VR Tech Times

The 2025 Americas MotoGP race had all the makings of an unpredictable roller coaster ride - an aborted race start, a factory Ducati other than Marc Marquez’s winning the race and his younger brother Alex Marquez actually taking the lead in the World Championship. Marc Marquez crashed out of the lead and his teammate Francesco Bagnaia capitalised on that by taking the win in this race. Alex Marquez (who now leads the standings) finished second and Fabio Di Giannantonio took the chequered flag in third place. Alex leads the championship by just one point from Marc Top five finish for Yamaha with Jack Miller Bagnaia takes his 30th MotoGP win Ducati victorious at COTA, but not Marc After his victory in the Sprint race on Saturday, Marc Marquez looked nigh unstoppable as he extended his winning streak and he looked all but set to win at his favourite track for a seventh time. And up until he lowsided at Turn 3 on Lap 9, when he already had a very comfortable 2-second lead to his br...

Maruti Suzuki and Honda have given their compact sedans a significant update, bringing us the fourth-generation Dzire and the third-generation Amaze , respectively. Can these sedans carry on the fight in an increasingly SUV-dominated market? With these new-gen models, both brands have also placed a strong emphasis on safety this time around. Standard features on both cars now include ESP, six airbags and hill-start assist. Additionally, the Amaze stands out with its camera-based ADAS suite, while the Dzire has earned a 5-star Global NCAP crash-safety rating . And now, with similar features and specifications, the two sedans are closer than ever. So, we put their petrol-automatic iterations through our exhaustive tests to find out which one comes out on top. Honda Amaze vs Maruti Dzire exterior design Amaze boasts a higher ground clearance and a longer wheelbase. The Amaze follows Honda’s latest design philosophy, bearing a strong resemblance to its larger siblings. Its front ...

The Classic 650 Twin has been a long time coming, and it is the latest model to use RE’s proven twin-cylinder mill and combine it with the timeless British looks of the Classic 350. While we did sample the bike in the UK last year, this opportunity to ride it around Coonoor helped us understand who this bike is for. Royal Enfield Classic 650 design, features Appealing design and high quality levels found on the big Classic Probably one of the strongest driving forces behind someone’s purchase of the Classic 650 will be its charming design. While this is unmistakably a Classic, its sheer size and that additional peashooter will instantly give away that this is the bigger one.  The Classic 650's design is one of its strongest points. The fit-and-finish is absolutely top-notch here, and the attention to detail is marvellous for a bike at this price point. You get things like chromed-out switch cubes and wheel hubs on all the colourways, and this top variant we rode gets bodyw...

The problems associated with rare and difficult-to-obtain materials – as used in motors that power EVs as well as batteries – provide a good reason for focusing on recycling and finding alternatives. Most EVs have permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs), where the rotor has permanent magnets embedded in it that are attracted to a rotating magnetic field generated using power from the battery. Magnets made from rare earth elements (REEs) are far more powerful than any other kind but raise the question of economic security. (China dominates the market for rare earth elements, with 70-80 percent of the supply.) A project established in 2019 with the hefty title ‘Sustainable Recovery, Reprocessing and Reuse of Rare-Earth Magnets in a European Circular Economy’ is aiming to make the process more effective. Nineteen European partners are involved, including ZF, which is evaluating recycled REEs for use in new motors and developing designs that make electric motors easier to recycle. ...

Hyundai has teased a one-off race car concept based on the Inster micro-EV . It’s called the Insteroid, and the name summarises the idea behind the concept: Inster on steroids. Hyundai calls it a “playful interpretation” of the Inster and says its design is inspired by video game aesthetics. The car will be fully revealed to the public in early April. The Insteroid is a one-off concept based on the Inster EV micro-EV It gets extensive aerodynamic bodywork and a stripped-down interior Its styling is inspired by video game aesthetics; it’ll be fully revealed in April Hyundai Insteroid exterior and interior design details WRC-spec rear wing, 21-inch aero wheels The most distinguishing feature of the Insteroid visible in the teaser is its massive WRC-style double-decker rear wing. The Insteroid also gets hugely flared front and rear bumpers and fenders with gaping air vents for aerodynamic efficiency. Almost none of the body panels seem to be shared with the regular Inster, and ...

The 400-500cc ADV segment has become quite competitive lately, with various motorcycles featuring a single-cylinder or a parallel-twin engine. The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, launched at the end of 2023, is the oldest of the lot, followed by the Honda NX500 and the recently launched KTM 390 Adventure. Now, CFMoto aims to re-enter the Indian market with the 450MT. Here’s how this latest entrant fares compared to some of its key rivals. CFMoto 450MT vs rivals: engine and output Engine and output CFMoto 450MT KTM 390 Adventure Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Honda NX500 Engine Parallel twin, liquid-cooled, 449cc Single cylinder, liquid-cooled, 399cc Single cylinder, liquid-cooled, 452cc Parallel twin, liquid-cooled, 471cc Power 42hp at 8,500rpm 46hp at 8,500rpm 40hp at 8,000rpm 47.5hp at 8,600rpm Torque 42Nm at 6,500rpm 39Nm at 6,500rpm 40Nm at 5,500rpm 43Nm at 6,500rpm Gearbox 6-speed 6-speed 6-speed 6-speed Power-to-weight ratio 227.02hp...

