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    Finding a Brand's Best Car: Window Shop with Car and Driver

    Our readers and viewers tend to have good ideas, so we went with a crowd-sourced challenge for this week’s episode of Window Shop. With the budget set at $200,000, the prompt was to find the best car that any given brand ever made—the epitome of the brand, if you will, although this salient point caused much debate throughout the various presentations.Miraculously, none of us picked the same brand, and our five choices included three General Motors divisions—Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Buick—plus Nissan and Lamborghini. Care to hazard a guess who picked which? Our tastes are probably getting predictable at this point, and for this episode the crew was made up of K.C. Colwell, John Pearley Huffman, Tony Quiroga, Jonathon Ramsey, and Joey Capparella.The cars themselves came from a wide range of decades including the 1980s, the 1990s, the 2000s, plus a car with a body from the 1950s but lots of newer parts underneath. This “restomod” created much consternation among our panelists about authenticity. Elsewhere, an Australian-built V-8 sedan prompted calls of hypocrisy, a V-12 supercar lead to questions about currency exchange rates, and two turbocharged V-6 coupes each incited discussions of exactly how impressive various acceleration numbers were for their time.See all this, and more, in the episode above. And please, keep the suggestions coming—we’re always looking for new ideas.

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    2023 Subaru Crosstrek Special Edition Is New Khaki-Colored Model

    The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek lineup adds a new trim level called the Special Edition.Along with exclusive Desert Khaki paint, it has dark gray 17-inch wheels, black body trim, and a red-and-black interior.The Special Edition is basically a $600 design package that’s available on the $27,370 Premium trim fitted with the CVT.Khaki has long been a popular color of cargo pants and military garb. It’s also the exclusive paint job for the 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Special Edition, which is a new addition to the lineup. With the unique exterior color comes black body trim (badges, door handles, grille bar, and mirror caps) as well as dark grey 17-inch wheels that are shared with the pricier Sport model.

    Officially called Desert Khaki, we think the Crosstrek wears the new hue well. However, while Subaru’s marketing team would like people to think the Special Edition is an overland-oriented model, it’s pretty obvious that it’s basically just a $600 appearance package that’s reserved for Premium models equipped with the 152-hp 2.0-liter flat-four and continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). They have a starting price of $27,370; the Special Edition costs $27,970. It’s simple subtraction, folks.As such, the Crosstrek Special Edition comes with all the same equipment as the Premium trim level. This list of standard features includes heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a drive mode with hill-descent control, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist. The Special Edition also comes standard with the larger 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that costs extra on the Premium.

    Subaru

    Among the special interior appointments in the new Special Edition is red-and-black cloth upholstery. Red contrast stitching also appers on myriad surfaces throughout the cabin. While Subaru didn’t release many images of the interior, you can catch a glimpse for yourself once the 2023 Crosstreks reach dealers starting this summer.
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    Yamaha Electric Scooter Leasing Business Starts In India

