Skoda Auto India has achieved its highest-ever annual sales volume within the first 10 months of 2025, setting a record for the year marking its 25-years in the country. The company sold 61,607 cars between January and October 2025, beating its previous annual record of 53,721 cars sold in CY2022.

Adding to this annual milestone, Skoda Auto India also recorded its highest-ever monthly sales in October 2025 with 8,252 units sold.

The growth, the company attributed, was driven by its first-ever sub-4 metre SUV, the Kylaq, with sales of nearly 40,000 units since its launch this year. The Kodiaq, the brand’s flagship 4x4, along with the Kushaq and Slavia, maintained contributions to the volume. The high-performance Octavia RS also contributed, selling out within 20-minutes of its launch. Skoda has now sold over 200,000 locally produced cars – the Slavia, Kushaq and Kylaq.

Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said, “We began the year 2025 with the intent to significantly strengthen the brand and surge ahead in India. This milestone of our ‘biggest sales ever’ is a testament to the strength of purpose, clarity of vision and agility of execution, all of which are pivotal to our surge in India. Our product offensive, culturally relevant communication, network expansion to 318 Customer Touchpoints, and increased presence in new geographic regions, are other landmarks that have fuelled our 25th anniversary to be our biggest year in India.”

Skoda has expanded its network to 318 Customer Touchpoints across 180 cities. The brand plans to increase the total sales and aftersales workforce at its dealers by 50 percent to over 7,500 by the end of 2025, alongside an investment of over 25,000 training days to enhance aftersales quality. India is also the first market for Skoda Auto globally to complete 100 percent rebranding of its entire network with the updated Corporate Identity and Design.

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CEER, Saudi Arabia’s first electric vehicle (EV) brand and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), has signed 16 commercial agreements valued at over SAR 3.7 billion (USD 996.90 million). The deals were announced at the 4th PIF Private Sector Forum, following SAR 5.5 billion (USD 1.4 billion) in agreements secured at the previous year's event.

The partnerships are part of a localisation strategy that aims to source 45 percent of vehicle materials and components from Saudi companies by 2034. The supply chain will support CEER’s production plan of seven models over the next five years.

The agreements cover a range of essential automotive components and services:

• Fluids and Plastics: Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) will supply windshield washer fluid and EV coolants. Zamil Trade & Services and Zamil Plastics will provide brake fluids and aerodynamic covers.
• Materials and Polymers: NSSPC is contracted for PP resin and polymer compounds, while KK Nag will provide Expanded Polypropylene (EPP).
• Engineering and Infrastructure: Mino will install steel Body Shop equipment. FEV and AVL will provide engineering services.
• Manufacturing: MK Tron will produce small stampings, window regulators, and door hinges. FPI will supply front-end modules and XYG will provide glazing solutions.
• Chemicals and HVAC: Sika is contracted for structural adhesives and cavity baffles, while AITS will work on HVAC localisation.

The project is expected to contribute SAR 30 billion (USD 8 billion) to Saudi GDP by 2034 and improve the trade balance by SAR 79 billion (USD 21 billion). CEER estimates the creation of 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, aligning with the industrial diversification goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

James DeLuca, CEO, CEER, said, “These agreements are a cornerstone of CEER's wide and deep localisation strategy, which targets sourcing 45 percent of vehicle materials and components from Saudi companies by 2034. Our approach goes beyond mere assembly, we are utilising local raw materials and empowering Saudi companies to become global suppliers, directly contributing to Vision 2030’s mission to diversify the national automotive industry and drive sustainable economic growth.”

“These agreements represent a major step in building a comprehensive automotive ecosystem in the Kingdom. By using local materials and resources, attracting advanced technology and foreign investment, and localising the production of heavy and labour-intensive components, we aim to reduce CO2 emissions and create meaningful job opportunities for Saudi nationals,” added DeLuca.

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Cars24 has unveiled a refreshed brand identity, moving from its original transactional focus towards a car ownership ecosystem.

