blogs by anfalfakerdey92: November 2018

The invitation has been packed inside an elaborately designed storage box, with Isha and Anand's initials, 'IA' etched on the top.

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Reform, Or World Peace May Turn Into World Order In Pieces: India To UN

Syed Akbaruddin, India's Ambassador to the United Nations, on Friday called for a reform and reinvigoration of the UN Security Council, and focused on the role of strengthening multilateralism- an...

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UK Cop, Who Killed Indian-Origin Shopkeeper, Jailed For 18 Months

A police officer has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by a UK court for causing death by dangerous driving. Indian-origin shopkeeper Balvinder Singh was killed in 2016, when the policeman's car...

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9 Dead In California Wildfire, Hollywood Celebs Evacuated

Among the celebrity homes reportedly damaged in California wildfire was the home of Caitlyn Jenner, who posted an Instagram video reporting that she was in a safe house, but wasn't sure what has...

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Facebook Refuses Singapore's Request To Remove "False, Malicious" Post

Facebook has rejected a Singapore government request to remove a post of an online article that the government said was "false and malicious", prompting its Law Ministry to say the case illustrated...

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Theresa May Gets "Plan B" From UK Ministers For No-Deal Brexit Scenario

British cabinet ministers have drawn up a 'plan B' for a no-deal Brexit in case parliament votes down Prime Minister Theresa May's proposed plan to leave the European Union, The Sun reported on...

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Amit Shah Releases BJP Manifesto For Chhattisgarh Polls: Live Updates

Chhattisgarh Election 2018: With only two days left for the assembly elections to be held in Chhattisgarh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and BJP chief Amit Shah will both campaign in the state...

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Delhi Air Remains Hazardous. Wear Masks, Avoid Outdoor Activity, Say Docs

The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi stood at 440, which falls in the hazardous category.

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Lucknow Most Polluted On Diwali, Recorded 300% Rise In Air Pollution

The air quality in Lucknow was the worst among Indians cities on Diwali, a report said. Indiranagar and Vikasnagar were among the most polluted areas in the city with PM 10 concentration over 1,000...

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Jammu And Kashmir Declares November Snowfall As Special Natural Calamity

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday declared the heavy snowfall earlier this week as state-specific "special natural calamity" to streamline providing relief and assistance to farmers affected...

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People Risk Lives To Click Pictures At Delhi's Signature Bridge

The Signature Bridge, which is being publicized as a tourist spot, in the coming days, will have a glass viewing deck and dedicated selfie spots.

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Poll Panel, Mizoram Groups Talks End, Election Officer May Be Replaced

The Election Commission has agreed to the main demands of civil society groups in Mizoram protesting against the recent appointment of the state's chief electoral officer, people with direct knowledge...

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9 Dead In California Wildfire, Residents Take Refuge On Beaches In Malibu

Wildfires burned out of control on Friday across California, killing at least nine people in a mountain town and forcing residents to flee the upscale beach community of Malibu in the face of a...

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"Need Gun Control, Not Prayers": Mother Of California Bar Shooting Victim

The mother of a young man who survived last year's gun massacre in Las Vegas only to be killed by another gunman in a California bar this week has made an impassioned plea for gun control.

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2 Terrorists Shot Dead In Encounter In Jammu And Kashmir's Pulwama

Security forces on Saturday shot dead two terrorists in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama.

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Saudi Coalition Asks To End Refueling Deal With US For Yemen War: Report

The Saudi-led coalition that is bombing Yemen has asked for the "cessation of inflight refueling support" from the United States, a statement from the Saudi press agency said on Saturday.

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Woman, 95, Allegedly Held Captive By Daughter-In-Law, Rescued In Delhi

When rescued the woman was covered with only a thin piece of cloth and had to relieve herself in a bucket placed near the bed.

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"Cant Write When I Pleas": Poignant Letters By An Illiterate In 1860s US

In 1864, an irritated Union soldier named John C. Arnold wrote to his wife, Mary Ann, back in Pennsylvania, complaining that he'd had no recent letters from her.

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Rahul Gandhi Holds Show In Raman Singh's Home Turf, Slams PM Modi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi held a mega road show yesterday in Rajnandgaon, the constituency of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, three days ahead of the first phase of assembly polls on...

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After Khashoggi Killing, US Stops Refuelling Saudi Warplanes In Yemen War

The United States is halting refueling of aircraft from the Saudi-led coalition engaged in Yemen, the United States and Saudi Arabia said on Friday, ending one of the most divisive aspects of US...

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ICC Women’s World T20 2018: Harmanpreet Kaur first Indian woman to hit T20 century

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Bihar: 82-year-old killed in communal clash 3 weeks ago, no FIR, no leads

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Mahinda Rajapaksa gone, Sri Lanka says fresh polls on January 5

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Taliban at talks table, Russia says no games, India representatives only listen

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In talks with RBI to fix economic capital framework: Government

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PM Modi on poll trail in Chhattisgarh: Congress shields urban Maoists who live in AC homes

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Toyota Fortuner TRD Sportivo 2 revealed

Toyota has revealed an updated version of its Fortuner TRD Sportivo for a launch in the Thailand market later this year. Badged the TRD Sportivo 2, the updated model mostly features cosmetic updates to the exterior.

From the front, the big change is the bumper and grille surround. The previously blacked out elements surrounding the grille give way to brushed metal finished trim while the blacked-out section under the grille is now body coloured. The bumper is new with a lower and wider central air-dam with red highlights, a splitter running along the bottom lip and the prominent air-vents on either side now housing sleeker fog lamp units and brush metal trim inserts.

At the back, the trim running between the tail-lamps also gets a brushed metal finish. The bumper is also new with a noticeable blacked out lower section. It now features a faux diffuser look along the lower edge and larger reflectors or rear fog lamps positioned along the outer edge.

As with the earlier TRD Sportivo offered in international markets, the Sportivo 2 features a blacked-out roof and pillars along with contrast finished wing mirrors. Completing the look are new dual-tone 20-inch alloy wheels.

The interior of the Sportivo 2 carries forward the black and red affair from the Sportivo with a predominantly black interior with red inserts on the dashboard, door cards and seat centres. Also carried over are the TRD badged instrument cluster with red highlights.

Mechanically, the TRD going on sale in Thailand will be powered by Toyota’s 2.8-litre diesel engine with a choice of two drive systems – 2WD or 4WD. The international car also gets tweaks to the suspension.

In India, Toyota has offered the TRD Sportivo variant on the Fortuner. However, this variant is not on sale at the moment. It could be safe to expect Toyota to introduce the TRD Sportivo 2 in India in future.

Image source

from Autocar India https://ift.tt/2FcjsaJ

Review: 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R vs Nissan GT-R comparison

To say I’m being unaccommodating is an understatement. Hell, I’ll admit I’m being downright selfish at this point too. For one, it’s high noon on a blistering hot day, and on top of that, we only have a precious few hours with this dream duo (it’s a comparison test anyone with a basic knowledge of cars and the alphabet would be dying to do) before they’re loaded into separate trucks and packed off on lonely journeys home. Kuldeep, camera plonked in his lap, sulks away in the passenger seat, and not even the wildly fluctuating G-forces can turn his frown upside down. All he wants is to stop and take a photo and I won’t let him.

The Land of the Rising Sun

Sorry, but this is my first time having a proper go in a Nissan GT-R and, though I’ve heard every single excited rave, from my colleagues and elsewhere, now that I’m actually at the wheel myself, it is astounding me more and more with every passing metre. I know this road very well; I know the long straights, the blind corners, the crests, bumps and braking points. But even after I’ve recalibrated my limits to accommodate a 570hp super-coupé, I keep finding room to push them some more. This car is unbelievably easy to drive fast. The steering is smooth and not too heavy, yet turn-in is rather sharp, the grip is so tenacious that you’re well aware that a mere mortal like yourself could never unstick it, the power is progressive and easy to dole out, and the ride is so absorbent, it simply takes everything in its stride and lets you get on with the business of going very, very fast. The incredibly detailed, PlayStation-derived readouts on the touchscreen (oil pressure, boost pressure, G-forces, the works) are flashing away in the background, but I’m having way too much fun to take my eyes off the road and look at them.

It’s a bit uncanny at first, actually, because prior to this, we haven’t really seen this level of performance from a Japanese car in India; they’re usually about reliability and fuel economy. The closest we’ve had is the Mitsubishi Evo X and Nissan’s own 370Z. But this is on a whole different level – a high-tech sportscar with near-supercar levels of performance, and it feels unlike anything I’ve ever driven before. I’m literally giggling at this point, much to Kuldeep’s annoyance, and I can’t remember the last time I’ve exclaimed my opinion of a car out loud without a video camera pointed at my face. “What is this grip!?” “How the hell is this possible!?” “Hahahahahahaaaa!” – that sort of thing. It’s a mad, exhilarating rush from corner to corner, accompanied by all manner of turbo whooshes and a nice snarl from the V6, but every time I slow down for a tight turn, I hear a familiar eight-cannon salute bearing down from behind.

