Namas-Car

KTM 200 DUKE: The Urban Warrior

2016-06-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

The KTM Duke 200 is another name synonymous to performance in Indian motorcylce market. It has been wholely built and designed at Chakan, Pune.

It is undoubtedly the best looking naked street bike in it's class.

The headlamp, the short seat, rear fender sitting atop the mono-shock suspension, tank decals and sharp lines makes it looks aggressive and hard edged.

Engine and Performance:

This is a liquid cooled, 200cc block producing 25bhp of power mated to 6 speed gearbox and weighs just 136kg, by far these numbers are best in the industry

The centre console displays all necessary information and greets you with 'Ready To Race' as you turn on the ignition.

It's a shortstroke engine that begs for high revs before you find serious power. The enthusiastic 200 Duke engine displays a flowing, sweet revving character that adds a lot to riding pleasure. The throttle response is crisp higher in the 3000 powerband. Once past this hurdle, the 200 Duke engine feels pretty much flawless, power building smoothly anywhere post 4500rpm, and surging ahead strongly with a vibe free nature into the meat of it. The clutch is well weighted, and works to get enough progression. It’s quick for a 200cc bike, taking an impressive 9.52secs to pass 100kph after launch while 0-60 comes up in around 4secs.

The Duke exhaust is located below the engine and on the go, the KTM 200 Duke exhaust sounds delightful and healthy for a single.

Ride and Handling:-
The Duke has a sporty riding position and the footrests are located far behind

Wide handlebars with superior leverage makes maneuvering the Duke through crowded city traffic simple. The 200 Duke comes with firm ride quality that helps keep the bike planted when slicing up corners. It flicks quickly from upright and safe to well beyond dicey lean angles, at which point you start to appreciate its low-profile, MRF radial front and rear tyres. Although the aggressively rounded rear with its limited contact patch did sometimes slip a wee bit when pushing over the limit, overall grip levels felt good. If you are looking for performance, this bike will never upset you.

The the fuel-injected KTM gearchanges are quick and crisp when you want to vroom ahead. The liquid-cooled four valve DOHC single builds up revband like it’s is on fire and in full performance testing. If you want to extract good acceleration times from the KTM then it is more about timing your shifts than your throttle work in the lower gears.
The Brembo brakes are the best in the category with great stopping power.

The KTM is like sitting on a hard surface, your butt will beg for mercy on long rides. The seat can feel like a plank when ridden back to back and though the stiffness does wonders in the corners, the KTM gets very cross with bad roads. The wheels offer phenomenal grip level on tarmac but slightly struggles on gravel.

The KTM Duke 200 is a premium motorcycle. It is features loaded from the ones in its all-digital instruments to various chassis and engine aggregates. It has the more powerful motor, lighter weight plus crucial bits like sticky radial tyres and that hard-to-clean aluminium swingarm which make their presence felt. It’s a marvelously quick motorcycle and brilliant around corners.

Buy this if you want a fast performance naked street bike and want to stay ahead in the race. The KTM won't upset you.

Special Thanks to my buddy Dr. Sainath for lending his bike for the test and Suhas Maga for the brilliant photos.

The whole thing is written in just under a hour and I know their is a lot to improve which will be reflected in upcoming posts. Stay tuned.

RIDE SAFE FOLKS.
Comments and suggestions are most welcome.

Fiat Linea

2014-10-29T02:19:00.005-07:00

The Fiat Linea has always been a good looking car. It may not be as flamboyant as Verna but is surely an elegant looking car. The new facelifted model carries the lines further with neat cosmetic changes on the exterior like new fascia which includes restyled front grill, bumper and new fog lamp clusters. At the rear, the boot gets a big chrome strip and the number plate has been moved onto the bootlid. The side profile remains same except for new alloy wheels.

The body is robust and feels it will last forever. It's got 185mm of ground clearance which is best in it's class so you don't have to worry about scraping the bottom at speed breakers.

This is the only car in it's segment to have automatic switch on/off headlamps based on outside light conditions and even auto rain sense wipers.

Step inside and you will be impressed by it's stylish cabin. Fiat has given a host of new features which has freshened up interior feel. The dashboard has dual tone black and beige theme which feels soft and nice to touch. There is also a new orange mood ambient lighting through the dash and door pads which gives a premium feel. The slick center console gets a storage box at the top which is made of dampening material to cut unwanted rattle noise of loose things you place inside.
The stereo panel is finished in piano black and does the job with Aux and USB port decently.

Linea now comes with cruise control and auto climate control which is a welcoming feature.
The instrument cluster is bold and has tons of features like customizable options. You can change the color intensity of the display and also the alarm buzzer volume which buzzes up when the car hits certain speed which is preset.
It has also got digital odometer, external temperature indicator, mileage distance to empty indicator, front passenger airbag deactivation.

The steering is nice to hold and has volume control and blue me buttons. You can adjust the height now as the reach adjust has not made it to new car.
There are some negatives however- the buttons are tiny and difficult to operate and plastic quality around steering is compromised.

The linea's front seat are supportive and comfortable and the emotion variant gets perforated leather which can be quiet a task in keeping it clean.
Coming to the rear, it's got a A/C vent for passengers. The seats are really comfortable and have got excellent thigh support and knee room, it can seat 5 people in decent comfort but still nowhere to the City.

What's not impressive is the performance, despite having 1.3litre 90bhp multijet engine mated to 5 speed gearbox it feels snappy below 2000rpm and you don't get sudden surge of power when you push the pedal hard, but what you do get is everyday easily useable power delivery. In test it took 14.7secs to do 0-100kmph which is acceptable if you ask me.

On the move Linea impress with it's excellent ride quality and handling characteristics. Push it hard in corner and won't disappoint you. The tyres offer phenomenal grip too.

