The Stats speak for themselves and for the Tata Motor Group

The global wholesales of the Tata Motors Group in January in the year 2015 has remained flat at 80,499 as compared to January the preceding  year. Cumulative wholesales for this fiscal stay at 794,017 units, which is decreased marginally by 5% from the last fiscal.  The global wholesales of Tata Motor's commercial vehicles and Tata Daewoo in January 2015 recorded a sale of precisely 30,678 units characterized by a subtle 2% growth in sales as compared to January the previous year. Cumulative wholesale of commercial vehicles however, witnessed a decline og 16% from last fiscal with a sale of just 307,881 units.

The scenario of global wholesales in the passenger vehicles department remained flat over the yeat at 49,821 units, whereas cumulative wholesales of passenger vehicles has witnessed a 4% growth over the last fiscal.

The global wholesales of Tata Motors' passenger vehicles saw an elevation of 17% over the year with 13,294 units sold in January 2015. Cumulative wholesales for the fiscal however, dropped by 10%.

Global wholesales for the people's favourite Jaguar Land Rover for the month amounted to a sale of 36,527 vehicles, slightly lesser than the 38,631 vehicles sold in January the previous year. This reduction was explained by the awaited launch of the Land Rover Discovery Sport, expected to come out in markets this month. The present month saw the sale of 5,298 Jaguar vehicles and cumulative wholesales stood at 61,716 vehicles. The Land Rover saw a sale of 31,229 vehicles this month, and cumulative wholesale recorded a sale of 316,129. Cumulative wholesales for Jaguar Land Rover for this fiscal were at 377,845 vehicles, higher by 9%, over last fiscal.

Source: Autobei

New Head for Finance & Controlling at Daimler

Jochen Gotz will take over Matthias Grundler as the new head of Finance & Controlling at Daimler Trucks from March 1, 2015 onwards. Simultaneously, he will also become a member of the divisional board of Daimler Trucks & Buses and will be looking after all the finance and controlling related matters at Daimler Trucks & Buses, worldwide.

With Jochen Gotz, the company proudly celebrates the possession of an extremely talented and internationally recognized executive who has proven his expertise and proficiency with the company’s finance and controlling matters chiefly in the truck business, says Bodo Uebber,  a senior at Daimler Trucks. Also the Company thank Mr. Matthias Grudler, who is resigning at his will, for all his contribution and good work and wishes him luck for all his future endeavors.

  

A glance at Jochen Gots accomplishments

Jochen Götz (44) has been serving at Daimler AG for more than 25 years. He has commendable knowledge and experience in the truck business as well as in the area of finance and also management experience in Germany and abroad which is expected to prove fruitful for the company’s future endeavors. During his tenure at the Truck Group, he held leading positions at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Powertrain, and at Daimler Trucks North America. Most recently, he was in charge of Planning and Reporting Mercedes-Benz Cars and the Daimler Group.

Source: Autobei

Holger Mandel to be appointed as Chairman on may 1st

                                                     

Mr.Holger Mandel who was formerly associated with Volkswagen Financial Services AG where he was in charge of preparing and leading global service activities will become the new Chairman of MAN Truck & Bus on May 1st, 2015.

“We are pleased to have won Mr. Mandel for this important position; he is an acknowledged expert in our industry and we wish him all the best and every success for his new tasks”, says Heinz-Jürgen Löw, member of the Executive Board of MAN Truck & Bus AG.

Fathering two  children he is 47 years old and married. 4800 employees are hired by MAN Trucks on the German domestic market. It has 350 service locations and has always been the pioneers in Germany's truck and bus industry, serving a revenue of a whooping €2.5 billion.

Source: Autobei

Ashok Leyland boasts a 36% increase in sales

Reports have shown a stunning 36% increase in total sales at Ashok Leyland from 7915 units in February, 2014 to 10,762 units in the same month next year. Detailed insights show  a 48% increase in sales of heavy and medium commercial vehicles from 5576 units in February 2014 to 8320 units in February the next year. The same duration of time also saw an 8% upsurge in sales of Light commercial vehicles from 2,339 units to 2,532 units.

