AutoQ is our weekly round-up of automotive stories
1. Increased Traffic Fines Leave Delhi Angry & Confused
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2. Porsche Taycan Electric Sedan Launched to Rival Tesla Model S
Don’t let the names Porsche Taycan Turbo and Porsche Taycan Turbo S fool you. This all-electric sports sedan has no “turbocharger” in it. Heck, it doesn’t even have any sort of internal combustion engine. Then why the name? Just so it sounds premium like the other models in its range. If there ever was a facepalm moment, this is it.
Nevertheless, the Porsche Taycan is an all-electric, four-door sports sedan that is based on the Mission E concept showcased last year. It carries a price tag of $153,510 (Rs 1.10 crore, excluding duties) for the basic Taycan Turbo going up to $187,610 (Rs 1.35 crore) for the Turbo S. Once it comes to India in the second quarter of 2020, it would be over for Rs 2.3 crore.
The name, announced by Porsche CEO Oliver Blume last year, means the Lively Young Horse, a reference to the horse that takes centre stage on the Porsche logo.
What’s under the hood of this electric car? Read here to know.
3. Indian Govt Likely to Revise GST Rates on BSVI & Hybrid Vehicles
With the automotive sector struggling with unsold inventory and lack of demand from consumers, the Indian government is likely to reconsider its stance on high GST rates on BSVI vehicles as well as on hybrid cars in the country.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday, 5 September, assured the crisis-hit automobile industry of all possible support from the government, including taking up the demand of GST reduction with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
With the impending price-increase of vehicles and the upcoming BS VI norms deadline, “It is your (industry's) demand that there should be reduction in tax of petrol and diesel vehicles. Your suggestions are good. I will take your message to the finance minister,” Gadkari said at annual SIAM convention.
The minister said, like GST on electric vehicles has been reduced to 5 percent from 12 percent, he would propose to the Finance Ministry to extend the same benefit to hybrid vehicles.
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4. Maruti to Halt Production in Manesar, Gurugram Plants for 2 Days
The country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Wednesday said it has decided to suspend production at its Gurugram and Manesar plants in Haryana for two days.
Reeling under severe slowdown, the auto major had reduced its production by 33.99 percent in August, making it the seventh straight month of reduction.
The company produced a total of 1,11,370 units in August as against 1,68,725 units a year ago.
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