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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.

  • Tata Tiago & Tigor Updated With Apple CarPlay

    Tata Tiago & Tigor Updated With Apple CarPlay

    Tata Motors top-selling Tiago hatchback and its sibling Tigor have been updated with a touchscreen system on the range-topping XZ+ variants. The Tata Tiago XZ+ is priced from ₹ 5.71 lakh, while the Tata Tigor XZ+ has been priced at Rs 6.75 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi). As a result, the new system is not only better in terms of use but also gets the much awaited Apple CarPlay compatibility feature. The Tata Tiago XZ+ variant was launched last year with the new 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system but only offered Android Auto connectivity. The new compatibility option will allow iPhone users to connect their smartphone with the car that makes for distraction-free driving.

    Interestingly, existing owners of the Tiago and the Tata Tigor XZ+ variants can update their existing infotainment systems to access Apple CarPlay. Owners will have to head to a Tata Motors service centre to for a software update. In addition to the touchscreen system, the Tata  Tigor and the Tiago XZ+ variants come with new headlamp styling, and diamond cut alloy wheels.

    Apart from the feature additions, the Tata Tigor and the Tiago continue to use the same mechanicals. Power comes from the 1.2-litre three-cylinder Revotron petrol engine that belts out 83 bhp and 114 Nm of peak torque. The 1.05-litre three-cylinder Revotorq motor is tuned for 69 bhp and 140 Nm of peak torque. Both engines are paired with a 5-speed gearbox, while an AMT unit is optional.

    With the new system updated across the Tiago and Tigor family, only the performance-friendly JTP versions are yet to get the feature. The Tata Harrier too will get the update in a few weeks.The Tata Tiago is quite the seller and locks horns against a number of offerings including the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R, Hyundai Santro, and the likes, while the Tata Tigor takes on the Ford Aspire, Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Xcent among other sub 4-metre sedans.

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  • Honda Car India’s Sales Grow By 23% In April

    Honda Car India’s Sales Grow By 23% In April

    Honda Cars India registered monthly domestic sales of 11,272 units in April 2019 as against 9,143 units in April 2018 registering a growth of 23 per cent. The company has seen a strong sales growth thanks to the new-gen Amaze as also the WR-V. The company even exported 220 units in April 2019.

    Rajesh Goel, Senior Vice President and Director, Sales and Marketing, Honda Cars India Ltd said, “HCIL’s April sales growth is primarily due to lower base effect, as there was no Amaze in corresponding month last year during model runout. The ongoing elections and overall subdued market sentiment continues to affect the sales momentum. Going forward, the industry is heading towards a tougher year impacting sales due to volatility in fuel prices, increase in car prices owing to new regulations and stricter inventory control for smooth switchover to BS6 regime by year end.”

    The company plans to bring more cars to India in 2019. In fact the company had already announced that there would be 6 new models in three years starting 2018. The company has already launched 3 new models in the country in the form of the new-gen Amaze, CR-V and even the Civic. We wait to see what more the company brings to the table.

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  • Toyota Domestic Sales Down By 22%

    Toyota Domestic Sales Down By 22%

    Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold a total of 10,112 units in the domestic market. The domestic sales saw a drop of 22 per cent which is a big drop compared to March 2019 which showed a growth of 7 per cent. The company exported 1301 units of the Etios series this month thus clocking a total of 11,413 units. Toyota Kirloskar Motor sold a total of 13037 units in the domestic market this month of April 2018. The company exported 834 units of the Etios series this month thus clocking a total of 13871 units.

    Toyota had even in March talked about the slow pace of the market and also the soaring prices of input costs and even the high insurance costs. Commenting on the sales performance, Mr. N. Raja, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “The industry is currently experiencing a slowdown due to uncertainty of upcoming general elections that looms over the market and this slow pace is expected to continue until the new government is formed. Consumer sentiments has currently dampened due to several factors like tight liquidity, high insurance, high costs.We hope the sales growth momentum to pick up in the upcoming months post election results are out.”

