Even though its official unveiling is slated for July 7, 2017, at the Laguna Seca round of the World Super Bike (WSB) championship, details and specifications of Ducati’s ‘last hurrah’ Panigale have already leaked out. The leak happened thanks to the new bike’s emissions documents being out in the public as well as a Ducati dealer from the UK listing the specs on their website.

First things first: the name. This bike will be called the ‘Panigale 1299 R Final Edition’, which clearly points to the fact that the bike runs the 1,285cc L-twin motor from the Panigale 1299 road bike, and not the 1,198cc L-twin from the homologation-special Panigale R. This also means that the ‘R’ in the Final Edition’s name is a bit deceptive as it won’t be handling racing duties for Ducati in championships such as WSB on account of the engine capacity being too high for homologation.

In fact, the Final Edition’s motor is actually derived from the feather-weight 1299 Superleggera. The key differences between the engine of the Superleggera’s and Final Edition’s engine are that the latter runs steel cylinder liners, steel fasteners and a die cast crank case. Peak power for this Final Edition is a whopping 209.5hp at 11,000rpm while peak torque is rated at 141.95Nm at 9,000rpm. These figures are slightly lower than those from the Superleggera, but that is mostly just down to the fact that an engine dynamometer was used to measure the Final Edition’s power, while a chassis dynamometer was used for the Superleggera.

The Panigale 1299 R Final Edition tips the scales with a kerb weight of 190kg, which is about 12kg more than the Superleggera. But it’s pretty much exactly the same as the Panigale 1299 and the 1299S. But with that extra power and torque on tap, performance is sure to be more exhilarating.

The emissions documents have also revealed that the Final Edition runs a lot cleaner as compared to the 2017 Panigale 1299. Its CO and combined HC+NOx emissions are now 0.4g/km and 0.08g/km, respectively, down from 5.9g/km and 0.32g/km for the same gases on the 2017 bike. While these are American specifications, it seems, just like the Superleggera and unlike the regular 1299 Panigale, 1299 Panigale S and Panigale R, this Final Edition is finally Euro 4 compliant.

Ducati’s new V4 superbike is undergoing testing right now and is slated to be launched as a 2018 model. However, it’s highly likely that the new V4 bike won’t carry the Panigale name. So, for those who want to get their hands on the last of the big Panigales, this Final Edition will cost GBP 34,995 in the UK (approx. Rs 29.33 lakh) – that’s nearly double of what the standard 1299 Panigale costs there. We honestly don’t think any of these Final Edition Panigales will make their way to India, but we are hoping Ducati India surprises us. We’ll know more after the bike’s official launch on July 7.

Courtesy : Autocar

Jaguar is set to expand on the petrol engine line-up of the XE, XF and F-Pace with a new 300hp iteration of the 2.0-litre Ingenium motor in international markets. The new engine was revealed at the New York Motor Show earlier this year and made its debut in the four-cylinder F-Type. This move effectively initiates the gradual phasing out of the carmaker's older petrol engines.

This new engine from Jaguar comes only about a month after the launch of a similar, 290hp 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol engine for the Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover Evoque. The latest Ingenium variant, capable of producing up to 300hp and 400Nm torque, is likely to enhance fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions. The engine is Malaysian Wigs at its quickest in the XE; Jaguar claims a 0-100kmph time of 5.5sec, while the XF and F-Pace take 5.6sec and 5.7sec, respectively.

The Ingenium petrol engine is equipped with several new features, such as an electro-hydraulic valvetrain, integrated exhaust manifold and twin-scroll turbocharger with ceramic ball bearing technology.

"Our new 300PS petrol engine provides the performance synonymous with Jaguar, while delivering enhanced fuel economy thanks to its state-of-the-art exhaust technology and pioneering valvetrain design," said Nick Rogers, Jaguar's product engineering director.

With a 300hp petrol engine, the XF will not have a like-for-like rival in the market. Cars which are close in terms of power are either diesel or more performance-oriented ones such as the Audi S6, BMW 5-series 540i xDrive and Mercedes-Benz E 350 d.

JLR hasn't revealed whether Jaguar models, equipped with the new Ingenium petrol engine, will be available in India. As it stands, the automaker is currently offering only its 180hp, 2.0-litre, Ingenium diesel engine in most of its models in India.

Courtesy : Autocar

Sri Lanka is all set to receive a taste of sporty convenience and a dash of Italian style. The Italian marque has launched their India-made line-up of scooters in the island country.

