Boyracer's Blog

Toyota bets on mass-market hybrid cars in India: Why no Yaris diesel explained

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 4 May 2018 15:43:00 +0530

Source : https://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car-news/toyota-bets-on-mass-market-hybrid-cars-in-india-why-no-yaris-diesel-and-partnership-with-suzuki-explained/1154498/

Toyota Yaris sedan will soon commence its market deliveries and the company will emphasise on Toyota's strong stance on petrol powered cars. The company also shares its vision to bring in more hybrid cars and how it is working with the various state governments for mass adoption of EVs and hybrid cars in India.

Indian-arm of the Japanese automaker Toyota Kirloskar is now busy with dispatches of its new Toyota Yaris sedan and the company claims it to be a runaway success with the kind of response it has received ever since the announcement of the price. Toyota Yaris is available only in petrol variants and takes on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Honda City and Hyundai Verna. “Anytime was a good time to be in this mid-size segment, the car buyers in India are now very matured and there is no longer a first mover advantage in the market,” says Shekar Viswanathan, Vice Chairman & Whole-time Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

Toyota Yaris available only in Petrol: Reasons explained

Toyota Yaris is the company’s fourth sedan in its India line-up and the company does not plan to bring in the diesel version on the Toyota Yaris anytime soon. With the difference in the price of petrol and diesel being at an all-time low, Toyota believes it's the right time to push petrol powered cars. “The move towards petrol will happen only from a cost of ownership perspective. So let's say if the government subsidizes diesel heavily, then the shift towards petrol will never happen. In the past the government has done that but going forward, I doubt the government will have a financial levy to do it again.” Viswanathan further added.

Currently, many oil refineries are configured to manufacture more diesel than petrol and this will not change overnight, There are huge costs involved and with all oil companies investing in rolling out BS-VI fuel, the move to petrol will take some time. Toyota believes there will be a gradual shift to petrol cars going forward. “I don’t think we will bring in diesel on Toyota Yaris. If the price of petrol and diesel widens we might consider it but as of now we don’t plan to bring in a diesel engine on Yaris”

Toyota was also quick to bring in a powerful 2.7L petrol engine during the infamous diesel engine (above 2L) ban in Delhi/NCR region. However, demand for petrol variants of Toyota Fortuner and Toyota Innova Crysta has been lacklustre. Toyota Innova Crysta is used as a fleet vehicle and that's when the cost of economy kicks in so it is not the end of the road for diesel-powered cars.

For Toyota’s future product planning and strategy, a key variable is the price of diesel in the country. “Going forward these variables will increase, it will further include the cost of electricity, availability of electricity for charging purposes and we can opt for CNG and the hydrogen fuel cell. If that comes then the whole dynamics will change” added Shekar.

Hybrids and EVs in India:

Globally, Toyota is a pioneer in hybrids and electric vehicles. Toyota's vision is that by 2050 the world will have a healthy mix of Electric Vehicles (EVs), Hybrids and Hydrogen vehicles. Viswanathan says that its a very dynamic situation and it might also be right to say that CNG, Biofuels and petrol/ diesel will continue to have some share of the market.
“Our suggestion to the government is to promote all the technologies that reduce pollution and to tax vehicles based on their emissions. More the pollution, more the tax and now emissions are measurable.”

Toyota is also working with multiple state governments to push its hybrid plans in India. The company recently signed a MoU with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to start the feasibility study towards the introduction of Prius PHEV and Small EV Commuter. These different state-level policies cover a range of incentives and express the commitment of the state government to provide charging infrastructure. Toyota says it's not necessary for a central EV policy overarching these individual States.
“However, a National Level EV policy will certainly help. For example, charging protocol is something to be decided at the central level and then handed over to the State governments to maintain homogeneity among EV makers to utilise the charging infrastructure efficiently and make it more viable,” he added.

Toyota bets on hybrid cars in India:

Toyota is also betting big on hybrid cars in India and is looking to bring in some of its existing global hybrid cars in India in the mass segment. Shekar Viswanathan said, “We definitely want hybrid vehicles in India as we see that as the quickest way to get to electric vehicles. The concept of leapfrogging which is been doubted by some advisors to the government is misplaced. We need to go hybrid for some distance before adopting EVs. As you do this, there will be other technologies that will come in. For instance, Solid-state batteries, hydrogen cell, these things will happen. The pace at which this happens is what is at stake.”

Toyota on National EV Policy:

It is very difficult for Niti Aayog or any carmaker to assure that EVs is the only way forward or to say EVs will never succeed. The technology is very dynamic but the way it will pan out is very uncertain. Toyota says that incentives or tax policy are not the only way to promote Electric vehicles in India. Simple things like preferred car parking for EVs and special zones where only EVs are allowed will help to promote the overall ecosystem.

2018 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz to draw power from a new 1.5L petrol engine: What else will be new in Honda City challenger

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 4 May 2018 15:38:00 +0530

Source : https://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car-news/2018-maruti-suzuki-ciaz-to-draw-power-from-a-new-1-5l-petrol-engine-what-else-will-be-new-in-honda-city-challenger/1148167/

The new 2018 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz will get a more powerful engine that is also likely to do duty on the new generation Ertiga MPV. The sedan will lock its horns with the newly launched Toyota Yaris, Honda City and the Hyundai Verna more confidently.

The new 2018 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is all set to be launched in India in mid this year. The car has been spotted on test multiple times and now, there is one new revelation. A report on Autocar India suggests that the new 2018 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz will be launched in the country with a new and more powerful 1.5-litre petrol engine. Maruti Suzuki Ciaz was introduced in India for the first time in the year 2014 and the coming update will be the first major one for the midsize sedan. The Maruti Ciaz is currently powered by a 1.4-litre petrol engine that is good for churning out a maximum power output of 92 hp. With an increased engine displacement of 1462cc and additional 12 horses, the car will surely get a better driveability. The car will also see a better torque at 138 Nm as against 130 Nm on the current model that should help in better acceleration.

The new K15B petrol engine that we are talking here is also likely to run the new generation Maruti Ertiga MPV that is also due for India launch in the coming months. The new 2018 Maruti Ciaz will get revised front and rear bumpers and there will not be many significant changes in the overall styling. The cabin of the 2018 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is also expected to receive some minor updates in order to offer a fresher appeal to the buyers.

Toyota has recently launched the Yaris sedan in India and that has further spiced up the rivalry in the midsize sedan segment. With the presence of some worthy players like the Honda City and Hyundai Verna, Maruti must be having high hopes from the new Ciaz and only time will tell if the car will be able to attract better sales numbers for the country's ace car maker. More details on the new 2018 Maruti Suzuki Ciaz to be revealed in the next few days!

Source: Autocar India

Electric version of Traveller on the cards: Force Motors

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 2 May 2018 16:12:00 +0530

Source : https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/auto/electric-version-of-traveller-on-the-cards-force-motors-2554671.html

A bigger bus, new utility vehicle and an electric mini bus are some of the projects Force Motors is working on

Pune-based Force Motors is in advanced stages of completing in-house development work on a completely new bus and utility vehicle that will be launched over the course of next two years.

The company, which is present in niche segments such as mini buses and off-road sports utility vehicles (SUVs), is also working on an electric version of the Traveller, the biggest revenue generator for the company.

In an exclusive chat with Moneycontrol, Prasan Firodia, managing director, Force Motors, said that some of its products are under testing.

“We have several platforms coming up between this and the next calendar year. We have a new bus and a completely new utility vehicle platform in the pipeline. The bus would be bigger than the current Traveller. The platform was developed in-house by Force Motors and its engine will be ours, built using Mercedes-Benz pedigree," said Firodia.

Force Motors came into the limelight when it achieved a rare feat of making engines for Mercedes-Benz and BMW, two biggest luxury car makers in India that control 70 per cent of the market. Locally assembled luxury cars such as Mercedes C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, BMW 3 Series, 5 Series, X3 and X5 run on engines provided by Force Motors.

Last month, Force Motors signed an agreement with Rolls Royce Power System to set up a Rs 300 crore joint venture plant for manufacturing engines for power generation, which will be operational by end of next year. The plant will be the only production base in the world for its kind of engines.
“The objective is to grow both vehicle and non-vehicle businesses. Presently, 60 per cent of our revenues come from vehicle business and the balance from aggregates such as components, engines," he said. As of last year, Force Motors had a market share of 55 per cent in the mini bus segment that it operates in.

By end of December, the company had clocked revenues of Rs 2,487 crore during the nine months, which was slightly down (2 per cent) compared to the same period in the previous year when it clocked Rs 2,535 crore. Net profit was down by 31 per cent to Rs 86 crore during the same period last year.

Keeping with the industry trend of electrification, Force Motors is talking to a few German companies for sourcing electric technology. It has set up a team of 45 people who would look at electric solutions for the future. The company has already started work on electrifying the Traveller, which is presently under validation.

“We are already working on electric vehicles. In fact our first electric Traveller is already on the road under validation. Its not 100% done so it can’t go into production. We have 45 people working on that. We are talking to some superior technology companies in Germany to see what we can get on electrification but its not going to happen overnight," Firodia added.

A few years ago, Force Motors had launched an SUV called Force One . They had also roped in actor Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador. Falling numbers forced the company to abandon the model and it then refocused on the niche segment of off-road SUVs under the age-old brand Gurkha.
“Gurkha is a niche product, offroading vehicle not a standard soft road SUV product that we see today. Our focus will be to develop the Gurkha and also to export it," he said. Gurkha is a three and five door, five seater SUV, powered by a 2.6 litre, 85 bhp diesel engine.

SsangYong Motor global sales record 10,930 units in April 2018

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 2 May 2018 16:07:00 +0530

Source : https://www.automotiveworld.com/news-releases/ssangyong-motor-global-sales-record-10930-units-april-2018/

SsangYong Motor Company (CEO Choi Johng-sik; www.smotor.com), part of the Mahindra Group, today announced that it sold a total of 10,930 units in April 2018 – 8,124 units in domestic sales and 2,806 in exports.

Despite the popularity of its brand-new Rexton Sports and the recovery in the exports, SsangYong’s overall sales in April decreased by 1.3 percent from the previous year.

The supply of Rexton Sports is expected to be in full-scale from May as the ‘Daytime 2shift’ system which started from this month has settled down, expanding the production volume.

In April, the company’s domestic sales were down by 2.7 percent year-on-year despite impressive performance of Rexton Brands, with the G4 Rexton increasing 468.6 percent and the Rexton Sports increasing 51.4 percent year-on-year respectively.

The company’s exports, which had dropped more than 20 percent year-on-year, have recovered, showing an increase of 3 percent for the first time this year. SsangYong plans to drive exports sales in future by leveraging Rexton products in key geographies.

Choi Johng-sik, CEO of SsangYong Motor Company, commented, “We still have the strong sales of the Rexton Sports at home and also a recovery in the overseas market,” adding, “We will further increase global sales by strengthening overseas market, sales promotion strategies, and resolving the back orders of the Rexton Sports.”

Pininfarina presents H500 and E-SUV K350 in Beijing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 2 May 2018 16:06:00 +0530

Source :https://www.electrive.com/2018/05/01/pininfarina-presents-h500-and-e-suv-k350-in-beijing/

Pininfarina and the Hybrid Kinetic Group have presented two more jointly developed concept cars at the Beijing Motor Show. As previous studies, the two new concepts, a SUV and a sedan, combine their electric drives with a micro turbine range extender.

The models are an SUV named the K350 and a sedan called the H500. Previously the same partners had integrated the same technology into the H600 sedan and the SUVs K550 and K750 as well as the recently presented wing door coupé HK GT. The first serial model is expected in 2020.

It was also recently announced that the Italian design studio Pininfarina was planning to become an auto manufacturer in their own right. Two weeks ago, their mother company Mahindra announced the founding of the European brand Automobili Pininfarina for luxury EVs. Automobili Pininfarina will be headed by Michael Perschke. The German manager has also worked with Audi India and with the board of Volkswagen Group Sales India. He will be joined by Per Svantesson as the chief operating officer.

The plan is currently to develop a range of electric SUVs priced starting around 150,000 euros. The first milestone project will be a 2 million euro electric hypercar. Automobili Pininfarina plans to use their expertise in design to combine with Mahindras growing experience in the Formula E circuit to manufacture EVs of the next generation.

Royal Enfield All Set To Get A Modern Competitor in India | Mahindra Jawa Motrcycle

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 16:49:00 +0530

Source: https://chandigarhmetro.com/royal-enfield-india-set-a-modern-competitor-mahindra-jawa-motrcycles/

Royal Enfield is one of the most popular bike manufacturers from India courtesy its retro sexy looks and a trademark thump sound. The bike has captured the 250-500cc market with a share of 90% and there is no stopping the bullet. However, Royal Enfield sells more for its nostalgic design elements dating back to the World War era and has not been able to impress the critics with its technology.

New manufacturers like UM motorcycles have tried to enter the cruiser segment but have miserably failed at the game of Royal Enfield. However, Mahindra is bringing back the Jawa brand in India and they too share a strong legacy with the Indian market. The latest piece of news that we bring to you today is that the Royal Enfield competitor Jawa Motorcycle will get the same engines that are found on the Mahindra Mojo.

While the Royal Enfield set of bikes get both 350 and 500cc engines, Mahindra will equip the Jawa bikes with the Mojo engines that offer a better and refined experience than the former. Mahinrdra Mojo comes with a 300cc liquid cooled engine that makes a peak power of 27.2Bhp and 30Nm of torque. This engine is more refined than the Royal Enfield bikes and may significantly improve on the NVH levels.