It’s a testament to Rahul’s driving skill (and bravery) that he’s never more than a few moments behind me in that car on this road. When it comes to ease of driving, the AMG GT R is everything the Nissan GT-R is not. The driving position is super aggressive, the seats are rock hard and the ride even harder, the view out is abysmal, it’s hilariously wide, the steering is quick to the point of being twitchy, and though the rear tyres are sticky, 325-section Michelin Pilot Sport Cups, they have to bear the force of 700Nm all on their own. This car is rear-wheel drive and it just loves to remind you of it. Even in the safest setting of the race-spec nine-stage traction control system, it’s more than willing to spin its tail into a small frenzy, which can be fun, if your idea of fun is scaring yourself a little at every corner.

So, does that make it bad? Quite the contrary. What you need to acknowledge instead is that it’s a very serious car, and you have to drive it as such; in fact, it’s basically a GT3 race car with air conditioning and number plates. It exists to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to drivers. If you give up on it early on because it seems too much to handle, you’ll never taste the sweetness of its full potential. It makes you work for the speed, for the thrills, and if you keep at it, the rewards are immense. The joy of stringing together a set of bends perfectly will put a big toothy smile on your face, that is, if the baritone violence from the exhausts hasn’t already.

However . . .

This car may be road legal, but it lives its best life out on the race track. It may be the range-topping AMG GT, but it is also (in fact, more so) the company’s hardcore track weapon. Everything that makes it difficult on the road makes it incredible on the track, and a circuit is really the only place you’ll be able to reap the benefits of the AMG GT R’s ultra-clever active aerodynamics. The Nissan GT-R may be quicker in everyday use and in a drag race, but it would be left for dead by the AMG on a hot lap. In fact, my first encounter with the Green Meanie was in the safe confines of the Buddh International Circuit (BIC), with its wide run-off areas, and I was having the same kind of fun you read about in the second paragraph of this story. Racing driver Christian Hohenadel, who’d just set a new lap record for the BIC with that very car a few months earlier, told me he would turn the traction control dial to a new setting at every corner, and that the additional downforce from the aero means the GT R drives entirely differently to the lesser AMG GT S. That’s how focused it is!

And the interior reflects this too. It’s all superbly crafted and solidly built from dark Alcantara with minimal use of contrasting colour, a steering wheel that’s almost square in shape with the centre point marked out, snug bucket seats with barely any cushioning, and a carbon brace bar that’s the only separator between the ‘cabin’ and the ‘boot’. The Nissan GT-R is so much more accommodating in that respect. It’s got big, soft leather front seats, a proper luggage compartment and even a pair of barely-there back seats. If it wasn’t for the awful ground clearance (an issue with the AMG too, incidentally), this Katana sword might have also made for a great grand tourer.

But here’s the rub. Though Nissan made a huge effort to scale up the cabin ambiance with the 2017 version of the GT-R, it still doesn’t have the quality, finesse or solidity you expect when you pay upwards of Rs 2 crore. The design is unique and different from all other Nissans, and the cabin layout does have a techie and sporty appeal to it, but there’s just too much plastic, and even the leather upholstery doesn’t have the rich feel this sort of money demands. Would the superb driving experience be enough to make you turn a blind eye to the cabin you’ll be spending all your time in? For many, I’m not sure it would.

Tochigi vs Affalterbach

For two cars with such similar names, similar price tags and similarly ballistic performance (just look at the chart to see how close the numbers are), they really have nothing in common. Okay sure, they both also use twin-turbo motors at the front, coupled to dual-clutch transaxle gearboxes at the rear for an ideal weight distribution, and they both have coupé body styles, but that’s it. The bifurcation starts with the way they look – the Nissan appears longer and taller, with more straight lines and a more traditional two-door shape. The Merc is entirely cab-rearward, ending in a hatchback boot, and it looks preposterously wide, because it is.

But it’s the propositions they offer that are truly poles apart. The Nissan GT-R’s performance is just so much more accessible that even a first-time sportscar buyer could get used to it in an instant. Plus, it’s comfortable and even relatively practical. It does, however, lack a bit of drama and poser value, and the interior is just not worthy of the price.

The AMG GT R is bursting at the seams with drama – whether it’s the overwhelming noise or the fact that the tail is ready to step out at any instant. Also, you’d be foolish to have it in any colour other than this ‘AMG Green Hell Magno’. And it’s a high-end Mercedes, so it’s built to the same standard as an S-class. But seeing as how regular access to race tracks is a privilege afforded to a select few, would you really be willing to put up with a rattled spine and an upper body workout every time you left the house for a drive?

Picking a winner is hard because it could get quite subjective, and frankly we’re glad to have just brought these two together on the same stretch of road. But, given the roads we have to work with and the skill required to pilot each of these cars effectively, we’d recommend Godzilla; just suck it up and get used to that interior. However, if you simply must have an AMG GT, stick with the GT S, as unless you’re on a racetrack, it’s 95 percent of the way there.

from Autocar India https://ift.tt/2zJX2r9

2018 Mahindra Alturas: What to expect from each variant

Mahindra has announced that its flagship, the Alturas SUV, will go on sale in India on November 24. The SUV is, in essence, Mahindra’s version of the latest-gen SsangYong Rexton, and will be the new range-topping model in the carmaker’s line-up.

The Alturas will be available in two trims, namely G2 and G4. While both versions of the SUV will come powered by a 180.5hp/450Nm 2.2-litre diesel engine mated to a Mercedes-sourced 7-speed automatic transmission, there are a few notable differences between the G2 and G4. In short, the G2 is rear-wheel-drive only while the G4 gets four-wheel drive and also more by way of features.

We’ve got our hands on the inside info and can tell you what you can expect on the two versions of the SUV.

Mahindra Alturas G2

Rear-wheel drive
Black and grey Nappa leather upholstery
Multi Information Display (MID)
Dual-chamber HID projector headlamps
LED DRLs with integrated turn indicators
Powered and ventilated front seats with memory function
9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Electronic parking brake
18-inch alloy wheels

Mahindra Alturas G4

Four-wheel drive
Black and tan Nappa leather upholstery
Coloured Multi Information Display (MID)
Dual-chamber HID projector headlamps
LED DRLs with integrated turn indicators
Powered and ventilated front seats with memory function
9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Electronic parking brake
Sunroof
Handsfree boot opening
18-inch alloy wheels

Once launched, the Mahindra Alturas will compete against the Toyota Fortuner, the Ford Endeavour and the Isuzu MU-X. The SUV is expected to be priced competitively and undercut the Fortuner, significantly. Meanwhile, bookings for the Mahindra Alturas have been opened.

from Autocar India https://ift.tt/2JSdmL8

Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350X ABS priced at Rs 1.63 lakh

The latest motorcycle in the Royal Enfield line-up to get dual-channel ABS is the Thunderbird 350X. The bike has been priced at Rs 1.63 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) which is Rs 7,000 more than the standard bike (Rs 1.56 lakh ex-showroom, Delhi). The ABS-equipped Thunderbird 350X has already reached most dealerships across India.

Back in August 2018, Royal Enfield had told us that that it would be equipping all of its bikes with ABS possibly by the end of the year. Other models that have already received this safety-tech are the Classic Signals 350, Himalayan and the Classic 500. A Royal Enfield dealer we spoke to also told us that the 500X will get ABS by the end of the month.

Royal Enfield launched the 350X along with the 500X back in February 2018. Setting the bike apart is the new handlebar, seat and riding position. The X models were also the first Royal Enfields to feature tubeless tyres that were wrapped around new 9-spoke black-coloured alloy wheels.

The 350X employs the same 346cc motor from the Thunderbird 350, which makes 19.8hp and 28Nm of torque and comes mated to a five-speed gearbox.

In other news, prices of all of Royal Enfield’s offerings have gone up owing to a new Supreme Court ruling. See by how much here.

from Autocar India https://ift.tt/2QwcqPp

Fixed Deposit Interest Rates Offered By Corporates

Fixed deposits (FDs) are not only offered by banks but also by companies. In fact, the interest rates offered on company fixed deposits are higher than those on bank fixed deposits.

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Wow Air Offers 30% Discount On International Flight Tickets

Wow Air's discount offer is applicable till November 11, 2018.

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Petrol, Diesel Prices Cut By Up To 18 Paise Per Litre: 10 Things To Know

Fuel prices: Except November 7, petrol and diesel prices have been on the decline since October 18.

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Forex Reserves Jump By Over $1 Billion To $393 Billion In A Week

Total reserves had dropped by $1.444 billion to $392.078 billion for the previous reporting week. After a long gap, gold reserves rose by $366.5 million to $20.888 billion, according to the latest RBI...

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Gold Prices Fall For Third Straight Day: 5 Things To Know

In Delhi, gold of 99.9 per cent and 99.5 per cent purity priced at Rs 32,250 and Rs 32,100 per 10 grams, respectively.

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Why You Won't Be Able To Book A Train Ticket Via IRCTC At This Hour

Meanwhile, amid festive season, Northern Railway, an arm of the Indian Railways, has announced new special trains to cater to excess demand.

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These Banks Offer Up To 7% Interest On Savings Bank Accounts

Small finance banks may be niche banks, catering to a small section of customers, but the interest rates that they offer on savings bank accounts are much higher than larger peers. Consider this:...

