Toyota Kirloskar Motor Registers Growth of 7% in Domestic Sales in FY 18-19 Over FY 17-18

Toyota Kirloskar Motor records a sales growth of 7% in FY 18-19 as compared to FY 17-18. Innova Crysta has registered positive growth in FY 18-19 as compared to FY 17-18.

The recently launched All New Camry Hybrid Electric Vehicle or self charging electric vehicle has been received very well by customers across India. The company has seen a growth of 6 % in Camry Sales in Jan -March 2019 as compared to same period last year.

Commenting on the sales performance, Mr. N. Raja, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “ We are happy to have clocked a growth of 7% in domestic sales in FY 18-19 as compared to FY 17-18. Innova Crysta and Fortuner have been maintaining the growth trajectory and continue to be leaders in the segment.  We are thankful to our loyal customers for their trust and confidence in Toyota products.

All New Camry Hybrid Electric Vehicle or self charging electric vehicle has already crossed 500 bookings since its launch in Jan 2019. We are happy that customers are more aware and are appreciating clean and green eco friendly Hybrid technology. The New Camry Hybrid Electric vehicle or self-charging vehicle has vastly improved in terms of fuel efficiency and emissions

Additionally, Etios Liva has also contributed to the positive sales momentum in FY 18-19 with a growth of 13% as compared to FY 17-18.

However, consumer spending has weakened in the pre election phase and the business sentiments have dampened temporarily. In the month of March 2019 Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold a total of 12818 units in the domestic market in the month of March 2019. The company exported 844 units of the Etios series this month thus clocking a total of 13662 units.  In the month of March 2018, Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold a total of 12,539 units in the domestic market this month of March 2018. The company exported 998 units of the Etios series this month thus clocking a total of 13,537 units.


Wholesales Data   March 2019    March 2018    Growth (Monthly)

Domestic                 12818                     12539               2%

Exports                        844                       998

Total                        13662                    13537

Apr 18-March 2019 domestic sales growth of 7% as compared to Apr 17-March 18

Get Your Hands-On the V15, Priced at Rs 23,990 and Available Across Online and Offlline Channels

vivo, the innovative global smartphone brand, has announced the sale of the much awaited V15 in Frozen Black, Glamour Red and Royal Blue color variants across all offline and online channels.

Like its older sibling, the V15 offers a 32MP pop-up camera offering Ultra FullView Display achieving a 90.95% screen-to-body ratio that eliminates all obstructions to create the ultimate viewing experience. The smartphone also sports a triple rear camera setup with 12MP Dual Pixel Sensor (24 million photosensitive units) + 8MP AI Super Wide-Angle Camera + 5MP Depth Camera. Priced at INR 23,990, the V15 smartphone comes with attractive offers, such as:*

Offline

·         Upto INR 10,000 exchange buyback offer with Bajaj Finserve
·         Zero down payment with Bajaj Finance EMI option for 7 months
·         5% cashback on SBI Credit/Debit cards
·         5% cashback on all credit card down-payment (lowest EMI option of INR 1,599) with HDB
·         Zero down payment for 8 months with IDFC First on paper finance
·         Benefits worth INR 10,000 with Jio

Online

·         INR 2,000 off on exchange on vivo India E-Store, Amazon.in, Flipkart.com and Paytm Mall
·         Additional INR 1,000 loyalty benefit on Flipkart.com and Amazon.in when you exchange your old vivo device
·         Upto 12 months No-Cost-EMI and upto 18 months with 25% upfront payment on select E-commerce platforms

*terms and conditions apply

Raise the bar with Pop-Up Selfie Camera and AI Triple Rear Camera

The V15 comes with an advanced 32 MP pop-up selfie camera which delivers unmatched clarity and a triple rear camera setup with 12MP Dual Pixel Sensor (24 million photosensitive units) + 8MP AI Super Wide-Angle Camera + 5MP Depth Camera. The 8MP AI Super Wide-Angle Camera expands the view to 120 degrees, capturing a better view, from a wider perspective.

Furthermore the V15 comes equipped with powerful, easy to use features such as AI Face Beauty feature that helps add an additional level of detail and finesse to self-portraits.

