Home Blog Page 55

Shell Advance and Ducati announce the first edition of ‘Shell Ducati Riders Day’

Shell Advance Lubricants and Ducati today announced the first edition of Shell Ducati Riders’ Day at Buddh International Circuit, Noida on September 29th. The event is built on a two-decade-long technical partnership which has excited riders around the world. It comes as the latest endeavor by the two brands to establish a stronger connection with their customers and delivers on their brand promise.

As one of the most successful technical collaborations since 1999, Shell and Ducati co-learn from extreme testing environments on and off the racetrack, to provide riders with high performing products and cutting-edge technology all over the world. Shell Advance, the only motorcycle oil recommended by Ducati, is central to powering Ducati bikes on the track in extremely testing environments and this itself is a testament to its superior on-road performance.

Recently, Shell Advance Lubricants India launched its unique limited-edition promo pack series with attractive packaging and unlimited surprise prizes for its consumers. As part of this, 10 lucky consumers will get the chance to go to MotoGP Malaysia! This contest series will culminate at the Shell Ducati Riders’ Day where over 25 lucky Shell Advance consumers will get a chance to be a part of this thrilling event. The event will also see Ducati create unparalleled riding experiences by inviting 60 trained Ducati Professionals. This will be topped up by a stellar appearance of official MotoGP rider Andrea Dovizioso.

Shell Advance has facilitated the first-ever appearance of the top-class MotoGP rider in India. On this day, Ducati DRE Certified trainers would provide exclusive training to all participants for the Ducati Road Academy at the event. This will focus on improving the skills of riders on road thereby ensuring safe riding. This will be followed by the Ducati Open Track Day, which will provide an opportunity for all Ducati superbike owners to ride on the track further enhancing their skills to outride all challenges and pursue their passion for the ride.

The Open Track Day is open for all Ducati motorcycles excluding the Scrambler range while the Road Academy would accommodate all Ducati owners. The participants can avail their passes at an introductory price of INR 11,000 for riding on the track and INR 7,000 for the road academy. Limited to 40 slots, each slot for the Track Riding would include 5 sessions of 15 to 20 minutes each. On the other hand, the Road academy is limited to 25 slots and would include the full training.

Sergi Canovas, MD of Ducati India added, “After the resounding success of all our experiential activities, we are proud to announce our first ever Shell Ducati Riders’ Day exclusively for all Ducatisti. This experience would help riders improve their riding skills under the guidance of certified instructors and enhance the joy of riding on road as well on track. With Dovizioso joining us, we are sure that this edition is going to be a unique and electrifying one.”

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more updates.

Ducati Concludes its DRE Dream Tour to the Incredible Spiti Valley

Ducati has successfully concluded its Dream Tour to the Incredible Spiti Valley. The 7-day riding excursion took place from 26th August to September 2nd and attracted over 16 Ducatisti from across the world, who rode across the Himalayas aboard their Ducati Multistrada and Scrambler range of motorcycles. The ride was curated and led by Eaglerider India and was powered by Shell Advance, GoPro and Pirelli tyres.

The Dream Tour consisted of the entire Multistrada family which included the Multistrada 950 Spoked Wheels, Multistrada 1260S, Pikes Peak and the all-new 1260 Enduro. The ride was flagged off from Ducati North Star in Gurgaon with stops in Shimla, Sangla, Tabo, Kaza, Nako and Theog. The Dream Tour allowed Ducatisti to explore the heart of Himalayas and experience the rugged mountains and challenging riding terrain, rich cultural heritage and enchanting valleys through one of the most spectacular motorcycles routes in India.

Also Read: Ducati unveils Diavel 1260 and 1260 S at INR 17.70 lacs and INR 19.25 lacs

Ducati had partnered with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts to offer the best in class exquisite luxury experience to the participants of the Dream Tour, with stays at Cecil by Oberoi and the Wildflower, Oberoi in Shimla. The tour also allowed Ducatisti to ride through the narrow stretches of off-road terrains while enjoying the scenic views meandering along the rivers. What differentiates the DRE Dream Tour from any other ride are the exclusively designed experiences at the end of each riding day.

