Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awards Kia with eight TSP+ and TSP awards when equipped with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights…reports Asian Lite News
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has recognized eight Kia vehicles on its 2022 TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards list. The Kia Telluride, Sorento, Seltos, Carnival built after March 2021 (with specific headlights), Sportage and Soul (with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights) all received TSP awards. Kia K5 and Stinger qualified as TSP+ winners.
Yaser Shabsogh, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East and Africa, Kia Corporation commented: “As Kia makes tremendous strides towards innovation with our line-up of vehicles, passenger safety remains our upmost priority. These eight TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards from IIHS are a testament to our commitment on delivering the highest standard of safety and quality for our customers.”
The IIHS judging process recognizes TSP winners that earn ‘Good’ ratings in six crashworthiness tests: driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength, and head restraint. In addition, TSP winners earn ‘Advanced’ or ‘Superior’ ratings for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention tests. The vehicle must also have at least one available headlight system that earns a ‘Good’ or ‘Acceptable’ rating. For the TSP+ designation, the ‘Good’ or ‘Acceptable’ headlight system must be standard equipment.
The RS3 was showcased at the Flat 12 Café in Dubai along with other Audi Sport models…reports Asian Lite News
Audi Middle East, along with its partner in Dubai and the Norther Emirates, Al Nabooda Automobiles, showcased their latest premium sports car, the all-new Audi RS3 exclusively in Dubai, two months ahead of its official market introduction. The legendary five-cylinder was on display at popular cars and coffee stop, Flat 12 Café, in an experience open to the all-automotive enthusiasts.
Audi RS3 at Flat 12
From 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, up to 290 km/h top speed, with RS torque splitter, semi slicks and specific RS driving modes, the new Audi RS3 offers driving dynamics of the highest calibre and the best numbers in its segment. Equipped with a 294 kW (400 HP) five-cylinder, the high-performance engine delivers rapid acceleration with an intoxicating sound. The power unit now delivers 500 Nm of torque and responds even faster than previous models. Visually, the RS3 demonstrates its sporty DNA with a widened body, RS sports exhaust system, and cockpit displays comparable to those found in race cars.
The RS3’s appearance in Dubai strategically coincided with the dominating Audi Sport win at the Hankook 24h Dubai race, which took place at the Dubai Autodrome track over the weekend. Fans and enthusiasts alike were treated to a week-long Audi Sport showcase with the RS3 as the centre-piece for all to enjoy.
Audi Sport Line Up
“Progress has taken on a new shape with the Audi RS3 here in Dubai. The RS3 delivers exceptional performance in its segment, equipped with a five-cylinder engine and RS-specific interior and exterior design details, offering customers an exciting entry point into the Audi Sport lineup.
This is a car for the enthusiasts and we are lucky to have showcased it in a region where car culture is at an all-time high, “said Elmir Arnautovic, Marketing Director at Audi Middle East.
The all-new RS 3 is available in sedan and sportback variants and in different trim levels, allowing customers to choose a version that reflects individual styling, driving experience and equipment level. Customers can now pre-order the vehicle in Dubai.
Kia to continue long standing partnership with Australian Open as the Major Partner since 2002…reports Asian Lite News
Kia Corporation will support the Australian Open 2022 (AO22) – the prestigious tennis Grand Slam event of the Asia-Pacific region – with a series of marketing activities that highlight the company’s vision for and commitment to sustainable mobility.
As the Major Partner of AO22, Kia on January 13 held an official vehicle handover ceremony at the newly christened Kia Arena in Melbourne Park, attended by Kia and Tennis Australia executives, former Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal and wheelchair tennis champion Dylan Alcott.
Kia presented a fleet of 130 vehicles to tournament officials comprised of the popular Sportage SUV, Carnival MPV and EV6 fully electric crossover. The vehicles will transport players, match officials and VIPs in comfort and safety around Melbourne Park during the Open from January 17-30.
“As the major partner of the Australian Open for over two decades, we look forward to deepening our engagement with millions of fans around the world, while cementing the status of the Australian Open as one of the world’s most exciting sporting events,” said Artur Martins, Head of Kia’s Global Brand and Customer Experience.
Kia Arena
“In line with our commitment to spurring innovation that is inspired by nature, we are pleased to work with Tennis Australia and fans to help preserve oceanic environments around the globe through our ‘Aces for Oceans’ campaign. With each ace served during the AO and fans’ online participation, Kia will assist those aspiring to reach their tennis dreams by donating tennis equipment made with recycled waste materials to the Australian Tennis Foundation,” he added.
