New-Gen Skoda Kodiaq Spied in India Ahead Launch

Revealed globally in October 2023, the 2nd Generation Skoda Kodiaq has been spotted testing in India for the 1st time, giving us a hint of its launch nearing in India.

New Skoda Kodiaq Spied – Highlights

The new Kodiaq has been spotted without any camo meaning we get a clear picture at what the car looks like. The next-gen variant is slightly larger than its predecessor and gets a noticeable hexagonal grille, squared-off wheel arches, a redesigned Skoda logo, a heavily sculpted bonnet and new alloys. The headlights have also been refreshed. The back of the SUV has C-shaped wraparound taillights with Skoda written in the middle. The radar at the front also hints at the addition of the ADAS in the Koadiaq.

While the interior has not been revealed in the spy shots, it is expected to be similar to the Euro-spec Kodiaq, meaning a 13-inch freestanding touchscreen infotainment will take the centre, controlling most of the car’s functions. There will also be a fully digital driver’s display on offer along with 3 new physical smart dials. The outer 2 rotary knobs, each with a 32 mm colour display are used to adjust the full suite of climate controls for the drivers and passengers. The middle one can be adjusted to control the volume, map zoom, AC, and more.

The new-gen Kodiaq will likely retain the same 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine as the outgoing model that produces 190 hp and 320 Nm of Torque. However, expect the motor in the new model to be offered in a higher state of tune. The engine comes paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.

The Current-gen Koadiaq is available in a single fully-loaded L&K variant which comes at a price tag of Rs 39.99 Lakh (ex-showroom). Due to the changes in the new-gen, expect a price hike and upon its launch which is likely in 2025, the car will continue its rivalry with the MG Gloster, Jeep Meridian and Toyota Fortuner.

source https://motomotar.com/car-news/new-gen-skoda-kodiaq-spied-in-india-ahead-launch/

Bajaj To Launch CNG Bike On July 5

There has been lots of speculation regarding the official launch date of the new CNG bike by Bajaj since the brand is not setting on a particular date for the release. Fortunately, the Indian moniker has now issued invites that confirm the launch date to be July 5.

Bajaj CNG Bike to Launch on July 5

This is essentially going to be a historic moment for Bajaj and the automobile industry as a whole since this is going to be the world’s first CNG as well as petrol-powered motorbike. Known as the Bajaj Bruzer for now, the CNG bike might get a different name when it goes live.

This CNG bike might just provide the low-cost motorbike experience many people want in this age and time where petrol prices have touched Rs 100 and above with affordable, practical two-wheelers few in number in the market.

The leaked blueprints of the bike have already given us a glimpse of the engineering behind this bike and the bike is expected to be powered by a 125 cc engine, which can seamlessly switch between two fuels without the rider experiencing any power loss.

However, there are still many questions including the mileage provided by the CNG tank which will be answered at the launch event on 5th July.

source https://motomotar.com/bike-news/bajaj-to-launch-cng-bike-on-july-5/

India-made Kawasaki Ninja 300 launched at Rs 3.43 Lakh

The Ninja 300, one of the most popular motorbikes from Kawasaki in India has been running in the country for over a decade now. Originally launched here as a CBU unit for Rs 3.50 Lakh, now the brand will manufacture the Ninja 300 in our country and is available for Rs 3.43 Lakh.

Kawasaki Ninja 300 Now Made-in-India

For over a decade now, there have been no mechanical changes on the Ninja 300, with the only major changes being the addition of ABS and new colours. In fact, Team Green added two new colours for the Ninja 300 – Candy Lime Green and Metallic Moondust Grey.

One of the best things about the Ninja 300 apart from its timeless charm (that old-school sports bike aesthetics never look outdated) is its 780 mm seat height, which is quite accessible for short riders and its 17-litre fuel tank, meaning fewer visits to the fuel pump.

But what really makes this bike so good is the 296 cc parallel-twin beast of an engine that generates 39 hp at 11,000 RPM and 26.1 Nm at 11,000 RPM. It basically screams at high RPMs.

