Car News - Latest Indian Car News & Views | CarWalehttp://www.carwale.com/news/Latest news updates on Indian car industry, expert views and interviews exclusively on CarWale.Copyright 2012 CarWaleCarWale RSS Generator8961<![CDATA[The CarWale Daily Fuel – May 26, 2012]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/8961-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-26-2012.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/8961-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-26-2012.htmlCarWale Team5/26/2012 12:26:00 PM166http://img.carwale.com/ec/8961/img/m/8961_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/8961/img/m/8961_lGM announces weekend bonanza for Spark and Beat buyers, Mercedes to get the ML 250 CDI to India after the new ML 350 sold like hot cakes, BMW showed off the stunning Zagato Coupe concept while Maruti Suzuki gears up for Gujarat.

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  • General Motors has announced a weekend bonanza this weekend from 25th to 27th May where each booking would get an assured gift and a lucky customer can have his Spark for free. The offer is only on Spark and Beat with the showrooms open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.
  • Maruti Suzuki will sign an agreement with the Gujarat government on June 2 to set up a 2.5 lakh car per annum facility near Mehsana in north Gujarat ending the 5 months of speculation. Capacity of the Rs 6000 crore 500 acre facility will be scaled up in future as per the requirements.
  • As we have been reporting earlier, Fiat is working hard to gain formidable foothold in the Indian market after the failure if it previous joint ventures in India. Going solo this time, the company faces an uphill task to regain the diminishing customer confidence.
  • Toyota’s Etios sedan and Liva Hatch specifically made for the Indian market have crossed the one lakh sales mark in less than two years after their launch in December 2010. Toyota has also started expoting the cars to the African market eyeing around 20000 units per year.
  • Ssangyong unveiled the new Rexton at the Busan Auto show with radical changes in the looks as well as under the hood. The Rexton W as it is known, has a new 2.0 litre diesel engine that producs 154bhp and 367 Nm torque and returns a fuel economy of 13.7 kmpl for the automatic transmission. The new ‘work of art’ Rexton W would certainly help the Mahindra owned Korean manufacturer rebrand itself in the Chinese market.
  • After the overwhelming response for the new ML 350, where 100 cars got sold within a week of launch when Mercedes were targeting 500 units for the year, Mercedes are planning to launch the ML 250 CDI with a 2.2 litre four cylinder diesel engine making 205bhp and 500NM of torque. Probably priced about 5 lakhs below the ML 350, the Mercedes SUV range would start from 50 lakh in India luring the BMW X3 and Q5 buyers to upgrade to a bigger car by spending some more money.
  • Fiat has now suspended its exports to Iran due to the economic sanctions imposed for its nuclear activity. Fiat has joined Hyundai, Peugeot-Citroen and Porsche as automakers no longer doing business in Iran.
  • Fiat is developing the 500X crossover to compete with the Ford EcoSport and Nissan Juke and Renault Duster. Carrying forward the highly popular 500 brand, the sub 4.2 meter crossover is expected to debut at the 2013 Geneva Auto show.
  • BMW has showcased the Zagato Concept coupe at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este show in Italy. Based on the Z4 and body work by the famed Italian coach-builders Zagato, the stunning coupe is a treat to the eyes with the trademark BMW kidney grille,an old school long bonnet, the signature Zagato double bubble roof and the Kamm tail section.
  • After the Passat Alltrack for the US, Volksagen is keen on offering the Jetta and Golf in the lifted and cladded avatar. The Passat Alltrack may later house 3 roews of seating pushing it to the upper segment,.
  • Lotus CEO Dany Bahar has been temporarily suspended from office following an operational review. The parent company DRB Hicom stressed that it is business as usual at Lotus and onthing is to be onferred from the developments.

    • The CarWale Daily Fuel is your quick daily dose of automotive news from India and around the world. If you want to know whatever's in the news but want it short and sweet, here's your solution.

     

    ]]>    8960<![CDATA[The CarWale Daily Fuel – May 25, 2012 ]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/8960-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-25-2012-.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/8960-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-25-2012-.htmlCarWale Team5/25/2012 12:56:00 PM655http://img.carwale.com/ec/8960/img/m/8960_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/8960/img/m/8960_lIndian car makers accelerate diesel car production after the petrol price hike, made in India Etios gets a warm welcome in Africa, Peugeot reveals its 301 sedan and new nomenclature while Gemballa offers real diamond finish to add to the extravagant finishes only billionaires could afford.

