While the Indian government is pushing the new MV Act in the upper house of the Parliament, there are many motorists in the country who are brazenly breaking rules. A BJP leader – Arvind Singh from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh is one such motorist of many who ignored the rules and went on a bike ride on the public roads. The result? UP Police seized the bike of the leader.

The incident took place in the Civil Line area of Moradabad at a regular check post. Reportedly, BJP leader adorned in the party colour was riding a bike without a helmet in the region. He was bringing his children back from the school when he was stopped at a regular check traffic police checkpoint. The policemen present took out the keys of the bike and asked the BJP leader about the helmet. After this, the leader, Arvind Singh started arguing with the policemen present at the spot and asked for the key. The cops then asked for details of the leader and he clearly mentioned that he is the leader of the BJP’s local circle.

Arvind Singh then started abusing the cops and started asking how could they remove the bike keys. After repeatedly asking for the keys, the cops decided to seize the bike on the spot. The BJP leader’s bike was seized and he was given an alternate transport to reach home. A lot of bystanders gathered during the commotion between the politician and the police and videos were recorded.

The leader and his kids who were on the bike were made to sit in the police vehicle and were brought to the police station. According to the reports, he was released after 2 hours. The leader can be heard on the video that the cops can issue an on-spot challan but he wants the key back. The cops have registered a case against the leader but the exact details are not known.

According to Arvind Singh, the BJP leader, he was coming back from the school with a kid. He was stopped at the checkpoint and was asked about the helmet. Arvind then replied that there is no helmet and they can issue a challan on the spot. However, the policeman took out the key from his bike and started abusing him. This is when Arvind hurled back abuses.

According to Ankit Mittal, ACP City, Moradabad, said that the leader was stopped for regular checking and he started hurling abuses after he was stopped. The cops then seized the bike and registered a complaint against him. It is not clear how many children were travelling with the leader at the time.

It should be noted that the new MV Act rules, which is expected to be implemented after the Rajya Sabha passes the bill, the challans for illegal activities on the public roads will be increased by about 5 times. According to Nitin Gadkari, Transport leader, BJP, the new fines will push the motorists to follow the rules due to extremely heavy fines.

Also Read: KTM RC125 vs Yamaha R15 V3 in a classic drag race: Who wins?

KTM launched its most affordable fully faired bike in the form of the RC125 last month in India. Priced at Rs. 1.47 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi, it is one of the most expensive 125 cc bikes out there in the market. However, KTM has not cut any corners with the bike and it gets almost the same components as its bigger siblings like the RC200 and RC3990, except of course the engine. For long, the Yamaha R15 V3 has been the reigning king of the performance-oriented bike segment under Rs. 1.5 lakh price mark. So while the RC125 is clearly short on displacement than the R15, what remains to be seen is how it holds up to the R15 in terms of real-world performance. For the same, the video below by Ayush Verma pits both these bikes against each other in a classic drag race.

Now the result of this drag race is quite obvious but the only reason for checking it out is that how the RC125 performs when compared to the Yamaha R15 V3 since both the bikes have an almost same price tag. The R15 V3 not only has a more powerful engine but it also uses superior engine technology which makes it such a powerful yet nimble motorcycle. Talking about the drag race, a total of two rounds were held between the two bikes and as expected, the Yamaha R15 V3 triumphs both of them.

In the first round, both the bikes have a good launch but the R15 V3 soon leaves the RC125 behind in the dust. At the end of the race, the distance between both the bikes is huge. The riders switch the bikes for the second round and the result is the same this time too, only with the distance between the two bikes grew even bigger at the end of the race. However, this doesn’t mean that the RC125 is not a good motorcycle. The only thing that is ‘no-so-good’ about the KTM RC125 is its price tag but it is as good a track tool as any of its bigger brother, only slower.

Coming to the specifications, The KTM RC125 is powered by the same, 125cc, liquid-cooled four-stroke engine that is used by the Duke 125. This short stroke motor gets a four-valve head, twin overhead camshafts and fuel injection as standard. Talking about its power output, the engine churns out 14.3 Bhp of peak power at 9,250 rpm and 12 Nm of peak torque at 7,000 rpm. A six-speed manual gearbox with slipper clutch comes as standard. The bike has a kerb weight of 135 kg and so comes a single-channel ABS too

The Yamaha YZF-R15 V3.0, on the other hand, gets powered by a bigger 155 cc engine that puts out 18.7 Bhp of power at 10,000 RPM along with 15 Nm of torque at 8,500 RPM. The engine comes mated to a six-speed gearbox and gets a slipper clutch as well. It comes equipped with a dual-channel ABS, VVA (Variable Valve Actuation) and the bike has a weight of 139 kg.

Also Read: KTM RC125 vs Yamaha R15 V3 in a classic drag race: Who wins?

Toyota has lined up two big launches for the Indian market later this year: the Vellfire luxury MPV that will sit above the Innova Crysta at a hefty price tag, and the TRD version of the Fortuner luxury SUV. The Vellfire was recently showcased to Toyota dealers from across India in a dealer-specific event conducted by the Japanese automaker. As for the Fortuner TRD, this special edition, sporty trim of the SUV is already on sale in many South East Asian markets, and will soon be launched in India as a range topping trim for the luxury SUV’s line up. Toyota’s previous launch in India was the rebadged Maruti Baleno, which the automaker has branded as the Glanza. The Glanza is doing around 2,000 units per month, outselling the likes of the Etios sedan and Liva hatchback, two other similarly priced cars in Toyota’s Indian line up.

Coming back to the Toyota Vellfire, the luxury MPV is likely to arrive into India through the completely built unit (CBU) route. The Vellfire will use a 2.5 liter-4 cylinder petrol engine that produces 177 Bhp of peak power and 235 Nm of peak torque. Interestingly, this makes the MPV less powerful than the Toyota Innova Crysta, which gets a 2.8 liter turbo diesel engine with 171 Bhp-343 Nm outputs on the top-end trim.

The Vellfire will use a CVT automatic gearbox that drives the rear wheels. Considering the bulk of the vehicle (2 tons+), don’t expect the Vellfire to be very frugal. This will make it quite a niche offering, with Toyota pushing it to high-end hospitality industry users. Also, private car buyers seeking a luxurious MPV for their families may opt for the Vellfire, which is likely to sport a price tag of about Rs. 75 lakhs.

The Toyota Fortuner TRD will merely be a cosmetic makeover for the big SUV. A contrast roof, revised grille, dechromed bits on the outside and revised front and rear bumpers are likely to be key changes on the SUV. TRD badging at the front and rear will further differentiate this SUV from the regular versions. Under the hood, the 2.8 liter-4 cylinder GD turbocharged diesel engine with 174 Bhp-450 Nm will be standard. This engine gets 6 speed manual and automatic gearbox options on the regular trims, along with rear wheel drive and four wheel drive layouts. The TRD version is likely to be offered with manual and automatic gearboxes, but with the four wheel drive layout as standard. Expect a price premium of around Rs. 1 lakh over the top-end manual 4×4 and automatic 4×4 trims of the Fortuner, which are priced at Rs. 38 lakhs and Rs. 40 lakhs (On-road Delhi) respectively.

