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Car Sales July 2020: Hyundai Sales Down By 28% - CarandBike

There was a strong growth in sales with the company posting close to 42 per cent growth compared to June 2020 and that bodes well with the growth story of the industry overall.

Hyundai Motor India registered strong sales in July 2020 with the company selling a total of 41,300 units. However, it marked a decline of 28 per cent compared to July 2019. The company had sold 57,310 units in the same month last year. The company's domestic sales were faired far better because the company sold 38,200 units which marked a decline of just 2.07 per cent compared to the same period last year. However, there was a strong growth in sales with the company posting close to 42 per cent growth compared to June 2020 and that bodes well with the growth story of the industry overall. Also Read: 2020 Hyundai Creta Review  The company launched the Verna facelift which has also contributed to the sales in July  The company also exported 3100 from India in July 2020 and in fact according to the company the domestic sales volume is now 98 per cent to that of July 2019. Tarun Garg, Director (Sales, Marketing & Service), Hyundai Motor India Limited said, With 38 200 units, July'20 domestic sales volume is 98% of July'19 domestic sales volume. This performance was driven by good customer demand for our most admired brands Creta, Venue, Verna and the i20. The Hyundai Creta has been one of the strong sellers for the company in India. Launched just before the country went into lockdown, the new-generation Creta has managed to push sales for the company in India. Hyundai has already sold 20,000 units of the Creta in the country since its launch 4 months ago. The Creta has been the highest selling SUV in the country in the month of May and June 2020. In fact, the Creta diesel has been the most popular choice for most customers. Hyundai states that bookings for the Creta diesel were 60 per cent of the total bookings received. For the latest auto news and reviews, follow carandbike on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

New-Generation Honda City Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 10.89 Lakh - CarandBike

Honda Car India has finally announced the prices of the much-awaited Honda City. The car gets a starting price of Rs. 10.89 lakh and goes up to Rs. 14.64 lakh (All prices ex-showroom).

Honda Car India has finally launched the highly awaited fifth-generation Honda City in India, priced at ₹ 10.89 lakh to ₹ 14.64 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The new-gen City is the third product from the Japanese carmaker in India after Honda WR-V and BS6 Civic diesel in 2020. The car was expected to go on sale earlier this year, but the launch was delayed due to coronavirus pandemic, followed by the nation-wide lockdown. The new City boasts an extensive list of updates making it not only a feature-rich car but also safer over the predecessor. It competes against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Hyundai Verna, Volkswagen Vento, Toyota Yaris and Skoda Rapid. Also Read: The Return Of The King: All-New Honda City Review

MG Hector Plus Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 13.48 Lakh - CarandBike

The long-anticipated MG Hector Plus today officially went on sale in India, priced at Rs. 13.48 lakh to Rs. 18.53 lakh (ex-showroom India). It's the extended, three-row version of the 5-seater MG Hector, which was launched in India last year and it will be of…

The long-anticipated MG Hector Plus today officially went on sale in India, priced at ₹ 13.48 lakh to ₹ 18.53 lakh (ex-showroom India). It's the extended, three-row version of the 5-seater MG Hector, which was launched in India last year and it will be offered in 6-seater option only. The new SUV will be a part of the Hector line-up and it will be offered in four variants - Style, Super, Smart, and Sharp. Compared to the regular Hector, the Hectors Plus comes with a host of cosmetic changes along with few updated features as well. These are introductory prices which will be valid until August 13, 2020, post that the prices will go up by up to ₹ 50,000.

2 Bajaj Employees Die Of COVID-19, Over 140 Infected At Aurangabad Plant - CarandBike

Two employees at Bajaj Auto's manufacturing facility in Aurangabad have died of Covid-19, and 140 more are confirmed to have tested positive for the infection.

