Even though luxury vehicle brands have a much bigger market share today, they are a rare sight among the large number of mass segment cars that dominate the Indian roads. Even though luxury cars carry a hefty price tag, due to the tax structure in India, every now and then we come across abandoned luxury vehicles. There may be various reasons for neglecting a luxury car, including seizure of the vehicle by cops. Here are ten such expensive vehicles that are slowly rotting away with disuse.

Rolls Royce Phantom

The Phantom is not the cheapest Rolls Royce that you will find on the market and it carries a hefty price of more than Rs. 8 crores in its current generation. Here is a last-generation Rolls Royce Phantom that can be seen with a layer of dust on it. We are not sure what is the exact location of this Rolls Royce, but it looks like a police compound where other exotics can be spotted too.

Jaguar XK

Parked beside the Rolls Royce Phantom is the Jaguar XK grand touring sports car. The XK is a rare catch in India and remained in production from 1996 to 2014. This bright red coloured Jaguar XK is gathering dust at the same police compound where a Lamborghini Murcielago is also resting. The XK cost near to a crore rupee in India and has now been replaced from the market by the F-Type.

Audi R8

The Audi R8 is known as one of the most value-for-money sports cars and the cheapest variant retails at Rs. 2.72 crores, ex-showroom in India. Here is the last generation Audi R8 that is trying to look different from the garbage lying around and failing at it terribly. The black coloured R8 carries a Delhi number plate and looks like it has been impounded by the police.

BMW 7-Series

The flagship sedan of the German brand, the 7-Series is the chariot of many rich and famous including many Bollywood celebrities. Here is an older-generation BMW 7-Series parked on a roadside and waiting for the rust to consume it. The low height ride suggests that the air suspension system of the sedan has given away. It is quite possible that the owner has left it for the rising maintenance cost. The current generation BMW 7-Series is priced from Rs 1.29 crores.

Bentley Continental Supersports

Bentley is one of the luxury car manufacturers from the Great Britain that is known for its rich history and exquisite interiors. Here is a Bentley Continental Supersports that comes with a massive price tag of more than Rs. 3 crores in its current generation. The beautiful looking Continental Supersports is the perfect blend of luxury and power. This particular car has been seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for some irregularities and it has been lying in their compound all neglected.

Toyota Land Cruiser

The Toyota Land Cruiser is an extremely popular vehicle but is quite rare in India due to its price tag. The capable SUV carries a sticker price of Rs. 1.41 crores at present and is chosen by many for its reliability. This old-generation Land Cruiser has been left for good by its owner and it can be seen parked at a roadside. The vehicle seems fine otherwise with everything intact and no body damage.

Audi Q7

The Audi Q7 luxury SUV is the best-selling product in its segment. It is the choice of many Bollywood actors too. The black-coloured Audi Q7 seen in this picture was seen at a parking lot in the Vashi Railway station in Mumbai and its condition is completely cringe-worthy. The flagship luxury SUV from the German brand also seems to have a failed air-suspension system that has made the vehicle’s body touch the tyres. The base version of the Q7 is priced at Rs. 70 lakhs in India.

BMW 5-Series

The 5-Series is a popular choice of many businessmen and driving enthusiasts. This the last generation F10 5-Series that was spotted in one of the streets in Mumbai. The vehicle seems fairly new from its looks but the thick blanket of dust and dry leaves will leave a lot of enthusiasts in a furious state. The sedan carries a price tag of more than Rs. 52 lakhs for the entry-level variant

Audi A7

The Audi A7 is one the most beautiful looking sedans from the brand. The coupe-design of the A7 makes it a head-turner. Here is an Audi A7 left to die alone in Kolkata. Even this A7 seems to have suspension failure that has made the body rest on the wheels. The base variant of the Audi A7 carries a price tag at Rs. 65 lakhs on the Indian market.

BMW X5

Here is a first-generation BMW X5 abandoned by the owner in Maharashtra. The SUV has been utilised by the pavement-dwellers to tie a tent to it and use it as a shelter. The car itself does not seem to be in good condition and things like front grille are broken. The 1st generation BMW X5 was quite expensive and carried a price tag of above Rs. 50 lakhs.

Also Read: Upcoming Honda Jazz facelift revealed completely before official launch

DC Design was the first indigenous brand to launch a sports car on the Indian market. The affordable sports car was made with Indian road conditions, like high ground clearance, and an affordable price tag, in mind. Here is the second such manufacturer from India, known as Vazirani Automotive, that has unveiled India’s first hypercar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

What is it about?

The Vazirani Shul is a turbine-electric hypercar that uses a jet turbine-electric powertrain. Its highly advanced drivetrain allows the vehicle to produce high performance without bringing down the range of the vehicle. Chunky Vazirani, chief designer of the firm, has designed the hypercar and holds the experience of working with brands like Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls-Royce in the past.

Chunky Vazirani is an enthusiast himself and he wanted to make a vehicle that is more emotional than the regular EVs available on the market. The Indian firm has worked with a UK-based company to develop the turbine. It uses regular petrol that will allow the owners to find fuel easily for the propellor.

The Vazirani Shul is propelled by four separate electric motors located beside every wheel. The separate electric motors allow independent torque vectoring of the wheels that makes it extremely stable. The motors transfer power to the wheels through single-ratio gearboxes as the electric motors provide a wide band of power.

Even though the figures have not been revealed, the hypercar is expected to be extremely lightweight due to the extensive use of carbon fibre. The tub of the vehicle is made up of carbon fibre and even the body panels see the use of the lightweight yet powerful material. Even the battery pack of the vehicle weighs only 300 kg and can be charged on the go too. It has a regenerative braking technology that transfers power to the battery whenever the brakes are applied.

Vazirani also says that the vehicle has not been designed to fight for 0-100 km/h figures, instead it is developed to offer great handling and sports-like responses. Michelin has also provided inputs during the development of the concept model. Even though the car has an Indian connection, Vazirani says that it cannot be made in India yet. The production facility will come up in the USA but there is no timeline for the launch of the vehicle yet.

Source

Also Read: Upcoming Honda Jazz facelift revealed completely before official launch

Motorcycles with modified exhausts have been a menace due to their loudness. State police forces from many Indian states have taken strict actions against such modified bikes in the past, including breaking and destroying the exhausts. Punjab’s Environment minister Om Parkash Soni has said that bikes with such loud exhausts will be seized, if found on the road.

The minister said that any bike that creates a thumping sound due to the modification of silencers will be impounded. The decision was made after a high-level meeting of the officials from Punjab Pollution Control Board (PCCB) and Environment Department officers. The Punjab region sees a number of modified motorcycles, especially bikes from the Royal Enfield brand. Special silencers are installed on such bikes to produce a high decibel noise that exceeds the legal limits. A few modified bikes also make the fire-cracker sound that can be heard from quite a distance. Such extremely high noise disturbs the peace and increases the noise level drastically.

