Jaguar, a British automaker is all set to make the Indian roads sizzle with luxury, and its market launch is due shortly, likely in the month of December 2011. The Jaguar XF facelift was spotted at JLR Mumbai Showroom during Evoque introduction. Currently, the company is providing a discount of upto Rs. 5 lakhs on the all new XF. It basically combines modern sportscar dynamics and styling with comfort and refined performance of luxury sedan. The Jaguar XF facelift has been redesigned with a little change in the eyes, new nose and a revised tail. One of the most important features on this model is the AJ-i4D 2.2 liter turbodiesel engine, which is equipped with water cooled turbocharger and low friction pistons for increasing efficiency. The 3.0 liter massive V6 engine generates 274 horsepower, while the 5.0 liter brawny V8 petrol powertrain churns out impressive 380 horsepower.

The Jaguar XF 2.2 liter engine is considered to be the most economical and fuel efficient engines, which generates 188 horsepower. The Jaguar XF facelift offers luxury,style and performance of XF with host of interior upgrades to choose from. Streamlined front wings with resculpted bonnet and redesigned air vents generate more dynamic contours for XF. On the other hand, the sleeker headlight units offer more assertive look. The HID bi-function xenon headlights come with Adaptive Technology allowing the beam to bend in direction with a steering. The 3.0 liter diesel trim level of XF will be available for the price of Rs. 64.22 lakhs, which is 1.5 lakh less as compared to earlier price. The top of the line 5.0 liter V8 variant is available for Rs. 81.88 lakhs, which is Rs. 3 lakh more than its previous price tag. The redesigned XF is designed and engineered to compete with other premium luxury sedans such as Mercedes Benz, Audi and BMW.

Skoda India is gearing up to its much-awaited Rapid sedan on 16th of November, which will be available in three trim levels; these include Skoda Rapid Active, Skoda Rapid Elegance and Skoda Rapid Ambition. The Rapid is an affordably priced sedan and is also priced competitively under the Volkswagen Vento price for its base trim level starts at Rs. 6.99 lakhs and Volkswagen Vento sedan at approximately Rs. 6.5 lakhs for base variant. With availability of diesel and petrol engines and affordable price, the Rapid is expected to provide stiff competition against Fiat Linea, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Sunny, Hyundai Verna, Volkswagen Vento and Honda City in C category saloons.

The base Active trim level comes equipped with plenty of attractive features such as 14 inch steel wheels, engine immobilizer for additional safety, rear and front power windows, front center armrest for additional comfort, telescopic and tilt power steering, height adjustable front seat belts for passenger safety and rear windscreen defogger. The mid trim level of Rapid, the Ambition gets all the equipments and features of Active variant plus safety measures, central locking system, antilock braking system, rear and front foglamps and driver airbags.

Skoda India has also added plenty of high end features for passenger comfort such as rear armrest, height adjustable driver seat and rear reading light. Also standard are body colored door handles and rearview side mirrors. The high performance Elegance trim level adds 15 inch alloy wheels along with plethora of entertainment and comfort features such as onboard computer, electronically adjustable outside rearview mirrors, CD-MP3 player with rear and front speakers, dual front airbags and automatically controlled climate system for balanced regulation of in-car temperature.

The key modifications to Skoda Rapid include new bonnet, mildly altered chin and new fenders. The cabin inside is similar to that of Volkswagen counterpart apart from its stereo system, Skoda family steering column, gearlever and instrument panel. The stereo system with huge knobs and buttons is clearly Skoda, while buttons, climate control and vents come from Volkswagen. Its 1.6 liter engine generates 105 horsepower with 25.5kgm of torque. Now all the Rapid needs to be a success is the competitive price tag.

The five-doored Range Rover Evoque, is not only sleek and striking, but also convenient and practical.

A combination of great engineering and dynamic handling along with advanced technology helps the vehicle deliver an exciting performance at the same time with lowest fuel usage till date for any Range Rover. The optional eD4 2WD Diesel variant further optimizes fuel economy.

What is the biggest attracting feature to a car owner? The answer is being able to customize the vehicle he drives, exactly in accordance with his own tastes. The Range Rover Evoque gives the customer to do just that, coming to you in a tempting range of colours, luxury designs and finishes; they have based their designs on 3 distinctly different themes:

• Pure: This can be defined as the purest expression for concept cars in the luxury segment.
• Prestige: The tagline that is being used for this range is that this is going to be the ultimate luxury provider.
• Dynamic: For the adventurous minded people, this car sports a more of a sports-oriented look. The Dynamic will be available in both petrol and diesel versions. The petrol version of the Evoque will be a three doored one.

Exteriors:

The Range Rover Evoque commands a magnetic presence through its dynamic profiling, muscular shoulders and its dramatically rising beltline. The vehicle can be personalized across three distinct themes of design – Pure, Dynamic and Prestige. Wide range of technological options ranging from Xenon headlamps, rear cameras, LED and an optional fully panoramic roofing have been included. A sparkling silver alloy wheel of 17 inches is made available in the standard model.

Interiors:

The Range Rover Evoque comes with a diverse choice of interior themes that will allow you to customize the vehicle in accordance with your own tastes. A wide range of aesthetically crafted interior finishers, each having distinctive design and character, is offered. The Range Rover Evoque’s signature display and control interface includes centrally located 8-inch Touch-screen for great communication and entertainment. A subtle interior lighting makes driving, both in daytime and night, a pleasant experience. Excellent comfort ameneties have also been provided for the passengers in the Range Rover Evoque.

