The 1200 R is the most powerful bike yet in the Monster line-up.

Ducati unveiled the 2016 Monster 1200 R at the Frankfurt motor show. Dubbed the most powerful naked bike from Ducati yet, the launch came as a relief after the Streetfighter was discontinued earlier.

The new 1200 R is in line with the 1200 S, in terms of overall design cues. The chassis of the 1200 R has been revised to make it compact, lightweight and high-slung. The front fairing features the Ducati Corse Stripe graphic pattern with a halogen illumination headlamp, while at the back there's an LED strip for the tail-lamp and brake light.

The engine is powered by the 'R' version of the liquid-cooled 1,198cc Testastretta engine giving out 160bhp at 9,250 rpm and 13.4kgm of torque at 7,750 rpm.

On paper, the 1200 R races from 0-100kph at just 3.2 seconds with a top speed of about 250kph. As with the rest of the Monster family, the signature Trellis frame remains a feature on the Monster 1200 R as well.

Both the front and rear tyres are mounted on 3-spoke Panigale R-inspired forged wheels. Adjustable high-spec Ohlins-made suspensions and a Brembo brake set-up assures control of the bike. The new Monster is well equipped in terms of safety with ABS, traction control and DSP (Ducati Safety Pack). The 1200 R Monster offers three riding modes: Urban, Touring and Track.

The Ducati 1200R Monster will be available in two paint schemes, red and black.

Courtesy : Autocar

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the auto giant’s newest product that is aimed straight at the likes of the Hyundai i20, the Honda Jazz and the Volkswagen Polo will be launched on October 26. Expect the Baleno to be priced between Rs 6.5-9.0 lakhs in India.

Suzuki have finally taken the wraps off its much awaited Baleno or the YRA as it was known earlier at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor show. The new Baleno will make its way to India sooner than we expected and will be launched here on October 26, 2015. Although no specifications have been shared yet, expect the car to get the same powertrain as the Swift currently gets with a slim chance of Maruti offering the DDiS320 spec diesel engine in the car too.

On the exterior front, the production car looks exactly like the spy pictures that we have seen in the last year or so. The international version gets a daytime running lamp that is integrated into the headlamps along with the a smaller V-shaped grille that does not extend all the way to the headlamps. At the rear the small LED tail lamps and the large boot opening showcase a sense of restrained style to the Baleno.

This is the first time we are seeing the interiors of the Baleno and the first thing that you do notice is how much is common between it and the likes of the Swift. There is a leather wrapped steering wheel that combined with the large backlit dials does tend to look appealing. There is a ton of brushed silver finish on the centre console though that does look a little strange.

The Baleno gets a large central knob for the climate control and a touchscreen infotainment system similar to the one found in the S-Cross and the Ciaz.

Expect the Suzuki Baleno (YRA) to be priced between Rs 6.5-9 lakhs when it is launched in India. The Baleno will go up against the Honda Jazz, the Hyundai Elite i20 and the Volkswagen Polo.

Courtesy : Zigwheels.

Marc Marquez registered his first MotoGP class victory in an action packed afternoon at Misano where the tricky conditions caught many riders by surprise. Lorenzo crashed out of the race which means Rossi now leads the championship race by 23 points.

There was lots of excitement as the MotoGP bandwagon entered Misano for the San Marino Grand Prix. Valentino Rossi had won a thrilling rain soaked race at Silverstone and was back again leading the championship entering his home race and Rossi fans were pumped up to say the least as the Grand Prix was sold out. It was Jorge Lorenzo that stole the limelight on Saturday by grabbing yet another pole with Marc Marquez in second and Rossi completing the front row. There was drama at the start of the race itself as few drops of rain could be spotted on camera lenses prior to race start but the grid proceeded with dry-spec machines. Lorenzo made an awesome start to maintain the race lead with Marquez second, Rossi was coming under serious pressure from Pedrosa as he tried to pass him on few occasions. The Italian rider somehow managed to fend off Pedrosa and etch a slight lead ahead of him by end of the first lap. At the same moment, white flags were out signalling to the riders that they can switch to wet-spec machines. 

But the leading pack of riders chose not to switch but it suddenly started pouring and the riders were struggling to ride the slick tyres on wet surface. The trio of riders entered the pits to switch their bikes with Marquez grabbing the race lead, Lorenzo second and Rossi a distant third as he trailed his team-mate by over seven seconds. The pecking order didn’t change for the following set of laps until Marquez ran wide at Turn 8 with 20 laps in the race remaining. Lorenzo utilized this to his benefit and reclaimed the race lead. While the Spaniards were fighting it out for the race lead, Rossi was on the charge.

The Rainmaster’s supremacy can be gauged from the fact that he was almost a second faster than both the riders and it soon turned into a three-way battle for the race lead. With 12 laps remaining in the race, Rossi passes Marquez and Lorenzo to grab the race lead to the delight of the hordes of the Italian fans. Rossi started posting some blisteringly hot laps as Lorenzo and Marquez were just blown off their socks by The Doctor’s pace in wet conditions. Sadly for Rossi track conditions started getting dry but he chose to stick to the track despite the Yamaha pit crew signalling both the riders to switch to dry-spec motorcycles.  

Courtesy : Zigwheels.

The TUV can be had with an aggressive body kit and some extra features and equipment as well.

Mahindra recently launched the TUV300 compact SUV, which the company says has a design inspired by a battle tank. It looks rugged, has a squared jaw and the overall silhouette is more slabs and lines than curves. The manufacturer is also offering a number of accessories as paid options. Some of these can be opted to give the TUV a more decked-up, off-road look, while other accessories add to the convenience and comfort of the compact SUV.

The body kit includes:

• Guard for the lower grille
• Toughened front and rear scuff plates
• Bonnet hull
• Side skirts
• Wheel arches
• Marker lamps

Some of the basic accessories available:

• Chrome surround for the lower grille
• Chrome garnish for fog lamp bezels, door handles, wing mirrors, roof rails and tail-lamps
• Rear spoiler
• Metal-finish wheel cover
• Illuminated scuff plate
• Premium seat covers

Other utilitarian accessories one can buy include:

• Side step
• Aluminium side step
• Roof carrier
• Inflatable roof carrier
• Machined alloy wheels
• Bicycle carrier

In terms of equipment, you can choose from the following:

• Infotainment system
• Rear seat entertainment package with screens
• Reversing camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Thermo-electric chiller
• Head-up display for the driver
• Surround sound enhancer
• Xenon headlamps

Powering the Mahindra TUV300 is a 1.5-litre diesel engine that makes 82.8bhp and 23.4kgm of torque, mated to a five speed manual or an AMT gearbox. It rivals the likes of the Ford Ecosport and the Renault Duster.

Courtesy : Autocar

A seven-seat 85PS Lodgy is being readied for the fleet and taxi operating segment; the 1.5-litre diesel motor will make 83.3bhp.

Fleet owners and taxi service providers offer a burgeoning customer base for carmakers to exploit, and MPVs are quite a popular pick in that segment. Taking cue, Renault is understood to be prepping its Lodgy for the taxi market.