A key development for AO22 is the inauguration of Kia Arena, a 5,000-seat capacity stadium that will host tournament matches. Kia Arena is the fourth-largest Australian Open stadium at Melbourne Park and was constructed ahead of the 2022 event. It will also be utilized as a venue for diverse cultural, sports and entertainment programs outside of the tournament schedule.
Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley praised the two-decade-long partnership between Kia and the AO.
CRAIG TILEY, AUSTRALIA OPEN TOURNAMENT, DIRECTOR: “The partnership between Kia and the Australian Open is one of the longest in Australian sport and we value and respect this unique relationship that has helped us grow the AO into the premium global sports and entertainment event that it is today. The Kia fleet, which includes the new all-electric vehicles for 2022, has become an iconic symbol of the AO, with the smartly branded AO Kia cars zipping around the city and keeping the AO on the move. It’s also a testament to our strong relationship that we are standing here beside Kia Arena, a year-round symbol of the friendship between Kia and the AO at Melbourne Park.”
Aside from these events and developments, Kia will operate an EV6 exhibition booth and diverse marketing activities featuring engaging digital contents. As the exclusive major partner of the Australian Open since 2002, Kia will continue to offer innovative brand-related experiences to customers around the world, leveraging the various synergies created from the Australian Open.
The company aims to target riders looking for regular commute as well as those willing to take off-beat roads….reports Asian Lite News
Motorcycle company Yezdi on Thursday announced it was making a comeback in the Indian market with three new motorcycles.
The re-entry into the Indian market comes after a gap of 26 years.
The motorcycles include ‘Yezdi Adventure’, ‘Scrambler’ and ‘Roadster’.
The company aims to target riders looking for regular commute as well as those willing to take off-beat roads.
Price for Adventure model starts at Rs 209,900, Scrambler at Rs 2,04,900 and Roadster at Rs 1,98,142 — all prices ex-showroom in Delhi.
“The new range of Yezdi motorcycles will be available across Classic Legends’ dealership network, which already retails Jawa Motorcycles, in India for viewing, test rides, bookings and deliveries starting today,” it said in a statement.
Yezdi is reportedly the third brand revived by Classic Legends, a unit owned by Mahindra Group. Earlier it revived the Jawa and BSA Motorcycle brands.
Awards recognize Kia’s commitment to ‘superior design, innovation and unparalleled function’…reports Asian Lite News
Kia has been awarded two prestigious design awards for two of its latest models, with the Kia EV6 electric crossover and fourth-generation Kia Carnival MPV taking top honors in the ‘Transportation’ category in the annual GOOD DESIGN Awards.
The all-new EV6 is Kia’s first dedicated battery electric vehicle (BEV), and is the first Kia to be based on the brand’s new Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), delivering a highly impressive 528km real-world driving range and ultra-fast recharging capabilities.
EV6_Exterior
The EV6’s bold conceptual styling incorporates Kia’s highly acclaimed new design philosophy ‘Opposites United’, which takes inspiration from the contrasts found in nature and humanity. Key exterior highlights include sleek daytime running lights that form part of the car’s ‘Digital Tiger Face’, a contemporary and aerodynamic side profile, and a bold crossover-inspired silhouette. The interior benefits from the E-GMP platform, which facilitates a high-tech, spacious and welcoming environment.
The all-new Kia Carnival MPV, penned at Kia’s California design studio, wears a bold and boxy appearance that conveys the visual language found on the brand’s highly successful line-up of rugged SUVs, including the Telluride, Sorento, and Seltos. Dramatic lines adorn the hood that help to enhance the vehicle’s aggressive character, while the well-defined wheelarches provide a sense of volume to the Carnival’s side profile. The three-row interior, available in seven- or eight-seat configurations, offers a premium and flexible layout resulting in best-in-class passenger and cargo room.
KARIM HABIB, HEAD OF KIA DESIGN CENTER: “Securing these GOOD DESIGN awards is an endorsement of the approach we took with the styling of the Kia EV6 and Kia Carnival, and is a tribute to the collaborative efforts of our talented international design team. It truly has been a pivotal year for us; we launched our brand new design philosophy ‘Opposites United’, the ethos of which is already transforming our cars, and we are determined to ensure Kia keeps challenging the boundaries of automotive design.”
The two accolades are the latest in a string of design awards handed to Kia by the GOOD DESIGN jury in recent years, acknowledging the integrity of the brand’s evolving design ethos. Just last year, the panel awarded the third-generation Kia K5 sedan and the fourth-generation Kia Sorento SUV with the same honor. Prior to this, previous iterations of the K5 and Sorento have been awarded GOOD DESIGN awards, alongside models including the Telluride SUV and the Soul crossover.
