We encounter a number of weird things on the road on a daily basis. Our roads do indeed hide a number of surprises, some of which may be good, some may be funny, some may be scary and then there are some which a combination of all these. This video which captures one such incident on our roads is one experience that you would definitely not love to have on the road. Two people on a bike were chased down by a tiger (no, not the one made by Triumph) in Pambra, Wayanad while passing by Nagarhole National Park and Tiger Reserve. Located in Kodagu district and Mysore district in the state of Karnataka, this reserve covers an area of 6,000 square kilometres.

Judging by the video, it appears as if the person sitting on the rear side of the bike was trying to capture this regal creature while on the move through the forest. However, the Tiger, being a territorial animal may have felt threatened by this action and decided to attack in order to defend its territory. These animals weigh anywhere between 100 kg to 250 kg and can reach speeds of up to 60 kmph to 65 kmph, making them capable of keeping up with a motorcycle. The tiger, fortunately, does not pursue the two gentlemen on the bike but crosses the road. The tiger may have let charged to make take the bike out of its territory and not attack the humans.

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

One thing worth noting is the fact that both the pillion and rider remained calm throughout this ordeal. That was a very crucial step to take as sudden movements caused due to panic of either of the two could have made them fall off the bike and things could have taken a worse turn. One should always take caution, if not avoid, travelling on two-wheelers through such patches, after all, it is their home, their territory that we ride through. That said, the government can make such roads safer by providing a crossing of sorts at places where roads cut straight through the jungle, making it safer for the animals and humans as well.

Mahindra has finally launched AMT equipped variant of the XUV300 SUV. This automatic gearbox will be offered only in the high-end W8 and W8(O) variants at a premium of INR 55,000 over the manual models. At INR 11.35 and INR 12.54 Lakh respectively, the XUV300 AutoShift will be offered in three colours – Pearl White, Aquamarine and Red Rage. As of now, only the diesel engine will be offered with this automatic transmission, which is available to see and test drive at all showrooms of the brand across the country.

Aimed at women and millennials, all of whom would greatly appreciate the convenience of an automatic in start-stop traffic conditions, the features of this Marelli sourced gearbox are

• Auto and Manual Mode: Available in two modes, Auto mode boosts fuel efficiency and drivability while manual mode provides exhilarating performance.
• Vehicle Creep: The vehicle can move without throttle input in both first and reverse gear, making driving easy in congested city traffic.
• Electronic Stability Control: The XUV300 comes with Hill Start Assist technology to prevent roll-back when driving on a hill or moving up an incline.
• Down-hill, Kick-down Shifts & Anti-engine Stall: Gear shifts are automatically optimized with features to provide optimum power/torque output during overtaking or for quick acceleration.
• Drive and Reverse Lock Out: This safety feature prevents sudden shifts between reverse and drive modes, unless the speed drops to less than 5 kmph.
• Creep disable on Door Opening: This safety feature prevents the vehicle from moving if the doors are open.
• Driver Information System with Gear Display: Important alerts and information about the vehicle, such as the current gear, driving mode etc., are available on the Driver Information System.

Speaking about the XUV300 autoSHIFT, Veejay Ram Nakra, Chief of Sales and Marketing, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd. said, “At Mahindra, it has been our constant endeavour to offer advanced and accessible technologies to all our customers and we are delighted to introduce the autoSHIFT in the XUV300 for that perfect blend of effortless driving and exhilarating performance. After receiving an overwhelming response for its manual version since its launch in February 2019, we are confident that the XUV300 autoSHIFT will further strengthen the brand’s value proposition and expand the market for us.”

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

The diesel engine powering the Mahindra XUV300 is a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged unit. This engine is tuned to deliver maximum power of 116.6 PS and segment-leading torque of 300 Nm. To know more about the performance of this gearbox and the car, do watch our review linked below.

Bajaj, reportedly, has been working on the CT110 commuter bike. As the name suggests, the CT110 is an enhanced, more premium version of their CT100 commuter bike which has been a popular choice in the market for quite some time now. While Bajaj is yet to announce the price of the motorcycle, a call to a few local dealers has revealed that the motorcycle will be available from next week, at an on-road price of INR 54,000 and INR 57,000 for the kick-start and electric-start variant respectively. This makes it just marginally more expensive (INR 4,000 – INR 6,000) than the CT100. Read ahead to know more about this motorcycle.

There are a number of design highlights that can be seen on this bike, these include-

• Spring-in-spring suspension at the rear
• Thigh pad on the tank for better grip
• Front fork gaiters
• Anti-skid Braking (ASB)
• Larger, more premium seat with thicker padding
• Up-swept exhaust
• Handlebar brace
• Revised graphics
• Large mirrors
• 110 badging
• Larger mirrors with rubber covers
• Blacked out mechanical parts
• Semi-knobby tyres
• 115 cc DTS-I engine

The larger 115 cc DTS-I engine can also be seen on other Bajaj models like the Discover and the Platina. This motor has been tuned to deliver 8.6 hp of peak power and 9.81 Nm of maximum twist in the Platina. The CT110 too can be expected to produce similar numbers but unlike the Platina, the CT110 will use a four-speed transmission. Details like the semi-knobby tyres, combined with what appears to be quite a decent ground clearance would help the motorcycle ply on bad roads, especially in the rural areas of the country where the primary audience of this motorcycle would come from. The motorcycle will also come with drum brakes at both ends, which, as mentioned above, will come with ASB technology.