Also Read: Mahindra XUV300 reaches the used car market: 3 examples!

The Indian roads throw challenges to the motorists every day. While there is a lack of discipline among the majority of motorists, things like stray cattle, broken roads, illegal speed breakers and more of such things add up to make the situation worse. However, one of the biggest problems of the Indian roads is the potholes. While potholes can slow down the traffic and create huge jams on the roads, a few months back, several scooter riders fell due to potholes in Bangalore and a few of these falls also turned out to be fatal.

Now a new incident from Mumbai shows how much damage a pothole can do to the vehicle if it is at a high speed. Dezlan Chhoi, a resident of Mumbai hit a pothole at high-speed on the Freeway near Wadala. The result? The airbags of the vehicle deployed. Dezlan claimed that he was driving the vehicle at a speed of 20-30 km/h and could not see the pothole. The video which he has put up shows the pothole under the water, which is why it is difficult to spot. Potholes become quite dangerous this way as rain can cover them and hide their existence. This is why one should always slow down while passing over stagnant water on the roads, especially during the monsoon season. He also said that the total damage to the vehicle could cost around Rs 2 lakh!

Dezlan was driving a Volkswagen Polo hatchback. It is one of the hatchbacks in India, which is known for its sturdy build quality and rock-solid quality. The pictures that were put up by Dezlan Chhoi shows the vehicle has been badly damaged after getting into the pothole. He shared the story online and said that the vehicle’s rear tyre went inside the pothole. The pictures also show the deep pothole, which can be deeper than one foot. Dezlan claims that the depth to be around 12-15 inches. The video shows a few other vehicles going through the pothole too. A huge rock is also placed just in front of the pothole, which creates a bigger mess. A truck can be seen driving through it and the wheels of the truck really go through a bad time while tackling the massive pothole.

The rear wheel of the Volkswagen Polo went inside the pothole as per the driver of the car. The rear bumper can also be seen damaged. The Volkswagen Polo comes with twin front airbags as standard and both of them can be seen deployed in the video. While the airbag sensors may not have been hit when the vehicle went through the pothole, the high-intensity jerk to the vehicle must have triggered the deployment of the airbags.

Dezlan Chhoi also tweeted the videos and pictures of the road to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) but they replied saying that they have requested BMC Roads and BMC Ward department to attend this as this comes under their area.

Also Read: Mahindra XUV300 reaches the used car market: 3 examples!

Have you been hunting for used premium hatchbacks in Hyderabad that provide a good balance between price and utility? Are you looking solely at cars below 6 lakhs? If yes, then worry no more, for we have you covered with a curated list for your requirements. Your specific demands will rarely find meaningful insights on leading car websites. Moreover, they will have listings of cars that have not been neatly sorted, and hence are not in a position to give you the best deal. How do you decide which car suits you best then? Used car websites are usually of little use, even with their multiple filters. The onus of sorting the information remains on you, and who wants to be drowning in data? Fortunately, we have got just what it takes for such situations through the Cartoq TRUE PRICE. By deploying the Cartoq TRUE PRICE, we help you identify the best deals. The Cartoq Data Science team has built a Machine Learning model that estimates the TRUE PRICE of a used car, after accounting for all sorts of variables – brand, model, age, mileage, and car type.

With all factors accounted for, the model predicts the TRUE PRICE, which then becomes the basis of comparison across cars. The best deals are those where listed price is lower than the TRUE PRICE. So, we scan through the car listings across major used car sites, compute their TRUE PRICE, and present the best deals for you. The shortlist for this article was based on the analysis we ran on July 22, 2019; so, by the time you read this article, there is a good chance that the specific car may no longer be available.

However, this list still provides plenty of useful pointers even if certain specific cars have already been sold out.
Hyundai and Honda go tit for tat on this list, which means:

• Both manufacturers fit the key parameters for such a category successfully.
• Honda may have just the one car compared to Hyundai’s four, but such is the package offered by the vehicle, it could well be this list’s showstopper.

Without further ado, let’s check out our top recommendations.

Recommendation #1: Hyundai Elite i20 1.4 CRDi Asta O

Year: 2016 / Mileage: 57,194 / List Price: Rs. 550,000 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 880,000

Why buy: Available in a soothing silver colour, this car is currently placed with its first owner and runs on diesel. At just three years old, it has plenty of road time left to offer, even though its mileage is on the higher side already. Sleek features, excellent economy, and structural compactness means that this is an outstanding contender for your attention on this list.

Buy it here

Recommendation #2: Honda Jazz 1.2 VX i-VTEC

Year: 2015 / Mileage: 4,961 / List Price: Rs. 540,000 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 733,000

Why buy: This orange premium hatchback has hardly seen any road time, and is in impeccable condition, currently with its first owner. Fueled by petrol, it strikes the right balance between looks and performance, and is a natural fit high up on this list.

Buy it here

Recommendation #3: Hyundai Elite i20 Asta 1.2

Year: 2015 / Mileage: 29,784 / List Price: Rs. 520,000 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 686,000

Why buy: Spacious, comfortable and powerful, this first owner car comes in a stylish white colour and is one of the more spectacular cars in this segment. With the familiar combination of first owner and petrol, this remains a solid option with a very good chance of toppling the top two.

Buy it here

Recommendation #4: Hyundai Elite i20 Asta 1.2

Year: 2016 / Mileage: 65,000 / List Price: Rs. 595,900 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 719,000

Why buy: Like its namesake in third place, this car is also white in colour, placed with its first owner and powered by petrol. Unlike its namesake, it is covered with insurance and has a leatherette interior furnishing. What pushes it down to number four, however, is its steep price and high mileage, both of which compare unfavorably to its immediate predecessor.

Buy it here

Recommendation #5: Hyundai i20 Sportz 1.2

Year: 2013 / Mileage: 65,000 / List Price: Rs. 475,300 / Ex Showroom Price: Rs. 601,805

Why buy: Another petrol first owner premium hatchback, this car is also plagued by a high mileage, although its price is significantly lower. Not as economic as the cars above it, this still remains, at six years old, a reasonable fall back option to round off this list.

Buy it here

In Summary

Hyundai lives up to its consistency in the middle range segment while Honda also provides a fabulous alternative. A good mixture of young and old vehicles, ones with style and substance, and most importantly, on road efficiency, pretty much guarantees that no buyer will leave this list empty handed.

Also Read: Mahindra XUV300 reaches the used car market: 3 examples!

Japanese car maker Nissan is going through a rough patch, and has decided to let go of over 12,500 people across its various businesses around the world. Of this, over 1,710 people will be fired from Nissan’s Indian operations. Nissan runs a joint manufacturing facility with Renault at Oragadam, Chennai. The automaker also has many people working in its corporate offices and research unit in India. What’s yet to be announced is the timeline for this mass firing. Also, Nissan hasn’t indicated the exact departments from where people would be fired to reduce the overall headcount in India.