    Yamaha Motors’ Moto Business Service India (MBSI) invests in Zypp Electric to launch 250 Hero Electric scooter in DelhiImage for reference.Yamaha Motors 2-Wheeler Asset Management Services, Moto Business Service India (MBSI) has now commenced business in Delhi. The mobility solutions company caters to services for tech startup companies. This focuses on shared mobility space in India. The first investment in Zypp Electric caters to the launch of 250 Hero Electric scooters in New Delhi.Zypp Electric orchestrates last-mile delivery service to E-commerce segments. Applications are widespread including logistics, groceries, food and pharma sectors. The goal is to develop sustainable, attrition free and affordable delivery paths.Yamaha Electric Scooter Leasing Business focuses on increasing vehicles on shared/rental platforms. This in turn creates employment opportunities by supporting business growth of mobility platforms. And all roads lead to a cleaner and greener environment, which is why investing in the EV segment is the way forward.Electric scooters for last mile deliveryYamaha Electric Scooter Leasing Business MBSI explores avenues to work with last-mile delivery platforms. And their interest pivots around companies deploying e2Ws and e3Ws. A strong push for sustainable delivery channels encourages more delivery executives to rely on electric mobility.Zypp Electric ScooterDeliveries whether at business level or doorstep are now a part and parcel of urban living. And switching to sustainable mobility translates to substantial reduction in fuel emissions. Zypp currently deploys a fleet of 5,000 electric scooters. Following Delhi, expansion plans include Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune in 2022. Growth is being fostered by adding 1000-1500 EVs each month. Plans are afoot to add 1,50,000 EVs to its fleet by 2024. This will foster sustainable last mile delivery in India. The company is keen to customize its fleet as per delivery specifics, while providing IoT support.Switch Delhi EV charging portalDelhi Government policy updates mandate logistic companies and aggregators to go 100 percent electric by 2025. To support the goal, EV charging stations are being built in quick time. To promote EV adoption, the Switch Delhi portal can be used so users can opt for a private EV charging point installed. This includes at their homes, group housing societies, multistorey apartment complexes, RWAs’ offices and commercial shops through vendors.Such charging stations are also to be installed in government offices. This will enable employees and the general public to charge vehicles. With systemic changes being articulated, changes at the ground level are starting to take shape.Yamaha Leasing and Zypp ElectricShoji Shiraishi, Managing Director, MBSI says, “We are extremely excited to officially launch MBSI in New Delhi, by kick-starting our operations with Zypp Electric. The Indian electric vehicle mobility market is growing in line with the overall global trend and will see rapid traction and growth for shared two-wheelers and four-wheelers in the EV segment.We need to create an evolving ecosystem that can address all challenges and enable millions of businesses to adopt sustainable modes of transport. We plan to work with more environment friendly mobility companies in the future and to transform the overall shared mobility space in India by bringing our financial and strategic experience from our stakeholders.” More

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    2022 Honda CB250R Updated With New Features – 145 Kgs

    Due to the presence of its bigger sibling CB300R, Honda CB250R launch in India is very highly unlikely2022 Honda CB250R – New updatesOne of Japanese Big Four (Japan’s largest motorcycle manufacturers Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki, in no particular order), Honda is known to launch all sorts of motorcycles in its home country. Despite being one of the biggest motorcycle markets, India is not very fortunate to get all motorcycles Honda sells. One such motorcycle is the recently launched CB250R.CB series of motorcycles are quintessentially street motorcycles that consist of a wide variety of engines ranging in various displacements. Whereas CBR is a series consisting of fully-faired motorcycles. Some of the most notable CB motorcycles are CB150R, CB250R, CB300R, CB500F, CB650R and CB1000R.2022 Honda CB250R LaunchedThis quarter-litre cracker comes in the lower end of the CB range and has a decent balance between everyday rideability, touring and occasional track day. It replaces the CB250R that was sold before with some thoughtful changes and feature upgrades.It still gets front USD forks from Showa. But this time, they’re SFF-BP (Separate Function Fork – Big Piston) units that boast more bump absorption capability and are lighter in weight. That’s the whole theme with this 2022 Honda CB250R, weight. Or the lack thereof. Because, this 250 cc motorcycle has a kerb weight of a mere 145 kg. It is very impressive considering the fact that a KTM 125 Duke with a 125 cc engine weighs 159 kg.2022 Honda CB250R – New updatesOther upgrades include a slip and assist clutch ensuring smooth shifts and the fully-digital instrument cluster now gets a gear position indicator which was missing in the previous model. Other notable features of 2022 Honda CB250R are a 10.5 litre fuel tank and a very user-friendly 795 mm seat height. It also gets a single disc at both ends and comes with dual-channel ABS as standard. With a low kerb weight of 145 kg, we can say that the braking will be very impressive on this motorcycle.Engine & LaunchThis quarter-litre motorcycle comes with a, well, a quarter-litre engine. It is a single-cylinder, liquid-cooled 249 cc engine producing 26.8 bhp and 23 Nm. These are very good figures for a 250 cc motorcycle.If we factor in the low kerb weight of 145 kg, Honda CB250R has a very impressive power-weight ratio. This engine is mated to a 6-speed transmission and with the addition of slip and assist clutch on the new update, we can expect smoother gear shifts.2022 Honda CB250R – New updatesHonda is unlikely to bring this motorcycle to India. Even though Kawasaki India doesn’t have a single-cylinder street or sports motorcycle in India, we have the other two of the Japanese Big Four, Yamaha and Suzuki. From Yamaha’s stables, we have the FZ25 and from Suzuki stables, we have Gixxer 250.We have Honda’s own CB300R which is a bigger sibling to CB250R. From Bajaj’s stables, we have ‘The Fastest Indian’ Pulsar N250. With equipment like Showa USD forks, slipper clutch and Honda’s pricing strategy in India, it’s not a stretch to imagine the high price tag that 2022 CB250R would’ve borne. More

