VR Tech Times

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has issued recalls for two of its big bikes, the CBR650R and CB1000 Hornet SP. Both bikes have been recalled for different reasons, and owners can check whether their bikes are affected by submitting their VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on Honda’s website. CBR650R recalled over indicator wiring issue CB1000 Hornet SP recalled over oil consumption concerns Both bikes are powered by inline-four engines of different capacities Two Honda big bikes recalled in India Recall-related repairs will be carried out free of charge The CBR650R has been recalled because Honda found that in some units, ‘a wiring part in the turn signal assembly may rub against a metal component, and vibration over time could cause a short circuit. This could lead to some lights not functioning, which does not meet regulatory requirements.’ CBR650R units manufactured between December 16, 2024, to May 04, 2025, might be affected, as per Honda. On the other hand, the CB1...

Toyota has taken the wraps off the Urban Cruiser Ebella , its first EV for India. A badge-engineered version of the Maruti e Vitara , the Ebella gets a different front-end while looking similar to its Maruti sibling for the most part. The Urban Cruiser Ebella will be offered in three trim levels, which are E1, E2 and E3, and paired with either a 49kWh or a 61kWh battery pack, depending on the trim you go for. Let’s dive deeper into the Urban Cruiser Ebella range. Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella powertrains Available with either a 49kWh or a 61kWh battery pack The Urban Cruiser Ebella is available in two battery pack choices, namely a 49kWh battery pack and a larger 61kWh battery pack. While the E1 trim comes standard with a 49kWh battery pack, the E2 and E3 trims exclusively feature a 61kWh battery pack. The 49kWh battery features a front-axle-mounted motor producing 144hp and 189Nm of torque with an ARAI-claimed range of 440km, while the motor in the 61kWh battery produces 171hp an...

Audi has revealed the livery for its debut F1 season. The R26 F1 racer shown at the launch event, held at Kraftwerk Berlin, was only a show car displaying the team’s visual identity. Audi has already completed an early shakedown of the R26, and fans can expect to see some more clear images of the car once testing officially gets underway. Audi will operate as a works team, building its own power unit Nico Hulkenberg, Gabriel Bortoleto to drive for the team Audi R26 livery revealed The R26 will feature Audi’s signature Titanium finish, contrasted with exposed carbon fibre and vibrant Lava Red accents. These were first teased with the R26 concept shown last year. After tasting success in several different disciplines of motorsport, Audi is finally joining the F1 grid this year, taking over Sauber’s operations. 2026 also ushers in sweeping changes in F1, including new power units with a near 50-50 power split between petrol and electric, active aerodynamics and sustainable fuel...

Toyota India lifted the covers off its first EV for India, the Urban Cruiser Ebella . The badge-engineered sibling of the Maruti e Vitara will compete in the midsize electric SUV segment upon launch, going against the Hyundai Creta Electric , Mahindra BE 6 and Vinfast VF6 . The new EV offers up to 543km range (on the ARAI cycle) Toyota showcased the Urban Cruiser EV's concept at 2025 Auto Expo Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella EV battery, range 49kWh, 61kWh choices The new Toyota EV is on offer with 49kWh-144hp/189Nm and 61kWh-174hp/189Nm LFP battery and motor choices. The bigger battery pack offers a single-charge range of up to 543km (on the ARAI cycle). With the EV added to the lineup, Toyota's India portfolio now spans petrol, diesel, hybrid, and electric models. Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella EV exterior 18-inch aero-optimised wheels, LED headlights and taillights The Urban Cruiser EV closely resembles the Maruti sibling, save for sleeker, segmented LED DRLs and tria...