Another thing that the Japanese automaker will do is to rationalize its car models. It could discontinue many cars that are not doing well in the market to cut costs. Nissan has quite a few under performers in its Indian line-up. It’s not clear as to whether any of these cars will be on the chopping block given the fact that Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emissions arriving in April 2020 will need Nissan to invest significant amounts of money for emission compliance.

The automaker has already updated its Datsun line-up to comply with the new safety norms under the Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP). The likes of the Go, Go Plus and RediGO are now BNVSAP ready. Since these cars use petrol engines, upgrading them to BS6 emission norms should not be very costly.

In case of diesel engined cars such as the Nissan Sunny sedan and the Kicks compact SUV, the 1.5 liter K9K turbocharged diesel is likely to get the axe. Even Renault has indicated that it would not be making the 1.5 liter diesel engine compliant with BS6 norms, which means that it would be pointless for Nissan to invest in these engines. Both the Sunny sedan and Kicks compact SUV are slow sellers. So, by April 2020, expect to see a petrol-only line-up from Nissan India, along with an electric car in the form of the Leaf.

The Nissan Leaf will be the automaker’s first electric vehicle in the Indian market. The Leaf is one of Nissan’s best known cars around the globe, and is also the automaker’s best selling electric car. Bringing the Leaf Electric to India underscores the fact that Nissan wants to get into the electric car business, at a time when the government here is heavily promoting such cars with attractive subsidies. However, for Nissan to actually make a dent in the electric car space in India, a locally manufactured vehicle is what it needs. Already, Tata Motors sells the Tigor EV while Mahindra sells the eVerito and E20. Hyundai has just launched the locally assembled Kona electric SUV, and many other automakers including Maruti Suzuki are developing electric cars specifically for India. Nissan is likely to make a similar announcement soon.

Also Read: Mahindra XUV300 reaches the used car market: 3 examples!

Mahindra XUV300, the latest vehicle to be launched by the Indian brand has become quite popular. Soon after its launch, the smallest XUV from the brand became the second-best-selling vehicle in the segment after dislodging vehicles like Tata Nexon and Ford EcoSport. Even now, the XUV300 remains the third-best-selling vehicle in the market after the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and the Hyundai Venue. While there are a lot of customers going for the all-new XUV300 in the Indian market, there are a few owners who are selling their vehicles in the used car market. We found three good examples of the XUV300, which are on sale on the online marketplace.

Mahindra XUV300 W8 (O) Petrol

Odometer reading: 868 km, Asking price: Rs 11.25 lakhs

This is the vehicle with the least reading on the odometer. The Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh registered Mahindra XUV300 W8(O) is under 1,000 km, which makes it literally a new vehicle. It is the top-end variant, which gets all the bells and whistles including dual-zone AC, four-disc brakes, sunroof, steering mode, leather seats, heated wing mirrors, TPMS, powered sunroof and more. The seller has said that the size of the vehicle does not meet their “big family” requirement and the vehicle just cannot fit everyone together. It is a 2-month-old vehicle. It gets powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged engine that generates a maximum power of 109 Bhp and 200 Nm of peak torque. It comes with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard.

Mahindra XUV300 W6 Diesel

Odometer Reading: 9,000, Asking price: Rs 9.95 lakh

Here is a diesel version of the XUV300, which is up for sale in Bangalore, Karnataka. The asking price of the vehicle is Rs 9.96 lakh and it is the mid-level variant – W6. The car seen here is a diesel engine powered, which gets a manual transmission. The W6 variant comes loaded with remote locking, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment, Bluetooth, USB, Aux-in, steering mounted audio controls, BlueSense App, remote key, four-speaker, roof rails, follow-me-home headlamps and more. The 1.5-litre diesel engine of the Mahindra XUV300 produces a maximum power of 115 Bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. It is also available with an AMT automatic transmission.

Mahindra XUV W8(O) Petrol

Odometer Reading: 4,500, Asking price: Rs 12.85 lakh

This XUV300 top-end petrol version is from Kerala. It is in a brilliant Napoli Black finish that makes it look very intimidating. The Mahindra XUV300 seen here is almost like a new vehicle since it was launched earlier this year, there is a long period of manufacturer-provided warranty available with the SUV. This comes with the same 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that churns out a maximum of 110 Bhp. The XUV300 offers the biggest cabin space in the segment. However, the boot space of the vehicle is not as generous as the competitors.

Also Read: Mahindra XUV300 reaches the used car market: 3 examples!

Kia Seltos has become one of the most-awaited cars in the Indian market. Kia has officially showcased the upcoming car in India and has also started releasing Television Commercials for the vehicle featuring the brand ambassador – Tiger Shroff. Kia will launch the vehicle on 22nd August and the manufacturer has already started taking the bookings for the upcoming car and the response has been massive. On the first day of the bookings, Kia revealed that they have received more than 6,000 bookings, which broke a lot of records in India.

Nonetheless, Kia will start the production of the Seltos on 31st July. This production before the launch will allow the manufacturer to store the inventory and clear the backlog bookings that have been building up because of the pre-bookings. Currently, Kia has started dispatching the vehicles to various dealerships in India for display purposes. However, these cars are prototype versions and are not the production version.

Kia Motors will operate from the Anantpur factory and the work begun there last year when Kia. Later the manufacturer also did a trial production earlier this year. It should be noted that the Kia Seltos was expected to be launched by the end of this year. However, the launch has been preponed. It will be a global car and will be sold in various markets around the world. Kia will also use the facility to export the Seltos to many other countries. From India, the Seltos will be sent to markets like the Middle East, Asian countries and Latin America. However, the exact countries which will receive the Indian-made Seltos are not known yet. The facility is spread across 23 million square feet and was made with an investment of more than Rs 7,600 crores. The plant can push out 3,00,000 units when it is completely up and running. Kia plans to do that in in the next three years.

The prototype vehicles that are sent to the dealerships across India will not be the test drive vehicles. For that, Kia will dispatch more units in early August that will be allotted for the test driving purposes. There is a lot of demand and interesting around the Seltos and it is expected to get a huge response from the market.

The Seltos is based on an all-new platform, which will also underpin the upcoming Hyundai Creta in the Indian market. The all-new Seltos gets a range of segment-first features like HUD, air purifier, blind-sport monitoring system, connected ambient light, ventilated seats and connected infotainment system. There are more features like full-LED headlamps, Bose speakers, front parking sensors, sunroof, six-airbags which makes the Seltos quite loaded.

Kia will offer a total of three engine options and four transmission options with the Seltos in the Indian market. There will be a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine available with a CVT automatic, a 1.5-litre diesel available with a torque converter automatic and 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol available with a 7-speed DCT. All the engine options also get a 6-speed manual as standard.

