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Antilock Breaking System......

2013-03-03T00:08:00.001-08:00

ANTILOCK BREAKING SYSTEM
The ABS is help to make the stooping distance less and help to steer while breaking it increase the traction of the wheel and doesn't lock while hard breaking. The basic design of a braking system has been around and in use in other applications for many years. The brakes in a car use the simple principle of hydraulics. This principle reduces the amount of work required by the user. The above is tell about the abs.

The problem with the traditional braking system is that the force exerted by the brakes on the wheel cannot exceed the force of friction between the wheel and the road. If the braking force exceeds the force of friction from the road the vehicle will begin to slide. This problem brought about the invention of the anti-locking breaking system (ABS). The ABS detects drastic changes in the speed of the wheels. When a sharp

deceleration is detected the ABS will reduce the hydraulic pressure supplied to the braking system until the wheel begins to accelerate again. When the acceleration is detected the pressure is again increased until an unusual amount of deceleration is detected. The process is repeated until the user removes their foot from the brake pedal or the vehicle comes to a complete stop.

component :
1. Speed Sensor: The speed sensor is used to determine the acceleration or deceleration of the wheel. As shown in fig.

These sensors use a magnet and a coil of wire to generate a signal. The rotation of the wheel or differential induces a magnetic field around the sensor. The fluctuations of this magnetic field generate a voltage into the

sensor. A schematic of this system is shown in Figure 4.The ABS controller interprets this signal.Since the voltage inducted on the sensor is a result of the rotating wheel, this sensor can become inaccurate at slow speeds. The slower rotation of the wheel can cause inaccurate fluctuations in the magnetic field and thus cause inaccurate readings to the controller.

2. Valves: The valves within an ABS serve three distinct functions. The first function of the valves is to open and allow the hydraulic fluid from the brake pedal or the pump to reach the braking system. The second function of the valves is to maintain the current pressure provided to the braking system. This is accomplished by closing the valve to resist further pressure from the brake pedal. The third function of these valves is to reduce the amount of hydraulic pressure at the braking system. This is accomplished by opening the valves to allow the hydraulic fluid to be released from the braking system. A picture of a standard ABS valve and pumping system is show in Figure 5. The majority of problems with the valve system occur due to clogged valves. When a valve is clogged it is unable to open, close, or change position. An inoperable valve will prevent the system from modulating the valves and controlling pressure supplied to the brakes.

3. Pump: It is used to restore the pressure to the HYDRAULIC BRAKES after the valves is open.A signal from the controller will release the valve at the detection of wheel slip. After a valve release the

pressure supplied from the user, the pump is used to restore a desired amount of pressure to the braking system. The controller will modulate the pumps status in order to provide the desire amount of pressure and reduce slipping.Similar to the valves, the major limitation or mode of failure is due to blockage within the pump. A blockage within the pump will prevent the pump from supplying the correct pressure to the pumping system.

4: controller: The entire system is observed and manipulated by the ABS controller. The ABS ECU contains thousands of parameters which can be tuned for the car – although most ABS systems are supplied by companies such as Bosch, it's the software tuning which makes individual systems different for different cars. Vehicle manufacturers must strike a compromise between stability and the braking distance they hope to achieve, and must also set parameters for braking on different surfaces and scenarios. Even if two different cars have identical ABS hardware – it will have been tuned very differently for a sports car compared with an SUV.

The traction control system

2013-03-02T05:51:00.002-08:00

The traction control system is for avoiding the skidding if the wheel of a vehicle while driving it doesn't increase the traction and it is simply an enhancement of an existing ABS system that prevents wheel spin while accelerating on wet or slick surfaces. It uses the same wheel speed sensors to monitor wheel speed during acceleration, but requires some additional control solenoids and a pump to apply braking pressure to control wheel spin. The traction control system brakes the drive wheel that's starting to spin to shift torque to the opposite drive wheel that still has traction. Most traction control systems only operate at speeds up to about 30 mph. Additional control strategies that some traction control systems use to limit wheel spin include reducing the throttle opening, up shifting the

transmission, retarding spark timing and deactivating fuel injectors.

Traction control helps limit tire slip in acceleration on slippery surfaces. In the past, drivers had to feather the gas pedal to prevent the drive wheels from spinning wildly on slippery pavement. Many of today's vehicles employ electronic controls to limit power delivery for the driver, eliminating wheel slip and helping the driver accelerate under control.

Powerful rear-drive cars from the sixties often had a primitive form of traction control called a limited slip rear differential. Sometimes referred to as Positraction, a limited-slip rear axle will mechanically transfer power to the rear wheel with the most traction, helping to reduce, but not eliminate wheel spin. While limited-slip rear axles are still in use in many front- and rear-drive vehicles today, the device can't completely eliminate wheel slip. Hence, a more sophisticated system was needed.

Enter electronic traction control. In modern vehicles, traction-control systems utilize the same wheel-speed sensors employed by the antilock braking system. These sensors measure differences in rotational speed to determine if the wheels that are receiving power have lost traction. When the traction-control system determines that one wheel is spinning more quickly than the others, it automatically "pumps" the brake to that wheel to reduce its speed and lessen wheel slip. In most cases, individual wheel braking is enough to control wheel slip. However, some traction-control systems also reduce engine power to the slipping wheels. On a few of these vehicles, drivers may sense pulsations of the gas pedal when the system is reducing engine power much like a brake pedal pulsates when the antilock braking system is working.

Many people mistakenly believe that traction control will prevent their vehicle from getting stuck in the snow. This couldn't be further from the truth. Traction control does not have the ability to increase traction; it just attempts to prevent a vehicle's wheels from spinning. For drivers who routinely drive in snowy and icy conditions, traction control, antilock brakes, and snow tires are must-have safety features.

CHAKRAVYUH 2013,The ITER techfest (S’O’A University)

2012-12-23T12:33:00.000-08:00

OUR TECHfest............

CHAKRAVYUH is the Annual Techno-Management Fest of Institute of Technical Education and Research, SOA University, Bhubaneswar. Established in 2008, CHAKRAVYUH has grown to be one of the largest Fests in Eastern India. CHAKRAVYUH works towards providing students a platform to showcase their talents of Science and Technology along with fruitful interaction between students, professionals and academia through its wide range of events like competitions, lectures, exhibitions and workshops.

CHAKRAVYUH has aimed at promoting hands-on student learning in various disciplines year after year. CHAKRAVYUH has always aimed at spreading science and technology to a higher number of students by providing them with a platform to prove their skills and potent.

CHAKRAVYUH 2k13 has a total of 50+ main events which are scheduled to be held from January 3-5 next year. This is an all-time high as compared to the previous versions of CHAKRAVYUH. The current version of CHAKRAVYUH has the following events on the list:

1. C-Coding (Code Quest)

2. C-Debugging (Bug Smacker)

3. Java Coding

4. Java Debugging (Troubleshoot)

5. Hackmanship

6. Appathon

7. Junkyard wars

8. Truss Design (Bridge the Gaps)

9. Electrical Circuit Design

10. Electrical Scrap Design

11. Electrina

12. Electronics Circuit Design

13. EDA Designing (Simu-La-Thon)

14. CAD Designing (World Through CAD)

15. Web Designing (Myraid Webs)

16. Roborace: All Terrain Vehicle

17. Robo-Task-A-Thon

18. Robowars (Carnage)

19. Robo Auto NFS

20. Robo Avatar

21. Robo Bird’s Eye

22. SAE What-A-Car

23. SAE Trebuchet

24. SAE Amphibian Car Designing

25. SAE Auto Passion

26. LAN Gaming: DOTA

27. LAN Gaming: NFSMW

28. LAN Gaming: AOE

29. LAN Gaming: CS

30. LAN Gaming: FIFA

31. General Quiz

32. MOS Olympia

33. CIVIL Quiz

34. Electronics and Electrical Quiz

35. Mechanical Quiz (Sastra)

36. Gen-X-E-Vision

37. Vidyut

38. Through the Lens

39. Technical Paper Presentation

40. Case Study

41. Documentary Presentation

42. B-Plan

43. Face Off

44. Born Leader

45. SOA MUN

Apart from these events, keeping academia apart, we have some special events this year, which have been added for entertainment within the period of the Fest. These events include ZORBING, PAINTBALL, SUMO-SUIT WRESTLING, SAND ANIMATION, INTER COLLEGE COMPETITIONS and VARIOUS ON-SPOT events. These have been introduced for the very first time in ITER aiming to make the 3 day event filled with fun and entertainment.

THE LINKS ARE:-

Website: http://www.chakravyuh.info/

University: http://www.soauniversity.ac.in/

Institute: http://www.iter.ac.in/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chakravyuh.info

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chakravyuh.iter.7

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ChakravyuhITER

Google+ : https://www.plus.google.com/u/0/116604333845131205086

All about The Bugatti veyron ........

2012-12-19T10:18:00.002-08:00

Bugatti veyron the fastest car ever made, hear the detail about the veyron is given check this out....

When you're ripping along at 253 mph, your mind is not drifting aimlessly. Your senses are cranked up to full volume to detect any hint of impending catastrophe in the maelstrom of wind rush, tire thrum, mechanical thrash, and exhaust roar that surrounds you.

Is that slight shift in the whistling wind caused by a body panel coming loose? Does that vague vibration signal a tire starting to delaminate? Does that subtle new mechanical whine presage a failing bearing that's about to lock up the powertrain?

No such problem developed on the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, because it is not a half-baked aftermarket or boutique road burner. It is a production car developed and tested to the standards of Volkswagen, Bugatti's parent company. With a top speed of 253 mph, it is also the fastest production car ever built.

Production, of course, is a relative term. In the case of the Veyron, Bugatti plans to build only about 50 cars a year at a price of EUR1 million, which is about $1,250,000 as this is written. To this rarefied market Bugatti has brought an unusual level of sophistication and engineering necessitated by the promise of 1001 metric horsepower (or 987 American horses) and a top speed of 252 mph, a pledge from former VW boss Ferdinand Piëch when he unveiled the production-intent Veyron at the 2001 Geneva auto show.

Achieving 1000 horsepower in a racing engine is one thing, but to do so in a reliable, refined, durable, and emissions-legal configuration is much harder. The energizer in the Veyron is a WR16 displacing 7998cc and turbocharged with 15.8 psi of boost. You can think of it as two Passat WR8 engines put together and pumped up by four turbos.

But the Bugatti engine has more cylinders, more displacement, more power per liter, and more output overall than any other engine in the WR family tree. When I ask Bugatti development boss Wolfgang Schreiber to explain how the same engine can be rated at 1001 SAE net horsepower at 6000 rpm for the U.S. but only 987 horsepower (1001 PS) for Europe, he laughs, saying, "The production engines are all putting out between 1020 and 1040 PS-enough to cover both promises."

The engine's torque peak is equally mighty at 922 pound-feet, developed between 2200 and 5500 rpm. The four small turbos minimize throttle lag, and the 9.3:1 compression ratio ensures reasonable torque even before boost develops.

All that twist required a dedicated transmission. The Veyron gets a King Kong seven-speed version of VW's twin-clutch gearbox, called DSG. Like the DSG available in the Audi TT, it operates with an automatic mode or a full manual mode via paddle shifters. Because gearchanges occur with one clutch disengaging as the other engages, shifts are uniformly smooth and swift.

With about as much engine output as two Corvette Z06 V-8s, it's no surprise that Bugatti engineers decided to go with all-wheel drive. We don't have many details about the driveline, but the front-to-rear torque split is automatically adjusted to suit dynamic conditions and can range from 100 to 0 percent at either end.

