Celebrating 20 years of sales in India, Skoda Auto India has showcased its second product to be developed under the India 2.0 strategy, the Slavia.

Built on the same platform (MQB A0 IN) as the Kushaq, the Slavia is a perfect combination of luxury and performance. Slavia will be Skoda’s attempt at rejuvenating India’s interest in the dying premium sedan segment, which it created 20 years ago with the launch of the Octavia.

The Slavia features Skoda’s Crystalline design language that we have seen on other cars like the Octavia and the Superb. The Slavia features signature Skoda design elements like the upright radiator grille with vertical slats, expressive L-shaped bi-module LED headlights with DRL, classic C-shaped crystalline LED split taillights and a coupe-like sloping roof design. The car sits on 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and offers a large boot space of 521 litres.

The Slavia is larger than the first-generation Octavia in every dimension. On the inside, the Slavia features a roomy cabin with a wheelbase of 2,651 mm and a width of 1,752 mm, making it the widest car in its segment. A large window area allows ample light to the beige and black coloured cabin. At the centre of the cabin is a large 10-inch infotainment touchscreen with Skoda Play apps along with an 8-inch digital cockpit with three modes. The car also comes equipped with a multi-functional two-spoke steering wheel with tilt and telescopic adjustment.

Skoda has also offered an electric sunroof with a bounce-back system and ventilated seats in the Slavia – features missing in the more expensive Octavia. Staying true to its tagline ‘Simple Clever’, Skoda has offered clever features like a ticket holder, smartphone pockets at the rear, elastic bands in the front pocket and a smart grip mat inside the cup holder.

In terms of engine options, Skoda will carry forward the two petrol engine options from the Kushaq. The 1.0l TSI engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual or Torque Converter automatic gearbox, while the more powerful 1.5l TSI engine will come equipped with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG. The 1.5l TSI engine will also come with ACT (Active Cylinder Technology) that will shut down two cylinders of the engine to save fuel when the load on the engine is low.

In terms of safety, the Slavia will come equipped with six airbags, ABS, EBD, ESC, multi-collision branding and the works, making it among the safe cars available in the segment. The Slavia will be offered in three variants – Active, Ambition and Style – with five colour options including Candy White, Brilliant Silver, Carbon Steel, Tornado Red and a unique Crystal Blue.

Once launched, the Slavia will go up against the likes of Honda City in its segment. Skoda has promised that the deliveries of the Slavia will start in Q1 2022. (MT)

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Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles has announced it will present the Indian Women’s Cricket Team with the first lot of the soon-to-be-launched Tata Sierra SUV following their victory at the ICC Women's World Cup. The Tata Sierra is slated to be launched on 25^th November.

The company will gift the top-end model of the Sierra to each team member as part of its salute to the team’s journey and contribution to the country.

Shailesh Chandra, MD and CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said, “The Indian Women’s Cricket Team has made the entire nation proud with their extraordinary performance and remarkable win. Their journey stands as a true testament to determination and the power of belief, qualities that inspire every Indian. At Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, we are privileged to present these legends with another legend, The Tata Sierra. This is our salute to their spirit and the pride they have brought to the nation – Two legends, One spirit, Infinite inspiration.”

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, has attained a new milestone by crossing the 30-million-unit sales milestone in the domestic market.

The new benchmark was attained by the company over a course of 42 years, with the first 10 million unit sales taking 28 years and 2 months to achieve.

The 20 million unit sales took 7 years and 5 months, while the recent milestone took just 6 years and 4 months.

Interestingly, the entry-level hatchback Alto was the most preferred model in the country, with over 4.7 million units sold, followed by Wagon R with 3.4 million units and the sporty Swift with 3.2 million units.

The Brezza and Fronx SUVs also played an instrumental role in contributing to the sales milestone, being featured among the top 10 models sold in the country.

It was on 14^th December 1983, Maruti Suzuki India delivered its first model, the iconic Maruti 800, to its first customer.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “When I look at the length and breadth of India and think that 3 crore customers have placed their trust in Maruti Suzuki to realise their dream of mobility, it fills me with humility and gratitude. Yet, with car penetration at approximately 33 vehicles per 1,000 people, we know our journey is far from over. We will continue to make every possible effort to bring the joy of mobility to as many people as we can, while also be an asset to both the economy and the environment at the same time.”

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American electric vehicle maker Tesla has appointed Sharad Agarwal, former Chief Business Officer of Classic Legends, as its new business head, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The report further stated that Agarwal joined the EV maker a week ago and is tasked to drive sales for Tesla in India, which as per industry observers, has not performed as per the company’s expectations.

Agarwal, an automotive industry veteran, had begun his career with TVS Motor Co as Area Sales Manager in December 2002, before joining Mahindra First Choice Wheels as its Business Head for North and Eastern region in March 2007.

It was in January 2013, he moved to Audi India as the head of Sales, before taking over as the head of Lamborghini India in April 2016, where he spent almost 9 years, before joining Classic Legends.

During his tenure at Lamborghini, the Italian super luxury car maker saw its dealerships across India achieved a Return on Sales (RoS) of more than 10 percent, setting a new benchmark for the automotive business in the country. He also grew India’s ranking for the automaker as the third market globally in terms of PR visibility in 2021.

He also expanded Lamborghini India’s reach to over 60 cities, with sales volumes from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities contributing more than 25 percent of the total.

Tesla, which formally started deliveries in September 2025 with its first dealership in Mumbai and the second facility in Delhi, has till date delivered 114 vehicles, of the estimated 600-plus bookings.

File photo for representational purposes only.

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Mumbai-headquartered business conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra has announced its financial results for Q2 FY2026 with consolidated Revenue reaching INR 461 billion, marking a 22 percent YoY growth.

The consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) stood at INR 36 billion, a 16 percent increase YoY. The company stated that, excluding specific one-time impacts, PAT growth was 28 percent YoY.

Mahindra’s Auto business reported sales of 262,000 vehicles, up 13 percent, which includes around 146,000 SUV sales. This translated to a revenue of INR 271 billion, up 25 percent YoY, while net profit came at INR 15 billion, up 8 percent YoY.

On the other hand, the farm sector reported its highest ever Q2 market share at 43 percent with sales of 123,000 units, up 32 percent YoY. The revenue came at INR 102 billion, up 25 percent, while consolidated net profit came at INR 11 billion, up 45 percent YoY.

Dr. Anish Shah, Group CEO & Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “We are pleased with the strong execution and solid performance delivered across the group in Q2 FY2026. Auto and Farm sustained their leadership with consistent gains in market share and profitability. TechM is progressing well on its transformation journey. MMFSL achieved a 45 percent PAT growth and remains committed to quality growth and digital transformation. Our Growth Gems are steadily advancing towards their ambitious goals, reinforcing our long-term value creation potential.”

Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director & CEO (Auto and Farm Sector), Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “Strong performance of our Auto and Farm businesses continues in Q2 FY2026 reinforcing our leadership position, with a gain of 390 bps YoY in SUV revenue share, and 100 bps YoY in LCV (< 3.5T) market share. In Tractors, we gained 50 bps YoY to reach 43 percent market share. Our Auto Standalone PBIT margin (excl. e-SUV Contract Mfg.) improved by 80 bps to 10.3 percent and core Tractor PBIT margins improved by 190 bps to 20.6 percent.”

Amarjyoti Barua, Group Chief Financial Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra, “Our solid Q2 consolidated results reflects the strength of our diversified portfolio. We continue to deliver on our strategic priorities. We had strong cash generation in the first half, delivering over INR 100 billion of operating cash flow. We remain committed to sustainable growth and value creation.”

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