Bajaj Auto Limited has confirmed that two of the motorcycle manufacturer's employees who had tested positive for COVID-19 at its Aurangabad plant have succumbed to the infection. Additionally, Bajaj has confirmed that as many as 140 employees have tested positive at the Waluj plant in Aurangabad. The two employees who died, had underlying conditions of hypertension and diabetes, according to a latest statement from Bajaj Auto. The company however denied earlier reports that its manufacturing facility at Waluj has been shut down. Also Read:Bajaj Auto Resumes Operations At Chakan Plant "We have more than 8100 employees and contractors employed in our Waluj plant. Our current incidence of 140 cases of COVID is less than 2 per cent of our strength. Two of our infected employees with underlying conditions of hypertension and diabetes have unfortunately succumbed to the infection," a statement attributed to Ravi Kyran Ramaswamy, Chief Human Resources Office, Bajaj Auto Limited said. The company however denied reports that the manufacturing facility in Aurangabad has been shut down after many employees tested positive for COVID-19. After a month-long shutdown, Bajaj Auto had reopened its plant in Aurangabad in Maharashtra on April 22. But contrary to certain media reports about the closure of the plant again due to a fresh outbreak of Covid-19 cases among factory workers, Bajaj Auto said that the manufacturing facility at Waluj is functioning normally. Also Read: Bajaj Auto To Reopen Aurangabad And Rudrapur Plants Bajaj Auto also re-started operations at its Chakan manufacturing facility and its other unit in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand "It has come to our attention that there are reports circulating that Bajaj Auto's manufacturing facility at Waluj in Maharashtra has shut down due to incidence of COVID-19 amongst some employees there. At the outset we want to clarify that our manufacturing facility at Waluj is functioning normally," Bajaj Auto said in the statement. "Post the country wide lockdown, our Waluj facility has been ramping operations from April 24, 2020 onwards. As part of the ramp-up, detailed cleanliness and health check protocols have been drafted and implemented in consonance and compliance with all government regulations and guidelines. These protocols have been reviewed and approved by appropriate authorities and adherence is strictly monitored by our in-house health and security staff," the statement added. Also Read:Three Hyundai India Workers Test Positive For Covid-19 Bajaj Auto had restarted operations at its manufacturing facilities and dealerships across India have also re-opened Also Read:Maruti Employee At Manesar Plant Tests Positive For Covid-19 Bajaj Auto didn't however specify how the company intends to contain the outbreak amongst its employees, considering the high number of COVID positive cases among its factory workers. All that Bajaj Auto has said is that all precautions are being taken, as well as necessary measures for testing, contact tracing, self-isolation and sanitisation of the plant premises. "From April 24th till June 6th 2020, we had no Covid 19 incidence at our Waluj plant. However, as is well known, post the easing of lockdown progressively from June 1st, there has been a general increase across the country in the rise of infection including amongst industries, armed forces, police, media and government institutions. Likewise, we too had our first reported case on June 6th. We have immediately taken all necessary measures for testing, contact tracing, self-isolation and complete sanitisation as per protocol. All incidences were reported to the appropriate authorities. "We continue to provide all support including medical assistance to affected employees. We at Bajaj Auto, like the country at large, are now learning to live with the virus. We will continue our normal business operations, while taking all necessary safety measures, as the alternative is to shut down our operations with 'no work no pay' which will have a drastic impact on our employees and supply chain," the statement added. Also Read:Operations At Toyota Plant Resumes In Bengaluru Bajaj Auto isn't the only automotive brand to face challenges with employees having infected with COVID-19. Passenger car manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Toyota have all reported some employees at their individual manufacturing facilities as having been infected with Covid-19 in recent weeks. But with 140 cases confirmed at just on manufacturing plant, Bajaj Auto seems to be the worse affected of automakers as the manufacturing sector begins operations. India now has one of the highest number of cases, with only three countries with a higher number of cases, the United States, Brazil and Russia. As of June 26, 2020, India's confirmed infections were more than 5 lakh, and in the past 24 hours Maharashtra, where the Aurangabad plant is located, reported 5,000 new cases.  For the latest auto news and reviews, follow carandbike on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

New-Gen Honda City Production Begins In India; Launch In July - CarandBike

Honda Cars India has commenced series production of the soon-to-be-launched new-gen Honda City at its Greater Noida plant, in Uttar-Pradesh. While the car was supposed to be launched in April 2020, the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant lockdown forced th…