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  • Indian manufacturers that offer diesel cars are accelerating their efforts to ramp up diesel car production in the country thanks to the ever widening gap between the Petrol and diesel prices.
  • The finance ministry is suggesting at least 15 percent increase in diesel and LPG as the price disparity is skewing the market structure. They say it would also help recovery of the Rupee against the Dollar which will in turn help reducing crude import costs and petrol prices and bring a balance to market and economy.
  • As the rupee has slightly recovered to below 56 rupees to a dollar, and international crude prices looking at a down turn, the petrol price hike may be rolled back by a small amount. The political parties allied to the government and also opposition parties have asked the government to roll back the price hike. We hope the petrol heads will get a small breather for the time .
  • Honda Siel, the rich man's car manufacturer in India, is finally moving over to diesel and is expected to launch diesel cars, early 2013. After sticking with petrol till date, Honda has lost a lot of market share to diesels and will look to regain its sales figures.
  • As the aftermath of petrol price hike continues, companies like Tata, Hyundai, Maruti are offering discounts up to Rs 50,000 on petrol cars. We say, if you can, buy now, because petrol prices are not going to go down ever and diesel has to be deregulated soon.
  • Nissan Micra will get its mid-life facelift soon as it has completed almost four years after its launch in 2008. The Micra will retain its curves, but what needs to be seen is how different the car will look from the Renault Pulse which is basically another facelifted Micra. 
  • Nissan is planning to improve its number in Russia with Datsun cars. The low-cost cars will be manufactured in Russia in collaboration with AvtoVAZ, Nissan's Russian partner.
  • Toyota has started exporting the made-in-India Etios and Liva cars to Africa positioning them as beginner or old people's no fuss cars. The Toyotas have received a warm welcome in the African markets thanks to Toyota's brand image of quality and fuel efficient cars.
  • Peugeot has revealed its sedan named 301 ahead of the Paris Motor Show. With this car, Peugeot has also shifted to a new nomenclature where all model names will end with either 1(for emerging markets) or 8 (for mainstream products).
  • BMW has unveiled the new face-lifted 7 Series internationally. The new car comes with revised bumpers, headlights, front grille, outside rear view mirrors. The car is 5.5 inches longer and 8 mm lower than its predecessor  with redesigned front seats, new 1200watt Bang and Olufsen audio system with the standard variants. It will also be available in Hybrid.
  • A new Aston Martin codenamed AM310 was seen flying at the Nurburgring. With new lines and looks, the AM310 may be a replacement of the DB9 or DBS or both.
  • Porsche tuner Gemballa has come up with a Diamond only finish as an ultra exclusive customising option. They will grind the diamonds to a size small enough to be applied like paint. Till date, diamond finishes were achieved by using metal pigments and glass crystals. We feel that the first of these cars would certainly make their way to one of the Gulf nations.

    • The CarWale Daily Fuel is your quick daily dose of automotive news from India and around the world. If you want to know whatever's in the news but want it short and sweet, here's your solution.

    ]]>    8959<![CDATA[Audi offers 'Audi Car life – Advance' package in India]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/8959-audi-offers-audi-car-life-advance-package-in-india.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/8959-audi-offers-audi-car-life-advance-package-in-india.htmlCarWale Team5/24/2012 2:24:00 PM610http://img.carwale.com/ec/8959/img/m/8959_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/8959/img/m/8959_lAudi with Audi Finance have worked up a 'Audi Carlife – Advance' package for buyers of the A4, A6 and Q5 with EMIs including insurance costs, scheduled maintenance and extended warranty.

    ]]>    Luxury car maker Audi India is working in tandem with Audi Finance to offer easy and hassle-free ownership of Audi cars in India. Audi is offering the 'Audi Carlife – Advance' package to customers buying the A4 sedan, A6 sedan and the Q5 crossover SUV.

    The package offers the future insurance costs, the costs of scheduled and regular maintenance and an extended warranty incorporated to the finance availed while buying new Audi cars. This means that the buyer will not have to shell out money every time he goes to the garage for routine maintenance or insurance renewal. The costs of these will also be evenly spread over the period.

    Audi with its sister concern Audi Finance is trying to match the success story of BMW in tandem with BMW Finance where BMW became the biggest luxury car seller in India in a short time when the market was dominated by Mercedes. Audi has also overtaken Mercedes recently and are now eyeing the top spot in the competition.

