Suzuki has showcased a modified version of the already wild Swift Sport at the ongoing Bangkok International Motor Show. To let you know, the Swift Sport is the more powerful and sporty version of the regular Swift we have in India. It is not available for sale in India although rumours were rife some time back that Suzuki will bring it here. Coming to this factory mod Swift Sport, it makes the regular Swift Sport seem docile. The changes made on the car range from aesthetic bits to functional changes. Take a good look at this beauty before we mover further onto its details.

There is absolutely no doubt that this custom factory modded Swift Sport defines how hot hatches should look like. It carries the signature Swift Sport yellow paint theme, albeit in a darker shade matching its dark personality. The bumper sports a split black strip running across its length along with bonnet scoops. The headlights now sport yellow coloured eyelashes followed by black body decal. The rear part of the front fenders now sports air scoops which are in fact functional units. Rest of the design elements like the lip spoiler, grille and the alloys have been retained from the stock Swift Sport.

The rear end is largely the same save for blacked out tail lights and C-pillar with black decals. The sides also feature a grey strip running along its length towards the bottom door end. Overall, the car looks much more exciting than the regular Swift Sport. A more contrasting paint job would have looked much better on it but then we petrolheads are rarely satisfied with what we have. The interiors of the custom Swift Sport here have been left untouched though.

The Suzuki Swift Sport is powered by a K14C 1.4-litre Boosterjet petrol engine. This engine churns out a maximum power of 140 PS at 5,500 rpm and a peak torque of 230 Nm from 2,500-3,500 rpm. The turbo-petrol motor comes is available with two transmission options – 6-speed manual transmission and 6-speed automatic. The Swift Sport is available in FWD format and is a pretty fun to drive car due to its low kerb weight, which is under 1,000 kg.

As for the question of Maruti bringing the Swift Sport in India, we tell you that it is a big no. Neither the Swift Sport nor the Jimny will come to India anytime soon as was speculated earlier. The main reason behind this is the lack of proper demand. Also, the car would be brought in via the CKD route which will push its cost much above Rs. 15 lakhs. As of now, the most hardcore performance hatchback in India under Rs. 10 lakh mark is the Fiat Punto Abarth, followed by the like of Volkswagen Polo GT, Tata JTP twins, and Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS.

Image Source – IAB

Also Read: Royal Enfield Classic 350, 500 Trials scrambler motorcycles launched

Royal Enfield has launched the Classic 350 Trails and Classic 500 Trials in the market. The Classic 350 Trails is priced at Rs. 1.62 lakhs, ex-showroom, Delhi while the Classic 500 Trails costs Rs. 2.07 lakhs. As their names suggest, the Trials motorcycles are based on the Royal Enfield Classic series and gets quite a few changes that make them quite different from the Classic. The Royal Enfield Trials are the most affordable scramblers that once can buy in the Indian market.

The Trials are more capable versions of the Classic and utilize the same chassis and engine set-up. The bikes have been designed to tackle the rough roads and use for long-distance tours. There are quite a few changes in the bikes and it is not merely a sticker or paint job. To start with, both the bikes get red highlights on the body and the chassis. The second most interesting change in the Trials is the high-mounted exhaust tip. The angled exhaust tip ensures that the exhaust opening stays clear of the water when the bike has to go through water-logged places or cross water streams in the high passes of the Himalayas.

The Indian version of the Trials also gets high-raised handlebars that ensure that the rider gets into a comfortable riding position for long distance journeys. As stock, both 350 Trails and 500 Trails get a single spring-loaded seat in the front and an iron carrier in the place of the pillion seat. The rack can be used to tie the luggage easily, which indicates that Royal Enfield will target the long-distance riders with this bike. The Classic series is quite commonly used in the Ladakh region when thousands of bikers from around the world flock to the Ladakh region after the roads open every year.

Royal Enfield has started taking bookings officially for the bikes at Rs 5,000 and the deliveries are expected to begin soon. It should be noted that Royal Enfield already offers a similar Trials variant in the UK market with an upswept exhaust but the Indian version looks quite different from the version on sale in the UK market.

Both the Trials 350 and Trials 500 get the same engine set-up that power the Classic range. The Trials 350 gets powered by a 346cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that develops a maximum power of 19.8 Bhp and a peak torque of 28 Nm. The bigger Trails 500 get powered by a 499cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that churns out a peak power of 27.1 Bhp and 41 Nm of maximum torque. Both the motorcycles get a 5-speed transmission set-up. Royal Enfield offers dual-channel ABS with the Trials 500 but the Trials 350 get a single-channel ABS set-up but disc brakes on both the wheels.

Royal Enfield has not mentioned if the parts of the Trials will be available for the Royal Enfield Classic customers as official accessories. Currently, the brand is also out testing the updated Unit Construction Engine (UCE) that is likely to get BS-VI emission compliance.

Also Read: Royal Enfield Classic 350, 500 Trials scrambler motorcycles launched

MG Motors will soon launch the all-new SUV that will get the name Hector in the Indian market. The manufacturer has released an official video of the upcoming vehicle, which is heavily camouflaged. The video highlights the test runs of the Hector in India and also reveals a lot about the upcoming car that will take on the likes of Jeep Compass in the Indian market.

The video of the Hector shows various features of the upcoming SUV including the remote keyless entry and a glimpse of the keyfob itself. The video also confirms the panoramic sunroof that covers almost the whole length of the car. The video also catches the glimpse of the automatic anti-glare interior review mirror and the fully digital 7-inch driver instrument cluster.

The video further shows the independent LED DRLs of the SUV. It will get the main headlamp cluster positioned below in the bumper just like the Tata Harrier. This will give a very aggressive and futuristic look to the car. It gets a quad-headlamp set-up which is likely to be full LED units. All the lamps of the Harrier are LED including the cabin lamps. The MG Hector also gets full LED tail lamps. It gets a very aggressive design on the outside with blacked out C and D Pillars, which add a floating roof effect to the vehicle.

The MG Hector is expected to be extremely loaded when it comes to features. Earlier, the manufacturer revealed that the Hector will be the first “Connected Car” in the segment and the car will get an operating system with eSIM. It will be connected to the Internet and will provide crucial data to the owners. The Hector will also get over-the-air updates, which will make the vehicle one of its kind in the segment.

