The cat is finally out of the bag as Jaguar Land Rover launched the all-electric I-Pace in India starting from INR 10,600,000, ex-showroom India. It will be the second luxury electric SUV in India after Mercedes-Benz EQC. Jaguar had earlier opened the bookings of I-Pace in November 2020.

At the launch, Rohit Suri, President and Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd (JLRIL), said, “Jaguar I-Pace is the first all-electric SUV that we’ve launched in India and it marks the beginning of our electrification journey. With our electrified products, we look forward to playing a significant role in India’s electrification drive into the future.” He further stated, “Jaguar I-Pace will appeal to people who look for and purchase the latest in technology and design to express their personalities and stay ahead of the curve. We and our retailer network are fully prepared to cater to the demands of these customers.”

I-Pace variants:

The new Jaguar electric SUV is available in three trims—the S at INR 10,600,000, SE from INR 10,800,000 and the fully-loaded HSE, which starts at INR 11,200,000. All three come standard with 19-inch dual-coloured diamond-cut alloy wheels. The entry-level S variant sports all-LED headlamps, powered tailgate, smartphone-like designed 10-inch Pivo Pro infotainment system’s interface with support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 400W music system with 12 speakers and a subwoofer, 5.5-inch climate control touchscreen unit, cruise control, 3D surround camera, ‘InControl’ car connectivity technology and much more.

The SE offers additional features like leather upholstery, premium LED headlights with prominent DRLs and heated outside rearview mirrors that fold electrically and come with approach lights.

The feature list continues to increase with the top-of-the-line HSE as it’s packed with ‘Matrix’ LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, a heads-up display, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, premium Windsor leather upholstery, an 825W Meridian 3D sound system with 16 speakers and 16-way heated and cooled front electric powered seats with memory function.

The goodies don’t end here as there’s an array of optional features as well like adaptive air suspension, four-zone climate control, an ionising air purifier with PM2.5 filtration etc.

Electric power:

The I-Pace is powered by two electric motors that offer a whopping combined output of 296 kW (394 bhp) and 696 Nm of torque. As impressive as it’s on paper, the electric SUV can do 0-100 kmph in just 4.8 seconds.

The I-Pace comes with a 90 kWh battery that offers a range of WLTP-certified 470 km on a single charge. The Jaguar SUV comes standard with a Home Charging Cable for a 7.4 kW AC wall-mounted charger, but it takes over 10 hours to fully charge the battery. According to Jaguar, the I-Pace can also be quick-charged with a 50 kW charger that offers a range of 270km per hour and a 100kW charger that delivers around 127km range in just 15 minutes.

To ensure complete peace of mind, Jaguar provides a complimentary 5-year service package, 5-year roadside assistance package, 8-year or 160,000 km battery warranty and a 7.4 kW AC wall-mounted charger.

The installation of home charging stations will be done by Tata Power Ltd and will be coordinated via Jaguar retailers. I-Pace owners will also have access to Tata Power’s EZ Charge network, which currently offers around 200 I-Pace compatible charging points on a use and pay basis. Apart from this, Jaguar has also set up over 35 EV chargers installed at its 22 retail outlets across 19 cities. These chargers are a combination of 7.4 kW AC chargers and 25 kW DC (fast) chargers.

In terms of competition, the I-Pace, at the moment, only has to face the Mercedes-Benz EQC, but the Audi-e-tron could enter the Indian market this financial and let’s not forget that Tesla is setting its shop here as well. (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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