The Engine:

The diesel variant has introduced the lightest engine ever built, a 2.2-litre, 150PS eD4; which has been engineered to deliver a quieter and refined performance. It accelerates to 100 kmph in 11.2 seconds touching a top speed of 180 kmph. The fuel economy is unbelievable, 47.1 mpg in cities peaking to 62.8 mpg in the highways. The emission levels too are very low.

Driving Experience:

The six-speed automatic transmission has been standardized in the petrol model and kept optional in the diesel variant. This features an advanced gearshift named Drive Select, which rises up to handshaking distance from the driver once the engine is ignited. Paddle shift controls also help, if one is interested to manually change gears.

Enhanced suspension performance combined with steering technology results in deliverance of an improved on-road ride with dynamic handling.

Safety Features:

The Range Rover Evoque has been equipped with the latest technology to provide enhanced active as well as passive safety. A very high in strength safety cell, together with advanced restraining systems and airbags offer the driver as well as the passengers with exceptional levels of safety. The very powerful disc brakes have been further complemented with electronic safety systems. Advances  along with stability enables enhanced performance as well as safety in diverse driving scenarios.

Price:

All these wonderful features of the Evoque will not come cheap. You’ll have to shell out more than a few bucks to ride on the Land Rover brand. The price of the Pure is slated to be the lowest at Rs.44.75 lacs (ex-showroom Mumbai), while the price of the other three versions will be upwards of Rs.45 lacs. On road price of the vehicle in Mumbai will be somewhere around Rs.75 Lacs.

Bentley Motors Ltd.; which boasts of a customer base that includes Queen Elizabeth II as well as the Sultan of Brunei; is expected to expand its lineup by coming up with a new sports-utility vehicle in order to fulfill their appetite of having bigger luxury models. This was disclosed by two very revered sources in the auto market.

The CEO of Bentley Wolfgang Duerheimer, who during his tenure as the development chief in Porsche took charge of pushing the sports-car manufacturers into the SUV segment in 2002, now wants that the 92 years old British car manufacturer create an off-road model. He has already started discussions on this line with executives of the parent Volkswagen AG; qouted sources on the condition of anonymity as they were disclosing a very private matter.

Bentley, which has curved a branding as a manufacturer of lucurious, large sedans, wants to breaks out of this stereotyped image and hence has ideas open for expanding, feel analysts. They also point out that Bentley would be able to get a pricing of around 120,000 euros for their SUV, as they might have been able to identify the prospective lists of customers who are willing to shell out such huge amounts for a luxury SUV.

Porsche AG, which had been renowned across the world for its expertise in manufacturing sports cars, depends these days on the SUV Cayenne for 50% of its fleet volume and is on lines to introduce a secon vehicle in this segment.

Even Jaguar Land Rover is visualizing a cross over vehicle whereas Aston Martin has not ruled out launching a vehicle in the SUV segment too.

With a growing market in Asia for the SUV segment of vehicles, China being regarded as the most growing market in this segment, it has seen the launch of the vehicle by most automakers in this market.

Bentley Motors Ltd. does not seem to be towing a different line either, they also want to have their presence felt in the Cinese market. Also, with the market dynamics of China being vey much similar to the Indian market, it is a matter of time that Bentley also decides to explore the emerging market in India as well.

As per trade reports based on the initial bookings, it seems that the Mahindra XUV500 is scoring big with the buyers in the market. With more than 8,000 vehicles booked within the first week of launch, Mahindra was forced to stop accepting fresh orders for quite some time. The reason for its popularity seems to be the notion that it is a better value for money compared to the more expensive SUVs. This article attempts to find out whether the Mahindra XUV500 has in it the capability to challenge a bigger, more powerful SUV like Ford Endeavour 4X2AT.

Driving and Handling:

The Mahindra XUV500 is much smaller than the Ford Endeavour, but at the same time, it is lighter consequently more agile than the latter. The Mahindra XUV500 is powered by 2.2 litre common-rail diesel engines that get a power of 140 bhp and a torque of 330 Nm; this mated to front wheel driving by six-speed manual transmission.

In comparison, the Endeavour has a 3-litre diesel engine with power of 155 bhp and 380Nm torque with five-speed automatic transmission. Though the Mahindra XUV500 has lesser power, it feels faster. The XUV feels lesser body roll at corners and its braking is better too. However, the Endeavour is equipped to handle rougher patches of road better.

Verdict: In aspects of driving and handling, the Mahindra XUV500 scores better.

Looks:

The Ford Endeavour is a traditional well-built SUV with full body-on-frame construction and straightforward lines. There is an aggressiveness in the design and higher ground clearance inculcates an aggressive stance too. The Mahindra XUV500 thought compact in design relies mostly on design cues for aggression. Fitments and finishing is good enough in the XUV and both feel luxurious inside.

Verdict: Looks being subjective to judge, this aspect is best left to consumers to decide upon, based on their individual preferences.

Space and Comfort:

The Ford Endeavour scores significantly over the Mahindra XUV500 in the spacing criteria. In the Indian SUV segment, the Endeavour, at 5 meters plus length, is the longest; which means better legroom across three rows, with enough luggage space. The XUV’s first two rows are quite comfortable and spacious, but its third row is very cramped and when all three rows are in use, luggage space becomes non-existent. The independent all-wheel suspension of the XUV provides superb highway comfort and handling. However, on bends, the XUV discomforts rear passengers, which the Endeavour does not.

