It has by now become fairly well-known that the Honda Civic is about to return to India. Honda Cars India used to sell the eighth-generation Civic in India, which was discontinued owing to low demand. However, the company is now planning to launch the tenth-generation Civic in our country. The latest Civic made its world debut in 2015 and is about to receive a facelift. It’s this upcoming facelift that will make it to our shores next year.

The launch of the tenth-generation Civic will take place early next year. It will follow the launch of the all-new CR-V. Both the upcoming Honda cars were showcased at the Auto Expo 2018 in February this year. However, the India-spec Civic will be the refreshed model that will be unveiled later this year. Seen above is a speculative image of the upcoming Civic facelift.

As per the above rendering, the facelifted version of the tenth-generation Civic will carry a comprehensively updated front styling. The updated front-end will feature a bigger grille, an updated bumper and new headlamps. In the side profile, the car will carry a set of more stylish alloy wheels. The upcoming facelift will be a typical mid-cycle refresh aimed at freshening up the car’s aesthetics.

Compared to the eighth-generation Civic that was on sale in the country, the tenth-gen car is bolder, fresher, and more in tune with the company’s latest design philosophy. It carries several bold design features, such as a prominent shoulder line and a steeply raking C-pillar. The interior will also look much fresher and bolder than what the eighth-gen model offered. The upcoming sedan will also offer a modern touchscreen infotainment unit.

As per the claims by Honda, the latest generation of the popular sedan uses a sophisticated chassis that is made up of ultra-high-strength steel. This has improved the structure’s torsional rigidity by a huge margin. Hence, we can safely expect well-sorted dynamics. It’s said that the overall dimensions of the current tenth-gen Civic might change with the advent of the facelift. However, the car will continue to offer a 2,700 mm wheelbase.

While the earlier India-spec Civic came with a petrol engine only, the upcoming version will offer both petrol and diesel engines. Internationally, the Civic is offered with a myriad of engines, which includes motors ranging from a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit to a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. The India-spec Civic, however, will come with an updated version of the 1.8-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that powered the earlier car. The India-spec Civic will also come with a 1.6-litre diesel engine from the company’s Earth Dreams family of engines. Both the engines are expected to offer manual and automatic transmissions.

In India, the updated Civic will rival the likes of Toyota Corolla Altis and Hyundai Elantra. Hence, we can expect the prices to start at over Rs 16 lakh.

Image courtesy – Behance

Also Read: Thieves in India using high-tech devices to steal luxury cars like Audi, BMW & Mercedes-Benz

Electric vehicles are all set to replace petrol and diesel engined vehicles worldwide. Certain new manufacturers who do not have any history of making automobiles with combustion engines have started producing only electricity-powered vehicles and have gained a lot of popularity in doing so. One such manufacturer is Tesla that has become world famous for its high performance electric cars.

Rajiv Bajaj, the bossman of Bajaj Auto, has revealed his strategy to enter the electric vehicle segment in India. In an interview with The Hindu Businessline, Rajiv Bajaj said that his company will approach the segment in a different way to leave an impression on the market. Bajaj said that the products need to be irresistible to the potential customers. To do that, the manufacturer will adopt the “start at the top” strategy and will not start from the bottom. This is a similar strategy that Tesla has adopted with their vehicles and all the products of the brand have become extremely popular.

Taking the “start at the top” route for developing two-wheelers and three-wheelers would mean that Bajaj will target customers who are looking for well thought out products. He adds that the strategy has created positive build-up for the Tesla’s brand around the world. Developing new two-wheelers and three-wheelers that would provide good range, charging time and reliability will create a good rapport with the brand in the market and word-of-mouth will spread rapidly.

Bajaj does not offer any electric-powered products in the Indian market yet. However, there have been strong speculation that the manufacturer will launch its first-ever electric scooter in the market later this year. Rajiv Bajaj did not comment on the speculation though. Bajaj used to be the leading scooter manufacturer in India, but the arrival of automatic scooters slowly phased their products out. Currently, Bajaj only offers motorcycles in the Indian market. There is no scooter available from the brand even with an automatic transmission. The first electric scooter is expected to be launched by 2020 in the Indian market when the BS VI regulations will kick in.

Source

Also Read: Thieves in India using high-tech devices to steal luxury cars like Audi, BMW & Mercedes-Benz

Indian roads are not exactly designed to handle low-slung exotic cars. And yet, there are many examples of imported super rare cars that are being driven on the Indian roads. Which are these exotics that have been captured on video in India? Let’s find out.

Bugatti Veyron

Bugatti Veyron was officially launched in India in 2010. The most powerful and fastest production car in the world did not find any buyers in the country. However, Bugatti did conduct test drives for the prospective customers. Here is a video of the car in Hyderabad where test drives were conducted.

This Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport is powered by an 8.0-litre engine that generates a maximum power of 1001 Bhp and 1,250 Nm of torque. It can do 0-100 km/h in just 2.7 seconds and can reach a top speed of 407 km/h. Sadly, there are no modern Bugatti cars in India at the moment. The model is produced in a limited number and is a rare car around the world.

McLaren 720S

McLaren 720S is an enthusiast’s delight and they have extremely stringent criteria when it comes to selling cars. This is the first-ever McLaren to enter the Indian roads and it has been privately imported by a Dubai-based customer through carnet. This car belongs to a Bangalore garage and often has been seen on the roads.

The track-focused car is powered by a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine that produces a maximum of 710 Bhp and 770 Nm of peak torque. The 720S is also a limited production car and only 400 units were made. There is a second McLaren 720S in India that belongs to the businessman Gautam Singhania.

