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      in Motor News

      Video: We Doubt Anyone Asked for a V-6 Hybrid Ferrari, But the 296GTB is Everything It Should Be

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      It might sound shocking that the newest mid-engine Ferrari is a V-6 hybrid, but one long press on the accelerator will make anyone a believer. We had another opportunity to visit Italy and drive the Ferrari 296GTB on the automaker’s test circuit and the nearby ultratight and bumpy roads. As shown in the video, the GTB is everything a Ferrari should be.After immediately getting stuck behind traffic, C/D testing director Dave VanderWerp uses that time to explain the technical details of the new engine. Ferrari says the GTB is its first roadgoing vehicle with a V-6, as the brand still doesn’t consider the 246GT Dino a real Ferrari.

      The hybrid consists of a 164-hp electric motor that sits between the V-6 and the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 makes 654 horsepower, and Ferrari says the powertrain produces 819 horsepower combined. If you’re wondering why there’s one additional horsepower in the combined figure, remember the concept of rounding. The 6.0-kWh battery provides an estimated 10 miles of all electric driving range. To Ferrari’s credit, the EV driving mode keeps the engine off even when you stomp on the accelerator pedal. On the other hand, you’d have to go far back in history to find a slower Ferrari than the GTB in its EV mode. Once traffic clears, Dave explores the upper ranges of the powerband and experiences launch control. We also touch briefly on the track-oriented Assetto Fiorano package and its grippy Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires.

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      in Motor News

      1989 Honda Pilot FL400R Caged, Single-Seat ATV Is Today's Bring a Trailer Auction Pick

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      • This 1989 Honda Pilot FL400R is a throwback off-roader with racy bodywork, a roll cage, and a single-seat configuration.• It features a two-stroke 397-cc single-cylinder engine, a yoke-style steering wheel with hand controls, and a fully independent suspension.• It currently has a high bid of $4600 on the Bring a Trailer site, with the auction set to end on Sunday, May 29. Back in 1989, Tim Burton’s Batman was number one at the U.S. box office and Look Away by Chicago was the most popular song in America. It would be almost 20 years until the debut of the 2008 Polaris Ranger RZR (pronounced “razor”), which is widely regarded as the first performance-oriented side-by-side ATV. However, people forget that in the ’80s Honda was already building badass single-seat, off-road playthings. An excellent example is this Pilot FL400R, currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.

      What began with the primitive Odyssey FL250 in the late ’70s would morph into the more sophisticated Pilot FL400R, which was built between 1989 and 1990. It featured a liquid-cooled, two-stroke 397cc single-cylinder engine with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) feeding the rear wheels. The whole thing is said to have weighed about 593 pounds sans rider.By today’s standards, the FL400R looks like a glorified go-kart, but the nicely preserved ’89 example that’s currently listed on Bring a Trailer has a high nostalgia factor and neat features that make it our auction pick of the day.

      Bring a Trailer

      Before Honda slapped the Pilot nameplate on a mid-size crossover, the moniker appeared on a rad single-seat ATV. Known as the Pilot FL400R, it’s rated R for gratuitous use of red paint on its tubular frame and plastic bodywork. From the front bash bar and winged fenders to the tall roll cage and staggered set of gnarly tires, it’s a machine that looks like a lot of fun or a lot of ways to get hurt (parents would probably pick the latter). The Pilot’s Baja vibes continue with the brush guards on the headlights, the netting behind the driver’s seat, the snorkel air intake, and—most notably—the fully independent suspension. Along with double A-arms and coil-over shocks at each corner, the buggy’s rear dampers have remote-mounted reservoirs, a pretty advanced setup for a personal ATV of the time.

      Bring a Trailer

      Bring a Trailer

      Think Tesla was the first automaker to use a yoke-style steering wheel? Think again. One of the hallmarks of Honda’s single-seat ATV is its steering yoke, which even predates the then popular Knight Rider TV show. Even more intriguing are the hand-operated controls. The hand levers activate the front drum brakes and the single rear disc brake. Its thumb-operated throttle will feel familiar to ATV riders, even if putting on the steering wheel’s wrist straps feels awkward. At least the four-point harness is there to help keep the driver strapped in if things get topsy-turvy.The Pilot’s other physical controls include an electric starter switch (a pull-start option is there for backup), a hand brake that’s perfect for drift duty, and a shift lever with forward, neutral, and reverse gears. In the event the CVT belt breaks, there’s a replacement belt stored in the cockpit.