An engine-particularly a turbocharged one-that develops four-digit power throws off more heat than a dozen pizza ovens. Consequently, in the nose of the Veyron are three coolant radiators, one heat exchanger for the twin air-to-liquid intercoolers, and two air-conditioning condensers. There are also transmission and differential oil coolers on the right side and a large engine-oil cooler in the left-side air intake. To help heat escape from the engine compartment, the big WR16 sits in the open, enclosed by no cover of any kind. This powertrain propels the 4300-pound Veyron as effortlessly and gracefully as Tiger Woods belts a 300-yard drive.

My experience with the car took place at Ehra-Lessien in Germany, Volkswagen's test track and high-speed theme park not far from VW headquarters in Wolfsburg. At least it will soon become a theme park because Bugatti plans to let Veyron owners bring their cars to this 13.0-mile circuit to explore the top speed of their cars. In addition to finding out how fast the Veyron can go, I was a guinea pig for this ultimate high-speed thrill ride.

A review of new bajaj Pulsar 200ns.....

2012-08-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

Here all about the new bajaj Pulsar 200ns. Check out the all review ....

Bajaj prides itself as a hot-bed of innovative engineering and design. And their newer models make it increasingly hard to disagree. A subtle undertone to this is the fact that it is an Indian company, the chief of operations as well as the head of R&D and all other departments are Indian and while Bajaj - and everyone else - use international consultants and firms to move things along, it’s a properly Indian engineering and manufacturing effort.

And their track record is excellent. They've held the Japanese off for a decade, staying behind Hero/Hero Honda doggedly while the other Japanese companies have repeatedly announced intentions to climb higher up the market share order and so far, not made much headway.
And let us not forget Bajaj’s latest crown - their claim to being the most profitable bike manufacturer in the world. On the other hand, the Pulsar brand has proved extraordinarily resilient. It started as a motorcycle for the Indian enthusiast and has since become the staple of the 150cc 'sporty' commuter class, a position it hasn’t relinquished since it earned it roughly eleven years ago.
Now we have the first all-new Pulsar since that very first one. I loved the first 180, which was a twitchy, angry-ish motorcycle that Bajaj had to calm down in the second generation on the back of the market’s desire for a less quicksilver machine.
Then I also found a soft spot for the 200 which sat well on its long wheelbase, wore its tank extensions smartly but most importantly, the engine and chassis were both in balance, it felt angry but not out of control, it cornered well but didn’t wallow, and in my eyes, that’s where that Pulsar platform peaked.
It was unfortunate that a lack of demand - the 200 was sandwiched between the well-reputed 180 and the heavily-promoted flagship 220 - gave it a short span in the market. So in this motorcycle, 180-style urgency would be awesome, on the other hand, that wonderful balance of the old 200 would reflect how far Indian engineering has come and form a great place to open the innings on the second all-new Pulsar in history.
Styling and build quality
The bulging tank of the first Pulsar gave it a full-bodied distinction and appeal. The CBZ may have looked more contemporary with its sharp edged knee recesses, but the Pulsar was drawing its own line in the sand. But in the intervening decade that line became a barrier.
The tank became such a distinctive identity element that it began to hamstring designers in terms of the Pulsar's stylistic evolution. The design moved on but always tip-toeing around the tank lest hard-won identity be squandered.
With an all-new platform comes the opportunity to wield these distinctive style elements afresh. There is a legacy now that the designers have to pay homage to, but the freedom is vastly greater. Bajaj has responded to the challenge and the opportunity very well, I'd say.
The design is very busy and focuses visual mass in the tank region as is the current trend. There’s a forest of cuts, slashes, planes and angles in there, all topped by a tank top whose plastic surface strongly reminds you of the original Pulsar tank.
This is clever design and using a plastic tank cover enables complex shapes all of which create a striking motorcycle. That said, I'm not a fan and this motorcycle will be recognised easily as a Pulsar but not as a design classic, I think.
The head lamp design is also very distinct although the triangular shape of the beam does bring to mind the CB1000R naked. The beard - two slashes that make the daytime running lamps - look neat though the tilted front number plate looks like a hack next to the well finished plastic bikini fairing.
In contrast, the tail lamp area looks under defined. The subtle change in the lines is overshadowed by the tail light which is still two strakes of LEDs, but not parallel as before, but diverging downwards. Which looks like the Pulsar 135 in traffic from behind.
But all the plastic bits sit well together, finish levels are very good and the bike feels pretty solidly put together. The sole issue we had was that the single-sided moulded plastic over a metal frame splatter guard fell off during the test and I’ve met another Pulsar headed from showroom to home where the guard had already come seriously loose.
The issue is compounded by the fact that the screws Bajaj employ don’t use either flat-head or Phillips-head screws which means an enroute fix is very hard to accomplish.
Engine and performance....
The story of this Pulsar is linked inextricably to the Duke 200 for the simplest of reasons. Bajaj was developing the two together and while learnings and ideas naturally intermingled - the subtle end of the overlap - Bajaj chose to use the same engine bottom-end for both. The gear ratios are exactly the same with a minor difference in the primary drive ratio and a more significant difference in the final drive.
At the top of the liquid-cooled, 4-valve SOHC head are now three spark plugs. Bajaj say they earn their keep at low and mid revs where they produce a significant bump in economy under part throttle conditions. Our economy tests showed that the P200 is a reasonably fuel efficient motorcycle, returning 30.2kmpl in Mumbai's traffic while on the highway we got 40.3kmpl exactly. These are decent numbers.
On the performance front, we were expecting the P200 to be quick. But as the bike rolled into our garage for this test, the monsoon finally opened up and we faced the brunt of its fury during this test.
So all of the numbers were recorded in the wet. Which means actual dry weather performance will have to be reevaluated once the rains abate. Still, the P200 manages 60kmph in 4.33s, 100kmph in 11.67s and the quarter mile takes 18.14s at which point it's going 112.83kmph.
We had to abandon our top speed runs at 119.03kmph as the Eurogrip tyres began to produce that greasy sensation in the soppy wet conditions that means a lack of grip is approaching. But already these numbers suggest that the Bajaj Pulsar 220's claim to being the World’s Fastest Indian is no longer valid.
Numbers aside, I quite like the feel of this engine. In traffic, it has a sense of quietness and smoothness that I haven't felt on any Pulsar yet. When you ride it hard, the engine gains a very mechanical, thrashy voice near redline that isn't quite as welcome.
But between the torque and the gearing, the P200 can be ridden very quickly, very quietly through traffic with remarkably little effort. Out on the highway, it is nice to cruise at up to 90kmph after which the engine noises begin to make themselves heard. You can push along at 120kmph if you like, but the engine gets quite loud.
The gearbox is sweet and light to operate as usual and unlike the Duke, I had very little trouble finding neutral on the Pulsar.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the motorcycle and I think enthusiasts and commuters alike will find much to like in the motorcycle.
Ride and handling
The Pulsar 200 chassis shares still fewer ideas, bits and fundamental geometries with the Duke 200. The clue lies in the way it looks. It feels bulky to straddle and the slightly thicker handlebar grips - of a very nice texture - reinforces your impression of this being a large motorcycle.
The ride quality plays this game too. The motorcycle tends to pitch less than you expect and come off feeling stiffly damped. But hit a really rough patch and you discover that the P200 is a supple motorcycle, able to absorb roads with chronic acne impressively well.
It isn’t a plushfest either. And that's the surprise. When you tip this apparently bulky package into a corner, you get the clearest sign of how far Bajaj's understanding of chassis engineering has come. It wears a massive twin-spar frame as well as an almost oversized rectangular section swingarm of startling length. And it makes all of the bits work.
The Pulsar leans over with an effortlessness that suggests it’s 20-25kg lighter than your initial impression. As before, it is a stable motorcycle but it’s lost the long and inertial feeling of the old ones. To the point where three corners later the enthusiast in you will want to swap the durability oriented (translation - good for commuting) Eurogrips for something more suited to your mood.
Brakes are very good too and initial bite is softer than you expect which make them friendly but it is backed up with enough power as you continue to squeeze the lever. I also liked the fact that the rear disc - not that I used it much - also allows a fair amount of travel so modulating pressure is easy.
Verdict
The Pulsar has been the cornerstone of affordable performance. Bajaj have managed to infuse the new motorcycle with a good sense of performance while retaining both in design terms and in engine note, a very distinct Pulsar-ness that is surprisingly effective.
Performance is matched by a significantly more capable chassis both in ride and handling departments and that means all in all, this is a job well done.
Bajaj have then gone and priced the motorcycle very well at just Rs 99,220 on-road Mumbai - just as we had predicted/hoped - which makes it, in our eyes, among the best value for money deals in the market right now, especially in the upper displacement segments.

A review about KAWASAKI NINJA 250R 2013.....

2012-08-29T05:04:00.001-07:00

The new kawasaki ninja 250r is going to launched on 2013... And here all the details........
No question, Honda hit a home run with the 2011 CBR250R, a compact, fully modern interpretation of the quarter-liter commuter/sportbike. The Honda entered a market segment that had been dominated by Kawasaki’s twin-cylinder 250R ever since the little Ninja’s introduction in 1986. The Kawasaki hadn’t seen many updates over the years, simply because there wasn’t much competition, although it did undergo a significant refresh in 2008. But in a Cycle World comparison test last year, those tweaks weren’t enough to let the Ninja match the refinement and build quality of the fuel-injected, ABS-equipped, single-cylinder CBR.

Hard financial times can provide great growth opportunities in this economical, entry-level category. So, when Honda priced its 2012 CBR250R ABS at $4599, which is just $400 more than the MSRP for the current non-ABS Ninja, Kawasaki was forced to react.
Rumors of an updated 250 Ninja (even the possibility of a displacement increase to 300cc) have been circulating for months, but information and photos of the 2013 model finally surfaced on Kawasaki Japan’s home-market website—much to the dismay of the U.S. arm of the company, which evidently had not yet been provided with this same material.
According to that website, the engine, frame and suspension are all-new. The liquid-cooled, dohc, eight-valve, 249cc parallel-Twin will almost certainly be fuel-injected, despite the disclaimer that EFI will not be available in all markets. (If competing against the rival Honda is the Ninja’s intent, injection would seem to be mandatory: In back-to-back testing for our comparison, the carbureted 2011 Kawasaki was not able to fuel as crisply as the injected Honda.) In an effort to endow the new Ninja with more-precise fueling, give it better throttle response, improve what is already excellent fuel economy (we averaged 60 mpg on our 2011 testbike) and reduce emissions, the engineers have fitted it with dual-butterfly throttle bodies.
Other engine changes include new cases with a larger oil sump, die-cast aluminum sleeveless cylinders treated with an anti-friction coating, anodized crankshaft journals also for reduced friction, new pistons and increased engine-cooling performance. All of it adds up to a powerplant that should be more efficient and that Kawasaki claims has more bottom-end and midrange power.
As for the chassis, the Ninja’s new high-tensile steel frame is more rigid to improve stability and handling. Additionally, the engine is rubber-mounted to reduce vibration. Revised suspension front and rear works in concert with wider tires (no sizing is listed) for a better performing chassis.
With the very real possibility of ABS becoming mandatory in some markets, Kawasaki has included it as an option. Weight for the standard model is listed as 379 pounds; add four pounds for the ABS model. These would seem to be accurate curb weights, given that the last Ninja we tested tipped the scales at 352 pounds dry.
Styling-wise, the new 250 evidently was inspired by the current ZX-10R and ZX-14R. The crisp, angular upper fairing incorporates headlights reminiscent of those on Kawasaki’s flagship liter-class sportbike, and new side fairings with ZX-14R-like vents are part of an effort to better manage heat and keep it away from the rider. An all-new tailsection is more in line with Kawasaki’s current design trends. Ten-spoke wheels and a more modern-looking exhaust silencer (incorporating a new heat shield) also freshen up the visuals, while a hybrid analog/digital dash gives the new Ninja a more polished appearance.