Corvette C6

Corvette C6 is an iconic muscle car. There are only a handful of Corvettes in India and the C6s are even rarer. This black C6 belongs to Mumbai and in the video, it can be seen that the car is in immaculate condition. The car has been modified with smoked headlamps but the changes seem to be limited to the visuals only. It is powered by a massive 6.2-litre V8 engine that generates a massive 430 Bhp and 575 Nm.

Dodge Challenger SXT Plus

While there are quite a few privately imported Dodge Challenger muscle cars in India, this particular SXT Plus version is the only one on the Indian roads. This India-registered Challenger has been spotted regularly on the Mumbai streets. It is powered by a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine that generates a maximum power of 305 Bhp and 363 Nm of peak torque. The Challenger is an iconic name in the world of muscle cars.

Tesla Model X

The Tesla Model X has disrupted the electric car scenario all over the world. The Model X is the flagship vehicle of the American manufacturer and they even planned to enter the Indian market officially. However, the high percentage of import taxes has kept them out. This Tesla belongs to Mumbai and has been spotted several times on the road.

The three-row SUV costs around Rs. 2 crores with all the import taxes in place, which makes it extremely expensive. The electric car is powered by two separate motors. The front mounted motor produces 255 Bhp and the rear motor produces a maximum power of 496 Bhp. Together, the total torque output is a humongous 967 Nm. This is the 90D variant, which comes with the ludicrous mode. It can do 0-100 km/h in just blinking fast 3.8 seconds.

Chevrolet Camaro roadster

The Chevrolet Camaro is a rare breed in India and here is one convertible that is even rarer. This is the latest generation Camaro roadster and possibly only one of the few with an Indian registration number on it. The steering set-up has been mirrored to make it legal for registration in India. The car gets some aggressive design and with the complete black paint job, it looks even more even more macho.

Chevrolet offers various engine options with the Camaro. We are not sure which this one uses. To start with there is a 2.0-litre 275 Bhp engine, then there is a 3.6-litre V6 engine that churns out a maximum of 335 Bhp and then there is the most powerful 6.2-litre V8 engine that develops a maximum of 455 Bhp.

Source: 1,2,3,4,5,6

Also Read: Thieves in India using high-tech devices to steal luxury cars like Audi, BMW & Mercedes-Benz

The TVS Apache RR310 has been pretty quick in establishing itself in the Indian performance motorcycle segment. Thanks to its mini-me Ducati looks, sorted dynamics, and a grunty powerplant, the TVS flagship finds almost a thousand takers every month. Recently, rumours regarding high spare parts prices surfaced on the web world. However, TVS has been quick to dismiss the badly researched reports and has released the official price list of the spare parts to clear the air about the costs of the most commonly replaced parts.

The above price list gives prices of most of the common parts that suffer damage in the event of a crash. The brake lever kit, for example, costs Rs 980 while the clutch cable assembly, on the other hand, costs Rs 712. It may be noted here that it’s not uncommon for the brake lever to suffer damage in a minor fall. Even the clutch cable of a motorcycle is prone to snapping. The throttle cable costs Rs 680. Talking about the major parts, the handlebar costs Rs 2,330, which is another part of a motorcycle that is prone to damage in the event of a crash.

The indicators, which are often the first parts to come in contact with the ground in the event of a crash, cost Rs 1,080 apiece. The air filter and the oil filter, which are among the parts that are required to be changed frequently, cost only Rs 348 and Rs 271, respectively. Other such parts in the above list include the front and rear brake pads, which cost Rs 2,236 and Rs 1,050, respectively. The two most expensive parts in the above list are the muffler subassembly and the headlamp assembly, both of which cost more than Rs 21,000. The front forks cost Rs 14,175 and Rs 13,552 for the left-hand side and right-hand side units, respectively.

The TVS Apache RR310 was launched in India in December last year. Its South India-based manufacturer sells around 1,000 units of this motorcycle every month. The TVS flagship was launched at an introductory ex-showroom price of Rs 2.05 lakh, but now casts Rs 2.13 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Also Read: Thieves in India using high-tech devices to steal luxury cars like Audi, BMW & Mercedes-Benz

BMW India has commenced local production of the latest generation MINI Countryman at its Chennai facility. The MINI Countryman has been on sale in the country in two petrol (S and JCW) and one diesel (SD) variants. The Countryman range starts at Rs 34.90 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 41.40 lakh.

The latest generation of the Countryman is 200 mm longer and 30 mm wider than its earlier iteration. It even offers a 75 mm longer wheelbase. The car also offers a bolder stance and looks more modern than before. On the inside, the new Countryman is more spacious, which is mostly due to the bigger dimensions and the longer wheelbase. As per the company, the cabin is 30% more spacious than before. This leads to a better legroom both at the front and the rear. The cabin also offers more shoulder-room and slightly better headroom. The car comes with a long list of features. The highlights include – MINI Satellite Navigation System, Bluetooth, Cruise Control, Emergency E-call and Active Guard, among others. Owners of the new generation Countryman can even personalize their car using several colours and trim options that the company provides. One can even select from a range of optional features. Among the optional extras is an 8.8-inch touchscreen display that is part of the MINI Navigation System XL.

Powering the latest generation Mini Countryman is a set of petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engine on offer is a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder unit that outputs a maximum power of 189 bhp along with a peak torque of 280 Nm. The oil burner on offer is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel motor that pumps out a maximum power of 188 bhp along with a peak torque of 400 Nm. Both the engines come mated to an 8-Speed Steptronic transmission. As per the company-provided figures, the petrol-sipping MINI Countryman can hit 100 kmph from standstill in just 7.5 seconds. The diesel variant, on the other hand, can sprint from zero to 100 kmph in just 7.7 seconds.

