The Tata Harrier is just days away from launch, and we already have a bunch of renders that will give you a fair idea  on what an off-road ready vehicle will look like. The latest in the stream of renders is from Autobics, who have put  together a mean-looking Harrier. Here, take a look.

Massive wheel wells with extra cladding, chunky mud-terrain tyres with a big upsize, offset steel wheels, off-road  ready front bumper, a bull bar, honeycomb grille with a different design, roof top carrier with a spare tyre mount  and roof mounted auxiliary lamps are the various design changes on the rendered Harrier Off-Road. The SUV is finished in Parrot Green colour with black graphics on the fender providing some contrast.

The Tata Harrier that will be launched on the 23rd of January will be a front wheel drive-only SUV. This will  obviously limit the extent to which the Harrier can go off the road, but Tata Motors does offer a helpful off-road  mode among the three driving modes offered with the SUV. Hill descent control and the off-road mode make the Tata  Harrier more capable than other front wheel driven SUVs but this is still not the same a full blown all wheel drive  layout.

As of now, Tata Motors has been tightlipped about offering an all wheel drive layout on the Harrier as this would  require the automaker borrowing the system from Fiat and greatly add to the costs and complexity. Notably, Fiat  builds the 2 liter Multijet turbocharged diesel engine that the Harrier is powered with, and also the 6 speed manual  transmission.

However, unlike the Jeep Compass, which also uses the 2 liter Fiat Multijet engine and gets an all wheel drive syste,  the Harrier is not based on the US Small Wide platform. Instead, the Tata SUV uses the LS550 platform from Land  Rover, which makes using the all wheel drive system developed by Fiat for the Small Wide platform quite a challenge. This is the main reason we have the Compass getting an all wheel drive option but not the Harrier.

Meanwhile, Tata Motors has plans to source a 6 speed torque converter automatic gearbox from Hyundai for use on  automatic variants of the Harrier, which is expected to be launched later this year. There’s a turbocharged petrol  engine that’s said to be under development for the Harrier sometime next year, when the much tighter Bharat Stage 6 emission norms kick in and make diesel powered cars a lot costlier. For now, the Tata Harrier will be sold with a  single diesel engine and manual gearbox combination.

At launch, the Tata Harrier is expected to sit between the Hyundai Creta and the Jeep Compass in terms of price and positioning. A starting price tag of about Rs. 14-15 lakhs would make the Harrier very attractive to both Creta and Compass buyers, and Tata Motors may position the SUV right at this intersection. The top-end variant is likely to be pegged between 18-19 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi.

Also Read: Maruti Alto with the RS performance mod looks racy

Mahindra and Mahindra made its debut in 2019 North American International Auto Show (Detroit Motor Show) with two of its models, Mahindra Roxor and the recently launched Mahindra Marazzo MPV. Now, reports are coming in that the Indian made MPV might be stealing the show at Detroit.

Images courtesy Motor1

Many International websites have come up with a positive report about Marazzo. Motor1.com has said that Marazzo is a funky little thing and it reminds them of first-generation Honda Odyssey. It also says Marazzo is “a front-wheel drive, body-on-frame, minivan-like vehicle that’s arguably the best thing taking up space in Cobo Center.” They are also amazed by the pricing of the Marazzo ($14000 or Rs 9,90,000).

Similar reports come from TopSpeed website also. They are really impressed with Marazzo’s body-on -frame construction and unique front wheel drive set up. They have also mentioned that “The Marazzo is also quite a safe car. It scored four stars in the global NCAP ratings.”

As if now Mahindra has no plans to sell the Marazzo MPV in the United States market. After looking at the respnses from the crowd at the Detroit Auto Show there is a possibility that Mahindra might want to consider launching the Marazzo in the United States. Mahindra won’t have to change anything in the current model if they wish to launch it in U.S as it was already developed by an American team with inputs from Pininfarina.

The Mahindra Marazzo in India is currently powered by a 1.5L turbocharged diesel engine jointly developed by Mahindra and Ssangyong that produces 121 Bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. The base model (M2) in India is priced at Rs 9.99 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi and the Top end M8 variant costs about Rs 13.9 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi.

It is currently offered only in with a 6-speed manual transmission. Mahindra will launch an automatic version of the Marazzo in 2020 when the BS6 emission norms will be launched. A brand new petrol engine is also likely to come by 2020. The turbocharged petrol engine that will be introduced on the Marazzo is likely to power a range of other Mahindra SUVs in the face of tightening emission norms.

Other than Marazzo, the Roxor side-by-side was the other vehicle that was showcased in the Mahindra’s booth. It is the most exciting product from Mahindra for American market. Roxor is based on Thar Di variant and is meant for American recreation and farm vehicle market. It’s being positioned as a retro alternative to ATVs.  Mahindra has displayed different kinds of Roxor, the ones equipped with wide array of accessories are the main attraction of the booth.

Also Read: Maruti Alto with the RS performance mod looks racy

The Toyota Innova Crysta is the biggest hit that the automaker has ever produced, even bigger than the first  generation version. Riding on the sales wave that the Innova Crysta has brought in its wake, Toyota India is now in  the top-10 markets for the Japanese automaker. Toyota was in 11th place last year, and in 12th place in 2016.

The Innova Crysta’s launch in that year really changed things for the brand, and the new Fortuner’s launch was the  cherry on the cake. Together, the Toyota Innova Crysta and Fortuner bring more than 7,000 units in monthly sales for  the Japanese automaker. And these cars are not cheap.

The starting price of the Toyota Innova Crysta is nearly Rs. 15 lakhs, and at this price point, no other vehicle  outsells the MPV. The Toyota Fortuner starts at Rs. 27.55 lakhs, and is the best selling vehicle in its category.  Both vehicles are extremely profitable for Toyota.

Masakazu Yoshimura, the newly appointed Managing Director of Toyota Kirloskar Motors Limited, had this to say to ET about the Indian arm of Toyota breaking into the top-10 global markets for the brand,

India was number 11 in 2017 – it broke into the top 10 markets in the world for Toyota in 2018. We foresee that it  can potentially break into the top three markets in the future. We need to focus on our customers and ensure that we offer them the right products to participate in this growth. We are jointly working on small cars and EVs (electric  vehicles). Our (own) electric vehicle is coming. We can introduce the EV but we are looking forward to development of infrastructure as well.

