating officer (marketing and sales) Mayank Pareek said, " The company has worked on addressing three key issues associated with automatic transmission cars- high cost of acquisition, low- fuel economy and maintenance hassles.

With Celerio, which has been developed at an investment of around Rs  570 crore, having our EZDrive technology, we have addressed those issues." While Pareek did not elaborate on how much the Celerio with automatic gear shift will cost, he said that the difference in price with a manual transmission will not be significant.  Read more..

Source: Automobile Industry News

From BT News

Tata Motors plans to cut staff, rejig domestic operations

Tata Motors, India's biggest automaker by revenue, plans to shed a section of its workforce as a protracted slowdown and dwindling market share has forced the company to restructure its domestic manufacturing operations.

The automaker has initiated two voluntary retirement programmes— early separation scheme (ESS) and compulsory retirement scheme—across its main commercial vehicle plants in Jamshedpur, Lucknow and Pantnagar.

"It is an industry wide phenomenon with capacities lying unutilised and so are the personnel," a top executive at Tata Motors said.

"Most of the automotive companies are reducing workforce. We have also undertaken some measures to streamline our operations, though we are supportive to our staffers and enabling them some solutions for their future."

Although the executive termed the job cuts as "very minor", people close to the development said the automaker has identified around 5,000 staffers for the retirement schemes. Read more..

Source: Auto News in Hindi

From ET News

Tata Chemicals set to expand consumer business

Tata Chemicals (TCL), the 75-years-old company from the Tata Group, plans no expansion for its core soda ash and fertiliser businesses for the next five years.

Instead, it plans to focus on growing the consumer business, now comprising salt and pulses, to bring higher return on capital and prune debt by nearly a third, to Rs 2,500 crore.   

TCL is the world’s second largest producer of soda ash, with manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. Its product range includes ingredients to some of the world’s largest makers of glass, detergents and other industrial products.

The demand for soda ash has slowed across the globe, due to the economic slowdown. And, the fertiliser business is suffering due to subsidy payment arrears by governments. This has raised the working capital requirement, bringing down the return on capital. The rising price of gas has further increased cost for the industry, making it unattractive for investment.

“In the next five years, we have planned no further expansion in the existing core businesses. These will be run as cash cows, to help generate the new consumer products,” said P K Ghose chief financial officer, on the sidelines of an event to celebrate 75 years of operations. “We have been in salt and introduced a few new products such as pulses but in the next five to 10 years, we will see an enormous amount of this happening on the consumer front.” Read more..

Source:  Automobile Industry News

Source: BS News

Tata Motors will invest Rs 9,000 crore over next 3 years: Karl Slym

Almost a year after a major top management rejig, Tata Motors is busy reinventing itself. India’s largest automaker with consolidated revenues of $34.7 billion has seen its share of troubles with both volumes and market share slipping sharply over the past two years. In an interview with Roudra Bhattacharya, Tata Motors’ MD Karl Slym talks about the challenges faced by the domestic industry, and how overseas expansion will be a focus going forward. He explains how Tata Motors is gearing up to reclaim its position among the top three carmakers in the country.

What measures has Tata Motors taken to weather the tough times?

Last year was one of the toughest ones for the Indian automobile industry. The Indian auto sector saw a slowdown in FY13, which has further continued in FY14. The major challenges faced by the industry in FY13 have been the slowing economic and infrastructure growth, coupled with negative consumer sentiment. Contrary to expectations, the industry hasn’t picked up. The commercial vehicle (CV) industry as a whole continues to be about 30% lower than last year, which came after a similar drop over FY12. While this industry is prone to cyclicality and all those who have been in the industry long enough will have witnessed one downturn or the other, what is particularly concerning about this one is the lack of visibility of a recovery plan. In the passenger vehicle (PV) industry, growth has been flat.  Read more..

Source: Latest Automobile News

From TFE News

Mover & Shakers on D-Street: Sesa Sterlite, Wipro, Tata Motors, Suzlon

Indian markets ended with modest gains on Tuesday led by banking and automobile stocks. The BSE Sensex rose 46.07 points, or 0.22 per cent, to settle at 21,251, its highest closing level since January 16. 

The broader NSE Nifty advanced 9.85 points, or 0.16 per cent, to settle at 6,313. 

The market breadth was positive. On BSE, 1,376 shares gained, whereas 1,247 shares declined. Foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 43.74 crore on Tuesday. Read more..

Source: Auto News in Hindi

From ET News

Tata Motors drives in Nano Twist, Vista VX

After a flawed branding strategy, Tata Motors has introduced a new Nano Twist as a smart city car, targeting youngsters.

The car priced at around Rs 2.46 lakh (ex-showroom Hyderabad) is no longer the cheapest car, a label that kept off a majority of people from buying it.