Also Read: Thieves in India using high-tech devices to steal luxury cars like Audi, BMW & Mercedes-Benz

Tata Motors, who won the contract to supply electric vehicles to ESSL, government entity last year will now also supply EVs to Maharashtra government. Tata Motors and State Government of Maharashtra have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to supply 1,000 units of electric vehicles. Tata currently supplies the Tata Tigor to ESSL and will supply the same to the Marathi government.

Speaking on the MoU signing initiative, Guenter Butschek, CEO & MD, Tata Motors said,

“Tata Motors is committed to the Government’s vision of e-mobility in India. We are excited to join forces with the Government of Maharashtra towards this endeavour. We are uniquely positioned to leverage the strength of our group companies to create an EV ecosystem. With our ready portfolio of EV offerings across our passenger and commercial vehicles, we are geared up to meet future requirements beyond the current tender commitments.”

Tata Motors will also set-up EV charging stations in the state alongside supplying the vehicles. The Chief Minister of state, Devendra Fadnavis flagged off 5 Tata Tigor EVs at the Gateway of India, Mumbai to mark the occasion. The vehicles will be used by the government officials and were supplied to ESSL under the tender that Tata won last year.

Tata showcased the Tigor and Tiago EVs at the 2018 Auto Expo at Delhi. Both the cars get identical body shells but the illuminated EV badging on the grille set them apart from the regular versions. Under the hood, the Tigor and Tiago carry an electric motor that generates around 40 Bhp. It is 3-phase AC induction motor. The powertrain comes from Electra EV, which is a well-known brand in the world of electric vehicles. Tata Motors will also put the Tiago and Tigor Electric on sale for the public at a later stage. Currently, the automotive giant has completed the production of 250 units of the Tigor EV and has started the production of phase 2 of the orders.

Also Read: Thieves in India using high-tech devices to steal luxury cars like Audi, BMW & Mercedes-Benz

As the automobiles are becoming high-tech and advanced, the techniques of car thefts are also becoming state-of-the-art. Delhi Police has revealed that the thieves are using high-end hacking tools that can break into a car in just 5 minutes. The worst part is that these devices are now available easily available in the market and a lot of carjackers have started using it.

Delhi Police says that with these new devices in the market, even a novice auto lifter can easily gain access to any high-end vehicle. The device used by the carjackers bypass the Engine Control Module (ECM) of the vehicles and it becomes extremely difficult to safeguard the vehicles against such thefts. The devices can cost anything between Rs. 30,000 to a few lakhs and are available online or at the workshops. Such devices are used by the car workshops to unlock vehicles that have been locked accidentally with the key inside the vehicle. Such devices can also start the engine, rear error codes and gives access to the car’s computer system.

The high-end versions of such devices can also intercept the radio signal between the remote key and the car. The security key between the remote and car’s central locking system is copied to a system or computer and then it is used it to unlock the vehicle. The devices can also bypass the engine immobilizer system that stops the engine from starting if the key is not original. The system copies the code from the key and then the device interacts with the car’s computer to set-up a new key. The whole process is not time-consuming and is a popular way of car thefts in many western countries. Even many Hollywood movies show the use of such devices.

The revelation comes after Delhi Police arrested three carjackers from South Delhi. The group used to target high-end cars in Delhi-NCR and disabled the security system and bypass the ECM and immobilizer to steal the vehicle easily.

Pankaj Kumar Singh, DCP (East) said,

 “Apart from the availability of the advanced sophisticated tools, the tutorials related to immobilizer hacking for lost keys or swapped ECU are giving a free hand to the auto-lifters in upgrading themselves technologically. A few incidents were reported in which it was seen that the criminals stole four vehicles in just two days. All the vehicles had security gadgets which were hard to tamper with. But by using the device, they were able to unlock the security system.”

To safeguard vehicles against such thefts, people can install GPS tracking device in the vehicle. There are many GPS tracking device available in the market that can be wired into car’s system. Such devices notify the users about the engine starts, car’s speed and if it goes beyond a certain pre-fixed point. It can also remotely switch off the ignition of the vehicle.

Source

Also Read: Thieves in India using high-tech devices to steal luxury cars like Audi, BMW & Mercedes-Benz

Bajaj Auto is going all out to promote the Dominar 400, its flagship offering. The Pune-based motorcycle giant has just released the latest TV commercial for the Dominar. The motorcycle is positioned as a sports tourer, and is offered in two variants. While Bajaj has been taking digs at Royal Enfield with previous Dominar ads, this time, they seem to have taken a different tack. Here, watch it for yourself.

As you can see, the video makes no reference to Royal Enfield, although it does talk about how the Bajaj Dominar 400 is engineered to make long distance rides more comfortable. As of now, most long distance motorcycle riders prefer the Royal Enfield range of retro styled motorcycles, which offer a relaxed riding position, a dash of nostalgia and a big support system. Bajaj is trying to break into this very market, without much success. In fact, the similarly priced Royal Enfield Classic 350 outsells the Bajaj Dominar 400 at least 20 times over each month. This seems to have prompted a change of strategy at Bajaj Auto. The latest TVC could be a reflection of that.

