BASF Releases Colour Report For Automotive OEM Coatings
- By MT Bureau
- January 11, 2025

BASF Coatings has released its report titled ‘Colour Report For Automotive OEM Coatings’ to provide a detailed exploration of the recent colour trends in the automotive industry.
BASF Coatings computed the colour distribution mentioned in the report using the information that was available about the manufacture of automobiles worldwide and the application of paint to passenger cars. According to the report, as buyers stray from conventional favourites like white and silver, the worldwide automobile colour landscape continues to change in 2024. According to the report, this change is opening the door for a more varied palette, warm neutrals and vivid colours to become more popular throughout the business. In particular, customers still prefer white, but warm hues like yellow and beige are becoming more and more desirable, and green is becoming more and more popular everywhere. Additionally, achromatic hues like grey and black are becoming more popular.
The report also highlights the region-wise trend in automotive coating based on consumer preference. As per the report, beige is gaining popularity in the EMEA region as achromatic colours continue steady growth in the region, increasing from 72 percent in 2021 to almost 80 percent in 2024. White remains the most preferred colour, while grey comes second.
In the Americas, grey is shining as one of the most versatile and captivating colours with almost 20 percent of the total market share. Compared to 2023, black colour has decreased by two percentage points, while white has had a five percentage point loss, which is even more notable.
The Asia Pacific market, on the other hand, is dominated by black colour. With achromatic colours remaining the top choice for 83 percent of consumers, black colour secured a gain of two percentage points in popularity, while white saw a decline of over two points. Chromatic colours with soft tones, particularly yellow, are also on the rise in this region, the report says.
McLaren Racing Partners With Iron Mountain To Digitise Formula 1 Legacy
- By MT Bureau
- October 15, 2025

Iron Mountain, a global leader in information management services, has become an Official Partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team, kickstarting a new multi-year partnership that will commence at the 2025 United States Grand Prix. The collaboration will leverage Iron Mountain’s expertise to spearhead a digital transformation of McLaren Racing’s legendary heritage archive.
Utilising an advanced AI-powered platform, the project will convert priceless historical materials, including vintage photography, film and technical blueprints, into an intelligent and dynamic digital resource. This initiative is designed to unlock new value from these assets, enabling McLaren to share its iconic history with a global audience. By creating new and immersive stories, the team aims to connect fans and partners more deeply to its legacy and the sport.
Furthermore, McLaren will utilise Iron Mountain’s global leadership in the secure and efficient management of end-of-life IT assets. As part of the agreement, Iron Mountain branding will be featured on the team’s race cars beginning in Austin, with additional visibility planned throughout the 2025 season and beyond.
Nick Martin, Co-Chief Commercial Officer, McLaren Racing, said, “Our fans are at the centre of what we do, and we are passionate about sharing our storied past with them. With the integration of Iron Mountain, we will be able to bring to life more of the team’s rich history for our fans and partners as we look to shine a light on the McLaren Racing brand.”
Greg McIntosh, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Iron Mountain, said, “We are proud to partner with the McLaren Formula 1 Team, which embodies the spirit of innovation and high performance at Iron Mountain. Our AI-enabled digital platform will help to fuel new opportunities for success and transform McLaren Racing’s iconic heritage media – protecting these timeless assets for future generations, connecting them to fans and partners and activating them to unlock value like never before.”
Indian Auto Sales Mixed Result In Q2 FY2026
- By MT Bureau
- October 15, 2025

