Bajaj Auto is all set to kick off the 'Festival of Speed', a unique festival for Pulsar motorcycle owners from March 5. The festival, which the company calls 'India’s first speed biking festival' is aimed at giving Pulsar customers a unique experience to indulge in professional track racing.
Touted as India's first speed biking festival, the event will be hosted in Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai, and will include activities like track racing competition, skateboarding, bicycle motocross, stunt show, DJ performances, rock concert as well as gear and accessory shops. 
The festival will include some 42 races across the six cities and is open to all customers who own Pulsars with engine capacities of 200cc and above. 
Pulsar RS 200 customers will get a special chance to compete for the grand finale after undergoing a full day of professional training from the experts at the Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai.
The winner will not only be crowned the first ever Pulsar ..

Bajaj to launch 'Festival of Speed\' for Pulsar owners 

BS-Motoring

 Toyota is planning to buy the remaining stake in Daihatsu Motor Company Limited, a mini-vehicle maker. The Japanese carmaker currently owns 51.2% stake in the company and is mulling over to fully own it as a part of its expansion strategy.Toyota has said that it was considering buying out rest of Daihatsu and the decision is likely to be taken on Friday. The acquisition will help the carmaker to enhance its brand value and strengthen the company. It will cost approximately $3 billion to the automaker.The Japanese company recently topped the sales chart for 2015, by selling 10.151 million vehicles. This has happened for the fourth year in a row and the company looks determined to repeat it for the fifth time. “Toyota’s hegemony will probably not be challenged for the next few years after the big setback for VW,” said Zhou Jincheng, a renowned analyst. “The gap will only get wider and wider because VW will take time to adjust its strategies for markets such as the US and Europe.” The ..

Toyota to decide on Daihatsu Acquisition

Toyota Motors Corp, which plans to launch its luxury model Lexus in India later this year, unveiled its Lexus LC 500 coupe at the Detroit auto show.
Toyota's president Akio Toyoda said that the new model was the company's response to criticism about the brand's uninspired designs. "I was determined to make sure we became a more emotional brand, and that the words 'boring' and 'Lexus' never showed up in the same sentence," Toyoda remarked.
The Lexus LC 500 coupe features a 5.0 litre, V8 engine and a new 10-speed transmission system. Toyota also plans to introduce a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) model under the Lexus brand around 2020 as part of its commitment that all its vehicles would be in the zero emissions category by 2050.
The Japanese auto giant plans to introduce the Lexus ES and Lexus RX - imported as CKD units from Japan, and assembled at its plant Karnataka in the second half of 2016.

Toyota unveils Lexus LC 500 coupe at Detroit auto show

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that the current Phantom will enter the last stages of its production in 2016. This follows the recent news that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has begun testing its all-new aluminium architecture, which will underpin every future Rolls-Royce arriving in-market from early 2018.
Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said that the Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé models will not be renewed in the future. These two Phantom models will end their lives with a special collection of only 50 cars to be called Phantom Zenith Collection.
The current seventh generation of Phantom started production over 13 years ago and quickly became the foundation upon which the renaissance of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars was built. 
In November this year, the build of the last Phantom Coupé and Drophead Coupé will be completed and these models will not be replaced. Rolls-Royce will also build the last Phantom VII limousines this year.
“I am proud and excited to announce .

Rolls-Royce says current Phantom to enter last stage of production

Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) on Friday announced the launch of a new VX(O) BL grade of Honda City with the all-new premium and luxurious black leather interiors.
The new grade is positioned alongside existing VX(O) grade available in beige leather interiors and is offered in manual transmission in both petrol and diesel in premium white orchid pearl and alabaster silver colours in the line-up. 
The fourth generation Honda City has appealed to a large number of young buyers and the introduction of VX(O)BL is in response to the younger customer's voice, said the company. The grade also comes with Sunroof and Advanced Integrated Touchscreen Audio Visual Navigation (AVN). 
Dual SRS Airbags has been made as standard equipment for all grades in Honda City in addition to standard ABS and EBD. The company has also introduced Rear ISOFIX & Top Tether Anchor for Child Seats as standard equipment in the City. 
The newly introduced Rear ISOFIX featured in the Honda City is an international ...

