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    Mazda Honoring Local Heroes by Giving Them 100th-Anniversary Miatas

    Mazda will give away 50 of its MX-5 Miata 100th Anniversary Edition cars to 50 people who have helped their communities during this year of pandemic.
    The individuals being honored include teachers, health-care workers, and small-business owners and were chosen from among nominations sent in by the public this fall.
    The 100th Anniversary Miata is named to celebrate Mazda’s 100th year in operation.
    As the year comes to a close, one way Mazda is celebrating its 100th anniversary is by honoring 50 people who have helped their communities through this challenging year. Those individuals are being given 100th Anniversary Special Edition MX-5 Miatas as a thank-you gift. The special Miatas are normally priced starting at $33,615.

    100th Anniversary Mazda Miata Unveiled

    Mazda Celebrates 100 Years with Special Editions

    Mazda MX-5 Miata History, from 1989 to Today

    The winners, chosen after a call for nominations this fall, include health-care workers, teachers, small business owners, and people who have done various good deeds. New Jersey middle-school shop teacher Jason Erdreich is one such winner. Erdreich organized a team of people with 3-D printers to manufacture 12,000 pieces of personal protection equipment (PPE) and also came up with innovative ways to conduct STEM classes remotely.
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    Christie Purviance, an ICU nurse in Texas, is another. While Purviance cared for COVID-19 patients, she went above and beyond in helping connect them with their families through video chatting and photos.

    Mazda

    The 100th Anniversary Edition has many nods to Mazda’s first vehicle, the R360 coupe, including its Snowflake White Pearl Mica paint job, red interior, and red soft top. This special edition Miata is based on the 2020 MX-5 Miata Grand Touring model. It wears Mazda’s 100th Anniversary logo on the leather headrests and floor.
    Erdreich’s 100th Anniversary Edition Miata will be the second in his garage: he already has a first-generation Miata. So it’s safe to assume that he’ll have his 2020 Miata diving into corners on back roads in no time—an experience which he and the other 49 winners richly deserve.
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    Yamaha India Nov 2020 Sales Growth – Fascino, Ray, R15, FZ, MT15

    Yamaha MT15
    The company is upbeat about its prospects in December 2020 and beyond as the demand of personal mobility is on the rise due to the pandemic

    Yamaha India has been steadily building up a momentum in sales growth ever since the country came out of lockdown. The Japanese two wheeler maker started registering YoY growth since June and has been witnessing increased growth rate consistently.
    Yamaha India sales November 2020
    In October 2020, Yamaha India’s sales volume registered an impressive 31% growth rate at 60,176 units. The festive season rush and the pent up demand worked in the company’s favour. In November 2020, the company clocked sales of 53,208 units as against 39,406 units during the same month last year. This represents a YoY growth of 35%.
    The commendable growth rate in sales volume stems from a relatively small base compared to the competitors but it also represents an increase in demand. Yamaha upgraded its entire scooter portfolio to 125 cc fuel-injected engine and introduced BS6-upgrades for its entire lineup. The growth comes despite the two wheeler maker introducing a nominal hike across its portfolio last month.
    Yamaha India says that it is confident of continuing its record sales growth run in December as well. The company is also optimistic about its growth prospects in 2021 as the varied demand for personal mobility is on the rise due to the pandemic.
    Yamaha India Sales Nov 2020 vs Nov 2019 vs Oct 2020
    Recent marketing initiatives by Yamaha
    In a bid to keep its product portfolio relevant and appealing, Yamaha India recently introduced Bluetooth connectivity as an accessory called Yamaha Motorcycle Connect X. The accessory is available as standard with the FZS-FI Dark Knight edition. The company also has been running the “Color Your Warrior” campaign which supports a wider range of color options for its popular MT-15 street fighter.
    Responding to the changing paradigm of retail sales during the COVID crisis, the company set up Yamaha Virtual Store in addition to making its accessories and apparels available on Amazon.in.
    More over, the company has been dishing out special editions of its motorcycles on a regular basis to target younger audience. Yesterday, the company came up with a Vintage Edition of the FZ-S FI V3 with a slightly larger brown saddle and exclusive decals. In Brazil, they launched the Yamaha FZ25 Avengers, Captain Marvel and Black Panther editions.

