Adding to the joy of the upcoming festive season, Ford India expanded its Ford Freestyle model lineup with the edition of a new, top-of-the-line variant, Freestyle Flair.

The new Freestyle Flair is available at an introductory price of INR 7,69,000 for petrol variant while at INR 8,79,000 for the diesel engine powered variant.

“Ford Freestyle has been a benchmark compact utility vehicle, thanks to its affable design, value-for-money credentials and outstanding fun-to-drive capabilities,” said Vinay Raina, Executive Director, Marketing, Sales & Service at Ford India. “The trendy new Freestyle Flair takes it a notch up & promises to give UV intenders a cool looking vehicle to drive home during the upcoming festive season.”

The trendy new Freestyle Flair flaunts sporty red and black theme across exteriors and interiors to up the cool quotient. The smart theme builds on Ford Freestyle’s youthful exuberance.

The doors of the new top-of-the-line variant will be adorned with an especially designed, prominent Flair badge, housed in all-around black and red graphics.

The attractive black and red theme will continue across the exterior surfaces, including – a black-painted roof with red roof rails, black and red ORVMs, all-new black alloys and a black skid plates with smart red-painted insets on the front bumper.

Interiors of the Freestyle Flair sport an all-new black and grey upholstery that’s inviting and add to a sense of space inside the cabin. The red and black theme continues in the cabin with contrasting red accents on black door handles. The seats too will feature the smart Flair badge.

Ford Freestyle Flair will be available with Bharat Stage VI compliant petrol and diesel engines. The three-cylinder 1.2L TiVCT petrol engine on the Freestyle generates 96 PS of peak power, 120 Nm of torque, while Ford’s 1.5L TDCi engine delivers 100 PS peak power and 215 Nm of torque. Both engines will be mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

Ford Freestyle Flair comes equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen-based infotainment system with embedded satellite navigation, automatic headlamps, automatic wipers, reverse parking camera, remote central locking, automatic air-conditioner and more.

Featuring enhanced connectivity, Freestyle Flair also offers Ford’s mobility solution FordPass, a one-stop smartphone app meeting diverse ownership needs, at no additional cost. With a factory-fitted cloud-connected device, owners will be able to perform several vehicle operations – such as check vehicle health, know remaining fuel levels and distance to empty in real-time via the FordPass app.

Freestyle will continue to make safety it’s top-priority with innovative and first-in-class intelligent Active Rollover Prevention (ARP), a technology that works with Electronic Stability Control and applies brakes on relevant wheels to decrease engine torque to help prevent any potential rollover situations. It will offer six airbags for all-around protection of driver and occupants.

Ford is also introducing its partnership with JioSaavn, music streaming platform. All customers who’ll book any variant of the Ford Freestyle before February 2021 will get a one-year premium subscription to ad-free music on JioSaavn. The music streaming app will also host exclusive Ford Freestyle playlists, featuring songs for every mood and journey.

Freestyle Flair will be available in three colours – White Gold, Diamond White and Smoke Grey.

It is now easier to buy an XC40 T4 R-Design as Volvo Car India has introduced ‘Hassle-Free Offer’ on the luxury SUV. Volvo XC40 is available at an ex-showroom price of Rs 39.90 lakh, but under ‘Hassle-Free Offer’ customers can buy the car at a special offer price of Rs. 36.90 lakh and receive complimentary accessories worth Rs 1 lakh as well.

With this offer, Volvo Car India is augmenting the buying experience of customers as they can simply walk into their nearest showroom and buy the car without the feeling of missing out on a better offer at another showroom of the company. The offer provides freedom to customers from the hassles of a complex buying process and makes it completely transparent for customers as well as dealers.

The offer marks the spirit of India’s freedom, as it gives freedom from hassles to customers. India celebrated 74th Independence Day on August 15.

“We want to create an ecosystem where our customers can focus on technology and comfort features of XC40 without worrying about the price. Hassle-Free Offer does that seamlessly by smoothing out their buying experience,” says Charles Frump, Managing Director – Volvo Car India.

Jaguar Classic will create six matched pairs of E-types to celebrate the iconic sports car’s 60th anniversary in 2021.