    Things are about to change though as the company is all set to launch the new Glanza Hatchback as also the rebadged version of the Vitara Brezza which will mark the company’s entry into the subcompact SUV segment. The company does say that the sales are likely to pick up post election results

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  • Ford Puts Pre-Collision Assist Technology On Shopping Carts

    Ford Puts Pre-Collision Assist Technology On Shopping Carts

    When it comes to raising the blood pressure, for parents, the weekly shop is right up there with getting the kids to bed and meal times. And while toddler meltdowns and trips to the sweet aisle are trying, few moments can be more worrying than seeing your child career off at high speed on a supermarket trolley.

    But now Ford has come out with a solution to ease your stress and it’s used car technology in a shopping cart. Ford has used the Pre-Collision Assist technology which is seen in most of its cars on a trolley. The technology uses a forward-facing camera and radar to detect vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists in the road, and automatically applies the brakes if the driver does not respond to warnings.

    The self-braking trolley uses a sensor to achieve a similar outcome – to scan ahead for people and objects and automatically apply the brakes when a potential collision is detected. Just a prototype for the time being, the self-braking trolley is part of a series of Ford Interventions; applying automotive expertise to solve the day-to-day problems we all face.

    Anthony Ireson, director, Marketing Communications, Ford Europe said, “Pre-Collision Assist technology can help our customers avoid accidents or mitigate the effects of being involved in a collision. We thought that showing how similar thinking could be applied to a shopping trolley would be a great way to highlight what can be a really useful technology for drivers.”

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  • Hyundai Introduces Smartphone Based EV Performance Control Technology

    Hyundai Introduces Smartphone Based EV Performance Control Technology

    Hyundai Motor Group has announced the development of ‘smartphone-electric vehicle pairing based performance adjustment technology,’ which allows users to customise primary functions through a smartphone app. The company says that it is in fact an industry first innovation. Drivers can use this technology to adjust seven performance features including the maximum torque output of the motor, ignition, acceleration and deceleration abilities, regenerative braking capacity, maximum speed limit, responsiveness, and energy use on climate control.

    As electric vehicles continually expand their market share, especially in rental or car-sharing industries, the new technology will allow drivers to use their custom settings in whichever electric vehicle they drive by downloading their profile from the server. The application provides optimised settings for a designated destination by analysing the remaining distance and electric energy requirement. It can also accommodate sportier driving by recommending tailored performance settings.

    The application provides optimised settings for a designated destination by analysing the remaining distance and electric energy requirement

    Beyond the driver’s seat, users can share their customisation settings online as well as try out other users’ custom settings. Customers can also apply recommended settings by Hyundai based on the condition of roads, from country roads to the city centre or mountain ranges. Hyundai Motor Group will utilise blockchain technology to prevent security issues while users upload and share their custom sittings on the server.

    In the process of uploading and sharing custom settings, the system encrypts major performance parameters in a blockchain network by creating new data blocks and stores them in the distributed data storage system to block unauthorised manipulation.

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  • Porsche Celebrates 10 Years Of The Panamera

    Porsche Celebrates 10 Years Of The Panamera

    The Porsche Panamera celebrates 10 years today and it was in April 2009 that the company first presented this Gran Turismo to the world. While Porsche initially planned production of 20,000 units per year, the Panamera clearly exceeded those expectations. More than 2.35 lakh cars have been delivered to date worldwide and the demand is clearly increasing. Put it was a tough battle to get this car on the production line. Porsche engineers kept coming back to this idea.

    In the 1950s, they developed a comfortable four-seater based on the 356. The Type 530 had a lengthened wheelbase, larger doors and a raised roof at the rear. Others followed, including a four-door prototype based on the 911 and, in the 1980s, lengthened variants of the 928. Ferry Porsche used one of these as his private car. In 1988, Porsche made a new attempt with the Type 989: the four-door coupe offered space for two full seats in the rear. The drive power was provided by a V8 front engine. Design elements from the 989 were later incorporated into the 911 of the 993 generation. Like all similar concepts before it, however, the 989 remained a prototype. For economic reasons, development was discontinued at the start of 1992.

