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
Vol. 13 No. 20
www.a mo nl i ne.i n
10 June 2013
INTERVIEW
Pg 12
Positive vibes Vivek Nayer, CMO, Automotive Division, M&M
24 Pages
NEWS
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Pg 16
BMW opens dealership in Noida
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The counter fakers Anand Mohan Mumbai
S
IAM’s anti-counterfeiting group represented by automotive manufacturers observed World AntiCounterfeiting Day on June 8 to connect with customers to inform the damage caused to life and industry by use of spurious parts. According to SIAM, the spurious parts business is a massive illegal industry amounting to `11,550 crore or 35 percent of the `33,000 crore spare parts industry. A study carried out by the industry body reveal some alarming figures – counterfeit sales amount to a loss of employment estimated at over 1.15 million, poor quality parts lead to losses of over 109 million litres of petrol and 8 million litres of diesel per annum and has resulted in 25,400 deaths and 93,000 injuries in 2009. Sanjoy Gupta, Chairman of SIAM Anti-Counterfeiting Group, VP Customer Care, M&M, and Rajesh Bagga, Co-Chairman of SIAM Anti-Counterfeiting Group, VP Legal, Tata Motors, spoke to Auto Monitor at the sidelines of
the event on the spurious parts menace plaguing the automotive industry. Excerpts from the interview: What is your understanding of the spurious parts business in India? SG: What we call as spurious in imitation and passed off as genuine do not meet the specifications of safety and environment. Moreover, their makers don’t pay local levies and taxes and more often than not these parts aid road accidents due to their failure. These parts are not sold through authorized OEM distribution channels. Also, their packaging is quite similar to original ones. RB: In layman’s terms, I think for an ordinary consumer, it will be difficult to discern the ingenuity of a product. It requires closer scrutiny. These are imitations due to the developments in the printing industry. The packaging material made by an imitator could even look better than the original. And that’s why we come up with newer ways of educating consumers on ways to distinguish between the two.
Rajesh Bagga, Co-chairman, SIAM Anti-Counterfeiting Group, VP Legal, Tata Motors and Sanjoy Gupta, Chairman of SIAM AntiCounterfeiting Group, VP Customer Care, M&M.
Are these spurious parts manufactured here or are they mainly imported? SG: I think it is a combination. A number of overseas manufacturers have set up shop in India. There is a huge group of vendors and alternate sources
“Price has nothing to do with premium imagery” The addition of a much-awaited diesel vehicle has helped Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) achieve its highest-ever monthly sales of 11,342 units in May 2013. The Honda Amaze alone contributed over 50 percent of the total sales in May. As the buzz about the dieselisation of the traditionally petrol-oriented Japanese automobile major gets louder, Nabeel A Khan gets candid with Janeshwar Sen, Sr. VP, (Marketing & Sales), HCIL, about their plans and strategies.
S
en revealed that the upcoming compact SUV and MPV will definitely have diesel engines, but for other upcoming cars the diesel option will depend on market dynamics. Although over 75 percent of Amaze cars sold were diesel-powered, the gap between petrol and diesel prices is narrowing, and the trend may shift in favour of petrol. Excerpts:
Your market share is increasing. Can we consider this a new beginning for Honda Cars to get into number game? As far as our plans for India are concerned, in September 2012, our president and CEO (of Honda Motor, Japan) announced that by 2016-17 we would like to sell about 6 million automobiles annually. That would be double of what we are selling. To
achieve those numbers, India has to play an important role as she is a growing market and – let’s not get disturbed by the current slowdown – in the long term will be one of the big markets in the world. If you look at the potential, the number of cars per person is very low and GDP is growing. So the car market will grow and we...
Contd. on Pg 10
already developed in those markets. These are the sources from where some of the parts come in. And in India, ‘jugaad’ is a way of life. We aren’t far behind to find out ways to manufacture lookalikes. Some of it is due to poor regulations.
RB: For Indian brands, it is generally made in India. And there is no control at the border to disallow these counterfeits coming to India. It is a tedious process for a brand owner to stop...
Contd. on Pg 16
EDITORIAL Staying true to course
J
une 8 was Anti-Counterfeit Day. A subject that anyone genuinely involved with the auto industry can speak volumes about.
Counterfeiting of auto parts and other vehicle is a rampant business in India. And this is not confined only to the small cities or rural areas. Especially in metros, chances are that any vehicle serviced at an unauthorised service station may end up with fake parts. For quite a number of years, the official industry body for the automotive segment, SIAM, has been trying to vehemently tackle the issue of fake parts. It has roped in the country’s top OEMs and component manufacturers in a bid to stem the rot. While it has made inroads, the effort has not been largely successful. Assocham concluded that counterfeiting cost India close to $900m in lost sales during the past fiscal year and called on the government to strengthen deterrents. As its stands Assocham believes punishments are insufficient to check the spread of counterfeit products. It’s only in the last few years that OEMs have woken up to the fact that they need to come down more forcefully on those hell bent on ruining their business. While dealer checks and
stockyards are frequently checked for spurious parts, there are other methods adopted to curb this menace. However, if you have read the story on Page 1 of this issue, you will realise that most OEMs are still coming to terms on ways to relating the same to consumers. What baffles them is the fact that while they can crackdown on dealers and spurious shops, consumers somehow don’t seem readily convinced to buy genuine products. A mere sales pitch by a dealer pitching spurious products on the ground that they are cheaper could mislead him into buying. What will ever work?
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CONTENTS CORPORATE A fine balance
08
Mahindra & Mahindra has entered the lucrative and immensely contested compact car segment with the Verito Vibe, derived from the Verito sedan based on Renault’s Logan platform
08 Going international
14
Comstar recently inaugurated a manufacturing facility in the US to align with global OEM expansion plans
From strength to strength
Ashok Piramal Group company PMP Components is evaluating plans to set up a new facility in North America to supply wiper systems in North and Latin American markets.
08
08
BMW opens dealership in Noida
16
BMW India has announced the opening of Deutsche Motoren, its new dealership facility, in the National Capital Region.
HCIL clocks highest-ever India sales this May
16
Honda Cars recorded its highest-ever domestic monthly sales of 11,342 units in May 2013 as against 10,334 units in the corresponding month last year.
International ambitions
10
THE OTHER SIDE
22
Ashok Leyland is aiming for global presence in heavy trucks & bus segment and is also in the process of expanding its LCV range.
Thinking Global
10
Metalsa recently acquired ISE Automotive from Nordwind Capital to double its global footprint to 16 countries including China, Hungary, Germany, Turkey and South Africa.
A Ramasubramanian, President, AMW
Ramasubramanian has deep interest in Research & Development, and he has published several technical papers and holds several engineering patents. He has been with AMW since 2009.
Auto Monitor
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NEWS
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A fine balance The Verito Vibe marks Mahindra’s foray into the lucrative compact car segment.
M
a hindra & Ma h i nd r a has entered the lucrative and immensely contested compact car segment. The Verito Vibe has been derived from the Verito sedan which is based on Renault’s Logan platform. It required an investment around `60 crore to develop and shares 80 percent of its parts with the Verito. It gets powered by Renault’s 1.5 litre dCI diesel engine which has an ARAI rated fuel efficiency of 20.8 kmpl. At its Nashik plant, the manufacturer has a capacity to produce 35,000 combined units of the passenger cars. The Verito Vibe is being offered in three variants namely D2, D4 and D6 which are priced at `5.63 lakhs, `5.89 lakhs, and `6.49 lakhs respectively (ex-showroom Mumbai without Octroi). Offered in seven color options along with a three year/one lakh km warranty, the car comes with safety features like ABS with EBD,
Engine Immobilizer, side impact beams and adjustable head rest for all five seats. The Verito Vibe also gets the Driver Information Systems available on Mahindra’s other vehicles. On the exterior it features front grille in carbon finish, black headlamps and foglamps, champagne colored alloy wheels, roof rails and a rear spoiler. The LED tail lamps mounted on the C pillar are a first in class feature giving the Verito Vibe a unique look. At the rear end, the ski racks merge into the tail lamps giving it a crossover appearance. M&M is confident that Verito Vibe will stand out from other offerings in this segment. The Vento, Dzire and the Amaze are all derived from the hatchback variants of Polo, Swift and Brio respectively. This makes it a constraint for the competitors to match up to the Verito Vibe. Mahindra claims that the compact car is bigger, tougher and safer than others in this space.
“When I say compact cars, I am talking about the hatchbacks as well as the compact sedans which are sub-4 metre. In majority of these cars three people cannot sit comfortably at the back. One also does not feel secure in such vehicles especially while travelling alongside bigger vehicles. The boot space is also an issue and these are some of the constraints that customers talk about. The reason is because most compact cars are derived from hatchbacks,” said Vivek Nayer, chief marketing officer, automotive division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. “With the Verito we were operating in the super compact cars segment (as per SIAM definition) which has a market size of 2.3 lakh cars. With the Verito Vibe, we are expanding the pond that we are operating in by five times. The new segment we now target is the compact car segment that includes the hatchbacks and the sub-4 metre sedans is eight lakh
Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. launched the Verito Vibe
units. So totally we are talking about a market size of one million cars,” added Nayar. Mahindra is confident that the space offered by the Verito Vibe will be a game changer. Their selling point is that interior space is identical to a sedan with a 300 litre boot space. It also sports a 172mm ground clear-
ance. Its price tag is `40,000 lower than the Maruti Suzuki Swift and `1.5 lakh lower than Honda’s Amaze. The Verito Vibe does stand out as a value-for-money product proposition. But it remains to be seen whether the hatchback or compact car seeking consumers echo the same sentiment.