Source: Autobei

Supervisory Board assigns Joachim Drees as CEO of MAN Truck & Bus AG

The Supervisory Board of MAN Truck & Bus AG has appointed Joachim Drees as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Munich commercial vehicle manufacturer. Mr. Drees (50) will assume executive responsibility from Anders Nielsen on April 1, 2015, who will be accountable for Business Development in the commercial vehicles division at Volkswagen AG in upcoming phase.Furthermore, the Supervisory Board has decided to extend the contract of 50-year-old Heinz Jürgen Löw as Director of Sales & Marketing until 2021.Summary on Joachim Drees career:
-Was Chief Financial Officer of Drees & Sommer AG, Stuttgart. 
-Previously partner in a British investment company in London. 
-Worked as a manager with the Daimler Truck Group and Mercedes-Benz Trucks. 
-As of April 1, 2015 he will be CEO of MAN Truck & Bus AG, the largest company of the MAN Group.Summary on Anders Nielsen Career:
-He was projected to attain important role in MAN and today he will be switching to Volkswagen AG, the parent company of the MAN Group, on April 1, 2015.
-New Responsibilities involves:
      * Strenghthening up and heading the Business Development department in the commercial vehicles division.
      * Will be stating to Andreas Renschler, Board of Management member for Commercial Vehicles at Volkswagen AG.

Source: Autobei

Daimler Trucks breaks record selling 500,000 trucks

Even between partly difficult market conditions, the market’s leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles managed to deliver 450,000 unit in just a time span of eleven months in 2014. Daimler expected to finish 2014 with positive sales growth nearly 500,000 units.  Daimler Trucks also sold about 484,200 vehicles of the Mercedes-Benz, FUSO, Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses and BharatBenz brands.

Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Daimler Trucks & Buses. Mentioned that “Our intense efforts in all regions are paying dividends. Despite many economic challenges in some key markets, we can look back on 12 successful months. With almost 500,000 trucks sold we are already coming very close to our target envisaged for 2015″.

In commercial vehicles segment, 2014 was dominated by developments that varied widely by locations. Weak economic prospects but also political uncertainties put a pressure on the market development in Latin America. In Europe, sales were affected by the lack of dynamic economic development in addition to the introduction of the new Euro VI emissions standards and the difficult political situation in Eastern Europe. The situation is quite opposite in North America and Japan: In these markets Daimler benefited from the strong overall local business environment for commercial vehicles.

“We scored points with our strong products. With a strong sales team and vehicles perfectly tailored to the particular customer needs we managed to increase our market positions in many key regions,” said Bernhard.

One major reason for the high market requirement for trucks from Daimler is the extremely competitive total cost of ownership (TCO) of the vehicles, which is the most important aspect for buyers of trucks as a capital good. Enhanced efficiency for the good of the customer is paramount in all regions, for all brands and for all vehicle models. This is especially true for the Actros certified to Euro VI standards in Europe, for the current NAFTA bestseller, the Freightliner Cascadia Evolution, and for the FUSO Super Great V in Japan. All three models are pioneers in terms of fuel efficiency.

About the prospects for the coming year Bernhard said:

“With our global presence, our technological leadership and our intelligent platform strategy we are well prepared to react swiftly and appropriately to unpredictability’s in the economic environment. That is why we at Daimler Trucks will continue to work steadily on further expanding our position as the world’s leading truck manufacturer in 2015”.

In India, five more models of the BharatBenz brand were launched over the course of the year. Sales in the first eleven months rose by 61 percent to 9,700 (previous year: 6,000) units. The new, attractive product range of the young BharatBenz brand is now sold out by a network of around 80 dealerships. The expansion of the sales network continues as planned. At the same time, the acceptance of the brand among Indian customers keeps growing: less than two years after the start of deliveries, BharatBenz has conquered third place in the market for heavy-duty trucks.

Source: Autobei

New VOLVO trucks now rolling on Indian streets

Volvo Trucks’ much-awaited new range has been launched on Indian streets yesterday. The completely redefined product portfolio – which includes the flagship Volvo FH, voted ‘International Truck of the Year 2014′ in Europe – is pushing the limits on what premium trucks can offer, setting a new benchmark for transportation in India.

At the earlier press event held at KTPO, Whitefield, Bangalore, Philippe Divry, President, Volvo India Private Ltd, and Senior Vice President of the Volvo Group mentioned, “Volvo has invested more than US$3 billion and 14 million engineering hours in this project. And just to make perfectly sure of the outcome, we have tested the vehicles for 21 million kilometers. We are the undisputed leader of the premium truck segment in India, and this new range will keep moving the bar further in terms of productivity and efficiency for our customers.”

