JCB (India) commissioned the world's largest backhoe loader plant at Ballabgarh, near Delhi, recently. Inaugurated by JCB chairman Sir Anthony Bamford, the newly extended $60 million (Rs 300 crore) backhoe loader factory – largest of its kind in the world – is actually a combination of JCB's first plant and new plant, taking the total capacity to 100 backhoe loaders a day. 

Started in 1979 as a small, low volume entity spread over 24,000 sq m (258,240 sq ft), the new plant totals 33,574 sq m (361,256 sq ft) including assembly line, paint shop, fabrication, transmission, logistics, utility, pre-delivery inspection and hot test area. Expecting heavy excavators to increasingly define JCB's future in India according to Sir Anthony Bamford, the company has a plant at Talegaon near Pune as well. 

Built with an investment of US$ 75 million, the Pune plant is JCB's heavy products factory and makes the JS80, JS140, JS200 and JS210 tracked excavators alongside wheeled loaders and compaction equipment. The Pune plant also makes fabrications. JCB (India) is a fully owned subsidiary of JC Bamford Excavators Limited, UK. JCB India's product spread includes backhoe loaders, wheel loaders, tracked excavators, telehandlers, vibratory compactors, and skid steers.

Savita Chemicals has launched an exclusive 125 cc oil for motorcycles. Christened Savsol Ultra 4T 125cc Plus, the oil has been developed after extensive testing on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. A SAE 10W30 viscosity oil that exceeds API SL performance standards., the Savsol Ultra 4T 125CC Plus offers benefits like low volatility and longer engine life, better seal compatibility, excellent clutch performance and higher engine cleanliness, which results in better running. 

While sources at Savita Chemicals reveal that the entire Savsol range of oils are manufactured using Group II + base oils along with modern technology additives, the Savsol Ultra 4T 125cc Plus is marketed in convenient pack sizes of 1-litre and 900ml, costing Rs. 203 and Rs. 183 respectively.

Maruti Suzuki has unveiled the all-new K12M engine for its soon-to-be-launched hatchback Ritz. BS-IV compliant, the K12M engine displaces 1197cc and is an all aluminum construction. Second of the Kseries engine family, the K12M retains the technological superiority and fuel efficiency of the K10B engine, which powers Maruti Suzuki A-star and is manufactured at the same plant at Gurgaon as the K10B engine. 

Reflecting the company’s continued focus on investment in long term strategic projects, which include expansion of manufacturing capacity and introduction of new engine technology, Maruti Suzuki’s engineers worked as part of Suzuki’s Engine Design team for the design, calibration and testing of the engine in Japan and in India. A step forward in enhancing the engine development capability, the K12M engine promises to be best in class fuel efficient, high performance, low emission, light weight, with lower NVH. Like the K10B engine, plastic parts have been extensively used in K12M engine. The skirt area of the piston has been shortened to make the aluminium engine lighter, whereas the resin-coated piston helps reduce friction and increase fuel efficiency. 

Some of the salient features of the all new K12M engine include an all-aluminium low-weight engine with best-in-class fuel efficiency, innovative rocker-less DOHC camshaft, plastic intake manifold and offset crankshaft with low tension rings to reduce losses and improve fuel efficiency, Smart Distributor Less Ignition (SDLI) system with dedicated plug top coils, high pressure fuel system and advanced injectors for superior atomisation to provide uniform and optimised combustion for better performance. While an optimized cylinder block, light piston and nut-less con-rod contribute towards light weight construction, the silent timing chain helps improve NVH characteristics.

Stuttgart will once again play host to five important automotive trade exhibitions over 16th, 17th and 18th June 2009 in the form of Automotive Testing Expo Europe, Engine Expo, European Automotive Components Expo, Vehicle Dynamics Expo and Crash Test Expo Europe. Hosted under one roof at the new Stuttgart Messe, the five expos are together expected to produce the most focused automotive engineering exhibition in Europe. 

According to the CEO and founder of the five expos, Tony Robinson, the five expos are highly targeted engineering exhibitions and more important than ever. "Technology that makes cars cleaner, more efficient and more durable is what we will see showcased in Stuttgart; in short, all the technologies that will secure the future of this industry in a rapidly changing environment", adds Tony. 

At the last year’s event, over 11,000 key automotive decision makers from over 50 countries attended the event, keen to see the latest technologies from important industry names such as Bosch, Horiba Automotive Test Systems, Delphi, Honeywell, MTS Systems, Capricorn Automotive, Honda R&D, Ilmor Engineering, Scuderi Group LLC, Continental AG and Firestone Industrial Products Inc. This year, the five expos would feature numerous new exhibitors. Visitors would be able to see many of the core technologies that will form the basis of many future vehicle technologies to be introduced in the coming years.

Mercedes-Benz India has launched a special edition of its E-Class luxury saloon. Having sold over 16,000 units after the car was launched in India in 1996, the special edition E-Class will be powered by a 196 bhp, 2987 cc, Vee-six, diesel engine coupled with additional design, trim and style enrichments. 

Enhancements include 17-inch, 5-double-spoke light-alloy wheels, LED taillights and refreshed grille and headlamp along with chrome embellishments. Plush interiors get a new multi-function wood/leather steering wheel, new instrument cluster design in addition to the finely detailed bird’s eye maple wood trim. Priced at Rs. 43.4 lakhs ex-showroom Delhi, the special edition E-Class will be retailed on demand.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has announced that it will partner the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (MIIT) for Zero-Emission Mobility, a first step in bringing Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) to China. The Chinese government has launched a pilot programme of new energy vehicles to be rolled out to the public transport sector in 13 cities. Nissan will provide MIIT with electric vehicle (EV) information and propose a comprehensive plan, including a blueprint for a battery charging network and programs for mass marketing EVs. Nissan also has partnership with Wuhan municipal government as the first pilot city for zero emission mobility. 

The Renault-Nissan Alliance, which aims to be the global leader in zero-emission mobility, will bring electric vehicles to China in early 2011, making China one of the first countries to be supplied with electric vehicles from the Alliance. In 2012, Nissan and Renault will mass market electric vehicles globally. The Alliance has already started zero emission initiatives in Israel, Denmark, Portugal, the Principality of Monaco, as well as the US States of Tennessee and Oregon and Sonoma County in northern California and in Japan with the Prefecture of Kanagawa and the City of Yokohama. The Alliance has also partnered with the French utility company EDF and the Swiss electric utility company Energie Ouest Suisse (EOS).