Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has completed the first year of ‘Samarth by Hyundai’, a holistic social initiative to support people with disabilities in India. Launched in 2023, the initiative is in line with Hyundai Motor Company’s global vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’ and aims at raising awareness and building a movement for the inclusion of people with disabilities in India.

The event was attended by various dignitaries from the Government of India, including Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Sports; Dr Virendra Kumar, Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment and Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education. Unsoo Kim, Managing Director; Tarun Garg, Whole Time Director and Chief Operating Officer and J T Park, Function Advisor, Sales & Marketing were present at the event from HMIL’s side. Several other key government officials, NGO partners and stakeholders also joined the celebration.

The highlights of the event were the felicitation of Indian Paralympians, where the company felicitated seven Paralympians supported under ‘Samarth by Hyundai’ initiative for their outstanding achievements, and the presentation of the ‘Charter of Recommendations for Enhancing Accessibility and Inclusivity’ to Government of India by HMIL. The company also announced the launch of the ‘Samarth Hero Awards’ to honour individuals and organisations contributing to the empowerment of people with disabilities.

As an example of its dedication to inclusion, HMIL has worked to raise awareness, give assistance and create opportunities for those with disabilities over the past year through Samarth by Hyundai and its numerous projects. By raising awareness, establishing accessible spaces at HMIL dealerships, introducing car accessories that are accessible to persons with disabilities and establishing important alliances with NGOs, the media, and other stakeholders, the firm has achieved tremendous progress in empowering individuals with disabilities.

Unsoo Kim, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor India Limited, said, “At Hyundai, we believe in making a meaningful impact beyond mobility. ‘Samarth by Hyundai’ is a testament to our commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all. I am immensely proud of the strides we’ve made in our first year, and I thank our partners, stakeholders and the government for their unwavering support. Together, we will continue to drive change and provide opportunities for people with disabilities, as we remain deeply committed to India and its people."

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Renault India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has started nationwide customer deliveries of the new Renault Duster SUV.

The first Renault Duster SUV was handed over in Chennai by François Provost, CEO, Renault Group and Stephane Deblaise, CEO of Renault Group in India. The commencement of deliveries follows a period of growth for the subsidiary, which reported a 77 percent increase in sales in March 2026.

The event coincided with the opening of a new 'R store' on Mount Road in Chennai. The facility is spread across 4,500 sqft featuring a 3,000 sqft interaction area and a dedicated delivery bay.

This is the second such store in Chennai and the 11th in India. Renault plans to expand this experiential retail format to 70 outlets across the country within the year, supplementing its existing network of more than 350 sales points.

To support the launch, Renault is offering the Renault Forever programme, which provides vehicle coverage for up to seven years or 150,000 km. The company attributes its recent sales momentum to the introduction of the Duster alongside the updated Kiger and Triber models. The brand aims to utilise the new retail format to provide a different customer interaction model in urban markets.

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Italian supercar brand Ferrari has concluded its first national test drive event in India, hosting the Esperienza Ferrari and Passione Ferrari weekend at the Buddh International Circuit.

The event allowed participants to operate various models on the circuit, including the recently introduced 849 Testarossa, the 296 GTB, the 12Cilindri and the Amalfi.

The programme included the Club Challenge Experience, where guests drove the track-developed 296 Challenge and 488 Challenge models. During the Passione Ferrari segment, existing owners were permitted to drive their own vehicles on the Formula 1-grade track.

Technical sessions held during the weekend focused on the brand's hybrid technology and electrification strategy, specifically regarding the 296 and SF90 ranges.

This gathering represents a move by Ferrari to increase its presence in the Indian luxury market. The event combined track activities with hospitality and technical briefings intended to provide owners and prospective clients with insight into the brand's engineering and motorsport-derived systems.

The initiative follows a period of growth in the Indian performance car sector, where manufacturers are increasingly using circuit-based events to demonstrate vehicle capabilities. Ferrari utilised the occasion to highlight the integration of performance and electrification within its current product line-up.

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Japanese passenger vehicle manufacturer Nissan Motor India (NMIPL) has opened 54 customer touchpoints across the country during the first quarter of CY2026.

The expansion includes a combination of 3S (Sales, Service, and Spare Parts), 2S and 1S facilities as part of the company's strategy to reach 400 touchpoints by the end of FY2027.

This growth coincides with a period of increased sales for the manufacturer. In March 2026, Nissan recorded cumulative sales of 10,388 units, with domestic wholesales accounting for 4,408 units. This represents a 98 percent growth in domestic wholesale compared to the previous year and the highest monthly domestic figure for the company in five years. Export volumes for the same month stood at 5,980 units.

The network development is intended to support a product offensive that includes the Nissan Gravite and the upcoming Nissan Tekton and a seven-seater C-SUV. The expansion follows the established market presence of the Nissan Magnite. The new facilities are built to global retail standards and are intended to improve brand accessibility across various Indian regions.

Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said, “The opening of 54 new customer touchpoints across India in Q1 2026 marks an important milestone in Nissan’s growth journey in India. As we strengthen our product portfolio with the launch of the all-new Nissan Gravite, soon to be launched all-new Nissan Tekton & C-SUV 7-seater along with our popular New Nissan Magnite; network expansion continues to be a critical pillar of our strategy. This growth underlines our commitment to improving accessibility, enhancing customer reach, brand experience while progressing towards our goal of 400 touchpoints by the end of FY2027.”

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Hyundai Motor India (HMIL), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has introduced the ‘Vibe’ edition to the Grand i10 NIOS model range with prices starting INR 709,400 for the manual transmission version.

The update targets a customer base that has exceeded 500,000 buyers since the model's inception. This edition includes the Sportz Vibe and Sportz (O) Vibe variants, featuring design and hardware changes alongside the addition of a dashcam.

The interior of the Vibe edition is finished in black with red inserts, while the exterior features black painted alloy wheels. Further upgrades include a leather-wrapped steering wheel, an 8-inch touchscreen audio system with smartphone integration, automatic air conditioning and cruise control.

The Sportz (O) Vibe variant also incorporates a smart key with push-button start. Safety features across the range include six airbags and a highline tyre pressure monitoring system.

A primary addition to the Vibe and Asta trims is a dashcam that provides multiple recording modes, such as driving, emergency and vacation recording. The system allows users to download video and capture photos via a mobile application. The Vibe edition is powered by a 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine and is available with either a five-speed manual or an automated manual transmission (AMT).

The Sportz Vibe edition is priced from INR 709,400 for the manual version and INR 761,400 for the AMT. The Sportz (O) Vibe AMT is available at INR 773,400, while the updated Asta variant ranges from INR 750,700 to INR 8,02,600. Hyundai has also introduced a Titan Grey Matte colour option to the Grand i10 NIOS line-up.

Amit Dhaundiyal, Head of Product Strategy & Planning, Hyundai Motor India, said, “At Hyundai Motor India Limited, we are constantly evolving our product offerings to align with the aspirations of our customers. The introduction of the Vibe edition in the Grand i10 NIOS reflects our commitment to delivering enhanced value, style and convenience to new-age buyers. Alongside the Vibe edition, the addition of Dashcam in both the Vibe edition and Asta variant addresses the growing focus on road safety while also adding engaging features like photo capture and more. Further, the introduction of the new Titan Grey Matte colour resonates with the lifestyle and aspirations of our customers.”

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