March 8th, 2011
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Skoda Yeti, the abominable SUV from the Skoda Auto had been spreading grandeur on European roads and it was time that India has its share of the luxury, Skoda Yeti is here to roar the roads wild! A long time coming, India saw the first glimpses of the Skoda Yeti at the Auto Expo 2010 and henceforth the vehicle has been showcased at dealerships across India. But that was only the show car – the international left-side driven Skoda Yeti.
The whole new Indian Yeti is ready to rumble with its endearing looks and a complete no-nonsense styling. Beginning from rear of the SUV, Skoda Yeti has a very controlled flamboyance and musculature like the rear wheel arch; it has very rugged and compact look which works really well with the overall designing of the car. Another very noticeable feature of the car is its right-angular back, which is neither flowy nor coupe’ like. The car has a compact styling and a mixed look of an SUV and that of a city hatch. Though some may find this feature of the SUV a bit boxy but the chances are the Yeti will receive a better welcome than the other massive SUVs in the segment. Read more »
February 28th, 2011
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In the battle for premium hatch superiority, the Hyundai i20 and Skoda Fabia trade blows like no other. But which one’s got the knockout punch?
With growing affluence comes a certain maturity in taste. A case in point – the Indian hatchback market. There was a time, not long ago, when you couldn’t sell a hatchback for anything above Rs 4 lakh. Saloon cars with the prestige attached to them were always considered better value than premium hatchbacks, which cost the same, if not more. Today, many customers buy what they need and want, not what society dictates. The all-important boot or ‘third box’ doesn’t have the same importance it once had. In fact, cars with a boot are more difficult to park and manoeuvre in our increasingly congested cities. What a lot of car buyers now want is a car with the space, comfort and luxury of a midsize saloon minus the boot. That’s where the premium hatchbacks come in. They are not bought just for fuel economy or price but for the practicality they offer without sacrificing the feel-good factor. Read more »
February 28th, 2011
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Few budget cars are better suited to the cut and trust of urban driving than this pair. But can the Maruti A-star ourshine the 2008 Car of the Year. Hyundai’s i10?
This, in all certainty, is by far the most important comparison test we are likely to conduct this year. Carrying far more weightage than a mere punch up between a couple of city cars, this battle pits two small car producing giants as well as their engineering and design philosophies. And the repercussions of this head to head clash run deeper.
This, simply put, is nothing less than a battle for supremacy. A face-off for the ownership of the best small car title in India. Has Maruti’s new A-star, engineered with literally decades of experience in the market, got what it takes to dethrone 2008’s Car of the Year? Does it have the necessary appeal and technical sophistication to dethrone Hyundai, which has been finishing top of the small car pile since it introduced the Santro over a decade ago? Critically, which is the better car, the one that deserves pride of place in your driveway? Read more »
February 28th, 2011
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The last-generation Honda Accord V6 was a true sleeper.It could decimate 0-100kph times of regular cars and run away from the then performance king, the Skoda Octavia RS-not bad for a luxury car meant to whisk the white collar to black tie diners.
It had its problems though. Its drinking habits were notorious-drive it hard all the time and it had the ability to turn that white collar to a blue one double-quick-almost as quick as its quarter-mile time. Read more »
February 14th, 2011
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Out Car of the Year gets a petrol heart but does it do the job?
Good diesels are what Fiat is all about but which Italian car would be complete if it didn’t have a rev-happy petrol in its line-up? Beside, to a certain percentage of customers, a petrol motor is the last word in refinement and diesels are just not worth the huge premium they come with. That’s where the Linea 1.4 petrol, which is nearly Rs 1.26 lakh cheaper than the diesel, comes in. But is the petrol motor equally talented? Does the huge having on the sticker price make sense?
Before flicking open the chunky and expensive-looking key fob, we study the specs of this twin-cam, 16—valve engine. A modest 89bhp at a peaky 6000rpm and 11.7kgm of torque at a high-ish 4500rpm in a car that weighs 1240kg implies that the engine will have to be worked hard.
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February 1st, 2011
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In straight line, this BMW X6 can outrun a Porsche Boxster in a way that no 2.2-tonne vehicle should. This ludicrously names BMW X6 xDrive 50i (yes, that’s the full model designation) puts a convincing amount of dirty air between its high tail and the Porsche’s low snout.
Here lies the brilliance of the X6-it is a fantastic blend of the desirable SUV qualities-high ground clearance, presence and a commanding driving position-and the performance and handling of a sports coupe. BMW says the X6 is a Sports Activity Coupe. Think of it as the offspring of an SUV that mated with a sports car. This kind of vehicle will at best be a niche-within-a-niche’ but that doesn’t stop it from being hugely desirable.
