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    March 2024 Week 2 Auto News Roundup – Tata, Hyundai, MG, BYD, RE, Honda, KTM

    Honda CB350X ADV RenderOf all the developments last week, BYD launching a 0-100 km/h in 3.8s capable Seal sedan for Rs. 53 lakh (ex-sh) is the most likeableAutomotive news just doesn’t stop pouring in, which is good news for enthusiasts like you and me. The Indian automotive market is growing constantly and more developments take place in the industry to keep the machine running. 2nd week of March 2024 is coming to an end. These are the top updates that took place in the past 7 days.March 2024 Week 2 Automotive News Roundup1. Honda CB350X ADV RenderRushlane’s Honda CB350X ADV render went live early last week. Based on the CB350 platform, Honda has patented both CB350 Scrambler and CB350 ADV. Recent render was finished off in Royal Enfield Himalayan’s colourways, which was the highlight. This upcoming vehicle is likely to become a reality, owing to the massive surge in lifestyle products in India.Kawasaki Vulcan S Discounts March 20242. Kawasaki DiscountsIf you were keen on becoming a part of Team Green, this might be a good time. Kawasaki has revealed benefits of up to Rs. 60,000 depending on motorcycles. These benefits are bundled under Kawasaki Good Times Voucher offer, which can be directly redeemed on select motorcycle’s ex-sh price.Upcoming Ampere Scooter Creates Two Records3. Ampere’s Un-named Scooter Bagged 2 RecordsUnder the Ampere brand, Greaves Cotton is poised to launch their most tech-laden halo product in the market soon. This un-named scooter is touted as “The Nex Big Thing” and is yet to launch. This scooter is embarking on the Kashmir to Kanyakumari (K2K) journey and ahead of launch, it has bagged 2 accolades in India Book of Record for ‘Biggest Electric Scooter Brand Logo Drawn on White Sands’ and ‘First Electric Scooter to Tow a Pickup Truck’.2024 KTM RC And Adventure Range Launched4. 2024 KTM RC and Adventure Lineup LaunchedIf you’re thinking KTM is plonking the newer 399cc engine with RC and Adventure lineup with MY2024 update, this ain’t it. However, KTM is giving new colourways with 390 Adventure, 250 Adventure, RC 125, RC 200 and RC 390. The new Black shade offered with RC 200 and RC 125 is one of the more subtle one and is worth looking into.Ather Rizta Sabse Bada Seat Billboard In Mumbai5. Ather Rizta Launch On Community DayOn April 6th, 2024, Ather Energy has scheduled its Community Day event. This is the platform where the company will unveil its upcoming affordable family scooter, Rizta. The company’s marketing for Rizta includes Sabse Bada Seat billboard in Mumbai. Other than Rizta, Ather is poised to launch AtherStack 6 OTA update along with a secret smart accessory.6. Bajaj’s Never-Ending TrademarksLast week, Bajaj added 4 new name trademarks to its already extensive vault of name trademarks. The latest ones are Trekker, Glider, Freedom and Marathon. One of these recent name trademarks, or any of the countless other names is likely to adorn Bajaj’s upcoming CNG bike that could launch by the end of 2024. Marathon seems like a fitting name, doesn’t it?Royal Enfield Classic 6507. Royal Enfield Classic 650Wanted a Classic 350 with more oomph? Well, Royal Enfield has your back as the company is continuing to test Classic 650 to the gills. Recently, this upcoming motorcycle was spotted in Chennai, revealing the sound of its lovely dual exhaust setup. Launch could happen by the end of this year.2024 Tata DARK SUV Range – Harrier8. Tata Launched MY2024 Dark Edition ModelsLately, when I hear the word Dark, my mind adjoins the word Edition. That’s because of the stunning new set of Dark Edition vehicles Tata recently launched. For 2024, Dark Edition lineup includes Nexon, Nexon EV, Harrier and Safari. Hands down, the cleanest and stealthiest among their respective rivals.MG Hector Shine Pro and Select Pro Launched9. MG Updates Its PortfolioMG is actively updating its portfolio. After the launch of 2024 Astor, MG has updated variant lineup and pricing with ZS EV, Comet EV and Hector brothers. The company’s flagship Gloster facelift is under testing and might launch by the end of this year.BYD Seal EV Launched In India10. BYD Seal Electric Sedan LaunchedWith a killer price tag, BYD launched its third vehicle in India. Named Seal, this is an electric sedan that starts from Rs. 41 lakh. Top-spec Performance trim is the one to go for. It brings a larger 82.5 kWh battery, dual motor AWD layout with a combined 530 PS of peak power and 670 Nm. 0-100 km/h comes up in 3.8 seconds and the price is only Rs. 53 lakh (ex-sh).Hyundai Venue Executive Turbo Features11. Hyundai Venue Executive Turbo LaunchedHyundai has positioned a new trim level in Venue’s variant lineup. Called Executive Turbo, this is the new base model for Venue’s turbo petrol lineup and it costs Rs. 10 lakh (ex-sh). Hyundai has positioned it below the previous base Turbo Petrol model, S (O) undercutting it by Rs. 40,000 (ex-sh).Hyundai Creta N Line Sporty Interiors12. Hyundai Creta N LineSticking with Hyundai, the company has revealed official interior pictures of its upcoming sporty Creta N Line. The new red elements on the inside look sporty and complement the overall appeal that Hyundai is going for. Ahead of launch, Creta N Line has been reaching dealerships too.Ford Endeavour and Ranger at Chennai Port13. Ford India Imported Everest (Endeavour) SUV and Ranger PickupThis is by far the juiciest update of last week in the Indian automotive market. Ford could be re-evaluating plans to re-start manufacturing presence in India. Ford has imported Everest SUV and Ranger pickup truck, likely to analyse market feasibility. Pictures of them unloaded at the port and carried to Ford’s Chennai plant on flatbed trucks were notable developments. More