Toyota has big ambitions for the Indian market, and this is reflected in the partnership the Japanese automaker has  stitched up with compatriot Suzuki. Starting from later this year, Toyota will begin selling badge engineered cars  from the Suzuki stable.

This partnership is meant to help Toyota break into the affordable segments of the Indian market – an area where the Japanese car giant has traditionally been weak in, and has had limited success with the Etios twins. The Maruti  Baleno will be the first affordable car from the Suzuki-Toyota partnership.

We expect the car to be offered only with petrol engines, and enough restyling to make it look distinct from the  Maruti badged model. Also, the Toyota Baleno could get more premium features and a higher price tag for better  differentiation.

The second big launch from Toyota in the badge-engineered space will be the rebadged Maruti Brezza sub-4 meter SUV. The Brezza will also have attributes similar to that of the badge-engineered Baleno. It’ll be Toyota’s first  affordable SUV for the Indian market, in the sub-Rs. 10 lakh segment.

Toyota will offer the next-generation, 2020 Corolla Altis to Maruti Suzuki for rebadging. This sedan is expected to  use a 1.5 liter petrol hybrid powertrain. The Corolla Altis using Maruti badges is expected to be launched in 2020,  and will be sold from NEXA dealerships.

Also Read: Maruti Alto with the RS performance mod looks racy

Modified cars coming out from DC Design vary from outstanding to outrageous. The Mahindra Bolero Inceptor from DC Design North East is one of the better modifications from the design outfit. While a white-coloured Inceptor was  built and delivered a few months ago, DC Design North East has built one more, this time in black. And apart from the change in colour, most other details on the design remain unchanged.

Image courtesy DC NorthEast

Like the white coloured version, the black coloured Mahindra Bolero Inceptor from DC Design gets black coloured seats and orange highlights on the dashboard and other parts of the interiors. The spartan insides of the stock Mahindra Bolero have been given a dose of luxury.

There’s even a roof mounted infotainment set up for the passengers at the rear. The total cost of the modified MUV is around Rs. 18 lakhs, and this price includes the cost of the donor car.

The roof of the black coloured Inceptor gets an orange, satin contrast finish while the overall silhouette of the MUV  is retained. The modified version uses alloy wheels and gets Yokohama Geolandar all terrain tyres. This should  greatly improve the vehicle’s traction off the road.

What’s clear though is that this modified Bolero is a rear wheel driven version (the absence of a four wheel drive gear lever suggests this).

Although Mahindra builds the Bolero 4X4, it’s reserved for paramilitary forces and government departments. The reason for this is best known to Mahindra. As of now, civilians in India can buy the Bolero in two main trims, sub-4 meter and 4 meter+ variants. Both vehicles have the same wheelbase and interiors, and the only body change between the two models concerns the bumpers. On the sub-4 meter model, the bumpers have been shaved to bring it under the 4 meter mark.

The engine of the sub-4 meter Bolero is also different. It’s the 1.5 liter-3 cylinder twin scroll turbocharger  equipped unit that produces 70 Bhp of peak power and 195 Nm of peak torque. The Mahindra Bolero models that measure  more than 4 meters in length get the 2.5 liter M2DICR turbocharged diesel engine with 63 Bhp of peak power and 180 Nm of peak torque. Both engines use 5 speed manual gearboxes as standard, and are rear wheel driven. The Bolero is sold with 7, 8 and 9 seat options. Prices start from Rs 7.45 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi.

The Mahindra Bolero is one of the best selling vehicles in its segment. Also, it’s Mahindra’s best selling vehicle,  managing about 6,000 monthly units on an average. The Bolero is popular mainly in semi-urban and rural parts of  India, where its rugged build, ultra reliable mechanicals and good fuel efficiency are regarded highly. The MUV is  mainly bought as a people mover. Some enthusiasts in urban areas have modified versions of the Bolero, which are  generally fitted with 4X4 transfer cases and other off roading equipment. Such SUVs are mainly used for off roading,  or as expedition vehicles. However, Mahindra is yet to recognize the ‘lifestyle-vehicle’ potential of the Bolero,  which continues to be aimed solely at the mass market.

Also Read: Maruti Alto with the RS performance mod looks racy

The Maruti Suzuki Alto is the best selling car model of India. The popular entry level hatchback was first launched in 2000 and after nearly 19 years  since the launch, the car still features among the monthly top selling cars. The current generation Alto 800 has a different design theme than the original car but carries the same essence, that is affordability and frugality. However, the company has never made a more performance oriented version of the car. While the Alto K10 does offer better performance, it still is no where in the territory of being called a hot hatch. To address this, render artist SRK Designs has created a sporty version of the Alto and given it the RS suffix.

The RS moniker is used by the company to distinguish between regular cars and performance oriented cars. The only car in India by Maruti Suzuki to don the RS badge is the Baleno. It gets a more powerful engine along with some aesthetic trickery to separate it from the rest of the pack. The Alto RS seen in the video above has also been given a lot of visual upgrades and it looks quite sporty when compared to the stock car. Let’s now see the major changes made on the Alto so as to make it the Alto RS.

The front section of the car has been heavily transformed and now gets various cosmetic upgrades. The inverted hexagonal grille seems to be taken from the Ford Figo and looks quite good on the Alto. Same with the headlights, which are lifted of from the Swift hatchback. The whole front bumper has been replaced with a new custom unit that is lower and sportier. It gets LED DRLs mounted on the side vents. The bumper also features a lip spoiler, that gives the car an interesting stance.

The black side strips have been removed now, which gave it a more cheap car look. Now what’s a hot hatch without some smoking hot wheels and the Alto RS here gets a set of rather chic wheels. The multi-spoked sporty rims have been shod with sticky low profile tires and the whole setup looks very good. Finished in red, the Alto RS here looks mesmerizing with black contrast panels across the body. The roof has also been blacked out the go with the overall sporty profile.

Now if the Alto RS is aimed at being sporty, Maruti can equip it with the same engine which is found under the Baleno RS. The 1.0 litre, three-cylinder turbocharged engine on the Baleno RS generates a maximum power 101 Bhp along with 150 Nm of torque. A slick five speed manual would make the whole deal a lot better. Also, a bit of suspension and steering tune will definitely make the Alto RS a must have car for enthusiasts on budget. Maruti, are you listening, we got something for you.

Also Read: Maruti Alto with the RS performance mod looks racy

We are in Bengaluru for the launch of the new 2019 version of the Yamaha FZ naked bike. This will be called the FZ Version 3.0 which also means this is the 3rd major update for the motorcycle. Keep refreshing this article to know all the details – we will keep updating this article every few minutes.

