AutoQ is our weekly round up of the top automotive stories
1. Motor Vehicles Bill Approved: Will It Change How India Drives?
Finally, the penalties for disobeying traffic laws have become quite hefty in India, but will it make a difference to the way India drives? The Union Cabinet on Monday, 24 June, approved the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill that proposes hefty penalties for violation of traffic laws.
This has been a long time coming. This 2017 Bill, which was pending for approval in the Rajya Sabha, lapsed after the term of the 16th Lok Sabha ended. According to a PTI report, it has now been cleared by the Cabinet and will be presented to parliament in the current session. It will then be notified to be enforced by authorities.
What are the key takeaways from this bill, which will likely discourage errant drivers?
Read the story here to know more.
2. MG Hector SUV Launched, Prices Start At Rs 12.18 Lakh
The MG Hector SUV has been launched in India at prices starting at Rs 12.18 lakh for the base petrol going up to Rs 16.88 lakh for the diesel Sharp variant, ex-showroom. These are introductory prices.
The MG Hector is available in four trim variants – Style, Super, Smart and Sharp. It gets three engine choices: a 1.5-litre petrol engine, a 1.5-litre petrol-hybrid engine option and a 2-litre diesel engine. It gets a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmission options. It gets a total of 11 variants to choose from.
The highlight of this SUV is its "connected car" features as it comes with an in-built e-SIM that allows it to be connected to the Internet and even remotely monitored with an app.
Read the story here.
3. BMW S1000 RR Launched, Prices Start at Rs 18.5 Lakh
The BMW S1000RR is the brand's flagship supersport motorcycle in the country. It has been launched at Rs 18.5 lakh ex-showroom, going up to Rs 22.5 lakh for the fully kitted out version.
The BMW S1000RR is powered by a 999-cc, in-line, four-cylinder engine that puts out 207 bhp of power and 113 Nm of torque with a six-speed quick-shift transmission. This superbike replaces the earlier version that was originally launched in India in 2009. It has gone through some significant changes.
Read the full story here.
4. Aston Martin Valhalla Will be Seen in the Next James Bond Movie
Aston Martin four wheelers have been ever-present in James Bond movies over the years, and the tradition is set to continue with the upcoming movie from the franchise as well.
The luxury supercar maker has confirmed three of its cars will feature in the yet to be named movie, and this includes the recently announced Aston Martin Valhalla. We can’t say whether Daniel Craig will go behind the wheels on the Valhalla, or will it be the villain, driving the hyper car from Aston Martin.
In addition to the Valhalla, we’ll be seeing the DB5 and V8 feature in the upcoming movie as well.
Read the story here.
5. Delhi Govt Plans to Use 1,000 Electric Vehicles for Deliveries
The Delhi government has come up with an electric vehicle project called ‘Deliver Electric Delhi’. It has partnered with Flipkart, Amazon, Zomato, Blue Dart Express, and 26 other companies to start using electric vehicles for deliveries over the next 12 months.
E-commerce companies such as Zomato and Swiggy have already started to work on creating their EV fleet. Flipkart is also planning to replace about 40 percent of its current delivery fleet with electric vehicles.
The advantages of using electric vehicles are the reduction of air pollution and bring down the cost of transportation. However, the major hindrance against regular use of EVs is their limited range and lack of infrastructure to recharge them.
Read the story here.
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