Further details will have to wait until we get official confirmation from Kawasaki’s U.S. distributor. Expect the Ninja 250R’s pricing to be competitive with that of the Honda CBR250R.

The New Volkswagen Tiguan will be launched in 2013.

2012-08-25T08:33:00.001-07:00

The new Volkswagen Tiguan is going to be launched by Volkswagen in 2013, and hear all the details given just checkout..............
Volkswagen has so far this decade been on a push for simplicity, practicality, and value. And in design, packaging, purpose, there's arguably no better vehicle that matches these priorities than the Tiguan. The 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan won't necessarily win crossover shoppers over for its pricetag, for interior space, or for having the very latest infotainment and connectivity features.

What it does simply, and well, is deliver the essentials in the typical VW fashion: it's the right size, with the right performance, styled for long-lasting appeal, with a cabin that's a knockout even at the top of its price range.

With respect to styling and the driving experience, the Tiguan is one of the more conservative designs VW has produced in recent years--but that includes a knockout cabin that's attractive and gets all the details right. As if the Tiguan were designed from the inside out (maybe it was), this is a vehicle with an upright design inside and a straightforward presentation, yet with richer finishes than we've seen in some of VW's other small cars. From the outside, there's really nothing adventurous and nothing exciting about it, and it ends up looking like a grown-upward version of the Golf--with only the larger wheels on some models helping throw it more decisively into the crossover category.

The Tiguan doesn't betray its homely exterior too much. Although the specs might sound promising--200-horsepower turbocharged four, manual or automatic transmissions--this is a vehicle tuned for family duty, not for VW precision. It's more nimble and responsive than a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4, for sure, but the goods simply aren't here to satisfy driving enthusiasts. It can tow up to 2,200 pounds—good for jet-skis or ATVs—while all-wheel-drive versions also make good picks for those in snowy climates.

Really, the Tiguan is what it is: a very tall small car with a lot of usefulness, an affordable price, and good gas mileage. This vehicle is probably the best fit for a growing family that wants something with a little more utility, or to the older driver who likes the easier entry/exit and seating position of a city-oriented crossover. Most crossover shoppers also want an interior that's straightforward and versatile—as well as comfortable—and the Tiguan delivers on those expectations. Front seats feel sporty and supportive, with good comfort and an excellent driving position, while the second-row seats slide and tilt, leaving ample space for adults. With the 60/40-split seatbacks folded you get 56 cubic feet of cargo space (nearly 24 with the seat up), with a small 'hidden' storage bin under the floor plus a twin-compartment glovebox and various other cubbies throughout the vehicle.

Throughout the Tiguan, there really isn't a hair out of place. And while it isn't a design leader in any way, just a quick glance around the cabin may be enough to understand where this crossover really shines: Materials and details feel polished, assembly quality is tight, and overall there's a feel that this could conceivably be a vehicle from a premium brand like Audi.

Crash-test results for the Tiguan have been excellent, and Volkswagen continuous to offer a few more safety features than you'd typically expect to see in a small crossover. In addition to the usual front and side airbags, rear side thorax airbags—not often available in this class—are an option here. On all-wheel-drive versions, hill descent control is also included, to help control speed on steep slopes, while for 2013 hill-hold control and an electronic parking brake have been added to the entire model line.

Along with a mild refresh last year, VW upped the level of standard equipment in the Tiguan; base models remain above the entry prices for many rival models, however. But feature content throughout the lineup is now impressive. All Tiguans have a decent AM/FM/CD sound system, with an iPod adapter and voice-activated Bluetooth, while at the top of the model line you get leather seats and push-button start in the SEL. Mid-level SE models add fog and cornering lamps, heated seats, and VW's V-Tex vinyl seating—which to us is no upgrade, so try them both. The SEL model includes leather seats and push-button start, along with a sport suspension, bi-xenon headlamps and LED running lamps, and automatic climate control. Both SE and SEL trims get roof-rack rails. There's only one equipment surprise in the Tiguan: If you want a manual version of the Tiguan, you'll have to settle for the more basic base model.

For 2013, the Tiguan is no longer as vegan-friendly; all trims now include leather trim for the shift knob and steering wheel. Also new to the lineup is a partial power passenger seat in SE trims, while SEL models now have a full power one.

Hyundai launches The New Elantra....

2012-08-24T08:23:00.002-07:00

The new Hyundai Elantra launched by Hyundai. Hear the detail about the price and chalk out.......
To cater to the strong demand for diesel vehicles in the Indian automobile market, Korean car maker Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) on Monday launched an executive sedan, Elantra, in petrol and diesel variants, while also deciding to boost import of diesel engines.

The Elantra is priced between Rs 12.51 lakh and Rs 15.8 lakh (ex-showrrom, Delhi).

In sedans where both petrol and diesel variants are available, over 80 per cent of sales come from diesel variants. With the Elantra, we now have a complete line-up of cars in India. The diesel version of the Elantra is being introduced only in India to help us meet the requirement in the domestic market,” said Shar Rukh Han, executive director, HMIL.
Though the company ruled out the possibility of setting up a diesel engine plant in Chennai in the immediate future due to uncertain fuel pricing policy of the government, Han said HMIL would increase imports by over 20 per cent to meet the demand for diesel vehicles in India. The company is looking at importing around 13,000 diesel engines from Korea for the four vehicles it offers in the fuel option. Hyundai currently offers diesel variants of premium hatchback i20, sedan Verna and sports utility vehicle Santa Fe.

The company had increased production capacity of diesel vehicles by 50 per cent in April this year to 10,500 units to ease supply of diesel cars to Indian consumers.

Additionally, Han said the company was exploring the possibility of strapping on the 1.1 litre diesel engine it had in its global portfolio on smaller cars in India. But he declined to specify any timeline for launching these cars in the India.

Petrol is 66 per cent costlier than diesel which has made an increasing number of consumers opt for diesel vehicles despite an initial premium of Rs 1-1.5 lakh payable of such models. In the last financial year, sales of diesel vehicles increased by 35 per cent to account for 47 per cent of the passenger vehicle industry. Sales of petrol models declined by 15 per cent in the period.

Rakesh Srivastava, vice-president-national sales, HMIL, said: “Last year, diesel models contributed 17 per cent to our overall volumes, which has now increased to 22 per cent. While most automobile makers are losing market share, we are trying to balance sales of both petrol and diesel cars and grow steadilyby introducing new models. So far we have grown by 10 per cent to sell 234,942 units this year.”

The Elantra, which is pitted against the likes of Toyota Corolla Altis and Chevrolet Cruze, has already registered around 750 bookings.

Though the company declined to share sales target for the car, Srivastava added: “The segment is sized around 2,800 units every month. We would want to have leadership in the category.” The company had phased out the fourth generation Elantra in August 2007. HMIL has invested Rs 200 crore to manufacture the fifth generation model in India.

According to industry estimates, Indian car makers increased production capacity of diesel vehicles by over 35 per cent to 1161,000 units in the last financial year, compared to the year before. Petrol vehicle manufacturing capacity in the domestic industry was rationalised by 12 per cent to 1754,000 units during the same period.

A review of Honda Brio.

2012-06-04T22:26:00.001-07:00

Now Honda has made a fresh entry in the Indian hatchback market and that too with the best - a small car christened Honda Brio. Honda Brio was launched in India in September 2011; it is welcomed well and is tagged to be a kind of car that has the capacity to revolutionize Honda small car sales. In India, Honda Brio is the second hatchback offering after Honda Jazz in the already competitive small car market.
It is the lowest priced and most affordable Honda car in India and has simply outstanding crease on its body and a stunning forward inclined stance to woo car buyers. This styling is something that is going to drive car buyers crazy and it will also help increase its demand exponentially in the country.

Honda has launched Honda Brio in striking color options. Honda has projected Brio as a car worth loving. Tagged as ‘I am made for you’ car, Brio has loads of features that you will surely fall in love with. ‘Because I want your love at first sight,’ tags Honda furthering its publicity campaign for Brio. In all, Honda has put in features and colors that one is sure to fall in love with it. And it seems to be worth it at this price.
The rear is one of its kind and would be one of the selling feature of the car as it further steps up its looks. Honda Brio has back lights placed at lower end and the rear is all made with glass. This concept of all glass back is something rarely seen in the segment and that is what makes its looks unique in the market. Honda Brio is going to surely compel people to admire those little detailing done with its rear glass with smoked out effect and low lined lamps.
As per the official information about Honda Brio it is powered by 1.2 litre engine that currently also powers Honda Jazz. This same engine is expected to get a 1 litre motor in the near future as well. The wonderful car has a displacement of 1198 cc which is one of the best in terms of engine in the hatchback segment. The engine used in Honda Brio runs on petrol and give a peak power of 88 PS at 6000 rpm and a beating torque of 109 Nm at 4600 rpm.
The length of the car is under-four meter and measures 3.6 metres which also assures roomy interior and decent boot space. With this size, the car is easier to control and is reliable as is the Honda Jazz. With its up market feature, Honda Brio is going to make a unique identity in market and will surely be a hit in the Indian market.
The new Honda car comes equipped with 5 speed manual transmission. The steering wheel is electronically powered. The suspension system is Macpherson Strut for front. The front wheels have disc brakes which are ventilated disc type while the rear brakes are Drum type.
The wonderful car also has with ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) which makes its braking system more powerful and reliable. The ABS system helps in case of sudden brake application as it controls the car and avoids skidding. The ABS system in Honda Brio is also accompanied with Electric Stability Program (ESP) and Electronic Brakeforce distribution (EBD) which makes the car safe while driving on slippery roads.
The straight competitor of Honda Brio in market is none other than the sensational Toyota Etios Liva besides other offerings by Maruti, Tata, Hyundai and others. The first low ranged car from Toyota stable is already creating magic in market and with the launch of Honda Brio, the two products will compete
head on in the market. Other than Etios, Honda Brio is now also in tough competition with Nissan Micra and Volkswagen Polo.
The four-door hatch Honda Brio is the second small car by Honda, first being Honda Jazz, which was admired a lot for its superior engine and comfort. The model though was not a big success in market as the company was not able to price it competitively. Honda has high expectations from this hatchback and thus the company has glittered exceptional features in it so that it can outrun others in terms of sales.
Honda Brio is given superior designing and is capable of seating five people. Overall, it has a small car looks. Among the front features, the upper grille is simply attractive and the rear look makes it stand out in the segment. The designing of this car bears some touch of its senior Honda Jazz. The B segment car has rear side bigger and alluring. The looks from front and rear shows the tremendous work done on the designing of Honda Brio. The B segment hatchback is given superior interior with comfort features without compromising safety. Apart from this, the car has two airbags for front passengers. It also comes loaded with projector Halogen Head headlamps, and pushbutton keyless start.

A review of the new hybrid concept The BMW i8.

2012-05-22T07:27:00.002-07:00

The time for the new hybrid the BMW i8, u can watch it in mission impossible the ghost protocol, the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics plug-in hybrid concept will go into production in 2013. The four-seat sports car will feature the same unconventional yet charismatic design of the concept along with a hefty dose of sports-car performance and excellent fuel efficiency. The BMW i8, as it will be called, will partner with the i3 to be the first in a new line of “i” cars BMW will bring to the marketplace. It will follow the BMW Active Hybrid 7 and the BMW Active Hybrid X6 in BMW’s pursuit of more efficient vehicles without sacrificing the superior driving dynamics for which the luxury brand is known.

