Mercedes-Benz Launches S500 Coupe, AMG S63 Coupe and AMG G63, Costs Rs 2 cr to Rs 2.60 cr

Mercedes, for the first time ever launched three models in a day, S500 Coupe, AMG S63 Coupe and AMG G63 Crazy Color Edition priced between Rs 2 cr to Rs 2.60 cr. The S500 Coupe and AMG S63 Coupe will have unique headlamps with a total of 94 Swarovski crystals and the AMG G63 will sport in solar beam,  and sunset beam.

The S500 coupe is powered by a 4.7 litre, twin-turbo, V8 engine which gives maximum output of 453bhp and a peak torque of 700Nm. The Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG has a 5.5 litre, twin-turbo, V8 unit and mated to a 7 speed gearbox, and gives a massive 577bhp power and peak torque of 900Nm. The S63 AMG Crazy color edition will be available in both the rear-wheel drive and 4MATIC all-wheel drive system. While the RWD model races upto 100kmph in 4.2 seconds, the AWD model takes just 3.9 seconds to reach 100kmph. The S63 AMG can reach up to a maximum speed of 250km/h.

Eberhard Kern, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented, "We have seen an increasing demand for exclusivity and customization from our customers and the launch of the ‘designo’ range will further reinforce Mercedes-Benz’s customer focused approach, transforming customer delight to the next level. We have seen the Indian luxury car customers are increasingly seeking higher levels of customization and Mercedes- Benz with its latest product portfolio and the new ‘designo’ platform will have a clear edge in catering to these diverse customer requirements."

Prices for the following models (ex-showroom, Delhi):

Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Crazy Colour Edition - Rs 2.17 cr
Mercedes-Benz S500 Coupe - Rs. 2 cr
Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG - Rs 2.60 cr

Mahindra’s New SUV Named As TUV300, Will Be available In September

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) will be naming its new SUV, Mahindra TUV300. It was also announced that the upcoming model will have raised shoulders, high front nose, flat roof, high ground clearance, and straight bonnet. The design of the Mahindra TUV300 has been motivated by a battle tank.

Speaking at the name reveal, Dr. Pawan Goenka, Executive Director, M&M Ltd. said "Today, Mahindra has the strongest equity in the SUV segment in India. In our ongoing automotive journey, we identified a need for a tough, bold and masculine SUV and our customer clinics have confirmed that the TUV300 delivers on these parameters. I am confident that the Mahindra TUV300 will follow in the footsteps of its illustrious predecessors to evolve into an iconic brand for Mahindra."

Pravin Shah, President & Chief Executive, (Automotive)  M&M Ltd. said, "The TUV300 is the very epitome of the Mahindra RISE philosophy as its development challenged the limits and conventional thinking, and involved the innovative use of resources. The vehicle will be manufactured at M&M’s future-ready manufacturing facility at  MVML, Chakan in Maharashtra, where again innovative engineering, state-of-the-art technologies and manufacturing excellence are simply par excellence."

The research and development of Mahindra TUV300 has been carried out at the world class Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) in Chennai. The Mahindra TUV300 will be powered by the advanced mHawK engine. We saw Hyundai launching its Creta SUV last week and Maruti all geared up to launch the cross-over SUV, S-Cross next week. 

Monsoon Scooter Rally 2015 To Commence On August 9

Gulf Oil And Sportscraft brings you the 26th edition of the Monsoon Scooter Rally starting next month under the guidance of FMSCI. The event will be held in the backwoods of Navi Mumbai on August 9, 2015. The event will be more fun and challenging if there is heavy rain prior to the event along the 25 km dirt course. 

This event invites professionals as well as biker enthusiasts to take part and is open to all types of scooters from two-stroke, four-stroke, and gearless. 30 entries have been received so far. 

A maximum of 45 entries will be accepted on first come basis and the last date for registration is July 31st and late entries can be extended to August 5th. 

Last years winner R Nataraj from TVS Racing will be participating this year too. Sportscraft’s Chief Shrikant Karani stated that an "Army of riders" from Bhopal has registered too. Winners will also win trophies and cash prizes of up to Rs. 75,000. 

