Three2Tango » Car And Bike Corner

Ferraris arrive in Indian Shores

Vivek — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 19:46:09 +0000

Last month saw Luxury car makers Ferrari finally starting their operations in India as well. Over the past few years, the luxury car market in India has been on the rise. Mercedes, BMW and Audi already have made great impact on this segment of the market and the Ferraris wouldn’t like t be left behind. The Ferrari group will open its India operations with the Shreyans group and the first dealership will open in New Delhi, followed by one in Mumbai.

Ferrari’s lineup for the Indian markets includes the California, 458 Italia, 599GTB Fiorano and the latest FF with prices starting at Rs. 2.2 crores. Here is a look at these beauties:

Ferrari California: The Ferrari California was launched at the 2008 Paris Auto Show. This hard top convertible Roadster is powered by an 8 cylinder 4300 CC engine capable of maximum power of 460 Bhp @7750 RPM. Now that is serious power. It will hit 0-100 Km/h in under 4 seconds. The California has a 7 Speed dual clutch transmission. The California’s interiors have quite elegance to them and comes with top quality leather seats. It is loaded with impressive safety features and also comes with the traction control system. The California will be priced at Rs. 2.2 crore and the Ferrari group will expect the maximum sales to come through the California.

Ferrari 458 Italia: The Ferrari 458 Italia is a mid-engine sports car which was first seen at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor show. The 458 Italia also comes with a 4.3L 8 cylinder V8 engine and like the California, it has a 7 speed dual clutch transmission. The car can hit the 100 km/h mark in 3.4 seconds and a maximum speed of 325 km/h, (remains to be seen whether that mark can be reached on the Indian roads though). The 458 Italia will be prices at Rs. 2.57 crores.

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano: The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano debuted in the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. This 2 seat gran turismo has an engine displacement of 5999 cc and it sprints from 0-100 km/h in under 3.7 seconds and a top speed of more than 330 km/h. The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano comes with a 6 speed manual transmission and is loaded with exciting interiors and safety features. The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano will be priced at Rs. 3.57 crores.

Ferrari FF: The last of the quartet, the Ferrari FF is a 4 seats 4 wheel drive Gran turismo which was debuted at the 2011 Geneva Motor show. The Ferrari FF is powered by a huge 6.3 L V12 engine, the largest capacity Ferrari engine ever produced. The Ferrari FF is capable of outputting a power of 651 Bhp at 8000 rpm and is capable of sprinting to the 100km/h mark in under 3.7 seconds. The transmission is again a 7-speed dual clutch one and it can roar to a maximum speed of 335 km/h. The Ferrari FF is expected to be priced at Rs. 3.37 crores

So we have 4 great cars from the Italian car makers to choose from. The entry of Ferrari to the Indian market will increase the competition in the luxury car segment even more. The Audis and the BMWs have done well in the recent past with both of the car makers recording record sales in each year. Ferrari will expect to get a good share of the luxury car segment in India. The entry also means that the current owners of Ferrari have now the option of servicing their cars at the Ferrari service centers. So exciting times ahead and we as any other auto enthusiast are excited at the Ferraris coming to India.

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Maruti Suzuki launches the Kizashi

Vivek — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 10:04:41 +0000

Maruti Suzuki has launched the super luxury sedan Kizashi.A first glimpse of the Kizashi was provided to the Indian automobile enthusiasts at the 2010 Auto Expo at New Delhi. This marks the entry of Maruti Suzuki into the high end segment of the market. The Kizashi is being launched in two variants-automatic and a 6 speed manual gear transmission variant. The automatic transmission variant is priced at Rs.17.5-lakh while the six-speed manual transmission variant will be given at Rs.16.5-lakh.The Kizashi will be imported as completely built units(CBUs) from Suzuki’s Japanese plants. Suzuki is waiting to know the response of the Indian customers before setting up a plant in India to manufacture the Kizashi.