Part of the concept car’s physical allure also helps it achieve its goal of low fuel consumption through well-developed aerodynamics including the creation of curtains of air around the wheel arches as first seen on the BMW M3 CRT. The car features surfaces that appear to overlap and interlock in a concept BMW calls “layering.” BMW says the perceptible difference in height between the color-coded layers lends the exterior an even more dynamic and three-dimensional appearance. However, the car’s design does not help ingress/egress, so the BMW i8 takes advantage of large wing doors that open wide to facilitate entry to both the front and rear chairs. We just hope BMW is going to offer an easy way to close the large doors once all the occupants are seated.
We won’t get into the Life Drive and Life module terms that BMW uses for the powertrain and interior, respectively, but we will tell you that the interior was designed around its functionality. Using large, transparent surfaces gives the i8’s cabin a bright, airy, and open feel. And with the available 2+2 seating, up to four people can comfortably enjoy the car’s futuristic design and high levels of performance. A massive 8.8-inch freestanding information display resides in the center dash and is joined by an equally large display taking the role of the instrument cluster.
The vehicle’s suspension, battery, drive system, and structural and crash functions are constructed chiefly from aluminum. The exterior and passenger cell are made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP). The use of these high-tech materials across large sections of the car keeps weight down to around 3,200 pounds. The futuristic design and the implemented materials give the BMW i8 a high level of performance in terms of both dynamics and fuel economy. When the concept first appeared, BMW said it wanted the BMW i8 to perform at the same level as the M3, specifically targeting 4.8 seconds for the zero-to-62-mph sprint; it seems it was able to engineer the car for even greater performance returns.
The concept was powered by a three-cylinder 1.5-liter turbo diesel at the rear axle and an electric motor at the front for an overall system output of 328 Hp and 535 lb-ft of torque. The production car will provide a similar setup, replacing the diesel engine with a fuel-efficient but powerful gasoline unit. The high-performance three-cylinder engine produces 220 Hp and 221 lb-ft of torque alone. Combined with the electric motors 129 Hp and 184 lb-ft of torque and we have a total system output of 349 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. It is good for sprints to 62 mph from a standstill in 4.6 seconds, a 50–75-mph time of 4.0 seconds, and a top speed limited to 155 mph. Thanks to the two drive systems, the BMW i8 can perform like a front-, rear-, or all-wheel-drive vehicle.
The BMW i8 Concept can travel up to 22 miles on electric power alone for zero-emissions motoring. After the battery is depleted, the gasoline motor will kick in. In the European cycle, the car returns three liters per 100 kilometers or approximately 87 mpg (expect the EPA rating to be much lower). The lithium-polymer rechargeable battery takes just two and half hours on a conventional power socket. This is faster than many hybrid / electric cars offered by other manufacturers, but remember that the i8 doesn’t contain a huge battery pack. The concept held a six-gallon fuel tank for a total extended range of up to 435 miles. BMW did not specify the total range for the production car.
BMW is also implementing a new camera-based proactive front protection system on the i3 and i8. The system helps warn the driver of a possible collision risk with another vehicle. At speeds lower than 37 mph, the system can now also detect pedestrians and will even perform automatic emergency braking. In addition to this driver assistance system, BMW also allows access to some unique features via a downloadable application for the owner’s smartphone. The application has access to the car remotely and will allow the owner to lock, unlock, find, start and stop charging, and start a process of preconditioning the battery pack and vehicle interior for an impending drive while away from the car. The user can also check the battery charge status at any time.
So every body wait for this, do u???????????????????????????????????????????

Lemborghini launch the concupt of it's suv The URUS.

2012-05-19T20:30:00.002-07:00

Lemborghini going to launch a new suv The Lemborghine URUS.........

Feast your eyes on the Lamborghini Urus, or "LB736." First off, yes, it is part of an upcoming (i.e. sometime in 2015) Volkwagen Group premium SUV onslaught. In the company of Lamborghini design director Filippo Perini and research and development guru Maurizio Reggiani, we were able to pry into all of the details back in mid-March during a special preview at company headquarters. We've had to hold off scribbling until today because the official debut for the edgy 4x4 happens right about now at the Beijing Motor Show. China is foreseen as a good market for the supersonic SUV, but the United States remains Job One.

In comparison to the clumsy Bentley EXP 9 F concept seen at the recent Geneva Motor Show, the Urus hits us almost gleefully by comparison; it's right on the money with Lambo's current design language. Lamborghini's Perini understands that this is a polarizing proposition: "When Lamborghini creates a whole new model line, it's automatically risky since it doesn't happen so often."
And every body nervous about it, too, imagining a four-seater setup that would need to ride way too high, sort of like the first generation Porsche Cayenne or that Bentley. But when the veil came off and the hard lights hit it, we were pleased.
The Urus will singlehandedly triple total annual production.
Lamborghini president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann started the proceedings by saying that though the two-door supersport sector is still going well, due to so many new entries coming out nowadays and new buyer preferences, the forecast is for a steady small decline year-on-year in demand for these cars. Specifically, two-door sports cars with over 400 horsepower and costing over $100,000.
So they're going a different way, following an upward trending graph: a 4x4 super SUV with just over 600 horsepower, stretching over eight inches longer than an Aventador and about four inches longer than a BMW X6 M, and certainly costing somewhere within reach of $200,000+ by the time you get it home. With projected volume in a full year of 3,000 Uruses (or "Uri"?), Lamborghini, its immediate warden Audi, and mothership Volkswagen Group, are all no doubt drooling over the potential profits the Urus represents. It will singlehandedly triple total annual production.
There is no chance of a monster diesel.
Current press information released on the Urus is deliberately vague as the launch is not set until 2015, so there is still time to decide the powertrain. Given that the promise is to make it the most powerful series production SUV on the market but also the least polluting so far as carbon dioxide emissions are concerned, either a V10 or V12 engine would seem a heck of a challenge. By the time of production start, many European high-performance cars will need to be able to emit no more than 200 grams of CO2 per kilometer when running most efficiently. And looking at the sharply sloping front end, we're unsure whether there would be enough room to hold either ten or twelve cylinder
50 percent of customer deliveries are projected for the United States.
Talk is in the air about a new forced-air (bi-turbo or supercharged) V8 engineered within the vast workshops of the VW Group. Engineer Reggiani was rather sly about this suggestion when we brought it up, but with these packaging and emissions goals it definitely would make sense to at least seriously consider the idea. In fact, Reggiani and Winkelmann attest that with this new model the company will take more advantage of "group synergies". Does this mean some variation of hybrid drive or maybe even a take on Audi's e-tron thinking? And, no, there is no chance of a monster diesel.
Lamborghini suggests the Urus could end up running the Dakar rally as well.
A key ingredient for any Lamborghini in optimizing matters for speed and handling, as well as various efficiencies, is managing weight and rigidity through composite materials formed in-house. The Urus will certainly be loaded with this stiff lightness and Lamborghini claims it saves almost 250 pounds versus metal and adds tremendous bending stiffness. The chassis, body, and for the first time in the segment the interior as well, will be optimized for lightness. As the concept interior unveiled in Beijing shows, every element seems to be floating in place. How much of this spectacle it can keep down the road is to be decided.
We know from conversations at Lamborghini that the steering will be electro-mechanical, the range of travel adjustment on the suspension will be 3.5 inches, and by the time of production weight distribution will be as close to 50:50 fore:aft as possible. The mondo wheelset right now for showing purposes is a custom set of 24-inchers in an aero design. Currently, the Urus wears nasty-bad Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires measuring a big 305/35 ZR24 (112W). We are assuming the wheel-tire setup will be able to get more supple for passenger comfort by 2015.
Four passengers are said to have plenty of room inside, even for heads in back.
And by the time of customer deliveries – 50 percent of which is projected for the U.S. – those fancy side-view cameras we see on so many concept cars should be a homologation reality at last, according to Perini. The caveat is that the cameras and their screens on the dash need to remain on at all times, even when the Urus is switched off.
So, tell us what you think. As added fodder, Lamborghini hints that the Urus could possibly end up running the Dakar rally as well. We'd love to see that concept at a show.
"Urus" is a Spanish breed of bull that sits somewhere between fighting size and hauling size.
Chief foreseen competitors for the Urus, according to Lamborghini bosses, are the BMW X6 M, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and Porsche Cayenne range. In keeping with Lambo's typically evil proportions, even the Urus hunkers way down to a minimum height of 65.4 inches with a width of 78.4 inches. The 196.5-inch current length is matched to a wheelbase measuring 114.0 inches that is spot on with the latest Cayenne. Four passengers are said to have plenty of room inside, however, even for heads in back.
So, let the mispronunciation games begin! While the Italians will say "Oo-rooss", noone else will unless they are trained to do so. "Urus" is, in keeping with the Lamborghini penchant for glorified cattle, a Spanish breed of bull that sits somewhere between fighting size and hauling size. They are known for their broad shoulders and better than average height.
Lamborghini has teased us already with possible chances at driving a rolling prototype sometime this year just to get a sense of the Urus spatially on the road.

The new Lexus LF-LC concept.

2012-05-10T01:13:00.001-07:00

After seeing tons of teaser images in the past few weeks, they are finally able to get a good look at the new Lexus LF-LC concept during its world debut at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The concept was designed by Lexus Calty design studio in Newport Beach, California and previews the future design language of Toyota’s luxury arm, bringing in elements from the LF-A supercar and the recently launched GS 350.

The concept features a bold interpretation of the signature Lexus spindle grille and rear architecture and is defined by a long engine hood, daytime running lights shaped like an "L", a 3D spindle grille, and functional air intakes in the bottom corners of the grille.

"Crafted from a clean sheet of paper at the request of Lexus headquarters in Japan, the LF-LC blends both high technology and organic shapes to connect the driver to the machine," said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. "The clean lines of the vehicle emphasize motion, creating a distinctive look for this futuristic sport coupe."

UPDATE 01/26/12: Lexus has unveiled a new video that presents the designers talking about the interior and the exterior design of LF-LC concept. Enjoy!

Exterior

The new Lexus LF-LC concept is undoubtedly a work of art and since Lexus has been rumored to offer a second version of their LF-A supercar, we think there’s reason to believe that we will see elements of the LF-Lc Concept in that second version.

At the front of the concept, there’s a 3D sculpture form spindle grille with functional air intakes in the bottom corners of the grille, daytime running lights shaped like an "L", and vertical fog lamps that utilize a fading dot matrix pattern to suggest a sense of movement. The concept’s side is defined by lines that emphasize direction and motion while the glass roof features a lightweight, cantilevered pillar with a glass-to-glass juncture inspired by modern architecture. At the rear, the LF-Lc gets tail lamps inspired by the look of a jet, fog lamps repeating the fading dot matrix pattern of the front fog lamps, and integrated tail and fog lamps that repeat the "L" shape and lead the viewer’s eye down to the powerful Lexus quad exhaust.

Interior

The interior of the Lexus LF-Lc Concept combines the latest advanced technology with soft textures and organic shapes to create a driver-focused synergy of form and function. Lexus is offering a remote touch-screen device that allows the driver to comfortably operate controls without shifting position or altering line-of-sight.

The cockpit features twin 12.3-inch LCD screens that provide information and a navigation display. Inputs come from a touch-screen control board piercing the swept center console. The driver can control the audio system, climate controls, and navigation. Each door gets similar touch-screen surfaces that allow both driver and passenger to operate the windows, mirrors, seat adjustments, and personal entertainment settings.

