Meet the new flagship of the BMW luxury line-up, the 7 Series M760Li xDrive with a massive 6.6-litre V12 churning out 600 horses

BMW fans over the globe have been crying themselves hoarse for some time now for a purebred M7, a blue-blooded M variant to BMW’s flagship 7 Series. BMW have never given them one, but now they can have this instead, the new BMW M760Li xDrive. While not exactly a full-fledged M car, but more of an M Performance variant much like the M235i and X4 M40i, it’s the closest thing we’re going to get to a proper M7 for now. It is a fair deal though, because this new car packs enough ammo to even rival proper sportscars on most parameters.

Let’s get the numbers out of the way first. Powering this behemoth is a massive 6.6-litre twin-turbocharged V12 putting out 600PS at 5,500rpm and peak torque of 800Nm at 1,500rpm, mated to a faster, M-tuned 8-speed automatic and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system modified to have a rear bias. This prodigious power is good enough to propel the M760Li xDrive V12 to 100kmph in 3.9sec - 0.8sec faster than the current range-topping 750i M Sport - before reaching a limited top speed of 250kmph.

For comparison, a Porsche 911 takes 4.6 seconds to complete the same sprint, although has a higher top speed at 295kmph. That said, the M760Li xDrive isn’t actually the fastest and most powerful 7-Series you can buy from a BMW dealership abroad, as that title goes to the Alpina B7 xDrive introduced earlier this week and which has a 4.4L twin-turbo V8 delivering 608PS and 800Nm for a 0-100kmph time of 3.7 seconds.

All M760Li xDrive feature an eight-speed automatic gearbox complete with steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters, and there’s even a launch control function to optimise acceleration away from the line. Suspension is the same ‘Executive Drive Pro’ suite as on the standard 7-series, uprated for the M-Performance variant. So you get air springs with Dynamic Damper Control and Dynamic Drive to reduce roll and increase comfort, or tighten things up when you need to fling yourself down a backlane. It also features cameras that actively scan the road ahead and precondition the suspension settings.

Visually, the M760Li xDrive can be distinguished from its more sedate 7 Series siblings by its 20″ wheels M light-alloy wheels in matte Cerium Grey metallic. That same Cerium Grey finish extends onto the kidney grille frame and the fronts of the grille bars, along with the front apron strip, the strips on the exterior door handles, Air Breathers, side door trim elements and boot lid handle, all add color accents.

Inside, we get Fineline black fine wood interior trim strips with high-gloss metal effect team up with high-quality deep-pile floor mats in the rear compartment and an Alcantara Anthracite headliner to generate a luxurious ambiance. Exclusive Nappa leather trim covers the seat surfaces, seat side sections, head restraints, door cards, center armrests and side armrests to round off the elegant atmosphere in tasteful style. The steering wheel has been redesigned too, resembling a sporting evolution of the 7 Series’ wheel. All of the same interior technologies on the standard 7er are present, including Gesture Control and inductive charging for mobile phones.

For customers looking to downplay the aggressive performance for something classier, the V12 Excellence option is also available as a no cost option. The package replaces the wheels with 20-inch BMW Individual light-alloy wheels in W-spoke 646 design with mixed-size tyres.

When launched, the BMW M760Li xDrive will internationally go up against the likes of the Audi S8 and the more expensive Mercedes-AMG S65. No word yet on when it will land in India, though. 

Courtesy : Zigwheels

Royal Enfield will launch the Himalayan in March with deliveries commencing immediately after the launch

Easily among the most awaited bikes of 2016, the Royal Enfield Himalayan finally broke cover prior to the 2016 Auto Expo. Although the Chennai-based bike maker didn’t participate in the Auto Expo, it set the right mood for the big event. Reason? The Himalayan is India’s first fully homegrown adventure motorcycle. 