    With no major new mass market product launch on the horizon, we expect Yamaha India to continue its experimentation with special editions of its exiting range of BS6 ready scooters and motorcycles. More

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    Revolt Electric Motorcycle Prices Increased Up To Rs 14k – Bookings Closed

    Revolt Electric Motorcycle
    This is the second time that the company has increased prices this year, the first being in Feb 2020

    Electric two wheeler maker Revolt Intellicorp Pvt. Ltd has announced a price hike for its two electric bikes RV300 and RV400. The two bikes were launched in India last year (Aug 2019) and introduced across the country in a phased manner.
    At first, the two bikes were only available via EMI option, which Revolt called as MRP or My Revolt Plan. But just two months after the launch, in Oct 2019, the company also announced one time payment option. Prices of both these options have now been increased.
    Revolt RV400 Price Hike
    The RV400 is now priced at Rs.1,18,999, up Rs.10,000 over its earlier price of Rs.1,08,999. Booking amount has been increased by Rs.4,200. While earlier buyers could earlier make a down payment of Rs.2,999, they will now be able to booking the RV400 at Rs.7,199. This means the effective price hike is of Rs 14,200.
    EMI schemes, for 36 and 24 months are also on offer with the RV400. The 38 month scheme came in at an earlier price of Rs.3,999 which is not applicable as on date. The 36 month EMI scheme and 24 month EMI scheme are now at Rs.4,399 and Rs.6,075 respectively. There is also a one-time booking and payment option available to buyers up Rs.14,200 from an earlier Rs.1,11,998 to Rs.1,26,198.
    Revolt Electric Motorcycle Prices Dec 2020
    The price of the RV300 has also been increased by Rs.10,000. The old price of Rs.84,999 has now been increased to Rs.94,999 while a one-time payment and booking charge has been increased by Rs.14,200 from 87,998 to Rs.1,02,198. Booking amount has also been increased by Rs.4,200 from an earlier Rs.2,999 to Rs.7,199.
    The RV300 is offered with 36 month and 24 month EMI schemes. The 36 month EMI scheme is now at Rs.3,174, up Rs.175 as against Rs.2,999 offered earlier and the 24 month EMI scheme has been introduced at Rs.4,383. Both the RV400 and RV300 are entitled to FAME II subsidy at Rs.32,000 and Rs.27,000 respectively which can be claimed only once as per Aadhar Card.
    Revolt RV 300
    New Price
    One Time Pay
    94,999
    36 Month EMI
    3,174
    24 Month EMI
    4,383
    Booking Amount
    7,199
    One Time Pay + Booking
    1,02,198

    Revolt RV 400
    New Price
    One Time Pay
    1,18,999
    38 Month EMI
    NA
    36 Month EMI
    4,399
    24 Month EMI
    6,075
    Booking Amount
    7,199
    One Time Pay + Booking
    1,26,198
    Bookings closed
    Revolt Intellicorp has announced that they will not be accepting any fresh bookings as on date due to overwhelming response. New orders will only open from 15th December 2020. Though made in India, certain parts of the motorcycle are imported from China. Due to lockdown and ongoing border issues with China, many OEMs have faced issues with supply chain. This has resulted in issues like higher waiting period, unavailability of spares, etc.
    Engine Specs
    The RV300 uses a 2.7 kWh battery pack powering the 1.5 kW motor. The bike can reach a max riding range of 180 km/charge and a top speed of 65 km/h. The two electric bikes are offered in three modes of Eco, Normal and Sport, each of which changes riding range by limiting top speed. The bikes can be changed via a 15 amp socket while users can also remove the battery pack from the bike and carry it to either their homes or work place to charge it.
    Revolt RV400 is powered by a 3.24 kW battery pack which powers the 3 kW motor to generate 170 Nm torque. This allows for a riding range of 150 km/charge while the bike can reach a top speed of 85 km/h. The battery of the RV400 can be charged from 0 to 75 percent in three hours and upto 100 percent in 4.5 hours. More

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    Suzuki Scooter, Motorcycle Sales Nov 2020 Decline – Access, Burgman, Gixxer

    Image – Sinha Suzuki
    Suzuki says that the retail sales operations have been registering sustainable growth compared to last year

