Retail News CRM

Category: Automotive

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Auto and Car news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Range Rover Sport Petrol Launched

    Range Rover Sport Petrol Launched

    Jaguar Land Rover India has launched the 2019 Range Rover Sport with a new 2-litre petrol engine. The car is priced at ₹ 86.71 lakh (ex-showroom India). The Range Rover Sport petrol will be available in S, SE & HSE trims and the new petrol engine adds on to the diesel option available on the car. The Range Rover Sport is available with a 3-litre diesel but now there’s a 2-litre petrol engine with a twin-scroll turbocharger on offer which delivers 296 bhp and 400 Nm of peak torque. All that power helps the Range Rover Sport petrol to accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph in 7.1 seconds while top speed stands at jut over 200 kmph. The 2-litre engine replaces the 3.0-litre Supercharged V6 that used to make 335 bhp.

    The company had previously launched the 2019 Range Rover Sport only in the diesel avatar with prices starting from ₹ 99.48 lakh, going all the way up to ₹ 1.74 crore for the flagship variant.

    Exterior changes on the 2019 Range Rover include the new and sleeker looking grille that adds to the plush look of the SUV along with the Matrix LED headlamps with daytime running lights. The SUV also comes with sequential illuminating indicators now. The front bumper has been tweaked as well and sits lower as well, feeding more air to cool brakes. At the side, gill fans now have four slots and are finished in brushed silver, while there is the new Byron blue and Rossello Red paint options available as well. In addition to the new alloy wheel design, the new Range Rovers also get a tweaked rear bumper that houses twin-exhausts.

    The Range Rover Sport sits above the Velar in the company’s product portfolio and looks cotemporary and gets features like a sliding panoramic roof and powered tailgate. The 2019 model comes with enhanced features like a three-zone climate control, protect, control pro, park pack and cabin air ionisation.

    Rohit Suri, President & Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd. said, “The success of the Range Rover Sport has been integral in driving demand for the Land Rover portfolio in India. The Model Year 2019 2.0 l petrol derivative should further increase the aspirational value of the flagship model at an attractive and exciting price.”

    Inside, the the Range Rover Sport comes with a contemporary interior and advanced features such as the Touch Pro Duo infotainment system, 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display and full colour Head-up Display

    Lees ook:

  • Ather Energy Begins Setting Up Fast Charging Infrastructure In Chennai

    Ather Energy Begins Setting Up Fast Charging Infrastructure In Chennai

    Ather Energy has started setting up the company’s fast charging network, Ather Grid in Chennai. In all, between 50-55 Ather Grid points will be set up in Chennai and running by the end of the year. The fast charging network can be used by all electric two-wheelers and four-wheelers and Ather is offering this facility free of charge till the end of 2019. Chennai has 7 active fast charging Ather Points installed and is the second city in India to have Ather’s charging network after Bengaluru.

    “Ather Grid has seen steady adoption in Bengaluru and we believe that accessible charging infrastructure is critical before launching our products in any market we enter. We have already signed up with multiple partners and will add 50 charging points by the end of the year. Chennai was a natural choice for our expansion as the auto hub of the country and as the birthplace of Ather in IIT Madras. We are working on setting-up the charging network and our experience centre – Ather Space – in time for the launch of the Ather 450 in the coming weeks,” said Ravneet Phokela, Chief Business Officer.

    With the installation of the charging network, Ather Energy officially makes its foray into Chennai. The city will also have its own experience centre – Ather Space – and pre-orders for the Ather electric scooters for Chennai will open in June. The charging network is supported by the Ather Grid app which allows all EV owners to locate and check the availability of the nearest charging stations in real time. Currently, the Ather Grid network spans across 31 charging points across 24 locations in Bengaluru and 7 locations in Chennai. The company plans to expand the network and set up charging points in 30 cities by 2023.

    Ather Energy was founded in 2013 by IIT Madras alumni Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, and last year the company launched its two smart-connected electric scooters, the Ather 340 and the Ather 450. Ather Energy is backed by founders of Flipkart, Tiger Global and Hero MotoCorp. The company currently operates in Bengaluru and will be officially launching operations in Chennai in June 2019, followed by other major cities across the country.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Hyundai India Ties Up With ALD Automotive India

    Hyundai India Ties Up With ALD Automotive India

    Hyundai Motor India has announced a collaboration with ALD Automotive India to provide its cars on lease. Hyundai aims to make car owning experience more economical and is targeting to provide its cars on lease to salaried individuals, working professionals, small and medium enterprises, corporates and public sector. In the first phase, the Korean carmaker has started its operations in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.