    ]]>    8958<![CDATA[The CarWale Daily Fuel – May 24, 2012]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/8958-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-24-2012.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/8958-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-24-2012.htmlCarWale Team5/24/2012 11:51:00 AM682http://img.carwale.com/ec/8958/img/m/8958_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/8958/img/m/8958_lPetrol prices up by a mind-boggling Rs 7.50 from today, engineering students in Punjab develop a driverless golf car while Ferrari claims the fastest unofficial lap around the Laguna Seca.

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  • Petrol prices in India have gone up by around Rs 7.50 i.e. above 10 per cent, inclusive of state taxes, with effect from today. Auto stocks of companies such as Maruti and Mahindra have suffered thanks to this large price hike. 
  • The Indian Rupee has plummeted even further to touch 56 rupees to a dollar. A panel of ministers will meet tomorrow to decide on a restructuring of pricing for diesel, kerosene and LPG, whose subsidies are driving the price of petrol ever higher.  
  • The proposed annual fitness checks we had mentioned some time ago for private vehicles may be in place by the end of the year. Not only this, the vehicle's insurance renewal will be dependent on whether the vehicle passes the fitness test - a noble sentiment, but it remains to be seen the implementation of the rule. 
  • Audi has launched the Audi Car-life Advance program for customers buying the A4, A6 and Q5. The program is based on EMIs that include insurance costs, routine maintenance and extended warranty payments merged into one so that the customer does not have to shell out money over and over again.
  • Mahindra and Mahindra are trying their best to enter the growing Chinese markets astride their Korean acquisition Ssangyong. Under its previous owners, Ssangyong brand was damaged in China and M&M are facing difficulty in restructuring the brand in the Chinese market.
  • Mahindra is back in the running for the acquisition of Saab - Youngman, which was the frontrunner so far, has resigned from the race for unspecified reasons. 
  • Ford India, as a part of its CSR, had undertaken ‘Operation Goodwill’ to improve the education infrastructure in the areas surrounding its Chennai Factory. Ford India’s parent company, Ford USA has given an additional $250,000 to Ford India to go ahead with the welfare activities.
  • Engineering students from the Lovely Professional Univeristy in Punjab have built a golf cart as an engineering project that can be controlled by mobile phone through internet connectivity. This means that with the help of cameras and a smartphone, it can be driven by someone anywhere in the world - theoretically.
  • Mazda and Fiat have signed a memorandum to develop a small sports car based on the Miata MX 5. Fiat group’s Alfa Romeo will be working with Mazda to create the new roadster.
  • Renault has confirmed the unveiling of the Alpine concept at the Monaco GP this weekend. Renault has confirmed that the 400 bhp car can be homologated in the future, but is an essentially track spec car as of now. It is also mulling a new high-end brand in much the same way that Honda has Acura or Toyota, Lexus - but no concrete plans exist right now. 
  • BMW has tripled its Chinese production output with its second Chinese factory. When complete, the total Chinese production will be 200,000 units annually in 2014 - but demand is expected to be double that in the future.

      • The CarWale Daily Fuel is your quick daily dose of automotive news from India and around the world. If you want to know whatever's in the news but want it short and sweet, here's your solution.

       

      ]]>      8957<![CDATA[Petrol prices to go up by Rs 7.5 today]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/8957-petrol-prices-to-go-up-by-rs-75-today.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/8957-petrol-prices-to-go-up-by-rs-75-today.htmlCarWale Team5/23/2012 7:07:00 PM3283http://img.carwale.com/ec/8957/img/m/8957_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/8957/img/m/8957_lGovernment announces another price hike of Rs 7.5, effective midnight. 

      ]]>      As we predicted a few weeks ago, the price of petrol has been hiked - but even we were surprised at the amount of the hike. The government has raised the price of petrol by Rs 6.28 from midnight tonight. That translates to approximately a hike of Rs 7.5 after state taxes are added to the hike.

      The reason for the price hike is a combination of the price of crude rising and the Rupee falling against the Dollar, which have made oil imports costly. Pranab Mukherjee, the Finance Minister, had asked the state governments to help reduce the burden on the consumer by cutting back on state-level taxes, but only the state of Goa has followed this by cutting VAT from the price of petrol.

      The price of diesel, kerosene and LPG remains the same, which means that it is up to petrol alone to help reduce the burden of their subsidy.

      ]]>      8956<![CDATA[The CarWale Daily Fuel – May 23, 2012]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/8956-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-23-2012.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/8956-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-23-2012.htmlCarWale Team5/23/2012 12:44:00 PM918http://img.carwale.com/ec/8956/img/m/8956_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/8956/img/m/8956_lTata may offer a limited edition Manza on its third anniversary, Volkswagen testing the Jetta petrol in India, BMW pips Toyota to gain the position of the world's most valuable car brand.

