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The Right Masking System: How an Overlooked Prep Step Quietly Shapes Bodyshop Profitability WAF
Purani Jeans – The classic cars of the bygone era, we grew up with! A few of us even built them, sold and serviced them! CarPhD Continue reading “WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (11th September 2026)”
In the automotive industry, almost every part of a vehicle can be traced through its supply chain, manufacturing process and quality history. But there is one important commercial decision that can often be surprisingly difficult to reconstruct: how exactly did a spare part get its current price?
For many automotive organizations, parts pricing still depends on spreadsheets, disconnected workflows and manual decisions. A price changes, someone reviews and approves it, and eventually the updated number reaches the system. Continue reading “Redsage Launches Autoclad Suite Pricing Tool to Bring Control, Intelligence and Auditability to Automotive Parts Pricing”
For a third of the time there has been a Uitenhage (now Kariega), there has been Volkswagen in Uitenhage. The small industrial town in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, established in 1804, has been home to Volkswagen for 75 years, during which time the brand has built their legacy within the country. The makers of the People’s Car are celebrating their 75th anniversary of building and selling Volkswagens in South Africa, marking the first Beetle being built in the Kariega factory.
At the start, this factory belonged to South African Motor Assemblers and Distributors (SAMAD), and the production line-up also featured Studebaker and Austin models. From the moment the first Beetle rolled off the production line on 31 August 1951, it was an icon in the minds of South African customers. The introduction of the Type 2 – also known as the Kombi– in 1955 further cemented the brand’s popularity in the local market. Continue reading “Volkswagen celebrates 75th anniversary in South Africa”
Source : PTI | New Delhi: India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) and sectoral leaders have urged the government to accelerate battery incentives, smart grid development, and last-mile mobility to speed up electric vehicle adoption.
The IESA, in a statement on World EV Day, said that to sustain India’s rapid EV adoption and unlock its next phase of growth, smart-grid infrastructure and expanded battery incentives are critical enablers. Continue reading “Battery, smart grid push needed to sustain EV momentum: IESA”
BEIJING, (Reuters) – Volvo Cars will become the exclusive distributor for Lynk & Co cars in Europe starting January 2027, Lynk & Co brand owner Geely said on Thursday.
Continue reading “Volvo Cars to become Lynk & Co’s European distributor starting 2027”
(Reuters) – Porsche said on Wednesday it had completed the sale of its stakes in Bugatti Rimac and Rimac Group after receiving regulatory approvals, finalising its exit from the Croatian electric hypercar maker and related businesses.
The transaction will generate proceeds of around €1 billion ($1.2 billion) for the German sports car manufacturer. Continue reading “Porsche completes Bugatti Rimac exit, lifts 2026 cash flow outlook”
Summary
NEW DELHI/HANOI, (Reuters) – Vietnamese automaker VinFast plans to develop two new electric vehicles for the Indian market, five sources told Reuters, in a strategic shift made just weeks after it suspended plans to manufacture some of its global models there. Continue reading “VinFast plans to develop two India-specific EVs in strategy shift, sources say”
Masking is one of the least discussed stages of a repair—and one of the most repeated. Every job, regardless of panel size or paint type, starts with it. Because it’s treated as a low-skill, low-cost step, it’s rarely audited for the time it consumes or the inconsistency it introduces from technician to technician.
The question isn’t just “how much does masking range cost?”—it’s “how much technician time is spent choosing, cutting, layering, and redoing masking materials that weren’t matched to the job in the first place, and what happens to that number once the right range is in place?” Continue reading “The Right Masking System: How an Overlooked Prep Step Quietly Shapes Bodyshop Profitability”
Source : PTI | India’s white-collar hiring registered a 14 per cent year-on-year growth in August, driven by sectors including auto, healthcare and retail, a report said on Tuesday.
The overall Naukri JobSpeak Index touched 3,028 compared to 2,664 in August last year, according to a report by Naukri.com, Info Edge’s flagship brand. Continue reading “India white-collar hiring up 14% in August; auto, healthcare, retail lead gains”
The government is working to permit ethanol blending beyond the existing E20 level, enabled through flexi-fuel vehicles, Advisor to the Prime Minister Tarun Kapoor said on Wednesday.
Addressing virtually the fourth edition of The India Sugar & Bio-Energy Conference 2026, Kapoor said the E20 programme has been “very successful” so far and several automobile companies have announced plans to roll out flexi-fuel vehicles soon. Continue reading “Govt eyes ethanol blending beyond E20 via flex-fuel vehicles: PM advisor”
(Reuters) – Volkswagen is exploring a strategic partnership with Indian conglomerate JSW Group to improve competitiveness and profitability in the world’s third-largest car market.