Also Read: KTM RC rider's near miss shows why SPEEDING is so dangerous on Indian highways [Video]

Back in the day when I was learning how to drive, my father used to tell me that driving in India is easy if you keep two things in mind. First, you have to drive responsibly, follow traffic rules and avoid doing any silly mistake while driving or riding. But more importantly, you’ll also have to be on a constant lookout for other drivers/riders who could possibly do silly manoeuvres resulting in an accident with you. I kept that in mind and guess what, I do fine when on the road, though something silly happens on the road every other day. The video below by Reffy shows a similar case where an overspeeding KTM motorcycle almost crashed into a Maruti Suzuki Swift that changed lanes suddenly. Take a look at the video below to see how the events unfolded in real.

The video is recorded via an action cam placed on the bike rider’s helmet. It starts with a typical Indian road with traffic coming from both sides. The rider, who is riding an RC series motorcycle, is clearly overspeeding on the traffic-laden road with speeds exceeding 80 km/h. A bit further in the video, we see the rider on the opposite lane of the road trying to overtake a white Maruti Suzuki Swift hatchback. This is where things go wrong all of a sudden. As soon as the biker accelerates and tries to pass the Swift, the hatchback driver changes lanes out of the blue which results in an almost crash like situation for the KTM rider.

Fortunately, nothing serious happened as the biker quickly moved towards the edge of the road. At the kind of speeds both these vehicles were moving, this could have resulted in a far worse situation with fatalities for the bike rider. Before you start blaming any of the parties involved in this near miss, let us tell you that both the KTM rider as well as the Swift driver are at equal fault here. The bike rider was clearly overspeeding in slow-moving traffic and was constantly moving on the opposite lane, which is dangerous on a single lane carriageway. The Swift driver, on the other hand, switched lanes without using indicators to tell the people behind his of the manoeuvre.

Further, the car driver also did not probably check his ORVM before making the move. Had he done so, he would have spotted the KTM rider coming fast towards the car. In fact, most of the people usually check the IRVM before switching lanes which results in such situations. The IRVM can’t show you the vehicles that have moved to the side or are not in the rear line of sight of a car. Also, the accident could have been averted had the bike rider been a bit more conscious while riding and had he been alert of the road ahead.

One can see in the video that the Swift was directly behind the bus and had slowed down a bit, which mostly means that the vehicle is about to swerve to the other lane and overtake the vehicle ahead. However, this does not justify the driver who didn’t use the indicators before changing lanes. Simply put, while you have to pay attention to your driving, you’ll always need to avert mistakes done by other road users because in the end, it’s you who’ll be at the receiving end.

As a takeaway, ride safe and under the speed limits even when you are on a powerful machine. Riding should be done according to the road and traffic conditions and not according to the vehicle’s power output. While driving a car, always use indicators before switching the lanes and check the ORVMs to spot any oncoming vehicle.

Also Read: KTM RC rider's near miss shows why SPEEDING is so dangerous on Indian highways [Video]

Hyundai Elantra made its comeback to the Indian market after an absence of a few years in 2016. Hyundai is now working on a global update of the Elantra and the car has been spotted the world over. The new updated Elantra, which will be launched in the Indian market later this year has been spotted in India too. The latest set of spy shot videos and pictures show the car up close doing testing on the Indian roads.

Hey #car enthusiasts! What’s this machine I spotted doing a test drive in #Hyderabad? @carandbike @ndtvauto @autocar @autocarindiamag @Overdrive @TeamBHPforum @TopGearMagIndia @CarDekho @CarWale pic.twitter.com/yD16XOrPsc

— Anuj G (@AnujGurwara) July 25, 2019

This will be the third launch from the South Korean brand this year after the extremely popular Venue and India’s first EV SUV – Kona EV. The facelifted model has been the first update on the car after it made a comeback in 2016. The model is already on sale in the international markets. However, the model getting tested in India is doing so under heavy camouflage. It is possible that Hyundai may launch a slightly different version from the international-spec model.

Internationally, the Hyundai Elantra gets a long list of changes. It includes new sharp-looking headlamps with integrated DRL. The headlamps are partially visible behind the camouflage and seem to be of a similar shape to the international spec model. The changes also include newly redesigned bumpers to go with the aggressive front end of the new Elantra. Hyundai has also added good alloy wheels to the updated version of the car. The vehicle spotted on the Indian roads also get the similarly designed alloy wheels as the international model. However, the US-spec version gets blacked-out alloy wheels.

The front bumper gets massive trapezoidal fog lamp housings, which look quite good on the car and add a sporty look to it. The rear of the Elantra gets a swooping down C-Pillar, which gives a coupe-like look to the vehicle. Other changes in the rear of the car include new angular LED tail lamps that are mounted on the boot lid. Features like a reverse camera are visible through the camouflage. It should be noted that the car is likely to be similar to the US-spec Elantra. The feature-list of the latest Elantra in the US include a forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, lane departure warning with an active lane control system and cross-traffic alert. In India, Hyundai may chop down the number of features to put an attractive price tag on the vehicle. Often such features in India due to the addition of cost.

The Indian version of the Hyundai Elantra will launch with the same engine options. It currently gets a 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 1.6-litre diesel engine option. Since the car is expected to be launched by the end of the year, Hyundai may put the BS6 compliant engine options at the time of the launch.

Also Read: MS Dhoni's AWESOME collection of bikes: Yamaha RD350 to Kawasaki ZX-14R

While the government is planning to tighten the noose around the lawbreakers on the public roads with the new Motor Vehicle Act in India, the law enforcers are still breaking the laws without any fear in the broad daylight. There are numerous incidents where the police officers can be seen riding motorcycles in uniform across the country. Many vigilant citizens take pictures and make videos of such policemen and upload them on the various social media platform. One such incident reported by a vigilant citizen has caused the suspension of a Sub-Inspector. Interestingly, the picture was uploaded today!

The incident is from Chennai where a citizen uploaded a picture of sub-inspector Tr S. Madhan Kumar on Twitter. The policeman could be seen riding on a motorcycle without a helmet. In fact, the helmet can be seen placed on the fuel tank in front of him. After the picture was uploaded, the office of the Joint Commissioner of Police, South Zone, Greater Chennai Police ordered an investigation. Today, an order of suspension was given to the lawbreaking police officer through an official statement.

The office of JCP said in the order – For his dereliction of duty by riding a motorcycle without wearing a helmet at South Usman Road, T. Nagar at 0910 hours on 26.07.2019 by violating the Honourable High Court of Madras Order dated 28.06.2019 in W.P. No. 1621/2018 and Circular Memorandum in Rc.nO. E-110755/Genl.1 dt. 04.07.2019 of the Director-General of Police, Tamil Nadu Chennai-4, the police sub-inspector has been placed under suspension with immediate effect.

The order further says that during the suspension, the sub-inspector will receive Subsistence Allowance and Dearness Allowance admissible under FR53(1) and in addition, he will be paid HRA and CCA as admissible. The order has also asked the sub-inspector to remain in the Chennai city for the duration of the suspension and ordered him to take necessary permissions before leaving the city. The cop has also been asked to submit his Police Kit within 48 hours.