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    Electric 2W Sales Feb 2024 – Ola, TVS, Bajaj, Ather, Hero, Okaya, Revolt, Kinetic

    Ola Electric ScooterOla Electric along with TVS Motor led the electric 2W segment in February 2024 with a near 60 percent market shareIn February 2024, the electric vehicle segment in India posted a total of 1,40,611 unit retail sales as per data released by Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). This was a slight decline over 1,44,640 units sold in January 2023. As compared to electric cars and electric three wheelers, the electric two wheeler segment receives the most attention. Despite higher acquisition costs, the saving on fuel and lower maintenance costs are a major attraction to buyers in this segment. Newer and more improved models are being introduced and improvement in battery technology leading to extended range is a particular focus which has drawn buyers to its fold.Electric 2W Sales February 2024 – YoY and MoM GrowthElectric two wheeler sales grew to 82,237 units in February 2024, up 24.43 percent YoY over 66,090 units sold in February 2023. It was a very marginal growth of 0.77 percent when compared to January 2024 sales which had stood at 81,608 units.Electric 2W Sales Feb 2024 – FADAOnce again it was Ola Electric that led the segment. Ola’s portfolio currently comprises the S1 X+ , S1 Pro and S1 Air and the company has recently reduced prices across model range. The S1 X+ model now costs Rs 84,999 following a price reduction of 25,000. S1 Pro is now at Rs 1,29,999 from an earlier Rs 1,47,499 while S1 Air pricing is reduced to Rs 1,04,999 from Rs 1,19,999. Ola sales last month escalated 90.43 percent YoY to 33,846 units from 17,773 units sold in February 2023 while its MoM sales also improved by 4.94 percent from 32,252 units sold in January 2024.TVS Motor followed at No. 2 with a YoY growth to 14,537 units in February 2024 from 12,675 units sold in the same month last year. It was however a 4.51 percent MoM decline over 15,224 units sold in January 2024. TVS iQube electric scooter was also at No.8 on the list of top 10 scooter sales in January 2024. It is offered in two variants priced from Rs 87,691 and boasts an impressive 145 km range on a single charge.Electric 2W Sales Feb 2024 vs Feb 2023 – YoY comparisonBajaj Chetak has been a resounding success ever since it was launched. Sales in the past month stood at 11,699 units, a 360.95 percent YoY growth from 2,538 units sold in February 2023. MoM sales also increased by 8.03 percent from 10,829 units sold in January 2024. Bajaj Chetak is very well put together in terms of build, feature and connectivity offering a top speed of 73 km/h and maximum range of 126 kms.Ather Energy Sales Dip YoY and MoMAther Energy has seen lackluster sales last month. There were 9,004 unit retail sales in February 2024, down 10.59 percent when compared to 10,071 units sold in February 2023 while MoM sales fell by 2.63 percent from 9,247 units sold in January 2024. Ather hopes to see improved sales with the new Rizta e-scooter poised for launch at the Ather Community Day in Bengaluru. It has been spied on test and shows off the largest and widest seat in its segment.Greaves Electric Mobility, with its electric two wheeler brand Ampere accounted for 2,484 unit retail sales last month. This was a 1523.53 percent YoY growth from just 153 units sold in February 2023 while MoM sales also saw a growth of 5.61 percent from 2,353 units sold in January 2024. Ampere is set to introduce a new scooter in the electric two wheeler segment which is currently showing off its skills on a road trip from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and setting records ahead of its official launch by the end of 2024.Electric 2W Sales Feb 2024 vs Jan 2024 – MoM comparisonHero MotoCorp electric 2W retail sales went up to 1,753 units in the past month showing YoY and MoM growth from 304 units sold in February 2023 and 1,491 units sold in January 2024. It was followed by BGauss with 1,349 units sold in February 2024 relating to 102.25 percent YoY hike from 667 units sold in February 2023 while MoM sales dipped 9.16 percent.Electric 2W Sales at Sub-1000 units In February 2024Lower down the sales list but unable to amass sales above the 1000 unit mark was WardWizard with 841 units sold last month. This was a YoY growth of 291.16 percent but a MoM decline by 13.74 percent. Okinawa sales dipped both YoY and MoM to 660 units while Okaya EV sales fell 46.67 percent YoY to 657 units in February 2024 from 1,232 units sold in February 2023. MoM sales however improved by 13.47 percent from 576 units sold in January 2024. Okaya sells 7 electric scooters in India with prices starting at Rs 74,499.The retail sales list of electric 2 wheeler also included Kinetic Green (633 units), Pur Energy (499 units), Revolt (478 units) and Quantum Energy (445 units) out of which Quantum Green has seen a 1248.48 percent YoY growth from just 33 units sold in February 2023. Other electric two wheeler manufacturers contributed 3,352 units to total sales last month, a massive 77.94 percent YoY and 19.03 percent MoM decline over 15,198 units and 4,140 units sold in February 2023 and January 2024 respectively. More

