Heavy traffic and congestion is quite a problem for many cities in India. Bengaluru is also one of the cities on the list. However, Uber has decided to solve the problem by teaming up with Bajaj Auto in an initiative to ease travel around the city, by inducing the Bajaj Qute Quadricycle in its fleet of taxis. The 4-passenger quadricycle will now be placed under a new XS category on Uber’s ride-hailing app, to provide a quicker and cheaper alternative of travel. The Bajaj-Uber (Qute) Partnership is only available in Bengaluru for now and might move on to other cities if it turns out to be a success.

Also Read: Volvo And Uber Team-up To Reveal Production Ready Self-Driving Vehicle

If you live around Indira Nagar, Koramangala, HSR Layout and other parts of the outer ring road, then you can book your own quadricycle ride from the 13th of June. Each time you choose the UberXS option, you will get to experience the first Indian quadricycle designed to make your commute easier, faster, affordable and reliable. The Qute is available in petrol as well as CNG variants. The Bajaj Qute is not only lightweight but it also has a small footprint which makes it much more fuel efficient when compared to other small cars or 3-wheelers. The smaller size of the vehicle will help you zip through city traffic and park in tight spaces that you never thought were possible to park in. To book a ride in the small Bajaj Quadricycle, all you need to do is log on to your Uber app and click on UberXS.

Also Read: Uber Partners With Yulu In Bangalore For An Efficient And Eco-Friendly Commuting Solution

Commenting on the partnership, Nandini Maheshwari, Head, Business Development, Uber India & South Asia, said, “We are delighted to partner with one of India’s most trusted names, Bajaj Auto, to launch Bajaj Qute on Uber XS in Bengaluru. At Uber, we constantly work towards transforming the mobility landscape of cities, with technology at the heart of our solutions. This partnership is an extension of Uber’s commitment towards lowering transportation costs, enhancing asset utilization and improving rider convenience.”

Recently, ExxonMobil Lubricants announced the renewal of its partnership with GoMechanic, which is a branded network of technology-enabled service centres. ExxonMobil will now continue to remain the exclusive lubricant partner for GoMechanic to provide complete car care to customers. GoMechanic is India’s first multi-brand network of car workshops with more than 115 work stations across 5 cities: Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The company enables customers to save more on their service and repair costs as compared to an authorized service centre.

Exxon’s upstream business provides consulting and LNG market development support services for other ExxonMobil upstream affiliates. The business support centre/ technical support centre provides a range of support services for ExxonMobil’s operations around the globe. The company’s downstream business engages in the distribution, sales and marketing of Mobil branded lubricants and specialities. The chemicals business also provides market development support, analytical and reporting services. It conducts chemical product application support services and product testing support at its technology centre in Bengaluru. ExxonMobil also contributes to programs in India that support education, health and the community.

GoMechanic provides all its workshops with management tools and techniques, up-gradation in terms of infrastructure and technical skills. While ExxonMobil has been GoMechanic’s exclusive lubricant partner since 2018 and its support has enabled GoMechanic to provide best-in-class services to its customers and workshop partners. With the efficiency of Mobil lubricants, GoMechanic has now been able to serve over 3 lakh cars, till date.

Also Read: ExxonMobil Launches Mobil Super 1000 Diesel 15W-40 Engine Oil In India

Speaking about the renewal, Deepankar Banerjee, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ExxonMobil’s lubricants business in India, said, “We have had a highly successful partnership with GoMechanic in increasing the reach and availability of Mobil branded lubricants to discerning customers who seek out our brands along with convenience and excellent service for their vehicles. We are extremely happy to extend our partnership with a dynamic company like GoMechanic and look forward to serving an even broader set of customers.”

Kushal Karwa and Amit Bhasin, Co-Founders, GoMechanic, said, “As we scale to further heights, GoMechanic is looking forward to taking the partnership with ExxonMobil to the next level. We will launch a special ‘Mobil powered quick service’ facility across all our workshops. This will guarantee the best quality of Mobil products and the best service of GoMechanic to all car owners. Car owners can also avail this service facility at the doorstep or free pick up and drop to the nearest GoMechanic workshop.”

Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. today showed us the next generation of dealerships. To be called the world of SUVs, these new dealerships aim to change the way one buys a car. The World of SUVs shall offer a journey that takes a customer from the pre-purchase phase right to the after sales part of it, combining digital and physical experiences. This combination of physical and digital experience is what Mahindra calls a Phygital way of going ahead with things. As many as 300 dealerships of the brand have been renovated to in a span of 6 months to offer a futuristic retail experience to new customers. How would be things done differently in these World of SUVs dealerships? Read ahead to find out.

Customers can have a nice discussion with the sales representative while looking at the available accessories

New Generation Showrooms

The dealerships will follow a common design language in terms of aesthetics, which further enhance the appeal of the brand. The customers, no matter which dealership they walk into, will find themselves in a familiar environment. Here are some highlights of the new generation showrooms,

• The use of hexagonal shapes in places like the lighting above the cars, the display boards and other spaces, express the DNA of Mahindra SUVs
• Premium customer lounges, with wifi connectivity and re-fuel counters which shall offer refreshments, would keep customers delighted.
• Each vehicle on display shall get VIP treatment with an individual screen showcasing important information about the car.