First held in 1950, GOOD DESIGN is one of the oldest design competitions in the world, organized by Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. Each year the judging panel select products and industry leaders from over 50 countries that have chartered new directions for ‘innovation, sustainability, superior design, and unparalleled function’.
Kia EV6 and Carnival MPV win prestigious 2021 Good Design awards
The agile, performance-driven Vantage dressed in uniform with flashing lights will soon be spotted in service on Dubai’s roads,…reports Asian Lite News
Dubai Police’s enviable collection of sports and supercars just got a brand new set of wheels.
The Aston Martin Vantage has officially joined the force’s acclaimed luxury car squad and will soon make its debut alongside other models in the fleet at the much-awaited Expo 2020 next month.
The agile, performance-driven Vantage dressed in uniform with flashing lights will soon be spotted in service on Dubai’s roads, the authority said.
One of Aston Martin’s purest models, Vantage stands apart due to its unique and bold design language, with aerodynamic excellence adding to the vehicle’s obvious kerb appeal.
The current model features a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine with a peak power output of 503BHP and a torque peak of 505lb-ft, mated to a rear-mounted 8-speed automatic gearbox manufactured by ZF.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLNn3c0Aklk
Even more enticing is the Vantage’s ability to accelerate from 0-100 km/hr in 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 314 km/hr.
The Dubai Police Vantage has a custom ‘77’ number plate — a number that pays tribute to the UAE’s seven emirates as well as to the British marque’s long-standing association with the world’s most famous secret agent, James Bond. The timing of this latest addition comes just in time for the release of the much-awaited Bond film Time to Die in October.
Expert Major General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs, received a comprehensive handover of the vehicle in the presence of several senior officers.
He lauded the close co-operation with Aston Martin Lagonda Limited-MENA, and noted that adding super cars to its fleet of luxury patrol vehicles enables Dubai Police to strengthen the security presence of its officers during international events and across important tourist destinations.
“It is an honour to have an Aston Martin join Dubai Police’s fleet of supercars and the Vantage is the perfect model to make such a statement; purity at its finest, a hint of aggression and engineering that pushes it to upwards of 300 km/hr,” said Ramzi Atat, Head of Marketing and Communications MENA, Aston Martin.
Aston Martin has been present in the UAE for more than five decades. Its flagship dealerships in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is home to the marque’s full range of luxury sports cars and SUV.
ServeU to manage facilities of 14 pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai
ServeU has won the bid to manage the facilities of 14 pavilions participating at Expo 2020 Dubai, which is set to open this October.
Valued at AED18 million, the contracts are set to maintain the demands of facilities covering a total area of 30,000 square meters of the Expo 2020 land with a team of 300 experts, technicians and specialists. The agreement includes providing the human resource (HR) and staffing services for the pavilions, such as guide management, cleaning, security and administration, and logistics.
Commenting on winning the bid, Khalifa Hassan Al Hammadi, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Union Properties PJSC, the mother company of ServeU said, “We assure our clients that the services which will be implemented under these contracts follow leading international standards and apply the best practices and systems as well in the field. This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our capabilities and expertise and exceed the expectations of our international stakeholders participating in the Expo. We are confident that our teams are competent and equipped with the skills and knowledge to fulfil the work required for a major global event such as Expo 2020.”
For his part, Gary Reader, General Manager, ServeU, said, “We are proud to be awarded these contracts, which is an excellent opportunity to deliver our innovative solutions and services to companies, entities and pavilions participating in Expo 2020 Dubai. We aim to enhance the experience of visitors and guests of the pavilions and contribute to the success of our customers during their participation in this global platform. Our modern technologies, integrated systems and three decades of experience in the industry will be utilised to meet the goals.”
Aside from these new contracts, the company has earlier entered an agreement with the United Kingdom to provide its pavilion with human resources services and additional manpower.
Tesla vehicles are far from reaching a level of autonomy often described by Musk on social media…reports Asian Lite News
Despite tall claims made by Elon Musk over Twitter about the full self-driving technology, electric car-maker Tesla has privately admitted that such claims do not match up with the engineering reality.
Tesla vehicles are far from reaching a level of autonomy often described by Musk on social media, according to an internal memo obtained by transparency portal Plainsite.
“Elon’s tweet does not match engineering reality per CJ. Tesla is at Level 2 currently,” Tesla’s director of Autopilot software CJ Moore told the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Level 2 technology refers to a semi-automated driving system, which requires supervision by a human driver.
The memo shows that “Musk has inflated the capabilities of the Autopilot advanced driver assistance system in Tesla vehicles, as well the company’s ability to deliver fully autonomous features by the end of the year,” reports TechCrunch.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk. (File photo: IANS)
Tesla vehicles come with a driver assistance system called ‘Autopilot’ that enhances safety and convenience behind the wheel. When used properly, Autopilot reduces your overall workload as a driver.