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    Tata EV Discounts March 2024 – Nexon, Tiago, Tigor

    Image – Pranay TidkeDiscount offers on Tata EVs are available for both 2023 and 2024 models, with the former getting a much higher value of benefitsTo clear unsold stock, Tata Motors has announced attractive cash discounts and exchange bonus on its EVs. The scheme is valid for Nexon, Tiago and Tigor. Punch EV is not part of this discount scheme, as it was launched recently in January 2024. It is to note that Tata had announced similar discount offers in December 2023 and February 2024 as well. A specific portion of discounts could be linked to the reduction in prices of battery packs.Tata Nexon EV Pre-facelift discount – Up to Rs 3.15 lakhPre-facelift 2023 version of Tata Nexon EV has Prime and Max variants. The latter gets the highest cash discount of Rs 2.65 lakh. Customers are also eligible for an exchange bonus of Rs 50,000. Total benefits on pre-facelift Nexon EV Max are thus Rs 3.15 lakh. In case of Nexon EV Prime, the cash discount amount is Rs 2.30 lakh. An exchange bonus of Rs 50k is also applicable.Tata Nexon EV FaceliftNexon EV Prime is equipped with a 30.2 kWh battery pack that supplies power to a 129 hp electric motor. ARAI-certified range is 312 km. In comparison, Nexon EV Max has a 40.5 kWh battery and a 143 hp electric motor. ARAI-certified range is 437 km.Tata Nexon EV facelift discount – Up to Rs 50,000Latest facelift version of Nexon EV does not get any cash discount or exchange bonus. However, there’s a green bonus of Rs 50,000 applicable on units manufactured in 2023. The ones manufactured in 2024 are eligible for a green bonus of Rs 20,000. Nexon EV facelift is offered in MR (medium range) and LR (long range) variants.Tata EV Discounts March 2024The MR variant has a 30.2 kWh battery, with ARAI-certified range of 325 km. The LR variant has a 40.5 kWh battery, with a range of 465 km. Performance numbers are 129 hp and 215 Nm for MR and 145 hp and 215 Nm for LR variant. Both variants are now available with a 7.2 kW AC charger as standard. Charging time from 10 to 100 percent for MR variant is 4.3 hours. The LR variant takes 6 hours.Tata Tiago EV discounts – Up to Rs 65,000Folks buying Tiago EV MY2023 model will get a green bonus of Rs 50,000 and an exchange bonus of Rs 15,000. For the 2024 model, the benefits include an exchange bonus of Rs 25,000 and an exchange offer of Rs 10,000. Tiago EV has two variants – Medium Range and Long Range. The former has a 19.2 kWh battery and generates 61 hp and 110 Nm. It has a MIDC range of 250 km. The Long Range variant has a 24-kWh battery and churns out 74 hp and 114 Nm. It has a MIDC range of 315 km.Tata Tigor EV discounts – Up to Rs 1.05 lakhDiscount offers on Tata Tiago EV are applicable only on units manufactured in 2023. Buyers can get a cash discount of Rs 75,000 and an exchange bonus of Rs 30,000. Total benefits are worth Rs 1.05 lakh. Tigor EV is equipped with a 26-kWh battery pack. The permanent magnet synchronous electric motor generates 75 hp and 170 Nm. ARAI-certified range is 315 km. More

