Olympic Gold Medalist Neeraj Chopra.

German luxury car brand Audi India has announced double-Olympic medallist and global javelin throw icon Neeraj Chopra as its new brand ambassador.

The German car brand stated that Chopra's renowned technique reflects Audi's core attributes: precision, determination and the drive to surpass limits. This partnership, spanning from the racetrack to the global stage, signifies a mutual vision for excellence. Following his Olympic Gold, Chopra has secured top finishes at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Championships and is set to compete for another medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head, Audi India, said, "At Audi, we stand for those who push boundaries - those who are not just defined by performance, but by the relentless pursuit of excellence. Neeraj Chopra is the embodiment of that spirit. Determined and iconic, his journey from ambition to achievement mirrors Audi’s progressive DNA. His focus, speed, and unmatched performance make him a natural extension of our brand - a symbol of what it means to lead, not follow."

Neeraj Chopra, stated, "I’ve always admired Audi - not just for the cars, but for what the brand stands for. As an athlete, these values resonate deeply with me. Whether it’s on the field or in life, the pursuit of excellence never stops. I’m excited to join the Audi family and represent a brand that inspires forward motion in everything it does."

This association not only celebrates a prominent figure in Indian sport but also underscores Audi’s dedication to aligning with individuals who champion innovation, resilience and evolution.

Karan Yadav, Chief Commercial Officer, JSW Sports, said, “All of us at JSW Sports are really happy to facilitate this association between Neeraj and Audi India, which is truly a landmark partnership for Indian sport and business. Audi is a car manufacturer that Neeraj really admires, and one whose vision as a brand aligns with that of his as an athlete. All our conversations with Audi have been very positive, and with Neeraj being one of India's finest athletes, I genuinely believe the potential of this partnership is limitless.”

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Kia India, a leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, has attained a new milestone in the country by inaugurating its 100th Kia Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) outlet in under three years. As part of its pre-owned car business, the company offers warranty coverage of up to 2 years/40,000 km, along with four complimentary periodic maintenance services.

At present, Kia India's CPO network is spread across 70 cities and represents nearly 60 percent of Kia India’s total retail footprint.

Joonsu Cho, Chief Sales Officer, Kia India, said, “Crossing the mark of 100 outlets milestone for our Certified Pre-Owned network within three years in India is a strong testament to the trust customers place in the Kia brand. In this short span of time, our CPO business has transformed into a strategic growth driver – powered by exceptional quality, reliability and trust. Through our exclusive, design-forward outlets and a fully digital experience, we are reshaping the pre-owned car market by offering customers the same confidence and convenience they associate with a new Kia vehicle. As we expand this network, our commitment remains focused on offering customer-centric solutions, long-term value, and a seamless ownership journey that reflects the Kia promise of movement that inspires."

As part of its focus on offering complete peace of mind to customers, the CPO offers 175-point quality check, and only vehicles meeting the criteria (under 100,000km), accidental structural damage free are certified.

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Spinny, a full-stack used car platform, has released its Q2 2025 trend report, highlighting key shifts in buyer behaviour, digital adoption and regional growth patterns across India’s used car market.

Online transactions continued to dominate, with 80 percent of its customers purchasing their vehicles digitally, up from 77 percent in Q1. While home deliveries declined slightly to 20 percent, hub-based pickups rose to 80 percent, with 60 percent of those happening through Spinny Parks. These delivery hubs have emerged as a preferred choice for customers seeking a showroom-like experience.

Car finance adoption grew to 58 percent in Q2, compared to 57 percent in Q1. The trend was led by salaried buyers, who made up 70 percent of the customer base. Coimbatore recorded the highest finance penetration, with over 65 percent of buyers opting for loans. Additionally, the Assured+ Warranty saw an attach rate of 30 percent by June, indicating growing interest in post-sale assurance.

Buyer demographics also reflected an evolving market. First-time buyers comprised 70 percent of purchases in Q2, down from 74 percent in Q1, signalling a rise in repeat and upgrade customers. The average buyer age increased from 32 to 34 years. Women accounted for 26 percent of buyers – slightly lower than the previous quarter’s 28 percent, but part of a sustained upward trend over recent years. Chandigarh recorded the highest proportion of women buyers at over 30 percent.

In terms of vehicle preferences, hatchbacks remained dominant among sellers, with 55 percent of the supply, led by Maruti Suzuki India models such as the WagonR, Baleno and Swift. SUVs accounted for 21 percent of inventory, with Chennai leading in SUV supply at 26 percent. Sedans made up 18 percent of total supply, with the Honda City, Amaze and Swift Dzire among the most sold.

On the buyer side, petrol vehicles remained the most popular, making up 82 percent of sales, while automatic transmission cars rose slightly to 30 percent, led by Mumbai at 35 percent. Pune and Bengaluru saw rising interest in hybrids and EVs.

Maruti Suzuki India and Hyundai Motor India maintained their top brand positions, while Tata Motors moved into third place, overtaking Honda Cars India. Among models, the Hyundai Grand i10, Renault Kwid and Maruti WagonR led sales. Blue emerged as a more popular car colour, overtaking red, while white and grey continued to dominate.

Luxury car sales grew significantly, particularly in tier 2 cities such as Jaipur, Coimbatore and Kochi, which saw over 30 percent growth in the segment. The most preferred models included the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA.