12:55pm

Here is a look at the speedometer display of the new 2019 Yamaha FZ / FZ-S version 3.0 : as seen, it gets two trip meters and a third one for low fuel, called the ‘F’ trip meter.

12:48pm

Here is a quick look at how the new FZ sounds like. Small clip but has the sound :)

12:17pm

Here is the official press release

12:10pm 

Here is a picture each of the FZ, FZS, FZ25 and Fazer 25

This is the FZ (above)

This is the FZS (above)

This is the FZ25 above

This is the Fazer 25 above

12:01 pm

In terms of engine improvements, only the fuel injection settings have been changed. Max power and max torque remain same – this is for the FZ V3.0

12:00 noon

So to summarise, launches today were:

1. Yamaha FZ V3.0 priced at Rs 95000 for ABS/FI and 97000 for ABS/FI FZS model. This is a single channel ABS
2. Dual Channel ABS for FZ25 and Fazer 25. Priced at Rs 1.33 lakh and Rs 1.43 lakh respectively
3. Dual Channel ABS for R15 launched at Rs 1.39 lakh for normal colors and Rs 1.41 lakh for Dark Knight option

11:59am 

Dark knight color for R15 is new. Looks fab, eh?

11:57am

R15 dual channel ABS launched at Rs 1.39 lakh for normal colours and Rs 1.41 lakh for Dark Knight color option. R15 gets dual channel ABS

11:54am

FZ25 ABS launched at Rs 1.33 lakh. Fazer 25 ABS launched at Rs 1.43 lakh. Both get dual channel ABS

11:51am

Yamaha is also launching dual channel ABS version of FZ25 and Fazer 25 today

11:50am

Priced at Rs 95000 for FZ and Rs 97,000 for FZS (single channel). Fi and ABS are standard

11:49am

Rear disc brake will be standard. The FZ V3.0 looks like a baby FZ25 in the styling department. The bike will get an under cowl now. Three colors on offer.

11:48am

The bike retails the same 149cc single cylinder engine that comes with fuel injection.

11:46am

The new model gets a single seat with 16% larger surface area and 5mm thicker. There is a new LCD meter, LED headlight, single channel ABS and an new design for aluminium one piece grab bar

11:44am

Colour options on the new FZ and current FZ25

11:42am 

Munehisa Honda now on the stage to explain the new bike. Have a look at the stronger points of the design

11:41am

Improvements in styling and fashion as compared to FZ V2.0 : this new version will also have ABS

11:38am 

Here is the bike!

11:33am

Bike is about to hit the stage – stay tuned!!

11:31am

Yamaha has also invited over 1500 dealer / showroom partners to Bengaluru. The bike will be showcased to them and they will get to ride the bikes for a quick spin. After all, dealers play a very important role in the sales of any bike or car model in India.

11:30am 

This is how the “call of the Blue” events look like : open to all owners

11:27am 

A look at the motorcycle launches in 2018 by Yamaha

11:25am 

Here is an exclusive image from us for you – see the name?

11:22am 

Over 80,000 units of the R15 were sold in 2018 says Mr Shitara. Yamaha will use “the call of the Blue” theme for 2019 as well with new products for current and new customers. It starts with the FZ V3.0 that will be launched today

11:20am 

Event has started. Mr Motofumi Shitara (chairman, Yamaha Motor India) is now on the stage to address us

11:15am

The event is about to start. The stage is all blue with “the call of blue” theme running in the backdrop

Also Read: All-new Ford EcoSport to be unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

Yamaha Motors India has just launched the latest version of their popular naked bike in India. Dubbed as the FZ V3, the company has priced the FZ V3 FI ABS at Rs. 95,000 (ex-showroom) while the FZ-S V3 FI ABS has been priced at Rs. 97,000 (ex-showroom). The bike had been caught testing a lot of times before its official launch in Bengaluru today. A host of styling changes have been made on the bike and it looks much beefier than before. Most of the major design changes made on the bike are inspired bike by the bigger FZ25, which itself is quite a stylish bike.

The Yamaha FZ V3 comes with a new LED headlamp unit, which are taken from its bigger sibling. The headlamp housings covers are divided into two parts, one for the high beam and the other for low beam. Also present are a new set of turn indicators as well as revised front fenders. The saddle is a single piece units that extends towards the tail of the bike. The exhaust muffler and short tail section are again inspired by the FZ25. Also, the bike now sports a digital instrument cluster which will display an array of information along with the regular stuff.

The bike now gets fake air vents on the front side of the bike, which though are not functional but increase the aesthetic appeal nonetheless. The bike also gets a new engine cover along with a new set of alloy wheels that further hint towards this being a newer generation bike. which is also a new addition made to the upcoming motorcycle. The tank is also much more muscular than before and the overall stance of the bike is quite aggressive now. The FZ is known for its butch styling and was the most stylish bike in market when it was first launched in India. The latest update on the bike has been made on the same lines and the bike retains the old design philosophy of being bold and powerful.

However, Yamaha has decided not to make any changes in the engine and power output of the bike. The Yamaha FZ V3 is still powered by a 149 cc, fuel-injected motor that churns out 13 Bhp of power along with 12.8 Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a 5-speed transmission and comes with disc brakes at both the front and the rear. The new bike has also been equipped with a single channel ABS system in lieu with the recent government safety regulations.

There are a total of three colour options available on the FZ-S (Black-grey, Blue-grey and Cyan-grey) while the FZ gets two colour options ( solid black and solid blue). The update to the FZ will definitely help Yamaha to boost the sales of the bike. In its segment, the FZ rivals the likes of the Hero Xtreme and the Suzuki Gixxer among others in its segment. It now remains to be seen how the rivals would react to this update by Yamaha.

The company also launched ABS versions of the of the FZ25, the Fazer 25 and the R15. The FZ25 ABS has been placed at Rs. 1.33 lakhs while the Fazer 25 is placed at Rs. 1.43 lakhs. Also, the R15 ABS version has been officialy launched today, though it was revealed earlier. The ABS system employed on all the bikes except for the FZ V3 is a dual channel system.

Also Read: All-new Ford EcoSport to be unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

BMW India has launched the second-generation X4 in the Indian market. It is priced at Rs. 60.6 lakh for the base variant and Rs. 65.9 lakh for the top-end version. The second-generation X4 is being imported to India as Completely Knocked Down (CKD) version and is assembled in BMW’s Chennai plant. It has allowed BMW to price the vehicle aggressively.

