With the rising popularity of automatic transmission, India remains one of the largest markets that prefer a manual transmission. Most of the Indians are pro when it comes to the manuals. Most of us learn how to operate an automobile with manual transmission. But there are still many things that we do wrong unknowingly. What are these habits and how it is ruining your vehicle? Well, here are five of them.

Not using the clutch properly

Drivers of manual transmission cars are much more active while driving the car as compared to the drivers with automatic transmission, primarily because of the clutch. The driver needs to constantly engage the clutch as different times, depending on the speed you want to keep your car in. The clutch is the link between the transmission and the engine and hence makes it one of the most important parts for a smooth driving experience. The perfect application of the clutch leads to higher mileage, and long life for the transmission, engine and the clutch as well. Many a time, people only half-press the clutch while changing gears.

Engaging the clutch only halfway makes the transmission gear grind and reduces the life of the parts. Also, in a running car, when you go beyond the biting point for your clutch and even then I the clutch is slightly depressed, it is called riding on the clutch. While this is happening, if the clutch is not fully engaged, it will cause the car to slip a bit and abnormal wear of the car takes place.

Also read: All-new 2021 Mahindra XUV500: What it”ll look like

Using the clutch pedal as dead pedal

Most of the manual cars do not come with a dead pedal. A dead pedal is used as a spot near the pedals to rest your foot so that you don’t accidentally press on a pedal unnecessarily. This leads to a lot of drivers, resting their foot on the clutch pedal. The clutch pedal for diesel cars is generally harder than compared to a petrol car. The driver in both cases should make sure that he/she is not engaging the clutch at all.

The clutch is extremely light in petrol cars and hence resting your foot and putting any kind of unwanted pressure on the clutch can lead it to disengage the clutch partially and causing it to slip and wear off quickly. This problem can be solved by making a habit to rest your foot on the floorboard instead of the clutch. This will help you a lot in the longer run.

Using the gear lever as an armrest

Some drivers are habitual to rest their arms on the clutch lever while driving. Car manufacturers did a desperate attempt to change this by adding the armrest feature for the driver as well, however, there are still a lot of budget cars that don’t come with armrests. Keeping your hand on the lever may seem like harmless, however, the gear is connected with a lot of springs and ball bearings that help it to manoeuvre the speed of the car.

Your innocent resting hand could be putting external pressure on the gear lever, which could lead to the springs loosening up over time or grind the ball bearings, reducing their lives. Not only it speeds up the ageing process of the transmission, but it is also going to burn a hole in your pocket while you get it repaired.

Putting the car in reverse gear when in motion

There are quite a few drivers who love to pull the stunt wherein they engage the reverse gear of the car while it’s still in forwarding motion. This simple act can have drastic results. Engaging the reverse gear while the car is still moving can bring the car to a third small gear called the idler. It changes the direction of the motion of the gear, which puts it in reverse. The reverse gear when put in a moving car, grinds the gear intensely and therefore could lead to extensive damage in the transmission.

Lugging the engine (Driving the car in a higher gear at low rpm)

It is an unsaid rule that keeping your car in higher gear will give a higher mileage. Even then, many drivers try to keep their cars on lower RPMs. Driving the car on a higher gear position but on a lower speed will have a negative impact on the transmission of the car. Engaging your car on a higher gear means less number of teeth on the gearing which leads to a relaxed engine, but if the lower gearing does not get enough power to accelerate, it can cause major damage to your car’s mechanicals over a period of time.

Also read: Upcoming Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV front & rear in new spy shots

Bolero is one of the oldest model from Mahindra which is still in production. It is still a popular MUV among customers for its rugged looks and utilitarian design. Mahindra Bolero was initially introduced in the market almost 2 decades ago and ever since then, Mahindra has been making timely changes to the MUV, so that it meets the safety and emission norms. Mahindra Bolero because of its rugged looks is often modified as well. We have seen several wildly modified Mahindra Bolero MUVs in the past and here we have one such video that shows a Mahindra Bolero that has been beautifully transformed to look like a Jeep Wrangler SUV.

The video has been uploaded by Ankita Jeep’s on their youtube channel. The video shows all the modification that were done to the MUV. The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon modification is based on 2008 Mahindra Bolero. By looking at the car, it is going to be hard for anyone to say that, it is based on Mahindra Bolero. AJ Modifications have completely changed the look of this Bolero. Starting with the front, there is a custom made seven slat grille with projector LED headlamps and turn indicators.

Also read: Beat-up 2006 Mahindra Bolero transformed into the latest version

Moving down, the stock bumper has been removed and replaced with metal bumper with bull bar. The bumper also has integrated LED fog lamps in it. The complete shell of the MUV has been reworked to make it look more like Jeep Wrangler. The engine and gearbox remains the same as seen in Bolero. The hood is a custom made unit and damping is also done to absorb the heat and noise from the engine. It also gets hydraulic struts. The bigger radiator and a compressor has also been installed for AC which it did not offer before.

Coming to the side profile, there is a custom made Jeep like fender made from metal. There is a turn at the edge of the fender as well. The wheels are 15 inch steel rims with chunky 33 inch tyres wrapped around them, The tyre and wheels do help in enhancing the look of this Bolero. The ORVMs and the door along with door handles have also been modified. There is a sturdy looking foot step made from metal. On the roof it gets Hummer like lights and the window glasses are also replaced.

Coming to the rear, it has a huge spare wheel mounted on the tailgate. The tail lamps have been borrowed from Wrangler and the bumper itself has been replaced with a metal unit. It has LED lights installed for better visibility during night time. A reverse parking camera has also been installed under the bumper.

Moving inside, the whole cabin has been redone. The dashboard of Bolero has been removed and replaced with a unit from old Thar. The steering is also borrowed from old Thar SUV. It gets electrically adjustable front seats from an Audi, second row from Scorpio and the third row gets bench seats which can be easily removed if needed. The whole cabin gets a black theme with silver stitching at places. It also offers a touchscreen infotainment screen and a moon roof. The video does not mention the approximate price of this modification but, the average time taken to complete this project is around 6 months.

Also read: Mahindra Bolero MUV wants to be a Brabus

Off-roading is an activity that is slowly finding grip in India. Even though we love SUVs, only a very small section of people actually take their vehicle to extreme conditions to check the capability. Now, we have several groups in different parts of India who conduct such off-road events. These groups explore off-road terrains and constantly test the capability of their vehicles. Getting stuck is just part of the adventure and at times, even the experienced drivers can get their vehicle stuck. Here we have a video that shows exactly the same thing. The video shows how an extremely modified off-road spec Mahindra Thar gets stuck and is rescued by an Isuzu V-Cross and Gurkha.

The video has been uploaded by SHRI Vlogs on his youtube channel. The video starts by showing a bunch of SUVs exploring a tough terrain. A Maruti Gypsy, Force Gurkha is seen had come down a very steep stretch with a trench on the side. One of the SUVs that was coming down got stuck in the trench and was not moving forward or in reverse. The right wheel of modified Thar had badly got stuck in the trench. Even after several tries the extremely modified SUV could not come out.

