Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Harley-Davidson LiveWire to cost Rs 30 lakh if sold today

Just like the other manufacturers, Harley-Davidson wants to reduce its carbon footprints and its LiveWire project is the first step towards that.

The LiveWire is the first electric motorcycle from the iconic manufacturer that shows the company’s focus on future growth and sustainability through reducing its carbon footprint. During a recent business summit at Wisconsin, Matt Leviatch, CEO and president of Harley-Davidson, said that if they plan to launch the LiveWire motorcycle in the market today, it will set you back by $50,000 (Rs 30 lakh) but will travel half the distance the customers want. He also commented that this price is about 50 per cent more than customers would want to pay.

The Harley-Davidson LiveWire is powered by a three-phase AC election induction motor that produces around 74hp and 70Nm of torque. This engine is capable of achieving top speed of 148kmph. The main battery in the LiveWire caters to the needs of the engine while a second 12 volt battery powers the instrument cluster.

The American manufacturer believes that the LiveWire will be ready for the worldwide market only when the next-generation battery technologies are ready. Usually, the cost of the battery decides the actual cost of the bike as they are expensive and that’s why all the electric vehicles are way more expensive than their petrol counterparts.

Akrapovic unveils the outlandish Full Moon Concept

Continuing with its tradition of showing up at auto shows with bizarre concept motorcycles, Akrapovic has unveiled the Full Moon Concept at the Bad Salzuflen Custombike Show in Germany. The Slovenian exhaust specialist joined forces with Dreamachine Motorcycles to come up with this one of its kind concept.

The clean lines at the front of the Full Moon Concept have been possible thanks to the ‘fully automated’ steering mechanism, which eliminated the need for manual linkages. The absence of a side stand is not an oversight, as the Full Moon Concept has a hydraulic lowering mechanism, which lowers it and anchors it to the ground, once you are done riding it.

The 30-inch carbon fibre front wheel, which seems to be the inspiration for the motorcycle’s name, adorns a perimeter brake disc, which in itself might be larger than your average motorcycle tyre. The entire chassis and the twin custom made Akrapovic exhausts are hidden from view by the massive tear drop shaped rear section. The Full Moon Concept is powered by a 1,524cc S&S Knucklehead V-twin engine, which has been completely exposed to add to the motorcycle’s appeal.

Describing the Full Moon Concept, Akrapovic released a statement saying, “This is an extremely technically advanced motorcycle, full of unique elements that were carefully chosen to make the bike totally exclusive, and the shape hides completely new solutions used on a custom bike for the first time. The Full Moon is like no other bike out there now, and Akrapovic is very proud of it.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Volkswagen contemplates entering F1

If sources are to be believed, the second largest carmaker in the world, Volkswagen is studying the prospects of entering Formula 1. It is rumoured that ex-Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali, who was hired by VW's Audi brand earlier this year is conducting this research.

If it is deemed feasible for the brand to enter Formula One for VW, the differences between company’s head of supervisory board Ferdinand Piech and F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone might turn out to be a roadblock. This would make it mandatory for a management change at VW or F1 which is not an easy task.

"The Volkswagen Audi Group is the second biggest car maker in the world and as such it needs to be in Formula 1. But it will not enter it while the sport remains under the control of Bernie Ecclestone, who VAG boss Ferdinand Piech dislikes on a personal and professional basis. Martin Winterkorn - the chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen - is being groomed as Piech's successor and he has always believed that F1 is a great platform for the group's brands."

Despite being one of the car manufacturers that decided the new turbo hybrid engine rules introduced in F1 this year VW decided not to enter then. Officially the company still holds that stand on F1, but it seems like the top honchos in the company now consider the pinnacle of motorsports to be a more effective global promotional tool than their current motorsport engagements.

Volkswagen Motorsport, the company’s rally team is doing exceedingly well since 2013 with the introduction of the Polo Rally car. The company holds the manufacturers' title there, however, the visibility of F1 is much higher than WRC and it seems like that’s what motivated the company officials to study the prospects of entering F1.

