Kalyani family dispute escalates: Baba Kalyani’s niece and nephew file petition for family assets partition
The family dispute involving Bharat Forge Chairman Baba Kalyani and his younger sister Sugandha Hiremath has flared up once again. The latest salvo has been fired by Baba Kalyani’s nephew, Sameer Hiremath and niece Pallavi Anish Swadi.

Lower tariff on EVs a boon or a bane? GTRI worries about trade imbalance with China
The central government will have to address the dangers posed by excessive dependence on foreign manufacturers, particularly as reliance on China in the supply chain is expected to surge due to reduced tariffs on electric vehicles (EVs) under the new EV policy, according to a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).

Cutting down logistics cost to 9% of GDP to expediate India's vision to be among top 25 logistics hubs, says TVS Supply Chain CEO
New Delhi: Bringing down the logistics cost in India to about 9%-10% of the GDP, from the present 13%-14% will be a substantial achievement, said Sukumar Kameswaran, CEO, TVS Supply Chain Solutions (TVS SCS). A high logistics cost hampers India’s competitiveness, particularly in the manufacturing sector, when compared with competing countries.

Nissan to launch 16 EVs in next three years globally, plans to make India a hub for exports
Japanese auto major Nissan Motor Co Ltd plans to launch three all-new models in India by fiscal year 2026 and make the country a hub for exports under its new global business plan to drive value and strengthen competitiveness, according to a company statement.

Elvish Yadav’s startling car collection that might amaze you
Elvish Yadav, the YouTuber who has been in the public eye these days for his “Snake Venom Drug” case, also has been in publicity since he won the trophy of Big Boss OTT2 platform. He has been known for his unique and lavish lifestyle. His social media proves it all, from owning clothes from prominent brands to watches, glasses, shoes, and whatnot. Also, he charges a large amount for every project. 

Opinion: How optimizing E2W design choices can win consumers
While this opens up a new era in mobility and more opportunities for manufacturers, competition in the E2W market is already heating up. To stand out, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) need to not only differentiate their product but also keep production expenses in check. For instance, investing in integrated controllers or next-generation charging solutions can give manufacturers an edge but without a plan to manage the cost it adds, the final product could stay out of reach of their target buyer.

CEO's Take On 2024: Indian OEMS can design and produce e-bikes for world markets, says Ultraviolette co-founder
The excerpts:

Daimler India drives into black for the first time in a calendar year
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), the Indian arm of Germany’s Daimler Truck AG, says it has registered its best-ever sales and financial growth in the calendar year 2023. The company, which started selling its BharatBenz range of trucks in 2012, says 2023 was its first year in the second decade of operations in India and seeks to consolidate its position as a leading CV brand in India in this decade with a multi-pronged strategy. Satyamkam Arya, Managing Director and CEO, DICV, spoke to businessline at the company’s Oragadam factory about its financial performance in 2023 and investments in products, network, and capacity going forward to realise its objectives.

Edited excerpts:

Nissan Motor plans to launch three all-new models in India by FY26
Under the new plan, which is split into mid-term imperatives for fiscal years 2024 through 2026, and mid-long-term actions to be carried out through 2030, the company is targeting additional 10 lakh unit sales compared to fiscal year 2023.

Top-spec Toyota Innova Hycross GX(O) non-hybrid powertrain launch soon
Toyota launched the Innova Hycross in India last year. The Hycross is a departure from the previous-gen Innova Crysta which still remains around only in its diesel guise. The Innova Hycross is available with a petrol powertrain or a strong hybrid petrol powertrain. 

Kia adds two new automatic variants to Seltos lineup
Kia Seltos is one of the best-selling compact C-segment SUVs in India. First introduced in August 2019, it received a mid-cycle facelift last year but the Korean carmaker keeps updating the SUV to stay competitive in the market. Kia has added two new automatic variants to the Seltos lineup. Both new variants are part of the HTK+ trim. 