The Ducatisti rode on the world’s most treacherous roads to explore old Buddhist monasteries, hidden meditation caves, relaxed around the scenic riverside and immersed themselves in the local culture of the Spiti. The trip also included a guided tour of the monasteries, camping under the glittery stars, amidst the snowcapped mountains along with specially designed food experiences each night.

Sergi Canovas, Managing Director of Ducati India said, “This Dream Tour to Spiti Valley was truly an incredible one and enabled the riders to enhance their skills while riding on world’s most adventurous route. Riding with the Ducatisti through uneven mountain terrains to some of the highest peaks was one of the most spectacular experiences of my life. With every new Dream Tour, we strive to take the Ducati riding culture to the next level and provide a unique experience to our customers which goes beyond just riding.”

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more updates.

 

 

Kia Motors launches ‘Made in India’ Seltos BS6 complaint SUV in Petrol and Diesel starting at ₹9.69 Lakh

Kia Motors, the world’s 8th largest automaker today launched its first product in mid-SUV segment, the Seltos in the Indian market with an introductory price starting from INR 9.69 lakhs (Ex-showroom PAN India) for the entry level Petrol Smartstream G1.5 HTE model going up to INR 15.99 Lakhs (Ex-showroom PAN India)  for the Diesel 1.5 CRDi HTX plus (6AT) and Petrol Smartstream 1.4 T – Gdi GTX (7DCT) and GTX plus top-end variant. The Seltos is BS-VI compliant and available in both petrol and diesel variants with manual and automatic transmission options.

The company also announced the receipt of record 320,35 bookings for the Seltos so far which has set a new benchmark for the mid-SUV segment in the country. Kia Motors India is well equipped to handle the overwhelming demand for Seltos in the market.  The company’s Anantapur plant has an annual production capacity of 3,00,000 units which will allow the company to smoothly cater to the increasing demand of Seltos in the country.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr Kookhyun Shim, MD & CEO, Kia Motors India said, “The Seltos has been one of the most ambitious projects for Kia Motors and even more so for Kia Motors India. The Seltos marks the arrival of Kia in India for the first time, and we have put our heart and soul into this product. The Seltos is all about surprising everyone with its premium features, distinctive design, supreme quality, refined and powerful engine options, addictive performance and so much more. It is BS-VI compliant and has undergone extensive testing to meet emission norms even with the currently available BS-IV fuel, which makes it future proof. With the most advanced set of engine, fuel and transmission options in Seltos, we are confident to address all the unmet needs of the segment today. For our new age digital savvy customer, we have also designed a complete digital journey from booking, sales and delivery to aftersales service thereby ensuring the most evolved ownership experience ever. I am confident that Seltos will redefine the entire mid SUV segment in India. ”

Seltos is available in Smartstream 1.4 turbo petrol with a 6-speed manual/7-speed DCT, smartstream 1.5 petrol with 6-speed manual/IVT and 1.5 diesel VGT with 6-speed manual/6-speed automatic. Further, all the engines will be BS-VI compliant, making Seltos the first car in the segment to meet the emissions norms that will come into effect next year. The Seltos will have two distinct design lines – Tech Line aimed at family-oriented customers and GT Line aimed at enthusiasts who are young at heart. The Seltos line up will get premium and smart features such as 8.0 inch heads-up-display, 10.25 inch HD touchscreen, a hi-tech sound mood lamp, a rear shade curtain, 360 degree surround view monitor, blind spot monitoring, world’s first connected air-purifier, highly advanced proprietary UVO connect system with 37 unique features for a wireless and seamless communication with the car, an 8-Speaker Bose Hi-Fi sound system with sound mood lamp and more. Host of safety features, ESC, VSM, 6 Airbags and use of AHSS- Advanced high strength steel. The Kia Seltos will be offered in a variety of 8 sensuous colors and will get 5 dual tone options to keep the young and dynamic character of the car intact.

Further easing the buying process, Kia’s partnership with 8 leading banks of India will help the customers get the most attractive financing options with the lowest interest rates and desired paying back period. To add more comfort to the buying process for the customer, the company has designed a unique online purchase process, which begins with booking, selection, to financing and closes with delivery.  Two leading banks of the country have tied up with the company to offer a complete online financing option to customers as well.