Re-fuel station will keep customers delighted

Revamped Customer Experience

Customers walking into these new dealerships shall be offered a buying experience, unlike any other brand does. Moreover, a new venture by Mahindra called the Showroom in Showroom shall be offered for customers of their premium products, namely the Alturas G4 and the XUV500. The SIS facility will further enhance the sales experience of the customers who are buying into the premium range of Mahindra. Other highlights of this new customer experience are

• Virtual Reality headsets for a virtual tour of every car model, from inside as well as outside.
• Mirror displays for the virtual reality headsets, as large as 86-inches.
• Specially train relationship managers for an enhanced experience.

The customer lounge comes with a giant screen showcasing the car of your choice via a tablet

Digital Interventions In the Sales Process

Reducing the amount of clutter and paper in the process of car buying, the world of SUVs will go Digital, here are the highlights of the digital intervention

• An industry first virtual reality experiences
• Tablets – to capture customer information & provide an immersive demo to the customers
• Digital info panel alongside every vehicle to ensure utmost transparency,
• Sales Genie application to capture enquiries
• Personal voice assistance in test drive vehicles
• Ease of scheduling test drives, anytime, anywhere
• Dress Yourself ‘Mahindra Style’ unit for merchandise and accessories zone

Each car gets its own digital display

Speaking at the showcase of the World of SUVs, Veejay Ram Nakra, Chief of Sales and Customer Care, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd said, “The Mahindra World of SUVs is a differentiated customer experience, a synthesis of next level technology with a physical environment that showcases the brand promise of ‘Live Young Live Free’. In fact, it is built on the foundation of providing convenience, transparency and personalisation.”

Also Read: Mahindra Launches A New Range Of The Bolero Camper

Mr Nakra further added, “At Mahindra, we have always leveraged technology to re-imagine the purchase and ownership experience for our customers.  For a personalized experience we have several industry-first initiatives such as SYOUV.com, Bring the Showroom Home and multiple tie-ups with portals for online booking of our vehicles at the pre-purchase stage. Further, for a seamless ownership experience, With You, Hamesha is a digital platform for our existing customers.”

Everybody now knows that the Thar, in its current generation would not be seen in showrooms very soon. Sure, Mahindra can fit a new BS – VI compliant engine in the SUV but then too, the car would not be able to comply with the new safety and crash norms. This is one roadblock the mighty Thar cannot cross. So Mahindra, as a tribute to this off-roader, has decided to give it a worthy farewell with a celebratory model, called the Thar 700. This model, as the name suggests, would be limited to a mere 700 units and comes with a few other changed as well, has started reaching showroom floors already. Here are some images of this off-roader taken at the Andheri dealership of Mahindra.

Offered in two colours, Aquamarine Blue as seen in the images here and Napoli black, the Thar 700 marks the 70 years legacy of Mahindra, as its lineage traces back to 1949 when the first Mahindra vehicle was built in India. Each of the 700 models of this Thar come with a badge on the driver side fender with Anand Mahindra’s signature and a number of other changes which are listed below-

• Stylized 5-spoke alloy wheels
• Decals on the side and bonnet
• Black finish on the grille
• Silver finish on the front bumper
• Leatherette upholstery with THAR logo on the front seats
• Anti-lock braking system (ABS)

Also Read: Mahindra’s World Of SUVs Shows Us The Future Of Car Dealerships

Apart from the changed mentioned above, there are no other modifications done to the Thar 700 and is the same rugged SUV underneath that we all have loved all these years. This car uses a 2.49-litre, 4-cylinder oil burner. Tuned to generate 79 kW of peak power at 3,800 rpm and 247 Nm of torque from 1,800 to 2,000 rpm, this motor complies with the BS – IV emission norms. This motor is come paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox, which comes with high range and low range ratios as standard. If you have always wanted to own this machine, now is your last chance, and you better hurry as the 700 units are now selling quite fast and chances are that it gets sold out before you reach the dealership. The car is priced at INR 9.99 Lakh, ex-showroom.

One of the leading brands in the e-commerce branch today, Flipkart, has made quite an announcement. The company has plans to introduce Electric Vehicles (EVs) for its last mile deliveries, as part of Flipkart’s sustainability commitment. The company has an aim to reinvigorate efforts towards building technologies for solving crucial environment and civic issues. The e-commerce giant would replace as much as 40% of its existing last mile fleet of delivery vans with EVs by March 2020, by starting in a phased manner. As part of this plan, nearly 160 electric vans shall be deployed before the end of 2019.

In the last 6 months, Flipkart had conducted multiple pilots for EV deployment in its supply chain and witnessed impressive performance results. It is also setting up the necessary charging infrastructure at its hubs in order for it to be able to deploy EVs at large scale and ensure their seamless operations. These efforts will also help in reducing our carbon emissions by over 50%. At present, Flipkart has already deployed 8 EVs in Hyderabad, 10 in New Delhi and 30 e-bikes in Bangalore.

