Speeding ?!.See this and then do it!

About speeding. This informative video will change your attitude!

Remember reading that driving in 30km and hitting a stationary object is like falling from first floor, and every additional floor impact for a 10km ++ increase.

Speed Thrills But Kills! Be mindful!

Luxury Custom Caravan in Germany. Better than the DC in India. Wanna own one?

Nissan Micra - Price in India, Testdrive report and Review with Specifications

Nissan Micra is available with three variants XE (the base variant), XL (mid) and XV (the top end variant) which are priced in the range of Rs 3.98 lacs to Rs 5.28 lacs (ex showroom New Delhi). With this pricing, the Micra will go up against the new age 1.2-litre small hatchbacks in the Rs 4-lakh-bracket like the Hyundai i10, the Chevrolet Beat and the Maruti Suzuki Ritz.

Micra from Nissan will be manufactured simultaneously in many countries such as Thailand, India, China and Mexico. This model will be sold in 160 countries globally including the Indian Market. The Micra is based on Nissan’s new V (‘Versatility’) platform, which will be used as the basis of some more future models in the pipeline.

What you'll like:

• Cute styling, quality, well-designed interiors
• Driver airbag standard across the range (including base variant)
• Compliant ride quality. Suspension tuned for comfort
• Value add: Keyless entry & go, engine start / stop button, electric folding mirrors, climate control
• Best in class turning radius and fuel efficiency. ARAI = 18.06 kpl 
• Without the engine & transmission, the Micra is at an 87% localization level.
• Well-shaped boot. Capacity = 251 liters. Rear seat can fold away, but no 50:50 /60:40 split
• Lock the car and the mirrors fold in automatically. Convenient. IIRC, only the Hyundai i20 provides this feature amongst the hatchbacks.
  If you press the lock button, and one of the doors is accidentally left open, the Micra won’t give you a lock confirmation beep. Instead, she throws out a 3 second long warning beep.
  Standard warranty : 24 months / 50,000 kms. With extended warranty package, 48 months / 80,000 kms. 
• Fuel tank capacity = 41 liters.

What you won't like:

• Unknown after sales service and wafer thin dealer network and narrow reach across the country
• Unknown  maintenance costs and resale value
• Lack of rear seat neck restraints 
• Ordinary three-cylinder petrol engine, dull to drive.
• Missing under-thigh support from the rear seat 
• ORVMs are a size smaller
• Nissan's cost of ownership is yet to be known
• Boot release lever missing on the inside. Fuel lid release placed next to the bonnet lever to save costs.
• Before driving off, you need to press the “lock” switch on the driver’s control panel to lock all doors. Merely locking the driver’s door ( from where the door open handle is) will lock only that single door.

All Micra variants have been equipped with a driver side airbag, and this needs special care on passengers to wear seat belt. Hopefully, Nissan sets a trend that other manufacturers follow. Hope ABS too becomes a mandatory feature soon on Indian roads. In a segment dominated by Maruti, Tata & Hyundai, Nissan needs a differentiator. That’s why the driver airbag is standard.

Nissan sells the XV variant with dual airbags, ABS & EBD brakes, climate control, keyless entry & go, engine start / stop button, tilt-adjustable steering, 4 power windows, engine immobilizer, 4 speaker audio system with CD / MP3 / AUX compatibility, multi-information display (with real time + average fuel efficiency, and distance to empty reading), electric mirrors (adjust + fold in action) and rear wash / wipe. Alloy wheels are conspicuous by their absence on the top variant.

The base XE version is seriously basic, with no wheel covers, no tachometer, no parcel shelf, no music system, no power windows, no central locking, no ABS and no fog lamps. Even the seats are different - the front buckets have integrated headrests and the rear bench is not as contoured. The mid level XL comes with power windows front and rear, a music system, remote keyless entry and even includes a tachometer. The XV though, quite naturally comes loaded with goodies - intelligent key with push button ignition, fog lamps, climate control and electrically adjustable mirrors. It also has a front passenger airbag and ABS, EBD and brake assistance.

Fuel Efficiency and low weight are among the strengths of the V-platform and both these crucial factors are intrinsically linked. The key here is an all new light weight and fuel efficient three cylinder 1.2 litre engine which is tuned for drivability and low end torque to suit the Micra’s urban focus. A cleverly conceived engineering concept by Nissan, which has seen the car’s individual parts count reduced by 18 per cent. Despite its lightness, it does feel very well screwed together and tightly constructed.

Cabin is impressively spacious for the front passengers, especially for shoulder room. Under normal driving conditions, it’s refined and the three-cylinder engine is impressively smooth thanks to the clever counterweight fitted to the crank pulley. The tight 4.5m turning circle of Micra makes placing the car in tight situations very easy. The steering is light, but the driver can still sense the position of the front wheels.

Engine
It isn't as bad as it seems though, especially when you start the engine and get driving. Under the Micra's hood is a 1198cc three-cylinder petrol engine that has sound pedigree on paper - 76PS @ 6000rpm and 104Nm @ 4000rpm. Nissan has done a good job with tuning the engine and has matched it well with the 5 speed manual gearbox to make the Micra peppy and very driveable.

Specifications

• Engine: 1198cc, Petrol
• Configuration: Inline, 3-cylinders
• Power: 76PS @ 6,000rpm
• Torque: 104Nm @ 4000rpm
• Transmission: Five-speed manual
• Drive Wheels: Front
• Overall Length: 3,780mm
• Overall Width: 1,665mm
• Overall Height: 1,530mm
• Wheelbase: 2,450mm
• Kerb Weight: 895 - 930kg
• Tyres: 165/70 R14
• Boot Space: 226 litres
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 41 litres
• Turning Radius: 4.65m 

Verdict: Nissan Micra is meant as a city car , ideal for point to point drives. However, I had seen many Micras in NH47 on long commute. Micra is also positioned as a cool youth car and on second looks, more neat than GM Beat. Buy it for city drives!

