Strengthening India’s credentials as a world-class manufacturing hub, Ford India today unveiled its all-new 1.5-litre Ti-VCT, three-cylinder petrol engine for customers in India and around the world.

Ford India’s engine factory at Sanand, Gujarat will take the lead in manufacturing this new family of petrol engines, both for domestic production as well as exports across the world. Ford’s engineering team in India has steered the development of the new engine with key insights at every stage – from design, development to production. The engine will also have more than 80 per cent parts sourced from Indian suppliers.

“Ford’s promise to give the power of choice to consumers in India today is not just limited to the world-class product portfolio. We are proud to offer some of the most efficient, and advanced powertrains – ranging from 1.0 Litre EcoBoost to 5.0 Litre V8,” said Anurag Mehrotra, President and Managing Director of Ford India.

“With India taking the lead in producing our new, highly advanced petrol engines, we remain committed to making in India and bring products and technologies that Indian customers want and value,” Mehrotra added.

Delivering More for Less

Ford’s latest 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine is powered by 3-cylinders along with state-of-the-art technical solutions for improved performance and efficiency while reducing size, weight and friction.

 The all-new 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine will stay true to Ford’s DNA of being fun-to-drive while delivering improved fuel efficiency and a lower carbon footprint.

Power performance for urban adventures

The tried and trusted Ti-VCT (Twin independent Variable Camshaft Timing) system on the new engine allows each intake and exhaust cam to function independently of each other as operating conditions change.

This delivers faster throttle response and better fuel efficiency. Meanwhile, the engine’s bore and stroke ratios have been optimised to produce higher torque at lower engine speeds, leading to a more enjoyable and agile drive in city traffic.

The all-new 1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine will produce an exciting 123 PS of peak power and 150 Nm of torque, the best for any motor in this class.

The engine will be introduced on New EcoSport later this year.

Increased efficiency for better fuel economy

Along with improved performance, the all-new 1.5-litre Ti-VCT engine will offer a seven percent reduction in CO2 emissions and a similar improvement in fuel efficiency, through reductions in weight and size, as well as the application of innovative technologies.

The engine downsizes from four cylinders to a three-in-line formation, resulting in decreased weight, lower friction and is expected to deliver an overall 10 per cent reduction in volume.

The aluminium engine block and cylinder head contribute to substantial weight reduction and better fuel economy. The exhaust manifold integrated into the cylinder head helps to heat up the catalyst faster, decreasing emissions.

The variable oil pump can operate at a lower pressure at slower speeds with reduced friction loss, providing higher fuel economy.

Other optimised measures for better fuel efficiency include:

• Crankshaft off-set from cylinder centre line — improves both performance and fuel efficiency
• Centered spark plugs — promotes more standardised and efficient combustion
• Coil-on-plug system — delivers better combustion and quicker engine start

Optimised NVH for a smoother, quieter ride

The all-new Ti-VCT engine was designed and fine-tuned to deliver a quieter, smoother and more relaxing experience for occupants.

The engine’s balance shaft is supported by hydrodynamic bearings and works to eliminate natural first-order vibrations typical in standard three-cylinder engines. A belt-in oil primary drive system contributes to further reductions in both noise and friction.

Other NVH improvements include:

• Valve actuation system with hydraulic lash adjusters and roller finger followers —reducing friction
• Acoustic-isolation system — cuts down on engine noise

“Ford is proud to be part of the automotive industry’s move towards lighter, cleaner, more fuel-efficient engines with uncompromised power performance,” said Anil Patel, Site Manager, Ford Sanand Engine Plant. “It’s a trend we’ll continue to apply to future Ford products as we look to give every Ford customer their most enjoyable driving experience.”

The Skoda Kodiaq marks the beginning of Skoda’s SUV campaign in India. The All-New Kodiaq will be introduced at an Ex-Showroom (All India) price of Rs 34.49 Lakhs. The Kodiaq will follow Skoda India’s price philosophy of ‘One Nation. One Price’.