Bajaj has commenced retail sales of the all-new Chetak C25 across Chetak showrooms in India, introducing a limited-time early-bird discount of Rs 4,299 for the first 10,000 customers. Priced at Rs 91,399 (ex-showroom Delhi) at the launch, the electric scooter is now available at an effective price of Rs 87,100. Discount for the first 10,000 customers. Deliveries of the C25 have begun. Designed for urban commuting, the Chetak C25 features a 2.5kWh battery with a claimed IDC range of up to 113 km, a metal body, and 25 litres of under seat storage. Key features include hill hold assist, two ride modes, guide-me-home lighting, and a front disc brake. This electric scooter has been positioned as a youthful and practical offering. The C25 expands Bajaj’s Chetak EV lineup alongside the 30 and 35 Series, targeting first-time EV buyers and households seeking a compact electric scooter. Deliveries are now underway across key cities. from Autocar India https://ift.tt/bI6HMva

The Mahindra XEV 9S and Kia Carens Clavis EV are three-row EVs that, despite their different body styles, have overlapping price ranges depending on the variant. We’ve put their respective top-spec trims through our exhaustive tests to find out which of the two delivers a higher real-world range. Kia Carens Clavis EV vs Mahindra XEV 9S: Specifications and price XEV 9S offers a bigger battery pack at a slightly more affordable price Specs  Kia Carens Clavis EV HTX+ ER Mahindra XEV 9S Pack Three Above Battery size (kWh) 51.4 79 Electric motor setup Single motor, front Single motor, rear  Power (hp) 171 286 Torque (Nm) 255 380 ARAI range (km) 490 679 Kerb weight (kg) 1725 2200+  Power-to-weight (hp/tonne) 99.13 NA Torque-to-weight (Nm/tonne)     147.83 NA 0-100kph time (tested, in seconds) 8.44s 7.54s Price (Rs lakh) 24.49 29.45 ^11.2kW c...

The Vida VX2 is the brand’s most affordable offering. The Vida VX2 looks different from the V2 and has more of a family-centric design with smooth, flowing lines as opposed to the layered panel on the V2. Here are a few things to know before buying the VX2 Plus. 1. What is the peak output of the Vida VX2 Plus? The VX2 Plus is powered by a permanent magnet synchronous motor producing 6kW of peak power. It has a claimed 0 to 40kph time of 3.3 seconds and a claimed top-speed of 80kph. 2.What is the battery and range of the Vida VX2 Plus? The VX2 Plus packs in a 3.4kWh removable battery that has a claimed IDC range of 142km 3.What are the charging rate and charging times of the Vida VX2 Plus? With the VX2 Plus, Vida claims a 0–80 percent charging time of 4 hours 13 minutes using its 580W charger, while a full charge from zero to 100 percent is said to take 5 hours 39 minutes. 4. What are the features that the Vida VX2 Plus gets over the VX2 Go? The ‘Plus’ variant is only availab...

After teasing, announcing and subsequently unveiling the VXZ concept at the 2025 edition of EICMA, Vida – the electric subsidiary of Hero – has now patented the design of the VXZ concept, revealing a few key design details. 1. Vida VXZ was unveiled at EICMA 2025 2. VXZ's headlight has also been patented 3. It will feature a tail section similar to the Xtreme 250R Hero working with Zero Motorcycles The VXZ is a street-naked EV motorcycle The VXZ Concept is Vida’s first take on an electric motorcycle. Unveiled at EICMA 2025, it will be co-developed with Zero Motorcycles. Now, its design patent has been registered, revealing a few key design elements that might make their way into the final production bike. The VXZ concept is a street-naked motorcycle and features a USD fork, monoshock, a radial disc brake at the front, a disc at the rear, 5-spoke alloy wheels and a tail section similar to the Xtreme 250R with the number plate and indicators mounted on the tyre-hugger. The p...

