Honda launches VTR 250 bike in India

A new bike is launched by Honda motors in India its name is Honda VTR 250.It is believed that this bike will be launched in the Indian market by the end of this year or early next year. Honda bikes might have understood the demand of 250cc bikes in Indian market with the launch of their Honda CBR 250R.

At present, there are only two such bikes in Indian market that fall in same segment with Honda VTR 250. These two bikes are Honda CBR 250R and Kawasaki Ninja 250R. Out of these two bikes, demand of Honda CBR 250R is more as Kawasaki Ninja is more expensive. The so called bike FZ 250 and R25 by Yamaha bikes are not going to enter Indian market in near future. This second bike that is being launched by Honda is sure to strength its position and maintain its dominance in the segment of 250cc bikes.

This bike has been priced competitively with Honda CBR 250R. According to the speculations in the market, the ex-showroom price of this bike is supposed to be INR 1,50,000. It is not sure about which colours will be available in this bike in India. However, in international market, this bike is available in Graphite Black, Italian Red and Pearl Sunbeam White colours. As it is a naked bike, it is supposed that it will generate good demand in the market.

Honda VTR 250 is a 90 degree V-twin bike offered by Honda bikes and it has only one major upgrade. Original versions of this bike were sold only in Canada and USA from 1988 to 1990. The model that is being launched here is naked bike whose production started in the year 1997. It was available in Asia-Pacific region only. From the year 2009, it is also available in European nations. In some countries, this bike is also called as the Interceptor

Hyundai's new verna-cular

The initial stupendous response has taken everybody by surprise. Can it continue the dream run?

The premium midsize segment (Rs 6.5-10 lakh) has always been a tricky one for all car manufacturers. City was the first to crack it, though Honda’s flagship model has been facing some speed bumps of late, prompting last month’s decision to cut prices by as much as Rs 66,000.

The previous Hyundai Verna, showcased in India four years ago and positioned as a natural progression from the hugely successful Accent, also didn’t exactly set the midsize car sales charts afire.

Enter the new Verna Fluidic, which was launched in the middle of last month. the latest Verna, which looks nothing like its predecessor, was responsible for shoring up Hyundai’s fortunes in May in a market that saw almost all car majors posting a steep decline in sales.

According to data provided by SIAM, 4,357 Vernas were sold by the end of May, which was a terrific figure in the context of the sub-2000 reported by other midsize car makers. The only other model, which has been a reasonable success, is Volkswagen Vento at 3,000 units a month.

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Suzuki to use Fiat engines for new car from 2013

Fiat engines to equip new Suzuki car made in Hungary * 1.6 litre diesel engine to be manufactured in Italy * New 1.6 MultiJet to replace 2.0 MultiJet on Suzuki platform

Suzuki Motor Corp said on Monday it had agreed to buy 1.6-litre diesel engines from Fiat's powertrain unit to put on a car it will build in Hungary from 2013.

The Japanese automaker has been buying 2.0-litre diesel engines from Fiat Powertrain Technologies since 2006 for the SX4 made in Hungary. Suzuki also produces 1.3-litre diesel engines under licence from Fiat Powertrain Technologies in India.

The 1.6-litre MultiJet II engine will replace, on Suzuki's future SX4 platform, the 2.0-litre Fiat Powertrain engine, the Turin-based carmaker said in a separate statement on Monday.

The engine will be made by Fiat at its Pratola Serra plant near Avellino, southern Italy, and delivered to Suzuki's plant in Hungary.

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Yamaha postpones first 1000cc test

Yamaha will not test the first version of its 2012 MotoGP bike until after the Czech Grand Prix in August.

Rivals Honda and Ducati have already begun running versions of their new 1000cc bikes for next season's regulation change - with Ducati sufficiently far advanced to start racing its 2012 chassis with a 2011-spec 800cc engine from this weekend's Dutch GP.

Yamaha had initially intended to run the 2012 bike at Mugello, scene of next weekend's Italian GP.

But the reigning champion team has now announced it will be mid-August before the new bike hits the track.

