2012 Mercedes Benz M Class to be launched in May

Mercedes India is all set to launch the 2012 M-Class in the Indian market.

The latest edition of the popular SUV is an all new product. However, the first word that comes to the mind when glanced at is – ‘Bland’. Though Mercedes seems to have solved the space issue which made the previous M-Class a hassle to sit in. There is a visible change in the size of the car and looks like the 2012 M-Class will come with an extended wheelbase taken from its elder sibling the GL-Class. The 2012 M-Class also features a huge panoramic sun-roof which will make the cabin come alive with fresh incident light. There is also the wrap around rear windscreen which makes the M-Class stand out of the crowd.

The insides are typical Mercedes top notch standard quality with a lot of wood used to give that upmarket feel. The ML 350 CDI will be laucnched first. The motor here pumps out some 258bhp and churns out 63.2kgm of pulling power. The motor is mated to a seven-speed 7G-Tronic gearbox along with permanent four-wheel drive as a standard feature.

The car could be priced in INR 65-70 lakhs bracket.

Yamaha FZ series gets minor updates

Popular 150cc bike, the FZ 16 and others from this series, get a few changes to keep them from rapidly aging. The FZ-S also gets a new paint shade- Fiery Orange.
The FZ-S is now being offered with a choice of as many as 4 colors to chose from- Black Cyber Green, Sunset Red, Competition White and the new Fiery Orange.
The FZ series in India also gets a revised pillion seat. This is owing to the feedback the FZ users have been providing to the bike manufacturer. It is no secret that the FZ’s pillion seat isn’t the most comfortable around. Now, the rear seat has been elongated and widened a little.
FZ series also gets a new grab rail. Yamaha says,“The grab bar not only acts as a backrest but is something the pillion rider can hold on to if the road is bumpy”. The FZ also gets a new chain cover to cover both the upper and lower portions of the chain.
Unfortunately, the engine has remain untouched. The good bit here though is that the prices remain unchanged. While most of these changes might go unnoticed, I am quite sure that the better half will surely enjoy the revised seat.

SPECIFICATIONS:-

Engine type                                                       Air-cooled, 4-stroke, SOHC
Displacement                                                    153.0cc
Bore & Stroke                                                   58.0 × 57.9mm
Compression ratio                                             9.5:1
Maximum output                                               14PS / 7500 rpm
Maximum torque                                               13.6 N.m / 6000 rpm
Starting method                                                 Electric & Kick
Lubrication type                                                Wet sump
Fuel Supply                                                        Carburetor
Clutch type Wet,                                                 multiple-disc
Primary/secondary reduction ratio                      3.409 / 2.857
Transmission type Constant mesh 5-speed
Gear ratio                                                           1st=2.714 ,2nd=1.789, 3rd=1.318
                                                                           4th=1.045,5th=0.875
Cylinder layout                                                   Single Cylinder



Ex-Delhi prices-

FZ Rs. 67,000
FZ-S Rs. 69,000
Fazer Rs. 74,000

Ford revealed production version EcoSport at Beijing Auto Show

The 2012 Beijing Auto Show as already started entertaining automobile fans around world, now new verdict from Ford really surprised people around China, according to ford they will deliver 15 new vehicles to China by 2015.

Among the car to be launched includes EcoSport, Kuga and Explorer while the sole car is the new worldly Ford Focus ST five-door hatch.

“We are working hard to secure the avid interest of Chinese car enthusiasts with these new and exciting Ford vehicles loaded with green and smart technologies,” said Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa. “With the opening of our latest state-of-the-art brand new manufacturing facilities in Chongqing and the continued, rapid expansion of a family of vehicles in every class that Chinese consumers want and value, Ford is committed to China. We are ready to demonstrate aggressive growth this year in China, the most exciting car market in the world.”

We’re already familiar with the Explorer and the Focus. The EcoSport on the other hand is one of Ford’s latest global products. It was first revealed in India, but this time around, it gets its debut in China. The EcoSport is an ultra-compact SUV crossover that Ford hopes will provide affordable, modern motoring for the Asian masses.

The EcoSport is the latest ‘One Ford’ global product, a vehicle designed to help expand Ford’s footprint in the world’s fastest-growing auto markets, including India. It will be the second of eight products Ford plans to bring to India by mid-decade for which the company will invest US$ 2 billion in the development and production of the new vehicles.

The five-door EcoSport gets chunky, technical styling, and a very space-efficient interior. A large trapezoidal front grille dominates the front end, while the front headlights are slimmer and more technical than on the Fiesta.

The lower front bumper and side sills get cladding, while there are also muscular wheel arches and a fixed spare wheel at the back to further emphasise its off-road intentions. The roof gets chrome rails and the rear side windows have the familiar Ford upwards kink in the window line.

Ford will debut a new 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, direct-injection turbo-petrol motor in the EcoSport – a world debut – that will be capable of developing power similar to a bigger, 1.6-litre motor. It will also deliver class-leading fuel economy. The car will also get the 1.5-litre diesel engine that currently does duty in the Fiesta.

The EcoSport, which cleverly combines the charm of an SUV, the frugality of small engines, cutting-edge styling and a very affordable price tag somewhere in the region of Rs 7-9 lakh, has the makings of a winner. At that price, it will provide a genuine alternative to a midsize car or even a premium hatchback.

Bosch named the 'most admired' motor parts manufacturer by Fortune magazine

Popular German auto component manufacturer Bosch has been given the ‘most admired’ motor vehicle parts supplier title by the US magazine Fortune. Based on responses from 3,855 executives, directors and analysts from as many as 698 companies at 58 industries and 32 countries, Bosch was ranked as the No. 1.

