Honda Cars India (HCIL), has announced the introduction of Exclusive Editions of three of its models Honda Amaze, Honda Jazz and Honda WR-V. These Exclusive Editions are available in two colours Radiant Red Metallic and Orchid White Pearl.

The Exclusive Editions in all the three models will come with exterior differentiators along with added interior utility features. The special editions will bring in unique freshness and enhance the overall appeal of the models.

Speaking about the introduction of these editions, Rajesh Goel, Sr. Vice President & Director, Sales and Marketing, Honda Cars India Ltd said, “We are extremely delighted to introduce the Exclusive Editions of Honda Amaze, WR-V and Jazz offering unique sense of freshness to the models. We are confident that these special editions will be appreciated by our customers for the differentiated value they offer.”

Honda Amaze Exclusive Edition – Highlights

· Based on top grade VX in both Diesel and Petrol

· Sporty Alloy Wheel with Dual Tone Black Stickers

· Sporty and Premium Black PU Seat covers

· Front armrest with slide functionality and Console box

· Step Illumination Garnish

· Exclusive Edition Emblem

· Price (Ex showroom Delhi)

o Petrol VX MT Exclusive – Rs. 786,900

o Diesel VX MT Exclusive – Rs. 896,900

o Exclusive Edition is priced Rs. 13,000 over VX grade

Honda WR-V Exclusive Edition – Highlights

· Based on top grade VX in both Diesel and Petrol

· All-new black painted Tailgate Spoiler with LED

· Special Body graphics

· Sporty and Premium Black PU Seat covers

· Step illumination Garnish

· Exclusive Edition emblem

· Price (Ex showroom Delhi)

o Petrol VX MT Exclusive – Rs. 935,050

o Diesel VX MT Exclusive – Rs. 1,048,050

o Exclusive Edition is priced Rs. 18,000 over VX grade

Honda Jazz Exclusive Edition – Highlights

· Based on top grade VX CVT Petrol

· All-new black painted tailgate spoiler with LED

· Sporty Black Painted Alloy Wheels

· Special Body graphics

· Sporty and Premium Black PU Seat covers

· Step illumination Garnish

· Exclusive Edition emblem

· Price (Ex showroom Delhi)

o Petrol VX CVT Exclusive – Rs. 922,900

o Exclusive Edition is priced Rs. 19,000 over VX CVT Petrol

Honda Cars India Ltd. will commence the pre-launch bookings for the eagerly awaited All New 10th Generation Honda Civic from 15th February 2019. The pre-launch booking can be made at all authorised Honda dealerships across the country, with a booking amount of Rs 31,000. The All New Civic is scheduled to be launched on 7th March 2019.

Talking about the Honda Civic, Rajesh Goel, Sr Vice President & Director, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd. said, “Civic is an iconic brand with a rich legacy of 10 generations and is currently our largest selling model globally. We are extremely excited to bring the latest 10th Generation All New Civic to the Indian market.”

Civic is Honda’s longest-running automotive nameplate with cumulative sales of 25 million units worldwide. Over the course of ten generations, the Civic has continuously evolved to meet changing customer needs around the world and is sold in 170 countries worldwide

The 10th Generation Civic boasts a youthful, premium and sporty new style that advances Civic design into the next league. The completely new interior of the all-new Civic is designed to match the exciting exterior styling while providing enhanced comfort, leading technology and quality.

The Civic will be launched in both petrol and diesel powertrains. There is the 1.8L i-VTEC Petrol engine mated to advanced CVT. Also,the Civic Diesel is being introduced for the first time in India with the 1.6L i-DTEC turbo unit from Honda Earth Dreams Technology series mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.

Bentley Motors has announced full details of the world’s fastest production SUV. The Bentayga Speed features an enhanced 635 PS (626 bhp) version of the renowned 6.0-litre W12 engine that delivers a top speed of 190 mph (306 kmph) and 0–62 mph (0–100 kmph) in 3.9 seconds.