"Yamaha Factory Racing has made the decision to re-schedule the planned Mugello 1000cc test for the 2012 bike," said a Yamaha statement.

"To allow for further time for the development of the bike the decision has been made to postpone the test to a later date.

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Tesla's next act: Cheaper electric cars...and a profit?

Tesla Motors can design cool-looking electric cars. Now it has to show the world that it can steer its finances just as well.

CEO Elon Musk said this week that Telsa's iconic Roadster electric sports car will no longer be on sale in the U.S. within a few months, marking a turning point for the company which helped catalyze an industry-wide technology shift to electric propulsion.

The move will cut off Tesla's main revenue source and start a transition to a new product--the Model S electric sedan. Whereas Tesla has still sold fewer than 2,000 Roadsters, the Model S will be made entirely by Tesla at a whole different scale of production in its new factory. That means still-unprofitable Tesla enters a period where it has little room for error as it takes on big changes in how it does business and its underlying product.

"Tesla's real challenge now is on the operational side. They need to switch to an operational model that actually makes them profitable and brings the cash flow to sustain them," said Oliver Hazimeh, the head of the e-Mobility practice at management consulting firm PRTM. "The question is how do they get the scale to make money on this car."

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ACT king of the road for car use

Canberra's position as the nation's car capital reigns supreme, with a federal report showing the territory continues to have the nation's highest use of cars per capita.

The federal Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics data also shows Canberra's public transport system was relatively unpopular, recording with Adelaide the lowest per capita use of public transport.

Worse, Canberra and Adelaide were the only cities that did not record a shift from car use to public transport use.

Canberra has recorded the highest per capita use of cars for decades.

Greens MLA Meredith Hunter challenged Sustainability Minister Simon Corbell over the poor showing yesterday in question time, questioning whether the Government's transport policies had failed commuters.

Mr Corbell said the Government had committed to introducing a rapid public transit corridor.

''The issue of the modal split with public transport in Canberra is an issue that the Government is paying close attention to.

''In relation to the reasons for the modal split that occurs in the city, it is the case that Canberra's always had a higher level of journeys undertaken by private motor vehicles, and that is a consequence of course of the design of the city over many years [and] the provision of a very efficient and extensive road network, which has focused opportunities for travel overwhelmingly on private motor vehicle use.''

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'Irascible' transport head steps off treadmill

Sitting down, somewhat reluctantly, for his final interview as head of CIE, John Lynch is trying to get the balance right.

When I suggest final interviews allow subjects to fully unburden themselves, Lynch shoots back, "I still want to be able to walk around this town''.

Having worked with 14 ministers across a number of state agencies and companies, Lynch, whose style is best described as irascible, has enemies and friends in equal measure.

But while his direct style is not to everyone's taste, it is impossible to deny his ability to survive at the top in the notoriously shark-infested waters of Irish semi-states, where politics and business don't always mingle easily.

CIE has a huge amount of critics and the economist Colm McCarthy reached the embarassnig conclusion last year that the company had no actual financial value, despite all the generous subsidies it got in recent years.

He argued that the amount of investment the company has receieved should mean it needs less in annual grants, but Lynch responds by saying all public transport companies need to keep their assets maintained, particularly railways and that is expensive.

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DUCAT INTRODUCES DIAVEL SUPERBIKE IN INDIA

Ducati has officially unveiled its breathtaking superbike Diavel in India, thereby stirring up the domestic biking culture. This super-sensational Ducati bike has already been a huge hit across the globe.
Diavel is muscular in appearance and can captivate even the most bloodless soul on the street. Despite being a stubbornly aggressive sportsbike, this particular model from Ducati offers comfortable riding experience miles after miles. Thanks to the company’s proprietary L-twin Testastretta engine, Diavel is capable of generating torque of 127.4 Nm and power of 162 PS.

Moreover, the 4-stroke, 1198.4cc engine powers this superbike enough for that high-speed action on the road you always desired. However, the valve overlap in the powerplant of Diavel has been minimized to 11 degrees from 41 degrees.

