Mahindra To Increase Production Of The TUV 300

Ever since it was launched in September, Mahindra has received a lot of booking for its compact sub-4 metre SUV, the TUV 300.

Ever since it was launched in September, Mahindra has received a lot of booking for its compact sub-4 metre SUV, the TUV 300. They have got nearly 16,000 bookings for the vehicle and nearly half of them are for automatic transmission. Mahindra is producing 4,00 units every month and this has increased the waiting period to 4-6 weeks. Mahindra plans to reduce the waiting time by increasing production of the TUV 300 t0 around 6,000 units per month.

Pravin Shah, president and chief executive of automotive at Mahindra & Mahindra confirmed that the company is increasing production of the SUV to meet demands. He said, “TUV 300 continues to have a good pull in the market. We saw a good rush during the festive season and the demand is sustaining, so we are ramping up the capacity. We had provisioned for 5,000 units a month, by adding more people we should be able to take up the capacity to 5500 to 6000 units, it is a work in progress.”

The TUV 300 is a new sub-4 metre compact SUV from Mahindra. TUV stands for ‘Tough Utility Vehicle’. The much awaited SUV was launched on September 10th. It comes in three variants, T4, T6 and T8. The T8 comes equipped with two airbags, ABS, EBD, rear parking sensors, all four power windows, electrically adjustable ORVMs, rear wiper with defogger, follow me home headlamps, front fog lamps, and a 2-DIN audio system with steering mounted controls, voice command, AUX, USB, AM, FM, MP3, Bluetooth and a CD player.

It is powered by a 1.5 litre, three-cylinder mHawk diesel engine producing 84 bhp and 230 Nm of torque. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed AMT automatic transmission and power is sent to the rear wheels. The SUV returns 18.49 kms to a litre of fuel. The AMT transmission is available only on the T6 and the T8 variants.

The Mahindra TUV 300 starts at INR 6.98 lakhs (ex-showroom, New Delhi) and goes up to INR 9.20 lakhs (ex-showroom, New Delhi). The two AMT equipped cars are the most expensive. But it looks like customers do not mind paying a lot more for convenience. The SUV competes with Ford Ecosport, Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano and the Hyundai Creta.

Source – Economic Times

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Three New BMW i Models Confirmed

The German company has confirmed that they will be launching three new BMW i models.

Not surprisingly, the first of these three models is a convertible version of the BMW i8, called the BMW i8 Roadster. The i8 Roadster was first shown as a concept back in 2012 at the Beijing Motor Show. They again showed a new concept at the 2016 CES (Consumer Electronic Show) held in Las Vegas in January. Powering the roadster will be the same powertrain that does duty on the coupe. It will be powered by a 1.5-litre, three cylinder petrol engine working in tandem with electric motors. The combined power output will be around 357 bhp. The car is expected to accelerate from a standstill to a 100 kmph in around 4.4 seconds and go on to a top speed of 250 kmph.

BMW i8 Spyder concept launched in 2012

The second car will be a new model of the BMW i3 electric city car. Just like the current model, it comes in a pure electric form or with a range extender. The battery capacity will be increased by 50%, which means there will be a significant increase in the range of the vehicle. The overall design of the city car will also be new.

The current BMW i3

The third BMW i car comes as a surprise. Its an all-new vehicle that will be called the BMW i NEXT. Not a lot of information of the car is available now but Harald Kruger, chairman of the board of management at BMW AG, described it as the “new spearhead of innovation and technology”. “It will enable us to take BMW i to the next level,” said Kruger. He also added that it “will cover all aspects relevant for future cars, including autonomous driving, digital connectivity and intelligent lightweight construction as well as the next generation of electro-mobility.”

Michelin tyres available on Snapdeal

Along with cars, now car accessories are becoming an online commodity with Michelin beginning to sell its range of tyres through online marketplace platform snapdeal.com
The company has created a Michelin brand page on the portal where you can simply buy tyres if you know what is required or else they also help you brand and size wise.

Michelin tyres available on Snapdeal

The company has created a Michelin brand page on the portal where you can simply buy tyres if you know what is required or else they also help you brand and size wise. Currently, when checked on the website offers three-month roadside assistance along with a new purchase.