The suspension period is not known yet. It should be noted that the picture of the violation was uploaded by the citizen today. This is one of the quickest decisions that we have come across in recent times. There are many such incidents that have been reported on the social media platforms in the past but most of these reports go unchecked or the authorities hand over the regular challans and fines.

This is definitely a bold step taken by the police department of Chennai and it is expected to send the message across. In the past, a police officer in uniform even abused a citizen who asked questions about the helmet. We do hope that the police departments across the nation become stricter when it comes to following the law and take such actions to ensure that the law enforcers do not become the lawbreakers.

Also Read: MS Dhoni's AWESOME collection of bikes: Yamaha RD350 to Kawasaki ZX-14R

Maruti Suzuki has just given India’s best selling MPV the CNG option. The 2nd generation Ertiga gets the CNG option on both private car buyer and cab operator (Tour M) trims. The private buyer trim of the Ertiga CNG is priced at Rs. 8.88 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi while the cab operator-focused Tour M CNG trim is priced at Rs. 8.83 lakhs. This makes it about Rs. 71,000 pricier than the equivalent petrol powered VXi variant. The Ertiga CNG is based on the VXi petrol variant, which also means that it can run on petrol should the owner opt to go on longer trips while the availability of CNG is a concern. The CNG powered Ertiga continues to retain the 1.5 liter-4 cylinder K-Series petrol engine but without the mild hybrid power train. This engine, which produces 104 Bhp-138 Nm outputs while running on petrol, makes 91 Bhp-122 Nm while running on CNG.

Most owners and cab operators won’t mind the drop in power and torque as CNG offers massive savings in terms of fuel costs, when compared with an equivalent petrol powered model. Moreover, CNG is much lesser polluting than both petrol and diesel, and this is another big advantage. Mileage on CNG is rated at 26.20 km/kg, and the CNG tank has a capacity of about 8 Kgs, which should give the MPV a real world range of around 180-200 Kms while running on CNG.

The CNG tank is situated in the boot of the Ertiga, which means that luggage space goes down by quite a bit, especially with the third row of seats not folded down. The Ertiga is also sold with two diesel engine options: a 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet unit with 89 Bhp-200 Nm, and a 1.5 liter newly developed unit with 94 Bhp-225 Nm. Both engines get manual gearboxes as standard, with the smaller diesel using a 5 speed unit while the larger diesel gets a 6 speed unit.

The 2nd generation Maruti Ertiga, based on the HEARTECT platform, was launched last year. Right from launch, the MPV has been clocking sales of 6,000 monthly units on an average. This makes it a better seller than the much more pricier Toyota Innova Crysta and the Mahindra Marazzo. In a slow market that’s battling a severe slowdown, the Ertiga is among the new car launches that is actually keeping Maruti Suzuki’s sales numbers decent. The new MPV is larger than the outgoing model and despite this, is lighter thanks to the use of the HEARTECT platform. The new MPV also gets a slew of additional features, and revamped interiors. All in all, it’s a big improvement over the previous generation model, and the market seems to agree.

Also Read: MS Dhoni's AWESOME collection of bikes: Yamaha RD350 to Kawasaki ZX-14R

There was a time when scooters were very popular with the Indian two-wheeler riding crowd. They even outnumbered motorcycles in terms of sales and came in different shapes and size. While the current scene is dominated by gearless scooters, the old beauties had a charm of their own. A lot of people have now forgotten the variety of scooters that were once sold in the country. For the same, today we take a look at 20 forgotten scooters of India

Bajaj Cub

The Cub was a limited edition model from Bajaj which came along back in 1984. Among several things, it had an electronic ignition system and engine kill witch which were unique at that time. This scooter was powered by a 100cc, 2-stroke, single-cylinder engine that produced 5.6 bhp. The engine was mated to a 3-speed manual gearbox.

Bajaj Spirit

Next up is the Bajaj Spirit, an automatic scooter that was launched in 1999 to take on the popular TVS Scooty. The Spirit was powered by a 60cc, 2-stroke engine. The engine produced a maximum power of 3.5 Bhp along with a peak torque of 4.3 Nm. The scooter had a CVT, which made it the first gearless scooter from the company.

Bajaj Bravo

The Bravo was another 2-stroke scooter by Bajaj that was launched in 1999. It featured transparent indicator housings and was powered by a 145.5cc air-cooled engine which was equipped with a superior reed valve technology. The engine churned out 8 Bhp of power along with 13.2 Nm of torque and came mated to a 4-speed manual transmission.

LML Supremo

LML was a two-wheeler manufacturer based out of Kanpur that released quite a few popular bikes and scooters. One among them was the Supremo that was launched in 1995. The Supremo was a stylish looking scooter that was powered by a 149.5cc 2-stroke engine. This engine churned out 7.5 Bhp of power along with 8 Nm of torque and came mated to a 4-speed manual transmission.

LML Sensation

Next up is another offering by LML that was launched in 1996. Called the Sensation, it was powered by a 125cc 2-stroke engine that produced a max. power of 6.5 Bhp and a peak torque of 7 Nm. During its time, the was among the most stylish scooters on sale in the market.

LML Trendy

As its name suggests, the LML Trendy was a small scooter launched to rival the Bajaj Sunny. It was powered by a 60cc, 2-stroke engine that churned out 3.4 Bhp of power and 3.5 Nm of torque and came mated to a CVT. Its unique design and the oddly-placed spare wheel made it different from the rest of the scooter and it became quite popular among the youngsters.

Bajaj Stride

The Bajaj Stride was among the long line of geared scooters launched by the company. It featured a rectangular headlamp that gave it a unique look in that era when almost every other scooter had a round headlamp casing. Powering the Stride was a 145.5cc, 2-stroke engine that produced a maximum power of 7.1 Bhp and a peak torque of 10.8 Nm.

Bajaj Super

The Bajaj Super was among the more popular scooters launched by the company. It was powered by a 145.5cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine that was also found on the Stride. This engine churned out 7.1 Bhp and 10.8 Nm and was launched way back in 1976. The Super was quick to gain a lot of popularity and was a common sight on the roads.

TVS Spectra

The TVS Spectra was a scooterette with a distinctive design. However, instead of featuring a CVT transmission, TVS equipped it with a 4-speed manual transmission. It was quite popular among the youth and was powered by a 147.5cc 4-stroke engine. This engine belted out a maximum power of 8 Bhp along with a peak torque of 8 Nm.

LML Star Xpress

Another LML scooter that was quite popular in certain pockets of the country was the Star Xpress. The scooter offered a 149.56cc, 2-stroke engine that came mated to a four-speed manual transmission. It produced a max. power of 9.5 bhp and a peak torque of 13.2 Nm. The scooter was even exported to the USA and the UK under a different name.

Lambretta

The Lambretta is still loved by many for its flamboyant style and evergreen design. It was assembled in India by Automobile Products of India (API) and was sold in India after the independence. API built the Li150 Series 2 model, which was sold as the Lambretta in our country. It was renamed to Lamby in 1976. The scooter was powered by a 148cc, two-stroke engine that propelled the scooter to a top speed of 80 km/h.

