Czech automaker Skoda Auto is celebrating its silver jubilee milestone in India. The OEM had entered the Indian market in January 2000 and had laid the foundation stone for its plant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) making it the first Volkswagen Group brand to establish a presence in the domestic market.

The Skoda Octavia was the first model by the Volkswagen Group to be assembled locally in India.

Skoda Auto shared that its India operations plays a key role in its global plans, which has enabled to effectively leverage existing sales potential in the ASEAN region, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

It was in 2018, that Volkswagen Group appointed Skoda Auto to spearhead all activities in India jointly since 2018. Fast forward to present, Skoda has developed and produces three models locally in India for India, based on the localised MQB A0–IN platform: the Kushaq, the Slavia and the Kylaq compact SUV. 

Klaus Zellmer, CEO, Skoda Auto, said, “We have built on 25 years of experience in India to make this thriving market the cornerstone of our international growth strategy. With its tremendous talent pool, growing consumer demand, and access to other markets, India is becoming our second pillar outside Europe and helping leverage further sales potential in ASEAN, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region. Skoda has been a notable brand in India since we entered the market with the Octavia in 2001. We now produce in two plants. We have launched three all-new models specifically for India, achieving localisation of up to 95 percent: the Skoda Kushaq, Slavia and just recently the Kylaq compact SUV, which complement the Octavia and Superb we also sell through a growing dealer network. In the last two years, we have increased customer touchpoints across the country by 35 percent. India also contributes to the global sustainability goals of Skoda Auto. One plant already runs entirely on green energy, while the plant in Pune expanded its photovoltaic system to deliver up to 30 percent of its electricity needs. I want to thank all our Indian colleagues for helping power the next stage of our growth, and especially our customers for their trust in our products. With this passion, we can achieve even greater things in the next 25 years!"

Piyush Arora, MD & CEO, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, said, “Skoda was the first brand to establish Volkswagen Group’s presence in India, setting up its first plant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar back in January 2000. As Skoda celebrates 25 years in the country, the Group’s focus on the Indian market continues to strengthen. With evolving consumer preferences, we are introducing products that combine the Group’s global expertise with a deep understanding of the Indian market. Today, our model lineup features advanced vehicles designed and built specifically for India, including the newly unveiled compact SUV, Skoda Kylaq.”

“This dynamic market has become the foundation of Skoda’s internationalisation strategy, driven by our commitment to innovation, safety, sustainability and customer-centric solutions. We are dedicated to enhancing our manufacturing capabilities & sales touchpoints and advancing our sustainability initiatives to deliver long-term value to our customers, employees, and communities,” added Arora.

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German luxury automotive company BMW Group India has expanded its retail presence in Navi Mumbai by introducing the MINI brand at the Infinity Cars dealership. The update brings new BMW models, MINI vehicles and BMW Premium Selection pre-owned cars into a single location.

The Infinity Cars facility covers 6,774 square feet on a single level, utilising BMW's Retail.NEXT layout. The site features a Central Customer Walkway, digital configuration terminals, a dedicated pre-owned vehicle display area in the basement and a lifestyle section for brand merchandise and accessories. Infinity Cars operates six sales and service locations for BMW Group India across the Mumbai region.

Hardeep Singh Brar, President and CEO, BMW Group India, said, "The luxury mobility landscape in India is becoming increasingly experience led, with customers seeking brands that reflect their lifestyle and individuality. MINI, with its iconic design, distinctive character and expressive personality, resonates strongly with this evolving audience. Mumbai continues to be one of the most important markets for luxury automobiles in India and the introduction of MINI at Infinity Cars further strengthens our presence in the region. Through the Retail.NEXT concept, we are redefining how customers engage with our brands by creating immersive, digital-first and customer-centric experiences. Together with Infinity Cars, we look forward to bringing the unique world of MINI closer to customers in Navi Mumbai and accelerating the brand's growth in the market."

Pooja Choudary, Dealer Principal, Infinity Cars, said, "We are proud to deepen our association with BMW Group India by introducing MINI at Infinity Cars in Navi Mumbai. Building on our strong presence in the region with BMW and BMW Premium Selection, MINI adds a distinctive new expression of premium mobility to our portfolio. Its iconic character will help us connect with a new generation of customers while giving our existing clientele even greater choice. We look forward to growing MINI in Navi Mumbai and taking our partnership with BMW Group India to the next level."

