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Opinion: Taking a leaf out of the new Mercedes S-Class launch

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‘Inspired by 1.4 billion dreams’ was the tagline for a new car launch I saw recently. ‘A billion hearts’ was the line for another. If I had a rupee each time I’ve read a line like this, I would be a billionaire! I’m overstating, yes, but I’m sure you’ve seen these lines too. New launches for a car, bike, television, movie, new road, even mega events; they’re always hyped up to be something that a billion-plus Indians have been yearning for.  It’s really quite cringe. A quarter of our population is simply too busy trying to make a living and honestly doesn’t even know of this product or event’s existence, while another huge chunk, I’m sure, doesn’t really care about it at all. Yet our marketers overhype things, and it’s the same with events, too. Events are dragged on over teasers, first looks, track drives, road tests, price reveals et al. Sure, it’s important to maximise your brand, but we’re oversaturating things. The hyperbole in all the statements is mind numbing. Even a new ...

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Hero Destini 110 price and variants explained

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The Hero Destini 110 carries identical styling as the larger 125 and is also offered in two variants — VX and ZX. Both variants share the same mechanicals but differ in terms of features and hardware. Here’s a breakdown of what each variant offers. VX The VX is the base variant of the Destini 110. Mechanically, it is identical to the higher ZX variant and is powered by the same air-cooled, single-cylinder engine. In terms of features, the VX gets projector LED headlamps, a digi-analog speedometer, chrome styling elements and a wider 100/80 rear tyre. However, it misses out on a front disc brake and only gets a drum. It also misses out on a seat backrest, which is reserved for the higher variant. The Destini 110 VX is available in three colours — white, blue and black — and is priced at Rs 72,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi). ZX The higher-spec ZX variant adds a few more premium touches. It gets cast wheels paired with a front disc brake, which is the biggest hardware upgrade over the VX...

February 2026 bike and scooter sales see Hero-Honda battle rage on

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The second month of 2026 is now well and truly in our rearview mirror, and sales figures for each of the six heavyweights in the Indian two-wheeler market are out. Here’s how each brand performed. Hero: 5,16,968 units Hero MotoCorp retained its top spot in the market but did so while reporting a marginal 0.62 percent decrease from 5,20,208 units in January 2026. However, compared to its February 2025 sales of 3,57,296 units, it posted a substantial 44.69 percent increase. Hero’s overseas business also recorded good growth, with 41,248 units exported last month compared to 37,633 units in January. Hero’s electric subsidiary, Vida, has patented the designs of the Ubex and VXZ electric bikes in India, signalling that these EVs are nearing production. Honda: 5,13,190 units Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India wasn’t too far behind Hero and it too reported a minute 1.23 percent decrease in comparison to its January 2026 sales tally of 5,19,579 units. Just like Hero, Honda too report...

Maruti e Vitara vs Tata Curvv EV compared: Which should you buy?

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Maruti Suzuki launched its first-ever pure-electric model, the e Vitara , in February 2026. On the other hand, Tata Motors rolled out the Curvv EV in November 2024. If you are in the market for a midsize electric SUV priced in the neighbourhood of Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom), which one of these should you seriously consider and why? To keep this comparison fair, we will pit the similarly priced e Vitara Alpha trim with the Curvv EV’s Accomplished+ S. Maruti e Vitara vs Tata Curvv EV: Exterior features Exterior features Maruti e Vitara Alpha Tata Curvv EV Accomplished+ S Headlights Projector LED Multi-beam LED LED DRLs Yes Yes LED fog-lamps Yes (front) Yes (front) Tail-lights LED LED Sequential indicators No Yes Auto headlights and wipers Yes Yes Electrically adjustable ORVMs Yes (with auto-folding function) Yes (with auto-folding function) Wheels 18-inch alloys 17-inch alloys Re...

BMW unveils R 1300 R Superhooligan

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BMW Motorrad has unveiled the R 1300 R Superhooligan at the 84th Daytona 200 weekend, marking 50 years since Steve McLaughlin's victory in the first AMA Superbike race at Daytona on March 6, 1976. The custom build from BMW Motorrad's Custom Speed Shop honours both McLaughlin's Daytona win and Reg Pridmore's inaugural AMA Superbike Championship title, both achieved on BMW R 90 S bikes for the Butler & Smith team. Features McLaughlin's ‘83’ number and 1976 R 90 S livery Will be raced by Nate Kern in Mission Foods Super Hooligan series BMW R 1300 R Superhooligan details The bike has been created by the BMW Motorrad Custom Speed Shop The R 1300 R Superhooligan was created by a small team at BMW Motorrad's Custom Speed Shop. The bike is based on the standard R 1300 R that’s powered by a 1,300cc boxer-twin that produces 145hp and 149Nm. BMW also mentions that the Superhooligan is capable of reaching speeds up to 275kph. The Superhooligan pays tribute to M...

