Can Jaguar Bring Back Its Magic in the EV Era?

Jaguar is trying to reinvent itself but instead of only looking ahead, it has chosen to first look back.

Before starting work on its future cars, Jaguar’s engineers spent time driving some of the brand’s most iconic models like the Jaguar E-Type, Jaguar XJS and Jaguar XJ Series I. The idea was simple i.e. understand what made these cars special, and then bring that same feeling into a modern, electric car.

The result of this thinking is an upcoming all-electric four-door GT. Jaguar says this car will have two sides to it. On one hand, it will be quick, powerful and fun to drive. On the other, it will be comfortable, smooth and easy to live with on long journeys.

What makes this interesting is how Jaguar is approaching performance. Yes, the car will have over 1,000 PS and very quick responses thanks to advanced technology. But instead of just focusing on speed, the brand is putting more attention on how the car feels to drive. That’s something many electric cars struggle with today.

Even in terms of design, Jaguar is trying to stay connected to its roots. The new GT will have a long bonnet and a low roofline, similar to older models like the Jaguar XK120. It’s a small detail, but it shows the brand doesn’t want to lose its character in the shift to electric.

If they get it right, this new GT could stand out not just for its performance, but for the way it makes you feel behind the wheel.

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New Kia Seltos Hybrid Debuts, India Launch Likely Next Year

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U.S. the first market worldwide to get the Seltos Hybrid with e-AWD, a first for any Kia hybrid model globally

At the 2026 New York International Auto Show on 1 April, Kia held the U.S. debut of the Seltos Hybrid. The company plans to launch the new hybrid SUV in the U.S in late 2026 and is expected to bring it to India a few months later in early 2027.

The Kia Seltos Hybrid has a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine linked to a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. An electric motor, also mounted on the front axle, assists the petrol engine.

For the first time on a hybrid Kia, an e-AWD drivetrain layout will also be available. This setup adds an electric motor on the rear axle to provide on-demand all-wheel drive capability, particularly useful in low-grip conditions such as snow and ice during America’s harsh winters.

Also Read: Top 10 Car Brands March 2026 – Maruti Suzuki, Tata, Mahindra, Hyundai, Kia

Kia already sells the Seltos Hybrid in South Korea, but only in a FWD drivetrain layout. The petrol engine produces 105 PS (104 hp) and 14.7 kgf.m (144 Nm) of torque, and the front electric motor develops 32 kW (43 hp) and 170 Nm of torque. This setup gives 141 PS (139 hp) of system power and 27 kgf.m (265 Nm) of system torque. There’s a strong chance that these figures will be the same in the U.S.-spec Seltos Hybrid FWD.

While the Seltos has a fuel tank with a capacity of up to 50 litres, depending on the engine selected, the Seltos Hybrid has a 38-litre fuel tank. The hybrid SUV delivers a fuel economy of up to 19.5 km/l in South Korea. In addition to higher fuel economy, it offers vehicle-to-load capability, allowing users to supply up to 3.52 kW at 220 V, equivalent to a standard 16 A domestic socket, to power external devices during outdoor activities or a power outage.

Also Read: Kia Sets New All-Time High March And Q1 Sales Record In India

In India, the Seltos Hybrid will have a small, 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine adapted from the Seltos. In the latter, this engine produces 84.4 kW (113 hp) and 144 Nm of torque. e-AWD is highly unlikely to be offered in our market, as it could prove to be too costly for the limited demand it’d see.

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Top 15 Electric 2W Brands March 2026 – TVS, Bajaj, Ather, Hero, Ola, River, Simple

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The good reception for iQube and Orbiter puts TVS in a commanding position at the top ahead of Bajaj and Ather Energy

The mainstream OEM manufacturers tightened their grip on the zero-emission two-wheeler market last month according to Vahan registrations. Leading the pack was TVS Motor Company which topped the charts with 49,453 units as its consolidated its dominance in the EV space at the top courtesy of good reception for both the iQube and Orbiter in recent times.

In the second position and not far behind was Bajaj Auto with 46,246 units as the expandable Chetak portfolio stays put garnering volumes for the Chakan-based company in the month of March 2026. The third spot was claimed by Ather Energy which posted an impressive 35,688 units as the Ritza family scooter and 450 range help maintain consistency.

Meanwhile, Hero MotoCorp secured fourth place with 21,434 units as its sub-brand Vida has been expanding its footprint across the country. The vida portfolio comprising the VX2 series and Pro range have been well received by customers and its sales numbers are expected to improve further this financial year.