“The induction of EVs across our supply chain is one of the major steps toward sustainability. We see tremendous growth opportunity in electric freight mobility from a greener supply chain perspective, which will play a key role in building a robust supply chain for the future. These efforts will help us meaningfully contribute towards electric mobility by reducing our dependence on conventional power sources while bringing cost efficiencies for the business. In this process, we also hope to create an ecosystem for the adoption of electric mobility in India,” said Amitesh Jha, Senior Vice-President, Ekart and Marketplace at Flipkart.

Also Read: The Electric Mobility Rush – Are We Running Before We Can Walk?

“As a committed corporate citizen, we at Flipkart understand our responsibility regarding the environment and running our business in a more sustainable way. Our vision is to replace a significant portion of our last-mile delivery with EVs in the coming years and also contribute towards clean and sustainable mobility. Our team is working with local ecosystem partners to help them co-design concepts for electric vehicles best suited for the growing e-commerce industry. We believe these small but meaningful steps in this direction will go a long way in paving the way for larger adoption of EVs in the country,” said Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Group CEO, Flipkart.

Tata Motors has finally launched the all-electric variant of the Tigor compact sedan. Called the Tigor EV, this all-electric car would currently be offered to fleet & commercial operators. Individual buyers would also be able to purchase one. The car would be offered in two trim levels – XT and XM. Both these trim levels would be equipped just like their petrol or diesel powered siblings. The entry-level XM variant of the Tigor EV retails for INR 9.99 Lakh while the more equipped XT variant comes with a price tag of INR 10.09. Both the prices mentions are ex-showroom, Delhi. These prices also include a subsidiary of INR 1.62 Lakh under the FAME II scheme. Apart from the subsidiary as part of the Fame II scheme, buyers will also receive a 3-year/1.25 lakh kilometre warranty.

Powering the Tigor EV is 72V, 3-Phase AC induction motor. This motor gives a power output of 41 PS and twisting force of 105 Nm. While the figures may sound quite low, do bear in mind that electric motors produce torque instantly, making them quite quick despite having low power figures. The Tigor EV takes 12 seconds to reach 60 kmph from a standstill and has a top speed of 80 kmph. This motor is fed by a 16.2 kWh battery which offers a range of 142 km. Charging the car up to 80% would take 6 hours with a normal charger and 1.5 hours if done with a fast charger.

Also Read: Tata Motors Partners With Janani Tours To Deploy Tigor EVs In Bengaluru

In other news, the Indian automotive giant, Tata Motors has been busy making its range of vehicles BS – VI compliant. With the new emission norms scheduled to be enacted from April of 2020, the manufacturer is preparing well in advance to meet the said deadline. While the petrol powered Revotron motor is highly likely to be upgraded to become BS – VI compliant, the same can not be said for the Revotorq diesel engine. Upgrading the diesel engine to meet the BS – VI norms represents quite a huge cost, which would be passed on to the customer, further increasing the gap between petrol and diesel power cars, by a huge margin. Whatever the car may be, keep looking at this space for more news on it.

OLX has been a boon for petrolheads in the country, as they no longer need to deal with dealers before buying a used car. Car sellers too, can find a genuine buyer for their pride and joy without having to post ads at multiple places. Being an open platform, OLX is now flooded with dealers as well, which try to promote their business on this platform. Apart from dealers, many other people post some ridiculous advertisements on their page that they would definitely make you laugh, do have a look at some of our favourites.

The Ambassador Modified Car

An ad posted in Thana, Kannur showcases a gem of a car, a 1980 Hindustan Motors’ Ambassador. This iconic car comes from the year of 1980, making it the Mark 4 model. However, the original gem of the car has been modified to imitate the look of a Bentley. From a purist point of view, it is not funny but sad to see yet another beauty being taken off the streets with this monstrosity. The asking price of INR 1,10,000 would further make you laugh considering the car, from the pictures, requires at least a new paint job apart from many more hidden costs.

Sazuki Hayabusa 1300 cc

Unlike the Suzuki Hayabusa, the Sazuki Hayabusa came with skinny tyres and a ‘1300 cc’ engine. An ad posted in Shri Nagar Colony, Rohtak seems to be the only place in India to have a Sazuki dealer. However, once you click on the ad, the truth is revealed, this bike is a Bajaj Pulsar from 2011, modified to look like the Hayabusa. The asking price of INR 1,50,000 comes along with a description saying ‘By urgent sailing’.

Good Canditin (extra modified)

As hilarious as the title of this ad sounds, the car too would have you rolling on the floor. This ad posted in Ernad, Manjeri showcases what is a riced out 2008 Toyota Corolla Altis. Driven a hefty 1,40,000 km already, this car sure does have a lot more kilometres to take on, being a Toyota but one can’t be sure of the modifications done to the car. With an asking price of 2,30,000, you will get all the ‘pappar’ you need to run this car on the road.

It is almost customary for many buyers to go ahead and an add aftermarket exhaust to their Royal Enfield motorcycle. The relatively newly launched 650 Twins seem to be no exception. Despite being new products we have already seen a number of Indian and even international parts makes to develop a new system for these bikes. Allow is to present you yet another such exhaust system made by Way2Speed performance here in India. This Scrambler styled exhaust has only one exit point, merging the two pipes from the two cylinders, a 2-1 type of design. The price of this unique exhaust system is INR 25,000 plus additional GST and shipping that would have to be borne by the customer.