Also Read: Bajaj Platina 110 H Gear First Ride Review

The dealers also revealed that the motorcycle will be offered in a total of three, dual tone shades. The first shade, as seen in these images is black with blue decals. Other options include matte green with yellow decals and red with red decals. When launched, this motorcycle will be up against the likes of the TVS Radeon and Hero HF Deluxe. Stay tuned for more news on this commuter.

Recently, MG Motor India announced its partnership with Fortum Charge And Drive India, to start creating a series of Fast-Charging Stations across the country. As a part of its commitment towards sustainable mobility, MG Motor and Fortum aim to establish a functioning Fast Charging 50(KW) infrastructure, before the launch of MG’s debut EV in India, the MG EZS, which is an all-electric SUV. These smart chargers can be accessed only by an EV user, having cars compatible with different charging standards by registering with Fortum Charge and Drive India through its Mobile App.

Under this organisation, Fortum will install plenty of 50 KW DC Fast Public Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles (EVs) across MG’s showrooms in 5 cities including Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad by the end of September this year. One such charging station will come up at MG’s state of the art flagship showroom in Gurugram. The 5-seater, MG EZS is the perfect car for people who want to drive an Electric Vehicle but also need the space and practicality of a compact SUV. This all-electric SUV is a part of MG Motor’s strategy of providing environment-friendly mobility solutions in India in the long-term and to make EVs accessible for all customers across the country.

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Also Read: MG Hector Launched, Prices Start From INR 12,18,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi)

Speaking on the partnership, Rajeev Chaba, President & Managing Director, MG Motor India, said, “The upcoming launch of MG eZs is aligned with the government’s long-term objective to have more electric vehicles on the road in the next few years. We are delighted to be partnering with one of the leading EV Charging service provider in the global EV space to set up charging stations at MG dealerships in select cities, to begin with. This is in line with our goal to provide accessible EVs to India customers and create an EV ecosystem in India.”

Commenting on this collaboration, Mr Sanjay Aggarwal, Managing Director, Fortum India, said, “We are happy to collaborate with one of the world’s leading automotive companies to bolster the adoption of EV which has been greatly promoted by Government by bringing out various enabling policy measures and guidelines. We have already witnessed an uptake in the adoption of electric vehicles in the last year. This collaboration will further bolster this growth. As one of the key players, we are constantly evaluating the Indian market for charging infrastructure and will continue to give a pleasant charging experience to EV user.”

After giving the Gixxer SF an update, it is about time the naked version of the bike, the Suzuki Gixxer 155, received similar treatment. The updated Gixxer 155 has now been spied for the first time, without any camouflage, showcasing a number of changes over the current model. The changes are very similar to those we have seen on the faired version of this motorcycle. Going by the appearance of the motorcycle in this spy shot, it is safe to say that the bike would be ready for launch rather soon. The rumoured Gixxer 250 could also be launched along with this updated model. The Gixxer 155 will be up against the likes of the TVS Apache RTR 160, Yamaha FZ-S and the Honda CB Hornet 160R.

Coming back to the updated Gixxer 155 model, the updated model comes with a number of changes. The first change to grab your attention would be the new headlight unit, which seems to house LED bulbs. The fuel tank, split seat and other bits too, seem to be carried from its faired sibling. While the rear of the motorcycle is not visible in this image, expect it to be on similar lines, with a double barrel exhaust tip and LED tail light on offer. Dual channel ABS will also be on offer, which is further confirmed by the presence of an ABS sticker on the front fender of the bike.

The new model looks even better than the existing model

Also Read: Paper Fight: Bajaj Avenger 160 Vs Suzuki Intruder 150

Power will be drawn from the same engine as the Gixxer SF. This 154.9cc, air-cooled, SOHC, 2-valve, fuel injected engine is tuned to produce 14.1 PS @ 8,000rpm and 14 Nm of torque @ 6,000 rpm. The new bike is expected to weigh much less than the existing model, which would make the bike much better to ride, despite not receiving a power bump. The bike retains its black and blue colour scheme, but one can expect new shades to make way as well. Expect the price of this new model to be around the INR 1 Lakh mark when the motorcycle is launched in the coming days. Keep looking at this space for more updates on this Japanese street fighter.

Image Source: s_f__kid on Instagram 

Last week, Li-ions Elektrik Solutions announced the launch of its high-speed electric 2-wheeler, called the SPOCK. This all-electric scooter is specially designed to provide an efficient and eco-friendly transport solution for first-and-last-mile logistics. The one of a kind electric scooter was conceived after extensive research in the EV department, which is equipped to specifically deliver green mobility solutions. The prices for the Spock electric scooter start from INR 65,000 and go up to INR 99,000 (on-road, India). Deliveries of the Spock electric scooter will commence by the end of July 2019.

The Spock is a small two-wheeler, which is fitted with the latest generation of Lithium-Ion batteries, gets a GPS and USB charging for mobile devices. Mechanically, the scooter is powered by a 2.9 kWh lithium-ion swappable battery paired with a BLDC Hub motor that produces a peak power output of 2.1 kW, continuous power of 1.2 kW and about 230 Nm of maximum torque. The vehicle gets a top speed of 45kmph and promises a range of about 50-130 km per charge, thanks to its 72V 40AH Lithium battery. In economy mode, the Spock will cover over 130 kms of range on a single charge, while on power mode, it will offer just about 100 kms of range on a fully-charged battery.

