Weekly News Wrap: Renault Develops New 1.2L Engine, Hyundai-TVS E-3W Pact, Mahindra Enters Global Top 25 Brands, Royal Enfield Scram 450 Set for 2027

India’s automotive sector continued to balance product innovation, strategic partnerships and global positioning during the week of April 20–26, even as rising commodity costs and geopolitical uncertainties remained key overhangs. From Renault’s localisation push and Hyundai-TVS’ EV collaboration to Mahindra’s global brand milestone and Royal Enfield’s future pipeline, automakers signalled a clear focus on long-term growth, technology shifts and market expansion.

Here is a detailed round-up of the key developments that shaped the automotive industry during the week:  

Renault Developing New 1.2-Litre MPFi Engine for Upcoming Bridger SUV

Renault is working on a new 1.2-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine for its upcoming Bridger compact SUV — a model the French automaker is counting on, alongside the recently launched Duster, as part of its broader effort to rebuild its position in the Indian market.

According to Autocar India report, the engine is a derivative of the Duster's 1.3-litre TGDi unit, with a reduced stroke that brings displacement below 1,200cc — a threshold that qualifies the vehicle for the sub-4-metre tax slab, giving Renault room to price the Bridger more competitively. The decision to engineer the engine around this displacement limit appears to reflect a deliberate strategy to remain accessible in a price-sensitive segment.

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Mahindra XUV 3XO to Get CNG Powertrain Option: Report 

Mahindra is working on a CNG variant of the XUV 3XO compact SUV, according to a report by Autocar India citing industry sources. If it materialises, the addition would give the XUV 3XO one of the broadest powertrain lineups in its segment, spanning petrol, diesel, electric, and CNG. Mahindra has not officially confirmed the development; the carmaker declined to comment when the publication reached out.

The CNG option, per the report, would be paired with the existing 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, 111hp MPFI turbo-petrol engine. The 131hp direct injection variant is not under consideration for a CNG adaptation. Autocar India explains that MPFI engines are technically simpler and less costly to convert, as fuel is introduced into the intake manifold rather than directly into the combustion chamber. A direct injection setup, by contrast, involves greater engineering complexity and cost, and may not always be a practical candidate for CNG conversion. Exact output figures for the CNG variant have not been disclosed.

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Hyundai And TVS Motor Formalize Agreement To Co-Develop Electric Three-Wheelers

Hyundai Motor Company and TVS Motor Company formalized a Joint Development Agreement in Seoul and New Delhi on April 20, 2026. The partnership focuses on the development and commercialization of electric three-wheeler vehicles designed for last-mile mobility in India and additional markets.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hyundai will lead the vehicle design and co-develop the product by utilizing its research and development capabilities, mobility technologies, and human-centric design approach. TVS Motor will co-develop the vehicle using its electric platform and engineering expertise. TVS will also manage local sales and manufacturing operations in India, which will cater to domestic demand and future export markets.

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SML Mahindra to Launch First EV Bus in FY27, Sees Gradual Shift in CV Green Tech

SML Mahindra Ltd plans to launch its first electric bus in FY27, marking its entry into the segment even as the company remains cautious about the pace of broader industry adoption and the commercial viability of green mobility investments.

“So right now, our electric bus is under development, and in this financial year itself we will be launching that,” Vinod Sahay, Chairman - SML Mahindra & Mahindra Advanced Technologies and President - Aerospace, Trucks & Buses, said during an earnings call on Monday.

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SML Mahindra Flags Steady FY27 Start, Sees Diesel Price Hikes, Geopolitical Conflicts as Risks

Mahindra, SML Bet on Dual-Brand Strategy to Scale Up CV Business

 

Mahindra Enters Global Top 25 Automobile Brands by Value as India Places Eight Names in Worldwide Ranking

India's automobile sector has consolidated its position in the global rankings, with eight homegrown brands listed among the world's 100 most valuable and strongest names, according to Brand Finance's Automotive Industry 2026 report. The London-headquartered brand valuation consultancy publishes the rankings annually, using a royalty relief methodology compliant with ISO 10668, and assesses brand strength through a balanced scorecard aligned to ISO 20671.

