I N D I A ’ S N O . 1 M A G A Z I N E F O R A U T O M O T I V E N E W S , V I E W S & A N A LY S I S
Auto Monitor ekly e W
NEWS IN BRIEF New 3 Series makes India debut Our Bureau Mumbai
B
MW launched the new sixth generation 3 Series sedan in Mumbai recently. The new BMW 3 Series will be manufactured from CKD kits at the company’s Chennai plant and the deliveries have started at BMW dealerships across India from July. The new 3 Series is available in two design schemes—sport line and luxury line. It is available in diesel (BMW 320d) and petrol variants (BMW 328i) with base (ex showroom) price of `28.9 lakh to `37.9 for top sport line model (328i). The sedan offers 14 mm of additional knee room and 8 mm of extra headroom further enhance the passenger’s comfort. The volume of the luggage compartment has been increased by 20 litre to a total of 480 litre. The BMW iDrive has a 6.5inch display while the Navigation Professional features a colour display that projects data directly into the driver’s field of vision without diverting the driver’s attention.
Vol. 12 No. 23
30 July 2012
w w w.am o n l i n e.i n
STUDY
24 Pages
` 50
INTERVIEW
Tractor Segment Growth Low Speed Yet Strong Traction: CARE Study
“MERCEDES IS A GERMAN BRAND BUT WE WANT TO SATISFY THE SPECIFIC NEEDS AND DEMANDS OF OUR CUSTOMERS IN INDIA”
Pg 10
Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars
Pg 8
MESL to set up plant in Bangalore Nabeel A Khan & Jagdev Kalsi New Delhi
G
urgaon-based Mark Exhaust Systems Ltd (MESL) has invested around `100 crore towards setting up a new plant in Bangalore. The plant, expected to be functional by January 2013 will manufacture exhaust systems, suspensions, door handles and other components for Honda Motorcycles. In the period of April-June, the two-wheeler sales in India grew by 10.51 percent at 3,519,529 units compared to
3,184,774 units in the like period previous fiscal. “Initially, we will be supplying to Honda Motorcycle and we are also looking at tapping the opportunity from the four-wheeler manufacturers to supply sheet metal component and exhaust systems,” systems, Chairman and MD, Ma rk E x haust, Rattan Kapur told Auto Monitorr in an interview. The production at the new plant w ill commence early
next year keeping in mind that Honda has decided to expand its capacity from 1.2 to two million units. The component manufacturer envisions that if it is successful in the first phase then it will get a good chance to bid for the second phase of expansion where the two-wh two-wheeler major will be coming up. The constru construction of the first phase will b be across about 200,000 sq ft of the th estimated 10 acre facility. It w will have an initial capacity of on one million units of each part, every year. The company will roll out a total of about 14 components from f this plant adding up to a cap capacity of around 14 million units per p annum. The current slu sluggish environment has not sp spared MESL as its growth remai remained almost stable and the com company holds the increasing mate material costs and lack of policy fro from the government for the pl plaguing market conditions. MES MESL managed to attain a turnove turnover or `650 crore in FY12. “Clarity in policies and stability of the government
should see a growth of seveneight percent. But today, our GDP is down to three-four percent. Similar figures can be excellent for Europe, but not for India,” Kapur pointed out. As the bottom line is shrinking because of issues like high cost of labour and inputs, component makers have adopted low-cost automation to be cost competitive and to increase profitability. “It is very important to go for automation. Its not that it decreases employment, but the quality of product becomes higher, repeatability becomes better, rejection levels become low because a human hand can accept certain faulty parts, but not a robot. So the quality of parts becomes top class,” added Kapur. Of the `100 crore investments, the investment in land is around `15 crore with balance on construction and machineries. Maruti being, one of the major customers of MESL will be looking at setting up a plant in Gujarat. Rattan Kapur had recently visited the state along with a delegation from ACMA to explore the availability of land.
Maruti suppliers adopt cautious outlook Our Bureau Mumbai
E
DATA MONITOR Top 5 CV Makers Company
Jun-11
Jun-12
TML
35,081
35,719
Change 1.82%
M&M
9,750
10,447
7.15%
ALL
6,824
9,146
34.03%
VECV Eicher
3,616
3,767
4.18%
FML
2,164
2,189
1.16%
Top 5 CV Exporters Company
Jun-11
Jun-12
Change
TML
2,994
5,304
77.15%
M&M
1,178
1,867
58.49%
ALL
1,185
1,098
-7.34%
VECV Eicher
107
297
177.57%
SML Isuzu
97
30
-69.07%
* Source: SIAM/ ** Excluding exports/ *** all sub segments considered/ ^ excluding MRPL
ven as Manesar continues to grapple with the aftermath of the Maruti strife with workers in the adjoining OEM and component units expressing solidarity with their Maruti counterparts, suppliers are baffled with the turn of events. Though most are unwilling to comment on the state of affairs, Maruti vendors are hopeful of an earlier resolution of the impasse. “The scenario is grim and we are uncertain regarding production schedule etc but it is a temporary phase. We are hopeful of the production to resume and attain normalcy,” said a Punebased supplier.
Corrective Measures Following the death of Awanish Kumar Dev in the company premises, the company, in its statement, said that its most
important concern at this time is the safety and security of its supervisory and management personnel. The company officials in a press conference to declare a lockout, also pointed out that unless the causes are identified and appropriate corrective action is in place, it would be unsafe for supervisors and managers to resume work at the Manesar facility.
Depleting Inventories The company officials refused to divulge details on any assessment of loss to property and assets. The bigger concern for suppliers and customers is depleting inventory of models like Swift and Dzire and the company’s plans for meeting market demand for these models. The company dealers have been advised to go slow on the bookings until production gets back to ‘normal’ schedule. The company management has categorically refused to identify Manesar episode as an
RC Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki
“industrial relations” problem in the nature of managementworker differences over issues of wages or working conditions. The company has termed it as an orchestrated act of mob violence at a time when operations had been normal over the past many months. It has further
pointed out that such acts of violence—pre-planned, unprovoked and gruesome—have implications beyond one company or region. They are a negative trigger for existing companies and regions across the country, as also for prospective investors and job seekers.
EDITORIAL Securing Trust
S
elling insurance on a vehicle at the dealership level has come to be an accepted practice in automotive retail. However, few customers are aware of the identity of the underwriter. Though few customers, out of curiosity do check the scope, beneďŹ ts and duration of the cover. In this light, a recent discussion with an insurance major head was an eye opener. It was apparent that selling insurance at the dealership level could be a conict of interest from the insurance companies’ and manufacturers’ perspective. On one hand, the dealer offers various coverage options as a part of the sale process in order to get more business for the insurance companies. On the other hand, the same dealer is engaged in negotiations with the insurance company as soon as claim arises from customer’s side. The issue is likely to get more pronounced with insurance bundled as a part of vehicle sale. In the developed markets, vehicle insurance is sold through different channels and the focus is on service consistency. Moreover, the claim process, in case of an accident, works differently compared to what is seen here. Third party or multi-brand garages are much more prominent in developed countries and these service chains usually do not have a role to play in the initial sale or renewal of insurance coverage. Most customers prefer to approach them after accidents and hence beneďŹ ts of a policy come to life at these service chains or independent garages. The Indian market has a long way to go in terms of acceptance and trust conferred to independent garages. It is thus
tempting for any insurance company to aggressively market motor insurance through dealerships without much thought applied to consequences of shoddy service or worse, mis-selling. Insurance bundled with a vehicle at the time of selling is likely to continue being a predominant mode of distribution. Newer channels of distribution including bancassurance (insurance distribution through banks), online distribution and agency models are likely to witness more innovations. Though it may seem convenient, relying on dealers to push vehicle insurance may not be an ideal solution for insurance companies. Most OEMs have tied up with multiple insurance companies with the goal of making it easier for customers to get vehicle insured. OEMs need to be more proactive on this front by offering the widest choice to customers. In this issue, readers can look forward for an interview with Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars and a follow up of how Maruti is slowly picking up the pieces post the Manesar plant incident. And of course, Auto Monitor has its usual basketful of pickings like the CARE Research study on Tractors’ Growth, global watch and other industry highlights. Comments can be sent to abhishek.parekh@infomedia18.in
QUOTES Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, Fiat and Chrysler on the overcapacity in Europe
RC Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki on Manesar plant in The Times of India
“What they should do is coordinate a rationalization of the industry across the producing companies. The ones that really have not acted on this are the French and the Germans, who have not taken out any capacity at all�
“We cannot start production due to a danger to life and safety. We will not endanger our people any further�
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Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18)*, its publisher and/or editors. We at Network18 do our best to verify the information published but do not take any responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. Network18 does not accept the responsibility for any investment or other decision taken by readers on the basis of information provided herein. Network18 does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without due postal stamps for return postage. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher. Network18 reserves the right to use the information published herein in any manner whatsoever. Printed by Mohan Gajria and published & edited by Lakshmi Narasimhan on behalf of Network18 Printed at Infomedia 18 Ltd, Plot no.3, Sector 7, off Sion-Panvel Road, Nerul, Navi Mumbai 400 706, and published at Network18, ‘A’ Wing, Ruby House, J. K. Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai - 400 028. AUTO MONITOR is registered with the Registrar of Newspapers of India under No. 67827/98. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Network18. Network18 reserves the right to use the information published herein in any manner whatsoever. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the information published in this edition, neither Network18 nor any of its employees accept any responsibility for any errors or omission. Further, Network18 does not take any responsibility for loss or damage incurred or suffered by any subscriber of this magazine as a result of his/her accepting any invitation/offer published in this edition. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. *Ownership of this magazine stands transferred from Infomedia18 Ltd (Infomedia18) to Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18) in pursuance of the scheme of arrangement between Network18 and Infomedia18 and their respective shareholders and creditors, as approved by the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi and the necessary approval of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is being obtained.
