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Australian Grand Prix Delayed, Bahrain to be First Race of 2021. #AustralianGP

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The start of the Formula One season has been delayed, since, on Tuesday, the Australian Grand Prix was postponed from March to November because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The race in Melbourne has been rescheduled from March 21 to Nov. 21. The Chinese GP has also been delayed but no new date has been set for the race.

Strict travel restrictions for the pandemic make Australia and China a few of the hardest countries to enter, which is not something you want for Formula One, especially considering Australia is usually the season starter. It seems, however, the new normal has finally caught up to the world of F1, bringing along with it changes to the sport.

The season will start with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28 at Sakhir, less than four months after the same venue held two races as part of the 2020 season. To add to the list of changes, a race has been added at the Imola track in Italy on April 18, a week after the scheduled date for the Chinese Grand Prix. There is however a vacant spot for 2nd of May, which might see either a new circuit’s entrant or the return of an old circuit.

Postponing the Australian GP also means pushing back the end of the season in Abu Dhabi by a week to Dec. 12. For those unaware, the pandemic has disrupted the F1 season two years running.

Last year’s race in Australia was cancelled just after one team member tested positive for the coronavirus. Fans were preparing to enter the circuit at the time for Friday’s practice session when they heard about the cancellation of the Grand Prix.

What are your thoughts on this new development? Are you excited for Imola? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Ather inaugurates the first showroom in Mumbai

BMW Launches 220i M Sport with petrol powertrain, Pricing starts at Rs 40.9 lakh #220i

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BMW India, on Tuesday, launched the BMW 220i, which is the petrol variant of the 2 Series Gran Coupé with an M Sport package, for the performance buff. The 220i M Sport will be produced locally like the rest of the variants, promoting Make-in-India.

The BMW 220i M Sport is priced at Rs 40.90 lakh (ex-showroom). The standard 2 Series Gran Coupé comes in two diesel trims- Sport line and MSport, ranging between Rs 39.30 lakh – Rs 41.40 lakh (ex-showroom). The BMW 220i M Sport will be available at dealerships from Tuesday, meaning one can check it out instantly.

In terms of power, the BMW 220i M Sport is powered by a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine that offers a power output of 192 PS and 280 Nm of torque. The engine is paired to an 8-speed Steptronic sport automatic transmission. The sedan offers shift-paddles on the steering wheel and the quick-shift control has been updated to smoothen out the rapid manual gear changes. The car can accelerate from 0-100 kmph in just 7.1 seconds, which is pretty good considering the size of the car.
In terms of the exterior and interior features and styling, the BMW has no changes in comparison to the diesel version. The sedan stands out with the modern and athletic exterior and the interior comes with a driver-focused cockpit coupled with a sporty aesthetic.
To add to this, the BMW Performance Control system, ARB tech, DSC, driving experience control switch,  BMW Live Cockpit Professional, virtual assistant, gesture control, BMW Efficient dynamics are some of the features that make the sedan stand out in the portfolio of the company.

“The company continues to expand its product range as per evolving trends in the luxury car segment. We believe in offering the power of choice when it comes to fulfilling mobility needs and desires of BMW enthusiasts,” BMW Group India President Vikram Pawah said. Designed with a focus mainly on performance and sportiness, the new BMW 220i M Sport showcases a powerful uniqueness that suits the requirements of motorsport fans, he added.

What are your thoughts regarding the new BMW 220i M Sport? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Renault F1 chief to leave immediately from the team

Ather Inaugurates its first showroom in Mumbai #AtherEnergy

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Electric Scooter maker Ather Energy on Monday inaugurated its first showroom in the financial capital of India. Located at Linking Road in Bandra, the Bangalore-based OEM has begun deliveries of its Series 1 scooters from its Ather Space experience centre, which is operated by Kamal Motors.

For those unaware, exactly a year ago, on January 3, 2020, Ather Energy announced plans to take Ather Space, its flagship experience centre format, across key cities like Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune, amongst other Tier-1 cities. To fast track this expansion, Ather had invited dealer partners to set up these experience centres across these cities, so as to allow for more showrooms where future buyers can take a look at their offerings.

In October 2020, the company had announced its dealer partners for the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The OEM said it aims to bring a retail experience but in a premium manner that Ather Energy has built through company-owned experience centres. This will now be delivered through dealer partners. This needed collaboration with progressive dealers with experience of premium products and a deep understanding of consumers in their respective markets. Here, Ather Energy has collaborated with Kataria Group in Ahmedabad, Kamal Motors in Mumbai.