    Speaking on the Hyundai’s lease offering S.J. Ha, Executive Director, Sales &Marketing, Hyundai Motor India said, “Indian automotive industry is at the cusp of transformation. As a smart mobility solutions provider, we at Hyundai understand the needs of our evolving customers and are committed to making ‘Shared Mobility’ accessible. The vehicle leasing business is rapidly picking pace in India and offers great prospects. We are extremely happy with our collaboration with ALD Automotive and together we will leverage our strengths to create Unique, Smart and Brilliant ownership experience for our customers.”

    Commenting on the same development, Suvajit Karmakar, Chief Executive Officer & Whole-time Director, ALD Automotive India said, “We are extremely proud and excited to announce this partnership with Hyundai. I am confident that this association will make us explore newer product and service offerings and take Car Leasing to the next level in the Indian car market. This will further reinforce our position as a leader and we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with Hyundai.”

    Hyundai will provide its entire product line-up on monthly lease rent. The benefits of leasing to the customers include no upfront cost, no financial risk, efficient tax management, easy upgrade and no maintenance and insurance hassles. The leased vehicle will be available for a minimum period of two years going up to five years depending on the city and model.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Honda Files Patents For Variable Riding Position

    Honda Files Patents For Variable Riding Position

    Honda has filed a series of patent applications in Japan for what seems to be a new technology offering two different riding positions on the same motorcycle. The patent images show a Honda CBR1000RR which can have two different riding positions – an aggressive and sporty riding position, as well as a more upright and relaxed riding position. The key elements in the technology are the ability to move the bars and the screen, which provides the ability to raise the handlebars from the normal clip-on height because they are attached to extended tubes that run parallel with the fork legs.

    According to the patent application, the position can be changed by the press of a button. Also movable is the windscreen, which is also a simple operation. The top section of the front fairing is attached to a scissor-style frame that easily allows the rider to move the screen upward and into a more vertical position, if needed, for a more touring friendly riding position from an aggressive, sporty riding position. What is clear from the patent drawings is that this is not a complex mechanism that will require a ground-up re-engineering of the bike.

    It’s still not clear whether Honda will actually introduce a future CBR1000RR Fireblade with this new innovative technology, or if there will be an altogether new model which will showcase this variable riding position. Either ways, expect some sort of concept bike which Honda is likely to display, either later this year, or at one of the motorcycle shows next year which will showcase this unique new feature.

    Lees ook:

  • Ducati First Quarter 2019 Sales Up Worldwide

    Ducati First Quarter 2019 Sales Up Worldwide

    Ducati has reported a five percent increase in sales worldwide in the first quarter of 2019. In all, Ducati delivered 12,541 motorcycles in the period from January to March 2019, compared to 11,949 motorcycles moved in the first quarter of 2018. And that’s not all; most segments from the Italian manufacturer showed growth in the first quarter, but the Hypermotard and Multistrada range showed the most growth, with sales increasing 18.6 percent. With 4,113 units sold in the first quarter, the Hypermotard and Multistrada are the company’s bestselling models.

    The Ducati Scrambler range continues to be a major revenue generator for the firm and already accounts for more than a quarter of Ducati’s overall sales. And in Q1 of 2019, sales of the Scrambler range shot up just short of 15 percent. Sales in the naked line-up, which includes the Monster and Diavel family, dipped slightly from 2018, by 1.13 percent. The Ducati Diavel 1260 has been introduced in 2019, but that hasn’t seemed to have enthused sales in the segment so far.

    Ducati’s superbike sales have dipped slightly, despite the introduction of the Panigale V4 line-up, and recorded a slip of 13.5 percent compared to the first quarter of 2018. In all, Ducati sold almost 600 more units in the first quarter of this year. With a naked V4 in the making, it remains to be seen how the upcoming new model will be received by the market. Based on the sales trend in the first quarter, it appears the neo-retro models in the Scrambler line-up will continue to be an important segment for Ducati, and could well display more volumes as the year progresses.

  • WBA identifies connected vehicle use cases

    WBA identifies connected vehicle use cases

    Connected vehicles are not just the technologies of the future – there are significant revenue generation opportunities available today, according to the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA).