CONTENTS CORPORATE 09
CV sales decline 10.8 percent in first half; 5.8 percent in June
17
New commercial vehicle registrations dropped for the fifth consecutive month, falling by 5.8 percent compared to June last year, as a total of 157,232 units were recorded in the EU
20
Engaged dealership network key to OEM success: JD Power survey
09
An invested dealer is key to success of a car brand, according to JD Power Asia Pacific 2012 India Dealer Satisfaction with Automotive Manufacturers Index (DSWAMI) Study
14
Renault, Qualcomm announce MoU on EV technology
20
Renault, Qualcomm announced co-operation on the WEVC London trial and preliminary studies of the integration of Qualcomm Halo WEVC technology into some Renault vehicles
20
Continental unveils car interior concept
14
Continental recently unveiled SyD concept enabling car owners to change the settings of their vehicle by switching between different preconfigured driving profiles
Denso develops vision sensor for active safety systems
14
Kawazaki has introduced SmartRR developed by INEL in its sports bike KLX 125 and is now looking at introducing it in the new two-wheelers market in Europe
JLR to create more than 1,000 new jobs
GLOBAL WATCH
20
Jaguar Land Rover is looking to expand its workforce at its advanced manufacturing facility in Castle Bromwich to support the launch of new Jaguar models
16
THE OTHER SIDE
Ford dealer network embraces technology Ford’s 500-strong dealer network are exploring new opportunities to improve efficiency and customer communication through the use of the latest technology and software applications
16
22
Debashis Mitra, Director of Sales and Marketing,Mercedes-Benz India Mitra, an IIM Kolkatta alumini, possesses over 17 years of experience in areas related to strategic planning, marketing, network management, business development and sales
Auto Monitor
30 JULY 2012
INTERVIEW
8
“Mercedes is a German brand but we want to satisfy the specific needs and demands of our customers in India” Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Where are you going to position the A-Class and how are you looking at that car in the Indian scenario? It’s clear that with the A-Class and the B-Class, we will have a very strong presence in the compact car segment, which is the largest segment in India, and this allows us to expand our
position as a large car manufacturer, a large car brand to the higher volume segments and therefore giving us a chance to make the brand younger and more approachable. Mercedes is the first luxury premium brand to come to India a decade and half ago. It
held the number one position then but slid down to third. How are the A-Class and B-Class going to help you? In the normal cycle of any manufacturer of about seven years, we are right now at the point of relatively older average age of offering. This is changing right now; the A- and B-Class are contributing to that. With the other new launches we’ll be, in two years, offering the youngest of all product portfolios and this will give us a chance to move ahead of our competitors. We are absolutely determined to do so and very confident that this will be the outcome of these great new vehicles coming into the market. What kind of challenges do you think the Indian market presents for Mercedes-Benz in terms of its German styling? On a global basis, Mercedes cars are bought because of their German styling. We are not trying to adapt to any certain market and trying to become English or Chinese or American. Mercedes is a German brand but we want to satisfy the specific needs and demands of our customers in this case, in India. Mercedes is perceived as the top notch high luxury brand and the first place being associated with the S-Classes and E-Classes and we certainly want to expand that image, that we have offerings across the board, including the compact car segment. That’s doesn’t happen automatically but we have to support it by the positioning of the cars and the brand.
Merc A-Class to be in India by mid-2013 Our Bureau New Delhi German luxury car manufacturer, Mercedes-Ben z India has begun its campaign to expand its product portfolio in India, especially in the entry-level luxury segment. The company recently gave a preview of its B-class vehicle, which is slated to be launched by September this year. It plans to bring in three more products in the next three-four years, starting with A-class, expected in the second half of the next year. D i r e c t or ( S a le s & Marketing), Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd, Debashis Mitra said, “We are planning to launch the whole portfolio in three-four years with a vehicle in the `20-30 lakh range. India traditionally likes the three-box sedan. WIll you go that way with the A-Class? This is a new platform. There will be five different body styles being offered to the markets on a global basis, not all of them in all the countries, but we will have the four-door coupe, which is a three box vehicle, a kind of a sedan that has received fantastic feedback from our sales organisation and from our employees so far. We had a concept car being shown most recently and this is definitely a good opportunity for India too because of this traditional behaviour of the customer in India.
The GLK Class SUV will come by 2015-16 and it will be in the `40 lakh plus range.” The SUV will be competing Mercedes will be launching a diesel variant of Digital Marketing will be the main platform to go when Mercedes-Benz launch the B-Class in India. MercedesBenz will prefer to go the online way than print or television campaigning considering the reach and effectiveness of online media. “We aren’t launching a car, we are launching a category. So, we’re talking about the Ultimate Touring Campaign itself. And we won’t be having any print or television campaign for the B-Class. We’ll do it the online way, a digital campaign”, said Mitra, at a drive of the B-Class at the Buddh International Circuit. Mercedes is doing well in Formula 1. Is that bringing people back to the sport? T here’s ha rd ly a not her brand, which would have such a great history of Formula one racing or grand prix racing and therefore it’s good for the positioning of our brand. We want to win races, we have had a victory this year so far, and I think we have a very competitive package and hopefully we’ll see more great results for both, for Nico (Rosberg) and for Michael (Schumacher). (Courtesy: Overdrive)
30 JULY 2012
Auto Monitor
C O R P O R AT E
9
Engaged dealership network key to OEM success Our Bureau Mumbai
A
strong relationship bet ween automa kers and their dealers is the core for success of any car brand in any market. A car model may receive rave reviews, have a good track record and advanced technology, but without an invested dealer to represent the brand well, the brand’s model will not flourish. These are the broad conclusion of JD Power Asia Pacific 2012 India Dealer Satisfaction with Automotive Manufacturers Index (DSWAMI) Study. Toyota dealers surveyed indicated they are “pleased/ delighted” w it h Toyota’s vehicle reliability and dependability. Toyota is very successful
In light of a projected slowdown in India automotive sales in fiscal year 2012, dealers are already looking to diversify sources of revenue to remain financially viable. According to the study, automakers that support dealers in this area of revenue diversification have higher satisfaction scores in their working relationship with their dealers
in engaging and empowering its dealers to be proud and confident of the quality of products they are carrying, according to the survey. The carmaker’s competency in building trust is a result of Toyota’s fundamental philosophy of viewing its dealers as partners instead of third-party entities. This is especially important with competition expected to increase in the coming decade. In JD Power’s 2011 India Customer Service Index Study, the top reason for consumers defecting to a non-authorised service facility is ‘convenient location’. Based on financial models developed by JD Power— and depending on the size of dealer’s prime marketing area— these defections can represent millions of rupees in lost revenue. Clearly, gaps still persist between the total increase in vehicles on the road and available service network space. In addition, this problem is aggravated by Indian customers’ increased expectations, including wanting a rapid response from dealers and quick turnaround for servicing their cars. Offering customers a pleasant and delightful aftersales service is as important as closing the sale itself since more than 90 percent of service customers who are highly satisfied with their service experience at the dealership, say they ‘definitely will’ revisit their service dealer for post-warranty service. If dealerships are not available in the local neighbourhood, the chance for building loyalty and advocacy among customers—and generating service revenue for dealers and parts revenue for automakers— is greatly reduced. Dealers have to be finan-
cially prudent and invest in the business, by upgrading IT infrastructure and/or enhancing showroom appearance. In turn, automakers have to complement those investments with proper marketing territory and sales planning. Additionally, automakers must back dealerships in finding processes and new revenue streams to help withstand the cyclical downturns inherent in the automotive industry everywhere in the world. In light of a projected slowdown in India automotive sales in fiscal year 2012, dealers are already looking to diversify sources of revenue to remain financially viable. In Dealer Satisfaction with Automotive Manufacturers Study, sales of spare parts, accessories and commissions from financial institutions are forming a larger share of expected earnings (34 percent) in comparison to last year (22 percent). According to the study, automakers that support dealers in this area of revenue diver-
sification have higher satisfaction scores in their working relationship with their dealers. Another avenue for ensuring financial viability for dealers is in terms of helping them to defray the cost of marketing expenditures. Study findings indicate that dealers are the least satisfied with the support they receive in sales and marketing. An earlier survey by JD Power estimated that marketing and advertising costs frequently account for as much as 25 percent of the total cost to produce, transport, market and sell a vehicle. Helping dealers to reduce expenses in this area would substantially increase the bottom-line for dealers. Achieving good relations between dealership staff and automaker staff requires consistent focus on day-to-day operations. Making frequent visits to the dealerships, exhibiting an openness to listen, and being responsive
to requests and feedback all have significant impact on dealer satisfaction. When all these actions are supported by solid operational processes-- such as informing dealers about delays in delivery; providing updates on vehicle delivery status; expediting quick delivery of spare parts within promised time frames; and reducing the number of days to settle warranty claims—the stage is set for a successful automakerdealer relationship. “While much can be done at an organisational level to create an environment conducive for dealers to do business, it all comes down to passionate and connected individuals on the ground working together for mutual benefit,” said Executive Director, JD Power Asia Pacific, Singapore, Mohit Arora.
