Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Standard Chartered for inventory funding, which aims to support over 4,000 Maruti Suzuki sales outlets across the country, with comprehensive inventory funding options for their working capital requirements. 

The MoU was signed in the presence of Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer —Marketing & Sales, Nobutaka Suzuki, Senior Executive Officer — Marketing & Sales, Vishal Sharma, Vice-President — Maruti Suzuki Finance & Driving School and P D Singh, CEO - India & South Asia, Sanjay Gurjar, Co-Head Coverage India & SA , Vikash Goenka, Head, Supply Chain Finance, India, Sourish Mitra, Head-Sales, Supply Chain Finance India, from Standard Chartered.

Partho Banerjee, said, “This partnership takes us a step towards further in empowering our dealer partners, while the Company continues to expand its market presence, as always. This strategic alliance will leverage the combined strengths of MSIL and Standard Chartered to offer comprehensive working capital solutions to our dealer partners. We believe this innovative financing solution will support dealerships in enhancing their ability to manage inventory efficiently and deliver exceptional service and customer satisfaction.”

Sanjay Gurjar, said, “We are very excited to partner with Maruti Suzuki, a leader in the automotive sector, to provide financing solutions to its dealer partners. At Standard Chartered Bank, we are committed to supporting businesses in India by providing them with the necessary financial tools and developing customised ecosystem solutions to drive their strategic growth. We truly believe our supply chain solutions will ensure that Maruti Suzuki dealers receive timely and efficient inventory funding, helping them to thrive in a competitive market space.”

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Stellantis-owned French auto brand Citroen has appointed Xavier Chardon as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective 2 June 2025.

He will succeed Thierry Koskas, and will report to Jean-Philippe Imparato, Chief Operating Officer, Enlarged Europe, Stellantis.

Chardon comes with a strong international background and in-depth knowledge of the Citroen brand. He has spent around two decades with Citroen and now will be responsible to build on the OME’s recent successes and accelerate the brand’s transformation in a rapidly changing automotive landscape.

Jean-Philippe Imparato, said, “I would like to thank Thierry Koskas for leading Citroen brand over the last two years and for achieving its line up renewal, most recently with the presentation of the new C5 Aircross.”

“We are very pleased to welcome Xavier Chardon to the head of Citroen. His rich and diverse career, his expertise in the automotive sector and his knowledge of the brand will be valuable assets in leading Citroen towards new horizons and strengthening its unique position in the market”, concluded Imparato.

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Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) has launched ‘Magna Executive’ variant for its premium hatchback i20 at INR 750,900 (ex-showroom).

The new variant comes with 6-airbags, ESC and VSM, making the hatchback more appealing for customers. In addition, customers can also get Hyundai iVT transmission and Smart Electric Sunroof in the Magna variant.

Furthermore, Hyundai has also introduced additional features for the i20 Sportz (O) variant with Smart Key with push button start, Smart Electric Sunroof and Bose Premium 7 speaker system among others.

Tarun Garg, Whole-Time Director and Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor India, said, “At Hyundai, we are committed to consistently elevating customer delight by offering products that reflect their evolving aspirations and lifestyle. The Hyundai i20 has always set new benchmarks in the premium hatchback segment with its design, innovation, and feature-rich offering. With the launch of the Magna Executive variant and the expansion of features in the Sportz (O) trim, we aim to make the i20 experience even more accessible and desirable for customers. These introductions reflect our commitment to democratising premium mobility and delivering greater value to our new-age customers who seek style, safety and sophistication in their vehicles.”

The automaker is also offering a 25.55-cm touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, along with a rear camera, as a optional accessory at INR 14,999 with a 3-year warranty.

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Czech automaker Skoda Auto has announced a significant milestone as the five millionth Fabia rolled off the production line at its main plant in Mlada Boleslav. This achievement the company shared underscores the enduring popularity and crucial role of the affordable entry-level model, standing alongside the Octavia as a key pillar of the brand since 1999.

The first-generation Fabia, built on a completely new Volkswagen Group platform, quickly established itself as a leader in its segment, offering exceptional space, practicality and value for money, coupled with Skoda's signature ‘Simply Clever’ features.

