Remember ‘Taarzan the Wonder Car’? Yes, we’re talking about the same Ajay Devgn-starrer that showed a really old, rotting vintage car being modified into something really cool and racy. Well, the ‘wonder car’ shown in the movie was actually a modified second-generation Toyota MR2 that was done up by none other than Dilip Chhabria, our desi car design guru. Of course, this wonder car excited everyone and even went on sale after the movie was released. However, no one was willing to pay a hefty Rs 2 crore for a car that was essentially an old sportscar without even a properly crash-tested body.

Soon, the price was dropped to a much more affordable Rs 35 lakh. However, the Wonder Car didn’t find any takers at all. Back in late 2017, we got to know that the car is in a shabby condition and is rotting somewhere in Mumbai. However, a new video that came online last month states that the car has finally been acquired by someone and is in the process of going through a massive makeover. Of course, the new owner bought this car at its scrap value. However, the video claims that the Wonder Car will soon look like a modern-day Lamborghini! Well, we’ll want to take it with a pinch of salt but we are happy that the abandoned car has finally found a new owner.

The video states that this car is currently undergoing restoration as well as modification work in one of the two garages in GTB Nagar, Mumbai. You can also see a mechanic scrapping off the existing paint on the car. So, basically, a car that started life as a rotting old vehicle (at least in the fictional world) is finally getting another makeover in the real world. Underneath the bold exterior from Dilip Chhabria is likely to be the same 2-liter turbocharged petrol engine that powered the MR2. In its stock condition, the engine can produce up to 218 bhp, which isn’t at all bad for a lightweight two-seater sportscar. The motor came mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Like we said, we’re happy that the ‘Taarzan Wonder Car’ is about to get a new lease of life. Let’s just hope that the new exterior looks at least as dramatic as the one by DC.

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A pedestrian walking on a road somewhere in Kerala had a very narrow escape, highlighting how dangerous it is to walk on roads that have vehicles plying in both directions. The entire accident was caught on camera and makes for a chilling watch. Here, take a look for yourself.

As the video indicates, the pedestrian walking on the road is alerted to a sound of crashing metal. A Maruti Alto hits a Yamaha RayZ automatic scooter, leaving behind the scooterist motionless on the road. The heavy impact sees the Yamaha RayZ being flung in the air. The scooter somersaults a few times before nearly taking out the horrified pedestrian. The scooter’s front end brushes against the pedestrian’s back, who’s seen rubbing his back after the impact. However, the pedestrian simply walks off without assisting the rider of the scooter, who’s seen lying motionless on the road. As for the car, it simply speeds away after the crash without stopping.

Dangers of walking on the road

Roads are simply not meant for pedestrians, footpaths are. And this is why governments in India need to make sure that roads with heavy pedestrian traffic have footpaths. In the pedestrian’s defence, the road he was walking on didn’t have a clearly demarcated footpath, leaving him no option than to walk on the road itself.

By doing so, he was putting himself at grave danger considering the fact that the road didn’t have a grade separator/divider. Any overtaking maneuver that sees vehicles using the full road would put such pedestrians at high risk. This is only one of the many dangers of pedestrians walking on roads rather than footpaths.

From the video, it seems that the rider of the Yamaha RayZ was unhelmeted. Not wearing a helmet makes a two wheeler rider highly susceptible to a head injury, which is the biggest cause of death in two wheeler accidents. We can only hope that the two wheeler rider has survived, and learnt to use a helmet.

Video courtesy Sarath Kumar

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The legendary Mercedes G-Wagen first came out in the late 70s and impressed everyone with its go-anywhere capabilities and a high reliability. Today, both the original G-Wagen and its newer iterations enjoy a huge fan-following and a cult classic status. While there are many examples of this legendary SUV in India, there are some Force Gurkha and Mahindra Bolero owners who have tried to capture the spirit of this German SUV by modifying their vehicles into a G-Wagen replica. Here are some examples –

Force Gurkha – Mercedes G-Wagen conversion 1

This is a Gurkha to G-Wagen conversion by a Kerala-based car customizer. The donor vehicle’s green paint was replaced with this X7R color, which comes from Audi. The front-end gets a complete makeover with original G-Wagen fittings. The roof was restructured to a flatter form as the Gurkha has a slightly slanted roof. Also, the wheel arches were reshaped and given Mercedes-Benz fenders. The rear fascia saw usage of a new bumper and new tail lamps. The only giveaway is the rear window panel as the G-Wagen came with a single large window.The Gurkha’s 2.6-liter CRDI turbo diesel engine has been retained in its stock format. It outputs 85 Bhp and 230 Nm. It comes mated to a 5-speed gearbox with 4X4 low and high ratios.

Force Gurkha – Mercedes G-Wagen conversion 2

Here is another Gurkha that looks too much like a G-Wagen. The biggest difference between the conversion you saw above and this one is that this one has a three-slat Mercedes grille. Also, instead of the rectangular fog lamps, this one has oval-ish units. It also has a different set of alloys. Here, again, the extra window at the rear is a giveaway of the car’s roots. However, even this Gurkha to G-Wagen conversion involves usage of many original Mercedes parts. Even this Gurkha’s roof was restructured to a flat shape. The engine and the 4×4 hardware remains in its stock form. The total cost of this conversion is said to be Rs 6.5 lakh.

While the engine of the Force Gurkha is still somewhat related to the original G-Wagen, the only connection the Mahindra Bolero has with the legendary off-roader are its clean straight lines. This has made some Bolero owners to modify their vehicles into G-Wagen lookalikes. Also, while the Gurkha can easily mimic the original G-Wagen, the Bolero, thanks to its bigger form, can be made to look a lot like the newer generations of the G-Wagen. Let’s have a look at 3 such conversions –

Mahindra Bolero – Mercedes G-Wagen conversion 1

Seen here is a Mahindra Bolero that has been modified into the Mercedes G-Wagen by R&T Auto Catalyst in Kerala. The entire front-end is new and carries new panels (grill, bumper, fenders, and even the bonnet).  The headlamps and even the LED bar below them look a lot like the ones on the original vehicle. In the side profile, the Bolero gets G-Wagen-like flared wheel arches and sideboards. The rear also gets a huge makeover. You get the same tail lamp cluster that is available on the original vehicle. The fifth-door gets a spare wheel with a Mercedes cover on it. The interior has also been spruced up to make it a bit more luxurious. The stock 2.5-liter turbo diesel engine has been retained. To the untrained eye, this Bolero can easily pass off for a G-Wagen.