Automakers must back dealerships in finding processes and new revenue streams to help withstand the cyclical downturns inherent in the automotive industry everywhere in the world
Auto Monitor
30 JULY 2012
STUDY
10
Tractor segment growth - low speed yet strong traction: CARE Study Revati Kasture Head, Industry Research Vishal Srivastav Manager Samay Ganhar Analyst
FY10 country witnessed worst monsoon in three decades, conversely tractor sales surged by around 32 percent. However, considering the current slowdown in economic activities like construction, manufacturing and mining, CARE Research believes healthy growth in agriculture sector will drive tractor demand
T
ractor industry after witnessing double digit growth in the first three quarters of FY12 observed a drop of around five percent in Q4FY12. Government measures to curb inflation resulted in decline of food grain and vegetable prices during the last quarter of FY12 which led to lower purchasing power of farmers. Uncertainty in economic scenario resulted in impediment of rural infrastructure development. Combined outcome of both the aforesaid factors resulted in drop in demand for tractors. However, irrespective of dismal performance of the industry, strong fundamentals like low tractor penetration per hectare of land, increasing government spending on agriculture, labour shortage, improving credit scenario, increasing cooperative farming etc. and recent hike in Minimum Support Price (MSP) suggest revival of the industry in H2FY13. Nevertheless, good monsoon will hold the key for the success of the tractor manufacturers.
Increased Government Rural Spending Will Drive Tractor Growth Although agriculture sector contributes less than 15 percent to the total GDP, it is critical to the economy as it supports around 52 percent of the total workforce. Agriculture is not only source of livelihood for large section of population but the fact that an average Indian spends half of the total expenditure on food makes it important from the food security point of view. In addition to support the economic growth of around nine percent, which government was targeting to achieve as per 12th five-year plan, CARE research believes agriculture sector needs to grow at four percent per annum. The performance of the agriculture sector thus assumes great significance for the government. In order to achieve targeted growth government has allocated substantial funds through various schemes and subsidies in rural region, for example increasing farm credit, schemes like Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), fertiliser subsidies, seed subsidies, irrigation subsidies etc. In Union Budget 2012-13,
the agriculture credit was raised to `575,000 crore from `475,000 crore allocated in the previous fiscal year. NABARD was being provided with `10,000 crore for refinancing the Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). Further, government has also initiated drive to modify Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme into a smart card enabling it to be used at ATMs. Collectively these initiatives will lead to increased money supply in the rural system and in turn increase farmer’s liquidity consequently fuels the demand for tractors.
Recent Increase In MSP Will Boost Demand For Tractors MSP is fixed in order to ensure that farmers get remunerative prices, which encourages them to do higher investments in agricultural activities. The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) takes into account factors such as cost of production, change in prices of inputs, demand and supply, market price trends and cost of living while recommending MSP. During DY07-FY11 period, MSP witnessed sharp rise, however post FY11 the increase in MSP has been moderate as the government was trying to keep food inflation low. The stagnant MSP coupled with increased input prices resulted in impediment in farmer’s purchasing power. In June, 2012 with the slowing down of headline inflation, government increased MSP in the range of 16-53 percent. This rise in MSP is considered to be encouraging
for the farmers as it will boost their income and subsequently push tractor demand.
Fundamentals Strong But Monsoon Holds Key To Success For OEMs In The Short Run Rainfall is the key determinant of agricultural performance during the “Kharif” season. Adequate rainfall during June to September translates in high yield of Kharif crops and thus improves farmer’s income. For this reason good monsoon is considered as a critical driver for the growth of tractor sales. With the increasing use of tractors for non agricultural purposes in the past five years, the strong correlation between monsoon and tractor sales dwindled eg in Bank Credit (Agriculture & Allied Activities). FY10 country witnessed worst monsoon in three decades, conversely tractor sales surged by around 32 percent. However, considering the current slowdown in economic activities like construction, manufacturing and mining, CARE Research believes healthy growth in agriculture sector will drive tractor demand. Hence tractor sales will be highly dependent on good monsoon. CARE Research believes that the tractor sales will revive in H2FY12 on the back of strong fundamentals however monsoon will play a critical role.
Cooperative Farming Will Be Vital To Sustain Growth In The Long Run Current farm power availability of India is around 1.7 KW/ha
which is much lower than that of Korea (7KW/ha), Japan (14 kw/ ha and USA (six kw/ha) which suggests huge potential for the growth for farm mechanisation in India. However, small land holdings of Indian farmers make it difficult for them to afford tractors. The net sown area in India currently stands at 141 million ha and with the gradual increase in area put to non-agriculture use the net sown area will decrease in the times to come. Furthermore, with population of country continuously growing will further pull down the per capita land holdings of the country. As per government estimates per capita land holdings which was 0.32 ha in 2001 as against world average of 1.19 ha and it is expected to reduce to 0.23 ha by 2025. The 60-70 percent of the total farmers in India are marginal farmers with less than one hectare land holding. The small holdings of the farmers make it futile for the marginal and small farmers to own assets like tractors as benefits of tractors fail to make up for the additional cost burden in absence of proper utilisation of the asset. Cooperative farming is a method wherein farmers pool their resources for mutual benefit. With co-operative farming, increased number of marginal and small farmers would be capable of owning tractors which will fuel the demand for tractors going forward.
Auto Monitor
30 JULY 2012
C O R P O R AT E
14
Continental unveils car interior concept Our Bureau Mumbai
Tejas Desai, Continental Automotive India
C
ont inenta l recently unveiled ‘Simplify your Drive (SyD)’ concept, targeting the Indian market, enabling car owners to change the settings of their vehicle by switching between different preconfigured driving profiles. SyD allows the end user to experience multiple cars at the price of one. For the prototype demonstration vehicle, three configurations have been developed—‘Work’, ‘Play’ and ‘Home’. Users can switch between modes at the touch of a button. The look and feel of the interiors including the display; engine and transmission settings; infotainment and comfort systems will adapt to suit the selected driving profile. The free programmable instrument cluster will let the driver view information that is most relevant according to the driving profile. In ‘work mode’ the primary focal point is the rear of the car, assuming the car is chauffeur driven, with the owner seated in
the back. The ‘play mode’ can be selected when the car is owner driven and the focus shifts to the driver’s seat. Based on key-identification, the ‘home mode’ is customised based on whether the car is owner or chauffer driven. The zones of the car change from a right-left conditioning of the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning), to a front-rear focus, based on where the owner is seated. Audio focus and output are also adjusted accordingly. Head of Interior Electronics Solutions (IES), Continental
Automotive India, Tejas Desai said, “SyD India will help vehicle manufacturers in the country to adapt their vehicles to their target groups even better. To cater to varying needs, manufacturers today are compelled to produce multiple models and variants per model. SyD India has the potential to simplify this business model and be a game changer in the industry.” “While most of our localisation has been targeted at the mass market, SyD India will address a different segment altogether, offering localisation that
facilitates the introduction of advanced technologies in the Indian luxury car segment,” said Managing Director, Continental India, Claude d’Gamarose. The SyD India profiles have been identified and defined through a series of discussions and research on driving patterns and consumer behaviour including demographics and cultural diversity in India. Based on its research, Continental has customised features such as lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, powertrain ECU, PASE (Passive Start & Entry) System and other Interior Electronics to suit the market and to fulfil its passions and desires. The layout and the information displayed to the end user on the cluster and the multimedia screen have been designed and selected after a thorough understanding of what information Indian drivers want to see and how they want to see it. Extending the remote control concept to the car, SyD India allows the owner of the car to control various functions of the car and get necessary informa-
tion via his / her mobile phone. The car informs the owner via text messages about its current position and technical condition. This allows the owner of the car to monitor the driving patterns of his or her chauffeur, and additionally, car owners are able to integrate their smartphones with their vehicles using cloud computing. From organising their itineraries to planning flights and managing of to-do lists, SyD India will allow owners to do all this and more seated in their vehicle. With sales of €30.5 billion in 2011, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tyres and technical elastomers, Continental contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. The automotive group with its three divisions chassis & safety, powertrain and interior achieved sales of approximately €18.5 billion in 2011.