Seltos will come with Kia Motors’ comprehensive Promise to care service program which has been designed on the core philosophy of CARE-Connected, Adaptive, Responsive and Engage, which dovetails into a never before service experience for our customers. The service network of across 160 cities in India is supported by a digitized, IOT enabled Kia LINK app to efficiently manage service lifecycle. Spare parts network ensures spare parts are available across the country through 4 Parts Depots in Chennai, Navi Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Kolkata. The Seltos comes with a 3 years comprehensive warranty, extendable upto 5 years. The offering includes 24/7 Road side assistance of 3 years and scratch care program for one time free repair, amongst others.

PRICE

There will be a total of 16 variants, the ex-showroom prices of which are:

The deliveries of the Seltos will begin today and bookings will remain open and the interested customer can purchase the Seltos at any one of the 265 customer touchpoints across 160 cities or can even purchase the car online by logging onto www.kia.com/in

All India (EX. Showroom Price   in Lacs) Tech Line All India (EX. Showroom Price in Lacs) GT Line
Petrol Diesel Petrol
Smartstream G1.5 1.5 CRDi VGT Smartstream

1.4 T – GDi

HTE 9.69 9.99 GTK 13.49
HTK 9.99 11.19 GTX 14.99

15.99  (7 DCT)

HTK Plus 11.19 12.19

13.19  (6 AT)

GTX Plus 15.99
HTX 12.79

13.79  (IVT)

13.79
HTX Plus 14.99

15.99 (6 AT)

Kia Seltos Features

Technology: –

  • BS6 Compliant Engine: Kia Seltos will come in petrol, turbo-petrol and diesel versions and drivers would also have the option to choose from ‘Normal’, ‘Eco’ and ‘Sport’ mode

Trim Concept: –

  • Dual trim concept – GT Line & Tech Line

Colors Available: –

8 monotone color options

  • Intense Red
  • Aurora Black Pearl
  • Glacier White Pearl
  • Punchy Orange
  • Intelligency Blue
  • Gravity Gray
  • Steel Silver
  • Clear White

5 Dual tone color options

  • Intense Red with Aurora Black Pearl
  • Steel Silver with Aurora Black Pearl
  • Glacier White Pearl with Aurora Black Pearl
  • Steel Silver with punchy Orange
  • Glacier White Pearl with Punchy Orange

Interiors – Premium Black Monotone as well as Black & Beige dual tone options

Exterior:-

  • LED headlamps with DRLs

The aesthetically crafted crown jewel LED headlamps with Heartbeat DRLs give the car sleek look and a distinctive character

  • Alloy Wheels:-

The elegant yet sport 17.0 crystal cut alloy wheels adds to the sporty premium appeal of the car.

  • LED tail Lamps:-

The heartbeat shaped tail lamps build on the robust stance of the car

  • Sunroof:-

With an electric sunroof over-head, the car adds a sense of freedom and modernity to your drive with an airy cabin.

Interior:-

  • Dual tone Interior:-

The dual tone interior of the car gives a premium appeal of the car.

  • 2 step rear reclining seat:-

The seat reclining feature at the back enhances passenger comfort by enabling the freedom to change their sitting posture with ease.

  • Ambient Mood Lighting:-

The ambient and LED sound mood lights sets your mood right for every mood.

  • Ventilated & Power Seats:-

The specially designed Ventilated front seats and Driver power seat improves the convenience for Driver and front passenger.

  • Rear Sunshade Curtain – Utmost comfort for all the occupants
  • Smart Pure Air :-

Isolate yourself from the polluting environment with the state-of-the-art air purifier.

Infotainment and connectivity: –

  • Stay Connected with UVO: –  37 Features | 3 Years free subscription

UVO is an advanced, dynamic & innovative connected car solution with AI voice recognition that integrates your car, Smart phone & infotainment system into a single solution, to help provide you safe, secure, convenient, joyful experience of owning a Kia Car

  • Connected 10.25 HD Touchscreen

The touchscreen and Advance 7.0 Color display panel enhances ease of driving and makes the cabin futuristic

  • Bose® premium 8-speaker system

The immersive sound achieved by specially designed Bose® speakers with their Dynamic speed compensation technology, keeps you entertained on all your drives.