This is not all as the parts manufacturer ranked fifth ‘most admired’ among all German companies. The company ranked 11th in India and 14th among companies in the European company category.“Fortune's ranking is a tremendous honour for our company, associates, customers and suppliers,” said Franz Fehrenbach, chairman, Board of Management, Robert Bosch GmbH. “Bosch remains committed to providing excellent service, high-quality products and leading industry advancements. This honour demonstrates our associates' dedication to our industry and our work.” Fortune magazine's ‘World's Most Admired Companies’ is the most popular company ranking list since it was introduced in 1997.

Skoda India Launches Fabia Scout @ INR 6.79 Lakhs

It is no secret that Skoda Fabia never took the hatchback segment in India by storm. Skoda recently resorted to some aggressive price cutting & promotion and that did help but the car is still far from being as popular as the Suzuki Swift, which flies out of the showrooms. To complicate matters even more, parent manufacturer Volkswagen introduced the Polo some years ago and Fabia suddenly started feeling pretty dated. However, Skoda India is in no mood to give up on Fabia yet and has launched the Skoda Fabia Scout in the country.

Scout version of Skoda cars are rugged and strong looking versions of Skoda car with bigger wheels, more SUV-like visuals, enhanced ground clearance and in some cases, bigger engines too. The Skoda Fabia Scout too belong to the same category. Its robust good looks add to this practical small car, thanks to its evocative, specially designed bumpers and off-road design. Black and silver roof rails and protective plastic coverings along its flanks make the Škoda Fabia Scout a particularly characterful car.

Distinctive Scout styling also features in the passenger compartment: The Scout comes with new leather upholstery and stainless steel pedals. In essence, the Scout, inside and out, is a more rugged and bolder variant of the Fabia.

Fabia Scout Price (Ex showroom, Delhi):

1.2L MPI: Rs 6.79 Lakh

1.2L TDI: 8.10 Lakh

Fiat showcased Viaggio at 2012 Beijing Auto Show

Fiat showcased the fluidic lined, curvacious bodied Fiat Viaggio at Auto China in Beijing which is Fiat’s first locally produced car for China. There are no immediate plans to sell the Viaggio outside China though Fiat India maybe interested in studying its feasibility.

Today at 2012 Beijing Auto Show Fiat revealed Viaggio, which is first car to be locally produced in China. Well fiat as no immediate plans to sell outside china.

Fiat Viaggio is fiat version of Dodge Dart, it is available with a range of turbo engines including a 120-hp 1.4 liter T-Jet and a 150-hp T-Jet. Transmission choices include a 6-speed automatic and a 5-speed manual. The Fiat Viaggio measures 4,679 mm long, 1,850 mm wide and sports a 2,708 mm wheelbase. It is in a segment higher than the Linea and competes with cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. Viaggio will be positioned in the C-Segment, which is China’s best selling segment.

According to Fiat “Viaggio is positioned in the most competitive mid-class segment in China’s automotive market, targeting potential consumers with a passion for life. Enthusiastic, responsible, daring to dream and persistent: they are young and styling, having grown up in the cities and set to become the backbone of Chinese society.”

India Superbike Festival to be held on 28 & 29 April

Indian bikers are all set for a treat! India finally gets a bike fest of its own. Big engines roaring, smell of burning fuel in the air and finding like minded souls will never be easier. Pune will be seen hosting the India Superbike Festival on 28th and 29th this month.

Just in case the bikes are not enough for you, the fest will also have some aftermarket parts, riding gear and other accessories on show. And what is a fest without some groove setting muzik? The performances of some renowned rock bands and DJs will be seen making many dance to their beats. Again, we bikers are a hungry lot and the festival will have a lot of food joints and some more from a barbeque festival that will be held.

Official pic of 2013 Audi Q5 leaked

Just when we were busy reporting about the all new Audi Q3, official pics of the Audi Q5 got leaked on the web world. Dubbed as the 2013 model, the refreshed Q5 gets some subtle changes to the car that went on sale in 2008.

The Q3 refresh gets a new grille, revised headlights and some changes in the front bumper. On the rear, the car gets new taillights and a revised rear apron. On the inside, not much has changed and the 2013 model gets only a revised steering wheel boss. \

Among other engine options, the 2013 Audi Q5 will also offer a supercharged 3.0-litre TFSI engine in two states of tune- c272PS and 329PS.

Revealed: First images of Lamborghini Urus

Only a few hours ago, we reported that there are good chances of the upcoming SUV from Lamborghini being christened as the Urus and not Deimos, as earlier expected. We, then, also came up with the news that the new Lambo will be showcased at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show and we posted the invite for it. The latest development is that an image of this SUV has started doing rounds on the web and our sources say that this is an official pic of the upcoming SUV.

The latest that has surfaced is that after seeing a lot of spy pics and renderings, we finally have a few official renderings of the car. Going by what we can make out from the pics, this Lambo doesn’t looks unlike the BMW X6 and the new SUV is rumored to be five metre long and have the power of 600 horses. The car is being said to become the fastest 4×4 ever. We wonder if this SUV is based on the parent VW’s PL71 platform.

Going by the images, the car looks like a Lambo supercar on steroids and that can’t be a bad thing. Can it be? As expected, the car comes with LED lamps and ORVMs with a video camera integrated in them. The highlight at the rear has to be four trapezoidal exhaust tips neatly integrated in the bumper diffuser. The SUV rides on very tasty looking 24-inch rims that quite mimic those seen on the almighty Aventador. On the inside, the seats have a familiar look and seem to be inspired by those in the Sesto Elemento (does not Italian names sound so sensuous?).The centre console runs all the way back to the rear passenger seats and one should find a liberal dosage of exotic CF inside.