​With a length of 4700 mm, the seven seat configuration and a largest boot (up to 2005 litres) in the class, the Skoda Kodiaq represents the brand’s strengths: a design that is full of character, interior space, practical intelligence and innovative technology that can be found in vehicles from higher segments. The Kodiaq will go on sale at exclusive Skoda showrooms and will be available in four colour options of Lava Blue, Quartz Grey, Moon White and Magic Black.

“India is one of the most promising economies with a dynamically evolving automotive industry. This market will be of significant importance in Skoda’s global growth strategy. The Skoda Kodiaq is at the forefront of Skoda’s SUV campaign and marks the beginning of our SUV strategy in India. With the Kodiaq we will enter a new segment and customer groups for the brand.” said Skoda Auto Board Member for Finance Klaus-Dieter Schurmann.

“The Skoda Kodiaq is versatile and offers everything our brand promises: features which are premium and innovative even for SUVs in higher segments. The Kodiaq delivers performance, comfort, safety, best in next-gen technology and real value for money for the ever evolving and discerning Indian customers’ need. I am sure that the Kodiaq will be a breakthrough product and will be the compelling choice for the new generation Indian”, added Ashutosh Dixit – Director: Sales, Service & Marketing, Skoda Auto India.

The Skoda Kodiaq is powered by 2.0 TDI diesel engine mated to a 7-speed DSG gearbox that produces 150 PS of maximum power and ARAI-ratified fuel efficiency of 16.25 kmpl.
Safety features include 9 airbags, ESC, MKB coupled with smart assistance systems making it one of the safest SUVs.

The Skoda Kodiaq will be introduced in the market with the Style variant only.

Nissan has unveiled plans around the four key pillars of its future electric ecosystem in Europe, announcing the launch of new electric vehicles, additional infrastructure investment, battery charging and home storage advances, and a revolutionary new vision to give Nissan customers free power for their EV using its unique bi-directional charging technology.

The announcements were made at the third Nissan Futures event – ‘The Car and Beyond’ – in Oslo, Norway.

Paul Willcox, Chairman of Nissan Europe, said: “Nissan kick-started the electric vehicle revolution almost a decade ago. In that time we’ve sold more EV’s than any other manufacturer on the planet. Now, we’re outlining our plans for the next decade, which will see even bigger investments in infrastructure, new battery advances and will even change the way people access and pay for the power in their cars.

He added: “Put simply, we’ve been doing it longer than anyone else, we’ve sold more than anyone else, and we have a more exciting plan for the future than anyone else.

New Vehicles

Headlining the Nissan Futures 3.0 event was the European premiere of the new Nissan Leaf, with a special ‘2.ZERO’ version for Europe. As the icon of Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the new Nissan Leaf is capable of travelling 378km (235miles) on a single charge and is packed with ingenious technology, including ProPILOT advanced driver assistance system for a safer, more comfortable drive, and ProPILOT Park for fully autonomous parking. The car’s e-Pedal technology also lets motorists drive and brake seamlessly, while a sleeker design makes the world’s best-selling electric vehicle even more desirable than before.

Another new product announced at Nissan Futures was the new longer range 100 per cent electric van – the e-NV200. With a 280km (174miles) range, Europe’s best selling electric van, can now travel 100km further than ever before on a single charge – a 60 per cent range improvement. And, with no increase in size or weight of the battery itself, customers do not have to compromise in either load space or payload. Crucially, it can help make 100 per cent electric last mile delivery a reality for businesses and professional drivers everywhere.

Infrastructure Commitment

Nissan has announced its plan to expand its existing outdoor charging network by 20 per cent over the next 18 months. Working with EV fast charging standard CHAdeMO, the company has already built Europe’s most comprehensive charging network, with over 4600 quick chargers across the region. Nissan now plans to invest in supporting the installation of a further 1000 chargers over the next 18 months. The company is working with its partners, business owners, municipalities and sector leaders across Europe to ensure the roll out plans are focused on providing maximum convenience to its drivers, with installations on highways, in towns, and throughout key European cities.

New Battery Advances

Nissan also announced its new 2018 range of home and office charging units giving more choice to owners than ever before.