    Then in the early 2000’s, Porsche conducted market studies, analysed the competition and decided to develop a four-door hatchback saloon and that saw the emergence of the Panamera. The Panamera’s first official appearance was on April 19, 2009 in Shanghai. The first model, internally known as G1, set standards in its class thanks to the wide spread between sportiness and comfort. It was packed with innovations: for the first time, a luxury class production model was offered with a transmission and start-stop system. The top model Panamera Turbo also introduced air suspension with additional air volume on demand, as well as an adjustable, multi-dimensionally extendable rear spoiler. The Gran Turismo also set the course for all other Porsche model lines with its new display and operating concept.

    The model range grew rapidly and sustainably, culminating in an engine range covering power output from 250 to 550 horsepower with petrol, diesel and hybrid drives as well as rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. In the beginning, the naturally aspirated V6 and V8 engines were available with a six-speed manual transmission. Most customers opted for the seven-speed Porsche dual clutch transmission PDK. Diesel and hybrid drives were available in combination with an eight-stage automatic transmission.

    Of course, there was a second generation to be made that it made its world debut on June 28, 2016. The development involved multiple streams: in addition to the Gran Turismo with a standard and extended wheelbase, a third variant was developed on the same platform: the Sport Turismo. From 2017, its avant-garde design and body concept brought more versatility to the luxury vehicle class.

    Thanks to chassis systems like the three-chamber air suspension, rear-axle steering and the PDCC Sport electromechanical roll stabilisation system, the Panamera was as at home on the streets as it was on the track. This was underpinned by a lap time of 7:38 minutes on the Nurburgring-Nordschleife – set by Porsche works driver Lars Kern in a standard Panamera Turbo. The engine range was consistently optimised, while the power output values were increased: new engines were introduced across the range, and the transmission was now an eight-speed PDK. The power output spectrum started at 330 hp, today the top model is a 680 hp plug-in hybrid.

    Now, for Porsche, it’s all going to be about electric mobility solutions and of course, the Panamera too has already gone that way. It’s just the beginning for the decade old Panamera and wait to see what more comes from this very capable luxury saloon.

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  • Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza To Be Manufactured At Toyota’s Plant

    Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza To Be Manufactured At Toyota’s Plant

    It was in 2017 that Toyota and Suzuki showed interest in working together in several markets including India and two years down the line the alliance is about to bear fruit. Both companies have spelt out the areas of collaboration and it is known that Maruti Suzuki will share the Ciaz, Ertiga, Baleno and Vitara Brezza with Toyota for India and other developing markets. Maruti Suzuki has also shared that it will make use of the unutilised production capacity of Toyota’s Bengaluru plant to assemble the Vitara Brezza.

    Speaking with carandbike, R.C. Bhargava- Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India said, “Toyota has some spare capacity in their Bangalore plant. We will use that capacity to manufacture the Brezza. That saves us the investment which otherwise would have been required. We will utilise that capacity, so it’s a win-win for both of us. We get cars without making any investment and they get something to use their capacity. So we are all looking always to maximise the efficiency of the total system.”

    Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s total annual production capacity is 310,000 units. The first plant which started production in 1997 has a production capacity of 100,000 units and operates at full capacity to assemble the Innova Crysta and Fortuner. The second plant which started production in 2010 is used to manufacture Toyota’s sedan and the Etios Liva hatchback and has a production capacity of 210,000 units. Maruti Suzuki is likely to manufacture the VItara Brezza in this plant as more than half of its capacity is left unexploited.

    Maruti Suzuki has confirmed that it will phase out current diesel engines from its line-up by April 1, 2020. The company has also reaffirmed that the Vitara Brezza will soon be offered with the petrol engine and chances are that the company may introduce the in-house developed 1.5-litre DDiS 225 diesel engine if it sees substantial demand for diesel variants in the segment. Since Toyota badged Maruti Suzuki vehicles are expected only by late 2019 or early 2020, there is a possibility that Maruti will manufacture the Vitara Brezza with new engines at Toyota’s second plant in Bengaluru.

