VR Tech Times

What are you driving and why? I drive a Fiat 500 Giardiniera, with which I’ve participated in the 21 Gun Salute Concours d’Elegance. I also own other classics, such as a 1980 Mercedes-Benz 230 (W123), Fiat 126p, Citroën Traction Avant, Tempo 1200, and many more. What’s next on your wish list? The Land Rover Defender 110 V8 for its performance and off-road capabilities. The most fun you’ve had in a car? Driving my 1939 Tempo 1200 from Pune to different cities for various vintage car events. I have driven this beast almost 10,000km through the beauty of our country. Favourite/Dream money no object car? The 1936 Rolls-Royce Phantom III. Who is your all time greatest motorsport hero? Michael Schumacher. Badamikar also owns this Citroën Traction Avant.   Favourite road? The drive from Pune to Goa via the Anuskura Ghat, for its hair-pin turns and great views. What’s on your automotive bucket list? The 1970-80’s Mercedes-Benz SL 450 (R107) convertible. What would you do...

I am looking at purchasing a new car with a budget of around Rs 60 lakh-70 lakh, on-road, Mumbai. I generally hold on to a car for five years, and I am always chauffeur driven; so back-seat comfort and ride quality are my priorities. My daily run is around 20-25km within the city. Jimmi Desai, Mumbai Autocar India says : The BMW 330Li (long-wheelbase) is an excellent choice that fits most of your requirements while staying within your Rs 60 lakh-70 lakh (on-road, Mumbai) budget. Given that back seat comfort is a priority, this is where the 330Li truly excels. With its extended wheelbase, the rear seat offers generous legroom, making it significantly more spacious than the standard 3 Series. The ride quality is plush, as BMW has tuned its latest models in India to prioritise comfort over outright sportiness, making it well-suited for Mumbai’s roads. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is smooth, refined, and delivers strong performance, ensuring effortless city commutes while still b...

Eurogrip has rapidly gained traction in the two-wheeler tyre segment and is now the OEM supplier for Aprilia’s RS 457 and Tuono 457. At EICMA last year, it introduced two new Trailhound tyres: the STR and SCR. We tested the latter at the MotoFarm off-road circuit near Bengaluru. The Trailhound SCRs are designed to balance on-road performance and light off-road capability. They feature a radial structure with a 0-degree steel belt, X-Ply construction reinforced with synthetic fibres and a high-silica compound for improved grip. With an 80/20 tread pattern, they enhance water drainage and traction on gravel. However, our dry test conditions limited the wet-weather evaluation.   The SCRs can tackle mild off-roading and dirt trails but are designed primarily for on-road use. For the test, we had access to a selection of motorcycles, including the Suzuki V-Strom SX, Royal Enfield Scram 411 and the previous-generation KTM 390 Adventure X. My first ride with the SCRs was on the...

The Honda Amaze and Maruti Suzuki Dzire are two of the latest subcompact sedans on sale in India. Not only do they offer three-box form factors within the tax-light sub-4-metre bracket, but they also promise reliable and frugal motoring experiences. We’ve already tested the real-world performance of the Amaze and Dzire , but what about their fuel efficiency? Amaze packs a 4-cylinder engine and develops 90hp and 110Nm Dzire weighs less and has one less cylinder but a higher torque figure Honda Amaze vs Maruti Dzire price and specifications Honda Amaze vs Maruti Suzuki Dzire price and specs Amaze Dzire Engine 4 cyl, naturally aspirated petrol 3 cyl, naturally aspirated petrol Displacement (cc) 1,199 1,197 Power (hp) 90 82 Torque (Nm) 110 112 Transmission CVT 5-speed AMT Kerb weight (kg) 986 960 Price (Rs, ex-showroom) 11.20 lakh 10.19 lakh Both sedans come with 1.2-litre petrol engines, but the key differentiator is the cylind...

