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    2023 Bentley Continental GT S Adds Black Trim, Sport Exhaust

    For 2023, the Bentley Continental GT and GTC convertible are adding a new S trim for the V-8 models.While the engine remains unchanged, the S gains a sport exhaust and new 22-inch and 21-inch wheel designs.The exterior is decked out in black trim while the interior is two-tone, and S badges abound.Bentley is sharpening its luxury cruiser with the new 2023 Continental GT S and convertible GTC S, with Bentley saying that the new submodels are catered to improving the “driving performance and visual presence.” The S trim will only be available with the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8; the twin-turbo 6.0-liter W-12 was excluded due to its hefty weight. The mechanicals remain largely the same, but the GT S and GTC S get bolder visual accents to help the opulent coupe stand out.
    Horsepower and torque figures are unchanged, but that still means a healthy 542 ponies and 568 pound-feet. In Car and Driver testing, a 2020 model with the V-8 ran to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, mightily impressive for a car weighing around 5000 pounds. While the engine is the same, the S comes fitted with a standard sport exhaust that should help remind onlookers of the 542 horses that the V-8 beast is producing.

    Visually, the grille and all other exterior trim is blacked out, including the S badge on the front fender, with only the Bentley logo and lettering remaining chrome. The headlights and taillights are also tinted, as are the quad exhaust pipes. The S is offered with two unique wheel choices: a 22-inch wheel that comes in either black or Pale Brodgar Satin, or a 21-inch design that features both black and bright finishes. Red-painted brake calipers peek out from behind the new wheel designs. The interior gains a two-tone look, plenty of sumptuous materials, and S badges embroidered on the headrest, and adorning the dashboard and door sills. Bentley has not revealed a price, but we imagine it will cost somewhere between the standard V-8 model’s $220,525 starting price and the Speed’s $280,225 base cost, with the convertible adding about $20,000 to the price tag.
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    Royal Enfield Classic 350 Bobber Kits Launched – By Rajputana Customs

    Royal Enfield Classic 350 has been customised into a bobber by Jaipur-based Rajputana Custom MotorcyclesRoyal Enfield Classic 350 Bobber KitThe number of Royal Enfield bikes that go under the knife at a custom workshop must be overwhelming. The brand is synonymous with aftermarket custom modifications and we have witnessed countless examples of custom-built Royal Enfield bikes over the years.The latest example involves a previous-gen model of Classic 350 in its Signals Edition form that has been modified into a bobber. The motorcycle has been custom-built by a Jaipur-based workshop named Rajputana Custom Motorcycles. The bike has undergone several cosmetic and mechanical updates over its donor model. Rajputana Customs has launched bobber kits for both Classic 350 and Classic 500.Royal Enfield Classic 350 Bobber KitsUpfront, the motorcycle gets an aftermarket round headlight with a black grille cover and bezels. Upper section of the front forks also comprises fatter casings. In addition, the front fender has been removed completely which bares the front tyre to its fullest. More importantly, it gets a new custom handlebar with new bar-end weights that is pulled towards the rider.As seen in contemporary bobbers, the pillion seat has been completely removed while the rider’s saddle gets a custom seat which goes well with the overall appeal of the bike. The stock fuel tank has been kept intact and features a 3D Royal Enfield logo and a Signals serial number. Side boxes have been customised as well by addition of ribbed paddings thus amplifying the bike’s rugged appearance.Royal Enfield Classic 350 Bobber KitInternals including the engine gearbox assembly, exhaust, engine sump guard, etc. are painted black as seen in the stock model. For exhaust, Rajputana has utilised a custom-built straight-pipe unit which sports an insulated wrap and golden-finished exhaust tip. Further, the bike rolls on blacked-out wire-spoke wheels that are shod with balloon-type tyres.We also get to see custom plates mounted on the engine cover and crank cover, Rajputana has added custom footpegs that are forward-biased along with a custom kick starter. Noticeably, the airbox has been removed which has left the air filter completely exposed. Front brake and clutch levers are custom-built and feature beautiful artistic patterns.Mechanical Updates & Engine SpecsIn terms of mechanical updates, rear shock absorbers used are aftermarket units with new custom-built mounts. It also gets a new aftermarket shorter rear fender that has been mounted on the swingarm. Braking setup remains identical to the stock model with single disc brakes at both ends.No changes have been mentioned for the powertrain department. Since this is a previous-gen Classic 350, the motorcycle is powered by a 346cc single-cylinder, air-cooled motor which in its BS6 form pushed out 19.2 bhp and 28 Nm of peak torque. This motor was mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Classic 350 received a generation upgrade last year.Source More

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    2022 Hindustan Contessa Name Trademarked – Launch As Electric Car?