Verdict: The Endeavour is more spacious and slightly more comfortable than the XUV 500.

Features: The Mahindra XUV500 far exceeds the Ford Endeavour in terms of features available. The W8 variant has all-round-disc brakes, six air bags; and loaded with much more safety features than the Ford Endeavour. Again, when one talks about the features of convenience, the XUV500 with its chilled storage box, touch-screen-navigation system, Bluetooth, voice commands and the likes are certain features it has in add on over the Endeavour.

Verdict: The Mahindra XUV500 is a clear winner in this criterion.

Price, Mileage and overall monetary value: The range of features the Mahindra XUV500 offers could make it face a much higher pricing than it has been actually priced at. At Rs.11.95 lakh, it is cheaper by Rs.6.3 lakh from the Endeavour which costs Rs.18.29 lakh.

The Mahindra XUV500 has higher mileage too. Endeavour claims a mileage of 10.7kmpl whereas XUV500 claimed 15.1kmpl.

Verdict: Based on the above criteria, the Mahindra XUV500 offers much better return for money compared to the Endeavour.

The Final Verdict: The Endeavour, a traditional old-school SUV, is more spacious and comfortable; also being automatic, it satisfies the needs of driving with ease. The Mahindra XUV500 would seem a good deal, for its car-like handling, features offered as well as in terms of savings.

Tata Indigo is Tata’s second best seller car, following the Tata Indica. It was first introduced in 2002, as Indica’s sedan version.

The Tata Indigo eCS VX, is the shortest sedan, having maximum length for hatchbacks; but looks and spacing wises matches a full grown sedan. It is available both in options of petrol and diesel engines.

The diesel variant has a 16 valve, Common Rail CR4, DOHC engine whereas the petrol version has MPFI engine equipped with 32-bit microprocessor. The diesel engine achieves max torque of 140 Nm between 1800-3000 rpm, thereby making it an economical car. The car has capability of delivering 25kmpl mileage and as per ARAI that makes it, India’s most fuel-efficient sedan.

Tata Indigo eCS VX:

This model is the highest variant in the category of Tata Indigo eCS VX IV Series. The car gets its power from a 16 valve, Common Rail CR4, DOHC engine fuelled by diesel and has incorporated the below-mentioned features:

• Anti-lock Braking System
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Alloy wheels
• Keyless entry
• Modern Central Console
• Rear Arm Rest

Specifications:

• The car is fitted with manual transmission.
• The engine has 2 cylinders, 8 valves and is of 1396 cc.
• The mileage in the city and in the highways is 22klmpl and 25kmpl respectively.
• The peak power achieved at 4000 rpm is 70 PS.
• It comes with standard power steering and standard central locking.

Color Variants: The vehicle is available in seven different colors which are:

• Mint White
• Arctic Silver
• Cosmic Blue
• Scarlet Red
• Mica Grey
• Sparkling Gold
• Carbon Black

Acceleration and Pick up: The new Tata Indigo eCS VX takes 18 seconds to reach a speed of 100kmph from a static position.

Exteriors: Having been built on a compact sedan platform, the new Tata Indigo eCS VX is less than four meters in length, however its boot finishes off too quickly for it to be termed as a true sedan. Exterior features, however, include the following:

• Body Colored Bumpers
• Tinted Glasses
• Chrome-garnished Rub Rails
• Fog lamps at the front and rear
• The rear view mirrors on the outside, which are electrically adjustable
• Full wheel caps
• Turn indicators

The dimensions of the vehicle are 3.988 m in length, 1.62 m width and a height of 1.54 m with a wheelbase of 2.45 m.

Interiors: Looks can be deceptive, as the interiors show a complete different picture as compared to the exteriors. Though compact from the outside, the new Tata Indigo eCS VX looks very spacious inside. 4 to 5 passengers can comfortably sit on this vehicle and it also has sufficient headroom, legroom, boot space, elbow and shoulder rooms. Decorations inside include:

• Long horizontal dashboard with wood finished central console housing the AC controls, two AC vents and the audio system.
• A centrally placed Digital clock.
• Three-spoke T shaped beige color steering.
• Interior matching color of the gearshift knob.

Wheels: The new Tata Indigo eCS VX is provided with seven-spoke fully alloyed wheels and use radial tyres along with wheel caps. 175/65 R14 tyre size is used by the vehicle. The tires are optimized for comfortable rides and efficient handling of the car.

Braking and Handling: The Tata Indigo eCS VX has been provided with diagonally split hydraulic brakes, Disc type in the front and Drum brakes at the rear. The new steering mechanism enables the vehicle to turn around within 5.0 m.

Safety and Handling: The vehicle has along with ABS, been provided with high quality suspensions both at the front and the rear. Highly mounted stop lamps have been provided. Child safety locks have been put in the rear doors. Car safety is also enhanced by the collapsible steering.

Pricing: This is the highest end model and has an off-road pricing of Rs.5.84 lacs.

Thus, with sedan-like interiors and a high fuel economy, the Tata Indigo eCS VX does pack a punch!