For the press event – more than 150 VIP customers across India have been invited to Bangalore to experience three new models that together constitute a significant development in the transportation industry.

Including Volvo FH, the Volvo FM and the Volvo FMX, the range is the most technologically advanced in India. It shouts of important improvements in all crucial areas: starting from productivity, fuel efficiency, and safety to maximizing uptime. The range also introduces unique features like the intelligent I-Shift automated gearbox technology optimized for tough and rugged mining operating conditions, as well as Volvo’s unique Dynafleet telematics system which allows following up on fuel consumption over time, and – together with Volvo Trucks Driver Training services – coach drivers into further improving their fuel saving skills.

Dynafleet also allows customers to see actual time as per the location of their vehicles and vehicles’ performance data that are critical to have control on their fleet, allowing the customer merely concentrates on running their core business.

Designed for demanding industry segments:

CEO of VE Commercial Vehicles, Mr Vinod Aggarwal, commented that, “with new hi-tech capabilities and a wide range of benefits, the trucks are equipped to serve every Volvo customer in India, from construction and mining to heavy haulage.”

“There are countless infrastructure developments taking place in India, providing significant opportunities. We at Volvo Trucks want to maximize our operations off the back of these major developments; we want to offer total peace of mind to our customers and facilitate their growth. With the introduction of the New Volvo truck range, we’re confident in our ability to be a key player in this ambitious journey” added Mr. Aggarwal.

Driving progress through total offer:

Rama Rao A S, Senior Vice President, Sales Marketing and Aftermarket, Volvo Trucks, VECV commented, “We are the most preferred truck brand in the premium western segment with over 65 percent market share in its segment; but more importantly we concentrate on to be No.1 in terms of customer satisfaction.” He further added, “We believe in creating and delivering value to our customers.  For us at Volvo Trucks, all our offerings emerge from the customers’ needs and end with their satisfaction. With our comprehensive offerings meeting today’s business challenges in transportation, we can help our customers to improve their productivity and profitability more effectively and aim at what we call customer delight”.

Volvo Trucks has acquired more than 150 touch points across the country including state of the art workshops and various service support centers as we believe premium trucks need premium care.

Source: Autobei

MAN Latin America Market leader from more than 10 years

Official confirmation has been given by the Brazilian automobile vehicle manufacturer association anfavae that the MAN Latin America continues to be a the market leader for trucks for the twelfth year in a row. They have ended the year 2014 with the sale of 36,157 licensed units.

And also in the list of leading ten selling trucks in Brazil, three of their truck models also cemented their places. Their impressive and top model vw constellation 24.280 6*2 has kept the top spot. This truck has been built with an engine which can effectively boasting 275 horsepower. It contains the cost saving EGR emissions technology. The most welcoming aspect of this model is that this truck can be used for short, medium and long routes. Thus, this vehicle is very user friendly.

And in the top 10 positions, one of their products vw delivery 8.160 truck has captured the second place. This model is mainly used for light duty purpose. But its user friendly nature attracts the customers most.

The company also doing their business considerably well for buses. They are in the second position with the sale of 6480 licensed units. Thus in the field of trucks and buses, MAN Latin America continues to excel.

Source: Autobei

PACCAR has elected new director

Mark pigott also said that PACCAR is very much pleased that ford will be joining the board. Her experience will benefit PACCAR in its global growth. Ms.ford who is now 50 has worked as executive vice president, chief supply chain and operations officer of land o' lakes since 2012. She takes care of entire supply chain operations.

She has held operating and senior leadership positions with global companies in chemical industries,food and beverage industries, publishing, and oil and gas industries. Now she is the director of Clearwater paper corporation. Ms.ford pursued her M.B.A from Columbia university business school and B.B.A from Lisa state university.
NEW DIRECTOR FOR PACCAR

PACCAR is a leading firm in the design,manufacture and customer support of light,medium and heavy duty trucks under the kenworth, peterbilt and DAF nameplates. Diesel engines have also been designed and manufactured by PACCAR. Also it provides IT support and financial support.

Source: Autobei

Mahindra thrives on Mergers & Marketing Strategies

M & M could very well stand for Mergers and Marketing Strategies as the company is going places with it's new techniques and mergers aimed at increasing profits and Gross revenue.