The consumer has the option of same day free fitment, as well as access to exclusive offers on services like alignment and balancing. All passenger car tyres sold through Michelin authorised dealers on Snapdeal are guaranteed by Michelin.

“As part of our initiative to redefine the way tyres are bought and sold in India, we are pleased to bring this unique opportunity to our Indian consumers via Snapdeal,” said, Mohan Kumar – Commercial Director of Michelin India. He added, “Snapdeal with its large subscriber base and pan India reach has been an obvious choice. We believe this new channel will augment our existing distribution and enable our dealers with a parallel sales pipeline. For consumers, this would mean a quality guarantee on the fitment process, which is critical for tubeless tires”

Badal Malick, Vice President, Omni Channel, Snapdeal said, “We are excited to partner with Michelin to offer the most seamless experience to our customers for tyre purchase and fitment. Our recently launched omni channel platform ‘Janus’ will deliver the convenience of online product discovery and offline installation services at the nearest location. We are confident that this unique first-of-its-kind service for this category, will deliver real value for our customers.”

Michelin is headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 170 countries, has 112,300 employees and operates 68 production plants in 17 countries. The Group also has a Technology Center, responsible for research and development, with operations in Europe, North America and Asia.

TVS Apache RTR 200 4V launched at Rs 88,990 [Live from Event]

TVS  Apache RTR 200 4V launched at Rs 88,990 (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

The wait is finally over. After waiting for years, we finally have the powerful Apache here. TVS Apache RTR 200 4V will feature a single pot  197.75 cc engine cooled with the help of air cum oil cooler. The engine is tuned to deliver 20.23 hp at 8,500 rpm and 18.1  Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm. The transmission is going to be 5-speed, uncommon for these higher capacity bikes which use a six-speed gearbox. 0-60 kmph comes up in 3.9 seconds and the bike tips the scale at 140 kgs.

TVS Apache RTR 200 4V comes with sharp lines all across the body and looks every bit the street fighter. The headlight looks stooped which reminds me slightly of the Kawasaki Z800. The bike incorporates LED DRL’s in the headlight assembly to give it that modern zing. It features traditional suspension and an under-belly pan which is synonymous with the Apache. The fuel tank has shrouds which has been incorporated from the TVS Draken concept seen at the last Delhi Auto Expo. Tyres come with17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels and petal disc brakes are once again there for stopping the most powerful TVS yet. There is an additional safety of ABS which can be turned off by a flick of the switch. The engine and exhaust have been finished in matte black with the exhaust and utilises mono shock suspension for the first time ever. The RTR 200 4V comes with split seat, pillion grab rails with LED taillamps and faux honeycomb grille on the side.

The instrument console is fully digital and gives plenty of information in an easily readable layout. The digital display sees tachometer running the length of the display from left to right. The left most space has the clock with the centre showing the speed in big bold digits with the current active mode being seen below it. The odometer sits on the right side. TVS Apache RTR 200 4V has a 12-litre fuel tank and the company claims that it will return XX kilometres per litre. The nearest rival to the TVS Apache RTR 4V is the KTM Duke 200.The company is expected to launch a slightly more powerful fuel injected variant soon.

Hyundai Updates the Elite i20 with Projector Headlamps and DRLs

Hyundai has updated its Elite i20 premium hatchback in India and given it projector headlamps and DRLs.

Hyundai has updated its Elite i20 premium hatchback in India and given it projector headlamps and DRLs. Another big inclusion in this update is that now all variants will get a driver airbag as standard.

The Hyundai Elite i20 has clearly been the leader in its segment for quite some time but more recently has been losing out to the Maruti Baleno. The Baleno is one of those rare cars that beat a Hyundai vehicle for sheer equipment on offer. It was the only car in this segment to come with projector headlamps and LED DRLs. Not any more, as Hyundai India has updated the i20 with projector headlights and DRLs to bring it on par with its main competitor. Hyundai has also offered a driver’s side airbag as standard fitment on all variants.

