Valeo has announced that its board of directors appointed Christophe Périllat as chief executive officer.

Jacques Aschenbroich will continue to be the chairman until the end of his current term of office as a director, the company said in a statement.

The board thanked Jacques Aschenbroich, expressing its profound gratitude for his exceptional record during his 13 years as head of Valeo Group, during which Valeo doubled in size and its market capitalisation increased more than sevenfold. 

Under Aschenbroich, Valeo has positioned itself amongst the world leaders in the most promising segments of the automotive industry, such as driving assistance systems and electrification.

Périllat has good expertise in the automotive sector and intimate knowledge of Valeo, where he has been working for more than 20 years. 

Aschenbroich said, "This governance evolution is the culmination of a gradual succession plan announced in October 2020, which has been moving forward under excellent conditions. I am delighted with the decision to appoint Christophe Périllat as chief executive officer. I am convinced that with the quality of his career with the Group for over 20 years and his in-depth knowledge of the automotive sector, he will be able to guide Valeo through the ongoing automotive revolution and define the strategic orientations that are necessary to strengthen its leadership and seize all opportunities in the years to come. Along with our 110,300 employees, I will continue to support him in my capacity as Chairman of the Board of Directors."

Périllat said, "I would like to thank Jacques Aschenbroich and the board of directors for their vote of confidence in appointing me as chief executive officer. I am extremely enthusiastic about taking up this role and I know I can count on all our employees, who are ready to face any challenge. I am fully aware of my responsibility to all our stakeholders, customers, employees, business partners and shareholders, and I want to assure them of my strong will to continue developing the Group and strengthening even more its position at the forefront of the most dynamic segments of the automotive industry, everywhere in the world."

Meanwhile, Valeo has reported a five percent increase in sales at EUR 17.3 billion for full-year 2021 compared to the sale in 2020. The company’s EBITDA margin reached 13.4 per cent of sales in 2021 due to the “robust operational efficiency of its plants and the tight control over its research and development expenditures.”

Perillat said, “In the difficult context of a severe worldwide shortage of electronic components, which drastically limited 2021 automotive production, Valeo demonstrated strong resilience, supplying its customers without disruption, maintaining tight control over its costs and delivering a solid financial performance. The inventory increase implemented to protect our customers will be gradually reversed in 2022, as supply conditions improve. I would like to thank all the Valeo teams that made this performance possible." (MT)

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Honda Cars India (HCIL), a leading manufacturer of premium cars in India, has reported its wholesales for April 2026.

In April 2026, the Japanese automaker sold a total of 4,938 vehicles, a flat growth, as against 4,871 units sold last year.

Interestingly, domestic sales grew by 21 percent at 4,069 units, as against 3,360 units last year. On the other hand, the exports saw a decline of 42 percent at 869 units, as against 1,511 units a year ago.

Kunal Behl, Vice-President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India, said, “The new fiscal year has begun on a positive note for us, with good sales momentum for Amaze, City and Elevate. Honda Cars India has recorded a 21 percent growth in domestic sales for April 2026. We remain confident of sustaining this growth trajectory in the coming months.”

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Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL), the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has kicked off the new fiscal year with a historic performance, reporting its highest-ever monthly sales in April 2026.

The company dispatched a staggering 239,646 units, bolstered by a significant resurgence in the small car segment and a relentless push in the SUV space.

During a post-sales conference, Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India and Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India highlighted a shifting landscape where traditional entry-level models are finding new life alongside the company’s aggressive EV and SUV expansion.

In a notable shift from recent industry trends, Maruti’s Mini segment (including Alto, Celerio, S-Presso and WagonR) witnessed a massive 253.7 percent growth. The overall small car category grew by 74.4 percent YoY, a surge management attributed to ‘unlocking’ production capacity that was previously constrained.

"As we had capacity to increase production, the sales of the mini segment have grown, especially from people upgrading from two-wheelers to passenger vehicles," noted Banerjee.