Also Read: 65,000+ MG Windsor EVs Sold In India, Over 70% Sales From Non-Metro Cities

Rank	Brand	Sales (Units)
1	TVS	49,453
2	Bajaj	46,246
3	Ather	35,688
4	Hero	21,434
5	Ola Electric	10,117
6	Greaves (Ampere)	7,965
7	River	4,146
8	BGauss	3,680
9	Simple Energy	1,744
10	E-Sprinto	1,510
11	Revolt	1,328
12	Lectrix	782
13	Motovolt	780
14	Quantum Energy	615
15	Oben Electric	573

One of the biggest changes in the rankings is visible with Ola Electric which stood at fifth with only 10,117 units. Once a volume leader, Ola is now facing intense competition from both legacy brands and newer entrants and despite offering several discount schemes, it could not replicate the success it endured in the past when it held over 80 per cent market share.

In contrast, Greaves Electric Mobility’s Ampere brand held a stable sixth position with 7,965 units as it continues to focus on value-based offerings. Emerging players are also making their presence felt as River Mobility recorded 4,146 units thanks to the Indie. It must be noted that the Indie-based Yamaha EC-06 was launched recently in India.

Also Read: Tata Motors PV Sales Hit All-Time High In FY26, SUVs & EVs Dominate

Moreover, to capitalise on the demand for the utility-based scooter, River plans to scale up production. BGauss Auto followed with 3,680 units while Simple Energy managed 1,744 units as it gradually expands its reach across India. The lower half of the table saw a combination of niche and evolving brands.

E-Sprinto recorded 1,510 units last month and Revolt Motors managed a total of 1,328 units to finish tenth and eleventh respectively while Lectrix EV and Motovolt Mobility remain in the sub-1,000 unit range. Rounding off the list are Quantum Energy with 615 units and Oben Electric at 573 units.

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VinFast Opens Pre-Bookings For VF MPV 7 Electric MPV In India Ahead Of Launch

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VF MPV 7 to be the Vietnamese automaker’s third product in India, following the VF 6 and VF 7 SUVs launched in September

VinFast has released multiple teasers of the VF MPV 7 in India and started accepting it pre-orders with a deposit of Rs. 21,000 ahead of an expected launch this month. The new model will be an electric MPV competing with the Toyota Innova Crysta which is available in petrol and petrol-electric hybrid variants.

The VinFast VF MPV 7 is a low-cost people mover featuring seven seats in a 2+3+2 layout, accommodating a driver and six passengers. It is 4,740 mm long, 1,872 mm wide, and 1,734 mm tall, which means it sits in a segment above the Kia Carens Clavis EV, the only mass-market electric MPV currently sold in India.

The VF MPV 7 has a 2,840 mm wheelbase and offers 185 mm of ground clearance, although VinFast may modify the latter for India to tackle the poor road conditions. The electric seven-seater offers up to 1,240 litres of cargo space and weighs 1,875 kg. Internationally, VinFast offers it only in a FWD variant with a single motor producing 150 kW (201 hp) and 280 Nm of torque.

Also Read: Toyota, Tata, And VinFast To Launch New Electric Cars Soon

A 60.2 kWh LFP battery pack powers the motor and supports charging at up to 6.9 kW via an AC charger and up to 80 kW via a DC charger. VinFast says that customers can charge it from 10% to 70% as quickly as 30 minutes. The VF MPV 7 features three drive modes: Eco, Normal, and Sport, and it has paddle shifters that allow the driver to adjust the intensity of its regenerative braking system. The electric MPV takes ten seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h.

On the outside, the VF MPV 7 features LED headlights, 19-inch alloy wheels, and LED tail lights. Inside, the electric MPV comes with a single-zone automatic climate control system with a PM 2.5 air filter, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, a four-way manually adjustable front passenger seat, two USB Type-C ports, and two USB Type-A ports. Four airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control System, Hill Start Assist, Roll-over Mitigation, reverse camera, and rear parking sensors are the key safety features.

Also Read: 6 New Electric Cars Spied On Test; New Honda EV To Kia Syros EV

The VF MPV 7 misses out on several premium features Indian customers would expect in its segment, including a panoramic sunroof, ventilated and electrically adjustable front seats, a 360º camera system, and Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems. VinFast may re-engineer it to include some of them for our market. That said, an instrument cluster or a head-up display is unlikely to be offered.

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Toyota Garners Over 4 Lakh Unit Sales In FY26, Domestic Sales Up 19%

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) expected to be India’s fifth largest carmaker in FY2026, ranking below Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Mahindra, and Hyundai

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), the 89:11 joint venture between Japan’s Toyota Motor and India’s Kirloskar Systems, has reported a strong sales performance for the financial year that ended on 31 March 2026. The company sold over 4 lakh units across domestic and export markets during the period.

