2012 BMW S1000RR Revealed

The BMW S1000RR was introduced to the world just 2 years ago and we are yet to come out of its aura of performance. However, BMW is not one to sit back and idle. They went on with improvements and are ready to reveal the new 2012 BMW S1000RR. At the first glance, you say that the bike looks exactly the same as the old one. But look closely and you will find many subtle differences hidden all around like the new tailpipe, winglets on side fairing and a different exhaust system. BMW has released the full list of changes that have done to the previous model to create the new one.

• Optimised torque curve for improved ride.
• Expansion from two to three performance curves (one each for Rain and Sport modes and an additional one for Race and Slick modes); Rain mode now 120 kW (163 hp).
• Reconfigured throttle for enhanced response (particularly gentle and sensitive acceleration in Rain mode, and immediately direct and spontaneous response in Sport, Race, and Slick modes).
• Reduced twisting force and tighter twist-grip angle.
• Smaller secondary ratio for boosted thrust.
• Refined tuning between Race ABS and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC).
• Enlarged cross sectional area of the intake air guide through the steering head for greater air flow efficiency.
• Better handling, steering accuracy, and feedback.
• Revised spring elements for an even wider range of damping forces.
• Supension geometry modified with new values for the steering head angle, offset, position of the swing arm pivot, fork projection, and spring strut length.
• New mechanical steering damper adjustable over ten levels.
• Forged and milled fork bridge in a new design and with a smaller offset.
• Revised design with a leaner tail section, redesigned side panels, centre airbox cover with side aperture grilles, and winglets.
• Four new colour variants: plain Racing Red with Alpine white, Bluefire, Sapphire black metallic, BMW Motorrad Motorsport colours.
• Revised RR logo
• New heel plates and leaner stabilisers on the passenger footrests.
• Redesigned LCD engine speed display for better readability and with five dimming levels.
• Instrument cluster with the new functions “Best lap in progress” and “Speedwarning”; deactivation of “Lamp” fault message when headlamp or number plate carrier removed.
• Catalytic converters relocated so no heat shield necessary.
• Expansion to the optional extras and special equipment ex works.

Peugeot 207 Testing In Pune

Peugeot has been testing the 207 hatchback since quite some time now. We spotted the car yet again in Pune, with ARAI folks testing some parameters of the car on-board. The Peugeot 207 spotted was a 3-door model and the French automaker has a white colour 5-door 207 on test as well. Peugeot will do the ground breaking ceremony of their upcoming plant in Gujarat early next month and we expect production to commence in the later half of 2012. The Peugeot 207 is a very competent hatchback which could take the fight to the Honda Brio and Maruti Swift, when it goes on sales by the end of next year. Expect both diesel and petrol engines on the 207, along with a feature laden car.

7th Generation BMW 3-Series

Details about the future 7th generation BMW 3-Series has been revealed and according to the information, the car is going to be very advanced hosting a slew of futuristic features. The 7th generation BMW 3-Series is due for 2020 and will see a significant change in its make-up with more stringent fuel efficiency norms coming into play.

The host of new features includes a 3-cylinder turbo-diesel engine with electric motor assist, advanced petrol engine technology, Encapsulated engine and floorplan, aerodynamic wheels, carbon fibre part, laser sensors, laser headlamps, low drag brakes,s, full heads-up display, aerodynamic wheel housings, 3D sat nav, live car-to-car alerts, touch sensor door handles, a 9-speed auto gearbox with sailing mode, a battery pack and height adjustable suspension. Now all this might become the norm in the next nine years but having a company envision it today is truly something. Hopefully the prices of the cars won’t go north in such a manner as the list of equipment is!

Lamborghini Aventador Launch On 3rd November

Lamborghini is launching its latest through its India distributor, Exclusive Motors. The monocoque construction is made out of carbon-fiber and is extremely light, yet safe. Powered by a 6.5-liter, twelve-cylinder motor, the Aventador produces 700 hp of power at 8500 RPM and 690 Nm of torque at 5500 RPM, reaching 100 kmph in 2.9 seconds. With a dry weight of just 1575 kgs, this Lamborghini hyper car will nudge past 350 kmph (should you get a place in India to do so)

BMW India 3-Series Convertible launches

BMW will launch a convertible version of the 3-Series in India soon. The 3-Series is BMW India’s bread and butter model and is currently available in 4-door guise only. However BMW is doing the smart thing of offering a diesel version only of the 3-Series Convertible, bookings for which have already commenced. The 330d Convertible will use the 3.0-liter, 6-cylinder motor which produces 243 BHP of power and 520 Nm of torque. Mated to a 7-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters, the 330d convertible can reach 100 kmph in 7 seconds and on to a top speed of 245 kmph.

