Three2Tango » Car

Volkswagen Vento-Another winner from the VW Group

Vivek — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:29:53 +0000

The Volkwagen Polo was well received by the Indian markets, even though the price was a bit on the higher side compared to other small cars. The good response from the markets prompted the German manufacturers to launch its next car without wasting much time. The new Volkswagen Vento is a sedan variant of the Polo and has been launched at a price tag of around 7-9 lakhs ( again a bit high). The sedan variant would compete against the likes of Swift Dzire, Hyundai Verna Transform , Ford Fiesta and other sedans in the same category.

Feature wise the Volkswagen Vento includes all the primary features of the Polo.The front end looks exactly like the Polo. The interior is more comfortable though,and presents a good ambiance. The wheelbase of the Vento has been stretched by around 50mm compared to the hatchback variant,for better legroom.Other features available on the Vento would be height-adjustable front seats,Dual SRS airbags, ABS with EBD support,Front and rear arm rests in the center, door opening warning.Anti-theft system among others.

The Vento will get two engine options-a petrol and a diesel, The 1.6 Litre petrol engine produces 105Bhp of power and torque of 153Nm. The petrol version gets a 6 speed automatic transmission option along with the manual 5-speed transmission.The Diesel variant comes with a manual 5 speed transmission but the stand out feature of the Diesel engine is that it is not less powerful tahn the Petrol variant(@105BHP itself) and also provides a torque of around 250Nm, much higher than the Petrol variant.

Volkswagen Vento will be available in 3 petrol variants- Vento Trendline, Vento Highline and the Highline AT, and 2 Diesel variants-Vento Diesel Trendline and the Vento Diesel Highline.

The Volkswagen group sales increased by more than 100% during the first six months of the year.Whether the Vento will be as successful as the Polo remains to be seen. well. if the sales are increasing so much, may be ,sooner or later, Volkswagen may begin production of the Beetle also in India.*Currently the Beetle i imported as CBUs to India and hence costs more than 20 lakhs.

BMW On top of Indian Luxury Segment

Lloyd — Fri, 07 May 2010 12:50:07 +0000

Since its entry to the indian market the growth of this auto giant is amazing. Its shear class, customer satisfaction and marketing strategies put BMW on top. Since its inception in 2006 the growth figures are enviable. It even overtook the German supremacy of Mercedes in Indian luxury car market. Last year almost a 20 year supremacy was shattered. Its market share in the segment has crossed 40% which was earlier 9% when they started BMW India in 2006. Dr.Andreas Schaaf, who has taken over from Peter Kronschnabl, said ” India is an exciting market full of opportunities.There will be a lot of pressure (to retain the top position in India),I take it as a challenge”. In 2010, the company has set a bigger target of achieving the sales of 4,000-units on contrary to 3619 in 2009, besides expanding its network, taking the brand to Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

Company Profile(Bayerische Motoren Werke AG): Headquartered in Gurgaon (National Capital Region) BMW India is a 100% subsidiary of the BMW Group. The initial investment in India is 1.1 billion Indian Rupees.In 2007 March it officially opened its production plant at chennai,India. The BMW plant Chennai produces the BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series Sedans in petrol and diesel variants and has a capacity to produce 3000 units per year on a single shift basis. If we trace back to the BMW history it will take us to early 20th century.In 1917 BMW was officially setup.It started with aircraft engines and later shifted to motorcycles and cars.And now its one of the best auto makers in thee world.

Maruti Swift

Dileep — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:22:32 +0000

With the launch of the Swift, Maruti has won a good share of the market in the B+ segment. The Swift delivers new quality of power, response and fuel efficiency. The first of the global hatchbacks from Maruti, it is a clean-sheet design, built on a newly developed platform with three and a five-door models to offer. The Swift was created with Japanese technology and European styling. Safety features of the car include air bags, electronic brake force distribution and even brake assist. Power steering and spacious interiors are a specialty of Maruti Swift.

