The annual Lightweighting Special is a heavyweight, packed with exciting news, riveting features and exclusive interviews. Find out how some innovative suppliers in India are showing OEMs the way to shave the grams and slash the kilos from vehicles with the use of high-performance plastics and modern processes.

Pune-based Bright AutoPlast has taken a number of new technology initiatives designed to produce lightweight parts. CEO Gagandeep Singh, who says weight reduction efforts within plastics have gained considerable traction of late, reveals the company’s growth roadmap.

Lanxess India, with its plastic-metal hybrid technology, is facilitating intelligent construction with outstanding component properties. We reveal the company’s lightweighting mantra even as Pankaj Khare, head (Sales & Marketing) – India & ASEAN, Lanxess India, speaks on the opportunities and challenges in the Indian market.

If there is one company which is looking to bond better with the Indian automotive industry, it’s Henkel. The world’s largest manufacturer of adhesives is bullish on automakers’ drive to reduce vehicle weight. Shilip Kumar, president, Henkel India, tells Autocar Professional that the biggest challenge for OEMs in India is how to strike the right balance between weight savings and costs.

Dr Royston Jones, vice-president – European operations and global CTO of Altair ProductDesign, and also the managing director of Altair’s operation in the United Kingdom and Ireland, reveals how simulation-driven optimisation technologies can enable carmakers to identify where material can be removed to hit weight and performance targets.

Ajay Durrani, managing director of Covestro India, reveals how the use of polycarbonate composites can significantly reduce weight in vehicles, the need for the engineering plastics industry to come up with more compelling value propositions to overcome the metal mindset in the value chain in India, and why he welcomes Bharat NCAP crash norms.

Weight shedding can also be achieved with eco-friendly measures. Find out how the IAC Group has achieved success with its concepts like FibreFrame and the HybridFleece moulding process.

Automobiles, they say, are an extension of one’s personality. In the interview of the fortnight, Renault’s design chief, the award-winning Laurens van den Acker reveals the tricks of the trade, the challenges that an ultra-low-cost car like the Kwid presented and how budding designers can come up with good styling.

The newsy fortnight in a capsule

The past fortnight has seen a lot of action in the automotive industry across many fronts – EVs, alliances, new launches, business restructuring et al.

While Mahindra Electric launched its new four-door e2o Plus, Ashok Leyland rolled out India’s first all-electric bus, the Circuit series. And, as the issue went to press, Hero MotoCorp announced that it taking a 30% stake in Bangalore-based EV start-up Ather Energy for Rs 205 crore.

Tata Motors, which has seen the Tiago find favour with car buyers, is betting big on the Hexa crossover. Find out if it has what it takes to win over the premium car buyer.

Honda Cars India has introduced its ninth-generation Accord in the market but in the form of a hybrid CBU model imported from Thailand. Despite being highly priced at Rs 37 lakh, the first lot of cars for India is sold out.

Mahindra & Mahindra, which is keen to seen an uptick in its two-wheeler business, announced a major restructure which will see it realigning operations and also plan manufacture of two iconic brands – BSA and Jawa.

Global auto majors are increasingly looking for partners to benefit from synergies and increase market share. October saw Mitsubishi Motors become part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance and also the surprise announcement that Toyota and Suzuki are considering an alliance in the future. Find out how such deals could have an impact in India.

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