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Max Verstappen has clinched his third F1 world title after finishing second in the Qatar GP sprint. Following his dominant Japanese GP victory, the Red Bull Racing driver needed to outscore his teammate Sergio Perez by just three points to wrap up the title. And Perez’ Lap 11 crash (after contact with Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg) meant that Verstappen achieved this feat before the sprint was even over.

The frenetic Qatar sprint also gave McLaren plenty of reasons to celebrate, with Oscar Piastri clinching his first win in F1 and Lando Norris rounding out the podium in third place.

1. Verstappen seals 2023 F1 title with six Grands Prix to go
2. Piastri wins sprint, 1.8 secs ahead of Verstappen
3. Norris P3 for McLaren

Piastri scores first F1 win

Armed with the resurgent MCL60, Piastri outperformed both Norris and Verstappen to bag pole position for the sprint race. All three drivers opted to start the race on medium tyres, while others like George Russell and the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc started on the more aggressive softs.

Two Safety Car re-starts in quick succession benefitted those running on softs and helped Russell take the lead from Piastri. But the McLaren driver fought back to reclaim the lead. And the soft runners’ pace started falling off in the second half of the race, turning the tide in Piastri’s favour

Verstappen would have wanted to seal his third F1 title in style, with victory in the sprint. But he could only gain a couple of tenths on Piastri in the closing stages, and had to settle for second place.

“I’m very happy. It was a very stressful race! Safety Cars were my friend today, especially when Max got behind me,” said Piastri, who claimed his first victory in F1.

Verstappen claims third F1 title

On the back of a record-breaking season, Verstappen has sealed the 2023 F1 world championship with six more Grands Prix to go.  He also becomes only the fifth driver in history to score three back-to-back F1 titles (the others being Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton).

“Unbelievable guys,” said Verstappen on his cool-down lap.

“An incredible year. Thank you for providing me with such a car. It’s been a pleasure so far this year. I just want to say a big thank you to everyone here at the track, back at the factory for putting all the effort in. To have been able to achieve something like this, I can’t thank you all enough, and besides all the performance-related stuff, it’s also been a pleasure working with you all, and that’s definitely the most important in the end. Thank you very much.”

2023 Qatar GP sprint results

Also see:

Red Bull are the 2023 F1 champions as Verstappen wins in Japan

Following a slew of teasers, Tata Motors has now fully revealed the Harrier and Safari facelifts. Both SUV gets a comprehensively revised exterior and interior design, along with several new feature additions, although they remain mechanically unchanged from before.

Tata Motors has also officially commenced bookings for both models for a token amount of Rs 25,000. Expect prices to be announced in the coming weeks.

1. Harrier, Safari facelifts now more differentiated in design
2. Gets new features like dual-zone AC, paddle shifter, 19-inch wheels
3. Bookings open at Rs 25,000

Tata Harrier facelift exterior and interior

The most comprehensive updates are to the fascia of the SUV – it gets an all-new bumper that’s split into distinct upper and lower sections by a contrasting black band in between. The upper portion features a grille that’s grown broader but is sharper and is headlined by a full-width LED light bar. Meanwhile, the lower section features a gaping central air intake underlined by thick plastic cladding. Both the grille and the central air intake feature contrasting inserts.

The main headlamp clusters, meanwhile, are pushed towards the edges giving it a wider stance, and like the new Nexon, have a trapezoidal shape housed within a C-shaped enclosure.

In profile, not much has changed, but you get a new design for the five-spoke alloy wheels, while at the rear, the tail-lamp band has been revised with new LED internals, and it also appears a lot sleeker than before. The rear bumper also gets new protrusions for the reflectors and there’s a gloss-black finish for the rear skid plate. Unlike the Nexon facelift, which saw some sheet metal changes, the updates here are only to the soft plastic parts.

The interior has also been as comprehensively updated as the exterior. The central touchscreen is now a free-standing unit – it was previously integrated into the dashboard – and is offered in two sizes – 10.25-inch or 12.3-inch, depending on the trim. The facelift also ditches the faux wood trim on the dashboard for a mix of materials that includes a textured top panel, gloss black surfaces and leatherette padding with contrast stitching – all underlined by a slim strip of LED ambient light.

You also get the new touch-based HVAC control panel from the Nexon, a new four-spoke steering wheel with a backlit Tata logo and a 10.25-inch customisable digital instrument cluster with navigation. The centre console area has also been revised with a shorter, stubbier gear lever for automatic variants, and there’s a new rotary dial for the drive mode selector with a digital display. While higher-spec models get an electronic parking brake, the aircraft-style handbrake lever on the lower variants has been retained as is.

