March 23, 2016: The Indian government has set a target for reducing road accident fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020 and has taken several steps to prevent accidents. 
Nitin Gadkari, the road transport and highways minister, told a parliamentary consultative committee of his ministry that the national road safety policy outlines various policy measures like promoting awareness, establishing road safety information data base, encouraging safer road infrastructure, enforcement of safety laws etc.  
The ministry has also evolved a multi-pronged strategy to tackle the problem based on the 4 Es - Education, Engineering ( both of roads and vehicles) Enforcement and Emergency Care.  
Road safety has been made an integral part of road designing, safety audits are being taken up for selected stretches of National Highways, around 700 accident black spots have been identified and remedial steps are being taken at such spots, said the minister.  
The threshold for four laning of National Highways 

Government aims to reduce road accident fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020: Gadkari 

BS-Motoring

March 23, 2016: Honda Cars India, which had gone in for a price hike for its various models effective March 1, is planning to once against raise prices by up to Rs6,000 from April 1 to adjust against unfavourable exchange rates. 
A company spokesperson said on Wednesday that the company plans to raise prices by up to Rs6,000 for all its six models available in India to partially offset the impact of adverse exchange rates. 
Earlier this month, Honda had announced a hike in prices – ranging from Rs4,000 to Rs79,000 – for its various models, following the levy of infrastructure cess by the Indian government, which was announced in the union budget on February 29. 
The hikes ranged from Rs4,000 Rs6,000 for the Brio, Rs5,000 to Rs19,500 for the Jazz, Rs24,600 to Rs38,100 for the City, Rs21,800 to Rs37,700 for the Mobilio and Rs66,500 to Rs79,000 for the CR-V. 
Many other carmakers had also hiked the price for various models earlier this month after finance minister Arun Jailtey announced .

Honda to hike prices by up to Rs6,000 from April 1 

March 23, 2016: Mercedes-Benz India introduced the ‘world car of the year’ in its latest guise, the C250 d, the fastest and most powerful sedan in its segment, on Wednesday.
The C-Class which is offered in C 200 and C 220 d variants remains one of Mercedes-Benz’s highest selling models and a key product in its offerings in India. The launch of the C 250 d is also significant, as for the first time Mercedes-Benz introduces its 9G-Tronic transmission in the C-Class. The C 250 d was launched by Mr. Roland Folger, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes Benz India. 
“The all new C-Class completely redefined the mid-size luxury sedan segment in India and created for itself a new territory of supremacy,” said Roland Folger, managing director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India. “The inherent success of this ‘World Car of the Year’ is evident from the fact that the C-Class remains an unrivalled product in its segment, emerging as the highest sold model in our portfolio in 2015.” 
Apart from featuring ..

Mercedes-Benz launches C250 d in India 

March 23, 2016: Taxi-aggregator Ola has announced acquisition of Chennai-based Qarth Technologies, an IIT Madras incubated start-up that offers multi-bank mobile payment solutions. 
Teams of Qarth and Ola money will join hands to further build cutting edge solutions to provide a seamless payment experience for users, Ola said in a statement. 
After launching a standalone app for Ola Money in November last year, Ola's acquisition of Qarth is aimed at doubling its mobile wallet and payments business.  
Ola is already investing on building digital payment solutions that will help create a seamless experience for users and merchants, it said. 
"With the acquisition of Qarth, we are also making significant technology investments to build forward looking digital payment solutions for the ecosystem," Pallav Singh, senior vice president and head, Ola Money, said. 
Qarth’s X-Pay app (Android-only) integrates with some 26 banks in India, providing those who have accounts at these banks to use ..

Ola acquires Chennai-based Qarth Technologies for payment solutions 

March 23, 2016: CredR, India's online marketplace for pre-owned two wheelers, has joined hands with Honda Two Wheelers India to set up 100 hyperlocal bike exchange access points across four of its key markets in the country.  
This joint venture will include over 30 first hand dealerships in Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, CredR said in a statement. 
These Access Points will assist customers in exchanging any old two-wheeler for a new Honda two-wheeler and in getting the best exchange value against a fair evaluation of their old two-wheeler on the spot. 
The business partnership will soon be seen together at the 'Honda Bike Exchange Mela' to be held between March 25 and March 27, 2016 at six locations simultaneously across Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad.  
Through this tie-up, CredR aims at facilitating the exchange of 1,500 two-wheelers in a span of 30 hours across these six locations, in a synchronised effort. It also helps in simplifying the buying process, improve customer ...

