Maruti is not an online outlier, of course; other heavyweights have rolled out similar services. But as an analyst pointed out, Maruti's all-India roll-out has significant impact given that it accounts for over half of all cars sold, reports, reports Pavan Lall.

The Navi Mumbai international airport will boast three interconnect­ed multi-level terminals with a lotus-inspired design, according to the master plan prepared by its outgoing developer.The GVK group, which completed 15 years of airport business, shared the first look of the Navi Mumbai airport.The group in 2018 had comm­iss­ioned British firm Zaha Hadid Architects to design the main terminal and air traffic control tower.The master plan of the airport was approved by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) in 2019.

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz India on Thursday launched the imported version of its new generation flagship sedan S-Class with a price starting at Rs 2.17 crore while it prepares to introduce a locally-produced variety of the model in the fourth quarter this year.The new 7th generation S-Class comes in two variants -- diesel S 400d 4MATIC priced at Rs 2.17 crore and petrol S 450 4MATIC tagged at Rs 2.19 crore.

'It says, we are not just an overseas player -- we are Kia India and here for good'

Czech automaker Skoda on Monday forayed into the midsize SUV segment in India with the launch of its new offering Kushaq, priced between Rs 10.5 lakh and Rs 17.6 lakh (ex showroom Delhi).

The Thar. A vehicle that has always been a capable off-roader with its go-anywhere attitude.One which hated being on the tarmac as a lifestyle vehicle, as the second car in your parking space. But this new generation Thar -- can it change that? Can it be one's first car? Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com finds out.

German luxury car maker Audi on Thursday launched three all-electric SUVs under its e-tron range with prices starting from Rs 99.99 lakh kicking off its electrification journey in the country.The three all-electric SUVs -- e-tron 50, e-tron 55 and e-tron Sportback 55 -- are priced at Rs 99.99 lakh, Rs 1.16 crore and Rs 1.18 crore respectively (all prices ex-showroom), Audi India said in a statement.Commenting on the launch of the e-tron brand in India, Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon said, "we are launching not one, but three electric SUVs that begin our electrification journey."The three electric SUVs are "the perfect confluence of luxury, zero emissions, performance and everyday usability", he added.

The car is built in a manner that stands tall and rugged on the city streets, without ever being uncomfortable, says Pavan Lall.

Fancy your chops are a designer? Skoda Auto India has a challenge for you. Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com brings us the lowdown.

Hyundai Motor India expects its SUV range to gain further traction in the domestic market with demand for personal mobility gaining momentum post the second wave of COVID-19, according to a senior company official.The company, which already leads the SUV space with models like Venue, Creta, Tucson and recently launched Alcazar, is looking to maintain its lead in the segment which is growing with each passing month.

The Battista hyper GT delivers a unique dynamic experience that can be tailored to suit every journey and the pure-electric model will accelerate from 0-100 km/h in less than two seconds - faster than a current Formula 1 car.

However, it has an auditory feature that throws up a soft but audible whirring sound like a spaceship while driving as well as a different tone on the outside to let bystanders know a car is on its way, says Pavan Lall.

The Tiago NRG is available in a single fully loaded variant that has all the features from a start-stop button to a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, says Rajesh Karkera.

A new XUV, a new logo, and a big bang at the launch! Mahindra revealed its keenly-awaited XUV700 in Chennai on Saturday.

It has get-up-and-go and is possessed of immense agility, observes Pavan Lall.

Is the XUV700 just a facelifted XUV500 or is it a completely new breed in the vast range of SUVs available today? Rajesh Karkera takes the latest offering from the Mahindra stable for a spin to find out.

Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini are some marquee badges that have introduced track cars to excite hard-core customers who want to push their cars to the limit, says Pavan Lall.

Zippy and comfortable, the Mini Convertible is a perfect car for short jaunts, but this isn't the ride you'd choose to take your entire family to the airport or pick for a long family excursion, says Pavan Lall.

The MG Motor India management is focused on scaling up and launching smaller cars to play the long game in the country, says Pavan Lall.

At a time when fuel prices across the country are going through the roof with no sign of it moderating, electric vehicles seem the likely choice for car buyers who are looking at saving fuel costs.And add to it the negligible maintenance of electric vehicles.Continuing with this revolution with their 2nd offering in the EV segment, Tata Motors now offers the 2021 Tigor EV to its customers.Tigor petrol with its style-back design has always been a stunner since its launch and it still is.

The wait for the new iPhone is over as the tech giant Apple officially launched its new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro on September 14.

The Gurkha 2021 is built on a ground-up modular architecture platform with an all-new wider and longer body, full new interiors, a new crash-compliant, high-strength chassis, new coil spring suspension on all four wheels fine-tuned to achieve the right balance and offer the best in class ride quality on multiple surfaces -- tarmac, rough rural roads and off the road, the Pune-based company said.

Volkswagen's new SUV is set to lock horns with half a dozen rivals, says Pavan Lall.

This SUV will look as cool in 2030 as it might have in 2010 and ultimately that's what drives the core appeal of Mercedes-Benz and its products -- being classic, says Pavan Lall.

The Punch's pricing will be revealed only on October 20, the day of its launch.

For the longest time the Polo GT had no real competition in terms of its build quality and product positioning. Until now, says Pavan Lall.

Four XUV700s entered the challenge and all four recorded over 4000 km in 24 hours, says Rajesh Karkera.

I was not expecting to be impressed by the Tata Punch. But my drive proved me wrong, says Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com.

Every M&M car shares a certain DNA which is rugged, with an off-roading quality and built for hard wear and tear.The XUV is all those, but also has a smoother edge for those who want city comfort now offered in competitor vehicles such as the MG Hector, Hyundai Creta, Volkswagen Tiguan and Tata's Harrier, says Pavan Lall.

'The global semiconductor shortage has inadvertently provided an imm­ense fillip to the pre-owned car market'

And it feels entirely different when compared to all its earlier avatars, observes Pavan Lall.

It's a zippy, well-engineered ride that offers comfort, quality, low cost of ownership and fuel efficiency at affordable prices, says Pavan Lall.

Rajesh Karkera and Hitesh Harisinghani set out to test drive the new CNG versions of Tata Tiago and Tigor, and come away impressed.

Suspension that has fully acclimatised to Indian roads and handles potholes and bumps with ease, plush interiors that feel premium beyond just surface level, and aggressive and imposing design cues give this SUV a presence and profile that has little competition, says Pavan Lall.

So what's special about the Kaziranga range? Rajesh Karkera and Hitesh Harisinghani find out.

The all-new ZS EV will be available in two variants -- Excite and Exclusive, priced at Rs 21.99 lakh and Rs 25.88 lakh, respectively.The company said it has initiated bookings for the Exclusive variant, while bookings for the Excite trim will commence from July 2022.The model comes with the largest in-segment 50.3-kWh (kilowatt-hour) battery with advanced technology, offering a 461-km certified range in a single charge.

High ground clearance, a wide cabin and tall stance all mean that the Carens glides over bad roads with ease and comfort and an engine performance that is adequate in terms of the power of this vehicle, says Pavan Lall.

While the Slavia comes in eight different variants, it's the base model that starts at around Rs 10.7 lakh that is most likely to take a bite out of the market share of its competitors, says Pavan Lall.

Japanese auto major Honda Cars on Thursday unveiled its new offering for the Indian market -- City e:HEV sedan, marking its foray into the mainstream strong hybrid electric vehicle segment in the country.The company, which is present in India through a wholly-owned subsidiary, has commenced the bookings of the model and plans to introduce it in the market next month.As per the company, the model, an extension of its City model range, would feature self-charging two-motor strong hybrid system connected to a 1.5 litre petrol engine, entailing a peak power of 126 PS and fuel efficiency of 26.5 km per litre.

The move points to a growing need to cater to a younger customer base, one that wants designer clothes not just for big occasions but also wishes to make them a part of their day-to-day lives by interpreting individual pieces in individualistic manners.

Jeep India, a part of automotive group Stellantis, on Tuesday announced the opening of bookings for its upcoming SUV Meridian, the production of which has also commenced from its joint venture manufacturing facility at Ranjangaon, Maharashtra.Customers can book the Meridian either at Jeep India dealership network or through the company's website with a down payment of Rs 50,000.Deliveries of the vehicle will start in June, it said in a statement.

Recently, TPEM's first born electric concept, Avinya broke cover.The model promises a minimum range of 500 kilometres and advanced technology features, aimed at buyers in India and outside.TPEM, the newly formed entity may also consider a separate dedicated sales channel for the EVs with a distinctive corporate identity once the volumes reach a critical mass and throughput is large enough for the dealers to be profitable, said Chandra.Elaborating further on the hiring strategy he said, "We will hire from everywhere-wherever the talent of the required competency is available."

Tata Motors on Wednesday expanded its electric vehicle range in the country with the launch of Nexon EV MAX, priced between Rs 17.74-19.24 lakh (ex-showroom).Equipped with a 40.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the Nexon EV Max offers 33 per cent higher battery capacity than the Nexon EV, delivering ARAI certified range of 437 km (under standard testing conditions), ensuring uninterrupted inter-city travel.ARAI refers to Automotive Research Association of India.The model produces 105 kW (143 PS) of power and delivers a torque of 250 Nm, resulting in 0 to 100 sprint times in under 9 seconds.

If you thought the Tata Nexon EV was it, wait till you drive the new Tata Nexon EV Max with more battery power, says Rajesh Karkera. Photographs and video: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com.

The carmaker is set to redefine SUVs with the all-new Scorpio N. Rajesh Karkera offers a peak.

Billionaire Gautam Adani on Tuesday did an hour-long session of yoga exercises in the open air as he led corporate India to join the International Day of Yoga celebrations.Several public and private sector companies held yoga sessions at their offices to promote the adoption of exercise in daily routines to stay fit and healthy.Adani, chairman of logistics-to-energy conglomerate Adani Group, and his wife Priti, who heads the Adani Foundation, "participated with more than 1,000 members of the Adani Parivaar team to celebrate health, mindfulness and meditation," the group said in a statement.The session was held at a football ground at Adani Shantigram in Ahmedabad.Several other business leaders tweeted pictures of their yoga sessions.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman performed yoga during a mass yoga session at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to celebrate the eighth edition of the International Day of Yoga, June 21, 2022.

The Meridian feels comfortable and upright with the quality of gadgetry, interiors and plastics expected from an international brand car.However, it lacks the overall premium-ness that may come with a top-end Japanese car or even a mid-range German car, says Pavan Lall.

The X4 offers an imposing presence that you cannot miss even in a crowd of other cars, says Pavan Lall.

The Carens is a warning for cars such as the Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar, Maruti Ertiga, Toyota Innova Crista and Mahindra XUV 700, because Kia punches much harder than others in its weight category.