German luxury automotive brand BMW Group India has launched the BMW M Drift Academy, an exclusive performance training platform that brings the thrill of drifting to India like never before.

The two-day event will take place at Raymonds Compound in Thane West, Maharashtra on 26 April 2025.

The BMW M Drift Academy will allow enthusiasts to experience vehicle drifting in a safe environment. The event will feature the BMW M2 and BMW M4 with the course having a mix of theory and hands-on track time. Experienced BMW certified instructors will familiarise participants with the features of BMW M cars and train them on various aspects of the vehicles like controlling a drift, throttle control, maintaining a drift, exiting a drift, half circle drift, exiting a half circle drift with style, full circle drift, maintaining a full circle drift (clockwise and anticlockwise) and transition drifting on a figure 8. 

Vikram Pawah, President and CEO, BMW Group India, said, “The BMW M Drift Academy is first-of-its-kind experience for car enthusiasts in India. Designed to unlock pure driving exhilaration, the academy offers an unforgettable journey packed with mastering various drifting techniques with utmost safety. Conducted under the watchful eyes of BMW certified instructors, each session promises edge-of-the-seat excitement and skill enhancement behind the wheel of BMW M cars. It’s a perfect place where adrenaline meets precision, and every drift is a symphony of skill, speed and sound.”

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Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announces plans to build a new Toyota Kirloskar Motor plant in the Bidkin Industrial Area, Aurangabad, in Maharashtra.

The plant will have a production capacity of 100,000 units per year and will employ approximately 2,800 people. It is set to produce Toyota Motor Corporation’s new SUV with the facility capable of stamping, welding, painting and assembly processes.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s new plant is planned to start production in the first half of 2029 and is aimed at strengthening Toyota's business foundation in the Indian market with production plans for both domestic and export markets.

At present, Toyota Kirloskar Motor has a manufacturing facility in Bidadi, Karnataka, where it has a capacity to produce around 320,000 units per annum.

Toyota Motor Corporation states it will continue strengthening its production structure to enable a flexible response to future demand growth and market changes in India and surrounding regions, and to deliver products in a timely manner that customers choose.

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European automotive brand Opel has unveiled plans for a new, all-electric C-segment SUV as part of a strategic collaboration between Stellantis and Leapmotor. The vehicle is designed to expand Opel’s existing SUV line-up, which includes the Grandland, Frontera and Mokka.

The project aims to reduce development time to less than two years by utilising Leapmotor’s electric architecture and battery technology. The SUV will be designed in Russelsheim, Germany, with engineering handled by international teams in both Germany and China. Opel will integrate its own chassis engineering, seating technology and signature design into the platform.

Production is currently being evaluated for the Stellantis plant in Zaragoza, Spain, where it would be manufactured alongside the Opel Corsa. The sales of the new model are expected to commence in 2028.

Florian Huettl, CEO, Opel, said, “The SUV would be is designed and created by us at Opel in Russelsheim and developed by international teams located in Germany and China. The partnership with Leapmotor should enable a development time of less than two years. With this, Opel is planning a further important step in the development of state-of-the-art and accessible electric vehicles for our customers."

Xavier Chereau, Chairman of the Opel supervisory board and Stellantis Chief Human Resources & Sustainability Officer, added, “With this project, Opel would bring together German engineering excellence with global technological innovation speed. This innovative spirit defines the next chapter of our global collaboration with Leapmotor and Opel is taking on a pioneering role with this project."

The project is currently in the feasibility and pre-development stage, with definitive agreements and customary approvals pending. The announcement comes shortly before Stellantis' Investor Day 2026.

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Skoda Auto India has inaugurated a new sales facility in Raidurgam, Hyderabad, in partnership with Mody India Cars. The move strengthens the brand’s presence in Telangana, a key market for its growth strategy in India.

The new facility covers 3,200 sqft and is designed according to Skoda’s global ‘Modern Solid’ design philosophy, with space to display four vehicles. With this addition, Skoda now operates 15 customer touchpoints in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and a total of 19 touchpoints across Telangana, including Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Warangal.

With this, Skoda’s network has now expanded to over 330 touchpoints across 182 cities, up from 120 outlets in 2021. This growth follows a record-breaking Q1 2026, where the company sold 20,028 units, a 17 percent increase YoY, driven largely by the success of the Kylaq sub-compact SUV.

Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said, “With the inauguration of this new sales facility in Hyderabad, we continue to strengthen Skoda Auto India’s presence across Telangana. This city is a key market for us, and with over 15 Customer Touchpoints now operational, we are bringing our complete product range closer to customers while ensuring they experience the highest standards of service and care. Telangana remains a vital pillar of our growth in India, and with the Kylaq, new Kushaq, Kodiaq and Slavia, we are confident of growing the Skoda brand in this important market.”

Nihar Mody, Dealer Principal, Mody India Cars, said, “We are delighted to partner with Skoda Auto India and bring the brand’s premium experience closer to customers in Hyderabad. This new facility is designed to deliver a premium customer experience, from display to delivery. Our commitment is to provide the customers of this city with the very best of Skoda Auto’s product range and ownership journey.”

The expansion aligns with the company's ‘Skoda Super Care’ initiative, which provides a standard 4-year warranty and roadside assistance to enhance the long-term ownership experience.

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Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) has expanded its popular compact SUV offering the Nexon with the Pure+ PS variant at INR 959,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). This introduction makes the Nexon the first vehicle in India to offer a panoramic sunroof at a price point below INR 1 million. The launch coincides with the milestone of one million Nexon units on Indian roads.

The Pure+ PS variant is available across multiple powertrain options, including a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, Twin Cylinder iCNG and a diesel engine, with both manual (MT) and automated manual (AMT) transmissions. The Nexon remains the only SUV in India to offer petrol, diesel, CNG and electric powertrains.

The tech-loaded Nexon Pure+ PS variant gets a voice-assisted panoramic sunroof, a 26.03-cm Harman infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It features a 6-speaker sound system and HD rear-view camera, auto LED headlamps & rain-sensing wipers, and cruise control and electric ORVMs with auto-fold functionality

Vivek Srivatsa, Chief Commercial Officer, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, said, “As India’s #1 selling car in H2FY26 and India’s #1 SUV in FY26, the Nexon continues to remain as the preferred choice for customers across the country. With a 1 million+ strong family, Nexon has always stood for offering a superior all round package to its buyers at every price point. The introduction of the Pure+ PS variant with India’s first panoramic sunroof under INR 1 million further strengthens its proposition.”

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