The 2021 Mazda 5 range has been enhanced with the launch of the limited edition Sport Venture, arriving in UK dealerships this month.

Based on the 1.5-litre, 132 PS, engine, the £27,615 Sport Venture features free-of-charge Deep Crystal Blue Mica paint matched to a grey fabric hood and silver door mirror trims. On the inside, the Light Stone Nappa leather and silver roll hoop trims further complement the Deep Crystal Blue paint along with the 16-inch bright alloy wheels.

Across more than three decades on sale, special edition MX-5 models have proved popular with sports car enthusiasts looking for a car with unique details, extra equipment and an added dose of exclusivity. With just 160 units of the Sport Venture coming to the UK this latest special edition follows that tradition.

• Limited to just 160 units, the 1.5-litre, 132Ps MX-5 Sport Venture is now on sale alongside the MX-5 R-Sport Convertible.
• The Sport Venture comes with Deep Crystal Blue Mica paint and a grey fabric soft-top.
• Sport Venture variant sells for £27,615 while the R-Sport Convertible Is priced at £27,705.

Today, the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Sport Venture Convertible goes on sale alongside the £27,705 MX-5 R-Sport Convertible. Launched last year, the R-Sport is also powered by the same engine and features Polymetal Grey Metallic paint and grey soft-top hood combined with 16-inch RAYS gunmetal alloy wheels. Inside, the R-Sport features burgundy Nappa leather seats with silver stitching, ensuring the interior has the same bespoke feel as the exterior.

Both the 1.5-litre special editions offer their own unique alloy wheel, colour and leather combinations while they retain the same award-winning chassis and mechanical set up as the standard 1.5-litre MX-5 Sport.

Jeremy Thomson, Managing Director, Mazda Motors UK, said, “The MX-5 is Mazda’s brand icon and it embodies all that is great about our products, its fun to drive character has strengthened the bond between Mazda and its customers for over 30 years and the 2021 model continues this unswerving dedication to delivering an affordable world-class sports car, while the Sport Venture continues our long heritage of offering uniquely styled limited edition versions.” (MT)

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL) has announced key leadership changes as part of its ongoing localisation and growth strategy.

Ashish Gupta, currently Brand Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, will take over as Brand Director of Skoda India from 1 May 2025, succeeding Petr Janeba, who returns to Skoda Auto in the Czech Republic.

Gupta brings over 20 years of automotive experience, including five years leading the Volkswagen brand in India. Nitin Kohli, currently with Audi India, will step into Gupta’s role as Brand Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars. Kohli has over 25 years in automotive sales, including 12 with SAVWIPL.

“These changes reaffirm our focus on nurturing Indian leadership talent and staying agile in a dynamic market,” said Piyush Arora, CEO & MD, SAVWIPL. “Ashish and Nitin are well-positioned to lead Skoda and Volkswagen into their next growth phase.”

Jan Bures, Board Member and Executive Director, Sales, Marketing & Digital, SAVWIPL, said, “Ashish and Nitin have consistently delivered impact with agility and customer-centric thinking. Their appointment is not just a leadership change; it signals a broader shift in how we are building resilient, future-ready teams from within India. We are confident that both Ashish and Nitin will bring renewed energy and direction to the journeys of Skoda and Volkswagen.”

The transition is aligned with SAVWIPL’s broader efforts to strengthen local capabilities and drive future-ready brand strategies in India.

Mumbai-based automotive major Mahindra & Mahindra has announced its wholesales for April 2025 at 84,170 vehicles, a growth of 19 percent, including exports.

The auto major sold a total of 52,330 SUVs in the domestic market, which was 28 percent higher than 41,008 SUVs sold for the same period last year. Commercial vehicle sales in the domestic market came at 22,989 units, which was 4 percent YoY. 

Veejay Nakra, President, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Building on the strong momentum of last year's performance, we began the year on a strong note in April by achieving SUV sales of 52,330 units, a growth of 28 percent and total vehicle sales of 84,170 units, a 19 percent growth over the same month last year. These numbers indicate the strength of our portfolio and customer offerings.”

JSW MG Motor India, a leading passenger vehicles manufacturer, has announced its wholesales for April 2025.

The company reported sales of 5,829 units, which was 23 percent higher over April 2024, when it sold 4,725 vehicles.

Interestingly, the automaker's popular offering, the Windsor EV, has continued to be the top-selling electric passenger vehicle for the seventh month in a row.

JSW MG Motor India's Windsor EV has now gone home to over 20,000 customers.

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest carmaker, has reported its wholesales of 179,791 units in April 2025, marking a 7 percent increase compared to 168,089 units sold in April 2024. The growth was primarily propelled by strong performance in utility vehicles and a sharp rise in export volumes.

Domestic sales, including passenger and light commercial vehicles, remained flat with 142,053 units, as compared to 140,448 units in April 2024. Within this, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) like the Super Carry saw a significant jump of 34.2 percent, with sales rising to 3,349 units from 2,496 units last year.

In the passenger vehicle segment, SUVs such as the Brezza, Ertiga, Grand Vitara and others recorded a 4.4 percent increase, selling 59,022 units compared to 56,553 in the previous year. However, sales for Eeco declined by 5.2 percent, while the mini segment (Alto, S-Presso) saw a sharp 45 percent drop, falling to 6,332 units from 11,519 units. The compact segment, which includes high-volume models like the Baleno and Swift, grew by 8.1 percent, reaching 61,591 units.

Sales to Toyota Kirloskar Motor rose sharply by 79.2 percent, from 5,481 units to 9,827 units, indicating a growing demand for cross-badged products.

The standout performer was the export segment, which surged 26 percent to 27,911 units from 22,160 units in April 2024. This strong export growth helped bolster the company’s overall numbers despite weaknesses in domestic sub-segments.

While some product lines such as the mid-size sedan Ciaz (-63 percent) continue to struggle.