The McLaren MP4-12C looks good, but can it live up to the high standards set by the legendary McLaren F1 supercar of the 1990s...?
Remember the McLaren MP4-12C supercar, which we earlier wrote about here? Well, Ron Dennis, Chairman – McLaren Automotive, has confirmed that the 12C, as well as a range of other efficient, high-performance sports cars will be built at the new McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in the UK.
According to McLaren, MPC will become a ‘showcase facility’ for the UK’s manufacturing and technology industries and will create many hundreds of jobs. The company will also set up a global retail network (we wouldn’t be surprised if they set up one in India as well!) through which it will sell its cars.
Deliveries of the McLaren MP4-12C will begin early next year and the company hopes to sell around 1,000 units in 2011. Fitted with a twin-turbo V8, the 12C will feature an advanced moulded carbonfibre chassis and will be priced between £125,000-175,000 (Rs 87 lakh-1.22 crore). With about 600 horsepower and 600Nm of torque, the car will be able to accelerate from zero to 200km/h in less than 10 seconds and have a top speed of around 300km/h.
McLaren are looking at setting new performance parameters with the 12C and the car has been tested for more than a million kilometres in extreme conditions – everything from -50°C in the Arctic, over 50°C and dust storms in Bahrain, and numerous 24-hour sessions at test tracks and circuits such as the Nordschleife at the Nürburgring.
‘Like most designers, it’s a boyhood dream for me to work with high performance sports cars. They are the purest expression of speed and purpose, and the 12C design was led by aerodynamics and engineering influenced by the pinnacle of car design – Formula 1. It’s a fascinating challenge to work within such inspirational philosophies,’ says Frank Stephenson, Design Director – McLaren Automotive.
You wouldn’t believe how skilled this car is, at providing various kinds of massages to its rear seat occupants. And we know what you're thinking of now...
Lexus has announced the upgraded, 2010-spec hybrid luxury saloon, LS600h. Among many other things, the car features mildly revised styling, an uprated braking system from Brembo and LED sidelights. The car, which can seat five people, also comes with an optional ‘rear seat relaxation package,’ which includes an electrically adjustable foot and thigh rest, electric recline adjustment and an adjustable massage function that can replicate techniques from Shiatsu to acupressure (no, really, we’re not making this up – it’s actually true!).
The 2010 Lexus LS600h L also comes with an improved climate control system that – now get ready for this – monitors the passengers’ body temperature for more effective control of the cabin environment! Then there’s the LED low beam headlights and the adaptive lighting system, which swivels the headlamp units in line with vehicle speed and steering angle to improve illumination through bends at junctions and when turning into parking places.
The Lexus LS600h L is priced at the equivalent of about Rs 65-70 lakh (depending on the options chosen by the buyer) in Europe and there’s still no word on whether Toyota is thinking about bringing its luxury car division to India. With Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, Volvo and Jaguar already present here in the luxury car segment, why Toyota isn’t bringing the Lexus brand to India remains a mystery…
Daimler India's new commercial vehicle test track at Oragadam, near Cheanni...
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. (DICV), a 100% subsidiary of Daimler AG, the world’s largest truck manufacturer, has announced that its test track at Oragadam, near Chennai, is now ready. DICV plans to invest Rs 4,400 crore in the Indian market over the next five years and will launch its trucks here by 2012. However, the company will start testing some of these trucks immediately, at this state-of-the-art test track at Oragadam.
‘The Indian truck industry has been steadily progressing towards modern generation products in line with the requirements of the market. Keeping in mind the Indian customer’s need for high quality and reliable trucks, we are confident that we will meet their expectations with our best-in-class products, offering low cost of ownership, high quality and superior value for money. Our new testing facility, a one-of-its-kind in South Asia, is an important step towards ensuring this commitment,’ said Marc Llistosella, CEO, DICV.