Utilizing the full power of the engine is a breeze as this mean machine is retrofitted with a six-speed gearbox. Three riding modes – urban, sport and touring are offered by this sportsbike.

The company announced that, in India, three variants of the bike will be available – ‘Base’ which will cost Rs 17.06 lakh, ‘Carbon’ which will be priced at 22.06 lakh and ‘Carbon Red’ for which you will have to shell out Rs 22.43 lakh.

THE COMPACT SUV-AUDI Q3

After months of speculation Audi revealed their smallest SUV ever at shanghai auto show.The Q3 is the third addition to Audi’s Q series placing itself as a premium rival to the likes of the Ford Kuga and the Nissan Qashqai, and in direct competition with the BMW X1, and the hotly anticipated Range Rover Evoque.



Head on the Audi Q3 is similar in appearance to the rest of the Audi range, with its gaping chrome framed grill and distinctive headlights, the rear seems to take its influence from Audi’s A1 city car.



The premium SUV promises to be as comfortable scaling hills and rough terrains, as it does driving around city streets. The Q3 has extensive interior customisation options, with a number of trim options, interior colours and fabrics to choose from as well as a lengthy extras list.


Initially the Q3 will be available with a choice of four engines which will all combine direct fuel injection with turbo charging backed up by start-stop and energy recuperation systems. There will be a 2.0 litre TFSI petrol engine with either 170PS or 211PS as well as the 2.0-litre TDI engine in either 140PS or 177PS variants. The 140ps 2.0-litre TDI unit will power the front-wheel-drive model only at launch, deliveries of which will start in December, shortly after the rest of the range. All other engines will be linked to the Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Prices are expected to be starting from around £24,500 with order books opening this month. First deliveries are expected to take place in November

Engine problem 'grounds' A400 transport plane

Airbus' A400M military transport plane will not make any flight demonstrations at the Paris International Air Show next week because of a problem with its engines, Airbus Military said Sunday.

The decision was taken "preventively and given the conditions in which you conduct flight demonstrations", an unnamed spokeswoman told AFP after what was described as a minor incident with the engines.

The long-delayed plane will nevertheless take to the skies at Le Bourget, with one arriving Sunday afternoon from Airbus headquarters in the southern French city of Toulouse that will do a fly-by during Monday's inauguration.

The plane will then remain on the ground for the rest of the biannual aerospace showcase.

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Airbus Military said the problem would not affect flight tests with a view to a first delivery to France in early 2013.

Mahindra Verito Is The Rebranded Logan In India. Price Starts At Rs. 4.82L

Mahindra & Mahindra, the leading auto-maker in India has launched ‘Verito’ which is the re-branded ‘Logan’ in Kerala, India. Although Mahindra has not added lot of pizzas to their car, the Verito will feature Mahindra badge & emblem and new styling elements. The petrol version of Verito, the Verito BSIII will cost Rs. 4.82 lakh and the diesel version Verito BSIII price starts at Rs. 562000. We expect that Mahindra wants to compete with Tata’s Indigo which is available in similar price range.

The name ‘Verito’ has been derived from Latin “Veritas” which means truth. Company claims that Verito will be a dependable car. Under the hood, the car is powered by engine designed by Renault. Mahindra offers the same Logan drive train with option of 1.5 DCi CRDi diesel engine or 1.4 MPFI petrol engine. Verito promises mileage of 21.03 KMPL fuel efficiency (diesel mielage, ARAI). Verito, like Logan is the broadest car in its segment and known for the comfort cabin space it offers.

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Engineers call for investment in infrastructure

Economic recovery in Scotland is at risk because the country's infrastructure is in need of repair and modernisation, a report has suggested.

The Institution of Civil Engineers (Ice) said significant investment was needed for the transport network and energy and water supply systems.

It also called for greater borrowing powers to be given to the Scottish government.

It said this would help create a "high-quality infrastructure".

The organisation's State of the Nation report graded six crucial elements of the country's infrastructure - water, transport, waste, energy, education and skills and managing flood risk.

