Motown India April 2021

VOL-11 • ISSUE-7 • APRIL 2021 • `300/-

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INDIA

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SPECIAL FEATURE

HAVE ELECTRIC CARS COME OF AGE?

FI RS T RI DE

H O N D A C B 50 0X

N I S U O C N AFRICAN COUSIN A C AFRI HONDA CB350RS

BMW 630i M SPORT

TOYOTA FORTUNER 4X4 AT

2021 MARUTI SUZUKI SWIFT

REVIEW OF LATEST MODELS

ART MEETS CULTURE!

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KERALA GOD’S OWN COUNTRY

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EDITOR

PUNNOOSE THARYAN (ROY)

ptharyan@motownindia.com -----------------------------------------News Coordinator - Jisha P Sr. Correspondent - Farhan Khan, Aki Paul Video Editor - Ramesh Kumar Content Manger - Vrinda Desai Digital In-charge Naveen Kumar Web Correspondents - Avdesh Kumar, Seema Paul Photo Journalist - Afsar Beg -----------------------------------------FOR EDITORIAL CONTACT editorial@motownindia.com, editorial.motown@gmail.com -----------------------------------------FOR MARKETING & SALES CONTACT Head-Operations - Jisha P jisha@motownindia.com, +91-9958125645 advertising@motownindia.com, advertising.motown@gmail.com -----------------------------------------FOR ACCOUNTS CONTACT Ankit Sharma, ankit@motownindia.com -----------------------------------------FOR CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION CONTACT subscription@motownindia.com / +91-9958125645 -----------------------------------------Office Executive - Ravinder -----------------------------------------EDITORIAL DELHI OFFICE 145 B/9, First Floor, Kishangarh, Next to United Free Church, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070 -----------------------------------------EDITORIAL CONTENT The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the contents in the magazine are correct.

However, he can accept no responsibility for any effects from errors or omissions.

Any unauthorised reproduction of Motown India content is strictly forbidden.

-----------------------------------------Motown India is owned by Motown Publications Private Limited and published from 4058 / D-4, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110070. Motown India magazine is printed at Pearl Printers, C-105, Okhla Phase - 1, New Delhi - 110020 -----------------------------------------This issue of Motown India magazine contains 68 pages including both covers.

-----------------------------------------EDITORIAL ADVISORS Alexander T. & Annie Jacob

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P. THARYAN (ROY) ew launches of cars and two-wheelers continue unabated in the country. In this April 2021 issue of Motown India we bring to you reviews of several new vehicles which include the new BMW 6 series Gran Turismo, the face-lifted 2021 Toyota Fortuner 4x4 AT, the new

face-lifted Maruti Suzuki Swift, the new Honda 500X motorcycle and the new Honda CB350RS motorcycle.

The new BMW 630i M Sport we drove has all the finer points of a sophisticated bimmer. It’s technologically savvy, has several new modern features and drives like a fully charged speedster. The new 2021 Toyota Fortuner is a giant which has also been fine tuned for its off road capabilities, even while a lot of creature comforts have been added. The new Swift may not be a radically new model, but the top end comes with some very interesting changes. In the two-wheeler world, it is quite apparent that Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India is firing on all cylinders with new launches every now and then. After introducing the Honda H’ness CB350, which became an instant hit in the Indian motorcycle market, the company hurriedly introduced the CB350RS, which is basically the H’ness in designer clothes.

We are also carrying a couple of very interesting feature stories. One is on the sacred groves of Kerala and the theyyam art form. The author travelled to this North Malabar region of Kerala in a MG Hector Plus SUV. It makes a very interesting read.

The second feature story finds out whether an electric car in India has really come of age as compared to an IC engine powered car. The MG ZS electric car and the new Toyota Urban Cruiser were randomly picked up for the report. It was not to make a comparison, but to highlight the two technologies and their features.

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CONTE NTS VOL 11 | ISSUE 7 | APRIL 2021

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CAR NEWS

Equipped with gaming cockpit, MG Cyberster is aimed at Gen Z

BIKE NEWS

Triumph Trident 660 motorcycle launched in India at `6.95 lakh

32 ON THE COVER Honda CB500X review

When you are on a motorcycle like the Honda CB500x you wonder whether you want to stay on the road or off the road.

WHEELZ & ROADZ 12

BMW 6 series Gran Turismo

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2021 Toyota Fortuner 4x4 AT

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2021 Maruti Suzuki Swift

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Honda CB350RS

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46 FEATURES & TRAVEL Sacred groves, Theyyam and a tryst with MG Hector Plus

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PARADISE BECKONS!

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CAR NEWS

Equipped with gaming cockpit, MG Cyberster is aimed at Gen Z A little over a week back MG had unveiled the world’s first pure electric super sports car MG Cyberster, a car they say will be massproduced soon. MG Cyberster is not just a concept, it is expected to be mass-produced in the near future, the company had stated.

3 seconds. The vehicle had made its global debut on March 31.

The company has now released more pictures of the product. As the world’s first pure supercar equipped with gaming cockpit, MG Cyberster is aimed at Gen Z. Created by MG global design team, it inherits the classic convertible shape of MGB Roadster.

MG Cyberster rear design uses ‘’Kammback’’ styling. The fast flattened tail can improve the rear spoiler and bring better aerodynamic performance. The through-type LED taillight design outlines the Kammback shape. The front face inherits MG’s classic round headlight and coupled with slim grille design – reminding us of the famed MG sports cars and cabriolets of the yesteryears.

With a range of 800 kilometers, the Cyberster concept has an intelligent pure electric architecture and 5G connection capabilities, and accelerates from 0 to 100 KMPH within

The “magic eye” interactive headlights are layered independently from the grille, while the eye-catching front shovel lower lip represents a unique front face with tremendous achieved

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aerodynamic performance at the same time. From the sides, the “laser belt” of MG Cyberster is particularly eye-catching.

This LED light strip runs through the side of the body to form a powerful laser penetration visual impact, representing the aerodynamic design language of an intelligent sports car in the new era - comprising of a lower and robust body posture. The high-performance wheels further come with rotating spokes combined with a central locking mechanism, commonly found in very high-performance models.

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CAR NEWS

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CAR NEWS

NEW BMW 6 SERIES LAUNCHED IN INDIA AT `67.90 LAKH ONWARD The new BMW 6 Series has been launched in India. Locally produced at BMW Group Plant Chennai, the car is available in one petrol (newly introduced BMW 630i M Sport) and two diesel variants (BMW 630d M Sport and BMW 620d Luxury Line). The car is available at introductory prices (ex-showroom) as follows – BMW 630i M Sport - Rs 67,90,000 BMW 620d Luxury Line - Rs 68,90,000 BMW 630d M Sport - Rs 77,90,000

HYUNDAI MOTOR INDIA SHOWCASES ALCAZAR 7-SEATER SUV Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) has showcased the Hyundai Alcazar, its upcoming 6 and 7 seater premium SUV. Hyundai Alcazar will be powered by the 3rd Gen Nu 2.0 l petrol BS6 engine that produces (159ps while the U2 1.5 l diesel BS6 engine produces 115ps. Both will be offered with 6AT and 6MT transmission options. The 3rd GenNu 2.0 l Petrol BS6 engine (6MT) offers acceleration of 0-100 kmph in under 10 seconds. The 6-Speed Automatic Transmission offers superior performance and fuel efficiency using a super flat torque converter that reduces losses during acceleration. The superior fuel efficiency on 6AT is delivered by application of ball bearings to reduce drag and optimising oil pump capacity. The U2 1.5 l diesel BS6 engine offers best in segment fuel efficiency with both 6MT & 6AT.The final Gear Ratio (FGR) of 6-Speed Manual Transmission on U2 1.5 l Diesel BS6 Engine has been optimised for superior performance. The 6 MT also features superior shift quality using triple cone synchro and TGS (Transmission Gear Shift) lever stopper.

The new BMW 6 Series is available in new colours - BMW Individual finish Tanzanite Blue metallic is offered for the first time. Phytonic Blue metallic, Piemont Red metallic and Bernina Grey Amber effect variants have been added to the colour range. Online bookings done till April 30, 2021 will enjoy an attractive offer on limited units.

(First Drive review report on page 12)

CITROEN C5 AIRCROSS SUV LAUNCHED AT `29.90 LAKH ONWARD The new Citroën C5 Aircross SUV has been launched at a special introductory price of Rs 29,90,000 (ex-showroom Delhi). The deliveries of the vehicle have commenced at La Maison Citroën phygital showrooms across the country. Prices are as follows: Feel (Mono-Tone) - Rs.29,90,000 Feel (Bi-Tone) - Rs. 30,40,000 Shine (Mono-Tone/Bi-Tone) - Rs.31,90,000 To make the Citroën ownership extremely comfortable, the company is launching Citroën Future Sure for Indian customers.

This comprehensive package allows customers to Own a Citroën with an easy monthly payment of Rs 49,999, including an assured future value on the C5 Aircross SUV. The package also includes Routine Maintenance, Extended Warranty, Roadside assistance and an on-road financing for up to 5 years.

BOOKINGS OPEN FOR NEW JAGUAR F-PACE Jaguar Land Rover India has opened bookings for the new Jaguar F-Pace in India. With an assertive new exterior, beautifully crafted all-new interior, latest generation Pivi Pro infotainment and the choice of in-line four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, the new Jaguar F-PACE is more luxurious, connected and efficient. The new Jaguar F-Pace will be offered in India in R-Dynamic S trim in both petrol and diesel powertrains and deliveries will begin from May 2021.