Each pair of E-type 60 Edition cars pay tribute to two of the oldest and most famous Jaguar E-types of all: ‘9600 HP’ and ‘77 RW’, which played pivotal roles in the unveiling of the car at its world debut in Geneva, Switzerland in March 1961.

An Opalescent Gunmetal Grey 3.8 l Fixed-Head Coupe registered ‘9600 HP’ was one of the first two E-types unveiled to specially-invited guests at the Parc des Eaux Vives. Driven ‘flat out’ to Switzerland from Coventry the night before the launch, public relations manager Bob Berry arrived with minutes to spare for demonstration drives.

With an outstanding reaction to the E-type resulting in overwhelming demand for drives with Berry, legendary Jaguar Test and Development Engineer Norman Dewis was told to ‘drop everything’ and drive a British Racing Green 3.8 l roadster registered ‘77 RW’ overnight from Coventry to Geneva.

Both cars were also used for media road tests, which proved the car’s sensational performance – including its 241.4 kmph (150 mph) top speed – matched its jet aircraft-inspired lines honed in a wind tunnel by aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer.

Every E-type 60 Edition built by the team at Jaguar’s Classic Works facility in Warwickshire will be an existing 1960s 3.8 l E-type fully-restored to exclusive 60th anniversary tribute specification.

Each E-type 60 Collection pair will include one Flat Out Grey ‘9600 HP’ coupe and one Drop Everything Green ‘77 RW’ roadster, with unique paint formulations exclusively reserved for these cars. Each E-type 60 Edition will feature a number of 60th anniversary commemorative design details created in conjunction with Jaguar Design Director Julian Thomson.

Synonymous with the revolutionary zeitgeist of the Swinging Sixties, E-types were owned by celebrities including Steve McQueen, Brigitte Bardot, Frank Sinatra, George Harrison, Tony Curtis and Britt Ekland. And, thanks to the beauty of its sculptural forms, its functionality and its impact on design, an E-type became only the third car to join The Museum of Modern Art’s design collection in 1996.

Dan Pink, Director of Jaguar Classic, said: “The Jaguar E-type is a genuine icon, as sensational today as the moment it was unveiled in 1961. It’s testament to the E-type’s advanced design and engineering that it can still be enjoyed and admired as passionately almost 60 years on.

“The E-type 60 Collection is a lasting tribute for E-type admirers, honouring the car’s legacy and the achievements of the team that created it – many of whom have descendants working for Jaguar Classic today, expertly restoring, maintaining and future-proofing enjoyment for generations to come.”

Nissan India today released the interior images of the Nissan Magnite concept after the global unveil last month, highlighting the dashboard and the cabin space.

Rakesh Srivastava, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, said, “The Nissan Magnite concept is an evolutionary leap in Nissan’s SUV history. Not only the exterior, but also the interiors exude premium-ness, sophistication and roominess. These core elements of design philosophy will be succeeded to the production model which is under development, coupled with superior technology on-board to be a game-changer in its segment.”

Building on Nissan’s SUV heritage and advanced technology, the Nissan Magnite concept is designed for tomorrow’s journey as a premium offering with stylish design. It reflects the lifestyle of the customer with its strong presence inside out.

Established in 2012 to bring together the world’s rarest cars, the Concours of Elegance 2020 is once again set to gather the finest line-up of vehicles on display in the UK this year. Cars continue to join the event by the day, with the latest new extraordinary additions so rare that it’s unlikely they’ll ever have been seen together before in the UK.

Acclaimed in 2019 as the Motoring Spectacle of the Year, the 2020 Concours of Elegance on 4-6 September will gather more than 1,000 cars in the beautiful gardens of Hampton Court Palace. However, at its heart is a collection of around 60 of the rarest, most beautiful and most innovative cars ever built. So fierce is the competition for a space in this line-up, that cars must be hand-picked by a committee of global motoring experts.

