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Category: Automotive

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Auto and Car news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • BMW F 850 RS Patented In Brazil

    BMW F 850 RS Patented In Brazil

    BMW Motorrad has applied for a patent for the F 850 RS in Brazil with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INP). Yes! It spawns from the company’s F 850 GS motorcycle but while the GS is an off-road biased model, the F 850 RS will be a tarmac loving sport-touring machine, somewhat similar to the BMW S 1000 XR. The F 850 RS began life as the stunning 9Cento concept which was showcased in May 2018 at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy which had a rather sexy, head-turning design. In fact, the production version of the 9Cento concept was spied testing sometime in November 2018 and then, it was rumoured to be called the F 850 GT, but a leaked dealer brochure confirmed the name of the new motorcycle as the F 850 ₹

    The patent image shows that the overall look and design of the F 850 RS will be quite similar to the 9Cento concept. And the engine on the F 850 RS will be the same as the one on the F 850 GS, which is a 853 cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled motor making 93 bhp of max power and 92 Nm of peak torque while being paired to a six-speed gearbox. Expect the engine to be tuned differently for on-road touring. Also, the RS could be wearing thicker on-road rubber with alloys instead of spoked rims and dual-purpose tyres that the F 850 GS is shod with. We expect the BMW F 850 RS to be unveiled at the 2019 EICMA Motorcycle Show in November this year. Once it is internationally launched, we expect BMW Motorrad to eventually bring the F 850 RS to India sometime later in 2020 as well.

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  • 2019 BMW Z4 Teased Ahead Of Its India Launch

    2019 BMW Z4 Teased Ahead Of Its India Launch

    The all-new third-generation BMW Z4 was revealed globally last year and is one of the 12 new models which BMW has planned to launch in India this year. The new Z4 has also been spied before in India and the new teaser reaffirms it being one of the models in the pipeline. BMW India took to Twitter and Instagram to tease the third-generation Z4 and has hinted about its launch which could be sooner than you can guess and the company is planning to unfold it today.

    The test mule which underwent the homologation process was the Z4 M40i variant which is most likely to be the one for India. It is powered by a 3.0-litre, twin-turbo, inline six-cylinder engine which churns out 340 bhp and takes 4.6 seconds to clock triple-digit speed. Its top speed is electronically limited to 250 kmph. The Z4 will also feature sports suspension with electronically controlled dampers, M-Sport brakes and an electronically controlled M-Sport differential in the rear-mounted transmission. The car also has 50-50 weight distribution.

    The new BMW Z4 is quite close to its concept design and has retained the new conjoined Kidney Grille which we have also seen on the 8-Series. In fact, the fascia overall is related to quite an extent sporting the almost identical headlamp cluster with typical BMW daytime running lights. The rear of the car, however, is discrete and looks very similar to the outgoing model. The cabin is similar to what we have seen in the M-Sport variants of BMWs. You get a three-spoke steering wheel, a very typical BMW centre console and a central tunnel with a silver finish too. The silver or brushed accents also continue on the steering wheel and on the dashboard. You also get an all-digital instrument cluster panel.

    The new BMW Z4 is expected to cost around ₹ 1 Crore and will take on an array of different drop tops. Obvious rivals for the Z4 are the Porsche 718 Boxster, the Jaguar F-Type 2.0 Roadster and the Mercedes-AMG SLC43. However, it will also go up against slightly more relaxed cabriolets like the C-Class cabriolet and the Audi A5 Cabriolet.

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  • Rolls-Royce Appoints Jozef Kaban As The Head Of Design

    Rolls-Royce Appoints Jozef Kaban As The Head Of Design

    Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has appointed Jozef Kaban as the new design chief. 46-year-old Kaban who was earlier the Head of Design Studio at its parent company- BMW started working with the Group two years back in 2017. Kaban started his career as a car designer with the Volkswagen Group after he graduated from the Royal College of Art, London in 1997 and in 1998 he got the project lead for the iconic Bugatti Veyron.

    On Kaban’s joining, Torsten Muller-Otvos, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said, “I am delighted to announce that Jozef Kaban has been appointed Head of Design. He is an exceptionally talented designer with a strong track record and a wide breadth of ability. It is testament to the success of our business that, as the world’s leading luxury house, we are able to attract the world’s very best design talent.” He continued, “This is an exciting time for our brand and I look forward to welcoming Jozef to the Rolls-Royce family.”