  • Smart 8.0 Head up display

Smart 8.0 HUD displays driving information to assist safe driving by minimizing movement of driver’s line of sight and reduces distraction while driving

  • 360 degree camera with BVM (Blind view monitor) & DRVM (Driving Rear View Monitor) – provides you a complete view of the exterior to avoid any unexpected incident.

Convenience:-

  • Driver 8 way Power seat
  • Front ventilated seats
  • Cruise Controls
  • Wireless charger with cooling function

Safety:-

  • Structure:-

Kia Seltos structure uses Advance high-strength steel (AHSS) to provide comprehensive safety

  • 6 Airbags:-

Crash safety starts with airbags for Driver & front passenger which reduces the risk of injury by regulating airbag deployment.

  • ESC/HAC/VSM/ABS:-

Driving safety of SELTOS is amplified by the active safety features like ESC / HAC / VSM / ABS which helps you keep the car in control while driving.

  • All wheels Disc Brakes:-

Disc brakes on all wheels improves the braking performance and helps keep the vehicle under control enhancing the safety while driving

  • Tyre Pressure monitoring system:-

Tyre Pressure Monitor helps you keep track of the tire pressure to protect you against any unexpected incident

Ducati unveils Diavel 1260 and 1260 S at INR 17.70 lacs and INR 19.25

Ducati, the Italian luxury brand celebrated the entry of its power-cruiser Diavel 1260 in the Indian market with an exclusive launch party. The event saw the presence of celebrities, biking enthusiasts, influencers, Italian Ambassador and key industry veterans who came under one roof to celebrate their passion for the Italian motorcycle brand.

The all-new Diavel 1260 and Diavel 1260 S was unveiled at the Cultural Centre, Italian Embassy under the presence of Honorable Ambassador of Italy, Chargé D’Affaires Pietro Sferra Carini. The Diavel 1260 and 1260 S launched at INR 17.70 lacs and INR 19.25 respectively (Ex-showroom) is a step above its predecessor, promising the personalities of a naked roadster and a power cruiser, making it a “Mega Monster”.

Sergi Canovas, Managing Director of Ducati India said“It’s a great feeling to have all the motorcycle enthusiasts under one roof, who believe in the unique personality of Diavel. Diavel is the most loved bike across age groups and gives an intense feeling of pride & power. Ducati is a brand that goes beyond biking and has its own lifestyle footprint and culture – and the Diavel 1260 celebration party symbolizes this in a perfect manner.”

Amit Sadh, Bollywood Celebrity and Ducati owner said, “I’m now a part of Ducati family and a proud owner of the one of a kind Diavel Diesel Edition. Diavel is a cult bike and immediately lets you disconnect from the outside world as soon as you swing a leg over it. I am super excited to be a part of this party and can’t wait to experience the more powerful and aggressive Diavel 1260.”

The all-new Diavel 1260 is more powerful and more muscular yet agile and effective between the curves for maximum riding enjoyment. Equipped with a 1262 cm3 Ducati Testastretta DVT engine with variable cam timing, the second-generation Diavel 1260 remains faithful to the original spirit of the incredibly special Diavel which combined the riding ethos of a Super Naked, Superbike, and a Cruiser, yet bringing all the elements decidedly up to date.

The Diavel 1260 is available in Sandstone Grey with a black frame while the Diavel 1260S offers two livery options: Thrilling Black & Dark Stealth (motorcycle surfaces feature two contrasting blacks with different finishes, with red frame) and Sandstone Grey (with black frame). Bookings are currently open across all Ducati dealerships in Delhi – NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Ducati Team’s Italian rider Andrea Dovizioso today won the Austrian Grand Prix

It was a difficult race for team-mate Danilo Petrucci, who started from row 4.

Andrea Dovizioso today won a spectacular Austrian Grand Prix with a last-corner pass on Marquez after a terrific sparring match with the Spanish champion that lasted from the first to the last lap. Dovizioso powered away well at the start from the front row, then overtook the provisional race leader Quartararo on lap 6. He was followed immediately by Marquez, with whom Andrea then had an amazing scrap that only finished at the chequered flag, with Andrea flashing across the line first by 0.213s.

It was a difficult race for team-mate Danilo Petrucci, who started from row 4. The Italian managed to get up to ninth place on lap 17 but was unable to improve any further and finished the race in that position.