Designed, engineered and handcrafted in Great Britain, the Bentayga Speed is the most powerful and performance-oriented Bentayga to date. It builds on a long tradition of Speed models that was born with the Continental GT in 2007 and pushes the boundaries of Bentayga performance further since claiming the production SUV record at the gruelling Pikes Peak International Hill Climb last year.

With a top speed of 190 mph, the Bentayga Speed is our most powerful and performance-oriented variant to date.

To match the elevated levels of performance, the Bentayga Speed sports a purposeful exterior look. Dark-tint headlights, body-coloured side skirts and a striking tailgate spoiler hint at the SUV’s performance credentials. Dark-tint radiator and bumper grilles, a unique 22-inch wheel design available in three finishes and Speed signature badging add to the sporting design cues.

Inside, the Bentayga Speed introduces a dramatic design theme. This includes elegantly crafted ‘swooshes’ around the door and door grab, on the edge of the seat cushions and backrest bolsters, and on the lower console; a new contrast stitching on the diamond quilting; discreet Speed badging; a Speed illuminated treadplate signature; and the use of Alcantara materials for the first time in a Bentayga.

As with all Bentaygas, the all-wheel-drive Speed is equipped with Electronic Differential Lock and up to eight Drive Dynamics modes. Bespoke engineering revisions to the Sport mode provide a more dynamic drive, while a greater exhaust character and firmer suspension tune further increase driver engagement.

Customers can personalise the Bentayga Speed to their own requirements with a range of exclusive options. Among them are carbon ceramic brakes, 22-way adjustable front seats with massage function, carbon fibre fascia panels, Bentley rear-seat entertainment (RSE) and mood lighting.

The Czech car manufacturer will be presenting its next step towards electric mobility at the Geneva Motor Show (5 to 17 March) with the Skoda VISION iV concept study. Now releasing two design sketches, Skoda whets the appetite for its first vehicle based on the Modular Electric Drive Kit (MEB). The four-door crossover coupe features fascinating sporty and emotional lines.

The Skoda VISION iV combines an athletic body, 22-inch aerodynamically optimised wheels and powerfully flared mudguards with a pronounced coupe-like, flowing roofline. A characteristic tornado line connecting the front and rear emphasises the clean surfaces of the doors without handles. Cameras, whose housings are visually reminiscent of shark fins, take the place of traditional exterior mirrors.

The front characterises a reinterpretation of Skoda’s typically wide covered grille, featuring fine vertical ribs and crystalline structures. The horizontal light strip in the upper part of the grille and strikingly large air intakes in the front apron emphasise the sporty appearance. The powerful rear features aerodynamic spoiler edges and crystalline LED tail lights. They redefine the typical Skoda C-shape and emphasise the width of the vehicle in combination with a light strip above the rear diffuser. Another eye-catching element at the rear is the Skoda logo; the individual letters are lit up in red.

2019 marks Skoda’s entry into the era of electromobility. 124 years after the company was founded, the Czech automaker is launching the Superb PHEV with plug-in hybrid drive and fully battery-powered version of Citigo. In 2020, the first production vehicles will follow based on the MEB. Over the next four years, Skoda is investing around two billion euros in alternative drive systems and new mobility services and will have introduced more than ten electrified models by the end of 2022.

Shortly before the world premiere of the new Skoda Kamiq at the Geneva Motor Show, Skoda is showing the interior of the new SUV for the first time. The interior of the Kamiq combines ergonomics and emotion with Skoda’s usual generous amount of space. The Kamiq is the traditional Czech brand’s second model to feature the new interior concept.

The interior of the Skoda Kamiq is characterised by the new interior concept presented for the first time in the VISION RS study. A character line surrounding the freestanding screen, which is positioned high in the driver’s field of vision, reflects the lines of the bonnet and also provides an ergonomic shelf for the hand operating the touchscreen. With the optional Virtual Cockpit, featuring one of the largest displays in the segment at 10.25 inches, Skoda offers another digital highlight in the new Kamiq. The redesigned instrument panel seamlessly continues the emotional design language of the exterior. The side air vents extend into the doors, visually enhancing the spacious feel of the Kamiq.