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    Bajaj Chetak Electric Scooter 1st Unit Rolls Out Of New Plant

    Bajaj’s new plant at Akurdi, Maharashtra is capable of manufacturing 5 lakh electric vehicles annuallyBajaj Chetak Electric Scooter – Production starts at new plant todayBajaj has been the largest three-wheeled vehicle manufacturer in the world for a very long time. It is one of the largest and most valuable motorcycle manufacturers in the world too. Bajaj has a stupendous global presence in the world with operations firmly set in 70 different countries.Bajaj is the largest exporter of motorcycles from India and also boasts that 2 of every 3 motorcycles sold internationally, proudly carry a Bajaj badge on them. The Indian 2 & 3-wheeler manufacturing giant has sold over 18 million motorcycles worldwide making them ‘The World’s Favourite Indian’.Bajaj is also the first two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturing company to have grossed Rs. 1 Trillion in market capitalisation. They have started increasing focus in the electric vehicle segment. Chetak Technology Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bajaj Auto Ltd set up with the ambition of shifting India towards a greener future.Bajaj Chetak New PlantCelebrating the 84th birth anniversary of late Shri Rahul Bajaj, Chetak Technology Ltd inaugurated their newly built manufacturing facility at Akurdi, Maharashtra. This is a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility with cutting-edge technology dedicated to manufacturing electric two-wheelers only.Mr Rajiv Bajaj, Chairman – Chetak Technology LtdBajaj considers this new manufacturing facility as a stepping stone towards Chetak’s rich heritage. Because it was at Akurdi, that the iconic Chetak brand was first formulated and took shape. It was from Akurdi, that the Chetak brand went on to redefine the Indian scooter industry for generations to come. For Chetak, this definitely is a homecoming and we couldn’t be more glad.After the fall of an iconic legacy, Chetak brand is reincarnated by Bajaj, but this time, in an EV avatar. Chetak made a comeback in 2019 as an EV after meticulous testing and has stirred the electric scooter market. Bajaj has sold over 14,000 units of Chetak EV and has yet to fulfill over 16,000 bookings. Chetak’s new plant at Akurdi is capable of quickly ramping up the production to accommodate 5,00,000 electric two-wheelers per year.Chetak’s new EV manufacturing plant at Akurdi spans over 5,00,000 sq/ft of land also incorporating a state-of-the-art R&D centre. With this move, Akurdi plant aims to be a manufacturing hub for design, development and production of EVs. Chetak and its vendor partners will be jointly investing a sum of around Rs. 750 crore into this new EV manufacturing facility. This facility is also expected to generate employment for 11,000 people when running at full capacity.First unit of Bajaj Chetak electric scooter rolls out of new Akurdi plantChetak Comes Home – Rajiv BajajMr. Rajiv Bajaj, Chairman of Chetak Technology Ltd spoke on the occasion and said that “Chetak is the original ‘Make In India’ superstar that won many hearts worldwide”. Chetak has now been reincarnated as an electric vehicle and is now the flagbearer of taking the OG Chetak’s legacy forward. It faces stiff competition from other electric scooter manufacturers like Ather, Ola and TVS.Bajaj has plans to launch new Chetak variants in the coming months. They also are making a new electric scooter under the Husqvarna brand, which will also be produced at this new plant that was inaugurated today. More