Tata Harrier facelift features

There are notable upgrades on the equipment front too – welcome and goodbye animations by the LED DRLs, up to 19-inch alloy wheels with aero inserts, dual-zone automatic AC, 10-speaker JBL sound system, paddle shifters for the automatic variants, rear window sunshades, ventilated and powered front seats with memory function, gesture-controlled powered tailgate and Bi-LED projector headlamps. The 360-degree camera, wireless charger, panoramic sunroof and ADAS suite have also been carried forward. It now gets up to 7 airbags, 6 of which are standard across the range.

Tata Safari facelift exterior and interior

Unlike the outgoing Harrier and Safari, which looked near identical up front, the Safari is slightly more differentiated than its 5-seater sibling. The new grille, for instance, is even broader here on the Safari and the central air intake at the bottom also gets its own unique inserts. The biggest differentiator, however, are the headlamps that are positioned slightly higher up and have a rectangular shape. The C-shaped headlamp housing and the connected LED light bar treatment are common on both SUVs.

Like the Harrier, not much has changed in profile either, except for a new design for the 19-inch wheels that’s again unique to the Safari. At the rear, there’s a new tail-lamp band with a connected LED bar. The rear bumper also gets a cleaner design with rectangular protrusions at the edges, mimicking the front-end design.

The interior, however, isn’t all that differentiated from the Harrier except for a different finish for the central dashboard panel. Additional features of the Harrier include a ventilation function for the second-row seats.

 

Tata Harrier, Safari facelift trim details

Tata Motors has ditched the old trim nomenclature for the Harrier and Safari and has adopted new persona-based trim names that’s akin to the new Nexon. The Harrier is available in Smart, Pure, Adventure and Fearless trims, while the Safari is available in Smart, Pure, Adventure and Accomplished trims.

Like in the Nexon, these trims also come with their own unique colour options, as well as exterior and interior accents. The Harrier, for instance, gets a unique yellow paint with yellow accents on the inside while the Safari gets a unique gold finish. Both the Harrier and Safari will also continue to get the Dark Edition treatment on several trims.

Tata Harrier, Safari facelift powertrain options

Mechanically and under the skin, both SUVs remain unchanged from before. They continue to be powered by a 170hp, 350Nm, 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine that’s mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, driving the front wheels. It comes with Terrain response modes (Normal, Rough & wet) and multiple drive modes (Eco, City & Sports), and Tata Motors claims that the suspension setup has also been retuned to better suit our road conditions.

Price announcements for the Harrier and Safari facelifts should be just around the corner. As before, the Harrier will continue to rival the likes of MG Hector, Mahindra XUV700 and Jeep Compass, while the Safari rivals the likes of the Scorpio N, Hyundai Alcazar, and MG Hector Plus.

Also See:

Citroen C3 Aircross full price list revealed

New Skoda Kodiaq SUV breaks cover

The third edition of the TVS MotoSoul festival will be held on December 8 and 9 at Goa. Those attending can participate in a variety of activities and will be treated to performances from top Indian and international artists.

1. New and current bikes to be showcased at TVS MotoSoul
2. Indian and international artists, DJs will perform live

TVS MotoSoul 2023: what activities can you take part in?

Some of the activities taking place at TVS MotoSoul 2023 include an obstacle race, a dirt race, a slow race and moto crossfit.

For those seeking knowledge and inspiration from the whos who of the biking world, TVS has organised Tech Talks by various moto personalities. On the other hand, there’s a section dedicated towards arts and culture that will feature live canvas painting and also allow attendees to click a 360-degree photo with a bike.

Additonally, for those looking to hone skills such as wheelies and stoppies, there will be a controlled area to do that. And, just like it has done at Kidzania, TVS will have a racing simulator at MotoSoul

As is the case with any biking festival, music plays a vital role in creating a vibrant atmosphere & MotoSoul will have a number of artists and DJs performing live. 

Also See:

TVS MotoSoul 2023: Festive spirit

Kia has trademarked as many as eight new electric vehicles in India – the range starts with the EV1, goes all the way up to the EV9. The EV9 is Kia’s flagship electric model, and we already know its slated to arrive in India sometime next year, but while there’s no confirmation on the others, trademarking the names suggests that Kia could have its entire born EV portfolio in India in the future.

1. Kia has trademarked EV1 to EV9 born EVs in India
2. EV6 is already on sale in India

Kia’s future EVs: what do we know so far?

