Skoda has replaced the Elegance trim level of the Yeti in India with the Style. As earlier, the vehicle is available in 4x2 and 4x4 versions.

The Yeti Style comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights with daytime running lights, front and rear fog lamps, LED tail lamps and roof rails.

On the inside, the Style features a 3-spoke multifunction steering wheel, faux wooden on the dashboard and centre console, leather upholstery, removable rear seats, 12-way adjustable driver seat with memory function and height-adjustable front seats. The car is equipped with features such as climate control, cruise control, touchscreen infotainment system with 8 speakers and USB, Aux-in and Bluetooth connectivity, electronically foldable door mirrors, parking sensors at the front and rear with a display on the infotainment screen, keyless entry & go and illuminated glovebox and luggage compartment.

Safety features include 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, traction control, electronic stability control, electronic differential lock, hill hold and hill descent control among others.

There are no mechanical changes to the Yeti. The two wheel drive version is powered by a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine that produces 109 BHP and 250 Nm of torque and is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The four wheel drive version uses the same engine in a higher state of tune. It develops 138 BHP and 320 Nm of torque and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission with a permanent all-wheel drive system.

Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi):

• Style 4x2 - Rs. 20,27,000
• Style 4x4 - Rs. 21,97,000

Mercedes classic rally set for Sunday, December 13 run.

Come Sunday, December 13, the streets of Mumbai will be graced by some of the finest classic Mercedes-Benz cars around. Normally secured behind closed garages and hidden under multiple dust covers, the rally will be a unique opportunity for Mercedes lovers in the city to come and see some of the finest cars in the country gather together in the same place. And this is no static display, the cars will drive around Mumbai, so you'll be able to see, hear and even smell some of them.

Running for the second consecutive year, the Classic Car Rally 2015 is organised by Mercedes-Benz and is run in association with Autocar India. It will kick off from Nariman Point at 10am and this will be best place to view the cars and speak with the owners.

The route is quite simple. Travelling by Mumbai's western coastline via Marine Drive, Pedder Road,  Haji Ali and the Sea Link, the participants will drive in a convoy all the way up to the western suburb of Bandra before heading back to the starting point. Traffic will be regulated with the help of the Mumbai Traffic Police and you could position yourself at some spots along the route to see these grand old ladies purr past.

So, what are some of the timeless beauties you can expect to spot at the rally? There will be the gorgeous 190SL (W120) drop top, a favourite of stars and a rather celebrated sight on the streets of yesteryears' tinsel town. The S-class has always been a flagship model for Mercedes and you'll get a chance to see almost every iteration of it on the drive, from the earliest W111 fin-tails, to the gorgeous W108, the iconic W126, of which so many were imported to India and even the W140, the tank, that probably was the toughest built S-class ever.  

Then there will be the two-seater Pagoda (W113) from the '60s, a 450SL (R107 series) from the '70s, and even a SEC coupe from the W126 series, one of the most sought-after models back in the day. And you'll also get a chance to catch 170V Roadsters, among many others. Some of the oldest cars present at the parade will be there from as far back as the Second World War and though Mercedes has never marketed estates in India, some like the W123s and W124s, would be there as well. There'll even be a 300S Adenauer convertible.

Also, make sure you get a good look at some of the interesting details on display in some of the more luxurious cars. But the star of the show will be the Patentwagen – the first car ever built. The actual car from 1886, of course, won't be there. This is a replica built right here in India, by Coimbatore-based UMS Technologies.

So, it promises to be a starry Sunday with some seriously gorgeous Mercs flooding the Mumbai streets. Make sure you set your alarm nice and early; the cars will start lining up from 9:00. See you there.      

Spectator Guide

10:15 Marine Drive

10:30 Walkeshwar

10:45 Neapean Sea Road

10:50 Hali Ali

11:00 Worli Sea Face

11:15 Bandra Worli Sea Face

11:30 Worli Sea Face

11:40 Haji Ali

11:50 Pedder Road

12:00 Marine Drive

* Times are subject to traffic conditions

Courtesy : Autocar

Little time has been lost since Hyundai launched the Genesis sub-brand. The brand was announced in November, with sketches and spy shots of the G90 / EQ900 following shortly after. The luxury sedan has now been launched in Korea and as expected, it comes with three petrol engine options.

Options include a 3.3L T-GDI (twin-turbo) V6 engine that makes 365 BHP / 510 Nm of torque, followed by a 3.8L GDI V6 that makes 311 BHP / 397 Nm of torque. There's also a 5.0L GDI that makes 419 BHP / 520 Nm of torque. The car comes with rear-wheel drive as standard with optional all-wheel drive available. The power is sent through an eight-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.

Length x width x height x wheelbase dimensions come in at 5,205 mm x 1,915 mm x 1,495 mm x 3,160 mm. The feature list includes a 22-way adjustable driver's seat, 14-way adjustable passenger seats, a 12.3-inch HD screen in the centre console, a Lexicon sound system, three-zone climate control and a wireless phone charging system.

A host of driver assistance / safety features are offered, including advanced smart cruise control, lane keeping assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with Pedestrian Detection, Active Blind Spot Detection (BSD) and Driver Attention Alert, Smart High Beam Assist, an Around View Monitor and a Korean market specific Smart Posture Caring (SPC) System, that automatically adjusts the seat, steering-wheel, outside mirror and head-up display to the optimal position for the driver.

The G90 has been introduced in Korea and will be launched in other markets, including the United States, China, Russia and countries in the Middle East. A further five Genesis models will be launched over the next five years.

Courtesy : Team BHP

We drive the Mumbai-Pune leg of Mahindra’s epic Goodness Drive from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in the e2o 

A few weeks back, Mahindra flagged off a first-of-its-kind all-electric expedition from Kashmir to Kanyakumari with the e2o. Christened the ‘Goodness Drive’, the expedition of three e2os was flagged off by Arvind Mathew, CEO of Mahindra Reva, in the presence of former Sri Lankan cricketer Arvinda de Silva on November 16. As the expedition arrives in Mumbai, we get a chance to be a part of this epic journey by driving the one of the three e2os from Mumbai to Pune.

The lack of infrastructure in India has been one of the prime reasons for the limited development of electric vehicles here. And that is exactly why a lot of people shy away from purchasing the Mahindra e2o. With this Goodness Drive from Kashmir to Kanyakumari Mahindra wants to clear all myths about the driving range of an EV.

So, as the expedition arrived in Mumbai, with our batteries completely charged (pun intended), we set off to Pune. The first thing I noticed was that the Mahindra e2o was absolutely noiseless. For an auto enthusiast like me who has a thing for loud pipes, this was indeed a welcome change.

Considering that we started early the highway to Pune was fairly unpopulated. We could easily maintain speeds of about 70kmph and still consume energy pretty efficiently. The regen system on the e2o was really put to good use especially on some downhill sections. This system not only stops consumption of power on a downhill, in fact it helps recharge the battery. Although at a pace that we are generally not used to driving, especially on the Express Highway, the e2o climbed up the ghats of Lonavala to our breakfast destination with quite some juice left. However, since we halted for a bite, we decided to charge them, just in case. For those who are wondering, the e2o just needs a simple 15amp plug point for charging. Soon after that, we continued on to Pune and arrived at our destination with close to 20 per cent charge left.