The MG Hector will be powered by the 2.0-litre Multijet diesel engine sourced from Fiat. It is the same engine that also powers the Tata Harrier and the Jeep Compass in the Indian market. In the Harrier, the engine produces a maximum of 140 PS while in the Compass, the same engine produces 173 PS. Both the vehicles get 350 Nm of peak torque. It is likely that the Hector will get more power than the Tata Harrier.

For the petrolheads, MG Motors will offer a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces around 143 PS and 250 Nm. Both the engine options will get 6-speed manual transmission while the 6-speed dual-clutch transmission can be offered with the petrol variants.

The Hector is expected to get a very aggressive price tag in the Indian market and it will be manufactured in India too. It will be launched later this year in the Indian market.

Also Read: Hyundai Venue is Maruti Brezza's latest compact suv rival, & it'll be unveiled soon

The coming months will see brands like MG and Kia being launched in India. Many other brands like Peugeot have also started preparing for their Indian debut which will happen after 2019. Joining the list now is Shelby, the renowned tuners for Ford cars responsible for timeless classics like the Shelby Cobra. Reports suggest that Pune-based AJP Group is planning to introduce the Ford Shelby nameplate in India. The AJP Group will assemble the high-end performance cars in India in partnership with Shelby India.

As for the launch details, it is expected that the brand will be here by this year itself. To let you know, Shelby is one of the most famous tuner houses in the world and works with Ford to soup up their range of cars. Their most popular cars include the highly tuned versions of the Ford Mustang and the Raptor.

The company is named aster its founder, Carroll Shelby, who is considered to be among the finest automotive engineer ever. As for which car Shelby wil bring here first, it would most probably be the newly unveiled the 2020 Shelby Mustang GT500. This is the most powerful Mustang, featuring a 5.2-litre, supercharged V8 engine producing more than 700 Bhp.

Commenting on the developments, the newly-appointed group chief operating officer Manas Dewan said:

“The Shelby racing cars are built on the Ford platform but souped-up and modified for performance. AJP Group is a technical partner of Shelby India. We will assemble the cars in India and carry out necessary modifications and upgrades. Shelby India will look after the marketing and distribution of these cars. Ford will support Shelby India’s customers with warranty backup just as it does worldwide,”

The first cars will roll out after the first half of this year and as mentioned earlier, will be assembled locally by AJP Group.It will be priced around Rs.  The Shelby models are built upon regular Ford cars but get additional tweaks on them. This includes sporty body kits and lots of carbon fibre parts. The engines are also given a boost and the overall character of the car is tuned for performance.

There are currently two other Shelby models based on the Ford Mustang, apart from the maniac GT500. These are the GT350 and the GT350R. They are powered by a 5.2-litre, V8 engine that is capable of producing 519bhp of power at 7,500rpm and 582Nm of torque at 4,750rpm. Power is transmitted to the wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.

The launch of Shelby in India will mark a new chapter for the country, as the famous tuner house is known for making some of the wildest cars in the world. Given the popularity of the Ford Mustang in India, Shelby could also have reasonable success here.

Source

Also Read: Hyundai Venue is Maruti Brezza's latest compact suv rival, & it'll be unveiled soon

The Mahindra Thar is among the best off-road utility vehicles on sale in India currently. It is widely popular among off-road enthusiasts as well as in the mod circuits across the country. However, no matter how capable a vehicle is, it needs a good and experienced driver to get the best out of it. A good driver can even put on a great off-road show in a regular 4×4 while and a newbie would fail in a highly modified 4×4. Also, there are many factors to be kept in mind while going on an off-road trip. The video below by Lokesh Swami shows just that. Let’s take a look at the video to know what happened before moving on further.

As seen in the video, the Mahindra Thar was on the verge of being toppled while coming down the sand dune. What happened here is that a group of enthusiasts went out for an off-road tour and one of the drivers was about to take the THar from the top of a dune to its bottom. However, due to body imbalance and poor judgement of the surface, the Thar slipped sideways while trying to come down from the mountain and nearly overturned. It stopped in due time and a big mishap was prevented.

Nonetheless, the group then used a winch to pull and straighten the vehicle. After much efforts and a lot of time, the Mahindra Thar finally crawled down to the bottom of the Sand dune, making everyone heave a sigh of relief. This video presents another classic case of several mistakes made by people while off-roading. We have already mentioned about the difference a driver can make. However, one should always check the terrain before making a foray. If they had checked whether the sand was packed or loose, it would have made all the difference. Also, the sudden acceleration and late turning of the steering are among the main reasons why the Thar slid down the sand like a toy.

Another point highlighted by this incident is that one should never go alone on such off-road expeditions. A group of people is always better than a solo driver in the wild terrain. If a car gets stuck, others can help get it out and check for damage which is not the case when driving solo. When going on a planned off-road trip, carry essentials tools like winch, spades, gunny bags, tyre inflator, proper toolset, and high lift jack among others. Off-roading is one of the best outdoor sport for a petrolhead but should be done with caution to avoid any sort of casualties. Also, never panic if your vehicle gets in a sticky situation. Rather, cool down and think how to get out along with following the instructions of your team.

Also Read: Hyundai Venue is Maruti Brezza's latest compact suv rival, & it'll be unveiled soon

Bajaj Auto is yet to officially launch or announce the pricing of the 2019 Dominar but our friends at Thrustzone have  managed to snag the pricing of the new motorcycle. The upgraded 2019 Bajaj Dominar is priced at Rs. 1.74 lakhs, ex- showroom Delhi, which makes it about Rs. 10,000 pricier than the outgoing model.

Considering the slew of changes on the new motorcycle, the pricing is quite competitive. Bajaj launched the dual  channel ABS equipped Dominar at Rs. 1.50 lakhs, back in 2016. Meanwhile, deliveries of the 2019 Bajaj Dominar 400  will start soon even as Bajaj dealers across India are accepting bookings for the new motorcycle.

Talking of the various changes that the 2019 Bajaj Dominar 400 features, it gets mechanical improvements, visual  tweaks and feature enhancements. As for mechanical changes, the single biggest change is the new, DOHC engine head, which allows the motor to make a full 5 Bhp additional power. Power and torque putputs of the 2019 Dominar are rated at 40 Bhp-35 Nm, up from 35 Bhp-35 Nm.