My budget is around Rs 10 lakh, and I am confused between the Tata Punch and Maruti Brezza. Additionally, I heard that Tata has discontinued the production of some parts for the Punch. Which car should I choose? Mayank Sharma, Jaipur Autocar India says: The Tata Punch is one of the most popular cars in India, and it's highly unlikely that Tata Motors has stopped producing parts for a model that’s still in high demand. If you're on a budget and primarily drive alone, the Punch will suit you just fine. However, if you need more space and prioritise overall reliability, the Brezza is the better choice, as Maruti Suzuki has a stronger reputation of quality and service than Tata Motors. Also See: Tata Punch review, test drive Tata Punch video review 2022 Maruti Suzuki Brezza review: Topped up with new tech 2022 Maruti Suzuki Brezza video review     from Autocar India https://ift.tt/bGvDsXV

Back to our favourite time of the year – the annual Autocar Track Day – and we happily made the trip to the CoASTT High Performance Centre in Coimbatore once more. For the 2025 edition, too, we had the 11-time national champion Rajini Krishnan to put the bikes through their paces, but some things did change. Rishaad and Rajini discuss the bikes before the day starts. For one, the heat wasn’t as unforgiving as last year, and the track’s surface had improved in some crucial areas, especially certain corners. As it was our second visit to CoASTT, Rajini was better equipped to set quicker lap times. With the leaderboard from last year etched in our minds, we brought along some of the newest, most exciting bikes that had launched recently, as well as some older models. One must bear in mind that CoASTT is a fast and flowing track with elevation changes, and to set a good lap time here (more so than on the other tracks), you need a healthy dose of power. Much lower pressures for tra...

Hyundai will launch the first of its next-generation interiors in 2026, the brand’s vice president of design Simon Loasby told our sister publication Autocar UK. To prioritise safety, physical buttons in the cabin will continue to be offered, and the touchscreen may become smaller and run on an easier-to-use OS, Loasby added while speaking at the Seoul Mobility Show. Balance of physical buttons will be there Hyundai also working on the interiors of new N-badged cars Hyundai’s focus on safety Physical buttons mimise distraction “Our vision for our next-generation interiors [is that] the safest way is to keep the driver’s eyes on the road as much as possible…With this philosophy in mind, we quite quickly realised that the central screen is actually just a distraction. So [in terms of safety] you really don’t want people to look at the screen, you want them to look at eye level,” he said. By having physical buttons on the steering wheel, the driver can very quickly glance at the...

Hyundai took the wraps off its second-generation Nexo hydrogen fuel cell SUV on Thursday. Based on the 2024 Initium concept , the Nexo debuts Hyundai’s ‘Art of Steel’ design language, setting it apart from the BEV and ICE counterparts. New Nexo's design resembles the Initium concept Gets a 6.69kg hydrogen tank; 2.64kWh battery 1st-generation Nexo previously showcased in India  New Hyundai Nexo powertrain details 204hp, 350Nm motor Compared to the first-gen Nexo , power output has gone up to 204hp (+40hp), but the 350Nm torque notes a 45Nm fall in the new Hyundai hydrogen car. 0-100kph time has been cut to 7.8 seconds, which took 9.2 seconds before, and its small 2.64kWh battery has an 80kW maximum output, translating into a 100 percent jump. The new powertrain further benefits from a bigger 6.69kg hydrogen tank, allowing for a range of over 700km (figure based on Hyundai’s internal testing). New Hyundai Nexo exterior Design resembles Initium concept Talking about the ...

KTM has officially teased the 390 Enduro R on its official social media handle. It is a dual-sport motorcycle that is based on the same platform as the KTM 390 Adventure. At 159kg, it is 6kg lighter than the 390 Duke It shares its engine with the new 390 Adventure KTM 390 Enduro R officially teased The 390 Enduro R will run on a 21/18-inch (F/R) wheels with off-road biased tyres The KTM 390 Enduro R made its global debut at EICMA 2024 and was subsequently showcased at the 2024 edition of India Bike Week (IBW). Now, KTM is ready to launch the 390 Enduro R in India and it has officially teased this dual-sport motorcycle on its social media handle. For starters, KTM 390 Enduro R has the same 399cc, single-cylinder, LC4c engine as the 390 Adventure duo and the 390 Duke, producing 46hp and 39Nm, mated to a six-speed gearbox. This engine is nestled within a steel-trellis frame. Suspending this frame is a USD fork and a monoshock with 230mm of travel at both ends. This bike has ...