Safety: It offers 2 airbags and has ABS and EBD too.

The new changes have made world of difference to the new linea. With ever growing dealer capacity it is making it's mark in the market quietly. The prices are competitive too.
There are total 6 shades to choose from.
If you want a no nonsense sedan then Linea is definitely worth considering.

A Big thanks to Rohan of Rohan Motors, the authorized dealer of Fiat in Bijapur for giving us the car.

Ford EcoSport-Test Review

2014-01-01T09:32:00.002-08:00

Come-on tell me what all do what to want in a car? Handling, comfort, ride quality, efficiency, cabin features, parking ease of a car along with ground clearance, practicality, road-presence of a SUV!

This is why we have seen immense popularity of Compact SUV segment in India. These cars are not to command roads but a degree of safety & Ford EcoSport is one such fine example.

Ford has given everything to make it a complete package & still priced very competitively. No wonder it has set sales chart on fire & now command a 6 month long waiting period.

The EcoSport is available in both diesel & petrol engine options, a brand new 1.0litre petrol Ecoboost engine & a 89ps 1.5 litre turbo-diesel engine.

Design: -

The EcoSport is just a millimetre short of 4-metre mark giving it full benefits of under 4-metre-length car tax benefit

The overall design is very tight & compact. On the front you get a pair of sleek & futuristic looking headlamps & that high bonnet gives the car a purposeful stance. From side it the looks small. The back is where EcoSport gives a proper impression of an SUV thanks to the tailgate mounted spare wheel.
The EcoSport is based on B2E's Fiesta platform. It has got independent MacPherson struts in front & non-independent torsion beam rear axle.

It has 200mm of grond clearance, approach angle of 25 degrees & Ford claim it can wade through 550mm of water which is pretty handy.

Interiors:-

The Fiesta based dashboard is stylish. It sits very high & is deep. The 'chest-out' centre console is very appealing to look but equally tough find the right button without looking at it. It's got USB slot, AUX & CD slot. Above it is a small info screen which has got dull graphics & catches reflection but I think it is better than others.The dark color cabin makes it feel small than actually it is. The steering wheel is nice to hold & gets telescopic adjustment.

Top end variants get push start button There are plenty of storage spaces, there is a nice rubberised cubbyhole ahead of gear-lever to keep your phone, 3 bottle/can holders around handbrake & it got big door pockets. In total you get 9 bottle/can holders. You also get USB/AUX & 12v charging ports placed near handbrake. Glove box got a dual level & the bottom compartment has got an air-con duct to keep your cans cool.
The instrument console looks very sporty. The dials are easy to read & is lit with blue light. It gets only one trip meter which sho Tuld be ok for you.

The car has not been provided with grab handle above doors, the passenger gets nothing to hold onto which might turn annoying & tiring.
The audio system is very good. It also gets 'speed volume compensation' which automatically increases the volume when the speed increases to kill the engine noise.

The front seats are supportive & comfortable enough for long runs. Those with heavy built may find it bit tight but are plenty of options to make seat adjustments & find your perfect driving position. It's got lumbar support too & driver gets armrest too.

Coming to back you get enough legroom & headroom but it feels very narrow & will be very tight for 3 passengers, which I suggest is best avoided.

EcoSport has got a decent 362 litres boot which is acceptable. The tailgate is smartly scooped inside to accommodate large bags.You can split fold seats to get 700 litres space but it is still not enough to swallow decent sized study table. That's a serious letdown.

Engine Performance:-
I drove the more popular 1.5litre diesel which makes only 90bhp which feels a bit underpowered for my liking but it's got 21kgm of torque to pull through when needed. The engine is responsive but you don't get the any turbo kick when pushed.
The gearbox feels very smooth to use & shifts easy.
It took over 16 secs to hit the 100kmph mark from standstill & it can reach upto 170kmph.

Handling:-
Like other Fords it's a joy to drive. It gives you a commanding view of road ahead.
The steering is lite but feels well connected to road. It is absolutely effortless to drive in city but equally tough to park due to limited rear visibility.
It's a good cruiser on highway & you will enjoy pushing it hard.

Efficiency:-
We got 14.5 kmpl in city & 19kmpl on long highway stretches, which is very much acceptable keeping in mind this not a hatchback.

Final verdict:- It is a very smart package & it's got everything to appeal your tastes. It's fun to drive, it's easy to maintain. Ford has also packed it with many equipment & many first in-class features.
Moreover it's cleverly priced with many models as cheap as hatchbacks(petrol versions).
This is one car I would surely recommend.

Note: The visibility offered by headlamps were not satisfactory hence the bulbs were upgraded to 'Philips Xtreme vision' at the cost Rs/-1,200 which now offer better visibility.
I advice owners to install a rear parking camera as rear visibility is very poor.
The wheel cover on the back of the vehicle is a optional accessory & cost's a whopping Rs/-22,000.

P.S.- Special thanks to Dr. Sandeep Harshangi for letting his new drive for the review.

The all-new Range Rover.

2012-12-31T08:23:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I love SUVs & that Range Rover is my favorite. It's rugged, very off-road capable & at same time luxurious, fast & look handsome. As far as SUVs go it always been very desirable.

The all new fourth-generation Range Rover launch was a grand affair. Celebrity guests like Holly Valance, Jimmy Parr & Olympian models Zara Phillips & Victoria Pendleton were few of score who were invited at the Royal Ballet School, UK. Watching the launch on youtube I couldn't help but swell with pride as this iconic brand in now owned by our very own Tata Motors.

There is still nothing else like Range Rover. Audi, BMW, Mercedes & Porsche all sell SUV's in the same segment, but neither one of them has managed to marry luxury with off-road ability. No wonder, that the current car will be more popular than ever.