These are just the latest additions to that line-up:

Porsche 356 America Roadster
This isn’t technically a Speedster, but the Type 540 –known more commonly as the America Roadster–started the idea. The air-cooled, 1.5-litre flat-four produces 70 horsepower, which may not sound like much until you realize that in 1953 the regular 356 produced just 40. Not to be confused with the 356 Speedster—that came later and cost two-thirds the price—America Roadsters weren’t a commercial success. U.S. importer Max Hoffman convinced Porsche it needed a lightweight convertible to compete with the best from Jaguar. But the production methods used to create the America Roadster’s aluminium body proved to be too expensive, and in 1952 Porsche built only 17 units before its discontinuation in 1953.

Ferrari Dino 206 SP
As is well known, Ferrari was challenged by Ford at Le Mans in the mid-’60s and responded with a series of Sports Prototypes; the 330P-series. Early in February of 1966 Ferrari introduced the 4-litre 330P3 to the press in Maranello, alongside the smaller all-new Dino 206 SP. It was Ferrari’s intention to build 50 of these smaller V6 cars to qualify them for homologation as two-litre Group 4 sports cars. For various reasons that never happened and only 17 of these cars were created, including this example here, which raced at the 1000km of Nurburgring and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Aston Martin Cloverleaf
The chassis no. 1926 produced in 1923 is one of the oldest road-going production Aston Martin models in existence. Only 57 ‘Bamford and Martin’ Aston Martins were made in total and it’s estimated that fewer than 16 examples still exist around the world, in one form or another. Lionel Martin’s own Cloverleaf was scrapped in the 1930s. This machine is almost identical to Lionel Martin’s own Cloverleaf and took 2nd place at Aston Hill in1924. XR1981was competitively driven until the end of the 1960s, in the course of which it won the prestigious St John Horsfall Trophy race at Silverstone in 1969. It then languished in the family garage, unused for nearly 40 years, before undergoing a five-year restoration that brought the car to its current condition.

Facel Vega Facel II
Founded by Jean Daninos in 1939, Forges et Ateliers de Construction d’Eure-et-Loir (FACEL) specialised in the construction of aircraft components and metal furniture, before turning its hand to luxury cars like the Facel II. Powered by a 355-horsepower Chrysler V-8, the four-passenger Facel II was not only one of the fastest cars, but also one of the fastest accelerating – in fact it was quicker from 0-60mph than the Aston Martin DB4 and Mercedes 300SL Gullwing, while also boasting Rolls-Royce-like comfort. This example was the original press car, one-of-three right-hand-drive manual examples and has covered just 20,000 miles since new.

Presented by A. Lange & Söhne, the Concours of Elegance is one of the global top three concours events and attracts many of the world’s most eminent car collectors together with their astonishingly rare, beautiful and valuable machines. The cars are displayed in the open air amid the ancient trees and manicured lawns of the Royal palace’s 60-acre Fountain Gardens, guaranteeing visitors plenty of space to view the exhibits in the safest and most enjoyable way possible.

As well as its main line-up of cars the 2020 Concours of Elegance will include unique coachbuilt Alfa Romeos, priceless pre-war Rolls-Royces, the McLaren F1 GTRs that finished 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 13th at Le Mans 24 Hours 25 years ago, a display of future classics and a new Junior Concours celebrating the best of half-scale cars. In total, nearly 1,000 cars will be on display over the course of the weekend.

Bridgestone is collaborating with Microsoft to develop a world-first monitoring system for detecting tyre damage issues in real-time. These issues are a serious matter, contributing to some 30 per cent of all car accidents caused by technical failure.

Tyre issues take four main forms: inadequate pressure, fatigue, irregular wear, and lastly, damage from curbs, potholes, or items on the road.

Fortunately, most of these issues can already be reliably mitigated against. TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring systems) have been mandatory in all cars built since 2012 in most parts of the world, and help motorists avoid low-pressure problems. Regular service and replacing tyres in time will guard against wear and fatigue.

The exception, and safety gap, has been tyre damage – which often cannot be detected without close, manual inspection, and which can potentially occur at any time. Damaged tyres can lead to accidents. They can also adversely affect other vehicle components, such as causing damage to the wheels, and thus create a further source of potential danger to motorists.

Now that gap can be closed. Bridgestone’s Tyre Damage Monitoring System delivers real-time awareness of damage. It uses MCVP’s cloud framework together with existing sensor data, from hardware that is already installed, and uses algorithms to detect events affecting the tyre surface and carcass. The driver can then be immediately notified of the hazard and act accordingly to remedy the situation. There is currently no other equivalent monitoring system available in the market. Alternatives would require extra hardware to be installed.