From strength to strength Abhishek Parekh Mumbai
P
MP Components is looking to set up a wiper systems manufacturing facility to cater to the North and Latin American markets. The facility will have a capacity of one million wiper systems per annum that can be scaled as per requirement. The company is also looking for a larger presence in products such as alternators and starter motors, and is in talks with a European company for a manufacturing agreement or tie-up that would be mutually beneficial in terms of providing a low-cost supply base and a technology base to both partners. “We are evaluating opportunities in terms of acquisitions or technical tie-up and will take a decision soon. Our priority is to enhance our presence in the wiper systems segment and identify new growth areas,” said SN Somani, Executive Director and CEO, PMP Components. Over last five years, PMP made a transition from an automotive washer systems supplier to a wiper systems supplier and an increasing share of business in the European market. On a consolidated basis, the company draws 60 percent of its revenue from Europe. It is looking to increase its focus on high value wiper systems, and is unlikely to make major investments in the wiper blades or washer systems business given the strong competition. “We have managed to operate with close cooperation with our unit in the Czech Republic. We have worked hard at getting operational synergies post our acquisition four years back, and are seeing the results,” said Somani. It has been able to manage costs at its European facility through a combination of sourcing from China, efficiency improvements and market expansion. Although sourcing from India remains an attractive proposition for many global automotive systems suppliers, it is getting increasingly difficult to establish a reliable supplier base in India for critical and not-so-critical automotive systems and components. PMP acquired Czech-based Pal International with operations in the Czech Republic and Hungary, and acquired a prominent customer base including Volkswagen, John Deere and Fiat, among others. It aspires to a five percent share of the global wiper systems market from the current 2-3 percent. It currently has a seven percent market share in Europe.
Auto Monitor
Metalsa expanding reach
Global ambitions Ashok Leyland aiming for global presence in heavy trucks & bus segment; will expand LCV range.
A
around three percent last fiscal. ALL has grown its distribution network by 26 percent over the last two fiscals and has 450 service centres across the country. Revenues from spares grew some 31 percent last fiscal to touch `1,116 crore in 2012-13. It is looking to grow its spare parts revenues further by increasing the strength of its Leyparts shoppe, its parts distribution business, to 200 stores from 49. Ashok Leyland has made a significant impact in LCVs with ‘Dost’, a product launched in partnership with Nissan, by notching up sales of around 35,000 units to gain a 19 percent market share in the segment. “The company has made notable progress in the bus segment over the last couple of years but is likely to face tough times as sales scenario in the M&HCV could worsen,” said
“Price has nothing... Contd. from Pg 1 ...will grow along with it. We have aggressive plans. We have just launched our first diesel car and are planning new cars in the next three years. What kind of product strategy will you adopt? The strategy is that next year we will launch the next generation Jazz. Since the diesel engine is now available, whether to use diesel or no will depend on market dynamics. As we understand from the media, the market is shifting back to petrol because of the reduction in the price gap. Earlier the price difference was over `25, but it is down to almost `15 now. So the market is shifting back to petrol, and we have the choice. We are looking closely at two models: one is a seven-seater MPV and the other is a compact SUV, which will be launched within the next three years. The compact SUV and MPV segment is at its peak right now and OEMs are flooding the market with products. Don’t you think it’s a late entry for you? It’s not a question of whether we are first, second or third. Our endeavour has always been to set benchmarks. So irrespective of the “flooding” we are sure that if we are able set a new benchmark then we will be successful. Since the market is going to grow, everybody has space. It’s not critical that the competition has products or no. Do you think that the shrinking price gap between petrol and diesel alone will impact your decision ... because diesel also gives better fuel efficiency? You are right. Diesel cars are more fuel-efficient and at the same time a diesel car is more expensive
Anand Mohan Mumbai
M
Abhishek Parekh Mumbai shok Leyland is looking to expand its presence in the LCV segment with new launches and an expansion of its distribution network. The company is set to launch a CNG version of its LCV ‘Dost’ in addition to new LCVs ‘Stile’ and ‘Partner’, a special application cold storage vehicle for inter- and intra-city delivery. The initiatives are aimed at placing the company among the top 10 truck, and top five bus manufacturers globally. In a presentation to analysts, top company officials said the company expects volumes in the medium and heavy truck business to remain under pressure in Q1 of this fiscal; but volumes in LCVs are expected to grow in double digits in the current fiscal. The company notched up sales of 70,917 vehicles in the domestic market to gain a market share of 26.5 percent, compared to 81,545 vehicles in the previous fiscal. Although the domestic M&HCV volumes fell around 25 percent, the company claims to have grown its market share by
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since you pay a higher road tax and registration charges, apart from the higher ex-showroom price. The customer needs to calculate whether he or she needs diesel or petrol. Bringing more diesel cars will depend on the market dynamics. We are prepared to offer a diesel on several products. For example, if I go back to the seven-seater MPV – that is a diesel-dominated segment. In that segment we will have a diesel version irrespective of the fuel pricing. Will you be using the same 1.5L diesel engine or a new one? We are still looking at engine options for the new models. It would be premature to talk about it. We have already shared that this 1.5L is a very versatile engine, and it can be fitted into many other products. Will this 1.5L diesel be in the next generation Jazz? Of course we can fit this diesel engine into the new generation Jazz, that is not the issue. The issue is, what kind of demand will there be for a diesel hatchback? How are you working on maintaining a healthy level of profitability? That is one huge focus area: how to increase profitability? We were hit by the weak Rupee and strong Yen. So in 2009 we set up an R&D centre in HCIL and there the top priority was localisation. Localisation is going to help us in a big way in increasing profit margins. Amaze and Brio already have 90 percent localisation. Will the same level of localisation continue in the upcoming models? As I said, it’s still premature
a Mumbai-based analyst. The power solutions or genset business grew around 35 percent to touch 22,148 units in 2012-13. A company official pointed out that the growth in the genset business came from increased deliveries to the power generation sector even as sales in the telecom sector remained muted. The company also launched a harvester engine in the last fiscal and is hoping to see volumes. The company has seven manufacturing facilities including Chennai, Hosur (three plants), Alwar, Bhandara and Pantnagar (Uttarakhand), with a combined capacity of 150,000 vehicles. It has associate companies in the Czech Republic and the UAE and a joint venture in Sri Lanka, besides exports to over 30 countries worldwide.
to talk about the new products in terms of localisation because we are still contemplating. We will try to have the maximum, but if you are asking for a number I don’t have anything to share. Do you plan to opt for volume production and export to counter dipping profit margins? In fact, we have already started exports. Of course, the numbers are not great. Traditionally we have been exporting to our neighbouring countries – Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, but in small numbers. It used to be just a few hundred units. But last year we started exporting the Brio to South Africa and neighbouring countries and we exported over 2,600 cars. The Amaze is a running model and our first priority is to fulfil domestic demand, then consider export. We have no plans to export this vehicle yet. Currently, on the Amaze we have a waiting period of around five months which we want to bring down. What kind of investment are you planning to put in the new models? In terms of infrastructure, we have shared that we are investing `2,500 crore. As far as product development is concerned, we don’t share that information. Are you planning to get into entry-level hatchbacks to drive higher volumes? Every manufacturer looks at emerging opportunities and we are no different. However, today we don’t have any such plans. Premium SUVs are facing stiff competition from cost-competitive products being offered by luxury manufacturers such as Mercedes Benz and BMW. What future do you see for the CR-V? We launched a new CR-V in February 2013 and got an excellent response. That is happening
etalsa, an international structural components manufacturer for the commercial vehicle market recently acquired ISE Automotive from Nordwind Capital. The acquisition doubles Metalsa’s global footprint to 16 countries, and opens up businesses in new regions including China, Hungary, Germany, Turkey and South Africa. ISE manufactures body and chassis structures and modules, hinges and transmission components, and safety rollover protection structure (ROPS) systems. ISE’s portfolio complements Metalsa’s business with automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturers. In India, the company has an R&D centre in Pune and a manufacturing facility in Jamshedpur. For its Indian operations, Metalsa says that the ISE acquisition isn’t directly beneficial in the short term, “but indirectly on medium-long term, for customers who are looking for global support on global vehicles architectures, the presence in other regions will open up new opportunities: like Volvo for example,” said a Metalsa spokesperson. “Also, [the ISE acquisition brings]
for two reasons. One is, it’s an excellent product and is priced well. The CR-V doesn’t have a diesel variant, yet it has good demand because of the gap in price compared to the luxury manufacturers. The price of the Amaze topend variant is closer to Honda City. Do you see any kind of cannibalisation happening? If you look at past experience, there has hardly been any cannibalisation between City and Amaze. In fact, the Amaze is helping other models also because what is happening is that the Amaze is pulling people to our showrooms, and once they are there they look at other models. In May, we sold over 3,000 Citys. With the addition of UVs, how do you see your market share transforming? If you can share the year-wise market volume, I can calculate and tell you. Market share is a derived figure where the numerator is our sales and denominator is the industry volume. I have no control over the industry volume, so market share is like a by-product. We are not at a stage where we can share what kind of product it will be or the pricing it will be at. Do you think Amaze’s price point will impact the premium image of Honda cars? Frankly, price has nothing to do with premium imagery. Premiumness is in the mind of the customer and how you create the image is a function of various things. One is the product itself, second is the kind of positioning or communication that we do with the product, and third is the experience that we are able to give to customers. A car is one category where the experience is regular with the dealership, whether it’s at the time of purchase or service.
