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Tag: Auto

  • Huawei Launches ‘World’s First’ 5G Communications Hardware For Automotive Industry

    Huawei Launches ‘World’s First’ 5G Communications Hardware For Automotive Industry

    China’s Huawei Technologies launched on Monday what it said was the world’s first 5G communications hardware for the automotive industry, in a sign of its growing ambitions to become a key supplier to the sector for self-driving technology.

    Huawei said in a statement that the so-called MH5000 module is based on the Balong 5000 5G chip which it launched in January. “Based on this chip, Huawei has developed the world’s first 5G car module with high speed and high quality,” it said.

    It launched the module at the Shanghai Autoshow, which began last week and runs until Thursday.

    “As an important communication product for future intelligent car transportation, this 5G car module will promote the automotive industry to move towards the 5G era,” Huawei said.

    It said the module will aid its plans to start commercializing 5G network technology for the automotive sector in the second half of this year.

    Huawei has in recent years been testing technology for intelligent connected cars in Chinese cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen and Wuxi and has signed cooperation deals with a swathe of car makers including FAW, Dongfeng and Changan.

    The company, which is also the world’s biggest telecoms equipment maker, is striving to lead the global race for next-generation 5G networks but has come under increasing scrutiny from Washington which alleges that its equipment could be used for espionage. Huawei has repeatedly denied the allegations.

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  • New Automotive Technology That Will Come in Handy

    New Automotive Technology That Will Come in Handy

    Automotive giants are working around the clock in developing new technology that will make driving safer and more pleasant for the passengers. The technology is advancing every day at a very fast pace. It seems like every new model that comes up, has something new to offer to the user. This technology is very delicate and must be tested much more thoroughly than any other.

    Brands like Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Toyota, Tesla, Volvo, BMW, and many others are spending millions of dollars on developing and advancing the technology and the features that will make your driving experience much better. In this article, we are going to dig deeper into some of the new high-tech features that will be available on some cars in 2019.

    Steering Avoidance

    At this day and age, many automotive makers are trying their hand at developing driverless vehicles. This technology is so advanced and complicated that we will eventually see fully automated vehicles in the near future. They will have to face tough decisions that for now can be made only by human making. However, automotive makers like Lexus or Volvo are putting steering avoidance systems in their vehicles. This feature will analyze the road ahead and swerve in order to miss the object. This new feature can be at much help to the driver by making faster decisions in order to avoid a collision.

    PreSafe Sound

    This feature that some of the automotive companies like Mercedes-Benz are installing to their vehicles will help you protect your ears in a collision. In other words, the vehicle will play a sound of a particular frequency into the cabin of the vehicle milliseconds before the accident occurs. This will enable your ear to prepare for the loud noise of the crash, which apparently can prevent long term ear damage.

    Road Scanning

    The ride on some vehicles cannot be compromised by the road. So with this road scanning technology, vehicles can see any imperfections on the road and adjust the suspension in order to cope with the bumps. Currently, Mercedes-Benz is putting this feature in their cars and other manufacturers are testing it. With this feature, you will have the perfect ride anytime, anywhere.

    Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

    Vehicle manufacturers are trying to make their products more user-friendly as well as easier to interact with other devices. With Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, you can turn your vehicle’s information screen into the operating system of your phone. Of course, this will provide you with endless opportunities like music, navigation, contacts, messaging and much more. You just need to connect your phone and vehicle and use all the features that your phone has. Although, currently some manufacturers like BMW are offering it wirelessly.

    Wireless Charging

    Many devices from Apple, Samsung, and Google are equipped with wireless charging, that is allowing the vehicle manufacturers to make the center console wireless charging dock. The idea is very simple, yet very effective. You can avoid the sticking out cables and always charge your phone while you drive.

    Semi-Autonomous Driving

    As we mentioned earlier, most of the automotive giants are forcing future with driverless vehicles. Unfortunately, today’s technology vehicles can only support semi-autonomous driving. Truth to be told these vehicles are more automated than autonomous. This will allow you to keep your vehicle between the lines without steering input, as well as automatically accelerate or decelerate. This process will allow the driver to focus on different things while the driving is automated. The future of this technology is still in development and so many factors are in question that is complicated to comprehend.