Instead of poking fun at Royal Enfield and those who ride these retro style motorcycles, Bajaj is now beginning to talk about what the Dominar 400 offers in terms of performance, ergonomics and safety. The entire TVC highlights the various strengths of the Dominar, and this could be a better way to get more buyers to opt for the motorcycle. The Dominar 400 is powered by a 373-cc, four-stroke engine with a four-valve, single cam head, liquid cooling and fuel injection. This engine makes 35 Bhp-35 Nm, and is paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox that also has a slipper clutch. Dual-channel ABS is offered as standard on the top-end variant of the Dominar 400.

While the non-ABS version of the Bajaj Dominar 400 is priced at Rs. 1.44 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi, the ABS-equipped version is priced at Rs. 1.58 lakhs. While Bajaj has effected multiple price hikes on the Dominar 400 in the past, the motorcycle continues to be a very good value-for-money offering. In fact, the Bajaj Dominar 400 is the best priced, long-distance sports tourer in India. Bajaj will soon start offering a bolt-on touring kit for the Dominar, further strengthening the motorcycle’s long distance appeal.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki sold more than 5,000 cars per day in May 2018; Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Dzire among highest sellers

Toyota has always been a benchmark when it comes to great after-sales service in India, but a Fortuner owner from Pune seems to feel otherwise. Mr Hemraj Choudhary from Pune told Loksatta news that he would give his brand new Toyota Fortuner to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) for use as a garbage truck. Mr Choudhary bought the car in March this year. Here’s how it all unfolded.

Mr. Choudhary is said to have spent Rs. 39 lakhs for the Fortuner, but it developed a fault soon after. He is said to have sent the vehicle to the service centre for repairs but even after repeated visits, he alleges that the problem persisted. Angered by this, Mr. Choudhary filled garbage in the SUV before sending it to the service centre. After a few hours, the Fortuner was sent to MIDC police station without the knowledge of the owner. It’s likely that the service centre sent the vehicle to the police station, but as of now, it’s unclear as to who sent it.

After the owner came to know that the car was sent to the police station, he contacted Loksatta and told the newspaper that that he would donate this vehicle to PCMC for garbage collection. We do not know if he said this in anger, or was actually serious.

The current status of the vehicle is not known. Also, the exact problem that forced the owner to take such a drastic step is not mentioned in the Loksatta news story. However, there is a video that shows dirt and garbage inside the Toyota Fortuner.

Toyota and Fortuner are established brand names in the Indian market. The Toyota Fortuner is the best-selling car in its segment and the luxury SUV sells 2,000 units on an average every month. It sells over double than that of its closest competitor, the Ford Endeavour, in India.

Toyota Fortuner is powered by both petrol and diesel engine options in the Indian market. There is a 2.8-litre, turbocharged diesel engine that generates a maximum of 175 Bhp and 420 Nm of peak torque, with manual transmission. The automatic variants get a 450 Nm torque output.

Toyota also offers a 2.7-litre petrol engine in the Indian market with a power output of 164 Bhp and peak torque output of 245 Nm. Both engines get automatic and manual transmissions. The SUV is extremely popular and is known for its reliability, fuss-free nature. longevity and affordable maintenance.

Source

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki sold more than 5,000 cars per day in May 2018; Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Dzire among highest sellers

Seen below is a video of a rather bizarre incident that took place in Viman Nagar, Pune, recently. Yes, police seizing motorcycles and loading them onto their trucks isn’t uncommon, but what’s strange about this incident is that the cops loaded both the motorcycle and its rider onto their truck!

As per a local newspaper, the local police was seizing the motorcycles parked in a no-parking zone. A young man who was sitting on one of those motorcycles was asked to get off the bike. However, him refusing to do so irked the police officers so much that they decided to load both the motorcycle and the rider onto their truck! While the police officials claim that the motorcycle was impounded only after the young man sitting on it got off the vehicle, the above video, which has been shot by an onlooker, implies otherwise.

This incident took place on 30 March near the Tawa Street Restaurant in Viman Nagar. It turns out that the young guy who was sitting on the wrongly parked motorcycle wasn’t the owner of the impounded motorcycle. It’s said that he had an argument with the police on being asked to get off the motorcycle. Hence, the cops decided to load both the motorcycle and the young fellow onto their truck. It’s also said that the guy was dropped off sometime later.

Speaking on this, Traffic Police Inspector B. G. Misal said,”It is wrong to take action in such a manner. A show cause notice has been given to the sub-inspector present at the time of action. Appropriate action will be taken. Also, if the contractor’s staff is found guilty, action will be taken against them. As per the information received by me, the boy wasn’t the owner of the bike. He was just sitting on it. The sub-inspector said that the boy also misbehaved with the police.”

The owner of the seized motorcycle has been issued an e-challan. As per Nitin Bhujbal from Ajinkya Rickshaw Organization, the contractor’s staff responsible for impounding the vehicles often misbehave with the citizens. He further added that the police should treat civilians with courtesy.

Souce – e-sakaal

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki sold more than 5,000 cars per day in May 2018; Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Dzire among highest sellers

Ather Energy, a brand which is considered as the Tesla of India’s two-wheeler segment, will soon launch their first product. The S340 scooter is in its pre-production stage right now and the bookings will open in June. Ather Energy has recently inaugurated charging stations in Bengaluru city that are open to all the EV owners. The S340, which will be India’s first smart scooter, was first conceptualised in 2013 and since then, it has gone through many transformations. Ather Energy released a video that shows the scooter’s journey from its early days to the latest pre-production version.

The video that features a year timestamp shows a simple chassis with a battery pack and an electric motor installed. The first prototype made in 2013 had front telescopic suspension and naked wires that were used to control the speed of the scooter. The video also shows the prototype model on the main roads passing at a good speed. In 2014, the scooter gained a big tablet-like screen on the handlebar that shows the speed among various other information about the scooter. The part with the 2015 timestamp shows the addition of a front apron and disc brakes too.

