The upgrades on the 2016 model year Honda CBR500R include new design and minor mechanical upgrades as well

Honda will unveil the 2016 Honda CBR500R on October 15 at the American International Motorcycle Expo in Florida.

With some design upgrades, including a slightly modified bodywork as well as new dual LED headlight, the 2016 CBR500R is also likely to get minor mechanical upgrades.

According to Honda, the upgraded CBR500R will get a complete new look based on a design theme of “Aggressive Speed Shape” with sharp and edgy character lines and a sleek look that will give an appearance of speed and purpose.

There are several rider focussed upgrades as well, including front suspension with adjustable pre-load, larger fuel tank with new hinged fuel cap, adjustable brake levers and “wave” style ignition key.

The Honda CB500 twins have been quite popular in Western markets, particularly in Europe, because of their low cost, reliability and good handling, since the time they were first introduced in 1993. A completely new family of 500cc twin engine motorcycles was announced as replacement in 2013, initially comprising three variants – CBR500R, CB500F and the CB500X.

And it’s got impressive performance as well. The 471cc in-line twin with a 180-degree crank and balancer shaft in the current CBR500R makes 47PS of peak power and has an indicated top speed of about 170kmph.

It’s not clear whether Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India have any plans of introducing the CBR500R in India. But if there are any such plans, it will need to have significant parts localisation to come with an attractive sticker price.  We sure hope there are such plans; a 500cc parallel twin with smooth, responsive acceleration and decent performance seems to be just what the Indian motorcycle market needs, provided it’s priced right.

Courtesy : Zigwheels

Here's how the upcoming Chevy Trailblazer SUV fares in comparison to its rivals, the Fortuner and the Pajero Sport.

Chevrolet looks all set to bring its Trailblazer SUV to India sometime during the festive season. The launch of the large SUV will mark the return of international models to the Indian market which recently witnessed the launch of rebadged Chinese models such as the Sail sedan and Enjoy MPV. The Trailblazer will initially be launched with only one engine though a second smaller displacement unit is likely to follow soon after. The SUV will rival the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.

We take a look at how the Trailblazer matches up to the other two SUVs.

Dimensions

With a length of 4,878mm, width of 1,902mm and a height of 1,847mm, the Trailblazer is a sizeable SUV and is almost 100mm longer and 60mm wider than the Fortuner that measures 4,705mm long, 1,840mm wide and stands 1,850mm tall. The Pajero Sport measures 4,695mm long, 1,815mm rolex replica watches sale wide and 1,840mm tall, making it the smallest here. In terms of the wheelbase, the Pajero Sport comes in second after the Trailblazer at 2,800mm with the latter’s wheelbase being 2,845mm. The Fortuner has the shortest wheelbase at 2,750mm.

In terms of ground clearance, the two-wheel-drive Trailblazer leads the trio at 241mm,followed by the Fortuner with a ground clearance of 220mm. The Pajero Sport offers the lowest ground clearance at 215mm.

Engine and gearbox

The Trailblazer is powered by a 2,776cc four-cylinder engine that develops 197bhp and 50.99kgm of torque and is mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox as standard.

The Pajero Sport is powered by a 2,477cc four-cylinder unit that develops 175.6bhp, though torque varies on the two-wheel drive automatic and the four-wheel-drive manual model. The torque output for the automatic is 35.7kgm, while the manual model develops 40.8kgm.

The Toyota Fortuner is the only SUV here that gets a choice of two engines. The first is a 2,494cc unit that develops 142bhp and 34.98kgm of torque while the second unit is a larger 2,982cc motor that develops 168.7bhp and 34.98kgm of torque on the manual variant and 36.71 kgm on the automatic.

The Chevrolet is the only SUV here to use a six-speed automatic gearbox.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer will prove to be a definite challenge to the current competition in the market. Not just larger than the competition, this SUV is also substantially more powerful, at least when matched up to the engine options of the Toyota Fortuner. The Pajero’s 2,477cc unit is definitely powerful for its size but it does not offer any competition to the cheap breitling replica watches larger unit of the Trailblazer.

Courtesy : Autocar

All-new platform being developed with parent company Geely; Volvo keen on expanding in the premium compact market.

Volvo’s research and development boss, Peter Mertens has revealed that development on the company’s new CMA modular platform is well underway in conjunction with parent company Geely. The all-new modular platform is expected to underpin a family of new compact cars from the Swedish automaker including the replacement for the current V40.

“We have to cover everything from the mass market to an Audi A3 rival with CMA. Volkswagen’s MQB is doing something similar, but we have to push hard to ensure that we can have greater differentiation [between Geely and Volvo models],” he said.

He also stated that work on the new platform was challenging as the new ‘toolbox’ of component sets and structural sub-assemblies need to be versatile enough to form the basis for both mainstream and premium models.

The new CMA architecture will also underpin the compact crossover, which is likely to be
badged the XC40. Mertens also revealed that the new architecture was important for the company as it looked to expand significantly in the premium compact market.

Mertens who said that he was “deeply involved” in the project also led the platform design work on the General Motors structure that was used globally to underpin cars globally at different price levels. Some of the models included the Vaxhall Astra, Buick Verano and the Chevrolet Cruze.