‘The test track, with its various testing facilities, will simulate the reality of Indian terrain. Our trucks will have to undergo a variety of tests to ensure high standards of overall product performance and delivery,’ added Aydogan Cakmaz, VP - Product Engineering, DICV. Spread across 47 acres of land, DICV’s three-lane test track is 1.55km long and includes a noise pad, jump section, bump track, pothole testing, water trough and a banked section. The test track’s facilities are equal to that of Daimler AG’s other test tracks in Woerth, Germany, and Kitsuregawa, Japan.
BMW has announced that it will kick off its used car business – BMW Premium Selection – in India next month. The company expects around a third of its total business in the country to come from its used cars division in the future.
BMW will open its first pre-owned cars showroom in Chennai in April this year, followed by another outlet in Gurgaon, near Delhi, by mid-2010. These facilities will be stocked with pre-owned BMW cars that have been fully inspected by certified BMW technicians and will come with a limited warranty.
Nissan's small car strategy for India seems a bit confused...
Nissan, which will inaugurate its manufacturing facility near Chennai today, has more in store for the Indian market than just the Micra. While the new Micra will be Nissan’s first small car for India, the Japanese company seems to be working on at least one (and perhaps two) more small car(s), which it will produce in this country.
While Renault-Nissan continues to work Bajaj Auto for its much vaunted ultra low cost car (ULC), Nissan is also considering the possibility of tying up with Indian truck manufacturer, Ashok Leyland, with which it may develop and manufacture a small car for the Indian market. If this happens, the car would be smaller and cheaper than the Micra, but bigger and more expensive than Renault-Nissan-Bajaj’s ULC car.
By getting into all these tie-ups and trying to build various small cars that would fit into various niche segments, Nissan just might spread itself out too thin and lose focus. Nissan executives in India have been talking about not wanting to get into a price war in India, with the Micra. We don’t know what ‘price war’ that is, because in a hyper-competitive market like India, car manufacturers do need to price their cars to sell. Just ask Suzuki, Hyundai, Ford, Volkswagen, Skoda and, soon, Honda and Toyota as well.
Rather than getting into multiple tie-ups to explore various niche segments, some of which may not pan out at all, we hope Nissan will stay focused on building quality cars and sell them at competitive prices. Any other strategy isn’t likely to work in the long-term!
From now on, all the exciting stuff from VW will be handled by Volkswagen R GmbH...
Volkswagen has announced that it is setting up a new division – Volkswagen R GmbH – which will head the development of sportier cars from the VW stable. ‘Volkswagen AG has bundled the responsibilities and competencies for development, implementations and sales of individualised vehicle offers into Volkswagen R GmbH,’ says a press release from the German company.
The new division will handle the development of vehicles like the VW Scirocco R, Golf R, R Line design packages and various luxurious items from Volkswagen. ‘Our vehicles will contribute to the emotionalisation and growth of the Volkswagen brand,’ says Ulrich Riestenpatt gt. Richter, GM, Volkswagen R GmbH.
According to VW, Volkswagen R GmbH has been set up in response to increased global demand for individualised vehicles that are sporty and exclusive. With its headquarters in Warmenau, near Wolfsburg, in Germany, Volkswagen R GmbH currently employs more than 350 people and will oversee the development of various R cars from VW in the future.
We guess this gives Mercedes-Benz’s AMG and BMW’s M divisions something to think about… :-)
After Japan, US and the UK, Nissan is now setting up a design centre in China...
In a move that reflects the ever growing importance of the Chinese market for all car manufacturers worldwide, Nissan has now announced that it will soon be setting up an all-new design studio in Beijing. ‘The new studio will enhance our design capabilities as well as our product competitiveness in China and Asia, where the automotive industry continues to see robust growth,’ says Shiro Nakamura, Nissan’s chief creative officer and senior vice president of design and brand. ‘Locating the studio where our customers live and work allows us to best respond to their needs and design vehicles that exceed their expectations,’ he adds.
Apart from the upcoming facility in Beijing, Nissan has two design centres in Japan and one each in the US and the UK.