      Bring a Trailer

      In the Pilot FL400R’s heyday, hair bands ruled the airwaves and neon Spandex was in vogue. At that time, buying a 450-hp off-road pickup truck like the Ford F-150 Raptor from the factory was unthinkable, let alone the 702-hp monstrosity that is the Ram 1500 TRX. The closest thing back in 1989 would have maybe been a V-8–swapped Jeep Wrangler, but even that looks like a Tonka toy compared to the comparatively nuclear 470-hp Wrangler Rubicon 392.To better appreciate how limited the off-road options were in those days, look no further than the Geo Tracker that finished second in our desert-themed comparison test. Put in that context, the Pilot was a pretty desirable package. Nowadays, it can’t match the high-flying antics and lofty performance limits of contemporary side-by-sides. Still, we’d gladly park this pre–Cold War buggy in our garage alongside newer machines.As of this writing, the bidding has reached $4600. But we wouldn’t be surpised if the final selling price is three to four times that much when the auction ends on Sunday, May 29.
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      in Bike

      Greta Harper Electric Scooter Launch Price Rs 60k – Range 100 Kms

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      Final price of Greta Harper ZX Series-I depends on the battery pack and charger opted alongside the electric scooterNew Greta Harper Electric ScooterThere has been an influx of electric two-wheelers in the past couple of years in India with numerous new startups entering the electric mobility space. One of them is a Gujarat-based Greta Electric which has launched its new electric scooter Harper ZS Series-I at a starting price of Rs 41,999 (ex-showroom).The company also announced a pre-booking offer of Rs 2,000 which makes the effective cost of the scooter Rs 39,999 (ex-showroom). Prospective buyers can pre-book their Harper ZX Series-I electric scooters at any Greta Experience Studio. As per booking sequence, customers will receive deliveries of their scooters within 45-75 days.Greta Harper Electric Scooter – Option on offerGreta is offering the e-scooter in multiple variants and configurations. The ZS Series-I e-scooter will be available in six colour schemes including Glossy Red, Majestic Magenta, True Blue, Jet Black, Candy White and Midnight Green. For the base price of Rs 41,999, Greta is offering the e-scooter. For battery packs and chargers, one has to pay an additional premium depending on the variant and choice of charger.Harper ZS is being offered in four variants- V2, V3, V2+ and V3+. The base V2 variant comes with a battery pack that returns a range of 60km per charge and costs between Rs 17,000 – Rs 20,000. V3 is equipped with a 48V-30Ah battery pack that offers a range of 100km on a single charge and comes at a premium of Rs 22,000 – Rs 25,000 over the base price.New Greta Harper Electric ScooterV2+ comes with a 60V-24Ah battery pack with a maximum range of 60km per charge and priced at a premium between Rs 21,000 to Rs 24,000. V3+ is offered with a 60V-30Ah battery pack with an estimated range of 100km on a single charge and comes at an additional price of Rs 27,000 – Rs 30,000. These prices also include different types of chargers customers can choose from which range between Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000.New Greta Harper Electric Scooter Prices and variants breakupSpecs & Features on offerPowering the e-scooter BLDC electric motor that sources its energy from a Lithium-ion battery pack. Greta hasn’t revealed power and torque figures of the powertrain yet. Another interesting highlight of Harper ZX Series-I is an optimised charging technology that offers a full charge in 5 hours. In addition, it also gets a dash charge feature that charges the e-scooter from 0 to 80 percent within 3 hours.Greta is also offering three ride modes on Harper ZX including Eco, City and Turbo. In the top-spec variant, the electric scooter offers a range of 100km in Eco mode, 80km in City mode and 70 km in Turbo mode per charge. The company has also laced the e-scooter with a wide range of features.New Greta Harper Electric ScooterIt is loaded with creature comforts like an all-LED lighting system, digital instrument cluster, reverse mode, etc. Other features on offer include Find My Vehicle Alarm, a USB charging port, Ignition/Child Lock, keyless start, cruise control, wireless controller, hazard lights and park mode. More