Denso develops vision sensor for active safety systems Our Bureau Mumbai
D
enso has developed a new vision sensor that is 50 percent smaller than the company’s existing sensor. It is used in active safety systems with Automatic High Beam (AHB) Control Systems and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Systems. In addition, the sensor can perform at a higher operating temperature compared to the previous model. Typically, vision sensors are mounted on the upper edge of the windshield near the rear view mirror. In addition, for the new sensor to better operate in hotter climates and regions, the company also needed to focus on increasing the sensor’s maximum operating temperature. To address these two challenges, it developed a low-processing load and high-performance algorithm, which helped eliminate ICs, that in turn allowed the sensor size to be reduced. The company is looking to make the new sensor available for a number of vehicle models. In an effort to realise an accident-free automotive society, the company has developed and commercialised both passive and active safety technologies to protect vehicle occupants, as well as to prevent traffic accidents.
Rakesh Srivastava to head HMIL marketing Our Bureau Mumbai
H
yundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) has a n nou nc e d t h at Rakesh Srivastava VicePresident, National Sales at Hyundai Motor India Ltd, will now be heading both the sales and marketing functions at HMIL. Srivastava joined the organisation in April this year from Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. He is an IIM-A alumnus and has over 24 years of experience. His past assignments include Goodlass Nerolac Paints and GTC Industries. Arvind Saxena, Director Marketing and Sales at Hyundai Motor India has resigned from the company’s services, after a seven-year stint.
Auto Monitor
16
30 JULY 2012
G L O B A L WAT C H
Ford dealer network embraces technology with Google, Carbon Trust
S
enior business and IT managers from Ford’s 500-strong dealer network took part in the company’s Profitability and Technology Conference, which explored new opportunities to improve efficiency and customer communication through the use of the latest technology and software applications. More t han 100 Ford dealers participated in the conference at Henry Ford College in Loughborough recently, with presentations from Google,
Ford is continuing to reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing sites, and is working closely with the Carbon Trust to reduce the carbon footprint of its UK dealer network
and automotive advisor, Grant Thornton, as well as exhibitions from Purchase Direct, GForces and Snap-on. The conference also marked the start of collaboration between Ford and independent experts in energy efficiency, the Carbon Trust. British Market Representation and Business Manager, Ford, Miles Maiklem said, “Ford’s second dealer profitability and technology conference proved another great success for our dealer network. The theatre presentations and supplier interactions were inspiring and well received—illustrating the benefits of increasing efficiency and reducing costs through the use of technology and online resources.” Senior Industry Head, Google Automotive, Belinda Poole said, “It is important that Ford’s dealers concentrate on providing an enjoyable and positive online experience as well as good customer service, both pre- and
post-transaction. “The majority of customers carry out their car-buying research online and will decide on their desired make and model before ever stepping into a dealership. One of the most exciting changes Google has witnessed in recent years is the fact that over 20 percent of internet car searches on Google now occur on a mobile or tablet-based device.”
Reducing The Dealer Carbon Footprint Ford is continuing to reduce the environmental impact of its vehicles and manufacturing sites, and is now working closely with the Carbon Trust to reduce the carbon footprint of Ford’s UK dealer network. The collaboration will see the implementation of new energy efficient technology and eco-friendly processes into dealerships that will help to deliver optimum results. Working with the Society of
Belinda Poole, Senior Industry Head of Google Automotive, Miles Maiklem, Ford UK Market & Business Manager & Geoff Smyth, Carbon Trust Manager at the Ford Dealer Technology conference
Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the Carbon Trust identified that many car dealerships can make cost savings of up to 10 percent. The installation of new energy-efficient lighting, heating, ventilation and cooling can vastly reduce a dealer’s carbon footprint and the returns on investment can be surprisingly quick.
Mark Ovenden, Ford of Britain managing director, said: “In a challenging economy, the opportunity for improving energy efficiency and reducing costs is important to Ford, its dealers, and the UK motor industry as a whole. We are looking forward to working with the Carbon Trust to deliver Ford of Britain’s lowest ever carbon footprint.”
Fiat plant wins Automotive Lean Production 2012 award
T
he Fiat plant at Pomigliano D’Arco has been awarded the international Automotive Lean Production 2012 award in the OEM category, following an analysis and evaluation process by a committee of experts selected by the German magazine, Automobil Produktion, and by the consultancy firm, Agamus Consult. Since 2006, over 700 production plants in more than 15 different countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Benelux and Italy, have taken part in the selection process to win the sought-after trophy, which is one of the most significant on a European scale. Every year, after the initial analysis of questionnaires originating from the plants in the various countries, a selection of candidates takes place in the various categories, which are five in total. The selection process also envisages on-site checks, specific meetings and interviews, to investigate and confirm the data collected in the questionnaires. Specifically, the production system is analysed, along with its application in the plant, checking that the principles of Lean Production, especially in terms of quality, maintenance, logistics and personnel development are actually applied consistently and continuously, to create a work environment that supports in a structured and efficient manner the continuous improvement process and the systematic elimination of wastage. After this evaluation process, a specialised jury from Agamus Consult picks the winners. “Through world class manufacturing, the production system in use at the Fiat and Chrysler plants, the most sophisticated modern production standards have been implemented in Pomigliano, and they have now become a model for the other plants in the Group.” commented Chief Manufacturing Officer of Fiat SpA, Stefan Ketter. The awards ceremony is set to take place in Leipzig in Germany on 7 November on the occasion of the 7th congress organised by Automobil Produktion and Agamus Consult.
Through World Class Manufacturing, the production system in use at the Fiat and Chrysler plants, have now become a model for the other plants in the Group
30 JULY 2012
G L O B A L WAT C H
Auto Monitor
17
New range of Beetle models now on sale
T
he latest Volkswagen Beetle has a two-litre 140 PS TDI turbodiesel engine, or a two-litre 200 PS TSI turbocharged petrol engine. The latter is enough to propel from zero to 62 mph in just 7.5 seconds and on to 139 mph, while the TDI takes a far from 9.5 seconds and can reach 123 mph. Of equal interest, however, will be its 57.6 mpg combined economy, and 129 g/km of CO2 rating.
Details Both new versions are available with a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed DSG gearboxes. The TDI comes in either mid-level Design or top-line Sport trim. The two-litre TSI 200 PS model is available in Sport or special-edition Turbo Black and Turbo Silver specification, complete with ‘Turbo’ decals in either silver or black along the side, door mirrors in silver or black, the door rubbing strip in body colour (rather than black, as it is on standard Sport models), and 19-inch ‘Tornado’ alloys. Design trim comes with 17-inch alloy wheels in a choice of
two styles, Bluetooth telephone preparation, an RCD 510 DAB CD/radio with MDI multi-device interface (for connecting an iPod or similar), front fog lights, rear Isofix preparation, an alarm, manual air conditioning, multifunction leather-w rapped steering wheel and body-coloured door and dashboard panels.
Spec Highlights The range-topping Sport specification adds 18-inch alloys in a choice of styles, tinted glass, cruise control, sports seats, parking sensors, gloss black door mirrors (silver or black on ‘Turbo’ special editions), gloss black dashboard and door panel and 2Zone electronic climate control. The two-litre TSI 200 PS Sport model comes with certain specification highlights over and above all other models. These include: four-link rear suspension, twin chromed exhaust pipes, red brake calipers and a body-coloured rear diffuser.
Features A wide range of optional equipment is also available on all Beetle
CV registrations decline 10.8% in first half; 5.8% in June
I
n June, new commercial vehicle registrations dropped for the fifth consecutive month, falling by 5.8 percent compared to June last year, as a total of 157,232 units were recorded in the EU. Italy (-29.8 percent) and Spain (-28.7 percent) faced a double-digit downturn, while France (-0.8 percent) and the UK (+0.2 percent) remained relatively stable. Germany was the only major market to post growth (+8.8 percent). From January to June: Demand was down 10.8 percent, compared to the first half-year of 2011, amounting to 892,850 units. Decline prevailed in all major markets, from -1.9 percent in Germany to -5.1 percent in the UK, -7.2 percent in France, -25.5 percent in Spain and -37 percent in Italy. In June, 128,871 new vans were registered in the EU, or 6.5 percent less than in the same month last year. Germany was the only significant market to post growth (+12.3 percent), while all others contracted. The French shrank by 0.8 percent, the British by 2.5 percent, the Italian by 30.3 percent and the Spanish by 30.9 percent. Six months into the year, results were negative across major markets, leading to an overall 12.2 percent downturn.
