The Fiat Chrysler Corporation is considering selling its huge OEM parts manufacturer Magneti Marelli after receiving several bids from various players in recent times. The brand is worth about three billion US Dollars.

The Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, or FCA is considering selling Magneti Marelli, one of the worlds largest OEM automotive parts manufacturer. According to insider sources, at least two U.S. private equity funds are looking to team up with industry players and submit joint bids for Magneti Marelli, which supplies all major carmakers in Europe, the Americas and Asia. According to valuation agencies, the group is currently values at over three billion US dollars.

Although the FCA is currently debt laden, the official spokesperson still maintains that the OEM parts giant is in fact not for sale currently but could be sold if they reconsidered their plans to do the same. FCA currently has its hands full with its large plans for Ferrari’s future. A sale of the unit, which employs more than 38,000 and is present in 19 countries, could help FCA pay off some debt and fund a 48 billion euro investment plan.

According to investors who have been interested in the Magneti Marelli brand have been trying to get in touch with Sergio Marichonne for a while but since the FCA honcho has been focusing all his energy to get GM to merge with them, their appeals have fallen on deaf ears. That said, they do expect Marichonne to get back to them soon now since the GM deal seems to be a no show. The investors have also mentioned how Magneti Marelli if bought will be split into smaller units and devided according to certain competencies. Magneti Marelli had revenue of 6.5 billion euros last year and makes components for lighting, engines, electronics, suspension and exhausts, among other items.

Hyundai has launched the Creta Compact SUV in the Indian market. The Creta will also boast of excellent comfort and safety features. The new Hyundai Creta will take on the Renault Duster, Nissan Terrano and Maruti Suzuki S-Cross

Hyundai highly anticipated Compact SUV has been launched at a starting price of Rs 8.59 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. Hyundai plans to grab a share of the growing SUV segment and if Hyundai has its way with the wide variety of engine and transmission options, the Creta could well jump to the top of this list. Major rivals in this segment are the Renault Duster and Nissan Terrano while the S-Cross crossover will also enter the market a few days later.

The Creta is a handsome SUV drawing inspiration from the larger Santa Fe. It comes with projector lamps and LED DRLs, a large chrome strapped hexagonal grille, muscular bumpers and wide haunches to give it a purposeful look. Blacked out A and B pillars add to the sportiness and large 17 inch wheels give the Creta an excellent stance. 

While looks do matter a lot replica breitling watches sale in this segment, a good set of mile munching powertrains do too and there are plenty to choose from with the Creta. In petrol, the Creta will come with a 1.6-litre mill producing 123PS of power and 155Nm of torque. In diesel, Hyundai will bring two engine options – the smaller 1.4-litre 90PS mill that we have already seen on the Elite i20 and a 1.6-litre 128PS unit from the Verna. They make 220Nm and 259Nm of torque respectively and come mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. However, the latter will also come with a choice of a six-speed automatic transmission as well.

The Creta will also boast of excellent comfort and safety features. The top-end SX(O) variant comes with comes with 6 airbags, Electronic stability control, and faux leather on the steering wheel, gear knob and upholstery. ABS is offered across all variants as standard equipment along with power windows, USB and AUX connectivity and central locking. The higher variants also get a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, climate control and projector type headlights.

Detailed Pricing -

1.6-litre Petrol Manual - 15.29kmpl:

L - 8.59 lakhs

S - 9.57 lakhs

SX+ - 11.2 lakhs

1.4-litre Diesel Manual - 21.38kmpl:

Base - 9.46 lakhs

S - 10.42 lakhs

S+ - 11.45 lakhs

1.6-litre Diesel Manual - 19.67kmpl:

SX - 11.59 lakhs

SX+ - 12.67 lakhs

SX(O) - 13.6 lakhs

1.6-litre Diesel Automatic - 17.01kmpl:

SX+ - 13.57 lakhs

Courtesy : Zigwheels

Next generation Triumph Street Triple with a new 800cc displacement motor and four variants is being developed with an estimated launch by late 2016

Competition gets the best out of you and that seems to be the case with Triumph. With Yamaha and MV Agusta stepping up the ante in the middleweight segment which is its bread and better market. According to MCN, Triumph Motorcycles is working on the next generation Street Triple range. The 2016 Triumph Street Triple will feature a higher displacement motor that is rumoured to push around 125PS of power. The Triumph Street Triple 800 will get cosmetic updates along with new instrument cluster (TFT screen) and electronic aids.

The information was leaked after the British bikemaker recently conducted a survey with the owners of existing model range. The Triumph Street Triple will be offered in four variants to address the needs of varying consumers. The base Triumph Street Triple will have a power output of 110PS which is a hike of 5PS (the Indian spec model produces 80PS though). The base spec model will be equipped with electronic throttle bodies and traction control. European pricing will be around Rs 7.8 lakh. The Triumph Street 800R will get additional 5PS along with adjustable Showa sourced suspension, three riding modes and will carry a sticker price of Rs 8.8 lakh.

Courtesy : Zigwheels

The Vento gets a nifty refresh for 2015, receiving more visual zing and features to go with its immaculate engineering .

