Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI) has reiterated its pledge towards a sustainable future with the announcement of the expansion of Sustainability Garage – A Mercedes-Benz Initiative, a unique platform for diverse stakeholder groups to collaborate and champion sustainability goals. The initiative will now include two new Centres of Excellence based out of Hyderabad and New Delhi.

The expansion was announced at the Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Dialogue India 2024 event in New Delhi, where Renata Jungo Brüngger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG for Integrity, Governance & Sustainability, and Manu Saale, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India, exchanged views and perspectives with representatives from government, industry, academia, policymakers, think tanks and NGOs on various sustainability topics. 

The event witnessed the presence of eminent leaders including Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 Sherpa and former CEO of NITI Aayog; Amir Bazaz, Associate Dean, Head Climate & Infrastructure, Indian Institute of Human Settlements; Sonal Shah, Executive Director, Centre for Sustainable and Equitable Cities; Srikrishna Murthy, Co-founder and CEO, Sattva Consulting; Alok Lall, Chief Operating Officer – India and South Asia, Microsoft Corporation; Vinayak Godse, CEO, Data Security Council of India and Ajeya Motaganahalli, VP of Engineering & Managing Director, Pure Storage, among others.

The first new Centre of Excellence of the Sustainability Garage, the Climate Tech Incubator, will support 25 social enterprises focused on sustainable mobility and environmental innovation. Apart from seed-funding, MBRDI will also provide customised support and deep-tech mentorship to selected enterprises. Complementing this effort, T-Hub, India's leading startup incubator and innovation hub, will engage over 500 students in design thinking and prototyping bootcamp for innovative climate tech solutions contributing towards decarbonisation. 

The second Centre of Excellence, with a focus on Charging Infrastructure, was set up in partnership with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). It will offer a specialised training programme on maintenance of charging infrastructure and certify 60 young professionals this year to address the growing demand in this sector.

Renata Jungo Brüngger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG for Integrity, Governance & Sustainability, said, “Sustainability means creating permanent value for all stakeholder groups. As a global company and corporate citizen, we want to make a positive contribution to society that goes beyond our core business activities. With the Sustainability Garage, Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India underlines the goal of our worldwide corporate citizenship strategy to promoting ecological sustainability and fostering community empowerment. The Indian initiative supports local startups and the next generation of leaders. I am excited to see the innovations emerging from these partnerships.” 

Manu Saale, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India, added, “Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India is committed to leading the charge in sustainable mobility. The new Sustainability Garage projects will play a vital role in furthering innovation from India to meet some of the most pressing global challenges. We are confident that India’s digital R&D talent pool and pioneering spirit will lead us to some transformative climate-positive solutions for the world.”

The first Sustainability Garage Centre of Excellence was launched at Prayoga Institute of Education Research in February 2024. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, it serves as a hub for multidisciplinary research, focusing on developing sustainable materials with diverse applications to benefit society.

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Mumbai-headquartered SUV major Mahindra & Mahindra has upgraded its popular offering, the Scorpio-N Z8L variant, with Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) tech.

This will see the Scorpio-N Z8L variant coming with Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Smart Pilot Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition and High Beam Assist features.

The ADAS tech will further enhance safety quotient for the Scorpion-N with exclusive features such as Speed Limit Assist and Front Vehicle Start Alert, marking a first for Mahindra ICE SUVs.

Furthermore, the company has also expanded the Scorpio-N line-up with the introduction of the Z8T variant at INR 2.02 million. The new variant will sit between the Z8 and Z8L variants. It comes with a compelling mix of premium features, including R18 diamond-cut alloy wheels, a 12-speaker Sony-branded audio system, front camera, front parking sensors, 6-way powered driver seat, electronic parking brake (EPB), ventilated front seats and an auto-dimming IRVM.

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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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