Toyota Corrolla Altis Diesel or Petrol? Comparison and price in India

Do you want the best in class Mileage, Safety, Comfort, Prestige, Low Maintenance, Resale value? If price of this segment can be affordable or if you can stretch, LOOK NO FURTHER than Toyota Corrolla Altis Diesel!!!

Few more reasons, why you should buy Altis Diesel:if you travel a lot and would clearly like to save what you can on fuel, you should buy Altis Diesel; if you have always wanted a Toyota Corolla Altis but did not want to pay the fuel bills, the diesel is for you! also, read my feature on Altis and other car comparisons in this blog.
Who will not like the Corolla Altis diesel? With the focus on diesel mileage Altis diesel is not for a power hungry driver - If you are looking for a sporty racing petrol car above 100bhp, or if you dislike shifting gears too often in heavy traffic, this is not for you! Are you used to 1900 cc or 2000 cc diesels or similar petrol equivalents? Then again, Altis diesel is not for you! 

Super Mileage: Toyota claims an ARAI-certified 21.43 kpl as the mileage of the car. In the city or in mixed driving, depending on traffic conditions and gear changes, a mileage of 15-17 kmpl should be achievable.

Is 1.4 Altis Diesel version worth buying than the 1.8 Petrol version? Altis petrol is recommended for its advantages(smooth, less maintenance, more power, more driving comfort) over diesel and if you have less than approximately 12 -15 thousand kms drive per year!

Price and Toyota Ownership Experience: The Toyota Corolla Altis diesel GL (top-of-the-line) comes for Rs 14.36lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai) which is on the higher side, considering most competitors offer more in the similar price bracket when it comes to price against features. But then coming from the Toyota stable, it will no doubt be a hugely reliable product and the buyer will have a great Toyota ownership experience and after sales support. Also, the depreciation will be lower as compared to some other cars in the segment.

Diesel Engine and performance: The 1.4-litre four-cylinder D4D engine is comparitively a small positioning to power a car of this size. Altis Petrol engine is 1.8 litre. What you get is a cool diesel machine which gives you mileage figures with comfort! For a petrol driver, obviously the diesel engine is noisy!Otherwise Toyota's sophistication works wonders as it just idles silently under the hood.

The engine is 1364cc and makes 88.4 PS @ 3800rpm and has 205 Nm of torque under its belt between 1800rpm – 2800rpm. Variable Nozzle Turbo and Intercooler helps pump up the power – and the performance of the 1.4 liter engine is clearly better than what you would expect. This very engine also powers the Toyota Yaris in europe. Toyota has tuned the 1.4 D4D to perform better than you would expect, and while on the move, it performs very well indeed. The engine is mated to a 6-speed transmission with very well thought-out ratios to ride the almost straight torque curve from gear to gear.The new six speed transmission offers slick gear shifts.

With inputs from test drives and other site references, from a standing start, 100 kmph comes up in around 15 seconds.Once on the move, the Corolla Altis diesel is very stable. As you touch 2000 rpm, the turbo takes over and life gets a lot better for the driver. The torque output is linear, and once on the highways, you will easily marvel at the smooth performance not to mention fuel efficiency.

Ride and handling: The Toyota Corolla Altis Diesel comes with the same suspension system as its petrol sibling which is McPherson struts in the front (It is also the most common system used on Japanese cars) and torsion beam at its rear. However the front suspension is stiffer as the diesel Corolla Altis is 55kgs heavier than it's petrol sibling.The Corolla Altis Diesel is more of a family car or a chauffeur-driven vehicle than an outright boy-racer.The Altis has a composed ride at low and high speeds and ploughs through potholes with just a muted thud.

Other cars to compare: The Corolla Altis has been feeling some competition from rivals such as the Chevrolet Cruze and the Skoda Laura with its cousin the VW Jetta, and their diesel engines were seriously tempting for those who had their minds set on diesel sedans. However Skoda Laura/Octavia and Volkswagen Jetta fails miserably on aftersales service , service delays, service reach and total ownership experience with a horrible resale value! Needless to say GM Chevrolet Cruze doesnot fare anywhere on resale value or ownership experience! Honda doesnot have any diesel competition yet. Verdict: You have a total winner in Toyota Corrolla Altis Diesel, with its best in class Mileage, Safety, Comfort, Prestige, Low Maintenance, Resale value which explains its hot selling status!


Other Interesting Links:

1. Toyota Corrolla Altis or Honda Civic? Test drive and hands on experience
2. Toyota Corrolla Altis Test drive and Review

Harley Davidson VROD VRSCDX Night Rod Special in India. Prices and details

Harley Davidson VROD VRSCDX Night Rod Special is one of the 12 magnificent bikes lined up for India. Harley is undoubtedly the king of leisure riding! Many of my bosses in Europe / US, claims that riding their Harley is one of their favourite pastimes in summer. In India, you have a wonderful climate and with the upcoming infrastructure boom around highways, miles to go!

Price: Rs.1895000 approx.

Checkout the official website for details: 

• Harley-davidson-india-motorcycles-v-rod-vrscdx-night-rod-special

Checkout and enjoy the Sounds of Harley Davidson here:

• the-sounds-of-harley-davidson

Want to buy and bring a new Harley home? Check this: 

• harley-davidson-india-emi-calculator

Happy ride!

