Having set up shop in India in 2013, Triumph has 14 dealerships across the country and 16 models on sale.

Iconic premium motorcycle marque, Triumph Motorcycles, has completed four successful years in India. Triumph made its Indian debut with a range of motorcycles at the Auto Expo, back in 2012. On November 28, 2013, Triumph launched ten new motorcycles and its journey in India has been an impressive one, to say the least.

The bike maker's current line-up for India includes five categories – Modern Classics, Roadsters, Supersports, Adventure and Touring, and Cruisers – with a total of sixteen models on sale. With an enviable accessory range, each of these models can be customised to varying degrees and this contributes to Triumph’s appeal as a premium, aspirational brand of motorcycles. A strong dealer/service (Experience Centres, in Triumph speak) network has seen the manufacturer build a customer base of over 4,500, and with more such centres scheduled in the next year, this is only set to increase. In 2018, an Experience Centre is expected to begin operations in Goa, which is a growing market for premium motorcycles. 

At present, Triumph assembles most of its range at its Manesar facility and this has helped keep its pricing competitive and often lower than that of its European and Japanese rivals. In addition, Triumph has also supported rider-training academies such as the California Superbike School and RACR, and has initiated its own off-road training programme called the Triumph Tiger Trails.

The bike maker is currently gearing up for a 2018 launch of its recently unveiled Speedmaster, which is a twin-seat spin-off on the Bonneville Bobber, featuring revised steering geometry and a larger, 12-litre fuel tank, among other tweaks that make it more cruiser-like. 

Courtesy : Autocar

Jeep took the wraps off the new 2018 Wrangler SUV a few days ago. The new Wrangler makes its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto show 2017. We take a closer look at the latest iteration of the iconic SUV from Jeep that will make it to our shores sometime in second half of next year.

Exterior
The new Jeep Wrangler's styling takes up where the previous-gen model left off. This means, Jeep has played it safe with the SUV's design and it still carries off the original Jeep’s DNA. Upfront, the new Wrangler's grille has been tweaked slightly with the farther-most slats now curving with the shape of the headlights, similar to the ones seen on the older Jeep CJ5 range.  The SUV now features larger full-LED headlights with LED daytime running lights which are placed on the fenders. Moving on to the sides, the profile is unmistakably Wrangler, however there are subtle changes especially to the glasshouse, with the belt-line now being lower by about an inch that helped Jeep create a larger glasshouse for the new model. It now features vents just on the aft of the front fenders which according to Jeep not only provides ventilation to the engine but also helps reduce hood-vibration. At the back, the tail lamps are larger and so is the rear window with the spare-tyre placed a little lower than earlier for better rear visibility.

With the new Wrangler, Jeep says it has taken customer feedback seriously and has incorporated changes in the new model.  "With the new Wrangler, we had to maintain a balance with the modern bits and at the same time also stick to things that were beloved on the outgoing model" says Mark Allen, head of Jeep's exterior design department. "We were thinking of going a bit more radical with the new Wrangler, but we didn't want to lose the Jeep DNA much by doing that." he adds.  "We have to make sure the Wrangler attracts to someone who would take it to the Rubicon trail as well as to the customer who wants to use it as their daily driver".  

The new Wrangler continues to be offered with a fold-down windshield which according to the company is still sought after "by the purists". The new Wrangler gets unique and more user-friendly, soft- and hard-top options, which are easier to remove and retract.

Interior
The new Wrangler's interior is leagues better than the outgoing model’s, with a greater emphasis on quality. The cabin, however, retains the original Wrangler styling bits like the round air-con vents. "We wanted to respect the iconic heritage of the Wrangler.  At the same time, we wanted to do something that is tasteful and carries that lineage on, and also something that is unique in its own way," says Chris Benjamin, who heads Jeep's interior design team. "The horizontality of the dashboard has been maintained and it was taken as the starting point. We added shades and textures that are more contemporary but at the same time carries the Jeep Wrangler DNA." However, the team admitted that it did face its share of challenges in order to maintain the ruggedness while adding more tech and features. "Aesthetically this instrument panel is challenging, it is not as deep at the back as the ones seen on other conventional cars and SUVs. So we had to ensure to make it look more spacious and maintain the traditional horizontal look." 

The new Wrangler also sees added length to its wheelbase and longer front and rear overhangs on the four-door model.  This means, it is much bigger on the inside with more room for the front and rear passengers. The added length at the back has resulted in the rear seat moving a bit backward for additional legroom.

The new Wrangler's hand-wrapped leather instrument panel gets traditional speedometer and tachometer but now comes with a 7-inch multi-info display (3.5-inch on lower-spec trims). The dashboard gets soft-touch materials along with the mix of aluminium and plastic bits. The new Wrangler for the first time comes with dual-zone climate control with dedicated twin air-con vents for the second-row occupants. It is now big on storage too with the centre storage area now being around fifty percent bigger than before. The shift lever features real bolts which are also seen on the frame for the infotainment system as well. Speaking of the infotainment system, the Wrangler will come with three screen-size options with the smallest being the 5-inch one, the mid-spec trims will come with a 7-inch screen while the fully-specced variants loaded with a large 8.4-inch unit replete with features like Apple CarPlay and Android auto. There are multiple 12V sockets and USB ports scattered around the cabin. The Wrangler also gets push button start and keyless go feature on the higher trims. And aiding visibility is reverse camera mounted on the spare wheel. The Wrangler also features a model information plaque on its tailgate which is reminiscent of the earlier Jeep models.

