Mercedes AMG GT will be available only in the high-performance S spec for India.

Mercedes will launch the high-performance AMG GT supercar in India on November 24, 2015. Internationally, the AMG GT has been launched in two guises – the standard GT and the more powerful GT S version. India will get the latter.

The Mercedes AMG GT is the second production model to be conceived, engineered and developed at Mercedes-Benz's AMG performance car division at Affalterbach in Germany. It is powered by a 4.0-litre V8 engine good for 456bhp in the standard model, while the India-bound S version makes 503bhp. Developed from scratch, the direct-injection 4.0-litre V8 features twin turbochargers mounted inside the cylinder banks, and the carmaker claims this has optimised throttle response and reduced emissions.

The GT retains the exaggerated proportions of its predecessor, the SLS AMG supercar, albeit with more contemporary detailing. The new model has ditched the SLS’s heavy gull-wing doors for a lighter, front-hinged arrangement. At the rear, the AMG GT adopts a liftback-style tailgate in place of a conventional boot lid, intended to improve the car’s everyday practicality by allowing easier access to the luggage compartment.

Channelling the GT’s power to the rear wheels is a revised version of the Getrag-engineered seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox used on the SLS. Official performance figures for the GT S are 0-100kph time of 3.8 seconds and top speed of 310kph.

Mercedes has launched 13 models in India this year as a plan of launching a total of 15 models. The AMG GT S is the penultimate launch for this year. 

Courtesy : Autocar

5 new Bonnevilles set to replace the current classic bike, offered with two new engine platforms.

You’ll see some of these Bonnevilles launched in India around the coming Indian Auto Expo, all available with substantially more potent engines, displacing 900cc or a full-blown 1200cc, in parallel-twin layouts, with liquid-cooling and fuel-injection.

Unsurprisingly, styling for all the new Bonnies shall remain retro, just as stately, a throwback to the ‘days of the Raj’ if you like, with new generation, sturdier tubular steel frames holding them together.

The most affordable Bonnevilles are to be the Street Twin, certain to be the most popular of the lot in India. The Street Twin is easily distinguished by means of its 10-spoke alloy rims, as well as black for much of the lower bike, including a handsomely detailed engine and wheels. Also offered with the Street Twin are a set of smoothly profiled, brush finished exhausts, that we heard sounding exciting and throaty. Expect aggressive pricing for the Street Twin, close to the present day Bonneville, while offering so much more. The Street twin is powered by a four-stroke, 900cc, parallel-twin powerplant, running 4-valves per cylinder, and making 8.16kgm of maximum torque, as Triumph has managed to extract at an amazingly low 3,200rpm.

There’s plenty of punch across the rev range we are told, on the Street Twin, as well as all other new Bonnies. So, expect the Street Twin to live up to its name, to excel with easy rideability in the mess of urban Indian traffic. Torque is 18 percent more than the present day Bonneville.

You also get ride-by-wire throttle management, and a 270 degree firing order between the cylinders, with a 6-speed transmission. Triumph tells us the new Street Twins offer a 36 percent bump-up in fuel-efficiency, despite the promise of more exhilarating performance. There’s also an improved riding saddle, slimmer ‘waist’ line, and longer travel suspension.

And if that wasn’t enough, the Street Twin won’t feel a budget Bonnie, Triumph walking the extra mile to load up their new motorcycle with goodies like a switchable traction control system, a slip assisted, lighter feel clutch, and also switchable ABS brakes. The Street Twin comes with a single disc rotor in front. In terms of features, the Street Twin gives you a gear-indicator, USB socket and engine immobilizer.

Next up is the T 120, a modern day Bonneville that leans more towards retro style, on which attention-to-detail takes a noticeable step-up. The T 120 comes with wire-spoke wheels, and generous splashes of chrome. Then there are also bright and shiny peashooter exhausts with unmistakable old-school shape, and twin disc brakes in front.

The Bonneville T 120 also comes with twin-pod instruments. Triumph has worked to improve ergonomics on all 2016 Bonnevilles.

The T 120 offers a big leap in terms of performance, thanks to a four-stroke, 8-valve, 1,200cc, parallel-twin powerplant, that’s pleasantly gruff and grunty to the ear. The bike makes a hefty 10.7kgm of maximum torque, again at an astonishing 3,100rpm. There’s a 270 degree firing order, with torque output 54 percent up from todays Bonnevilles.

Just like the Street Twin, the T 120 comes with a ride-by-wire throttle and six-speeds, plus slip-assisted clutch. Also twin riding modes of ‘road’ and ‘rain.’ The engine-cooling system has been smartly optimized to leave a minimal impact on retro styling, undoubtedly to be thoroughly put to the test when the bikes are ridden in India.

The T 120 provides the luxury of heated grips for comfortable riding on winter mornings, with three-level heating, apart from a USB charging point. There’s even cruise-control, although optional.

There’s a twist in the T 120 tale, namely the T 120 Black. This variant adds more black, contrasted smartly by a dark brown seat and matte graphite shades.

Expect the Bonnevilles above to offer a comfortable, upright riding position, as you can count on being a big differentiator between these and the sportier Thruxton, up next.

The upgraded Thruxton and Thruxton R models look stunning, styled to thrill for 2016, and generously equipped by Triumph with really top drawer specifications plus all the equipment you could wish for. Beautiful detailing can be seen in a finely crafted Monza style fuel-filler cap, and nifty bar end mirrors. Although held together by spokes, the 17-inch Thruxton wheel rims are alloy constructed, just like the swingarm.

Extras on the up-market Thruxton R include a colour matched seat cowl, buffed steering headstock and clear anodized swingarm.

Triumph has worked to not only make the new, lower and meaner bikes look high performance, but also go like high performance machines.