It may be noted that this is the second SUV from the famous car maker, the earlier being the very macho LM002 seen in 80s. Currently, not much is known about the powertrain but our guess is that a 580 hp 5.2-liter V10 motor will be found under that hood

Ford announces Executive Live Chat for 2102 Beijing Auto Show

Popular American car manufacturer Ford will have some special guests to answer Ford related questions live from the 2012 Beijing Auto Show that commences on April 23rd. The questions can be submitted via commenting at the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/ford-asia-pacific-and-africa/2012-beijing-auto-show-executive-live-chat-announcement/10150746830513805



The answers will be given by-



Martin Smith, Executive Design Director, Ford of Europe (April 23, 10:40am - 11:00am, Beijing time) Martin is Executive Design Director, Ford of Europe, a position he was appointed to July 1, 2004.He is also responsible for design at Ford Asia Pacific and Africa.



Rodney Philips, Asia Pacific and Africa SYNC Engineering Manager (April 23, 04:00pm - 04:30pm, Beijing time) Rodney SYNC Engineering Manager for Ford Asia Pacific and Africa (APA), based in Nanjing, China. He currently oversees the application and delivery of SYNC technology in all APA markets, including overall project coordination, Human Machine Interface localization and system testing.



Edward Pleet, Connected Services Director, Ford Motor Company, Asia Pacific and Africa, and Europe (April 23, 04:00pm - 04:30pm, Beijing time) Since joining Ford Motor Company over 14 years ago, Edward Pleet has held various positions involving product and business development. He currently manages Ford's Connected Services for all of Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa. This includes all aspects of the connected services life cycle from product concept through engineering development and product deployment.



Ashwani Kumar Galhotra, Vice President, Product Development, Asia Pacific and Africa, Ford Motor Company (April 23, 04:55pm - 05:20pm, Beijing time) In his 23 years at Ford, he has held positions in product development and product strategy. Among other assignments, he led the introduction of the Ford Ranger into South American markets in 1998; was the Chief Engineer for the Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner in the early 2000’s; and Vehicle Programs Director for five vehicle lines in the mid-2000’s.

The live chat will be conducted on:

http://www.facebook.com/fordapa .

Electronic Arts will soon come up with a Need For Speed movie

This news brings back memories of my kindergarten days. Some 15 years ago, people would find me glued to my dad’s desktop at any time of the day. I won’t be wrong to say that I was addicted to this car game where I could drive a Corvette in a pretty grainy background. Fast forward from NFS 1 days to present and I can be now found addicted to driving cars in the real world scenario. The fact that I still haven’t tested a Corvette in real is a different story altogether. The recent and probably one of the most exciting development at Electronic Arts is that they are planning to come up with a movie based on the popular gaming series that say NFS Underground, Carbon and Prostreet take the market by storm. Electronic Arts will hire George and John Gatins for developing the screen play of the movie.

It is being said that popular studios like the Warner Bros. and Paramount wish to bag the rights for the Need for Speed movie, which might become their answer to Universal’s The Fast and the Furious series.

The Need for Speed series has as many as 18 games to its credits with the ‘The Run’ being the latest.

Toyota Racing Introduces Scion FR-S Speedster

Toyota Racing debuted a custom-built Scion FR-S Speedster show vehicle on Friday, April 13 to celebrate the 38th annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The car was designed and built by Joe Iacono of Iacono Design and Jeremy Lookofsky of Cartel Customs.

The custom show vehicle–the result of a collaboration between Toyota and its youth brand Scion–is modeled after the 2013 Scion FR-S, a rear-wheel-drive sports car with exceptionally balanced performance and handling, compelling style, flexible utility and surprising fuel economy.

The FR-S was most inspired by the AE86 generation of the Corolla, better known as the “Hachi-Roku,” meaning “8-6” in Japanese. It was designed around the core goal of achieving “pure balance,” as demonstrated by its compact size, flat shape and strategic use of the world’s only flat boxer engine in a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration.

Cartel Customs styled the car in a nod to Toyota’s rich racing heritage. The vehicle proudly bears the number 86 on its door panels and rear wing. It also features Toyota Racing’s iconic paint scheme. Exterior modifications include Cartel Traditional Signature Series Chop Top, modified front fenders and hood, custom-molded rear deck with hand-made sheet metal speed blisters, custom metal fabrication interior and exterior panels, APR Performance Custom 61” carbon fiber wing, and custom formed and cut glass front windshield and side door glass.

Interior modifications include custom-shaped metal door panels with carbon fiber insets, carbon rear panel false wall, modified dash center drive gauge cluster and carbon switch panel, and red and white accented seats, dash and center console.

2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Special Edition Unleashed

The Ninja 250R from Kawasaki, marketed by Bajaj Auto in India, is facing very stiff competition from the Honda CBR 250R even though the latter is a single cylinder engined motorcycle while the former features an engine with two parallel cylinders.

Now, 2012 Ninja250R looks much sportier and youthful compared to the standard lime green. No changes have been made to the bodywork, engine, underpinnings or the mechanicals of the bike. Even the instrumentation has been left untouched, with that old-world analog speedo-tacho combo. These editions were caught in Thailand, from where it is exported to other countries.

One of the main reason why the Ninja failed to inspire good sales is lack of different shades to the customers. Lack of color options is probably one that hurts Indian consumers and so bringing in some new colors will only enhance the company’s brand. However there isn’t any update available that can assure that these colors are for India, we will have to wait and see if these color options are introduced in India or not but for now nothing can be assured.