    In a new whitepaper, the WBA identified a number of use cases for automobile manufacturers and service providers that are already being used to generate revenues.

    The use cases specifically take advantage of telematics services – which the majority of automobile makers already have built into new vehicles – combined with Wi-Fi connectivity.

    These use cases include applying predictive analytics to information already collected by telematics systems to preempt vehicle recalls, which is an issue that costs the vehicle industry more than $9 billion annually.

    Other examples include predictive maintenance through the use of diagnostic trouble codes uploaded over time, the ability to address software bugs and security vulnerabilities through over-the-air firmware upgrades, and applications including advanced driver assistance or public safety services.

    “The connected vehicle market will experience explosive growth over the next few years, and Wi-Fi plays a significant role in creating key monetization opportunities, while also enhancing and improving vehicle maintenance and driver safety for connected cars,” WBA GM Tiago Rodrigues said.

    “While much of the focus today is given to how 5G will impact connected cars, we want to reinforce the message that Wi-Fi is here now, and it is capable of supporting connected vehicle use cases today.”

    The whitepaper also explores the process of developing use cases for the connected cars of tomorrow combining both cellular and Wi-Fi for seamless connectivity.

    “We are eager to engage with others in the connected vehicle ecosystem to develop future opportunities for Wi-Fi and connected cars, particularly as we prepare for Wi-Fi 6 and the new opportunities it will support,” Rodrigues said.

    Lees ook:

  • BMW X5 2019 Launched In India

    BMW X5 2019 Launched In India

    BMW has launched the new generation of the X5 in India and prices for the SUV start at ₹ 72.90 lakh (ex-showroom India). The company has stated that it will launch 12 new models in the country in 2019 and the new-gen X5 is one among them. The all-new BMW X5 is available in two diesel models – BMW X5 xDrive30d Sport and BMW X5 xDrive30d xLine. The petrol variant BMW X5 xDrive 40i M Sport has also been launched at ₹ 82.40 lakh, however, it will go on sale later in 2019. The price for the new X5 tops out at ₹ 82.40 Lakh.

    Internally codenamed G05, the fourth generation BMW X5 is now based on the CLAR platform that also underpins the 5 Series, 7 Series and the X3 in the automaker’s line-up. The SUV is now larger and more feature-loaded than its predecessor while maintaining the sporty character of the older models. The BMW X5 has been a popular seller for BMW in India but the new gen model has become longer, taller and wider compared to its predecessor.

    It’s the largest X5 ever and this fourth-generation model is 35 mm longer, 32 mm wider and 11 mm taller than its predecessor. The space between the wheels too has increased and it now gains 42 mm on that front and it now stands at 2975 mm. Despite the new model getting bigger, the boot space remains the same at 645 litres that expands to 1,640 liters when the rear seat is folded.

    What’s also different is the way the X5 looks now. The fourth generation BMW X5 gets substantial upgrades on the design and feature front. The signature Kidney grille has grown larger and more imposing on the SUV, while the headlamps are all-LED with X-shaped inserts and get the new adaptive LED DRLs. The front bumper has been reworked and gets larger vents and LED fog lights. The new X5 looks more agile than ever but retains the same silhouette as the older model. The wide LED taillights with the 3D signature add to the distinctive look of the SUV, while the model now gets 21-inch wheels as an option.

    The cabin though is all familiar, in-line with other BMW models and gets the digital instrument console called the BMW Live Cockpit Professional display; along with a floating infotainment screen, updated iDrive along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Like the other BMW models, you also get gesture and voice commands, as well as a customizable display. The cabin is covered in leather upholstery, while the feature list includes four-zone climate control, wireless charging, screens for rear seat passengers, a panoramic sunroof, welcome carpet light, ambient lighting, and a revised gear-selector lever.

    2019 BMW X5 Key Features

    • Live Cockpit Professional Display
    • Digital Instrument Console
    • Floating Infotainment Screen
    • Updated iDrive System
    • Gesture Control
    • Voice Command
    • Four Zone Climate Control
    • Wireless Charging
    • Rear Passenger Screen
    • Panoramic Sunroof
    • Ambiente Lighting
    The BMW X5 is powered by a 3.0-liter turbo diesel motor.

    Power will come from the 3.0-liter turbo diesel motor tuned for 261 bhp and 620 Nm of peak torque and the BMW X5 can clock triple-digit speeds in 6.5 seconds. The petrol will also be offered soon but for now, there’s just the diesel on offer. The new BMW X5 faces competition from the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLE,n Volvo XC90, Range Rover Velar, Porsche Cayenne and the Audi Q7.