The VW Vento, along with the Skoda Rapid, is arguably the most technologically accomplished machine in its segment. Boasting rock solid German engineering, segment-topping dynamics, a choice of capable petrol and diesel engines and the much lauded dual clutch DSG as the big differentiator, the Vento is for those with an evolved taste. In its 2015 avatar, the capable C-Segment car gets a design refresh, along with the addition of some new features. Here’s how VW has made this capable car even more alluring.

Design and style
The Vento was always a handsome car. VW hasn’t tried anything radical with the design, and rightly so. The changes made to the exterior of the 2015 Vento are subtle. Styling changes are minimal, working only to give the overall package a refined visual uplift. Changes inside the cabin make an already cosy place more comfortable. To start with, VW has lent the bonnet a bit more muscle. The creases on the sides have gone deeper to give it a chiselled look. The front grille has also been re-profiled; is now bigger in size and features three horizontal chrome slats as against the twin slatted previous version. Headlamps have been left untouched, though, and carry forward the angular, smart looking and effective double barrel units from their predecessor. 

The front bumper has undergone a popreplica.co.uk thorough refresh too. The area above the fog lamps now gets short creases. The air dam is wider and fog lamps taper sideways. While the earlier air-dam used to be a U-shaped space outlined by chrome, the new unit matches the horizontal theme on the grille, and has three slats running from lamp to lamp. There is also a new, wider chrome strip running through the breadth of the air-dam.
On the sides, the car features what VW calls new wheels for the Vento, though the design is similar to the ones seen on the smaller Polo 1.5 TDI. Another change is the integration of the blinkers in the electrically folding ORVMs. Door handles are now chrome lined as another premium touch. At the rear, the most prominent change is the introduction of LEDs in the tail lamps, while the brake light continues to be lit by a filament. The horizontal chrome-strip that earlier spanned the lip of the bootlid now sits atop the registration plate recess. The badges have been brought down in position and we don’t see the Volkswagen brand name any more. Like the front, the rear bumper too gets a short crease that underlines the tail lamp unit and a chrome strip that runs horizontally at the bottom, connecting safety reflectors at each end. The exhaust tip which earlier was hidden neatly under the rear bumper has been extended out and now features a chrome tip. In addition to the internal boot release mechanism, the 2015 Vento also gets a soft touch boot release button above the rear registration plate. 

Cabin and features
Inside the cabin, the trim colours have been altered for a fresh appeal. The 2015 VW Vento comes with a ‘Walnut Desert Beige’ interior colour theme on the Highline variant and ‘Cloud–Titanschwarz’ scheme for Trendline and Comfortline variants.
A new inclusion is Cruise Control, which works amazingly well with the DSG auto on freeways. The addition of a dead pedal to the footwell means that you’ll be even more relaxed while using that cruise control feature on an empty stretch of tarmac extending into the horizon. As another small, but important change, the glove box gets a cooling vent to keep your chocolates and that bottle of water chilled.

The rest of the cabin remains the same and, as always, is a high quality, sophisticated and functional place. Audio quality is great, quality of material is top notch and the cabin has a built-to-last air about it which very few cars can match.

Engine, transmission, performance
The 2015 Volkswagen Vento, like its predecessor, is available in both, petrol and diesel options. The oil-burner is a 1.5-litre, TDI motor that makes 105 PS of peak power and 250 NM of torque. You can either opt for a 5-speed manual, or a smooth 7-speed DSG auto for this engine variant.

For those who don’t like the dirty fuel, a 1.2-litre TSI motor making 105 PS of power at 5000 clicks and 175 NM of twist between 1,500 – 4,100 rpm is also on offer. There’s also a 1.6 litre naturally aspirated petrol motor with 105PS and 153Nm mated with a 5-speed manual transmission.

The 1.2-litre turbo petrol unit comes with a 7-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox as the only option, loves to be revved and is an enthusiast’s delight.

All engines are capable units for the segment and don’t leave anything to complain about. The car’s immaculate engineering ensures that it masks its speed really well offering one of the best ride-handling packages in its segment.

The Vento can be fun around corners in its own way. Mechanically similar to the previous version, it is predictable,
connected, engaging and poised. Once you acknowledge the fact that it’s an everyday family sedan, the Vento impresses with what it’s capable of doing when pushed hard.

We didn’t have any complaints about the ride quality, though the occasional noise from the sharper ridges didn’t sound too pleasing at times. The ride gets better with speed, and once you are past 50-60 km/h, the Vento takes even the more unnerving undulations in its stride with aplomb.

Verdict
The Vento may not have some of the more flashy items on its features list, like a fancy screen or a navigation system (though some limited edition variants do offer the feature), but what it really banks on is solid build quality, exemplary ride and handling, quality of materials, cabin comfort and capable power plants. That refined DSG is the best automatic gearbox out there and is capable of handling city traffic, or challenging switchbacks with ease.

The technology comes at a cost, though it still is comparable with the price of the top-spec offerings from the rivals.
VW service isn’t as widespread as some of the other carmakers, nor is the price of its spares cheap.

But, if you could live with that, the Vento, without doubt, is a car for the discerning buyer.

Courtesy  : Mid-day