With this victory, Ducati continued its unbeaten winning streak at the Red Bull Ring since the Austrian circuit returned to the MotoGP calendar. The red bikes from the Borgo Panigale factory won here in 2016 with Iannone, in 2017 with Dovizioso, last year with Lorenzo and again this year with Dovizioso.

In the overall Riders’ championship standings, Andrea Dovizioso is still in second place, but he has reduced the gap to leader Marquez to 58 points. Ducati is getting closer to Honda in the Constructors’ standings, with 34 points separating the two, and the Ducati Team retains its first place in the special Teams’ classification with 308 points.

Andrea Dovizioso (#04 Ducati Team) – 1st
“Today I’m so happy, because this victory was really important for me. Towards the end of the race I had good right-side grip on the tyre and this allowed me to successfully attempt that incredible overtaking move at the final corner. My strategy for the race was to be aggressive right from the opening lap, but Marquez was more aggressive than me. He immediately tried to impose his rhythm but I was always able to respond and in the final stages I think he had more wear on his tyres than me so I could stay right on his tail until the end, and attempt that crazy passing move on him at the final corner. I want to thank Ducati and my team because today we did everything just perfectly.”

Danilo Petrucci (#9 Ducati Team) – 9th
“It was a complicated race: unfortunately, at the first turn I got bottled in and then after a couple of laps I was involved in Crutchlow’s crash. I lost a lot of positions and had to get back up the field, pushing hard on the tyres and after half the race I didn’t have anything left to offer. Pity because this weekend was a missed opportunity, especially yesterday when I made a mistake in qualifying and this conditioned everything. I’m sorry for the team, who worked as hard as they could: now we have to press the reset button after these two races and look ahead positively to Silverstone.”

Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager)
“I believe that today we saw one of the best and most exciting races of the last few years. It was a fantastic and fair duel that saw Dovi put together an amazing final lap and a masterstroke in the last two corners, so my sincerest congratulations go out to Andrea. A difficult qualifying session and a bad start on the other hand clearly affected Danilo’s race because it’s never easy to recover on this track.”

The MotoGP riders will next be out on track in the United Kingdom for the British GP, scheduled for the weekend of 23-25 August at the Silverstone circuit.

Toyota Glanza Launched In India Starting At Rs 7.22 Lakh

Toyota Glanza

Toyota Glanza has been launched in India at a starting price of Rs 7.21 lakh (ex-showroom). The latest car by Toyota comes in two different variants with both manual as well as automatic transmission options. For those unaware, the Glanza comes as a part of Toyota’s partnership with Suzuki in India and is a rebranded version of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno.

The variants of the Glanza include a base option ‘G’ with manual and automatic transmission priced at Rs 7.21 lakh and Rs 8.29 lakh respectively. The higher-end comes as the ‘V’ version, again, with both the transmission packages, at Rs 7.58 lakh (manual) and Rs 8.90 lakh (CVT).

Both the variants use a 1.2-litre petrol engine coupled to a 5-speed transmission or a CVT system. Power specs of the G-manual option count to a total of 88.4 bhp at 6000 rpm, thanks to a mild-hybrid tech exclusive to this model, while that of its CVT variant is limited to a 81.7 bhp, both with 113 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm. As for the V variant, both the options put out 81.7 bhp and 113 Nm of torque at the respective rpms.

Toyota Glanza comes as the first car in India from the house of Toyota that offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In addition, the hatchback is loaded with features like Bluetooth, MP3, AM, FM on its touchscreen infotainment system, dual front airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), and Brake Assist (BA) for safety as standard across the variants.

To differentiate between the Glanza and the Baleno, Toyota has reworked the front grille, which now features more chrome than on Baleno. The two hatchbacks are even priced similarly except for their base variant.

MG Motor India inaugurates its first flagship experience store. Starts Hector bookings for INR 50,000

Underlining its commitment to completely redefining the car buying experience in India, MG (Morris Garages) Motor India today announced the grand opening of its first and one-of-a-kind flagship experience store at Milestone Experian Centre, Sector-15, Gurugram.

