Hyundai will officially unveil the all-new Venue SUV at the New York International Auto Show on 17th April. However, before that Hyundai continues to test the upcoming car relentlessly under heavy camouflage. This time, the upcoming Venue was caught testing with the upcoming all-new Grand i10 in Chennai by berthauto before the launch in India.

Even though the Hyundai Venue will be a global vehicle and will be available in many international markets, the Indian-spec car will be slightly different. The exact changes are not known but expect changes like higher ground clearance and bigger rear windows. A few official videos of the camouflaged test mule of Hyundai Venue shows that the vehicle will get a large square-shaped LED DRLs at the front.

The all-new Venue is a late-entrant in the segment and will take on the likes of Mahindra XUV 300, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. Hyundai has always been generous with the features and the Venue will be no different. It will get 33 features in total out of which 10 features will be Indian market specific. The car will get an Artificial Intelligence-based voice recognition program that will allow voice assisted calling, navigation, media control, and 3rd party services like a weather report, latest news and more. Hyundai will also offer an eSIM in the vehicle from Vodafone-Idea that will keep the vehicle connected to the cloud. The eSIM will provide real-time traffic situation during navigation, car tracking, cloud-based services and will be free to use until the warranty period of the vehicle. The cloud-based services will also allow the users to control the vehicle remotely and features like turning on the AC will be available through this.

The Venue will also offer emergency services and will send out automatic crash notification that will send out distress calls for emergency help. It will also get a panic button that will ensure the safety of the passengers. All these buttons will be mounted on the interior review mirror and there will be a direct call button to the customer support too. The Hyundai Venue will also offer a large touchscreen infotainment system, large panoramic sunroof, remote start/stop, driving patterns and monthly health report of the vehicle.

The vehicle will be powered by a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and a 1.4-litre diesel engine that is also available with the Verna. Hyundai is likely to offer a 1.0-litre turbocharged high-performance version of the car in the Indian market and will offer both manual and automatic transmission.

Hyundai will also launch the all-new Grand i10 in the Indian market that will be based on an updated platform. The mid-size hatchback takes on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Swift and Ford Figo in the Indian market and has been caught testing in India for a long time now.

Also Read: Hyundai testing upcoming Venue SUV and Grand i10 hatchback together in India

Testing the limits of 4X4 vehicles is something that can be extremely fun. Especially if it is done in a controlled environment. Anshuman Bishnoi, who regularly puts up videos of 4X4 vehicles has uploaded a video of popular 4X4 vehicles driving through a deep trench at ORAZ, which is filled with slush. Here is a video that shows how much slush can an SUV handle!

Toyota Fortuner, Mahindra Thar, Isuzu V-Cross, Land Cruiser Prado through slush

The interesting video has been shot at ORAZ that offers various off-roading challenges in a controlled environment. 4X4 vehicles can actually test the vehicle’s capability without the fear of getting stranded in seclusion. The first part of the video shows thick slush or mud in the trench and the first vehicle to get into it is an old-generation Toyota Fortuner. The Fortuner gets stuck first in the mud and then the driver takes the vehicle in the third try by maintaining the momentum.

The second vehicle to enter the trench is a Maruti Suzuki Gypsy that gets stuck in the first try due to the lack of momentum and then gets recovered by the Toyota Fortuner. The Gypsy then re-attempts the same trench at high speed and comes out of the trench without any problem. Then a modified Gypsy with off-road spec tyres and a Mahindra Thar successfully cross the trench without getting stuck.

Interestingly, a Renault Duster AWD also enters the trench but the vehicle only gets an AWD system that sends power to all the wheels and there is no low-ratio transfer case in it, which makes it very difficult for the vehicle to come out of the trench successfully on its own. The modified Gypsy recovers the vehicle and then it enters the trench again to get the same result. The second time, water is added to the trench and it then gets recovered by a Mahindra Scorpio.

With the added water in the trench, the situation is about to get worse and slippery. The first vehicle to get inside the trench after adding the water is the new-generation Toyota Fortuner which gets quite a few off-road modifications. The SUV blasts through the trench at high momentum and reaches the other side of the trench. A Mahindra Scorpio, old-generation Ford Endeavour, Maruti Suzuki Gypsy and an Isuzu D-Max V-Cross also get through the trench easily. The video also shows two different Land Cruiser Prado SUVs getting through the trenches without any problem.

However, the new-generation Toyota Fortuner gets royally stuck in the slush after that and after several attempts, the vehicle had to winched out by an Isuzu D-Max V-Cross. However, the modified old Fortuner gets through it easily and without any problem. After that, the Scorpio gets stuck and had to be recovered by the old-gen Toyota Fortuner and then even the old Fortuner gets stuck in the slush royally and had to be taken out by the new-gen Toyota Fortuner. The old Fortuner re-attempts the challenge but remains stuck in the slush and had to be recovered again with a winch pull. After that, even the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy meets the same fate and gets stuck in the slush.

Why did the vehicles get stuck?

The addition of water makes the surface slippery and more challenging for the vehicles. Many vehicles that got stuck in the trench successfully crossed it in the first attempts. While this was done in a controlled region, when out in the wilderness and going through such terrain, one should always know the limit for their vehicles and if there are no vehicles around that can be used for recovery, difficult challenges should be avoided at all the cost.

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Honda launched the much awaited CB300R in India last month. The aggressively designed naked bike from Honda has been priced at Rs. 2.41 lakhs, (ex-showroom, Delhi), which makes it slightly affordable than its main competitor, the KTM 390 Duke (Rs. 2.44 lakhs). A lot of people are intrigued by this bike and apart from the Honda fanboys, who were waiting for a new 250-300 cc Honda bike since ages. If you too are interested in the bike, the video below by SHREE PRODUCTIONS contains a review of the bike. Take a look at it before we proceed any further.