CredR partners with Honda Two Wheelers to set up bike exchange points 

March 23, 2016: In a bid to reduce vehicle-related pollution, the Telangana government has taken a decision to implement Bharat Stage IV norms from April 1, 2016. As per the decision, all new vehicles manufactured in 2016 should have a BS IV compliant engine. 
According to the order, vehicles manufactured after 2015 should have BS IV engine, without which the local RTO will not register the vehicle. However, for older vehicles with BS III engines manufactured prior to August 2015, the registration would be accepted during resale of vehicles. 
Since the past one year, only BS IV compliant vehicles were being registered in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation area. However, from April 1, all districts in the state will register only BS IV compliant new vehicles. 
“In 2015, the ministry of road transport had issued an order stating that from April 1, 2016, only BS IV vehicles should be registered. The order will be implemented after holding a meeting with dealers on March 25,” ...

Telangana to implement BS IV norms from April 1 

March 22, 2016: The TVS Victor was launched in Pune on Tuesday. The bike is priced at Rs49,188 for the drum brake variant and Rs51,188 for the disc brake variant (ex-showroom Pune).
“The success of TVS Victor first launched in 2002 laid the foundation for TVS Motor in India,” said Arun Siddharth, head, marketing, motorcycles, TVS Motor Company. “We are constantly evolving our products to offer technologically superior and stylish products to our customers.” 
The all-new TVS Victor has a powerful 3V eco-thrust engine, which offers 76 km/l mileage. The fuel tank has a capacity of eight litres (including two litres of reserves). The bike’s tubeless tyres offer superior grip. TVS Victor has a wheelbase of 1260 mm with a ground clearance of 175 mm.  
The new bike is available in six colours with contrasting graphics including red, black red, black silver, grey, silver and blue.

TVS Victor launched in Pune

March 22, 2016: An average of 91 km of rural roads have been built every day in fiscal 2015-16, resulting in a total addition of 30,500 km of rural roads, according to government figures. 
About 6,500 habitations have been connected during the fiscal because of these new roads. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed by officials on the progress of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and other schemes. 
The government has adopted innovative best practices under the PMGSY to further speed up the rural road construction progress. These include the use of GIS and space imagery for planning and monitoring; efficient fund flow by minimising the number of layers; and citizen grievance redressal through an app, "Meri Sadak."  
Modi told officials to put in place an effective mechanism for stringent quality monitoring of the roads being built under the scheme. He said quality checks should be made at the material procurement stage, the construction stage, as well as the maintenance .

More than 30,000 km of rural roads built in 2015-16

March 22, 2016: Following the recent launch of its face-lifted Duster with the new six-speed Easy-R AMT gearbox, Renault India is getting ready to launch a new variant of the Lodgy equipped with the same gearbox. 
The Lodgy is expected to offer the AMT gearbox on its mid and top RXL and RXZ trims and only with the option of a seven-seater model, with the second row featuring captain seats. This transmission would come mated to the 1461cc diesel engine that produces a power output of 108 hp. 
The new six-speed AMT unit is paired to the more powerful 110PS 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine so it is safe to assume that the gearbox will be paired to the more powerful diesel in the Lodgy as well. With the Duster and Lodgy sharing the same underpinnings and mechanicals, the gearbox should be easy to recalibrate for use in the MPV. 
As the Duster and the Lodgy are based on the same platform, it would be comparatively easier to tune it for the MPV. 
With the launch of the AMT-equipped Lodgy, ...