The electric scooter offers a comfortable seating and driving position with better ergonomics. The 12-inch wheels with tubeless tyres also add to the comfort and smooth performance of the 2-wheeler. The battery of the Spock scooter can reach 100% in just under 3 hours, for a total of 1200 charging cycles. The other features also include a factory fitted rear cargo box with thermal insulation, hydraulic suspensions, motorcycle-like handlebars and integrated turn indicators in the tail lamp. The Spock scooter also comes with an option of detachable batteries that can either be swapped or charged at a near-by desktop station.

Also Read: Flipkart To Use Electric Vehicles For Last-Mile Deliveries Throughout India

Speaking on the launch, Capt. Gurvinder Singh, Director, Li-ions Elektrik Solutions Pvt Ltd., said, “Green mobility solutions is the need of the hour. We, at Li-ions Elektrik, are at the forefront of driving electric innovations that will impact environmental and economic sustainability in our communities and nation. With the introduction of these new Electric 2-Wheelers, we aim to empower and encourage people towards an environment-friendly country. The design of our 2-wheeler has been done at the local level which has been 100% made under the “Make in India” umbrella and is fully indigenous. Any product can only succeed based on the demand it generates in the market, here too, it is a matter of pride for the company to have its orders pre-booked full before the grand launch.”

Recently, Maruti Suzuki managed to reach out to all its customers who were affected by the floods and heavy rain in Mumbai. Maruti sent over 3.5 lakh SMSs to its customers in Mumbai, which included precautionary steps to prevent further car damage and help them protect their vehicles from increasing the cost of repair. Additionally, the company has tied-up with insurance firms for quick disposal of claims, along with vehicle towing agencies to provide seamless 24×7 services.

Talking in detail, Maruti Suzuki has taken-up a series of decisive measures, which include assigning area-wise Service Managers to help customers in distress and sharing mobile numbers of Service Managers with the customers, so that the affected customers can directly get in touch with their respective area managers reach out for any sort of vehicular assistance. Maruti Suzuki has also strengthened the spare parts inventory at their workshops to prevent any kind of shortage and offer quick service.

“In these difficult times, quick movement of people helps them to address challenges in an effective manner. We are committed to ensuring full-fledged support to our customers in this time of severity. Our request to customers is to not start a submerged car. This will help prevent consequential damages. Our dedicated teams have taken the position at workshops to handle customers’ cars promptly. It is Maruti Suzuki’s endeavour to educate customers to handle cars impacted by water intrusion. Our similar proactive initiatives in other instances of the flood have helped reduce damage to their cars,” said Mr Partho Banerjee, Executive Director, Service, Maruti Suzuki India.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Launches A New Innovative Mobile Training Centre

Recently, Maruti Suzuki India had also launched an innovative concept to help improve the skills and capabilities of employees. This unique “Skill on Wheels” mobile training centre reached out to all Maruti Suzuki dealerships located across the Delhi NCR region to provide training, for their employees, at their doorstep. This initiative was conceptualized and executed by Maruti’s Center for Excellence (MACE), which is a society formed by Maruti Suzuki India Limited and 21 of its vendor partners. This mobile centre specially provided training in areas of Preventive and Predictive Maintenance, Low-Cost Automation and Energy Management. Additionally, the mobilized facility was also equipped to provide training in Safety, Quality and soft skills. Apart from these benefits, the vendor partners had also majorly benefitted from the training initiative.

Just a day after Renault released the first teaser image of the facelift of the Duster, we now have a launch date for the same. The French carmaker will be launching the facelift of the SUV on the 8th of July, just a few days from now. With the facelifted model, the Renault would hope to boost its sales, just like it did when the car was launched back in 2012. With competition from better-equipped cars like the Nissan Kicks and the segment-leading Hyundai Creta, Renault will probably add a bunch of new features to this facelifted model to stay relevant in the Indian market.

From what we know about the facelift model of this SUV, Renault will be offering a new infotainment screen. This new touchscreen system would be offered with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. Apart from that, Renault will also have 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, in order to comply with the new safety norms. Changes on the exterior include the presence of a projector headlamp, LED DRLs and a refreshed grille. The new teaser also showcases a roof rail and conventional antenna that this car will come with. Moreover, the bumpers will also come with a new design, along with generous plastic cladding all around.

Also Read: Electricity Powered Renault Kwid(K-ZE Concept) Captured In Spy Video

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, Renault will price this facelift model at a slight premium. We shall keep you updated with all news, including prices, specification and all details of this facelift model when it is launched on the 8th of July, stay tuned.

Ahead of the launch, of what is the first proper all-electric SUV in the Indian market, the Kona, Hyundai has launched a new Marketing campaign called ‘Do You Know?’. With this campaign, Hyundai aims to clear the myths and doubts customers have about EVs and to spread the facts and advantages of owning an Electric Vehicle. As part of this campaign, the Korean car company will be releasing 8 ‘EV Facts Sharing’ videos starting today on its social media platforms. The 8 facts that would be covered in this series are listed below.