Coaches In June, the heavy truck segment shrank by 4.6 percent, totaling 10,012 units. Germany (+2.5 percent) and the UK (+1.6 percent) saw their markets expand, while France (-5.8 percent), Spain (-11.3 percent) and Italy (-33.7 percent) performed less well than a year ago. In the first half-year, the EU registered 112,762 new trucks, or 6.1 percent less than in the first six months of 2011. The UK was the only important market to post growth (+12.7 percent). Germany (-3.0 percent) and France (-4.6 percent) contracted, while Spain (-21.4 percent) and Italy (-28.9 percent) faced a more severe downturn. Demand for new trucks was down 4.1 percent in June, with 25,459 new registrations in the EU*. The UK (+6.6 percent) was the only market to perform better than in the same month last year. Germany performed somewhat similarly (-0.8 percent), while France (-3.3 percent), Spain (-12.3 percent) and Italy (-26.0 percent) recorded negative results. Six months into the year, the EU totaled 150,568 new trucks, or 5.5 percent less than in the same period a year earlier. While the UK posted a strong 21.5 percent growth, the French (-3.2 percent), German (4.7 percent), Spanish (22.4 percent) and Italian (-30.9 percent) markets all shrunk.
A wide range of equipment is available on all Beetle models, including keyless access, satellite navigation systems, bi-xenon headlights and a selection of alloy wheel designs. The latest versions also come with a Fender sound pack and a subwoofer, all for just £500 models, including keyless access, satellite navigation systems, bixenon headlights and a selection of different alloy wheel designs. The latest versions also come with a Fender sound pack— developed in conjunction with the eponymous electric guitar firm that offers a 400W output and a subwoofer, along with switchable three-colour illumination surrounding the front loudspeakers, all for just £500.
Launch & Delivery The Beetle is also available with a 1.2-litre TSI 105 PS engine with seven-speed DSG gearbox and a 1.4-litre 160 PS TSI with a six-speed manual gearbox. These models were restricted
by supply at launch but are all now available, many w it h attractive low-rate f inance offers. The new two-litre models are also available to order now, with some models in stock ready for delivery.
Auto Monitor
30 JULY 2012
N A M E R I C A N A S S E M B LY
18
AUTOFACTS Global Automotive Outlook, 2009 Q1 Release PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
North America Assembly Tracking 4-2012 (Tracking by Brand & Nameplate) April 2012 Ownership Org/
Last 3 Months
YOY
Assembly
YOY
Volume
% Chg
Share %
Share Chg
13,242
75.3%
1.1%
Ford Mustang
9,737
65.3%
Mazda Mazda6
3,505 24,618
Brand & Nameplate AutoAlliance International (USA)
BMW (Germany)
Year to Date
YOY
Assembly
YOY
Volume
% Chg
Share %
Share Chg
YOY
Assembly
YOY
Volume
% Chg
Share %
0.3
42,839
50.5%
1.1%
Share Chg
0.2
54,930
61.2%
1.1%
0.8%
0.2
26,096
38.1%
0.3
0.7%
0.1
32,960
53.3%
0.6%
110.8%
0.3%
0.1
16,743
0.1
75.1%
0.4%
0.1
21,970
74.7%
0.4%
6.8%
2.0%
(-0.5)
80,922
0.1
15.4%
2.0%
(-0.1)
106,853
23.0%
2.1%
0.0
BMW X3
11,949
18.4%
1.0%
(-0.1)
38,414
27.6%
1.0%
0.1
50,866
37.6%
1.0%
0.1
BMW X5
9,226
0.6%
0.7%
(-0.2)
30,457
7.6%
0.8%
(-0.1)
39,971
15.3%
0.8%
(-0.0)
BMW X6
3,443
-9.3%
0.3%
(-0.1)
12,051
2.8%
0.3%
(-0.1)
16,016
5.3%
0.3%
(-0.0)
192,357
18.9%
15.3%
(-1.8)
610,079
19.7%
15.3%
(-0.1)
795,362
22.4%
15.3%
Chrysler 200
12,926
15.9%
1.0%
(-0.2)
36,697
18.3%
0.9%
(-0.0)
45,444
20.0%
0.9%
Chrysler 300
9,121
54.0%
0.7%
0.1
24,648
75.8%
0.6%
0.2
31,382
123.9%
0.6%
0.3
Chrysler Town & Country
11,021
44.5%
0.9%
0.1
29,817
18.7%
0.7%
(-0.0)
37,317
9.8%
0.7%
(-0.1)
Chrysler Group LLC (USA)
0.2 (-0.0)
Dodge Avenger
10,802
34.0%
0.9%
0.0
28,305
23.7%
0.7%
0.0
34,685
31.3%
0.7%
Dodge Caliber
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.4)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.4)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.4)
Dodge Caravan
16,695
41.1%
1.3%
0.1
51,157
22.8%
1.3%
0.0
65,241
18.0%
1.3%
(-0.0)
Dodge Challenger
4,358
50.1%
0.3%
0.0
12,873
53.4%
0.3%
0.1
16,387
35.0%
0.3%
0.0
Dodge Charger
6,384
-2.2%
0.5%
(-0.2)
23,177
-11.9%
0.6%
(-0.2)
31,316
-5.4%
0.6%
(-0.2) (-0.2)
Dodge Dakota
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.3)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.2)
-
-100.0%
-
Dodge Dart
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Dodge Durango
4,308
-39.2%
0.3%
(-0.4)
12,498
-43.3%
0.3%
(-0.4)
15,113
-48.3%
0.3%
0.1
(-0.4)
Dodge Journey
9,186
45.9%
0.7%
0.1
32,066
23.8%
0.8%
0.0
42,793
27.0%
0.8%
Dodge Nitro
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.2)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.2)
-
-100.0%
-
Fiat 500
6,656
21.3%
0.5%
(-0.1)
19,726
86.3%
0.5%
0.2
25,902
125.3%
0.5%
0.2
Fiat Freemont
3,989
71.9%
0.3%
0.1
12,999
239.4%
0.3%
0.2
19,275
403.3%
0.4%
0.3
Jeep Compass
10,166
11.5%
0.8%
(-0.2)
35,328
27.7%
0.9%
0.0
45,277
27.1%
0.9%
0.0
Jeep Grand Cherokee
18,859
41.4%
1.5%
0.1
60,482
50.6%
1.5%
0.3
81,458
57.6%
1.6%
0.4
Jeep Liberty
10,922
69.8%
0.9%
0.2
32,266
66.9%
0.8%
0.2
42,338
79.8%
0.8%
0.3
Jeep Patriot
7,651
12.5%
0.6%
(-0.1)
32,829
53.0%
0.8%
0.2
43,396
46.6%
0.8%
0.1
Jeep Wrangler
6,114
15.2%
0.5%
(-0.1)
20,017
18.0%
0.5%
(-0.0)
26,070
18.6%
0.5%
(-0.0)
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
9,730
19.6%
0.8%
(-0.1)
31,011
13.8%
0.8%
(-0.0)
40,878
13.6%
0.8%
(-0.0)
Lancia Flavia
614
-
0.0%
0.0
895
-
0.0%
0.0
895
-
0.0%
0.0
Lancia Grand Voyager
702
-
0.1%
0.1
2,144
-
0.1%
0.1
2,601
-
0.0%
0.0
Lancia Thema
1
-
0.0%
0.0
168
-
0.0%
0.0
916
-
0.0%
0.0
Ram Cargo Van
720
-
0.1%
0.1
2,965
-
0.1%
0.1
3,907
-
0.1%
0.1
Ram Pickup
30,915
11.3%
2.5%
(-0.5)
105,496
15.4%
2.6%
(-0.1)
139,460
18.6%
2.7%
(-0.1)
Volkswagen Routan
517
-35.1%
0.0%
(-0.0)
2,515
-60.0%
0.1%
(-0.1)
3,311
-57.3%
0.1%
(-0.1)
15,173
9.9%
1.2%
(-0.3)
47,795
23.6%
1.2%
0.0
63,341
28.3%
1.2%
0.1
Freightliner Sprinter
773
11.7%
0.1%
(-0.0)
2,435
12.1%
0.1%
(-0.0)
3,197
13.0%
0.1%
(-0.0)
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
3,200
-
0.3%
(-0.1)
10,080
20.6%
0.3%
0.0
13,440
26.3%
0.3%
0.0
Mercedes-Benz M-Class
9,600
15.4%
0.8%
(-0.1)
30,240
28.9%
0.8%
0.0
40,320
35.1%
0.8%
0.1
Mercedes-Benz R-Class
1,600
-
0.1%
(-0.0)
5,040
7.3%
0.1%
(-0.0)
6,384
5.3%
0.1%
(-0.0) (-2.5)
Daimler AG (Germany)
Ford Motor Company (USA)
0.0 (-0.2)
223,101
16.6%
17.8%
(-2.5)
673,109
3.2%
16.9%
(-2.8)
873,590
5.3%
16.8%
Ford C-MAX
78
-
0.0%
0.0
123
-
0.0%
0.0
125
-
0.0%
Ford Crown Victoria
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.9)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.7)
-
-100.0%
-
Ford Edge
14,953
21.0%
1.2%
(-0.1)
42,106
-3.1%
1.1%
(-0.3)
57,551
1.0%
1.1%
(-0.2)
Ford Escape
30,652
13.8%
2.4%
(-0.4)
90,279
9.5%
2.3%
(-0.2)
117,976
9.2%
2.3%
