After weeks of the nationwide lockdown and partial lifting of restrictions across the country, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) announced the restarting of its production in its manufacturing plant in Bidadi, Bangalore. The production will resume from May 26, 2020 in a phased manner, in concurrence with the directives of both, the State and the Central Governments. The Company officials are closely monitoring and evaluating the situation to gradually ramp up operations. More than 290 Toyota dealerships in the country are partially operational and close to 230 Toyota service outlets are also operational nationally, providing services by prioritizing domains like spare parts supply in response to the market needs where service activities have already started.

Sharing his thoughts on the production recommencement, Raju B. Ketkale, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “We are thankful to the Government for resuming operations of industries. We would also like to express our heartiest gratitude towards our supplier and dealer partners, as well as our trusted employees who have worked very hard to help us resume operations. While restarting operations we have deliberately been very circumspect to take some more time, owing to the fact that we wanted to take extra precautions so as to ensure that both the workplace and its surrounding are safe for us to resume work. The physical and mental well-being of our employees is of utmost importance to us and we do not want to jeopardize the same at any cost. As you are aware, we have come up with a revised set of guidelines to work by and we have be rerunning the ‘Restart Manual’ to ensure successful implementation of the same, before our workforce resumes office. In order to minimize the number of employees at the work place, most of our office employees will still continue to work from home for some more time.

As a part of our recommencement approach, we have also introduced various safety initiatives at our dealerships, keeping in mind the safety and well-being of our dealer staff, who are at the frontline as well as our customers. Additionally, we have started operating our service outlets so as to be able to support our customers with any of their service and spare parts requirements. Toyota Kirloskar Motor places highest priority to the safety and well-being of its stakeholders by adopting the ‘Safety and Health First’ approach, and has taken every necessary precaution before restarting operations.”

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Jaguar has unveiled the Type 01, a four-door electric grand tourer, during a premiere event in New York. The model marks the start of the manufacturer's product architecture overhaul, with customer orders scheduled to open in early 2027 and initial deliveries expected in the second half of that year.

Designed, engineered and built in the United Kingdom, the Type 01 features a low roofline, long bonnet silhouette and aerodynamically focused body panels. Built on the bespoke Jaguar Electric Architecture, the 850-volt system produces over 1,000 PS of power. The electric vehicle provides an estimated 400-mile range under EPA testing standards, with 350kW rapid-charging capabilities adding 200 miles of range in 13 minutes.

During the event, Jaguar named actor Florence Pugh as the brand ambassador for its new product phase. The unveiling at STORIED in West Chelsea included displays detailing the vehicle's production engineering, structural panel development and testing protocols.

Rawdon Glover, Managing Director, Jaguar, said, "From its dramatic design to its captivating drive, Type 01 distils the essence of Jaguar into a luxury grand tourer for a new era. Type 01 is the foundation of this British brand, one that makes no compromise between design and engineering in our quest to create objects of desire, just as it was in the days of the E-type and XJS."

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Honda Cars India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has unveiled the updated Elevate SUV, featuring styling updates, interior additions and expanded safety technology.

Interestingly, India is the first market to launch the updated vehicle globally, representing the third of six product launches planned by the manufacturer for the current financial year.

The Elevate SUV gets a redesigned mesh grille with gloss black upper moulding, revised position light elements, gloss black trim on the lower bumper and side garnishes and a full-width connected tail lamp setup.

It features 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and retains its vehicle dimensions, measuring 4,312 mm in length, 1,790 mm in width and 1,650 mm in height, with 220 mm of ground clearance and a 2,650 mm wheelbase. A new exterior paint finish, Nordic Forest Pearl, has been added to the palette.

The Elevate continues to be powered by a 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine generating 89 kW (121 PS) and 145 Nm of torque, paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or a continuous variable transmission. Fuel economy is rated at 15.31 kmpl for the manual version and 16.61 kmpl for the automatic. The model is offered across five trim levels – SV, V, VX, ZX and ZX+ – with ex-showroom Delhi prices ranging from INR 1.18 million for the base manual variant to INR 1.84 million for the top-spec automatic.

On the inside, the SUV features a dual-tone ivory and black cabin layout, orange ambient lighting, ventilated front and rear seats, power-adjustable front seats and an electric sunroof.

Technology updates include a 360-degree camera system, front parking sensors, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment display, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, an air quality indicator and wireless smartphone integration. The safety suite adds low-speed follow functionality to its camera-based advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) on automatic variants, alongside standard features such as six airbags, vehicle stability assist and electric parking brake.

