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  • Tesla Rolls Out Its One Millionth Car

    Tesla Rolls Out Its One Millionth Car

    American electric car maker, Tesla Inc. has rolled out its one-millionth car from its main vehicle manufacturing facility, Tesla Factory, in Fremont, California. The company’s CEO, Elon Musk has posted a photo of the one-millionth car, a red color Tesla Model Y, congratulating his factory team for achieving the new production milestone. The company, which was founded in 2003, started producing cars in 2008 with the Tesla Roadster (discontinued) in 2008, taking 12 years to reach the one million mark.

    Currently, the company offers four models, Model S, Model 3, Model X, and the Model Y. Tesla recently also revealed its fifth pure electric vehicle, the Tesla Cybertruck, which made its debut in November 2019 and is slated to go into production in 2021. Tesla currently operates several production and assembly plants in addition to the Fremont facility, which includes – Giga Nevada near Reno, Giga New York in Buffalo, New York, and the most recently opened Giga Shanghai in Shanghai, China, Tesla’s first plant outside America

    China’s industry ministry urged Tesla to keep its China-made vehicles consistent after some Chinese customers complained the automaker put less advanced chips in their cars.

    The company has already started selling China-made Model 3s and plans to produce the new Model Y at its China plant. Furthermore, the company has started work to build a new Gigafactory near Berlin Germany. Based on the company’s current targets growth rate, Tesla’s next million cars could very well be rolled much sooner. Early this year in January, the company announced that it hopes to ship over 500,000 cars worldwide in 2020.

    Tesla unveiled the Model Y in March 2019, and the prices start at $39,000 (approximately ₹ 27 lakh). The Model Y will be available in a standard range version, and a long-range, Dual-Motor All-Wheel Drive, and Performance variants. The company says that the Model Y electric crossover is spacious enough to carry seven adults (gets optional 3rd row) and their gear. The high-efficiency powertrain and ultra-responsive motors will provide 0-98 kmph in as little as 3.5 seconds and a top speed of up to 241 kmph. The Model Y with the Standard Battery will have a range of 370 km while the long-range variant will be able to travel up to 483 km on a single charge.

  • Volkswagen Tiguan Diesel To Be Discontinued From April 2020

    Volkswagen Tiguan Diesel To Be Discontinued From April 2020

    With the BS6 norms kicking in, Volkswagen India has done some major restructuring to its current lineup. While the automaker has launched the updated Polo and Vento with the 1.0-litre petrol motor, the diesel versions have been discontinued. Similarly, the German auto giant is all set to boot the Tiguan diesel from its Indian line-up by the end of this month. The five-seater Volkswagen Tiguan diesel won’t be upgraded to meet the BS6 emission norms that kick-in from April 2020.

    The Volkswagen Tiguan was launched in India in May 2017 as a five-seater premium SUV. The model is powered by a 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine and does not get a petrol engine, even as an option. With the VW Group going petrol-only in India, the engine won’t be upgraded to meet the BS6 emission norms. Although, it is likely that the company will bring a petrol version of the Tiguan, if it has strong demand for it.

    Volkswagen has shifted its focus to the SUV segment starting 2020 and it launched the Tiguan AllSpace, which is the long wheelbase, seven-seater version of the SUV at a price tag of Rs 33.12 lakh (ex-showroom). The AllSpace is a more practical alternative for the Indian market and is more suited to lock horns with rivals in the segment including the Toyota Fortuner, Honda CR-V, Mahindra Alturas G4 and the likes. The Tiguan Allspace’s introductory price makes it just ₹ xx lakh expensive than the top-end Tiguan 5-seater and that’s one reason why the company can expect the demand for this 7-seater to surge.

