Author: Diana M. Cuyler

While previous teasers only showed close-ups of the details of Mahindra’s upcoming all-electric SUV – the XUV400 – the latest teaser reveals much more. Besides some details, Mahindra has finally added some long shots of the XUV400 in its teaser campaign. These shots confirmed that, as expected, the Mahindra XUV400 will indeed be longer than the internal combustion engine XUV300, which is an SUV under 4 meters. One of the main reasons behind this is that electric vehicles have no tax advantage for being less than 4 meters long, and Mahindra will take advantage of this to add extra space in the back row and trunk of the XUV400. increasing as a whole. length.

Read also : Mahindra once again teases the XUV400 all-electric subcompact SUV

Mahindra XUV400 will be longer than its ICE counterpart, the XUV300.

The XUV400 is set to launch on September 8, 2022, just one day before World Electric Vehicle Day. Its electric motor is expected to produce around 150bhp, while the model could have a choice of two different battery options. The range of higher variants should exceed 450 km on a single charge. The XUV400 is expected to be positioned between the Tata Nexon EV and MG ZS EV, while it’s likely to be on par with the Nexon EV Max in performance and price.

Read also : Mahindra XUV400 teased ahead of September 8 debut

The XUV400 will receive a new grille with several “X” embossed.

Another detail revealed in the latest teaser is the grille. Since EVs don’t need a traditional grille, the XUV400 gets a new insert in place of the grille, with several ‘X’s embossed on it. Center stage is of course taken by the Twin Peaks logo, and the grille is flanked by familiarly designed headlights. Mahindra has yet to announce any feature details, but expect many of the XUV300’s features to be available here as well. We could see upgrades in the form of a digital instrument console and possibly a larger touchscreen infotainment unit.

Iconic British motorcycle brand Vincent could be revived with recent reports that the brand and naming rights have been acquired by India’s Bajaj Auto. Bajaj is India’s largest exporter of motorcycles, and leaked documents online seem to suggest that the Indian two-wheeler giant has indeed registered a trademark for the Vincent brand. So, is Bajaj planning to move into the modern classic motorcycle segment, becoming another Indian manufacturer to revive a historic British motorcycle marque?

Read also : Modern Classic Motorcycles – New Wave of British Heavy Metal

A 1955 Vincent Black Shadow. The Vincent Black Shadow was the fastest production motorcycle when introduced in 1949 and could reach a top speed of 125 mph (200 km/h).

Did Bajaj acquire Vincent?

carandbike has contacted Bajaj Auto, but company officials have neither confirmed nor denied such a development, leading us to believe that acquiring Vincent might be a possibility after all. An image of a trademark filing shows the registration date as 2017, with the “expiration date” listed as 2027, so there are still a few years left, if at all, Bajaj intends to relaunch and relaunch the brand. The trademark filing says it’s been five years since Bajaj acquired the name, but it’s only now that news has started to get noticed. So, is this Bajaj’s new secret, and what exactly are the plans with the Vincent brand?

Read also : Best Motorcycle Brands in India

Spy photo of the upcoming Bajaj-Triumph roadster, Bajaj is already manufacturing small-displacement motorcycles for Triumph in India. These Triumph badged bikes will be manufactured in India and exported worldwide.

Given that Bajaj already has a capital-free partnership with Triumph Motorcycles to manufacture small-displacement Triumph motorcycles in India, will the acquisition of Vincent give the two-wheeler giant some extra firepower to compete in the segment? modern classic? A brand that has almost no recall in the Indian market may not make strategic sense for Bajaj Auto. And modern Indian-made small-displacement classic motorcycles branded “Vincent” will not only have the brand appeal and value to take on segment leader Royal Enfield as well as powerful and recently revived brands like Jawa. and Yezdi.

Read also : Bajaj-Triumph Roadster spotted testing in the UK

What does Vincent mean to Bajaj?

At first glance, the news seems like a logical step for Bajaj to take on the likes of Royal Enfield, BSA, Norton, Jawa and Yezdi with its own range, but with the Vincent brand. But building brand equity for the Indian market can be a challenge. After all, Vincent is hardly known, outside of a handful of classic motorcycle enthusiasts in India at least. If Bajaj is indeed looking to acquire Vincent, what could be the possible strategy behind his revival? We are looking at a few possibilities. But first, let’s look at what the Vincent brand is.

A 1939 Vincent Series A Rapide. When launched in 1936, the Vincent Rapide was advertised as “the fastest production motorcycle” with a top speed of 110 mph (177 km/h).

The history of Vincent Motorcycles

British motorcycle brand Vincent was in production from 1928 to 1955, created by Philip Vincent who bought an existing motorcycle manufacturer HRD or Howard Raymond Davies, a small manufacturer of performance motorcycles of the time, which operated from 1924 to 1928. From 1934, Vincent developed two new engines, a 500 cc single cylinder, as well as a 1000 cc V-twin. Production increased in the late 1930s, with Vincent producing his most famous post-WWII models in the late 1940s.