The Nissan double speed 7kW home charger allows Nissan electric vehicle owners to achieve 100 per cent charge in just 5.5 hours – a 70 per cent reduction in charging time from the previous charging technology. The double speed charger has been designed to benefit consumer EV owners, with faster home charging than Nissan has ever offered before.

The Nissan 22kW charger goes even faster, capable of charging your Nissan EV in just 2 hours. Designed for fleet and business owners, the super-fast charger can also be purchased by consumers who want an even quicker charging experience.

Nissan also showcased its new home energy storage system, which follows on from the success of xStorage. Created especially for EV owners, customers can plug their electric vehicle directly into the wall box to charge. It comes with its own built in energy storage system, giving customers the ability to better manage their energy costs and even generate their own electricity from solar panels, delivering 100 per cent renewable and zero emission power for their car.

It follows the success of Nissan’s existing xStorage solution, which was developed in partnership with Eaton and has sold more than 1,000 units across Europe in just three months, with 5,000 units expected to be sold by the end of March 2018. Nissan expects to sell 100,000 home energy units by the end of FY2020 in Europe.

The new range of home and office charging units will be available from early 2018.

Revolutionary Free Energy Breakthrough For EV Drivers

Nissan also revealed its bold mission to offer customers free power for its EVs.

Over the past year in Denmark, Nissan has been testing this revolutionary new way of driving and today, this has become an offer open to all fleet customers throughout the country. Using Nissan bi-directional charging, customers can draw energy from the grid to power their car or van and then ‘sell’ back to the grid for others to use. This means, once a nominal charge has been paid by the business for the installation of a V2G charger there are no fuel or energy costs; just free power for your EV.

And Denmark is just the start. Nissan also announced a UK collaboration with OVO allowing customers to purchase an xStorage home energy unit at a discounted price enabling them to ‘sell’ back energy to the grid. This helps contribute to grid stability in a world where demand for energy is increasing due to a growing, urbanising population. It can result in an additional expected income for users averaging £350 / €400 per year.

Nissan is already exploring other regions in Europe to make free power for EVs a milestone for the future.

Paul Willcox said: “Step by step we are removing any barriers to electric vehicle adoption – from infrastructure investment, to how people access the power itself.

He added: “Over the coming decades through our Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision, the electric ecosystem will transform modern life as we know it. But while the starting point for it is 100 per cent electric vehicles like the new LEAF and e-NV200, the impact goes much further. With fewer emissions, our cities and air will be cleaner. With more intelligent safety features, car accidents would be reduced dramatically. With better connections between vehicles and their surroundings, the school run or daily commute will no longer be clogged with traffic. And by letting people charge their vehicle and their home from each other, we can use our time and energy supplies more efficiently than ever.”

Honda will unveil an all-new electric sports car – the Sports EV Concept – at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show on 25 October, as part of a broad range of advanced two- and four-wheeled production and concept vehicles.

Other highlights being showcased by Honda are the Urban EV Concept – revealed to an overwhelmingly positive response at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September – and a range of Super Cub motorcycle models celebrating its 60 years anniversary and 100 million units production after the original introduction. Show visitors will also be able to see the Honda NeuV personal mobility concept and the all-new CR-V, both of which will make their Japanese debuts.

Sports EV Concept

Catching the eye with a striking silhouette, friendly face and supple body surfaces, all designed to ensure the car blends into any lifestyle, the Sports EV Concept will have its world premiere in Tokyo. The development team designed the sporty electric car to deliver a feeling of joy and emotional unity to the drive, achieved by efficiently combining the EV powerunit and AI technology in a compact bodyshape.

Urban EV Concept

Following a rapturous reception to its global debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the Urban EV Concept will make its first appearance in Japan. Based on a newly-developed electric vehicle platform, its simple design and compact proportions are ideal for modern city driving. A communicative front grille displays battery charge status, driving advice and greetings in multiple languages, while the wrap-around interior display conveys a friendliness with the driver designed to inspire an emotive attachment. The production version will arrive in Europe in 2019.