Vijay Super

The Vijay Super was another popular scooter of its time and had a distinctive styling. In 1972, the state-run Scooters India Ltd took over the manufacturing and sale of Lambretta scooters in India and launched Vijay Super in India. The same scooter was exported as the GP150 to many international markets.

Bajaj Sunny

Another scooterette that used to be really popular back in the day was the Bajaj Sunny. The Sunny was powered by a tiny 50cc 2-stroke engine that made a very modest 1.2 Bhp. The Sunny was promoted with the tagline of ‘Ride the red-hot super looker teen machine’, which made it pretty clear that the Sunny was aimed at the teeny-boppers.

Kinetic Honda

The Kinetic Honda was India’s first two-stroke automatic scooter and was very popular among the scooter buying lot. It was aimed at the youngsters but was in fact bought by people of various age groups. Powering the Kinetic Honda was a 98cc, 2-stroke engine that produced a maximum power of 7.7 bhp and a peak torque of 9.8 Nm.

Royal Enfield Fantabulous

Yes, this scooter was really sold by Royal Enfield! Named as the Fantabulous, this geared scooter was an attempt by RE to grow in the scooter market of the country. Powering the scooter was a 175cc, 2-Stroke engine from Villiers that churned out a maximum power of 7.5 bhp. The Fantabulous came with an electric-starter.

Bajaj Chetak

The Bajaj Chetak is easily the most popular geared scooter of its time. Launched back in 1976, this scooter was named after the legendary horse of Rana Pratap Singh. The “Hamara Bajaj” tagline that was used to promote the Chetak is something that most of us still would still remember. Powering the Chetak was a 145cc, two-stroke engine that produced a maximum power of 7.5 bhp along with a peak torque of 10.8 Nm.

Bajaj Legend

The Legend was among the first few 4-stroke scooters from the Pune-based two-wheeler manufacturer. It looked stylish and featured a powerful 145.5cc air-cooled, four-stroke engine that produced a maximum power of 9 Bhp along with a peak torque of 10.8 Nm.

Bajaj Saffire

The Bajaj Saffire had a much modern design language than other models launched by the company in past. It was powered by a 92.0 cc, 4-stroke, air-cooled engine that came mated to a CVT transmission.

Kinetic Pride

Among the various scooter launched by Kinetic in India, the Pride was a futuristic-looking scooter launched back in 1996. It was based on the Kinetic Style and was targeted at young people who wanted style along with decent power. Powering the scooter was a 72.86cc, 2-stroke engine.

Kinetic Blaze

The Kinetic Blaze can be said to be the first maxi styled scooter of India and was among the most powerful scooters launched in India. It was launched in 2006 and was powered by a 165cc engine. This engine churned out a commendable 11.5 Bhp of power along with a peak torque of 12 Nm and was mated to a CVT transmission. The Blaze had a true top speed of more than 100 km/h and featured a unique design for its time.

Source: 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14

Also Read: MS Dhoni's AWESOME collection of bikes: Yamaha RD350 to Kawasaki ZX-14R

The Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Maruti Suzuki Baleno are two hatchbacks that are both at the top of their game in their respective segments when talking about sales. While the Swift is a mid-size hatchback, the Baleno is a premium hatchback that rivals the likes of the Hyundai Elite i20 and Honda Jazz among others. Talking about the engines on both these cars, the hatchbacks share the same petrol and diesel engines. The question now arises that which among the two is better when it comes to performance. For the same, the video below by Arun Panwar pits both the cars against each other in a drag race to find out which among the two is quicker.

Both the cars used here are powered by petrol engines and have a 5-speed manual gearbox. A total of 6 rounds were conducted in this drag competition and the Maruti Suzuki Swift came out to be the winner at last. The first round was won by the Swift with the Balneo marginally behind it. The second round, however, was won by the Baleno as the Swift has a bad start. The next three rounds were again won by the Swift while the last round went to the Balneo. Therefore, the overall result tips in favour of the Swift.

According to the drivers in this video, the Swift feels a lot quicker through the gears as compared to the Balneo. According to them, the Baleno is also pretty quick but the gearing feels to be tuned for more relaxed driving than outright performance. Another point to consider here is that the Swift is lighter in weight than the Balneo since its smaller in size. The differences in their weight changes according to their variants and engines but the base petrol variant of both these cars have a weight difference of 10 kg.

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno Sigma 1.2 weighs 865 kg while the Swift LXi weighs 855 kg. Both of them are base petrol models but as seen here, the difference in weight is not quite significant. But it creates a slight difference in the overall result as can be seen in these drag races. Also, the expertise of drivers matters a lot and for the same, the drivers here exchanged the cars after three rounds.

Talking about the engine specifications, the Maruti Suzuki Swift petrol is powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that generates a maximum power of 82 Bhp at 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 113 Nm at 4,200 rpm. It gets both a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT automatic transmission but the car used here uses the manual box. The Balneo petrol also gets the same engine and power output as the Swift. The four-cylinder petrol engine produces a maximum power of 82 Bhp and 115 Nm on the Balneo too and the model here is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Also Read: MS Dhoni's AWESOME collection of bikes: Yamaha RD350 to Kawasaki ZX-14R

Get ready to pay a lot more while registering your petrol/diesel engined car or motorcycle in the coming months as the Indian government has proposed a steep increase in registration and re-registration charges for all categories of vehicles that use internal combustion (IC) engines. Internal combustion engines refer to engines that run on petrol/diesel/CNG/LPG, and cover nearly all vehicles sold in India. This massive hike in registration charges do not apply to electric vehicles, which also have road tax exempted. This move from the government is meant to make electric vehicles more popular and discourage the used of petrol and diesel powered vehicles.

Coming to the exact quantum of increase in registration charges, the Indian government has proposed that two wheeler pay Rs. 1,000 as registration charges for new vehicles, up from the current Rs. 50. This represents a 20 fold increase. As for cars, new vehicles would need to pay Rs. 5,000 as registration charges, up from the current Rs. 500. This is 12 times more than current prices for registration. The story doesn’t end here.

Even re-registering vehicles (while buying used cars and two wheelers) will see a steep increase in registration charges. The government wants to charge two wheelers Rs. 2,000 for re-registering, which is 40 times more than the current rate of Rs. 50. As for cars, re-registration charges are proposed to be hiked to Rs. 15,000, and this represents a 25 times increase in charges from the current Rs. 600. Used cars and two wheelers will get expensive by Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 2,000 respectively as there’s no way that buyers can escape these charges.

When will the new registration charges come into effect?

Within the next 30-45 days, according to an unnamed government official, who had the following to say to this question posed by the TimesofIndia,

We have sought feedback from all stakeholders before notifying the final fee structure in the next 40-45 days. The proposal of steep increase in the renewal fee for commercial vehicles, particularly trucks, buses and other heavy vehicles by nearly 27 times is aimed at making people opt for scrapping them once they are over 15-years old.