Under its scale, a Grade 'A' meant "fit for the future", while a grade 'E' meant the infrastructure was "unfit for purpose".

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2-yr deadline for monorail: CM

Chief minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday presented Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with a detailed memorandum, complete with requests for grants, assistance and funds that total about Rs 2,45,000 crore. The projects she sought help with range from benefits for the fisheries sector and interlinking of rivers to providing laptops to students and pension to the elderly.

Improving transportation and infrastructure in Chennai city figure quite high on her list as she's sought close to Rs 40,000 crore for various projects, including reviving the mono rail to strengthening drainage and road networks.

Decongesting roads and improving transport systems seem to be high on her agenda as Jayalalithaa's memorandum says she plans to complete the first phase of the mono rail project within two years. She's sought assistance from the Centre under the National Urban Transport Policy to implement the first phase of 111km at a cost of roughly Rs 16,650 crore, which works out to Rs 150 crore per km.

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Research on the road to green car

The European Parliament had an opportunity to see progress made in the European Green Car Initiative (EGCI) on 31 May 2011. Many of the automotive firms involved in EGCI projects exhibited their latest vehicles, while a workshop reported to MEPs of the Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) Committee.

The EGCI was launched as part of the European Economic Recovery Plan in 2008 in response to the financial and economic crisis. Its objective is to support R&D in the use of renewable and non-polluting energy in road transport. The main focus is on the electrification of mobility and road transport, although research topics include internal combustion engines, bio-methane use, and freight logistics.

The European Commissioner for Research and Innovation Máire Geoghegan-Quinn visited the exhibition, as did Information Society Commissioner Neelie Kroes, who emphasised the relevance of the Digital Agenda and the EGCI to each other. One of the talking points of the day was the ways in which ICT, through intelligence in cars and in transport systems, can help energy efficiency and make hybrid and electric vehicles more attractive and practical options for consumers.

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BMW- with latest technology and provids a good driving experience

This all new SUV is equipped with full-packed comfort measures topped with its elegant and stylish design.It gives a stunning exterior look that is to easily catch anybody's attention.All the components were meticulously placed from the headlamps to the fog lamps.
Since it is a SUV the interior is more spacious and comfortable and built with many new technologies.
It has a smooth adjustable electronic steering wheel and a control device is mounted on it. It helps the driver to control the audio device and any other controls without acctually reaching the console itself.It consists of a advanced music system which produces a clear sound just makes your riding experience more enjoyable even before.
And to say about the specialty of the of the engine it is designed with 4395 cc,4 valves,BMW twin power turbo v8 pe engine which produces a top power of 407 bhp at 5500~6400 rpm and a maximum torque of 600 Nm at 1750~4500 rpm.
The main interesting feature is that it is equipped with 8 speed automatic gear box transmission that gives u freedom to satisfy your need for speed all around the roads .And this stunning car can be yours at a price of Rs 69, 50,000.

Culture Art and Riverside Museum of Transport and Travel, Glasgow

There is a zone of Glasgow so studded with culture and architecture, so richly fertilised with public investment, while also blessed by nature with the noble breadth of the Clyde, that it ought to be a wonder of the world. This zone, once full of shipyards, now contains the work of two Pritzker prize winners – Norman Foster and Zaha Hadid – and a probable Pritzker-winner-in-waiting, David Chipperfield.

Over the last 12 years, it has acquired a convention centre, two museums and the headquarters of BBC Scotland, a swoopy new bridge and a jaunty observation mast by the not-half-bad architect Richard Horden. But no one standing here could be exhilarated, moved or transformed by what they see. No one would say: "This is a nice place."

It is like an underplanned business estate, a landscape of things set in car parks, no matter what the architectural merit of each thing might be. In the gaps between the monuments and the car parks are inserted expedient slabs of commerce or the perfunctory ingratiation of exploitative blocks of flats. There is no coherence, no positive quality to the sum of the parts or to the combinations of one with another.