Hyundai late last year had updated the Elite i20 with an optional 7-inch infotainment system that supports Satellite Navigation. The company has been continually updating the car since the dawn of its rivals to keep it extremely competitive. The new updated car will be showcased at the upcoming Auto Expo. There are no changes to the drivetrains though. It is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol that develops 82BHP and a 1.4-litre diesel that develops 90BHP of max power. The petrol is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox while the diesel gets a 6-speed manual gearbox.

The Hyundai Elite i20 competes with the Honda Jazz and the Maruti Suzuki Baleno. Both its rivals are powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engines but while the Honda uses a bigger 1.5-litre diesel with a 6-speed gearbox, the Maruti gets a 1.3-litre diesel with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The Baleno clearly has been eating into the Elite i20’s car sales which the company plans to change with this minor but important update. Stay tuned to the ICB network for more car and bike related news.

Go configure your Honda NSX supercar online now!!

Honda which owns the Acura brand launched its latest NSX supercar in the United States and will be selling at a base price of $1,57,800.

Honda which owns the Acura brand launched its latest NSX supercar in the United States and will be selling at a base price of $1,57,800. The company has launched an online configurator to help you personalize the car as per your wish at nsx.acura.com.

The 2017 Honda NSX is equipped with a hybrid powertrain that has three electric motors and a mid-mounted twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 making a combined output of 573 hp that transfers the power to all four wheels with help of a nine-speed automatic transmission.

The 2017 NSX can be customized with eight exterior and four interior color schemes, three available packages and a comprehensive list of individual factory options.

Exterior Colors:

Curva Red 130R White Berlina Black

Pearl/Metallic Colors

Casino White Pearl ($700) Source Silver Metallic ($700) Nord Gray Metallic ($700)

Andaro® Colors

Valencia Red Pearl (PPG Andaro paint – $6,000) Nouvelle Blue Pearl (PPG Andaro paint – $6,000)

Interior Colors:

Red Orchid Saddle Ebony

Factory Option Packages:

Carbon Fiber Exterior Sport Package: Adds competition-inspired exterior enhancements with the addition of a carbon fiber front spoiler, carbon fiber side sills, carbon fiber rear diffuser, plus dark chrome exhaust finisher ($9,000)

Carbon Fiber Interior Sport Package: Features a hand-wrapped carbon fiber meter visor and carbon fiber steering wheel garnish, plus aluminum sport pedals and footrest ($2,900)

Technology Package: Integrates Acura’s renowned ELS Studio Audio System, next-generation AcuraLink®, Acura Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ with Voice Recognition and HD Digital Traffic, and front and rear parking sensors, and is available with SiriusXM Radio (starting at $2,800)

Individual Factory Options:

Exterior

Carbon Fiber Roof ($6,000) Carbon Fiber Engine Cover ($3,600) Carbon-Ceramic Brake Rotors (starting at $9,900) Exclusive Interwoven Wheels ($1,500) Carbon Fiber Rear Decklid Spoiler ($3,000)

Interior

Semi-Aniline Full Leather Power Sport Seats ($2,500) Semi-Aniline Leather and Alcantara Power Sport Seats ($1,500) Black Alcantara Headliner ($1,300)

“The launch of the next-generation NSX configurator not only turns up the Acura NSX excitement another notch, but takes us one step closer to delivering the NSX to our first customers,” said Jon Ikeda, vice president and general manager of Acura. “Customers and fans alike have been waiting for this moment, and now they are able to build the incredible new Acura NSX of their dreams.”

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Hyundai India launches first digital showroom

Hyundai Motor India launched its first digital showroom in India.

Hyundai Motor India launched its first digital showroom in India. The Unity Hyundai outlet will be unlike any other outlet as it will be equipped with floor-to-ceiling video walls and 3D screens.

Unity Hyundai digital showroom in New Delhi

The company says this global initiative is to help the modern customer experience the cars better virtually. The cars can be seen on 1:1 scale virtually with different colours and it can be configured with various different accessories virtually. The showroom will also have sales representatives to explain the various features and assist with queries; additionally, the customer can exchange their old car for a new one at the showroom.