    The Volkswagen Tiguan AllSpace is a petrol-only offering and comes with the 2-litre turbocharged TSI motor that develops 187 bhp. The model is offered only with the 7-speed DSG automatic transmission and is fully loaded on the feature front with All-Wheel Drive as standard. Nevertheless, the void of a five-seater SUV from Volkswagen will be soon filled by the T-Roc compact SUV that is slated to be launched on March 18, 2020. Like the Tiguan AllSpace, the T-Roc is being brought to India as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) and will be priced around the ₹ 20 lakh (ex-showroom) mark. The SUV will be sold in a single-variant with power coming from the 1.5-litre TSI turbo petrol engine that belts out 148 bhp. The new T-Roc will take on the Jeep Compass, MG Hector, Tata Harrier and the likes, and will be sold in a fully-loaded single variant.

  • 2020 Hyundai Verna Facelift Launch Details Out

    2020 Hyundai Verna Facelift Launch Details Out

    The new Hyundai Verna Facelift will be launched with the 1.0-liter, three-cylinder, GDI turbo petrol engine that made its debut in the Venue last year and is also offered in the Grand i10 Nios and Aura. Like the Venue, even in the Verna this engine will be paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) while a six-speed manual gearbox will be standard. The new Verna will also share part of its engine line-up with the new Hyundai Creta. So the 1.5-liter, four-cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine and the 1.5-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine will also be on offer. While the six-speed manual gearbox will be standard on both engine options, the petrol will also come with a six-speed intelligent variable transmission (IVT) and the diesel will have a 6-speed automatic transmission.

    Hyundai has also dropped a teaser image of the Verna ahead of its launch. Though the silhouette of the car remains unchanged, the face has been heavily updated and is in-line with Hyundai’s latest family face. It gets an all-new cascade grille finished in chrome and is flanked by new LED headlamps. At the rear too it gets new LED taillights and the bumpers have been revised as well.

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  • BMW’s Dingolfing Plant Tests Fully Connected Logistics

    BMW’s Dingolfing Plant Tests Fully Connected Logistics

    As part of a three-year research project supported by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, the BMW Group and three partner companies from Bavaria are exploring the possibilities for making BMW Group Plant Dingolfing a smart factory for logistics. The ‘Autonomous and Connected Logistics’ research project was officially launched in September 2019 and is now entering the practical phase. A number of innovative Industry 4.0 production technologies are being combined in an overall concept and tested under real conditions at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing. The BMW Group is contributing around 4.8 million euros to the project costs.

    Testing of 5G wireless technology, which, over the course of the project, will be set up at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing as a trial network, will play a key role in linking different logistics solutions. The new mobile telecommunications standard allows large data volumes to be transferred within a very short time. 5G enables real-time connectivity between machinery and equipment.

    Within the BMW Group production network, the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture has already rolled out the 5G wireless communications network across all its three plants. The long-term goal is to set up a 5G network at all BMW Group plant locations worldwide. Further sub-projects will explore the use of logistics robots, mobile devices and digital displays in the logistics process and test connectivity between different systems.

    Peter Kiermaier, head of Logistics Planning at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing: “We also want to use new technologies to increase transparency in conventional processes and enable smooth coupling of manual and autonomous technologies.”

  • Tesla Wins Approval To Sell Longer-Range China-made Model 3 Vehicles

    Tesla Wins Approval To Sell Longer-Range China-made Model 3 Vehicles

    Tesla Inc has secured Chinese government approval to sell longer-range China-made model 3 vehicles in China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Friday.

    The vehicles will have a driving range of more than 600 kilometers before they need to be recharged, the ministry said in a statement, while the current China-made Model 3 has a standard driving range of more than 400 kilometers.

    Tesla started delivering cars in December from its $2 billion factories in Shanghai.

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  • Toyota Recalls 3.2 Million Vehicles Worldwide Over Fuel Pump Problem

    Toyota Recalls 3.2 Million Vehicles Worldwide Over Fuel Pump Problem

    Toyota said the recall now covers 1.8 million U.S. Toyota and Lexus vehicles in total in the United States, including older vehicles from as far back as the 2013 model year — and more than 1 million vehicles than it announced in January.

