Maruti Suzuki has updated the Celerio and Celerio X with new safety features. This move is to ensure that the Celerio and the Celerio X confirm to the Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP) norms, which have come into effect from the 1st of April 2019. The updated Maruti Celerio and Celerio X models now get front driver and passenger airbags, front driver and passenger seat belt reminder, ABS, rear parking sensors, central locking and speed alert system as standard. The upgraded Celerio’s prices start from Rs. 4.31 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi and those of the Celerio X start from Rs. 4.81 lakhs.

The Maruti Celerio hatchback rivals the likes of the Hyundai Santro and the Tata Tiago. The Celerio X is a rugged  looking version of the car, with body cladding and other styling bits. Both cars get a 1 liter-3 cylinder petrol engine as standard. This motor makes 67 Bhp-90 Nm, and is known for its refined, rev happy nature. 5 speed manual and AMT options are available with this engine, which also powers other entry-level cars from Maruti such as the WagonR and the Alto K10. The Celerio was available with a twin cylinder turbodiesel engine for a brief period. Low levels of refinement in the Celerio Diesel made customers reject it, prompting Maruti to discontinue the car.

To make up for the lack of a diesel engine in the Celerio line-up, Maruti has the CNG-Petrol dual fuel variant on  offer. The CNG option is available only with the regular Celerio, in the VXi and VXi (O) trim. Sometime in 2020, we  expect most budget cars in India to move away from diesel engines, towards petrol, CNG and LPG powered engines. This is because the new, Bharat Stage 6 emission norms will kick in from April 2020, and these norms will make diesel engined cars a lot costlier thanks to the expensive emission control equipment that diesels will need in order to meet the much stricter norms.

This would make small diesel cars too pricey, and customers are likely to shift towards petrol, CNG and LPG cars. Car  makers are likely to speeden this shift by dumping diesel engined powered small cars. Also, the Indian government has plans to set up a wider network of LPG and CNG dispensing stations across the country in order to facilitate the move away from diesel engined cars in the affordable car segments. Some manufacturers like Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra are also planning to introduce a slew of electric vehicles, most of which will be based on existing car models. Maruti for its part, will introduce the WagonR Electric in 2020. However, it will be a while before customers begin opting for electric cars and move totally away from the internal combustion engine. Until this happens, CNG and LPG powered cars are expected to act as a bridge.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki's Celerio and Celerio X get a slew of new safety features

Mercedes-Benz is the best selling premium luxury brand in India. The company sells a variety of cars ranging from hatchbacks to SUVs and from sedans to MPVs. Among the various vehicles in its model lineup in India, the Mercedes G-Wagen is probably the most intimidating and exclusive vehicle in India. The butch looking SUV has got many fans across the world and is used as a daily ride by some of the most famous celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kylie Jenner among others. In India too, there are several celebrities owning the mighty Mercedes G-Wagen. Read along to know more about them.

Ranbir Kapoor

Starting off the list is Bollywood Actor Ranbir Kapoor, who owns a lot of high end cars. Among the various beauties in his garage, the most butch vehicle is arguably the Mercedes AMG G63 AMG he owns. His is an older generation model which is powered by a monstrous 5.5-litre V8 bi-turbo petrol engine that churns out a maximum power of 544 Bhp along with 760 Nm of torque. His Mercedes AMG G63Finished in a white, which is also the most popular colour for the AMG G63 in India. Other cars in his collection include the likes of the Audi R8 supercar and the luxurious Range Rover among others.

Pawan Kalyan

Well known Telugu actor and politician Pawan Kalyan is another celeb who owns a Mercedes G-Wagen in India. His SUV is also finished in white, like the one Ranbir owns. However, the model he owns is different and is the G55 AMG which was the predecessor of the previous-gen G63 AMG. The Mercedes AMG G55 is powered by a 5.4-litre V8 engine that pumps out 507 Bhp and 700 Nm of torque. It was earlier being reported that the actor has sold his car but that was not confirmed by him.

Jimmy Shergill

Next in line is Bollywood Actor Jimmy Sheirgill, who is known for his fine acting skills. Jimmy bought a brand new Mercedes AMG G63 painted in white back in 2016. He reportedly paid around Rs 2.19 crores to buy his G-Wagen SUV. He has the same version which is owned by Ranbir. It is powered by a massive bi-turbo 5.5-litre V8 engine that puts out a maximum power of 544 Bhp along with 760 Nm of torque. The engine comes mated to a 7 speed automatic transmission that sends power to all the four wheels.

Akhil Akkineni

Son of the famous Telegu superstar Nagarjuna and a star himself, Tollywood actor Akhil Akkineni is the next entry in our list of celebrity Mercedes G-Wagen owners. His is a Mercedes AMG G63 painted in black which he bought in 2016. This brute has the same V8 engine as on the other G63s above. Apart from Pawan Kalyan, he is the only Telugu star right now to own a Mercedes G63 AMG.

Anant Ambani

The ultra-rich Ambani kid has no dearth of cars. They recently got themselves a Rolls Royce Cullinan besides already having two Bentley Bentaygas. No doubt then that Anant Ambani owns a Mercedes AMG G63 AMG. However, he has not been spotted using it much and we don’t blame him for that but rather his large collection of cars. Interestingly, Range Rovers are used by their security that runs along their cars when any Ambani family members go out on road.

Hardik Pandya

Indian Cricketer Hardik Pandaya is the latest celebrity to get himself a Mercedes AMG G63. It is the latest model and powerful than the older G63s. The latest generation Mercedes-AMG G63 is worth Rs 2.19 crore (ex-showroom) and was launched in India back in October 2018. Another interesting thing about his G63 is its colour, which is Palladium Silver Metallic, quite different from its siblings in India. The new Mercedes-AMG G63 is powered by a 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 petrol engine. It produces a massive power of 585 Bhp along with a peak torque of 850 Nm and comes mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission.