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Rupee Jumps By 50 Paise To Close At 72.50 Against Dollar: 10 Points

The rupee appreciated by 50 paise against the dollar to close at 72.50 on Friday. Selling of dollars by exporters supported the rupee, say analysts. The dollar, which had weakened following the US...

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Bank Loans Rose 14.6% In Two Weeks To October 26: RBI

Non-food credit rose Rs 31,230 crore to Rs 89.79 crore, while food credit rose Rs 9,510 crore to Rs 55,030 crore.

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Crude Oil Dips Below $70 Per Barrel Mark For First Time Since April

US light crude fell to an eight-month low below $60 a barrel, hitting a trough of $59.78, down 89 cents and off more than 20% since early October.

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Cooking Gas Price Hiked For Second Time This Month

Domestic cooking gas LPG prices have been hiked by over Rs 2 per cylinder after the government increased the commission paid to LPG dealers.

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Fortis Healthcare CEO Bhavdeep Singh Resigns

On August 30, the company's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Gagandeep Singh Bedi had resigned citing personal reasons.

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No Proposal From Government Seeking RBI's Surplus Reserves: Top Official

Government's fiscal math "is completely on track" and dismissed media reports that it was seeking Rs 3.6 lakh crore from RBI's reserves, says Subhash Chandra Garg, economic affairs secretary.

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Sensex Closes 79 Points Lower, Nifty Ends At 10,585: 10 Things To Know

Domestic stock markets finished the last session of the holiday-shortened week on Friday on a negative note amid weakness in Asian peers. The S&P BSE Sensex declined 79 points - or 0.2 per cent - to...

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This Aadhaar Card Does Not Reveal Your Full Identity Number. Details Here

The UIDAI issues the Aadhaar number as well as the Aadhaar card, which is the personal identification card based on the Aadhaar system. The masked Aadhaar option can be used while downloading a...

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H-1B Visa Petition: US Backs "Merit Immigration"; IT Firms Allege Delay

H-1B visa: A top White Official said on Thursday that the administration wants only highly-skilled workers to stay in the US on H-1B visas. However, according to Compete America, USCIS has been...

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Friday, November 9, 2018

Stephen Hawking’s thesis and wheelchair sell for $1 million

from World – The Indian Express https://ift.tt/2SUvCYJ

Ex-Marine apparently acted alone in California bar shooting: FBI

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Michelle Obama rips Trump in new book

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North Korea cancelled Pompeo talks: US ambassador

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Trump wants H-1B visas in more highly-skilled as opposed to outsourcing roles: White House

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California gunman: From Marine to divorcee living with mom

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Protesters across US seek to protect Russia investigation

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Deaths feared as wildfire engulfs North California town, says police

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US expands sanctions over Russia activities in Ukraine

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South Korea’s Moon to replace finance minister this week: Report

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US Vice-President Mike Pence to meet PM Narendra Modi next week: White House

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Protesters target home of Fox News’ Tucker Carlson

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‘Dramatic increase’ in number of H1B visas being held up, claims Compete America

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US Democrats seek hearings on Donald Trump’s ouster of Jeff Sessions

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US appeals court rules against Donald Trump on DACA immigrant policy

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US sanction waiver for Chabahar Port came after concerted push by Delhi, Kabul

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White House press secretary shares ‘manipulated video’ to justify ban on CNN journalist

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Donald Trump says China no longer in race to supersede US as top economic power

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US experts hail move to exempt India from certain sanctions for Chabahar Port development in Iran

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Indonesia’s Lion Air plane crashes into pole in new accident

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Underperforming Chinese workers made to drink urine, eat bugs

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Tajikistan: At least 27 killed in prison riot in northern city of Khujand

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PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi Hit Campaign Trail In Chhattisgarh: 10 Points

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit the campaign trail today in Chhattisgarh, where people will vote for the assembly elections in two phases on November 12 and 20. Mr...

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Tamil Film's Makers Reportedly Give In To AIADMK Sarkar, To Cut Scenes

The makers of 'Sarkar', a political thriller starring actor Vijay, have reportedly agreed, under pressure from the state government, to cut out or mute parts of the movie apparently critical of the...

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Kerala High Court Disqualifies Lawmaker For "Using Religion" To Win Polls

The Kerala High Court today disqualified an Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MLA on a plea claiming that he used religion to win the Assembly polls in 2016.

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Former Andhra Pradesh Lawmaker Tries To Stop Raids At Businessman's House

Industrialist and former parliamentarian L Rajagopal has tried to stop police from searching the residence of his friend, an official said.

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"Kite-Flying": Bihar Allies On BJP-Nitish Kumar's 50-50 Seat-Sharing Deal

Deeply upset by the BJP's seat sharing formula in Bihar, two NDA constituents - Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) - have made it clear that they want to contest the...

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Sarkar Movie Row: Movie Makers Reportedly Agree To Drop Scenes

Movie Sarkar, a political thriller starring actor Vijay, swept the box office and minted over Rs. 100 crores within two days of its opening. But the movie has run into trouble over some scenes that...

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1 Dead In Melbourne Stabbing; Accused Slashed Cops Before Being Shot

Australian police on Friday reported multiple people were hurt in a rush hour stabbing incident in Melbourne's central business district, after they apprehended a suspect near a burning vehicle.

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Indian-Origin Brothers Charged For Duping Investors With "Unbiased" Info

Two Indian-origin brothers have been charged by the US federal regulator for deceiving investors by purporting to provide unbiased research reports on certain publicly-traded small and microcap...

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"Censors Cleared It": Rajinikanth Slams AIADMK Protests Against 'Sarkar'

Superstar Rajinikanth today criticised the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu for protesting against certain scenes in actor Vijay's Diwali release 'Sarkar', questioning the rationale behind attacking a film...

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Hundreds Line Up To Donate Blood For Those Wounded In California Shooting

The fatal shooting of a dozen people at a Western-themed bar in Thousand Oaks, California, inspired hundreds of area residents to line up for hours on Thursday to donate blood for the wounded.

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CBI Chief Alok Verma Appears Before Corruption Watchdog

CBI Director Alok Verma on Friday appeared before a panel headed by Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Chowdary and countered the corruption charges levelled against him by his deputy and special...

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Rahul Gandhi Targets PM Modi Over Rafale, Demonetisation In Chhattisgarh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be in Chhattisgarh today to campaign ahead of run-up to the assembly polls in a state that has been reeling under Left-wing...

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Thick Faze, Smog Persist In Delhi, Air Quality Slips To 'Hazardous'

Thick blanket of smog and fog have shrouded the national capital after the country celebrated the festival of light- Diwali. According to the autonomous meteorological body set up under the Union...

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Opinion: PM Modi Still Fighting Demonetisation Damage 2 Years Later

Two years after India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shocked the nation by banning high-value cash notes, the opposition is still trying to score political points from the damage done to the economy.

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"We All Just Trampled", California Bar Shooting Survivor Recalls

University freshman Cole Knapp was talking with friends inside the Borderline Bar and Grill in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks when he saw a man dressed in black reach towards the counter by...

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"Rahul Gandhi Had Assured Me Ticket": Vyapam Whistleblower After Snub

The whistleblower in the Vyapam exam scam is not on the list of Congress candidates who will fight the Madhya Pradesh assembly election on November 28. Anand Rai was the first person to go to the high...

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10 Long Distance Trains Cancelled After Fire In Goods Train In Palghar

A fire broke out in two wagons of a goods train near Dahanu in Palghar district of Maharashtra late on Thursday night, as a result of which at least 10 long-distance trains were halted, police said.

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Fernando Alonso sees Brazilian GP as his last chance of points in F1

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China Open Badminton Live Score, PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth Live Streaming: PV Sindhu wins second game against He Bingjiao

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Lewis Hamilton no fan of F1 calendar expansion

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‘Let’s make Cricket great again’: Shane Warne offers to clean up Australian cricket

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India vs West Indies: Siddarth Kaul returns as India rest Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav for 3rd T20I

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ICC Women’s World T20: As captain, I look to inspire other players, says Harmanpreet Kaur

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Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck taken to hospital with ‘serious injury’

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Sri Lanka vs England Live Cricket Score, 1st Test Day 4 Live Cricket Streaming: Sri Lanka lose momentum to go 98/3 at Lunch

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Europa League Roundup: Arsenal and Chelsea through to last 32, Marseille out

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Australia vs South Africa 2nd ODI Live Cricket Score, Aus vs SA Live Score Online: Australia bowled out for 231 runs in must-win ODI

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Viswanathan Anand pushes for inclusion of chess in Olympics

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Delhi air pollution: ‘We are currently training in a gas chamber’ admit athletes

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ICC T20I World Cup: Women get their place in the sun

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PKL 2018: UP Yoddha become first team to finish win-less in home leg

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Tottenham’s Mousa Dembele ruled out until New Year

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Saurabh Chaudhary claims gold, Manu Bhaker finishes 4th at Asian Airgun Championships

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G Sathiyan shocks world No. 17 to qualify for Austrian Open

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World Chess Championship: Harika Dronavalli enters prequarters, Koneru Humpy out

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PSG says it was not aware scouts were racially profiling

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2009 Formula One championship loss worse than this season: Sebastian Vettel

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Cristiano Ronaldo left out of Portugal squad again

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Anthony Martial back in France’s national team squad

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Ramkumar Ramanathan out of singles at Slovak Open

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IPL franchises unlikely to support Virat Kohli’s proposal of resting fast bowlers: Reports

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Pro Kabaddi 2018 Highlights: Bengaluru Bulls beat UP Yoddha 37-27, Dabang Delhi beat Haryana Steelers 39-33

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Sri Lanka vs England: Visitors scent victory after Keaton Jennings scores century

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Virat Kohli : Trolling isn’t for me guys, all for freedom of choice

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CA to give ‘due consideration’ to demand of lifting bans on Steve Smith, David Warner

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ICC Women’s T20I World Cup: After years in wilderness, India set aim on maiden title

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ISL 2018: FC Goa beat Delhi Dynamos 3-2

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Crackdown on firecrackers in cities, over 300 arrests in Delhi alone

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Within a year, CVC gave two opposite orders on note against Rakesh Asthana

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Taliban at Afghanistan talks table today, Delhi sending ‘non-officials’

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Currency confiscation was not objective of demonetisation: Arun Jaitley

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US "War On Terror" Has Killed About Half A Million People: Study

About half a million people have died violently in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan due to the US "war on terror" that was launched following the September 11 attacks in 2001, according to a study...