Punjab Police, in the past, have run special drives to bring down the number of such modified bikes on the road. There were many challans issued to the rule breakers. However, this time around, the cops will seize the bike completely, which means that it cannot be on the road with the modified silencers at all. Details like how much fine an owner will have to pay to the authorities for the violation are not known.

It is possible that the bike will be allowed on the road once again after a legal exhaust is fitted on the bike. However, no such announcement has been made yet. The new rule will bring down the number of such modified bikes on the roads and will bring down the noise pollution level as well. The government has banned such aftermarket exhausts with high decibel outputs, but there are many markets and shops from where such exhausts can be easily sourced.

State police forces from Kerala and Karnataka have even removed such exhausts and destroyed them using hydraulic cutting equipment. There have been instances where the exhausts were destroyed with road rollers too. Such a move in Punjab will definitely bring down the use of the extremely loud exhausts in the state.

Source

Also Read: Upcoming Honda Jazz facelift revealed completely before official launch

Most of you would have heard of ABS, a safety feature that is increasingly becoming common on the pricier motorcycles. ABS stands for Anti-lock Braking System. No, it’s not an anti-braking system, like some people often confuse it to be. Basically, ABS is an important feature that helps save lives. Don’t believe it? Here are as many as five real-life incidents from the Indian roads that prove our point.

The uploader of the below video shows as many as four incidents where ABS prevents a major mishap. In the first incident, the Dominar rider is seen doing decent speeds on an expressway. Suddenly, a motorcyclist decides to change lanes and come right in front of the Dominar. Of course, the Dominar, which is going much faster than the other motorcycle, needs to shed a lot of speed under hard braking. It’s only because of the ABS that the wheels don’t lock up. Any non-ABS-equipped motorcycle could have skidded and crashed. In the second incident, you can see how an Ertiga suddenly decides to turn towards the right. Here, again, the ABS of the Dominar prevents the motorcycle from skidding under hard braking.

The third incident shows a KTM Duke sharing road space with a Dominar on a rainy day. Suddenly, the Pulsar skids and crashes. The Dominar, which is right behind the crashed Pulsar, manages to avoid crashing under hard braking due to the ABS. In the last incident, you can see an ABS-equipped Honda CBR250R that avoids crashing into a tempo at a high speed only due to the ABS. As you can see in the above video, ABS totally saves the day for the motorcyclists. Things would have been a lot different on a motorcycle without ABS as it would have certainly led to a skid and probably crashing, too. Here are as many as four more videos that show ABS saving the day –

Looking at the videos, it becomes very clear that ABS is very important on all motorcycles. Fortunately, the authorities have finally acknowledged this and plan to soon make ABS mandatory on all the new two-wheelers with a 125cc or a larger engine. Even the existing 125cc+ motorcycles will have to be fitted with ABS. Other motorcycles will have to offer a combi-brake system, which is another safety feature that comes in handy in events of panic braking. In CBS, on pressing a single brake lever, both the front and the rear brakes get activated. This reduces the chances of skidding. That said, the CBS is not as effective as the ABS.

How does ABS work?

While the ABS prevents the wheel from locking, thereby preventing the motorcycle from skidding under hard braking, it’s a slightly complex system that involves various components. ABS works through wheel-mounted sensors that constantly take note of the wheel speed and the braking pressure. Under hard braking conditions, the ABS works by relaxing the braking pressure by small margins to avoid the wheel from locking up. By doing so, ABS can prevent skids in panic/emergency braking situations. This system is also very useful on wet roads, where a two-wheeler can easily skid even during moderate braking.

Video sources – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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BMW India has added another variant to the 3-series GT line-up in the form of the new ‘Sport’ variant. The new BMW 320d GT Sport is the least priced variant in the 3-series GT line-up and costs Rs 46.60 lakh (ex-showroom). It’s available with a diesel engine. Compared to the Luxury Line, the new 320d Sport costs as much as Rs 2.90 lakh less.

The new BMW 320d GT Sport trim has gone on sale in three paint options. Out of these, two are metallic colours – Black Sapphire and Imperial Blue Brilliant Effect – and one is non-metallic, Alpine White. For the interior, you can choose between a dual-tone black-red, dual-tone black-beige, and an all-beige upholstery. As compared to the costlier Luxury Line, the Sport Line carries a handful of changes. For example, the exterior gets a black trim instead of chrome for the slats of the kidney grille. Even the chrome exhaust pipes have been replaced with black-coloured units. The car also gets a set of new design alloy wheels. On the inside, the front occupants get sports seats and there’s a red stitching on the steering wheel.

The new BMW 320d GT Sport offers many safety features, including six airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with brake assist, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Side-impact Protection, runflat tyres with reinforced sidewalls, emergency spare wheel, electronic vehicle immobiliser and crash sensor. However, it misses out on the automatic high-beam assistance function that’s offered on the Luxury Line. Also, the new 320d GT Sport doesn’t come with the 10.5-inch multifunction instrument cluster. The 205W nine-speaker system and the panoramic sunroof have been retained.

Powering the new BMW 320d GT Sport is the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine that powers the 320d Luxury Line. This motor outputs a maximum power of 190 hp and a peak torque of 400 Nm. All the power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The BMW 3-series GT range for India now comprises of 3 models – 320d Sport (Rs 46.60 lakh), 320d Luxury Line (Rs 49.50 lakh) and 330i M Sport (Rs 51.20 lakh).

Also Read: Upcoming Honda Jazz facelift revealed completely before official launch

The Indian car market is becoming quite interesting with the slew of privately imported exotic vehicles. While many Non-Resident Indians bring their rides on carnet to Indian shores, many others privately import them to register in India. Here are five such new and exciting exotic cars.

Chevrolet Camaro SS

Chevrolet is known for its range of muscle cars in the international markets and there are many religious followers of the brand. Here is a Chevrolet Camaro SS coupe that has come to the Indian roads through carnet. The Middle-Eastern registered vehicle gets an eye-catchy body colour.

The hood on the vehicle is also aftermarket and adds extra muscles to the already powerful looking car. The Chevrolet Camaro SS draws power from a 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine that generates a maximum of 455 Bhp and 617 Nm.

Cadillac Escalade

The Escalade is one of the most privately imported SUVs in India and it looks humongous. Here is a new Escalade that belongs to a Bangalore garage. The exotic SUV is registered in India, which means it has been modified to change the Left-Hand Drive layout to Right-Hand Drive. The Escalade is only available in the LHD option.