The showrooms are dubbed as Ather Space. This is a dynamic, tactile and interactive facility designed to educate customers about electric vehicles (EVs) while providing a holistic experience in an interactive space. EV enthusiasts can try out the Ather 450X and get an in-depth view of the product and its features. With a naked scooter on display, visitors get an opportunity to learn about every aspect of the vehicle and witness the engineering and mechanical efforts that have gone into manufacturing it.

Furthermore,  they can learn and interact with the intelligent and connected features through a display. The automaker will design the retail space and experience for its dealer partners. These experience centres will allow prospective consumers to test ride and get hands-on experience with Ather’s intelligent & connected product portfolio. Currently, the company operates Ather Space in Bangalore (Indiranagar) & Chennai (Wallace Garden Street).

Also Read: E-Motorad T-Rex India launch soon

Renault Chief Abiteboul leaves F1 Team,Effective Immediately #CyrilAbiteboul

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AUTODROMO NAZIONALE MONZA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 06: Cyril Abiteboul, Managing Director, Renault F1 Team during the Italian GP at Autodromo Nazionale Monza on September 06, 2019 in Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy. (Photo by Jerry Andre / LAT Images)

Renault Formula 1 team boss Cyril Abiteboul is leaving the French car manufacturer, it was announced on Monday. The Frenchman who was expected to move into a new role within the company following a management shake-up at the rebranded Alpine squad is instead departing from the company altogether.

 His exit resulted in Laurent Rossi, director of the strategy and business development at Renault, being appointed as the CEO of Alpine. Rossi will take charge of Alpine cars, the F1 team and other motorsport activities. He will report directly to Luca de Meo, Renault’s CEO. It is also expected that Abiteboul’s position as team principal of the F1 squad will be taken by Marcin Budkowski.

Talking about this sudden departure, Abiteboul said that he felt that he was leaving behind a strong base for the French car manufacturer to grow. “I would like to thank the Groupe Renault for having trusted me for many years, particularly with the relaunch and reconstruction of the team since 2016,” he said.

“The solid foundations of the racing team and the entities in France and England built over these years, the strategic evolution of the sport towards a more economically sustainable model, and more recently the Alpine project which provides a renewed sense of meaning and dynamism, all point to a very fine trajectory.”

Also Read: Renault to revive Old Models in Electric Version suggest Reports

De Meo, talking about this sudden decision said: “I would like to warmly thank Cyril for his tireless involvement, which notably led the Renault F1 Team from the penultimate place in 2016 to the podiums last season. “His remarkable work in F1 since 2007 allows us to look to the future, with a strong team and the new Alpine F1 Team identity to conquer the podiums this year.”

For those unaware, Abiteboul is a Renault stalwart who originally joined the company after university. He began working for the F1 team from 2007 but later moved to Caterham in 2012, where he worked for 2 years. Post-2014, he returned to Renault as managing director and played a key role in the French car manufacturer’s return to F1 as a works team in 2016.

Also Read: Mclaren gets the option to enter Formula-E in 2022

Detroit Auto Show to be Replaced by an Outdoor Event #AutoShow

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Detroit’s big auto show will not be taking place as scheduled in September but will be replaced by an outdoor exhibit at a race track in nearby Pontiac. Show organizers on Monday cited worries that the coronavirus pandemic could affect the indoor show, normally held at Detroit’s downtown convention centre.

The new event scheduled for Sept. 21 through 26 is being called Motor Bella. It will be taking place at the M1 Concourse, which has the track and room for 1.6 million square feet of space for displaying the cars. Brent Snavely, the spokesman for the North American International Auto Show, said organizers have reserved the downtown TCF Center for the fall of 2022 and 2023. Will NAIAS return in 2022? We’re hopeful, optimistic. That’s what we would want,” he said. “It’s hard to predict the future.”

The Show Executive Director Rod Alberts said they had to look for new and creative ways of doing business. The show will have track activities, mobility exhibits and a full complement of automaker and technology displays, he said, which means that the show will be far from boring. For those unaware, Auto shows have been struggling to maintain their relevance at a time when companies can unveil new vehicles online without having to share their headlines with others.