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Labor sets new vehicle pollution rules

The Federal Government has had a win of sorts today with across-the-board support for its new vehicle pollution standards aimed at reducing hazardous smog.

Under the standards announced by Transport Minister Anthony Albanese, all new cars, utes and four-wheel drives sold in Australia will need to abide by strict pollution controls.

Car makers will be forced to cut three major pollutants known to produce smog, which can cause health problems such as cardiovascular and respiratory illness.

They will need to make a 50 per cent cut to the emission of hydrocarbons, a 70 per cent cut to oxides of nitrogen and a 90 per cent reduction on particulate matter.

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CHENNAI METRO RAIL(CMRL) A GOOD EFFORT TO REDUCE TRAFFIC

Now a days chennai metropolis has been growing rapidly and the traffic volumes on the roads have also been increasing enormously. Hence the need for a new rail based rapid transport system has been felt and towards this objective the Government of Tamil Nadu have decided to implement the Chennai Metro Rail Project. This project aims at providing the people of Chennai with a fast, reliable, convenient, efficient, modern and economical mode of public transport, which is properly integrated with other forms of public and private transport including buses, sub-urban trains and MRTS.

A Detailed Project Report (DPR) relating to the Chennai Metro Rail Project was prepared and submitted by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC) who have successfully designed and implemented the Delhi Metro Rail Project. The DPR envisages the creation of 2 initial corridors under the proposed phase-1 of the Chennai Metro Rail Project as shown below:

Corridor	Length
Washermenpet to Airport	23.1 kms.
Chennai Central to St.Thomas Mount	22.0 kms.
Total	45.1 kms.

Corridor-1:
Washermenpet – Broadway (Prakasam Road) – Chennai Central Station – Rippon Building – along Cooum River – Government Estate – Tarapore Towers – Spencers – Gemini – Anna Salai – Saidapet – Guindy – Chennai Airport.

Corridor-2:
Chennai Central – along EVR Periyar Salai – Vepery – Kilpauk Medical College – Aminjikarai – Shenoy Nagar – Annanagar East – Anna Nagar 2nd avenue – Tirumangalam – Koyambedu – CMBT – along Inner Ring Road – Vadapalani – Ashok Nagar – SIDCO – Alandur – St. Thomas Mount.

Tentatively, Phase-1 of the project is programmed for completion in the financial year 2014-2015

Google Maps adds live public transport updates

On Wednesday, the company introduced live public transport updates, including departure times and alerts about service interruptions, for Google Maps for desktops and mobile. The tool is kicking off with coverage for four US cities — San Francisco, San Diego, Boston and Portland, Oregon — and in Madrid and Turin in Europe, Google said in a blog post.

"Since this is a new feature, we elected to work with a few innovative partners, to develop the feature and make sure it actually works with the business constraints of transit agencies," a Google spokesperson told ZDNet UK, but was unable to give details of the selection criteria.

To use the feature, people click on a transit icon on a map to get alerts about delays or other service interruptions, as well as up-to-date departure times. They can also search for a station and click on the result to get the same information.

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Do London's Conservatives support cycling?

Conservative London Assembly members staged a walk out minutes before a vote on Blackfriars Bridge safety. What were they thinking?

In May hundreds of cyclists took part in a flashmob on Blackfriars bridge to try and persuade Transport for London not to increase the speed limit to 30mph.

London's Conservatives declare war on pedestrians and cyclists says blogger Cyclists in the City. He was one of many as cyclists reacted furiously this afternoon to news of walkout by Conservatives which ended a debate on road safety measures in the capital.

Ten London Assembly members got up and walked out immediately prior to a debate on Jenny Jones' motion to make Blackfriars bridge a 20mph zone. The walkout rendered the meeting inquorate so the motion could not be discussed. Jack Thurston posted this audioboo of the, clearly somewhat bemusemed and slightly shocked, chair recording the names of the assembly members who had forced the closure of the meeting.

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Air security grading for passengers

AIR passengers would be separated into three boarding queues based on the security risk they pose as part of a controversial shake-up proposed by airlines to speed up the time it takes to get on a plane.