Image Source 1, 2, 4,

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India is becoming a hotbed of performance cars and in the major cities, spotting a supercar or performance car is not a very rare instance. However, there are still many supercars that remain exotic and exclusive on the Indian roads. Here is such a vehicle that gets stopped by the Mumbai Police!

Mumbai Police stops a Ferrari

The popular Dubai-based Mo Vlogs, who is currently in India has put up a new video of his Mumbai adventures in an exotic Ferrari. The car here is a Ferrari F430 Scuderia and it is the only example of the model in India! Mo Vlogs moves around in the streets of Mumbai in awe as he looks at the haphazard traffic and even a bulldozer on the public roads. In many countries, such construction vehicles are not road legal and have to be transported over a flatbed truck or by other means. This ensures that the slow-moving vehicles do not choke the road.

The video further shows that a group of Mumbai Policemen around the Ferrari F430 Scuderia and the owner of the vehicle talking to the cops. After a few minutes, the cops let go of the vehicle. Mo Vlogs later says that the cops came them after they stopped at the roadside to click a few pictures and take videos of the surroundings when the cops came. He also says that the cops do not issue a fine or challan to the driver and let the vehicle go after taking a picture with the Ferrari. Well, the footage of the same has not been added to the uploaded video.

Mo Vlogs continues his rendezvous on the Mumbai streets in the same Ferrari in the rest of the video. The Ferrari F430 Scuderia is quite special and was launched to take on the vehicles like Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. The F430 Scuderia was the performance version of the supercar and was lighter by around 100 kg than the regular version of the vehicle. It was also more powerful but was powered by the same engine as the regular version.

In the F430 Scuderia, the 4.3-litre V8 engine produces a maximum power of 503 Bhp at 8,500 rpm and peak torque of 471 Nm at 5,250 rpm. Ferrari churned out more power by using modified parts. They revised the air intake of the Scuderia completely while the exhaust system was also revamped to increase the power. The engine compression ratio was increased using the ion-sensing knock-detection system. The Ferrari F430 Scuderia can do 0-100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds and can reach a top speed of 319 km/h.

Exotic vehicles like supercars and superbikes gather a lot of attention on the roads because of their design, colours and the exhaust note. In the past, the police forces from various states have issued fines to such vehicles for rash driving and even seized the vehicles. However, there was no fine issued to the Ferrari F430 Scuderia owner this time. A picture with the exotic Ferrari and maybe a warning to owners sufficed this time.

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Maruti Suzuki has cut car production in a big way, and has revealed this through regulatory filings. In March 2019,  Maruti produced 1.36 lakh cars in India, which is nearly 21 % lower than March 2018 production figures – 1.71 lakh  units. The automaker has cited lower demand for the cut in production. Car makers across the board are facing a sales slump in the Indian market. The slowdown in sales reflects a weakening economy. For car sales to improve, economic momentum is required, and that’s likely to take at least a year to happen given the fact that General Elections are scheduled in India for May 2019. The new government is likely to take multiple steps in order to boost the economy.

Currently, Maruti has an installed capacity to build 18 lakh cars each year. Of this capacity, Manesar and Gurgaon  factories contribute to 15.5 lakhs units while the recently set up factory at Hansalpur, Gujarat accounts for 2.5  lakh units. Maruti Suzuki has another factory coming up at Sanand, which will add 2.5 lakh more cars to the overall  capacity. While Maruti Suzuki sells bulk of its cars in India, the automaker also exports a sizeable chunk of its  production to countries around the world. As India is seeing a slowdown in car sales, expect Maruti Suzuki to ramp up exports to compensate.

Maruti Suzuki and its dealers are also offering attractive discounts on almost the entire range of cars save for the  recent launches such as the WagonR and Ertiga. These discounts are aimed at reducing inventory levels accumulated at  dealerships due to the steady sales slowdown. With the factory also reducing production, inventory levels at dealerships is likely to go down in the coming months. Other automakers such as Hyundai, Honda, Tata Motors and Mahindra could also cut production in the coming months if sales don’t pick up in a big way. For now though, these automakers have not announced any production cuts.

For now, Maruti Suzuki is focusing on revamping its entire fleet of cars with additional safety features in order to  meet the BNVSAP (Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program) norms. Maruti is also working towards meeting the April 2020 deadline for making its cars Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission norms compliant. By the end of this year, most cars in Maruti Suzuki’s fleet comprising of the Alto at the bottom and the S-Cross at the top, are likely to become BS6 compliant. The automaker is also expected to dump diesel engines on its smaller cars, instead opting for mild petrol hybrids, CNG and LPG options as diesel-replacements. Maruti is also working on an electric version of the WagonR, which will be launched next year.

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Toyota India has launched the 2019 versions of the Innova Crysta and the Fortuner in the Indian market with updated features. Both the vehicles remain the same mechanically and visually but get a few extra features. The 2019 Innova Crysta is priced between Rs 14,93 lakh to Rs 22.43 lakh while the Toyota Fortuner is priced between Rs 27.83 lakh and Rs 33.6 lakh. All prices ex-showroom.

Both Toyota Innova Crysta and the Toyota Fortuner are the best-selling models from the brand. The Toyota Innova Crysta sells around 7,000 units on an average every month while the Fortuner sells close to 2,00 units each month. Both of them are the best-selling models in their respective segments.

Speaking on these improved versions, Mr N. Raja, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd said,

“At Toyota, we truly believe in ‘Customer First’ philosophy and listen to our customers’ voice, continuously striving and innovating to make ever-better cars and offer the best products and services. In line with the feedback from customers, we are happy to incorporate our customer preferences in select grades of the Innova Crysta and the Fortuner in terms of interiors and comfort. With changing lifestyles people are spending more family time on road trips during weekends and thus car interiors and comfort features are emerging to be important parameters among car buyers. We thank our customers for their unrelenting support and trust that these improvements will further enhance and delight our esteemed customers.”

