India cars and bikes news

Official pictures of Aston Martin V12 Zagato production model released (Photos)

sagar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:19:19 +0000

First official pictures of what the new production model of Aston Martin V 12 Zagato will look like have been revealed. Thought only a few select few were witness to this presentation they were given instructions on how to place their orders or what one could expect from the new model.

Zagato V12 will be available for €400,000 and will be debuted at Kuwait Concours d’Elegance on February 15 to 18, 2012. It will be powered by a 6.0 liter V12 engine producing 510bhp and 570Nm of torque.

Zagato and Aston Martin will be coming together to bring out this model as they have done in the past with DB4GT Zagato and V8 Vantage Zagato. Now the V12 Zagato will be the latest in this lineup which according to the pictures shows some interesting exterior designs which includes redesigned exhaust system and rear diffuser and indicator lights. A rear wing is a new addition which will ensure better down force while the sides of the car have vents that have been redesigned.

The V12 Zagato interiors too have been upgraded though they bear resemblance to the V12 Vantage. Signature Zagato badges on racing seats and leather trims on roof, door panels and seats in a leather wave pattern are added.

Harley Davidson unveils two new models

sagar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:17:42 +0000

Harley Davidson has introduced two new models into their lineup in a bid to boost sales specially at a time when sales are slack. The two new models unveiled are seventy Two and Softail Slim. Sportster Seventy Two and a retro designed Softail Slim were the cynosure of all attention when they were unveiled on Wednesday at Cook’s Corner at Orange County. Usually Harley Davidson unveils their new models during summer but this year round with markets sluggish and economy on the downslide the company has decided to add some excitement to the lives of sports living fans.

These two new bikes are sure to increase sales for Harley Davidson. During the last quarter of 2011, retail sales increased globally by 10.9% while nationally by 11.8% as compared to the same period in the previous year. Harley Davidson has a legacy of longstanding quality and commitment and it is this that has seen the company register sales increased year after year specially among the younger and sports loving buyers of today.

Roger Vadmin Ferrari 250GT auctioned for $5.8 million

sagar — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:17:31 +0000

A Ferrari GT 250GT once in the possession of movie director and actor Roger Vadim has been auctioned last night. The owner of this legendary vehicle once married to one of the hottest women and actresses in her own right of the 60s Brigitte Bardot later sold this prized Ferrari to yet another French Director by the name of Jean Claude Bajol, who was also a Ferrari collector. After his death it was declared that his collections would be auctioned by Bohams. As the French director died last year, his collection was put up for auction.

This 1959, 250 California GT LWB was auctioned along with 80 other cars by Artcurial, an auction house in Paris. This prized car was picked up by a telephone buyer under bid by a UK bidder. The 80 cars which were auctioned could fetch a price close to $15 million but the auction house has yet to declare final figures.

No plans in store for new upgraded Bajaj Boxer

sagar — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:00:45 +0000

Bajaj Auto launched Bajaj Boxer to capture markets in rural India. However, this bike failed to live upto the company expectations especially where rural markets were concerned. As one might imagine, the company would upgrade the existing model, this is not going to be the case and Bajaj is keener to boost the Bajaj Splendor.

Bajaj launched Boxer as they felt it would be ideal for use in the hinterlands of India. They are currently seeing sales of 30,000 bikes per month but this is not as much as they expected. Bajaj Pulsar sales took off immediately on launch as the 150cc bike appealed to the sports loving youth of the country. These sales have ensured that Bajaj overthrew even Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India thereby earning them the highest possible profit margins in the auto sector in India.

This be the case, Bajaj is still eager to project Bajaj Boxer150cc specially in rural areas and with sales down by 7000 per month as compared to when it was first launched in September 2011, the company will be holding a variety of road shows and demonstrations so as to enable customers in over 16000 villages in India to get a firsthand experience of what this bike is all about. Rural areas are their primary target and the company is ensuring that they take all possible measures to increase awareness in these sectors.

2013 Mercedes Benz SL63 AMG caught on test (Photos)

sagar — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:08 +0000

Spy photographers have a sixth sense when it comes to vehicles on test. They are always around even though vehicles on test are kept a secret. The new 2013 model of Mercedes Benz SL66 AMG was in partial camouflage but its rear wheels were in full view showing its bumper and newly designed exhausts.

Judging from spy pictures it is not expected that the new SL63 will be much different from what is seen in bumper design of standard SL Class. The new model SL Class Roadster is expected to be showcased at the Detroit Auto Show while the European debut will be in March at the Geneva Motor Show. Mercedes Benz SL63 and SL65 are expected to debut by end of 2012.

Under the hood of the SL63 one can expect to see a 5.5 liter twin turbo V8 engine offering 544 PS and 800 Nm torque. With additional AMG performance package it will increase to 571 PS and 900 Nm torque.