Gautam Singhania Scores Double Podium At 2015 Ferrari Challenge Europe Championship

Gautam Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director, Raymond Limited secured a double podium finish at the Ferrari Challenge Europe Championship at Le Castellet. He finished third in Race 1 and second in Race 2 in the Coppa Shell category. 

Gautam Singhania had earlier scored podium at Monza and Budapest last month. He is representing India and is endorsed by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI).

Commenting on his win, Gautam Singhania said “It is yet another proud moment for me to secure a podium finish in Race 1 and Race 2 at the fourth round of the Ferrari Challenge in Le Castellet, France. It has been a great start for me to this prestigious Ferrari event with a double podium finish in Monza and Le Castelletas I look forward to slowly move up the overall standings and have set my sights on The World Finals 2015 in December."

Gautam Singhania is racing with the Swiss Team named Kessel Racing. The next round will take place at Imola, Italy from September 18-20, 2015. The World Final consists of three races in December 2015, where one race is together with the other two regions of Asia and North America. The grid will consist of 40-50 cars which will be very interesting. Wishing Gautam Singhania all the best for the remaining rounds of the Ferrari Challenge Europe Championship. 

Maruti Suzuki DZire Crosses 10 Lakh Sales Milestone

India's largest car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki hit another milestone when its DZire model hit the 10 laks figure in the country. Maruti Suzuki DZire was launched way back in 2008 and has been one of the most successful leader in the entry segment. It enters the elite club models like Alto, Swift and Wagon R.

Mr. R S Kalsi, Executive Director, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India said, "DZire is a complete package. Its refreshed looks, rich equipment list, enhanced fuel efficiency, have been warmly received by customers and have enabled us to strengthen sales and enhance share in a tough market. We thank all DZire customers for their patronage to the brand."

The DZire is available in both Petrol and Diesel fuel options and offers premium features like engine push start/stop button, reverse park assist, new motion alloy wheels and Bluetooth with audio etc. 

Dzire is also exported to various countries like Africa, South America, Central America, Middle East ASEAN and SAARC countries. The cumulative exports till June 2015 were around 50,000 units.

Sebastian Vettel Wins The Hungarian Grand Prix In Style

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel won the Hungarian Grand Prix and paid tribute to Jules Bianchi yesterday. The second and third spot was sealed by Red Bull drivers Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo. It was a proud moment for Vettel as he equalled third with the great legend Ayrton Senna with his 41st win overall.  

21 year old Kvyat of Russia drove magnificently to claim his first ever podium. Defending champion Lewis Hamilton started from pole position but managed to finish sixth after he ran off the track. Nico Rosberg was very unfortunate as his tyre got punctured when he was all set to take the second position. The German drive had to be content with the eight position at the chequered flag.

Jos Verstappen of Netherlands finished fourth for Toro Rosso and Spaniard Fernando Alonso finished fifth for Mclaren. Force India cars started at 11th and 13th position but could not finish the race. 

There was a minute's silence in memory of Jules Bianchi before the race started. The drivers stood arm in arm in circle around their helmets along with Bianchi's family.

"This victory is for Jules," said the Ferrari driver after the win. "We know that it has been an incredibly tough week and it’s for all of us very difficult, so this one is for him and especially all the people in Ferrari. We knew that sooner or later he would have been part of our team, part of this family. Cette victoire, c’est pour Jules.”

Lewis Hamilton leads the championship table with 202 points followed by team-mate Nico Rosberg with 181 points and Sebastian Vettel with 160 points. Nico Hulkenburg despite the crash, is in 9th poistion with 24 points. In the constructors table, Mercedes is seating comfortable with 383 points, followed with Ferrari and Williams with 236 ad 151 points. Force India is in fifth position with 39 points.

BMW X6 Launched in India For Rs 1.15 Crores (USD $ 17,37,750)

BMW has launched the all new BMW X6, the only Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) in the world for a whopping Rs 1.15 crores. The BMW X6 xDrive40d is available in Alpine White as non-metallic paintwork and in the following four metallic paintworks: Carbon Black, Flamenco Red Brilliant Effect, Space Grey and Mineral White.