This exhaust system has been developed specifically for the Twins, which means the process of installation would not require you to do any modifications to the bike, it’ll be more like a plug and play kit. The exhaust itself is made of high-grade stainless steel with a brushed satin finish. It also comes with 3 levels of heat shield to protect your legs from becoming roast. Moreover, with this exhaust, you save as much as 11 kg of weight compared with the stock exhaust system. It also comes with a baffle, which when in place would comply with India, European & North American noise regulations. However, if one needs a more raw feel, the baffle can easily be taken out.

Also Read: This Royal Enfield Based INR 7 Lakh Custom Motorcycle Screams For Attention

Powering both these motorcycles is a new 650 cc, parallel twin motor which uses air cooling and fuel injection to generate a healthy 47 hp at 7,100 rpm and 52 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Expect a marginal power gain with the addition of this exhaust system. Other features of the twins include a 6-speed transmission which comes with a slipper and assist clutch. Dual channel ABS too is part of the standard package, with a 320 mm front disc and a 240 mm rear disc. Suspension duties are done by a 41 mm telescopic fork in the front and pre-load adjustable twin gas charged shock-ups at the rear. Coming back to the exhaust, do find your headphones and listen to its roar which has been captured in this video linked below.

To be launched on the 22nd of August in our market, the Kia Seltos SUV has already started making its way to dealerships. While the company confirmed that there will be as many as 8 colour options available with the car, the company also mentioned the inclusion of dual tone paint schemes. Today, some images of two new dual-tone paint schemes have emerged on the internet. The first shade seen is pearl white with a contrasting orange roof and the second image showcases a shade of red and black. Going by the alloy wheels design, both these models seem to be the peppy GT variant of the car.

The GT variant of this SUV also gets some additional exterior enhancements, like a sporty red stripe running down on the side, differently styled alloy wheels and red brake callipers in the front. In the dual tone variants of the car, the spoiler, the mirror caps and the shark fin antenna, all our finished in the same shade to match the roof. A total of 5 such dual tone shades will be on offer with this SUV, along with eight single tone shades too.

Competing against the likes of the Hyundai Creta, the Nissan Kicks and the Renault Captur, the Kia Seltos comes loaded with features to attract customers. For the first time in this segment, we shall see a car come with heads up display and blind spot monitoring technology. Apart from that, other features on offer would include ventilated seats up front, a powered driver’s seat, a 360-degree parking camera, six-airbags and 10.25-inch screen infotainment screen connected with an 8-speaker sound system from Bose.

Also Read: Kia Seltos Unveiled – All You Need To Know

Under the bonnet, Kia will offer a total of three engine options, 2 petrol powered and 1 oil burner. All these engines come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard but come with an optional automatic as well. The 1.4-litre, turbocharged petrol motor is good for 140 hp, and comes with an optional 7-speed DCT gearbox. The other petrol motor is a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated unit, tuned to generate 115 hp and can be paired with a CVT type automatic gearbox. The diesel motor, a 1.5-litre motor too generated 115 hp of power and can be paired with a 6-speed torque converter type automatic. Want to know more about this SUV? Do watch our walkaround video of the same which is linked below.

Image Source: Kia Seltos Club India on FaceBook

Marking a whole 10 years of being in the Indian market, Jaguar Land Rover has celebrated this milestone by donating a modified Discovery Sport SUV to Rapid Response. Rapid Response is an NGO which helps with disaster management and relief work during the monsoon. The Discovery Sport even in its stock form is highly capable of handling tough obstacles off the road, but Land Rover has further modified this vehicle, to suit the job. It comes with a luggage carrier on the roof, a luggage partition, tow rope and more. It can also wade in waterlogged areas, 600 mm deep without any damage. With this highly capable vehicle in their hands, this NGO will be providing on-time assistance, any time and anywhere.

Rohit Suri, President & Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd. (JLRIL), said, “Land Rover vehicles, such as Discovery Sport are renowned for their capability in tackling difficult terrains and situations caused by floods and other such catastrophic events. On the occasion of completion of 10 years of Jaguar Land Rover in India, we are proud to offer a Land Rover to aid the team at Rapid Response in their efforts to help victims of such natural calamities in India.”

Mohamad Farukh, CEO, Rapid Response, commented, “India is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. At Rapid Response, we aim at providing immediate, effective and sustainable support for the victims of natural disasters. Equipped with capability and technology of Land Rover, we are confident in providing more timely and effective assistance in disaster-stricken situations”.

Also Read: Jaguar Land Rover And BMW Unite To Develop Next-Gen Electric Drive Technology

The Discovery Sport is offered with a choice of 2 engines, one petrol powered and one oil-burner. The 1997 cc petrol motor generates 237 hp of peak power and 340 Nm of peak torque. The 1999 cc oil burner, on the other hand, is offered in two stages of tune, customers can choose between 147 hp/382 Nm or 177 hp/430 Nm. Both these engines come paired with a 9-speed automatic gearbox which sends power to all four wheels, as a standard option. Prices of this SUV start from INR 44.68 Lakh, ex-showroom, Pan-India.

There is no doubt that electric cars are the way forward from now. However, in India, and even in most parts of the World, the infrastructure required to support these cars is nowhere close to how it is for ICE-powered cars. However, things seem to gaining steam and the Government too is pushing for the cause of EVs. Maybe this is why we have quite a few promising EVs coming our way before the end of this year. Read ahead to know more about these cars.