    Digital Dashboard

    This feature has been in the air for a while, but only for some premium models. Now it seems that every vehicle in the future will have digital gauges. This enables for better visibility as well as user-friendliness. The dashboard has become like a tablet screen that can show many different things rather than the old one.

    These are some of the trending technologies for this year and they are pretty cool. The vehicles are advancing every mount that is hard to keep up. It is important to mention that all this technology comes at a price and now, besides the horsepower of the vehicle, there will be much more extra features that the customer will have to pay for, as well as the maintenance becomes much more expensive than before. More technology means that there is more stuff to go wrong. However, we should use that technology for safer and more enjoyable means of transport.

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  • Ford Mustang Continues To Be World’s Best-Selling Sports Coupe

    Ford Mustang Continues To Be World’s Best-Selling Sports Coupe

    The iconic Ford Mustang has gained the title of the best-selling Sports Coupe in the world for the fourth year in a row. Ford has sold 113,066 units of the Mustang in 2018 grabbing a market share of 15.4 per cent in the global sports car segment. Sales are partially attributed to the Bullitt limited edition which according to the folks at Ford, is one of the hot-selling models in the range. According to a report published by IHS Markit, the Mustang has also remained the best-seller in the Sports Coupe segment in the United States.

    Speaking about the success of the model, Jim Farley, President- Global Markets, Ford said, “We broke the mold when Ford launched the Mustang 55 years ago. Nothing says freedom, the wind in your hair and the joy of driving like Mustang; it’s an icon. The roar of its V8 on a spring day, there’s nothing better. No wonder it’s the most popular sports coupe in the world.”

    The Ford Mustang has been critically acclaimed as one of the best American muscle cars which also handle well. Ford sells the Mustang in 146 markets across the globe. Since 2015, Ford has sold more than 500,000 units of the sixth-generation Mustang. In the international markets, the Ford Mustang is sold with three engine options- a 2.3-litre Four-Cylinder Ecoboost engine, a 3.7-litre V6 motor and the range-topping 5.0-litre V8 engine. In India, only the top-spec Mustang is sold with the 5.0-litre V8 engine under its hood which develops 396 bhp at 6500 rpm and 515 Nm of peak torque at 4250 rpm.

  • Hyundai Venue Bookings Open At Dealership Level

    Hyundai Venue Bookings Open At Dealership Level

    Bookings for the upcoming Hyundai Venue have commenced at the dealership level in India. Several Hyundai dealers, especially in the Delhi & NCR region, are currently accepting unofficial bookings for the new Hyundai Venue subcompact SUV for a token of ₹ 25,000 to ₹ 50,000 depending on the showroom. One of the dealers we spoke to also said that officially Hyundai will start accepting online bookings first for the Venue. Considering the carmaker is unveiling the SUV today, it’s possible the company might start accepting bookings from today itself or later this week. The SUV is also making its global debut today at the New York Auto Show 2019.

    The all-new Hyundai Venue is slated to be launched in India next month, on May 21, 2019. It will be the first sub-4 metre SUV from the South Korean carmaker, and upon launch, it will take on the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Mahindra XUV300, Ford EcoSport and Tata Nexon . As for the pricing, we expect the upcoming Hyundai Venue to be priced in the range of ₹ 8 lakh to ₹ 11 lakh.

    While we are yet to officially see the SUV, the Hyundai Venue featured at Times Square which tells us that it will come with quite compact proportions, with some bold character lines. The SUV also appears to get dual tone exterior treatment with a contrast roof, which in this case was a shade of blue with a white roof. Up front, the SUV gets Hyundai’s cascading grille in chequered pattern with chrome highlights, a dual lamp setup with the LED daytime running lamps positioned above flanking the bonnet line and the main projector headlights positioned below with chrome surrounds.

