Speed Thrillers

The shift is here.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:37:00 +0000

All those who love the feel of a shifting gear can now rejoice.
Skoda Superb, the car that took the entry level luxury segment by storm last year, has now introduced manual transmission too.
Powered by an 1.8 TSI, a petrol engine and geared with a manual 6 speed transmission that offers enhanced drivability and complete control on the engine's performance.
The Skoda Superb is priced at Rs 18,28,563.

Audi Q7.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:26:00 +0000

Audi Q7 by its sheer looks is not only the most striking but also the SUV that I love to own some day. The design of the vehicle is too excellent to be beaten by any one in the near future.
The Audi Q7 no doubt also has a good fuel efficiency of around 6km/hr.
Another noticeable feature is the centre row with a theatre style seating system and a chiller in the middle. Comfort wise, it is pretty good as I love travelling in groups and hate any kind of boundaries. It also has a third row which is generally missing in other cars.

Volkswagen Touareg.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:33:00 +0000

The one thing I have always appreciated in Volkswagen Touareg is its subtlety.
Even though the car was quite understated in Indian markets, it does not lack anything feature wise.
We never notice an Audi or a BMW or a Nano passby. But if a Volkswagen Touareg passes by it gets immediately noticed. The reason is obvious. If you wish to buy a car costing Rs 50 Lakhs plus you surely wishes to get noticed. Isn't it so?
The major problem I faced with Touareg was its cornering ability. Unlike the M320 or a Q7,its body roll was too prominent for a car of its class.
Out of these 3 cars the Touareg is the last one I would wish to be in when caught in a traffic jam. as its proportion simply stands in the way of easy manoeuvring.
As far as comfort is concerned there is no doubt that the Touareg stands on top of the chart. Further its body is quite strong that it can handle any road terrain how so ever rough and tough it may be.

Carpuccino; a vehicle that runs on coffee.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:25:00 +0000

Jem Stansfield, a BBC presenter will drive from London to Manchester to test an experimental car which runs on coffee.
The experimental drive is for around 210 miles fueled by coffee.
The car was built by Stansfield to show how the harnessing of alternative energy sources.
The car made from scrap needs to be refuelled every 40 miles.
The vehicle features a system converting the ground coffee into flammable gases which fuels the engine instead of petrol.
With this invention Stansfield aims to encourage the young people to generate energy from waste products and new sources.
So if you are a coffee drinker don't be surprised if you have to miss your favourite morning coffee as there is a possibiliy of a shortage of coffee on account of the coffee consumption by the vehicles.

Honda Jazz-the new select edition.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:52:00 +0000

The select edition of Honda Jazz has managed to capture the Indian markets on account of its quality inspite of the steep pricing.
The select edition Honda Jazz continues to use the 1.2 Litre i-VTEC engine with a 5 speed manual gear box .
The changes are purely cosmetic which consist of inclusion of addition of alloy wheels, rear parcel shelf and front and rear mud guards.
With these extra features the select edition of Honda Jazz now costs Rs 7.21 lacs, ex showroom, Delhi.
The select edition of Honda Jazz is a large car which is stylish, fuel efficient, safe and offers a great drive experience and has alxo set off a new segment in the Indian market.

Mercedes Benz M320 CDI

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:32:00 +0000

The Mercedes Benz M320 CDI is not surely a car for the young at heart with an attitude of let's rip nad roll.
No doubt, the Mercedes Benz M320 CDI has great looks. But the rear seats are not adfustable and quite uncomfortable for long drives. Then why at all one should go for a luxury SUV.
Another annoying factor of the Mercedes Benz M320 CDI is the funky interiors which need to be jazzed up a hood.
Inspite of the harsh bits, the Mercedes Benz M320 CDI is the fanciest of cars with the tristar on its foot with unmatcheable road presence.
The diesel version of the Mercedes Benz M320 CDI has a very good fuel effiency of 11km per litre even in tough road conditions.
The driving comfort is very good and the outside looks are too good to be compared with any other luxury cars. Only if the rear seats are bit comfortable we can forget everything else.