    It is not yet confirmed whether Peugeot will launch the Contessa, as the trademark for the car is still owned by Hindustan MotorsHindustan Contessa Electric – Render by MightySeedWhat if I told you that an iconic muscle car is set to launch in India? Your mind must be hovering around iconic American muscle cars like Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro or Dodge Challenger. What if I told you that it had 4-doors? Now your mind is filtering 2-doors and has finalised around Cadillac CTS-V, Chrysler 300C or Dodge Charger. What if I told you that it was manufactured in India by an Indian company? There’s just Contessa, isn’t it?Even though Contessa didn’t have a V8 heart beating under the bonnet that is typically associated with muscle cars, it had the looks and stance of a muscle car. Due to this attribute, it soon earned the term, ‘Desi muscle car’. Back in those days, it was pitched as a luxury car in India which was an instant hit.Contessa was manufactured by Indian company Hindustan Motors based out of West Bengal. Whilst it made Ambassador appeal to the masses, Contessa was a favourite among rich and elites. This soon made it a status symbol in India.Hindustan Motors ContessaWith the decline of Hindustan Motors, both Ambassador and Contessa were believed to be dead for good. But situation soon turned in company’s favour when Peugeot bought the rights for Ambassador in 2017 for Rs. 80 crores. Ambassador has been approved for revival under the joint venture of Hind Motor Financial Corporation of India (HMFCI), which is a subsidiary of Hindustan Motors and PSA Group (Peugeot S.A. Group, France). The company recently revealed that designs for the engine are close to finalization.Hindustan Motors trademarks the name ContessaThe same powertrain of upcoming Ambassador will make it on Contessa too. HMFCI is very hush regarding fine details of the engine but we can expect it to be a modern engine on par with modern standards. Recent developments also show us that HM has trademarked the name Contessa in India. HM might also launch the Contessa as an EV as it has stepped into EV realm.Contessa LegacyEven though Contessa was manufactured in India by Hindustan Motors during 1984 to 2002, it was based on Vauxhall cars. The earlier Contessa was based on Vauxhall Victor FE and the later model was based on Vauxhall VX. It was powered by a measly 1.5L petrol engine making 50 bhp coupled with a 4-speed gearbox.HM later partnered up with the engine maker, Isuzu and used its 1.8L petrol engine and a 5-speed gearbox and named it Contessa Classic. Then in the 1990s, Contessa got a 2.0L Isuzu 4FC1 and the torquey nature of diesel engines popularized the Contessa further.HM Contessa Electric RenderLaunch TimelineAmbassador is likely to launch by the year 2023 or 2024. Contessa launch to follow soon. Both Ambassador and Contessa will see minor design revisions and a complete interior overhaul. HM products were fairly ahead of their time offering a modern monocoque architecture. The main sore points were the trashy interiors and questionable fit and finish.The company will equip these cars with modern amenities and features that are expected with modern cars from the price bracket. HM should also work on the safety and crashworthiness of the car to make it stick in the Indian market. Price is another factor which can make or break a product in India. If HM gets everything spot on, there’s nothing holding back nostalgic Indian customers and enthusiasts that are willing to pay the price of a modern-classic car. More

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    Tata Motors Gets A Record Order For 10,000 Tigor Electric XpresT