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The Swift won admirers with it sheer good looks, but what’s under the hood is no less impressive. The engine options available are the 1.2 Litre K-Series Petrol engine and the 1.3 Litre Diesel engine, equipped with the CRDI technology. Moreover, the gearshift is smooth as silk and is a joy to operate and the steering response is crisp. The color options for the Swift are Solid Bright Red, Metallic Garnet Orange, Pearl Metallic Arctic White, Metallic Ozone Blue, Metallic Silky Silver, Metallic Iridium Gold, Metallic Azure Grey, Metallic Midnight Black, etc. With launches like the Swift, it does not seem likely for any other competitors to replace Maruti as India’s most selling car manufacturer.

Specifications:

Body Type	Hatchback
Engine	Petrol : 1.2 Litre, K-Series Power: 84 Bhp @ 4000 rpm Torque: 115 Nm @ 4500 rpm Diesel : 1248cc, 4 Cylinder, 16 valve Power: 75 Bhp @ 4000 rpm Torque: 190 Nm @ 2000 rpm
Dimensions	Length: 3760 mm Width: 1690 mm Height: 1530 mm
Security Features	Airbags -2 Rear seat belts – 3 Fog Lamp ABS, EBD
Comfort and Convenience	AC with climate control Remote boot, Fuel-filler Rear wiper, Rear defogger Dash integrated MP3 player/FM Buttons/Controls on steering wheel
Other Specifications	Seating Capacity – 5 Trip Meter – 2 5 Speed Manual gear transmission Body Coloured bumpers Tachometer, Alloys Brakes – Front disk, Rear drum
Price	4,71,000 – 5,98,000

Maruti SX4

Dileep — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 05:56:43 +0000

The Maruti Suzuki SX4 has been well received by the Indian customers, and has built a reputation of being a good, value for money sedan. With the advertising punchline “men are back” seeming to give the SX4 a macho and masculine image of being the men among cars striking a chord with the public, the SX4 is set to do well in the market. Although it hasn’t set the sales charts on fire like the Swift DZire or the i10, the SX4 has definitely carved a niche for itself in the ‘Indian car bazaar’. The SX4 is a crossover-based saloon, designed by Guigiarro and ITAL Design, whose platform is shared by Suzuki and Fiat. The massive wheel wells built to accommodate 16 wheels with high-profile tires, tall upright windscreen, massive widescreen mirrors and the upright seating position of the passengers all combine to give the SX4 it’s masculine look. The headlamps have an aggressive look and the rear of the car is quite raised, when compared to other sedans.

The interiors of the SX4 feels a bit cramped, especially for the passengers at the back with less leg space, and a small windscreen. There is a quarter glass at the front, which is not normally seen in modern designs. A neatly integrated in-dash music system comes as part of the standard package, and so are the steering-wheel-mounted controls for the music system. Maruti SX4 is powered by 1586cc, 4 cylinder petrol engine which develops maximum power 102bhp at 5500rpm with maximum torque of 154Nm at 4200rpm. It takes around 12 seconds to 100kph, but the high-end performance is not that impressive. The grip levels offered is great thanks to the large tyres, and you can throw the car into the corners, carrying a good amount of speed. Dual airbags, ABS, disc brakes keeps safety features in check. What do you make of the Maruti SX4. Have your say in the comments.

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Specifications:

Body Type	Sedan
Engine	Petrol : 1586cc, 4 cylinder, DOHC, VVT Power: 104 Bhp @ 5600 rpm Torque: 145 Nm @ 4100 rpm Diesel : DDis Power: 122Ps Torque: 280Nm
Dimensions	Length:4490 mm Width:1735 mm Height:1560 mm
Security Features	Airbags -2 Rear seat belts – 3 Fog Lamp, Parking Sensor ABS, EBD
Comfort and Convenience	AC with climate control Remote boot, Fuel-filler Rear defogger Steering and Driver Seat Adjustment Buttons/Controls on steering wheel
Other Specifications	Seating Capacity – 5 Trip Meter – 2 5 Speed Manual gear transmission Body Coloured bumpers Tachometer, Alloys
Price(Expected)	7,70,000 – 9,15,000

Hyundai i10

Dileep — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 17:32:10 +0000

The Hyundai i10 is a sub-compact segment car, which has set the sales charts on fire, ever since it’s introduction in India. It has become the flagship model for the Hyundai motors in the country. The i10 comes in 9 variants available in 2 major choices: iRDE and Kappa. These variants can be clubbed into 5 categories: D-lite, Era, Magna, Sportz GLS and Asta. The i10 has all that takes to satisfy the average buyer. Good looks, plush interiors, a high-performance engine, easy maintenance, and great drive quality. The i10 is manufactured at the company’s Chennai production house, and is exported to over 70 countries.