Hyundai Kona

Seen plying on our roads quite a few times already, the Kona electric SUV will be the first amongst many more full-fledged EVs we see in the market. Scheduled to be out by next month, Hyundai will bring the car to India via the CKD route to keep the price tag low. Sold internationally with two battery packs, the Indian market is very likely to get the 39 kW battery pack which packs up enough juice for a journey of 312 km. This car would be joined by another car in the same segment rather soon, let us talk about that car next.

MG eZS

With the launch of the Hector out of the way, MG has already begun working on its second car for the Indian market, the eZS. This all-electric compact SUV would be manufactured locally, at the Halol plant of MG Motor, which could give a price advantage over the Kona. The SUV is currently on a journey across various terrain and conditions India has to offer, after which it will eventually make its way to showrooms by December of 2019. Just like the Hector, the eZS too will come with the connectivity suite, with a large touchscreen at the centre and internet connectivity and will be the first locally produced global EV in the Indian market.

Audi E-Tron

While cars like the eZS and the Kona will appeal to the masses, the E-Tron would be the choice of the rich enthusiasts. To be offered as a completely built unit, the E-Tron would attract a price tag of more than a crore of rupees. That may sound like a lot, but the E-Tron is no ordinary car, it comes with a 95 kWh battery pack which offers a range of more than 400 km as per the WLTP cycle. Moreover, the passengers inside will be surrounded in a luxurious environment, something you would expect from the four-ringed badge up front. This car too would be making its way to showrooms before the end of 2019.

Recently, Audi revealed the Q7 in the international market. The SUV is now getting an overall update, which includes both, cosmetic and mechanical changes. The 7-seater also features the new design of the Q family and offers superb dynamics and an excellent level of comfort, in addition to its superior spaciousness. The mild hybrid technology, digital operating concept and the optional HD Matrix LED headlights including laser light will also be a part of the latest generation Q7. The new Audi Q7 will be launched in Europe in mid-September and is expected to hit the Indian market by the end of this financial year.

In terms of design and exterior features, the Q7 demonstrates Audi’s current design language. It bears the large octagon-shaped single frame, with six upright slats to provide a bold and aerodynamic look to the SUV. The restyled rear gets a striking new chrome strip that creates a visual connection between the flat rear lights and the horizontal body line. The designers also managed to achieve a clear view with flat surfaces, which span the entire width of the car, particularly in the license plate region. The 19-inch wheels come standard, while the sporty suspension enhances the dynamic attributes of the Q7.

Talking about the interior, the Audi Q7 combines immense prestige with practical everyday qualities. The car now exceeds its direct competitors in interior length as well as headroom and elbow room in the front and rear. A host of storage compartments, a new compartment in the instrument panel, as well as the generous load capacity, provide high functional utility value. Depending on the position of the rear seat backs the luggage compartment on the five-seater version offers between 865 and 2,050 litres of capacity. The electric tailgate is standard and the foot-activated gesture control is available as an option. Audi optionally supplies the rear seat bench, however, all the three seats can be moved individually and the backrest angle can be adjusted as well.

Just like the e-tron, the cockpit architecture of the new Q7 harmonizes the new, digital operating concept, which incorporates two large touchscreens. These screens provide haptic and acoustic feedback when clicking on the touch controls. When switched off, the top display slots almost invisibly into the large black decorative surface. The optional contour ambient lighting package illuminates the interior in the dark. The other Comfort options include a four-zone automatic air conditioning system, a power-assist function to close the doors quietly, the Bang and Olufsen 3D Advanced Sound System and an air quality package with fragrancing and an ionizer.

Also Read: VIDEO: Walkaround Of The New Audi e-tron

The MMI (MultiMedia Navigation) features LTE Advanced, a Wi-Fi hotspot, natural voice control and the extensive Audi connect portfolio. The all-digital Audi virtual cockpit and the optional head-up display also provide an individual speed recommendation as well as the remaining time until the next green-light phase if the driver is already waiting at a red light. The system also contributes to a predictive and efficient driving style and facilitates a steady flow of traffic. The adaptive cruise assist combines the functions of adaptive speed assist, traffic jam assist and active lane assist and helps reduce the driver’s workload, particularly on long journeys. The mechanical specifications and prices will be revealed when the car will be launched in mid-September in Europe.

King Khan’s affection for BMWs is no secret. That is why it comes across as no surprise that he had the two new single-cylinder beauties from BMW, the G310R and the G310GS, over at his place. The arrival of the bike coincided with the 27th anniversary of his presence in the entertainment industry. SRK marked this occasion with a small video made with both these bikes. Riding on his own property, the actor by law was not required to wear a helmet, but he urged everybody to wear a helmet while riding, unlike the way he did without one in the movie so many years ago.

Thank you for the awesome 27 years everybody and Thank you Sharad for the bikes! pic.twitter.com/UMg6k78C06

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) June 25, 2019

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar too, replied to this Tweet, further encouraging followers to always wear a helmet. His Tweet reads, “Dear Baazigar, don’t ‘Chuck’ De helmet. Wear one when on a bike Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Congratulations on completing 27 years! See you soon, my friend.” Many of you would remember him promoting road safety from the “wear helmet at the back also” video which not only went viral but also was used to create a number of hilarious memes.