• Fast Charging
• Powerful Performance
• Convenient Charging
• Long Battery Life
• Low Running Cost
• High Safety Standards
• Premium Looks and Features
• Long Driving Range

Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Mr Puneet Anand, Senior GM & Group Head – Marketing, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, “Hyundai KONA Electric is The NEW NORMAL. We have always been a Brand with a Cause and Customer Centric organization striving to excel with Innovative Mobility Solutions by exploring newer avenues and possibilities. With KONA Electric, Hyundai will give a New Dimension to Indian Automobile Industry Embarking An Era of Cleaner, Greener and Sustainable Mobility. There have been numerous myths and ambiguities about electric vehicles and their ownership among Indian customers – the campaign ‘Do You Know?’ is an effort to dispel the myths and share the facts about EVs among customers.”

To be unveiled in the coming days, the Kona SUV will be sold as a CKD unit, as importing it as a CBU would bring costs very high. The car is available with 2 battery packs internationally, a 39 kW battery pack which promises a range of 312 km and a 64 kW battery pack which promises a range of 482 km. The former 39 kW pack is very likely to make its way to the Indian market. With this pack, the Kona manages to produce 136 bhp and a twisting force of 395 Nm.

Also Read: Hyundai Celebrates The 1st Month Anniversary Of The Venue

The Korean company has already released the first video talking about the fast charger the electric SUV will be offered with. With a DC charger, according to Hyundai, the Kona can charge up as fast as your mobile phone. Have a look at this video linked below.

South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer, Hyundai Motor Group, has developed the world’s first Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) technology. This new technology is production-ready and will soon be seen in Hyundai and Kia vehicles. The innovation was unveiled at the Hyundai Motorstudio in Goyang, alongside the Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi, which is the first engine to feature this next-gen technology. The CVVD technology not only optimizes engine performance and fuel efficiency but also reduces the level of harmful emissions when compared to the previous-generation engines. The valve control technology regulates the duration of valve opening and closing according to driving conditions, achieving a 4% boost in performance, a 5% improvement in fuel efficiency and a 12% decrease in vehicular emissions.

CVVD: Continuously Variable Valve Duration

Typical variable valve control technologies manage the timing of the valve’s opening and closing (as in Continuously Variable Valve Timing – CVVT) or control the volume of air allowed by adjusting the depth of the opening (Continuously Variable Valve Lift – CVVL). Previous variable valve control technologies could not regulate valve duration, as the valve’s closing timing was subordinate to opening timing and could not respond to diverse driving situations. However, the new CVVD technology is a much more efficient solution to this situation as it adjusts the duration of how long a valve stays open.

When the vehicle is maintaining a constant speed and requires low engine output, the CVVD opens the intake valve to complete the compression stroke. This helps to improve fuel efficiency by reducing the resistance caused by compression. On the other hand, when engine output is high, such as when the car is driving at a high speed, the intake valve is closed at the beginning of the compression stroke to maximize the amount of air used for the explosion, thus enhancing the torque and in-turn improving acceleration.

Also Read: Hyundai’s New Marketing Campaign Will Clear All EV Related Doubts

Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi Engine

The new Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi engine was unveiled alongside the new CVVD technology. This engine is a V4 gasoline turbo unit which can produce about 180 hp and around 265 Nm of peak torque. This new powertrain is the first to utilize Hyundai Group’s new CVVD technology and also features a Low-Pressure Exhaust Gas Recirculation (LP EGR) system to further optimize fuel efficiency. The new Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi engine will be applied in the Hyundai Sonata Turbo, which is set to launch in the second half of this year. This car debut will be the first in the new Hyundai and Kia vehicle series, which will be featuring the newly developed and completely optimized CVVD engine.

“The development of the CVVD technology is a good example how Hyundai Motor Group is strengthening our powertrain technology,” said Albert Biermann, President and Head of Research and Development Division at Hyundai Motor Group. “We will continue our innovation efforts to bring forth paradigm shifts and ensure the sustainability of our business model.”

Toyota’s Indian subsidiary, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in India. Toyota truly believes that a company alone cannot be sustainable unless it takes along its supply chain. So, to enhance its flexibility in the market, TKM (Toyota Kirloskar Motor) has been collaborating with various supplier partners and is continuously striving to work with its stakeholders, by contributing towards the goal of sustainable development. Toyota’s main goal in India is to remain competitive, by providing the best of safety, comfort, luxury, quality and after-sales services. They specifically aim to do this through their globally acclaimed model line-up, along with enhancing customer trust and confidence.

Toyota Kirloskar now has a network of over 155 supplier partners and about 7 onsite suppliers, the Indian subsidiary is continuously working towards improving product quality, reducing costs and rationalizing manufacturing by promoting localization and improving logistics. In line with Toyota Motor Corporation’s guiding principles and management philosophy, Toyota India has adopted its policies, values and code of conduct for the entire supply chain covering the suppliers, dealers, contractors and vendors.

To ensure that their suppliers are aware and on-board with the sustainability culture, TKM has also taken up various initiatives dedicated to suppliers that focus on and address social and environmental objectives. Toyota believes in working with suppliers, as involving and empowering them is the key to maintaining a long-term supplier relationship. Toyota is known to work hand-in-hand with various supply bases, by supporting the suppliers in the area of Safety, Quality, Productivity and Human Development, thus creating a continuous and successful business model.

