The CarWale Daily Fuel - 8 August 2012

 

• Renault has officially confirmed that their new C-Segment sedan, based on the Nissan Sunny, will be called the Scala. The car is expected to be launched during the Indian F1 GP weekend in October, with a gala event involving Red Bull and Lotus f1 drivers. Click Here for More
• Mercedes-Benz has announced the prices of the new 2013 G-Class for the UK market. There are substantial upgrades to the new model and an all new G65 AMG pumping 612bhp to all four wheels. However, the pricing is a bit steep starting at 82,496 British Pounds (Rs 70,85,840). Click Here for More 
• Fiat has launched the 2012 Linea and Punto facelift in Nepal, through their sole distributor in the country, Batas Brothers Motors (BBM). The prices of the two models are exorbitantly high in Nepal after the very heavy customs duty – the Punto prices are in the range of Rs 14 to 18 lakh (Nepali Rupees 23 to 30 lakh), while the Linea costs Rs 19 to 24 lakh (Nepali Rupees 31 to 40 lakh). Click Here for More
• Fiat is turning the iconic 500 hatchback into a model range, something like the successful BMW Mini range. The company has already unveiled the four-door version, and has announced to create a 500 family with a MPV and a crossover based on the same platform. Last month the company teased the new 500X at an event in Italy and now pictures of the crossover have leaked on the internet giving us a better idea of the new Mini Countryman competitor.
• Conquest is a unique car maker from Canada known for making heavy duty armoured vehicles, some of which can also be purchased for civilian use – of course, at a massive price. The company has now launched their first un-armoured and a little less expensive, yet sinister looking model called, the Evade. This 2+2 limousine-style seating SUV will retail at Rs 3.19 crore (excluding taxes) and divulges design cues of the next generation Knight XV. Click Here for More
• Unhappy with stand of the Maharashtra state government over the VAT issue, many auto companies are planning to shift their future plants to locations outside the state. Gujarat is expected to gain the most from the current situation – Maharashtra government is unwilling to refund the Vat deducted on the cars sold outside the state. Now there are reports that the companies like Mahindra and Volkswagen are also looking at the newly formed state, Uttarakhand, as a possible destination for new set up.
• Tata Motors has delivered 5 Mine Protected Vehicles (MPV) to Jharkhand Police Force, which provided credible protection against the IEDs (improvised Explosive Device) and anti-personnel mines. The Tata MPV is based on modular flexibility, and integrates V-shaped hull blast protection technology.  The vehicle was displayed at the DEFEXPO India 2012 and is part of company’s new Defence range, popular with the police and paramilitary forces across the country.
• Mahindra & Mahindra has registered over 32 per cent growth in the passenger car segment, in first quarter of 2012-13. The Utility car major also exported 7,841 units to South Africa and Latin America – 37.2 per cent increase over the same period last month.
• M&M has also bagged the title sponsorship rights for the Sri Lanka premier League (SLPL) – Twenty20 series on a format similar to the IPL in India. Mahindra Sri Lanka premier League will get underway from 11 August and will host 24 matches in a span on three weeks, at two venues – Colombo and Kandy.