Overview:

Mahindra's Q3 F2015 PAT escalated by 5.7 per cent to Rs. 967 Crore. Announcements regarding the unaudited financial results of the quarter year ending with 31st December, 2014 have been given at a meeting of The Board of Directors at Mahindra & Mahindra on the 13th February,2015. The results for both the company and the consolidated Mahindra Group were published. In light of these events, a subsidiary of the company called Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturers Limited was set up. It's goal was to broaden the horizons of market offerings of the company by sourcing concurrent products.

It has been considered one of the outstanding cogs of the operating wheels of the company and plays a critical role in its business to an extent where only the combined results of both M&M and MVML are considered to shine light upon the extensive performance of the company.

M&M enjoys MVML's company in sharing profits!

The snail-like characteristic of the Indian automotive Industry can be clearly microscoped with the performance of the Utility Vehicle Industry dropping down by 6.1% in Q3 F2015. Furthermore, the tractor industry has received a blowing downfall of 21.8% in Q3 FY2015 owing to a shelved and scanty monsoon. Owing to the present conditions of markets, product upgradation and aggressive field activities seem to be the main hub of the company. Apart from these changes, the company also aims to deliver escalating value, arising out of efficient processes.

Enduring leadership position in both the utility vehicle and tractor segment has been one the prides of the Combined Entity. Clear proof of this respected position can be exclusively highlighted by the sale of 49,724 utility vehicles (with its market share being 37.4%) and 56,471 tractors in the domestic market during this current quarter.

Export of tractors enjoyed a whopping 50.4% increase with the sale of 3,385 units this quarter as compared to the 2,251 tractor units sold in Q3 in the previous year.

As of the quarter which ended on 31st December 2014, the gross revenues and other income generated by the Combined Entity have amounted to Rs.10,087 crore, analogous to the Rs.11,286 crore in Q3 of the previous year, marked by a slight decrease. The generated profit without tax deductions yields Rs.1,139 crore in the current quarter with a parallel Rs.1188 crore in Q3 of the previous year. However, the Net Profit after the tax deductions aggrandized by 5.7% from Rs.914 crore in Q3 of the previous year to Rs.967 crore for the current quarter.

The positive results of the company in the profit sections also owe a great deal to the the merger of Mahindra Engineering Services Limited (MESL), a subsidiary of the company with Tech Mahindra Limited ( TML). Owing to the merger, shares were received by the company in light of its holdings in MESL. The company has also stored the recordings of the shares it has received of TML, and this amounts to a whooping value of Rs. 359 crores. Accounting for Investments has been deemed mandatory by the requirements of Accounting Standard 13. The cost of the Company's holdings in MESL has been documented as Rs.299 crores and the excess monetary value has been accounted for as an exceptional item. The significance of the TML market shares over the year can be owed to it's increase to Rs. 985 crores till 12th February, 2015.

The combined entity has, no doubt added to the intrinsic value of the company and has helped in boosting it's performance as well as annual profits and incomes. The M&M standalone has also given complementary results with the decrease of the Gross Revenues and Other Incomes from Rs. 11,295 crore corresponding to the previous year, to Rs. 10188 for the quarted ended on 31st December, 2014.

After accounting for the exceptional items and tax decutions, the net profit for the M&M standalone company has scaled new heights to Rs.942 crore this current quarter from Rs.934 crore the quarter of the previous year.

In Conclusion, the previous year saw Rs. 11,422 crore from Gross Revenues and Other Income and Net Profit after accounting for tax deductions amounted to Rs.848 crores.

The YTD period also sees some good times:

On the other hand, The Gross Revenues and Other Income of the Combined Entity for the YTD period ended 31st December 2014 stands at Rs. 31310 crore as against Rs. 32159 crore in the corresponding period previous year. The Net Profit after tax deductions is Rs. 2837 crore for the current YTD period as against Rs. 2732 crore in the corresponding period previous year.

The Gross Revenues and Other Income of the Company for the YTD period ended 31st December 2014 is Rs. 31,660 crore as against Rs. 32,074 crore in the corresponding period previous year. The Net Profit after tax is Rs. 2,771 crore for the current YTD period as against Rs. 2861 crore in the corresponding period previous year.On a comparable basis the Gross Revenues and Other Income and Net Profit after tax for the YTD period of the previous year were Rs. 32,594 crore and Rs. 2,656 crore respectively.

