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Mercedes-Benz will continue to invest in the development of separate architectures and platforms for ICE and EV line-ups as long as there is demand, CEO Ola Källenius told our sister publication, Autocar UK. There will be some compromise in converting ICE to EV or vice versa Investing in two versions does add some burden Already invested in new Euro 7-compliant combustion engines Källenius further said that Mercedes must offer models “without compromise” in terms of equipment levels, space, technology, or performance, and the only way to do this is to offer bespoke architectures. He cited the next-gen S-Class, due in late 2028, as an example, saying it would be impossible to ensure the right performance levels and interior space in converting an ICE model to an EV or vice versa. "If you don't believe that the market is 100 percent electric at that point, you have to have the choice for both. You need to offer the electric and the high-tech electrified ICE version withou

Volkswagen India will launch a compact SUV in 2026, essentially the Skoda Kylaq, with significant exterior changes to align with VW’s design language. The two models will be mechanically identical, continuing the current platform-sharing strategy. VW compact SUV will share platform, powertrain with Skoda Kylaq Compact SUV will cost ‘around 25 million euros’ to develop VW may have a special 1.5 ‘GT’ version for enthusiasts Volkswagen India had initially decided against entering the compact SUV segment, leaving the Skoda Kylaq to lead the charge for the VW Group in the sub-4-metre category. The German brand remained sceptical of India’s sub-4-metre market due to profitability concerns and past failures, such as the Ameo. VW invested around 70-75 million euros in developing the Ameo, but the oddly styled compact sedan, with its truncated boot, struggled in the market, selling only 32,000 units between 2016 and 2020. The Ameo failed to justify its investment, especially since Skoda

The Maruti Swift has got a special edition for the festive season, as is typical for the time of the year. Maruti Arena dealers will be retailing the Swift Blitz for a limited period in order to push sales for the hatchback’s lower-spec variants. Swift Blitz available in LXI, VXI & VXI(O) trims Gets accessories worth Rs 49,848 Mechanically unchanged The Swift Blitz will be offered in a total of 5 variants – LXI, VXI, VXI AMT, VXI(O) and VXI(O) AMT. To the features available on the respective variants, the Blitz adds a rear underbody spoiler and one on top of the boot, fog lamps, illuminated door sills, door visors and moulding along the sides. This kit, worth Rs 49,848, is being offered to buyers for free, which means the Maruti Swift Blitz is priced between Rs 6.49 lakh-8.02 lakh. The Swift, which arrived in May and got CNG-powered variants just last month, is powered by a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine that produces 82hp and 112Nm on petrol and 70hp and 112Nm on CNG. In

Revealed to the public at last year’s EICMA show, Honda has now finally released full specifications for the CB1000 Hornet and its SP variant. 152hp, 104Nm on base model, SP variant makes 157hp, 107Nm SP gets Ohlins shock, Brembo Stylema brakes Weighs less than a Kawasaki Z900 Before we dive into the spec sheet, let's talk about the design briefly. The CB1000's front end design is similar to the Ducati Streetfighter V4 , with the headlight divided into two angular pods. There are sharp creases and cuts all over the bike, just like the smaller CB750 Hornet , but the 1000 gets a chunkier fuel tank. The rear section is sleek and sharp, but with a bulky exhaust muffler that's likely necessitated by the stringent Euro5+ norms. Powering the biggest Hornet is a 2017-2020 Fireblade derived 999cc watercooled engine, which puts out 152hp at 11,000rpm and 104Nm of torque at 9,000rpm. Output figures rise to 157hp and 107Nm on the higher SP variant.  Nestling this litre-class

Skoda is all set to enter the compact SUV segment with the Kylaq, which is scheduled for a launch early next year. The Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV 3XO, Kia Sonet, Maruti Brezza and Hyundai Venue rival is Skoda’s smallest SUV offering yet and aims to woo a buyer who’s already spoilt for choice. Here’s what you can expect from the upcoming Skoda Kylaq. Kylaq would be available only with a 115hp, 1.0-litre TSI engine To be revealed on November 6; launch likely in Q1 2025 Skoda Kylaq: exterior, interior design  While we got to test the Kylaq's pre-production version  at the CoASTT race track in Coimbatore, the SUV was fully covered outside and inside. However, some elements, such as the split headlamps and squared-off tail-lights, could be made out. It gets Skoda's butterfly grille at the front and may debut the new lettermark logo on the bonnet. The Kylaq measures 3,995mm in length and gets a 2,566mm long wheelbase, second only to the Mahindra XUV 3XO in the segment. It sits

from Autocar India https://ift.tt/whCTMcS

I have a 2021 Tata Harrier XZA Plus that I’m planning to sell. I want a diesel automatic, and I am confused between the Mahindra XUV700 AX7 and a Thar Roxx AX7L. My commute will mainly be within the city, with occasional highway drives to the hills. The only off-roading I’d do is traversing our famed Indian city and highway roads. My priorities are ease of driving, comfort, reliability, and ride and handling. Also, I’m a 48-year-old banker, so I would also want a car that would project a good image. Rateesh Sharma, Chandigarh The Thar Roxx is a hardcore off-roader, and though it’s spacious and well-equipped, it’s not as comfortable or easy to live with as the XUV700. If you are not going to go off-roading, we suggest you go for the XUV700, as it has a smoother ride, is more spacious, and feels more agile. Also, do bear in mind that the Roxx is very tall, and getting in and out of it will not be convenient on a daily basis, especially for the elderly. However, the Roxx has a strong im

