Volkswagen has just put out a teaser of the T-Cross compact SUV, which will start selling internationally from 2019. The Volkswagen T-Cross is expected to be be unveiled later this year. The SUV will sit under the T-ROC in terms of positioning, and is expected to measure about 4.1 meters in length, which makes it a Hyundai Creta-sized SUV. While the T-Cross sold internationally in developed markets will use the MQB platform, the SUV is expected to retain its looks for the Indian market, but not the platform. This is because Volkswagen has gotten Skoda to re-engineer the MQB platform for lower costs. The new platform will be called the MQB A0 and will underpin the compact SUV and many other budget cars in India.

The Indian variant of the T-Cross compact SUV is expected to first arrive with Skoda badging some time in 2020. The Volkswagen-badged model will follow soon after. Both SUVs will be Hyundai Creta rivals. The SUV is expected to use a 1 litre-3 cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 115 Bhp-200 Nm on most variants. Notably, Volkswagen has announced that it will start building this very engine in India. What this also means is that the India-spec T-Cross is likely to use the 1 litre turbocharged petrol engine, in addition to the 1.5 litre TDI turbocharged diesel engine. The diesel motor will be heavily re-engineered to meet the tight, upcoming Bharat Stage 6 emission norms.

Both manual and twin clutch automatic gearbox options are likely on the India-spec T-Cross as well. For now, the only details that are clear are that the SUV will be a monocoque bodied model with a front wheel drive layout as standard. It remains to be seen if Volkswagen equips the T-Cross with an all wheel drive layout. Which such an option could be in the scheme of things for international markets, it’s unlikely to be offered in India. For now, the SUV is Volkswagen’s big comeback model for the Indian market, where it has suffered a decade of tepid sales. The India-spec Volkswagen T-Cross will take on the likes of the Hyundai Creta and Renault Duster.

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In about 4 years’ time, the second generation Hyundai i20 – called the Elite – has managed to go past the half a million sales mark in India. This makes the car India’s best-selling premium hatchback. One of Hyundai’s best-selling small cars globally, the i20 Elite has been a super hit in India right from the word go. Hyundai has sold over 10,000 units of the car on an average each month in India, and the sales momentum shows no signs of ebbing. The Hyundai i20 Elite got a facelift earlier this year, and the newly introduced CVT automatic gearbox is another reason why the sales of the car remain strong, despite increased competition. The Elite i20 takes on the likes of other premium hatchbacks such as the Maruti Baleno and the Honda Jazz.

The car is sold with two engine options – a 1.2 litre VTVT petrol motor with about 82 Bhp and 115 Nm on tap and a 1.4 litre U2 turbocharged diesel motor with 89 Bhp-220 Nm. 5 speed and 6 speed manual gearboxes are standard on the petrol and diesel engine, respectively. Hyundai now offers a CVT automatic option on the petrol motor. With the recent facelift, the Hyundai Elite i20 got a minor stylistic makeover on the outside and new features on the inside. Key strengths of the car continue to be its premium interiors, sharp styling, well-rounded feature set and the strong yet refined and fuel efficient turbocharged diesel engine.

Prices of the Hyundai Elite i20 start from Rs. 5.41 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi, which puts it at par with the segment leader – the Maruti Baleno. Around 60 % of the car’s 5 lakh units have come from the diesel variants, while the rest was made up by the petrol powered variants. Going forward, sales of the petrol variants could see a boost due to the CVT automatic gearbox being added to the variant mix. The car is nearing the end of its lifecycle and we expect Hyundai to launch an all-new, 3rd generation version of the i20 in India some time in 2020. Until then though, the i20 Elite will continue in its facelifted form.

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Suzuki Motorcycle India has introduced the special edition of the Suzuki Gixxer and the Gixxer SF in the Indian market. The new SP editions are only available with the top end versions of the respective bikes. The Gixxer SP is based on the ABS version of the bike while the Gixxer SF SP is based on the FI and ABS version of the bike. The 2018 Gixxer SP is priced at Rs. 87,250 and the Gixxer SF SP is priced at Rs. 1,00630, ex-showroom Delhi.

The bike only gets a special new colour scheme and a new body graphic while the rest of the bike stays similar to the regular version. The SP edition adds a new gold and black colour combination that makes it look unique. It also gets a different set of body graphics from the regular models. The bike also gets a new SP 2018 badge to make it special. The updates are only visual and the bike remains unchanged mechanically.

Sajeev Rajasekharan, Executive Vice President, Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited, said:

“Since its launch in India in 2014, the Gixxer brand has metamorphosed into a synonym that embodies Suzuki’s attributes of quality, styling and performance. It is a true reflection of our DNA in developing performance motorcycles of superior quality and backed by cutting-edge technology. It is our constant effort to reinvigorate the Gixxer portfolio with new freshness and value. We are confident that with the new 2018 special edition series, this exciting ride is set to continue,”

Both the bikes are powered by a similar 155cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine. The engine produces a maximum of 14.6 Bhp at 8,000 rpm and 14 Nm of peak torque at 6,000 rpm. The Suzuki Gixxer takes on the likes of Honda Hornet 160R, Yamaha FZ-S, Bajaj Pulsar 160 and the TVS RTR 160. The Gixxer SF is the only fully faired bike available in the segment and has no direct competition in the segment.

The Gixxer series is one of the best selling models in the segment and is popular for its smooth engine and stylish design. The SP edition makes it even more highlighted on the roads. It is not known how many units of the SP edition Gixxer and Gixxer SF will be available in the market.