Tata Nano EV, the electric version of the world's cheapest car unveiled.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:01:00 +0000

Tata Motors, the manufacturer of the world's cheapest car Nano has unveiled the electric version of the car Tata Nano EV at the 80th Geneva Motor show.
The Tata Nano EV will be a 4 seater electric car with a range of about 100 miles. This means that the Tata Nano EV can travel about 160 km in one charge. This will be the one best suited for daily office commuting.
The Tata Nano EV can accelerate from 0 to 60 km/hr in 10 seconds.
The Tata Nano EV will be powered by super polymer lithium ion batteries which are very efficient in energy retention and the density is also quite higher as compared to other conventional batteries.
The Tata Nano EV is built in co-operation with Milojoebil Greenland, the Norwegian Electric Car specialist, in which Tata Motors has a majority stake.
The Tata Nano EV is still in its concept stage and Tata Motors is planning to launch the commercial version in Europe in 2012.

Yamaha upgrades its R1 bike to maintain World Superbike title.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 13:26:00 +0000

Yamaha launches its upgraded version of the 2010 Yamaha R1 bike with a view to maintain its World Super Bike Title. Yamaha has laundhed its new R1 bike with a basket of upgrades as specified below:

The engine power increased by 8bhp.
The overall bike weight reduced by 3kg.
The new Yamaha R1 bike is entrirely made of carbon fibre for increased cooling capacity and reduced drag.
The new narrow desugn allows for easier heat dispersal.

Mercedes Benz launches the GL 350 CDI and the S 500 l in India.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:02:00 +0000

The all new S 500 with a 5.5 litre V8 packs in 388 PS and gigantic 530 Nm of torque. It comes with a gadgets galore like the active cruise control, night vision camera adaptive high beam assist, lane keeping assist and the pre safe brake system linked to the proximity regulating radar, which intervenes autonomously before an impending rear end collision. The other highlights include the attention assist driver drowsiness monitor and active body control with automatic crosswind stabllization. On the exterior the most noticeable change is the addition of daytime LED running lights fitted fitted to the outer edge of the bi xenon lamp units. The rear end is also mounted with 52 distinctively arranged LEDs in the two tail lights.

The much awaited GL classic has also been launched. The GL 350 CDI features blue blue efficiency technology. Under the hood the GL sports a 225 PS V6 with 500 Nm torque. The 7 seater GL is set take thefight straight to the Q7 and the porsehe cayenne. Priced at Rs 64.9 lakhs ex show room, Delhi. S 500 L has made its way in CKD form at Rs 95 lakhs ex show room, Delhi.

Harley Davidson brand motorcycles launched in India.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:47:00 +0000

The world's most iconic motorcycle brand Harley Davidson has finally entered the Indian territory with its elite range of motorcycles. The American bike maker has launched its products in India at the Auto Expo 2010, New Delhi. The company introduced 12 bikes starting from its street based Sportster series to its premium touring model, The Ultra Classic Electra Glide.The bookings for the Harley Davidson motorcycles will start from April 2010.
The bikes will be imported in CBU condition and sold through select Harley Davidson outlets in New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hydrabad and Chandigarh. The deliveries will commence from June 2010 once the dealer networks start their operations.
The company is also planning to provide good financial options to the buyers as the aim is to introduce the Harley Davidson brand in India.
The bikes will be competitively priced starting from 6.95 lakhs ex showroom, New Delhi.

Toyota showcases concept car Etios in Auto Expo 2010.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 15:53:00 +0000

Toyota's concept version of the Etios is near actual version of the production of this car.
With the introduction of Etios, Toyota is entering for the first time into the competitive campact car segment.
Apart from the hatchback version Toyota is also planning to roll out a sedan version of the Etios.
The hatchback Etios will sport a 1200cc petrol engine and is likely to be priced around Rs 4.5 to 5 lakhs. Toyota is planning to roll out the car to the market in a year's time.
The hatchback Etios will be a rival to Hyundai 120, VW Polo and Maruti Swift and the sedan version of the Etios sporting a 1500cc petrol engine will be a challenge to the Honda City.