BMW is not pulling the plug on the petrol-powered M3 sports sedan just yet. BMW M boss Frank van Meel confirmed in an interview that the next-generation M3 will retain its straight-six petrol engine.  S58 straight-six engine being made Euro 7 compliant Next-gen M3 likely to debut in 2027 In addition to the all-new, fully electric M3 (internally known as ZA0), which will be based on the Neue Klasse platform, BMW M will also launch the internal combustion-engined M3 that will likely retain the current model’s CLAR architecture. Likely to be called the G84, this new M3 will be offered with BMW’s S58 3.0-litre, twin-turbo, straight-six petrol engine, which is currently being developed to comply with Euro 7 emissions norms. The S58 engine presently powers the M2, M3 and M4 models.   It is believed that petrol power for the next-gen M3 wasn’t in the original plan and it was supposed to sold only as an EV. However, BMW believes that customers are still very attached to their combustio

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde announced in the latest cabinet meeting that all light motor vehicles entering Mumbai via five entry points will be exempt from paying toll from today. No toll to enter Mumbai from five entry points Rule applicable for light motor vehicles only Mumbai Toll Waiver to be “permanent” According to the latest announcement, motorists entering Mumbai from Dahisar, LBS Road at Mulund (West), Eastern Express Highway Mulund (East), Airoli Creek Bridge and Vashi will not be charged any toll. This decision will not just help consumers save money but will also result in cutting down the massive traffic jams caused by these tolls. Chief minister Shinde said that the "masterstroke" move would save time, fuel and reduce pollution. "It was a long pending demand to waive toll at Mumbai's entry points," he said. "Many activists, including I, had approached the court demanding the same. It is a masterstroke decision." So

The new KRT Edition colour option for the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R has reached Indian shores, with the first bike arriving at Anzen Kawasaki, Mumbai. This updated colour scheme features a splash of yellow to freshen things up, and was first shown overseas this June. This is now the only colour option for India Costs Rs 33,000 more than before This refreshed KRT Edition scheme is now the only colour option available on the Ninja ZX-6R in India, and prices have gone up in the process. Launched at Rs 11.09 lakh in January, the price first went up slightly to Rs 11.20 lakh, and has now been sizeably bumped up to Rs 11.53 lakh (ex-showroom, India). This is despite the fact that the motorcycle has remained mechanically unchanged in this time period. That means you still get the high-revving, 636cc inline-four screamer, housed in a twin-spar perimeter frame. Output stands at 129hp (with ram air, 124hp without it) and 69Nm, but those peak figures come in at a heady 13,000rpm and 11,000rpm,

While most of the Bajaj Pulsar line-up now has a new age N family product, the popular 125 is still available only in original and NS guises. That will change very soon with the introduction of the brand new Pulsar N125. Will rival the likes of the TVS Raider and Hero Xtreme 125R Likely to be based on a new platform The new Bajaj Pulsar N125 has been spotted testing for some time now and Bajaj is gearing up to launch this new motorcycle. This will be an important launch for the company as it will go up against popular new-age 125s like the TVS Raider and Hero Xtreme which offer both practicality and desirability. To that extent, this new bike is expected to have a similar design to the likes of the bigger Pulsar N150, N160 and N250. All the N platform bikes so far have debuted new engines which have brought about high levels of smoothness and refinement. The N Pulsars have also had new chassis and we expect to see something similar here as well. It is possible that the new Baja

xxxMahindra’s newest compact SUV, the XUV 3XO, a successor to the SsangYong Tivoli-based XUV300, is available with three engine options – two turbo-petrol units and a diesel one –with the choice of manual or automatic transmission. We put the 3XO’s diesel manual variant through our instrumented fuel-efficiency test to determine how it performs in the real world. Weighs a whopping 1,469kg Gets auto engine stop-start feature 1.5-litre diesel engine produces 117hp/300Nm The 3XO’s 1.5-litre diesel’s power and torque output of 117hp and 300Nm remain identical to the XUV300’s; the SUV also carries over its predecessor’s 6-speed manual transmission. However, the 3XO’s engine has a complete Selective Catalytic Reduction system to meet the current emission standards. The 3XO even packs more new-age equipment, such as a panoramic sunroof, and as a result, its diesel version is 64kg heavier than the XUV300’s, weighing 1,469kg. In our city cycle, with average speeds of around 18kph, the 3X

Here are two modern retro motorcycles that carry a British badge and a sizeable chunk of motorcycling history behind their names. At first glance, these two bikes seem relatively identical since they have similar designs, performance, engine capacity, weight and price. However, the difference is more apparent when these two are ridden back to back. BSA’s Gold Star is the new kid on the block and has no direct rival apart from Royal Enfield’s Interceptor 650. Both these motorcycles approach the same goal in a different manner, which delivers a very different riding experience overall. We’re here to tell you what those differences are and how these two stack up in the real world. Flamboyance & Flair Given their retro credentials, both motorcycles take a rather minimalist approach to their throwback aesthetics. There is abundant use of chrome, and while looks are subjective, I found myself gravitating a little more towards the Gold Star. Both motorcycles get a round headlamp, flat

I am planning to buy the VW Tiguan, but I want to know the fuel efficiency I can expect in Bengaluru. Also, what would its highway efficiency be while cruising at 100kph? And by how much would it drop at 150kph? Pandurang Jadhav, Bengaluru Autocar India says: You can expect the VW Tiguan 2.0 TSI to return between 6.5kpl and 7.5kpl in the city, with an overall average speed of 18-19kph. This number will improve when traffic is lighter. On the highway, it is possible to achieve 13-14kpl by driving between 90 and 110kph. However, efficiency drops the faster you go, so it could even return single digits at 140-150kph. Also see: Volkswagen Tiguan facelift review, test drive India-bound Volkswagen Tayron debuts at Beijing motor show Volkswagen Tiguan gets up to Rs 2.4 lakh off this month from Autocar India https://ift.tt/fuOoaVh