Indian Auto Industry Update

24 April 2017

IndustryInterviews & Features

Audi RS 7 Sportback: Car review

Cars, SUVs, MUVsCarmakers including Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors line up about half-a-dozen new, entry-level sedans this year

The shrinking MPV segment in India

Maruti Suzuki to launch all new Dzire next month

GM eyes Halol exit, but SAIC entry still on low gear

Only 30% of recalled diesel vehicles rectified so far: Volkswagen

Sketch of Maruti Suzuki's new Dzire unveiled

Ankush Arora to become president of Nissan's India operations

A designed to match your style and family needs

Isuzu MU-X spied undisguised, India launch on 11th May

Maruti to revitalise sedan market with new Dzire

Luxury CarsAudi rolls out Audi Mobile Terminal tour for 2017 in India

JLR cuts price of two models by up to Rs. 4.08 lakh in India

Commercial VehiclesTata Motors completes 1st commercial pilot of electric bus in Shimla

Ashok Leyland hopes to be among top 10 M&HCV players in 3 yrs

Ashok Leyland expects to increase defence business to Rs 5,000 cr

Ashok Leyland's quality climb

Uphill task for truck makers after poor FY17

Construction & Agri MachineryKobelco upbeat on demand from roads, mining sectors

2/3 WheelersE-BikesComponents

Viraj Kalyani launches Kalyani Studio to provide high-end engineering solutions to OEMs

Allied IndustriesThis company sells helmets for Rs 9

Emissions / EnvironmentThe big fuss about BS-IV vehicles

Finance & InsuranceOil, Lubricants & Alternative Fuels

Oil recovers some lost ground, but market under pressure

News MagazinesBMW Motorrad R 1200 range: an overview

Pininfarina reveals EV concepts developed for Hybrid Kinetic Group in China

BMW 5-series long-wheelbase revealed

Lexus NX SUV facelift revealed

2017 Kawasaki Z1000, Z1000R and Z250 launched

2017 Shanghai motor show report

Hyundai i20 facelift spied

International NewsApple self-driving car testing plan gives clues to tech program

China's quota threat charges up electric car market

Judge orders Volkswagen to pay $2.8B in emission scandal

Limited edition BMW M4 CS introduced globally

Quota system: How China is getting automakers to bring in more electric cars

Eyeing U.S., carmaker may rechristen ‘Trumpchi’

China’s proposed ‘new energy’ vehicle quota system charges up electric car market

EconomyIndia's growth to accelerate further due to GST: Arun Jaitley

Four of 10 most valued companies add Rs. 32,394 cr in market capitalisation

Closing

Industry

Interviews & Features

Audi RS 7 Sportback: Car review Vikram ChaudharyThe Financial Express (Web & Print Edition)

The Audi RS 7 Sportback is astonishingly quick. How quick? Quick enough that if you jumped off a building, you wouldn’treach a speed of 60kph as fast as the RS 7 Sportback can do it on a horizontal stretch of tarmac. It means that in the RS 7, for asplit-second, you just might experience acceleration greater than gravity.

(The RS 7 Sportback goes from 0-60kph in 1.7 seconds; a free-falling object, or yourself, will touch a speed of 59.97kph in the sametime.)

The Audi RS range of cars—the initials are taken from the German RennSport, translated in English to ‘racingsport’—have technology and performance comparable with high performance sports cars, such as those made byFerrari, Porsche or Lamborghini. However, while most sports cars are two-seater, the RS 7 Sportback is a full-size sedan, but onethat runs on steroids. Essentially, it retains the everyday comfort and practicality of a regular sedan, but when pushed, it can give anaverage Ferrari serious competition on the road.

Looks fastThe tapering roof design is courtesy Audi A7, on which the RS 7 is based. However, that’s where the similarity ends. Whilethe A7 has a touch of finesse, the RS 7, despite embodying the same design language, looks mean. The trademark AudiSingleframe grille and the high-gloss black honeycomb grid create an impression of outstanding strength. The RS bumpers withlarge side air intakes and integrated flaps stand out, as do the LED headlights with dark-tinted surrounds.

Spartan cabinThe cabin doesn’t reek of the luxury associated with an expensive Audi vehicle. It doesn’t need to. It’s apowerful car, and thus the cabin exudes sportiness, exclusiveness and, of course, quality. Details such as illuminated door sill trims,aluminium pedals, door openers with a double-bar design and carbon inlays—all underline the vehicle’s character.The RS sport seats have a boldly contoured form, unlike the soft seats of, say, the A6 or the A8 L. The flat-bottomed RSleather-covered multifunction sport steering wheel has gear-shift paddles, which enable you to change gears manually withouthaving to let go of the rim.

Monstrous engineThe RS 7 Sportback is powered by a V8, 3993cc petrol engine. The maximum power it produces is 560bhp and the maximumtorque is 700Nm—these figures are almost five times that of a regular sedan sold in India.

The RS 7 touches 0-100kph in just 3.9 seconds. The top speed, we believe, is electronically limited to 250kph, even though thisengine is capable of making the car go far faster. Nobody expects such powerful cars to be fuel-efficient. Yet the RS 7doesn’t really disappoint on this front too—the maximum we got driving on roads in and around New Delhi was adecent 8kpl, and the average was about 6kpl.

Blast and flyIt’s simply not possible to describe what driving the RS 7 feels like—frightening, hair-raising, spine-tingling. This car isa beast that must only be unchained by a capable driver. And the best way of becoming ‘capable’ enough is togradually graduate from the regular sedans—drive the A4, then the A6, the S5 and onwards to RS 7. Thankfully, youdon’t need to take that longish route. Audi India has a property called the Audi Sportscar Experience (ASE), organised at

regular intervals in different cities. The ASE lets you experience not only Audi sports cars on a race track, but the instructors alsoteach you how to handle powerful cars on the road.

VerdictFor Rs 1.59 crore ex-showroom, the RS 7 Sportback is expensive. How expensive? Expensive enough that with the same kind ofmoney you can buy the far more luxurious Audi A8 L and still left with enough pocket change to take a five-star holiday trip aroundthe world.

Looked at from another angle, the RS 7 Sportback is a value-proposition. It costs lesser than, say, a high-end sports car, and is notonly almost as exciting to drive and looks almost as exclusive, but also has the everyday comfort and practicality associated with aregular sedan.http://www.financialexpress.com/industry/audi-rs-7-sportback-car-review/639285/

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Cars, SUVs, MUVs

Carmakers including Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors line up about half-a-dozen new, entry-level sedans this year Sharmistha MukherjeeThe Economic Times (Web & Print Edition)

New Delhi: Indian carmakers, including market leader Maruti Suzuki, are set to introduce about half-a-dozen new, entry-levelsedans this year, intensifying competition in a segment that relies on upgrades by compact hatchback drivers to drive volumes.

Among the new models are Maruti Suzuki's new-gen Dzire, Hyundai Motor India's all new Xcent, Tata Motors' Tigor, Chevrolet's theBeat Essentia, and Ford's facelifted Aspire. Maruti Suzuki currently commands as much as 50 per cent of the market for entry-levelsedans, with sales of 1,99,878 units last fiscal. Hyundai Xcent (47,614 units) and Honda Amaze (33,756 units) made up the othertwo slots on the leaderboard. Tata Motors's Tigor is aggressively priced Rs 65,000-83,000 lower than the market leader Swift Dzire.

Hyundai last Thursday launched the all new Xcent priced between Rs 5.38 lakh and Rs 8.41lakh (exshowroom, Delhi) to draw in thenew-age personal buyer. The market leader is gearing up to take on competition by introducing the new generation Dzire in May.

The product interventions have come at a time when the entry-sedan market is witnessing a decline due to new alternatives in thepremium hatch and small SUV segments. After expanding 20 per cent in 2014-15 (to 4,27,331 units), sales in the segment slowedto 3 per cent in 2015-16, and declined by 8.7 per cent to 4,02,608 units in the last financial year. Industry experts said carmakersare coming out with newer products enriched with features, and reworking their branding/marketing strategies to bring back buyersin the more lucrative personal segment that scores over models sold to fleet operators.

"Fleet operators help bring in volumes. The segment too is growing rapidly, upwards of 20 per cent . But margins are very low.Hence, the renewed push toward buyers in the personal segment," said a senior executive with a leading vehicle manufacturer.People in the know of Maruti Suzuki's plans say that the company seeks to target individual buyers with the new Dzire, whilecontinuing to peddle the older generation Swift Dzire to taxi operators. "About 44 per cent of customers for the Swift Dzire arefirst-time buyers.

With its launch next month, the Dzire will be built as an aspirational brand for individual customers. The older generation model willbe sold to fleet operators," said one of the people aware of the development.

With the new generation Swift set to be introduced in 2018, the Swift and the Dzire will be developed as separate brands by thecompany to clearly differentiate its offerings. Maruti Suzuki has cumulatively sold 13,81,323 units of the Swift Dzire since its launch.

Separately, Hyundai, too, has rejigged its marketing strategy to address the needs of the personal buyer. The company will sell theolder Xcent to fleet operators under the 'Prime' brand. The new Xcent is targeted at individual buyers.

"The old Xcent does not have as many features. We will continue to sell the car to the fleet segment, the all new model is forindividual buyers," said YK Koo, managing director and chief executive officer, Hyundai Motor India. Together, Hyundai expects tosell about 5,000 units of the Xcent every month.

After the launch of the Tigor, Tata Motors also has said the company would position the existing Zest sub-4 metre sedan in the fleetmarket, which is a growing segment, and would eventually discontinue the Indigo CS that created the sub-4 metre sedan segment.Toyota has, in the meantime, introduced the Etios Platinum to distinguish its offerings for the family and cab segments.http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/auto/news/passenger-vehicle/carmakers-lining-up-about-half-a-dozen-new-entry-level-sedans-this-year/articleshow/58332518.cms

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The shrinking MPV segment in India Ronak ShahThe Economic Times (Web Edition)

New Delhi: Multi-utility vehicle (MUV) space hasn't been the best bet for automakers in India. Barring the likes of Toyota Innova

Crysta and Maruti Suzuki Ertiga every other product launched in this space hasn't seen much traction.

From being considered as a big bet by auto-makers, multi-utility vehicles in India have now become the most challenging segmentdue to changing customer preferences for SUVs and compact UVs. Even top companies like Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) whoshowcased its Hexa MPV in 2012 have still not ventured into this segment.

In 2016, General Motors India also announced that its Chevrolet Spin MPV will not be making it to production. Indian arm ofJapanese auto-maker Honda also tried its hands in the segment by bringing in Mobilio.

The UV space have seen sales growth of 30% in FY 2016-17. The industry sold a total of over 7.61 lakh units in the domesticmarket with majority of them being SUVs. The MPV space sold over 1.50 lakh units during last financial year, registering growth ofabout 8% when compared to FY 2015-16.

Rakesh Srivastava, HMIL believes that “India is a young market and customers demand a vehicle with tall stance and a SUVdrive feel, newer segments are emerging quickly but SUVs will continue to dominate the growth of passenger vehicles in India,SUVs will dominate about 30-35% of Hyundai’s overall sales in next two years.”

Last fiscal also saw the introduction of Toyota Innova Crysta which boosted the overall sales of the segment. Since its launch inMay 2016 the company has sold over 77,000 units. It contributes to over 50% sales within the MPV segment.

But the uniqueness of MPV space in India is that there is a product in every range. Starting from Datsun Go+ whose starting pricesits at Rs 3.85 lakh (ex-Delhi) to Maruti Suzuki Ertiga in that 6-9 lakh price range (ex-Delhi), Renault Lodgy is priced between9.72-11.55 (ex-Delhi) lakh category and anything beyond that is catered by Toyota Innova Crysta.

Indian arm of the French automaker Renault might have gained its market share by 4.5% with the success of Kwid and Duster butits bet on bringing in the Renault Lodgy MPV hasn’t quite played well. The company has seen a sales decline by over 50%as the it sold about 4,400 units in FY 2016-17 as against 9,179 units in FY 2015-16.

Renault also introduced a new Renault Lodgy Stepaway edition last festive season, within the MPV space Lodgy has been the mostunder rated vehicle. The MPV is spacious with powerful engine and has a good overall driving stance. The design of the vehiclemight be one of the reasons why it wasn’t accepted in the Indian market. Again, there is nothing wrong with the design, itssimply way too modern and the boxy feel has not encouraged the Indian buyers who also look for that SUV feel while buying anyUV in this price point. Renault Lodgy gets the proven diesel engine which also powers the Renault Duster, it has the right power thata 7-seater vehicle should have with the enough space for a comfortable long distance travel.