Citroen coupe SUV teased ahead of debut — named Basalt Vision
Citroen has officially announced the debut of its upcoming compact coupe SUV in India slated to take place on 27 March. The French carmaker has also teased the vehicle’s side rear profile indicating a sharply receding roofline of a coupe. 

Maruti Suzuki to debut first electric vehicle, eVX, via NEXA next year
New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki is set to unveil its inaugural electric vehicle, eVX, in 2025, marking its entry into the EV segment. The company has chosen to introduce this milestone vehicle through its upscale sales channel, NEXA, as reported by a business daily.

Mercedes-AMG GT goes on a diet, gets a new 4-cylinder engine
German carmaker Mercedes-Benz has put the AMG GT on a diet, and the result is the AMG GT 43, which uses a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine instead of the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. The new entry-level AMG GT 43 may sound like it has lost its appeal, but no.

For Lamborghini sports cars, combustion engines an opportunity beyond 2030
New Delhi: Lamborghini sees a future for super sports cars with internal combustion engines well beyond 2030, even as the Italian carmaker embarks on electrifying its entire portfolio by 2024.

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles looks to drive in 14 models in 2024
The company expects truck sales to remain flat this year at around 350,000 units, compared to 351,000 units in 2023. On the other hand, the bus market is likely to see around 25-30 per cent growth from 41,000 units in 2023 to 50,000-55,000 units in 2024, said Satyakam Arya, Managing Director and chief executive officer, DICV.
 

Daimler India posts record sales in CY 23, sees 39% growth
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) announced that in CY 23 it has achieved record sales and revenue performance. The company’s CY 23 domestic truck and bus sales grew by 39 percent and revenue grew by 21 percent over 2022.

BharatBenz plans a product-offensive strategy to up the game in the M&HCV market
German truck and bus maker Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) plans a product-offensive drive with a plan to introduce AMT variants to up its ante in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (M&HCV) segment in this calendar year amid a flat growth outlook for 2024. The company expects the total volumes of medium and heavy commercial vehicles in 2024 to remain flat mainly due to a likely slowdown in the first half on account of the high base effect and General Elections.

Sonalika launches Sikander DLX DI 60 Torque Plus multi-speed tractor at INR 8,49,999
New Delhi: India's leading tractor export brand, Sonalika Tractors has introduced its latest ‘Sikander DLX DI 60 Torque Plus multi-speed tractor’ at a company special price of INR 8,49,999 (ex-showroom).

Hero Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports launched at Rs 79,738
Hero MotoCorp has launched the Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports in India, priced at Rs 79,738 ex-showroom, expanding the scooter’s variant lineup. The new Hero Pleasure Plus Xtec Sports sits between the Xtec Connected and Xtec standard trims in the variant lineup.

2024 World Ducati Week dates announced
Ducati has announced the dates for the 2024 World Ducati Week (WDW)— July 26-28. The three-day WDW event will be held at the Misano World Circuit, Italy. The event tickets are on sale for a single day or all three days, costing between 65 and 110 Euros. During the event, Ducati is expected to showcase its upcoming models.

2024 Bajaj Pulsar N250 — What to expect?
Bajaj, after updating its Pulsar NS range, is preparing to launch the 2024 N250 in India, as the motorcycle has been spied testing on several occasions. Being a popular model for Bajaj, here’s what to expect from the 2024 Pulsar N250 based on the test mule.

New Hero Vida electric scooter patent filed, launch in coming months
Hero MotoCorp set foot in the world of electric mobility in 2022 when it launched its Vida range of electric scooters. Currently, Hero offers two Vida e-scooters in the form of V1 Plus and V1 Pro. The largest two-wheeler manufacturer had earlier promised the expansion of its electric two-wheeler lineup under the Vida sub-brand.

Ather eyes larger pan-India presence with new family scooter
As Ather Energy gears up to launch its family scooter shortly, Ravneet Phokela believes that the stage is set for the next phase of rapid growth and expansion to new regions across India.

