Maruti Suzuki Cuts Production Of 4 Models

Maruti Suzuki has cut production of the Alto, Estilo, WagonR and Ritz owing to pile up of inventory at its dealers. The company has seen a slowdown in demand as interest rates and fuel prices have spiraled upwards. The only cars in Maruti Suzuki’s stable which has seen increase in demand are the Swift and DZire. India’s largest car maker feels the slowdown in demand is temporary and will return to normal levels once the festive season comes. We feel Maruti Suzuki should use the excess facility to produce more numbers of the new Swift, which already has bookings in excess of 42000.

    “We are adjusting our production with market conditions. There are some models which are not moving fast enough given the sluggish demand. So, we have tweaked the production schedule to keep our inventory at the normal level,” RC Bhargava, Chairman, Maruti Suzuki, said.

Maruti Suzuki has utilized Fiat’s Multijet engines to its best advantage. The company sells four models with the said engine and it account for a major chunk of its sales in the country. However the 1.3-liter Multijet motor is not apt for use in smaller cars like the WagonR and A-Star, because of weight and cost reasons. Thus, India’s largest car maker plans to use a smaller, 1000 cc diesel engine on these cars. Now, Maruti Suzuki doesn’t have the expertise to develop its own diesel engines and thus is waiting for Fiat to produce a smaller motor to power its small cars. The petrol segment is getting competitive with the launch of new models from various other companies, leaving Maruti in a catch 22 situation. A small diesel engine will help the company ward off competition and help it to maintain market share.


“At the moment, we have a 1.3-liter diesel engine. Fiat is working on 1000 cc engines also. We don’t know the timeline, but surely, we will get these for our smaller cars,” Mr RC Bhargava, MD, Maruti Suzuki, said.

 

Skoda launches sportier Laura RS

Skoda Auto launches the Laura RS edition in India. The launch marks the celebration of Skoda’s 110 years of motorsport heritage and its recent victory of the 2010 IRC championship.

The Laura RS is powered by the same 160bhp 1.8-litre turbo-charged, direct-injection petrol unit in the standard Laura TSI. As for the suspension, the ride height remains the same as the regular TSI, but the springs are stiffer because they have got more coils.

On the visual front, the Laura vRS gets daytime LEDs, different alloy wheels, a spoiler on the boot, a new, more aggressive chin and seven vRS badges stitched and stuck all over the car. It also features Xenon curve projector headlights with dynamic leveling and corner function. The interiors too get a welcome change as the Laura RS comes with sportier part-leather, part-Alcantara front seats, a meatier three-spoke steering wheel and the touch-screen audio system from the L&K variant.

Speaking on the occasion, Thomas Kuehl, Board Member & Director, Sales & Marketing, Skoda Auto India said, “The new Laura RS is a performance oriented product aimed at car enthusiasts who have an emotional connect with their car. Designed to provide maximum driving pleasure through performance and precision, the RS also continues to build on Skoda's reputation for comfort and safety.”

The new Laura RS priced at Rs 15.20 lakh (ex-showroom Maharashtra), will be available in four sporty shades of sprint yellow, race blue, candy white and magic black.

 

 

Skoda C-Segment Sedan Named Lauretta

The upcoming C-segment sedan from Skoda will be called the Lauretta and not the Rapid. The all new midsize saloon is based on the Volkswagen Vento and will draw heavy inspiration from the Fabia in its design. The Lauretta will share engines with the Vento and will come with a 1.6-liter petrol and 1.5-liter diesel motor both of which produce 105 BHP of power. These engines are mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and we can expect an automatic variant as well. Skoda will undercut pricing of the Vento by atleast Rs. 20,000/-, so we can expect the Lauretta prices to start at Rs. 6.79 lakhs for the petrol and Rs. 7.79 lakhs for the diesel.

Skoda will offer a good list of equipment on the Lauretta. Just like the Polo-Fabia share underpinnings, the Vento-Lauretta will do the same. The traditional Skoda family design will adorn the front, while the rest of the car will look alot like the Vento. Skoda is expected to launch the Lauretta in November, 2011 and will start deliveries in December. We can expect three variants each in petrol and diesel guise. It will be interesting to see how Skoda differentiates itself amidst the growing competition in the C-segment, where the Nissan Sunny is the only car left to debut.

 

 

Recently when Fiat announced the launch of two new vehicles for 2012 (one small car and the other a CBU), we speculated if the CBU could be the Bravo hatchback. Now Fiat India’s website has the Bravo product page on it (here), which makes many believe that the Bravo is indeed scheduled for India. The Bravo, being a CBU will be far from value for money and will help Fiat in brand building. However, how many people have even heard the car Bravo. We are sure atleast 99% haven’t (car enthusiasts aside). If the company can’t build a brand using the 500, there are slim chances it can do so with the Bravo. Mind you, we have driven the Bravo and its one of the best cars around. You can read our review here.