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Our Bollywood celebrities not only love to add expensive models to their already wide range of car collections, but also seem to love gifting some expensive vehicles to their friends and family. Here are the 10 most EXPENSIVE car ‘gifts’ of Bollywood –

Vidhu Vinod Chopra to Big B – Rolls Royce Phantom

Amitabh Bachchan has a wide range of cars in his garage. But do you know that two of the most expensive cars he owns were actually gifted to him? The last-gen Rolls Royce Phantom you see above was gifted to the megastar by director Vidhu Vinod Chopra after the filming of Eklavya. The Phantom is unarguably the most luxurious car around. It offers a powerful 6.75-litre petrol engine and is opulent enough to put a high-end luxury yacht to shame.

Amar Singh to Big B – Bentley Continental GT

Another expensive car that was gifted to Amitabh Bachchan is this white Bentley Continental GT. This Delhi-registered car was gifted to the megastar by politician friend Amar Singh. It’s generally used by Abhishek and Aishwarya. In India, the Bentley Continental GT is available with two engine options – a 521 bhp V8 and a 680 bhp W12. The Continental GT has a starting price of Rs. 3.92 crore.

Shahrukh Khan to Farah Khan – Mercedes GL

It’s said that Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan and film director Farah Khan are great friends. SRK gifted Farah a swanky new Mercedes GL SUV on her birthday a few years ago. The GL-Class, which has been now renamed as the GLS-Class, offers a luxurious cabin and is sufficiently capable off the road. It’s also known as the ‘S-Class of SUVs’.

Saif Ali Khan to Taimur – Jeep SRT

Yes, baby boy Taimur Ali Khan is already the owner of a high-end car. Last year, it came to light that Jeep India has given a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT to Saif Ali Khan. Days later, the actor was quoted as saying that his new SUV is for Taimur. The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT costs Rs 1.30 crore. It’s powered by a 6.4-liter V8 supercharged petrol engine that outputs 470 bhp and 640 Nm. The motor comes mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Salman Khan to Arpita Khan – BMW 7-Series

Salman Khan has gifted a BMW 7-Series to his sister Arpita. The BMW 7-Series is easily the most luxurious sedan from the Bavarian car marque and has a base price of Rs 1.11 crore.

Aditya Chopra to Rani Mukerji – Audi A8 L W12

Actress Rani Mukerji was gifted an Audi A8 L W12 by her husband Aditya Chopra. The A8 L W12 is the most powerful luxury sedan from the Ingolstadt-based premium car marque. The A8 L currently has a starting price of Rs. 1.19 crore. It’s available with two engine options – a 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine and a 4.2-litre V8 petrol engine.

Abhishek Bachchan to Amitabh Bachchan – Mini Cooper

Abhishek Bachchan gifted Amitabh Bachchan a red Mini Cooper recently. It was rumoured that this gift was for his daughter Aaradhya. However, the Big B was soon to clarify that this Mini is actually a gift for him on his birthday. He tweeted – “Second misconception: Abhishek presented a car to Aaradhya on her first birthday … wrong. NO car was presented, instead, a car was purchased by them to gift me on my birthday … a Mini Cooper, which I love, and which has a number plate 2882.”

Sanjay Dutt to Manyata Dutt – Rolls Royce Ghost

We all know that Sanjay Dutt is fond of high-end cars and his garage is even home to a Rolls Royce. However, not many know that this Rolls Royce Ghost has been gifted to wife Manyata by the famous actor. In India, the Ghost costs upwards of Rs 5.25 crore.

Ajay Devgan to Kajol – Audi Q7

Ajay Devgan is another famous actor that has a wide range of cars. The actor even has an Audi Q7 luxury SUV in his garage, which he gifted to wife Kajol on her birthday.

Jacqueline to make-up artist – Jeep Compass

Actress Jacqueline Fernandez is well-known for gifting expensive stuff to her film crew. Recently, the pretty lass gifted a brand-new Compass to her make-up artist on his birthday. Here is a video that shows the actress excitedly gifting the premium SUV to her make-up man.

Image/video sources – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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The Skoda Kodiaq comes across as a well packaged 7-seat premium SUV, one that is loaded to the gills with equipment. And this is essential as it competes in a segment that offers stiff competition in the form of the Ford Endeavour and the Toyota Fortuner. So what are some of these features that give the Czech offering an upper hand? Lets have a look:

Clever bits

Skoda loves coming up with innovative solutions that up the ownership experience quotient several folds. In the Kodiaq, for instance, you not only get dedicated umbrella holders, but power nap package for the 2nd row seats. This consists of pop-out head rest extensions that keep your, err, head in place during a nap. Next are the door edge protectors, a detachable boot light that doubles up a torch and even voice enhancement that instantly transmits your voice through out the car via the speakers. None of these aids are offered in the Ford Endeavour or the Toyota Fortuner.

Boot access

While both Kodiaq and Fortuner come with smart entry and push button start, the Kodiaq earns brownie points by offering hands-free tail gate operation. With the key fob in your pocket, all you need to do it walk up to the car and swing your leg under the boot. The sensors react to the presence of the key fob and help pop open the tail-gate. Simple and so useful.

Driver fatigue detection

The Kodiaq will know if the person behind the wheel is tired or sleepy. This is possible by the numerous sensors that monitor the way you drive the car and this is compared with pre-set parameters. The moment a driver feels tired, sleepy or drowsy, the same gets reflected in the way he gives steering inputs and is in turn picked up by the sensors. During such scenarios, the Kodiaq alerts the driver immediately. This feature is not offered in the other two SUVs.

