Mahindra XUV 500 is a very popular vehicle in the Indian market. The seven-seater, macho-looking XUV 500 is known for its bold looks and value-for-money price tag. The XUV 500 is also the best-selling SUV in the segment and there are many modified examples of the vehicle on the Indian roads.

Here is one more such modified XUV 500 that has been transformed into a lounge and looks extremely good.

The XUV 500 Moonraker

It has been christened as the Moonraker and looks quite different from the stock form. It is based on the facelifted version of the XUV 500 and is an official customisation done by Mahindra. The XUV 500 Moonraker has been designed for long-distance touring and passenger comfort. The vehicle gets a new front grille with new multi-pod fog lamp unit that ensures that the roads stay lit when in the darkest conditions. The front-grille, however, stays quite similar to the stock version of the vehicle.

The Moonraker looks extremely good with off-road spec tyres and aftermarket alloy wheels. The body also gets thick cladding all around that ensures that the body remains scratch-free. The moulding on the sides really lifts up the look of the Mahindra XUV 500. Apart from the aftermarket LED fog lamps, it also gets dune lamps mounted on the rooftop. It adds a lot of flare to the SUV. It even gets a rooftop luggage box to keep all the weekend luggage safe and dust-free. The spare wheel has been moved to the rear hatch door of the SUV that further adds to the macho looks. At the rear, it gets aircraft styled exhaust pipes.

The XUV 500 Moonraker gets an even longer modification list on the inside. The third-row seats have been removed to make more space. The stock seats have been replaced with electrically-adjustable leather lounge seats. The rear seats get snack tray, ambient lighting, 19-inch smart LED TV, WiFi connectivity, PlayStation 4, personal refrigerator, and Rolls-Royce inspired stary-lit ceiling. The ceiling lights can be controlled by any smartphone. The XUV 500 Moonraker also gets live video conferencing system, live streaming footage of the occupants for safety, USB ports, 12V port and a 230-volt socket to charge devices like a laptop. The TV can get connected to Amazon Firestick or Google Home too.

The seats and the door upholstery have been shrouded in Nappa leather, which matches the seat covers. Even the stock floor carpet has been replaced with a new royal black coloured flooring. This is one of the most luxuriously modified Mahindra XUV 500.

It is not known if any changes have been done to the engine but it is highly unlikely. Mahindra offers 2.2-litre diesel and petrol engine options with the XUV 500. The cost of the modification is also not mentioned but it is expected to be around several lakhs.

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Hyundai Santro came back to the Indian market after years of disappearance. The hatchback has come back in an all-new avatar and is priced between Rs. 3.9 lakhs and 5.45 lakhs. Being a fresh car in the market, Hyundai India is not officially offering discounts on the Santro. However, the dealership network of the South Korean giant is offering around Rs. 10,000 benefits on the hatchback.

The Santro is high in demand and the bookings have already crossed the 40,000 showing how popular the vehicle has become in the Indian market. Hyundai India dealerships around the Delhi-NCR region are offering 40% discount on own-damage insurance. The dealerships are currently offering the benefit as a part of the year-end discount scheme and it is possible that scheme will be withdrawn after 31st December 2018. The overwhelming demand of the Santro has increased the waiting period to a few weeks and Hyundai India may stop taking any further bookings to cope with the current orders.

The all-new Santro carries the same tallboy design similar to the original model. It is based on the same platform on which i10 was based and is positioned between the entry-level Eon and the Grand i10 but a few changes have been made to ensure that it meets the mandatory safety standards. The new Santro is extremely different from the original model of the vehicle.

The all-new Santro is available only with a petrol engine option. There is a 1.1-litre petrol engine that generates a maximum of 69 PS and a peak torque of 90 Nm. It also gets a CNG version. Apart from a 5-speed manual transmission, there is also 5-speed AMT transmission. Hyundai claims that both manual and automatic versions of the Santro will reform 20.3 km/l. For the first time, Hyundai India has offered an AMT automatic in the market. The 5-speed automatic has been developed internally by  Hyundai. The transmission is said to be extremely smooth.

The all-new Santro gets a long list of features. The top-end versions of the Santro offer touchscreen infotainment with Bluetooth and Mirror Link. The infotainment system also gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is a first-ever feature in the segment. The Santro feels quite premium with the dual-shade dashboard. There are no alloy wheels available even as an optional unit from the brand. Santro uses the steel rims but looks quite good with the Santro. The all-new Santro also offers dual front bags, ABS+EBD, seatbelt reminder, seatbelt alert, reverse parking system,  and sensing automatic door lock.

In the coming months, Hyundai is expected to launch a cheaper iteration of the Santro, which will act as an Eon replacement. The cheaper variant is expected to be offered with an 800cc, 3 cylinder petrol engine. Hyundai is also working on various other cars that would be launched in 2019. The Hyundai Styx is one of the most awaited sub-4-meter SUV in the Indian market. Hyundai will also launch a slew of new vehicles including the all-new Elite i20 and the Xcent in the Indian market.

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The Great Khali of the WWE fame has returned to India post his retirement from the American Professional Wrestling program. He opened a professional wrestling school known as Continental Wrestling School in Punjab in 2015 and is spending most of his time teaching kids about professional wrestling. To promote his academy, the Great Khali has released two new videos in which he can be seen riding on the Bajaj Pulsar and Royal Enfield Classic.

The Great Khali is extremely tall and in 2014, he was the eight tallest professional wrestler in the history. He measures 7 feet 1 inch in height and looks massive. The Great Khali can be seen riding on the Bajaj Pulsar and the bike looks like a small cycle under him. Khali can be seen driving on the roads with the Pulsar before entering a place and parking his bike there.

The video is more about his wrestling school than riding the bike but it is quite fascinating seeing such a tall, heavily built person sitting on a regular motorcycle like Bajaj Pulsar. There is a second video that shows the Great Khali riding on a Royal Enfield Classic. The video shows a different video being shot for which the Great Khali rides the Royal Enfield Classic multiple times on a driveway of a house.

Even though Royal Enfield motorcycles are known to be more suitable for people who have a heavy built, even the Classic bike looks like a small toy with Khali on board. It looks extremely puny. For someone who is as tall as the wrestler, bigger bikes like the Harley-Davidson CVO or Ducati Multistrada would be the perfect fit.