  • Triumph’s First Electric Motorcycle Will Be The TE-1 Project

    Triumph’s First Electric Motorcycle Will Be The TE-1 Project

    Triumph Motorcycles could well be the newest player among premium motorcycle brands to get on to the electric motorcycle game after Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire electric motorcycle project. The British motorcycle brand has announced a new project called the TE-1 which is a collaboration between Triumph, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd’s e-Drive Division, and WMG at the University of Warwick. Additionally, the group will receive funding from the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV). The actual model development is still some time away, but it is an important announcement nevertheless and will bring in exciting times in the electric motorcycle space in future.

    “This new collaboration represents an exciting opportunity for Triumph and its partners to be leaders in the technology that will enable the electrification of motorcycles, which is driven by customers striving to reduce their environmental impact, combined with the desire for more economical transportation, and changing legislation. Project Triumph TE-1 is one part of our electric motorcycle strategy, focused on delivering what riders want and expect from their Triumph, which is the perfect balance of handling, performance, and usability,” said Nick Bloor, Triumph CEO.

    Triumph Motorcycles will lead the TE-1 project, providing expertise in chassis development and overall motorcycle engineering. Williams Advanced Engineering will provide lightweight battery design and integration capability for the project, while Integral Powertrain’s e-Drive Division will lead the development of the in-house electric motor with a silicon carbide inverter. WMG at the University of Warwick will help provide commercialization as well as modeling and simulations that will be based on future market needs.

    “Our future product strategy is focused on delivering the most suitable engine platforms for the changing landscape of customer needs, and we see a Triumph electric powertrain as a significant requirement alongside our signature twin and triple cylinder engines,” said Steve Sargent, Triumph’s Chief Product Officer.

    The TE-1 project will eventually lead to new model development, but that is still a few years away. The first phase will focus on delivering powertrain solutions in two years’ time before any specific model development takes place. What is clear is that electric motorcycles certainly seem to be taking off in earnest, and it probably won’t be too long before you get to see an electric Triumph in production form.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Sigma, Tech Mahindra partner on connected car

    Sigma, Tech Mahindra partner on connected car

    Sigma Systems and Tech Mahindra have announced the launch of a connected car service subscription management platform for the automobile industry.

    The joint platform was selected and will be an integral part of a global automobile manufacturer’s connected car services program, paving the way for emerging on-board digital and IoT based applications.

    The companies said the service subscription management platform is a fully automated, cloud-based SaaS solution designed and delivered with scalable platform architecture and Open API’s.

    It consists of key Sigma portfolio products including Sigma Catalog and Sigma Order Management.

    The platform will drive consumers’ digital experience on new connectivity services while being mobile network operator agnostic and using eUICC SIM, the companies said.

    The platform will provide lifecycle management of connected car services and subscriptions manage roaming scenarios and control data consumption by driving policies and enhance end-user experience.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Maruti Suzuki Inaugurates 400th Arena Showroom

    Maruti Suzuki Inaugurates 400th Arena Showroom

    Maruti Suzuki India Limited announced that it recently inaugurated its 400th Arena showroom and the milestone comes in less than two years. Maruti Suzuki Arena retail showrooms sport a modern look and are now present in 278 cities and towns in India. The company’s total sales network has crossed 2,940 showrooms covering more than 1,860 towns and cities.

    Commenting on the landmark, Shashank Srivastava, Executive Director (Marketing & Sales), Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “We launched Maruti Suzuki Arena with a strategy to transform our network and meet expectations of young, dynamic and evolved Indian customers. It is an important step in our journey of transformation. In less than two years, we have opened the 400th ARENA showroom. This transformation is built on continuous research, listening to the customer and anticipating future trends. The effort is to align with ever-evolving customer and offer experiences at par with global benchmarks.”