Toshiyuki Yanagisawa, President & CEO, Honda Cars India, said, "The Honda Elevate has established a strong connection with customers through its confident design, versatility and enjoyable driving experience. With the New Elevate, we are taking this character forward with a much bolder expression and significant enhancements across design, comfort, technology and convenience. Being the lead market for its sales, India is the first country to launch the New Elevate globally. Its bolder, more rugged styling and enhanced premium features are designed to meet the evolving aspirations of today’s SUV buyers. This is the third of our six key launches planned for this financial year. We expect the New Elevate to play a key role in driving our momentum during the ongoing festive season and strengthening our product portfolio offering customers more exciting choices."

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Czech automaker Skoda Auto India has announced pricing for the updated Slavia sedan, starting at INR 999,900 (ex-showroom) for the base Classic manual variant to INR 1.88 million for the top-spec Monte Carlo 1.5 TSI automatic model.

The Slavia is built on the MQB-A0-IN platform and is available across six trim levels: Classic, Classic+, Signature, Sportline, Prestige and Monte Carlo. The deliveries are set to commence next week, with an additional Cappuccino Beige colour variant scheduled for release in December 2026.

The sedan retains its existing petrol powertrain options, offering a 1.0-litre TSI engine paired with either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission. On the other hand, the 1.5-litre TSI engine variant is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and includes rear disc brakes.

Exterior updates include redesigned light units, revised front and rear sections, sequential rear indicators, and new alloy wheel options.

On the inside, the Slavia gets a rear-seat massage function on higher trim levels, alongside a 360-degree camera system, front and rear parking sensors and a digital instrument cluster measuring up to 26.03 centimetres.

The 25.6-centimetre infotainment system incorporates a voice assistant powered by Google Cloud's Automotive AI Agent, supporting wireless smartphone integration. Safety equipment includes six airbags and standard electronic assistance systems across the range, maintaining its 5-star rating from Global NCAP testing.

Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said, “The Slavia has become an important part of Skoda Auto India’s sedan legacy, bringing together the design, driving experience, safety and engineering that customers associate with our brand. The new Slavia builds on that strong foundation with a more striking presence, greater comfort, smarter technology and an all-new eight-speed automatic. That is the essence of Says it All: a sedan that does not ask customers to choose between aspiration and practicality, performance and comfort, or technology and peace of mind. It brings these strengths together in one confident, complete package, making the sedan experience even more relevant and desirable for a new generation of customers.”

The vehicle comes with a four-year or 100,000-kilometre warranty, four years of roadside assistance and four routine labour-free services. Warranty coverage can be extended up to six years.

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German luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz India has launched the Mercedes-Maybach S 580e 4MATIC, introducing a plug-in hybrid powertrain to its Maybach range in India at INR 33.5 million. The company has introduced the Maybach S 580e with an initial allocation limited to 30 units. 

It combines a 3.0-litre petrol engine delivering 443 hp and 560 Nm of torque with an electric motor producing 160 hp and 480 Nm. Together, the system generates a total output of 585 hp and 750 Nm of torque via a nine-speed transmission and all-wheel drive.

Powered by a 22 kWh usable battery, the saloon provides a WLTP-certified electric range of up to 98 km and reaches 100 kmph in 4.8 seconds, with a top speed limited to 250 kmph. Charging options include up to 11 kW AC and up to 60 kW DC fast charging.  

The interior features a four-seat layout with individual rear seats and a central console. Equipment includes air suspension using navigation data, rear-axle steering up to 10 degrees, 15 airbags, and a 31-speaker sound system. Digital interfaces operate on the Mercedes-Benz Operating System, incorporating a front-passenger display screen and driving assistance functions.

Santosh Iyer, MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, "The Mercedes-Maybach S 580e perfectly reflects our strategy of offering the most desirable luxury portfolio, while offering customers the freedom to choose the technology that best suits their lifestyle. We are seeing rising demand for Plug-In-Hybrid among our top-end customers, and the Maybach S 580e combines the timeless exclusivity, handcrafted luxury and iconic luxury of a Maybach with the convenience of a plug-in hybrid technology. With ICE, BEV and PHEV models in our portfolio, Mercedes-Benz is uniquely positioned to offer diverse luxury mobility solution, ensuring performance, sustainability and luxury."

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