Khali has not been seen much with vehicles in his lifetime. A decade back, a video of him driving his Tata Sumo surfaced online. The Great Khali could barely fit inside the Tata Sumo properly. Most of the cars and motorcycles are built to accommodate the customers who have the average height and weight. Extremely tall or heavy customers can find it difficult to fit on the regular vehicles. However, there are vehicles and motorcycles that can be used by tall people without much problem.

The Great Khali, who is an inspiration to many has been seen riding without a helmet on the public road on the Bajaj Pulsar. While he may have ridden the bike only for a small distance, it is extremely important to wear protective gears or at least a helmet while riding on the public roads. It is illegal to ride on the public roads without a helmet in India. While Khali may look interesting on a motorcycle, we would have loved if he took an effort to wear a helmet to send the right message to the youths who follow him closely.

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Jawa launched three bikes on 15th of November, 2018 which marked the return of the iconic brand. The original Royal Enfield rival in India currently has Jawa 42, Classic and Perak in its lineup with the 42 being the most affordable one. Before the launch, it was widely being speculated that Jawa would also bring in an affordable scrambler styled bike but that didn’t happen.

This left many fans disappointed, who were finally expecting to own a scrambler themed bike without spending a fortune. However, Desi Geek has made a render which shows how how the scrambler would turn out to be if the company launched it later on. Take a look before we get into further details.

The Jawa scrambler is based on the Jawa 42, which starts at Rs. 1.55 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). The company has already launched a Bobber themed bike called Perak which looks quite radical. There are chances that the company might be working on a scrambler too, especially since Royal Enfield too had been spied testing the scrambler version of Classic 500. Let’s now get into more details about the Jawa Scrambler render in question.

The render is based on the Ducati Scrambler, which is among the best Scrambler motorcycles out there. Both the wheel assemblies, front forks, rear fender and cowl along with the exhaust pipe have been picked up from the Ducati Scrambler. The windshield and some other parts have been taken from other random bikes but all of it comes together to give it the perfect scrambler look. The render artist has done quite a lot of work on the render which is also evident in the detailing of the Jawa Scrambler. Bits like the side indicators, knuckle guards etc add to the overall look and can’t be ignored.

The saddle is also taken from the Ducati Scrambler but looks quite good coupled with the Jawa body. We would have liked to see proper spoked wheels instead of the blacked out rims as that would be more close to the scrambler look. Nonetheless, the alloys too look the part and maybe would have more appeal in daily city riding. As of now, there is no proper affordable scrambler motorcycle on sale in India, with the least expensive one being the FB Mondial HPS 300, priced at Rs. 3.37 lakhs.

The Jawa 42 gets powered by a 293 cc liquid-cooled, DOHC engine that produces 27 Bhp of power along with 28 Nm of torque. The single-cylinder engine has been inspired by Mahindra Mojo’s engine but heavily re-tuned in order to match the Jawa personality. The bike has been built upon a double-cradled chassis and the design is quite similar to the original Jawa bikes, especially bits like those cigar-shaped exhaust pipes. the bike comes mated to a six-speed transmission and the engine is Bharat Stage-VI ready. It also gets ABS functionality but it is a single channel system.

Coming to the Jawa motorcycles already on sale, bookings for the Jawa and Jawa 42 are already open, and test rides will begin soon. The first deliveries will begin in early 2019. Jawa will launch the Perak Bobber in India next year, completing its product range for the short term.

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The media drives of the Nissan Kicks are about to begin, and here are the first pictures of the new compact SUV. The Kicks will be launched early next year as a Hyundai Creta challenger. Production of the Nissan Kicks  has begun at the automaker’s Oragadam factory even as the Terrano has been discontinued. Bookings for the Nissan  Kicks will open soon.

Talking of the interiors that the Nissan Kicks features, it gets a brown-black colour combination, which gives the  insides of this compact SUV a premium look and feel.

The dashboard gets a soft touch leather finish. The steering  gets cruise control buttons while the audio controls are located behind the steering wheel. The instrument cluster  takes the conventional approach. A tachometer and speedometer dominate the instrument cluster, which is an analog unit for most part.

The Nissan Kicks gets a start-stop button that’s rather unconventionally positioned on the center console. The center console also hosts the touchscreen infotainment unit, which is expected to offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as  major connectivity options. There’s a USB port on the center console, just below the infotainment unit, and it could  double up as a charging point.

The center console also reveals that the Nissan Kicks will get automatic climate control. The doorpads reveal power  window switches for all four windows, apart from a wing mirror adjustment knob. The wing mirrors are also likely to  electrically retract when needed. The seats are wrapped in leather, and there’s an armrest for the driver. At the  rear, there’s an armrest which folds back into the seat and an AC blower.

As for the exteriors of the SUV, there are no surprises. The Kicks retains its form factor that was first seen on the  South America-spec version. The India-spec version is said to have become larger. It’s based on the same platform as the Renault Duster and Captur. The compact SUV will be sold with petrol and diesel engine options in India, again  borrowed from the Duster/Captur.

The petrol engine will be a 1.6 liter unit that puts out 104 Bhp-140 Nm. 5 speed manual and CVT automatic gearboxes could be offered on the petrol motor. The diesel engine will be a 1.5 liter K9K unit that has been seen on many Renault and Nissan cars sold in India. On the Nissan Kicks, the 1.5 liter K9K motor is expected to get a variable  geometry turbocharger, and 108 Bhp-240 Nm outputs.

As for safety, the Nissan Kicks will offer ABS+EBD, 4 airbags, an anti-intrusion beam and a 360 degree parking  camera. Other key features on the SUV include LED projector headlamps with automatic on-off function, and 210 mm of ground clearance. The Nissan Kicks is expected to be priced in the 9-13 lakh rupee bracket. It will take on the Hyundai Creta and the Renault Captur.

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The Indian automotive market is mostly focused on low budget, affordable cars with good fuel efficiency and space. The top 10 selling cars of India are a proof of this, with all 10 of them starting under Rs. 10 lakh. This does not mean that more expensive and luxurious vehicles don’t have a market here.

Big brands like Audi and BMW have regularly made profit in India but they can’t be bought by everyone.  However, what if we tell you that many of such Audis and BMWs can be yours at just the price of a Toyota Fortuner, or even less than that. All discounted prices courtesy MyCarHelpline.

The Toyota Fortuner starts at Rs. 27.27 lakh for the base model and goes all the way upto Rs. 32.97 lakhs for the top model. Here are 5 such cars from BMW and Audi which can be currently had for as much as the Fortuner.