Mr. Philipp von Sahr, President, BMW Group India said, "Luxury has always been written with an X. To the very last detail, the all-new BMW X6 offers a unique synthesis of luxury, sporting dynamics and powerful style creating an excitingly different driving experience for our customers. The superior handling characteristics and thrilling driving dynamics bends the laws of physics, instantly propelling this exceptional vehicle to its rightful position as the king of the road."

The front view sports a wide kidney grille and large front air inlets with horizontal chrome trims, horizontal lines along with rear L-shaped tail lights with three  dimensional LED Adaptive Light banks. The luggage compartment in the BMW X6 offers 580 litres of storage space and 1,525 liters when all three sections are folded down.

The Driving Experience Control included as standard comes with an ECO PRO mode which enables additional fuel-saving features. The BMW Twin Power Turbo six-cylinder in-line diesel engine gives output of 230kW/313 hp and produces a maximum torque of 600 Nm at 1,500 – 2500 rpm. It races from 0-100 km/hr in just 5.8 seconds to a top speed of 240 km/h.

The new eight-speed sport automatic transmission X6 has Dynamic Damper Control with air suspension for the rear axle provides ultimate drive comfort. In terms of safety, the BMW X6 provides six airbags, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Hill Descent Control (HDC), Side-Impact protection, Electronic vehicle immobilizer and crash sensor.

Systems includes the high-definition, full-colour BMW Head-Up Display, BMW Selective Beam, emergency call with accident severity detection, optional BMW Night Vision with Dynamic light Spot, high-end Surround Sound system from Harmon Kardon and BMW apps.

The all-new BMW X6 comes with the M Sports Package and has a 19" double-spoke style light alloy wheels with mixed tyres. The M Leather steering wheel features particularly multifunction buttons and integrated gearshift paddles, while the door sill finishes with M logo. The interior is defined by two-tone upholstery in Exclusive Nappa leather with contrast stitching available in either Cognac/Black or Ivory white/Black, Leather upholstered door panels and instrument panels with contrast stitching. 

ISUZU Motors Launches Automatic MU-7 At Rs 23.90 Lakhs

ISUZU Motors has announced the launch of the MU-7 Automatic Transmission variant. The ISUZU MU-7 Manual Transmission variant was launched in December 2013. The interiors sport a 2 tone (Beige/Black) dashboard and a 3 spoke steering wheel mounted with audio controls. The MU-7 Automatic Transmission variant comes at a price of Rs. 23.90 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). 

The ISUZU MU-7 comes with the 4 cylinder, 2999 cc Intercooled VGS Turbo Diesel Engine, and delivers maximum torque of 333 Nm @1600-3200 rpm. The MU-7 is fitted with Independent double wishbone, torsion bar spring and anti-roll bar for the front and complemented with rigid gas-sealed shock absorbers in the front and rear.

Mr. Naohiro Yamaguchi, Managing Director, Isuzu Motors India, said, "We are happy to add the new MU-7 AT variant to our current product portfolio. In line with ISUZU’s philosophy to constantly study the market and offer customers a great experience, we now add the new Automatic Transmission variant with more enhanced features on the interior. Many have approached us for an Automatic variant in the MU-7 and with this launch we are sure that a wider range of SUV enthusiasts will prefer the MU-7." 

Also, it features the new 3 spoke steering wheel and the 2 tone dashboard with high gloss lacquer finished wood trim and the new Kenwood 6015 BT music system. Also available is a rear view camera which is synchronised with the touch screen display. 

ISUZU is currently assembling CKD kits of the MU-7 at the Hindustan Motors Ltd, facility in Thiruvallur, near Chennai. The MU-7 will be available at ISUZU’s exclusive dealer outlets currently operating across 25 locations in the country . 

Force Motors Opens New Plant At Chennai, To Build BMW Engines

Force Motors has opened its new plant at Mahindra World City in Chennai. The project took just seven months to complete it. It is also the first independent plant outside of the BMW Group that produces and tests engines for the German Luxury Car Maker.

Mr. Prasan Firodia said, "This is an important milestone in the company’s journey so far. We envision this facility as being instrumental in further establishing Force Motors' strengths as a preferred supplier of critical and high precision aggregates to top European brands."