Super Cub Celebration

To celebrates the forthcoming milestones of 60 years of production and the 100 millionth unit manufactured since its introduction, Honda show stand will feature a comprehensive display of the Super Cub’s history, the current model line-up and will provide a glimpse of its future. This will include the unveil of the 100 million production anniversary model of Super Cub 110 and a new Super Cub 125C motorcycle.

All-new CR-V

Retaining an evolution of the distinctive design of one of the world’s most successful SUV nameplates, the all-new fifth generation CR-V will also make its Japanese debut at the Tokyo Motor Show. The new model includes the implementation in an SUV of Honda’s two motor hybrid technology – i-MMD (Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive).

NeuV

The NeuV was first revealed in January at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, showcasing an electric mobility concept for the commuter. Equipped with the brand’s artificial intelligence engine – Honda Automated Network Assistant– its autonomous driving capability incorporates driver monitoring to determine driver stress from facial expressions and tone of voice, in order to support safer driving. NeuV learns about the driver’s lifestyle and preferences over time, so that it can suggest new routes and activities, realising a natural relationship between driver and machine.

UK-based automotive marquee MG Motor has announced the inauguration of its first-ever manufacturing facility in India, through a minimum initial investment of Rs 2,000 crore. With an initial capacity of 80,000 units per annum in the first phase, MG Motor India will roll-out its first product from the plant in 2019.

The state-of-the-art facility, spread over an area of 170 acres, will be completely revamped by MG Motor by 2019. The company has already hired an initial workforce of 70 employees at the plant. The facility will entail creation of significant number of jobs, apart from several additional indirect jobs in the state, as part of the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’ initiatives.

“Today is a water-shed moment for the MG brand in India with the inauguration of our first-ever manufacturing facility here. Overall, we aim to positively contribute to the ecosystem here in Gujarat including all stakeholders by generating employment opportunities for local talent, leveraging the capable supplier base and contributing to the overall benefit of the society and community here,” said Rajeev Chaba, President and Managing Director, MG Motor India.

“The Morris Garages brand already has a huge resonance in India with at least 500 owners in India since 1924, when the brand was first established in the UK. These owners and many passionate fans have expressed their curiosity, keenly anticipating the brand’s return to India. The first product will roll out from here in 2019, blending MG’s true DNA with modern British design language,” Chaba added.

The greenfield facility was inaugurated with a traditional Indian ‘Puja’ ceremony during the auspicious occasion of Navratras, in the presence of all MG Motor India employees, MG Motor International employees and key representatives of the local administration including Gujarat government.

“We greatly appreciate the pro-active approach displayed by the Gujarat government in facilitating the smooth transfer approval of the Halol plant and granting us the required approvals to re-start the operations. With this, we are very proud to play our role to the ‘Make in India’ initiative, contributing to the overall positive and sustainable development of the society here. With the takeover and other transfer formalities having completed, we will start refurbishing the entire plant very soon, with MG’s state-of-the-art manufacturing tools, equipment and processes,” said P Balendran, Executive Director, MG Motor India.

The MG brand, which originated as an iconic British Racing Sports Brand in the year 1924, has evolved into a modern-day innovative brand through the last 93 years.

Max Verstappen celebrated his 20 birthday weekend by doing exactly what he wanted to do – winning a Grand Prix from the front – as Malaysia signed off in great style as an F1 venue. A commanding drive saw the Red Bull driver soundly beat Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, with team mate Daniel Ricciardo holding off Sebastian Vettel for third – the Ferrari driver narrowly missing out on a podium having started from the back of the grid.

After winning an opening-lap tussle with the fast-starting Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas to seize second place, Verstappen confidently took the lead from polesitter Hamilton on the fourth lap. And as the Mercedes driver struggled a little, the Dutchman never looked back and controlled the race to win by 12.7s.

While it was a quiet race for the points leader, it was anything but for his pursuers.
Ricciardo fought and beat Bottas before himself coming under pressure late in the race from back-row starter Vettel, who drove a superb race. The latter started on Pirelli’s soft tyres and was thus on light fuel and supersofts when he began to slash into Ricciardo’s advantage late in the race, just as the Australian himself was closing on Hamilton. Vettel got close enough for a long look down the inside in Turn 1 on the 49th lap, but Ricciardo was having nothing of it and held his ground. That proved to be the tipping point, as Vettel’s challenge faded as his tyres began to go off and his engine gave cause for concern. From 0.5s the gap between them opened to 14.8s by the flag.

