Category Archives: Features

Toyota BZ4X, An Electric SUV

Electric vehicles are being discussed in India since the launch of Tesla cars. Customers are eagerly waiting for Tesla’s electric cars in the market. In such a situation, Toyota’s electric cars will have to compete with Tesla’s electric cars.

Toyota’s electric cars will need to compete with Tesla’s electric cars. Toyota took to Twitter to announce the announcement of its first electric SUV, the bZ4X, at the Shanghai Auto Show 2021. The company is working on an idea to present 15 electric vehicles by 2025, including 7 models of the “bZ” series.

The Japanese carmaker wants to become a totally electric vehicle company by subsequent 2025 and therefore the company plans to launch 15 electric vehicles by 2025. In this episode, the corporation has introduced its first electric SUV named bZ4X. The company has designed this electric SUV on the “e-TNGA” platform and it had been introduced on Monday during the 2021 Shanghai Auto Show.

Talking about the company’s e-TNGA platform, it has been specially designed by Toyota for electric vehicles and with its help, electric cars can be produced in less time. Its biggest feature is that this platform can also be used in vehicles of different sizes.

This compact SUV has been designed by the company like its popular car Rav-4 and it has been built on a completely new platform. This SUV is equipped with many amazing features and it has been given a distinctive yoke instead of the usual steering wheel. Apart from this, a special system has been given in it which charges the battery of this car with solar power also Toyota bZ4X was unveiled at Shanghai Auto Show 2021 where Toyota’s new concept car has introduced a solar charging system.

 In this, the “bZ” series stands for Beyond Zero which means vehicles with zero emission. The company’s bZ4X electric SUV will be the first car in the “bZ” series.

This time the most focus is on electric vehicles and that we are becoming to ascertain modern electric cars one after the opposite. Along with this, Volkswagen is additionally keeping an eye fixed thereon. If we talk about electric vehicles, even after being available in some markets, Tesla is at the top. In such a situation, Toyota is planning to launch new vehicles with a plan to capture this market.

Review: Hyundai ALCAZAR Vs MG Gloster

Hyundai Motors was founded in 1967 by Chung Ju-Yung. It is a South Korean Multinational Automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul. Hyundai Motors is offering the same type of cars with the same features at a more affordable price.

whereas

MG (Morris Garage) is a British Automotive manufacturer founded by Cecil Kimber in 1930. It is headquartered in Longbridge, Birmingham. It is known for its open two-seater sports car. It also produces saloons and coupes with engines up to three liters in size.

With the start of 2021 in the pandemic,

Hyundai introduced the Hyundai ALCAZAR premium SUV of 6- and 7-seater on 18th-June-2021 between a price range of Rs 16.30 Lakhs and Rs 20.15 Lakhs.

whereas

MG (Morris Garages) introduced MG Gloster (7-Seater SUV) on 9th-August-2021 between a price range of Rs 29.98 Lakhs and Rs 37.28 Lakhs.

Hyundai ALCAZAR has a Drive Mode Select (Comfort | Eco| Sports), Traction Control modes (Snow | Sand | Mud), 26.03 cm (10.25 inches) multi-display digital cluster, Bose Premium sound system (8-Speakers), Auto Healthy air purifier with AQI display, Front Row seatback table with rectangular cup holder and IT devise holder, Front row sliding sun visor, and Rear window sunshades.

whereas

MG Gloster has a 360 Degree Around View Camera, Electronic Gear Shift with Auto-Park, Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) System, Blind Spot Detection (BSD) System, Driver Fatigue Reminder System, Forward Collision Warning (FWC) System, and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) System.

Hyundai ALCAZAR has 4 powertrains which include a 2.0 L, Petrol MPi engine and a 1.5 L, Diesel CRDi engine with options of 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions. The 2.0 L, Petrol MPi engine with 6-speed manual transmission delivers acceleration of 0–100 km/h in 9.5 seconds. The 2.0 L, Petrol MPi and 1.5 Diesel CRDi engine provide fuel efficiency with 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions.

whereas

MG Gloster has a 75L fuel tank capacity with 8 Automatic Transmissions. The engine of MG Gloster provides a Maximum Power of 163/218 PS @ 4000 with a Maximum Torque of 375/480 Nm @ 1500-2400. It comes with a Dual Helix Independent Front Suspension and Five Link Integrated Rear Suspension.