Maruti Suzuki India, the biggest automobile manufacturing company of India had been crippled by labour unrest and consequently, MSI had met few demands of the union leaders. The workers of Maruti Suzuki India are looking to structure the union as several leaders resigned from the company. As per Business Standard report, it is now a restructuring time for the unrecognized Maruti Suzuki Employees Union at Manesar facility of MSI. As many as eleven functionaries who led the recent strike at the facility quit after getting a hefty full and final settlement from Maruti Suzuki. The workers said that they are preparing to hold elections and will be forming a new set of office bearers. Mr. Pradeep, regular worker at the facility said that they decided to hold elections and suggest new employees.

The report stated that Mr. Sonu Gujjar and his group of 2000 people at the plant had stopped work three times in the month of June, strictly disrupting production. Over the past ten years, the company has faced the production loss of 74,500 units with revenue losses of Rs. 2200 crore. In the meantime, Maruti Suzuki India decided to set up the Grievance Redressal Committee, a panel, which will have legislative bodies from workers and management. The company is planning to create a Labour Welfare Committee for promoting good relations between workers and the management.

The report mentioned that 94 employees were dismissed or suspended since the beginning of the standoff earlier in the month of August. Maruti Suzuki India is a subsidiary company of Suzuki Motor Corporation, a Japanese automobile manufacturing firm. It is the biggest passenger car company of India with 45 percent of domestic vehicle market. It provides a full range of cars from entry level Maruti 800 and Alto to sedans DZire and SX4, sport utility vehicle Grand Vitara and hatchbacks Ritz, Estillo, Swift, A-Star and Wagon-R.

The anonymity aspect of the Internet has often been made fun of in cartoons, but the messages they portray are definitely true. The Internet does not disclose your identity, hence no one will know what type of a person you really are and if somebody turns out to be a criminal-minded professional hacker, then he surely will not be up to any good things.

This anonymity aspect, considered to be one of the most serious deficiencies of Internet design, gives the hackers a lot of cover and hence the society is kept bereft from all the benefits that the internet can offer.

Situations are getting worse as one moves towards what is dubbed as “Internet of Things”.

Today’s world has blurred the lines between what a computer is and what is not, because most devices look and behave just like a computer. An obvious example is the smartphone. However, these days things like household appliances, medical devices, cars etc. can also be added to the list of “smart” gadgets. As things of everyday usage are given intelligence and the processing ability of computers, they become more vulnerable to attack.

Can cars be susceptible to attack? Yes, they can be! Researchers in iSec Partners have recently demonstrated that by sending some special text message to the car’s anti-theft system, it would be possible to unlock the car doors as well as start their engines. This grave situation has forced the U.S. Transportation Department authorities to seek help from the security industry for developing a ‘roadmap’ for “enhancing safeguards to motor vehicles against threats of cyber security as well as ensuring the safety and reliability of automatically operated electronic control systems for the automobile industry.”

Medical Devices Hacked:

At a conference by BlackHat, Jay Radcliffe, a security researcher, highlighted the aspect of hacking medical devices. Being a diabetic, Radcliffe remains mostly connected to a glucose monitor and insulin pump. He demonstrated how third-parties with malicious intentions could wirelessly transmit commands from remote locations and have his insulin pump disabled.

This is scary since security vendors are reactive and not proactive – they can only address threats after they have appeared and done the initial damage.

For truly securing the Internet, we have to design means of changing the basic Internet protocols and have unequivocal authentication introduced. Vint Cerf, considered a legendary figure for his Internet work of creating TCP/IP stack for building the Internet infrastructure, has clearly ruled that he could have addressed the authentication aspect differently.

There is no doubt that Cerf along with others, who made the Internet, has indeed greatly benefitted society. However, lack of authentication provides great cover to the bad guys as their actions are virtually untraceable. In the broader perspective, anonymous postings on the net have greatly damaged reputations of companies and individuals. So damaging has been this aspect that the Companies have been forced to create a new position called “Reputation Specialist”, whose sole job is to minimize these damages.

Complete authentication:

Individual patching of each and every appliances and vehicles used by us, would be a naïve exercise. Greater accountability is required on the network and for the same to happen; the authentications have to be in-built within Internet protocols.

This is certainly not an easy task, as can be seen from the experiences that Cisco, the biggest pioneer of building e-mail authentication, has faced.

But to address these major issues, some major players, have to take the lead to make a big commitment towards making this authentication mandatory on the Internet.

Ford Figo is the flagship model for Ford India garnering most significant part of revenue for the automaker. In the step towards ramping up sales, Ford India has launched a new variant, the optional EXI with Bluetooth functionality along with typical EXI features in petrol and diesel trim levels. The upgraded ZXI trim level comes with tilt steering wheel and USB port. The Titanium adds alloy wheels as a high end feature. It provides you with ample of interior space along with abundant legroom, headroom and shoulder room for passengers. From oversized shopping bags, luggage or all the gear for weekend getaway, pile them in and you are ready to go. The all new Figo offers plenty of features such as tilt steering wheel, USB port, electronic side mirrors and alloy wheels.

The Ford Figo price for upgraded petrol trim levels EXI, Titanium and ZXI include Rs. 4,30,230; Rs. 4,92,727 and Rs. 4,44,383 respectively, while for diesel variants is said to be Rs. 5,22,029; Rs. 5,84,325 and Rs. 5,36,184 respectively. The Figo offers excellent performance in highway and city road conditions, while its precise and light steering wheel delivers superb controls. The optimized suspension is tuned for providing comfortable ride without sacrificing handling and body roll. Some of the exterior features include body colored rear and front bumpers, left hand side outside mirrors, full wheel covers, body colored outside door handles and mirrors and chrome finisher on side repeaters and radiator grille.