MAHINDRA NEW GLOBAL SUV PROJECT CODENAMED W601 IS BRANDED XUV700 Mahindra & Mahindra has unveiled the brand name of its much-awaited SUV, built on the W601 platform, as the XUV700 (pronounced as XUV, 7 double ‘Oh’). The XUV700, which is slated to be launched in Q2 FY2022, will be manufactured at the company’s manufacturing facility at Chakan in Maharashtra. The XUV700 will also come with world class safety features, reaffirming Mahindra’s commitment towards safety. It will offer both diesel and gasoline engines in manual and automatic transmissions, along with optional All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) capabilities.

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BIKE NEWS

TRIUMPH TRIDENT 660 MOTORCYCLE LAUNCHED IN INDIA AT `6.95 LAKH British premium motorcycle brand Triumph motorcycles launched the all-new Trident 660 in India at Rs 6.95 lakh (ex-showroom). The Trident marks the British marquee’s venture into the premium middleweight roadster segment worldwide. The roadster is powered by Triumph’s revered triple-cylinder engine technology offering triple the advantage - triple engine performance, class-leading technology and handling.

Launched globally in October 2020, the Trident has been one of the most anticipated motorcycles from the British motorcycle maker, especially for the Indian market. Featuring a 660cc engine with a peak power of 81PS@10,250 rpm and a torque of 64Nm@6250rpm, the Trident’s triple engine has been designed to combine low down and mid-range of a twin, with the top end performance of a four- cylinder engine, to deliver major performance advantage with the best of all worlds.

Shoeb Farooq, Business Head - Triumph Motorcycles India said, “We’re excited to bring the Trident 660 in the country as it marks our entry into the premium middleweight roadster category in India. The Trident is the latest addition to Triumph’s roadster portfolio in India,

taking the count to four - Street Triple RS, Street Triple R, The Speed Triple 1200RS and the Trident 660. The response to the Trident has been overwhelming, as we’ve had 125+ bookings even before the price announcement. We are confident that Trident will set new benchmarks in the segment and increase the reach and range of Triumph in India. With the Trident, Triumph now offers 16 motorcycles across the entire range in India, offering motorcycles across varied riding styles and segments.”

HONDA LAUNCHES 2021 CBR650R & NEO SPORTS CAFÉ INSPIRED CB650R

CB650R Candy Chromosphere Red Color Price ex-showroom Gurugram (Haryana)

Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic Rs. 8.67 Lakh

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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India has launched the new 2021CBR650R and CB650R in India at Rs 8.88 lakh and Rs 8.67 lakh respectively.

These motorcycles will come into India through the CKD (Completely Knocked Down) route. Marking its Indian debut, the Neo Sports Café inspired 2021CB650R is for young riders seeking a combination of exhilarating four-cylinder engine performance and 2021 CBR650R light, versatile, refined Grand Prix Red chassis handling.

The 2021modelhas Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic received a range of detail improvements to enhance comfort, Rs. 8.88 Lakh usability and practicality.

Tightly wrapped and aggressive, the CB650R’s Neo Sports Café style features the signature compact ‘Trapezoid’ proportion of short, stubby tail and short overhang headlight.

The long fuel tank is a key motif of the family design; its smooth lines accentuate the solidity of real metal surfaces and crown the engineering of the four-cylinder engine. Small side panels accentuate the minimalism, as does the rear mudguard made from steel. The round headlight is one of the key words of the Neo Sports Café design language.

The 649cc, DOHC 16-valve engine is tuned to create pure enjoyable in-line four-cylinder performance, with the classically fast ‘pick-up’ through the rev range and hard-hitting, high-revving top end. Max power is 86hp@12000rpm with max net torque of 57.5Nm@8500rpm.

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PERFECT FIRST DRIVE

2021 BMW 630i M SPORT

Text: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photo: Afsar Beg

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S P EC IFIC ATI O N S ENGINE 1998cc BMW TwinPower Turbo inline 4-cylinder petrol TRANSMISSION 8 speed Steptronic Sport Automatic

MAX POWER 258hp@5000rpm PEAK TORQUE 400Nm@1550-4400rpm TYRES Front: 245/45 R19,

Rear: 275/40 R19 (Runflat tyres with reinforced side walls)

T SIXER! PRICE `37.43 lakh (ex-showroom)

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he new BMW 6 series Gran Turismo models have got a facelift and we had with us the new 630i M Sport. How I wished the 630i M Sport too had a remote control function to move the vehicle forward and in reverse with a BMW display key, just like a toy car. But that’s only in the 630d M Sport so I had to be satisfied with everything else about the car, which I knew were equally irresistible.

EXTERIOR FEATURES The exterior dimensions of the car have not changed.

It continues to have a length of 5,091 mm, width of 1,902 mm and height of 1,538 mm. It is quite a lengthy car with a long wheelbase of 3,070mm. The flowing roofline and the frameless windows of the four doors give it a very sporty look. It has an active rear spoiler

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that automatically extends when the car reaches 120 kmph. The real problem is getting to 120km in a city where speed cameras dot every broad road of ours.

The area around the kidney grille has been tweaked which now has new contours. The slats in the kidney grille open up automatically when the engine is switched on so as to let the fresh air cool the engine area. The slats fold back and close the area once the engine is switched off.

Of course, there is a lot of chrome in and around the grille. On either side that are these stretched out headlights giving the front an impressive look. The car comes with new full-LED headlights including adaptive cornering function and the BMW Selective Beam non-dazzling High-beam Assistant.

Apart from the two L-shaped daytime driving light, all the light functions use LEDs. The outer daytime driving lights now also perform the role of turn indicators. The M Sport variant gets BMW Laserlight

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for low and high beam. At higher speeds, BMW Laserlight increases high-beam range to a maximum 650 metres and follows the course of the road dynamically.

An identifying feature of BMW Laserlight – visible with the headlights on or off – are the blue inlays in the upper edges of the headlight units.

The vehicle also get new designs in the front and rear aprons and not to be

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missed are the trapezoidal exhaust tailpipe finishers on all models.

INTERIOR FEATURES The 630i M Sport sedan scores big when it comes to the interiors. It gets dual tone interior with the seats having a shade of brown and the rest of the cabin space donning a dark finish. The 630i M Sport has comfortable seats, both in front and rear and along with the large panoramic

sunroof, the cabin looks spacious and inviting. It continues to get a driverfocused design of the cockpit and raised seating position. Then it has a highopening tailgate to reveal storage capacity of 600 litres – even with all the seats in use. The car has a hands-free tailgate opening and closing. The rear seats are, however 40: 20: 40 split for convenient expansion of storage space and can be operated with touch of a button in the

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boot. These seats have extra cushiony head rests. With the rear seats down, the boot area increases to a massive 1800 litres.

The spare tyre all zipped up in the boot compartment needs to be shunted out if you have to make this car your luggage carrier. The rigid two-section luggage cover can be stowed away in a compartment underneath the boot floor.

The instrument cluster and control display, each have a 12.3inch screen. Each of the screens offers a plethora of functions that can be performed with either the large round knob which is the iDrive control or through touch. In the case of the instrument cluster, it can be done with the help of the steering mounted buttons.

Other features include the iDrive Controller with touchpad, navigation and multimedia systems, two USB ports in front and rear, Bluetooth/WiFi interfaces, telephony with wireless charging, and a hands-free facility. It offers Smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and now also with Android Auto. The latest version of the BMW Virtual Assistant now takes the connection between driver and car to a new level.

Activated by a spoken prompt (for example “Hey BMW”) or at the touch of a button, this digital companion acquires new capabilities all the time.

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WHEELZ & ROADZ A driving experience

Naturally formulated spoken instructions can now also be used to open and close the car’s windows (partially or fully) or adjust the air conditioning.

The sports seats for the driver and front passenger can be adjusted electrically for height, base angle and backrest angle.

The side bolsters of the sports seats are adjustable. The fully electric seat adjustment comes with memory function on the driver’s side. Comfort Seats provide lumbar support, Comfort headrests with electric adjustment for headrest height, and foldable front headrest units, with memory function on passenger’s side too.

The 630i M Sport has four-zone automatic climate control.

The car gets ambient interior lighting with mood lights including six selectable light designs.

It also has welcome light carpet for the area where the driver and passengers get in and out of the car.

The rear-seat entertainment comprises two touchscreen monitors with full-HD technology (each measuring 10.25 inches across), a Blu-ray player, screen mirroring function with compatible smartphones and two USB ports. The vehicle features a Harman Kardon Surround Sound System which comprises of 16 speakers.

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ENGINE & PERFORMANCE The BMW 630i M Sport is powered by the BMW TwinPower Turbo technology The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine generates a maximum output of 258 hp and peak torque of 400 Nm. The car accelerates from 0 -100 kmph in just 6.5 seconds.

The engine is mated with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission. This automatic transmission features a weight-reduced design, a newly developed control system and an increased gear ratio spread. For even greater driving pleasure, it comes with steering wheel paddle shifters and cruise control with braking function. The standard Adaptive 2-axle Air Suspension with its selflevelling feature maintains constant height irrespective of the load, providing great comfort. The self-levelling air suspension

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at both axles offered a very comfortable drive, despite some of the rough patches we encountered.

The response from the electromechanical steering system was very satisfying. The system also makes it possible to adjust the car’s ride height manually. Ground clearance can be increased by 20 mm at the touch of a button – for driving on dirt tracks. As soon as the car’s speed exceeds 35 kmph, the self-levelling system automatically returns to the standard setting. Similarly, the ride height can also be dropped by 10 mm by pushing a button. This happens automatically at speeds above 120 kmph and also when the Driving Experience Control switch is set to SPORT mode.

Individual electronically controlled dampers offer exceptional precision and improve the

drive and handling dynamics. The damper response settings vary according to the mode selected with the Driving Experience Control switch that allows driver to choose between different modes to suit the driving conditions - Comfort, Comfort+, Sport, Sport+ and Adaptive. The car gets a Parking Assistant that helps the driver to select and make use of parallel and perpendicular parking spaces.

