The Tata Tiago, earlier named the Zica will be launched in March 2016 and come with both petrol and diesel engines.

Tata Motors’ all new hatchback, the Tata Tiago is all set to be launched in March 2016. The car was renamed from its original name ‘Zica’ due to its uncanny similarities with the Zika Virus that has recently been discovered in parts of Central and South America. The new Tata Tiago will be available with both a petrol and diesel engine and is expected to be priced extremely competitively in order to take on the likes of the Hyundai Grand i10 and the Maruti Suzuki Celerio.

The Tiago will be the first new car to get the updated design language from Tata Motors. The front end will get a well crafted grille and swept back headlamps whereas the rear gets a sporty tailgate and bumper along with an inbuilt spoiler. The Tiago will get 14-inch wheels as standard with the top of the line variants getting alloy wheels.

On the interior front, the Tiago will get a new dashboard with a gloss black centre console and a well crafted infotainment setup. The Tiago does not get a touchscreen but will get an app support feature by which you can stream music and navigation. The new Tiago is also very spacious and has a large boot that can easily carry a large bag.

In terms of engines, the Tiago gets both a petrol and a diesel engine. The petrol is a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder engine that makes 85PS of peak power at 6000rpm and 114Nm of peak torque at 3500rpm. The diesel engine on the other hand will be a 1.0-litre engine that makes 70PS of peak power and 140Nm of peak torque. Both engines are mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox with the possibility of an AMT gearbox in the future. The new Tiago should be priced between Rs 4-6 lakh when launched soon.

Courtesy : Zigwheels

Company to commence S340 e-scooter production by end of year; to be sold online only.

Ather Energy, a Bangalore-based start-up, today unveiled an electric scooter called the S340. The scooter is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack, has a top speed of 72km/h and a range of upto 60km, according to the company. The S340’s IP67-rated battery can last for as much as 50,000km. The vehicle achieves an 80 percent charge in 50 minutes in fast-charging mode and can be charged from any five-ampere socket.

The scooter gets features such as LED lights that respond to ambient light conditions, a touchscreen dashboard, on-board navigation and drive modes like Sport and Economy to enable a personalised experience. The touchscreen is integrated with a S340 mobile app that keeps the rider connected with the vehicle, and can also sync navigation routes remotely.

The company has a manufacturing unit set-up in Bangalore, and production of the S340 will commence by end of this year. It is planning to build an online-only purchase model with doorstep delivery and service. It will also start pre-ordering in Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune initially in the next quarter. The company is still working on the price of this scooter.

“The future will be connected and inevitably electric, and the Ather S340 has been built as a manifestation of this philosophy,” said Tarun Mehta, CEO and co-founder. “The electric vehicle has been designed and built mostly in-house with engineering precision,” he added. Ather Energy aims to set-up a public charging infrastructure in every city it operates in, by partnering with government and private enterprises.

The company has been founded by IIT graduates Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain in 2013 and has received funding from Tiger Global and Sachin and Binny Bansal (Flipkart founders). According to reports, Ather Energy, which has raised Rs 81 crore till date, is planning to invest Rs 25 crore for the manufacturing of this scooter.

Courtesy : Autocar

The 8-series is expected to be available in 2020; will rival the Mercedes S-class coupé and Bentley Continental GT.

BMW will revive its 8-series badge with a new flagship model that is expected in 2020. The original car, built between 1989 and 1999, went on to become one of the modern classics on automotive design. The resurrected model will rival its long-time adversary, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupé, and the Bentley Continental GT.

The car will make use of mechanicals, and tech from the sixth-generation 7-series that was recently launched in India at the 2016 Auto Expo. According to sources, the model will be built at BMW’s Dingolfing factory in Germany.

Insiders at BMW’s R&D centre in Munich suggest that two differing layouts are being considered – a four-door layout, said to be similar in concept to the BMW 6- series Gran Coupe, albeit bigger, and more luxurious, and alternate body styles which may include a two-door coupé, and a cabriolet.
 
Harald Krueger, chairman, BMW, is personally driving plans to extend the line-up to include additional luxury models. He is eager to push the BMW flagship higher given the continued success and profitability of the Mercedes-Benz S-class and its various derivatives in key markets such as the USA and China.

“With the decision to bring back the 8-series, Krueger is looking at a potentially lucrative revenue stream with high profitability on a per unit basis,” a BMW senior manager revealed to our sister publication, Autocar UK.

BMW is expected to officially showcase the 8-series concept in 2018.

Courtesy :  Autocar

Partners to launch RapidE in 2018; range of next-gen e-vehicles to follow before 2020-end.

Aston Martin has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with technology company LeEco to develop a production version of the Aston Martin RapidE electric vehicle concept. Both the companies have previously worked together, in particular on the new Rapide S model, incorporating the Letv (former name of LeEco) Internet of the Vehicle (IOV) system.

Originally revealed in October last year, the RapidE concept was developed in collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering. At the time, Aston Martin had revealed plans to partner with ChinaEquity on taking the model to production.

Since the creation of this concept, Aston Martin and Letv have been advancing the work on production feasibility, including the identification of technology solutions for battery systems and powertrains.

LeEco founder Jia Yueting also owns Faraday Future, which showcased its own concept car, the FFZero1, at last month's Consumer Electronics Show  in Las Vegas. The partnership indicates the potential to add a range of next-generation connected electric vehicles on behalf of Aston Martin, LeEco and Faraday Future.

Additionally, Aston Martin and LeEco have announced plans to develop a range of new vehicles before the end of the decade. Both the companies are currently focused on utilising the best technologies from the companies’ portfolios and bringing the RapidE to market in 2018.

Courtesy : Autocar

Bluetooth-enabled digital virtual key can be downloaded into a smartphone app that will be available on iOS, Android and Windows devices.

Volvo has confirmed that it plans to replace the traditional car key by introducing virtual-key technology, which uses mobile phone technology, to its car range in 2017. According to Volvo, the move will offer more flexibility to its customers.

The Bluetooth-enabled digital virtual key can be downloaded into a smartphone app that will be available on iOS, Android and Windows devices. The app replicates typical key functions such as locking, unlocking and boot release, while also enabling drivers to start the car’s engine remotely.

Additionally, multiple virtual keys can be stored on a single device, allowing easier access to a number of Volvo cars. In order to protect the car from potential hackers, Volvo will use its current security systems in which both, the car and the key, hold part of an encrypted key combination. However, if the car's battery goes flat and cannot recognise the key, drivers must call for roadside assistance.

The new technology could also be used for car rental and car-sharing schemes, where a key can be downloaded with your rental agreement. Physical keys will still be offered to the customers who want them. Trials of the new virtual-key technology will be carried out later this year with car-sharing firm Sunfleet, which is based in Sweden.

Courtesy : Autocar