TKM says that sustained demand across its SUV, MPV, and compact segments led to a positive FY2026. The company shipped a total of 406,081 cars between April 2025 and March 2026, recording a 20% year-on-year growth (FY2025: 337,148 units).

Most of the growth last fiscal came from a rise in domestic sales. TKM shipped 367,107 cars locally between April 2025 and March 2026, as opposed to 309,508 units in FY2025. While domestic sales grew by 19%, exports were up 41%. Compared to 27,640 cars shipped overseas in FY2025, TKM exported 38,974 units in FY2026.

Also Read: Toyota To Launch Likely 4 New Cars By Next Year

March 2026 specifically was a good month for both domestic sales and exports at TKM. The company sold 35,125 cars locally and shipped 2,069 units overseas, as opposed to 28,373 and 1,670 units in the same month last year, respectively. Both domestic sales and exports saw a 24% year-on-year rise. This means total sales were also up 24% from March 2025, rising from 30,043 units to 37,194 units.

TKM did not launch a single new car in FY2026, neither locally manufactured nor imported. The company’s product actions included only updates for existing models. It sells twelve models, out of which four are rebadged or reskinned versions of Maruti Suzuki models: Glanza, Urban Cruiser Taisor, Rumion, and Urban Cruiser Hyryder.

Also Read: Toyota, Tata, And VinFast To Launch New Electric Cars Soon

The company manufactures the Urban Cruiser Hyryder and sources the other three models from Maruti Suzuki. Later this month, the Urban Cruiser Ebella will join this list, and it will also be sourced from Maruti Suzuki. Of the eight truly Toyota models TKM offers, only two are locally manufactured: Innova Crysta and Innova Hycross.

The Hilux, Fortuner, Legender, and Camry are imported in knocked-down kits and locally assembled, while the Vellfire and Land Cruiser 300 are imported as completely built-up units. Later this year, TKM could launch the fifth-generation Land Cruiser Prado as another CBU import.

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Maruti Suzuki Registers Record FY26 Sales; Highest Export Tally Ever

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Maruti Suzuki recorded total sales of 24,22,713 units in the April 2025 to March 2026 FY period courtesy of good reception across different segments

Maruti Suzuki ended the final month of the financial year with impressive sales numbers while also wrapping up FY2025–26 with its highest-ever sales across domestic and export markets. The company sold a total of 2,25,251 units in March 2026 which include 1,69,428 units in the domestic market, 47,040 units exported and 8,783 units supplied to other OEMs.

For the full financial year, Maruti Suzuki posted record total sales of 24,22,713 units courtesy of good reception across different segments. Its local sales stood at 18,61,704 units while exports reached an all-time high of 4,47,774 units. The volumes led to the third consecutive year where the Indo-Japs crossed the 2 million annual sales milestone.

In the Mini segment, comprising Alto and S-Presso, Maruti Suzuki sold 11,741 units in March 2026, slightly higher than 11,655 units in March 2025. For FY26, the segment recorded 1,12,291 units compared to 1,25,770 units in the previous year. The Compact segment featuring Baleno, Celerio, Dzire, Ignis, Swift and WagonR remained a key volume contributor.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Approves Over 10K Crore Gujarat Expansion, 5+ New SUVs Coming

The total sales stood at 71,789 units sold in March 2026 – up from 66,906 units a year ago. Meanwhile, the yearly sales for this segment stood at 8,08,102 units – significantly higher than 7,70,737 units in FY25 thanks to consistent sales for the new Dzire which made its debut just over a year ago along with Swift, Baleno and WagonR.

In the midsize category, the Ciaz recorded no sales in March 2026 compared to 676 units in March 2025. For FY26, it managed just 1,980 units against 8,402 units in FY25. The utility vehicle space delivered appreciable numbers with models such as Brezza, Ertiga, e Vitara, Fronx, Grand Vitara, Invicto, Jimny, Victoris and XL6 contributing 71,356 units in March 2026 – up from 61,097 units last year.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Captures One-Fifth Of India’s SUV Market, Plans Further Expansion

For the full year, the segment posted 7,60,987 units compared to 7,20,186 units. The van segment, represented by the Eeco, recorded 11,333 units in March 2026 versus 10,409 units in March 2025. Its annual sales reached 1,39,769 units – slightly higher than 1,35,672 units in FY25. The domestic passenger vehicle sales stood at 1,66,219 units in March 2026 compared to 1,50,743 units last year while Light Commercial Vehicles like the Super Carry added 3,209 units versus 2,391 units.

