Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M Ltd) has inaugurated the Mahindra India Design Studio (MIDS), a state-of-the-art creative facility that marks a significant leap ahead in the company’s automotive and industrial design capabilities. 
Located in the group’s automotive manufacturing site at Kandivali in Mumbai, MIDS marks the expansion of the existing design studio at the same location with the addition of new and modern equipment such as the Kolb clay milling machine with two five-axis milling centres on a single ‘bed’ that would enable prototyping of two projects – an exterior or interior of a vehicle, two exterior works or more – at the same time in an effort to contribute to time-to-market. 
Marking the doubling of the studio size and reaffirming M&M's commitment to design excellence as a cornerstone of the product development strategy, the MIDS has also acquired a new paint booth to support paint design and development activities regarding new designs. 
With ‘Heartcare’ design philosophy driving the group’s push into the SUV space, the MIDS will also work on other automotive areas such as commercial vehicles and tractors. 
Marking a significant upgrade of a facility that was originally set up in 2015 as a dedicated studio to support M&M's auto and farm business, the newer and bigger set up is already tapping the growing talent in the respective field in the country.  
To be headed by Ajay Saran Sharma, the MIDS will have a 100 strong team to drive design project management, concept design, digital designing, physical modelling, studio engineering, CMF design, design quality/Realisation and HMI/UI/UX. The finer elements would include exterior and interior designing, visualisation, clay modelling, prototyping and more. 
Capable of supporting working progress on two or three projects at the same time and not just regarding passenger vehicles but also regarding commercial vehicles and tractors, MIDS will serve as a collaborative bridge between India and Mahindra’s global design outpost – the Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (MADE). 
Aiming to inspire innovation by blending digital tools with hands-on craftsmanship, MIDS will play a central role in shaping vehicles and experiences that are distinctly global, yet Indian. 
“It is a pleasure to have this new avatar of Mahindra India Design Studio commissioned. With state-of-the- art design spaces and machinery backed by world-class skills that hugely expands its capability and capacity, the footprint of the space stands doubled to take on and deliver the ever-expanding project portfolio across businesses. The end-to-end delivery on projects from the first concept sketch through to production stands further strengthened with the new working structure that along with the classic design verticals includes new functions such as HMI Design, Design Quality & Realisation,” explained Sharma. 
Pratap Bose, Chief Design and Creative Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, averred, “We are thrilled to inaugurate our future ready Mahindra India Design Studio bringing world class design technologies and tools to create stunning, design outcomes across our Auto and Farm businesses. The new studio will attract the best design talent from India and become a leading automotive design centre in India. The influence of MIDS on our products will be felt for many years to come.” 

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African electric mobility and battery-swapping platform Spiro has secured a USD 215 million investment round to accelerate the deployment of its clean energy infrastructure across Africa.

The equity round was backed by global institutional investors, including Impact Fund Denmark and Equitane, alongside continued support from long-standing partners such as FEDA.

The pan-African expansion will be anchored by technological innovation, research and development and artificial intelligence-driven energy analytics out of Spiro’s Global Technology and Engineering Center located in Pune, India.

Founded by Indian entrepreneur Gagan Gupta under the Equitane Group, Spiro has transitioned past its proof-of-concept phase to become the largest electric mobility player in Africa. The company's operational infrastructure across the continent includes over 100,000 active electric motorcycles and a network of 2,500 automated battery-swapping stations.

The operations span seven fast-growing urban markets, including Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon. It has established a dedicated manufacturing and assembly plants located in Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, complemented by a battery recycling facility in Nigeria.

The Pune-based innovation hub houses more than 150 engineers and manages over 30 proprietary patents. Technical developments focus on IoT-enabled, solar-powered swap stations and secondary-life battery applications for stationary renewable energy storage.

The new capital will be deployed to expand this battery-swapping network, strengthen local industrial manufacturing footprints, and support entry into additional high-growth African markets, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia.

The company claims operating a Spiro electric vehicle reduces daily mobility expenses by up to 40 percent, translating to savings of up to USD 2 per day compared to internal combustion engine motorcycles.

A third-party verified lifecycle assessment in Kenya indicated that Spiro's electric bikes deliver a 72 percent reduction in climate impact compared to fossil-fuel alternatives, avoiding roughly 19 tonnes of CO2 emissions over a single vehicle's lifespan. The study also registered an 80 percent reduction in ozone depletion potential and a 20% reduction in particulate matter emissions, mitigating public health risks in rapidly expanding urban centres.

Gagan Gupta, Founder of Spiro and Chairman of Equitane, said, “This past year marked a defining strategic milestone for Spiro. Across seven active markets, our deployment of 100,000 electric vehicles and 2,500 smart-swap stations has turned sustainable mobility into an affordable, everyday reality. Spiro has become a major driver of local industrialization, value creation and manufacturing across African markets with 6,000 sustainable direct and indirect jobs. Supported by our global pool of investors, we are entering our next growth chapter to deliver clean, cost-effective energy and transport alternatives to millions of riders across the continent”.

Lars Bo Bertram, CEO, Impact Fund Denmark, added, “We are investing in Spiro and bringing Danish pension capital into one of Africa’s most promising growth markets because we see potential for significant commercial growth in Spiro and electric mobility across Africa, as well as measurable climate impact. That is exactly the type of investment we want to make”.

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VinFast India, one of the youngest electric vehicle manufacturers in the country and part of the Vietnamese conglomerate VinFast Group, has appointed Amit Arora as its new Director – O2O (online-to-offline) Sales.

In his new role, he will be responsible for building VinFast India’s retail presence, focussing on converting digital leads into actual sales.

