Presales start for new Audi A8

At the Audi Summit in Barcelona the brand with the Four Rings celebrated the world premiere of the new Audi A8. Customers in Germany will be able to order the luxury sedan from October 5. With strikingly stylish design, first-class chassis solutions, a touch operating concept and the electrification of all drive units, the fourth generation of the A8 provides the latest reference for Vorsprung durch Technik. The basic price in Germany for the flagship is 90,600 euros; the long-wheelbase version starts at 94,100 euros.

The Audi A8 starts out in the German market with two V6 turbo engines: a 3.0 TDI and a 3.0 TFSI. The diesel unit with a displacement of 2,967 cc produces 210 kW (286 hp) and develops 600 Nm (442.5 lb-ft) of torque. It propels the A8 with its standard-fit quattro drive from zero to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 5.9 seconds and on up to an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155.3 mph). Its NEDC fuel consumption is just 5.8 to 5.6 liters* per 100 kilometers (40.6-42.0 US mpg). This corresponds to CO2 emissions of 152 to 145* grams per kilometer (244.6-233.4 g/mi). The 3.0-liter turbocharged direct injection gasoline engine delivers output of 250 kW (340 hp) with torque of 500 Nm (368.8 lb-ft). As a result, the A8 takes 5.6 seconds to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph), and the A8 L takes 5.7 seconds. Fuel consumption per 100 kilometers is between 7.8 and 7.5 liters* (30.2-31.4 US mpg) for both body variants; CO2 emissions are between 178 and 171* grams per kilometer (286.5-275.2 g/mi

Both engines use a belt alternator starter, which lies at the heart of the 48-volt main electrical system. This mild-hybrid technology enables coasting with the engine switched off and a smooth restart. It also has an extended start/stop function and a high recuperation output of up to 12 kW thanks to energy recovered during braking. The combined effect of these measures is to bring down the fuel consumption of the efficient engines even further – by as much as 0.7 liters (0.2 US gal) per 100 kilometers (62.1 mi) in real driving conditions.

The luxury sedan comes with a three-liter diesel unit in the Audi A8 50 TDI quattro, while the Audi A8 55 TFSI quattro features a V6 gasoline engine. The A8 is the first production model to feature the brand’s new type designation clearly at the rear. The reference value for the double-digit number combination is the power output of the individual model in kilowatts. The numeral combinations increase in increments comprising five designations each, and they represent the hierarchy within both the respective model ranges and the brand’s overall model portfolio. Thus the numeral combination “50” will in future appear on the back of those models which deliver between 210 and 230 kW of power; “55” stands for the power output range between 245 and 275 kW. This new system will allow Audi to standardize the type designations for its worldwide range of automobiles.

The Audi A8 signals the dawning of a new design era for the entire brand. It stands for sporty elegance, progressive status and sophistication. The front-end with its broad, upright Singleframe grille, the fluidly muscular vehicle body, and the rear with the continuous light strip exude a strong presence. The interior has a deliberate minimalist feel. Audi carries its high quality standards into the digital age with a revolutionary operating concept. Two touch displays located in the center slot almost seamlessly into the high-gloss black surface thanks to black-panel technology. When the driver activates a function on these displays with a finger, they hear and feel a click by way of confirmation. The combination of acoustic and haptic feedback along with common touch gestures such as swiping make the new MMI touch response safe, intuitive and quick to use.

With more than 40 driver assistance systems, the A8 becomes the new gold standard among the competition. It is the world’s first production automobile to have been developed specially for conditional automated driving. The Audi AI traffic jam pilot will take charge of driving in slow-moving traffic at up to 60 km/h (37.3 mph) on highways and multi-lane motorways with a physical barrier separating the two directions of traffic. From 2018, Audi will gradually be taking piloted driving functions such as parking pilot, garage pilot and traffic jam pilot into production, depending on the legal situation in the particular country. During piloted driving, a central driver assistance controller now permanently computes an image of the surroundings by merging the sensor data. In addition to the radar sensors, a front camera and the ultrasonic sensors, Audi is the first car manufacturer also to use a laser scanner.

