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Volkswagen Taigun Facelift Debuts in India: Incremental Evolution or Strategic Reset? WAF Continue reading “WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (10th April 2026)”
Summary
(Reuters) – Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller said on Thursday used-car sales were exceeding those of new vehicles, as a jump in gasoline and diesel prices from the war in Iran drives customers toward less-expensive EV options.
Used electric vehicles sales in Europe have been boosted by the war in Iran, online car platforms told Reuters last month. Continue reading “Polestar CEO talks up used-car market as higher fuel prices spur shift to cheaper EVs”
Source : PTI | German auto major Volkswagen group is targeting 5 per cent market share in the Indian passenger vehicles market before the turn of the decade with alternative fuel technologies slated to play a key role in achieving the target, a senior company official said on Thursday.
The group, which in 2018 announced its India 2.0 strategy led by group brand Skoda had set a target to achieve 5 per cent market share by 2025 but missed it due to events like the COVID-19 pandemic, currently has about 2.5 per cent share in India.
Summary
SEOUL, (Reuters) – South Korea’s Kia Corp said on Thursday it had delayed plans to build “software-defined vehicles” by about one year to 2028, and announced a hefty hike in investment plans, underscoring its struggles to catch up with the likes of Tesla.
Shares in the automaker tumbled on the plans announced in an investor presentation, closing down 5.5% compared with a 1.6% drop for the broader market. Continue reading “Kia delays launch of software-focused cars, unveils big hike to investment plans”
Summary
(Reuters) – Tesla is developing an all-new smaller, cheaper electric SUV, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The automaker has contacted suppliers in recent weeks to discuss details of the plan for the compact SUV – which would be a new vehicle and not a variant of Tesla’s current Model 3 or Y, the people said. The conversations involved the manufacturing process and specifications for various components, they said. Continue reading “Tesla is developing a new smaller, cheaper EV, sources say”
BERLIN, (Reuters) – Mercedes-Benz reported a sales slump at the start of 2026 as the tough Chinese market continued to pressure the German premium carmaker during an overhaul of its model lineup to regain lost ground.
First-quarter sales in the company’s core car business fell 6% to 419,400 vehicles globally from the same period a year ago, it said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading “Mercedes Q1 sales down in tough ‘transition year’ for China business”
BEIJING, (Reuters) – Car exports, an increasingly important source of growth for China’s hyper-competitive auto sector, picked up pace in March despite shipment disruptions from the crisis in the Middle East, one of the industry’s key overseas markets.
Exports grew 73.7% from a year earlier to nearly 700,000 vehicles last month, faster than the 54.1% in the first two months, data from the China Passenger Car Association showed on Thursday. Continue reading “China’s car exports accelerate despite disruption from Mideast crisis”
The Context: India’s Most Brutal Battleground
The mid-size SUV segment in India is no longer just competitive—it is hyper-competitive. Dominated by players like Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and newer challengers like the Renault Duster (reborn), this segment defines brand relevance in India.
Into this arena steps the refreshed Volkswagen Taigun, a product that has always stood for German engineering, safety, and driving dynamics—now aims for perceived feature richness and mass-market appeal.
The facelift, therefore, is not just cosmetic—it is strategic.
(Reuters) – General Motors is recalling 271,770 cars in the U.S. over an issue with the rearview camera, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Wednesday.
Here are some details:
Continue reading “General Motors recalls over 270,000 cars in US over rearview camera issue”
BEIJING, (Reuters) – Chinese electric truck startup Windrose said it had made the first delivery of its long‑haul electric heavy truck in the United States, marking a key step in its global expansion.
The vehicle, priced at $285,000, was handed over to Texas logistics firm Allogic and charging partner Greenspace through Windrose’s American partner on April 1, the company said in a statement on April 3. Continue reading “Chinese electric truck maker Windrose makes first US delivery”
Summary
SHANGHAI/MILAN, (Reuters) – Stellantis is in advanced talks with Leapmotor to jointly develop an Opel-branded electric SUV that would use the Chinese automaker’s technology and be produced at Stellantis’ Zaragoza plant in Spain, three sources told Reuters.
The deal, if finalised, would help Stellantis cut the cost and time to develop a new EV model, as the French-Italian automaker shifts focus to petrol-electric hybrid cars. Earlier this year it announced a $25 billion writedown related to scaling back its EV plans. Continue reading “Stellantis in advanced talks to develop Opel EV with China’s Leapmotor, sources say”
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – U.S. carmakers say rules under consideration by Brussels could keep full-size pickup trucks including the Ford F-150, the Chevy Silverado and the Ram 1500 off European roads, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
Andrew Puzder, the U.S. ambassador to the bloc, told the Financial Times that the EU plans to change safety rules that could breach the spirit of the trade deal struck in August between the United States and the EU if they prevented some American vehicles from being sold in Europe. Continue reading “US carmakers say proposed EU rules could block large pickup trucks from Europe”
SEOUL, (Reuters) – South Korean automaker Kia Corp plans to boost its investment plan over the next four years by 30% to boost vehicle electrification, software and other new businesses, according to an investor presentation on Thursday.