Simultaneously, the SUV portfolio reached an all-time high of 55,062 units. The newly launched Victoris has become a standout performer, clocking 13,700 sales last month and becoming the fastest model to hit the 50,000-unit milestone in India.

Maruti Suzuki India confirmed that SUVs now account for 30 percent of its total portfolio, and the company is closing in on the ‘pole position’ in the segment. Interestingly, the automaker’s other portfolio continues to grow as well.

CNG, EV Momentum and defying global headwinds

Sustainability and fuel efficiency continue to drive volumes. April saw the highest monthly CNG sales at 76,348 units. Remarkably, 4 out of every 10 cars sold by Maruti were now CNG-powered.

On the other hand, Maruti Suzuki India’s first electric SUV, the e-Vitara, saw 2,006 units domestic sales in April. Banerjee revealed that 85 percent of demand is skewed toward the higher 61kW variant. Full-scale production capacity is expected to be reached by the June-July window.

Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia and uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz, Maruti’s exports grew by 43.3 percent to 40,054 units.

Bharti emphasised a de-risking strategy, stating that leadership is about ‘growing exports with or without the war.’

The Jimny emerged as the star of the export stable, with 6,938 units shipped, primarily to Japan, making it the company’s highest-exported model for the month.

Focus on unlocking capacities

Going forward, Maruti Suzuki India remains upbeat on the remainder of the year, with on-ground stock remaining lean at 16-17 days as of May 1st.

At present, the focus is on unlocking and streamlining capacities with a massive pending booking list of 165,000 units, with the Ertiga remaining a key focus for ‘debottlenecking.’

Rural markets now contribute 52.3 percent of total sales, growing at 39 percent as Maruti penetrates deeper into the hinterlands.

Addressing the future of the Ignis, management hinted at a strategic refresh. While current production has ceased, the brand is expected to return in a ‘different avatar’ to meet evolving customer needs.

Overall, Banerjee expects the total industry volume (TIV) for April to land between 445,000 units and 450,000 units, a significant jump from 350,000 units last year. While rising fuel prices remain a potential threat to small car growth, the management remains bullish, citing ‘Triple Tailwinds’ – GST 2.0, income tax relief and reduced repo rates – as the primary drivers for a strong FY2027.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has announced its wholesales of 32,086 units for April 2026. This marks a 17 percent YoY growth, as compared to the 27,329 units sold in April 2025.

Interestingly, the company’s domestic volumes grew by 21 percent to 30,159 units, as against 24,833 units a year ago. On the other hand, exports declined by 23 percent to 1,927 units, as against 2,496 units for the same period last year.

Between January and April 2026, Toyota Kirloskar Motor has sold a total of 137,194 units, representing a 19 percent growth over the same period in 2025.

A significant achievement for the month was the Innova HyCross, which reached 200,000 cumulative sales milestone. The company noted that this reflects the increasing market acceptance of its hybrid vehicle offerings.

Sabari Manohar, Executive Vice-President, Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, stated, “Our sales performance in April 2026 reflects steady and sustained progress, driven by a strong focus on customer centricity, product excellence and disciplined execution across markets. A key highlight during the month was the Innova HyCross achieving the 2‑lakh cumulative sales milestone, reinforcing the positive and growing market acceptance of our hybrid offerings. Despite evolving industry conditions, we continue to see good performance due to the consistent efforts to align technological innovations with customer expectations. We remain confident that this momentum, supported by our expanding product portfolio and a robust dealer network will sustain our progress in the months ahead.”

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French automotive major Renault India has reported its domestic wholesales of 5,413 units in April 2026, which marks a 108 percent YoY growth, as compared to 2,602 units sold in April 2025.

The OEM said it has sustained double-digit growth following the launch of the new-generation Triber and Kiger in September 2025. Other key factors contributing to the April results include a strong response to the recently launched Renault Duster.

To support increasing demand, Renault India is growing its retail and service footprint, which includes the recently opened new "R store" and a workshop in Ranchi. With this, Renault India has expanded its sales and service touchpoints to 638 touchpoints across the country.

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