Ford announced a USD 300 million investment in its Craiova plant to build a new light commercial vehicle in 2023. The plan also includes an electric version which will debut in 2024.

The investment is in line with Ford’s commitment to making its entire range zero-emissions capable, all-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2024. Ford plans to equip the new LCV with the company’s most advanced petrol and diesel powerplants. 

Ford has invested around USD 2 billion since 2008 for developing the Craiova facility into a world-class manufacturing unit. Presently, the plant consists of more than 600 robots that improve efficiency and quality in the body, stamping, paint, trim and chassis shops. At the same time, a crew of 6000 people work in the vehicle and engine assembly operations.

Stuart Rowley, President, Ford of Europe, said, “Ford’s Craiova operations have a strong record of delivering world-class competitiveness and flexibility. Our plan to build this new light commercial vehicle in Romania reflects our continuing positive partnership with local suppliers and the community and the success of the entire Ford Craiova team. Adding an all-electric version in 2024 means Craiova will be our third facility in Europe to build an all-electric vehicle. It follows recent investments this year in the Ford Cologne Electrified Vehicle Centre in Germany and Ford Otosan’s Kocaeli plant in Turkey and sends another clear signal that we are on an accelerated path to providing our commercial vehicle customers; with a zero-emissions future in Europe.” (MT)

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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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Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has is celebrating the 20^th anniversary for its premium hatchback the Maruti Suzuki Swift.

It was in May 2005, the Swift marked its India debut, which at that time was amongst the most premium sporty hatchback available to customers, thus carving out a niche amongst its peers.

Over the years, the Swift has been updated with new design language and technology. In 2011, Maruti Suzuki India introduced lighter and agile 2^nd generation Swift, the 3^rd generation was introduced in 2018 and last year the Swift was introduced with the new Z-series engine in its 4th generation avatar.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The Swift is an icon in its own right. Celebrated by over 3 million customers in India alone, the Swift is an expression of fun and freedom. The Swift has set new benchmarks over the years with every new model, improving on the inherent ‘fun-to-drive’ DNA. This ever so special nature of the Swift has ensured that nearly one out of every four Swift owners come back to buy another Swift. Today, it enjoys an admirable 31 percent market share in its segment, contributing to over 10 percent of MSIL sales. On this special 20-year anniversary, we would like to thank all our customers for their unwavering love for brand Swift.”

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