Austrian motorcycle company KTM, which is known for it’s performance bikes recently filed for a patent that has the automotive world’s eyes glued to it. The patent, which recently surfaced online, shows a plan for a Radar guided Cruise Control system, which would enhance the use case as well as improve the feature’s abilities.
The patent, which features a small capacity KTM bike, which, if you’re a motorhead, you might know to be the KTM 390 Duke. This, however, does not mean that the Duke 390 will be receiving this feature, since those specifics are yet to be revealed. This, however, does indicate that KTM is going to introduce a version of it’s own radar-based cruise control system, and, it also shows where the sensor will be positioned and what it does/sees and relays to the bike’s onboard computer.
The KTM system, which is showcased in the patent images, reveals a front-facing warning system that alerts the rider about vehicles approaching from both the front and the rear. The patent also mentions an additional headlight and another sensor, which could be a combination of both radar as well as lidar, which is a common tool used to measure distances and recognise nearby objects.
It also mentions how the field of view of these sensors will be able to detect vehicles and pedestrians encroaching from both sides. The image is analysed by the onboard computer which is either classified as critical or problematic, depending on the situation. A warning system is also going to be a part of these bikes.
Radar based adaptive cruise control systems are the next big thing in advanced rider assistance systems which many leading manufacturers are working on. These will be quite helpful to the rider whilst on a ride. Ducati is also working on a similar system on the new Ducati Multistrada 1260 GT.
Seeing as to how these radar-powered adaptive cruise control systems are catching on, KTM seems to be wishing to board this train as soon as possible, with the future of their bikes, such as the 1290 Super Duke expected to receive this feature. It will be a feat if KTM does decide to include the same on smaller, cheaper bikes.
What are your thoughts on the new patents? Are you excited in regards to the same? Let us know in the comments.
Renault is gearing up to launch it’s next product, the Kiger. Name seem familiar? The naming scheme of this upcoming vehicle is quite similar to that of Kadjar, which is one of the international vehicles sold by Renault. This car is also known as Captur in the Indian market.
In case you are unaware of the partnership between Renault and Nissan, It goes without saying that the Renault Kidger will share a lot with the Magnite,it’s close cousin, with the first similarity being that of a similar platform and the powertrain line-up. Also,the feature list is expected to be carried over quite extensively. One can also expect to see some premium features like wireless Apple Carplay as well as Android Auto, wireless charging, a sunroof and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
The Kiger will be based on the CMFA+ platform that underpins other cars such as the Triber and the Magnite. It will share its major components, including the engine and transmission options, with the Nissan Magnite. However, it will have a completely different design language, possibly a funkier and modern look. For some safety based context, the made-in-India Magnite scored 4-stars in the ASEAN NCAP crash tests and we can expect a similar result for the Kiger, which is a sign of a Safer India.
The Kiger will be a petrol-only offering, as diesel engines are being phased out as a result of the rather stringent BS-6 Norms. It will get a naturally aspirated three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine. The 1.0-litre petrol will be rated at 72PS and 96Nm, while the turbo engine will produce 100PS and up to 160Nm. The Transmission options will include a 5-speed manual and a CVT exclusively for the turbo engine.
Prices for the Kiger is expected to be beginning at Rs 5 lakh and go up to Rs 9 lakhs. Some rivals of the car include Tata’s Nexon, Mahindra’s XUV 300 and the Kia Sonet. If the sales of the Magnite are any indication, this car might be another success in the making.
Toyota has had a very successful run in the Indian market, with the Innova and Fortuner being sort of Legends in the market. Later today, the Fortuner, well known for being a flagship SUV is going to receive a well-deserved refresh. In comparison to the current-gen Fortuner, the facelift has significantly different design elements compared to the facelift model. The new Fortuner Legender has already been snapped during a TVC shoot, revealing most of the design changes.
The facelift comes with cosmetic design changes in the form of sleeker and sharper headlamps, more prominent and large mesh-pattern grille, new fog lamps and re-shaped front bumper with new silver skid plate. The SUV also gets a new LED lighting system, which has LED headlamps with LED DRLs and slimmer-looking tail lights that make the car look better from the back. In terms of the wheels,the SUV rides on newly-styled 18-inch alloys.
The Toyota Fortuner Legender also gets a newly styled headlamp unit with LED tech and DRLs, which resembles the one available in the Toyota Yaris. There is black eyebrow esque treatment on the top of the new lamp, which connects well with the slimmer grille.
