Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation, part of the Hyundai Motor Group (HMG), have renewed their partnerships with FIFA through 2030. The duo have been associated with FIFA for over two decades. The newly inked agreement sees two HMG subsidiaries – Boston Dynamics and Supernal – into the equation. Until the end of the decade, the renewed partnerships will cover several FIFA competitions, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The Indian arm of the British carmaker Morris Garages closed the month of May 2023 with a 25 per cent growth. It sold 5,006 units in the month, during which we witnessed the launch of Comet EV and the Blackstorm Edition of the Gloster. 

The seventh-gen Azera, known as Grandeur in its home country, first broke cover in November last year. Now, it has arrived to wow the Middle East and African markets. The Azera is Hyundai’s flagship sedan, measuring over five metres in length. And besides packing tons of equipment, be it creature comforts or safety features, the striking-looking car is available with a 3.5-litre V6 and a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol. As you’d expect, with 296hp/358Nm, the former mill is for those thrill seekers. But on the other hand, the latter comes with the goodness of an electric motor, enabling emission-free driving and keeping the overall running costs in check. Expect Hyundai to announce the pricing for the Middle East soon.

Ever since Renault decided to give India a go without any help or intervention from beyond alliances, the brand has been doing promisingly well. That stint kick-started eleven years ago. Today, the French automaker has surpassed nine lakh sales in the country. Simple math reveals an average annual sales of over 81,800, making Renault one of India’s youngest and fastest growning car brands. Currently, Renault sells three models in India – Kwid, Triber and Kiger. However, with fresh investments coming in fast, the brand will get to expand its range of offerings in a few years.

Al-Futtaim Auto announces a new company for their new electric mobility strategy. Al-Futtaim Automotive, the Middle East auto giant, is on track to keep up with the sustainability goals of the UAE government. The UAE government wants to make 30% of the government fleet carbon neutral by 2030 and ultimately carbon neutral by 2050. Keeping in line with this thought process Al-Futtaim Automotive has launched a dedicated electric-focused mobility company – Al-Futtaim Electric Mobility Company. This announcement was made at the Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit. This company will focus on sales from their EV portfolio of Polestar & BYD. They will also set up their own EV charging infrastructure across the region with their brand known as Charge2Moov.

To spread awareness among women on key automotive safety topics, such as dealing with on-road emergencies and essential car maintenance, Continental recently partnered with Huda M. Al Matroushi, the first female Emirati car mechanic, as part of Continental’s global commitment to empower women and achieve its Vision Zero goal: Zero Fatalities, Zero Injuries, Zero Crashes. The workshop saw Al Matroushi lead a female-focused educational seminar while reflecting on her automotive journey. Following the workshop, attendees had the chance to immerse themselves in a state-of-the-art AI Driving Hub, created by AI Driving Metaverse Group, that harnesses artificial intelligence to analyse the psycho-physiological characteristics of drivers, utilising biometric and sensor data and customisable road scenarios. 

Dating back to 1929, the “Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este” is one of the most prestigious Concours d’Elegance events of the classic and vintage car industry. This year, the event got hosted at the Villa Erba, where the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was celebrated. And to further commemorate the occasion, Alfa Romeo decided to showcase two gems from its vintage collection, the 33/2-liter “Daytona” (1968) and the 33 TT 12 (1975). The Alfa Romeo 33/2-liter “Daytona” helped the Italian banner conquer the top three places in its class at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona and achieved another hat-trick in the class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Alfa Romeo 33 TT 12, a 500hp car equipped with a three-liter 12-cylinder 180° V engine, capable of reaching 330 km/h, took victory in seven of eight races that counted towards the World Championship for a season.

Earlier this month, Volkswagen India announced the opening of three new touchpoints in Karnataka, one each in Belagavi, Davanagere and Vijayapura. Post that, the company has inaugurated five more outlets in the country, taking the total up to eight in as many days. The five new touchpoints are in three states – Kerala (Kodungallur), Punjab (Mohali, Pathankot) and Tamil Nadu (Coimbatore [Workshop], Thoothukudi). Except for the one in Kerala, a 3S (Sales, Service and Spare parts) facility, the others account for Das WeltAuto centres and standalone showrooms.