Jaguar launches XF 2.2 Diesel Executive Edition at Rs 45.12 lakh

Jaguar has launched a new variant of the XF called the Diesel Executive Edition at Rs 45.12 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai pre-octroi).

The Executive Edition of the Jaguar XF is powered by a four-cylinder, 2.2-litre diesel engine producing 187bhp mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It will feature - navigation system, full size spare wheel, colour touch screen and Jaguar smart key system with keyless start. It also includes Interior Mood Lighting, Electronic Front Seats and Power-fold Exterior mirrors.

Rohit Suri, vice president, JLR India said, “We are excited to introduce Jaguar XF 2.2L Diesel Executive Edition, at an attractive price point. It will enable us to access a wider audience which consists of discerning and premium Indian customers who have always loved the brand, aspired to own this sedan and be seen in it.”

With the Diesel Executive Edition Jaguar has launched the cheapest variant of the XF on sale in India. The car will compete with the BMW 520d, Mercedes-Benz E250 CDI and the Audi A4 diesel.

Hyundai Elite i20 Cross spotted testing

The Hyundai Elite i20 Cross has been spotted testing by one of our readers, Mr Savio Paul, outside of Chennai. Based on the Elite i20, this new crossover from what we can see follows the standard formula of a body kit, taller wheels and roof rails but will retain most of the interior and obviously engine lineup.

The close up shots also reveal the basic outline of the body kit as well as the projector headlamps. We believe that the latter will only be offered on the top-spec petrol and diesel variants. It is believed that the interior will be carried over from the standard car with no changes whatsoever.

On the engine front, we believe that the Elite i20 Cross (if it’s called that) will be offered with the 1.2-litre petrol engine as well as the 1.4-litre diesel engine. The former is mated to a five-speed manual/four-speed AT while the latter will be offered only with a six-speed manual.

The crossover market is rapidly expanding across all shapes and sizes and it seems that one quick way to enter this segment is a hatchback-based crossover. When launched, this vehicle will compete with the Toyota Etios Cross, VW Cross Polo and the Fiat Avventura.

BMW UK announces prices of the 2015 R1200R

BMW has announced that the 2015 R1200R motorcycle range in the UK will start at GBP 10,250 (Rs 9.87 lakh). The litre-class naked motorcycle will be available in three versions, with the R1200R Sport and R1200R Exclusive demanding a premium of GBP 11,060 (Rs 10.65 lakh) and GBP 11,910 (Rs 11.47 lakh) respectively.

The R1200R series is built around a tubular steel bridge frame which has the 1.2-litre liquid-cooled boxer engine as a self-supporting component. This engine churns out 125bhp and 125Nm through a six-speed gearbox. The R1200R gets a conventional telescopic front fork instead of the Telelever setup from its predecessor.

The R1200R’s instrument cluster is made up of an analogue speedometer and a digital display. The top-end R1200R Exclusive comes loaded with a modern electronics package including ABS, Automatic Stability Control, Dynamic Traction Control, Dynamic Electronic Suspension Adjustment, banking detection and different riding modes. The base R1200R has to make do with just ABS, traction control and ‘Road’ and ‘Rain’ riding mode selector. The mid-level R1200R Sport on the other hand, gets an extra riding mode, an engine spoiler and a ‘Gear Shift Assist Pro’ system.

The R1200R is available only in blue, the R1200R Sport in red and white and the R1200R Exclusive will be available only in metallic grey. The R1200R series competes with other naked motorcycles like the Triumph Speed Triple R and the Ducati Monster 1200 S.

Yamaha might launch the new YZF-R1 by May 2015

Last month, Yamaha lifted the wraps off its new litre-class superbikes, the YZF-R1 and the YZF-R1M, at the 2014 EICMA Show in Milan, Italy. While both these motorcycles have already gone on sale in Europe and America, rumour mills suggest that Yamaha India will start accepting bookings for the road-legal R1 sometime around March, next year and deliveries will commence in May.

