Bringing Sporty In The E-Class

Bringing Sporty In The E-Class

Mercedes-Benz India launched the E-Class long wheel-base (LWB) facelift priced from INR 6,360,000 ex-showroom India. The E-Class is one of the best-selling luxury sedans in India and has a rich history here, as it has managed to sell close to 46,000 units since its debut in 1995. The E-Class comprises 30 percent of Mercedes-Benz India’s sales. Adding another feather in Mercedes-Benz’s cap, in 2017 India became the first country in the world to get the E-Class LWD right-hand drive version. The extended version is 205 mm longer than the standard E-Class ensuring more cabin space, especially for the rear passengers. The 2021 E-Class is available in three variants—E 200 at INR 6,360,000, E 220d at INR 6,480,000 and the top-of-the-line E 350d at INR 8,090,000, all ex-showroom India. For the first time in India, Mercedes-Benz has also introduced the sporty avatar of the E 350d in the AMG Line.

At the launch, Martin Schwenk, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “The E-Class remains one of the most successful products in our portfolio, and a much anticipated one. With the new E-Class, we seamlessly combine rear-seat luxury, wide space owing to the LWB, various comfort features with that of latest generation telematics, avant-garde design and exciting driving dynamics. The new E-Class once more raises the benchmark significantly in the luxury saloon segment and we are confident of its stellar market performance and continuing its segment leadership.”

Going by Mercedes-Benz’s latest design language, the E-Class looks a lot bolder than its outgoing model with a more imposing front fascia and angular-shaped LED headlights. The luxury sedan sports an all-black front grille, but the standard versions have two chrome lines running across the mesh, while the AMG Line showcases a metal-studded grille with a single chrome line making the ‘Three-Pointed Star’ logo more prominent. The front bumpers have been redesigned and look aggressive, especially on the E 350d with its larger air vents.

Coming to the side profile, the E-Class remains more-or-less untouched apart from a newly designed set of 17-inch alloy wheels and, as expected, the AMG Line boasts of larger 18-inch ones. The rear has been spruced up with new triangle-shaped LED tail lights, which reminds us of the S-Class.

The 2021 E-Class is offered in six different colours—Designo Hyacinth Red, Mojave Silver, High-tech Silver, Polar White, Obsidian Black and Selenite Grey. The first three are new paint schemes. It also comes with a 3-year standard warranty.

Step inside and the two 12.3-inch screens grab all the attention. One screen is the all-digital instrument cluster and the other is the multimedia touchscreen unit, which is equipped with Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) that lets you control different features like the navigation system with the help of intuitive voice commands. It can also be paired to Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Apart from this, the other major update is that the steering wheel now comes with touch control buttons. As this is the long wheel-base E-Class, additional focus is given on the comfort of the rear passengers as the sedan now comes with a touchscreen pad neatly tucked inside the central armrest. And, of course, the rear seats recline as well. It comes fully loaded with features like a 590W Burmester sound system, two wireless phone chargers, a panoramic sunroof and leather upholstery while the 350d comes standard with air suspension.

The E-Class is available in three different engine options. The E 200d is powered by a 1,991 cc, 4-cylinder in-line petrol engine that pumps out 194 bhp at 5,500-6,100 rpm with 320 Nm at 1,650-4,000 rpm. The entry-level diesel, the E 220d gets a 1,950 cc, 4-cylinder in-line diesel motor with 192 bhp of power at 3,800 rpm and a healthy torque of 400 Nm at 1,600- 2,800 rpm. The top-spec 350d churns out 282 bhp at 3,400-4,600 rpm and a colossal torque of 600 Nm at 1,200-3,200 rpm. The AMG Line trim is powered by a 2,925 cc 6-cylinder diesel powerplant. All three are mated to a 9-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

In terms of competition, the E-Class LWB goes up against the Audi A6, the BMW 5 Series, the Jaguar XF and the Volvo S90. (MT)

Tata Motors To Gift Sierra SUVs To Women's World Cup Winning Team

Tata Sierra

Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles has announced it will present the Indian Women’s Cricket Team with the first lot of the soon-to-be-launched Tata Sierra SUV following their victory at the ICC Women's World Cup. The Tata Sierra is slated to be launched on 25th November.

The company will gift the top-end model of the Sierra to each team member as part of its salute to the team’s journey and contribution to the country.

Shailesh Chandra, MD and CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “The Indian Women’s Cricket Team has made the entire nation proud with their extraordinary performance and remarkable win. Their journey stands as a true testament to determination and the power of belief, qualities that inspire every Indian. At Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, we are privileged to present these legends with another legend, The Tata Sierra. This is our salute to their spirit and the pride they have brought to the nation – Two legends, One spirit, Infinite inspiration.”