It comes with wider air-dam with blackened treatment for mesh pattern, new skid plates, LED fog lamps and sequential turn signal on the lower side of the bumper, which resemble those found on Lexus cars. This model rides on new and bigger dual-tone alloys, which could be 20-inch in size. This variant will also get still footsteps and chrome treatment under the side window, and black-treatment for ORVMs, pillars and roof.
In terms of the engine,the new Fortuner will be offered with two engine options, a 2.7-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol and a 2.8-litre turbocharged diesel. The turbocharged petrol engine is capable of producing 164bhp of power and 245Nm of torque, while the turbo-diesel engine offers 201bhp of power and 500Nm of torque. As for the transmission, the car will include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic. The Legender variant will be offered with a 6-speed automatic gearbox and 2WD (two-wheel-drive) system only. The top-end trims will be exclusively offered with four-wheel drive systems.
It is safe to say that the Fortuner is looking to be a great new SUV and, we wait for the event to begin and the price to finally drop.
What are your thoughts on these leaks? Are you excited about the Fortuner? Let us know in the comments.
Fiat Chrysler and PSA announced on Monday that the company’s investors had given their consent in relation to a $52 billion merger to create the world’s fourth-largest automaker, and shares of the new company, dubbed Stellantis, would start trading in two weeks.
The newly-formed firm is expected to play a key role in the auto industry’s electrification since it will have an annual production of around 8 million cars around the world and revenues of over $203 billion.
The merger, as mentioned above, is dubbed ‘Stellantis’. It will have 14 brands, from Fiat, Maserati, Jeep, Ram and Dodge to PSA’s Europen companies such as Peugeot, Opel, DS and Citroen.
During the announcement, both the FCA and PSA declared that their tie-up will be completed on the 16th of January.
FCA and PSA said they expected to complete their tie-up on Jan. 16, ahead of an earlier indication which aimed for a closing within the first quarter of this year. Stellantis shares will start trading in Milan and Paris on Jan. 18, and in New York the following day, the two automakers said in a joint statement.
At two extraordinary shareholder meetings, held virtually on Monday due to the coronavirus pandemic, investors in both groups backed the merger with approval rates above 99% of the votes cast.
Commenting on this merger, PSA Chief Executive and future CEO of Stellantis said “We are ready for this merger”
FCA Chairman John Elkann, the future chairman of Stellantis, said the new automaker would “play a leading role as the next decade redefines mobility”. FCA CEO Mike Manley – who will head Stellantis’ key North American operations said: “ 40% of the expected synergies from the merger – projected at more than 5 billion euros, will come from the convergence of platforms and powertrains and from optimising R&D investments.
Manley said 35% of synergies would be driven by savings on purchases, while another 7% would come from savings on sales operations and general expenses” The remainder of the synergies are expected from the optimization of other functions including logistics, supply chain, quality and after-market operations, he added.
What are your thoughts on this merger? Let us know in the comments below.
The German car maker famous for it’s luxury cars, Mercedes Benz on Tuesday launched the new S-Class Maestro Edition, with a starting price of Rs 1.51 crores (Ex-Showroom Delhi). Alongside this surprise launch, the company also rolled out the latest version of MMC (Mercedes me connect) tech with three brand new features. This announcement was made as part of a press release.
On the occasion of this launch, Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director and CEO Martin Schwenk said “In 2021, one of our key priorities is to introduce the latest in connected car technology, along with the most desirable products and their updates. Mercedes me connect has been a distinct differentiator in the luxury car segment since its inception and we are excited with the overwhelming response for our connected car technology”
He added that these are deployed OTA free of cost to all Mercedes me connect customers in India. With this the company ensures that its customers and their Mercedes-Benz vehicles are always updated.
“At Mercedes-Benz India, one of our key priorities is to introduce the latest enhancements in our connected car technology, along with the introduction of the latest products”
“Today, we are glad to strengthen our competitive edge in the connected car technology domain by launching three new exclusive features with the MMC,” he added.
The Maestro Edition features the carmaker’s latest-gen Mercedes me connect (MMC) interface which is integrated with home automation and voice assistance. The MMC also allows customers to check and track the location of the car using a smartphone application. Other than this, this special edition model features Magic Sky control for the panoramic sunroof that allows the front and rear segments of the dual-pane sunroof to be independently set to dark and light.
Talking about the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Maestro Edition, the CEO mentioned: “We are confident the ‘Maestro Edition’ will continue the S-Class’ unmatched popularity among its discerning patrons, reaffirming the flagship’s segment leadership position.”