Of late, India Kawasaki Motors has been offering discounts on a variety of its models and the Versys-X 300 is one of them. However, the latest offer on the smallest Versys couples a flat discount with some free original Kawasaki accessories too. Different discounts available on MY25 and MY26 units Offer valid until January 31 or until stocks last Panniers or centre stand being supplied in addition to cash discount Kawasaki Versys-X 300 gets discount and free accessories MY25 manufactured units have a bigger discount than MY26 bikes The latest offer on the Versys-X 300 combines a cash discount of Rs 20,000 on MY26 manufactured bikes - bringing the price down to Rs 3.29 lakh - with an option to choose between a free centre stand or a set of hard panniers - both of which are original Kawasaki accessories. The same offer is applicable on MY25 manufactured models of the Versys-X 300 with the only difference being that here there’s an even bigger Rs 30,000 discount available thus, ...

Toyota is set to launch the Urban Cruiser EV on January 20. The SUV will be Toyota's first-ever EV for the Indian market and is essentially a badge-engineered version of the Maruti e Vitara . Ahead of its launch, here's everything you can expect from the Toyota Urban Cruiser EV. How does the Urban Cruiser EV look from the outside? Retains e Vitara's design but gets a different front-end. The exterior design of the Urban Cruiser EV is similar to its badge-engineered Maruti sibling. However, it comes with some design differences to distinguish itself from the latter. You get a redesigned front end, with sleek-looking LED headlights and DRLs encased in a black trim, reminiscent of the premium Camry’s LED DRL signatures. Lower down, you get subtle-looking air dams and vertical vents on the sides of the front bumper. The Urban Cruiser EV has a butch stance overall, with muscular haunches and thick cladding on the lower sides of the doors, especially on the rear bumper. A...

After finally bringing the XSR155 to India last year, Yamaha Motor India will be expanding its motorcycle lineup further in 2026 with the all-new R2 sportbike. The two electric scooters shown last year - EC-06 and Aerox-E - are also slated to enter the market in the coming months Yamaha R2 to be made in India EC-06 is built by River, production has started Nmax 155 also being readied for India 2026 Yamaha scooters EC-06 is based on River Indie platform; Aerox-E a self-developed Yamaha project Following Suzuki and its rather pricey e-Access , Yamaha will be another Japanese brand making its foray into India’s EV market with a two-pronged approach. The first will be the River Indie-based EC06 with a 160km claimed IDC range from its 4kWh battery. The other is the sporty Aerox-E , a self-developed electric scooter with a 3kWh battery, 106km claimed IDC range, more features and very familiar styling. In the ICE scooter space, the company is also planning to launch the Nmax 155 in...

Ford Racing, the division responsible for creating the flagship Mustang GTD, has now unveiled the Mustang Dark Horse SC. Revealed as a successor to the erstwhile Shelby GT500, the Dark Horse SC will be slotted just below the GTD in the Mustang lineup when it enters the US market this summer. The new Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC will be available in Standard and Track Pack versions, and will rival the likes of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and Porsche 911 GT3. The Dark Horse SC will get a 5.2-litre supercharged V8 Will be available in Standard and Track Pack versions Customer deliveries in the US expected in Q3 2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC exterior The menacing-looking design combines form and function. To optimise aerodynamics and cooling of all its mechanical components, the new Mustang Dark Horse SC is adorned with vents and intakes. The main grille on the aggressively styled front fascia is flanked by prominent air-intake scoops, with the grille's hexagonal pattern exte...

Mercedes-Benz , one of the oldest and most eminent brands in the global auto industry, traces its roots to the very birth of the automobile. 2026 marks 140 years since the inception of Mercedes-Benz, so let's delve into the German marque’s history, including its early days, most notable innovations, key business developments, motorsport involvement, and presence in India. When it all began: 1886-1890 The Benz Patent-Motorwagen In January 1886, German engineer Carl Benz patented his three-wheeled Patent-Motorwagen, the first petrol-powered car, powered by a 0.68hp single-cylinder 4-stroke engine. Benz’s invention came after he enjoyed a successful run at an industrial machine production company dubbed Benz & Companie Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik, or Benz & Cie in short. July 3, 1886 saw Benz carry out the first successful public road tests of the Motorwagen, with the car reaching a top speed of just 16kph. That same year, independently of Benz’s Motorwagen, German eng...