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  • Honda BR-V Facelift Unveiled In Indonesia

    Honda BR-V Facelift Unveiled In Indonesia

    Honda has revealed the updated BR-V at the 2019 Indonesia International Motor Show. The BR-V has not been doing great in terms of sales in India. The company has been selling close to 500 cars on an average and a facelift might just help in lifting those sales figures. However, we don’t yet know if this facelift will make to India yet as there’s no confirmation from the company. The BR-V does look prettier than before and the revised front grille and even the new bumper add to the design of the car. It looks bolder and the chrome that’s spread around the fog lamps, and even the slat on the front grille, adds to the premiumness of the BR-V.

    There’s a trapezoidal air dam and a silver scuff plate too. From what we can see, the facelift of the BR-V gets projector headlamps with L-shaped daytime running lights. The company has also tweaked the rear bumper slightly, so the BR-V still has the muscles and the character lines make sure that the car still oozes that SUV-ness. The BR-V facelift also gets 16-inch dual tone alloy wheels.

    There aren’t many changes made to the cabin of the BR-V as it retains the all-black dashboard and the touchscreen infotainment system. While the car launched the Indonesia is a 1.5-litre petrol, the one available in India is a 1.5-litre diesel as also a 1.5-litre petrol. With the new regulations coming into the country, carmakers are making sure that the line-up it brings to the market will be sustainable as also will boost its sales in the market. We wait to see what the company retains for the Indian market

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  • Toyota Glanza Spotted For The First Time

    Toyota Glanza Spotted For The First Time

    Toyota is all set to bring in the Glanza hatchback to India. Essentially a Toyota-badged version of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the new Toyota Glanza is the first model to come out as part of the Toyota – Suzuki alliance which was announced in 2017. While a teaser has already been released, the Glanza has not been seen in the flesh in its entirety, well until now.

    The Glanza hatchback was spotted in a car park and yes, this is the first time you get to see what it really looks like, up front and the rear. Up front, you see it get a a new grille and slightly tweaked face, in order to differentiate it from the Baleno. So, we can see the two chrome slates which gets the Toyota badge right in the centre of the car. Much of the rest of the details on the car remain the same as on the Baleno. So the chrome strip, the headlamps, the fog lamps and even the lower air dam, remains identical to the Baleno.

    The similarity continues at the rear as there are no changes apart from the variant and brand badging. The Toyota Glanza will compete with the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz. Considering that Maruti Suzuki has had great success with the Baleno and manages to sell close to 18,000 units a month on an average, it will be interesting to see how Toyota manages to boost its sales figures with this car.

    While the cabin of the car too is likely to remain unchanged, there will be a few tweaks made to make it feel more like a Toyota. As far as engine options go, the Toyota Glanza is expected to be launched in two petrol options, which will include Maruti Suzuki’s 1.2-litre, four-cylinder K12 petrol engine which powers the Baleno. The other one could be Toyota’s 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that is tuned to make 79 bhp and 104 Nm torque.

    The Toyota and Suzuki partnership extends not only to sharing vehicles but also technological development, vehicles production and market development. An MoU signed in November 2017 further expanded the partnership to consider a cooperative structure for introducing battery-powered electric vehicles.

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  • Daimler Will Pull Smart Mini-Cars Out Of United States, Canada

    Daimler Will Pull Smart Mini-Cars Out Of United States, Canada

    The tiny, two-person Smart cars once pitched as the next big thing in urban mobility will be discontinued in the United States and Canada at the end of the current model year, German automaker Daimler AG said on Monday. Smart cars, with their unique styling and ability to fit in half a parking space, found an audience in densely populated U.S. and Canadian cities. But that audience was small and rapidly declining. Smart reported just 90 cars sold in the United States during March, down 18 percent from the year before.