To some the minimalistic design of the Royal Enfield Himalayan might look odd, but it is one of those motorcycles that grows on you over time. The split, seat, the brushed aluminium finish exhaust, the spoke wheels as well as the raised front mud guard, all ensure that it has the looks to compliment its adventure DNA. 

The Himalayan comes with an all-new 411cc single-cylinder air-cooled unit that makes 24.5PS of power and 32Nm of torque. As opposed to the other Royal Enfield motorcycles’ push road architecture, the Himalayan sports overhead cams. Moreover, to keep vibrations in check, RE has also fitted the engine with a counter balancer. This engine comes mated to a 5-speed transmission.  

The Himalayan gets a semi-digital instrumentation with an analogue speedo and tacho and a digital trio meter. Interestingly the Royal Enfield has also fitted the cluster with an altimeter knowing that a lot of its buyers will ride to the Himalayas and other hilly areas. 

Up front the Himalayan comes with telescopic suspension while at the back it gets a monoshock setup. This is the first RE motorcycle to come fitted with a monoshock rear suspension. Royal Enfield will bring in the Himalayan next month at around Rs 1.80 lakh. 

Courtesy :  Zigwheels

It's good news for all petrol heads. Volkswagen has made a bold move an announced that they will launch the Polo GTI in India later this year.

1.) Engine:

Over the past few months, Indian automotive enthusiasts have got something to cheer about with the launch of the Fiat Punto Abarth and the Avventura Abarth. Volkswagen is about to bring more in that direction with the launch of the Polo GTI later this year. Powered by a 1.8-litre TSI petrol unit that makes the 180PS and 250Nm, the Polo GTI will be one of the most powerful hatchbacks in India. If these figures don’t give you an adequate perspective, picture this – it is the same petrol engine that works force on the likes of the Audi A4 and the Skoda Octavia hiding under the hood of this compact hatch. The Polo GTI employs a 7-speed DSG transmission.  

2.) Design: One of the biggest let down of the Polo GTI is its design. Apart from the 3-door design, it looks extremely identical to the regular Polo. Some vinyl stickers that flaunt the GTI badge, side skirts, and better looking bumpers would have been much appreciated. The 17-inch alloy wheels too could have sported a better design. 

3.) Unique Interiors: While much of the interiors of the regular Polo and the GT are identical, the same is not the case with the GTI. The car gets smart looking red accents on the steering wheel and the floor mats. The chequered fabric design also gives the Polo GTI a distinctive feel.  The Polo GTI also features a new touchscreen infotainment system. 

4.) For the enthusiast: With the Polo GTI, Volkswagen intends to fill the gap between the Punto Abarth and the Mini Coopers. In fact, the Polo GTI will be one of the first entry-level hot hatches in its true essence to be launched in the Indian market. The Polo GTI is the only 3-door offering to be sold in India apart from the Mini Coopers. With the Polo GTI, Volkswagen is not looking at the playing the numbers game completely aware of the fact that it is being targeted to a very niche market. 

5.) Price: Considering the fact that it will come to India via the CBU route, the Volkswagen Polo GTI will carry a heavy sticker price. Expect it to be in the range of Rs 20 lakh. However, if Volkswagen manages to produce the engine from the factory in Chakan and increase localistaion, the Polo GTI might just be launched at an extremely competitive price. 

Courtesy : Zigwheels

The 2016 KTM RC390 gets a few mechanical upgrades; engine and styling remains unchanged.

The updated 2016 KTM RC390 has been launched in India. The updates on the bike include a few mechanical ones, whereas the styling remains unchanged from the older model.

The biggest mechanical change is the introduction of a slipper clutch, making it a more forgiving bike to ride when shifting gears aggressively. Also, the engine and gearbox have received minor tweaks in order to improve smoothness.  The 2016 KTM RC390 doesnt come with an on-off switch for the headlight and hence the headlight stays active when the bike is switched on. 