    Prior to joining the BMW Group, Kaban worked as a lead designer of Exterior roles, first at Audi AG and then Skoda Auto.

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  • Hyundai’s Virtual Cockpit Concept Gets Steering-Mounted Touchscreens

    Hyundai’s Virtual Cockpit Concept Gets Steering-Mounted Touchscreens

    The Hyundai i30 with the new virtual cockpit comes with a new steering wheel that comes with wide bridges one either side to house the two vertical displays. The touchscreen offers the driver controls to the music system, menu and mode change among others. In fact, the display even comes with a new, freely configurable icon design for easier understanding and two actuator modules underneath the surface allowing for a stronger and more consistent haptic feedback which optimises the usability for the driver. Hyundai focused on improving the existing concept of touch displays with haptic feedback on the steering wheel, similar to the centre display. The centre display can be used to control the car’s features like climate control, speaker setting and much more.

    As for the instrument cluster, it comes with a multi-layer display (MLD) that is claimed to come with a new, very natural way of attention control. Unlike regular displays, the MLD consists of two displays, which are stacked behind each other at a distance of 6mm that offer visual 3D effects – While one part of the graphic is shown on the front display and the other part on the rear display. In the area where the graphics overlap, the impression of an object in space is created. Regina Kaiser also said that “We are doing research on the learnability, intuition and potential driver distraction of the virtual cockpit.” In fact, the company study revealed that Hyundai’s new cockpit is significantly below the limits of the globally acknowledged motor vehicle safety associations AAM and NHTSA.

    Hyundai says that to date, the company’s steering wheels and cockpits have undergone a major development process and the technology continues to evolve. “We are continuously working on new technologies that make our cars perfectly intuitive and user-friendly”, said Regina Kaiser. While the cockpit is still in the early prototype stage, the company says that it’s nonetheless an important milestone and fairly advanced compared to the existing technology, parts of which we’ll be seeing in some of the future models from Hyundai.

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  • Ford Unveils Their Puma Crossover

    Ford Unveils Their Puma Crossover

    Ford has revealed the first image of the Puma – an SUV-inspired compact crossover and the company says that it comes with hybrid technology. The Puma will go on sale in the global markets by the end of 2019 and will be manufactured at the company’s Craiova Assembly Plant, Romania, following nearly 1.5 billion Euros investment since 2008.

    The first image of the Ford Puma reveals its styling cues and we can see the distinctive wing-top mounted headlamps and the curves on the side of the car which brings out the athletic side of the car and also showcases the aerodynamic ability too. The company has not said much about the ride height but does mention that the luggage capacity is 456 litres.

    The company says that discussions with customers have led to it providing for flexible luggage space. The Puma’s innovative rear stowage can swallow small furniture and the company says that the versatile storage compartment is capable of comfortably accommodating two golf bags in an upright position.

    Under the hood is Ford’s 1-litre, 3 cylinder EcoBoost Hybrid technology which delivers 153 bhp and a belt-driven integrated starter/generator (BISG) enables recovery and storage of energy usually lost during braking and coasting to charge a 48 volt lithium-ion air-cooled battery pack.

    The BISG also integrates with the engine and uses the stored energy to provide torque substitution – which reduces the amount of work required from the petrol engine to maximise fuel savings, and torque supplementation – which increases the total torque available from the powertrain for optimised performance.

    The Puma joins Ford’s expanding line-up of SUV and SUV-inspired crossover models in Europe, including the Fiesta Active, Focus Active, EcoSport, Kuga, Edge, and the all-new Explorer Plug-In Hybrid among others. The SUVs now account for more than one in five Ford vehicles sold in Europe, and sales rose more than 19 per cent in 2018.

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  • Lexus Vietnam introduces new Lexus RC 2019

    Lexus Vietnam introduces new Lexus RC 2019

    Lexus Vietnam on Monday introduced new Lexus RC 2019 – a luxury sports coupé.

    Taking the driving concept of “sharper and more graceful” that defined the LC, Lexus engineers have succeeded in making the new RC fun to drive by focusing their attention on details.

    The new Lexus RC300 2019 will be available in two Lexus dealers of Thăng Long in Hà Nội and Saigon in HCM City since April 2019.

    The Lexux RC 300 costs up to VNĐ 3.3 billion (US$142,200).