“We have never called it as the cheapest car. It got branded by people like that. However, it’s past now.

The new Nano Twist comes with a high-end power steering, sleekly interiors and good mileage. On the whole, it is a value-for-money car,” said Ashesh Dhar, head of utility vehicle product group, passenger car business unit at Tata Motors, on Tuesday.

Dhar was in Hyderabad to launch Nano Twist.

Despite the pre-launch hype about the Nano across the world, the entry-level car from Tata’s stable did not live up to its expectations as Indians, who consider a car to be aspirational product, shunned the vehicle because of its cheaper car tag.  Read more..

Source: Latest Automobile News

From DC News

New petrol engine to drive Tata Motors sales

 Tata Motors will be betting big on its newly-launched indigenous petrol engine for passenger vehicles, Revotron, to boost sales of petrol cars in the country, said a company's top official.

"At present, only 15% of our total sales come from petrol vehicles (mainly Nano) but with the launch of a new petrol engine this week, we want to come back to the gasoline space. Moreover, with the price difference between diesel and petrol narrowing down, people are shifting towards petrol cars," Tata Motors national sales head (south and east, passenger vehicles business unit) Ashesh Dhar said during the launch of a new variant of its Vista hatchback, Vista VX Tech and a new variant of its small car Nano, New Nano Twist, in Hyderabad.   Read more..

Source:  Automobile Industry News

From TOI News

Tata Motors plans automatic version of Nano

After rolling out a stylised version of the Tata Nano last week, Tata Motors is developing an automatic version of the world's most affordable car as part of its ongoing efforts to revive the brand. India's largest automobile company is working with an Italian component maker to develop a clutch-less variant of the Nano based on the cost-effective clutch-less transmission technology, also known as AMT, component industry insiders told ET.

The move is in line with Nano's repositioning as an easy-to-drive urban car to boost its sales that never matched the high expectations in six years of existence.

Karl Slym, managing director at Tata Motors, told ET that automatic cars, which can be driven with a single shift of gear, and the new generation petrol engines will be crucial in the India's expanding automarket.


Calling the response for Nano's new Twist variant "euphoric", Slym said the company booked more than 400 Twists in Bangalore alone in the first week of its debut. "Going ahead, we are developing Nano not as a label, but a strong product that it is capable of performing on its own in the Indian market," he said.

According to experts, AMT would keep the price low and allow Tata Motors to attract young urban buyers and women to the clutch-less Nano, which would be the world's most afforda .. Read more..

Source: Automobile Industry News

From ET News

Tata Motors to offer voluntary retirement scheme to a section of employees

Hurt by the prolonged slowdown in the auto industry, Tata Motors will offer a voluntary retirement scheme to a section of employees as it looks at rationalising costs.

The company, which today announced a truck racing series for the first time in India to be held in March, also said it is investing Rs 3,000 crore on product development in FY14.

"The industry as well as India is going through a rather protracted downturn. Therefore, there are lots of things out there to enable us, ensure our structure is suitable. Voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) allows those people to move on with our support," Tata Motors Managing Director Karl Slym told reporters here.

Asked how many employees would be offered the VRS, he said it would be a "very minor" number.

In December, domestic car sales declined 4.52 per cent from a year earlier to 1,32,561 units. Tata Motors' sales fell about 42 per cent to 6,537 units last month.

Total sales of commercial vehicles were down 25.53 per cent to 46,757 units. The company's commercial vehicle sales dropped 45.83 per cent to 25,738 units.  Read more..

Source: Latest Automobile News

From ET News

Ford re-launches its famous Classic car at Rs 4.99 lakh

Ford India has announced that the Classic will now be available at Rs 4.99 lakh ex-showroom Delhi for the entry-level variant. The new Classic saloon, which is essentially the old-gen Fiesta, will now be Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh cheaper. The top of the line 1.4-litre Duratorq Titanium diesel will be available at Rs 7.59 lakh making it one of the most affordable sedans in our country.

Ford India says the price revision was made possible because of operational efficiencies.

The Classic competes against the likes of the Fiat Linea Classic, Honda Amaze, Maruti Dzire and the upcoming sub-4 metre sedans from Hyundai and Tata Motors.

The Ford Classic is powered by a 1.4 litre TDCi diesel and 1.6 litre Duratec petrol engines. Both the engines are mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Interesting features of Classic includes keyless entry, speed sensitive locks, dual airbags and ABS as also EBD.

Ford’s earlier positioning has worked for the company after it dropped the Fiesta name from the Fiesta Classic and positioned it a tad lower. This led to Classic performing better than Fiesta. The new price drop would mean more customers getting attracted towards this model. Read more..

