Kawasaki Variable-Architecture J-Concept Shows Up at Intermot [Video]

   Kawasaki’s intriguing variable-architecture J-Concept electric vehicle which initially revealed as a digital animation at Tokyo last year has finally been presented in a tangible form at this year’s Intermot show in Cologne, Germany. It is still unclear whether the house of Akashi has any plans to actually build such a - let’s call it so – scooter, but looking back to all the new things Kawasaki introduced recently, it would not surprise an... (continue reading >>)

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IAB Report – Next gen Audi Q7 world premieres at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show

Underpinned by a multi-material MLB platform.

Speaking to Indian Autos Blog at the VW Group night on the eve of the Paris Motor Show 2014, Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, member of the Board of Management of Audi AG and head of Audi’s Technical Development, revealed that the long awaited next gen Audi Q7 will make its world debut at the Detroit Auto Show (North American International Auto Show 2015 or NAIAS 2015) which is slated to commence on January 15 next year.

Design inspiration would come from the previous concepts like the Audi TT Offroad (image).

The 2016 Audi Q7 will be underpinned by the VW Group’s MLB platform which benefits from lightweight yet strong materials like high-tensile strength aluminium. The model is expected to be lighter than the outgoing version by around 360 kg, making for a more dynamic and economic driving experience.

Coming to the design, the 2016 Q7 would source inspiration from the recent design concepts such as the Allroad Shooting Brake and TT Offroad. The brand’s latest Matrix LED headlamp technology will be featured in the new 7-seater.

The 2016 Audi Q7 as envisioned by our in-house designer Shoeb Kalania.

A set of six- and eight-cylinder petrol and diesel powerplants will propel the vehicle with the help of dual-clutch transmissions and quattro all-wheel drive. The new 3.0-litre TDI V6 Clean Diesel can also be expected to debut in the new Q7, with a plug-in hybrid variant to boot.

Also read: Next gen Audi Q7 could get the world’s first electric supercharger

Audi India locally assembles the existing Q7 and the same arrange should continue with the new gen model as well.

Competitors: Mercedes GL Class, BMW X5, Volvo XC90
Expected Price: INR 75-90 lakhs, ex-Showroom
Launch Date: First half of 2015 in Europe

Current Audi Q7 special edition at Auto Expo 2014 – Image Gallery (Unrelated)

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Paris Live – 2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid

Has a pure electric range of up to 36 km.

The 2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid has been presented at the VW Group night on the eve of Paris Motor Show 2014.

The Cayenne S E-Hybrid has a combined power output of 416 PS.

The Cayenne S E-Hybrid’s powertrain is a combination of a 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol engine and an electric motor. The system has a total output of 416 PS and 590 Nm of torque. The electric motor is supported by a high voltage 10.8 Kwh li-ion battery which can be charged in 2.7 hours with a 3.6 KWh on-board charger or in 1.3 hours with a 7.2 KWh on-board charger.

The plug-in hybrid SUV can be driven in a pure electric mode for up to 36 km with a top speed of 125 km/h. To further enhance the range, brake energy recuperation is offered. The transmission is an eight-speed Titronic S with paddle shifters.

In terms of performance, the Cayenne S E-Hybrid accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds before reaching a top speed of 243 km/h. The vehicle has a combined fuel efficiency of 29.4 km/l and emits just 79 grams of CO2 per km.

The 2015 Cayenne is also available in S, Turbo and Diesel variants. The base Cayenne S packs in a 420 PS 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, the Cayenne Turbo is powered by a 520 PS 4.8-litre twin-trubo V8 and the Cayenne Diesel gets a 3.0-litre turbo V6 producing 240 PS.

Coming to the appearance, the ‘e-hybrid’ badges on the front fenders and luminous green disc calipers are the visual identifiers of the Cayenne S E-Hybrid. The full black interior remains the same as the regular Cayenne S.

Dimension-wise, the SUV measures 4,855 mm in length, 1,939 mm in width, 1,705 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,895 mm.

More details are available in the press release below.

2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid at the Paris Motor Show 2014 – Image Gallery

2015 Porsche Cayenne – Press Release

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China – Locally made Range Rover Evoque spotted

At this year’s Guangzhou Auto Show, Land Rover is all set to announce a Chinese-built version of the Range Rover Evoque that is manufactured at a newly set up plant managed by the Chery-JLR joint venture.

Only the 5-door Range Rover Evoque will be built in China.

A couple of years ago, Land Rover had announced plans to manufacture the compact Range Rover Evoque in China exclusively for the local market, to enable competitive pricing and hence attract more buyers.

Since then, Jaguar Land Rover have tied up with Chinese car manufacturer Chery to set up an assembly plant in the city of Changshu in Jiangsu Province. The plant will manufacture the 5-door version of the Evoque, the Freelander 2, and the long-wheelbase-version of the Jaguar XF that is exclusive for the Chinese market. Land Rover will however import the three-door version of the Evoque as the demand is weak

The China-made model is only for local consumption.

The Range Rover Evoque will only be offered with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 237 PS, and is mated to a 9-speed gearbox. It will feature Land Rover’s Terrain Response System as well as full-time four wheel drive system as optional features.

Also Read: Range Rover Evoque clone enters production in China

Prices for the Chinese-built version starts is expected to start at 400,000 yuan (INR 40.14 lakhs) for the Pure variant and end at around 550,000 yuan (INR 55.2 lakhs) for the Dynamic variant. Comparatively, it is much cheaper than the imported model and will help Land Rover push larger volumes. Expect its launch to take place towards the end of this year.

China-made Range Rover Evoque spotted – Spyshot Gallery

[Spy images from Auto Sohu]

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Report – Maruti recalls 69,555 units of diesel Swift, Swift Dzire and Ritz

Recall covers a wiring harness issue.

Maruti Suzuki has issued a recall of 69,555 diesel cars on the account of a faulty wiring harness fitment. This is the third occurrence of recall by India’s largest passenger car maker in less than a year.

The recall covers only the diesel variants of the mentioned models.

The cars that are covered under the recall program are diesel variants of the Swift, Swift Dzire and Ritz manufactured between March 8, 2010 and August 11, 2013. This limits the recall to 55,938 units of the Dzire, 12,486 units of the Swift and 1,131 units of the Ritz. Petrol variants of these models are not covered under the recall, as mentioned in the official statement.

Customers of the affected cars will be contacted by their respective dealers.

Customers can visit the company’s official website to see whether their car is part of the recall program. The company will contact the concerned customers via their respective dealers so that technicians will carry out the necessary inspection and repairs at zero cost.

The inspection and repair will be done free of cost.

It’s to be noted that Maruti recalled over 1 lakh units of the Swift, Swift Dzire and Ertiga models in April this year to replace a faulty fuel filler neck. Back in November 2013, the automaker recalled Swift twins, Ertiga and A-Star to fix a possible steering column issue.

Also read: Maruti Swift facelift spotted in India

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) had issued a voluntary code on vehicle recall since 2012 wherein the car manufacturers are to inform their respective customers about any defects that will affect the car’s safety. However, unlike in countries like the U.S, India does not have an official recall policy.

Maruti Swift facelift at Moscow Motor Show 2014 – Image Gallery

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