Honda launches new grade in City with premium and luxurious black interiors

With the export of the Baleno hatchback recently to Japan, Maruti Suzuki has become the first to export a car made in India to the island nation.
As part of its global strategy, Suzuki intends to make India its manufacturing hub and has chalked out plans to export its products to over 100 countries. 
Starting with Japan, the automaker intends to export its vehicles to European countries like Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands and Spain as well. The success of Baleno hatchback will determine the future of Suzuki’s export strategy.
Launched in October, the Baleno was showcased at the Tokyo Motor Show. Retailed through its Nexa outlets, the Baleno competes with the Hyundai i20 and the Honda Jazz.

Made in India Baleno exported to Japan 

 
Mahindra's last launch was TUV300, which marked the manufacturer’s presence in the compact SUV segment. Stacked against the likes of EcoSport, Duster, Creta, S-Cross, it is doing quite decently given the car has mileage less than its competition. As confirmed, Mahindra is bringing in the KUV100 on January 15th, the bookings of which are already on. It's a hatchback sized car that looks like an SUV. Let's find out, what’s more special about it.

You see, we Indians want something that is compact to fit in our parking lots but at the same time should be big enough to make our neighbours envious; and under initial impressions, I would say KUV 100 looks nothing like a hatchback. The butch front ends with aggressive eyebrow like flickers that extend to the front door. The sleek grill flanked by aggressive headlamp cluster flaunting DRLs and a tall bumper with muscular carvings make complete sense in this mini SUV. Move to the sides and you will see the sleek body cladding underlining ...

Mahindra KUV100: The Next Big Thing?

 Mercedes-Benz will be launching GLE-Coupe to rival BMW X6 tomorrow in the Indian market.With every passing year, Mercedes-Benz strengthens its hold in the Indian market. It has realised the potential which the Indian automotive sector holds and is making strides to get a hold all over the luxury segments. Mercedes-Benz introduced 15 cars in the year 2015 and although no such announcement has been made for 2016, the German automaker is sure to make its mark this year as well. To begin with, Mercedes-Benz will be launching its GLE Coupe  tomorrow, in the Indian market. This car will rival the fellow German BMW X6 and is expected to cost around Rs. 90 lac. Initially, the car will be a CBU import from MB’s Tuscaloosa factory in America.Beating underneath the tough exoskeleton is a petrol fueled 3.0-liter bi-turbo V6 engine, which will be nitpicked by AMG. This will give the car a power of 357 bhp and 520 Nm of torque, which is ample but, as soon as compared with BMW’s 630 Nm of torque, ..

Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe Launching Tomorrow

Revv, the Delhi-NCR based self-drive car rental company has launched its operations in Hyderabad with a fleet of 50 cars across models starting from hatchbacks to luxury sedans. 
Operating on a standard hub model, the Hyderabad office has a 10-member strong team managing the day to day operations to deliver the cars to the customers from anywhere in the city. As part of its geographical expansion in the southern market, the company is planning to launch its operations in Bangalore in the next 2 weeks.
Revv was set up in July 2015 by Karan Jain and Anupam Agarwal, two ex-associate partners of McKinsey with a comprehensive background of a decade each, where they helped Fortune 500 clients on strategy and performance transformation. 
The company bets on a shift in consumer behaviour towards renting instead of owning assets such as cars and has completely re-worked the prevalent self-drive rental model. One of their first-of-its-kind innovations is "pure-play doorstep delivery of cars", ..

Delhi-based self-drive car rental firm 

South Korean auto major Hyundai is shifting focus to capitalise on the growing demand for automated manual transmission (AMT) cars in India. According to a report, Hyundai's Grand i10, one of its bestselling models, may soon get an AMT variant in the country.
The report states the Grand i10 AMT will be launched in India in September this year. The AMT version of the Grand i10 will come with the facelift of the model with some major cosmetic upgrades.
Originally launched in petrol and diesel variants, the Hyundai Grand i10 petrol variant packs a 1.2-litre Kappa engine that can churn out power of 82bhp and 116 Nm torque. The diesel model of the vehicle houses a 1.1-litre three cylinder U2 VGT motor engine that delivers 70bhp power and 163 Nm of torque. It is still unclear as to which of these variants will come equipped with AMT.
Unlike Maruti and Tata, which get an AMT box from the purveyor Magneti Marelli, Hyundai will be getting its supply from Germany-based ZF Sachs. Currently, ...

Hyundai to launch Grand i10 AMT in India in September

In the run-up to next Union Budget, the auto industry has sought lower, as well as two separate, levels of excise duty.
 
