Top Indian Automobile Industry News & Updates - 29 Aug 2025,Friday
🏢 Industry
Delhi EV policy to be finalised by Feb 2026: What’s in store?
The Delhi Government extended its current EV policy to 31 March 2026 earlier last month. Initially, scheduled to expire in August 2023, Delhi’s EV policy has been extended multiple times. It has now come to light that the new Delhi EV policy will be implemented as early as February 2026.
India’s 1st pilot line for semiconductors becomes operational in Gujarat; CG Semi’s plant to roll out initial Make-in-India chip
Sanand (Gujarat): India’s first pilot line that will handle end-to-end chip assembly, packaging, testing and post-test services, became operational at a newly built Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Testing (OSAT) facility of CG Semi Private Ltd at Sanand in Gujarat, Thursday. The micro-controllers produced here will be used in cars, fridges and drones.
Nuvama maintains Buy on Maruti Suzuki post e vitara launch – Here’s why
Nuvama Institutional Equities maintained its ‘Buy’ rating on Maruti Suzuki post the launch of eVitara, the company’s first EV. The brokerage has a target price of Rs 14,300 on the stock, implying a downside of 2.8%. However, it is to be noted that the auto major’s stock price has hit a fresh 52-week high of Rs 14,895 on August 28.
boAt collaborates with semiconductor start-up HrdWyr for fully indigenous chips
Mumbai: boAt and semiconductor start-up HrdWyr jointly announced the launch of the HrdWyr Indus 1011, a fully indigenously designed, high-volume, branded chip, with assembly, packaging, and testing support from Tata Electronics. The move could impact India’s dependence on global semiconductor supply chains
Rapido in talks to raise $200–300 m from Prosus at $2.5–3 b valuation
Bengaluru: Mobility platform Rapido is in advanced discussions to raise $200–300 million in fresh funding led by Dutch investment giant Prosus, people aware of the matter said. The round could value the Bengaluru-based company at $2.5–3 billion, nearly tripling its last valuation of $1.1 billion in December 2024 when it entered the unicorn club after a $245 million Series E round led by WestBridge Capital.
India, Mexico top global auto investments in H1 2025 despite slump
India aspires to join world's top 5 semiconductor nations, faces long road
📝 UP govt launches new helpline for transport, vehicle-related matters
📝 GST cut: Jefferies upgrades Hero Motocorp but bearish on Hyundai and Tata Motors
📝 India's auto sector accelerates in EV segment
📝 Zypp Electric appoints former Airtel Africa Executive Mukesh Singla as CFO
📝 Auto sales slide 8% post GST cut statement by PM, buyers defer purchases to save on tax
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🚗 ICE Car/SUV
Maruti sees exports driving growth
Maruti Suzuki is leaning on its export strategy to sustain growth, chairman RC Bhargava said on Thursday. Speaking at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM), Bhargava said that with the support of Suzuki Japan and Toyota in several export markets, the company is eyeing a global push aimed at offsetting falling demand at home and boosting foreign exchange earnings.
2026 Mahindra XUV700 spotted testing again: Here’s what we know so far
Mahindra is working on plenty of models as we speak, one of them being the facelifted XUV700. The mid-size SUV made its debut in 2021 and is yet to receive its first major update. Test mules of the XUV700 have been spotted on a number of occasions in the past few months. The Tata Safari rival has been caught on camera once again ahead of its imminent launch. The latest spy images reveal clearer visuals on the SUV and the changes expected.
Don't give in to US bullying, says Maruti Suzuki Chairman Bhargava
Maruti Chairman RC Bhargava urges unity, calls for standing up against US bullying
The Financial Express
MSIL Chairman RC Bhargava hopeful GST on small cars may be cut to 18%
New Delhi: The country’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), said it is hopeful that the Prime Minister's proposal will reduce the GST on small cars to 18%. MSIL chairman RC Bhargava said it is a matter of happiness that the Government has recognised that there are a large number of consumers at the lower end of the market, and they need some help in these difficult times.
📝 Need to have small cars to offer alternative to two-wheeler owners: Maruti Chairman
📝 Maruti Suzuki bets on GST cut to revive small car demand, cushion Trump tariffs
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Electric Car/SUV
Maruti Suzuki's EV export push: Why it may be a winning strategy for investors
The Maruti Suzuki India Ltd stock made another high of ₹14,895 on the NSE on Thursday after it finally entered the electric car manufacturing race. While some of the gains may have been in anticipation of the inauguration of its electric vehicle plant in Gujarat, the stock has rallied by 14% since 14 August on potential cuts in the goods and services tax rates.
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🚗 Luxury
2026 Audi Q3: Check out 5 key highlights and if it will arrive in Indian market…
Audi has officially taken the wraps off the third-generation Q3 globally, a model that has long been one of the brand’s bestsellers in the premium compact SUV category. With over 20 lakh units sold globally since its debut, the Q3 is now entering a new phase with sharper design cues, advanced technology, and electrified powertrains.