new technological knowhow with light weight concepts”, the spokesperson added. The Indian operation has the capacity to support 60,000 trucks per year and Metalsa says that there is flexibility at the plant to grow. The focus is on M&HCVs only at the moment. At the moment, they have no participation in the LCV segment in India. Tata Motors is the company’s largest customer and Volvo and Mahindra are part of the portfolio. Globally, Metalsa has two verticals – one for light vehicles and one for commercial vehicles. The light vehicles portfolio includes light duty frames, space frames, safety systems, body structures, suspension structures, fuel tanks, hinge systems and transmission modules. For commercial vehicles, Metalsa manufactures side rails and cross members, bus frames, heavy truck frames, fuel tanks and cabin stamping. Despite the large light vehicle portfolio, the company has stayed away from this segment till now. Metalsa has a strong presence in this segment in Europe but in India, and to an extent Asia, the focus is on commercial vehicles. The company spokesperson says, “We are analyzing how to support LCV segment. LVs will be analyzed at customers’ request” he concluded.
So the price point or segment that we are present in has nothing to do with imagery and we are sure that we will continue to enjoy our aspirational image. Styling is one of the biggest elements that create image, then there’s the fun-todrive element. You now have volume products. How do you plan to expand the dealer network? We have 150 facilities across 97 cities and we will expand rapidly. One thing is, at the moment we have a presence in 90 cities. With the current network that we have, if I am going to look at it from the sales and service prospective, the current network can support the kind of volumes we have right now. And by having 150 dealerships in 97 cities we can virtually cover all the tier-1 and tier-2 cities. We are also present in over 50 or 60 tier-3 towns and at these towns we are also doing service camps. How much do the smaller cities contribute to Honda sales? Tier-3, after the launch of Amaze, contributed about 25 percent. The metros are bigger contributors. But in the case of Amaze, close to 30 percent sales came from smaller cities. Why did Jazz fail despite the price cut? When we launched the new Jazz in August 2011, we got a phenomenal response. But unfortunately we could not supply for a few months because of the Thailand flood. Even after the Thai flood was over and we resumed production, we had to prioritise certain models and Brio was our new baby at that time so we had to establish Brio as a new brand. There were constraints related to production even after we resumed. While the demand for the Jazz continued, we could not match up to the demand for a long time.
Auto Monitor
Positive vibes Verito Vibe marks Mahindra’s foray into the highly competitive and volume oriented compact car segment. On the sidelines of the launch, Pradeb Biswas spoke to Vivek Nayer, Chief Marketing Officer, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra, to understand the company’s plans for the new car. What is your marketing strateg y for Verito Vibe? The marketing strategy starts from the name itself. We named it Vibe because our target audience is the youth for this car. The name also lends vibrancy to the brand. It fits in with the sporty styling and the character of the car, not to mention with our existing sedan. The Verito Vibe is a compact car with a three-box design with a proper boot. Unlike other compact cars in the market, the Verito Vibe has plenty of features on offer. Besides a distinctive styling, it offers superior cabin space. The other feature is an adequate boot space. It is also powered by a reliable and fuel-efficient Renault’s 1.5 litre DCI diesel engine. A standout pointer is its ride quality, akin to the Verito, that has received praises from the auto journalism community. The ride quality can tackle rough roads and potholes. One feels secure in this car owing to safety features like ABS with EBD, crossbar in the boot, and has the Mahindra DNA above all. We are going to leverage all these benefits and communicate
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12
take this to the customers. We need to let customers experience the benefits of the Verito Vibe.
it to the customer. The pricing is a value proposition. Our television advertisements highlight how the owner of this car is a sport. At the dealership level, what is your strategy to lure customers considering this is your foray into the compact car segment? We have imparted adequate sales training to our dealers about the target audience and our marketing strategy. Now we need to
There are plenty of established players in this segment. How do you intend to compete with them? We don’t think that Mahindra is a late entrant to the compact car segment. We are offering a distinct product. The Verito Vibe is a compact car which is born out of a sedan. This brings its own inherent strengths and benefits. Not only is the product different from competitors, our positioning is also different. We will be able to stand apart from the clutter with the Verito Vibe. I can only say that the reactions we have got so far have been very positive. The rest of the story will unfold with time. How does the Verito Vibe imbibe the Mahindra DNA of a being strong, robust vehicle? The Mahindra DNA has already been incorporated as seen from the tough build quality of the car. The ground clearance is good along with the ski racks which give it a sporty crossover look. It also sports signature LED tail lamps.
Clocking high runs Few car makers have been having a jolly good run in May.
H
onda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL) recorded its highest-ever domestic monthly sales of 11,342 units in May 2013 as against 10,334 units in the corresponding month last year, registering a growth of 9.8 percent. HCIL also exported a total volume of 738 units during May 2013. The May ‘13 sales figures reflect an upward trend over the past few months attributable to the enormous consumer response to the newly launched Honda Amaze and the recently revamped Brio. Jnaneswar Sen, Sr. VP – Marketing & Sales, HCIL, said, “Our success can be attributed to our attractive product portfolio and the Honda brand promise of technology, performance and efficiency. We expanded our operating universe with the new Honda Amaze which continues to receive great response.” Another company, Audi AG enjoyed continued sales growth
Model-wise Sales Breakup May 2013 Brio
2,012
Amaze
6,036
City
3,202
Accord
24
CRV
68
Domestic Total Exports Grand Total
11,342 738 12,080
in May 2013, handing over some 137,200 cars to customers, representing an increase of 6.4 percent compared with the prior-year month. “Despite ongoing challenges in the European market, Audi increased global sales in May. Double-digit rates of growth in Asia and the Americas played a crucial role,” says Luca de Meo, Member of the Board of Management for Sales at Audi AG. Sales in May rose considerably in the Americas region as a whole. Some 18,000 deliveries amounted to an increase of 17.9 percent.
Auto Monitor
10 JUNE 2013
COLUMN
14
Future Perfect! The Indian automotive industry needs to get past its ‘nascent stage’ tag. It needs to work at technological innovations that will improve efficiency, and venture into alternate engine options to sustain future growth: my thoughts on this Environment Day.
I
Nabeel A. Khan New Delhi
ncreasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and rising consumption of energy is a cause for concern. The big challenge for us now, to ensure a sustainable future, is to save energy while reducing CO2 emissions. While there are several contributors to the situation, let’s consider vehicles alone. In 2010, CO2 emissions from road transport alone in India was 204 million tons (MT). This is expected to reach 500 MT by 2020. On-road vehicle population in 2010 was about 100 million vehicles, which is expected to reach 300 million by 2020. This is a very different picture from what we had even three decades ago. While customers are choosy in terms of the number of features in their vehicles, the government is formulating stringent norms for cutting carbon emissions. Going by numbers, Indian roads will have approximately 20 million electric and hybrid vehicles by 2020. Most of these targets will be achieved through the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) that aims at increasing green mobility. The introduction of cheaper alternatives will also increase their acceptability. Simultaneously, the government has been seeking to make it mandatory for car makers to improve per kilometre mileage by at least 20 percent by 2020
from the current average of 16.6 km per litre of fuel. The government wants to increase it to 18.1 km/litre by 2015 and 20.79 km/ litre by 2020. Fuel efficiency standards, framed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), will be measured in terms of CO 2 emissions. On the basis of fuel efficiency, BEE, which comes under the power ministry, will give a one star rating for the least fuel efficient vehicles and five stars for the most efficient in their respective weight class. The deadline for reducing CO2 emissions by 2015 may be extended due to a lack of preparedness by the industry. A mega-trend globally, in this direction, is toward lightweighting components. Heavy metals are being replaced with lighter substitutes such as engineering plastics and aluminum for petrol and diesel vehicles. At the same time newer fuel options such as hydrogen and ethanol are being adopted. Nonetheless, the most popular adaptation for reducing carbon footprint continues to be hybrid and electric vehicles (EV), which are costly and which India is still unprepared for. Yet micro-hybrid technology and innovations such as start-stop option, advanced fuel injection, downsizing and turbocharging, automated manual transmission, selective catalytic reduction,
variable valve control cylinder deactivation, engine friction reduction, tire resistance reduction, etc. can greatly help. According to an Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) report, 30-40 percent of engines in India are less than 1200cc. This means technologies to further downsize engines, along with suitable turbocharging, will be needed to drive fuel efficiency. Manufacturers and value engineering could drive down the cost of green technology. Technology and components where this will be crucial include electronic control units (ECUs) and actuators in automated manual transmission systems, small petrol and advanced diesel (VGT and variable-nozzle turbines) turbocharging, high pressure direct injection systems, small electric parts, and lithium-ion batteries. While internal combustion engines and components are becoming more efficient and will remain a part of automobiles over the next eight to ten years, newer technologies hold the potential to cut down CO2 emissions by 5-10 percent. On the components side, the response to EVs and hybrid technology has been cold. They see a bleak future in terms of demand and lack of infrastructure to go to the next level. The
biggest challenge for the industry in achieving this could be the cost factor. It is imperative that the government offer incentives to customers and auto industry players that will enable them to reduce net cost of vehicles. Capability gaps also need to be addressed to develop and implement certain technologies. Although this will require substantial investment, revenues in the components industry could touch $15-17 billion by 2020. The government needs to create a conducive environment that will allow for localised manufacturing of green vehicle technologies that can substantially lower costs. The government must extend support in terms of R&D. It should also consider fixing an age limit up to which a vehicle can ply on roads. CO 2 emissions come from vehicles and also from manufacturing processes. Manufacturing units can help a lot by reducing their energy and pollution footprint. I hope this Environment Day has made us pause and consider again how important green technologies are to the continued survival of life, and of the automobile industry! The author can be reached at nabeel.khan@network18publishing.com
Here we come, America! I
ndian vehicle starting and charging systems manufacturer Comstar recently inaugurated a manufacturing facility in the US. Comstar says it is the first of a series of expansions planned as part of its global strategy to align with global OEM expansion plans. Comstar is a supplier to Ford and Volvo globally and this move is seen as the next step in consolidating that relationship. In late 2012 Comstar was offered a business opportunity by Ford North America for a 6.7L diesel starter motor, involving a
View of the assembly line.