And after that there was further drama for Ferrari, when Vettel collided with Lance Stroll’s Williams on the slow-down lap and came to a stop with its left-rear wheel atop his engine cover. Vettel hitched a ride back to the pits on the sidepod of Pascal Wehrlein’s Sauber.

The result means that Hamilton is now 34 points ahead of Vettel with five races remaining. It was a tough day for Ferrari, as Kimi Raikkonen didn’t even take the start after being pushed off his front-row slot and into the pits, having experienced power loss on his way to the grid. It wasn’t great for the other Finn either, as Bottas finished a distant fifth ahead of Sergio Perez, who drove heroically for Force India despite feeling unwell.

A fine drive from Stoffel Vandoorne brought McLaren seventh place on a day when Fernando Alonso could muster only 11th, while eighth for Stroll and ninth for Felipe Massa – who had two incidents with Esteban Ocon – brought Williams a lot of points that help their fight with Toro Rosso and Renault, who both had bad days.

Ocon pitted his Force India early after contact with Massa in Turn 2 at the start, when he got squeezed between his team mate and the Williams, sustaining a puncture. After that he did a grand job to take the final point after doing 54 laps on a set of soft tyres.
Behind Alonso, Kevin Magnussen survived incidents with both the McLaren driver and Renault’s Jolyon Palmer as he held off Haas team mate Romain Grosjean and Toro Rosso rookie Pierre Gasly for 12th, as Palmer, who spun twice, crossed the line 15th, just a tenth ahead of troubled team mate Nico Hulkenberg.

Wehrlein and Sauber team mate Marcus Ericsson completed the finishers, as besides Raikkonen, Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz dropped from points contention with engine trouble.

To celebrate the spirit of festive season, Datsun India has announced the launch of the Datsun redi-Go Gold 1.0L, packed with a host of features and enhancements. Priced from Rs 3, 69, 737 the limited edition Datsun redi-Go Gold 1.0L will be available from today at all Nissan and Datsun dealerships pan-India.

Jerome Saigot, Vice President, Marketing & Datsun Business Unit, Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Datsun will make the festive season even more special for our customers by bringing more power, style and convenience in the redi-GO GOLD 1.0L limited edition. Datsun redi-GO GOLD offers an accessible price, peppy driving performance, and a refreshing exterior which together reinforces Datsun’s commitment to offer stylish, high-value-for-money cars to our customers.”

The Datsun redi-Go Gold 1.0L’s prominent gold inspired decals on the exterior together with gold-themed seats in the interior, infuse an extra dose of style to the car. It is available in three body colours: Grey, Silver and White. Datsun redi-Go Gold 1.0L, comes with a first-in-segment ambient lighting app for mobile phones with which a customer can choose the mood lighting of the passenger cabin to suit his or her taste. The limited edition model is available on the T (O) trim level, with smart features such as Bluetooth audio system, and a reverse parking sensor, among others.

Suzuki Motor Corporation will unveil the SV650X at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show – which takes place from 27 October to 5 November – an evolution of the SV650 Rally concept shown at last year’s event.

The original concept was designed to pay homage to the tarmac rally cars and bikes of the 1970s. ‘Neo-retro’ design sees the SV650X get a newly-styled bikini fairing and tinted screen, fog lamps, clip-on handlebars, with a tuck-roll – already available as a genuine accessory on the SV650 – completing the look.

The Japanese firm is currently assessing market reaction and customer feedback before confirming production plans.

Suzuki GB General Manager, Paul de Lusignan, commented, “The SV650 Rally concept generated a lot of interest at last year’s show, with retro-styled machines proving very popular among riders. The SV650X is an evolution of that concept, and shows how that would translate to a production machine. Currently we cannot confirm a production schedule. We will first assess reactions to the SV650X before finalising plans.”