Also read: Isuzu D-Max and Land Rover Defender score five stars in Euro NCAP rating

The team then comes out with a plan to tow the Jeep using one of their SUVs. Gurkha was the first to come but, the length of the tow rope was not sufficient so they had to drop the plan. After this, the Maruti Gypsy is brought in and the tow rope is tied to it. Gypsy driver starts to pull the jeep but, the tyres are badly stuck in the pit that it did not move forward even by an inch.

After couple of attempts, Gurkha started pulling Gypsy which was helping the jeep. Even that did not make any difference. Once they realized that the SUV was not going forward, they came up with a plan to tow it from the rear. The main hurdle in front of them there was that it was stuck on a steep section and the SUVs would not get enough traction to pull it out. They then go and get a longer tow rope and tie it to the Gypsy and Gurkha one after the other.

The jeep was now stuck for over couple of hours and even the longer tow rope was not helping. After trying out all the ways, they then call a backup vehicle which had a heavy duty winch on it. It was an Isuzu V-Cross which is quite popular among off-roaders. The winch was attached to the jeep and the V-Cross was tied to the Gurkha to balance the weight. The Isuzu V-Cross and the Gurkha then helped the jeep get out of the pit.

This video is a perfect example that proves no matter how experienced a driver or well modified the SUV may be, it will get stuck it not driven carefully. The group was also following some other rules like covering the lock on the tow rope and the winch with a cloth so that, if in case, the rope snaps, no one gets hurt. The area was also cleared in order to avoid any accidents. This video also shows why it is important to travel in group while exploring unknown terrains.

Also read: Upcoming Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV front & rear in new spy shots

Maruti 800 was one of those vehicles that had started the small family hatchback culture in India. Ever since its launch back in 1983, Maruti 800 was very popular car mainly because of its futuristic design (in comparison to HM Ambassador and Premier Padmini). It is an iconic car in India car history and had remained the best selling car in India for a very long time. Maruti had discontinued 800 back in 2014 but, we still have several well kept examples including the first one the was sold in the country. Here we have a 35 year old first gen Maruti 800 that has been beautifully modified.

Images for this beautifully modified Maruti 800 has been shared by jagan_mathew on his Instagram page. As mentioned above, this is the first gen Maruti 800 or Maruti SS80. The whole car gets a new paint job. It is painted in Nardo Grey Paint which looks absolutely good on the car. There are no chrome or silver colour inserts on the car. All the panels have been blacked out. At the front, it gets a custom made front grille that has gets multiple horizontal slats. The square headlamps headlamps have been replaced with round units.

Also read: What happens when 2 Maruti Suzuki WagonRs are taped together & driven around (Video)

This modification done to the front end of the car reminds us of a Volkswagen Polo from some angles. Apart from that, the front bumper has been modified too. It gets a custom front lip which gives it a sporty look from the front. Coming to the side profile, the car looks a lot more planted and wider than the stock version. It feels wide because there are custom made metal fender flares. Adding to the look, are the 13 inch gloss black rims with silver finished hub caps. The rims are wrapped around 175/50/13 Maxxis Rubber. The rear axle has also been widened.

From the side profile, there are no other noticeable changes on the car and is still a 5-door hatchback Coming to the rear, there are no major modification done to this part. It gets the same old tail lamp unit with slightly revised rear bumper. Another major mod that is done to the car is the custom made Decat Exhaust system. what this means is that the catalytic converter has been removed from the system which would make the exhaust note of the Maruti 800 slightly louder than the stock version.

Along with the exteriors, the interiors of this Maruti 800 have also been modified. Exact details of the same are not available as of now. This modified first-gen Maruti 800 looks very neat and it is quite evident that a lot of time and money has been invested in this car to maintain this look. It is without any doubt one of the best looking modified Maruti 800 out there.

Maruti 800 was one of the most affordable car in the country when launched in 1983. It was priced at Rs 47,500 and the first batch of 800 was imported to India as CKD units. Maruti had to discontinue 800 in 2014 because it was so popular among buyers that even after launching Alto, people were still opting for Maruti 800.

Also read: Hyundai”s Maruti S-Presso rival spied again

Mahindra is one of the largest utility vehicle manufacturing brand in India. Bolero from Mahindra is the oldest model that is still in production. It is still a very popular vehicle among customers from rural areas. It is a popular vehicle among those who love to modify vehicles as well. We have seen several examples of modified Mahindra Boleros in the past and here we have another example that shows how butch this MUV can actually look even with some subtle exterior modifications.

The video has been uploaded by BANKS CUSTOM on their youtube channel. Unlike other modifications that we have seen on Mahindra Bolero in the past, this one gets subtle but, effective modifications on the outside. Starting with the front, it retains the stock Bolero grille and headlamps. The bumper however has been completely removed and replaced with an off-road metal bumper. The bumper even has integrated projector LED fog lamps with DRL rings in them. There is metal skid plate as well and couple of tow hooks are also installed on the bumper.

Also read: Beat-up 2006 Mahindra Bolero transformed into the latest version

The bumper itself has done a lot to enhance the overall looks of the MUV. It now looks like an off-road ready vehicle. Coming to the side MUV, we notice the Jeep Wrangler styled ORVMs with LED turn indicators integrated in the, Other than this, it get customised fender flares both at the front and rear. The stock wheels have been replaced for chunky looking mud terrain tyres and blacked out rims. Another noticeable change here is the new aftermarket foot board which along with the new set of wheels give Bolero a very rugged look.

Moving to the rear, there is a full size spare wheel mounted on the tail gate. Just like the headlamp, the tail lamps are also stock units. The bumper also remains the same but, it now has a parking camera installed in it. Ceramic coating has been done to the Bolero which gives it an extra glossy look. Moving inside, the owner has customised the interiors too. It now offers all four power windows, touchscreen infotainment screen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also shows the feed from reverse parking camera. Other than this, the dashboard is wrapped in soft touch material which gives Bolero’s cabin an upmarket feel.

The door panels and the seats get premium dark brown leather upholstery and the plastic inserts around AC vents, passenger grab handle, door knobs have been hydro dipped to look like wooden inserts. Overall, the cabin looks a lot more premium than the stock version. Mahindra Bolero is still popular among buyers and that is the reason why Mahindra keeps on updating the MUV to meet the emission and safety norms.

It is now available with a BS6 complaint engine. BS6 version was launched in the market earlier this year. It is available in  B2, B4, B6 and B6 (O) trims. It is powered by a 1.5 litre diesel engine that generates 75 Bhp and 210 Nm of peak torque. It is available with a manual gearbox option only.

Also read: Mahindra Bolero MUV wants to be a Brabus

Maruti Suzuki is currently the largest car manufacturer in the country. They have been selling car in India for a very long time and is a very popular brand among Indians for various reasons. They offer a wide variety of products in their portfolio and one such popular product is WagonR. This tall boy hatchback was an instant hit when it was launched back in 1999. It has always been a popular car among families. Over the years WagonR has undergone several changes and we currently have the third generation hatchback here in India. The WagonR is built in India and is exported to international markets like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Here we have an interesting video here that features the first gen Maruti WagonR.