In the Toyota Innova Crysta, the changes include an optional new Ivory leather upholstery, perforated leather seats, “Crysta” insignia on the seats, USB fast charging port and heat rejection glass.

The Toyota Fortuner, on the other hand, gets an option of a new Chamois interior, perforated seats and heat rejection glass. The changes are limited to a certain variant. The diesel variants of the Innova Crysta get the new additions while the Touring Sport variant gets the Heat Rejection Glass and fast USB charging port. The Fortuner’s 4X2 AT, 4X4 MT and 4X4 AT diesel variants get the new features.

Apart from these changes, the vehicles remain the same mechanically and visually. There are no differences on the exterior that set apart the 2019 version of the popular vehicles from Toyota. The Innova Crysta draws power from a 2.4-litre diesel engine that produces a maximum of 143 Bhp and 343 Nm of peak torque. There is a bigger 2.8-litre version that produces a maximum of 171 Bhp and 360 Nm. The is also a petrol version of the MPV that gets powered by a 2.7-litre naturally aspirated engine. It produces a maximum of 163 Bhp and a peak torque of 245 Nm. The 2.8-litre diesel engine and the 2.7-litre petrol engine get a 6-speed torque converter too. The Toyota Fortuner gets powered by a 2.8-litre turbocharged diesel engine and 2.7-litre petrol engine that also powers the Innova Crysta.

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Mahindra has begun testing the uncamouflaged version of the XUV300 AMT. The Mahindra XUV300 was launched in India’s sub-4 meter compact SUV space earlier this year, and the vehicle has already managed to find 9,000 homes in India in just 2 months. In fact, the Mahindra XUV300 has already beaten the Ford EcoSport in terms of sales, and has grabbed the third spot in its segment, behind the Maruti Brezza and Tata Nexon. However, the XUV300 does not have an automatic gearbox option currently, a lack that Mahindra will soon address with the AMT option. Both the petrol and diesel engined variants of the XUV300 will receive the AMT option.

The AMT equipped Mahindra XUV300 variants will be launched in India by the end of 2019. The petrol and diesel engines will be unchanged. The petrol motor is a 1.2 liter-3 cylinder turbocharged unit with 110 Bhp of peak power and 200 Nm of peak torque. This diesel is a 1.5 liter-4 cylinder turbocharged motor borrowed from the Marazzo MPV. On the XUV300, this motor makes 115 Bhp of peak power and 300 Nm of peak torque. The AMT that will be offered with these engines will be a six speed unit, and will drive the front wheels of the SUV. As for pricing, AMT variants of the Mahindra XUV300 are likely to be about Rs. 60,000 pricier than equivalent manual variants.

The Mahindra XUV300 is one of the most feature-rich SUVs in its segment. In fact, it offers a slew of class leading features. The SUV gets 7 airbags, traction control, seat belt reminder for all five passengers, electric sunroof, disc brakes on all four wheels, anti-rollover protection, electronic stability program, front proximity sensors, multiple steering modes and a dual zone automatic climate control system. The SUV is based on the Ssangyong Tivoli’s X100 platform. Mahindra has shortened the Tivoli significantly to bring it under the 4 meters length mark, and has also given it a total restyling.

Mahindra is also working on an electric variant of the XUV300. The XUV300 Electric will be shown at the 2020 Indian Auto Expo, and is expected to be launched later next year. It will be Mahindra’s first affordable electric SUV, and is likely to be pegged under the Rs. 15 lakh mark. The electric variant of the Mahindra XUV300 is expected to offer a range of 250-300 Kms, with a 0-100 Kph timing of about 11 seconds. The SUV will have a top speed of about 160 Kph, and a quick charging facility that charges the batteries to 80 % in just an hour. The XUV300 is expected to get a 7 seat, longer version as well. Mahindra is yet to start testing the 7 seat XUV300 on Indian roads though.

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The Tata Harrier is currently the most popular product in the company’s model lineup. The SUV has been in news even before its launch and a recent incident shows that the SUV is in no mood of getting away from the limelight anytime soon. Ever thought that what would happen if the batsman hit the ball for a sixer and it hits the vehicles placed on the show behind the boundaries. The same happened in match number 21 which was being played between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders. Watch the video below to get the answer to what happened to the Harrier after it took the hit from the leather ball.

As seen in the video, the ball hit the windscreen of the Tata Harrier directly. However and thankfully, no serious damage was done to the Harrier and the ball just bounced off after hitting the front glass. The batsman here, who hit the six, is Chris Lynn playing from Kolkata Knight riders while the bowler is Shreyas Gopal, playing from Rajasthan Royals. The match was being played in the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. Well, this incident at least gave us the answer to a long answered query of what would happen if the ball hits the car.

As for the question of why the Harrier was present at the ground, Tata Motors is the official partner for Vivo Indian Premier League 2019 and has been using the cricket festival as a platform to showcase its Harrier SUV. Also, there is a special competition announced by Tata through which the winner can get a Harrier SUV as the reward. Known as the Harrier Fan Catch, through this competition, fans are rewarded Rs. 1 lakh for taking a clean single-handed catch of a six. The fan who wins the most popular Harrier Fan Catch of the season also wins the luxury SUV. The final result will be done via an online voting procedure where the most popular one hand fan catch of the season will be decided.

. The company showcased the Nexon sub-4 meter SUV last time and is continuing the tradition this time with the Harrier. Talking about Harrier, it was launched this January by Tata and since then has become a sales success for the company. Tata promises that the Harrier will have the best in class safety rating. The Nexon was the first Indian vehicle to get a 5 star Global NCAP rating and Tata has been working towards improving the build quality of its vehicles. The company will also launch the 7 seater version of the Harrier by the end of this year. Called the Cassini, it will become the flagship model of the company, replacing the current flagship Hexa.

