latest kars

Huracan Lamborghini

2014-09-19T00:49:00.001-07:00

Lamborghini Gallardo has been the Italian automaker’s most successful car to date with a total production of 14,002 units in its 10-year life span. When it announced that the Gallardo was being retired, many said that the successor had big shoes to fill and would probably have to just as crazy as the Gallardo was when it was launched. It seems that after all the hype Lamborghini has not disappointed when it launched the Huracan LP 610-4 in April of this year. It is now bringing the car to India and will launch it on September 22. Exterior

The Huracan has the signature low down Lambo design and has a very similar overall shape as compared to the larger Aventador coupe. It gets a low sweeping bonnet, with angular-shaped projector headlights which look like slits in what is otherwise a very smooth façade. The air intakes extend from the front of the car and are superimposed by the number plate holder. On the side, the roofline stretches downwards in both directions accentuating the image of the car sitting really low off the ground. There are a large amount of aerodynamic lines and thanks to the flared wheel arches as well as the large 18-inch wheels, the Huracan looks as planted as possible. The Huracan gets a smooth rear end which looks like an evolution of the Gallardo but thanks to the shape of the tail lamps looks more modern. There are four massive oval exhausts and twig shaped LED tail lamps and a massive lip spoiler which has been placed above a mesh cooling duct for the mid-mounted engine. Interior

The Huracan gets an interior very similar to that of the much larger Aventador but the layout looks a little more organised thanks to the wider size of the instrument cluster. There is a large array of toggle switches on both sides of the steering wheel while the paddles behind the wheel are massive giving the impression of an extremely busy area. If we observe the design, then we can see that the car is all about being driver oriented.he seats are racing buckets with contrast-coloured stitching and are mostly Alcantara while the rest of the dashboard is covered in leather. It gets all the luxury options including a touch screen infotainment system, climate control, electrically adjustable OVRMs, multiple airbags and to add to the drama, a launch control button with a flip up cover.

Engine and gearbox

The Huracan is powered by a 5.2-litre V10 that produces 610bhp, 560Nm of torque and sends power to all four-wheels via a four-wheel-drive system and seven-speed dual clutch gearbox. The car can sprint to 100 kmph from standstill in 3.2 seconds and the 0 to 200kmph run can be done in 9.9 seconds with a claimed top-speed of 325kmph. The Huracan features stop-start technology as standard and has CO2 emissions as low as 290 g/km.

maruti cool ciaz ciaz

2014-09-19T00:20:00.001-07:00

Maruti Ciaz is picking momentum despite the car not being available for display at showrooms. Maruti has received over 6,000 bookings for their new C-segment entrant and going by the response, the carmaker has preponed its launch from Mid-October to the first week of October to cash in on the festive season. It isn’t clear yet on the split between the petrol and diesel models but going by what dealers tell us, the numbers will be tilted heavily towards the Multijet diesel equipped Ciaz. The Petrol Automatic Ciaz too is finding quite a few takers, the reason being the Automatic’s ARAI certified mileage figure of 19.12kmpl according to dealers we spoke to. This makes the Ciaz the most efficient automatic in its segment. Maruti dealerships are accepting bookings at Rs 21,000 which is refundable just in case you don’t like the car once you see it in the flesh and drive it.

The Maruti Ciaz replaces the SX4 in the C-segment and takes on the Honda City and Hyundai Verna. Unlike the SX4, the Ciaz is more upmarket and comes with a lot more features this time round. These include projector headlamps, smartly designed 16 inch alloy wheels (15 inchers on lower spec variants), a touchscreen entertainment system that doubles up as a display for the rear parking camera, climate control, ABS and two airbags, rear AC vents, Bluetooth phone connectivity, push button stop-start system and more.

The Ciaz features the two engines from the Ertiga – the 1.4-litre K-series petrol engine developing 92PS/130Nm and the 1.3-litre Fiat sourced Multijet unit with 90PS/200Nm output. It falls short on power and torque against its competition but Maruti is playing the economy card here. The petrol Ciaz has an ARAI certified mileage of 20.7kmpl and the diesel posts 26.2kmpl making it the most efficient diesel car in India, at least on paper. Maruti has remapped the ECU for better throttle response in the petrol Ciaz compared to the Ertiga.