The Chennai plant will be assembling diesel engines for the BMW X Series and 3 GT, 5 and 7 Series. The  plant can produce up to 20,000 engines per year and can be increased depending on BMW requesting more.

The Force Motors plant at Chennai has been developed under guidance from the luxury car maker and is according to their exacting global standards.  With the addition of this plant, the national presence of the group company goes up to fifteen facilities. Way to go..!!

Aditya Patel Leads Audi R8 LMS Cup Championship With Podium Finish At Taiwan

Aditya Patel continued his winning streak with another podium at the Penbay International Circuit in Taiwan. This was the third round of the Audi R8 LMS cup. This was also a three-race round and Aditya had a great day seeing him leading the championship table. 

Chennai star, Aditya started race 1 from sixth on the grid. He had a good start and moved two places ahead to finish fourth. Edoarda Mortara, DTM driver won this race comfortably.

It was race two which saw Aditya Patel clicnhing a podium finish claiming the 2nd spot. He started fourth on the grid and moved to 2nd place behind 1st race winner, Edoarda Mortara. Mortara was later penalized for an incident. Frankie Cheng, who was on better tyres soon challenged Aditya and managed to take a lead. 

Aditya started race three hoping to win the race. However, he was at a disadvantage right from the beginning as he started the race on used tyres. Aditya lost the lead and dropped to sixth place due to damage from the incident on the first lap. 

Aditya managed to collect enough points to lead championship table. Patel now leads the title with 80 points ahead of Thomas Fjordbach with 76 and Frankie Cheng with 68 points. The next race will be in Malaysia on the 4th and 5th of September.

"It was a tough weekend both in terms of conditions as well as competition. It still feels good to lead the championship after the halfway mark. I did make some wrong decisions in terms of strategy but I guess I won’t make the same mistakes again! I now look forward to the second half of the season."

Formula 1 Driver Jules Bianchi Dies Of Injury

Formula 1 driver Jules Bianchi breathed his last yeaterday. The french driver had sustained major head injuries during last years Japanese Grand Prix in October. He was only 25 year old and would have turned 26 on August 3.

Jules had competed in 34 races in 2013 and 2014 seasons for Team Marussia. He gave the team his first points of the season by finishing in 9th position at the Monaco Frand Prix. This helped the Marussia team to notch one place higher than team Sauber in the points standings. 

Bianchi was in coma since October 5, in which his car had smashed up with the mobile crane which was being used to pick up another crashed car (involving Adrian Sutil) at the wet Japanese circuit.

The family statement said "Jules fought right to the very end, as he always did, but today his battle came to an end. The pain we feel is immense and indescribable." 

The Manor team tweeted: "We are devastated to lose Jules after such a hard-fought battle. It was a privilege to have him race for our team."

Stanadyne Launches EcoForce In India

Stanadyne, a global leader in the design and manufacture of high HP diesel and gasoline fuel systems launched EcoForce in India today. The NextGen diesel fuel pump has been developed by Stanadyne Amalgamation, a joint venture between U.S. based Stanadyn, and the Amalgamations group. EcoForce's next generation diesel fuel system will cater to the below 50 horsepower engine market. It will reduce particulate emissions by 50% while offering 8% higher fuel economy compared to other engines in the same category. Ecoforce is designed for farming, construction and industrial sectors. 

Ms. Jacquie Boyer, Vice President Global Sales and Marketing, Stanadyne LLC, Sanjay Chadda, Managing Director, Stanadyne, India, Dr. John Pinson, President and CTO, Stanadyne & S. Jayabalan, Senior General Manager of Engineering for Stanadyne Amalgamations Private Ltd.

The company plans to launch the new product in 2016 with an investment of Rs. 100 crores over the course of the program. Since 2004, Stanadyne has produced over 18 lac pumps for sale within India and in international markets.  Recently, Stanadyne achieved over 50 percent local market share of mid-sized generator-sets along with broad penetration into farming and industrial sectors.

Speaking on the occasion, at the Mumbai press conference, Dr. John Pinson, Stanadyne President and CTO said,"EcoForce is based on an innovative design concept for the below 50 horsepower market that offers superior engine performance and fuel economy with a lower total cost of ownership."

