Jeep is all set to roll out its first 'Made in India' model, the Compass SUV, later today from Fiat’s Ranjangaon plant in Maharashtra. This facility will be the mother plant for all right-hand-drive versions of the Compass SUV to be sold in India and in many international markets like Japan and the UK to name a few. Fiat and Jeep are betting big on this model and have invested around US$ 280 million for the production of the Compass.  Interestingly, around 70 percent of the SUV, including the engines, are manufactured locally. Panel stamping isn’t done in-house yet, but the doors are laser-welded – a first in India. 

The Compass will be available globally in as many as 17 engine, gearbox and drivetrain configurations and some of them will be manufactured in India for the international markets. Built on the same platform as the Renegade (small, wide 4x4), the Compass, however, features a longer wheelbase for greater space on the inside and a mildly altered suspension system. 

The Compass will be sold in India with two engine options. First up, there is a 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel good for 170hp and 350Nm of torque. This engine will be available in both 4x2 and 4x4 configurations. The sole gearbox on offer with this engine will be a six-speed manual unit. There will be no automatic transmission on offer, at least initially. However, there is a chance of a nine-speed automatic gearbox at a later stage. The second engine on offer is the 1.4-litre MultiAir petrol. This 1.4-litre motor churns out around 160hp and, like the diesel variant, will be available with 4x2 and 4x4 option. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. 

Higher variants of the Compass will come with a 7.0-inch Uconnect infotainment system; this system will come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sources tell us that Jeep has not compromised in the interior quality of the Compass sold in India and the models will have exactly the same levels of fit and finish as the ones that will be exported. Jeep will offer the Compass with as many as six airbags.

There will be additional safety features on offer like a reverse camera with sensors, along with the usual safety equipment like ABS, ESP, electronic roll-over mitigation and hill-start assist. The biggest advantage of heavy localisation, however, is that Jeep can offer a competitive price. The Compass is expected to be priced between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 25 lakh when it hits showrooms in the coming months. 

Courtesy : Autocar 

The next-gen Mercedes-Benz G-class SUV is currently undergoing cold-weather testing in Austria ahead of its unveiling later this year. The rugged SUV looks to have the same widened track as earlier development cars, with the fitment of extended wheel arches, as well as minor cosmetic tweaks to its front.

Earlier sightings confirmed that the car will maintain a V8 in the range.

Like all previous generations of the G-class, aka G-Wagen, the future model will have the same basic retro body mounted on a frame chassis with a live rear axle. The enlarged width of the development cars that were spotted suggests that the 2018 G-class could be widened to allow for more cabin space.

This increase in room will likely be accompanied by an updated interior, the evidence for which comes with the new door cards, as well as Mercedes' latest infotainment system. Changes are also likely to be made to the G-class' global engine line-up, which currently comprises a six-cylinder turbocharged diesel and eight-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines.

The 'hot-vee' V8 and V12 units are expected to remain unchanged, and our sources also believe the other V8, an older 5.5-litre unit, will still be offered with the AMG G 63. The six-cylinder diesel of the current G 350 d could be replaced with a more efficient unit which will be shared with the E-class.

The E-class features a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine that produces 257.5hp, which is 12.1hp more than the G-class' current diesel unit. It also conforms to the latest Euro-VI emissions standards, so our sources believe the G-Class will inherit it. No other significant changes are predicted for the 2018 model, largely because much of the G-class' charm and appeal comes from the fact it has stayed true to the design of the 1979 original.

The updated G-class looks set to make its world debut later this year at the Frankfurt motor show in September, before going on sale in 2018.

Courtesy : Autocar

There’s no denying that the TVS Apache RR 310S, formerly known as the Akula 310 in concept form, is one of the most highly anticipated motorcycles of 2017. Spy images of test bikes have been flowing in since September last year, almost making us believe that TVS is more than happy to fuel the hype train. Surprisingly, images of the near-final production version reveal that not too many things have been drastically altered from the concept that was shown off at Auto Expo 2016. And as more spy images come in, it just leads us to confirm exactly how the RR 310S will be equipped once it rolls out.