More Airbags

While both the Fortuner and the Endeavour offer 7 airbags, the Skoda Kodiaq offers two more, taking the count to 9! These include curtain airbags and even one for your knee. Further, the Kodiaq comes with a 5-star safety rating as per Euro NCAP test regulations.

Better ‘box

And I am not just talking about the number of gears here (7 for the Kodiaq as compared to 6 on the other two) but the brilliant DSG or direct shift gearbox of the Kodiaq that give it effortless performance inspite of lower output figures. Gear shifts are quicker than the other two vehicles and you also get driving modes along with tip-tronic function.

Extra features aside, we do agree that the Kodiaq does not offer the same road presence as the other two. It is also a less capable vehicle off the road given the lack of a proper 4×4 and lower ground clearance. Sold in only one variant, the Kodiaq is more expensive and the other two models offer multiple variants and hence a lower starting price point. But if comfort and features are high on your priority list, the Kodiaq has a clear edge. Do watch our review below

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor Limited (TKML) has recalled India’s best-selling MPV and luxury SUV – the Innova Crysta and the Fortuner. Both vehicles have been recalled to fix faulty wiring harnesses and fuel hoses, and the replacements will be carried out by authorised Toyota dealerships across India at no cost to the customer. Toyota service centers will inspect a part of the wiring harness for rubbing against other wires, and tape the specific part of the wiring harness if necessary, to prevent it from rubbing against other wires. Toyota has also recalled the petrol powered versions of the Innova Crysta and Fortuner to check fuel hose routing, and to replace it if needed.

The recall is applicable to Toyota Innova Crystas manufactured between April 2016 and January 2018, and Fortuner models built between October 2016 and November 2017. Toyota dealers have also begun carrying out the recall procedures on Innova Crystas and Fortuners that have been sent for regular service.

Notably, the inspection and repairs if needed could take a full day, which means that the vehicle will be off road for the time it is being attended to under the recall. Owners are advised to make alternate arrangements if necessary before dropping off their vehicles to service centers under the recall.

The Innova Crysta is India’s best-selling MPV, and is bought by both family car buyers and cab operators. High comfort, reliability, great after sales service and low maintenance costs are four key reasons why buyers flock towards the Innova Crysta despite its premium price tag. The Toyota Innova Crysta is sold with petrol and diesel engines, and prices start from Rs. 14.33 lakhs, ex-showroom, Delhi. Similar attributes of reliability and great after sales, and great street presence are the reasons driving sales of Toyota Fortuner, a luxury SUV whose prices start from Rs. 26.64 lakhs, ex-showroom, Delhi. Like the Innova Crysta, the Fortuner is sold with petrol and diesel engine options.

Via Team-BHP

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There are some roads in India where people believe they have spotted paranormal activities, be it a lady in white sari or someone running alongside your car at a similar speed. Here are 10 such roads where you could encounter paranormal activities.

Delhi Cantt Road

The Delhi Cantonment road, also known as Delhi Cantt road, is supposedly one of the most haunted roads in Delhi.

What’s haunted about it?

There are quite a few articles that mention people seeing a lady in white clothes who asks you to stop and continues running alongside your car, if you don’t stop. The legend says that a lady was killed there in a car accident and hence the haunted stories. People also advise you not to stop your car while you are passing through that area.

East Coast Road, Chennai

The ECR as it is known, connects Chennai with Puducherry. It is a wonderful road along the coast and is great to drive on, during the day that is.

What’s haunted about it?

At night, the stretch is unlit and has a tree canopy that adds to the eerie feel. Guess what, people have even reported sighting ghostly figures on the road.

Blue Cross Road, Chennai

The Blue Cross Road is located near Besant Nagar, Chennai.

What’s haunted about it?

This is a single lane road which has a lot of tree covering. For some weird reason, this is the road where many people have committed suicide & hence it is believed that this place is haunted by their ghosts.

NH-209 through the Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary

The Sathyamangalam Sanctuary is a large forest reserve located in Tamil Nadu. It was the area where Indian bandit Veerappan stayed.

What’s haunted about it?

While Veerappan was alive, he had killed a lot of people in that area. Villagers report hearing loud screams and seeing ghost-like figures with lanterns in the middle of the night. Whether this was done by Veerappan’s troops or by actual paranormal activities depends on your beliefs.

Kashedi Ghat, Mumbai-Goa highway

The Mumbai-Goa highway is a tricky, yet enjoyable drive. It has a lot of ghat sections which one needs to be careful about. A lot of accidents are reported on this highway.

What’s haunted about it?

People say that they have seen a person appear in front of the vehicle suddenly asking them to stop. Those people who try to run over the ghost or speed up are believed to meet with accidents.

Image Source: 4, 5

NH33 Jamshedpur-Ranchi

The NH33 located in the state of Jharkhand is the road linking Ranchi and Jamshedpur.

What’s haunted about it?

The road is a very unsafe one, especially at night. It is a naxal area and there are a lot of ‘Dacoits’ who are present on this stretch and loot people. Also, people believe seeing white ghostly figures on this stretch. Because of this paranoia, there are a lot of temples that have come up along the highway to bless the travellers.

Besant Avenue Road

The road is located in the heart of Chennai. During the day, there is no issues, but at night people have reported paranormal activities.

What’s haunted about it?

There is supposedly a playful ghost on this stretch that hits or slaps people passing by. Not only that, there have also been reports of people being overthrown by unseen forces.

Kasara Ghat

The Kasara Ghat section is located on the Mumbai-Nashik highway.

What’s haunted about it?

The road has a lot of tree covering & bushes all around. It is reported that at night, people have seen various figures sitting on trees. Some people have reported seeing a headless old lady wearing white.