Honda BR-V is what the Honda Mobilio should have had been at the first place. Both Mobilio and BR-V feature third row seating.Many might say Honda BR-V is just a facelift of Honda Mobilio. However, there are mechanical differences between the two andHonda Cars India is positioning the former as a Sports Utility Vehicle. Now it’s up to the buyer to decide if it is a SUV or MPVbut with the introduction of Honda BR-V the sales did company’s overall sales to go up.

The company hasn’t manufactured a single unit the Mobilio MPV for last 4-5 months and has officially stopped the salessince February 2016. The facelifted Honda Mobilio has been launched in many international markets but Honda Cars India is stillcontemplating if the company should reintroduce the product in India or no. Reintroducing Honda Mobilio might also mean loss ofsales of Honda BR-V due to price cannibalisation.

At the moment, none of the manufacturers in India have any plans to bring in a new seven-seater MUV or MPV. Toyota InnovaCrysta will remain to be the top-selling vehicle in this category however Tata Hexa SUV (which is also a seven seater) might buy ina few Innova buyers.http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/passenger-vehicle/uv/the-shrinking-mpv-segment-in-india/58312276

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Maruti Suzuki to launch all new Dzire next month PTISee this story in: mint (Web Edition)

New Delhi: Country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) plans to launch an all new version of its best sellingcompact sedan Dzire next month.

The company, which has till date sold 13.81 lakh units of the model in the country since its launch in March 2008, on Fridayunveiled a sketch of the new Dzire.

The model has been a roaring success for the company and has been instrumental in making Maruti Suzuki a strong player in theentry sedan segment.

The model has been contributing to around 50% of vehicle sales in the segment. During the last fiscal, Dzire occupied the third slotin the top ten list of passenger vehicles with sale of 1,99,878 units. It was the second best selling model among the passengervehicles in 2015-16.

Its nearest rival Hyundai’s Xcent sold 47,614 units during the last fiscal.

Last full model change of the Dzire happened in February 2012. Last year, the company launched the compact sedan with autogear shift (AGS) technology.http://www.livemint.com/Companies/mbTZKdkBru2fvzUgdavZbI/Maruti-Suzuki-to-launch-all-new-Dzire-next-month.html

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GM eyes Halol exit, but SAIC entry still on low gear Rutam Vora / Murali GopalanThe Hindu Business Line (Web & Print Edition)

Ahmedabad / Mumbai: As General Motors prepares to bring down the shutters at its Halol plant, in Gujarat, on April 28, it is still amillion dollar question if SAIC Motor Corp of China will take over from here.

It was widely believed that the company would take charge of this facility from May 1 but industry sources say this is not likely tohappen in a hurry now.

In the first place, there are still issues to be sorted out with at least 600 workers at the Halol plant, who want a heftier compensationpackage from the voluntary separation scheme.

According to Rachit Soni, a labour union leader at the facility, these workers want at least three times more than the Rs. 8-10 lakhGM has offered.

The closure will still be on course despite this hiccup but this will be enough reason for SAIC to put on hold its takeover plans. Thiswas made quite evident in a recent statement the Chinese automaker had issued to the media.

While reiterating that it had not signed any formal agreement with GM for the Halol plant, the company added that this deal wassubject to “GM’s submission of all government approvals, settlement of labour and all other pending issues”.

Labour issuesAccording to Soni, nearly 50 workers accepted the GM financial package of up to Rs. 10 lakh while over 350 opted for a transfer toits Talegaon facility near Pune last October.

In the meantime, SAIC is in talks with other State governments to explore the option of setting up a greenfield facility.

“SAIC has had at least three rounds of discussions with the governments of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh andGujarat,” said a source tracking the developments. Interestingly, it is open to the idea of setting up a plant at Sanand inGujarat, which is already home to Tata Motors and Ford.

“The company will obviously be looking for incentives when it is planning substantial investments.

At this point in time, State governments are awaiting some clarity on GST since it remains to be seen how incentives will be offeredin this regime as in the case of VAT and CST refunds,” added the source.

Nitin Patel, Gujarat’s Deputy CM and Finance Minister, had already made it clear that the days of offering goodies toinvestors would soon be history.

Incentive issues“No longer will there out-of-the-way concessions offered, as these would require budgetary allocation. Special provisions willhave to be made to offer any such concession or subsidy,” said Patel.

In this backdrop, it will be interesting to see how SAIC plans its roadmap for India. Despite worker negotiations likely to delay theHalol change of guard, it still remains the most cost-effective option for the Chinese carmaker. It also remains to be seen if it hiressome of these workers or goes in for a fresh recruitment drive.

Defunct facility?

Assuming that the company decides to set up its car operations elsewhere, Halol could just end up becoming a defunct facility onthe lines of other automotive plants like PAL-Peugeot near Mumbai, Daewoo at Surajpur near Delhi, LML at Kanpur and HindustanMotors in Uttarpara, West Bengal.

From SAIC’s point of view, this is only the first step in a longer India journey. Beyond the location of plant, it will have to getin the right products and then build a retail network in the world’s most intensely competitive car market.

It will be keen on doing better than GM, which has achieved precious little in its over 20-year stint in India.http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-others/tp-variety/gm-eyes-halol-exit-but-saic-entry-still-on-low-gear/article9659170.ece

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Only 30% of recalled diesel vehicles rectified so far: Volkswagen PTISee this story in: The Economic Times (Web Edition)

New Delhi: Over a year into the exercise, German auto major Volkswagen has been able to rectify only 30 per cent of the 3.4 lakhrecalled diesel vehicles it had equipped with defeat device that helped cheat emission tests in India.

Volkswagen Group India said the process has been delayed as it involves different brands, engines and models.

The company's headquarter has so far given approval for engine updates that cover almost 70 per cent of the vehicles which havebeen recalled in India.

Overall, by the end of last month, 30 per cent of the entire lot of vehicles that is eligible for the update has been covered, aVolkswagen Group India Spokesperson told PTI.

In December 2015, the group had announced recall of 3.4 lakh vehicles in India across its different brands, including Audi,Volkswagen and Skoda, sold from 2008 till end of November 2015.

A government-ordered probe had found the automaker's EA 189 diesel engines were equipped with a defeat device that helped itcheat on emission tests.

The company last year announced plans to update the engines of the recalled vehicles.

On the slow progress of update, the spokesperson said several brands, various markets and models, different engine variants andgearboxes and various model years had to be considered while developing the updates.

The technical measures were being defined and developed by Volkswagen Group at the headquarters in Germany.

"Once they were approved by the authorities in Germany, these updates were tested by the Indian authorities. All of this has been alengthy process and that caused a delay," the spokesperson added.

The updates are tested by ARAI and only after their approval are they rolled out to customers.

Final two approvals for updates are currently in the pipeline and are expected to be received in the next few days. These wouldcorrespond to the remaining 30 per cent of the volume of cars, the spokesperson said.

For models produced and sold in India after December 2015, the updates have been implemented during production as soon asthey were approved by ARAI.

"The models between December 2015 and till the updates were approved by ARAI and are a part of the voluntary recall process,"the spokesperson added.

Volkswagen has admitted use of defeat device in over 11 million diesel engine cars sold in the US, Europe and other global marketsthat allowed manipulation of emission tests by changing performance of vehicles to improve results.

As per latest reports, a federal judge in Detroit has ordered the German car maker to pay USD 2.8 billion criminal penalty negotiatedas part of a settlement with the US Justice Department last January.

With this, the company is likely to shell out a total of around USD 30 billion, which also includes price of buying back almost 5 lakhvehicles sold in the US.http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/auto/news/industry/only-30-of-recalled-diesel-vehicles-rectified-so-far-volkswagen/articleshow/58326422.cmsOnly 30% of recalled diesel vehicles rectified so far: Volkswagen IndiaDaily News & Analysis (Web Edition)http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-only-30-of-recalled-diesel-vehicles-rectified-so-far-volkswagen-india-2412829Only 30% of recalled diesel vehicles rectified so far: Volkswagenmint (Web & Print Edition)http://www.livemint.com/Industry/y5bPIisZG1eORiABNZawQI/Only-30-of-recalled-diesel-vehicles-rectified-so-far-Volks.htmlOnly 30% of recalled diesel vehicles rectified so far: VWThe Pioneer (Web & Print Edition)http://www.dailypioneer.com/business/only-30-of-recalled-diesel-vehicles-rectified-so-far-vw.html

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Sketch of Maruti Suzuki's new Dzire unveiled The Times of India (Web Edition)

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Friday unveiled a sketch of its new Dzire, expected to make its global debut in May.

The sketch, done mostly in shades of black, shows that the car will be a lot more contemporary in its latest version.

Competition in the mid-sedan segment is heating up quickly, with the recent launches of Hyundai's facelift Xcent and Tata's Tigor.

The year began with a bang for MSI, with seven of its models making it to the ten best-selling passenger vehicles list in 2016-17.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/auto/cars/heres-what-maruti-suzukis-new-dzire-looks-like/articleshow/58312470.cms

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Ankush Arora to become president of Nissan's India operations Ajay ModiBusiness Standard (Web & Print Edition)

New Delhi: More global automobile majors seem to feel the need to have an Indian or a person of Indian origin in leadership roles.

Japanese automobile major Nissan is hiring Ankush Arora, who has worked with Tata Motors and General Motors (GM), as its Indiapresident.

Arora will be joining Nissan from Egypt’s Mansour Group, where he spent almost three years as chief operating officer. Thelatter has interests in automotives, capital markets and consumer goods. Prior to Mansour, he spent more than a year as seniorvice-president (passenger vehicle business unit) at Tata Motors. Before joining Tata, he’d worked with GM for 17 years andlooked after marketing and sales.

In his role as the president of Nissan, Arora is likely to be based out of Chennai, to look after the manufacturing and exportoperations. A Nissan spokesperson would not confirm or deny the news. Arora will replace Guillaume Sicard, whose tenure endslater this month. Sicard, who took charge as president in October 2014, will become the vice-president (sales and marketing) atRenault Asia Pacific.

Nissan, which had a share of less than two per cent in the Indian car market, aims to reach five per cent by 2020.

More global automobile makers are bringing in Indians or those with an Indian connect at leadership positions. In February, Germanluxury car maker BMW appointed an Indian, Vikram Pawah, as its president. BMW’s acting president in India, FrankSchloeder, returned to headquarters to become head of business steering-luxury class.

Audi, another German luxury car maker, appointed Rahil Ansari as head of its India operations. Ansari is a person of Indian origin.Joe King, whom he replaced, moved to headquarters in Germany after spending three years as head of the Indian business. Ansarisaid in an interaction that Audi had made it clear they needed someone of Indian origin, who's been here and knows Indian buyersand their culture. Ansari was here in 2011-2013, looking after development of dealerships.

SAIC, formerly Shanghai Automotive Industrial Corporation, has got Rajeev Chaba, former managing director of GM India, for itsIndia foray. Chaba is tipped to become SAIC's country head in India. An India representative of SAIC had confirmed that Chaba wason board but did not specify his role. Chaba’s recent role was as the operations head of Man Capital in the UK. He’dearlier served as managing director of GM in North Africa and Egypt.

American car maker Ford’s Indian arm is headless for 10 months and is learnt to have interviewed a number of Indiancandidates to find a replacement to former managing director Nigel Harris, who’s moved to China to head thecompany’s joint venture there.

Amit Kaushik, managing director for Detroit- based automobile consultancy Urban Science in India, said having someone with theright local experience as head enhanced growth prospects. India is slated to emerge as the third biggest car market by 2020, fromfifth position now.http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/ankush-arora-to-become-president-of-nissan-s-india-operations-117042300609_1.html

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A designed to match your style and family needs The Times of India (Delhi Print Edition)

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), the country's second largest car manufacturer and the largest passenger car exporter, launchedthe all new Xcent for India and global markets. The new car boasts an attractive proposition of new design with an array ofadvanced hitech features for the evolving young Indian customers.