The current, fourth-generation Fabia continues this legacy with modern, fuel-efficient combustion engines and advanced safety systems. Demonstrating its sustained importance to Skoda's strategy, the company has confirmed that production of the popular hatchback will continue beyond 2030.

Andreas Dick, Skoda Auto Board Member for Production and Logistics, said, “Reaching the milestone of five million Skoda Fabia vehicles is truly an exceptional achievement – both for our production team and for the company as a whole. First introduced in 1999 as the second entirely new model developed under the umbrella of the Volkswagen Group, the Fabia quickly became a symbol of the brand and a cornerstone of our line-up. As Skoda’s entry-level model, it remains to this day synonymous with high-quality cars ‘Made in the Czech Republic’. Given the continued success of the current fourth generation – a practical, efficient vehicle packed with modern technology and a wide range of safety features – we will continue producing the Fabia beyond 2030.”

The Skoda Fabia has consistently ranked among the brand's top-selling models. In 2024 alone, it was Skoda’s third most popular vehicle globally, with 117,100 units delivered. The original Fabia, unveiled at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show as the successor to the Felicia, was built on an entirely new platform and offered a diverse range of engines, transmissions and body styles. Over the years, it has been instrumental in expanding Skoda's presence across European markets.

Beyond its commercial success, the Fabia name has become deeply ingrained in motorsport history. The Fabia Rally2, Fabia Rally2 evo, and the current Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 are celebrated as some of the most successful rally cars in their respective categories.

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Hyundai Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicles manufacturers in the country, has announced its financial results for FY2025.

The company reported revenue of INR 691 billion for FY2025, which was flat as compared to INR 698 billion last year. The EBITDA came at INR 89.53 billion, down 2 percent as compared to INR 91.32 billion last year. The profit after tax  came at INR 56 billion, down 7 percent YoY.

For Q4 FY2025, the revenue grew by 2 percent at INR 179 billion, as against INR 176 billion last year. The EBITDA was flat at INR 25.32 billion, as compared to INR 25.21 billion for the same period last year, while EBITDA came at 14.1 percent and net profit at INR 16.14 billion, down 4 percent YoY.

The company stated that despite a turbulent market situation, it was able to sustain growth with SUVs now contributing almost 68.5 percent of its total sales across urban and rural markets. The Hyundai Creta continued to hold over 30 percent market share in the mid-size segment.

Unsoo Kim, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor India, said, “FY2025 business performance demonstrates our ability to navigate the tides by responding quickly to the ever-changing customer aspirations. Launch of products like Creta Electric and Alcazar FL along with seamless product refreshments across segments helped us in maintaining our competitive edge. Hyundai’s strong brand presence in key global emerging markets enabled us to endure headwinds and sustain export volumes during the year. The year gone by signifies our resilience in the financial performance by way of sustained revenues and healthy operating margins attributable to improved realisation and cost control measures.”

Amidst macroeconomic headwinds, the automaker stated its domestic strategy centered around premiumisation and the surging popularity of SUVs. The company’s focus on advanced safety and comfort features, like ADAS and sunroofs, is part of its ongoing effort to meet evolving consumer aspirations.

On the exports front, Kim stated that “We aspire to become Hyundai’s largest export hub outside South Korea. For FY2026, we anticipate the growth in export volumes to be around 7 to 8 percent, supported by robust demand for our products in the emerging markets.”

As part of its long-term strategy, Hyundai Motor India is investing in expanding manufacturing capacity and preparing for the future of mobility. “FY2026 will mark a significant milestone in our growth journey, with the commencement of our third plant at Talegaon. Designed with flexibility at its core, the facility will be capable of producing both internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles, enabling us to respond dynamically to market demand.”

“We also intend to deepen our localized supplier network by adopting an indigenisation strategy at the Pune plant, further reinforcing our ‘Make in India’ vision,” said Kim.

The company has also outlined an aggressive roadmap with 26 product launches planned by FY2030 – including 20 ICE, 6 EVs and new hybrid technologies.

On the other hand, he mentioned a cautious, optimistic outlook for domestic demand in near term amid prevailing macro-turbulences and weakening customer sentiments.

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