General Motors launched its small car Beat.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:19:00 +0000

General Motors has launched the Beat, its third small car in the Indian market.
The Beat is competetively priced at Rs 3.5 lakhs ex showroom, Delhi.
The Beat will provide a stiff competition to Maruti Swift and Ritz and Hyundai 110.
GM will offer a 1200cc petrol engine to begin with the launch of the Beat and will also offer a 1000cc diesel engine by the end of 2010.
GM is looking at India as a market to revive its struggling operations.
GM is also bullish that its new Chevrolet can be a real game changer.

Volkswagen to launch its compact car Polo in India.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:06:00 +0000

Volkswagen showcased in the Auto Expo 2010, tts polo compact, the first product of the company in the small car segment.
The Polo is likely to be launched wuthin three months in India with a price tag of Rs 4.5 to 5 lakhs.
Volkswagen will produce the Polo at its factory near Pune and it shall belaunched with 1200cc petrol and diesel options.
Polo is likely to give a tough competition to Maruti Swift and Hyundai 120.

Toyota to launch the hybrid Prius car in India.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:56:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Toyota the biggest car manufacturer of the world with good margins. The reason is they identify the needs of the customers well before other manufacturers do. Toyota is planning to launch the hybrid Prius car in India by January 2011. The hybrid Prius was launched in Japan somewhere around May 2009 and is a great hit adding to the sales volume and margins of Toyota.
The system basically involves a 1.5 litre 4 cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor to drive the front wheels. The car draws power from two sources of energy.
The Prius car also has another electric motor which only takes care of charging the batteries to enable long drives without worry of fuel shortage.
The electric motor provides better torque with the same energy spent and is best suited for city slow moming traffic.
At more criising speeds the petrol engine takes charge of the driving. The power from the engines is taken to the wheels through CVT technlogy that ensures smooth driving irrespective of the source from where power is drawn.
The other progressive features of the Prius include keyless entry, touch screen display and steering and wheel cojtrols. The interiors of the car are sufficiently sci-fi to go with the "car of the future" appeal.
The spce inside the car is quite different in the sense that it is designed keeping in mind the comvenience and comfort of the passengers.
With the rising cost of fuel in the market, no doubt fuel efficiency is of grear concern to the users. The aerodynamics used in the Prius provides a combined fuel efficiency of 20km/litre.
The petrol and the electric engine provide the Prius a 10bhp power to acheive the speed of 100km/hour from start in 10 seconds.
Toyota is to commence the production of the Toyota Prius in India at its Bangalore plant from December 2010.

The Hyperion car.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:22:00 +0000

The Hyperion car is also known as the blue white electric car.
The Hyperion car is the most known eco friendly car to-date.
The Hyperion car uses an extemely advanced technology which uses a lithium ion battery to power an AC synchronous motor.
The motor situated at the foot of the Hyperion car propels it at a speed of 200kmph.
The high speed of the Hyperion car is also because of its body being made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic.
The Hyperion car is made by Marco Aurelio.

The solar powered Helios car.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:57:00 +0000

The reptile shaped Helios car is basically a trolley like structure with a giant fan.
The fan is layered with solar cells which absorb the sun light and converts them into electrical energy.
The electricity is then used for motion of the Helios car.
The helios car can acheive a speed of 64.8kmph.
The helios car was invented by was invented by a German Kim Gu Han and is likely to be a hit in the market in the near future.

The Zoop car.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:53:00 +0000

The zoop car is also known as the yellow electric car.
With the world oil prices soarung high alternative energy fuels for transportation is a hot topic of the day.
The world's best designed electric car was unveiled in Paris by Maison de Courreages.
The zoop car is a 150kw high performance three seater electric car.
The zoop car is capable of acheiving a speed of 180km/hour.
The new 70A/hour 370V lithuum plymer batteries provide a range of 450km.

