PACCAR MAY LAUNCH DAF TRUCKS IN INDIA

U.S. commercial-vehicle maker Paccar Inc. is studying the possibility of introducing heavy-duty trucks in India from its Dutch unit DAF Trucks NV, as it attempts to expedite its global growth by tapping into emerging markets and partly offset a slowdown in Europe.
Donald Schulte, managing director for India initiatives at Paccar, in a recent interview said the company is considering options to either sell imported fully-built trucks in India or to build an assembly plant.
A foray into India by Paccar would put it into competition with other global truck makers such as Daimler AG, Volvo AB, MAN AG and Navistar International Corp. who already operate here either via their own units or with joint ventures with local companies.
A total of 499,965 trucks and buses were sold in India during April-November 2011, up 20% from a year earlier, according to data issued by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. The market is dominated by Indian companies such as Tata Motors Ltd., Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and Ashok Leyland Ltd.
"We see India as a major commercial-vehicle market that is growing," Mr. Schulte said. "We always take a long-term view of a market and we are studying our options for India."
He said Paccar doesn't have a definite time frame to commence operations in India.
Paccar is participating at the ongoing Auto Expo in New Delhi with its DAF brand of trucks. DAF trucks are currently made only in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and in Westerlo in Belgium.
"We see infrastructure investments, increasing buying power of people will make it a very compelling investment in India for those who want to have a long-term investment," Mr. Schulte said.
Bellevue, Wash.-based Paccar is the second-largest seller of heavy-duty trucks in the U.S. behind Daimler's Freightliner brand. Its North American truck brands are Kenworth and Peterbilt.
As part of its steps to expand in emerging markets, Paccar said recently it had begun constructing an assembly plant for DAF-brand trucks in Ponta Grossa, Brazil. But the company has said it would scale back truck production in Europe.
The company last year started a technical center in the western Indian city of Pune in partnership with KPIT Cummins Infosystems Ltd. Mr. Schulte said the Pune center is the third such facility for Paccar after the U.S. and the Netherlands.
He said staff count in Pune will be expanded to 200 by the end of December from 25 now.

Auto Expo 2012: Man Force forays into bus segment; unveils 'Man Airobus'

Commercial vehicle maker Man Force Trucks on Saturday announced its foray into the bus segment and said the company is eyeing a 50 per cent jump in overall sales at 6,000 units this year.

The company, which today launched 'Man Airobus' at the 11th Auto Expo here, said bookings for the Rs 60 lakh priced-bus have already started and it plans to sell around 250 units by the year-end.

"Entering into the bus segment is an extension of our product portfolio as we try to become a full scale commercial vehicle manufacturer. The bus segment is a growing market in India," Man Force Trucks Managing Director Sudhir Mehta told PTI on the sidelines of the Expo.

He said the 'Airobus' is placed in the market between the premium bus and rear-engine bus. The new product is a 45 seater inter-city air-conditioned coach powered by 220hp diesel engine. It is being manufactured at the company's facility at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh, where it has production capacity to make 24,000 trucks a year.

Asked about its sales target this year, Mehta said, "Last year, we had around 4,000 trucks. This year, we plan to sell around 6,000 units including the bus."

Besides, the company said it has lined up three-four trucks to be launched this year.

Last year, Pune-based Force Motors had announced to exit the JV by selling 5.58 lakh shares for 150 million euro (over Rs 1,050 crore) to the Germany-based MAN. "We are still in the process of exiting from the joint venture. The exit will not have any impact on the quality of the existing products," Man Force Trucks Chairman Abhay Firodia said.

Force Motors and MAN formed the joint venture company in 2006. At the time of formation of the JV, the Indian firm was the majority partner with 80 per cent stake, which became a 50:50 partnership in 2008.

TATA MOTORS UNVEILS 3 NEW VEHICLES ( After Maret Spare Parts Dealers should be increase Inventory from 2013 Mid)

Tata Motors today unveiled at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2012 the company's new LCV & ICV range, and the Tata LPT 3723, India's first 5-axle rigid truck. They will be commercially launched in the next financial year.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. P.M. Telang, Managing Director - India Operations, said, the LPT 3723 will create new segments and generate higher incomes for their owners. As importantly, we are displaying our progress with alternate fuel technologies towards a more comprehensive portfolio for the future."

The Tata Ultra LCV & ICV range will comprise a series of variants from 5 to 14 tonnes. The range will be powered by new generation 3L (138 HP) and 5L (168 HP) common rail (DiCOR) 16-valve engines, offering higher aggregate life, longer service intervals and low NVH.
The sleek and elegant walk-through steel cabin, a dash-mounted cable shift gear and hydraulic cabin tilt mechanism make the driver at home. Ergonomically designed mechanically suspended seats with integral headrest, power steering, which is tiltable, telescopic and collapsible, and clear-lens headlamps will make long drives stress-free in all weather conditions. The instrument cluster -- showing live and trip mileage, clutch and brake wear indicator, seat and door ajar warning, water-in-fuel indicator, economy assistance -- permits continuous vehicle monitoring in drive.
The Ultra's high strength Domex 650 steel rolled chassis frame with high tensile strength and straight long member construction allows the platform the flexibility of multiple wheel bases at multiple payload points. Radial tyres, parabolic leaf springs, tuned shock absorbers and, for the first time in the category, disc brakes ensure safe transit of goods.