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    Royal Enfield Classic 650 Thump Sound Detailed In New Spy Video

    Royal Enfield Classic 650Expected to be positioned as an affordable option in 650cc range, Classic 650 will borrow styling bits from the smaller capacity Classic 350Royal Enfield’s strategy to introduce new products at regular intervals has allowed the company to dominate the 350cc and 650cc motorcycle segments. In 2024, Royal Enfield started its innings with the Shotgun 650 in January. More new launches are expected this year, one of which will be Classic 650.Royal Enfield Classic 650 Thump SoundAs the top selling Classic 350 is preferred for its timeless design, it is likely that a similar set of features will be seen with the upcoming Classic 650. Some of the key highlights include circular headlamp, wide handlebar, curvy fuel tank, retro front and rear fenders and circular tail lamp. Both wire spoke and alloy wheel options are expected to be available.Royal Enfield Classic 650A circular instrument dial is likely, as seen with other new Royal Enfield bikes such as Himalayan 450 and Shotgun 650. The upcoming Classic 650 will be available with some exciting colour choices. Thanks to automotive enthusiast Revanth, we now have an idea how the thump of the upcoming Classic 650 sounds.With RE’s new tubular steel frame, users can expect Classic 650 to deliver comfortable rides. The chassis has a low centre of gravity built in, which ensures optimal stability across various riding environments. Seat height is expected to be around 800 mm, ensuring adequate control and handling.[embedded content]The standard forks at front will be paired with preload adjustable twin shocks at rear. Braking setup is likely to have 320 mm and 300 mm discs at front and rear, respectively. Dual-channel ABS will be offered as standard.Royal Enfield Classic 650Powering the bike will be the 648 cc, parallel twin, SOHC, air-oil cooled engine that churns out 47 PS of max power and 52.3 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a constant mesh 6-speed gearbox. The engine is known for its effortless throttle response, seamless gear shifts and powerful low-end acceleration. It is possible that the engine performance could be tweaked slightly in line with Classic 650’s cruiser profile.Royal Enfield Classic 650 PricingRoyal Enfield could be offered at a starting price of around Rs 3 lakh to Rs 3.20 lakh. At the time of launch, it won’t have any direct rivals in the price range. As Classic 650 will be positioned as an affordable option in the 650cc segment, it may not get premium features.Royal Enfield Classic 650For example, it will miss out on features such as USD forks and RE’s new Tripper dash. Or, these features could be offered as optional via Royal Enfield’s Make It Yours (MIY) customization platform. Features to be offered as standard with Classic 650 could include the engine bay in silver finish and conventional telescopic forks at front.Royal Enfield Classic 650Premium features such as Wingman could also be optional with Classic 650. A connectivity suite, the Royal Enfield Wingman is offered with select bikes such as Super Meteor 650. It can be used with the Royal Enfield App. Some of the key features include grid support, trip summary, vehicle alert, live tracking and last parked location. More

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    Bajaj Newest Trademarks Could Hold Name To Upcoming CNG Bike