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      in Bike

      Hindustan Motors Electric Scooters, Ambassador EV – Launch Planned

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      Hindustan Motors will make a comeback in the market as a pure EV manufacturer in partnership with a European entityImage for referenceThe electric vehicle (EV) revolution has not only given birth to many new startups but also brought a few defunct automobile manufacturers back to life. A case in point is LML which announced its return to the Indian market as a manufacturer of electric two-wheelers a few months back.Another automobile brand joining this list is Hindustan Motors (HM) which is known for some iconic models like Ambassador and Contessa. The carmaker’s production facility in West Bengal has been lying defunct ever since it rolled out the last unit of Ambassador in 2014.Hindustan Motors Electric ScootersThe homegrown carmaker has joined hands with a European auto company from the EV industry, details about which are yet not revealed. An MoU has already been signed between HM and the unknown European firm and required due diligence is expected to take around three months. A definitive agreement between the two parties would be signed in another year or so.Both firms are currently engaged in discussing the equity structure of this deal. In the present proposed structure, Hindustan Motors will own 51 percent of the stake while the unnamed European company will own the remaining 49 percent. Hindustan Motors (HM) director, Uttam Bose, has revealed that an estimated investment of around 600 crores will be made by this proposed joint venture although exact figures would emerge later.DC Design Ambassador – RenderHM Production FacilityThe Uttarpara plant which is around 20km from Kolkata is the oldest car-manufacturing facility in India and the second oldest in Asia after Toyota’s facility in Japan. Production in this facility started way back in 1948 and was stopped in September 2014. The existing facility takes about 90 acres of land whereas the entire premise is spread across an area of 295 acres.The new HM joint venture will utilise this space for the upcoming project. Bose further added that the proposed alliance will have access to HM’s distribution network. When operations were stopped in 2014, HM had a total of 250 distributors across the country. At the time of suspension of operation, around 2,300 workers were employed, now there are only 300.Production of Electric Two-WheelersInterestingly, this joint venture will focus on electric two-wheelers (scooters and motorcycles) instead of electric cars, at least initially. This comes at a time when there has been a boom in the availability of battery-powered two-wheelers and sales have been at an all-time high.Bose pointed out that in the proposed JV, HM would provide land and some funds while the European company would offer technology and some funds. Initially, the plan was to join hands with a Chinese firm but the board decided to go for a European company. Specific details of this project are expected to be revealed in the coming few months.Source More

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      in Electric Cars

      BMW i4 Electric Sedan India Launch Price Rs 70 L – Range 590 Kms

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      BMW Group launched their third electric car today in India – It is the i4 sedan, which comes with longest rangeBMW i4 India LaunchAfter having successfully launched two new electric vehicles (EVs) in India earlier this year with iX and Mini Cooper Electric, BMW Group launched their third fully electric offering in the form of i4. The i4 is the first electric sedan from BMW which made its global debut in June last year. It is priced from Rs 69.9 lakhs ex-sh, and comes in a single variant of BMW i4 eDrive40 Sport.BMW i4 Unveiled: Exterior HighlightsBased on the same platform as the current 4-Series Gran Coupe, i4 is a fully electric derivative of the 4-door Coupe sedan. Overall design and proportions of i4 remain similar to its IC engine-powered sibling barring subtle variations. It borrows most of the latter’s design elements including the signature tall kidney grille up front.The only difference is that in i4, the grille is sealed off and with a textured panel. Apart from this, highlights like reprofiled front and rear bumpers, 20-inch M light-alloy wheels for smoother aerodynamics, door handles integrated into the recess and blue accents provide a distinct identity to the electric sedan. At rear, it features Wrap-around taillamps and a shark-fin antenna.Few other notable exterior highlights borrowed from 4-series Gran Coupe include narrow projector LED headlights integrated with dual LED DRLs, a muscular bonnet, a sloping roofline, frameless doors and a sharp shoulder line along its side profile.BMW i4 InteriorsInterior Highlights & FeaturesSimilarities between i4 and 4-Series Gran Coupe continue inside the cabin as well where one is greeted with a sleek, minimalistic dashboard with all of BMW’s up-to-date technologies. The dashboard is dominated by a twin-screen setup with a curved display comprising a 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display. The infotainment unit is laced with BMW’s latest i-Drive 8 user interface.The new operating system comes with a wide range of digital and customisation capabilities that may be accessed by touch or voice commands. The center console gets a carbon fiber treatment along with blue accents on the gear shifter. Ambient lighting on dash and door trims enhances the in-cabin experience of occupants. Other prominent creature comforts include a glass roof and ventilated seats.Powertrain Specs & PerformanceBMW offers two variants of i4 globally including eDrive40 and M50. The former is offered with a single motor, rear-wheel-drive setup while the latter is available with a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive configuration. Both variants feature an 83.9 kWh battery pack. The standard i4 eDrive receives an output of 335 bhp and 430 Nm of peak torque and returns a range of 590km on a single charge.BMW i4 SpecsOn the other hand, i4 M50 receives a mammoth 537 bhp and 795 Nm of peak torque. It returns a minimum range of 521 km on a single charge as per WLTP cycle. Performance on both variants is more than impressive, with eDrive40 doing a 0-100 kmph acceleration run in 5.7 seconds while M50 takes a meagre 3.9 seconds to achieve the same. More