The Maruti Ciaz comes with five speed manual gearboxes for the petrol and the diesel and a torque convertor automatic gearbox for the petrol. There’s no AMT for the Ciaz like Maruti has for the Celerio. Maruti has also introduced new trims with the Ciaz called the ZXI+ and ZDI+. Expect Maruti to comfortably undercut its rivals in terms of pricing.

e Web Times Action Links

2012-07-18T21:45:00.001-07:00

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e Web Times Action Links

2012-07-04T04:02:00.001-07:00

e Web Times Action Links

dangerous jeep

2012-02-21T12:20:00.001-08:00

The open tops of the originalcivilian Jeeps meant little in the way of occupant protection. Lacking safety devices like a roof, doors ora structurally supportive windscreen, passengers canbe flung out of these Jeeps in an accident or even while just driving down the road. Having actually ridden in more than a few CJs, we can safely say that the only thing that kept us inside the vehicle and not splattered across the road was the power of positive thinking. Had we actually had an accident in one of these CJs… well, DOT workers would have been scraping us off the asphalt.

BMW M5 BY G-POWER

2012-02-18T08:43:00.001-08:00

BMW M5 by G-Power

If you ask us the new BMW M5 is one of the few cars that needs no updates, but it seems the German tuner G-Power does not agree. They have started to update the new BMW M5 sports sedan and of course that they have started with a Stage I upgrade that will increase the power up to a total of 640 HP.
The package includes a G-Power Bi-Tronik III that will increase the power from the standard 560 HP to a total of 640 HP and 573 lbs-ft of torque. As a result the sprint from 0 to 60 mph will be made in 3,9 seconds and to 124 mph in 11,9 seconds.
Of course no changes have been made for the exterior, but the tuner opted to add a new set of 21" alloy wheels plus a new coil-over suspension, stainless steel sport rear muffler and a new Ceramic brake system completed by brake pads with a larger pad area, higher friction rate as well as metal-coated brake lines.

PEUGEOT 208 GTI CONCEPT

2012-02-18T08:40:00.001-08:00

Peugeot 208 GTi Concept

Peugeot will be unveiling next month at the Geneva Motor Show the 208 GTi Concept - a tribute to the legendary 205 GTi offered by the company back in 1984. Peugeot said nothing about a production version just yet, but for sure we will see it by the end of the year.
The 208 GTi concept will be distinguished by chequered-flag motifs that embellish the metal mesh of the grille, a double chromed exhaust tailpipes, aero lower bodywork spoilers and lower sill skirt extensions. Peugeot has placed a brushed aluminum GTi Concept logo that reminds of the old 205 GTi.
For the interior the concept adds a sports leather stitched steering wheel, sports seats trimmed with Nappa leather on the outer section, and cloth in the center with an embossed tartan motif, and a leather head restraint. The fascia capping is dressed in Alcantara with grey stitching, the roof lining is entirely black and the pedals are aluminum.
Under the hood Peugeot has placed a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that delivers a total of 197 HP and 203 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission and sprints the car from 0 to 60 mph in under 7 seconds.

BMW 3-SERIES WITH BMW M PERFORMANCE PARTS BMW 3-SERIES WITH BMW M PERFORMANCE PARTS

2012-02-18T08:39:00.000-08:00

BMW 3-Series with BMW M Performance Parts

BMW’s latest M Performance Parts division has been launched on the market a few weeks ago when we saw the new M550d xDrive, the X5 M50d and the X6 M50d. Of course all these three models will be among the new vehicles BMW will display in Geneva. But next the them, the M Performance Parts will also be expanded to models like the 3-Series.
For the 3-Series BMW is offering a M Performance Power Kit for the 320d version. This will increase the engine’s output to a total of 200 HP (up from 184 HP) and a peak torque of 309 lbs-ft. All these changes have improved the car’s 0 to 60 mph sprint time by about 1.0 seconds. In order to handle the extra power the car has been equipped with a new sports suspensions system with a particularly large-scale yet weight-optimized BMW M Performance brake system that features aluminum fixed calipers at both front and rear. The car will now sit on a new set of 20" M light alloy wheels in V-spoke design.
As for the aerodynamic parts BMW is offering a rear spoiler, rear fins, carbon exterior mirror caps, a radiator grille in high-gloss black, diffuser inserts for the rear apron and side sill foliations with M Performance inscription. For the interior you will get BMW M Performance steering wheel with Race Display, interior strips in Alcantara/carbon, BMW M Performance stainless steel pedals.