Speaking on the occasion, Y K Koo, managing director, HMIL, said “Hyundai has the customers truly at its heart. This outlet expresses Hyundai’s modern premium brand identity. Unity Hyundai is India’s first interactive, creative and understanding space which boosts the Hyundai brand value by creating an emotional connect with the existing and future customers. The key drivers for the success of Unity Hyundai – digital experience outlet will be evolution, innovation and experience. This exciting new digital outlet from Hyundai exemplifies these themes to create a unique experience.”

The Korean carmaker has seen tremendous success with the Hyundai Creta SUV which has clocked more than 75,000 bookings. It is gearing up for the launch of Hyundai Tucson which will be full-fledged SUV which will be brought in as a completely built unit. It is expected to cost about 18-20 lakh.

The Hyundai Tucson is powered by  a 2.0-litre CRDi diesel engine producing 182 bhp and 402 Nm of torque. It is mated to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission and power is sent to all four wheels.

Renault Kwid Spied at Stockyard, Could Return Fuel Efficiency Figure of 25 km/l

Renault Kwid promises to be the next generation entry level hatchback, redefining the segment altogether with its radical approach.

Renault Kwid promises to be the next generation entry level hatchback, redefining the segment altogether with its radical approach. It is very apparent that designers started to work on this car from scratch and were completely isolated from what industry is offering presently. Hence the outcome is a unique crossover-ish and good looking budget hatch equipped with decent features. To add to this already rich definition of Kwid, the new more interesting detail is being rumored now. As per the rumor, Kwid’s 800 cc petrol motor will deliver fuel efficiency figure of 25km/l! This means that, on paper, Kwid can beat its main rivals – Alto 800 and Hyundai Eon, hands down even while managing to belt out more power.

The next big news about Kwid comes in the form of fresh spy-shots. These pictures suggest that this Renault has reached few dealership stockyards already, might be for service technician training purpose only. But this also indicates that things are on track and advancing towards the market launch before upcoming festive season. These spied cars have every single thing from the car which was showcased earlier, thankfully nothing has been thrown out of windows while making it production ready. The interiors of this budget hatch have minimalistic features and hence dashboard layout is neat and clean, but don’t miss the 7 inch touch screen infotainment system on the top though. Chrome inserts on knobs and power window switches suggest that the spied car is a top spec variant.

Renault-Nissan alliance is currently going through troubled waters as none of their new products have clicked. Renault Duster is aging and Lodgy failed to secure a enough space for self in the market, whi;e Nissan’s budget car attempt – the Datsun GO and Go+, failed to gain the traction too. Thus Kwid is alliance’s next and probably one of the last few rays of hope. Thus efforts put behind Kwid are enormous and are clearly visible. Company management has already committed to keep the product ex-showroom pricing between Rs. 3 to 4 lakhs. With evident crossover genes, space, features, segment leading fuel efficiency and lucrative price, Kwid could be the next big sensation in our market and could write its name in golden words in Indian automotive history.

Image Courtesy: IAB.com

Fuel efficiency figure source: Motoroids.com

Lamborghini Urus To Get a Twin Turbo V8

Lamborghini has confirmed that the upcoming Urus SUV will ditch the naturally aspirated V10 and V12 engines in favour of a turbocharged V8 engine.

Lamborghini has confirmed that the upcoming Urus SUV will ditch the naturally aspirated V10 and V12 engines in favour of a turbocharged V8 engine. The Urus will be the company’s second SUV after the LM002 that came out in 1986. That SUV was powered by a V12. The V8 that will be powering the Urus will be newly developed and will not be found in any other car.

R&D boss Maurizio Reggiani said: “In acceleration and in off-road capability it is really important to have a high level of torque, in order to move as quickly as possible and in an off-road situation to have the ability to come out of a critical situation easily. We decided that a turbo for a super sport SUV is the best choice. The engine must be light and powerful and with the capability with this torque at low revs to allow the car to be ‘elastic’ in every type of condition. On the track the car was able to demonstrate all of those capabilities in terms of the engine and the chassis control. Next spring we will be able to fully assess the off-road capabilities of the car. This engine is not used by anybody else, only for Lamborghini. To be the most powerful in the class it must have something that is dedicated to our brand. It must be able to produce the right amount power and torque, but do that in conjunction with the right transmission and chassis control that makes it a true Lamborghini.”