In an interesting aside, Nissan recently started production of its new ‘global compact car,’ the March, in Thailand. While this car will be named ‘March’ in the Thai and Japanese markets, the same car will be sold with the ‘Micra’ badge in India and various other markets. The Nissan Micra/March is fitted with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 79 horsepower and will be offered with five-speed manual and CVT transmissions.
Prices for the March/Micra start at 375,000 baht for the base model (with manual transmission), going up to 537,000 baht for the top-end version (with CVT). In the Indian context, this translates to Rs 5.25 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh and if Nissan plans to stick to the same pricing structure in India, it simply wouldn’t be able to offer the CVT transmission here because the price would be prohibitive for a small car. We do hope, however, that Nissan will revise its prices for the Indian market since the country really does need a small, modern and contemporary city car with automatic transmission, which should reduce the hassles of driving on the super congested roads in most Indian cities.
With its 500bhp turbocharged V8 engine and Rs 3 crore price tag, the Bentley Mulsanne is just the car for India. Okay, we're all green with envy... :-)
The new Bentley Mulsanne was recently displayed in India and will be launched in the country later this year, at a price tag of around Rs 3 crore. The Mulsanne, which will go into production in the UK by July this year, is fitted with a 6.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 512 horsepower and 1,020Nm of torque.
Bentley will only produce 600 units of the Mulsanne per annum and how many units will come to India is yet to be decided. ‘India accounts for around 2% of our global sales. On an average we sell around 25-50 units in the country every year and we see volumes increasing, although the growth will be slow,’ says Chris Buxton, regional director (Middle East, Africa and India), Bentley.
The Bentley Mulsanne, which is likely to hit the road in India by October this year, is a ‘super luxury’ car that’s a couple of notches above luxury cars like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series and the Audi A8L. The Mulsanne is largely hand-built and it takes up to 660 man-hours for each car to be built. Also, there’s an almost endless list of trim options which lets owners customise their cars in whatever ways they want.
And in case you can't make up your mind about choosing between the Bentley Mulsanne and the Rolls-Royce Ghost, this video just might help...
Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. (HSCI) has launched a new version of the Accord V6 sedan, which comes with an electric sunroof. This feature has, according to Honda, been added to the Accord on the basis of customer feedback.
The Accord V6, which is fitted with a 3.5-litre, 275 horsepower engine, comes with Honda’s variable cylinder management (VCM) technology, which can switch off up to three cylinders when the extra power is not needed, in order to boost fuel economy.
The new Accord V6 also has features like ambient lighting, keyless entry and Bluetooth compatibility for mobile phones. The car is priced at Rs 26.15 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. Of the 299 units of the Accord that Honda sold in India in February this year, 15 units were of the Accord V6.
New hatchbacks from Chevrolet, VW and Ford are all set to challenge Maruti and Hyundai dominance in the small cars segment in India...
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz reported a 78% hike in sales during February this year, at 439 units, as compared to 246 units sold in February 2009.
Mercedes-Benz sold 842 units during January and February this year, of which 406 units were of the new E-Class and 81 units were of the S-Class.
Ford
Ford India reported a 22.67% increase in sales during February 2010, at 3,223 units, as against 2,636 units sold in February 2009.
Tata Motors
Tata Motors sold a total of 26,985 cars during February 2010, as compared to 19,039 cars sold in February 2009. The company sold 4,105 units of the Nano, 11,502 units of the Indica range, 7,373 units of the Indigo and 4,005 units of the Sumo and Safari.
Fiat
Fiat India reported a 78.38% increase in sales during February this year, at 2,335 units, as compared to 1,309 units sold in February 2009. The company, which sold 6,897 units during April 2008-February 2009 period, sold 23,551 units between April 2009-February 2010, which shows the beleaguered Italian car company’s operations might finally be back on track in India.
Mahindra & Mahindra
M&M registered a 39.5% hike in the sales of passenger vehicles during February 2010, at 27,894 units, as against 19,994 units in February 2009.
