AutoQ is our weekly round-up of stories from the automotive industry.
BMW India CEO Rudratej Singh Passes Away
BMW Group India president and CEO Rudratej Singh passed away on 20 April 2020, at the age of 46. The cause behind his death is yet to be ascertained according to an official statement, although some reports indicate it was a cardiac arrest.
Rudratej Singh joined BMW Group India on 1 August 2019. His demise comes at a time when BMW Group India was in midst of implementing measures to strengthen its dealer network across India. Arlindo Teixeira, Chief Financial Officer, BMW Group India has been appointed as the acting President in the interim.
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Will People Buy More Cars & Bikes Once Lockdown Lifts?
If the Indian automobile market wasn't having a bad enough time in the past two years, with sales falling, the coronavirus pandemic has completely upset all sales projections and plans that automakers had.
The last month of sales saw a sharp dip across segments before the lockdown was imposed, which has led to some dealers stuck with unsold BS-IV compliant vehicle inventory. The court has allowed the sale of these vehicles for 10 days after lockdown lifts to clear stocks.
In March 2020 alone, there was a 61 percent drop in sales of new vehicles compared to the previous year as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic spread. Production had already begun to suffer because about 27 percent of automotive parts for India come from China.
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2020 Triumph Street Triple RS Gets a Twitter Launch Amid Lockdown
Triumph Motorcycles India has launched the updated BS-VI compliant Street Triple RS online, at a price of Rs 11.13 lakh ex-showroom. The motorcycle will be ready for deliveries once lockdown lifts in the country.
The Triumph Street Triple RS is a naked sports bike that competes with the KTM 790 Duke, Ducati Monster 821 and Yamaha MT 09 among others. The Triumph Street Triple RS comes with an updated three-cylinder 765 cc motor that puts out 123 PS of power at 11,750 rpm and torque of 79 Nm at 9,350 rpm. It gets a six-speed quick-shifting transmission with a slip-assist clutch that allows for smoother shifts.
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