Both the driver and passenger will enjoy lightweight, race-inspired front seats formed of multiple layers and repeat the interlacing curves that define the cabin interior. The rest of the interior combine smooth leather and suede, with brushed metal trim and wood accents.

Engine

The Lexus LF-Lc is powered by the latest Advanced Lexus Hybrid Drive that delivers both driving performance and fuel efficiency. Lexus hasn’t offered any details of the concept’s specifications, but they did confirm that the LF-Lc is a rear-wheel-drive model.

When will the concept be put into production?

It isn’t very likely that the Lexus LF-Lc will ever be put into production, at least not as a whole, but its design elements will be seen in future production models, like the successor for the SC430 and, if we are correct, the next LF-A.

A review of volkswagen XL1 concept.

2012-04-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

A review of volkswagen xl1.
This small emirate is reputed to have a per-capita GDP that ranks among the highest in the world. It has energy to spare, with plenty of oil and the world’s third-largest reserves of natural gas. The population produces three times as much carbon dioxide per person as does that of the United States. Premium gas costs the equivalent of just a dollar per gallon—and that’s after a recent 25-percent increase in the government-subsidized price, which caused serious consternation among the country’s V-8–packing drivers. The capital city of Doha is gridded with wide and heavily policed streets that run among seemingly endless construction sites, all adding to a Manhattan-like skyscraper forest.

It was in this environment that we were introduced to the hyperefficient Volkswagen XL1.

The Next Step for the “1-Liter” Car

The XL1 is Volkswagen’s latest “1-liter” car. This term doesn’t refer to engine displacement but rather to the European method of expressing consumption, which is to say the amount of fuel needed to travel 100 kilometers. Traveling that distance on one liter of fuel translates to 235 mpg—or, put differently, New York to Boston on one measly gallon of diesel. A 1-liter car would simply be the world’s most efficient combustion-engined passenger vehicle, and VW says the XL1 actually needs just 0.9 liter to travel 100 kilometers, which means the claimed maximum efficiency is a heady 261 mpg.

This VW is probably the first European car to have its world introduction preceded by thanks to Allah. Shortly after its debut at the first-ever Qatar auto show, the XL1 was examined by Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani, the country’s prime minister and minister of foreign affairs and a member of Qatar’s ruling family. His wife liked it and was reported as saying that she would like to have one. Most other visitors were bemused by the fuss over a little two-seater with a tiny engine and turned their attention to the Touareg Gold Edition, an exercise in 24-karat excess specially created for the local audience.

Why would Volkswagen even think about launching its most frugal car in a land where no one gives a second thought to saving energy? Simple: 17 percent of Volkswagen, Germany’s biggest car company, is now owned by Qatar Holdings, a part of the company’s sovereign wealth fund. It happened on the heels of Porsche’s failed bid to take over VW. Porsche had solicited investment from Qatar at the time of the Lehman Brothers collapse, when it held options on millions of Volkswagen shares. With Porsche instead becoming part of the Volkswagen Group, the Qatari investment turned into a chunk of VW.

Yet Another Piëch Brainchild

The 1-liter car was Ferdinand Piëch’s idea, and he drove the first concept, a cigar-shaped tandem two-seater, to the 2002 board meeting at which he retired as CEO. The intervening years produced a “2-liter” prototype that was only shown internally, as well as the L1 that appeared at the 2009 Frankfurt show. VW became convinced during that time that a production 1-liter would require a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. It would also need to have the lightest possible chassis and body panels, worldbeating aerodynamics, and side-by-side rather than tandem seating.

The XL1’s hybrid system consists of a 47-hp, 800-cc two-cylinder TDI turbo-diesel engine, a 27-hp (20-kW) electric motor, and VW’s seven-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox. (The DSG is programmed to operate only in automatic mode.) The TDI and the electric motor combine to deliver maximum torque of 103 lb-ft. This amazingly compact powertrain is mounted transversely behind the passenger compartment and drives the rear wheels. A 5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 2.6-gallon diesel fuel tank are nestled between the powertrain and passenger compartment.

The major factor in weight saving was the use of carbon fiber for the chassis and body panels. The center monocoque/safety cell is molded in one piece by a rapid resin-transfer process that’s quicker and cheaper than conventional hand-laid carbon. VW developed it with the Austrian company Carbo Tech, which also helped implement a similar system for the McLaren MP4-12C supercar. The supercar connection doesn’t end there: The XL1’s supersmooth, aerodynamically optimized shape should achieve an extremely low drag coefficient of 0.19.

About as Poky as You’d Expect

So the XL1 looks racy, but its ultimate performance is leisurely: 0 to 60 mph takes about 11.5 seconds, and top speed is limited to 99 mph. Considering the elaborate and expensive weight-saving measures, the XL1 is heavier than one might expect, at 1800 or so pounds. Its predecessor, the L1, came in at a claimed 840 pounds. Blame the twofold increase on the safety equipment and the comfort and convenience features required to turn a vehicle solely focused on efficiency into an acceptable everyday car.

Even though it ditches earlier versions’ tandem seating, the XL1 remains narrow and tapers at the rear, so the passenger seat isn’t aligned with the driver’s; it’s offset toward the stern by a few inches to preserve shoulder room. There is, of course, none of the sound and fury of the supercars that pioneered this car’s construction methods. As with other vehicles that can operate purely on electricity, everything is remarkably quiet at step-off and at low speeds—all you hear is the thrum of tires on asphalt. Once you press harder on the accelerator to demand more power, the diesel engine starts, without any jolt but with a curious tinny rattle. Lift the pedal, and the gentle calm returns as the engine stops instantly; it restarts in milliseconds when you flex your right foot again.

You can, however, force the car to run only on electricity. Select that mode, and the TDI diesel is declutched from the drive wheels, at which point the XL1 can run for a claimed 22 miles and reach a top speed of 50 mph. Recharging the batteries via a plug takes an hour and a few cents. But the XL1 won’t leave you stranded. Like the Chevrolet Volt’s gasoline engine, the VW’s diesel powerplant takes over when the batteries reach a minimum charge level.

An Everyday Space Pod?

Hunkering down into the carbon-fiber driver’s seat feels special, and you’re confronted by a small steering wheel squared off at the bottom and a well-equipped and nicely trimmed dashboard. The XL1 has no rear window or side mirrors; in place of the latter, video cameras feed two small screens in the inner door panels. Design-wise, the interior is immediately recognizable as a VW. Onlookers, seeing the doors hinge upward as we climbed aboard, asked if it were a baby Lamborghini. Not quite, we replied, although some at Volkswagen believe, perhaps optimistically, that cars like this will be the supercars of an energy-conscious future.

Our drive through the city and outskirts of Doha suggested that the XL1 would be an acceptable daily driver. This in spite of a rather lumpy ride. Blame the narrow Michelin low-rolling-resistance tires, which run at a firm 45 psi. But the XL1 steers accurately and easily, without the need for power assistance. The brakes are fitted with lightweight carbon-ceramic discs and offer excellent stopping power, although less experienced pilots—or, ahem, younger ones—may find the pedal’s feel odd, as it’s as unassisted as the steering, a rarity in modern vehicles.

You’d need many miles behind the wheel or finely calibrated equipment—neither of which was available to us that day—to verify the official fuel-economy figure, which was calculated by the European authorities using a new drive cycle for plug-in hybrids. The number reported was a bit better than VW expected, at the equivalent of 261 mpg. So here is a car, primarily driven by a diesel engine, with minimal emissions (24 g/km of CO2 versus, say, the Prius’s 89 g/km) that can claim to be more efficient than more highly vaunted pure-electric vehicles.

For now, all the XL1 does is make a statement—it’s still a prototype. But VW Group chairman Martin Winterkorn promised it will be available by 2013 “at an affordable price.” We guess that will be somewhere around the equivalent of $50,000.

A review of FERRARI 458 ITALIA...

2012-04-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hear a review of the dream car of many people i.e Ferrari 458 Italia, so I think u enjoy it.

The Ferrari 458 Italia has rewritten the rulebook on exotic Italian supercars. Not only is the car completely new from the ground up, it’s also faster than virtually every Ferrari before it--including the Enzo. However, the major draw card is that this Ferrari is actually a very good mode of transport.

Comfortable seats, ample head, leg, and shoulder room, and a level of quality to its build and materials surpassed only by a handful of other cars explains why the Ferrari 458 Italia is winning comparison tests all over the world.

At the end of the day, however, this is still a Ferrari, which means performance always has to come first. Here the car certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Power comes from a new 4.5-liter V-8, which features direct injection technology and is matched to a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. It has a very low piston compression height typical of racing engines that contributed to achieving its relatively high compression ratio of 12.5:1. Equipped with the traditional flat-plane crankshaft, the engine delivers a peak output of 570 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 400 pound-feet of torque 6,000 rpm.

This guarantees 0-60 mph times of less than 3.3 seconds and a top speed in excess of 202 mph. However, these figures give you a feel for the capabilities of the Italia, but none of them give you a feel for the feel of the Italia. You can strap enough rockets to a brick to deliver similar figures, but the driving experience wouldn't be all that rewarding.

Precise throttle response, shift feel better than anything else we’ve driven, and steering feel that’s head and shoulders above the competition--this is a car that can make amateurs look like the pros.

Inside, the 458 Italia features an innovative driving environment with a new kind of steering wheel and dashboard that is the direct result of racing practice. Here, input from seven-times Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher--who was involved from the very start of the 458 Italia project--played a major part in the way the controls in the cabin are laid out.

Basically, most of the controls are clustered on the steering wheel where you can, in theory, reach them quickly. In day-to-day driving, however, the layout at times can be annoying.

Hcl launched two new tablet of Rs 7999 and onward.

2012-04-02T22:42:00.000-07:00

Now the HCL Infosystems,On Monday unveiled two tablet computers - HCL ME U1 and HCL MyEdu Tab. While HCL ME U1 has been introduced with a price of Rs 7,999, the HCL MyEdu Tab - K12 Version is priced at Rs 11,499.

The U1 tablet is powered with the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich Operating Software (OS). HCL claims that the tablet is equipped with 17 local ready to use applications. It has a 7 inch 800X480 pixel screen and a 1Ghz processor.

The tablet has a front camera and 512 MB RAM, with an internal memory of 4GB expandable to 32GB. HCL ME U1 also has a full USB, mini USB and a Micro SD card slot. The U1 also provides for Wi-fi connectivity.

On the other hand, the MyEduTab tablet is meant to cater to the needs of learners across schools and higher education institutions.

The MyEduTab- K12 Version's price includes the price of the device, content and a memory card while educational applications and NCERT books will be free. MyEduTab- Higher Education(HE) Version is priced at Rs. 9, 999.

Speaking on the launch, Gautam Advani, EVP & Head, Mobility, HCL Infosystems said, "The tablet market in India is growing at a rapid pace and the device is fast enriching consumer's lives by finding unique usages from a learning companion to a productivity enhancer."

The MyEduTab will be available on specifications similar to U1, which is also provided with integrated back up service with HCL Touch, a 24X7 one touch service facility.

Both tablets will be available in stores and for educational institutes in Delhi and across the country from April 2012 onwards.

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A review of Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

2012-03-21T21:04:00.003-07:00

A review of the new ferrari 599 GTB.
THE Ferrari sees a benchmark for the 599 GTB Fiorano. It sounds almost fanciful to set the performance of a genuine, mid-engined supercar as the target for a front-engined Grand Tourer.