Speaking at the global launch, YK Koo, MD and CEO, Hyundai Motor India Limited, said, “We are glad to announce theglobal launch of the all new Xcent for the Indian and global customers. The fast changing trends and rising customer aspirationshave always been the key driving force at Hyundai. Considering the evolving market dynamics and customer voice, we keepenhancing our products for customer delight. The new car symbolizes the stylish family sedan for the modern Indian family . Withover 2.5 lakh cars sold in the domestic and international markets since 2014, we are confident that the All New Xcent will create anew benchmark in its segment offering the best Hyundai experience.“

The new Xcent is designed on five key pillars sporty and evolved styling, superior performance, advanced and hi-tech imagery ,high on safety and convenience and product confidence.

Sporty and evolved stylingThe new car, made in India, boasts of quality, comfort, style and premium look. The exterior projects a progressive design while theinteriors echo a generous flair of space and comfort with a premium and hi-tech appeal. The car features the auto brand's signaturecascade design grille with horizontal chrome slats for a bold and wider stance. The new front bumper design with LED DRLs(Daytime Running Lamps) along with fog lamps offer futuristic styling while the swept back headlamps compliments the front withsporty styling.

The rear of the car offers a completely refreshed and dynamic look. It comes with a new premium two piece wrap around tail lamps,dual tone bumper along with aesthetically incorporated sleek reflectors, stylish shark fin antenna, pull type chrome door handles andaerodynamically designed ORVM's with turn indicators lending premium and sporty appeal to the car.

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Isuzu MU-X spied undisguised, India launch on 11th May

The Financial Express (Web Edition)

As reported earlier Isuzu is set to launch its SUV MU-X in India next month, however it has been spotted without camouflage beforethe official launch, giving an idea on what can be expected from the Japanese brand's latest installment. The car featured in theimages, posted by TeamBHP, may be the top end variant of the MU-X, as it features automatic transmission, touch screeninfotainment system, start stop button, steering mounted controls, leather seats, leather wrapped driver arm rest and 17 or 18 inchdiamond cut alloy wheels.

On the outside, the MU-X gets projector headlamps with fog lamps, roof rails, chrome plated ORVMs at the front. At the rear, it getsnew LED tail lamps. Although, the power figures are not confirmed yet, it is expected the SUV come with a 3.0-litre turbo dieselengine that produces 175 hp of power and 380 Nm of torque. The engine may get a six speed manual or automatic transmission.The company is also likely to introduce a 1.9-litre engine later. The SUV may get an all-wheel-drive system, as well as a 4x2configuration.

The seven-seater MU-X measures 5,020mm in length, 1,860mm in width and 1,785mm in height, and has a wheelbase of3,095mm. It has a ground clearance of 225mm and gets a fuel tank of 76 litres. The MUX-7 is expected to be launch at a pricerange of Rs 24-28 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and will compete with the likes of Ford Endeavour.

Izusu will assemble the MU-X in India as company has already invested Rs 3,000 crore in its Sri City facility in Andhra Pradesh.http://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car-news/isuzu-mux-spied-undisguised-india-launch-on-11th-may/637907/

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Maruti to revitalise sedan market with new Dzire Nandini SenguptaThe Times of India (Chennai Print Edition)

Chennai: It's one of the proposed 15 new modelsupgrades that Maruti Suzuki plans to roll out over a five year-period through to2020.

The new next-generation Dzire, due for debut early next month, will be a critical model for car market leader Maruti given that theentry level sedan segment has been stuck in first gear for 2 years.

At over 4,00,000 units per annum, it's a substantial market and the Dzire is India's second best-selling car after Alto.The model hassold a cumulative 1.3 million plus units since its launch in 2008.

The A3 segment has seen its growth peter off from nearly 20% in FY14-15 to 3.13% in FY1516 and a negative growth of -8.6% inFY16-17.

Dzire too reflected that drop last fisc, partly due to the fact that as a 10 year-old model it was losing some steam in the market andpartly due to capacity constraint and inventory control ahead of the next-gen version launch.

The next-gen Dzire will be a more `sedanish' vehicle with both looks and feature upgrades packed in, said sources.

According to sources, the next-gen Dzire will come with platform and design upgrades though the engine options -K series 1197ccpetrol and DDiS 1248 cc diesel -are expected to remain the same.

Already under production in the company's Manesar factory, the car will be sold through the company's normal dealer channel andis expected to be aggressively priced more or less around the current range to revitalize the A3 entry level sedan market, sayindustry sources.

When contacted, the company refused to share details about the launch.

Maruti has already teased an outline of the car and will unveil it today.

Despite a nearly 15% drop in sales in FY16-17 over FY15-16 -from 2,34,242 units to 1,99,878 units -the Dzire has been contributingto around 50% of vehicle sales in the A3 entry level sedan segment clocking more than 1,99,000 units per annum for the last fouryears.

The segment includes models like the Honda Amaze, Toyota Etios, Ford Aspire, Tata IndigoManza and Volkswagen Ameo.

The only new model activity in this segment so far, apart from the new Dzire, is the Tata Motors Tigor.

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Luxury Cars

Audi rolls out Audi Mobile Terminal tour for 2017 in India The Economic Times (Web Edition)

Mumbai: German luxury car manufacturer Audi has announced the roll-out of its customer-focused initiative - the Audi Mobile

Terminal tour for 2017 in India. Introduced in 2015, the Audi Mobile Terminal is a fully functional mobile showroom designed toprovide complete Audi experience to the customers, informed the company in a statement.

Beginning with its 2017 season, the Audi Mobile Terminal will visit 40 cities with the first showcase being held at Meerut between 22and 23 April, 2017.

“Customers in non- metro cities reflect similar luxury aspirations as any customer in Mumbai or Delhi. While technology hasbeen the enabler in information accessibility, the dynamism of entrepreneurs and professionals from these regions who aspire toown luxury cars like Audi is vital for us," said Rahil Ansari, Head, Audi India.

"The Audi Mobile Terminal has been especially designed to fulfill their needs. It takes the Audi brand right to their doorstep as weunderstand that these customers deserve luxury wherever they are.”

Complete with car on display, Audi Exclusive Elements and an Audi Lounge, the Audi Mobile Terminal takes the brand to thedoorstep of the Audi customer. Besides displaying the Audi range of products, Audi Collection and accessories, the Audi MobileTerminal concept serves as a hub for conducting test drives.

The Audi Mobile Terminal will be showcased to customers over two days in each targeted city in association with the Audi dealerpartners.http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/audi-rolls-out-audi-mobile-terminal-tour-for-2017-in-india/58313447

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JLR cuts price of two models by up to Rs. 4.08 lakh in India PTISee this story in: The Hindu Business Line (Web & Print Edition)

New Delhi: Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has slashed prices of two models in India by up to Rs. 4.08 lakh to take onGerman rivals.

The company has cut the price of the diesel-powered Land Rover Discovery Sport by Rs. 4.08 lakh to Rs. 43.8 lakh from the earlierprice of Rs. 47.88 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Besides, it has also reduced the price of the Range Rover Evoque diesel by Rs. 3.25 lakh to Rs. 45.85 lakh from Rs. 49.10 lakhearlier.

“Land Rover cars are increasing in popularity and in order to expand the reach of this iconic brand, we have revised andre-positioned the prices of some of our products,” JLR India Managing Director Rohit Suri told PTI.

The move would help the company make its products competitive thus enabling more customers to join the Land Rover family inIndia, he added.

The two vehicles compete with the likes of the Audi Q3, Q5, Mercedes GLC, GLE and BMW’s X3.

JLR sells a range of models through 24 authorised outlets in the country.http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/jlr-cuts-prices-of-two-models-by-up-to-rs-408-lakh-in-india/article9658932.eceJLR cuts prices of two models by up to Rs 4.08 lakh in IndiaThe Economic Times (Web Edition)http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/auto/news/passenger-vehicle/cars/jlr-cuts-prices-of-two-models-by-up-to-rs-4-08-lakh-in-india/articleshow/58326598.cmsJLR cuts prices of Land Rover Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque by up to Rs 4.08 lakh in IndiaDaily News & Analysis (Web Edition)http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-jlr-cuts-prices-of-land-rover-discovery-sport-range-rover-evoque-by-up-to-rs-408-lakh-in-india-2412794

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Commercial Vehicles

Tata Motors completes 1st commercial pilot of electric bus in Shimla PTISee this story in: Business Standard (Web & Print Edition)

Mumbai: Tata Motors started commercial test drive of its first batch of electric buses under the Marcopolo brand in Shimla over theweekend.

"Last Friday we successfully piloted our first electric bus in Shimla. It was carried out jointly with the Himachal Road TransportCorporation and the state transport department. The 9-meter bus, with a seating capacity of 31 people, was piloted on theParwanu-Kalka route with the round- trip distance of 160km with no charging en-route," A K Jindal, head of engineering, commercialvehicles, Tata Motors told PTI.

Since the first test was a success, the second level of commercial pilot will happen soon in Shimla city, he added.

Jindal said the vehicle is a success is clear from the fact that the Himachal state utility has decided to increase its order for thesebuses to 75 from the original order of 25.

Asked when will the commercial production begin, he said as soon as the firm orders are in they can start production. Themanufacturing will happen at its Dharward plant for chassis and the body will be built at the Automobile Corporation of Goa facility, ajoint venture between the Tatas and the Goa government.

The country's largest bus-maker has priced the 9-meter e-bus at around Rs 1.6 crore, while the 12-meter one will cost about Rs 2crore. These are the rates that its nearest rival Ashok Leyland also charges.

Leyland had unveiled its e-buses, called the Circuit series, last October, becoming the first in the country to indigenously make suchvehicles. The company reportedly piloted the bus in the Rohtang Pass area recently.

Asked about the battery, Jindal said they are Samsung cells sourced from China but the design is fully indigenous.

Whether the company is in talks with any other state, he said soon these buses will be tested in Delhi, the Manali- Rohtang Passand also Shimla.

Meanwhile, Jindal said the company has won orders from the MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) forsupplying 25 hybrid buses, the supply of which will begin soon. These are also made at Dharward and Goa, and are priced at Rs 2crore.

Hydribd will also be tested in Delhi, Nagpur, and Chandigrah, he said, adding these are on Tata Starbus label, he said.

Leyland claims its e-bus runs 150km on a single charge. The company, at the time of its unveiling, said it plans to sell close to 50e-buses in fiscal 2017 and around 200 units in fiscal 2018.

Of the Rs 500 crore capital expenditure lined up for the bus business, the Chennai-based company plans to spend 10 per cent of iton electric buses.http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/tata-motors-completes-1st-commercial-pilot-of-electric-bus-in-shimla-117042300175_1.htmlTata Motors completes first commercial pilot of electric bus in ShimlaThe Financial Express (Web Edition)http://www.financialexpress.com/industry/tata-motors-completes-first-commercial-pilot-of-electric-bus-in-shimla/639351/TaMo completes 1st commercial pilot of electric bus in ShimlaDaily News & Analysis (Web Edition)http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-tamo-completes-1st-commercial-pilot-of-electric-bus-in-shimla-2412751

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Ashok Leyland hopes to be among top 10 M&HCV players in 3 yrs T E NarasimhanBusiness Standard (Web Edition)

Chennai: After achieving its target to become one of the top five players in the bus market, commercial vehicle major Ashok Leylandis aiming to become one of the top 10 M&HCV companies in the next 2-3 years. To support this, the company will invest around Rs500-600 crore every year into development of products and capacity.

ALL has chalked out a plan for the coming years for both domestic and export markets.

While growing the domestic volume, major thrust will be given on export, said Vinod K Dasari, managing director, Ashok Leyland.The company wants to sell one vehicle outside India for every two vehicles it sells in India. Currently, around 12-14 per cent of thetotal sales comes from outside India. Last year, the company's total sales stood at around 85,000 units.

Anuj Kathuria, president (global trucks) at Ashok Leyland added that the company sees a lot of opportunities in six key markets,including Middle East, Africa, ASEAN and SAARC countries. The company is also planning to set up new assembling facilities inAfrican countries to cater the domestic market.

It currently has a facility in Ras Al Khaimah, Dubai, where it plans to double capacity and also set up an assembling facility inBangladesh.

Gopal Mahadevan, CFO, Ashok Leyland said each facility would cost around $10-15 million and this would be part of the overallcapex, which is in the tune of around Rs 550-600 crore every year.

Dasari said the company was also developing a new platform/architecture for building modular vehicles.

In India, the company is setting up new facilities at Andhra Pradesh and Telegana at a cost of around Rs 80-100 crore each tomanufacture buses, added T Venkataraman, senior vice-president (global buses), Ashok Leyland. Capacity of the facility would bearound 2,200 buses each a year.