Since 2016, Ather has started testing the scooter on a track for balance and other various things like battery range of the scooter. In 2017, the video shows that the scooter finally gets a full body and shows it being tested with full body camouflage. The 2018 part shows the fully functional digital console of the scooter that shows speed, remaining range, ride time and distance covered. We can also see small signs on the top-right that possibly show the network strength. Ather S340 will feature cloud-connected console that will upload the ride statistics to the server. It will also get updates Over The Air (OTA) making it quite sophisticated.

The Bengaluru-based firm has made 55 prototypes since inception and has tested the scooter for over 50,000 km on the road. Ather has announced that the trial production has already begun and the full-fledged production is scheduled to start from July.

The scooter is powered by IP67 waterproof rated lithium-ion batteries that can take the scooter to up to 80 km on a single charge. It can reach a top speed of 72 km/h. The company claims that the battery can last for 50,000 km and has a lifespan of 5-6 years. In fast charge mode, the scooter can be charged to 80% of the battery capacity in just one hour. The price has not been announced yet but they are expected to be announced before the launch.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki sold more than 5,000 cars per day in May 2018; Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Dzire among highest sellers

India’s supercar scenario is definitely becoming a lot more exciting than it used to be a few years back. Limited production cars have made their way to the Indian roads in the past but in recent times, limited production cars that can be registered in India have started making it to the Indian roads. This is India’s first Right-Hand-Drive (RHD) Mclaren 720S that will get an Indian registration plate. The car belongs to the exotic Poonawalla garage in Pune, Maharashtra.

Why is it so special?

The Mclaren 720S is a rare car and only 400 units of the supercar will be made. The first car came to Bengaluru and the second came to Mumbai. However, both these cars carry Dubai registration numbers and came to India through Carnet. Carnet is a special permission taken by vehicles to cross international borders. A car that comes with carnet permission has to return to the country it originated from eventually.

This is what makes the new Mclaren 720S of Adar Poonawalla so special. The car will get Indian registration plates and can be registered in India legally, which means the 720S is here to stay forever.

The pictures show the supercar loaded on a flatbed truck. The operators can be seen removing the protective cover from the vehicle and preparing it for unloading. The supercar gets an all-black theme that makes it look sophisticated and stealthy.

The car is powered by a 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine. It generates a maximum power of 710 Bhp and a peak torque of 770 Nm. The supercar is a potent track tool and comes with active aerodynamics that increases the downforce when the car reaches high speeds. It is blazing fast and can do 0-100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds. It can reach a top speed of 341 km/h.

The Mclaren 720S is available in three different variants – standard, luxury and performance. The top-end variant gets extensive carbon fibre parts. The variant gets parts like air-intakes in the hood, wing mirrors and rear air intakes made up of carbon fibre. It gets luxurious interiors wrapped in Alcantara and Nappa leather. Zircon silver and brushed iridium brightwork for contrasting colours are also present.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki sold more than 5,000 cars per day in May 2018; Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Dzire among highest sellers

Kia Motors, the South Korean automotive company, will enter the Indian car market next year. The first Kia car for India will be based on the SP Concept that was showcased at the Auto Expo 2018. As per a new report, the upcoming Kia SP compact SUV, which will rival the likes of Hyundai Creta, will launch in India in September 2019. The manufacturer has already started testing the production-spec SP compact SUV in its home market.

It’s being said that the production-spec SP compact SUV will look a lot like the concept that was showcased at the Auto Expo 2018. The company has already confirmed its plans to promote its India-bound SUV as a more premium offering than its immediate rivals. What this really means is that the production-spec SP compact Kia will cost more than the Hyundai Creta. In all likelihood, the company will try to justify the higher price tag through more features, a more modern design, and the newer platform. Actually, the Kia SP compact SUV will be underpinned by the same platform that is bound to be used in the next-generation Hyundai Creta. Hence, in this aspect, the upcoming Kia SUV will hold an edge over the current compact SUV from Hyundai.

Speaking on the positioning of the upcoming SUV, Han-Woo Park, President, Kia Motors, has said- “We will position ourselves at a slight premium because we cannot compete with Maruti and Hyundai on costs. We will compete with other automakers on the basis of our design, which is stylish, young and vibrant. With elements such as our signature ‘Tiger Nose’ grille, we’ll be able to differentiate our cars from others.” While the Kia SP compact SUV will be a global model that will go on to rival compact SUVs like the Hyundai Creta and the Nissan Juke, the India-spec model will be fine-tuned to suit the harsh climatic and road conditions of our country. It will be manufactured at the company’s new production facility in Andhra Pradesh.

Source – Cardekho

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki sold more than 5,000 cars per day in May 2018; Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Dzire among highest sellers

It is said that you can never be sure about what’s around the corner. This saying proved to be true in the case of a group of people in Kerala, one of whom have posted this video online. As you can see in this video, some people are travelling in a Mahindra Jeep on what seems to be a jungle trail. The Jeep can be seen being driven slowly on the tarmac-less road until it comes to a stop just before a corner. Suddenly, there’s an elephant that comes charging towards the Jeep. In all probability, the giant mammal got annoyed by the sound created by the vehicle’s engine and tires. Here’s the footage –

Luckily, the driver sensed the approaching danger and stopped immediately. Also, he seems to have killed the engine as soon as he got aware of the approaching elephant. The wild animal came running towards the Jeep. However, it looks like the fact that the Jeep was motionless and didn’t threaten the mammal in any way, made him turn back. The driver’s timely action of coming to a halt and switching off the engine saved him from further irking the powerful animal. Phew!