The massive SUV gets power from a 6.2-litre V8 engine that churns out a maximum power of 420 Bhp and a peak torque of 624 Nm. It is quite popular in its domestic US market and is even used by the President of the nation.

Nissan Patrol NISMO

The Nissan Patrol is known as an extremely capable SUV. Nissan even showcased the SUV in India officially a few years back, but due to high taxes on imports, the vehicle was never launched. Here is a high-performance NISMO version of the Patrol that looks very aggressive.

The vehicle gets a blacked-out grille and a body kit that includes aggressive front and rear bumpers and side skirts. The massive SUV also gets red highlights all over the body giving it a classy look. It is powered by a 5.6-litre V8 petrol engine that generates 428 Bhp, which is 28 Bhp more than the regular version of the vehicle.

Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible

Even though the Mustang is available in India, Ford only offers the coupe model of the vehicle on the Indian market. Here is a Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible from Delhi and its all-black theme gives it an aggressive look. This could be the only Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible that has been registered in India. The Camaro SS convertible draws power from a 6.2-litre V8 engine that develops a maximum power of 455 Bhp and a peak torque of 617 Nm.

Lexus RC-F

Lexus has officially entered India but they only offer SUVs and sedans right now. Here is an RC-F 350 from Kochi and is one of the two RC-Fs on the Indian market. The RC-F is a 2-door coupe that rivals the BMW M4 globally.

The car is powered by a 5.0-litre V8 engine that churns out a maximum power of 461 Bhp and peak torque of 530 Nm. The engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission which can take the vehicle from 0-100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds.

Source: 1,2,3,4,5

Also Read: Upcoming Honda Jazz facelift revealed completely before official launch

Honda Cars India will soon launch the updated Jazz on the Indian market. While the global markets get a facelifted version of the Jazz, the Indian market will get a different version of the vehicle. The upcoming Jazz is scheduled to be launched on 19th July and the vehicle has been completely revealed in pictures.

The facelifted version of the Jazz launched in the international markets gets many updates like aggressive bumpers that increase the length of the vehicle to 4.1m. However, the current version of the Jazz sold in India is just below the sub-4-meter mark that allows it to get tax benefits and price it competitively. It can be one of the reasons why the facelifted Jazz is not getting the similar updates like the international model. The India specific update of the Jazz will see minor changes to keep it fresh on the market. From the pictures, it is certain that the upcoming Jazz will get new tail lamps.

Even though the Jazz will carry the same looks as the current version of the vehicle available in India, it will be updated thoroughly from the inside. The premium hatchback will get a longer list of equipment. The leaked brochure also reveals that the vehicle will get four petrol and three diesel variants. The engine and transmission options will remain the same. Mechanically, Honda will not change anything in the upcoming Jazz.

On the inside, the premium hatchback will offer a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The design of the dashboard remains unchanged too. It gets the same layout as the current version of the hatchback in India.

The new Jazz gets dual front airbags, parking sensors, and ABS and EBD as standard across all the variants. Honda will also offer a top-end version with the petrol CVT version of the car. However, like the Amaze, the Jazz will not offer a diesel-CVT. The Jazz also gets a new central armrest, push-button start, power boot release and cruise control.

Also Read: Upcoming Honda Jazz facelift revealed completely before official launch

Zakir Khan, a Bangalore-based interior designer and a motorcycle enthusiast, has designed a chopper motorcycle, claimed to be India’s longest chopper. This custom motorcycle was built at a local garage in Bangalore in just about 45 days, and it uses a modified, Bajaj Avenger 220cc four stroke engine for propulsion.

Apart from its length, what really stands out on this custom-built chopper is its massive rear wheel sourced from a mini-truck. The motorcycle also features a 50 litre fuel tank. Mileage? Well, 7 kmpl is what this chopper delivers and if you’re wondering why, it’s because of the mammoth 450 kilograms of weight it has to lug around. Yes, this custom is indeed that heavy.

Meanwhile, this is what Mr. Zakir Khan had to say about this mean machine,

It took me 45 days to design this 13-foot bike. I intended to create a record with this bike. This is my third customised bike. All my customised bikes are chopper bikes, and will stand out on the city’s roads. The fuel tank has a capacity of 50 litres, and it gives a mileage of 7 km/l. The front wheel is the same dimension as the Royal Enfield 500 cc bike’s rear wheel. The rear wheel is again my concept and I have also designed the drum to my specifications.

This motorcycle will be on display at an Auto Show scheduled to happen in Bangalore between the July 13th and 15th. The venue for this show is the Durga Parameshwari BDA Grounds, JP Nagar 2nd Phase, Bangalore. It must be noted that this motorcycle is not street legal, and is liable to be seized by the authorities as the modifications are in contravention of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR).

However, it can be ridden on private roads and used at auto shows and other such events that don’t involve public roads. While the Mumbai RTO has been particularly active in seizing such modified bikes and cars, other RTOs across India have not been as active, which means that such motorcycles are still ridden on public roads in many parts of the country.

Via DeccanHerald

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In India, 2WD vehicles are much popular than 4WD variants. As most of the country remains snow-free for the large part of the year, 4WD vehicles are not required for regular use and even manufacturers do not offer the 4WD variants of many models which are available on international markets. All the affordable vehicles, including SUVs in India, are offered with 2WD to keep the cost low. If you own a 2WD vehicle, you should know that there are a few places where your vehicle can struggle and can even get stuck. Here are five places that you should stay away from if you own a 2WD vehicle.

Beaches

Due to the loose sand, beaches can be very dangerous for 2WD vehicles. Even many 4WD vehicles struggle on the beaches for grip and are often found stuck. If you own a 2WD vehicle, you should definitely stay out of the beach area unless and until it is declared as a “driving beach”. Now such regions have a hard surface and do not let the car sink inside or get stuck. Beaches can be dangerous as even rescue vehicles can get stuck while recovering other vehicles.

Slush

Driving in slush can be fun and challenging but due to the extremely slippery nature of the slush, a 2WD can lose grip and go out of control on the slush. 4WD vehicles have an advantage because if one of the wheels start spinning, the wheels on the other axle will continue to offer grip and can take the vehicle out of the situation without a problem. Many 4WD vehicles even get the differential lock that ensures that three wheels get enough power if one of the wheels is stuck in slush. No 2WD vehicles come with such features.

Sand

Sandy areas like dunes and seashores can be dangerous for 2WD vehicles. It can make the vehicle stuck almost instantly. While even 4WD vehicles can get royally stuck in the sand, the four-wheel power gives them a chance to get out of the situation. In 2WD vehicles, getting stuck in sand can be a difficult experience for the car driver. Accelerating in sand can make your vehicle go deeper in the sand and make it stuck badly.