SPY SHOTS: PORSCHE 911 GT3 CAUGHT TESTING FOR THE FIRST TIME

2012-02-18T08:36:00.001-08:00

Spy shots: Porsche 911 GT3 caught testing for the first time

The new generation Porsche 911 is out for quite some time now, but it took a while until Porsche has finally decided to take the GT3 version out for a testing session. The sports car has been taken on slippery and snowy roads and lucky for us the spy photographers were there to catch it testing.
As you can see in these spy shots the car has received the GT3 typical front bumper and the centered twin exhaust pipes, but the big rear wing that further distinguish the GT3 is missing. While until this point is not very sure what engine will be used for the sports car, we can tell you for sure that the engine will be around 450 HP. Also, as previously reported the GT3 will only be offered with a PDK gearbox, even if both versions are currently being tested. The GT3 will also feature the new electromechanical steering system that has been seriously criticized for offering less driver feedback than a traditional hydraulic setup.

gallery: 2013 Porsche 911 GT3

BMW 650I CONVERTIBLE CLR 600 GT BY LUMMA DESIGN BMW 650I CONVERTIBLE CLR 600 GT BY LUMMA DESIGN BMW 650I CONVERTIBLE CLR 600 GT BY LUMMA DESIGN

2012-02-18T08:35:00.001-08:00

BMW 650i Convertible CLR 600 GT by Lumma Design

When it comes to updating BMW models, Lumma Design is usually one of the tuning firms that can be counted on to do an amazing job. Their latest project - called the CLR 600 GT - is proof of that. It’s based on the new BMW 650i Convertible, but improved with a power boost of 90 HP.
To achieve the extra power, Lumma Design modified the engine’s electronics and added a new flow-optimized muffler with four stainless steel tail pipes, each 90 millimeters in diameter. As a result, the V8 engine now delivers a total of 490 HP and a peak torque of 531 lb-ft. Top speed has also been increased to 160 mph.
The exterior of the BMW 650i Convertible was also slightly modified, getting a new front spoiler with LED daytime driving lights, new side skirts, and a new rear diffuser, as well as the obligatory new set of 20" alloy rims in a racing spokes design and black surface finish. For the interior, Lumma has covered it in Alcantara and leather, added an ergonomically shaped sports steering wheel, a new set of aluminum pedals, new foot rests, velour floor and trunk mats with a leather trim, and interior trims in embossed carbon leather.

gallery: 2012 BMW 650i Convertible

AUDI A1 CONVERTIBLE

2012-02-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

Audi

Rumors about a possible Audi A1 Convertible were circulating even before Audi dropped the standard A1 hatchback on the market, but now British magazine Autocar is offering the first real details on the future model. According to Audi boss, Rupert Stadler, a full-blown cabriolet version of the A1 won’t be offered because it will be too expensive. However, Audi sources have confirmed that a semi-open-air version of the compact hatchback will indeed be offered.
Audi has already provided an early design study of the three-door A1, with a retractable cloth roof panel. Of course, this step has sparked many speculations. It is believed that the new A1 Cabrio will feature a "large, electric-powered cloth panel, covering an area described as being up to 80% of the total roof area." The roof will be opened at the push of a button and it will automatically retract back and be gathered in above the rear hatch.

pORSCHE CAYENNE CLR 558 GT BY LUMMA DESIGN

2012-02-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

Porsche Cayenne CLR 558 GT by Lumma Design

P

Every year, German tuner Lumma Design unveils a new iteration of their popular CLR 558 GT program for thePorsche Cayenne. Back in 2010, they came out with this gem of a project, before following it up with an equally impressive program in 2011.
This year, Lumma is back with the 2012 CLR 558 GT program and just like its predecessors, it comes with an extensive set of aerodynamic and performance upgrades that would make Cayenne owners drop to their knees.
On the aero front, Lumma built an aggressive bodykit made from PUR-RIM that includes a newly-styled front bumper with larger intakes, new grilles, wheel arch extensions, side skirts, a vented rear bumper with an integrated diffuser, a tailgate spoiler, and an imposing hood that was constructed from a carbon fiber and Kevlar composite. In addition, Lumma also added quad fog lamps, LED daytime running lights, and a new set of 22" wheels that are available in either Racing CLR 22 or Mono 22 styles, both of which come in either silver or matte black.
As far as performance enhancements are concerned, Lumma put in a D-Power-Box on the Cayenne’s management system, resulting in significant output spikes for both the Cayenne Diesel - from 245 horsepower and 406 lb/ft of torque to 280 horsepower and 464 lb/ft of torque - and the Cayenne Turbo - from 500 horsepower to 600 horsepower.

