Mahindra Maintains Optimistic Outlook For FY2026, New Greenfield Facility By FY2028

Mahindra Auto

Mumbai-headquartered automotive major Mahindra & Mahindra has announced its financial results for FY2025 with revenue of INR 1,592 billion, up 14 percent YoY and a net profit of INR 129 billion, up 20 percent YoY.

The robust financial performance was underpinned by strong automotive sales across key segments. Mahindra stated it continue to top the SUV sales with a revenue market share of 22.5 percent. Furthermore, the OEM held the top spot in the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) segment under 3.5 tonnes, commanding a market share of 51.9 percent. The Tractor division also achieved its highest ever full-year market share at 43.3 percent.

Going forward, the company continues to maintain an optimistic outlook for SUV and EV sales. The company has announced that it will unveil a new platform 'Vision' on 15 August 2025, which will further expand its product portfolio.

Furthermore, Mahindra is set to increase its manufacturing capacity for XUV 3X0 and Thar Roxx by 3,000 units, a new platform capacity in Chakan for 120,000 units per annum and a new greenfield facility by FY2028, which will primarily focus on the passenger vehicle segment. The company is also looking at different states and the kind of incentives it gets, before finalising the location.  

“Our current capacity utilisation on the SUV side is almost over 90 percent with Scorpio very close to capacity, Thar Roxx and 3X0 fully on capacity and Bolero is lesser in capacity,” said Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director & CEO – Auto and Farm Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra.

Furthermore, the company’s born electric platform, which has spawned the BE 6 and XEV 9e has recently crossed the 6,300 sales mark. At present, the EVs have around 40,000 bookings with an average waiting time of 4-5 months.

Jejurikar explained that an EV customer usually sees around 2 hours of discussion time at the dealership, which is significantly higher than that of an ICE-vehicle customer.

“There's also work to be done by way of enabling charging infrastructure to be facilitated, set up, which means working with their societies or their office complexes wherever they want the charger and all of that needs to be coordinated well and then there's an installation process to be done at home. We have seen that this process is very important to customers to make sure that the experience is very seamless. As we think about ramping up, this is an added thing over and above the input quality which of course is a very important parameter because there is a lot of high tech and so we want to be very calibrated in the way we ramp up. As we have said earlier, that even though we have capacity, we are not operationalising all of that,” added Jejurikar.

A significant highlight was the positive performance of Mahindra's EV division. The company reported being EBITDA positive in the first quarter of the fiscal year within its EV segment, even without considering certain incentives (PLI). This achievement was attributed to a favourable variant mix. While celebrating this milestone, the company cautioned that achieving EBIT margin positivity in the EV sector is anticipated to take several quarters, potentially extending to a year or 18 months. This timeline reflects the ongoing investments required to scale up their EV operations, for which incentives are intended to provide support. The company anticipates that significant EBITDA positivity in the EV segment will become more pronounced as production volume increases.

On the other hand, responding to slowdown in the passenger vehicle sales, Jejurikar stated, “I think there are several enablers which will start kicking in – government spending, infrastructure spending, all of that which will lead to demand picking up. The smaller segments will start gaining out of the income tax benefit that will start kicking in from the front. We think that will be an enabler as well as interest rates come down over time, I think that will be another positive enabler. I do think that over the next few months, the sentiment will start kicking up. But it's a world with a lot of uncertainty at the moment. Multiple things are happening around the world so we don't see any uncertainty that comes out of that.  But, overall I think many macroeconomic factors are positive.”

Dr Anish Shah, Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, added, “I just want to reflect on the numbers – both revenue growth and bank growth – where the stress isn't particularly visible. Yes, there is some level of commercial urban stress, but from our product standpoint, we haven't seen significant impact. Even when we look across other businesses, overall, the picture remains positive. The recent actions around liquidity and interest rates should start to drive greater demand and improved functionality. So, on balance, I’d say we aren’t seeing substantial urban stress at this point – perhaps a slight slowdown or a temporary blip, but nothing major. I believe that's something we’ll bounce back from.”

Looking beyond the domestic market, Mahindra expressed considerable optimism regarding its expansion in North America. The launch of the OJA tractor series in the North American market is reported to be gaining significant traction. Specifically, in the less than 110 horsepower tractor segment, where Mahindra has a strong presence, their retail market share has reportedly surged from 3 percent to 10 percent over the past four months. This sub-110 horsepower category constitutes a substantial 40 percent of the total market volume. This significant growth in their key segment underscores the strategic importance of the OTA series and justifies the investments made in its creation.

Responding to a question regarding potential entry into the insurance market, a Dr Shah stated that this has been under consideration for several years. While acknowledging the complementary nature of their existing business and the large market size, he indicated that any entry would be contingent on identifying a suitable approach that ensures successful returns. But no immediate plans for entering the insurance sector were announced.

Going forward, Mahindra is said to be open to new partnerships and acquisitions.