Also Read: Toyota Wins 24 Hours Of Le Mans For The Second Time In A Row

Mr Masakazu Yoshimura, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “At Toyota, we believe that for businesses to succeed in this competitive and dynamic environment, we need to have a robust ecosystem of suppliers, vendors and partners. The objective is for the suppliers to develop strategies from mid to long term perspective and become globally competitive to expand business operations both in India & overseas. TKM along with its supplier partners believes that sustainability should be imbibed throughout the supply chain, beginning with the concept followed by development and then continuing through all phases of production and finally customer distribution, as ‘Customer First’ remains at the core of our philosophy.”

Bentley’s Continental GT reinforces its status as the finest Grand Tourer ever produced, by claiming the outright record for a production car at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on Sunday, 30th of June, 2019 in Colorado, USA. The Ultimate Grand Tourer, driven by Rhys Millen, completed the course in a record time of 10:18.488, which is almost 8 seconds faster than the previous International record at the Pikes Peak. The car raced under the #100 number to acknowledge Bentley’s 100th anniversary.

The Continental GT was driven by three-time champion and former “King of the Mountain’, Rhys Millen from New Zealand. The car averaged a speed of around 70 mph throughout the course and climbed almost 5,000ft through 156 bends. Millen combined his driving skills with the world’s most advanced 12-cylinder engine to claim this coveted record. With the start line at 9,300 ft and climbing to 14,100 ft, the air is 1/3 less dense than at sea level. Just 12 months ago, the Bentley Bentayga also demonstrated its outstanding performance credentials by claiming the outright record for a production SUV on the Pikes Peak course, which was again piloted by Millen. The world’s most luxurious SUV also managed to complete the course in just 10:49.9, taking nearly two minutes off the previous record.

From motorsport records to the incredibly powerful road cars of the modern era, all of Bentley’s extraordinary cars have innovation hand-built into them. 10th July 2019 marks Bentley’s 100th year, which is an incredible milestone achieved by only a few companies. A year-long series of special activities continue during 2019, with celebrations at other events around the world. They will also showcase Bentley’s motoring evolution over the last 100 years, highlighting its global success and the exciting future of innovation ahead.

Also Read: Third Generation Bentley Flying Spur Unveiled

Bentley’s Director of Motorsport, Brian Gush, says: “This new record once again proves that the spirit of endeavour and desire to push the boundaries of automotive performance remain at the beating heart of Bentley. It clearly demonstrates the Continental GT’s astonishing breadth of ability.”

Millen said after his record run: “This is an amazing finish to a wet, snowy 2019 run at Pikes Peak! We came here with one goal in mind, and that was to be the fastest production car up the mountain and set a new record. It was an incredible week. Today was a challenge with what Mother Nature threw at us, but the Continental GT held strong all the way to the top, and we are now Number One”.

Yesterday, Toyota extended its dealership network in India with the inauguration of its 364th touchpoint in Jharkhand. The newly unveiled Dhanbad Toyota is a well-equipped, world-class facility which will cater to 3S (Sales, Service and Spares) requirements of customers and is also the 5th touchpoint in the state of Jharkhand. The touch-point was Inaugurated by Mr N Raja, Deputy Managing Director – Toyota Kirloskar Motor along with Mr Rituraj Sinha, Dealer Principal – Dhanbad Toyota. With its philosophy of ‘Customer First’, Toyota is geared up to ensure the most enjoyable and hassle-free car buying experience for every customer associating with the brand.

This new dealership spreads across 46000 sqft and will cater to the customers from the eastern parts of Jharkhand. Dhanbad Toyota is equipped with many modern amenities to strengthen Toyota’s existing network in the region and help in achieving the highest level of customer satisfaction with an entire team of well-trained professionals and service teams. In addition to showcasing the entire range of Toyota products in India, the new dealership is fully stocked to facilitate distinctive offers to customers in car servicing like Express Maintenance, Body & Paint Repair and other Value-Added Services. These services are undertaken by professionals from the best technical institutes supported by Toyota and constantly upscaled through unique skill training of global standards.

Also Read: Toyota Kirloskar Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary in India

Speaking at the inauguration, Mr Rituraj Sinha, Dealer Principal – Dhanbad Toyota said, “It is our absolute privilege to get associated with Toyota, one of the global leaders in car manufacturing. We are grateful to Toyota Kirloskar Motor for their confidence and thereby making us a part of their India journey. We at Dhanbad Toyota, are here to affirm Toyota’s commitment to its customers through their experience with best-in-class purchasing and service offerings at our full-fledged facility. As ambassadors of Toyota, we look forward to representing the premium brand by demonstrating Toyota’s renowned global standard products and service quality to the people in the region, ensuring the highest level of satisfaction of the valuable Toyota Customers.”

Commenting on the opening of the new dealership, Mr. N Raja – Deputy Managing Director of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “The inauguration of Dhanbad Toyota marks yet another milestone in our relentless commitment to establish fruitful and everlasting relationships with our patrons as we continuously strive to reach closer to our customers and deliver world-class Toyota products and services lineage through their delightful experience with us. We are glad to have intensified our reach in the state of Jharkhand, which is a very important aspect of our growth strategy, thus aligning with our approach to offer advanced amenities and quality services through strategically located network set-ups in different parts of the country. We have been successful in establishing a positive synergy with all our dealer partners as a result of which, Toyota has set a benchmark in the sales & service offering to the customers. As our dealer partner, Dhanbad Toyota has a good understanding of this prominent market and is aligned with Toyota’s deep-rooted focus on high-quality service with ‘Customer First’ approach. We are confident that this state-of-the-art showroom in Dhanbad will further strength our presence in this region by catering to the increasing demand for Toyota cars and enable customers to enjoy the experience of car ownership with Toyota brand”.