    Bajaj Triumph 250cc Motorcycle – RenderAs opposed to the previous names trademarked, Bajaj newest trademarks could potentially be employed on an upcoming motorcycleOne of India’s leading 2W and 3W manufacturer, Bajaj Auto, currently holds 4th position in Indian 2W market, where volume is concerned. Bajaj is primarily known for its Pulsar line of sporty commuters and more offerings are expected to stack up. But what names do their upcoming bikes take?Bajaj Newest TrademarksWe all know Bajaj’s love affair with name trademarks. If there were a competition among all the 2W manufacturers operating in India comparing which OEM holds the highest number of trademarks, Bajaj would win that competition, hands down. Among the vast repository of Bajaj’s name trademarks, the company has added four new names.Bajaj Trekker Name TrademarkedBefore laying down the newest trademarks, let’s take a look at what Bajaj already has in its name trademark vault. We have Racer, Hammer, Swing, Genie, Freerider, Caliber, Twinner, Neuron, Eleganz, Vincent, Darkstar, Pulsar Elan, Pulsar Eleganz, Blade, Technik, Tecnica, Fluir, Fluor.Late last year, Bajaj added Zinger, Bomber, Elixir and Aura names to its already vast repository. I’m sure Bajaj holds many more name trademarks other than what we mentioned above. Surfaced in 2024, the most recent names that Bajaj has trademarked are Freedom, Trekker, Glider and Marathon.Bajaj Freedom Name TrademarkedIs Marathon or Freedom the name for upcoming CNG bike?Given that Bajaj is a massive brand, these names could have multiple uses on both 2W and 3W applications sold and marketed in India. The company is keen on launching its first CNG powered motorcycle. The recently trademarked names could end up on this motorcycle, or any other past names trademarked, for that matter.Bajaj Glider Name TrademarkedWe think Freedom or Marathon would be fitting names for Bajaj’s upcoming CNG motorcycle. Freedom name may stand for freedom from petrol fuel or Marathon could indicate the high efficiency of this CNG motorcycle. However, it can get any name that Bajaj chooses worthy. The company recently updated two of its Puslar lines with modern features, in-demand and trending features.In that regard, we saw Pulsar N160 and Pulsar N150 get a fully digital instrument cluster. The same was also offered with Pulsar NS160 and Pulsar NS200, with added features like turn-by-turn navigation and the likes. There are spy shots showing an updated Pulsar N250 with a fully digital instrument screen and USD front forks.Bajaj Marathon Name TrademarkedThe same update on N250 could make it to Pulsar F250 as well. Other than that, Bajaj Auto CEO, Rajiv Bajaj, has hinted at the launch of “biggest ever Pulsar” by the end of FY 2023-2024, which is by the end of this month. Probability of Bajaj launching Dominar 400 as Pulsar 400 is pretty high, considering there are no spy shots of the upcoming motorcycle, while launch is nearing. More

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    2W Retail Sales Feb 2024 – Hero, Honda, TVS, Enfield, Yamaha, Ola, Ather, Jawa