The nomenclature of the models suggests their size and positioning relative to each other with the EV1 sitting at the base of the range while the EV9 serves as the flagship.

Of these, the EV6 crossover is already on sale here, and the EV5 debuted in production form just a couple of months earlier. The 4.6-meter-long SUV will be offered for sale only in the China initially, but will also make it to select global markets eventually. Crucially, the trademarking comes just before Kia’s EV day on October 12, which is when we can expect more details on the remaining models.

Recently, in markets abroad, a Seltos-sized upright SUV was spotted testing that will likely be called the EV4 upon debut. It will measure about 4.2 meters in length and it is this model that we are expecting more details on at the upcoming Kia EV day.

A teaser for the event also shows the silhouette of an EV6-like coupe-crossover with distinctive LED lighting elements, although it’s not known what its size will be relative to the EV6.

There are, however, no details on the body style or size of the remaining four vehicles, neither is it known which of these will be brough to India. Expect more details to be revealed at the upcoming Kia EV day 2023.

Also See:

Kia Carens X-Line launched at Rs 18.94 lakh; gets rear entertainment screen

India-bound Kia Carnival facelift global debut soon

Kia to expand India plant capacity to 4.3 lakh units by mid-2024

Honda has launched two new special editions of the Honda City and Honda Amaze called the ‘Elegant Edition’ and ‘Elite Edition’, respectively. The City Elegant Edition is priced at Rs 12.57 lakh for the manual and Rs 13.82 lakh for the CVT, while the Amaze Elite Edition costs Rs 9.04 lakh for the manual and Rs 9.86 lakh for the CVT-equipped version. Honda will sell these cars in limited volumes and come in all colour options.

1. Both editions get a rear spoiler 
2. Amaze gets tyre inflator, anti-fog wing mirrors

Honda City Elegant Edition features 

The Elegant Edition is based on the ‘V’ trim, which means it comes equipped with features such as a sunroof, 15-inch alloy wheels, an 8-inch infotainment unit and a lane-watch camera.

A new exterior detail on the elegant edition is a rear spoiler on the boot with an LED high-mount stop lamp. Other exterior additions include an ‘Elegant Edition’ badging and a side step panel with ‘City’ illuminated. On the inside, the sedan gets an illuminated footwell and beige seat covers with ‘Elegant Edition’ markings.

Honda Amaze Elite Edition features

The Amaze Elite Edition is based on the VX variant, and like the special edition of the City, it gets exterior badging, a spoiler on the trunk and an illuminated sidestep. It also gets an anti-fog film on the wing mirrors.

On the inside, the Honda Amaze Elite Edition gets seat covers with special badging and a sliding armrest. This edition also comes equipped with a tyre pressure monitoring system and a tyre inflator.

Honda City and Amaze powertrains

The Honda City is offered with a 121hp, 1.5-litre petrol engine paired to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT gearbox, while the Amaze is offered with a 90hp, 110Nm, 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol engine that comes mated to either a 5-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. The City rivals the Skoda Slavia, Volkswagen Virtus, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and the Hyundai Verna, and the Amaze rivals the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Hyundai Aura and Tata Tigor.

Also see: 

Honda City facelift review: ADAS at your service

Honda Amaze diesel discontinued ahead of RDE norms implementation

Skoda has introduced a new Matte Black edition of the Slavia sedan, and has also revised the base price of both Slavia and Kushaq to now start at Rs 10.89 lakh. That makes the base Slavia Rs 50,000 cheaper, and the base Kushaq Rs 70,000 cheaper, although both prices are limited just for the festive season. The Slavia Matte Black edition will also only be available for the festive season.

1. Slavia gets new Matte Black Edition
2. Slavia, Kushaq get powered front seats, footwell illumination
3. Base price of both models reduced for festive season  

Skoda Slavia Matte Black Edition

The Slavia Matte Black edition gets the Carbon Steel exterior paint shade finished in matte, along with gloss-black finishing for the door handles and wing mirrors. The chrome finish for the grille, bumper garnishes and window lining, however, has been retained as is. The Kushaq has also been meted out a similar treatment before.

The Slavia Matte Black edition is available with all existing powertrain options, although Skoda hasn’t yet quoted a specific price for the special edition model.

Skoda Slavia, Kushaq get new features

Skoda has also updated both the Slavia and Kuhsaq’s top-spec Style trim with powered front seats and footwell illumination. These feature enhancements also extend to the Kushaq Monte Carlo variant. While Hyundai also offers powered adjustment for the driver’s seat on the Verna, powered adjustment for the front passenger seat is a segment first.