Renault to soon launch AMT version of Lodgy  

March 22, 2016: Ducati launched its fifth dealership in India in Pune on Tuesday. The new showroom is operated by Bavaria Motors, which will sell the entire range of Ducati motorcycles.
The bikemaker already has dealerships in Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bengaluru.  
“Pune and its neighbouring cities have some of the most passionate motorcyclists in the country and we are keen to bring to them a taste of the authentic Italian performance that Ducati offers,” said Ravi Avalur, managing director, Ducati India. “We believe our partnership with Bavaria Motors will help us deliver to the city a customer ownership experience that is consistent with our global standards.” 
According to Vishal Agarwal, managing director, Bavaria Motors the company was overwhelmed with enquiries even before it started operations. “We are delighted to partner with Ducati and bring the iconic brand to a region so passionate about motorcycles,” he said. “With our experience in successfully working with premium ...

Ducati opens Pune dealership

March 22, 2016: Maruti Suzuki has reported 20,000 bookings for its all-new compact SUV, the Vitara Brezza, in less than a fortnight of its launch. It has also attracted 70,000 enquiries for the SUV.
“We are delighted at customers’ response to the Vitara Brezza,” said R S Kalsi, executive director (marketing & sales), Maruti Suzuki. “They have appreciated it for its sporty and muscular design and the combination of features offered at multiple trim levels. Our endeavour now is to deliver these cars quickly so that customers can enjoy their Vitara Brezza.” 
The company will start delivering the compact SUVs from March 25 through its 1,800 authorised sales outlets. The Vitara Brezza has been priced at between Rs6.99 lakh and Rs9.68 lakh. 
The SUV delivers an outstanding fuel efficiency of 24.3 km per litre, the highest in SUV category and 10-20% superior to existing models in the segment. Using the acclaimed DDiS 200 engine and multiple innovative technologies like intelligent ...

Maruti Suzuki gets 20,000 bookings for Vitara Brezza 

March 22, 2016: Suzuki India, which recently announced CKD assembly of its Hayabusa hypersport motorcycle in India, is now offering the GSX-S1000 ABS naked sports bike with huge benefits worth one lakh rupees for a limited period.
Valid till March 31 2016, the offer is on in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai while Delhi doesn’t stand to gain from this benefit. However, this offer is also not applicable on the GSX-S1000F ABS. 
Along with a cash back cheque of Rs. 50,000, the Japanese manufacturer is also offering buyers a leather Kushitani riding jacket which is said to be worth Rs. 60,000. This discount and price of the jacket brings down the asking price of the GSX-S1000 to around Rs. 11 lakh. 
The Suzuki GSX-S1000 was launched in India last year and also has a fully-faired cousin, the S1000F. Both the motorcycles get ABS as standard and are powered by a 1,000cc, 4-cylinder liquid-cooled engine which produces 144PS/105.60Nm.  
This engine sends power to the rear wheel with the help of a ...

Suzuki offers benefits worth Rs. 1 lakh on GSX-S1000 

March 22, 2016: Mercedes-Benz is all set to roll out its S400 in India on March 29. The luxury sedan will join a pool of other S-class models and as you can expect, it will come with all the goodies of the company's luxury sedan. 
The S400 comes with a 3-litre, V6 petrol engine with a maximum torque of 480Nm and power of 324bhp. It is paired to a 7-speed or a 9-speed automatic gearbox. There is already a petrol option available on the S-class and that is the S500 with the V8 petrol engine, but the S400 will target those customers who are looking for luxury and better running costs too.  
As regards the Hybrid version, Mercedes Benz has no plans of bringing it to India.  
Just like the other S-class models, S400 offers the same amount of luxury that you've seen on the other trims and this includes specs like air suspension, unmatched quality in the cabin, huge amount of space and comfort is a given in this version as well. 
The S400 will be a rear wheel driven car and will be ...

Mercedes-Benz to launch S400 in India on March 29

Audi had launched the facelift of the RS7 last year.  The facelift has got upgrades which are mainly cosmetic in nature along with an improved driver interface. The engine remains the same devastating mill.

New Audi RS7 Sportback Review

MotorOctane

TVS is working on introducing a new hybrid scooter in the next one years time.  This new hybrid scooters sketch has been leaked. The new TVS Hybrid scooter will have an electric motor and a petrol engine.

TVS Hybrid scooters sketch leaked   EXCLUSIVE

Ducati India has opened its doors in Pune, launching the fifth dealership in the country.  Bavaria Motors, one of Punes leading automotive business groups, has established the new Ducati dealership in the heart of Pune on Boat Club Road.