Driven by a 2.4 litre DOHC,VVT petrol engine, the Kizashi will offer a maximum power output of 178 Bhp@5500 rpm. The fuel efficiency is also pretty descent when compared to other cars in the segment. It offers fuel efficiency of 12.53 km a litre in automatic and 12.45 km a litre in manual transmission. The Kizashi will be available in ‘Snow White Pearl’, ‘Super Black Pearl’ and ‘Premium Silver Metallic’ shades. The imposing front grille and the compact and sleek exteriors gives the Kizashi a sporty look. The interiors too are great with leather seats offered and good space.

Maruti Suzuki is India’s most popular car maker in the small car segment. The Kizashi’s launch gives Maruti a presence in the fast growing upper end market as well. The sedan will be pitted against Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and the likes of Honda Civic, Volkswagen Jetta and Toyota Corolla. The features and the looks are very good on the Kizashi. The good dealer network for Maruti should help them in selling more units. Maruti Suzuki failed in two previous attempts at the upper end segment-the response to the SX4 and the Grand Vitara was not very encouraging. Both still, they would be hoping to get a better response to the Kizashi.

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North American International Autoshow,Detroit-2011

LG — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 09:39:54 +0000

North American International Auto Show(NAIAS): is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan , North America. The first one was held in 1907 and since then it happened every year except the 1943-1952 window. Till 1961 the auto show was happening at Beller’s Beer Garden at Riverside Park and from ’61 onwards it shifted to Cobo Center where it has nearly 1 million square feet of floor space. Detroit holds the headquarters of three big American automakers Chrysler, Ford & General Motors and this is the one reason Detroit Auto show is famous. Though the giants struggle recently the place is famous as the breeding ground of Auto makers.This years show started on Jan-10 with a press preview which extended onto 11 th of Jan. Following 12th and 13th witnessed industry preview. Jan-14th had the charity preview(The charity preview raises money for local children charities.) it collected around $2.5 million approximately. From Jan-15th till 23rd Cobo center is open to the public. The North American International Auto Show in Detroit will feature nearly 40 debuts this year.

Few Key additions at Detriot:

Name/Manufacturer	Expected Release/ Key competitors:	Basic Specs
Buick Verano/General Motors	Q4-2011/ Audi A3,Lexus IS250	An Ecotec 2.4L and six-speed automatic transmission delivers 177 horsepower, 0-60 mph in 8 seconds.
BMW 1 Series M Coupe	2012	3.0-liter twin turbo inline six Engine and 6-speed manual transmission which delivers 335 hp.0-60mph in 4.9 seconds.
Mercedes-Benz S350 Bluetec	2012	Mercedes-Benz didn't release any technical specifications about the new S350 Bluetec, but as its nomenclature would suggest, it's powered by the same 3.5-liter Bluetec V6 found in the E-, ML- and GL-Class vehicles. BlueTEC - making the diesel as clean as the modern gasoline engine.

Other Major Introductions:
Chrysler 300
Hyundai Veloster
GMC Sierra All Terrain(Concept)
Porsche 918 RSR(Concept)
Toyota Prius C (Concept)

Gallery:

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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

LG — 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

Suzuki Access 125

Dileep — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:02:44 +0000

Suzuki Access 125 was launched in September 2007, and has been doing decent business since then. It is powered by a 125 cc air-cooler 4-stroke engine with automatic transmission. The body is totally rust-free, and there is an option for having central locking facility. The under seat storage is quite good, the foot pegs are very stylish and tuck in neatly when unused. Provisions can be made for holding a spare tyre – something the Honda Activa does not offer. A long wheelbase (1250 mm), ample storage space, comfortable sitting position, and sleek trendy design offers a nice package of treat to the riders. Suzuki has spotted the potential in the Indian gear-less scooter market, and hopes to control the sales in the segment through the Access. However, the likes of Activa, Pleasure, Flyte, and Aviator will give the Japanese manufacturer decent competition. The Access is competitively priced for the segment, and this might help it stay ahead of the other brands.