The Honda CB300R is powered by a 286cc single cylinder, liquid cooled motor that churns out a good 31 Bhp of peak power at 8,000 rpm and 27.5 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. This is the same engine which was found on the CBR 250R but now has been bored out for increased displacement. The engine comes mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Another important feature of the bike is that it gets dual channel ABS as standard along with an Inertia Measuring Unit (IMU) which distributes braking of the ABS. This is something that is a first in class feature.

Further, the Honda CB300R comes with Showa front USD forks while the rear gets a 7 step preload adjust monoshock with direct linkage. It weighs only 147 kg which makes it a pretty nimble handling bike. Lookwise, the CB300R impresses with its aggressive stance, dual chamber LED headlights and muscular looks. However, the silencer pipe is slightly disproportionate, which affects the rear end look of the bike. Another gripe in this whole package is the lack of a slipper clutch, which is available on much cheaper bikes like the Yamaha R15. Also, the horn and indicator switchgear position is interchanged which takes some getting used to.

The high set handlebars make for a relaxed riding position while the footpegs continue to be rearset. This gives the rider a sporty riding position. The pillion seat is quite small and gets handrails along with a grabbing strap. According to the review, the seats are comfortable but a tad hard on cushioning. The motorcycle gets an LCD instrument cluster that’s packed with neatly arranged information and is easy to read, though it’s a bit hard to read in direct sunlight. The bike is easy to ride through the city traffic as the engine is quite refined and gets a strong low end.

As of now, the Honda CB300R is available in two paint shades – Matt Axis Gray Metallic and Candy Chromosphere Red. It rivals the likes of the KTM 390 Duke, the new Bajaj Dominar and the BMW G 310R, all of which are from different price segments. It now remains to be seen now that how the new Honda naked bike performs in terms of sales.

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MG Motors will soon make its debut in the Indian market. The UK-based manufacturer is owned by a Chinese brand SAIC and will launch the Hector SUV as their first product in the Indian market. Officially named as MG Hector, the SUV will take on the likes of Mahindra XUV 500, Jeep Compass and newly launched Tata Harrier in the Indian market.

The features of the all-new car along with the exterior pictures have been officially revealed by the brand. It will be the most feature-loaded vehicle in the segment and many features will be offered for the first time. One of the biggest highlights of the features is the iSmart system, which is one of the most advanced connected car systems.

The MG Hector will be offered with an eSIM from Airtel and the vehicle is 5G connectivity-ready, which will make it one of the most advanced vehicles in the affordable segment. The system will allow the MG Hector to get over-the-air (OTA) updates that can be installed in real time by the user without the need of going to the service centre. The OTA update feature will be standard in all MG cars with iSmart technology. The Hector will get a 10.4-inch portrait infotainment system that will come with a range of pre-loaded applications.

Rajeev Chaba, President & Managing Director, MG Motor India said,

“The integration of internet with cars opens up a gamut of features that can ensure a seamless and updated ownership experience for MG customers in India. With an embedded SIM card and OTA, the MG Hector promises to do a lot more over time with constantly-expanding capabilities, to create a seamless driving experience, throughout the life of the car. Furthermore, with the advent of 5G connectivity in India, MG cars will have the potential to add new, breakthrough features to further enrich the car driving experience,”

The MG Hector’s iSmart app will also give real-time data about the vehicle to the users on their smartphones. Users will be able to check the tyre pressure of the vehicle, geo-fence, live location of the vehicle and more. It will also allow the owners to lock/unlock the doors, turn the ignition on and even start the air-conditioning system without even entering the vehicle. The app will provide service history data to the users too. The iSmart data will be hosted on Microsoft Azure Cloud and will help the owners to drive the vehicle smarter.

MG will also offer one-of-its-kind customer management services through Pulse Hub. The services will allow users to set-up pre-defined numbers that will get a text message in case the airbags are deployed. It will also intimidate the emergency services about the location of the vehicle. MG Hector will also offer the iCall feature.

The Hector will be powered by both petrol and diesel engine options. The diesel variants will draw power from a 2.0-litre engine sourced from Fiat. The same engine also powers the Jeep Compass and Tata Harrier in the market. The petrol versions will be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine. MG may also introduce a 48-volt mild hybrid version with the petrol powered variants in India.

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The Kerala State Police has fined a whopping Rs. 4.9 lakh fine on a MINI Cooper recently. The hatchback was registered in Jharkhand and was by motor vehicle inspector Eldose Varghese during a routine vehicle inspection. The cops also found out that the vehicle was fitted with an aftermarket exhaust, which is illegal by law.

During the routine check, the police flagged down the Mini Cooper after the cops noticed that the vehicle speeded up and crossed the permitted speed limit at Kaloor, Kerala. According to the E-Vartha, Jharkhand registered Mini Cooper S was first seized and then was returned to the owners after the fine was paid. It is not known if the cops issued a fine to the owner for the aftermarket exhaust too or the owner was only fined for carrying out-of-state registration number.

The Kerala state police force started a crackdown on the out-of-state registered vehicles some time back and many popular celebrities were caught too. The out-of-state registration allows the customer to save money on the registration tax of the vehicle, which is very high in Kerala. Most of the customers from Kerala choose to get the Puducherry and Daman registration number as they are Union Territories and the car registration tax is extremely low. High-profile celebrities including actors and politicians have been caught in the past for the same reason.

In the past, Rajya Sabha MP and Malayam movie star – Suresh Gopi received an FIR for evading Rs 13.3 lakh tax on this brand-new Audi Q7. He got his vehicle registered from Puducherry instead of Kerala where he resides and uses his vehicle the most. Amala Paul, a popular actress also allegedly evaded a registration tax of 23 lakh for her brand new Mercedes-Benz S-Class in Kerala. She reportedly faked her documents to get the vehicle registered in Puducherry. Both Audi Q7 and the S-Class owners only had to pay around Rs 1.5 lakh each in Puducherry for registration of their vehicles. This cost-saving measure had put a lot of car owners under the scanner of the Kerala Police.

That not all. Movie star Fahad Fassil was arrested for evading the road tax in Kerala and get his vehicle registered in Puducherry. Mr Faasil got is high-performance Mercedes-AMG E63 registered in the nearby union territory, which must have saved him quite a good amount of fine. He was later released on bail.