In a letter to the Finance Ministry, industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) has demanded 12.5% excise on small cars and 20% for other passenger vehicles. Under the existing system, four rates of excise duty – ranging from 2.5% to 30% -- are charged on different models. The industry has also sought an incentive-based scrappage policy for all vehicles, including two-wheelers and commercial vehicles, that are 15 years or older.
 
Under the prevailing taxation regime, small cars attract an excise duty of 12.5%, mid-size cars, typically small- and mid-size sedans, are charged 24%, larger cars pay 27% and sports utility vehicles pay the highest rate of 30%. The current system puts manufacturers of sedans and utility vehicles at a disadvantage against players who are stronger in the small car segment.
 
In its letter, SIAM has said that ...

Auto industry body calls for lower excise duty on cars, incentive for scrappage

India's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki sold 111,333 cars in December, up 13.5 percent from 98,109 units sold in the same month in 2014. Hyundai, the second-largest player, sold 41,861 units, up 28.8 percent from December 2014 sales of 32,504 units.  
Mahindra & Mahindra reported a 1 percent increase in domestic car sales. Renault India recorded a huge jump in sales. It sold 10,292 cars in India in December, a whopping 160 percent more than it did a year earlier. Tata Motors, however, posted a four percent decline in car sales. 
Industry analysts believe the generally good turnout was due to large discounts and savings schemes offered by dealers as well as carmakers' thrust into rural India.

December car sales in India grew by eight percent year-on-year 

 The list of top sellers of December 2015 is out, but with a slight change this time. Renault Kwid, the small SUVish hatchback which has been keeping its rivals on their toes, has broken the barrier and entered the top 10 selling cars for the first time, leaving behind Hyundai Eon. Though, Kwid has shaken things up, but it is also now crystal clear that it hasn’t affected the dominance of Alto hatchback, which has become the best-selling car of all time.Topping the chart once again is Maruti Alto. Company managed to sell 22,589 units of the small hatch,  successfully concluding the year 2015. Next in the list is the flamboyant Swift DZire. Though, the entry of Baleno has hampered its sales, it managed to uphold the second position this time as well with 16,790 units going off the shelf. Following the DZire is our very tall-boy, Wagon R, which seems to be unperturbed from the new entrants, as company managed to sell 14,645 units in December 2015.Swift hatchback has been severely ...

Top 10 Highest Selling Cars of December 2015, Kwid Marks its Entry

Royal Enfield, the motorcycle brand of Eicher Motors, has launched a new colour of Classic 500 range of motorcycles in Squadron Blue. According to the company, the new colour variant has been inspired by the Indian Air Force and is a tribute by Royal Enfield for its long standing history with Air Force officers.
"The Classic 500 Squadron Blue is a tribute to Royal Enfield's war time presence and association with the armed forces. We wanted a variant with a genuine armed forces heritage for our customers," said Rudratej Singh, president, Royal Enfield. "We had to be very particular about the colour to create authenticity and also provide the motorcycle its post war appeal. This inspiration led us to create the Classic Squadron Blue.”
The new Squadron Blue Classic 500 variant is now available for booking across all company stores and dealerships in India.
The motorcycle will be available at an on-road price of Rs. 1,86,688 in New Delhi, Rs. 1,93,372 in Mumbai, Rs. 1,89,350 in Chennai, ..

Royal Enfield Classic 500 launched in Squadron Blue

By Aravind S Kamal
The electric vehicle (EV) market in India is slowly evolving and developing. India saw sudden interest in electric cars from buyers, with almost a lakh of units being sold during 2011 and 2012. However, the demand for EVs has seen a declining trend since 2013. 
But with three of the country's biggest carmakers – Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra – recently signing a pact to jointly develop critical parts for an all-electric hybrid car, the country may see more takers for EVs.
Sharing his views with BS Motoring on the EV market in India, Biju Bruno, managing director of Bangalore-based lead acid battery manufacturer Greenvision Technologies, said: “The EV market in India is in the infancy stage and is slowly developing. But the way it evolves would depend on how major automobile manufacturers will support the development of EVs.”
For Indians, EV would mean an electric rickshaw or an electric bike, and for some “Reva”, the electric car from Maini ...