Are you excited for the S-Class Maestro Edition? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
If you have been following Formula One for quite some time, you might remember what happened with the 2020 season. The dates for the races were announced well before they began, as is customary, but, just as the date for the race approached, at the last moment, changes were made. This came as a shock, since the cancellation was just hours before the Australian GP practice began and, what followed suit was a worldwide lockdown that also led to the cancellation of a few races.
It seems history may repeat itself this year, but, this time, the authorities handling F1 are going to be cautious, rather than making announcements at the last moment. Why do we say so? It is because, it seems, if reports are to be believed, the first race of Formula One is going to be postponed quite a bit, owing to the new strain of Coronavirus, which has been spreading like wildfire over the world.
Covid had massive implications on Formula One.
The Australian Grand Prix, which is currently scheduled to begin on the weekend of March 21, 2021, might get held up, mainly due to travel restrictions that will force visitors to quarantine for long periods and heavily restrict outside traffic. Autosport reports suggest that these difficulties in regards to foreign traffic, when coupled with the reports of even more viral strains of the Covid-19 virus might lead to a change in the schedule. They state that “we understand that the Australian Grand Prix now looks set to be postponed until later in the 2021 season” and also state the announcement for the same will be coming later this month.
We ought to note, however, since, in February, Australia is going to host the 2021 Australian Open, an international tennis event and, if entries are going to be allowed, as is being reported, there may be some hope, albeit with the same two-week quarantines before competitions. This however should be taken with a grain of salt, as the two sports are quite different and F1 requires far more personnel.
A final call on staging the Australian Grand Prix will be made in the “coming weeks”, organisers said Tuesday following reports it could be postponed over strict travel restrictions and the emergence of a new strain of Covid-19. There are some reports of the race also being shifted from Melbourne to another location with less stringent rules, but, that is just a rumour and we will have to wait and see what the organisers decide.
Whatever it is that will happen for F1 2021, the race will take place, with a record-setting 23 GPs, in a variety of locations. This season is one to look out for, considering the multiple changes taking place this time, with some notable ones being Sebastian Vettel’s departure from Ferrari to Aston Martin, Carlos Sainz from McLaren to Ferrari and more. It is safe to assume that this season will be a grand affair, even if Covid tries to hamper the fun.
What do you think will happen? Will Formula One be delayed? Or will it shift to another location? Let us know in the comments below or by tweeting at us.
In a year full of misery and sorrow, one thing that did not disappoint was the 2020 season of Formula One. The races were slightly hampered, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, since the season has concluded, we can safely say that this season was full of amazing races and, one very lucky miss. All that is more will be listed out soon, but, first of all, here is a look at the champions and losers of this season.
Champion Teams
Many teams are part of the races and, in the 2020 season, we saw 17 races take place. Amongst them, there were certain teams that did well, while some failed. These were a few of the teams that were champions in the 2020 season.
1. Mercedes
When you see the records for the Mercedes team, you know that they mean absolute business, having won both titles for seven years in a row. This feat is extraordinary on its own. In the 2020 season, the team passed Williams in the list of the race winners, with 115 wins. Out of the 17 odd races, the team won 13 races, out of which, the team was on pole at just two. These are some serious records and, the Mercedes team is one poised for success.
2. Honda (RedBull)
Another team that performed quite well in 2020, Honda-powered Red Bull is the only engine manufacturer to have won races apart from No.1 Mercedes. The team’s driver, Max Verstappen won two races, including the final race of the season at Yas Marina. To add to this, Pierre Gasly, another driver for the team won at Monza for AlphaTauri (Sister team of Honda), which was an emotional win to say the least.
3. McLaren
The third position in the list of champions, McLaren was third overall, which was the highest position that the team has been since 2012. Former champions, the team made progress this year in the last year of being powered by Renault, since the team would be entering a new phase in the future, powered by Mercedes.
Winning Drivers
While teams help drivers power through to victory, at the end, the driver is the one who decides the fate of the team in the season. This season, we saw multiple races and, out of all these racers, we saw some who had victory on their heads-up-display. Here are a few of the racers who seem to be winners.
1. Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez made an amazing record this year, with the Mexican winning in Bahrain on his 190th start. This is an amazing feat since he became the country’s first race winner in 50 long years. Racing for Racing Point, he finished fourth in the season and had to retire from the final race, owing to his car facing a malfunction. Unfortunately, he has been shown the door by Racing point, but, thankfully, was signed by RedBull for the 2021 season.