Also See:

Next-gen Skoda Kodiaq sketches revealed ahead of October 4 world premiere

Upsizing the wheels will have an impact on your ride and handling balance.

Published On Oct 01, 2023 09:30:00 AM

Can I retrofit larger 18-inch tyres in place of 17 inchers without voiding the warranty on my Invicto Alpha+? I also want to upgrade to a 9-speaker JBL system instead of the current six, change captain seats to bench seats and install fog lamps. Please help me decide.

J Neri, Mohali

Autocar India says: While it is possible to retrofit most of the parts – 18-inch rims and tyres, 9-speaker JBL audio setup, bench middle-row seat – in the Toyota Innova HyCross-derived Maruti Suzuki Invicto, it would not be advisable purely from a warranty standpoint.

In case of the upsized alloy wheels and tyres, Maruti Suzuki may reject any future warranty claim on the suspension components, citing the bigger rims and tyres.

Moreover, the existing wiring harness in the Invicto will not support the 9-speaker setup from the top-end HyCross, and a retro fitment would need replacing the existing harness with that of the HyCross. The installation would further entail stripping down the entire car, and if there is any electrical-related warranty claim in the future, Maruti Suzuki will reject it simply on the basis of non-standard wiring harness being fitted inside the car.

While a bench middle-row seat fitment looks like a bolt-on job, one would need to notify the RTO about the change in the vehicle’s seating capacity from 7 to 8 occupants, and get it endorsed on the car’s registration certificate. Since, the three-point seatbelt provision for the middle passenger will not be possible, the RTO will reject it. Future insurance claims will also be rejected due to the illegal conversion of the car to an eight seater.

Finally, while the HyCross offers it, there is no provision in the Invicto’s front bumper to house a pair of fog lamps. Hence, they cannot be retrofitted at all.

Also See:

Maruti Suzuki Invicto review: The Rs 30 lakh Maruti

Maruti Suzuki Invicto video review

Toyota Innova Hycross video review

Toyota Innova Hycross review: Moving the goalposts

Copyright (c) Autocar India. All rights reserved.

Retrofitting an EV powertrain would cost anywhere between Rs 3 lakh-5 lakh.

Published On Sep 30, 2023 09:30:00 AM

Can I convert my Maruti XL6 into an EV? If yes, how much will it cost, and is it safe? Also, what are the legal formalities I need to go through?

Abhinav Srivastava, Hyderabad

Autocar India says: It is not advisable to retrofit an EV kit in an ICE vehicle as the conversion would entail a thorough changeover of all major vehicle components. This would pose a huge risk to the dynamics, safety and reliability of the vehicle.

Additionally, the risks involved with a high-voltage EV powertrain can be humongous – the quality of critical components such as the battery pack, motor, controller and wiring harnesses being the key determining factor in the safe and reliable operation of the vehicle.

Given the complexity, it is not easy to precisely calibrate each sub-system of an EV powertrain with the limited resources and capabilities of aftermarket players. Hence, there are high chances of encountering troubles in the long run, wherein it could be tough getting the desired service support from small-scale installers.

An EV retro fitment could cost anywhere between Rs 3 lakh-5 lakh, while also making a significant dent on the existing resale value of the vehicle in its ICE form. Since the EV space is continuously evolving, we would not recommend retrofitting at this juncture. You could instead buy an EV from trusted carmakers like Tata Motors, MG Motor India, Mahindra & Mahindra and others.

Also see:

India’s greenest Dzire: Driving a Dzire EV with a manual gearbox

Delhi allows EV retrofitting of diesel cars, SUVs older than 10 years

Copyright (c) Autocar India. All rights reserved.

The second-generation BMW X2 is gearing up for an imminent unveiling, with previews confirming it will adopt a rakish new roofline and much larger grille as part of a total design reinvention aimed at positioning it as a bona fide ‘baby’ X6. 

• Coupe version of the existing X1 SUV
• Could be offered with a range of powertrains
• More powerful X2 M35i spied testing recently

BMW X2 design and interior

Shown in a teaser video released by BMW ahead of a reveal in the coming weeks, the new X2 will swap the raised hatchback silhouette of the current car for a more coupé form and will be a smaller sibling to the BMW X4 and BMW X6. 

Also visible is an expansive new grille, which will bring the X2 into line with its newer SUVs. There is an illuminated surround on the grille like that of the new BMW i7 – flanked by X1-shaped headlights with a bespoke LED light signature. 