The company plans to raise its investments to 41.4 trillion won ($27.95 billion) from 2026 to 2029, it said. Continue reading “Kia boosts investment plan by 30% over the next four years; shares fall”
Source : PTI | China on Tuesday announced an increase in gasoline and diesel prices for the second time in about a fortnight due to rising international oil prices triggered by the ongoing war in West Asia.
China’s top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), announced that the new round of price hikes will take effect from Wednesday. Continue reading “China hikes gasoline, diesel prices for second time in fortnight”
Source : PTI | Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that Vietnam-based Vingroup has committed to investing $8.5 billion in the state over the next two years in projects, including electric mobility solutions, social and public infrastructure, tourism and entertainment.
The projects have the potential to create nearly 24,700 jobs, he said. Continue reading “Vietnam’s Vingroup to invest $8.5 billion in Maharashtra: Fadnavis”
Source : PTI | Interest rate-sensitive realty, auto and bank stocks were in high demand on Wednesday, a day when the Reserve Bank of India kept its key policy rate unchanged, adopting a wait-and-watch stance as policymakers assessed the fallout from the Iran conflict on energy supplies, inflation and growth.
A sharp rally in the broader equity market also aided buying in these stocks. Continue reading “Auto stocks surge up to 12% after RBI holds rates steady”
Sachin Punni is a key leader in India’s shared mobility and fleet ecosystem, known for his role in building and scaling Voler Cars, a company focused on corporate mobility, employee transportation services (ETS), and fleet solutions.
Sachin Punni serves as Director at Voler Cars, where he oversees business strategy, partnerships, and operational expansion. His work focuses on improving fleet efficiency, customer experience, and scalable mobility solutions across corporate and institutional clients. Continue reading “Sachin Punni”
Kartike Karwal is an experienced professional in India’s automotive and mobility sector, known for his expertise in policy advocacy, government relations, and sustainable mobility initiatives. With over 18 years of experience, he has contributed significantly to industry engagement and regulatory alignment within the automobile ecosystem.
Kartike Karwal serves as Deputy Director at the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), where he plays a key role in shaping industry policy discussions, facilitating stakeholder collaboration, and supporting government engagement on automotive regulations. Continue reading “Kartike Karwal”
Shiv Khera is a globally recognized Indian author, motivational speaker, and leadership coach known for inspiring individuals and organizations through values-based success principles. Born on 13 November 1949 in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, he has built a strong reputation in personal development, leadership training, and mindset transformation.
Shiv Khera began his career with humble beginnings, working as a car washer, insurance agent, and franchise operator before entering the field of motivational speaking. His journey reflects resilience and self-made success, which later became the foundation of his teachings. Continue reading “Shiv Khera”
Lucy Rana is a leading intellectual property (IP) lawyer in India and the Managing Partner at S.S. Rana & Co., a well-known full-service law firm specializing in IP and corporate law. With over 25 years of experience, she has built strong expertise in trademark strategy, IP enforcement, and corporate legal advisory.
Lucy Rana has been instrumental in advising Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, and leading Indian businesses on complex IP matters, including trademark protection, brand strategy, licensing, and litigation. She leads key verticals such as trademarks, IP enforcement, IP watch, and domain name dispute resolution within the firm. Continue reading “Lucy Rana”
Sandeep Gambhir is a seasoned business leader with over 25 years of experience across financial services, mobility, and automotive ecosystems. He is known for his expertise in scaling businesses, leading transformations, and building high-performance organizations.
Sandeep Gambhir serves as Chief Executive Officer of Vertelo, an electric mobility platform focused on accelerating EV adoption and sustainable transportation solutions in India. Continue reading “Sandeep Gambhir”
Saharsh Damani is a prominent leader in India’s automotive retail ecosystem, serving as the first Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). He is widely recognized for driving data-led transformation, policy advocacy, and modernization across India’s auto retail sector.
