The new-look Honda Jazz has been revealed ahead of the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. As well as updates to the exterior styling and interior trim, the new Jazz will also be available with a 130 PS (96 kW) 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine for the first time in Europe.

Exterior changes align the Jazz with the latest Honda family style, incorporating the ‘Solid Wing Face’ headlight signature and grille. The front bumper is sharply sculpted, with more aggressive contours around the air vents. At the rear, shallower grille sections are linked by a gloss black trim strip above a trapezoid lower section. Updates to the exterior are rounded off by the addition of metallic Skyride Blue as a new colour option.

Honda’s 130 PS petrol engine combines high output with low fuel consumption, and complies with stringent Euro 6 emissions standards. It achieves fuel economy of 52.3 mpg and CO2 emissions from 124 g/km with the optional CVT automatic transmission. The CVT system itself has been revised to deliver a more linear and refined response under acceleration.

The 130 PS petrol engine is offered as part of a new Dynamic grade, which adds a thinner front splitter beneath the lower grille, and triple-strake diffuser to the rear bumper – both finished with a sporty red accent line. Dynamic grade also includes LED headlights, front fog lamps, side sill skirts, a tailgate spoiler and gloss-black 185/55 R16 alloy wheels. The interior features a unique pinstripe pattern on the upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, all of which are enhanced by orange stitching.

The new Honda Jazz retains the exceptional versatility of the previous model, including boot space of 354 litres (up to 897 litres with the rear seats folded down) and passenger space that is unrivalled in the class. Honda’s highly practical 60:40-split Magic Seat system allows for numerous cargo configurations, with a maximum interior loading length of 2,480 mm and maximum loading height of 1,280 mm.

Standard equipment on the Jazz includes cruise control, automatic headlights and the City-Brake Active safety system. Higher grades feature a 7-inch Honda Connect infotainment system, rear-view parking camera, keyless entry and start, as well as advanced safety technologies such as Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning and Traffic Sign Recognition.

A 102 PS 1.3 i-VTEC petrol engine will continue to be available across all Jazz trim levels, apart from the new Sport grade.

The new-look Honda Jazz will be available to order from November across Europe, with deliveries starting in early 2018.

Just ahead of its India debut on 21st August, Mercedes-AMG’s latest
sportscar for Indian customers, created the ‘fastest ever lap’ by any production car at India’s famed F1 circuit, the Buddh International Circuit. The lap timing set at 2 minutes and 09:853 seconds is the fastest lap timing by any production car on the circuit. The speed test was conducted by FMSCI and the AMG GT R was driven on the track by AMG Driver Christian Hohenadel.

Roland Folger, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India: “We are highly thrilled
with the accomplishment of the ‘Beast of the Green Hell’, which spearheads Mercedes-AMG’s model range globally. The Mercedes-AMG GT R which has spent a large portion of its development time at the Green Hell of the Nürburgring has proven its racing mettle at our very own Buddh International Circuit. It is only fitting that ahead of its India debut, the Mercedes-AMG GT R, holds the title of clocking the fastest lap ever by a production car in India. Mercedes-Benz has a formidable presence in the racing and motorsports arena, and this strong lineage is present in our vehicle design and technology, both in performance and aesthetics. The AMG GT R is an embodiment of Mercedes-AMG’s global expertise in creating a sports car that every performance enthusiast around the world, would like to own and experience every day.”

Akbar Ebrahim, President FMSCI , commented, “The FMSCI is happy to have been
part of this record attempt by Mercedes-Benz India . Our Technical delegate Raj Kapoor supervised the entire test and is happy to note that a new lap record has been created at the Buddh International Circuit by a production car, the Mercedes–AMG GT R. The FMSCI congratulated Mercedes-Benz India on this achievement and wishes them the very best in the introduction of this sports car in the Indian market.”

Numerous innovations and modifications bear witness that the road-going sports car has
racing DNA in its blood. The foundations for such exceptional driving dynamics come courtesy of the front mid-engine layout with transaxle, a 430 kW (585 hp) V8 biturbo engine, extensively modified suspension, sophisticated aerodynamics, active rear-axle steering, bespoke tyres and intelligent lightweight design.