Ducati inaugurates its first Pune dealership

Maruti Suzuki expects its sales to grow in double digits in FY 2016-17.  The company has been aggressive lately with launch of new models such as Baleno and Vitara Brezza.

Maruti growth will be driven by Vitara Brezza and Baleno

March 21, 2016: DSK Motowheels, which celebrated the first anniversary of the DSK Benelli showroom in Bengaluru on Monday, has delivered 500 superbikes in the city.
“DSK Benelli has received a truly phenomenal response in Bengaluru,” noted Shirish Kulkarni, chairman, DSK Motowheels. “There is a vibrant superbiking culture in the city, and its people have embraced DSK Benelli superbikes with great enthusiasm. We are delighted at recording delivery of 500 superbikes within a year. The numbers exemplify the brand value and trust that DSK Benelli exudes, and is a clear sign showcasing the acceptance of the brand by superbike enthusiasts across India as well.”
The company has received a total of over 750 bookings for the Italian superbike. According to Kulkarni, this is the shortest time ever, wherein a superbike brand has achieved such a milestone in a particular city in India.  
DSK Benelli is celebrating this achievement by organising a success ride with the owners of its superbikes. ...

DSK Motowheels delivers 500th Benelli superbike in Bengaluru 

March 21, 2016: WheelStreet, a Delhi-based online aggregator in the two-wheeler rental space, owned and operated by Bashar Technologies, has raised $500,000 from early-stage seed and pre-Series-A venture fund Broadbean Capital Services. 
WheelStreet plans to use the amount to expand its technological capabilities besides expanding its footprint to Pune and Hyderabad in the near future. 
"Two-wheeler rental aggregation is an untapped market,” said Pranay Shrivastava, co-founder and CEO, WheelStreet. “Motorcycle rental market is a largely unorganised space, which presents great value not just for commuters, but also for people looking at recreational use of motorcycles. Our initial experience in the Delhi market has been very encouraging with over 14,000 rides already done.” 
Started in November 2014 by Pranay Shrivastava, Moksha Srivastava and Mritunjay Kumar, WheelStreet is currently operational in Delhi/NCR and Bengaluru. It plans to expand to 15 cities in the next one year. 
It ...

Delhi bike rental firm gets $500,000 in funding 

March 21, 2016: Audi will be the latest international luxury carmaker to opt for local assembly of engines for its models, according to a report. The Volkswagen group – which owns Audi, Skoda and Volkswagen brands – has confirmed that it plans to start assembling the 2.0 litre diesel engine at its Pune plant by the end of the year.
Volkswagen has a diesel engine assembly plant in Chakan near Pune. The engines assembled at the plant would be fitted across various models for all three brands. According to CNBC-TV18, the models that are likely to use the 2.0-l diesel engine assembled at Chakan could include the Audi A4 and A6 sedans and the compact luxury crossover SUV Q5; the Volkswagen Passat, the Jetta and compact crossover Tiguan TDI; and the Skoda Octavia, Superb and next generation SUV Vision S. 
Audi has been building cars for the local Indian market in Aurangabad in Maharashtra since 2007. The Škoda Auto India plant assembles the Audi A4, the Audi A6, the Audi Q5 and the Audi Q7. 

Audi likely to assemble 2.0-l diesel engine in Pune 

March 21, 2016: Zonnett, a startup in the auto repairs and services market in Mumbai, has launched an innovative campaign, ‘Zero water car wash’ to fight against wastage of water. 
“Water is a precious resource that is depleting day by day and the statistics are dangerously low,” said Abhijit Saxena, CEO, Zonnett. “Zero water car wash solution helps in preventing one of the biggest crisis of water shortage that we face in the near future. We are focusing on saving water through our campaign which is targeted towards residential societies in Mumbai. Also, we will be introducing other doorstep modules soon for our customers.” 
The campaign has been successfully run over a large number of residential societies across Mumbai in the last couple of months and has managed to save over 7 lakh litres of water, he claims. 
According to Saxena, the auto repair and service market is currently fragmented and unorganised. “It is a difficult task for a car owner to find a trusted car service ...

Zonnett launches \'Zero water car wash\' campaign in Mumbai 

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