With much sadness, so many of us woke up to the news that Vikram Kirloskar, vice-chairperson of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, had passed away late Tuesday. As I reminisce on the nearly 40 years I have known him, I can unequivocally say that he had such a rare and deep understanding and passion for automotive manufacturing that it would make Toyota, which pioneered the Toyota Way, proud. Many of us know Vikram as the man who brought the iconic Japanese carmaker Toyota to India. But few know the back story and hard work that went into creating a system of manufacturing that was everything Toyota could have hoped for and then some more because it was perfectly calibrated for manufacturing in India.
Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai Motor India on Monday reported a dip in passenger vehicle dispatches to dealers in the domestic market last month as the companies tried to adjust vehicle inventory amid slowing demand. Maruti Suzuki India said it "calibrated supplies" to the dealers, aligning with the industry's retail sales projections amid India-Pakistan conflict and a dip in sales of entry-level cars.
Leading passenger vehicle maker Maruti Suzuki on Saturday reported marginal growth while Hyundai and Tata Motors posted a decline in their sales in February as a slowdown in the market continued with demand remaining muted. On the other hand, Mahindra & Mahindra and Toyota Kirloskar Motor posted double-digit growth riding on their SUV and MPV models.
Amid challenging market environment, Maruti Suzuki India and Mahindra & Mahindra reported an increase in vehicle dispatches to dealers last month while Tata Motors and Hyundai saw a year-on-year drop in sales.
Skoda Auto India, the Czech carmaker that has recently found success with its compact SUV Kylaq, says it remains committed to developing a fully localised electric vehicle (EV). The EV will be manufactured at its Chakan facility for both Indian market and exports.
The company had launched the Yaris in May 2018 at a price range of Rs 8.75 lakh and Rs 14.07 lakh (ex-showroom), competing with the likes of Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. However, it didn't have a robust response in the market, clocking a cumulative wholesales of around 19,800 units.
'In terms of semiconductors, challenges do remain in the pan industry, but I think we are much better than where we were a year or so back.'
Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai and MG Motors are gearing up to introduce EVs in India.
Auto majors report positive sales figs for November.
Sluggish urban demand, a high base effect, and weak sales of hatchbacks and sedans weigh down passenger vehicle sales in FY25.
Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India cut production of its passenger cars by 16 per cent last month but increased those of utility vehicles by 33 per cent compared to October 2023, according to a regulatory filing by the company. Its passenger cars production stood at 89,174 units last month against 1,06,190 units in October 2023, down 16 per cent, Maruti Suzuki India said in the filing.
'We are not asking for incentives, but at least taxation can be aligned such that the rupee tax on consumers remains the same.'
Tata Motors is the leader in the electric car market with about 62 per cent share.
However, the company has not provided a timeline for the launch of the small electric car.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Tuesday said it is recalling around 994 units of its recently launched mid-sized sports utility vehicle Urban Cruiser Hyryder to fix a faulty seat belt part. In a statement, the company said it has initiated a voluntary recall campaign for certain Urban Cruiser Hyryder units to investigate for a possible issue with front seat belt shoulder height adjuster plate assembly. Around 994 vehicles of the specified models may have been impacted by this concern, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said in a statement.
Despite being listed as doubtful starter due to a left ankle strain, Anthony Davis took to the court and delivered a record-breaking performance.
Indian passenger vehicles market registered record wholesales of 43 lakh units in 2024, with companies like market leader Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, and Kia posting their best-ever annual domestic sales. The continued growth of SUVs, along with rural markets playing a key role in driving up car sales, helped the industry better the previous best of nearly 41.1 lakh units posted in 2023.
The meltdown in Dalal Street that wiped out investor wealth to the tune of 44 trillion in 2025 also seems to be having a ripple effect on the country's vibrant automobile retail sales.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Tuesday said it has lifted the lockout at its Karnataka (Bidadi)-based manufacturing plants.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Wednesday launched new version of its premium sedan Camry Hybrid in the country priced at Rs 41.7 lakh (ex-showroom). The sedan now comes with a new front bumper, grille and alloy wheels, a floating type bigger 9-inch infotainment system, among others. Further, the self-charging hybrid electric sedan is now available in a new exterior colour of Metal Stream Metallic in addition to the existing colours of Platinum White Pearl, Silver Metallic, Graphite Metallic, Red Mica, Attitude Black, and Burning Black.