built-to-print design using Ford equipment. Comstar jumped at the chance. “It meant that we could begin the journey of global footprint expansion immediately, though it was fraught with challenges and risks. This is defying the common wisdom of high labour costs, saturated markets and the uncertainty of the US economy,” says President and CEO of Comstar Automotive USA LLC, Sat Mohan Gupta. A number of factors were involved in the choice of the US as the site for the plant. It would allow Comstar to be close to the
Comstar was offered a business opportunity by Ford North America for a 6.7L diesel starter motor, involving a built-to-print design using Ford equipment. Comstar jumped at the chance. customer: the starter motors were meant for Ford’s high-selling heavy duty trucks built at the Kentucky assembly plant in Louisville. Next, time was short: the transfer of the Ford business and the launch had to happen in a window of 9 weeks. Any movement of equipment across the world was a no-no, and finally, it was a chance to grow Comstar’s manufacturing footprint, something that went with Comstar’s growth plan of building satellite assembly plants in key growth markets. Ford has great products on offer and a strong presence in the high volume North American vehicle market. Despite concerns about the economy and the high
Tape cutting by Chuck DeBiasi of Ford, the Tecumseh Mayor, and the MEDC director.
level of joblessness, vehicle sales have started to pick up since last year. Heavy duty trucks are a high margin business and Ford enjoys a good share of it. The 6.7L diesel engine is the backbone of super duty trucks such as the F250, 350, 450, Expedition and Navigators. “This business guarantees steady volume with good possibility of growth,” avers Praveen Chakrapani Rao, Associate Vice President, CBG. The plant has been set up in Tecumseh, Michigan, with a builtup area of 12,500 sq. ft. Comstar
picked the facility after scouting several locations in Michigan and Ohio. “The local city council officials were very enthusiastic and offered a warm welcome. The city offered all the support in setting up our business. In fact we found that getting the business license, fire and safety approval were very smooth,” Mr. Gupta said. The company has committed more than `50 million through internal generation for setting up the plant. It has a production capacity of 500,000 starter motors per year.
Auto Monitor
10 JUNE 2013
NEWS
16
BMW opens dealership in Noida
B
MW I nd ia ha s announced the opening of Deutsche Motoren, its new dealership facility, in the National Capital Region. The new Deutsche Motoren dealership is located at H-8, Sector-63, Noida and is headed by Mr. Yadur Kapur, Managing Director, Deutsche Motoren. Mr. Philipp von Sa hr, President, BMW Group India said, “Following a vision of sustainable growth, BMW India is committed to exceed customer expectations and create customer delight. The development of a BMW dealer network of international standards at all important commercial centers across the country definitely plays a key role in achieving our vision. With the launch of Deutsche Motoren Noida, we will continue to set new standards in the premium car market in the National
Capital Region and provide high quality services to our customers and prospects. “Since the beginning, BMW India has set a decisive course with the introduction of worldclass premium dealerships that presented an unparalleled experience to the premium clientele and changed the face of the Indian luxury car segment. By end of 2014, BMW India will aggressively expand its dealer network by increasing the number of sales outlets to 50 across major metropolitan centers and emerging markets in India.” Spread over 90,611 sq ft, the new dealership has an ultramodern showroom integrated with an after-sales service facility featuring service bays and a spare parts inventory. While the design of the showroom is based on the Urban Street Display concept which is a signature BMW
The fakes menace... Contd. from Pg 1 ...these counterfeits from coming through Customs. Is there an understanding on where these products are coming from? SG: In India, Delhi is a big market. Being in the business and interacting with a lot of people, we have understood that. We have conducted some raids on people who manufacture spurious parts. Delhi, I think, is the biggest and going up north, I think Punjab and some parts of Maharashtra are the bigger markets for spurious parts. What is the biggest concern with spurious parts? SG: If we do not look at it from an OEM’s point of view, the biggest concern is the huge tax revenue the government is losing. The estimates are around `2,500 crore every year. And this is not a recent figure. It will be much higher now. There is also the concern of road safety. A vehicle that fails because of a component that was a fake has huge consequences. Awareness is the fundamental plank on which we will have to work on. Government legislations and enforcements will also bring some order to the situation we are facing now. How deep does the spurious parts business run? How organized is it?
SG: I wouldn’t say well organized because these are cottage industries but since these are packed in attractive cartons, they look like original parts. If today, we serve them a notice, they will start manufacturing from another location. They are flexible and in the interiors of India where awareness is much lower than what it is in cities, it is easy to pass them off as original. RB: Although the manufacturing is unorganized, the supply chain is very organized because of the huge margins. A brand owner will spend a huge sum of money in R&D, patenting, getting that part made in the right material, etc. These spurious parts manufacturers don’t have to do any such thing. Because of this and the taxes they avoid, the supply chain is well organized and therefore you have a situation where nearly 40 percent of the spare parts available in this country are actually of suspect quality. Can you elaborate on the supply chain? RB: The dealership or the mechanic makes a huge incentive because when he sells a spurious part, he buys it at a lower cost and the manufacturer also gives him a commission in addition to what the differential in price is. People who handle the supply chain are generally linked to organized
layout, the design of the workshop is based upon Reception at the Car (RATC) with a consultation and service lounge in the after sales area. The showroom can display up to 9 cars and the workshop is equipped with 33 service bays that can service up to 130 cars per day. Mr. Yadur Kapur, Managing Director, Deutsche Motoren said, “Deutsche Motoren’s association with BMW India dates back to 2007. We believe that the foundation of this association is based on bringing extremely high standards in sales and service of premium automobiles to
India. Deutsche Motoren recently opened India’s biggest BMW dealership in Faridabad. With the launch of a new dealership in Noida, Deutsche Motoren will get the opportunity to reach out to more of our valued customers in the National Capital Region. We are very proud of the growth that we have experienced with BMW India and will always be committed to delivering the best to our premium clientele in every possible way.” Deutsche Motoren represents BMW with five outlets in the National Capital Region: BMW Studio (New Delhi), Deutsche
Motoren (Mathura Road, New Del hi), Deutsche Motoren (West Delhi), Deutsche Motoren (Fa ridabad) a nd Deutsche Motoren (Noida). Deutsche Motoren currently has a sales and service staff of around 100 people. As with every BMW dealership, Deutsche Motoren has provided its staff intense training to ensure customers receive best-in-class pre- and post sales ownership experience. A team of sales and service engineers have also been trained at BMW’s training centers in Singapore, Malaysia and Germany.
crime. People who deal with these parts are based in areas that are inaccessible to a normal citizen. These are hubs of illegal activities and that is also the concern – is this money also funding anti-social elements? You can see OECD reports and ICC BASCAP reports, internationally they have had a clear link to anti-social elements and illegal trade.
mation and equip them with the knowledge to distinguish between spurious and genuine parts. SG: There is one more funny aspect. If you have been able to identify a large amount of counterfeits, you inform the local body about it. The process takes six to nine months. During this period, it is the informant’s liability to find a godown for the parts, till the legal process begins. This could take ten more years. Where will an informant find a godown to stock the parts and pay the rent? I can say that in Mahindra itself, there are at least 20,000 vehicles in the personal segment itself coming to our outlets daily. If we can educate them, similarly at every other manufacturer’s dealerships and workshops, a large volume of customers will at least be aware of this menace. Also, the technicians need to know. The challenge is ways to continue to keep this subject alive in the minds of consumers.
the only quick fix. SG: We have realized that we cannot keep on filing legal cases and complaints because it is expensive. And also because how many of our officers can go personally to courts?
