The very first All-New Thar #1 has successfully raised INR 1.11 crore through an online auction, that witnessed almost 5,500 registrations from nearly 550 locations across the country. Mahindra, the vehicle maker, has matched the amount raised at the auction and the total proceeds of INR. 2.22 crore will be donated towards COVID-19 relief work, a company statement said.

The winning bid was placed by Aakash Minda from New Delhi at Rs. 1.11 crore, over 4 times the auction reserve price which was set at INR. 25 lakhs. The winner has chosen Swades Foundation to receive the entire proceeds from the auction and support COVID-19 relief work. The hard-fought auction garnered interest among several bidders, including those from big cities and small towns, across every corner of the country. Bidders were spread across locations such as New Delhi, Chikmaglur (Karnataka), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ernakulum (Kerala), Medinipur (West Bengal), Rajkot (Gujarat) Ballia (Uttar Pradesh), Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Jorhat (Assam), Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu), Bhagalpur (Bihar), Bilaspur (Chattisgarh), Ganganagar (Rajasthan), Kohima (Nagaland), amongst several others and they bid actively over a period of six days.

There were 37 bidders who put their top bid value at more than INR 50 lakhs and four bidders put their top bids at over INR1 crore. The total value of the unique top bids by the bidders amounted to INR. 35,70,75,000 (Rupees Thirty five crores seventy lakhs seventy five thousand) while the value of all bids received was at INR 105,09,00,000 (Rupees Hundred and five crores nine lakhs).

Dr Pawan Goenka, MD & CEO, Mahindra & Mahindra, congratulated Aakash Minda, the winner of the auction. “It is heartening to see the interest and generosity that this auction for the All-New Thar#1 has garnered from across every corner of the country.  For Mahindra, this is a historic moment and given the huge interest around the All-New Thar, we believe that we have created a product that our customers would be proud to own.” 

The winning bid brings a successful end to the All-New Thar #1 auction. Online registrations for the auction opened on September 19, 2020, while the auction began on September 24, 2020 and concluded at 6pm on September 29, 2020. There were several big bidders for the All-New Thar #1 from across the country and the top 5 bidders were:

The entire idea of the auction was to harness the Thar’s iconic status and popularity, to galvanize the country during this trying time and aid its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. This is also in line with Mahindra’s philosophy of giving back to the society. The winner will now be able to choose the Thar variant of his choice.

This one of its kind All-New Thar will come emblazoned with the Thar #1 badge, distinguishing the owner as the very first one. Other exclusive and distinguishing features on this All-New Thar #1 will include customized badging on the vehicle which will flaunt the owner’s initials, carry serial number ‘1’ on the decorative plate on the dashboard and leatherette seats. (MT)

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Mumbai-headquartered SUV major Mahindra & Mahindra has upgraded its popular offering, the Scorpio-N Z8L variant, with Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) tech.

This will see the Scorpio-N Z8L variant coming with Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Smart Pilot Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition and High Beam Assist features.

The ADAS tech will further enhance safety quotient for the Scorpion-N with exclusive features such as Speed Limit Assist and Front Vehicle Start Alert, marking a first for Mahindra ICE SUVs.

Furthermore, the company has also expanded the Scorpio-N line-up with the introduction of the Z8T variant at INR 2.02 million. The new variant will sit between the Z8 and Z8L variants. It comes with a compelling mix of premium features, including R18 diamond-cut alloy wheels, a 12-speaker Sony-branded audio system, front camera, front parking sensors, 6-way powered driver seat, electronic parking brake (EPB), ventilated front seats and an auto-dimming IRVM.

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has achieved a new milestone in its aftersales service. The company recorded servicing (free and paid) over 2.45 million vehicles in May, the highest in a single month in its history.

The feat was achieved through the company’s vast network of over 5,400 service touchpoints.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “This is the first time in the company’s history that we have serviced over 24.5 lakh vehicles in a month, an achievement that reflects scale, depth, and efficiency of the service network. It is a result of the tireless efforts of our service teams and dealer partners across the country.”