Mahindra Bolero – Mercedes G-Wagen conversion 2

This Mahindra Bolero to Mercedes G-Wagen conversion has been done for Rs 7.35 lakh by Jeep Studio of Coimbatore. The front-end of this Bolero gets many parts from the G-Wagen. You get new projector headlamps, LED DRLs, new grille, new bumper, and even a new bonnet. Even the front- and the rear-tracks have been altered to match those of the latest G-Wagen. Even the alloy wheels get Mercedes badges and the earlier ORVMs have been replaced with those from a G-Wagen. Specs remain same as before. You get the same 2.5 liter M2DiCR turbo diesel engine that powers the regular Bolero. It outputs a maximum power of 63 Bhp along with a peak torque of 195 Nm.

Mahindra Bolero – Mercedes G-Wagen conversion 3

A Mahindra Bolero owner in Delhi has managed to make his UV look a lot like the G-Wagen. Well, at least the front-end looks too much like the German SUV. It has the same front grille, headlamps, and LED lights as the original model. The indicators are now mounted on the hood, which further enhances the way this Bolero looks. The fenders get flared wheel arches, which make them look a bit more like what the G-Wagen offers. The rear, however, is nothing like the G-Wagen’s posterior. It still carries the original taillights. The owner has even used the G-Wagen’s tail lamp cluster but has placed them vertically instead of horizontally. The exhaust position has been changed and now terminates at the side, just like what you get on the G-Wagen.

Source – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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Maruti Suzuki and Toyota are going to have a very deep partnership in the coming years, a partnership that sees both brands badge engineering each others’ cars. While Maruti Suzuki will offer the Baleno and Vitara Brezza for Toyota to slap its badges and styling on, Toyota will in turn give Maruti the Corolla Altis premium D-Segment sedan. The next-generation Corolla Altis will be used by Maruti as its flagship car, and is likely to be sold through the NEXA chain of premium dealerships. Maruti will give the Altis a makeover before putting it in its dealerships. Here’s what a Maruti branded Corolla Altis could look like.

Mechanically, we expect the Maruti-branded next-generation Corolla Altis to be unchanged. In styling terms though, the car could wear a chrome heavy grille, the kind of beard that the Ciaz comes with. The Maruti-branded Corolla is also expected to feature revised styling at the rear. Most components including headlamps and tail lamps could be retained though as the present generation of headlamps now are LED units that have a lot of engineering behind them. The next-generation Corolla Altis will not have a diesel engine. So, the one sold by Maruti will use petrol and petrol hybrid powertrains, in the same configurations that Toyota will use.

The Maruti Corolla Altis is expected to be launched in 2020. Maruti has an ambition of selling around 10,000 units of the car. It remains unknown if Maruti plans to sell all 10,000 cars in the first year of operations or whether it is the total number of Corolla Altis’ it’ll buy from Toyota. While more clarity is awaited on that front, the premium sedan will be a big leap for Maruti considering the fact that the last 10 lakh+ sedan that the brand sold in India was the Kizashi. While the Kizashi was a spectacular flop thanks to its pricing, we’ll have to wait and watch as to what happens with the Maruti Corolla.

Via IAB

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Mahindra will launch the facelifted version of the XUV 500 later this month in the market. The SUV has started to arrive at the Mahindra dealerships across India. A new set of pictures of the vehicle reveals all the changes that the XUV 500 will get with the update.

What are the changes?

The front of the updated Mahindra XUV 500 has been changed completely. It now gets a new grille, new bumper and new headlamps with DRLs. The new XUV also gets updated bonnet lid. At the rear, the car gets a new bumper and a new split tail-lamp, which is triangular in shape. The XUV also gets new fog lamps placed just above the rear bumper. The rear tailgate has been updated too and the vehicle looks thoroughly updated. From the side, the XUV 500 remains similar to the current model.

The interior layout of the new XUV 500 remains similar to the current model. However, there have been a few changes like the dashboard and door trims now get leather upholstery in the top end variant. The car continues to offer the touchscreen infotainment system that gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The infotainment system also provides information like fuel use statistic, driver score among many other things like Tyre Pressure.

The top-end variant also gets leather seats with quilted diamond stitching. Mahindra has also used soft-touch materials on the dashboard that makes the cabin a lot plusher. The centre console now gets faux-aluminium and piano black plastic.

The engine also becomes more powerful with the new version of the XUV 500. The same 2.2-litre diesel engine now delivers a maximum power of 155 Bhp at 3,3750 rpm and 360 Nm at 1,750-2,800 rpm. The bump in power comes from the new sixth-generation turbocharger that gets new eVGT technology. The lower variants will offer the old spec output, which is 140 Bhp and 330 Nm. The engine with higher output will return a maximum fuel efficiency of 15.4 km/l. There will be the 2.2-litre petrol engine too that generates a maximum power of 140 Bhp.

The new XUV 500 gets five trim levels, which is one extra from the current version of the model. Mahindra is also offering 7 colours, out of which, 2 are new colours. The price is expected to be announced soon.

Source

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Volkswagen is all set to launch its first affordable SUV in the Indian market. Called the T-Cross, it’ll be based on the MQB A0 IN platform – a low cost derivative of the MQB platform designed specifically for emerging markets such as India and Brazil. While the compact SUV won’t be here before 2020, here is a speculative render that shows what it will look like when put into serial production.

As the render shows, Volkswagen is likely to take its typically conservative styling approach. Safe and solid, the compact SUV will look like a Volkswagen, with a clean, straightforward design. The T-Cross looks like a mini Tiguan and has none of the styling flourishes that competitor SUVs in the compact segments offer. While looking quite plain at first glance, this is a design that will age gracefully.

Volkswagen has declared that it would heavily localize cars based on the MQB A0 IN platform in order to price them competitively in the cost conscious Indian market. The same approach is likely for the T-Cross SUV as well. Expect the SUV to be priced similar to the Hyundai Creta, with probably a slight price premium that Volkswagen has been known to command based on its brand strength. So, a starting price between Rs. 9-10 lakhs is anticipated.