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  • Volkswagen Teases Electric SUV

    Volkswagen Teases Electric SUV

    Volkswagen is all set to bring in the ID. ROOMZZ1 concept at the Auto Shanghai 2019. The ID. ROOMMZZ1 is the next member of the ID family and gives us a glimpse into the company’s upcoming version of a zero emission SUV.

    The production version based on the ID ROOMMZZ1 will first make its debut in the Chinese market in 2021 after which the model will be brought into other global markets. Just like the compact I.D.1, the I.D. CROZZ1, the I.D. BUZZ1, the I.D. VIZZION1 and the I.D. BUGGY1 before it, the sixth member of the fully electric family is based on the modular electric drive matrix and comes laden with innovations.

    The I.D. ROOMZZ1 gets variability in terms of vehicle interior, boasting of new seat configurations, high-quality materials and customizable light. It also gets the IQ.DRIVE systems which will drive the I.D ROOMZZ1. There’s a I.D. Pilot mode too in which the vehicle can be driven autonomously without an active driver which basically hints at a level 4 autonomous vehicle.

    There’s not much information yet about the what powers the ID ROOMZZ1, and what user experience will be like. We will know more about this, once the company showcases the car at the 2019 Auto Shanghai.

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  • TomTom IQ Maps Makes Global Premiere In India With MG Hector

    TomTom IQ Maps Makes Global Premiere In India With MG Hector

    The MG Hector is still a few weeks away from hitting the market but the SAIC-owned brand has taken the wraps off the car’s connectivity and IT services. In a bid to offer a first-in-segment connected car, the MGHector sees the company bring several big names in IT and services together to create its i-smart platform. Besides Microsoft, Cisco, Nuance et al, there is also the world’s leading name in navigation systems – TomTom. And a unique offering from the Netherlands based player is an immediate area-only self-updating new navigation system called IQ Maps. Speaking carandbike Tsjerk-Friso Roelfzema, VP Automotive – Europe & Asia, TomTom said, “You don’t have to do anything, plug in a new CD or DVD, a USB, or go to a dealer. It’s automatically updated in the background, and not just only automatically updated, but only what is relevant to the driver. So we are here in Delhi today, you don’t want to have the updates of your map let’s say in Pune, it’s not relevant. So we update what is relevant to you.”

    TomTom’s self-updating new navigation system called IQ Maps will be introduced with the MG Hector

    The IQ Maps idea is simple. The car will have embedded maps for the whole country as is. But these maps get outdated quickly; especially in a country like India here our road systems are constantly undergoing detours or changes due to fresh construction or improvements in infrastructure. IQ Maps helps the car to provide you with updated and current maps, without worrying about those kinds of changes. And yes the system is in-dash – and will work through the big 10.4″ screen on MG’s i-smart unit.

    It also gives you real-time traffic updates, and will reroute your guidance if there is a traffic jam for instance. It also takes into account any last minute road closures or other changes like say, construction activity. The map is updated accordingly, and is fed with a combination of live and historical data inputs to achieve its levels of accuracy. This has been made possible not just because of the innovation at TomTom’s research centres in Europe and also in Pune, India.

    Of course the enabler here is also the vehicle itself, which would have to provide connectivity, since this is an in-car navigation system and not an external device or phone app. And that connectivity on the MG Hector will come courtesy the embedded eSim card the car will have from the start. This in turn will provide data services to not just update maps and conduct live searches for destinations or points of interest, but also stream music, browse the net or access your email. The eSim will also be the way to contact MG’s call centre where a concierge service can hep you find destinations, or more importantly provide first response in the case of an emergency. And the good news is MG has said the data plan for the buyer if the car will be free.

    TomTom plans to develop the product further both in terms of offering even more layers of sophistication, and also see if it can be offered in standalone navigation devices or as a phone app. But there is another potential area where it could be even more relevant. Roelfzema says, “It is very important today in normal navigation, but especially when you talk about autonomous driving, you really want to know if the road has changed if your car is driving itself. And that’s really important. We need to see when the rest is following, but it is a very exciting moment also for us.”

