India, Heard About The ‘VWe’ Program?

Volkswagen India has announced a new initiative that will surely boost the excitement levels of people who love to drive and explore. Dubbed Volkswagen Experiences, or ‘VWe’ (pronounced ‘we’), it’s a program that allows the opportunity to explore India and engage with the brand, its services and, of course, the cars. In short, it is an expedition with multiple other vehicles foraying like-minded people.

The company has opened registrations for the first two multi-day journeys, one from Chandigarh to Leh and the other beginning in Leh and ending in Chandigarh. For each trip, there are 60 seats available. The per-person cost is INR 75,000 plus applicable taxes. The package includes airport transfers, twin-sharing accommodation, meals and refreshments, radio equipment for communication, support teams and local cultural experiences. Anything else, such as flight tickets and personal insurance, is not part of the package.

The Chandigarh-Leh leg starts on June 9 and ends on June 14. On the way, there are scheduled overnight halts at Manali, Jispa and Leh. The same holds for the return journey, which begins on June 18 and ends on June 23, 2024. On both trips, participants will have the opportunity to drive the Tiguan, Virtus and the Taigun.

Rezvani debunks Tesla Cybertruck’s bulletproof claims

Tesla vowed the world with the launch of its futuristic-looking Cybertruck. The all-steel body and Musk’s carefree hammer swings at the Cybertruck’s body at its launch further caused many to perceive it to be bullet-proof as well. However, when American carmaker Rezvani put this to the test, the Tesla Cybertruck could only deflect smaller fatal projectiles such as 9mm bullets from a handgun. The more lethal .223-cal rifle shot, AK-47 ammo, and 5.56 rounds proved to penetrate through the heavy stainless sheet body rendering the Cybertruck not ideal for the requirement of a bulletproof vehicle.

Enter Rezvani’s Tank tactical off-road vehicle and Vengeance luxury full-size SUV. Both are made from lightweight composite body armour mounted behind the exterior sheet metal, aiding it to procure the bulletproof tag with B6 ballistic protection accreditation. The approved protection level entails these Rezvani vehicles can fend off everything from a .22 and a .357 Magnum to 7.62 machine gun fire and penetrator rounds. Moreover, Rezvani’s glass is bulletproof to the same standard as the body armour, providing passengers with protection all around the car.

Further optional protection is also offered by Rezvani comprising center console safes and remote tire inflators. The top-spec safety is provided upon checking the Military trim level that equips B6 ballistic protection, bulletproof vests and helmets for all occupants, underbody explosive protection, a smoke screen system, run-flat tires, thermal night vision, reinforced suspension components, electrified door handles, electromagnetic pulse protection, and more.

Air India’s A350 To Fly On Delhi-Dubai Route From May 1

In January 2024, Air India’s newest family member, the brand-new Airbus A350-900 sporting the carrier’s new livery, entered commercial service. Due to some boring and tedious reasons, the widebody jet was deployed for domestic duties. It served passengers travelling to or fro from Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Come May 1, 2024, the long-haulier twin-engined aircraft will finally add an international destination to its portfolio. Air India has confirmed that in about two weeks from now, the A350-900 will serve travellers on the busy Delhi-Dubai route. The outbound flight – AI995 – will depart the Indian capital at 20:45hrs and arrive in Dubai at 22:45hrs. The return leg – AI996 – will leave Dubai at 00:15hrs the next day and land in Delhi at 04:55hrs. All times mentioned are local. Presently, Air India operates 72 flights a week to Dubai from five Indian cities. Of them, 32 originate from Delhi.

The Air India A350-900 aircraft boasts a three-class seating layout comprising 28 private suites with full-flat beds, 24 seats in Premium Economy, and 264 seats in Economy. Every seat comes with its own Panasonic eX3 in-flight HD entertainment system, which has over 2,200 hours of content from across the globe.

Air Serbia Adds Another ATR To Fleet

Serbia’s flag carrier, Air Serbia, has strengthened its fleet with another ATR aircraft. The eighth ATR to wear the airline’s livery is a 9-year-old 72-600 turboprop bearing the registration number YU-ASF. The plane landed at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport after completing the necessary procedures, which have been undergoing since March 10, 2024.

Air Serbia started adding ATR aircraft to its fleet in 2022. In that year alone, the airline took delivery of four 72-600s. Another three of the same type were added in 2023. All ATRs in the carrier’s fleet presently boast 70 to 72 “Geven Prestige” and “Acro” seats. These aeroplanes are powered by two PW127M turboprop engines, delivering a maximum cruising speed of 500kmph. The travel range at full capacity is about 1,500km.

Jeep’s 392 Final Edition is the Wrangler’s last hurrah

Some of the most iconic nameplates in the automotive industry were made to bid adieu in recent years, courtesy of impending electrification. That famed list now gets extended with the latest addition of the Jeep Wrangler 392 – the quickest and most powerful Wrangler yet. And Jeep aims to honour this legendary vehicle with a special limited-production Final Edition. Limited to just 3,700 units globally, the Jeep Wrangler 392 Rubicon Final Edition is powered by the same 470 hp 6.4-litre V8 SRT engine. However, the Final Edition units get a factory-installed 8,000-pound-capacity winch, MOPAR heavy-duty rock sliders, a half-inch suspension lift enabling enhanced ground clearance and water fording capabilities and a new hood and fender vent decal package. Inside the cabin, new black nappa leather-trimmed seats, a MOPAR fold-out swing gate table, an onboard air compressor, a Mopar Jeep 83-piece toolkit and all-weather slush mats will be offered in this swansong derivative. Production is set to commence in May 2024 with the 2024 Jeep Wrangler 392 Final Edition expected to arrive in the Middle East in the second half of 2024.