The global automobile sector's collective brand value was recorded at USD 575.4 billion in this year's report. Within that pool, Indian brands account for a growing share, with Mahindra leading the country's representatives in the brand value table and multiple Indian names placing in the top tier for brand strength.

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Mahindra & Mahindra Reports 20-Fold Growth in Patent Portfolio Over a Decade

Mercedes-Benz to Roll Out 6+ EVs; CLA Marks Shift to Full-Portfolio Play

Mercedes-Benz India is stepping up its electric vehicle push, lining up more than half a dozen EV launches over the next 18–24 months as part of a broader global rollout of over 40 new products, with the CLA ushering in a new wave of reimagined EVs.

The move signals a clear shift from a top-heavy EV strategy to a broader, portfolio-led approach, as the German carmaker looks to tap younger buyers and expand beyond early adopters in a market where electrification is still evolving and price sensitivity remains high at the entry level.

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Mercedes-Benz CLA EV Draws 400 Bookings in 20 Days; 60% Buyers New to Luxury Segment

Mercedes-Benz Launches New CLA Electric Sedan in India

Tesla To Expand Service, Charging Network As Model Y L Joins India Line-Up 

Tesla plans to expand its service and bodyshop network in India in the ongoing quarter and start deliveries to more states in the coming months, as the American electric vehicle maker looks to deepen its presence beyond its initial retail footprint, according to a senior company official. 

The company, which launched the six-seater Model Y L in India on Wednesday, is preparing to add service and bodyshop facilities. “We are going to expand our service and body shop network and presence in cities of Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Ahmedabad in the coming quarter,” said Sharad Agarwal, Tesla Country Head - India.

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Tesla launches Model Y L at ₹61.99 lakh

Tesla Model Y L Finds a Sweet Spot Between Chinese Value and Luxury EVs 

Royal Enfield Scram 450 set for 2027 Launch

Royal Enfield is expanding its liquid-cooled 452cc motorcycle family with the Scram 450, expected to arrive in Indian showrooms in the first quarter of 2027. The motorcycle, internally codenamed K2K, will join the Himalayan 450 adventure bike and the Guerrilla roadster as the third model on the company's Sherpa platform.

The Scram 450 will be powered by the same 452cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine found in its siblings, with output figures expected to be in the region of 40hp and 40Nm of torque. Royal Enfield is likely to give the motorcycle a distinct engine tune and may also revise the final drive ratio to better suit its dual-purpose intent. A new upswept circular exhaust muffler will set it apart visually from the Himalayan and the Guerrilla.

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Classic Legends To Launch Four Models in FY27, Expand Network To Drive Growth

Classic Legends, the maker of Jawa, Yezdi and BSA motorcycles, is lining up four new model launches in FY27 as it looks to build on last year’s growth momentum and push deeper into India’s mid-capacity motorcycle market. 

A senior company official said growth in the ongoing year will be driven by product interventions, network expansion, and focus on customer experience, even as geopolitical uncertainty and rising commodity costs remain key risks.

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Classic Legends to Double Network to 700+ Outlets By FY28, Focus on Customer Experience

Yezdi and BSA Reveal New Scramblers Starting at Rs 1.99 Lakh

KTM Adds 350cc Variants To 390 Duke And Adventure Lineup In India

KTM announced the addition of new 350cc engine variants to its 390 Duke and 390 Adventure motorcycle lines in India on April 20, 2026. The updated models are priced at ₹2,77,268 for the 390 Duke and ₹2,80,905 for the 390 Adventure, both ex-showroom in Delhi.