Also, another change has been that of swapping the telescopic front forks for upside down units. The upside down front forks offer better shock absorption, especially on bad roads, and also make the front end look a lot more chunkier. Another mechanical change is the new, twin barreled exhaust, which makes for a better exhaust note.

Other changes on the motorcycle include new rear view mirrors, a revised instrument cluster that now reads out more information and a softer monoshock rear suspension for better ride comfort. As for other details, the engine  continues to retain four valves, fuel injection and liquid cooling. The gearbox is a six speed unit with a slipper  clutch as standard. The Bajaj Dominar 400 continues to weigh a hefty 184 kilograms, which means that it’s quite hefty  and substantial. The bike is a sports tourer that’s meant to be be ridden everyday on regular roads, and on highway   during the weekends.

Also, Bajaj Auto will offer a range of touring accessories for the 2019 Dominar through its dealerships. These  accessories have been developed by Pune-based customization company Autologue. These accessories will not only work on the 2019 Dominar but also on the pre-facelift version. The whole idea behind these accessories – which include a taller front fairing, a high-set mudguard and many such nifty bits – is to make the Dominar a highly capable sports tourer that offers the rider significant amounts of comfort and wind protection. Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out our first ride review of the 2019 Bajaj Dominar 400 right here!

Also Read: Hyundai Venue is Maruti Brezza's latest compact suv rival, & it'll be unveiled soon

Royal Enfield launched the much-awaited scrambler version of their Bullet series yesterday. The bikes have been priced at Rs. 1.62 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the Bullet 350 Trails while the Bullet 500 Trails costs Rs. 2.07 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). This makes them the most affordable scrambler themed bikes available in India, the next closest being the FB Mondial HPS 300 which has an ex-showroom price of around Rs. 3.37 lakhs. Now, the company has released a new TVC that highlights the significance and explores the historical connect of these bikes. Take a look at the video below before we discuss further about the bikes.

The new 2019 Trials bike series is inspired by Johnny Brittain’s champion Bullet and the Royal Enfield Factory Team’s tremendous success at the International Six Days’ Trials. According to Royal Enfield, the Bullet Trials Works Replica is a homage to a motorcycling legend. They are built on the Bullet series, which itself is the world’s oldest bike series in continuous production. The TVC carries rare footage at the beginning which shows Johnny Brittain riding on his championship winning bike.

Talking of the Trials replica bikes the company launched recently, this is the first time that Royal Enfield has brought a scrambler styled motorcycle in India. Both the bike get different chassis paint scheme, Red for the Trials 350 and Green for the Trials 500. The bikes have been endowed with lots of chrome which somehow does not match the scrambler theme. The high-mounted exhaust tip is a feature that will be pretty useful in off-road rides. The angled exhaust tip ensures that the exhaust opening stays clear of the water when the bike has to go through water-logged places or cross water streams.

Moreover, the Bullet Trials series also gets high-raised handlebars along with a single spring-loaded seat in the front and an iron carrier in the place of the pillion seat, which can be used to tie the luggage easily. The bikes are targeted towards those who often take their bikes for long trips involving challenging terrain, especially the mountainous region. The Indian version of the bike is different from the international version.

The Royal Enfield Trials 350 gets powered by a 346cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that develops a maximum power of 19.8 Bhp along with a peak torque of 28 Nm. The more powerful Royal Enfield Trials 500 gets powered by a 499cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that produces a peak power of 27.1 Bhp and 41 Nm of maximum torque. Both the motorcycles get a 5-speed transmission set-up. Royal Enfield offers dual-channel ABS with the Trials 500 but the Trials 350 get a single-channel ABS set-up but disc brakes on both the wheels.

In its price range, the Royal Enfield Bullet Trials face no direct threat as of now. There are no scrambler motorcycles under Rs. 3 lakh price mark in India. However, they are likely to be challenged by adventure tourer bikes like Royal Enfield’s own Himalayan and the upcoming KTM 390 Duke Adventure. However, the Duke adventure will be quite expensive than the Trials series.

Also Read: Hyundai Venue is Maruti Brezza's latest compact suv rival, & it'll be unveiled soon

Owning expensive cars in India can be a wonderful experience due to their rarity on the road, however, it can be a quite stressful experience too. Indian roads, especially the roads within the city limits are not in the best condition. The authorities carry out repair works or build new roads every now and then unannounced, which can cause a lot of trouble for the local residents. Here is Mumbiker Nikhil, who faced a similar situation and tried getting out his Audi A4 before the road situation becomes worse.

From the video it looks like the road outside his home is getting repaired and to put on the surface, the authorities are increasing the height of the road. The work has been going on for quite a few days outside his home and he wanted to take the vehicle out of the parking so that he can use it regularly. After seeing that the road condition is better than before, he decides to take the vehicle out in the middle of the night with the help of a few friends.

While the whole road looks to be shambles, he decides to try to take the vehicle out cautiously. A few workers who were present at the spot also helped him through the situation. Nikhil decides to take a huge hump on the road as the surface of the road in that direction is better than the opposite side. He then asks for help and gets to know that the JCB cranes will only start working after a few hours in the area.

He then asks his friend to cautiously drive the vehicle while he himself acts as a spotter to ensure that his beloved Audi does not gets damaged. As soon as the vehicle near the huge artificial bumper, the front overhang of the vehicle causes the bumper to almost touch the road surface. He then takes the help of the workers who smoothen out the angle of the road to help the Audi A4 on the bump. Due to the wheelbase of the sedans and low ground clearance, the sedans are prone to beach from the middle on such surfaces but nothing as such happened here as the driver of the vehicle and the spotter acted very carefully. While coming down from it, the front bumper came dangerously close to the road surface but it did not touch.

The bad road surface is one of the biggest challenges faced by the exotic low slung cars in India. Apart from the road works, India is home to numerous illegal speed breakers that are built by the locals to slow down the vehicles. Many of these speed breakers remain unmarked and can cause accidents if a high-speed vehicle driver fails to spot them in time. Also, many of these speed breakers are much taller in size than the permissible limit, which again can cause damage to the vehicles. This is one of the main reasons why most new-generation customers prefer to go for SUVs rather than the sedans or hatchbacks in India.