While we’re not sure if Volkswagen will continue with a diesel strategy on its cars sold in India beyond 2020, what’s certain is that there will be a turbocharged petrol engine as a staple on the T-Cross SUV. Both manual and automatic gearboxes are likely to be on offer. However, only front wheel drive is likely as an all wheel drive layout at this price point may not bring in enough sales to justify such a variant. The T-Cross will be developed keeping an electric/hybrid future in mind. In future, electric/hybrid variants of this compact SUV are likely, even for India.

Via Autosegredos

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Mahindra & Mahindra is well-known for offering some really reliable and powerful Diesel engines. However, it’s no secret that Petrol-powered cars are fast coming back into fashion and that the popularity of oil-burners is on a decline. Hence, in order to be future-ready, the popular UV manufacturer has come up with as many as four new-age petrol engines that will power its upcoming range of cars and SUVs. The new petrol engines will be even found in the next-generation XUV500 and Scorpio SUVs.

The smallest of these petrol engines displaces only about 600cc and has a single-cylinder format. It outputs only 20 PS and will likely power some of the upcoming light commercial vehicles (LCVs) from Mahindra and Mahindra. The other engines, however, will go on to power some of the upcoming passenger cars and SUVs from the company. Next in line is a three-cylinder, 1.2-liter unit that will be available in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged formats. The latter will output as much as 136 PS. The upcoming Ssangyong Tivoli-based sub-4-meter compact SUV, which is internally named as S201, will use this small-capacity motor. For the Tivoli-based compact SUV, the engine will be tuned to produce 125 PS.

The remaining two motors displace 1.5-liters and 2.0-liters respectively. The smaller of these will be available in both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged forms. This engine can produce as much as 163 PS. The 1.5-liter petrol engine will be used to power the upcoming U321 MPV. However, the exact power output for the MPV is yet to be revealed. The 2.0-liter petrol engine will be a turbocharged unit that can output as much as 217 PS. Mahindra is yet to reveal the vehicles that will come with this powerful petrol engine. However, there are good chances of this engine making it to the next-generation Mahindra XUV500 and Scorpio SUVs.

It’s being said that Mahindra and Mahindra plans to focus on shifting away from Diesel engines and embracing petrol, hybrid, and electric engines. It may be noted here that 2020 will see emission norms getting a lot stricter. Car manufacturers will have to shift to BS6-compliant engines. Hence, it makes tremendous sense for M&M to shift its focus towards powertrains that are high on efficiency and really low on emissions.

Via Indian Autos Blog

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Bajaj Auto, India’s fourth largest motorcycle manufacturer is constantly feeling the heat in the market. The Indian manufacturer has shuffled the line-up without much attention in the past year. Bajaj has discontinued as many as five motorcycles in the Indian market in last one year. What are the reasons behind the discontinuation of these motorcycles? Let’s find out.

Bajaj Pulsar AS 150

Bajaj discontinued the AS 150 officially in February 2017. It was the cheapest adventure bike available in the Indian market but the sales were as much as Bajaj would have liked. The AS 150 was discontinued due to the slow sales in the market. The AS 150 also did not offer anything special apart from the half fairing to make it worthy of the highways. The half fairing was added to create a barrier between the rider and the wind blast. However, the market did not accept the bike as a touring machine and the sales never saw a substantial rise.

Bajaj Pulsar AS 200

Bajaj also offered a powerful version of the AS or Adventure Sports in the form of AS 200. The bike had a similar layout as the AS 150 but was powered by a more powerful engine. There are many reasons for the downfall of the AS 200. The bike did not look as aggressive as the Pulsar motorcycles should look.

The Pulsar 200 NS became a popular choice because of its immaculate styling and it took away the buyers of the AS 200. The market also was not mature enough to give heed to touring motorcycles at the time of its launch, which made sure that the AS 200 never became as popular as the Pulsar 200 NS in the market.

Bajaj Pulsar 150 NS

The Bajaj Pulsar 150 NS was offered alongside the Bajaj Pulsar 150. The Naked Sports tag was not enough for the bike to become successful in the market. The Pulsar 150 was cheaper in the price and offered the true Pulsar look, whereas, the Pulsar 150 NS offered a much modern look.

The segment also saw competition from the Suzuki Gixxer and the Honda Hornet 160R, which were almost similarly priced as the Pulsar 150 NS but offered more power. Bajaj decided to launch the Pulsa 160 NS to take on the higher powered Gixxer and the Hornet in the segment and replace the Pulsar 150 NS.

Bajaj Pulsar 135 LS

This is the latest motorcycle that has been discontinued from the market. The Pulsar 135 LS or Light Sports was the most affordable Pulsar in the market. However, Bajaj did not update the bike for a long time and carried the same design while the competition was launching more aggressive and better bikes.

Also, the ABS will become mandatory for all the 125cc after April 2019. This will put the Bajaj Pulsar 135 LS in the mandatory ABS segment. The additional feature will increase the price of the motorcycle it will become quite expensive than the other 125cc bikes in the segment. Both these reasons are enough for Bajaj to cull the low-selling model in India.

Bajaj Avenger 150

Bajaj replaced the Avenger 150 in the market with a higher powered Avenger 180. Both the engine blocks are same so Bajaj did not have to do much to replace the engine. The primary reason for this was the launch of Suzuki Intruder 155, which was priced much higher than the Bajaj Pulsar 150 but offered same level of power. Bajaj launched the Avenger 180 as a marketing strategy to offer more for a lesser price in the segment.

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As a proactive move, Tata Motors has rolled out key upgrades to the Nexon compact SUV. The upgrades are meant to prevent safety issues that may arise on specific components of the sub-4 meter offering. The projector headlamps of the vehicle now get silicon pads to ensure that the wiring of the headlamps does not touch the projector units. This is to prevent a risk of fire due to accidental contact of these components. The infotainment unit gets a software update after some customers reported glitches in Bluetooth pairing, and momentary freezing of the touchscreen after starting the car. Tata Motors is also replacing the plastic housing of the key fob.

The Nexon has been a big success for Tata Motors. The sub-4 meter compact SUV competes with the Maruti Vitara Brezza and the Ford EcoSport. A key reason for the Nexon’s success has been sharp pricing, which makes the SUV very good value for money. The Nexon is also feature loaded, and offers many segment leading features. It is styled quite funkily in order to appeal to younger buyers. The funky styling also means that the Nexon stands out on the road, and has ‘novelty value’ going for it. Tata Motors also offers customization options on this SUV, and will soon launch AMT variants on both petrol and diesel models.