The redesign will cement the X2’s positioning as the style-focused sibling of the BMW X1, much like the X4 does for the X3 and the X6 for the X5. Like those larger coupé-SUVs, it is expected to be technically identical to the X1. 

On the inside too, all variants are expected to be largely identical to the X1, doing away with the current car’s rotary infotainment control knob for a touch-control-heavy arrangement centred around a 10.7-inch infotainment screen and 10.25-inch digital driver display. The primary difference will be a slight decrease in headroom and boot space, courtesy of the sloping roof. 

BMW X2 powertrains 

The BMW X2 should be offered with a range of petrol, diesel and hybrid powertrains ranging in output from 170hp to 326hp – and it has already been confirmed that the reinvented SUV will be available for the first time with pure-electric power.

The new electric BMW iX2 will rival the likes of the Volkswagen ID 5 and Volvo C40 with the iX1’s 313hp twin-motor arrangement, which will get it from 0-100kph in around 5.6sec and a range of 440km from its 66.4kWh battery. Charging speeds will peak at 130kW.  

The BMW X2 M35i is also set to return, having been spotted testing at the Nürburgring recently. It’s distinguishable from its less powerful siblings by its quad-exit exhausts and will go after the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 with a 300hp turbo four-cylinder engine that will do 0-100kph in 5.4sec. 

BMW X2 global reveal and launch 

As confirmed by BMW chairman Oliver Zipse at the German car maker’s annual conference in March, the cars will be launched at the end of 2023. BMW recently launched the all-electric iX1 SUV this week for Rs 66.9 lakh ( ex-showroom). The X1 has been popular among Indian buyers with it being BMW’s best-selling luxury SUV for FY2023. 

Also see: 

BMW iX1 electric SUV launched at Rs 66.90 lakh

2023 BMW X1 review: The All-rounder

BMW has launched the all-electric iX1 xDrive30 SUV for Rs 66.90 lakh (ex-showroom). The SUV is based on the popular BMW X1, which was not just the bestselling luxury SUV for the brand in FY2023 but also the bestseller overall. We broke the story earlier this month that the EV SUV is set to come to India.

1. 10.7-inch touchscreen infotainment
2. Gets ADAS features
3. 4th electric BMW on sale in India

BMW iX1 exterior and interior 

Since it’s based on the combustion-engined X1, the electric iX1 gets an almost identical design, with an ‘i’ on the front grille to differentiate it from the ICE vehicle. The SUV rides on 18-inch alloy wheels and gets adaptive suspension. It’s available in four monotone colours – grey, silver, black and white.

On the inside, the SUV features a 10.7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit that is operated using BMW’s iDrive operating system; the digital information display is a 10.25-inch unit. The interiors are finished in Aluminium ‘Mesheffect’ with chrome highlight accents, and it gets a reclining rear bench. The SUV has a boot space of 490 litres.

BMW iX1 features and safety 

The iX1 gets two-zone climate control, front seats with massage functions, a Harmon Kardon sound system with 12 speakers, 6 ambient lighting modes and a panoramic sunroof. The SUV also gets adaptive LED headlights, automatic tailgate operation and parking assist.

The iX1 gets similar safety equipment as the ICE SUV with features such as ABS, ESP, traction control and ADAS. Since it’s an electric vehicle and has no engine noise, it comes equipped with a feature that plays an artificial sound to alert people on the road, which works at speeds of up to 30 kph only. 

BMW iX1 battery, range and performance

The BMW iX1 comes equipped with a motor at each axle that gives it all-wheel drive capability. The combined power output figures are 313hp and 494Nm, which give the EV a 0-100kph speed of 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 180kph. The SUV utilises a 66.4kWh battery pack and has a claimed range of 440km.

Using a standard 11kW AC charger, the BMW’s battery can be charged from 0-100 percent in 6.3 hours, while a 130kW DC fast charger charges it from 10-80 percent in just 29 minutes.

BMW iX1 price and rivals 

The BMW iX1 xDrive 30 is the most affordable electric vehicle BMW offers in the country. It also sells the i4 sedan, the iX SUV and the opulent i7.

The BMW iX1 sits between the Mercedes EQB (Rs 77.50 lakh) and the Volvo XC40 Recharge (Rs 56.9 lakh), and also rivals the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (Rs 45.95 lakh) and Kia EV6 (Rs 60.95 lakh). The brand could locally assemble the EV here in the future, as they are doing with the X1, to lower its prices.

Also see: 

BMW i5 revealed with two powertrain options

India-spec BMW i7 M70 details revealed; launch soon