    The Arena dealerships come with modern amenities and sport a large touchscreen panel that potential customers can access to check out specs, features, colors, etc. The touch panel will also offer buyers a 360 view of the car along with iCreate configurators for vehicles like the Brezza and the Swift. Owners will also be able to reload pre-configured variations of cars that they might have customized on their own computers, iPads or phones directly onto the screen here. All Maruti Suzuki showrooms across India will progressively adapt to the new ARENA for to provide enhanced customer experience

  • Yamaha Crosses 10 Million Production Landmark In India

    Yamaha Crosses 10 Million Production Landmark In India

    Japanese two-wheeler giant, Yamaha Motor has announced a production milestone of 10 million units in India. The company achieved the landmark production figure in 34 years of its presence in the country, having begun operations in 1985. The production number is a result of Yamaha’s three manufacturing facilities located in Surajpur, Faridabad, and Chennai that have contributed to the achievement. The 10 millionth vehicle to roll-out at the ceremony was the Yamaha FZS-FI V3.0 at the Chennai plant. The production volumes have not only catered to the domestic demand but for exports as well.

    Speaking on the significant milestone, Motofumi Shitara, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group of Companies said, “The journey for Yamaha has been quite exciting all these years. We have received a phenomenal response from our customers from across the country. This landmark achievement is a testimony of our growing popularity and demand for our products which are exciting, stylish and sporty. This would not have been possible without the support of our employees, dealer partners, suppliers, and vendors. They have played a key role and have extended their support throughout in line with the company’s business direction to achieve this important milestone. Going forward, we will continue to excite our customers and empower their lives through world-class products and services.”

    Yamaha’s popularity has soared in recent years with more mass-market offerings, which helped catapult the production numbers. The occasion also marked another accomplishment of five million units being produced in just seven years between 2012 and 2019. Scooter sales helped the manufacturer during this period, contributing 44 percent to the overall production with the Fascino being a popular seller. Out of the 10 million vehicles produced, about 80 percent units were rolled out from the Surajpur and Faridabad facilities while 20 percent of units were contributed by the new Chennai plant. Motorcycles remained larger contributors to Yamaha Motor India’s overall production. The company manufactured over 77.88 lakh motorcycles overall, while 22.12 lakh scooters were produced.

    Yamaha achieved its first such milestone in 1999, 14 years after commencing operations in India when the Surajpur plant hit the one million production run. In 2012, the company’s production increased to five million. The firm also introduced its first scooter – Yamaha Ray – the same year, which further helped build volumes. Yamaha had achieved a production run of one million for its scooters by 2016 with the offerings being manufactured at the then newly built Chennai plant that was begun operations in 2015.

    The Chennai factory has played a key role in Yamaha’s production strategy for India, according to the company. The plant has increased its capacity from 4.5 lakh units in 2015 to the current nine lakh units. In the last 5 years, the Chennai factory along with Surajpur & Faridabad factory have together met their production targets from 7.40 lakh units in 2014 to 10.2 lakh units in 2018.

    While Yamaha did shift its focus towards commuter motorcycles in the past years, the two-wheeler maker is now focussing back on sporty bikes and has introduced a slew of offerings in the past year including the YZF-R15 V3.0, FZ V3.0 and more recently the Yamaha MT-15. The bike maker is expected to also bring the updated YZF-R3 in India later this year or by early 2020 and possibly its naked sibling – Yamaha MT-03 – sometime in the future. There have also been rumors of the company entering the 125 cc scooter segment, but there has been confirmation on the same from the company.

  • Volkswagen Expands Network With First City & Pop-up Stores In India

    Volkswagen Expands Network With First City & Pop-up Stores In India

    German auto giant has inaugurated its first city and pop-up stores in India, in a bid to expand its presence and touchpoints in the country. The manufacturer opened its first City store at Richmond Road in Bengaluru, while the Pop-up store opened in Tumkur. The automaker says that the initiative aims to prepare the brand to be ‘fit for the future’ while being innovative. Volkswagen plans to introduce 30 new pop-up and city stores across the country over the next one year.

    Speaking about the new innovation, Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said, “Our business environment is changing at a breathtaking pace in view of new technologies and enhanced customer expectations. Our customers today value innovation and in turn expect a prompt and hassle-free experience with Volkswagen. This new format of transforming our sales stores is in alignment with our global growth strategy. As the world is moving towards connected mobility solutions, digitalization across the sales and after-sales process is pertinent. We’re constantly innovating our brand offerings and we trust our customers would appreciate the Volkswagen experience.”

    The new stores have been opened in partnership with PPS Motors. Speaking on the collaboration, Rajiv Sanghvi, MD – PPS Motors said, “To enhance the customer purchase experience in today’s digital age, we are driven to deliver this world-class showroom that combines traditional and digital tools to offer a seamless sales experience to our customers.”