The Nexon is currently sold with 2 engines – a 1.2 liter turbocharged petrol and a 1.5 liter turbocharged diesel. Both motors produce class leading outputs. The petrol makes 108 Bhp and 170 Nm while the diesel produces 108 Bhp and 260 Nm. 6 speed manual gearboxes are standard on both engines, which drive the front wheels of this monocoque SUV. Tata Motors has no plans to add an all wheel drive option to the Nexon. The SUV is produced at the Tata-Fiat factory in Ranjangaon, near Pune. Due to high demand and production constraints, some variants of the Nexon command waiting times of up to 2 months.

Via Team-BHP

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Mahindra’s facelift for the Scorpio seems to be working very well. The market continues to love the 7 seat SUV, and guess what, the Scorpio has actually outsold cheaper priced compact SUVs in a big way. In March 2018, Mahindra sold a whopping 5,905 units of the Scorpio. Now, Ford sold 5,344 units of the EcoSport Facelift and Tata sold 4,405 units of the Nexon. That the Scorpio is outselling much smaller and cheaper SUVs goes on to highlight how popular the ladder frame SUV continues to be in the Indian market. Prices of the Scorpio start from Rs. 10 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi.

While the facelift has made the Scorpio look fresher than before, it’s not the facelift alone that is driving sales. The Scorpio brand is huge in rural and semi-urban India. The SUV has massive aspirational value, and it’s these markets that are buying the latest version by the truck load.

Mahindra cleverly sells a cut-price S3 variant of the Scorpio Facelift to such markets. The S3 variant uses a less powerful, 2.5 liter M2DICR turbocharged diesel engine tuned to produce 75 Bhp of peak power and 220 Nm of peak torque. The gearbox is a 5 speed manual unit that drives the rear wheels.

All other variants of the Scorpio are powered by the 2.2 liter mHawk turbocharged diesel engine available in two states of tune – 120 Bhp and 280 Nm, and 140 Bhp and 320 Nm. Both tunes support rear wheel drive systems. While the less powerful tune gets a 5 speed manual gearbox, the more powerful tune uses a new, 6 speed manual gearbox.

The more powerful tune is also available with a four wheel drive layout with both low and high ranges. Mahindra has cut down on the number of variants. The more powerful version of the Scorpio is now available with S5, S5 140 HP, S7, S7 140 HP and S11 140 HP 4WD variants. Airbags and ABS are standard on these variants.

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Hyundai launched the updated Elite i20 in India at the 2018 Auto Expo. The updated Elite i20 is a facelifted version and the changes are not significant. However, there are a few units of the pre-facelift Elite i20 manufactured in 2017 that remained unsold and the dealerships are offering a huge discount of up to Rs. 1 lakh to clear the stock. Is it a good buy at Rs. 1 lakh discount? Let’s find out.

What are the differences?

To understand the discount, you would want to know the key differences between the new Elite i20 and the older one. While there are not many changes, we have got a list to make you understand better. The new Elite i20 gets a new cascade grille, which looks different from the older version. It also gets updated tail lamps, rear bumper and new positioning of the rear registration plate.

The new Elite i20 also remains similar to the older model from the inside except for a few changes. The infotainment system remains same as the current version but the touch-sensitivity has improved. Other changes include newly designed rear AC vents and ionizer in the AC, which purifies the air inside the cabin. Apart from these changes, both the vehicles remain identical to each other.

Worth buying the MY17 vehicle?

The discount of up to Rs. 1 lakh makes the petrol base variant of the Elite i20 priced at Rs. 4.8 lakh and the diesel base variant at Rs. 6.56 lakh, both prices ex-showroom, Delhi. This puts the Elite i20 in the Maruti Suzuki Swift category, which sounds like an extremely lucrative deal.

The new Elite i20 does not get any significant changes and only an enthusiast or a good car observer will be able to differentiate between the two on the road. Without much differences, the Elite i20 sounds like an extremely good deal. Also, buyers can always bargain for more discounts at the dealerships.

What are the downfalls?

If you do not care about the minor changes, there is no downfall in the ownership experience of the MY 17 i20 and the MY 18 Elite i20. However, if you want to sell your vehicle within a couple of years, the price of the vehicle may depreciate a little more because of the old manufacturing year. If you want to keep the vehicle for a longer period of time, this deal is a win-win situation.

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Have you been planning to buy a Kawasaki superbike? Well, this might be a very good time as some dealers of the Japanese motorcycles have started offering huge discounts on some of the models. Not just this, they are also offering some freebies, like a riding jacket. Kawasaki sells some of its most performance-focussed motorcycles in India. Now might be a good time to bring home one of these as the offers seem to be too lucrative.

Kawasaki Ninja 300

The slightly dated Kawasaki Ninja 300, which has lost much of its limelight to the newer Ninja 400, is on sale with a discount of Rs 25,000. This brings the ex-showroom price of the N300 to less than Rs 3.4 lakh. At this price point, the entry-level sportsbike is more than Rs 1.25 lakh cheaper than the Ninja 400. Of course, the latter offers some performance advantages but the Ninja 300 actually seems like a better value for money after the price cut. The N300 has a 299cc twin-cylinder motor that outputs 38.5 bhp and 27 Nm.

Kawasaki Ninja Z1000

Next in line is the mighty Z1000 street-naked motorcycle. You get a whopping Rs 2,50,000 off on the ex-showroom price, which brings the effective price down to Rs 12 lakh. At this price point, the Z1000 becomes a really attractive option and of course much better value for money than before. The Z1000 is powered by a 1043cc, in-line-four motor that outputs 140 bhp and 111 Nm.

Kawasaki Ninja Z1000 R

The Z1000 R is the slightly sportier version of the Z1000 and hence, offers an enhanced performance. Even this motorcycle is available with a discount of Rs 2,50,000. This brings down the effective ex-showroom price to roughly Rs 13 lakh. The Z1000 R is also powered by a 1043cc, in-line-four motor that outputs 140 bhp and 111 Nm. It looks sharper than the Z1000 due to the various styling updates it carries. Basically, the Z1000 R borrows a handful of styling cues from the Sugomi Edition and also offers an updated suspension and brake package.

Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R

The Ninja ZX10R is also available with a discount of Rs 2,50,000, which brings down its effective price to Rs 16.30 lakh. The Ninja ZX10R is among the sharpest liter-class supersports around. Its 998cc inline-four engine offers a maximum power of 200 PS (210 PS with Ram air) and a peak torque of 113.5 Nm.

Other than the hefty discounts, you also get a free riding jacket with these motorcycles. Please note, however, that these discounts are being offered by the Chennai- and Coimbatore-based dealerships. Hence, the offers might be slightly different at your local Kawasaki dealership.

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The Jeep Compass SUV is having a dream run. In March 2018, Jeep shifted 2,172 units of the Compass into dealer yards, beating both Mahindra and Tata Motors. Mahindra managed sales of 1,567 units of the XUV500 while Tata Motors finished third with 1,404 unit sales of the Hexa. From the figures, it appears that the Compass has taken a big bite out of the XUV’s sales while Tata continues to improve sales of the Hexa, which is getting stronger and stronger. In fact, the Hexa’s sales have been steadily improving while that of the XUV500 have been on a constant downslide. Mahindra has a facelifted model ready, and will launch the new XUV later this month.

So, the April 2018 numbers for the XUV500 may see a marked improvement and the SUV may even outsell the Compass because Mahindra is likely to stuff dealer yards with the facelifted version, adding up to the big numbers. Coming back to why the Compass is selling so strongly, we think Jeep has just hit the sweet spot in terms of the starting price for this SUV. Then there is the novelty value that is yet to wear off. Also, the Jeep brand is highly regarded in India and people who have always desired the brand now have the opportunity to buy one because of the relatively affordable pricing.
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The Compass looks very good and has great street presence. Though it’s not very spacious with room barely enough for five adults, the Compass is managing to attract buyers thanks to premium interiors, features and a solid build. Moreover, a lot of SUV buyers don’t use 7 seats which makes the 5 seat layout of the Compass adequate for the job at hand. The SUV is also very powerful, with its 2 liter turbocharged diesel engine making 170 Bhp and 350 Nm. It also has a petrol option, which displaces 1.4 liters and produces 160 Bhp-250 Nm. While the diesel variant is currently available with only a 6 speed manual, the petrol offers a 6 speed manual and a 7 speed twin clutch automatic. The diesel gets a four wheel drive option as well, and will soon get a 9 speed, torque converter automatic gearbox.

Via AutoPunditz

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Ford India has opened pre-bookings for the Freestyle hatchback-based crossover. The car will be launched within the next few weeks, and is based on the Figo hatchback. Known as the Ka Cross internationally, the Ford Freestyle will take on the Hyundai i20 Active and the Honda WR-V in the Indian market. It’s Ford’s way of making the Figo platform relevant again. Both Honda and Hyundai have tasted success in the hatchback-based crossover segment with the WR-V and i20 Active respectively. Ford will aim at a similar success with the Freestyle that gets butch looks and additional ground clearance to become a more practical car for Indian conditions.

The Freestyle will be positioned above the Figo in terms of price and positioning. The car is expected to be priced about Rs. 50,000 more than the Figo, variant to variant. We expect a starting price of about Rs. 6 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi for the Freestyle. The car is likely to be offered with airbags and ABS as standard across all variants while the top-end variants will get a range of additional safety features such as 6 airbags, traction and anti-rollover protection. The Freestyle will also debut a brand new petrol engine and gearbox combination, which will eventually be offered by the Figo and the Figo Aspire.

The engine in question is the 1.2 liter Dragon unit that gets a 3 cylinder layout, and class leading power and torque figures of 95 Bhp and 120 Nm. This engine will be paired with a new 5 speed manual gearbox from Getrag. Ford may also offer a 6 speed, torque converter automatic gearbox eventually. The diesel engine will be the 1.5 liter TDCI unit with turbocharging as standard. This motor makes 98.6 Bhp of peak power and 205 Nm of peak torque, and gets a 5 speed manual gearbox as standard. The Freestyle will also debut a brand new, touchscreen-based infotainment system with Ford’s SYNC3 interface. This system will also be offered on the facelifted Figo and Aspire models.

Via ETAuto

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Honda has officially confirmed that the premium sedan will be launched in the Indian market soon. It is a quite interesting news for all the enthusiasts in the Indian market who have waited for the return of the Civic in India. The car is already available in many international markets and there are numerous reviews about it on the web. We bring you a text and video review of the Austrailian market that gets a similar model of the Civic that is scheduled to launch in India. Here is what they think about the car.

Civic 1.8-litre petrol

The Indian market will get both the petrol and the diesel engine options. Here is the review of the petrol variant of the car. The reviewer, Performance Drive from Austrailia has done both the text and video reviews. The Civic available in the Austrailian market comes from Thailand, which will be similar spec to the Indian model. Even though this is a 2016 model, Honda has not changed much in the vehicle except for a few features.

This is the tenth generation of the Honda Civic and it looks quite different from the Civic available in India. The 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine produces a maximum power of 140 Bhp at 6,000 rpm and 174 Nm at 4,300 rpm. It gets an automatic CVT gearbox that sends power to all the four-wheels in the Austrailian version but the Indian model will only get FWD. The Civic can do 0-100 km/h in 10.33 seconds. The brakes are quite effective too and can bring down the vehicle from 100 km/h to standstill in 3.06 seconds in 37.47 meters. The official fuel efficiency of the Civic in Austrailia is 15.625 km/l but during the official test, the reviewers got around 12.5 km/l.

The reviewer says that the car has grown in dimensions and the new shape is quite clever and packages the car’s sleek styling with the sporty looks. The machined alloy wheels, LED headlamps and tail lamps look quite good on the Civic. The Civic is quite spacious too and offers 519-litres of the boot space.

On the inside, the Civic gets a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The climate control system is easy to use but the absence of physical knobs can be a pain. The infotainment system plays through the 8-speaker system and the sound is crisp. The reviewers add that the console layout is simple and a blue LCD screen shows temperature and fuel gauges looks interesting. The Civic also gets a lot of storage space and the reviewers describe it as clever.