    10k Tata XPREST EV fleet order placed by BluSmart Electric Mobility to build on fully-electric ride hailing service networkImage – MotorHubTata Motors signed an agreement with BluSmart Electric Mobility. The manufacturer will deliver 10k XPREST EVs to the latter. For Tata Motors, this is its biggest ever EV fleet order in India. XpresT EV is the name for the commercial segment Tigor Electric. Deliveries will start soon, and are in addition to a previous order of 3.5k XPRES T EVs. The first order was signed in October 2022.BluSmart is using the EV fleet for commuters with the intent of minimising carbon emission. Tata XPRES brand was launched in July 2021. The platform is dedicated to fleet customers. And through this venture, XPRES-T EV is the first vehicle on offer. XPRES-T electric sedan is available in 2 ride range options – 213km and 165km (ARAI certified range under test conditions).XPRES-T fleet carsThe fleet editions run on a high density battery of 21.5 kWh and 16.5 kWh. They can be charged from 0- 80 percent in 90 mins and 110 mins, respectively. Charging options include fast charging or normal charging on a 15 A plug point.Tigor Electric XpresT offerings come with zero tail-pipe emission, single speed automatic transmission, dual airbags, ABS with EBD as standard across variants. EXPRES-T cars are decked in premium black theme interior and Electric Blue accents on the inside and out. The colour theme is specifically used to differentiate the fleet cars from Tata PVs.(L-R), Mr. Anmol Singh Jaggi, CoFounder, BluSmart Electric Mobility and Mr. Shailesh Chandra, Tata MotorsTata Motors Dominates EV PV SegmentIn the e-mobility space, Tata Motors dominates the market space. In FY22, its EV share stood at 87 percent at over 25k Tata EVs on road in personal and fleet segment. Tata electric cars have also been introduced in government/police fleets in recent years.The current market space dominance is largely supported by the fact that the electric car segment has rather few players. So, while buyers are scouring the market, their choices are largely limited to Tata electric cars, the only offerings in the entry price point segment.Network of EV chargingShailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd., and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd. said, “Tata Motors is taking active steps towards the rapid electrification of mobility, and it is heartening to see renowned fleet aggregators joining the green mobility wave with us. Our XPRES-T EV fleet offers an optimal battery size along with a captive fast charging solution and has already set benchmarks in its category.”According to Mr. Anmol Singh Jaggi, CoFounder, BluSmart Electric Mobility, “With our $50M in Series A fundraise, we are supercharged to rapidly expand across Delhi NCR and the metro cities. We are building a large-scale integrated EV mobility ecosystem in India – from the country’s largest fully-electric ride hailing service to the largest network of EV charging super hubs. With the increasing fleet size we are leading India on the path to reliable, sustainable and zero-emissions mobility and also creating more inclusive and economic opportunities for driver partners.” More

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    BMW M Hybrid V8 Aims to Tackle the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona

    BMW has revealed its prototype race car for the 2023 season, the M Hybrid V8, although it has cloaked it in a camouflage of sorts.Still, we can make out the massive kidney grille, large headlight housings with twin LED strips, and detailed taillight design. The M Hybrid V8 will be eligible to race at both the 24 Hours of Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans, although BMW will focus on the former and the accompanying full IMSA championship.The battle in endurance racing is heating up. Major manufacturers—including Ferrari, Porsche, Cadillac, Acura, and BMW—are preparing prototype race cars for both the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, which includes the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the World Endurance Championship (WEC), which features the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Now BMW has given the first full look at its entry, still wrapped in a camouflage of sorts, as it begins testing on its top-class racer.
    Dubbed the BMW M Hybrid V8, the car has traditional endurance-racing proportions with a low hood, narrow cockpit, flared wheel arches, and towering rear wing. But the gaping nostrils dominating the front end are distinctly BMW, and the two LED strips in the chunky headlight housings attempt to mimic the twin lights on production BMWs. The BMW Motorsport 50th Anniversary badge lies in a canyon on the hood between two extreme character lines, just like on 2023 M3s and M4s. The intricate LED taillights echo the units found on the latest M4 CSL, and BMW even designed the window shape with the iconic Hofmeister kink design.The M Hybrid V8 is being developed for the GTP class (originally named LMDh) in the IMSA championship. Both the GTP cars and the LMH cars—being designed for WEC—will be eligible to race in IMSA and WEC, but there are some differences.
    The GTP cars are rear-wheel-drive only, and will use a standard hybrid system, with teams mating it to a gas engine of their choice. As the name implies BMW has chosen a V-8, but no specifics have been provided yet. Each team must also choose a chassis from one of four suppliers, and BMW is partnering with Dallara.