Kerala state government announced a special scheme for such out-of-state registered vehicles last year. Under the scheme, the government allowed people to pay the road tax for Kerala and avoid getting arrested for fined by the cops. Many such customers came forward to pay the local road tax in Kerala. One such Bentley Continental GT owner, Sayed Nazeer paid a fine of Rs 60 lakhs, which is around 20% of the cost of the Rs 3 crore vehicle.

In Kerala, it is not illegal to drive the car with out-of-state registration plates. Such vehicles are allowed to ply for 11 months after which the vehicle owner will have to pay the road tax in Kerala and get a local registration number. This can be done by obtaining NOC from the RTO where the vehicle has been registered.

Due to the high tax structures in a few states, owners of such luxury vehicles get their vehicles registered in the neighbouring states. The only solution to the problem is the a uniform tax structure throughout the country. However, such a tax structure is still years away from becoming a reality in India.

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India’s leading auto manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki launched the 2019 version of the Eeco MPV in India recently. The company has positioned the Eeco with a starting price of Rs 3.55 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the base variant which goes all the way up to Rs. 4.65 lakh for the top end model. Compared to the last year’s model, there is an increase of Rs 23,000 in the base model prices. The major change on the Eeco is that it is now BNSVAP compliant, which means it comes equipped with several safety features.

According to new BNSVAP safety regulations, all cars sold in India must have the following safety features as standard across all the variants: ABS, driver airbag, seat belt reminder system, speed alert and reverse parking sensors. All these features have now been added to the updated Maruti Eeco also. The regulation came into effect from the 1st of April. The new safety measures are to be present in all the cars on sale currently. They will enhance the safety of the car as well as help bring down the fatality ratio in accidents.

Talking about the Maruti Suzuki Eeco, the spacious passenger van is available in 5 seats and 8 seat variants. It is quite popular both among private car buyers and cab operators. As for the powertrain options, the Maruti Suzuki Eeco is available with petrol and petrol CNG dual fuel options. It’s a rear wheel driven vehicle and uses independent front suspension and leaf spring rear suspension.

The Maruti Suzuki Eeco is powered by a 1.2-litre, 4 cylinder, naturally aspirated petrol engine that churns out a maximum power of 73 Bhp along with 101 Nm of peak torque. The engine is mounted under the front seats and is paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox. It also gets a CNG powered variant, which is quite popular too. The USP of the Maruti Suzuki Eeco is its high reliability factor, low maintenance cost and good fuel efficiency. Being a Maruti Suzuki vehicle, it gets pretty good after sales service at affordable rates.

With average monthly sales of around 6,000 units, the Maruti Suzuki Eeco manages to be a regular feature on the monthly top 15 best selling cars of India. Now since the Maruti Suzuki Omni has already been discontinued, the overall sales of the Eeco are likely to get a boost in the coming months. It is also the most affordable 8 seater vehicle in the country right now which comes with features like ABS and airbags. The Eeco is perfect for those who are looking for a spacious vehicle in a budget but are not much concerned with looks and features. apart from the Omni, Maruti Suzuki has also discontinued the Gypsy from the Indian market due to the BNSVAP norms.

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Enforcement Directorate (ED) is working to recover more than Rs 12,500 crores from Nirav Modi will soon hold an online auction of the vehicles belonging to Nirav Modi. The sale will take place online and anyone with a valid account will be able to bid on all the vehicles of Nirav Modi that have been seized by the ED.

The income-tax department recently recovered a total of Rs 54.84 crores by auctioning the Nirav Modi’s paintings. The next auction will be held on April 18 involving all of Nirav Modi’s cars online. The cars seized from Nirav Modi includes a Rolls Royce Ghost, Porsche Panamera, Mercedes-Benz CLS sedan, Mercedes-Benz GLS 350 CDI SUV, Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Innova, three Honda CR-V, and more. All the vehicles are with ED and will be sold through the online auctioning to ensure a transparent bidding process.

The contract for the auctioning has been signed and Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited (MSTC) has been appointed to take care of the proceedings. It is a state-owned e-commerce company and will hold the auctions on April 18, 2019. You need to register on this website, where the online auction will happen. 

It should be noted that bidders can physically inspect the vehicles before the auctions. As per the report on HT, bidders will be allowed to inspect the vehicle physically a week before the auction takes place. However, no bidder is allowed to test drive the vehicles. All the vehicles will be available for inspection at a commonplace. Details like the estimated cost, manufacturing year, photographs, model name will be available on the MSTC official website from next week. MSTC is currently preparing a catalogue for the vehicles that will be auctioned. It is now known where the vehicles will be displayed for auction as the bidding company is still doing the final arrangements. Once the bidder successfully bids and wins, a specific time period will be given to the winner to complete all the formalities.

ED seized a second Rolls Royce model from Nirav Modi in February this year after learning that a second Rolls Royce registered in the accused’s name was parked at a service centre when Nirav Modi left the country. The ED seized the second Rolls Royce earlier but it is not known if the vehicle will be put on the auctioning catalogue. The prices of the vehicles can be quite competitive. Earlier, vehicles of Vijay Mallya were auctioned in a similar fashion. The exact condition of the vehicles is not known.

Currently, Nirav Modi is under arrest in the UK and his bail was denied by the court for the second time. He has been staying in London since January 2018 but is currently spending time in Wandsworth jail. If you want to bid for the vehicles, you can register on the official site of MTSC and place your bids on 18th April.

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Jaguar-Land Rover have big plans for India’s electric vehicle space. The British luxury car and SUV marques – owned  by Tata Motors – will begin by launching hybrid cars and SUVs by the end of this year. These hybrid vehicles will be  based on the current range of cars that Jaguar and Land Rover sell in India. Next year, a full electric vehicle in  the form of the Jaguar iPace electric SUV will arrive.