The fourth-generation Maruti Dzire is off to a great start, outselling all its competitor compact sedans (combined) by a healthy margin. After the Swift , the new Dzire is the second Maruti that’s powered by the all-new 1,197cc, three-cylinder Z-series petrol engine, which develops 82hp and 112Nm of torque. This unit is available with either a 5-speed manual or an automated manual transmission (AMT). We put the petrol-AMT version to the test to find out its real-world fuel efficiency. The ARAI-rated efficiency is 25.71kpl No drive modes, but it gets auto engine stop-start The top-spec version weighs 960kg Maruti Dzire tested fuel efficiency Average tested economy is 15.41kpl Maruti’s claimed ARAI-rated fuel efficiency is a staggering 25.71kpl for the AMT iteration. However, in our tests, it delivered an overall average efficiency of 15.41kpl, which is far from its claimed figure. In the city, its fuel efficiency was 11.61kpl, while on the highway, it delivered an impressive 1...

China’s CFMoto has many new bikes that are catching attention worldwide, but none of them have made as big a splash as the 450MT. This is the motorcycle that the company plans to re-enter India with in mid-2025, and we had a chance to get acquainted with it on a ride around the Outer Ring Road in Hyderabad. One of the many things the 450MT has going right is the way it looks. It has a handsome, large and proportionate design that doesn’t look or feel budget in any way. When it comes to looking like a scaled-down big ADV, the 450MT achieves this better than any of its current rivals. The overall fit, finish and quality of materials feel like they’re from a segment above, and you could remove the badges and easily believe that this was a bike from any top manufacturer. Weighing 195kg fully fuelled, it is 13 kilos heavier than the new 390 Adventure but a kilo lighter than the Himalayan 450. Lifting it off the stand echoes the weight figure on paper – definitely not as light-feeling a...

Also see: CFMoto 675SR-R review: fantastically frugal fun from Autocar India https://ift.tt/f2Oh8Ud

The recently launched Kia EV6 facelift packs an array of exterior and interior updates along with a bigger battery, with no bump in its ex-showroom price of Rs 65.9 lakh. Its sibling is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 , and rivals include the Mercedes EQA , Volvo EX40, Volvo C40 Recharge , BMW iX1 LWB  and BYD Sealion 7 . We compare these seven electric vehicles on paper to see where the latest EV6 stands. Kia EV6 facelift price vs rivals EQA costliest Mercedes’ entry-level EQA electric SUV costs Rs 67.2 lakh and is the priciest on this list, followed by the facelifted EV6, which is cheaper by Rs 1.3 lakh. Of the two Volvos, the C40 Recharge, which costs Rs 62.95 lakh, is closer to the Kia EV in price. The BMW iX1 LWB (brought via CKD route) is competitively priced at under Rs 50 lakh, but the price is limited to only the first six months of production. The Sealion 7, priced from Rs 48.90 lakh, is the only one on this list to come in two variants. Ioniq 5 most affordable At Rs 46.0...

The  Hyundai Creta  and  Maruti Grand Vitara  are among the most popular midsize SUVs by sales figures and bitter rivals in the segment. Both models come with more than one powertrain option, with most variants getting a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. We compare the petrol-automatic versions of the Creta – which gets a CVT – and the Grand Vitara – which gets a torque converter automatic – to see which popular SUV is quicker in our performance tests. Hyundai Creta petrol-CVT produces 115hp and 144Nm Maruti Grand Vitara petrol-AT makes 103hp and 137Nm Grand Vitara AT weighs less than the Creta CVT Hyundai Creta CVT vs Maruti Grand Vitara AT specifications Hyundai Creta CVT vs Maruti Grand Vitara AT specifications Creta CVT Grand Vitara AT Engine 1.5-litre, 4-cyl, petrol 1.5-litre, 4-cyl, petrol Power (hp) 115 103 Torque (Nm) 144 137 Transmission CVT 6AT Kerb weight (kg) 1282 1210 Power-to-weight (hp per tonn...

The BMW R 12 G/S after a lot of speculation and leaks, has been unveiled overseas. It shares its engine and sits on the same platform as the R 12 nineT. The BMW R 12 G/S has been unveiled overseas It shares its engine with the R 12 nineT Available in 17-inch or 18-inch rear wheel options BMW R 12 G/S unveiled R 12 G/S rides on a 21/17-inch (F/R) setup with raised suspension The R 12 G/S is a scrambler motorcycle that is based on the R 12 nineT . In terms of design changes, the R 12 G/S features hand protectors with cockpit fairing as standard.  The R 12 G/S comes with a 21-inch front wheel as standard. For the rear wheel, there are two options, depending on the chosen package: Standard or Enduro Package Pro. The main differences between these two packages are the rear wheel size and seat height. The Enduro Package Pro upgrades the rear wheel from 17-inches to 18-inches and raises the seat height from 860mm to 875mm. With the optional Rallye seat, the seat height can be i...

Also, see: Maruti Dzire vs Honda Amaze: Which is the new compact sedan for you? 2026 Audi Q5 video review   from Autocar India https://ift.tt/JcRwgld

The new Audi A5 , which was revealed back in July 2024 with petrol and diesel engines, has now been updated with a new plug-in hybrid powertrain. This variant of the A5 comes with a new ‘e-hybrid’ suffix and is offered in both the sedan and estate body styles. The new Audi A5 range replaced the A4 sedan globally last year. Audi A5 e-hybrid gets 110km electric only range Is powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine and 20.7kWh battery New A5 has replaced the A4 sedan globally New Audi A5 e-hybrid powertrain, specs Gets a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with gearbox integrated electric motor Powering the A5 e-hybrid is a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that by itself produces 252hp, and it is coupled to an electric motor (housed within the gearbox) that produces 142hp. Total combined output is available in two states of tune on both the sedan and estate: 300hp/450Nm and 367hp/500Nm. Both versions are available with a 7-speed automatic gearbox and Quattro all-wheel drive. ...