VERDICT The new BMW 630i M Sport is a sporty 6 series car which offers not only great cabin comfort and a slew of electrically operated features to indulge in, but is a great car to drive on the road. Though it’s got speed as its forte, it is the quality of the ride which is remarkably impressive.

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S P EC I F I C AT IO NS ENGINE 2755 cc, Double Overhead Camshaft [DOHC], 16-Valve, Variable Nozzle Turbocharger with Intercooler TRANSMISSION 6AT [Sequential Shift + Paddle Shift + Shiftlock]

MAX POWER 201hp@3000-3400rpm PEAK TORQUE 500Nm(AT)@1600 2800rpm TYRES 265/60 R18 [4WD / New Design Super Chrome Alloy Wheels PRICE `37.43 lakh (ex-showroom)

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FIRST DRIVE

2021 TOYOTA FORTUNER 4X4 AT

CONFIDENT GIANT Text: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photo: Afsar Beg

T

oyota Kirloskar Motor recently launched the new facelifted Toyota Fortuner along with the Legender, the latter basically being a restyled Fortuner with some uber features. We got our hands on the new Fortuner. Just for records sake, the Fortuner comes in three broad variants. You get a 2.7 litre petrol, which is a 2 wheel drive, with an option of a manual and automatic transmission.

The second engine on offer is the 2.8 litre diesel with a 2 wheel drive and this too comes with a choice of a manual as well as an automatic transmission. Then there is the 2.8 litre diesel four wheel drive which again has an option of a manual and automatic transmissions.

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We drove the top end variant, the 4 wheel drive 2.8 litre diesel six-speed automatic transmission. This costs around Rs 37.43 lakh ex showroom pan India.

Prices for the Toyota Fortuner, however, start at Rs 29.98 lakh.

EXTERIOR CHANGES The facelifted Fortuner boasts of new exterior features like a tougher-looking new front grille. Then as you come to the bumper you notice that it is sculpted side-pontoon shaped. The new headlamp design comes with distinctive sharp LED line guide. The SUV gets Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs). It also gets New Design Split LED Rear Combination Lamps. Coming

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to the wheels, these are multi-axis spoke alloy wheels with super chrome metallic finishing, a lot better than the ones on its predecessor.

Apart from these changes, the vehicle more or less continues with its existing dimensions and shape.

INTERIOR CHANGES The seats in the new Fortuner have got a lot more comfortable as these have suction based seat ventilation system for the front row of seats. It now gets a larger Smart Playcast Touchscreen Audio with Android Auto/Apple Carplay and a JBL 11 speaker w/ subwoofer system. The latter is, however, available only in the 4X4 variants.

Then it has a new combimeter theme and ornamentation update for more premium feel. It’s got Connected car Technology that provides features like Geo fencing, Real-time tracking, Last Parked Location, etc. Of course, apart from the touch screen, the TFT screen in the instrument cluster also throws in a lot

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of features that basically amounts to various settings.

Now the Fortuner gets a dark black interior that gives it a very sporty feel and look. Overall, there is ample lot of convenience features and space. The front row and the second row offer a lot of seating space, though at the third row, the space is a bit compromised for an adult, though for children its more than adequate. The third row seats can be clamped up to create a massive boot space. The second row seat is 60:40 split.

The third row seats can, however, are reclined and in case you want to stretch your legs, you can do so by bringing down the second row seat and putting your feet up for a comfortable journey.

A few things I would have loved in the vehicle is the folding mechanism of the ORVMs. These should ideally fold when you lock the car and press the lock button through the remote. It does not.

You have to start the vehicle and press the button on the driver door panel to switch it off. Also, the mammoth boot door takes quite a bit of time to shut and open. It could have had a faster response time. A sunroof would have been an exciting feature.

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE The engine, as mentioned earlier is a 2.8 litre diesel with four wheel drive feature.

Both the torque and power have been bumped up in the new Fortuner. The Fortuner Automatic Transmission variant has a peak torque of 500Nm and 201hp.

The 4x4 feature, I feel, makes this vehicle a true SUV. I mean, just imagine, had this just been a two wheel drive, this giant would just be slipping on some of the easiest climbs. But the moment you engage the 4L mode, the climb becomes so effortless. Coming to the modes, 4x2, 4H and 4L, it would be ideal if a driver learns about when and how to engage it, rather than simply buying this vehicle and engaging all the wrong modes and in the process damaging the vehicle’s transmissions badly. This is a small piece of advice I am giving.

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The new Fortuner comes with Auto Limited Slip Differential (Auto-LSD) that enables maximum power without breaking traction. Since this is done without raising a finger, you can relax as you drive. Similarly, the vehicle gets Variable Flow Control (VFC) Power Steering that allows customers to dynamically change steering dynamics with the three different drive modes Eco, Normal and Sport. It also gets Front Clearance Sonar to safely navigate when parking in tight spaces.

Both the AT and MT 4X4 now get a Lockable Differential as an additional feature to ensure firm footing when navigating in extreme terrains. Engaging it and disengaging it may get to be a little annoying because there is no indication of sorts on the TFT screen.

But then you realise it has been engaged thanks to a beep sound and a flash display on the instrument panel. The vehicle also comes with Downhill Assist Control which is basically Hill Descent Control stated in a different way.

Traction control can be switched off, though keeping it engaged is essential when you are driving on roads and situations when you encounter wet patches and gravel spreads. That’s when traction control comes into play and ensures that wheel slips are handled perfectly. But we couldn’t resist switching it off and stepping on the accelerator. That was a lot of fun.

Thus while it behaves impeccably off road, on road it is a treat to drive this huge SUV in Eco, Normal and Sport modes, besides using the paddle shifters and cruise control. I mean, this giant is gentle when you want it to be and tough when you want it to be.

VERDICT The Toyota Fortuner was always a capable SUV offering some great convenience and comfort. Now with a couple of its new off roading features, it’s become a confident giant, both on and off the road.

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WINNER HATCH FIRST DRIVE

2021 MARUTI SUZUKI SWIFT

Text: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photo: Afsar Beg

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What makes the MARUTI SUZUKI SWIFT the darling of the hatchback segment is that it comes with very practical features, nothing outlandish or unnecessary.”

T

he new 2021 Maruti Suzuki Swift has got a mere facelift and several of the exciting features of this new facelift are confined only to the top trim level of the Swift. The Swift comes in five different trim levels starting with LXi, VXi, ZXi, ZXi+ and ZXi+ Dual. The engine under the hood continues to be a BS 6 petrol with a displacement of 1197cc. This is an advanced K series dual jet, dual vvt engine with idle start stop function.

SPECIFICAT IO NS ENGINE 1197cc , Advanced K Series

Dual jet, Dual VVT with start stop function, petrol, 4 cylinders, BS VI

TRANSMISSION 5-Speed AMT MAX POWER 88.5hp@6000rpm

EXTERIOR & INTERIOR CHANGES The Maruti Suzuki Swift basically got a completely transformed look around three years back. This is just a facelift. In the 2021 Swift, the top trim level i.e. the ZXi + gets an option of a dual tone exerior.

The body colour is different from the roof colour. The combinations broadly include red car with black roof, blue and white and white and black.

PEAK TORQUE 113Nm@4400rpm FUEL EFFICIENCY 23.76kmpl TYRES 185/65 R15, precision cut twotone alloy wheels

PRICE RXZ - `8.55 lakh (ex-showroom)

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What is prominent is the new sporty cross mesh grille with chunky bold chrome accent. Then the top trim level gets auto foldable ORVMs. Yes, the moment you unlock and car and get inside and start the car, the ORVMs unfold, and once you shut the engine and lock your car, the ORVMs fold in.

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The new Swift also gets features like cruise control and idle start and stop.

For the latter it gets power from an external battery source different from the lead battery under the hood. The new 2021 Swift comes with a twin-pod meter cluster and a new 10.67cm or 4.2 inches multi-information coloured TFT display giving a vibrant visual appeal. To me, this was the most exciting visual change I thought. The different kinds of statistics displayed on the TFT screen are shown in the form of digital graphs and charts which provide a lovely visual treat. For example, the torque and power chart look real cool.

The acceleration and brake chart too is endearing. Then there is a circular chart depicting motion for front, rear and on either side. Then you have digital charts telling you about your fuel efficiency along with the time used to achieve this target. Information like time both in digital numerical form as well as in the form of a digital clock, outside temperature and gear position too are displayed in this tiny screen. And since the car has the feature of idle start and stop, this screen also gives you information on total idle stop time and the fuel saved because of this idle stop. Is this not real cool?

The twin pods on either side display an analogue tachometer and an analogue speedometer. Within these large pods you have small circular displays which display the engine temperature and the fuel available position.

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The interior more or less remains similar and continues to be smart and chic. The touch screen, however gets an additional feature. It comes in the form of a 7 inches Smartplay Studio infotainment system which combines smartphone, vehicle, and cloud-based services to offer a very smart experience. Of course, you need to download the Maruti Suzuki Smartplay Studio app into your smart phone before you experience it.

Coming to some of the external features that remain unchanged, the car has LED projector headlamps, LED DRLs, LED rear combination lamp and LED high mounted stop light. Then it has rear defogger and rear wiper and washer, besides a roof antenna. As for the interiors, it continues to come with leather wrapped steering wheel which can be adjusted only for tilt, gear shift knob in piano black finish, speed sensing automatic door lock among others.

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE The new 2021 Swift which we drove came with a 5 speed AMT, though this car also has a 5 speed manual transmission option. The 1197cc petrol engine produces 88.5hp@6000rpm and a peak torque of 113Nm@4400rpm. The AMT is a decent gearbox, though acceleration may not be butter smooth when you step on the pedal. You get to feel the engine pause a bit at every gear to take a short breath. But that does not mean it’s not quick on its feet. It’s just that you need to get used to its style of acceleration. The Swift comes with disc brakes in front and drum at the rear.