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The car i10 comes with a choice of 2 engines : A 1.1L iRDE I4 and a 1.2L I4. A quick shifting 5-speed manual transmission and front-wheel-drive configuration is standard across the i10 model. The kappa engine in the hood of the i10 is the biggest reason for the car’s success. The kappa engine uses an aluminium cylinder block, and has improved power and reduced weight. ‘Impact-sensing auto door unlock system’ is another notable feature in the i10. This is a great addition, as in case of emergencies, the passengers can easily move out of the car. The gear lever is built into the centre console, leaving space between the front seats for a couple of cup holders – another good feature. The car scores highly in the safety front as well, with airbags(even in the standard model), ABS and EBD. As Hyundai was loosing it’s hold in the small car segment, with the Santro getting a little left-behind, the i10 has given the Korean manufacturers the much needed shot -in-the-arm.

Specifications:

Body Type	Hatchback
Engine	Petrol – 1200cc, 16V, Kappa, DOHC Power: 80 Bhp @ 52000 rpm Torque: 114 Nm @ 4000 rpm Diesel – 1120cc, In-line, 4 cylinder Power: 75 Bhp @ 4000 rpm Torque: 155 Nm @ 1900 rpm
Dimensions	Length:3565 mm Width:1595 mm Height:1550 mm
Security Features	Airbags -2 Rear seat belts – 2 Fog Lamp, ABS
Comfort and Convenience	AC Remote boot, Fuel-filler Rear wiper and defogger Steering and Driver Seat Adjustment CD player with 4 speakers
Other Specifications	Seating Capacity – 5 Trip Meter – 2 5 Speed Manual gear transmission Body Coloured bumpers
Price	4,72,000 – 6,26,000

Tata Indigo Manza

Dileep — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 08:02:30 +0000

After much speculation about the ‘Indigo Vista’(see here), the Tata Motors have launched the same under the brand name Indigo Manza. But, the Manza is not just the sedan version of the current generation Indica. It has got some design tweaks when compared to the Indica Vista. Though the Tata Manza is based on Indica Vista’s stretched platform, the company insists that Tata Manza is an altogether new car with complete new body on a new platform which houses an all new interior and makes a bold styling statement. The car is available with petrol and diesel engine options and has four trim levels – Aqua, Aura, Aura(ABS) and the top of the line Aura+. The petrol range starts at Rs 4.8 lakh, and the top diesel range costs Rs 6.75 lakh (both prices ex-showroom, Delhi). The petrol powered Manza sports a 1.4-litre, 89bhp SAFIRE engine and the diesel has the now familiar, 1.3-litre 89bhp Quadrajet engine, both picked from the Fiat stable.

The Tata trademark smiling grille is present in the Manza as well. The car differs from the Vista in the design of the headlights and indicators. Indigo Manza’s headlights are more bold looking with dual projector barrel shaped reflectors. Also the turn indicators are well integrated in the headlights. The tail lamp design is also innovative. The Manza sports angular shaped tail lamps. The instrument cluster also differs from the Vista, in that here the cluster is mounted behind the steering wheel, but in the Vista, it was centrally-mounted. Tata Manza diesel is certified by the ARAI to give a mileage of 21.02 kms to a litre, while the Manza Petrol is certified for a mileage of 14.5 kms to a litre. The shades available are Minimal Grey, Grey Noir, Monarch Red, Dew White, Infinity Black and Breeze Blue. There is a general belief that Tata’s cars, though priced lower than it’s competitors like the Swift Dezire, Fiat Linea, Mahindra Logan, they lack in finish and quality. Tata Motors hope to thwart such notions with the Manza, and seems to have done a pretty descent job with it. Let the sales charts speak now.