The Tata LPT 3723 is India's first 5-axle rigid truck. With a payload of 25 tonnes (ideal for cement and steel movement), it will radically change transportation economics by reducing he cost/tonne-km.
It is powered by a Cummins 6BT 5.9L engine (154 kW power at 2500 rpm) and mated with a 9-speed gearbox, the first in a rigid truck in India. Twin steerable front axles, a twin-drive axle and a tag-lift axle, the only truck to have such a technology, reduces tyre and fuel costs. The turning circle diameter of 21.9 metres makes it more manoeuverable than a tractor-trailer. The air-conditioned cabin, ergonomic dashboard and instrument cluster and stylish interior trims give drivers the comfort to cover longer distances at a stretch.

Tata Ultra 714 truck: Powered by a DICOR 3L engine, the Tata Ultra 714 truck delivers 138 HP and torque of 360 Nm. The truck comes loaded with features like a roof hatch, 12V utility socket, music system, digital clock, cab tilt lock indicator, low fuel level indicator lamp, brake lining wear indicator, air filter service electrical indicator, water in fuel indicator, door ajar lamp and leather finish dashboard.

Tata Ultra 1017 truck: The Tata Ultra 1017 truck comes with a DICOR 5L engine, delivers 168 HP and a torque of 590 Nm. The truck offers HVAC, cruise control, ABS, suspended driver seat, 12V utility socket, music system, power window, electrical mirror, centralised locking, Tachograph Telematics (GPS), digital clock, cab tilt lock indicator, low fuel level indicator lamp, brake lining wear indicator, door ajar indicator, air filter service electrical Indicator, water in fuel indicator, alloy wheels, low washer fluid indicator and leather finish dashboard.

Volvo launches new range of buses

By 2015, it expects more than 50 % of sales to come from Asia

Volvo on Thursday launched its new range of buses, comprising city bus and coaches, aimed at inter-State routes and cities. The expanded range of Volvo buses in India now includes three new models that are the first-of-its kind in the country and takes the company's bus range to ten different products.

Stating all of developments follow just three months after Volvo announced its ambition to be a $1-billion company in the coming years, Volvo Bus Corporation President Hakan Karlsson said: “About three months ago we promised that we will play a bigger role in the progress of the Indian bus industry and announced an investment of Rs.400 crore. Today, we stand here with a product range that will take us there.”

“Our focus remains to drive quality of life and with our current range we will be spreading the Volvo experience to a larger market in the country. We have defined a clear role for India in the future — as one of the largest markets in the group, a global hub for selected models, local product development and that utilises the synergies we hold as a group in India,” he added.

Mr. Karlsson also pointed out that by 2015, Volvo expected that more than 50 per cent of its sales would come from Asia, mainly China and India.

“We are developing a global hybrid and we will showcase it in the upcoming Auto Expo here…this bus will be launched in India in future.

“We also plan to export buses from India to South America like Mexico and Europe,” he added.

According to Volvo Buses Managing Director and CEO (South Asia) Akash Passey, “We now have the local competence and experience to raise the momentum of change manifold. This is just as we expand our market access and raise standards and expectations.

We are on our way to reaching our vision of a $1 billion company with 5,000 buses produced each year by 2015.”

The company is now selling about 1,000 units every year.

BharatBenz trucks from Daimler by mid-2012

Plans to manufacture buses in India as there is a ‘huge potential' in the Indian market

Eager to cash in on the fast growing commercial vehicle segment, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) on Wednesday said it would introduce its new range of trucks under the BharatBenz brand by mid-2012.

The wholly-owned subsidiary of Germany's Daimler AG also plans to export trucks from India besides manufacturing buses from its Chennai plant.

“The full range showcase of the new BharatBenz trucks will happen in March …the production starts in April. The market launch will happen in the third quarter of the current year,” DICV Managing Director and CEO Marc Llistosella told journalists here.

In February last, DICV had introduced the new BharatBenz brand for the Indian market.

The company has set up a 400-acre production plant at Oragadam near Chennai with an investment of Rs.4,400 crore in setting up manufacturing and marketing and sales paraphernalia.

The plant will initially produce 36,000 units a year and later expanded to produce 72,000 units by starting 2013 on which the company will spend an additional Rs.350 crore.

Exclusive showrooms

DICV also has aggressive sales plans and is setting up exclusive showrooms in about 100 locations by this year-end. “The total truck market in India (in the 6-49 tonnes range) is estimated to be around 3.4-lakh units and is expected to grow annually at 5 per cent till 2020,” Mr. Llistosella added.

Export plans

On export plans, Mr. Llistosella said the BharatBenz trucks could be exported to markets such as Africa, the Middle-East and Southeast Asia. The company also plans to manufacture buses in India as there is a ‘huge potential' in the Indian market.