2015 Polaris Slingshot Revealed

We showed you the teaser video that Polaris released recently; the video caught a few reactions to the Slingshot. Now, the company has fully revealed the car along with yet another video that shows what the Slingshot is capable of.

We can't help but notice that the Slingshot looks basically like the KTM X-Bow, but where the X-Bow has four wheels, the Slingshot gets only three. The three-wheeler maniac will go up against the Campagna T-Rex and other similar 3-wheelers.

At the heart of the Slingshot beats a GM-sourced 2.4-litre EcoTec engine which delivers 173bhp at 6,200 rpm and develops 225Nm at 4,700 rpm to the rear wheel. The engine comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and a carbon-reinforced drive belt.

Polaris still hasn't revealed the performance details of the Slingshot, but considering it weighs only 771kg, expect it to be quite fast. It sits on 18-inch front wheels and a 20-inch rear wheel, while the body panels are made from polymer that promises to be rustproof and offers better resistance to impacts.

The Slingshot features a reverse tilt hood and has a double wishbone forged aluminum suspension and electronic power-assisted steering with ESC. Well, since it's an open top, you would wonder if it's down on equipment on the inside but surprisingly it isn't. There are adjustable waterproof seats, locking glove box and tilt steering wheel while for entertainment you get a 4.3-inch LCD with Bluetooth, 6-speaker sound system, USB support and a backup camera. It also comes with two lockable storage bins, each big enough to hold a helmet and a standard backpack.

The price of this 3-wheeler starts at approximately 12 lakhs and that's quite a lot for a machine with three wheels. However, you really can't put a price on the fun you'll have throwing it around corners and zipping across roads as the smile on your face broadens.

24-Karat Gold iPhone 6 Is Already up for Pre-Order

Apple's rumoured iPhone 6, expected to be launched in two variants - 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch, might be still months away from its official launch. However, this has not stopped a luxury accessory maker, Brikk, to start taking pre-orders for the 24-karat gold iPhone 6.

The official Brikk site lists the yet-to-be-announced iPhone 6 in Black and White colour variants for the seams, different precious metals for the body, and choice of a diamond-covered or plain Apple logo. Interestingly, the official listing (first reported by Gizmodiva) of the company's Lux line of Gold, Platinum and Pink Gold iPhone 6 models notes, "The Lux iPhone 6 will be released in September or October. It has a thick layer of pure 24 karat yellow gold covering all areas of the iPhone 6."

Prices of the Lux iPhone 6 range from $

4,495 (Rs. 2,70,000) of the Yellow Gold variant without Diamond logo, up to $8,795 (Rs. 5,29,000) for the Platinum variant with Diamond logo.

As for the specifications, the 24-karat gold iPhone 6 from Brikk is listed with a 4.7-inch display and 128GB inbuilt storage. Both of these details are in-line with the leaks and rumours regarding the next iPhone models.

Reports had tipped that Apple could introduce a 128GB storage variant with the next iPhone, and would dump the 16GB storage variant.

"Images and information cannot be guaranteed and is subject to change based on the actual release of iPhone 6 by Apple Corporation," further notes the official Brikk's listing.

Earlier this month, GooPhone, the Chinese clone handset maker, announced its own iPhone 6 version ahead of Apple.

A report on Tuesday suggested that the alleged iPhone 6, which is rumoured to come in two variants, might be launched at separate events. In addition, Apple is also reportedly planning to debut its long-rumoured iWatch, alongside the rumoured bigger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 (also rumoured to be called the iPhone Air), in December.

On Monday, new internal components from Apple's next generation iPhone made yet another appearance.

An earlier report even tipped that the massive order Apple is said to have placed with suppliers, believed to be between 70 million and 80 million units, could lead to a price hike of 5 to 10 percent by other handset OEMs (original equipment manufacturers).

iPhone 6 Could Cause 10 Percent Price Hike by Other OEMs: Report

A recent report claimed that Apple had asked suppliers to manufacture between 70 million and 80 million of its two forthcoming large-screen iPhone models by the end of the year, which is believed to be the company's largest initial production run of iPhone handsets.

Now, a Chinese report, first picked by GforGames, suggests that the massive order by Apple could lead to price hike of 5 to 10 percent by other handset OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). The report claims that the price rise will be levied after the next iPhone will debut, and speculates that the OEMs are likely to pass on the increase to the consumers.

Retina MacBook Pro Lineup Refresh Brings Faster CPUs, More RAM Standard; India Prices Slashed

Apple has refreshed its lineup of Retina MacBook Pro laptops, giving each model a speed bump and an increased amount of RAM by default. Further, the India prices of all Retina MacBook Pro variants have been slashed, with most models receiving a Rs. 5,000 price drop, while the most expensive variant has seen its price cut by Rs. 20,000. The non-Retina MacBook Pro has received a price drop of Rs. 11,000.