Kathuria said today the gap between Ashok Leyland and the number 10 global player in terms of volume is around 17-18 per cent.With the growth, which is expected to surpass the industry growth in India and growth coming from outside India, the company willbe able to achieve its target of becoming one among the top 10 M&HCV players in the next two to three years.

Dasari said the company was looking at growing the defence business to Rs 5,000 crore from around Rs 500 crore in the coming

years.

In short-term, it plans to grow the defence business by 3 times, said Dasari.

“We have developed capablities to bid for 20-25 per cent of the tenders of the Indian army against one per centearlier,” said Amandeep Singh, who heads the defence business at Ashok Leyland.

The company has bagged tenders for mine protected vehicle and bullet proof vehicles from the security agencies and targets athreefold business increase from its defence vertical, he said.

Nitin Seth, president – LCV, Ashok Leyland, said company planned to double its market to 30 per cent in the domestic LCVbusiness. To support the target, the company every three months will launch one new product for the next two years.

The company plans to invest around Rs 400 crore in LCV business in the next two years.http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/ashok-leyland-hopes-to-be-among-top-10-m-hcv-players-in-3-yrs-117042200833_1.html

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Ashok Leyland expects to increase defence business to Rs 5,000 cr T E NarasimhanBusiness Standard (Web Edition)

Chennai: Hinduja Group flagship firm Ashok Leyland is looking at growing the defence business to Rs 5,000 crore from existing Rs500 crore in the coming years.

Vinod K Dasari, managing director, Ashok Leyland said that the next five years the company plans to expand its defence businessat least three times. He was talking on the sidelines after showcasing indigenously developed Intelligent Exhaust Gas Recirculation(iEGR) technology for BS4 engine.

"We have developed capablities to bid for 20-25 per cent of the tenders of the Indian Army as against one per cent earlier," saidAmandeep Singh, who heads the defence business at Ashok Leyland.

The company has bagged tenders for mine protected vehicles and bullet proof vehicles from the security agencies and targetsthreefold business increase from its defence vertical, he said.

Speaking about Light Commercial Vehicle, Nitin Seth, president - LCV, Ashok Leyland said that company plans to double its marketto 30 per cent in the domestic LCV business. To support the target, the company every three months will launch one new productfor the next two years atleast.

The company plans to invest around Rs 400 crore in LCV business in the next two years.http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/ashok-leyland-expects-to-increase-defence-business-to-rs-5-000-cr-117042300288_1.html

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Ashok Leyland's quality climb T E NarasimhanBusiness Standard (Web & Print Edition)

As commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland eyes a position in the global top 10 in the trucks segment after occupying the fourthslot among bus manufacturers, its success on the quality front has helped fuel its ambitions. In November 2016, thecompany’s Pantnagar facility in Uttarakhand was recognised with a coveted global award for implementation of total qualitymanagement, which helped it to curb the defects per vehicle drastically in a span of five years.

“The Deming award is like the Nobel Prize. We are the first commercial vehicle manufacturer from outside Japan to havewon the Deming Prize,” says Vinod K Dasari, managing director, Ashok Leyland.

Deming is the oldest and most recognised quality award in the world and is conferred upon companies with established processesof management for business operations. It was instituted in 1951 by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers to honour WEdwards Deming, who contributed greatly to Japan’s proliferation of statistical quality control after World War II.

Anuj Kathuria, president, global trucks, Ashok Leyland says the journey to reduce the defects per vehicle began in 2011.

An external agency was hired for an audit, and Ashok Leyland was surprised to see the number was close to 7.8 defects per vehicleat the end of the line — not delivered to the customer. The company is now at a world benchmark of 0.2 to 0.21 defects pervehicle.

To effect the turnaround, it focused on various aspects such as design, sourcing, manufacturing, outbound logistics and storagebefore delivery of vehicle. It also put in place a post-manufacturing process that included inspection and rectification. “We

told ourselves this is not the right way, and decided to look at the international standard, which was 0.2,” says Kathuria.

The defects could be either in the incoming parts, or result during manufacturing and delivery, handling after the units leave theplant and stored in regional sales offices (RSOs), or in transit. The company took note of the entire value chain and addressedevery link.

As far as supplier quality is concerned, the standard measurement for defects is at the parts per million level. Ashok Leyland had ahigh number of incoming quality issues, and they could be filtered by inspection. It worked with suppliers to get them on board tostreamline processes at their end. Year on year, it showed improvements starting from design, supplier quality, quality of built and interms of delivery.

“It was collaborative. It was not that if a supplier is not offering quality equipment, we end ties. Our approach is to work alongwith them to improve. Because we believe in partnership, which is our foundation,” says Kathuria.

The company also made process changes in the chassis lines and refurbished the RSOs, with concrete platforms and washingareas. Earlier, there was one end-of-line inspection. Now, it had inspections at every four or five stations and quality gates. If thequality is not up to the mark at any stage, the vehicle is not allowed to go forward until the defects are rectified then and there.Ashok Leyland also claims to be the first to ferry newly produced trucks on truck, so that the dashboard shows zero km in terms ofdistance travelled when they reach customers.

“We keep a checklist for improving. We are looking at increasing the check points since the products are changing withchanging technology, and bring in more inspection. We want to sustain a defects per vehicle measure of below 0.2 and ensure thatwe keep improving,” adds Kathuria.

The company registered overall sales of 145,066 units in FY2017, as against 140,457 units for FY2016.http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/ashok-leyland-s-quality-climb-117042400039_1.html

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Uphill task for truck makers after poor FY17 Ram Prasad SahuBusiness Standard (Web & Print Edition)

Mumbai: For the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV) segment, having struggled with weak demand in 2016-17, thefirst half of 2017-18 is going to be as disappointing.

With pre-buying ahead of the implementation of the government-mandated higher emission norms not as expected, analysts are notsure about demand picking up anytime soon. The M&HCV space sold 350,000 units in FY17, flat over FY16 and a far cry from the11.2 per cent growth in FY16. Sales of trucks were 1.3 per cent lower year-on-year; the bus segment fared better, with 5.7 per centmore. Heavy trucks’ sales had been the mainstay of the CV performance in FY16, growing 32 per cent over a year before.

India Ratings’ director of corporate ratings, Sudarshan Shreenivas, believes it could be the start of a down-cycle forM&HCVs — he points to weak industrial growth, flattish growth in freight rates and weak replacement demand. The decline inM&HCVs in FY17 was led by the steep fall in demand for heavy trucks. India Ratings expects FY18 volumes for M&HCVs to fallnine to 12 per cent.

Most analysts believe the near-term outlook is not positive for the sector. Binaifer F Jehani, director for industry & customisedresearch at CRISIL Research, says growth is expected to be back-ended (more in the second half of the financial year), with thecurrent quarter (April-June) likely to be a muted one. Some of this could be attributed to the ongoing slowing in demand. Especiallywith CV fleet operators preferring to postpone their purchase decisions than to lock-in attractive deals with the BS-III standard ofemission vehicles, available six to 10 per cent cheaper than the BS-IV variants.

Says Jehani: “With lower utilisation levels, moderate freight levels and no shortage of supply, there was no need to pre-buyBS-III vehicles only for the discount, given the lack of demand and uncertainty around GST (the coming goods and servicestax).”

The biggest hindrance, in addition to muted demand, in March quarter sales has been the lack of clarity on GST. Analysts say thepostponing of purchase decisions was largely due to assumptions that GST would lead to reduction in duties and, thus, cost.However, CARE Ratings’ Darshini Kansara believes the coming tax will be neutral on cost and price impact.

M&HCV makers, however, are confident of a recovery. Ashok Leyland expects the CV market to rebound in the June quarter, giventhe muted pre-buying in the earlier one and the improving macro variables like Gross Domestic Product and recovery in infra andmining. The company, with 10,000 units of unsold stock, says it is also confident of disposing this through export and by upgradingto meet BS-IV norms. The company is confident of such retrofitting, with older BS-III engines sold in the replacement market, eithercomplete or in parts. Tata Motors too has unsold stocks, half of which it would be exporting while retrofitting the others to BS-IVstandard.

Ravindra Pisharody, executive director, CV business unit, Tata Motors, expects CV volumes, supported by a favourable monsoonsand GST rate, to grow 10-15 per cent. With the GST rate likely to be 28 per cent, he expects sales to increase from the Septemberquarter. Tata Motors expects M&HCV volumes to gain momentum after the first quarter, as customers will take some time to getaccustomed with the new prices after BS IV.

The sector is hoping for a recovery, which most analysts expect to come in the second half of this financial year. Rating agencyICRA expects the M&HCV market to recover, aided by higher budgetary allocation towards the infrastructure and rural sectors, a

vehicle scrappage programme and strict implementation of overloading rules. Given the thrust on infrastructure and improvement inmining activity, the sector will look at higher sales of tippers which account for 17 per cent of M&HCV volumes. In addition, ascrappage policy if approved would mean additional sales of 135,000 to 200,000 trucks in a span of 12 months after itsimplementation.

Unlike the muted M&HCV outlook, the light CV segment is expected to fare better, driven by online retail sales and demand forlast-mile connectivity. Analysts estimates five to eight per cent growth in FY18. “Owing to minimal impact of BS IV on LCVsand limited pre-buying towards the end of FY17, LCVs are expected to witness robust growth,” says Pisharody of TataMotors.

Given the muted outlook, investors should await a recovery in volumes before taking any exposure to the segment. Especially toAshok Leyland, purely a commercial vehicle entity, unlike Eicher (two-wheeler business) and Tata Motors (its JLR arm).http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/uphill-task-for-truck-makers-after-poor-fy17-117042300860_1.html

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Construction & Agri Machinery

Kobelco upbeat on demand from roads, mining sectors V Rishi KumarThe Hindu Business Line

Hyderabad: Japanese construction equipment major Kobelco has embarked on a phased consolidation of its manufacturing facilitylocated at Sri City in Andhra Pradesh, while awaiting nod from the head office in Tokyo to take up the next phase of expansion.

The company, which has been operating in India for 10 years, is upbeat on the country’s construction equipment market,with strong demand projected from the roads and mining sectors.

Yutaka (Mike) Goto, Managing Director & CEO, Kobelco Construction Equipment India, said: “The 2,000 units per annummanufacturing plant set up at Sri City is operating at near full capacity, mainly meeting domestic requirement and some exports. Weare now in the process of further enhancing the production by internal efficiencies.

“However, given the huge demand from the market for construction equipment, we are looking at taking up expansion of themanufacturing base and are awaiting the nod from the parent. It is under their consideration.”

Towards efficiencyLaunching new generation mining excavator models SK220XD/SK220XDLC in the 20-24 tonne segment, Goto said: “Fromthe day Kobelco started operations in India 10 years ago, we continue to provide innovative solutions to customers based on theirfeedback. The new models spread the message ‘Power meets efficiency’.”

Kobelco Construction Machinery, the Tokyo-headquartered company founded in 1930, is a subsidiary of Kobe Steel Ltd. The Indianarm has the capacity to produce about 2,000 units per annum.

“With the manufacturing capacity almost hitting its upper limit, we are currently in the process of further improving productivitywithin the existing plant. Once this is completed, we will take up further expansion,” said Vikram Sharma, Advisor and formerMD of Kobelco in India.

Referring to the domestic market, Sharma said there has been gradual uptake for equipment in the past two years after about threeyears of slowdown. Starting with roads, gradually other sectors have shown positive growth. This will lead to more equipment sales,he said.

Pick-up in activityRajiv Sanghvi, Executive Director, Automotive Manufacturers Pvt Ltd, said: “The demand has steadily been growing forKobelco equipment. Last year we sold more than 192 units in AP and Telangana. With construction activity picking up, we seedemand for Kobelco equipment going up in a number of sectors.”

The country's $3.5-billion construction equipment market is witness to rapid growth over the past year after three-four years of tepidgrowth.

Given the focus on the infrastructure sector, the demand for equipment is projected to accelerate.http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-news/kobelco-upbeat-on-demand-from-roads-mining-sectors/article9659197.ece

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2/3 Wheelers

E-Bikes

Components

Viraj Kalyani launches Kalyani Studio to provide high-end engineering solutions to OEMs Supraja SrinivasanThe Economic Times

Mumbai: That corporate India is increasingly getting drawn to the world of startups, is a known fact. The latest to join the ecosystemis Viraj Kalyani - executive director of Kalyani Forge (KFL), and nephew to Baba Kalyani, chairman and managing director of BharatForge - who has launched Kalyani Studio that aims to provide design to high-end engineering solutions largely for OEMs (originalequipment manufacturers).

