About Sameer Contractor
Sameer ContractorConnect with this authorWith an unquenchable thirst for everything automotive, Sameer has always been the go to auto guy that his friends needed. So, it isnt exactly surprising that he chooses to do what he does. A Batman fanatic, Sameers wants to go roof-scaping on the Tumbler, while the Bat motorcycle is certainly on the cards and he plans to build one himself. An avid foodie, he has a road trip in order that will be taking him across the world in search for the best roads and the best cuisines. While his stress buster involves taking aimless motorcycle rides, do not get offended by his sarcasm.
Articles of Sameer Contractor
Mahindra Acquires 55 Per Cent Stake In Ride-Hailing Firm Meru Cabs
Mahindra & Mahindra will acquire a 55 per cent stake in radio taxi firm Meru Cabs, the company has announced in an exchange filing. The Indian auto giant will be making a primary investment of Rs. 103.5 crore by a fresh issue of shares in the company, in tranches. The final purchase price will be arrived at after making customary closing adjustments, the filing said. With Mahindra's investment, Meru's currnet largest shareholder - private equity firm True North, will have a lesser stake in Meru, down from 80 per cent to 35 per cent. In addition to Meru, the company's subsidiaries - Meru Mobility Tech Private Limited, V-Link Automotive Services Private Limited and V-Link Fleet Solutions Private Limited, will now be a part of the Mahindra Group.
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Massive Hike In Penalties For Traffic Violations Begin From September
Starting from September 1, 2019, the penalties for traffic violations will see a massive hike across a number of offences. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Parliament last month, approving the new penalties that increase by up to 1000 times, depending on the violation. As a result, offences including breaking the traffic signal or using your mobile phone while driving can attract a fine by up to Rs. 5000, while not wearing a helmet or a seatbelt will now be penalised at Rs. 1000, up from the current Rs. 100 fine. Certain offences can also send you to jail along with the fine.
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F2 Driver Anthoine Hubert Passes Away After Crash In Belgian GP Feature Race
Formula 2 racer Anthoine Hubert passed away on August 31, 2019, after sustaining injuries in a horrific crash during the feature race at Spa-Francorchamps in the Belgian GP. The 22-year-old driver was involved in a multi-car incident at the exit of the Raidillon corner and sustained injuries along with driver Juan Manuel Correa. Both drivers were immediately attended at the medical centre and were later shifted to the hospital for further treatment. However, Hubert succumbed to his injuries at 18:35 local time, over an hour after the accident, the FIA confirmed.
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Car Sales August 2019: Mahindra Sales Drop By 26%
Mahindra & Mahindra announced its auto sales performance for August 2019 and the company's domestic sales stood at 33,564 units, a drop of 26 per cent over 45,373 units sold in August last year. The automaker continues to be affected by the overall slowdown in the auto sector and the Indian economy. The company's passenger vehicle (UV + cars) sales for August 2019 stood at 13,507 units, declining by 32 per cent, when compared to the 19,578 units that were sold during the same month in 2018. UV sales dropped by 27 per cent with 13,037 units sold, as against 17,892 units sold August 2018. In the cars+vans segment that includes electric cars from Mahindra, the company registered a 75 per cent decline in volumes with 470 units sold as opposed to 1866 units in August last year.
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Car Sales August 2019: Maruti Suzuki Registers 34% Decline; Hatchback Segment Most Affected
The auto sector continues its negative trajectory for the ninth month now and automakers have shown no signs of growth as volumes have nosedive across different segments. India's largest automaker Maruti Suzuki continues to be one of the worst affected by the slowdown as sales for the month of August 2019 continued to show a decline in volumes. The company registered a 34.4 per cent decline in domestic sales in August this year with 97,061 units sold as opposed to 147,700 units sold in August 2018. The automaker has registered the massive drop in volumes for the third consecutive month with its bread and butter segment - hatchbacks - taking the largest hit.
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Anand Mahindra Hands Over Keys Of Thar 700 Limited Edition To Udaipur Prince
Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has gifted a rare Thar 700 to Udaipur prince Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar. Mahindra recently handed over the keys of brand-new Mahindra Thar 700 -- available in a limited number and will be the last units of the current-generation model, reports Cartoq.com The Mahindra Thar 700 is priced at Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom).