    Toyota Motor said Wednesday it is now recalling 3.2 million vehicles worldwide to address a fuel pump issue that could result in engine stalling. The Japanese automaker first said in January it would recall 696,000 U.S. vehicles with a fuel pump that may stop operating and lead to stalling of the engine. Dealers will replace the fuel pumps with new ones.

    Toyota said the recall now covers 1.8 million U.S. Toyota and Lexus vehicles in total in the United States, including older vehicles from as far back as the 2013 model year — and more than 1 million vehicles than it announced in JanuaryToyota began a probe into the fuel pump issue in June.

    The automaker told the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in January it was aware of 66 field reports and 2,571 warranty claims that relate to fuel pump failures in the vehicles initially recalled. Owners have complained of rough engine running, engine not starting and loss of power while driving at low speeds. Toyota said the reports occurred more commonly in areas of the southern U.S. with warmer climates.

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  • Toyota’s China Sales Sink In February On Coronavirus Outbreak

    Toyota’s China Sales Sink In February On Coronavirus Outbreak

    Japanese automaker Toyota said on Wednesday its car sales in China, the world’s biggest auto market, fell 70.2% in February due to the coronavirus epidemic which has killed more than 2,900 people. Toyota, which is the first major global automaker to report its February sales in China, said it sold 23,800 Toyota and premium Lexus cars.

    According to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), China’s overall passenger car sales dropped 89% in the first 23 days of February.

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  • Renault Rolls Out Offers For Women’s Day In India

    Renault Rolls Out Offers For Women’s Day In India

    Renault India has announced special offers for women customers this week starting on March 2, leading up to International Women’s Day on March 8, 2020. The offers extend to all women car owners and include a free vehicle check-up, 10 percent discount on labor, spare parts and several value-added services. Those opting for Renault Secure or extended warranty, as well as roadside assistance this week, can also avail of a 10 percent discount. The offers can be availed at any of the company’s dealerships across the country.

    Renault is offering a free car pick-up and drop facility during this period. In addition, the automaker has also planned engagement activities at the dealers for its female customers and assured gifts as well. Renault says the week-long celebration is to acknowledge women and their contribution to society. The initiative will also hold special training sessions on vehicle maintenance and necessary checks with the objective of making women more self-reliant and independent.

    Renault India has over 370 sales outlets across the country with 450 service touchpoints that include 257 service workshops and 215 workshop-on-wheels. With respect to new launches, the automaker has the Renault Duster 1.3-litre TCe turbo petrol version lined-up for launch by around April this year, while the Triber AMT is scheduled to arrive in the second half of 2020. As part of its new strategy for the Indian market, the French automaker has dropped the diesel engines from its line-up.

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  • The Bentley Bacalar Is A Topless Grand Tourer

    The Bentley Bacalar Is A Topless Grand Tourer

    Bentley Mulliner has revealed the all-new Bacalar. The Grand Tourer marks a return to coachbuilding by Bentley Mulliner – the oldest coachbuilder in the world. Just 12 examples of the Bacalar will be made and each model will be handcrafted in Bentley Mulliner’s workshop in Crewe, according to the individual customer’s personal tastes. It is named after Laguna Bacalar in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, a lake renowned for its breath-taking natural beauty, continuing Bentley’s strategy of naming cars after remarkable landmarks which started with Bentayga in 2015.

    It draws on design DNA from the beautifully sculpted, award-winning EXP 100 GT. The dramatic, tapered cowls at the rear hark back to the Barchetta sports cars of old. The distinctive, wraparound cockpit flows from a new, steeply angled center console seamlessly into the dashboard and doors.

    These then wrap rearwards towards the semi-enclosed luggage compartment behind the two seats. The rear clamshell and top deck of the Bacalar are crafted from lightweight aluminum, while the doors and wings are carbon fibre. Combined with the use of three-dimensional printing, it has allowed designers to create an even more distinctive car.