Uno Minda invests INR 8.41 cr in Tokyo-based TACHI-S for 51% equity stake
New Delhi: Uno Minda, a leading manufacturer of proprietary automotive solutions, has disclosed the progress of its equity investment in the Tokyo based TACHI-S Co. Ltd.

SJS Enterprises plans ₹30 crore investment in cover glass capacity
Chennai: SJS Enterprises Ltd, which makes decorative aesthetic products for the automobile and consumer appliances sector, has planned to invest ₹30 crore in establishing a capacity for producing optical cover glasses -- a protective glass that covers TFT (Thin Film Transistor) screens in SUVs. The Bengaluru-headquartered company had earlier informed that it was awarded the quality system certificate for the new technology of optical cover glass. It was in the process of proof of concept and validation phase by its customers and the management indicated that customers were satisfied with the proof of concept.

Illuminate Your Path: Exploring follow me home headlamps
“Follow Me Home” headlights are a remarkable innovation in the automotive industry that enhances road safety. These intelligent headlights provide extended illumination after the vehicle is turned off, making journeys safer for drivers and passengers.

Toyota Innova Hycross petrol to get new top-end GX (O) variant
Source Credit: Autocar India

The Toyota Innova Hycross petrol is all set to receive a new top-spec GX (O) variant.

Citroen C3 hatchback to get automatic gearbox by June
Source Credit: Autocar India

The C3 hatchback was Citroen’s first model under the C-cubed programme for India, but despite being priced competitively, sales have been rather dismal. Apart from several missing features, the C3 crucially also lacks the option of an automatic gearbox, thereby limiting its appeal.

Tata Altroz Racer to launch in coming weeks
Source Credit: Autocar India

Tata Motors showcased the Altroz Racer as the sportiest version of the Altroz hatchback yet at last year's Auto Expo. It made a reappearance at this year’s Bharat Mobility Show with slightly different looks, but Tata didn't share any launch plans. However, we can now confirm that the sportier Altroz will indeed go on sale in the coming weeks.

Land Rover Defender Octa to debut later this year
Source Credit: Autocar India

Land Rover will unveil the new Defender Octa later this year, making it the first JLR to wear this badge. Previously thought to carry the long-dormant SVX branding, the new 'Octa' badge will be used for all future range-topping Defender models. The name 'Octa' is said to come from the octahedron shape of a diamond, the hardest naturally occurring mineral on Earth – a reflection, no doubt, of the car’s durability and price.

Hyundai Genesis Neolun concept previews future Maybach GLS rival
Source Credit: Autocar India

Hyundai’s Genesis luxury brand has released details of the Genesis Neolun SUV concept that will see a public debut at the New York Auto Show this year.  This concept will most likely spawn a future three-row luxury SUV and even a potential Mercedes-Maybach GLS rival.

Here’s your first look at Vida’s Yulu, Luna rival
Source Credit: Autocar India

Hero MotoCorp’s CEO Niranjan Gupta had earlier revealed that the Vida product portfolio will expand in FY25 with three new models – a “mid-priced” scooter, an “economically priced” scooter and a B2B model. With the re-introduction of the Vida V1 Plus and a new electric scooter’s design patented, the first two areas are covered and the product pictured here is likely the third piece of this puzzle. 

Force Gurkha 5-door launch by mid-2024
Source Credit: Autocar India

Force Motors has been testing the Gurkha 5-door for a long time, with test mules having been spotted across the country in different pre-production stages. Autocar India can now confirm that the Force Gurkha 5-door will finally launch in India by mid-2024.

New Vida e-scooter design patented, launch in the coming months
Source Credit: Autocar India

As we had reported earlier, Hero MotoCorp has plans to expand the Vida lineup and to that end the company has now patented a new electric scooter’s design. 

Suzuki V-Strom 800DE India launch soon
Source Credit: Autocar India

After being spotted testing in India last year and being showcased at the Bharat Mobility Expo earlier this year, we can now confirm that the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE will launch in India soon.