For an additional $10,000, people can buy “full self-driving” or FSD, that Musk promises will deliver full autonomous driving capabilities.
Full Self-Driving capabilities include navigate on Autopilot, Auto Lane Change, Summon (moves your car in and out of a tight space using the mobile app or key),
Smart Summon (your car will navigate more complex environments and parking spaces); Traffic and Stop Sign Control (Beta) and Autosteer on city streets (upcoming).
However, Tesla vehicles are still not driving on their own and “are far from reaching that level of autonomy”.
Tesla Model Y. (Photo: Twitter/@Tesla)
In an earnings call in January, Musk told investors that he was “highly confident the car will be able to drive itself with reliability in excess of human this year”.
Tesla, however, is unlikely to achieve Level 5 (L5) autonomy, in which its cars can drive themselves anywhere without any human supervision by the end of 2021.
“The ratio of driver interaction would need to be in the magnitude of 1 or 2 million miles per driver interaction to move into higher levels of automation. Tesla indicated that Elon is extrapolating on the rates of improvement when speaking about L5 capabilities. Tesla couldn’t say if the rate of improvement would make it to L5 by end of calendar year,” the DMV memo read.
Kia India has launched three vehicles for Indian market – the Seltos, the Carnival, and the Sonet…reports Asian Lite News
Automobile manufacturer Kia on Tuesday relaunched its brand in India, and will now be known as Kia India, instead of Kia Motors India.
“This is a proud and historic moment for us as India becomes the first country to transition to the new brand identity after our headquarters in South Korea. Our decision to increase the production capacity stems from our deep customer understanding where a faster delivery of our products can enhance their buying experience tremendously,” said Kookhyun Shim, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kia India.
“We are confident that this transformation will accelerate our growth by not only strengthening our premium positioning in the market but also making us one of the most aspirational brands for consumers.”
Till date, Kia India has launched three vehicles for Indian market – the Seltos, the Carnival, and the Sonet, and has become the youngest brand to be the 4th largest automaker in India with class-leading product offering, service quality and reliability.
Kia India became the fastest automaker to reach the historic milestone of registering 2.5 lakh unit sales in just over one and half years of its operation.
Indian automobile major Tata Motors Ltd on Thursday said it would buy the 49 per cent stakes of Marcopolo S.A. in the bus and coach making joint venture Tata Marcopolo Motors Ltd for Rs 99.96 crore.
In a regulatory Tata Motors said as a consequence of its refreshed business strategy, Marcopolo S.A has decided to exit from the joint venture and offered to sell its 49 per cent shareholding in Rs 170 crore capital Tata Marcopolo to it.
According to Tata Motors, the two companies have entered into a share purchase agreement whereby the former will purchase the balance 49 per cent shareholding in the Rs 650.55 crore Tata Marcopolo for a cash consideration of Rs 99.96 crore.
Tata Motors will pay a price of Rs.12 per share to Marcopolo S.A. for the Rs 10 per share of Tata Marcopolo.
Last fiscal Tata Marcopolo had made an after tax profit of Rs 20.63 crore.
Post the purchase, Tata Marcopolo with manufacturing facilities in Dharwad and Lucknow will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors.
All technologies pertaining to existing bus body products manufactured will continue to vest with Tata Marcopolo, said Tata Motors.
In addition, as part of the transition, Marcopolo S.A. will continue to license the “Marcopolo” trademarks to Tata Marcopolo for a minimum of three years with a non-compete provision in India for a corresponding period.
The acquisition is expected to be completed by February 28, 2021.
Tata Motors said, an open channel will be maintained with Marcopolo S.A. and Tata Marcopolo for future collaboration opportunities around bus body designs and technical consulting services.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a notification making a FASTag mandatory for all four-wheeler vehicles from January 1, 2021.
Accordingly, the ministry took the decision via amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
“It may be stated that this notification would be a major step for ensuring that the payment of fees be 100 per cent at ‘Toll Plazas’ through the ‘Electronic Means’ only and that the vehicles pass seamlessly through the ‘Fee Plazas’,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The steps for ensuring the availablity of FASTag at multiple channels are being made through physical locations and also through online mechanism so that the citizens are able to have them affixed at their vehicles within the next two months at their convenience.”
Since December 1, 2017, the FASTag has been made mandatory for all registration of new four wheeled vehicles and is being supplied by the manufacturers or dealers.
It has been further mandated that a valid FASTag is mandatory while getting a new 3rd Party Insurance. This provision shall be applicable from April 1, 2021.