Electric vehicles yet to become an object of desire in India

The hysteria for Maruti's offering Baleno seems not to end soon. Consequently, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno now has a six-month waiting period. The company currently has 70,000 bookings for its premium hatchback.
Baleno, which was launched on October 26, 2015, with two engine options viz. 1.3L diesel and 1.2L petrol, has overtaken its closest rival, the Hyundai Elite i20. Though the Baleno leads marginally currently, it is expected to increase over the next few months considering the huge demand for the hatchback. 
In December, the Indo-Japanese carmaker was able to sell 10,572 units of Baleno as compared to 10,379 units of Hyundai’s i20.
Based on the new design concept of Liquid Flow, Baleno is a harmonious combination of flowing curves, elegant styling, superb performance and smart packaging that promises top-end experience of a premium hatchback.
The vehicle is equipped with several high end features and technologies: 1st car in India to get the intuitive Apple CarPlay® feature Built ..

Baleno is the No 1 premium hatchback

Harley-Davidson opened its 21st showroom in India by launching a new dealership in Coimbatore.
Western Ghats Harley-Davidson will be the seventh dealership for the American bikemaker in south India. The company has a presence through dealers in Chennai, Kochi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa and Calicut. It has also hosted Harley Owners Group (HOG) rallies in places including Kochi, Hyderabad, Hampi and Mahaballipuram.
"The passion, enthusiasm and respect Harley-Davidson brand has received from customers and enthusiasts in the southern region continues to inspire our growth plans," said Vikram Pawah, managing director, Harley-Davidson India. "The Western Ghats Harley-Davidson in Coimbatore is part of our natural progression to reach out to more brand enthusiasts and cultivate the sport of leisure motorcycling in the region. We look forward to solidifying our presence in India by growing through a trusted network of independently owned dealerships."
The new 8,000sq ft facility will offer the 

Harley-Davidson opens 21st India showroom in Coimbatore

DSK Motowheels, a leading Indian superbike industry player, and legendary Italian superbiking brand Benelli unveiled four new superbikes at the India Bike Week in Goa.
The four models - the TNT Naked T-135, BX 250, Tornado 302 and the TRK 502 - will also be making their way to DSK Benelli showrooms soon. Over 150 riders from across India rode down to the IBW on their DSK Benelli superbikes, showcased at IBW in 2015 and now available across India via 15 exclusive DSK Benelli showrooms.
Since IBW 2015, DSK Benelli has launched superbikes ranging from 250cc to 1131cc in India. The current range of superbikes under the DSK Benelli umbrella include the TNT 25 - single cylinder 250cc engine; TNT 300, in-line two cylinder 300cc engine; TNT 600i, in-line four cylinder 600cc engine; TNT 600 GT, in-line four cylinder 600cc engine; TNT 899, in-line three cylinder 898cc engine; and the TNT R, in-line, three cylinder 1131cc engine.
DSK Benelli also showcased the soon to arrive ABS variants of the .

DSK Benelli launches four models at IBW

February 10, 2016: Tucson, Hyundai’s new SUV, expected to hit the Indian roads in the next few months, will be priced at a starting point of Rs 18 lakh.  
The Hyundai Tucson’s price bracket pits it against a variety of SUVs. While the cheaper variants will compete for market share with the likes of the XUV500 and the Tata Hexa, the top of the line variants will be pitted against the upcoming SsangYong Tivoli and the base models of the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Ford Endeavour and Toyota Fortuner.  
The Tucson will come with a 2.0-litre diesel engine. The base model boasts of 136PS of peak power and 373Nm of peak torque. The top of the line variant boasts of 185PS of peak power with 400Nm of peak torque.  
Engines are mated to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic with both front wheel drive and all-wheel-drive options.

Hyundai Tucson to be priced at Rs 18 lakh onwards

Hyundai Motors India plans to launch a new special edition of its Creta SUV to coincide with the first anniversary of the launch of its popular vehicle. The Creta was launched in July 2015 and the company has bookings for nearly 100,000 units.
According to a company spokesperson, the new anniversary edition will feature minor cosmetic add-ons. Hyundai plans to increase production of the SUV to 10,000 units a month for the domestic market and 2,500 units for exports, looking at the huge demand. 
The SUV features automatic climate control, leather seat upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, dual-tone interiors, rear wiper with defogger, and projector headlamps.
The SUV comes in a petrol and diesel engine. The former is a 1.6-litre engine producing 122 bhp at 6,400 rpm and 154 Nm of torque at 4,850 rpm. It returns 15.29 km to a litre of fuel. 
The 1.6-litre diesel engine produces 126 bhp at 4,000 rpm and 265 Nm of torque at 1,900 rpm. It returns 19.67 km to a litre of .

Hyundai to launch special edition of Creta to mark first anniversary of launch of its SUV

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