Tata Motors today announced the price of its recently unveiled premium flagship SUV – the all-new Safari that comes in both manual and automatic transmission options. Starting from INR 14.69 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi),  the prices of  6/7 seater goes up to INR 21.45 lakh for the top-end model. The all-new Safari will be available in nine variants, starting from XE and going up to the XZA+.
With 2.0 litre turbocharged Kyrotech engine and it’s 2,741 mm wheelbase, the new Safari comes with signature Oyster White Interiors paired with the Ashwood finish dashboard, a majestic panoramic sunroof, along with six and seven-seater options, equipped with an 8.8-inch floating island infotainment system.
Besides, the new vehicle comes with a variety of safety features such as all-disc brakes, an electronic parking brake and an advanced ESP with 14 functionalities. Coupled with the Boss Mode providing enhanced ride comfort, the Safari gives the executive customers a living room style ride experience. Furthermore, the vehicle will be available in additional colour options of Daytona Grey, Tropical Mist and Orcus White along with the signature Royal Blue.
In its new avatar, the Safari takes forward the brand’s rich legacy by combining Tata Motors’ Impact 2.0 design language with the proven capability of OMEGARC, the architecture derived from the renowned D8 platform from Land Rover, which is touted to be the gold standard of SUVs worldwide. The OMEGARC architecture has already proven its mettle with the success of the Harrier.

SUVs is the fastest growing passenger vehicle segment in the country and the new Safari will accelerate the momentum gained by the company’s consistently growing SUV sales which have resulted in a growth of 20 percent YTD when compared to the same period last year.

In a challenging year, Tata Motors exhibited a stunning performance in the passenger vehicles market last year by clocking in over 23,000 unit sales every month successively from October 2020. Furthermore, in Q3FY21, the Tata Motors PV business posted its highest sales in the last 33 quarters. The rising demand can be attributed to the BS-VI range, which was launched last year, under the New Forever philosophy of the company. Demand was visible across all products of the New Forever range, including the premium hatchback Tata Altroz and the BS6 Harrier, which stole the show.
Guenter Butschek, MD and CEO, Tata Motors, said, “The new Safari is an impressive endorsement of our stated intend of enhancing presence in the faster-growing market segments. Its exceptional build quality and premium finish, power and performance augment the brand’s iconic legacy and amplify the key traits of the ‘New Forever’ range - safety, style, drivability and best-in-class features. We will make the Safari rule the Indian roads once again.”
Shailesh Chandra, President – Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, “Safari had introduced India to the SUV lifestyle, and in its contemporary avatar, the new Safari is in-sync with the multifaceted lifestyles of today’s SUV customer. With the introduction of the ‘Adventure’ persona, customers have more choice to select the Safari that best complements their individual personality to ‘Reclaim Your Life’.” (MT) 
 

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Global NCAP, the automotive safety watchdog, has announced the latest results for its #SaferCarsForIndia campaign, with two models from Maruti Suzuki India, the country's largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, receiving mixed results.

The latest crash test result saw Global NCAP awarding the Maruti Suzuki Celerio a three-star rating for adult occupant protection following the inclusion of six airbags as standard. A previous version of the vehicle, equipped with two airbags, had received two stars for adult occupant safety and one star for child protection.

The technical evaluations of the six-airbag Celerio indicated protection levels ranging from good to marginal. The assessment noted that both the footwell and the bodyshell were unstable. Tests also showed exposure of children’s heads during front and side impacts.

On the other hand, the company’s popular sedan model the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz received a 1-star rating in the same assessment. The report for this model highlighted:

• The absence of side head protection.
• An unstable footwell and bodyshell.
• A lack of three-point seatbelts in all seating positions.

In contrast, Global NCAP reported that the new Dzire and Victoris models achieved five-star ratings.

Richard Woods, Chief Executive Officer of Global NCAP, said, “We are encouraged that Maruti Suzuki is committed to improving safety with five star performance for new models like the Dzire and Victoris, it remains disappointing however that some legacy models fall short.”

The results follow a commitment from Maruti Suzuki to increase safety standards across its future vehicle range.

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CARS24 has announced the promotion of Divanshu Saxena to Chief Business Officer (CBO) of its NBFC arm, CARS24 Financial Services.

In his new role, Saxena will oversee the strategy, growth and execution of the financial services division. His responsibilities include scaling lending operations, managing risk and maintaining profitability as the company develops its financial services platform.