Marve & Madh road

This road connects Mumbai to the island of Marve & Madh.

What’s haunted about it?

At night, it is reportedly haunted by a lady ghost in bridal wear. Legend has it that a young bride was brutally murdered & dumped in the mangrove area on the night of her wedding. There have been accidents reported due to people trying to avoid her.

Igorchem road, Goa

This is supposedly the most haunted place in Goa. It is situated behind the church of ‘Our Girl of Snows’.

What’s haunted about it?

Unlike most of the places that have spooky tales at night, this place is said to be haunted even during the day. The area is said to be possessed by wandering souls.

Image source: 6, 9

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Sedans have always been appreciated for the high comfort level and street presence they offer. Some of them even offer a pretty sporty. drive. Unfortunately, however, there are at least a dozen sedans that went totally unnoticed by car buyers. Most of these are well-sorted products but couldn’t manage to sell in decent numbers for some reason or the other. Today, we take a look at 12 sedans of India that no one remembers

Mitsubishi Cedia

The Mitsubishi Cedia, which was initially known as the Mitsubishi Lancer Cedia, is among the sportiest D-segment sedans to have gone on sale in the country. It competed with sedans, such as the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. While the other two Japanese sedans found many takers, the Cedia had a rather dismal sales performance. The Cedia offered sporty handling characteristics, a punchy 2.0-litre petrol engine, and an attractive body kit with the ‘Sports’ variant.

Ford Escort

The Escort was the first-ever Ford car to go on sale in India. It was launched with a long list of features that included electrically adjustable ORVMs, power steering, air conditioning, a factory-fitted music system, and power windows. The Escort was available with a 1.3-litre petrol and a 1.8-liter diesel engine. Sadly, it couldn’t find many buyers.

Peugeot 309

Premier Motors Ltd (PAL) and Peugeot joined hands to launch the 309 sedan in the country. The Peugeot 309 was came with both petrol and diesel engines. The 309 offered a great ride quality and its TUD5 diesel engine won a lot of accolades for its longevity and high fuel economy.

Daewoo Nexia

While you might still remember the Daewoo Cielo and the Matiz, there are good chances you don’t remember the Nexia anymore. The Nexia was basically a more premium version of the Cielo that came with a 90 bhp, 1.6-litre petrol engine. It looked much like the Cielo, which isn’t a bad thing as the Daewoo sedan looked pretty classy back in the day.

Nissan Teana

The Nissan Teana was a D2-segment sedan that was a competitor to the Skoda Superb and Honda Accord. The Teana came to us via the CBU route. It offered a comfortable cabin and looked pretty stately, too. However, it failed to sell in decent numbers owing to a thirsty petrol engine, high price tag, expensive maintenance and a small service network.

Opel Vectra

The Opel Vectra was another D2-segment sedan that had a dismal sales performance. It was powered by a 2.2-litre motor that produced 146 bhp of maximum power. It also offered a feature-laden cabin and a great ride quality. Sadly, however, the market wasn’t prepared for this premium sedan and the Vectra could hardly find any takers.

Rover Montego

Sipani Automobiles tied up with Austin to sell the Montego sedan in India. Dubbed as the Rover Montego, this sedan also had a station wagon variant. Both the body-forms were feature-laden and quite comfortable, too. However, they could hardly find any takers. Spotting one of these on the roads is probably more difficult than spotting some exotic supercar.

Maruti 1000

The Maruti 1000 was the first-ever sedan from Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. It was powered by a 970-cc petrol motor that offered only 46 hp of maximum power. However, a low kerb weight of 825 KGs made Maruti 1000 sufficiently fun to drive. The 1000 was replaced with the carbed Esteem, which looked almost the same but had more features and a bigger engine.

Fiat Siena

The Fiat Siena was a Maruti Esteem-rival that failed mostly because of Fiat’s infamous service network and poor brand image. The Siena was replaced with the Petra, which is another Fiat sedan that did poorly on the sales charts. Hardly anyone remembers this fish-faced sedan anymore.

Tata Indigo XL

The Indica platform gave birth to many cars, one of which was the Indigo XL. The XL was basically a long-wheelbase version of the Indigo sedan and offered more rear legroom than even a Honda Accord. A comfortable back-seat and acres of legroom were the USPs of this car, which even made it a bit popular among cab operators. However, it never sold too well and was taken off the shelves within a few years.

Suzuki Kizashi

The Kizashi is the most expensive Suzuki sedan to have gone on sale in the country. It was powered by a 2.4-litre 175 bhp engine and it handled pretty well, too. The interior was feature-laden and was well-built. However, a poor brand image and the lack of diesel engine option killed the car.

Ford Fiesta facelift

The Ford Fiesta facelift had an Aston Martin-like hexagonal front grille, powerful engines and well-sorted dynamics. However, the car couldn’t find many takers owing to a slightly cramped rear seat and stiff competition from vehicles, such as the Honda City. The Fiesta facelift is the most modern sedan on this list but we are sure most of you would have completely forgotten this car.

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We all know that Maruti Suzuki and Toyota are embarking on a big badge engineering project, where Maruti cars will get Toyota badging and styling and Toyota cars will get Maruti design and badging. The Maruti Baleno and Vitara Brezza are two cars that will soon wear Toyota badges, while the Toyota Corolla Altis will get Maruti Suzuki badging and a redesign. This badge engineering exercise could soon move to more Maruti and Toyota cars. While we have the all-new Ertiga launching in the next few months with Maruti badges on it, here’s what the new MPV could look like with Toyota badging and styling.