The new Audi A8 will be produced at the Neckarsulm plant in purpose-built production facilities and will be launched onto the German market at the end of November 2017. Customers can order the luxury sedan from Thursday, October 5. 

Source : AUDI

Sony’s new Xperia™ XA1 Plus brings superior entertainment to the palm of your hand

Driving on its vision to provide best-in-class entertainment handsets, Sony India unveiled the latest addition to its super mid-range family, Xperia XA1 Plus. Designed to further elevate the in-hand smartphone experience, this new device from Sony features a rounded, sleek design with narrow borders and intuitive fingerprint sensor on the power button. Offering best in class entertainment in the palm of your hand, it features a 23MP camera, 13.7 cm (5.5) Full HD display and immersive audio performance with Sony technologies. The XA1 Plus is designed to optimize performance capabilities with impressive battery life for an enduring experience and octa-core processor to ensure everything runs smoothly and quickly.

The new Xperia XA1 Plus allows users to capture prized moments brilliantly with powerful 23MP high resolution with a large 1/2.3” Exmor™RS for mobile sensor, bright F2.0 lens and superior lowlight capability. To aid photography experience with new aesthetic styles, the camera guarantees a superfast journey from launch to capture in 0.6s and incredibly fast and accurate Hybrid Autofocus, so even the most spontaneous moments are always in focus. Xperia XA1 Plusalso features an 8MP 23mm wide-angle lens front camera to give you high quality images that capture all the action, even in a group selfie. It helps you capture vivid details therefore, ensuring brighter and better pictures.

The Sony XA1 Plus is designed to ensure a long lasting performance over the smartphone’s lifetime. Stamina Mode extends the battery lifetime just when you really need it, whilst Qnovo Adaptive Charging technology and Battery Care work together to maintain the long-term health of the battery by monitoring its health and adjusting the charging current accordingly to avoid damage and maximise its lifespan. Adding to the swift performance is Sony’s Smart Cleaner which automatically deactivates unused app and clears the cache to give you the fastest, most optimised performance. Entertainment lovers and multi-taskers alike will love the all-day battery and power efficient performance.

Xperia XA1 Plus is designed to make a statement and comes in three stunning colours, Gold, Blue and Black so you can stand out from the crowd. The XA1 Plus offers a choice of authentication option with fingerprint scanning. Designed to know who you are, an intuitive finger-print sensor is included on the power button to give you personalised security whilst also contributing to a seamless feel in the hand that fits like a glove thanks to its sleek, rounded form and narrow borders.

To integrate seamlessly in your life, the XA1 Plus shines with its beautiful 13.7 cm (5.5) Full HD display. It provides bright, vivid colours and detailed images that allows you to watch your favourite movies with maximum comfort. Making it the perfect entertainment all-rounder, it offers fantastic audio quality to match what’s on the screen. With ClearAudio+ Sony audio technology and Smart Amplifier you get sound that is always loud and clear. You can even customise your sound experience and adjust settings to suit your own personalise listening tastes.

Source : SONY

Sony enhances consumer communication possibilities with the world’s first smartphone featuring real-time 3D capture

Sony India announced that it is enhancing the communication possibilities with the world’s first smartphone featuring real-time 3D capture; with the Xperia XZ1. The newest flagship leverages Sony’s legacy of developing forward thinking camera innovations, together with its history of craftsmanship to offer an immersive entertainment experience packaged up in a timeless design. The advanced elements technology comprises of Autofocus Burst (10FPS) and Full HD- HDR Display. The smartphone’s camera stands out for its prowess with new Smile Predictive Capture.

Drawing inspiration from Sony’s most inventive products developed over the decades such as the Cyber-shot™, α™, BRAVIA™, Handycam®, and Walkman®, the Xperia XZ1 presents the very best of Sony technology in a single device. It showcases Sony’s core expertise in camera technology and image sensing, with a combination of four inventive new camera focused features - the 3D Creator, Super slow-motion video, new smile Predictive Capture and Autofocus burst from Motion-Eye™ camera. Together with support from a 13.2 cm (5.2) Full HD HDR display, High-Resolution Audio and a unique OmniBalance approach to a unibody design, the Xperia XZ1’s innovative appeals lie in its ability to marry the best of Sony’s hardware and software into a single unit.

