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Cars24 turbocharges car buying – No more showroom shenanigans!
MUMBAI: Buying a car in India has long been an exhausting rite of passage. Prospective buyers have had to wade through conflicting online reviews, wrestle with pushy showroom executives, and embark on an endless hunt for the elusive “best deal.” In an age where groceries land at your doorstep in 10 minutes and AI predicts your next binge-worthy show, why does buying a new car still feel like a 90s-era scavenger hunt?
Well Cars24, the autotech disruptor has shifted gears—literally—by launching ‘New Cars’, a revolutionary platform designed to end the chaos. With just a few clicks, buyers can now access real-time, city-wise on-road prices, compare models, book test drives, and even explore financing options. From the budget-conscious hatchback hunter to the luxury SUV dreamer, everyone now gets a seamless, tech-powered shopping experience. No more price guessing. No more painful negotiations. Just pure, unfiltered car buying bliss.
Why Now? Because India’s appetite for new wheels is insatiable. Passenger vehicle sales smashed records in 2024, crossing 4.3 million units—a five per cent rise from the previous year. SUVs, the undisputed kings of the road, now account for a whopping 54 per cent of all new car purchases. And with the average mass-market car priced at approximately Rs 11.4 lakh, Indian buyers are spending more than ever.
Yet, the buying process remains stuck in first gear. Shoppers are still toggling between OEM websites, unreliable dealership quotes, and the well-meaning but often misinformed advice of that one ‘car expert’ friend. Not anymore. With New Cars, Cars24 is changing the game.
“We live in a world where groceries arrive in 10 minutes, loans get approved instantly, and AI suggests what to watch next. But buying a new car? Still a slow, outdated process of showroom visits, price haggling, and long waiting periods. If you’re spending lakhs on a new car, the experience of buying it should match the excitement of driving it. That’s what we’re changing—bringing speed, transparency, and control to new car buying, the way it should be,” said Cars24 co-founder Gajendra Jangid.
Unlike traditional listing sites, New Cars offers a fully integrated buying experience built around convenience and clarity. Here’s how:
. India’s first AI-powered video buying experience: Forget showroom visits. Now, AI-driven video walkthroughs showcase every inch of your desired car—inside and out—along with real-world performance insights. No more scrolling through multiple sites.
. No more pricing headaches: Ex-showroom prices are half the story. Cars24 offers exact, city-wise on-road pricing, covering taxes, insurance, and hidden costs—so you know exactly what you’re paying.
. Compare like a pro: Side-by-side comparisons of models, features, safety ratings, waiting periods, and financing deals—all in one place.
. Test drives at your convenience: Book a home test drive (for select models) through dealer partners, eliminating the need to step into a crowded showroom.
. Seamless exchange and financing: Trade in your old car, explore loan options, and finalise financing—all within the same platform.
Car buyers have evolved, but the industry has lagged behind. Over 90 per cent of Indian buyers now rely on online research, yet they still get dragged into the same offline labyrinth. Cars24 is putting an end to that cycle. Whether it’s your first car or an upgrade to that dream machine, the entire process is now fast, transparent, and just a few clicks away.
Check out New Cars here: https://www.Cars24.com/new-cars/. Because buying a new car should be as smooth as your first ride in it.
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Microsoft faces worst quarter since 2008 financial crisis
Cloud giant battles soaring AI costs and fierce competition from nimble startups.
MUMBAI: When the tech titan starts looking a little wobbly, even the Magnificent Seven can feel the tremors because Microsoft is currently starring in its own sequel, “Clouds and Doubts.” Microsoft is on track for its worst quarterly performance since the 2008 global financial crisis, according to Bloomberg, as investors grow increasingly uneasy about rising capital expenditure and intensifying competition from nimble AI firms. The company has been pouring money into AI infrastructure, yet markets are questioning when these hefty investments will finally deliver stronger revenue growth.
At the same time, investors are shifting away from traditional software stocks amid fears that AI startups such as Anthropic and OpenAI are developing autonomous agents capable of replacing established products, including those from Microsoft. Jonathan Cofsky, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors, noted growing concern that customers may bypass Microsoft and deal directly with AI vendors, potentially disrupting its core business and putting pressure on pricing and margins.
Microsoft’s stock has tumbled 25 per cent in the first quarter, putting it on course for its largest drop since a 27 per cent fall in the fourth quarter of 2008. It has also emerged as the weakest performer among the so-called Magnificent Seven technology stocks, while a broader index tracking the group has fallen 14 per cent over the same period. The shares slipped a further 1.7 per cent after markets opened on Friday, marking a potential fourth consecutive session of declines.
Cofsky pointed out that Microsoft has become more capital intensive and that improved investor confidence will hinge on assurances that software growth will not slow materially. Despite the sell-off, the stock is now trading at less than 20 times projected earnings over the next 12 months, its lowest valuation level since June 2016. Its valuation remains slightly above that of the S&P 500 Index, although it has recently traded at a discount to the broader benchmark for the first time since 2015.
Bloomberg data shows Microsoft’s capital expenditure, including leases, is expected to surge to $146 billion in fiscal 2026, up around 66 per cent from $88 billion in fiscal 2025. Spending is projected to climb further to $170 billion in fiscal 2027 and $191 billion in fiscal 2028, based on average estimates. Investors are growing cautious about such levels of spending without clearer signs of stronger growth.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud division has reported a slight slowdown in growth compared with the previous quarter, while its Copilot AI product has seen limited user traction, prompting internal changes aimed at improving performance. Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Melius Research, warned in a March note that Microsoft’s upside in Azure could be constrained as the company works to address challenges related to its AI models and Copilot offering, adding that these issues are unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
Of the 67 analysts covering Microsoft, 63 maintain buy ratings, three hold ratings and one a sell rating. The average 12-month price target of $592 implies a potential upside of more than 64 per cent, the highest on record based on data going back to 2009. The stock is also trading below its 200-day moving average by the widest margin since 2009.
Reitzes suggested the dominance of buy ratings may indicate complacency among analysts, while highlighting risks in Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment as well as its More Personal Computing division. In contrast, Tal Liani of Bank of America reinstated coverage with a buy rating, citing durable multi-year growth prospects across cloud and AI. Jake Seltz, portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, maintained that Microsoft retains strong long-term value and that its AI strategy is likely to be validated over time, viewing near-term concerns as a potential opportunity for longer-term investors.
The report highlights a growing divergence in market sentiment, with optimism around long-term AI potential weighed against immediate execution risks and investor uncertainty. In the world of big tech, even the mightiest clouds can have silver linings but right now, Microsoft’s investors are scanning the horizon for clearer skies.