This tyre damage monitoring system has other valuable applications. The system not only understands when damage has occurred, but also where. It thus allows broader insight into road conditions and infrastructure, which can be used to alert the agencies responsible for road damage issues to the presence and location of potholes and other hazards. Future autonomous vehicles could also be beneficiaries of the system – as vehicles pass information about local hazards to others in the vicinity, as well as cloud data stores.

Currently, Bridgestone’s new Tyre Damage Monitoring System is available to all vehicle fleets and OEM’s that use MCVP. The partnership with Microsoft also enables Bridgestone to further develop its solution to meet the requirements of fleets and key OEM partners around the world.

MCVP provides one consistent, cloud-connected, horizontal platform across digital scenarios on top of which customer-facing solutions can be built, including in-vehicle infotainment, advanced navigation, autonomous driving, telematics and prediction services, as well as over-the-air updates (OTA). It includes the enterprise-grade global availability and scale that comes with Microsoft Azure.

MCVP will provide Bridgestone with a digital infrastructure that will accelerate its delivery of connected mobility solutions, providing access to a multitude of Microsoft Azure cloud, AI, and IoT capabilities.

In turn, working with Bridgestone helps Microsoft grow its ecosystem of supporting partners, and enables MCVP’s customers to integrate these partner’s solutions into their own offerings.

Laurent Dartoux, CEO and President of Bridgestone EMIA, says: “Digital is such a huge part of what we do today at Bridgestone; it’s imperative that we work with industry-leading partners who can support our needs today and in the future. By teaming up with Microsoft, we have the opportunity to bring our Tyre Damage Monitoring System to millions of drivers, offering them better safety and peace of mind.”

“Microsoft partners with mobility companies to support their transformation into smart mobility services providers. With the Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform, our mission is to help businesses accelerate the delivery of safe and personalized connected mobility experiences. Using MCVP, Bridgestone has created Tyre Damage Monitoring System that offers a remarkable contribution to road safety and proves how the collaboration between industry leaders can unlock new business opportunities ahead”, said Tara Prakriya, General Manager, Azure Mobility, and Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform at Microsoft.

On this global partnership, Bridgestone India Managing Director, Parag Satpute said, “This tie-up gives Bridgestone India the opportunity to bring state of the art and pioneering technology in mobility solutions to India. This partnership will allow Bridgestone India to further collaborate with our OE partners and provide a higher degree of safety to our consumers. For our Fleet partners in India, the incorporation of this advanced offering means higher safety and better utilization of resources.’’

Every summer the stunning West Sussex countryside comes alive to the thrill of racing engines at full blast, as Goodwood hosts two of the biggest and most renowned motorsport events in the world; the Festival of Speed and the Revival. Sadly, neither is able to go ahead this year due to the global pandemic. Instead, inspired by the sights and sounds beloved by fans of both events, Goodwood will launch a new, once-in-a-lifetime motorsport occasion in October.

Goodwood Speedweek will take the greatest elements of the Festival and Revival, and combine them into one unmissable three-day extravaganza. Staged behind closed doors at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, Speedweek will be optimised for broadcast, getting motorsport fans to the heart of the action wherever they are in the world. The thrilling action will be transmitted free of charge globally via Goodwood Road & Racing’s website, social channels and a range of broadcast partners.

Nothing like Speedweek has been seen before, as Goodwood brings more than a century of world class motorsport to life to celebrate the legendary feats of speed, courage and endurance that make it the most compelling sport on earth. On the track, the most valuable cars will do battle in the closest, most competitive historic racing in the world, driven by a glittering line-up of famous faces. Embracing the lack of spectators, a dramatic rally competition will see cars go on, over and even under the circuit, and the inaugural ‘Goodwood Gymkhana’ will literally take over the venue, going to places that would normally be strictly out of bounds.