This is an old advertisement of the Maruti WagonR that was uploaded on youtube back in 2011. The TV commercial basically shows how Maruti had marketed WagonR to customers. It was marketed as a car that is driven by interesting people. In this advertisement WagonR first generation is seen driven in a very rough road section while it is being chased by a pack of Dobermanns. At the end of the TVC it is revealed that the driver who was portrayed as an engineer in the beginning actually trains these dogs during his spare time. This is what makes the driver an interesting person and that is why he owns a WagonR.

Also read: 7 NEW hatchbacks that will be launching in 2021: Ford Focus ST to all-new Maruti XL5

The TVC also shows how spacious WagonR is. All the four dogs are seated at the rear comfortably. The video concentrates on how peppy Maruti WagonR is. As mentioned above, Maruti WagonR has changed a lot over the years. The version seen in the video gets a simple dashboard with a music system in the centre console. It was available with a manual gearbox only.

We currently have the third generation WagonR and following the path of Maruti many other manufacturers have also come up with tall boy design for their hatchbacks. The WagonR however still remains the most popular car in the segment. It has changed overall in the last two decades. The current generation WagonR was launched in the market two years ago and is based on Maruti’s HEARTECT platform.

This is a new platform that is lighter than the older version. This platform also offers more space in WagonR on the inside. In comparison to the older version that is seen in the video above, interiors have completely changed. It now looks a lot more upmarket and offers features like ABS and Airbags as standard. It also comes with a touchscreen infotainment screen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It even gets rear parking camera and sensors as part of the new safety norms.

WagonR is available with two petrol engine options. There is a 998-cc, 4-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine that generates 67 Bhp and 90 Nm of torque. The other petrol engine is a 1.2 litre naturally aspirated unit that generates 81 bhp and 113 nm of torque. Both the engines are available with manual and AMT gearbox options. WagonR is also available with a CNG fuel options like many other Maruti cars.

Also read: Hyundai”s Maruti S-Presso rival spied again

Bollywood is all about glamour, money and a lot of show-off in real life. That is why almost all the successful actors move around in some of the most expensive vehicles. Expensive, high-end cars are sure a thing of desire but when it comes to practicality and maintenance, the mass-segment cars are the real winner. A few celebrities also know this fact and that is why they use humble regular cars apart from the high-end ones that they own.

Toyota Innova

Toyota Innova is a widely popular MPV. It is no secret that the Innova is one of the best cars in the market that offers excellent ride quality, provides a lot of space and lasts for years. Many Bollywood celebrities who own Innovas are not shy to take it out and around. Malaika Arora for one owns a petrol automatic variant of the Crysta. She has been in fact spotted driving it herself. Jackie Shroff too owns an Innova and uses it quite often. Madhuri Dixit, on the other hand, uses a completely transformed Innova done up as a lounge by DC designs exclusively for Madhuri Dixit.

Also read: Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandes gifts Toyota Innova Crysta to her staff

Tata Harrier

Tata Harrier was quick about taking the market by surprise. Launched last year, Tata Harrier now has a decent fanbase and excellent sales in the market. The Harrier is a mid-sized SUV and is positioned lower than the Mahindra XUV 500. Amongst Bollywood celebs, Fatima Sana Shiekh, who made her debut with the superhit movie Dangal owns a Harrier Dark Edition.

Toyota Fortuner

The Fortuner has been around in the market for a while now, and there are not many cars that can go neck to neck with this one. It has been topping the sales charts since years. The Fortuner is known to offer extreme comfort and good ride quality and there finds itself in the garages of many Bollywood celebrities such as Aamir Khan who owns the lastest generation and Bipasha Basu who own an older generation of Fortuner.

Maruti Suzuki Gypsy

The Gypsy is an iconic enthusiast’s car. It is popularly known to be used by the Indian Armed Forces and its lightweight feature makes it uniquely capable. John Abraham is a huge automobile enthusiast and owns the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy as well.

Jeep Compass

Jeep Compass is one of the top-selling cars in the Indian market from an American manufacturer. It is a well-loaded car feature-wise as well as how it looks. Many new and old generation Bollywood celebrities have bought the car including Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline Fernandez and even Sara Ali Khan.

Tata Nano

The Tata Nano was launched in the car to make a comfortable vehicle for bike/scooter owners. It gives an option to buy a car for commuters who would otherwise not even be able to think about buying a car. The car didn’t do as well in the Indian market as it was conceived due to a few problems with the car however the small and agile Tata Nano still makes a decent appearance on city roads. This fuel-efficient car is owned by Kim Sharma and she’s seen using the car quite often.

Honda CR-V

Honda CR-V is one of the most luxurious SUV in its price segment. The sleek outer design and comfort in the ride quality of the car make it a popular SUV in the Indian market. Amongst Bollywood celebrities, Akshay Kumar owns the petrol-powered CR-V and has been spotted with it sometimes on the road as well. Sara Ali Khan has also been spotted with her CR-V quite often before Jeep Compass came into the picture.

Mahindra Jeep CJ4

Nana Patekar the veteran actor of Bollywood is known for his extreme simplicity and a differentiating character in his own rights. He is spotted moving around in a Royal Enfield Bullet most of the times. But when it’s his car’s turn to come out, he can be seen in a Mahindra Jeep CJ4A. This classic Jeep is powered with a 2.2-litre petrol engine and gets only a three-speed transmission gearbox.

Also read: Custom Interceptor 650 Cruiser arrives before Royal Enfield builds one

A video of a man getting thrashed inside the Atal Tunnel has become viral on the Internet. The video, which is recorded by another person passing through the Atal Tunnel shows unidentified Himachal Police constable and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel ganging up against a man. Himachal Police has initiated a probe after the incident took place on Sunday.

The exact crime done by the person is not known. However, the video, which is longer than 1 minute shows four authority personnel kicking the man and even using sticks on him. The man bent with his arms passing through the legs and holding his ears is trying to explain something. The video also shows a long jam on the opposite side of the road. The exact reason for the authorities behaving like this remains unknown.

Also read: All-new 2021 Mahindra XUV500: What it”ll look like

Himachal Police ordered a probe

After the video became viral on the Internet, Himachal Police has ordered a probe. However, the police are yet to comment on the incident and clarify anything that happened in the video. It is highly speculative but it seems like that the person broke the lane and came on the opposite side of the road to overtake the standstill traffic. This is the first such incident that is reported from the recently inaugurated Atal Tunnel.

The Atal Tunnel has attracted a large number of tourists from across the country. After Prime Minister Narender Modi inaugurated the tunnel earlier this year, tourists throng themselves to the tunnel. Several videos show that the tourists do not maintain lane discipline, speed limit and other rules inside the tunnel. Recently, the Himachal Police seized multiple cars and made several arrests after videos of people stopping in the middle of the tunnel and dancing became viral.

