A strong demand for diesel SUVs has bumped up the contribution of these variants to Hyundai Motor India's sales to a three-year high, a company top official told Business Standard. The local arm of the South Korean carmaker has benefitted after some leading manufacturers - including car market leader Maruti Suzuki - pulled the plug on diesel models amid tightening regulations. Hyundai has also gained from the changing travel preference -people are frequenting getaways and taking to the road a lot more than what they did before the pandemic. This trend has been fuelling overall SUV sales.
According to experts, even if an additional 5 per cent of people opt to buy new vehicles, it may bring a huge boost to the sector.
Citroen drives in its SUV late, but it's worth the wait, says Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com.
Passenger vehicle wholesales in India rose 11 per cent year-on-year in February, as sports utility vehicles continued to steer demand in the market, industry body SIAM said on Tuesday. The total passenger vehicle dispatches to dealers last month stood at 370,786 units, as compared to 334,790 units in the year-ago period.
'Grateful to the Almighty for his blessings and for making me capable of buying this dream car.'
Manu Bhaker is on a three-month break from shooting following her triumphant campaign at the Paris Games.
As there is a moderation in car sales, dealer stock levels across the entire industry have surged to alarming heights. However, the situation is under control at HMIL.
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's the new electric SUVs from Mahindra! Rajesh Karkera and Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com describe the futuristic BE 6e and XEV 9e.
Tata Motors is the leader in the electric car market with about 62 per cent share.
Four Indian nationals, including a young woman, lost their lives and several others were injured in a tragic multi-vehicle road accident in the US state of Texas during the Labour Day weekend.
The all-new Scorpio N will not have any component from the current Scorpio, which will now be sold as the Scorpio Classic, reports Rajesh Karkera.
Automobile retail sales grew 9 per cent year on year in 2024 riding on the back of robust demand for two-wheelers and passenger vehicles amid challenging business environment, dealers' body FADA said on Tuesday. Overall vehicle registrations stood at 2,61,07,679 units last year as compared to 2,39,28,293 units in the 2023 calendar year, recording a growth of 9 per cent.
The charging infrastructure expansion includes the setup of over 600 DC charging stations by 2030 (including company-owned and company-operated ones) in addition to partnerships with over 10,200 charging points, collaborating with operators like Shell, Charge Zone, and Statiq.
Car sales are experiencing a challenging phase with around Rs 60,000 crore worth of inventory lying unsold with dealers.
India's second-largest passenger vehicles firm will be valued at Rs 1.59 trillion at the top-end of the price band of Rs 1,865-Rs 1,960.
Maruti's strategy for the SUV segment is to arrest the decline in customers for entry level hatchbacks.
Mercedes-Benz India is looking at electric entry-level models to attract first-time luxury car buyers, as it sets eyes on another double-digit growth this year, its managing director and CEO Santosh Iyer said on Monday. The company, which launched all-electric entry SUV EQA 250 at an introductory price of Rs 66 lakh, has also introduced the new EQB 350 SUV (5-seater) priced at Rs 77.5 lakh and EQB 250+ SUV (7-seater) tagged at Rs 70.90 lakh (prices all India ex-showroom). It will also launch the EQS Maybach SUV and electrified G-Class models in India later this year.
German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz on Friday said it will hike prices of its vehicles in India by up to 3 per cent on its entire model range in the portfolio from January 1, 2025, citing a rise in input costs, inflationary pressures and higher operational expenses. Prices of Mercedes-Benz cars in India will be revised by Rs 2 lakh for the GLC to Rs 9 lakh for the top-end Mercedes-Maybach S 680 luxury limousine, Mercedes-Benz India said in a statement.
Mahindra is coming up with the Thar Roxx. MG Motor India announced a third electric vehicle Windsor. Hyundai and Kia are expected to introduce updated versions of the Alcazar and Carnival respectively.
The time is ideal for a 'Dream Budget' akin to the 1991 reforms that sparked high growth and unlocked significant gains in productivity, points out Rajeswari Sengupta.
The Warren Buffet-backed Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD will be unveiling a Born Electric SUV for the Indian market by the fourth quarter of the current calendar year. The deliveries of the same would begin in January, the company's top official said. This will be the first Born Electric SUV in the mass market. The Born Electric models from Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra would be launched from 2024. BYD has been selling the E6 MPV in the Indian market since 2021.
Five cow vigilantes in Faridabad have been charged with mob lynching in the death of a student who they mistook for a cattle smuggler. The Faridabad police filed a 600-page chargesheet against the accused, including statements from 30 witnesses. The chargesheet includes sections for murder, criminal conspiracy, and intentionally concealing evidence.