Retailers are at fault too buying spurious parts knowingly. SG: There are two types are retailers. One is the type associated with the OEM’s authorized distribution network. The other is the lakhs of small retailers who will store any part. Their front window will show original parts but what they stock are dubious. To a customer, they offer both saying the original will cost more while the other one will have a shorter life but is considerably cheaper. Many fall for it. RB: The crux of the problem is the enforcement. The availability of police is a huge question mark. This is an area they find uncomfortable because there are trademark and copyright laws involved, and he doesn’t understand it because it is technical. So one of the areas our group in SIAM has recognized is to build awareness in the law enforcement agency where we encourage them to make special wings to deal with such kind of crimes. We propose to train them and give them the infor-
Have you seen counterfeit products sold through company workshops or franchisees or authorized workshops? RB: At our workshop, we did find one. We immediately terminated the contract. While he may have been lured by margins, it was tarnishing our brand. So we have frequent checks and balances carried out on the inventory. Is there a quick-fix to stop or reduce counterfeiting? RB: Consumer awareness is
Lastly, what would be your recommendations to the government, regulatory and law implementing authorities on this subject? RB: The key is enforcement. Even if laws are enforced, it will offer a huge boost to the genuine movement. Unfortunately, they are not keen to do that. So it will be our endeavour to build consensus among consumers who demand these kind of services and also ask the law enforcing agencies to equip themselves to deal with this issue. SG: To add to this point, I think it’s time for the government to define the end of life period of a vehicle. Where will you put these counterfeit parts if these vehicles are not on the road? Vehicles above 12 to 15 years for example. Vehicles older than five years migrate outside the OEM network. It is hard to keep track of them. Then there are also vehicles on the field like tractors. Once they go on the field, they never leave it. How are they running? If you use spurious parts, it affects fuel consumption among other things. The additional consumption due to counterfeit parts is 109 million litres of petrol and eight million litres of diesel per annum according to a study conducted by SIAM in 2011.
Auto Monitor
10 JUNE 2013
N O R T H A M E R I C A N A S S E M B LY
18
AUTOFACTS Global Automotive Outlook PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
North American actual assembly history 4-2013 (by Brand & Nameplate) April 2013 Ownership Org/
Last 3 Months
Year to Date
YOY
Assembly
YOY
Brand & Nameplate
Volume
% Chg
Share %
Share Chg
AutoAlliance International (USA)
-
-100.0%
-
(-1.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-1.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-1.0)
Ford Mustang
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.8)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.7)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.6)
Mazda Mazda6
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.3)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.4)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.4)
BMW (Germany)
29,611
12.1%
2.0%
(-0.1)
87,107
5.3%
2.1%
0
1,16,442
9.0%
2.1%
BMW X3
13,833
6.8%
1.0%
(-0.1)
40,744
3.4%
1.0%
(-0.0)
54,474
7.1%
1.0%
0
BMW X5
12,945
31.8%
0.9%
0.1
37,952
22.2%
0.9%
0.1
50,711
26.9%
0.9%
0.2
BMW X6
2,833
-21.9%
0.2%
(-0.1)
8,411
-31.3%
0.2%
(-0.1)
11,257
-29.7%
0.2%
(-0.1)
Chrysler Group LLC (USA)
2,16,758
12.7%
15.0%
(-0.4)
6,12,732
0.4%
14.7%
(-0.6)
7,85,663
-1.2%
14.4%
(-0.8)
Chrysler 200
13,449
4.0%
0.9%
(-0.1)
38,036
3.6%
0.9%
(-0.0)
49,470
8.9%
0.9%
0
Chrysler 300
5,293
-42.0%
0.4%
(-0.4)
15,068
-38.9%
0.4%
(-0.3)
21,633
-31.1%
0.4%
(-0.2)
Volume
YOY
Assembly
YOY
% Chg
Share %
Share Chg
Volume
YOY
Assembly
YOY
% Chg
Share %
Share Chg
0.1
Chrysler Town & Country
12,471
13.2%
0.9%
(-0.0)
34,562
15.9%
0.8%
0.1
39,835
6.7%
0.7%
0
Dodge Avenger
10,167
-5.9%
0.7%
(-0.2)
33,597
18.7%
0.8%
0.1
45,746
31.9%
0.8%
0.2
Dodge Caravan
17,035
2.0%
1.2%
(-0.2)
46,722
-8.7%
1.1%
(-0.2)
53,212
-18.4%
1.0%
(-0.3)
Dodge Challenger
4,847
11.2%
0.3%
(-0.0)
15,415
19.7%
0.4%
0
19,956
21.8%
0.4%
0.1
Dodge Charger
8,720
36.6%
0.6%
0.1
29,590
27.7%
0.7%
0.1
38,639
23.4%
0.7%
0.1
Dodge Dart
10,380
-
0.7%
0.7
28,482
-
0.7%
0.7
35,528
-
0.6%
0.6
Dodge Durango
5,514
28.0%
0.4%
0
17,733
41.9%
0.4%
0.1
21,271
40.7%
0.4%
0.1
Dodge Journey
14,203
54.6%
1.0%
0.2
37,251
16.2%
0.9%
0.1
48,716
13.8%
0.9%
0.1
Fiat 500
5,693
-14.5%
0.4%
(-0.1)
16,487
-16.4%
0.4%
(-0.1)
20,103
-22.4%
0.4%
(-0.1) (-0.2)
Fiat Freemont
1,944
-51.3%
0.1%
(-0.2)
7,219
-44.5%
0.2%
(-0.2)
11,308
-41.3%
0.2%
Jeep Compass
12,342
21.4%
0.9%
0
32,239
-8.7%
0.8%
(-0.1)
43,620
-3.7%
0.8%
(-0.1)
Jeep Grand Cherokee
22,676
20.2%
1.6%
0.1
63,501
5.0%
1.5%
0
78,117
-4.1%
1.4%
(-0.1)
Jeep Liberty
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.9)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.8)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.8)
Jeep Patriot
7,123
-6.9%
0.5%
(-0.1)
22,572
-31.2%
0.5%
(-0.3)
32,313
-25.5%
0.6%
(-0.2)
Jeep Wrangler
6,817
11.5%
0.5%
(-0.0)
18,627
-6.9%
0.4%
(-0.1)
24,425
-6.3%
0.4%
(-0.1)
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
13,360
37.3%
0.9%
0.1
35,445
14.3%
0.9%
0.1
47,943
17.3%
0.9%
0.1
Lancia Flavia
173
-71.8%
0.0%
(-0.0)
353
-60.6%
0.0%
(-0.0)
542
-39.4%
0.0%
(-0.0) (-0.0)
Lancia Grand Voyager
274
-61.0%
0.0%
(-0.0)
1,420
-33.8%
0.0%
(-0.0)
1,901
-26.9%
0.0%
Lancia Thema
382
38100.0%
0.0%
0
1,019
506.5%
0.0%
0
1,260
37.6%
0.0%
0
Ram Cargo Van
902
25.3%
0.1%
0
2,330
-16.0%
0.1%
(-0.0)
2,812
-24.3%
0.1%
(-0.0)
Ram Pickup
42,901
38.8%
3.0%
0.5
1,14,795
8.8%
2.8%
0.1
1,47,035
5.4%
2.7%
0
SRT Viper
92
-
0.0%
0
269
-
0.0%
0
278
-
0.0%
0
Chrysler Group LLC (USA)
2,16,758
12.7%
15.0%
(-0.4)
6,12,732
0.4%
14.7%
(-0.6)
7,85,663
-1.2%
14.4%
(-0.8)
Volkswagen Routan
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
Daimler AG (Germany)
17,411
14.7%
1.2%
(-0.0)
50,418
5.5%
1.2%
0
68,967
8.9%
1.3%
0.1
Freightliner Sprinter
192
-75.2%
0.0%
(-0.0)
540
-77.8%
0.0%
(-0.0)
718
-77.5%
0.0%
(-0.0) 0.1
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
3,779
18.1%
0.3%
0
14,784
46.7%
0.4%
0.1
21,136
57.3%
0.4%
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class AMG
19
-
0.0%
0
75
-
0.0%
0
107
-
0.0%
0
Mercedes-Benz M-Class
11,166
16.9%
0.8%
0
29,953
-0.5%
0.7%
(-0.0)
40,156