Like other automobile manufacturing companies who introduce their trim levels with quite a few unworthy cosmetic redesigns, Ford India has taken pains for enhancing the all new Ford Figo to compete with other rivals. Currently, the Figo is available in four different trim levels; these include LXI, Titanium, EXI and ZXI in both diesel and petrol variants. Some of the infotainment and connectivity features on Titanium include four-speaker stereo system with MP3 player, AM/FM radio and auxiliary input jack, Bluetooth phone interface, audio streaming, full phonebook access, call swap, hold, mute and privacy mode and call logs (incoming, missed and outgoing). The performance focused Titanium is increased by mere Rs. 18,000 comes packed with alloy wheels and tilt steering with USB port.

Following the fantastic response that the limited edition of Volkswagen India’s IPL Vento received, the car makers from Germany have now launched the Breeze editions of their Polo and Vento for accelerating the volumes of sales of these hugely popular cars.

On September 10, 2011, the Breeze Weekend festival was organized by Volkswagen India throughout the country in all of their 77 dealerships. The festival was basically to commemorate launching of their Vento and Polo limited edition models in India.  Referring to these limited-edition vehicles as ‘action models’, Volkswagen believes these will help in contributing to the already voluminous sales figures of the Vento and Polo. It is a known fact that limited-edition models of any vehicles sell faster, but the added incentive provided on these limited-edition variants is that they have been priced exactly the same as the regular versions of this car. In real sense, one ends up paying the same as a normal model of the Vento or the Polo, but at the same time, he/she receives much more features and equipment. So for the buyer it is like getting a double bonus.

The Breeze limited-edition vehicle has been made available across all the variants of the Polo (petrol powered). In addition, Polo Edition of the Breeze has been given an all-new Satellite Navigation system, leather seats, floor mats and nice and comfortable pillows – all of them engraved with the ‘Breeze’ branding. Additionally, there are flashy Breeze stickers on the Rear Parking Distance control as well as the car.

The Breeze edition of the Volkswagen Vento has been equipped with innovative features like a Multimedia Touch Screen Player that has Bluetooth connectivity and a USB port. On the inside of the car, there are elaborate pillows that have the ‘Breeze’ branding on them. ‘Breeze’ stickers have also been provided on the car’s exterior. The Volkswagen Vento Breeze edition has been made available to consumers on the ‘Trendline’ version for both the Petrol as well as Diesel models.

Mr. Neeraj Garg, Member of the Board and CEO, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, for the passenger car group’s India operations, spoke about the introduction of the Breeze editions of the Vento and the Polo. He said that the Company had been delighted at the remarkable response of their customers to their action model, the Vento IPL. This had motivated the Company to come out with the two new action models, The Vento Breeze and the Polo Breeze. Mr. Garg further added that the launch of these two models was also another milestone for the sustained strategy of launching action models in the Indian market by Volkswagen.

Encompassing 700 dealerships in the country, Hyundai Motor India Ltd launched their 11th free of charge car care clinic.

This clinic will continue for ten days and has been organized for giving free check-ups to its large customer base. Discounts on spare parts and extension of warranty packages are also being offered. The clinic aims at giving your car a comprehensive 80-point testing thereby thoroughly examining your whole car. A 20% discount is being offered on labour charges as well. Shell India has sponsored this event and is offering a scratch-card scheme in which the customers will be entitled to cash discounts for oil and other consumables.

Arvind Saxena, who is the Director of Marketing and Sales, HMIL, spoke about the event. He said that the Company was extremely happy about organizing the 11th edition of their free care clinic for Hyundai cars across the country. The event, he said, reflected the commitment of Hyundai towards after-sales service and they would keep continuing their endeavor towards providing the best of services to their customers. Hyundai expected to receive the same enthusiastic response to the current year event as they had received for similar events in the past.

Attractive prizes and gifts will also be on offer over the entire duration of the camp. These would include Blackberry phones and iPods. On a daily basis, ten lucky customers would be selected for extended warranty packages. An iPad has been announced as the biggest prize of the camp; hence all owners of Hyundai, whose cars are due to have a service, know exactly where to go now.

Mitsubishi, a Japanese automobile manufacturing company has showcased its global compact vehicle called Mirage at 2011 Geneva Auto Expo. The automaker will be revealing this small hatchback in the month of December 2011 at Tokyo Auto Show. As of now, the company lacks hatchbacks in its lineup in India. This small hatchback turns out to be a life saver for the company to pull itself together to get back on track. The Japanese automaker will be revealing its small car in India in 2012.

Mitsubishi Mirage will replace the Colt model, and will feature two-tone interiors of black and beige combination, which is one of the favourite combinations most appreciated to meet the Indian vehicle demands. Its powerful engine will be equipped with start-stop mechanism with Alternator Technology, designed for enhanced fuel economy. This mechanism depends on battery for reviving lifeless engine back to life.

The start-stop system of Mitsubishi is tuned for minimizing emissions and maximizing fuel economy. At 1665mm wide, 1490mm and 3710mm long, the Mirage is 15mm narrower, 60mm lower and 175mm shorter as compared to current generation Colt, making it about the same size as Toyota Yaris. The company says that it has been engineered to meet the demands of both advanced and emerging markets, with emphasis on affordability, high fuel efficiency and compactness. Depending on the response for hatchback, the company might also mull over Mirage’s electric version.