Lexus releases 30 second commercial of 2013 GS sedan (Photos and Video)

sagar — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:53:58 +0000

Fittingly called ‘The Beast’, the 30 second commercial of all new 2013 GS Sedan from Lexus will be viewed by a host of auto and sports enthusiasts at the upcoming Super Bowl. The commercial is scheduled to air during the first quarter of the games and is the commencement of other big plans that Lexus have up their sleeves for the current year.

Mr. Brian Smith, Vice President of Marketing at Lexus stated that the company has plans on introducing 9 new models or updated models during the year. By showcasing their commercial of 2013 GS Sedan at the Super Bowl it was giving them a platform to show case their further offering as well as the commercial shows new products waiting in the sidelines and eager to hit the auto markets during the year.

The past year was not very encouraging for Lexus. The company suffered from a number of shortages in supplies which brought down their sales by 13% to 198,552 units as compared to those sold during 2010.

Click here to watch video.

Kia to showcase Track’ster which could go into production

sagar — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:00:15 +0000

Kia will be showcasing a new two door version at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. Though much of the details are under wraps it is said that the new unveiling will be a new Track’ster which has been designed by the company’s California Design Team. The concept teaser picture which was recently released clearly shows a new two door version and not a four door version as was seen in Kia’s Soul hatchback.

Soul also possessed a lower windscreen with restyled bumpers and LED daytime lights with 19 inch five spoke wheels. Track’ster will have an aggressive front wind screen and an aggressive sloping roofline but what one actually sees under its bonnet still remains a mystery.

If our guesses are precise it will be a 1.6 liter turbocharged four cylinder engine that was also visible under the bonnet of Veloster Turbo.Soul from Kia had a 164 hp 2.0 liter engine of which the company sold 102,267 units during the last year in US markets.

Maruti Suzuki launches 2012 Dzire in India for Rs 4.79 lacs

sagar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:51:18 +0000

Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest car manufacturer, launched their updated and revamped Swift DZire compact sedan for a price of Rs 4.79 lacs. Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire diesel will give a mileage of 23.4 kmpl while the petrol variant will give a mileage of 19.1 kmpl.

2012 Swift Dzire is launched in 7 trim variants, 3 petrol, 3 diesel and 1 automatic. The petrol variants of Swift DZire are LXi - Rs 4.79 lacs, VXi - Rs 5.32 lacs and ZXi - Rs 6.19 lacs. Diesel variants of DZire are named and priced as LDi - Rs 5.80 lacs, VDi - Rs 6.31 lacs and ZDi - Rs 7.09 lacs. Last but not the least, the automatic variant of Swift DZire is available in petrol option with a price of Rs 6.54 lacs.

Features of Swift Dzire include Dual SRS Airbags, Anti-lock Braking System, Dual-tone Dashboard Interiors, New Instrumentation Cluster, Steering Wheel Adjustable for Tilt, Wood and Chrome Inserts on Dashboard, Electronically Operated ORVMs, Automatic Climate Control, New dashboard integrated stereo with CD, USB Support, Multi Information Display, Retractable Cupholder on Dashboard, and Steering Mounted Audio Controls.

Dodge gets ready to bring out new 300 hp Dart SRT 4 (Photos)

sagar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:37:48 +0000

Dart SRT4 was first seen at the Detroit Auto Show after which it has received a lot of attention. The company now intends to concentrate their attention on bringing out this new 300 hp Dart SRT4 which will be built on an Italian Alfa Romeo Gillette platform under the guidance of Ralph Gilles and engineers at SRT.

The engine of Dart SRT4 will produce 285 hp and 265 lb/ft torque which is also seen in its predecessor Caliber SRT4. The company has concentrated on its interior and exterior styling and offers high quality upgrades to the new Dodge Dart SRT4. Customers can expect to see the new Dart with larger wheels and high quality springs and dampers under its bonnet. Its exterior will have highly styled vents, scoops and rear spoiler and interiors are also done up to match its stylish exteriors.

Dodge Dart SRT4 will be priced at $30,000 and beyond. Its engines would be turbocharged 2.0 liter four cylinder or the new all aluminum 1.8 liter turbo four from Alfa Romeo.

2013 Land Rover Range Rover SUV spy shots appear (Photos)

sagar — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:24:33 +0000

While the new 2013 model of Land Rover Range Rover SUV is yet to be launched, spy photographers are working overtime to get us a few shots of what one can expect once the SUV is finally on the streets. The SUV was seen on test at a winter wonderland and it gave photographers an opportunity to capture the same on camera.

The model viewed while on test looks similar in most respects to the model which was tested at Nurburgring last year. Its interiors look rater spacious while its hood seems more angular and the rear window too looks more aggressively rakish.

As per company sources it was disclosed that the new Range Rover SUV will ride on the same platform as that of Jaguar XJ though luxury aspects will be curtailed on the final product. Weight will be lessened due to government policies of lower auto emissions and higher fuel economy that are being released in auto markets across the globe.