    Ola Electric ScooterHero MotoCorp along with Honda together added to a 53.4% market share with outstanding YoY growth in retail sales in February 2024As per reports from Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), two wheeler retail sales grew to 14,39,523 units in February 2024. This was a 13.25 percent YoY growth over 12,71,073 units sold in February 2023. It was however, a marginal MoM de-growth of 1.32 percent from 14,58,849 units sales in January 2024. Increased demand across the rural sector, new and better performing model launches coupled with Government policies with regard to electric two wheelers, the latter of which also ideally serve for last mile connectivity, have all contributed to these increased sales.Two Wheeler Retail Sales February 2024Hero MotoCorp along with Honda posted stellar performance to command a combined total of 53.4 percent market share. The country’s largest two wheeler maker, Hero MotoCorp reported sales of 4,13,470 units in the past month. This was YoY growth over 3,91,044 units sold in February 2023 though market share came down to 28.72 percent from 30.76 percent YoY.2W Retail Sales Feb 2024Honda two wheeler sales stood at 3,55,223 units in February 2024, up from 3,02,833 units sold in February 2023. The company was in attendance at the 2024 Bharat Mobility Expo with its flex fuel two wheeler lineup on display along with its electric scooters that are set to receive their batteries from Honda Power Pack Energy India. Honda also gears up for launch of a new Scrambler and ADV. At No. 3 was TVS Motor with 2,47,880 units sold in February 2024, a growth of 2,11,988 units sold in February 2023 to command a 17.22 percent market share. It was the company’s iQube electric two wheeler that played a major role in improving its sales trajectory.Bajaj Auto delivered 1,71,155 units in February 2024 relating to a significant YoY growth over 1,40,053 units sold in the same month last year. The Pulsar series are the company’s best-sellers which will be henceforth boosted by the new NS125, initial examples of which have just made their way into company showrooms. This new Pulsar NS125 is being introduced following earlier launch of the new Pulsar NS160 and NS200. 2024 Pulsar NS125 is priced at Rs 1.05 lakh, making it around Rs 5,000 costlier than its outgoing counterpart.2W Retail Sales Feb 2024Two wheeler makers that also reported YoY growth in retail sales included Suzuki with 73,167 units sold last month. Royal Enfield has seen its YoY sales dip to 64,708 units in February 2024 from 65,128 units sold in the same month last year. India Yamaha Motors reported sales growth to 53,114 units last month from 42,821 units sold in February 2023. Yamaha marks a significant achievement as it establishes 300 Blue Square outlets in India. Introduced through the ‘The Call of the Blue’ Campaign, these Premium Outlets proudly display Yamaha’s profound Racing DNA. Each Blue Square outlet presents Yamaha’s exclusive collection of premium two-wheelers, apparel, and accessories.Electric Two Wheeler Retail Sales February 2024With demand in the electric two wheeler segment improving by leaps and bounds, Ola Electric has seen sales improve to 33,846 units last month. This was over 17,773 units sold in February 2023. It was also a MoM growth from 32,252 units sold in January 2024. Ola recently updated the S1 X with new colour schemes and also recently announced an extension of discounts scheme on the entire Ola S1 range till 31st March 2024.Ather Energy saw its sales dip to 9,004 units last month from 10,071 units sold in February 2023 while it will soon see outstanding sales growth with the new Rizta electric scooter which will come in with the longest and widest seat in its segment or across the entire two wheeler segment. The new Rizta is slated to be priced around Rs 1.25 lakh to Rs 1.35 lakh (ex-showroom) while it will compete against TVS iQube S and Ola S1 series. Greaves Mobility (Ampere EV) saw good sales growth to 2,484 units last month from just 153 units sold in February 2023. There is the new Ampere electric scooter “The Nex Big Thing”, which has received mention in the India Book of Record ahead of launch. Ampere NXG is slated to be priced around Rs. 1.50 lakh (ex-showroom) positioning it in the premium range of electric scooters among which are the likes of Ola S1 Pro, Ather 450X, Vida V1, Bajaj Chetak and TVS iQube.The list also included Piaggio (2,886 units) while Classic Legends (Jawa / Yezdi) sales dipped to 2,556 units last month from 3,214 units sold in February 2023. There were other two wheeler OEMs in this segment that also included electric two wheeler makers who have contributed 10,030 units to total retail sales. However, this was a YoY de-growth over 23,977 units sold in February 2023. More

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    Bajaj Biggest Pulsar Ever Launch By March 31st? Is It A Rebadged Dominar 400?