Through better design and engineering to improve performance and cost, Kalyani Studio works with MNCs and companies in areasof railway, automotive and agricultural technologies specializing on improving core hardware.

“We are discussing new projects in Aerospace, Industrial Machinery and Construction Equipment which we expect to closethis quarter,” said Founder Viraj Kalyani, whose venture has been operational for almost a year now.

Offering new-age services for key industrial sectors, Kalyani Studio works in fields of technology development in high-strengthapplications with service suites of product design, engineering and analysis, design for manufacturing and technical publication.

A typical project for Kalyani Studio ranges between Rs 5 to 15 lakhs depending on the sophistication of work (routine work vshigh-end work). “Since we operate on an outcome based model for our clients, greater the scope of work, larger the ordersize,” Kalyani explains.

“We are also discussing multi-year contracts which would be much larger in size and have different economics.”

The company’s revenue engines and high demand categories include new product design, existing product diagnosis andnew concept generation. Kalyani Studio has also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the IIT-Mumbai to tap intothe design capabilities of the institute through its mechanical engineering department.

In its next phase of growth, the company will expand its one-stop-shop offering to include prototyping and testing with a revenuegrowth target of 50% in FY18. Kalyani says the long-term goal of the company is to also come up with its own product line for theautomotive sector beyond current collaborations with OEMs.http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/auto-components/viraj-kalyani-launches-kalyani-studio-to-provide-high-end-engineering-solutions-to-oems/58311140

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Allied Industries

This company sells helmets for Rs 9 Satyanarayan IyerThe Economic Times

Pune: Incentives like freebies or discounts to hook customers are not new to marketing campaigns. However, in a country wheresafety is not largely paramount, a campaign of helmets at throwaway prices is certain to strike a chord.

Delhi-based second-hand automobile marketplace, Droom, has been selling ISI certified helmets for Rs 9 one day every monthsince January 2017. Droom intends to reap the benefits of this campaign later by cross-selling second-hand two-wheelers andfour-wheelers to the customers.

The MRP on each of these helmets is Rs 750. However, using a code, customers are able to order them for Rs 9 on thecompany’s website. “It is a part of our customer advocacy campaign,” Sandeep Aggarwal, founder and CEO ofDroom told TOI. The company also brands the helmet with its logos — Droom or Orange Book Value.

As per the company, it managed to get orders for over 21,000 helmets (largely fulfilled) between January and March, and on April18, the company received orders for another 26,000 of these. These orders are fulfilled by third-parties and the company has tiedup with 5-6 different vendors for this across the country.

Asked about the rationale of the pricing, Aggarwal said it is a ‘psychological pricing’. He added that many people whobought the helmet at Rs 9 in January and February have already transacted on the company’s website to buy or sellsecond-hand two-wheelers.

The company, which gets about 200 deals a day now, aims to get to 450 transactions a day by the end of this year. Last year, thecompany said the gross value of automobiles transacted on its platform was worth Rs 2,600 crore.http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/aftermarket/this-company-sells-helmets-for-rs-9/58310956

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Emissions / Environment

The big fuss about BS-IV vehicles Jagdish KhattarBusiness Standard

Toward the end of March, the media and activists highlighted the so-called irresponsible behaviour of the auto industry regardingBS-III/IV. I feel that there is a need to present a more balanced perspective on the whole issue.

To be fair to the industry, it never questioned the deadline of April 1, 2017, as the date of “manufacturing”. No requestfor deferment or delay. It was a part of an emission road map of over a decade which ensured smooth transition to the next level ofemission technologies. There was no debate, no dissent. Then, why was an unnecessary fuss created?

The fuss was about the sale of 8.2 lakh BS-III vehicles post-April 1 as against a monthly production of 22 lakh. Just 10 days’stock of production; they would have added a pollution load of just 0.4 per cent across the country (not in Delhi). Or was it a matterof some convoluted principle that anything that adds even an iota of emissions would be banned regardless of any cost-benefitconsiderations? If it was the last, I can think of a host of products and activities that create much more pollution and deserve to havebeen banned by now, and have also shown visible results.

India is emerging as a leader in the automobile industry. It’s a success story post-liberalisation. Usually over 15,000 dealershold 45 days’ stock. In March, BS-III stock had declined to only 10 days. The rest were all BS-IV. They mostly consisted ofcommercial vehicles and two-wheelers, mainly in rural areas. Their sales were affected by demonetisation. Meanwhile, BS-IV autoswere already being supplied in several cities since 2010 which dispensed appropriate fuel. To meet the deadline, the industry had acouple of months earlier started manufacturing BS-IV and scaled down the production of BS-III. The OEMs’ (originalequipment manufacturers) annual production plan is shared by the local vendors—in tier-I, II and III cities—and foreignsuppliers. Any change in schedule needs lead time of four-eight months. Some car manufacturers had switched to new norms muchearlier. Most of the new models were already BS-IV compliant. They could do so as relevant fuel was available in cities. Commercialvehicles had to deal with lower grade fuel as available across the country. In 2010, BS-IV fuel supply was introduced in select cities.It took seven years to cover all of India. It’s ironical that we accept oil companies taking up to seven years but go ballistic forselling legally permissible 10 days’ production across the country!

What about cost benefit? Within two days to March 31, the network sold most of the stock with heavy discounts incurring a loss ofRs 6,200 crore. This did not prevent an addition of 0.395 per cent pollution load. Why did the activists make an issue out of anon-issue? To cover up their failure to deal with other contributors of pollution?

There is no point in lamenting that the industry was “told” six months earlier that no BS-III vehicles would be sold afterApril 1, 2017. Industry takes instructions only from the government, which has created the law. Why couldn’t they persuadethe government to amend the law? Or did the government taking a holistic view refuse to accept their suggestion? It is amazing thateven today the notification regarding the date of manufacture remains unchallenged. In fact as late as March 3, 2017, the ministryconcerned clarified that BS-III vehicles manufactured before April 1, 2017, could continue to be sold as was the norm with previoustransitions.

Incidentally, the notifications of new safety norms, which include providing air bags, come into effect on October 1, 2017. It alsostates the date is effective for “manufacturing”. It has not been contested. Maybe to them, safety is not so important.

And this leads me to my next point.

The auto industry all over the world is highly regulated, be it safety, emissions, fuel efficiency etc. Regulations are notified for thenext decade through a proper administrative process to be legally enforceable and to make all industry players equally accountable.Complying with notified standards is in the blood of the industry. It is in their genes! They are not used to any deviations suggestedby an agency without the mandate. Nothing like what is witnessed here. It is Greek to them. Governments across the world offer astable policy for investors, who commit billions of investments creating employment opportunities. Such arbitrary acts seriouslyinjure the claim of India as a high-potential investment destination.

Only the government can design sustainable policies and regulations. The judiciary or environmentalists have a constructive andpositive role to play by ensuring implementation of government policies. They can influence government policy but not lay down newlaws without taking a holistic view of an issue. Had the activists focused with the same passion on withdrawing the lakhs of over15-year-old and ill-maintained vehicles there would have been visible improvement. Each belches out seven times more pollutantsthan new vehicles. There is need to focus on public transport, dust, diesel generators, pet coke, burning of agriculture waste andbiomass, etc. No one raises a voice against adulteration of fuel which nullifies the latest technology of auto engines. Non-vehicularsources contribute 80 per cent of the pollution.

In the last 15 years the focus of the Supreme Court, high court and Environment Pollution Control Authority in the NCR, forunexplainable reason, has only been on vehicular emissions while ignoring other polluters. This has not yielded any result. Pollutionis an all-India issue. Delhi is not India. Fortunately, for the first time a comprehensive action plan is in the works. Nothing less than anational mission mode to implement it will work. It is our responsibility not to let down the young and the generations to follow.http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/the-big-fuss-about-bs-iv-vehicles-117042300836_1.html

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Finance & Insurance

Oil, Lubricants & Alternative Fuels

Oil recovers some lost ground, but market under pressure Reuters / Henning GloysteinSee this story in: The Times of India

Singapore: Oil prices recovered some ground on Monday following last week's big losses, driven by expectations that OPEC willextend a pledge to cut output to cover all of 2017, although a relentless rise in U.S. drilling capped gains.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures added 23 cents, or 0.5 percent, by 0037 GMT, but were still below the $50mark pierced on Friday at $49.85 a barrel.

Brent crude futures rose 27 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $52.23 per barrel.

Oil prices fell steeply last week on the back of stubbornly high crude supplies, despite a pledge by the Organization of thePetroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and some other producers to cut production by almost 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) forsix months from Jan. 1 to support the market.

U.S. drillers added oil rigs for a 14th week in a row, to 688 rigs, extending an 11-month recovery that is expected to boost U.S.shale production in May by the biggest monthly increase in more than two years.

U.S. crude pruduction is at 9.25 million barrels per day (bpd) , up almost 10 percent since mid-2016 and approaching that ofOPEC's top exporter Saudi Arabia.

"WTI oil slipped back below the $50 per barrel level, amid concerns that the lack of inventory drawdown since the OPEC productioncuts is a sign that the cuts are not enough to rebalance supply and demand and put a floor under prices," said William O'Loughlin,investment analyst at Rivkin Securities in a note on Monday.

Both the Brent and WTI oil benchmarks are down more than 7.5 percent since the end of last year.

Keen to halt a further decline in prices, a panel made up by OPEC and other allied producers has recommended an extension ofoutput cuts by another six months from June, a source said.

This, and an expected fall in Iranian production lent markets some support on Monday, traders said.

Iran's crude oil exports are set to hit a 14-month low in May, suggesting the country is struggling to raise exports after clearing outstocks stored on tankers.

Iranian oil exports, especially to its core markets in Asia, had soared since the ending of most sanctions against it in January 2016.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/oil-recovers-some-lost-ground-but-market-under-pressure/articleshow/58334193.cms

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News Magazines

BMW Motorrad R 1200 range: an overview Autocar India

BMW’s R 1200 range consists of a range of models, all powered by the same 1170cc twin-cylinder boxer engine, driven byshaft drives and built on the same platform. All R 1200 models are built on a three-piece chassis that consists of a tubular steelbridge-type main-frame, tubular sub-frame and the engine-gearbox unitary casing as a stressed member, and feature single-sidedswingarms. The R 1200 range consists of the RS, RT, R and GS models.

R 1200 RTRT stands for Reise-Tourer (travel tourer in English), and, as the name suggests, is the touring-oriented model in the R 1200 range.It is powered by an 1170cc air-cooled, twin-cylinder boxer engine with a water-cooled cylinder head that puts out 125hp at 7750rpmand 125Nm of torque at 6500rpm. As with all R 1200 models, the RT features shaft drive.

The RT rides on BMW Motorrad’s patented Telelever front suspension, which consists of 37mm forks and a central springstrut, a system that is supposed to increase ride comfort, improve handling accuracy and provide higher levels of safety, andadjustable rear monoshock.The 2017 RT gets a judder damper on the transmission shaft, revised selector drum actuator, transmission shaft and transmissionshaft bearing.

The RT is 2222mm in length, with a wheelbase of 1485mm and an 805mm seat height as standard. Lowered and raised seat heightpackages of up to 760mm and 850mm are available as optional extras. The RT weighs 276kg (wet), and can hold up to 25 litres offuel.

In terms of features, the RT comes with active suspension control, ‘road’ and ‘rain’ riding modes, ABS,electrically-operated windshield, and saddle cases and heated grips. The RT also gets several optional features such as a

‘dynamic’ riding mode with BMW’s dynamic electronic suspension, shift assist, ABS Pro, keyless go, centrallocking for the saddle cases and cruise control.

The R 1200 RT is priced at Rs 18.5 lakh (Standard) and Rs 21.9 lakh (Pro) (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).