In the true spirit of Independence Day, Triumph Motorcycles India and Smile Foundation have come together to support the cause of Girl Child Education. Continuing with the Triumph tradition of getting riders together for a good cause to commemorate this national event, Triumph is organising the ‘Ride for Freedom’ on August 15, across 14 cities in India.

The iconic British bike maker is reaching out to its 4000-strong customer base and beyond to get participants to donate towards Smile Foundation’s good work in the area of primary education. In the past too, Triumph has successfully sponsored the education of more than 200 girl children across communities. The number is set to grow manifolds.

Vimal Sumbly, Managing Director, Triumph Motorcycles India will himself be leading the ride in one of the cities – “I firmly believe that true freedom comes from education. And in a country like ours, where the female population is often disregarded, it is imperative we create opportunities for young growing girl children to learn, grown and evolve. I am certain that this year too, like every year, Triumph enthusiasts will support us and this cause.”

Smile Foundation is known for its exemplary work towards healthcare and education for children, livelihood and empowerment for women. It directly benefits over 400,000 children and their families every year. Its efforts also aid more than 200 live welfare projects on education, healthcare, livelihood women empowerment projects, in over 950 remote villages and slums across 25 Indian states.

Santanu Mishra, Co-Founder and Executive Trustee Smile Foundation said, “We immensely appreciate the efforts taken by brand Triumph in continuing to dedicate their valuable time, resources and energy to help us with our work and thankful to share our vision and to raise awareness on this issues.”

The “Ride for Freedom” will be flagged off and end at Triumph dealerships across cities.

For the last two years thirteen staff at Classic Motor Cars (CMC) have been working on a top secret project, the restoration of a one-off Pininfarina bodied XK120 SE which is to be unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours on Sunday August 20, 2017.

On Friday, August 4, the team, which had been supported by everybody on company’s the 60 plus workforce, were pictured with the car – ‘under wraps’.

“We always said that we would unveil the car for the first time at Pebble Beach and that is exactly what we are going to do,” said Peter Neumark, Chairman of the Employee Ownership Trust that runs CMC, who found the car in the first place.

He added: “I will have the privilege of taking the cover off the car at the world famous Concours d’Elegance in California and I think that car collectors and aficionados from around the world are going to be astounded by what they see.”

The car was first delivered to a Max Hoffman and unveiled at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show. Hoffman was an Austrian-born, New York-based importer of luxury European automobiles into the United States during the 1950s. He was a real petrol-head and inspired the production and refinement of several vehicles from the main manufacturers, which earned him entry into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2003.

David Barzilay, Chairman of CMC’s operating board, said: “Perhaps Hoffman inspired Pininfarina to style and produce such a rare XK? We just don’t know, but he was the supplying dealer and then first owner of the car. There is little trace of the car’s history, but we are certain that there was only one XK120 by Pininfarina produced, which makes this one of the rarest Jaguars in existence.”

CMC purchased the car from a German gentleman who bought it in the USA in 1978 with the intention of restoring it. Unfortunately, he never got round to it and eventually decided to sell, CMC took on the challenge and have spent thousands of hours carrying out a full nut and bolt restoration.

The new Nissan Leaf will feature an improved aerodynamic design that makes it even more efficient, allowing drivers to travel farther on a single charge.

Aerodynamics is key to how efficiently an electric car moves. Less drag and better stability enable the vehicle to drive longer distances before having to recharge.

The redesigned next-generation Nissan Leaf is lower to the ground, helping it realise zero lift for better stability at high speeds. Other new design features significantly stabilise the car when hit by strong crosswinds.

Inspired by airplane wings, Nissan engineers recreated the ideal shape for the new Leaf, enabling a symmetric air flow that helps it slice through the air for a smoother, more efficient journey.

Nissan established itself as a pioneer in the EV movement by launching the Leaf, the world’s first mass-market electric vehicle.

From September 1, Oliver Stefani will be responsible for design at Skoda Auto. Most recently, the 53-year-old was Head of Exterior Design for the Volkswagen brand. Stefani studied design in Braunschweig and Pasadena (California). Numerous Volkswagen brand production vehicles from the last ten years, as well as a number of concept cars, bear his signature.

“In recent years, SKODA’s design has developed extremely well. Most recently, we have also transferred the new and expressive design language to our SUV models,” said Skoda Auto CEO Bernhard Maier. “And now, Oliver Stefani will instigate the next stage of development. He will design our cars to have even greater emotional resonance and will lead them into the era of digitalisation and the electrification of vehicle manufacturing. Oliver Stefani has great creative potential. I am looking forward to working with him,” continued Maier.

