Škoda Auto India Marks 100-Car Delivery Milestone on Rath Yatra
Škoda Auto India Marks Festive Sales Milestone with 100-Vehicle Delivery on Rath Yatra in Gujarat
On the festive day of Rath Yatra, also known as Ashadhi Beej, families across Gujarat celebrated the holiday with a traditional focus on purchasing new items. Car dealerships experienced a busy day of activity, with Škoda Auto India completing one of its largest single-day vehicle delivery events in the state.
The company handed over more than 100 vehicles to buyers through its local dealer partner, Stellar Škoda. These deliveries took place across a broad network of showrooms in several major cities, including Surat, Vadodara, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Bharuch, and Bhavnagar. The event represents a notable milestone for the car manufacturer as it seeks to meet growing regional interest in its passenger vehicle line-up.
Addressing the gathering of new car owners, Mr. Ashish Gupta, the Brand Director of Škoda Auto India, shared his thoughts on the milestone and thanked the local families.
In Gujarat, the Rath Yatra festival is widely seen as an auspicious day to make significant life purchases, particularly houses and personal vehicles. Taking delivery of a new car on this day is believed by many families to bring good fortune and prosperity for the year ahead.
This cultural tradition often marks the official beginning of the autumn shopping season in India, which eventually peaks during the festivals of Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali. This year, vehicle sales across the region showed a strong recovery after a period of slower market activity. In Ahmedabad alone, overall vehicle deliveries on the day of the festival increased by more than 30% compared to the previous year, showing that consumer confidence remains high. Buyers were also helped by stable interest rates on car loans and festive discounts offered by various dealerships.
Among passenger vehicles, sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and cars with automatic gearboxes have seen the highest rise in popularity. Many urban drivers in Gujarat are choosing automatic cars because they are easier to drive in heavy city traffic.
At the delivery event, Mr. Ashish Gupta pointed out how much a new car means to children, noting that a family vehicle is often the start of a lifelong dream.
“What brings me the greatest joy is seeing so many young children here today. When we were young, maybe eight or ten years old, the biggest thing we wanted was to have a car at home. A car is something that brings incredible excitement to children, especially young boys of that age.
To all the children here, I want to say: this is your dream coming true today. We feel very fortunate that Škoda has been given this opportunity by you to make your dreams a reality. On behalf of all of us, thank you once again for choosing Škoda and for spending your valuable time with us today.”
For the carmaker, building trust is a long-term responsibility that goes beyond a single sales transaction. Mr. Gupta emphasised that Škoda’s global legacy is built on engineering standards that have been refined over more than a century.
“Welcoming you into the Škoda family brings a deep responsibility. We want to live up to the trust you have shown in us. Many people might not know that Škoda is a 130-year-old brand, making it one of the oldest car manufacturers in the world. In India, we have been present for 25 years. Our cars are famous for their engineering, safety, and driving quality. I am sure you chose Škoda because you believe in safety, and you value European engineering and build quality.”
In recent years, the company has adapted its global expertise to better suit the Indian market, focusing on vehicles designed specifically for local road conditions and driver preferences.
“Over the last two to three years, we have made a major shift to build cars specifically for India. But building for India does not mean compromising on build quality or safety. Even today, our cars carry five-star safety ratings.
I must remind you that Škoda was the very first car manufacturer in India to receive a five-star safety rating. Now, everyone else is following, which is a wonderful thing for the industry. But as they say, the original is always the original. Because you chose us, we will continue to keep your trust.
Over the past two to three years, we have brought these core strengths engineering quality, safety, and driving dynamics into different price ranges and market segments. Today, Škoda’s range in India starts at ₹7.5 lakh and goes up to ₹45 lakh, from the Kylaq to the Kodiaq. We are glad to see all kinds of customers appreciating our cars. Once again, a huge thank you to everyone.”
Expanding the Network of Showrooms and Service Centres
To support its growing number of car owners, Škoda Auto India has been steadily opening more places where people can buy and repair their cars. Just one day before the festival, the company opened three new customer service and sales locations in Naroda, Maninagar, and Himmatnagar.
These new showrooms are built using the brand’s updated international style, which uses warm materials and clear layouts to make the spaces feel friendly and easy to visit. With these recent openings, the brand now has 25 customer touchpoints spread across 16 different cities in Gujarat. These cities include:
- Ahmedabad, Surat, and Vadodara
- Rajkot, Vapi, and Gandhinagar
- Anand, Bharuch, and Bhavnagar
- Gandhidham, Himmatnagar, and Jamnagar
- Junagadh, Mehsana, Morbi, and Navsari
By placing these facilities in smaller cities like Himmatnagar and Mehsana, the manufacturer is making it easier for people living outside the largest metropolitan areas to get their cars serviced without having to travel long distances.
The growth in Gujarat is part of a larger plan that the company has been working on for several years. In 2021, the brand had just over 120 customer locations across India. By 2026, that number will have grown to more than 340 touchpoints across 189 cities nationwide.
Expanding a dealer network is expensive and requires careful planning, but car industry experts say it is necessary for building long-term trust. When a family buys a car, they want to know that they can easily find a reliable garage to service it, change the oil, or fix any issues over the next five to ten years. By opening more showrooms and workshops in smaller towns, car makers can assure buyers that help is always nearby.
The automotive sector is often seen as a thermometer for the wider economy. When families feel secure about their jobs and savings, they are much more willing to spend money on high-value items like family cars. The delivery of over 100 cars in a single day in Gujarat indicates that household spending power in the state is healthy.
The choice of Rath Yatra for this delivery drive also holds a broader symbolic significance for the brand’s annual calendar.
“Rath Yatra has traditionally been an incredibly important occasion for us because it marks the start of the festive season in India. From this celebration in Gujarat, the festive spirit travels across the country, leading to Onam in Kerala, then Navratri, Diwali, Dussehra, and right up to the end of the year. This is a very auspicious time for us to begin the festive season, and I wish you all the very best for the upcoming holidays and today’s celebrations.”
As the Indian car market continues to grow more competitive, with many brands offering new models, having a large network of local showrooms and strong customer care will remain key to winning over buyers.