This development from the government comes at a time when the car industry is reeling under a severe sales slowdown. Unsold cars and two wheelers across dealerships worth over 60,000 crores is putting severe pressure on dealers, automakers and auto component manufacturers. Many dealers have shut shop leading to job losses. As for auto component makers, the industry has warned that nearly 10 lakh jobs would be lost if demand does not pick up. Car makers for their part are going slow on production and new launches.

Also Read: MS Dhoni's AWESOME collection of bikes: Yamaha RD350 to Kawasaki ZX-14R

For people who love to travel around the country in their cars, one of the major issues that come up often is regarding the availability of food. While exploring places far and wide is an exciting idea, travellers often had to face troubles when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet. Fort he same, people usually carry eatables with them when on such drives. Several people also pre-plan the whole journey which saves them the pain of eating bad stuff. However, the remedy for this has always been with us but no one discovered it till now. We are talking about using the heat from your car’s engine to cook a healthy.. errr Maggi meal. At least that’s what this video below by MR. INDIAN HACKER claims. Let’s take a look at the video to see if this can be done for real or not.

In the video, we see a Hyundai Sonata Embera being used as the car on whose engine the Maggi experiment will take place. The guy in the video places a small steel utensil on the rear side of the engine. This utensil has been filled with water, Maggi and tastemaker. It has been covered with an aluminium foil and secured by using metal wired in the engine bay. Now the engine bay gets really hot because basically, there are explosions going on inside the cylinders. What remains to be seen is whether this experiment will be successful or not.

The guy then starts driving the Hyundai Sonata Embera in order to work up the engine and rise its temperature so that the Maggi utensil can get enough heat. After a decade of driving the car around, the guy finally stops to check if his experiment has failed or has he discovered the ultimate method of surviving apocalypse. After opening the hood of the car and taking out the by now super hot utensil, the aluminium foil unwrapped to check the result of the experiment.

The guy in the video had its Yureka moment right there since the Maggi really turned out to be cooked, though it seemed to be overcooked in some parts and undercooked in some parts. So, you have this invaluable hack now. When on a long trip, you can cook Maggi easily by following the above steps and satisfy your hunger. Maybe a bit more water and some sharp turns will yield a better result.

Or you can carry a few packs of instant noodles that can be made by just adding hot water. This will save you the ordeal of making all the arrangements and drive around pointlessly in order to cook Maggi. By the way, this video was just an experiment to see if it’s possible to cook Maggi on a car’s engine and should not be taken seriously.

Also Read: MS Dhoni's AWESOME collection of bikes: Yamaha RD350 to Kawasaki ZX-14R

The month of August is going to witness as many as 5 car launches this year. The last few months have not been very good for the auto industry in India with respect to sales volumes but the launch of new cars coupled with huge discount offers is expected to drive up the demands again. If you were planning to buy a new car soon, here are the 5 cars that will be launched next month in India.

Hyundai Grand i10

Launch Date: 20th August

Hyundai is currently working on updating its model lineup in India and the first vehicle to be updated will be the Grand i10. The all-new Grand i10 will be launched on the 20th of August and will be updated inside out. On the exteriors front, the car will feature a bigger grille, sharper headlamps, tweaked rear-end design along with new alloy wheels. On the inside, the changes include a redesigned dashboard, updated instrument cluster, new seats and upholstery along with an 8.0-inch touch infotainment system. The engine and transmission options will be carried over, albeit they’ll be tweaked to be BSVI compliant.

Renault Triber

Expected Launch by: second half of August

With the Triber, Renault is trying to create an all-new segment in the market that caters to people who want a spacious and rugged vehicle in the price of a mid-size//premium hatchback. The Triber has decent looking exterior design and can seat up to 7 people, which is one of its major talking points. It will have flexible seating options with several ways of arrangements. The interiors of the car are also quite modern with a touch infotainment system adorning the centre console. Power will come by a 1.0-litre petrol motor which churns out 72 bhp and 96 Nm of peak torque. Transmission onboard includes a 5-speed manual gearbox along with a 5-speed AMT.

Maruti Suzuki XL6

Launch Date: 21st August 

Next up is the Maruti Suzuki XL6, which is basically a more sporty and premium version of the Ertiga MPV. The XL6 gets a new front end design along with other tweaked body elements like side body cladding that make it look much beefier than the Ertiga. Another major change on the XL6 will be captain seats in the middle row. Powering the XL6 will be the same a 1.5-litre petrol engine that is found on the Ertigia while the transmission options will include a 5-speed manual gearbox and a 4-speed torque converter unit. It is expected to rival the Marrazo in terms of pricing and will be sold via NEXA dealerships when launched next month.

Kia Seltos

Launch Date: 22nd August

Among the most anticipated launches of the recent months, Kia will finally launch the Hyundai Creta rivalling Seltos SUV on the 22nd of August in India. The Seltos features an aggressive design and comes with LED lights all around along with stylish looking alloy wheels on higher-end variants. It will be loaded to the gills with features and come with several segment-first features too.  This includes ambient mood lighting, blind spot monitor, smart air purifier, and heads up display among others. It will also be the first car in India to come with three different automatic gearbox options along with a manual box. Engine options on the compact SUV include a 1.5-litre petrol engine, 1.5-litre diesel engine and the top of the line 1.4 litre turbo petrol engine.

BMW 3-Series

Launch Date: 21st August

German manufacturer BMW will launch the new version of its entry-level sedan in India on the 21st of August. The new 3-Series has been built on the Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform which also underpins other sedans like the 5-Series and 7-Series. The car will be bigger, lighter and safer than the outgoing model and will also come with tweaked exterior design. Powering the car will be the same 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine that produces 190 bhp and 400 Nm. The other engine is a 2.0-litre petrol engine that generates 250 bhp with 350 Nm torque. An 8-speed automatic gearbox remains the same for both the engines.

Also Read: MS Dhoni's AWESOME collection of bikes: Yamaha RD350 to Kawasaki ZX-14R

Mahindra is putting together a facelift for the TUV300 sub-4 meter compact SUV, and its longer sibling: the TUV300 Plus. Both SUVs will be launched in India by the end of this year, as 2020 models. They’ll get visual makeovers, and also Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) compliant diesel engines. Shoeb R Kalania of SRK Designs has put together a render that indicates what the facelifted TUV300 compact SUV could look like. The render reveals that the facelifted TUV300 will derive inspiration from the likes of the Mahindra XUV300 and XUV500 models, especially for the front-end grille design. The headlamps will also get a new design, with integrated LED daytime running lights. A new front bumper with a revised air dam is another key design change that the facelifted SUV is likely to get. Expect revised alloy wheel design as well.

At the rear, changes could be limited to new tail lamps and a revised bumper. The overall profile of the SUV (top-hat) will remain unchanged, and it’ll retain the butch, boxy looks. The TUV300 and the TUV300 Plus’ sheer height makes these SUVs stand tall in front of competition and tower over most traffic in India. This aspect of the SUVs will continue in the facelifted model. On the inside, there could be change in dashboard and trim colours but the overall design is likely to be carried over as both SUVs have been developed the Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP) norms, and any changes here would mean expensive re-homologation with the authorities. As for mechanicals, the 1.5 liter-3 cylinder and 2.2 liter-4 cylinder turbocharged diesel engines offered on the TUV300 and TUV300 Plus respectively, will be swapped for BS6 compliant 1.5 liter-3 cylinder and 2 liter-4 cylinder units.