Ride and handling is decent, to say the least.

The suspension soaks in the roughness from the roads to a great extent.

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The Swift is a not pretence car. It does not pretend to be a very silly feature rich car. Rather it provides whatever a sensible middle class buyer wants in his car, be it a great design, good looking alloy wheels, smart features inside including decent seats and space. It has features like Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with hill-hold in the automatic variant we were driving. Safety features such as dual airbags, ABS with EBD, Pre-tensioner and force limiter seat belts, driver and co-driver seat belt reminder, ISOFIX, reverse parking sensors with a rear view camera, provide enough features for customers to remain happy and confident.

And to top it, the company claims that the vehicle boasts of a best-in-class fuel efficiency of 23.20 km/l in MT and 23.76 km/l in AGS variants. Now in such times when fuel prices are sky rocketing, such figures can only make you happy and content. And to vouch for its great qualities, you can always ask the more than 2.3 million people who have bought the Swift in the last 15 years.

VERDICT What makes the Maruti Suzuki Swift the darling of the hatchback segment is that it comes with very practical features, nothing outlandish or unnecessary. With improved fuel efficiency in this new 2021 facelifted Maruti Suzuki Swift, the hatch has only become more attractive for buyers. The Swift hatchback remains a winning formula for Maruti Suzuki Ltd.

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FIRST RIDE

HONDA CB500X

AFRICAN COUSIN Text: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photo: Afsar Beg

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W

hen you are on a motorcycle like the Honda CB500x you wonder whether you want to stay on the road or off the road. On the road is fun and its decent too. Off the road is also fun and its thrilling too. Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India or HMSI has got in the Honda 500x into India through the CKD route and it’s been priced at Rs 6,87,386 (ex showroom, Gurugram). That’s a bit too steep for this bike, I feel but more of my views on the pricing later.

First, get to its features and performance.

EXTERIOR DESIGN & FEATURES Honda 2 Wheelers has of late been basking under the glory of the recently launched Honda CB350, both the H’ness and the RS. The 350cc motorcycle has taken the motorcycle world by storm in India and is beginning to give some competition to the Royal Enfield 350cc motorcycles.

But the Honda 350 bike is a roadster and not meant for any off road adventure of sorts.

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But the 500x is build to take you through some very tough terrains.

The CB500X will be available in two colour options - Grand Prix Red and Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic. We were riding the latter. The bike has got some of its design cues from the legendary Africa Twin. For example the rear sub frame and the overall decal styling is inspired by the Africa Twin.

It has an aggressive stance about it and comes with full LED lighting. This includes LED headlamp and tail lamp, besides sporty compact signal indicators and clear screen tail lamp. Incidentally, the high and low beams which are both LEDs are located in the centre of the headlight to reduce weight, size and electricity consumption.

The bike has a diamond-shaped steel-tube mainframe which clamps on to the engine with four mounts. The motorcycle has a perfect centre of gravity with the heavier parts closer to this centre. The motorcycle engine is in

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S P EC IFIC ATI O N S ENGINE 471.03 cc, PGM-FI, 8-valve liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder TRANSMISSION 6-Speed MAX POWER 47hp@8500rpm MAX TORQUE 43.2Nm@6500 rpm TYRES (Front) 110/80-19 M/C 59H (Rear) 160/60-17 M/C 69H

PRICE `6.87 lakh (ex-showroom)

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close proximity to the swing arm pivot point. All this makes steering and handling pretty easy.

The seat height of the motorcycle is 830mm, which makes the riding position relaxed and confident. Besides, for the short riders too, this bike will not be intimidating like the Africa Twin which does unnerve you a bit when you are riding it for the first time. With this bike you can stop at traffic lights or in parking lots with ease as your feet can be comfortably planted on the tarmac. It also has a tall windscreen. The motorcycle has a 181mm ground clearance.

The CB500X seat has comfortable space both for the rider as well as the pillion with the latter getting smart grab rails. The rider of course has the broad, stretched out handlebars to be content with which is ideal for both road riding as well as for some off road fun.

The motorcycle has lightweight multi-spoke cast-aluminum wheels (19-inch in front and

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17-inch in rear). In front it gets a 310mm wavy disc and powerful two-piston brake caliper, while the rear gets a 240mm drilled petal-style disc brakes and single-piston caliper. Dual channel ABS is fitted as standard, but for those into real adventure will miss the feature to switch off the ABS. Here, in this bike ABS is standard and cannot be switched off.

An interesting safety feature is that the Honda 500X comes with smart ESS (Emergency Stop Signal) technology that detects sudden braking and automatically activates the front and rear hazard lights, which flash to warn nearby vehicles. The bike also features a Honda Ignition Security System (HISS) theft deterrent, reinforced handlebar lock structures, and strengthened key cylinders.

Coming to the instrument cluster, the motorcycle gets a negative display LCD meter. This means that the LCD display features light-coloured numbers or letters on a dark background. Since we encountered some very fine, cloudy weather, the

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LCD display stood out bright and clear. But I feel this display may not be very effective when the sunlight is glaring.

The information displayed here include Gear Position and Shift Up indicators, engine temperature indicator, ABS indicator, besides a speedo and rev-counter, dual trip meters, fuel level and consumption gauges.

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE

as well as on bad roads. The Honda Pro-Link rear suspension comes with 9-stage spring preload adjustment. The shock absorber features large-diameter internals.

Being a liquid cooled engine, I felt the radiator could have been better off with a radiator guard or mesh to protect it from tiny stones or pebbles that one could encounter while off roading.

The new Honda CB500X is powered by an 8-valve liquid-cooled parallel twin cylinder engine that delivers max power of 47hp@8500rpm and max torque of 43.2Nm@6500rpm. The CB500X features Assist/Slipper Clutch, which eases up shifts and manages rear wheel lock-up on hard down shifts while deceleration. The engine is mated with a 6-speed gearbox.

The upswept exhaust comes handy when riding through rough and water filled trail rides.

I particularly liked the crisp grunty exhaust note of the motorcycle.

We got an opportunity to ride the motorcycle extensively on some very rough as well as smooth roads and on some off road terrain. The motorcycle kind of adapted with ease on each of these terrains. Remember this motorcycle does not have any button to switch on to different ride modes like Road, Rain or Sport. Nor can you switch off the ABS. But despite this, the bike is a real fun bike to ride. It’s very manageable, the gear shifts are slick, there is more than adequate mid range torque though it’s not so much of a speedster.

The 100kmph comes up on the speedo much earlier than you can imagine.

Honestly, I did not miss the different riding modes that many adventure bikes have. This rode well on whatever terrain I pushed it on.

As its suspension it has 41mm telescopic forks and Pro-Link rear monoshock which take care of all the bumps encountered off –road

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Off roading came easy for the bike and thanks to its more than adequate ground clearance, I really was not bothered about any underbelly hits.

VERDICT The new Honda 500X is a very manageable bike to ride with no complicated electronic mechanisms for adjustments. All you have to do is to gear up and steer the vehicle on the terrain you want to travel. Since it shares some genes of the Africa Twin, I think I should christen this bike as the African cousin. The only thing perha. ps I would have liked here is a lower price. Rs 6.87lakh I feel, is a tad high for this bike. A lakh or two rupees lower would have slotted it into the winner category!

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FIRST RIDE

HONDA CB350RS

PERFECT HUNK Text: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photo: Afsar Beg

T

his one is not the Highness, but the CB350RS. While the H’ness has a lot of bling in terms of chrome, this has got a lot of dark matt finish making it look a lot sporty and masculine. Unlike the Honda H’ness CB350 which came in two trim levels the DLX and the DLX Pro, this one comes alone.

The RS continues to be powered by 350cc, air-cooled, 4-stroke OHC single-cylinder engine, which produces max power of 20.79hp @5500 rpm and a peak torque of 30Nm@3000 rpm.

CHANGES COMPARED TO THE H’NESS RS is an abbreviation of Road Sailing. Thanks to the tweaks, the CB 350RS has a length of 2171mm as compared to the 2163mm length of the H’ness. The width too has increased to 804mm as compared to 800mm of the H’ness. The height is lower at 1097mm as compared to 1107mm of the H’ness. The wheelbase remains identical at 1441mm.

The ground clearance of the CB350RS is 168mm as compared to 166mm for the H’ness. The kerb weight is a tad lower at 179kg as compared to 181 kg of the H’ness.

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Another change is that the Honda CB350RS gets at the rear 150/70 R 17 tubeless tyre compared to the H’ness which has a 130/70 R18 tyre. The front tyre continues to remain identical at 100/90-R 19 tubeless. The CB350RS is priced higher than the H’ness at Rs 1,96,000(ex-showroom PAN India).

The muffler on the side gets smoky-black finish accentuated with use of chrome. For the H’ness it is all chrome. Also you get a heat protection for the pillion rider so that his foot or footwear does not accidentally touch the hot exhaust while on the move.

The Honda 350RS has the same round-shaped LED headlamp but here it has a dark matt finish ring around it unlike the chrome ring around the headlamp in the CB H’ness 350. The H’ness had round winkers, this one gets sleek eye-shaped LED winkers.

The CB 350RS gets sporty looking grab rail at the rear though a back rest is missing. However, the taillight has got very slick with under seat LED light.

If you notice the front telescopic shockers which were bare chrome, now gets what’s known as shocker boots. The H’ness came without boots for its front shockers. The H’ness DLX Pro has a type C USB port, there is none here.

The CB350RS now comes with a dual tone fuel tank with pin striping and a RS badging on the side. The Honda CB350RS gets one horn and that too with a matt surround while the Hness DLX Pro has two horns shrouded in chrome.