Mercedes G-Class facelift revealed with mild hybrid engines
Source Credit: Autocar India

The Mercedes G-Class line-up has received a mid-life update, the second for this generation of the SUV. The refreshed G-Class now gets mild hybrid engine options across the line-up along with other minor changes. 

Hyundai Verna Turbo vs Skoda Slavia 1.5 TSI: performance compared
Source Credit: Autocar India

The Hyundai Verna and Skoda Slavia are two of the hottest midsize sedans on the market currently and both pack some serious performance. Along with entry-level engines, both also come with range-topping 1.5-litre, direct-injection, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engines but with differing outputs.

China to challenge Joe Biden's electric vehicle plans at the WTO
The Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement posted online that the US formulated discriminatory subsidy policies for new energy vehicles in the name of responding to climate change.

Toyota plans to mass produce battery Hilux pickup truck by 2025, official says
Japan's Toyota plans to mass-produce a battery electric Hilux pickup truck by the end of 2025, the president of its Thailand unit said on Tuesday.

Stellantis lays off hundreds during mandatory remote work call, reignites discussion among netizens
Italian-American automaker Stellantis has drawn criticism for its unconventional approach to laying off over 400 employees in its engineering, software, and technology divisions across the United States. The manner in which the terminations were carried out has raised eyebrows and reignited discussions around appropriate layoff etiquette.

Indonesia's Antam to start building new nickel smelter, HPAL plant in 2025
Indonesian state-controlled miner Aneka Tambang (Antam) aims to launch the construction of two nickel processing facilities next year under its partnership with China's Ningbo Contemporary Brunp Lygend Ltd (CBL).

Scholz hails Northvolt factory as sign of Germany's industrial appeal
Germany is and will remain a strong industrial location, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday as he formally opened construction at Northvolt's battery cell factory in Heide, in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein.

ZF rebrands Passive Safety Systems division as ZF Lifetec
German tier 1 supplier ZF Group has rebranded its Passive Safety Systems division to ‘ZF Lifetec’.

Genesis unveils Neolun and GV60 Magma SUV concepts in New York
Genesis on Monday unveiled two new concept vehicles and officially launched a high-performance program at Genesis House New York.

Renault in advanced talks with partners to recycle batteries, says executive
French automaker Renault is in advanced discussions with potential partners to extract and recycle lithium and other metals from used electric vehicle batteries, a company executive said, as it seeks to reuse more of the strategic raw materials.

VW workers in Tennessee will vote in April on whether to join UAW
After winning record new contracts with the Detroit Three automakers last fall, Fain launched a first-of-its-kind campaign to organize the entire non-union auto assembly sector in the United States, initiating simultaneous organizing efforts at non-union operations owned by Toyota, Mercedes, Hyundai and other automakers.

The UAW has not organized workers at Tesla or other electric vehicle startups such as Rivian.

VW, which produces the Atlas and ID.4 at the plant, said on Monday: "We respect our workers' right to a democratic process and to determine who should represent their interests. We fully support an NLRB vote so every team member has a chance to vote in privacy on this important decision."

 In 2019, VW workers in Chattanooga rejected union representation in an 833-776 vote. Earlier efforts to organize Nissan Motor plants in Mississippi and Tennessee also failed.

The UAW said earlier this month that more than 30% of workers at a Toyota factory in Missouri are seeking to join the union. The union also said last month that a majority of hourly workers at a Mercedes Benz Alabama factory have signed union authorization cards. Fain met with workers at the Alabama plant over the weekend.
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South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group to invest $51 bn won over 3 years
South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group said on Wednesday it will invest 68 trillion won ($51 billion) over three years to bolster its growth potential in electric vehicles and new mobility business and separately hire 80,000 new employees.

China files WTO complaint against US over electric-vehicle subsidies
China filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization over the U.S.’s Inflation Reduction Act, saying that it was discriminatory and distorted fair competition.