Update: An official source from Jawa has confirmed that no such delivery has taken place from the dealership

As Anupam Thareja, Classic Legends CEO, had promised, Jawa has finally begun the deliveries of the dual channel ABS-equipped motorcycles. The first customer of the rather safer bike happens to be from Nagpur and can be seen in a photo posted by the dealership on their facebook profile. The first bike to be delivered is the Jawa 42, which is finished in the shade of Lumos Lime. This means that the dual disc variants of the Jawa motorcycles are now dispatched and one can expect to see many more on the road in the coming days. Those who have been waiting patiently for their bikes till now can breathe a sigh of relief.

Both the Jawa motorcycles were initially launched with a single channel ABS system with a conventional drum brake at the rear. However, a few weeks after the launch, the company announced the option of having the bikes with a rear disc brake and dual-channel ABS system. This model attracted even more buyers to the brand, which has received tremendous amounts of bookings for their motorcycles. With such high booking numbers to deal with, customers have had to wait for a rather long period, as much as 6 to 7 months for some. The patience, however, will soon pay off when they get to ride their new motorcycles with a side of nostalgia.

Also Read: Jawa Unveils Their Official Accessories And Merchandise

The company has two bikes on offer, the Jawa and the Jawa 42, which use the same engine. This liquid-cooled, DOHC, single cylinder, 293 cc engine is rated to produce 27 hp of maximum power and 28 Nm of maximum torque. Great effort was put in to mimic the sound the 2-stroke motors from the past produced. The power is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed transmission. Suspension duties are taken care of by conventional telescopic forks in the front and twin shock absorber at the rear. While a single channel ABS is offered as standard with both bikes, customers can pay a little extra to get a dual disc variant with dual channel ABS. Price of the Jawa 42 is INR 1.55 Lakh and that of the Jawa is INR 1.64 Lakh, whereas the dual disc variant of both these models attracts a premium of INR 8,900.

Image Source: Jawa Motorcycles Nagpur on Facebook

Until now, Royal Enfield mod jobs were limited to enhancing the sound of the long stroke single or enhancing the appearance in some way or the other. With the introduction of the new 650cc twins, it is performance which has come to the fore. The butter-smooth engines already make a healthy 47 Bhp and 52 Nm, however, if the need for more is felt, there is now a simple solution available. A well-known name when it comes to tinkering with the ECU, Powertronic has launched a piggyback device for the Royal Enfield Interceptor and Continental GT 650.

The plug-n-play ECU takes just 40 mins for installation without the need for any fancy tools. With two selectable maps available, a dyno chart on Powertronic’s website reveals that the power goes up to 49.53 HP with the first mapping, and to 50.35 HP with the second map. The Torque curve elevates itself too and with the two selectable maps, the number goes up to either 53.58 Nm or 55.15 Nm.

Also Read: Get Your Royal Enfield Twin Ready To Scramble With This Aftermarket Exhaust

On powertronic’s website, the piggyback device promises better throttle response even in the closed-loop/part-throttle regions, significantly reducing part-throttle sluggishness, making low-speed riding conditions more enjoyable. Although the new 650cc motors are refined on their own, this device further minimizes engine vibrations with in-built ignition control algorithms. However, the big news is that the ECU takes the standard 7,000 rpm+ limit higher, to up to 12,000 rpm! For race setups, the Powertronic device supports up to 15,000rpm! Although we aren’t sure if the engine’s internal components have been beefed-up enough to withstand such high spinning speeds.

Priced at INR 22,000, the Powertronic ECU is water and heat resistant and also offers a switch to switch between maps which can be downloaded and then easily fed into the device. While this is a great way to enhance the performance of the engine, it will be a good idea to verify if the 650cc engine can indeed withstand double the spinning speed which this piggyback device can unlock. If you are someone who is eager to try it out, do check powertronic’s website and then also try and find a good exhaust system which will help you shave some weight.

Marking the entry of Korean brand Kia in the Indian market, the Seltos appears to be quite a promising SUV. This SUV was unveiled a couple of days ago and has been showered with a number of features, many of which happen to be offered for the first time in its segment. Ahead of its launch on the 22nd August, we can now tell you about the variants and level of equipment on offer with this model will be. The Seltos will come in a total of eight variants, starting with the basic HTE to the top of the line HTX+ for the diesel engine and GTK to GTX+ for the petrol engine.

The Seltos will come with a choice of three engines – a 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel, a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol and a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol. All these engines will be paired with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard but three different types of automatic transmissions have been allocated to these three engines. The diesel will come with a 6-speed torque converter, the naturally aspirated petrol model will use a CVT and the 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine will come with a seven-speed DCT gearbox. With the engine and transmission combos now discussed, let us move on to the feature list and engine-transmission combo available for every trim level.