    The Volkswagen Pop-up store aims to offer an opportunity for potential customers to interact better with the brand. These stores are mainly targeted at the semi-urban and rural areas where the company has a limited presence. Meanwhile, the Volkswagen City store will cater to young customers in urban areas. The city store will offer a digitized experience to customers with paperless details on the vehicles. Vehicles bought via both the stores will be serviced at the existing company workshops that are associated with the traditional dealerships that are already established in multiple cities.

    Volkswagen currently operates out of 119 showrooms and 113 workshops, which are spread across 100 cities in the country. The city and pop-up store concepts will help VW India reach out to newer regions in the country, without necessarily spending the high infrastructure cost involved with setting up a dealer network. It’s not clear as to how long with the city and pop-up stores will be in operation. However, local dealers will find help in reaching out to newer customers outside their traditional vicinity.

  • Hyundai and Kia Invest 80 Million Euros In Rimac

    Hyundai and Kia Invest 80 Million Euros In Rimac

    Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation have jointly invested 80 million Euros in Rimac Automobili – the Croatian high-performance electric vehicle technology and sportscar company. Hyundai Motor will invest 64 million euros while Kia Motors will add 16 million Euros in Rimac and will form a technical partnership to collaborate on two high-performance electric vehicles by 2020.

    The companies have announced a strategic partnership to collaborate on the development of high-performance electric vehicles. Rimac has established themselves as a leader in high-performance electric vehicle technology and as an electric sports car manufacturer. The company continues to deliver EV technology supporting many industry partners, including Hyundai Motor Group, to accelerate their way towards an electric future.

    The electric motors used in the Rimac One develop more than 1000 bhp and it is the fastest accelerating electric vehicle in the world

    Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, and Rimac will work closely together to develop an electric version of Hyundai Motor’s N brand sports car and a high-performance fuel cell electric vehicle. Euisun Chung, Executive Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group said, “Rimac is an innovative company with outstanding capabilities in high-performance electric vehicles. Its startup roots and abundant experience collaborating with automakers combined with technological prowess makes Rimac the ideal partner for us. We look forward to collaborating with Rimac on our road to Clean Mobility.”

    Lees ook:

  • Harley-Davidson India Announces Winners Of Internship

    Harley-Davidson India Announces Winners Of Internship

    Harley-Davidson India has announced the selection of four final applicants for the #FindYourFreedom internship program that offers interns a glimpse into the Harley-Davidson way of life and is intended to help build the next generation of riders in India. The hunt for the finalists for the summer internship program began on March 31, 2019, via social media campaigns and received a total of 2,207 entries which were shortlisted to 100 before the final 12 made it to an in-person selection round. After three rounds of tasks, intense discussions, and interviews, four applicants have been selected.

    “Harley-Davidson has been operating for a decade in India and in line with our ‘More Roads to Harley-Davidson’ plan, we launched the #FindYourFreedom internship program for the first time in India this year. The response from across the country was phenomenal and I was delighted to meet all the finalists. It was a close competition amongst the 12 finalists and everyone in the room displayed intense passion and energy for the brand. We are looking forward to welcoming the winners as they start first-hand their experience in the Harley-Davidson way of life,” said Sajeev Rajasekharan, Managing Director, Harley-Davidson India.

    The four finalists are Shashank Nawani (25) from Delhi, Ashish Rawat (23) from Dehra Dun, Roy Chacko (51) from Hyderabad and Prateek Darolia (31) from Chennai. The winners were announced after jury rounds with a panel of experts from the automotive industry. Amongst other things, the internship will comprise activities like riding with H.O.G. communities, on-ground experience at dealerships, custom bike building, flat track riding, attending Harley-Davidson University courses and more. The internship commences from May 15, 2019.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Honda Confirms Closure of UK Car Plant

    Honda Confirms Closure of UK Car Plant

    Honda has confirmed its western England car factory, which employs 3,500 people, will close in 2021. The Japanese carmaker announced Monday that the Swindon plant will shut in two years, “at the end of the current model’s production life cycle.” Honda makes its popular Civic model at the factory, 70 miles (115 kms) west of London.

    Reports of the closure first emerged in February, heightening concerns about the impact of Brexit-related uncertainty on the U.K. economy. Honda said the closure is not Brexit-driven but “is part of Honda’s broader global strategy in response to changes to the automotive industry.”

    The British government and union consultants, but “no viable alternatives to the proposed closure of the Swindon plant have been identified.”