BMW never launched the first-generation version of the BMW X4. The all-new, second-generation BMW X4 is the first X4 model to be launched in the Indian market. It is only available in the M Sport X trim. The base variant of the BMW X4 is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine that generates a maximum power of 190 Bhp. The variant it powers is called the xDrive20d.

The top-end variant of the BMW X4 is the xDrive30d and it gets powered by a 3.0-litre, in-line six-cylinder diesel engine. It generates a maximum power of 265 Bhp. There is also a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine available with the X4 that generates a maximum of 252 Bhp. All the engine options get the 8-speed automatic transmission. The variants are X-Drive version, which means that the power goes to all the four wheels.

Dr Hans-Christian Baertels, President (act.), BMW Group India said,

“BMW established the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) category and the latest addition to this hugely successful family is the all-new BMW X4 belonging to the Sports Activity Coupé segment. Its distinctive vehicle concept, which fuses the hallmark features of a BMW X model with the sporting elegance of a coupe, will be proven an instant hit in this class and will become a trend-setter. The all-new BMW X4 underscores its individual character with superior driving dynamics, standout exterior design accentuating the car’s sporting instincts, a refined premium ambience in the interior and leading-edge technologies.”

BMW also offers the four drive modes with the all-new X4. It gets Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Sport+. The M Sport X trim of the BMW X4 adds visual changes to the car and makes it look much more aggressive. It gets side skirts, a rear diffuser element, large 19-inch alloy wheels, dual exhaust and a roof-mounted spoiler.

On the inside, the BMW X4 gets sporty bucket seats. It also gets BMW’s M-Design steering wheel with M-Badging. The list of features includes a panoramic sunroof, electric tailgate, adaptive suspension, BMW iDrive system with the 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 16-speaker surround sound speaker from Harman Kardon, heads-up display and much more.

The all-new BMW X4 is based on the CLAR platform. It reduces the weight of the SUV-Coupe by around 50 kg and it has also become 81mm longer and 37mm wider than the previous generation car.

Also Read: All-new Ford EcoSport to be unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

It is said that around three fourth of all the Land Rover vehicles ever produced are still running. Land Rover vehicles were built on purpose to take on the heavy abuse thrown at them without any hiccup. The Land Rover Series III is probably the best selling series model by the company, which also consists of the Series II an the Series I.

Now, a Land Rover Series III has come up for sale and it is a RHD version of the car. Seen below is the same SUV, finished in yellow and silver and standing in its full glory.

The Land Rover Series III was in production from 1971 to 1985. The sturdy vehicle has an aluminium body which is the reason why its body does not catch rust. Coming to the vehicle featured here, it has a registration date of 1987. It has been registered in Andhra Pradesh and has a special VIP number on it to boot. A whole lot of changes have been made to this rugged SUV, including both cosmetic and functional changes. The front bumper, for instance, is a custom unit with an electric winch mounted on it along with tow hooks.

The Land Rover Series III featured here is powered by a Land Cruiser Prado’s 1KZ engine. According to the owner, the engine is in excellent condition and still runs quite smoothly. The interiors of the car also have been customised by the owner and have been fitted with AC to help with the hot weather conditions we have.

The interiors are done in all black with matching leather upholstery. Though the Land Cruiser Series III is a vehicle built for rough and tough use, good interiors on any car are always a welcome. Also, compared to today’s standards, one would find the interiors to be spartan. But keep in mind that we are talking about a vehicle which is more than 30 years old and so it can’t be compared to modern day vehicles.

As evident form the pictures, the Land Rover is in immaculate condition and is quite well maintained. The white rims further add to its retro cool look. To let you know, the model here is the LWB (Long Wheel Base) variant. The SUV has been painted in a shade of golden yellow with white highlights. The roof has been done in complete white which creates a visually pleasing contrast.

If you are interested in vintage vehicle and more so in old jeeps and SUVs, this one is the perfect deal for you. The seller is offering this LAnd Rover Series III SUV at a price of Rs. 7 lakhs. Considering the value of the old rangie as well as the excellent condition it is in, the price seems to be quite reasonable. Down below is the link to the seller, which will lead you to his page with his contact information.

Vehicle Link 

Also Read: All-new Ford EcoSport to be unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

Maruti Suzuki will launch the all-new WagonR in the Indian market on 23rd January 2019. Maruti Suzuki has already started taking the official bookings for the upcoming car and the deliveries will start on the 23rd January itself. Maruti has started dispatching the all-new WagonR to various dealerships across India and here is a video of the Maruti Suzuki WagonR VXi being unloaded from a truck.

Unlike the LXi version, which was spied earlier, the VXi version of the WagonR gets many more features. The VXi is the mid-level trim of the WagonR. From the pictures, we can see that it gets the body-coloured door handles and body-coloured mirrors. The base version LXi gets blacked out mirrors and the door handles. The vehicle has been seen from the inside too. The video and pictures of the interiors of the car show the new steering wheel and mounted controls for the infotainment system and Bluetooth-connected phone. Being the mid-level variant, the all-new WagonR VXi does not get a touchscreen infotainment system. However, there is a floating-type infotainment system mounted in the middle of the dashboard.

The VXi variant does not get wheel covers. It seems that only the top-end ZXi version of the WagonR will come with factory-fitted wheel covers. Both LXi and VXi versions were seen with black steel rims. It is also possible that the wheel covers get installed at the dealership to avoid damage or scratches during transportation.

The all-new WagonR is based on the fifth-generation HEARTECT platform that underpins the cars like Ignis, Baleno, Dzire and Swift in the Indian market. It is bigger than the current version of the WagonR and offers more space too. The all-new WagonR offers a lot of features and has become safer too. With the HEARTECT platform, the WagonR will also meet the upcoming BNVSAP crash test norms. Features like standard ABS+EBD, driver-side airbag, speed alerts, front seat belt warnings and rear parking sensors would be standard across the range.

The all-new WagonR also gets SmartPlay touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. This is the first time that the WagonR gets such a feature. It also gets dual front airbags in the top-end version. The all-new WagonR will be available in three trim levels and there are two different engine options available.

The current 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine will continue to be on the offer with the all-new WagonR. It will also get the 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, petrol engine option that is available with the Swift and other Maruti cars. The engine specifications have not been announced yet. Both the engine options would get the AMT automatic transmission. The Maruti Suzuki WagonR will take on the Hyundai Santro in the market and is expected to undercut the price by a few thousand rupees.