There’s a lot more substance under this X6 than its unusual looks would suggest. It shares its platform with the X5, which is not a bad place to start. It’s a more driver-focused version, one that looks sportier than a full-fledged SUV and it is in this blurring of lines that the X6’s appeal lies. Read more »
February 1st, 2011
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A year after it was launched, BMW’s junior Suv finally gets diesel engine. Is the X3 the ideal mini Suv for those who can afford one?
BMW launched the X3 in India a year ago but you could have missed it. With only the high-revving but thirsty 2.5 petrol on offer, demand was bound to be limited. SUVs must have a diesel engine if they are to stands a chance and that’s exactly what BMW is now offering is its junior 4X4.
The X3’s two-litre diesel, the same as in the 320d develops 177bhp which gives this compact SUV enough poke to breech the 10-second barrier to 100kph. What is even more useful is the generous amounts of torque accessible from as little as low as 1500rpm to make the X3 driver-friendly in traffic. Add to this the well matched gear ratios and a responsive gearbox and town driving is pleasure. While the 2.0d will never invigorate the driver in the way a smooth petrol six-cylinder can, in-gear performance is strong – 20-80kph takes only 5.7sec, which is good for a car weighing 1825kg. It doesn’t fall short on the highway either. There’s enough grunt from the engine and it can effortlessly maintain triple-digit speeds. Read more »
February 1st, 2011
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Chevrolet Captiva Auto has seven seats, compact dimensions and a strong diesel engine gave the Captiva unmatched practicality against its petrol rivals. The only thing missing was an auto ‘box but a year on since its launch, the Chevy SUV gets a five-speed automatic transmission to give it an added does of convenience, especially for city use. Also thrown in is an all-wheel-drive system with Hill descent Control and ESP, all of which has pushed the weight up by 90kg. The cost too has shot up by Rs 2 lakh, the all-wheel-drive system the main culprit for the hike. It seems quite a waste to pay extra for the additional drive to the rear wheels, especially since most owners won’t venture beyond city limits. The ‘winter’ mode, which limits torque to the wheels to minimise loss of traction on iced roads, is a pointless feature as well.
However, the auto ‘box does a good job, especially in traffic. Gearshifts are smooth and the gearbox always seems to select the right gear for the situation. This ‘box also overcomes some of this ‘box also overcomes some of this 148bhp, 2.0-litre common-rail diesel’s inherent turbo-lag and smoothens out the power delivery. Upshifts are quick and in manual mode in hang on to the selected ratio until the redline, at which point it automatically upshifts. If there is one grouse, it’s the sluggish kickdown; the ‘box hesitates before shifting down and can make tightly timed overtaking manoeuvres quite tricky. However, the auto ‘box hasn’t seriously blunted the Captiva’s performance. It can still cross 180kph and reaches 100kph in 12 seconds, which is not far adrift of the manual car’s time. Fuel economy though is penalised and the Captiva returned 7.8kpl to the manual’s 9.5kpl in the city cycle.
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February 1st, 2011
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BMW 7-Series : Bmw’s New Flagship Is Easier On The Eye And Brimming With Technology.
BMW’s latest flagship, wheelbase 7-series, now in its fifth generation comes to India a few months after its international launch. The Sevens’ brief remains unchanged – offer limo-like comfort but drive like a purposeful sporting saloon. For the Seven’s predominantly chauffeur-driven customers in the Indian market, it’s the first objective that’s more important than the second. This car will also have to face the well-accepted S-class and also stave off a challenge from the highly capable Audi A8. BMW is launching the 7-series range in a phased manner with the diesel and other petrol options coming later in the year. For now, it’s only the range-topping 750Li that goes on sale, with all the tech BMW can throw in it. Read more »
February 1st, 2011
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When BMW launched its new 7-series in March this year, it wanted to come in like a supernova. It wanted a car that would knock customers’ eyebrows into orbit and the 750Li manages to do that quite easily. Wheeled onto the ramp amid a bevy of supermodels its 407bhp twin-turbo V8 supercar motor gave this limo the ability to whack its speedo’s needle into its 250kph limiter with only mild provocation.
But glory boy though the 750Li is, even billionaires are sometimes thrifty. Billionaire J Paul Getty, for example, had a payphone installed in his house because calls made by his guests were getting out of hand. And so, to please captains of industry who get chauffeured around with one eye on practicality and grounded running costs, here’s BMW’s magnificent 7 but without the Hagar the Horrible thirst.
The diesel motor under the hood of the 730LD is an uprated version of the one that powers the very popular 530d. In this car it makes 245bhp and importantly 55kgm of torque. Significantly up from the 5-series, this reconfigured motor that uses a variable nozzle turbo develops plenty of additional torque as well, very useful when pushing a barge such as this. While 245bhp is nowhere near as good as 407bhp, the diesel’s max torque of 55kgm is nearly as good as that of the petrol. And with Indian 91 octane fuel being what it is, the diesel car is not at all that big a disadvantage in the real world. Read more »