During February this year, the company sold 26,580 units in the domestic market, as against 19,594 units in February 2009. Of the total sales logged during February this year, M&M’s utility vehicles (Xylo, Bolero and Scorpio) accounted for 14,720 units, as against 14,720 units in February 2009.
Maruti Suzuki
Maruti Suzuki India sold a total of 96,650 units in February this year, it’s highest ever sales figure for any single month, and a 22% increase over the sales figure for February 2009, when it sold 79,190 units.
During February this year, Maruti sold 84,765 units in the domestic market (up from 70,625 units in February 2009) and exported 11,885 units (up from 8,565 units in the year-ago period).
The company sold 3,178 units of the M800, 60,380 units in the A2 segment (Alto, Wagon R, Estilo, Swift, A-Star and Ritz) and 10,254 units in the A3 segment (SX4, Dzire) during February this year.
Hyundai
Hyundai Motor India Ltd.’s total sales for February 2010 stood at 54,617 units, as against 38,235 units in February 2009 – an increase of 42.8%.
HMIL’s domestic sales during February this year accounted for 31,001 units, as against 21,215 units in February 2009, while exports went up from 17,020 units in February 2009 to 23,616 units in February 2010.
In February this year, HMIL sold 50,515 units in the A2 segment (Santro, i10, Getz, i20), 4,051 units in the A3 segment (Accent, Verna), 50 units in the A5 segment (Sonata Transform) and one unit of its SUV, Tucson.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor
Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. (TKM) sold 5,993 units during February this year, a 101% increase over the sales figure for February 2009. During February this year, TKM sold 4,412 units of the Innova, 863 units of the Corolla and 972 units of the Fortuner.
General Motors India
GM India sold 11,111 units during February this year, as compared to 4,921 units sold in February 2009. Since the time when the company was set up, in 1996, this is the first time when GMI crossed the 10,000 units sales figure in a month.
During February this year, GMI sold 4,431 units of the Chevrolet Beat, 3,412 units of the Chevrolet Spark, 1,592 units of the Chevrolet Tavera, 726 units of the Chevrolet Cruze, 420 units of the Aveo, 411 units of Chevrolet Aveo U-VA, 98 units of Chevrolet Optra and 21 units of Chevrolet Captiva.
Honda Siel
Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. (HSCI) sold 6,275 units during February 2010, as against 5,579 units in February 2009, an increase of 12.5%. The company sold 233 of the Jazz, 5,076 units of the City, 538 units of the Civic, 299 units of the Accord and 129 units of the CR-V during February this year. Volkswagen clocks in 195 per cent sales growth in the initial months of the year 2010
Volkswagen
Volkswagen claims that it registered a sales growth of 168% in February this year. However, the company has not released any specific sales figures to back up this claim.
The Ford Figo seems to be good value for money, but will it sell...?
Ford India has announced prices for its new hatchback, the Figo. The petrol-engined base model is priced at Rs 3.50 lakh, while the diesel costs Rs 4.48 lakh. ‘We wanted to offer all the features of a B-Segment car at a sub-B price. We've accomplished that with Figo,’ said Joe Hinrichs, President of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa.
With 1.2-litre, 71bhp petrol and 1.4-litre, 69bhp diesel engines being offered on the Figo, the car will be available in LXI, EXI, ZXI and Titanium trim levels. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on all models.
The top-end Ford Figo Titanium models are priced at Rs 4.43 lakh for the petrol and Rs 5.30 lakh for the diesel. ‘We are committed to setting new benchmarks with the Figo in this segment. The Figo offers more features, interior space, technology and durability than other vehicles at this price in the segment,’ said Michael Boneham, President and MD, Ford India.
With the Figo, Ford could possibly get a significant sales boost in India. Had the company chosen to also offer automatic transmission as an optional extra, things might have turned out been even better for the company, since no contemporary automatics are currently available in India in the small cars segment. A CVT or even a conventional automatic could have given the Figo an extra edge over its competitors.