Audi Q3

Total discount: Rs. 7.5 Lakh

The Q3 is the most affordable and smallest SUV in India sold by Audi. However, it is cheap and small in Audi’s language and attracts a sticker price of Rs. 34.73 lakh for the base model. The Q3 is a feature laden SUV and is quite stylish too while offering good amounts of comfort and space. Currently, the company is offering the SUV with a big discount of Rs. 7.5 lakhs, which brings down the total cost for the base Q3 to about Rs. 27.23 lakh. Now this makes the Audi Q3 even cheaper than Fortuner’s base model, which retails for Rs. 27.27 lakhs. Along with the savings, you get a famed four ringed car which will definitely take up your social status.

BMW X1

Total Discount: Rs. 8.75 lakh

The X1 was BMW’s try at making a affordable, softroader SUV and it saw reasonable success. The first model in India was designed more like a car to which many potential customers raised objections. Therefore the latest version looks more of a big SUV and has a better stance. The base model of the X1 retails for Rs. 34.50 lakh which is quite a sum. However, with a discount of Rs. 8.75 lakh available, the price drops down below the Fortuner category. The 8.75 lakh discount includes a cash discount of Rs 8 lakh on Expedition variant and 7 Lakh on the X Line as well as M Sport variant. Additionally, there is a Rs. 75,000 corporate discount available too.

Audi A3

Total discount: Rs. 7 Lakh

The A3 is the cheapest vehicle in the German automaker’s lineup in India. Currently, the car is being offered with discounts of more than Rs. 7 lakh. The Audi A3 range starts at Rs. 33.10 lakh for the base model and goes on till Rs. 36.69 lakh for the top model. With the current discount scheme, you could have one for as low as Rs. 26.10 Lakh. At this discounted price point, the A3 is an excellent alternative to the Fortuner if you don’t have any issues on shifting from a SUV to sedan. The A3 is quite good to drive too which comes as a bonus if you are more of a car guy.

Audi A4

Total discount: Rs. 10 Lakh

The Audi A4 is among the bestselling vehicles by the company and for long was the most affordable way to get onto the Audi bandwagon. There is an over all discount of Rs. 10 lakh on the car right now. The A4 range starts at Rs. 41.47 Lakh up till Rs. 46.94 Lakh.

With a hefty Rs. 10 lakh off that number, the A4 becomes about Rs. 1.5 lakh cheaper than the top spec Fortuner, which is priced Rs. 32.97 lakh. The Audi A4 competes the likes of BMW 3 series and Mercedes Benz C-Class in its segment and is one of the best executive sedans you can buy under Rs. 50 lakh in India.

All prices listed are ex-showroom, Delhi

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The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 is clearly turning out to be the more popular one of the newly launched 650cc twins. According to Motorbeam’s sources, 4 out of 5 Royal Enfield 650 motorcycle buyers are opting for the Interceptor, which translates to 80 % of total sales. The Continental GT 650 makes up the rest of the 20 %. This isn’t surprising considering the ergonomics of both motorcycles.

While the Interceptor 650 has an upright riding position that is meant to make riders comfortable in both city commutes and highway rides, the Continental GT 650 has a much more aggressive riding posture, suited more for shorter runs. The Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 is the quintessential cafe racer motorcycle, and is likely to be preferred by those who want the sportiest Royal Enfield, mainly for weekend rides around town.

Both the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 are mechanically alike. Apart from stylistic and ergonomic differences, there’s little to distinguish both machines overall. Both bikes are powered by a 650cc, four stroke parallel twin engine with a 270 degree firing angle. This approach allows the engine to make bagfuls of low end torque, and also a sweet burble from the exhaust that sounds very good and adds character.

Designed from a clean sheet, this engine has been tested extensively by Royal Enfield. It offers a range of features previously unseen on Royal Enfield engines, and is the most advanced motor the brand has brought to the market. The motor makes 47 Bhp of peak power and 52 Nm of peak torque. Fuel injection, four valve heads, a single overhead camshaft and air-oil cooling are standard. The engine is paired with a 6 speed manual gearbox with a slipper clutch.

Interestingly, many traditional Royal Enfield buyers are said to be staying away from the 650cc twins due to the exhaust note, which is more of a burble than a thump. So, enthusiasts seeking the typical Royal Enfield thump will have to go back to the 350cc and 500cc single cylinder motorcycles that the brand still sells. However, we believe that the new 650cc twins will attract a range of new buyers to the Royal Enfield fold, which is a very good thing.

Both motorcycles also get a range of Royal Enfield official accessories. From bash plates for the engine to crash guards and saddle bags, there’s a lot of offer in terms of accessories. These accessories are available to order from Royal Enfield dealerships, who will also handle fitments. Considering that these accessories are officially sold by Royal Enfield after extensive testing, the standard warranty of the motorcycles will remain unaffected.

The aftermarket is also likely to come up with a wide range of accessories for the Royal Enfield 650s. A lot of buyers are eagerly waiting for after market exhausts, which bring out the full potential of the exhaust note that the parallel twin engine with the 270 degree firing angle is capable of emitting. We expect gruff sounding Royal Enfield 650s on Indian roads soon.

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Mahindra’s latest offering in Indian market, the Alturas G4 has already garnered some rave reviews till now. The company’s latest flagship comes with many segment first feature and is also the largest car in its class. Recently, Bollywood actress Gul Panag took the big SUV out for a spin and was rather impressed by what the car offered. The actress is a known auto lover and has even done a Manali to Leh trip on a customised Mahindra Scorpio Getaway. Let’s now check out what she has to say about Mahindra’s new flagship SUV.

As seen in the video, she has covered quite a number of aspects in her short drive review of the Alturas G4. She was heavily impressed by the car and its dynamics and also by the interiors of the SUV. To let you know, the Mahindra Alturas G4 starts at Rs. 26.95 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), which makes it a bit cheaper than its arch rival Toyota Fortuner. The Alturas G4 is sold in many countries abroad but with the original SsangYong badging and a different name (Rexton G4).

Coming back to the video, Gul Panag highlights the fact that the Alturas is the biggest vehicle in its segment both in terms of external dimensions and interior space. HID lamps with LED DRLs, 18 inch alloys along with the signature Mahindra grille is another things that caught her attention on the exterior of the SUV. She then showcases a unique feature of the SUV, which is the sliding back of driver’s seat upon opening the door for ease of ingress.