    The Bacalar sits on extended haunches, with the rear track 20 mm wider than a Continental GT, to provide a more muscular, sporting stance. They house bespoke, 22-inch tri-finish wheels with dramatic depth and contour on the road. The unique front and rear horizontal lights add the distinctive, dynamic character that was first seen on the EXP 100 GT.

    The Bacalar features an enhanced version of Bentley’s peerless 6.0-litre, W12 TSI engine. The most advanced 12-cylinder engine which produces 650 bhp and 900 Nm of torque. An advanced Active All-Wheel-Drive System varies the torque split between front and rear wheels. It allows the Bacalar to use rear-wheel drive as much as possible during normal driving for optimum efficiency and dynamic performance.

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  • BMW, Daimler Aim To Cut Emissions 20% This Year With New Electric Models

    BMW, Daimler Aim To Cut Emissions 20% This Year With New Electric Models

    New electric models will help BMW and Daimler cut emissions from the cars they sell by an average of 20% this year, the German automakers predicted on Tuesday, as they strive to meet tough new European pollution rules.

    In a live-streamed event, following the cancellation of this week’s Geneva motor show due to the coronavirus epidemic, BMW presented the i4 four-door coupe with a driving range of up to 600 kilometers, one of a number of new electric models it hopes will stimulate demand for battery-driven cars.

    In a separate webcast, Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler was also bullish about prospects for its growing range of electric cars.

    The European Union set automakers a target to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 40% between 2007 and 2021, and has demanded a further 37.5% reduction by 2030.

    But pollution levels from cars have been rising as customers increasingly chose to buy gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles (SUV), meaning automakers need to ramp up sales of electric cars if they are to avoid hefty fines from 2021.

    They have a mountain to climb. Average fleet emissions for cars in Europe rose for the third year in a row in 2019, with electric vehicles making up only 6% of overall registrations, analysts at JATO Dynamics said on Tuesday.

    BMW already has 500,000 electric and hybrid cars on the road and plans to double that number by the end of next year, including through the launch of the i4 and an iX3 SUV as well as an electric version of its Mini.

    Sales of battery-electric and hybrid vehicles are already up by 43% so far this year, BMW Chief Executive Oliver Zipse said.

    “We believe that we can keep the impact on profits under control,” he added, pledging that every car sold would be profitable.

    BMW stuck to its outlook even as second-quarter earnings fell 20%, hit by currency headwinds and the rising cost of manufacturing electric and hybrid cars to help the carmaker meet stricter emissions limits.

    Electric cars are generally more expensive to build than petrol or diesel-powered vehicles. But BMW said it was saving money, including by delaying the development of a next-generation Mini, to free up resources for the electric campaign.

    “If a vehicle architecture does not need to be renewed, then we do not do it,” Zipse said, adding the Mini was being renewed constantly by updating the powertrain and infotainment options. Around 7,000 electric Mini’s have been ordered so far, he added.

    Daimler, meanwhile, is promoting hybrid cars including a new CLA Shooting Brake, as well as the Mercedes-Benz EQC electric SUV and an electric van, the V-class, as part of its drive to reduce emissions by 20% this year.

    “We are within striking distance of meeting the target,” Chief Executive Ola Kaellenius said. Mercedes-Benz plans to build 50,000 EQC vehicles this year.

    Kaellenius declined to comment on the profitability of electric vehicles. “We don’t communicate individual margins. Electrification is a headwind,” he said.

    Separately, Volkswagen announced the launch of the ID4, a fully electric SUV with an operating range of up to 500 kilometres, which will go on sale in Europe, China and the United States, and start production this year.