Speaking of competition, the Figo is going to have plenty of it. Apart from the existing players (Maruti Swift and Ritz, Hyundai i20 and the Tata Indica Vista), there’s the new VW Polo, the upcoming Nissan Micra and the Toyota Etios. And while the Figo is likely to be a reasonably all-around-competent machine, it doesn’t seem to be particularly brilliant at anything and might even be a bit underpowered – though we’ll refrain from saying anything more on that until we’ve actually driven the car.
In any case, we like Ford and we like some of their cars – the Ikon 1.6 ‘Josh Machine’ was one of the best handling cars ever sold in India and we loved that. Whether the Figo can emulate the Ikon’s success story remains to be seen, but we wish Ford all the best!
Hero Honda remains the no.1 player in the two-wheeler segment, by a huge margin...
Hero Honda
Hero Honda Motors Ltd. crossed cumulative sales of four million units for FY 2009-10, in February this year. The company sold 382,096 units during February 2010, an increase of 16% over sales in February last year.
Hero Honda’s sales in the current fiscal, at the end of February this year, stood at 4,185,492 units.
Bajaj Auto
Bajaj sold 234,623 motorcycles during February 2010, a 78% increase over the sales figure for February 2009. The company, which recently exited the scooters segment, also sold around 90 scooters (from old stock left with dealers) during February this year.
Bajaj also sold 33,968 three-wheelers during February 2010, a 59% increase over the figure for February last year.
Yamaha
India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd. (IYM) sold a total (domestic + exports) of 25,766 motorcycles during February this year, a 48% increase over the sales figure for February 2009. The company exported 9,453 units in February this year, compared to 3,559 units during February 2009.
More sales figures from other two-wheeler manufacturers to be added here shortly
From left: The Toyota FT-EVII electric car, which will go into production by 2012, and the FCHV-adv, a hydrogen fuel-cell-powered prototype vehicle...
Toyota has made it clear during this year’s Geneva Motor Show, that the company is fully committed to the development of hybrids, electric cars and even hydrogen fuel-cell-powered vehicles. ‘We firmly believe that fuel cell hybrid vehicles will play a major role in reducing emissions and achieving sustainable mobility, alongside petrol and plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles. These various applications of full hybrid technology will each play their role and co-exist in the future,’ said Tadashi Arashima, President and CEO, Toyota Motor Europe.
‘Toyota aims at the commercialization of fuel cell vehicles by around 2015. To achieve this goal, a hydrogen charging infrastructure is necessary, so close tie-ups between car manufacturers and infrastructure companies are of vital importance,’ added Arashima.
Toyota, which showcased its latest electric and hybrid concept cars, also presented the FT-EVII at the Geneva Show. A production-spec version of this electric car is expected to be ready by 2012, when it will first go on sale in the US. The company also had the FCHV-adv on display, which is powered by a hydrogen fuel-cell-powered and which has a range of more than 800km.
With the FT-86, Toyota is sticking to the classic sportscar ethos of rear-wheel-drive, combined with light weight, balance, simplicity and responsiveness...
According to Toyota, its new FT-86 Sports Concept, which made its European debut at the currently ongoing Geneva Motor Show, has been designed and engineered to capture the spirit of the Toyota Corolla AE86 of the 1980s. With its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive format and compact, lightweight and aerodynamically efficient body, the FT-86 is supposed to have been modelled after legendary Toyota sportscars like the Celica, MR2, Supra and Corolla AE86.
Back in the 1980s, the rear-wheel-drive Corolla AE86 did very well in rallies and closed circuit racing and its compact dimensions, light weight, balance and strong power-to-weight ratio made it a favourite with many racing teams. Toyota aims to recreate that package with the driver-focused FT-86, which has been engineered to deliver precise, instantaneous responses to even the smallest throttle and steering inputs.
In keeping with the modern-day green ethic, Toyota has avoided the use of a big, heavy engine on the FT-86. It has, instead, fitted a 2.0-litre petrol engine to its new sportscar, along with a six-speed manual gearbox. For the interiors, too, Toyota has used very lightweight components in order to maintain a high power-to-weight ratio.