Activating its widespread network of 120 centers across India, MG, along with its first Indian dealers, celebrated the inauguration of the flagship store and commenced bookings for the company’s first car in the country – the Hector. The carmaker aims to further expand its network to a total of 250 centers across India by September this year. Customers can schedule test drives for the MG Hector from the nearest showroom beginning 15th June onwards.

MG’s first flagship store, which will also house the brand’s sales operations, is a sharp departure from a typical car showroom. Promising a fresh automotive experience to all visitors, the store has been designed under the brand’s “Emotional Dynamism” philosophy with contemporary brand elements and slick color palettes. On the exterior, the front fascia of MG’s dealerships adopts a unique façade grill in the shape of an “Upturned Mountain”, signifying the confluence of sky and earth. Inside, the store perfectly demonstrates the brand’s experience-first approach that aims to captivate all the 5 senses of its prospective customers through intelligent and creative elements.

Commenting on the flagship store inauguration, Rajeev Chaba, President and Managing Director, MG Motor India, said, “Our first interaction with the customers in a creative and experiential environment is essential for the MG brand and creates a strong foundation as we begin our journey in India. The one-of-its-kind flagship experience store redefines the traditional car buying experience in India, in line with the demands and requirements of new-age customers.”

BRITISH HERITAGE
Visitors to the store are greeted by well-known British cultural icons such as the Big Ben, the Union Jack, telephone booths and street lamps – incorporated as design elements – as soon as they enter. The MG History Wall’s Magna strip and brickwork texture further accentuate the brand’s strong connection with its home, the UK. A host of curated MG memorabilia is also strategically placed around the entrance, informing visitors of the brand’s past glories. The MG Carfé on the other hand reminds on the significance of greatest conversations over coffee. A 1965 MG Midget on display harkens back to MG’s legacy as a premium carmaker in the era gone by.

LED VIDEO WALL
The sleek and futuristic interior design provides a sharp contrast to this tribute to the past and underlines MG’s proposition as a new-age carmaker. A large video wall of 36 connected TVs plays artfully-created brand videos to further engage visitors with immersive content about the brand’s history and future vision. This coming together of the past and the present accurately represents the amalgamation of MG’s rich British heritage with its future-ready outlook.

ENGINEERING CORNER
The store also has a section with various vehicle components – such as the “Engineering Corner” featuring the revolutionary 48V Hybrid engine – on display, along with engravings of other state-of-the-art features integrated into MG’s range of internet vehicles.

LIVE VEHICLE CONFIGURATOR
Prospective customers can approach the configurator wall to define their own MG experience. They can have their choice of model, transmission type, and fuel variant, before proceeding to customize the look, feel and accessories that their MGs will come equipped with. At 55 inches per screen, the configurator wall has the largest live configurator screen and is set up in a 6-by-6 format (36 screens) ensuring an immersive experience. By adding such modern elements to amplify its brand legacy, MG has essentially taken the in-store customer experience to the next level.

NEW CORPORATE OFFICE
In another move demonstrating its long-term commitment to India, the carmaker has also moved to its new corporate headquarters in Gurugram, ahead of the MG Hector’s launch scheduled in the next few weeks. The self-owned property is located in the same building as the flagship store.  Designed under the “Queen’s Necklace” theme, the modern office space is designed to recreate the look, feel, and essence of a classic British street. The hub of MG’s India operations, the new office underlines the brand’s emphasis on open work culture, collaboration, and innovation. The new working space will bring together the company’s core values which are based on the four pillars of community, innovation, diversity, and experiences. Women professionals currently comprise 32% of the brand’s employee base in India – the highest in the Indian auto industry.

Built under an overall investment of INR 150 crore, both facilities – including the company-owned flagship showroom on the ground floor – have received “Indian Green Building Council LEED India 2011 Core & Shell – Platinum & GRIHA v2015 – 4-star” environmental certification.

Ford India launches feature-rich EcoSport ‘Thunder Edition’ at INR 10.18 lakh

The updated MY19 Ford EcoSport goes on sale in India with several smart updates to deliver what customers want and value in a compact SUV

High on practicality across its range starting from INR 769,000, the MY 2019 EcoSport line-up showcases Ford India’s continuous efforts to increase localization, resulting in greater value being passed on to customers across the variants.