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  • General Motors To Tout Its Electric Vehicles To Investors Swooning Over Tesla

    General Motors To Tout Its Electric Vehicles To Investors Swooning Over Tesla

    General Motors Co executives on Wednesday will tackle one of their toughest tasks: Persuading investors that a Detroit automaker can catch up with Elon Musk and Tesla Inc as vehicles go electric.

    Even as global markets reel from coronavirus fears, Tesla’s valuation is outpacing that of GM and most other legacy automakers. On Tuesday, Tesla’s market cap hovered around $144 billion, more than three times GM’s $45 billion.

    GM is by far the larger manufacturer by volume and generates more cash and profits. But in the electric vehicle market, Tesla is the leader.

    Carmakers unveil new models online as part of a digital press day after the cancellation of the Geneva motor show, due to the new coronavirus outbreak. Ciara Lee reports

    Last year, Tesla sold 367,500 electric vehicles globally, including 223,000 in the United States. GM sold just 16,400 Chevrolet Bolt EVs to U.S. buyers and 60,000 Baojun E-Series models in China with joint venture partner SAIC Motor.

    GM Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra and President Mark Reuss have ramped up electric vehicle development over the past three years, focusing on a proprietary battery, a low-cost flexible vehicle design and a blueprint for high-volume production, mainly in China.

    The company has revealed its electric vehicle strategy in incremental steps – announcing the Hummer brand will be reborn as an electric pickup and partnering with Korean battery maker LG Chem to build a $2.3 billion battery plant near a shuttered GM car plant in Lordstown, Ohio. GM is now trying to put the broader picture into focus for investors.

    GM has said it aims to reduce the cost of battery cells – the single greatest expense in electric vehicles – to less than $100 per kilowatt-hour. That in turn could slash the cost of battery packs for electric vehicles like the Chevrolet Bolt EV by up to 45%, experts say.

    GM is also developing an advanced battery, in partnership with LG Chem and Japan’s Honda Motor Co, that will be smaller than current EV batteries, can be charged more quickly and will provide more energy.

    Musk has told investors that Tesla has battery cost and range breakthroughs in the works that it will describe at a “Battery Day” in April.

    Barra has said GM plans to spend more on electric vehicles than on gasoline-powered cars over the next five years. But it has not put a figure on how much it will invest in its efforts to rival Tesla and traditional competitors such as Volkswagen AG or Ford Motor Co as the electric vehicle market develops.

    Barra has, however, promised that GM will make money on electric cars by 2021.

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  • Tesla Shares Slump As Coronavirus Hits China Car Registrations

    Tesla Shares Slump As Coronavirus Hits China Car Registrations

    Shares of Tesla Inc fell as much as 14% on Thursday on concerns about the impact of the coronavirus on the electric-car maker’s vehicle registrations in China. Data from LMC Automotive showed that 3,563 Tesla vehicles were registered in China in January, up from 853 vehicles a year earlier, but down from the 6,613 vehicles registered in December. Tesla registrations fluctuate significantly from month to month, LMC data showed. The automaker typically delivers many more vehicles in the final month of a quarter than in the first month. In October 2019, Tesla owners registered just 763 vehicles, LMC data showed.

    Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. The selloff in Tesla shares highlights the growing concern about the health of the Chinese auto market as the government and companies contend with the disruption of the coronavirus outbreak.

    China Association of Automobile Manufacturers had earlier said that overall vehicle sales fell by almost a fifth in January, hurt by Lunar New Year holidays that started earlier than last year and by the coronavirus disruptions.

    The electric-car maker said earlier this month that the outbreak would delay deliveries of its Model 3 cars in China.

    While the virus originated in China’s Wuhan province late last year, local governments began imposing travel curbs and warning residents to avoid public spaces in the last two weeks of January. Tesla shares were trading down at $685 and were set for their fourth consecutive session of losses. Tesla’s stock has, however, jumped about 60% so far this year.