Hero Motocorp started working on the 250cc sports bike

BA readers know, Hero Motocorp plans to launch a 250cc sports bike in India. It is a necessary step taken by the company in-order to withstand its top position in the domestic market. Through this high-end bike, the company plans to enter into the overseas market. It might not set the sales chart on fire but will help the company in brand positioning.

Sources informed that Hero Motocorp has commenced work on a 250cc sports bike, which is expected to start selling in 2014. A person directly involved with the project informed that the product will be well-researched and futuristic in nature.

He also said that even as market research is underway, a prototype of the bike is ready. However, it’s subject to alterations as the taste of Indian two-wheeler consumers is expected to change dramatically with the country’s per capita income growing at a rapid pace.

The Hero 250cc motorcycle would most likely be a single-cylinder producing around 23 BHP of power and 20 Nm of torque, while the engines will be made by Hero in association with AVL of Austria. It is expected to feature aggressive styling and the prototype is already standing at Hero’s R&D center in Gurgaon.

Salman Khan becomes brand ambassador for Suzuki Motorcycles

Suzuki two wheelers are certainly not the most popular in the country. While the Access 125 scooter has got reasonable success, well sorted 150cc mobike GS150 has remained largely neglected by the buyers in the 150cc commuter segment. Now, as we reported earlier, Suzuki is all set to launch Hayate motorcycle next month. The Jap bike maker has signed popular bollywood star Salman Khan as its brand ambassador and as expected, the first promotional campaign that features Salman will be of the Hayate. Displacing 112cc, Hayate will lock horns with Hero Splendour, Bajaj Discover 100 and upcoming Honda Dream Yuga.

Atul Gupta, vice-president (sales & marketing), SMIPL said, “While the motorcycle market in India is growing, brand loyalties remain strong. We needed to break into the clutter by differentiating our products and marketing strategy. We decided to sign on Salman Khan as he is a strong fit with the value-packed products we have scheduled for launch in the India market.”

It will be interesting to see if Salman does to Suzuki what John did to Yamaha.

Bajaj Pulsar 200NS production model in final testing

As we said earlier, Bajaj Auto might launch its new Pulsar 200NS in end-this month. At the last minute, the company is working hard to introduce the bike as a perfect one and this might be the reason for the delay in the launch of the Pulsar 200NS. The bike is going under severe road testing conditions, at Bajaj Auto’s test track.

The reason for this could be that the company wants to give this new machine a perfect launch pad and want to leave no stone unturned and there is news that this vehicle is going through every single test, and the test is given a green signal only after engineers and technicians feel its picture perfect.

Apart from company tested conditions this bike is given to some commuters, for a test ride on-real time road conditions and the company officials are gathering all the valiant inputs given by the commuter who has test driven this new machine. The company officials are also making some fine tune-up after looking at the customer’s feedback.

Earlier we said the company offers some minor changes to the Pulsar 200NS, it is fitted with new headlight that will be emitting more light for clear vision of road at night times and rear mudguard with glossy finish as been changed to matte black.

The cluster light on instruments too has been improved for day rising visibility. It is also expected, the company to option buyers in terms of tyres with brands like MRF and TVS. Now rumours on the internet suggest, that some components have been added inside the engine to enhance the performance of the engine.

Bajaj Pulsar 200NS would be one of the best from Bajaj Auto in Pulsar segment vehicles, which will set the road on fire with stunning looks and pick up. After completing the final-testing by the company, the Pulsar 200NS makes a perfect bike with much more than our expectations

AMG breaks ties with Ducati soon after Audi acquires the bike maker

Popular in house tuning firm of Mercedes-AMG, recently ended the association they had with the popular bike maker Ducati. This is something that we had expected as the Ducati is now in hands of Audi, arch rival of Mercedes. The German tuning firm took the decision soon after Audi announced the acquiring of Ducati. AMG and Ducati had a common marketing cooperation since end of 2010.

2013 Dodge Dart Pricing Announced

The all-new 2013 Dodge Dart leverages the architecture and DNA of Alfa Romeo and then infuses it with Dodge passion and design. The Dodge Dart brings this style and technology to market starting at a U.S. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of just $15,995, delivering a thoroughly modern vehicle that’s beautifully designed and crafted with high-quality materials, attention to detail and precision craftsmanship.

Loaded with innovative technology, class-leading safety features and clever functionality, the 2013 Dodge Dart sets a new standard in the compact car segment by offering unmatched personalization, roominess, style, functionality and fun-to-drive dynamics.

The 2013 Dodge Dart is available in five different trim levels in the United States. Customers can choose from the SE, SXT, Rallye, Limited and R/T.

The starting U.S. MSRP for the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart (all prices exclude$795 destination):

2013 Dodge Dart SE – $15,995 starting U.S. MSRP

The Dodge Dart SE offers customers a stylish new car that breaks the mold of the typical compact car, while delivering great value. It’s powered by the new 2.0-liter 16-valve Tigershark I-4 engine, which produces a best-in-class standard 160 horsepower (hp) and 148 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to a six-speed manual transmission, or available six-speed automatic.

Select standard equipment includes class-leading safety features, such as 10 standard air bags, four wheel disc anti-lock brakes, brake assist, electronic stability control (ESC) and traction control. Dart separates itself from the competition with world-class aerodynamics and distinctive style with standard projector headlamps, LED taillamps, body-color crosshair grille and laminated windshield. The interior features a premium soft-touch instrument panel with bright accents, six-way manual driver seat with height adjuster, unique ‘Denim’ cloth seats, power windows, AM/FM CD with MP3 and much more. All 2013 Dodge Dart models feature the security of a 5-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

2013 Dodge Dart SXT – $17,995 starting U.S. MSRP

The 2013 Dodge Dart SXT model includes the standard equipment of the SE model, as well as 17-inch aluminum wheels; power body-color mirrors and door locks; remote keyless entry; six-speakers; security alarm, 60/40 split folding rear seat, sliding armrest; air conditioning with micron filter and more.