CEO Stephan Winkelmann added: “In early autumn I drove a prototype for the first time on a racetrack and the performance was great. I was astonished; it was more than any of us expected, which is a car that is very powerful but easy to drive, with very good handling, and also in terms of driveability and comfort, it has a limousine feel in an SUV. This is very important to us. It will be a true Lamborghini because it will be the fastest among the SUVs. We will have the most powerful engine and will have the car that is going to be a real super sports SUV. It has to keep the balance between matching the DNA of the brand, that is being a car that is really driveable and also have a lot of off-road capability, but the driving on the roads is much more important.”

Speaking of the design of the car, he said: “It’s a major step. We are almost done with the exterior design. There are minor adjustments. If you see the car you will recall the red concept we showed at Beijing, but it now has more roominess and an evolved design; it is more state-of-the-art compared with that concept”. It will be instantly recognizable as a Lamborghini and from the concept.

He also added that the company is also considering a plug-in hybrid variant of the SUV at a later stage. He also confirmed that unlike the Huracan, the Aventador and the Urus will strictly remain four-wheel drive. The Aventador needs all-wheel drive to help put down its immense power while the Urus will need it to retain its off-road capability.

The Lamborghini Urus will be based on the new Audi Q7 and the Bentley Bentayga. It will be manufactured at the company’s plant in Sant’Agata Bolognese. The Italian government has given a number of “tax breaks and other benefits” to Lamborghini to ensure that the production of the SUV stays in Italy. The plant will grow from 80,000 square metres to around 150,000 square metres and will employ 500 more employees.

The Urus is expected to be revealed at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show or if possible, at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. Pricing will be similar to that of the Huracan. Lamborghini hopes to sell around 3000 units annually.

Source – Autocar UK

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2016 Audi Q7 Launched in India, Prices Start at Rs. 72 Lakhs

Celebrities please take notice, the next generation Audi Q7 has been finally launched in India at a starting price of Rs.

Celebrities please take notice, the next generation Audi Q7 has been finally launched in India at a starting price of Rs. 72 lakhs Ex-showroom, Delhi. The Q7 is Audi’s flagship SUV offering in India and targets the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and the Volvo XC90 as its main rivals.

The Audi Q7 in its previous avatar had a cult following and a status symbol among Film Stars, Cricketers and the rest of the high class in India. The mammoth SUV cemented Audi in India like no other model and took it right up there with the other two German luxury car manufacturers in India. The car has now been launched and boasts of technology and performance that is quite unlike a traditional Q7, that is for the better of course. The new car is based on the Volkswagen Group’s newest MLB platform and immediately makes it fitter by nearly 300Kgs, but at the same time making the construction much more stiffer than before.

The 2016 Audi Q7 gets a 3.0-litre V6 diesel motor that develops around 268BHP and is mated to a 8-speed automatic gearbox that is enough to propel the car from a standstill to 100Km/hr in just around 7 seconds. This makes it almost as fast as the previous generation model that was powered by the 4.2-litre V8 diesel. Another way to recognize this as a fast Audi is the badging that with its new nomenclature reads ’45 TDI’. The new Audi Q7 is packed to the brim with safety features such as Predictive Efficiency Assistant, Turning Assistant and Exit Warning System which indicates vehicles or cyclists approaching from the rear before the door is opened, adaptive cruise control, multicollision brake assist, night vision assistant, active lane assist and the list just goes on and on.

The exteriors of the car are all new and this time around looks much more polished and sophisticated than the brute looking previous generation car. The interiors too are all new with a high quality dashboard that gets Audi’s new Virtual Cockpit, Audi connect Telematics and a brilliant sounding Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System. Other features on this new flagship from Audi is the Matrix LED headlights and Quattro all wheel drive system.

2016 Audi Q7 Price List (Ex-showroom, Delhi):

3.0-litre TDI Premium Plus: Rs. 72 lakhs
3.0-litre TDI Technology: Rs. 77.50 lakhs