R 1200 RSThe RS is the sportiest of the R 1200 series. However, the RS is more of a sports tourer than an outright sportsbike. As with otherbikes from the R 1200 range, it is powered by a 1170cc air-cooled boxer twin with a water-cooled cylinder head, with an output of125hp at 7750rpm and 125Nm at 6500rpm. The rear wheel is driven by shaft drive, through a six-speed gearbox.The RS rides on 45mm inverted telescopic forks up front and an adjustable monoshock round the back. It is 2202mm long, with awheelbase of 1527mm and a standard seat height of 820mm. Low and high seat options of 760mm and 840mm, respectively, areavailable as optional extras. The RS weighs 236kg (wet) and comes with a 18-litre fuel tank. Like the RT, it gets active suspensioncontrol, ‘road’ and ‘rain’ riding modes and ABS as standard, and keyless go, ABS Pro and DynamicBrake Light as options.

The R 1200 R is priced at Rs 14.9 lakh (Standard), Rs 15.4 (Exclusive) and Rs 15.5 lakh (Style) (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).

R 1200 GSThe GS is the adventure tourer of the R 1200 range. Tall and dominating, the GS is powered, once again, by a 1170cc air-cooledboxer twin with a water-cooled cylinder head that makes 125hp at 7750rpm and 125Nm at 6500rpm, all sent to the rear wheels viashaft drive.

The GS gets BMW Motorrad’s Telelever front suspension like the RT, with 37mm forks and a central spring strut. It is2207mm long, with a wheelbase of 1507mm and seat height of 850mm. A lower seat height option of 800mm is available, thoughthis involves lowering of the suspension. The GS weighs 244kg (wet), and has a 20-litre fuel tank.

The GS comes with much standard equipment, such as adjustable electronic suspension, switchable ABS, ‘rain’ and‘road’ riding modes and stability control, as well as optional features such as ‘enduro’ and‘dynamic’ riding modes, ABS Pro, hill start control, dynamic traction control and dynamic brake light.

The R 1200 GS is priced Rs 15.9 lakh (Standard), Rs 19 lakh (Dynamic+) and Rs 19.5 lakh (Pro) (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).

R 1200 GS AdventureThe GS Adventure is a more off-road-oriented version of the GS. Main differences include a larger 30-litre fuel tank, wire-spokewheels (as opposed to the GS’ cast aluminium ones), better wind protection, keyless go as standard and more comfortableseating. It is slightly longer than the GS at 2255mm, with a 1510mm wheelbase, and is heavier too, at 263kg (wet).

The R 1200 GS Adventure is priced Rs 17.5 lakh (Standard), Rs 20.9 (Dynamic+) and Rs 21.4 lakh (Pro) (all prices ex-showroom,Delhi).http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-news/bmw-motorrad-r-1200-range-an-overview-404758.aspx/0

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Pininfarina reveals EV concepts developed for Hybrid Kinetic Group in China Autocar India

Pininfarina, the Mahindra Group-owned global design house, has revealed a range of environment-friendly vehicles developed forits customer, the Hybrid Kinetic Group. While the five-seater K550 and seven-seater K750 SUVs see their global debut, the H600luxury sedan makes its Asian debut at the Shanghai Motor Show.

On the heels of the world debut of the H600 hybrid sedan at the Geneva motor show in March, the unveiling of two electric-driveSUV concept cars highlights the Hybrid Kinetic Group’s drive towards clean energy vehicle development.

All the three cars are equipped with micro-turbine generator range extenders and super batteries, along with highly efficient, energyconserving and eco-friendly electric drivetrain systems.

"We are very proud to present in Shanghai a new family of cars born from the collaboration between Pininfarina and Hybrid KineticGroup,” said Pininfarina CEO, Silvio Pietro Angori. “These three cars express the Pininfarina know-how and skillswhich are perfect for the Chinese market: style research and development aimed at defining a timeless beauty in the best traditionof Italian style. Moreover, we give shape to HK technology combining design with environmental sustainability”.

“The Hybrid Kinetic Group recognises the needs for energy security, environmental protection, and the massive developmentpotential of clean energy cars. We are dedicated to the development of luxury clean energy vehicles with full intellectual propertyrights. Our endeavour pushes the development of the Chinese automobile industry, benefits the people, ushers in a sustainablefuture, and helps create a more harmonious society,” said Xu Jianguo, president and CEO of the Hybrid Kinetic Group, aHong Kong-listed company which aims to become the world’s leading clean energy automobile company.

Leveraging aerospace techThe micro-turbine generator range extenders employ the latest aerospace technology, a precision industrial design that helps inreducing environment impact.

The Hybrid Kinetic Group’s self-developed high-energy and high-density super battery enables a unique energy recoveryability. Compared with conventional new-energy vehicles, HK new-energy vehicles boast energy recovery rate of over 30 percent,and a range of over 1,000km.Micro-turbine generator range extenders can provide clean electricity to vehicles and can charge the batteries anywhere and at any

time, freeing the vehicles from charging facilities. This will fundamentally change the status quo of reliance of new energy vehicleson charging infrastructure and the need for grid support, thus removing the development bottleneck of new-energy vehicle industry.

These micro-turbine generators have an estimated lifespan of 50,000 hours with maintenance every 10,000 hours; the superbatteries have a lifespan of 50,000 DOD charging cycles.The Shanghai Auto Show comes a few weeks after the announcement of the signing of a trade agreement between Pininfarina andHybrid Kinetic Group. As per this pact, Pininfarina will support Hybrid Kinetic in the turnkey development of an electric car from thestyling concept and development stage through to the engineering development and virtual and physical validation for seriesproduction. The collaboration agreement, worth about 65 million Euros, will have a total duration of 46 months.

"Hybrid Kinetic,” said Angori, “has chosen to cooperate with the Pininfarina Group, thanks to the set of skills andtechnologies in the field of sustainable mobility that we have developed over several years. This agreement confirms the primacy ofour company in the world of automotive design, engineering and production of small series at a time of great change in theautomotive world”.

Pininfarina takes to China in a big wayPininfarina was the first Italian design house to provide styling and engineering services to Chinese carmakers since 1996. Sincethen, it has expanded its range of activities by developing partnerships with manufacturers like AviChina (Hafei), Chery, Changfeng,Brilliance, BAIC, JAC and others, for which commercially successful vehicles have been designed, such as the DX7, the firstproduct of the collaboration between Pininfarina and South East Motor (SEM). The DX7 was followed in 2016 by the DX3 concept, acompact SUV that anticipates the upcoming production car, also developed by Pininfarina in Italy.

In 2010 Pininfarina Automotive Engineering Shanghai (PAES) was established with the aim of locating a satellite designdevelopment in Shanghai, the strategic automotive hub in Asia. PAES is today an established outpost of commercial developmentand design creation.http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-news/pininfarina-reveals-ev-concepts-developed-for-hybrid-kinetic-group-in-china-404753.aspx

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BMW 5-series long-wheelbase revealed Autocar India

The long-wheelbase BMW 5-series Li has been revealed at the Shanghai motor show, ahead of its China-only sales debut. Thewheelbase of the new 5-series is stretched by 133mm for the China-only model, taking the overall length to 5,069mm, which is just29mm shy of the length of the standard-wheelbase BMW 7-series.

Built in collaboration with BMW’s Chinese partner carmaker Brilliance, BMW claims that the new model is 130kg lighter thanits predecessor. The 5-series Li is expected to weigh around 1,610kg, while the standard 5-series ranges from 1,540kg to 1,660kg,depending on the specification. The extended-wheelbase 7-series adds 40kg on to the standard car’s kerb weight.

The 5-series Li also gets improved soundproofing, electrically-adjustable seats and a panoramic glass roof, along with extra kneeroom. A touchscreen mounted on the central armrest is the most notable feature at the back, along with a storage box.

The 5-series Li's engine line-up is expected to be two 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engines and one 3.0-litre six-cylinder – thesame line-up as its predecessor, whose engines ranged from 207-310hp. It’ll be built, like the previous model, atBMW’s plant in Shenyang, China. BMW also offers a stretched X1 small SUV, the X1 Li, for the Chinese market.http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-news/bmw-5-series-long-wheelbase-revealed-404739.aspx

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Lexus NX SUV facelift revealed Asian Age

The facelifted Lexus NX has been revealed at the Shanghai motor show, with significant alterations on the suspension, as well asstyling and interior tech tweaks.

Refreshed front and rear styling keeps the NX up to date with the rest of the Lexus range, while the lights have been tweaked tocontain LC-derived detail. A new wheel design has also been added.

Inside, the infotainment screen has grown to 10.3-inch, up from seven, and the touchpad controller has been updated for addedcomfort and ease of use. Lexus has coated most of the switches and controls in a metallic finish too.

Tech tweaks include upped amperage on USB chargers, a larger wireless smartphone charger and an automatic tailgate operatedby a wave of a foot under the rear bumper.

Lexus claims that the ride and handling of the NX – two areas which our reviewers deemed needing improvement have beenrevised with updated suspension tuning, as well as now being fitted with adaptive variable suspension derived from the system inthe LC 500 sports coupe.

Sound deadening has also been increased, and a raft of safety kit has now been made standard on the BMW X3 rival.

The NX is Lexus’ smallest SUV on sale internationally, with the model positioned below the popular RX. The RX was

recently launched in India as the RX 450h hybrid along with the Camry-based ES 300h hybrid sedan and the range topping LandCruiser-based LX 450d.http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-news/lexus-nx-suv-facelift-revealed-404754.aspx

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2017 Kawasaki Z1000, Z1000R and Z250 launched Autocar India

After bombarding us with four bikes – the Z900, the Z650, the new Ninja 650, and the 2017 Ninja 300 – Kawasaki hasmore in store for India. Its latest offerings come in the form of the 2017 Z250 (Rs 3.09 lakh), the Z1000 (Rs 14.39 lakh), and itssportier Z1000R (Rs 15.49 lakh) variant. All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi.

The key mechanical change on the Z1000 is that it is now BS-IV compliant. What’s nice is that the upgrade has not resultedin drop in either power or torque. This means that the Z1000 still continues to be powered by a 1,043cc, four-cylinder engine andchurns out 142hp and an impressive 111Nm of torque. Furthermore, Kawasaki claims that the bike’s ECU has beenrecalibrated for smoother power delivery. Also new on the 2017 Z1000 are the indicators for gear position and gear up-shifts.

New to kawasaki’s line-up is the Z1000R, which is a sportier avatar of Kawasaki’s range-topping naked. This versionof the litre-class Z uses the same engine as the Z1000, but comes with a few extra goodies. These include special front brake discsdesigned for better heat dissipation that are clamped down by M50 monobloc callipers by Brembo, and a new Ohlins rearmonoshock. It also comes with a dedicated body graphics package.

The Japanese bikemaker has also silently upgraded its baby naked, the Z250, for BS-IV compliance. Like its bigger sibling, theZ-range starter sees no dip in outputs of 32hp and 21Nm that the 2016 bike made from its 249cc, parallel twin.

The Z1000 takes on bikes like the Honda CB1000R, while the smaller Z250 rivals the likes of the Benelli TNT 25 and the recentlylaunched KTM Duke 250.http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-news/2017-kawasaki-z1000-z1000r-and-z250-launched-404764.aspx

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2017 Shanghai motor show report Autocar India

The Shanghai motor show is disorienting from several perspectives. Apart from the obvious travel-related challenges, grappling withthe size and diversity of China’s new car market is a different scale altogether.

Walking around the vast halls of the Shanghai show ground, a visitor is confronted by a bewildering array of unknown car brandsand names – Wey, Jiangling, Haval, Iconiq Motors are but a small sample.

About 10 years ago these local manufacturers were well below Western standards in terms of design and interior quality. But asI’d heard numerous times from industry sources, the standard of Chinese local manufacturers has risen exponentially.

A quick walkaround tour of the show revealed interiors with interesting grains, close stitching, neatly proportioned switchgear. Thereis still huge room for improvement, for example, hard interior plastics remain the rule rather than the exception and someengineering foul-ups are still in evidence.

But the significant point is that Chinese homegrown carmakers are catching up with the West at a rate of knots.

Recruitment of high-profile design talent like Geely’s Peter Horbury and Tomas Ingenlath, are well known, but Europeanconsultants like Pininfarina and Alfredo Stola are behind others.There is still plenty of room in this huge market, however, for both domestic and import brands. New car sales in China topped 25million last year and despite a momentary lull are expected to climb further.

Just over half those sales are sedans, with the balance of SUVs expected to grow.Sales of large sedans are still dominated by the chauffeur market, to the degree that Volvo only sells a long-wheelbase S90 inChina, which means it doesn’t need an ‘L’ badge that’s applied ubiquitously to rivals' LWB models.