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sanjay Chadda, Managing Director, Stanadyne India said, "EcoForce will address the dual concerns of high fuel costs and air quality emissions resulting in better quality of life in India. With investment plans in place, we are expanding our plant production capacity to accommodate the increasing demand. As a result of strong market interest, we anticipate sales to more than double by 2018."

Formula 1 Champion Lewis Hamilton Banned At Wimbledon Men's Final

Reigning Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton was denied entry at the Royal Box during Wimbledon Men's Final for lack of dress code. He had turned up for the major event in a bright floral shirt and a hat.

Guests who are invited at the Royal Box area are required to wear Suits or jackets and a tie. 

His spokesperson said: "Due to a misunderstanding over dress code, he is disappointed to have missed the final."

Lewis Hamilton had earlier posted on his Instagram account: "On my way to Wimbledon to watch the final. Honoured to have been invited to watch the men's finals from the Royal Box!"

If he came without a jacket, tie or shoes he would have had two choices – not staying or going to get some extra stuff: Spokesman for the All England Club said.

Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in four sets to win Sunday's Wimbledon title.

Guy Martin And Triumph Attempt To Bring The Record Back Home

Triumph has confirmed its intention to break the motorcycle land speed record at the salt flats of Bonneville, USA, in August 2015. Piloting the 1,000 bhp Triumph Rocket Streamliner will be Isle of Man TT racer, truck mechanic and TV presenter Guy Martin. Well known for his love of speed, Guy is relishing the prospect of bringing the land speed record back to Triumph.

The iconic British motorbike brand, Triumph has a long legacy of smashing the land speed record and held the title of "World's Fastest Motorcycle" from 1955 to 1970 with the exception of a brief 33-day period. The record-breaking Triumph streamliners of that period were Devil's Arrow, Texas Cee-gar, Dudek Streamliner and Gyronaut X1, the former achieving a top speed of 245.667 mph (395.28 km/h). Today's bar, held by Rocky Robinson since 2010 riding the Top Oil-Ack Attack streamliner, sits at 376.363 mph (605.697 km/h).

The 2015 Triumph Rocket Streamliner features a carbon Kevlar monocoque construction with two turbocharged Triumph Rocket III engines producing a combined 1,000 bhp at 9,000 rpm. The motorcycle is 25.5' long, 2' wide and 3' tall. Powered by methanol fuel, the bike is competing in the Division C (streamlined motorcycle) category. 

The iconic Bonneville name was conceived following Johnny Allen’s land-speed record runs at the Salt Flats in September 1955, when he reached the record breaking speed of 193.72 mph. The first T120 Bonneville model was unveiled at the Earls Court Bike Show and went on sale in 1959.

With final testing scheduled at the Bonneville Salt Flats in mid-July, the record attempt will take place 24-27 August, 2015.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Vimal Sumbly, Managing Director, Triumph Motorcycles India said "We are extremely excited to see adrenaline junkie Guy Martin confirmed as pilot for the Triumph world record attempt and will be tuned in from the 23-27 August 2015. We wish Guy and the entire team all the very best to break the motorcycle land speed record at the salt flats of Bonneville, USA."

Honda Cars India Limited Launches 3rd Generation Honda Jazz

Honda Cars India Ltd. has launched the 3rd generation Honda Jazz. The petrol variant has been priced between Rs 5.30 lakh and Rs 7.85 lakhs while the diesel version will cost between Rs 6.49 lakhs to Rs 8.59 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). 

The Hatchback car is a global model in Honda’s line-up and will be available in both Diesel and Petrol fuel options in India. The company stated that the diesel variant will debut with 1.5 L i-DTEC diesel engine exclusively for the Indian market which will offer a class leading fuel economy of 27.3 km/l. The All New Jazz has been developed at Honda’s R&D Centre located in Tochigi, Japan. The Diesel Jazz is powered by the 1.5L i-DTEC diesel engine of Earth Dream Technology series and delivers a maximum power of 100ps@3600 rpm and maximum torque of 200 N-m@1750 rpm. It has been mated to a newly developed 6-speed Manual Transmission.