“While auto shows remain an important platform to promote new mobility innovations and help people make major vehicle purchase decisions, the traditional auto show model is changing,” Alberts said.

What are your thoughts in regards to this new update? Are you sad that the Detroit Auto Show is cancelled? Let us know in the comments section below.

Also Read: EMotorad T-Rex India launch soon

Rich Energy to Supposedly Make A Return to Formula 1 #RichEnergy

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Ahead of the 2019 season, Rich Energy became Haas’ first-ever title sponsor in Formula 1, but their multi-year agreement lasted just months after continued behind-the-scenes turmoil between the two parties led to them parting ways in September 2019. This had major implications to the images of both companies in what some called a sudden divorce.

But now, William Storey has claimed in a video posted on social media that Rich Energy is coming back to Formula 1 after leading “a renaissance” of the brand.

“I would like to thank the thousands of motorsport fans who have contacted us who are as excited as we are about the black and gold of Rich Energy returning to Formula 1,” Storey said.“As you know, in 2018, I signed a deal for Rich Energy to become the title sponsor of Haas and in 2019 Rich Energy Haas Formula 1 team competed with Ferrari engines.

 

“That includes for example Alvaro Bautista, the Spanish World Superbike superstar. We have James Hillier, the TT legend, racing for Rich Energy in the Dakar Rally and we have, among others, Davo Johnson, the Australian TT winner, representing Rich Energy in road racing.

“We’re very, very excited about coming back to Formula 1 and we look forward to really being very competitive in the pinnacle of motorsport. “I thank all the supporters for their interest in what we are doing.”

Do note, it is unclear at this point who Rich Energy is partnering with, but, it is safe to assume after all the headlines, it is probably not going to be Haas.

What are your thoughts on this sudden return? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Sauber and Alfa Romeo to remain partners

Renault to Supposedly Revive its Classic Models in an Electric Avatar #RenaultEV

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01_RENAULT_MORPHOZ.eps

Renault is supposedly going to modify its electric vehicle strategy in the coming days with a change in approach this year. According to a report on Reuters, the carmaker is planning to return to its French roots and try to revive some of its classic cars in a new avatar, minus the pollution caused by the older petrol powered engines.

According to reports, Renault CEO Luca de Meo is going to revive some best-selling Renault models from the company’s past in electric avatars. More details on the same are awaited as we get closer to when Renault is expected to unveil its new strategy on January 14. As of now, it is expected that de Meo will likely show a turnaround plan for the French carmaker to improve its sales, with a focus on the product ranges that the company will bet on, including some older models being reborn.

 

Struggling with cash crunch, the French auto major has announced 2 billion euros to save costs and cut jobs in its bid to improve margins and boost the group’s performance. These things however have not gone as the carmaker expected amid the Covid-19 pandemic and a looming Brexit has shaken up the auto industry.

The new Renault CEO will also supposedly unveil electric versions of at least four Renault small cars introduced in the early 1960s. There will also be a revived, electric version of another popular 1970s and 1980s model, based on the R5 or its successor the “Super Cinq,” said a few sources. Renault however declined to comment. “Luca de Meo is very focused on the products, and his strategy plan will be too,” one of the sources added.

Among other Renault related brands, the company will also present three new electric models for the Alpine sports car brand, the sources added. Do note, one of Renault’s challenges will be to create  identities for each of the brands, which also include low-cost Dacia and Russia’s Lada.

What are your thoughts in regards to this supposed future electrification? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Mclaren gets option to Enter Formula-E

McLaren Gets Option to Enter World of Formula E in 2022 Season #FormulaE

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McLaren is inching towards entering Formula E by announcing it has obtained an option to join the series in 2022. The team is weighing it’s options and deciding as to whether to take advantage of its first opportunity to enter Formula E once its term as the exclusive supplier of batteries for the championship ends. Under the arrangement, which will cease after the 2021-22 season, McLaren is not allowed to enter the world of Formula E. Once the contract ends, they will be free to enter the world of Formula E and race in both major sports of Formula One and Formula E.

An entry in the 2022-23 season, the ninth Formula E championship, would mean to be a timely opportunity as it coincides with the introduction of its new third-generation cars, known as Gen 3, which bring along with them multiple changes and updates.

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, who indicated the team’s interest in the series last month, said: “We’ve been closely observing Formula E for some time and monitoring the series’ progress and future direction” “The opportunity to take an option on an entry, together with the completion of the McLaren Applied supplier contract at the end of Gen 2, gives us the necessary time to decide if Formula E is right for McLaren as a future competition platform.”