Next to catch her attention were the premium interiors of the SUV, which has lots of leather wrapped pieces along with matching leather upholstery. The interiors feature a black-brown interior theme with quilted Nappa leather been used in ample. The seats are ventilated too, which means that summer driving will be a comfortable affair. Next, she tells that despite having the longest wheelbase in its class, the Alturas G4 has the shortest turning radius too. Features like 9 airbags, electric sunroof along with an 8 inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also caught her attention.

The 360 degree parking camera, according to her was one of the most useful feature on the car and really helpful for a vehicle of this size. She also found the rear seats to be quite comfortable with an ergonomically placed grab handle. The Mahindra Alturas is offered in two variants – rear wheel drive and four wheel drive. However, both variants get powered by the same engine and gearbox. The engine is a 2.2 liter-4 cylinder turbocharged unit which produces 178 Bhp of power along with 420 Nm of torque. The gearbox is a 7 speed torque converter automatic gearbox sourced from Mercedes Benz.

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Royal Enfield is the oldest surviving motorcycle brand in the world, which has been in constant production. While the company may not enjoy a very high brand value like Harley Davidson among others, it is still quite a known and respected brand. Originally a British brand, it is now owned by Eicher and is based in India.

Talking about the famed Bullet bike series, it is the oldest continuous produced bike series in the world. Why we are telling you all this is because today, we have brought you a restored example of a 1978 Bullet 350 which has been restored to nearly mint condition. Seen below is a picture of the scrap bike which has been restored.

As you see, the bike was in a really bad condition with many essential parts missing and rust overgrowing on the body. The restoration has been done by our reader, Shaik Saief Ali, who hails from Madanapalli in Andhra Pradesh. He bought the bike for Rs. 35,000 from scrap and it was in a pretty bad condition. The full restoration, as seen in the picture below, took about 10 days in with a total capital investment of Rs. 25,000. As apparent from the pictures, the bike has been worked upon beautifully and looks like new.

The original 1978 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 had a 346 cc, single cylinder, four stroke engine that produced about 18 Bhp of power and had a top speed of around 110 km/h. The engine and other mechanical components have been kept same during the restoration.

This motorcycle retains the gearshifter on the right hand side, along with the neutral finder. The brake lever – in vintage British bike tradition – is in the left hand side. Drum brakes on the front and rear wheels have also been retained.

Changes and replacement on the bike include a new tool box, front and rear mud guard, air filter cap, headlight assembly and front suspension housing/fork set. The scrap bike had been modified by its original owner so many of the stock parts were missing on it.

The handle bars along with switchgears and grips were also replaced. The bike has now been painted in a shade of dark green with golden detailing on it. the Royal Enfield logo is now the designed like the one found on the original model. A single saddle seat, front and rear tires along with rims, tail light, exhaust pipe etc are among the various among changes made to the bike. The whole wiring system had to be replaced and same is the case with the Carburetor, which is now a new unit.

It is actually never easy to restore such old bikes due to various factors. Chief among them is the non availability of parts along with use of complicated older technology which many people don’t understand now. However, since the Bullet has been in constant production, its part are much easier to obtain than say some other obsolete bikes. Hats off to Shaik Saief Ali to have the grit and passion for giving this vintage beauty a new lease of life.

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Force Gurkha has remained one of the most understated SUVs in the Indian car market. The brand was expected to launch a more powerful version of the Gurkha in the Indian market and it has finally launched the 140 Bhp version of the SUV. The new Force Gurkha Xtreme with new 140 Bhp engine is priced at Rs. 12.99 lakhs, ex-showroom, India, reports AutocarIndia.

Visually, the Force Gurkha Xtreme remains identical to the standard variants of the SUV. It retains the boxy design and comes with a factory-fitted snorkel. Under the hood, the Force Gurkha gets powered by a new 2.2-litre engine that has been derived from a Mercedes-Benz diesel engine. The new engine produces a maximum power of 140 Bhp and a peak torque of 321 Nm. It also gets paired up with a new 5-speed manual transmission sourced from Mercedes-Benz. This is the same engine that powered by the Force One, which now has been discontinued in the Indian market. Force Gurkha has been often criticised for being underpowered and the regular variants of the vehicle continue to offer the same 2.6-litre diesel engine that produces a maximum of 85 Bhp.

The new, more powerful Gurkha continues to get a low-range transfer case but there is no shift-on-the-fly system that allows drivers to engage the low ratio gear without stopping. Increasing the capabilities are the front and rear diff-locks, which are also standard with the regular version of the SUV. The new Force Gurkha also gets an upgraded suspension system. It gets a multi-link arrangement at the front and rear. The front track has become wider by 40mm, which will allow greater stability to the vehicle on high-speed. Force Motors has also made improvements to the approach, departure and ramp break over angles. The approach angle stands at 44 degrees, ram over angle is at 35 degrees and the departure angle has now improved to 29 degrees. It is much better than the 39 degrees, 27 degrees and 24 degrees angle of the regular Force Gurkha. It gets a 205mm of ground clearance and with the snorkel, it gets a water wading depth of 550mm.

The updated Gurkha also gets new interiors. It gets a new centre console, gear lever and low-ratio transfer lever. Other updates done to the interior are not known yet as Force is yet to announce the launch officially in the Indian market.

The Force Gurkha takes on the Mahindra Thar directly and with the update, it will grab many more eyeballs in the market. The regular 85 Bhp powered variants of the Force Gurkha are priced from Rs. 10.49 lakhs and the 140 Bhp version is Rs. 2.5 lakhs more expensive. That said, Force Gurkha is an extremely capable vehicle and would surely conquer new places with the more powerful engine under the hood.

The Mahindra Thar CRDe, which is available only in a soft top variant, has an average ex-showroom price of Rs. 9.37 lakhs. While this makes it much cheaper than the Gurkha, you do miss out on the extra power, better suspension, differential locks and also the hard top.

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Sand dunes can be extremely fun for driving around but they are also one of the most tricky terrains. Even the most capable 4X4 can fail on such terrains due to numerous reasons including the experience of the driver. Here is a video that shows a highly modified new-generation Toyota Fortuner getting royally stuck in the sand dunes not once, but twice!