The introduction of the 350cc engines allows the motorcycles to qualify for a lower 18 percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) bracket. KTM stated that these tax benefits are being passed directly to customers, resulting in a lower entry price for the 390 range. Manik Nangia, President of Probiking at Bajaj Auto Ltd., noted that the pricing strategy is intended to make the models accessible to a larger audience and expand the segment.

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Honda Navi, Dio and TVS NTorq are FY2026’s Export Scooter Champions

India's Fuel Mix Is Shifting — Petrol Losing Ground as CNG and EVs Gain Share

India's passenger vehicle market is undergoing a measurable shift in fuel preferences, one that has accelerated over the past three years and shows no sign of reversal. Autocar India has taken up the subject in the latest episode of its Deep Drive Podcast. Hosted by editor Hormazd Sorabjee, the episode examines the decline of petrol, the future of diesel, the rise of CNG and EVs, and the forces shaping these changes across the Indian automotive landscape.

The data underpinning this conversation is significant. Petrol is the only powertrain type to have lost market share in 2025, with its share dropping from 59.4 percent to 53.3 percent, even as overall passenger vehicle sales rose to an estimated 45.8 lakh units — roughly 6 percent higher than the previous year.

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Ethanol Lobby Pushes Back on CAFE-III Norms, Demands Level Playing Field with EVs

Steel, Aluminium, Copper Prices Spike, Putting Auto Industry Margins at Risk

A recent report from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) paints a sobering picture of an industry caught between a geopolitical hammer and a commodity anvil. The escalating conflict in West Asia, pitting Iran against a US-Israel axis, has done more than just dominate news cycles; it has sent the cost of making a vehicle North of graph.

While overall vehicle sales have been steady, at least so far, uncertainties stemming from supply challenges have begun to hurt auto companies' margins.

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Horse Powertrain develops ‘all-in-one’ powertrain for hybridizing BEV platforms

Horse Powertrain, a global leader in innovative and low-emission powertrain systems which is eyeing entry into India which has emerged as a strategic global growth market, has announced development of its new X-Range C15 Direct Drive. This is an ‘all-in-one’ hybrid powertrain that allows BEV platforms to serve as foundations for HEVs (Hybrid EVs), PHEVs (Plug-in HEVs), and REEVs (Range-Extended EVs). The new ‘all-in-one’ powertrain will be officially unveiled at the Beijing Auto Show 2026 on April 14.

The ultra-compact X-Range C15 Direct Drive integrates a full hybrid powertrain – including a four-cylinder engine, transmission, power electronics, and an electric motor – into a single compact unit with a shared housing, designed to mount to the rear subframe enabling a double isolated installation for best NVH.

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Uno Minda Enters Coolant Market with Two-Variant Range for Extreme Temperatures

Greaves Cotton: Getting Ready for the Future

Parag Satpute, MD & Group CEO of 165 year old Greaves Cotton likes to answer a large question by first shrinking it, as if the only honest way to talk about a transformation is to begin with the facts that refuse to budge. When asked the first obvious question: Why he joined Greaves Cotton and why he left Amsterdam for Mumbai, he doesn’t reach for a slogan.  

He reaches, instead, for a contrast: in Western Europe and North America where he had been running his previous job responsibilities, the talk was about consolidation and cost cutting; in India…

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Rocklink Sees ₹300 Crore India Recycling Revenue Opportunity in 5 Years

German recycling firm Rocklink is targeting ₹250 crore to ₹300 crore in revenue from its India operations over the next five years, following the commissioning of its first integrated recycling facility in the country. The company has invested around ₹30 crore in the Sikandrabad, Uttar Pradesh-based plant, which will process lithium-ion batteries, rare earth magnets and metal-bearing industrial waste as part of its strategy to build a circular materials ecosystem in India. 

“A safe number, let’s say ₹250 crore to ₹300 crore, is definitely possible if you look at a five-year horizon,” said Leonard Ansorge, Director, Rocklink India Pvt Ltd in an exclusive conversation, while adding that the opportunity could expand further as additional segments scale up over time.