Owners can customize their SXT with a wide array of options, including the class-exclusive 8.4-inch touch screen, Garmin navigation, in-seat storage, rear backup camera, power sunroof and a 506-watt sound system.

2013 Dodge Dart Rallye – $18,995 starting U.S. MSRP

The Dodge Dart Rallye adds a customized look to the Dodge Dart with distinctive performance front and rear fascias and a choice of four interior colors – Black with Light Diesel Grey, Diesel with Light Diesel Grey, Black with Ruby Red or Diesel Grey with Citrus Peel.

Rallye includes the standard equipment of the SXT model and also adds the following to create a one-of-a-kind look: unique black front fascia accents; black headlamp bezels; projector fog lamps; class-exclusive integrated dual exhaust with bright exhaust tips; leather-wrapped steering wheel; speed control; steering wheel audio controls; trip computer and more.

Rallye customers can further express themselves with class-exclusive Hyper Black wheels or the powerful efficiency of the 1.4-liter MultiAir® Turbo delivering 160 horsepower and an impressive 184 lb.-ft. of torque.

2013 Dodge Dart Limited – $19,995 starting U.S. MSRP

The all-new Dodge Dart Limited represents the ultimate in luxury with mid-size levels of interior roominess, class-leading safety and technology, all for less than $20,000 MSRP.

The Dodge Dart Limited includes the standard equipment of the Dart SXT and adds the following impressive list of equipment, including unique bright grille and door handles; 8.4-inch Uconnect touch screen with rear backup camera; class-exclusive 7-inch TFT (Thin Film Transistor) reconfigurable instrument cluster display; floating island bezel; projector fog lamps; 10-way power driver seat; automatic headlamps; active grille shutters; premium accent stitching on the instrument panel; and much more.

Limited customers can indulge in a variety of class-exclusive features, including premium Nappa leather with heated steering wheel, Garmin navigation, rear cross path detection and polished aluminum wheels.

2013 Dodge Dart R/T: $22,495 starting U.S. MSRP (3rd quarter 2012 availability):

The Dodge Dart R/T pays homage to the heritage of the R/T badge with distinctive styling and performance attributes that cater to the performance enthusiast with discriminating taste.

The Dodge Dart R/T is powered by the new 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir 2 4-cylinder that produces an impressive 184 horsepower and 171 lb.-ft. of torque and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission or available six-speed automatic with AutoStick.

The R/T features the standard content of the Limited and adds the following distinctive equipment: 18-inch aluminum wheels; sport suspension with frequency-sensing damping shocks; unique performance front fascia with black accents and Hyper Black grille; black headlamp bezels; integrated dual exhaust with bright exhaust tips; R/T-unique premium Nappa perforated leather seats; dual- zone automatic temperature control; heated seats; class-exclusive heated steering wheel;and more.

Mercedes Concetp Style Coupe revealed

We have been reporting a lot on this future sedan from Mercedes and now we finally have the pics of the Mercedes Concept Style Coupe on which the production car will be based on. The baby CLS coupe is based on the MFA platform and is being called as the CLA concept. The MFA structure forms the base of the ‘not so premium’ MB cars like the A-Class and the B-Class. The CLA concept has nothing to do with the CLC coupe. There has been no official word on the future of the CLA but rumors suggest that the car will head to production as soon as in late 2014 and will be built at the car maker’s Hungary plant as the nation provides labour at cheaper rates. The concept car is 182.6 inches long, 74.5 inches wide and 55.0 inches high. Powering this car will be a 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder direct-injection petrol motor that will pump out 211 horses. Mated to this plant will be a 7G-DCT dual-clutch automatic transmission with power transmitted to all four wheels. The CLA will join the likes of the A-Class, B-Class Sports Tourer, CLC Coupe and CLC sedan to complete the 3 pointed star’s five entry level car models line up.Out of these five, the first relatively affordable Merc to come to us is the B-Class sports tourer. And it is quite some time before others mentioned here decide to come to our shores.

Audi acquires Ducati for $1.12 billion

We have been closely following the developments preceding the sale of popular Italian bike maker Ducati. First, a rumor hit the web that Indian manufacturer Hero is looking forward to buy the bike brand. Then, a news daily Corriere della Sera said that Daimler AG too may be interested in acquiring Ducati. This happened soon after another German luxury car maker Audi started taking interest in buying the bike manufacturer. However, Daimler was quick to deny any such interest. Later, Fiat heir Lapo Elkann has commented that he is interested in bidding for acquiring the iconic Italian bike maker. The latest development is that Audi has bought the famous two wheeler brand for $1.12 billion.

This simply means that Audi can now boast of a line up of bikes in its portfolio to give an even stronger fight to arch rival BMW, the latter’s bikes being renowned around the globe. If rumors are to be believed, The payment made to Ducati includes the clearance 200 million Euros of debt that the bike maker faces.

Nevada the first state in the world to approve driverless cars!