For the Skoda Auto Board Member for Technical Development Christian Strube, Stefani also represents the perfect choice. “I am convinced that Oliver Stefani will consistently continue to develop the SKODA brand’s new design language and successfully elevate it to the next level. His expertise will allow him to delight SKODA customers with future models. He is the perfect fit for the SKODA brand,” said Strube confidently.

In his career to date, Oliver Stefani has proven his ability on more than one occasion. Stefani started at Volkswagen in 2002. Many VW production cars from the last ten years and numerous concept cars bear his signature. He played a crucial role in developing the up!, Polo, Jetta, Tiguan and the current Golf models, as well as the ID show car family.

Skoda’s new Head of Design studied design in Braunschweig and Pasadena (California). In addition, he worked at the Design Center Europe in Sitges (Spain) for three years. His expertise fits in perfectly with the Skoda brand, with its numerous Simply Clever ideas and expressive, crystalline design language.

Groupe PSA today announces the closing of the acquisition of GM subsidiaries Opel and Vauxhall, a project that was signed on 6 March 2017.

With Opel and Vauxhall, Groupe PSA becomes the second largest European car manufacturer, with a market share of 17 per cent in the first half. Building on this transaction and now with five complementary, well-positioned car brands like Peugeot, Citroen and DS, Groupe PSA will strengthen its presence in the major European markets and this will serve as a foundation for profitable growth worldwide.

From today, Opel and Vauxhall are committed to building a strategic plan with Groupe PSA’s support, aimed at re-establishing economic fundamentals. The Opel and Vauxhall teams will present this plan in 100 days and will ensure its execution, boosted by synergies generated by the new Group, estimated to circa 1.7 billion euros per year in the mid term.

The closing of this transaction marks a major step in Groupe PSA’s development, which it has been possible to take thanks to the strong commitment of the teams involved. The Supervisory Board would like to thank Chairman Carlos Tavares and CFO Jean Baptiste de Chatillon for their key role in this transaction as part of the Managing Board. With regard to the challenges facing Groupe PSA, it considers it necessary to incentive them on the implementation of the Opel recovery plan, under conditions to be specified at a later date.

In parallel, the acquisition of GM Financial’s European operations is under way, subject to validation by the different regulatory authorities and is planned for the second half of 2017.

Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Managing Board of Groupe PSA, comments: “We are embarking today with Opel and Vauxhall on a new stage in Groupe PSA’s development. This project became a reality with a few months only, thanks to the outstanding work of the teams and I want to thank them warmly. We will grasp this opportunity to build on one another’s strengths and to attract new customers, thanks to the implementation of the performance plan that Opel and Vauxhall will implement. In parallel, the execution of the Push to Pass plan remains a top priority for the teams, they are focused on achieving the objectives. We have confidence in the momentum that these strategies will create, to the benefit of all stakeholders.”

Bentley Motors has announced full details of the new Bentley Flying Spur V8 S Black Edition – the car of choice for customers seeking a luxury performance saloon with a more dynamic aesthetic.

The suite of striking exterior and interior features have been created by the British brand’s designers to reflect the car’s sporting character. Black gloss brightware, dark tint lights, gloss black window surrounds and door mirrors, and new wheels provide a more dynamic, contemporary commentary for the mighty power output of the V8 S engine.

Inside, a unique colour split, with striking new accents, is available to customers, while a three-spoke Sport Plus steering wheel and Piano Black veneer comes as standard.

Tuned for more power, the 4.0-litre V8 engine delivers 528 PS and 680 Nm, which propels the Flying Spur to 100 kmph in 4.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 306 kmph. This power is delivered to the road via an all-wheel-drive system with a 40:60 rear-biased torque split for a sure-footed, engaging drive in all road and weather conditions.

The headlights and tail lamps have a distinctive dark tint and black bezels, while the radiator and window surrounds, headlight washer caps and door-handle inserts are styled in a striking black gloss finish.

There is a bespoke alloy wheel design, unique to the Flying Spur V8 S Black Edition, in the form of a 21-inch seven-spoke Elegant pattern in a striking gloss black finish. Customers have the choice of black or red painted brake calipers, to complete the sporting enhancements.