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Rocklink India Opens Critical Materials Recycling Plant in Uttar Pradesh

Balkrishna Industries Eyes Massive Kutch Expansion to Fuel 2030 Growth Targets

Balkrishna Industries Limited (BKT), a leading player in the global Off-Highway Tire (OHT) market, is moving to significantly scale its manufacturing footprint in India. The company has formally approached the Ministry of Environment for environmental clearance (EC) to execute a massive expansion of its existing facility in the Kachchh region of Gujarat.

A meeting regarding this is expected to take place on April 28th, according to the filings with Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

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JSW Motors and Tata Elxsi Establish Pune Technology Center

 

LANXESS Signals Further Indian Expansion After Inaugurating New Jhagadia Facility

The long game in Indian automotive chemicals has rarely looked as calculated as the trajectory traced by LANXESS over the last two decades. Since carving out its identity 21 years ago, the company has undergone a fundamental transformation, evolving from a high-volume chemical and polymer entity into a resilient specialty chemicals powerhouse.

For the Indian automotive sector, this evolution mirrors the industry's own transition from basic assembly to high-value engineering. Over the past ten years alone, LANXESS has funneled approximately Rs 750 crore into its Indian footprint, establishing a stable anchor in a region that has experienced the most significant momentum in its global history. It indicates a strategic shift away from cyclical, large-volume supply-demand businesses toward medium-sized specialty markets, where technical differentiation and deep customer relationships serve as the primary currencies.

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Calderys Inaugurates New Refractory Manufacturing Plant in Odisha

Studds to Invest ₹150–160 Crore in Fifth Plant; Highest Automation Levels Planned

Helmet maker Studds Accessories Limited is investing around ₹150–160 crore in its upcoming fifth manufacturing facility, with the company indicating that the new plant will feature the highest levels of automation across its operations so far.

The facility, which is set to be commissioned in July 2026, is being developed in phases, with an initial investment of about ₹100 crore, followed by an additional ₹50–60 crore in the second phase.

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ASDC Steps Up to Reinforce India’s Last-Mile Workforce

As India’s logistics and mobility sectors continue to scale, the industry faces a critical bottleneck: a chronic shortage of skilled, professional drivers. Moving beyond traditional "learn-as-you-go" methods, a five-year initiative led by the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) has successfully graduated 156 candidates into the formal economy.

By focusing on Light Motor Vehicles (LMV), Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMV), and professional taxi services, the program addresses a vital need for "industry-ready" talent in an increasingly complex transportation ecosystem.

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BorgWarner Secures Seven-Year Controller Supply Contract with Undisclosed Off-Highway Manufacturer

Inside UCAL’s Talent Playbook as Automation, Software and Electrification Hit the Shop Floor

As AI, machine learning, Industry 4.0 and automation reshape how vehicles are designed and built, the real battleground for suppliers is about  how fast their people can skill, reskill and upskill. In this interview, Adithya Jayakar, deputy managing director at UCAL Ltd, explains how the company is strengthening deep electronics and software capabilities while hard-wiring structured learning into everything from PPAP and traceability to digital quality and MES. He also outlines how UCAL is using OEM-led academies, supplier-cluster programs and ROI-driven, low-cost learning models to future‑proof its own teams and Tier 2–3 partners against the next wave of automation-led disruption. 

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Escorts Kubota Adds Three New Models to Digitrac Tractor Lineup

Honda Motor to End South Korean Car Sales After 23 Years as Asia Auto Business Slips

Honda Motor said it will shut its automobile sales operations in South Korea by the end of 2026, closing a 23 year old car franchise while keeping its profitable motorcycle business in the country intact.

The Japanese manufacturer announced the decision on Wednesday through its Seoul-based subsidiary, Honda Korea, citing changes in the global and domestic automobile environment and a need to concentrate resources on mid- to long-term competitiveness. After-sales service, parts supply, and warranty support will continue for existing customers. Honda Korea employs 84 people and is wholly owned by Honda Motor.

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