Volkswagen Vento - a C+ segment midsize sedan in India. Prices and details

Volkswagen India launches  mid-sized sedan segment Vento by fourth quarter of 2010, with expected price range of  Rs.7 - 10 lakh .Based on the successful Volkswagen Polo platform, Vento is the first car under  Volkswagen brand, tailor made for the Indian domestic market.

Vento means wind in both Italian and Portuguese.VW has a tradition of naming its models after prominent winds.After the launch of New Polo Hatchback in Indian Market Volkswagen is going to launch the sedan variant of New Polo to compete with the likes of Swift Dzire and SX4, Hyundai Verna, Fiat Linea, Ford Fiesta, Toyota Etios and Honda City. Outside India, Polo has a sedan variant called the Volkswagen Polo Classic, but for India Volkswagen has christened the Polo saloon as "Vento".

The interior is equipped with storage compartment in front doors for 1 litre Bottles, sunglass storage inside glove box, foldable roof handles with coat hooks, front and rear centre armrest, cupholders and “Livon” fabric upholstery are proof of the sure instinct of high design quality which interprets the classic elements of the Vento in a contemporary way. In exteriors too, the Vento offers Body colored bumpers, Chrome inlays in front grille, body coloured exterior door handles & mirrors (Highline), rough road package with increased ground clearance and partially zinc coated body with 6 years anti-rust warranty.


With regards to safety, the Vento Highline is equipped with ABS, Front Airbags for driver and co-driver, Anti Theft system with interior surveillance and back up alarm. On comfort, the Vento Highline offers CD MP3 Player with 4 speakers, Electrically adjustable outside mirrors, Climatronic automatic air conditioning with rear AC vents, Remote control for central locking. Multi function info display including door opening warning, height adjustable driving seats and a steering wheel adjustable for reach and rake which improves the drivability of the passenger. The Vento will establish a leadership position in its class with category defining attributes of space, style, comfort and safety. It will be manufactured at Volkswagen’s Chakan plant with an annual capacity of 110,000 cars and will be available through Volkswagen’s 47 dealerships across the country.


The Vento is a major release for Volkswagen Brand in India, where they intend to be a premium brand with premium products and do not intend to be in the price-sensitive segment. Vento, the C-segment sedan would even be pitted against models like Honda City, Toyota’s upcoming Etios sedan, Maruti Suzuki Dzire and  SX4, Hyundai Verna, Fiat Linea, Ford Fiesta, etc. Out of this, respectable premium competitors would be Honda City and Toyota Etios, for Volkswagen Vento. While Toyota is much ahead of Honda world over, in India, mostly due to exterior styling and early introduction, Honda commands an edge especially with Honda City, Civic and Accord. Volkswagen has clearly targeted the Fiat Linea to Honda City market segment as there is least competition there, with the Honda car managing to gain the maximum from this void. Many sources and websites claim, the drive, handling, interiors and exteriors of the Vento have been developed keeping in mind the Honda City.

Volkswagen, the largest European car-maker had earlier launched its much-anticipated hatchback, 'Polo', in the Indian market at a price ranging from Rs 4.34 to Rs 6.70 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).In Bangalore the top end model of Polo Highline cost 7.05 lakhs and 5 months booking period (data as of June 2010). The company has an order backlog of 10,000 for the Polo and has delivered 4,500 units in the last four months.Prevailing "Polo Classic sedan"(not available in India in this name) is shown in the picture.


Volkswagen Polo hatchback's wheelbase has been extended by an estimated 50mm for better legroom. Headroom too will be better as the roof doesn’t taper down as sharply as in the hatch. Using the Honda City as the Vento’s benchmark, VW engineers hint at best-in-class comfort with the use of special seat cushions to withstand prolonged use without compromising comfort. Boot space is expected to be in the region of 500 litres with a split seat option on offer.


The top model (Highline) of Volkswagen Vento comes fully loaded with following features:

• Power Steering, Power Windows, Remote Central Locking System
• CD MP3 Player with 4 speakers, Electrically adjustable outside mirrors
• Climatronic automatic air conditioning with rear AC vents
• Multi functon info display including door opening warning
• Height adjustable driving seats plus steering wheel adjustment for reach and rake.
• Dual SRS Airbags, ABS with EBD, Anti Theft System, Electronic Immobilizer
• Alloy Wheels, Sunglass Storage Inside Glove-box
• Front and Rear Seat Arm-rests in center
• Livon Fabric Upholstery, Electronically Adjustable Outside Rear View Mirrors
• Body Colored Bumpers, Fog Lamps, Body Colored Door handles & ORVM

According to different sources and websites, Volkswagen has invested 580 million euros on its Chakan plant, which has an annual production capacity of 1.1 lakh units. The facility also manufactures the 'Fabia' hatchback of group firm Skoda Auto. The new 'Vento' is the seventh model in India from Volkswagen's stable. The company currently offers compact cars 'Beetle' and 'Polo', premium sedans 'Phaeton', 'Passat' and 'Jetta', and sports utility vehicle 'Touareg' in the country. Just like the Polo, VW Vento will also be having a 50 per cent indigenisation in the initial phase and 70-80 per cent in the next few years. Currently, both the car’s engine and transmission, generally 35-40 per cent of a car’s cost, is imported from Germany.