“[Geely] chairman Li Shufu was adamant that we wouldn’t put an L on the trunk," said Volvo design chief Ingenlath.

But there’s a good reason why manufacturers like Geely, Haval and Jinbao had show stands festooned with small, mediumand large SUVs – Chinese family drivers are flocking to 4x4s attracted by the practicality, suitability for pockmarked roadsand styling/image.

They’re affordable, too, for China’s growing middle class with increasing disposable income. A C-segment JianlingSUV with crisp styling and attractive interior costs the equivalent of £16k (around Rs 16 lakh), at least £10k cheaper than a similarSUV in the UK.

The Jianling has a fake-leather wrapped dashboard, chrome-trimmed switchgear and door panels that combine at least fourfinishes, including fake carbon fibre.

Herbert Diess, VW boss, reckons that at least 30 new SUVs have been launched in the past 18 months to feed this frenzy.

Skoda is pushing hard in China, its biggest market, with plans to double sales to 600k units by 2020, boosted by new hybrid andbattery electric models.

“The drive in China for EVs is stronger than in Europe, for a couple of reasons, and we are both pushing for cleaner air andlower emissions," says Bernhard Maier, Skoda’s boss.

China is touted as the world’s biggest market for electric cars, although apart from a handful of Tesla S models, theyaren’t easy to spot on the roads of Shanghai.

There are still knock-off designs on sale in China, most notably Landwind’s outrageous photocopy of the Range RoverEvoque. But elsewhere there’s evidence of the uninhibited creativity that flows from confidence and optimism.http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-news/2017-shanghai-motor-show-report-404757.aspx

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Hyundai i20 facelift spied Autocar India

The current-gen Hyundai i20 (Elite i20) has been on sale since 2014 and is next in line to receive a mid-cycle update. Spied for thefirst time on the outskirts of Chennai, the refreshed i20 was part of a convoy of test mules that also included the all-new Verna whichwill be unveiled sometime around August this year.

As seen from the spy shots, the i20's front gets styling tweaks which brings it more in line with the latest from Hyundai like theGrand i10 and Xcent siblings, the larger Elantra and the upcoming Verna sedan. Hyundai does away with the two-part grille and inits place is a single, large 'Cascade' type grille, very similar to the one seen on the recently launched refreshed Xcent. Theheadlamps seem more angular and also Elantra-Like and the bumper has new inserts for fog lamps.

Moving on to the sides, the i20 is expected to look the same, except for new-design alloy wheels. The rear of the car is fully coveredso the changes here could be even bigger.

The i20 facelift is likely to continue with the same set of engines: the 1.2 petrol (MT only), the 1.4-litre diesel (MT only) and the1.4-litre petrol (AT only). The carmaker is also likely to offer the new 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine. This engine, based on the 1.0-litrethree-cylinder Kappa unit that powers the European i10, features direct injection and a small, single scroll turbocharger, and isexpected to produce up to 120hp and 172Nm of torque.

Also, Hyundai is working on a mild hybrid system for its models in India. This new tech will be introduced in the all-new Verna andthen the Creta and the i20. Expect Hyundai to unveil the refreshed i20 (seen here) sometime next year, possibly as early as thebeginning of 2018 at the Auto Expo.http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-news/scoop-hyundai-i20-facelift-spied-404762.aspx

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International News

Apple self-driving car testing plan gives clues to tech program ReutersSee this story in: The Economic Times

San Francisco: Apple outlined a plan to train operators of self-driving cars in documents submitted to California regulators earlierthis month, the latest clues to the company's autonomous vehicle technology aspirations.

Apple was granted a permit to test self-driving cars on April 14 by the California Department of Motor Vehicles but the company hasnever said anything about its plan.

The state released 41 pages of Apple application documents to Reuters that give some clues about the company's highly secretself-driving effort, which it has never openly acknowledged.

The iPhone maker joins a long list of carmakers, start-ups and technology rivals, including Alphabet's Waymo, that are testing carson state roads. Apple is looking for new hit products and autonomous car technology is expected to revolutionize the traditional autoindustry.

As part of the application, Apple included a 10-page training plan that appeared to be related to operators taking back manualcontrol of the car during automated driving exercises of the system, which it calls a development platform.

Apple declined comment beyond the filing.

The plan includes a document called "Automated System: Development Platform Specific Training Overview" whose objective is "totrain safety drivers in various automated driving conditions."

"Development platform will be controlled electronically (e.g. joystick) and safety drivers must be ready to intervene and take control,"

the document reads.

The document highlights different scenarios to be tested, from high speed driving and tight U-turns to lane changes.

One letter sent from Apple to the state Department of Motor Vehicles noted that Apple's development platform "will have the abilityto capture and store relevant data before a collision occurs."

The document does not include detail on how Apple's self-driving platform actually works or other technical details. It also does notsay what kind of sensors are found on Apple's three permitted vehicles, all 2015 Lexus model RX450h.

The permit does not necessarily mean that Apple itself is building a full car. Apple could instead be designing a self-driving platformthat can be integrated into other manufacturer's cars.http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/passenger-vehicle/cars/apple-self-driving-car-testing-plan-gives-clues-to-tech-program/58308590

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China's quota threat charges up electric car market AFPSee this story in: The Economic Times

Shanghai: China's electric-car market is already the world's biggest, but a government proposal to introduce "new energy" vehiclequotas for automakers is further charging it up.

With the threat of the measure looming, major manufacturers at the annual auto show in Shanghai are announcing big plans toboost their electric vehicle (EV) offerings in China.

Volvo has confirmed it will introduce its first 100-percent electric car in China in 2019, while Ford will market its first hybrid vehicle inearly 2018 and envisions 70 percent of all Ford cars available in China will have electric options by 2025.

Industry players say the push could have a profound impact on the green-car sector, as resulting economies of scale bring down thecosts of producing and buying such cars.

Chinese sales of "new energy" vehicles jumped 53 percent last year to 507,000 units, fuelled by government incentives.

Overall, a world-leading 24.38 million passenger cars were sold in China in 2016.

"Right now, the (EV) market has been driven by regulatory and government (subsidies)," admitted David Schoch, Ford'sAsia-Pacific president.

"But we do believe that in the very near term, as we scale up more batteries, the cost will come down."

China has offered incentives for EV purchases to help fight chronic air pollution, but has begun scaling back those inducements thisyear, causing sales to stumble.

Instead, the government intends to force the hand of manufacturers.

A proposal published in September could require "green" vehicle production quotas as early as 2018, under a complex system ofearned credits.

Market leader Volkswagen sold four million cars in China in 2016 but only a few hundred were "green". The German manufacturernow plans to begin production of an electric car in China next year, in a joint venture with Chinese group JAC.

VW expects to sell around 400,000 new-energy vehicles in China in 2020, said Jochem Heizmann, CEO of Volkswagen China.

The quota plans have brought some pushback, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel lobbying Chinese Premier Li Keqiang overthe issue.

Chinese Industry Minister Miao Wei said in March that a reduction or deferral of the quotas was possible.

But automakers plan to get ready.

"We are fully, with all forces, working to be able to fulfil this quota system already next year," Heizmann said.

General Motors says it plans to launch at least 10 new energy vehicles in China, targeting 150,000 in annual sales by 2020.

"We have a pipeline ... that is going to put us in a very good position from a fuel-economy requirement perspective" that will enableGM to meet any EV rules, said Matt Tsien, head of GM China.

- Irreversible trend -

The Chinese market is dominated by local manufacturers including sector pioneer BYD, which sold 96,000 EVs last year.

Despite the reduced subsidies, "the trend of electrification is irreversible," said BYD president Wang Chuanfu.

"We have reached the point where (economies of scale) in production will allow for more affordable prices," he said.

Most electric cars in China already sell for less than 250,000 yuan ($36,000) before subsidies, but they are typically models with alimited range.

"The market above 250,000 doesn't really exist yet," said Hubertus Troska, president of Mercedes China.

This has not stopped start-ups from challenging Tesla Motors in the limited niche for high-end EVs.

They include Qiantu, whose 700,000 yuan sports model will be marketed soon; Chehejia, founded by an entrepreneur dubbed the"Chinese Elon Musk"; and Nio, a brand by Chinese electric-car maker NextEV that has received investment from deep-pocketedChinese IT giants Tencent and Lenovo.

"We feel that now in China, first- and second-tier cities have this need (for premium electric cars), but it is yet to be satisfied,"NextEV founder William Li told AFP, while also promising an electric car for the US market in 2020.http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/chinas-quota-threat-charges-up-electric-car-market/58323166

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Judge orders Volkswagen to pay $2.8B in emission scandal APSee this story in: The Economic Times

Detroit - A judge on Friday ordered Volkswagen to pay a $2.8 billion criminal penalty in the United States for cheating on dieselemissions tests, blessing a deal negotiated by the government for a "massive fraud" orchestrated by the German automaker.

U.S. District Judge Sean Cox stuck to the plea deal during the sentencing hearing, six weeks after VW pleaded guilty to conspiracyand obstruction of justice in a bold scheme involving nearly 600,000 diesel cars in the U.S. They were programmed to turn onpollution controls during testing and off while on the road.

"It was an intentional effort on the part of a major corporation to evade U.S. law and lie to U.S. regulators," Assistant U.S. AttorneyJohn Neal told the judge.

Speaking from the bench in the heart of the global auto industry, Cox said he was amazed that VW would commit such a crime.

"Who has been hurt by this corporate greed? From what I can see it's not the managers at VW, the ones who get paid huge salariesand large bonuses. As always it's the little guy," the judge said, referring to car buyers and VW's blue-collar workers who might earnless in the future.

Separately, VW is paying $1.5 billion in a civil case, mostly to settle allegations brought by U.S. environmental regulators, andspending $11 billion to buy back cars and offer other compensation.

Seven employees have also been charged with crimes in the U.S., but five are in Germany and are unlikely to be extradited.

Cox urged the German government to "prosecute those responsible for this deliberate massive fraud that has damaged an iconicautomobile company."

In brief remarks to the judge, VW defense attorney Jason Weinstein says the criminal fine is an "appropriate and serious sanction."

VW general counsel Manfred Doess said the company is not the same one that was caught 18 months ago.

"Volkswagen deeply regrets the behavior that gave rise to this case. ... Plain and simple it was wrong," Doess said. "We let peopledown and for that we're deeply sorry."

Neal disclosed that a former Justice Department official, Larry Thompson, will serve as a monitor to ensure that VW complies withthe plea agreement, which includes three years of probation and complete future cooperation with any inquiries by investigators.

U.S. regulators confronted VW about the cheating software after West Virginia University researchers discovered differences intesting and real-world emissions of harmful nitrogen oxide. VW eventually admitted that the cars were programmed to turn pollutioncontrols on during testing and off while on the road.http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/passenger-vehicle/cars/judge-orders-volkswagen-to-pay-2-8b-in-emission-scandal/58316629

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Limited edition BMW M4 CS introduced globally The Economic Times

New Delhi: German car-maker BMW's performance M brand has introduced another exclusive limited-run special-edition model inthe shape of the BMW M4 CS. The new performance sedan fills the gap in the line-up between the M4 Coupe with CompetitionPackage and the track-focused BMW M4 GTS. It also continues with the company's decades-long tradition of bringing in special Meditions which began in 1988 with the E30 BMW M3 Evolution.

The new BMW M4 CS will be built at the original BMW plant in Munich.

The M4 CS also sees BMW M GmbH introducing a new nomenclature for its models. Positioned above the standard M models willbe the performance-boosted Competition versions. Then come the CS special-edition models. Positioned on top are theperformance-maximising “brand shapers” which display a clear motor sport or club sport character but are also fullyroad legal.

It is powered by a 3.0-litre engine raises the output of the M4 with Competition Package by 10 horsepower, to 460 hp. The engine ismated with the seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) with Drivelogic. This gearbox has a separate oil cooler andenables both automated gear changes and manual interventions using the shift paddles on the steering wheel.

The suspension on the BMW M4 CS are similar to that of the M4 with Competition Package. It can also be ordered with MichelinSport road tyres at no extra cost.

The interior of the new BMW M4 CS sets out a sporting ambience. Lightweight M sports seats trimmed in leather. Among thestandard features on board are automatic climate control, a version of the BMW HiFi system Professional adapted to the signatureacoustic demands of the M4 CS and the Navigation system Professional.