Toyota's India unit will also source two cars manufactured by Maruti Suzuki, the Baleno and Brezza, including their hybrid variants, and in return Toyota will offer its Corolla sedan to Maruti.
'Without his vision and foresight, his willingness to take a risk that no one else was willing to take, his deep and abiding love for India, the Indian automobile industry could not have become the powerhouse that it has become.'
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Tuesday said the labour strike at its Bidadi-based manufacturing plant in Karnataka has come to an end. In November last year, the automaker had to declare a lockout at the facility following workers' union members resorting to a sit in strike at the factory premises to protest against the suspension of a worker.
Two Japanese auto giants, Honda and Nissan, are moving towards a potential merger, but it remains unclear how their Indian operations will be immediately impacted.
While Toyota will acquire 4.94 per cent shares of Suzuki, worth $ 908 million, the latter will make a $ 454-million investment in the biggest automaker of Japan. Premium products from the Maruti stable such as the Baleno, Ciaz and Vitara Brezza will be sold under the Toyota brand with small changes.
Jake Paul is betting on himself to beat boxing legend Mike Tyson when the pair meet in the ring in Texas on Friday.
The Toyota Yaris was finally launched in India last month. Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com offers a quick checklist of what appeals to him about the car, and what doesn't.
The company has capacity to manufacture 310,000 units annually.
Organisers warn participants against eating out over COVID-19 risks.
The fourth generation Prius combines a premium styling and an enjoyable driving dynamics.
The Camry hybrid sold 466 units in January-April in the region.
Traversing from being just vehicle manufacturers to mobility solutions providers amid a raging debate over which eco-friendly technology must be incentivised, the Indian automobile industry is driving in the new year under the shadow of a slowdown in sales with the post-pandemic pent-up demand in distant memory. The shift in the auto industry -- where advanced technologies like autonomous driving, vehicle intelligence, connected features and electrification are quickly gaining traction -- will be reflected in the upcoming Bharat Mobility Global Expo in which India's flagship Auto Expo has been clubbed to be held from January 17-22, 2025 in Delhi-NCR.
Leading automakers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors reported decline in wholesales in August as the companies curtailed vehicle dispatches amid drop in demand and to cut inventories at dealer level. Market leader Maruti Suzuki India said its total domestic passenger vehicle wholesales were at 143,075 units last month as compared to 156,114 units in the year-ago month, registering a dip of 8 per cent. Sales of mini segment cars, comprising Alto and S-Presso, declined to 10,648 units last month as against 12,209 units a year ago.
"We see high market potential with growing population of Indian middle class families aspiring for more advanced features like safety, space, luxury and comfort," Toyota Kirloskar Motor's MD Akito Tachibana told reports at the Auto Expo in Greater Noida last week.
Auto majors Maruti Suzuki India and Hyundai reported muted sales performance in October as the companies curtailed dispatches to dealers in order to cut inventory build up.
Automaker Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Tuesday said it will increase prices of its entire model range by up to 2 per cent with effect from October 1 in order to partially offset the impact of rise in input costs. The company, which is a joint venture between Japan's Toyota Motor Company and Kirloskar Group, sells a range of vehicles including Innova Crysta and Fortuner in the domestic market. The company will realign the prices of its models, with effect from October 1, 2021, TKM said in a statement.
The narrowing gap between petrol and diesel prices, an uncertainty around the future treatment of vehicles and low resale price of diesel cars are some of the apparent reasons for the strategy shift
The top six auto brands are: Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Toyota, Kia and Mahindra & Mahindra.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor -- a joint venture with the Kirloskar Group -- is the Indian arm of Toyota Motor Corporation. TKM had announced an investment of nearly Rs 1,400 crore (Rs 14 billion) for its second unit at Bidadi near here, for which a foundation stone was laid in July this year.
Production at the maker of Innova and Fortuner has been crippled and it's operating at less than 10 per cent capacity.
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