Founded in 2015, the company originally utilised an all-caps logo – CARS24 – to establish a presence in a fragmented market. The updated identity shifts the name to sentence case, Cars24, which the company states reflects maturity and a focus on trust.

The core of the redesign features an open circular logo. According to the company, this form represents the continuity of car ownership, where vehicles change hands and user needs evolve. The open shape is intended to signal flexibility rather than closure.

The brand has also replaced its traditional blue with a brighter shade. This ‘younger blue’ is intended to make the brand appear more attentive and human as it scales its operations.

The identity update was the result of over 1,200 hours of design and iteration. The goal of the project was to create a look that remains relevant as the company expands its services beyond buying and selling into broader ownership systems.

Vikram Chopra, Founder & CEO, Cars24, said, “When we started, being loud helped. But as the company and the team grew up, the work started speaking for itself. This change is about reflecting who we are today, calmer, more human and focused on earning trust over time.”

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has reported the dispatch of over 585,000 vehicles using the railway network in CY2025, which marked an 18 percent growth compared to CY2024.

Over the last decade, the company's use of rail for outbound logistics has risen from 5.1 percent in 2016 to approximately 26 percent in 2025. The shift aims to reduce carbon emissions, oil imports and road congestion.

In 2025, Maruti Suzuki India inaugurated an in-plant railway siding at its Manesar facility. The company also became the first manufacturer to dispatch vehicles to the Kashmir valley using the railway bridge over the Chenab river.

Combined dispatches from in-plant sidings at Gujarat and Manesar accounted for 53 percent of the company's total rail volumes during the year. The manufacturer currently employs 45 flexi-deck rakes, with each train capable of transporting approximately 260 vehicles.

The company was the first automaker to receive an Automobile-Freight-Train-Operator (AFTO) license in 2013. Since FY2014-15, it has transported more than 2.8 million vehicles to 600 cities using a hub-and-spoke model.

Hisashi Takeuchi, MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The year 2025 marks our highest-ever rail dispatch, with over 585,000 units. During the year, we strengthened our green logistic efforts through two landmark events – the inauguration of India’s largest automobile in-plant railway siding at our Manesar facility and second was we dispatched vehicles by rail to Kashmir valley through the world's highest railway arch bridge over Chenab river, a first by any automobile manufacturer. Our mid-term goal is to increase rail-based vehicle dispatches to 35 percent by FY 2030-31, contributing to India’s net-zero ambition by 2070. Maruti Suzuki India has adopted a comprehensive ‘Circular Mobility’ approach to sustainability, aiming to reduce its carbon footprint across the entire vehicle lifecycle – from design and production to logistics and end-of-life vehicle (ELV) management.”

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Japanese automotive major Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has announced a restructuring of its executive leadership and Board of Directors. The changes to the executive structure will take effect on 1 April 2026, while board appointments remain subject to the 122nd Ordinary General Shareholders' Meeting.

Koji Sato, currently President and Member of the Board of Directors, will transition to Vice Chairman and the newly created role of Chief Industry Officer (CIO). Kenta Kon, currently Operating Officer, has been appointed as the incoming President and Chief Executive Officer.

Under this structure, Sato will oversee industry collaboration and external relations. Kon will lead internal management, focusing on company-wide reforms and value chain integration.

The board cited the need for decision-making in a changing environment as the primary driver for the move. Sato’s role as CIO reflects his responsibilities as Chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) and Vice Chair of Keidanren (Japan Business Federation). These positions require him to lead policy proposals and industry-wide coordination to maintain international competitiveness.

The appointment of Kenta Kon as CEO follows his tenure as Chief Financial Officer, where he managed efforts to lower break-even volumes and improve the company's earnings structure. His experience at Woven by Toyota is expected to support the company’s transition into a mobility-focused organisation.

The board determined that Sato’s external commitments as a coordinator for the Japanese automotive industry required a structure that separates industry-level leadership from day-to-day corporate operations. The proposal for the new personnel structure was approved during a board meeting on 6 February.

The transition aims to improve Toyota’s earning power and strengthen partnerships within and beyond the automotive sector.

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