As with the looks, the new Range Rover is unmistakable, it has got road presence like no other SUV.
It is the biggest Rangie yet but shorter than before for a sleeker shape & better aerodynamics. All the important design elements are retained on demand, like the shape, floating roof, two-piece tailgate. The headlamps are again typically Range Rover & give a through modern look. The massive 19 & 22 inch wheels give Rangie a planted look.

The new Range Rover with all-aluminium chassis & body is the first SUV to feature so. This has slashed a whopping 420kg than the outgoing model. This will give advantage in areas like fuel economy, handling & emissions. The chassis also stiffer & 39 percent lighter than than previous steel structure which will give it better dynamic ability.

Get on the inside & you will welcomed by acres of luxury. The cabin in enrobed in a mixture of wood & soft leather that's perfectly stitched. The armchair-style front seats gives you throne like comfort along with great visibility, the leather wrapped steering wheel is a joy to hold & large instrument cluster displays a digital speedo & tachometer., top-mounted window controls are still present. Since many customers will be chauffeur driven the rear-seat comfort have been been greatly enhanced. The legroom is up by 118mm & wheelbase by 40mm. Range Rover's back seats offer sheer comfort & luxury, you can even opt the aircraft style 2 bucket seat package in Autobiography edition divided by a extnded centre console that houses a small cool-box & aircon controls & a pair of 12.3inh HD screens. The seats offer wide range of movements like nine-degree recline & 5 mode massage function to pamper you. Must-tick options include a mood ambiance roof lighting, panaromic glass roof & a superb 1700W,29 speaker Meridian 'Signature Reference' sound system to blow off your socks.
The only let down Is see is the paddles-shift levers are made from plastic when I want aluminium.

The 60mm wider track & lower roofline have also helped the car feel more agile through corners, with significantly less body roll. There's the same smooth palpable glide of the tyres you get with a Rolls Royce & that's no surprise as the RR Ghost was one of the cars Range Rover has benchmarked against.

Three new engines are available to choose which is attached to 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. The entry-level, high efficiency 3.0 litre V6 diesel develops a nice 254bhp & does 0-100 in under 8 seconds. Next up is more stronger & popular 334bhp 4.4litre TDV8 that develops a barge-tugging 517lb of torque 7 ensuring ton under 6.5 seconds, while the footballers & sheiks will signing the cheque for the ridiculous 503bhp, 5.0litre V8 Supercharged petrol.

The multiple modes of Terrain Response combined with hill descent manage system & ability to raise the car up on it's air-springs will manage to walk over every terrain you choose to throw at this car. Further it's got 5-star rating from Euro NCAP in crash tests.

The incredible thing about this car is while you put this through all the abuse, you're calm & in great luxury & can listen to music while it's crossing Amazon. The fourth gen version takes not just its capabilities even further but the image of Britian's most significant automotive icons, having established the concept of luxury SUV.

Finer thing sin life always comes for a price & in this case it's upward 1.7 crore, yup you heard it right.
Icon is not a word you can throw out to every car, but not all cars are Range Rovers.

The timeline of Pulsar

2012-11-13T03:14:00.002-08:00

When you look at the history of Indian Motorcycles, you see that Pulsar has created a revolution sort of thing in Indian Motorcycle Industry or precisely speaking Pulsar has brought the Sport Biking Concept in India that was absent from a long time.

While that was the time of Hero Honda and Yamaha 2 strokers domination and they were bringing lot of Commuter Bike segmentation to the market with few exceptions, Bajaj was the only company who thought of bringing a bit change to the market and winning the hearts of Indian Bike enthusiasts.

The Pulsar not only transformed the way Indians commuted, but also changed the DNA of the country's second-largest two-wheeler maker that till then had successful but staid models like the M-80, the rear-engine three-wheeler and of course the blockbuster scooter, Chetak.

‘Pulsar', a word that’s become synonymous with sports-performance, macho looking motorcycle. This Indian powerband showed & shook the Europeans & Jap’s with their technology & patents. This was competent to last nut & was smashing in every department.

Bajaj priced the Pulsar very well, a bit low than competition CBZ X-treme & Karizma but with better performance. This was easy on average Indian buyer who would also get the best bike of that time. Another thing was Pulsar was available in wide range starting from 135cc to 220cc.

Currently there are 5 variants of Pulsar available, with engine capacities of 135 cc, 150 cc, 180 cc, 200 cc(Pulsar NS) and 220 cc. Previously it was also offered with a 200 cc DTS-i oil cooled engine, which now has been discontinued. With an average monthly sales of around 86,000 units in 2011, Pulsar has a market share of 47% in its segment. By April 2012, more than five million units of Pulsar were sold.
Making it the India’s Number-1 sports bike.

The Timeline of the Pulsar

2001: The first generation of Pulsar was a runway success. It introduced us to the world of performance. It taught us the words like, bhp, torque, 0-100time and power-to-weight ratios. It was not a just a mode of transportation but was new relation between rider and the bike. The first Pulsar's to hit the market were powered by a 150cc air cooled single cylinder 4 stroke petrol engine which delivered a power output of 11.8bhp. It used a carburettor for sending the air-fuel mixture to the engine and a single spark-plug for its ignition. It sported the dome shaped round headlights and its styling was an inspiration derived from a wide open muscular human arm! The 180cc Pulsar launched after that produced a power of 15bhp and was equipped with electric start as a standard fitment. It was 'Definitely male'.

2002-03: The Pulsar was already the default choice of youth of the Youth. It became the bad-boy of the streets out-selling and out-performing every other bike. It featured Headlamp fairing with twin pilot lamps and the revolutionary DTS-i(Dual Twin Spark-ignition) technology which gave performance advantage over the competition which it still holds. Not to forget it also had engine kill switch. It had 13 and 16bhp for 150 and 180cc models respectively.

