This week in Auto: Tata Motors appoints new CFO, VW submits recall plan before NGT

A rather dull week for launches with only two new product introductions during the week. However, two high profile exits did make headlines. Here is the full list of important developments through the week.

Tata Motors, India's biggest automobile company, has appointed PB Balaji as its new group chief financial officer (CFO) who will take over the reins from CR Ramakrishnan.

Balaji, who will take over from November this year, has been working with Hindustan Unilever as its CFO since 2014. He started his career with Unilever in 1995. Balaji is a graduate of Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai and has a post-graduate management degree from Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata.

Kaher Kazem, President and Managing Director of General Motors India, has resigned and will move to GM’s Korea unit to take over as its President and CEO. GM India’s Chief Financial Officer Sanjay Gupta will take over the reins from September 1.

Gupta will combine his role as GM India President and Managing Director with his finance leadership responsibilities. Gupta joined GM in 2003 working in critical roles in VSSM, Auto Financing, Business Planning, Corporate Finance and Treasury, and Financial Planning & Analysis in the US and Canada. In 2012, he was promoted to Director, North America Financial Planning and Analysis and in 2013 was appointed Director US Sales Operations Finance.

German automaker Volkswagen has submitted a roadmap before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to recall over 3.23 lakh vehicles which are allegedly fitted with a defeat device to fudge emission tests.

In late 2015, Volkswagen had announced the recall of 3,23,700 lakh vehicles in India to fix the emission software after Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) conducted tests on some models and found that their on-road emissions were 1.1 times to 2.6 times higher than acceptable BS-IV norms.

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest car maker, launched a new variant of the Ciaz sedan, called Ciaz S priced at Rs 9.39 lakh and the petrol version and Rs 11.55 lakh for the diesel version.

The Ciaz S gets all-around body kit including front and rear bumper extensions, side skirts and a boot lid spoiler. The interiors if the Ciaz S gets all-black instead of the dual-tone setup of the variants. Black leather seats are standard.

Tata Motors reduced the entry price of the automatic version of most popular hatchback Tiago with the launch of the automated manual transmission in XTA version of priced at Rs 4.79 lakh.

The AMT version gets two-driving modes – City, Eco and Sport – like the manual version. But like the top-of-the-line XMA version the XTA variant does not get alloy wheels ORVM with LED and body coloured air vents.

Tata Tiago