The Thruxtons come with a specially tuned, four-stroke, 8-valve, 1,200cc, parallel-twin powerplant. Features within include higher compression, a lighter crankshaft and revised airbox. The Thruxton spec engine delivers 11kgm of maximum torque, twisted out at a sportier 5,000rpm. The liquid-cooled engines offer ride-by-wire throttle control, and suitably styled throttle bodies to match the motorcycles retro character. The gearbox is 6-ratio, supported by a torque assisted clutch.

The Thruxton R comes with stainless steel exhausts without catalytic converters for added oomph, a more aggressive hot-cam and washable air-filter. Apart from this, Showa made big-piston upside down front forks, Ohlins fully adjustable suspension at rear and Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa Tyres. The floating twin disc brakes in front are chomped on by monobloc construction Brembo calipers.

The 2016 Thruxtons have three riding modes, ‘road, ‘rain’ or ‘sport’, that delivers instant response. Also, you get switchable traction control and ABS for the brakes.

From all this, on paper, its crystal clear Triumph has gone out of their way to ensure each of these new Bonneville bikes are no-compromise engineered to rock their market space. While rides of the new Bonnies will confirm these early impressions, British biking seems like it could be headed right back to its very best. Back to the Bonnevilles that is! While surely but steadily riding straight ahead. Once accomplished, Triumph can rightfully stake claim to having singlehandedly managed this comeback.

Courtesy : Autocar

Kawasaki showcased the Z125 officially prior to its debut at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show; the new motorcycle is the smallest displacement bike in Kawasaki’s current portfolio

Kawasaki has unveiled the Z125 prior to its official debut at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show in Japan. The new Kawasaki 125cc motorcycle will be offered in two variants – Z125 and Z125 Pro. The new Z125 is the first mini motorcycle from the stables of the Japanese two-wheeler giant and will compete against the Honda MSX 125 and Grom. The Kawasaki Z125 will be restricted to Japanese and Asian markets and is highly unlikely to make it to our shores officially. The Kawasaki Z125 might be small in size, but it packs a solid punch with respect to styling. The design of the motorcycle has clearly inspired by the higher displacement Z-series motorcycles with chiselled fuel tank, under belly exhaust, tank extensions and a petite tail section with Z-shaped LED tail lams. 

The 125cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder motor produces 9.5PS of max power and the bike tips the scale at just 101kg. The Kawasaki Z125’s powerplant will be mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission while a 4-speed manual does duty on the Kawasaki Z125 Pro. The puny Kawasaki motorcycles also get good cycle parts like, USD front forks, monoshock suspension and disc brake at both ends to provide stopping power. It will be available in three colours – Candy Lime Green, Metallic Graphite Gray and Candy Burnt Orange. The Kawasaki Z125 has been priced at Rs 1.4 lakh in the Japanese market. 

Courtesy : Zigwheels

New Honda sports car likely to sit below the upcoming NSX hybrid super-car; would have a motor driving each wheel.

The long gestation period for Honda’s next-gen NSX hybrid supercar launch has allowed the manufacturer to start work on several other projects in parallel.

Some of these include a smaller, four-cylinder engine based sports car and a successor to the S2000 roadster which is on high priority, according to the insiders. There’s also a performance-focused pure-EV in the works, which could showcase the next-gen Honda SH-AWD torque distribution system.

In the all-new NSX supercar which is set to go on sale internationally soon, Honda’s SH-AWD architecture extends to a pair of electric motors in the front, powering each wheel and a third motor which supplements the 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine at the rear. Honda also has an all-electric SH-AWD system ready that uses an inboard motor at each corner and mixes torque-vectoring along with four-wheel steering. This set-up was showcased on a modified CR-Z small sports car recently.

Our sister-magazine, Autocar UK understands that one of the chief attractions of four electric motors  that will be used in this upcoming sports car is that they can be relatively inexpensive, ‘stock’ components that are already available; the motors used on the CR-Z test mule that showcased the all-electric SH-AWD are from Honda’s American flagship, the Acura RLX Hybrid.

The new Honda NSX has been one of the more controversial sports car projects in its history. Honda is likely to gauge final reaction to the NSX before signing off on this new sports car project.

Courtesy : Autocar

Thanks to the blowback from Volkswagen’s emissions debacle, Toyota storms to the lead once again, six months after it lost the crown.

Toyota said it sold 7.5 million vehicles in the first nine months of 2015, beating Volkswagen’s figure of 7.43 million reported earlier this month. General Motors came in third, having sold 7.2 million vehicles in the same period. Still, Toyota’s victory is marred a bit by the fact that its sales is down by 1.5% from the same period last year. Arch-rival Volkswagen’s sales also saw a 1.5% decline in the same quarter. 

Earlier this year, Volkswagen overtook Toyota to become the world’s biggest carmaker for the first time. Toyota itself won the crown from GM in 2008, only losing it briefly in 2011 when the Japanese tsunami interrupted vehicle production. 

Unfortunately, this victory for Toyota doesn’t represent the full scale of the blowback Volkswagen will be receiving from its breitling replica ongoing diesel emissions crisis. Toyota now looks set to keep the crown for some time to come as VW tries to overcome a large-scale pollution scandal that broke after it was revealed that the company had installed cheating software in millions of its diesel-engine cars to thwart emission tests in many parts of the world. The Wolfsburg-based company had to start a huge recall to fix the rigged vehicles by the end of 2016.

But Toyota, too, is in the middle of another recall, affecting up to 6.5 million cars globally. The company announced last week the cars would have to be fixed because of a faulty power-window switch potentially able to cause overheating and the vehicles to catch fire.

Courtesy : Zigwheels