All 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro laptops will now come with 8GB RAM standard. Earlier, the 256GB and 512GB SSD storage variants came equipped with 8GB RAM, while the entry-level 128GB model had 4GB RAM standard. The 128GB and 256GB SSD storage variants will now come with 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, instead of the 2.4GHz processor they earlier came with. The 512GB SSD variant gets a speed bump from 2.6GHz to 2.8GHz.

The 15-inch 256GB SSD variant of the Retina MacBook Pro will now come with 16GB RAM as standard to match its 512GB SSD counterpart. The CPU on the 256GB and 512GB SSD variants has been bumped up to 2.2GHz and 2.5GHz respectively, a jump of 200MHz for both.

Rest of the specifications of both 13-inch and 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro models can be found on the Apple website.

Apple has also slashed the price of all variants in India. The 13-inch 128GB MacBook Pro Retina will now retail at Rs. 94,900 (down from Rs. 99,900), the 256GB at Rs. 109,900 (down from Rs. 114,900), the 512GB 13-inch variant at Rs. 129,900 (earlier Rs. Rs. 134,900), and the 15-inch 256GB variant at Rs. 144,900 (earlier Rs. 149,900).

The biggest price drop is on the high-end, 15-inch 512GB variant MacBook Pro Retina, which will now retail Rs. 179,900, compared to Rs. 199,900 earlier. This variant has received a price cut of $100 in the US market, while the price of other models remain unchanged.

The prices (before taxes) in the US now stand at $1299 (13-inch, 128GB), $1499 (13-inch, 256GB), $1799 (13-inch, 512GB), $1999 (15-inch, 256GB), and $2499 (15-inch, 512GB).

Finally, the old 13-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro has also received a price drop. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor alongside 4GB RAM and a 500GB hard disk drive at Rs. 78,900, down from Rs. 89,900 earlier.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed Collection

• 
  
  The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed Collection was previewed to selected UK press and customers at an exclusive event on the site of the original Bluebird Motor Company - now the Bluebird Restaurant - on the King's Road, London on May 13, 2014.
• 
  
  

  
  

  The car is finished in a specially developed ‘Maggiore Blue' exterior paint, inspired by Bluebird's famous colour scheme. Nine layers of paint are applied before an exhaustive process of hand-sanding and the application of a cutting-edge powdered lacquer is undertaken to ensure an impeccable finish.
• 
  
  

  The steering wheel is presented in two-tone for the very first time, with Maggiore Blue accents balancing perfectly with traditional black leather to complete a beautifully conceived interior design scheme.
• 
  
  

  The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Waterspeed Collection features a number of exclusively created bespoke design and engineering features.
• 
  
  

  The car's Maggiore Blue exterior finish is subtly echoed on the interior via accents on the dashboard that perfectly complement the Windchill Grey interior leather scheme.
• 
  
  

  For the first time in Rolls-Royce history the exterior finish extends to the engine, creating a visually striking homage to the power behind Campbell's records.

Hyundai ix35 Sets Record for Longest Trip on a Single Tank of Hydrogen

Hyundai announced that the ix35 Fuel Cell now holds the record for the longest journey completed by a hydrogen-powered production car. In a journey that took no less than ten hours, the vehicle was driven from Oslo, Norway to Malmo, Sweden via Gothenburg, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark. The car covered a distance of 700Km on a single tank of hydrogen.

This was a production-spec ix35 and received no modifications to improve its range. The car was driven at an average speed of 76Km/h and the trip computer showed almost 10Km of remaining range after the journey was finished. Hyundai stated that the ix35 managed to cross the official 594Km mark.

That said, the Hyundai ix35 faces stiff competition in the form of another mass-produced hydrogen-powered vehicle - the Toyota FCV. Toyota promises a range of around 482Km for the FCV and the company is likely to offer the car for sale from April, 2015.

Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG Revealed

After all the rumours surrounding the reveal, Mercedes-Benz has officially taken the wraps off the S65 AMG Coupe. The styling differences between the S65 AMG Coupe and S63 AMG Coupe are subtle since Mercedes-Benz and AMG just want these cars to be fast. So the kit is essentially the same.

The minor changes however include a shinier mesh for the front grille and vents, yellow brake calipers instead of red, a more prominent rear diffuser and the V12 BiTurbo badge.

Yes you read that right, it is a V12. The S65 AMG Coupe gets a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 engine sourced from the S65 AMG Sedan, which puts out 625bhp and a massive 1000Nm of torque. 0-100Km/h is dealt in 4.1 seconds and the electronically-limited top speed is 250Km/h.

The engine comes mated to an AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7G-TRONIC transmission while the sports Magic Body Control suspension benefits from the already familiar curve tilting function. The S65 AMG stands tall on 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and it does look good in those shoes.