Page 2 - Auto Industry

Automakers boost production, dealer stocks to meet festive demand

Leading automakers are ramping up production and building dealer inventory to meet strong customer demand as India enters the peak festive buying season, with manufacturers seeking to ensure adequate vehicle availability and convert healthy bookings into retail sales. Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India has 2.2 lakh pending bookings ahead of the festive season, while Hyundai Motor India has built four-five weeks of inventory across its dealer network. Mahindra & Mahindra, meanwhile, has scaled up its utility vehicle and electric vehicle manufacturing capacity to 68,000 units a month to improve supply and bring down waiting periods. Maruti Suzuki India's Senior Executive Officer Partho Banerjee told PTI, "At the beginning of this financial year, we had 12 days of stock. The current bookings pendency is 2.2 lakhs, which translates to 16 days of stock before the festive season. "We have already commissioned two new production lines, adding 5 lakhs capacity in total. The production .

Maruti Suzuki India total sales rise 24% to 236,000 units in September

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on Thursday reported a 24.4 per cent rise in total sales at 2,36,013 units in September, as compared to 1,89,665 units in the same month last year. The total figure includes domestic, exports and sales to other original equipment manufacturers. Total domestic passenger vehicle sales rose nearly 37 per cent to 1,81,838 units last month from 1,32,820 units a year ago, a regulatory filing by Maruti Suzuki India said. Total domestic sales, including LCVs (light commercial vehicles), were at 1,85,252 units in September as against 1,35,711 units a year ago, the company said. Total exports increased to 44,219 units in September from 42,204 units in the same month last year. Sales of mini, compact and mid-sized cars, including Alto, Baleno, Celerio, Ciaz, Dzire, Ignis, S-Presso, Swift and WagonR rose to 91,887 units last month from 74,090 units in September 2025. Sales of utility vehicles consisting of Brezza, Ertiga, e Vitara, Fronx, Grand Vitara, Invicto, Jimny,

Backward looking, huge missed opportunity: Amitabh Kant on new CAFE-3 norms

Amitabh Kant calls CAFE-3 a 'huge missed opportunity' as the new norms set fuel-efficiency and CO2 requirements and introduce EV super credits for automakers from 2027

JCB makes first leadership change in 50 yrs, names George Bamford co-chair

Anthony Bamford, the founder's son, has been chairman since 1975 and oversaw JCB's transformation from a predominantly British manufacturer into a global business

Rural India's auto demand holds despite weak rains in August: Fada data

Two-wheeler production grew 15.2% overall as scooters, typically more urban-weighted, grew faster at 26.7% than motorcycles at 9.1% domestically, even as motorcycle exports rose 33.4%

Tata Motors PV eyes 15% market share soon, targets 20% by FY31: MD

Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles expects to cross 15 per cent domestic market share "very soon" and is working towards its previously stated target of 20 per cent by FY31, as the nearly year-old standalone business looks to drive significant growth through investments in new product categories, faster product interventions and powertrain expansion, its Managing Director and CEO Shailesh Chandra said. In an interview with PTI, Chandra said the passenger vehicle business, which became a standalone entity following the demerger effective October 1 last year, has grown nearly 40 per cent over the past year and is exiting September with electric vehicles accounting for more than 25 per cent of its total sales. "Our focus is going to be, of course, to drive significant growth, double-digit growth. At the same time, we want to be leading the charge as far as the sustainable or zero-emission powertrains and emission-friendly powertrains are concerned, and at the same time, we have to continue

Audi India starts local assembly of new Q3 model ahead of October 16 launch

German luxury car manufacturer Audi on Friday started local assembly of its Q3 model at the Skoda Auto Volkswagen plant in Shendra here. The Audi Q3 India launch is scheduled for October 16, ahead of next month, the company said in a release. Powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine and equipped with Audi's quattro all-wheel drive, the all-new Audi Q3 combines dynamic capabilities. The model also features a range of segment-first features and technologies, further enhancing its appeal to modern luxury car buyers, it added. Piyush Arora, Managing Director and CEO of Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, said that it is an important milestone for the company in India. The production of the All-New Audi Q3 reflects the strong capabilities of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar facility, he added. Balbir Singh Dhillon, Brand Director, Audi India, said, "Today marks a significant day for us as we begin production and take another important step towards the launch of the All-New Audi Q3. The Audi Q3 has b