As many as nine Kanwariyas died and several others were injured when their vehicle came in contact with a high-voltage overhead wire in Bihar's Hajipur.
Honda Cars India (HCIL) net profit dropped by 52.8 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to Rs 661.4 crore in 2023-24 (FY24), primarily due to deferred tax of Rs 359.8 crore, according to the annual results submitted to the Registrar of Companies (RoC) and reviewed by Business Standard. In FY24, the company's production increased by 16 per cent Y-o-Y to 134,807 units.
Suspension that has fully acclimatised to Indian roads and handles potholes and bumps with ease, plush interiors that feel premium beyond just surface level, and aggressive and imposing design cues give this SUV a presence and profile that has little competition, says Pavan Lall.
This SUV will look as cool in 2030 as it might have in 2010 and ultimately that's what drives the core appeal of Mercedes-Benz and its products -- being classic, says Pavan Lall.
CURVV, currently in its production-ready avatar, will first be made available as an electric vehicle, to be followed by its internal combustion engine counterpart.
The Tata group flagship has sold more sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in the domestic PV market in the past four months than any other automotive manufacturer, cementing its no.1 spot. It first grabbed pole position in the SUV segment in October 2021 after the launch of the Punch - a sub-compact SUV offering.
Four members of a gang have been arrested for kidnapping actor Mushtaq Mohammad Khan from the Delhi airport and holding him hostage in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. The gang was also plotting to abduct veteran actor Shakti Kapoor on the pretext of inviting him to an event. The gang members were involved in abducting film stars by sending advance payments and air tickets under the guise of event invitations. Police recovered Rs 1.04 lakh from their possession and are investigating whether the gang was involved in the kidnapping of other film stars. In a related development, Arjun, one of the kidnappers involved in comedian Sunil Pal's abduction, was shot and injured during an encounter with police in Meerut. Arjun, who was arrested on Saturday, attempted to escape while being escorted for a medical checkup by snatching the pistol of a sub-inspector. The police team retaliated, and Arjun was shot and injured in the exchange of fire.
For the first time in history, the luxury car market is poised to cross the sales mark of 50,000 units in 2024, with Mercedes leading the way
Czech automaker Skoda on Thursday globally unveiled its all new SUV Kushaq which would take on the likes of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos in the fastest growing mid-sized SUV segment in the domestic market. The model is the first production car as part of the company's India 2.0 project. Under the lead responsibility of Skoda Auto, Volkswagen Group is investing 1 billion euros in its model campaign in the Indian subcontinent to strengthen its presence.
Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) will keep consolidating its existing product line-up, including hatchbacks, while bolstering presence in the fast growing SUV segment to power its way back to 50 per cent market share in the domestic passenger vehicle market, as per a senior company official. The country's largest carmaker, which has seen its market share drop to 43.38 per cent in FY22 from 47.7 per cent in FY21, aims to bring in multiple SUV products with focus on new technologies like hybrid powertrains in order to enhance fuel efficiency, making them comparable or better than diesel-powered models that are currently being sold in the market, especially by its Korean rivals. With no intention of making a comeback in the diesel segment, MSI is also focusing on increasing its play in the CNG segment to bring in additional volumes.
Hyundai Motor India expects its SUV range to gain further traction in the domestic market with demand for personal mobility gaining momentum post the second wave of COVID-19, according to a senior company official. The company, which already leads the SUV space with models like Venue, Creta, Tucson and recently launched Alcazar, is looking to maintain its lead in the segment which is growing with each passing month.
'A lot of players such as Maruti and Hyundai are entering the market in the first and the second quarters of 2025.'
Stepping up the competition in the electric vehicle (EV) market, JSW MG Motor on Wednesday launched its electric crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV) Windsor with a new and 'aggressive' pricing model, an assured buyback plan, a lifetime battery warranty, and free public charging for one year. Under this new battery-as-a-service (BaaS) pricing model, customers can purchase the Windsor at a starting price of Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and then pay a battery usage fee of Rs 3.5 per kilometre (km).
The Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC is the first-ever SUV offering in the company's ultra-luxurious 'Mercedes-Maybach' range. It is the only second Maybach model to be rolled out in the Indian market, following the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class.
The Mahindra Thar undergoes yet another iteration. With 5 doors, longer dimensions, a more refined engine... and a new name. The Mahindra Thar Roxx, debuting on August 15, promises all that you have wanted in the head-turning SUV, says Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com.
Padhiyar, who was allegedly driving the SUV, fled after abandoning the vehicle at the spot.
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.