Honda Cars India has commenced series production of the soon-to-be-launched new-gen Honda City at its Greater Noida plant, in Uttar-Pradesh. While the car was supposed to be launched in April 2020, the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant lockdown forced the company to suspend operations and postpone the launch. The Honda plant has resumed manufacturing operations from mid-June in-line with government regulations, while the car itself is currently slated to be launched in India, in July 2020. Commenting on the start of production, Rajesh Goel, Sr. Vice President & Director, Honda Cars India said, "We are delighted to begin the production of the all-new 5th generation Honda City which will be launched next month. The aspirational sedan comes with a rich legacy of over 22 years across four generations and has been synonymous with Honda brand in India. The excitement and anticipation around the 5th generation City in the pre-launch phase has been extremely encouraging despite the currently prevailing market challenges. The all-new City is an engineering marvel on all aspects of design, technology and features and will strongly appeal to our modern age customers." Also Read: New-Generation Honda City: 5 Things To Know The 2020 Honda City gets both petrol and diesel engine options - 1.5-litre i-VTEC and a 1.5-litre i-DTEC unit Globally, the Honda City is in its seventh generation. However, it was the third-gen model that first came to India in 1998, and that incidentally makes the upcoming model the fifth-generation Honda City for the Indian market. The company recently also released the engine specification and other details about the car, and as we had mentioned in our earlier reports, it gets both petrol and diesel engine options. The former comes with a 1.5-litre i-VTEC DOHC engine tuned to make 119 bhp and 145 Nm, while the oil burner, a 1.5-litre i-DTEC unit, offers 99 bhp and 200 Nm of peak torque. Both comply with the new BS6 emission norms. Also Read: New-Gen Honda City Specifications Officially Revealed Ahead Of Launch Visually, the new Honda City borrows its cues from the existing Civic sedan, especially the front section. The car also comes with a few premium equipment like full-LED headlamps, Z- Shaped wrap-around LED Tail lamp and sporty dual-tone alloy wheels. In terms of cabin features, the car comes with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. In fact, it's India's first connected car with Alexa remote capability and is equipped with next-gen Honda Connect with Telematics Control Unit. The car also gets new dual-tone beige & black interior treatment. Also Read: New Honda City vs Rivals: Specifications Comparison The India-spec 2020 Honda City's cabin will get a dual-tone beige & black treatment Also Read: Current Generation Honda City To Continue With Only The Petrol Engine The new city also comes with a 7-inch digital display for the instrument cluster, ambient lighting, one-touch start/stop, keyless entry, remote engine start, electric sunroof, all auto power windows, rear sunshade, steering mounted paddle-shifters, auto headlamps and follow-me-home lights. Safety features include - six airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist, LaneWatch camera (similar to the Civic), Agile Handling Assist, Hill Start, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), ISOFIX compatible rear seats, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, multi-angle rear camera, and more. For the latest auto news and reviews, follow carandbike on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

India's May Crude Oil Imports Post Biggest Decline Since At Least 2005 - CarandBike

India's crude oil imports in May fell 22.6% from a year earlier, it's biggest drop since at least 2005, as fuel demand and refinery production was hurt by a country-wide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. Crude oil imports fell to 14.61 million tonne…

India's crude oil imports in May fell 22.6% from a year earlier, it's biggest drop since at least 2005, as fuel demand and refinery production was hurt by a country-wide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. Crude oil imports fell to 14.61 million tonnes, it's lowest since 2015, Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell data showed on Friday. Oil products imports eased 0.8% to 3.57 million tonnes year-on-year, while exports rose by 5.9% to 5.75 million tonnes, gaining for a ninth straight month in May as slowing demand at home prompted companies to ship more oil overseas. Also Read: Petrol, Diesel Prices Hiked For 14th Straight Day In India India's fuel demand jumping nearly 50% in May from the previous month The country has relaxed coronavirus-led restrictions in lower risk areas, which is expected to improve demand and scale up crude processing. The latest data bolstered those expectations with India's fuel demand jumping nearly 50% in May from the previous month, signalling a slow revival of economic activity. However, industry analysts expect a full-scale recovery to pre-COVID-19 consumption levels in India to be months away as the monsoon season approaches while manufacturing activities remain low and transportation demand takes a hit in some parts of the country. Also Read: Fuel Sales Recover In The First Half Of June In India Oil products imports eased 0.8% to 3.57 million tonnes year-on-year Diesel exports, which continued to account for a major share of exports, increased by nearly 33% to 2.79 million tonnes. India revised down its crude oil imports figure for April to 16.55 million tonnes- a decline of 16% year-on-year, from 17.28 million tonnes reported earlier, the data showed. For the latest auto news and reviews, follow carandbike on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Tata Motors Purchases 50% Share Of Jayem Automotives In JTSV Joint Venture - CarandBike

JTSV will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors, following the completion of the procedural requirements.