Obviously, it’s a speculative render of the vehicle we’re talking about here, and of course, neither Maruti Suzuki or Toyota have confirmed that the Ertiga will be the latest car to be badge-engineered. So this render is more of an imagination that’s been allowed to run wild rather than an actual production version of the vehicle. However, we don’t totally rule out Toyota picking the new Ertiga to badge-engineer and sell in India as a much more affordable MPV that can sit under the Innova Crysta in terms of price and positioning. Something like this very much exists in the realm of possibilities, but for now, there’s no official sanction yet.

Meanwhile, Maruti Suzuki will launch the second generation Ertiga MPV in India later this year. The new MPV is based on the HEARTECT platform, whose high strength, light weight steel has allowed it to get larger yet lighter. The new Maruti Ertiga will get a more powerful, 1.5-litre K-Series petrol engine with 106 PS and 138 Nm. This engine will be offered with 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic gearboxes. Maruti could also offer LPG and CNG dual fuel variants of the new Ertiga in specific markets of India. The MPV will also get the 1.3-litre Fiat Multijet diesel engine with 89 Bhp-200 Nm on tap. A 5-speed manual gearbox will be standard with the diesel engine.

Via Instagram

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Yamaha is just weeks away from revealing the R25, a fully faired sibling of the R3, at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Automotive Show (GIIAS), which opens on the August 2, 2018. While the R25 shares a similar design with the R3, it’s got a smaller 250-cc, parallel twin engine compared to the R3’s 321-cc unit. The hugely revamped R25 is just the precursor for the second generation Yamaha R3, which is expected to follow soon after. We expect Yamaha to launch the all-new, 2nd generation Yamaha R3 globally in 2019, which is when the high-performance sportsbike is likely to arrive into India as well.

As for changes, the Yamaha R25 will get them first. The styling is expected to be R1 inspired, which means that the new motorcycle could look quite radical. The 2nd generation R3 will get similar styling updates. Other changes that will be common to both the R25 and R3 include a brand new chassis, upside down front forks, LED headlamps, a new tail section, variable valve actuation (VVA) for the engine and a few other feature additions. The engine is likely to gain more power thanks to the VVA technology, while lower rpm response could also improve significantly. Currently, the Yamaha R3 uses a 321-cc, parallel-twin engine with 42 PS-29.6 Nm. Expect these outputs to rise slightly.

The engine will continue to be liquid cooled and fuel injected, while the 6-speed manual gearbox will be retained. The updated R3 is expected to continue with sticky Metzeler tyres shod on alloy wheels. Disc brakes will be standard on both wheels, along with the life-saving ABS safety feature. New paint schemes are expected, and the all-new Yamaha R3 is expected to be priced slightly higher in order to account for the various changes. As of now, the Yamaha R3 is priced at Rs. 3.48 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi, making it quite a pricey motorcycle already. It remains to be seen how Yamaha manages to walk the tightrope with regard to pricing of the all-new model.

Via TMCBlog

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The online flash sale of the Royal Enfield Classic Pegasus 500 limited edition retro motorcycle will happen at 2 PM Indian Standard Time. The bookings for the motorcycle will happen online, on Royal Enfield’s website. The motorcycle is priced at Rs. 2.49 lakhs, on-road Mumbai, which makes it the most expensive Royal Enfield sold in India.

Rudratej Singh, the President of Royal Enfield, had this to say about the flash sale for the Pegasus 500,

“Yeah, the Royal Enfield Classic 500 Pegasus Edition goes on sale shortly. Suffice it to say we will sell out within a few seconds, even faster than the Royal Enfield Classic Squadron Blue edition. I mean it depends on how fast you are with the online process. I will not share the numbers, but they are in multitudes of thousands who have shown interest, which is not a surprise to us. And we didn’t want to price it higher because we want to make it accessible. We will remain authentic, yet an accessible brand.”

Inspired by Royal Enfield’s World War motorcycle – the Flying Flea – the Classic Pegasus 500 features a unique paint job, and only 250 units of it will be sold in India, making it quite unique. Notably, only 1,000 units of the Pegasus Classic 500 will be sold globally, which assures buyers of exclusivity.

In India, only the Service Brown paint scheme will be offered on the Royal Enfield Classic Pegasus 500 due to governmental regulations that disallow military green colour for civilian motorcycles. International markets will get the additional Olive Drab (military green) paint scheme.

Mechanically, the Pegasus 500 will be unchanged from the Classic 500. The motorcycle will use the 499-cc, four-stroke, single cylinder unit construction engine that puts out 27.2 Bhp and 41.3 Nm. This engine is paired to a five-speed manual gearbox. Fuel injection is standard on this long stroke motor, which is one of the last surviving Indian motorcycle engines with an overhead valve design.

The Pegasus 500 is based on the Classic 500, which means that the suspension and other cycle parts will be similar. There are telescopic front forks and gas-charged twin shock absorbers at the rear and disc brakes on both wheels, which are spoked items with tube-type tyres. An electric starter will be standard. The kick starter does remain in place though.

Via IAB

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Skoda Superb is a great value-for-money car. With a starting price of Rs. 25.09 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi, the Superb is priced much lower than the German entry-level sedans, such as the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class and the BMW 3-Series. Even with a lower price tag, Skoda offers an extremely long list of features, which are not available with the higher priced models. Here are five such features that make the Skoda Superb much better than the entry-level sedans from the German trio.

Adaptive head lamps

The Skoda Superb offers Bi-Xenon headlamps with cut crystal elements. The beautiful head lamps get the Adaptive Frontlight System (AFS) that controls a number of things. The system offers automatic levelling of the lamps and curve light assist. This helps to keep the focus of the light on the road and ensures better visibility. The automatic head lamp curving bends the light on the turns, which makes it easier to drive at night. It is available as an optional accessory with German luxury cars, which makes the vehicles much more expensive.