Nissan Pivo 2 concept car.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 14:21:00 +0000

The Nissan Pivo 2 runs on compact lithium iron batteries.
The Nissan Pivo 2 has rotating cabins and wheels that can rotate 360 degrees.
This car also has a voice recognizing interface known as the Robotic agent.This feature is available in English and Japanese languages.

Nissan Pivo2- the rotating car

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:50:00 +0000

The Nissan Pivot rotating car is an electric car which can rotate its wheels.
Why worry about reversing when you can just rotate the wheels in the desired direction.
Its wheels can pivot 360 degrees and has a built in robot that can talk to you either in Japanese or English.
So no need to worry if you are travelling alone in a long journey.
Just switch on your robot and say Hi.

Tata Motors Sumo Grande Mk II.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:11:00 +0000

Tata Motors has launched a new version of its most selling Sumo in Mumbai - The Sumo Grande Mk II. Tata has ironed out all that was missing in the previous model and made the Sumo Grande Mk II a good car to buy.
The new Sumo Grande Mk II has the grille in the front and the rubbings on the doors. The biggest change on the exteriors is the incorporation of the four rows of LEDs on the wing mirrors for turn indicators.
Another major change is in the suspension of the Sumo Grande Mk II. The suspension has new anchored stabilized bars for the double wishbone coil springs in the front and the parabolic leaf like springs at the rear and a more optimised differential ratio.
The 2.2 litre DICOR diesel engine has also been tinkered around making it more dieselable than before. The engine is capable of making 120 PS of power and 250 Nm of torque.
The Sumo Grande Mk II has also got an upgrade in style with alloy wheels and an upgraded music system with iPod connectivity.
The Sumo Grande Mk II is available in 3 variants and has been priced well taking the competition from Mahindra's Xylo and Bolero.
The Sumo Grande Mk II LX is priced at 6.43 lakhs, the EX at Rs 6.83 lakhs and the top of the GX at Rs 7.5 lakhs ex showroom in Delhi.

Bajaj Auto's mild 125cc KTM concepts!

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:30:00 +0000

When I visited the Milan motorcycle show of this year, I felt that some thing worth great excitement is happening in the two wheeler world. The reason is the KTM stunt and the racer concpts being shown to the people.
When I saw these two concepts, I really felt that they would havebeen the products from the KTM works at Austria. But I was astonished to know that except for the design, the bikes including the engine, the frame, the gear boz are all totally manufactured at the Bajaj Auto's palnt at Akurdi, Pune. It appears that by this tume in the next year, the two motorcycles would be ready to be supplied to the world markets.
Both the Bajaj Stunt 125 and the Race 125 comes with a lattice type frame, into which the all new 125cc engine is hung. The two bikes are designed by the same team who had designed the Bajaj Pulsar. The lattice frame is not only used as a structural design but also as a design element, Top notch suspension.
Both bikes feature Brambo disc brakes (both front and rear). Both the bikes come fitted with gorgeous Marchesini alloy wheels. .
The single cylinder engine that powers these two concepts which is of immense interest. The new liquid cooled engines is the mildest state of tune meet the 15PS mark without much effort hiven that they are capable of much more because of the 4 valve head operated by twin overhead crankshafts and employing electronic fuel injection. The compact nature of the engine is evident in the way it is hung in the frame and also canted a bit forward.
The stunt 125 version is performance personified with its twin can exhaust system while the Race 125 version has just such an innovative approach with its under slung exhaust. There would be a choice of a 5 or 6 feed gear box and the entire system works on power to weight mantra.

Volkswagen launches the New Beetle.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 07:42:00 +0000

The Volkswagen has launched its successful New Beetle in the India on December 4, 2009 pricing it at 20.45 lakhs and is marketed as a CBD through Volkswagen dealer network.
The New Beetle comes with a 115bhp, 2.0 litre petrol engine and a 6 speed gear box.making it a comfort to drive the car.
According to Volkswagen, the New Beetle with a stylish look already has 125 bookings even at its premium pricing.