Ensured immersive view

The V15 comes packed with Ultra FullViewTM display with 16.59cm (6.53) display and 90.95% screen-to-body ratio, eliminating all obstructions to create an ultimate viewing experience. Packed with fifth-generation Corning Gorilla Glass for a vivid and life-like viewing experience, V15 makes the gaming and viewing experience even more immersive and exciting.

Flawless performance

The V15 comes equipped with a Mediatek P70 processor with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage for smoother & seamless multitasking. The smartphone runs on the latest Android 9.0 and Funtouch OS 9 to optimize energy management and deliver a better phone usage experience. This union of powerful specifications helps achieve flawless UI experience, an exceptional gaming experience and hassle-free multitasking. Furthermore, the smartphone houses a 4,000mAh battery and vivo’s Dual-Engine Fast Charging which ensures greater usage and quicker charging time to keep you on the go.

Consumers can purchase V15 in Glamour Red, Frozen Black and Royal Blue color variants on vivo India E-Store, Amazon.in, Flipkart.com, Paytm Mall, Tata CLiQ and all offline channels pan-India.

Specifications

Basics

Processor Mediatek P70
RAM  6GB RAM
Storage 64GB ROM (Supports microSD Card up to 256GB)
Battery 4000 mAh with Dual-Engine Fast Charging
Operating System Funtouch OS 9 (based on Android 9.0)

Body
Dimensions 161.97×75.93×8.54mm                                     
Weight 189.5g

Display
Screen Ultra FullView Display

Size 16.59cm (6.53)

Resolution 1080×2340 FHD+   19.5:9, FHD+

Type  Incell Touch Screen
2.5D glass (GG5, Fifth-generation Corning Gorilla Glass)

Biometric recognition
Fingerprint Scanner

Camera Front:  32MP
Rear:   Rear: 12MP（24 million photosensitive units）+8MP + 5MP

Photography Modes
AI BODY SHAPING, REAR PORTRAIT LIGHTING EFFECTS, AUTO SCENE, LIVE PHOTO, TIME WATERMARK, MODEL WATERMARK, AR STICKERS, FACE BEAUTY FOR VIDEO RECORDING, AI FACE BEAUTY, AI SELFIE LIGHTING, AI FILTERS, AI SCENE RECOGNITION, FACE SHAPING, AI PORTRAIT FRAMING, AI BODY SHAPING, GENDER DETECTION, PPT

REAR: TAKE PHOTO, HDR, PROFESSIONAL, FACE BEAUTY, SLOW, TIME LAPSE, PANARAMA, PDAF, LIVE PHOTOS, FILTERS, PALM CAPTURE, VOICE CONTROL, BOKEH, AI BODY SHAPING, WIDE-ANGLE PHOTO, 60FPS, AI SUPER WIDE-ANGLE CAMERA

FRONT:  TAKE PHOTO, HDR, FACE BEAUTY, PANARAMA,LIVE PHOTO, FILTERS, PALM CAPTURE, VOICE CONTROL, PORTRAIT BOKEH, BOKEH MODE

Pre-Installed Apps Google Services
Play Store, Google, Chrome, Gmail, Map, YouTube, Drive, Play Music, Play Movie & TV, Duo, Photos, Google news

Connectivity USB (USB2.0), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (Bluetooth 5.0), GPS, OTG

Sensors Fingerprint Scanner,  Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Proximity Sensor,  E-compass,  Gyroscope

Items in the box V15, Earphone, Documentation, USB Cable, USB Power Adapter, SIM Ejector, Protective Case, Protective Film (applied)

HGS Strengthens Global Executive Leadership Team to Help Drive its Growth Agenda

Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS), a global leader in business process management, has announced senior leadership appointments, aligned to support the company’s vision and growth agenda.

Natarajan Radhakrishnan (Nat) has been appointed as President and Chief Innovation Officer (CIO), HGS, a newly-created position responsible for managing Enterprise IT and Automation, fostering innovation across the organization and developing new industry-oriented solutions.

Natarajan has over 29 years of industry experience in diverse areas such as investment banking, information technology, consulting, solution/ IP development and business development. His core strengths are in aligning business and IT initiatives, change management and digital business transformation. Prior to joining HGS, Natarajan was engaged in Public-Private-Partnership initiatives with two of the Indian State Governments in the Healthcare and Transportation sectors. He has also held senior management positions in organizations like IBM, Capgemini, Cognizant and Deutsche Bank group.