After the crowd gathering at the tunnel, the district magistrate ordered that no pictures and selfies are allowed in front of the South Portal of the tunnel. About 200 metres ahead of the South Portal is photography free zone. Also, the police have started putting speed trap cameras inside the tunnel to catch the tourists who do not maintain the speed limit of 80 km/h inside the tunnel. It is a 9.02 km long tunnel that connects the Lahaul-Spiti that otherwise remains disconnected due to the heavy snowfall around this time of the year.

Tourists damaged Atal Tunnel

In another report, groups of tourists from Delhi, Haryana, UP and Punjab were accused of destroying the infrastructure of the tunnel. The authorities say that the tourists throw out garbage like plastic bags inside the tunnel from the moving cars. Also, the tourists have damaged security instruments inside the tunnel within the past fortnight. Unknown tourists have also damaged a fire hydrant glass box in the middle of the tunnel. Regular illegal actions like sitting on the top of the vehicle inside the tunnel and driving with doors wide open are also reported. Himachal Police have arrested more than 25 tourists till now and a fine worth Rs 50,000 collected only in the past few days.

A Border Roads Organisation (BRO) official said on the condition of anonymity to TOI,

“They drink and create ruckus inside the tunnel after stopping vehicles anywhere. Some drive on the wrong side and some park inside the tunnel. They have broken the median traffic cones. The hooligans are leaving no stone unturned in damaging the beauty of the tunnel which we should treat as a national monument. This is matter of happiness that Atal tunnel has emerged as a major tourist destination in a short time period but tourists should understand the importance of the tunnel and should treat it respectfully as it is the pride of the nation,”

The officials close down the tunnel every day for an hour to clean it properly and collect the plastic wastes. Also, if the cars stop inside the tunnel, it increases the level of carbon dioxide due to the emissions from the car exhausts.

Also read: Upcoming Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV front & rear in new spy shots

MG Motor is working on a facelift of the Hector which is currently their entry-level SUV for the Indian market. Recently, more images of the new SUV have surfaced which gives us a bit more detail about the facelift. The changes to the SUV are cosmetic. So, there will be no changes made to the mechanical bits of the car. The SUV will be launching this month and it has already reached dealerships.

From the images, we can see that MG has worked on the small niggles that people had with the Hector. The manufacturer has increased the size of the diamond-cut alloy wheels to 18-inches instead of 17-inches which used to come with the current generation. People always thought that the size of the alloy wheels was a bit small for the size of the SUV as big as Hector. Then we get a new revised front grille, which gets chrome dots and a chrome boundary running all around. The chrome now extends all the way upto the LED Daytime Running Lamps.

It still gets split headlamp design. So, the main headlight unit is placed in the lower half of the bumper which gets a C-shaped chrome surround. We also get a silver faux skid plate and a mesh grille in the lower half of the bumper. From the side profile, there are no prominent changes to the SUV except the new 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. At the rear also there is only one subtle change. The reflective strip that used to connect the rear tail lamps is now finished in black instead of red.

Also read: MG Hector with chrome delete looks SICK!

The cabin of the Hector will also get a few updates. From the pictures we can see that the upholstery is finished in Beige, this means that we will be getting a dual-tone theme cabin instead of all-black theme which we have seen on the current Hector. This will help in opening up a sense of airiness for the occupants and will also look more premium when compared to the single theme layout of the current Hector.

MG Motors will also be adding new features to Hector so that it can stand better against the competition. They are adding features like wireless charging pad and ventilated seats. So, the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos will not be the only SUVs that will be offering the ventilated seats.

MG Motors is the third manufacturer to add ventilated seats to their cars. Both the driver and the front passenger will be getting the functionality of ventilated seats. The manufacturer will also add some USB ports in the cabin that will make it easier for the occupants to charge their mobile devices. MG Hector will continue to offer features like rear AC vents, cruise control, voice commands, panoramic sunroof, OTA updates and much more. It will still get the same 10.4-inch vertical touchscreen infotainment system that comes with pre-loaded applications, ‘Hello MG’ voice command function, i-Smart connected car technology and a lot more.

Powering the MG Hector Facelift will be the same set of engines that we have seen on the current Hector. So, there will be 1.5-litre petrol, 1.5-litre petrol hybrid, and the 2.0-litre diesel engine. The Fiat-sourced diesel engine makes 170 PS of max power and 350 Nm of peak torque. It is only offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox. The petrol and the petrol hybrid engine produces 141 PS of max power and a peak torque output of 250 Nm. It is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard. Whereas, the petrol engine is also offered with a Dual-Clutch automatic gearbox. Currently, MG Hector starts from Rs. 12.83 lakhs ex-showroom and goes all the way upto Rs. 18.08 lakhs ex-showroom.

Also read: All-new 2021 Mahindra XUV500: What it”ll look like

Maruti Suzuki WagonR is a popular choice in India even after years of its existence. The tallboy design of the WagonR makes it a popular choice in many emerging markets including our neighbour’s Pakistan. While in India, we have seen a few well-modified WagonRs that are mostly owned by enthusiasts, here is the limousine based on the old-generation WagonR and it sure looks insane.

The modified version of the WagonR is on sale on an online platform in Pakistan. It is heavily modified and the seller has even tagged the vehicle like a limousine. Just like any other modified limousine, the WagonR was cut and extended from the middle. It is much longer than the stock version of the hatchback. However, the details do not share the actual length of the vehicle.

Also read: 7 NEW hatchbacks that will be launching in 2021: Ford Focus ST to all-new Maruti XL5

With the extended version of the WagonR as the pictures show, the modification also involves the addition of doors to the vehicle. There are two extra doors fitted on this limousine for easier access to the seats. So it is now a 7-seater WagonR, which is definitely one of its kind in the world. The changes on the outside are limited to the aftermarket multiple spoked rims and the additional doors. The front and the rear remain similar to the stock version of the vehicle.

Six-seater WagonR

The modification job also changes the seating layout. Apart from the front two seats, the rear cabin space can comfortably accommodate four adults. The pilot seats replace the stock bench seats and there are four of them in the rear. The seats face each other instead of forward-facing as we see in most MPVs. There are no other changes in the cabin. However, we do notice an aftermarket infotainment system in the dashboard that replaces the ageing music system. We are not sure if any changes have been done to the engine of the vehicle. In Pakistan, the WagonR gets a 660cc, three-cylinder petrol engine and the price is about Rs 12 lakh.

Limousines in India

In India, such modified limousines are not a rare sight. There are many who rent such modified limousines for weddings and even events. Many of these limousines are modified to offer some of the most extravagant features including a mini-fridge, a bar, personal infotainment system, recliners, TV, ambient lighting and much more. There are also legal limousine imports in India that are much costlier to rent compared to the modified ones.

However, modified limousines are not legal in India. After the supreme court’s decision to ban any kind of modification to the vehicles and structural changes, modifications have become a rare thing to spot. In the past, the police have also seized modified limousines in India because it is illegal.