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    1998 Chevy Corvette Is Our Bring a Trailer Auction Pick of the Day

    • We chose this 1998 Chevrolet Corvette as today’s favorite Bring a Trailer auction.• It’s a particularly nice example with just 20,000 miles and a nice blue exterior color.• It’s currently bidding at just over $10,000 with six days left until the auction ends on Wednesday, June 15.Ask a group of car enthusiasts what they think about the C5 Corvette, and you’ll surely get a wide range of answers. We’re not sure exactly how this generation fits within the pantheon of Vettes, but this particularly nice example up for auction had us looking back at the C5 fondly. It’s a 1998 Corvette with the Z51 Performance package that’s finished in a beautiful shade of blue that Chevy called Nassau Blue Metallic, and it’s for sale on Bring a Trailer, which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.

    Bring a Trailer

    It just so happens that a Corvette just like this one—in the same hue, no less—beat a 996-generation Porsche 911 in a comparison test from the May 1998 issue of Car and Driver. Back then, we called it a “truly great sports car” and awarded it the win largely based on its price advantage: it cost $42,959 as tested, compared to the Porsche’s $73,319. The C5 also boasted a significant power advantage, with its 5.7-liter V-8 engine producing 345 horsepower and the Porsche’s 3.4-liter flat-six making 296 hp.

    We’re not sure exactly what this C5 will end up going for when the auction closes in six days, but we’d think it’ll still maintain a price advantage over equivalent 996 Porsches given what other Corvettes and other 911s have been selling for recently.

    Bring a Trailer

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    TVS Radeon To Get New Digital Speedo, Bluetooth – Splendor XTEC Rival

    Updated TVS Radeon is expected to stay mechanically similar to the model it will replaceImage – Biker Prakash ChoudharyTVS Radeon might not be on sale for decades like Hero Splendor, but it sure is a worthy competitor. Radeon is arguably TVS’ best commuter. It definitely is a cut above the rest of the company’s commuter lineup like Star City and the likes.But Hero MotoCorp recently launched the Xtec edition of Splendor Plus and it brings a lot of segment-first features. Some of those features also add value quotient to the bike like a fully digital instrument console, phone connectivity via Bluetooth, Xtec connectivity suite, LED DRL and many more.These feature updates make Hero Splendor Plus even more value for money as it only costs Rs. 1200 more than the top variant of the motorcycle. But TVS can’t just let Splendor Plus eat all the cake. To stay relevant, TVS has to tackle Hero in some way.TVS Radeon 2022 IncomingFor starters, TVS ain’t no slouch when it comes to loading their products with features. If we take a look at the company’s products like NTorq, Apache RR 310, Apache RTR 160 4V and the recently launched Raider 125, we can see how superior these bike’s features are to their respective competition.TVS Raider 125When we first heard that TVS was updating the Radeon, the first thing that came to our mind was the Raider 125. Because that motorcycle is closest to Radeon and it packs a lot of features. We can expect a lot of Raider 125’s features to trickle down and make it on the more budget-friendly commuter sibling.Radeon Vs Splendor PlusMost probable features Radeon could get from Raider 125 would be its fully digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth connectivity with call/SMS and even turn-by-turn navigation. It might even feature the Intelligo stop/start system too. Maybe even an LED DRL and an LED headlight too. If Radeon gets Raider 125’s LCD instrument cluster along with TVS Xconnect app, it would be vastly superior to the Xtec system of Splendor Plus as it has more information to offer.In keeping with the competition, we can expect TVS to equip Radeon with real-time fuel efficiency, side stand indicator, service reminder, tank range and low-fuel indicator. Right now, Radeon gets a USB phone charger as an option. With the update, we can expect it to be a standard fitment like on Splendor Plus Xtec.Hero Splendor XtecTVS has equipped the Radeon with a 109.7 cc engine making 8.08 bhp @7350 RPM and 8.7 Nm @4500 RPM. Whereas Hero Splendor Plus comes with a 97.2 cc engine making 7.91 bhp @8000 RPM and 8.05 Nm @6000 RPM. Both motorcycles are capable of delivering 60+ kmpl of fuel efficiency under proper riding conditions.Launch & CompetitionEven though Radeon has a bigger engine and makes more power and torque, it weighs 4 kg more than Splendor Plus’ 112 kg kerb weight. But TVS strikes back with a front disc brake option which is a glaring omission on Splendor Plus even as an option. 2022 Radeon new variant might be launched around the festive season. We expect a slight price bump with the updated Radeon. But even with the price hike, it will be a worthy competition to the Splendor Plus.Source More