Dear Baazigar, don’t ‘Chuck’ De helmet. Wear one when on a bike Jab Tak Hai Jaan.
Congratulations on completing 27 years! See you soon, my friend.

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 29, 2019

It is nice two see these two gentlemen, who have millions of followers combined, to promote road safety in a country where a huge number of lives are lost on a daily basis due to lack of helmets. Responsible for inspiring a number of people by achieving excellence in their respective fields of work, we hope even more amount of people are inspired to wear a helmet with this video and Tweet.

Also Read: Some Hilarious Automobile Ads One Can Find On OLX

Coming to the bikes in the video, the BMW G310R and the G310GS, new single cylinder motorcycles from the German brand. Both these motorcycles share the same platform with the GS getting longer suspension travel to suit off-road activities. Powering these motorcycles is a  313 cc water-cooled single-cylinder 4-stroke engine with four valves and two overhead camshafts together with electronic fuel injection. The engine is tuned to deliver 34 hp of power at 9,500 rpm and 28 Nm of peak torque at 7,500 rpm, sending power to the rear wheel via a six-speed gearbox. The G 310R is priced at INR 2.99 Lakh while the G 310GS will set you back by INR 3.49 Lakh.

Launched at the beginning of the year, the Harrier was one of the most anticipated SUVs in the Indian market. Offered in a choice of five exciting colours – Orcus White, Telesto Grey, Ariel Silver, Thermisto Gold and Calisto Copper. However, going by the teasers seen on the Facebook page of Tata Motors, very soon, dual tone shades would also accompany these 5 colour options. Going by the teasers, it seems that the shades of Orcus White and Calisto Copper would be receiving a dual tone finish with a contrasting black shade. Although dual tone colours have been available with the Harrier as part of dealer level accessories, the company will be making dual tone SUVs straight from their factory for the first time.

What started life as the H5X concept at the Delhi Auto Expo last year, the Tata Harrier borrows its segment defying looks from this concept car. The Harrier is sold in a total of 4 trim levels. The base variant model is the XE, which is followed by the XM, XT and the range-topping XZ plus. The top of the line variant comes with a number of features, including an 8.8-inch touch enable infotainment screen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, 9-speaker JBL audio system, chilled central armrest storage, a digital instrument console and much more.

Also Read: Tata Tigor EV Launched, Prices Start From INR 9.99 Lakh

Accompanying those solid set of features is a solid set of mechanics. The Harrier uses the same underpinnings as the Discovery Sport SUV from, Tata-owned, Land Rover. This chassis also comes with a strong power plant, a 2-litre Multijet oil burner borrowed from Fiat. Dubbed the Kryotec engine, this motor has been tuned to produce 140 PS and a maximum twisting force of 350 Nm. Power is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, and comes with three driving modes – Eco, City and Sport. Apart from that, the Harrier also comes with ESP paired with a terrain response system with three driving modes – Normal, Rough and Wet which help the car improve its performance off the road, despite being a front wheel drive vehicle. To know more about this SUV, do watch our in-depth review, which has been linked below.

A few days back, Team Mahindra Adventure introduced their all-new Super XUV300 for the upcoming Rally Championships. Since the XUV300 already has a head-turning, cheetah-inspired design, along with a ‘fun-to-drive’ attitude and the best-in-class safety features, it turned out to be the perfect fit for the rally circuit. This rally-ready Super XUV300 is developed to set the trails ablaze, during rallies, with its petrol and diesel-powered engines.

The Rally racing team for Mahindra Adventure includes Gaurav Gill along with his co-driver Musa Sherif and Amittrajit Ghosh with his co-driver Ashwin Naik. Earlier, Mahindra Adventure’s Super XUV500 consistently dominated the tracks since its entry in the Indian Rally Championship in 2013. In fact, the Super XUV500 has won the driver’s and constructor’s championships back to back in 2017 and 2018. However, now they will be competing in the upcoming season of the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) using the new Super XUV300.

Rally legend Gaurav Gill along with his co-driver Musa Sherif of Team Mahindra Adventure has sealed multiple INRC wins over the years in their Super XUV500. The list includes 2013 INSUV Champions Winner, 2014, 2017, and 2018 winner of the INRC Overall Championship, each year. The unprecedented victories by these Mahindra SUVs is a testimony to the tough and rugged Mahindra DNA, as its mettle was tested against other vehicles in various off-road rally championships. With the Super XUV300 entering the Rally Championship, Team Mahindra Adventure is expected to continue its winning spree in the rallying world.

Also Read: Mahindra Adventure Powers The India-Russia Friendship Rally

Apart from the INRC, Team Mahindra Adventure and the rally-ready Mahindra SUVs have been unbeatable in several other rallies including the Dakshin Dare, Desert Storm, Constructor’s Championship and Raid de Himalaya. Mahindra Adventure functions as an umbrella brand with a series of self-drive overland adventure expeditions organized under its banner. Back in 2011, the organization was launched as an independent entity for all adventurous activities and was headed by Bijoy Kumar Y, Chief of Adventure Initiatives. The Mahindra Adventure calendar comprises a series of experiential marketing events throughout the year such as the popular off-roading event, the Great Escape, several Challenges (sporting events in keeping with the company’s promise of providing adrenaline-pumping challenges), Multi-Day Special Escapes, such as the Monastery Escape (10 days), TriNation Escape (10 days), One lap of Iran (9 days), Himalayan Spiti Escape (10 days), The Snow Escape (7 days) and the Final Summit, a drive to the Everest base camp (14 days).