Driving the Civic with the CVT automatic transmission makes it feel lethargic initially but putting it in the S mode changes the dynamics of the vehicle and it becomes quite sporty. The handling has been described as sharp and the high-speed stability is excellent. The tyres can be a bit let-down on the corners but overall, the handling is good enough to keep most people happy. The Civic has been described as one of the most relaxing vehicles to drive in the segment. The reviewer claims that Honda is back in action with the Civic.

The Indian launch of the Civic is expected to happen by the end of this year or early 2019. The car will also get a 1.6-litre diesel engine. The Civic will take on the likes of Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla in the Indian market.

Source

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After a few weak months of sales compared to the Maruti Ciaz and Hyundai Verna, the Honda City C-Segment sedan is back on top. In March 2018, Honda sold 4,680 units of the City sedan, outselling Maruti and Hyundai, who sold 4,321 units of the Ciaz and 4,151 units of the Verna respectively.

All three cars are locked in close battle with one of the trio outselling the other two in consecutive months. Among the trio, the Verna is the one with the highest sales growth thanks to the all-new version that was introduced late last year. The Ciaz is due for a facelift later this year while the City will get a full model change in a couple of years.

The City sold in India is pricier than both the Ciaz and the Verna. Honda has gone in for a premium pricing strategy for its best selling car. Prices of the City start from Rs. 8.71 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi. The car is available with two engine options – a 1.5 liter i-VTEC petrol that brings most sales, and a 1.5 liter i-DTEC turbocharged diesel.

The petrol motor makes 117 Bhp-145 Nm, and is offered with two gearbox options – a 5 speed manual and a CVT automatic with 7 stepped shifts. The diesel engine does not get an automatic gearbox option, and is available with a solitary 6 speed manual. In the next-generation of the City, the diesel engine will get a CVT automatic gearbox.

Despite the premium price tag, the City is finding a lot of sellers in India thanks to the premium image it enjoys. The petrol variant is extremely refined, feature-packed and very spacious. It’s a top pick as far as petrol C-Segment sedans go. The diesel variants, though noisier than the competition, are quite frugal.

Honda is still the ‘peace of mind’ option when it comes to reliability and quality levels and this explains why people are willing to fork out a premium for the car. The latest version looks very good, with LED headlamps and styling that makes it look quite fresh.

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The Kapoor family has a big name in the Bollywood. The generations following the legendary Raj Kapoor has made it big on the silver screen. The Kapoor family makes sure that they get noticed everywhere they move and to do that, they have an exemplary range of vehicles. Here are the cars that move the Kapoor family around.

Rishi Kapoor

Mercedes-Maybach S500

Rishi Kapoor is an established actor in the world of Bollywood. The veteran actor uses a Mercedes-Maybach S500 for his daily routine. He has been photographed quite often in the luxury sedan along with his wife, Neetu Singh. It is powered by a massive 4.7-litre V8 bi-turbo engine that churns out a maximum of 455 Bhp and 700 Nm of peak torque.

Nissan X-Trail

Nissan X-Trail was the flagship SUV of the brand in India a few years back. Rishi owns the enthusiastic SUV every now and then. The car was powered by a humble 2.0-litre diesel engine that generates 148 Bhp and 320 Nm of peak torque. The car offered a great ride and handling and was often compared to luxury sedans. The X-Trail was also famous for its huge boot space.

Mercedes-Benz GLS

The GLS is becoming one of the favourites of the Bollywood clan. The GLS is similar to the S-Class in sedan form. The flagship SUV from the German manufacturer is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged engine that produces a maximum power of 255 Bhp and 620 Nm of peak torque.

BMW 5-Series

BMW 5-Series is one of the most popular BMW cars in India and is used by many business executives because of its sharp looks, powerful engine and the features it comes with. Rishi Kapoor owns a previous generation 5-Series which he was seen with quite a few times until he moved towards other luxurious cars.

Ranbir Kapoor

Marcedes G63 AMG

Ranbir is the latest generation of the family in the movie industry. The dashing actor loves his wheels and has an exotic garage. He owns a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG, which is known as the ultimate off-road vehicle by the enthusiasts. It is an unconventional choice of wheels by a Bollywood actor and he has been spotted quite a few times driving the vehicle himself.

The SUV is powered by a 5.5-litre V8 bi-turbo petrol engine that generates a maximum power of 544 Bhp and a peak torque of 760 Nm. The car can do 0-100 km/h in 5.3 seconds while the top speed is limited to 210 Km/h.

Audi R8

This one of the two supercars in the Kapoor family and it is a quite practical one. The Audi R8 is known for its value for money and is quite popular among the enthusiasts. Ranbir owns the first generation of the vehicle. It is powered by a 4.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that generates a maximum power of 430 bhp and peak torque of 430 Nm. The car can do 0-100 km/h in just 4.3 seconds.

Audi A8 L

The super luxurious Audi A8 L is the top-of-the-line Audi sedan in India. The car is mostly used by the chauffeur-driven owners but the massive 6.3-litre W12 naturally aspirated engine makes it an enthusiast’s choice too. The engine generates a maximum power of 500 Bhp and 625 Nm.

Land Rover Range Rover Vogue

The Range Rover has its own status in the Bollywood. The uber-luxurious SUV is choice of many and Ranbir upgraded to the Range Rover Vogue from the previous generation Range Rover Sport. The luxurious SUV is priced at around Rs. 1.6 crores and is powered by a 6-cylinder engine arranged in a V form. The engine develops a maximum power of 240 Bhp and peak torque of 600 Nm. It gets an 8-speed automatic transmission and a full-time AWD system.

Kareena Kapoor

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Kareena Kapoor, the quirky silver screen actress loves to move around in style. She bought the flagship Mercedes-Benz sedan recently. Kareena uses the “humble” S 350 diesel instead of the more powerful S400 or the S500 petrol variants.

The S350 used by Kareena is not a humble car in an actual sense. The beast is powered by 3.0-litre V6 that churns out a maximum power of 255 Bhp and peak torque of 620 Nm. It is also the only diesel option available with the S-Class.