The BMW M4 CS will be priced at EUR 116,900.http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/passenger-vehicle/cars/limited-edition-bmw-m4-cs-introduced-globally/58314534

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Quota system: How China is getting automakers to bring in more electric cars AFPSee this story in: The Times of India

Shanghai: China's electric-car market is already the world's biggest, but a government proposal to introduce "new energy" vehiclequotas for automakers is further charging it up.

With the threat of the measure looming, major manufacturers at the annual auto show in Shanghai are announcing big plans toboost their electric vehicle (EV) offerings in China.

Volvo has confirmed it will introduce its first 100-percent electric car in China in 2019, while Ford will market its first hybrid vehicle inearly 2018 and envisions 70 per cent of all Ford cars available in China will have electric options by 2025.

Industry players say the push could have a profound impact on the green-car sector, as resulting economies of scale bring down thecosts of producing and buying such cars.

Chinese sales of "new energy" vehicles jumped 53 per cent last year to 507,000 units, fuelled by government incentives.

Overall, a world-leading 24.38 million passenger cars were sold in China in 2016.

"Right now, the (EV) market has been driven by regulatory and government (subsidies)," admitted David Schoch, Ford'sAsia-Pacific president.

"But we do believe that in the very near term, as we scale up more batteries, the cost will come down."

China has offered incentives for EV purchases to help fight chronic air pollution, but has begun scaling back those inducements thisyear, causing sales to stumble.

Instead, the government intends to force the hand of manufacturers.

A proposal published in September could require "green" vehicle production quotas as early as 2018, under a complex system ofearned credits.

Market leader Volkswagen sold four million cars in China in 2016 but only a few hundred were "green". The German manufacturernow plans to begin production of an electric car in China next year, in a joint venture with Chinese group JAC.

VW expects to sell around 400,000 new-energy vehicles in China in 2020, said Jochem Heizmann, CEO of Volkswagen China.

The quota plans have brought some pushback, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel lobbying Chinese Premier Li Keqiang overthe issue.

Chinese Industry minister Miao Wei said in March that a reduction or deferral of the quotas was possible.

But automakers plan to get ready.

"We are fully, with all forces, working to be able to fulfil this quota system already next year," Heizmann said.

General Motors says it plans to launch at least 10 new energy vehicles in China, targeting 150,000 in annual sales by 2020.

"We have a pipeline ... that is going to put us in a very good position from a fuel-economy requirement perspective" that will enableGM to meet any EV rules, said Matt Tsien, head of GM China.

The Chinese market is dominated by local manufacturers including sector pioneer BYD, which sold 96,000 EVs last year.

Despite the reduced subsidies, "the trend of electrification is irreversible," said BYD president Wang Chuanfu.

"We have reached the point where (economies of scale) in production will allow for more affordable prices," he said.

Most electric cars in China already sell for less than 250,000 yuan ($36,000) before subsidies, but they are typically models with alimited range.

"The market above 250,000 doesn't really exist yet," said Hubertus Troska, president of Mercedes China.

This has not stopped start-ups from challenging Tesla Motors in the limited niche for high-end EVs.

They include Qiantu, whose 700,000 yuan sports model will be marketed soon; Chehejia, founded by an entrepreneur dubbed the"Chinese Elon Musk"; and Nio, a brand by Chinese electric-car maker NextEV that has received investment from deep-pocketedChinese IT giants Tencent and Lenovo.

"We feel that now in China, first- and second-tier cities have this need (for premium electric cars), but it is yet to be satisfied,"NextEV founder William Li told AFP, while also promising an electric car for the US market in 2020.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/auto/miscellaneous/quota-system-how-china-is-getting-automakers-to-bring-in-more-electric-cars/articleshow/58325984.cms

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Eyeing U.S., carmaker may rechristen ‘Trumpchi’ ReutersSee this story in: The Hindu

Shanghai: When Chinese automaker GAC Motor was preparing to enter the United States market it foresaw challenges in productlocalisation and regulation, but didn’t see any issue with the name of its flagship brand, Trumpchi.

Executives at the firm and its parent Guangzhou Automobile Group say they may now change the Trumpchi brand — whichwas meant to sound like its Chinese name Chuanqi, which is a play on the word “legendary” and means passing goodfortune after it drew some ridicule at the Detroit auto show in January.

“We saw people were laughing at this and took pictures looking only at this detail, and also put on Facebook or otherwebsites,” GAC Motor Design Director Zhang Fan told Reuters. “When we read all that feedback, we realized it mightnot be very positive promotion for the brand.”

The company says any similarity between the brand name and that of the U.S. president was unintentional. Working from similarsounds to the Chinese name, GAC came up with “trump” for being the best and “chi” for China, Zhangsaid.

“This is a complete coincidence, we didn’t even have the slightest idea he would be president,” Feng Xingya,GAC Group President, said at the Shanghai auto show.

“At first I’d never thought of it, why change the name? It’s the president Americans selected, it’s similarto the president’s name, this has to be good right?” he added. “But in the United States the level of opposition(to Trump) is high.”Surge in sales

Trumpchi cars are generally priced below foreign brands, but the brand created around a decade ago has recently seen a surge insales thanks to rapidly improving product quality. Parent GAC Group is China’s sixth-largest automaker by sales.

The southern Chinese automaker says it now expects to enter the United States in 2019, two years later than it initially hoped, aftera management change. It says it is still working on products that meet U.S. regulatory and market demands.http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/eyeing-us-carmaker-may-rechristen-trumpchi/article18191555.ece#

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China’s proposed ‘new energy’ vehicle quota system charges up electric car market AFPSee this story in: mint

Shanghai: China’s electric car market is already the world’s biggest, but a government proposal to introduce“new energy” vehicle quotas for automakers is further charging it up.

With the threat of the measure looming, major manufacturers at the annual auto show in Shanghai are announcing big plans toboost their electric vehicle (EV) offerings in China.

Volvo has confirmed it will introduce its first 100% electric car in China in 2019, while Ford will market its first hybrid vehicle in early2018 and envisions 70% of all Ford cars available in China will have electric options by 2025.

Industry players say the push could have a profound impact on the green-car sector, as resulting economies of scale bring down thecosts of producing and buying such cars.

Chinese sales of “new energy” vehicles jumped 53% last year to 5,07,000 units, fuelled by government incentives.Overall, a world-leading 24.38 million passenger cars were sold in China in 2016.

“Right now, the (EV) market has been driven by regulatory and government (subsidies),” admitted David Schoch,Ford’s Asia-Pacific president. “But we do believe that in the very near term, as we scale up more batteries, the costwill come down.”

China has offered incentives for EV purchases to help fight chronic air pollution, but has begun scaling back those inducements thisyear, causing sales to stumble. Instead, the government intends to force the hand of manufacturers.

A proposal published in September could require “green” vehicle production quotas as early as 2018, under acomplex system of earned credits.

Market leader Volkswagen sold four million cars in China in 2016 but only a few hundred were “green”. The Germanmanufacturer now plans to begin production of an electric car in China next year, in a joint venture with Chinese group JAC.

VW expects to sell around 4,00,000 new-energy vehicles in China in 2020, said Jochem Heizmann, CEO of Volkswagen China.

The quota plans have brought some pushback, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel lobbying Chinese Premier Li Keqiang overthe issue.

Chinese industry minister Miao Wei said in March that a reduction or deferral of the quotas was possible. But automakers plan toget ready. “We are fully, with all forces, working to be able to fulfil this quota system already next year,” Heizmannsaid.

General Motors says it plans to launch at least 10 new energy vehicles in China, targeting 150,000 in annual sales by 2020.“We have a pipeline ... that is going to put us in a very good position from a fuel-economy requirement perspective”that will enable GM to meet any EV rules, said Matt Tsien, head of GM China.

The Chinese market is dominated by local manufacturers including sector pioneer BYD, which sold 96,000 EVs last year. Despitethe reduced subsidies, “the trend of electrification is irreversible,” said BYD president Wang Chuanfu. “Wehave reached the point where (economies of scale) in production will allow for more affordable prices,” he said.

Most electric cars in China already sell for less than 250,000 yuan ($36,000) before subsidies, but they are typically models with alimited range.

“The market above 250,000 doesn’t really exist yet,” said Hubertus Troska, president of Mercedes China. Thishas not stopped start-ups from challenging Tesla Motors in the limited niche for high-end EVs.

They include Qiantu, whose 700,000 yuan sports model will be marketed soon; Chehejia, founded by an entrepreneur dubbed the“Chinese Elon Musk”; and Nio, a brand by Chinese electric-car maker NextEV that has received investment fromdeep-pocketed Chinese IT giants Tencent and Lenovo.

“We feel that now in China, first- and second-tier cities have this need (for premium electric cars), but it is yet to besatisfied,” NextEV founder William Li told AFP, while also promising an electric car for the US market in 2020.http://www.livemint.com/Industry/msvw8vQuzYF6xx1w82pP4H/Chinas-proposed-new-energy-vehicle-quota-system-charges-u.html

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Economy

India's growth to accelerate further due to GST: Arun Jaitley PTISee this story in: The Times of India

Washington: India continues to be the fastest growing major economy in the world and its growth will accelerate further due tofactors like implementation of GST, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.

The minister also said the scrapping of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will increase tax compliance and reduce threat of counterfeitcurrency.

"India continues to be the fastest growing major economy in the world...The currency reform initiative will move the Indian economyto a less cash trajectory, increase tax compliance and reduce the threats from counterfeit currency which acts as a source of terrorfunding," he said.

He was speaking at the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting here on Saturday.

The minister said growth is expected to gain strength in the coming years due to externalities derived from deep structural reformsimplemented by the government and robust aggregate demand.

Talking about the new indirect tax regime, Jaitley said the government is "fully on course to implement the Goods and Services Tax(GST)" by July 1.

"The GST will deliver significant externalities by way of improved taxation efficiency and ease of doing business and will convertIndia into one common market," he added.

As per provisional estimates, real GDP grew by 7.9 per cent in 2015-16 compared with 7.2 per cent in 2014-15.

The second advance estimate for GDP growth for 2016-17 is placed at 7.1 per cent.

The Indian government in November last year scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes to curb blackmoney and terror funding as wellas to promote digital transactions.http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/indias-growth-to-accelerate-further-due-to-gst-arun-jaitley/articleshow/58328589.cms

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Four of 10 most valued companies add Rs. 32,394 cr in market capitalisation PTISee this story in: The Hindu Business Line

New Delhi: Four of the 10 most valued listed companies together added Rs. 32,394.14 crore in market valuation last week, withHDFC Bank and RIL gaining the most.

The week also saw some temporary ups and downs in the valuation chart. Reliance Industries (RIL) surged past TCS briefly twotimes to become the most valued company last week.

However, at close of the session on Tuesday and Friday the IT major reclaimed the top position.

Also, in the past few days, a sort of musical chair game was played out between State Bank of India and ONGC for the tag of mostvalued PSU.

At close on Friday, TCS stood at number one position in the domestic mcap chart, followed by RIL, HDFC Bank, ITC, HDFC,ONGC, SBI, Infosys, IOC and HUL.

Among gainers, the market capitalisation (mcap) of HDFC Bank zoomed Rs. 14,709.01 crore to Rs. 3,83,549.03 crore.

RIL saw its valuation surging by Rs. 11,509.72 crore to Rs. 4,55,105.33 crore and HDFC added Rs. 5,131.39 crore to Rs.2,39,435.79 crore.

The m-cap of IOC also moved up by Rs. 1,044.02 crore to Rs. 2,06,157.45 crore.

Among losers, six companies lost a total of Rs. 29,117.26 crore in their market valuation last week.

SBI’s valuation plummeted by Rs. 7,177.22 crore to Rs. 2,28,819.62 crore and that of ONGC tumbled Rs. 6,673.28 crore toRs. 2,30,869.90 crore.

The m-cap of ITC witnessed a drop of Rs. 6,559.59 crore to Rs. 3,33,263.45 crore and HUL lost Rs. 3,657.76 crore to Rs.1,96,133.36 crore.

TCS saw an erosion of Rs. 3,280.76 crore to Rs. 4,55,405.31 crore and Infosys (Rs 1,768.65 crore to Rs. 2,12,168.78 crore).

Over the past week, the BSE Sensex fell 96.15 points, or 0.32 per cent, and the Nifty 31.40 points, or 0.34 per cent, sliding for thesecond straight week.http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/four-of-10-most-valued-cos-add-rs-32394-cr-in-mcap/article9658876.ece

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