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Two years after demonetisation: Okaying note ban, RBI rejected govt claim on black money, fake notes

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Dramatic Video Shows Burning Car Moving On Gurgaon Flyover

The sight of a burning car moving on a flyover in Gurugram near Delhi on Tuesday evening has been caught on a mobile phone video and is in wide circulation on social media. The driver of the car...

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Chhattisgarh: Days before vote, Maoists target poll-duty bus, at least five killed

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London's Big Ben To Chime To Mark End Of World War 1 Centenary Year

Big Ben, one of the world's most famous bells, is to ring out on Sunday to mark the end of the centenary of World War One.

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CBI vs CBI: Alok Verma to depose before CVC today, written reply rejects Rakesh Asthana’s charges

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Breaking down the Global NCAP crash test

You can, at least in part, credit Global NCAP’s crash tests for being the genesis of the automotive safety movement in India. Released in January 2014, the results of the very first crash tests by the agency on five made-in-India and made-for-India cars made headlines nationwide and brought the topic of automotive safety to the fore. The results were a wake-up call for all stakeholders. And there has been progress since. The government that had long dragged its feet on safety, among other initiatives, introduced far superior crash test requirements; many carmakers have incorporated safety features such as airbags well before they’ve been mandated by law and buyers simply want safer cars.

Over the past month, Global NCAP has released the results of three more models , namely the Renault Lodgy and Maruti Suzuki’s Swift and Vitara Brezza. While the results have reached far and wide (God bless the internet), a look at online forums and social media chatter also suggests there’s a lot of misinformation about the crash tests. So, it’s a time as good as any to break it right down.

What is Global NCAP?
NCAP stands for New Car Assessment Program. To give a brief background, in 1978 USA became the first country to come up with a programme to provide car crashworthiness information to consumers, which eventually expanded to crash testing and reporting the results. The US-NCAP model formed the basis for similar programmes in other regions, and today there is the Australasian NCAP, Euro NCAP, Japan NCAP, ASEAN NCAP, China NCAP, Korean NCAP and Latin NCAP. Global NCAP, an independent charity registered in the UK, was formed in 2011 to enhance cooperation between the various NCAPs and primarily promote vehicle crash-testing and reporting in emerging markets. ‘Safer Cars For India’ and ‘Safer Cars For Africa’ are its key initiatives at the moment.

How does Global NCAP crash-test cars?
Every NCAP has its own protocol to crash-test and score cars, and so the results are not interchangeable. Euro NCAP, for instance, conducts full frontal, front offset, side impact and side pole tests. Global NCAP ratings, on the other hand, are based on front offset crash tests alone. A front offset crash test is designed to simulate a head-on collision between two cars. In the Global NCAP test, the car is driven at 64kph and with 40 percent overlap into a deformable barrier which is the equivalent of a crash between two cars of the same weight, both moving at 50kph.

A key point to bring in here is the difference in speed of the front offset test conducted by Global NCAP and Indian regulatory authorities. As per the Indian government’s latest safety norms (applicable to all new models since October 2017, and to all models on sale from October 2019), to be eligible for sale, a car must meet front offset and side impact crash requirements. The Indian government’s front offset test is conducted at 56kph which, though lower than the Global NCAP’s front offset crash test speed, is in line with the United Nations’ Regulation 94 for front impact protection. By extension, and this is important to note, it is possible for a car to meet latest Indian regulations and, hence be eligible for sale, and yet be rated poorly by Global NCAP. So, there is truth to a manufacturer’s press release after a poor showing in a Global NCAP test that the car in question ‘meets all regulations’. NCAP’s requirements for a good score are often superior to minimum regulatory requirements. Also, note, NCAP protocols change every couple of years to include more tests or features.

How does Global NCAP score cars?
Technically, a car cannot ‘fail’ an NCAP test, as it can a government regulation test. Each car under the NCAP, as you may be familiar, is given a rating on a 5-star scale – the higher the star rating, the safer the car. The rating itself is based on the Adult Occupant Protection and Child Occupant Protection scores resulting from the crash test. These scores are primarily derived from readings of the crash-test dummies but additional points may be awarded for the presence of certain safety features. Additionally, Global NCAP mandates a driver’s side airbag as the minimum requirement to qualify for a one star rating. This should explain why non-airbag versions of the Tata Zest and Volkswagen Polo received zero stars, while airbag-equipped versions tested later were rated 4-star cars. In time, more requirements will be introduced too. For instance, ESC could become a minimum star requirement in the tests on Indian cars in the years to come.

The 17-point Adult Occupant Protection score takes into account driver injury readings from four body regions – head and neck; chest; knee, femur and pelvis, and leg and foot. An additional point is given to cars with a seatbelt reminder, four-channel ABS and some form of side-impact protection, tested by a relevant authority.

The primary basis for the 49- point Child Occupant Protection score is readings from the 18- month-old and 3-year-old-sized dummies placed in manufacturer recommended child seats. Additional points are given for child restraint system markings, provision of three point seat belts, Isofix, etc.

How does Global NCAP select cars for test?
Mass market models have been the point of focus in the Safer Cars For India initiative. The cars to be tested are bought by the agency from a showroom. Global NCAP uses cars in base trim for the test and the idea is to establish a baseline level of safety a buyer gets even on the most affordable version of a car. Carmakers, however, are allowed and encouraged to send an improved or higher-spec car with more safety features for an additional crash test and rating too. The Tata Zest, Volkswagen Polo and Honda Mobilio have been tested twice, while the Renault Kwid has been tested four times since 2016. In the event a manufacturer is providing a test car, the model is selected straight off the assembly line by Global NCAP as per a strict internal protocol. So far, Global NCAP has conducted 29 crash tests of 23 Indian cars. (See table).

When will all cars have a crash test rating?
As things stand, not any time soon. Global NCAP, as an independent body, has limited resources to conduct crash tests on each and every car. However, the broad goal is to create awareness among buyers on safe cars that would translate into a demand for a safety rating. Just for reference, USA mandates a crash worthiness rating label on cars for sale. On the other hand, an NCAP rating is not mandatory in Europe but its absence is viewed as suspect by buyers, explaining why 80 percent of new models are sent for a Euro NCAP rating by the manufacturers themselves. A good safety rating is good for business.

The establishment of an India-specific Bharat NCAP (later expanded in scope to BNVSAP or Bharat New Vehicle Assessment Program) has been spoken of since the time of the first Global NCAP crash tests in 2014 but nothing concrete has come of it as yet. India now even has the facilities to conduct the said crash tests so hopefully it’s a matter of time before industry bodies come together to make the program come alive. A crash test rating for all cars would put an end to often unfounded arguments for or against a model’s crash worthiness and would equip buyers with objective information to buy safe. What’s encouraging for us in India is that carmakers have, of their own will, started inviting Global NCAP to test their cars. A good safety rating becomes a key product differentiator. And that can only be good news for manufacturers and buyers alike.

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Ford GT Heritage Edition: A close look

What makes the Monterey Car Week unique is that it is a celebration of the past, present and the future. On the concept car lawn at Pebble Beach, future concepts and one-offs are parked nose-to-tail, hinting at what you could be driving in the next couple of years. This is also the place manufacturers unveil new models to impress the uber-rich crowd that throngs to this pocket. The Ferrari Pista Spider, Lamborghini Aventador SVJ and Bugatti Divo, to name a few, made their debuts here.

But it is heritage that gets top billing at the Monterey, with the week culminating in Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – the most famous beauty contest for vintage and classic cars. Heritage really sells in this part of the world and the eye-watering prices cars are auctioned at, is proof enough. How does USD 48.4 million, or Rs 338 crore, sound for a Ferrari 250 GTO?!

Playing on the heritage sentiment that runs strong and deep during Monterey Car Week, Gulf and Ford joined hands to launch the ’68 Heritage Edition Ford GT at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion – a race weekend for historic racing cars at the Laguna Seca racetrack.

Painted in the famous light blue and orange Gulf Oil colours – possibly the most recognised racing livery of all time – the Heritage Edition pays homage to the Gulf-Oil sponsored Ford GT40 (chassis number 1075) that successively won the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1968 and 1969.