There have been many incidents of people running into an elephant while driving on a road that passes through a jungle. As seen in the video, the best thing to do in such a scenario is to stop much before the elephant sees you approaching him. It’s also a good idea to remain as silent as possible. Of course, one needs to turn back and speed away, but this should be done only when he or she is a safe distance away from the animal. In this case, the Jeep was too close to the elephant and hence, it made perfect sense to stop dead in the tracks and remain motionless until the elephant went away.

Also, during the dark, one should switch off the headlamp as soon as he senses an elephant approaching him/her. Bright headlights tend to irritate these animals, which means they can vent out their anger on you and your vehicle. One should also totally refrain from honking at these animals as any sort of noise can irritate them. Hence, the best thing one can do is to turn back as soon as it’s possible to do so without further irritating these wild mammals. There have been some cases of an elephant or even a herd of them venting out their anger on humans and vehicles. The reason for this is that the engine sound, lights, horns, etc tend to irritate them a fair bit.

via Kerala videos on Youtube

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki sold more than 5,000 cars per day in May 2018; Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Dzire among highest sellers

Nissan India has just confirmed that the Kicks compact SUV is just a few months away from launch here. A news report in Business Standard suggests that the Kicks could be on Indian roads by the end of this year. When launched, the Kicks will be the first all-new, affordable Nissan product for the Indian market in over 5 years, thus breaking a long drought for the Japanese brand. Over the past 3-4 years, Nissan has been focusing on building the Datsun brand in India, giving the Nissan range the short end of the stick. With the launch of the Kicks compact SUV, the Japanese automaker will attempt to infuse freshness into the Nissan brand. The Kicks will take on the Hyundai Creta.

Jerome Saigot, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said,

We have plans on the Nissan front. It is true that as of today the product line-up is a bit old. In a few months, you will see a new Nissan car on the roads.

The Nissan Kicks is based on the B-Zero platform that it shares with the Renault Duster and Captur SUVs. It’s already on sale in South American markets, where it takes on the Hyundai Creta. It’s a 5 seat compact SUV that shares its mechanicals with the Duster and the Captur. Styling is completely different though, and there’s absolutely no hint of the Kicks being related to the Captur or Duster in terms of the way it looks. The Kicks shares its 1.5 litre petrol and turbocharged diesel engines with the Duster/Captur. The same is the case with the manual and CVT automatic gearboxes as well. For India, the Kicks is likely to be a front wheel driven SUV although Nissan does have the all-wheel drive option ready to deploy if needed.

The petrol engine of the Kicks will be the 1.5 litre-4 cylinder naturally aspirated unit with 104 Bhp-140 Nm. 5 speed manual and CVT automatic gearboxes are likely. The diesel engine is the 1.5 litre-4 cylinder turbocharged K9K unit with 108 Bhp-248 Nm outputs. A 6 speed manual gearbox is likely to be the standard transmission on the diesel. As for features, expect twin airbags and ABS+EBD to be standard fare. A touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is expected, while other features such as keyless entry, a start-stop button, automatic climate control and steering mounted audio controls are likely to be on offer. As for pricing, expect the Kicks to be priced similar to the Hyundai Creta, with prices starting from around Rs. 9.5 lakhs.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki sold more than 5,000 cars per day in May 2018; Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Dzire among highest sellers

The Suzuki Jimny is a much-awaited SUV in the Indian market. Suzuki will launch the fourth-generation Jimny in July. The cars have already started rolling out in the Japanese market and the car has been spotted at a dealer stockyard in Japan. The latest set of spy pictures reveal the car completely, including the interiors.

The all-new Jimny is based on an all-new platform but will retain the body-on-frame layout. The new Jimny is longer than the outgoing version, which is not sold in the Indian market. The off-roading SUV will be first launched in the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) and the international launches will follow soon. In India, however, the car is expected to reach only in late 2019.

The latest set of spy pictures reveal the new dashboard of the car. It gets a floating type infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The driver console is housed in a unique way and the speedometer and the tachometer get separate housings. There is also a driver-information display (DID) that takes up the space between the two analogue meters.

The steering wheel gets various buttons to control the DID. Below the infotainment screen, the car gets two AC vents and round knobs to control the AC and other things. Just below that, there are Maruti-Suzuki inspired aeroplane cockpit style buttons. The co-driver gets a handle mounted on the dashboard that is positioned just above the glove box. The layout of the fascia is reminiscent of the other new-age Suzuki models like the Swift and the Ignis.

The Jimny will replace the ageing Maruti Gypsy from the line-up. It will get ABS and airbags, unlike the Maruti Gypsy in India. The stricter safety norms will kick-in in the Indian market in 2020 and that is when the new Jimny is expected to replace the Gypsy from the Indian line-up of Maruti Suzuki.

The new Jimny is powered by a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that also powers the Baleno RS in the Indian market. The engine develops a maximum power of 100 Bhp and 170 Nm of peak torque. The new model is expected to remain a petrol-only SUV. It will get a 5-speed manual transmission and a 6-speed torque converter. The SUV will also get Suzuki’s AllGrip 4X4 drive system with a two-stage reducer. It will continue to be a potent off-roader just like the current version of the car.

Source

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki sold more than 5,000 cars per day in May 2018; Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Dzire among highest sellers

Maruti Suzuki India, the largest carmaker in India, has posted their sales in May and the data shows that the sales have risen by 24.9% year-on-year for the brand in India. Maruti Suzuki sold as many 163,200 units in May, including the 9,312 exported units. In May 2017, the manufacturer sold 135,962 units.