Shilpa Sinha Harsh has been named as Sr. Vice President – Global Corporate Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Diversity & Inclusion (D&I). Her key responsibility will be to further strengthen the HGS brand across strategic areas such as media and industry relations, employee communications, digital communications, corporate branding, recruitment marketing, community relations and diversity & inclusion.

Zippserv Launches ‘Group Buy’- A Tool for Group Negotiations in Real Estate for Home Buyers

Zippserv, India’s first comprehensive Real-Estate Risk Assessment startup has launched “Group Buy” – a platform which empowers serious home buyers to leverage the power of groups to get the best discounts and deals within the same project. ‘Group Buy’ is a free product by Zippserv, that is designed to promote and create transparency for open dialogue and honest negotiation. This product has been conceived from the reality that builders typically offer different rates to different customers depending on factors such as demand supply, negotiation, amenities, etc. ‘Group Buy’ is a unique opportunity to negotiate the best deal possible with minimum effort and in a transparent manner, without bias or influence from third parties.  Currently over 20% of the apartment buyers in Bangalore are using the various free products and tools built by Zippserv over the years.

Using the ‘Group Buy’ feature, Zippserv users can create or join an existing group on the website for RERA approved projects. Once verified, they are linked to other home buyers within the same project. The group is live for a period of twenty days wherein more buyers can join the group. After the end date, the group is closed and Zippserv acquaints all the participants who can then drive conversations, visits and negotiations with the builder to get the best deal possible. Zippserv has also made it convenient for builders and customers alike by letting builders offer instant group discounts to these serious buyers.

“Group Buy empowers apartment buyers to get the best deal by leveraging the power that comes with forming a group. This is first of its kind in the real estate sector to have an organised group approaching builders to make a bulk purchase.”-adds Mr. Sudeep Anandapuram, Co-founder & CEO of Zippserv.

“Property buyers often find themselves in situations which make them very uncomfortable. We have strived to create products that assist consumers in their decision making considering it is probably one of the largest transactions of their life. This is an attempt to empower them so as to enable them to negotiate from a strong vantage point”, adds Mr. Debashish Hota, Co-founder & COO with Zippserv

Studies have shown that home buying is lengthy process which could take up to two months or more. Zippserv helps to condense this purchase journey for a buyer. It lists out all the information a home buyer needs in order to begin their property search. Buyers can start their home buying journey by looking at a curated list of approved projects in the locality/ neighbourhood where they intend to buy. Projects that have been vetted by professionals have detailed reports with the exact next steps to be taken by the buyer. Group Buy, the biggest disrupter in the home buying market, will now further enable a buyer to leverage the power of the group and get the best deal possible. Thus, Zippserv is effective in bridging the entire process to less than two months helping buyers to avoid all the hassles they have to face while buying properties. In July 2018, Zippserv, raised a Pre-Series A funding of Rs. 3 crore (around $440,000) from their existing investors – Info Edge (India) Ltd.

The initiative also resonated with Mr. Om Ahuja, Ex- CEO Brigade Residential and JLL, a key investor of Zippserv. Commenting on the initiative, he said, “Zippserv's Group Buy is a first of a kind platform where like-minded buyers conglomerate to approach buying within the same apartment project. This group buy platform creates transparency for open dialogue and honest negotiation while giving comfort and confidence to home buyers. This in turn also helps builders improve their conversions, reduces closing cost which can be passed on as a benefit to home buyers.”

Classic Legends Begins Delivery of Jawa Motorcycles as Per Online Booking Sequence

Classic Legends Pvt. Ltd. is proud to announce the commencement of delivery of Jawa motorcycles to its customers from today. The motorcycles will be handed over to customers who had made bookings online from November 15, 2019 as per the booking sequence.

Handing over the first motorcycle, a Jawa, Mr. Anupam Thareja, Founder, Classic Legends Pvt. Ltd. and Founder and Managing Partner, Phi Capital, said, “This is the most important milestone yet in this journey as the first Jawa motorcycles hit the road today. Since we launched the brand and our motorcycles in November last year, it was not just a tremendous response that we received from our customers, but also unparalleled trust in the form of bookings, starting from day one. Today, we enter the next phase of our journey where we set out to begin fulfilling our commitment towards our customers.”