Consolidation is key:

The consolidated Gross Revenues and Other Income of the Group for the Quarter ended 31st December 2014 is Rs. 18372 crore (USD 3.0 billion) as against Rs. 20680 crore (USD 3.4 billion) in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The consolidated Net Profit after tax deductions and minor interest values for the current quarter is Rs. 930 crore (USD 152.5 million) as compared to Rs. 1,230 crore (USD 201.6 million) in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

The Consolidation results of the YTD period was also documented and announced. The Gross Revenues and Other Income of the Group for the YTD period ended 31st December 2014 is Rs. 56,760 crore (USD 9.3 billion) as against Rs. 58,699 crore (USD 9.6 billion) in the corresponding period of the previous year. The consolidated Net Profit after tax and after minority interest for the current YTD period is Rs. 2686 crore (USD 440.2 million) as compared to Rs. 3,034 crore (USD 497.2 million) in the corresponding period of the previous year.

There may not be significant or analogous schemes seen in the company corresponding to the previous year. This is owed to the merger schemes put in action in the current quarter, owing to a plethora of changes in the company's outputs as seen in the results of the Q3 and YTD F2015.

Shaking hands off with CIE Spain:

The Profitable alliance with CIE concluded during the quarter. The ending of the alliance was a result of the the merger of the Company’s subsidiaries Mahindra Ugine Steel Company Limited (MUSCO), Mahindra Gears International Limited (MGIL) and Mahindra Investments (India) Private Limited (MIIPL) with Mahindra CIE Automotive Limited (MCIE) an associate of the Company.

As a result of this merger, the Company received equity shares of Mahindra CIE in lieu of its holding in those Companies. The investment in MCIE is being carried in the books of the Company at Rs. 526 crore. The market value of these shares so received is Rs. 1465 crore as on 12th February, 2015. The Company also holds 13.5% stake in CIE, through its subsidiary Mahindra Overseas Investment Company (Mauritius) Limited which was acquired at a cost of Rs. 806 crore. The market value of this investment is Rs. 1355 crore as on 11th February, 2015.

The Group as on 31st December 2014 comprised of 110 Subsidiaries, 7 Joint Ventures and 16 Associates. A full summation of Gross Revenues and other income of all the group companies (including the Company) taken together for the YTD period ended 31st December 2014 is Rs. 77,300 crore (USD 12.7 billion). The combined market capitalization of the listed entities within the Group (including the Company) is Rs. ,crore (USD 28.6 billion) as on 12th February, 2015.

Source: Autobei

VOLVO GROUP – The Fourth Quarter 2014

The Volvo Group, in its Fourth Quarter was showered with a significant reduction in the Group's cost base. This was accounted for by its underlying profitability improvement in it's truck business and persistent traction in the activities it undertook to improve efficiency. On the Contrary however, turbulences were experienced in the construction equipment business, resulting in the deterioration of multiple markets situated outside North America.
• The Fourth Quarter saw net sales amounting to SEK 77.5 billion to 76.6 billion adjustible to currency translation. On the other hand, the sales of acquired and divested units dipped by a whooping 4%.

• Provisions corresponding to the EU antitrust investigation and the expected credit losses in China combined to create a negative impact on the operating income, resulting in a total loss of SEK 4,450 Million.

• The operating income which arose out of Charges incurred through restructuring and provisions (apart from the ones mentioned above) amounted to SEK 3,021 M. This was sublty more compared to last year's operating income of SEK 3,077 M (excluding a write-down of Volvo Rents of SEK 1,500 M), corresponding to an operating margin of 3.9% (4.0). Currency exchange rates played a positive role by impacting SEK 373 M.

•The cash inflows from Industrial Operations amounted to an optimistic value of SEK 10.6 (10.3 approximated to currency changes). This resulted in the reduction of the net financial debt to 14% of equity in the Industrial Operations.

• Intakes in truck orders saw a pleasant increase by 16% while this was contrasted with a fall in the intake of construction equipment orders by 33%.

• The Board of Directors have also proposed a dividend of SEK 3.00 per share (3.00).

“Our work towards further improving operational performance and lower cost levels has good traction, and we can look back at a year of significant change and many improvement activities that are now paying off. Going forward, we still have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but continue to have a good momentum in our activities to improve efficiency and reduce costs across the Group,” says Olof Persson, President and CEO.