gallery: 2010 Porsche Cayenne CLR 558 GT by Lumma

gallery: 2011 Lumma CLR 558 GT

SPY SHOTS: PORSCHE 911 CONVERTIBLE PLAYS IN THE SNOW

2012-02-18T08:27:00.001-08:00

Spy Shots: Porsche 911 Convertible plays in the snow

We’ve seen a number of vehicles taken out for test drives during these dreary winter conditions, so it’s not in the least bit surprising that Porsche is taking advantage of the mounds of snow at its disposal to test their future 911 Turbo Convertible. The new 911 Droptop was caught playing around in the snow near the Arctic Circle, proving that Porsche takes its testing very seriously.
Just as with the standard models in the new generation 911, the new Turbo version will receive updates on the exterior, as well as in the engine department. Not much of the exterior will be changed, but Porsche has done just enough to make the car sportier and more aerodynamic than ever.
As for the engine, the new 911 Turbo Convertible will be powered by the same 3.8L turbocharged flat six engine, but tricked to deliver more than the current 500 HP for the standard Turbo and 530 HP for the Turbo S.
The new Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe and Convertible are said to be unveiled next month at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, so stay tuned!

TATA MOTORS HIKES PRICES BY UP TO RS 12000 LEAVES NANO ARIA

2012-02-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

Tata Motors hikes prices by up to Rs 12000 leaves Nano Aria

To mitigate the impact of high input costs the company has decided to hike the prices of its cars which has been effective from 9 February 2012 across the country.

The high input costs have been impacting us for quite some time. We have decided to pass on some burden to our customers. The quantum of the hike will vary between Rs 7000 and Rs 12000 depending on the model a company spokesperson told. He however said this price increase exercise will not include Nano and Aria.

Last month other passenger vehicle majors Maruti Suzuki and General Motors increased the prices of their various models by up to Rs 17000 to offset rising input costs and the impact of currency fluctuation. Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) hiked prices of its vehicles except for entry-level sedan DZire by between 0.3 per cent and 3.4 per cent. This translated into a minimum increase of Rs 2400 on the SX4 sedan and a maximum of Rs 17000 on the diesel variant of its Swift hatchback.

Similarly General Motors India also increased product prices by between 0.5 per cent and 1.75 per cent for models including the Spark Beat Cruze and Tavera translating into an increase ranging from Rs 3000 to Rs 15000. GM India however left the prices of its Aveo Aveo UVA Optra and Captiva SUV models unchanged.

Toyota Kirloskar Motor had also hiked the prices of its different models including the Liva and Etios between 0.75 per cent and 3 per cent from January 1 onward. Mahindra andamp Mahindra increased the price of its latest SUV the XUV500 by up to Rs 55000. Hyundai Motor India which had in December said it would increase prices of its vehicles by 1.5-2 per cent from this year however has not taken the step as yet.

New-Gen Mitsubishi Outlander coming

2012-02-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

New-Gen Mitsubishi Outlander coming

NEW-GEN MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER COMING

Coined as the New Generation Outlander the company has developed a versatile global vehicle to match up with todays times. The Japanese carmaker has already revealed the car ahead of the Geneva show.

Similar in size to the existing one the new Outlander follows the same uncluttered look. The all-new Outlander is packaged with high grade materials like padded surfaces and soft-touch finish. The dashboard is fresh to look at with ergonomic steering wheel controls as well as high-resolution and easy-to-read instrument displays. On offer will be a choice of two low impact engines 2WD or 4WD: 2.0 I MIVEC petrol or 2.2 MIVEC Clean Diesel (depending on market model engine and specifications) with Auto Stop andamp Go and an all-new 6-speed automatic gearbox.

After the unveiling in Geneva the Next Generation Outlander will be launched first in Russia this summer prior to European (late summer) Japanese Oceania Chinese and North American debuts.

For the record the Mitsubishi Outlander is a crossover manufactured by Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors and was originally known as the Mitsubishi Airtrek when it was introduced in Japan in 2001. It was based on the Mitsubishi ASX concept vehicle exhibited at the 2001 North American International Auto Show. The second generation of the vehicle was introduced in 2005 and it was then that all markets including Japan adopted the Outlander name.