Also read: Hyundai”s Maruti S-Presso rival spied again

Ford EcoSport, which is the vehicle that made the sub-4m compact SUV segment popular in India gets a new 2021 version. Ford has reduced the price of the new EcoSport and the range now starts at Rs 7.99 lakh instead of the earlier pricing of Rs 8.19 lakh. Ford has also introduced new features on the new EcoSport including a sunroof across many variants.

With the new EcoSport, Ford will challenge the successful launches like the all-new Nissan Magnite, the all-new Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue and the well-established vehicles like the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon and more. Ford continues to offer both petrol and diesel engine options with the new EcoSport. Here is the variant-wise price of the 2021 EcoSport.

Vinay Raina, executive director Marketing, Sales & Service at Ford India said,

“In the tradition of bringing what consumers want and value, we are happy to bolster the EcoSport line-up and make every variant compelling in terms of features and value,. With the new line-up, we have not just addressed the customer feedback on making sunroof and key features more accessible but also left scope to add more unique features in the future.”

With the rising demand for the sunroof in the Indian market, Ford has started offering sunroof with the Titanium trim onwards. More than half of the variants now offer sunroof, which has become highly popular in the Indian market. The top-end variants offer six airbags. Also, the best-in-segment SYNC3 infotainment system with an 8.0-inch touchscreen makes the EcoSport lively. Also, the S variant of the EcoSport gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The other variants come with a 9.0-inch touchscreen system with navigation.

There are no mechanical changes to the 2021 EcoSport. The petrol variants continue to offer the same 1.5-litre Ti-VCT engine that delivers a maximum power of 122 PS and peak torque of 149 Nm. The petrol engine offers both manual and automatic transmission options. The diesel variants come with a 1.5-litre TDCi four-cylinder engine that generates a maximum power of 100 PS and peak torque of 215 Nm. The diesel engine option only gets a 5-speed manual transmission. There is no automatic option available with the sticky fuel variants.

Ford also says that the EcoSport is the only vehicle to offer the FordPass system in the segment, It is available with all the variants. The FordPass is a smartphone app that can be used to perform several operations like starting the car, shutting it down, locking and unlocking it remotely and more.

All-new Ford EcoSport

Ford is also working to launch the all-new EcoSport in the Indian market in the coming months. It is likely to be launched in 2021 and will likely use the turbocharged mStallion petrol engines from Mahindra. While Ford and Mahindra announced that they will not further discuss the joint venture, in a press conference, Dr Pawan Goenka said that immense amount of investment has gone into the project and it is less than a year away from becoming a production version. However, the decision to continue the project will happen after Ford and Mahindra discuss the same.

Also read: Upcoming Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV front & rear in new spy shots

Every year during the holidays, Tesla releases an update for their car. This time they have added a feature known as Boombox. The feature allows the user of the car to use other sounds instead of the traditional honking sound. There are many sounds available such as applause, ‘tada’, goat baaing, someone speaking posh and the fart sound. You can even record your own sounds and upload it to the car and then it will play it whenever you honk. One important thing to note is that feature is available only to Tesla’s that have in-built speakers. However, these sounds are not available when you are on a move, you must be stationary and in ‘park’ to listen to these sounds. This feature was released in the firmware version 2020.48.26.

The speakers were added to the car because as per National Highway Traffic Safety Administration electric vehicles are required to generate some kind of noise to alert the pedestrians. So, every electric vehicle that is launched now comes with some kind of noise that is played to alert the pedestrians about the presence of the vehicle. Tesla introduced the speakers in their vehicles that were manufactured after September 1, 2019. The fart sounds in Tesla are not new, they have been in the vehicles for a quite some time now. Earlier, the users were able to play them in the cabin. However, now they are on the outside and the pedestrians can also hear it.

Also read: Skoda”s Vision IN compact SUV: Hyundai Creta rival to launch in India next year

pic.twitter.com/2bZMjC4AaW

— Microfrost (@Microfrost_) December 19, 2018

With the Boombox feature, the Tesla owners can also play the sound of an ice cream truck. This would make your neighbours think that an ice cream truck is coming. Tesla has also introduced three new games for the owners. There is The Battle of Polytopia, Cat Quest and Solitaire. All of which can be played while the vehicle is parked. These are all parts of the Tesla Arcade which already had a few games like Atari, Pong, each Buggy Racing 2 and Mario Kart. The user can use the steering wheel and the brake pedals to control their avatar while playing the driving games while the acceleration is automatic.

Currently, Tesla is working on entering the Indian market. The EV giant is expected to hit the Indian market sometime in 2021. The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Nitin Gadkari, has already confirmed Tesla will be entering the Indian market about which you can read more by clicking here. Most likely Tesla will first import their vehicles as a CBU or completely built unit. This would mean that Tesla will cost a significant amount of money. However, if Tesla follows the 2,500 limited car import rule, then they could price their vehicle competitively.

This is the same technique that Volkswagen and Skoda used for their T-Roc and Karoq. Tesla will be launching its most affordable vehicle in India first which is the Model 3. Tesla opened the bookings for the Model 3 in India a few years back. The booking amount was set at $ 1,000. So, people who booked the Tesla should get their Model 3s first. If launched Tesla Model 3 could be priced from Rs. 55-60 lakhs. Currently, there is not much information available about how Tesla would be working in India. We would just have to wait for the finer details that should be revealed soon.

Also read: All-new 2021 Mahindra XUV500: What it”ll look like

Royal Enfield has stepped up its game and after launching the very successful Interceptor and Continental GT 650 in the market some time ago. The Indian motorcycle giant also the all-new Meteor 350 on a brand-new platform last year. That’s not all. Royal Enfield is working on a slew of upcoming motorcycles and a few of them will be launched in India later this year. One of these launches will be an all-new cruiser. Here are the closest pictures of the upcoming, production-ready motorcycle that reveals a lot of details.

The pictures come from GaadiWaadi and the motorcycle was spotted on the public road. It is the all-new Royal Enfield cruiser motorcycle that will utilise the twin-cylinder engine that is available only with two motorcycles at the moment.

Also read: Royal Enfield Classic Metallo Silver & Orange Ember: In Images

Royal Enfield 650 cruiser

The new images show that the all-new Royal Enfield cruiser will come with upside-down forks. It will be the first motorcycle from the Indian manufacturer to get such a set-up. It is likely that Royal Enfield will put a premium price tag on the bike because of such premium features. The cruiser 650 will also come with ventilated disc brakes, multiple spoke black coloured alloy wheels, a taller windscreen, LED DRL, LED headlamp, and more. These will definitely add to the overall price of the bike whenever it gets launched in the market.

Also visible in the picture is the teardrop-shaped fuel tank and flat-twin seat set-up. Royal Enfield may provide a cover for the rear seat to add a more sophisticated look. However, other cycle parts will be shared with the Interceptor and the Continental GT 650.

Just like the Interceptor, the cruiser 650 will come with the twin-exhaust set-up. The tail lamp is all-LED and the size of the front and the rear wheels are different. The instrument cluster is a hybrid of analogue and digital systems. It will become the most expensive motorcycle from Royal Enfield in the market.