These new images again show the bike wearing manufacturer camouflage. However, previous un-camouflaged shots have shown the bike painted in a lovely solid blue shade, reminiscent of Suzuki, without any decals to speak of. However, since it was devoid of any badging, we can assume that we’ll see the graphics only in the final production version of the bike. That being said, as witnessed on the Apache RTRs, TVS has solid paint work over too many graphics and it’s very likely that this aesthetic will be carried over on the Apache RR 310S.

The fuel tank seems quite tall and muscular, and the front fairing also gets a liberally-sized windscreen, which should provide adequate protection against wind blast. The layout of the bike's twin headlights bears a passing resemblance to the older-generation Honda CBR600RR, but it could just be the angle of the shot that’s giving this impression. There’s also a massive tail light unit with a striking look that seems like it could give the bold design choice of the Bajaj Pulsar RS200’s tail light a run for its money.

From these as well as the earlier spy images, it is clear that the bike gets LED daytime running lights, as well as HID projector headlights, although it’s not known at this point whether LED headlights will be offered or not. Around the back, we can see the distinctive shape of the tail light that looks like an upside-down Omega symbol (or the Devil’s horns, as some of our colleagues have pointed out).
Just like on the concept model, the final instrument cluster features a vertical design and is an all-digital affair. The bike does get clip-on handlebars; however, they seem to be mounted slightly tall. As is clear from one of the new spy images, the riding position is far from aggressive and might even be very conducive for long-distance touring.

Golden-coloured upside down forks are clearly visible up front and there’s a disc brake setup at both ends. The front disc appears to be a 290-300mm sized petal-type rotor with radially-mounted caliper, while the rear isn’t all that visible in the spy shots. In these new shots, an ABS ring isn’t visible on the brake rotors, but going by the spy images we’ve seen previously, the bike will be equipped with dual-channel ABS when it goes on sale. What is clear though is the fact that the Apache RR 310S is shod with Michelin Pilot Sport radials.

No mechanical details are known at this point except for the fact that the Apache RR 310S will get the same 313cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder motor from the BMW G310 R. While the peak power and torque outputs for the BMW stand at 34hp and 28Nm, respectively, there’s a strong possibility that the engine will be tuned differently for the RR 310S and might make slightly lower figures.

The TVS Apache RR 310S was originally slated for an early 2017 launch but that hasn’t happened as of yet and it has come to light that the bike may hit showrooms by the middle of this calendar year.

Courtesy : Autocar

Jaguar has revealed its more powerful road-going car yet – the XE SV Project 8. Developed by the company’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division, it is Jaguar’s second collectors’ edition model following the 2014 F-Type Project 7.

Like the Project 7, the XE SV will be hand-built at SVO’s technical centre in Coventry and it makes use of the same supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine. But in the XE SV, power has been ramped up to unprecedented levels, peaking at 600hp – around 24hp more than the aforementioned F-Type.
The XE SV is all-wheel drive, rather than being rear-driven like the Project 7, and uses a specially tuned version of its eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.

Jaguar is yet to release official figures but it claims that the Project 8 is its most extreme model and will offer supercar-like performance. This suggests, it will beat the 3.5sec, 0-100kph time of Jaguar’s current, most accelerative road car, the all-wheel-drive F-Type SVR. This will edge the XE SV into the realms of hardcore machinery like the Porsche 911 GT3 and ahead of fellow limited-run track special, the BMW M4 GTS.

The Project 8, pictured wearing light camouflaging, has been developed at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Jaguar is yet to confirm the specifications of the car’s chassis setup, but the modifications applied to the Project 7 XE suggest SVO’s engineers will have almost certainly fitted firmer suspension and a faster steering rack to their new machine, lowering the car to improve high-speed composure and giving the quicker responses. It sits on lightweight wheels set at a wider track, illustrated by its bulging arches.

Matching its beefed-up underpinnings is a more aggressive exterior, with the XE SV gaining bespoke bodywork dominated up front by larger intakes and a spoiler on the bumper. At the back, it sports two pairs of exhaust tailpipes and the boot lid is adorned with a fixed rear wing, which generates genuine downforce.