Snow

Driving on fresh snow is not very difficult and even 2WD hatchbacks can do it easily. The difficult challenge is to drive on old snow that becomes hard and extremely slippery. While the 4WD vehicles manage to go over such slippery hard surfaces by distributing power to all the four wheels and keeping the balance intact, most 2WD vehicles find it difficult to control their vehicles on the snow and often get stuck on the spot.

Marshes

Marshy lands like the wet fields near rivers or lakes may not look difficult to cross but they can grab your vehicle’s wheels and sink it quickly. Due to the power distribution to both the axles in 4WD vehicles, it is easier to get them out of marshy lands but if it is a 2WD vehicle, the chances become very grim.

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Maruti Suzuki has just stopped production of the Ciaz C-Segment sedan even as the country’s leading automaker prepares to launch the facelifted Ciaz in less than a month from now. The facelifted Maruti Ciaz will be launched on the 6th of August 2018, according to a report on ZigWheels. The new sedan will continue to take on the likes of the Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Toyota Yaris in India’s C-Segment sedan category. The facelift will give the Ciaz a lot more firepower though. From a new petrol engine to a stylistic makeover and many new features, the Maruti Ciaz will gain quite significantly.

The new petrol engine will be the 1.5 litre K-Series unit that will also be seen on the all-new Ertiga. This motor makes 106 PS and 138 Nm, making it a lot more powerful than the 1.4 litre K-Series petrol that currently powers the Ciaz. What’s also interesting is the fact that the new petrol motor will gain a mild hybrid system. The new petrol engine will operate with 5 speed manual and 4 speed torque converter automatic gearboxes. The diesel motor will be unchanged though. It’ll be a 1.3 litre Fiat Multijet unit with 89 Bhp-200 Nm, and will get a 5 speed manual gearbox as standard. Maruti will also offer a mild hybrid system on the diesel engined variants.

As for other changes, the Ciaz will get new front and rear bumpers, a revised front grille, LED DRLs up front and revised tail lamps. On the inside, the cabin will remain more or less the same save for wooden inserts on the dashboard to add a touch of premium-ness. Cruise control will be a major feature addition on the car, which will also feature other key bits such as automatic climate control, a touchscreen infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and steering mounted audio controls. Twin airbags and ABS will be standard safety features across trims while the top-end trims will also receive reverse parking sensors with a camera.

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Yes, it’s raining discounts! This month, we have as many as 12 mass-market cars that are available with discounts of at least Rs 1 lakh. These discounts are being offered through various schemes, including monsoon offers, exchange bonus, and free insurance. A large part of these offers, however, come in the form of cash discounts. Hence, it’s a pretty good time for new car buyers. Here are the 12 cars with more than Rs 1 lakh discount.

Renault Captur – Rs 2 lakh

There’s a straight cash discount of Rs 2 lakh on the Renault Captur. It may be noted here that the sales performance of the Captur has been pretty dismal all this while. Hence, the manufacturer has finally started offering huge discounts to lure SUV/crossover buyers. Thanks to a neat discount of as much as Rs 2 lakh, the Captur now comes across as a much better value-for-money proposition.

Honda CR-V – Rs 1.5 lakh

The current Honda CR-V is on its way out and will be replaced with an all-new model by the end of this year. Moreover, the CR-V has never really set the sales charts on fire. No surprise, then, that, Honda Cars India Ltd is currently offering a minimum discount of Rs 1.5 lakh on the CR-V. Other than this cash discount, you can also expect some more sweeteners from the authorized dealer.

Honda BR-V – Rs 1.26 lakh

The Honda BR-V is available with benefits worth Rs 1.26 lakh. These include an exchange bonus of Rs 50,000. Additionally, you also get free 1st-year insurance worth more than Rs 50,000. You also get free accessories worth Rs 26,000.

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz – Rs 1.2 lakh

The current Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is about to get a facelift. The company is currently offering some great offers to clear the existing stock. The petrol variants get a cash discount of Rs 40,000 while the diesel models get a discount of Rs 70,000. Furthermore, there’s an exchange bonus of Rs 50,000. You can also get some corporate discounts.

Volkswagen Vento – Rs 1.15 lakh

The Volkswagen Vento hasn’t been doing too well on the sales charts. Hence, its manufacturer is offering some lucrative discounts to lure the sedan buyers. All variants, except for the Comfortline diesel and the Highline petrol, get a straight cash discount of Rs 60,000, an exchange bonus of Rs 40,000, and a corporate discount of Rs 15,000. This takes the total savings to Rs 1.15 lakh.

Tata Hexa – Rs 1 lakh

The flagship SUV from Tata Motors is a well-sorted SUV that offers a comfortable cabin, powerful engines, and sufficient off-roading capabilities. However, it has almost totally failed to leave a dent in the sales of the Mahindra XUV500. Most dealerships are offering Hexa with cash discounts and other benefits of up to Rs 1 lakh.

Ford Aspire – Rs 1 lakh

The current Aspire is on its way out and will be soon replaced with a facelift. No surprise, then, that Ford dealers are offering discounts of up to Rs 1 lakh on this compact sedan.

Ford Figo – Rs 1 lakh

Even the current Figo will be replaced with an updated version in the near future. Also, sales of the Figo have suffered since the introduction of the Freestyle CUV. Hence, the dealerships have been trying to clear the inventory by offering discounts of up to Rs 1 lakh on the current model.

Skoda Superb – Rs 1 lakh

The Skoda Superb is available with offers amounting to more than Rs 1 lakh. You get free 1st-year insurance, which costs roughly Rs 75,000. Moreover, you get a corporate discount of Rs 15,000 and a 4 year service package at a discounted rate. This takes the total savings to more than Rs. 1 lakh.

Honda Jazz – Rs 1 lakh

Another Honda car that is available with attractive discount offers is the Jazz hatchback. The Honda Jazz will be replaced with a facelift later this month. Hence, the dealerships are offering attractive discounts to clear the existing inventory. You get offers worth Rs 1 lakh, which include cash discounts, free accessories, and an exchange bonus.

Hyundai Grand i10 – Rs 1 lakh

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) is offering huge discounts on the Grand i10 to revitalize its sales performance. These discounts are being offered through various offers like corporate discounts, exchange bonus, and cash discounts.

Hyundai Xcent – Rs 1 lakh

Another Hyundai that’s on sale with huge discounts is the Xcent compact sedan. The Xcent has been facing a lot of heat since the advent of the latest Maruti Suzuki Dzire and the all-new Honda Amaze. Hence, Hyundai is offering attractive discounts to lure compact sedan buyers. You save more than a lakh rupees through the cash discount, exchange bonus, and corporate discount that’s being offered.

