Nissan Motor India Private Limited (NMIPL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ennore Port Ltd (EPL), Chennai, to export its vehicles through the port. NMIPL, the Indian affiliate of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., will thus become the first automaker to utilise this eastern gateway port of India as an export base. The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Shipping and Surface Transport, T.R.Baalu, in Chennai. 

Speaking on the occasion, Shouhei Kimura, managing director of NMIPL said, "Ennore Port meets all of Nissan's requirements to export vehicles. We are looking forward to a cooperative and successful working relationship with EPL to achieve the highest level of on-time delivery at competitive costs." 

" We will export 110,000 units of Nissan vehicles in 2011 and hope to take it up to 180,000 in future. We will be utilising 200,000 units from our Green field plant which has a total capacity of 400,000 units and start production in the first half of 2010. As announced earlier, we will have a total of 9 Nissan models by the year 2012 in the Indian market. This would include both LCV as well as Passenger vehicles”, he added. 

The EPL will complete development of a berth with space of 140,000m2 for vehicles by the end of June 2010 and give NMIPL priority to use the newly developed marine facilities. NMIPL will begin exporting vehicles, primarily to Europe, commencing the second half of 2010. Exports are expected to be approximately 110,000 units in fiscal year 2011 and grow to 180,000 units in the future. Exports will include models, such as the next generation of Micra, which will be built on Nissan's new A-platform. 

The development of a competitive A-platform is one of several business breakthroughs announced as part of Nissan GT 2012, the company's new five-year business plan. India is one of the five leading competitive countries (LCCs) to produce and export the new A-platform models in Nissan's global manufacturing network.

Cosma International, an operating unit of Magna International Inc. and a leading global automotive body and chassis systems supplier, has announced the establishment of a new facility in Pune. With the addition of this facility Cosma now has two operations in India – the other being a fully equipped product and process engineering services group in Bangalore. 

The Cosma Pune plant will start operations in 2010 and will supply global customers and global programs as well as regional customers with stamped and welded assemblies. Additional products and processes, such as hydroforming and Class A sheetmetal are expected to be added in the near future.

Tata Daewoo has developed a LPG powered medium commercial vehicle. Claimed to be a prototype of South Korea’s first LPG medium commercial vehicle (MCV), the truck was developed by Tata Daewoo in association with the Ministries of Commerce, Industry and Energy, Korea Energy Management Corporation and a consortium of 12 organisations. 

The 4.5-tonne (payload) Novus LPG truck conforms to EURO V emission norms and uses next generation technology with Liquid Phase Injection (LPLi) 5.9 litre LPG engine with power of 240 PS. The vehicle while promoting the use of a low-pollution fuel that meets Euro V requirements, overcomes the disadvantages of conventional LPG or diesel vehicles like low power output and engine start-up problem, particularly during winter. Other advantages include reduced noise and emission levels along with enhanced engine life compared to existing diesel trucks.

A1GP World Cup of Motorsport has announced Magneti Marelli as the official technical partner of the series for the 2008/09 season. Under the terms of the agreement, A1GP will utilise Magneti Marelli electronic systems in many key areas of the new A1GP powered by Ferrari cars. Using the Magneti Marelli modular design engine and gear control system. 

A1 Teams will benefit from increased data logging capability, 100per cent real-time telemetry cover, and reliable integration with all other control units on the car. The system currently controls the gearbox, data logging and all steering wheel functions. Pitting nation against nation in the World Cup of Motorsport, A1GP unites over 20 countries in a competition where human bravery, skill and excellence determine victory.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has been awarded a seven-year contract to supply tyres and business solutions to New York City Transit, the largest transit bus fleet in the USA. 

According to a press release, Goodyear will supply New York City Transit, an agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York, with a variety of bus tyres and tyre services. Goodyear has been the supplier of bus tyres and service to New York City Transit since 1987. The New York City Transit operates a bus fleet of more than 5,900 vehicles, has annual ridership of over 700 million, and more than 12,000 bus stops. 

Goodyear commercial tyre systems offer complete products and services to the trucking industry and public transit operations, including a full range of original equipment and replacement tyres. In addition, the company’s complete tyre and service network includes re-treading, tyre management tools and business solutions.

Leader in diversified fields of research and development, 3M has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Financière Burgienne, manufacturer of finished licence plates under the Faab and Fabricauto brands, based in France. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 3M invented reflective sheeting for use on vehicles and road signs and is a long-time supplier of printed, reflective licence plate films to Faab and Fabricauto, which distributes finished licence plates throughout France via more than 20,000 outlets. 

Under the new car registration programme in France (Système d’Immatriculation des Véhicules or S.I.V.), planned to become effective January 1, 2009, new and used vehicles will receive a new plate with a new identification number and a regional logo. As the current provider of licence plates distributed throughout France, Faab and Fabricauto are in a unique position to serve the motorist needs created by the new S.I.V. 

Complementary acquisitions such as this support both 3M’s core traffic safety systems business and growth strategy to expand into adjacent markets. Financière Burgienne is headquartered in Bourg-en-Bresse, France and employs 210 people at its Bourg-en-Bresse and Macon sites. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Auto major Audi AG has selected Alcoa to supply forged aluminium wheels with Dura-Bright technology surface treatment for its new 2009 A6 that debuted at this year’s Paris International Motor Show. The Dura-Bright technology enhances the image of the vehicle and the ownership experience by making the wheels easy to clean while protecting against corrosion. It is the latest innovation in aluminium from Alcoa, who first helped Audi pioneer the lightweight aluminium space frame on the original A8. 

Traditional alloy wheels rely on lacquer as a finish and protection against the elements. During heat cycling, brake dust and grime can penetrate the lacquer to create a yellow discoloration or black specks that cannot be removed. Dura-Bright technology penetrates the surface of the wheel to become an integral part of the aluminium itself. It resists peeling, cracking and corrosion while offering a premium finish in keeping with Audi’s vehicle design philosophy. 

Launched in the automotive marketplace in 2007, Dura-Bright technology is available on several leading global automotive platforms. Fitment on the Audi A6 signals the first application of Dura-Bright technology for a European luxury sedan. In addition, all Dura-Bright technology wheels are produced by Alcoa’s forged engineering expertise. Alcoa forged aluminium wheels provide increased strength and durability gains and are typically twice as strong as a comparable cast aluminium wheel in crush tests. 

Further, a forged wheel reduces un-sprung weight on a car, maximising vehicle performance, including more responsive steering and braking performance, while reducing weight compared to a similar cast aluminium wheel by over 20 percent. Additionally, CO2 emissions are lowered and fuel economy is enhanced due to the weight reduction.

Tata's UK subsidiary, Tata Motors European Technical Centre plc, has acquired a 50.3 per cent holding, at a cost of Kroner 12 million (Rs.9.40 crores), in Miljø Grenland/Innovasjon, Norway, which specialises in the development of innovative solutions for electric vehicles. The balance of shares will be retained by the existing shareholders who will continue to be associated with the venture. 

Miljø will produce electric vehicles based on Tata Motors’ products, besides manufacturing of state-of-the-art super polymer lithium ion batteries and the development of related technologies. While sources at Tata Motors believe that the acquisition of Miljo will help the company realise its strategy to develop convenient, affordable and sustainable mobility solutions through electric and hybrid vehicles, the venture is expected to realise an electric variant of Indica by 2009, called the Indica EV. The car will employ super polymer lithium ion batteries which will have superior energy density compared to the current best-in-class electric vehicles.