France-based automobile manufacturer Renault and Japan-headquartered Nissan on Monday committed investments of $600 million (around Rs 5,300 crore) in the country 15 years after foraying into the Tamil Nadu automobile industry. The fresh round of investments would witness roll out of six new models between the two companies including -- two electric vehicles -- representing the two global brands, Nissan Global chief operating officer and Member, Alliance Board Ashwani Gupta said in Chennai.
Two Japanese auto giants, Honda and Nissan, are moving towards a potential merger, but it remains unclear how their Indian operations will be immediately impacted.
Tamil Nadu -- often dubbed as India's own Detroit due to its thriving automobile manufacturing ecosystem -- is in no mood to miss the EV bus either. Recent developments attest to it. Vietnamese electric vehicle (EV) maker VinFast has promised a $2 billion plant in the southern state. And as promised earlier, the work on Tata Motors-JLR plant will kick off next week, on September 28, after the foundation stone laying ceremony.
The first automobiles from the facility would roll out in the second half of 2009, Kashub Mahindra, chairman of the Mahindra group, said after signing a MoU with the Tamil Nadu government for the project.
The factory is likely to come up beside the current Renault-Nissan factory at Oragadam, near Chennai, according to reports.
The traffic tells a story. During the lockdown, it took 45 minutes to zip through the deserted 35-km stretch from Chennai to reach the automobile heart of Sriperumbudur-Oragadam, where the big names of the car industry - Hyundai Motor India, Renault-Nissan India, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, Apollo Tyres, and Royal Enfield - are based.
It manufactures cars ranging from entry-level hatchbacks to sedans to sport utility vehicles to vans to pick-up trucks. It also has a range of electric and hybrid vehicles
Auto majors face dip in exports due to credit squeeze in Lanka, Nepal
Renault Kwid is a good entry-level car for Indian roads.
Every year, carmakers announce at the end of November or December their plans to increase prices of their vehicles by January.
Even as domestic passenger car sales declined 29.4 per cent between April and August this year, exports grew 6.5 per cent, partially cushioning the blow from slowing sales.
The total number of passenger vehicles (cars and utility vehicles) sold annually in the 1970s was 32,000 units - less than even one week's sales today.
'I am a big admirer of engineering in India because India has a particular skill in frugal engineering.'
The two-acre office complex under construction on the outskirts of Delhi will be home to about eight hundred company executives. Special care is being given to air purification and the building will be equipped with a three-stage air filter system.
Leading tyre maker Apollo also saw a production loss of 450 tonnes till December 2.
Logistics, due to road conditions, continues to pose a challenge.
Why Kia is keen to drive into India? The Korean automobile maker plans to carve out a niche for itself in the crowded Indian market with its compact sedans and SUVs.
Renault says that one of the reasons why its sales look muted when compared to its peers is its limited reach.
Model 3 received 180,000 orders worldwide.
'Make in India' will be central to Mr Modi's visit to Europe and Canada. It is difficult to predict what will happen with the Rafale deal, but if it goes through, it will undoubtedly become the 'Mother' of all 'Make in India' projects,' says Claude Arpi.
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