The Vespa line-up is made of 125-cc and 150-cc scooters. The 125-cc engine produces 10.06 PS and a peak torque of 10.06 Nm while the 150-cc engine produces 11.6 PS and a peak torque of 11.5 Nm. The 125-cc scooters are offered in LX, VXL and SXL variants while the 150-cc line-up comprises of VXL and SXL variants. The Eleganté variant will be offered as the top-end choice in both 125-cc and 150-cc line-ups.

Those looking for a sportier mode of transport can opt for either of the Aprilia scooters; the SR 150 or the SR 150 Race. They are powered by a 155-cc engine that makes 10.4 PS and a peak torque of 11.4 Nm.

Commenting on the launch, Diego Graffi, Managing Director and CEO – Piaggio India, said, “Both Aprilia and Vespa have created a benchmark in the two-wheeler segment in India and now the bikes are set to make their debut in Sri Lanka. It is indeed a matter of pride for the Piaggio Group that our marquee products will be available in a new market like Sri Lanka.”

Volkswagen looks all set to shift its attention to electric vehicles as it plans to roll out as many as five battery-powered models in the coming years. Its I.D concept was revealed in the 2016 Paris Motor Show but the production version is likely to be launched in 2020. The electric cars will be based on the company's new MEB platform.

The I.D concept, nicknamed e-Golf, is equipped with a 125kW electric motor and will be able to accelerate from 0-100kph in less than 8.0sec. It is likely to have a range of 400-600km.

The e-Golf is expected to be followed by the I.D Cross. Its concept was previewed at the Shanghai motor show this year and had two electric motors powered by a 83kWh lithium-ion battery. The all-wheel-drive concept had a combined output of 225kW and a range up to 500km.

The next in line are the I.D. AEROe sedan and the I.D. Lounge crossover. Volkswagen is also planning to bring in a production version of its I.D Buzz concept, which is powered by dual electric motors with a combined output of 275kW and a 0-100kph time of just 5.0sec.

VW has vowed to deliver its electric-powered cars for prices similar to combustion engine cars. At a time when the global market for EVs is expected to grow, VW is preparing itself to lock horns with the likes of Tesla's Model 3 and GM's Chevrolet Bolt. The company plans to sell a million electric cars by 2025.

Courtesy : Autocar

More dirt-riding-equipped variant of the 1200 Enduro has been designed for riders eager to explore off-road.

The Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro is already an extremely capable adventure touring motorcycle that switches the focus of the standard 1200 from road to off-road. But facing stiff competition from the likes of the extremely off-road oriented BMW R1200 GS Rallye, the Italian motorcycle manufacturer has just unveiled a ‘Pro’-suffixed version of the Multistrada 1200 Enduro that focuses even more on the rough stuff.

So how does the Pro model differentiate itself? Equipment wise, it now sports steel tank protectors made by Touratech as standard that also feature auxiliary LED lights on either side. These protectors are designed to keep the radiator and engine from taking damage in case the bike takes a fall. It also gets a shorter screen which has been designed to give a clearer view over the bike when riding by standing on the foot pegs. There’s a high-performance titanium Termignoni exhaust included with the bike. And while it does sport the same 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wire-spoke wheels, they come shod with the more dirt-oriented Pirelli Scorpion Rally tyres.

There are some visual differences as well. The rear sub-frame, as well as the alternator and clutch cover, now get a black colour scheme. The bike itself comes in a unique sand colour which extends over the middle of the seats, giving them a two-tone theme that matches the rest of the bodywork.

All other aspects of the motorcycle are unchanged from the regular Multistrada 1200 Enduro. It retains the 1,198cc L-twin Testastretta DVT motor with variable valve timing technology. This motor makes 152hp of power and 128Nm of torque, and thanks to a ride-by-wire throttle, it has four riding modes – Enduro, Touring, Sport and Urban – which change the engine’s power delivery characteristics.

It still retains the Multistrada’s IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) which reads the bike’s attitude in real time and feeds that information to the traction control, cornering ABS, cornering lights, wheelie control and the semi-active Ducati Skyhook Suspension. And speaking of suspension, there is 200mm of travel at both ends.

This Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro Pro is set to go on sale in the UK in July at a price of GBP 18,995 (approx. Rs 15.56 lakh). But if this bike were to come to India, and we don’t see why it shouldn’t, expect it to be priced around Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi, post-GST) – considering that the pre-GST ex-showroom price of the regular Multistrada 1200 Enduro is already at Rs 17.44 lakh.

Courtesy : Autocar