Engine Specifications - Petrol

• Displacement: 1598 cc, 4 cylinder, 8 valve
• Engine Type: Petrol
• Max.Power: 105bhp@5250 rpm
• Max.Torque:153 Nm@3800 rpm

Volkswagen Vento Variants

• Vento Trendline , Highline
• Vento Diesel Trendline, Highline

Verdict:Currently the new Honda City leads a segment and established in India with almost no competition and hence sells at a very high cost, and without any frills. Competition from Toyota Etios and Volkswagen Vento would be apt, as these brands are highly valued the world over and could give tangible benefits of competition to the customers.Like Polo high end versions, Vento also will not be for people who look for value for money in a competitive car market. Given the Volkswagen branding and german assured quality, Vento is a solid car which could give a distinct prestige and statusquo for buyers who will shift their purchasing decision from Suzuki SX4, Fiat Linea Emotion, Hyundai Verna, Toyota Etios and Honda City.

Harley Davidson Touring FLHX Street Glide in India. Prices and details

Harley Davidson Touring FLHX Street Glide is one of the 12 magnificent bikes lined up for India. Harley is undoubtedly the king of leisure riding! Many of my bosses in Europe / US, claims that riding their Harley is one of their favourite pastimes in summer. In India, you have a wonderful climate and with the upcoming infrastructure boom around highways, miles to go!

Price: Rs.2195000 approx.

Checkout the official website for details: 

• Harley-davidson-india-motorcycles-touring-flhx-street-glide

Checkout and enjoy the Sounds of Harley Davidson here:

• the-sounds-of-harley-davidson

Want to buy and bring a new Harley home? Check this: 

• harley-davidson-india-emi-calculator

Happy ride!

Volkswagen Polo 2010 - Price in India & Compare the signature style, solid city car for you!

German auto major Volkswagen is the market leader in China and is eager to replicate its success in India. However they have launched the flopped Jetta in India at double the price and hopes to sell it with huge advertising blitzkrieg! However their marketing team, in my opinion will hopefully touch gold with the pricing of new Polo, a hugely successful volkswagen car in germany and europe!

See the details below and my verdict at the end.Also note that the german word volkswagen(meaning "people's car") is pronounced "folkswagen" in english.

Volkswagen has launched the New Polo in India, it was showcased at the Auto Expo 2010 but prices were not announced. It was first unvieled the all new 2009 Polo at the Geneva Auto Show '09. 

Engine Options of VW Polo
New Polo is available with three engine options:

1. New Polo 1.2 Petrol - 1198cc - 75 Bhp Power and 110 Nm Torque
2. New Polo 1.2 Diesel - 1199cc - 75 Bhp Power and 180 Nm Torque
3. New Polo 1.6 Petrol - 1598cc - 105 Bhp Power and 153 Nm Torque

Variants
You have the option of buying the Volkswagen Polo in highline, comfortline and trendline trims.

1. New Polo 1.2 petrol Trendline, Comfortline, Highline
2. New Polo 1.6 petrol Highline
3. New Polo 1.2 diesel Trendline, Comfortline, Highline

The top of the line Highline variant comes with Dual SRS Airbags, Alloys, ABS, Climate control, Leather Interiors, Rear washer/wiper & Parking sensors. The 1.6 Petrol is available only in Highline variant.

Features
The cars has some unique features that include storage compartment in front doors for 1.5 litre bottles, sunglass storage inside glove box, folding rear seat backrests and the two-tone dashboard. Polo also offers remote keyless central locking that includes remote window up/down on the highline, which is unique in the segment.

No other car in this class has such a mature and high-end image as the New Polo. It may not have the flair of the Grande Punto or the futuristic shape of the Jazz but it looks every bit a Volkswagen with its strong haunches and solid look. The typically Volkswagen grille and stunning headlights only add to the appeal. All in all New Polo looks awesome from almost all angles. The squarish tail lamps may not be very new in design but looks very good and suits the overall stance of Volkswagen Polo.Same is with headlamps which have a black outlining like we have seen in the Ford Fiesta. 

Volkswagen New Polo is the best in terms of looks and styling in comparison to other B+ segemnt cars which consists of Skoda Fabia, Honda Jazz, Ford Figo, Hyundai i20, Tata Indica Vista and Maruti Suzuki Ritz. Only Fiat Grande Punto is the car which looks better than the Volkswagen New Polo

Talking about the standard features - the tilt and telescopic steering, green-tinted heat-blocking glass, body coloured bumpers, halogen headlights and galvanised body with 6 years anti corrosion warranty.Right from the high-grade materials to the exquisite workmanship, the New Polo promises an optimal blend of design, comfort and functionality. The interiors are functional and offer a host of pockets to store various knick-knacks. The materials used are neat and the cabin generally offers an overall feel good factor. 

Safety
Comfort, quality and safety have all taken a considerable leap forward. Polo was specifically designed to attain the recently established, stricter and more comprehensive, 5-star EuroNCAP rating. The higher structural rigidity of the Polo’s bodyshell contributes to these results. In the footwell area alone, intrusion - related to the car body’s deformation strength in a frontal crash – was lowered by 50 percent! In the case of a side impact, the intrusion value was reduced by 20 percent. The New Polo is loaded with a wealth of advanced safety equipments, which makes every journey as safe as possible. A comprehensive airbag system for occupant protection, along with an ultra high-strength steel frame, makes for an indigenously structured passenger cell. Add to that, an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) which provides individual wheel braking preferences. It’s all about sitting back and enjoying the drive with the reassurance of security.