However, Cartoq believes that there is all possibility that Mahindra might decide to scale the engine up to 350cc to maintain the heritage aspect of the Jawa motorcycles. Another way to go will be scaling down the 300cc engine to 250cc and offer the Royal Enfield rival on competitive prices close to the Classic 350cc. This is feat that no one has been able to match with Royal Enfield motorcycles before and they remain to be the only strong name in the segment.

The latest Royal Enfield rival is gearing up for a launch later this year but we have a feeling that might not happen that soon. Also to keep things closer to the direct rival Classic 350, the Jawa Motorcycles price in India might be close to 2.4 Lakh rupees which is still expensive than the former.

LML to shut operations with no feasible revival

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 16:45:00 +0530

Production at Tata Motors’ Pantnagar plant hit by workers’ agitation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 16:42:00 +0530

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/production-at-tata-motors-pantnagar-plant-hit-by-workers-agitation/story-olD1sta06WYWtTJgHmT34H.html

Production at Tata Motors’ Pantnagar manufacturing facility was partially hit on Monday, after a section of workers resorted to agitation following the death of one of their colleagues due to a cardiac arrest on Saturday.

The plant in Uttarakhand produces the sub one-tonne mini-truck Tata Ace.

Confirming the partial loss of production, Tata Motors said the company is extending necessary support to the family as per its policy, and the management is looking to resolve the issue amicably.

According to sources, a section of temporary and casual workers assembled at the plant when it opened after the Sunday holiday, demanding monetary compensation and a job to one of the members of the deceased worker’s family, leading to the disruption in production.

“It is a matter of personal loss to all of us... In line with the company policy, Tata Motors is extending necessary support to the family in this unfortunate situation,” Tata Motors’ spokesperson said in a statement.

“In light of the above incident caused by natural death, some temporary workers are leading an agitation in the plant premises seeking unreasonable demands from the management. Owing to this, the production line operated by a set of these workers has been affected partially,” he added.

The rest of the workmen, especially the permanent employees, are continuing their normal work and extending support in resolving the issue, the spokesperson for the company said.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/production-at-tata-motors-pantnagar-plant-hit-by-workers-agitation/story-olD1sta06WYWtTJgHmT34H.html

25 TIPS AND TRICKS TO improve battery life on your google android M smartphone.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 7 Jul 2015 23:43:00 +0530

Unlike Apple IOS and Blackberry 10 smartphone, Android has a much much larger customer base. The problem is not with the OS but the Company which makes the largest smartphone with Android. Samsung and LG have resorted to selling phones with various bells and whistles while the quality has suffered.

Some of these extra features kill batter ylife to a great extent. So how to extract the most out of your android smartphone? Well for beginners, I have personally installed a custom ROM (SLIM and Cyanogenmod work best). This is best done outside of your warranty and at your own risk.

But here are some of the basic things which will help.

1. Use a dark wallpaper: OLED screens look much better than their LCD counterparts. They are not only brighter but also save batterylife. So, the next time you are buying a phone, tick the OLED screen check box. Darker OLED screens switch off cells which are to show black/ darker colours hence saving battery life.

2. Use a lower display back light: With competition stiffening up, lots of companies are resorting to marketing gimmics using technical details. While a stronger back light looks more appealing, its harder on the eye and the battery. LCD brightness is best left on Auto option which is available on most phones.

3. Use a zero to 100 recharge cycle : I cannot stress enough on this. Today's batteries last longer when a zero to 100 recharge cycle is used. partial charging not only hampers battery calibration but also uses the number of charge cycles our phone batteries can run.

4. Reduce vibration: It really annoys many people when their phone keeps vibration during typing. It is irritating and uses battery. The same also goes for that whatsapp message reminder which keeps buzzing every minute or two. It is best to switch of vibration for most functions except the important ones like calling.

5. Shorter display timeout: An idle screen is better switched off. Go to settings, display, select the shortest display timeout as per your preference.

6. Notifications : Your phone notifications are there for a reason. But most app developers have started using it as a tool to market their products. Go to settings> apps and switch off functions which you do not use. Also its best to keep notifications off at night so as not to disturb sleep.

7. Switch of those extra sensors: Your phone doesn't need to keep those sensors on all the time. Switch them off. Stuff like Auto rotate and gesture control have shortcut options on Samsung phones. Swipe your finger from top right and select disable auto rotate.

8. Switch off those extra radios: Just like those extra sensors, these radios like IR, Bluetooth and NFC are also working overtime to drain your battery. Switch them off. Go to settings, select the radios that your phone has and switch off all except the phone radio when not in use.

9. Turn off GPS: GPS is a huge battery drainer and also sends information on your whereabouts to companies as alleged by some biggies. Switch it off when not in use. Your whatsapp friend doesn't need to know where you are at the moment.

10. Use offline maps: Various apps are available on Google play store which do not need to use your data plan all the time. this saves data and battery life. some goods apps are Nokia Maps and Navmii.

11. Disable Data options when not in use: Today's data networks are big battery hogs and phone batteries go out as fast as the data from your plan. Switch it off when not in use. Even better to switch it to 2G when traveling or in weak reception areas.

12. Switch to wi-fi : It is cheaper and faster and convenient to use especially when downloading large files. It is also easier on the battery compared to our 3g/4g LTE radios.

13. Switch off Wi-fi: what?? you might ask. But a wi-fi that's not in use but switched on is doing nothing much rather than hogging battery. Battery wear will only quicken once we step out of the house as the wi-fi radio keeps searching for the preffered wireless network.

14. Use the lockscreen: Use lockscreen notifications, these help keep the cpu at idle as much as possible and make less use of that screen back light. It might be an option on your phone or not depending on the make and model.

15. Widgets, the tiny evils : They might look fancy and keep your updated but they hog on your phones battery life like crazy. Uninstall them or remove them.

16. Update your phone If there is anybody that is working overtime to keep your phone running smooth, its the developers at the company labs. A newer version of the software is most often a battery saver except when other major software tweaks have been given a priority. In any case, update.

17. Disable auto update on Google play store: Our phones need not keep looking for updates every 24 hours. Hence its best to leave auto update apps off on Google play store. Save data and battery life.

18. Enable battery saving mode: It helps run the phone that little bit longer when we are commuting or when a power outlet is not available for longer durations. Most phones do have it either under quick settings or under control panel.

19. Switch off animations: Switch of animations such as live wallpapers. Everybody uses android and have live wallpapers on their phones. and yes, it wastes battery by throttling the CPU on your phone.

20.Use task manager often: Use the task manager often to see whats using the most batterylife. Kill those apps or change permissions to make sure they are not able to do so.

21. Kill unused apps: While most smartphones of today multitask, Android doesn't boast of a better multitasking functionality like sailfish or Blackberry. Click on the dual squares and the bottom of the screen and flick apps away to kill them.

22. Uninstall unused apps: Most phone come with loads of bloatware from the network or the manufacturer. For example Verizon puts its apps on the phone and samsung pushes its apps. Uninstalling helps free up the phone and making it feel more snappier.

23 Change emails from push to fetch Change the email check system from push to fetch. This stops the server from checking the emails from the server regularly. Instead fetch helps get emails when we want them.

24. Find corner of room with good coverage at night.We all know how phones are dangerous for our health. Hence keeping that away from our body at night is a good option. It might just help further to find a corner of the room when the phone gets that additional tower of reception.

25. Disable Google now: personally I've only found it to be a data recorder, battery eater and irritant. Switch it off and save that battery while you can. :P

30 tips and tricks to increase battery life on your BB10 Blackberry 10 device

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 17:11:00 +0530

Blackberry made a transition from BB7 to BB10 a couple of years ago. While many reviewers agreed that it was the most complete smartphone OS, Blackberry's confidence in its corporate customers brought it down. Those using keyboard based BB7 devices didn't take kindly to the all touch Z10. A lack of app ecosystem similar to Google play and Apple Itunes almost nailed the coffin and blackberry was looking for a buyer. The OS usability was recognized a little too late but still Blackberry started gaining market share. While the first Z10 had a similar battery issue like the Iphone, Blackberry was quick to tweak the latest firmware upgrades to increase phone battery life and the newer phones also got a bigger battery.

But if you still have a battery life issue, here is a complete list of tips and tricks to increase battery life on your Blackberry

1. OLED screen dark wallpaper: BB phones like Z30 and Q10 come with an OLED screen. OLED screens feature a technology where using a dark wallpaper helps increase battery life since those parts of the screen are powered off.

2. Full to zero charge: Most newer phones come with Li-Ion batteries which perform flawlessly. You will find that running the battery to 0-1% before charging and then charging the phone to 100% helps extract a better battery life.

3. Location OFF: Most of the time, our phone wants the location to be on, whether it be the Geotag of camera or the location spotting of Whatsapp. Keeping that GPS off helps not only in increasing battery life but also stop companies from tracking your activities. (this danger applies least to the Blackberry though). Go to settings, select location and then switch off.

4. NFC off: NFC is probably the one chip that uses least power, but since there aren't really many gadgets yet in the open market that make use of this technology, you can switch it off. Go to settings, select networks and connection, switch off.

5. Switch off Wi-fi: If we start disabling everything on the phone, what is it worth? Correct, but it is a common habit to forget switching off Wi-fi when not in use. Let's say we are at work and using wi-fi, when we leave work, the connection is lost and the wi-fi radio keeps searching for a signal. Blackberry gives a shortcut to switch off wi-fi for the very same reason. This also applies to Wireless internet tethering. Go to Settings, select Networks and connections, switch off wi-fi. Browse below to wireless hotspot, switch off.

6. Disable auto update check in blackberry world: This feature is on by default. But do we really need Blackberry world servers to keep checking for updates to the installed apps. Such app updates might come once in a month, so a manual check not only saves battery life but also the precious network data. Open Blackberry world> swipe down and select settings> select network and data limits and select download over wi-fi only and switch off download large files over mobile network.

7. Dim backlight to usable brightness: Screen brightness is one of the top factors for losing that juice on your battery. Swipe down on your screen to reveal quick settings, click on the square button to the left of brightness and adjust the brightness as per your requirement.

8. Backlight timeout: Along with adjusting the brightness, adjusting the backlight timeout also helps conserve battery. go to Settings>Display> Screen timeout.

9. Switch off Bluetooth: Bluetooth is fasting getting relegated to the backseat with the advent of 3g and Wi-fi. Still it is the most convenient way for transferring files or specific data between devices. But Bluetooth radio also eats up 3-4% of battery life in a day. Hence when you are not playing songs in your car via Bluetooth or when you are finished transferring files, switch it off. Go to settings> networks and connections> Bluetooth.

10. Switch off 3G/4G when not in use: 3G and 4G has made life very simple and fast when it comes to things on the internet. But they also use up battery fast. Hence it is a good choice to switch down to 2G when the faster network speeds are not available. Usually switching data to 2G or off helps when sleeping at night.

11. Find corner of room with good coverage at night.We all know how phones are dangerous for our health. Hence keeping that away from our body at night is a good option. It might just help further to find a corner of the room when the phone gets that additional tower of reception.

12. Close unused open apps from active frames: Blackberry has the best Multitasking Features of any phones second only to the Sailfish OS with its Active covers. But keeping apps open means they keep running in the background using up CPU processes. Flick up on the home screen and close all unused applications by clicking on the X at the bottom right.

13. Use bedside mode at night: A very nifty feature on the BB10 is the Bedside mode. On the lockscreen (not the desktop) flick down your finger on the phone and the bedside mode gets activated. This silences all notifications and helps save battery time as well as undisturbed sleep. Bedside mode is coupled with clock and alarm which makes a strong case for itself. Also the colours are light on the eyes so your droopy eyes don't have to adjust to the bright screen.

14. Disable vibration: Vibration is that silent killer which takes up battery life. Go to Settings> Notifications and disable vibration for those apps you do not need a reminder for. A similar exercise can also be done on chat apps such as BBM and Whatsapp where we can disable certain specific groups or people.

15. Uninstall unused apps: Most phone come with loads of bloatware from the network or the manufacturer. For example Verizon puts its apps on the phone and blackberry pushes its apps. Uninstalling helps free up the phone and making it feel more snappier. Hold the icon of the app to be uninstalled. Click on the bin that appears and you are don.

16. Change emails push to fetch Change the email check system from push to fetch. This stops the server
from checking the emails from the server regularly. Instead fetch helps get emails when we want them. Go to settings> accounts> change the duration of email fetch.

17. Change apps to use dark background (LCD limitations): BB10 has provided 'enable dark background' on their phones since 10.2. This is mostly helpful on phones with OLED screens though.Dark background settings are app specific such as for whatsapp, BBM, blackberry hub, contacts and messaging.

18. Use lockscreen to check messages: Like most smartphone from Android and Apple, BB10 OS also has an interactive lockscreen which lets you check message before opening the phone. This saves time by not needing to unlock the phone and go to the specific app to check messages or updates. Just click on the unlock button and touch the app for which you want to check an update.

19. Use offline maps navigation: Most embedded navigation maps require mobile data for accuracy. But new map apps such as Navmii does away with the need for a data plan while using gps.

20. Turn off media sharing Turn of media sharing. Go to Settings> Media sharing. switch off all options.

21. Restrict run in background permission for apps not in use: Most apps installed on the phone take permission to run services in background. Go to settings and restrict all permission for apps not in use.

22. Disable swipe to unlock: This is an innovative feature on the Blackberry phones but it uses battery life. Also, the button at the top does a similar job.

23. Use a case (auto screen off): Blackberry provides cases which have a feature of turning the screen off when the phone is inserted using the proximity sensor. They are handy as well as battery savers.