    Contrary to the positive growth trend of the two wheeler industry in November 2020, Suzuki Motorcycles India posted a YoY decline of 7.93% in overall sales. The company, however, remains positive about its immediate prospects as more and more people are opting for personal mobility.
    Suzuki Motorcycles India November 2020 sales
    Suzuki sold a total of 64,224 units last month compared to 69,755 units during the same month in 2019. The domestic dispatch accounted to 57,429 units which represented a YoY decline of 5.63% while the exports dropped by 23.65% (at 6,795 units) mainly due to pandemic induced challenges.
    Looking at the MoM growth rate, the Japanese two wheeler brand registered a decline of 14.57% in domestic sales compared to 67,225 units in October 2020. The overall sales of 76,865 units in October 2020 is Suzuki’s highest monthly sales performance in the country.
    However, Suzuki Motorcycles India revealed that the retail sales is actually indicating a sustained growth in demand compared to last year. In the scooter range, it was the Access which delivered highest sales. Other scooter in lineup is Burgman. Motorcycle range includes Gixxer and Intruder. Below is the detailed sales table of Suzuki for Nov 2020.
    Suzuki Two Wheeler Sales Nov 2020 vs Nov 2019 (YoY) vs Oct 2020 (MoM)
    New addition to the portfolio
    Suzuki introduced the V-Strom 650XT BS6 to its premium motorcycle lineup last month. The company is happy about the number of queries the medium displacement adventure touring has been receiving.
    In October, Suzuki introduced a refreshed version of its popular Access scooter in addition to the sporty Burgman 125. New color themes for the Gixxer family were introduced as well.
    Suzuki electric scooter on the anvil
    Like most other two wheeler OEMs, Suzuki is seriously looking at the electric scooter segment. The company had previously expressed its interest in this sector and a pair of prototypes of what appeared to be a pure electric Burgman was recently caught testing in India.
    While the prototypes retained the India-spec Suzuki Burgman 125’s edgy design, they eschewed the exhaust canister. The test mules appear to be equipped with an additional spring at the rear to handle the added weight of the electric powertrain. Nothing much is know as of now but we expect the Suzuki electric scooter for India to have sufficient localization and appropriate technical specifications to take advantage of the government’s FAME II subsidy.
    One can expect the Suzuki Burgman electric to be equipped with fully digital dashboard with connectivity features, sprightly performance, a range of around 80 km, and a price tag in the vicinity of INR 1 lakh (ex-showroom). The zero emission urban runabout is not expected to be ready before 2022. More

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    Honda Activa Helps HMSI Nov 2020 Sales Cross 4 Lakh – 10% Growth

    New Honda Activa 6G 20th Anniversary Edition
    Activa has once again been the best selling Honda two wheeler in India

    In line with industry trends, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has registered positive YoY growth in November. A total of 4,12,641 units were sold in the domestic market, which is YoY gain of 10.54%. Sales during the corresponding period last year stood at 3,73,283 units. However, MoM sales have turned negative at -16.55%. Sales during October 2020 were 4,94,459 units.
    MoM de-growth in November is not surprising, since this has been the usual trend in post festive period. Two wheeler sales usually attain their peak during the festive season and tend to dip in the subsequent period.
    Honda two wheeler exports
    Honda exported a total of 20,565 units in November, which is YoY de-growth of -11.04%. Exports during the corresponding period last year stood at 23,116 units. MoM de-growth is much higher at -37.15%, as compared to 32,721 units exported in October 2020.
    Honda total sales (domestic + exports) were 4,33,206 units in November, which is YoY gain of 9.29%. Total sales during the same period last year were 3,96,399 units. In terms of MoM growth, total sales are down by -17.83%. Total sales in October 2020 were 5,27,180 units. If we add the sales numbers of October and November, Honda’s festive sales have crossed the one million milestone.
    Honda Two Wheeler Sales Nov 2020 vs Nov 2019 (YoY) vs Oct 2020 (MoM)
    Honda domestic and international bestsellers
    Honda is currently the second largest two wheeler manufacturer in India, trailing behind Hero MotoCorp while ahead of TVS, Bajaj and others. In the domestic market, the company’s bread and butter is the popular Active scooter. Lifetime sales of Activa over the last two decades have already crossed the 20 million mark.
    The company recently launched a special 20th anniversary edition Activa 6G to celebrate its success. It came with cosmetic enhancements such as a new Matte Mature Brown colour, golden strips, and gold embossed ‘Activa’ logo.
    Other Honda bestsellers in the domestic market include CB Shine, Dio, Unicorn 160, Dream, Livo, Grazia and Hornet 2.0. Recently launched Honda H’ness CB350 has also been receiving a lot of attention and appreciation from bike enthusiasts. CB350 goes up against rivals such as Classic 350, Meteor 350, Jawa and Benelli Imperiale 400. Honda is currently expanding its Big Wing dealer network, something that is expected to boost sales of CB350 and other premium bikes.
    Talking about exports, Honda’s bestsellers include Navi, Dio, CB Shine, Hornet 160R, X-Blade, Grazia and Unicorn 160. The company is currently the top scooter exporter from India, made possible largely by consistent demand for Dio. Earlier this year, Honda achieved the milestone of exporting more than 2.5 million two-wheelers. The company’s products are shipped to several countries across Middle East, Asia and Latin America. More