2004-05: Each Pulsar upgrade has had 2 aspects to it - styling and technology. The changes were very been significant, each time redefining the segment. Competition was constantly kept on its toes trying to stay at least just behind Pulsar thus keeping Pulsar and the Pulsar maniacs ahead of the curve. UG2 was the first all black Pulsar had many technological upgrades that are till date a part of the Pulsar. It had standard for the industry - 17' alloy wheels Exhaus TEC, nitrox filled suspension. This was where I became a Pulsar maniac.

2006: By this time more than 1 million Pulsars were sold. The 2006 pulsar had the most significant updates featuring the digital speedometer, back-lit switches, self cancelling indicators, LED tail lamps etc. Multiple sensors and the digital console gave the rider a lot of information about the overall performance of the bike and with it a confidence to push forward with additional power.

2007-08 : The first Indian bike to break the 200 cc barrier had hit the road - The Pulsar 200 and 220. Biking in India was set to change and Pulsar was again leading this revolution. While the 200cc sported a carburetor, the 220cc was fuel injected! These babies could dish out undulating power of 18bhp and 20bhp respectively and also boasted of an oil cooler. They came out with split seats, 220 also had both front and rear disc brake and projector head-lamps.

2009-10: 3 million Pulsars were on road by this time. The 150 got clip-on handle bar and 15bhp power in Feb.

2010: All black styling DC Lighting The 180 got a whopping 17 Ps power, split seas, clip-on handle bar, tubeless tyres, O-ring sealed chain etc.

This period also saw the launch of the smallest pulsar, the 135LS. It had 4 valve DTS-i engine and was also the first bike to have 2 intake and 2 exhaust valve giving it superior performance in terms of both power and mileage.

During this year the 220 carburetor version was also launched and the fuel injection was discontinued. This also meant an increase in power for the 220 taking it to 21 Ps and a highest in class power to weight ratio of 140 Ps/ Ton. Later a naked streetfighter version of same was introduced along with tanks flaps.

2011: The Pulsar 150, 180 and 220F didn't go through any major upgrades apart from some new color combinations introduced.

2012: This was the special year for pulsar fans. The Pulsar family had already sold over 5million pulsars and all new Pulsar in the form of 200 NS came, showing the all new path. It was world's first triple spark bike and set a new benchmark for bike makers.

Tata Nano-"A promise is a promise''

2012-10-23T11:59:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time there was a dream-born of the vision of Ratan Tata-to enable millions of Indians to have a safe and affordable means of personal mobility. This went on to become the most awaited anticipated car in the history of Automobiles. Millions of aspiring Indians and the international auto markets watched in awe, the launch of world’s cheapest car – Tata Nano at a mere 1lakh rupee price tag. The car was launched in an auto expo held at Delhi on 10 Jan 2008. Ratan Tata is a 70-year-old kind and tender chairman of the Tata group, drove this world’s cheapest car to the Tata Motors pavilion and unveiled this new car, giving sleepless nights to rival companies. This car has potential to change the existing paradigm of the whole automotive industry!

The Nano is a small car from a big idea. The people’s car attained immortality the moment it was unveiled at the Auto Expo in New Delhi, causing a seismic shift in the automotive world. The rest of the world’s automakers drew in their collective breaths when it was announced that Tata was going ahead with producing the car. Then they all scrambled to go into that unknown territory that Tata Motors has already bravely ventured into.
Well, Reams have been written on the Nano: about how it is a proper car and not a four wheeled rickshaw, how it is a fairly pleasant vehicle to drive, how it isn’t the death trap that many feared it would be and so on and so forth.

The Nano doesn't look cheap It looks like a thoroughly modern small car that looks ike a compressed Gallardo. It couldn't have come from anywhere but India, where the need for a small car that does not cost the moon is really felt. On closer look, lots of details grab your attention.The single large wiper blade, the three nuts that hold each wheel, beautifully crafted air-intakes on the flanks, the excellent fit and finish of body panels, quality of paint, plastic-to-metal integration and so on.

utilitarian beginnings and cost-saving development process, this mono-volume car manages to look sporty – a word that couldn't have been in the design brief. The drooping roof line, the little spoiler and the Gallardo-inspired air intakes are responsible for this.

Creative cost-saving is evident throughout the Nano. Flat side glass, a single wiper and no tailgate, three wheel-nuts instead of four and a single door lock, no glove box all help to keep the price low. But although the entry-level model is spartan, the CX and LX models have air-con. Incredibly for such a cheap car, a huge range of accessories and customization options are offered, from decal sets to body kits and dashboard trims.

The engine that displaces just 624cc,35bhp. the four-speed gearbox is light and easy to use it’s quick. I truly admire about this car it’s how this engine is tuned. It responds quickly, delivers power almost instantly and for all the vrooom and yet it still gives decent mileage. Low weight means f 600kg means all-round drum brakes are all that's required. Despite the cheaper technology, the Nano has independent suspension front and rear, but is designed without anti-roll bars. Could I ask for more?

Since its launch with great fanfare in 2009, the Nano has swerved from one crisis to another. There was opposition to Tata's original plans to site the factory in West Bengal, forcing a last-minute scramble to switch the site to Sanand. It opened last summer, but not enough cars came off the production line to meet a huge surge of early orders. The orders then petered out. To make matters worse, a few cars burst into flames, raising fears about the Nano's safety. Sales, which had been predicted to be 20,000 a month, fell as low. as 509 in November last year. Sales recovered to 10,000 a month in the spring, but have fallen back again this summer: 3,260 in July, amid a slump in the Indian car market caused by rising interest rates and fuel prices.