Suzuki will confirm it’s 2018 model plans before the end of the year.

Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) has introduced its enriched BR-V, featuring the Digipad – Honda’s 17.7cm Advanced Touchscreen Audio Video Navigation (AVN) system. Along with the new infotainment system, BR-V comes with newly introduced rear parking camera and rear parking sensors to offer a more convenient and safer parking experience. The new features have been introduced in the VX grade of the BR-V.  The rear parking sensors have been introduced from S Grade onwards.

Speaking about the enriched Honda BR-V, Jnaneswar Sen, Sr. Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd said, “We are delighted to introduce the enriched version of the BR-V for our customers in this festive season. The BR-V with Digipad, and other new features, adds to the model’s versatility and we are confident that this “Be Ready Vehicle” will complement the varied lifestyles of our customers.”

“Honda has introduced many new features in several Honda models during this festive season and they have received excellent customer response. We are quite optimistic of good sales numbers in this season,” he added.

The 17.7 cm advanced infotainment system, with capacitive touch-screen – the DIGIPAD – is especially introduced to add an advanced and interactive appeal to the BR-V. It features:

• In-built satellite-linked 3D navigation
• My Storage internal media memory of 1.5GB
• Mirror Link support for smartphone connectivity
• Internet access for browsing, email and live traffic via optional Wifi receiver
• Voice commands for media, navigation and calling
• Smartphone voice assistant activation
• Bluetooth for hands-free telephone and audio streaming support
• AM/FM Digital radio tuner, MP3/WAV, i-Pod/i-phone compatible
• USB slots (2 Nos), Micro SD Card slots for maps and media (2 Nos.) & HDMI-IN port

The price of the enriched VX grades of the BR-V (ex-showroom Delhi price) are as below:

1.5L VX MT Petrol – Rs 12,27,169

1.5L VX MT Diesel – Rs 13,22,512

Ducati India today launched the SuperSport, a motorcycle that aims to combine comfort and versatility making it an everyday sport bike without compromising on the style and soul of a true Ducati thoroughbred. The SuperSport is agile on urban roads, comfortable on highways and decisive when faced with out-of-town hairpin turns, the SuperSport allows anyone to indulge their sports instinct.

“Our seventh motorcycle launched in India this year, the SuperSport is an exciting model for both expert riders and riders contemplating the Ducati sports world for the first time” said Sergi Canovas, Managing Director of Ducati India. “Expert riders will enjoy its excellent road performance and penchant for touring while the ease of handling and versatility will be appreciated by first time sport bike buyers. The pre-bookings for the SuperSport have been great and our dealership across the country start deliveries today.”  

Powering the SuperSport is a twin-cylinder 937 cc Testastretta 11° engine, delivering 110 hp at 9,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 93 Nm at 6,500 rpm – a full yet linear torque curve. The innovative front fairing makes for an uninterrupted aerodynamic profile that draws attention to the sculpted tank. The tail piece that is separate from the rest of the fairing, adds sports elegance and ensures maximum aerodynamic efficiency.

The electronics package on the SuperSport increases the level of active safety. The Sport, Touring and Urban Riding Modes act on the Ride-by-Wire, ABS and DTC parameters to modify the behavior of the bike and adapt it to suit personal preferences and riding conditions. Ducati Safety Pack (DSP), which includes Bosch 9MP ABS and Ducati Traction Control, enhances the bike’s performance and optimises control even on surfaces that offer less grip.

The SuperSport S version comes with a fully adjustable Ohlins suspension, the Ducati Quick Shift up/down system, which is a race derived technology and a rear seat cover.  The Ducati Quick Shift and the rear seat covers are also available as accessories for the SuperSport version.

The SuperSport can be fitted with a full range of Ducati Performance accessories that let owners configure their bike to suit personal wants and needs. Deliveries for the Ducati SuperSport and SuperSport S have started across all seven Ducati dealerships in India including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Kochi and Kolkata. The SuperSport and SuperSport S are priced at Rs 12,08,000 (ex-showroom India) and Rs 13,39,000 respectively.