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    • The black roof and a special Tyrian Wine paint-job Tata Manza test mule has fueled speculations of a limited edition Manza as the model is nearing its third anniversary.
    • Volkswagen Jetta with TSi badge was also spotted testing. Volkswagen had launched Jetta only in the diesel variant. The petrol version may also be offered to the Indian customer at a lower price.
    • Volkswagen is said to be planning to open a factory in Gujarat after the its consulting agency met Gujarat officials some time ago. Volkswagen has put its 2000 crore Maharashtra investments plans on hold.
    • The radically designed Ferrari FF, the proper four seater tourer, was spotted in Mumbai. We hope to see some of these smoking the Indian roads soon.
    • BMW has won the coveted 'world's most valuable car brand' title from Toyota who won the crown in 2011. Toyota's brand value plummeted by 10 percent while BMW gained by similar amounts.
    • Labour unions representing auto workers are taking a tough stand towards companies in Germany. The Unions are not accepting a hike lower than their demands and organising warning strikes. German auto employees are some of the best paid across the world.
    • The Worthersee lake hot hatch festival saw the 217 bhp Polo R concept being unveiled. The Polo R is a street legal version of the rally spec WRC Polo.
    • The Skoda Citigo Rally concept was also showcased at Worthersee. The design that looked stupendous when rendered on paper, did not work up to expectations. The extra large front facia and wide body kit did not go well with the compact Citigo lines.
    • Ford had unveiled its new Fusion based NASCAR race car in January 2012.. Fans will get a glimpse of the new car this Thursday in North Carolina.
    • Toyota is also going strong into NASCAR with its 2013 Camry based stock car with a composite body over tube frame rear-wheel drive and a V8 engine.
    • Ford's logo, the Blue Oval, that was pledged against a loan package in 2006, can now be pulled out of danger as the company was able to sustain though the recession by restructuring. Now that credit rating agencies like the Fitch have upgraded the credit ratings of Ford, the loan burden will ease out and the pledged intellectual property can be taken out of the equation. The CarWale Daily Fuel is your quick daily dose of automotive news from India and around the world. If you want to know whatever's in the news but want it short and sweet, here's your solution.
      • ]]>      8955<![CDATA[The CarWale Daily Fuel - May 22, 2012]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/8955-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-22-2012.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/8955-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-22-2012.htmlCarWale Team5/22/2012 12:18:00 PM813http://img.carwale.com/ec/8955/img/m/8955_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/8955/img/m/8955_lSun films banned in Madurai from 25th May, the plummeting rupee worries auto companies, Audi rules at the Nurburgring 24 Hours while Rolls Royce have pulled the plug on the Phantom Electric.

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    • After Chennai police, Madurai has decided to enforce the blanket ban for sun films on car windows and windshields. People have time till 25th May to adhere to the new rules laid down by the Supreme Court.
    • The Indian rupee has hit a low of Rs 55 to an American dollar. With the exchange rate fluctuations and the rupee depreciating, the value of imports in rupees have increased considerably (about 5 per cent in the last two weeks). As we had reported earlier, automotive companies have passed on the cost burden to the consumers with a price hike or are planning to do the same.
    • Eaton Corp, global suppliers of commercial vehicles and heavy machinery components, have decided to diversify from the automotive field. Eaton's $11.8 billion acquisition of Cooper Industries will reduce the automotive revenue of Eaton Corp to roughly 20 per cent of overall revenue while electrical components will contribute 60 per cent of the revenues.
    • The high Performance John Cooper Works models from Mini will get new revised engines. The 1.6 litre turbocharged four cylinder petrol engine producing about 208 bhp will also have an automatic transmission option for the buyers along with the existing Manual gearbox. The revised ultra lightweight enigne is expected to run 14 kms per litre of petrol.
    • The Fiat 500 has come up with the Abarth 695 Maserati edition after the success of a similar Ferrari edition launched ath the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009. Only 499 to be made, the Maserati edition will don the Pontevecchio Bordeaux paint with a convertible grey top, Jaeger instrumentation, beige interiors, 17 inch Maserati style Neptune wheels and hexagonal tail-pipes.
    • After cutting down on the Facebook advertisements citing ineffectiveness, General Motors USA are now planning to cut down on the advertisement budgets for the SuperBowl. General Motors are reviewing their marketing startegy and plan to spend better rather than cut down the marketing budget.
    • Audi registered its first overall win at the Nurburgring 24 Hours as the R8 LMS Ultra finished at the first and second positions. Audi has been a champion at endurance events recently with the Le Mans, Spa, Bathurst and many more victories.
    • Toyota were also successful at the Nurburgring 24 Hours as their entries the Gazoo GT86, Toyta Swiss Racing GT 86 and Gazoo Lexus LFA won the SP3, V3 and the SP8 classes respectively.
    • Rolls Royce has scrapped the plans to go ahead with the Electric Phantom after the estimated range was maximum 120 miles for a single charge. The concept 102 EX was showcased at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