Also Read: All-new Ford EcoSport to be unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

Royal Enfield Bobber, also known as RE KX838 was unveiled at 2018 EICMA show in Milan, Italy as a concept. The retro design and the easy rider personality make the Bobber stand out at the motorcycle show. The concept featured a captivating instrument panel with all the modern features in a bike.

Since the KX838 Bobber is still a concept motorbike from Royal Enfield, there are no plans for the production to take in place. However, some illustrators like Shoeb R Kalania has shown the direction that the concept motorbike KX838 could take when it reaches production by rendering it. This brings out the bike into a more lively state and gives a clear picture to the people who have their eyes on the R.E KX838 and wish to buy when it comes into production.

Render courtesy IAB

Royal Enfield has big ambitions in the mid-segment/middle weight motorcycle segment, which comprises of the 350cc-800cc segment. The Bobber belongs to this segment, and this is the reason why the motorcycle could go into production in future. While production may not begin anytime soon, the motorcycle could have a production future sometime in 2021. Royal Enfield has also revealed that it would get into segments beyond the middle weight category, with engine capacities up to 1,200cc.

Coming back to the concept version of the Royal Enfield KX838 Bobber, the single seat design gives it an original feel of a bobber and the large kidney shaped fuel-tank.  The bike gets a full LED headlight and chopped fenders. The suspension includes girder-type front forks and a monoshock under the seat. The bike also gets 20-spoke alloy wheels riding on low profile tyres.

The front tyre gets twin-disc brakes with Bybre radical calipers while there is a single disc at the rear. The concept KX838 is powered by an 836cc, V-Twin, a liquid cooled engine with fuel injection. Power output is expected to be close to 90 Bhp and it is mated to a 6-speed transmission. Do keep in mind that the above power output is not officially disclosed by Royal Enfield.

Since the bike will not be in production for a while, the company gave us an idea of how the KX838 will look in the future. The current flagship bikes from Royal Enfield in India are the R.E Interceptor 650 and the R.E Continental GT.  Royal Enfield is selling about 600 units of the Interceptor and Continental GT 650 motorcycles each month, making these bikes the best sellers in the Rs. 2-3 lakh segment. While the Interceptor 650 starts from Rs. 2.49 lakhs, the Continental GT 650 is about Rs. 20,000 pricier. Both motorcycles are meant not just for buyers who’re opting for a Royal Enfield for the first time but also existing owners of the 350cc motorcycles that the brand builds. This is also a reason why Royal Enfield has priced these motorcycles so competitively.

Also Read: All-new Ford EcoSport to be unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

Bajaj Auto is gearing up fast for its flagship model which is the Dominar. The updated version of the bike has been caught several times doing the road tests with a bunch of changes. The twin-pod exhaust, upside down front forks, new alloy wheels and a slightly larger radiator are some of the changes you may see on the all-new Dominar. Bajaj Auto has just revealed the facelifted, 2019 Dominar in a band film it released earlier today. Here are some pictures.

Bajaj Dominar was launched roughly two years back and definitely needed some change to please the buyers. Also, the bike isn’t doing good numbers for the motorcycle maker, and the new design is meant to make amends. The sales numbers for the Dominar have been showing a steady decline over the past many months. In December 2017,  925 units of the Dominar were sold while in Dec 2018, sales hit rock bottom at just 24 units. This lower dispatch number is the surest sign that a new model is on its way very soon.

One of the reasons for the poor sales is because Dominar received at least 3 hikes in the year 2018 making it a costly affair to own. The new Dominar 400 will have the same engine that is 373 cc, liquid-cooled single cylinder engine which is presently active on the current model. The power output is 34.5 Bhp while torque is rated at 35 Nm.

Features such as full LED headlamps, dual disc brakes with ABS, digital instrument cluster will be carried forward from the ongoing Dominar. It is being said that there will be an updated digital instrument cluster too which will provide more information such as gear indication, instant fuel consumption and total range.

For the first time, an inverted fork or the upside down fork (USD) will be made available on the Dominar range. Inverted forks have a better advantage over conventional telescopic forks. The revised twin barrel exhaust has a fruity note, and is expected to boost ground clearance as well.

The new bike is expected to get many other refinements, making it a much improved version when compared to the outgoing model. The new Dominar will have a dual-channel ABS as standard, and the non-ABS variant of the motorcycle will be dropped.  Prices may be increased slightly considering that it will be a new model, and will have many changes.

Bajaj expected yearly sales of up to 20,000 units for the Dominar each year but so far the company has not even managed to sell 10,000 units a year . The facelifted version is expected to give the Dominar brand a boost in India, and it remains to be seen if it manages to bring in the big numbers for Bajaj Auto.

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Maruti Suzuki Ertiga was recently updated in an all-new avatar. It is currently available in an only 7-seater version. The three-row seat of the current Ertiga gets a bench seat in the middle for three. The Indian manufacturer is now working on a new, top-of-the-line trim, which will get captain seats in the middle row and will be a 6-seat version.

Render courtesy IAB

This new version will sit on the top of the variant pyramid of the second-generation Ertiga. The current version of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is only sold through Maruti Arena dealership network but the new version can go on sale exclusively through the Nexa dealerships. The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is challenged by the Mahindra Marazzo and Renault Lodgy in the segment. It is even compared with the Toyota Innova Crysta, which belongs to a higher segment. All these three cars offer a six-seat variant too.

The six-seat variant will be aimed at the corporate buyers and people who want a premium travelling experience. The 6-seater version will be much more premium and comfortable for the second-row passengers. It will also get a few premium features including faux leather seats instead of the premium fabric, which is currently offered with the top-end version of the Ertiga.

Maruti is preparing to offer the newly developed 1.5-litre diesel engine in the new Ciaz and the all-new Ertiga. The launch of both the cars with the in-house developed engine is imminent. With the engine upgrade, Maruti is expected to introduce the new variant in the Indian market. Alongside the new 1.5-litre diesel engine, Maruti Suzuki will continue to offer the 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine sourced from Fiat. However, the 1.3-litre engine would be removed from the line-up once the stricter BS-VI emission norms are in place. The 1.3-litre engine cannot be upgraded to the new norms.

The 1.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine is expected to produce around 95 Bhp and 225 Nm of peak torque. It will not get the SHVS mild hybrid system but is expected to offer a similar, high fuel efficiency just like the 1.3-litre SHVS versions of the Ertiga and the Ciaz.

