PMO meeting on CAFE-3: MoRTH to penalise carmakers under CAFE-2 with new method
New Delhi: In a significant development, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has asked the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and Ministry of Power (MoP) to work on a new mechanism for collecting penalties from carmakers under the CAFE-2 norms for financial year 2022-23 to FY2024-25.

2026 Volkswagen Taigun India facelift launching on April 9: Check new design, tech features and more
Volkswagen India is set to unveil the much-awaited facelifted version of its popular midsize SUV, the Taigun, on April 9, 2026. The update follows the launch of the updated Skoda Kushaq SUV, the sister car from the Volkswagen group, based on the same platform in India. The update to the Taigun comes at a time when the mid-size SUV segment in India sees a lot of action from new players, like the Tata Sierra, Kia Seltos, Renault Duster, and Maruti Suzuki Victoris.  This also marks the first major update to the Taigun since its launch in 2021, bringing cosmetic enhancements, upgraded interior, more technology, and possible mechanical upgrades, all in a bid to strengthen its position in the highly competitive segment.

Maruti’s 42-year reign as king of small cars ends in FY26
FY26 is officially the year when Maruti Suzuki ceased to be a hatchback car company. Sales data sourced from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) shows that, in the 11 months of FY26, the carmaker has sold 689,631  utility vehicles (SUVs plus MPVs), which is 60,673 units more than the 628,958 hatchbacks it sold during the same period. Just two years ago, in FY24, the carmaker’s hatchbacks (805,593 units) had a healthy lead of 163,297 units over UVs (642,296), but this reduced to 11,302 units in FY25 (731,486 hatchbacks versus 720,184 UVs). Finally UVs are set to beat hatchbacks in FY26.

‘We’re not blindly chasing No. 1 slot, want it to happen organically’: Hardeep Singh Brar, President & CEO, BMW India
With an industry-beating growth in 2025, notching up sales growth of 14% at 18,000 units year on year, German luxury carmaker BMW has been on high gears in the past four years—vrooming at an annual compounded growth rate (CAGR) of 28% since the pandemic or nearly trebling its volumes from 6,604 units in the Covid-hit 2020 to 18,001 units in 2025. Hardeep Singh Brar, President and CEO of BMW India, in an interaction with TNIE’s Benn Kochuveedan tells he is very sanguine about continuing the top-gear drive in the coming future.

The year of the midsize SUV
Vehicle Spotlights

The Future will remain Tech- Agnostic, Partho Banerjee, Sr. Ex Mktg and Sales Director, MSIL
Source Credit: The Financial Express (Delhi Print Edition)
 

TVS overtakes Ola to lead EV FY26 Two-Wheeler market; Bajaj, Ather follow
TVS Motor Company has emerged as the market leader in India’s electric two-wheeler segment for FY 26 with sales of around 330,145 units, followed by Bajaj Auto at 276,518 units and Ather Energy at 229,565 units, according to Vahan data seen by businessline.

Pune startup bets on ₹60,000 hybrid retrofit, undercutting ₹9 lakh Kawasaki bikes
As volatile crude prices and West Asia-linked supply jitters revive concerns over petrol costs, Pune-based startup ELESPA HEV is betting on a ₹60,000 hybrid retrofit to break into the mass market, undercutting premium global offerings such as Kawasaki’s ₹9 lakh hybrid motorcycles.

Omax Autos confirms cyber security incident on its IT infrastructure
Omax Autos announced that the company's IT department had initially suspected a cyber security incident on 26 March 2026, which has now been confirmed today as a ransomware attack on the company's IT infrastructure.

Auto component firms realign amid supply shocks
The automotive component industry is reworking sourcing strategies, logistics routes and production plans as geopolitical disruptions tighten supplies of energy and raw materials, raising costs and threatening exports.

Sodium-Ion Batteries to Give Freedom to Vehicle Owners, Income to Farmers
Hyderabad: Sodium-ion batteries are the final missing block that is required for India’s complete energy independence. These batteries are said to be a better alternative to the current ones that use lithium-ion, because these are safer, cheaper, less polluting and recharges quickly — are no longer in the experimental stage. Companies like CATL are already moving towards mass production, with commercial EV deployments expected from 2026 onwards. Several governments, especially China — are backing this shift to reduce dependence on lithium, cobalt and nickel supply chains. And India cannot afford to remain a passive adopter.

Oil prices jump after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis rebels attack Israel
Oil prices extended ​gains on Monday ​after Yemen's Iran-aligned ‌Houthis launched over the weekend their first attacks on Israel since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran, ‌widening the conflict in the Middle East.

'Reliance SEZ export duty clarity key under govt's fuel tax overhaul'
 

The fine print of car insurance
Buying a new car is a special experience. But it is also one where emotions take precedence, and logic can take a back seat. Somewhere in the process, insurance is introduced as just another checkbox. And what you sign in those few hurried minutes can shape your costs and coverage for years.