Underneath the frame you get to skid plate in the CB350RS. None is there for the H’ness. The front and rear fenders are black smoked. The seat of the CB 350RS is now more cushiony with a ‘tuck and roll’ design, while the Hness has no tucks and rolls, it is one plain seat.

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S P EC I F I C AT IO NS ENGINE 348.36cc, 4 stroke, SI, BS VI TRANSMISSION 5-Speed MAX POWER 20.79hp@5500rpm MAX TORQUE 30Nm@3000rpm TYRES (Front) 100/90 R19 (Rear) 150/70 R17

PRICE `1.96 lakh (ex-showroom)

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The CB350RS offers a forward leaning riding position to match the sporty riding stance. Switches and other features are carried from the H’ness. These are simple looking, yet classic. The Digital-Analogue meter gives details like torque control, ABS, Side stand indicator with engine inhibitor, gear position indicator and battery voltage. Fuel efficiency details are displayed in three modes: Real time mileage, Average mileage and Distance to empty. All this can be seen by pressing the top button on the side of the meter.

This motorcycle, like the H’ness gets a Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), a torque control system that helps in maintaining rear wheel traction. HSTC can be turned ON/OFF using a switch on the left side of meter.

A ‘T’ indicator in the digital display glows when the system is engaged and when it is disengaged, another light glows with a cross across the T. Switches are minimalistic with the engine start and stop button on the right along with the hazard switch. On the left of the handlebar you get switches for the horn and

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the indicators while the pass or flash toggle switch doubles up as the high beam- low beam switch.

ENGINE & PERFORMACE The Honda CB350RS is powered by the same engine that powers the H’ness. It has a 350cc, air-cooled, 4-stroke OHC single-cylinder engine, which produces a max power of 20.79hp@5500 rpm. The peak torque is at 30 Nm@3000 rpm. This bike too comes with Assist & Slipper Clutch.

For the limited time I rode the motorcycle, I realised that this bike is quite steady and has a lot of power to boot. With practically short gear throws, you are most of the time in gear 2, 3 and 4 in the city traffic. Power for gear 5 kicks in much later at higher speeds, but what I noticed was that each time you want to pull through the crowd, you need to downshift. But the moment you get clear roads and unhindered traffic with no speed cameras, you can simply tug at the throttle and slot the machine into 5th gear just after the 50kmph mark. From there on, the machine gets into freedom mode and easily picks speeds and makes no fuss moving well past 100kmph.

Let me also reiterate that there is no power lag in the machine. It’s just that it is perfectly tuned for the city for a balanced ride and the perfect exhaust note. At each gear and with each twist of the throttle, the engine roars out a rich thump, though I must confess, it did remind me of the Royal Enfield thump. So is it right to call it RS or Road Sailing? Well, since it sailed through thick of traffic and empty stretches with great eagerness and energy, I can assume that the RS moniker is justified for this motorcycle.

VERDICT The Honda CB350RS is basically a Honda H’ness wearing new designer clothes.

The machine continues to impress with its impressive road presence and more than adequate power. Unlike its closest competitor, this bike does not tire you at all. Everything about it seems so effortless, whether it is its comfortable seats, its very effective shockers and its overall power delivery, that you are kind of convinced of its perfect abilities. The royal thump from the engine is just the icing on the cake. It’s a perfect hunk, to say the least!

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FEATURES

, s e v o r g d e r Sac t s y r t a & Theyyam s u l P r o t c e with MG H dia

oto: Bhushan Baga Text: Sneha Thomas / Ph

‘S

acred groves of Kerala: Down from 10,000 to 1,200’, the headline of an article snapped my mind to attention. I researched the topic when the Instagram post ‘Sacred grove conservation and tracing theyyam, the sentinel artform’, came across my feed

by Cherish Expeditions that had partnered with MG Motors Coastline Garages.

Cherish Expeditions is a travel-based impact initiative.

Each of their initiatives focuses on uplifting livelihood of local communities and their programmes are carefully chosen to integrate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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FEATURES Three weeks later, I was in the old city of Cannanore (now called Kannur in North Malabar region of Kerala). It is the land of looms and lore. I was out tracing one of the oldest art forms in Kerala and with me was the MG Hector Plus. Launched in the summer of 2020, the MG (Morris Garages) Hector Plus is India’s first 6-seater internet SUV with a panoramic sunroof.

I was undertaking a 7-day long selfdriven journey through the northern Malabar region. MG Motor India was our mobility partner. Handpicked by Cherish Expeditions, I was among the few conservationists and content creators who had to come together and work towards creating an impact by planting 100 species of Rare Endemic and Threatened Species (RET) trees.

RET trees and theyyam have an

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almost sacred connection. Theyyam was performed mainly in the sacred groves of the northern Malabar region and it was believed that residing deities from these sacred groves were summoned to the performing man’s body. For centuries, the sacred artform secured the groves from destruction but with growing urbanisation, these residing deities shifted to temples which resulted in loss of these groves and its unique biodiversity.

While most of the Theyyam performances were scheduled in the pitch darkness of sacred groves demanding the midnight silence, our alluring blue Hector Plus engaged our daytime on the trail, with its 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, inviting all attention while on the road. We took the flaunting beauty to Muzhippilangadi beach, Asia’s longest drive-in beach, leaving the city

behind to have a splashy affair with the waves. The 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine ran perfect, absolutely sure footed on the sandy beach. With automatic gears, city driving felt effortless. On the highways, the Hector Plus drove perfectly, providing great ride and handling.

The 6-seater Hector Plus, comes with luxurious captain seats in the middle row. The SUV features an all-new dual-tone smoked sepia brown interior, along with stylish new headlamps, a new chrome-studded front grille, and a chit-chat feature on i-SMART Next Gen interface. It also comes with other attractive features including the all-new smart swipe for tailgate opening.

The voice assistant recognising Hinglish and the ‘Chit Chat’ feature ensured that we were never bored.

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We took the flaunting beauty to Muzhippilangadi beach, Asia’s longest drive-in beach, leaving the city behind to have a splashy affair with the waves. The 1.5-litre turbo diesel engine ran perfect, absolutely sure footed on the sandy beach.’’

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FEATURES

THEYYAM, THE RITUALISTIC ART FORM We drove through the interior villages of Kannur tracing Theyyam, the ritualistic art form and its unavoidable umbilical link with sacred groves. The Theyyam artist with his fierce red makeup and the attire enhanced in shades of red was strong enough to catch hold of my wandering mind. A cold shiver radiated across my spine as the light body movements of the theyyam artist changed into intense movements like firewalking.

Theyyam is a centuries-old ritualistic artform restricted to perform only on temples and sacred groves, where the belief goes that the residing deities are summoned to the performing man’s body.’’

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FEATURES Theyyam is a centuries-old ritualistic artform restricted to perform only on temples and sacred groves, where the belief goes that the residing deities are summoned to the performing man’s body. Today, when the caste system is openly criticised and secretly worshipped, the villages in the northern Malabar of Kerala celebrate this ritualistic art form where the caste system’s lower hierarchy is honoured. Deities possessed to be the Theyyam Gods have folklores that tell the stories of humans who sacrificed their lives against the caste system, gender inequality and other societal inequalities. As each Theyyam performs and converse with their devotees, ‘Thottam Pattu,’ the Theyyam song, will be vocalised in the background, conveying the folklore behind each theyyam. To become a Theyyam artist is a privilege only given to the ‘lower caste,’ providing an equal status for the society’s tyrannised community.

THEYYAM AND SACRED GROVES NURTURE EACH OTHER Theyyam has been strongly coiled with nature starting from the ornaments used for the performance to the stage where the artist is performed.

Theyyam was performed mainly in the sacred groves, till man’s fantasy with brick and mortar took the upper hand. Once urbanization started hitting the rural villages, the grove’s residing deities were carefully shifted to temples, leaving the sacred groves for deforestation. We were on a humble mission to revive the degrading sacred groves through this expedition planting the rare endangered species of plants and conserve the remaining ones.

SACRED GROVE CONSERVATION Sacred groves may not be a familiar word for the present-day modern world. Though I have heard about sacred groves from grandma stories deeply intertwined with superstitious beliefs and folklores, I never imagined visiting one someday, and being a part of its revival and conservation.

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Sacred groves are small rainforests with a residing deity placed in it for worship, deeply rooted with mythological stories making them sacred enough not allowing to cut any trees or branches. Sacred grove conservation is the need of this era as it is a treasure trove of biodiversity where rare flora and fauna flourish without human interruptions. As these

virgin forests are left to thrive, it houses endangered species of birds, mammals, reptiles and a variety of butterflies. Sacred groves improve the microclimate of their vicinity and water cycle by sun trapping and preventing soil erosion. Also, they are our last storehouse of many ayurvedic plants which were previously endemic to the forest.

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As the geographical terrain changed from tar roads to narrow unpaved paths, the green got denser, hinting us the arrival of our destination, Mapitacherry sacred grove. There we have partaken in the GOD (Grow Our Dying) tree campaign by planting 100 RET trees along with MSSRF, which falls under the 1trillion tree campaign by the World Economic Forum. While we are having global discussions on climate change going on, it is crucial to conserve the last of these sacred groves and protect their rich biodiversity along with the extinct species of trees.

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“What is happening here”, is that one question we have come across the most, as we drove MG Hector Plus along the rural villages of Kannur where growing urbanisation has yet to be checked.

It took a modern car like the Hector Plus to help us in our expedition so as to spread awareness about a cause that was for long ignored and forgotten. That, perhaps, is the impact when old meets new!

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FEATURES

Have electric cars come of age?