The images do little to reveal what modifications have been made to the cabin, but significant weight-saving measures can be expected to help keep the SV’s mass down.

Jaguar has remained tight-lipped on when the car will arrive, but it’s expected to make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June where it’ll likely also be driven up the hill. When the Project 8 eventually makes production, it’ll do so as a limited-run model, with just 300 units planned globally – 50 more than the Project 7 – in left-hand drive only.

Courtesy : Autocar

BMW has unveiled its bold concept 8-series design study at the Concorso d’Eleganza, previewing the production 8-series coupe that is planned to return to the carmaker’s international line-up in 2018 - after an almost two-decade hiatus.

The comeback of the 8-series is part of what the company bosses describe as the biggest model offensive in BMW’s history. Speaking at the 8-series concept unveiling, BMW board member Ian Robertson said: "We want to bring more cars into the upper luxury segment. We have already announced we are in the development phase of the X7. We are working on other products as we feel there is a lot of opportunity there. The new 8-series is part of this. In the next couple of years, we will see the most comprehensive change in the history of BMW."

The concept boasts a traditional two-door layout and classically hinged boot at the rear. It flaunts a bold look that BMW says will heavily influence the appearance of the next-generation models from the German carmaker.

“It showcases a new approach to the use of forms, which is reflected particularly prominently in the surfacing,” says BMW design boss Adrian van Hooydonk, who describes the new coupe as a full-blooded driving machine. “Crisp lines mark out clear surfaces, and the volumes are powerfully sculptured.”

Speaking at the launch, van Hooydonk added: "It is more than just a concept car; it is a very big step in BMW design. It is the start of a new form of [design] language - cleaner surfaces, more emotion, more sophistication."

While the concept’s dimensions and overall form will be reflected on the production version of the new BMW coupe, van Hooydonk acknowledges various elements and cues will be altered before it enters showrooms.

A number of characteristic BMW concept car flourishes, such as the oversized kidney grille, thin-line laser projector-touting headlamps, exaggerated air breather elements behind the front wheel arches and within the rear bumper and OLED imbued L-shaped tail lamps have all been altered with a more conservative appearance for the production version of the new 8-series.

Built on BMW’s latest rear-wheel-drive platform, the so-called CLAR (cluster architecture) structure, the new 8-series receives its own unique wheelbase and track widths to provide it with a suitably low and hunkered down stance reminiscent of the first-generation model. The 21-inch wheels will be retained as an option on the production car, according to BMW.

Among the hi-tech chassis features set to appear on standard versions of the new range-topping BMW is a double wishbone (front) and multi-link (rear) suspension with constantly variable air springs all around as well as an integral rear steer function aimed at providing it with class-leading agility. The car also adopts the lightweight construction initiatives found on the existing 7-series.

Alongside standard rear-wheel-drive versions of the new 8-series, BMW also plans a limited number of four-wheel drive xDrive models. BMW is holding back on details to the drivelines it plans to make available in the new 8-series, though it is expected to feature up to three standard front, longitudinally-mounted petrol units.

Recent trademark applications hint at a likely entry-level 840i model running a turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder, an 850i with a turbocharged 4.4-litre V8, and an M860i xDrive M Performance fitted with the same turbocharged 6.6-litre V12 that powers the M760Li xDrive. Also under consideration is an 840e plug-in hybrid model using the same petrol-electric powertrain seen in the 740e iPerformance.
Set to challenge the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-class coupe at the very top of BMW’s current 12-model-strong international line-up, the reborn 8-series will indirectly replace the existing third-generation 6-series, which is due to cease production in coupe and convertible guises after being superseded by a new fourth-generation liftback model in the form of the upcoming 6-series GT later this year.

Alongside the bullish coupe variant of the new model previewed by the 8-series concept, BMW also has plans for a plush open-top version of its new range-topping two-door. Set for an international launch in 2019, it eschews the folding hardtop arrangement favoured by BMW for its convertible models in recent years for an automatic multi-layer fabric hood.

Courtesy : Autocar