0.1%
0.7%
(-0.0)
Mercedes-Benz M-Class AMG
56
16.7%
0.0%
0
150
-0.7%
0.0%
(-0.0)
201
-
0.0%
(-0.0)
Mercedes-Benz R-Class
1,487
-7.1%
0.1%
(-0.0)
2,230
-55.8%
0.1%
(-0.1)
2,534
-60.3%
0.0%
(-0.1)
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
712
-
0.0%
0
2,686
-
0.1%
0.1
4,115
-
0.1%
0.1
Ford Motor Company (USA)
2,78,170
24.7%
19.2%
1.4
7,97,729
18.5%
19.2%
2.3
10,58,565
21.2%
19.4%
2.7 0.3
Ford C-MAX
4,782
6030.8%
0.3%
0.3
13,944
11236.6%
0.3%
0.3
18,118
14394.4%
0.3%
Ford Edge
17,279
15.6%
1.2%
0
49,873
18.4%
1.2%
0.1
67,083
16.6%
1.2%
0.1
Ford Escape
33,962
10.8%
2.3%
(-0.1)
1,00,470
11.3%
2.4%
0.1
1,32,218
12.1%
2.4%
0.2 (-0.1)
Ford E-Series
16,214
14.6%
1.1%
(-0.0)
40,365
-7.2%
1.0%
(-0.1)
49,848
-3.5%
0.9%
Ford Expedition
5,989
9.3%
0.4%
(-0.0)
17,869
3.2%
0.4%
(-0.0)
24,137
7.4%
0.4%
0
Ford Explorer
19,664
20.1%
1.4%
0.1
58,734
18.3%
1.4%
0.2
78,820
21.7%
1.4%
0.2
Ford Fiesta
12,286
12.3%
0.8%
(-0.0)
35,561
7.1%
0.9%
0
48,742
6.9%
0.9%
0
Ford Flex
3,037
-7.3%
0.2%
(-0.1)
8,824
7.5%
0.2%
0
11,908
4.0%
0.2%
(-0.0)
Ford Focus
26,642
11.2%
1.8%
(-0.1)
77,190
18.5%
1.9%
0.2
1,03,329
22.2%
1.9%
0.3
Ford F-Series
81,620
29.2%
5.6%
0.6
2,33,980
19.0%
5.6%
0.7
3,13,227
20.7%
5.7%
0.8
Ford Fusion
29,207
22.7%
2.0%
0.1
81,163
2.4%
1.9%
(-0.0)
1,07,915
13.3%
2.0%
0.2
Ford Mustang
10,386
-
0.7%
0.7
29,391
-
0.7%
0.7
35,332
-
0.6%
0.6
Ford Taurus
8,196
-9.2%
0.6%
(-0.2)
24,909
6.5%
0.6%
0
32,984
6.8%
0.6%
0
Lincoln Mark LT
92
475.0%
0.0%
0
175
218.2%
0.0%
0
219
173.8%
0.0%
0
Lincoln MKS
1,058
-22.7%
0.1%
(-0.0)
2,771
-30.8%
0.1%
(-0.0)
3,699
-29.0%
0.1%
(-0.0)
Lincoln MKT
478
-41.7%
0.0%
(-0.0)
1,487
-37.9%
0.0%
(-0.0)
2,151
-27.9%
0.0%
(-0.0)
Lincoln MKX
1,412
-36.8%
0.1%
(-0.1)
4,345
-37.9%
0.1%
(-0.1)
7,266
-25.7%
0.1%
(-0.1)
Lincoln MKZ
4,686
120.7%
0.3%
0.2
14,099
63.1%
0.3%
0.1
18,134
67.7%
0.3%
0.1
Lincoln Navigator
1,180
85.0%
0.1%
0
2,579
17.9%
0.1%
0
3,435
14.4%
0.1%
0
Fuji Heavy Industries (Japan)
24,588
9.1%
1.7%
(-0.1)
72,939
-4.3%
1.8%
(-0.2)
98,161
-4.3%
1.8%
(-0.2)
Subaru Legacy
4,457
24.7%
0.3%
0
12,527
-11.2%
0.3%
(-0.1)
17,184
-10.0%
0.3%
(-0.1)
Subaru Outback
11,469
5.0%
0.8%
(-0.1)
35,509
0.8%
0.9%
(-0.0)
47,392
0.2%
0.9%
(-0.0)
Fuji Heavy Industries (Japan)
24,588
9.1%
1.7%
(-0.1)
72,939
-4.3%
1.8%
(-0.2)
98,161
-4.3%
1.8%
(-0.2)
Subaru Tribeca
318
-15.9%
0.0%
(-0.0)
821
-26.6%
0.0%
(-0.0)
1,039
-32.2%
0.0%
(-0.0)
Toyota Camry
8,344
8.8%
0.6%
(-0.0)
24,082
-6.5%
0.6%
(-0.1)
32,546
-5.9%
0.6%
(-0.1)
General Motors Company (USA)
2,70,096
2.6%
18.7%
(-2.3)
8,17,947
-6.2%
19.6%
(-2.2)
10,77,989
-4.2%
19.7%
(-1.8)
Buick Enclave
6,811
20.3%
0.5%
0
16,979
-5.1%
0.4%
(-0.0)
22,110
-4.5%
0.4%
(-0.0)
Buick LaCrosse
4,701
-17.3%
0.3%
(-0.1)
10,611
-33.5%
0.3%
(-0.1)
16,037
-17.5%
0.3%
(-0.1)
Buick Regal
1,257
-30.0%
0.1%
(-0.1)
4,704
10.3%
0.1%
0
6,254
-5.1%
0.1%
(-0.0) (-0.0)
Buick Verano
4,830
-2.3%
0.3%
(-0.1)
13,768
-7.4%
0.3%
(-0.0)
18,150
-4.4%
0.3%
Cadillac ATS
2,651
-
0.2%
0.2
8,778
-
0.2%
0.2
12,242
-
0.2%
0.2
Cadillac CTS
2,053
-55.7%
0.1%
(-0.2)
7,823
-48.2%
0.2%
(-0.2)
9,295
-52.1%
0.2%
(-0.2)
Cadillac Escalade
1,119
-9.5%
0.1%
(-0.0)
3,812
6.7%
0.1%
0
3,990
-19.5%
0.1%
(-0.0)
Cadillac Escalade ESV
798
1.1%
0.1%
(-0.0)
2,484
23.4%
0.1%
0
2,559
-3.2%
0.0%
(-0.0)
Cadillac Escalade EXT
1
-99.3%
0.0%
(-0.0)
835
30.7%
0.0%
0
1,168
51.3%
0.0%
0
Cadillac SRX
7,127
-3.0%
0.5%
(-0.1)
20,120
-10.1%
0.5%
(-0.1)
24,971
-17.6%
0.5%
(-0.1)
Cadillac XTS
1,592
-
0.1%
0.1
8,818
-
0.2%
0.2
11,471
-
0.2%
0.2
Chevrolet Avalanche
814
-23.2%
0.1%
(-0.0)
7,229
26.7%
0.2%
0
11,089
48.8%
0.2%
0.1
Chevrolet Aveo
8,446
37.6%
0.6%
0.1
20,939
3.4%
0.5%
(-0.0)
28,242
4.4%
0.5%
(-0.0) (-0.2)
Chevrolet Camaro
6,171
-34.7%
0.4%
(-0.3)
18,379
-21.4%
0.4%
(-0.1)
26,282
-22.9%
0.5%
Chevrolet Captiva
6,372
14.7%
0.4%
(-0.0)
16,254
5.9%
0.4%
0
21,091
7.5%
0.4%
Chevrolet Colorado
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.3)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.3)
-
-100.0%
-
0 (-0.3)
10 JUNE 2013
Auto Monitor
N O R T H A M E R I C A N A S S E M B LY April 2013 YOY % Chg
Assembly Share %
19
Last 3 Months
Ownership Org/ Brand & Nameplate
YOY Share Chg
Volume
Chevrolet Corvette
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
Chevrolet Cruze
25,696
3.7%
1.8%
(-0.2)
Year to Date
YOY % Chg
Assembly Share %
1,438
-61.8%
0.0%
(-0.1)
3,155
-30.7%
0.1%
(-0.0)
75,105
-2.9%
1.8%
(-0.1)
96,379
-4.5%
1.8%
(-0.2) (-0.0)
Volume
YOY Share Chg
Volume
YOY % Chg
Assembly Share %
YOY Share Chg
Chevrolet Equinox
23,426
13.0%
1.6%
(-0.0)
68,037
1.0%
1.6%
(-0.1)
91,427
3.1%
1.7%
Chevrolet Express
8,903
10.3%
0.6%
(-0.0)
24,763
4.1%
0.6%
(-0.0)
27,144
-5.5%
0.5%
(-0.1)
Chevrolet Impala
16,733
7.3%
1.2%
(-0.1)
44,963
-9.3%
1.1%
(-0.2)
58,981
-10.3%
1.1%
(-0.2)
Chevrolet Malibu
13,013
-34.8%
0.9%
(-0.7)
36,151
-43.8%
0.9%
(-0.7)
55,800
-35.0%
1.0%
(-0.6)
Chevrolet Silverado
38,278
10.0%
2.6%
(-0.1)
1,34,244
-6.4%
3.2%
(-0.4)
1,86,602
2.4%
3.4%
(-0.1)
Chevrolet Sonic
12,747
43.4%
0.9%
0.2
35,886
32.7%
0.9%
0.2
49,065
41.2%
0.9%
0.2
Chevrolet Suburban
5,261
15.9%
0.4%
0
13,888
-13.7%
0.3%
(-0.1)
14,274
-29.9%
0.3%
(-0.1)
Chevrolet Tahoe
11,325
16.3%
0.8%
0
31,206
-2.2%
0.7%
(-0.1)
32,203
-20.2%
0.6%
(-0.2)
Chevrolet Traverse
9,612
15.5%
0.7%
0
25,931
0.0%
0.6%
(-0.0)
33,585
4.3%
0.6%
(-0.0)
Chevrolet Trax
1,251
-
0.1%
0.1
8,411
-
0.2%
0.2
12,645
-
0.2%
0.2
Chevrolet Volt
2,740
75.4%
0.2%
0.1
8,749
71.7%
0.2%
0.1
11,664
128.9%
0.2%
0.1
General Motors Company (USA)
2,70,096
2.6%
18.7%
(-2.3)
8,17,947
-6.2%
19.6%
(-2.2)
10,77,989
-4.2%
19.7%
(-1.8)
GMC Acadia
9,135
24.3%
0.6%
0
29,667
27.7%
0.7%
0.1
40,172
35.6%
0.7%
GMC Canyon
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.1)
0.2
GMC Savana
3,065
-26.1%
0.2%
(-0.1)
7,476
-32.5%
0.2%
(-0.1)
7,881
-40.4%
0.1%
(-0.1)
GMC Sierra
2
-
0.0%
0
2
-
0.0%
0
2
-
0.0%
0
GMC Sierra Pickups
14,340
-15.6%
1.0%
(-0.4)
56,335
-13.2%
1.4%
(-0.3)
77,732
-2.9%
1.4%
(-0.1)
GMC Terrain
11,075
9.6%
0.8%
(-0.0)
31,407
-5.3%
0.8%
(-0.1)
40,693
-7.5%
0.7%
(-0.1)
GMC Yukon
4,814
22.6%
0.3%
0
13,015
-10.1%
0.3%
(-0.1)
13,460
-27.8%
0.2%
(-0.1)
GMC Yukon XL
3,721
41.3%
0.3%
0
9,300
2.7%
0.2%
(-0.0)
9,658
-18.9%
0.2%
(-0.1)
Holden Volt
28
-
0.0%
0
89
-
0.0%
0
123
-
0.0%
0
Opel-Vauxhall Ampera
188
-66.2%
0.0%
(-0.0)
351
-89.6%
0.0%
(-0.1)
393
-88.4%
0.0%
(-0.1)
Honda Motor Company (Japan)
1,60,764
17.3%
11.1%
0.2
4,66,422
4.2%
11.2%
(-0.0)
6,17,088
3.3%
11.3%
(-0.1)
Acura ILX
120
-84.1%
0.0%
(-0.1)
1,408
86.7%
0.0%
0
1,833
143.1%
0.0%
0
Acura MDX
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.5)
4,622
-76.7%
0.1%
(-0.4)
6,482
-75.4%
0.1%
(-0.4)
Acura RDX
5,099
29.0%
0.4%
0
15,899
167.5%
0.4%
0.2
20,946
251.7%
0.4%
0.3