Also Read: Hyundai Venue is Maruti Brezza's latest compact suv rival, & it'll be unveiled soon

Tata showcased the 7 seater version of the Harrier this month at the Geneva Motor Show. Called the Buzzard in the European markets, the SUV has a similar design language as of the Harrier. However, just recently the company revealed that the SUV will be named Cassini in India. Now, fresh spy shots have surfaced which show the Indian spec Cassini being tested on roads. The seven-seater SUV was spotted running on stylish alloy wheels and was covered with heavy camouflage prints. As seen in the picture below, the front end is reminiscent of the Tata Harrier.

The Tata Cassini is built on the OMEGA platform and designed on the lines of the IMPACT 2.0 design philosophy, both of which are present on the Harrier as well. The Cassini is longer and taller than the Harrier, although the width of both the SUVs is the same.

The rear profile is a bit different with a taller roofline, different tail lights as well as a different C and D pillar design. This has been done to accommodate the extra row of seat and to provide ample headroom at the rear, which would have not been possible with the Harrier’s sloping roofline.

The interiors and features of the Cassini will largely be the same, save for the extra row of bench and some other changes. The large central infotainment unit along with the wood finish is present on the Cassini as well.

However, boot space has taken a hit due to the extra row of seats but it can be folded as per convenience. It will be among the largest SUV in its segment and will challenge vehicle a segment above from it when finally launched here.

The Tata Cassini will be powered by the same Fiat sourced 2.0-litre KRYOTEC diesel engine as on the Harrier. However, unlike the 138 Bhp output on the here, this engine is expected to produce around 170 Bhp on the Cassini. The engine will come mated to both a manual transmission and a Hyundai sourced automatic transmission. The latter will be made available on the Harrier as well. The OMEGA platform on which the Cassini is built can accommodate a 4×4 drivetrain and Tata would probably offer it as an option on the SUV.

Tata will most probably launch the Cassini by the end of this year, or after the festive season. The company will launch the Altroz premium hatchback before it. Though there has been no word on its pricing as yet, we expect it to start from around Rs. 14 lakhs to 14.5 lakhs, which makes it a decent deal. It will challenge the likes of the Mahindra XUV500, Jeep Compass and the Upcoming MG Hector SUV upon being launched.

Picture Courtesy – Motor World India

Also Read: Hyundai Venue is Maruti Brezza's latest compact suv rival, & it'll be unveiled soon

India is one of the largest consumers of gold in the world, and there are many who love to wear gold ornaments. Sunny Waghchaure from Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune, Maharashtra is one such person who is popular in the region for his love for gold. Sunny is known as “Gold Man” because of the gold jewellery that he wears and to maintain his love for gold; he also moves around in golden vehicles.

Sunny owns quite a few luxury vehicles, and out of them, three vehicles have been wrapped in gold, making them look excellent and different. These are not gold plated vehicles, but the wrap on them is of golden colour.

The original body paint of the car stays hidden under the wrap. Sachin is a businessman and also finance movies. Here are five cars that he uses to moves around including his gold Mercedes, Jaguar and Audi cars.

Audi Q7

The Audi Q7 is one of the latest vehicles from his garage to get the golden wrap. It is a 2013 Audi Q7, and the golden wrap ensures that the original paint of the vehicle is not visible. He uses the Audi Q7 quite often and moves with a convoy of vehicles to ensure the safety of the wrap. The Audi Q7 is the top-of-the-line SUV of the German brand, and this particular vehicle is powered by a 3.0-litre diesel engine and gets a 7-speed automatic transmission.

Jaguar XF

Sunny also moves around in a gold-wrapped Jaguar XF sedan. The entry-level sedan from the brand is priced at around Rs. 50 lakhs and looks stunning in a gold wrap. Even the wheels of the Jaguar XF are wrapped in gold, which makes it look special and unique. The Jaguar is the newest car in his garage, which he bought in 2017. The XF is powered by both petrol and diesel engine options in the Indian market but the exact engine of this vehicle is not known.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is one of the best-selling luxury cars in India. The car has been on sale in the Indian market for a long time now and the model seen here is a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class with quad headlamp set-up. This is one more gold wrapped vehicle owned by Sunny and is often used by him to arrive at events or meetings.

Land Rover Range Rover Vogue

Land Rover Range Rover is one of the most popular SUVs in the world and is owned by numerous celebrities. The vehicle seen here is an L332 Land Rover Range Rover Vogue, which is the previous generation SUV. It looks like he recently got the vehicle home and the SUV is yet to get a wrap on it, but we sure hope to see a golden Range Rover running around on the Indian roads.

Audi A3

The Audi is the entry-level sedan from the German brand in the Indian market. Sunny got the new A3 when it first came to the Indian market, which is why it is a pre-facelift version. The car is yet to get a golden wrap like the other vehicles in his garage.

Also Read: Hyundai Venue is Maruti Brezza's latest compact suv rival, & it'll be unveiled soon

Having efficient firefighting systems is critical during large gatherings and events, especially if the event sees one of the largest gatherings in the world. Uttar Pradesh Fire Fighting Services deployed modified Royal Enfield Himalayan as fire engines during the recently concluded Kumbh Mela and here are the first pictures of the bike.

The Royal Enfield Himalayan can be seen completely modified with equipment to fight the fire. The small fire engines eliminate the need for large space to move the full-size fire truck and they also act as the first responders when a fire erupts. The compact size of the motorcycle fire engines makes them very agile and easy to manoeuvre.

The exact modification and equipment details on the bike are not known but from the pictures, we can see that it gets a large tank that stores the foam based fire extinguisher that forms a blanket over the fire and cuts off the air supply, which douses the fire immediately. A similar tank on the opposite side stores the water, which can be sprayed through the long hose connected to the bike. It also gets a pressure pump mounted on the side that increases the flow of the water from the hose and makes sure that the water reaches the intended area. Other additions are a public announcement speaker, a flasher and a small fire extinguisher mounted on the side of the bike.

This is not the first time motorcycles have been modified as fire truck engines in India. Mumbai Fire Fighting Services also uses a similar Royal Enfield Himalayan to reach the congested areas. There are other such bikes including Bajaj Avenger and Royal Enfield Classic to fight the fire in various states.