The new R1 is built around a new aluminium frame , which gets a magnesium rear subframe. It employs a new four-cylinder engine, christened CP4. This revised crossplane crank engine is capable of pumping out in excess of 197hp, without ram-air induction. The engine gets a modern construction with titanium fracture-split con-rods, forged pistons and a titanium exhaust system.

Aerodynamics has played a major role in influencing the design of the new R1, and it might not suit everyone’s tastes. The electronics package includes traction control, slide control, launch control, wheel-lift control and ABS. The new R1 also gets a fully digital instrument cluster with a coloured TFT screen.

The new R1 has been priced at USD 16,490 (Rs 10.19 lakh) for the US market, which means we can expect Yamaha to price it in the Rs 18 lakh to Rs 20 lakh bracket. It will rival other litre-class Japanese superbikes like the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade and the Suzuki GSX R1000.

Honda CB Unicorn 160 spotted completely undisguised

The Honda CB Unicorn 160 has been spotted once again. As before, the spy shots show the motorcycle completely undisguised and in its production ready form. Reports suggest that Honda is planning to launch the motorcycle in India by January, with a price tag in the range of Rs 73,000 to Rs 77,000.

The design and styling of the Unicorn CB 160 seems to be heavily inspired from the CX-01 concept. The front of the CB Unicorn 160 gets a bikini fairing and a new headlamp unit, which has an aura of traditional Honda design around it. The fuel tank gets a muscular design and features a fibre cowl, which flaunts the company’s logo, while the side panels get a silver and black finish. Unlike a majority of motorcycles in this segment, the CB Unicorn 160 features an elongated single seat. It also gets a heel-toe gear shifter, a fully-covered chain guard and a uniquely designed saree guard.

The CB Unicorn 160, as the name indicates, will be powered by a single-cylinder 160cc engine, which is expected to be more fuel efficient than the other 150cc motorcycles from Honda. Suspension duties are performed by conventional telescopic forks in the front and a monoshock at the rear.

We expect the CB Unicorn 160 to be positioned above the CB Trigger, as a premium commuter motorcycle. Despite being a good all rounder, the CB Trigger failed to draw the interest of the Indian customers, mostly due to the fierce competition from the Yamaha FZ.

Besides, the Trigger is also positioned too close to the Unicorn, leading to cannibalism within the brand. With the new CB Unicorn 160, it seems that Honda is planning to capitalise on the popular ‘Unicorn’ moniker, to rival the likes of Yamaha FZ-S Version 2.0, Suzuki Gixxer and the upcoming Hero Xtreme Sports. We expect it to be priced in Rs 73,000 to Rs 78,000 range.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

New cars for 2015: SUVs and MPVs

The promising MPV, SUV segments are only going to be heated further when the likes of Maruti, Ford and Hyundai add more models to the mix next year.

Maruti XA Alpha

Maruti missed out on the super-popular compact SUV craze when it hit, but it hasn’t given up yet. The XA Alpha concept was shown at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi and work is underway on the production version. It will be a sub-four-metre SUV and it has been designed specifically for the Indian market, much like the Swift Dzire. Having learnt a lesson from its rather uninspired recent car designs, Maruti is said to be giving the XA Alpha’s styling some serious attitude, akin to the Mahindra XUV500. This being a compact car, it will use the Swift’s 1.2-litre K12 petrol engine to comply with Indian government norms. The diesel, however, will be an all-new 1.5-litre engine from Fiat.