Specifications:

Type	Scooterette
Top Speed	92 kmph
Fuel Consumption	42 – 51 kmpl
Engine	124cc, 4 Stroke, Air-cooled, OHC Power: 8.58bhp @ 7000rpm Torque: 9.8nm @ 6500rpm
Dimensions	Length:1780 mm Width:650 mm Height:1125 mm
Security Features	Brakes – 130mm Drum(Rear) Turn Indicators
Comfort and Convenience	Self Start Alloys Passenger footrest Low fuel & battery indicators
Other Specifications	Wheel Size – Front 90/100-10, Rear 90/100-10 mm Fuel Tank – 6.40 ltrs Colours – Black, Red, Blue, Silver, Grey
Price	48,500

Tata Prima Trucks

Dileep — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 07:27:00 +0000

Tata Prima is a range of heavy trucks produced by Tata Motors, and it was first introduced in 2008 as the company’s ‘global’ truck. The Prima range includes tractor-trailers, rigid trucks, multi-axle trucks and tippers. Tata aims to provide fully built solutions, like it has already done in the case of buses. Its cabin – spacious and airconditioned – is equipped with adjustable steering wheels, reclining seats, arm rests for the driver’s comfort, and also sleepers to make long-distance travel easy. These features have been incorporated for the sake of “longer trips and more of trips” – to operate non-stop for long hours and also to cover a distance of over 700 kilometres a day. The Prima 4028-S comes with the Global Positioning System (GPS), for vehicle- tracking, as a standard fitment. It is with features like these that the Tatas claim that the Prima is a ‘global’ truck, at par technologically with the most modern trucks from round the world.

The Prima 4028 S, is a 40-tonne 266-PS (Cummins ISBE engine) tractor with a 9-speed ZF transmission, and a matching trailer with new generation brakes, ABS and specialised axles for heavy duty and high speed application. The tractor-trailer is ideal for carrying freight like steel, cement and containers up to 40.2 tonnes. The driving comforts enable the vehicle to operate non-stop for long hours and cover over 700 km each day, thereby offering faster turnaround. The Prima 4028 S tractor has been priced at Rs. 21 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi) and that with the trailer is Rs. 31 lakhs. The Mahindra Navistar and the Tata Prima trucks are expected to compete against each other in the M&HCV segment.

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

Mahindra Navistar Trucks

Dileep — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 08:12:27 +0000

Mahindra & Mahindra and Navistar International(of the United States) have joined forces to from the Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd, formerly called Mahindra International. This will be an India based company, which will manufacture the entire spectrum of commercial vehicles ranging from 3.5 to 49 tons GVW/GCW. The manufacturing facility is set up at Chakan near Pune. The products of MNAL are currently sold under the trademark of Cabking, Loadking and Tourister. The cost of the joint development came to Rs 650 crore. Of the Rs 4,000 crore that had been invested in Navistar’s plant at Chakan, Rs 2,500 crore was part of the venture. Though none of it’s models have gone on sale yet, the Mahindra Navistar Automotives Ltd have unveiled their 25, 31, 40 and 49-tonne truck models. The trucks unveiled were MN25 Tipper, MN25, MN31, MN40 & MN49. It is believed that the trucks would go on sale starting April 2010. The company also plans to manufacture buses as well in the future. Here are the specifications of the MN25 model truck :

Specifications:

Type	Utility Vehicle
Application	For Goods Transport
Engine	MaxxForce 7.2 litre Power: 210 Bhp @ 2200 rpm Gearbox: 6 Forward/1 Reverse
Security Features	Brakes – Full air S-Cam, 10 bar system Steering – Tilt & Telescopic power steering GPS – Optional
Comfort and Convenience	AC – Optional Power Steering Cabin – Day, Single Sleeper, Double Sleeper, Cowl options Fog Lamps, Tachometer
Other Specifications	Wheel & Tyres – 10X20 – 16PR (Optional : Radial) 6 Speed Manual gear transmission Bumpers
Price	Not Announced