Harley-Davidson Street 750 void

As we know Harley-Davidson has shut down its India operations and has discontinued the most affordable Harley-Davidson Street 750 too. The all-new Royal Enfield cruiser will fill that void and will attract a lot of customers too. The 648cc, air-cooled, parallel-twin engine produces a maximum of 47.65 PS and 52 Nm of peak torque in the Interceptor and the Continental GT 650. There will no changes to the output. However, Royal Enfield may tweak the transmission to match the performance and weight of the cruiser.

The all-new cruiser 650 will be launched later this year and will become most affordable twin-cylinder powered cruiser in the Indian market. Yes, there will not be any direct competitor to the bike in the market but the likes of Triumph Street Twin will be a challenge for the new bike. While the Street Twin is priced at more than Rs 7 lakh, Royal Enfield is not expected to cross the Rs 3.5 lakh mark, which gives it a massive price advantage over any other motorcycle in the segment.

More 650cc motorcycles

Royal Enfield will utilise the 650cc engine in various body forms in the future. At a later stage, the same engine will also power the high-end versions of the Royal Enfield Himalayan and Thunderbird. Royal Enfield will also launch the all-new Bullet 350 and 500 later this year.

Also read: This Harley Davidson Forty-Eight is actually a 125cc Yamaha Enticer

Nissan India had launched their all-new sub-4meter SUV in the Indian market in December 2020. The SUV was available at an introductory price of Rs 4.99 lakh, ex-showroom for the entry level variant. Nissan has now announced that Magnite will continue to be available across all Nissan India dealerships and on its website, https://book.nissan.in/, at the special introductory prices on most of the variants till further notice. Magnite became a very popular SUV for Nissan in India because of its attractive price tag. It competes with SUVs like Maruti Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300 and Ford EcoSport. Magnite is currently the most affordable compact SUV in the segment.

Magnite has become so popular that it has already received over 32,800 bookings and 1,80,000 enquiries since its launch. In India, people have started giving importance to safety part and Nissan Magnite proved itself to be a safe car by scoring 4-stars at ASEAN NCAP crash tests. Depending upon the variant you choose, there is waiting period as long as 8 months. In order to shorten the delivery period to 2 to 3 months, the plant production capacity is being enhanced by introducing a third shift by employing over 1000 people to staff the manufacturing plant in addition to employing more staff at the dealerships to attend the customer requests. This decision is aimed at reducing the waiting period for all variants so that more and more customers get to enjoy the all-new Nissan Magnite at the earliest.

Ashwani Gupta, COO Nissan Motor Company, said “The overwhelming positive response we have received for the all-new Nissan Magnite is a great testament to Nissan’s commitment to driving innovation in India through world class design, product technology and manufacturing. We are happy to reinforce our industrial strategy with a third shift to meet increasing customer demand. We hope to continue our contribution to the manufacturing and industrial sector in the country and help create further job opportunities during this uncertain period.”

Also read: Nissan Magnite compact SUV”s waiting period shoots up to 6 months

Prices for all the variants of Nissan Magnite remain the same except for the base XE trim. The 4.99 lakh, ex-showroom price for this variant has been increased by Rs 50,000 to Rs 5.49 lakh. Nissan Magnite is available in 20 variants and over 36 combinations. There is a ‘Tech Pack’ for tech-savvy Indian customers. This includes a wireless charger, an inbuilt air purifier, ambient mood lighting, puddle lamps and high-end speakers.

Nissan Magnite is a very bold looking SUV with a beautiful design on the outside. It gets a wide Datsun like front grille with new Nissan logo in the center. The chrome brackets on either side of the grille gives it an upmarket look. The top-end models get LED headlamps, boomerang shaped LED DRLs on the bumper. Magnite is without any doubt one of the most popular Nissan product in India after a very long time.

Nissan Magnite is a decently equipped vehicle. it gets features like a 360 degree camera, wireless charger, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, steering mounted controls, multi function steering wheel, cruise control, rear AC vents and so on. The SUV is available with two petrol engine options. There is a 1.0 litre naturally aspirated engine that generates 72 Ps and 96 Nm of torque. Next is a 1.0 litre turbocharged petrol engine that generates 100 Ps and 160 Nm of torque. The turbo petrol version is available with a CVT gearbox option whereas the naturally aspirated version comes with a manual gearbox only.

Also read: Upcoming Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV front & rear in new spy shots

Mahindra will launch two vehicles based on two all-new platforms later this year. One of them is the XUV500, which Mahindra is testing relentlessly for a long time on the Indian roads. The vehicle is slowly taking its production form and is getting spotted more often. Closer to the official launch, Mahindra is now benchmarkingthe all-new XUV500 with the current-generation model. Also, a video of the all-new XUV500 testing alongside the MG Hector has surfaced too.

After the successful launch of the all-new Thar last year, Mahindra announced that its primary focus will be the full-fledged SUVs in the future. The brand also said that it will stay away from car-derived soft-roaders and will also focus on the electric vehicles in the future. The Mahindra XUV500, which is codenamed as W601 is currently in development stage will be launched in the coming months.

Also read: MG Hector Facelift to be launched in 2021

The latest videos show that the all-new XUV500 will come with sophisticated looking headlamps with integrated LED DRL. The all-new XUV500 is also bigger in size compared to the current version of the model. It translates into bigger cabin space and more legroom, especially for the third-row passengers.

XUV500 testing with MG Hector

MG launched the all-new Hector in the Indian market two years ago. The manufacturer is almost ready to launch a facelifted version of the Hector later this year. In a different video, the all-new Mahindra XUV500 was spotted testing with the MG Hector for benchmarking. Manufacturers do such tests to know which vehicle performs better in different conditions and where is the product lagging behind. These data points are then studies by experts so that necessary changes can be made in the upcoming vehicle.

Mahindra is also benchmarking the all-new XUV with the current version of the model. This will allow the manufacturer to determine how much improvement the all-new XUV500 commands over the older-version of the vehicle. These data points are mostly revealed during the launch show how much improvement is achieved with the all-new product over the current version.

Cold weather testing

In India, many manufacturers resort to mountain testing of the vehicles before the official launch as the temperature dip provides an extreme condition for the vehicles. Since BS6 vehicles require to start in cold temperature, manufacturers take the vehicles to the Himalayas for testing. Also, high altitude provide difficult conditions for the vehicle that makes it prone to breakdowns. Such cold and hot weather testing that happens in areas like Rajasthan and about every other corner of India ensure that the production model remains worry-free when launched.

More premium XUV500

Mahindra is yet to give us a glimpse of the production version XUV500. However, videos of the test mules show that the all-new XUV500 will become much more premium than the current version. It will get a dual-screen set-up for the infotainment and the instrument cluster. The all-new XUV500 will also get flush-type handles and some modern-looking highlights on the outside. On the inside, it will offer advanced telematics system like the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos, electrically adjustable front seats, wireless phone charger and more.

Mahindra will launch the new XUV500 with two engine options – 2.2-litre mHawk diesel and 2.0-litre mStallion turbocharged petrol. Both the engine options will offer a manual as well as an automatic transmission.