Maruti Suzuki India Crosses 30 Million Unit Sales Milestone

Maruti Suzuki India

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, has attained a new milestone by crossing the 30-million-unit sales milestone in the domestic market.

The new benchmark was attained by the company over a course of 42 years, with the first 10 million unit sales taking 28 years and 2 months to achieve.

The 20 million unit sales took 7 years and 5 months, while the recent milestone took just 6 years and 4 months.

Interestingly, the entry-level hatchback Alto was the most preferred model in the country, with over 4.7 million units sold, followed by Wagon R with 3.4 million units and the sporty Swift with 3.2 million units.

The Brezza and Fronx SUVs also played an instrumental role in contributing to the sales milestone, being featured among the top 10 models sold in the country.

It was on 14th December 1983, Maruti Suzuki India delivered its first model, the iconic Maruti 800, to its first customer.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “When I look at the length and breadth of India and think that 3 crore customers have placed their trust in Maruti Suzuki to realise their dream of mobility, it fills me with humility and gratitude. Yet, with car penetration at approximately 33 vehicles per 1,000 people, we know our journey is far from over. We will continue to make every possible effort to bring the joy of mobility to as many people as we can, while also be an asset to both the economy and the environment at the same time.”

Sharad Agarwal Is Tesla India’s First Business Head

Sharad Agarwal

American electric vehicle maker Tesla has appointed Sharad Agarwal, former Chief Business Officer of Classic Legends, as its new business head, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The report further stated that Agarwal joined the EV maker a week ago and is tasked to drive sales for Tesla in India, which as per industry observers, has not performed as per the company’s expectations.

Agarwal, an automotive industry veteran, had begun his career with TVS Motor Co as Area Sales Manager in December 2002, before joining Mahindra First Choice Wheels as its Business Head for North and Eastern region in March 2007.

It was in January 2013, he moved to Audi India as the head of Sales, before taking over as the head of Lamborghini India in April 2016, where he spent almost 9 years, before joining Classic Legends.

During his tenure at Lamborghini, the Italian super luxury car maker saw its dealerships across India achieved a Return on Sales (RoS) of more than 10 percent, setting a new benchmark for the automotive business in the country. He also grew India’s ranking for the automaker as the third market globally in terms of PR visibility in 2021.

He also expanded Lamborghini India’s reach to over 60 cities, with sales volumes from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities contributing more than 25 percent of the total.

Tesla, which formally started deliveries in September 2025 with its first dealership in Mumbai and the second facility in Delhi, has till date delivered 114 vehicles, of the estimated 600-plus bookings.

File photo for representational purposes only.

Mahindra & Mahindra Reports INR 36 Billion Net Profit For Q2 FY2026

Mahindra Rise

Mumbai-headquartered business conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra has announced its financial results for Q2 FY2026 with consolidated Revenue reaching INR 461 billion, marking a 22 percent YoY growth.

The consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) stood at INR 36 billion, a 16 percent increase YoY. The company stated that, excluding specific one-time impacts, PAT growth was 28 percent YoY.

Mahindra’s Auto business reported sales of 262,000 vehicles, up 13 percent, which includes around 146,000 SUV sales. This translated to a revenue of INR 271 billion, up 25 percent YoY, while net profit came at INR 15 billion, up 8 percent YoY.

On the other hand, the farm sector reported its highest ever Q2 market share at 43 percent with sales of 123,000 units, up 32 percent YoY. The revenue came at INR 102 billion, up 25 percent, while consolidated net profit came at INR 11 billion, up 45 percent YoY.

Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO & Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “We are pleased with the strong execution and solid performance delivered across the group in Q2 FY2026. Auto and Farm sustained their leadership with consistent gains in market share and profitability. TechM is progressing well on its transformation journey. MMFSL achieved a 45 percent PAT growth and remains committed to quality growth and digital transformation. Our Growth Gems are steadily advancing towards their ambitious goals, reinforcing our long-term value creation potential.”

Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director & CEO (Auto and Farm Sector), Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Strong performance of our Auto and Farm businesses continues in Q2 FY2026 reinforcing our leadership position, with a gain of 390 bps YoY in SUV revenue share, and 100 bps YoY in LCV (< 3.5T) market share. In Tractors, we gained 50 bps YoY to reach 43 percent market share. Our Auto Standalone PBIT margin (excl. e-SUV Contract Mfg.) improved by 80 bps to 10.3 percent and core Tractor PBIT margins improved by 190 bps to 20.6 percent.”

Amarjyoti Barua, Group Chief Financial Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra, “Our solid Q2 consolidated results reflects the strength of our diversified portfolio. We continue to deliver on our strategic priorities. We had strong cash generation in the first half, delivering over INR 100 billion of operating cash flow. We remain committed to sustainable growth and value creation.”