      • The CarWale Daily Fuel is your quick daily dose of automotive news from India and around the world. If you want to know whatever's in the news but want it short and sweet, here's your solution.

      ]]>      8951<![CDATA[Fiat Grande Punto 90hp Sport: the details]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/8951-fiat-grande-punto-90hp-sport-the-details.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/8951-fiat-grande-punto-90hp-sport-the-details.htmlCarWale Team5/21/2012 2:06:00 PM952http://img.carwale.com/ec/8951/img/m/8951_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/8951/img/m/8951_l'Sport' tag adds visual punch, but no performance enhancement. 

      ]]>      Fiat launched the country's second Caffe on Friday in Pune, and it also added a new variant to its Grande Punto range, the Punto 90hp Sport. The Sport adds a few sporty touches to the Grande Punto. 

      The first thing you'll notice is the decals - they run along the shoulder line and under the rear glass. It does make the Punto look more sporty, but it also detracts from the car's otherwise clean lines. The mirrors are a contrasting colour - the red car has black mirrors, while both the black and white cars have red mirrors. At the back, the decals say 'Sport', and you'll notice the oval chrome tip from the Linea T-Jet at the bottom. There is no other exterior change on the Punto Sport - and this is a missed opportunity by the Italian manufacturer. Those wheels, for example, are a not-so-subtle adaptation of the Punto Abarth's alloys, and judicious application of black paint would have aped the Abarth's wheels admirably. 

      On the inside, the Punto Sport gets new fabric and design with black faux leather and contrasting red stitching that looks very fetching. Tasteful chrome accents on the dashboard and around the gear lever considerably improve the look of the interior. A set of sporty-looking pedals also contributes to the feeling of a sporty cabin. 

      The engine and gearbox remain identical to the 90hp diesel's, as does the suspension settings and wheel and tyre combination. This means that the Sport is just a visual change for the Punto, and has infused what was arguably the best-looking hatchback with a dose of much-needed Euro-chic. 

      Fiat has priced the Punto 90hp Sport at Rs 7.36 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi. 

      ]]>      8952<![CDATA[The CarWale Daily Fuel – May 21, 2012 ]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/8952-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-21-2012-.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/8952-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-21-2012-.htmlCarWale Team5/21/2012 12:16:00 PM677http://img.carwale.com/ec/8952/img/m/8952_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/8952/img/m/8952_lMaruti scores an ace in Africa, Fiat needs 18 months to get the sales and service sorted while the new race Polo is launched for the 2012 Polo R Cup.

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    • Fiat India have asked for a 18 month time frame from their valued customers to get about 100+, Fiat only, dealerships and service setups running over the country. At the Fiat Caffe launch, Fiat announced that they would be working hard to retain all the existing 160 odd dealers so that their customers are not inconvenienced.
    • Maruti Suzuki has got another ace up its sleeve. Maruti Suzuki has grown steadily in the Algerian market, predominantly a SUV market. They have sold more than 17000 cars last year, twice than the year before. This has boosted Maruti Suzuki's confidence to delve further into African markets.
    • Mahindra and Mahindra have signed a preferred financer agreement with the Satpura Narmada Kshetriya Grameen Bank (SNKGB), the largest Gramin bank in Madhya Pradesh. This will help M&M to boost its sales in central India.
      • Volkswagen India have launched the 2012 race Polo that will run for the Polo Cup season. The new car Polo R has a 1.4 litre 180bhp petrol engine mated to a 6 -speed sequential paddle shift gear-box, a significant development over the outgoing version.
      • Indian racing prodigee Aditya Patel has won the Nurburgring 24 hours event with his team Pro Handicap e.V. driving the iconic Audi TTS in Germany.
      • Market analysts IHS Automotive and Cyrrus AS have derived that it would be better for Fiat to tie-up with Suzuki after the Tata-Fiat JV ended earlier this month. With a lot to gain for Fiat and not much for the market leader Suzuki except for the engines, we wonder if Maruti Suzuki would be open for such an alliance. Globally though, the alliance could be a win -win with Suzuki going ahead to break-up with Volkswagen and Fiat's acquisition of Chrysler.
      • Fiat auctioned its first car of the limited edition Fiat 500 America series via Twitter. German Twitter user Adelheid D. Keiper won the number one car of the limited edition series with the winning tweet for 15,165 Euros.
      • The 1991 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Sanction II coupe, one of the only four ever made, was sold for $10.3 million i.e. about Rs 54 crore at the Bonhams auction yesterday.