Building to a climax on Sunday, a never-to-be-repeated competition will see some of the fastest cars in motorsport history vying for honours in a winner-takes-all shoot-out over one lap. Modern cars have never competed at Goodwood, so the speeds they achieve will be unlike anything previously seen at the iconic venue. The official Goodwood lap record has stood for 55 years, and, with modern cars never likely to return, it’s entirely possible that the times recorded at Speedweek will remain unsurpassed for the next 55 years.

During Speedweek, Goodwood will be the epicentre of the motoring world, as leading manufacturers launch their latest cars to a global audience. Jaw-dropping supercars will be put through their paces around the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit, while technology will also take centre stage, as FOS Future Lab gives a tantalising glimpse into the mobility of tomorrow. Bonhams, an ever-present Goodwood partner since the very first Festival of Speed in 1993, will hold an online auction over the weekend, with viewing by appointment only at Goodwood on Wednesday-Friday.

The most ambitious event ever held at Goodwood, Speedweek will be broadcast in innovative ways, putting viewers right in the racing seat, with layers of interactivity that create an immersive, not-to-be-missed experience. Without spectators present, the action can be faster, more extreme and even more spectacular than ever. It will redefine the experience of watching motorsport at home in much the same way that the Festival of Speed and Revival changed forever the perception of classic car events. The programme of events and full driver line-up will be announced over the coming weeks and months.

The Duke of Richmond said: “Having taken the heart-breaking decision not to hold the Festival of Speed and Revival this year, we were determined to find a way of bringing motorsport to Goodwood in 2020. Speedweek will be a once-in-a-lifetime occasion – the fastest, most exciting and spectacular event we have ever staged. I have been overwhelmed by the positivity and support offered to us by our partners and friends. In particular, I’m delighted that Mastercard, who have been the presenting partner of the Festival of Speed since 2017, will also be the presenting partner of Speedweek; and Bonhams who have held their auctions at Goodwood every year since 1993, will be joining us.  An event unlike any that’s gone before, Goodwood Speedweek will be a fitting celebration of the spirit of the Festival of Speed and Revival, both of which will return, bigger and better than ever, in 2021.”

Ducati India today announced the opening of bookings for its first BS6 motorcycle, the Panigale V2 in India. The Panigale V2 is an all new motorcycle from the ground up and will become the entry model into the revered Panigale superbike family.

To cater to the soaring demand of BS6 Ducati motorcycles, Ducati India is accepting bookings for the all new Panigale V2 for an initial amount of INR 100,000. Customers can book their Panigale V2 at their nearest Ducati dealerships till the current stocks last. The deliveries for the Panigale V2 will begin soon after the launch and it will be available on display across all Ducati dealerships in Delhi – NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Kolkata, and Chennai. Test rides for the new Panigale V2 will also begin shortly after the launch, under the ‘Ducati Cares’ program which ensures the practice of all safety measures to tackle the current covid-19 situation.

Bipul Chandra, Managing Director of Ducati India said, “The Panigale V2 has been the most awaited bike since EICMA and we eagerly waited to bring this ultimate superbike as our first BS6 motorcycle for the Indian motorcycle enthusiast. The new Panigale V2 is a beefy yet compact bike with clear-cut lines that convey power without compromising on the classic Ducati superbike flair. Considering the overwhelming inquiries for launch of the Panigale V2, we are confident the bike will do well in the market by offering an unmatched Ducati riding experience to enthusiasts who’re looking to step into the world of riding on the racetrack and also to more experienced riders.”

Unlike the outgoing model, the Panigale V2 features a single-sided aluminium swingarm, the hallmark of every high-end Ducati superbike. Gently moulded around the refined monocoque frame, the extensive fairing highlights the more compact twin-cylinder Superquadro engine (smaller in comparison to the Desmosedici Stradale), creating a bike that is visibly leaner and less intimidating than the Panigale V4.

The motorcycle will be launched in India very soon, and more details will be shared at the time of its launch. Stay tuned!

A sensational trio of early Ferraris confirmed for this year’s Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance, including perhaps the most significant car in the Italian marque’s illustrious history.