24. BB10 updates: Many people don't update their phones even after the companies provide safer OTA updates. These updates do not spoil your phone and provide better features since the bugs have been taken care of. But wait for 3-4 proper charge cycles for the phone to settle in.

25. Disable Blackberry assistant: Blackberry assistant is the more smooth less nonsense version of Siri and Cortana. But I don't remember the last time I used it. switch it off. Under settings go to voice commands and switch it off.

26. Enable battery saving mode: This is a new feature available upwards from 10.3.1.It helps to enable battery savings mode when battery is running low and a power outlet is not available for a long time for e.g. travelling.

27. Disable blackberry blend: Another app from Blackberry which shows the potential of technology. But it is still not as usable as we would want it to be. Disable it under settings.

28. disable auto update check for firmware.: Firmwares or software updates are not released everyday. It is a good option to disable them. Go to settings> Firmware updates> settings> disable.

29. turn off advanced interactions.: Another new feature on Blackberry phones from 10.3.1 onwards are a great addition which use the built in sensors. Not important, switch them off. Go to settings > Advanced interactions> switch off.

30. Disable blackberry priority hub.: Priority hub is a part of Blackberry hub since 10.2. But to me it is personally clutter on an otherwise awesome feature (blackberry hub). Switch it off.

32 IOS Tips and tricks to Improve battery life on Apple Iphone

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 17:11:00 +0530

2015 is the year when the number of Iphones in my house have gone up to three from zero. There is an Iphone 4S and two Iphone6 plus which are always plugged to an outlet. Hence I started looking for options to increase their battery life to bring down electricity bills of my house.Here are my top tricks to increase battery life from your Apple Iphone.

1. Upgrading firmware:- Upgrade your phone to the latest OS 8.3. Increasing battery life is the biggest challenge for most device makers. Hence most firmware updates have better power management than older software versions. One such feature which finds better operations are the CPU clock cycles.

2. Charge from 0-100% every time:Today's batteries are made of Li-Ion which require good calibration to work well in tandem with the OS. It is important to make sure that the phone is charged only from 0-5% to 100%. Never charge or stop charging in the middle if possible. This will enable the OS to better calibrate the battery for use.

3. Avoid extreme temperatures : your phones chipsets have very compact designs making it tough to keep the cpu cool. Tiny copper heatsinks and thermal paste can only work so long as the cpu is working at ideal speeds at a low temperature.

4. Screen brightness : Apart from the usual OS apps, the biggest battery eater is the screen lights. Dimming the light helps. The easiest way out is to put it on Auto brightness, but sometimes decreasing the brightness manually to a lower setting will help a lot.

5. Handcuff that Siri: Go to settings, enter general and then enter Siri and then disable it.

6. Disable Auto downloads: Disable auto downloads of videos, emails and app updates. This stops the phone from using cellular data or wifi regularly for checking updates. Go to settings and then enter Itunes. disable videos and audios. GO further down and disable all automatic updates. Also disable using cellular data.

7. Reduce motion: Go to settings, and enter general.Under General, enter accessibility and enable 'Reduce motion'. This function just doesn't lead to battery drain, but also eye strain.

8. Disable vibration: Vibration is another major battery killer. Let vibrate be on for major functions such as calls and other major features that you use such as sms or BBM message or meeting reminder.

9. Location services: While screen eats battery life when on, GPS location services eat battery live even when the phone is locked. Go to settings, enter privacy and then disable location services.

10. Data services: We all need fast data speeds, but with fast data speeds comes fast battery drains. I use wi-fi at home or office. Keep data services off when not in use will help a long way in covering that full day on a single battery charge.

11. GPS apps: There are GPS apps such as HERE and NAVMII which use offline maps. This helps in reducing data plan usage for constant data fetch on gps servers.

12. Disable wi-fi:It is a good practice to use wi-fi for accessing internet, but it is an ever better practice to disable wi-fi when not using it.

13. Bluetooth: Just like Wi-fi, bluetooth is also a lower power consuming chip on your phone. But disabling bluetooth helps save battery.

14. Air drop: When was the last time you used this app? If you never used it and don't know what it's for, disable airdrop. Swipe up from your desktop and then select airdrop. Disable airdrop.

15. Disable background data refresh: Select settings, enter general and then enter background app refresh. You might want to disable background app refresh for most apps except those which you use frequently such as BBM or Whatsapp.

16. Uninstall apps: Uninstall those apps which you do not use. Unknown to you they might be sending receiving data and/or also hogging batterylife while staying on in the background.

17. Email push: Emails are important for us but it might work in favour of battery life if push email system is set to fetch. Go to settings, enter 'mail contacts and calendars', select fetch new data and then disable push email and select fetch instead.

18. Clear browser settings: Just like your pc which needs browser settings like cache and history cleared, you Iphone browser too needs a similar cleanup.

19. Delete unnecessary data: Todays storages are SSD based. This leads to faster access but also lower heat buildup. To further facilitate better battery life, remove old pictures, videos, texts, songs etc (transfer to cloud, pc, backup or delete).

20. whatsapp settings: whatsapp has a setting where you can disable image, video and audio download automatically by default. Disable similar settings in all other apps.

21. Disable handoff and suggested apps: Go to settings, Enter General and then select handoff. Move my apps and app store sliders to off.

22. Personal hotspot: In case you have use the 'personal hotspot' option or have ever used it, make sure you have switched it off. You will find it in settings under wi-fi.

23.Disable dynamic backgrounds: Using dynamic backgrounds might look a little bit more cool than a static wallpaper image, but it drains battery.

24. Enable Autolock: Use the auto lock function to lock the phone manually. Phone lock kills the display and many other processes leading to an idle cpu and GPU. Additionally, use the fastest time for autolock. Go to settings, enter general and select autolock.

25. Turn off fitness tracking: Turn of fitness tracking to the sensors stop unnecessary functioning. Go to settings, select motion and fitness.

26. Disable auto cloud upload: Cloud service are here and for the future but they eat battery life. Disable cloud upload automatically. Go to settings, select photo and camera and disable photo stream.

27. Diagnostic data: Apple doesn't need to know how you use your phone. It also uses battery life. Go to settings, select privacy and then select Diagnostic data and usage. Select 'Don't send'.

28. Stop checking your phone regularly: Your phone is mean to be used for calls. Stop checking for that stupid whatsapp or BBM forward somebody sent you. Leave your phone alone for sometime and give it some personal space. It will cool down and live more on a single charge.

29. Turn off app notifications: Apple has a nice notification centre. But many apps give you unnecessary beeps and notifications. Got to settings, select notifications and disable app for which you do not need notifications.

30. Close unnecessary apps: While this is not going to make a huge improvement, it helps cpu keep running cool. Hold the physical buttong and select device. Click on more and then click on multitasking. Flick up all the apps that you are not using or dont want to use.

31. Turn off keyboard extras: Unless haptics vibrate and tones are necessary, check them off for keyboard typing. They are annoying and will save that little bit of phone battery.

32. Reception: Check which part of your home/ office gets more reception. One extra tower in your office cabin or bedroom will help that little bit extra.

These 32 tips should help you achieve about 30% better battery life than before.

Five Rare cars in India you should buy for their uniqueness and street presence.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 7 Dec 2014 21:15:00 +0530

There are cars the masses by and there are car the masses do not know exist. But Suzuki Swift is a concrete fact implying that consumers do not always buy the product that is best for them. Additionally, as an Indian I have not shame admitting how we are trained to follow the herd mentality. So in case somebody is looking to buy a car for exclusivity, here is a list of cars which is sure to get you noticed amongst the herd of white Marutis.

1. Hyundai Sonata: The car that exists even though it doesnt. Hyundai imports just about enough cars to keep the car on sale and on its website worldwide.

Why it doesn't sell: The Sonata Brand name doesn't bring positive memories as the first generation car was a disaster. The jaguar like styling did click at first but then the low resale and high maintenance ate away all the respect. Fuel Efficiency and performance were humiliating enough for Hyundai to stop selling the car.

Why you should buy it: It is the actual fluidic design which made Hyundai famous. The Elantra, Verna, I20 and I10 are only successors of this design. Also this is the only car to have a 200 bhp petrol engine with a really long feature list.

2. Ford Fiesta: Very few new generation ford fiestas exist in the market. Even rarer are the facelift version. But if you ever spot a mini Aston Martin, look again. It just might be the new Ford Fiesta. The sedan does not measure to competition in size and Ford should strongly consider replacing it with a hatchback.

Why it doesn't sell: The car is smallest in its segment. Also, Ford's dealership network is mediocre for a 10-lac sedan buyer to not trust them. Ford's lack of marketing has made sure the masses do not know if the car exists.

Why you should buy it: Its the most fun to drive, drivers car in its segment. The Mini Aston Martin Look gives it strong road presence. The vehicle has goodkit to make it a commendable buy.

3.Fiat Punto Evo: A tainted history, lack of dealer outlets, divorce with PAL and then Tata has left Fiat in a tight spot on the subcontinent. But It might finally have decided to make things right.

Why it doesnt sell: Fiat has low resale. Most Fiat ex-owners are converts who dont want to go back to fiat. Many old fiats have been market duds. Recent divorce with Tata means Fiat has new dealers not inspiring enough confidence.

Why you should buy it: Solid European build, Italian design to die for, Superb road manners especially on the highway and the Diesel engine of the country under the hood are reasons enough.

4. Renault Fluence: Renault in India is mostly known as a one car wonder. The only car that sells in Renault dealerships is the Duster.

Why it doesn't sell: For some reason none of the cars from the Renault stables entice buyers like the Duster. The First generation Fluence was positioned badly with odd featuresets. At this price point, buyers mostly look for something that sells well.

Why you should buy it: The car is powered by one of the most popular diesel engines in the country, the 1.5 DCI. The diesel is more silent than many other petrol counterparts. The car has segment leading ride and handling combination with segment leading space. The feature set matches the best of the cars competing in the industry. The facelift does justice to this cars design.

5. Tata Xenon: Tata has tried the unconventional in a traditional market with the Tata Xenon. While passenger sales are expected to be low, Tata has been able to sell enough in the commercial market.

Why it doesnt sell: An Indian consumer is not ready to accept the fact that the longest sedan is not the definition of being the most iconic person. Tata's brand image has also played spoilsport. Company's lack of marketing and dealer salespersons lack of interest means people usually dont end up buying the vehicle.

Why you should buy it: An excellent excuse to go off road and on regular adventures. It is an excellent vehicle to have for a macho brand image. Tata Safari storme underpinnings mean the vehicle is time tried and tested.

A basic simple guide to tire care and replacement (upsizing)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 16:25:00 +0530

Usually, when something pertains to my car or bike, it gives me immense pleasure and joy to go into the finer and deeper details and learn the skills. One such skill is playing with the tyre profile. A car maker usually gives the tyre size which they deem fit for the overall general public. So, while this works in most scenarios, one needs to find the the right tyres that can cater to their more specific needs.

My recent experiments with tyre upsizing has taught me a lot on how theory doesn't always transform into physical changes. Here, I have tried to make a simple layman's guide on how to select the right tire for your car.

1. Date of Manufacture: It is very crucial to look at the date of manufacture before getting a set of tyres for your car even if they are the same set you have received with your car. The date numbering on tyres is same from all brands.

As shown in the image above it is usually a four digit number. The first two digits denote the week while the last two digits denote the year. So in the image above, the tyre has been made in the 9 week of 2007. Now why is it important to look at the year of manufacture? Simply because the compounds used in manufacturing a tyre harden over time. The case holds true whether the tires are used or stored in a warehouse. A tyre in use should not be run for more than five-six years at best. Also, when installing a new tyre, one should make sure it has not been stored for more than two years as idle tyres harden faster. (Do not listen to anybody who says otherwise.).

2. Tire wear: Based on the usage and tyre compounds used the normal life is around 40000-60000 kilometers ( 25000-40000 miles). Tyre wear is generally noticeable when uneven which is mostly due to negligence on the alignment and balancing part. Otherwise the best way to notice tire wear is to look for marks on the tread.

Another effective way it to take the penny test (we can use a 25 paise coin or a 50 paise coin in India).

3. Alignment and Balancing: A normal tyre consists of reinforced rubber with steel belts. While flexible such a structure is bound to lost its normal form due to effects of road conditions and irregular inflation pressures. Hence a tyre needs to be aligned and balanced after a specific mileage. While many car makers and tire makers recommend such practices every 5000 kms (3000 miles), one can go for a 10000 kms (6000 miles) if the vehicle is used under standard conditions at stable speeds.