      The CarWale Daily Fuel is your quick daily dose of automotive news from India and around the world. If you want to know whatever's in the news but want it short and sweet, here's your solution.

      ]]>      8950<![CDATA[The CarWale Daily Fuel - May 19, 2012]]>http://www.carwale.com/news/8950-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-19-2012.htmlhttp://www.carwale.com/news/8950-the-carwale-daily-fuel-may-19-2012.htmlCarWale Team5/19/2012 3:45:00 PM1174http://img.carwale.com/ec/8950/img/m/8950_mhttp://img.carwale.com/ec/8950/img/m/8950_lFiat launches Punto 90hp Sport and second Fiat Caffe at Pune, new Tata Safari Storme will go on sale in July, Premier Rio to use Fiat's Multijet diesel and auto manufacturers in India may get recall guidelines by end of year.

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    • Fiat India has launched the Punto 90hp Sport at a price tag of 7.36 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. The Punto Sport has decals, contrasting mirrors, interior trim with chrome accents and different fabric over the regular 90hp diesel. 
    • Fiat also launched a Fiat Caffe at Koregaon Park in Pune, the second such café in India. India is the only country to have two Fiat caffes. One can shop for a Fiat or simply sip a cup of coffee at the café.
    • The Bajaj RE60 will probably be launched by the end of 2013. It is said that the RE60 will compete with auto rickshaws for intra-city transport rather than the Nano that still owns the crown of the cheapest car in India.
    • The Tata Safari Storme is expected to hit the showrooms by July this year. Tata is planning to keep the existing Safari on sale along with the Storme at least in the initial phase.
    • The Premier Rio joins the ranks of Indian Fiat and Maruti diesels as well as some Tata diesels in being powered by the Fiat 1.3 Multijet engine. Fiat, under the new agreement, will deliver 28000 engines to Premier over the next three years.
    • Hyundai India is expecting a slow growth of about 6 to 8 per cent over the year owing to rising fuel costs, interest rates and a general perception of a dampened economy. Meanwhile, the Korean company is taking efforts to ramp up its service and dealer network.
    • Auto manufacturers in India may be required by law to issue a recall if a vehicle is found to have a defect. Nothing has been decided yet, but proposed steps include informing the government of the recall and issuing an official media statement. SIAM plans to get in the door first with its own set of voluntary guidelines, to be issued next month.
    • The state of Kerala will soon have an automated system to judge vehicle fitness, thus giving a scientific approach to vehicle testing before a fitness certificate is issued. The cost is Rs 1.8 crore per machine, and two machines have been ordered.
    • The state of Goa is going to get equally high-tech as Kerala: within six months, all the offences and accidents committed by a vehicle will be recorded on the registration card itself. Palmtop readers/writers will be provided to the traffic police to help record or retrieve the information.
    • The world's first nationwide electric car network has been launched in Israel. 'Refuelling stations' swap the depleted battery for a new one instead of merely charging it, so that a refuel takes just as much time as filling up on a fossil fuel. The vehicle of choice is the electric Renault Fluence.
    • With increasing electronic control over a vehicle's functions, it is getting harder for independent mechanics to diagnose and thus repair faults with modern cars. A law in Massachusetts, USA aims to make the necessary software available to these shops but with security restrictions beginning 2015, the same year that vehicle 'black boxes' become mandatory. However, the bill hasn't been passed yet.
    • Bentley is expected to resume its motorsport participation in an unlikely form - the Dakar rally. Parent VW has been buying up all the race Touaregs it sold to privateer teams. This move would make marketing sense to the Winged B, since the EXP 9F SUV is its biggest upcoming product.
    • British GT car manufacturer Aston Martin sees scope for further growth in the Chinese, Russian and other Asian markets besides China. They are planning to launch an SUV under the Lagonda brand to foray into the premium SUV segment.

      • The CarWale Daily Fuel is your quick daily dose of automotive news from India and around the world. If you want to know whatever's in the news but want it short and sweet, here's your solution.

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