(-0.2)
Ford E-Series
14,151
44.4%
1.1%
0.1
43,516
3.6%
1.1%
(-0.2)
51,678
-3.4%
1.0%
(-0.2)
Ford Expedition
5,477
38.0%
0.4%
0.0
17,309
16.1%
0.4%
(-0.0)
22,480
23.6%
0.4%
0.0
Ford Explorer
16,379
32.8%
1.3%
(-0.0)
49,636
23.6%
1.2%
0.0
64,776
32.9%
1.2%
0.1
Ford Fiesta
10,945
9.5%
0.9%
(-0.2)
33,219
16.3%
0.8%
(-0.0)
45,586
15.5%
0.9%
(-0.0)
0.0 (-0.7)
Ford Flex
3,276
15.8%
0.3%
(-0.0)
8,208
35.6%
0.2%
0.0
11,449
26.3%
0.2%
0.0
Ford Focus
23,967
23.4%
1.9%
(-0.1)
65,117
45.4%
1.6%
0.3
84,579
87.7%
1.6%
0.6
Ford F-Series
63,187
32.4%
5.0%
(-0.0)
196,697
6.8%
4.9%
(-0.6)
259,427
12.6%
5.0%
(-0.4)
Ford Fusion
23,808
54.4%
1.9%
0.3
79,237
21.9%
2.0%
0.0
95,207
4.9%
1.8%
(-0.3)
Ford Ranger
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.8)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.8)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.8)
Ford Taurus
9,029
34.8%
0.7%
0.0
23,382
9.6%
0.6%
(-0.1)
30,893
22.4%
0.6%
0.0
Lincoln Mark LT
16
-51.5%
0.0%
(-0.0)
55
-58.0%
0.0%
(-0.0)
80
-39.8%
0.0%
(-0.0)
Lincoln MKS
1,369
56.1%
0.1%
0.0
4,004
16.4%
0.1%
(-0.0)
5,208
36.1%
0.1%
0.0
Lincoln MKT
820
156.3%
0.1%
0.0
2,393
150.6%
0.1%
0.0
2,985
65.1%
0.1%
0.0
0.2%
Lincoln MKX
(-0.1)
6,997
-15.3%
0.2%
(-0.1)
9,774
-11.2%
Lincoln MKZ
2,123
28.4%
0.2%
(-0.0)
8,643
-7.3%
0.2%
(-0.1)
10,813
-7.2%
0.2%
(-0.1)
Lincoln Navigator
638
14.5%
0.1%
(-0.0)
2,188
-16.0%
0.1%
(-0.0)
3,003
-12.3%
0.1%
(-0.0)
Lincoln Town Car
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.2)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
Mazda Tribute
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
Mercury Grand Marquis
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
22,543
61.8%
1.8%
0.3
76,202
27.7%
1.9%
0.1
102,538
25.1%
2.0%
0.1
3,574
33.4%
0.3%
0.0
14,104
29.2%
0.4%
0.0
19,095
25.3%
0.4%
0.0
Subaru Outback
10,925
88.2%
0.9%
0.3
35,213
36.5%
0.9%
0.1
47,310
33.2%
0.9%
0.1
Subaru Tribeca
378
-9.1%
0.0%
(-0.0)
1,119
-31.5%
0.0%
(-0.0)
1,532
-33.5%
0.0%
(-0.0)
Toyota Camry
7,666
52.2%
0.6%
0.1
25,766
20.9%
0.6%
0.0
34,601
19.6%
0.7%
(-0.0)
263,142
-2.0%
21.0%
(-7.5)
871,588
5.1%
21.9%
(-3.2)
1,124,954
6.7%
21.6%
(-2.9) (-0.2)
Fuji Heavy Industries (Japan) Subaru Legacy
General Motors Company (USA)
2,233
2.6%
0.2%
(-0.1)
Buick Enclave
5,661
-17.0%
0.5%
(-0.3)
17,900
-15.2%
0.4%
(-0.2)
23,148
-13.8%
0.4%
Buick LaCrosse
5,683
3.3%
0.5%
(-0.1)
15,950
-19.6%
0.4%
(-0.2)
19,449
-13.6%
0.4%
(-0.1)
Buick Lucerne
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.3)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.3)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.3)
Buick Regal
1,795
-48.7%
0.1%
(-0.2)
4,263
-14.1%
0.1%
(-0.0)
6,591
32.9%
0.1%
Buick Verano
4,946
-
0.4%
0.4
14,863
-
0.4%
0.4
18,986
-
0.4%
0.4
Cadillac CTS
4,635
-18.9%
0.4%
(-0.2)
15,094
-15.3%
0.4%
(-0.2)
19,406
-18.0%
0.4%
(-0.2) (-0.1)
0.0
Cadillac DTS
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.2)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
Cadillac Escalade
1,236
-26.4%
0.1%
(-0.1)
3,573
-28.4%
0.1%
(-0.1)
4,957
-22.6%
0.1%
(-0.1)
Cadillac Escalade ESV
789
31.3%
0.1%
(-0.0)
2,013
15.4%
0.1%
(-0.0)
2,643
15.7%
0.1%
(-0.0) (-0.0)
Cadillac Escalade EXT
140
-44.0%
0.0%
(-0.0)
639
-14.0%
0.0%
(-0.0)
772
-21.1%
0.0%
Cadillac SRX
7,347
4.7%
0.6%
(-0.2)
22,383
5.4%
0.6%
(-0.1)
30,287
10.8%
0.6%
(-0.1)
Cadillac STS
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
Cadillac XTS
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Chevrolet Avalanche
1,060
-48.1%
0.1%
(-0.1)
5,707
-4.8%
0.1%
(-0.0)
7,451
-4.8%
0.1%
Chevrolet Aveo
6,136
9.2%
0.5%
(-0.1)
20,252
25.9%
0.5%
0.0
27,047
33.5%
0.5%
Chevrolet C2
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.5)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.4)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0) 0.0 (-0.4)
30 JULY 2012
N A M E R I C A N A S S E M B LY April 2012
Ownership Org/ Brand & Nameplate
Auto Monitor
Volume
YOY % Chg
19
Last 3 Months Assembly Share %
YOY Share Chg
Volume
YOY % Chg
Year to Date Assembly Share %
YOY Share Chg
Volume
YOY % Chg
Assembly Share %
YOY Share Chg
Chevrolet Camaro
9,444
16.5%
0.8%
(-0.1)
23,379
-16.2%
0.6%
(-0.3)
34,106
-10.0%
0.7%
Chevrolet Captiva
5,555
89.5%
0.4%
0.1
15,352
74.4%
0.4%
0.1
19,627
77.8%
0.4%
(-0.2) 0.1
Chevrolet Colorado
3,772
-2.9%
0.3%
(-0.1)
12,165
22.5%
0.3%
0.0
15,919
20.3%
0.3%
(-0.0)
Chevrolet Corvette
1,211
21.3%
0.1%
(-0.0)
3,761
2.0%
0.1%
(-0.0)
4,554
11.9%
0.1%
(-0.0)
Chevrolet Cruze
24,771
-5.4%
2.0%
(-0.8)
77,368
2.9%
1.9%
(-0.3)
100,919
3.5%
1.9%
(-0.3) (-0.2)
Chevrolet Equinox
20,732
9.2%
1.7%
(-0.4)
67,336
7.2%
1.7%
(-0.2)
88,711
8.3%
1.7%
Chevrolet Express
8,073
40.2%
0.6%
0.0
23,785
29.9%
0.6%
0.0
28,736
17.9%
0.6%
(-0.0)
Chevrolet HHR
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.6)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.5)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.6) (-0.4)
Chevrolet Impala
15,596
-11.1%
1.2%
(-0.6)
49,585
-7.1%
1.2%
(-0.4)
65,769
-8.1%
1.3%
Chevrolet Malibu
19,949
-5.3%
1.6%
(-0.6)
64,363
5.9%
1.6%
(-0.2)
85,894
25.6%
1.6%
0.1
Chevrolet Silverado
34,806
-18.5%
2.8%
(-1.8)
143,374
5.0%
3.6%
(-0.5)
182,288
8.4%
3.5%
(-0.4)
Chevrolet Sonic
8,887
-
0.7%
0.7
27,049
-
0.7%
0.7
34,757
-
0.7%
0.7
Chevrolet Suburban
4,538
8.5%
0.4%
(-0.1)
16,096
14.4%
0.4%
(-0.0)
20,358
16.8%
0.4%
(-0.0)
0.8%
(-0.2)
31,920
24.0%
0.8%
0.0
Chevrolet Tahoe
40,371
18.3%
0.8%
(-0.0)
Chevrolet Traverse
8,321
-18.5%
0.7%
(-0.4)
25,920
-17.5%
0.6%
(-0.3)
32,187
-20.4%
0.6%
(-0.3)
Chevrolet Volt
1,562
9,734
125.7%
9.1%
0.1%
0.1
5,095
142.9%
0.1%
0.1
5,095
90.3%
0.1%
0.0
GMC Acadia
7,349
-5.1%
0.6%
(-0.2)
23,230
-1.6%
0.6%
(-0.1)
29,630
-6.2%
0.6%
(-0.2) (-0.0)
GMC Canyon
1,051
20.4%
0.1%
(-0.0)
3,112
16.6%
0.1%
(-0.0)
4,113
16.9%
0.1%
GMC Savana
4,149
59.8%
0.3%
0.1
11,082
29.1%
0.3%
0.0
13,230
23.5%
0.3%
0.0
GMC Sierra Pickups
16,992
3.3%
1.4%
(-0.4)
64,892
21.1%
1.6%
0.0
80,029
20.6%
1.5%
(-0.0)
GMC Terrain
10,104
17.7%
0.8%
(-0.1)
33,163
15.0%
0.8%
(-0.0)
43,994
14.7%
0.8%
(-0.0)
GMC Yukon
3,928
20.5%
0.3%
(-0.0)
14,485
23.9%
0.4%
0.0
18,636
11.9%
0.4%
(-0.0)
GMC Yukon XL
2,633
-6.1%
0.2%
(-0.1)
9,057
-2.1%
0.2%
(-0.1)
11,912
1.4%
0.2%
(-0.0)
Opel-Vauxhall Ampera
557
2220.8%
0.0%
0.0
3,382
13991.7%
0.1%
0.1
3,382
13991.7%
0.1%
Saab 9-4X
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
Honda Motor Company (Japan)
0.1 (-0.0)
137,067
155.6%
10.9%
5.2
447,563
62.1%
11.2%
2.9
597,309
53.9%
11.5%
Acura CSX
-
-
-
-
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
2.5
Acura ILX
754
-
0.1%
0.1
754
-
0.0%
0.0
754
-
0.0%
Acura MDX
6,302
106.1%
0.5%
0.2
19,859
35.3%
0.5%
0.1
26,391
26.9%
0.5%
0.0
Acura RDX
3,954
484.0%
0.3%
0.2
5,943
47.2%
0.1%
0.0
5,956
-1.7%
0.1%
(-0.0)
(-0.0) 0.0
Acura TL
3,655
123.3%
0.3%
0.1
11,393
19.4%
0.3%
(-0.0)
17,097
50.1%
0.3%