Furthermore, the new 6-seater version of the Ertiga will not get any visual changes. It will look the same from the outside but may come with different badging. The plan to sell it through the Nexa dealerships shows that Maruti will target only the premium customers with the new variant of the car. The all-new Ertiga has been thoroughly updated and looks very modern than the outgoing version. It has also become bigger and offers a spacious cabin. The new version is expected to be available with only the new 1.5-litre diesel engine and the 1.4-litre petrol engine.

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Also Read: All-new Ford EcoSport to be unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India has revealed the launch date of its anticipated naked sportster bike, the CB300R. The company will unveil the motorcycle at an launch event set to happen on 8th of February, 2019. The bike had been confirmed for India only some time back and the company has already started taking bookings for it, with a booking price of Rs. 5,000.

The bike will be brought in via the CKD (Completely Knocked Down) route and will be priced aggressively below the Rs. 2.50 lakh price mark. Honda had been very silent of lately in the 200-300 cc segment and the CB300R will mark its expansion in the segment.

The bike will feature a muscular and aggressive naked body design inspired by the Honda Neo Sports Cafe. The swelled tank, round headlamp, short tail and up-swept silencer give it an imposing stance. The bike will be available in two paint shades, matte axis grey and candy chromosphere red. Most of the lower body panels will be blacked out and the paint shade will be seen on the tank and side panels. The CB300R will feature stylish blacked out rims and will sport disc brakes on both the ends.

Talking of features, the bike will be pretty well equipped. It is built around a tubular and pressed steel frame which lends it a more sporty look. The Honda CB300R gets a steel plate swingarm, which has been irregularly shaped in cross-section. The bike gets upside down (USD) front shock absorbers along with 7-step adjustable rear monoshock. The handlebars are tapered at an angle of 40 degrees, ensuring a short turning angle. This will definitely help with making quick maneuvering around heavy traffic conditions.

The CB300R gets fully digital console which has become a norm in the segment now. The instrument cluster has been designed to be visible under the direct sunlight too. The round headlamp cluster is a full LED unit, similar to the likes of the KTM 390 Duke among others. There other lighting parts like the indicators also get the LED lamps. The headlamp gets integrated horseshoe-shaped LED, which becomes the DRL.

The CB300R will be powered by a single-cylinder 286 cc, 4-valve, liquid-cooled, 4-valve engine. The engine churns out a good 37 Bhp of power and 27.5 Nm of torque. The bike is expected to quite light in weight and combined with 37 Bhp of power, the CB300R will be pretty quick for zipping around the city streets. The bike will take on the likes of the KTM 390 Duke and Royal Enfield 650 twins among others. Pricing will be the deciding factor as to whether the bike will get hit in the market. The 650 twins have raised the bar of affordability-pricing ratio and if the company positions it around Rs. 2.3-2.4 lakhs, there is a good chance that it will get a good market share.

Also Read: All-new Ford EcoSport to be unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

The Ford Ecosport is among the best selling vehicles by the company in India. The sub-4 meter SUV was also among the first vehicles in the segment and the EcoSport is accredited with popularizing the segment to what it is today. However, Ford may soon replace the small SUV and instead bring in a new model.

The new Ecosport has already been caught testing many times and now reports suggest that the company could unveil the new SUV at the 2019 Frankfurt motor show, which is set to happen this September.

Talking about the new vehicle, the new version of the Ecosport may actually not be called as that since its an all new vehicle and is more of a successor than an update or facelift. Rumours are rife that it could be called Puma, a name which Ford has used previously on its other cars too. The Ecosport successor will be based on the new international Fiesta’s platform and will sport a similar design language as seen on the hatch. The design, as seen in the render above is quite different to what the current Ecosport looks.

As for Ford’s India plans, the company has joined hands with Mahindra and both are brewing a new model to take the lace of the Ecosport. Mahindra itself will be launching a new sub compact SUV next month and is currently busy with that. Dubbed the XUV300, the new Mahindra vehicle is based on the SsangYong Tivoli and will come with segment first features. Ford is more likely to use the powertrains from Mahindra which would power its Ecosport successor in India. This includes the new 1.5 litre diesel engine found on the Marazzo as well as the latest 1.5 litre petrol that will debut on the XUV300.

The Ford Ecosport on sale in India currently comes with three engine and two transmission options. The petrol engines include the 1.5 litre-3 cylinder naturally aspirated Dragon producing 120 Bhp of power along with 150 Nm of torque, and the 1 litre-3 cylinder turbocharged EcoBoost unit with 125 Bhp of power and 170 Nm of torque. The diesel engine, on the other hand, is a 1.5 litre-4 cylinder, turbocharged unit with 98.6 Bhp of power and 215 Nm of torque on tap. All engines get 5 speed manual gearboxes as standard while the Dragon petrol also comes with a 6 speed automatic transmission. Prices of the EcoSport start from Rs. 7.82 lakhs, ex-showroom, Delhi.

The SUV segment, as already mentioned, is showing pretty good growth in India as well as the rest of the world. For the same reason, marques like Lamborghini and Rolls Royce have also jumped into the SUV bandwagon to maximize profits and increase sales. The sub-4 SUV segment, in which the Ecosport is placed, the the best selling SUV segment and almost all the manufacturers want a pie of this segment. It will be interesting to see what Mahindra and Ford will cook together to take the place of Ecosport .

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Also Read: All-new Ford EcoSport to be unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

Maruti Suzuki will launch a slew of new vehicles in the Indian market this year. One of them would be the facelifted version of the Baleno that will be launched in the market soon. Maruti Suzuki has announced that the official bookings for the new Baleno are open now and customers can book it for Rs. 11,000. The bookings can be done at any of the Nexa dealerships across the country.

The facelifted version of the Baleno will get updated exteriors, which will keep it fresh in the market. The changes include a new, more aggressive front bumper that now gets bigger air dams and repositioned fog lamps. The upcoming Baleno will also get new dual-tone precision cut alloy wheels. Maruti Suzuki has officially revealed that the new Baleno will also get many updates inside the cabin too. However, all the changes are visual updates.

As per Maruti, the new Baleno will get additional safety features like speed alert system, co-driver and driver seatbelt reminder system and rear parking assistance sensors as standard across the variants. The Baleno already offers standard dual front airbags, ISOFIX child restraint seats, pre-tensioner and force limiter seat belts, and ABS with EBD. These features would be carried forward to the updated Baleno as is.