Saxena previously managed the consumer financing business for LOANS24. During his tenure, the division recorded growth in finance penetration and contributions from non-retail lending. The company noted that his work focused on unit economics and portfolio quality.

Ruchit Agarwal, Co-Founder & Group CFO, CARS24, said, “Divanshu has played a pivotal role in building CARS24 Financial Services into a strong and institutionally sound business. His disciplined approach to growth, deep understanding of lending economics, and consistent execution have laid a solid foundation for scale. We are proud to elevate leaders from within, and as CBO, Divanshu will be central to shaping the next phase of growth for LOANS24.”

Before joining CARS24, Saxena served as a Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) within the Financial Services and Industrial Goods practice. He is an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, where he graduated with a silver medal, and Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), University of Delhi.

Divanshu Saxena said, “Building LOANS24 has been about creating a lending business that balances speed with discipline and growth with resilience. As CBO, my focus will be on scaling responsibly, strengthening our fundamentals, and continuing to build a financial services platform that earns long-term trust from customers and partners.”

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South Korean auto major Hyundai Motor Group has announced executive appointments effective from 1st January 2026. The changes focus on the transition to software-defined vehicles (SDV) and the development of manufacturing technology.

In total, 219 executives have been promoted across the Group, comprising four Presidents, 14 Executive Vice Presidents, 25 Senior Vice-Presidents and 176 Vice Presidents. Approximately 30 percent of these promotions are within R&D and technology sectors.

Manfred Harrer has been promoted to President and Head of the R&D Division. Since joining in 2024, Harrer has managed vehicle development. His new role focuses on SDV competitiveness and development projects.

Juncheul Jung is promoted to President. Jung currently manages the Manufacturing Solutions and Procurement Divisions. His remit involves the Group's Software-Defined Factory (SDF) approach and the integration of robotics into production systems.

Yeong Il Choi becomes Executive Vice President and Head of Domestic Production. Choi also takes the role of Chief Safety Officer (CSO) for production facilities in South Korea.

The company also announced revamping leadership positions in its regional business, where it has appointed Seung Kyu Yoon as President of Kia North America Operations, Bo-Ryong Lee as President and CEO of Hyundai Steel Operations, Gang Hyun Seo as Head of Corporate Planning, Affiliate Business Optimisation, Sungwon Jee as Executive Vice-President, Hyundai Brand Marketing and Yongseok Shin as Executive Vice-President of HMG Business Intelligence Institute.

Hyundai Motor Group has internalised technologies including the 'Pleos Connect' infotainment system and 'Atria AI' for autonomous driving. Appointments in engineering include Jeonghun Seo in Battery Engineering and Duckhwan Kim in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Engineering.

Jaehoon Chang, Vice Chair, continues to oversee the direction for mobility, hydrogen energy and robotics. Within the financial sector, Chang Hyun Cho (Hyundai Card) and Si Woo Jeon (Hyundai Commercial) have been promoted to Executive Vice-President.

"The appointments are intended to strengthen organisational resilience and expand the leadership pipeline across functions. In addition, the appointments reflect the Group’s commitment to turning global uncertainties into opportunities for renewal and growth. It will continue to advance bold leadership transformation and secure strong competitiveness in the SDV era," the company said.

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Maruti Suzuki India has attained a production milestone of 3.5 million units for the popular hatchback the WagonR.

The model, which spans three generations, was first launched in India in December 1999 and is currently manufactured at the company's facilities in Gurgaon and Manesar, Haryana.

The WagonR joins the Alto and Swift as models within the Maruti Suzuki portfolio to reach this volume. Globally, the Suzuki WagonR was first introduced in Japan in September 1993 and is now sold in over 75 countries. In August 2025, the model reached 100 million units in cumulative global sales.

The current WagonR is built on the fifth-generation Heartect platform. Standard safety features include six airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Stability Program (ESP).

On the inside, it comes with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Bluetooth and voice command functionality.

The vehicle has been the highest-selling car in India for the previous four financial years.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “This achievement is not just a production milestone, but reflects the enduring love and confidence that generations of customers have shown towards brand WagonR. It is rare for a vehicle to receive such acceptance even after 25 years since its launch. The WagonR kept evolving with the introduction of new technology and features over time, while retaining its original DNA. The WagonR has been highly appreciated for aspects like its iconic tall-boy design, spacious interiors and fuel efficiency, which aptly reflect our customers’ needs and expectations. We are deeply grateful for their continued support and remain committed to providing ‘Joy of Mobility’ for generations to come.”

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