Hence, the production run of 50 cars each is for the 2019 and 2020 model years, respectively, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic LeMans win.

Unveiled alongside the original LeMans-winning GT40 (and the first-generation GT), the 2019 model will wear the 1968 race-winning car’s number 9, whilst the 2020 model year GT will sport the number 6, which is the number of the 1969 winner. What’s a cool touch is that instead of the number being painted on, they are unpainted cut-outs like a stencil, done so to expose the carbon-fibre skin. The A-pillars are also exposed carbon fibre, whilst other bespoke parts on the Heritage Edition include 20-inch forged aluminium wheels, silver covers for the rear-view mirrors and brake callipers painted the same bright orange shade of the Gulf colours.

The cabin design is unchanged but the cabin is swathed in Alcantara and the seats, keeping with the Gulf livery, get blue and orange stitching.

There are no mechanical changes and the Heritage Edition is powered by the same 656hp, 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6.

Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s executive vice president and president, global operations, believes the Heritage Edition GT plays a significant role in honouring the brand’s heritage. “This car brings us back to the heritage of our company. Racing has always been in the DNA of Ford Motor Company and it’s well known that Henry Ford founded the company because he wanted to race in 1903. And when you look at these cars you can see the history. In 1968-69, the Gulf version of the Ford GT40 won the Le Mans two years in a row and here we are 50 years later showing it off again with the new GT.”

Ford and Gulf made the most of the Monterey Car Week with the Heritage Edition, which made an appearance in the supercar parade on Cannery Row (see page 158) and at Pebble Beach.

There could be no better place to find customers for a car costing upwards of US$550,00 a pop.

Q&A RAVI CHAWLA, MANAGING DIRECTOR, GULF OIL LUBRICANTS INDIA LTD.

On Gulf’s association with Ford.

It is indeed a milestone for us. We have seen the Gulf colours on the Ford GT40; which is now going to be a road car. We are delighted to partner with Ford to help the Gulf-themed Heritage Edition Ford GT become reality. So this is another first for Gulf, and a pioneering effort to see this car rolling out.

On Gulf’s history with motorsport internationally, extending to the Indian market.

Motorsport has been a niche area for us in India. Although the commonality between our target audience and the motorsport audience is indeed a very good fit, India has witnessed a few hiccups in development of motorsport around the time that F1 came to the country. However, I see a lot of potential in how motorsport can help us build our brand.

On the importance of the livery and the iconic Gulf colours.

Globally, motorsport has been part of our brand legacy for decades. We were one of the first companies to trademark our colours in motorsport. The blue and orange is trademarked, and that is our legacy. The livery is well-regarded, not only amongst motorsport enthusiasts, but also among people looking at premium brands like Tag Heuer which have a tie-up with us.

On the current position in the Indian market and the way forward.

In the last 10 years, we have improved our position from around seventh to third in overall brand and amongst private companies, we are a close second after Castrol. Our company has grown three times than the industry growth rate. We have good market share in the motorcycle segment, in diesel engine oils and also active partnerships with many automakers such as Ashok Leyland, Daimler, Mahindra and Bajaj. We see our position growing even further with some of our offerings like long drain products and diesel engine oils.

On strengthening association with automakers.

There are various programmes that we’d like to run with automakers such as adopting a techno-commercial sort of approach. Our association with Ford GT ’68 Heritage Edition is one of the stepping stones towards that and our endeavour is to partner with all the leading automakers.

On the outlook for lubricant business amidst increase in electrification.

Globally, there is a trend towards electrification, but in India, we don’t see the lubricant demand contracting for the next 10-15 years. However, there will certainly be a changeover so we would have to develop products that also cater to EVs. Demand for engine oil would come down and other products will gain relevance but demand for products such as coolants will grow. So we need to look at how we can be a part of that and also intensify other businesses. For instance, we had commenced a pilot two-wheeler battery business and are now looking to grow it aggressively.

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New Mercedes-Benz GLS to debut at Los Angeles Auto show 2018

Mercedes-Benz will be expanding its luxury Maybach line with a plush range-topping version of its soon-to-be-revealed GLS. The third-generation of Mercedes' largest SUV is set to make its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2018.

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS is marked out by its unique vertical grille slats; chrome exterior detailing, distinct badging and unique wheels are also expected. The biggest changes will be to the interior, however, where the Maybach is likely to ditch a seven-seat layout for five or even six captain's chairs, for a roomier and more luxurious layout.

Maybach is considered an important brand for Mercedes to develop given the rising demand for luxury models, particularly in the SUV sector, with rivals such as Bentley and Land Rover having notable success with the Bentayga and Range Rover, respectively.

Mercedes has also seen strong growth of its AMG performance arm, which achieved 1,31,970 unit sales globally in 2017, and it would like to emulate this success with Maybach on a smaller, but still profitable scale.

The model will build on initiatives taken with the two-year-old Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. It will share the same basic aluminium-and-steel bodyshell and advanced four-wheel-drive underpinnings as the regular GLS. However, its upmarket positioning will be justified by a series of subtle exterior design tweaks and a significantly more luxurious interior.

The GLS sits on the latest Modular High Architecture (MHA) platform shared with the smaller GLE, extended to give it a similar footprint to the new BMW X7. It provides a significant reduction in kerb weight over the old GLS, the capability to support a 48V electrical architecture and the very latest in radar, camera and sensor-supported driving functions.

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS, which could be called the GLS 560, is likely to be offered exclusively with the AMG-developed M177 V8 petrol engine. In the recently launched S560, this twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 produces around 468hp.

The new engine, which features a cylinder shutdown function for added fuel savings in city driving, will replace the twin-turbocharged 4.7-litre V8 used by today’s Mercedes-Benz GLS 500.

Also under discussion for the Mercedes-Maybach SUV is the plug-in petrol-electric drivetrain recently unveiled in the Mercedes-Benz S560e. It combines Mercedes’ new turbocharged and electronically supercharged 367hp, 3.0-litre, in-line six-cylinder petrol engine with a 122.6hp electric motor and a lithium ion battery. It's said to offer a pure-electric range of up to 50km.

As well as providing competition to the Bentayga, the luxury GLS has also been conceived as a rival to the likes of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Range Rover SVAutobiography.

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Hyundai Creta Diamond concept revealed

Hyundai has taken the wraps off the Creta Diamond concept at the ongoing Sao Paulo motor show 2018 in Brazil. The company had teased this SUV a few days ago. The Hyundai Creta Diamond concept has been prepared by the Hyundai Brazil team and is based on the top-spec Hyundai Creta Prestige variant sold in the South American market.

The Hyundai Creta Diamond concept features a unique "Deep Dive blue" exterior paint shade, a panoramic sunroof, special microfiber seats finished in ivory and caramel colours and other unique interior trim bits and badging. The Creta Diamond concept's dashboard features a dual tone layout with white shade at the bottom including the steering wheel and gear knob. The model also features larger 19-inch alloy wheels with 245/45R19 tyres.

The Hyundai Creta Diamond concept gets a 7-inch touchscreen system with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android auto. As part of the upgrade, it features a JBL sound system with three amplifiers and six speakers and a 750Watt sub-woofer. It also features dual 10-inch screens for the second row passengers.

The Hyundai Creta Diamond concept is powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine good for 156hp mated to a six-speed automatic.

While the model showcased could make it into production for the South American market, there is no news on the Hyundai Creta Diamond concept making it to our shores.

Should Hyundai bring a similar top-spec Creta variant to India? Let us know in the comments section.

Source

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Indian Railways Introduces New Special Trains. Check Routes, Timings Here

Earlier this month, Western Railway also announced the commencement of new special trains till the end the of this year.

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Petrol Prices Below Rs 80-Mark In New Delhi, Kolkata. Check Rates Here

State-run oil marketing companies Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum revise fuel prices with effect from 6 am on a daily basis.

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October Inflation May Hit 12-Month Low, Below Reserve Bank Target: Poll

If the data meets forecasts, October will mark the third straight month retail inflation has been below the RBI's medium-term target of 4 per cent.

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Rupee At 72-Levels Amid Easing Crude Oil Prices: 10 Points

The rupee extended its gains by 35 paise to trade at 72.65 against the US dollar in early trade on Friday, reported news agency Press Trust of India (PTI). Softening crude oil prices and the results...

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Sensex Recoups Early Losses, Nifty Hits 10,600

The Nifty Pharma index advanced 1.33 per cent. IT stocks, were however, under pressure as the rupee gained 35 paise to 72.65 against the US dollar in early trade.

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Crude Oil Prices Slump 20% From October Highs, Enter Bear Market

The main downward price pressure came from rising supply, despite the US sanctions against Iran that were imposed this week, as well as concerns over an economic slowdown, say analysts.

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US Federal Reserve Keeps Interest Rates Unchanged

"The labour market has continued to strengthen and ... economic activity has been rising at a strong rate," the US central bank said, leaving intact its plans to continue raising rates at a gradual...

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How To Avail 250 Rupee Discount On Ola Ride Through BHIM SBI Pay

In order to avail the discount, the user is required to book a trip with ride-hailing company Ola and make the payment using UPI- or Unified Payments Interface-based payments system BHIM SBI Pay. The...