Arora has more than two decades of experience in the automotive industry across marketing and sales functions. Till recently, he was the Head of Marketing for V-Green, part of VinFast Group, focusing on building the company’s brand presence, customer acquisition and support business growth in the EV charging ecosystem.

He also oversaw brand positioning, campaigns, partnerships and demand generation across segments.

Prior to that Arora, spent close to 11-years at Maruti Suzuki India as Senior Manager for International Markets, focussing on the Latin America and Oceania region. He also spent around 6 years of his career at Hyundai Motor India and rose to the ranks of Head of Sales Marketing Strategy.

Arora is a Commerce Graduate from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College and also holds a Postgraduate Degree in International Business from Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH).

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Aprilia Racing and Monster Energy have announced a multi-year partnership during the Grand Prix of Italy. The agreement initiates a collaboration between the two brands starting from the 2026 season, with Monster Energy scheduled to elevate its involvement to become the team's title sponsor for the 2027 championship.

Under the agreement, Monster Energy’s three-claw logo will be displayed on the factory Aprilia RS-GP bikes, rider leathers and official team assets. The arrangement marks the first time Aprilia Racing has signed a title sponsor for its premier class campaign.

The partnership coincides with a period of competitive growth for the Noale-based manufacturer. In 2025, Aprilia established itself as the European manufacturer with the most wins in FIM Grand Prix history, securing third place in the riders’ championship with Marco Bezzecchi and second place in the manufacturers' standings. During the 2026 season, the factory team has recorded victories in the opening three rounds, podium finishes across the first five races, a podium lockout at the French Grand Prix, and currently leads the rider, manufacturer and team standings.

Massimo Rivola, CEO of Aprilia Racing, said, “We are extremely happy to announce this partnership with a global company like Monster Energy, who will be alongside us in 2026 as main sponsor and who will take on the role of title sponsor in 2027. This agreement represents a milestone for Aprilia Racing and the crowning moment of our path of success. For this reason, we are particularly proud of this collaboration which will contribute to further reinforcing the ambition of our project. I would like to thank Monster Energy for the trust they have placed in us, and we will do everything we can to ensure that it pays off as we begin this new chapter together.”

Mitch Covington, Senior Vice-President of Sports Marketing, Monster Energy, added, “Partnering with Aprilia Racing marks an exciting step forward for Monster Energy in MotoGP. The team has established itself as one of the most competitive and progressive forces in the championship, and we are looking forward to being part of that journey as it continues to evolve. MotoGP represents the pinnacle of two‑wheel racing, and it remains a key platform for Monster Energy to connect with fans globally. Together with Aprilia Racing, we are committed to elevating that connection and contributing to the continued growth and momentum of the sport.”

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Italian luxury carmaker Maserati hosted an official stamp cancellation ceremony at its historic Viale Ciro Menotti plant in Modena to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its iconic Trident logo and its first competitive motorsport victory at the 1926 Targa Florio.

The event follows an initial official unveiling of the commemorative philatelic asset held on 9 April 2026 at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy in Rome. The Modena ceremony brought together internal engineers, master artisans, and key regional stakeholders from Italy's ‘Motor Valley’ industrial ecosystem.

The Viale Ciro Menotti facility serves as the historical engineering hub where all Maserati production vehicle platforms have originated. Today, the specialised factory floor manages the high-end assembly lines for the brand's current performance and luxury lineup, including the GranTurismo, GranCabrio, MCPURA and the GT2 Stradale.

The centenary marks a defining milestone in Italian automotive history. On April 25, 1926, the Maserati Tipo 26 made its competitive track debut at the gruelling Targa Florio endurance race. Driven by co-founder Alfieri Maserati, the car secured a class victory while displaying the Trident logo on its front bonnet for the first time.

The emblem was originally sketched by Mario Maserati, an artist and the only brother not deeply involved in mechanical engineering, who drew inspiration from the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna, where the company was first founded in 1914.

The newly issued stamp is part of the Italian government's ‘Excellence of the production and economic system’ commemorative series.

The graphic profile was sketched by the Maserati Centro Stile design house and finalised by the Philately Centre of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato. The foreground highlights the clean, contemporary geometry of the modern Trident. The background displays an interconnected pattern of the original 1926 logo layout cast over a classic blue canvas.

Printed by the Officina Carte Valori, the stamp is being distributed by the Italian Post Office (Poste Italiane) for regular postal use alongside a limited-edition collector's philatelic folder.

The cancellation ceremony was attended by prominent regional political and automotive figures, including Vincenzo Colla, Vice-President of the Emilia Romagna Region, Paolo Zanca, Councillor for Economic Activities at the Municipality of Modena, Andrea Pontremoli, President of the Motor Valley Association & CEO of Dallara Group, Sen. Stefano Corti, Board Member of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, Barbara Negroni, Head of Regional Branches, Italian Post Office, Santo Ficili, COO, Maserati and CEO, Alfa Romeo.

Santo Ficili, said, “Today, we welcome this special stamp to our home in Modena, to celebrate not only the Trident's centenary but also the beginning of an extraordinary all-Italian story. I would therefore like to thank the women and men of Maserati, our dealer network, our customers and all the stakeholders who contribute every day to the brand's growth in over 70 international markets."

"With its long-standing vocation for motorsport, this local area formed the roots of our extraordinary Brand, the longest-standing in the entire Italian Motor Valley, with the ability to bring to the world a unique vision of performance and driving pleasure. A strong, unbreakable bond that continues to guide our commitment to this community and to generate new opportunities for growth for the local area and its inhabitants,” he added.

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