Toyota hasn’t done a light, simple, rear-wheel-drive sportscar in ages and the FT-86 will probably make a lot of enthusiasts very happy indeed. While it follows a completely different path compared with the awe-inspiring Lexus LFA, we still quite like the FT-86 and sincerely hope it makes it to India within the next one or two years.
Ford is now extensively testing its battery-powered electric vehicles in Europe and will launch a range of new EVs - including cars and vans - by 2013...
Ford, which seems to be getting increasingly serious about launching battery-powered electric vehicles, has now announced that it will launch as many as five new full electric or hybrid vehicles in Europe, by 2013. These five EVs will include passenger cars as well as vans/light commercial vehicles.
‘We recognise that one technology does not work for all our customers,’ says Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of Global Product Development. ‘Our electrification strategy and plans include hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles to best meet our global customers' needs. Leveraging our global platforms is also central to this strategy and allows us to build on our strong product line-up in the most customer-driven, affordable way,’ he adds.
‘Our goal is to provide consumers with access to significant fuel economy improvements and reduced CO2 emissions to meet their functional needs and without compromising their driving experience,’ says John Fleming, Chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe. ‘There is increasing interest among a number of customers in Europe for electrified vehicles and we are responding by stepping up our efforts to bring these models to the marketplace alongside our latest-generation, fuel-efficient petrol and diesel powered models,’ he adds.
Ford is also developing a range of other environmentally focused features, including advanced electric power steering, weight reduction and aerodynamic improvements and biofuel-capable vehicles. ‘Thanks to the global economies of scale afforded to us by our ONE Ford initiative, I am delighted we are able to make the commitment now to deliver these vehicles to customers in Europe, particularly as the demand for hybrid vehicles grows,’ says Fleming.
We only hope the same ‘economies of scale’ will also allow Ford to bring – sooner rather than later – its range of hybrids and electric vehicles to the Indian market as well!
The new Toyota RAV4 gets some cosmetic updates for 2010...
Toyota has released pics and specs of its revised, 2010-spec RAV4, which made its debut today at the currently ongoing Geneva Motor Show. Toyota’s bestselling compact SUV gets new front-end styling, new bonnet, bumpers, headlights and front grille. The interiors have also been updated with new leather and Alcantara trim materials.
The new RAV4 continues to be available with 2.0-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines, while transmission options include a six-speed manual, Mutridrive S (continuously variable transmission) and six-speed automatic. While Toyota already has compact SUV in India – the Fortuner – which is selling very well, it might still bring the RAV4 to India at some time in the future, perhaps for those want a bigger, plusher SUV.
The Lotus Evora Carbon concept. We're speechless...
Here’s a look at some of the good things that we don’t get here in India – the Lotus Evora Carbon concept, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show yesterday. This exquisite little sports car concept rides on 19-inch alloy wheels and features carbonfibre and alcantara interiors, carbonfibre bodywork, aluminium bonded and extruded chassis and exquisite pearlescent paint.
The car remains unchanged mechanically and features the same 276 horsepower V6 engine as the production-spec Evora. We suppose Lotus might do a small production run for the Evora Carbon, though no official announcement has been made to this effect.
Here are the Top Gear (above) and Fifth Gear (below) tests of the Lotus Evora
The Audi A1 e-tron electric car (above) and the A8 Hybrid (below) are likely to go into production in 2011. Audi is definitely serious about its e-mobility program...
Audi, which is expanding its new e-tron range of electric cars step by step, is now showing the new A1 e-tron at the currently ongoing Geneva Motor Show. Fitted with a lithium-ion battery pack, the A1 e-tron has a full electric drivetrain and always drives on electric power alone. With the batteries fully charged, the car can be driven for 50km, after which a small, 254cc Wankel rotary engine kicks in as a generator and charges the batteries for extended use. The ‘range extender’ engine gives the A1 e-tron an additional 200km driving range.