    The LMH cars allow for far more freedom but will also cost much more to develop. They can be rear- or all-wheel drive, and the manufacturers can design their own hybrid system if they choose to use one. The chassis is also up to each team. Since the LMH class is much more open ended, any LMH car that wants to compete in IMSA will have to be performance balanced to play on the same level as the GTP cars.The M Hybrid V8 is set to make its competitive debut at the opening race of the 2023 IMSA season, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and its official livery will be revealed in due course.
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    Electric Scooter Sales May 2022 – Okinawa No 1, Ola No 2, Ampere, Ather, Hero Electric

    Registrations of electric two-wheelers fell nearly 27 percent in May, compared to AprilOla slips to No 2 in May 2022Rising fuel prices and increased cost of petrol powered two wheelers turned buyer’s attention towards electric scooters in India. These e-scooters not only allow buyers to save on fuel costs but also relate to lower cost of maintenance and come in with several State and Central Government subsidies.Sales of electric scooters took off at a grand start. Sales escalated to percentage increases unseen by petrol powered scooter OEMs, causing many such manufacturers to venture into the electric arena. While things went well for a few months, they declined in May 2022.One of the main reasons for the decline of sales is the huge shortage of semiconductor chips. Another reason could also be because of recent electric scooter fire incidents. Numerous electric scooters have been involved in fire hazards across India in the past month causing buyers to be more cautious in their purchases. Govt also took notice, and brought electric two wheeler makers such as Okinawa, Ola, Pure EV and Boom Motors under some surveillance.Ola, Hero Electric, Okinawa Post Sales De-GrowthOla, Hero Electric and Okinawa, the leaders in the e-scooter segment, have noted a substantial decrease in sales in May 2022. Ola has slipped to No 2, after taking the No 1 spot in April 2022. Ola Electric still dominates the segment even as sales dipped 31.66 percent MoM to 8,681 units in May 2022, down from 12,702 units sold in April 2022. This was a volume de-growth of 4,021 units.Electric Scooter Sales May 2022. Source – VAHANOkinawa sales also dipped as much as 19.28 percent to 8,888 units in the past month, down 2,123 units over 11,011 units sold in April 2022. Hero Electric has posted the maximum MoM de-growth of 58.36 percent to 2,739 units in May 2022, down from 6,578 units sold in April 2022. Hero Electric seems to have been affected the most due to parts shortage. Just two months ago, they were the No 1 electric scooter brand in India. Hero Electric aims to bounce back to No 1 soon.Ampere also posted a MoM decline by 15.46 percent to 5,529 units in May 2022, down from 6,540 units sold in April 2022 leading to volume de-growth of 1,011 units. Ather Energy, on the other hand, recorded its highest monthly sales to date. The company has seen sales of its e-scooters increase 26.45 percent to 3,098 units in the past month, up from 2,450 units sold in April 2022. The company sells the Ather 450X and 450 Plus in the market. TVS Motor has also seen 2,637 units of the i-Qube sold in May 2022 while Bajaj Auto has noted good sales of its Chetak e-scooter in the past month expanding sales to more cities in in the country.E-Scooter Fire Hazards and RecallsPure EV has issued a voluntary recall of 2,000 models of ETrance Plus and EPluto 7G while Okinawa Autotech has also announced a recall of 3,215 units of the Praise Pro. At the end of March 2022 a unit of Ola S1 Pro caught fire in Pune and the company issued a recall of 1,441 electric scooters to fix the issue. This draws attention to added research into battery chemistries, and management systems along with cell constructions to avoid such instances in the future.The Government of India is conducting further investigations into these electric fires and is set to announce a new policy to ensure better quality of batteries and Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways, has also confirmed that the government will list out strict rules for EV quality. More

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    Tata Nexon Electric Delivered To Kolkata Police – World Environment Day 2022

    17 Tata Nexon EVs introduced to Kolkata Police fleet as part of World Environment Day 2022Tata Nexon Electric Kolkata PoliceKolkata PC, Binit Kumar Goel inaugurated 17 electric vehicles at a function organized at Police Athletic Club in Maidan on World Environment Day 2022. Kolkata Police will put the EVs to use on multiple fronts. In celebrating the occasion, it was announced a number of e-cycles will be introduced for use by Kolkata Police for beat policing, and regular patrols.The fleet introduction is part of a larger shift to EVs that was announced in 2021. In September 2021, it was announced that 226 Tata Nexon EVs will be leased to KP. The new cars will over time phase out the old diesel cars still part of the fleet. The cars are to be leased for an 8-year period.EV exemption in West BengalBased on utility, the EV fleet will be shared/distributed for use among multiple police units, including the traffic department. In September 2021, it was announced, Rs 8.82 crore was allocated for the 8 year lease plan to come into effect. The Nexon units will be distributed as best suited considering the need for a robust charging network, and need to charge daily.Last week, to further boost EV adoption, the government announced rebates and relaxations for a period of 2 years for those registering new electric cars and two-wheelers. The same courtesy is extended to CNG vehicles too.[embedded content][embedded content]EV adoption in IndiaEV adoption in West Bengal is currently quite small. State announced exemptions are expected to help improve numbers. In recent months, various state governments have gone on to introduce state rebates for EV purchases. The move is in tandem with long term goals of larger EV adoption in India. The goal for electric buses, two wheelers, transport vehicles, and electric cars by the end of the decade is significant.While electric car transition is still quite slow, the fault doesn’t lay with buyers. As of now, the availability of mass market electric cars that are affordable isn’t being catered to by most manufacturers. A transition boost will be more noticeable when the market becomes competitive.Tata Motors electric carsOnly recently, Tata Nexon EV Max with more range, more power and faster charging was launched. These however are not part of the growing electric fleet that Kolkata Police is using.Tata Nexon Electric Kolkata PoliceTata Motors is one of the first movers in the electric car business. In May 2022, the company reported EV wholesales at almost 3.5k units. It is only a matter of time until Tata Motors should be able to report EV sales at atleast 10 percent of total domestic passenger cars the manufacturer sells. More