BMW India launches updated X5 with new off road, tech features at ₹1 crore
2025 BMW X5 launched with new variants, added features
The Financial Express
📝 Audi India dealers introduce Assured Buyback Programme to boost festive demand
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⛟ Commercial Vehicles
PPS trucking expands BharatBenz servicing network in Uttar Pradesh; inaugurates outlets at Ayodhya, Gorakhpur & Gorakhpur town
📝 Switch Mobility flags off first batch of 950 electric buses for Delhi
📝 How Ashok Leyland is rewiring the Indian factory
📝 GST 2.0 could boost CV demand, ease tax complexity: Ashok Leyland CFO
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🎤 Interviews & Features
Co-create to accelerate: Building agility and speed with supplier collaboration
Innovation in mobility begins at Day Zero – the stage where speed, cost, and precision are defined well before a product is launched. This episode explores how India’s mobility leaders are shaping the future by focusing on decisions made at the very start of the journey.
All systems in place for India’s semiconductor growth; entrepreneurs need to leverage this now: Murugappa Group’s Vellayan Subbiah
Front seat view: Luxury cars and bikes rev up for the festival season
This year’s festive season promises not just fireworks in the skies, but also on the roads. From limited-edition supercars to high-performance superbikes, luxury brands are lining up new launches, exclusive experiences, and finely crafted stories to capture the buoyant mood of India’s premium buyers.
📝 Planning to buy a used car? Key 6 tips you must keep in mind before making any deal
📝 2025 Renault Kiger facelift vs Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Price, engines compared
📝 Reinvention Mindset turns GCCs into HQ extensions
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🏍 EV/ICE Two Wheelers
India-Africa ties have vast potential: TVS chairman
📝 Premium two-wheelers poised to benefit from rural demand: Ajay Bagga
📝 Honda launches CB125 Hornet, Shine 100 DX in Chennai
📝 KTM 160 Duke vs Yamaha MT15: Engine specs, features & more compared
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⚙ Components
First ‘Made in India’ chip to come out CG Semi’s pilot line, says Ashwini Vaishnaw
At the inauguration of CG Semi Private Limited’s G1 Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) plant in Sanand, Gujarat on Thursday, Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the first ‘Made in India’ semiconductor chip will come from CG Semi’s pilot production line.
📝 India's $80 bn automobile components industry hunts new roads as Trump tariff hits exports
📝 Uno Minda shares surge 18% since August 6 following strong Q1 results
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🌇 Allied Industries
India’s EV charging app to skip personal data collection
New Delhi: India’s electric vehicle charging app will likely prioritise data privacy over personal data collection even as it is used to analyse user behaviour and charging patterns to help optimise services and innovation.
US tariffs: Tyre industry seek policy support to boost exports
Kochi: Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA) has voiced concern over the high US tariffs on tyre imports, saying that the move would put Indian exporters at a significant disadvantage vis-a-vis competing economies. Competing economies such as China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia continue to attract far lower tariffs, putting India at a distinct strategic disadvantage in its largest export market.
📝 Trump tariff to constrain Indian tyre makers to sustain competitive momentum in US: ATMA
📝 Not much tariff impact on steel companies: Narendran
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🌢 Fuels, Lubricants
Discounted Russian crude adds only 0.6% to India’s GDP, report finds
India's gains from importing discounted Russian oil are estimated to be just USD 2.5 billion per annum, significantly lower than the previously speculated range of USD 10-25 billion, a research report said on Thursday.
Bacancy to Revolutionize India's E-Mobility with the launch of its new B2B EV charging dispenser
📝 Synthetic lubricant penetration in India only 20%: Shell eyes growth with Helix Ultra
📝 India's Russian oil imports set to rise in September in defiance of US
📝 ‘No Helmet, No Fuel’ drive in UP raises alarm over fake helmet menace
📝 Skoda confirms E20 fuel compatibility for cars sold after April 2020
📝 Is E20 better for our tanks?
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💸 Finance & Insurance
BoB slashes car and mortgage loan rates
Mumbai: Bank of Baroda (BoB) has reduced car loan interest (floating) rates by 25 basis points, with the new rates now starting from 8.15 per cent against 8.40 per cent earlier. The public sector bank also reduced interest rates on mortgage loan (Loan Against Property) from 9.85 per cent to 9.15 per cent with immediate effect. The bank said the aforementioned reduction in interest rates is to mark the beginning of the festive season.
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📖 Magazines
Volvo XC70 plug-in hybrid SUV to have over 1,200km range
Volvo Cars has unveiled the new XC70 as a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) for the Chinese market. Previously, the ‘XC70’ name was associated with an off-road version of the Volvo V70 station wagon, but the 2025 model now marks a full-fledged SUV. The luxury carmaker’s PHEV will slot between the XC60 and XC90 SUVs.