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  • Jaguar Land Rover India To Introduce Hybrid Electric Vehicles

    Jaguar Land Rover India To Introduce Hybrid Electric Vehicles

    Luxury car makers in India are all set to bring in hybrid electric and pure electric cars to India. Audi has already announced that the e-tron will make its debut in the country in 2020, while Porsche too is bringing in the Taycan next year. Volvo has already announced its roadmap for the country and Mercedes-Benz India is still doing feasibility studies to introduce electric cars in India and now Jaguar Land Rover is jumping into this scene. Jaguar Land Rover is proposing to launch its electrified products in India.

    In line with Jaguar Land Rover’s global commitment to introduce electrified options on its entire product portfolio by 2020, Jaguar Land Rover India proposes to offer multiple products, ranging from Hybrid Vehicles to Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) over the next few years, starting from 2019. Towards the end of 2019 Jaguar Land Rover will introduce its first hybrid vehicles from Land Rover and in the second half of 2020 Jaguar Land Rover India plans to launch its first Battery Electric Vehicle, the Jaguar I-PACE.

    Rohit Suri, President & Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd. (JLRIL) said, “Jaguar Land Rover’s focus is to commit itself to a more sustainable future and our engineers have developed just the right products to lead us on this path. The introduction of electrified vehicles in Jaguar Land Rover India’s portfolio is in line with the government’s thrust towards electric vehicles. The company is encouraged by the introduction of FAME-II by the Government of India and it focus on expansion of the charging infrastructure in the country. This is bound to help with faster adoption of all kinds of Electric Vehicles in due course.”

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  • Jaguar I-Pace India Launch Details Out

    Jaguar I-Pace India Launch Details Out

    Jaguar is all set to launch its all electric vehicle the I-Pace in India and it will come here by the end of 2020. While Jaguar Land Rover had earlier stated that the I-Pace will not come to India, the company has now chalked out a plan for its hybrid electric and all electric cars for the country. It was in March last year, that the company revealed the I-Pace and according to the company, it has been developed using physics. The company has taken 4 years to build the car from the concept stage to the production version. Unlike other Jaguar cars, this one does not get a long bonnet and that’s because there is no internal combustion engine. In fact, the shorter bonnet helps in improving aerodynamics.

    The all-electric car comes with a sloping bonnet, sleek LED headlamps, honeycomb pattern grille and a wide central airdam. The car also comes with a lovely set of alloys and turn light integrated ORVMs. It has been rigorously tested across extremes of terrain and temperatures from -40 degrees to 40 degrees celcius. With over 1.5 million test miles and a further 11,000 hours of rig simulations completed by more than 200 production prototypes. The I-Pace isn’t pitched as an off-roader, but it’s capable of a wading depth of 500mm.

    The I-Pace comes with a whole bunch of storage space as also features. It comes with mobile device charging options aboard, with three 12v sockets, six USB ports and one HDMI/HML port. The electric SUV uses the same radical dual-screen InControl Touch Pro Duo infotainment system that Jaguar launched on the Range Rover Velar. Additionally, the InControl Remote app gets an Alexa skill that will let drivers ask Alexa-enabled devices for information on the I-Pace’s charge level. It also comes with a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot and slots for tablets and laptops under the rear seats.

    The electric motors have been designed in-house at Jaguar and are relatively light, weighing about 38kg each. The motors are mounted as low as possible in the sandwich platform and this has been done to ensure optimum weight distribution which helps in making the I-Pace agile.

    The I-Pace comes with two synchronous permanent magnet electric motors at the front and the rear axle which have a combined power output of 395 bhp and makes maximum of 696 Nm of torque. It also features an AWD system. A 0-100 kmph sprint takes 4.5 seconds and the performance SUV will have a range of over 480 km. The 90kWh lithium-ion battery pack takes 45 minutes to charge from 0-80 per cent using a 100kW rapid charger, or 10 hours using a 7kW AC wallbox.

  • MG Motor To Offer Free Data For First Few Years On The Hector SUV

    MG Motor To Offer Free Data For First Few Years On The Hector SUV

    MG Motor India announced first in segment connectivity features on the new Hector. Touted as the company’s first internet car, the upcoming MG Hector will come with a new advanced connectivity system called i-Smart next-generation system, a complete integrated solution that combines software, hardware, connectivity, services and application. The command centre is a 10.4-inch ultra large full-HD infotainment system that comes with pre-loaded entertainment content. The company says that the Hector SUV will help the owner stay connected on the go. The Hector has an embedded Machine to Machine (M2M) eSIM. The platform is Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPV6) and 5G ready. This is the first car in the segment to be launched with such a sim.