Source: Autobei

Heavy payload truck brought by Fuso

An extension in the canter range is been done by the Fuso named as one of the Daimler subsidiary in The United Kingdom. Inclusion of 8.55 tonne, the particular model has the capacity of 6.0 tonnes with regards to its probable payload.

In Nov’13, a truck show in France was organized where the debut was made by the model numbers 9C18 and 9C15 of the Canter with 8.55 tonne which is right now only viewed in UK.

Since, the identity can be drawn to the 7.5 tonner, the members from heavy duty carriage are associated with the wheel based length between the sizes 3.4 m to that of 4.7m. The features such as tyres, Axles as well as brakes will not be requiring ant type of high rating in order to get a specific balance with 8.55 tonne. As compared to the carrier with the 7.5 tonner, the heavy models with no weight have an extension of only between 10 kg to 40 kg. Thus all the excess capacity will be used for the payloads.

As per the suggestion of figures in weight of FUSO, there will be a possibility of allowing a capacity of 6.1 tonne for payload. In a carrier with 10 tonner capacity, there will be a shortage between a range of 400 – 600kg.

As far as the rating for 4 cylinder engine is concerned, comparison is made between the vehicle with 173hp/430Nm and 148hp/370Nm. There is a tough fight of the 6 tonne engine with heavy industry based with that of  the larger model with 7.5 tonne.

The comparison proved that both the vehicles used the conjunction of SCR as well as EGR in order to adhere with limit of Euro 6. Even no change is been noted with the features like automated gearbox, speed as well as the system of dual clutch.  But an adjustment was made to bear the weight  at the ratio of standard rear axle. It was previously 4.875 : 1 where as it has been changed to the ratio 5.714:1.

It has been observed that, the truck registration in the United Kingdom for a particular year  is only numbered between 200 to 300 which has its total weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes. An expectation is drawn by FUSO to get more buyers who requires vehicle with high uploads that too through the GVW canter with 8.55 tonne. Fuso is eagerly waiting for response from buyers.

Source: Autobei

Volvo trucks – An award of quality with prestige

Volvo trucks accepted an award for the 2 consecutive years for quality and innovation in vehicle. This time, the prestigious quality award from Europe was handed over to Volvo trucks for its features like Dual Clutch I—Shift and its new transmission. Due to these features driver can run the car easily without any threat.

According to an Associate professor with the background of Industrial Economics named as Matti Kauli, brand new feature in heavy vehicle industry is the I-shift dual clutch system that is a great innovation which helps cargo owners, drivers, society  and the transport companies. The professor was also a part of a panel where the award giving ceremony took place. He was also a member of Swedish SIQ.

The award for quality and innovation is supported by various quality institutions in each European country along with SIQ.  The particular award for the year 2014 is received from the hand of Janos Ader- President of Hungary on 19th Jan at Budapest.

Advantage for customers with innovation

Hayder Wokil, the quality Director in the division Volvo trucks was happy to mention his appreciation in getting reward for innovation. According to him, the team works in a systematic way for the advantage of drivers and passengers. The new innovation named as I-Shift dual clutch has also been a surprise to customers. Since, the Volvo truck has again received award for quality and innovation, it means that the team is well focused.

Volvo trucks receives first position in World

Since the technology made is automated along with dual clutch, the driver does not need to lose power as well as speed when gear is changed.  Rather, he can experience a smooth and easy drive throughout the road. Previously this technology was developed in sports cars with high performances but Volvo truck  has created a revolution in bringing this technology in the vehicle with heavy weight.

In the previous year, ie 2013, Volvo truck was award the same award – Quality and innovation for the dynamic steering stabilization system. Even the contribution of the film named ‘ The epic split’ was presented in its promotion.

Source: Autobei

Volkswagen see good times in UK and Spain

2015 has been a good year with Volkswagen's commercial vehicles kicking off to a great start inEuropean Markets with more than 19,500 vehicles sold only in Western Europe in January. A stunning growth of 2.8% was observed from the same month of the preceeding year. The United Kingdom and Spain markets require special mention as the most development was seen in these countries with an astounding 14.9% increase in sales witnessed in the UK and a 12% increase in sales recorded in Spain. Germany also displayed a 4.8% increase in sales of Commercial Vehicles.