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Gaurav Gill Becomes The First-Ever Recipient Of The Arjuna Award In Motorsport
In a big milestone for Indian motorsport, rallyist Gaurav Gill has become the first-ever person from the field of motorsports to win the Arjuna Award. The ace rally driver received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind at a special ceremony recognising his efforts. Gill's victory isn't just a big moment for the motorsport athlete but also a huge one for the sport and its contribution that has been largely ignored by the government over the years. The Arjuna Award is awarded by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to recognise outstanding achievement. It is the highest civilian honour for sports in the country.
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2020 Land Rover Defender Unveil Date Announced; Spied Sans Camouflage
The all-new Land Rover Defender has been talked about for years and we've brought you spy shots as well as teaser images of the off-roader in the past. Now, the British carmaker has released the latest teaser image and has also announced the unveiling date of the new Defender. The 2020 Land Rover Defender is scheduled to make its global debut on September 10, 2019, during the first press day of the Frankfurt Motor Show. While the teaser image gives a glimpse of the muddy grille and the 'Defender' moniker on the new model, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class rival has already been spotted completely undisguised in the latest spy images emerged online.
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KTM 790 Adventure Spotted In India
KTM India is all set to debut its new flagship offering the 790 Duke next month. We've already shared the launch details with you on the new Austrian middleweight streetfighter, which has been a long awaited offering in the country. However, KTM's adventure tourer range is as exciting as they get and while we will get the 390 Adventure next year after its debut at EICMA 2018, a certain KTM 790 Adventure has landed on Indian shores and was spotted recently. Before you get your hopes up, this 790 Adventure wearing European number plates was just passing through as part of the owner's ride and is not a test mule.
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Volkswagen Polo & Vento Facelifts To Be Launched Next Month
Volkswagen India will be introducing the facelifted versions of the Polo and the Vento models on September 4, 2019. VW's most popular models in the country are set to get subtle cosmetic changes for the new model year along with feature upgrades. The updated cars were spotted testing earlier this year too, and the changes will keep the model fresh, with the next generation Polo and Vento for India still sometime away from launch. We recently told you that the new generation Polo for India will be based on the MQB A0 platform, which will also spawn the new Vento.
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Maruti Suzuki S-Presso Launch Details Out
Maruti Suzuki showcased the Future S Concept at the 2018 Auto Expo, and its production version - the S-Presso - will be launched in India on September 30, 2019. The all-new offering is the carmaker's first SUV-styled hatchback and will take on the Renault Kwid and the Datsun redi-GO in the segment. The new model will co-exist alongside the entry-level Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, but could be positioned a little higher in terms of pricing. The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso will bare a stark contrast compared to the company's existing line-up of hatchbacks, which will also remain its USP.
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Actor Ajay Devgn's Newest Ride Is The Rolls-Royce Cullinan Worth Rs. 6.95 Crore
When not playing an upright cop or riding on two motorcycles at once, actor Ajay Devgn is known to be a car aficionado and has had an interesting line-up of cars in his garages over the years. In fact, he was the first owner of the Maserati Quattroporte in India, and only earlier this year, a witty answer on a chat show won him the Audi S5 Sportback. But it is the pinnacle of luxury that pleases Devgn and making quite that statement is the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV that has just rolled up in his garage. With a price tag of Rs. 6.95 crore (ex-showroom), the Cullinan is as exclusive as it gets puts the actor in an exclusive list of Indian owners to bring home the British luxury SUV that includes the Ambanis and music industry mogul Bhushan Kumar.
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Harley-Davidson Street 750 10th Anniversary Edition Launched In India; Priced At Rs. 5.47 Lakh
American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson completes ten years in India this year, and to commemorate the occasion, the company has introduced a limited edition version of its entry-level offering. The Harley-Davidson Street 750 10th Anniversary Edition is priced at Rs. 5.47 lakh (ex-showroom, India) and becomes the first motorcycle in the bike maker's line-up to meet the upcoming BS6 emission norms. The special model is about Rs. 13,000 more expensive than the standard version, and production is restricted to just 300 units in order to maintain the exclusivity on the model.