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Interest Rates Offered By Banks On Fixed Deposits Below Rs 1 Crore

Lenders also pay slightly higher interest rates on fixed deposits to senior citizens, compared to those applicable to the general public.

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How To Check Your Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) Balance

So basically, both the employee and the employer make equal contributions towards the EPF kitty. The employee as well as the employer contributes 12% each towards the EPF.

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GoAir, Jet Airways Announce Discounts On Flight Tickets. Details Here

GoAir, Jet Airways are offering a host of discount offers on domestic and international flight tickets.

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When Public Provident Fund (PPF) Works Like Fixed Deposit (FD)

While the maturity period of a PPF account is 15 years, it can be extended for another five years. You may choose to extend it for another five years if you do not have an immediate fund requirement.

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Mastercard, Visa Losing Out To RuPay, UPI In India: Arun Jaitley

Arun Jaitley said RuPay's total transactions had leapt to Rs 8,430 crore ($1.16 billion) as of September, from Rs 1,100 crore before demonetisation.

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State Bank Of India Accounts That You Can Operate With Nil Balance

SBI minimum balance rules - applicable to regular savings accounts - were last updated in April this year. SBI provides some types of accounts that are free from the minimum balance (monthly average...

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How To Get Free Train Tickets Using IRCTC SBI Platinum Card

IRCTC SBI Platinum Card offers 350 reward points, 1.8% transaction charges waiver, free personal accident insurance protection, among other benefits.

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Thursday, November 8, 2018

Man Jumps To Death At Hyderabad Metro Station

An unidentified man committed suicide by jumping from a Metro station in Hyderabad on Thursday, the police said.

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If Allahabad Can Be Renamed, Why Not Aurangabad, Asks Ally Shiv Sena

The ruling BJP's oldest ally Shiv Sena has stepped up pressure on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to rename two cities, Aurangabad and Osmanabad, after the name-change of Allahabad and...

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Over 600 Kg Illegal Crackers Seized In Delhi On Diwali, 31 Arrested

The Supreme Court had on October 23 said in its guidelines that only firecrackers with reduced emission (improved crackers) and green crackers and Safe Water and Air Sprinklers (SWAS) would be made...

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India, Others Exempted From Iran Sanctions After They Sought "Help": US

US President Donald Trump said he gave temporary exemptions to India and seven other major importers of Iranian oil as they sought US' "help" and he did not want to drive oil prices "up to USD 100 a...

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'New Gandhi's' Peace Walk From New Delhi To Geneva, Next Year

An Indian activist said on Wednesday that he expects thousands of people to join his "March for Justice and Peace", a 9,500-kilometre hike from New Delhi to Geneva next year. Rajagopal PV told...

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Cash-strapped Pakistan’s Hockey World Cup participation in doubt

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Multiple injuries at shooting in California bar

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Saudi Arabia Rule Change May Bar Israeli Pilgrims From Mecca Visit

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'New Gandhi's' Peace Walk From New Delhi To Geneva, Next Year

Robyn Denholm To Succeed Elon Musk As Tesla Chairperson

Robyn Denholm will leave her role as CFO and head of strategy of Telstra once her six-month notice period with the company is complete, Tesla said late on Wednesday.

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5 Killed As Maoists Blow Up Bus In Chhattisgarh's Dantewada

At least five people, including two security personnel, were killed after Maoists triggered an explosion in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district today, just four days before the insurgency-hit area is...

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Dead brothel owner Pimp Dennis Hof wins Nevada legislative race

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Looking At All Legal Angles To Change Ahmedabad's Name, Says Vijay Rupani

Historically, the area around Ahmedabad has been inhabited since the 11th century, when it was known as Ashaval.

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FIFA’s 2022 World Cup expansion at risk from 28-day limit

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WATCH: Jose Mourinho taunts crowd as Manchester United beat Juventus 2-1

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Champions League: Raheem Sterling apologises to referee over comedy penalty

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Pakistan vs New Zealand: Ross Taylor throwing gesture at Mohammad Hafeez ‘disgraceful’, says Sarfraz Ahmed

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FIFA warns of World Cup ban for players in breakaway league

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Kerala shuttler suspended for two years over social media post

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Australia leave Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon out of T20 squad against India

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Champions League Roundup: Manchester rivals get big wins, Real Madrid rout Viktoria Plzen

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Trent Boult’s hat trick earns New Zealand 47-run win against Pakistan

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Sri Lanka vs England 1st Test, Day 3 Live Cricket Score, SL vs Eng Live Score Streaming: England are 111/3 at Lunch

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India vs West Indies: Bowling depth gives India an edge

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Virat Kohli wants India’s pacers to skip IPL, rest for World Cup

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Fan calls him ‘overrated’, Virat Kohli says ‘don’t think you should live in India’

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Sri Lanka vs England 1st Test, 2nd Day: England on top as Ben Foakes’ dream debut continues

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Corruption probe launched into Russian biathlon doping

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Kidambi Srikanth enters pre-quarterfinals of China Open

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Cricket Australia boss Kevin Roberts says board considering lifting player bans

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Vietnam to host Formula One race from 2020

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‘See ball, hit ball’, New Zealand duo belt 43 runs off single over

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Don’t live in India if you love batsmen from other countries: Virat Kohli responds to fan

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Triple H reveals extent of brutal injury suffered at WWE Crown Jewel, see pics

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Champions League is already a Super League, says Ernesto Valverde after San Siro thriller

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic hopeful of return to LA Galaxy in 2019

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I did not tinker with my technique during County stint: Murali Vijay

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"...Just For Asking A Question": CNN Reporter, Punished By White House

The White House suspended the press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta on Wednesday, hours after Acosta tangled with President Donald Trump during a televised news conference.

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Indian And Chinese Army Jointly Celebrate Diwali In Arunachal Pradesh

The Indian Army and the China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Wednesday held ceremonial border personnel meeting to commemorate joint celebrations of Diwali organised by the Indian Army at Bum-La,...

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Chinese Workers Made To Drink Urine For Failing To Finish Tasks: Report

Workers at a Chinese home renovation company who failed to complete their tasks had to drink urine, eat cockroaches or get whipped by a belt. Others had to shave their heads or drink water from a...

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Notes Ban Self Inflicted Wound, Its Reason Still Mystery: Arvind Kejriwal

On the second anniversary of demonetisation, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday questioned the rationale behind the Modi government's note ban move and...

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Gujarat Court Declares Nirav Modi "Proclaimed Absconder" In Customs Case

A Gujarat court today declared fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi as a "proclaimed absconder" in a customs duty evasion case, filed in March and ordered him to appear in person on November 15. A public...

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Telangana Cop Shoots Self Over Domestic Problems: Police

A police constable in Telangana's Khammam district today committed suicide by shooting himself, the police said. The incident occurred early in the day at the 15th battalion of Telangana State Special...

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Arun Jaitley Defends Demonetisation As Opposition Steps Up Attack

On second anniversary of demonetisation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says aim not to confiscate cash but to get it into formal economy even as the opposition is leaving no stone unturned to keep the...

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"Scars Only Getting More Visible With Time": Manmohan Singh On Notes Ban

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh today shared his scathing assessment of demonetisation as intense political sparring between the government and the opposition marked the second anniversary of the...

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On Second Anniversary, Mamata Banerjee Calls Demonetisation A "Disaster"

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that demonetisation was a "disaster"for the country on its second anniversary.

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Cave Paintings From 40,000 Years Ago Are World's Earliest Figurative Art

A painting of an animal in an Indonesian cave dates from at least 40,000 years ago, making it the world's oldest piece of figurative art, new research has shown.

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In Birthday Wish For LK Advani, PM Modi Praises His Contribution

LK Advani Birthday: PM Modi, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Rajyavardhan Rathore and other leaders extend wishes.

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On Notes Ban Anniversary, Arun Jaitley Says Confiscating Cash Wasn't Aim

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley posted a strong defence of demonetisation today as opposition parties seized the second anniversary of the move to rip into the government and even demand an apology from...

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North Korea Asked US To Cancel Top-Level Talks: Report

North Korea asked the United States to delay planned high-level talks in New York this week, Seoul's top diplomat said on Thursday, a day after Washington abruptly announced the meeting's...

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At Least 50 Injured During Diwali Celebrations In Hyderabad

Firecrackers left at least 50 people injured during Diwali celebrations in Hyderabad and outskirts, an official said on Thursday.

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Fire Breaks Out At Delhi Factory, Over 200 Fire-Related Calls On Diwali

A massive fire at a factory in New Delhi's Bawana area, was among the over 200 fire-related incidents reported to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) on Diwali, officials said.

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Buddha And Bronzer: The Japanese Monk Who Loves Make-Up

As make-up artist Kodo Nishimura sashays into a room in Tokyo balanced on pin-thin heels, he could hardly look less like a practising Buddhist monk.

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Pollution Dips In Tamil Nadu Day After Diwali; Over 1,000 Cases Filed

Air pollution levels dipped across Tamil Nadu on Diwali, the state pollution control board said Wednesday, a day after the festival was celebrated in the state for the first time after the Supreme...