Recently, Tata Motors had conducted the 4th Season of the Tata Motors Global TechFest and Global SkillFest 2019. This programme is an initiative to improve the skill and knowledge of commercial vehicles among technicians and service advisors across the globe. The program saw over 7,400 technicians and over 3,400 service advisors’ entries from around 29 countries globally, including 801 channel partners from India and 500 partners from 28 countries globally, which include ASEAN, LATAM, SAARC, LHD Africa, RHD Africa and the Middle-East. Since its inception, the program has trained and provided exposure to over 20,000 technicians and service advisors of Tata’s commercial vehicles channel partners.

True to its motto of ‘Connecting Aspirations’, Tata Motors aims to encourage a mutual understanding between Tata Motors’ and the technicians and service advisors of their commercial vehicles channel partners. The theme of this year’s edition was to celebrate the technical and advisory skills of participants, allowing them to learn the latest service technologies, at the same time understanding their training needs and ensuring the highest levels of service quality and delivery. The SkillFest winners’ won a cash prize worth Rs 1,38,000 ($2000), the runners up got around Rs 1,03,000 ($1500), while the 3rd place got Rs 70,000 ($1000). The TechFest winners’ won Rs 1,17,000 ($1700), the runners up got Rs 83,000 ($1200) and the 3rd place got a reward of Rs 50,000 ($700).

The program teaches the participants about various aspects of commercial vehicles through competitive testing on technical know-how, product diagnosis, troubleshooting skills, knowledge on tools equipment usage, safe working practices, knowledge on processes, service IT ecosystems including CRMDMS, customer care APP, customer-focused approach, soft skills, and other new technological advancements. Through these evaluation processes, Tata Motors has been able to design and develop advanced training modules to upgrade technical skills and usage of specialised tools, also rewarding and recognising best talent, and thereby creating a healthy competition among channel partners.

Also Read: Tata Motors Partners With Janani Tours To Deploy Tigor EVs In Bengaluru

Commenting on the championship, Mr R. Ramakrishnan, Global Head Customer care, CVBU, Tata Motors Limited said, “The automotive industry is challenged with acute shortage of skilled manpower, especially technicians. With the transforming nature of the industry, it is imperative that the service aspect evolves correspondingly. The aim of this initiative is to bridge the skill gap in the industry and provide participants with hands-on learning. As a responsible company, we are committed towards the cause of promoting skill development and employment generation in the industry.”

The Renault Duster was a car that started this trend of compact SUVs all over the country. The French carmaker received a rather good response for the car, which helped it establish itself in our market. When launched in 2012, there were not many cars competing with this SUV but the times have now changed. We have the segment-leading Hyundai Creta, along with the Nissan Kicks and its own sibling the Captur fighting out in this segment. To make the Duster relevant again in the market, Renault is all set to bring a facelift of the SUV to out market. The carmaker recently posted a teaser of this refreshed SUV on its Twitter account.

In the teaser image released by Renault, we see a new headlight assembly the facelifted Duster would come with. The assembly does not look quite different from before but comes with a projector setup inside. One can also spot a strip of the daytime running light which would add more character to the front end of this SUV. The blinker is not LED but uses a conventional yellow bulb instead. We also see abundant chrome to be present on the redesigned grille, giving a more premium appeal to this SUV.

New alloy wheel design would be on offer as well

Spy shots of the car seen earlier also revealed that the car will come with redesigned bumpers at both ends, along with additional cladding to enhance the look of the car. The interior would receive a number of changes too, including a new infotainment screen. This new touchscreen system would be offered with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. Apart from that, expect Renault to offer safety features like dual airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, seatbelt reminders, high-speed alert and the works as standard across all the trim levels.

The front end will look quite different

Also Read: Paper Fight: Renault Triber Vs Datsun Go+

Mechanical changes are not expected to be done in this model and the Duster would continue to use the 1.5-litre petrol and diesel power plants. The petrol motor is tuned to deliver 106 PS and 142 Nm and comes with an optional CVT type automatic gearbox. The oil-burner, on the other hand, is offered in two stages of tune. The former 85 PS/200 Nm stage of tune comes with a 5-speed gearbox while the powerful 110 PS/245 Nm stage of tune gets a 6-speed manual gearbox or an AMT type automatic gearbox. Priced between INR 8 Lakh to INR 13.1 Lakh currently, expect Renault to demand a slight premium when they launch the facelift soon.

Launched in the month of January, the Harrier was one of the most awaited cars of 2018. Tata Motors announced today that their new SUV has received 10,000 customers already and they are celebrating this achievement by introducing the dual tone colour variants in this new SUV. The shades of Orcus White and Calisto Copper will get the dual tone treatment with a black roof in the top of the line XZ variant of the SUV. Tata demands a premium of INR 20,000 for this treatment, bringing the ex-showroom price of the dual tone colour model to INR 16.76 Lakh.