2. Lewis Hamilton
The 2020 season will be remembered quite fondly by Lewis, since he became the most successful Formula One driver of all time. This was because, post the recent season, he has a record 95 wins and a seventh championship win. This ties him with racing legend, Michael Schumacher. Out of the 17 races, he won 11 races and also beat out his teammate, Valtteri Bottas by 124 points. He finished second in the final race, which was pretty shocking, considering he had recently recovered from Covid and did shockingly well.
3. Pierre Gasly
One of the season’s standout racers, the Frenchman made a record after his win at Monza, becoming the first French winner after a long time, with the last Frenchman to have won been Olivier Panis in the year 1996. He rebuilt his reputation at AlphaTauri after being dropped by sister team AlphaTauri.
Winning Moment
After 17 races, the 2020 session of Formula One was full of excitement and speed, with multiple moments being noteworthy. The one that stood out, however, was a win for the entire Formula-One community, which was the incredible escape of French racer Romain Grosjean, who walked away from a serious and fiery crash that split his car in two during the Bahrain race. This was a triumph for safety and, according to us, was the most important moment of the season.
Losing Teams
With every season of the Formula One championship, we have a set of winners and losers. While we have already listed the winners of the season, we ought to list out the ones that falled or did not live up to our expectations. Here are some of the teams that we felt did not do well.
1. Haas
Having had a few rough seasons, this season was another tough one for the US team. They finished ninth in the season and cleared out both of it’s drivers (Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen). We can only hope for the team to do well next season, but, for the last few years, the team has not looked very promising.
2. Racing Point
The Racing Point team consists of a good set of racers and, even one of the best drivers of the season, Sergio Perez. Despite his win, the Canadian team failed to convert that into a solid win and were fined 15 points for modelling their car pretty close to 2019’s car from team Mercedes. The team, in the end finished fourth, closely beaten by McLaren.
3. Williams
Going against their former glory, the champions failed to score for the first time since the late 70’s, which is not a good thing. They were sold in August of 2020 and the founders left the team, Their driver, George Russell ranked as a winner due to the stand-in stint when Hamilton was out of action, but, overall the team was one of the biggest flops.
4. Ferrari
A team well known as one of the best teams of F1, period, suffered it’s worst season after 1980, which was saddening, to say the least. They failed to win a single race and ended up sixth in position, post a drop in the performance of their engines. Charles Le Clerc did well, but, Sebastian Vettel, a racing legend in the field, did not do so well this year and, departed from the team.
Worst Moment
The worst moment of the season, however, was oddly the whole season. What do we mean by this? Well, for us motorheads, the best feeling was that of going to races and smelling that air full of the smell of asphalt and burning rubber. This, however, did not work this year due to Covid and we all were forced to be confined to our homes. We can only hope that 2021 will bring some luck and we are back to the races and enjoying Formula One 2021 in all of its glory.
The world of auto faced massive challenges because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which also caused a period in 2020 where auto sales were down to 0 units. The market has been recovering since the lockdown was lifted, but, the situation still remains grim in comparison to times before the Covid crisis. That being said, the two-wheeler segment has seen a slight boom, owing to people spending on bikes to go from place to place rather than buying a new car in 2020 and 2021, since we are not doing long distance travels any time soon. This seems to have caught the attention of Piaggio.
This is evident in a recent conversation that has grabbed some eyeballs. In a recent interaction with Autocar Professional,Diego Graffi, MD and CEO, Piaggio Vehicles, said that the company is “starting with a completely new product portfolio for two-wheelers because we see more demand and interest for products between 150cc and 300cc in India.
“Our plan is to make a motorcycle in India and make it suitable not only for the Indian market but also for the global market. But this will definitely take some time – a brand-new motorcycle by 2022-23.” He added.
While he could not share a fixed deadline, he was quite calm and was not in a rush. He stated “Yes, it is true that the market (300-500cc) is growing and it will continue to grow very fast, but we want to be ready with the right products in that category. We want to be there with something which is not there in the market currently and want to bring the right product”
Whenever Piaggio does begin sharing more details, you can be sure we will be keen on sharing the details. We hope that Piaggio does launch the bike that they have in the pipeline soon enough and make it competitive so as to stir up the two-wheeler segment.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think Piaggio can do something good here? Let us know in the comments below or tweet at us.