    Image for reference onlyCurrently Dominar sales are nowhere close to Pulsar’s and rebadging Dominar 400 as Pulsar 400 could prove a strategic moveThe 300cc to 500cc single cylinder motorcycle segment has seen a lot of action in the recent past. This is currently a hot segment that will yield good profitability for OEMs. Hopping on this train is Bajaj, with its “Biggest Pulsar ever” launch in the pipeline. Bajaj Auto CEO has hinted about the bike’s launch.Bajaj Biggest Pulsar Ever Launch Sooner Than LaterEver since its launch, Pulsar has been the staple premium commuter in Indian market. Pulsar line has irked the fancy of both commuters and thrill seekers alike for its capability of appealing to both audiences. Fast forwarding to 2024, Bajaj is currently struggling to make a mark with its newer and larger Pulsar models.Hence necessitating re-launch of Pulsar 220. Bajaj’s newest Pulsar 250 platform has seen mixed reception from Indian buyers too. On the brighter side of things, larger Pulsars still have a lot of pull and demand when compared to its flagship Dominar lineup. Bajaj Auto CEO, Rajiv Bajaj has confirmed the launch of “biggest Pulsar ever” soon.But how soon? According to what Mr Bajaj had mentioned, the company is launching 6 new Pulsars by the end of this FY. We can count four Pulsars already launched in the form of 2024 versions of updated Pulsar N150, Pulsar N160, Pulsar NS160 and Pulsar NS200. There are two more remaining and one of them is “biggest Pulsar ever”.2024 Bajaj Pulsar NS 200As per the hinted timeline a couple of months ago, Bajaj biggest Pulsar ever could launch by the end of this month. FY 2023-2024 ends on March 31st, with two Puslars short of launching. One Pulsar launch might be new and updated 2024 N250 with USD front forks and a new fully digital instrument cluster, which has already been spotted in testing.Is it a rebadged Dominar 400?Biggest Pulsar ever may be a Pulsar NS or a Pulsar RS with a larger engine. But which engine? Is it the same 250cc engine as Pulsar N250 and Pulsar F250? Is it KTM’s older 373cc engine used in Dominar 400? Or is it KTM’s newer 399cc engine that made its debut with 2024 390 Duke and recently launched with Husqvarna Svartpilen 401?Or is it the same 398cc engine that is found on Triumph’s new Speed 400 and Scrambler 400X? Bizarrely, Bajaj could even discontinue Dominar lineup and absorb Dominar 400 and Dominar 250 under Pulsar brand too. Mahindra did something similar with its TUV lineup and brought it under the more popular Bolero brand, which worked wonders for TUV.New Bajaj Pulsar N150 and N160 top variantsFueling our speculation, there are no spy shots spotted or reported of Bajaj biggest Pulsar ever. If Bajaj can use Dominar name on Pulsars, it can use Pulsar name on Dominar. So, Dominar 400 as Pulsar 400 might be a reality. Time is ticking for Bajaj, if the company would have to stick with Rajiv Bajaj’s indicated timeline of launching two more Pulsars by the end of FY 2023-2024. More

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    Mahindra XUV.e9 Triple-Screen Dashboard Spotted In Action

    Mahindra XUV.e9 triple screen spiedAs opposed to the current dual-screen layout on XUV700, Mahindra XUV.e9 triple-screen dashboard will give front passenger their own screenMany car makers these days claim to be India’s largest SUV makers. But if there is one brand synonymous with SUVs, it has to be Mahindra. Taking that perception further, Mahindra is making big moves and investing heavily in electric mobility solutions. XUV.e9 is one of those SUVs and testing for the same continues.Mahindra XUV.e9 Triple-Screen DashboardThe company’s SUV portfolio is very diesel heavy and the majority of its SUVs are based on old-school ladder frame chassis. However, Mahindra is expanding its portfolio with monocoque vehicles and XUV700 is the most premium vehicle among these. This vehicle is spawning an electric sibling soon, in the form of XUV.e8.Mahindra XUV.e9 triple screen spiedAlso, XUV.e8 is further spawning a Coupe version which is XUV.e9. In essence, XUV.e9 is the coupe version of XUV.e8, which in turn, is an electric version of XUV700 ICE vehicle already on sale in India and Australasia. Director of movie Inception, Christopher Nolan, would be impressed with Mahindra’s upcoming portfolio, for sure.Mahindra is employing a triple-screen dashboard layout with XUV.e8 and XUV.e9. Which could prove to be among their primary strengths. With the recently spotted XUV.e9 test mule, we can see all three of these horizontal displays lit up and in action. One might wonder why an extra screen for the front passenger.Mahindra XUV.e9 rear LED tail lightLike Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders would say, because Mahindra can. If they can, they will. The dashboard is now dominated by this slab of black glass that houses three horizontal displays side-by-side. Only the central infotainment and left-end passenger display are touchscreens.Mahindra XUV.e9 FrontSpecs & featuresWith the XUV.e8 prototype demonstrated in UK, we can see that Mahindra is still sticking to traditional knobs and buttons for crucial functions like climate controls, and hazard lights, along with proper stalks on steering wheel for headlights and wiper controls. The same could carry over with XUV.e9 as well.Other notable changes include a 2-spoke steering wheel, a slightly redesigned centre console and more. Design and styling are primary highlights of XUV.e9 coupe SUV. Stylish profile, and large swanky wheels grab attention. Recently spotted XUV.e9 test mule exudes massive road presence with a wide body, connecting LED tail lights, prominent front LED signature and more.Where powertrains are concerned, the Mahindra XUV.e9 will be positioned on the brand’s new born electric INGLO platform with export aspirations. Battery capacity will be between 60 kWh to 80 kWh and there will be single-motor and dual-motor AWD options as well. More