Factfile
Coming: End 2015
Est price: Rs 7.5-10 lakh
Engine(s): 1.2 petrol, 1.5 diesel
Rivals: Ford EcoSport, Fiat Avventura

Hyundai ix25

Hyundai wants to cash in on the SUV craze in India and will launch its compact SUV next year. Shown in concept form earlier this year, it is similar in size to the Renault Duster and looks quite neat. However, interestingly, the car won’t be called the ix25 when it comes here, and will get a conventional name instead. This is because Hyundai doesn’t want buyers to mix it up with the i20, which is seen as a class lower in India. The face has sharp headlamps that complement its distinct chrome grille. Other interesting design elements include the upward rising window line and wraparound tail-lamps. The car is expected to use the same engines as the Verna – 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines. Gearboxes are likely to mirror the Verna as well, with five-speed and six-speed manuals along with a new five-speed automatic as an option.

Factfile
Coming: Mid 2015
Est price:Rs 10 lakh
Engine(s): 1.6 petrol, 1.6 diesel
Rivals: Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano

Maruti S-Cross

Maruti’s attempts at selling premium models, like the Kizashi and Grand Vitara, have never been successful in India. Now, the company is looking at slowly crawling its way up the ladder, segment by segment, and after the Ciaz, the next car in line is the S-Cross. Shown to the Indian public at this year’s Auto Expo, you can tell by looking at it that it’s more of a large, high-riding crossover hatchback than a proper SUV. In fact, the rather tame styling is one of its weak points. However, it makes up for that by being very spacious on the inside, pretty well-equipped and quite practical. Power comes from 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines mated to manual gearboxes. Its big trump card, however, will be its all-wheel-drive system that actually gives it decent off-roading ability. Speaking of its rivals, it will go up against the likes of the Mahindra XUV500, Renault Duster and Nissan Terrano, at an estimated price of Rs 13-14 lakh.

Factfile
Coming: March 2015
Est price: Rs 13-14 lakh
Engine(s): 1.6 petrol, 1.6 diesel
Rivals: Mahindra XUV500, Renault Duster AWD

Tempting end of the year new car discounts

With the year coming to an end, manufacturers are giving some interesting discounts on a whole range of cars, from hatchbacks to sedans to SUVs.

Hatchbacks

Ford Figo – benefits up to Rs 54,000

The Figo is being offered with an exchange bonus of Rs 20,000, free insurance of Rs 29,000, and Rs 5,000 worth of loyalty bonus, totaling up to Rs 54,000.

Chevrolet Beat – benefits up to Rs 65,000

The Chevrolet Beat gets free insurance of up to Rs 20,000 from Bajaj Allianz that will cover the car for three years. There’s also an exchange bonus of Rs 25,000 and a loyalty bonus of Rs 20,000, everything totaling up to Rs 65,000.

Hyundai Eon – benefits up to Rs 42,000

With the Hyundai Eon, a new buyer can save up to Rs 30,000 as exchange bonus. There is also free insurance of up to Rs 12,000, depending on the trim that you buy.

Mercedes A-class and B-class – benefits up to Rs 2 lakh

The stunning A-class and cleverly packaged B-class are both up on offer this festive month, and both the cars will save you up to Rs 2 lakh.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Bajaj Pulsar 200SS officially unveiled in Turkey

While Bajaj’s home turf is yet to see the Pulsar 200SS officially, the Pune-based manufacturer has unveiled the bike in Turkey. Few days ago, we got you the pictures from the Turkey dealers meet and today, we are bringing you the photos from the official customer unveil.

Cosmetically, the Bajaj Pulsar 200SS looks exactly like the Pulsar 400SS that was unveiled at the 2014 Auto Expo. The fully-faired Pulsar looks aggressive, thanks to its new design language and the dual projector lamps. However, the side panels’ design has been overdone, making the design look “busy” from the side angle.

Mechanically, the Pulsar 200SS will get its heart from its naked sibling, the Pulsar NS200. The company hasn’t released the technical specifications of the bike yet, but expect the engine to be slightly re-tuned to suit its sport touring nature. We were expecting the SS200 to come without ABS, but according to a recent spy picture, the 200SS might be offered with an ABS variant in India as well as for the international markets.