Under the Skin
Jeep has made the new Wrangler not only more refined but also more capable than the outgoing car. It now has better breakover, approach and departure angles than the outgoing models and comes with up to 30-inches of water-fording capability. The SUV now features four separate skid plates in order to protect the fuel-tank, transfer case and the automatic transmission oil pan. Apart from using aluminium for the doors, Jeep has used the same material for the new Wrangler's engine mounts and steering gear too. As far as ride and handling goes, Jeep says it has "extensively worked" on the ride comfort and body-roll control and has achieved significant results" The SUV is now a bit more aerodynamic than before, thanks to the raked windshield and other aero improvements. The new Wrangler's drag co-efficient is around nine percent lesser than the outgoing model. l. 

Engine and powertrain options
The new Wrangler will be available with two petrol and two diesel engine options. They are:

●    3.6LV6 petrol, 285hp, 353Nm torque.
●    2.0L 4-cyl turbo petrol, 270hp, 400Nm
●    2.2-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel, 197hp,450Nm
●    3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel with 240hp, 570Nm

Out of the above four engine options, the 3.6-litre petrol will carry on as is and will now be on sale primarily for the North American market, along with the 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel which is new to the Wrangler but is already available on the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The Wrangler sees the addition of two four-cylinder options - a new 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel - that will be aimed at international markets. It is possible the Wrangler for India could be offered with the new powertrains. The gearboxs on offer on the Wrangler will be an eight-speed automatic transmission and a six-speed manual. In pursuit of better fuel-economy, all 2018 Jeep Wrangler models will feature start-stop technology.

Petrol-powered XUV will come with a 2.2-litre engine making 140hp and 320Nm of torque; will initially be mated to a six-speed automatic.

Mahindra is all set to launch the petrol-powered XUV500, which, as reported by us earlier, will come with a 2.2-litre motor good for 140hp and 320Nm of torque. The petrol motor will be based on the same engine block that is the foundation of the mHawk 2.2-litre diesel engine. The XUV500 petrol variant line-up will get the ‘G’ nomenclature, as opposed to the ‘W’ used for the diesel range.  Sources tell us that, initially, only one variant will be launched, called the Mahindra XUV500 G9 petrol. This variant will come with a six-speed automatic gearbox only for now, with a manual variant likely to join later.

As far as equipment goes, the XUV500 G9 will come with a touchscreen infotainment system but will miss out on leather seats and may not come with alloy wheels either. Also, it will only come with two airbags.  The XUV500 petrol will take on the Jeep Compass petrol which comes with a 1.4-litre turbo engine good for 163hp.

Courtesy : Autocar

Bookings for the Lexus NX300h are now open at Rs 5 lakh; will come with a 196hp petrol-hybrid engine.

Toyota's luxury arm, Lexus, is all set to bring in its fourth model for its India range. This time, the company will launch its smallest offering globally, the NX300h SUV, in India on November 17, 2017.

We will get the facelifted version of the Lexus NX SUV which was revealed at the Shanghai Motor show earlier this year. The India-spec Lexus NX will be available with only one powertrain option, the Lexus NX300h, equipped with a 196hp 2.5-litre petrol-hybrid configuration, similar to the one seen on the Lexus ES300h sedan.

On the inside, the Lexus NX300h will come with high-quality leather interior with soft-touch materials and a 10.3-inch infotainment screen. Two variants will be offered for our market ­ the entry-level ‘Luxury’ trim and the top-spec ‘F-Sport’ variant ­ which will get unique exterior bits and paddleshifters as well. Lexus will also equip the NX300h for our market with a heads-up display system. Unlike the larger RX300h, the NX300h will come with navigation system as standard. 

Lexus will, like its other models, sell the SUV in India as a fully-imported unit. The NX300h is a direct rival to the locally assembled Mercedes GLA and the Audi Q3, but thanks to high import duties, it will be priced way above the competition. Dealers tell us that prices for the Lexus NX300h are likely to start at Rs 74 lakh for the entry-level model and going up to Rs 78 lakh for the top-spec F-Sport trim. The SUV is open for booking at Rs 5 lakh. Deliveries are being promised sometime around March next year.

Courtesy : Autocar

The Honda PCX Electric scooter is set to go sale in Asian markets in 2018.

Honda has taken the wraps off an all-new electric scooter at the Tokyo motor show, called the PCX Electric. The scooter is meant for urban environs and is 1,923mm long, 745mm wide and 1,107mm tall.

The electric scooter is powered by a 1.33hp electric motor and gets a detachable lithium-ion mobile battery pack named Honda Mobile Power Pack, which has been developed independently.

The Japanese two-wheeler brand also had the PCX Hybrid on display at the motor show. It possess an independently developed hybrid system that uses a high-output battery and ACG starter to assist the internal combustion engine.

Both the PCX Electric and Hybrid are expected to launch in Asian markets including Japan in 2018.

While there is no official confirmation from the bike maker, both scooters could find a place at the upcoming Auto Expo in New Delhi, where electric mobility is the theme of the hour. 

Courtesy : Autocar