The data shows that in the domestic market, the manufacturer sold 37,864 units in the Mini segment that comprises of the Alto and the WagonR. It sees a reduction in sales on the YoY figure. The biggest chunk of sales come from the Compact segment that comprises Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno, Dzire and Tour S. Maruti sold as many as 77,263 units in May 2018 which is 50% higher than the May 2017 sales. This shows more buying power of the customers and how the first-time car buyers are targeting bigger cars in the market. The sales of Ciaz, however, has come down to 4,024 units from 4,724 units in May 2017.

The utility segment of the brand that consists of the Gypsy, Ertiga, Vitara Brezza and S-Cross also saw a rise when compared to YoY sales. Maruti sold 25,629 units in the month of May 2018. The Eeco and Omni also saw a rise of 32.7% and the brand sold 16,717 units of the vehicles in the market. Maruti Suzuki has seen constant growth in the Indian market and controls almost 50% of the market.

The largest car manufacturer in India recently launched the much-awaited Brezza AMT in the market. The company plans to launch the updated Ciaz later this year. Maruti also has plans to launch the all-new Ertiga, a much-awaited vehicle in the Indian market right now. With the new launches, its sales are expected to rise in the recent future. Maruti will introduce two new engines – a 1.5-litre diesel and a 1.5-litre petrol engine – in the coming times. The introduction of the diesel engine will reduce the brand’s dependency on the Fiat 1.3-litre Multijet engine that Maruti uses across its range in India.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki sold more than 5,000 cars per day in May 2018; Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Dzire among highest sellers

The recently launched Toyota Yaris C-Segment sedan is off to a good start in India, what with Toyota already shipping 4,000 units of the car to dealerships across the country. Launched at an introductory price of Rs. 8.75 lakhs, the Yaris competes with the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, the Honda City and the Hyundai Verna. The car is a petrol-only offering in a segment where almost every other car offers both petrol and diesel engine options. The Yaris is sold with manual and CVT automatic gearboxes. The engine is a 1.5 litre, 4 cylinder naturally aspirated unit with 108 PS and 140 Nm outputs.

The Yaris is feature-rich, and is easily the most safety packed car in its segment. 7 airbags are standard across the range, along with ABS+EBD. Other safety features on offer include front proximity sensors, disc brakes on all four wheels, reverse parking sensors, reverse parking camera, ESP, hill hold assist on the automatic variants, and cruise control. As for creature comforts, the Yaris comes with roof mounted AC vents for the rear seat passengers, ambient lighting, a power adjustable driver’s seat, a touchscreen infotainment unit with gesture control, ambient lighting, and infrared resistant factory-tinted windows.

If the Yaris manages to do over 3,000 monthly units in a highly competitive segment, Toyota would be quite happy. This is because the Yaris doesn’t have a diesel engine, even as an option. Fuel prices in India are rising, which makes a diesel engine option quite important. This is because diesel is not only cheaper than petrol in India, but also the diesel engines are a lot more fuel efficient than the ones that run on petrol. Toyota has clearly stated that it wouldn’t be offering a diesel engine in the Yaris even in the future. It remains to be seen how Toyota’s petrol-only bet plays out in the future.

Also Read: MASSIVE discounts of up to Rs. 2.25 lakhs on cars & SUVs: Maruti Ciaz to Jeep Compass

The 390 Duke and the RC 390 have been the choice of many motorcycle enthusiasts for a long time. Delivering performance in spades, both these Austrian motorcycles have been well-known for their brisk acceleration and high top speeds. Both these motorcycles are capable enough to give a wide range of motorcycles a run for their money. Here are some videos of drag races that validate this point.

KTM 390 Duke vs Bajaj Dominar

In this video, the 390 Duke outclasses its not-so-distant cousin, the Bajaj Dominar 400. While the Dominar’s engine is closely related to the 390 Duke’s motor, it outputs only 35 PS and 35 Nm. On the other hand, the 390 Duke offers 43.5 PS and 37 Nm. Also, at 149 KGs, the 390 Duke is considerably lighter than the Dominar (182 KGs). As can be seen in the above video, the 390 Duke is quicker off the block and remains much ahead of the Dominar throughout the race. The video provides a good understanding of the huge disparity these two motorcycles have in their power-to-weight ratio.

KTM 390 Duke vs Kawasaki Ninja 300

The Kawasaki Ninja 300 is a much costlier motorcycle than the KTM 390 Duke. It also has a twin-cylinder engine. While the baby Kwacker costs Rs 3.60 lakh, the 390 Duke costs Rs 2.25 lakh. In terms of specifications, the Ninja 300 offers 40 PS while the 390 Duke’s engine produces 43.50 PS. Also, the 390 Duke offers 37 Nm, which is 10 Nm more than what the Ninja 300 offers. Moreover, the 390 Duke weighs 149 KGs, which is much lower than 172 KGs of the Ninja 300. All this gives a clear advantage to the 390 Duke. As you can see in the above video, the 390 Duke is quick to overtake the Ninja 300 and continues to enjoy a clear lead until the end of the race.

KTM 390 Duke vs TVS Apache RR310

The TVS Apache RR310 is the latest rival of the 390 Duke. It offers a grunty motor and comes with mini-me Ducati looks. However, in spite of being a strong performer, it can’t match the 390 Duke in a drag race. The 390 Duke stays ahead of the Apache RR310 right from the start of the race and manages to establish a respectable lead over the latest TVS flagship by the time it reaches the finish line. This is mostly due to the higher power that the 390 Duke enjoys. The new Apache RR310 comes with a 311cc fuel injected engine that outputs 34 PS of maximum power and 27.3 Nm of peak torque. The 390 Duke, on the other hand, offers 43.5 PS and 37 Nm. Also, the 390 Duke is lighter. All this gives the Austrian motorcycle a clear advantage over the TVS Apache RR310.