New-Gen Mitsubishi Outlander coming New-Gen Mitsubishi Outlander coming

2012-02-18T06:58:00.000-08:00

NEW-GEN MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER COMING

HONDAS EARTH DREAMS TECHNOLOGY TO BE SHOWCASED AT 2012 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW HONDAS EARTH DREAMS TECHNOLOGY TO BE SHOWCASED AT 2012 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW

2012-02-18T06:57:00.000-08:00

HONDAS EARTH DREAMS TECHNOLOGY TO BE SHOWCASED AT 2012 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW

At the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show Honda announced the outline for a new generation of engines featuring advanced technology that will aim to increase engine performance and efficiency much like Mazdaandrsquos SkyActiv technology. Honda calls their new-gen technology andlsquoEarth Dreams Technologyandrsquo and they are very serious about this initiative as they aim to become the industry leaders in fuel economy over the next three years.

The first engine to roll off the line developed along the lines of the andlsquoEarth Dreams Technologyandrsquo will be the 1.6-litre diesel engine that will find its way under the hood of the new Honda Civic by late 2012. The diesel motor will be the lightest in its class delivering class-leading performance and economy. The engine will churn out 120PS of power at 4000rpm and 300Nm of torque. A cut engine display of the 1.6 diesel motor will be showcased at the Honda stand at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

Under the andlsquoEarth Dreams Technologyandrsquo Honda is developing new petrol and diesel engines that will feature direct injection higher thermal efficiency by reducing the thickness of the cylinder block and reducing the cylinder spacing of the engines. The new engines will be 10 percent more fuel efficient than the current generation of engines.

Honda is also developing a new SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) system that will be mated to a new 3.5-litre V6 engine. The first car to feature both will be the new Honda NSX.

The new Honda NSX Concept will also be showcased at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show alongside the fourth generation Honda CR-V prototype and two new variants of the Honda Jazz featuring upgraded sports suspension and styling changes.

NISSAN UNVEILS 2012 370Z

2012-02-18T06:55:00.001-08:00

NISSAN UNVEILS 2012 370Z

Nissan has face-lifted the 2013 version of their 370Z sports coupe. The 370andrsquos history has become tradition as the 370Z dates back to October 1969 when the world first saw superiority in design and performance as Nissan rolled out their first Z tagged sports car called the andlsquoNissan Fairlady Zandrsquo and many that followed the successful series thereafter namely the 240Z the 260Z the 280Z the 280ZX the 300ZX the 350Z and the current 370Z that have all earned the best selling sports car series tag of all time since their inception and Nissan has never compromised on looks reliability performance and affordability of the vehicles making them any true blue enthusiastsandrsquo manageable goal to achieve. The hot new fair lady is attractive active and agile as always producing 332 horses from its 3.7 Litre V6 mill given the choice of a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed automatic transmission gearboxes.

New additions on the Z facelift are features like the vertical LED daytime running lights rear reflectors 19-inch aluminium-alloy wheels and Euro-tuned shock absorbers that sound promising overall for a mere facelift. Apart from these things the lady will have two new paint colours - Magma Red and Midnight Blue. Also the brake callipers get a red finish. The coupe will be available as a convertible and in the official in-house tuner masked Nismo which will put out an even more impressive 350PS and 276Nm of torque that equals serious track-conscious road-hugging performance. The 370Z has an power to weight of 206 bhp/tonne which proves that the lady hails from a family of highly focused track bred sport coupes that have proved their mettle year in and out to enthusiasts and kept tradition alive to this date.

Mahindra XUV 5OO bookings close with over 25000 applications Mahindra XUV 5OO bookings close with over 25000 applications

2012-02-18T06:54:00.000-08:00

Mahindra XUV 5OO bookings close with over 25000 applications

With applications for the XUV 5OO crossing the five thousand mark in just two days after Mahindra reopened bookings on January 25 2012 a phenomenal response was expected in the days to come. Mahindra has has now announced that bookings for the companyandrsquos flagship model have crossed over 25000 in the second phase.

The 10-day booking period that ended on February 3 2012 took place in 19 cities - Mumbai Delhi Chennai Bangalore Pune Hyderabad Kolkata Ahmedabad Chandigarh / Panchkula Ludhiana Jallandhar Patiala Kochi Trivandrum Calicut Trissur Coimbatore Nagpur and Nasik. As the total requests have crossed 7200 units Mahindra will allot the XUV 5OO through a draw validated by the audit firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Pvt. Ltd. (DTTIPL) as per a mutual agreement between the two firms. The details of the draw process can be viewed on the Mahindra XUV 5OO brand website.