In the first part, all the SUVs can be seen going in a circle on the sand dunes. The Toyota Fortuner came in at high speed and took a larger turn, which took it to an incline on the dune. The vehicle got stuck in the dune due to lower traction and lifting the accelerator, which in turn reduced the momentum of the vehicle. The heavy Toyota Fortuner went sideways and got stuck badly in the loose sand.

The recovery process is quite long and tricky. A modified previous generation Ford Endeavour starts the rescue with the help of a winch. The Fortuner is so badly stuck in the sand that the Endeavour starts sliding and moving forward on the sand. The recovery vehicle has been put on the sand ladders to increase the traction but it keeps on getting pulled towards the stuck vehicle.

After several attempts, the Toyota Fortuner gets out of the sand and the front left tyre, which took all the pressure when the Fortuner slid can be seen to be off from the alloy wheel. The sideways movement of the vehicle had put extreme pressure on the wheel and with the lateral movement of the vehicle, the tyre came off the wheel. This is where bead lock equipped steel/alloy wheels greatly help. In fact, off roaders who tackle terrain that needs tyre pressures to be lowered drastically use bead lock equipped wheels on their vehicles. 

The tyre was filled with air after removing the sand and it was good to go. The recovery process started again by pulling the Toyota Fortuner and it came out slowly to the hard sand where the tyres found good enough traction to move forward.  In the second part, the Toyota Fortuner can be seen getting rescued after getting its nose stuck in the sand.

It should be noted that the Toyota Fortuner in the video is heavily modified. It is important to walk the trail first during off-roading in order to know how challenging the surface and the surroundings are. Experienced off-roaders always walk the path to know how difficult or slippery it is and what are the obstacles that can be avoided.

If the Fortuner driver had known about the slippery surface of the sand dunes, he would have maintained the speed to avoid it. The Fortuner gets an off-roading front bumper, snorkel and aftermarket tyres and a lift kit.

Modifying any vehicle while it is still in the warranty period can cause the warranty to be nullified. Doing modifications to any vehicle is also illegal and a clearance from RTO should be obtained to keep the vehicle legal on the road.

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Royal Enfield disrupted the whole market with the launch of the 650 twins. The Continental GT and the Interceptor are both quite brilliant bikes and provide unmatched value for money proposition. Because of the starting price tag of Rs. 2.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the Interceptor, other manufacturers have already begun to feel the heat.

For the same, Harley Davidson is providing big discounts this season on it entry level bikes. While we were the first to tell you about the huge discount on the Street 750, the Street Rod and the Iron 883 are coming with even bigger discount offer.

The Harley Davidson Street Rod is getting a direct cash discount of Rs. 1.01 lakhs, which is something not very common with Harley bikes. On the other hand, the Iron 883 also has a big discount of Rs. 80,000 on its head. The Street Rod comes for Rs. 6.51 lakhs and sits just above the Street 750 in the Harley range. However, its current discounted price is just Rs. 5.50 lakhs which makes it a great overall package.

The Iron 883, on the other hand, is the third most affordable Harley in India after the Street duo and attracts sticker price of Rs. 9.20 lakhs. After applying the heavy discount, the asking price comes down to just Rs. 8.40 lakh. While it still is not cheap, this is among the maximum discount ever to come over these bikes. Also, for the money you join the iconic Harley bikers club and while they may be pricey, they are quite exhilarating to rid.

Talking about the bikes, the Harley Davidson Street Rod carries a similar design language as the Street 750 albeit with a few changes. It however gets a more powerful engine, which is a 749cc, V-Twin, liquid-cooled engine. The engine churns out 70 Bhp of power along with 62 Nm of torque. It comes mated to a six speed manual gearbox and is among the best selling bikes by the company, second only to the Street 750. It is assembled in India itself in order to price it more competitively.

The Harley-Davidson Iron 883 is quite different to the Street duo. It looks and feels much more macho and has a more menacing stance.  The true cruiser style design of the Harley-Davidson Iron 883 makes it unique and an eye catcher for sure. The low slung stance, dark themed paint, single sided twin pipes among other bits make it a great looker. It is among the few Harley bikes which use minimum amount of chrome and still look good. The Iron 883 is powered by a air-cooled Evolution series engine of 883cc. It churns out a 50 Bhp of power along with 70 Nm of torque. The bike also features Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection.

All prices listed are ex-showroom, Delhi

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The biggest question looming over the automotive industry is on the electrification of cars. While many argue old school is the best school, the environment saving potential of electric vehicles can’t be overlooked. One of the basic complaints enthusiasts have in regard to electric vehicles is the lack of noise and sheer drama a V8 or V10 engine possesses.

Now in their latest video, DragTimes have pitted a Lamborghini Urus vs a Tesla Model X in a quarter mile drag race. Pick your side folks, let’s see who takes the crown.

A total four rounds of the drag race were conducted which yielded a draw between the two SUVs. The last round was done with a rolling start at 20 miles per hour, which saw the Tesla zooming ahead of the Urus. As many of you might already know, electric vehicles have a advantage over gasoline vehicles in terms of outright acceleration. This is because the batteries provide instantaneous torque since start as they don’t have to burn any kind of fuel to produce power. Rather, power is stored in the batteries which supplies all of it when you pin the throttle. Lamborghini Urus, on the other hand, gets a typical V8 engine which burns fuel, setting the pistons on roll to produce power.

Talking of the engine, the Urus gets powered by a 4 litre twin turbocharged V8 which produces 641 Bhp of power and 850 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 8-speed automatic gearbox and the powerful SUV does the 0-100 km/h run in just 3.6 second. It is among the most powerful SUVs in the world. The Urus is the second SUV ever manufactured by the the iconic Italian marque, the first one being the LM002.

On the other hand,  the Tesla Model X is powered by twin electric motors which together put out a hefty 588 Bhp of power along with a huge 1247 Nm of torque. These high power and torque outputs enable the SUV to do the 0-100 km/h run in just 2.9 seconds, which is quicker than many hardcore sports cars out there. However, it weighs much more than its Lamborghini counterpart and also loses out on the top end to the other SUV. Among the various electric vehicles now in the market, the Model X is among the best options if we consider the SUV segment.

In fact, a few rich Indians have already begun importing this super exotic electric SUV. Also, there’s an Indian importer who’s now taking orders for private imports. Prices start from well over Rs. 1.5 crores.

So the question still lingers, electric or gasoline, who is better. While our heart still beats for the traditional form of horsepower production, electric vehicles are here to stay for the time being. Apart from noise and some drama, EVs are high on performance and provide ample feedback while saving our planet too. However, EVs are not the ultimate switch for future but rather will be replaced by better and more efficient energy sources in the coming time.