Text: Roy Punnoose Tharyan / Photo: Afsar Beg

F

or a moment, let us just put aside the fact that electric vehicles (EVs) are expensive compared to the conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). But do EVs offer the same fun to drive experience compared to ICEVs? Do EVs have similar features or better than those in ICEVs? We decided to take a close look at a popular electric car from the stable of MG Motor India, the MG ZS and then hopped on to the Toyota Urban Cruiser SUV powered by a petrol engine, just to see if electric cars have indeed come of age.

We picked up these two good cars randomly and decided to check them out.

Each falls in a different price segment in the car market, but we were not out there to compare them but to understand the incredible journey electric cars have made in terms of technology and convenience.

We had with us the MG ZS electric car (the 2020 model and not the 2021 model) and

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the other was the BS 6 Toyota Urban Cruiser.

While the ZS is a lot premium compared to the Urban Cruiser, we simply wanted to drive home the point that the electric car has really evolved since the first home-made Reva electric car was manufactured by the then Reva Electric Car Company, a Bangalore (Karnataka) based company controlled by Chetan Maini.

Reval Electric was founded in the year 1994 as a joint venture between Maini Group and the Amerigon Electric Vehicle Technologies (AEV) LLC based in United States. Later this company was taken over

by Mahindra Electric, the EV division of Mahindra & Mahindra.

Unlike the first electric cars available in India many years ago, electric car models have evolved in both technology and looks.

The MG ZS offers everything a person needs in a car. But does it mean electric cars have a clean advantage over IC engine powered cars?

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FEATURES

POINT 1: FUEL VERSUS ELECTRICITY The first major hassle when it comes to an IC engine car is the fuel that needs to be filled up. Here it is not just the rising price of the fuel that bothers one, but its quality. All over India, despite the several quality checks and standards adopted at petrol stations or bunkers, adulterated fuel has always been a serious issue.

The more you move away from the major cities and towns into the hinterland, the possibility of fuel contamination rises. Contaminated fuel can damage your engine parts and clog injectors, leading to high cost of repair and maintenance.

But filling up a fuel tank happens in a jiffy. Yes, you just have to wait for a few minutes and your tank is full. You really do not waste time and you can

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travel anywhere in the country, even to some of the remotest places and you definitely find a fuel bunker. One can travel without any worry of sorts.

own drawbacks and dangers. What happens if it rains? Your electric points may be exposed to water, posing its own risks of electrocution.

Since an electric vehicle needs to be charged electrically and no fuel is required, the only major hassle is finding a charging point. Even if you have a normal home, like the one where millions in India live in, the fact is that the distance between one’s parking and home is usually not close.

Not all homes have their personal garages. Many homes in general have shared open parking places. Charging an electric vehicle at that slot will require a jugaad of sorts. Jugaad is a Hindi word which in essence means “makeshift arrangement”. Thus one would have to set up an improvised electric point with a wire stretched from a home point that reaches your car in the parking lot. This has its

Charging from such outlets where there is no AC fast charger, takes around 16 to 18 hours, at least for the ZS. But those with private garages and who have installed fast chargers, the time taken to charge the car battery fully could take anywhere between 6 to 8 hours. Superfast chargers in the US take less than an hour for charging a modern electric car like the Tesla car.

For electric two wheelers and other smaller vehicles, the batteries are detachable and can be carried easily to your home or office. For those who have their own garages, one can install their own fast charging outlets for easy and convenient charging.

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FEATURES Electric cars owners need not be bothered about rising fuel costs and adulterated fuel. It’s only the time that is needed to charge the batteries that could be a bit irksome. Fast charging happens in less than an hour and normal charging takes several hours.

Of course, if one has his own garage, a fast charger can be installed and charging becomes a breeze.

POINT 2: EXTERIOR Apart from the badging of an electric car saying that it is electric and the

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green number plate, the size and shape of an electric car vis-a-vis a normal car are similar. Instead of an IC engine, an electric car has an almost empty space under the hood. The MG ZS has a lot of electrical components under the hood but in more advanced cars like the Tesla, the front space is utilised for a trunk and is often referred to as the ‘Frunk” a combination of the words front and trunk.

Every other exterior part remains similar whether it is the front or the

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FEATURES rear or the sides. The only design dissimilarity that we found is the front grille area where the MG ZS has a neat way of raising the grille and one can plug in the charger for charging the car. The Toyota Urban Cruiser has a fuel lid which is located at the rear side section of the car.

The MG ZS we drove had R17 Machined Alloy Wheels with LED DRLs, silver finish roof rails, large panoramic sunroof, power foldable ORVM, rain sensing front wipers, heated ORVMs, etc. At the rear the MG ZS gets racing tail lights.

As for the Toyota Urban Cruiser, which is basically the rebadged Vitara Brezza, this SUV is also a good looker with smart, muscular features. The vehicle has front LED fog lamps, diamond cut alloy wheels and auto headlamp on/off, auto rain sensing wipers, etc. Aesthetically speaking both cars look good.

POINT 3: INTERIOR The interiors of an electric car are no different from a regular car. Of course, if one were to looks inside a Tesla electric car, the innards would be very different with hardly any buttons and switches. Everything would be touch oriented and you would have a very large tablet sized screen to guide you through. The MG ZS electric car comes in two trim levels, Excite and Exclusive. We got the Exclusive model to experience and this is the one with a large panoramic sunroof. It also has air filter to keep the cabin air clean and healthy. Then there are things like a 6-way power adjustable driver seat, leather seats, etc.

There is plenty of in-cabin technology that the MG ZS offers. To keep you connected, it comes with an 8 inches HD touch screen powered by the i-SMART EV 2.0 wherein you can check your battery and range status, know the dynamic range in each direction from your current location based on the traffic / road condition, information on charging stations,

58 | MOTOWN INDIA | APRIL 2021

know you vehicle status, geo fencing, navigation, preloaded entertainment and a whole host of relevant features.

The Toyota Urban Cruiser boasts of a chic cabin with comfortable seats, front centre sliding arm rest, leather wrap steering wheel, etc.

The MG ZS electric car and the Toyota Urban Cruiser petrol (the Urban Cruiser has no diesel powertrain), though they belong to different segments of the Indian car market, clearly demonstrate the fact that electric cars have come of age and are a lot more sophisticated or are equally sophisticated compared to their IC engine powered counterparts.

POINT 4: PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY Just because it does not have an IC engine and comes without the roar emanated from the exhaust pipe, it does not mean an electric car lacks power in any way. The lithium ion batteries are such a great source of power that it can actually put a conventional IC engine to shame. The MG ZS, for example has a battery capacity of 44.5 kWh and this means the car can travel up to 340kms on a single charge.

The peak power produced is around 140.7hp@3500rpm and max torque of 353Nm@5000rpm. Zero to 100 kmph comes in a mere 8.5 seconds.

The car has Sport, Normal and Eco

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FEATURES

drive modes. The car boasts of a slew of safety features like Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Rear Disc Brakes. Electric Parking Brake, 3 Point Seatbelt For All Passengers, Electronic Stability Control, ABS + EBD + Brake Assist Hill Start Assist.

The Toyota Urban Cruiser we were driving was powered by a 1452cc petrol engine that delivers a max power 103.28hp@6000 rpm and a max torque of 138Nm@4400rpm. This BS VI engine is mated to a 4 speed

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automatic transmission.

The Urban Cruiser also offers safety features like dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, Advanced Body Structure, Electrochromic IRVM, hill hold control, reverse parking camera with display in audio and ISOFIX child seat restraint system, among other features.

With rising fuel costs and increasing pollution it can be safely assumed that electric cars are bound to get popular in India. But for these

e-cars to be popular and sell like the way these conventional cars sell, the prices of e-vehicles need to come down drastically, the batteries need to be a lot more affordable and the range per charge too needs to improve drastically. Of course, the need to have a large number of convenient charging stations will only instill confidence among EV buyers.

Only then would these non polluting vehicles be able to catch up with their IC engine counterparts in this race for supremacy.

APRIL 2021 | MOTOWN INDIA | 59

DIGI LIFE REVIEW

SAMSUNG GALAXY S21+

The Sweet Spot Is the middle child in the S21 lineup the best when it comes to value for money?

Price: `76,999/Available on: www. samsung.com QUICK SPECS DISPLAY

Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak), 6.7 inches, 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution

PLATFORM

CPU - Octa-core (1x2.9 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.80 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.2 GHz Cortex-A55) - International, Chipset - Snapdragon 888 or Exynos 2100 (5 nm), GPU-Mali-G78 MP14 - International

MEMORY

Internal - 128GB 8GB RAM

CAMERA

MAIN: 12MP , 64 MP, 12 MP , SELFIE: 10MP

BATTERY

Li-Ion 4800 mAh, non-removable

T

he Apples and the Samsungs of the smartphone world make mega extravaganzas out of their launch events. Every tech reviewer worth their salt and even just regular old consumers are glued to the screen to watch the launch events unfold live. For the past few years we have seen the Ultras and Maxes of the smartphone world take centre stage.

Away from the limelight of the ultraflagships is the phone that we are currently reviewing. Frankly, the S21+ on its own comes across as a promising piece of hardware. It has probably one of the best smartphone displays in the market, an Exynos 2100, fantastic build quality (second to only the new iPhones maybe) and to top it all, has a great design.

Over the course of this review, it easily did everything we expected it to do and much more. The design refresh is a major talking point. This phone along with the

60 | MOTOWN INDIA | APRIL 2021

S21+ Ultra is in my book among the bestlooking Android phones out there. The camera module now seems like an integral part of the design. The bezels are thin as you’d expect and the lack of a curved display makes the phone far easier to use.

The display, as I mentioned earlier, is outstanding and the resolution drop from 1440p to 1080p when compared with the Ultra does very little to your overall experience. It gets plenty bright for use outdoors, has vivid colours and with loud stereo speakers it comes across as a great device to watch videos on.