Acura TL
584
-84.0%
0.0%
(-0.3)
9,967
-12.5%
0.2%
(-0.0)
13,029
-23.8%
0.2%
(-0.1)
Acura ZDX
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
181
-68.4%
0.0%
(-0.0)
181
-68.4%
0.0%
(-0.0)
Honda Accord
43,007
38.7%
3.0%
0.5
1,19,957
13.3%
2.9%
0.2
1,57,496
11.5%
2.9%
0.2
Honda Civic
42,386
34.3%
2.9%
0.4
1,23,473
7.5%
3.0%
0.1
1,65,780
4.1%
3.0%
(-0.0)
Honda Crosstour
3,538
-13.3%
0.2%
(-0.1)
5,277
-46.0%
0.1%
(-0.1)
7,444
-36.8%
0.1%
(-0.1)
Honda CR-V
36,344
34.5%
2.5%
0.4
1,00,394
12.4%
2.4%
0.2
1,31,794
13.1%
2.4%
0.2
Honda Odyssey
12,815
-7.9%
0.9%
(-0.2)
35,829
-18.1%
0.9%
(-0.2)
46,219
-21.1%
0.8%
(-0.3)
Honda Pilot
15,309
17.9%
1.1%
0
43,052
3.0%
1.0%
(-0.0)
57,399
7.3%
1.0%
0
Honda Ridgeline
1,562
-1.8%
0.1%
(-0.0)
6,363
72.4%
0.2%
0.1
8,485
47.2%
0.2%
0
Hyundai Motor Company (South Korea)
71,273
19.3%
4.9%
0.2
2,01,115
15.1%
4.8%
0.4
2,65,925
15.2%
4.9%
0.5
Hyundai Elantra/i30
18,596
72.6%
1.3%
0.4
51,922
66.6%
1.2%
0.5
66,995
65.1%
1.2%
Hyundai Santa Fe
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.8)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.7)
-
-100.0%
-
0.4 (-0.7)
Hyundai Santa Fe/ix45
9,600
-
0.7%
0.7
25,452
-
0.6%
0.6
35,164
-
0.6%
0.6
Hyundai Sonata/i40
18,776
7.7%
1.3%
(-0.1)
52,810
-5.1%
1.3%
(-0.1)
71,837
-4.8%
1.3%
(-0.1)
Kia Optima
11,300
6.1%
0.8%
(-0.1)
33,572
7.5%
0.8%
0
46,690
17.6%
0.9%
0.1
Kia Sorento
13,001
20.0%
0.9%
0
37,359
24.1%
0.9%
0.1
45,239
11.8%
0.8%
0.1
Mitsubishi Motors Corp (Japan)
4,784
105.1%
0.3%
0.1
15,336
137.5%
0.4%
0.2
21,520
162.2%
0.4%
0.2
Mitsubishi Galant
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.2)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.2)
-
-100.0%
-
Mitsubishi Motors Corp (Japan)
4,784
105.1%
0.3%
0.1
15,336
137.5%
0.4%
0.2
21,520
162.2%
0.4%
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
4,784
-
0.3%
0.3
15,336
-
0.4%
0.4
21,520
-
0.4%
0.4
Nissan Motor (Japan)
1,33,924
42.5%
9.3%
1.8
3,79,330
16.8%
9.1%
1.0
4,98,681
13.8%
9.1%
0.7
Infiniti JX Series
3,483
6.6%
0.2%
(-0.0)
11,248
72.1%
0.3%
0.1
15,134
130.2%
0.3%
0.2
Nissan Altima
33,901
27.9%
2.3%
0.2
1,03,780
18.8%
2.5%
0.3
1,34,275
15.3%
2.5%
0.2
Nissan Armada
1,497
-2.2%
0.1%
(-0.0)
2,654
-54.1%
0.1%
(-0.1)
3,368
-57.2%
0.1%
(-0.1)
(-0.2) 0.2
Nissan Frontier
11,728
46.8%
0.8%
0.2
26,500
13.1%
0.6%
0
31,425
5.9%
0.6%
0
Nissan Leaf
1,798
-
0.1%
0.1
6,578
-
0.2%
0.2
8,622
-
0.2%
0.2
Nissan March
3,182
-34.2%
0.2%
(-0.2)
11,806
-36.4%
0.3%
(-0.2)
13,701
-48.8%
0.3%
(-0.3)
Nissan Maxima
2,622
-57.1%
0.2%
(-0.3)
10,019
-48.8%
0.2%
(-0.3)
14,365
-46.1%
0.3%
(-0.2) 0
Nissan NV200
309
-
0.0%
0
1,712
-
0.0%
0
1,800
-
0.0%
Nissan NV-Series
1,266
131.4%
0.1%
0
3,225
79.8%
0.1%
0
4,029
48.1%
0.1%
0
Nissan Pathfinder
10,106
182.5%
0.7%
0.4
33,669
304.5%
0.8%
0.6
41,831
271.2%
0.8%
0.5
Nissan Pickup
11,463
87.3%
0.8%
0.3
29,682
46.5%
0.7%
0.2
38,361
50.0%
0.7%
0.2
Nissan Sentra
18,878
68.9%
1.3%
0.4
47,989
34.0%
1.2%
0.3
67,236
38.3%
1.2%
0.3
Nissan Tiida
5,115
38.1%
0.4%
0.1
12,531
-62.8%
0.3%
(-0.5)
18,110
-63.6%
0.3%
(-0.6)
Nissan Titan
1,549
-44.3%
0.1%
(-0.1)
2,961
-61.7%
0.1%
(-0.1)
3,221
-68.2%
0.1%
(-0.1)
Nissan Tsuru
5,533
551.7%
0.4%
0.3
14,198
48.3%
0.3%
0.1
19,859
39.8%
0.4%
0.1
Nissan Versa
19,937
58.7%
1.4%
0.4
56,857
39.3%
1.4%
0.3
78,304
44.9%
1.4%
0.4
Nissan Xterra
1,557
-30.5%
0.1%
(-0.1)
3,921
-21.8%
0.1%
(-0.0)
5,040
-32.9%
0.1%
(-0.1)
Suzuki Equator
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
-
-100.0%
-
(-0.0)
Tesla Motors (USA)
1,493
-
0.1%
0.1
4,704
-
0.1%
0.1
6,384
-
0.1%
Tesla Model S
1,493
-
0.1%
0.1
4,704
-
0.1%
0.1
6,384
-
0.1%
Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan)
1,64,993
13.8%
11.4%
(-0.2)
4,55,839
3.0%
10.9%
(-0.2)
6,01,642
2.9%
11.0%
(-0.2)
Lexus RX Series
8,011
10.5%
0.6%
(-0.0)
22,013
-1.5%
0.5%
(-0.0)
29,638
-0.8%
0.5%
(-0.0)
Toyota Avalon
10,357
180.6%
0.7%
0.4
28,610
178.3%
0.7%
0.4
37,679
177.7%
0.7%
0.4
Toyota Camry
33,601
2.4%
2.3%
(-0.3)
96,680
-3.7%
2.3%
(-0.2)
1,28,037
-5.7%
2.3%
(-0.3) (-0.2)
0.1 0.1
Toyota Corolla
32,388
-0.5%
2.2%
(-0.4)
83,724
-9.0%
2.0%
(-0.3)
1,12,875
-2.7%
2.1%
Toyota Highlander
12,555
13.3%
0.9%
(-0.0)
35,803
3.5%
0.9%
(-0.0)
48,562
6.4%
0.9%
0
Toyota Matrix
990
-44.1%
0.1%
(-0.1)
4,198
-32.2%
0.1%
(-0.1)
5,510
-33.4%
0.1%
(-0.1) (-0.0)
Toyota RAV4
20,089
27.0%
1.4%
0.1
54,375
15.2%
1.3%
0.1
62,367
0.6%
1.1%
Toyota Sequoia
2,375
21.3%
0.2%
0
6,770
11.3%
0.2%
0
9,187
14.1%
0.2%
0
Toyota Sienna
12,646
11.4%
0.9%
(-0.0)
36,087
-0.3%
0.9%
(-0.0)
49,028
-0.3%
0.9%
(-0.0)
Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan)
1,64,993
13.8%
11.4%
(-0.2)
4,55,839
3.0%
10.9%
(-0.2)
6,01,642
2.9%
11.0%
(-0.2)
Toyota Tacoma
16,307
24.7%
1.1%
0.1
44,356
12.1%
1.1%
0.1
59,551
15.2%
1.1%
0.1
Toyota Tundra
10,886
15.3%
0.8%
(-0.0)
29,447
-5.3%
0.7%
(-0.1)
39,793
-6.1%
0.7%
(-0.1)
Toyota Venza
4,788
13.4%
0.3%
(-0.0)
13,776
-17.4%
0.3%
(-0.1)
19,415
-13.1%
0.4%
(-0.1)
Volkswagen (Germany)
73,265
23.9%
5.1%
0.3
2,02,366
9.2%
4.9%
0.2
2,52,825
0.6%
4.6%
(-0.2)
Volkswagen Beetle
13,445
66.7%
0.9%
0.3
36,621
43.8%
0.9%
0.2
43,222
24.2%
0.8%
0.1
Volkswagen Golf/Jetta Variant
8,231
-31.2%
0.6%
(-0.4)
28,056
-25.8%
0.7%
(-0.3)
36,950
-28.5%
0.7%
(-0.3)
Volkswagen Jetta
32,407
16.1%
2.2%
0
88,110
-
2.1%
(-0.1)
1,08,859
-9.6%
2.0%
(-0.3)
Volkswagen Passat
19,182
71.3%
1.3%
0.4
49,579
45.9%
1.2%
0.3
63,794
43.3%
1.2%
0.3
Total Light Vehicle
14,47,130
15.5%
100.0%
-
41,63,984
4.5%
100.0%
-
54,69,852
4.5%
100.0%
-
Auto Monitor
20
10 JUNE 2013
G L O B A L WAT C H
Volkswagen’s TSI technology wins Engine Of The Year award
T
he 1.4-litre TSI petrol eng i ne f rom Volkswagen has won the “Engine of the Year Award” for the seventh consecutive time in the 1.0 to 1.4 litre displacement category. This makes the 1.4-litre TSI the most successful engine in the 15-year history of this international engine technology competition. In addition, Volkswagen received the coveted “Best New Engine Award” for its TSI technology in combination with automatic cylinder deactivation (ACT). This award recognises the best engine development of the past 12 months. Since 2006, Volkswagen has received a total of 12 trophies from the “Engine of the Year” jury for the constantly enhanced 1.4-litre TSI engine with the internal designation EA 211 – seven class victories, two overall victories, two “Best New Engine”