The unique interior is dominated by a single tone with bold, contrasting stripes of stitched leather hide that frame the four seats’ centre panels, running up and round the headrests. The same accent colour is matched by the contrasting headliner bow that runs through the centre of the roof.

The Flying Spur V8 S Black Edition also has Piano Black veneer and a three-spoke Sport Plus steering wheel as standard. It has contrast stitching to complete the bold, sporting appeal of the interior.

Of course, should customers wish for a different aesthetic, the interior can be specified with a full range of interior colours and colour splits.

When commissioned with the Mulliner Driving Specification, the Flying Spur
V8 S Black Edition comes with diamond-quilted hides in the seat and door panels, with contrast stitching for a more contemporary visual tone.

Externally, Mulliner Driving Specification gives customers the additional choice of two 21-inch five-spoke Directional Sports wheel finishes in gloss black or dark tint.

After a week-long nail biting competition, Gurmeet Virdi and co-driver Kirpal Singh Tung of Gerrari Offroaders Chandigarh have emerged as the Force Gurkha RFC India 2017 Overall Champions with a total score of 2019 points out of 2600. Gurmeet successfully managed to defend his title and is the only Indian driver till date who has won the country’s toughest off-road motorsport competition since its launch in 2014. The overall second position was held by Jagat Nanjappa (co-driver Chetan Changappa) of Team V5 Offroaders from Coorg with 1906 points. In an interesting turn of events, Gerrari Offroaders’ Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal (co-driver Gurpartap Singh) overtook Siddartha Santosh in the final moments to clinch third spot on the podium with 1685 points.

Gurmeet was elated on winning the country’s most coveted offroad motorsport trophy for the second time in a row. He said, “I am overjoyed that we’ve successfully managed to defend our title. It was a pretty tough competition, the positions kept on jumbling throughout, but we are happy that we came out victorious. There was no pressure throughout the event but the last stage of the competition gave me some serious chills as the competition was really close. It’s the first time that our club Gerrari Offroaders has clinched two positions on the podium in RFC India. Overall, I couldn’t have been happier.”

As the top Indian driver of the competition, Gurmeet will get monetary benefits of up to $8,000. This includes the automatic fully paid-for entry in the RFC 2017 Grand Final in Malaysia that is worth $3,900 and the travel expenses amounting to around $1,100. Moreover, Cougar Motorsport will contribute up to $3,000 towards the cost of arranging the competition vehicle for participating in the Mother Event in Malaysia, to be held at the end of the year.

This is the second consecutive year when veteran Indian rallyist Jagat Nanjappa competed in RFC India. He is satisfied about the fact that he has risen up from last year’s eighth position to the second position this year. He said, “This year it turned out to be a brilliant competition amongst the top three vehicles throughout the event. The previous year’s winner has defended his title with full force and I congratulate him on his superb performance. With a basic jeep and limited service resources, we pulled out the first position in our category (1611 cc -3010 cc Diesel) and an overall second position. At the end of the day, I feel it was a healthy and a strong competition and we are extremely joyous to be on the RFC India 2017 podium.”

As per Ashish Gupta, the Founder & Director of Cougar Motorsport Pvt. Ltd., the organisers of RFC India, “We witnessed an unprecedented level of competition this year. With the enhanced toughness quotient of the Special Stages and addition of the night stages, I expected the competition to be intense and I am happy that’s exactly what it turned out to be. The superior performances showcased by some of the drivers this year makes me believe that the offroading culture in our country has matured considerably and Indian offroaders are all-set to give a tough time to the best drivers in the international arena. I congratulate all the participants at RFC India 2017 for their exemplary display of offroading skills, valor, hard work and determination throughout the course of the competition.”

From being eliminated in the very first Special Stage of RFC India 2016 to making it on the podium this year, it has been a fairytale journey for Sanbir Singh Dhaliwal. He explains, “It’s been a really close call till the very last moment. The first few days I was concentrating on preserving my vehicle, I was observing how the course behaved. Things started to progress with each passing day. In the last 10 stages I picked up pace and the event finally concluded exactly the way I wanted it to. I cannot express my happiness in words.” Sanbir gives the full credit of his victory to his co-driver Gurpartap Singh Sandhu. He said, “I think the entire credit goes to Gurpartap who did a thankless job; as a co-driver you get called-on for things which are out of your control. But still he did an excellent job.”