Also read: Upcoming Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV front & rear in new spy shots

Toyota Fortuner has been the segment leader since its launch. The manufacturer is currently working on the facelift of the Fortuner, which will be launching on 6th of January 2021. Toyota has also just confirmed to power output and the torque output of the new Fortuner through a post on their Facebook. The Fortuner Legender will be producing 204 PS of max power and a peak torque output of 500 Nm. In the post, they also confirm the launch date of the SUV. The post simply says ‘Power to Surpass’ and then shows the engine output. The Legender version of the Fortuner was first launched in the International market and was due for an update for the Indian market.

Also read: 450 bhp Mercedes CLA 45 AMG sportscar for sale at a price cheaper than Fortuner

The powertrain options will remain the same as the current generation of Fortuner. So, there will be a 2.7-litre petrol unit and a 2.8-litre diesel engine. The petrol engine will be producing 166 bhp of max power and 245 Nm of peak torque. The engine is offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. The diesel engine will be retuned to produce 204 bhp and 500 Nm of peak torque. The engine is offered with a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox or a 6-speed manual gearbox.

The petrol engine will only be offered as a rear-wheel drive. While the diesel engine will be offered as a rear-wheel-drive or a four-wheel drive. The 4×4 variants also get a low-range transfer case for better off-road capability. Once launched, Fortuner Legender will offer class-leading torque output as it will only be offered with a diesel engine. The nearest competitor to the torque output is the MG Gloster. which produces 480 Nm and then the Ford Endeavour, which produces 420 Nm.

The Fortuner Legender was also recently spied during a TVC shoot, which helped us in getting a close look at its exterior. You can read more about it by clicking here. The Fortuner Facelift will get a new bumper, LED projector headlamps and LED fog lamps with new housings. Whereas, the Legender will be a more premium and aggressive version of the Fortuner.

It will get a mesh grille finished in piano-black, Bi-projector headlamps, sequential turn indicators and a larger 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. Toyota will also be offering dual-tone paint schemes for the SUV. Due to which the roof spoiler, rearview ORVMs, A, B, C and D pillars will be finished in Black or some other colour giving the SUV a floating roofline effect.

The interior updates are expected to be minimal. There will be a slightly redesigned instrument cluster with multi-information display, premium leather upholstery and a dual-tone treatment for the cabin. This will help in opening up a sense of airiness for the occupants. Toyota will also be upgrading the touchscreen infotainment system from the Innova Crysta.

So, the Fortuner will get a new 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system instead of an 8-inch unit like on the current generation. It will also support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The prices of the Toyota Fortuner will increase slightly when compared to current prices. Currently, the Fortuner starts from Rs. 28.66 lakhs ex-showroom. However, the Fortuner Legender is expected to start from upwards of Rs. 40 lakhs ex-showroom.

Also read: Mahindra Alturas gets much cheaper than the Toyota Fortuner thanks to 3 lakh discount

Indian car market has grown exponentially in the last couple of decades. Many manufacturers have found India as a growing market and have started investing here. The competition is rising in all segments and the manufacturers are constantly coming up with new ways and ideas to promote their models. One of the most effective way was to create advertisements that would always be their in the heart of the viewers. We have seen several such advertisements in the past (Chetak, Platina, Maruti Alto). One such SUV that had a cult following among buyers was Tata Safari. Even though Tata has discontinued this iconic SUV years ago, we still remember the ad. Tata has now released a tribute video to Safari that shows how much they are missing the SUV.

the video has been officially shared by Tata Motors on their official Youtube channel. The video shows how Safari had changed the SUV game in India after it was launched in 1998. It was in production for almost 2 decades and was finally discontinued back in 2017. During the course of time, Tata had released so many advertisements for Safari. Some of them were so captivating that it would literally give you goosebumps  while you are watching them.

Also read: Mahindra Scorpio vs Tata Safari in a classic drag race (Video)

From the beginning itself, Tata has been sending a very confident picture about their SUV to customers. Even they had a catchphrase in one of their advertisement that said, “Go… make your own road”. This clearly indicated that it was a proper 4×4 SUV at that time. The video shares pictures of Safari and Safari Storme owners conquering difficult terrains. It also shows footage from some of their old and new advertisements.

Tata Safari was launched in the market back in 1998 at the Indian Auto Expo. Safari was not only sold in India but, was also exported to European markets. It was based on Tata Mobile pickup truck which was known as Telcoline. During the initial years, Safari was powered by a 2.0 litre turbocharged diesel engine from Peugeot. This engine generated a maximum of 90 Bhp and 186 Nm of torque.

After some years, Tata launched a petrol version of Safari in the market in 2003. This was powered by a 2.1 litre 16 valve engine that was developed inhouse by Tata Motors. It was a lot more powerful than older diesel version and generated 135 Bhp. Tata had to phase out the petrol engine within two years as it was infamous among buyers for its low fuel efficiency. Petrol version of Safari was even more expensive than the diesel version and for the same reason people preferred diesel version more.

Tata then launched a facelifted version of Safari in 2005 to compete with Mahindra Scorpio in the segment. It was offered with a 3.0 litre diesel engine that generated 115 Bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. This 3.0 litre turbocharged engine was a brand new DICOR diesel engine. After this Tata launched Safari DICOR in 2007 which came with a2.2 litre diesel engine. It generated more power than the older 3.0 litre diesel engine. it generated 140 Bhp and 320 Nm of torque.

It became popular and even offered with features like airbags and ABS. It was available in both 2WD and 4×4 options. The Tata came up with the final iteration of Safari which was also a generation update. In 2012 Tata launched the Safri Storme which offered a more dominating look and offered a bit more in terms of features. The SUV was offered with 2.2 litre VARICOR diesel engine that generates 156 bhp and 200 Nm of torque. This is the same engine that was used in Hexa as well. By this time, the competition  had caught up and several manufacturers had entered the market with better looking and feature loaded products. This affected the sale and Tata had to finally put a stop on the production of an iconic SUV. The advertisement takes us through all these moments and wishes if Safari was still in production.

Also read: All-new 2021 Mahindra XUV500: What it”ll look like

Himachal Pradesh police swung into action after more than 300 people got stranded at Atal Tunnel due to have snowfall. The rescue mission was launched after fresh snowfall on Sunday and sudden change of the weather.

Kullu SP, Gaurav Singh said that a few tourists crossed the tunnel on Saturday but in the evening, they could not find any place to stay in Lahaul. As the weather suddenly changed, the tourists got stranded on their way back to Manali. The Lahaul-Spiti police then coordinated with the Kullu Police and sent vehicles through the tunnel in the evening to rescue the stranded tourists.

Also read: All-new 2021 Mahindra XUV500: What it”ll look like

According to the information, the vehicles lost traction due to the snowfall and slippery surface. The police and authorities said that they deployed at least 70 vehicles for the rescue mission. There were a 48-seater bus, a 24-seater police bus and a one police quick reaction team or QRT. The DSP and SHO of Manali city were also involved in the rescue operation and later, the Border Roads Organisation or BRO who made the tunnel also joined the operations.