The BMW 3-Series Convertible features a hard top and will be imported as a CBU, pushing the price to above Rs. 50 lakhs. This makes the convertible model of the 3-Series more than Rs. 20 lakhs dearer than the top of the line 320d variant. However BMW has positioned the 330d Convertible right below the Z4, which lacks an oil burner and offers lesser space too. The three-piece roof takes close to 22 seconds to deploy and will reduce boot space to 140-liters from the 4-door sedan’s 350-liters. With practicality being thrown out of the roof, the 330d Convertible is just a cool way for BMW to showcase its international line-up to us.

2012 Honda Accord Launched In Romania

Honda Motors has unveiled the new face lifted version of their luxury sedan, the Accord in the country of Romania. Both the exteriors and the interiors have been restyled in the new Honda Accord. The entire front grille and the headlamps have been redesigned to make it look sharper than the existing Accord. The Romanian customers will be getting only one engine option, the 2.0L gasoline while the choice of a manual or automatic gearbox is definitely there.

The 2012 Accord’s boot space has been reduced and the rear end styled to look more like a coupe. The rear glass window thickness has been increased by 0.9 mm to improve noise insulation. Sound absorbing materials have also been added at lot many places to improve the overall NVH aspect of the car. The suspension has also been re-tuned for better ride and handling characteristics. The Accord is being offered in two trim levels – Elegance and Executive. It comes with a top speed of 215 km/h and 0-100 km/h sprint in 9.3 seconds.

Renault Compact Car Pulse

It is still uncertain which car Renault will be launching but it will be called Pulse. TheRenault Pulse is based on Nissan’s V-platform and will be powered by a 1.2-liter petrol engine and 1.5-liter diesel engine, both from the Micra. Even the underpinnings are similar and the Pulse will be made at the same place as the Micra. With front suspension duties being handle by MacPherson struts and rear by a torsion beam, the Pulse is a Micra with a different face (similar to Fabia-Polo). However Renault has given the Pulse a new dashboard design and new steering wheel. But the majority part of it remains the same, with both cars having similar dimensions and space.

Now Renault plans to do the same blunder it has done with the Fluence and Koleos by positioning the Pulse as a premium. The French automaker plans to position the Pulse above the Micra and will offer more features to justify the pricing. Features such as climate control, keyless entry, button start, dual airbags, ABS, steering mounted audio controls, rear wiper washer and demister and alloy wheels will be standard on the top of the line Pulse. Renault is not planning to sell many units of the Pulse and is targeting sales of around 6000 cars per month. Looking at the sales of the Micra, this too seems quite optimisitic to say the least. The Renault Pulse will go on sale around January 2012, when Renault will showcase the production ready version at the Auto Expo.

Hyundai i40 Saloon

2012 Suzuki GSX-R1000 Revealed

Suzuki Motorcycles has revealed their latest superbike, the 2012 GSX-R1000 and to start with hasn’t come out with any significant visual changes. The major chunk of the tweaks carried out is subtle and also internal. The list of key changes include Better throttle response, acceleration and fuel efficiency thanks largely to a new exhaust with a single end can rather than two. Moreover, less weight, particularly at the back of the bike thanks to the single can this improves handling too.

Inside the engine, the pistons and valve recesses have been modified. The new pistons are 11% lighter and the cylinder bores have got better ventilation holes. The compression ratio has also been improved from 12.8 to 12.9:1. Chassis changes include Brembo monobloc brakes, thinner discs, 7mm shorter forks with 5mm less stroke, a lighter front tire and a lighter front axle. Apart from this, new high-grip seat leathers and lighter wiring harness have been added. Exhaust aside, styling changes are limited to red pinstripes on the wheels, black fork legs and new GSX-R graphics with a bit more blue paint on the bodywork. Oh, and the rev counter is black now, instead of grey.

Motors Garage: Hero MotoCorp Launches Impulse Priced At Rs. 66,80...

Motors Garage: Hero MotoCorp Launches Impulse Priced At Rs. 66,80...: Hero Motocorp has created a new segment altogether in the Indian 2 wheeler market. The Impulse is powered by a 150 cc motor that produced ...

Hero MotoCorp Launches Impulse Priced At Rs. 66,800/-

 Hero Motocorp has created a new segment altogether in the Indian 2 wheeler market. The Impulse is powered by a 150 cc motor that produced 13.2 BHP of power at 7500 RPM and a healthy torque of 13.4 Nm at 5000 RPM. It comes with solid knuckle guards, sporty high mount muffler, large and raised durable sporty fenders, straight pull spokes and motocross seat for the real off-road experience. It also features nitrox-gas filled mono-shock rear suspension which ensures a smooth ride on roughest of terrains, high ground clearance with large front wheel with stud-type tread pattern tyres and large front disc brakes. The Impulse has been launched at an attractive price of Rs. 66,800 (ex-showroom, Delhi)