Mileage
The Volkswagen Polo petrol offers a mileage of about 12 kmpl in the city and 16 kmpl on the highway

Resale value
Volkswagen announced an ambitious plan for india and going by that resale value should be good for VW Polo (and it should not go by the way of opel!) Anyway, except for Suzuki, rest of teh clan doesnot command any high resale value either! Fiats are obviously the lowest of the lot though!

Vehicle Summary

• Model: New Polo 1.2 Petrol High
• Car Body Type: Hatchback
• Segment:B+ Segment

ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS

• Displacement: 1198cc, 3 Cylinder
• Engine Type: Petrol
• Maximum Power: 75 Bhp @ 5400 rpm
• Maximum Torque: 110 Nm @ 3750 rpm

OTHER SPECIFICATIONS

• Seating Capacity: 5
• Tyre Size:185/60 R15
• Turning Circle: 4.97 mtrs.
• Steering: Power
• Brakes: Front Disk, Rear Drum
• Ground Clearance:168.00 mm
• Trip Meter:2
• Airbag: 2
• Gears: 5 Manual

DIMENSIONS

• Length: 3970 mm
• Width: 1682 mm
• Height: 1453 mm

The Volkswagen Car Configurator
Volkswagen Car Configurator, is an easy to use online tool which leads you in four steps to your favourite car. The car configurator intuitively helps you combine the desired car variant with your preferred choice of option / accessories, to address your needs perfectly.Checkout the simple Car Configurator

Interesting TV commercials/video you would like to see

• The Polo Safety and toughness (indian tv commercial)
• VW 2010 (europe - polo accessories video)

Price

The Volkswagen Polo is available on the road between Rs ~434,000(trendline) and Rs ~700,000(highline).

Waiting period
In the booming indian market as of May 2010, waiting period for Polo is around 5 to 6 months.Please note that it is around 3 months - 6 months for other top selling cars in this range like Suzuki Swift Dzire(maximum waiting period of say 6 months and best buy for value for money, service, space and resale), Hyundai i20 (korean make with top class features and low class engine with say 3 months). Readily available cars are Skoda fabia (Volkswagen owned czhech car, which is notorious for its service), Fiat punto(solid and great value for money car with good engine, but with  low class interiors and notorious resale).Toyoto Etios sedan, as I heard from the toyota showroom in Bangalore, will arrive in January 2010 in this range and already have thousands shown interest.Volkswagen Polo sedan is also expected to arrive India in last quarter of 2010.

Verdict
Compared to competition, polo has demerits like little lower backseat space inside, low power from 1.2 litre(engine is not the best in class where even the suzuki fares much better!). Driveability of Polo in city is fantastic, but in highways you would crave for more power as focus for Polo India is fuel efficiency! And what you get is a Solid, stable, safe, SIGNATURE STYLE car, high in image and self esteem primarily for use in city - there, it fares high on competition like swift dzire, hyundai i20, skoda fabia, fiat punto - you have a solid german car in hand! So, if these are high on mind, just go for Volkswagen highline model!

Harley Davidson Touring FLHR Road King in India. Prices and details

Harley Davidson Touring FLHR Road King is one of the 12 magnificent bikes lined up for India. Harley is undoubtedly the king of leisure riding! Many of my bosses in Europe / US, claims that riding their Harley is one of their favourite pastimes in summer. In India, you have a wonderful climate and with the upcoming infrastructure boom around highways, miles to go!

Price: Rs.2045000 approx.

Checkout the official website for details: 

• Harley-davidson-india-motorcycles-touring-flhr-road-king

Checkout and enjoy the Sounds of Harley Davidson here:

• the-sounds-of-harley-davidson

Want to buy and bring a new Harley home? Check this: 

• harley-davidson-india-emi-calculator

Happy ride!

Ford Figo released in India : Details, Review, Prices

Ford Figo's name is colloquial Italian for cool. Ford Figo is designed and engineered to compete in India's small car segment, which accounts for more than 70 percent of the new vehicle market. It leverages Ford's small-car platform architecture, sharing underlying technology with the Ford Fiesta, already familiar to Indian drivers.

Ford Figo

• Car Body Type: Hatchback
• Segment: B+ Segment
• Top Speed: 160
• Fuel Consumption: Highway: 15.00 kmpl (Petrol)
• Fuel Consumption: City: 12.00 kmpl (Petrol)
• DIMENSIONS
  
  
  
  • Length: 3795 mm
  • Width:1680 mm
  • Height:1427 mm

Ford Figo Variants:
Ford Figo is available in 8 variants, 4 of petrol and 4 of diesel:

• Ford Figo LXi, EXi, ZXi and Ford Figo Titanium. 
• Ford Figo Diesel LXi, EXi, ZXi and Ford Figo Diesel Titanium.

Price of Ford Figo in India (approx)

• Ford Figo LXi – Rs. 3,49,000.00
• Ford Figo EXi – Rs. 3,81,000.00
• Ford Figo SXi – Rs. 3,99,000.00
• Ford Figo Titanium – Rs. 4,42,000.00
• Ford Figo Diesel LXi – Rs. 4,47,000.00
• Ford Figo Diesel EXi – Rs. 4,72,000.00
• Ford Figo Diesel SXi – Rs. 4,96,000.00
• Ford Figo Diesel Titanium – Rs 5,29,000.00

The Top of the line "Titanium" variant of Ford Figo comes with:

• Body Coloured Bumpers 
• Full Wheel Covers 
• Body Coloured ORVMs 
• Chrome Finish Radiator Grille 
• Air Conditioning 
• Power Steering 
• MP3 Player with 4 Speakers 
• Bluetooth Phone Interface 
• Rear Washer and Wiper - Power Windows 
• Remote Central Locking 
• Remote Boot Opener 
• Remote Fuel Lid Opener 
• Driver Seat Height Adjustment 
• Removable Parcel Tray 
• Rear Defogger 
• ABS with EBD 
• Dual SRS Airbags

Engine Options In Ford FigoFord Figo has been launched with 2 engine options:

• 1196cc DuraTec Petrol - 70 Bhp 
• 1399cc DuraTorq Diesel - 68 Bhp

The diesel engine is the same 1.4 Duratorq 68bhp motor that powers the Ikon & Fiesta saloons. The Duratorq motor is incredibly responsive at low speeds and hugely economical too which should suit the urban driving conditions the Figo will mostly cater to.