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      in Bike

      Hero Sales Breakup Apr 2022 – Splendor, Passion, Destini, Xpulse

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      Hero MotoCorp saw its YoY sales increase 16.30 percent while MoM domestic sales dipped 4.15 percent along with exportsImage – Luck Vi VloggerHero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two wheeler manufacturer, has not been faring too well in recent months. Though its domestic sales increased on a YoY basis by 16.30 percent, MoM sales dipped 4.15 percent. Total domestic sales in the past month stood at 3,98,464 units, up from 3,42,614 units sold in April 2021 leading to a volume increase of 55,850 units.MoM sales dipped 4.15 percent over 4,15,726 units sold in March 2022. Exports on the other hand posted a YoY and MoM de-growth at 20,131 units in April 2022 down 28.32 percent and at 34,390 units in March 2022 down 41.46 percent respectively.Hero Domestic Sales Breakup April 2022Domestic sales saw the Hero Splendor at No. 1 with sales growth of 20.97 percent to 2,34,085 units in April 2022, up from 1,93,508 units sold in April 2021. This motorcycle commands a 58.75 percent share. MoM sales dipped 5.83 percent over 2,48,577 units sold in March 2022 when share percentage stood at 59.79.At No. 2 was the HF Deluxe with YoY and MoM growth. Sales stood at 1,00,601 units in the past month, up 41.11 percent over 71,294 units sold in April 2021. MoM sales improved marginally by 0.38 percent from 1,00,216 units sold in March 2022. YoY and MoM de-growth was seen both in the case of the Hero Glamour and Pleasure. Sales stood at 20,796 units and 12,303 units respectively last month, down from 23,627 units and 18,298 units sold in April 2021. MoM sales dipped 33 percent and 20.62 percent respectively over 31,037 units and 15,498 units sold in March 2022.Hero Domestic Sales April 2022Hero Passion posted a YoY de-growth of 41.49 percent to 10,384 units from 17,748 units sold in domestic markets in April 2021 while MoM sales improved 53.81 percent over 6,751 units sold in March 2022. Hero Destini 125 (8,981 units) and Maestro (4,154 units) also dipped YoY while sales of the Destini improved 217.91 percent on a MoM basis from 2,825 units sold in March 2022. There were also 3,981 units of the Hero Xtreme 160R and 3,179 units of Xpulse 200 sold in April 2022 posting a 73.62 percent and 55.45 percent YoY growth.Hero Exports Breakup April 2022In export markets, sales were lackluster for Hero MotoCorp. Sales dipped YoY to 20,131 from 28,085 units sold in April 2021. MoM exports also fell 41.46 percent from 34,390 units sold in March 2022. Every model in the company portfolio posted a YoY de-growth except for the Hunk and Maestro. Hero HF Deluxe exports fell 35.27 percent YoY to 5,642 units in April 2022, down from 8,716 units exported in April 2021. MoM exports fell 25.47 percent over 7,570 units sold in March 2022.Hero Hunk sales improved 86.05 percent to 4,495 units from 2,416 units sold in April 2021 while MoM exports dipped 60.10 percent over 11,267 units sold in March 2022. YoY de-growth in exports was also seen in the case of the Hero Splendor (-18.48 percent), Glamour (-5.64 percent) and XPulse 200 (-21.98 percent). However, MoM sales of the XPulse 200 improved 70.35 percent over 1,386 units sold in March 2022.Hero Exports April 2022YoY sales of the Maestro also improved 2.20 percent to 557 units from 545 units sold in April 2021 though MoM exports dipped 23.07 percent from 724 units shipped in March 2022. Hero Passion exports were down to 0 units in April 2022 even as 810 units were exported in March 2022. Pleasure exports were also at 0 units in the past month from 120 units shipped in March 2022 while there were also no exports in the case of the Xtreme 160/200, Xtreme 150 and Achiever. More