Ultraviolette raises $85 mn to expand EV production, enter US market

Yali Capital and TDK Ventures led the funding round as the Indian electric two-wheeler maker prepares to enter the US in 2027 and expand across Latin America and Southeast Asia

Delhi tops NITI Aayog's electric mobility index 2025, Maharashtra follows

The index assesses states and UTs on key parameters such as transport electrification, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, and research and innovation

Fada pushes automakers to give dealers more contractual certainty

Dealers being asked to invest crores on short-term letters of intent, says FADA president Sai Giridhar

Domestic passenger vehicle dispatches rise 36.5% to 439,309 units in August

Domestic passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealers rose 36.5 per cent year-on-year to 4,39,309 units in August, industry body SIAM said on Tuesday. Passenger vehicle dispatches were at 3,21,901 units in August 2025, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) said in a statement. Total two-wheeler sales increased 10.5 per cent to 20,34,698 units last month, as against 18,41,954 units in August last year, it added. Three-wheeler dispatches were up 22.8 per cent in the previous month at 93,764 units as against 76,324 units in the year-ago period, it added.

Rosemerta eyes 30-35% FY27 growth on tech, mobility solutions push

The group is betting on telematics, connected-vehicle platforms, government-service digitisation and road-safety solutions to drive growth

Fada, Rosmerta Digital Services tie up to simplify vehicle compliances

Automobile dealers' apex body FADA has signed an initial pact with Rosmerta Group firm Rosmerta Digital Services to make vehicle compliances easier using the latter's tech platform that provides customers with a simple digital access point to check their traffic violation details and necessary action. As part of this association, RDSL has introduced Rosmart, its compliance services platform, available through Rosmart.com, where citizens can log in to access challan-related services and address pending traffic violations, the Federation of Automobile Dealers' Association (FADA) said in a statement. Through the platform, dealers can upload cases in bulk or assist customers directly, while customers can visit Rosmart.com or access the service by scanning a QR code available at participating dealerships and customer touchpoints, it said. The need for a reliable platform has also become increasingly important with the proliferation of unauthorised websites and online intermediaries ...

Citroën targets 75% sales from smaller cities in 5 years: Shailesh Hazela

Citroën expects tier-2, tier-3 and smaller cities to account for three-fourths of India sales within five years, up from around 55 per cent currently

'Scorpio Man' in space: Pawan Goenka on his journey from autos to skies

As the man steering the organisation tasked with promoting, authorising, and regulating private-sector space activities, Goenka has his task cut out

Minda Corp targets ₹1,500 cr export, eyes growth in electric vehicles

The auto-component maker expects global growth to be led by instrument clusters, wiring harnesses, EV components and electronics as it increases four-wheeler penetration

Blended finance, leasing models needed to boost e-truck adoption: Gauba

Niti Aayog member Rajiv Gauba said high financing costs, fragmented logistics operations and lack of coordinated corridor planning were holding back e-truck adoption

Auto retail sales hit record in Aug at 2.42 mn units, rise 18%: Fada

Passenger vehicles crossed 400,000 units in August for the first time, while CNG, hybrid and electric vehicles together overtook petrol in the PV fuel mix

UK government rules out Jaguar Land Rover bailout over 4,000 job cuts

JLR is set to cut 4,000 positions or roughly 10% of its global workforce over the next two years as the UK's largest carmaker confronts soaring costs, plummeting sales and US tariffs

Goyal warns auto firms against nominal localisation, govt tracking data

Commerce minister says government will use company-wise import-export data and IEC numbers to assess genuine localisation and map automotive supply ecosystems