Hands-free parking

The Skoda Superb offers an Easy Parking feature that helps park the vehicle in tight spaces. After identifying a free parking spot, the system of the vehicle takes over the steering wheel of the car. It uses sensors at the front and rear to guide the vehicle in the parking space. The Easy Park system shows instructions to put the gear selector in Drive or Reverse mode and use the accelerator or brake. The steering wheel is controlled by the vehicle itself.

Panoramic sunroof

The Skoda Superb comes with a large panoramic sunroof. While the Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW offer a regular sunroof with their respective models, the sunroof on the Superb is extremely large and allows the passengers in the rear seat to enjoy the airy cabin too. The panoramic sunroof is something that only high-end models from the German manufacturers offer in India.

Electric tailgate

The Skoda Superb comes with an electric tailgate. The notchback styled tailgate opens in two stages that allows the customers to fit larger things in the boot. The tailgate can also be opened by making a gesture with a leg when your hands are full of shopping bags. The electric tailgate is again exclusively available with only the high-end cars from the German manufacturers in India.

Ventilated front seats

The Skoda Superb offers three-zone climate control with ventilated front seats. The climate control of the car can be set for the driver, co-driver and the rear seat passengers. Also, the front two seats of the Skoda Superb are ventilated giving a much more comfortable experience to the occupants. Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW offer such features with their higher priced models in the Indian market.

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South Korean automaker Hyundai has begun production of the facelifted Elanta D-Segment sedan. The facelifted Hyundai Elantra is all set to arrive in India next year. Here are the new uncamouflaged spyshots of the facelifted Elantra, which reveals the styling changes to the car in a lot more detail than the recent crop of spyshots, in which the car was camouflaged with a masking tape.

As the new pictures reveal, the facelifted Hyundai Elantra will have a much more aggressive looking front -end, with new headlamps, a new grille and a new bumper. At the rear as well, changes are quite sweeping. The tail lamps are new, and so are the boot lid design and the bumper. Overall, the facelifted Elantra looks nothing like the current, 6th generation model it’ll soon replace.

Changes on the insides haven’t been revealed yet. It would be safe to expect a lot of feature additions considering the fact that the Elantra is one of Hyundai’s best-selling mid-sized cars globally. Wireless charging, a new infotainment interface with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a few other feature inclusions are likely on the facelifted Elantra.

Under the hood, status quo could be maintained. The petrol motor for the Indian market, the 2.0 litre naturally aspirated unit with 150 Bhp-192 Nm, mated to 6 speed manual and torque converter automatic gearbox options, is expected to remain. The diesel will be the 1.6 litre turbocharged unit with 126 Bhp and 260 Nm. Like the petrol, the diesel will offer similar transmission options. Markets abroad could get a turbocharged petrol engine as well. While it’s likely that the facelifted Elantra could command a slight price premium over the current model, we won’t be surprised if Hyundai takes an aggressive approach and keeps the prices unchanged.

Via Gepann & Ilbe

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The all-new Suzuki Jimny is the talk of the town after Suzuki unveiled the SUV in Japan. The all-new Jimny and the more rugged Jimny Sierra have been officially unveiled in Japan. The Maruti Gypsy in India will be eventually replaced by one of these two vehicles in the future. Let’s take a closer look at the car with the first walk-around video of the Jimny and Jimny Sierra from Japan.

The all-new Jimny is based on the HEARTECT platform that also underpins the all-new Dzire, Swift and Baleno on the Indian market. The Jimny gets a very straight-forward boxy design similar to the previous generation models. It gets an edge-to-edge front grille and the round headlamps are placed inside it, giving it a rugged and unique look. The headlamps get projectors inside and have separate turning-indicators. The bumper also looks very rugged and is black in colour, similar to the grille. The fog lamps are placed in the bumper itself. The Jimny gets a strong crease on the body that runs from the front fender to the tail lamp of the vehicle. It also gets new 10-spoke alloy wheels. The rear also looks very clean with a spare wheel mounted tailgate.

On the inside, the Jimny gets a very similar looking fascia, which will remind you of the new-generation Suzuki cars. The dashboard looks rugged and the co-driver also gets a handle. There is a floating-type infotainment system that gets SmartPlay UI similar to the new generation of Suzuki cars. It also gets a start-stop button to the right side of the steering wheel and round AC vents. The temperature controls are similar to the ones we see on the all-new Swift with inbuilt screens to display the temperature. It also gets a multi-function steering wheel that can be used to control the infotainment system. The version shown in the video is an automatic version and gets a separate lever to change the drive format.

The Jimny Sierra gets the same specifications and interiors. However, it is the rugged version of the car and gets body-cladding and flared wheel arches. The interior remains similar to the regular Jimny. The all-new Jimny is expected to launch in India in 2019 and will replace the ageing Gypsy from the market.

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Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL), the Indian subsidiary of the Japanese car giant, recently announced that it plans to increase the prices of all its models, including those of the high-selling new Amaze and City sedans. The company revealed that the price hike will range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 35,000, depending on the model. This increase in price will be owing to the increased customs duty, higher freight rates, and higher cost of inputs. The increased prices will be effective from 1 August 2018.

With this, Honda Cars India Ltd. will become the second Indian car manufacturer to increase the prices of its models in recent times. Recently, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) increased the prices of almost all its models by up to 2 per cent. This price rise was to offset the rising cost of inputs.