4. Tyre upsizing : Most car owners make a big mistake while upsizing a tire. A normal tire should not be upsized, downsized with a more than 2% difference. For e.g. a Vw polo comes with 185/60 R15 wheels in India. The 185 denotes the width of the tyre which contacts the road, 60 stands for the tire wall height and 15 denoted the radius of the steel/aluminum wheel. An enthusiast will generally go for a 195/60 or 205/55 profile on his next tire change or shift to a lower profile 195/50 r16 tyres. While all the three sizes are can be installed on the VW polo, they all have severe impact on the driving experience. So lets see how each change on the tire size affects our driving experience.

a. going wide: Usually most car enthusiasts go for a wide tire. IMHO, 185/60 is already a wider size for a VW polo. The reason being, it is running a small 1200cc engine making a tiny 75ps of power with 110nm of torque. A wider profile will only increase friction thus reducing weighing on the already low torque. Not to mention how this reduces the Fuel efficiency and makes steering wheel heavier for city use. Also, wider tyres are usually more expensive. Another downside is having to reduce the sidewall height when one needs to go extra wide. A wider tyre makes sense when the cars has ample torque at its disposal or the engine has been modified to put extra power. Such a situation is amplified when we are dealing with heavier cars. While 185/60r15 on a VW polo is a good example of oversized tyres from the manufacturer, 175/65r15 on Honda City cars are a good e.g. of undersized tyres from Manufacturers. Compared to the VW polo, Honda City has more power of 115 horses and more torque (145nm). So under situations of spirited driving, the skinny wheels are bound to lose grip. So, in this situtation while 185/60r15 is would be a more ideal match for the Honda City, A 175/65r15 size is a more ideal match for the VW Polo. But VW gives 185/60r15 size on the Polo because it is a much better size for its VW Vento( sedan based on Polo) with more power. While Honda city uses the same profile for its Honda Jazz and Honda Civic cars (the tyre size is perfect for the Jazz but not suitable for Civic or City).

b. going low: a low riding car looks sporty. But for a country like India it also means underbody damage on bad roads. It also means lower ground clearance on already low cars and a bad ride quality where the driver and occupants feel each and every bump. Again a higher ride means lower center of gravity and little compromise with handling with a rubbery feel at corners. For a car like VW Skoda Octavia, I would definitely recommend a taller rubber which will help absorb bumps and make ride comfortable while providing a little higher ground clearance. On the other hand, a car like Fiat Linea can run on lower rubber since it has 195mm of ground clearance to play with.

c. Tire Pressure change: When change a tire size, the tire pressure also change due to the change in the volume needed. For every 5mm increase in width, reduce 1psi tyre pressure and for every 5mm decrease in height increase 1psi tyre pressure. For a 1 inch radius change reduce tyre pressure by 2-3 psi based on your comfort. While there is no set rule of what tyre pressure should be maintained post upsize, playing a bit with 1-2 psi up or down should get your the right balance of handling and comfort.

Best of luck and happy motoring.

How Tata can regain the UV crown.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 9 Nov 2014 14:40:00 +0530

Tata Motors was once touted as the competitor to Hyundai for the title of the second largest car maker in the country. There were a couple of months when Tata played hide and seek and sold more vehicles than Hyundai. The Indica and Indigo sold more than the Accent Getz and Santro combined.

Fast forward to today and Tata is sitting at the sixth place lagging behind the likes of Japanese sisters Toyota and Honda, Indian Sibling Mahindra and Hyundai. While Hyundai today has 5 hatchbacks in its lineup averaging around 30000 units is sales per month, Tata is battling with the Indica and Nano averaging around 4500+ units a month. The engineers and designers and marketers are working at Tata, but most people would wonder if they are working togather as a group. It is a clear sign that if Maruti Suzuki sells about 62000 odd units from its five hatchback lineup and Hyundai sells 30000 units from its five hatchback lineup, it is a clear sign of the way forward.

But if we remember TaTa as a car, the image of Sumo and Safari will come to mind. Some will even recall the Sierra. What happened to the leading UV seller of India? Especially at a time when even small cars have to build muscle to sell. (Ecosport, Avventura, Rio, Quanto, Etios Liva cross, Cross Polo)

1. Bring actual Concepts to the market: Tata motors has showcased some heart stopping concepts at the auto shows. Here is how the TaTa launched the Movus concept.

Here we have the xenon pickup when shown for launch at the Australian Market

It is no wonder then, how the papers and news shows and internet is full of praise for Tata motors. We see articles titled 'tata has finally arrived', 'tata is now a world player' etc etc. But in a quest for cost cutting and profitability and trying to make a value for money proposition, the concept cars get turned into boring people movers. The company head honchos need to understand that while improving the quality (tata's horizonnext plan) is definitely a yes, a company also needs signature vehicles to build on its brand image.

Tip: Bring the Tata Xenon Tuff concept and Ladakh concept into the market even if it means selling at a higher price. Skoda Octavia Vrs didnt sell in lots but etched the car as a performance car to have.

2. Position the cars correctly: Tata has a history of positioning the cars incorrectly. Safari Storme, Aria and the Nano are supreme examples. Tata Aria has the longest wheelbase in its segment and is loaded with features. But for a cool 15 odd lac rupees, Indians are not willing to buy a fully loaded MPV from tata. The same is the case with Safari, While those at a budget look at the Mahindra Scorpio, Those with a higher budget go for the XUV500 thus leaving Safari Storme's eating dust at the showroom floor. The Movus name hardly has any bearings in the market.

Mahindra has done an excellent job with the Bolero and Tata needs to follow suit with its Sumo brand. And, no Adding Gold and Grande and Spacio won't work like a good mechanical reliable job.
Redesign Movus as a competitor to the Scorpio with proper high profile alloy wheels, Led DRL's, Projector lamps, climate control and loaded stereo system alongwith optional AT system and a 4wd.
Strip Aria of the luxurious interiors and position it as a bigger, better built and cheaper alternative to the Innova, Xylo, Enjoy and other MPV's. Stripping weight and kit will make it a better proposition.
Work on the Aria platform to mask its MPV's face with the safari Ladakh front and rear to position it against the XUV500 leaving the interiors stock hence competing on the full levels of features and kit.
The venture should be positioned below the Aria as a people mover to take on the likes of Mobilio, Ertiga and others. Car like dynamics and the multijet engine will help bring in numbers for this vehicle.
With a new safari Ladakh on the higher end and Movus on the lower end, the safari storme gets a clean run without competition in the 10-12 lacs price bracket.
Introduce the Sumo Extreme concept with a soft top option and 4wD (offroaders love soft-tops). This is the car which will not sell in numbers but build image for the company. Part sharing with the Sumo will make sure that the costs remain low.
Introduce the Xenon Tuff concept as is in the 14 lacs price range for limited units as a brand building exercise It is also important to make sure that the vehicle has high levels of kit including stereo, climate control, led DRL's and Projector lamps.
Bring the Tata Nexon as a competitor to the likes of Ecosport, Duster, Tarrano and Avventura.

It is also important to power the cars with the right engine. The 1248cc diesel multijet and 1200 cc revotron engine make good options for the Tata nexon and Tata Sumo. why sumo? you might ask. The 1248cc multijet engine is easier to maintain even roadside with easy availability for spares. Also adding to the fact that the 1248cc is the nation's engine, tata can bring down the costs and finally the engine makes more horsepower and torque (in vgt form) than the 3000cc engine on top of reducing the weight which is an achilles heel for all tata cars. The same engine can also power the Venture.

The 2.1 LTR Varicor engine can be retained although in the previously showcased 160PS of tune. It can power the Sumo Extreme, Xenon Tuff, Safari Ladakh, Safari Storme, Tata Movus and Tata Aria for platform sharing benefits alongwith an AT option.

3. install the right amount of kit: The Safari from tata is a big bad brute of a SUV. But it lacks features which Mahindra offers on both Scorpio and Xuv500. The list begins from things like LED DRL's, Climate control, Touchscreen audio system, cruise control, MID system and ambient lighting and goes on and on. But when you want to corner a big chunk of market, catching up doesnt help. I would suggest adding a sunroof and providing 17-inch alloywheels to the cars along with an AT gearbox (before Mahindra does it.). Using the same JBL system it once advertised for Safari in all the other cars along with similar steering with audio and cruise control buttons will cut costs while helping the vehicles fight their battles in sales units.

and on a closing note, please ask your Marketing, R&D and sales departments to work with each other rather than independant units.

Tata Aria 150ps vs. Mahindra XUV500 vs. Force One 4x4 : The premium Indian SUV's

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 8 Jun 2014 18:38:00 +0530

There was a time when Ford, GM and Chrysler ruled the auto world. Their SUV's were a rage like no other. But now Indian carmakers have matured and their latest entrants are no slouch. With the fall of Hindustan Motors, and ICML and premier still trying to get their act togather, Force Motors (trax, gurkha fame) has taken the responsibility of leading the third frontier. It is time the country sits up and notices how the three makers will taken on the world's leading car makers. I intended to put up a different image but here is my respect to the HM ambassador that just died a silent death.

With the transformation of SUV's to softroaders, Indian car makers also saw a seachange in their shift of need for Softroaders in their lineups. Here are three of the top contenders

1. Tata Aria: Tata was a force to reckon with in the later half of the first decade of the 21st century. The newly launched Manza and Vista recieved rave reviews. Tata Nano was about to be launched to great fanfare and Hyundai was losing its 2nd rank to tata time and again. Tata had just conceptualised the Aria based on its corporate face found on the newly launched Manza and Vista.The risky MPV design, lack of attention to detail, and higher price meant the Aria bombed at the box office where xuv500 was raking in money. But tata motors is a fast learner and subsequent facelifts have seen the car recieve better quality, price cuts and a superbly tuned 150ps engine as recently as May 2014. The new car now makes more power than an XUV500 while giving similar fuel efficiency figures. With a strong marketing campaign and an Autobox, someone needs to tell tata head honchos that all is not lost.

Interiors : Space is the best feature on this Tata. While the wheel base is halfway between the Force One and XUV500, Aria has the best space management of all three rows and the frond and middle row are comfortable places to be. While the third row comfort is better than XUV500, it lacks behind the Force one. The quality of leather is excellent and the buttons and stalks feel equivalent to a 15 lac car. It is vastly understated how Tata has worked equally hard on the Aria as Mahindra has on the XUV500. For eg a person can walk into the cabin rather than climb into the cabin. This feature makes it a better option for family users.The cabin design is equally flamboyant but looks more mature compared to the xuv500. The force one is not even in comparison here. While the center console is beautiful and better looking than the XUV500 , the dashboard doesn't hold a candle. The ac is the best of the three and chills the cabin within minutes. The boot has better space with the third row up amongst the three cars.

Exteriors :
I've always been a fan of the Tata Aria's design. While many wrote it off as an expensive TATA that cannot be owned, the design never got its due. The New smoked headlamps look awesome giving the Aria road presence than before. The Long MPV stance does need some homework. The rear is more clean and better than both the Force One and XUV500 and the vehicle doesnt need extra bulges to look brawny. I do feel the D-pillar needs little surgery to look good. The side ORVMS are huge and offer excellent rear visibility while providing styling cues to the car. With a walk in design of the car, one doesnt need a running board here.

Engine: The VARICOR moniker might be new but the engine is question is still the same engine that we first found on the Safari and and the Tata Grande. Frequent upgrades mean that the engine is now extremely refined and comfortable to drive providing adequate power and good fuel efficiency figures. The Mark II gearbox feels slightly outdated in this regards and the constant vibrations are an issue. The engine is spirited but the extra weight is an issue pulling performance down.

Ride and Handling: For a spirited handling between the three cars mentioned here, Tata is most suited. The MPV stance helps here cutting a marginally on bodyroll and the stiff chassis hold on well. The new long wheelbase along with bigger tyres eats away potholes and bumps like nobody's business and the seats keep occupants comfortable. This car finds the best compromise of ride and handling which is easily visible for somebody who rides them consecutively. I would suggest tata to rework the the steering position and work on better steering feedback. Also please do add a dead pedal which is a necessity on such cars.

Features and kit
1. Navteq navigation system
2. Adapterra 4x4 system
3. Steering mounted Music, telephony and cruise control
4. Automatic wipers and headlamps
5. six airbags
6. ESP with TCS
7. ABS with EBD
8. Fully automatic climate control system
9. cruise control
10. 10 speaker JBL Harman Kardon system with 10 channel amp 360Watts
11. smoked headlights
12. Glovebox with chiller function
13. Leather upholstry
14. 6 inch lcd touchscreen
15. reverse park assist camera and sensors
16. stereo with USB bluetooth and dvd (?)
17. 60:40 Split seats and and folding third row.
18. 235/65 R17 wheels (alloys)
19. Multi Information display
20. Fog Lamps
21. Electric folding side mirrors
22. ORVM's with turn indicators
23. dual gas strut for bonnet (hood)

Numbers:
Wheelbase: 2850mm
Fuel Tank: 60 Litres
Ground clearance : 200mm
engine: 2.2 LTR VARICOR BSIV 150 bhp and 320nm of torque with 5-speed gearbox
Brakes: Disc brakes at front and at rear
Turning Radius : 5.6m
ARAI certified mileage of 15.05 kpl.

Suggestions:
Tata needs to give the car LED daytime running lights. It is a norm for todays car. Also the Car audio doesnt stream music via bluetooth. Also small knick knacks like backlit steering controls, keyring illumination and lounge lighting like the xuv500 are needed to fight competition heads on. Also, I have found tata cars to be mostly heavier than most competing cars and weight is an issue on performance.

2. Mahindra XUV500: The XUV500 has got the best sales response ever in the Indian market. The cheetah based design has won over the heart of every Indian. A very fluid design language which will age fast but is really eye catching today. The sales response is something that the legendary Tata Safari was never to gain. No surprise then if the new Scorpio refresh maybe based on the same design language. A new XUV500 sportz has just been launched along with Scorpio Sportz and even today this is the best value for money car.

Interiors
Space is good and interiors best amongst the three. But this is also the only car to have least amount of boot space. Part of the reason is the placement of the second row of seats to liberate more space for the second row. Hence while the second row of seats have plenty of space, the third row is where you would not want to be even compared to the Aria or the Force one. I for once feel that Mahindra XUV500 has the best designed console and dashboard of any UV's in the sub 20 lacs price bracket. But a better selection of colours are recommended. While the plum and beige options look funky, I am not sure if they are to everyone's taste. The console is full of gizmos to keep the co-driver occupied during the drive. The quality of the cabin is better than the other two cars and while Aria is able to keep up, The Force One has a lot of homework to do. The chunky steering wheel is the best of the three to hold and the cabin has oodles of soft touch material making the cabin feel premium. Rearward visibility is the worst of the lot and Force one wins in this area thanks to a better glass area. The lower compartment is also air cooled like many European sedans offer. Also a superb addition are the lounge lights which make the cabin a pleasant place to be. Nodoubt then that this is the biggest article for this car or the interiors for any car.