Spinny also noted that cars under three years old became increasingly popular, with demand rising from 18 percent in April to 25 percent in June. This was supported by its Assured+ programme, which offers a 3-year warranty.

Among city-specific insights, Bengaluru emerged as the fastest-growing market, Kochi led in home deliveries and Jaipur recorded the youngest average buyers at 31 years.

Looking ahead to Q3 2025, Spinny expects festive season demand during Onam and Diwali to boost sales further. The company anticipates continued growth in finance-led purchases, greater EV and hybrid adoption and further expansion of services tailored for women buyers.

Niraj Singh, CEO & Founder, Spinny, said, "India’s car buyers today are more confident, better informed and increasingly digital. We see a diverse market coming together through trust and transparency. Spinny continues to enable this journey – city by city, car by car."

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Renault India, a fully-owned subsidiary of  French carmaker Renault Group, has reaffirmed its long-term commitment for the domestic market with the launch of the all-new Renault Triber SUV at prices starting INR 629,995. The launch in India also marks the start of Renault’s new global ‘renault.rethink’ strategy.

While mechanically it remains unchanged, the company’s sub-4-metre 7-seater SUV now gets over 35 new features and is the first to sport the new Renault logo in India.

The vehicle is powered by a 1-litre, 3-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine, which continues to produce 72 PS at 6250 rpm and maximum torque of 96 Nm at 3500 rpm. It can also be had in a company-authorised CNG retrofitment option.

On the outside, it gets a new, completely redesigned front fascia, grille, hood, refreshed bumper, new LED projector headlamps with integrated LED DRLs and new LED fog lamps.

On the inside, the cabin sports a stylish dual-tone dashboard, 8-inch floating touchscreen display that supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The interior also includes new seat upholstery, a LED instrument cluster, LED cabin lighting, and blacked-out door handles.

At the rear, the new Triber showcases a redesigned bumper, updated LED tail lamps, a new skid plate, and stylish taillamp connecting embellisher.

The Triber continues to offer its modular seating with 3rd row Easy-Fix seats configurable as a 5-, 6- or 7-seater, complemented by upto 625-litres of boot space.

In terms of safety, the company claims that of the 24 total safety features available in the Triber, 21 features including 6 Airbags, ESP, TPMS, EBD with Brake Assist among others have been standardised. Further adding on the safety features is Front Parking Sensor, available for the first time in the segment.

Venkatram Mamillapalle, Managing Director, Renault India, said, “India remains a cornerstone of Renault’s global strategy, driven by a strong product pipeline, expanding export operations, and a renewed focus on customer satisfaction – exemplified by the launch of the all-new Triber. This model is also the first in India to proudly feature Renault’s new brand logo, symbolising the company’s bold, modern direction and deep alignment with Indian aspirations.”

He further added that “As a fully integrated operation with a manufacturing plant, R&D centre, and design studio based in India, Renault continues to develop and produce vehicles tailored specifically for Indian customers — truly by India, for India. The new Triber is over 90% localized, underscoring Renault’s long-term commitment to the Indian market.”

Francisco Hidalgo, Vice-President (Sales & Marketing), Renault India, said, “The Triber has always reflected our deep understanding of the evolving needs of Indian families – blending smart engineering, modularity and exceptional premium value. With the all-new Triber, we continue to champion our ‘rethink space’ philosophy, offering India’s most spacious sub-four metre car, now with a fully renewed design and features. This launch brings the spirit of renault. rethink. to life in the most tangible way, and we are confident it will further accelerate our momentum and strengthen Renault’s footprint in India.”

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has commenced admissions for the first batch of its newly established Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM) at Master Atul Government ITI in Sonipat, Haryana.

The institute, set to begin operations in September 2025, will offer over 100 seats across four courses – Mechanic Motor Vehicle (MMV), Machinist, Welder and Fitter.

JIM Sonipat has been developed with an investment of INR 100 million from Maruti Suzuki India and is affiliated with the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) and accredited by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

The training will follow a dual system combining theoretical education with on-the-job learning. The curriculum will include modules on safety, quality, discipline, kaizen and other Japanese manufacturing practices relevant to the automotive sector.

Gaurav Gautam, Minister of State for Youth Empowerment & Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge), Sports (Independent Charge), and Law & Legislative, said, “Maruti Suzuki's commitment to skill development in Haryana through its state-of-the-art JIMs at Uncha Majra and now at Sonipat is truly commendable. By training youth and equipping them with industry-relevant skills, the Company is paving the way for their brighter future and contributing to Haryana's development and economic growth. This is in line with the Prime Minister’s ‘Skill India Mission’ and I applaud Maruti Suzuki’s efforts in this space.”

Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs at Maruti Suzuki India, added, “We are committed to supporting the Government of India’s ‘Skill India Mission’ by training youth and making them industry ready. After setting up our first JIM in Haryana at Uncha Majra, we are thankful to the Government of Haryana for providing us the opportunity to set up the second JIM in the state. We are confident that both JIMs will prepare the students for opportunities across the automobile ecosystem and contribute to progress of Haryana.”

“By incorporating principles of safety, quality, and the acclaimed Japanese practices of discipline and continuous improvement, JIM Sonipat will not only enhance employability but also inculcate progressive work ethic among the students,” added Bharti.

Under the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement, the Haryana government has provided the land and building for JIM Sonipat, while Maruti Suzuki India has handled the infrastructure upgrade, installed equipment and a working assembly line for real-world simulation, developed training content and will manage day-to-day operations.

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