2018 Skoda Superb Corporate edition launched at Rs 23.49 lakh

In a bid to attract existing Skoda Rapid and Octavia customers to upgrade to a Superb, Skoda has introduced a new entry-level Superb Corporate edition variant. Priced at Rs 23.49 lakh (ex-showroom, India), the Superb Corporate edition is based on the Superb Style variant that comes with a 1.8-litre petrol engine good for 180hp. The sole gearbox on offer is a 6-speed manual. The Superb Corporate Edition is available in only a single “Candy white” paint shade. 

The Superb Corporate edition gets the same set of equipment that is available on the Style variant. It gets beige leather seats, xenon headlamps, a panoramic sunroof and a powered driver’s seat, to name a few. The Skoda Superb Corporate is essentially a Superb Style variant in “Candy white” shade being sold at a discount of Rs 2.2 lakh. The Superb Style trim, which has other exterior shades on offer, is priced at Rs 25.59 lakh (ex-showroom, India). The Rs 2.2 lakh discount includes free insurance provided by Skoda. The company will sell this trim to existing Rapid and Octavia customers for now, with general buyers likely to be able to purchase this variant at a later stage. 

Key rivals to the Skoda Superb include the Volkswagen Passat, the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord.

Also see:

New Skoda Superb review, road test

Skoda to focus on enhancing ownership experience

2018 Skoda Karoq review, test drive

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Petrol and diesel won’t be included under GST

Petrol and diesel will not be included under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) any time soon. According to a PTI report, neither the central government nor state governments are in favour of this move, as they fear it could result in major revenue losses.
GST was implemented in India on July 1, 2017 as a part of the One Nation One Tax movement, doing away with other taxes such as the Value Added Tax (VAT), excise duty and service tax. However, petro-products such as petrol, diesel, natural gas, crude oil and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) were excluded from the GST regime.
According to the report, the Union Finance Ministry brought up the issue at the GST council meeting on August 4, but central and state governments were opposed to the idea. The reason for that is if the fuels are also included under GST, the central government’s input tax credit will be slashed by approximately Rs 20,000 crore, which it receives in the form of all the taxes levied on petro-products. In much the same way, states also stand to lose a major revenue source.
Under the GST rule, the total taxation on goods or a service has to fit into one of the four tax slabs of 5, 12, 18, or 28 percent. However, the current taxation on petrol and diesel is already beyond the peak rate of 28 percent, hence, it will result in a big loss of revenue for both governments.
Currently, Mumbai levies the highest VAT on petrol at 39.12 percent. The total tax percentage on petrol and diesel in the country comes up to 45-50 percent and 35-40 percent, respectively.

PhotoGallery: 2018 TVS Radeon 110 image gallery

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2018 TVS Radeon 110 launched at Rs 48,400

TVS has just launched a new 110cc motorcycle called the Radeon at Rs 48,400 (ex-showroom, Delhi). The motorcycle features styling that tries to break away from conventional 110cc motorcycles in India. TVS say that the Radeon is targeted at consumers in the age group of 25-35 years who live in small towns and in rural India. The company says that the bike is for consumers looking for a stylish bike with good fuel efficiency and ground clearance without having to pay a premium.

The Radeon has a uniquely-styled tank with knee pads. Aside from the tank, however, the bike is styled pretty conventionally. The headlight and the cowl are similar to the Victor, and the side panels and rear-end feature simple, boxy styling. The seat on bike is flat and textured. The engine and gearbox casing on the motorcycle are finished in a light gold. Interestingly, there is also heavy use of chrome on the commuter; the carrier, exhaust, crash guard, kick starter and rear shocks are all finished in chrome. This is interesting at a time when most other bike manufacturers are shifting away from using chrome and opting for blacked-out bits.

Standard on the Radeon are blacked-out alloy wheels and a rather funky looking fully-analogue instrument console which features an Eco and Power mode indication. The bike features drum brakes at either end. 

Powering the motorcycle is a 109.7cc engine that makes 8.4hp and 8.7Nm of torque. The bike has a fuel tank capacity of 10 litres and a claimed fuel-efficiency of 69.3kmpl.  Ground clearance is set at a healthy 180mm and the bike is equipped with TVS’ Synchronised Braking Technology that works similar to Honda’s CBS.

The TVS Radeon has a five-year warranty and is available in four colour schemes (white, beige, purple and black). TVS has projected a sales target of 2 lakh units in the first year of the Radeon’s production. This new commuter is positioned between TVS’ other commuters, the Star City+ (starts from Rs 45,991) and the Victor (Rs 53,295 onwards, ex-showroom, Delhi). 

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Saudi Arabia may invest $1bn in Lucid Motors

US electric car company Lucid Motors is in talks with Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the PIF, according to a Reuters report. The two parties have drafted a non-binding agreement, under which, PIF would invest $1 billion (about Rs 7,000 crore) and assume majority ownership.

The initial investment would be $500m (Rs 3,500 crore), with subsequent funding coming as Lucid achieves production milestones. In 2016, the company stated its ambition to begin production of its first model, the Air, which would be built this year at a new, $700m (Rs 4,900 crore) facility in Casa Grande, Arizona. However, it has since pushed that goal back to 2020 while it continues to raise necessary funds.

