BMW unveils transparent Mini concept car

German automobile major BMW unveiled its transparent concept car 'Mini Vision Next 100' in London on Thursday. The car's most notable feature is the option of changing the exterior colour or pattern anytime as per a user's desire. The electric car also features a steering wheel which can slide across between passengers.

Next-Gen Chevrolet Beat Revealed In Its Production Guise

Chevrolet India has released the first images of the new Beat and its sister cars. They provide one with the idea as to how the cars will look in the real world. Though, in its new avatar, the Beat takes up an evolutionary approach rather than a full-blow aesthetic upgrade. Chevrolet plans to bring five cars this year, out of which three will be derivatives of the Beat namely -- the Beat, The Beat Essentia and the Beat Activ. The other two can be the Trailblazer facelift and the next-generation Cruze. 

Royal Enfield unveils two custom motorcycles

   

• The Mo’ Powa’ is based on Royal Enfield’s Classic 500, which the company claims is its rendition of ‘a Dragster-meets-Mad Max motorcycle’. The most significant change that the Mo’ Powa’ gets over the standard motorcycle is the turbocharged engine. The motorcycle’s custom-built exhaust has been fabricated by hand at Harris Performance.

  

•  The Dirty Duck, is based on the Continental GT. Inspired by off-road vehicles like the Land Rover Defender and Jeep, the Dirty Duck gets the addition of a snorkel that has too been handcrafted at Harris Performance. The motorcycle also features a fuel tank that has been naturally rusted to give it more of an off-roader look.

Nikola Motor Company unveils its electric truck

Here is unveiling of Nikola Motor Company’s electric long-haul rig concept. The Nikola One, as it’s called, has “6×6 all-wheel drive,” with 800-volt AC motors and regenerative braking at all wheels. And a whopping 2000 horsepower, compared to the 400-500 hp that most trucks have.

It also has a tank that holds 150 gallons of compressed natural gas, which powers a turbine that charges the 320 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The idea is that drivers would not have to stop to charge; the CNG plus regenerative braking would be able to power the truck for 1200 miles of driving. It’s similar to how the Chevy Volt works, where the gasoline tank recharges the batteries. The Volt and the Nikola One are both electric vehicles in that electric power from the batteries turns the wheels, but the batteries are most often charged by an on-board generator or turbine.

That’s not the only similarity to another company that Nikola Motor Company has. You may have noticed that it uses the first name of inventor Nikola Tesla; the last name has already been used. NMC makes no bones about its admiration for Tesla Motors, but where Tesla started with a wee roadster and worked toward the midsize sedan, NMC is coming at the problem from the opposite—and much larger—side of the equation. It hinted at more vehicles for other markets to come in the future on its website, but NMC is likely hoping to get the Nikola One onto the road before tackling passenger vehicles.

For those who aren’t quite ready to plunk down $1500 for a reservation on a $350,000 electric tractor-trailer, NMC also announced a dune-buggy-esque 4×4 off-road vehicle called the Nikola Zero. For a $750 reservation ($42,000 MSRP), you can get in line for 520 hp of all-electric, waterproof driving. The Zero plugs in like most EVs do to recharge the 440-volt lithium-ion batteries rather than using CNG and a turbine, though it does have solar panels on the roof to power the 12V battery.

2017 BMW 3 Series GT

German auto giant BMW updated the 3 Series sedan globally last year and the same was launched in our market at the 2016 Indian Auto Expo. 

It now comes with revised mechanicals and subtle cosmetic changes as well. The updated 3 series GT range will come with three new petrol engines and five new diesel engines internationally. The three new petrol engines’ power outputs will range from 187PS to 330PS whereas the refreshed diesel mills will produce from 152PS to 318PS, depending on the variant you choose. The same will be available with a RWD (rear-wheel ride setup) or BMW’s much famed xDrive all-wheel drive setup. However, we expect the Gran Turismo to be only launched with one diesel and one petrol variant in India.

The new BMW 3 Series GT will also be more efficient than the outgoing model. It will have features like auto start-stop, brake energy regeneration, on-demand operation of ancillary units and the eco pro mode which will help in improving the fuel economy and reducing emissions.

The cosmetic changes start from the updated front grille and the headlamps which come with adaptive LED tech. The front bumper has also been revised and the new GT will also get a new set of chunkier wheels which will most likely sport 17-inch rims. At the rear, the 3 GT will have refreshed taillamps which have been redesigned along with a new sportier rear bumper. On the inside, the 3 GT will come with added chrome accents along with the latest 5.0 version of the BMW iDrive infotainment system with navigation.

We can expect the new BMW 3 Series GT to be launched in India by the end of 2017 and it will be priced close to the 50 lakh rupee mark.

Mercedes to unveil all-new electric SUV concept in Paris

Mercedes-Benz will unveil an electric-powered SUV concept, which high-ranking insiders describe as its first step into an elaborate electric vehicle strategy, at the Paris motor show in October 2016.

The new concept, currently undergoing construction at Mercedes' prototype workshop on the outskirts of Stuttgart in Germany, is said to provide a clear insight into the appearance, interior appointments, technical layout and overall dimensions of the German carmaker’s first truly dedicated electric vehicle. This uniquely styled SUV will take on the Tesla Model X as well as new electric SUVs planned by Audi and Jaguar.

The new zero-emissions SUV, tentatively planned for 2019, is the first in a series of a new electric vehicles currently under development by Mercedes, which includes an advanced upmarket sedan rival to the Tesla Model S and the recently unveiled Chinese LeEco LeSee, conceived around the very latest in autonomous driving technology.

Up until now, Mercedes had based its limited number of production electric vehicles around existing models, namely the Smart Fortwo and Mercedes B-class. With the unveiling of the new SUV concept, Mercedes will make public its plans to offer alternatives to its existing range of more traditional petrol, diesel and hybrid models.

Jaguar XE Prestige launched at Rs 43.69 lakh

Jaguar has added a third petrol variant to its XE sedan line-up in India. Priced at Rs 43.69 lakh.

In terms of features, the Jaguar XE Prestige gets a sliding sunroof, memory function for the driver seat, Taurus leather appointments, a rear-view camera, interior mood lighting option and a 380W sound system by Meridian.

As in the base Pure trim, power comes from a 2.0-litre turbo petrol motor that delivers 197hp and 320Nm of torque. The base trim is priced at Rs 39. 9 lakh, while the top-spec Jaguar XE Portfolio with a more powerful 237hp petrol engine is priced at Rs 47.99 lakh.

The XE rivals the likes of the recently reintroduced BMW 320i petrol and the Mercedes C-class. Jaguar is yet to launch the XE diesel in India.