Saharsh Damani has been associated with FADA for over eight years, playing a key role in strengthening the organization’s institutional framework, enhancing transparency, and building industry-wide collaboration. His leadership focuses on leveraging data platforms such as VAHAN and analytics-driven insights to improve decision-making across dealers, OEMs, and policymakers. Continue reading “Saharsh Damani”
Jyoti Malhotra is a prominent leader in India’s luxury automotive segment, known for driving brand growth, electrification strategy, and customer-centric transformation at Volvo Car India. With over two decades of experience, he has built deep expertise in sales, marketing, and automotive business strategy.
Jyoti Malhotra joined Volvo Car India in 2016 and progressed through key leadership roles before being elevated to Managing Director, becoming the first Indian to lead the company’s operations in the country. Continue reading “Jyoti Malhotra”
Francisco Hidalgo Marques is a senior automotive executive with extensive global experience in sales, marketing, and business strategy within the Renault Group. With over two decades in the automotive industry, he has built a strong reputation for leading transformation, brand positioning, and market expansion across international markets.
Francisco Hidalgo Marques has been associated with Renault since the early 2000s, holding multiple leadership roles across Europe, Russia, and Asia. His experience spans planning, forecasting, communication, and commercial operations, reflecting a well-rounded leadership profile. Continue reading “Francisco Hidalgo Marques”
Stéphane Deblaise is a senior global automotive executive with over two decades of experience at Renault Group, known for his expertise in engineering, product development, and international business leadership. He has held key roles across Europe, Asia, and Latin America, contributing to large-scale automotive programs and strategic transformation initiatives.
Stéphane Deblaise joined Renault Group in 2000 as an advanced process engineer and progressed through multiple leadership positions, including vehicle engineering, product planning, and program management roles in France, Brazil, and China.
He later served as CEO of Renault Korea, where he led significant transformation initiatives, positioning the region as a global hub for development and production of mid- and large-sized vehicles, while modernizing manufacturing for multi-energy platforms. Continue reading “Stéphane Deblaise”
Udit Malhotra is an accomplished marketing leader in India’s automotive industry, recognized for driving brand transformation, digital innovation, and customer-centric marketing strategies. With over 15 years of experience, he has built expertise across integrated marketing, product communication, and digital ecosystems.
Udit Malhotra plays a key role in shaping marketing strategy at JSW MG Motor India, where he oversees brand positioning, campaign execution, and digital-first initiatives. His leadership has contributed to building MG Motor as a technology-driven and innovation-led automotive brand in India. Continue reading “Udit Malhotra”
Neha Jain is a dynamic leader in India’s electric mobility ecosystem, known for driving innovation, partnerships, and sustainable growth within the automotive sector. With over 15 years of experience, she has built strong expertise in electric vehicles (EVs), charging infrastructure, and innovation-led business transformation.
Neha Jain leads the EV and Innovation Ecosystem at JSW MG Motor India, where she works closely with government bodies, startups, technology partners, and industry stakeholders to accelerate EV adoption in India. Her role focuses on building collaborative ecosystems, expanding charging infrastructure, and promoting sustainable mobility solutions. Continue reading “Neha Jain”
Source : PTI | Cash payments at toll plazas will be discontinued for travellers on national highways from April 10, the road transport and highways ministry has said.
In a gazette notification, the ministry has said that in cases where a vehicle enters a fee plaza without a valid FASTag, users can still pay via Unified Payment Interface (UPI), but at a higher charge of 1.25 times the applicable toll fee. Continue reading “No cash at toll plazas from April 10; UPI payments to cost 1.25 times more”
Source : PTI | At least 25 companies, including JSW Group and NLC India, participated in a pre-bid conference for the ₹7,280-crore scheme to promote the manufacturing of sintered rare earth permanent magncalled by the heavy industries ministry on Tuesday, sources said.
The government will select maximum of five entities through the bidding process, with each entity setting up facilities of up to 1,200 MTPA, aggregating to a total of up to a maximum capacity of 6,000 MTPA. Continue reading “JSW Group, NLC India among 25 companies in pre-bid meet for ₹7,280 cr rare earth magnet scheme: Sources”
Summary
ISLAMABAD/SINGAPORE, (Reuters) – Days after Iran effectively blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following the start of U.S. and Israeli attacks in late February, two Pakistani electric motorbikee outlets 1,400 km (875 miles) away found themselves overwhelmed with enquiries.
Haseeb Bhatti, who retrofits petrol-fuelled bikes with battery-powered motors in the northern city of Rawalpindi, said his March sales surged 70%. For Ali Gohar Khan, who owns a 7-year-old electric motorbike retail franchise with branches across Pakistan, the recent surge in sales is the steepest ever. Continue reading “Soaring costs, fuel shortage fears drive Pakistan to electric motorbikes”
(Reuters) – Tesla’s vehicle registrations in Germany more than quadrupled in March from a year earlier, data from the German road traffic agency KBA showed on Tuesday.