The Audi A4 has been deemed in the promotional campaigns as the sedan that would make a lasting impression. True to this punch line, we find that the car not only has a neat design and elegance in the exterior; it gives you an unmatched experience once you step inside the vehicle. The Audi A4 indeed exudes grandeur whichever side or angle you look at it from.

Variants:

Spoiling you for Choice:

The Audi A4 will be available to you, with the option of choosing from 5 models – 3 in petrol and 2 in diesel. Petrol models are the 1.8 TFSI (the base model), 2.0 TFSI and the higher-end model the 3.2 FSI Tiptronic Quattro. The Diesel versions are the base 2.0 TDI Multitronic and the higher-end TDI Quattro.

The Power Within:

All the different variants have different power specifications, as we were on the petrol variant the 2.0 TFSI; we restrict ourselves to talking on the same. This model generates peak power of 132KW@4000-6000rpm and a maximum torque 320Nm@1500-3900rpm.

The Exterior Package:

One indeed falls in love with the neat lines and sheer elegance of the exteriors of the Audi A4, which has taken styling to unmatched levels. Top of the line features include:

• Glass exterior roof.
• Automatically dimming and folding external mirrors that can be adjusted electrically and have a memory function.
• Rain and Light sensor.
• Rear defogger and wash wiper.
• Xenon plus twin functioning headlights with lights for daytime driving.
• Front and rear door reflectors.

The Interiors:

The beauty within: Audi A4 has fully justified its presence in the segment of luxurious sedan offering a host of luxury features without neglecting the requisite standard features including a climate control A/C, an adjustable steering, adjusting driver and front rider seats, and an armrest at the centre of the rear seats. Luxury, high-end features include:

• 3 zone comfort auto air-conditioning.
• Interior lighting package.
• On board computer.
• Audi sound system.

With a seating capacity of 5 passengers, with minimum legroom 59 cm stretchable to 84 cm, headroom 90 cm and a maximum seat width of 138 cm, the A4 is indeed catered to give its occupants a pleasant riding experience.

Acceleration and Pickup:

Taking just a shade over 4 seconds to take you to the 60 kmph and reaching 100 kmph in just above 8 seconds, days on the fast track can really be enjoyed on the A4. A top speed of 250 kmph adds further credence to this fact.

Braking and Handling:

The vehicle has been equipped with ventilated disc brakes along with 4-linked front axle suspension and the rear having stabilized Trapezoidal axle. Safety has been further enhanced with daytime running lights from LED sources that caution vehicles or persons at a distance thereby minimizing collision risks in daytime and in varied weather conditions.

The Handling and Safety Aspect:

Car safety through central remote locking, Anti-Lock Braking System for giving the driver total control of vehicle on emergencies, Traction Control, Side and front air bags all combine to enhance safety during the ride.

Pricing:

The vehicle range starts from Rs.27.69 lakhs for the standard petrol model peaking to Rs.37.72 lakhs for the higher-end diesel model.

If reports appearing in the Business Standard can be trusted, Tata Motors might be coming out with a special edition Nano to mark the third anniversary of the car in March 2012. The special edition designing teams in Tata have come out with many spectacular models over the years. To mark the 10th anniversary of the Tata Indica, they had come out with a special edition Indica Vista that sold like hot cakes from the very day of its launch.

Even on the completion of two years of the Vista, certain beige models came out that became a great attraction for the persons with middle class family background. If the sources can be trusted, people were even willing to make premium expenditure to acquire the same!

The additional features that we can expect from the special edition of the Tata Nano could be new alloy wheels, black roof, leather seating as well as many other accessories. The powertrain is expected to remain the same as the present version.

If one can recall the ceremony for unveiling the Tata Nano at the Auto Expo of 2008, one might remember that Mr. Ratan Tata had driven to the stage on a specially designed Nano, which had black paint treatment on the roof.

Now, the question for you is what else you would like to be included in the features of the special edition Tata Nano.

The price gap between the diesel and petrol variants of cars has come down significantly in recent years prompting more buyers to go for the diesel versions. The rising demand for diesel run cars have thrilled manufacturers, hence all the new vehicle launches are happening with both the versions, unlike previous launches that were restricted only to bringing out the petrol versions. You can compensate the comparative higher cost of buying the diesel model if your vehicle runs more than 1000 kilometers a month. This has made diesel run cars the preferred choice of travel and tour companies. Given below are a few points that would come in handy for you, if you decide to buy a diesel car.

1. Type of vehicle:

SUVs are highly preferred when it comes to buying a diesel operated vehicle. The reason for this is the great utility and reliability that the SUVs provide during longer journeys. These days, however, a whole range of diesel powered sedans and hatchbacks are coming to the market offering optimum fuel economy. Hence, you should select a vehicle type that matches your preferences and needs.

2. Research:

Once you have made the decision on the type of vehicle that you would like to own, you need to do a bit of researching on which of these vehicles would match your set budget. This can be done by taking feedback from relatives and friends who either own such vehicles or are planning to acquire one too. The additional option that is available these days is that of online portals where you can find a lot of useful reviews and user feedback regarding the vehicles.