Lexus LX 470

Lexus has recently entered the Indian market officially. Long before that, the brand was very popular among the celebrities. Kareena also owns an older generation Lexus SUV. The huge SUV is from the previous generation of the model. It got a 5.6-litre V8 engine that develops a maximum of 383 Bhp – 546 Nm. Kareena is not seen much in the luxury SUV currently but used the car very often a couple of years back.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Apart from the flagship S-Class, Kareena also owns the best selling luxury car in the country, the E-Class. The actress owns an older version of the vehicle, which is not available in the market now. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is one the top choices for the industrialists as it is quite practical and is a good value for money.

BMW 7-Series

BMW 7-Series is the competitor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in the market. The flagship sedan owned by her is a 750Ld diesel version. The 5-Series is one of the favourite vehicles of Kareena and is often seen in it. The car is powered by a 6-cylinder diesel engine that churns out a maximum power of around 400 Bhp and peak torque of 560 Nm. It can do 0-100 km in 4.6 seconds.

Audi Q7

Kareena also owns an Audi Q7 but is mostly seen in the S-Class and the 7-Series. The Q7 is the flagship Audi SUV in India. The version owned by Kareena is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine that generates a maximum power of 245 Bhp and peak torque of 600 Nm.

Randhir Kapoor

Mercedes-Benz E350

Randhir Kapoor, father of Karishma and Kareena Kapoor owns a Mercedes-Benz E-Class 350 diesel. The older generation sedan is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged engine that produces a maximum power of 265 Bhp and 620 Nm of peak torque.

Karishma Kapoor

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Karishma has become quite inactive in the industry but she maintains her luxury rides. She uses a previous generation S-Class S350 to move around. The car is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 that produces out a maximum power of 255 Bhp and peak torque of 620 Nm.

Land Rover Freelander 2

Karishma also uses an old generation Land Rover Freelander 2. The white coloured SUV is quite capable and get the iconic Land Rover design. The car was powered by a 2.2-litre engine that was available in two different states of tunes – 148 Bhp-420 Nm and 188 Bhp-420 Nm.

Saif Ali Khan

Ford Mustang

Saif is the husband of Kareena Kapoor and has a sweet set of wheels in his garage. Saif had imported the Mustang before it was officially available in the Indian market. Saif owns a GT500, which is also red in colour but gets white racing stripes on it. It is not known which engine exactly powers Saif’s Mustang but there are two engines available with the car – a 5.4-litre engine that generates 540 Bhp and a 5.8-litre V8 that generates 670 Bhp.

Range Rover Vogue

This is an older generation of Vogue but it still gets many luxury features. Range Rovers are quite common in the celebrity garages and Saif has one too. The is not seen much but the couple still uses it go around the town. The older Range Rover Vogue was available with six engine options, 3 petrol and 3 diesel. It is not known which particular variant is used by Saif.

Audi R8 Spyder

The actor also owns an R8 Spyder, which is the convertible version of the supercar. Saif has been spotted quite often in the red-coloured R8 Spyder and in recent times, Kareena has been spotted in the same car too. The Audi R8 Spyder is powered by a massive 5.2-litre V10 engine that generates a maximum power of 525 Bhp and 530 Nm of torque. It can do 0-100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds and can go up to 313 km/h.

Jeep Cherokee

This is Saif’s latest addition to the garage. The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is the most powerful Jeep that you can buy in India. It is not owned by Saif but has been given to the actor by Jeep India. The Grand Cherokee SRT is powered by a 6.4-litre V8 supercharged petrol engine that generates around 470 Bhp and 640 Nm. It can do 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and can reach 257 km/h.

Source – 1, 2

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The new Maruti Swift looks like a superhit! With already over a lakh bookings in just about three months, the latest hatchback from Maruti Suzuki is well on its way to becoming the most successful generation of the Swift ever. The new Swift really has a lot going for it. However, it commands a slight premium over its last iteration, which brings it dangerously close to the Baleno. However, in spite of a price overlap and even the same engine options, there’s a lot that separates the two Maruti bestsellers. Our new Maruti Swift vs Baleno comparison here should help you pick the one that suits you the best. Read on.

Want Better Performance?

While the Swift looks sportier of the two, it’s actually the Baleno that’s a better performer. This would come across as a surprise to you as both the cars get the same engines. Also, both the cars have exactly the same kerb weight. Yet the Baleno is faster to the ton, if only by a small margin. The petrol-powered Baleno has a maximum power of 85 PS along with a peak torque of 115 Nm. It tips the scales at 880 KGs. On the other hand, the petrol-powered Swift offers 83.3 PS and 113 Nm. Even the Swift weighs 880 KGs. However, thanks to a slightly lower state of tune, it’s 0.65 seconds slower to the ton. It also has slightly lower in-gear acceleration times. The diesel variants of both the cars have 75 PS and 190 Nm. The Baleno is, however, 0.4 seconds faster to the ton. It also offers a similar advantage with in-gear acceleration timings.

Want Better High-speed Manners?

The Swift has been known for offering a good mix of ride quality and decent handling manners. Surprisingly though, it’s the Baleno that offers better dynamics. The bigger hatchback is more planted at high speeds, much of which is due to the longer wheelbase. Unfortunately, steerings of both the cars are vague but it’s actually the Baleno’s steering wheel that feels a bit less lifeless.

Want Better Ride Quality?

Between the two, it’s actually the Swift that offers a better ride quality. The Baleno isn’t bad in this aspect but it’s actually the new hatchback that feels a tad better. While the Baleno’s ride gets a bit firm on sharp undulations, the Swift offers a more comfortable ride quality over rough surfaces.

Want a Sporty Ambiance?

The Maruti Swift has always been known for the sporty design it offers. The new-gen Swift is no different in this aspect. Its exterior design looks a lot more mature now but retains the design theme of its predecessors. Moreover, the sporty design theme has been carried over to the interior, too. The new Swift shares its dashboard and many other interior panels with the new Dzire. However, an all-black theme and the circular central aircon vents make all the difference. Moreover, bits like hooded instrumentation and flat-bottom steering give a very sporty touch to the interior. On the other hand, the Baleno feels more premium due to its dashboard design, faux silver trims, and colored MID. That said, the Swift is the one if you want a sporty interior ambiance.

Want More Features at Almost Same Price?