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    BMW G 310 RR Is The Official Name – Fairing Fully Revealed

    BMW G 310 RR comes with a design that is very similar to Apache RR 310 with subtle changes to create its own identityNew BMW G310RRBMW Motorrad has been one of the most popular premium performance motorcycle makers in the world. For a very long time, BMW has only been concentrating on the pricier end of the spectrum. To get more customers into the BMW family, BMW partnered with TVS Motors to co-develop a 310 cc platform beneficial for both.The result was a potent platform on which BMW based the G 310 R street bike and G 310 GS adventure-tourer. TVS took a different approach with this platform to create Apache RR 310, a fully-faired track-focused machine. Now, BMW is launching their 3rd bike on the platform which is a fully-faired motorcycle that is very close to Apache RR 310.BMW G 310 RR – Fairing RevealedFalling into RR series of BMW motorcycles, G 310 RR is a fully faired motorcycle with its main focus is to set tracks on fire. It has joined the ranks of other RR series motorcycles like S 1000 RR and M 1000 RR. BMW G 310 RR is the smallest and cheapest RR motorcycle in its lineup both here in India and globally.BMW India has been regularly teasing their upcoming motorcycle. Their latest teaser has fully revealed fairing design as well as the graphics. It also reveals the official name of the sports bike, which is G 310 RR. Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Vinod and Tanmoy for sharing the image. BMW India had announced a contest, where lucky fans were given the first official look at the G310RR.New BMW G310RRAfter seeing the photos of BMW G 310 RR, we couldn’t help but notice the similarities with Apache RR 310. It has the same wheels, exhaust, lower fairing and even the tyres. Instead of petal discs on Apache RR 310, BMW has equipped its motorcycle with conventional disc brakes.310 RR gets USD forks at front finished in a gold shade which looks very classy. At the rear, it gets a mono-shock that is adjustable for preload. These are the same non-adjustable unit found on TVS Apache RR 310. In terms of chassis, it gets a trellis frame where the engine is a stressed member. It also gets an aluminium swingarm for added lightness and rigidity.Engine & FeaturesBMW has equipped the 310 RR with the 313 cc engine co-developed with TVS. This engine is a liquid-cooled unit with a 4-valve head. Just like its TVS counterpart, it also gets 4 riding modes that alter the power, torque, throttle map, throttle response and traction. In Sport mode and Track mode, this engine is on full tap producing 34 PS @9700 RPM and 27.3 Nm @7700 RPM. In Urban mode and Rain mode, the performance is capped at 25.8 PS and 25 Nm.New BMW RR 310 and Apache 310This engine is mated to a 6-speed smooth shifting gearbox. It also gets slip and assist clutch to ensure a smooth transition between gears. Apache RR 310 boasts a top speed of 160 kph and an acceleration figure of 0-100 kph under 7.2 seconds. Since 310 RR is mostly similar, we expect the BMW to get similar numbers. BMW 310 RR also gets a fully digital instrument cluster with phone connectivity. It gets LED headlights, LED tail-lights and LED indicators. Apart from the riding modes, it also gets dual-channel ABS as standard.Even though most of the motorcycle is similar to Apache RR 310, BMW has trickled down its bigger RR series styling and colour schemes to make it stand out. Expect launch price of BMW G310RR to be at a premium over TVS Apache 310.  BMW is also likely to provide options for customisations in terms of an adjustable front USD suspension and sportier clip-on handlebars for good leverage on the race track. These addons could be similar to TVS’s BTO program where a customer can modify his/her motorcycle straight from the factory.  More