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    2021 Jaguar F-Pace SVR Boasts More Torque, Other Upgrades

    Jaguar has updated the high-performance SVR version of the F-Pace SUV for 2021.
    It has 14 more lb-ft of torque from its supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 engine.
    There are also exterior and interior enhancements.
    The V-8–powered SVR version of the Jaguar F-Pace is getting many of the same updates as the standard model for 2021—and then some. In addition to the visual changes and new infotainment system, the SVR also benefits from more torque and tuning changes that promise to improve its performance.

    2021 Jaguar F-Pace Has New Powertrain, Tech

    The Jaguar F-Pace SVR Should Be Quicker

    The supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 engine makes the same 550 horsepower as before, but an additional 14 lb-ft of torque are on board for 2021. Jaguar says this raises the top speed by 2 mph, to a claimed 178 mph, and quickens the sprint to 60 mph by 0.3 seconds, to a claimed 3.8 seconds. We tested a 2019 F-Pace SVR and recorded a time of 4.0 seconds, so we’ll see if the 2021 model can outdo that time when we’re able to strap our test equipment to one.
    Jaguar also says it has made tuning changes to the suspension, steering, and brakes. The sharpened exterior styling not only looks a bit more modern but is apparently functional, with the company claiming that aerodynamic drag has been reduced and additional vents improve cooling for the engine and brakes.

    View Photos

    Jaguar

    Inside, there’s a new 11.4-inch touchscreen running Jaguar’s latest Pivi Pro infotainment software. Faux-suede upholstery is standard with leather optional, and the steering wheel and certain knobs feature new designs.
    Jaguar has yet to announce pricing for the updated 2021 F-Pace SVR, but we expect it to start a few thousand dollars higher than the outgoing model’s $81,750 base price.
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    Hyundai Unveils EV Platform, Will Have 23 Global Electric Vehicles by 2025

    Hyundai announced an electric-vehicle platform called E-GMP that will serve as the base of Hyundai and Kia’s global EV future beginning in 2021.
    Vehicles on the new platform can generate as much as 600 horsepower, and a high-performance model will be one of the upcoming EVs, Hyundai said today.
    Hyundai didn’t share details on battery pack size, but said that it’s targeting 310 miles of range.
    EVs today have become major parts of auto companies’ road maps. By now, automakers have come to the realization that shoving electric vehicle parts into vehicles built to run on gasoline doesn’t always result in the type of efficiency an EV and a manufacturing line need. With that in mind, Hyundai is the latest automaker to announce a modular EV-only platform, also announcing that it will produce 23 battery-electric vehicles by 2025.

    GM Accelerates Electrification Timeline

    A deep dive into VW’s new MEB platform

    The new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) will be the underpinning of new Hyundai and Kia EVs starting in 2021. The first vehicle will be the Hyundai Ioniq 5 that we’ve so far only seen in concept form. It will then be used in other vehicles from Hyundai and Kia, likely to include the other Ioniq EVs we’re expecting from the Korean automaker. It will also be used for future Genesis EVs.

    Hyundai

    The platform’s main components will be a battery pack under the cabin and an all-in-one motor, transmission, and inverter designed and developed by Hyundai. By bundling the components, Hyundai said, it raised the maximum speed of the motor by up to 70 percent compared to existing motors, despite its small size. The company says that it can squeeze up to 600 horsepower from the system and that the company will show off a high-performance vehicle next year.
    Both Tesla and Lucid design their own motors for the sake of efficiency. Hyundai doing the same thing instead of using something off the shelf from a supplier could help it accomplish they type of efficiencies found in EV-centric automakers.
    Hyundai says that the planned high-performance vehicle on the E-GMP platform will be capable of doing zero to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds and have a top speed of 161 mph, with rear- and all-wheel-drive versions available. The all-wheel-drive version will be powered by two electric motors instead of one. To save energy, the front motor will decouple from the wheels when it’s not needed.