Source – Mycarhelpline and Autocar

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Italian sportsbike brand Benelli (currently owned by Qianjiang Group of China) entered India less than 3 years ago by tying up with Pune-based DSK group. Under the tie-up, the DSK group imported, assembled and distributed the Benelli range of motorcycles in India, and was the de-facto Indian representative of the group. The partnership has run into rough weather over the last few months thanks to the financial trouble that the promoters of the DSK group are currently facing. Benelli has now split with DSK MotoWheels, and has instead tied up with Mahavir Group, known for their car dealerships in Hyderabad. Going forward, the Mahavir group will import and distribute the Benelli range of sportsbikes in India.

The group is also likely to set up an assembly unit to build completely knocked down (CKD) kits into complete motorcycles somewhere near Hyderabad. Currently, Benelli sells five motorcycles in India: the TNT 25, TNT 300, 302R, TNT 600 GT, and the TNT 600i. All five motorcycles are more affordable than most competitors from Japanese and European brands, and DSK Benelli in fact has more dealerships and service centers for its high-end motorcycles than most Japanese and European brands, save for KTM. The existing crop of dealerships and service centers are expected to seamlessly transition to the new Indian owner – the Mahavir group.

Considering the fact that dealers have spent significant amounts of money to set up Benelli dealerships and after sales centers in India, such a transition is highly likely as it is in the interest of all four stakeholders – the Benelli brand, existing customers, existing dealers and the new distributor for Benelli in India – the Mahavir group. The group has been involved in the automotive business for 20 years. It started out as a Mercedes Benz dealer in Hyderabad during 1998, and has since expanded into dealerships and service centers for brands such as Isuzu, Skoda and Indian Motorcycles. We hope that Benelli moves quickly and gets the set-up with the Mahavir group running smoothly as that would allay a lot of fear among existing and prospective Benelli motorcycle owners.

Via ZigWheels

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Tata Motors produced just 3 units of the Nano hatchback in June 2018, and serial production of the world’s cheapest car has now seized at the Sanand factory. Tata Motors has not discontinued the car yet, and is willing to build the Nano on specific orders from customers. However, the Nano could not just have survived but could have actually thrived, and Ratan Tata’s letter to Cyrus Mistry reveals why.

On 16th September 2015, Ratan Tata (ex-chairman of Tata) wrote to the new Chairman of Tata, Cyrus Mistry,

You would recall when we were together in Pune on September 1, I mentioned to you that Bhavish Aggarwal (co-founder of Ola cabs) told me that they were keen to acquire 10,000 Nanos and Indicas /Indigos from Tata Motors on outright purchase, lease or joint venture. On annual basis, they had plans to acquire 150,000 such vehicles. He mentioned while Ola was keen to do the transaction with Tata Motors, there was no positive response from Tata Motors. By contrast, Maruti Suzuki was chasing him every day. A proposal to offtake 150,000 Indicas and Nanos should be welcomed by the company, as it constitutes about 15 months’ production at current sales levels. If Tata Motors could execute both the Ola cabs and Uber proposals it would be even better and would be a real shot-in-the-arm for the company. While Tata Motors has turned away the Ola cabs proposal as being inferior, I hope for your sake and for that of Tata Motors that the Uber proposal for a similar number of vehicles, which Tata Motors is pursuing, does indeed get concluded.

Ratan Tata was one of the earliest investors in cab aggregating app Ola. Cyrus Mistry’s counter was that the proposal from Ola to buy the Nano, Indica and Indigo cars were inferior to that of Uber. However, even Uber did not purchase the cars at the end, which means that Tata Motors lost sales of more than 150,000 cars. Currently, all three cars that Uber and Ola intended to purchase from Tata Motors – the Nano, Indica eV2 and Indigo eCS – are now discontinued.

Ratan Tata and Cyrus Mistry had a showdown a year later, and Mr. Mistry was ousted from the chairmanship of the Tata group. Mr. Mistry then went to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), which heard his complaints against Mr. Tata earlier this year. However the NCLT has dismissed Mr. Mistry’s complaints against Tata and has ruled in favour of Mr. Ratan Tata.

Via BusinessToday

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The Bajaj Pulsar 220, the erstwhile Pulsar flagship, and the KTM RC 200, the faired sibling of the Duke 200, are two popular performance-oriented motorcycles in our bike market. The Pulsar 220 is well-known for its grunty engine, attractive pricing, excellent headlamps, and decent long-distance touring capabilities. The RC 200 is famous for its sharp handling and a rev-happy engine. But which one is likely to win in a tug of war? You can find the results in the video we have below –

As can be seen in the above video, both the motorcycles pretty much struggle to outclass each other in the first round of the tug of war competition. For the next round, the riders exchange the motorcycles. In this round, the Bajaj Pulsar 220 enjoys an upper edge over the KTM right from the start of the competition. Soon, it starts pulling the RC 200 itself. In the next few seconds, the 220 completely pulls the KTM RC 200 towards itself. Hence, the Pulsar 220 is the clear winner of the competition.

The KTM RC 200 is powered by a 199.5-cc, single-cylinder, fuel-injected engine that outputs a maximum power of 24.65 Bhp @ 10000 rpm and a peak torque of 19.2 Nm @ 8000 rpm. The engine comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission. On the other hand, the Bajaj Pulsar 220 is powered by a 220-cc, single-cylinder, carbureted engine that outputs a maximum power of 20.64 Bhp @ 8500 rpm and a peak torque of 18.55 Nm @ 7000 rpm. Hence, the KTM RC 200 is clearly the more powerful of the two motorcycles.

However, in spite of being the more powerful contender, the RC 200 loses this tug of war competition. There are two major reasons for this. Firstly, the 220’s motor is known to be a punchy performer that offers a slightly better low-end torque than the RC200. This helps it to have an edge over the Austrian motorcycle. Also, the P220 is marginally heavier than the RC 200. Without any torque advantage in the low rev-range, it gets tough for the Austrian motorcycle to pull the P220 towards itself. Ultimately, it all boils down to the rider. In the first round, both the motorcycles look evenly matched. In the second round, however, the riders exchange their motorcycles and the 220’s new rider powers the motorcycle to success.

Video source – Sonu Plaha on Youtube

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The recently launched Maruti Swift will get a facelift some time in 2021, and at the same time, the current Vitara Brezza sub-4 meter compact SUV will get an all-new, second generation model. Both cars will dump lead acid batteries and move on to lithium ion batteries. And no, they are not going electric. The lithium ion batteries will replace the conventional lead acid batteries to save weight, increase service life and reduce environmental pollution caused when lead acid batteries are discarded after use. Notably, a lithium ion battery comes with a service life of 5 years whereas a conventional lead acid battery is said to have a service life of just 1 year.