The Nano was aimed at capturing a lion’s share of the lower middle class market, it ended up sadly capturing a lion’s share of headlines. At the beginning it was for the revolution it was, later on for the illusion it turned out to be. Don’t get me wrong, mechanically this car ticks all the boxes, even emotionally it plays the right chords, yet what Indians want above all else is paisa vasool and a status symbol, preferably at the same time. The Nano for the average Joe on the street just couldn’t replace the two-wheeler when affordability showed up at their door.

Burn all the critics. The Nano is the triumph of Indian Automobile industry. It's serving it's purpose. Let’s face it, the Nano drives like a normal car. Though It has its own unique driving signature (which is good and bad in equal measure). The driving characteristics are far removed from a cheap and cheerful 800 but maybe that’s why every drive in the Nano is so entertaining. You won’t tire of squeezing into gaps a car could never fit into. The high seating position offers extraordinary visibility allowing you to drive it like you would ride a bike. The space inside is even more extraordinary. Carry speed round a corner and you feel like you’re about to die – yet she refuses to land on her roof. And you will never tire of cursing the fuel filler lid hidden underneath the bonnet.

I feel this car can be a brilliant 2ndcar and alternative to the Activa in your garage serving your wife or daughter. You don't have to worry about your wife scratching your expensive sedan everytime she decides to go shopping in you car alone. At just the price of 2activa's you are getting a car. Isn't that great?

The Nano is India’s first car to feature a RR (rear engine, rear wheel-drive) car layout, something seen on... Well... Porsches. Of course the Nano is no Porsche but I did manage to get its tail to step out on loose gravel once,Yes. We like rear-engined cars, don't we???

This is the cutest car I have seen, whenever I see it roads I simply feel like pulling it's cheeks! It still manages to turn heads. Girls feel like adding it to their make-up kit! It's our Beetle and Mini Cooper, actually par. Many upgrades and variants have and now it even come-in CNG forms and. But it still hasn't lost any charm.
Very soon a diesel engine will find it's place in the tiny bonnet of Nano and am sure the true potential of it will be realised and will set the charts on fire. 25kmpl with dirty cheap fuel is really irresistible.

It takes a lot of vision, trust from a lot of people to back that vision and plentiful frugal thinking to come up with an automotive solution to a genuine issue – in this case, cheap and safe personal transportation for a hell of a lot of people. This is legend. This is Nano, second to None!!

Gypsy- My first love

2012-10-03T11:29:00.001-07:00

A man should have a car that suits his attitude! Rugged. Masculine. Kind of vehicle for cool dudes to commute, drive and use. Uncomplicated. Heavy duty. Outdoorsy. Yeah, that more or less describes me, all right. Think of one such machine and the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy comes up in your mind. It is still the best off-road vehicle money can buy in India today. Ya there's Thar now but we all know what Gypsy is...It doesn't need to pull it's skirt up when you say 'Action'! This is the Indian counterpart of Suzuki Jimmy/Samurai and has much better masculine than the Japanese version.

The Maruti Gypsy has been on roads of India for more than two decades. Through the course of time it has undergone many crucial changes. Thelate 90’s saw the release of the Gypsy king which was a more powerful version of the old school Maruti Gypsy. In some ways the Maruti Gypsy can be said to have stood the test of time as it still has a considerable amount of respect even though many better SUV’s have been released in the market.

Today, the Gypsy is available in three different variants. The MG-413 King hard cover, MG-413 King soft cover and ambulance versions and is available in a range of four different colors. On the road the Maruti Gypsy flaunts a petrol engine of 1300cc. Good on-road power, sturdy control, higher thermal conductivity and high end 4 wheel drive offer you a combo of 80 bhp@6000 rpm mated to 5-speed gearbox now, the 4WD is fully engagable from the cabin, using a simple additional gear shift lever marked "4L (for 4 low), 4H (for 4 High), N (for Neutral) and 2H (for regular 2 Wheel drive).

It's got High ground clearance of 210mm to ensure better handling. Diaphragm Spring Clutch designed to withstand higher rotational speeds requiring requiring less release load thereby reducing the wear of parts.

The Gypsy is devoid of any kind of frills and really takes a hands on approach to roughing it out on the road. Instrumentation on the Dashboard is very basic with a speedometer, RPM and the basic indicator lights. The driving position is just comfortable but very commanding. Add to that the design of the gear-shift lever which just reaches out into your hand, it's as comfortable driving design as one could desire. Instrumentation on the Dashboard is very basic with a speedometer, RPM and the basic indicator lights. Gypsy does not come with creature comforts such as power steering and air-conditioning. It never did and looks like it never will.

But getting a Gypsy is no fun if you don’t mark your individual stamp on it. The car has ample room for customisation which is something the Rally freaks greatly relish about the car. A black bull bar, a wench, a new canopy, racing seats, loud music system, A/C unit, a new Momo steering wheel and most importantly wider and bigger tyres with some really cool smoked wheels and better suspension unit will be my choice. Perhaps, a bypass surgery with a new heart from Baleno/ SX4 will be cool.

People should have knowledge about you when you drive Gypsy. This macho is a performer. It is built for off-road. With 4X4 you can climb uphill without need of a road. It's an all weather, All terrain performer.
If you are a not a hardcore 4X4 lover, don’t go for it. if you want fuel efficiency, buy a Swift or an Indica or any other rickshaw-like cars( no dis-respect to above cars). But of course you can't walk into it, grab the steering and go off-road with half a dozen friends.

It’s extremely capable off-road and am sure ,it can challenge a Land-Cruiser any-day.

It’s absolutely bland with the least features and interiors may resemble a cart, but who needs these while conquering the unconquered? Throw anything infront of it and it will jump over with smile. This vehicle is by FAR, the BEST off-roader in India.It has won numerous Rallies and Raids. I give it 5-stars for its off-roading capabilities. The car handles like a dream on rough roads and that's what it was designed for. The Leaf spring suspension is what makes all the difference.