Deploying the motorcycle fire engine at an affected area ensures that it reaches the spot easily and without any trouble. Bigger fire engines take a lot of time to reach the spot due to the crowded streets and congested lanes. However, the bike fire engines are not equipped to completely douse the bigger fires. Instead, they work to contain the fire and stop it from spreading to the surrounding areas. They work as a supporting unit to the fire engine trucks.

The exact cost of such a modification is not known but the Mumbai Fire Services said that such bikes can cost around Rs. 6-8 lakhs, depending on the equipment and model of the bike. Motorcycles serve a lot of purposes. There are many motorcycle ambulances in India that can reach extremely congested places where four-wheelers cannot reach. There are many who are utilising the mobility of motorcycles in many good ways and hopefully, we will keep on seeing such inventions in the future too.

Also Read: Hyundai Venue is Maruti Brezza's latest compact suv rival, & it'll be unveiled soon

Hyundai has officially revealed that the new, sub-4 meter compact SUV it’ll soon launch as a Maruti Brezza challenger will be called the Venue. The Hyundai Venue’s name has also been teased through a video, and the SUV will be officially unveiled at the upcoming New York Motor Show in April 2019. It’s likely to be launched in the Indian  market a month later, in May. The Hyundai Venue will rival the likes of the Maruti Vitara Brezza, the Tata Nexon, the Mahindra XUV300 and the Ford EcoSport. It will be Hyundai’s first sub-4 meter SUV for the Indian market, and will be positioned below the best selling Creta.

Considering the fact that Hyundai sells nearly 10,000 units of the Creta in India each month, the South Korean  automaker will be targeting sales of over 10,000 units for the Venue SUV, which will be much more cheaper than the  Creta. Prices of the Venue are expected to start from Rs. 7.5 lakhs for the base petrol variant, and about Rs. 8.5  lakhs for the base diesel variant. On whether Hyundai will take a value pricing approach for the Venue, or whether  it’ll go for a price premium for its latest SUV is something we’ll have to wait and watch for. The Hyundai Venue will  be projected as a butch alternative to premium hatchbacks and compact sedans.

For now, we do know that the compact SUV will pack in a 1 liter-3 cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with about 110 Bhp of peak power and 170 Nm of peak torque. While a manual gearbox will be standard with this engine, Hyundai is also likely to offer an automated manual transmission option. The diesel engine could be the 1.4 liter motor borrowed from the likes of the Elite i20 and Creta. This motor makes 89 Bhp-220 Nm, and is paired with a 6 speed manual gearbox. The same combination is expected to be offered on the Venue. A front wheel drive layout will be standard on this SUV, and there will be no all wheel drive mode, even as an option.

Typically, cars sold by Hyundai are loaded with features that are often best-in-segment. The Venue is likely to be no  different. The video teaser of the SUV has also indicated that a sunroof will be on offer. Expect many other segment  topping features. A touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay will be standard on the top-end variants. All variants will get twin airbags, ABS, EBD, speed alert, reverse parking camera, seat belt reminder  and ISOFIX child seat mounting points as standard. The high variants could add cruise control, hill hold, additional  airbags and ESP as other safety features. As for creature comforts, keyless entry, automatic dual zone climate  control, push button start, automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers and other features are likely to be offered on  the Venue.

Also Read: Hyundai Venue is Maruti Brezza's latest compact suv rival, & it'll be unveiled soon

Just ahead of the Jawa retro motorcycle deliveries, the manufacturers of Jawas – Mahindra Two Wheelers – is offering  a massive Rs. 75,000 discount on the Mojo UT300 sports tourer. After discount, Mahindra employees will be able to purchase the Mojo UT300 at Rs. 75,000, which is half the price at which the motorcycle selling in Delhi – Rs.  1,49,520. Even if you’re not a Mahindra employee, you can bag upto Rs. 60,000 off on the Mojo UT300 by exchanging  your old two wheeler during purchase. And if you don’t have a two wheeler to exchange, you can still buy the Mahindra Mojo UT300 for a flat cash discount of Rs. 40,000.

There’s a catch though. Mahindra Two Wheelers dealers are offering this discount only on the 2018 model year Mojo  UT300. It’s unclear if the company is producing the Mojo UT300 anymore. If production has been halted, then these discounts are indicative of a move from Mahindra to cull the Mojo from its product line-up. The two wheeler arm of Mahindra could then fully focus on the Jawa range of retro-motorcycles, which has received a great response from buyers. The Mahindra Mojo – right from the outset, has been a poor seller, and even the cut price UT300 variant did little to boost sales.

Coming to the technical specifications of the Mahindra Mojo UT300, the motorcycle uses a carbureted version of the  295cc four stroke engine, which gets fuel injection on the regular Mojo. On the Mojo UT300, this motor pumps out 22.5 Bhp of peak power and 25.2 Nm of peak torque. The engine is paired with a five speed manual gearbox. The engine gets liquid cooling, a four valve head and twin overhead camshafts. The gearbox is a six speed unit. The Mojo UT300 retains the unique, twin exhaust layout, and weighs 163 kilograms. In order to make the motorcycle more affordable, Mahindra Two Wheelers has also replaced the upside down front forks with cheaper, telescopic front forks.

Other key changes include the swapping of Pirelli Diablo Rosso II to MRF tyres on the UT300, and deletion of twin horns and replacing this feature with a single horn. Apart from these changes, the motorcycle is stylistically identical to the regular Mojo 300. It retains the 21 liter fuel tank, which gives it a massive range of over 60 kilometers, reaffirming its positioning as a sports touring motorcycle. Notably, the Mojo UT300, even before discount was Rs. 21,000 cheaper than the regular Mojo. With the latest discounts on offer, the motorcycle is a really tempting buy for those who want a very affordable yet solidly engineered long distance bike.

Via FinancialExpress

Also Read: Ola to challenge ZoomCar with new Self Drive car service!