The 998 cc 50 degree V-twin in the Vincent Shadow was a long stroke engine and developed 50 hp at 5500 rpm, although it could reach 200 km/h in 1949!

The Vincent Rapide was advertised by the company as its fastest motorcycle, with a top speed of 110 mph (177 km/h), but it was quickly eclipsed by the brand’s most famous model, the Vincent Black. 1948 Shadow. The Black Shadow, in stock form, could reach 125 mph (201 km/h), and in its first year of production, a Black Shadow reached 150 mph (241 km/h) at the Bonneville Salt Flats. In 1956, a Vincent Black Shadow in New Zealand set a new FIM (international motorcycle record) at 186 mph (299 km/h)!

Royal Enfield is the leader in the modern classic segment in India, and in recent years the company has cemented its position as the world leader in the mid-size motorcycle segment with a series of well-designed new models.

The modern classic

In recent years, the modern classic motorcycle has seen a revival with Royal Enfield cementing its position as the world leader in the mid-size motorcycle segment. Mahindra Group subsidiary Classic Legends acquired British motorcycle brand BSA and launched the new BSA Gold Star in the UK in July 2022. The new Gold Star is manufactured in India, but the company has established a technology center where manufacturing for European markets, on a small scale, can be initiated.

Read also : Norton Files New Trademarks under TVS Ownership

The new BSA Gold Star is built around a 650cc single-cylinder engine sourced from Rotax. With a period look, the new BSA Gold Star will spearhead the brand across the world, even in the United States.

In 2020, TVS Motor Company, India’s second-largest two-wheeler exporter after Bajaj, acquired British motorcycle brand Norton. Since then, TVS has invested heavily in the Norton brand and established a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the UK. The new Norton brand, owned by TVS, has already relaunched the Norton Commando and V4 models, with improved engineering and technology.

Read also : Norton Motorcycles moves to new headquarters

India’s second largest two-wheeler exporter, TVS Motor Company acquired Norton Motorcycles in 2020.

Read also : Launch of the new BSA Gold Star in the UK

For Bajaj, the focus on the modern classic motorcycle segment took a different turn, when it signed a capital-free partnership with Triumph Motorcycles to manufacture small-displacement motorcycles in India. These Triumph branded bikes will be manufactured in India but will be sold both in India and will leverage Bajaj Auto’s huge global network to be pushed across the globe.

Read also : Next Bajaj-Triumph motorcycle spotted in near-production form

Bajaj is looking to expand its presence across Europe, and a brand like Vincent will give it strong brand equity in markets where Bajaj will be looking to establish a strong foothold.

Bajaj eyeing Western markets?

However, this still leaves plenty of room for Bajaj Auto to gain a foothold in the renewed interest in the mid-size modern classic motorcycle segment. While Vincent may not be so well known in India, Bajaj Auto is already working on establishing the brand and network in European markets. Today, Bajaj Auto exports two-wheelers to more than 70 countries around the world, and Bajaj Auto International Holdings BV now owns a 49.9% stake in PTW Holding AG, the parent company of the KTM Group.

Although establishing Bajaj in the West, particularly in Europe, may be the next big thing on the agenda, acquiring a historic brand like Vincent and relaunching it, with new technologies, may well be Bajaj Auto’s magnum opus of modern classic strategy. And that certainly opens up a whole world of possibilities, including a foothold in new segments, new markets and a direct shot at Norton and BSA’s premium customer base. Let the games begin!

Students return to class on Tuesday and for some students in the Huron South area of ​​Kitchener, they are entering a brand new school.

Oak Creek Public School will serve nearly 600 students from the area, which has seen significant growth in recent years.

“Standing here, [the area] is still under construction, it’s still in development,” school principal Jeff Johnson told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo. The morning edition.

Johnson said the school welcomes new families who have just moved to the area, as well as other newcomer families. The school also draws students from nearby public schools, including Janet Metcalfe Public School.

“Our school community will be very diverse and we look forward to getting to know them,” he said.

The goal is for the school to also be a “walking school,” Johnson adds, where students walk, ride or cycle instead of taking public transport.

The school has been under construction since the Waterloo Region District School Board received funding for construction in 2018. It is also home to a new daycare center and the new City of Kitchener Community Center.

Kitchener’s Oak Creek Public School is also home to a new City of Kitchener daycare and community center. (Carmen Groleau/CBC)

Johnson said the school board took a modern approach to space design with lots of natural light, wider hallways and a general openness to classrooms and common areas.

Johnson points to some of the key features of the classroom, including flow desks to make it easier to group and move students, whiteboards set to student height, and new flat-screen TVs in the classroom instead of projectors .

“There’s really no ‘front of the class,’” he said, adding that there’s also no desk for the teachers.

“There are workstations for teachers and plenty of table space, but that table space is going to be used to facilitate learning, conferences and small group work.”

Johnson said getting to know his students and their families will be central to building new relationships this year.

“I’m really excited to get started and create this sense of community here in Oak Creek,” he said.