The 166MM that will grace the lawns of Blenheim Palace scored two famous victories during 1949, and in doing so it helped to create the Ferrari legend. In April of that year, the works-entered chassis 0008M won the Mille Miglia in the hands of Clemente Biondetti and Ettore Salani. Then, two months later, Lord Selsdon and Luigi Chinetti took it to victory in the world’s most high-profile motor race – the Le Mans 24 Hours. It remains the only car to have won both of those prestigious and gruelling events in the same year.

The historic 166MM will be joined by another of the very earliest Ferraris – a 1948 166 Inter Coupé, chassis number 0015S. This Touring-bodied beauty was displayed at the 1949 Geneva Salon and retains its original jewel-like 1995cc V12 engine. Completing the trio is a 1952 Vignale-bodied 212/225 Export that boasts significant period competition history.

Ferrari has a history of success in the Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance, and last year collected more class awards than any other marque courtesy of such iconic models as the 250 GT LWB California Spyder and the 250 GT SWB. In 2020, Maranello’s finest will join some of the most coveted motor cars in the world, with the entry encompassing everything from a 1904 Napier to a 2019 McLaren Senna. All will be judged to the very highest standards by the International Chief Judge Advisory Group (ICJAG).

Ferraris are also bound to feature prominently within Friday’s Salon Privé Masters by Pirelli and Lockton. This year, the event celebrates the evolution of the supercar, from the dawn of the genre in the 1960s to the technological wonders of the 21st century. Ferrari models set to take part both in the Masters and the Concours d’Elégance include mid-engined V8s such as the 308, 328 and 355, the front-engined V12 599, and supercars in the form of the F50 and the landmark F40.

The Ferrari Owners’ Club of Great Britain is an official supporter of Salon Privé, and on Saturday more than 1000 cars will converge on the South Lawn and battle it out for the coveted Club Trophy. Classic and modern greats from Aston Martin, Bentley, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche and many more will be attempting to steal the spotlight from Ferrari’s finest.

Bringing the story right up to date, Ferrari will be showcasing its latest models during Salon Privé Week. The all-new Ferrari Roma continues a long tradition of sublime GT cars from Maranello, and features a front-mid-mounted turbocharged V8 engine giving more than 600bhp. Test drives will be available for clients who have pre-registered with their local official dealer.

The Ferrari Roma will be displayed alongside the SF90 Stradale – named for the 90th anniversary of Scuderia Ferrari – the 812 GTS and the F8 Spider.

Salon Privé Director David Bagley said: “We’re incredibly excited to welcome the most famous name in automotive history to Blenheim Palace. Few marques inspire the sort of devotion that Ferrari does, and the cars that we’ll have on show – from the earliest racers to the very latest road cars – are sure to quicken the pulse of any enthusiast.”

BMW Motorrad India has launched its internationally best-selling adventure sport bike, the all-new BMW S 1000 XR in India. The new bike can be ordered as a completely built-up unit (CBU) wffective immediately throughout the BMW Motorrad dealer network.

The all-new BMW S 1000 XR is an all-days sports bike that uniquely blends sporty and long-distance performance in perfect form. Its sporty aggressiveness comes from the RR. Its outstanding GS ergonomics with the upright, relaxed seat position, lets the riders enjoy all curves and straight roads.

Arlindo Teixeira, acting President, BMW Group India said, “The all-new BMW S 1000 XR is an agile achiever that sets a new benchmark in the adventure sports segment. It is a power-packed performer that brings the real racetrack feel to everyday roads. With its newly developed engine and uncompromising ergonomics, it offers awe-inspiring performance, sporty ride and long-distance capabilities. Riders waiting for a distinctive experience will be drawn to the multi-faceted all-new BMW S 1000 XR. It’s a perfect companion, ready to hit the road for all kind of journeys with sheer motorcycling enjoyment.”

The all-new BMW S 1000 XR will be offered in a Pro variant in Ice Grey and Racing Red colour options. The ex-showroom price is as follows:

The all-new BMW S 1000 XR Pro : INR 20,90,000

For complete peace of mind and to ensure that the journey of pure motorcycling continues uninterrupted at all times, the all-new BMW S100 XR comes with a standard warranty for ‘three years, unlimited kilometres with an option to extend the warranty to fourth and fifth year. Road Side Assistance, a 24×7 365 days package further ensures prompt services in case of breakdown and towing situations.