French auto major Renault Group has inaugurated its new Renault Design Centre in Chennai, as part of its new India-centric transformation strategy – renault. rethink.

The new design centre further strengthens the company’s ‘design in India’ and ‘make in India’ strategy. It is also expected to function as a hub of excellence, particularly due to its proximity to Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre India (RNTBCI).

Laurens van den Acker, Chief Design Officer, Renault Group, said, "India is highly unique and locally driven. Having a dedicated design studio is essential to understanding its nuances, listening to its needs and building from its strengths. The Renault Design Centre Chennai will focus on developing models and concepts tailored to the Indian market while contributing to Renault Group’s global projects. By leveraging local talents and insights, this centre will play a key role in shaping Renault’s future mobility solutions. Its strategic location - at the heart of RNTBCI’s excellence hub - also enables closer collaboration across functions and faster integration of design into our engineering and innovation processes.”

Renault shared that the year 2025 marks an inflection point for the automaker in India, as it gears up to strengthen its presence in the world’s third-largest automobile market.

Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO and Managing Director, Renault India Operations, said, "The launch of the 'renault. rethink' strategy heralds a new era for Renault in India. We are proud to be the most Indian of European carmakers, boasting the largest R&D centre, manufacturing unit, highly localised supply chain and now one of the largest design centres. The opening of new design centre in Chennai will play a crucial role in the deployment of the Renault International Game Plan 2027. Our commitment is to redefine our brand, product positioning, and customer experience to meet the evolving needs of our customers in the country, hence we recently witnessed the global debut of new ‘R store’ in Chennai, India."

It has renewed its commitment for India with a 90 percent localisation target, and the recent takeover of the alliance’s manufacturing plant RNAIPL.

In 2024, Renault Group clocked a record EUR 4.3 billion in profit, which is 7.6 percent of its revenue, and saw its revenue grow to EUR 56.2 billion, up 7.4 percent YoY.

Design & Engineering in India

At present, Renault Group’s Chennai R&D centre is one of its largest globally, with around 10,000 engineering working on global and local projects. Now, the Renault Design Centre Chennai extends over 1,500 metre and is equipped with the latest technologies. It features a high-tech environment designed for 3D model evaluation and virtual reality experiences, a next-generation visualisation studio, a creative collaboration zone, high-performance LED wall, advanced VR integration and a harmonious blend of European and Indian Design.

“renault. rethink is more than a sculpture – it’s a bold expression of Renault’s vision for India. It symbolises our commitment to innovation and to designing cars in India, for India. This artwork captures the energy of a nation in motion, a future taking shape, and Renault’s ambition to be part of this exciting journey,” stated Acker.

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ContiTech is expanding its research and development capabilities at its Surface Solutions facility in Pune through investments in a dedicated Colour Lab and prototype development infrastructure, alongside the addition of four roles to its local engineering team. The company has also appointed Alok Pandey as Head of Plant Management Pune to oversee site operations.

The Colour Lab will handle colour development, colour matching, appearance evaluation and material testing for vehicle interiors. While primarily serving automotive manufacturers in India, the facility will also support development projects across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions. Coupled with prototype testing equipment, the site will enable validation of surface materials for passenger cars and two-wheelers.

Alexander Scholz, Head of Business India, Surface Solutions at ContiTech, said, “India is a key growth market for our business and an important pillar of our long-term development strategy. As automotive manufacturers increasingly seek localised development support, faster response times and closer technical collaboration, these enhanced local capabilities will help us better support our customers' evolving needs. This investment reinforces our ‘In India, for India’ approach and reflects our confidence in the continued growth potential of the Indian automotive industry.”

Burak Uzel, Head of Design, Surface Solutions at ContiTech, said, “Automotive interiors have become a key differentiator for vehicle brands. Customers increasingly expect premium, comfortable and individualized interior experiences, while OEMs seek innovative and sustainable material solutions. This investment will strengthen our ability to develop and validate colour concepts locally, enabling closer collaboration with customers and supporting the next generation of interior design and material solutions for the Indian market.”