Source: Auto News in Hindi

From India Tv News

Alstom T&D India bags Rs. 106 crore contract from Reliance Industries

French power equipment maker Alstom's India arm has bagged a contract worth Rs. 106 crore from Reliance Industries Limited for supplying equipment for the latter's Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat.

"Alstom T&D India was recently awarded a contract worth Rs. 106 crore from Reliance Industries for supplying transformer packages for its Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat," the company said in a statement filed with the stock exchanges today.

According to sources, the contract was bagged by Alstom T&D in December 2013.

The scope of the contract includes designing, engineering, manufacturing, supply and supervision of erection and commissioning of transformers and other equipment, the company said.

"We are pleased to partner with RIL once again. We remain committed to delivering high quality, cost effective products and services," said Rathin Basu, managing director, Alstom T&D India.

Shares of the company were trading at Rs. 189.50 apiece, up 3.02 per cent, during afternoon trade on the BSE.  Read more..

Source: Automobile News

From NDTV News

Suzuki Inazuma 250 Official Price In India Out At Launch - Key Features At Glance

As promised, Suzuki Motorcycle India Limited (SMIL) has launched the Suzuki Inazuma GW250 motorcycle in India today. We told you the news about the bike's arrival back in December and here it is. Carrying the looks of a big bike with the stylish design, Suzuki Inazuma is powered by a 250 cc twin-cylinder liquid-cooled four-stroke engine, matched to a six-speed gearbox. The Inazuma’s engineering package complements the naked chassis appeal of the bike, with new design around the cylinder heads, dual chromed exhausts and a distinctively shaped headlight. Let us take a look at the bike's key features.

Inazuma GW250 features advanced fuel injection and engine technology making it capable of 85 mpg. It has an Engine RPM Indicator that tells the rider the best time to upshift for normal riding. In ECO mode, the light indicates the best time to upshift for more economical riding. The front suspension is a telescopic type with coil springs while the rear is a Swing Arm type with coil springs. Disc brakes are used on both wheels. The fuel tank capacity is 13.3 liters. Among the other remarkable features, there's Dual chrome exhaust mufflers and dual lens tail and brake lights too. The bike measures 2,145 mm long, 760 mm wide, 1,075 mm tall and has a seat height of 780 mm. Read more..

Source: Automobile News

From CE News

Mercedes to welcome the CLA45 AMG at the 2014 Auto Expo

With the title of 'Number 2' in the race for the Indian luxury car sales leader nicely tucked away in its pocket, Mercedes-Benz seems quite determined to outdo their own performance this year. And what better way to woo its audience with impressive cars? Geared up to showcase a big range of products at the upcoming 2014 Delhi Auto Expo, the latest one to receive confirmation is the German luxury carmaker's CLA45 AMG sedan. The company's plans for India's flagship auto show will include the unveiling of the CLA45 AMG and Concept GLA' during the show.

Eberhard Kern, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, told PTI, "We are very excited about our product and brand showcase for the 12th Auto Expo as we are going to unveil some of the most awaited cars for the Indian market."

Sources in the industry confirm that the CLA 45 AMG will go on sale in India later this year and could be priced around Rs 60-65 lakh. Also, Mercedes-Benz went on record to say that they will eventually bring the entire AMG range to India. And the reason why they brought the CLA 45 AMG is because of its pricing. For now, the C-class-based C 63 AMG is the most affordable AMG model in India with a price-tag of about Rs 1 crore. Beginning with the CLA 45, the company intends to make the AMG models more accessible to performance car buyers. Read more..

Source: Automobile News

From CT News

Render- Is this the Ecosport Rivaling Hyundai Compact SUV ?

The Hyundai compact SUV has been spied recently in China. The latest spyshots of the Hyundai compact SUV showed the rear air conditioning vents, three headrests and three seat belts on the rear seat. Hence it is clear the Hyundai Compact SUV will be positioned as a five seater, akin to the Ecosport and Duster.The SUV is expected to go on sale in the Indian car market soon after its public debut and the model is expected to make its public debut at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show, which will be held in April this year.

The Hyundai compact SUV will go on sale with the ix25 nameplate and the vehicle will incorporate design cues from the Hyundai Curb Concept, which was revealed at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show. The SUV will ride on a new platform, which will also underpin a 6 seater MPV.

Hyundai Curb Concept’s dashboard boasted of a single LCD screen that ran across the dashboard and we won’t raise eyebrows if we see a similar setup on the production model.

Petrol engine for the Hyundai Compact SUV is likely to be mated with manual and automatic gearboxes, whereas the diesel engine will be mated a manual transmission. The petrol motor could be the EcoBoost rivaling 1.0 liter, direct injection, turbocharged petrol engine. A monocoque body and front wheel drive layout will be standard. The compact SUV will be positioned below the larger Tucson/ix35 and will have a wheelbase of around 2,570 mm. Read more..

Source: Automobile News

From M News