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Govardhan Puja: A Day Dedicated To Lord Krishna. Know Its Significance

On Govardhan Puja, devotees offer a mountain of food, metaphorically representing the Govardhan Hill, to Lord Krishna as a ritual remembrance and to renew their faith in taking refuge in God.

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Brothel-Owning Republican Who Died Last Month Wins Elections In US

A brothel-owning, evangelical Christian-backed Republican candidate who died last month won his race for the Nevada state legislature late on Tuesday, according to state election officials. Dennis...

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6 Ryanair Crew Members Fired Over Photo Of Them Sleeping On Airport Floor

Ryanair said on Wednesday it had fired six cabin crew who took a photograph of themselves simulating having to sleep on the floor in Spain's Malaga airport as part of a protest over conditions. The...

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Maharashtra likely to clear residential activity on Bandra Kurla Complex commercial plots

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Mumbai: Haji Ali coastal buffer increased, worried residents move court

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In Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon, BJP & Congress have a common icon: Atal Bihari Vajpayee

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High risk of ‘bird hit’ at site for Navi Mumbai airport, warns study

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Virat Kohli wants India’s pacers to skip IPL, rest for World Cup

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Ram temple was there, is there, will always be there: Yogi Adityanath

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PM Modi celebrates Diwali with Army, ITBP jawans in Harsil; offers prayers at Kedarnath

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Review: 2018 Jaguar F-Type P300 review, test drive

Jaguar describes the F-Type P300 as “the feisty young brother”. Well, that could be quite arguable; yes, it’s still the F-Type and it does put out a decent 296hp but it’s still just a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-charged engine. Compare that to its 543hp super-charged V8 sibling. Feisty? There was only one way to find out. We have the coupé version (there’s also a convertible) and I head out with it at the break of dawn to Aamby Valley. The thing about driving here from Mumbai is that the route offers a great mix of rough and smooth roads with moderate traffic that thins out progressively and ends up in a delightfully fast and twisty section.

Considering the fact that I had already driven the 543hp super-charged V8 model, I wasn’t very excited with the thought of the all-new 2.0-litre engine putting out just 296hp. But as traffic thinned, these thoughts soon proved to be misgivings. At every open stretch I put my foot down and the motor responded quickly, along with the 8-speed gearbox that kicks down a couple of gears and provides pretty decent grunt.

This motor belongs to the Ingenium family and also powers other JLR cars like the XE, XF, Evoque, Discovery Sport and the Velar. The only difference, though, is that in the P300 it makes a bit more power, at 296hp, and 400Nm of torque. These figures are comparable to its rival from Porsche’s stable – the Porsche 718 makes the same power and has only 20Nm less torque. These figures don’t really sound impressive for a sportscar; but in reality, they aren’t bad and are adequate enough to provide a decent adrenaline rush. Jaguar claims it will do a sprint to 100kph in 5.7sec and in our test conditions it managed a run of 6.1sec with the help of dynamic launch control. Thanks to its quick 8-speed gearbox, the in-gear times were fairly brisk, too. It timed 20-80kph in 4.14sec and 40-100kph in 4.64sec.

Gets smaller 19-inch alloys. Pirelli tyres offer good grip.

The later hours of the morning in Lonavala saw some traffic and the motor proved to be very easy to modulate and quite tractable, with power coming in nice and low at 1,500rpm. The steering, though, is a bit heavy at these slow speeds but the weight does disappear as you climb higher. The engine loves to be revved. Keep the throttle pinned and it will gradually ease into its 6,400rpm rev-limiter rather than hit it like a wall. On the fast bits there was ample opportunity to do this and the little Jag provides plenty of thrills. It definitely doesn’t feel outright fast or anywhere close to what the V8 motor is but it’s brisk enough.

As for the ride, a broken, monsoon-ravaged section of road showed another positive side of the F-Type. Unlike most sportscars, the Jag didn’t crash and rattle over the exposed surface, and handled them quite nicely. As soon as I reached the twisty bits and the roads smoothened out, I switched driving mode to Dynamic, turned off ESP and slotted the gear lever into S – party time!

Though it still felt like a typical front-engine rear-wheel drive (which characteristically displays understeer) this cat can put its tail out. Take a wider line carrying just about enough momentum and flick the flat-bottomed steering before booting the throttle fully – and voila, it rewards you with a neat
and tidy oversteer.

Coming to the styling, as before, the F-Type integrates classic and modern design cues superbly and the P300 carries on with the changes from the 2018 F-Type SVR launched just a month back. The most obvious change on the exterior is the Lamborghini-like centre-mounted exhaust, which looks really neat. The 19-inch alloys get a fresh design too, while other updates include redesigned bumpers and new LED headlamps and tail-lamps. The huge spoiler that deploys automatically once you cross 120kph is quite neat; you can also manually deploy it via a button and though you won’t really feel its effect in most driving instances, it’s worth it for sheer visual drama alone.

Plonking-in a smaller engine hasn’t really taken away the F-Type’s soul. Sure, it’s not a hooligan like its V8 sibling is but what the P300 offers is the versatility of everyday use and good fuel efficiency (for a sportscar) while still managing to bring a smile to your face. Plus, the biggest benefit of offering a smaller capacity version is that the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine now attracts much lower taxes – which makes this F-Type way more affordable. While the top-spec F-Type SVR costs Rs 2.65 crores, this one costs just Rs 93 lakhs. Pocket-friendly rocket? You bet!

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2012 Lotus-Renault F1 race car drive experience

What is the pinnacle of motorsport? It’s a thorny and passionate subject motorsport fans burst blood vessels debating over. For me, the simple fact that Formula 1 cars hold every lap record on any circuit they have raced on settles the argument once and for all. Sure, WRC is more spectacular, there’s more wheel-to-wheel racing in IndyCar racing and nothing comes close to the split-second photo finishes in Moto GP. An F1 race may seem boring in comparison, but for ultimate speed, the ability to shrink time on a given track, there’s nothing on the planet that beats an F1 car. And speed is what motorsport is all about, isn’t it? It’s the reason why F1 attracts, by far, the best drivers in the world and the cleverest engineers to build their cars. At this topmost echelon of the sport, everything happens on a stratospheric scale. It starts with eye-watering budgets that pay for top talent all around, which includes the development of racing cars built with NASA levels of technology. So it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Formula 1 is the closest you’ll get to space without leaving Earth.

To first comprehend what that really means and then tell you what it’s really like to drive a genuine, full-blown Formula 1 car, I’m at the Paul Ricard circuit in the south of France waiting to be strapped into one. It was here that only two months earlier, Lewis Hamilton won the 2018 French Grand Prix and today, with the eerily empty grandstands in front of me (thank God!), I’m being given a chance to play F1 driver for an afternoon.

It was with a sense of déjà vu that I wiggled my distinctly non-F1 frame into the tight confines of the carbon-fibre tub and, with knees pinned together, stretched my legs into the narrow nose to probe the pedals. This was an environment I am very fortunate to have experienced twice before.

The first time was in 2001 when I drove an old but still very potent Larrousse LH94, and then later in 2008, at Magny-Cours, the experience went to another level with the more pedigreed Benetton B198 and Williams FW21 which raced in the 1998 and 1999 F1 Championship, respectively. Indeed, 10 years is a long gap but the memory of piloting a Formula 1 car is so vivid that it seems like yesterday. Also, with each stint comes a better state of preparedness. The first time around, I had absolutely no idea what to expect from a 700hp projectile that weighed less than a Nano. And today, I’ve fast-forwarded nearly 20 years to something pretty contemporary.

It’s the Lotus-Renault E20 that Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean raced in the 2012 Formula 1 season, notching up 303 points along the way, including a win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It’s nice to know the car I’m driving was actually capable of winning races, but it’s not nice to know that if I actually raced in this car, I would probably have been lapped within the first four laps! This Renault-powered 750hp, 2.4-litre V8 is also the last of an era of high-revving naturally aspirated engines now lost to the current breed of dull-sounding turbo-hybrids.

PREP TALK

What’s not lost is the shattering performance. This is why the Renault crew wasn’t going to let me loose with their fingers crossed just yet – not in something that’s capable of blasting to 100kph in 2.5sec and hitting a top speed of 260kph on one of the two straights at Paul Ricard. A better part of the day went in theory lessons, sitting passenger in a minivan to learn the track, and building up confidence in a Formula 4 car before experiencing the Full Monty.

But first things first, I go through the ritual of donning the race gear that’s essential when you drive any single-seater. I pick XL-sized overalls but choose boots which are one size small. It’s a good way to shrink your feet so you can easily slip them into the tiny pedal box. It’s a hot July day and the three layers of fire-retardant overalls are slowly beginning to feel like a pizza oven. Staying properly hydrated is the key and I’ve lost track of how many bottles of mineral water I gulped down throughout the day.

Paul Ricard is a pretty fast circuit but with huge run-off areas, which makes it pretty safe for novice drivers. It’s also the base of the Winfield Racing School which runs the F1 Driving Experience programme for Renault Sport. To keep a better grip on the tightly packed schedule, Winfield used the shorter 3.8km loop of the main 5.8km Grand Prix circuit. It’s not a difficult circuit to learn and a few laps in the minivan alongside one of the instructors and a drivers’ briefing gave me a fair idea of the ideal lines and braking points.