However, models like the T5, Caddy, Amarok and Crafter series recorded a 3.3% dip in their sales, which could be attributed to the difficult situations in South America and Eastern Europe. Also, the production of T2 slowly disintegrated to nothing in Brazil at the end of 2013. This region has also recorded an appalling 29.8% decline in sales as compared to the same month last year. The result of the decrease in sales in Russia was felt particularly in Eastern Europe. This region suffered a 6.6% decrease in sales with a total of 2,500 units delivered.

The African region has remained stable in aspects of sales of vehicles with a slight 1% decrease in sales, managing to sell 1,500 vehicles this year. The Asian and Pacific regions witnessed a 5.9% dip in sales. Turkey also recorded a significant 16.1% decrease in sales as compared to that of the previous year. 

Source: Autobei

Tractors with Steered Trailing Axle steer DAF’S aim of efficient performance

DAF has always been recognized by their low operating cost, superior levels of performance and advanced design. Recently, DAF have introduced the CF and XF tractor units which incorporate a steered trailing rear axle. High payload coupled with maximum maneuverability have given these units an added advantage.

This design involves the three-axle tractor units possessing a steered trailing rear axle, weighing 7.5 tonnes. This finds countless applications for heavy-weight work. The steered trailing axle may be used effortlessly for the transportation of construction materials and also for the transportation of machinery. This design is characterized by a special balance between maneuvering and payload delivery. The fact that very little space is available for delivery pushes the design to achieve the additional payload to make up for the same. This is attained by the improved design of the steered trailing axle.

As always, DAF has been known for it's increased efficiency, and offers a choice between the more efficient of the two 10.8 litre PACCAR MX-11, and 12.9 litre PACCAR MX-13 engines, characterized by rang of 291kW/396hp to 375kW/510hp. Apart from fuel efficiency, additional enhancements to the engines have been made such as Predictive Cruise Control with Predictive Shifting and Eco mode, aiding with a 5% extra savings in fuel.

The models available with the CF tractor unit include Day Cab, Sleeper Cab and Space Cab. Recent innovations have made all units available, including the XF units' Space Cab and Super Space Cab.

Source: Autobei

BMW Group and SCHERM Group launches first 40 ton electric truck

Quiet and environmentally friendly: initial 40-ton electrical truck for transport on town roads. BMW cluster and SCHERM cluster launch trial in urban center.The BMW cluster is partnering with supply  company SCHERM cluster to deploy a 40-ton pure-electric truck within the town this summer and become the primary automobile manufacturer in Germany to use an electrical truck of this size to move materials on public roads.The electric truck can drive between the supply company SCHERM cluster and also the BMW cluster Plant urban center eight times each day, covering a distance of just about 2 kilometers unidirectional.The truck is quiet, CO2-free in traffic and generates just about no particle pollution for the atmosphere.The environmentally friendly truck can generate 11.8 tons less greenhouse emission annually –cherish a BMW 320d economical Dynamics driving virtually 3 times round the world.The BMW cluster and SCHERM cluster are investing a six-figure quantity within the trial, which is able to ab initio span one year. If the vehicle proves itself in everyday driving conditions, each partners can get to expand the project.

Source: Autobei

Supervisory Board assigns Joachim Drees as CEO of MAN Truck & Bus AG

The Supervisory Board of MAN Truck & Bus AG has appointed Joachim Drees as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Munich commercial vehicle manufacturer. Mr. Drees (50) will assume executive responsibility from Anders Nielsen on April 1, 2015, who will be accountable for Business Development in the commercial vehicles division at Volkswagen AG in upcoming phase.Furthermore, the Supervisory Board has decided to extend the contract of 50-year-old Heinz Jürgen Löw as Director of Sales & Marketing until 2021.Summary on Joachim Drees career:
-Was Chief Financial Officer of Drees & Sommer AG, Stuttgart. 
-Previously partner in a British investment company in London. 
-Worked as a manager with the Daimler Truck Group and Mercedes-Benz Trucks. 
-As of April 1, 2015 he will be CEO of MAN Truck & Bus AG, the largest company of the MAN Group.Summary on Anders Nielsen Career:
-He was projected to attain important role in MAN and today he will be switching to Volkswagen AG, the parent company of the MAN Group, on April 1, 2015.
-New Responsibilities involves:
      * Strenghthening up and heading the Business Development department in the commercial vehicles division.
      * Will be stating to Andreas Renschler, Board of Management member for Commercial Vehicles at Volkswagen AG.