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Specifications:

Body Type	Sedan
Engine	1248cc, Quadrajet 90 Power: 89 Bhp @ 4000 rpm Torque: 200 Nm @ 1750 rpm 1368cc, Safire 90 Power: 89 Bhp @ 6000 rpm Torque: 116 Nm @ 4750 rpm
Dimensions	Length:4413 mm Width:1703 mm Height:1550 mm
Security Features	Airbags -2 Rear seat belts – 3 Fog Lamp, ABS
Comfort and Convenience	AC Remote boot, Fuel-filler Rear wiper and defogger Steering and Driver Seat Adjustment Rear armrest, with cup-holder
Other Specifications	Seating Capacity – 5 Trip Meter – 2 5 Speed Manual gear transmission Body Coloured bumpers
Price(Expected)	5,47,000 – 7,64,000

Maruti Ritz

Dileep — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:38:58 +0000

Maruti Suzuki India launched another of it’s global brands – the Splash – to be called the Ritz in India(as the name Splash is already in use by another car maker). At the Paris Motor Show in late September 2006, Suzuki presented `Project Splash`, a concept car showcasing a taste of the styling of the future production-version Ritz. The extremely positive response of the audience confirmed to Akira Kamio and his team that they had taken the right path for Ritz. However, we wonder whether the design of the Ritz would go down well with everyone. The tailgate of Maruti Ritz has an inward obtuse angle to it, something seen more often on French hatchbacks.

The Ritz has been launched in two engine options – one petrol and one diesel. The petrol one is the recently launched 1197cc, 4 Cylinders, K12M engine which generates 85 Bhp at 5500 rpm and maximum torque of 117 Nm at 4200 rpm. Ritz Diesel comes with a common-rail diesel is 1248cc engine which develops maximum power of 75 bhp, manufactured at Manesar in India. All these engines will be mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The Ritz is available in eight shades – Superior White, Silky Silver, Fire Brick Red, Bakers Chocolate, Racing Green, Blue Blaze, Midnight Black, Glistening Grey.

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The boot space in the Ritz is admirable, for a small car. Also, there is a lot of head room in the car, so it would be apt even for taller passengers. The digital liquid crystal display (LCD) positioned in the lower half of the speedometer of Ritz and gives the driver additional information. Certain versions of the Ritz sports a separately-mounted tachometer. So far, the sales charts for the Ritz has shown impressive figures. Maruti Suzuki definitely needed to raise it’s game, with foreign manufacturers entering the Indian market big time, and the Ritz seems to be a step in the right direction.

Specifications:

Body Type	Hatchback
Engine	1248cc, 4 Cyl, Multijet, DDiS Power: 74 Bhp @ 4000 rpm Torque: 190 Nm @ 2000 rpm
Dimensions	Length:3715 mm Width:1680 mm Height:1620 mm
Security Features	Airbags Seat belts – 4
Comfort and Convenience	AC with climate-control Remote Boot Remote Fuel Filler Steering and Driver Seat Adjustment Tinted Glass
Other Specifications	Seating Capacity – 5 Trip Meter – 2 5 Speed Manual gear transmission Body Coloured bumpers
Price(Expected)	5,35,000.00

Maruti A-Star – Fuel Leakage Problem

Dileep — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 07:02:47 +0000

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s leading carmaker, is recalling 1,00,000 A-Star hatchbacks to fix a fuel leakage problem with the model. Maruti is recalling the cars from Europe, as the A-Star had been exported to different parts of the world.(Find out more here) The total cost of the same is about Rs. 30 crores of which 40 percent will be borne by the auto component manufacturer. The recall includes Maruti A-Star models manufactured during November 2008 and August 2009, and sold in domestic as well as overseas markets. About 1 lakh cars are to be checked for the faulty rubber gasket in the fuel tank, and Maruti Suzuki India claim that already 50% of the cars have goen through the exercise. The problem identified is when fuel if filled upto the brim, beyond the cut-off position, a fuel leak may take place from the pump mounting area. In order to have the replacement done, all that a customer needs to do is to drive into a Maruti service centre. The faulty component would be replaced in a matter of 15 minutes.