Rolls Royce launches the Ghost car.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:31:00 +0000

Rolls Royce has launched the Ghost, the smallest and dynamic car than any other previors model launched by it till date.
The sophisticated four ended air suspension of the Ghost can detect even the minuest changes. The car comes with an adjustable suspension. The lift and kneel function can lift or lower the car by 25mm.
The Ghost is the most powerful of the Rolls Royce cars built till date. With the maximum power output of 563bhp at 5250rpm it can acheive a speed of 0-100km/hr in 4.9 secs. It can acheive an electronically governed top speed of 250kmph.
The piled carpets complemented by a lambswool mat no doubt promides a luxury to the feet of the occupants.
The teflon coated front doors and the rear doors generously opening upto 82 degree is no doubt a speciality of the Rolls Royce Ghost.
The Ghost comes with a panorama optional sunroof that extends from the front to the rear compartment.
The Ghost with four zone automatic airconditioning, automatic air recirculation, condensation and the massage functions provide great comfort to the passengers.
The back side of the front seats of the Ghost are fitted with a 9.2" LCD screen with audio system that can deliver 600 watts of sound output with 10 channel amplifier and 16 speakers including two floor mounted subwoofers, USB and auxillary inputs allow the integration of the external audio devices with a 12.5GB hard drives enables storage of music from USB or CD player sources.
The Ghost also provides some aids to make driving a pleasure like rear, front, side and top view cameras, night vision camera, lane departure warning, high beam assistance and adaptive, directional head lights.
All these luxuries can be yours provided you have Rs 2,50,00,000 in your wallet.

Chevy Beat, a small car from GM is keeping the Beat!

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:11:00 +0000

The stylishly designed small car in the front has long stretched head lights. The slightly sloping roof line gives the Chevy Beat a great look. The rear door handles are tilted towards the top of the rear doors vertically. Despite being a hatch back small car the large wheel arcs on which the 14 inch wheels of the vehicle is placed gives it a sporty touch. The overall design, workmanship, fit and finish are really very good.
The Chevy Beat is no doubt the best looking hatch back small car in the market today.
As for the interiors the dials for the speedo, rev counter, fuel gauge and the regular idiot lights are eye catching. The fit and finish of the dash of the Chevy Beat is made of good plastic and is upto the standards. The car provides a decent space for sll occupants.
The Chevy Beat comes with a 1.2 litre 4 cylinder petrol engine. Although the engine appears to be small it produces a power of 80.5PS at 6200rpm and 108Nm of torque at 4400rpm. The 5 speed gear box is not sticky but smooth. The car is excellent for city drive eventhough it does not disappoint you on weekend high way driving with your family.
The Chevy Beat with its small engine and the stylish interiors and the outer look is no doubt a pleasure to drive with the price likely to be in the range of 5 to 6 lakhs when it hits the roads.

BMW 24 with an electrical foldable roof.

noreply@blogger.com (Balu) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:24:00 +0000

The BMW 24 even though a compact car is much comfortable with good leg space, shoulder space. Even with the roof on it provides a comfortable head room. The electrically adjustable seat puovides a good driving comfort.
The driving is comfortable with the rimmed steering wheel before you, the long bonett ahead of you ane the short boot behind you. The wonder is that with the roof on you get more sitting space and with the roof folded into the boot you get a lesser sitting space.
The 3.0 litre straight turbo six engine with 13oorpm provides a good torque to the car and you get a A star driving comfort with the BMW 2435i.
Mind you. Your BMW 24 can acheive a speed of 100kmph in 6.2 secs and 200kmph in 23 secs before the speed limiter cuts it at 250kmph.
The BMW 24 comes with an adaptable suspension and even at normal settings you don't feel the bumps.
The look and the performance will make it attractive.
Yes. The distractions are the pricing at Rs 61.98 lakhs and the provision of only 2 seats.