Maruti Suzuki has finally launched the much-awaited 1.5-litre diesel engine with the Ciaz. It is an in-house developed engine, which was highly awaited in the market. Ciaz 1.5-litre diesel is available in three variants – Delta, Zeta and Alpha. Prices as below. Delta Rs. 9.97 lakh, Zeta – Rs. 11.08 lakh, Alpha – Rs. 11 37 lakhs. The Ciaz powered by the 1.3-litre diesel engine is also on sale and will remain so for the foreseeable future. The Ciaz 1.3 SHVS (older model) is priced as below. Delta – Rs. 9.8 lakh, Zeta – 10.6 lakh and Alpha Rs. 11 lakh. All the prices are ex-showroom, Delhi.

Why does this matter?

1. It’s the first in-house diesel engine from Suzuki. This means that the 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet diesel engine – a staple across a slew of Maruti cars from the Swift to the S-Cross – will make way for the new diesel engine. This will result in Maruti having to pay no royalty to Fiat, and could potentially mean lower prices for you, the diesel car buyer.
2. The new diesel engine will make Maruti cars more powerful, as the torque output now stands at 225 Nm, up from the 200 Nm that the Fiat Multijet diesel motor made.
3. Then there’s a new 6 speed manual gearbox that accompanies the bigger diesel engine. Faster overtaking and better pick up across all gears are two likely advantages. The additional gear is expected to boost acceleration through the gears, and also offer better mileage while highway cruising by allowing the engine to spin at a lower rpm.
4. The new Ertiga MPV and S-Cross crossover are two other cars that will soon get the new 1.5 liter DDiS 225 diesel engine. Even the Maruti Brezza could get this engine although it remains unclear whether smaller cars such as the Swift, Baleno and Dzire will also get this motor. If they do, better performance and fuel efficiency is what we can expect.
5. As for the Ciaz’s direct competition (Hyundai Verna and Honda City), the new engine reduces the performance gap, making the Ciaz more attractive to buyers. Previously, the Ciaz Diesel (89 Bhp-200 Nm) had quite a gap between the Hyundai Verna (126 Bhp-250 Nm) and a slight gap with the Honda City (98.6 Bhp-200 Nm) Diesels. Now though, the 94 Bhp-225 Nm outputs of the new diesel engine has narrowed this gap down.
6. Thanks to the higher performance on offer, the engine is less fuel efficient than before. Mileage has gone down to 26.82 Kmpl, from 28.01 Kmpl.
7. The engine gets a new turbocharger and a dual mass flywheel. The new turbo is said to boost low end torque significantly with the new flywheel reducing noise and vibration levels,.

Sharing his thoughts on the new offering, Mr Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki said

Maruti Suzuki has always re-defined the Indian auto industry with its revolutionary offerings. The all-new aluminium 1.5-litre DDiS 225 diesel engine is yet another testament of the same. This new engine offers an optimum balance of enhanced performance with best in class fuel efficiency. The new engine showcases our commitment to provide products that capture performance aspirations of our young customers. We are confident that the introduction of this new engine will further strengthen our portfolio and help in the popularity of our cars.

The 1.5-litre diesel engine has been developed in-house by the manufacturer. Until now, all Maruti Suzuki diesel cars get powered by the 1.3-litre diesel engine sourced from Fiat. The all-new four-cylinder engine produces a maximum of 94 Bhp at 4,000 rpm and peak torque of 225 Nm between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm. Maruti Suzuki also claims that the engine offers a better low-end torque due to the high-efficiency turbocharger.

The engine also uses Dual Mass Flywheel (DMF) that ensures that the compression ratio is optimized and it reduces the engine noise and vibrations greatly. Maruti Suzuki also claims that the engine returns the best fuel efficiency in the segment. According to ARAI, the new 1.5-litre diesel engine powered Ciaz returns a maximum of 26.82 km/l. The new Ciaz also gets a newly designed 6-speed transmission with the new engine.

Last year, Maruti Suzuki introduced the all-new a 1.5-litre petrol engine with the Ciaz. It generates a maximum power of 103 Bhp at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 138 Nm of peak torque at 4,400 rpm. It gets an SHVS mild hybrid system too. However, the all-new 1.5-litre diesel engine available with the car does not offer the SHVS mild hybrid system. All the features of the car remain the same. The vehicle gets standard dual airbag and ABS across all the variants.

The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz takes on the likes of Hyundai Verna, Honda City and Toyota Yaris in the Indian market. It is one of the best-selling cars in the segment and according to Maruti, the top-end variant contributes to 54% sales to the model.

Also Read: Ola to challenge ZoomCar with new Self Drive car service!

Kia will soon launch its first production car in the Indian market later this year. The first car from the brand will be based on the Kia SP Concept that made its debut at the 2018 Auto Expo in India. Kia has now showcased the SP Signature Concept at the Seoul Motor Show, which is an evolution of the Kia SP Concept and looks close to the production version of the car that will be launched in the Indian market later this year.

The Kia SP Signature Concept looks very similar to the SP Concept showcased in India and gets a wide grille with sleek DRLs. The main headlamp cluster of the vehicle is located lower in the bumper of the car like most of the modern cars. However, there are many design highlights that will definitely not appear on the production version of the car. For example, the front lamps merge into the tiger nose grille, which looks quite futuristic. The grille also gets integrated Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).

On the side, the Kia SP Signature Concept gets a close-to-production shoulder line. The vehicle gets a floating-roof design that looks quite good and the tapered window line of the vehicle gives it a very aggressive look to the car. It also gets twin exhaust tips integrated to the bumper of the vehicle and a silver skid plate. The tail lamps get a thick chrome bar that merges into them to form a very modern design.

According to Kia, the design language of the SP Signature Concept will inspire a lot of upcoming car models from Kia. While the future vehicles from the Korean brand may get a similar face and design language to the Kia SP Signature Concept, the production version of the vehicle, which will be launched in the Indian market by the end of this year will be heavily inspired by this concept.

It should be noted that the production version of the Kia SP Signature Concept will take on the likes of Hyundai Creta, Nissan Kicks and Renault Duster in the Indian market. Kia started the trial production of the upcoming SUV in India in January. The SUV will be underpinned by a new platform that will also underpin the upcoming Hyundai Creta in the future.

As for the engine options, Kia will likely power the upcoming SUV with a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine that will produce around 140 Bhp of maximum power. A naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine is also expected to be offered with the car. The diesel variants will be powered by 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine. At a later date, Kia is also expected to bring a more powerful version of the vehicle in the Indian market. Kia plans to launch a new car every six months in the Indian market.