Commenting on the introduction of the dual tone options, Mr. Sibendra Barman – Vice President, Sales Marketing and Customer Support, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit (PVBU), Tata Motors said, “Harrier has made waves in the market ever since it was showcased in the Auto Expo 2018 as the H5X concept and subsequently launched in January 2019. Overwhelmed by the response received, we are extremely delighted to offer the Harrier in dual tone colour options. This is in line with our continuous endeavour to excite and wow our customers with cars that deliver stunning design and exhilarating performance. With the launch of the dual-tone colour options, we are confident that Harrier’s desirability will rise further to a whole new level.”

Also Read: Tata Motors Recently Conducted The Fourth Edition Of The SkillFest And TechFest Programs

The Tata Harrier is powered by a 2-litre Multijet oil burner borrowed from Fiat. Dubbed the Kryotec engine, this motor has been tuned to produce 140 PS and a maximum twisting force of 350 Nm. Power is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, and comes with three driving modes – Eco, City and Sport. Apart from that, the Harrier also comes with ESP paired with a terrain response system with three driving modes – Normal, Rough and Wet which help the car improve its performance off the road, despite being a front wheel drive vehicle. Available in a total of 4 variants, starting from the basic XE, followed by XM, XT and the top of the line XZ variant, prices of this SUV start from INR 12.99 Lakh. To know more about this vehicle, do watch our in-depth review of the same, linked below.

Leading Indian car manufacturer Mahindra has launched 3 new products in recent times, which has accelerated the brands’ growth, in a rather sluggish market. For the month of June in 2019, M&M sold 18,826 vehicles in June 2019, as against 18,137 vehicles during the same period last year, a growth of 4%. In the Commercial Vehicles segment, the company sold 16,394 vehicles in June 2019, as against 19,229 vehicles in June 2018. In the Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles segment, M&M sold 705 vehicles for the month. Exports for June 2019 stood at 3,076 vehicles. The company’s Auto Sector overall sales (Domestic + Exports) stood at 42,547 vehicles, compared to 45,155 vehicles during June 2018.

Commenting on the monthly performance, Veejay Ram Nakra, Chief of Sales and Marketing, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd. said, “The market sentiment continued to remain subdued, especially in the Passenger Vehicles segment. At Mahindra, we are happy to register a growth of 4% in the Passenger Vehicles segment and 8% in the Utility Vehicles segment, on the back of our three recent product launches. Further, we continued to correct our channel inventory both in the personal and commercial vehicle segments in June 2019.”

Mahindra will also be launching the AMT equipped variant of the XUV300 in the coming months. The AMT gearbox will be offered with the diesel engine of the car. We drove the car and did a review of it, which is linked below for you to see, do have a look.

Also Read: Mahindra Adventure Reveals Their New Rally-Spec Super XUV300

One of the latest launches from the brand is the Thar 700 SUV. Before Mahindra is forced to take this old model off showrooms, the brand will be selling this limited edition model, which comes with a number of additional features. The differences this car will come with are:

• Stylized 5-spoke alloy wheels
• Decals on the side and bonnet
• Black finish on the grille
• Silver finish on the front bumper
• Leatherette upholstery with THAR logo on the front seats
• Anti-lock braking system (ABS)

Along with these changes, each model will come with a unique plaque on the fender which bears Anand Mahindra’s signature. This SUV is priced at INR 9.99 Lakh, ex-showroom. Below are some images of this SUV, do have a look.

The Mumbai dealership of the renowned British brand, Triumph Motorcycles has announced the sale of unregistered demo motorcycles. Despite some of them being used, the buyers of these bikes would be the first owners as the bike do not bear any registration number as of now. Out of these demo models, one Bonneville T100 was manufactured in 2017, a Street Scrambler & Bonneville Street Twin are manufactured in 2019 while rest of the other models available are manufactured in the year of 2018. All the models on offer, with the prices, mileage and colours are listed in the image below, do have a look.

The dealership is very likely to take this step in order to get rid of their BS – IV models, making way for the arrival of the BS – VI compliant models in the coming months. The bikes, most probably, will be available till stock last as there are a limited number of demo vehicles on display in showrooms. To give you a comparison, in the table below you can compare the on-road price of these demo vehicles with the ex-showroom prices of the same models. Do bear in mind that the addition of registration charges and various other taxes would bump up the ex-showroom prices of these bikes by a quite a margin.

Also Read: Paper Fight: Triumph Scrambler 1200 Vs Ducati Scrambler 1100

In other news, Triumph recently launched the new Scrambler 1200 XC in the Indian market. Priced at INR 10.73 Lakh, ex-showroom, the Scrambler packs state-of-the-art technology, in a retro design. This motorcycle uses a 1200cc Bonneville twin cylinder engine, delivering 90 PS @ 7,400 rpm with a torque output of 110 Nm @ 3,950rpm, which has been fine-tuned to suit the characteristics of a scrambler. Power goes to the rear wheel via a  6-speed transmission, with as many as five different riding modes to choose from. Customers of this lovely motorcycle have a choice of two colours to choose from – Jet Black with Matt Black and Khaki Green with Brooklands Green.