Kawasaki, a two-wheeler company well known for having sports bikes in it’s portfolio, on offer for bike enthusiasts to fulfil their need for speed. Today, they added to their set of offerings with two new launches, the Z H2 and the Z H2 SE. The pricing for them has been set at Rs 21.9 lakhs and Rs 25.9 lakhs respectively. For some context, these bikes were unveiled back in 2019, but the launch got delayed a bit. That being said, the bikes are finally here.
In terms of the styling the Kawasaki Z H2, it features an aggressive design that is apparent with the bike’s mean-lean LED headlamps with two fangs below, which make the bike looks like it’s ready to pounce. The streetfighter vibe is completed with a floating fly screen. The trellis frame is exposed and painted in the common H2 green shade.
As for the SE variant, it distinguishes itself from the H2 with a belly pan finished in green instead of the common black hue and some green stitching on the bike’s seat.
The showstopper, however, is the engine. The biggest highlight of the Z H2, the 998cc, inline-four supercharged engine. This motor produces 200hp, which is in the same ballpark as most litre-class superbikes. While the engine architecture is similar to the Ninja H2 superbike’s motor, this one is supposedly better tuned, keeping this bike in mind.
The suspension present on the bike includes a Piston Fork towards the front and a Showa Uni-Track (monoshock) at the back. The SE gets KECS (Kawasaki Electronic Control Suspension) and Showa’s Skyhook tech.
To bring this beast to a halt, two radially-mounted Brembo M4.32 callipers are present on the Z H2. The Z H2 SE uses higher-spec Brembo Stylema brakes.
When we talk about the electronics, the Z H2 features four different modes, Road, Rain, Rider and Sport, each tuned for different rides. The Rider mode allows the rider to customise settings rather than having pre-defined settings. Power is also divided into three modes, which are Full (200hp), Low (98hp) and Mid (148hp). To add to these, the bikes have Kawasaki Launch control, Traction control and Cruise control.
The Z H2 sports a full-TFT display with a standard Bluetooth connection module to pair your smartphone. The app that one has to use is the Kawasaki Rideology App.
Both bikes are available in only one hue- Metallic Diablo Black/Golden Blazed Green. Kawasaki has also revealed that both bikes are built to order, which means customers need to make the full payment while booking the motorcycle, rather than making just deposits.
What are your thoughts on the Kawasaki Z H2 and Z H2 SE? Are you excited about the same? Let us know in the comments.
In what is definitely a welcome addition for the Indian automotive segment, FCA today announced that it will be shelling out Rs 1,850 crores in India. This investment is towards the production of four brand new Jeep SUVs, all of which will be manufactured locally. These cars include the Jeep Compass (2021 edition) which is soon to be unveiled on 7th of January, the Jeep Wrangler, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee as well as a three-row SUV, all of which will be produced at their plant in Ranjangaon, India.
The carmaker additionally announced that both Grand Cherokee and Wrangler will be locally assembled in the same plant, which is the FCA’s joint venture manufacturing facility. This is a pretty big deal considering as to how the Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee are the flagship SUVs of the Jeep brand.
All four cars are going to be launched by 2022, the first of which, as we mentioned above, will be the Jeep Compass (2021) soon to be launched on the 7th of January. Production for the same has already commenced. The luxury three-row SUV, being code-named H6, for now, will be on sale by 2022, with the car being positioned in between the Compass and the Grand Cherokee, as part of Jeep’s Indian portfolio.
In regards to today’s announcement, FCA India managing director, Dr Partha Datta said, “Our new investment of $250 million will give us a competitive edge in multiple segments with our new Jeep SUVs rolling out of Ranjangaon.”
“This investment is in addition to $450 million (Rs 3,330 crore) we have already committed to our Indian operations over the past five years. We are delighted to announce our exciting new products, coupled with our continued commitment to India in Jeep brand’s 80th anniversary year,” said Dr. Datta.
Adding to his comments, Dr Datta also said ”We are determined to increase locally-made componentry in our vehicles which are produced in our joint venture manufacturing facility. Our plans in India are aimed at increasing the value proposition for customers through our products and services, working hard on customer satisfaction and unlocking business opportunities for our business partners.”
For those unaware, on December 16, 2020, FCA announced its footprint expansion in India which was to take place with a Rs 1,110 crore investment towards a Global Digital Centre in the city of Hyderabad. The FCA also expanded its Engineering operations recently and will be creating at least 1000 new jobs by the end of 2021.
What are your thoughts on this major development? Do you think this is a boon for the Indian market? Let us know by tweeting at us or commenting below.