By launching the Bravo, Fiat won’t be really helping its cause because prices will be touching around Rs. 20 lakhs. Mercedes-Benz is scheduled to launch the A-Class around similar prices, while the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle will soon be available too. What Fiat needs to do is to market itself well. How many people know that the Fiat also has Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Iveco under its belt. Sadly the Italian automaker is too slow or lazy to capitalize on it. More so, the Bravo hasn’t done very well internationally. It was profitable for Fiat in 2008 and 2009 but after that has failed to break even for the company. Thus, Fiat have already decided to call it quits with the Bravo, replacing it with a crossover in 2013. Could the Indian market turnaround the fortunes of the Bravo?

 

 

MERCEDES B-CLASS (OFFICIAL IMAGE)

The first official images of the all-new Mercedes B-class (based on the MFA platform) have been leaked. The car will be official launched at the Frankfurt motor show in September this year.

The first model to sit on the new front-wheel drive platform, the new B-class has been thoroughly re-engineered for extra interior space, greater refinement, better economy and improved safety credentials.

Inside, a high-quality dashboard carries design cues from the range-topping SLS. The altered dimensions have brought some crucial packaging changes. The front seats are now lower than before and have a more upright position. At 976mm, rear legroom is said to surpass that of the S-class saloon as well. Boot capacity is put at 666-litre, 121-litre more than the older car.

The front suspension is similar to the MacPherson strut set-up on the current-gen B-class, but is tuned for refined sportiness and a very tight turning circle. An all-new four-link independent design at the rear uses a controlled arm that flexes under hard cornering. It also gets a new electric steering system communicated with the ESP that mitigates torque steer as well as the effects of crosswinds and road cambers.

The Mercedes MFA platform that underpins the B-class will also be used for the new A-class, CLC, and GLC models. And the flexibility of the new B-class will allow Mercedes to sell the car globally, equipped with drivetrains to suit local markets.

At the time of its launch, the car will get all-new 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol units, one that makes 121bhp, 20.3kgm and the other 154bhp, 25.4kgm, with maximum torque in both available from just 1250rpm. These M270 range of petrol engines feature Mercedes’ third-gen direct-injection system and stop-start. The OM651 family of turbo-diesels will have a capacity of 1.8-litre. It will initially come in 107bhp, 26.13kgm and 134bhp, 30.5kgm states of tune. However, it is yet to be known what engines will make it to India.

BMW 330i TEST DRIVE AND REVIEW

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs/ 44,35,331/-

BMW’s old tagline ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’ was so apt in the last decade. However things have changed since then and BMW has moved from exciting the driver to creating joy on the face of passengers (the new BMW’s are more comfort oriented). However there is still one car in BMW’s line up which can make do with the old tagline. Its the top end variant of the 3-Series in India. Known as the 330i Sport, the driver oriented 3-Series is just Rs. 4 lakhs cheaper than the entry level 5-Series (520d) diesel. But where would you rather put your money, its time to burn some rubber and find out.

Exteriors – The current generation BMW 3-Series was launched in 2005. The design of the E90 was subtly altered in 2008. At the front, the 330i features double circular headlights with chrome tubes and corona rings. The kidney grille is typical of all BMW vehicles and the bold moulds on the bumper and large bonnet are the highlights of the front. At the side, the edges of the side skirts have been set higher and modelled in a more distinctive fashion. The exterior mirrors with two distinctive character lines, echoing the interplay between the convex and concave shaping of the surfaces, helping in an enlarged field of vision. The dual section rear lights are now the characteristic BMW L shape. The two LED rear light clusters and the direction indicators in LED technology are designed to create a quality appearance.

Interiors – Step inside the 330i and the first thing you will notice is the car is really low. Once inside, the high-quality materials and optimised ergonomics are immediately obvious. The black coloured dashboard features dark brown wood inserts along with Dakota Beige leather seats (optional) and door pads. The M leather steering wheel feels a joy to hold and maneuver the car. The seats are very comfortable and front legroom is decent, the same can’t be said about the rear, where space is at a slight premium.

Performance – The only reason for opting for the 330i variant from the 3-Series line up would be its performance. For starters, the N52B30 engine in the 330i is the lightest engine in the world. Powered by a 2996cc, 6-cylinder producing 255 hp of power at 6600 RPM and 300 Nm of torque at 2500 RPM, the initial torque is decent but nowhere close to the diesel BMW’s. There is no kick in the rear (of the driver) feeling in the 330i and power delivery is quite linear. BMW claims a 0 – 100 kmph time of 6.6. seconds and a top speed of 250 kmph. There is a manual mode (M) which lets you take control of things but just. If you don’t upshift or downshift, the electronics knows that the car won’t be able to cope up with the wrong gear, it immediately takes things in its own hand an accordingly shifts. You can even use DS (Drive Sport) mode which immediately changes the engine characteristics to make the 330i hold up to the redline in each gear before upshifting.