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      in Bike

      KTM 490 Range To Have 5 Motorcycles – Duke, RC, ADV, Enduro, SMC R

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      The twin-cylinder motor is likely to be a derivative of CF Moto’s 450 cc unitImage for reference.KTM has been busy benefiting from impressive economies of scale by sharing platforms across several body styles as well as across the brands it owns. The 390 for example has Duke, RC and Adventure derivatives in addition to powering Husqvarna’s street fighter range. The 125 and 690 architectures too have multi-product, multi-brand derivatives.It has emerged that the Austrian two wheeler giant is gearing up to enter a new sub-segment in the highly lucrative medium displacement segment. The brand is reportedly eyeing to plug the gap between its 390 and 690 family of products with a new series of 490 models.KTM 490 family on the anvilAccording to MotorcycleNews, KTM is working on an array of models based on a twin-cylinder 450 cc motor first of which is expected to arrive as early as this year. KTM’s new 450 cc twin-cylinder liquid-cooled motor is said to be a derivative of a similar unit used by the company’s Chinese arm CF Moto.The 490 family is strongly expected to consist of the usual suspects – Duke, RC and Adventure. We expect the new family of models to have sufficient differentiation in terms of market positioning and performance to let it coexist with the current single-cylinder 390 range.KTM 490 range of motorcycles launch in 2022If the CF Moto’s 450SR is anything to go by, the future KTM 490 family might employ a parallel twin unit with a 270 degree crankshaft. The power output is likely to exceed 50 hp mark by a fair margin but expect detuned A2 versions (output less then 48 hp) to cater to the popular European segment. In a typical KTM fashion, the 490 series will be positioned as the most powerful offerings in the twin-cylinder medium displacement segment which is currently led by Kawasaki Ninja 400.Where will the KTM 490 be made?KTM now has a lot of experience in making quality products in a cost effective manner in Asia, thanks to its partner Bajaj Auto. We expect a similar production arrangement for the 490 family with CF Moto in China. Such a collaboration will be a win-win situation for both the brands. Europe being a production base is not entirely ruled out either.Given the KTM Group’s inclination to diversify its motor, it is not outrageous to expect the upcoming twin-cylinder motor to find its way onboard an array of new enduros and off-roaders as well. The Husqvarna Vitpilen and Svartpilen 501 could also be on the cards.Will it launch in India? The idea of a KTM 390 Duke or Adventure does sound appealing for our market. However, pricing may not be as competitive as the locally made 390 family. Anyway, it is too early to talk about it as of now. More

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      in Motor News

      2023 BMW Alpina B3 Sedan and Wagon Refreshed, Still Off-Limits for the U.S.

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      The 2023 BMW Alpina B3 sedan and wagon inherit new styling and tech from the regular BMW 3-series.The Alpina models also receive powertrain upgrades that add 33 horsepower and 22 pound-feet of torque.The ’23 B3 sedan and wagon aren’t available in the U.S., but if they were, they might start at about $98,000. It’s human nature to want what we can’t have. Well, some of us Americans really want the freshly updated 2023 BMW Alpina B3 sedan (a.k.a. Saloon) or wagon (a.k.a. Touring), but, unfortunately, we can’t have either one. Instead, Alpina’s specially tuned version of the 3-series sedan and wagon are reserved for our enthusiast counterparts who live overseas.

      Like the regular ’23 BMW 3-series models that do grace our shores, the Alpina variants also receive restyled exterior elements and a revised dashboard. The new crossover cues include a more angular front bumper and slimmer headlights. Likewise, the driver and front-seat passenger now face a curved display that spans most of the dash and incorporates a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 14.9-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. But what exclusive updates do the B3 Saloon and Touring get for 2023? We’re here to tell you.

      Alpina

      Alpina

      Along with the visual changes and new tech, the most notable upgrade to the ’23 Alpina B3s is under the hood. BMW’s tuning house went to work on the cars’ twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six, helping it breathe better by adding a new exhaust system as well as installing new engine software. The result is increased horsepower and torque, with the former rising from 462 to 495 hp and the latter rising from 516 to 538 pound-feet. Both Alpina models can most easily be identified by their available multispoke 20-inch wheels (a set of 19-inchers is standard). A closer inspection will also reveal “Alpina” lettering on the bottom edge of the front bumper and specific badging on the sedan’s trunk lid and the wagon’s rear hatch. Inside, both body styles have unique details such as a plaque on the center console complete with an individual build number. The list of options for the Alpinas’ interior materials also has much greater variety than a mainstream BMW.
      The ’23 BMW Alpina B3 Saloon and Touring can currently be configured on the company’s website (we recommend viewing the Australian or U.K. version). In the U.K., both B3s have a starting price that’s equal to roughly $98,000. We’d gladly pony up the money for the wagon shown here in a wonderful shade of Alpina Green paint—if only we had the chance.
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