Skoda Auto Volkswagen India celebrates manufacturing milestone at its Chakan facility

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India celebrates manufacturing milestone at its Chakan facility

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL),  is celebrating a series of significant achievements at its vehicle and engine manufacturing facility in Chakan, India.

The automaker states it has surpassed a remarkable milestone, having produced over 1.5 million vehicles at its Chakan Plant since it rolled out the first car – the Skoda Fabia in 2009 from the facility. The achievement includes iconic models from Volkswagen Group such as the Volkwagen Vento and Polo, Skoda Fabia and Rapid along with new-age models based on the famed MQB-A0-IN platform – Volkswagen Taigun and Virtus, Skoda Kushaq and Slavia.

Over the past years, the Engine Shop at the Chakan facility has produced more than 300,000 units for the Volkswagen Group. The company says this achievement is further strengthened by SAVWIPL's dedication to domestic sourcing, with the 1.0L TSI engines highly relying on components manufactured within India.  

Adding to the list of accomplishments, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India also celebrated the 300,000 unit production milestone for the popular India 2.0 car range, which includes Volkswagen Taigun and Virtus, Skoda Kushaq and Slavia.  

Looking beyond domestic production, SAVWIPL actively contributes to India's global presence as a manufacturing hub. The company proudly exports over 30 percent of its car production, showcasing Indian capabilities and quality standards on the international stage. The Group has exports to over 40 countries and is among the top four exporter of India-made cars.

Andreas Dick, Skoda Auto Board Member for Production and Logistics, said, “In today's ever-evolving global arena, India emerges as a vital contributor to Skoda Auto's production prowess. The milestones achieved by Skoda Auto Volkswagen India resonate far beyond national borders, reflecting our commitment to excellence and innovation on a global scale. Our decade-long investment in the Engine Shop and the remarkable output of 1.5 million vehicles at the Chakan Plant, showcases India's pivotal role in our global strategy. These achievements not only signify our capabilities but also highlight the immense potential of the Indian market in driving our growth trajectory forward.”

Dr Johannes Neft, Skoda Auto Board Member for Technical Development added, “Achieving the 1.5 million production milestone is a testament to the exceptional engineering capabilities of our Indian manufacturing facility. Our top-class R&D centre in India plays a crucial role in driving innovation and excellence. The global team greatly values the insights and expertise, and these contributions are integral to developing new, cutting-edge products for India and the world. This highlights the strength and ingenuity of our Indian operations, positioning us at the forefront of automotive innovation worldwide.”

Piyush Arora, MD & CEO, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India said, “I am immensely proud of these achievements within our local landscape. The significant output of 1.5 million vehicles at our Chakan Plant, coupled with the production milestone of four successful MQB models and the 10-year journey of our Engine Shop stand testament to our dedication to India's automotive industry and SAVWIPL’s significant contribution to the nation’s talent and workforce. As we outline our expansion plan in India, we remain steadfast in our mission to ‘Innovating Locally, Impacting Globally’. We aim to elevate India's position as a global hub for automotive manufacturing, aligning with the national mission of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, driving growth and prosperity within our communities”.

Tata Motors To Gift Sierra SUVs To Women's World Cup Winning Team

Tata Sierra

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 25th 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.”

Maruti Suzuki India Crosses 30 Million Unit Sales Milestone

Maruti Suzuki India

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 14th 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.”

Sharad Agarwal Is Tesla India’s First Business Head

Sharad Agarwal

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.

Mahindra & Mahindra Reports INR 36 Billion Net Profit For Q2 FY2026

Mahindra Rise

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.”