3. Test Drive:

The first and second steps will definitely bring down your choice list to around 3-4 vehicles. It is now time for you to take a test drive. During the test drive, you should keenly focus on the vehicle’s performance characteristics. This includes acceleration, pickup, braking and the likes. You should try to make a comparison of performances of all the vehicles you have shortlisted and ultimately select the one that matches your requirements and needs the most.

4. Price Negotiation:

You should at least visit 3 to 4 dealers for taking price quotations; once you have completed the exercise of choosing the particular vehicle that you want to own. You should keep yourself aware of available discounts and schemes and get the best possible pricing. If you plan to get the vehicle on loan, do take quotes from a few of such service providers and ultimately select the best!

Nissan India may introduce its five-seater sport utility vehicle like the upcoming Renault Duster with its own groundwork towards early 2012. The all new SUV will be the rebranded version of Renault Dacia Duster. It is evident that after the introduction of Renault Pulse hatchback, the French automobile manufacturing company is planning to introduce its Renault Dacia Duster, the popular sport utility vehicle from Dacia that offers comfortable seating capacity for five passengers. Renault India stated that they will launch this model in both diesel and petrol variants in two-wheel and four-wheel drive configurations. After current acquisition of small automobile manufacturer Dacia, Renault is planning to work on rebranding the strategy of Duster sport utility vehicle.

The five-seater Duster-based sport utility vehicle of Nissan India will be launched after the introduction of Renault Duster. Renault is also planning to introduce the Nissan Sunny’s Renault version. The Volkswagen-Skoda, Renault-Nissan partnership is flourishing everyday offering plenty of opportunities to discerning buyers to opt between a number of models. Additionally, it allows automobile manufacturers to show price of vehicles, such designed and engineered more competitively for driving sales volumes. Here are some of the models, Skoda Citigo engineered on Volkswagen Up, Polo-Skoda Fabia and upcoming Skoda Rapid based on Volkswagen Vento.

Renault Dacia Duster is the product of Dacia Motors, an economy car manufacturer situated in Romania. Designing and producing vehicles on identical platform is achieving attractiveness because of the benefit, it provides with component sharing. Nissan India is an Indian subsidiary of Nissan Motor Company, a Japanese automobile manufacturer. It began with its operations in the year 2005 in India with the introduction of X-Trail. The Nissan India’s production facility in Chennai can develop approximately 200,000 cars annually.

Hyundai Motors, a well automobile manufacturer has 10 to 15 cars lined up to  be launched in the Indian automotive market in next five years; out of which most of them will be redesigned versions of existing vehicles. The all new Hyundai Sonata is another model besides Hyundai Avante amongst flurry of introductions, which will take place in the year 2012. For couple of reasons, possibly because of  its expensive price tag, Sonata has not been able to drive sales volumes in India. Nevertheless, the Korean automobile manufacturer now foresees the same model in new version to bringing a positive shift in sales among D-class cars.

The 2012 Hyundai Sonata Facelift will start from Rs. 17.5 lakhs. With intricate design supremacy, the all new sedan will compete with other models in its class – Honda Accord, Nissan Teana, Skoda Superb and Maruti Suzuki Kizashi. While retaining similar styling cues, the Sonata is expected to adorn Hyundai specific Fluidic design for enthralling discerning buyers. It will provide the car enthusiast with sparkling black interiors slathered with high quality materials.

The blue backlit light of Sonata offers a stylish look to its providing softer touch for amplifying its premium image. The Hyundai Sonata Facelift to Go On Sale In 2012 is expected to offer two engine choices; one is the 2.4 liter petrol engine, while the other is common rail turbodiesel 2.2 liter engine. The 2.0 liter diesel engine is designed for fuel efficiency, while the 2.4 liter petrol engine will produce 176 horsepower. Both engines will be paired with six-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles or six-speed manual transmission. Hyundai Motors is a completely owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea and is one of the biggest passenger vehicle exporter and 2nd largest automobile manufacturing company in India. Its fully integrated state of the art production facility situated in Chennai boasts of most sophisticated production, testing capabilities, and quality in India.

Just nine days after Skoda Auto announced the start of its production at Chakan, the Rapid Sedan has now officially been introduced in India with a starting price of Rs. 6.75 lakhs for its petrol variant to 9.19 lakhs for high performance diesel trim level. The Indian automotive industry is deluged with car introductions and the Rapid is yet another launched today. The Rapid is basically a rebadged version of Volkswagen Vento with bold Skoda trademark. It is available in three different trim levels, Active Ambition and Elegance with petrol and diesel engine choices. The Skoda Rapid diesel starts at Rs. 7.95 lakh for its Active variant, Rs. 8.29 lakh for Ambition and Rs. 9.19 lakh for Elegance.

The Rapid Sedan shares its design cues with Vento, and has been designed and engineered at Oragadam facility of Volkswagen in Chennai with Vento, making the best use of German expertise. The all new Rapid is a great example of true art fused with technology and science. Engineered to flawlessly flow with its muscular frame, the body colored mirrors are optimally positioned. Body colored, scientifically recessed and sleek door handles make the perfect first impression for Rapid. The cabin inside the Rapid is quite luxurious and is a perfect balance between convenience, comfort and space. The adjustable dual rear air conditioning vents allow rearseat passengers to adjust the flow of air effortlessly.