The facility applies unified sales, service and administrative systems to manage customer operations from point of sale through ongoing vehicle maintenance.

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Used car retail platform Spinny has opened its first Spinny Park in the Mumbai region, located on Kalyan-Bhiwandi Road near K N Park Hotel, Rannoli.

The facility covers 15,000 square feet and holds space for 61 cars, providing buying and selling services for vehicles in Kalyan and surrounding areas.

The location offers vehicle viewing, test drives, financing and ownership transfers under its Spinny Assured brand. For vehicle owners seeking to sell, the platform's SellRight service handles valuations, payments and registration certificate transfers at the site.

Niraj Singh, Founder and CEO, Spinny, said, "Mumbai has been an integral part of Spinny’s journey, and this is the right time to bring a Spinny Park here. Maharashtra has been an important market for us, and this is a meaningful next step in getting even closer to our customers. This is the time for coming together, and celebrating this new chapter with the community makes it all the more meaningful."

The launch included Spinny Park Live, an event featuring local Marathi performers during the Ganpati festival season, hosted by Marathi Kapil.

The Kalyan location expands Spinny's network in Maharashtra, where it already operates five hubs in Mumbai including Dadar, Seawoods, Vidyavihar, Kandivali, and Thane, along with four sites in Pune, and operations in Nashik and Nagpur. The company combines physical locations with doorstep services for test drives and sales. Vehicle inventory for the network is processed through Integrated Quality Centres after inspection and refurbishment, drawing from procurement operations across 100 cities nationwide.

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German luxury car brand Porsche India has launched the Cayenne Electric, expanding its electric vehicle lineup in the country while introducing an electric propulsion system for its popular Cayenne model range.

The model arrives in two variants, the Cayenne Electric (priced at INR 17.72 million) and the Cayenne Turbo Electric (priced at INR 22.75 million), with customer deliveries commencing immediately following its release in Mumbai. Porsche will continue to sell internal combustion engine (ICE) variants of the Cayenne in India alongside the electric models.

Ashutosh Dixit, Head of Porsche India, said, “The Cayenne enters an important new era with electrification, combining uncompromising Porsche performance with electric mobility while remaining unmistakably Porsche. It continues to offer the everyday usability our customers expect from the Cayenne, together with the performance, engineering and driving experience that define our sports cars. Its introduction marks an important next chapter for Porsche in India as we continue to broaden the choices available to our customers.”

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JSW MG Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, completed the delivery of 50 units of the Hector Tomahawk EV in Surat in a single day, following the market launch of its electrified SUV model line.

The Hector Tomahawk lineup includes both battery-electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrains. The Hector Tomahawk EV incorporates a 69.2 kWh battery pack paired with an electric motor producing 150 kW and 310 Nm of torque, yielding a certified range of 517 km on a single charge and supporting DC fast charging up to 90 kW.

The Hector Tomahawk PHEV combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine, a dedicated hybrid transmission and a 20.5 kWh battery pack, delivering an electric range of 115 km and a combined driving range exceeding 1,100 km.

The SUV measure 4,745 mm in length, 1,850 mm in width and 1,770 mm in height, with a 2,810 mm wheelbase and 230 mm of ground clearance at the battery casing. On the inside it features a 15.6-inch central display screen, the i-SMART 3.0 connected software platform with artificial intelligence voice command integration, Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) power output capabilities and Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

The Hector Tomahawk EV is offered under a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) introductory pricing scheme starting at INR 1.39 million with a battery rental fee of INR 4.90 per kilometre, or at an outright ex-showroom price starting at INR 1.94 million for the Excite 7-seater variant, rising to INR 2.34 million for the Essence 7-seater model.

The Hector Tomahawk PHEV, available exclusively as a 7-seater, starts at a BaaS price of INR 2.17 million with a battery rental fee of INR 3.20 per kilometre, or an outright ex-showroom price of INR 2.56 million for the Exclusive trim and INR 2.77 million for the Essence trim. A lifetime battery warranty is provided to original owners for both EV and PHEV variants.

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