The processor is ably supported by 8GB of fast RAM. While it is a step down from the Ultra’s RAM numbers, in actual usage 8 gigs is plenty enough and I never faced an issue with performance. The 4800mAh battery packs enough juice for a long workday. Samsung’s 25W charging solution, though not the fastest, didn’t leave me asking for more.

The S21 and the S21+ however, share the same module from last year and I am happy to report that the S21+ has a very competent smartphone camera setup. Samsung has worked on the image processing and that shows. The 12MP primary sensor has a wide f/1.8 aperture and it does well in a number of lighting conditions. The ultra wide too does a splendid job when given enough lighting. The photos are brighter with more vibrant colours and stay true to the Samsung colour/image processing template. Unlike the Ultra, there is no optical zoom and you have to make do with digital zoom from the 64MP telephoto.

For a thousand dollars, the S21+ is a beautifully put together phone. It offers all the camera capabilities that almost any smartphone buyer would need and has flagship level performance to boot. It is in many ways the sweet spot of the S21 range.

(Words by Afzal Rawuther)

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B2B NEWS

Mahindra offers customers India’s first one-stop solution for vehicle scrapping Mahindra & Mahindra has signed an MoU with Mahindra MSTC Recycling Private Limited (MMRPL) towards offering its customers first of its kind endto-end solution for scrapping of vehicles. MMRPL is engaged in the business of acquiring used/ end of life vehicles to dismantle and scrap it under the brand name of CERO. MMRPL is a joint venture between Mahindra Intertrade Ltd. and MSTC Ltd., a Government of India Enterprise, and has set up India’s First Automotive & Steel Recycling facility under the brand name CERO at Greater Noida in January 2018.

The agreement with MMRPL will enable customers get a hassle free and transparent deal under one roof. Any customer intending to purchase a new Mahindra vehicle by scrapping or exchanging the old vehicle which is more than 15 years can do so at any Mahindra dealership. These services would provide utmost convenience to the customer without the need to look for a vehicle scrapping agency or dealer. This is especially relevant given the new vehicle scrappage policy announced by the Minister for Road, Transport and Highways in the Lok Sabha on March 18, 2021. The policy is aimed at creating an ecosystem to eliminate old and polluting vehicles.

Of the partnership, Veejay Ram Nakra, CEO Automotive

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Mahindra is offering evaluation of the vehicle at doorstep.

Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., says, “Our agreement with MMRPL is a step towards delivering customer delight through a convenient, one stop solution for customers who wish to scrap their old vehicle. While the scrappage policy will take effect in some time, we are ready to help the customers who intend to discard their vehicles.”

MAHINDRA DEALERSHIPS ALONG WITH CERO WILL OFFER: 1. Vehicle evaluation 2. Arrange quote for exchange/scrappage value of the vehicle 3. Provide end to end services including vehicle pickup, transportation and environment friendly dismantling at CERO scrap yards 4. Post this, the Certificate of Deposit/ Destruction (COD) will be issued by CERO, which will enable customer to claim eligible benefits under

upcoming Scrappage Policy.

Further, given the COVID 19 scenario, to encourage customers to stay at home

In the recent past, Mahindra with a focus on customer convenience has introduced first of its kind self-evaluation tool - Insta Cash Offer (ICO) as a part of its OWN Online Digital platform. Here customers, at their comfort, can do the self-evaluation of vehicle and get instant offer for their used vehicles. The company has taken several initiatives such initiatives to offer innovative, digital, and flexible options to all segments of its customers.

Renault India announces partnership with CERO Recycling Renault India has launched the ‘R.E.L.I.V.E’ programme in partnership with CERO Recycling (A joint venture between Mahindra Intertrade Ltd. and MSTC – a government of India enterprise), India’s first organised scrap vehicle recycling company. The initiative is aimed at providing the potential customers with a seamless hassle-free channel to scrap their old vehicles, buy new Renault vehicles and also avail attractive benefits on their new purchase. Renault India has rolled out the programme for its customers in six locations currently, including Delhi & NCR, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore. The interested customers who will bring their old/ end of life vehicles of any brand to Renault’s authorised dealerships will get a fair scrap valuation quote post appropriate evaluation of the vehicles, along with an additional guaranteed scrap benefit over the existing monthly offers on its products including Kwid, Triber and Duster. Renault India dealerships along with CERO Recycling will be handling the entire process from vehicle evaluation to official de-registration at the RTO and handing over the official certificate of deposit / destruction of old vehicle to provide a hassle-free experience to customers. Renault will be offering this exclusive channel also for prospects willing to have their old 2-wheelers scrapped whereby they can avail of special 7.99% rate of interest from Renault Finance on purchase of new Renault products.

APRIL 2021 | MOTOWN INDIA | 61

B2B NEWS

FY2020-2025 revenue to remain modest for Indian Components industry, says ICRA India’s leading rating agency ICRA has estimated that the revenue decline for the Indian auto component industry will be limited to 6-8% in FY2021 supported by the better-thanexpected demand pick-up across most segments, as against the 12-15% estimated earlier.

Pass through of commodity prices and change in emission norms has also resulted in 4%-6% increase in realisations, partly supporting revenue growth during H2 FY2021.

The rebound in FY2022 is expected to be strong at 20-23%, benefitting from demand pickup, low base of FY2021 and impact of commodity prices on realisations. However, this would come supported by low base of Q1 FY2021 when industry revenue collapsed by approximately 60%.

Also, headwinds from disruption in automotive production due to supply chain constraints (primarily due to semi-conductor shortage, globally) could play spoil sport in Q1 FY2022 and may be even beyond.

Localised lockdown due to recent spike inCovid-19 infections could also derail the growth momentum for the industry as footfalls to dealerships may shrink and remains a monitorable. Despite the strong revenue growth during FY2022, the overall revenue CAGR during FY2020-2025 is likely to remain modest at 7%-9%.

The sharp V-shaped recovery is likely to cap the overall margin contraction for auto ancillaries (ex-tyres) in FY2021 to 100bps to 150bps. Entities heavily dependent on the M&HCV segment will be the most impacted and could witness a margin contraction of over 300 bps,

62 | MOTOWN INDIA | APRIL 2021

whereas those catering to tractors, PV and 2W segments will be relatively better placed.

On the other hand, tyre manufacturers will register multi-year high operating margin at over 15%in FY2021 supported by favourable RM prices. ICRA expects auto ancillaries (ex-tyres) to bounce back to pre-Covid (FY2020) margins in FY2022, benefitting from improved operating leverage, despite commodity headwinds.

Says Ashish Modani, Vice President, ICRA, “Automobile production volumes during H2 FY2021 was significantly better than H1, capping the overall production volume decline for the fiscal. The aftermarket segment also witnessed sequential recovery from Q2 FY2021, with the opening up of the economy, pent-up demand, delayed replacement of vehicles and festive season demand. We expect a flattish to low single digit growth for the replacement segment in FY2021, and a 10-12% increase in FY2022, partly arising from the commodity pass through. Supported by improved demand and additional financing support from banks, liquidity position of most auto ancillaries has improved substantially from Jun2020 levels, with many entities who availed moratorium benefits skipping restructuring proposals, despite eligibility. With improved cash flows and easing liquidity position, ICRA revised its credit outlook for the sector to ‘Stable’ from ‘Negative’ in Dec-2020.

Strong growth across automotive

File photo pics for representational purpose only.

segments is further likely to improve credit profile of industry players in the coming quarters.”

Steel, aluminium and copper have witnessed significant price increases in the last five to six months and this is likely to continue in the near term as well. The weighted average commodity index for a passenger vehicle has surpassed FY2019 levels in FY2021, primarily because of sharp increase in commodity prices since Nov-2020.

Prices of electronic components have

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B2B NEWS also surged due to supply disruption/ shortage following increased demand in consumer electronics.

Unavailability/price increase of electronic components remains a key downside risk for the industry. The INR depreciation is also a cause of concern for net importers.

aggregate TD/OPBDIT for ICRA’s sample of 50 listed auto-ancillaries was at 1.4 times in FY2020. The industry sample has consistently reported high interest coverage metrics (above 8x) over the last several quarters, barring Q1 FY2021 when operating profits were impacted by the pandemic-induced lockdown.

Revenue of ICRA’s auto component sample of 50 listed auto-ancillaries witnessed a stellar YoY growth of 22.1% in Q3 FY2021, aided by demand pickup across segments and commodity pass through. For 9M FY2021, ICRA’s auto component sample set witnessed a YoY decline of 13.4%; however, strong doubledigit revenue growth expectation in Q4FY2021 will restrict the overall revenue decline to single digit.

Operating profit margins of our overall sample stood at a multi-quarter high of 15.5% in Q3 FY2021 benefitting from healthy volumes and commodity pass through. Within the sample set, tyre companies reported multi-year high margins because of muted raw material prices.

Adds Vinutaa S, Assistant Vice President, ICRA, “Strong cash accruals of the past few years have resulted in low leverage for auto ancillaries. The

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Large tier-I suppliers, who have used their cash flows from the upcycle to develop a strong balance sheet were more resilient to the recent downturn.

The stress was relatively higher in the smaller entities and those lower down the value chain with limited access to capital and with stretched working cycles. Nevertheless, assistance from banks and the Government in the form of additional Covid lines, CGSTME support and loan moratorium provided the much-needed liquidity support to the MSMEs to tide over the crisis in H1 FY2021. Further, the handsome recovery in domestic automotive demand provided a boost to the industry’s revenue and profitability, resulting in none of ICRA rated auto ancillaries in the BBB category or higher level applying for loan restructuring.”

File photo pics for representational purpose only.