Speaking on the upcoming price hike, Rajesh Goel, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Honda Cars India Ltd, said, “Due to the increasing pressure on input costs, the impact of custom duty hike over the past few months and higher freight rates, we are forced to consider increasing the prices of our cars.” He also said that the introductory price of the recently launched Amaze will also be revised from next month.

The new Honda Amaze is currently available in a price range of Rs 5.6 lakh to Rs 9 lakh. It’s available with two engine and two transmission options. The petrol variant is powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder, naturally aspirated motor that outputs a maximum power of 90 PS along with a peak torque of 110 Nm. It comes with a 5-speed manual transmission as standard and a CVT automatic as optional. On the other hand, the diesel variant is powered by a 1.5-litre, turbocharged, four-cylinder motor that outputs a maximum power of 100 PS and a peak torque of 200 Nm when paired with the 5-speed manual transmission. With the CVT automatic, the motor offers only 80 PS and 160 Nm.

The new Amaze became the company’s highest selling model in May with sales of as many as 9,789 units. Even in the month of June, Honda managed to sell 9,103 units of its new compact sedan. It will be now interesting to see if the upcoming price rise would have a negative effect on the sales of the company’s latest compact sedan. The Honda City on the other hand, continues to bring in steady volumes for the Japanese automaker, averaging 4,000 units each month. The Honda City rivals the likes of the Maruti Ciaz, Hyundai Verna and Toyota Yaris.

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Over the years, performance motorcycles have become quite accessible on the Indian market. There are quite a few performance-oriented affordable bikes on the Indian market that can be bought at a fraction of the price of a fast car. Here are five such affordable bikes in India, which are quicker than a BMW 3-Series 320d. The 320d variant of the 3-Series is quite popular and is the best-selling version in India. It is powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine that generates a maximum of 184 Bhp and 380 Nm. It can do 0-100 km/h in 7.2 seconds, which is very, very quick indeed.

KTM 390 Duke

Price: 2.29 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi

The KTM 390 Duke is one of the most popular performance bikes available in India. The value-for-money proposition it offers makes it an extremely good deal. The 390 Duke is extremely quick too. It is powered by a 373cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine that churns out a maximum of 43 Bhp and 37 Nm. The 390 Duke can dart from 0-100 km/h in just 5.6 seconds, making it lightning quick. The bike gets a slipper clutch that makes the gear shifts easier and quicker.

KTM RC 390

Price: 2.34 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi

The KTM RC 390 is the fully faired version of the 390 Duke. The RC 390 gets an aggressive riding position, which makes it suitable for track riding. It gets the same fuel-injected 373cc, single-cylinder engine that develops a similar 184 Bhp and 380 Nm in the RC 390. The full body fairing saves the rider from wind blasts. However, the 0-100 km/h time remains the same at 5.6 seconds for the RC 390. It also gets a slipper clutch for quicker gear shifts.

Yamaha YZF-R3

Price: 3.48 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi

Yamaha launched the new YZF-R3 in India at the 2018 Auto Expo. The track-oriented performance bike is the most affordable twin-cylinder bike from the Japanese manufacturer and is also the best-selling in the segment in India. The YZF-R3 is powered by a 321cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine that produces a maximum of 41.4 Bhp and 29.6 Nm. The YZF-R3 is extremely smooth and can do 0-100 km/h in just 5.8 seconds, making it much quicker than the BMW 320d.

Kawasaki Ninja 300

Price: 3.6 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi

The Kawasaki Ninja 300 is the most-affordable fully-faired bike from the manufacturer in India. It is also the entry-level bike of the extremely popular Ninja series. Recently, Kawasaki announced that the bike will be assembled in India with more localised parts that will make it cheaper. The Ninja 300 is powered by a 296cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine that churns out a maximum of 38.5 Bhp and 27 Nm. It can do 0-100 km/h in just 5.5 seconds.

TVS Apache RR 310

Price: 2.23 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi

TVS launched its first fully faired bike in the form of Apache RR 310 in India. The Apache gets powered by the engine developed jointly by BMW and TVS and the same engine will also power the upcoming BMW G 310R and the GS 310. The single-cylinder 312.2cc engine produces a maximum power of 34 Bhp and 27.3 Nm. It gets a six-speed transmission and can do 0-100 km/h in 7.17 seconds, which is a bit faster than the 7.2 second time of the BMW 320d.

Also Read: TVS Motors wants all Indian riders to join a group ride on 26th July: Here's why

TVS Motors has announced a new campaign, called Kargil Calling – Ride for the Real Stars. Under this campaign, the Hosur headquartered two wheeler giant aims to bring together all Indians on a group ride on the 26th of July, 2018, which is also the day when Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated. Through this ride, TVS Motors hopes to highlight the various sacrifices made by the armed forces of India. Irrespective of the vehicle owned, two wheeler owners can reach their nearest TVS Motors dealership on the 26th of July, 2018, and participate in this ride.

Meanwhile, Mr. Aniruddha Haldar, Vice President (Marketing) Commuter Motorcycles, Scooter and Corporate Brand, TVS Motor Company said,

With this campaign, TVS StaR City+ ‘Stars behind the Stars’ celebrates the contribution of people who are true enablers of nation building – the Indian Defence forces. With the launch of this campaign, we seek a moment from every patriot to send a wish for the soldiers who guard our happiness. Further, we also invite registrations from across India for the ‘Kargil Calling Rallies’ which will be hosted at all TVS Motor Company touch points. Our over 3500 channel partners are extremely enthused about hosting this activity and we look forward to a positive response.