The Rapid Sedan 2-DIN audio system features multifunction console, AM/FM radio options, CD player, SD/MMC data card reader, auxiliary input jack for MP3 players and host of other useful functions. The interior of Rapid is quite spacious and offers abundance of legroom as well as headroom for passengers and driver. Its 1.6 liter petrol and diesel engine are good for pumping out 105 horsepower with 160 newton meters of torque. The petrol 1.6 liter engine is paired with six-speed automatic transmission, while diesel is offered only with five-speed manual transmission. Following are the trim levels and their prices:

Petrol Variants:

• Active - Rs. 6.75 lakhs
  
• Ambition - Rs 7.09 lakhs
  
• Elegance - Rs 7.99 lakhs
• Ambition Automatic - Rs 8.09 lakhs
• Elegance Automatic - Rs 8.99 lakhs

Diesel variants:

• Active – Rs 7.95 lakhs
  
• Ambition – Rs 8.29 lakhs
  
• Elegance – Rs 9.19 lakhs

Special Regards to JMD Auto, one of the top dealers of Skoda cars in India having show rooms and high tech workshop in Thane.

Hyundai Eon has become the latest entrant in the Indian small car segment following its launch on 13th October 2011. The small car segment is, as on date, ruled by the Maruti Alto and we try to compare it with the Eon to find out how the latter shapes up against the king. To do so, we compare the 800 cc standard Maruti Alto with the Hyundai Eon.

Dimensions:

Just on the dimensions perspective, the Hyundai Eon being wider than the Maruti Alto 800 cc scores better.

Exteriors:

The Hyundai Eon has more of a visual appeal than the Alto. Hyundai sculpted designs have gone into its exteriors. Looking from any angle it is highlighted that the Eon views more modern and sporty than the Alto. The quality of the built as well as the plastic quality of the Eon tops that of the Alto.

The old and contemporary design of the Alto makes it have a subtle elegance and quite pleasing looks amongst cars in its segment, however the Eon scores better when the entire aspect of exterior looks is taken into consideration.

Interiors:

The stylish interiors that have been incorporated into the Hyundai Eon with its great visual appeal, aesthetics and quality makes it look much better than a car in the Rs. 3 lakhs segment, which it actually is. Alto has been equipped with sensible yet simple looking interiors. The quality of materials used is average, but worthy of a car placed in the entry-level segment.

Hyundai Eon thus scores much better than the Maruti Alto when it comes to interiors.

The Engine Specifications:

On engine specifications too, Eon has better torque, power and mileage compared to the 800 cc Maruti Alto.

Handling and Performance:

The Hyundai Eon seems to be a very comfortable car for driving with its light power steering being tuned for comfortable drive in the cities, the weight of the steering has been maintained consistent and the vehicle maintains stability at corners. The suspension too is properly tuned for maintaining a proper balance between the aspects of handling and driving.

The Maruti Alto 800 is also a comfortable city drive and matches the Eon as far as handling and performance is concerned, hence no clear winner could be identified in this category.

Pricing:

The standard non-AC version of the Maruti Alto 800 starts at approx Rs.2.35 lakhs whereas the standard model of the Eon, the Hyundai Eon D-Lite is available from Rs.2.69 lakhs onwards.

The Overall Verdict:

If you are operating on a water-tight budget, choose the Alto as it is more lucratively priced than the Eon. If you want to go for a more premium car with better exteriors, interiors and power, the Hyundai Eon is just right for you.

For car lovers, the experience of driving brings joy to their hearts. Various innovations made to modern cars has reduced concerns regarding travelling long distances by cars, as was in the past. Driving has become greater fun with the provision of various amenities of luxury within the car.

The demand for cars has seen a gradual growth with greater numbers of drivers coming into the vehicle market. Some have mastered the art of driving whereas others enjoy slow and relaxed drives. But both these category of drivers become extremely confused and nervous when it comes to parking their vehicles. The nervousness becomes a pain when one tries to fit in his car into an unorganized parking area particularly if it happens to be a parallel parking.

This nervousness can be got over with if one can learn some very essential and helpful tricks that would prove useful for making a safe and smart car parking.

• The first thing one needs to do is to leave one’s house early so that he does not have to rush up and park his car anywhere he feels like. One has to be disciplined when parking one’s car. Drive across the entire parking lot will help identify the best place to park the car. The car should also be parked in a proper angle so that it does not in any way block the route of the other parked cars, when they want to drive out.
• The car mirror should always be used for looking behind, even if one is within the parking lot. Parking areas interiors have limited spaces available for parking, hence it is essential for the drivers to use the rearview mirrors to gauge the distance within the permissible limits. The side view mirror should be used for turning the car wheels into the right position.
• If there are a lot of cars parked within the parking area, you have to make sure that your car has been parked in line with the car in front or behind you.

• Whilst parking, it is advisable to leave some gap between both the cars behind and in front of you. This proves helpful in that other parked cars can move out easily and not hit your car on the way out.
• If the car operates on manual transmission, it is imperative to leave it on gear when parking in hilly or sloppy surfaces and at neutral, when parking interiors. When kept in neutral, other cars can shift your cars slightly for easily driving out theirs.
• If parking in open space, shady areas should be preferred because leaving the car under the sun for too long not only heats up its interiors but also zaps fuel from the gas tank.
• One should not try to be too offensive or rude towards others while parking one’s car.
• If someone is about to drive into a limited available parking space, do not try to cut him off. You should be generous enough to let him park his car there and look for a different space for your car. Stealing someone else’s parking space brings out aggressive reactions.