Japanese automakers Toyota and Honda are reeling under the after effects of mammoth recalls, stemming from sticky accelerator pedals and faulty brakes. Counting Suzuki as one, all three Japanese auto manufacturers are going through tough times. The incident is definitely a hit to Maruti Suzuki’s reputation, but at the same time, the company deserves appreciation for having owned up to it’s mistake, and taking necessary corrective action. Maruti’s share value went down by over 3% when the recall news broke out, but had the issue surfaced at some other point of time, the damage might have been bigger.

Maruti A-Star

Dileep — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 08:12:59 +0000

The A-Star is another A-segment entrant from Maruti Suzuki. The car created headlines even before it’s first pictures were out, as it housed the KB-Series 998cc engine, which is Euro 5-compliant with Co2 emissions and develops 67 Bhp of power with 90 Nm of torque. Maruti had invested Rs. 1200 crores and 3 years to make this petrol mill, and the results are apparent. The engine loves to be revved, and the gearbox feels good. The fuel consumption of A-Star is a whopping 19.6 kmpl, as tested by ARAI. All this comes down to the K10B engine, which has undergone over 250,000 km of endurance testing and over 500 hours of engine calibration and 7,500 hours of engine validation on dynamometer.

A-Star is to be made in 200 variants and will be exported to 150 countries across Europe, Middle east, Latin America, Asia, Australia, and Africa. A-star will be exported under the name of Suzuki Alto and Suzuki Celerio. Nissan also sells A-Star under the name Nissan Pixo in middle East and African markets. A lot of research has also gone into the design of the A-Star. In fact, the ‘A’ in A-Star stands for aerodynamics. The A-Star’s slippery drag co-efficient stood at 0.30!

The interiors of the car feel a bit cramped, in comparison to it’s competitors in the segment. Also, Maruti uses some dull colours for it’s dashboards. The rear passenger gets little leg-space, and the rear window is very small, thanks to the butterfly/wing design. The driver is well looked after, with big instrument clusters and easy-to-read meters. The A-Star has a unique all-round gas damped suspension, which is believed to make rides more comfortable. Here are the car’s specs.

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Specifications:

Body Type	Hatchback
Engine	998cc, 3 cyl, MPFi, KB-series Power: 67 Bhp @ 6200 rpm Torque: 90 Nm @ 3500 rpm
Dimensions	Length:3500 mm Width:1600 mm Height:1490 mm
Security Features	Driver & Passenger Airbag ABS, EBD Fog lamp
Comfort and Convenience	Dash-mounted Tachometer Power Windows Remote Central Locking Rear Defogger and Wiper/Washer Remote Boot & Remote Fuel Filler
Other Specifications	Seating Capacity – 5 Power Steering 5 Speed Manual gear transmission Body Coloured bumpers, Alloys
Price(Expected)	LXi – 3,47,000.00 VXi – 3,74,000.00 ZXi – 4,12,000.00

80th International Motor Show:Geneva 2010

Lloyd — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:51:06 +0000

The 80th international motor show is running at Geneva right now,started off on 4th of this month and will continue till 14th.This is an annual event, where almost manufacturers from 30 countries show their concepts and new borns. The motor show started of in 1905 still running successfully.Super cars and concept cars are the usual show stoppers in this motor show.This year it has around 250 manufacturers from different parts of the globe.More torque and technology is what is being shown now, new break throughs and findings are displayed, the show always is a platform for the finest automakers in world to compete, and a chance of public appreciation as well. A visitor at the show comments that the sedan era is gone, premium auto makers like BMW,Audi,Mercedez are all researching for new models and you can see this difference in the new concept cars displayed in the Salon.

Hot news from the show include Porsche 2nd generation Cayenne,Honda’s 3R-C concept-single seater battery powered electric vehicle,Lexus CT 200H, another highlight is BMW active Hybrid 5 Concept-Gasoline:Electric hybrid with 6 cylinder & 8 speed automatic transmission. List continues with Volkswagen,Opel, Benz F800 etc.

One more news for F1 lovers Mercedes uncovered their new F1 safety car, their formula 1 drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher was there for the ceremony.

See the official website for more news and pictures…More

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