The total domestic sales including LCVs rose to 1,69,428 units – up from 1,53,134 units as the brand culminated the FY on a high in almost all fronts. The arrival of the Victoris is another big talking point this past fiscal as it helped record good sales tally while Fronx and Jimny steered the exports.

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India-Bound BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase Officially Revealed

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All-new BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase will be imported to India from the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture’s factory in Shenyang (Liaoning Province), China

Just months into the all-new iX3’s global unveil, BMW has introduced its India-bound long-wheelbase version. The company plans to hold its stage debut at the 2026 Beijing International Auto Show next month.

While the all-new BMW iX3 is 4,782 millimetres long, its long wheelbase version measures roughly 4.9 metres in length. BMW has stretched the standard version’s wheelbase, which stands at 2,897 millimetres, by 108 millimetres. The 3,005 mm wheelbase has improved rear-seat space and comfort, which matters greatly to customers in China and India.

BMW’s efforts to woo Asian customers go beyond extending the length between the axles. The company has modified the chassis and suspension setup to optimise the balance between comfort and stability. China will be the iX3 Long Wheelbase’s largest market, and the company had to tweak the exterior design to comply with the safety norms there.

Also Read: BMW i3 50 xDrive Debuts As First Electric 3 Series; 469 Hp & 900 Km Range

With China set to ban hidden door handles on new cars from January 2027, BMW has equipped the iX3 Long Wheelbase with pull-type door handles instead of retractable units. India and other smaller markets getting the iX3 Long Wheelbase are unlikely to justify the cost of separate engineering, so they are likely to receive the same setup instead of the normal wheelbase version’s retractable handles.

BMW has introduced the iX3 Long Wheelbase in a 50L variant, with the letter “L” denoting the extended wheelbase. The company uses two motors, including a high-output unit at the rear and a low-output unit at the front, creating a rear-biased AWD setup. These motors are likely to produce 345 kW (463 hp) and 645 Nm of torque, allowing the EV to hit 0 to 100 km/h in around 5 seconds and achieve a top speed of 210 km/h.

Also Read: New BMW M2 CS Launched In India At Rs. 1.66 Crore; 530 HP & 650 Nm

A 108.7 kWh NMC battery pack will likely be standard and should deliver a WLTP range of around 800 kilometres. BMW says that 400 kW is the peak charging power and that charging from 10% to 80% takes only 21 minutes. A vehicle-to-load (V2L) bi-directional charging function will be available, allowing customers to power external devices using energy stored in the battery pack.

The BMW iX3 Long Wheelbase will go on sale in China in the second half of the year, followed by Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India. The Indian launch has been confirmed to take place in early 2027.

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New Freelander Debuts Finally, Now An Electrified Off-Road SUV

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Developed through a joint effort between Jaguar Land Rover and Chery, the new Freelander sits on a modern 800V electrical platform

Global ambitions are already shaping the future of Freelander as the newly revived marque prepares to expand beyond China soon after its debut. The company has confirmed that international versions are being independently developed to suit regional requirements and real-world testing activity across Europe has commenced.

The first product under this rejuvenated lineup is a midsize electrified SUV. Developed through a joint effort between Jaguar Land Rover and Chery, the vehicle sits on a modern 800V electrical platform giving rise to multiple drivetrain options including pure electric, PHEV and range-extender configurations as the brand will provide flexibility across different markets.

Production will take place in Changshu where the new model effectively replaces outgoing internal combustion offerings like the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque. The SUV’s design is heavily influenced by the Freelander 97 concept showcased earlier – retaining much of its muscular stance and distinctive appeal.

However, certain extreme elements such as the pillarless structure and unconventional rear doors are expected to be moderated in the final production version for practicality and regulatory reasons. The new SUV pays tribute to Freelander’s heritage through details like the angled rear pillar and is complemented by a modern lighting signature and a geometric emblem.

New models from the new Freelander range are planned at roughly six-month intervals over the next five years with each offering a choice of electrified powertrains. The revival of the Freelander name is rooted in its historical success as a versatile SUV which featured usability and off-road traits as its main focus of attention.

The new generation vehicles will look to carry forward that philosophy while integrating advanced electric technologies. Having made its world premiere at an exclusive event in Beijing, China for its local market, it will be shown to public for the first time soon. Whether it will reach the Indian market or not is subjected to debate at the moment but considering the popularity of the nameplate, it could be a promising option in the distant future.

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