While both the cars get a long list of features for their top-end trims, it’s the Baleno that offers more features. The surprising bit, however, is that the price difference between the fully-loaded trims of the Swift and the Baleno is only marginal. The top-end variant of the petrol-powered Baleno is only Rs 7,000 costlier than the top-end Swift petrol. On the other hand, the top-end diesel-powered trim is about Rs 21,000 more expensive. But for the premium you pay, you get a handful of additional features like ambient lighting, tilt and telescopic adjustable steering (Swift gets only tilt), auto-dimming rearview mirror and height adjustable front seatbelts.

Want More Space? 

The new Swift is considerably more spacious than its predecessor. It offers a lot more cabin space and luggage-carrying capacity. However, the new car is still no match for the Baleno. The Baleno offers more legroom, more shoulder room and even more headroom for both the front and rear passengers. Also, thanks to a larger greenhouse, it even ends up feeling a lot airier. The new Swift offers a boot space of 268 liters, which is 64 liters more than what the last-generation offers. The Baleno, however, simply outclasses the new Swift in this aspect with a boot volume of 339 liters.

Want Affordable Automatic Petrol?

For the first time in 3 generations, the Swift is available with an auto ‘box. The company is offering the new Swift with an optional AMT on the mid-level trims. AMTs are cost-effective units that don’t bump up prices by a huge margin. Also, unlike more premium torque-converter/CVT units, they don’t affect the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. Hence, all those who have been waiting for a feature-laden B-segment sedan that offers automatic gear shifts and a comfortable ride can opt for the new Swift. The AMT-equipped Swift petrol is far cheaper than the CVT-equipped Baleno petrol and even offers a higher mileage.

Want a More Premium Automatic?

While the Swift AMT petrol is cheaper to buy and run than the Baleno automatic, AMTs aren’t very high in terms of refinement. The Baleno CVT offers smooth and lag-free performance. Hence, those looking for a more premium drive experience should opt for the Baleno automatic.

Want an Automatic Diesel?

The Baleno diesel is available with a 5-speed manual transmission only. There’s simply no option of going for an automatic transmission. This is where the Swift enjoys a big advantage over the Baleno. You can buy the mid-level trims of the diesel-sipping Baleno with an AMT. The diesel AMT variant not only offers the convenience of automatic gearshifts but also doesn’t have an adverse effect on mileage.

Want a Higher Mileage?

While both the cars come with the same engines and even weigh the same, it’s the Swift that offers a slightly higher mileage. This is due to to the fact that Maruti Suzuki has tuned the engines of the new-gen Swift to offer a higher mileage in return for a slightly lower performance. The manual transmission-equipped Baleno petrol offers an ARAI-certified mileage of 21.4 kmpl. In comparison, the Swift petrol manual variants offer 22 kmpl. The diesel variant of the Baleno offers 27.39 kmpl. On the other hand, the Swift diesel offers an even higher ARAI-certified mileage of 28.4 kmpl.

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Ford India is all set to launch the Freestyle hatchback-based crossover on the 18th of April, 2018. With days to go for the launch, Ford dealers have already started accepting bookings for the brand new car that’s based on the Figo’s KA platform. The Freestyle, in essence, is a butch version of the Figo with muscular styling elements and higher ground clearance. The car will be available in four variants: Ambiente, Trend, Titanium and Titanium+. It’s likely to carry a price tag of about Rs 6 lakhs, which makes it around 50,000 rupees more expensive than the Figo hatchback.

The base Ambiente trim of the Freestyle will get ABS and twin airbags as standard. Reverse parking sensors, 3 point seatbelts for all five passengers and rear fog lamps will also be on offer as key safety features. Other fetaures on the Ambiente trim include fully foldable rear seats, front power windows, keyless entry, anti-glare inner rear-view mirror and adjustable front seat headrests. The Trend trim will add a reverse parking camera, front fog lamps, rear power windows, a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, navigation and steering-mounted audio controls, a tachometer and a boot light.

The Titanium trim will add Hill-start Assist, ESP, traction control, follow-me-home headlamps, rear windscreen wipe and wash function, automatic climate control, single touch up & down functions for the driver’s side power window, height adjustable driver’s seat and front seat belts, push-start button and electrically adjustable and folding wing mirrors.

The Titanium+ trim will add four more airbags, an emergency assist system, an electrochromic anti-glare inner rear view mirror, automatic headlamps and wipers and Ford’s SYNC3 (with voice control) infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. The Freestyle will be offered with 2 engine options – a 1.2-liter petrol with 96 PS-120 Nm and a 1.5-liter turbocharged diesel with 100 PS-205 Nm. 5-speed manual gearboxes will be standard.

Via Overdrive

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The Mahindra Bolero has made it to India’s top 10 selling cars yet again, with 9,104 copies sold. Over 15 years old, the Bolero continues to be a very strong seller. In fact, it’s India’s best selling multi utility vehicle (MUV), and has retained this status for many years. What makes the Bolero so popular in India? Well, the lack of a solid alternative. Major sales of the Bolero come from the rural and semi-urban markets of India, where the MUV has no match really. The Tata Sumo is the only direct competitor but sells less than 10 % of the Bolero. The Bolero is very highly regarded in rural and semi-urban markets for its low running costs, reliability and high fuel efficiency.

The Bolero brand has become so strong that that most buyers don’t even consider competition, read the Sumo, while purchasing an MUV. This brand strength has also given the Bolero excellent resale value. Spare parts are cheap and easily available. Thanks to high sales, many local mechanics in remote parts of India now have developed the expertise to maintain and repair the Bolero. What also helps is the fact that the MUV is quite basic and simple, mechanically – in other words, there’s not much to go wrong. The Bolero, thus has become an ecosystem in itself, and this is what continues to sustain sales for this rugged vehicle.

The Mahindra Bolero currently sold in India is available with two engine options – a 1.5-liter turbocharged diesel engine in a 3-cylinder layout, which produces 70 Bhp and 195 Nm, and a 2.5-liter-4 cylinder M2DICR turbocharged diesel engine with 63 Bhp-180 Nm. Both these engines are paired with 5-speed manual transmissions that drive the rear wheels of the MUV. While Mahindra used to offer a four wheel drive layout on the Bolero in the past, this variant is no longer on sale. The Bolero sells in 7, 8 and 9 seat variants. The MUV gets air conditioning and power steering as standard on higher variants. Bolero prices start from Rs. 7.2 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi.

Also Read: 5 latest affordable performance motorcycles of India - TVS Apache 310 to Royal Enfield Himalayan - Who should buy what!!