Rohit Suri, President & Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd. (JLRIL) said:

Jaguar Land Rover’s focus is to commit itself to a more sustainable future and our engineers have developed just the right products to lead us on this path. The introduction of electrified vehicles in Jaguar Land Rover India’s  portfolio is in line with the government’s thrust towards electric vehicles. The company is encouraged by the  introduction of FAME-II by the Government of India and it focus on expansion of the charging infrastructure in the  country. This is bound to help with faster adoption of all kinds of Electric Vehicles in due course.

The Jaguar iPace is the electric version of the FPace, the only SUV that the automaker sells in the Indian market.  The iPace comes with very impressive specifications and performance numbers, and will be imported to India as a
completely built unit. It’ll be used to give high end car buyers a taste of what a high performance electric car is  all about, and will be more of a presence marker than a vehicle aimed at high volumes.

Designed by noted designer Ian Callum, the Jaguar iPace is a sporty crossover that can seat five adults. It’s form  factor is similar to that of the FPace, and the 5 door crossover gets two electric motors – one driving the front  wheels and the other driving the rear wheels. Interestingly, the electric SUV is not built in England, by Jaguar, but  is built in Austria, by Magna Steyr – a contract car manufacturing specialist.

Each of the Jaguar iPace’s two electric motors make 200 PS of peak power and 348 Nm of peak torque. Together, the motors manage to generate 400 PS of peak power and a whopping 696 Nm of peak torque right from idle. An all wheel drive layout is standard, and so is an automatic gearbox. The electric motors are juiced by a 90 KwH lithium ion battery, and the car can deliver a range of nearly 400 kilometers per charge. There’s a quick charge facility  available as well, which can recharge 80 % of the battery in just 45 minutes.

The iPace, thanks to the massive weight of the lithium ion battery stack, weighs a hefty 2,133 kilograms. The iPace  will hit a top speed of 200 Kmph (Electrically limited go conserve battery life) but the real deal is the  acceleration, which at 4.8 seconds for the 0-100 Kmph sprint is pretty quick. The crossover even has a water wading  depth rating of 500 mm, which is very respectable indeed. When introduced in India, expect to pay a lot more than Rs. 1 crore for this high performance electric crossover, which will give us a glimpse at what the future of Jaguar cars will look like.

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Hyundai will officially unveil the all-new Venue on 17th April at the 2019 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS). However, the Korean brand has been officially releasing new videos of the heavily camouflaged test mules of the upcoming vehicle testing on the Indian roads. Hyundai has officially released the third video in the series that shows the upcoming Hyundai Venue climbing up the lower Himalayas.

The video shows the highlights of the route between the Jim Corbett National Park and Nainital in Uttrakhand. The video shows the Venue going through the twisted roads of the lower Himalayas and reaching 7,000 feet of altitude. The Venue also goes through a snow-covered road of the mountains where the temperature reaches -7 degrees.

The Hyundai Venue is the first-ever sub-4m compact SUV from the Korean brand and will take on the likes of Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV 300, and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza. Earlier, the pictures of the Hyundai Venue were leaked online that completely reveals the design of the car. The leaked pictures show the new cascade grille of the upcoming Hyundai Venue. The car will get square DRLs around the main headlamp cluster, which are positioned below in the bumper. There are additional lamps that form the extended part of the grille but they are likely to work only as turn indicators. At the rear, the car gets the “Venue” branding across the tailgate. The leaked pictures also revealed the alloy wheel design of the upcoming car. On the inside, the all-new Hyundai Venue will get a floating-type infotainment screen in the centre and an all-black dashboard with silver highlights.

The upcoming car will get a host of features and many of them will be first-in-segment offerings. It will get 33 features in total and 10 of them will be India-specific. Hyundai has officially revealed that the all-new Venue will get an eSIM provided by Vodafone-Idea. It will be used to keep the car connected to the cloud all the time. The system will provide real-time traffic information and the usage of the services will remain free till the car stays in warranty. The Venue will also offer features like automatic emergency calling during accidents and will allow owners to remotely control features of the vehicle including the AC.

The all-new Hyundai Venue is expected to offer three different engines in the Indian market. There will be a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, a 1.4-litre diesel engine that also powers the Hyundai Verna and Hyundai Creta and a performance-oriented 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. Hyundai will offer both manual and automatic transmission options with the various engine options. The price of the all-new Venue is likely to be on the higher side as it will be rich in features.

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MG Motor India Pvt. Ltd is all set for its Indian debut in the coming months and the company has meticulously planned about the same for long. According to Rajeev Chaba, president and managing director of MG Motor India, the Hector will be the first affordable 48V mild hybrid SUV in India. In an interview with live mint, Rajeev spilt the beans on several planned strategies that MG Motors will follow in India. When asked about competition form the well-established brands in India like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, he answered that they are not much of a concern now since their first product (Hector) will be launched in a segment where both the manufacturers do not have a presence.

When asked about the dealership strategies of the company, he answered that MG will not go for a large number of dealers but will rather have a smaller group and will focus on fundamentals like dealer processes, customer systems and cost of ownership issues. The company is going to grow with only a few dealers but will give them many outlets. This mesna that the company may start with 40-45 dealers, but in a number of locations; and after five years, this may increase to 60 dealers. However, Rajeev stated that they will not go for figures like 300 or 400 dealers.

Talking about the hybrid system on the MG Hector, the SUV will use a 48V mild-hybrid setup when it arrives in India. The mild-hybrid system will be paired with the SUV’s 1.5-litre petrol engine which is expected to produce a maximum power figure of 141 Bhp. According to ACI, the 48V mild hybrid setup will provide up to 20 Nm of additional torque to the powertrain in low-speed situations. This will help the Hector to counter the turbo lag which is a general feature of the turbocharged engines. Also, it will allow for better acceleration, as well as fuel efficiency. To let you know, mild hybrid technology is different from plug-in hybrids or full hybrids as they only provide a slight assist to the engine.