The Lamborghini Temerario  launch on April 30 is going to take place much earlier than the previously reported late 2025. The Temerario is the successor to the Lamborghini Huracan, and is powered by a plug-in hybrid system. Notably, Lamborghini took the wraps off the Huracan successor in August 2024, and its India launch comes in slightly over eight months. Gets a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 and three electric motors 3.8kWh p lug-in hybrid battery can be charged via 7kW charger Three digital displays are mounted on the dashboard Lamborghini Temerario powertrain 920hp, 800Nm combined output  The Temerario gets a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8, a trio of electric motors and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). Its V8 engine alone is good for 800hp and 730Nm, and has a maximum 10,000rpm redline. With the electric motors, the combined output rockets to 920hp and 800Nm. 0-100kph is achieved in 2.7 seconds and the top speed is 343kph.  3.8kWh plug-in hybrid batt...

The Honda City , Elevate  and second-gen Amaze are on sale with sizeable discounts and benefits in April. Honda dealers have been authorised to offer various discounts – from direct cash discounts and loyalty bonus to buyback schemes, exchange offers, corporate schemes and a complementary 7-year extended warranty. Disclaimer:  Discounts may vary from city to city and are subject to stock availability. Check with your local dealer for the exact figures. Honda City discounts reach Rs 65,000 Honda Elevate gets benefits to the tune of Rs 76,100 Second-gen Amaze gets discounts of up to Rs 77,200 Honda City discount in April 2025 City hybrid gets the highest discount The  Honda City e:HEV  has a direct cash discount of up to Rs 65,000, although there are no other benefits this month. All other variants of the City – SV, V, VX and ZX – have total benefits of up to Rs 63,300. Honda’s rival to the Skoda Slavia, Hyundai Verna and Volkswagen Virtus has a Rs...

Maruti Suzuki , the country’s largest carmaker, sold a total of 1,795,259 passenger vehicles in the domestic market in FY2025. Out of this total, Maruti’s CNG sales stood at about 6.20 lakh units, which means one in every three Marutis sold last year was a CNG vehicle. The company recorded a robust 28 percent year-on-year growth in CNG vehicle sales. Maruti sold around 6.2 lakh CNG vehicles in FY2025 with 28 percent growth Strong-hybrids made up 2.4 percent of total sales with 20,672 units Tata and Hyundai come in second and third spot for CNG sales, respectively Maruti Suzuki CNG sales in FY2025 Maruti commands over 70 percent market share Maruti Suzuki has the largest CNG portfolio in the country comprising as many as 13 vehicles. Apart from just three cars – Jimny , Ignis and Invicto – all of Maruti’s cars and SUVs are offered with a factory fitted CNG kit. Understandably, with such a wide model spread and strong demand for most of them, the company has a vice-like grip o...

Sticking with our theme, we have now doubled the budget of our previous story and have compiled a list of the most powerful bikes under the Rs 10 lakh mark (ex-showroom). This list is where serious performance starts to make its way into your hands, and you can find bikes making upwards of 80hp here.  9. Triumph Speed Twin 900 900cc, parallel twin that produces 65hp You’re probably thinking that the Speed Twin 900 is a suave, relaxed, neo-retro roadster that's not really oriented toward performance but the relatively modest spec sheet doesn’t paint the full picture. The smallest model in the Bonneville lineup is anything but slow and with 80Nm of torque on tap, the Speed Twin 900 is a brisk machine to say the least. You can also opt for the authentic retro Bonneville T100 or the off-road focused Scrambler 900, all three models are based on the same platform. However, at Rs 9.69 lakh and Rs 9.59 lakh, respectively, these models cost a fair chunk more. Also See: 2019 Triumph...