    The Venue also comes with black claddings along the wheel arches and side skirts, along with a set of sporty-looking dual tone diamond cut alloy wheels. The Hyundai Venue will also get the Blue Link connectivity system featuring 10 India-only features with a total of 33 connectivity features including geo-fencing, speed alerts, SOS, panic notifications, destination sharing, and road-side assistance and so on.

    As for engine options, the Hyundai Venue will come with a 1.0-litre T-GDi Turbo petrol engine along with the 1.4-litre turbo diesel. The engines will come mated to a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission, while there will also be the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic available as an option.

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  • Microsoft to bring its best car racing game to Phones

    Microsoft to bring its best car racing game to Phones

    Microsoft has just announced that its best car racing franchise will make its debut on mobile later this year. The game is called Forza Street and seems to be part of Microsoft’s best-selling racing franchise, and, more importantly, will be free-to-play.

    As a matter of fact, Microsoft confirmed Forza Street is now available as a free-to-play title for Windows 10 users, so if you don’t want to wait for the mobile version, you can start playing right away after you download it from the Microsoft Store.

    Forza Street takes players to the streets of Miami where they can enter the ultimate street racing scene to win the car collection of their dreams. Simply pick an event, choose your car, and race for fame.The game allows players to collect and upgrade iconic cars, from classic to modern sport and retro supercars. Microsoft promises “streamlined controls,” but the best thing about Forza Street is that you’ll be able to race anytime, anywhere, assuming you have an Internet connection. You can even squeeze in a quick one-minute race while waiting for your bus, or get immersed in an endless story with multiple ways of achieving victory.

    It’s quite interesting to see Microsoft giving a damn about mobile gaming, not to mention that the Forza series includes some of the best arcade racing games of all time. Hopefully, Forza Street will follow in the footsteps of its predecessors – Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon, and provide an immersive car racing experience.

  • India To Be Lead Market For Third Generation Renault Duster

    India To Be Lead Market For Third Generation Renault Duster

    The second generation of the Renault Duster will not be coming to India. After months of speculation, we can now confirm this news. But its not curtains for the popular brand in the country. After all the Renault Duster has sold almost 200,000 units in India since it debuted in 2012. Sources close to the development at the company’s global headquarters in France have told carandbike that India is likely to be the lead market for the development of the third generation Duster.

    So far it is Eastern Europe that has played as the led market since the Duster is a Dacia product – Renault’s Romanian subsidiary. But given the regulatory changes and electrification that most European markets will switch to, the Duster’s next generation is likely to be more relevant to India and Latin America. Given India’s frugal cost base, and Renault’s investments in R&D in India, the 3rd generation Renault Duster will therefore be designed and engineered primarily in India.

    So in the meanwhile, Renault will be giving the current Duster another massive update and facelift. This will cover styling and equipment. After all the Duster remains a very powerful nameplate and popular car in India. It has won several accolades, including our 2013 Car of the Year award too. It takes on the likes of the Hyundai Creta and Mahindra Scorpio. It will now need the aforementioned updates even more urgently, since the segment will get even more competition with the Kia SP /Trazor and MG Hector also entering the space. Expect the facelift to launch before Diwali this year.

  • Volkswagen Ameo Corporate Edition Launched

    Volkswagen Ameo Corporate Edition Launched

    Volkswagen India has launched a special edition of the Ameo subcompact sedan and it’s called the Ameo Corporate edition. The company says that it will cater to the needs of corporate and business customers. Available only in the Highline Plus variant, the Ameo Corporate edition has been launched at an introductory price starting at ₹ 6.69 lakh for the petrol with the manual transmission while the diesel costs ₹ 7.99 lakh.

    The Ameo Corporate edition comes equipped with features that are already part of the Highline Plus variant. Available in 5 colours – Lapiz Blue, Reflex Silver, Candy White, Toffee Brown and Carbon Steel, the Volkswagen Ameo all variants come equipped with dual front airbags, and ABS as standard. The Ameo comes with a host of features like cruise control, rain sensing wipers along with static cornering lights and the dynamic Touchscreen multimedia music system with AppConnect, Auto air-conditioning system.

    Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said, “The made-for-India and made-in-India Ameo is carline specifically developed for the Indian market. It’s a true testament of German engineering in a compact sedan filled with segment leading features. Through the Ameo Corporate edition, we aim to offer globally renowned standards of safety, quality and fun-to-drive experience to all our customers”

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  • Mazda Recalls Nearly 190,000 Cars In The US

    Mazda Recalls Nearly 190,000 Cars In The US

    Mazda is recalling nearly 190,000 Mazda 3 compact cars in the U.S. because the windshield wipers can fail.

    The company says in documents posted Saturday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the recall covers cars from the 2016 through 2018 model years. The Japanese auto maker traced the problem to metal deposits that can cause a wiper relay to stick, knocking out the wipers and limiting driver visibility.

    The company says it has no reports of crashes or injuries due to the problem. Dealers will replace the front wiper control module at no cost to owners starting June 3.

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  • Jaguar Land Rover India Announces The Above And Beyond Tour

    Jaguar Land Rover India Announces The Above And Beyond Tour

    What could be a better way to spend your day with a Land Rover than taking it off-road! Jaguar Land Rover India has designed the “Above And Beyond Tour” series of events to do exactly that. The series has been designed to give off-road drive experiences to customers on natural trails and demonstrate the advanced technologies that make Land Rovers a potent off-roader. The first event of the series started in Ahmedabad on April 12 across a number of cities in India.

    Speaking about the experiential event, Rohit Suri, President & Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India said, “Over the years, Land Rover events have become highly desirable. They are a perfect platform for us to bring the Land Rover brand closer to our customers by delivering experiences that they will remember for life.”

    ‘The Above & Beyond Tour’ is organised and delivered by a team of highly trained and professional Land Rover instructors. Customers will get an opportunity to off-road in the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque which are two of the entry models in the Land Rover line-up. The first Land Rover drive experience event was organised in India in 2013 and since then over 18,000 customers have shown at the events to experience these Land Rovers.

  • Range Rover Evoque Scores 5 Stars In Euro NCAP Crash Test

    Range Rover Evoque Scores 5 Stars In Euro NCAP Crash Test

    The second-generation Land Rover Range Rover Evoque was recently crash tested by the Euro NCAP and results are finally out. The new 2019 Range Rover Evoque has bagged a 5-star rating in the crash test, scoring 94 per cent for adult occupant protection and 87 per cent for child occupant protection. Furthermore, for pedestrian protection and safety assist features, the 2019 model has scored 72 and 73 per cent rating, respectively. The second-generation Range Rover Evoque was unveiled last year in November and in addition to updated design and styling, the SUV comes with a host of advanced safety and comfort features.

    According to the Euro NCAP report, in terms of safety, the new Range Rover Evoque has made major progress in the area of vulnerable road user protection with the adoption of an active bonnet and AEB for pedestrian and cyclist detection. Commenting on the SUV’s improved safety standard, Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of Euro NCAP says, “It is encouraging to see the continued widespread deployment and improvement of advanced technologies such as AEB and lane support. It is good news that some of the basic driver assist technologies will finally be mandated from 2022, but thankfully most vehicle manufacturers are already way ahead of the curve today.”

    The highlights of the new Range Rover Evoque’s safety features include – auto emergency braking (AEB) function for pedestrian, cyclist, city and Intra-urban. The SUV also comes with active bonnet function, speed assistance and lane assist system. These, of course, are in addition to features like dual front, side, and curtain airbags, seatbelt pretensioner with load limiter, seatbelt reminder, ISOFIX child seat mount, and airbag cut-off switch.