We are expecting Bajaj to price the Pulsar 200SS Rs 20,000 above the Pulsar NS200. Our sources say that the launch which was supposed to happen in December has been postponed to early 2015 for reasons not known to us.

Stay tuned to BikeWale as we get you more details about the Bajaj Pulsar200SS.

Kawasaki India might launch the Ninja H2 March 2015

Kawasaki recently had everyone pleasantly surprised with its new hyperbikes, the Ninja H2R and the Ninja H2. Unveiled at the InterMot and EICMA Shows respectively, these two engineering marvels are in a league of their own when it comes to performance, technological prowess and aesthetics. While both the motorcycles have already gone on sale in Europe and America, rumour mills suggest that Kawasaki is planning to introduce the road-legal Ninja H2 in the Indian market sometime around March, next year.

The Ninja H2R has clear signs of the Japanese manufacturer’s ‘mass forward, minimalist tail’ design philosophy. Like the Ninja H2R, the Ninja H2 is built around a tubular trellis frame which stands apart from the rest of the bodywork, thanks to Kawasaki’s trademark green paint. As opposed to the bare carbon fibre bodywork seen in the Ninja H2R, the Ninja H2’s bodywork gets a very regal silver mirror paint finish.

The H2 is powered by a 998cc in-line four supercharged engine which has been rated at 197bhp and 156Nm of torque. Kawasaki offers the optional Ram Air intake, which adds upto 10bhp to the power output. Unlike the Ninja H2R though, the Ninja H2 is quite a heavyweight and tips the scales at a hefty 238 kilograms.

The electronics package includes ABS, engine brake control, traction control, fully adjustable suspension and a quick shifter. The single-sided swingarm and starfish alloy wheels add to the aesthetic appeal of the motorcycle, besides serving their functional purpose.

The Ninja H2 has been priced at USD 25,000 (Rs 15.47 lakh) in the US market. As the motorcycle will be imported to India as a completely built unit (CBU), we expect the Ninja H2 to be priced in the Rs 30 lakh to Rs 33 lakh price bracket. At this price point the Ninja H2 will rival the likes of Aprilia RSV4 Factory and the BMW HP4.

Harley-Davidson Street 500 launched in Indonesia at Rs 11 lakh

Harley-Davidson has launched the Street 500 motorcycle in the Indonesian market at IDR 219 million (Rs 11 lakh). The Street 500 is positioned below the Superlow and is the most affordable motorcycle in the iconic American manufacturer’s line-up.

The Street 500 is a part of Harley-Davidson’s new Dark Custom range of cruisers. Except for the rear shocks and the front forks, which are garnished in chrome, the entire motorcycle gets a matte black theme. The seven-spoke black cast aluminium wheels and a headlamp cowl complement the black plated engine and exhaust system. It also gets other traditional cruiser design cues like a two-in-one exhaust system, pullback handlebars, mid mounted controls and a round headlamp with bikini fairing.

Based on a brand new platform, the company’s first in the last 13 years, the Street 500 is powered by a new 494cc 60-degree V-twin Revolution X engine. This liquid-cooled powertrain is similar to the one used in the bigger Street 750, but for the narrower bore. The engine is rated at 40Nm of torque and comes mated to a six-speed gearbox. Harley-Davidson claims a fuel efficiency of 17.4kmpl for the Street 500.