For those unaware, Audi and BMW have both confirmed they will leave the championship at the end of the 2021-22 season. McLaren, which has not ruled out the possibility of aligning itself with one of the teams, said it will study the reasons behind the departures as well as forthcoming changes in Formula E, including the introduction of the Gen 3 car and caps on team budgets.

The championship remains popular with other manufacturers. Porsche, Nissan and McLaren’s Formula 1 rivals are all competitors. The new season which will also be the first to run as an officially-sanctioned world championship is due to begin in Saudi Arabia next month, marking the beginning of the 2021 season.

What are your thoughts regarding this new development? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Tesla looking for a design chief for China Specific Vehicles

EMotorad T-Rex Electric Bike India Launch Soon- Here’s What we Know So Far. #T-Rex

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News Desk
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Pune based EV bike manufacturer EMotorad, also known as EM is soon going to launch it’s new e-bike T-Rex in India soon. The company says that the e-MTB has been designed especially for the Indian terrain. The 36V 7.8Ah battery on the T-Rex takes around four hours to get completely charged and the same can be charged through a regular power socket.

There will be an LCD 866 display along with a remote that can be used to perform various operations and toggle between different sets of information on the screen. Riders can see key aspects such as the battery charge indicator, distance, distance unit, pedal assist level, and much more on the screen. The T-Rex also comes with an LED headlight and taillight. Moreover, the T-Rex has CST tyres with aluminium rims. Claims arising in relation to the bike state a pedal-assist range of 60 km and a throttle range of 35-40 Km with the T-Rex and the top speed is pegged at 25km/h.

Speaking on the announcement, Rajib Gangopadhyay, Founder, EM said that post the successful launch of the brand’s flagship model EMX, EM was flooded with positive responses and the most common query was an all-electric hard-trail frame without suspension fitted rear frame. He added that the masses were requesting a mid-ranged e-bike with a pocket-friendly reach and thus, the R&D concluded with the introduction of the first prototype of T-Rex and finally went into production.

 

 

The company’s first launch, The E-Motorad in action

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Gangopadhyay further added that EM then decided to integrate the front suspension to add further comfort while riding across the Indian terrain. For those unaware, the new e-bike T-Rex will be launched in the mid of January.

The bike will be positioned under the premium category with an expected price of Rs 45,000. The upcoming EMotorad T-Rex will come with a 6061 aluminium frame and the front suspension on this bike will be adjustable, which gives lots of ride options.

Also Read: Sauber and Alfa Romeo to remain partners for 2021 season

Sauber and Alfa Romeo to Remain Partners for Another Season of Formula 1 #AlfaRomeoSauber

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Sauber, which has been in Formula 1 since 1993 is one of the oldest on the current grid. They have partnered with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Red Bull, BMW, and currently are the partners of Alfa Romeo. The Italians have decided to stick with Sauber for yet another year. This, as per Motorsport.com, has pleased Alfa Romeo’s boss, Frederic Vasseur.

He said: “This is crucial for us. I don’t want to talk about the financial side of the matter, although it certainly plays a role. But it’s also the motivation that a team gets and the fact you can attract more people and let the company develop for the future. We need this kind of internal motivation.”

For those unaware, The Swiss and the Italian majors are partners for non-F1 projects too, which helps their partnership become stronger. Sauber might have had multiple partners, but having Alfa Romeo, which is like a junior team to Ferrari is a big scoop and an important headline for the company.

 

Kimi Raikkonen and the Alfa Romeo C39 during the day 2 of the formula 1 testing, on 20 February 2020, in Barcelona, Spain.

Also Read: Apple Car might be produced by Hyundai

“We also work together in the automotive field, which is a good collaboration for us. We have developed the GTA and GTAm in our factory and wind tunnel for 2020.” “For us, it is important to build that kind of co-operation, even if it is outside of Formula 1. Of course, we know we also need to improve our performance on the track. We need to improve not only our aerodynamic development but also our global approach. But the automotive side is crucial if you want to build the collaboration between a brand and a Formula 1 team” said Alfa Remeo Boss Vasseur.

What are your thoughts in regards to the same? Are you happy? Let us know in the comments below.

Also Read: Tesla Looking to aim at Chinese Market with new Design Chief

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