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India To Take Additional Charge Of Sales And Marketing

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has announced a leadership change within its sales, marketing and digital division. Jan Bures, who currently serves as Executive Director of Sales, Marketing, and Digital, will conclude his assignment in India and move to a new role at Volkswagen, effective September 2026.

Following the departure of Bures, Piyush Arora, Managing Director & CEO of Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, will take on the additional responsibility of Executive Director of Sales & Marketing for the group in India.

The company stated that this structure is intended to improve strategic alignment, decision-making and accountability across the organisation.

At present, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India operates six brands: Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche.

Mercedes-Benz India Records Highest-Ever H1 Sales With 9,768 Units Sold In CY2026

Mercedes-Benz India

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz India has recorded its highest-ever sales for the H1 of 2026, retailing 9,768 units between January and June, a 9 percent YoY increase over the 9,013 units sold in the same period last year.

The company also achieved its best-ever second quarter Q2 CY2026, with 4,637 units sold, representing a 10 percent growth compared to Q2 2025.

Sales were driven by the performance of the core and top-end portfolios. The top-end luxury segment, which includes models such as the S-Class, Maybach, AMG and V-Class, grew by over 20 percent and accounted for 28 percent of total sales. Notably, Mercedes-AMG sales increased by 50 percent during the period.

Interestingly, electric vehicles now comprise 14 percent of total sales, supported by the launch of the CLA BEV and demand for the EQS SUV. The entry-level luxury segment also saw a 29 percent growth in Q2, aided by the introduction of the CLA BEV and the GLA SUV. The E-Class long-wheelbase sedan remained the highest-selling luxury car in the country.

Santosh Iyer, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “Mercedes-Benz’s strong growth in first half of 2026 underlines the success of our strategy rooted in offering desirable products, elevated customer experience and transforming our network with clear focus on getting closer to customers. The new V-Class and CLA BEV drove our best-ever H1 and Q2 sales, underpinning superior product substance, reconfirming Mercedes customers’ preference for value over entry price points.”

He added: “The success of the new CLA BEV is an affirmation that Mercedes-Benz customers prefer owning the latest technology, with the car being sold out within few days of market introduction, customers willing to wait till 5-6 months, to proudly own the car which is truly distinctive and a ‘Class of its Own’. The CLA BEV has propelled Mercedes-Benz’s BEV penetration to reach 14 percent in Q2 2026.”

Regarding the top-end segment, he stated: “H1 2026 has shown increased preference for our top-end vehicles, with the share of TEVs now reaching an all-time high of 28 percent, fuelled by the introduction and growing demand for the new V-Class and the 50 percent growth trajectory achieved by the AMG portfolio.”

The company plans to expand its retail network, aiming to open 20 outlets across India in 2026, including a debut in Varanasi during the third quarter. This expansion is supported by an investment of INR 4.5 billion from franchise partners over the next two years.

Renault Kwid Climber Variant Now Priced At INR 499,000

Renault Kwid

French automotive brand Renault India has introduced the new Renault Kwid hatchback, featuring updates to its design and a simplified two-variant structure: Evolution and Climber.

The company has also adjusted its pricing, with the Climber variant now available at an effective price of INR 499,000 following an online purchase benefit of INR 15,000. Prices for the Kwid range begin at INR 452,000 lakh with the Climber.

The updated model incorporates the Renault brand identity and includes features such as an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a digital LED instrument cluster and a rear-view camera. Safety equipment includes dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and seat belt reminders.

The vehicle is powered by a 1.0-litre petrol engine and is available with either a 5-speed manual or Easy-R AMT transmission. It offers a ground clearance of 184 mm and a boot capacity of 279 litres.

Francisco Hidalgo, VP - Sales and Marketing Renault India, said, “For millions of Indians, owning their first car remains an important milestone. With an increasingly aspirational middle class and a large base of two-wheeler owners looking to upgrade, first-time ownership continues to be a strong and enduring aspiration. Over 4.5 lakh customers in India have started their journey with Kwid, and that trust is something we deeply value. With the new Kwid, we are building on this legacy by making the offering simpler, clearer, and more relevant.”

Maruti Suzuki India, AU Small Finance Bank Launch Suhana Safar Initiative

Maruti Suzuki India - AU Small Finance Bank

AU Small Finance Bank has partnered with Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, to introduce 'Suhana Safar', a scheme that links Recurring Deposits (RD) to auto loans. The initiative is aimed at first-time car buyers and applies to the Alto K10, S-Presso, Celerio and WagonR models.

Under the programme, customers open an RD account with AU Small Finance Bank and deposit a monthly amount equivalent to the future car EMI for 3 to 6 months. Upon maturity, the accumulated funds, which have earned interest, are used as the down payment for the vehicle, after which the bank provides the auto loan.

The scheme allows customers to save and earn interest while demonstrating repayment capacity before committing to a loan. The bank also uses this process to evaluate creditworthiness.

AU Small Finance Bank offers RD interest rates of 4.75 percent to 7.40 percent per annum for the general public, and 5.25 percent to 7.90 percent per annum for senior citizens.