Launched in September 2011 the XUV 5OO has sparked a frenzied rush among people wanting to buy the car. Winner of the ET-ZigWheels andlsquo2011 Car of the Yearandrsquo and andlsquo2011 SUV of the Yearandrsquo awards the XUV 5OO impresses with a number of features available in cars priced comparatively higher.

Having tasted success with the XUV 5OO Mahindra is now eyeing a slice of the MPV segment with the face-lifted version of the Xylo launching on February 8 2012. The updated Xylo sports several design cues that resemble the XUV 5OO perhaps in a bid to cash in on the SUVandrsquos popularity.

BMW ANNOUNCES NEW ENGINE OPTIONS AND ALL WHEEL DRIVE FOR 2012 3 SERIES

2012-02-18T06:53:00.000-08:00

BMW ANNOUNCES NEW ENGINE OPTIONS AND ALL WHEEL DRIVE FOR 2012 3 SERIES

Popular German luxury car maker BMW recently announced its plans come up with some new engines for the 2012 version of its bread and butter 3 series sedan.
Of these, the first one to come to us should be a 184 PS 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine in a new 320i. The motor will be mated to a six-speed manual transmission and the car should be capable of going from nothing to a ton in about 7.5 seconds. Also on offer will come two new 2.0 litre motors that will burn the dirtier fuel. The new 318d will have 143 PS and 320 Nm to play with and should hit the 100kmph figure on speedo in a reasonably quick 9.1 seconds and max out at 210 kmph. The younger sister of this car will be the 316d, This version of the 3 series will have 116 PS and 260 Nm of torque. The car should be as much as 1.5 seconds slower to the 318d and should top out at 200kmph. Expect this car to have a very pocket friendly fuel consumption figure.
In another news coming from the Munich based manufacturer and that is of its plans to offer an all-wheel drive system – xDrive – on the 320d, 320i, 328i and 335i.

Rs.22,00,000 is all you need to own this Lamborghini Reventon

2012-02-18T06:50:00.001-08:00

Rs.22,00,000 is all you need to own this Lamborghini Reventon

Now, the Lamborghini Reventon needs to be one of the most impressive car designs of this era. The car won’t look odd playing the role of a batmobile in a Batman flick. Also, the car took forward the styling from other Lamborghini cars being produced at Italian company’s Sant’Agata Bolognese facilities. Now, the Reventon is certainly among the most exclusive and most expensive bulls to be ever made. Only 20 of these were made during the production run from 2009-2010. The car came with an eyewatering price tag of about Rs. 14,00,00000.(Yeah, took me a fair time typing all these zeroes.)
Now, we get all sorts of third copies and fakes of expensive watches and many of you must have also heard of kit cars. This time, it is the mighty Reventon that has been victimized.
This here comes from Spain. The copy is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces about 272PS (268bhp). If rumors are to be believed, the motor here is a Volkswagen 2.0 TFSI unit.
Now comes the juicy bit. The Reventon replica goes for merely Rs. 22, 50, 000. Sounds perfect for those who have always had wet dreams of this car and really desperately wanted to have it in the garage. However, I wonder how an Octy vRS will look smoking this ‘Reventon.’
*wicked grin

