The A-Class Limousine will play a key role in strengthening Mercedes-Benz’s sedan portfolio and will be one of the key products to be introduced in India in 2020. It will appeal to a younger customer base that is looking for a very stylish saloon, with next generation telematics and infotainment systems combined with a high level of performance and plenty of space for passengers and luggage.

Mercedes-Benz unveiled also the sporty and stylish luxury SUV the new GLA, which had its world premiere in December 2019. The new GLA features an iconic design that redefines its class again. It combines masculine off-roader genes with Mercedes-Benz’s philosophy of sensual purity. The new GLA now has even more powerful proportions and stance that complements its SUV stance.

The new generation GLE ‘hip-hop’ was another product on display. It comes equipped with touch and AI-based voice control, which offers an unrivalled urban and off-road SUV experience.

The recently-unveiled EQC Edition 1886, gave visitors a glimpse of the ecosystem of services, technologies and innovations around electric mobility that can redefine the automotive sector.

Future Technologies

Mercedes-Benz and its largest R&D facility outside Germany, Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), made an impressive display of innovative products and the future of automobile technology at the Auto Expo. While Mercedes-Benz India launched the unique V-Class Marco Polo and Marco Polo HORIZON luxury vehicles in India and showcased the Volocopter which is the future of sustainable mobility, MBRDI highlighted the cutting-edge research work on Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) undertaken in Bengaluru and also wrapped up the Hackathon 2019. Martin Schwenk, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, launched Marco Polo, and together with Manu Saale, Managing Director and CEO, MBRDI, unveiled Volocopter, the mobility of the future.

Marco Polo: Marco Polo takes its body design from its base vehicle, the V-Class, giving an impression of unexpectedly generous space, nonetheless showing compact exterior dimensions. Thanks to powerful and efficient engines, the 9G-TRONIC suspension, and high safety standards, Marco Polo is suitable for long journeys though it is easy to drive/handle as a passenger car.

According to Manu Saale, “Luxury and technology are concepts that are so closely linked, that they represent two sides of the same coin. As automobile inventors and innovators, it is imperative for us to come up with breakthrough disruptions in the auto space that set new industry benchmarks while providing convenience, ease and a comprehensive portfolio of choices to our customers. Through our connected car technologies such as the MBUX, our latest concept car VISION AVTR and the trailblazing innovation of the Volocopter, we want to drive our customers into the future.”

Urban Air Mobility: Volocopter wrote history in 2011, when it completed the very first manned flight of an electrically- powered multi-copter. Since then the German company has demonstrated flights in Dubai, Singapore, and Stuttgart. The pioneers in the development of electrical air taxis that take off and land vertically (eVTOLs), Volocopter builds aircraft that are based on drone technology and carry two people. 

MBUX: At the Consumer Electronics Show 2019, Mercedes-Benz launched the new MBUX Interior Assist with its CLA Coupé. The intuitive controls system operates in non-contact mode and recognizes gestures and movements to create a smart and seamless experience for the user, both in sunlight and in complete darkness. Software experts from the Infotainment and Connected Car Department at MBRDI played a key role in the development of MBUX. (MT)

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Czech automaker Skoda Auto India has announced the expansion of its Rally Sport (RS) performance portfolio with the introduction of the all-new Kodiaq RS. Marking the first time Skoda’s performance badge has been applied to an SUV in the Indian market, the flagship model combines a three-row, seven-seat premium layout with a dedicated mechanical tune.

The company said official order books for the high-performance SUV are scheduled to open nationwide on 22 June 2026.

The core differentiator of the Kodiaq RS lies in its upgraded internal combustion hardware. The vehicle features a heavily revised iteration of the Volkswagen Group's EA888 engine architecture, tuned identically to the high-output configurations found in the global Octavia RS and Volkswagen Golf GTI.

The vehicle’s announcement follows a marketing campaign where Skoda Auto India’s entire active fleet – comprising the Kylaq, Kushaq, Slavia, standard Kodiaq and the limited-volume Octavia RS – established an official India and Asia Book of Record at the CoASTT circuit in Coimbatore. The group achieved the 'Fastest Multi-Car Relay of a Single Manufacturer on a Circuit' with a total combined lap time of 12:30.97.

The Kodiaq RS will arrive in the country via the Completely Built Unit (CBU) import route, serving as an elite flagship positioned above the locally assembled multi-tier Kodiaq lineup (Lounge, Sportline and L&K trims).

Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said, “The RS badge carries over 50 years of global performance legacy and a fiercely loyal following in India since the Octavia RS arrived more than two decades ago. The latest Octavia RS, launched last year, sold out in just 20 minutes, highlighting its cult status among enthusiasts. Now, we’re taking that legacy forward with the Kodiaq RS, our first-ever seven-seater in India to wear the iconic RS badge and the quickest Skoda yet in the country. It blends performance, space, and 4x4 capability into a bold, unmistakable expression of our racing DNA.”

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Kia India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has announced the final leg of its multi-city cultural partnership with HYBE INDIA, introducing the ‘Kia Vibe Studio’ experience to the national capital.

Designed to target Gen Z creators and premium lifestyle audiences, the activation will serve as a marketing anchor for the brand's latest mass-premium SUV, the 2026 Kia Syros.

The HYBE INDIA Pop-Up Park is scheduled to take place on 13–14 June 2026 at Yashobhoomi (IACC) in New Delhi. The event combines automotive showcase infrastructure with music, fandom and multi-format creator engagement zones.