The Petrol variant of the Jazz is powered with a 1.2 L i-VTEC engine that delivers a maximum power of 90 ps@6000 rpm and a torque of 110 N-m@4800 rpm. It has been mated with Honda’s advanced CVT that delivers segment leading fuel efficiency of 19 kmpl. It is the only car in its segment to be equipped with steering-wheel-mounted unique dual mode "Paddle Shift" option. The petrol variant also comes with 5 speed manual transmission.

Its exterior features include LED tail and stop lamp, tail gate spoiler, rear micro antenna, 15" sporty alloy wheels, stylish fog lamps, sleek turn indicators on door mirrors. Its  interior Equipment has a segment Auto A/C with touch screen control panel, a highly visible always lit 3-eye meter array with Eco-assist function, steering wheel with buttons for audio and hands free control, advance integrated audio with 12.7 cm (5") Screen and Rear parking camera with multiple views. The top variant of the Jazz consists of an advanced 15.7 cm (6.2") touchscreen Audio Visual Navigation (AVN) system with camera display and DVD playback. The interiors of the Jazz feature Premium beige fabric seats. The Jazz also offers maneuverability with 5.1m minimum turning radius.The Jazz boasts spacious boot of 354L and has a ground clearance of 165mm.

The new Jazz features Advanced Compatibility Engineering body which enhances self-protection while mitigating damage to other vehicles in the event of a Collison. In terms of safety, it includes Pedestrian Injury Mitigation Technology, Driver and  Front Passenger Dual SRS-Airbags, Anti-Lock Brake System which prevents wheel locking, Electronic Brake Distribution which enhances braking performance. Also, the front seats are equipped with Impact Mitigating Headrests which reduces the possibility of neck injury in rear impacts of low speed. The ABS with EBD is being offered as standard across all diesel and Petrol CVT variants. 

The Honda Jazz is available in 5 grades offered in petrol and diesel variants- E, S, SV, V and VX with Manual Transmission. Additionally, the Jazz will be available in CVT in S and V petrol variants. The All new Jazz is available in 7 colors –Sunset Orange, Carnelian red pearl, Orchid white pearl, Golden brown metallic, Urban Titanium metallic,Alabaster Silver metallic and Taffeta white. The All new Jazz will come with a 2-year or 40,000 Km warranty as standard value for all customers. 

Lewis Hamilton Cruises To Superb Victory at British Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory at the 2015 Formula 1 British Grand Prix and third on his home ground. Team mate Nico Rosberg came second followed by Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel. 

Earlier, Hamilton had got his 8th pole out of 9 races this year. Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas made a flying start from the second row to lead Hamilton and Rosberg. Lewis made a pit stop on the 19th lap for tyre change. Massa and Rosberg went in the pits on 20th lap and Bottas on the 21st lap. Hamilton passed them before they joined the circuit from the pits. 

Major drama happened during the race as we saw some cars crashing and rain interrupting in between. At one go, three cars including Lotus's Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado and McLaren's Jenson Button car were taken out of the race.

Williams Massa and Bottas despite a fight and some bad luck finished 4th and 5th respectively with Daniil Kvyat of Red Bull finishing 6th. Sauber's Felipe Nasr had a horrible day as his car got stuck in the sixth gear on the grid formation lap. Force India's Nico Hulkenberg came 7th with team mate Sergio Perez finishing 9th. Overall, it was good to see both driver collecting points. Raikkonen came eighth and Fernando Alonso scored his first point of the season with 10th for McLaren.

Two times World defending champion Hamilton leads the pack with 194 points to is credit followed by Rosberg’s 177, with Vettel third on 135. Mercedes have 371 points to Ferrari's 211 and Williams 151.

Race Results:

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:31:27.729   
Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) +10.956s   
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) +25.443s
Felipe Massa (Williams) +36.839s   
Valtteri Bottas (Williams) +63.194s
Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull) +63.955s   
Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) +78.744s   
Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) +1 lap    
Sergio Perez (Force India) +1 lap    
Fernando Alonso (McLaren) +1 lap    

Volkswagen Launches New Vento For Indian Market

Europe’s largest car maker, Volkswagen has launched the new Vento for Indian market starting at price of Rs 7.70 lacs. The new Vento is available with a range of four-cylinder engines - 1.6 MPI, 1.2 TSI and 1.5 TDI power plants. In terms of safety, the new Vento comes fitted with ABS (in Comfortline & Highline), ESP & Hill-hold function (in DSG variants) and dual front air-bags as standard in all the variants.