Also Read: Upcoming Nissan Kicks in detailed walk-around video

Tata Motors has just launched yet another variant in the Tiago line-up. The XZ+ top-spec variant of the Tiago is the  26th variant in the car’s line up. The hatchback is Tata Motors’ best sellers, and the wide range of variants on  offer are meant to suit a wide range of buyer budgets. The latest variant of the Tata Tiago sits beneath the JTP trim  though.

The Tata Tiago XZ+ is priced at Rs. 5.57 lakhs for the single-tone petrol variant while the double tone petrol  variant is priced at Rs. 5.64 lakhs. The diesel variant of the car starts from Rs. 6.31 lakhs for the single tone variant while the dual tone variant is priced at Rs. 6.38 lakhs. All prices reflect ex-showroom Delhi figures. The  Tata Tiago XZ+ is available with two new colours – Canyon Orange and Ocean Blue.

As for the changes on the Tata Tiago XZ+, the car gets the following changes on the outside,

Dual tone paint finish with gloss black roof and hatchlid spoiler, 15 inch alloy wheels with a dual tone finish on  the petrol variants, chrome lining on the hatchlid, body side mouldings, projector headlamps with smoked finish and  electrically adjustable wing mirrors that also get a folding function. On the inside the car gains a 7 inch  touchscreen infotainment unit, Android Auto connectivity, voice commands, digital AC controls, fully automatic  climate control.

The engines of the Tiago remain unchanged. The 1.2 liter-3 cylinder petrol engine with 84 Bhp-115 Nm, and 1.1 liter 3 cylinder turbocharged diesel engine with 69 Bhp-140 Nm will be offered. 5 speed manual gearboxes will be offered as standard with both engines. As of now, Tata Motors hasn’t offered the 5 speed AMT option with the petrol engined XZ+ variant although such an option is offered with lower variants.

Tata Motors also offers a high performance JTP variant of the Tiago. The Tiago JTP is India’s least priced hot hatchback, and is powered by a 1.2 liter turbocharged petrol engine that puts out 114 Bhp-150 Nm, A 5 speed manual gearbox with revised ratios and stiffer suspension are other mechanical changes on the car, which also gets a few visual changes. Prices of the Tata Tiago JTP start from Rs. 6.39 lakhs.

Mr. SN. Barman – Vice President, Sales, Marketing & Customer Support, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors said this about the automaker’s latest launch,

Since its launch in 2016, the TIAGO – our first product to be launched under the IMPACT design language; stood out  as an attractive, innovative and feature loaded car. It has been the most awarded car of the year with over 18 awards  in 2017. With its continued demand amongst our customer base, we are today proud to announce the introduction of the new top of line variant in its range – the Tiago XZ+. Offering features and styling from a segment above, we are confident that the XZ+ will be much loved by our customers and will further help us expand our market share and support in our journey to ‘win sustainably’ in the PV business.

Also Read: Upcoming Nissan Kicks in detailed walk-around video

The Indian market continues to be bombarded with SUVs of all sizes – we drove the Tata Harrier last week and this time around, travelled all the way to Bhuj in Gujarat to spend two days with Nissan’s latest offering, the Kicks SUV. To be launched next month, this one will be slotted in the Rs 10-14 lakh bracket, thereby running shoulders with both compact SUVs like the EcoSport and larger ones like the Creta. Here is our detailed walk-around video – hit the play button

Bookings for the Kicks will be open later this week and Nissan sure is betting hard on this crossover SUV to create a strong foothold in the India car market. The Kicks nameplate is very famous around the world but for India, it has been revised heavily keeping tough competition in mind. For example, the raised stance with 17 inch alloy wheels, generous use of chrome up front, functional and aesthetic roof rails, LED set-up, matt black cladding all around and even a contrasting roof color. It looks well, very stylish for a crossover and should impress buyers from metro cities.

I was equally impressed with the cabin. The touch and feel is remarkable and Nissan has made generous use of ‘soft touch’ leather around the fascia and all four doors. The 8-inch screen is the largest in the price band and the retro knobs for the climate control look cool. However, there are ergonomic flaws. No cup holders, a narrow glovebox, no slide adjust for the arm-rest and it doesn’t even get any storage beneath either. The cruise control activation button isn’t on the steering, no dead pedal and the seats are placed a bit too high.

But its a spacious and comfortable car. Seats are brilliant and so are the NVH levels – I couldn’t believe Nissan has done such a fantastic job with keeping cabin noise to the lowest possible levels. And then the brilliant ride – we drove to our campsite near the White Rann at dark and literally flew over undulations without a bother. If this had an AWD, adventure enthusiasts would have made a beeline for Nissan showrooms.

In terms of powertrain, you get the same 1.5 petrol and 1.5 diesel units that power various Renault and Nissan offerings. A 5 speed manual is standard with the petrol while the latter gets a 6 speed manual. No automatic sadly. I drove the diesel unit and it makes up by offering a linear delivery post 1750rpm and pulls hard all the way to 5000rpm. More details in my road test review that will be up tomorrow.

Pricing? Well, anything around the Rs 9 lakh mark for the petrol and Rs 10 lakh mark for the diesel will make this a fantastic product. India needs a stylish crossover that ticks all the right boxes for an urban buyer. The Kicks can do that. Nissan, over to your for a surprising sticker price then!

Also Read: Upcoming Nissan Kicks in detailed walk-around video

Made-in-India cars have been often criticised for their sub-standard safety. The global crash testing agency NCAP started testing the made-in-India cars to improve the safety ratings of the vehicles. Today, we have a handful of vehicles that have been rated safe by the crash testing agency. Here are 9 such made-in-India affordable vehicles that show that even made-in-India vehicles can be safe. All the tests have been done on the base variants of the models.

Tata Nexon

5 stars Global NCAP

The Tata Nexon became the first ever made-in-India vehicle that has been given a 5-star rating by the testing agency. The Nexon earlier received a 4-star rating by the agency but a few feature-additions like the 4-channel ABS system as standard in the vehicle has increased the overall score of the vehicle. The Nexon comes with dual front airbags as standard and gets a 3-star child safety rating too. It gets a stable bodyshell.

Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza

4 stars Global NCAP

The Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza is the best-selling Utility Vehicle (UV) in the Indian market. The Vitara Brezza is currently the highest rated product from the Maruti Suzuki portfolio when it comes to safety by the G-NCAP and gets a 4-star rating. The Brezza gets a 2-star rating for the child safety and the body shell of the compact SUV has been marked as stable. The Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza gets dual front airbags, ABS, and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard across the variants.

Jeep Compass

5 stars A-NCAP

The made-in-India Jeep Compass has been tested for safety by the Austrailian NCAP and the popular vehicle has scored a perfect 5-star rating in the test. It is not known if there are any structural changes in the Austrailian version of the Jeep Compass that is manufactured in the Fiat’s Ranjangoan facility near Pune. The Jeep Compass also scored high on the whiplash safety and pedestrian safety.

Mahindra Marazzo

4 stars G-NCAP

Mahindra Marazzo, the latest MPV from the Indian manufacturer was also tested by the G-NCAP and it received a 4-star rating. It is currently the safety MPV in the Indian market. The Marazzo gets a 2-star rating when it comes to the child safety. The Mahindra Marazzo has been developed globally and gets a long list of features including dual front airbags, ABS, driver’s side seat-belt reminder, ISOFIX seat mounts and pre-tensioners on the front seat belts.

Toyota Etios Liva

4 stars G-NCAP

The Toyota brand is highly placed in the Indian market for its reliability, safety and comfort. The Toyota Etios Liva is the most affordable vehicle in this list and it scores a high rating of 4 stars. Toyota offers dual airbags as standard across all its models in India and the recently launched Toyota Yaris gets as many as 6-airbags as standard across all the variants. The hatchback scored 2-stars for the child safety.

Volkswagen Polo

4 stars G-NCAP

The Volkswagen Polo is quite popular in the Indian market. Even though Volkswagen has updated the Polo to an all-new model in the international markets, it continues to offer the good-old Polo in India. G-NCAP first awarded Zero stars to Volkswagen Polo in the Indian market following which, Volkswagen started offering all the variants of the Polo with dual front airbags as standard. The vehicle was tested again and it scored a high of 4-stars in the re-test. The Polo gets 3-stars for the child safety too.

Volkswagen Vento

5 stars ASEAN NCAP

The made-in-India Volkswagen Vento was tested by ASEAN NCAP and it scored a perfect 5 stars in the tests. However, the vehicle was not Indian market specific model and as the ASEAN NCAP mandates that the vehicles have ESP as standard, only the 1.2- TSi version of the vehicle gets the 5-star rating. ASEAN NCAP also tested the versions without ESP and they got a 4-stars in the crash test.

Hyundai Creta

4 stars Latin NCAP

The popular SUV – Hyundai Creta received a high of a 4-stars rating in the Latin NCAP tests. The made-in-India vehicle is a left-hand-drive version but it gets the similar dual bag as standard, which is similar to the Indian model. The structural changes in the vehicle are not known. Latin NCAP rated the body structure as stable and capable of handling a higher load.

Mahindra XUV 500

4 stars A-NCAP

The Mahindra XUV 500 is the best-seller in the D-segment in India and quite popular in the international markets including the Austrailian market. Austrailian NCAP tested the pre-facelifted XUV 500 and it received a 4-star rating from the agency. It should be noted that only the AWD version of the vehicle was tested. It received full marks for the side impacts and scored 10 out of 16 in the off-set collision tests.

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2018 is finally coming to an end and the year has been one full of launches and unveilings as car manufacturers pushed forward to try and gain a bigger share of the market. Now, the New Year is nearly here and in this post, we’ll take a look at 6 of the biggest car launches you can look forward to in early 2019.

Tata Harrier

The Tata Harrier is perhaps the most hyped SUV that is set to arrive in 2019. The all-new Harrier was first showcased as the H5X concept at Auto Expo 2018 and will be launched in January 2019. The Tata Harrier is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine sourced from Fiat that produces 138 Bhp at 3750 rpm and 350 Nm of torque between 1750-2500 rpm. At launch, the Harrier will be available with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard. The Harrier will also come packed with a host of features include a terrain response system with multiple driving modes alongside the regular 3 driving modes.

Mahindra S201

The Mahindra S201 will be the second all-new SUV from the carmaker that it is based on one produced by its subsidiary Ssangyong after the Alturas G4. The Mahindra S201 is based on the Ssangyong Tivoli but unlike the South Korean SUV it will measure in at under the 4-metre mark in terms of length. The S201 will be powered by the same 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine that produces 121 Bhp.

Nissan Kicks

Nissan stopped production of the Terrano SUV in India earlier this year. However, Nissan has not given up on the compact SUV segment currently dominated by the Creta. The India-spec Nissan Kicks is larger in size compared to its international siblings as it is based on a different platform which allows for more space, especially on the inside. The Kicks is expected to arrive in India with the same 1.5-litre petrol and diesel engines found on the Renault Duster. The Kicks will launch in January 2019.

Honda Civic

The Civic was one of the most popular sedans among enthusiasts when it first came to India with its brilliant engine, cool design and a futuristic interior. The Civic will be the third and final car from Honda to be launched in India of the three vehicles shown at Auto Expo 2018 after the Amaze and CR-V. The Civic is expected to arrive in India in February 2019 and will be offered with a 1.8-litre petrol engine and a 1.6-litre diesel.

Maruti Wagon R

Maruti Suzuki is on a roll with the launch of the facelifted Ciaz and the all-new Ertiga. In early 2019, Maruti will launch the new-gen Wagon R in India and while it will retain the 1.0-litre petrol engine the carmaker is expected to bring an all-electric version in 2020. The Wagon R which is already on sale in Japan but the Indian version is expected to feature a slightly toned down design compared to the one sold in Suzuki’s home market.

Hyundai Styx

Hyundai introduced the Carlino concept at Auto Expo 2016. The production-spec version of the Carlino, which could bear the name Hyundai Styx is expected to arrive by around April 2018. The Hyundai Styx will compete with the likes of the Maruti Brezza and the Ford EcoSport when it arrives. The Styx will be powered by Hyundai India’s first-ever turbo-petrol engine along with the i20’s 1.4-litre diesel motor.

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Talk of SUVs and the Toyota Fortuner pops to mind. Such is the success and presence of this SUV in India that it has become synonymous with the word SUV. Lately, it has also become quite a rage with modifiers. Many examples of beautifully modded Fortuners have come up across the countries and some even have been tuned into pure off road beasts.