STEPPING UP

The morning session was dedicated to driving the Formula 4 single-seater in 20-minute sessions, interspersed with various interesting activities to test one’s reflexes and hand-eye coordination. Before we jumped into the F4 car we did a few mild exercises to loosen up and were then let loose on the track in groups of three.

The first session was behind a pace car which went gradually faster, and this, for me, was the perfect way to acclimatise to a single-seater after a week of only driving a car that’s nothing like this one – our long-term Tata Hexa. The first few laps were spent memorising the circuit, which looks quite different when you’re sitting just a few inches above it.

The Formula 4 racer had only a 180hp engine but, weighing a scant 400kg, it felt really quick. It had all the sensations of a racing car – terrific grip, brilliant brakes, super-responsive steering and supercar-busting acceleration. The next two sessions were without a pace car and, by now, I could push as hard as I dared. It’s the sheer grip and the braking that is the most astonishing part about a single-seater, and even in this lesser Formula car, the g-forces were so intense that it was hard to hold my neck up through the corners. Pressed against the sides of the cockpit, my arms were so badly bruised that the welts (which I proudly flaunted) took a week to fade.

By the time we got to our third session, my confidence had built up, maybe a bit too much. I put the power down a tad early exiting the second chicane (a tricky, off-camber left-hander) and the F4 snapped into a 180-degree spin. Then came the humiliation when the telemetry from my three sessions was analysed. Compared to the traces of a pro driver, I was embarrassingly off the pace, especially in the faster corners and under hard braking. Well, at least I was better prepared for the different world that was waiting out there.

On an average, it takes an F4 driver another 4-5 years of racing to make it (if at all) into F1. I’m doing the journey in 4-5 hours! Did someone mutter something about a steep learning curve? Well, I feel it’s more of a cliff that I’m about to leap off.

After the F4, the F1 car looks huge, but the cockpit certainly isn’t. You need the agility of an Olympic athlete to even get in and out. Messrs Lewis Hamilton and Sebastien Vettel make it look easy when they leap out of their cars, but believe me, with a 36-inch waist, it really isn’t. It’s hot and claustrophobic in the tight cockpit, which feels like it’s been shrink-wrapped around me. You sit really low, in an almost sleeping position, with your legs raised and knees pressed against the bulkhead. There’s just about enough room for your feet to operate the brake and accelerator; there’s no place for a clutch, and it is now a lever that’s located on the steering wheel. You can only left-foot brake ◊ ∆ and when you do, you need all your weight and then some. I am told I have to stomp the pedal with a pressure of over a 100kg to get the carbon brakes to work effectively.

The steering wheel is uncomfortably close to me so my arms are seriously bent; this makes it hard to turn the steering more than half a lock. I am told that’s all I’ll need on this fast and open circuit which has no really tight bends. I am also instructed not to touch any of the myriad buttons the steering wheel is festooned with, except Neutral which I am asked to press when I come back to the pit lane. To make it even more uncomfortable, the pit crew gives my harness straps one last tug, which takes the wind out
of me.

FAST TENSE

The external starter is shoved into the Renault V8 from behind and it bursts into life. Even at a 6,000rpm idle, the sound of the V8 just inches behind my ears is exhilarating and I can feel my heart beating against the six-point harness. After getting the all-clear signal from the pit crew, I pull the right paddle to engage first gear and slowly release the hand-operated clutch on the steering wheel. This is it. I am driving a Formula 1 car!

I go around the first few corners gingerly, feeling my way around the track in this rocket on wheels, and it’s only when I reach the back straight that I get the confidence to nail the throttle pedal. The acceleration is so violent it feels like I’ve been strapped onto a Brahmos missile, and it’s hard for my brain to process how fast I’m going.

The brutal way this Renault-powered car rockets forward makes it difficult for me to hold my head straight. My helmet is buffeted by the wind, which blurs my vision and the way the tarmac streaks past under me, it looks like it’s been sped up to 4X.

The high-pitched shriek of the engine at 17,000rpm is spine-tingling and there’s no let up in speed in any gear. Third, fourth, fifth, sixth, each gearshift produces a neck-snapping lurch and within a flash, I’m touching 260kph. The car could have gone faster still, beyond 300kph, but Renault has removed the 7th gear to limit speed as a precaution. The Renault motor is ultra-responsive and flies to its dizzy redline so fast that you’re constantly pulling the right paddle on full throttle. My eyes are locked onto the road because everything is happening so fast that it’s hard to even see the shift lights at the top of the steering wheel. I prefer the audible beep you hear through your earplugs (which also double as tiny speakers), to tell you precisely when to shift up.

Straight-line acceleration, ferocious as it is, was the only bit about the F1 car I could exploit and enjoy. Impossible to fathom is the cornering and braking abilities of an F1 car, of which I just about scratched the surface. The power steering is surprisingly light for such a powerful car but make no mistake, it’s sabre-sharp and accurate. It responds best to small and precise inputs and will reward the committed driver. In my case, the truth is that I simply wasn’t going fast enough to get the aero and tyres working. To drive an F1 car properly, you need to have implicit trust in the car because the only way to generate serious downforce is to go even faster. It’s hugely counter-intuitive and my instincts for self-preservation kept getting me to lift my right leg when actually I should have kept it pinned down. Forget the aero, I didn’t even come close to the limits of the hard compound tyres, which I don’t think I got up to operating temperature. But even in my tooling around Paul Ricard, which a Grand Prix driver would at best call a Sunday Drive, the lateral forces were quite immense and it felt like an elephant sitting on the side of my helmet. And then you have the brakes in a Formula 1 car, which don’t work optimally until they get very hot. ‘Optimally’ is a very relative term here, because though the brakes had no feel – with a pedal that felt like you were pressing a concrete brick – they are mind-bogglingly effective. Like most newbies, I end up braking far too early because when your brain is telling you to lift off, you can stay on the throttle for a couple of more seconds. Later, looking at the telemetry, my brake pedal pressure was only 60 percent of what it should have been.

It was all over and back to the pits sooner than I could shout ‘Formula 1’, but those handful of laps felt like the drive lasted a lifetime. The only problem is, every car I drive from now on will seem miserably slow!

The Fastest Taxi Ride

To show me how it’s really done, Stephane Richelmi an LMP2 race driver took me for a taxi ride in a specially adapted two-seater Renault F1 car. The experience was both terrifying and deeply humiliating. Firstly, I’m stuffed into a hole, which is the passenger seat, legs either side of Richelmi, with nothing to really hold on to. There’s no steering wheel obviously, but there’s not even a bar or a strap form to grip firmly tight, Sitting directly behind the driver, I can barely see ahead of me, which is probably a good thing.

From the moment he accelerated out of the pit lane, I wondered if this guy is from a different planet. Approaching the first corner, a tight-hander, I was hard on the brakes, which in my case was Richelmi’s left thigh, while he continued accelerating hard for an extra two seconds. And when he did brake, I thought my eyeballs would hit my visor. My brain just could not process how late you can brake in an F1 car and how devastatingly effective it is at shedding speed.

Through the corners, you can really feel the g-forces and I mean really. When I was driving the Lotus-Renault, I could just about hold my head straight through the corners, but with Richelmi, it was almost impossible. My helmet was bobbing all over the place, buffeted by the wind and intense accelerative forces.

The most white-knuckled bit of the ride was the way Richelmi took Signes, the ultra-fast, right-hand sweeper at the end of the straight, completely flat. There was not even a hint of a lift off, no hesitation, the car wasn’t even on the edge. And to think I hit the brakes each time before Signes! Yes, these guys are from another planet.

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Tata Harrier to get 8.8-inch infotainment system

Tata Motors recently unveiled the production-spec Harrier SUV ahead of its market launch which is slated for early next year. While there is much known about the model's engine, gearbox and other bits, we bring you some exclusive details about the model's infotainment system.

First up, the Tata Harrier will come with a widescreen 8.8-inch infotainment screen which was already previewed by us earlier this year in this story. Now, according to sources, we can confirm that the Harrier's infotainment system will be sourced from Visteon.

For those who don't know, Visteon is a popular automotive component supplier that specialises in infotainment systems, multi-info displays and digital instrument clusters. The company already supplies infotainment screens to various cars and SUVs sold internationally, like the Mazda CX-9 SUV and the Ford's super-duty trucks. Additionally, Tata Motors- owned JLR also uses Visteon's digital instrument cluster in the stylish Range Rover Velar SUV.

The Tata Harrier's infotainment screen will feature MirrorLink, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and functions like satellite navigation and reverse camera display. Sources also tell us that one of the prime reasons for the switch from a Harman-supplied infotainment to a Visteon system is due to smoother operating and faster interface. However, the big news is that audio duties on the Harrier will be carried out by Harman, which means the SUV will come with premium sounding speakers like that seen on newer Tata models like the Tiago, Nexon and the Tigor.

Additionally, top-trims will come with a sub-woofer setup too, just like the one seen on the Tata Hexa.

The Harrier will come with a 2.0-litre diesel engine good for 140hp, mated to a single six-speed manual gearbox. Bookings for the Harrier are currently underway, and, as reported by us earlier, the SUV is likely to be priced in the range of Rs 16-21 lakh (on-road).

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