Automobile major, Ford India, plans to launch more global products in the Indian market, a top company official said. “We are going to bring more global products into the Indian market. We will look at options for Indian customers’ needs out of our global stable,” Ford India’s Managing Director and President, Michael Boneham, told on Wednesday.

German luxury auto maker Audi is planning to beat rivals BMW and Mercedes to acquire the numero uno position in the Indian luxury car market in the next five years, tripling its sales in the country by then. “By 2015, we aim to become number 1 in India. We have told our team in India to work towards that aim.

German carmaker Daimler is selling its entire stake in India’s Tata Motors for up to $429 million, sources familiar with the matter said on Monday. Daimler was offering 25.6 million shares in India’s largest vehicle maker at 737.4 rupees to 761.3 rupees each, a discount of 4 percent to 7 percent below the stock’s Monday close of 796.75 rupees, sources said.

Tata Motors saw a 58-per cent growth in sales in February due to the revival in the commercial vehicles market and its expanding passenger car portfolio. The company registered vehicle sales at 69,427 units, up from 43,811 units last February. It has sold 5.67 lakh units so far this fiscal, registering a growth of 28 per cent over the same year-ago period.

Volkswagen, Europe’s largest car maker, on Tuesday launched its much awaited premium hatchback, Polo at a price of Rs 4.34 lakh for the petrol variant and Rs 5.32 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the diesel variant.

Ahead of this year’s Budget, leading car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki on Monday asked the government not to roll back the entire stimulus package at once as it may hamper economic growth. “If the entire stimulus is withdrawn all at once, it may not lead to economic growth happening in the way it should happen,”

With the forthcoming launch of its small car Figo, US car maker Ford said it will be phasing out its hatchback Fusion from the Indian market. In India, Ford will discontinue the Ford Fusion. Its focus in the small car segment in the Indian market will be exclusively on Figo. One of the major reasons for the decision would be that the Fusion was giving Ford a relatively small volume.

Guess what? Maruti Suzuki might be riding a high wave with their production output surpassing the parent company itself but that does not stop India’s largest car manufacturing company to stop at it. Maruti Suzuki has been ruling the roost in the compact segment and it is a known fact that 2 out of every 3 cars sold in India is a Maruti Suzuki. Maruti Suzuki wants to further consolidate their position in the Indian car market and how?

Hyundai Motors’s flagship model the Santro will get a makeover and will be relaunched in India by December. Hyundai entered the Indian car market in 1998 with the introduction of the Santro, which stood against the Maruti Suzuki Zen. Since its launch in 1998, Hyundai Santro has had three major facelifts till date.

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation Group (SAIC) is investing $500 million (Rs 2,350 Crore) for General Motors (GM) India stake. GM India has entered into a 50:50 joint venture with China's SAIC earlier this month to manufacture cars for both the Indian and export markets. Now it has sold 50 per cent of its Indian operations to SAIC for $500 million.

The facelifted version of Zen Estilo is ready to make its appearance in the Indian car market on 23rd August 2009. It had already been announced that the new Zen Estilo will be launched in the country by the end of the month and now the date has been finally confirmed.

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado SUV will be available in diesel variant from 9th June and Toyota dealers will start taking orders for the new variant from this month. Currently, Toyota markets the petrol variant of Land Cruiser Prado that is powered by a 232 bhp 4.0L V6 engine mated to a 5-speed automatic gearbox.

Tata Motors is all set to ramp up the production of the Tata Nano. The Indian car maker has decided to increase the production of the world's cheapest car by five times starting this month.

French tyre maker Michelin announced its plans to invest nearly $US900 million to build a plant to supply tyres to India's fast-growing automobile market. The plant will make radial tyres for trucks and buses and will mainly target the India's domestic market.

The world's fastest car, Ultimate Aero, will be now available in the Indian car market. The Ultimate Aero is able to reach half the speed of a jetliner cruising at 30,000 ft. It will not only be the fastest car in the country but will also be the costliest car in India.

Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM) has announced that it will launch its small car by the end of 2010, after the construction of its second manufacturing plant at Bangalore is completed. The launch plan for this car is in tune with Toyota's strategy for India.

Tata Motors said on Tuesday that it will start a feasibility study for introducing the electric version of its compact car Indica in the domestic market. The company is currently developing the electric Indica with a Norway-based firm for launching the car in the European market by 2011.

Reversing his predecessor's decision to set up a diesel engine facility in Chennai, Hyundai's new Managing Director and CEO Han-Woo Park on Wednesday said as of now there was no such plan. “As of today, I do not consider a diesel plant, I do not have any idea. If the diesel market expands, then we will consider,” he told reporters.

Toyota has launched the new Land Cruiser which happens to be the 8th generation model that is currently available in different Toyota markets worldwide.

Japanese car company, Toyota Motor Corporation has decided to introduce its Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), the Fortuner in India on 24th August. Toyota's Indian arm Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is considering that the Fortuner will achieve a 50 per cent market share in that segment.

Maruti Suzuki is aiming to introduce its hatchback A-Star to the African and South American market. This is a result of the increasing demand for small cars in the international market.

There is now a new choice for the Indian car customers who can get their normal cars re-designed. This is made possible by a partnership between the former Maruti Suzuki MD Jagdish Khattar owned Carnation Auto entering and ace auto designer, Dilip Chhabria. This service will be available at affordable prices.

The Malaysian national carmaker Proton is considering to venture into the Indian car market. It will enter the growing Indian market with a range of hatchbacks and saloons. Proton Holdings Berhad, Managing Director, H S Z A B Syed Mohamed Tahir, said the company would intensify its export programme to diversify into various market segments and reduce dependence on the domestic market.

Hyundai Motor India, one among the major car manufacturer of the country, will shift the production of its i20 model for exports from India to Europe sometime next year. For the overseas and domestic market, the company has been manufacturing its Hyundai i20 model from the Irungattukottai unit near to Chennai.

Toyota Motors Corporation, World’s largest car manufacturer has planned to utilise the proposed Indo-Thai free trade agreement (FTA) to make India a hub for small cars to be exported to its global markets. A few auto-parts already enjoy duty free status but the Indo-Thai FTA that is currently under negotiations will make most auto-parts used by Toyota and other car makers duty free..

The Carmaker, GM India, has launched its Chevrolet mid size luxury sedan, Cruze. "The Cruze has been receiving rave reviews since its recent debut in some other markets. We expect it to perform well against the established D-segment players," General Motors India President and Managing Director Karl Slym told reporters here.

Volkswagen has started sourcing auto components from India for its European plants. And the company has announced that India will be one of the major sources of components for its worldwide market.

Ever since their arrival to the Indian car market, German luxury car manufacturers have locked horns with each other to grab a share of the lucrative market. This time, BMW has gone one up in the battle of titans by beating Mercedes-Benz in sales. BMW sold 466 cars compared to Mercedes’ 371 in the month of May.

Hyundai Motor India plans to increase its output by 20 per cent. In order to meet its target, India second largest car maker will hire 1,000 people by the end of this month.

Ford Motor Company plans to make its Chennai facility a manufacturing and export hub for the Asia-Pacific and African markets. Ford India President and Chairman Michael Boneham revealed that the new compact car the Figo will be manufactured at its Chennai facility and will be exported in these markets.