The F40 may be almost 20 years old, but even by today’s standards the stripped-out, 1100kg, twin-turbo road-racer is stupendously quick. Fast Lane magazine stuck its test gear to one in the late ’80s and recorded 0 to 60mph in 3.9sec, 0-100 in 7.8 and 0-140 in 14 dead. Other independent tests reckoned it was a couple of tenths quicker to 60 and 100mph. Whatever, that’s a mighty challenge for a leather-trimmed, V12-engined GT weighing in at over 1700kg – that’s 55 per cent more.

Of course, it helps that the V12 nestled well back in the long nose of the 599 is derived from that of Ferrari’s most recent supercar, the Enzo. The naturally aspirated 6-litre unit delivers a claimed 611bhp (we’ll get the exact figure later on the dyno) and 448lb ft, which should test the traction of the rear tyres, though as with the 612 Scaglietti, their task is assisted by the fact that the car’s masses are configured to give a rearward weight bias.

This philosophy is key to the success of Ferrari’s latest front-engined cars. A weight distribution approaching that of a mid-engined car gives enhanced traction, while having the engine set back behind the front wheels and the bulk of the car’s other heavy components between the axles promotes an easy, natural handling balance. It works on both the 612 and 599, though Ferrari’s engineers have had to put a lot more effort into making the sportier, shorter-wheelbase 599 capable of deploying its 600bhp-plus with ease.

The 599’s fundamentals, based around the aluminium chassis technology shared by other current Ferraris, have been subject to an exquisite attention to detail, and the car also introduces such features as hyper-responsive ‘magnetorheological’ semi-active adaptive dampers, a bespoke ‘F1-Trac’ dynamic stability system and the quickest-shifting version of the F1 auto-clutch manual yet, appropriately dubbed F1-SuperFast. The result is a car that’s emphatically more advanced than the 550/575M Maranello it replaces.

Subjectively, it all works superbly – the 599 is our reigning Car of the Year – but can it really nail F40-matching figures? We’ll find out soon, because our latest encounter with Ferrari’s most potent production car ever (the Enzo is deemed a special series) starts at Millbrook. Like the 599 supplied for our Car of the Year contest, this example comes with the optional CCM (Carbon Ceramic Material) brake discs, the box for which has so far been ticked by all UK customers, and the F1-S gearbox – the traditional open-gate manual is expected to account for less than 10 per cent of sales worldwide.

When we put the 612 through our test programme earlier this year a couple of Ferrari staff from Italy were in attendance. It’s perhaps a measure of how important to Ferrari is the performance of the sportier Fiorano that staff writer Catchpole and myself are greeted at Millbrook by a phalanx of Ferrari personnel, six of them from Italy, clad in luminous red jackets. They’re here to ensure that the 599 is in fine fettle and to offer tips on getting the best out of it, which, as we shall see, prove rather useful.

We make camp on the southern loop of the mile straight and set to installing our VBOX test gear, only to find ourselves fitting it alongside Ferrari’s own. There’s a moment of VBOX envy when we realise that theirs is more up-to-date than ours, but this is quickly forgotten when we see that their dash-top display gives an instant readout of 0-100kph (62mph). This will save us having to download all our data there and then to check which is the best start technique – and there is some considerable technique involved, as test driver Michele Coughi Costantini demonstrates.

I belt myself into the passenger seat and Michele thumbs the big red start button. The starter motor whirrs at double speed before the huge V12 catches and booms into life. I smile. Yup, the resonant, deep-chested gargle of 12 cylinders sounds familiar; despite its squatter intake assembly and less freely curved exhaust manifolds, there’s no question that this engine is closely related to that in the Enzo.

We make a few steady 100mph runs to bring the 599’s vitals up to temperature. These involve tyre-warming zigzags that would impress Alonso, each steering input so obediently and immediately translated into a direction change that I’m slammed into alternate bolsters on my seat. Satisfied that all is primed, we line up with the simple perspective of the mile straight in front of us and Michele talks me through the start procedure.

This does not involve the button marked LC. Launch control is designed to save the clutch and transmission by spinning the rear tyres, which is spectacular but not fast. Instead the process is this: set the wheel-mounted ‘manettino’ switch to ‘race’ mode and then, with your left foot on the brake, select first with the ‘up’ paddle, then pull back and hold the ‘down’ paddle for a couple of seconds. There’s a beep which is the signal to mash the throttle. The revs build quickly but not as if the gearbox is in neutral, and as the tacho needle gets to 4000rpm you jump off the brake pedal.

I make a hash of my first attempt, releasing the brake too slowly without full throttle, which adds a tang of clutch lining to the cockpit ambience, but a few attempts later I make what feels satisfyingly like an optimum start. The 599 lunges off the line, weight transfer further loading the rear tyres so that they’re fully hooked up and driving all the V12’s furious, bellowing energy into the surface. Shoved hard into the backrest, all I need do now is summon the wit to pull on the upshift paddle for second gear just as the howling V12 swings close to 8000rpm, but without snagging the limiter. That done, I can enjoy the noise and seemingly undiminished urge that drives us through 100mph, and marvel at the speed and precision of the upshifts – they’re virtually seamless. We make an easy 160mph within the mile and top it with 170mph on the return run.

Interrogating our imperial-units VBOX, I find that the 599 is every bit as quick as it felt: 30mph comes up in a remarkable 1.5sec, 60 takes just 3.5sec and 100 is despatched in an equally awe- inspiring 7.4sec. Sure, at 14.3sec to 140mph the 599 is three-tenths adrift of the F40, but if they were lined up either side of the Christmas tree at Santa Pod, I wouldn’t know which to back. Not only that, checking back I discover that the 599 is as fast as the Enzo to 60mph and only four tenths behind at 100mph – heroic times given that it weighs hundreds of kilos more and has 40bhp less.

Other stand-out figures include an 11.6sec quarter-mile (at 128mph) and a set of third-gear times which show every 20mph increment from 40-60mph to 80-100mph takes no more than 2.0sec. On UK roads, it’s the overtaking gear of choice. Equally devastating is the 11.9sec 0-100-0 time, those massive carbon discs hauling the 599 down from 100mph to a standstill in less than 300ft and generating an average of 1.1g in the process.

There’s no question that the F1-SuperFast gearbox is a factor in the staggering acceleration times. Its fastest shift speed – a mere 100 milliseconds – compares with 150ms for the Enzo and 250ms for the 575. This time is measured from when the clutch begins to disengage to when it has fully re-engaged, and is what Ferrari calls the ‘acceleration gap’. It has been reduced to 100ms by slightly overlapping the disengagement and re-engagement of the clutch with the actual gear change (which takes a mere 40ms), the software anticipating the approaching parity in rotational speeds of the relevant shafts and gears.

Imagine the peachiest, near-synchro-beating manual shift you’ve ever made and you’re close. The lower-inertia twin-plate clutch helps, as do new gear-selector forks of pressed steel rather than cast iron, which again help to reduce inertia.

F1-SuperFast isn’t all about making the quickest shifts, though. The overall shift time varies according to engine load and throttle opening, which is a welcome development of this type of gearbox and why, on the road, it goes about its business more unobtrusively than most. Compare this with, say, BMW’s SMG system on the M6, where the driver selects the shift speed; in its fastest setting the SMG gearchange is nowhere near as smooth or rapid as F1-S, and you’re constantly changing it to suit your mood (or you simply plump for the middle setting). F1-S judges your mood from the way you’re using the throttle. The only odd thing about it is that from start-up it defaults to auto mode.

There’s little doubt the 599 is developing the quoted horsepower, but our next stop is the Dyno Dynamics rolling road at WRC Technologies, Silverstone. Lashed down, warmed up and driving hard in fourth gear, the Fiorano sounds terrifying and looks ready to leap off the rollers. All is not right, though. The first run peaks at no more than 570bhp and the next few are no better. Engine calibration engineer Giorgio Francomarco plugs in his laptop as the 599 roars on the dyno and confirms that nothing is amiss at the pointy end.

The little black crumbs peppering Kenny P, rather bravely installed at the rear of the test cell with his camera, suggest another reason. The rear P Zeros are getting so hot that they’re throwing off morsels of rubber and may actually be sticking to the rollers, increasing rolling resistance. A fresh, cool set is bolted on, and on the first run the graph shows peak power of 621bhp. Ferrari quotes 620 PS (611bhp) so that’s better than expected, but only by 1.6 per cent. Torque is up by a full 10 per cent on the quoted figure, though, peaking at 493lb ft rather than 448.

The softness of the tyres is interesting. Ferrari wouldn’t be the first company to get extra grip by specifying a soft compound. I ran a long-term Honda NSX back in the early ’90s that was lucky to see 5000 miles from a pair of rears, while the original-equipment semi-slicks on recent Mitsubishi Evos are similarly short-lived.

On the road, the 599 is infused with a satisfying tautness. It starts with the seat, which is deeply sculpted, firmly padded and perfectly aligned with the pedals and fat-rimmed steering wheel. The transmission controls the clutch more positively in manoeuvring than other F1 types, but just as smoothly; the throttle and brake have good weight and feel; the low-speed ride is firm but not crashy.

Right from the off, the V12 sounds glorious, and the ebb and flow of its complex, thunder-laden note when you press the throttle deeply in a high gear is epic. There’s a distinct pick-up in the delivery at 3000rpm and another at 5500, by which time you’re fast approaching three-figure speeds in fourth. The 599 merely feels like it’s getting into its stride, the ride having settled, wind and road noise subdued. Floor the throttle and it snaps forward instantly with a force that stuns passengers.

The work of the magnetorheological dampers goes largely unnoticed, which is as it should be. By applying a magnetic field, the viscosity of the fluid within them can be increased, firming them up in about a quarter of the time it takes for an adjustable-valve damper to react. Roll, pitch and squat are tempered by the system, yet the 599 feels quite natural through a series of curves. Through the seat of your pants it feels pretty much as heavy as the scales will later show it to be, yet it is a terrifically agile car.

Push hard through a sequence of corners and it changes tack more eagerly than, say, the mid-engined Lamborghini LP640, though personally I’d like a bit more weight at the wheel. Understeer can build if you’re a bit ambitious with your entry speed (it’s quite easy to arrive at a corner more quickly than you expect…) and this might be better telegraphed with a more distinct sensation of the steering shedding weight.

That said, the manettino’s default ‘sport’ setting feels perfectly judged for keen driving on dry roads. You can feel the back end hunker down under power mid-corner and the rear tyres edge towards slip at the exit, but the situation will escalate no further. The F1-Trac system subtly modulates the power, based on the inputs of various sensors, including some measuring front- and rear-wheel speed, which are fed into a dynamics model stored in the control system. For less favourable conditions there are the ‘ice’ and ‘low grip’ (read: wet road) settings, which make the dampers softer, while regular ASR takes over from F1-Trac, allowing less slip and activating individual brakes if necessary to maintain stability.

One notch above ‘sport’ is ‘race’, which is deemed suitable for track use only. It offers maximum shift speed and backs-off the stability and traction controls to permit larger degrees of slip, though in extremis there is still some tailoring of the trajectory based on the F1-Trac dynamics model. Reckon you can do better and a final twist of the manettino cuts out all stability and traction controls entirely, leaving you with only anti-lock brakes. Helpfully, a coloured bar at the top edge of the electronic screen to the left of the rev-counter indicates at a glance which mode is selected.

At the Bedford Autodrome we slip the Ferrari onto the scales. Ferrari quotes a kerb weight of 1688kg for a manual gearbox model. This car, with its F1 gearbox and optional carbon brakes (which save 13kg) settles at 1733kg, split 48/52 front/rear.