Source: Autobei

2016 Camaro Curtain Raiser on May 16 in Detroit

Chevrolet is luring fans to ascertain the all-new 2016 Camaro on  May 16, in Detroit. The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro is a very all-new car – from the grille’s bowtie to the rear spoiler, solely 2 elements carry over from the fifth-generation model. The bowtie emblem on the taillight panel and the SS badge. The Gen 6 Camaro is predicated on General Motors’ triumph Alpha design. 70 % of subject area parts distinctive to the Gen 6 Camaro. The front structure, for instance, was developed specifically for Camaro. it's prolonged, to form the dash-to-axle quantitative relation necessary for car’s picture profile, and widened to produce the specified track breadth for stable,assured cornering. additionally, twenty % of the six.2L LT1 V-8 engine has been tailored to suit the Camaro’s packaging, together with new, hollow “tri-Y”-style exhaust manifolds.

Source: Autobei

Nissan to unveil economic model of Datsun

The covert tiny automobile are going to be launched among eighteen months and be priced below Nissan's current most cost-effective model, the Datsun GO.Nissan showcased a plan motorcar, Datsun Redi-GO, at the motor vehicle show in urban center in 2014 and also the new automobile is probably going to be supported that.The Datsun automobile is predicated on a replacement platform created conjointly with Nissan's international alliance partner, French maker Renault SA.

Source: Autobei

Intrado concept car earns Prize in JEC Innovation Awards 2015

Hyundai Motor has received the Jury Prize at the JEC Innovation Awards 2015 for its innovative automotive bon-fibre frame style showcased on the Intrado construct car. The prize was conferred throughout the JEC Europe 2015 conference in Paris this month.The organization designated the light-weight and art movement frame of Intrado, that enhances the concept’s advanced fuel-cell powertrain and style, representing the progressive spirit of Hyundai Motor. The minimalistic, independent skeleton-like frame structure is very stable and very lightweight weight, saving 70 % weight compared to a standard chassis and around 30 % on the vehicle weight, while not compromising safety attributes.

Source: Autobei

Is the i3 the new pintsized Isetta?

Over sixty years agone, BMW bought a then rights tons little very little Italian automotive referred to as the Isetta. It had been a huge hit in Europe, mercantilism over 160,000 units.
It brought BMW back from the brink of bankruptcy. The Isetta was a brash, fun very little automotive that, despite its  mpg, Americans70 perceived to dislike.Despite its overwhelming admiration across the Atlantic ne'er got the find it irresistible merited here within the States just because it had been a little very little automotive with but 400cc’s below its bonnet.

BMW presently contains a equally misunderstood automotive at this terribly moment — the i3.Nonetheless despite all of its brilliance and innovation, Americans still appear to steer towards the Tesla over the i3.While the Tesla doesn’t have eight-cylinders, or any for that matter, Americans still like it as a result of its batteries area unit larger than the i3’s, creating it a lot of powerful and giving it a stronger vary.The Tesla may be a outstanding automotive, there’s no 2 ways in which regarding it. However the Tesla looks like associate degree old-school manner of considering the electrical automotive. It’s large and serious, with the most important motors and batteries Elon Musk will work.

Engineers, area unit operating towards a stronger, a lot of economical manner.Musk and Tesla are a large a part of making a brand new future for the auto. However because it stands currently, the i3 is that the automotive that appears toward the longer term, by being totally different. similar to the pintsized  Isetta.

Source: Autobei

Audi projects electric SUV for 2018

The electric section is guaranteed to get crowded . Ingolstadt-based Audi proclaimed their plans to create AN all-electric SUV by 2018.Lessons learned from the Audi R8 e-tron are used for different production vehicles further.Audi’s Strategy speaks -In early 2018, they're going to launch a powered sports activity vehicle within the massive premium section with a spread of quite five hundred kilometers surpassing the Tesla Model S.Features of newcomer Audi electric Suv encompasess  
-a new, terribly engaging style for the e-tron vary and for powered vehicles.
– This sports activity vehicle are inbuilt the second generation of the standard line of longitudeplatform (MLB 2) –put on conception for the optimum drivetrain diversity implementation.
– long SUV with wheel arches and razor-sharp headlights and grille.
– Battery capability of 37Ah
The Audi Q1 are the new entry-level model among our SUVs and can spherical out the portfolio atvery cheap finish as on 2016. Within the massive luxury section, Audi can build an effect with a colourful letter spinoff with the Audi Q8.

Source: Autobei