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  • Hyundai Shuts Down Factory In Korea After Worker Tests Positive For Coronavirus

    Hyundai Shuts Down Factory In Korea After Worker Tests Positive For Coronavirus

    “The company has also placed colleagues who came in close contact with the infected employee in self-quarantine and taken steps to have them tested for possible infection,” Hyundai Motor said in a news release. The company added that it was disinfecting the factory.

    Ulsan is less than an hour from Daegu, the epicenter of the outbreak in Korea.

    Hyundai operates five car factories in Ulsan, which has an annual production capacity of 1.4 million vehicles, or nearly 30% of Hyundai’s global production. Hyundai employs 34,000 workers there in the world’s biggest car complex.

    The factory that was shut down produces sport utility vehicles such as Palisade, Tucson, Santa Fe and Genesis GV80.

    A factory run by Hyundai supplier Seojin Industrial had been closed after the death of a virus-infected worker there. It reopened Wednesday.

    Meanwhile, South Korea’s top carrier, Korean Air Lines Co Ltd, said on Friday it would cut the number of flights to the United States in March.

    It plans to check temperatures of passengers traveling to the United States before boarding and said it would not allow anyone with a temperature higher than 37.5 Celsius to fly.

    It said it would expand these procedures to other routes.

    One of its flight attendants who served the Incheon to LA route has tested positive for virus.

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  • Audi Vietnam recalls SUVs to fix loose fender trims

    Audi Vietnam recalls SUVs to fix loose fender trims

    Audi Vietnam is recalling 618 Q5 SUVs to fix loose rear wheel fender trims that could be a road hazard if they detach.

    The affected Q5 vehicles were manufactured between January 2017 and August 2019 in Mexico, according to Audi Vietnam’s filing with Vietnam Register, the vehicle registration, inspection and quality control agency of the Ministry of Transport.

    Due to errors in the assembly process, a piece of the rear wheel fender trim may loosen during use and eventually detach from the SUV, and could become a hazard to other vehicles on the road, Audi Vietnam said in its filing.

    Audi Vietnam said it has so far not recorded cases of the piece falling off, but urged customers to take their vehicles to Audi Vietnam’s authorized dealers as soon as possible, who will secure the trim piece free of charge. This would take about 30 minutes, the company said.

    The recall program will take place from February 25, 2020 to February 25, 2023. Audi Vietnam said it will also service cars that were not officially imported but brought into the country individually (like diplomatic vehicles, for instance), upon receiving approval from the parent company.

    Audi opened its first dealership in Saigon in 2008, and now possesses three dealerships, the other two in Hanoi and Da Nang. It does not publish official sales figures in Vietnam.

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  • New-Generation Honda City Unveil Date Revealed

    New-Generation Honda City Unveil Date Revealed

    The 5th generation Honda City is all set to be launched in India in the next couple of months. We can now tell you that Honda Cars India will officially take the wraps off the new Honda City on March 16, 2020, and probably begin taking bookings for the new car the same day onwards. The launch date of the new Honda City is yet to be confirmed. The all-new Honda City will be quite similar to the Thailand-spec model, which was unveiled in Thailand, late last year. The car will have some India-specific changes incorporated into it, of course.

    he new Honda City gets a sharper design and the front end too wears a fresh new look. There is a thick chrome bar on the grille and the headlamp cluster has been completely redesigned, having a jewel eye design. The front bumper gets a redesign as well and so do the tail lamps, carrying a signature u-shaped element.

    The 2020 Honda City has grown in size as well and is now over 100 mm longer, while the width has increased by 53 mm. The height though is now lowered by a good 28 mm, making it look a bit sportier. Honda has shortened the wheelbase on the new City by 11 mm, despite the overall increase in length.

    There will be 1.5-liter mild-hybrid petrol engine along with a 1.5-liter diesel unit and they will be BS6 compliant, right from day 1. Expect Honda to offer manual and automatic gearbox options as well!

    The Honda City will go up against its traditional rivals, which are the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid, and the Volkswagen Vento.

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