All it has is an excellent engine, tough-as-the-Rock-of-Gibraltar transmission and the most uncomplicated transfer-case, with low-range ratios.
Age has not dimmed the Gypsy's capabilities, be it ride, handling or offroad ability. The underpinnings make you feel invincible when confronted with any terrain. Perhaps this is the reason why our military police and Rallyist's still use and abuse it. Even John Abraham has one.

It’s reliable, cheap to maintain, highly modifiable and moderately fuel-efficient. What more can you ask for? You drive it in the city easily like car and you think that its just a heavy weight toughie which burns lot of fuel but you feel good when the rickshaw drivers behave well not only with you but also with others on the road when you are around in your Gypsy. Once you own it, its an inseparable friend. Be it shifting your house, picking up heavy goods, camping, trekking you say it, yes sir the monster is on your side.
If your heart is young and like some wind in your hair. Want to be a loner, get away from humanity, love nature and you want to explore it on your own terms, have the spirit of adventure and the lure of the outdoor, be it winding Himalayan roads or dusty mud tracks in some remote interior of Rajasthan, then Gypsy is for you. If you have Rs. 6 odd lakh to invest, this is the vehicle that will take you there with pleasure. Go on do not waste time,buy it,they may not make it forever. This may not munch miles like the most so called fuel-efficient engines.
But it's somehow different and admirable - cross your heart.

You don't worry much spending money for your girl, do you? Then why compromise here.

So buddies, please save our Gypsy from phasing out and thread safe..

New bike? A tough choice to make

2012-08-27T13:27:00.000-07:00

It's time for me to take my first bike, but which will be it? A naked, full-fairing or a cruiser ? Ah hell, lots of confusions and heart or brain decisions to make. Am myself a bike freak and have advised & helped many people to choose their ride but when it comes liberty of making my own decision I get the drift :-( .
Seriously, its never easy for a people like us to choose our own ride, it changes with moods and this gives me goosebumps. I want a fast bike but at the same time I want a stunt capable piece with lots of hooliganism as standard.

I am a hardcore Ducati fan and love all of them, they are best looking motorcycles known for high performance. They have been my favorites since few years and of all I love the new 1199 Panigale the most, my dream bike. But at present with my inability to rob a bank, it will have to be in my dreams for few more days. But one day I will surely ride home the star Ducati with my own money. I personally feel the dream bike should be only brought with one's own money, only then you enjoy true biking.

But as of now let me rely on my dad's money and take a decent performer.
So lets a take a look at all premium affordable bikes in India.

Bajaj: To any Indian youth when it comes to choosing a bike. The Bajaj's occupy the front slot.
With the rich Pulsar heritage they simply rule our road. The P220, for me it was just perfect combo of both naked and faired feel, sadly its dated now . The new NS200 is superb machine to have but I donno why it's not to my personal liking, but nevertheless it's a great bike. A true hooligan.
Avenger: No Cruiser pls as of now.

Honda: Well, I seriously like the Honda CBR250R. I have ridden it hard and I have liking for it. It's a rewarding motorcycle that is fast enough to hold your own attention for a good few years. I just love the way it looks, the idea of having a CBR is a pretty good one as it will be the fastest machine in campus. But the only concerns are limited color palette and the full-fairing(no hard stunts) and yes no new phone for another 6-months.

The Yamaha's: The R15 is a strong contender too, its got the hottest looking butt which would even put star of the Yamaha line R1 to shame. Just look it man, its too hot. Dislikes: The fact its a 150cc is a big let down, a 250 from the Yamaha stable will be encouraging.
The FZ-16 is also cool but I leave it out for same reason, not enough power.

Suzuki: The Inazuma is not any wear near the launch this year, it drops out naturally. Even the GS150R with 6-speed gear box and really cool instrument display is not cool enough for my needs.

Hero: The Karizma ZMR is undoubtedly a impressive bike, known for its performance, handling, smoothness and comfort. This will be my choice for long distance solo trips.Well this bike has nothing to complain but still doesn't make itself in to top spot, but it will be a strong contender.
The Impluse is not for me, it doesn't even go with image nor my preferences
The Hunk & CBZ-X-Treme being goodbikes fail to impress me on aesthetics & feature wise.

TVS: The Apache line-up is simply awesome. It's handling, performance & brakes are terrific! I like the blue-lit cluster too on the 180. Take one and you won't go wrong. And the let down then? Poor grip from tires & my neighbor roomie has one.

Royal-Enfield: The thump-thump make a good choice but I am too young to have them, This is the age for wheelie's & stoppie's, not crusing!( ok I agree occasionally), and moreover my spines are still rock-hard to handle mono-shock's & the CafeRacer is not here yet.

Ninja's & Hyosung: The Ninja 250R as we all know is the best 250 in the world. But, far cry from buy budget.

KTM: Guess, you guys have been thinking what is this name doing in the last, my friends, the best is always reserved at the last. The Duke200 will be bike likely to come home. I been a admirer of Austrian brand from quite a long time & I am well aware about the brand heritage.
Look at this bike, it's even cooler than ice. The bike has every right piece of element, looks, power, speed, technology & blah blah. This is the perfect machine, plus it's a naked fighter. Just like Salman without shirt, you prefer him in that way right? This bike is legendary & can make a stunt junkie out of anyone.Hooliganism comes Standard in it. This is the right one for me & looks like orange bike will be mine, mine ,mine.

ll of the bikes in comparison are nice, look great and are extremely powerful with each serving specific type of drivers. They are the best Premium bikes made by Indian manufacturers.

The competing edge between the best motorcycle in the section and the runner up is vanishing with competition getting intense.

