Luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz has commenced the local production of its highly-anticipated all-new Long Wheelbase (LWB) E-Class. Touted as the most advanced E-Class till date in India, the sixth generation LWB E-Class will roll out from the company’s production facility in Chakan, Pune, in line with the company’s commitment to ‘Make in India, for India’. The new luxury sedan is slated for its India debut on 9 October 2024.

The local production of the new LWB E-Class demonstrates the growing trend towards digitisation and customisation. This is made possible by the constant and smooth knowledge transfer between the Indian operations in Pune and the 'E-Class production competence centre' in Sindelfingen, Germany. The new LWB E-Class has successfully passed extensive testing covering a range of criteria, including BS 6-2 emission tests, crash tests, pedestrian protection tests and equipment tests, and has been awarded the CMVR Type Approval (Homologation) Certificate by ARAI.

The new LWB E-Class is equipped with the MBUX super-screen with 2-stage blocking system for the passenger screen, allowing the driver a hassle-free driving experience while the front passengers enjoy their entertainment. It also features a centre airbag – installed in the seat cushion on the driver's seat – designed to protect the driver and front passenger from colliding in the unfortunate event of a side collision.

Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “Long Wheelbase (LWB) new E-Class is the most successful luxury business saloon in India, and we are excited to commence its local production. Mercedes-Benz continues to offer world-class products for Indian customers with local value addition, and the LWB E-Class strongly underscores our pioneering spirit of making in India. We are confident the ‘Made in India, for India’ new LWB E-Class will continue its popularity with discerning customers, setting new standards in luxury, intuitive technology and safety in the Indian automotive landscape.”

Vyankatesh Kulkarni, Executive Director and Head of Operations, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “Mercedes-Benz started its India journey with the E-Class in 1995, and till date, it remains a key product in our local production portfolio. The start of local production of the new Long Wheelbase E-Class is an important milestone, reiterating Mercedes-Benz India’s world-class manufacturing capabilities, flexibility and digitalisation. With this new LWB E-Class, we have further deepened and expanded our localisation footprint by sourcing various commodities from India, emphasising our dedication to the ‘Make in India’ initiative. We are immensely proud of our expert team who are highly skilled, motivated and agile in manufacturing both world-class ICE and BEV products as per market requirements.”

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Maruti Suzuki India has been awarded a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating for its e Vitara, marking a moment for the company's electric vehicle strategy.

The e Vitara is built on Suzuki’s Heartect-e platform designed for electric vehicles to deliver strength, structural rigidity and advanced high voltage protection. The ‘Made-in-India, Made-for-the-World’ e Vitara is designed and tested for temperature conditions across the world, ensuring performance from as high as 60deg Celsius to as low as -30deg Celsius. The model is offered with 49 kWh and 61 kWh battery options.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, said, “Congratulations to Maruti Suzuki for achieving 5-star Bharat NCAP in both adult and child occupant protection for their e Vitara. I am especially glad that Maruti Suzuki has shown real leadership in providing 7 airbags as a standard across all variants of the e Vitara.”

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The 5-star Bharat NCAP rating for e Vitara, our first Battery Electric Vehicle, is a moment of immense pride for all of us at Maruti Suzuki. Using the Bharat NCAP 5-star rating, we will export the e Vitara to more than 100 countries of the world. Bharat NCAP’s globally benchmarked stringent vehicle test protocols have been a catalyst in empowering customers to make informed decisions. I thank the Minister Gadkari, the officials in his Ministry and test agencies for their rigorous efforts and commitment in shaping India’s journey towards safe mobility.”

The e VITARA’s body structure uses more than 60 percent ultra-high tensile and high-tensile strength steel. Its battery protection system incorporates a structural design with an energy-absorbing battery pack mounting structure.

Key safety features include 7 standard airbags (including the Driver's knee airbag), Level 2 ADAS (Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control), Hill Hold Control, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and a 360-degree Surround View Camera.

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Mahindra has marked a major milestone in its nationwide electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure expansion with the inauguration of its first dealership-based ultrafast charger – a 180 kW Charge_IN station.

This is the first of many such installations planned across Mahindra dealerships, forming a key pillar of the company’s commitment to building India’s ultrafast charging network.

This initiative scales up Mahindra’s Charge_IN ecosystem, complementing the 250 highway fast-charging stations already announced. The new 180 kW ultrafast chargers will enable EV users to charge quickly and conveniently at strategically located dealerships across the country, with 24x7 on-ground support.

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Hyundai Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has reported wholesales of 66,840 units in November 2025, up 9.1 percent YoY as against 61,252 units last year.

This includes domestic sales of 50,340 units, up 4 percent YoY and exports of 16,500 units, up 27 percent YoY.

Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director & Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor India, said, “Supported by GST 2.0 reforms, we continue to carry forward sales momentum with a year-on-year growth in our monthly domestic sales in November 2025. Further, our commitment to bolstering India’s role as a global manufacturing hub is further solidified with 26.9% year-on-year growth in monthly exports.”

He further added that the all-new Hyundai Venue SUV, the company's first software-defined vehicle in India, has received more than 32,000 bookings within a month of its launch. The new Venue features ccNC infotainment powered by Nvidia.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has announced its wholesales for November 2025, reporting total sales of 33,752 units, up 28 percent YoY.

This includes 30,085 units sold in the domestic market and 3,667 units exported.

Varinder Wadhwa, Vice-President, Sales–Service–Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “Following a positive festive season supported by the government’s progressive GST reforms, we continue to witness a strong momentum, with a growth of 19 percent. The recent introduction of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder Aero Edition and Fortuner Leader Edition has also continued to help us reinforce this growth trajectory, receiving recognition across the country. The innovative initiatives such as the Drum Tao and the launch of the toyota experiential museum (tem) in Bangalore, have been highly appreciated, further strengthening customer engagement and brand connect.”

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