For the laps, I start with the race setting. I’ve got my own target time: 1:24.45, set by the fastest front-engine/rear-drive car we’ve yet tried, the 505bhp, 1400kg Corvette Z06. Many powerful cars feel strangely slow out on the wide, flat West Circuit, but not the Fiorano. Glimpsing the odd moment of 8000rpm acceleration on the road is a huge thrill to be savoured. Keening the V12 to within an ace of the limiter for three laps is veering towards sensory overload.

Race mode certainly allows you some freedom of expression when cornering, yet once acclimatised to the phenomenal pace of the 599 it becomes apparent that there is a definite style to be adopted for the quickest lap. As on the mile straight, the aim has to be to keep the rear tyres hooked up so that you’re using all of the engine’s power to drive forward rather than daub the track with black lines.

This is fine through the simple, medium-speed corners, but through the scary-fast second part of the Palmer Curves, understeer dominates, and wrestling the car into oversteer doesn’t feel (or prove) any faster. Also, at the exit of the fast corners at the end of the lap, the Fiorano is poised under power until the very last, and then swings further, as if its tyres have just got too hot. Happily, in race mode F1-Trac intervenes whenever there is excess like this, stopping it going any further, but without slowing the car as ASR tends to.

Exactly what F1-Trac is doing across the lap becomes apparent when I twist the mannetino and take full control, and responsibility, for the last couple of laps. It’s mighty difficult to be as hard on the power quite so early in the corners without the rear tyres then spinning up towards the exit. On the plus side, it’s huge fun to balance the 599 in a heroic oversteer slide, calmly winding the lock on and off. On the downside, you know that you’re wasting time, and the VBOX shows it – around a second is lost to the best time in ‘race’.

We’re under the Z06’s time, but I reckon there’s more to come, because the carbon brakes don’t have the bite they did on the mile straight. Normally we’d make the best of what we’ve been given, but with six Ferrari staff on hand, we can get close to a perfect car. So we grab a coffee while a new set of pads is fitted, along with a pair of the optional 20in rims for the front to see if they give less understeer through the Palmer Curves.

‘The fastest drivers go slightly quicker with all the systems turned off,’ says vehicle engineer Martino Cavanna, mildly. I don’t think it’s going to work for me, and with a few clean laps in the refreshed car (with only a very slight reduction in the understeer), I consider we’ve given the Fiorano a good shot. I’m happy with the best lap of 1:23.10 – that puts it ahead of the Z06, F430, 911 GT3 RS and Ascari KZ1. However, it transpires that the Ferrari boys had their own target and they’re disappointed that I haven’t been able to beat the time of the four-wheel-drive Lamborghini Gallardo (1:22.80).

I don’t think that really matters. The 599 GTB is an extraordinarily accomplished car: five hours at the wheel, from Maranello to Castellane for our recent Car of the Year contest, proved its GT credentials, and here it has shown that its all-out performance is a match for the F40. That’s amazing given how much heavier it is, but then it does have one of the best engines in the world… that just happens to be paired with the most impressive paddle-shift manual we’ve ever tried.

Simply put, there isn’t another GT that comes close to matching the exceptional breadth of the 599 GTB’s ability, nor the richness of the experience. It will be some machine that topples it from its position as the world’s greatest GT.

Now Intex & Zync launch low-cost tablets...

2012-03-21T05:30:00.001-07:00

Two Indian companies engaged in making computer peripherals and commodity trading launched tablet personal computers or tablets at a fraction of the cost of an iPad.
Zync launched the cheapest Android Ice Cream Sandwich seven-inch tablet at Rs 8,990 while Intex Technologies launched i-Tab, an eight-inch Android tablet priced at Rs 11,900.
The i-Tab comes bundled with a 3G data card and a LAN adaptor. The i-Tab has a capacitive touch screen, in-built Wi-Fi and GPS software supported by Google Maps, memory capacity of 8GB expandable up to 32 GB and a battery back up of 5-6 hours.

Intex is targeting college going youth and housewives for selling this tablet. Intex will expand its tablet portfolio with in-built 3G in larger screen models.
In comparison, Zync has a high resolution screen, 4GB in-built memory expandable to 32 GB. It is lighter than the i-Tab at 380 gms and scores over it with an additional HDMI port.

Zync Z-990 can be purchased on various e-commerce websites. An attached keyboard especially designed for the Zync tablets is also available at a very affordable price.

Reliance launched the first CDMA tablet in india.

2012-03-12T10:29:00.000-07:00

The Reliance Communications has come up with a new tablet – the Reliance CDMA Tab – which is claimed to be India's first CDMA tablet.

The tablet has amazing fitures with the CDMA, It come swith a 7” capacitive touch screen, and runs Android 2.3 OS. Weighing 397g, the tablet sports a 2 megapixel rear camera and a front camera. The device has 512 MB RAM and a micro SD card slot. The Reliance CDMA Tab comes with a free 4GB SD card, which can be upgraded to 32 GB.

Other features include Mobile TV, voice calling, GPS and video recording etc.

The tablet is claimed to be supported by Reliance's CDMA network across 22 circles in over 1000 towns in the country.

The device is priced at Rs 12,999. Further, it comes bundled with monthly and annual data plans.

The Reliance CDMA Tab is claimed to come pre-loaded with 15 popular applications to provide information services (browsing, navigation maps and search), communication services (email, blog, SMS, and MMS), entertainment services (music, video, and games), and social networking services (Facebook).

Happy holi........

2012-03-08T02:24:00.003-08:00

Happy holi, this is the festival of smile and enjoy ness of our life. So enjoy holi and keep playing.

Lets something know about history of holi.

Holi is an ancient festival of India and was originally known as 'Holika'. The festivals finds a detailed description in early religious works such as Jaimini's Purvamimamsa-Sutras and Kathaka-Grhya-Sutras. Historians also believe that Holi was celebrated by all Aryans but more so in the Eastern part of India.

It is said that Holi existed several centuries before Christ. However, the meaning of the festival is believed to have changed over the years. Earlier it was a special rite performed by married women for the happiness and well-being of their families and the full moon (Raka) was worshiped.

Calculating the Day of Holi

There are two ways of reckoning a lunar month- 'purnimanta' and 'amanta'. In the former, the first day starts after the full moon; and in the latter, after the new moon. Though the amanta reckoning is more common now, the purnimanta was very much in vogue in the earlier days.

According to this purnimanta reckoning, Phalguna purnima was the last day of the year and the new year heralding the Vasanta-ritu (with spring starting from next day). Thus the full moon festival of Holika gradually became a festival of merrymaking, announcing the commencement of the spring season. This perhaps explains the other names of this festival - Vasanta-Mahotsava and Kama-Mahotsava.

Reference in Ancient Texts and Inscriptions

Besides having a detailed description in the Vedas and Puranas such as Narad Purana and Bhavishya Purana, the festival of Holi finds a mention in Jaimini Mimansa. A stone incription belonging to 300 BC found at Ramgarh in the province of Vindhya has mention of Holikotsav on it. King Harsha, too has mentioned about holikotsav in his work Ratnavali that was written during the 7th century.

The famous Muslim tourist - Ulbaruni too has mentioned about holikotsav in his historical memories. Other Muslim writers of that period have mentioned, that holikotsav were not only celebrated by the Hindus but also by the Muslims.

Reference in Ancient Paintings and Murals

The festival of Holi also finds a reference in the sculptures on walls of old temples. A 16th century panel sculpted in a temple at Hampi, capital of Vijayanagar, shows a joyous scene of Holi. The painting depicts a Prince and his Princess standing amidst maids waiting with syringes or pichkaris to drench the Royal couple in coloured water.

A 16th century Ahmednagar painting is on the theme of Vasanta Ragini - spring song or music. It shows a royal couple sitting on a grand swing, while maidens are playing music and spraying colors with pichkaris.

There are a lot of other paintings and murals in the temples of medieval India which provide a pictoral description of Holi. For instance, a Mewar painting (circa 1755) shows the Maharana with his courtiers. While the ruler is bestowing gifts on some people, a merry dance is on, and in the center is a tank filled with colored water. Also, a Bundi miniature shows a king seated on a tusker and from a balcony above some damsels are showering gulal (colored powders) on him.

Legends and Mythology

In some parts of India, specially in Bengal and Orissa, Holi Purnima is also celebrated as the birthday of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (A.D. 1486-1533). However, the literal meaning of the word 'Holi' is 'burning'. There are various legends to explain the meaning of this word, most prominent of all is the legend associated with demon king Hiranyakashyap.

Hiranyakashyap wanted everybody in his kingdom to worship only him but to his great disappointment, his son, Prahlad became an ardent devotee of Lord Naarayana. Hiaranyakashyap commanded his sister, Holika to enter a blazing fire with Prahlad in her lap. Holika had a boon whereby she could enter fire without any damage on herself. However, she was not aware that the boon worked only when she enters the fire alone. As a result she paid a price for her sinister desires, while Prahlad was saved by the grace of the god for his extreme devotion. The festival, therefore, celebrates the victory of good over evil and also the triumph of devotion.

Legend of Lord Krishna is also associated with play with colors as the Lord started the tradition of play with colours by applying colour on his beloved Radha and other gopis. Gradually, the play gained popularity with the people and became a tradition.

There are also a few other legends associated with the festival - like the legend of Shiva and Kaamadeva and those of Ogress Dhundhi and Pootana. All depict triumph of good over evil - lending a philosophy to the festival.

Now audi redesign the A3 and launch it.

2012-03-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

Audi redesign the A3. it is bestowed with real strong high-torque two-liter TDI Clubsport Quattro engine of 165 kW (224 bhp) and 450 Nm of torque that has an amazing speed, this crosses 100 km in just 6.6 seconds, and the peak speed can go approx 240 km/hour. The upcoming Audi A3 has got ravishing presence, it is a three door model car with Ibis white roof and hood is integrated with the white and red combination that makes it wow in the looks. Rear wings are affixed in it that turns its look as some motor racing car, the bolted wheels of the exclusive Audi A3 stands it out of the crowd setting its own standard and a class. Front look of the car becomes an honest fascinating with its wider single frame grille with sturts in high gloss black and a large bumper.

As the interior look is concerned Audi A3 has a pure sporty and high class material inside, beam of the car is stripped with the logo “TDI Power” that fascinates anyone towards it, its cockpit is with various highlights, seats adjust automatically, door panels and floor mat are in all new design that adds overall comfort and impression to the exclusive Audi A3, the air vents are positioned at multiple places in a jet design to promote comfort and looks, the rear seats are made of foam which makes it much spacious, individual and luxurious, open selector gates in aluminium are really dynamic in looks in order to give it a feel of complete sports car. Audi A3 has an elegant steering wheel along with the flat bottom, central console is designed with leather trimmed struts and stylish buttons over to give it sporty glance inside. To manage the navigation and entertainment a monitor has been attached on the above and control panel is kept similar to company's ex-launched Audi R8 super car. Door handles of the Audi A3 are very less in weight as these are made concave that increases the smoothness and comfort while holding. The complete new Audi A3 has six piston brake calipers and creamic brakes discs at the front, Audi magnetic ride technology for dampers helps rider to maintain a super speed with amazing control in any of the riding situation. So the exclusive Audi A3 is going to be a great deal for the sports car lovers in India.

Keeping in line with current styling trends, the new A3 sports minimized headlights, larger front vents and a more aggressively styled front end. The car looks to have more pronounced character lines across the door, giving the restyled A3 a sense of speed and motion, even while standing still.

Inside, Audi’s MMI controller interface has been redesigned to be smaller. The system will focus on the touchwheel, which combines the touchpad functionality of the A6 and A6 with the scroll wheel currently used on the A3. The new system will allow users to write characters with finger motions.