0.1
Acura ZDX
240
727.6%
0.0%
0.0
572
67.7%
0.0%
0.0
572
16.7%
0.0%
(-0.0)
Honda Accord
31,009
170.2%
2.5%
1.3
105,905
83.3%
2.7%
0.9
141,238
71.3%
2.7%
0.8
Honda Civic
31,569
150.1%
2.5%
1.2
114,824
105.0%
2.9%
1.2
159,186
93.7%
3.1%
1.1
Honda Crosstour
4,079
1026.8%
0.3%
0.3
9,779
111.1%
0.2%
0.1
11,780
92.0%
0.2%
0.1
Honda CR-V
27,016
156.5%
2.2%
1.0
89,329
63.7%
2.2%
0.6
116,500
51.8%
2.2%
Honda Element
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.2)
-
-100.0%
-
37.7%
1.1%
0.1
58,599
35.1%
1.1%
Honda Odyssey
0.5 (-0.2)
13,909
139.7%
1.1%
0.5
43,735
Honda Pilot
12,989
108.4%
1.0%
0.4
41,780
27.2%
1.0%
0.1
53,473
19.0%
1.0%
(-0.0)
Honda Ridgeline
1,591
-
0.1%
0.1
3,690
7.0%
0.1%
(-0.0)
5,763
20.8%
0.1%
(-0.0)
Hyundai Motor Company (South Korea)
0.1
59,721
22.5%
4.8%
(-0.4)
174,753
13.9%
4.4%
(-0.3)
230,834
15.8%
4.4%
(-0.2)
Hyundai Elantra/i30
10,771
-4.0%
0.9%
(-0.3)
31,157
-6.7%
0.8%
(-0.2)
40,584
-2.1%
0.8%
(-0.2)
Hyundai Santa Fe
10,032
20.5%
0.8%
(-0.1)
26,608
-0.4%
0.7%
(-0.1)
34,611
-0.4%
0.7%
(-0.1)
Hyundai Sonata/i40
17,429
1.4%
1.4%
(-0.4)
55,653
1.7%
1.4%
(-0.3)
75,470
3.1%
1.4%
(-0.3)
Kia Optima
10,653
-
0.8%
0.8
31,225
-
0.8%
0.8
39,709
-
0.8%
0.8
Kia Sorento
10,836
-9.8%
0.9%
(-0.4)
30,110
-22.0%
0.8%
(-0.4)
40,460
-19.1%
0.8%
(-0.4) (-0.2)
Mitsubishi Motors Corp (Japan)
2,332
-22.8%
0.2%
(-0.1)
6,457
-43.4%
0.2%
(-0.2)
8,209
-45.0%
0.2%
Mitsubishi Eclipse
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
Mitsubishi Endeavor
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.2)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
Mitsubishi Galant
2,332
544.2%
0.2%
0.1
6,457
23.6%
0.2%
0.0
8,209
1.0%
0.2%
(-0.0)
93,957
71.5%
7.5%
1.7
324,770
27.7%
8.1%
0.5
438,257
26.4%
8.4%
0.4
Infiniti JX Series
3,267
-
0.3%
0.3
6,536
-
0.2%
0.2
6,573
-
0.1%
0.1
Nissan Altima
26,501
62.3%
2.1%
0.4
87,386
17.5%
2.2%
(-0.1)
116,415
19.1%
2.2%
(-0.0)
Nissan Armada
1,530
16.9%
0.1%
(-0.0)
5,784
15.2%
0.1%
(-0.0)
7,869
9.4%
0.2%
(-0.0)
Nissan Frontier
7,987
181.4%
0.6%
0.3
23,430
72.6%
0.6%
0.2
29,676
65.8%
0.6%
0.2
Nissan March
4,838
268.8%
0.4%
0.2
18,565
319.5%
0.5%
0.3
26,741
504.2%
0.5%
0.4
Nissan Maxima
6,108
50.4%
0.5%
0.1
19,561
13.2%
0.5%
(-0.0)
26,632
16.5%
0.5%
(-0.0)
Nissan NV-Series
547
-46.9%
0.0%
(-0.1)
1,794
-52.7%
0.0%
(-0.1)
2,720
-31.8%
0.1%
(-0.0)
Nissan Pathfinder
3,577
128.0%
0.3%
0.1
8,324
-7.5%
0.2%
(-0.1)
11,269
-10.0%
0.2%
(-0.1)
Nissan Pickup
6,120
160.2%
0.5%
0.2
20,265
113.4%
0.5%
0.2
25,570
87.7%
0.5%
0.2
Nissan Sentra
11,179
41.5%
0.9%
0.1
35,814
-1.0%
0.9%
(-0.2)
48,628
-8.5%
0.9%
(-0.3)
Nissan Motor (Japan)
Nissan Tiida
23.6%
0.3%
(-0.0)
33,681
118.9%
0.8%
0.4
49,696
130.7%
1.0%
Nissan Titan
2,783
78.6%
0.2%
0.1
7,741
4.1%
0.2%
(-0.0)
10,119
6.6%
0.2%
(-0.0)
Nissan Tsuru
849
3,705
-73.6%
0.1%
(-0.3)
9,575
-41.5%
0.2%
(-0.3)
14,209
-39.8%
0.3%
(-0.3)
0.5
Nissan Versa
12,565
79.7%
1.0%
0.3
40,821
13.7%
1.0%
(-0.1)
54,038
7.5%
1.0%
(-0.1)
Nissan Xterra
2,241
95.2%
0.2%
0.1
5,013
-10.2%
0.1%
(-0.0)
7,512
-3.7%
0.1%
(-0.0)
Suzuki Equator
160
-5.9%
0.0%
(-0.0)
480
-4.0%
0.0%
(-0.0)
590
-9.2%
0.0%
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
145,031
100.6%
11.6%
3.9
442,653
46.2%
11.1%
1.9
584,848
40.1%
11.2%
1.5
7,253
74.4%
0.6%
0.1
22,353
21.5%
0.6%
0.0
29,876
19.3%
0.6%
(-0.0) (-0.1)
Tesla Motors (USA) Tesla Roadster Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan) Lexus RX Series Toyota Avalon
3,691
30.4%
0.3%
(-0.0)
10,280
-3.4%
0.3%
(-0.1)
13,567
-5.5%
0.3%
Toyota Camry
32,804
154.3%
2.6%
1.2
100,393
105.0%
2.5%
1.0
135,843
99.6%
2.6%
1.0
Toyota Corolla
32,559
184.6%
2.6%
1.4
92,054
76.6%
2.3%
0.7
115,993
61.7%
2.2%
0.6
Toyota Highlander
11,086
99.2%
0.9%
0.3
34,604
36.3%
0.9%
0.1
45,633
28.8%
0.9%
0.1
Toyota Matrix
1,771
55.2%
0.1%
0.0
6,189
61.3%
0.2%
0.0
8,273
43.1%
0.2%
0.0
Toyota RAV4
15,814
76.7%
1.3%
0.3
47,201
20.5%
1.2%
(-0.0)
61,969
15.3%
1.2%
(-0.1)
Toyota Sequoia
1,958
64.8%
0.2%
0.0
6,081
46.5%
0.2%
0.0
8,055
42.5%
0.2%
0.0
Toyota Sienna
11,353
58.3%
0.9%
0.1
36,184
14.5%
0.9%
(-0.0)
49,178
12.4%
0.9%
(-0.1)
Toyota Tacoma
13,081
94.6%
1.0%
0.3
39,551
41.5%
1.0%
0.1
51,716
31.8%
1.0%
0.1
Toyota Tundra
9,439
50.8%
0.8%
0.1
31,079
19.0%
0.8%
(-0.0)
42,393
17.3%
0.8%
(-0.0)
Toyota Venza
4,222
6.5%
0.3%
(-0.1)
16,684
15.4%
0.4%
(-0.0)
22,352
21.5%
0.4%
0.0
61,091
106.6%
4.9%
1.7
189,765
56.2%
4.8%
1.1
227,129
44.2%
4.4%
0.7
Volkswagen Beetle
9,402
-
0.8%
0.8
24,771
-
0.6%
0.6
27,502
-
0.5%
Volkswagen Bora
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
Volkswagen Golf/Jetta Variant
12,147
42.6%
1.0%
0.1
39,304
8.9%
1.0%
(-0.1)
46,536
-0.7%
0.9%
(-0.2)
Volkswagen Jetta
28,342
42.6%
2.3%
0.2
91,709
8.9%
2.3%
(-0.2)
108,585
-0.7%
2.1%
(-0.5)
Volkswagen Passat
11,200
885.0%
0.9%
0.8
33,981
2888.7%
0.9%
0.8
44,506
3814.3%
0.9%
0.8
Total Light Vehicle
1,253,375
33.0%
100.0%
-
3,988,495
20.6%
100.0%
-
5,208,154
20.8%
100.0%
Volkswagen (Germany)
0.5 (-0.0)
-
Auto Monitor
20
G L O B A L WAT C H
Toyota Motor Corporation cumulative vehicle production crosses 200 million
T
oyota Motor Corporation (TMC) recently announced that in June, its worldw ide cumu lat ive vehicle production surpassed 200 million units. This milestone took 76 years and 11 months to reach, and began with production of the Model G1 truck in August 1935 at Toyoda Automatic Loom Works Ltd’s Automotive Department, which was spun off and later became TMC. As of the end of June, cumulative production in Japan reached 145.21 million vehicles while overseas production reached 55.12 million vehicles. Cumulative vehicle production since 1992 at Toyota’s manufacturing facilities in Europe, including facilities in the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, France, Portugal, Russia and Turkey reached 7.44 million unit sat the end of 2011. Marking the achievement, TMC President, Akio Toyoda
30 JULY 2012
Renault, Qualcomm announce MoU on EV technology
R
enault and Qualcomm Incorporated, recently a nnounced a Memor a ndu m of Understanding (MoU) concerning their co-operation on the Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) London trial and preliminary studies of the integration of Qualcomm Halo WEVC technology into some Renault vehicles. Renault will also join the London trial steering committee.
Trial Objectives
said, “I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to our customers the world over who made it possible for us to reach this milestone. I also have the most profound respect and gratitude for the efforts of all persons who were involved in developing, manufacturing, and marketing Toyota and
Lexus vehicles over the years. We are determined to make our cars even better, to continue to give our customers the best possible product. This is the common goal of our 300,000 Toyota staff members worldw ide.” The most-produced model among Toyota-brand vehicles is the Corolla.