The International Air Transport Association, which represents the world’s biggest airlines, called for lengthy boarding procedures to be overhauled, claiming existing biometric scanning equipment could be used within two years to ensure passengers could pass through security checks without removing clothes or baggage.

Frequent flyers – or “known travellers” – who have undergone background checks with government authorities would be fast-tracked and the majority of passengers would pass through “normal screening”, IATA said, with a minority of passengers deemed to present an elevated risk subjected to lengthier scans.

Its proposals are likely to be tested initially in the United States, but will be closely followed in the UK where Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has promised an overhaul of boarding procedures.

Speaking at its annual conference in Singapore, IATA’s director-general Giovanni Bisignani said airport checkpoints should do away with strip searches, unpacking and pat-downs.

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India to buy C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft from U.S.

India on Monday decided to purchase 10 C-17 Globemaster III heavy-lift transport aircraft from the U.S. for the Indian Air Force. The deal under the Foreign Military Sales (Government-to-Government) is estimated to cost Rs. 18,000 crore (approximately $4.1 billion).

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Ministry officials said.

The contract, when signed would become the highest single value military contract that New Delhi would enter into with the U.S. and includes an offset obligation of around Rs. 4,500 crore ($ 1 billion). Under the clause, the U.S. company would have to source 30 per cent value of the order from India.

Work on the deal began last April during U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to India when it was announced that New Delhi had agreed to buy these aircraft.

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Train, bus security top govt agenda

The vulnerability of the city's public transport system has been repeatedly exposed by terrorists who have blown up buses, taxis and trains. Security , beefed up after every attack , has still proved vastly inadequate . Now with Mumbaikars looking forward to riding the Metro rail by the year end, making that ride a safe one will be a major concern for authorities along with preventing any further attacks on local trains and buses.

Commuters will have to bear with tighter security apparatus at Metro rail stations. Officials at Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd which is building the first Metro rail from Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar , said a vast network of CCTV cameras will relay live images to the station control room and operations centre.

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Battery cars to transport legislators

In an eco-friendly move, the Karnataka Legislative Council will provide battery operated cars to transport legislators from Legislators' Home to Vidhana Soudha (state secretariat),a distance of one kilometre. Two six seater vehicles will drop legislators to Vidhana Soudha, Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy said in a release. Most legislators own either mid-size sedans or high end luxury cars. The legisalture secretariat offers its members low interest loan rate for purchase of vehicles. The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has 224 members and the upper house 100 members.

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Public transport still not the first choice for youth

Though 25 pc of the public transport users in the UAE are within the age group of 18 to 25, majority of youngsters continue to opt for cars as their primary mode of transport.

According to a recent survey, 66 per cent of new car buyers in the UAE falls in the age group of 18-29 years, 61 per cent of which are first time buyers.

The survey, conducted by Tetrahedron Consulting, also shows that 41 per cent of motorists drive their vehicles just for fun.
Khaleej Times spoke to a number of young drivers, new car buyers as well as a senior public transport official about their opinions on the survey.

A majority of the youths said they preferred driving over public transport, despite drastic improvement of mass transit system in the UAE, particularly in Dubai and to some extent in Abu Dhabi.

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Aucklanders Support Public Transport Strategy

The AA has released the results of a survey of 6,030 AA Members in Auckland on local transport issues.

“This is the most comprehensive survey on Auckland transport issues for many years and provides decision makers with an indication of the views of motorists,” says AA spokesperson Simon Lambourne.

The results of the survey include:

Alternative Harbour Crossing

· 56.4% of Members surveyed expressed support for a tunnel as the alternative harbour crossing and 31% supported a bridge – but 85% considered the cost as important, very important or extremely important when deciding which type of crossing should be built.

· 47.5% said they would support paying a $4 toll on an alternative harbour crossing, but that dropped to only 8.2% for a $6 toll.

Auckland Harbour Bridge


· 93.1% of Members surveyed support keeping the existing Auckland Harbour Bridge and 71.4% would not support a new $4-$6 toll being put on it.

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