    Of course, all this will require data and the company today announced that it will offer data for free for the first few years. The company has tied up with Airtel to offer these services to the owners of the Hector SUV and this will make sure that you stay connected with the car as also the world on the move. The system has been developed in collaboration with several technological partners like Cisco, and Microsoft among others.

    MG Motor India has also introduced over the air updates for the first time in India which will make sure MG cars get updated as when new updates are available a function which we are familiar with on smartphones or tablets. Thus, the system would periodically receive new look and themes for the screen, new infotainment content and updates to maps to keep them latest always. The updates would also include updates for OS and Firmware. The vehicle will have the ability to receive new features and upgrades from time to time.

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  • Over 100 Ducati Monster 821 Sold In India

    Over 100 Ducati Monster 821 Sold In India

    Ducati India today announced selling over 100 units of the Ducati Monster 821 in India in less than one year. Launched in India on May 1, 2018, the Monster 821 has become one of the top-selling motorcycles in the sport naked category in India. To commemorate the success the company is offering customers buying a new Ducati Monster an opportunity to avail a host of special accessories as standard with the motorcycle. The exclusive offer is valid from 1st April – 30th April 2019 across all Ducati dealerships.

    Under this special offer, customers purchasing a Monster 821 he will get a Termignoni Exhaust and Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up/Down as standard, while customers the Monster 797+ will also get a Termignoni exhaust at no additional price during the celebration period. Both the accessories will be offered to customers at no additional cost to buyers. The Monster 821 is currently priced at ₹ 10.99 lakh and the Monster 797+ at ₹ 8.60 lakh.

    Talking about the bikes and special offer, Sergi Canovas Managing Director of Ducati India, said “The Monster has always been the most special bike in the Ducati portfolio. Last year we celebrated 25 years of Monster with the comeback of Monster 821, and this year, we decided to celebrate one year of Monster 821 in style by complimenting it with armour it rightfully deserves and would definitely excite the naked bike enthusiasts in the country. The addition of the Termigioni exhaust system and DQS will work flawlessly to make the Monster 821 much more desirable as an urban city tourer while giving it more aggression and street presence. Now even the 797+ will come with the Termignoni with this celebratory offer, I am sure that the passionate bikers will find a lot more value in this package and, the Monster will once again be their companion of choice in the naked-bike category.”

    The Ducati 821 is powered by an 821 cc Testastretta L-twin engine which makes 108 bhp at 9,250 rpm and peak torque of 86 Nm at 7,750 rpm and comes mated to a 6-speed transmission. The 797+, on the other hand, comes with an 803 cc L-twin engine which makes 72 bhp and 67 Nm, while mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The Ducati Monster 821 rivals the Triumph Street Triple RS, Suzuki GSX-S750 and the Kawasaki Z900.

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  • Toyota To Give Royalty-Free Access To Hybrid Vehicle Patents

    Toyota To Give Royalty-Free Access To Hybrid Vehicle Patents

    Toyota Motor plans to offer royalty-free access to its hybrid-vehicle technology patents as early as this year. Toyota, which holds roughly 20,000 active patents in the field, is expected to make accessible most of the latest ones covering motors, power converters and batteries, according to the report.

    The change of heart was driven by a fear of hybrids losing relevance as the broader industry moves toward pure electric vehicles.

  • Hyundai Venue Subcompact SUV Launch Date Revealed

    Hyundai Venue Subcompact SUV Launch Date Revealed

    Hyundai has been teasing its new subcompact SUV – the Venue for quite some time now and we’ve even got details about the company testing the car around the country. While we already know, that the car will be revealed in India on April 17, 2019, coinciding with its public reveal at the 2019 New York Motor Show, we now have details on when the car will be launched in the country. Hyundai will launch the Venue subcompact SUV in India on May 21, 2019. The Venue will be the company’s first subcompact SUV in India and will rival the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport and even the Mahindra XUV300. While Hyundai’s entry into the subcompact SUV segment is delayed, the company is going to pack the Venue with a ton of features making it India’s first connected car.