Also Read: Ola to challenge ZoomCar with new Self Drive car service!

Safety is one key area that is in focus of late. Be it safer cars for India from manufacturers or the rising demand of safety features from new car buyers. We salute this good cause but have you ever thought about the safety of your family members when they are being driven by a stranger? Or your teenage kids who have just got their license and are out on the road, experimenting with driving skills?

These questions popped out in my mind when I had the latest safety-cum-dash camera from the house of Kent. Wait a minute – Kent? Yes, the pioneers in water purification are now turning their focus to ensure the safety of everyone via a very clever device, aptly named as the CamEye. What is this device and does it serve the purpose? Read on…

Kent CamEye is more than just a GPS tracker or a regular dash camera. It bundles together all the features of such devices and then more. For starters, it offers real-time video generation of what is happening ahead on the road, and inside the vehicle. The same is saved on the cloud server and accessible on your phone anywhere in the world for surveillance at a later stage. Second, it offers two-way communication wherein you can speak to the car occupants (including the driver) at any given period of time. And third, it offers all the functions of a regular car connect app or a dash camera which means location, trip details, alerts et al.

I used it for a good two weeks and was more than impressed. In spite of capturing real-time video, buffering was excellent which meant clear video quality. And if the device’s inner camera didn’t recognise my face (for example wearing shades and a cap), it would throw up an alert. This is crucial in case you have given the car to your driver or your teenage son or daughter and do not want anyone else behind the wheel.

Don’t want yourself to be recorded? The stealth mode does it for you! I could even go back into the app and check on my past trips in terms of both details and the actual video. At one point of time, the device even captured a friendly neighbour who was pushing my car back in the community parking area so that his car could come out. This was possible due to the onboard battery that has enough juice to last hours even when the car is off. It goes into a hibernation state but as soon as the sensors sense motion, they activate the camera. I could even replay the trip on the app with speeds at different times – looked cool in the playback!

Talking of which, the Kent CamEye also has sensors to judge if your driver is unnecessary burning fuel by running at the car and using the air-con while being parked. It can also sense abnormally high levels of sound inside the car which could occur during a fight. These are just some of the cool features that did impress me a lot. And because CamEye is powered from the car’s charging outlet and not hard-wired to the electricals, the warranty of your car does not take a hit.

Priced at Rs 17,999 including three months free subscription, Kent’s CarEye comes across a safety device that doubles up a GPS tracker, dash cam, recorder, car connect app and much more. You can use the videos for evidence during an accident, pester your kids to improve their driving behaviour and keep an eye on the driver while he drops your better half to a shopping mall. The software can be downloaded from Play Store / App Store and requires minimal log-in details. More details available at www.cameye.com

Also Read: Ola to challenge ZoomCar with new Self Drive car service!

Police forces often seize vehicles of serious offenders and scamsters and keep them in their custody. They are later on meant to be auctioned off but that is something that rarely happens. The pictures below show a similar case where expensive high-end vehicles have been left to rot in a police station. This is in the parking space in front of Shivajinagar police station and the cars in questions were once the pride of Deepak Sakharam Kulkarni (DSK), his companies and family. They have been here for about a year.

While the picture above shows their current condition, the picture below is of when they were confiscated and brought to the Police station. A total of 19 vehicles, which consists of 1 bike too, are present at the station right now. The cars in question include high-end vehicles like a red Porsche Cayenne, BMW 6 series, Audi Q5 and Toyota Camry among others. They have been standing at the same place for more than a year now and the pictures show the degrade in their condition overtime. The Porsche and BMW badges are missing from the cars and as they are parked in open, the harshness of weather is clearly visible on them.

These cars were confiscated after DSK, who is a real estate developer, was accused of financial irregularities and syphoning off investor funds. He is currently serving a jail term. The other cars being held by the police include six Toyota Innovas, one each of Qualis and a Hyundai Santro among others. Apart from these, an MV Agusta bike is also gathering dust in the station premises. The seized vehicles are a part of the 46 vehicles that have been mentioned in the May 5, 2018 government notification that announced attachment of 459 properties, 276 bank accounts, and 46 vehicles.

As of now, the police has not done a full price evaluation of all the vehicles present. However, the Porsche Cayenne, BMW 6 series and the Audi Q5 along can take things well past Rs. 2.5 crores. The red Porsche Cayenne is not the latest generation model but isn’t much old too. The base variant of the Porche Cayenne in India costs Rs. 1.19 crores and the range goes all the way up to Rs. 1.92 crores. The black BMW 6 series, on the other hand, is quite an expensive vehicle itself. According to the lawyer who has been representing DSK in the case, they have told the authorities to sell the vehicles since some time now.

If auctioned, the money gained from these vehicles can be used to pay back the depositors. Also, if the cars luckily land up with a petrolhead, it will be a win-win situation. After all, no offence was committed by these beauties for which they are paying the price.

Source

Also Read: Ola to challenge ZoomCar with new Self Drive car service!

Isuzu D-Max V-Cross is undoubtedly the best-selling pick-up truck in the private car segment in India. The brute looking pick-up is quite popular among the off-roaders in the market. Isuzu will soon launch a facelifted and updated version of the popular pick-up truck in the Indian market and it has been spied before the official launch in the Indian market.

The spy pictures on CarDekho show the upcoming vehicle inside out but they have not mentioned the location of the vehicle. The upcoming Isuzu D-Max V-Cross is expected to get a range of updates visually and will even offer a brand-new engine that will meet the upcoming emission norms.

The camouflaged Isuzu D-Max V-Cross can be seen under heavy camouflage but the updates on the vehicle are quite similar to the new MU-X facelift that was launched in the Indian market last year.  The upcoming car will get projector headlamps, revised front bumper, a new grille, revised rear bumper and updated tail lamps.

On the inside, the new 2019 Isuzu D-Max V-Cross will remain similar to the current version on sale. Isuzu will throw in a few updates to make the cabin look fresh. It will get a brown-black cabin finish replacing the beige-brown set-up in the current model.