Tata Motors today announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase the 50 per cent shareholding of Jayem Automotives in JT Special Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. (JTSV). Further to this announcement, JTSV will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors, following the completion of the procedural requirements. This does mean that cars under the JTP brand will no longer be sold in India.  Also Read: Updated Tata Tiago JTP, Tata Tigor JTP Launched In India The JTP Editions of the Tiago and the Tigor, get revised suspension and wider tyres  JTSV was formed in 2017 as a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Motors Ltd. and Jayem Automotives to develop high performance versions of the company's passenger cars under the 'JTP' brand. The company then launched the Tiago JTP and the Tigor JTP in 2018. Both the Tiago and Tigor JTP get cosmetic updates to make it look a bit more sporty and yes the performance too had been uprated in both cars. We told you in our review that the Tiago JTP, that it is a hot hatch to buy in the country and yes, the most affordable one at that. However, the passenger car industry witnessed a challenging FY19-20, exacerbated with mandatory change in regulations and the current COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted the demand in this niche category of vehicles. The Tiago JTP is one of the most affordable hot hatches in India  Also Read: Tata Tiago JTP Review In light of this ongoing scenario, both Tata Motors and Jayem Automotives found it prudent to discontinue this venture. Tata Motors will continue to provide all requisite support and service to customers and users of Tiago JTP and Tigor JTP cars at its select dealerships, to ensure that the customers can avail of all the benefits. For the latest auto news and reviews, follow carandbike on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Mahindra GenZe Electric Two-Wheeler Business To Be Shut Down - CarandBike

The US-based wholly owned subsidiary involved in manufacturing electric bikes and scooters will be shut down in six months.

The Mahindra Group owned electric two-wheeler brand GenZe will be shut down within the next six months. The GenZe brand is a California-based manufacturer of electric bicycles and scooters, and has been selling e-bikes and scooters exclusively in the US market. Announcing the financial results for the fourth quarter of the financial year 2019-20, Mahindra and Mahindra Managing Director, Dr. Pawan Goenka announced that the US-based wholly owned subsidiary will be shut down. Mahindra is in the process of liquidating stocks of GenZe and the business will be shut down completely in six months' time. Also Read:Mahindra GenZe Electric Scooter Review The Mahindra GenZe electric scooter is manufactured in the US under Mahindra's wholly-owned susidiary According to Goenka, the intellectual property from GenZe will be used for Mahindra Electric or some other brand within the Mahindra Group. Among the products of GenZe are electric bicycles offered on a public bike sharing system in the US, and the electric scooters including the GenZe 2.0 electric scooter, are used for delivery services, and also available through public scooter sharing systems in California. The GenZe was spotted testing in India as well, more than two years ago, and at one point Mahindra was even considering the possibility of introducing the electric scooter in India. Now, it seems the GenZe will be dissolved completely and any technology and intellectual property could possibly make its way to other electric products, under the Mahindra Electric brand. Also Read:Mahindra GenZe Electric Scooter Spotted On Test In India On Friday, June 12, 2020, Mahindra and Mahindra announced the company's quarterly results. The company announced net loss of ₹ 3,255 crore in the January to March, 2020 quarter, compared to a profit of ₹ 969 crore in the same period a year ago. Revenue of the company declined 35 per cent to ₹ 9,005 crore during the quarter under review, compared to ₹ 13,808 crore during the same quarter a year ago. Sales were affected due to lower industry volumes in both automotive and tractor segments, transition to BS6 emission regulations and the countrywide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March, the company said. Mahindra reported a one-time impairment of ₹ 3,577.64 crore. The impairment was recognised based on the performance of certain subsidiaries, associates, joint ventures and due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the company said. Almost 80 per cent of this impairment is due to the write-downs of investments in Ssangyong, as well as some other international subsidiaries, which hurt the company's bottom line. For the latest auto news and reviews, follow carandbike on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Actor Amitabh Bachchan Likely To Lend His Voice For Google Maps - CarandBike