Mr. Ashish Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Classic Legends Pvt. Ltd. said, “The last few months were really action packed for us at Jawa Motorcycles as we worked round the clock to set up our dealership network across India and start production simultaneously to meet our delivery commitments. Now that we are ready with our network, we begin deliveries of motorcycles to our customers and appreciate their trust and patience. As we move ahead, we will be reaching out to customers who have booked their Jawa motorcycles online as their names comes up in the delivery sequence.”

Prior to this delivery announcement, Classic Legends followed an aggressive approach towards setting up its sales and service network. The company now operates 95 Jawa Motorcycles dealerships across 77 cities in India. The brand has made this massive expansion across the country in a span of just three months, making this the fastest for any automobile manufacturer in India. With this vast nationwide dealership base, Classic Legends is now best poised to deliver the motorcycles to its customers from every part of the country as per the committed timeline. Customers can continue booking the motorcycles by visiting a nearby showroom.

The company also announced an industry first motorcycle exchange program across all its dealerships through Mahindra First Choice Wheels – India’s No. 1 pre-owned vehicle brand. This will allow interested customers to walk into the dealership with any old bike and get it exchanged for a brand new Jawa.

The company will also be offering the largest number of financial tie-ups with best in class finance schemes for its customers. The list of financial partners includes HDFC Bank, Tata Capital, ICICI Bank, Mahindra Finance, Capital First (now IDFC Bank), L&T Finance Limited and Hinduja Leyland Finance at the national level in addition to regional partners.

The Jawa Motorcycles are powered by an all-new 293cc, liquid cooled, single cylinder, DOHC engine nestled within a double cradle chassis that is tuned to bring out the superlative handling and class leading stability, making the new Jawa a true modern classic. The Jawa and Jawa forty two are priced at INR 1,64,000/- and INR 1,55,000/- respectively (ex-showroom, Delhi) and the Dual Channel ABS variants will be priced at INR 1,72,942/- & INR 1,63,942/- respectively. The motorcycles are manufactured at the company's Pithampur plant in Madhya Pradesh.

Ola Cabs Expands UK Operation to Liverpool, Reading, and Birmingham

Taxi-hailing app Ola on Friday said it has expanded its service footprint to three more cities -- Liverpool, Reading, and Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

“We are delighted to launch our services in Birmingham, Liverpool and Reading, thus solidifying Ola’s presence across 7 large metropolitans in the UK,” Ben Legg, Managing Director of Ola UK, said in a statement.

In Birmingham and Reading, the platform is set to go live on April 1, and driver onboarding is already underway, the company said. Ola started Liverpool operations by offering free rides on green tuk-tuks last week for a limited time period, as a part of the promotional campaign.

Vijaya, Dena Bank to Integrate as Bank of Baroda from Today

In a first three-way amalgamation, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will merge with Bank of Baroda (BoB) from April 1 to create the third-largest lender of the country.

As a result, branches of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will function as BoB outlets from Monday onwards.

“Customers including depositors of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank will be treated as customers of Bank of Baroda with effect from April 1, 2019,” the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had said in a statement on Saturday. To make the merger a smooth affair, the government last week decided to infuse Rs 5,042 crore in BoB to enhance its capital base to meet the additional expense.

According to the Scheme of Amalgamation, shareholders of Vijaya Bank will get 402 equity shares of BoB for every 1,000 shares held. In the case of Dena Bank, its shareholders will get 110 shares of BoB for every 1,000 shares.

The government in September last year announced the first-ever three-way consolidation of banks in India, with a combined business of Rs 14.82 lakh crore, making it the third-largest bank after State Bank of India (SBI) and ICICI Bank.

The announcement of the three-way merger was among several reforms initiatives undertaken by Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar to make public sector banks (PSBs) healthy, robust and globally competitive.

As part of the reform process, the government had also announced transfer of majority 51 % stake to Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) in IDBI Bank in August last year to transform the Mumbai-based lender.

Besides, the Department of Financial Services made a record capital infusion of Rs 1.06 lakh crore in the PSBs in the current fiscal. As a result, five public sector banks including Bank of India, Corporation Bank, and Allahabad Bank were out of the prompt corrective action framework of the RBI earlier this year. NPAs have shown a negative trend in 2018-19 .