It’s incredible how fast human race is making advances in science and technology. As I look back, it appears to be yesterday when I was hoodwinking my parents into believing that I was preparing for engineering exams. As I cut classes and watched those fascinating sci-fi movies, I marveled at things like Tom Cruise controlling a giant screen with hand gestures in Minority Report. It wasn’t long before Mr. Jobs somewhat converted the fantasy into a reality with his range of i products. The movie also portrayed a world in which the cars drove themselves while the passengers just relaxed and enjoyed themselves. Google, as we all know it, seems to have taken up the job of making the vision a reality with its autonomous car. Having seen so much happen so soon, I won’t be surprised if I read about the concept of Precrime Prevention becoming a reality in tomorrow’s newspaper.

Google has been testing an autonomous car for the past couple of years. If the company’s claims are to be believed, the test car has done close to 2.5 lakh kilometers autonomously, without any untowardly incident. But testing one car and having an environment to test a multitude of such cars in the real world are two different things. After prolonged lobbying, seems like Google has found a place in the world to test its new tech on a wider scale. Nevada State of the US of A has become the first state to create regulations for companies interested in testing self-driven cars on public roads.

Of course, there is still a long way to go before such vehicles could be put into production, but the state of Nevada is geared up for the day when it happens with its set of laws. The regulations for the testing of autonomous vehicles include a bond ranging from $1 million to $3 million, details about where the vehicle will be tested and how, and an agreement to submit the entire data collected to the state. Also, there will always have to be two passengers in the car to override the system in case it messes up. The state is also gearing up to put laws in place for a time when these cars would be sold in the market to the common public. These cars will have special registration plates and will have to be equipped with Electronic Data Recorders which would have to record at least 30 seconds of data before a collision, or any other untowardly event occurs.

Google may be the leader in developing such an autonomous car, but it’s most definitely not the only company carrying out such an experiment. Global auto majors such as VW, Audi and GM are carrying out their own, independent development programs for such fully- or semi-autonomous vehicles.

It may look like a cool thought to have your car driving itself, but it’ll take years before such a technology is incorporated on production cars. The data available about roads will have to be more comprehensive. More importantly, it will have to be more dynamic, and blockades and other issues will have to be reported on the fly. Cars don’t have the decision making powers of humans, so they will have to rely on detailed, frequently updated information to be sure that they are not headed towards a precarious situation.

Another challenge would be to iron out the differences in the driving patters of humans and autonomous cars. A world which comprises of only self-driving cars sounds like a safer bet, where all the machines could communicate with each other and make an informed decision based on the data acquired. Throwing in instinctive humans into the equation makes the situation more dangerous. Google and other companies will have to ensure that there is perfect harmony between the self-driven and human driver cars in the real world. Also, chaotic and undisciplined traffic conditions like we have here in India would make the implementation of such technologies even more difficult.

So what do you think of the concept? Would it ever be implementable? What do you think would be the biggest challenges, and how do you think should these companies address them? Voice your opinions, there are more people listening than you think.

Hero Motocorp’s all-new 250cc bike under development, to debut in 2014

It’s no secret that Hero Motocorp has been working very hard at developing a strong and capable in-house R&D team. The company has recently joined hands with Eric Buell Racing and AVL of Australia as a part of its plan to build bigger, technologically advanced engines for its future motorcycles. The big news coming in at this hour, however, is that the company has already developed a 250cc engine, and a prototype machine with the new heart throbbing within its chassis already exists. The new motorcycle, to take over the reins from the aging Karizma, as the company’s performance flagship, will make its debut in 2014. The word has apparently been leaked out by 4 members of the Hero Motorcorp R&D team who have insisted their names not be revealed. If their word is to be believed, the new prototype was even parked in Hero Motorcorp’s Gurgaon showroom for a while.

According to the sources, the new product wouldn’t be a make do arrangement. It would be a technologically advanced, well researched, well tested and futuristic product. Changes, however, have to be made to make the product suit the Indian tastes. Expect the new 250 to be a liquid cooled single with an output of more than 25bhp. It would, however be interesting to see how well the company’s first ground-up product matches up with its Japanese rivals.

Hero has been working aggressively on developing a strong R&D team and knowledge base. The company has a huge 300 member R&D team at its Gurgaon base which includes professionals from Eric Buell Racing, AVL and engineers hired from several other motorcycle companies of global repute. EBR will help the company with design inputs, for company’s new engines to be developed in association with AVL of Australia.

Hero Motorcorp may not have much experience with developing new products all by its own, but it would be foolish to underestimate the world’s biggest bikemaker. The Indian company has put in a lot of money in its new products, and we would like to see some well-polished products to roll out of the company’s plant. Let’s see how well they turn out. Do let us know what you expect though. Also, how much would you be willing to shell out for such a product from Hero Motocorp?

Hyundai reduces down the waiting period for verna and i20

Good news for Hyundai lovers the waiting period for the diesel i20 has been reduced to one month and to about 2-3 months for the diesel Verna. Hyundai Motor India Pvt Ltd have announced that the company has enhanced the supply of it’s popular diesel i20 hatchback and Verna models starting this month, which will in-turn reduce the waiting period of these two models substantially. The waiting period for the diesel Hyundai Verna will drop from six months to about two to three months, while the waiting period for the Hyundai i20 hatchback will drop to about a month.

The total production of diesel variants of both the models has been bumped by up to 50 per cent from the existing 7,000 units per month to 10,500 units per month. The decision to ramp up the production of diesel cars follows the Union Budget 2012-13, which concluded last month that left the anticipated tax on diesel cars untouched.

The company has been able to enhance the supply of ramping up diesel engine imports from South Korea. “Our customers have shown great patience, they have waited for many months, we owe it to them to deliver our cars at the earlier.” Mr Arvind Saxena, director of marketing and sales, Hyundai Motor India Ltd said.