“Whether it is the low-cost of ownership or the outstanding capabilities, safety or innovative features on offer, Ford is working relentlessly to deliver greater value to customers. The MY 2019 is a shining example of our efforts,” said Anurag Mehrotra, president & managing director, Ford India. “Backed by a strong product development team and ongoing localization efforts, we are not just keeping up with the evolving consumer needs but also surprise them with enhanced value on offer across 2019 model lineup of Ford EcoSport.” 

The MY 2019 also witness the introduction of EcoSport Thunder Edition, a capable & feature-loaded version of the popular compact SUV.

Attractively priced at INR 10.18 lakh for petrol, the New EcoSport Thunder Edition delivers on all essentials, be it an aggressive bold stance, sporty & premium dual-tone interiors, most fun-to-drive engines as well as the inclusion of a sun-roof to be revered as most value-rich.

Discover More with EcoSport Thunder

The new Thunder Edition is replete with smart exterior changes that enhance the compact SUV’s appeal. It introduces dark inserts on the headlamp cluster and a more prominent black treatment to the fog lamp bezel.

It will don sporty, new 17-inch alloy wheels, and a dark theme throughout the exteriors, including black-painted front grille & rear-view mirrors; dual-tone bonnet and decals on doors to give it a distinct road presence.

The EcoSport Thunder will carry forward its sporty theme to interiors as well with abundant use of cognac accents across multiple surfaces – from front seats to door inserts as well as centre console and instrument panel — to add to its overall appeal.

The limited duration Thunder Edition comes with an electric sunroof, a feature that was introduced in the compact SUV segment by Ford last year.

The variant will also offer a responsive, intuitive and smart in-car connectivity system, paired to a 9-inch floating touchscreen and offering embedded navigation.

Whether attending calls, listening to music or reading messages, the infotainment system will provide customers with easy access to their connected device through simple voice commands.

Customers can opt to buy the EcoSport Thunder Edition as an option pack on the car’s Titanium variant. The option pack will be offered with both Ford’s latest 1.5L three-cylinder TiVCT petrol engine that delivers 123 PS of power and fuel efficiency of 17 Km/L as well as the trusted 1.5L TDCi diesel engine that churns 100 PS power and 23 Km/L fuel efficiency.

While retaining its bold, imposing stance & aggressive styling, 2019 Ford EcoSport will be the only compact SUV in India to offer a sun-roof on half of its variants.

Continuing the Legacy of Fun, Style, & Value with MY 2019 Ford EcoSport

The EcoSport will continue to offer outstanding capability, safety & connectivity with:

Most capable engine options in the compact SUV segment that delivers class-leading power and outstanding fuel efficiency.

Ford’s proven and fun-to-drive 1.5L TDCi diesel engine that delivers an unmatched peak power of 100 PS & outstanding fuel economy of 23 Km/L

Greater choice for customers with Ford’s 1.5L three-cylinder TiVCT petrol engine that delivers 123 PS of power and fuel efficiency of 17 Km/L; or globally renowned 1.0L EcoBoost engine

EcoSport range available with five-speed or six-speed manual transmission as well as Ford’s latest six-speed automatic transmission

Up to six airbags for enhanced protection for the driver and as well as passengers

Best-in-segment SYNC 3 infotainment system, with 8-inch touchscreen, allowing drivers to stay connected on the move; Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility

A touchscreen-based, superior infotainment system & embedded navigation across the range, except entry-level variant

Automatic HID headlamps, daytime running lights, electrochromic mirror, rain sensing wipers, push-button start, tyre pressure monitoring system and scores of other intuitive features

The interiors of the MY 2019 Ford EcoSport don all-new premium, beige upholstery while the exterior will boast of a bold, aggressive look with a muscular grille and sleek yet robust profile that give the compact SUV an imposing road presence.