Second-gen Volkswagen T-Roc breaks cover
Volkswagen has taken the wraps off the second-generation T-Roc, which could be the brand’s final combustion-engine vehicle, if market conditions allow. The Golf-based crossover gets an all-new look, bringing it in line with the larger Tiguan. It has a new interior that continues to rely on a touchscreen-based interface and a range of petrol and hybrid powertrain options.
New Volkswagen Golf R to get Audi’s 5-cylinder petrol engine
Volkswagen has begun developing its most powerful Golf yet, reports our sister publication Autocar UK. Set to make its debut in 2027 – to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Golf R – the new range-topper will be powered by Audi’s 2.5-litre 5-cylinder turbo-petrol engine found in the RS3.
VinFast VF6, VF7 prices to be revealed on September 6
VinFast India, the Vietnamese EV-only carmaker, will launch its first models in the country on September 6, 2025. The VinFast VF6 and VF7 are locally assembled models that roll out of the brand’s assembly plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. The first vehicle to be produced at the new factory was the VF7.
TVS Orbiter launched at Rs 99,900
TVS has just launched the latest addition to its electric scooter portfolio, the Orbiter, priced at Rs 99,900 (ex-showroom, Bengaluru; price inclusive of the PM e-Drive scheme). The Orbiter slots below the iQube, becoming the entry point into the company’s electric scooter range.
TVS Raider Deadpool, Wolverine editions launched at Rs 99,465
The TVS Raider SSE (Super Squad Edition) has been updated with two new colour options inspired by Marvel’s Deadpool and Wolverine. Priced at Rs 99,465 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the new schemes cost the same as the existing Iron Man and Black Panther editions.
KTM 160 Duke: FAQs on price, power and features
The KTM 160 Duke is the newest and most affordable entry into KTM’s lineup in India. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about it.
BMW X5 price increases with feature additions
The BMW X5 has received a feature update, with prices increasing by Rs 2.5 lakh uniformly across all four variants. The X5 is now priced from roughly Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.15 crore, up from Rs 97.80 lakh to Rs 1.125 crore. BMW India has also replaced the previously offered M Sport variant with an even sportier-looking M Sport Pro variant.
Skoda Vision O concept interior teased before debut next month
Skoda has teased the interior of the new Vision O concept ahead of its debut at the 2025 Munich motor show. Slated to be revealed on September 8, the Skoda Vision O concept is said to utilise the carmaker’s next-generation Modern Solid design language both outside and inside the cabin.
Top 6 questions about the Mercedes A Class Limousine answered
In India, the Mercedes A-Class Limousine serves as the entry point to the German brand's luxury car portfolio. Along with its price, it is natural to be curious about what type of features this accessible Mercedes-Benz sedan offers, as well as its engine options. Keep on reading as we answer those important questions and more about the A-Class Limousine.
Citroen Basalt announced as official safety car, medical car for JKNRC
Citroen India has announced a partnership with JK Tyre for the 28th edition of the National Racing Championship (JKNRC). Citroen will supply the championship with the Basalt coupe-SUV for safety car and medical car duties.
Hyundai teases new small Ioniq concept before Munich reveal
Ahead of its global debut at the Munich Motor Show next month, Hyundai has dropped the first teaser of an upcoming electric concept car. It could be called the Ioniq 2, the smallest in the Ioniq series so far, and is set to preview an electric alternative to the Bayon crossover. The production version of this is expected to twin with Kia’s upcoming EV2.
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📰 International
EU plans tariff cut on US industrial goods, expects lower duties on European cars
The European Commission proposed on Thursday removing tariffs on imported U.S. industrial goods, part of a trade agreement with the United States that should result in retroactive cuts to U.S. tariffs on European cars.
Vinfast delivers lac Hong fleet for international leaders at Vietnam's 80th national day celebration
Hanoi, Vietnam: VinFast has officially handed over a special fleet of Lac Hong 900 LX vehicles, built to serve international heads of state, to Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2, 1945 - September 2, 2025).
BYD Yangwang U9 becomes fastest EV on earth: Check out its top speed
BYD is not just making good-looking cars but also setting benchmarks for performance in the electric vehicle (EV) space. The Chinese EV brand has added a new feather to its hat. The company’s luxury sub-brand, Yangwang, recently took the Y9 Track Edition to a drag strip in Papenburg, Germany and recorded a new top speed for an EV.
📝 Ford recalls more than 355,000 pickup trucks over instrument display failure on the dashboard
📝 Volkswagen extends Amazon cloud partnership to save costs with AI
📝 UK car production rises for second consecutive month in July
📝 BMW CEO warns 'can't afford mistakes' ahead of full electric launch
📝 How Tesla and Waymo's radically different robotaxi approaches will shape the industry
📝 Russia: Moscow's electric bus fleet grows as driverless technology arrives
📝 UAW union says it wins vote at Ford JV battery plant in Kentucky
📝 Bridgestone made a tyre just for the Lamborghini Fenomeno. Check what’s special…
📝 VinFast VF6 and VF7 SUVs to launch on September 6
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