    U.S. sales of a wide range of small cars have collapsed over the past several years as relatively cheap gasoline and a strong economy have encouraged consumers to buy larger trucks and sport utility vehicles.

    The Smart brand’s electric cars offered just 58 miles (93 km) of driving range. Competing models such as the “mid-range” Tesla Model 3, with an estimated range of 264 miles, offered more range and more room for passengers and cargo. The range figures are from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

    Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz brand, in a statement, cited “a number of factors” for the decision to end Smart’s run in the United States and Canada, “including a declining micro-car market in the U.S. and Canada, combined with high homologation costs for a low volume model.” Homologation refers to the changes required to bring the European-designed Smart in line with U.S. regulations. Daimler ended sales of gasoline-fueled Smart cars in 2017.

    Mercedes plans to bring new, larger electric vehicles to the United States, starting with the launch of the EQC sport utility next year. Those vehicles will help Mercedes meet zero emission vehicle quotas in California and other states. Mercedes dealers will still offer parts and repairs for Smart cars, the company said.

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  • Trump Again Goes After India

    Trump Again Goes After India

    President Donald Trump has criticised India’s “big tariffs” on American paper products and the iconic Harley-Davidson bikes, saying the US has been losing billions of dollars to countries like India, China and Japan. Addressing a Republican political rally in Wisconsin state’s Green Bay city on Sunday, Trump alleged that every country has been ripping off America for years.

    The President has repeatedly claimed that India is a “tariff king” and imposes “tremendously high” tariffs on American products. “For so many decades we’ve been losing tens of billions of dollars to China and Japan, and India, and name any country and we lost, but we’re not losing anymore,” he said to his cheering supporters. He said that the US was being charged high tariffs on foreign paper products.

    “We charge other countries zero tariffs on foreign paper products, but when Wisconsin paper companies export it abroad… China charged us big tariffs, India charged us big tariffs, Vietnam charge us massive tariffs,” Trump said. He claimed that people of the US demanded a government that puts America first. “And we’re doing that with China, we’re doing that with India, we’re doing that with Japan, we’re doing it with a great new trade deal, that hopefully will get approved in the house,” the President said.

    Early this year at a White House event to announce his support for reciprocal tax, Trump had said that he was satisfied with the Indian decision to reduce the import tariff on high-end Harley-Davidson motorcycles from 100 per cent to 50 per cent. The President said that he called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of tariffs on Harley-Davidson motorcycles. “Look at Harley-Davidson. I met with them three years ago, they would tell me tough to do business in certain kind. I asked ‘How you’re doing in India?’ and they said, ‘Oh, we don’t do any business’. They weren’t even complaining because so many years.

    “So India charged a 100 per cent tariff on Harley-Davidson, but when they send their motorcycles and they may come to us, we charge them nothing,” Trump said. “So I called up Prime Minister Modi, I said unfair, he cut it 50 per cent… But that’s not good enough because look, it’s 50 per cent to nothing. And what we’re doing is changing all of that stuff, changing all of that rapidly,” he added.

    India is pressing for exemption from the high duty imposed by the US on certain steel and aluminium products, resumption of export benefits to certain domestic products under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme, greater market access for its products from agriculture, automobile, automobile components and engineering sectors.

    On the other hand, the US is demanding greater market access through a cut in import duties for its agriculture goods, dairy products, medical devices, IT and communication items. India has stated that it would be difficult for them to cut duties on IT products.

    India’s exports to the US in 2017-18 stood at USD 47.9 billion, while imports were USD 26.7 billion. The trade balance is in favour of India.

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  • France and Germany To Support Battery Cell Consortium

    France and Germany To Support Battery Cell Consortium

    France and Germany have asked the European Commission to approve state subsidies for a cross-border battery cell consortium including carmaker PSA with its German subsidiary Opel and French battery maker Saft, a German official said on Monday. The two countries have earmarked 1.7 billion euros ($1.9 billion) to support company alliances to help reduce European carmakers’ dependence on Asian suppliers and protect jobs at risk from the shift away from combustion engines.