Internationally, the updated RC390 gets an all-new exhaust system - a new stainless steel underfloor pre-silencer which meets a cylindrical aluminium absorption silencer, and now complies to Euro 4 emission norms making it cleaner to run. However, for India this add-on is not available as it would add to costs. It also skips on the 320mm larger disc brake at the front. 

The updated KTM RC390 continues to be powered by the 373.2cc single-cylinder liquid cooled four-stroke engine developing 42.9bhp and 3.57kgm of torque mated to a six-speed gearbox.

The updated RC390 is priced at Rs 2.13 lakh (Ex-showroom, Delhi) 

Courtesy : Autocar

The Aprilia SR 150 will share engines with the Vespa 150cc models.

Piaggio Vehicles (PVPL) is aiming to consolidate its position in the premium scooter market in India. While this sub-segment (models priced above Rs 70,000) currently sees only the Vespa brand, the company is now known to have a plan of adding yet another global brand – Aprilia (via its SR 150 scooter model) in this space by August 2016.

Stefano Pelle, managing director, PVPL, confirmed that the Aprilia SR 150 will share its engine with the Vespa 150cc models – the SXL 150 and VXL 150 – launched last year with price tags close to Rs 90,000 and Rs 85,000 respectively. According to the company website, Piaggio currently sells a total of six scooter models under the Vespa brand including four variants in the 125cc segment and two models in the 150cc scooter category.

“Yes, the engine (single-cylinder, 150cc, 11.5bhp) is the same that goes into the Vespa 150s but it is tuned differently. The transmission is also tuned differently. It shares a lot with the Vespa models,” Pelle said.

The Aprilia SR 150 will also come equipped with a 220mm front disc brake (along with a 140mm rear drum brake), which also hints at the possibility of adding a single-channel ABS system if required in the near future.

Pelle added, “We are in the process of setting up an all-new assembly line for the Aprilia SR 150s. The first batch of production scooters will roll out in a couple of weeks from now.”

Aprilia SR 150 vs Vespa SXL 150

While Aprilia will be another brand positioned in the premium segment, how will it fare against the Vespa siblings?

“I don’t see any brand cannibalisation between Aprilia’s SR 150 and Vespa’s existing 150 models. The segments are completely different. Though they both belong to the premium segment, Vespa is more of a style statement and the Aprilia SR 150 is a sporty, stylish scooter which would certainly appeal to the youth. We will target the 18-28 years age group with the Aprilia SR 150. Now although the core target customers remain the same for the Vespa brand, it is also bought by customers into their late 20s or even 30s. That said, the Vespa models are universal and the Aprilia SR 150 is more male. This would also appeal to buyers who today use a bike and might want to use a scooter tomorrow. It’s a slim, stylish scooter with utility space for storage,” answered Pelle, clarifying that the two brands won’t overlap each other in terms of potential buyers.

In the context of pricing, he mentioned that though Aprilia could be perceived as a more premium brand than Vespa by many, the pricing of the SR 150 could be competitive.

 New Motoplex outlets planned in India

The company is planning to soon open at least three new Motoplex outlets across South India in Hyderabad, Kochi and Chennai.

“India is a key growth market for us and to grow here, step one has to be ready with a reasonable distribution network across the country. By the time the Aprilia SR 150 will hit the roads, the network would have considerably grown. At the same time the Motoplex stores will grow. We have three more Motoplex outlets lined up in the next 2-3 months. We will set up new stores across Hyderabad, Kochi and Chennai. The western and southern markets are the best scooter markets and hence as a potential strategy we will cover these two regions first. We will expand to the rest of India as well. Vespa, on the other hand, continues to be a priority for us as that is our main brand,” said Pelle.

Besides the Motoplex stores, the company currently has around 80 retail outlets. It plans to increase this to 100-105 outlets by August 2016, just in time for the Aprilia's commercial rollout.

The new incoming model is said to have received an overwhelming response from visitors at Auto Expo 2016. 

Courtesy : Autocar