The instrument panel with new elaborate ornamentation and the front door panels feature a high-quality, soft foam surface with a new, crystalline structure based on a unique grain that will continue to characterize the Skoda brand’s design in the future. The ambient lighting, which is available in the colours copper, red or white, also adds to the pleasant atmosphere. The colours add a visual accent to the interior tones and an interesting contrast to the stitching on the seat covers. Suedia, a fine microfiber material, is available as an upholstery option. For additional comfort, the new Skoda Kamiq offers optional heating for the windscreen, rear seats and steering wheel.

Built on the modular transverse matrix (MQB), the Skoda Kamiq offers the generous interior space you would expect from a Skoda. With a wheelbase of 2,651 mm, the car offers generous knee clearance of 73 mm in the back. The boot volume is 400 litres, increasing to 1,395 litres with the rear seat backrests folded down.

The world premiere of the new Skoda Kamiq takes place at the Geneva Motor Show from 5 to 17 March 2019.

Aston Martin is poised to take the 89th Geneva International Motor Show by storm with the global debut of the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept. Following the successful relaunch of Lagonda as the world’s first luxury zero emission brand and the surprise debut of the Lagonda Vision Concept at last year’s Geneva Show, 2019 sees the reveal of Lagonda’s All-Terrain Concept.

The first model Lagonda will put into production, the All-Terrain Concept bears the bold hallmarks of the Vision Concept. By taking full advantage of its zero emission platform Lagonda’s design team has created a car boasting extraordinary style and space efficiency combined with a rakish design language that demonstrates the unique freedom afforded by Lagonda’s commitment to zero emission powertrain technologies.

Joining the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept will be examples of Aston Martin’s three core series production sportscars: Vantage, DB11 AMR and DBS Superleggera. Two of these cars are the work of Aston Martin’s bespoke personalisation service, Q by Aston Martin. Inspiration has been taken from the high performance of motorsport for its Geneva Show Vantage. Finished in Q by Aston Martin’s exclusive searing ‘Cosmos Orange’ paintwork and featuring a dazzling array of interior and exterior carbon fibre detailing together with orange graphics and matching anodised interior switches, it perfectly expresses the Vantage’s innate dynamism and racing DNA.

Drama of a different kind is provided by the Q by Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, which explores dark Gothic themes. Painted with Q by Aston Martin exclusive ‘Numinous Pearl’ with Q Collection Black Tinted Carbon Body Pack, Satin Black and Satin Bronze 21” forged ‘Y’spoke wheels and smoked tail lamps the 725 PS Super GT exudes maximum menace. Inside a combination of Triaxial Weave carbon fibre, Black Metallic and Bitter Chocolate Aniline Leather upholstery reinforce that message, creating brooding ambience that’s rich in opulence and intrigue.

Andy Palmer, Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO, said: “The ways in which automotive brands reveal new product has changed beyond recognition in recent years, but there’s still something compelling about the unique atmosphere of a great motor show. Historically Geneva has always been good for us – the buzz surrounding the stand last year when we revealed the Lagonda Vision Concept was truly remarkable – so it’s fantastic to return to the scene of such great success with another world debut. The Lagonda All-Terrain Concept offers explicit clues regarding what will be the first Lagonda model to enter production, and further demonstrates how Lagonda’s zero emission powertrain enables us to create spectacular cars that will radically redefine their sectors of the market. I’m expecting the Aston Martin Lagonda stand to be busier than ever, and very much look forward to seeing the crowd’s reaction first-hand”.

A new research report by Nissan India and SaveLIFE Foundation brought attention to the startling number of Indians compromising their and their childrens’ safety. Released today by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, the study titled ‘Rear Seat-Belt Usage and Child Road Safety in India’, found that over 90 percent respondents reported not using a rear seat-belt, thereby risking their safety. This was further confirmed through an observational survey, conducted at strategic locations in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Lucknow, revealing that 98 percent respondents were in fact not using their rear-seat belt. Usage of rear seat-belts is very low despite over 70 percent of people affirming to the presence of rear seat-belts.

