
Hyundai Verna gets a new variant and wireless connectivity adapter
Commenting on the launch, Tarun Garg, Whole-Time Director and COO of HMIL, said, "At HMIL, we are consistently driven by our vision of 'Progress for Humanity' and customer-centric innovation. The introduction of the new VERNA SX+ variant aligns with our goal to democratize premium features and elevate ownership experience for our customers. Additionally, the Wired to Wireless Adapter reaffirms our commitment to offering accessible and advanced connectivity solutions across our product range. We are confident that these interventions will be appreciated by our customers."advertisementThe Verna is offered with two engine choices. The first is a 1.5-litre MPi petrol engine that produces 115PS of maximum power and 143.8Nm of peak torque, paired with either a 6-speed manual transmission or an IVT automatic. The second option is a more powerful 1.5-litre Turbo GDi petrol engine, delivering 160PS and 253Nm of torque, available with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).The 1.5 Turbo GDi variant is quick as it can accelerate from 0 to 100kmph in just 8.1 seconds. Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine
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Business Standard
22 minutes ago
- Business Standard
'India's Deng Xiaoping': Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu on Rao's reforms
Describing former Prime Minister (PM) P V Narasimha Rao as 'India's Deng Xiaoping', Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said the economic reforms unveiled by the Rao-led minority government in 1991 were the reason India's coalition governments delivered better results than those with clear majorities. The Andhra CM is on a two-day visit to the national capital, where he is scheduled to meet PM Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and others. He met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday. In his meetings with the PM and Union ministers, Naidu will seek the Centre's support for projects in his state, release of pending funds, the Polavaram–Banakacherla river-linking project, and issues related to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) sources said. On Tuesday evening, Naidu delivered a lecture on 'The Life and Legacy of P V Narasimha Rao' at the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) in the national capital. His lecture was the sixth in the PMML-organised Prime Ministers Lecture Series. He described Rao as a 'true Telugu bidda', or Telugu son of the soil, who 'reshaped the destiny' of India, and said the Telugu community is proud of his contributions. Rao, who passed away in December 2004, was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024. Referring to the recent controversy over some states accusing the Centre of imposing Hindi, Naidu said Rao had mastered 17 languages and serves as an inspiration in the current context. The Andhra CM said Rao, despite leading a minority government, accomplished the near-impossible task of forging consensus on economic reforms among socialists, communists, and capitalists alike. Naidu credited Rao's prime ministerial tenure, and subsequently that of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for India's first-mover advantage in the information technology sector and for building world-class infrastructure, especially in roads and telecommunications. Naidu said that in 1978, when Deng launched China's economic reforms, both India and China were $140 billion economies, while the US economy was 15x larger at $2.3 trillion. Now, the US economy is only 1.5x bigger than China's, and more than 7x bigger than India's. 'They (China) are catching up (with the US). We are behind,' Naidu said, stressing that the journey from being the world's fourth- or third-largest economy to one of the top two will be much more challenging. Naidu said 2014 was a turning point in India's growth story, with the country getting Modi as PM, who has 'ushered in a new era of bold and decisive leadership'. He said the goal is not just to grow fast, but to grow fairly, where every citizen, every region, and every sector shares the fruit of progress. Citing World Bank data, he said India is among the top four most income-equal countries but stressed that the country still needs to become more equitable. He urged the top 10 per cent of India's wealthy to uplift the bottom 20 per cent, appealing to them to follow tech billionaire Bill Gates' example and 'give back to society'. On his vision for Andhra, Naidu spoke about his government's Quantum Valley initiative in Amaravati. He urged youth to join politics and said the TDP's parliamentary party is the youngest in the Lok Sabha. He also noted that TDP's representative in the Union Cabinet, Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, is the youngest minister at the Centre. During his visit to Delhi, Naidu and Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy are also scheduled to attend a meeting on water issues being facilitated by the Centre on Wednesday. The Telangana government is expected to press the Centre to grant approvals and funds for its long-pending projects. It had earlier conveyed its objection to the Centre regarding Andhra's Banakacherla river-linking project, saying that it hurts Telangana's interests.


The Hindu
40 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Chinese President Xi Jinping vows greater support for Russia
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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Tesla launches Model Y in India at Rs 59.89 lakh, deliveries from September
Mumbai: Tesla Tuesday entered the Indian car market, launching its Rs 59.89 lakh Model Y SUV, as Maharashtra rolled out a red carpet for the EV maker, urging it to go beyond imports and anchor its manufacturing and R&D base in the state. At an event to mark Tesla's formal entry, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis made a strong pitch to the Elon Musk-led automaker, positioning the state as Tesla's long-term base. 'Mumbai and the people of India are going to love Tesla. But more than just being a big market, India is now a robust base for electric mobility manufacturing, especially Maharashtra. We invite Tesla to not just sell here, but to make it here,' he said. Fadnavis highlighted the state's 'most progressive' EV policies, with incentives for manufacturing, R&D, and charging infrastructure. Tesla, which has begun hiring for roles in charging infrastructure and government affairs, will initially sell its cars in Mumbai, with Delhi and Gurugram set to follow as its next retail markets. Model Y marks Tesla's first official product introduction in India after years of flipflop on entering the world's third-largest automobile market. The car is priced significantly higher than in markets like the US due to the 70-100% import duty levied on fully-built electric vehicles in India. Deliveries will begin in September, with imports currently routed through Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory. Tesla is targeting India's luxury EV segment which is still in its infancy but gaining traction. With a price tag going up to Rs 67.89 lakh for the long range, rear wheel drive version, Model Y will compete with premium offerings from BMW and Mercedes-Benz rather than mass-market brands like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra. BMW currently leads the segment with EVs accounting for 18% of its total sales. EVs currently have a 12% penetration in the luxury car segment. Industry watchers view Tesla's move as a cautious toe-dip into a complex market. 'Considering that there is no trade agreement, this is aggressive pricing. Tesla's India narrative may change when bilateral trade agreements with the US or Europe are in place,' said Puneet Gupta, director, S&P Global Mobility. 'For now, they are testing the waters.' Tesla will also roll out its latest V4 Superchargers in India before vehicle deliveries begin. The first four charging hubs in Mumbai—at Lower Parel, BKC, Navi Mumbai, and Thane—will each house 16 Superchargers and 16 Destination Chargers. Every customer will receive a complimentary home wall charger with their purchase. "We are here to create the ecosystem, to invest in the necessary infrastructure including the charging infrastructure," Isabel Fan, a regional director at Tesla, said at the launch event. 'We are building from 0 to 100. It will take time to cover the whole country.' Globally, Tesla is under pressure. Sales have dipped in key markets such as Germany and France, while China has become intensely competitive amid domestic EV rivals. While Tesla has not confirmed any manufacturing commitments in India yet, industry insiders believe the company could transition to local assembly and eventually full-scale manufacturing, in phases. 'Tesla is not just entering a market—it's entering a partnership with a state and a nation committed to clean mobility,' Fadnavis said.