Autocar Professional’s June 15 issue is an Indo-German Special

India is no doubt standing at a crucial crossroad today. On the one hand, the country is just attempting to limp back to normalcy after the body blow dealt by the second wave of Covid-19 and on the other, there is a growing business opportunity globally. Resuming talks with EU on trade treaties is no doubt a key development. That’s why Autocar Professional’s June 15 issue is an ‘Indo-German Special’ putting the focus on Germany, one of the biggest trade partners for India in the EU.

This 56-page issue brings you a host of local and global voices on the state of unlock, trade ties and how the evolving dynamics across the automobile sector.

Auto sales inching upwards
It is still not the time to uncork the champagne but as phased unlock initiatives begin once again, the automobile industry is looking for hints of green shoot, especially after a washout May –

• India Auto Inc is feeling positive about the near future given the forecast of good rains which augur well for rural prosperity.
  
  
• Two-wheeler and car manufacturers like Bajaj Auto and Maruti are hopeful that the vaccination drive will help bring demand back.
   
• Auto financing companies like Mahindra Finance also expect the festive season to boost demand further

Indo-German ties strengthening
Germany is not just amongst the top 10 investors in India but also plays a crucial role in the growth of India’s automotive sector --

In his first media interaction since taking charge as the Director General of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce in April 2021, Stefan Halusa says, “a holistic approach, which combines the demand of individual mobility with the development of renewable energy solutions”, is important. He also highlighted that “in-depth localisation of all parts,” could be counterproductive in certain cases.

• ​Luxury carmaker and German auto major, Mercedes-Benz India’s Managing Director and CEO Martin Schwenk is hopeful of a good recovery in the second half of 2021, the 15-model assault and exploring potential for a CKD electric car for India. We get you details of the company’s industry first ‘Retail of the Future’ strategy.
   
• Volkswagen Group’s ambitious, ‘India 2.0’ initiative is underway in full swing. With two big SUV launches around the corner, Skoda and VW are hopeful of increasing their sales traction in India.
   
• India features prominently in Daimler AG's Asia opportunities outlook along with Japan, China and Indonesia. At 14,000 units, India is touted as a local technology leader as the truck major goes solo.
   
• Dattatri Salagame, who took charge as the new president and MD of Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions (RBEI), Bosch’s largest software and technology centre outside of Germany, reveals that RBEI is set to expand to Hyderabad and Pune.
   
• Leading German component players like ZF Group, Continental, KSPG Automotive, ElringKlinger and Brose India are betting big on their India operations. Find out how the Indo-German collaboration is enhancing scope for business for them.
   

What’s trending?
But there is traction across the mobility space and beyond conventional solutions too –

• The used car market has undergone a sea-change in the last year with demand skyrocketing during the pandemic. Key pre-owned car players like OLX Autos, Cars 24 and Spinny expect further surge in the used car space, given the new normal of social distancing.
   
• Bangalore-based Pitstop vehicle detailing service sees strong demand for contactless doorstep car repair and maintenance.
   
• India’s first auto recycling company, Cero plans to augment capacity substantially to over 600,000 units across 24 plants by 2025. We get you details of the potential impact of this move.

But that’s not all. This issue is buzzing with all the action across the automotive world over the last fortnight. Grab your copy today for all the action.

How you can read this issue 
Autocar Professional magazine is also available through all good newsagents and for download from Magzster. You can also buy one-off copies of Autocar Professional magazine – contact Ganesh at ganesh@haymarketsac.com. Alternatively, never miss an issue – subscribe to Autocar Professional magazine today