The petrol engine is the all new all-aluminium 1.2-litre petrol motor which is essentially a scaled-down version of Sigma petrol engines that power the Fiesta saloon. It generates maximum power of 70 Bhp. Belonging to the same engine family, it shares common architecture like double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder an aluminium block.

A five-speed manual transmission is standard equipment on both engines. The clutch has been designed for low effort due to frequent application for shifting in high traffic found in the Indian market. Zero to 100 kilometres per hour performance is 15.5 seconds for the petrol engine and 15.8 seconds for the diesel variant. Based on Ford’s proven global small car architecture, Figo has been thoroughly tuned for Indian drivers. With the longest wheelbase in the B-car segment at 2489 millimetres, chassis dynamics have been optimised with new steering and suspension components.

Verdict: Let us wait and see the fate of custom made Ford Figo in a playground where the bigboy VW Polo vye for attention and compete with the likes of Fiat Punto, Hyundai with i10(going down the market already),  Skoda Fabia and most importantly the market leader Maruti Suzuki who has many variants like Suzuki Ritz, Suzuki Swift, Suzuki Dzire etc in this range! 

Harley Davidson CVO FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide in India. Prices and details

Harley Davidson CVO FLHTCUSE Ultra Classic Electra Glide is one of the 12 magnificent bikes lined up for India. Harley is undoubtedly the king of leisure riding! Many of my bosses in Europe / US, claims that riding their Harley is one of their favourite pastimes in summer. In India, you have a wonderful climate and with the upcoming infrastructure boom around highways, miles to go!

Price: Rs.3495000 approx.

Checkout the official website for details: 

• Harley-davidson-india-motorcycles-cvo-flhtcuse-ultra-classic-electra-glide

Checkout and enjoy the Sounds of Harley Davidson here:

• the-sounds-of-harley-davidson

Want to buy and bring a new Harley home? Check this: 

• harley-davidson-india-emi-calculator

Happy ride!

Harley Davidson XL 1200N Nightster in India. Prices, images and details

Harley Davidson XL 1200N Nighster is one of the 12 magnificent bikes lined up for India. Harley is undoubtedly the king of leisure riding! Many of my bosses in Europe / US, claims riding their Harley is one of their favourite pastimes in summer.In India, you have a wonderful climate and with the upcoming infrastructure boom around highways, miles to go!

Price: Rs.995000 approx.

Checkout the official website for details: 

• Harley-davidson-india-motorcycles-sportster-xl-1200N-nighster.

Checkout and enjoy the Sounds of Harley Davidson here:

• the-sounds-of-harley-davidson

Want to buy and bring a new Harley home? Check this EMI Calculator: 

• harley-davidson-india-emi-calculator

Happy ride!

Harley Davidson 883R Roadster in India. Prices and details.

Harley Davidson 883R Roadster is one of the 12 magnificent bikes lined up for India. Harley is undoubtedly the king of leisure riding! Many of my bosses in Europe / US, claims riding their Harley is one of their favourite pastimes in summer.In India, you have a wonderful climate and with the upcoming infrastructure boom around highways, miles to go!

Price: Rs.750000 approx. 

Checkout the official website for details: 

• Harley-davidson-india-motorcycles-sportster-xl-883r-roadster.

Checkout and enjoy the Sounds of Harley Davidson here:

• the-sounds-of-harley-davidson

Want to buy and bring a new Harley home? Check this: 

• harley-davidson-india-emi-calculator

Happy ride!

Harley Davidson 883L Sportster motor bike in India. King of leisure riding!

Harley Davidson 883L Sportster is one of the 12 magnificent bikes lined up for India. Harley is undoubtedly the king of leisure riding! Many of my bosses in europe /us, claims riding their Harley is one of their favourite pastimes in summer.In India, you have a wonderful climate and with the upcoming infrastructure boom around highways, miles to go! 

Price: Rs.695000 approx. 

Checkout the official website for details: 

• Harley-davidson-india-motorcycles-sportster-xl-883l-sportster.

Checkout and enjoy the Sounds of Harley Davidson here:

• the-sounds-of-harley-davidson

Want to buy and bring a new Harley home? Check this: 

• harley-davidson-india-emi-calculator

Happy ride!

Euro IV compliant diesel from Reliance Refinery - first in India

Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the biggest oil marketeer, and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) have recently floated tenders to import 120,000 tonnes and 60,000 tonnes of Euro-IV diesel, respectively as it came in news.

Government policy calls for petrol and diesel meeting Euro-IV standards are to be supplied in 13 cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, from April 1. Euro-III grade fuel is to be supplied across the rest of the country from the same day. The former deadline will be met. Sales of Euro-III will begin in a phased manner between April 1 and October 1.

Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has become the first Indian refinery to produce BS-IV compliant diesel and according to Business Standard, the first cargo of 25,000 tonnes of Euro-IV grade diesel from RIL’s refinery at Jamnagar was shipped by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) on Friday, quoting an unidentified source.