A breakthrough in mobile creativity, the new Xperia XZ1 features the innovative 3D creator. The 3D Creator is Sony’s pioneering in-house algorithm built on the strength of its Motion EyeTM camera technology and proprietary IP. With the capability to scan objects and people in 3D and then share across different platforms and media, the 3D Creator is a step forward in Sony’ push towards expanding the possibilities of communication and social and virtual sharing.

High quality 3D scans of objects can be rendered in just a minute using four scan modes; head scan, face scan, food scan and freeform scan. Each mode has its own custom guides for ease of use. Scanned objects can then be shared on messenger apps using 3D stickers or uploaded to 3D communities such as Sketchfab. Users can also bring scans to life by using them as avatars on the camera’s AR effects options, third party apps or as live wallpapers. Scans can even be printed on a 3D printer and converted into memorable keepsakes. The 3D Creator app also sports a ‘Find More’ option that provides access to a growing 3D ecosystem via Google Play. Like, one can turn himself/herself into a rockstar, try their favourite moves in a video using their 3D Scan with Shadow.lol application.

The new Xperia XZ1 comes with Autofocus burst, which tracks and captures sequences of moving objects in sharp focus, so there’ll be no more blurred action shots. One can also watch their images come to life by creating amazing video animation of images captured in Autofocus Burst mode. This new Autofocus burst intelligently follows your subject, adjusting the focus to make sure your action shots stay sharp. Rounding off the premium camera experience is the first-class 13-megapixel front camera with a 1/3” sensor and a display flash so you’ll get outstanding selfies in any light.

The new Predictive Capture stays one step ahead and automatically starts buffering images when it detects action or even a smile, before you press the shutter button. So you can find a moment you may have missed from a selection of up to four shots. Its new Autofocus burst intelligently follows your subject, adjusting the focus to make sure your action shots stay sharp. Rounding off the premium camera experience is the first-class 13-megapixel front camera with a 1/3” sensor and a display flash so you’ll get outstanding selfies in any light.

Reveal the unexpected with Super Slow motion powered by Motion Eye Camera Xperia XZ1 incorporates the latest Motion Eye™ camera built using know-how from Sony’s ‘α’ and Cyber-shot™ camera ranges, for capturing life in ways no other smartphone can. Featuring a memory-stacked Exmor™ RS image with technologies usually only found on premium cameras, it provides 5x faster image scanning and data processing. This enables you to create sensational videos from your everyday moments by recording in 960 frames per second, providing stunning Super slow-motion video playback². This magnificent feature gives you more detail than has ever been possible in the palm of your hand. 

Harnessing unique Sony technologies is what gives Xperia its immersive entertainment capabilities and Xperia XZ1 takes full advantage. Using Sony’s BRAVIA TV technology, Xperia XZ1 brings more colour and contrast to immerse yourself in your favourite shows and movies in stunning realism, by incorporating HDR (High Dynamic Range) in its 13.2 cm (5.2) Full HD display. Further technologies, including TRILUMINOS™ Display for mobile, X-Reality™ for mobile and Dynamic Contrast Enhancer work together to give razor-sharp, detailed and brighter images on screen.

Xperia XZ1 is powered by the cutting-edge Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 835 Mobile Platform with X16 LTE, designed to provide blazing fast Gigabit LTE downloads speeds³ (up to 1Gbps) and performance to enjoy a modern lifestyle whilst working or having fun. The Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform is engineered to support stunning graphics, smooth performance and enhanced battery efficiency. Perfect for smooth, responsive gameplay of your favourite PlayStation®4 games using PS4 Remote Play.

File transfers are also super-charged thanks to the USB 3.1 connection which is 10 times quicker than USB 2.0 with a transfer speed of up to 5Gbps. Keeping your XZ1 powered with all day reliable battery, it has plenty of power on a full charge. But on days when you’re using extra energy, Smart Stamina works ahead of time to keep you powered up by estimating how long your current battery will last based on how you normally use your phone. And if it thinks you’re going to run out, it will prompt you to activate Stamina mode which cuts energy consumption so your battery lasts longer. Its charging technologies, Battery Care⁴ and Qnovo Adaptive Charging, help the battery stay healthy to give you a longer battery lifespan.  