Nissan Evalia to be launched in August

2012-02-18T06:49:00.001-08:00

Nissan Evalia to be launched in August

Sunny sedan and Micra hatchback posting good numbers on sales chart, a top award for Quality, a representation in sportscar segment and lot of plans for near future-Japanese giant Nissan is surely enjoying its time in India. It was the first time that Nissan had a presence at the recently held Delhi Auto Expo and the manufacturer’s hall already had the almighty GT-R on show. More important for Indian market was Nissan deciding to unveil a brand new & ‘made for India’ vehicle at the Expo. On show was the Nissan Evalia. The seven-seater family car is the first Urban-Class Utility Vehicle from the Japanese car maker.Evalia should have a best in segment fuel economy, clever interiors that have high functionality and also boasts of upmarket features like a rear View Camera and Intelligent Key. The Evalia uses a dash mounted gear lever to maximize the feeling of spaciousness in the front.
If sources are to be believed, Nissan has planned an August 2012 launch for this MPV. It may be noted that this MPV is known as the NV200 globally and has been doing quite good for itself.As we earlier reported, this Nissan will be launched with the 1.5 dCI engine from the Renault-Nissan alliance and the motor should be in re-tuned form and produce 105PS. The Nissan Evalia has a strut type suspension in the front and leaf springs at rear. Safely expect Nissan to provide the MPV with a power steering as a standard feature on all variants. Nissan claims that their MPV will have car-like ride and handling characteristics.
The seven-seater MPV will battle it out with Toyota Innova, Mahindra’s Xylo and upcoming Maruti Suzuki Ertiga & Chevrolet Enjoy. It may be noted that this MPV has sliding rear doors, a la Maruti Eeco. Evalia’s 2725mm wheelbase is well short of Innova’s 2750mm but if sources are to be believed, Evalia will be close to being as spacious as the popular Toyota. Nissan will be offering only a manual transmission in this MPV. The manufacturing of Evalia will be done at Nissan’s Oragadam plant in Chennai. Expect a starting price between INR 8-10 Lakhs for the Evalia.

Launched: Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 G-HV at Rs.1,376,000

2012-02-18T06:48:00.000-08:00

Launched: Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 G-HV at Rs.1,376,000

Japanese car giant Toyota today launched a cheaper variant of its Corolla Altis D segment sedan. The new variant comes with an automatic transmission and being called as 1.8 G-HV. The car’s seven speed automatic gearbox is mated to a 1.8 liter VVT petrol engine.
This variant is price at Rs.1,376,000 and is almost Rs.125,000 cheaper than top of the line automatic variant. The car also comes with a few upmarket features like a touchscreen DVD console with Bluetooth connectivity. However, features like electric seats, leather upholstery, Xenons with headlamp washers, retractable rear sun shade, start/stop button, smart entry and wooden wrap on steering wheel have been shown the door in interest of competitive pricing. Expect this budget end automatic variant of the car to battle it out against a host of auto tranny equipped D segment cars.

Volvo releases V40 teaser, even as official images leak

2012-02-18T06:47:00.000-08:00

Volvo releases V40 teaser, even as official images leak

Frankly, most of the teasers do not really look like a commendable effort to us. Joining the likes of many manufacturers who are making use of social networking sites to reach out to the world, the Swedish car maker has created a dedicated section on its Facebook page that announces about the official Live Launch that is to take place on March 6th. The company has also released a teaser image of the car’s silhouette with a glorious sun as the backdrop.Volvo has confirmed that the new car will carry the V40 name that was last seen on a Volvo station wagon that was ultimately discontinued in 2004.

In the meantime, the official images of the car have managed to leak out of the Volvo system and have been revealed by the scribes at Autoblog.nl. The V40, which is a compact station wagon is an exponent of youthful and vibrant new Volvo design earlier seen on the S60 and the XC60. The V40 with is size, engine options and styling seems to be a good product for the Indian market. The v40 is expected to be similar in size to a VW Golf or a Honda Jazz.
The car is expected to be powered by sub 1.4 liter to 1.8 liter new generation engines. Exact details and specs about these mills is not available but expect the new powerplants to be frugal, clean and reasonably powerful. Expect more details to emerge out before the Geneva show in March. We’ll keep you updated. Here we have some more of the leaked images.

Skoda Rapid

2012-02-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

Skoda Rapid

I will admit it. Skoda Rapid has a soft corner in my heart. What with it being my career’s first ever car test drive. Emotions apart, the car makes quite a case for itself as a pocket friendly alternative to the Vento from its parent manufacturer. The car was launched in November 2011 and has quickly become the best seller in the C-segment. It may be noted that the Rapid, which is highly based on the VW Vento, was first launched in Indian market to fill in the gaping void between Fabia hatchback and Laura D segment sedan. Now, Skoda India’s mid size sedan is all set to have a rendezvous with international audience at the upcoming 2012 Geneva Motor Show. Sources say that details about specification, positioning and pricing will be announced at the unveiling. Going by the car’s price in Indian market, the Czech sedan should be priced at 13,000 Euros and should battle it out against other entry level budget sedans.
Other than the engine options that we have seen in the country, the car should also get a 2.0 litre 140 Bhp TDI unit from the Octavia, nay, the Laura. It will be interesting to see if the Czech car will gain as much popularity in the European market as the last gen Octi did.