Newly registered Tesla cars jumped 315.1% year-on-year to 9,252 units in March, the KBA said. Registrations in the first quarter rose 160% to 12,829 vehicles. Continue reading “Tesla registrations in Germany quadruple in March, KBA says”
(Reuters) – The U.S. government has so far rejected requests from Ford Motor and other U.S. automakers for relief from aluminum tariffs after fires at a Novelis plant created supply bottlenecks for vehicles, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
Last week, Ford petitioned the Trump administration for assistance, asking officials for relief from duties at least until Novelis’ aluminum rolling plant in Oswego, New York returns to full service, the report said, citing people with knowledge of the conversations. Continue reading “US rejects aluminum tariff relief request from Ford, WSJ reports”
(Reuters) – Ford Motor is recalling 422,613 vehicles in the U.S. over a failure of the windshield wiper, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday.
Here are some details:
Continue reading “Ford recalls over 420,000 vehicles in US over windshield wiper failure”
Summary
RIO DE JANEIRO, (Reuters) – Brazil has put China’s BYD on a registry of employers who have subjected workers to conditions similar to slavery, after a 2024 scandal in which Chinese workers were said to have been victims of human trafficking and abusive contracts.
The list, published by Brazil’s Labor Ministry, carries further reputational risk for the automaker in its biggest market after China. Continue reading “Brazil puts China’s BYD on list of shame for workers’ past slavery-like conditions”
Piyush Arora is a senior automotive industry leader known for his extensive experience in manufacturing, operations, and business leadership within global automobile companies.
With over three decades of experience, he has played a key role in shaping production strategy, localization, and operational excellence in India’s automotive sector.
Piyush Arora leads Škoda Auto Volkswagen India, overseeing multiple brands and driving the group’s strategic vision in one of its most important growth markets. His leadership focuses on strengthening manufacturing capabilities, enhancing localization under the “Make in India” initiative, and delivering globally competitive products tailored for Indian consumers. Continue reading “Piyush Arora”
Vikrant Rana is a leading intellectual property (IP) attorney in India and the Managing Partner at S.S. Rana & Co., a reputed full-service law firm. With nearly three decades of experience, he has built a strong reputation in patent law, trademark litigation, and IP enforcement across diverse industries.
Vikrant Rana is an Advocate-on-Record at the Supreme Court of India and a registered patent agent, representing clients before the Supreme Court, High Courts, and IP authorities. His work spans patents, trademarks, copyrights, licensing, and dispute resolution, making him a trusted advisor for complex legal matters. Continue reading “Vikrant Rana”
Prasan Firodia is a forward-thinking business leader representing the new generation at the helm of the Dr. Abhay Firodia Group of Companies, one of India’s established industrial houses with a strong presence in automotive manufacturing and engineering.
Prasan Firodia serves as Managing Director of Force Motors, a leading Indian automotive company known for commercial vehicles, engineering capabilities, and global partnerships with brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Continue reading “Prasan Firodia”
Sakshi Vij is an entrepreneur and business leader in India’s mobility and transportation sector, known for her contributions to shared mobility and car subscription services. With strong expertise in travel, fleet management, and automotive solutions, she has played a key role in transforming how individuals and businesses access vehicles.
Sakshi Vij is associated with Carzonrent India Pvt. Ltd. and is the founder of Myles Cars, a platform that focuses on flexible vehicle usage models such as subscriptions and self-drive rentals. Her work has contributed to the growth of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) solutions in India, offering alternatives to traditional car ownership. Continue reading “Sakshi Vij”
Kumar Priyesh is a senior leader in India’s automotive industry, known for his expertise in sales, marketing, and brand leadership across leading passenger vehicle companies. With over two decades of experience, he has played a significant role in driving business growth, network expansion, and customer-centric strategies.
Kumar Priyesh holds a leadership position at Stellantis India as Business Head and Director – Automotive Brands, where he oversees operations for brands such as Jeep, Citroën, and Leapmotor in the Indian market. Continue reading “Kumar Priyesh”
Vinod Aggarwal is a highly respected leader in India’s commercial vehicle industry, known for his long-standing contribution to automotive manufacturing, strategy, and business leadership. With over four decades of experience, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the growth of Eicher Motors and VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), a joint venture between Eicher Motors and Volvo Group.
Vinod Aggarwal has led VECV for nearly two decades as Managing Director and CEO, driving strong business expansion, product innovation, and market competitiveness. Under his leadership, the organization strengthened its position as a key player in India’s commercial vehicle segment and expanded into global markets. Continue reading “Vinod Aggarwal”