Sony audio expertise also lets you immerse yourself in the truly authentic sound of High-Resolution Audio with Xperia XZ1, enabling you to enjoy every nuance and detail in a track as if you’re right there with the artist. Thanks to Sony’s DSEE HX you can also enjoy more of your music in near High-Resolution with its upscaling capability. Enjoy your music and movies with or without headphones using the evolved stereo speakers with S-Force Front Surround, bringing you 50% more sound pressure⁵ than previous Xperia models. Plus the built in Digital Noise Cancelling (DNC) technology reduces exterior noise by up to 98% when paired with DNC headphones for undisturbed listening.

Every aspect of Xperia XZ1 is unified to you and encased in a timeless design built with Sony craftsmanship. The exterior has our signature flagship loop surface with a seamless metal body for a premium, understated look and refined feel in your hand. It’s designed with active usage in mind, and has been constructed with a full body joint structure that is strong against any twist and bend. Equally tough against outside elements, Xperia XZ1 is water resistant⁶, dust-proof and reinforced with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5 on the display so it’s tough enough to take on your day. For a personalised touch, the integrated fingerprint sensor recognises you intuitively, giving it that unique and secure assurance.

Source : SONY

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: A new generation of iPhone

Featuring New Glass & Aluminium Design, Retina HD Displays, A11 Bionic Chip, New Single & Dual Cameras with Support for Portrait Lighting, Wireless Charging & Optimised for Augmented Reality.

The new iPhone features a new glass and aluminium design in three beautiful colours made out of the most durable glass ever in a smartphone, Retina HD displays and A11 Bionic chip, and is designed for the ultimate augmented reality experience. The world’s most popular camera gets even better with single and dual cameras featuring Portrait Lighting on iPhone 8 Plus, and wireless charging brings a powerful new capability to iPhone. 

“iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are a new generation of iPhone that improve on everything we love about iPhone,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have new glass and aluminium designs, new Retina HD displays and A11 Bionic — the smartest chip ever in a smartphone. Packed with more advanced cameras with Portrait mode and Portrait Lighting, and the highest quality video capture in a smartphone, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus enable the freedom of wireless charging, all with AR optimisation like no phone ever before.”

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus introduce a beautiful glass back design made with the most durable glass ever in a smartphone in three new finishes: space grey, silver and gold. The glass finish is made using a seven-layer colour process for precise hue and opacity, delivering a rich depth of colour with a colour-matched aerospace-grade aluminium bezel, and is water and dust resistant.

The new 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina HD® displays with the addition of True Tone® adjust the white balance of the display to match the surrounding light for a more natural, paper-like viewing experience. The vibrant wide colour gamut Retina HD display offers the best colour accuracy in the industry. Redesigned stereo speakers are up to 25 percent louder and deliver deeper bass, enabling richer-sounding music, videos and speakerphone calls.

A11 Bionic, the most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone, features a six-core CPU design with two performance cores that are 25 percent faster and four efficiency cores that are 70 percent faster than the A10 Fusion, offering industry-leading performance and energy efficiency. A new, second-generation performance controller can harness all six cores simultaneously, delivering up to 70 percent greater performance for multi-threaded workloads, giving customers more power while providing the same great battery life. A11 Bionic also integrates an Apple-designed GPU with a three-core design that delivers up to 30 percent faster graphics performance than the previous generation. All this power enables incredible new machine learning, AR apps and immersive 3D games.

The cameras on iPhone 8 Plus are custom tuned for the ultimate AR experience. Each camera is individually calibrated, with new gyroscopes and accelerometers for accurate motion tracking. AR benefits from A11 Bionic, which handles world tracking, scene recognition and incredible graphics at 60fps, while the image signal processor does real-time lighting estimation. With ARKit, iOS developers can take advantage of the world’s largest AR platform, creating games and apps offering fantastically immersive and fluid experiences that go far beyond the screen.

The world’s most popular camera gets even better, featuring an improved 12-megapixel camera with a larger and faster sensor, a new colour filter and deeper pixels. A new Apple-designed image signal processor delivers advanced pixel processing, wide colour capture, faster autofocus in low light and better HDR photos, while a new quad LED True Tone Flash with Slow Sync results in more uniformly lit backgrounds and foregrounds. All this adds up to outstanding photos with vibrant, realistic colours and more detail.