As a part of the Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations, TVS Motors is also conducting a motorcycle expedition in association with the Corps of Military Police. This expedition from Bangalore to Drass was flagged off on the 2nd of July, 2018. Over the next 20 days, a group of five riders from the military police will ride about 3,250 kilometers across 8 states to finally reach Drass, the epicenter of the Kargil war that India won in 1999. Cities such as cities such as Belgaum, Pune, Mumbai, Vadodara, Udaipur, Nasirabad, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Manali, Sarchu & Leh will be covered under this expedition, which will happen on five TVS Apache RTR 200 Fi 4V motorcycles. The expedition will conclude on 24th July, in time for the Kargil Diwas.

Also Read: TVS Motors wants all Indian riders to join a group ride on 26th July: Here's why

If you’re a government employee, or even a retired government employee, you can now buy the Toyota Yaris through very attractive financing schemes. Toyota Kirloskar Motors Limited (TKML) has announced that government employees can now opt for the Yaris with 100% on-road financing, an industry-first loan tenure of 8 years and zero down payment. Also, the Equated Monthly Installments (EMI) are said to be the lowest in this scheme. Government employees are now highly paid, thanks to the latest pay commission recommendations kicking in, and even pensioners among government employees have gained nice pension hikes. To capitalise on this segment of buyers, Toyota has rolled out this exclusive offer.

Notably, the automaker did try this scheme even with cars, such as the Etios, Liva and the Innova Crysta. The response was pretty good with nearly 13% of Toyota’s overall sales coming from this scheme alone. This is another reason why Toyota is trying the same scheme with the recently launched Yaris C-Segment sedan. Notably, even the base variant of the Yaris sedan is quite loaded, making it quite attractive to buyers. Also, the Yaris is offered with a CVT automatic gearbox option even on the base variant, which is something that the competition doesn’t offer. Prices of the Yaris start from Rs. 8.75 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi.

The car is powered by a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine with 108 PS of peak power and 140 Nm of peak torque. A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard, while a CVT automatic gearbox with 7 stepped shifts is optional. There is no diesel engine offered on the Yaris, and Toyota does not have any plans to offer one even in future. As for features, even the base variant of the Yaris offers 7 airbags and ABS as standard, along with air conditioning, power steering and reverse parking sensors. Higher variants of the car add front proximity sensors, a gesture sensing touchscreen infotainment system, power adjustable driver’s seat, automatically folding wing mirrors, keyless entry, push button start, roof mounted AC vents and ambient lighting as key features.

Do watch our review of the Yaris below 

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Bajaj and Triumph are jointly developing a new premium bike that will be launched in India, in 2020. Here are new details about this motorcycle, which will be built in India, and sold here as well as in international markets. A report in the EconomicTimes hints that the Bajaj-Triumph bike will have a single-cylinder engine displacing around 500 cc.

This engine capacity will make the bike a direct challenger to many Royal Enfields sold in India. Royal Enfield sells a range of 500-cc bikes under the Classic and Bullet brands. However, it is unclear as to whether the bike will be a retro-styled model or a sportsbike.

Here is a statement from Mr. Paul Stroud, the chief commercial officer at Triumph Motorcycles,

“It (the Triumph-Bajaj partnership) allows you to hit the market quicker. You are sharing investment, you are sharing knowledge, you are both bringing major strengths to the partnership. It is by leveraging strength of both the partners that you become a powerful force. If you come out with those things together, it is a very compelling proposition. We are certainly very excited about it and so is Bajaj.”

Bajaj will source parts for this bike from its Indian suppliers, and will also manufacture it at the Chakan factory using its low-cost bike-building expertise. Bajaj will also distribute this Triumph-branded bike in India. In international markets, Triumph is expected to handle distribution. The design and engineering technology to develop this bike is expected to come from Triumph.

This partnership will be similar to what Bajaj has with KTM. However, Bajaj will not take any stake in Triumph. This arrangement is likely to be very profitable for both Bajaj and Triumph as the cost of manufacturing a high quality motorcycle in India is much lesser than in developed countries. Together, Bajaj and Triumph plan to take the fight to Royal Enfield in the mid-segment (250cc-750cc) motorcycle category, which is growing fast around the world.

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Nearly 20 years ago, in 1998, Hyundai launched its first car for the Indian market – the Santro hatchback – on the 23rd of September. This historic date could be when the all-new Santro for India could be launched, according to the latest crop of rumours about the upcoming tall-boy hatchback. It would be quite apt for the all-new Santro to arrive 20 years after the original one did, but we are yet to get any kind of information from the South Korean automaker. The only clue about the new Santro’s launch is that the car will arrive into India by the end of October, before the festive season comes to an end.

While we’ve been referring to the new hatchback from Hyundai as the Santro, the official name of the car is yet to be announced. However, there’s strong demand from dealers and customers alike, for the Santro badge to be brought back. This is perhaps why almost everyone reporting about the new car is calling it the Santro even before Hyundai has officially announced the name. Coming back to the car, it’ll sit between the Hyundai Eon and Grand i10 models in terms of price and positioning. In the long term, the Santro is expected to replace the Eon in India.

The car will feature a 1.1-litre-4 cylinder petrol engine, which should make about 70 Bhp of peak power. Five-speed manual and AMT options will be offered. The new Santro is expected to be larger than the Hyundai i10 but smaller than the Grand i10. The interiors are likely to be much better than what the competition offers, and Hyundai is also likely to pack the new car with equipment. Don’t be surprised to see a touchscreen infotainment unit with Smartphone connectivity in the top-end trims of the new Santro. As for safety, twin airbags and ABS will be offered on almost all variants, at least as an option.

Via ZigWheels

Here is a video of the new Santro under test in Delhi

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