The new Vento’s 1.5-litre four-cylinder TDI turbo-diesel engine produces 105 PS of power and 250Nm of torque, clocking a fuel economy figure of 21.50 kmpl, as per ARAI.

The 1.2 TSI engine produces 105 PS of power and 175 Nm of torque, delivering a fuel economy of 18.19 kmpl. The 1.6 MPI engine produces 105 PS of power and 153Nm of torque, with a fuel efficiency of 16.09 kmpl, as per ARAI. 

The New Vento includes electrically foldable ORVMs with integrated LED turn indicators and powerful front fog lamps with integrated cornering lights, for the benefit of the driver. Exterior features include the new front grille, alloy wheels and chrome lining on the boot lid, exhaust tip and door handles. The New Vento now offers the cruise control mode that further enhances the driving experience. Other changes include an all-new cooled glove box and new interior colour themes of 'Walnut desert beige (in Highline) and 'Cloud – Titanschwarz' (in Trendline and Comfortline).

The new Volkswagen Vento will be available in 6 colours: Titanium Beige, Carbon Steel, Candy White, Toffee Brown, Night Blue and Reflex Silver

Prices of the New Vento (Ex-showroom Mumbai - without Octroi and local taxes):

Petrol 1.6 MPI-TL, CL, HL for Rs 7.70lac, Rs. 8.51lac, 9.24

Petrol 1.2 TSI DSG-CL, HL for Rs 9.68 and 10.42

Diesel 1.5 TDI-TL, CL, HL for Rs 8.93, 9.73 and 10.47

Diesel 1.5 TDI DSG-CL and HL for Rs 10.91 and 11.64

Jaguar's Special Edition XF Aero-Sport Launched At Rs 52 Lacs

Jaguar today announced the launch of its exclusive XF Aero-sport at Rs 52 lacs (Ex-showroom Mumbai). This special edition variant is powered by a 2.2 litre diesel engine and offers a range of exterior upgrades.

Rohit Suri, President, Jaguar Land Rover India, said "Jaguar XF is known for its dynamic design, impeccable performance, refined drive and effortless power. The unique design enhancements on XF Aero-sport will further endear the hugely popular model to our young and sophisticated customers looking to own an exclusive Jaguar luxury, sports saloon."

In addition to features like the Touch-screen, Navigation system, Front Seat Away, Full Size Spare Wheel and Sunroof, Jaguar XF 2.2 Litre Diesel Aero-sport comes equipped with sporty exterior features such as: Rear spoiler, 'R' style side sills, a sport-style front bumper and a Black Grille with Chrome Surround.

With interiors of perfectly tailored supple leather, contemporary aluminium surfaces and elegant real wood veneers, the XF Aero-sport will be available in Polaris White, Ultimate Black, Sapphire Blue and Odyssey Red exterior colours.

The 2.2 Litre Diesel engine with a maximum power output of 140 kW @ 3500 rpm and maximum torque of 450 Nm@ 2000 rpm, delivers performance without compromising on efficiency. The company has stated that the Jaguar XF Aero-sport will be available for sale from this month onwards.

Jaguar Launches #FEELWIMBLEDON Campaign

Jaguar, the Official Car of The Championships, has launched its #FeelWimbledon campaign to celebrate  with the world’s number one tennis tournament. As part of this fan experience at Wimbledon, selected members of the crowd enjoying the tennis this year will be provided with biometric wristbands capturing the excitement at SW19, in-ground sensors monitoring the energy around the courts. 

From measuring how the crowd energy compares between Centre Court, No.1 Court and The Hill, the excitement building in the ground as the home favorite serves for the Championships, or capturing the tension on court as a key match goes deeper into a fifth set, Jaguar will celebrate these emotional reactions to critical moments throughout the tournament. Tennis fans can access live updates of the crowd emotions down at SW19 across Jaguar’s UK social media channels, and by visiting www.feelwimbledon.co.uk.   