REVIEW: Audi e-tron GT

Electric mobility is becoming dynamic and fascinating, as the Audi e-tron GT proves. The four-door coupé, which will be introduced in the market as an RS model at the same time, reinterprets the classic idea of the gran turismo: Its design is highly emotional, the technology revolutionary. 

The 800-volt lithium-ion battery integrated into the flat underbody, offers extremely high performance – both when charging and when driving. In combination with the recuperation system, it provides a range of up to 500 km according to the WLTP measurement procedure. 

Battery from 5% to 80% charged in 

22.5 min 

  (270kW DC Charging) 

Charging system 

800 volt 

  Maximum charging capacity: 270 kWh 

Battery capacity (net) up to 

83.7 kWh 

Audi e-tron GT’s Performance 

Electrical output 

350kW 

Torque: 630 Nm 

Acceleration (0–100 km/h) 

4.1s 

Range (WLTP) up to 

500km 

One feature that not all the competition can match is the option of fully utilizing the drive’s acceleration potential several times in succession. While elsewhere the drive is switched to overdrive for thermal considerations, the Audi e-tron GT concept can provide the driver with the full potential of both motors and the battery thanks to its sophisticated cooling strategy. 

Depending on the driving situation, the aerodynamics can be actively adjusted, by way of two settings for the rear wing as well as the cooling air inlets at the front. 

Audi e-tron is loaded with some exciting features and Driving assistance. The top options include ambient interior lighting, a head-up display, heated-and-cooled front seats with massage functions, and more. Front-seat passengers sit low to the ground, which promotes a sporty driving position.  

e-tron GT features a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, connected car technology, shift-by-wire gear selector and a wide variety of driver assistance and safety systems.  

With an array of sensors, Audi pre sense front and rear monitor the surroundings of the Audi e-tron GT, giving it intuitive awareness on the road and allowing it to respond to unforeseen circumstances.  

The available Adaptive cruise assist works to give you peace-of-mind on the road. The Stop&Go function helps maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front by stopping when needed, while corrective steering provides further safety by ensuring your vehicle stays in its lane. 

Audi e-Tron GT will be launched in India on September 22, 2021. Audi is expected to price the e-tron GT on the higher side of the luxury EV spectrum, with prices likely to start upwards of ₹ 1.6 crore . 

Review: The new 2022 Bentley Bentayga

Bentley Motors Limited is a British manufacturer and marketer of luxury cars and SUVs. It is a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group since 1998. It was founded by W.O. Bentley in 1919 in Cricklewood, North England. The company, Bentley Motors is located in Crewe, England.

Bentley Motors will be manufacturing the all-new 2022 Bentley Bentayga S which will be a combined version of Bentley Bentayga V8, and Bentley Bentayga Speed (W12).

Bentley Bentayga S (3rd angle view)

It comes with a 4.0 liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine which provides a horsepower of 542 and a torque of 568 lb-ft getting to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Bentley Bentayga S comes with Adaptive Cruise Control which helps to slow down while there is traffic to maintain a safe distance. In congested traffic, it will stop or move forward automatically according to the pace and motion of the vehicle.

It also comes with the Lane Detection System, which warns when to drift out of the lane without indication and can correct the course. It also provides haptic feedback through the steering wheel.

The Blind Spot Monitoring enables to overtake blindly and the Traffic Sign Recognition alerts to change the speed limit of the vehicle at any course of time.

Equipped with Bentley Dynamic Ride, a groundbreaking active anti-roll system that uses a 48-volt electric motor to minimize the body roll when the car is cornering to get in complete control. It has an All-Terrain Specification that provides 4 driving modes and is also called the responsive off-road settings.