The centrepiece of the activation is the Kia Vibe Studio, a specialised content creation pod built directly inside the cabin of the 2026 Kia Syros.

The integration allows visitors to record, edit and instantly download high-definition performance and lip-sync videos. By converting the stationary vehicle's acoustic interior, ambient lighting and connected infotainment hardware into an active studio space, the campaign positions the SUV as a tech-driven platform for self-expression.

The event serves as a prominent touchpoint for the 2026 Kia Syros, which features several upgrades designed for the Indian market, including an enhanced design with a more rugged SUV stance, muscular body panels and sports-themed trim configurations. Expanded accessibility to automatic gearboxes, including the introduction of a high-demand diesel automatic (AT) variant.

The SUV is built on a platform engineered for a 5-star Bharat NCAP (BNCAP) crash safety rating, featuring an optimised distribution of connected tech features across lower and mid-tier trims.

Following the public pop-up park event, HYBE INDIA will conduct on-ground talent auditions on 14 June 2026 at the Shangri-La Eros, Delhi. The talent scout marks part of an international entertainment initiative aimed at discovering, training, and launching India’s first global girl group under the K-pop blueprint.

The Delhi showcase concludes the regional ‘Pop-Up Park’ phase of the 10-city marketing campaign, which completed consecutive runs in Guwahati, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

While the experiential park footprint concludes in Delhi, the talent pipeline will continue across secondary markets. Auditions are scheduled to advance into Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Chandigarh, allowing Kia India to sustain its brand engagement with youth demographics nationwide.

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Italian supercar manufacturer Automobili Lamborghini has been awarded the ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best 2026’ accolade for its ultra-limited, ‘few-off’ hypercar, the Fenomeno. Honoured in the Product Design category, the prize represents the highest distinction in the global Red Dot evaluation, reserved for avant-garde projects that establish new benchmarks in visionary aesthetics and contemporary engineering.

The victory coincides with a milestone chapter for the brand, as the car was designed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Lamborghini Centro Stile. The official award ceremony is scheduled to take place on 7 July 2026, at the Aalto Theater in Essen, Germany.

The Fenomeno introduces an evolved corporate design language dubbed ‘hyper-elegant’ design, which strips back complex body panels to achieve formal purity while maximising functional on-track aerodynamics.

The supercar’s front fascia is heavily inspired by motorsport architecture. The front end utilises large racing-derived air intakes and a completely revised daytime running light signature modelled after the bull's horns found in the traditional Lamborghini corporate emblem. It subtly integrates the brand's iconic Y-shaped visual motifs, seamlessly connecting a low-slung carbon fibre front splitter to the headlamps.

The side profile and silhouette are defined by a single, continuous silhouette line running nose-to-tail, the design pays homage to the extended long-tail aerodynamics of the track-only Essenza SCV12. The car was displayed in a launch livery of Giallo Crius, a vibrant yellow hue that emphasises the vehicle’s upper body volumes against high-contrast, performance-oriented exposed carbon fibre elements below.

Beneath its custom carbon fibre bodywork, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) Fenomeno utilises a thoroughly reworked mechanical architecture derived from the Revuelto, establishing itself as the fastest road-going vehicle in Lamborghini’s history.

The vehicle balances its extreme power-to-weight ratio through specialized hardware, including an advanced 6D motion sensor that measures acceleration across six axes, race-derived firm dampers, and high-end CCM-R Plus carbon-ceramic brakes adapted directly from Lamborghini’s SC63 endurance race car.

The Fenomeno features a 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine with 3 electric motors, which produce a combined 1,080 CV (1,065 hp) – with the internal combustion engine contributing a record 835 CV on its own, making it Lamborghini's most powerful V12 ever produced. The vehicle can accelerate from zero to 100 kmph in a claimed 2.4 seconds, while a zero to 200 kmph can be attained in 6.7 seconds. It has a top speed of over 350 kmph. It features a class-leading weight-to-power ratio of 1.64 kg/CV.

The Fenomeno is strictly limited to 29 units globally for the coupe version (complemented by an even rarer 15-unit Roadster variant).

Mitja Borkert, Design Director, Automobili Lamborghini, said, “This valuable and renowned recognition confirms the direction of the design DNA we are shaping with the team at Lamborghini Centro Stile, and underscores our future strategy. Fenomeno is a manifesto of style that expands our design language once again in an unexpected way, going beyond expectations and continuing the bloodline of our successful few-off cars in an athletic and elegant way."

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Renault India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the French Renault Group, has announced the official ARAI-certified fuel efficiency for the new Duster Turbo TCe 100. The upcoming midsize SUV achieves a certified fuel economy of 19.41 kmpl, aiming to offer a balance of everyday performance and low fuel consumption.

The TCe 100 powertrain has been developed exclusively for the Duster line and features specific tuning to optimise thermal efficiency and power delivery. The SUV is built on Renault's all-new RGMP platform. The engine and drivetrain are comprehensively engineered to align with this advanced architecture's structural dynamics.

The turbocharged petrol engine produces a peak power output of 100 PS and 160 Nm of torque. Power is sent to the wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission, calibrated to deliver responsive performance and a smooth driving experience across varied road conditions.

Dr V. Vikraman, Chief of Renault Engineering at Renault Group India, said, “The ARAI-certified fuel efficiency reflects Renault’s focus on practical engineering and customer value. The Turbo TCe 100 engine uses turbocharging and efficient combustion to deliver responsive performance with strong fuel economy. With the 6‑speed manual transmission, the powertrain provides a balanced and efficient driving experience.”

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