Reliance Industries Limited is India's largest private sector conglomerate (by market value) , with an annual turnover of US $35.9 billion and profit of US $4.85 billion for the fiscal year ending in March 2008 making it one of India's private sector Fortune Global 500 companies, being ranked at 206th position (2008).

According to Business standard,  RIL also gears up to produce the higher grade of petrol in India.

Toyota Etios - Entry level Family Car (Sedan and Hatchback) for India, priced mostly around 5.5lakhs+ onwards

Toyota is trying to make sure it stays at the top of the heap with the Etios -- a family car for India.It will be built using locally sourced parts and hence expected to be priced at around 5.5 lakhs plus (INR 5,50,000 +) to 7 lakhs.

As I have mentioned in my previous blogs on Toyota cars, Toyota makes a big point about how the car was developed by learning about how to make it most useful in India. This is where it scores above Honda, though it wins over Toyota for good looking and sporty cars. It would compete in the category of Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai i20, Skoda Fabia, Fiat Punto etc.Fabia and Punto wouldnot matter much, with Skoda's and Fiat's known and inherited issues and not so great service, costly maintenance history etc. Etios, with the Toyota reliability could give tough competition to other cars in this class and C-segment

The Etios is expected to come in two engine options, a 1.4 liter diesel which does its duty in the Toyota Yaris abroad(I had seen its launch in Europe few years back) and a 1.2 or 1.3 litre petrol engine. As Autocar and other magazine sources put it, Toyota in an aim to keep the costs as low as possible might probably resort to limited sound-proofing, a hard but durable interior, basic seats and one windscreen wiper.

See Video:

Toyota would launch both the sedan and hatchback version of the car in India in late 2010. Seems like this concept car is almost like 90% of actual car to be launched on road.

Toyota Fortuner - reasonably priced all new sport utility vehicle (SUV) from Toyota.SUV of the year 2009 - 2010.

Toyota fortuner diesel SUV is launched in India after much long wait for SUV enthusiasts, with a very reasonable price tag of 18-20 lakh plus upwards.The best available in its class at this price range in India now!

When luxury matches the force of the throttle, and ruggedness has a touch of cutting-edge technology, power gains a whole new artistic expression. Redefine the very way you move with the art of power, writes Toyota in it website: toyota-fortuner.co.in .World over, in ratings and  rankings, Toyota comes in top 5 and Honda in top 15, if I remember right, in a review last year.Anyway, in India, Honda had a little edge over Toyota, as in my opinion, I like the superb styling and made for owner-driver cars of Honda. However, Toyota with its reliable and pragmatic cars for India, has recently overtaken Honda in sales, as per the recently announced sales figures and the Fortuner will take this further.

Also see the performance, feature specifications and engine details here: toyota fortuner - Performance.

Pros:

• Reasonably priced SUV from Toyota, a company which rolls out Landcruiser(80lakhs), Prado(45lakhs)...
• The best in class SUV now at this price range
• Excellent quality of interiors and seat leather
• All the 3 rows have recline adjustable seats
  
• Stunning looks
  
• Overall Excellent Quality Build
• Powerful diesel and good mileage in comparison at this range
• Phenomenal Torque delivery as you rarely need to downshift in normal driving conditions.
  
• Useful and spacious interiors
  Excellent after-sales service
• Toyota's long term reliability and resale value

Cons:

• Rear disc brakes not available
• Extra comforts like power seats + lumbar support adjust, USB / AUX jack etc. are not available
• Long wait periods exists due to the popularity, even long after the launch period.
• A 7 seater, but could seat comfortably 6
  
• Utility vehicle rather than luxurious. Actually you get that Innova feeling, ONLY when you look closely.No wonder as it is based on the same platform!
  

Verdict: The Fortuner is already a big hit and every other SUV aficionado wants to own and drive this!

Tata Aria - MPV from Tata to be launched in India

Tata Aria is showcased at the ongoing 10th Delhi Auto Expo and is reported to be launched in the next three months.

To be launched in the second quarter of 2010, Tata Aria sports a 2.2-litre common rail diesel engine and blends the functionality and comfort of a mid-range MPV with the all-terrain assurance and premiumness of an SUV.Rumour mills reported that Tata is expected to price the Aria at Rs 6-10 lakh.Exact prices would be made known only during the launch.

Positioned to take on Toyota Innova, Mahindra Xylo and Chevrolet Tavera, the Aria with its three row of seats will attempt to blend the benefits of a family-friendly luxury tourer with the refined driving dynamics and visual cues of an activity-oriented sports utility vehicle.Seven-seater Aria will sport a new generation engine, navigation system, ABS and air bags among other enhancements. There will be three variants of the vehicle and will have both all wheel (4x4) as well as two wheel drive options. 

Verdict: Toyota Innova would be a top notch high with its reliability and refinement. Aria could give a competition for Xylo,Tavera etc.

Toyota Corrolla Altis or Honda Civic? Test drive and hands on experience

Toyota Corrolla Altis and Honda Civic are dream machines in entry level D segment class of cars for aspiring Indians. Let me start the comparison by noting that when Honda Civic was launched in India, the existing old Toyota Corrola was not even comparable or had any commentable quality other than its engine to give a competition!

When the new versions of Corrolla is launched - Toyota Corrolla Altis, Toyota did make a winning upgrade - feature rich, attractive interiors, good fuel economy etc to give a beautiful value added car.Altis is excitingly different from the old.Whereas, Honda didnot give any scope of excitement even with its newer version of Civic and didnot correct the major complaints for this market leading sporty car like very low ground clearance, which takes away the fun of driving in Indian roads, practically!