The study also focused on the safety of children during commute and revealed that two thirds of respondents believed that Indian roads are unsafe for children. The report also revealed that despite 92.8 percent respondents reported being aware of the safety benefits of child helmets, only 20.1 percent respondents owned a child helmet. This becomes especially relevant in light of the latest data released by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) according to which 9,408 children lost their lives to road crashes in year 2017 alone. This translates to nearly 26 child deaths on Indian roads every day.

With its findings, the report also builds a strong case for a comprehensive national Road Safety law, or the passage of Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill to bridge the policy-implementation gap and build a robust enforcement mechanism for better compliance. The need for both, better policy awareness and implementation, is evident in the report’s findings; only 27.7 percent of respondents were aware that rear seat-belt usage is already mandated under the current law in India. Further, 91.4 percent of respondents felt the need for a strong child road safety law in India.

Speaking at the launch of the report, Shri Nitin Gadkari said, “As India continues on its trajectory of rapid infrastructure growth, the role of road safety acquires immense importance. Through a combination of policy and awareness creation measures, the government has given road safety the critical importance it deserves. I would like to laud this initiative, and the willingness of corporate India and civil society to work together to make road safety a people’s movement.”

Commenting on the launch of the report, Thomas Kuehl, President, Nissan India, said, “While there have been various initiatives undertaken to raise awareness around road safety in India, the importance of wearing rear seat belts has been completely neglected. At Nissan, it is our vision to enrich people’s lives and through this initiative, we aim to raise awareness around the usage of rear seat belts. Our strategic partnership with SaveLIFE Foundation and SHARP will set a strong base to bring attention towards this important issue. The first phase of our campaign will focus on reaching out and educating over 200k children in 240 schools across 12 cities on usage of rear seat belts and road safety.”

Commenting on the National Study, Piyush Tewari, Founder and CEO of SaveLIFE Foundation, noted, “This report documents, for the first time in India, the concerning state of child safety on our roads and the public’s perception and expectation regarding the usage of rear seat belts. High road crash fatality cannot be accepted as the norm. It is high time that basic provisions such as child helmets, safety measures in school zones, child seats, special training for school bus and van drivers, and adult accountability be made mandatory across the country. We look forward to the government’s help in enabling a change in mindset at a national level.”

The ‘Rear Seat Belt Usage and Child Road Safety in India’ study, conducted by research firm MDRA for Nissan India and SaveLIFE Foundation, covered 11 Indian cities and recorded responses through 6,306 face-to-face interviews, 100 in-depth expert interviews, two focused group discussions and on-site observations to gauge compliance of CBSE School Bus guidelines as well as usage of rear seat belts.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), has announced nation-wide initiatives to spread road safety awareness during the road safety week from February 4 – February 10, 2019. Under the umbrella of Hyundai’s ‘Safe Move’, the campaign is aimed at creating a positive change in the society and inspire people to adhere to traffic rules for their own safety and that of others on road.

To reach out to masses in a unique and interactive way, Hyundai Motor India launched the #BeTheBetterGuy campaign will highlighting 7 key road safety practices during the Road Safety Week:

1. Don’t Over speed
2. Non Violation of Traffic Rules
3. Don’t use Mobile Phone while driving
4. Usage of Seatbelt
5. Don’t drink and Drive
6. Discouraging Under Age Driving
7. Pedestrian Safety

Commenting on the initiatives Puneet Anand, Sr. GM and Group Head- Marketing, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. said, “Safe Move’ is one of the key pillars of Hyundai Motor Group’s long-term road-safety CSR initiative across the globe. Hyundai is a Brand with Cause and focuses on spreading awareness about the importance of road safety to bring about a significant behavioral change amongst the masses and sensitizing people on the issues around road safety. In line with the Government’s theme of Sadak Suraksha – Jeevan Raksha, Hyundai’s multiple digital and on-ground activities during the Road Safety Week 2019 will engage customers in life-saving road safety practices.”