The Ninja 300 priced at Rs 3.43 Lakh makes it the most affordable parallel-twin engine you can buy brand new from a showroom in India currently.

source https://motomotar.com/bike-news/india-made-kawasaki-ninja-launched-at-rs-3-43-lakh/

Citroen C3 Aircross Dhoni Edition Debut

Citroen India recently made MS Dhoni their new Brand Ambassador. After this huge announcement, the brand has revealed a special “Dhoni Edition” of the C3 Aircross in India. Will this make the car one of the best in the segment like Dhoni? Not exactly, because this special brings in new graphics, a few extra features and a tempting offer for Dhoni fans.

Citroen C3 Aircross Dhoni Edition Revealed

For starters, the new special edition features stripped-design ‘7’ decals on the rear door panels and “Dhoni Edition” written on the front doors. Additionally, the customers who book this special edition of the Citroen C3 Aircross will get a chance to win assured merchandise in collaboration with MS Dhoni.

Another highlight of this special edition is the extra features such as themed cushions & seat belt cushions, illuminated door sills and a front dashboard camera.

Other than that, the car remains the same in terms of powertrain options and the C3 Aircross Dhoni Edition is powered by the same 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with a 6-speed manual (109 hp/190 Nm) and a 6-speed automatic torque converter unit (190 hp/ 205 Nm).

So while this edition doesn’t exactly make the C3 Aircross any better than its rivals in the Indian market, it’s still a good move by Citroen to boost sales because everybody knows the love for cricket in India, especially for players like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. And this is a strategic move that not only Citroen, but big names like BMW and Audi have also endorsed Indian cricket players in the past. As for Citroen, if endorsing Dhoni boosts their sales, we all know why (he is Thala for a reason).

source https://motomotar.com/car-news/citroen-c3-aircross-dhoni-edition-debut/

Tata Altroz Racer Automatic Might Be Coming Soon

Tata Altroz Racer recently made its debut with only a manual gearbox option. However, the brand might introduce an automatic transmission in the future and it depends totally on the demand. This is confirmed on the sidelines of the Racer’s launch by Vivek Srivatsa, Tata Motors’ Chief commercial officer.

Tata Altroz Racer Might Get Automatic Soon

The Altroz Racer sports a 120 hp, 1.2-litre 3-cylinder turbo-petrol engine paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard. If the automatic comes, it would likely be a 7-speed DCA that’s available with the Nexon’s 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine and the standard Altroz’s petrol unit.

Srivatsa stated that the priority was to get the Altroz Racer to the market as fast as possible and hence, the 6-speed manual gearbox was the way to go due to its relatively lower development costs and time. He further adds that the Altroz Racer should be able to be sold as much as its rival i20 N Line or even surpass it.

The sales will be further helped by the competitive price point. The Racer is priced at Rs 9.49 Lakh for the entry-level variant and goes all the way up to Rs 10.99 lakh for the top-spec, which is already Rs 50,000 and Rs 28,000 less than the i20 N Line relatively.

An automatic would be a welcoming addition to the Altroz Racer to make it an even better competitor to the i20 N Line, which has both 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic options.

source https://motomotar.com/car-news/tata-altroz-racer-automatic-might-be-coming-soon/

BMW R 1300 GS India Launch at Rs 20.95 Lakh

BMW Motorrad has launched the much-awaited R 1300 GS in India at Rs 20.95 Lakh which is Rs 40,000 more than the R 1250 GS ADV’s starting bike. The bike is available in 4 variants – Light White, GS Trophy, Triple Black and Option 719 Tramuntana. Deliveries for the same are set to commence this month.

BMW R 1300 GS Launched – Highlights

The R 1300 GS is powered by a 1300 cc, horizontally opposed, twin-cylinder engine with a 13.3:1 compression ratio compared to the 1,254 cc unit on the outgoing one. Output of the new engine has increased to 145 hp at 7,750 RPM and 149 Nm of Torque at 6,500 RPM. The new R 1300 GS weighs 237 kg which is 12 kilos less than the venerable 1250, however it gets a one-litre less fuel tank at 19 litres.