One of the most recognisable voices in the world, superstar Amitabh Bachchan's baritone has been the voice of many ads, social campaigns and voice overs for decades now, and it could soon help you navigate to your preferred destination. According to a recent …

Amitabh Bachchan's baritone has been the voice of many ads, social campaigns and voice overs for decades now, and it is likely that this voice will soon help you navigate to your preferred destination. According to a recent report, tech giant Google has approached the iconic Indian actor to lend his voice for Google Maps in India. The report further states that the two are currently in talks for the same and the actor is yet to sign on the dotted line. Also Read: Google Maps Adds Plug Type Filter For EV Charging Stations Google Maps is one of the most popular and preferred navigation applications used on smartphones and has been a boon making travel easy and safe. Mr. Bachchan's voice then will be used for announcing instructions during turn-by-turn navigation. Given his proficiency, it is likely that the actor will record the navigation instructions in multiple languages for the app, should the deal go through. Google Maps is now an integral part of in-car navigation The report further states that if the actor were to accept the offer, he will record the navigation instructions from the safety of his home due to the Coronavirus pandemic and send it to Google. It's not clear as to when will the tech giant roll out the new voice for Google Maps. It also needs to be seen if Google Maps will offer the option to switch between the current voice and that of Mr. Bachchan's in the future. Currently, India listens to the voice of Australia born, New York-based entertainer Karen Jacobsen when using the navigation app by Google. As touchscreen infotainment systems and smartphones become more and more popular, the use of in-car navigation has increased by ten-folds. The use of Mr. Bachchan's voice will also help Google reach out to new users that will prefer a familiar voice guiding them. Amitabh Bachchan is yet to sign the deal with google If the deal does go through, it will be for the first time that a celebrity voice will feature on Google Maps. The Alphabet Inc. company does offer celebrity voices for Google Assistant but does not offer any such alternative for maps, barring the different dialect-based change. Interestingly, the Google-owned Waze navigation app does offer several celebrity voices right from Morgan Freeman and Liam Neeson to even characters like the Lightning McQueen and the cookie monster. Source: Mid-Day For the latest auto news and reviews, follow carandbike on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

MS Dhoni's Latest Mean Machine Is A Mahindra Swaraj Tractor - CarandBike

Indian cricket legend has chosen the Mahindra Tractor to do activities at his farm in his hometown Ranchi, Jharkhand.

Former India Cricket Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the proud owner of many a mean machines and this includes everything from big muscle SUVs to heavy duty superbikes. However, his latest acquisition is a something totally different. The lockdown effected by the Coronavirus pandemic has meant that the sporting legend is spending a lot of time in his hometown Ranchi in Jharkhand. During this phase he has been devoting time to activities at his farm and for that he has chosen to buy a tractor from Mahindra Swaraj. As India moves to Bharat,so does @msdhoni.Thanks for choosing @TractorsSwaraj for your farm in [email protected]@[email protected]://t.co/AspQJ9G4cN Rajesh Jejurikar (@rajesh664) June 3, 2020 Dhoni has been trying his hands at organic farming over the last few months during the lockdown. A video of Dhoni driving around in his Swaraj 963 FE tractor has been shared on Twitter by his IPL team, the Chennai Super Kings. Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director- Auto and Farm Sectors,Mahindra & Mahindra limited thanked Dhoni for choosing to buy a Mahindra Swaraj tractor. He said,"As India moves to Bharat, so does M S Dhoni. Thanks for choosing a Swaraj tractor for your farm in Ranchi." Also read: MS Dhoni Spotted Driving His New Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk For The First Time In 2019 Dhoni had bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Supercharged SUV The 38-year old who is on a sabbatical from the sport ever since the 2019 Cricket world cup owns an enviable collection of high end cars and bikes. Apart from the Hummer H2 and the GMC Sierra, he also owns a Ferrari 599 GTO sports car. Just last year he had also become a proud owner of a brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Supercharged SUV. Some of the motorcycles that he owns include a Suzuki Hayabusa, Ninja H2, Confederate Hellcat and Norton Vintage. For the latest auto news and reviews, follow carandbike on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.