The last tourist rescued from Dhundhi and South Portal of the tunnel was at 12:33 AM. Later, a team led by Manali SHO checked the whole route to look for stranded tourists on the way.

It is likely that the authorities and the police will restrict the access to the tunnel citing heavy snowfall in the next few days. As per predictions made by the Meteorological Department, the snowfall is expected in the coming days. The Met department has also issued a yellow weather warning for heavy snowfall on Tuesday. The forecast rain and snowfall in mid and high hills of the state from January 3 to 5 and on January 8.

Additional 82 tourists were rescued the following day. These tourists were also stranded near the South Portal of the Atal Tunnel near Dhundhi. It is not known if the tourists’ vehicles are still allowed to pass through to the other side due to the weather condition at moment.

Automatic number-plate recognition system used (ANPR)

The authorities have started using automatic number-plate recognition near the tunnel. The system uses optical character recognition of images to carefully read the registration plates and to create vehicle location data. Two ANPR systems are already installed near the tunnel. It is currently used to keep a tab on the movement of the vehicles on the highway and keep a count.

The exact location of the automatic systems is near Raja Ghepan temple in Lahaul-Spiti. It is first of its kind system installed in the region. The system is overlooking the NH3.

“Automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) is a technology that uses optical character recognition of images to read registration plates to create vehicle location data. It can use existing closed-circuit television, road-rule enforcement cameras or cameras specifically designed for the task. The ANPR is used by police forces around the world for law enforcement purposes, including checking if a vehicle is registered or licensed. It is also used for electronic toll collection on pay-per-use roads and as a method of cataloguing the movements of traffic by highways agencies,”.

The new system will add a safer security perimeter to the region and will help the authorities to monitor traffic.

Also read: Upcoming Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV front & rear in new spy shots

A former disgruntled worker of Mercedes-Benz went on a berserk streak and used a stolen JCB to wreck vehicles. The former worker did the smashing job in Spain Mercedes-Benz factory where he used to work. The 38-year old allegedly destroyed around 50 brand-new cars, which were parked outside the assembly line.

The 38-year old former worker did the job on 31st December. He first stole a JCB and drove it for 18 miles or about 29 km to reach the factory. The Mercedes-Benz factory is located on an industrial estate in the Basque capital Vitoria, northern Spain.

Also read: All-new 2021 Mahindra XUV500: What it”ll look like

The most damaged vehicles is a shipment of Mercedes-Benz V-Class van and the new eVitos. The incident occurred during the early hours of Thursday. After the former worker broke the perimeter of the factor and started his wrecking job, a security guard posted in the compound fired a warning shot in the air to stop the suspect. However, the guard did not take any direct action to stop the person and waited for the cops to arrive first according to the local reports.

The police officers have said that the disgruntled worker worked between 2016 and 2017 in the factory. The exact reason for the attract remains unknown at the moment. However, cops have started the investigations. Initial reports suggest that Mercedes-Benz has estimated damage worth £1.78 and £4.45 million. I roughly translate to about Rs 50 crore. The JCB was stolen from a construction firm on an industrial estate in Legutiano.

Work-revenge related crime

The pictures of the wrecked vehicles have become viral online. While the cops are still investigating the incident, they have said that the person who did this had some work-related problems. He took the step as revenge. The person is currently in police custody said a spokesperson for the local police. When the cops arrived at the spot, they found the man still smashing the vehicles with the JCB.

The pictures show wrecked V-Class vans lying in the open. In some cases, the doors of the vehicles have been ripped apart with the JCB. Mercedes-Benz has not officially said anything on the matter and is yet to release an official statement. The police have arrested the man on suspicion of causing criminal damage to the vehicles.

The former worker also did other damage on the road while driving the JCB to the Mercedes-Benz factory. The police have to announce the exact damages but it is likely to be public property damages.

First such incident

While there are many who show their displeasure to the employer by holding marches and doing protests on the site, this is one of its kind revenge that we have seen in a long time. The former worker is likely to be found guilty of the charges in the future. The police have not revealed the details like how did they catch the person on the site after reaching at the spot though. In India, disgruntled workers often hold protests forcing to shut down the production and delay the manufacturing.

Also read: Upcoming Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV front & rear in new spy shots

Suzuki is testing an electric version of their Burgman Street. The scooter with the internal combustion engine has been quite successful for the Japanese manufacturer. So, it makes sense that they are using the same scooter to launch their first electric scooter. The scooter seems like it is in its final stage of testing because the Suzuki is not using any camouflage and the design elements also look complete. The Suzuki Burgman Street Electric is expected to launch sometime this year.

Suzuki Burgman Street electric scooter spotted undisguised. Looks ready to hit the showrooms. Spotted by MotorBeamer Abhishek Mann pic.twitter.com/vMzREb9fdu

— MotorBeam (@MotorBeam) January 4, 2021

From the spy shots, we can see that the EV misses out on an exhaust pipe, but what Suzuki has added is another shock absorber at the rear. This should make the ride more comfortable and it should help in absorbing bumps more effectively. The second shock absorber is also added to handle the extra weight of the batteries and the electric motor. It seems like the scooter will be using LED tail lamps and LED headlamps with LED Daytime Running Lamps. We can also see the digital screen that will show various types of information such as range, battery level, speed etc. The scooter is finished in the blue and white paint scheme. This helps in differentiating the EV Burgman from the ICE Burgman. We can also see that the badging of the scooter has been covered with a black decal so the final version may be called something else.

Also read: Bajaj Chetak Electric nationwide launch delayed

The Burgman Street Electric is expected to be powered by a lithium-ion battery that could produce around 5-6 kW of power output. The vehicle would be using a permanent magnet synchronous unit which will be mounted closer to the ground to lower the centre of gravity. It is expected that the Suzuki Burgman Electric will have a range of 100 km to 120 km. Buyers will be getting the FAME-II subsidy from the government when they buy the new EV. The scooter will be offering a front disc brake, alloy wheels, LED headlamp and tubeless tyres. The top speed of the scooter should be 80 kmph which is enough for your day to day chores. Burgman Street Electric does look better than some of its rivals. The new EV will be competing against the Bajaj Chetak, TVS iQube and the Ather 450x. The new scooter will be aimed towards the people who will be using it for personal transportation. Electric scooters are great when it comes to travelling for shorter distances and when you have to face traffic.

Burgman Street itself was a success in the Indian market because it used the design of the bigger maxi-scooters which made it look bigger and more powerful. The design elements were borrowed from the much bigger Suzuki Burgman 400. However, underneath the Burgman Street is a 125cc scooter that is capable of producing 8.6 bhp of max power and a peak torque output of 10 Nm. Currently, Burgman Street is offered in two variants. There is the standard variant which is priced at Rs. 83,301 ex-showroom and then there is the Bluetooth variant which is priced at Rs. 87,002 ex-showroom. Once launched the Electric Burgman should be priced around Rs. 1.2 lakhs ex-showroom.

Source

Also read: This Harley Davidson Forty-Eight is actually a 125cc Yamaha Enticer