However, lithium ion batteries are currently about 30 % pricier than similar lead acid batteries. The cost of lithium ion batteries is expected to come down in the coming years though. Also, the Indian government is aggressively pushing for the reduction of lead acid batteries in cars. In fact, the government’s electric and hybrid car subsidy program called FAME does not offer subsidy to cars using lead acid batteries. This is in order to encourage car makers to shift towards lithium ion batteries.

Meanwhile, Maruti’s parent company – Suzuki – has tied up with Japanese autoparts maker Denso and Japanese electric component maker Toshiba, to set up a battery manufacturing facility in Gujarat. This facility will not only make lithium ion batteries that will replace lead acid batteries on conventional Maruti cars, but will also build batteries for electric cars and scooters. Maruti has plans of launching electric cars some time in 2020, and its two-wheeler arm – Suzuki Motorcycles – has plans to launch electric scooters in India by the same time.

The batteries produced by Toshiba-Denso will also be used in hybrid cars that Maruti is planning for India. Currently, most cars sold in India use lead acid batteries manufactured by prominent battery suppliers such as Exide, Amaron and Standard Furukawa (SF Sonic). As the world is moving towards lighter and longer lasting lithium ion batteries, the days of the lead acid battery seem to be numbered. However, sourcing lithium could get challenging in the coming years if the entire automotive world shifts towards this metal.

Via LiveMint

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The Indian car market is finally brimming with a gazillion car options to choose from. In every segment, there is a car that people totally love. These cars enjoy segment-leading demand every month. However, even the most popular cars have their share of short-comings. Today, we look at 12 BEST-selling cars and their alternatives.

Maruti Suzuki Alto

Best Alternate: Renault Kwid

The Alto has been the highest-selling budget-end hatchback since time immemorial. It’s powered by peppy 800-cc and 998-cc engines that offer a high fuel efficiency. However, the Alto doesn’t have a very spacious cabin. It also doesn’t come with too many features.

On the other hand, the Renault Kwid offers a very spacious cabin and a huge boot. Also, it isn’t really costlier than the Alto. Moreover, even the Kwid offers excellent 0.8-litre and 1.0-litre motors. Akin to the Alto K10, the Kwid 1.0 even offers an AMT.

Maruti Suzuki WagonR

Best Alternate: Tata Tiago

The Maruti Suzuki WagonR has been the largest-selling A2-segment hatchback for many years now. It’s a no-nonsense car that has a spacious cabin, a fuel efficient engine, and even an optional AMT. However, there’s no diesel engine on offer.

On the other hand, the Tiago is a really well-priced hatchback that offers a bigger petrol engine and even a diesel engine. It also offers a more comfortable cabin that feels a tad more premium.

Maruti Suzuki Swift

Best Alternate: Hyundai Grand i10

The latest-gen Maruti Suzuki Swift is a funky li’l car that offers sufficiently powerful engines. It also offers an AMT option for both petrol and diesel engine variants. Also, the new Swift is larger than its predecessor. In spite of the increase in cabin space, however, the space at the rear is far from the best. It’s still tough to accommodate three adults comfortably.

On the other hand, the Hyundai Grand i10 offers a more spacious cabin that can easily seat three adults at the rear. Very much like the Swift, it offers sufficiently powerful petrol and diesel engines that offer a high fuel efficiency. Also, Hyundai is offering huge discounts on the Grand i10 to boost its sales, which makes it an excellent value for money proposition.

Maruti DZire

Best Alternate: Honda Amaze

The latest Dzire is a great car that offers a spacious cabin, frugal engines, optional AMT, and a lot more. However, the only complaint we have is with its oddball proportions. The Dzire is far from a looker and in spite of great efforts by its manufacturer, continues to look disproportionate.

On the other hand, the new-gen Amaze looks well-proportioned and even a bit bolder than the Dzire. It also feels a tad more premium and offers a more powerful Diesel engine. It’s also the first Diesel sedan in its segment to offer a CVT. It’s not much costlier either.

Maruti Baleno

Best Alternate: Hyundai Elite i20

The Maruti Baleno is the highest-selling premium hatchback in India. It’s sold through Nexa premium dealerships. The Baleno looks pretty modern, has a lot of features, and even offers a spacious and a comfortable cabin.

The only issue is with the high waiting period. Months of waiting can dissuade any car buyer from spending on this hatchback. The Elite i20 feels equally premium and is a well-sorted car. Moreover, it also offers a more powerful engine. Most importantly, you won’t have to wait for months for your Elite i20 to get delivered to you.

Maruti Vitara Brezza

Best Alternate: Tata Nexon

The Maruti Vitara Brezza is a well-sorted sub-4-meter compact SUV. It offers a frugal diesel engine, sufficiently spacious cabin, and is well-priced. However, it doesn’t look special enough due to its conventional, boxy appearance. Also, there’s no petrol engine option.

The Tata Nexon, on the other hand, looks really modern and offers both petrol and diesel engine variants. Both these engines are really powerful and are available with both manual and AMT options. It’s also as well-priced as the Brezza, which makes it an interesting alternative.

Honda City

Best Alternate: Toyota Yaris

The Honda City has been one of the most successful car brands in the country. It’s a spacious sedan that has a refined petrol engine and a frugal diesel motor. However, it’s really not the most feature-laden car in its segment. It’s also not the most well-priced option either.

On the other hand, the recently launched Toyota Yaris offers seven airbags across all its trims. It’s also slightly more comfortable and comes across as an interesting alternative.

Mahindra Scorpio

Best Alternate: Tata Safari Storme

The Mahindra Scorpio is a well-priced SUV that offers a long list of features and is quite spacious, too. It also offers an optional 4×4 system. However, its suspension isn’t well-tuned. The ride is a bit too bouncy.

The Tata Safari Storme, on the other hand, offers a much better suspension. It also looks at least as muscular and has a powerful diesel engine that offers more torque than the Scorpio.

Hyundai Creta

Best Alternate: Mahindra XUV500

The Hyundai Creta is another well-sorted SUV that has been selling in great numbers. Such is the demand for this SUV that it managed to outsell the much cheaper Vitara Brezza last month. There’s really a lot going in favour of this vehicle. However, the Creta, in spite of the recent feature additions, isn’t the most well-priced. It feels slightly overpriced, especially if you consider that it offers only two rows of seating.

On the other hand, the Mahindra XUV500 just got cheaper. It has even received more features. More importantly, it’s a much bigger vehicle than the Creta and also offers a higher seating capacity. You also get an optional 4×4. The XUV500 is clearly the better buy here.

Jeep Compass

Best Alternate: Hyundai Tucson

The Jeep Compass is a capable premium SUV that has been selling in great numbers. It’s sufficiently rugged and comes with powerful petrol and diesel engines. It offers sorted dynamics, too. However, Jeep India doesn’t have a very wide service network.