The partnership is aimed at expanding Volkswagen’s portfolio in India, deepening local sourcing and strengthening manufacturing, a company spokesperson said on Wednesday. Continue reading “Volkswagen explores partnership with JSW Group in key India market”
Summary
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The Trump administration on Tuesday blasted Ford Motor’s business partnerships with Chinese companies, saying they pose national security concerns. Continue reading “Trump administration blasts Ford’s business deals with Chinese firms”
After a strong response in 2025, 50 exclusive units of the Rally Sport sedan return to India
Continue reading “A rare icon returns: Škoda India brings back the Octavia RS”
Summary
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The United States banned a broad swath of Canadian alcoholic beverages, motorcycles and dairy products from import on Tuesday, sharply escalating an already acrimonious trade spat. Continue reading “US to ban Canadian motorcycle, dairy, alcohol imports as trade war sizzles”
Summary
PARIS, (Reuters) – Premium German car brand Audi on Monday introduced a new compact electric vehicle to boost its presence at the smaller end of the European market, where Chinese automakers are launching more affordable models, and help revive its global sales. Continue reading “Audi introduces new compact EV in bid to boost European sales”
Summary
BEIJING, (Reuters) – China’s car exports stayed robust in August as BYD and other automakers shipped a record number of vehicles overseas, in sharp contrast to a sluggish domestic market where their sales fell for the 11th month in a row. Continue reading “China’s car exports stay strong in August but domestic sales decline more”
STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) – Slovenia has allowed Tesla’s FSD driver-assistance system to be used on its roads, the U.S. automaker said, becoming the sixth European country to do so ahead of a potential EU-wide vote. Continue reading “Slovenia clears Tesla’s FSD driver assistance ahead of EU vote”
Summary
(Reuters) – GE Aerospace said on Tuesday it would buy castings supplier Consolidated Precision Products for $11.75 billion, bringing a key part of its engine supply chain in-house as it races to expand production capacity. Continue reading “GE Aerospace to buy castings supplier for nearly $12 billion to tackle engine bottleneck”
Summary
OSNABRUECK, Germany, (Reuters) – Volkswagen on Monday struck a preliminary deal that will see one of its German sites switch to defence production under new ownership, a first in the automaker’s efforts to restructure plants struggling to compete with lower-cost Chinese rivals. Continue reading “Volkswagen finds defence future for German plant amid major overhaul”
LITTLETON, Colorado, (Reuters) – Southeast Asian nations have emerged as key drivers of China’s clean-energy export boom, with the region making record purchases of energy storage batteries, grid equipment, electric vehicles and clean-power generation components so far this year.
In total, countries within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have splashed out over $20 billion on Chinese-made clean-tech products so far in 2026, according to energy think tank Ember. Continue reading “Southeast Asia emerges as a crucial driver of China’s clean-tech exports”
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LONDON, (Reuters) – Britain’s Jaguar Land Rover said on Monday it would cut nearly 10% of its workforce through voluntary redundancies over the next two years, as the car industry faces heightened pressures including from Chinese competition and tariffs. Continue reading “UK’s Jaguar Land Rover to cut nearly 10% of workforce under turnaround plan”
BEIJING, (Reuters) – Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD, expects overseas shipments to exceed 2.5 million vehicles in 2027, two major brokerages said on Tuesday, citing a group meeting with company management.
BYD did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Continue reading “BYD targets more than 2.5 million vehicle exports in 2027, brokerages say”
PARIS, (Reuters) – Renault’s low-cost brand Dacia is looking to make fresh inroads in the electric vehicle market with a new larger version of its popular Spring model — but this time it will be made in Europe, instead of imported from China.
Dacia has sold 210,000 Spring EVs since 2021 but has missed out on a recent EV boom in France, its biggest market, because the country’s subsidy programme for low-income car buyers excludes Chinese-made EVs such as the current Spring. Continue reading “Dacia to bring popular EV Spring back home to Europe from China”
Source : PTI | New Delhi, The Delhi government on Sunday launched a citywide awareness campaign aimed at increasing public participation in efforts to curb air pollution, with activities planned across the national capital until March next year.
The Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign, titled “Saath Nibhayein, Pradushan Ghataayein”, will be implemented by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) from September 2026 to March 2027.
Source : PTI | West Bengal Transport Department on Friday deployed additional buses on several routes following disruption of rail services because of subsidence of tracks near Farakka in Murshidabad district.
The department has taken emergency measures to ensure that passengers do not face inconvenience due to the disruption of train services between Kolkata, Malda and Siliguri.
Continue reading “West Bengal adds buses on key routes after Farakka rail disruption”
Source : PTI | The premium hatchback segment is anticipated to grow in the Indian passenger vehicle market, even as SUVs remain the dominant choice among customers, a senior executive of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd said on Saturday.
The company, which has introduced the new version of its premium hatchback Baleno with special festive prices starting at ₹6.09 lakh (ex-showroom Bengaluru), believes that when the overall passenger vehicles (PV) sales is expected to reach the size of 63 lakh units annually, the segment will have a play in the 35 per cent of the market, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Partho Banerjee told PTI. Continue reading “Premium hatchbacks to grow despite SUV dominance: Maruti”
PTI | Kia India will follow a multi-technology pathway, including hybrids and CNG besides electric vehicles, in its drive for sustainable mobility, company MD & CEO Gwang Gu Lee said on Friday.