    The Euro NCAP tested the SUV for front offset impact, full frontal impact, rear whiplash impact, and lateral impact. In all these scenarios, the results showed that for adult occupants the protection levels always either good or adequate, except for rear whiplash impact where protection for the rear seat passengers’ necks was recorded as just marginal. On the other hand, in terms of child occupant safety, the protection levels were always rated good. The NCAP test also proved that in city driving condition, the vehicle’s Auto Emergency Brakes (AEB) was rated Good in all three test scenarios – left offset, right offset and no offset.

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  • Evoke Motorcycles Unveils New Electric Power Cruiser

    Evoke Motorcycles Unveils New Electric Power Cruiser

    Evoke Motorcycles, a Beijing-based electric motorcycle manufacturer, has unveiled a new electric power cruiser, called the Evoke 6061. The name is derived from the “Twin Plate Frame” which uses precision laser cutting process from solid T6-6061 aluminium billet pieces. The rear swingarm uses the same twin plate design and sports dual coil-over rear shocks. The Evoke 6061 employs a 120 kW (160 bhp) motor with a chain final drive, and provides over 272 Nm of torque. While the company hasn’t revealed the top speed of the 6061, it says that the new motor and batteries offer a higher top speed than the previous 130 kmph with Evoke’s Urban Series electric motorcycle.

    What is also unique is that Evoke will be using its latest Gen 2 battery modules which are capable of attaining a 0-80 per cent charge in just 15 minutes. The Evoke 6061 will be packing 6 of these batteries for a combined 15.4 kWh of energy capacity. But fast charging and the six battery packs will also mean the need for a good heat management system.

    So far, there’s no word on actual range of the batteries, but most estimates put city range in the region of 300 km on a single charge. Evoke Motorcycles intends to have the 6061 on the road by June 2019, so it’s not very far from where we will can see how the bike eventually performs, although there’s no word yet on if the 6061 will be introduced in India. What is confirmed though is that Evoke Motorcycles is planning to make its debut in India. Evoke also has two models, the Urban S and Urban Classic in its portfolio, but for the Indian market, an all-new entry-level electric motorcycle is expected to be launched.

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  • 2019 Porsche 911 India Launched

    2019 Porsche 911 India Launched

    The new-generation 2019 Porsche 911 went on sale in India today and we have all the highlights from the from the launch here. The eighth-generation Porsche 911 coming to India was internally codenamed 992 and retains the iconic silhouette that is distinctive to the Porsche 911 family. Furthermore, the car also comes with a heavily revised, more powerful range of six-cylinder turbo petrol engines. In India the new Porsche 911 comes in two variants as of now – Carrera S and Carrera S Cabriolet, priced at Rs. 1.82 crore and 1.99 crore respectively, very close to what we has expected.

    The eighth-generation Porsche 911 gets an extensively re-engineered platform that uses generous amounts of aluminium in its construction in its rear section, for improved weight distribution. Under the hood, the Porsche 911 Carrera S is powered by the extensively 3.0-litre flat-six, turbo petrol engine that makes an additional 30 horses. The total power output now stands at 444 bhp.

    The 0-100 kmph sprint time has been dropped under 4 seconds, with the new Porsche 911 Carrera S reaching 100 kmph from standstill in just 3.7 seconds. The 911 Carrera 4S does the same run in just 3.6 seconds and it also comes with all-wheel drive. The optional Sport Chrono Package further reduces the sprint by 0.2 seconds. The top speed on the Carrera S is rated at 308 kmph, while that on the heavier Carrera 4S is 306 kmph.

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  • Tata Altroz Spotted In India Sans Camouflage

    Tata Altroz Spotted In India Sans Camouflage

    The upcoming Tata Altroz premium hatchback was recently spotted in India sans camouflage. The spy photo posted by the forum Supercharged is claimed to have been taken at Tata Motors’ plant, and thus we can also see a few Tata Harrier SUVs around it. The car appears to be production ready and comes in the same Yellowish-Gold shade that we saw on the Altroz showcased at the Geneva Motor Show. Expected to be launched around mid-2019, this photo indicates that the carmaker might soon be ready to begin full-scale production of the Tata Altroz.