    The Hyundai Venue will get the company’s ‘BlueLink’ connected technology and it will have 10 India-only features with a total of 33 connectivity features. Some of the features that BlueLink will offer in India are geo-fencing, speed alerts, SOS, panic notifications, destination sharing, and road-side assistance and so on. Hyundai said that it has tested its BlueLink technology rigorously in India, keeping the conditions in mind along with the needs of the customers. This also includes voice guidance and recognition in Indian-accented English which means that the software will be able to recognise spoken English from different regions in India. The Hyundai Venue will also have remote-control operated functions such as climate control, horn and headlamps on, vehicle status, engine start/stop and so on. The best thing is that Hyundai BlueLink can use your smartphone interface as a remote control.

    Hyundai BlueLink will also have a tamper-proof eSIM which will be provided by Vodafone Idea and a cloud based voice recognition platform from Global AI Company, which will offer real time traffic navigation and live local search as well. Features such as panic and medical assistance, geo-fencing and stolen vehicle notification will sit well with customers in India.

    The company has not yet revealed the engines that it will offer, but we have gotten a glimpse of what the front end of the car would look like. The leaked images revealed the upright stance of the Hyundai Venue, while the rear gets a massive ‘H’ badge in the centre with the ‘Venue’ moniker, and the very Polo-esque squared-off taillights along the lines of the Carlino concept. The tailgate also carries the ‘Turbo’ badge and ‘SX’, the latter denoting the range-topping variant.

    Under the hood, the new Hyundai Venue will be available with a 1.4-litre petrol and 1.4-litre diesel engine options. The turbo badge that was on the tailgate holds special importance, which nearly confirms the a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine for the SUV, and will come paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

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  • MG Hector’s Connectivity Features Unveiled

    MG Hector’s Connectivity Features Unveiled

    MG Motor India today unveiled the cabin features of its upcoming SUV MG Hector. Touted as the company’s first internet car, the upcoming MG Hector will come with a new advanced connectivity system called i-Smart next-generation system, a complete integrated solution that combines software, hardware, connectivity, services and application. The system has been developed in collaboration with several technological partners like Cisco, Unlimit, and Microsoft among others. The iSmart connectivity system comes with advanced technology, smart application, built-in Apps, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Smart Features, Voice Assist, and Infotainment.

    The command centre of the system is a vertically-mounted 10.4-inch ultra large Full-HD infotainment display that comes with pre-loaded entertainment content and allows you to manage complete vehicle settings. MG says that the display screen can withstand the high temperatures of Indian weather conditions. For full-time connectivity, the system also comes with a first machine to machine embedded sim, along with the SUV Internet Protocol version 6 makes it 5G-ready, making it future-proof. The system offers features like – Real-Time Navigation, Remote Location, Geo-Fencing, Emergency Response and much more.

    Furthermore, with smart connectivity, the MG Hector will also be getting software updates via over-the-air (OTA) downloads, like firmware and features updates much like any smartphone. Also, as mentioned earlier, the car will come with pre-loaded apps like – TomTom IQ Maps, Gaana Premium, and AccuWeather app among others. In fact, MG Motor India will be offering its customer free data too for the first few years. The system itself is well-secured by Microsoft, which will be the Cloud provider for MG Motor.

    One of the key features and most important features offered in the MG Hector is its voice command system. Powered by China’s conversational AI provider Nuance, the system is designed to use voice commands to access multiple in-car functions like close or opening sunroof, control climate control, navigations and more. In fact, the system can even understand the Indian accent to make it suitable for the Indian market. Like Google Assistance, the Voice Assist system can be accessed by saying ‘Hello MG’ and is capable of handling over 100 functions. The Hector also comes with an eCall emergency response system that sends an emergency alert to MG’s customer management centre, called Pulse Hub and any registered phones, in the case of an accident. Also, in the event of the airbags being deployed, the system triggers a series of emergency response actions.

    The iSMART Next Gen is supported by the iSMART mobile App. MG iSMART App is feature-rich like none other in the Indian market. The car gets scanned each time the App is opened, and information includes location of car, tyre pressure, or if the doors are locked or not. Owner can use the remote app to directly lock or unlock doors, turn on ignition and switch on the air-conditioner.

    The all-new MG Hector is slated to be launched in second quarter of 2019. The SUV will come with premium interior and features like – with power adjustable seats, cruise control, electronic parking brake, and 360-degree camera. We also know that the SUV will come with a panoramic sunroof, which the company claims will be the largest in the segment. The SUV will come in both petrol and diesel powertrains – 1.5-litre petrol engine and a 2.0-litre diesel motor.