The upcoming Baleno also gets various additional features. The top-end version will now get LED projector headlamps. The visual changes include a different colour tone around the AC vents of the Baleno that adds a premium look to the hatchback. It is not known yet but the new Baleno may also feature rain-sensing wipers, which is present in the Hyundai Elite i20, a direct rival of the Baleno.

Maruti has also updated the variants of the new Baleno and many features have been removed from the lower variants and are available on the top-end Alpha variant only. The leather-wrapped steering wheel and the UV-Cut glasses are two such features that will be only available with the top-end variant of the Baleno.

The upcoming Baleno will remain unchanged mechanically. The Baleno is available with both petrol and diesel engine options in the market. There is a 1.2-litre petrol engine and a 1.3-litre diesel engine. The petrol engine produces a maximum power of 82 Bhp and 115 Nm of torque. The 1.3-litre diesel engine produces a maximum of 74 Bhp and a peak torque of 190 Nm. Both the petrol and diesel versions get the 5-speed manual transmission as standard. Maruti also offers a CVT automatic transmission with the petrol variant of the Baleno.

Maruti Baleno was first launched in 2016 and became the first premium hatchback from the brand. It is one of the fastest selling vehicles in the Indian market and more than 5.2 lakh units of the vehicle have been sold till date.

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Kawasaki India has become aggressive on the Indian plans. After reducing the price of the Ninja 300 in the Indian market, Kawasaki has now announced new prices of the spare parts that will bring down the maintenance cost of the bike by a huge margin. Kawasaki’s authorised dealership has officially shared a picture that indicates the old price and the new, updated price of the same parts.

Kawasaki Authorised dealership – Anzen Kawasaki has shared the details that shows the drastic reduction in the prices of the spare parts. Below is a detailed table that shows the price differences. The Kawasaki Ninja 300’s greatest price reduction is in the front disc brake. It used to cost Rs. 26,360 and now it costs Rs. only Rs, 2,100, which is a huge 1,355 percentage. Even the fairing of the Kawasaki Ninja saw a massive drop and now it costs only Rs. 5,270 per side against Rs. 52,280 per side.

Kawasaki earlier announced that the Ninja 300 is no longer a Completely Built Unit (CBU). It is now assembled in India, which brings down the price of the bike by a great deal. It now retails at Rs. 2.99 lakh, ex-showroom as against Rs. 3.63 lakh, ex-showroom of the non-ABS CBU unit.

The lower in price can be attributed to the local sourcing of parts of the bike. Kawasaki has started sourcing a lot of parts from the Indian manufacturers, which brings down the overall cost of the bike and the cost of ownership. It is the most affordable sports bike with a twin-cylinder engine and undercuts the price of the Yamaha YZF-R3 too.

The Kawasaki Ninja 300 is powered by a 296cc, parallel-twin, 4-stroke, fuel injected engine. The liquid-cooled engine churns out a maximum power of 38.5 Bhp at 11,000 rpm and a peak torque of 27 Nm at 10,000 rpm. It gets a 6-speed transmission and a slipper clutch. The Ninja 300 gets a 290mm front petal disc brake and 220mm rear petal disc brake.

Currently, the Kawasaki Ninja 300 is available in only two colour options – lime green and plasma blue. Soon after the launch of the made-in-India Ninja 300, the sales of the bike saw a spike in the market. The Kawasaki Ninja 300 gets 3 years unlimited km warranty under the introductory offer. Since the announcement of the new prices, Kawasaki sales increased by 613% in the market. Kawasaki sold only 32 units in the month of September 2017 whereas, in 2018, Kawasaki sold as many as 228 units. The sales are expected to grow more with the time and reduced ownership cost.

Even though the Ninja 300 is now much cheaper to afford in the Indian market, the Royal Enfield’s 650 Twins have become the most affordable bikes powered by the twin-cylinder engine in the Indian market. However, they belong from a different segment while Kawasaki has a different set of customers. The Ninja 300 is for those who want a very quick, high quality sportsbike that can be used both on the track as well as city/highway roads. The motorcycle is highly regarded as an entry level sportsbike in developed markets.

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The moose test is what a Swedish company puts cars through to test how they react when faced with a sudden need to change direction at high speed. Japanese car maker Honda’s upcoming sedan for the Indian market – the Civic – was put through the Moose Test recently. With the car tested in ‘normal’ and ‘speed’ modes, we see what the outcome is.

Moose test is basically a way to check the stability of the vehicle and how fastly the car can maneuver when faced with emergency direction changes. The driver swerves a moving car into left direction and then immediately to the opposite direction and checks if the car skids, flips or if the steering is fully under control. The moose test is designed to replicate an emergency direction change maneuver, similar to what would be required when an animal suddenly comes onto the road, directly in the path of a car traveling at high speed.

Here’s a Civic hatchback taking the moose test, and performing quite well,

Traffic cones have been set and Honda Civic has to serve into left direction and then immediately to the right at higher speeds. The entrance speed is 79 km/h with a stiff car suspension. Honda Civic spins a little here but the steering wheel accepts all the input by the driver making it maneuver safely and keeping the occupants inside the car safe.  Following the first stage which turned out to be successful while the car was on stiff suspension, the second step was now to increase the speed to 81 km/h and check the results. Overall, here too the car remained in control but due to the spinning of wheels, the driver did hit some of the cones placed.

The speed of the Civic has been increased again and now to 84 km/h. We can observe in the video that Honda Civic has no problems in terms of handling and reacts to steering commands sharply.

Honda Civic also does the slalom test. In this, we check how fast the car can change its directions while maintaining the grip. Electronic stability control (ESC) helps in maneuvering the car at high speeds thus making it stable and safe to drive on the roads.

The launch of Honda Civic in India:

Honda will launch the Civic in India in 2019. The car’s design has been widely appreciated across the globe and will be a sportier model in the D-Segment category, and is expected to attract a lot of buyers. On the exterior, the Civic will get LED headlamps and tail lamp and there will be DRLs too. There will be chrome elements in the fog light housing and new alloy wheels too in the Indian market.  Interior will see a large 7” touch screen infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Honda Civic sold in India will be powered by both petrol and diesel engines. The 1.8-litre petrol motor will churn out 140 Bhp-174 Nm and will be mated to a six-speed manual and automatic gearbox options.  The diesel engine will be a smaller one, like the one on the recently launched Honda CR-V, and will be a 1.6-litre motor churning out 120 Bhp-300 Nm.