We also have brought you many examples of the modified SUV in past. However, today we bring you quite a different example which claims to be one of its kind in India. Take a look and see if it matches the claim. This one is called the Yellow Ghost

This Toyota Fortuner has been done in a unique Sicilian yellow shade which looks very good. The four wheel drive SUV is built to conquer all types of terrain while keeping its occupants in utmost comfort. The whole car has been wrapped with a glossy tone paint finish rather than matte, and it looks rather nice. On the front, all the chrome bits have been replaced by blacked out panels along with big Fortuner branding on the bonnet in Land Rover style. The roof panel has been blacked out which creates a rather interesting contrast.

The grille has also been replaced with a better looking unit. A red TRD logo adorns the grille on the bottom left corner. The sides get black rub strips with Fortuner embossed on them. The door handles too are done in black to go with the overall look. The car now rides on a newer set of tires though the Apart from this, the SUV has been kept mostly stock. Other off road stuff like snorkel etc have not been added and the final product looks very clean.

The Toyota Fortuner is one big SUV and is equally powerful. The big burly SUV gets powered by a 2.7 litre petrol and 2.8 litre diesel engines, which also do the duty on the Toyota Innova.  The 2.7 litre petrol engine produces 164 Bhp of power along with 245 Nm of torque.

The 2.8 litre Diesel engine, on the other hand, produces 174 Bhp of power along with 420 Nm of Torque. Both the engines come mated to either a 6 speed manual transmission or a 6 speed automatic transmission. It faces the Ford Endeavour and the recently launched Mahindra Alturas G4 as its main rivals. However, it always sells much more than any of its competitor up till now.

Over the top modification has become a rage these days, especially in SUVs. The design sometimes becomes so busy that it is hard to keep count of what all mods have been done on the vehicle. While modifying a vehicle is a good step, always make sure that you don’t go by the popular trend but instead personalize the vehicle as per your taste.

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Royal Enfield motorcycles are known for their characteristic thump on the Indian roads. Many Royal Enfield enthusiasts choose the brand only for the unique thump it makes and quite a few of them modify their rides with aftermarket exhaust to make the thump louder and clearer.

While cops of different states have cracked down on motorcycles with loud exhausts every now and then, there are still many out there who use it regularly. Here is an ultimate amplification that one can give to their Royal Enfield motorcycle’s exhaust.

Loudspeaker exhaust

A YouTube vlogger has experimented with a horn-type loudspeaker mouth on the Royal Enfield exhaust and the result is quite interesting. The Horn loudspeaker is one of the most widely used systems in the public addressing or gathering. They are very efficient and very loud. However, the person doing the experiments used only the dome part of the Horn loudspeaker and other parts were removed. The exhaust served as the source of the sound and the sound has not been amplified electronically as it is done in the regular use of the horn type loudspeakers.

The video shows that the dome of the horn loudspeaker has been attached to the stock Royal Enfield exhaust. It has been secured in place with the help of ropes to ensure that it stays in place and does not fall off. The bike starts and the exhaust note appears to be a bit louder than the stock exhaust. Even though the YouTube presenter claims that the motorcycle has become immensely loud, probably the camera recording the video could not capture all of it. It could be much louder in real life.

Again, no electronic amplification has been done and only the dome has been used to direct all the sound in one direction. The dome accentuates the sound by allowing it to become much louder and concentrated in one direction. The small passage of the dome restricts the air, which causes the acoustic impedance to rise. It creates the sound to develop a high pressure. In simpler terms, the shape of the dome ensures that the sound becomes much louder than the original source.

The experiment sure looks extremely interesting but if a traffic police officer sees such a set-up, it would lead to either fines or the bike getting seized. Alteration to the exhaust system is illegal in India. Even the aftermarket exhausts that are louder than the stock exhausts are illegal. There are strict penalties for such modifications under the Motor Vehicle Act.

In the past, cops have seized and even destroyed loud exhausts to ensure that they don’t become a reason behind noise pollution. However, they continue to be on the sale in the market as they are legal to use on private tracks and private properties. Many of such exhausts increase the power output and are used by professionals on the racing tracks. However, on the public roads, the use of such exhausts are strictly banned.

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Hyundai Creta has been around in the market for quite a while now. The mid-size SUV is the top-selling SUV in the segment and has a huge following in the Indian market. What it would be to see a Hyundai Creta in convertible form? Let’s find out.

The Hyundai Creta seen here is a computer-generated imaginative picture and looks extremely good. SUV convertibles are extremely rare and there is only the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque convertible in the SUV-convertible segment in the markets around the world. The Creta in the convertible form looks nothing less than extremely stunning. The vehicle gets quite a few updates with the top-less layout. The front of the Hyundai Creta has been updated with an all-black front grille that gets extended LED Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) similar to the ones we have seen on the Tata Nexon. The main headlamp unit sits much lower in the bumper and gives a very different look from the stock version of the vehicle.

The Hyundai Creta convertible also retains its four-door set-up, similar to the regular version of the SUV. Most of the convertible cars change to two-door set-up to give a much more macho look but the four-door set-up is much more practical and makes it practical for the rear passengers to get in and out of the vehicle without much problem. Even the alloy wheels have been updated with newer, more aggressive ones that give a fantastic stance to the Creta on the road.

Apart from the above-mentioned changes, everything else remains similar to the regular version of the Creta. However, creating a convertible version of a regular vehicle needs a lot of work in real life. The removal of the roof brings down the overall rigidity of the vehicle’s structure and the base of the vehicle needs to be strengthened through various processes. This is the reason why convertible vehicles are often heavier than the regular versions. Also, the mechanism of opening the roof and closing the roof is quite expensive and increases the price of the vehicle by multiple folds. This is the same reason why mass-segment vehicles are never seen in convertible forms. At the most, they get a sunroof.

The Indian weather conditions are also not suitable for a convertible vehicle. They are much more popular in the European markets where the weather remains on the colder side throughout the year. Also, the lower amount of pollution and dust on the roads make the convertibles much more better-suited in such countries.

It is highly unlikely that Hyundai will ever create such a convertible form of the Creta. However, the South Korean manufacturer is currently working on a pick-up truck based on the Creta, which will be launched in the international markets soon.

The pick-up truck version of the Creta will also not be brought into India. It will be sold in Latin America, where demand for such vehicles is high.

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