It includes robust underfoot protection, luggage management system to ensure that the items in the boot are safely secured along with a specific window on the infotainment system that displays useful information.

Bentley Bentayga S (3rd angle view)

The vehicle consists of a 10.9-inch infotainment screen. An entertainment system consists of two 10.2-inch displays mounted to the front seat headrests. A 12-speaker stereo is also provided.

It consists of a black body accent, dark tint lights, the restrictive exhaust system that improves the sound of the Bentley. There are multiple color accents on the instrument panel, center console, door linings, steering wheel, and gear level. Like the other Bentleys, the vehicle can be selected from four, five, or seven seats.

Are self-driving cars really a future?

Self-driven cars would be hijacking over the manual ones in not so distant future. But the question is these automated cars good enough to sit back without being stressed about safety?

Let’s check out on that…A self-driving vehicle can sense its surroundings and control its movements without human intervention. The SAE has come up with six levels of self-driving vehicles.  Level 5 being the highest level.

Many companies are trying to be the first ones to develop an autonomous car that can drive under all driving conditions. Major automobile manufactures and tech giants are looking for ways to get to the front of the race. They are performing a bunch of road tests with their self-driving cars and are collecting data from these tests which will help cars navigate the modern world where unpredictable things happen all the time. In order to manage situations like this, we might also need to set up designated lanes for self-driving cars during the transition period where both traditional cars and self-driving cars would be on the roads. We also need regulatory changes on the insurance policies so that the insurance companies can cover different types of vehicles. So, self-driving cars can be a huge test for not only automobile manufacturers but also for regulators. After all, the manufactures and regulators need to come together and update the laws that have been in place for decades to reflect the changes associated with self-driving cars. But to make it happen would require time and a lot of work.

There is no doubt that self-driving cars present many technological promises to our lives. But in order for us to truly take advantage and prepare for a future, we need everyone to step up and put their heads together towards a solution. However, until fully autonomous cars are on the road, people still need to be fully responsible while driving their vehicles and understand the limits of the technology in their vehicles.

It will take few more years for researchers to optimize autonomous driving. Those improvements can’t be rushed. So strap in and relax. You’ll be still holding that steering wheel for a while.

Review: Volvo XC40 Recharge, an Electric SUV

Volvo Cars, a luxury automobile maker which is headquartered in Torslanda in Gothenburg, Sweden. The company manufactures and markets sport utility vehicles, station wagons, hatchbacks, sedans, and compact executive sedans.

Volvo Cars is going to introduce Volvo XC40 Recharge, an Electric SUV that is based on Volvo’s Common Modular Architecture. It has a 78kWh battery pack mounted under the cabin floor with electric motors on each axle.

Volvo XC40 Recharge (3rd angle view)

When connected to a 150kW DC rapid charger, the “XC40 Recharge” can charge up to 80% in around 40 minutes. A full charge of the vehicle takes around 8 hours.

It has a maximum output of 402bhp and 660Nm of torque which the Volvo says is enough for a 0-62 mph time of 4.9 seconds. It offers a range of 259 miles due to the recent software update.

The electric powertrain of the Volvo XC40 Recharge is smaller than that required for a combustion engine. This creates an additional storage room of 31-liters under the bonnet which is compatible with carrying the charging cable.

The car has dual-zone climate control, a wireless smartphone charging pad, a 12.3-inch digital dash, and a 9-inch infotainment system which is powered by the new Google-developed software rather than Volvo’s in-house Sensus System.

Volvo XC40 Recharge on road

Volvo XC40 Recharge expected launch date and price in India

Volvo XC40 Recharge is predicted to be launched in India on Jan 2022 in a price starting from ₹50.00 to 55.00 Lakh.

The future of Luxury, BMW M3 Sedan

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) is a German multinational corporation established in 1916 as a manufacturer of aircraft engines which were produced from 1917 until 1918 and then again from 1933 to 1945.