While globally, the R 1300 GS variants get alloys or spoked rims, all the bikes sold in India will have cross-spoked tubeless wheels as standard. Other standard features include a bidirectional quickshifter, an electronic windscreen, a centre stand, pro riding modes and more.

Furthermore, all variants except the base Light white get the Touring package as standard which includes lots of accessories like pannier mounts, adaptive headlights, knuckle-guard extenders, chromed exhaust header pipes and mounting for GPS devices. In India, the Triple Black variant is the only one that can be equipped with the optional Adaptive Ride Height feature.

The Top-spec Option 719 Tramuntana is the only variant that gets radar-assisted safety features such as Active Cruise Control and Front Collision Warning as well as an eye-catching Green/Yellow paint scheme and various milled metal components as well as radar-assisted safety features. For now, the top model does not come with the ARH feature.

At Rs 20.95 Lakh, the R 1300 GS is priced quite competitively, undercutting competitors like the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special and Ducati Multistrada V4 Line-up. However, the Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Pro comes with a lower price tag of Rs 19.19 Lakh.

source https://motomotar.com/bike-news/bmw-r-1300-gs-india-launch-at-rs-20-95-lakh/

Bajaj CNG Bike Launch Delayed to July 17

Bajaj’s much-anticipated CNG motorbike will now launch on July 17 and not on June 18 as scheduled earlier. The launch date changes have been confirmed by Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director of Bajaj Auto himself. The CNG bike is supposed to be the world’s first CNG-powered motorcycle, meaning the Indian brand is on its way to creating history in the Automobile Industry.

Bajaj CNG Bike Launch Delayed by Almost 1 Month

According to Rakesh Sharma, this Bajaj CNG motorbike is meant for “cost-conscious” buyers, but the brand will not compromise on the design side either. He further explained that while the bike will be in the entry-level segment, there will be a ‘pride-of-ownership’ among riders.

The CNG bike will also be available in multiple variants and will not be restricted to just one model, which has been confirmed by Sharma. Although no output figures have been shared, Sharma did state that the performance can be expected to be in the “100 cc to 150 cc category”.

He also revealed that this bike can smoothly switch from Petrol to CNG, without the rider feeling any change in the fuel powering the engine. The bike was also seen alongside the Platina during one of the test runs, so there’s a chance this CNG-powered commuter will also feature high mileage.

The Bajaj CNG motorbike has been spotted multiple during test runs, check out the latest spotting.

source https://motomotar.com/bike-news/bajaj-cng-bike-launch-delayed-to-july-17/

New Yamaha Fascino S Launched At Rs 93,730 in India

Yamaha has launched a new variant of the Fascino scooter. Named “Fascino S”, this variant is available in 3 colour schemes of matte and gets an exclusive app-based feature. The scooter is priced at Rs 93,730 (Ex-showroom).

Yamaha Fascino S – Details

The new above-mentioned function is called “Yamaha Scooter Answer Back” which can be accessed through Yamaha’s mobile app. Enabling it will help in locating the scooter. This feature works by activating both left and right indicators alongside a horn side for 2 seconds.

Apart from this the Fascino pretty much remains the same for 2024. It is still powered by a 125 cc single-cylinder engine that generates 8.2 hp and 10.3 Nm. The scooter is quite lightweight at 99 kilos with an under-seat storage of 21 litres.

With the addition of the new variant, the Fascino is now available in 3 variants – Drum, Disc and S. While the S starts from Rs 93,730 for the matte black and matte red shade and Rs 94,539 for the matte dark blue shade, the Drum and Disc variants costs Rs 79,900 and Rs 91,130 respectively.