Qua lcom m a n nou nced in November 2011 a Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) trial in London to commence in 2012 that is supported by a cross section of stakeholders from government departments and agencies, to commercial and private sector enterprises. The objectives of the trial are to evaluate the commercial viability of wireless EV charging and gain user feedback on the use of WEVC enabled vehicles. “We are very excited to be working with Renault, a global leader in electric vehicles
and an innovator in the growing low carbon vehicle market,” said VP, Business Development and Marketing at Qualcomm, Anthony Thomson. “Renault’s participation in the WEVC London trial and Qualcomm’s drive to make charging of electric vehicles simple and effortless means that EV drivers will have access to technology that makes EV charging easy.”
Looking Forward “Our participation in the W EVC London tria l w ith Q u a lc om m c omplement s Renault’s European research & development project involving 10 partners to demonstrate wireless inductive charging of electric vehicles in a public environment with a high level of performance and safety,” said VP Energy and Environment Advanced Projects Director at Renault, Jacques Hebrard. “The deployment of wireless inductive charging requires inter-operability between cars and ground systems within common European and, hopefully, worldwide standards.”
JLR to create more than 1,000 new jobs
J
aguar Land Rover (JLR), is looking to expand its workforce at its advanced manufacturing facility in Castle Bromwich to support the launch of new Jaguar models. More than 1,100 new jobs are being created, and a recruitment campaign for production operators. “We have embarked on the most ambitious recruitment campaign in the company’s history, hiring 8,000 people in the last two years. We provide high quality training and development for all of our employees so this latest announcement for 1,100 jobs is great news for the West Midlands and the UK supply chain,” said HR Director, JLR, Des Thurlby. JLR anticipates that the launch of these new Jaguar models will also support thousands of jobs in the UK supply chain.
JLR is looking to deliver 40 significant products over the next five years, while the Castle Bromwich plant will manufacture the new 2013 Model Year XF and XJ ranges this year The company is looking to deliver 40 significant products over the next five years, while the Castle Bromwich plant will this year manufacture the new 2013 Model Year XF and XJ ranges, which—through the introduction of new powertrains and transmissions—offer customers greater efficiency, technology and choice than ever before. The XF range will also see the addition of the XF Sportbrake derivative, which with a load capacity of up to 1,675-litres, will be the most versatile Jaguar built to date.
In the first six months of the year, Jaguar has sold more than 29,000 vehicles globally, which is a 19 percent increase against the same period last year. All of Jaguar’s key markets, including China, UK, USA and Europe, have delivered year-on-year sales improvements.
30 JULY 2012
Auto Monitor
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Tej Control Systems Pvt Ltd Plot No.329/331, Road No.25, Wagle Industrial Estate, Thane(W) - 400 604. Tel. +91 22 2583 8191 to 98, Fax: +91 22 25838199 Email: tivs@tejcontrol.com, vision@tejcontrol.com Website: www.tejivs.com
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ACE Micromatic Group
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Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Larsen & Toubro Limited
T: +91-253-6618100
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Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd
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ADEA
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Confederation Of Indian Industry
MG Auto Gas Indian Machine Tool Mfgr’S Association
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T: +91-80-66246600 E: srikumar@mgautogas.in
T: +91-124-4014060
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Osram India Pvt Ltd.
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Ecocat India Pvt Ltd
Indian Machine Tool Mfgr’S Association 3
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T: +91-80-66246600 E: pankaj.pandey@osram.com
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Jyoti CNC Automation Pvt. Ltd. Engineering Expo T: +91-09819552270 E: engexpo@infomedia18.in W: www.engg-expo.com FIC : Front Inside Cover BIC : Back Inside Cover BC: Back cover
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Tata Motors Ltd.
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Auto Monitor
22
THE OTHER SIDE
Getting Personal with Debashis Mitra, Director of Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz India If not in auto industry, what would you be? Poet What car do you drive? What do you dream of driving? My dream has been a Mercedes and I’m very lucky because of working with this company I’m able to drive a Mercedes—I drive an S-Class. But I may not have achieved my dream had I not worked for Mercedes Your most recent indulgence… Food What are you currently reading? ‘Revolution 2020’. I’m a fan of Chetan Bhagat and I read his last novel What are you doing when not talking auto? Fighting with my wife Outdoor activity you would miss office for… Driving Where did you go for your last holiday? Austria You get angry when… Expectations—when I can’t meet my self-made expectations. I create my own barriers and if I can’t cross them, I get a little disturbed What is the one thing you would like to change in yourself? Control my anger
Illustration: Sachin Pandit
Best thing to have happened to you… My daughters
30 JULY 2012
In Person Debashis Mitra is the Director of Sales and Marketing at MercedesBenz India since January 2009 and joined the company as General Manager responsible for Network Development in April 2008. He possesses over 17 years of rich and extensive experience in areas related to strategic planning, marketing, network management, business development and sales. Prior to his engagement with Mercedes-Benz India, he has worked with Toyota, Nissan a nd H i nd u s t a n Motors—Mitsubishi. Born in December 1968, he completed his Post Graduation in Business Management (Marketing) from the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the North Bengal University.
An experience I won’t forget… My marriage (laughs)
Regn. No. MH/MR/WEST/20/2012-2014. RNI No. MAHENG/2000/11414 Licenced to post at Mumbai patrika channel sorting office G.P.O. Mumbai 400 001. Date Of Mailing:16th & 17th Fortnightly Issue. Date Of Publication: 13th of Every Month
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