McLaren Automotive has appointed Kemal Curic as Chief Design Officer with effect from April 2026. As a new member of the Executive Leadership Team, Curic will guide the overall design vision and creative strategy for the entire McLaren Automotive range. His appointment marks a significant step in strengthening the brand’s future direction.

Bringing over 20 years of international automotive design expertise, Curic has worked extensively on both high performance and luxury vehicles. He joins McLaren following a tenure at Ford Motor Company, where he served as Global Design Director for Performance Vehicles and was responsible for some of the industry’s most celebrated performance car designs. His career reflects a consistent ability to honour a brand’s heritage while pushing design boundaries.

In his new position at McLaren, Curic will oversee all design disciplines, including interiors, exteriors, colour and materials as well as digital design. He will collaborate closely with engineering and product strategy teams to ensure McLaren continues to set benchmarks in lightweight construction, high performance and emotionally compelling luxury vehicles. Known for successfully evolving iconic cars without losing their essence, Curic’s grasp of performance DNA and his talent for blending innovation with brand authenticity make him an exceptional fit for the company.

Curic said, “McLaren is one of the most respected and aspirational brands in the world. I’m excited to be part of their journey to help shape the design vision of a company so deeply rooted in engineering excellence and racing heritage. I look forward to working with the talented teams at McLaren to create the next generation of breathtaking, purpose‑driven cars.”

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Kia Europe has appointed Christophe Mandon as Vice President for Sales and Ownership Experience with effect from 13 April 2026. Reporting directly to Chief Operating Officer Sjoerd Knipping, Mandon will play a key part in advancing the company’s electrification efforts across Europe while also strengthening how Kia engages with its customers throughout their ownership journey.

Mandon arrives at Kia Europe following a successful tenure as Vice President at Kia France, where he led commercial and customer focused strategies in a challenging market. With 28 years of automotive experience, he has held senior leadership positions across France, the Netherlands, Spain, Morocco and Germany, covering regions in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

His extensive background includes key roles at Citroën and Groupe PSA. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Global Sales for Opel and Vauxhall at Stellantis in Germany, bringing deep cross brand and international expertise to his new position at Kia Europe.

Mandon said, “As Kia continues its transformation in Europe through electrification and digitalisation, strong sales performance and an outstanding customer experience are increasingly important. My focus is on supporting the European markets in achieving sustainable sales growth while delivering a seamless experience for customers at every touchpoint.”

Knipping said, “At Kia, customers are at the heart of our European business strategy. Christophe brings extensive international sales leadership experience and a strong understanding of evolving customer expectations. His leadership will be key to accelerating our commercial performance and further strengthening the ownership experience for Kia customers across Europe.”

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Renault India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has started nationwide customer deliveries of the new Renault Duster SUV.

The first Renault Duster SUV was handed over in Chennai by François Provost, CEO, Renault Group and Stephane Deblaise, CEO of Renault Group in India. The commencement of deliveries follows a period of growth for the subsidiary, which reported a 77 percent increase in sales in March 2026.

The event coincided with the opening of a new 'R store' on Mount Road in Chennai. The facility is spread across 4,500 sqft featuring a 3,000 sqft interaction area and a dedicated delivery bay.

This is the second such store in Chennai and the 11th in India. Renault plans to expand this experiential retail format to 70 outlets across the country within the year, supplementing its existing network of more than 350 sales points.

To support the launch, Renault is offering the Renault Forever programme, which provides vehicle coverage for up to seven years or 150,000 km. The company attributes its recent sales momentum to the introduction of the Duster alongside the updated Kiger and Triber models. The brand aims to utilise the new retail format to provide a different customer interaction model in urban markets.

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Italian supercar brand Ferrari has concluded its first national test drive event in India, hosting the Esperienza Ferrari and Passione Ferrari weekend at the Buddh International Circuit.

The event allowed participants to operate various models on the circuit, including the recently introduced 849 Testarossa, the 296 GTB, the 12Cilindri and the Amalfi.

The programme included the Club Challenge Experience, where guests drove the track-developed 296 Challenge and 488 Challenge models. During the Passione Ferrari segment, existing owners were permitted to drive their own vehicles on the Formula 1-grade track.

Technical sessions held during the weekend focused on the brand's hybrid technology and electrification strategy, specifically regarding the 296 and SF90 ranges.

This gathering represents a move by Ferrari to increase its presence in the Indian luxury market. The event combined track activities with hospitality and technical briefings intended to provide owners and prospective clients with insight into the brand's engineering and motorsport-derived systems.

The initiative follows a period of growth in the Indian performance car sector, where manufacturers are increasingly using circuit-based events to demonstrate vehicle capabilities. Ferrari utilised the occasion to highlight the integration of performance and electrification within its current product line-up.

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Japanese passenger vehicle manufacturer Nissan Motor India (NMIPL) has opened 54 customer touchpoints across the country during the first quarter of CY2026.

The expansion includes a combination of 3S (Sales, Service, and Spare Parts), 2S and 1S facilities as part of the company's strategy to reach 400 touchpoints by the end of FY2027.

This growth coincides with a period of increased sales for the manufacturer. In March 2026, Nissan recorded cumulative sales of 10,388 units, with domestic wholesales accounting for 4,408 units. This represents a 98 percent growth in domestic wholesale compared to the previous year and the highest monthly domestic figure for the company in five years. Export volumes for the same month stood at 5,980 units.

The network development is intended to support a product offensive that includes the Nissan Gravite and the upcoming Nissan Tekton and a seven-seater C-SUV. The expansion follows the established market presence of the Nissan Magnite. The new facilities are built to global retail standards and are intended to improve brand accessibility across various Indian regions.

Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said, “The opening of 54 new customer touchpoints across India in Q1 2026 marks an important milestone in Nissan’s growth journey in India. As we strengthen our product portfolio with the launch of the all-new Nissan Gravite, soon to be launched all-new Nissan Tekton & C-SUV 7-seater along with our popular New Nissan Magnite; network expansion continues to be a critical pillar of our strategy. This growth underlines our commitment to improving accessibility, enhancing customer reach, brand experience while progressing towards our goal of 400 touchpoints by the end of FY2027.”

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