    Visually, the car appears to be identical to the Tata Altroz unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, which could mean that the India-spec model will be similar to the global-spec Altroz. The model seen here appears to be the top-spec variant, and it seems to come with LED lightings like – LED projector headlamps, LED DRLs, electrically operable ORVMs with turn lights, and LED taillamps. However, the car gets a different set of alloy wheels, compared to the show cars seen at the Geneva Motor Show.

    The Tata Altroz is built on the company’s new ALFA Agile Light Flexible Advanced (ALFA) Architecture and will be the first model to get the underpinnings of this new platform. Furthermore, the design and styling are a part of the company new Impact Design 2.0 philosophy, which was also used for the Tata Harrier. While we do not get to see the cabin of the car in these images, similar to the exterior, the interior too is likely to remain identical to the car showcased in Geneva. Expected features include a floating touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a semi-digital instrument cluster, multi-functional steering wheel, and a host of other premium creature comforts.

    Under the hood, the Tata Altroz will borrow its powertrain options from the Nexon, featuring the same 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines, along with the option of both, a manual and an automatic transmission. Upon its launch, the car will rival the likes of Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Honda Jazz, and Hyundai i20.

  • MG eZS Electric SUV Unveiled Globally

    MG eZS Electric SUV Unveiled Globally

    MG Motor or Morris Garages took the wraps off its new pure electric SUV, the MG eZS. MG says that the international launch will happen soon and India will be getting it too before 2019 draws to a close. The MG eZS will be one of the first ever fully electric SUVs in India when it is launched. It will subsequently be launched in some other markets like the UK, Germany, Australia, Thailand and the Middle East. The eZS will be MG’s second launch in India after the upcoming MG Hector, which should be launched in the country in the next couple of the months.

    “With a modern design and advanced technology, the MG eZS will herald a new chapter in environment-friendly solutions in India. While the petrol version of the MG ZS had already become a popular choice globally, we are confident that its zero-emissions electric equivalent will bring accessible electric motoring to the customers in India upon its launch by the end of this year,” said Rajeev Chaba, President & Managing Director, MG Motor India. The company further shared that its electric vehicles would have over-the-air (OTA) technology and would go over 250 km in a single charge.

    By the end of 2019, MG Will have a total of 120 sales and service outlets across India and the company said it will also reach out to Indian target audience and educate them about electric vehicles and look to address issues such as range anxiety and charging infrastructure. Like the MG Hector, the eZS will also feature MG’s iSmart Next-Gen connected technology.

    Connectivity will be an important part of all MG vehicles and 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.

  • Fiat Chrysler Auto Expands India Footprint

    Fiat Chrysler Auto Expands India Footprint

    Fiat Chrysler Auto is in the process of expanding its India business and it recently opened its 82nd point of sale in India. At present, FCA has its presence in 70 cities and town in India which include all-brand showrooms that sell Jeep, Fiat and Abarth vehicles along with Jeep Connect showrooms, which are premium retail outlets that cater to potential customers in satellite cities and towns. The company recently inaugurated two all-brand showrooms in Bengaluru along with a new all-brand showroom in Panjim, Goa along with two new Jeep Connect showrooms in Ajmer, Rajasthan and Patiala, Punjab. Along with sales points, Jeep is also increasing its after sales touch points in India. At present, the company has 84 Mopar (mobility and parts) workshops.

    Kevin Flynn, President and Managing Director, FCA India said, “Our vision was to have a growing retail and after-sales network which could strategically complement our growing volumes in the market. With 82 retail outlets in 70 towns and cities we are covering a significant amount of landmass and customer base. We have grown over 50 per cent in our retail network since the Jeep Compass launch in August 2017. Our effort has been to maintain consistency in our network expansion and ensure excellence in customer experience along with improved service coverage.”

    The company’s last launch was the Jeep Compass Sport Plus Variant, which is priced at ₹ 15.99 lakh and is positioned above the base Sport variant, getting more features. Jeep has two new products coming up in India which are the Trailhawk variant of the Jeep Compass and the new-generation Wrangler Unlimited.

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