Jan-Philipp Behrndt, Head of Operations Automotive Plants, Surface Solutions at ContiTech, said, “The expertise and dedication of our local teams are key to our success. With the planned expansion of our R&D organization, enhanced technical capabilities and strong local leadership, Pune will continue to grow as an important contributor to our global innovation network. I am confident that the team's expertise and commitment will support our future growth and create additional value for customers.”

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South Korean auto major Kia India and its supplier partners will invest USD 2 billion to establish a second manufacturing facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

The new facility is scheduled to commence production in early 2030. It will add an annual installed capacity of 200,000 units, taking Kia India's combined production capacity beyond 600,000 units per year.

Spread across 465 acres for Kia and its suppliers, the facility will handle stamping, welding, painting and assembly operations for models across internal combustion engine and electric vehicle powertrains.

The project is expected to generate approximately 12,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities, adding to the 24,237 personnel employed across the company's existing 945-acre plant, which holds a production capacity of 430,000 units annually. With the addition of this facility, cumulative investments by Kia and its suppliers across both plants in the state will reach USD 5 billion.

Gwanggu Lee, MD and CEO, Kia India, said, “India is central to Kia’s long-term growth ambitions, and the trust our customers have placed in us since we began operations in Anantapur has been instrumental in our journey. Our second manufacturing plant marks a significant new chapter, strengthening our ability to respond to customer demand with greater speed and flexibility, while supporting the introduction of new models across ICE and EV powertrains. As we enter our next phase of growth, we remain committed to contributing to India’s automotive ecosystem and building on the strong foundation we have created here. This will further expand our Made-in-India footprint, strengthening our ability to serve both domestic and overseas markets.”

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Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler manufacturer Ultraviolette Automotive is strengthening its senior leadership with the appointment of Abhijit Singh Brar as Head of Marketing.

In this role, Brar will oversee brand positioning, product launch strategies and demand generation as the electric motorcycle manufacturer expands its product portfolio across India and export markets.

Brar brings more than two decades of experience across consumer and automotive sectors. He previously spent over eight years at Royal Enfield, where he established the domestic marketing function and subsequently led marketing operations across Europe, North America, Australia, Latin America and Southeast Asia, managing product introductions and market entries.

Prior to joining Ultraviolette, he held marketing and business strategy positions at Lodha, following earlier brand and commercial leadership roles at Bacardi and Diageo.

Narayan Subramaniam, CEO and Co-Founder, Ultraviolette Automotive, said, "We are excited to welcome Abhijit to Ultraviolette at a significant stage in our growth journey. His role in shaping Royal Enfield's brand journey and supporting its successful expansion across global markets will be particularly valuable as we broaden our product portfolio and reach new segments of riders. Alongside his extensive experience across consumer industries, he brings a deep understanding of consumer aspirations and a proven ability to build brands at scale. We look forward to leveraging his expertise to further strengthen Ultraviolette's position and accelerate our next phase of growth in India and international markets."

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Maruti Suzuki India has concluded the second edition of DesignXathon, an automotive design competition for students. The event drew participation from over 450 students across more than 70 design institutes in India and abroad, who were tasked with creating concepts for a vehicle that Generation Z and Generation Alpha consumers would aspire to own in 2036.

Following evaluation rounds and mentorship sessions led by Maruti Suzuki's Design Studio personnel, 10 finalist teams presented 1:8-scale prototypes during the finale at the company's India Design Studio in Gurugram.

Team IED Torino won the competition, while teams from the National Institute of Design in Gandhinagar secured the first and second runner-up positions.

The three winning teams received cash prizes and six-month internships at Maruti Suzuki's India Design Studio, with teams ranked fourth through tenth eligible for internship consideration pending evaluation.

Hisashi Takeuchi, MD and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Customer aspirations, lifestyles and automotive technology are evolving. I believe young minds, with their fresh perspectives and unconventional thinking, will play an important role in shaping the future of mobility. As the world’s third-largest passenger vehicle market, India has immense young talent and creative potential to shape the future of mobility. At Maruti Suzuki, we are committed to connecting this talent with the industry. Through DesignXathon, we aim to foster open innovation and collaboration, nurture emerging designers, and lay the foundation for a strong design ecosystem in India. I congratulate the winning teams for their innovative concepts, bringing together technology and sustainability and commend all participants for their creativity and enthusiasm.”

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