The new camera also delivers the highest quality video capture ever in a smartphone with better video stabilisation, 4K video up to 60fps and 1080p slo-mo up to 240fps. The Apple-designed video encoder provides real-time image and motion analysis for optimal quality video. With iOS 11, both iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus support HEIF and HEVC for up to two times compression and storage for twice the photos and videos.

iPhone 8 Plus features dual 12-megapixel cameras and introduces Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting, bringing dramatic studio lighting effects to iPhone, allowing customers to capture stunning portraits with a shallow depth-of-field effect in five different lighting styles.

Portrait Lighting is based on extensive research into the art and science of portraiture and core photographic lighting principles. It uses the dual cameras and the Apple-designed image signal processor to recognise the scene, create a depth map and separate the subject from the background. Machine learning is then used to create facial landmarks and add lighting over contours of the face, all happening in real time, giving customers even more power to express themselves through photography.

The glass back design enables a world-class wireless charging solution. Wireless charging works with the established Qi ecosystem, including two new wireless charging mats from Belkin and mophie, available from Apple Authorised Resellers.

Apple gave a sneak peek of AirPower™, an Apple-designed wireless charging accessory coming in 2018, which offers a generous active charging area that will allow iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X customers to simultaneously charge up to three devices, including Apple Watch Series 3 and a new optional wireless charging case for AirPods®.

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus come with iOS 11, featuring incredible advancements to Portrait mode, while new effects make Live Photos™ more fun and expressive.

iOS 11 also brings augmented reality to hundreds of millions of iOS devices with a new platform for developers to build apps that let users place virtual content on top of real-world scenes. Siri® debuts new male and female voices and can translate US English phrases into Chinese, French, German, Italian or Spanish.

Source : APPLE

Samsung Galaxy Note8 Wins ‘Gadget of the Year’ Award at India Mobile Congress

Galaxy Note8, the latest flagship from Samsung, has won the ‘Gadget of the Year’ award at the inaugural India Mobile Congress (IMC), 2017. India Mobile Congress awards recognize innovations and initiatives that have helped transform the ICT ecosystem.

Samsung, India’s biggest and most trusted smartphone brand, launched Galaxy Note8 in India on September 12, offering the next level Note for people who want to do bigger things. Galaxy Note8, Samsung’s most powerful smartphone, has received overwhelming response in India.

“At Samsung, we believe in inspiring the world and bringing meaningful innovation to help make lives better. With the launch of Galaxy Note8, we have further strengthened our leadership in the premium smartphone segment in India and this prestigious award bears testimony to our efforts. Our ear to ground approach led by innovative technologies across product and service categories have made Samsung a popular choice amongst consumers and it is a great honour to be bestowed upon with this recognition,” said Mr. Asim Warsi, Senior Vice President, Mobile Business, Samsung India.

With Galaxy Note8, consumers get a big, immersive Infinity Display that fits comfortably in one hand, S Pen to communicate in more personal ways, and Samsung’s best-ever true Dual Camera with dual Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) to capture stunning photos in all conditions.

Galaxy Note8 is designed for the way consumers lead their lives and lean on technology today. The incredible Note series loved by millions of consumers in India also comes with the revolutionary mobile payment service, Samsung Pay, and Samsung’s defense-grade security platform Samsung Knox.

Galaxy Note8 also comes equipped with Bixby’s voice capabilities, allowing consumers to experience a smarter way to interact with their smartphones. Staying true to Samsung’s legacy of ‘Make for India’, Bixby has been optimized to understand Indian accents.

Source : Samsung, Pic : Daily Mail

DATSUN LAUNCHES REDI-GO GOLD 1.0L LIMITED EDITION IN INDIA

To kick off the Diwali festive season and expand customer choice, Datsun India launched a new limited edition of the best-selling Datsun redi-GO: the Datsun redi-GO GOLD 1.0L, packed with exciting features and stylish enhancements.

Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most auspicious and celebrated festivals in India, especially in the northern part of the country. According to Indian mythology, it is observed to celebrate the victory of good over evil. Hence, it holds a great importance in the hearts of Indians. During the festive period, many people choose to make new beginnings in life – be it making a new purchase, starting a new business or getting married. The Datsun redi-GO GOLD limited edition is one of Datsun’s contributions to making the festive season merry and special.

The Datsun redi-GO GOLD’s prominent, gold-inspired decals on the exterior and its gold-themed seats in the interior infuse an extra dose of style. It’s available in three body colors: grey, silver and white. The Datsun redi-GO GOLD comes with a first-in-segment Ambient Lighting app for mobile phones, letting customers choose the mood lighting of the passenger cabin to suit their taste. The limited edition model will also offer smart features such as a Bluetooth audio system and a reverse parking sensor.

“Datsun will make the festive season even more special for our customers by bringing more power, style and convenience in the Datsun redi-GO GOLD 1.0L limited edition,” said Jerome Saigot, vice president, marketing and Datsun business unit, Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. “The Datsun redi-GO GOLD offers an accessible price, peppy driving performance and a refreshing exterior, which together reinforce Datsun’s commitment to offer stylish, high-value-for-money cars to our customers.”

Datsun redi-GO GOLD prices will start from 369,737 rupees and will be available across the pan-India Nissan/Datsun dealer network.

Source : Datsun

Pollution : International Conference and Exhibition on Continuous Emissions Monitoring

Accepted the  invite to attend the 12^th International Conference and Exhibition on the issue of Continuous Emissions Monitoring  at Delhi,  as since last many years, I am directly concerned with all such issues. You can take it as my Social responsibility or the Social cause that I have regularly raised  such issues. Had filed my very first RTI at that time when no one was talking about the issue & those RTIs were duly covered by Print media as well TV channels.

My idea to accept the three day conference was that it will give me much more knowledge on the subject and will add to my experience. So very eagerly and to increase my own awareness on the issue, I started attending the Conference. There were so many speakers to talk about various issues & mostly, all of them were from overseas countries. They presented their research papers in the conference & the audience, including myself, tried to understand them wholeheartedly.

Speakers included Mr. Robert Baxter from USA, Mr. Bernhard Thull from Germany, Mr. Rod Robinson from UK, Mr. Jerome Laplagne from France, Mr. Roland Zepeck from Austria, Mr. Koh Yee Tiong from Singapore, Dr Carlo Bruno from Italy, Ms. Tuula Pellikka from Finland, as well many know persons from CSR, CPCB & other connected fields.

During the conference, I got the opportunity to meet Mr. Erkki Lamminen from DEKATI, Finland who had exhibited  an  equipment to measure the SPM 2.5. Soon we became friendly and we went outside on the road, in the open, near the CBD Ground, Karkardooma, almost at a distance of one KM from the Anand Vihar, which can be said as the most polluted area in the National Capital.

On the very first day, we checked the Real Time status of the SPM 2.5 at around 11am in the morning. Though the Average was at around 60, the PEAKS were almost 3 to 4 times of the average at that minute. The cause of concern was that while we are at that location and while the peaks were up to 3 to 4 times, if we keep inhaling there, what will happen to our Lungs?

Next morning, we again checked the status at around same time & this time, SPM 2.5 was at almost 120, while the peaks were almost double. To my surprise, Mr Lamminen told me that it Finland, the maximum SPM 2.5 was only up to 10 or 20, and while in New Delhi, he was already inhaling at at almost 5 to 10 times, and was really worried about his health.

Surprising factor is that while Chicago University in its latest study has very clearly stated that if we could comply with the WHO standards of Air Quality at Delhi, the residents here can get a life of 9 more years. But seems, no one is concerned, no one is shattered as there is no hue and cry from any corner. Residents just view the news, read and forget, as there is no time to consider for an additional life of 6 to 9 years.

SIA And Lufthansa Group Joint Venture Partnership To Launch On 1 October

28 September 2017 (Joint Release with Lufthansa Group) - Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Lufthansa Group have confirmed 1 October 2017 as the launch date for their joint venture co-operation covering flights between Singapore, Australia and Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium.

Customers can choose from a wider range of travel itineraries and fare products that will be progressively offered by the airlines under the joint venture agreement.