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BMW India has launched the 6th generation, 2019 Z4 convertible sportscar in India. Two variants of the car have been launched. The cheaper one is priced at Rs. 64.9 lakhs, ex-showroom India while the higher variant is priced at Rs. 78.9 lakhs. The latest BMW Z4 rivals the likes of the Porsche 718 Boxster and the Audi TT. Notably, the new car  shares its platform with the Toyota Supra globally. For the Indian market, BMW will import the latest Z4 as a  completely built unit (CBU), which also explains the steep price which it’s positioned at. The Z4 is cheaper than the  Porsche Boxster (Rs. 90 lakhs) but pricier than the discontinued Audi TT (Rs. 65 lakhs).

The 2019 BMW Z4’s lower variant, called the sDrive 20i, is powered by a 2 liter-4 cylinder turbocharged petrol engine  that puts out 197 Bhp of peak power and 320 Nm of peak torque. The higher variant – called the M40i – gets 6 cylinder, inline turbocharged petrol engine with 340 Bhp of peak power and 500 Nm of peak torque. Both engines get 8 speed, torque converter automatic gearboxes sourced from ZF, as standard. The cars are rear wheel driven, and BMW claims a 50:50 weight distribution for exceptional handling and driving dynamics. Claimed performance figures for both cars are quite impressive.

The 2019 BMW Z4 sDrive 20i variant will accelerate to 100 Kmph from standstill in just 6.6 seconds, and will go on to  hit a top speed of 240 Kmph. The more powerful M40i version of the Z4 will be blindingly quicker, with the 0-100 Kmph sprint coming up in just 4.5 seconds, and a top speed of 250 Kmph. As for fuel efficiency, the 20i variant is claimed to return 14.37 Kmpl, which is very respectable indeed. As for the M40i, its mileage is rated at 12.82 Kmpl, not that anyone buying these cars will be really concerned about fuel efficiency.

To justify its positioning as a BMW M car, the M40i variant will get sport suspension with variable sport steering,  electronically controlled dampers that allows the driver to tweak handling characteristics of the car on the go, M  Sport brakes and a M Sport differential. Both cars get multiple driving modes. The M40i also gets a different  exterior styling package when compared to the 20i version. Also, this styling package integrates the M Aerodynamics  features into the car’s styling. On the inside, both cars are luxuriously finished and the M40i variant amplifies the  feeling of luxury. A Harman Kardon stereo with 364W output, a new instrument cluster and heads up display. As for  safety, auto parking, adaptive cruise control, radar based safety technology like emergency braking,pedestrian  detection, lane departure warning, cross traffic alerts and rear collision warning system are the various safety aids on offer apart from the regulation bits such as airbags and ABS.

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The fully faired version of the Hero Xtreme 200R has been caught undisguised on video, and this motorcycle is likely  to rival the Bajaj Pulsar 200 RS and be Hero’s flagship offering in the near future. The motorcycle is likely to be  marketed as the next-generation Karizma – a brand that introduced India to 200cc+ high performance motorcycles in the four stroke space. Hero MotoCorp – erstwhile Hero Honda – has moved away from its Japanese partner once and for all, and future offerings from Hero will use engines and gearboxes developed in-house. By similar logic, the now discontinued Karizma will make a comeback but with Hero MotoCorp mechanicals.

As the spy video of the uncamouflaged motorcycle indicates, the full-faired version of the Hero Xtreme 200R/Karizma replacement, seems production ready. A fully digital instrument cluster, twin headlamps up front, a full fairing and blacked out engine and other cycle parts are the few details that emerge through the video. The Xtreme 200R’s mechanicals are likely to make it into this fully faired motorcycle. What this means is, a 200cc air cooled four  stroke engine with 18 Bhp-17 Nm will power the motorcycle. Fuel injection is likely to be standard, along with a 5  speed manual gearbox.

Notably, the same engine will be offered on the Hero XPulse 200 as well, but in a state of tune that favours low end  and mid range torque rather than outright power at the top. The fully faired motorcycle is expected to get telescopic  front forks and a monoshock rear suspension. Tubeless tyres and alloy wheels are also expected to be standard in the motorcycle. As for braking, disc brakes will be standard at the front and rear, with a single channel ABS adding an element of safety to the equation. As for pricing, expect the Hero Xtreme 200R’s fully faired version to be much more affordable than the Bajaj Pulsar 200 RS.

This is because the Hero Xtreme 200R undercuts the Pulsar 200 NS, and its fully faired sibling is also likely to be  positioned under the Pulsar 200 RS. Hero MotoCorp has not officially revealed the timeline for launch of this  motorcycle. Considering the fact that a new production version of the motorcycle has leaked, the launch may be  nearby. For now though, Hero is focusing on the XPulse 200 and 200T – two off-road biased motorcycles that are likely to be launched very soon.

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Honda Motorcycles & Scooters India (HMSI) has begun delivering the CB 300R naked sportsbike to customers around the country. Currently, the Honda CB 300R is sold through 23 Wing World dealerships that the brand uses to sell premium two wheelers across India. The demand for the Honda CB 300R has been high, so much so that Honda is sitting on orders that will take 3 months to be fulfilled. Honda has also bumped up assembly of the motorcycle to meet demand. Notably, the Honda CB 300R is assembled through the completely knocked down (CKD) kit route. This is the reason for the premium price tag of Rs. 2.41 lakhs, ex-showroom Pan-India.

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

Indian middle weight biking enthusiasts welcomed the Neo Sports Café inspired Honda CB300R with a lot of enthusiasm. Overwhelmed by the response since its launch in February, we have revised our production plan to meet the additional demand.

This high price tag means that the Honda CB 300R is only slightly cheaper than the KTM Duke 390 – a higher capacity motorcycle that offers much more power and torque. Honda is banking on its brand, and traditional strengths of high reliability and low maintenance costs to move the motorcycle.