You could select a motorcycle in these quickly if you know what you want out of it namely ride quality, handling, Power, mileage and Engine tech.

Comparison Chart:

	Karizma ZMR	Pulsar 220F	Yamaha R15	Ninja 250R	CBR 250R	Pulsar 200NS	KTM 200 Duke
Cylinders	Single	Single	Single	Twin	Single	Single	Single
Capacity	223cc	220cc	149.8cc	249cc	249cc	199.5cc	200cc
Power	17.6/7000	21/8500	17/8500	32.5/11000	25/8500	23.17/9500	25/10000
Torque	18.4/6000	19.2/7000	15/7500	22/9500	22.9/7000	18.3/8000	19/8000
Gears	5-Speed	5-Speed	6-Speed	6-Speed	6-Speed	6-Speed	6-Speed
Cooling	Air-cooled	Oil-cooled	Liquid	Liquid	Liquid	Liquid	Liquid
Rear Tyre	100/90×18	120/90×17	130/70×17	130/70×17	140/70×17	130/70×17	150/60×17
Wheelbase	1350mm	1350mm	1345mm	1400mm	1367mm	1363mm	1361mm
Fuel Tank	15 L	15 L	12 L	17 L	13 L	12 L	11 L
Weight	159 Kg	150 Kg	136 Kg	170 Kg	167 Kg	145 Kg	125 Kg

Note: All above figures are from online resources, figures may vary from manufacturer's claim.

Tejalinga

Lamborghini Aventador - When Art & Porn unite!

2012-08-24T04:26:00.001-07:00

Lamborghini's latest car porn introduced the new super sports car "Aventador"(Respect!)at the Geneva motor-show. The new Bull God has an earth shattering 700hp V12 is powered by a brand-new 60 degree, 6498cc V12 mated to a 7-speed paddle shift gearbox. And at its core sits a no-expense-spared carbonfibre monocoque wrapped in body parts fashioned mostly from carbonfibre – hence the claimed 1575kg kerb weight – with single-seater style pushrod suspension at each.

Today’s world is extremely high-tech and many new players have entered the arena. Lamborghini has been promoting its carbon-fiber monocoque technology and the Aventador’s 2.9 second 0-62mph, but will that be enough?

Lamborghini is really good at creating sinister super cars, but it is also equally talented at naming them. According to the company, "Aventador" was the name of a bull that entered into battle on October 1993 at the Saragossa Arena, earning the "Trofeo de la Peña La Madroñera" Title for its outstanding courage. Having the courage to go up against a new world of super sports cars will be the name of the game for the new Lamborghini flagship.

Look at this Car man, this is pure porn . An absolute hell-raiser. It makes my Testosterone level go high! It looks so sharp that Lamborghini should start giving a pair of extra strength sunglasses and band-aids to prevent injury to onlookers! Sometimes my vision takes time to adjust the high resolution of the design. The iconic scissor doors (damn hot) looks like they will cut my heart one day.

It has enough oomph's to keep you bleeding. The Y-shaped headlamps are brilliant and adds aggression.The cooling ducts just after the the doors are the biggest I have ever seen. Even the black smoked wheels are just killers.The rear is smashing sexy and the huge exhaust with 4-tails are super-cool. Has there been any other car apart from the Lamborghini stable which looks so edgy? Seriously this can even make a hot blonde look pale. If you would give ma an option to choose between this and hot blonde, I would choose former anyday.

It looks like an outer planet product, more suited for transcontinental duty. This bloody thing looks like a flying object.
I am afraid if I can handle this car, I better learn how to fly a plane first and then lay hands on this beast.

On the inside you feel like fighter plane pilot, the cockpit cocoon's you tightly giving persona of this car is well under your control. On the well crafted central console red fighter plane cover and with press of the button in it, just like fighter planes launch bombs, to bring this demon to life. . The speedo and rev-counter are digital and are replaced by each other places.

At the start up the engine settles to 3000rpm, man at 2000 I change gears in my Ritz.

Even at standstill, the car exhaust sound is terrifying. Experts say the steering is perfectly weighted & the, it brings the driver experience closer and grip is just phenomenal.
There are also modes to choose to tame the car. With the dip of the throttle to the floor its a road going fighter plane, the roar created by 700 bulls together just make my heart loose it's rhythm and goes into a deep mode of shock.
The Performance is sheer brutal. The digits climb up quickly, it can to 0-100 in just 2.9 seconds, 200 in 8.9 secs, 300 in 24.5 secs & pushing itself to a top whack of 350 kmph!

The latest Lambo Top-gun is my favorite ever. The performance is terrific and the aesthetics are even better. This is just mad, it is a deadly weapon. I know this is something really mad. It is too hardcore & this is what I really like about this car. This is my perfect super-car. I have no choice but to bow before it. Hopefully, someday I will own this Super-hyper car.

Tejalinga

Me at the Inaugural Indian F1 Grand Prix

2012-08-23T12:38:00.001-07:00

It was a day before race day, not just any Race day but India’s biggest day in the history of Motorsports.The first ever Formula 1 Race here at Buddha International Circuit. Nuff said! I was so excited I could barely sleep even after travelling 32 hours non-stop.I directly went to the track at 4 pm in the evening but sadly that day's action was over. I was just bowled over by the track’s beauty. I will never forget the sun-set from the stand on BIC. There was blue SLS & a silver E-AMG doing fast laps on track.

When it was first announced that F1 would be held here in India, I took time to digest it. I decided I would be there at any cost & I was, all thanks to BSMotoring who gave me tickets to glory. It was dream, come true. For me, watching Indian GP was @#$%^&*(no words). Not even my wildest dreams I ever did dream of watching a race right here in Indian this soon and when it came true, I was lost for words.