2026 World Car Awards Top 3 finalists announced

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With the upcoming World Car of the Year awards scheduled to take place at the 2026 New York International Auto Show on for April 1, the names of the three finalists have now been announced. The cars that occupy these top spots are the BMW iX3 , Hyundai Palisade and Nissan Leaf. The finalists were picked by a panel comprising automotive journalists from 33 countries, with one of the jurors being Autocar India’s Hormazd Sorabjee. Top three candidates consist of cars from BMW, Hyundai and Nissan There is a total of six categories and each consists of three cars Winners will be announced on April 1, 2026 from Autocar India https://ift.tt/Sq6jGm4

Off-roading in a Toyota Land Cruiser Dakar Rally truck: Unbreakable

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The Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series is widely considered to be one of the toughest SUVs ever. Simple in construction, engineered with massive tolerances in place and built to last, it is simply the most Toyota of Toyotas. Perfect then to enter what must be one of the toughest races around – the Dakar Classic; now run through the heart of Saudi Arabia. But let’s not monkey around; this is one tough challenge – especially for these classic cars – as it is full of chassis, suspension and engine braking stages. The Dakar has always been dominated by tough SUVs, and here, a tough, robust build and an ability to keep going are more important than being marginally faster over the long, long stages. And so it is with the Classic. The HZJ78 DKR, as this particular 70 Series is known, is a 1998 edition, reworked for the slam-dunk, hardcore special stages of the Dakar. Prepared in France by specialist Compagnie Saharienne, it has already taken Indian rally driver Sanjay Takale to the finish of ...

5 things to know before buying the Hero Destini 110

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The Hero Destini 110 is a family-oriented scooter that offers decent performance and good fuel economy for daily commuting. If you're considering one, here are answers to some of the most common questions. What is the price of the Hero Destini 110? The Hero Destini 110 is available in two variants – VX and ZX. The base VX variant is priced at Rs 72,000 and the ZX will cost you Rs 79,750 (ex-showroom Delhi). The main difference is the top ZX variant gets a disc brake at the front as well as a pillion backrest. Both variants get a digi-analogue instrument cluster and the scooter is offered in multiple colour schemes. What engine does the Hero Destini 110 use? The Hero Destini 110 is powered by a 110.9cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine putting out 8.1hp and 8.7Nm. It also features Hero's i3S (idle stop-start system) which cuts off the engine after a few seconds at a standstill and restarts with a twist of the throttle and engaging the brake together. What is the mileage ...

KTM 390s will be sold alongside new 350cc models

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It's no secret that Bajaj is planning to downsize both the 400cc Triumph and KTM models to 350cc to allow the company to benefit from the lower 18 percent GST. However, we have now learnt that while that is underway, Bajaj will continue to retail the 399cc KTM models alongside their downsized 350cc iterations - for some time at least. 350cc and 390cc Duke and Adventure to be sold simultaneously Bajaj will monitor customer response to this move Bajaj-made Triumph models to only be sold with 350cc engine KTM 390 Duke and Adventure will live on in India Triumph 400s to be downsized to 350cc, Tracker India launch in due course Since bikes and scooters above 350cc now attract a much higher 40 percent GST, Bajaj has chosen to downsize the Triumph 400s, KTM 390s and its own Dominar 400 as well as Pulsar NS400Z to 350cc to take advantage of the new rule. While the Triumph single-cylinder lineup will most likely only be retailed in its 350cc guise - the KTM machines will be of...

Tata Punch EV’s new 6-in-1 EV drivetrain explained

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With the launch of the updated Punch EV , Tata Motors has also debuted a new 6-in-1 drivetrain setup, which it says is the first application of its kind in the country, and, a major factor behind the lower than before retail price of the electric Punch. “The battery non-cell costs have come down but the 6-in-1 combo drivetrain is certainly cost effective” says Anand Kulkarni, Tata Motors’ Vice President Passenger Electric Vehicles.  New 6-in-1 drivetrain was key in bringing down Punch EV’s price  It also helped reduce package size by 50 percent and weight by 28 percent  Efficiency was boosted by 6 percent, while also using 40 percent less semiconductors  Tata Punch EV 6-in-1 drivetrain explained  For a while now, carmakers, including Tata Motors have been using 3-in-1 systems that combine the e-motor, reduction gear and the DC to AC invertor into one unit. However, brands have been integrating further components as part of this x-in-1 approach and doi...

BMW to introduce new AWD variant of the M2

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BMW is set to offer its xDrive all-wheel drive system with the M2 Coupe . The entry-level M car is currently the only one in the line-up that’s purely rear-wheel drive, as the M3, M4 , and M5 are all equipped with AWD as standard. M2 AWD may be 50hp more powerful than RWD version It will be offered solely with an 8-speed automatic gearbox 0-100kph time expected to drop below 4 seconds BMW M2 AWD powertrain and performance Will be sold alongside the RWD model The M2 xDrive was recently referenced on the BMW US website as a separate variant from the existing RWD version. Expectedly, the M2 xDrive will be powered by the same 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol straight-six as the RWD model, though a 50hp bump to 530hp – the same as the 2025 M2 CS – is possible to offset the added mass of the front transaxle, which could result in a kerb weight of around 1,800kg. No manual gearbox option for M2 AWD Where the M2 RWD is available with either an 8-speed automatic or 6-speed manual – yet...