The Hyundai Tucson, on the other hand, benefits from Hyundai Motor India Ltd’s wide service network. It also offers a slightly better ride and some additional features.

Toyota Innova Crysta

Best Alternate: Tata Hexa

The Toyota Innova Crysta is easily the most comfortable mass market MPV we’ve ever sampled. It carries all the strengths of its predecessor but feels a lot more premium. However, it’s definitely a lot more expensive than the earlier Innova.

On the other hand, the Tata Hexa is a well-priced offering that offers a spacious and a comfortable cabin. It also offers an optional 4×4 system that makes it quite capable off the road. Hence, the Hexa comes across as an interesting alternative to the Crysta.

Toyota Fortuner

Best Alternate: Ford Endeavour

The Toyota Fortuner has been the highest-selling large SUV for many years now. It’s a powerful vehicle that’s sufficiently comfortable off the road. The latest generation even feels sufficiently premium. However, it has got a really bouncy ride, which might be a deal-breaker for some.

The new Ford Endeavour, on the other hand, offers a much more refined ride quality. Even the Endeavour offers a powerful motor and is very capable off the road. Also, its cabin feels slightly more luxurious.

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Parallel parking is a mandatory skill to get a driving license in many foreign countries. However, in India, most people learn driving after getting the license due to relaxed rules. Parallel parking is a necessary skill that every car driver should know as it helps in parking the vehicle properly and keeping the vehicle safe. Most people who try to do parallel parking initially are embarrassed due to a lack of skill and knowledge and it is something every modern car parking requires you to do. Here are five pro tips that will make your next parallel car parking look easy!

Find the spot

Finding the right spot with enough space between the two already parked vehicles is the first step. Always check for space which is roomy enough for your vehicle. Keep the indicator on, so that the vehicles behind you know that you’re looking for a spot to park. Ideally, the parking space should be 4 feet longer than your car’s length. You can always improvise and fit your vehicle in tighter spaces with experience and practice.

Stopping the vehicle at the right point

Once you have identified the spot to park your vehicle, you should bring your vehicle to halt strategically. The rear wheel of your vehicle should approximately align with the bumper of the vehicle parked in front of the parking space. If judging the wheels and bumper alignment seems to be a problem, you can always look out and align the last pillar of your vehicle to the rear corner of the parked vehicle. This is the best position to halt if you want to guide your vehicle into the parking slot without much problem.

Start the manoeuvre

Once you’re in position, start reversing your vehicle slowly. If the parking space is to your right then the steering should be rotated towards the right completely. If the parking space is towards the left, then you should lock the steering to the left. Now with the help of the ORVMs ensure that you’re not too close to the parked vehicle. Once you see the vehicle parked in the rear of the parking spot in your left-hand side ORVM, it is time to stop.

Align your vehicle

Now you will have to align the vehicle with the already parked vehicles. To do this, you can straighten the steering and continue to reverse while looking at the right side ORVM. Once the front corner is aligned with the rear opposite corner of the vehicle parked in front, you should lock the steering to its left or right completely depending on which side it is. It is always the opposite side of the steering movement you did in the first step. Once you start reversing with the front wheels fully turned, the vehicle will be parallel to the kerb.

Finishing touches

Once your vehicle is parallel to the kerb, you should leave enough space at the front and the rear to allow smooth exit of the vehicles. A distance of 2 feet is sufficient to allow most vehicles to get out of the parallel parking space. The empty space also ensures that the car in the front or rear does not hit you when they exit the parking spot.

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The Indian car market has become one of the largest car markets in the world. Over the years, the market has seen numerous launches, and few of them have truly become legends. The Hindustan Ambassador and the Contessa are two such cars that have a huge fan base in India. Many Ambassadors and Contessas, in an immaculate condition, can still be seen on roads. Here are ten beautifully modified Ambassador and Contessa models from around India.

Resto-modification

Here is a good looking Hindustan Ambassador that ha been given modern parts. It retains its charm through its old-design body and new features like LED headlamps. The sedan also gets a custom exhaust system that increases the power of the 2.0-litre diesel engine but the exact power bump is not known. The paint scheme has been upgraded to a new Metallic Ash paint job that gives it a classy look.

Mean green

Here is a Hindustan Ambassador that gets an extremely loud paint scheme and carries it well too. Ceramic Pro Calicut has restored the 1969 Mark-II Ambassador, hiding its age well. The metallic-green paint job makes it a true head-turner. Other modern parts that the Ambassador carries are clear lens indicators and multi-spoke alloy wheels. This one has also been updated thoroughly from the inside.

Class act

This Ambassador has been modified for daily use and it gets a few useful features that can come quite handy in traffic. The car gets power steering, always-on rear camera, power windows and a Bluetooth infotainment system. It also gets an updated interior with diamond-stitched brick leather. Other changes include a new exterior paint job and multi-spoke alloy wheels.

Matte black

It is quite rare to see an Ambassador in a matte shade. Here is one painted in a beautiful matte black colour done by Kit Up! This Ambassador gets a lovely Frozen Midnight Black matter paint scheme and an all-black treatment for the steel wheels. It also gets a fair use of chrome that can be seen on the hubcaps, headlamp, grille and the steel bumper of the vehicle. The car gets all-new leather upholstery on the inside making it quite plush.

Turbo

The Hindustan Ambassador is known for a lot of things in India but performance is not one of them. This modification done by Karanraj Shah of KS Motorsports will change the way you see Ambassadors. The 300-BHP Amby painted in blood red is something that Hindustan Motors could never have thought about. The Ambassador Grand is based on the 1994 Nissan Sylvia S13. The chassis of the Sylvia was tweaked to fit the Amby’s shell. The new model is powered by the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that has been heavily retuned with added support, such as a bigger Garrett turbo, an intercooler and Nismo exhaust system. KS Motorsports has also installed new suspensions, drivetrain and axles.

Grey Hound

This is one of the most radically modified Contessas in India. The car has been modified by a garage called Modster and it looks fabulous. Named the ‘Grey Hound’, this Contessa gets a matte grey shade. It has fabricated wheel arches, in metal, a new front grille, new LED head lamps and tail lamp, ducktail tail spoiler and custom leather upholstery on the inside. This one certainly looks menacing.

Big Daddy customs

As the Contessa is compared a lot with the Chevrolet Camaro, Big Daddy Customs gave a makeover to this 1993 Contessa to make it look like the American muscle car. It gets a new Camaro-inspired grille, a new bonnet with deep creases, Camaro-inspired tail lamps. Chrome plating on parts, such as the wheel hubs and the grille, give it a very classy look.