Harley-Davidson launched the Street 750 in India a few months ago. The company had revealed that the Street 500 will also eventually make it to our shores, though it has refused to divulge any other details about its launch. The Street 500 and the Street 750 both are critical products for Harley-Davidson and are targeted at a new set of users. The Street 500 is expected to go on sale in India early next year, with a price tag of around Rs 3.7 lakh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDwGoIr2bOI

KTM RC390 Sportsbike – All the Details in 4 Minutes

KTM starts testing MY2016 Duke 125, 200 and 390 bikes

2016 Model Year KTM Duke Spyshot

KTM has already started testing the 2016 model year versions of the Duke 125, 200 and 390. the testing has started in Europe, which is the actual home of KTM. The motorbike brand has European origins and is based in Austria. It is now part owned by Bajaj Auto which owns nearly half the company. Bajaj Auto also makes KTMs biggest selling bike series, the Duke 125, 200 and 390. All these bikes are made at Chakan and exported.

The Dukes that have been updated for 2016 and get a few new features. Four major changes will be made to the small engined Duke range. The rear subframe, a new number plate hanger at the rear and new position for the indicators are some changes. The bike also gets a new exhaust that opens out from the side. This is different from the underbody exhausts that the Duke 125, 200 and 390 series come with presently.

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz recalled for clutch defect

This is not the first issue with the Ciaz since launch. An issue with the touch-screen that features on the car as part of the system resulted in the commencement of deliveries being delayed.

The Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is just two months old in India. The car has already been recalled for a clutch defect. Maruti has recalled 3,796 Ciaz sedans to fix the faulty clutch system. This is probably the fastest recall in India that has come less than 2 months after the launch of a car. If you own a Ciaz, you may want to check this website – Maruti Suzuki Service Campaign – and find out whether your car is a part of the recall.

This recall affects only the Ciaz with the manual gearbox. Automatic versions of the car are not affected by the recall. The Ciaz was launched in October 2014 and Maruti Suzuki has already sold more than 10,000 units of the car. Maruti Suzuki will soon start exporting the Ciaz to other countries from India.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Hey guys this is the review video of benelli tnt 1300r..................................

Sorry the video is not clear. From next time it would be clear.

upcoming 150cc bikes in india 2014

The upcoming Bajaj Pulsar 150NS, as the name suggests, would be highly based on the 200NS and would come with similar naked-street bodywork. While there are good chances that the bike would miss out on the mono-suspension and rear disc brake, it would still get new design alloy wheels, a split seat and a digi speedo console similar to that of the 200NS. Not much is currently known about the 150NS but it is being hoped that the bike would be introduced early next year.

The upcoming YZF R15 V3.0 facelift is the priciest and the most powerful bike we have here in this list. Expected to be launched next month, the YZF R15 V3.0 will be mightier by 1 PS (only!) and will come with a host of technical upgrades that would bestow the bike with a better torque curve and hence, a more useful mid-range. Yamaha YZF R15 V3.0 Price in India is expected to be the same as that of the current model, which means the bike would be sold for a price of around INR 1.13 lakhs (ex-showroom).

Basically a slightly sportier variant of the Xtreme 150cc motorcycle, the upcoming Hero Xtreme Sports launch can happen any moment now and there are good chances that Hero Xtreme Sports price won’t be pegged too higher than that of the standard variant. CLICK HERE for our earlier story on Hero Xtreme Sports. The Xtreme Sports is powered by the same 149.2cc air-cooled engine that powers the regular variant. This motor has a max power of 15.2bhp@ 8500 rpm and peak torque of 12.80 Nm @ 6500 rpm. Updates that the Sports variant carries include new graphics, restyled headlamp with LED pilot lamps and wider rear tyre.

Range Rover Evoque Cabrio spotted testing

prototype of the Range Rover Evoque Cabrio has been spotted testing and with this adds another body style to the stylish Evoque lineup. The concept was previously seen at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show

The car has been spotted from a distance and there aren’t too many details visible, but the black fabric roof is clearly in the pictures.

The Cabrio is based on the three-door Evoque and expectedly will be the most stylish in its range. After its unveiling at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show the company officials had claimed this body style might be a possibility. However, it seems like the EvoqueCabrio will soon go into production.

It is likely to be powered by the Ingenium range of petrol and diesel engines that powers the recently launched Jaguar XE.