The A1 e-tron’s electric motor produces 102 peak horsepower (61bhp continuous) and 240Nm of peak torque (150Nm continuous), and the car can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 10.2 seconds and has a top speed of around 130km/h. The car could be ready to go into production by 2011.
Apart from the A1 e-tron, Audi is also showing the all-new A8 Hybrid in Geneva. With a 2.0-litre four-cylinder TFSI petrol engine and a powerful electric motor, the A8 Hybrid has a total of 243bhp and 480Nm of torque, which, according to Audi, offers performance that’s equivalent to what one would get from a large six-cylinder engine.
The A8 Hybrid utilizes a parallel hybrid system where the IC engine and electric motor work together to provide excellent performance as well as fuel economy. The car can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 7.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 234km/h.
The A8 Hybrid is a full hybrid, which means it can be driven by either the petrol engine only, the electric motor only, or a combination of both. The hybrid drive can propel the car on electric power alone at up to 64km/h with a range of around 2km. The A8 Hybrid is also likely to go into production next year.
The Hyundai i-flow concept (above) will form the basis for Hyundai's next luxury saloon, which will be ready by 2011. And the i10 Blue and i20 Blue (below) are the next step towards more efficient cars...
Hyundai has a range of new variants on display at the currently ongoing Geneva Motor Show. The cars being shown at the Hyundai stand include the ix35 SUV, and the i-flow concept, which is supposed to provide a preview of the next D-segment luxury saloon from Hyundai.
Apart from its remarkably striking styling, the i-flow also features Hyundai’s first diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, which uses a new 1.7-litre common-rail turbodiesel engine and an electric motor that feeds off a Lithium-Ion-Polymer battery. Expect a production-spec luxury car from Hyundai to use all these bits in 2011.
Hyundai is also showing the i10 Blue and i20 Blue versions of its popular hatchbacks, which employ the latest energy-efficient powertrain technologies for reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions. For these ‘Blue’ variants, Hyundai is using special low-friction engine oil to reduce driveline friction and continuously variable valve timing, improved combustion efficiency, gear ratio optimisation, engine control optimisation and stop-start technology to increase overall engine efficiency.
The Hyundai i10 Blue and i20 Blue will go into production later this year and will first be introduced in Europe, but might also come to India in 2011.
Above, from left: Ravi Kant (Vice Chairman), Prakash Telang (Managing Director- India Operations) and Carl-Peter Forster (Group CEO) with the Tata Nano EV at the 80th Geneva Motor Show 2010
Tata Motors unveiled the all-new Nano electric vehicle (EV) at the currently ongoing Geneva Motor Show today. Based on the regular Nano, the Nano EV is fitted with an electric motor that’s powered by super polymer lithium ion batteries. The car can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in less than 10 seconds and range, with the batteries fully charged, is around 160km.
‘Electrification will be an integral part of our initiative to launch environment-friendly vehicles. The Indica Vista EV will be introduced in select European countries, beginning this year. We will progressively introduce electric vehicles in all relevant markets,’ said Ravi Kant, Vice Chairman, Tata Motors.
Well, we think the Nano EV, like the regular Nano, will be a boon for commuting in crowded cities, and we hope Tata Motors will launch this car in India soon.
The new Nissan Micra will be launched in India later this year...
Carlos Ghosn, CEO, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd, unveiled the company’s all-new, fourth-generation Micra compact car at the Geneva Motor Show today. ‘Combine 25 years’ experience of designing compact cars for city driving, with a totally new, versatile platform and Nissan production know-how, and the result is modern, simple car that’s destined to be a serious competitor on the world stage,’ said Ghosn while revealing the new Micra.
The new Micra, which will be built at Nissan’s facility near Chennai and which will go on sale in India later this year, will be fitted with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 80 horsepower and 108Nm of torque. The car also gets a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), which should definitely reduce the hassles of driving in crowded cities.
Developed and built on Nissan’s all-new V-platform, the new Micra will be built at three other locations (Thailand, Mexico, China) apart from India, and will be sold in as many as 160 countries around the world. And while most of the car’s specs will remain the same everywhere, some European markets will get a supercharged version of the 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine, which produces 98bhp and 142Nm of torque. Some markets will also get a five-speed manual gearbox instead of the CVT and while we’re not sure which transmission is coming to India, we definitely hope it’s the CVT.
As you would expect, the new Nissan Micra comes with a host of safety features, including sophisticated crumple zones, ABS, dual front airbags, curtain and side airbags, ESP and pre-tensioner seatbelts. ‘The new Micra will continue to be the benchmark city car in Europe. Its appeal will be enhanced by its unique combination of compact exterior dimensions, with roomy interior, small and efficient engines, and user-friendly technology. Its continued icon status is destined to be be reinforced in its fourth generation,’ says Simon Thomas, Nissan’s European Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing.
More details on the Nissan Micra’s India specs, availability and pricing coming soon.
The Honda CR-Z hybrid sports coupe has been priced very reasonably, at least in Europe...
The Honda CR-Z, the world’s first hybrid sports coupe, has been priced fairly reasonably. With its 1.5-litre four-cylinder i-VTEC petrol engine coupled to Honda’s IMA hybrid system, the car will cost between £16,999 (base model CR-Z S) to £19,999 (top-of-the-range CR-Z GT) in the UK, where orders for this car are being accepted now and where deliveries will start in June this year.
This UK pricing for the Honda CR-Z hybrid translates into Rs 11.64 lakh for the base model to Rs 13.68 lakh for the top-end version. Of course, with more than 100% duty being levied on CBU imports, these prices might almost double, if the car were to be sold in India. Still, since Honda did sell some units of the Civic Hybrid in India last year, they might possibly bring in a few units of the CR-Z Hybrid as well, which would be simply fabulous!
The Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera boasts of performace that's at least as impressive as the car's aggressive supercar styling...
Lamborghini has announced the next iteration of the Gallardo – the lighter, more powerful and more dynamic Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera, which is now the new top model in the Gallardo line- up.
Compared with the Gallardo LP 560-4, the LP 570-4 Superleggera, which makes extensive use of carbonfibre components, is 70kg lighter and weighs in at just 1,340 kilos dry. The car’s 5.2-litre V10 engine now produces 570 horsepower and 540Nm of torque – the LP 570-4 goes from zero to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds, and hits a top speed of 325km/h.
No word on pricing yet, but regardless of that, we expect Lamborghini to bring a few units of this car to the Indian market later this year.
Škoda is presenting the new Fabia vRS hatchback and estate at the currently ongoing Geneva Motor Show. The Fabia vRS features a supercharged and turbocharged four-cylinder 1.4-litre petrol engine that produces 180bhp, which pushes the car from zero to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 225km/h.
The Fabia vRS rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and comes with height adjustable seats, a redesigned front bumper with integrated fog lamps and LED lights, red brake callipers, tinted windows, a new rear bumper with a diffuser and dual exhaust, and a roof spoiler. With safety features like ABS, ESP and ASR, as well as XDS electronic differential which improves the car’s cornering ability, the little hatchback is not only fast but also very safe.
This hope Škoda will decide to bring this hot hatch to India as well, in the near future.
The VW Sharan could provide some much-needed competition to the likes of the Toyota Innova and Mahindra Xylo, if Volkswagen decides to bring this vehicle to India...
The all-new Volkswagen Sharan MPV has made its world debut at the currently ongoing Geneva Motor Show. Based on an all-new platform and featuring twin sliding doors, a seven seat configuration and a range of frugal yet powerful petrol and diesel engines, the VW Sharan also features eco-friendly features like stop-start technology and regenerative braking.
The VW Sharan will go on sale in Europe later this year. We believe Volkswagen might consider the possibility of launching this vehicle in India as well, to take on vehicles like the Toyota Innova and Mahindra Xylo.
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