The Indian subsidiary of Japanese car maker Nissan Motor has earned over Rs 30,000 crore ($4.35 billion) in foreign exchange, Nissan Motor India said on Thursday.

In a statement, Nissan Motor India said since 2010 when it started operations in India, over 620,000 cars were exported to over 100 countries and it earned foreign exchange revenue of Rs 30,000 crore.http://www.nurrawatches.com/

The company gets its models made at Renault-Nissan Alliance's joint venture car plant near here.

"Our strategy has been to use exports to build a significant presence in India with our plant, the largest and most advanced in the Alliance, and our R&D (research and development) centre which employs 5,000 engineers," Gulaume Sicard, President, Nissan India Operations, was quoted as saying.

Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) aims to have 250 Nexa outlets by March 2017 and expects the premium sales and service outlets to contribute 15 per cent of the company's sales by 2020.

Launched in July 2015, Nexa today completed one year of operations. It currently has 150 outlets across 94 cities.

Over 1 lakh cars have been sold through this channel till date, which employs 3,500 relationship managers.
"Over half (51 per cent) of the customers who bought cars at Nexa were not customers of Maruti Suzuki at that point, indicating that through Nexa, we are able to attract new categories of customers," MSI Executive Director (Marketing & Sales) R S Kalsi said in a statement.
To further enhance purchase and ownership experience, the company plans to provide customers enriching experiences beyond the showroom as well, he added.
"We will curate new experiences around fashion and lifestyle, music and travel. These experiences will touch the lives of customers through international music festivals, fashion/styling sessions and long-distance drives. Rather than limit ourselves to selling cars, our aim is to forge relationships over the period of ownership," Kalsi said.
Maruti Suzuki plans to expand the number of premium outlets to 250 by March 2017 and Nexa is expected to contribute 15 per cent of MSI sales by 2020, the auto major said.
The company sells premium crossover S-Cross and premium hatchback Baleno from these outlets.
Maruti stock was trading at Rs 4,750 on BSE, up 4.19 per cent, from its previous close.

 Source: Nexa outlets to account for 15% sales by 2020: Maruti 

Mercedes-Benz India today launched the new SLC 43 AMG, which will replace the long-standing SLK range, making it the third launch by the German carmaker in India this year. The SLC 43AMG is based on the same platform as the C-Class and features a hard-top convertible roof. The styling on the new car is mildly different from the SLK, it replaces and the interiors too have been polished to give a more modern and premium look.

What really makes the SLC 43AMG stand out is the powertrain, which of course has been worked upon by AMG. The car is powered by a 3.0 L twin-turbocharged petrol V6 engine developing about 364 hp and 520 Nm of torque. The engine transfers its power to the rear wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. Being lighter than the SLK platform, the SLC offers a better balance between performance and efficiency.

The 9G-TRONIC transmission offers the driver five modes to choose from – Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual. The V6 petrol engine is claimed to be 20 % more fuel-efficient than the outgoing V8 that powered the SLK. This along with other weight-saving measures has further improved the efficiency of the SLC 43AMG. Commenting on the launch, Roland Folger, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes Benz India, said “The all new Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 is an illustration of cutting-edge technology coupled with superlative design elements and unmatched performance in equanimity. Mercedes- Benz set new standards in the luxury open top motoring in India with the launch of the SLK. Now, we celebrate 20 successful years of this timeless roadster, with the introduction of the AMG SLC 43 within 4 months from its international debut. With the launch of the Mercedes-AMG SLC 43, we continue to follow our ‘top of pyramid’ approach and take pride in offering the widest range of performance vehicles for our astute Indian customers."

Source: Mercedes-Benz SLC 43AMG launched at Rs 77.50 lakh

Maruti Suzuki will manufacture the sub-compact SUV Jimny in India for local as well as export markets, claims carandbike. Slated for a 2017 launch, the Jimny is based on the same platform that underpins the Baleno and will also serves as a base for the upcoming Ignis. The car is expected to be manufactured at the company's upcoming plant in Gujarat.

While there have been numerous reports of the Jimny being launched in India in the past, India's association with the vehicle is already quite old. The immensely popular Gypsy was based on the 3rd-generation Jimny, albeit with an extended wheelbase. While it may seem logical for the company to launch the Jimny in absence of the Gypsy, the Jimny is quite small vehicle. With two doors and a short wheelbase, the Jimny is almost the size of a hatchback with more height. The model to be launched in India though is expected to have an extended wheelbase and four-doors. This also opens up the possibility of the company using the popular Gypsy brand for the vehicle in order to encash on the brand's historical popularity.

The Jimny is expected to be powered by a 1.0 L Boosterjet petrol engine, which will be launched on the Baleno RS in the next few weeks. The possibility of a diesel engine is yet to be confirmed. While the company has not yet made any official comments about the Jimny, we'll keep you updated with any developments as and when they happen.

Yamaha Motor Research & Development India Pvt Ltd (YMRI) has said it will set up its second R&D centre in India, with an investment of about Rs 66 crore. The new unit will be on the premises of India Yamaha Motor’s plant in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu.                                                  

The company said its new R&D centre, being set up to ensure optimum utilisation of resources, is aimed at capcity enhancement.

According to the company, the investment is part of the Rs 1,500-crore investment it has committed as part of the ‘Make in India’ campaign. The company opened its first R&D facility in India in Uttar Pradesh. 

Yasuo Ishihara, Managing Director, YMRI, said, “The objective of the new centre is to develop models for India and eventually, the global market. The Chennai centre shall be the second main pillar for YMRI.”

 The company said its long-term plan is to develop products which fit the Indian & global customer requirements, and the new unit is intended to increase Yamaha’s manufacturing competitiveness in the country.

YMRI, which was established in February 2013, is the fifth overseas R&D headquarters for Yamaha Motor Group, following Italy, Taiwan, China and Thailand.