Apart from the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the upcoming MG Hector will be powered by the 2.0-litre Multijet Diesel engine that powers the Jeep Compass and the Tata Harrier in the Indian market. The MG Hector will come with high-tech features including cloud-based data collection and over-the-air updates for the car among others. The launch is expected to take place during the second half of this year. As of now, there has been no word on its pricing but it is likely to remain in the Rs 15 lakh to Rs 20 lakh range. Also, the second product from MG in India will be an all-electric vehicle, most probably the eZS SUV.

Source

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Bajaj Auto Limited has reported a significant rise in sales in the month of March 2019. Bajaj is one of the top motorcycle manufacturers in the country and it has reported a rise of 39% in total domestic sales in March 2019. The manufacturer has also reported that Bajaj has sold more than 1 lakh units of the Pulsar motorcycles for the first time ever since its introduction in 2001.

Bajaj has been working on upgrading its model line-up for a long time now. The new additions in the line-up have surely pushed the sales figure forward. Bajaj currently offers 6 models under the Pulsar umbrella. The most affordable bike in the line-up is the Pulsar 150, which is also available with the 150 Twin Disc and 150 Neon versions. Then there is a Bajaj Pulsar NS160, which is designed in a modern way and takes on the likes of Honda Hornet and TVS Apache 160.

The Bajaj Pulsar 180 is available in both naked and semi-faired version in the Indian market. Bajaj recently launched the all-new Pulsar 180F, which takes styling cues from the Pulsar 220F and looks quite good. The Pulsar 180F is for the customers who want a semi-faired, Bajaj Pulsar 220F kind of bike but do not want to shell out the extra money.

Bajaj also offers the Pulsar 220F in the Indian market, which is one of the oldest bikes in the line-up but its styling and design makes it a good looking ride even after years of its launch. The Bajaj Pulsar 220F was first launched in a fuel-injected avatar but then Bajaj re-launched the bike with a carburetted engine and it went on to become one of the most popular Pulsars in the country.

For the customers who are looking to buy a fully-faired bike, there is the Pulsar RS200. It is the only fully-faired bike from the brand in the market and it looks quite good too. There is also a naked Pulsar NS200, which looks stylish, has good power and is priced very competitively in the market.

Bajaj discontinued the Pulsar 135LS in the market recently due to the upcoming mandatory ABS rule in the Indian market. Since all the two-wheelers powered by 125cc or larger capacity engine have to offer mandatory ABS in the Indian market, Bajaj took off the Pulsar 135 as it would have fallen under the new rule and would have increased the overall price of the bike. Bajaj now plans to offer a brand-new Pulsar 125 in the Indian market that will become the new entry-level bike of the Pulsar range.

It should be noted that the Pulsar is one of the most recognisable brands in India and Bajaj stopped putting its own logo on any of the Pulsar range motorcycles for a long time now. The Pulsar bikes are also exported to various international markets.

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Cold-blooded reptiles seeking home inside warm places like car engine bays and motorcycles have become quite common affaire. However, this is something unusual that you will watch. A video shows a huge python snake curled up in the rear tyre of the Honda Unicorn motorcycle.

The video shows that the snake has coiled itself around the tyre of the bike. People present at the spot even start the motorcycle so that the snake leaves the spot but it is adamant enough to stay right where it is. The video shows several people trying to get the snake out of the bike.

Reptiles, especially snakes are cold-blooded and often seeks warm places to rest and keep their body temperatures regulated. Vehicles provide enough warmth for the reptiles and also attract the creatures. The video shows the snake curled up on the tyre feeling the warmth. The exact size of the snake is not known, it seems to be more than 7-8 feet long.

In many cases, the snakes enter the engine cabin of the vehicles and stay there for long periods. In many incidents, snakes have come out of the bonnet while the vehicle is in motion. While such incidents are not very common around the big cities due to the lack of a natural environment for such animals, in suburban areas and villages, such things keep on happening. The cities simply do not have any natural habitat to support such animals.

Such incidents rise quite a lot during the rainy season when the snakes come out due to waterlogging and try to find higher places. Even rat infestation can rise during the rainy season, which is why one should always be extra careful during the monsoons.

What to do in such situations?

Watching a reptile on your vehicle can be shocking and maybe even creepy for many but one should never panic. The animals are almost always harmless until provoked and if you try to get them out of your vehicle by yourself, they might not hold back. The best solution is to wait and call the professional who can deal with such reptiles.

• Always call a specialist who has handled such situations in the past. Never try to manhandle the snake or any other animal by yourself.
• Never park the vehicle near tall bushes. The snakes can use the bushes to climb inside the vehicle easily.
• Always do a quick check of the engine bay if snakes are common in your area. This will help you avoid any surprises while you’re driving.
• Always slow down the vehicle if you spot a snake while driving and park it on the side of the road without panic. Most of the snakes are not poisonous in nature.

Also Read: Upcoming Citroen Aircross C5 (Jeep Compass-rival) picture gallery

Hyundai’s upcoming sub-4 meter SUV, the Venue has got all the attention it needs right now. This is the first time that Hyundai is going to launch a vehicle in the fast-growing sub-4 meter SUV segment and though it is quite a late entry, the company has equipped the Venue to the brim with features to make up for that. It was already in public knowledge that the Indian reveal of the car will happen on 17th of April, 2019, which is also the date of its public reveal at the 2019 New York Motor Show. However, now reports suggest that Hyundai will launch the venue sub-4 meter SUV in India on 21st of May, 2019. That makes the launch around a month and a half from now.

The Hyundai Venue was earlier rumoured to be named as the Styx but that didn’t turn out to be the case. Design wise, the Venue borrows a lot from the Hyundai Kona. The front headlight and LED DRL placement are unique for a Hyundai car in India. As for the side body profile, the Styx looks a lot like a scaled down Creta. It runs on stylish precision cut dual-tone alloy wheels that look pretty good. The rear end sports the Venue badge at the centre while the tail lights are small squared units, resembling the units on the Volkswagen Polo to some extent. Overall, the Hyundai Venue seems to be a handsome looking car, though that teeth braces grille could be improved.