On race day I was early to track, on way a sight of a blue Murcielago & blazing yellow Gallardo just gave me an image of what was coming my way. As I went near I was just stunned at seeing the BIC. Instead going to directly into the stands I decided to go around every corner, exit and parking lot looking for some cool cars. For my luck I saw a couple of vintage cars as I went closer I realised it was the convoy vintage cars which would ferry Drivers in Parade, among them there was a beautiful Jaguar E-type and a red Mustang. Every car had sticker with Respective driver to be ferried name, like a small kid went on touching all cars clicking pictures but to touch the Micheal Schumacher &and Sebastian Vettel’s cars was a great feeling. I headed back to my stand & to my luck I got a drop it a E-class. Now it was time for Hardcore action.

It was a hot afternoon and I settled in my Classic East stand just close to Turn 3, according to me it was the best place to be seated, if you ignored the blazing sun. I could easily see turn 2 and 3. But if I stood up on my chair I could, which I did. i could see cars doing 300kmph on the long straight and even turn 4 was visible.

Drivers parade was flagged-off and the leading the pack was Narain Kartikeyan, the crowd gave a standing applause to the only Indian Driver and then Schumi, Vettel, Button came. I said to myself, this must be a dream, but my vision finally met reality when Mark Webber came waving the Indian Tricolor Flag and the crowd went in an uncontrollable excitement and that woke me up. Now it was time for Track Inspection, a Silver SLS AMG Safety Car fired up the track. Then moments before race, for the first time in F1 GP,’Jana Gana Mana’ was played, my chest swelled with pride. Finally the moment came; the start was a tense affair. There was huge excitement in air and was expecting a lot of cars in pack near my turn. As lights went green I could hear the unmistakable rumble of a F1 car approaching me. The ear busting cacophony at 19,000rpm in top-gear of 24 cars coming made my heart loose its rhythm & that oh so famous moment as cars come on turn-3 and bending exhaust gases making that familiar crackling sound and then again roaring back to all its glory. Every single part of those things related to Physics working in perfect harmony to bring towards me my first ever sighting of F1 car in action!!The sight made me stand on my seat & soon the whole stand was on its feet for the 1^st 5 laps. The superb symphony of V8 engine @ 19,000rpm will be something which I will remember forever.

It was the Little German vettel who was leading the pack, at behind a mayhem near my seats ensured and a couple of cars lost grip and finally a white thick smoke was coming out of a car and in next 100mtrs he came to halt and it was a retirement. Out marshals handled the situation really well. The dusty track caused a few problems but the race went on safely. As predicted Vettel finished top wth Button and Alonso sharing podiums. I was happy that our Home team finished in top 10 but my screams of joy were unison with Tifosi family spread far and wide. The was Mighty Successful with close to 95,000 spectators who really seemed the race and every driver agreed that it was the best track. Hats-off to all guys involved in making this track. The track was enormus,mindblowing infrastructure and facilities. The BIC showed that others need to match its class. Now I jst want to wear a helmet & drive at BIC. I cant just wait to come back next time and see the race again.

Tejalinga

Ban of sun-films on cars. Does it make sense?

2012-08-23T11:13:00.005-07:00

The Supreme Court order on Ban of sun-films,effective from May 19 has created a double whammy for we car owners and also the manufacturers.The ruling comes as a shock to the Rs 150-crore industry .

Traffic police in various cities have already started notifying car owners to remove the sun film from their vehicles.

Failure to do so will attract a penalty of Rs 100 for the first offence and Rs 300 for the second, and could also include seizure of your driving licence for repeated offences. However, if you are provided with Z or Z+ security, you will be granted exemption from this law.

The Supreme Court’s decision has been made to curb crimes committed using the opacity of sun film as a cover. But, have they forgotten it is a tropical nation & temperatures easily raise to 45°C +.

These films works as UV blockers,heat reflectors & also help maintain our privacy.

First we spent huge money putting up these accessories that too as mandated by the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) allowing 50-70% visibility on the glasses, but now we are being forced to remove them instantly. They costs 1500-25,000bucks depending upon quality for a set of sun-films and now to remove them neatly, it comes with a charge and customers have to shell out Rs 300 for the entry level models and going up to Rs 1,200 to get these removed from expensive sedans and sports luxury vehicles.

However, car manufacturers can continue to tint glasses, as there is no ban on this. Got Confused? For those confused between tinting and film let me explain that tinting is adding a tinge of color to the glass itself during its manufacture of the glass, and this is factory fitted when you buy a new car. But, it is expensive. The Supreme Court ruling allows the tint of the front and rear windshields with 70 percent Visual Light Transmission (VLT) and side glasses with 50 percent VLT, but without any additional material applied to the glass.

We all think & know that the ban on films for security purpose of due to lack of visibility inside the car.The benefits of using suncontrol films are being overlooked. Without films, passengers will be exposed to ultra-violet rays which may cause various diseases including skin cancer, leave that, not only we loose our privacy in our car and have our women compromised, but it also burns us with tan. Due to sun burn now both my arms of different color as my right arm catches light directly as it is near the window.Seriously!

I personally feel this will provoke the theft rate. I am already starting to notice that cars parked roadside are being robbed of insides. The inside of car is clearly visible, so you can't leave anything behind in it. Come-on now don't say it foolishness to leave anything behind in cars. It simply can't happen because our car is like our home on the move.You wouldn't want to carry your laptop bag to a movie along with your woman. Would you?

My uncle lost his laptop, stereo & cash kept in his car because it was clearly visible. Now will the government address this safety issue? I think that government is only making a show-off that even in India we can impose strict rules like Europeans. Dear government if you want to show You have the power then act strict

in 2G & Coal scam not here.

Thanks friends

pls let me know how my first blog was, your feed backs are most welcome

Tejalinga

Gulbarga