The latest wholesales data shared by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers Association (SIAM) for Q2 FY 2025–26 shows mixed domestic performance across segments, but strong growth in exports.
During Q2, passenger vehicle sales stood at 1.04 million units, down 2 percent compared to 1.05 million units last year. However, sales in September 2025 were up by 4 percent, with SUV segment with 204,938 units, down 1 percent YoY, accounting for around two-thirds of sales.
Two-wheelers posted sales of 5.56 million units, a growth of 7 percent YoY, supported by higher economic activity and the positive impact of a GST rate reduction. The scooter segment grew by 12 percent, compared to 5 percent YoY growth in motorcycles.
Three-wheelers recorded their highest-ever Q2 sales of 229,239 units, with a growth of 8 percent YoY, driven by the Passenger Carrier sub-segment’s 12 percent growth YoY.
Commercial vehicles sales stood at 239,781 lakh units, reflecting a growth of 8 percent YoY. Growth was broad-based, with Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles (MHCVs) and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) both showing improvement.
AUTOMOTIVE SALES IN INDIA | ||||
Segment | Q2 FY'26 | Q2 FY'25 | Change (in units) | Change (YoY) |
Passenger Vehicles | ||||
Passenger cars | 318,895 | 318,805 | 90 | 0% |
SUVs | 683,014 | 697,569 | -14,555 | -2% |
Vans | 37,291 | 38,763 | -1,472 | -4% |
Total PVs | 1,039,200 | 1,055,137 | -15,937 | -2% |
Three-Wheelers | ||||
Passenger Carrier | 194,204 | 172,855 | 21,349 | 12% |
Goods Carrier | 29,387 | 27,656 | 1,731 | 6% |
E-Rickshaw | 4,069 | 7,227 | -3,158 | -44% |
E-Cart | 1,579 | 980 | 599 | 61% |
Total Three-wheelers | 229,239 | 208,718 | 20,521 | 9.8% |
Commercial Vehicles | ||||
M&HCV | ||||
Passenger Carrier | 13,717 | 13,416 | 301 | 2% |
Goods Carrier | 74,332 | 69,524 | 4,808 | 7% |
Total M&HCV | 88,049 | 82,940 | 5,109 | 6% |
LCV | ||||
Passenger Carrier | 11,752 | 11,864 | -112 | -1% |
Goods Carrier | 139,980 | 126,659 | 13,321 | 11% |
Total LCV | 151,732 | 138,523 | 13,209 | 10% |
Total Commercial Vehicles | 239,781 | 221,463 | 18,318 | 8% |
Two-Wheelers | ||||
Scooter | 2,059,957 | 1,832,306 | 227,651 | 12% |
Motorcycles | 3,370,495 | 3,209,965 | 160,530 | 5% |
Mopeds | 131,625 | 137,078 | -5,453 | -4% |
Total Two-wheelers | 5,562,077 | 5,179,349 | 382,728 | 7% |
Quadricycle | 0 | 28 | -28 | -100% |
Grand Total | 7,070,297 | 6,664,695 | 405,602 | 6% |
The industry enters the second half of FY 2025–26 with renewed cheer, supported by the festive season momentum, stable macroeconomic conditions and GST 2.0 reforms. The extended festive and wedding season is expected to sustain growth momentum through Q3.
Shailesh Chandra, President, SIAM, said, "The GST 2.0 reform is a landmark decision of the Government of India, which apart from catapulting the Indian auto industry to the next level, would bring in vibrancy in the entire economy, as this industry is closely intertwined with strong forward and backward linkages. Inspite of the new GST rates coming into effect from of September, i.e. only for 9 days of the month, Passenger Vehicles, Two-Wheelers and Three-Wheelers have already posted their highest ever sales of September. In addition, very strong exports growth, in all segments in Q2, indicates the growing brand acceptance on Indian made vehicles. Looking ahead, the outlook for the sector remains encouraging on the back of key tailw
- Micelio
- Global Clean Mobility Summit 2025
- Tarun Mehta
- Ather Energy
- Shreyas Shibulal
- C V Raman
- Maruti Suzuki India
- Jan Kuenne
- Grundig Akademie fur Wirtschaft & Technik
- ARAI
- Digital Twin Lab
Micelio Hosts Global Clean Mobility Summit 2025
- By MT Bureau
- October 15, 2025

Bengaluru-based Micelio Mobility, which calls itself a catalyst for India’s clean mobility ecosystem, fostering innovation and collaboration across startups, corporates and academia successfully hosted its Global Clean Mobility Summit 2025.
The event saw discussions on the future of electric vehicles (EVs) in India with participation from leaders from industry, policy and academia.
Tarun Mehta, Co-founder and CEO of Ather Energy, received the ‘Individual Contributor of the Year 2025 Award’ for his work in India’s clean mobility sector.
Shreyas Shibulal, Founder & Director, Micelio Mobility, said, “India stands at a decisive point where clean mobility must evolve from aspiration to acceleration. The collaborations and innovations we witnessed today reaffirm Micelio’s belief that sustainable transport will define not just the next decade of growth but the next era of progress. Micelio remains deeply committed to nurturing ideas that can power a cleaner, more connected and equitable mobility ecosystem for all.”
C V Raman, Member of Executive Committee, Maruti Suzuki India, spoke on the country’s journey toward self-reliance. He stressed that mobility will be a catalyst for the economy to become a developed economy by 2047.
Jan Kuenne, of Grundig Akademie fur Wirtschaft & Technik, highlighted the importance of integrated design, data and investment for infrastructure.
Kuenne said, “Every visit to Bengaluru reminds me why this city is so special; the innovation here is unlike anywhere else. The ideas coming out of India are shaping the future of clean mobility for the world. We’re not just talking about electric vehicles; we’re talking about reimagining how cities move. From digital twins to new mobility systems, India is showing that sustainability and progress can go hand in hand. Together, we can create a world where clean, smart and responsible movement becomes the new normal.”
The summit released Micelio’s report, 'Closing the Loop: Building a Roadmap for Battery Circularity in India'. A Knowledge Roundtable agreed that upskilling and reskilling are required to make India industry ready for EV scaling.
The event also highlighted the collaboration between Micelio Mobility and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) on the Digital Twin Lab for EV testing.
- Fery Rides
- IAN Angel Fund
- IAN Group
- Hari Balasubramanian
- Uday Chatterjee
- Sri Prakash
- Ajay Kumar
- Vindhya Mehrotra
- Himanshu CHaubey
Fery Rides Raises INR 20.75 Million In Seed Funding
- By MT Bureau
- October 14, 2025

Fery Rides, an Indian mobility start-up focussing on women's transportation led by women, has raised INR 20.75 million in a seed funding round led by IAN Angel Fund, part of IAN Group, with participation from Hari Balasubramanian, Uday Chatterjee and Sri Prakash.
The funding will be used to strengthen the technology platform, expand operations beyond the NCR region and onboard more women drivers, which the start-up refers to as Sister Partners.
The start-up aims to provide safe and reliable transport for women passengers, with every ride operated by trained and verified women drivers. The platform is developed by Ajay Kumar, alongside Vindhya Mehrotra and Himanshu Chaubey, with a key focus on women's safety.
The all EV service uses an app for onboarding, real-time tracking with SOS alerts and WhatsApp-enabled customer support.
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