As mentioned already, Hyundai is going to pack the Venue with a ton of features and it will also be India’s first connected car. Hyundai’s cars have always been known to be high on features but this time around the company had decided to take the game up a few notches. It will come with Hyundai’s ‘BlueLink’ connected technology. The SUV will come with a total of 33 connectivity features, out of which 10 will be India specific. Some of the features that BlueLink will offer in India are geo-fencing, speed alerts, SOS, panic notifications, destination sharing, and road-side assistance apart from many others. In India, the car will get an eSIM from Vodafone-Idea that will be utilised for various first-in-segment features in the Venue.

As for the engine, the turbo-badged version of the Venue will likely to get powered by a 1.0-litre turbocharged engine. Other engine options on the Venue will be the 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.4-litre diesel engine from Verna. When launched here on 21st of May, the Venue will rival the likes of the Mahindra XUV300, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, and the Ford Ecosport among others as its chief competitors. Maruti Suzuki is currently ruling this segment with the Vitara Brezza and it will be interesting to see if the Hyundai can end its supremacy in the segment.

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Also Read: Upcoming Citroen Aircross C5 (Jeep Compass-rival) picture gallery

The Indian car market has matured quite well over time but there is still a long way to go. Manufacturers launched numerous vehicles in the Indian market initially to get an idea of how the market reacts to different forms of cars. In the process, many cars were launched in the Indian market which did not become as successful as the others and they are quite rare on the Indian roads. However, there are enthusiasts who not only own such rare cars but have also modified them! Here are five such modified rare cars on video in India.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno Altura

Station wagons are quite popular in the European markets. Predicting their success in India, many manufacturers launched station wagons in the Indian market and one of them was the Maruti Suzuki Baleno Altura. Based on the Baleno sedan, the car offered acres of space inside and was much more practical. This modified example on DEEPSQUARE MEDIA looks extremely good with blacked-out front-end. It also gets a body kit with bumper spoiler and aftermarket alloy wheels.

Maruti Suzuki Zen Steel

While the Maruti Suzuki Zen is still a common sight on the Indian roads, Maruti Suzuki launched the rare Zen Carbon and Steel editions in the Indian market. The three-door hatchback was available only in limited numbers. Here is an extremely good looking modification of Zen Steel uploaded by RV Kalgutkar. The car gets aftermarket alloy wheels that are wider than the body, a new front bumper spoiler and modified exhaust. It also gets a new interior that makes it much more comfortable.

Skoda Octavia Combi VRS

The Skoda Octavia Combi VRS was launched to be a part of the rising number of estate vehicles in India. This particular car on Forged Frames has been modified by Petes and J Garage. It gets a long list of modifications and looks extremely good in real life. The 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine of the car now gets a stage-3 code remap, new motorsport-grade intercooler from Forge, Milltek exhaust system, new KW suspension, Nando grey custom paint job, 18-inch rims from BBS and Thule roof box. To make more power, it also gets an upgraded hybrid turbocharger from APR.

Ford Fiesta 1.6 S

The Ford Fiesta 1.6 S was one of the first affordable hot sedans in the Indian market. In stock form, the 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine produced a maximum power of 100 Bhp and 246 Nm and it came with stiffer suspension for more enthusiastic-friendly handling. This Fiesta 1.6 seen on SuperBee Automobile Union comes with a lot of upgrades including a custom exhaust system, BMC cold air intake kit and engine remap. It also gets suspension upgrade and black cross drilled and vented brake rotors with new ceramic pads.

Ford Fusion

The Ford Fusion was another station wagon that never became quite as popular in the market. This Fusion has been modified beautifully by GRID7 Customs and is finished in a rare grey paint job. The modification in the Fusion includes new air intake, new header exhaust, widened rims, customised projector headlamps, new front grille and more.

Also Read: Upcoming Citroen Aircross C5 (Jeep Compass-rival) picture gallery

The Royal Enfield Bullet 350 is the most affordable bike in the company’s product portfolio. The popular bike starts from Rs. 1.17 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi), which is the price of the base Twinspark variant. However, we now have the prices of the new updated Bullet 350 ABS and the 350 ES ABS. According to ACI, the Bullet 350 ABS is priced at Rs 1.21 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and the Bullet 350 ES is priced at Rs 1.35 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Note that these prices have not been confirmed by Royal Enfield itself but are dealer quoted prices.

Royal Enfield has now equipped its whole range with ABS in lieu of the BNSVAP guidelines. According to the newly implemented safety regulation, all bike above and at 125 cc manufactured after April 1, 2019, were to have ABS as standard fitment while those less than 125 cc displacement were to have CBS as standard fitment. While almost all other Royal Enfield bikes get a dual channel ABS system, the Bullet 350 and 350 ES, on the other hand, have been equipped with a single-channel ABS unit. While double channel ABS system monitors both the wheels under braking and prevents slip, a single channel ABS system does the same only for the wheel it is equipped on, which is the front wheel usually.

The Royal Enfield Bullet 350 is equipped with a disc brake up front while the rear is fitted with a drum unit. In the pictures you see above of the Bullet 350, close observation will reveal an ABS-like ring on the rear drum brakes. This was mistaken for ABS on the rear brake as well by some but that’s not the case. What this could be is a speed sensor that alters the front-ABS actuation based on the speed of the rear wheel. A similar system is used by TVS as well which is called the RLP (Rear-wheel Lift-off Protection) on some of its offerings. The Bullet 350 ES, on the other hand, comes with disc brakes at both ends.

The Royal Enfield Bullet 350 and 350 ES are both powered by a 346 cc petrol engine that churns out a maximum power of 19.8 Bhp at 5,250 RPM and a maximum torque of 28Nm at 4,000 RPM. The air-cooled engine comes mated to a 5-speed transmission. The inclusion of ABS on the bikes has resulted in a minor hike in their prices, which is a little more than Rs 3,500 for the Bullet 350 and just above Rs 1,400 for the Bullet 350 ES. Now that ABS has been made compulsory on bikes at or above 125 cc, a lot of accidents and mishaps would be prevented that happen due to bikes losing control and sliding under heavy braking. A lot depends on the rider too and therefore we urge all of our fellow readers to ride safely.

