Bajaj has re-launched the popular Chetak scooter after many years and in an all new electric avatar. Priced competitively at Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom), Bajaj has introduced the Chetak electric in two variants -- Urbane and Premium. The Premium model costs Rs 15,000 more and it will be sold alongside KTM. Customers are also offered the convenience of booking the Chetak on their official website as well. Deliveries for the Premium variant may begin from the end of April 2020 while the Urbane variant will commence by May 2020. The catch here though is that as of now, the Chetak is

available in Pune and Bengaluru only.

While there are other players in the electric scooter market, the Chetak stands apart in terms of build since it uses metal bodywork instead of fibre. It gets all things modern like LED lighting and a digital instrument console that displays many important things like vehicle speed, range and battery level and an IP67 rating. Also, the Chetak gets keyless ignition!

Speaking of performance, the Chetak is powered by a 4kW 16 Nm electric motor with 2 riding modes: Eco and Sport. It is a smart system as the Chetak’s Integrated charging unit senses throttle position continuously. As a result, twisting the throttle more than 85% will result in the mode switching automatically from Eco to Sport. Bajaj claims the Chetak will offer a real-world range of 95km in Eco mode and 85km in Sport mode. You might be surprised to know that the Chetak also gets a reverse mode. It is also claimed that the electric scooter can do 25 kms after one hour of charge while a 3.5 hour charge will charge the batteries all the way to 80%. 100% charge from no charge could be achieved in 5 hours.

But, Bajaj claims the top speed of the Chetak to be limited to 60 kmph which in our books is low. Top speed has been compromised in the interest of higher range and it could be the perfect speed for tight city commutes. But, what if you happen to hit the highway or a fast main road? Things could get a bit scary.

Speaking of handling and braking- the Chetak gets front trailing link suspension and 12-inch alloy wheels fitted with MRF Zapper tyres. A disc brake in the front and drum brake at the rear should provide a lot of stopping power. Bajaj claims the regenerative braking feature can add 2.8 metre of range every time a rider goes from 60-0kmph.

There is no provision for fast charging but Bajaj does include home charging port for free which will be fixed at your place of residence by a technician. It would be interesting to see how the Chetak performs against its competition- the Ather 450, TVS iQube and 22Kymco iFlow.

 

Mercedes Benz has revealed the new 2021 Mercedes-Maybach S-class a couple months after the debut of the new-generation S-class. Following S-class tradition, the new Maybach S-class promises to raise the bar for luxury limousines by offering greater interior space and a host of new comfort-oriented features.

Design:

At 5,469mm, the new Maybach S class is a  significant 180mm longer than the long-wheelbase version of the new S-class, which translates to the wheelbase, which is 3,396mm long – 31mm longer than even the outgoing Maybach S-class.

However, Mercedes-Benz has only made small exterior additions to help distinguish the Maybach from lesser S-classes. These changes

include the signature Maybach grille with slim vertical bars and a ‘Maybach’ inscription on top, a central chrome fin on the bonnet, a chrome applique for the lower parts of the front and rear bumpers, 34-spokealloy wheels, larger rear doors, Maybach insignias on the C-pillars and an optional two-tone paintjob with a ‘dividing line’, which can take up to a week to be completed.

Interior:

The Maybach S class retains the minimalistic interior design of the new S-class, while also including the second-gen MBUX infotainment system, a 12.8-inch tablet-style OLED infotainment screen, a 12.3-inch 3D digital instrument display and up to three screens for rear-seat passengers.

The interior also gets wood finishes for the front seatbacks, with a matching finish applied to the rear-centre console as well. The new Maybach S-class gets individual ‘Executive’ rear seats and a Chauffeur package as standard. The backrest of the Executive seats can be reclined by as much as 43.5 degrees, and the backrest of the front passenger seat can be tilted forward by as much as 23 degrees to free up even more room at the back, allowing the rear-seat passenger to stretch out and relax.

The Maybach also features a massage function integrated into the rear seat calf rests, a neck/shoulder heating function for the rear passengers, adaptive rear lighting, powered rear door opening and closing, an optional rear refrigeration compartment between the Executive seats and active road noise compensation included in the Burmester 4D sound system to produce counter-phased sound waves.