BMW M3 Sedan parked outside (1st angle view)

BMW is the world’s 14th largest producer of motor vehicles in 2017 with 2,279,503 vehicles produced and recently added 2 new variants in its popular M series.

A 5-seater, with automatic transmission, returns a mileage of about 10.75 km/L and consists of a 2979 CC engine which produces a 431 bhp@5500-7300 rpm power and 550 Nm@1850-5500 rpm that can break 100 kmph speed in 4.1 seconds.

The car comes with Multi-Functioning Steering Wheel, Sophisticated Infotainment System, Alloy Wheels, Power Steering, Anti-Lock Braking, Automatic Climate Control System, Park Distance Control Function, and many more, which makes the drive more exciting.

The astonishing external appearance is owing to its sleek body structure, its sporty stance is further highlighted by cosmetics with a black accent alloy wheel.

The use of leather and metallic accents given inside the cabin provides a luxurious feel.

The cars are available in 12 different colours: Yas Marina Blue Metallic, Alpine White Iii, Black Sapphire Metallic, Mineral White Pearl, Mineralgrau Metallic, Silverstone Ii Metallic, Sakhir Orange Metallic, Austin Gelb Metallic, Azurite Black Metallic, Moonstone Metallic, Tanzanite Blue Metallic, and Pyritbraun Metallic.

BMW M3 Sedan (3rd angle view)

BMW M3 Sedan expected launch date and price in India

BMW M3 Sedan is expected to launch in India on October 2021 at a price starting from 65.00 Lakh.

Review: Mercedes-Benz EQS an Electric Luxury Sedan, what does it hold?

Mercedes-Benz AG, a prominent German automotive brand with over 170,000 employees worldwide, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of luxury cars. It focuses on the development, production, and sales of cars, vans, and vehicle-related services by continually expanding its worldwide production network with around 35 production sites on 4 continents.

Mercedes-Benz EQS is considered to be the electric version of the S-Class, The flagship car of Mercedes-Benz. The first electric luxury saloon from Mercedes-EQ, the electric mobility brand of Mercedes-Benz is redefining this vehicle by being the first model to be based on the modular architecture for luxury and executive-class electric vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz EQS (3rd angle view)

With ranges up to 770 kilometers according to the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) and with an output of up to 385 kW, the powertrain of the EQS meets every expectation of a progressive saloon. The larger of two batteries has a usable energy content of 107.8 kWh which is around 26 percent more than the Mercedes-Benz EQC.

Mercedes-Benz EQS can be charged with up to 200 kW power at fast-charging stations with a direct current of up to another 300 kilometers. It gets recharged in just about 15 minutes because of the various intelligent charging programs that can be activated automatically depending on the situation.

Mercedes-Benz quotes that the EQS can travel up to 417 kilometers (259 miles) on a single charge test cycle so in the real world it is simply over 300 kilometers (186 miles) if you are not trying to drive economically (as per the reviewers).

Features involve the innovative multimedia system MBUX which has numerous EQ-specific functions like the display of range, charge status, energy flow, EQ-optimized navigation, driving modes, charging current, and the time of departure which can be controlled/set via MBUX.

Mercedes-Benz EQS includes different seat functions with up to 10 different massage programs and automatic doors that open when the user walks towards the car, and close when the user presses the brakes.

Mercedes-Benz EQS (Cockpit View)

Packed with futuristic technology that gives the driver a luxurious feel, the Mercedes-Benz EQS has a massive infotainment screen and provides different color combinations for the interior. It consists of 190 customizable LED dots around the cabin and consists of some backlit glossy plastic and unvarnished wood.

The EQS does not ride on a dedicated EV platform and as a result, it does not have all the advantages of a vehicle with an electric powertrain. It still has a transmission tunnel running down the middle of the passenger compartment which makes the middle rear seat slightly uncomfortable for the passengers.

Mercedes-Benz EQS Expected Launch Date and Price in India

The Mercedes-Benz Luxury Electric Sedan is expected to be launched in India by 2022 with an estimated pricing of about ₹ 2 crores.