    The economy ministries of both countries sent a letter of intent to the European Union’s executive body asking it to give a provisional go-ahead, a German economy ministry spokeswoman said, without giving a sum for the planned state funding.

    “We’re now waiting for Brussels to give us the green light,” the spokeswoman said.

    German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier will meet French counterpart Bruno Le Maire in Paris on Thursday to discuss the matter, aiming to make progress with forging further battery alliances. The FAZ report said that the PSA/Saft alliance was planning to convert an Opel factory in the western city of Kaiserslautern close to the French border into a battery cell production site.

    Among the more than 30 companies that applied for state funding at the German Economy Ministry are carmakers Volkswagen and BMW, as well as German battery maker Varta and Swedish battery manufacturing startup Northvolt. Saft, a 100-year old French company owned by energy company Total, produces a range of batteries for industrial applications.

    It has joined forces with German industrial group Siemens, electronic components specialist Manz, Belgian chemicals group Solvay and Belgian material group Umicore to develop a new generation of batteries for electric vehicles.

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  • Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Launched With The New 1.5-Litre Diesel

    Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Launched With The New 1.5-Litre Diesel

    Just days after announcing phasing out of diesel engines within a year, Maruti Suzuki has launched the 2019 Ertiga with its in-house developed 1.5-litre, DDiS 225 diesel engine. Maruti is offering the Ertiga 1.5 in three variants- VDI, ZDI and ZDI+ with prices starting at ₹ 9.86 lakh for the base trim and going up to ₹ 11.20 lakh for the top-end variant, all prices ex-showroom, Delhi. The DDiS 225 which will eventually replace the Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre DDiS 200 made its debut in the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. At present, the 1.3-litre DDiS 200 engine will be offered alongside the new engine.

    It’s a 1498 cc, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine which churns out 94 bhp at 4000 rpm and 225 Nm of peak torque at 1500 – 2500 rpm. In fact, the DDiS 225 nomenclature alludes to the maximum torque the new engine puts out. Maruti has used Dual-Mass flywheel as a linkage between the engine and the transmission which helps to channelize the torque evenly, in-turn adding to the refinement. This engine in the Ertiga is mated only to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard and an automatic transmission is not on option as of now.

    The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is India’s best-selling MPV and commands a market share of 39 per cent in its segment.

    The second-generation Maruti Suzuki Ertiga was launched last year in November and has been India’s best-selling MPV since then. It commands a market share of 39 per cent in the segment and Maruti Suzuki has sold over 40,000 units since its launch which is a year-on-year growth of a whopping 150 per cent in the November-April period.

    Maruti Suzuki in its last quarter financial result announcement had said that it will phase-out all its diesel models by April 2020 when the BS6 norms will kick-in, pertaining to the high transition cost. However, the company’s Chairman R C Bhargava did mention that the 1.5-litre engine may have future in bigger models if the market demand is there. After the Ertiga, we also expect the DDiS 225 engine to make its way in the S-Cross which is Maruti’s only model above four metres, yet to get the new 1.5-litre DDiS 225 diesel engine.

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  • Pininfarina Battista Launched In The Middle East

    Pininfarina Battista Launched In The Middle East

    Automobili Pininfarina has announced the introduction of its fully-electric hypercar, Pininfarina Battista, in the Middle East market. Expected to be priced around $2 million ( ₹ 13.95 crore approx.), the Italian marque’s zero-emission electric hypercar was launched in Dubai, at specialist luxury car retailer Adamas Motors showroom. The new Battista electric hypercar is slated to enter production in the second half of 2020 at Pininfarina’s Cambiano facility in Italy. Initially, the carmaker will be producing a maximum of 150 units, out of which only 50 are anticipated to be available to cover the Middle East and Asia markets, so the company expects the demands to be exceptionally high.