Contessa charger

This modification is inspired by the Dodge Charger that Vin Diesel drives in the movie Fast and Furious. The Contessa has been modified with new parts and new wheels while the body gets a matte green paint job. It also gets a pop-out air intake on the bonnet that further makes it look like the Charger.

American muscle

Contessa was not a muscle car but it sure did get a lot of compliments for the way it looks, which certainly reminded people of American muscle cars. This modified car gets an aggressive hood, aftermarket alloy wheels and increased ground clearance to mimic American muscle car looks.

R/T

Here is a Contessa that looks extremely good with simple yet powerful modifications. It retains most of the original parts but things like the regular grille have been replaced with a new wire mesh unit, new head lamps, a new paint job and twin-racing stripes running along the vehicle. The car also gets a new set of alloy wheels and a modified body that removes two doors and gives it a true American muscle look.

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The all-new, 3rd generation Suzuki Swift hatchback has hit the modification circuit in a big way. Body kit makers in Japan and Thailand have already begun building a range of custom kits for the Swift, and the latest is the ZERCON body kit from Caroline Corporation of Thailand.

The body kit offers a range of additions to the front, rear and sides of the 2018 Suzuki Swift, which is known as the Maruti Swift in India. The body kit consists of black add-ons along with red highlights on the front and rear bumpers, black cladding for the wheel arches, side skirts, LED pilot lamps for the front bumper, twin exhaust tips for the rear bumper, a red wrap for the wing mirrors and a blacked out roof.

The 2018 Suzuki Swift done up with the ZERCON body kit is white in colour. The red contrast paint scheme of the body kit makes the modifications stand out. The car looks low slung and sporty thanks to the body kit. Expect such kits to soon make their way into India, where the Swift is one of the most popular car picked out for modifications.

The all-new Swift is Maruti Suzuki’s biggest hit in 2018. Launched in February this year, at the 2018 Auto Expo, the Swift has managed to sell over 1 lakh units in less than five months of launch, making it one of India’s fastest selling cars.

The Swift sold in India starts from under Rs. 4.99 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi. The car is offered with two engine options, a 1.2-litre K-Series petrol motor which puts out 82 Bhp and 113 Nm and a 1.3-litre Fiat Multijet turbocharged diesel motor that generates 74 Bhp and 190 Nm.

Five-speed manual and AMT options are offered on both the petrol and diesel variants. All variants of the Swift gets twin airbags and ABS as standard features. The new Swift gets a longer wheelbase but shorter overall length. Leg room and boot space have increased in the new model, which is a lot lighter than the outgoing version thanks to the use of the HEARTECT light weight platform.

Via ZerconOfficial

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Thanks to the ever-increasing purchasing power and the availability of many supercars and superbikes in the market, there’s a huge increase in the number of first-time buyers of highly powerful machines. But, as they say, with great power comes great responsibility. Sadly, however, driving supercars or riding motorcycles in India is not the easiest of jobs for many. Allow us to explain!

Driving a Tata Nano isn’t the same as driving a Lamborghini

Like we said, there are many first-time buyers of supercars in India. Mostly, these people have been driving for a long time, but the cars they’ve driven are nowhere as powerful as a supercar. Hence, they simply don’t have the skill to handle them. In India, anyone who has a valid driving license can legally drive any supercar. Unfortunately, there are no licensing standards for higher powered vehicles, which means that supercars and superbikes often land up in the hands of drivers and riders who are incapable of handling these vehicles. Hence, there should be a proper licensing standard for using such vehicles. Owners should be trained to handle so much power before they actually start driving supercars or superbikes on public streets.

Lack of awareness

Other than the lack of special licensing standards, there’s often a complete lack of awareness on the part of first-time supercar and superbike users. They really don’t know that they might lack the skill to handle such extremely powerful vehicles. There have been cases of rich parents buying superbikes and supercars for their children. Unfortunately, neither the parents nor the children are aware of the sheer dangers involved in using such extremely powerful vehicles. Again, proper training should be given to new supercar and superbike users to ensure they are at least somewhat competent to handle the machines before venturing out on public roads.

Indian roads have way more uncertainty than those in the West

First, these vehicles are hard to control. On top of it, our roads are full of so many uncertainties and unanticipated obstacles. Any modern superbike or supercar can attain speeds of more than 100 kmph in less than 5 seconds. Add another 10 seconds, and they’ll fly past 200 kmph. Further, these vehicles don’t feel stressed at this speeds, which helps them mask all that pace. That said, it’s humanly impossible to take corrective measures quickly. Things can go really wrong when a pothole suddenly appears in front of you. In worst case scenarios, there could be cattle running across the road. Hence, the uncertainty offered by our roads make it really tough to handle supercars and the superbikes.

Supercars have very poor side/rear visibility

To make things worse, supercars usually have poor side or rear visibility. Like we said, our roads are highly unpredictable and there can be situations when the driver needs to make a sudden steering correction or apply brakes. However, supercars often have poor rear or side visibility. With these cars, form rules over function. These cars often offer poor side and rear visibility, which makes it even tougher to handle them properly on our roads.

Lack of tracks to exercise the true potential of these cars/bikes

Supercars and superbikes are meant to be used on purpose-built racing tracks. If nothing else, such tracks help the driver/rider develop skills to handle these highly powerful machines, Sadly, there’s an utter lack of racing tracks in India. Except for the Buddh International Circult in Great Noida and a couple of tracks and closed air strips in South India, there’s really no place where you can hone your driving or riding skills.

Lack of adequate training facilities

A lack of racing tracks also leads to a lack of supercar and superbike training academies, where owners of these powerful vehicles can train themselves. There are many buyers who buy a highly powerful vehicle and try to develop their driving or riding skills on public roads. Of course, it’s all too dangerous, both for the owners and other road users. Hence, it will be correct to say that buying these vehicles in India is still easy. It’s learning to handle them that’s a real challenge.

Poor law enforcement in India

Another factor that makes owning these machines a bit difficult is the poor enforcement of laws. Of course, it’s the duty of the users to make sure they drive/ride within speed limits and follow all the traffic rules. However, with no fear of getting caught by cops, it’s easy to get carried away. There have been many cases of supercar/superbike riders losing their lives owing to the loss of control at illegally high speeds. Better law enforcement is essential to make sure all superbike and supercar riders adhere to laws.

Public always blames superbike/supercar owners

Low speed limits

Another factor that makes things really hard for supercar and superbike owners is the low-speed limit of most Indian roads. In spite of the roads getting wider and the vehicles getting better, speed limits at many places haven’t been increased. While we totally agree cars shouldn’t be allowed to run at really high speeds, doing 40 kmph on a superbike or a supercar gets really tough. As these machines are ‘over-speeding’ almost 9 out of 10 times, they’re blamed and even fined for speeding.

Images courtesy 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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