The engines are expected to be more fuel efficient than the ones they replace as lower tail pipe emissions mean better fuel efficiency. The rear wheel drive layout will be retained on both SUVs along with plenty of ground clearance. These SUVs will continue to be offered with a body-on-ladder chassis, making them quite rugged for bad roads in India’s rural and semi-urban spaces. This is one of the key selling points of both these SUVs, which will also get ABS, airbags, speed alerts, seat belt reminders and reverse parking sensors as standard across all trims of the facelifted TUV300 and the TUV300 Plus. As for pricing, expect an upward revision of about Rs. 1 lakh due to the additional emission compliance equipment on board to meet BS6 norms. The TUV300 will continue to be the only body-on-ladder SUV in the sub-4 meter compact SUV segment, whose other options include the Maruti Brezza, Hyundai Venue and Ford EcoSport.

Also Read: MS Dhoni's AWESOME collection of bikes: Yamaha RD350 to Kawasaki ZX-14R

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a known car and bike nut. The former Indian cricket team skipper is exemplary on the playing field as well as in terms of his lavish collection of cars and bikes. He’s now nearing his retirement and we guess that the cricketer will now get more time to enjoy the beauties in his garage. Today, let’s take a look at some of the striking motorcycles that are a part of his huge garage.

Kawasaki Ninja H2

The Kawasaki Ninja H2 is one of the most powerful and focused litre-class superbike in the world right now. It is also one of the more recent collection to his garage as Dhoni bought it back in April 2015, becoming the first Kawasaki Ninja H2 owner of India in process. The Ninja H2 is powered by a supercharged 1.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that outputs 197 Bhp of power and 134 Nm torque.

Confederate X132 Hellcat

The Confederate X132 Hellcat is among the rarest bikes in India and also among the most expensive ones. The limited-edition bike adorns Dhoni’s garage and had a price tag of around Rs. 60 lakh back at the time when it was bought. The X132 Hellcat is powered by a 2.2-litre, V-Twin engine that puts out 121 Bhp of power and 190 Nm of torque.

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R

Dhoni owns another Kawasaki in the form of the Ninja ZX-14R. Until the Japanese bike manufacturer rolled out the H2 in India, the Ninja ZX-14R was the most expensive production motorcycle by the company in India. The bike is powered by a 1.4-litre, four-cylinder engine that puts out 197 Bhp of power along with 162.5 Nm of torque.

Yamaha RD350

The Yamaha RD350 is an iconic bike for India. It is also the first bike to be owned by Dhoni and he got it for just Rs 4,500. This one is a good reminder that Dhoni is a real automotive enthusiast and not just an expensive superbike bike lover.

Harley Davidson Fat Boy

The Harley Davidson Fat Boy is one of the most popular bikes by the US-based manufacturer. The black and chrome example you see above is owned by Dhoni and he has been spotted riding the bike a couple of times. The Fat Boy is powered by a 1,690cc V-twin motor that churns out 61 Bhp of power and 132 Nm of torque.

BSA Goldstar

This vintage beauty is another bike that Dhoni owns and the bike has been maintained in impeccable condition. Called the BSA Goldstar, it is a legendary British motorcycle that’s powered by a 500cc, single-cylinder motor that churns out 48 Bhp of power. The Goldstar was one of the first British motorcycles to get past the 160 km/h top speed mark.

Norton Jubilee 250

Mahendra Singh Dhoni owns another vintage bike in the form of the Norton Jubilee 250 which he bought back in October 2014. The Jubilee 250 is powered by a 250 cc, single-cylinder engine that puts out 16 bhp of maximum power. Mahi’s Norton is a 1958 model, something that’s not quite evident by how well the bike has been maintained.

Hero Motocorp Karizma ZMR

The Hero Karizma ZMR you see in the above image was received by MS Dhoni as a prize for winning the ‘Man of the Series’ title in an ODI cricket series. The Karizma ZMR used to be the flagship model from Hero Motocorp. It is powered by a 223-cc, single-cylinder engine that produces 20 bhp and 19.7 Nm. It was priced at roughly Rs 1 lakh.

Yamaha FZ1

The Yamaha FZ1 can be simply said to be the naked version of the Yamaha R1. The FZ1 is powered by a 1.0-litre motor that outputs 148 bhp and 106 Nm. In India, the Yamaha FZ1 costs Rs 11.36 lakh. Dhoni is often seen riding the bike when in Chennai while playing for his team IPL team.

Also Read: MS Dhoni's AWESOME collection of bikes: Yamaha RD350 to Kawasaki ZX-14R

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno is the most popular car of India in the premium hatchback category. It received a mild facelift in January this year and it added a few new aesthetic touches to the exteriors and the interiors. Like its smaller cousin Swift, the Balneo is also known to be a good car for modification purposes and there are some brilliant examples of modified Balneos around the country. The one featured here though is easily one of the most exquisitely modified Baleno of India. Take a look at the video below by Vinay Kapoor which shows the car in its full glory.

While there is absolutely no doubt about the fact that this car looks ravishing, another interesting fact about it is that it had been commissioned for this mod job by a Lieutenant of the Indian armed forces. The modifications done on this Baleno are not only aesthetical in nature but also mechanical. The major mechanical change on this car is its suspension setup, which has been overhauled and now the car sits closer to the ground. It is equipped with an aftermarket suspension setup from Bilstein.

The car now runs on Bilstein B3 springs with side load design along with Bilstein B4 shock absorbers. A benefit of this particular setup is that it does not require any chassis modifications as the same setup is used by Suzuki for the Europen market Baleno according to the video. Another upgrade is the Magna Flow exhaust system which costs Rs. 40,000 and lends a nice growl to the car. The total cost of modifications on this car is around Rs. 1.57 lakh but the end result is quite a sight to behold.

It has also been equipped with a low rider body kit that includes a front splitter, side skirts and a rear diffuser. All the chrome elements have been done away with on this Baleno while the alloys have been blacked out. Other changes on the car include upgraded lightning, blacked-out grille, paint disc brake calipers, leatherette seat covers. The car has been painted in white but gets red and black detailing which enhances the car’s appeal

Talking about the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the premium hatchback was launched back in 2015 and has since sat on the best selling throne of its segment. It is offered with both petrol and diesel engine options. The four-cylinder1.2 litre petrol engine produces a maximum power of 82 Bhp of power along with 115 Nm of torque. The 1.3-litre diesel engine produces a maximum power of 74 Bhp and 190 Nm. The petrol engine gets CVT automatic transmission as an option but the diesel engine option only gets a manual 5-speed transmission. Prices of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno start at Rs. 5.58 lakh for the base model and goes all the way up to Rs. 8.90 lakh for the top-end variant.

Also Read: 10 car features that your next car MUST absolutely have!