Automobile sector

Toyota ex-chief Okuda, pioneer of the Prius, dies at 93

Japan’s former Toyota Motor Corp President Hiroshi Okuda sitting in the driver’s seat of the newly developed Prius on Oct 14, 1997.

Even Mercedes can’t stop the decline of German cars in China

Mercedes sold only 1,153 units in China in the first half of 2026, a fraction of the more than 80,000 similarly priced SU7 sedans Xiaomi Corp. delivered in the period.

Volkswagen’s controlling families weigh in on restructuring battle, call for swift action

Volkswagen chief executive Oliver Blume has pledged to drastically overhaul the group as it battles high costs, tariff woes and intensifying competition from China.

Field Notes from New Delhi

Are ‘dumb gym bros’ ruining the image of Mahindra Thar, one of India’s most popular SUVs?

A forensic team examines the spot at Mother Teresa Crescent Marg at Talkatora Parking, where a Thar met with an accident, in New Delhi, on Aug 10, 2025.

India auto lobby withdraws warning on ethanol fuel damage to revise numbers

The roll-out of a policy of blending 20 per cent ethanol in petrol provoked uproar among consumers.

Toyota raises profit outlook on weak yen, unveils $8 billion share buyback

Profit for the quarter through end-June was 1.1 trillion yen, marking five straight months of year-on-year declines.

Japan quake halts auto and chip plants, testing supply chain resilience

An aerial view on July 29 shows damage at a paper mill, after an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck Japan’s southern Kumamoto prefecture a day earlier.

Xiaomi launches SkyNomad SUV series, with large space and reconfigurable interiors

People view the Xiaomi SkyNomad extended range electric vehicle during its launch event in Beijing on July 30.

Amazon’s Zoox wins first US approval for paid robotaxis without human controls

Zoox’s electric carriage-style vehicle has two rows of inward-facing seats and a top speed of 120kmh.

Thousands of Audi workers protest over threatened plant closure

Workers gather to protest at Audi's car plant, one of the facilities threatened with possible closure as part of restructuring plans by parent company Volkswagen in Neckarsulm, Germany, July 29, 2026.

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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.