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Hyundai Group Unveils New Integrated E-Scooter For Last Mile Mobility On Future Vehicles
First and last mile connectivity still remains a concern for many and Hyundai Motor Group did showcase the integrated electric scooter concept back at the CES 2017 addressing this issue. The concept essentially included the scooter to be stacked up inside the car and could be easily removed to and used from the boot. Now, building on the same, the Korean carmaker has revealed a new version of the e-scooter with rear wheel drive, a lithium-ion battery and stylish front and rear lights. The latest concept features in future Hyundai Motor Group plans to enable first- and last-mile mobility through integrating the scooter with the future Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
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MotoGP: Alex Rins Edges Past Marc Marquez To Win British GP
Alex Rins made a spectacular move in the final seconds of the 2019 MotoGP British Grand Prix to win one of the most thrilling races of the season. The Suzuki Ecstar rider passed reigning champion Marc Marquez just moments before the finish line to cross the chequered flag. The long duel between the riders saw Rins edge out past the final corner by a margin of 0.013s at the Silverstone circuit. This marks Rins second MotoGP victory ever after bagging his first in the Austin GP earlier this year, apart from a few podium finishes. Coming in third was Yamaha's Maverick Vinales, 0.620s behind the lead riders while teammate Valentino Rossi was a distant fourth.
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Hero Dash Electric Scooter Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 62,000
Electric two-wheeler manufacturer, Hero Electric announced the launch of its new Dash e-scooter in India. The Hero Dash electric is priced from Rs. 62,000 (ex-showroom, India), which is part of the brand's Low Speed of offerings. It's interesting to note that Hero MotoCorp had showcased the Dash concept 110 cc scooter way back in 2014 that eventually was introduced as the Maestro Edge scooter in the market. The Hero Dash though is all-electric and is not related to that concept. It comes loaded with features, positioned at a premium when compared to the other models in the company's range. In addition to the Dash, the Hero Electric also recently introduced the Optima ER and the Nyx ER extended range models as part of its High Speed series, which are priced at Rs. 69,721 and Rs. 69,754 (all prices, ex-showroom India) respectively.
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KTM 790 Duke To Be Launched In India In September This Year
Austrian bike maker KTM arrived in India in 2012 in partnership with Bajaj Auto, and the manufacturer has largely restricted its product line-up till the 400 cc segments. However, the bike maker is all set to enter the premium motorcycle space very soon with the launch of the 790 Duke. The long-awaited KTM 790 Duke will finally arrive in India next month and will go on sale on September 5, 2019, carandbike can confirm. Select KTM dealerships have already begun accepting bookings for the motorcycle across the country with deliveries set to begin later next month. The bike will come to India as a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) kit, which is expected to keep the pricing competitive around Rs. 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom).
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2019 Mahindra Mojo 300 ABS Deliveries Commence; Priced At Rs. 1.88 Lakh
The Mahindra Mojo is now on sale in India with plenty of upgrades, after being pulled off shelves briefly earlier this year. While we told you about bookings being open from July this year, deliveries for the motorcycle have now commenced at dealerships across the country. The 2019 Mahindra Mojo 300 ABS is priced at Rs. 1.88 lakh (ex-showroom, India), which makes it about Rs. 8,000 more expensive than the older version, but there are a host of changes to justify the new pricing. There is now only a single variant of the Mojo on sale with features from XT300 and UT300 variants now mixed into one version. The Mojo is now available in two colour options - black and blue.
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Shahan Ali Mohsin Crowned 2019 JK Tyre National Karting Champion
Agra boy Shahan Ali Mohsin has been crowned the 2019 JK Tyre National Karting Champion in the final round of the season. The fifth and final round held at Meco Kartopia in Bangalore saw the driver dominate the weekend right from the start. The 15-year-old has become the youngest driver to win the championship in the senior category, and will now be representing India at the grand finals at Sarno in Italy that will be held between October 19-26, this year. The grand finals of the National Karting Championship will see drivers from nearly 60 countries in participation.
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F1: First Official Look At The 2021 Formula 1 Car
It's no surprise that Formula 1 is heading for a complete overhaul with the next decade and we got a first real glimpse at this change with the 2021 F1 car design. A recent video released by F1 showcased the 50 per cent sized model of a 2021 F1 car testing at Sauber's wind tunnel in Switzerland. This, of course, isn't the final design but gives a close look at what the final race car will look like. Notable changes include the shorter front wing, along with newly contoured side pods and the shorter rear wing. The rear diffuser too gets a simpler design. We also get a good look at the new 18-inch wheels with Pirelli tyres and slimmer sidewalls, which will replace the current 13-inch units. F1 does say that the front wing will evolve as testing continues but the new side pods and smaller rear wing are likely to remain the same.
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