Courtesy:- ZIGWHEELS

Nissan has been lying low for quite some time; but now, the Japanese carmaker is finally readying new models for India. The next big launch from Nissan will be the Kicks SUV – although it won’t be in showrooms in 2018. Nissan officials have stated to Autocar India that the SUV will only go on sale in “the first quarter of 2019”. We have learnt that the carmaker is working towards a January deadline to bring it to our market.

The Kicks will sit above the Terrano in Nissan’s India line-up. Interestingly, while the Kicks is a global model, the version for India will not come built on Nissan’s V platform. Instead, the car will be built on an updated version of the M0 platform designed by its partner, Renault. The M0 also underpins SUVs like Nissan's Terrano, and Renault’s Duster and India-spec Captur. Note, the Kicks is slightly larger in size to the aforementioned models, and will be a more premium model.

In terms of styling, the Indian Kicks will carry the funky look of the global model with it. Styling is expressive, bold and in line with Nissan's latest models. The ridged bonnet, exaggerated wheel arches and raked rear windscreen give the Kicks a distinct look. Blackened A-, B- and C-pillars give the roof a ‘floating’ effect and a contrast paint scheme for the roof also adds to its wow factor.

The Kicks’ five-seater cabin will also be far removed from all that we’ve seen from Nissan, so far. There’s a youthful vibe to the cabin – and for maximum effect, Nissan could also be adventurous with the interior colour scheme. A touchscreen infotainment system will be part of the package, as will other creature comforts such as auto climate control, which is missing in the Terrano.

Under the hood, it is likely the India-spec Nissan Kicks will share the same engine and gearbox options as the Terrano, Duster and Captur. These would include the tried-and-tested 110hp, 1.5-litre diesel motor and a 106hp, 1.6-litre petrol engine. Gearbox options could include a six-speed manual for the diesel and a five-speed manual for the petrol. The petrol-powered Kicks could also come with a CVT gearbox.

The Kicks looks like it will have the right ingredients, and the buzz says that Nissan is working towards an aggressively competitive price tag, too. If all the pieces fall in place, the Kicks could be just the product Nissan needs to kick-start its long overdue rise up the sales charts.

Is the Nissan Kicks an SUV you’d wait for? Let us know in the comments section below.

Courtesy:- AUTOCAR

Andrea Iannone is set to join the Aprilia MotoGP team in 2019, following official confirmation from Suzuki that they are parting ways with the Italian rider.

Iannone chose to pre-empt a Suzuki statement before last weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, where he revealed he would be leaving the manufacturer at the end of 2018. The announcement follows a troubled 2017 campaign in which the 28-year-old failed to live up to Suzuki's expectations after they signed him to replace Yamaha-bound Maverick Vinales.

Iannone lies 7th in the points after the first six races of the year, having taken back-to-back podium finishes at Austin and Jerez; but his upturn in form this season came too late to rescue his association with Suzuki.

He is expected to join Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia next season, and will become the Spanish rider's third team-mate in as many years, following the departures of Sam Lowes and Scott Redding.

Being a former rider for both Marc VDS and Pramac, Scott Redding's options to remain in MotoGP appear to have run out – a switch to World Superbikes for 2019 being his next most likely option.

Suzuki had initially targeted signing Jorge Lorenzo from Ducati to replace Iannone, but his place is instead likely to be taken by Moto2 star Joan Mir, since Lorenzo decided to join Marc Marquez at Honda.

Courtesy:- AUTOCAR

With the monsoon just arriving in parts of the country, Yamaha has organised pre-monsoon check-up camps at its dealerships across India. The check-up camps will be held in June 2018 and conducted free of cost. The only prerequisite: owners can avail this service only if their Yamaha model is still on sale and not discontinued.

The Japanese motorcycle brand will conduct what it calls a ‘14 essential points-based’ vehicle check-up at a dealership near you. We are still awaiting details on what these points constitute.

Ravinder Singh, senior vice president, strategy and planning, Yamaha Motor India Sales Pvt. Ltd. said, “As a responsible two-wheeler manufacturer, the company is committed to ensure high standards of safety. While Yamaha vehicles are equipped with minimal risk features, the check-up camps will help to further enhance the overall riding experience during rainy season."

Yamaha’s most popular offering this year has been the FZ range, averaging sales at around 17,000 units per month. Close at its heels is the Fascino, with average sales of around 14,000 units per month. Yamaha is also offering a seasonal discount on helmets, accessories and labour charges.

Courtesy:- AUTOCAR

Chennai-based manufacturer Royal Enfield has silently introduced a rear disc brake for the Classic 350 Redditch edition. Priced at Rs 1.47 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai), it costs around Rs 8,000 more than the standard drum brake version. The Redditch edition is offered in three colour options - red, green and blue.

The 240mm rear and single piston calliper have been borrowed from the Gunmetal Grey Classic 350 and the Classic 500 models. It already comes equipped with a 280mm front disc brake as standard. Other than the addition of a rear disc, the motorcycle remains unchanged.

Powering the Royal Enfield Classic 350 Redditch is the same 346cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine, which produces 20PS of power and 28Nm of torque, paired to a 5-speed gearbox.

While this is a step in the right direction, we do wish Royal Enfield offered ABS at least as an optional accessory, considering the UK-spec bike comes with the safety net. However, with ABS set to become mandatory for motorcycles that displace more than 125cc from April 2019, expect to see at least a single-channel unit in the coming months.

That said, Royal Enfield will also be launching the Interceptor 650 and the Continental GT 650 in India soon, and we expect both twin-cylinder motorcycles to offer ABS as standard.

Courtesy:- ZIGWHEELS