Other features include an active ambient lighting system, which employs 253 LEDs, a head-up display with augmented reality, along with an optional Interior Assist function, which uses cameras to track movements of the car’s occupants and proactively trigger certain functions.

Powertrains:

The new Maybach S-class gets only a 4.0L twin turbo V8 assisted by a 48V ‘EQ Boost’ mild-hybrid system that can provide as much as 20hp in short bursts. This powertrain can produce upto 496hp and 700Nm torque. A 9-speed automatic gearbox is standard, along with all-wheel drive.

The 2021 Maybach S-class also gets a rear-axle steering system, which turns the rear wheels by up to 10 degrees in the opposite direction of the front axle when parking, and by up to 4.5 degrees in the same direction as the front axle at speeds of over 60kph. This provide a tighter turning circle (11.2m) to the new Maybach S class.

Safety:

 The new Maybach S class is equipped with 18 airbags as standard.

Other safety features include the Pre-Safe Impulse side function (part of the E-Active Body Control suspension), which lifts the car up by 80mm when it detects an impending side-on crash. The E-Active Body Control suspension is a part of optional extras.

Like the standard S-class, the new Maybach S-class, too, gets Level 3 autonomous driving capabilities, and by the second half of 2021, will be able to drive entirely on its own on certain stretches with dense traffic upto a max speed of 60kph in Germany. As with all Level 3 autonomous-certified vehicles, the Maybach S-class will require the driver to be alert at all times and ready to take to the controls again, should the situation demand it.

Launch and price:

The new Maybach S-class will be launched in the first half of 2021 initially in China. An Indian launch is likely to happen only by the year 2022, only after the launch of the standard S500. When launched, the new Maybach S-class will be priced at around Rs.2 crore (ex-showroom).

Stay tuned for further updates.

The Nissan Magnite, was revealed as a concept a few weeks ago. This new compact SUV is going to be the Make-it or Break-it product for Nissan India. Nissan has released a new teaser video of the testing prototype of the compact SUV. Here are some observations based on the teaser video.

Exterior

The production-spec Nissan Magnite seems to retain most of the concept’s design elements including the large grille, the Sharp creases and the funky alloy wheels. It has even the same sculpted bonnet and angular headlights. Since the Magnite was originally meant to be launched as a Datsun, the grille bears

resemblance to the other Datsun models.

The side profile looks muscular with prominent body cladding and large wheel arches which seem to dwarf the 16” wheels. The higher spec variants also seem to receive a dual-tone roof, blacked-out pillars and silver roof rails. At the back, the Magnite sports sharp looking LED tail lamps which resemble those on the Triber's, a clean tail gate and a dual tone bumper. The Magnite is also set to be the first model in India to sport the new Nissan logo.

Interior

The interior too is expected to be close to the concept with a large, centrally mounted 8” touchscreen and layered dashboard with an octagonal theme. Other expected features include:

• 4 airbags

• ABS with EBD

• Rear AC vents

• Push button start

• Digital instrument cluster

• Auto climate control

• Auto headlamps

• Auto wipers

• 360 degree camera

• Connected car tech

• Front and Rear seat armrests

• Auto folding ORVMs

• Projector headlamps

• LED DRLs

Powertrain

The Nissan Magnite is expected to be available with two engine options. The first will be the 1.0L Energy series, 3 cyl Naturally aspirated engine from the Renault Triber, producing 72PS Power through a 5 speed manual gearbox. The second powertrain will be a new 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol unit producing 95PS Power through either a 5 speed manual or CVT automatic gearbox.

Pricing and launch

The new Nissan Magnite will be launched by early 2021. However an unveil is expected to happen by October 21st. The Magnite is also likely to be priced very aggressively with expected starting price of Rs.5.5L ex showroom for the entry level non turbo variant. The fully loaded top spec variant is expected to be priced equivalent to the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, one of its chief rivals. When launched, the Magnite will go against the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Ford Ecosport, Mahindra XUV300 and the Honda WRV as well. Stay tuned for further updates on the Nissan Magnite.