The new Civic will compete up against Toyota Corolla, Skoda Octavia and Hyundai Elantra. The pricing of the Honda Civic is not confirmed but we expect it to be priced similar to its rivals, at a starting price between Rs. 15-16 lakhs.

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Nissan has today launched its much awaited Kicks compact SUV in India. The company has strategically placed the starting price of the Kicks at Rs. 9.55 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base petrol variant. We drove the Nissan Kicks last month and brought an in depth review of the car for you. The Kicks will be Nissan’s second vehicle in the segment, the first one being the Terrano. The Terrano, albeit cheaper, shares its engines and platform with the Kicks. Down below is a detailed price list of the Kicks.

As seen above, Nissan has launched the Kicks with four trim levels across two engine options. The Kicks is based on the same B-Zero platform which underpins many other vehicles like the Renault Duster, Captur and the Nissan Terrano. The Indian spec Kicks is larger than the international model. It measures 4,384 mm in length, which is precisely 89 mm longer than the model sold abroad. The Kicks measures 1,813 mm in width and 1,656 mm in height along. The wheelbase of the compact SUV is 2,673 mm and it has a good ground clearance of 210 mm. As a point of reference, the Hyundai Creta is smaller than the Kicks in all dimensions and has a wheelbase of just 2590 mm, which is 83 mm shorter than the latter.

The Nissan Kicks is the most feature rich vehicle by the company in India currently. The compact SUV gets brown-black two tone interior theme along with premium leather seats, driver and passenger armrests, rear AC blower, four airbags, and 360 degree parking camera. Other notable features include a start-stop button, keyless entry, automatic headlamps, cruise control, steering column mounted audio controls, a touchscreen infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control, USB charging ports, powered wing mirrors with folding function and 4 powered windows.

Safety features like Driver and passenger side airbags, ABS and EBD, rear parking sensors and braking assistance are standard across the range. This is in lieu with the upcoming government safety norms. The top two trim levels also get Hill Side Assist (HSA) feature, which could come handy on slopes and mountain roads.

The compact SUV rides on stylish 17 inch machined alloy wheels and are shod with 215/60 section tires. However, the base XL model gets 16 inch steel rims that are shod onto 215/65 section tires. The front tires have been equipped with disc brakes while the rear gets drum brakes. Other exterior design highlights include a floating roof, two tone paint job, silver roof rails, V-motion grille and flared wheel arches among other touches. Overall, the Nissan Kicks is quite a looker in its own respect.

The Nissan Kicks will be powered by a 1.5 litre H4K petrol engine that churns out 106 PS of power at 5,600 rpm along with 142 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. The diesel engine, on the other hand, is a 1.6 liter-4 cylinder K9K dCi unit which produces 110 PS of power at 3,850 rpm along with 240 Nm of torque at 1,750 rpm. A 5 speed manual gearbox will be standard with petrol engine, and will drive the front wheels. The diesel, on the other hand, gets a six speed manual.

The company has not offered an automatic gearbox option with the Kicks, even as an option. This can be a big bummer for many as automatics now account for a good share in sales. However, an auto box would be brought in by the company at a later stage. Talking of fuel efficiency, the Nissan Kicks gets a mileage of 14.23 km/l for the petrol engine. The diesel gets a mileage of 20.45 km/l for the base XL trim while the higher trims have a mileage rating of 19.39 km/l.

The Nissan Kicks will be available with a host of paint colours, which include solid shades as well as dual tone shades. The colours range from popular shades like white and silver to dual tone like red-black and white-orange. To be precise, a total of 11 colour options have been made available on the Kicks. The company is also offering 3 year warranty along with 3 year road side assistance and 3 year service maintenance with the Kicks at no extra cost. This translates into very low after sales costs and makes the deal even sweeter.

Now Nissan has played the pricing game well and have placed the Kicks a Bit lower than the Hyundai Creta. The car is decently equipped and gets good engines too. This could be the vehicle that will again bring back Nissan into the sales game. However, the lack of an automatic will definitely hurt its prospects and the company should look into this as soon as possible.

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KTM India has launched the 2019 KTM RC 200 ABS priced at Rs. 1.88 lakh, ex-showroom. It is Rs. 9,000 more expensive than the non-ABS KTM RC 200, which will be no longer available in the market after 31st March 2019 due to the safety rules.

The new safety rules that will be implemented on 1st April 2019 makes the ABS mandatory for all the two-wheelers that are powered by a 125cc or larger engine. The same rule also mandates all the two-wheelers below 125cc to offer the combi-braking system that engages both the front and rear brakes when the rear brake lever is engaged.

KTM has not changed anything in the bike and it remains visually and mechanically same. KTM updated the 200 Duke with the single-channel ABS sourced from Bosch last year. Even the RC 200 gets the single-channel ABS similar to the naked cousin. It is a single-channel unit that is only effective in the front wheel of the bike. Even that will be quite effective in stopping the bike without skidding on the unpredictable Indian roads.

There are no other changes in the bike as KTM launched the new RC 200 last year with an updated paint scheme. The RC 200 takes on the likes of Yamaha YZF-R15 V3.0 in the Indian market. It is an entry-level track tool, which is popular for its full-fairing body and aggressive styling. Mechanically, the bike remains unchanged too. It is powered by a 199.5cc, single-cylinder four-stroke engine that develops a maximum power of 25 Bhp and a peak torque of 19 Nm. It is a liquid-cooled, fuel-injected engine and gets four-valve set-up with twin overhead camshafts. The engine gets a 6-speed transmission and the engine is quite rev-friendly, making it a fun-to-ride bike.

The RC 200 offers a very aggressive seating posture, similar to the big sports bikes. It is used as a stepping stone by many who want to buy bigger capacity bikes in the future or want to take up track riding professionally. The KTM RC200 gets dual projector headlamp in the front and a fully-digital LCD instrument cluster. The turn indicators and the tail lamp unit of the RC200 get LED lamps giving it a distinctive look.

The KTM RC 200 gets disc brakes on both the front and rear wheels and the exhaust is smartly tucked under the body. KTM dealerships across India have started accepting the bookings for the ABS version of the bike and the deliveries are expected to start soon. It is not known if the non-ABS version of the bike will be available in the showrooms anymore but they should be available till the stocks last as the sale of non-ABS version would be illegal from 1st April.

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