Former British No.1 Tim Henman, who now sits on the Committee at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club said: "There’s no other tournament like Wimbledon and the experience gets better each year. The drama, passion and excitement, shared by both players and fans alike, is what makes Wimbledon the number one tennis tournament in the world, and it’s great to see Jaguar celebrating these unique qualities as part of their #FeelWimbledon campaign."

Laura Schwab, UK Marketing Director at Jaguar Land Rover, said: "Wimbledon evokes lots of emotions and captures our imaginations in so many different ways, so we’re very excited to celebrate what makes Wimbledon so special through our #FeelWimbledon campaign."

Jaguar Land Rover will supply 170 luxury, high performance vehicles to support tournament operations. The fleet of luxury chauffeur vehicles includes the new Jaguar XE, which is now on sale at Jaguar UK retailers.

Hero Motocorp Launches 'Xtreme Sports' Bike For Rs 72,000

World’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, Hero MotoCorp Ltd. has introduced its sporty version bike, 'Xtreme Sports'. Earlier in June 2015, Hero motors had launched the Passion Pro across markets in the country. The market launch of 'Xtreme Sports', which was first showcased at the Auto Expo 2014 in Delhi, further augments Hero’s product range in the premium segment. 

The 'Xtreme Sports' is powered by a 149.2cc air-cooled, 4-stroke single cylinder engine, producing a maximum power output of 15.6 BHP @8500 rpm and maximum torque of 13.5 Nm @7000 rpm. Adding to its features, the front cowl with aerodynamic visor, new wolf-eye headlamp with eyebrow lights and winkers. It has a split seat, stylist exhaust and a trendy muffler. 

While Tubeless Tyres enhance safety of the rider and pillion, the wider rear tyre provides better road grip. The new Digi-analog console with side stand indicator improves instrument cluster visibility. It sports 240 mm front and 220 mm rear disc brakes. Hero MotoCorp is set to roll out a multi-media communication campaign for

Xtreme Sports. The campaign featuring bollywood icon, Ranbir Kapoor will premier on television and then be taken on other platforms including print and social media. 

The Xtreme Sports is available at all Hero dealerships across the country. It is priced at Rs 72,725 (ex-showroom Delhi), Rs 73,194 (ex-showroom Mumbai), Rs 71,515 (ex-showroom Chennai) Rs 73,902 (ex-showroom Kolkata) and Rs 71,729 (ex-showroom Bangalore). The bike is available in five colors – Panther Black, Fiery Red, Mercuric Silver and the new Black-Red and Pyro Orange colors.

Hero Group Enters Into Electronics Sector With ‘HERO ELECTRONIX’

The US $ 5 billion led Brijmohan Lall Munjal - ledHero Group has announced its foray into the growing electronics sector in India, with the formation of a new company, ‘Hero Electronix’. The decision aligns with the ‘Make in India’ vision of the government and will help the growth of the sector. Hero Electronix will acquire a majority shareholding in Mybox Technologies Pvt Ltd, the largest multi operator manufacturer of set top boxes in the country.
 
Mybox is a leading supplier to marquee DTH and cable operators across India. A company with strong research and development capabilities, Mybox is a venture recognized by the Government of India and approved by DSIR (Department of Scientific and Industrial Research). An iconic household name in India since 1950's, the group has helped the growth of industry in the country, bringing customer-focused products ranging from two-wheelers to financial solutions.

Mr. Suman Kant Munjal, Chairman, Hero Electronix, said, "Hero Electronix will add associated business lines to its portfolio over the next few years and grow the vertical to help India develop a much needed sustainable electronics eco-system. 

The company has lined up investments of Rs. 500 Crore in next few years. This will give a huge impetus to the ‘Make in India’ initiative by helping reduce the imports of electronics into the country."

As per the estimates of India Electronic and Semiconductor Association (IESA), the imports of electronics into India currently stand at 65% of the overall demand. Mybox is strategically focusing on fulfilling the demand of digitization in India, while simultaneously developing products for the world.