VR Tech Times

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the British luxury automotive arm of Tata Motors , has announced the appointment of P.B. Balaji as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective November 2025. He will take over from Adrian Mardell, who will retire after 35 years  with the company, including three years as CEO. Balaji’s new role as JLR’s CEO will be effective from November 2025 Balaji is currently the CFO at Tata Motors and also on the board at JLR Mardell was appointed as CEO in 2023, following the sudden departure of Thierry Bolloré , and has led the Jaguar and Land Rover brands through one of the most transformative periods in their respective histories. P B Balaji takes over from Adrian Mardell Balaji, currently serving as Group CFO of Tata Motors, has been a key architect in the group’s ongoing transformation and has worked closely with the JLR leadership over the past several years. His appointment follows a formal board-led succession process. N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of J...

from Autocar India https://ift.tt/Emt24LA

The new-gen Mercedes-Benz GLC EV SUV – officially dubbed the GLC with EQ Technology – has been officially previewed ahead of its full debut at the Munich Motor Show on September 7. While most design details remain under wraps, Mercedes-Benz has teased a brand-new grille design that will debut with the GLC EV and adorn the German luxury carmaker’s future line-up of electric cars. Mercedes GLC EV to get new illuminated grille with an LED matrix that plays animations Inside, the GLC EV will feature a newer version of the MBUX Hyperscreen The carmaker will eschew standalone EQ nameplates starting with the GLC EV New Mercedes GLC EV design and interior details Grille borrows styling cues from classic Mercedes models The new GLC EV – effectively a successor to the EQC – will introduce a bold, upright illuminated grille that looks starkly different to the minimalist and smooth fascias seen on the current crop of Mercedes-Benz EQ models. Inspired by the radiator design of the 1902 ...

The Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 is the only authentic old-school cruiser at around the Rs 4 lakh mark. Here are three reasons why you should consider it and two reasons you should keep in mind before buying one. Reasons to buy the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 1. Textbook cruiser style   A cruiser’s design is perhaps the most eyeball-grabbing - especially so in our country - among the various types of bikes there are and the Super Meteor, with its low-slung silhouette, butch stance and vibrant colours is an archetypical example of one.  2. Characterful and grunty motor   The 648cc, twin-cylinder Royal Enfield motor does duty in the Super Meteor (and 5 other models ) and is a perfect match for this machine. With a strong midrange surge of torque, just the right amount of sensations to qualify as character and a lovely - if a little muted - soundtrack to boot, the Super Meteor’s engine is one of its strongest factors to get one, especially at this end of the ...

Volkswagen  is rolling out attractive discounts and offers on the Virtus sedan, Taigun SUV, and even the new-gen Tiguan SUV throughout August. Depending on the variant and model year, customers can avail of a flat cash discount, an exchange or scrappage bonus, and a loyalty bonus on these Volkswagen cars. Virtus prices currently range between Rs 11.56 lakh and Rs 19.40 lakh Taigun is priced between Rs 11.80 lakh and Rs 19.83 lakh Tiguan R Line discounted in less than four months after launch Disclaimer:  Discounts vary from city to city and are subject to the availability of stock. Check with your local dealer for exact figures. Volkswagen Tiguan discounts August 2025 Up to Rs 3 lakh Just a few months after its India launch, the new-gen Volkswagen Tiguan is being offered with maximum benefits of up to Rs 3 lakh – comprising a flat cash discount of Rs 2 lakh – for its sole R Line trim level. The Tiguan R Line went on sale at Rs 49 lakh as a fully impo...

The plan is simple. An early start, a quick breakfast on the highway, and then zip-zap-zoom to Surat, hopefully by 11am. Our quarry: Tesla's mad Cybertruck. What’s clear is that our long-term Mercedes EQS SUV 450  with its massive 118kWh (net) battery has the range to get there easily. But can it make it all the way back? This is not something we plan to do, but going up to Surat should give us a one-way average. Low-speed ride isn't great as there's a fair amount of body movement, especially over large bumps. As expected, South Mumbai at 4:30am is a breeze. Who says the city never sleeps? But then, as we pass Mumbai airport, traffic leading out begins to build. Even worse, the surface of the roads goes from bad to worse, which means we really need to crawl at times. The bad roads also show up the low-speed ride of the EQS SUV, which, due to the soft setup of the air springs in Comfort, causes a fair amount of movement from the body. Going to Sport eliminates some of thi...

With its tall stance and twin-cylinder heart, the Kawasaki Versys-X 300 occupies a unique corner of the ADV world. It’s a motorcycle that appears adventure-ready, but underneath that touring silhouette is a high-revving 296cc parallel-twin that behaves very differently from most entry-level ADVs. Here’s how it stacks up when we dive into the numbers. Kawasaki Versys-X 300: acceleration Testing was conducted on a wet patch of road during monsoon.  0-100kph acceleration Kawasaki Versys-X 300 40kph 1.9s 60kph 3.2s 80kph 4.99s 100kph 7.54s The Versys-X 300 doesn’t launch off the line with an urgent shove and that’s no surprise. With a peak power of 39hp arriving at a rather high 11,500rpm, the engine demands a healthy amount of revs before it gets going. The short-stroke twin is smooth and refined, but that high-rpm nature means it’s not going to wow you in drag races. However, keep the motor on the boil and it rewards you with a clean, linear build...