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Also Read: Upcoming Citroen Aircross C5 (Jeep Compass-rival) picture gallery

Renowned French automaker Citroen has showcased its first car for the Indian market. Called the C5 Aircross, it is a crossover styled car and will challenge the Jeep Compass in its segment. The car will be assembled in India using about 70 per cent local contents at PSA’s plant in Tamil Nadu. The official launching of the C5 Aircross will happen in 2020 according to Citroen. It will be an India specific model and different from its European spec model in several fronts. Apart from the C5 Aircross, the company revealed that it will launch a car every year for the next three years and one of them is a model that will make its international debut in India.

The company also revealed its future plans for India today at an event held in Chennai. The French automotive manufacturer is known for stylish and comfortable car and the same will be maintained in India too. Citroen is aiming at 98% localisation on the car parts, which goes down to 95% when including the engine. The transmissions are also will also be made locally. According to the senior company administration, Citroen will be a mass-market brand in India and not a premium brand as was being speculated earlier.

Talking about the Citroen C5 Aircross, it will be built on the Groupe PSA’s EMP2 platform that also underpins the DS7 SUV. It carries the typical European design flair which will make it a unique looking vehicle in India. Dimensionally, it will be larger than the Jeep Compass but still smaller than the Mahindra XUV500. However, it is likely to be positioned in the same price bracket as the Jeep SUV. For the same, the company will delete some features to make it more affordable.

The international version of the AirCross comes with many great features such as a panoramic sunroof, LED headlamps, wireless phone charging, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, emergency assistance and a hydraulic suspension system. Some of the more sophisticated bits like the hydraulic suspension system will not be carried over on the India- spec model though. There’s an all wheel drive unit as well, which operates through a terrain response system with multiple modes such as Sand, Rock and more. At the time of launch, the C5 Aircross will be available in petrol and diesel engine options

The company will start meeting with the potential dealers from the 1st of July this year. Citroen will set up state-of-the-art retail dealerships and will allow customers to rate their cars, dealerships and their experience. This will help maintain the quality and customer service offered in the dealerships. The company will also consider launching hybrids and EVs in India but only at a time when it makes financial sense. As of now, Citroen targets 2% of the market share which they have set to achieve in the coming 4-5 years.

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Among India’s leading self-drive car rental platform, Zoomcar is raising investments around $500 million in a fresh funding round. The investments are led by Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, which in past has also funded Zoomcar with decent sums. Mahindra and Zoomcar have an existing partnership that was cemented in 2017. Mahindra announced the partnership to introduce electric vehicles in the shared mobility space. In this fresh round of funding, Mahindra is expected to pump in $300-400 million into the company. Apart from Mahindra, Zoomcar’s existing investors from the US are also likely to participate in the funding round.

According to sources close to the development, a large sum of these fundings will be used to finance vehicle purchases. Zoomcar aims to add up to 3 lakh cars on its platform in the next 2-3 years, and plans to achieve around 25 million bookings within the same time period.

In response to queries by Mint, Zoomcar said:

Zoomcar is in advanced talks to raise up to $500 million of equity and structured debt from leading global financial investors. The expectation is for fresh investors to lead the round along with participation from existing investors. This transaction will close in the current quarter,

Last year, Mahindra invested Rs. 176 crores in Zoomcar. The car rental company also started a unique subscription service in India, which was the first of its kind. Under the new scheme, there are various Ford and Mahindra cars can be owned using the subscription service. Till date, Zoomcar has raised a little over $100 million from strategic investors. IT also launched Mahindra’s e20 electric cars across various cities in India which are available for self-drive rental. The company has various exciting schemes which are aimed at driving people away from direct car ownership.

Talking about their services, Zoomcar lets users book vehicles and make payments for the same online. Users need to locate a Zoomcar vehicle lot within their locality to pick up the vehicle. Apart from this, the company also offers doorstep delivery of the rented vehicle. In April 2016 Zoomcar launched a scheme which allowed people to lease their own cars to its platform under a revenue-sharing model. The company charges a 25% commission on revenue that its associates make.

To let you know, Zoomcar was started by American duo Greg Moran and David Back in 2013 in Bengaluru. As of now, Zoomcar has over 7,000 cars on its platform, with an additional 300 electric vehicles. The number will only grow. Another well not cab service provider Ola recently jumped in the self-drive car rental program and is all set to rival Zoomcar. Ola received huge funding from Hyundai after which the company. Apart from Ola, Zoomcar faces rivals like Avis, Revv, and CarzOnRent among others in India.

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Also Read: Upcoming Citroen Aircross C5 (Jeep Compass-rival) picture gallery

Cops chasing criminals footage are quite rare in India. Here is a video from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan where cops can be seen chasing down wanted criminals and finally cornering and capturing them. The video has been taken from mobile from the roof of a nearby home by VIDBABA.

Bolero chasing Bolero

Interestingly, both the vehicles seen in the video are Mahindra Bolero. The vehicle used by the police officers is a regular Bolero while the other vehicle, which was used by the wanted criminals are using a pick-up truck version of the Bolero. Both the Boleros are in white colour too!

Details of the incident are known but from the video, we can make out that the police officers have already laid a trap to capture the criminals with prior information. They had put barricades in place to slow down the criminals travelling in the Bolero Pick-Up. With the police chasing the criminals at high speed, the criminals decide not to slow down even at the barricades. They hit one of the barricades at high speed and the barricade breaks like a fragile object. Even though the cops used plastic barricades, they are quite sturdy in nature.

As we said that from the video it seems that the cops have prior information about the route of the criminals, which is why they had set-up a barricade to slow them down and had also blocked the road exit to ensure that the criminals do not run away from the spot. After the Bolero Pick-up was forced to move in the direction where the cops were waiting in hiding, a gunfight started on the spot. After the fierce close-range gunfight, the police were able to stop the Bolero pick-up and nab the wanted criminals from the spot without wasting much time. Further details are not known.