BMW 3-Series Specifications : -

* Engine: 2996cc, 24-valves, in-line 6
* Power: 255 hp @ 6600 RPM
* Torque: 300 Nm @ 2500 RPM
* Transmission: 6-speed auto
* Top Speed: 250 kmph
* 0-100kmph: 6.6 seconds
* Fuel Consumption: 4-5 kmpl (City), 5-6 kmpl (highway)
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Tires: 225/45/17 (Front), 255/40/17 (Rear), Runflats
* Safety: ABS, DTC, CBC, Six Airbags, Immobilizer
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 63 litres
* Kerb Weight: 1495 kgs

 

 

 

HONDA BRIO TEST DRIVE AND REVIEW

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 4-5.5 lakhs (Est)

Ever since the launch of the first generation City, Honda has been looked upon as a premium brand in India and rightly so. The Japanese car maker has been doing good numbers even today, wherein most of the competition now comes with both petrol and diesel options. Demand for diesel cars has grown beyond expectations and has caught Honda on the wrong foot with the company having no diesel car in the pipeline for another couple of years. The City has been resisting its diesel competitors and is still doing fairly well, which speaks volumes about Honda products. A recent price cut on the City and Jazz have further strengthened the company’s sales and with the prices of the Jazz starting at Rs 5.5 Lakhs, undoubtedly its the best buy in the segment.

Performance – Powered by a 1.2 litre, SOHC, i-Vtec engine, the Brio churns 88 PS @ 6000 rpm and generated 109 NM of Torque at 4600 rpm. This 1.2 L SOHC engine, like all Honda’s, is free revving. Low end grunt is slightly disappointing but the midrange is punchy and the Brio is good fun when it comes to the higher end of the revmeter.The car hits the rev limiter at about 30 kmph in first gear, goes all the way to 90kmph in second and hits 130 in the third gear. Third gear is the tallest and this gives the Brio an edge, both in the city and highway. However, one may need to occasionally downshift in order to overtake on the highway. Top speed of 155 kmph is all the Brio would do. ARAI certified mileage is a healthy 18.4 kmpl. Honda has used sound proofing materials in the dash and on the floor to ensure that NVH levels are minimum, but the engine note at 6800 rpm is sweet enough to penetrate through the interiors..eternal bliss.

Honda Brio Specifications : -

* Engine: 1198cc, SOHC, i-VTEC
* Power: 88 PS at 6000 RPM
* Torque: 109 Nm at 4600 RPM
* Transmission: 5-speed manual
* Top Speed: 170 kmph
* 0-100kmph: 13.50 seconds (Est)
* Fuel Consumption: 13 kmpl (City), 16 kmpl (highway)
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Tires: 175/65/14 Tubeless Radials
* Brakes: Ventilated Disc (Front), Drums ( Rear), ABS, EBD
* Safety: ABS, EBD, Dual SRS Airbags, Engine Immobilizer

 

 

FERRARI 575M TAXI IN KERALA (TRIVANDRUM REGISTRATION)

Ferrari car running as a Taxi !!!! for a 5-star Hotel in Trivandrum , Kerala. 

Look at the development that the State "KERALA" has achieved. People admire to have a ride on the Ferrari and we drive it as a taxi in our state. Be proud ….. 

These pictures are more than 5 years old.

This car was brought into Kerala by a Five Star Hotel under the "hotel EPG scheme".

Got it registered as a TAXI in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Then this Car went on to become a white board to be owned by BPL Communication's Rajeev Chandrasekhar in 2005.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar of course is a filthy rich guy.

May be he did ask the hotel guys to get it to Kerala in the first place.

National Security Advisor M K Narayanan is his uncle and even otherwise well connected in politics.

His influence had the political intervention that prevented ICICI from taking over his company when payments were overdue.

TATA INDICA VISTA SPORT

The Tata Motors Group has unfolded a full scale of a product portfolio and a extent of a record capability with a arrangement of 37 vehicles, from a Tata, Jaguar and Land Rover brands, during a Auto Expo 2010, that non-stop here today. Among them are 3 new Tata vehicles – a Tata Aria, a Tata Venture, a Tata Magic Iris – and a all new Jaguar XJ, that were denounced by a Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, Mr. Ratan N. Tata.

Tata Indica Vista Sport: The Tata Indica Vista Sport, a concept, reiterates a flexibility of a Vista platform. The flared circle arch trims and accentuated haze flare slots secrete power. The delicately contoured carp flares and a black diagnosis on a Vista’s particular petal-shaped headlamps claim a sly poise, done finish with a smart aerofoil back roof spoiler. The childish Alphanso Orange physique colour, contrasted with a dim shadowy roof, highlights a car’s sportiness, matched with dark black interiors and black leather seats. Tata Nano for her, and for him: Demonstrating a Tata Nano’s affability to patron preferred demeanour and personality, dual specifically recognised LX cars are on display. The Cocktail Red Nano, with appealing floral patterns on a doorway and a bonnet, is dressed for women.

MAHINDRA SCORPIO OFF-ROAD RALLY