Diesel Engine:

HTE (Manual Only)

• ABS with EBD
• Front row airbags
• Shark fin antenna
• Faux skid plates
• Rear AC vents
• Follow-me-home headlights
• Tilt and telescopic adjust
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Voice recognition
• Steering mounted controls
• 4-speaker sound system

HTK+ (Manual + Automatic)

• Projector headlamps with LED DRL
• LED mood lighting with sound effects
• Cruise control
• Smart key with push-button start
• Electric folding mirrors
• Second-row sunshade
• One-touch up and down for driver’s window

HTX (Manual Only)

• LED headlamps & Grille
• LED light bar
• LED (‘Ice cube’) fog lamps
• LED tail-lamps
• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Leather-wrapped steering wheels
• Rear reclining seats
• 60:40 split rear bench
• 7-inch multi-info display
• UVO connectivity
• Wireless charging
• Rear USB ports
• Tyre pressure monitoring system

HTX+ (Manual)

• UV Cut glass
• 8-way power adjust for driver’s seat
• 7-inch MID
• Bose 8-speaker stereo sound system
• 360-degree camera
• Driver rear view monitor
• Ventilated seats
• Wireless charging
• Electric sunroof
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Six airbags

HTX+ (Automatic)

• Drive modes
• Vehicle stability management
• Brake assist
• Hill start assist
• Electronic Stability Control
• Front parking sensors
• Blind spot monitor

Petrol Engine:

GTK (Manual Only)

• ABS with EBD
• Dual front airbags
• LED headlamps
• LED light bar
• LED fog lamps
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• LED tail-lamps
• LED mood lighting with sound effects
• Steering mounted controls
• Bluetooth stereo
• Smart key with push button
• Reclining rear seats
• Rear AC vents

GTX (Manual)

• 8-inch heads up display
• 7-inch MID
• UV Cut glass
• LED mood lighting with sound effects
• 10.25-inch HD infotainment screen
• UVO connectivity
• Automatic Climate control
• Wireless charging
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Air purifier
• Six airbags

GTX (Automatic)

• Brake Assist
• HSA+ESC+ISM
• Tyre pressure monitoring system
• Drive modes

GTX+ (1.4-litre Manual Only)

• Bose 8-speaker sound system
• 8-way power driver’s seat
• Power sunroof
• 360-degree camera
• Ventilated seats
• Front parking sensors

Also Read: Kia Seltos Spied In Dual Tone Shades Ahead Of Launch In August

This information and much more about the Kia Seltos can be found on this video uploaded on YouTube Channel Car News By Rishab Arora. In the video, he also talks about the estimated price range of every variant of the car as well. Do have a look.

Taking over the internet, the latest rage, called the bottlecap challenge has been viral over social media networks. As part of this challenge, participants are supposed to use their leg to kick the cap of a bottle off. As easy as it may sound, this challenge would require great precision to pull it off successfully. We have seen many people, including celebrities, take this challenge head-on, but here is one video which would satisfy the inner petrolhead in you. Watch as this McLaren P1 uses its giant wing to complete this challenge.

 

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Passing this challenge to @lewishamilton @kblock43 #bottlecapchallenge #challengeaccepted

A post shared by Iskander Utebayev (@bat.not.bad) on Jul 3, 2019 at 4:11pm PDT

The McLaren P1 comes with active aerodynamics, which includes the giant wing at the back. While the wing is designed to go up and down according to the speed the car is doing, the driver can also choose to raise it manually by engaging the race mode of the car. Once engaged, the car drops down by some extent and the wing raises up to provide more of downforce. In this case, however, the wing is used to hit the cork of this bottle at the right place to have an explosion of its contents burst out. One can only imagine how skilled the driver must be as not only did he powerslide this multi-million dollar car, but also timed it so precisely that the bottle did open. He further challenges Lewis Hamilton and Ken Block to do the same challenge, it sure would be interesting to see these two brilliant drivers indulge in such a challenge.

Also Read: Honda Drive to Discover 9: An Unforgettable North-Eastern Adventure

The McLaren P1 is nothing short of an engineering marvel, despite launched back in 2013, the car still manages to compete with more modern exotic cars. When launched it was part of the hypercar holy trinity along with the Ferrari LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spyder. The P1 uses a 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine, which was also used in various other McLaren road cars. However, unlike other McLaren road cars, this engine develops 727 bhp of peak power and 719 Nm of maximum torque. That, however, was not enough for the folks at Woking. Combined with an electric motor, the P1 has a total power output of 903 bhp and 978 Nm, which is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox. With production stopped in December of 2015, the P1 has been now replaced with the Senna in the McLaren line-up.

Perhaps the most popular motorcycle in the Benelli stable, the TNT600i has been on sale for quite some time now. Known for producing the best exhaust note in its class, the Indian market has loved this 4-pot naked street bike. However, the model has now started to show its age, and is not able to compete with newer competitors in its segment. Moreover, the engine would not be compliant with the upcoming BS – VI emission norms, which will be enforced from April next year. As a result of these two factors, Benelli will be bringing in the updated version of this motorcycle, which can be expected to make it to showrooms by next year. Here is the first glimpse of this new model.

From the images, we can tell that the updated model will come with a new design. The new design looks much more modern and futuristic, with the omission of the tank shrouds seen in the outgoing model. The seat also appears new and is a single piece unit instead of the split seat design we see in the current model. The under seat exhaust is not seen in this bike, indicating that the bike will use a conventionally placed exhaust system in its updated avatar. We can also notice a tyre hugger is present at the rear, which gives the rear section a much better look.