As for the technical specifications of the Honda CB 300R, the motorcycle is powered by a 286cc, liquid cooled, 4  valve, single cylinder four stroke engine with 30.4 Bhp of peak power at 8,000 rpm and 27.4 Nm of peak torque at  6,500 rpm. The engine gets twin overhed camshafts and fuel injection as standard. A six speed manual gearbox is also standard with this motorcycle.

One thing that the Honda CB 300R has going for it is its light kerb weight of just 147 kilograms. This makes the  motorcycle manageable even for new riders, and also gives the motorcycle a very good power to weight ratio. Designed to be a city bike during the weekdays and a corner carving machine during the weekends, the Honda CB 300R has easy going yet sporty ergonomics. An upright riding position makes the motorcycle a good city bike. As for suspension, the bike features upside down front forks and a monoshock rear. Braking is handled by twin disc brakes, one each on the front and rear wheel.

Dual channel ABS is standard, along with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that adds another layer of safety. Honda also offers a range of accessories that can be fitted to the motorcycle at the dealer level. The range of accessories affords quite a bit of personalization for the Honda CB 300R.

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The BMW 8-Series coupe is one of the best cars to roll out of the German auto behemoth’s factories and has received rave reviews across the world. The 8-series coupe rivals the likes of the Mercedes S-Class Coupe but it is more focused on having a sporty characteristic than being an outright luxury focus, as in the case of the Mercedes. However, this does not mean that it is low on features or has inferior interiors. Revealed at the 24 hours of Le Mans last year, it is a successor to the ageing 6 series lineup and carries the grand tourer baton for BMW. The video below by Natalia Itani shows some of the coolest features present in this car. Let’s take a look at the video before getting onto the other details.

The BMW 8-series coupe is equipped with BMWs Laser light technology headlights. They are quite advanced units and it shines 10 times brighter compared to LED generated light. Moreover, it also consumes 30 per cent less energy. Furthermore, regardless of its complexity, it requires compact assembly, enabling designers to create the slimmest headlights in BMW history. BMW Laserlight is able to project light 600 meters ahead.

The BMW smart key is another feature that deserves a mention. This key has been also coming along with some of the other high-end models by the company like the 7 series sedan and the X7 SUV among others. It gets a capacitive touchscreen via which the owner of the car can control a lot of things apart from just locking and unlocking the car. It also shows a plethora of information within the screen itself. Crystal gear knob and start/stop button apart from a lot of other crystal parts.

The BMW 8 series comes equipped with the latest-generation display and controls consisting of a high-resolution instrument cluster behind the steering wheel and the Control Display. The instrument cluster screen measures 12.3 inches while the centre placed Control Display unit measures 10.25-inch. IT also comes with gesture control among other things. The gesture control allows the driver or other car occupants to control functions like changing the volume, next-previous song etc by just waving their hand infront of the screen in a particular manner.

Other features on the coupe include a 360-degree camera with park assist, ambient intelligent interior lightning, road assist and multifunctional seats among others. speaking of engine power, the BMW 8-series model featured here is powered by a huge 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo engine. This engine churns out a maximum power of 530 hp along with 750 Nm of torque. The engine comes mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. No doubt then why the 8-series is being called one of the most beautiful and technically advanced cars by BMW till date.

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India has one of the highest import taxes when it comes to CBU cars in the world. Still, there are many imported vehicles that can be seen on the Indian roads including American brands like Cadillac. In recent times, a handful of big bad Cadillac Escalade SUVs have been imported to the Indian roads and are often spotted by the shutterbugs. However, this Cadillac Escalade was caught in an act that may leave you surprised, shocked or smiling, depending on how you see it.

Cadillac Escalade getting wheels changed!

This post was put up on TBHP forum and pictures are by Viren Parikh. The series of pictures show the latest generation Cadillac Escalade getting its tyre changed at a roadside shop in Mumbai or Pune. The Cadillac Escalade seen here is the ESV version, which gets extra long wheelbase and can seat up to 8 passengers. The base variant of the Escalade ESV is priced at Rs 56 lakh in the US but this looks like the Luxury variant that carries a price tag of $85000 or Rs 60 lakh. Importing it to India will mean a tax of more than 200 per cent, which will take the price of the vehicle close to Rs 2 crore plus road taxes.

It makes the Cadillac Escalade one of the most expensive vehicles in the Indian market and seeing it parked at a roadside vendor is nothing less than shocking! Maintaining such vehicles is quite expensive, especially because there are no authorised dealers of such vehicles in India. They have to be serviced and repaired by private garages. However, no one expects them to get fixed by local roadside vendors!

According to the photographer, the Cadillac Escalade seen in the picture is getting its tyre changed at the shop. Well, it is quite evident that the vehicle is getting new wheels at the shop as both the tyres of the left-hand side of the vehicle are not there. We are not sure if the owner of the Cadillac did tyre shopping from the roadside vendor or bought his own tyres and getting them installed at the shop.

Changing the tyres is not rocket science and can be done at any place. However, given how expensive the car is, we expect to see them getting such things done at the high-end shops behind the closed doors. Nonetheless, the roadside vendors also do a wonderful job and as they provide a value for money service.

This is not the first time that an expensive vehicle has been spotted at a local garage for repairs. Earlier this year, an Audi R8 was spotted getting painted at a roadside garage in Delhi. Well, maintenance can put a major strain on the wallet of such car owners and if one can find reliable roadside mechanics, it sure is worth a shot!

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Hyundai upcoming sub-4 meter SUV, called the Venue, will have its global debut at the upcoming 2019 New York International Auto Show and in India simultaneously. We have already seen quite a bit of the Venue’s design to leaked images and speculative renders. Now, Hyundai has released the official sketches of the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza challenger that gives us a fair bit of idea of how the car would look like. The exaggerated curves and muscles are something that is usual for sketch designs but will not make it on the production version.