    Hyundai

    EVs based on the new platform, Hyundai said, would be capable of about 310 miles of range on the WLTP scale and capable of charging to 80 percent in 18 minutes, thanks to an 800-volt architecture that supports charging speeds up to 350 kW. A five-minute charge can add about 60 miles. Hyundai did not release details on battery sizes that will be available on any of the upcoming vehicles or even a range of battery-pack sizes for the upcoming platform. It does note that the batteries will sit under the cabin and the vehicles will have a long wheelbase that would enable more cabin space for occupants and cargo.
    Albert Biermann, president and head of R&D for the Hyundai Motor Group, said the rear-wheel-driven-based E-GMP will extend Hyundai’s “technological leadership into segments where customers demand excellent driving dynamics and outstanding efficiency.”
    Finally, the E-GMP supports bidirectional charging. This means that with a charging station that supports the feature, a vehicle using the E-GMP platform can discharge its energy from its battery back to the grid or to a house that supports such a feature. The vehicle-to-load (V2L) function supplies 3.5 kW of power which, according to Hyundai, can operate a mid-size air conditioner and a 55-inch TV for 24 hours. A customer could conceivably use that to get the power out of a vehicle during a heat-wave-induced power outage. But more important, it can be used to charge another EV.
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    Imagine Driving 414,000 Miles in a Mitsubishi Mirage in Minnesota. This Couple Did

    After spending 414,000 happy miles driving a Mitsubishi Mirage, the Huots traded it in—for a brand-new Mirage.
    They used it mostly as a courier vehicle for a medical sample delivery company.
    Dubbed the Purple Won, the tiny car did all this while tackling Minnesota winters and acting as a symbol of the couple’s love of the Minnesota Vikings and Prince.
    We love what we love. Jerry and Janice Huot seem to love three things: the Minnesota Vikings, the musical genius of Prince, and their 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage, in which they racked up an incredible 414,000 miles. That’s four flips of the odometer in six years in a vehicle that’s not known for its creature comforts. Just imagine how it must have been tossed around by the winds of passing semis, almost being swallowed by large potholes and buried in snowdrifts, as they traveled up and down the state of Minnesota.

    2020 Mitsubishi Mirage: Better? Probably. A Bit.

    New/Old: ’14 Mitsubishi Mirage vs. ’05 VW Phaeton

    The 400K adventure started, like many others, with a trip to a local showroom. While looking to trade in a Cadillac for an inexpensive vehicle with great fuel economy, the Huots came across a Plasma Purple subcompact 2014 Mitsubishi Mirage. Smitten by its color and value, they took it home. After Janice added the initial 7000 or so miles, Jerry took over the vehicle and used it for his courier business driving around Minnesota delivering medical samples from medical offices to labs. If you took a drug test in Minneapolis in the past six years, your urine might have traveled in Jerry’s Mirage.
    The couple dubbed the vehicle the Purple Won, with the name on a set of vanity plates as a nod to Minneapolis’s favorite son, Prince, who was known as the Purple One. The tiny vehicle was also used to display the Huots’ love of the Minnesota Vikings by putting on a set of magnetic horn decals, as well as when Jerry dressed the Mirage in a Vikings helmet for Janice’s birthday. Outside work hours, the couple used the vehicle to haul rocks and mulch up their gravel driveway.
    The Huots were nothing if not brand loyal: they’d also owned an Outlander Sport and a Montero Sport in the past. Still, their willingness to spend hundreds of thousands of miles bumping along in a subcompact requires a little context. The Mirage occupies a market segment not known for comfort. To reach 414,000 miles in six years, Jerry Hout would have to put an average of 69,000 miles of road underneath him and his Mirage per year. To accomplish that driving five days a week for work, he would be hauling medical samples about 265 miles per day Monday through Friday. That’s an incredible amount of miles and time in such a tiny vehicle.
    But you can’t argue with love. Even if that love involves being crammed in the Little Economy Car That Could over hundreds of miles a day. Let’s just hope they were listening to Prince the entire time.
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