The company, which launched its premium seven-seater SUV Sorento in strong hybrid and diesel engine offerings priced between ₹27.99 lakh and ₹40.39 lakh, believes hybrids will be a key part of its portfolio going forward, Lee told PTI here in an interview. Continue reading “Kia India to follow multi-tech pathway for sustainable mobility: MD & CEO”
PTI | The automotive component industry has around ₹98,000 crore locked in inventory, of which ₹29,000-39,000 crore could potentially be released by improving inventory management, according to a Vector Consulting Group report.
The report said the potential working-capital release could include ₹4,000-5,600 crore within the MSME ecosystem, which accounts for around 80 per cent of auto component manufacturers in the country. Continue reading “Auto component suppliers sit on ₹98,000 cr inventory, says report”
BERLIN/FRANKFURT, (Reuters) – In a tense meeting on Wednesday afternoon at Volkswagen’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, three of the firm’s biggest power players looked to thrash out an unlikely deal as the embattled carmaker veered towards full-blown crisis.
CEO Oliver Blume, wanting to push through plans for historic job cuts that could hit 100,000 workers, was locked in talks with Supervisory Board Chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch and Olaf Lies, state premier of the powerful Lower Saxony region, a key shareholder and the heartland of Volkswagen’s local production. Continue reading “Fear and compromise: How Volkswagen struck a deal over historic job cuts”
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SAN FRANCISCO, (Reuters) – Tesla’s (TSLA.O) race to deploy Cybercab robotaxis will put regulatory limits to the test as the EV maker begins paid rides in the sporty, two-seaters that run without a steering wheel, pedals or mirrors.
Just hours after an event in downtown Austin, Texas, to mark the rollout, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it opened an audit of about 1,000 Cybercab vehicles to assess how Tesla determined the cars comply with federal vehicle-safety regulations. Continue reading “Musk pushes regulatory limits with Tesla’s Cybercab robotaxi service”
Source : PTI | Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday launched the capital’s second automated vehicle testing station at Tehkhand depot in South Delhi.
Gupta also launched 50 new electric buses, bringing the total number of buses to 6,840, of which 5,088 are electric vehicles. Continue reading “Delhi CM launches automated vehicle testing station, flags off 50 e-buses”
BERLIN,- Volkswagen AG’s supervisory board agreed to a comprehensive restructuring plan dubbed “Future Plan 2030” which it said was essential to restore competitiveness and secure the group for the future.
Here are the main details of the plan outlined by the group, which has been struggling in the face of slumping demand and increasing competition from China. Continue reading “Main points of Volkswagen’s restructuring plan”
Summary
(Reuters) – European shares ticked lower on Friday ahead of closely watched U.S. jobs data, while Volkswagen’s shares rallied after the automaker announced a major transformation plan. Continue reading “European shares dip ahead of US jobs data; Volkswagen jumps”
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HANOI, (Reuters) – Vietnamese electric taxi operator Green and Smart Mobility (GSM), a partner of VinFast, the country’s largest carmaker, plans to expand into the U.S. and Europe ahead of a targeted 2028 initial public offering in Hong Kong, the company said. Continue reading “VinFast-linked taxi firm GSM eyes US, EU expansion ahead of Hong Kong IPO”
Summary
UK registrations of battery electric vehicles rose about 30% in August from a year earlier, making it the single biggest fuel type in the market last month, New AutoMotive data showed on Thursday. Continue reading “UK electric car sales jump 30% in August to lead market, data shows”
BERLIN, (Reuters) – With a confrontation brewing between management and unions over Volkswagen’s restructuring plans amid wider efforts to protect the future of German auto production, attention is turning to the industry’s 35-hour working week.
Automakers complain high domestic costs weigh on profit at a time when cheaper models from abroad are stealing market share, part of a broader discussion about German competitiveness. Continue reading “Explainer: Why a longer working week may not fix Volkswagen’s woes”
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WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – A group representing major automakers on Thursday urged Congress to pass legislation permanently barring Chinese vehicles from the U.S. market before the end of the year. Continue reading “Automakers urge Congress to quickly pass law banning Chinese cars”
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AUSTIN, Texas, (Reuters) – Tesla said on Thursday it was offering rides in “limited areas of Austin, Texas” in its two-seater Cybercab, a vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals, with the U.S. auto safety agency responding that it was evaluating the effort. Continue reading “Tesla starts Cybercab rides in Austin, drawing US safety agency interest”
Summary
FRANKFURT/BERLIN, (Reuters) – Volkswagen shares hit an 11-week high after the supervisory board of Europe’s largest automaker late on Thursday struck an ambitious turnaround agreement that put the focus on sweeping job cuts and averted a clash between major stakeholders. Continue reading “Volkswagen’s surprise turnaround deal averts showdown as job cuts loom”
WAF THINK TANK
India’s Top Rated Car Showrooms as per the Actual Voice of Customers CarPhD
India’s First National Road Safety Index WAF Continue reading “WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (4th September 2026)”