Said to be India’s first connected SUV, the Venue will have class-leading features that will help it take on the competition despite its late start in the market, but more on that later. Talking about the design of the Venue on the lines of these sketches, Hyundai has carried its typical design language on the Venue which has been seen on the international version of the Santa Fe too. The front fascia of the Venue consists of Hyundai’s cascading grille along with a swapped LED DRLs-headlights design. Hyundai has tried giving it a butch stance so that it looks more of an SUV rather than a crossover. Also, the A-pillars have been blacked out as seen in the design sketch.

The Venue will come with roof rails suggesting its SUVness and character. Moving to the rear, the design language here is a bit tame as compared to the rest of the body design. A roof spoiler gives it a sporty stance while the squared out tidy tail lamps sit flush with the body. The bottom end gets reflectors as well as a scuff plate, which may or may not be present in the production version. Overall, the design of the Venue looks upmarket and it can hold its own in the face of competitors like the Tata Nexon, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and the Mahindra XUV300 among others.

Hyundai is known for making cars with good interiors and the Venue seems to be no different. The spy shots have already given us a good hint of the dashboard. To let you know, the Indian version of the Venue will be slightly different from the global version and will get several tweaks to make it a better fit in the Indian market. The sketch above suggests a high mounted touchscreen flanked by AC vents on either side. The control dials are large units and there seems to be some storage area beneath them. As for features, the Hyundai Venue will come loaded with a total of 33 connectivity features, out of which 10 will be India specific. It now remains to be seen how the Venue will fare against the current segment leader, the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, which till now has not been much affected by the competition.

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The recent ruling by the Supreme Court of India on vehicle modifications has caused an uproar among auto enthusiast across the country. Among the various state MVDs, the Kerala MVD (Motor Vehicles Department) has been the most active in implying this rule and has impounded several cars and bikes till date. Called as operation ‘Freaken’ by the state MVD, more than 65 vehicles have already been captured under this drive. In a recent incident in the city of Kochi, Kerala, Poice arrested 15 youths for protesting against the drive to curb vehicle modification. The video below by Bikers Heaven shows footage of the protests and the later arrests made by the Kerala police.

The video shows youths walking down the streets shouting slogans like ‘save modification’. Later in the video, 15 of them were taken into police custody and later released on bail. According to the police, the meet organized by the youths against the motor vehicles department’s (MVD) crackdown on vehicles created a public nuisance and blocked traffic in the area, which was the High Court Junction area to be particular. A central Police officer said

“The youths had apparently gathered in the city with the intention of breaking the rules. We are checking whether they have any criminal antecedents,”

According to reports, a group of youngsters with full riding kit reached the High Court Junction on their bikes with the intention to stage a protest against the SC verdict and the implementation of the same by MVD. Upon reaching Chathiyath Road, they were confronted by the police. the report further adds that the youths created a ruckus at Queen’s Walkway when they saw a police team. While most of these youngsters managed to get away, police got hold of 15 of them and booked them under Section 279 of the IPC for rash driving. As mentioned earlier, they were later given bail and made free.

The decision of restricting vehicle modification has not gone down very well with the country’s auto enthusiasts crowd. The Supreme Court verdict states that vehicles registered under Section 52(1) of the Motor Vehicle Act must strictly adhere to the original specifications of the manufacturer. While modifications to a vehicle’s structural composition and other functional changes like engine swap among others were banned previously also, this new ruling has made almost any time of change made on a car as illegal. The MVD is giving a time period of around 15 days to the owners of modified vehicles to get them back to stock condition lest the vehicles being impounded by the department.

Looking at the bigger picture, this has not only affected the current modified vehicle owners and other auto enthusiasts but also a fairly large industry which is spread nation wise. There have been cases of police busting modified bikes from college auto shows as some reports suggesting that the MVD is now keeping an eye on the social media to impound the modified vehicles being posted there. The reason behind the Supreme Court’s ruling can be the fact that over the top modifications lead to safety compromises of both the car occupants as well as to the others on road. However, banning anything completely is not an accurate solution, especially when it involves the sentiments and livelihood of so many people. The government/Court can place some guidelines and restrictions regarding modification and this seems to be the best possible solution of this issue at the current time.

Source

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Toyota India has shelved the plan of launching the all-new Corolla in the Indian market later this year. The Japanese manufacturer has decided not to launch the all-new Corolla in the Indian market and not to upgrade the model to the BS-VI emission compliant norms that will come into effect from next year in the Indian market. The new plan also hampers Maruti’s plan to introduce an all-new sedan in the D-Segment as the manufacturer was planning to re-engineer the all-new Corolla and sell it under its own brand name.

The all-new Toyota Corolla was expected to be launched in the Indian market later this year but due to the dropping sales in the segment, Toyota has decided to go against the decision. In the meantime, Toyota will start receiving Maruti Suzuki products by the second half of 2019 that will be rebadged and sold through Toyota dealerships in India.

One of the reasons for Toyota’s decision can be the falling sales of the D-Segment sedans. The D-Segment sedans are not as popular as they used to be before the arrival of SUVs. The vehicles like Mahindra XUV 500 and Tata Harrier are much more popular than the D-Segment sedans in the Indian market. While the Corolla Altis may get culled in the Indian market, it may give way to an all-new crossover from Toyota in India. Toyota has not confirmed the launch of a new vehicle in the segment but earlier in an interview, they revealed that a new crossover and a compact MPV is being planned for the Indian market. After the Corolla gets discontinued in the market, space can be filled by one of the new products from the brand.

In the meantime, Toyota and Maruti have declined to comment on the development according to the ETAuto. Maruti Suzuki was to get the Corolla Altis in the Indian market but with the new decision, the largest car seller in India may go back rethinking the strategy again. Maruti Suzuki currently offers the Ciaz as its most expensive sedan in the Indian market and it is likely to remain so for a long time to come.

Toyota may launch the all-new Avanza and the Rush in the Indian market to fill the gap. Currently, SUVs are much more popular than the sedans in the Indian market as they offer a better road presence, spacious interior and comfortable ride quality. The trend is likely to continue in the future too.