awards and one “Green Engine of the Year” award. The committee, which is made up of 87 international trade journalists, has given the TSI technology an historic string of victories. At the same time, Volkswagen is launching into a new era of engine production with its latest innovation - the TSI with ACT cylinder deactivation. T he Wol fsbu rg-ba sed company was the world’s first manufacturer to introduce active cylinder management (ACT) in the TSI four-cylinder last year – a technology that until then had been more familiar in large eight- or twelve-cylinder engines. Active cylinder management made its debut in the Polo and Golf 103 kW / 140 PS 1.4 TSI. Temporary shutoff of the second and third cylinders – in conjunction with an eco-
nomical style of driving – reduces fuel consumption by over 0.5 litres per 100 kilometres. Even with two cylinders the excellently balanced 1.4 TSI runs just as quietly and with
low vibration as with four active combustion chambers. All mechanical switchover processes take place within one camshaft rotation; depending on engine speed this takes just 13 to 36 milliseconds. Accompany ing inter ventions in ignition and throttle valve processes smooth the transitions. Altogether, the components of active cylinder management weigh just 3 kg. Their actuators, the camshafts and their bearing frames are integrated in the cylinder head; two low-friction bearings reduce shaft friction. Important to know: only with the TSI concept – petrol direct injection plus turbocharging – is cylinder deactivation even conceivable in the form being implemented today. Compared to its predecessor, fuel consumption and CO2 emis-
sion values of the TSI engines were reduced to 9 per cent in part also by such measures as reducing internal friction, lowering weight and optimising thermal management. The savings potential is as much as 15 per cent in conjunction with the innovative active cylinder management (ACT) feature. Volkswagen is the global leader in charging strategies for engines with direct fuel injection, and to date it has produced over 3.8 million TSI engines at five production sites worldwide. The 140 PS TSI with automatic cylinder deactivation (ACT) is currently available in the Polo and Golf. The two awards were accepted by Dr. Rüdiger Szengel, Head of Volkswagen Petrol Engine Development, and Hermann Middendorf, Head of Basic Development for the EA 211 in Volkswagen Petrol Engine Development.
Drink-drive and lose your car
T
wo-thirds of UK drivers would be devastated if they lost their car, according to figures published as Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond launched a new THINK! drink-drive campaign to raise awareness of the consequences of a conviction. The survey, commissioned by the AA and conducted by Populus, also shows that:
31% of motorists are at their happiest behind the wheel. z 32% say they rely on their car to maintain friendships. z Without a car 76% of 18-24 year olds would find it difficult to see friends and do the things they love - 88% would be devastated if they could not drive. z 16% rate having a car as the best thing in their lives with the figure rising to 27% among 18-24 year olds. z
The latest campaign will see radio adverts, pub posters and an eye-catching short online film drilling the message home that motorists face heavy costs if they drink and drive. Stephen Hammond said, “Drink driving is a menace and drivers should be clear that if you get behind the wheel over the limit this summer, you will lose your licence, get a criminal record, and face a fine – you could even end up in jail. “The findings of this poll are clear; drivers love their cars and a drink driving conviction would not only leave a massive hole in their pockets, it would leave a massive hole in their lives. Nobody wants to spend their summer in a prison cell so whether you are drinking in the pub or at a friend’s barbeque, make sure you do not drink and drive – it could have devastating consequences for you and for others.” The £740,000 THINK! campaign is being launched alongside plans by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to carry out extra checks on motorists over the summer. ACPO lead for roads policing, Chief Constable Suzette Davenport, said, “Police take this offence very seriously and experience shows us that courts take a very dim view of anyone who is caught. It is appalling that in 2013 we still have to remind people not to drink or take drugs and drive. To combat this we will be stopping and testing thousands more drivers throughout the month of June. The Institute of Advanced Motorists calculated that the cost of a conviction could be up to £50,000 – this is based on someone losing their job as a result of their conviction, receiving the maximum fine, the average cost of legal fees and increased insurance premiums.
10 JUNE 2013
Auto Monitor
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THE OTHER SIDE
Getting Personal
10 JUNE 2013
In Real Life
with A Ramasubramanian, President, Asia Motor Works
If not in auto industry, where would you be? I would have been teaching and playing cricket. What car do you drive? What do you dream of driving? I own a BMW 5 series, Mercedes C-20 and a Honda Accord. Your most recent indulgence? My family took me to a local restaurant for lunch on Sunday. What are you currently reading? I recently finished reading Comrade Kirillov by Raja Rao. I am trying to locate some old reading material from my attic: possibly Jean Paul Sartre or Carlos Castaneda. What do you do when not talking auto? I talk “trucks”. I love cricket and talk and write about it. However, the recent events in cricket have disillusioned me, so I am put off. An activity you would miss office for? There are few activities I would miss office for. Where did you go for your last holiday? Mauritius, with my family in 2009. You get angry when…. Seldom. I cannot stand pseudo-intellectuals. I also get impatient with people who cannot work with others. What is the one thing you would like to change about yourself? Give more time to other things. Say a holiday with family. Let my hair down sometimes. That seems tough. The best thing to have happened to you? Each day and year has been a new discovery. An experience you won’t forget? A close encounter in 1978 with the Kanchi Seer performing chatur masya in Satara.
Illustration: Sachin Pandit Compiled by: Pradeb Biswas
A Ramasubramanian started his career in 1975 with TELCO. That stint fuelled his interest in R&D, and he has since published several technical papers and holds several engineering patents. Subsequently he has worked with Axles India and Eicher. He joined AMW in 2009. He is holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Pune University, and is a qualified chartered financial analyst (CFA).
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: 1st & 2nd Fortnightly Issue. Date Of Publication: 28th of Every Month
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