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    Mercedes Recalling 300,000 2006–2012 Models over Brake Defect, Says Don't Drive Them

    No injuries or deaths have been recorded because of the issue, but NHTSA is publishing a recall announcement after Mercedes has discovered a potential problem with brake performance in several older models due to corrosion from water exposure.The list of affected vehicles is long (see it below). It includes ML-class, GL-class, and R-class Mercedes vehicles built between 2006 and 2012. Nearly 300,000 vehicles are being recalled in the U.S., with another 700,000 in other countries. While rare, in some cases the problem could result in the brakes not working at all, which is why NHTSA has issued a stop-drive notification for these vehicles.If you have a Mercedes ML-class, GL-class, or R-class built between 2006 and 2012, you might want to hang up the keys for a bit, especially if you’ve been hearing any hissing-type noises when you use the brakes or if the brakes have been acting unusual lately. Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a recall for 278,000 of these vehicles, and it’s not a standard recall. Instead, it’s the scary kind with the red-letter warnings that signifies the cars should not be driven until the problem can be fixed.

    NHTSA

    The problem, and the reason this recall is serious, is that brake boosters might not work as intended “due to advanced corrosion in the joint area of its housing.” Because of the age of these cars, and the potential for prolonged water exposure, NHTSA has determined that the corrosion could lead to a vacuum leak at the brake booster, which would make the brakes not function as expected, i.e., requiring more pedal pressure or more distance to come to a stop. If the corrosion is “very severe,” NHTSA said, “it might be possible for a particularly strong or hard brake application to cause mechanical damage in the brake booster, whereby the connection between brake pedal and brake system would fail.” While NHTSA says this situation is “very rare,” if it does happen, then the brakes might not work at all. Hence the stop-drive notification. Mercedes has not yet clarified instructions for owners to get their cars to a dealership, given that they’re not supposed to be driven. The best way to determine if your car might be affected is to enter your vehicle identification number (VIN) into the NHTSA database, but here are a few of the 53 different products affected by the recall in the U.S.: the 2007 AMG R63, GL350s from 2010 through 2012, and ML350s built between 2006 and 2011. We’ve included a list of affected model and model years below.If you have a vehicle on the recall list, then it’s time to bring your car in to be inspected. Mercedes-Benz said the fix includes authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers removing the rubber sleeve from the brake booster housing in order to check the brake booster. If the booster is in rough shape, the mechanics will replace them as necessary.While there are almost 300,000 affected vehicles in the U.S., Mercedes is dealing with a global recall of a million vehicles, and it was overseas that the problem was first detected. Based on one customer’s car, the automaker started an investigation in July 2021, which led to a field study in September and then more tests in November and December. Mercedes found one case in the U.S. “where poor brake performance was caused by a corroded brake booster” but decided in early May that the safety risks were high enough to issue a recall. Mercedes said it has confirmed that there were “no crashes, injuries, or deaths related to this defect.”List of Affected Vehicles in U.S.:2007 AMG R632007–2009 GL3202010–2012 GL3502007–2012 GL4502008–2012 GL5502007–2009 ML3202006–2011 ML3502010–2011 ML4502006–2007 ML5002008–2011 ML5502007–2009 R3202006–2007 R5002007–2011 AMG ML632006–2012 R3502008 R550
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