The scooter is currently the most affordable scooter by Yamaha and rivals the likes of the Honda Activa 125, Suzuki Access 125, Yamaha Ray ZR 125, TVS Jupiter 125 and Hero Destini 125 Xtec.

source https://motomotar.com/bike-news/new-yamaha-fascino-s-launched-at-rs-93730-in-india/

New Tata Altroz Racer India Launch at Rs 9.49 Lakh

Tata Motors has recently launched the much-awaited Altroz Racer which is priced from Rs 9.49 Lakh, going all the way up to Rs 10.99 Lakh, ex-showroom, India. This is the sportiest version of the hatchback till now and will directly compete with the Hyundai i20 N Line.

Tata Altroz Racer Launched in India – Highlights

The main highlight of the Altroz Racer is the engine which is the same 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that powers the iTurbo although this unit generates 120 hp and 170 Nm, meaning it’s tuned to produce 10 hp and 30 Nm more. Instead, this motor is in the same state of tune as the Nexon SUV.

The Altroz Racer sports a 6-speed manual transmission, instead of the 5-speed unit that is offered with the iTurbo. However, there’s no Auto gearbox option, but it does get a sportier-sounding exhaust system. The Altroz Racer also does not feature any suspension or steering updates, unlike the i20 N Line.

With the arrival of the Altroz Racer, Tata has discontinued the iTurbo variant of the hatchback. The iTurbo was powered by a detuned version of the 1.2-litre turbo-petrol unit and came with a pretty standard 5-speed manual gearbox.

The Altroz Racer also gets a few exterior updates, the most noticeable being the new colour schemes – Atomic Orange, Avenue White and Pure Grey. All 3 come with a contrasting black finish with white racing stripes for the roof and bonnet along with a fully blacked-out top, giving the car a very sporty look. It also features “Racer” badging on the front fenders and a slightly revised grilled but the 16-inch alloys remain unchanged.

The equipment updates are also no less either. The Racer gets a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen from the newer Tata SUVs as well as a new 7.0-inch digital driver’s display. The car also features segment-first ventilated front seats, a 360-degree camera and a voice-assisted sunroof to name a few. When it comes to safety, the Racer sports 6 airbags and ESC as standard. The cabin furthermore gets a makeover with new leatherette upholstery with contrast stitching.

With a price range of Rs 9.49 Lakh – Rs 10.99 Lakh, the Altroz Racer rivals the i20 N line and also the Maruti Fronx.

source https://motomotar.com/car-news/new-tata-altroz-racer-india-launch-at-rs-9-49-lakh/

New Force Gurkha RWD Coming Soon!

Force Motors is all set up to launch a Gurkha Rear-Wheel-Drive variant soon, to lock heads with the RWD variant of Mahindra Thar. The RWD Gurkha will likely go live by the carmaker in the coming months.

Force Gurkha RWD Coming Soon – What to Expect?

Currently, the Force Gurkha comes in 3-door and 5-door variants with an AWD drivetrain as standard. In this config, the rugged SUV is a direct competitor of the Mahindra Thar 3-door. However, That is also being sold in both RWD petrol and diesel variants at a lower starting price of Rs 11.35 Lakh (ex-showroom).

Design-wise, the RWD variant of the Gurkha will remain the same in the 3-door option. Currently, the Force Gurkha comes with a price tag of Rs 16.75 Lakh and Rs 18 Lakh for the 3-door and 5-door versions respectively (all prices, ex-showroom). This new RWD variant will help make the Gurkha more accessible and possibly take away some sales from the RWD Mahindra Thar lifestyle SUV, which for now also has a long waiting period.

The Gurkha boasts features such as a 9.0-inch infotainment screen, a new digital driver’s display, powered ORVMs, a rear camera, tilt and telescopic steering adjust, a tyre pressure monitoring system and more.

As for the powertrain, the Gurkha gets the 2.6-litre Meredes-sourced diesel engine that has been tuned to generate 140 hp and 320 Nm, making it a powerful and rugged workhorse in rough terrains.

source https://motomotar.com/car-news/new-force-gurkha-rwd-coming-soon/