KTM 390 Duke vs Yamaha R3

The 390 Duke can also give the Yamaha R3, another twin cylinder motorcycle, a run for its money. As seen in the above video, the R3 manages to finally overtake the 390 Duke at really high speeds. However, drag racing is all about the initial 400-meters, and it is here that the 390 excels. Of course, given a very long stretch of road, the R3 can manage to overtake the 390 Duke at high speeds due to its better aerodynamics. Like we’ve been saying, the 390 Duke offers 43.5 PS, which is slightly more than R3’s 42.5 PS. Also, while the 390 Duke costs Rs 2.25 lakh, the R3 costs 3.48 lakh. However, in spite of being costlier, the R3 can’t match the strong acceleration that the 390 Duke offers.

KTM RC 390 vs Bajaj Dominar

The RC 390 is the faired sibling of the KTM 390 Duke. Compared to the 37 Nm of the new 390 Duke, the RC 390 offers 36 Nm. It also weighs 8 KGs more. Both the KTMs offer 43.5 PS. However, in spite of the disadvantages, the RC 390 ends up being much quicker than the Dominar 400. This isn’t surprising as the Bajaj flagship offers only 35 PS and 35 Nm. Hence, as you can see in the above video, the RC 390 easily outclasses the Dominar in a drag race.

KTM RC 390 vs Kawasaki Ninja 300

Like the 390 Duke, even the RC 390 is much cheaper than the Kawasaki Ninja 300. While the Ninja 300 costs Rs 3.60 lakh, the RC 390 costs Rs 2.36 lakh. The Ninja 300 offers 40 PS while the RC 390 delivers 43.50 PS. Furthermore, the RC 390 offers 36 Nm, which is significantly more than the Ninja 300’s peak torque. The RC 390 also weighs lesser than the Ninja 300. Thanks to these advantages, the RC 390 ends up being much quicker than the Ninja 300.

KTM RC 390 vs TVS Apache RR 310

Just like the KTM 390 Duke, the RC 390 is faster than the TVS Apache RR310. While the RC 390 weighs more than the 390 Duke and also has a slightly lower peak torque, it’s still more powerful than the Apache RR310. In a drag race, the RC 390 quickly establishes a clear lead over the Apache RR 310. The Apache RR 310 offers 34 PS of maximum power and 27.3 Nm of peak torque, which is lower than the RC390’s 43.50 PS and 36 Nm. Both the motorcycles are identical in weight but the power and torque advantages the RC 390 offers help it in being quicker than the TVS flagship.

KTM RC 390 vs Yamaha R3

In the final video, we have the RC 390 pitted against the Yamaha R3. The RC 390, with 43.5 PS and 36 Nm, is more powerful than R3’s 42.5 PS and 29.6 Nm. Also, the KTM RC 390 costs Rs 2.38 lakh, which makes it cheaper than the Yamaha R3 (Rs 3.48 lakh). As can be seen in this video, both the motorcycles remain neck-to-neck in the initial part of the race. However, the KTM RC 390 overtakes the R3 around 100 KMPH. The RC 390 stays ahead of the R3 till the finish line. Both the motorcycles max out at roughly 175 KMPH.

Video sources – 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 4, 8,

Also Read: MASSIVE discounts of up to Rs. 2.25 lakhs on cars & SUVs: Maruti Ciaz to Jeep Compass

The third generation Suzuki Swift was recently put to a crash test by the Japanese New Car Safety Assessment Program, known as J-NCAP. J-NCAP has given the new Swift a safety rating of 5 stars, which indicates that the car sold in Japan is a very safe car. However, it must be noted that this rating is valid only for the Japan domestic model (JDM) of the Suzuki Swift, and is not applicable to the made-in-India Swift. The Japan-spec Swift gets a number of additional safety features compared to the one that Maruti Suzuki builds and sells in the Indian market. The JDM Swift scored 87.8 points in occupant protection and 78.87 points in pedestrian protection.

For example, the Swift that is sold in Japan features 6 airbags and ABS+EBD as standard across all variants. ESP and Dual Sensor Brake Support (DSBS) collision-mitigation system are also standard on the JDM spec Swift. Other safety features offered on the car are Hill Hold Assist, around view monitor, lane departure warning, weaving alert, adaptive cruise control, high-beam assist and disc brakes on all four wheels. In contrast, the Swift sold in India gets only ABS, disc brakes on front wheels and twin airbags as standard across the range. Parking sensors and a reverse parking camera are available on specific variants.

While the Swift sold in Japan is available only with petrol and petrol-hybrid engines, the one sold in India gets petrol and diesel options. The petrol engine on the India-spec Swift is a 1.2 litre K-Series, naturally aspirated unit with 82 Bhp-113 Nm on tap. The diesel engine is a 1.3 litre, turbocharged unit with 74 Bhp-190 Nm. Both the petrol and diesel engines of the Swift get 5 speed manual and automated manual (AMT) gearboxes. The Swift sold in India starts from under Rs. 5 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi. The Swift was India’s largest selling hatchback last year, clocking over 20,000 units in monthly sales.

Also Read: MASSIVE discounts of up to Rs. 2.25 lakhs on cars & SUVs: Maruti Ciaz to Jeep Compass