The Mahindra Bolero remained the best-selling Utility Vehicle for a long time in the Indian market. However, with the arrival of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, the Bolero lost the top-spot but it remains a high-volume product for the brand and is the best-selling Mahindra model in India. The Bolero is the first choice of many car buyers in the Tier-II and Tier-III cities as it is an extremely good value-for-money vehicle and offers the best in the price bracket. The Bolero is built to last long and very rugged, which allows the users to it the best way possible.

The Bolero is also very simple to repair and the straightforward Direct Injection set-up of the engine allows even the roadside mechanics to mend the vehicle without charging a big amount of money. Mahindra is currently working a new, updated Bolero that will meet all the upcoming BNVSAP safety regulation standards in India. Next year, Mahindra will also offer the Bolero with BS-VI engine, which will ensure that the Bolero nameplate remains on the Indian roads for a long time to come.

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Japanese two wheeler giant Honda has just launched the 2019 edition of the Africa Twin ADV motorcycle in India. The only superbike in India to use a twin clutch automatic gearbox, the 2019 Honda Africa Twin is now available in a  unique paint scheme called Glint Wave Blue Metallic. This paint scheme also adds gold painted handlebar and rims,  giving the motorcycle quite a unique look.

The motorcycle is priced at Rs. 13.5 lakhs, ex-showroom Pan-India. Only 50 units have been reserved for India, which means that you will have to hurry in case you’re planning to buy one. Honda has just opened bookings for the 2019 Africa Twin at 23 Honda ‘Wing’ dealerships across India.

Speaking about the new motorcycle, Mr. Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Senior Vice President – Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd, said,

Since its Indian debut in 2017, the mighty Africa Twin has always seen high demand. The adventure seekers in India  experienced the revolutionary DCT for the first time & were highly impressed with its unmatched performance. The 2019 Africa Twin takes the ‘go anywhere’ spirit one step ahead with its fresh new appearance. The proud Africa Twin tribe is growing and we are ready to welcome enthusiasts to the tribe.

The Honda Africa Twin rivals the likes of the Triumph Tiger 800, the Ducati Multistrada 850 and the BMW F850 GS. The adventure bike is powered by a 999cc, parallel twin engine that makes 87.7 Bhp of peak power at 7500 rpm and 93.1 Nm of peak torque at 6000 rpm. A 6 speed twin clutch automatic gearbox – the bike’s most unique feature among all other motorcycles in India – transmits torque to the rear wheel.

The motorcycle’s twin clutch automatic gearbox offers three rider selectable modes that change the transmissions  response. D mode is meant for regular riding while S mode activates the sport mode – making gear changes more rapid. The G mode is meant for off road riding, and in this mode, the rider can even wheelie to cross certain obstacles. The 2019 Honda Africa Twin also offers multiple settings that allow the rider to choose 3 levels of Power and Engine Braking. The throttle by wire also offers four riding modes: Tour, Urban, Gravel and User, which vary the throttle response accordingly.

As for suspension, the motorcycle features Showa cartridge-based inverted front forks and a monoshock rear  suspension. The suspension is adjustable for pre-load at the front and rear. As for safety, dual channel ABS is  standard and the rider has the option of turning off ABS for the rear wheel to suit off roading needs. Honda  Selectable Torque Control – the Japanese motorcycle maker’s version of traction control – offers different responses  to different riding conditions. It also can be turned off. The Africa Twin is aimed at riders who want a powerful
on-off road motorcycle for long distance riding.

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Acceleration and top speed tests are among the most popular topics among automotive enthusiasts. Even for a regular person who is interesting in buying a car, the top speed and acceleration figures matter to some extent. However, most people miss out on another important aspect which is essential for safety. We are talking about stopping power or braking prowess of the car. How much distance a car takes to stop from the point of brake application is something that needs to be understood for driving safely. Our own Bunny Punia demonstrates the same in a Tata Harrier. Watch the video below to know about how much distance a regular SUV actually covers before coming to a stop.

Those are some interesting outcomes, to say the least. In the brake test video above, a total of four speeds were taken for the brake test. The first test was at a speed of 60 km/h, second at 80 km/h, third at 100 km/h and the last at 110km/h. For the test, the Tata Harrier was driven at the specified speed and the brakes were applied at a particular point, where the first cone is placed. In the 60-0 km/h test, the Harrier stops at a considerable distance from the first cone. Note that this video is not about the Harrier’s braking capabilities but rather to let you know about the average distance covered by a regular SUV at different speeds when full brakes are applied.

Increasing the speed to 80 km/h, we see the distance increase by a substantial margin. Moreover, when the braking test is done at 100 km/h and 110 km/h, the distance is far from safe to say the least. The video demonstrates that if in the case of an emergency a person applies full brakes at a speed of 100 km/h, the car will still cover a substantial distance before finally coming to a stop. A car carries a lot of momentum at high speeds and therefore no matter how good the brakes are, the 100-0 km/h braking distance is still enough to crash a vehicle if another vehicle is close to it.

Talking about the SUV used in the video, the Tata Harrier is powered by a 2.0-litre Fiat-derived KRYOTEC diesel engine which also does the duty on the Jeep Compass, albeit in a different state of tune. The diesel mill on the Harrier churns out a maximum power figure of 138 Bhp along with a maximum torque of 350 Nm. As of now, the company only offers a six-speed manual gearbox with the car but will launch a Hyundai sourced automatic transmission soon. The same engine will also be used on the upcoming 7 seater Tata Cassini, albeit in a higher state of tune.

This video demonstrates the reality of emergency braking. As already mentioned, the time taken for the vehicle to come to halt may be only a few seconds but the distance covered is quite a lot. Therefore, always maintain a safe distance from the car up front and drive below the speed limits. Also, pay full attention to the road ahead of you, especially when driving in the city. Even a slight mistake on your part can result in massive casualties. Therefore, we urge our readers to always follow the traffic rules and drive safely.

Also Read: Upcoming Citroen Aircross C5 (Jeep Compass-rival) picture gallery