Recently, Honda launched the all-new Civic in the segment that takes on the likes Corolla Altis, Hyundai Elantra and Skoda Octavia in the Indian market. In the first month, Honda has dispatched more than 2,000 units of the Civic but the sales figures are likely to settle down in the coming months in the market.

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Time and again, we see high-end luxury cars get a lot cheaper when automakers change the way in which they bring them to India. In Land Rover’s case, there has been a steady increase in local assembly of luxury SUVs. The latest Land Rover to join the completely knocked down (CKD) kit assembly route is the Velar. CKD assembly of the Land Rover Velar luxury SUV has dropped its price by Rs. 10 lakhs.

Previously imported into India as a completely built unit (CBU), the Velar will be assembled at Jaguar-Land Rover’s  Indian assembly unit at Chikli, off Pune. Previously, the Land Rover Velar was priced at Rs. 82.9 lakhs, ex-showroom  India. It starts from Rs. 72.47 lakhs. The top-end variant of the Velar costs nearly double that of the locally  assembled version, at Rs. 1.55 crores, on-road Delhi.

Notably, the Range Rover Velar’s higher variants continue to be imported to India through the CBU route. The locally  assembled variant of the Velar is the R-Dynamic S trim. It’s offered with 2 engine options – a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel motor that makes 180 PS of peak power and 430 Nm of peak torque torque, and a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol motor that makes 250 PS of peak and 365 Nm of peak torque. All wheel drive layouts are standard with both engines, which also get 8 speed automatic gearboxes as standard. The Velar is also offered with more powerful petrol and diesel engines on the higher trims.

The higher-spec petrol engine continues to displace 2 liters but makes a whopping 296 Bhp of peak power and 400 Nm of peak torque. The more powerful diesel engine is a bigger, 3 liter-V6 turbocharged motor with 296 Bhp of peak power and 700 Nm of peak torque. Like the lower variants, the more powerful petrol and diesel engine options on the Velar drive all four wheels through the all wheel drive system, and get 8 speed automatic transmissions.

Coming back to the lower priced, R-Dynamic S trim, prominent features on the SUV inclyde Touch Pro Duo infotainment system, Activity Key, Wi-Fi and Pro Services, Meridian Sound System (380W), quad-zone Climate Control, Cabin Air Ionisation, Premium Leather interiors, 50.8 cm (20) wheels with Full size spare wheel, R-Dynamic exterior pack, Adaptive Dynamics, Premium LED headlights with signature LED DRL and Park Assist

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

We continue to focus on providing the best of British design, luxury and technology at highly competitive prices and we are sure that local manufacturing of the Range Rover Velar will make it even more desirable. This also reaffirms  our commitment to the Indian market and to our customers.

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Mahindra has a long history of making Jeep based utility off-road vehicles in India. The company’s current model continuing the old legacy is the Thar, which is among the first choice of off-road enthusiasts and/or Jeep fanatics. The whole Mahindra-Jeep story started with the iconic CJ3B, which was known for its go-anywhere ability and rugged character.

Interestingly, the original design DNA of the CJ3B can be still found on the modern-day Thar. Among the various versions of Jeeps, as they are popularly called, released by Mahindra till date, the Classic (CL340) is one of the most successful among them.

The reason why we are talking about the Mahindra Classic today is because of the beautifully restored example featured below. Take a look at this macho vehicle before we move further into the details.

This restored Mahindra Classic is owned by Sonu Pujari, who painstakingly restored it after buying it from its original owner. According to Sonu, who is an auto enthusiast himself, the whole restoration job took a lot of effort and time but the end result was something that can be termed as fabulous. To let you know, this Mahindra Classic CL340 is a restoration job and not a resto-mod as some of you might guess.

The whole vehicle has been restored to almost stock condition except for some minor changes. This includes broader tires and a new canvas top in Khaki shade among other little alterations. The upholstery has been changed is still the same as on the original Classic. The electricals have been renewed and a new coat applied to it in order to give it a fresh appearance. Sonu also worked on removing the rust from various parts like the rims among others.

As it is a 1996 model, it was not in a condition that can be termed as good when Sonu bought it from its first owner. He had to do a lot of rust removal work and cleaning which becomes a problem for such an old vehicle if not maintained properly. The engine, gearbox and the transfer case have not been played with and are still in stock condition. As for the aesthetics, this Mahindra Classic looks absolutely gorgeous while at the same time maintaining its butch attitude. The stock multispoke silver rims, black body paint contrasting with the Khaki roof-top are among the elements that add to its beauty.

The whole restoration cost for this project was around Rs. 2 lakh, which is justifiable when you take a look at this Classic. It has only run for around 15,000 km which is another feather in its cap. A hat tip to Sonu for bringing this timeless classic back to life and giving us petrol heads a chance to gawk at it.

More Pictures – Link

Owner – Sonu Pujari

Photography by – Milind Kale

Location and Photography idea –Vrushal Chavhan

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Jeep Compass, which is the most affordable SUV from the American brand in the Indian market is also quite a popular car in the segment. The Compass offers true American looks inspired by the iconic design of the Jeep vehicles. Here is a modified example of the Compass that looks very eye-catchy!

The Jeep Compass spotted on the SahilKhanDesigns on Instagram gets a blend of black and red that makes the vehicle look special. According to the post, the body of the Jeep Compass gets a satin black wrap while the front grille gets highlights of red. It is not known if the grille of the vehicle has been painted in the red colour or a wrap has been added on it too. In all, it looks like a beautiful amalgamation of the two colours. The other changes on the outside of the vehicle are the aftermarket wheels on the SUV. It gets funky looking alloy wheels.

It should be noted that re-painting a vehicle other than the stock colour is illegal in India. To change the colour of the vehicle, the new paint has to be endorsed on the Registration Certificate of the vehicle by the RTO. On the contrary, adding a wrap does not change the colour of the vehicle and is not illegal.