Please advise a good sub 400cc bike I can use for daily office commute (70 percent), city riding (20 percent), and outskirts (10 percent). I mostly ride solo, prefer a little committed riding ergonomics, good suspension and a feeling-oriented ride. I have had a RE Classic 350 before upgrading to the Bear 650.   Atul Raj, Hyderabad   Autocar India says: From what you’ve written it sounds like you still have the Royal Enfield Bear 650 and are looking for something easier to get along with for daily use. With your requirements considered, the best option that comes to mind would be the Triumph Speed 400, or the Speed T4 if budget is a priority. Both the Triumphs are light and agile to ride, have decent suspension comfort and make for good city bikes.    There will also be a new Triumph Thruxton 400 launching soon which is a cafe racer styled version of the Speed 400 with a handsome quarter fairing and a more committed riding position which is something you’re l...

I recently test drove the Mahindra XEV 9e and it has bowled me over. I've read that the Tata Harrier EV is equally impressive, if not more, and that's the next car I'll be test driving. My question is these EVs are so good, does it even make sense to consider the BYD Sealion 7 (RWD) version for nearly 70 percent more.  Farookh, Pune Autocar India says: Mahindra and Tata have made remarkable progress in recent years, especially in terms of quality, technology, performance, and overall packaging. Their products now offer a ride and handling balance that rivals global brands costing two to three times more. That said, the BYD Sealion 7 still stands out as the more polished offering, particularly when it comes to fit and finish, comfort, and overall refinement. It performs its duties with a level of finesse that Indian EVs like the Mahindra XUV 9e and Tata Harrier EV occasionally struggle to match – largely due to lingering software glitches. While both Indian manufactu...

The Guinness World Records title   that we set recently with the   Mercedes EQS 450 SUV would not be possible without the unsung heroes working tirelessly behind the scenes. Back at the base, there was the team that planned ahead to ensure we had comfortable accommodations after long days on the road. There was the photo and video crew that braved extreme weather to capture incredible memories. And then, the support car, which had to shadow the record car, run like clockwork, and keep the crew comfortable - tasks the Jeep Meridian, for the most part, excelled at. Our journey began in Mumbai, with the plan being to transport both cars by road to Jodhpur to rendezvous with the rest of the crew. The Mumbai-to-Ahmedabad jaunt is now relatively stress-free, comprising well-marked highways, and the Meridian simply ate it all up. It settles into a cruise at triple-digit speeds nicely, while the suspension absorbs undulations without feeling floaty. It also feels stable through th...

BMW never clearly mentions this anywhere, but it seems to be a safe assumption that the CE in this scooter’s name stands for Concept Electric, and that would be apt because this is the wildest-looking production two-wheeler I’ve ever ridden. BMW CE 04 design - 9/10 The futuristic bodywork, solid disc wheels, and floating seat make the CE 04 a real head-turner. The production CE 04 looks remarkably close to the Concept Link that BMW first showed off in 2017, and to my mind, it’s a combination of a futuristic jet ski and one of those freaky things out of a Tron movie. People on the street can’t get enough of it either, and the CE 04 pulls in slack-jawed crowds wherever it’s parked.  Jog dial serves as the main input, just like on bigger BMWs The futuristic body panels, solid disc wheels and thin, floating seat are part of what makes the CE 04 such a stunner, but so is the sheer length of the thing. To put it in perspective, the CE 04’s wheelbase is more than h...

There’s been a lot of buzz around the MG Cyberster ever since it was first showcased at Auto Expo 2025. We’ve now finally got a chance to experience the first convertible EV in India around a race track and here’s what we gathered. MG Cyberster: Exterior design and engineering – 9/10 Scissor doors, classic roadster silhouette make it stand out; soft top roof opens/closes in 10 sec and comes in two colours. MG says the Cyberster is the spiritual successor to its MG B roadster from the 1960s but their designs couldn’t stray further. The Cyberster has smooth lines and a cohesive design, with the stand out element of course being the Lamborghini-style, electrically operated scissor doors. These alone are sure to be a big draw for potential customers. The long bonnet also gives it the classic roadster silhouette and it’s an aero efficient design, with a drag coefficient of just 0.26cd. The 20-inch alloys with polished edges also look attractive, with the only eyesore being the arrow-...

I'm looking to replace my 2014 Maruti Ertiga VDI which has served me extremely well. The only 7-seater automatic option I have within my budget of Rs 15 lakh (all-in) is again the Maruti Ertiga. I really like the new Kia Carens Clavis, but the turbo-auto version is beyond my budget. Will Kia launch an affordable 1.5 petrol CVT anytime soon, or should I just stick with the Ertiga? Chintan, Jodhpur Autocar India says: The 1.5 petrol CVT combination, available with the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta , is an excellent powertrain, on account of its smoothness and refinement. Unfortunately, Kia has no plans of introducing this powertrain with the Carens Clavis , and as you rightly mentioned, the turbo-automatic is reserved for higher variants, making it quite pricey.  As a result, the Ertiga is your best bet. The good news is that this generation of the Ertiga builds onto the strengths of your current vehicle, while being a lot more spacious and comfortable; and its petrol-auto...

At the reveal of the new Honda Shine 100 DX and Honda CB125 Hornet, we got to chat with Yogesh Mathur, Director of Sales and Marketing and HMSI on what he thinks the evolution of India’s scooter market will look like.  Number of women going to work has increased in recent years Indian scooter market will remain distinct compared to ASEAN markets Improved road infrastructure is key to this Scooter segment will continue to grow  Rural areas and female riders will be the next step in the scooter growth story To start off, Mathur says that ‘scooterization’ still has a long way to go in India and a big driving factor behind this will be new female riders. As of today, the number of young female riders who own or use two-wheelers is quite small, but has a huge scope of growth. This is largely down to the economic growth of rural India as well as the rural areas that exist just outside of urban cities.  Mathur points out how a large number of young women from these are...