BMW launched F650GS on-off road touring motorcycle priced at Rs. 9.99 lakh in India

Earlier this month, we said BMW Motarrad intends to launch the baby GS, the F650 GS in India with a prices starting at around the Rs 8 lakh mark, but now the manufacturer has silently launched the much awaited BMW F650 GS on-off road touring motorcycle in Indian bike market that too at a price tag of 9.99 lakh(ex-showroom Delhi). The bike was launched recently on 10th April, 2012.

The bike will be bought as a CBU (completely built unit) which means the import taxes will be high (75%) on it as compared to a CKD unit, we personally feel the bike is completely overpriced. It has been a while now that BMW Motarrad has been selling few of its mean machines, motorcycles, in Indian automotive industry through its dealerships, Navnit Motors and Deutsche Motoren.

The 2012 BMW F650 GS on-off road sportsbike has a heart of 800 cc parallel twin four stroke engine that develops 71 BHP of top power and 76 Nm of peak output torque. The powerful engine of the mean machine is coupled with a six speed manual transmission, which transmits the torque to rear wheel via a chain drive.

The engine of the bike is liquid cooled and fuel injected type. The BMW F650 GS runs on 19 inch and 17 inch front and rear wheels respectively, featuring disc type braking system. ABS is the most interesting safety measure on this on-off road speed-star which is aimed primarily hard core bike enthusiasts. The tried and tested telescopic suspensions at the front and adjustable monoshock suspensions at the rear end offers better driveability experience to rider even on rugged terrains.

HMSI to develop a stronger R&D facility in India

Recently, Honda Motor Scooter India (HMSI) was seen overtaking Bajaj to claim the second spot in the sales chart of Indian biking market. It seems like the popular bike manufacturer is all set to get more aggressive with its Indian operations. News has emerged that the manufacturer will be soon seen moving its R&D facility from Gurgaon to its Manesar plant. This is not all as HMSI plans to double the engineers to 200-300 at the R&D dept. once the new facility is functional at Manesar. The Manesar R&D facility should be ready within next 6 months.

Cars to carry fuel efficiency labels, inefficient cars to be junked

After years of pushing the idea back and forth, the Government of India has finally made fuel efficiency labels on cars mandatory. Under the new norm, carmakers will have to put labels indicating the fuel efficiency of their cars. Not only this, carmakers have also been asked to improve the fuel efficiency of their products over the years. Fuel efficiency labels will bear star ratings, as currently seen on electrical appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners. The number of stars (maximum five) will give the buyers a broad based idea about the overall efficiency of the car they are buying. Cars with rating below one star will not be allowed to be sold in the market.

The average fuel efficiency of the products from top ten car makers in India is 16.42 kmpl. This is expected to go up to 18.15 kmpl by 2015, and to 20.79kmpl by 2020. As improving efficiency will cost carmakers money in R&D SIAM has asked the government to loosen the prescribed norms. The government, however, thinks that the targets set by it are quite liberal and can be achieved without much hassle, saying that expecting manufacturers to improve efficiency by 2.8 per cent every year is not asking for too much. The new norms will help the Indian car market match up with the global gold standard car markets such as Europe and America in due course.
Carmakers who are not able to meet the criteria will have to cough out upto Rs 10 lakh as penalties. Penalties will continue to be levied until corrective measures are taken, at the rate of Rs 10,000 per day (that would be easy, won’t it) upto a cap of Rs 46 lakh. If a manufacturer fails to comply even after that, its model may be removed from the market.

While we welcome the government’s move to introduce such norms in the country, we wish it realized its own duty also before being so strict about rules. Fuel quality is integral to factors such as tail pipe emissions and power output. Unfortunately the fuel quality in India is much worse when compared to developed nations. More than 90 percent of the fuel stations still serve 89 Octane fuel, which more often than not is adulterated, or mixed with chemicals to bloat up the volume. The amount of suspended particles also is higher in the fuel sold in India. Because of this, the latest engine technologies cannot be employed in cars here. The government will also have to look at the quality of roads and traffic management. After all, a fast commute delivers much better fuel efficiency and pollutes the air much less than while being stuck in a jam forever, idling, burning fuel and emitting gases for no reason. Who is answerable for the efficiency losses and pollution caused in such scenarios? Should there be a penalty on the government too for such situations?

Like always, the government is trying to look proactive, without owning up to its own responsibility entirely. Would you like to add a few clauses to the ruling? Do let us know.

All new Honda Jazz to be launched in 2013. To come with a diesel plant

The all new generation of Honda Jazz aka Fit should be out in the open by next fiscal. It is being said that the next gen Jazz could be the first compact from the Jap auto major to have a compact oil burner. We won’t be too surprised to see a 1200cc 3 cylinder turbocharged common rail unit under the hood.

If reports from Japanese media are anything to go by, the basic form of next gen Jazz could be quite similar to current car but Honda will be playing a lot with the details and character lines. Motoroids expects the next gen Jazz to have a hint of Brio in its styling and we won’t be too surprised if the car comes with LEDs incorporated into its headlight assembly.

The evolution in the styling department of the Jazz could be much like that found between the last and current gen Suzuki Swift. While the footprint and design language remains largely similar, the new Swift looks much more modern than the last gen. We also expect Honda to put a really mouth watering price tag on the new Brio when the next gen car comes to Indian market.