Exterior: The design on the XUV500 has been overdone to begin with. Hence while most Indian vehicles look slightly outdated at launch compared to international car models, the XUV looks in your face. Although, I am sure the designers at Mahindra will tone down the explicit elements over time as the platform matures. If one looks closely it is visible how The designers have kept elements like headlights and tail lights and the hood (bonnet) outlines pretty straight and the only games is played on the front and rear bumpers and fiber fenders (should have been metal). The Side ORVM'S offer good rear visibility. The tribal design on the tail lights make the plastics look untidy and I would suggest Mahindra removes it.

Engine: The engine is one of the strong points of this vehicle. It is robust and can take high speed driving all day long. But the latest varicor 150ps engine on Aria has taken the game forward in this regard and thee FMtech engine on the Force One is equally good. But XUV500 is the only car to have a six speed gearbox. This is an asset but only until Aria Automatic comes out. Of the three the gearbox slotting is the best on the xuv500 with a short throw. The Mhawk engine is good for 140bhp and 330nm of torque.

Ride and Handling
The Mahindra Scorpio was never a class leader when it came to handling, even after Lotus engineering UK put in their talents. The XUV500 then is light years ahead when it comes to the handling. But sadly it is not enough to keep up with the other two. The Force One does get brownie points for its wide and long foot print aided by lower ground clearance, but that puts The XUV500 ahead of the game because it only lacks the ride and handling game marginally but with higher ground clearance which is an asset for any SUV. The Latest Aria is just better than both XUV and Force One in both aspects

The vehicle is basically front wheel drive with a nexgen torque assist system which makes it an all wheel drive.Although I understand it is not as good as a proper 4x4, I will prefer not to comment on its capabilities.

Features and Kit
1. Led cabin lighting
2. Static bending projector lamps
3. 6-inch lcd touch screen
4. GPS navigation (mapmyindia)
5. Reverse park assist camera and sensors
6. leather upholstry.
7. LED light strip (mostly not DRL)
8. Stereo with USB and Bluetooth and DVD
9. Audio/ telephony and Cruise control options on steering wheel
10. Lounge lighting
11. 60:40 Split seats and and folding third row.
12. 235/65 17 tyres (alloys)
13. ABS with EBD
14. Dual Automatic Climate control HVAC
15. tyre tronics tpms
16. Multi Information display
17. Cruise control
18. Automatic wipers and headlamps
19 . Fog lamps
20. Roof Rails
21. six airbags
22. hill hold and hill decent control
23. ESP
24. Electric folding side mirrors
25. Side mirrors with turn indicators
26. Voice commands
27. Nexgen AWD sysyem.
28. center box with chiller funtion

Numbers
Wheelbase: 2700mm
Fuel Tank: 70 Litres
Ground clearance : 200mm
engine: 2.2 LTR Mhawk BSIV 140 bhp and 330nm of torque with 6-speed gearbox
Brakes: Disc brakes at front and at rear
Turning Radius : 5.6m
ARAI certified mileage of 15.1 kpl.

Suggestions
I would suggest upgrading to LED rear lamps for a more wilder effect. Also they need to remove the tribal designs on the tail lights. The long list of features is already there but Mahindra needs to work on making them run properly. Also the Engine needs a higher tune keeping the competition in sight. And since the Aria is coming with an Automatic, it is time Mahindra thinks of it too.

3. Force Motors One: The old mechanical package sourced from Daimler is strong on the assets for which Force One is using it. At 3025mm, the wheelbase is the longest of the three which gurantees acres of space in the cabin. The company has recently launched a 4x4 version and a cheaper EX version with its inhouse diesel engine. Sadly the names like Daimler-Benz from whom Force Motors sourced it chassis and engine and Lotus UK from whom they sourced handling inputs have not provided enough force to this vehicle.

It doesn't help anymore that the the company has only limited dealers and the ones it has appointed are not well known enough. What does is the fact that Force has fortunately copied a lesson from Tata Motors and has been quick in addressing issues within the product lifespan like Interior quality and extra kit. Appointing Amitabh Bachhan for the vehicle was a good move but Force has not been very efficient in making the marketing information visible in the market. The lack of features puts Force One more against the Safari Storme and the Scorpio which I will cover in the next article but the price and size puts it firmly against the new Aria and XUV500.

Interiors
The Cabin is light and airy and the best asset of the force one. The use of beige leather and metallic accents on the steering wheel give the Force the premium feel but the quality of plastics need to improve. The Aria and XUV500 both have better plastics. The dash has ample icons and can get confusing at times. The center dash looks outdated and the company should give climate control and navigation system as an option. The boot space is again best in class and owners will get space even with the third row up. The air conditioner is strong and can get you through the hottest summers but the huge cabin takes some time to cool. The audio supports Bluetooth and USB but lacks Navigation which is offered by both the Aria and XUV500. The cabin is well insulated from the outside world compared to XUV500 but the Aria does a better job at keep the occupants at peace. This is one car where the third row of seats provide most comfort. Make no mistake, it is still cramped but it is better than competition.

Exteriors
The designs sober lines help keep it competitive but Force needs to add a dash of flair on the exteriors and interiors to stay in the fight of xuv500 and Aria. The SUV does get Projector lamps and LED DRL's and external mirrors with turn indicators. but a Bull bar and a redesigned Front grille might do wonders. The car is imposing in size thanks to the unending length and gives Ford Endeavour a run for its money in terms of monstrosity.

Engine

The Daimler Benz sourced FMTECH engine is very refined and stays in the battle against the xuv500's engine but Tata's new Varicor has an edge in its new avatar in terms of driveability and NVH characteristics. The 139bhp engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox and develops 321nm of torque. It is quiet and silent at idle albeit with the diesel gurgle present. Launch the car into first and there is some lag in the lower revs but the engine feels comfortable between 1500-4000 rpm. The gearbox is comfortable to use thankfully since the vehicle will require frequent gearshifts in the city. Also the steering has the right amount of heaviness and feedback which communicates the limitations and potential of the vehicle to the driver.

Ride and Handling
With inputs from Lotus, the car does perform well. Your family will be comfortable on any journey whether its a hill station or a ride to the beach on the road or off it. The ride on the force does have a slight edge over the new Aria.The mcpherson struts upfront, and multi-link suspension at the rear makes light work out of potholes and bumps. The softer setup works for Indian roads but shows its bad side in the handling department. The behemoth vehicle running on softer setup does tend to roll a lot.

The 4x4 option is now available but since I am not very good at offroading, this part has been left out. The vehicle does offer limited slip differential with electronic 4x4 shift on the fly mechanism.

Features and Kit
The Force One fully loaded EX comes with .
1. Leather upholstry
2. 245/70 R16 tyres (Alloy wheels)
3. Projector Headlamps
4. LED Daytime running lights.
5. Fog lamps
6. Side mirrors with Turn indicators.
7. Stereo with USB and Bluetooth
8 .ABS with EBD
9. Reverse Parking sensor
10. Cruise control.
11. Multi information display
12. 60:40 Split seats and reclining third row
13. Audio/ telephony and Cruise control options on steering wheel
14. Roof Rails
15. Borg Warner 4x4 shift on the fly

Numbers
Wheelbase: 3025mm
Fuel Tank: 70 Litres
Ground clearance : 145mm
engine: 2.2 LTR FMTECH BSIV 139 bhp and 320nm of torque with 5-speed gearbox
Brakes: Disc brakes at front and drum brakes at rear
Turning Radius : 6m
ARAI certified mileage of 11.6 kmpl

Suggestions: Include a Navigation system in the top end version alongwith climate control instead of a manual HVAC. This will add to the feature list and also improve the premium quotient of the cabin. Provide auto folding feature for the ORVM's. The Force One also loses out on Airbags although I have heard rumours of new version coming with airbags. LED taillights are a rage on newer cars and will add a touch of modernity to this aging vehicle. Also to keep up with competition wheels need to be upsized to 17 inch.

PS: The images are the copyright of the respective websites and their watermarks are left as proof.

Honda Jazz/ Fit 60000 kms update

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 1 Jun 2014 16:32:00 +0530

The Blue 2010 Honda Jazz has seen serving us well. The city car has been nimble in the city while being as silent as an electric car. The car has seen 15000 kms annually compared to the 18000kms the Lancer used to see in its first four years. The ownership has been almost hassle free minus a few hiccups such as a jammed wiper washer nozzle and lack of low end grunt.

The car's low end torque that is a problem with all Honda i-vtec engines does make intial drives a bit problematic. The L12B I-VTEC needs to be kept above 2000 rpm in the first and second gears for a smooth drive. Also, the car has seen its fuel efficiency dive down majorly due to the tire change.

image source: www.wheelsmodo.com

The old set of Michelin XM1+ were OEMs and they have been very fuel efficient and silent for the 60000 kms. But the softer rubber lead to a lot of punctures over its life cycle. Considered Falken Sincera SN835 as an economical alternative with unconditional warranty but a couple of online reviews suggested they were a little noisy. Next in line were Goodyear Fuelmax and Triplemax tyres. The Fuelmax line has been phased out and the new Triplemax was priced similar to Michelin Primacy ST's. The goodyear assurance armorgrip tyres are noisy on my lancer so decided to skip on goodyears Altogather.

One of the dealer I went to for a quote on Michelin Primacy ST's showed me Vredestein Sportrac5 and I have to say they look worth 1000 words. But since the car only sees mostly city driving, I decided to skip on the more expensive tyres. Finally decided on the Yokohama V550 and Bridgestone Turanza AR20 as final choices. The V550 Yokohama db decibel won for its quietness. The Prices were (15th May 2014)
195/60R15

image source- www.motorshow.me

Vredestein Sportrac5- 6100 Rs ($ 105 US) Looks, performance, quietness
Michelin Primacy ST- 5700 Rs ( $98 US) Comfort, Silence, Premium tread
GoodyearAssurance Triplemax- 5700 Rs ($98 US) Better rolling, really grippy, strong sidewall
Yokohama Decibel AVS V550- 5050 Rs ($87 US) Quiet, Soft, value for money (v551 replacement out)
Apollo Alnac 4g- 5000 Rs ($86 US) Value for money, quiet, strong sidewall
Bridgestone Turanza AR20 - 5000 Rs ( $86 US) newest design (low road touch), fuel efficient
Goodyear Assurance Fuelmax- 4800 Rs ($82 US) Better rolling, grippy, strong sidewall
Falken Sincera SN835- 4750 Rs ( U$81 US) best value for money, good design, comfortable.

After the recent colour, my lancer stereo is punching air big time. This has led to me finding the honda system lacking. So for beginners I have ordered a USB cable which came as a standard fitment on newer models of Jazz.Speaker replacements may come in the future.

Fuel Efficiency has come down to 13kmpl from the usual 15kmpl in the city. A wider tyre from 175/65 to 195/60 is hugely responsible along with the increasing traffic. But the comfort and quietness are totally worth the lower Fuel Efficiency. Also the car needs to be given some time for the new tyres to settle in regards to gear changes, air fuel mix ratio, ecu management etc.

top ten tyre manufacturers 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 18 May 2014 20:02:00 +0530

1. Bridgestone:Net sales $28.6 Billion

2. Michelin :Net Sales $26.6 Billion

3. Goodyear: Net Sales $19.1 Billion

4. Continental: Net Sales 10.9 Billion

5. Sumitomo: $7.76 billion

6. Pirelli: $7.63 Billion

7. Hankook: $6.26 billion

8. Yokohama: $5.57 Billion

9. Maxxis: 4.63 billion

10. Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd.: $4.56 Billion
11. Apollo: $3.7billion

MRF: 2.2 billion

Further read on Indian tyre makers
http://www.equitymaster.com/detail.asp?date=01/12/2012&story=4&title=MRF-vs-Apollo-Tyres-A-comparison---I

2003 Mitsubishi lancer 126000 kms update

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 May 2014 17:57:00 +0530

Continued from here.

http://boyracer.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-decade-of-romance-with-2003.html

The Mitsubishi Lancer has given me strength over the 11 years since 2003. It has proved its loyalty time and again and is still running strong. But every machine needs an overhaul after sometime. I decided to redo the car from top to bottom. After all this was the car I took the girl of my dreams out for the first time. :)

Paint
Colour - Dripping drool red
Duration- 2months
Cost involved- 95000 Rs. ( 1600 USD)

Repainting a car is not a task every garage can execute with satisfaction. A lot goes into a repaint including a proper dust free paintbooth with correct heat temperatures, hi-tech tools for scraping and paint spray, skilled labour who can get you the right shade and a lot more.

Cama motors came out of tops after I saw their work on a 1948 Chevrolet vintage car. It is suggestion normally to select the same shade on the car so I just decided for a more in your face red. The flashy in your eyes red paint has shed the years off the cars design and people has starting eying it again.

The rattles have reduced by 80% and this is a two thumbs up for work done by people at Cama Motors. Their paint job people are experienced masters handling cars from vintage era to new age luxury cars. The 100000 paid for the strip naked paint job has been worth it.

Rear lights
Brand- Eagle Eyes Crystal LED tail lights.
Price- 7200 rs (USD 120)
Country of Import- USA

The car still had the same tail lights since 2003. My sister was coming from the USA for a major family function. I surfed ebay and found this tail lights for USD 200 and the rest is history. The LED lights look awesome and I am happy with the purchase. Next step is to get Angel eyes for my Honda Jazz /Fit.

image source- www.ebay.com

Engine
Kms- 126000 kms ( 77600 miles)
engine model- 4g15 Petrol

The engine has been giving pulsing vibrations after switching on the ac. The vibrations are strong enough to intrude the cabin and make the ride a little inconvenient. The Amaron battery is hardly a year old. The engine mounts have just been changed. I also got the ac system checked for gas pressure which is perfect. The timing belt has been replaced at 100000 kms along with the bearings. The fuses are also ok. The head mechanic at Cama might have found the problem in the radiator which I think is running noisy creating a ruckus and also sending jolts. Before getting on with the radiator check I intend to get the air filter replaced which seems dusty. A dusty air filter tends to reduce air flow to the engine thus sapping it of power.

Interiors
Interior upholstery- Faux black leather
Cost - 6000 ( 100 USD)

The OE faux camel leather upholstry was looking aged and worn. So it was time to get a replacement. A little thought went into the design. Finally decided to go for jet black with red stripes and stitches. The result is completely satisfactory. The black faux leather goes well with the steering wheel cover.

For the first time ever the OEM Ralliart Pedals needed a bolt tightening and now the grip as good as ever.

Dogs are a menace in India. Sadly, the roof lining came off the roof. A new roof lining has been installed.

image source- www.carwale.com (representation only)

Tyres and suspension
OE Tyres- MRF zvts 185/60 R14 (upgraded to Michelin xm1+ 185/65 R14)
New tyres - Goodyear Assurance 195/60 R14 (upgraded from Michelin xm1+)
Cost - 18000 Rs. (300 USD)

Tyres have a lot to do with the car. The actual MRF ZVTS were good but not good enough. They had minimal road noise. Also the grip and comfort levels were alrite. The set lasted 60K. The next upgrade to Michelin XM1+ were more comfort oriented. But rolling resistance was poor. Also the tyres were expensive and had soft sidewalls. The ride was exceptionally good and quiet. But the soft walls meant lots of cracks, bulges and punctures. Replacement to XM1+ were no better.

With 100% reviews suggesting 195/60 R14, My latest upgrade to tyres at 120000 came to 195/60 R14 goodyear assurance armorgrip. The tyres were cheap but the compromise was with noise. The tyres emit lots of noise and the rolling resistance is also poor. Comfort level is better and the tyres are extremely strong and made for Indian roads. The assurance armorgrip are excellent handlers too with phenomenal grip.

image source- www.team-bhp.com (for representation only)
The OE Gabriel Oil Struts have been replaced with KYB Excel-G/ GR-2 gas charged struts. Rides over highways is now smooth as butter but hard for city drives.

PS: whenever upsizing or going for broader tyres, the tyre pressure needs to be reduced. I am now running all four tyres at 28 (down from 30).

image source: www.forums.carclub.mk

(Fuel Efficiency)
With the tyre pressure experiment, FE has been hovering around 12-13 with ac in the city. Once that is settled, I expect to touch 14 with ac in the city with a little effort from a light right foot. A recent 250 kms trip (150 miles) on the highway yielded 17kmpl with ac on. The tyre pressure was at 29 psi.

Problems to be rectified in the next service.
1. An air filter
2. Replace spark plugs and cables
3. Front left power window motor needs replacement.
4. Rear speaker parcel shelf rattles over bad roads.

Royal Enfield Classic 500 Desert Storm two years update

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 3 May 2014 13:24:00 +0530

The Royal Enfield Desert Storm was given for service at Royal Riders Ahmedabad.

The Bike needed an oil change. The previous oil was Motul 300V 15w50 synthetic filled in at 2700kms.The oil had gone bad completely. The dealer had Royal Enfield's own branded 15w50 mineral oil. It is rumored to be made by Hindustan Petroleum for Royal Enfield. I will recommend it over other mineral oils. The reason for not going for synthetic oil again is because of the low running of the motorcycle.

pic source: www.team-bhp.com

Another problem was the company leather seat cover coming off. The lousy service manager was quick to deny a solution. I had to convince him to just apply an adhesive solution for the time being. Not satisfied with Royal Enfield's quality for the seat covers.

pic source: www.rediff.com

Exide batteries have a long reputation in my house of not running well after more than a year. Ironically while the exide battery is running well even after two years, The liquid leaked and left its mark on the left engine cover. The technicians have not been able to clean the engine cover properly. Looking to get the amaron battery soon.

The handlebar weight on the right side had come off slightly. This is a very serious issue since the Classic 500 single stroke EFi engine has a tendency to make the steering vibrate between 40-60 kmph in higher gears. I am not happy with the work as the fitting has been done poorly. Time to visit the garage again.

Source: www.team-bhp.com

There are signs of rust on the chassis as is the case with 100% of all the royal Enfield motorcycles. I intend to try an anti rust coat and see if that helps. The bike is good for the next 2500kms. Will keep readers posted if there is an update.

image source: www.youtube.com

PS: The ECU firmware software update is available for the royal Enfield C5 engine.

vehicle: Royal Enfield Classic Desert Storm 500
Mileage: 7500 kms
service cost: 1500 rs.

Engine oil: Your vehicles lifeblood

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:26:00 +0530

Every vehicle is a bulk of metal. For the metal to brush itself with metal and still remain intact for a long time we need a very good lubricant. This is where engine oils come into play. Rightfully so, engine oils are considered as the vehicle's lifeblood. For a normal consumer, it is very common to hear from a garage that their cars needs service and engine oil change. While we don't need to change engine oils every 2-3 months like the garages suggest, a simple timely replacement goes a long way in making sure your lacs of rupees (thousands of dollars) don't wear out in a couple of years.

When to Change

All lubricants have a life. Engine oils last in an engine based on their composition and car usage. For a car driven exclusively in the city with heavy traffic or driven on the highway at high speeds, the lubricants dry out faster. They lose their ability to stop the engine wear and tear due to the heavy usage. Mineral oil last about 8000 kms under heavy stress while the same will last about 12000 kms under regular use. Synthetic oil will last about 12000 kms under heavy stress but can last about 18000 kms under regular usage. Oil companies usually suggest 10000 kms for mineral oils and 15000 kms for synthetic oils. Car makers usually want you to change every 3-6 months but that will only make their pockets richer.

Its usually best to follow a regular oil change rule. My Honda does 12000 kms a year and my Mitsubishi does about 6000 a year. I feed both with mineral oil and get them changed every year. My Royal Enfield sees about 3000 kms and I feed it mineral oil too.

For a bike the oil change rule is not the same. Most motorcycles under regular use have smaller capacity engines which means their engine interiors have to work more. A motorcycle with synthetic oil under heavy stress can work upwards of 8000 kms while sustaining up to 10000 kms under regular use. A motorcycle with mineral oil will last about 3000 kms with mineral oil under heavy stress while lasting up to 5000 kms under regular use.

Now these figures are rough estimates for the laymen amongst us who do no feel the need to pop open the engine oil compartment and check the oil for its stickiness every few months. If the engine is not running under normal conditions, the oil will burn up or lose its lubrication properties faster.

What oil to use

Oils are available in various formulations today. Some are mineral oils while some are synthetic but now oils are also available in Semi-synthetic formulations. Mineral oils are those which are manufactured from petroleum bi-products. Synthetic oils are those which are manufactured in laboratories of these huge oil corporations while semi-synthetic oils are a mix of both synthetic and mineral oils.

It is necessary to change oil at regular intervals irrespective of the mileage of the vehicle. Hence it is logical to make sure that we use the right oil which saves us money without compromising on the car engine.

If a car covers more than 12000 kms in a year, it is logical to use synthetic oil to save the engine from wear and tear. Anything below 12000 kms in a year does not really require synthetic oil and regular oil wont lose its viscosity within the time frame or mileage.

If a motorcycle covers more than 5000 kms in a year, it is logical to use synthetic oil. Anything below this will not require more than a mineral oil.

It is also important to note how the vehicle is run. If my car is doing only 8000 kms in a year but doing this under heavy stop and go traffic, I would prefer to feed it synthetic oil just to be on the safe side. The same also holds true for cars doing speeds above 100 km/hr for more than 30 mins everyday in a hot country like India.

Same way if my motorcycle is running under heavy stress in the city under stop and go traffic, I would prefer feeding it synthetic oil only. The same holds true for motorcycles doing more than 30 minutes on the highway above speeds of 100 km/hr

What grade of oil to use

If you ever decide to buy oil yourself (I do) and go to the store, it is not going to be as easy as buying a pack of your favourite chips. Oils come in various grades depending on usage and weather.

For those living in colder climates, look for grades starting from 0wXX or 5wXX. The W in the grades mentions Winter viscosity of the oil. The number at the other end is not the summer viscosity of the oil. It is the ability of the oil to work at high operating temperatures without breaking down.

So it also makes sense to change the engine oil grades with regards to the seasons and not it will not void your manufacturers warranties. All operating manuals will show a range of oils to be used based on the seasons.

Can you use the same oil for car and bike?

No you cannot use the same oil for your car and bike. Cars come with a separate transmission box which needs a separate transmission oil. In a motorcycle, the gearbox is a part of the engine itself and uses the same engine oil. So motorcycle oils do not have the same level of friction reduction properties of a car oil. Alternatively using motorcycle oil in a car will lead to oil shearing down faster and losing its strength faster. While using a car oil in a motorcycle sump can lead to gearbox slippage or choke ups and various other problems.

Myths about engine oil.

1.You can start using synthetic oil on a new car.- New cars have metal dust that shears in the engine compartment over regular use. Synthetic oil stops such erosion which is necessary for an engine to smoother out. Synthetic oil should not be used on a new car before atleast 5000kms and usually before 20000 kms. For a motorcycle one should not use synthetic oil before 1000 kms atleast and usually before 5000 kms.

2. Performance engine oils increase power and torque of your car. This is actually true to an extent. Using a thinner grade oil will lead the engine to running smoothly and hence the engine will breathe easy giving you better performance and fuel efficiency. But a thicker engine will give better protection. This also effects the engine noise to an extent.

3. Synthetic oils can reverse the damage done to the car engine.: Synthetic oils can help clearing sludge from an engine and stop the wear and tear on a basic scale. Other that that Synthetic oils cannot help much in reversing the damage already done to the engine.

4. Oil qualities differ by companies: Oils differ based on the formulations (eg. esters) but other than that there is not much to differ between oils of different brands.

5. Engine oils grades do not matter in a car engine. : Engine oil grades do matter when using an oil in your vehicle. You can read one page in your owners manual where a chart will be given suggesting you which oil to use in your car based on the weather in your area.

6. Changing engine oil from mineral to synthetic or engine oil grades will void your warranty: This is completely untrue. Company garages do threaten customers with dire consequences if using a different oil, but this will not void your warranty unless the engine oil is completely out of range from that mentioned in the owners manual.

7. You can switch engine oils at any time: Synthetic oils and mineral oils can be interchanged at any point in time of a vehicle's life but it is recommended (not compulsory) to use an engine flush. But it is not recommended to switch to synthetic oil on an old vehicle as it can clean off the sludge and lead to leaking oil seals. It will also increase engine noise due to clean up of sludge.

Some known engine oil brands (Just some major names)
1. Mobil 1
2. Castrol GTX
3. Shell Helix
4. Motul
5. Servo
6. Mak
7. Pennzoil
8. Amsoil
9. Petronas
10. Elf / Total
11. Fuchs
12. Redline
13. Royal Purple
15. Exxon
16. Valvoline

List of 1200cc petrol cars available in India

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 16:27:00 +0530

This is the third part of the article following
http://boyracer.blogspot.in/2013/09/diesel-engine-options-available-in.html
and
http://boyracer.blogspot.in/2013/10/list-of-1000cc-petrol-cars-available-in.html

Motorcycles in the market these days have upped the technology stakes compared to cars when it comes to extracting BHP's out of engines. Taking cues from Motorcycles makers, carmakers have started to tone down engine sizes while extracting double the power than previously possible.

This has also been possible after the governments of various countries have started slapping car makers with duties and taxes if the engine sizes go above a certain size. Here's a list of 1200cc petrol cars available in India which might fit your requirements.

Chevrolet Smartech II engine: Chevrolet's trump card for the mass small car market has helped the company keep its marketshare stable. The 1199cc engine is actually a part of the GM family 0 engines developed by Opel for developing markets. It develops 80.5bhp and 108nm in the Chevrolet Beat. In the Chevrolet Sail sedan and U-va hatchback the engine makes 86bhp and 113nm of torque with the help of twinport technology. Cars powered by this engine are

Chevrolet Sail

Chevrolet Beat

Fiat Fire Engines: F.I.R.E. in the name stands for Fully Integrated Robotised Engines.While it might sound techy, all it means is that the engine has been built by a fully robotic facility. The engine is old school and there is not much to talk about. One car is powered by the Fiat engine, the Fiat Punto where it produces 66bhp and 96nm of torque.

Fiat Punto

Ford Duratec engine: Ford names its petrol engines Duratec while naming its diesel engines Duratorq. This particular engine is basically a smaller version of the 1.4 duratec family of Ford engines developed for India. The engine makes 71 bhp and 102nm of torque

Honda L12B i-VTEC: Honda's L series of engines are what the company needed since a long time. The petrol engine is fuel effcient but lacks low end torque. The engine powers Honda's Brio hatchback, Amaze sedan and to be relaunched Honda Jazz. The engine makes 90bhp of power and 109nm of torque.

Honda Jazz

Honda Amaze

Honda Brio

Hyundai Kappa : The Kappa engine from Hyundai is the most advanced work from the company in the small engines segment. The DOHC VVT 1200cc engine develops a healthy 82 bhp alongwith 113 nm of torque. Many owners have complained of lower fuel efficiency on these engines. Three cars are powered by the Kappa engine.

Hyundai i10

i10 grand

i20

Suzuki K12 engine: Suzuki rebadged maruti in India is the largest carmaker in the country. This alone makes the engine a major player in the game. The k12 engine is the torquiest of the 1200 cc engines. The engine makes 86bhp of power and 114nm of torque. Four cars are powered by this engine.

Ritz

Swift

Dzire

EECO

Nissan-Renault HR Engine: Nissan has banked on its HR engine for gaining a major market share in the country. Its Micra range of cars have been helped by Renault to bring economies of scale. The engine is a 3-cyl option. Two cars are powered by this engine.

Nissan Micra

Renault Pulse

Premier MPFI engine: Premier marks its re-entry into the passenger car market with the rebadged Zoyte Nomad (rebadged Daihatsu Terios). The car is as old as the Premier Padmini days. The engine makes 77bhp and 104nm or torque. It sure makes for a practical buy for those looking for a cheaper ecosport replacement. One car is powered by this engine.

Premier Rio

Toyota 3NR-FE: Toyota is the largest carmaker in the world but It hasnt been able to make a breakthrough in the top ranks. Toyota has tried to make a dent with the Toyota Etios Liva economy hatch. The engine makes 80 bhp and 104nm of torque. One car is powered by this engine.

Toyota Etios Liva

TaTa Safire engine: Tata has given the country the most spacious hatch for an affordable price. The car has given wheels to the whole families of India. The engine makes 64 bhp and 96nm or torque. The engine is developed in collabration with Fiat. One car is powered by this engine.

Tata Vista

VW TSI engine: VW has finally learnt to make engines which are competitive in its bid to dethrone toyota worldwide. The 1.2 engine gets TSi and turbocharged to make power and torque equivalent to a 1.6 engine. The engine produces 105 bhp and 175 nm of torque. Two cars are powered by this engine.

Polo GT

vento tsi

List of 1000cc Petrol cars available in India

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 6 Oct 2013 15:49:00 +0530

As discussed in the previous article, Increasing traffic and petrol prices have led to a shift in the buying choices of the Indian customer. People are now buying cheapers cars that give better mileage to offset the running costs. This has led to even The American muscle car makers to enter the smaller engine segment. Most companies now have a 1200cc petrol engine but many cars now also have a smaller engine capacity thus saving money and making city commutes hassle free. Let's discuss the options available.

1. GM S-TeC 1.0: General Motors bet on the entry level hatchback cars has been the company's most successful car to date. The S-Tec 1000 cc engine has been more powerful than the Alto 0.8 and 800DX cars from Maruti. The car has a 65bhp engine with a 91nm of Torque. The engine is good enough for the city and the occassional highway run. The engine is a carryover from the Daewoo buyout.The engine is available on one car

Chevrolet Spark 1.0

2. Ford Ecoboost 1.0: Fords trumpcard in India to enter maintstream segment and garner a huge marketshare has got a lot of takers. Small engine with big power is the mantra and Ford has worshipped it big time. The Engine makes 123bhp and 170nm of torque with the help of a Turbocharger. Ford markets the engine as being the size of an A4 size paper. The engine is currently available on one car right now.

Ford EcoSport 1.0

Hyundai 1.1 Epsilon (Irde): Hyundai is currently the second largest carmaker in the country. A major reason is the Hyundai Santro. Hyundai's mainstream car at one point in time. The car is powered by a 1100cc engine making 64 bhp and 97nm of torque.The engine upgrade is now called IRDE. Two cars are powered by this engine.

Hyundai I10
Hyundai Santro.

Hyundai 0.8 Epsilon: Hyundai has long played the cat and mouse game with Maruti Suzuki for entry level hatches. Finally they launched the smaller Hyundai Eon with a 0.8 Epsilon engine which is basically a smaller engine from the Santro, I10 lineup. The Engine makes 55bhp and 75nm from 1000cc. One car is currently powered by this engine.

Hyundai Eon

Maruti Suzuki K10B: A major part of the Maruti Modernization program was engine sharing amongst its entry level Models. This led to the introduction of the K10 engine. The engine makes 67bhp of power and 91nm of Torque. Currently four models are powered by this engine.

Maruti Suzuki Alto K10
Maruti Suzuki A-Star
Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo
Maruti Suzuki Wagon R

Maruti Suzuki F8B: 800cc engines have been synonymous with Maruti Suzuki cars. But the company has been working overtime replacing the F8B with the K10B. The engine makes 46bhp and and 62nm of torque. The engine is currently available in two cars.

Maruti Suzuki Alto
Maruti Suzuki Omni

Tata Nano Petrol: Tata's Value for money engine for the world has shaken the biggest of the carmakers by showing what is possible for a small price. The 624cc engine makes 38 bhp and 51nm of Torque. The engine powers three tata cars .

Tata Nano
Tata Magic Iris
Tata Ace Zip

Diesel engine options available in India under 1500cc

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 15:44:00 +0530

With the increase in cars everyday in a populated country like India, cars crowd the streets and pollution is hitting a new high. To take control of the situation the government has introduces certain laws which affects the common car buying consumer.

As per the law a car below 1200cc for a petrol car and 1500cc for a diesel car below 4 metres with a ground clearance below 170mm is eligible for tax benefits leading to the cars being priced competitively.

With the price of petrol touching 79.90 INR per liter, Diesel cars are getting the favour. Here are some competitive engine options which power the cars on sale in India.

Fiat JTD Engine: Fiat's Engine for the Indian masses. The engine powers the highest number of cars in the country and has a huge list of takers. The added advantage is the two types of tunes it is available in. The engine falls under a joint agreement with General Motors and a result of a failed alliance between the two companies. The engine won the 2005 engine of the year award. The 1248cc engine is available in 75bhp and 93 bhp versions. The car powers a long list of cars including.

Chevrolet Beat (3 cylinder modded version)
Chevrolet U-VA
Chevrolet Sail
Chevrolet Enjoy
Fiat Punto
Fiat Linea
Fiat 500
Maruti Swift
Maruti Dzire
Maruti Ritz
Maruti SX4
Maruti Ertiga
Premier Rio
Tata Vista
Tata Manza

Ford Duratorq TDCI : Ford's trumpcard for the Indian market. The Duratorq engine gave Ford the necessary stand and market share in India. The engine is known for its reliability and fuel efficiency and also doesn't disapoint on the performance front with good in-gear acceleration figures. The engine is a simple construction SOHC layout producing 68bhp. The engine powers two cars

Ford Fiesta Classic
Ford Figo

Ford TDCI Diesel: Ford's new generation diesel engines for their new generation cars. These engines have been developed in collobration with the French Peugeot Citroen group. Unlike the previous generation TDCI engines which boast of simplicity, the new engines have a lot of tech involved producing 90 bhp. Cars powered in India by these engines are

Ford Fiesta New
Ford Ecosport

Honda i-DTEC: Honda's first diesel engine in India and first mainstream diesel engine is an instant hit. The engine was developed specially to counter the declining petrol car sales due to rising prices. The car boasts of one of the best power to displacement below 1500cc diesel engines at 99bhp with 200nm torque and is one of the lightest engines around. The engine is smallest of the family of engines of different displacements at 1.6 and 2.0 litres. Only one car is powered in India at the moment

Honda Amaze
Honda City (ANHC)

Hyundai CRDI: Hyundai was the first company to bring the famed Common Rail Diesel engines to India with their Hyundai Accent cars. The car was an instant hit thanks to the excellent fuel efficiency and power figures with the affordability of diesels. The company's third generation diesel engines continue to impress. The 1400cc diesel engine with variable geometry chargers is one of the torquiest around with 89bhp on tap along with 220nm of torque. The following Hyundai cars are powered by the 1.4 CRDI engine.

Hyundai I20
Hyundai Verna/ Accent

Hyundai CRDI U-LINe: Hyundai has always been a pioneer in diesel engines in India. But they were late to the party in going to liter class diesel engines. The 1.1 Diesel is basically a smaller version of diesel engines producing 70bhp and 160nm of torque for small diesel cars. Currently one car is powered by this engine.

Hyundai I10 grand

Renault K9K: Renault entered the Indian market with its best example of a frugal and economical diesel engine in collabration with Mahindra which met with initial success. The engine has met with a lot of praise for its frugality and reliability. The simple setup has worked for the company and Most Renault and Nissan cars are not powered by this engine. The engine in different states of tune makes 65bhp/ 68/bhp/ 85 bhp and 108 bhp powered various cars. The list of cars powered by the K9K engines are

Mahindra Verito/ Logan
Mahindra Verito Vibe
Renault Pulse
Renault Scala
Renault Duster
Renault Fluence
Nissan micra
Nissan Micra Active
Nissan Sunny
Nissan Terrano
Nissan Evalia
Ashok Leyland Stile MPV

Mahindra MCR100: Mahindra's first inhouse attempt at a 1500cc diesel engine has met with tepid response. But the engine is strong as it is derived from the reliable and reputed 2.5 Mhawk engine powering its UV's. The engine also boasts of a high 98bhp and 240nm of torque for a 1500cc engine. Mahindra might power more vehicles with this 3 cylinder engine. Only one car is powered by this engine right now

Mahindra Quanto

Volkswagen TDI: Volkswagen's diesel engine is miraculously refined for a 3-cyl car in that it shares common parts with the petrol car. The engine is small and produces only 75bhp. Two cars are powered by this engine.

Skoda Fabia
Volkswagen Polo

Tata DICOR (CR4): Tata was quick to answer the market with its own version of a common rail engine. The DICOR turned Tata's fortunes at a time when the market asked for affordable diesel cars. The 1400cc engine makes a decent 70 bhp. Recent updates have made the car more usable and refined. The engine powers two cars.

Tata Indica
Tata Manza First Generation

Toyota 1ND-TV D-4D diesel: Toyota was the last to the party of Japanese car makers in India providing diesel engine options. The engine just like Ford's Duratorq and Mahindra K9K is robust but simple. The engine produces a decent 68bhp. Three cars are powered by this engine.

Toyota Etios Liva
Toyota Etios
Toyota Corolla

A decade of romance with a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer. Long term ownership review.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 15:05:00 +0530

My daily commute to work lasts about 45 mins one way. Add to that another 30 mins of evening drives here and there and I can safely say that 2 hours of my daily life are spent inside the car. No wonder its an important part of my life. So to give credits where they are due, the Mitsubishi Lancer SFXI petrol has served me as a good friend for more than 10 years now.

After finishing school, college to me like everybody else was a dream come true. New clothes, New friends, new adventures, new love and what not. But above all for me it was the car that came into my life. I turned 18 and got my drivers license. The next obvious step was getting a car.

With two bikes parked in the garage, the choice was definitely not easy. But the hunt began. We looked at the Maruti-Suzuki Esteem, Chevrolet Optra petrol, Skoda Octavia, Hyundai accent, Opel Astra Club, Honda City V-tec, Ford Mondeo and the Mitsubishi Lancer. I read everything there was to these cars and got test drives again and again.

The first choice came out to be Ford Mondeo. The 2003 Ford Mondeo was the biggest car in our selection and obviously the most expensive. Spacious and fun to drive it almost ticket all the boxes. The car was also a looker back in 2003. But the issues with stereo and electric power seats and lack of availability of spares (imported from Belgium) marred the otherwise excellent car. The brand killed the resale further and hence I had to let go.

Naturally, the next best car was the Skoda Octavia. The new entrant had taken the luxury car market by storm with its space and power. German engineering was a plus. This was the second most expensive car of the lot. Due to a relatively new name, we let go of this option. Sadly, the company launched a VRS version with a 1.8 TPI engine with 150 BHP on tap and lots of goodies on offer in just six months after our purchase of the Lancer SFXI.

The third car on the list was the Stonker of a vehicle. The Honda City 1.5 Vtec. It was the most powerful car in its segment and the quickest amongst those on sale. The problem was with the dealer. Being the only dealer in town, he had resorted to bad selling tactics and many honda owners had problems. Also, at the time, a new honda city had already entered the market with only 77bhp on tap to cater to the Fuel efficiency fans. This was the closest competitor to the Mitsubishi Lancer SFXI back in the day and trumped in most factors.

The fourth car also belongs on the list of my favorite cars. The Opel Astra. The Germans were the first to give India a taste of what the hoopla about german engineering is. The Astra had many firsts during its time. The list includes, hood scoops, sunroof, Dual tone metallic paint job, spoiler, alloy wheels and a display computer. But the downsides were the launch of the Chevrolet Badge replacing the opel. Astra was also on its last legs in India and Europe had already seen the second model replacement of the Astra. High maintainence and low resale marked this car out.

As mentioned above, that the Chevrolet brand was replacing the Opel Astra, The company had just launched the Chevrolet Optra. A rebadged Daewoo the car was the perfect replacement for the Astra with its spacious and feature packed cabin. The car had a powerful 1.6 petrol engine, sunroof, leather seats, spoiler alloy wheels and a comfortable ride. But the car was not a looker and I did not like the dull driving experience. So it was ruled out.

Hyundai Accent features here only because it was the cheapest option and made a sensible choice. The GTX Tornado and the Accent Viva were the powerful petrol cousins. I did like the way the Accent Viva looked with its Notchback design a la the Octavia. The car was easy to maintain, didnt look that bad and still had enough bells and whistles. This car being the jack of all trades was second on the list of confirmed buys after the Lancer.

The first time I saw the lancer, it was at a display stall at a shopping mall. The glistening red car completely decked with body kit took my heart away at first glance. I reached the dealership for a test drive and they were prompt with their service. The HM-Mitsubishi of 2003 was at the end of its best levels of quality service and cars. I was impressed with the car in the first test drive itself. Though not exactly a sales topper, the car still had what it takes to win hearts. It was no Mondeo to drive but the Handling beat the Ford Hands down. It was no Octavia VRS but had enough bodykit and accessories to win the heart of the boyracer. The car was no 0-100 champion like the Vtec but was stable even at 160 kmph thanks to the Evo VI chassis. The result was the cheque written in favour of the three pointed diamond star.

I have driven the lancer for more than 10 years now and the car has saved my family from a disastrous accident, won the heart of my girl for me and cheered me up on the long drives when life acted like a bitch. The car still retains the orginal paintjob and runs like a charm returning 13kmpl in city and touching 17kmpl on the highway.

The car has seen two tyre changes
Stock tyres 185/60 R14 MRF ZVTS
Michelin XM1+ 185/65 R14
Goodyear Assurance 195/60 R14

A suspension change replacing stock gabriel Oil Struts to KYB Excel G gas struts.

And a stonker audio update
Pioneer 7950UB with USB with wireless remote control
Rockford Fosgate Prime co-axial speakers
Soundstream xtc 6.5" components
Soundstream Picasso Pw12L DVC sub
Bassworx sub enclosure
Soundstream Lil Wonder 4.480 4channel amp.
Connecxion 8-guage amp wiring kit.

What I liked
- Reliability
- fun to drive factor
- robust engine
- Awesome ergonomic interiors.Everything falls into hand and seating position is perfect
- Still commands attention
- Good ground clearance makes it easy to take on bad roads.
- precise and well weighted steering
- Chilling AC
- slick gearbox but with normal ratios

What I dont like
- Mediocre power
- premium rear space
- low seating a problem for parents
- Company support and dealership service problems
- Weak power windows
- Cabin sound insulation

What I miss today
- New age dashboard.
- Stereo Mounter audio controls
- Fuel efficiency details meter
- All windows one touch power down

Ten things Tata should do to turn into a global manufacturer Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 16:08:00 +0530

I had written about the problems at Tata motors back in September 2011. Tata motors although a major fighter for the second spot after Maruti in the Indian market back then, was already losing its edge over competition. Today Tata Motors has fell to fifth place and might soon fall to sixth if things don't improve.

Here's an article I wrote in 2011 that all is not well in Tata Motors.

http://boyracer.blogspot.in/2011/09/ten-things-tata-should-do-to-turn-into.html

Mr.Ratan Tata, an avid car lover at heart (Parsi genes you see..) has during his tenure put everything in the company to keep it fighting fit. Now post his departure Tata motos has tried to rope in the MD of GM, India Mr. Karl Slym who has started working right away at trying to arrest sales, but minor facelifts have not work for Maruti, Ford, Honda or Tata ever. What else can Mr. Slym do for Tata Motors remains to be seen.

1. Image: Is your next car going to be one from Tata Motors? A majority will say No without hesitation. Tata Motors has an image of a cheap truck and car maker. Customers buy Tata cars mostly because it is the cheapest in the segment or because they expect the product to withstand abuse. In the Indian Market where people do not trust their own nations products, Tata has an uphill battle. Constant quality niggles make things worse.

Logo: The First and foremost thing Tata Motors should do is design a desirable Logo. The current logo has an industrial feel to it. Another major step in image upgrade is to renovate dealerships. Subway sandwich chain of restaurants have the same cooking stove, same breads, same wallpapers, same chairs and tables and menu all over the world. This is something that goes a long way in building an image.

Brand Ambassador: Chevrolet used Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukherji, Renault uses Anil Kapoor for its Scala, Nissan used Ranbir Kapoors services, Mahindra used the services of Jimmy Shergill for its Verito. Tata needs to do the same. An actor who is smooth and refined will do wonders for the brand. Amir Khan is a known as a perfectionist and is already endorsing Titan brand for Tata.

Pricing: Pricing the car decides the impression it will create on the masses. A Tata Manza with more features and space is still viewed as a cheaper car than Honda City or Chevrolet Sail. Especially at a time when Tata Motors has taken a hit and is revamping its product portfolio, now is the best time to reposition their cars. A company that doesn't make profit is not doing business but charity. Tata can Price higher end models with more features over segment leaders in a bid to take away a chunk of their market share. With the use of Brand ambassadors, the company should target ads right at segment leaders.

2. Model perception: When tata launched the Upgrade to its Sumo, the Sumo Grande, the excellent car could not bring in customers. The problem was not with the model but with the image associated with Tata Sumo. The marketers were quick to rebrand it as just the Tata Grande but the damage was done. Today while the Innova sells in huge numbers, Tata Grande has been a tame seller.

The same issue has plagued Tata Indica Vista and Tata Indigo Manza. The rebrand came too late for both the cars. The Manza is still seen as an upgrade to the Indigo and that is where the image of the car takes a huge hit. A strong awareness campaign needs to be put in place differentiating between the cars. Indigo Ecs (entry level compact sedan around 5 lacs), Indigo XL(re brand it lounge XL removing the INdigo name) (mid-size sedan around 7.5 lacs) and Tata Manza (c-segment at 8+ lacs). The same also holds true for the Nano, Indica and Vista and the Sumo and Grande.

3. Corporate grille: What is common in a Chevrolet Beat, Sail and Cruze cars or Hyundai I10, i20, Verna, Elantra and Sonata cars? The grille and headlights that make up the front have a generalized design making it easy for customers to recognize the cars with the brand. Tata cars lack such a similar uniform grille and Headlamp combination. It brings a company brand recall when they see the look on many cars.

PS: A honecomb design with led taillights is a rare combination and should help Tata motors step up its image.

Also helpful would be bringing uniforms for sales staff, uniform brochures and catchy coloured led lightings that brighten up the showroom and look welcoming enough. Half the battle is won if the customer walks into the showroom.

4. Tata Nano: When Tata Nano was launched in India in 2008, it was the most talked about car in the world. But today, the car averages 1000-2000 units a month. In contrast, hyundai eon and i10 cars average 8000 units a month. Maruti Alto Averages 20000 units a month. So what went wrong? The car is much smaller than the models it competes with. To add insult to injury Tata motors decided to price it cheaper than the competing cars leading to lack of any image for this small wonder. Those who cannot afford a car still see Nano as a car and those who can have image issues.

A quick and extremely effective remedy will be to have a cheap base model but raise the price of other models with added features to compete with competitors at the same price. Targeting the college going youth will also add to the cars personality. Some extremely well marketed kei cars are the Mitsubishi-i, Toyota IQ and the Smart car. A custom accessories program where customers can customize the car for different colours, alloy wheels, upholstery, stereo etc will also help strengthen the cars appeal. Also instrumental to the cars success is a doze of premiumness like a 2-seater convertible. DC designs has shown a nice convertible concept based on the Nano recently.

PS: A fasttrack edition Nano?

5. Comeptitive pricing and segmentation: Hyundai as a carmaker has successfully played the pricing card over time. The initial models of Hyundai (Accent, Santro) were priced below competition to lure in sales. But over time Hyundai has increased the prices of its cars slowly and gradually. Now Some of their cars are also priced higher then segment leaders. For e.g. When Honda City used to sell at 8-10 lacs price range, Hyundai sold the Accent at 6-8 lacs price range with competitive features. The accent replacement (Verna) saw prices rise higher at 7-9 lacs. The latest Hyundai Verna is now priced on par with Honda city and even higher. Correct compeitive pricing is an important aspect as it helps the carmaker make the customer see how they have envisioned the car and the level at which it is targeted.

Tata's flagship Aria falls in a no mans land. While most people compare Xuv500 to Safari Storme. Aria sales are also dismal. This is a big opportunity for Tata to peg the Aria straight into the Ford Endeavour/ Ssangyong Rexton/ Toyota Fortuner territory. Although Quality levels and feature list needs to be improved. This will help the company command better profit margins and enter the premium market.

I would also strongly suggest the company to launch Magic Iris to help Nano compete with the 800/Alto/K10, Eon and Spark cars. I've mentioned before on numerous occassions how maruti has succesfully played the two car card for each competing segment. Alto-Astar, Estilo-WagonR, Ritz-Swift are strong examples. Hence Magic Iris can help Nano increase the product visibility and bring in volumes.

PricingAria higher brings Storme right into the XUV500 territory which is selling like hot cakes. Another excellent opportunity to increase profit margins. Tata Aria has not been able to sustain sales against the XUV500 but Tata Safari is a succesful platform and commands respect and legacy. This will help Safari storme rake in higher sales by eating into the XUV500 sales. It is given that Safari needs to be kitted to the gills just like the XUV500 to keep the fight strong.

Similary Tata Grande MKII should be targeted at Mahindra Scorpio (both have similar size and engine power and tall UV stance), maruti Ertiga and Renault Duster. while Tata Sumo should be targeted at Mahindra Bolero and Maruti Eeco.

To tap into the potential customer market, Tata motors should Bring in Tata Winger in retail sales to compete with the likes of Chevrolet Enjoy, Nissan Evalia, Toyota Innova and Mahindra Xylo. Similarly Toyota Venture should be introduced to compete with Mahindra Quanto and Maruti Omni.

It is visible how the stress is more on Mahindra Cars mostly and then Maruti cars. The reason is both Tata and Mahindra are basically UV makers and hence their vehicles share lots of segmentation. While maruti on the other hand is the largest car maker with presence in most segments.

6. Timely Innovations: To beat competition, you have to excel the competition. Tata motors has offlate only played catch up with other companies. Whether its adopting a Common rail engine or climate control features, navigation functions or automatic transmission. I had mentioned two years ago how Tata motors strongly needs an Automatic transmission in its portfolio. Even today the company doesnt have an AT gearbox while all other carmakers including Archaic Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra also have one. Tata needs to pay attention to certain necessary points such as

-. Turbopetrol configurations: Turbopetrol engine are becoming the norm since carmakers are restricted by government to stick to smaller engines. Turbochargers provide higher power and fuel efficiency at the same time. Succesful cars are Fiat Linea T-jet, Ford Ecosport, Skoda Laura, Vw Polo GT and Vw Jetta. THis should help Tata motors compete with competition on power and fuel efficiency figures. Also minor upgrades to the engine weights and performance will go a long way in helping the company get back into consideration of the family car buyers.

-. Weight control: All Tata cars weigh higher than competing cars affecting overall performance of the cars. With ABS and Airbags becoming the norm, Steel guage is no more the measure of safety. The company needs to control weight on all its cars from Nano to Aria.

-Advanced transmission boxes: Newer cars are coming up with 6-speed gearbox, the higher ratios helping cars achieve better fuel efficiency figures. In such situation Tata should take the first step towards bringing 6-sp manual boxes to the entry level cars such as Indica and Vista. The company has recently announced a 6-sp Automatic transmissions for its Aria. Tata can easily achieve higher sales by introducing an automatic with its diesel engines for hatchbacks, a segment where Automatics are completely absent.

- Newer grille designs and bumper designs are no considered innovation and car manufacturers should accept that fact quickly. Blacked out headlights are a thing of the past. Better Try honeycomb lights with led bulbs, sunroof and adjustable rear seatbacks.

7. Design: Humans define beauty by what they see. Apart from Tata Safari Storme, no other car is commended for its looks. Also disrupting sales is the fact that the Manza, XL and ECS and Indica and Vista look very similar. The Tata Nano has a very unique design but its association as a cheap car is washing up any benefits it should receive. It might cost the company huge investments to get help from a reputed design house but refreshing designs are the need of the day.

Fine tune performances to match the market leaders including the European car makers to match fuel efficiency and performance figures. weight loss for each model. One cannot beat a deadbat and expect it to fly in daylight and the same applies to the outdated models in the lineup such as ECs, Indica and Indigo XL. Snazzy colours and Designs, upholstery. Hyundai has creatively used the Accent to fill in the void of a sedan below its Verna till date.

8. Cost saving: Saving costs is a crucial part of a business. Tata motors has also seen loss pile up year over year affecting sustainability. The company should use unofirm parts for multiple platforms to save costs and work on improving Panel gaps and interior quality. Steering wheel coloums on the Aria, Sumo, Safari, Grande and Winger and Ecs, XL, Manza, Indica, Vista and Nano cars should be a start.Similarly Safety belts, Tyres, Emblems, Upholstry material can be used effectively.

9. Marketing: Only sales cannot sustain sales for a company. Tata motors need to put in place a strong marketing strategy. Tata motors has a huge existing customer base so it can be utilized via customer loyalty to boost sales. As suggested before Tata motors needs to cover the higher margins with competing cars but needs to keep a similarly equipped cars priced marginally low. Hold customer loyalty events and reward them with non automobile related gifts such as titan watches or Tata Steel stocks. Tie-up with non auto premium brands like Titan watches and Tanishq jewelry .

10. Business: No company is a business if it is not making profits. Loss making operations and manpower needs to be trimmed. The company needs to think profits first and customer service later.No fixes can take care of sales in the short term but being prepared for the fight when the recession is over will help the company survive in the long run.

Random thoughts

A 1400CC Dicor SUMO?
A 6-sp AT Safari Storme (along with the Aria)?
A Turbo Vista Petrol (from the Fiat T-jet)?
A mini Aria to fight the bigger hatchbacks with a 1.3 Multijet?