Two rocker switches will be used to control operation of the telephone, navigation, media and radio settings. Softkeys located next to the touchwheel can be used to scroll through available menus, which are depicted using the industry’s first 3D graphics.

An option called “Audi Phone Box” will help to boost phone connectivity but doesn’t (yet) provide contactless charging of mobile phones. A heads-up display will also be an available option, and future upgrades call for the system to show the direction of the road over the crest of a hill as well as the distance to the car in front of you.

If there’s bad news for driving enthusiasts, it’s this: Audi has replaced the A3’s traditional handbrake with an electromagnetic parking brake. In other words, you’ll need to perfect your “Scandinavian flick” technique instead of relying on the parking brake to initiate tail-out cornering.

Lamborghini launch a new car The Lamborghini Aventador J.

2012-03-06T06:55:00.000-08:00

Lamborghini launch a new car The Lamborghini Aventador J. it is one of the most extreme speed demons ever built--and not surprisingly, it sold quickly.

The roofless, V12-powered supercar fetched about $2.8 million, or about 2.1 million euros at current exchange rates, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said on Tuesday at the Geneva motor show. That doesn't include value-added taxes, he said.

A Lamborghini spokesperson declined to reveal the identity of the buyer.

The Aventador J summons the spirit of the 1970 Jota, a one-off version of the Miura. Like that car, the Aventador J is also a one-off, though it does offer an idea of the appearance of potential a roadster version of the Aventador

.

The Aventador J packs 691 hp from the same 6.5-liter engine as its fixed-roof, serially produced sibling and is clad in a shade called Rosso Red. It makes extensive use of carbon fiber, including a patented material called "carbon skin" for the interior. The car is so extreme that the driver must wear a helmet, though the car can be registered for road use, Lamborghini says.

Meanwhile, the Aventador is off to a brisk sales pace, Winkelmann said. The supercar has an order-bank list of 18 months, and its launch in the second half of 2011 helped propel Lamborghini to sales of about 1,600 cars last year around the world, an increase of 23 percent.

Additionally, Winkelmann hinted that another vehicle, expected to be an SUV, would join the Gallardo and the Aventador in the Lambo lineup.

"We might have in the future a third model," he teased in Geneva.

After the Lamborghini Aventador J Speedster has been teased, leaked and then previewed just a day before its official debut, the car company has finally presented to the public the newest supercar in its lineup. According to the automaker, the Lamborghini Aventador J Speedster is the most uncompromising super sports car ever made by the brand, with the model not having any windscreen and being able to achieve speeds of more than 300 km/h (186 mph).

The Lamborghini Aventador J Speedstaer is 4,890 mm long, 2,030 mm wide and 1,110 mm tall, being the lowest model that Lamborghini has ever made. Power to the latest Italian creation is coming from the 6.5 liter V12 engine, just like initial rumors were saying, which is developing a total output of 690 BHP and having a peak torque of 690 Nm (509 lb-ft). The engine is mated to the Lamborghini Independent Shifting Rod (ISR) transmission which is sending power to a permanent all-wheel drive system. Lamborghini says that the Aventador J Speedster has already been sold out, even if the price of one unit has been set at 2.2 million euros.

Hide your private web from GOOGLE.

2012-02-29T13:18:00.001-08:00

Google’s new privacy policy comes into operation. Now most of us probably didn’t read the first draft when we signed up for Gmail. But it’s time that we read Google’s new privacy policy, partly because we use a number of Google products ranging from search to mail to Chrome to YouTube, and mostly because the policy aims at collecting information about Google users and is across its products. You can view the entire policy for your Google account by clicking on this link.

Microsoft which is on the war path with Google has already launched a complaint with EU regulators against Google’s new social networking site, Google +. This is probably because Google’s new search

policy means that links which get a plus are likely to feature more prominently in search results. For example if your friend clicked plus on a link it’s likely to feature in your results since Google + is now an integral part of search. The Google-advertiser nexus, is also quite annoying for the average Gmail user. But what is clear is that information you give to Google profile is riddled with privacy loopholes.

For those who are really paranoid about how Google is using your information, there is the option of going off the grid, which is basically, press delete, delete as many times as possible, then swear you’ll never use Google search, or YouTube again. And while you’re frantically deleting your Internet history, don’t forget to flush your Android down the toilet.

Google privacy policy is going to change tom. AP

For the rest of us who wish to use Google without giving out information that we don’t want to, here are two steps you can take.PC World has a detailed post on how to take your privacy a bit more seriously.

First and foremost go to your Google account settings and disable your web search history. For detailed steps on how to go about doing this, click on this link from eff.org.

It’s probably the most important step you can take to ensure that you what search for online doesn’t stay with Google. It might seem trivial that Google is collecting your search data, but it matters because it reveals a lot about user interests, preferences, political orientations, etc. Some of this might not be information you want to share with the world and it’s perfectly legitimate to regulate this.

The other big major step to take is go to the Google.com/dashboard. You can log with your account and see all the information that Google has related to your account, which is linked to all the products you use. The dashboard will let you change your privacy settings for each Google product. If you’ve never used this before you might see that nearly everything you put out is public and it’s probably best to change that option.

Yes Google has informed us well in advance of the change in it’s privacy policy. The policy is obviously going to be subject to some serious scrutiny in the coming days, but as users we can control to some extent what information is going out publicly.

Ford launched the automatic variant six-speed dual clutch fiesta.

2012-02-29T04:13:00.002-08:00

Mated to a six-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, the new Ford Fiesta AT priced at Rs 8.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for its basic 'Style' variant and Rs 9.70 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the high-end 'Titanium +' trim, should make for an even more driver-friendly compact sedan with better fuel efficiency credentials than all of its current competition.

As its chairman Bill Ford predicted in Barcelona that fully-computerised cars would drive mobility by the turn of this decade, Ford India on Tuesday took the first step in that direction by launching a gearless automatic version of its premium sedan Fiesta in India.

With a price tag

ranging from Rs 8.99 lakh to Rs 9.70 lakh (ex showroom Delhi),

the Fiesta automatic will attempt at
creating a demand for an effortless and user-friendly urban sedan, a category that has remained nascent despite every competitor having a car in that space.

"The new automatic variant will further open up this segment," said Michael Boneham, president and MD, Ford India. "It comes with a very affordable pricing and better fuel efficiency than the manual one."

Fiesta was the first car to be launched as part of Ford's plans to bring in 8 new cars in India by 2015. The second in this series would be the mini SUV EcoSport that would be launched by the end of this year.

"The demand for automatic cars would grow because it is very relevant in today's traffic-congested urban commuting lifestyle," said Boneham.

India's growing C-segment of passenger cars has seen the increasing presence of an automatic gearbox variant across multiple models and manufacturers, and while the acute pricing for these AT sedans has inevitably kept them at the top of the upper trim level pyramid, the joy of driving one as compared a manual has been less than satisfactory.

Just like its arch rivals Volkswagen, Honda and now Hyundai, Ford has now introduced an automatic version of its internationally acclaimed Ford Fiesta model in India. However, what you see here isn't some old 4-speed tranny, but Ford's very own 6-speed dual clutch auto box with its patented PowerShift technology.

Weighing just 73 kilos, this gearbox has been designed to work with engines producing a maximum of 250Nm of torque and hence is said to be far more efficient and smooth compared to any other auto box currently on offer in this pedigree of vehicles.

What's more is that the Fiesta automatic also gets a feature called grade assist that intelligently selects lower gears while ascending or downshifts and uses engine braking while going downhill, a function that can be turned on or off by pushing a button next to the gear lever.

Speaking at the launch of the Fiesta PowerShift Automatic, Michael Boneham, President and Managing Director of Ford India, said "The all-new Fiesta Powershift Automatic really opens up the segment by making the aspirational become achievable.

With class-leading features like voice-control with Bluetooth, cruise control and rear-parking sensors, it offers our customers the next level of comfort and convenience."

Currently being offered only with the 1.5-litre Ti-Vct petrol engine that produces 109PS @ 6,045rpm and 140Nm@ 4500rpm, Ford claims its intelligent AT box needs no maintenance and comes with a life expectancy of 2,40,000km or 10 years whichever is earlier.

Ferrari is going to lunch a new car in 2013 the Ferrari F620 GT

2012-02-26T10:38:00.000-08:00

A new Prancing Horse is coming from Ferrari and this new super exotic has 740 horses on tap. The image show how could be the new Ferrari 2013 Ferrari F620 GT.

Underneath the hood is 6.3 liter V12 and the car is controlled by a seven speed dual clutch transmission.

The car contain 6.3-liter V12 at 740 hp and 690 lb-ft of torque, with an 8,700-rpm redline. The 0-to-60-mph time is expected to be 3.1 seconds, and the run from zero to 100 mph will take 8.3 seconds.

you ask me this new Ferrari takes on influences from the new FF in the front. Is this necessarily a good thing though? Why would Ferrari not give a car of this stature in it's lineup a more unique look?

Don't get me wrong the FF is one beautiful automobile but I think I would have liked to see the new F620 GT have its own identity.

Look for the new 2013 Ferrari F620 GT to be launched at the Geneva Motor Show.

And I hope you also like it.

A review Aakash tablet pc...

2012-02-21T10:43:00.000-08:00

A British firm has developed the world's least expensive computer tablet for wireless Internet access, costing a mere £22.

In a move that it likely to send shivers down the spines of executives at the likes of Sony and Apple, Datawind Ltd hopes to supply a market of billions when the Aakash computer tablet is released later this month i hope.

An earlier version of the Aakash (Hindi for 'Heaven') was launched last year - under an IT programme sponsored by the Indian government. Datawind produced 100,000 tablets for Indian students.

Affordable alternative: The Datawind Aashkash tablet, at £22, is cheaper than its nearest rival - the Apple iPad - by at least of £300

The newer version has more features but is still priced at around $US35.

Suneet Singh Tuli, Datawind's chief executive officer, said: 'We have already received over three million individual hand users pre-booking on this.'

The company said it was not planning to take on the big tablet producers but provide internet access to people who fall through an 'affordability' gap in the market.

The closest competing device to the Aakash is Apple's iPad, which sells for £330 or more.

Filling the gap: Datawind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli said the Aakash would provide affordable internet access to four billion users around the world

With a difference in price of a staggering £300, the Aakash is clearly for emerging nations and institutions with tight budgets, places such as schools and hospitals, that would find a £300-per-tablet price prohibitive.

Mr Singh said: 'iPad people have laptops and computers and want multimedia devices for more mobility.'

Low-income people in underdeveloped countries are 'looking for their first device' to gain access to the world-wide web.

World-wide mobile phone use has grown to almost six billion, while the number of Internet subscribers was at two billion.

'The most important thing is the price. And within that price, [customers] primarily want to get Internet access, want to have good multimedia... and then basic applications'

- Datawind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli

Yet Mr Singh suggests there's a further four billion people who want wireless internet access but cannot afford it.

In India, for example, an estimated eight per cent of 1.2 billion population is connected to the Internet.

Internet giant Google predicted in September that the number of India's Internet users could triple in three years if they were offered easier wireless access and more affordable smartphones.

Datawind clearly hopes that Aakash will be tablet that provides that affordable alternative.

But there are drawbacks to providing such a cheap platform - critics have complained of Aakash having a dim screen, brief battery life and slow response time.

But Mr Singh said that was an unfair assessment of a product that did not pretend to be a high-end tablet.

He said: 'The most important thing is the price. And within that price, [customers] primarily want to get Internet access, want to have good multimedia... and then basic applications.

'Right now we are alone because nobody wants to focus on that market. The biggest players don't want to make devices at that level because it impacts their legacy products.'