The new CMA modular architecture, apart from underpinning small cars from Volvo, will also yield a range of similarly sized cars from parent company Geely which currently sells a variety of brands in China.

Courtesy : Autocar

The Mahindra Mojo will be launched on October 16th at an introductory price of Rs 1,62,500. First lot of Mahindra Mojo riders will be offered a motorcycle trip, extended warranty and riding jacket free of cost

The Mahindra Mojo will make its debut in the Indian market on October 16th and is among the most highly anticipated launches of 2015. ZigWheels.com has learnt that the Mahindra Mojo will be priced at Rs 1,62,500 (ex-showroom) which translates to an on-road price of around Rs 1.92 lakh. Booking amount for the new motorcycle has been kept at Rs 20,000. Mahindra Two Wheelers isn’t letting any stone unturned in promoting the new Mojo as it’s offering great schemes for the first lot of buyers.

As part of the pre-launch booking package first lot of customers will be offered a two days and one night bike trip that will be sponsored completely by Mahindra. Other goodies include a riding jacket with Mojo branding and three years extended warranty (total five years warranty). Also the initial bunch of Mahindra Mojo customers will be given two years road assistance service free of cost. The above scheme showcases the fact that Mahindra themselves are wary it would be a difficult task for them to make customers shell out close to Rs 2 lakh for a relatively young and unknown two-wheeler brand. The Mahindra Mojo will be the new flagship offering for Mahindra Two Wheelers and it has taken five years of development time as it was first showcased in 2010. 

Powering the new Mahindra Mojo is a 295cc displacement single-cylinder motor churning out 28PS at 8,000rpm and peak torque rating of 30Nm at just 5,000rpm. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a six-speed transmission. The Mojo had been loaded with goodies in its cycle parts like USD front forks, gas charged mono shock, LED pilot lamps and tail lamps along with Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres. Mahindra plans to market as a touring motorcycle as the Mojo has a fuel tank capacity of 21 litres and 173.5mm ground clearance. Braking is done by disc brakes at front and rear while ABS has been given the miss to keep cost under check. The Mahindra Mojo will compete against the Honda CBR 250Rand the Royal Enfield Classic 500 in the Indian market.

Courtesy : Zigwheels

Performance version of the Range Rover Sport comes with a 542bhp supercharged V8 engine.

Land Rover India has added the top-spec Range Rover Sport SVR model to its line-up. The Range Rover Sport SVR is a direct rival to the Mercedes-AMG ML63 and Porsche Cayenne Turbo S. Honed at the Nürburgring, the SVR has been developed by Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Operations unit, which is headed by former Land Rover boss, John Edwards.

The Range Rover Sport SVR is powered by a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 that churns out a massive 542bhp. It does a 0-100kph sprint in just 4.5 seconds and goes on to a limited top speed of 261kph. The SVR’s engine is also found in some of Jaguar’s most potent models, including the F-type R Coupé and XFR-S saloon. The 5,000cc all-aluminium unit produces 69.3kgm of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels through a revised ZF-supplied eight-speed automatic transmission, which can be controlled by steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters or the gearstick. The torque converter is tuned for 50 percent quicker shifts, which Land Rover claims are “shorter, more visceral and audibly crisper” than in the gearbox’s standard application. Gearbox functions include the blipping of the throttle in high-speed downshifts.

Off-road ability is maintained by having permanent four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case, and an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the centre differential. On-road performance is boosted by a recalibration of the Dynamic Active Rear Locking Differential, which sends torque to the rear wheel with the most traction. The torque-vectoring differential effect is imitated by a Torque Vectoring by Braking function, while the dynamic stability control system is also retuned.

The SVR uses a two-stage active exhaust with electronically controlled valves, which, according to Land Rover, creates a race car-like soundtrack. At low revs and loads, the valves in two of the four pipes are closed, but under increased loads and engine speeds of around 3,000rpm, the valves open. A crackle has also been tuned on overrun. The exhaust still works with the Range Rover Sport’s 850mm wading depth.

The chassis has been tuned for improved agility, the SVR featuring air suspension and adaptive dampers, and stiffer, lighter components. Key to the SVR’s cornering ability is an Active Roll Control system, which replaces anti-roll bars with a hydraulic pump on each axle to control body roll and allow the car to “deliver a progressive breakaway on the limit”. Weight has also been added to the variable-ratio electronic steering system. Fitted as standard to the SVR are 21-inch alloys shod in 275/45 R21 tyres. Optional are 22-inch alloys equipped with 295/40R22 Continental SportContact 5 performance tyres. Stopping power comes from Brembo brakes with six-piston callipers.

The SVR is easily distinguished from other Range Rover Sports by a series of design changes. There’s a new front bumper with larger air intakes, a new grille finish, flared wheel arches, a new rear bumper with integrated diffuser and quad exhaust pipes, and a rear spoiler. The cabin is equipped with new and luxuriously trimmed sports seats, alongside standard aluminium trim and optional carbonfibre trim. The interiors can be had in four different colour schemes.

 The Range Rover Sport SVR is priced at Rs 2.12 crore (ex-showroom). 

Courtesy : Autocar