    Talking about the Luca Borgogno, Design Director, Automobili Pininfarina, said, “We are proud to be in Dubai for the Battista’s Middle East debut. Just a few weeks after it was launched at the Geneva International Motor Show, where it received an amazing reception, we have arrived in one of the world’s most discerning countries for supercars and luxury cars. The Battista’s classic hypercar proportions combined with cutting-edge technology that delivers 1,900 hp and zero emissions will be a new experience for its owners in the UAE, and we believe will make them fall in love with ultra-high-performance electric vehicles.”

    In addition to Adamas Motors as the brand’s retail partner for the UAE, Pininfarina will soon announce a second retail partner for the Middle East, which will cover the important Saudi Arabia market. Meanwhile, potential customers are invited to apply to own a Battista using an online service within the company’s website.

    The Pininfarina Battista will be the first of the Italian marque’s pure-electric luxury cars, and it comes with a 120-kWh battery providing power to four electric motors – one for each wheel – offering a combined output close 1,900 horses while developing 2,300 Nm of peak torque. Pininfarina claims that the Battista electric hypercar is faster than a current Formula 1 race car. While 0-100 kmph is achieved in under two seconds, 0-300 kmph takes less than 12 seconds and it can reach a top speed of 350 kmph. As for the range, the company claims that the Battista has a potential zero-emissions range of up to 450 kilometres.

    The Battista comes with the classic Pininfarina design, using the same principle of form and function coming together, as seen in classic Pininfarina cars reaching back to the Cisitalia 202 of 1947 and through more than 100 Ferraris. The car also comes with a futuristic-looking cabin with a completely driver-oriented dashboard with two displays positioned behind the steering wheel offering a host of information. The hypercar features dual tone black and brown interior using high-quality leather. Plans are in place for the opportunity to fully personalise each car at Pininfarina SpA’s Cambiano headquarters.

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  • Next Generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class Interior Leaked

    Next Generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class Interior Leaked

    Mercedes-Benz is readying the next generation of its flagship S-Class sedan and while we’ve seen test mules in the past, a leaked image of the interior have now made its online. The next generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class due to make its debut sometime in 2020 and going by the leaked image, the car appears future ready. Confirmed by earlier spy shots, the W223 S-Class replaced the dual infotainment screen with single unit for the instrument console and a massive vertically-stacked display for all other controls. The Tesla like touchscreen system replaces a tonne of switches on dashboard that gets a clutter-free appearance with sleek looking air-con vents and a new steering wheel. The leaked image also reveals the dual-tone treatment to the cabin in pristine while and black shades.

    The new generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class will be based on the automaker’s MRA platform and will come with a range of six and eight cylinder petrol and diesel engines. There will also be an electrified version called – the EQ S – and will be based on the company’s new Modular Electric Architecture (MEA). The new electrified version is expected to sport a range of 500 km on a single charge, as the automaker’s new top-of-the-line electric saloon. Not to forget, there will be the Affalterbach versions too with the AMG-tuned S-Class drawing power from the 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo motor that is likely to go hybrid.

    In addition, the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is expected to be offered in only the long-wheelbase guise globally. That said, do expect the Pullman and Maybach versions to follow suit packing in tech and comfort over the current W222 S-Class. It needs to be seen if Mercedes will continue with the Coupe and Convertible versions on the next generation. With respect to new tech, expect improved autonomous driving capability possibly up to Level 3; a new and updated version of the Airmatic suspension and more segment-first creature comforts on the offering.

    In terms of design, the new S-Class is likely to get an evolutionary styling along lines of the new A-Class, CLS and the likes. The current version is one of the most gorgeous looking saloons out there, which really sets the benchmark for the new version. It is also likely to serve as the design inspiration for the next C-Class and E-Class models, when its time for their respective new life cycles.

    More details on the new S-Class will be available in the months to come. A global debut will happen next year while sales globally should commence by 2021 or 2022, depending on the market. The W222 S-Class is assembled in India, and given the sheer demand for the flagship Mercedes, expect the new model to be locally assembled as well.