Japanese automaker Nissan has announced senior management changes within its Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO) region to support its ‘Re:Nissan’ transformation plan.

Effective 1 January 2026, Thierry Sabbagh has assumed the role of Divisional Vice-President and President for the Middle East, KSA, CIS and India for both Nissan and Infiniti.

The expansion of Sabbagh’s remit marks India as a priority for the manufacturer. The company plans to launch three models in the Indian market over the next 14 to 16 months. These include the Gravite, the Tekton and a seven-seater C-SUV. To support these launches, Nissan is expanding its retail presence to 250 touchpoints across the country.

Massimiliano Messina, Chairperson AMIEO, Nissan, said, “The Re:Nissan plan is about transformation and customer-centricity. By empowering regional leadership, we are creating a more agile organization that can respond quickly to market dynamics and deliver competitive, compelling products. I am confident these changes will strengthen our performance and supercharge our progress in 2026 and I wish Thierry every success in his new role.”

Sabbagh added, “I am honoured to take on this expanded role at a pivotal time for Nissan. The Middle East and India are dynamic, fast-growing and continuously evolving markets, with significant opportunities ahead. I look forward to working closely with our talented teams and partners across the region to build on our strong foundations, accelerate growth and deliver meaningful value for our customers.”

Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said, “This is a significant moment for Nissan in India as we enter a new phase of growth. Having Thierry on board reinforces our confidence in the path ahead, and his experience and leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our market presence and delivering even greater value to our customers. This appointment further strengthens our leadership as we move from transformation to execution, with a clear focus on products, customers and sustainable growth.”

The restructure also follows the departure of Leon Dorssers, Senior Vice-President and Chief of Commercial Operations for Nissan AMIEO, who had been with the company since 1992. The new leadership team will oversee the rollout of new technologies and products, with the Gravite and Tekton scheduled for release in early 2026.

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Maruti Suzuki India has received a 5-star safety rating in Adult Occupant Protection and Child Occupant Protection under the Bharat New Car Assessment Program for its upcoming Brezza SUV.

The SUV includes six airbags as standard across variants, Electronic Stability Program with Hill Hold Assist, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Front Parking Sensors and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System. The certification marks Maruti Suzuki's fifth consecutive 5-star Bharat NCAP rating, joining the Dzire, Victoris, Invicto and e Vitara.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Brezza has been India’s highest selling Compact SUV since 2016 and a preferred choice for millions of customers. This 5-star Bharat NCAP rating reinforces the confidence customers place in the vehicle. The recognition for the new Brezza reflects our relentless focus on building safer vehicles for Indian roads. Safety is at the core of our vehicle design philosophy. By making 6 airbags as standard in 16 models and across 160 variants, we have democratized advanced safety, enabling more than 1.6 million new customers to benefit from advanced occupant safety in FY 2025-26, the highest in terms of industry volume. As customer expectations evolve, we remain committed to making advanced safety accessible across every segment, from entry-level models like Alto K10 and Celerio, to SUVs such as the new Brezza, Victoris, Jimny and Fronx.”

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Italian supercar maker Automobili Lamborghini has appointed Francesco Milicia as its new Marketing Director, effective 1 September 2026. He succeeds Christian Mastro, who has transitioned to the role of CEO of Automobili Lamborghini America.

Milicia brings experience from the automotive sector, having held roles at Ducati within the Volkswagen Group, including management positions in China, Managing Director of Ducati Motor Thailand, Purchasing Director and global responsibility for Sales & After Sales activities.

He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bologna and an MBA, with executive education from INSEAD, CEIBS and the London Business School.

Federico Foschini, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer of Automobili Lamborghini, said, "We welcome Francesco Milicia to Lamborghini as Marketing Director. His managerial experience, gained in an environment of excellence such as Ducati, combined with the international vision and strategic expertise he has developed throughout his career, will make a valuable contribution to the further strengthening of the brand's positioning and to supporting the development of our global marketing strategy."

Francesco Milicia, said, "Joining Automobili Lamborghini is an honour and a privilege. I have always admired the brand and I am thrilled to contribute to the journey of a company that inspires people around the world through innovation, audacity and uncompromising excellence. I look forward to working alongside the Lamborghini team, learning from their experience and contributing together to writing the next chapter of the brand's growth and success."

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German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz India has launched the Mercedes-AMG E 53 HYBRID 4MATIC+ in India, available in Performance and Racing Editions priced at INR 14.5 million and INR 14.8 million, respectively (ex-showroom).

The luxury sedan combines a 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine with an electric motor to deliver a system output of 430 kW (585 hp), which increases to 450 kW (612 hp) with the RACE START function, and 750 Nm of torque.

It has a claimed acceleration of zero to 100 kmph in 3.8 seconds and offers an electric-only range of more than 100 km (WLTP) via a 28.6 kWh battery.

Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “The E-Class has been the longest running nameplates in the Indian automotive industry and the AMG E 53 HYBRID 4MATIC+ underlines performance, practical usability and electric efficiency, making the E-Class portfolio truly unmatched. This performance sedan combines genuine AMG performance with plug-in hybrid’s efficiency, balancing an AMG customers need of racetrack performance with practicality of daily usage, perfectly. The AMG E53 Hybrid furthers our ‘powertrain agnostic’ strategy for India, where customers decide the powertrain of their choice, suiting their requirement.”

In addition to the vehicle launch, Mercedes-Benz India has announced a multi-year title partnership with the Indian Padel Tour for the 2026–27 season. The tournament series will feature 19 events across 11 cities, including five Grand Slam events, beginning in Mumbai in August 2026 and concluding in Bengaluru in June 2027. Customers purchasing the AMG E 53 Hybrid will receive direct entry into the Indian Padel Tour Grand Slam.

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Tata Motors-owned British luxury marque Range Rover has announced a fifth addition to its vehicle line-up: the Range Rover GT. It is the first all-electric Range Rover built on the EMA platform, manufactured in Halewood, UK.

The Range Rover GT will be available initially as a battery electric vehicle, with a hybrid electric vehicle option planned for later in the lifecycle. Prototype vehicles are undergoing on-road testing with a camouflage wrap.

The interior features a single screen design paired with a driver display, a concealed air vent running across the width of the cabin and a woven textile wrapping the dashboard.

Martin Limpert, Managing Director, Range Rover, stated, "The Range Rover GT will redefine the grand-touring segment with the ability to deliver beautiful and engaging GT poise, proportions and long-distance refinement while offering capabilities no conventional GT can match. We have spent the last few years working obsessively on the fundamentals of the GT formula, reinterpreted in a sophisticated, uniquely Range Rover way. The result is the most car-like, yet unmistakably capable, Range Rover ever created, now possible on our electrified EMA architecture – complementing our existing powertrain portfolio to deliver a complete set of options for every customer need. Its blend of effortless EV performance, first-class long-haul refinement and all-terrain capability is pure Range Rover; while its calming interior previews our vision of a modern grand tourer."

Further details will be released later in the year.

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