Other changes on the dashboard of the upcoming Isuzu D-Max V-Cross are new piano black inserts that can be seen on the dashboard, central console and doors. The chrome inserts that can be seen on the current version of the pick-up truck have been replaced to add a sportier touch.

The biggest change will come in the form of engine. Isuzu will offer the new 1.9-litre diesel engine with the upcoming V-Cross. The engine is Euro VI compliant and the upcoming BS VI standards. The engine produces a maximum power of 164 PS and peak torque of 360 Nm.

For the first time, Isuzu will also offer a 6-speed manual transmission and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Currently, the vehicle gets powered by a 2.5-litre diesel engine that churns out a maximum power of 134 PS and peak torque of 320 Nm. It is available with a 5-speed manual transmission only.

The Isuzu D-Max V-Cross gets a 4X4 system with a low-ratio transfer case. The low-ratio transfer case multiplies the torque output that allows the vehicle to reach challenging places easily. The Isuzu D-Max V-Cross is a global vehicle and is very popular in the Indian market too.

The version seen in the pictures will be known as the ‘Prestige’ and is likely to be the top-trim of the model in the Indian market. As for the standard features, Isuzu will offer dual airbags, ABS+EBD, ISOFIX child seat hooks, rear parking sensors, speed alerts. The higher level trims will also get extra airbags, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system and more.

Also Read: Ola to challenge ZoomCar with new Self Drive car service!

Porsche Cayenne is the best-selling car from the brand in the Indian market. The 5-seater SUV looks quite desirable. The brand-new Porsche Cayenne is priced at Rs 1.2 crores, ex-showroom Delhi. However, the value of such luxury vehicles depreciates quite quickly in the market. Here is a 2012 Porsche Cayenne available in the market that costs only Rs. 16.75 lakh, cheaper than the top-end variant of the Hyundai Creta.

The model for sale is a 2012 facelift version and it is the more Cayenne S version. According to the advertisement, the SUV has done around 65,000 km on the odometer and it is still owned by the first owner. The vehicle is registered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

This is the diesel version of 2012 Porsche Cayenne S, which is powered by a 4.6-litre V8 engine. It produces a maximum power of 395 Bhp and peak torque of 500 Nm. It is a fully imported model and according to the seller, it is in immaculate condition without the need for any kind of work. The vehicle does not need any work for the scratches or any other type of bodywork. The SUV is available with an engine warranty of 6 months, which is not usual with such high-end vehicles in India. As for the interiors, the vehicle seen in the picture gets tan coloured leather interiors that look very comfortable.

The seller is also offering one free periodic service with the SUV, which is also quite unusual with a vehicle of this pedigree. For the customers who worry about the aftersales service and repairs, the seller claims that all the services are provided by them. They also provide spare parts and complete replacement of the parts. The dealership selling the vehicle also offers RTO work for pan-India, which can be extremely helpful for the transfer process. There’s also personal loan facility available and the price can be paid by credit card too.

The white coloured Porsche Cayenne S looks like in perfect condition from the pictures. It is registered in Vashi, Maharashtra. This is the second-generation Porsche Cayenne S that gained 15 Bhp of extra power and returns 23 percent more fuel efficiency. The vehicle also gets specially tuned Porsche Traction Management system that offers better driving dynamics. It offers a wide range of torque split across the rpm that makes the vehicle extremely fun to drive.

The Porsche Cayenne is a very popular vehicle in India and even celebrities like Hrithik Roshan owns one. It is also only 5 years old, which makes it very suitable for the buyers in the Delhi-NCR who face the 10-year ban on diesel vehicles. The Cayenne is a 5-seater SUV with the full-time AWD system.

For more information, you directly contact Nikhil Shoban at 9137025229, 9004667408, 9920036033. The vehicle is available for inspection at F-177 Fantasia Business Park Sector 30A Vashi Navi Mumbai, behind InOrbit Mall close to Vashi station.

Also Read: Ola to challenge ZoomCar with new Self Drive car service!

Maruti Suzuki has decided to stop manufacturing its popular sub-4 meter SUV Vitara Brezza come 2022. Instead, the company will source the Vitara Brezza from Toyota as part of its 2017 MoU. The MoU has been expanded and now includes joint production according to reports. To let you know, the Vitara Brezza is the best selling sub-4 meter SUV in the market and Maruti Suzuki sells an average of more than 10,000 units of the vehicle every month. It competes with the likes of the Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon and the Mahindra XUV300 among others.

Apart from manufacturing and supplying the Vitara Brezza to Maruti Suzuki, Toyota will also launch its own Brezza in the coming time. It will be a rebranded product with a few changes across the vehicle in order to make it a bit different from its Maruti counterpart. It is expected that Toyota will manufacture the new version of the Vitara Brezza and not the current generation model, which will pave way for a new generation model before 2022. The manufacturing will take place in one of the two factories of Toyota Kirloskar Motors from 2022. This will allow both companies to cut production costs along with expanding their product lineup, resulting in better gains from the market. According to the contract between both the manufacturers, this will be the second model to be shared between them, the first one being the Maruti Suzuki’s Baleno which Toyota would start selling from later this year.

The MoU, signed in February 2017, was expanded last week and now includes sharing of several other vehicles like the Ertiga and Ciaz. The expanded partnership between the two Japanese heavyweights includes joint production, promotion of electrified vehicles, sharing of engines, and technology exchange among others. The MoU is aimed at technology partnership in environment, safety and information, and mutually supplying products and components. The aim of this MoU, as mentioned earlier, will be to cut down on expense and focus more on products and the market. However, Maruti Suzuki will continue being the sole manufacturer of Baleno.

Toyota will soon launch a rebranded Baleno with some additions and changes and will challenge the likes of the Hyundai Elite i20 and the upcoming Tata Altroz premium hatchback among others. Maruti Suzuki, on the other hand, plans to launch a rebranded Corolla Altis sometime in 2020. It will be the new generation variant that will be launched by Toyota in 2020 and will be positioned as the flagship vehicle in Maruti’s portfolio. Apart from Maruti Suzuki and Toyota, other manufacturers like Ford and Mahindra too have joined hands for sharing engines and technology. The manufacturers now want to focus on building better vehicles and cut down on production costs.

Source

Also Read: Ola to challenge ZoomCar with new Self Drive car service!