The Air, which is a prototype, is a sporty luxury sedan that claims to offer a 650km driving range, up to 1,000hp and a 0-100kph time of 2.5sec. The proposed price range is $60,000 to $100,000 (approximately Rs 42 lakh to Rs 55 lakh).

The Saudi Arabian fund is said to have reserves of around $250bn (Rs 17.5 lakh crore) and has been investing heavily to diversify the country's portfolio away from oil. It has already sunk $45bn (Rs 3,200 crore) into a multinational technology group, including Apple and Qualcomm, that will focus on artificial intelligence and robotics.

However, Reuters' sources cautioned that the deal with Lucid isn't certain to proceed. The PIF has also reportedly been in talks to increase its 5 percent share in Tesla, as alluded to by CEO Elon Musk's controversial statement that "funding is secured" to take his company private at $420 ((about Rs 30,000) per share.

Lucid was formed in 2007 under the name Atieva by Bernard Tse, a former board member and vice president of Tesla, and engineer Sam Weng. Its chief technology officer is Peter Rawlinson, a former head engineer at Jaguar, Lotus and Tesla. Tse left in 2015 because of friction with Chinese state-owned BAIC, which had a 25 percent stake. This stake was sold to an anonymous investor in 2016.

Lucid's other connections include a battery supply deal with Samsung and development of technology for the next-generation Formula E car along with McLaren and Sony.

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Maruti Suzuki S-cross Delta to get more features

Maruti Suzuki will soon update the S-cross range in India. The S-cross is Maruti’s flagship SUV and is sold via Nexa dealerships. The entire S-cross line-up will soon come with more safety features like rear parking sensors, a speed alert system and passenger seat belt reminder, just like the ones seen on the Ciaz facelift. 

In addition to the above mentioned features, the mid-spec S-cross Delta variant will get more equipment as well.  The S-cross Delta will get a smart-key feature along with push-button start, both of which were earlier available only on the higher-spec Zeta and Alpha trims. Additionally, automatic climate control, a cruise control system, a rear wash/wiper and auto-folding wing mirrors with integrated turn indicators will now be available on this variant.

The S-Cross Delta will still miss out on features like Maruti’s SmartPlay infotainment system, a rear centre armrest and front fog lamps, all of which is standard on Zeta and Alpha trims. 

Prices for this update are not out as of now. With the addition of more features, expect a slight price-bump for the S-cross Delta variant which is expected to hit showrooms in a few days.

Also see:

2018 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz petrol SHVS, review, test drive

2018 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz petrol SHVS video review

Buying used: (2015-2017) Maruti S-Cross

 

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2019 Kawasaki Ninja H2 range priced from Rs 34.50 lakh

Kawasaki has launched the 2019 Ninja H2 range in India starting from Rs 34.50 lakh. Higher-spec models like the Ninja H2 Carbon and Ninja H2R have been priced at Rs 41 lakh and Rs 72 lakh, respectively (all prices, ex-showroom Delhi). All three models are CBUs which are produced by selected engineers in Japan. The booking period will be start from September 1, 2018 and will be closed by October 31, 2018. However, Kawasaki has said that deliveries will only begin next year.

The Ninja H2 range has got a number of updates for 2019. The hypersport motorcycle gets a new intake system, ECU, tyres, brakes and lot more. The new H2 and H2 Carbon's new power output – 231hp, up from its previous 200hp power figure – will be its most significant change for 2019. The bike maker has impressively increased the engine's power while keeping the outgoing model’s Euro-IV-compliance and fuel efficiency ratings. Torque is also up by 8.2Nm, taking the superbike's total to 141.7Nm. The power gain is due to the help of the same technology used to make the company’s new Ninja H2 SX. The 2019 H2 and H2 Carbon also get an updated air-filter, intake chamber and spark-plugs. That takes the bike significantly ahead of rivals like the 214hp Ducati Panigale V4 (226hp with the Akrapovič exhaust option) – currently the most powerful road-legal production superbike on sale today.

The 2019 H2 and H2 Carbon features new Bridgestone RS11 tyres and Brembo’s top-of-the-line Stylema callipers that first appeared on the Ducati Panigale V4. The H2 and H2 Carbon also get a new TFT screen fitted with Bluetooth connectivity. The new screen will work with the company’s new ‘Rideoloy’ mobile application that shows vehicle information – like fuel level, battery condition, riding log, and service interval updates.

Lastly, the bike will also get a new “self-healing” paintjob. As the name suggests, we expect it to work in the same manner as self-healing paint protection films do – small scuffs and scratches will disappear with the application of a little heat. The 2019 Ninja H2R will also receive Brembo Stylema brakes, the special paintjob and the new supercharged emblem on the engine casing. The Ninja H2R continues to make 310hp (326hp with RAM air) and 165Nm of torque. The H2R will also continue to not be road-legal.

Also see:

Locally assembled Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R deliveries begin

Kawasaki eyes India as an export hub

2018 Kawasaki Ninja 300 vs rivals: Specifications comparison

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