Since November 2015, when both airline groups signed the joint venture agreement, they have expanded capacity between Singapore and both Germany and Switzerland. This includes the introduction of new SIA-operated flights between Singapore and Dusseldorf in July 2016. In March 2017, SWISS deployed its new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on daily flights between Singapore and Zurich. Lufthansa has also announced plans to re-introduce services between Singapore and Munich from March 2018.

These benefits will further enhance existing Star Alliance arrangements that customers enjoy on SIA, Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian Airlines. On the same date, flights operated by SIA, Lufthansa and SWISS between Singapore and Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich will be included in a revenue-sharing agreement between the two airline groups.

The two airline groups have also significantly increased codeshare ties, with over 130 city pairs now offered between key markets in Europe, Southeast Asia and Southwest Pacific.

“We are pleased to launch our joint venture with Lufthansa Group, which has provided a strong foundation for us to work together to enable more flight frequency and enhanced travel options for customers of both airline groups. This joint venture demonstrates what we can achieve with the right partner, and we look forward to working even closer with Lufthansa Group,” said Mr Tan Kai Ping, Singapore Airlines Senior Vice President Marketing Planning.

Mr Dieter Vranckx, Lufthansa Group Airlines Vice President Sales Asia Pacific said, “This is a remarkable milestone for both Lufthansa Group and Singapore Airlines. With the launch of this joint venture, the two premium airline groups are jointly able to optimise the product offerings and high-quality services in a very competitive market throughout Europe, Southeast Asia and Southwest Pacific. We are very proud to team up with Singapore Airlines, a reputable and reliable high-end partner, giving our customers greater choices.”

Source : SIA

Be a part of the Indian Mobile Congress - 27th, 28th, 29th September, 2017, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

All-new S-Cross set to check into NEXA showrooms this festive season

The urban premium S-Cross from Maruti Suzuki, is all set to arrive in a brand new avatar this festive season. The all-new S-Cross will further strengthen Maruti Suzuki’s position in the premium segment. The Company today opened bookings for the all-new S-Cross at its network of NEXA showrooms across India.

All New Looks

The all-new S-Cross sports an entirely new, bold design with a powerful upright stance.

The masculine and aggressive upright stance is accentuated by a sculpted hood design and sleek headlamps. The sharp LED projector headlamps, housed neatly with the daylight running lamps (DRLs), make the all-new S-Cross more assertive.

The imposing chrome on the grille, along with the emphatic S insignia, makes the all-new S-Cross distinct and premium. The rear combination lamps (RCL), also equipped with LEDs, are cleaner, sharper and more contemporary in style. Wider tyres (215/60 R16), coupled with contrasting two-tone machine finished alloys, give it an imposing on-road presence.

Chic Classy Interiors

The interiors have also been tastefully upgraded and made classier with a satin chrome accent finish, a soft touch dashboard and well-coordinated seat fabric designs. More new-age technologies, like an intuitive touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay would also complement the all-new S-Cross. The piano black coloured central panel, together with a premium leather finish arm-rest, adds a dash of premium-ness to the offering.

All New Powertrain

In its newest form, the all-New S-Cross scores high not just on looks but also in technology and powertrain. The all-new S-Cross gets the DDiS 200 with Smart Hybrid technology. This is the third model in the Maruti Suzuki portfolio to host the DDiS 200 with Smart Hybrid technology. It comes packed with a host of features like idle-stop-start, torque assist, brake energy regeneration system and a gearshift indicator. Many of these features enhance energy efficiency in the S-Cross.

Ahead in safety: Tested at the company’s world-class Rohtak R&D facility, the all-new S-Cross is among the six models already compliant with advanced upcoming new safety norms - frontal offset crash, side impact and pedestrian safety. It comes with rear seat ISO-FIX child seat safety mount. These features are standard across all variants of S-Cross.

Launched in August 2015, S-Cross was the first premium offering to debut from the Company’s all new premium retail channel-NEXA. S-Cross therefore, has been instrumental in shaping the premium imagery of the channel and contributed significantly towards establishing NEXA. The Company has sold over 53,000 S-Cross in the domestic market and exported over 4,600 units.

Source : Maruti