Decline in turnover during FY2021

released funds blocked in working capital, thereby arresting any meaningful slippages in leverage level (0.2x in FY2020 and FY2021e), though coverage indicators moderated across the board – the total debt/OPBDITA for ICRA’s auto component sample is expected to increase to 1.6x in FY2021e from 1.4x in FY2020 while the interest cover would moderate to 7.8x in FY2021e from 8.6x in FY2020.

Incremental borrowings are largely related to working capital financing and fund raised by companies to tide over possible liquidity crisis during H1 FY2021.

The industry had almost frozen its capex / investment plans in the last 15-18 months and is now exploring investment opportunities.

Incremental investments are primarily towards committed orders/platforms, which will be largely funded by internal accruals and hence the long-term borrowing requirement remains limited.

“Our interaction with large auto component suppliers indicates a cautiously optimistic approach towards capex/investment plans for FY2022, with most of these players awaiting clarity on Government support for the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme. ICRA research expects auto component suppliers to gradually increase their capex/investment outlay in FY2022, though most of these investments will be largely funded by internal accruals. The incremental investments will be primarily towards capability development i.e. new product additions and committed platforms, unlike the investments towards capacity expansion witnessed in the past. Despite the strong growth in FY2022, production volumes across most automotive segments will remain below the FY2019 level and hence capacity will not be a constraint for the industry,” concludes Ashish Modani.

APRIL 2021 | MOTOWN INDIA | 63

INTERVIEW

&A with

VISHAL MATHUR Sr. VP - LMD Truck Business, VECV

Q1. Can you elaborate upon VECV’s Light & Medium Duty (LMD) business in India?

Eicher launched its first LMD vehicle in year 1984 with the launch of canter series.

Since then, the company has witnessed progressive dominance in the segment with products delivering superior performance in market. Our JV with Volvo Group also helped in providing an edge to Indian customers on technology while our robust network is spread across India to cater to the customer needs.

Currently Eicher commands about 31% market share in Light and Medium Duty trucks.

This growth has been achieved on the back of strong and

64 | MOTOWN INDIA | APRIL 2021

diversified product portfolio, catering to premium, value and mass-market segment.

Currently Eicher offers the widest range of trucks in dual platforms in Pro 2000 series and Pro 3000 series and products ranging from 4.9T to 16T GVW delivering best in class payload from 2.4T to 10.5 Tons. We have product for every application with widest range of platforms from 10.4ft to 24ft cargo options.

In BS6 era, we have unique advantage with superior EUTECH6 technology which results in improving total cost of ownership for the customer by improving fuel efficiency, thus proudly retaining the brand equity of

Mileage ka Badshah amongst consumers. We have focussed on increasing productivity, by enhancing payload, Turnaround time, improved deck lengths, increasing service intervals and warranty coverage, and ensuring better uptime with 100% connected trucks.

Q2. How has e-commerce pushed the sales of LMD trucks?

Covid has created a great impact on customer preferences and their ways of working. Owing to the restriction in the movement and limited physical contact, the door-to-door delivery of goods has gained a lot of traction.

Most of the e-commerce

players have increased supply to various district pin-codes strengthening the hub-andspoke model, as the result the demand of LMD is increasing q-o-q now.

Demand is coming to service these increasing consumer base on digital space and we have also geared up to cater to the evolving needs of the e-commerce players, and that’s why we have widened our product range not only in Diesel but in CNG. Q3. Are e-commerce specific LMD trucks different from regular LMD trucks?

Yes, we have tailor made solutions for e-commerce segment by providing extra

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INTERVIEW

space for voluminous cargo application need. Overall, our space advantage goes up to 20% more loading space than conventional market. We have also launched new variants dedicated for Ecommerce like 24ft in Intermediate commercial vehicles in platforms like Pro 2095XP, Pro 2110, Pro 2114XP, 22ft variant in Pro 2080XP and 16ft in Pro 2059XP. Besides this we have heavily focussed on bringing on extra space variants not only in Diesel but in CNG platform as well. We have widest range of trucks on CNG as well. Our CNG trucks in single filling can go up to 500 kms running.

We have significantly focused on the needs to e-commerce segment where the trucks ply in a time bound high-speed operations that require continuous running.

To cater to these segment needs Eicher has focused on delivering enhanced productivity through improving turnaround time by giving higher torque at wheels, superior driving comfort which enables driver to run continuously for over 10 hours.

Also, the e-commerce segment needs vehicles that can run for longer duration and yield a hassle-free driving experience. VECV’s vehicles are best suited for this as we offer features such as cruise control, comfortable car like cabin with comfy 2.0 seats.

Eicher Pro 2000 and Pro 3000 series trucks are European crash test compliant dual panel sturdy cabin, fog lamp, DRL headlamps and comfort features like walk through

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cabin with lateral sleeping provision that enable the transporters extract the best profit and performance from Eicher LMD trucks.

Apart from the above stated features Eicher’s truck comes with a host of other features such seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android One connectivity. This system also includes support for micro–SD Card, Bluetooth connectivity, FM, and USB. Apart from these, the mini truck also gets steering mounted controls for the infotainment system and a fuel coaching system that acts as a guiding tool for drivers to improve the fuel economy of the vehicle. Other features on the truck include DRLs, fuel coaching system, and Eicher Live telematics system with readouts for trip meter, fuel gauge, and uptime management.

Q4. How has pandemic adversely affected the truck industry?

Yes, there is no denying that the sector has witnessed a tough time due to the advent of Covid pandemic.

With respect to the emission norm, the industry was ready, but the pandemic-imposed lockdown posed further challenges. However, now the sector is back on track

with a positive turn through consistently increasing demand. VECV is receiving orders from different sectors such as infrastructure, e-commerce, mining, and construction. LCV demand is being driven by the need for last mile connectivity by the e-commerce players. There is pent up demand from the market and the sector are now completely back on track.

Q5. How do you see the future of India’s trucking industry?

In our opinion, the worst seems to be over for the CV sector. The industry will witness great recovery in 2021 and sees a very good growth on account of high GDP growth projections. We are quite positive on getting orders for all our product range including the light, medium and heavy duty.

With great push from Make in India initiative we expect a lot of demand to come in and hoping to end the current financial year on a positive note. We also expect increase in the demand for the reefer van with development of COVID vaccine as it will be critical to transport that around across the country.

There is also a growth expected on account of scrappage policy along with the incentives for scrappage.

Q6. What’s the next big innovation that we can expect in commercial vehicles?

The need for the vigorous transition of the auto industry is further catalysed by the pandemic. VECV has proved be to be a resilient player.

We are successfully tiding through the toughest phase of the pandemic with the help of improved digital infrastructure. With a highly advanced integrated data management system in place, we are undertaking various complex tasks with great efficiency such as introducing new product, reviewing the technicalities, etc.

In line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, with the newest plant in Bhopal, VECV has created a manufacturing hub in Madhya Pradesh, and we intend to continue to produce for the world.

Alongside, we will continue working on our endeavours to offering vehicles with alternative fuel options or electric-powered vehicles, as and when it becomes feasible in the country.

As we move forward, we will witness various new technologies gaining popularity such as like touchless experiences, phygital stores, augmented walkthroughs etc.

APRIL 2021 | MOTOWN INDIA | 65

B2B NEWS

Auto registrations fall year on year by (-) 28.64pc: FADA The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has in its Monthly Vehicle Registration Data for March 2021 stated that while March automobile registrations continue to fall by (-)28.64% year on year (YoY ), it grew 10.05% month on month (MoM).

FADA stated that the tractors and passenger vehicles sustained its healthy momentum by growing 29.21% and 28.39% YoY on a low base that was a result of transition from BS-4 to BS-6 and India going under lockdown last year. On YoY basis, 2W, 3W and CV unrelentingly fell by -35.26%, -50.72% and -42.20% respectively.

On MoM basis 2W, 3W, CV, PV and tractors grew by 9.54%, 14.15%, 14,15%, 10,11% and 12.60% respectively. Passenger vehicle waiting period continued to hold its ground and remained as high as 7 months as scarcity of semiconductors continued. Around 47% PV dealers said that they lost more than 20% sales due to supply side constraints.

There was no significant change in dealer inventory days as PV & 2W inventory remained in the range of 1015 and 30-35 days. FADA has cautioned that the second wave of Covid is not only spreading faster but is also trying to destabilise the growth which India has been able to achieve in last few months. Any lockdown at this point will severely hamper the momentum of growth in the auto industry.

Commenting on how March’21 performed, FADA President, Vinkesh Gulati said, “Auto Registrations for the month of March witnessed double digit fall to the tune of -28.64% YoY, in spite of 7 days of lockdown last year.”

66 | MOTOWN INDIA | APRIL 2021

have pushed about 32 million Indians out of the middle class, undoing years of economic gains.

This had its impact on 2-wheelers as it saw one of its steepest de-growth in last few months. This coupled with high fuel prices and price increase acted as double whammy.

It not only created a havoc in entry level customers mind but also kept them away from visiting showrooms.

Tractors continued its dream run as rural incomes saw improvements after successive monsoons and good rabi produce. If experts are to be believed, India will witness a normal monsoon for the 3rd year in a row. This will further see tractors performing well in FY 21-22.

According to Pew Research, financial woes brought by Covid-19

ALL INDIA VEHICLE REGISTRATION DATA FOR MARCH’21 CATEGORY

MAR’21

MAR’20

YoY %

2W

11,95,445

18,46,613

-35.26%

3W

38,034

77,173

-50.72%

PV

2,79,745

2,17,879

28.39%

TRACTOR

69,082

53,463

29.21%

CV

67,372

1,16,559

-42.20%

LCV

38,450

70,611

-45.55%

MCV

4,663

8,342

-44.10%

HCV

18,609

33,397

-44.28%

Others

5,650

4,209

34.24%

Total

16,49,678

23,11,687

-28.64%

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