Customers at Hyundai’s network will be offered free a 20-point safety check up for their vehicles along with providing awareness on Road Safety through activities such as customer pledge to adhere to traffic rules, safety awareness sessions at Service Centres. In addition to these, Hyundai will also organise activities with RWA’s of Residential Societies and schools inviting the ‘Young Drivers of Tomorrow’ for poster-making competition on the theme of Road Safety.

Over last four phases of the Safe Move Campaign, Hyundai Motor India has successfully reached out to 260,000 students across 392 schools, about 235,000 Mall visitors and 23,000 Residents. The program enrolled 146 RWA’s and also reached out to 35,000 visitors during the popular Krakerjack Karnival in New Delhi.

SIAM welcomes the Government’s move to encourage electric mobility in the country through providing preferential import duty on CKD and SKD of electric vehicles vis-à-vis conventional vehicles. At the same time, Government’s intention to not allow import of completely built electric vehicles at a concessional rate is also in the right spirit of Make in India. The notification has also removed ambiguity in the definitions of CKD and SKD of electric vehicles for all the vehicle segments. The fully built electric vehicles will still attract 60 per cent / 100 per cent for passenger vehicles, 50 per cent for two-wheelers and 25 per cent for trucks and buses as they are for conventional vehicles as suggested by SIAM.

In line with their submission to Government, certain additional components are added to be imported at concessional rate should trigger assembly operations in the country. This would help in creating supply and demand for electric vehicles. Government should allow these concessions for a few years to allow industry to achieve minimum viable scale. With improved scale of operations, localization of these components would also happen.

Import duty on battery cell has been raised from Nil to 5 per cent. As there is no cell manufacturing in the country presently, the local battery pack with imported cells would become costlier and make introduction of electric vehicles more difficult. However, it is recognized that domestic cell manufacturing would be an important strategic goal for the country, SIAM would recommend that import duty on cell can be reconsidered and kept at Nil duty with an expiry date announced upfront to enable battery and automobile companies plan. SIAM look forward to work with Government on this aspect to have a win-win situation for the country as a whole.

The announcement has been well designed to enable investments, market creation and localization for electric vehicles and their critical components in the country.

Skoda offers a first glimpse of the new Kamiq SUV with two exclusive design sketches. With its rugged looks, the Kamiq continues the Czech carmaker’s successful SUV design language and adds some new highlights, including split headlight with daytime running lights above – a first for Skoda.

At the front, the appearance of the new Skoda Kamiq SUV is defined by a wide, upright radiator grille, which comes with double slats, a typical feature for the Skoda SUV design, and picks up the sculpted lines of the bonnet above. The striking tornado line visually elongates the vehicle and harmonizes perfectly with the dynamic roofline. The robust silver-coloured front spoiler underscores the model’s off-road looks. A highlight at the front is the new two-part LED headlamp design – a first for Skoda – with the daytime running light strips positioned above the main headlights. In addition, the Kamiq is the first Skoda to have dynamic indicators at the front and rear. The headlamp lenses with crystalline effects and LED units enhance the car’s premium appeal.

Oliver Stefani, Skoda Chief Designer said: “In our new KAMIQ city SUV we’ve implemented a completely new headlamp configuration. The two-part headlamps with daytime running lights above are a first for ŠKODA. They give the KAMIQ a unique appearance and represent another interpretation of our successful SUV design language.”

The tall, muscular bonnet is an important part of the side view. The extra ground clearance, large wheels and diffuser underscore the powerful appeal of the Skoda Kamiq. Balanced proportions, clear surfaces and a modern yet timeless design maximise the model’s dynamic, sporty looks. The eye-catching and clearly defined rear demonstrates a re-interpretation of Skoda’s classic C-shaped taillight design, and features crystalline shapes similar to the front. The Skoda Kamiq is the first SUV in Europe bearing the Skoda lettering in the middle of the tailgate instead of the familiar Skoda logo.

The world premiere of the new Skoda Kamiq takes place from 5 to 17 March 2019 at the Geneva Motor Show.