The other key awards that have been announced include the Team Spirit Award to R Sumanth Shenoy from Chikmaglur, the Jungleman Award to Dr. Chaitanya Challa of Hyderabad Jeepers Adventure Association, Most Unique 4X4 Award to ‘The Hornet’ driven by Yamunanagar-based Sushant Saini, Environment Award to William Dwaine Jungen from Arizona (US), the Best Service Team Award to Gerrari Offroaders Chandigarh and the Team Award to Team BODA.

The newly instituted ‘Rookie of the Event’ award went to Goan driver Dattaraj Raut Dessai and his co-driver Pratik Prabhu Dessai for their exemplary performance out of all the 13 new teams that made their debut in the competition this year. The Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Vijay Kumar for his outstanding contribution to offroad motorsport in India. Apart from being a decorated offroader himself, Vijay is a mentor to Team BODA and his expertise is quite evident from the fact that Team BODA is now one of the finest in the entire offroading fraternity in India.

Audi driver Lucas di Grassi is the new champion of the worldwide Formula E electric racing series. After taking the lead of the standings with a lights-to-flag victory in the first of the two final races in Montreal (Canada), the Brazilian from Team ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport wrapped up the title on taking seventh place on Sunday.

Di Grassi had arrived in Canada for the final weekend with a ten-point deficit to Renault driver Seebastian Buemi. While the Swiss was ostensibly tense and, following an accident in free practice, had a horrible day on Saturday, di Grassi made no mistakes and converted his deficit with his pole position and lights-to-flag victory in an 18-point advantage.

On Sunday, di Grassi and his teammate Daniel Abt started from the third row while Buemi only took position 14 in qualifying. Following a turbulent starting phase, di Grassi and Abt dropped to positions nine and ten some of the time but, also thanks to clever energy management, were able to fight back to positions six and seven. As a result, Team ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport secured the vice-championship in the teams’ classification as well.

“Today is the best day in my career,” the new Formula E Champion enthused after the race. “I’ve believed in Formula E from day one because the world, including motorsport, is changing. Three years ago, we won the first Formula E race in Beijing and now finally the title as well. ABT Sportsline, Schaeffler and Audi Sport have done a perfect job – not least after the races in New York where we weren’t so strong. Here in Montreal, on the best race track Formula E has ever seen, we were fast from the beginning.”

Following third place in Formula E’s inaugural year and the vice-championship last year, Lucas di Grassi is the third champion in the world’s first all-electric racing series and, with a total of six victories and 20 podium results in 33 races, one of the most successful Formula E campaigners. In the 2016/2017 season, the Audi driver won two races, clinched three pole positions and seven podium places in twelve races. Only in Paris, di Grassi scored no points. In the end, this consistency was decisive in the title race, although his comebacks at the season opener in Hong Kong and on clinching victory in Mexico will remain equally unforgotten.

“For me, Lucas di Grassi is currently the most complete driver in Formula E,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass. “What he showed in Montreal on Saturday was simply fantastic. After New York, there probably weren’t a lot of people expecting him to be able to turn the tables in the title race anymore. But Lucas never gave up for even a second and continually motivated the whole squad to deliver top performances. The entire team around Hans-Jürgen Abt and Thomas Biermaier did an outstanding job and Daniel Abt, who was beaten a little below his potential this year, drove strong races in Montreal too. This has been a tremendous finale and a good week on the whole for Formula E. That, after BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are going to follow us into this forward-thinking racing series underlines the growing importance of fully electric motorsport. I’m already looking forward to the opener of the new Formula E season in Hong Kong in December when our factory-backed commitment opens up a new chapter in Audi’s motorsport history. With ABT and Schaeffler as our partners we’re in a very good position in the increasingly tougher competition.”

Lucas di Grassi was born in Saao Paulo on August 11, 1984 and lives in Monaco together with his wife, Bianca. The Brazilian won the prestigious Formula 3 Grand Prix in Monaco in 2005 and was active in Formula 1 as a test and race driver before joining Audi in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2012 and mounting the podium in the Le Mans 24 Hours three times. As a test driver from day one, he helped make Formula E reality. Now, he is its new champion.