If you are not a fan of Honda or Civic, and is seriously considering to buy one of these, I earnestly suggest you to immediately call for a test drive for both the cars, before you get biased by reading varied reviews, mostly by fans or commercially influenced writing of car portals or magazines.

Exterior Styling: Corrolla Altis is a conventional beauty. Civic is sporty and stunning and wins hands down in my opinion on looks and styling.However, Civic's looks are quite old now.Hence would give almost equal marks here.
Toyota Corolla Altis: 4.75 Honda Civic: 5

Engine and Performance:Both cars 5, though Honda Civic is more peppy.

Smooth Gear Transmission and driver's car: With its short gear change, Civic is appealing, but it pitiable ground clearance makes it troublesome in reality and takes away the fun, INCASE, if you have to drive outside of well maintained roads and highways.
Toyota Corolla Altis: 4.5 Honda Civic: 5

Interior Styling: Altis' quality of materials used and attractive design, is classy.Civic's dash is futuristic with large digit and this was futuristic, when it was launched years ago! So, overall styling, I would rate Altis a bit higher.

Toyota Corolla Altis: 5 and Honda Civic: 4.75

Seating and Getting in and out of the car: This is not a big issue in comparison, but does matter, if you have back aches or have elderly parents who finds it difficult to get in and out of the car, I would recommend to take them along for the test drive.Experience this for yourself.
Toyota Corolla Altis: 5  Honda Civic:4

Ground Clearance:If you are speeding on a good road and if you see a hump, its a breeze in your Altis. No passenger would notice you braking and hardly notice the road. But be careful, as many a times I have seen and experienced Civics(or City) on the road, invariably taking a zig-zag and criss crossing of the hump, to avoid hitting its bottom. It is a nuisance and dangerous as nobody will care for a 1.8 size car doing this, especially you can imagine in Indian roads! Of course all high end cars have this issue but they do have a better control and seating comfort too than Civic! Owners do comment irritatingly, but shrug it off depending on their usage of such roads. Altis has also touches the bottom, once fully loaded

Toyota Corolla Altis: 4.75  Honda Civic:3.5

Resale value: Both scores 5

Good Sales team: Honda and Hyundai has the best sales team in India, and Toyota to come only after that. Fiat is the avoidable.Experience this when you call themfor test drives.You dont need to mention this for a car comparison, but for making a purchase decision, this too matters in India. So be aware of the same.
Toyota Corolla Altis: 4.5 Honda Civic:5

Other cars to compare:

• Honda Civic
  
• Toyota Corrola Altis
  
• Skoda Laura
  
• Volkswagen Jetta
• Mitsubishi Cedia
• Chevrolet Cruze
  

Verdict: If you want a sporty car which you would use mostly in good roads, go for Civic. If you want an allround comfortable and a practical car for use in Indian roads, just go for Altis.

Toyota Corrolla Altis Test drive and Review

Toyota Corrolla is the world's largest selling car, as the company claims in its advertisements.

Due to the different positioning and luxury strings attached in different world markets, it makes different impressions to you, as the model you would have seen or experienced. In some places, it is positioned as entry level midsize stripped of any luxury features and interiors. And in some places fitted with commentable interiors and features, as a luxury midsize sedan. During my research, I had driven and seen lots of Corrola Altis as a popular and conventional beauty in Europe, China, Singapore and India.

When I bought the new Corrolla Altis in India, almost soon after its launch in late 2008, the numbers were yet to pickup on the streets. Now I see so many a day on the road in Bangalore, India.

The Altis is a massive improvement over the old Corolla as far as looks, interiors and comfort features are concerned.

Pros:

• Stylish and beautiful looks - conventional though
• Overall build quality and finish
• Comfortable drive and very comfortable driver seat positions
• Sturdy and reliable even in very high speeds.
• Ground clearance - best in it class
• Beautiful and ergonomic interiors - best in its class
• All disc brakes and safety features
• Toyota Brand Name, Spares, Service and Reliability 
• Good fuel economy for this class
• Fuel economy and usefully appealing meters
• Smooth gear transmission, though gear change could have more short and sporty
• Pleasure to drive
• Great service and low maintenance cost, in its class
• Excellent Resale Value, even after years

Cons: 

• no side air bags
• 4 speed AT(instead of a nice to have 5 speed AT)
• Lack of Parking sensor as standard equipment

Tips and Notes:

1. See the CNG version of Corrolla Altis:  Toyota Altis CNG
2.  toyotabharat.com Corrolla Altis 2010 features and specifications
3. Bangalore's best Toyota service centre: People say from experience it is Nandi Toyota. Heard some complaints about Ravindu on service, from friends. For this reason, I decided to buy from Nandi, though many ofmy friends got better deals and freebies from Ravindu. My frank advice is when you buy, you could simply go and buy from Nandi or Ravindu, depending on who gives you the best deal. However, it would be wise to stick with Nandi for service!

Other interesting cars, available at comparable price:

Before you make a buying decision, testdrive these interesting cars, available at similar price:

• Honda Civic (recommended testdrive)
• GM Cruze Diesel (avoid)
• Toyota Innova 2.5 V with ABS (recommended testdrive- different class altogether, but people do consider it) 

Verdict: Excellent Buy, if you look for a comfortable and reliable family car, with feel good interiors, good ground clearance for practical driving in Indian roads laden with humps and gutters, a car with great service, low maintenance cost, good fuel economy in its class and a good resale.