“Good quality aftersales service is critical to maintain vehicle health, leading to a delightful car ownership experience and strengthen customer retention. Even before we started mass sales of vehicles in India, our focus was on building a robust service network, a foundation that continues to support us as we expand our business further. Going forward, we aim to expand our service touchpoints to 8,000 by FY 2030-31 and introduce innovative formats to cater to the requirements of diverse customer needs. This will help in our EV launch as well. We are preparing 1,500 EV enabled service workshops covering over 1,000 cities with specially trained manpower and special equipment to extend all EV related support to our customers,” he said.

Maruti Suzuki India has through its dealer partners introduced several innovative and industry-first service formats, to address the smallest query to full-car service needs ranging from traditional brick-and-mortar workshops to mobile workshops. Over the years, it has also created a dedicated Quick Response Team (QRT) to provide emergency on-road assistance across the country.

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Mercedes-Benz India, the German luxury car brand, has announced a significant organisational change, effective from 1 August 2025, with the appointment of Brendon Sissing as the new Vice-President of Sales and Marketing. He will take over from Lance Bennett, who has moved to Mercedes-Benz Middle East as their Chief Financial Officer.

Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, "We are excited to welcome Brendon Sissing as the Head of Sales & Marketing for Mercedes-Benz India. Brendon takes over the responsibility from Lance Bennett, who has joined Mercedes-Benz Middle East as the CFO. Brendon brings rich experience from the world of financing and insurance, as he successfully steered Mercedes-Benz Financial Service India, doubling its portfolio, driving record profit and business transformation, while elevating the integrated customer journey. We are confident Brendon will continue the growth momentum of Mercedes-Benz in this highly diverse and dynamic Indian luxury car market. We thank Lance for his immense contribution and wish them both, the very best in their respective new roles."

Brendon Sissing previously served as the Head of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services India, where he was instrumental in doubling the company's portfolio and achieving record profits. He is recognised for his strong advocacy of digital transformation and risk management, leveraging his expertise in credit risk to drive operational excellence. He has extensive experience within the Mercedes-Benz group, having worked with Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and Mercedes-Benz South Africa, leading Credit Operations in both markets. He also held roles in Credit Underwriting and Key Accounts at Daimler Mobility, Stuttgart, before joining Mercedes-Benz Financial Services India in 2022.

The German brand stated that under Sissing's leadership, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services India significantly enhanced customer journeys through integrated online and offline platforms. He is also noted for his passion for coaching and mentoring, fostering high-performing team environments. Sissing holds a B. Tech degree in Cost & Management Accounting from Technikon Pretoria, South Africa and a Diploma in Credit Management from the Institute of Credit Management. He is also a founding member of Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia, established in 2012.

A South African national, Sissing has worked in various international locations, including Malaysia, South Africa, Germany and India.

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Honda Cars India has launched a new variant of its popular mid-size sedan, the Honda City Sport, adding a dynamic and youthful edge to the City line-up. Priced at INR 1.48 million (ex-showroom, Delhi), the City Sport is positioned as a limited-edition offering designed to appeal to style-conscious, spirited drivers.

The new variant will be exclusively available with a CVT automatic transmission and is offered in three colour options — Radiant Red Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, and Meteoroid Gray Metallic.

Sporting a blacked-out exterior theme, the car features a Sporty Black Grille, Glossy Black Shark Fin Antenna, Trunk Lip Spoiler and multi-spoke grey alloy wheels. Inside, the cabin gets an all-black treatment with red stitching, leather seats and ambient lighting for a premium, performance-inspired feel.

Under the hood, it retains the 1.5L i-VTEC petrol engine, delivering 121 PS and 145 Nm of torque, with a claimed fuel efficiency of 18.4 kmpl. The model also comes equipped with Honda Sensing, the brand’s advanced driver assistance suite.

Kunal Behl, Vice-President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India, said, “The new City Sport has been crafted to meet the aspirations of young buyers who value individuality and a spirited driving experience. It embodies a perfect blend of sporty exterior and interior style, fun to drive performance and the everyday usability that Honda City is known for, at a price that makes it even more compelling.”

The City Sport is being positioned as a limited-unit, exclusive edition for customers seeking distinction in both design and driving dynamics.

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