Ford seems to be actively following people’s reactions to the EcoSport when it was displayed at malls in various cities. While some have no complaints about the all black interiors, some have expressed disappointment that Ford won’t beige up the interior.

This one of a kind, world first dual tone interior EcoSport was spotted by Sushil.

This correspondent though, prefers the all black interior on the the new Fords. The beige does not help much if the quality of the plastic continues unchanged.

If Ford is actively responding to customer criticism, do you think the launch will be further postponed? Ford India after all has been trying hard to get everything right before launching the EcoSport.

Source: Zimbly Cars via IAB

The Kawasaki Ninja 300 has been launched at a price of 3.5 Lakhs for the non-ABS model. The Ninja 300 makes 39bhp peak power and a maximum torque of 27Nm at 10000rpm. Compared to the 250R, which boasted 33bhp and 22Nm at 8200 rpm, the 300 should definitely be a more exciting machine to ride.

Image Credit: PowerDrift on Twitter

Rajiv Bajaj has mentioned that the 500 units of the Ninja 300 are available already and the waiting periods shouldn’t be as torturous as it was with the Ninja 250R. At the press event he also touted the 30 years parternship with Kawasaki as being one of the longest ever in India.

We’ve been screaming/praying for ABS, but Mr. Bajaj has clearly stated that there are no plans for the ABS version in the near future. He said that the ABS has to be compatible with the road conditions in India, which we infer, it isn’t. It might be owing to the fact that the Ninja 300 does not have switchable ABS, meaning the ABS is always on, which on tarmac is a good thing, but off tarmac, not so much.

So what are you paying the premium over the 250R for? Well, for starters there is the increased engine displacement and performance. The 300 also gets a new ‘Assist & Slipper’ clutch that prevents wheel hop and loss of traction if you decide to downshift like a madman and also reduces effort required to operate the clutch.

The Ninja 300 uses dual ECU-controlled throttle valves in the intake manifold help precisely regulate intake airflow for natural, linear response, improved combustion efficiency and increased power.

Say thanks to the new European regulations without which your little Ninja would still be powered by a 250cc mill making 33bhp. New regulations that came to force in the European Union from January 19th 2013 have introduced a new driving license category ‘Category A2′ that lets any rider at least 19 years of age to ride a motorcycle that makes no more than 35kW, 10 kW more compared to the current regulations which permit only 25kW (around 33.5 bhp) motorcycles for learners. This dear reader, is why in a country with no staged licensing system anybody with a valid drivers license can enjoy a 39bhp machine.

Sibling Differences

In addition to the bump in performance, the Ninja 300 also gets a new ‘Assist & Slipper’ clutch serving up dual benefits. The new setup uses two types of cams in tandem.

The assist cam acts as a self-servo mechanism, pulling the clutch plates together and enables lighter clutch springs to be used, requiring lesser effort at the lever.

The slipper cam as with other slipper clutches comes into play when engine braking is so high during rapid downshifts that the rear wheel might lose traction. The race-style back-torque limiting function helps prevent wheel-hop when downshifting says Kawasaki.

Europe gets the Lime Green and Ebony Black colour options, but if the recent spy shots are any indication, we think we’ll be limited to the Lime Green and Pearl Stardust White options.

Both the 250 and the 300 get a second set of ECU-controlled throttle valves to precisely regulate intake airflow for natural, linear response, improved combustion efficiency and increased power. Kawasaki uses this technology in the bigger siblings the ZX-6R and the ZX-10R. Kawasaki also says the body work is designed to promote airflow to help dissipate heat effectively. The large openings and fin design of the fairings are said to be inspired by those of the Ninja ZX-14R. Kawasaki also says the have an ‘innovative’ piece of tech : the radiator fan cover that directs hot engine air down and away from the rider.

We mentioned in a previous story that it should be delightful to watch Bajaj try to price the 300 without treading on the new Kawasaki 650’s territory which has been one of the better priced offerings in the country. If reports are to be believed, the new Ninja 300 will be priced at a slight premium over the last generation 250R which, by popular opinion was actually pricey. There also seems to be no talk about ABS, we really hope Kawasaki does offer it as an option.

Ford is one of the few manufacturers who has bragging rights for managing to do pretty much everything right when it comes to consumer engagement. The Urban Discoveries contest is yet another feather in its cap. To start with, the EcoSport has garnered enough attention already by just being the promising car it is. The well thought out contest adds to the hype surrounding an already popular, but not yet launched car.

The Urban Discoveries contest has received more than 8000 entries and the jury has begun short listing the entries. Let us know in the comments below if you are one of the entrants who has been short listed.

Crawling slowly up the cubic displacement chain, the Apache has delighted and frustrated enthusiasts at the same time. The potential of the chassis has for long been lauded by enthusiasts on road and on track and automotive forums have always been clamouring for higher displacement. It has taken a while, and more than a 6% slide in market share over the last financial year, but the tide is set to turn finally with a new agreement signed today between BMW Motorrad and TVS Motor Company where the companies have agreed to jointly develop motorcycles below 500cc.

The press release mentions that the various stages through to the finished serial production motorcycle will be planned by both partners but implemented with different focus areas on each side leveraging the strengths of both companies. It has been stressed that while the motorcycles will have the same underlying technology, both companies will have their own derivatives of the common platform, which they intend to sell through their own distribution channels in India and across the globe.

“With BMW Motorrad, we see an ideal long-term strategic partner who shares our core values: focus on quality, engineering prowess, innovation and customer satisfaction. We intend to leverage each other’s strengths to deliver a new series of products offering cutting edge technology for our customers,” said Venu Srinivasan, Chairman TVS Motor Company.

Stephan Schaller, President BMW Motorrad said “In view of changing motorcycle markets, demographic developments and increasing environmental demands we are expanding our product range so as to tap into fresh growth potential. We have a highly expert and experienced partner in the TVS Motor Company. This means that in future we will be able to offer vehicles in smaller capacity classes in addition to the BMW Motorrad core segments. Various types of motorcycle are conceivable. They will meet the expectations of a BMW motorcycle in terms of riding fun as well as setting a new benchmark when it comes to stability, agility and performance figures. I regard this long-term cooperation as an important step along the road to profitable, sustainable growth.”

TVS shares saw a dramatic 17% increase in its share price today with the hope of this possible agreement.

Mate Petrany lays out a superficial peek into the origins of Lamborghini’s first production SUV in this story on Jalopnik.

LamboCars has a series of articles that happen to be the most comprehensive look into the history of every off road model ever made by Lamborghini. The site talks about how every LM002 was made to order by famous people like Stallone, Keke Rosberg and infamous people like Saddam’s son Uday.