Another change that can be seen is the digital TFT screen for the rider. This screen not only shows the speed of the bike and the engine speed but we also see tell-tale lights, a fuel indicator, a gear indicator and an engine temperature indicator. The letter S is also seen on this console, which could indicate the presence of riding modes for the rider to choose from, S being the sportier set-up. The picture of the front of the bike showcases a new projector headlamp design, which along with the tail light and blinkers would be illuminated by LED.

Also Read: Benelli’s 300 cc Range Receives A Price Cut

Coming to the engine, we do not expect Benelli to change the block. The bike is very likely to retain its 4-cylinder, liquid-cooled 600 cc motor but would come with changes to comply with the new emission norms. In its current avatar, the motorcycle is tuned to generate 85 PS of peak power at 11,500 rpm and 54.6 Nm of peak torque at 10,500 rpm, expect some changes in the numbers when the new model is launched. Stay tuned for more updates on this Italian street bike.

The Kawasaki Ninja 1000 ABS will now be available in India in a new limited edition ‘Metallic Matte Fusion Silver’ colour option. For this new colour option, the price remains unchanged, however, the bike in this shade will only be limited to 60 units for the Indian market. A Sports Tourer, the Ninja 1000 is assembled as an SKD at Kawasaki’s Pune plant and is one of the most value-for-money litre-class motorcycles in our market. It retails for INR 9,99,000 Ex-showroom, Delhi.

Launched and also last upgraded in 2017, some notable features of the Ninja 1000 include LED headlamps along with pilot lamps, a new detailed display console, improved aerodynamics and besides this limited-edition colour option, the Ninja 1000 ABS is also available in “Candy lime green” and “Metallic spark black”. The Ninja 1000 also has some top features like chin spoilers which are similar to those on the Ninja H2 and Ninja ZX-10R models and lower profile dual LED headlights. Other features include Assist and slipper clutch, Kawasaki Intelligent anti-lock Brake System, and 3-mode Kawasaki Traction Control. Mechanically, the Ninja 1000 uses a 1043cc in-line 4-cylinder engine tuned to deliver 140 bhp of power @ 10,000 rpm and 111Nm of torque @ 7,300 rpm.

Also Read: 2020 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Get More Power, Bookings Now Open

Features at glance

• 1043 cc Liquid-cooled in-line four-cylinder, DOHC and 16 valves engine.
• Everyday versatility & enhanced touring performance
• Multi-functional instrumentation
• High-tensile steel frame
• Increased wind protection

Kawasaki also recently announced the addition of two new colours for its best-selling bike, the Ninja 300. The new Ninja 300 ABS will now be offered in ‘Lime Green’ and ‘Metallic Moon Dust Grey’, while the prices will remain unchanged. These new paint schemes will increase the appeal of the new 2019 Ninja 300 facelift but will also add a collection of new colours in the Kawasaki line-up. Prices for the 2019 Kawasaki Ninja 300 ABS start from INR 2,98,000 (ex-showroom, India).

In terms of features, the Ninja 300 gets an assist and slipper clutch and acts as both, a back-torque limiter and a self-servo mechanism that enables a lighter clutch lever pull. The other premium features which are fitted on the Ninja 300 are; a new highly-detailed multi-functional instrument cluster, an improved heat management technology, a race-inspired windshield and a fine atomising set of injectors and dual-throttle valves.

Tata Motors recently celebrated the sale of 10,000 units of the Harrier, which was launched in January this year. This SUV, based on the H5X concept car shown at the auto expo in Delhi last year has been sold in a 5-seat configuration. However, Tata would be soon offering a 7-seater variant of this SUV. Called the Buzzard, this 7-seater SUV was first seen at the Geneva Motor Show this year. The name Buzzard, however, was just given to the car for the coveted motor show and rumours suggest the SUV will be called the Cassini when it is launched in the Indian market. Ahead of its launch, the SUV was captured in a spy video, covered in camouflage wrap, undergoing testing on Indian roads.

Just like the Harrier, the Buzzard too is based on Land Rover’s D8 architecture, once seen in the Discovery Sport SUV. The Buzzard would use the same, Fiat-sourced 2-litre oil burner as the Harrier but hopefully in a different stage of tune to suit the characteristics of the 7-seater. Expect power figures to be around 170 PS of power and 350 Nm of torque. The car is expected to also come with a 4-wheel drive system and the much awaited automatic transmission sourced from Hyundai.

Coming to aesthetics, the car Buzzard looks quite similar to the Harrier SUV but comes with a few differences. The tailgate is more upright, which works together with the straight roofline to create more space on the inside. The floating roof treatment too, has been omitted in this model, perhaps to have some space for a larger window. The spy video also showcases the same headlight assembly as the Harrier, confusing many people to believe that this car is the Harrier.

Also Read: Tata Harrier Dual Tone Launched, Priced At INR 16.76 Lakh

The Buzzard, or Cassini, would be launched after the Altroz hatchback. The Altroz hatchback would be competing up against the likes of the Hyundai Elite i20 and the Maruti Suzuki Baleno when launched later this year. Once the Altroz is launched, one can expect the Buzzard to go on sale, becoming Tata’s new flagship SUV and very likely replace the Hexa. Keep looking at this space for more developments and do have a look at this spy video linked below.