The Jeep Compass has become a steady seller for the Jeep brand in India and is the best-selling vehicle from the FCA group in the Indian market. Jeep recently launched a new Sports Plus variant, which is priced at Rs 15.99 lakh. The new variant gets features like 16-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control system, reverse parking sensors, blacked-out roof rails and more. Last month Jeep sold 1,441 units of the Compass in the Indian market, which is similar to the sales figure of the earlier month.

The Compass is currently facing stiff competition from the newly launched Tata Harrier. However, it offers features like a sunroof, 4X4 system, automatic transmission and a petrol engine, which are missing from the Harrier. The Jeep Compass is powered by both petrol and diesel engine options in the Indian market.

The petrol variants of the SUV are powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine that produces a maximum power of 163 PS and a peak torque of 250 Nm. It gets a choice of 6-speed manual transmission and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The diesel versions of the Compass get powered by a 2.0-litre Multijet engine that produces a maximum of 173 PS and peak torque of 350 Nm. The diesel variants only offer a 6-speed manual transmission at the moment but Jeep is planning to launch an automatic variant of the diesel engine powered Compass, which will be known as the Trailhawk. The Trailhawk is also the more capable variant of the Compass that gets bigger approach and departure angles along with a low-ratio transfer case.

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In the age of electronic challans, many vehicles keep on accumulating fines. Most owners do not check the online e-challan websites because of which they do not get to know the pending fines against their vehicles. In a similar case, traffic police stopped a Mahindra XUV500 for an offence only to find out that there is a huge amount pending against the SUV.

What is it about?

The picture posted by the Cyberabad Traffic Police official page shows traffic cop in a selfie picture with the Mahindra XUV500. The number plate of the vehicle has been edited out to ensure the privacy of the owner. According to the post, the traffic police stopped the Mahindra XUV500 for going against the flow of the traffic. However, when the cop checked for previous records of the vehicle, he found out that there are numerous pending fines against the XUV500. The total fine amount that piled up over time is a massive Rs 35,760.

The post, however, does not mentions the kind of offences that have been done by this XUV500. Also, because the number has been edited out of the post, the information cannot be accessed through the online portal of Cyberabad Police.

Police forces of various states have adopted the new e-challan system for the convenience and strictly enforcing the laws. The method allows the police to use the video surveillance footage from the CCTV cameras on the roads and issue challans to the offenders electronically. The cops can issue fines for parking the vehicle in no parking zones, waiting at no waiting zones, going against the flow of traffic, jumping the red light and even crossing the stop line during the red light among many other offences. In a few states, electronic fines can be issued for even overspeeding. Advanced speed traps have been installed that automatically detects the speed and capture the picture of the vehicles and send it to the control rooms of police.

Online fines can be checked on the websites of the traffic police departments, which are different for every state. Vehicle owners should regularly check for fines by entering the registration details of their vehicles on the site. Else, the fines keep on piling up to become an exorbitant amount. The cops check for previous fines whenever they flag down a vehicle and in many cases, cops present at the traffic signals randomly put the registration number of the vehicles in their systems to check for any uncleared fine and catch the offender on the spot.

This is not the first time that a cop has caught a vehicle with such a large pending fine amount in India. In the past, a Ford Aspire cab driver was caught with Rs 16,565 pending fine in Telangana while a motorcycle rider was caught with 102 pending challans a few months back. Police seize the vehicle if the owner refuses to pay the pending fine.

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Hyundai, the second-largest carmaker in India has revealed the details of the upcoming Venue sub-4m compact SUV. The all-new SUV is based on the Hyundai Carlino concept and will take on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV 300. Even though Hyundai will be a late entrant in the already well-established segment, the Venue SUV will offer a bucket full of segment-first features that will ensure that it gets enough attention in the segment.

The all-new car will be unveiled officially on 17th April at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) and the Indian-spec version will be showcased soon after. The Indian version is expected to be different from the international version as Hyundai has always tweaked most of its products for the Indian market.

Hyundai revealed that the Venue will offer 33 features in the upcoming Venue. 10 features of all the 33 features will be available only in the India-spec cars and have been developed for the Indian market. The upcoming Venue will be the only car in the segment to offer connected features. The Venue will offer Blue Link connectivity solution that will allow the owners to control the vehicle remotely as well as make the vehicle much more convenient to drive around.

The car will get an eSIM that will be available only with the DCT automatic variants of the Venue. It will allow users to track the car, add geo-fence, get updates about overspeeding, tow-away, time fencing, the vehicle remote on a smartphone, SOS calls, customer support, real-time traffic information, remotely check the car status, find the car and India-specific voice assistance.

Mr Puneet Anand, Sr. General Manager, Marketing, Hyundai Motor India said,

“We are extremely delighted to share that the Blue Link Connectivity Solutions will debut in the Hyundai VENUE, making it India’s first Smart Connected SUV. The Blue Link Connectivity will be the most practical, concrete and convenient technology available in the Indian market to make the customers life easy. We have undertaken all the measures across all our touch points to ensure that our customers can get a firsthand experience of the Blue Link Connectivity. Our team of Blue Link Wizards & trained sales consultants will make the technology truly accessible to all our customers. The connected car technology is built on the theme of – Your Connected Friend On The Go and will help us realize our vision of becoming Lifetime Partners in Automobile and Beyond.”

The transmission details of the upcoming Hyundai Venue was revealed during the presentation when a slide showed that the BlueLink app will be available only with the DCT variants of the vehicle. The Hyundai Venue is expected to offer a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 1.4-litre diesel engine from the Verna. The petrol version will be offered with the dual-clutch transmission system, which again will be a unique feature in the segment. Ford earlier offered a DCT with the EcoSport but that transmission has been replaced with a 6-speed automatic in the latest model of the car.

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