Mahindra to launch hybrid vehicle in 2015

Popular Indian utility vehicle manufacturer, Mahindra recently announced that it is working on the development of a full hybrid vehicle. The manufacturer is hoping to introduce this vehicle by 2015. It may be noted that Toyota Prius, arguably world’s most popular hybrid car, has sold 155 units in India. The Prius came to our shores in 2010. The Prius comes to us via CBU route and retails for around INR 36 lakhs. However, the car might get cheaper owing to Toyota commencing the local assembly of the vehicle as soon as the Govt’s new policy on electric and hybrid vehicles is out in about 2 months time. Another Jap auto maker, Honda, had earlier introduced the Civic Hybrid in the Indian market but the car was pulled out in 2009 owing to the cold response it got from the buyers.

Coming back to the subject, a team of 14 engineers and a European consultant at the manufacturer’s R&D facility in Chennai are working on the Mahindra hybrid project. We wonder about the kind of response the Indian manufacturer vehicle will get from our market.

Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS gets few changes for production version

Bajaj auto as recently showcased its new version of Pulsar called 200 NS on January this year, but now more details emerge before its launch. Bajaj as promised its launch in April but there are no signs of its launch yet. According to sources Bajaj is making few changes before its launch in April this month. The production of the Pulsar 200 NS is expected to start in the last week of this month.

Bajaj as added more powerful headlamps with 35watt bulb, but for production bajaj as changed it to 55 watt. Rear mudguard with glossy finish as been changed to matte black. The cluster lights on instruments have been improved for day rising visibility. The company is also giving option to buyers in terms of tyres with brands like MRF and TVS.

The bike will be obviously powered by 200 cc engine, with SOHC 4 valve engine with triple sparks plugs producing 23.17 BHP of peak power at 9500 RPM and 18.3 Nm of peak torque at 8000 RPM, Bajaj claim the Pulsar 200 NS will hit 60 km/h in 3.61 seconds and 100 km/h in just 9.83 seconds. The Pulsar 200 NS is not the fastest Indian with a top speed of 136 km/h. The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox and the Pulsar 200 NS uses liquid cooling. With the use of lighter components, the Pulsar 200 NS weighs 145 kgs.

Hyosung GT250R coming to us in May

Garware partners with Korean bike manufacturer Hyosung in its Indian operations and takes care of the sales and services. Today, the Hyosung-Garware alliance sells the Hyosung GT650R, the GT650N (naked) and the ST7 Cruiser. It may be noted that all these bikes retail for more than INR 4 lakh and hence, the manufacturer caters to a minimal section of Indian bikers. About a decade back, Hyosung had tied up with the now defunct Kinetic to sell a 250cc twin cylinder naked street bike. This premium motorcycle was christened as the Comet and it still has a fair bit of fan following in the country. Some 5 years back, when I was still in school and the dream bike used to be the cousin's Karizma, the aforementioned bike and I had a little rendezvous and it will be an understatement to say that I was completely bowled over by it. The bike had speed and acceleration that could give some inferiority complex to an average Karizma owner. The only aspect where the bike lacked was the handling department. Still, those Comet days constitute a part of many a fond memories of those days.

A few years back, Kawasaki decided to spoil us silly by offering arguably the best 250cc in the world. The baby Ninja has it all, save for the Value For Money factor. The segment became hotter with the arrival of well priced Honda CBR 250R and the rumors of Suzuki 250cc are doing rounds since quite some time.

Now, in an attempt to acquire a greater chunk of the Indian market, Hyosung is planning to bring in the GT250R. The news is that the new quarter liter class bike will be launched as soon as in May. The bookings for the bike should open by the end of this month. This bike can sure be a lethal threat to the much publicized japs and the GT250R will play a younger sibling to the GT650R. The bike will be priced in INR 2-2.25 lakhs and the smaller capacity variant of the GT650R will retain the V-Twin engine configuration of the GT650R. Hyosung's quarter litre bike has a DOHC layout and fuel injection. The motor produces a peak power of 29 Bhp and a maximum peak power of 22 Nm. These figures slots the bike bang in the middle of Ninja 250R and CBR 250R's performance territory.

This sure is an upcoming opportunity for Garware-Hyosung to christen the GT250R as the Comet and capitalize on the brand image.We are eagerly waiting with itching hands for this quarter litre bike to hit the Indian market.

Meet Shannon, the girl who used to drink Petrol everyday!

Going by my affinity for cars and internal combustion engines, some of my pals often joke that my daily diet consists of a couple of gallons of gasoline. Now, don’t matter how inexpensive petrol becomes, it is sadly true that I won’t be trying to consume petrol anytime during my lifetime. However, Shannon, a pretty girl from U.S. used to keep a jug of gasoline always stored in her kitchen and she drinks about 12 teaspoons of the fuel everyday!

“It tastes like sweet and sour, like a tangy sauce. It tingles first, and then it burns the back of my throat. Even though it hurts me, it makes me feel good,” Shannon says.

Shannon also says that last year she consumed as much as five gallons of petrol. Coming to think of it, my Suzuki Baleno can give me about an hour of drive from this much quantity of gas. Drinking gasoline can cause burns, diarrhea, vomiting, and in larger amounts, drowsiness or death and Shannon knew of the danger but she continued with her habit of consuming this stuff for long. And I left having Pepsi only because my doc told me that soft drinks are not good for health. Funny.

Rolls Royce does not wants to sell a car to Mallika Sherawat

Mallika Sherawat might have played a role with Jackie Chan and Stanley Tong. She might have got clicked standing near the US President Barack Obama. She also might have posed with Michael Lambert, Yanni, Ric Wake and some other people from Hollywood. She might have her bank account flush with money she has earned by doing item songs. She might have also got very recognized in the country due to her dressing sense, or should we say, the lack of it. There must be several things Mallika might be up to but what she won’t be seen doing is driving around in her own Rolls Royce car. