Entertainment
Wheeling into the new year
2016 is officially up and running, so let’s take a peek at all the cars and bikes that are expected to be launched this year. There is much to be unveiled.Ankit Tuladhar
Deals on two wheelers
1. Bajaj pulsar 400 CS
Bajaj gave us a glimpse of the 400CS in 2014 in an auto show, but the official announcement of the release date of this bike is yet to be made. As far as we know, CS stands for Cruiser Sports, and it is likely to be the replacement of the Avenger line up in the 400cc category.
2. Benelli TNT25
Benelli TNT25 has taken a lot of its styling cues from the TNT300. The TNT25 will feature a side mounted exhaust—unlike the underbelly exhaust of the TNT300—with a slightly revised tail and paintjob. The TNT25 will be powered by a single cylinder 250cc engine. With the TNT300 just out on the streets, we expect to see its baby brother the TNT25 soon.
3. Benelli Tornado 302
Showcased at the Milan Auto Show
in late 2015, the Tornado 302 is the fully-faired version of the TNT300. It will have a side mounted exhaust with a middle mounted suspension. It will also sport the same 300cc inline twin cylinder producing 35.3 Ps of power and 27 Nm of peak torque. It is expected to come with ABS, either as standard or as an extra option.
4. Ducati Panigale 959
The Panigale 899 got an engine upgrade, and now boasts a 955cc L-Twin engine producing 9 hp of power and 8 Nm torque more than its predecessor. The styling of the 959 remains similar to the 899: the European model gets a twin side mounted exhaust, which to be honest doesn’t quite suit the exotic Italian bike, but the American model gets the conventional under belly exhaust.
5. Hero HX250R
When first showcased in 2014, the HX250R was thought to be a game changer in the quarter-litre segment. Powered by a 250cc engine producing 31 BHP and 26 NM of torque, it was the first Indian bike to sport a under-seat exhaust. But they took too long to release the bike, and competitors have already moved on to produce 300cc engines like the Ninja300, R3, CBR300R, etc.
6. Honda CBR300R
While the bike was launched in foreign markets nearly a year ago, India and Nepal are yet to receive the 300 model. We had been receiving the older 250R version, but the 300 is set to come in, hopefully, this year.
7. Mahindra Mojo
Another bike that was showcased over a year ago and set to be launched this year is the Mojo. We got to see it in person during the 2014 NADA Auto Show, and if rumours are to be believed, it is said that the Mojo300 will finally make its official launch in 2016.
8. Royal Enfield Himalayan
The Himalayan, which is reportedly being tested and toured, will debut with an all-new 410cc, oil-cooled engine that will reportedly deliver 24 bhp.
9. Yamaha MT-15(M-Slaz)
This aggressively-styled street bike while feature the same engine as the R15 Version 2.0 with its delta box frame. With a fully digital instrument panel, the M-slaz is sure to make some heads turn.
10. Yamaha MT-03
The MT-03 gets its engine from the R3, and will sport a twin cylinder 321cc engine like the R3. Styled similar to the MT-07, the MT-03 will compete with the likes of the Duke 390 and the Benelli TNT300.
The giant four wheelers
1. Ford Endeavour
The new Endeavour will have two diesel engines from Ford’s Duratorq family. First up is the 3.2-litre, Duratorq, five-cylinder TDCi diesel engine that produces 197 hp of
power and 470 Nm of torque. This 3.2 litre engine will be available only in a 6-speed automatic transmission
and a 4WD system with Terrain Management that has three modes—Normal, Snow/Gravel/Grass, Sand and Rock.
The second engine is a 2.2-litre Duratorq, four-cylinder, TDCi diesel unit that puts out 158 hp of power and 385 Nm of torque. This engine has the choice of either a six-speed automatic or manual transmissions, with a 4WD option.
2. Honda BRV
The new compact SUV is set to rival the likes of Ecosports, Creta, S-cross, etc. With the demand for compact SUV ever-growing, Honda is trying to cash in on this market. There are two engine options: the 1.5 litre petrol engine and 1.5 litre diesel engine. The petrol engine produces 118bhp of power and 145 Nm of torque, while the Diesel engine produces 98.6bhp of power and 200Nm of torque.
3. Mahindra KUV100
Another compact SUV trying to enter the market is the KUV100 (Kool Utility Vehicle). The SUV will feature a brand new mFalcon80 1.2 litre petrol engine producing 82 ps of power and 114Nm of torque. The diesel 1.2 litre engine will put out 77ps of power and 190Nm of torque. This will be more of a compact crossover than a Compact SUV.
2016 will surely be an interesting year as there are speculations that GOford will be launching the Mustang 5.0 and the German giants BMW and Porsche will be making their way into our market.