Variant wise details of MY 2019 Ford EcoSport (Ex-Showroom, Delhi):

VariantsAmbienteTrendTitaniumTitanium+EcoSport S
Powertrain Combination
1.5L TiVCT Petrol MTINR 769,000INR 849,000INR 928,000INR 1,018,000NA
1.5L TiVCT Petrol ATNAINR 1,108,000NA
1.0L TiVCT EcoBoostNAINR 1,083,000
1.5L TDCi Diesel MTINR 819,000INR 899,000INR 978,000INR 1,068,000INR 1,133,000
Thunder Edition
1.5L TiVCT Petrol MTNAINR 1,018,000NA
1.5L TDCi Diesel MTNAINR 1,068,000NA

Bajaj Platina H-Gear With Gear Shift Guide And More Upgrades Launched, Starting At Rs 53,376

Bajaj Platina H-Gear

Bajaj Auto has added a new feature on one of its widely used commuter motorcycle, the Bajaj Platina. The new model launched comes as the Bajaj Platina H-Gear and boasts of a 5-speed gearbox, as opposed to the 4-speed one found in the earlier model. In addition, the Platina H-Gear comes with a “Gear Shift Guide” and a new digital instrument panel with a trip meter and a fuel indicator.

As for its function, the Gear Shift Guide on the Platina H-Gear helps the rider to stay on the optimum gear, instructing a required upshift or a downshift at the time of riding. The new H-gear comes as the Highway gear, as Bajaj calls it, and is made for long distance riding on highways.

Along with the H-Gear, the new Bajaj Platina comes with a longer seat, broader rubber footpegs and features like anti-skid braking system and ComforTech technology with nitrox SoS suspension. Designwise, Bajaj has used a new 3D logo on the Platina H-Gear with new decals and a quilted seat with stitch lines. The bike uses tubeless tyres.

Bajaj Platina H-Gear

With the new model, Bajaj Platina now comes in three variants in total – the standard Platina 100, the Platina 100 ES and the new Platina 100 H-Gear. The Platina range has been one of the highest selling vehicle from the house of Bajaj and the company managed to sell over 6,26,000 units from April 2018 to March 2019.

Bajaj has priced the Platina H-Gear at a starting cost of Rs 53,376 (ex-showroom Delhi) for the drum brake variant. The disc brake variant will sell for Rs 55,373 (ex-showroom Delhi), an almost Rs 2,000 hike. The motorcycle will be available in three colour options – Ebony Black with Royal Burgundy decals, Ebony Black with Blue decals and a Cocktail Wine Red.

Kia Motors India labels its first mid-SUV as Seltos; Derived from the Greek Mythology and Legend of Celtos

Kia Motors, world’s 8th largest automaker today announced the name of its highly anticipated mid-SUV: Kia Seltos. Based on the SP2i concept shown in 2018 Auto Expo, the Kia Seltos will bring sophistication and never seen before attention to details and design in the mid-SUV segment.

KIA SELTOS

The name ‘Seltos’ is inspired by Greek mythology and the legend of ‘Celtos’ the son of Hercules. Representing the brave and assertive spirit of Celtus, the ‘S’ in the car’s adapted name implies speed, sportiness and strength. The Seltos has been created for the young-at-heart people who like to take risks, embrace the outdoors, take on challenges and never back down.. The Seltos combines the practicality of a mid-SUV with the capabilities of a traditional SUV – all in a compact package, but without compromises.

The Seltos offers sophisticated exterior design with distinctive details, such as its long hood, a strong character line on the front bumper, and sharp lines pressed into the bodywork. Its robust shoulder line matched with a glasshouse tapered towards the rear of the car lends the Seltos a very distinctive and refined identity.

“Seltos is all set to redefine the mid-SUV car segment with its eye-catching looks, exclusive segment first features and athletic design. We have spent a lot of time in perfecting our car to suit the taste of the Indian customers and I am glad that this originally India intended car is so perfect that it compelled us to make Seltos available globally. The car looks absolutely stunning and very closely matches the SP concept we showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. I am confident that Kia Seltos would be an outright favorite when it hits the roads in the next few months.”, said Mr. Manohar Bhat, Head – Marketing and Sales, Kia Motors India. 

Aimed at the new age and tech-savvy buyers, the cabin is characterized by broad, sweeping lines and sophisticated detailing. Seltos comes equipped with a range of connected technologies to maximize convenience, comfort and ease of use.

The Kia Seltos will be manufactured at Kia’s state-of-the-art facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh where it will be made for the world. Kia’s Seltos is all set to have its world premier in India on June 20th and will be launched in the second half of 2019.