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The Spec'd Desk

News, explainers and road trips

The Spec’d Desk covers the day’s car and bike news, explainers and road-trip stories, to the standards set out in How We Work.

Latest stories

121 articles
Nashik’s Simhastha Kumbh Begins October 31, But the Highway Built for It Won’t Be Ready Until December
Road Trips & Culture

Nashik’s Simhastha Kumbh Begins October 31, But the Highway Built for It Won’t Be Ready Until December

Oct 6, 2026 . 5 min
Detroit’s Big Three Fall to a Record-Low 36% of US Car Sales, as Toyota Closes In by 38,000 Cars
News & Trends

Detroit’s Big Three Fall to a Record-Low 36% of US Car Sales, as Toyota Closes In by 38,000 Cars

Oct 5, 2026 . 5 min
₹4,150 Crore on the Table, Zero Takers: Why India’s EV Import Duty Cut Hasn’t Landed a Single Application
News & Trends

₹4,150 Crore on the Table, Zero Takers: Why India’s EV Import Duty Cut Hasn’t Landed a Single Application

Oct 5, 2026 . 5 min
No Claim Bonus Explained: The ₹2,525 Gap Between a 20% and a 50% Car Insurance Discount
Explainers & How-To

No Claim Bonus Explained: The ₹2,525 Gap Between a 20% and a 50% Car Insurance Discount

Oct 4, 2026 . 5 min
1.8 Lakh Orders Deep: Will Your Car Arrive by Dussehra This Year?
Road Trips & Culture

1.8 Lakh Orders Deep: Will Your Car Arrive by Dussehra This Year?

Oct 3, 2026 . 5 min
Launched at ₹1,90,015: Bajaj’s Pulsar NS400Z Finally Gets a TFT, But It’s Still Not a 400
News & Trends

Launched at ₹1,90,015: Bajaj’s Pulsar NS400Z Finally Gets a TFT, But It’s Still Not a 400

Oct 3, 2026 . 5 min
Tinted Car Windows in India: The ₹10,000 Hisar Challan, and Why Kerala Says It’s Legal Anyway
Explainers & How-To

Tinted Car Windows in India: The ₹10,000 Hisar Challan, and Why Kerala Says It’s Legal Anyway

Oct 2, 2026 . 5 min
Tesla Secures $30 Billion in New Credit, Six Times Its Old Limit, to Build Robots and Robotaxis
News & Trends

Tesla Secures $30 Billion in New Credit, Six Times Its Old Limit, to Build Robots and Robotaxis

Oct 1, 2026 . 5 min
India’s ₹1.17 Crore Number Plates: Why Buyers Pay More for 8888 Than the Car
Road Trips & Culture

India’s ₹1.17 Crore Number Plates: Why Buyers Pay More for 8888 Than the Car

Oct 1, 2026 . 5 min
BMW Cuts Profit Margin Target to Just 3-5% by 2028, Will Axe 8,000 German Jobs
News & Trends

BMW Cuts Profit Margin Target to Just 3-5% by 2028, Will Axe 8,000 German Jobs

Sep 30, 2026 . 6 min
India’s 5-Challan Rule Explained: How Unpaid Tickets Can Now Cost You Your Licence and Freeze Your RC
Explainers & How-To

India’s 5-Challan Rule Explained: How Unpaid Tickets Can Now Cost You Your Licence and Freeze Your RC

Sep 30, 2026 . 5 min
Launched at ₹1.35 Lakh: Honda’s QC3 Claims More Range Than the Activa e:, But Only 5 Cities Can Buy One
News & Trends

Launched at ₹1.35 Lakh: Honda’s QC3 Claims More Range Than the Activa e:, But Only 5 Cities Can Buy One

Sep 29, 2026 . 5 min
Rann Utsav 2026-27 Runs November 1 to March 7: What the Drive to Dhordo Actually Costs
Road Trips & Culture

Rann Utsav 2026-27 Runs November 1 to March 7: What the Drive to Dhordo Actually Costs

Sep 29, 2026 . 5 min
US Fuel Economy Rules Cut to 34.9 MPG by 2031: Biden’s 50.4 MPG EV-Era Target Is Dead
News & Trends

US Fuel Economy Rules Cut to 34.9 MPG by 2031: Biden’s 50.4 MPG EV-Era Target Is Dead

Sep 28, 2026 . 6 min
Renault Triber Turbo Launched at ₹7.84 Lakh: 39% More Power, No CNG at Launch
News & Trends

Renault Triber Turbo Launched at ₹7.84 Lakh: 39% More Power, No CNG at Launch

Sep 28, 2026 . 5 min
Pay As You Drive Insurance in India, Explained: Why the “Up to 90% Off” Never Touches Your Full Premium
Explainers & How-To

Pay As You Drive Insurance in India, Explained: Why the “Up to 90% Off” Never Touches Your Full Premium

Sep 28, 2026 . 5 min
Himachal’s Road-Trip Toll U-Turn: What Driving to Manali or Spiti Actually Costs This Festive Season
Road Trips & Culture

Himachal’s Road-Trip Toll U-Turn: What Driving to Manali or Spiti Actually Costs This Festive Season

Sep 27, 2026 . 5 min
Volkswagen Recalls 2.86 Million VW and Audi Cars Over a Corroding Steering Bolt: Its Biggest Since Dieselgate
News & Trends

Volkswagen Recalls 2.86 Million VW and Audi Cars Over a Corroding Steering Bolt: Its Biggest Since Dieselgate

Sep 26, 2026 . 5 min
Launched at ₹5.29 Lakh: Tata’s Aeris Replaces the Tigor, and the CNG Version Loses Half Its Boot
News & Trends

Launched at ₹5.29 Lakh: Tata’s Aeris Replaces the Tigor, and the CNG Version Loses Half Its Boot

Sep 26, 2026 . 5 min
Zero Depreciation Cover Explained: The ₹17,500 Gap in a Single Car Insurance Claim
Explainers & How-To

Zero Depreciation Cover Explained: The ₹17,500 Gap in a Single Car Insurance Claim

Sep 25, 2026 . 5 min
Goa’s New Flyover Banned Two-Wheelers Days After a Fatal Crash: What It Means for Your Next Ride to Goa
Road Trips & Culture

Goa’s New Flyover Banned Two-Wheelers Days After a Fatal Crash: What It Means for Your Next Ride to Goa

Sep 25, 2026 . 5 min
Launched at ₹10.32 Lakh: Mahindra’s Thar OG Gets a New Platform, But Six Airbags Stay a Top-Trim Perk
News & Trends

Launched at ₹10.32 Lakh: Mahindra’s Thar OG Gets a New Platform, But Six Airbags Stay a Top-Trim Perk

Sep 24, 2026 . 6 min
Royal Enfield’s One Ride Tripled to 1.5 Lakh Riders, But the Snow Leopard Math Won’t Add Up Until October 23
Road Trips & Culture

Royal Enfield’s One Ride Tripled to 1.5 Lakh Riders, But the Snow Leopard Math Won’t Add Up Until October 23

Sep 23, 2026 . 5 min
MoRTH’s ADAS Mandate Takes Effect October 1, and It Has Nothing to Do With the Car You’re Booking
Explainers & How-To

MoRTH’s ADAS Mandate Takes Effect October 1, and It Has Nothing to Do With the Car You’re Booking

Sep 23, 2026 . 5 min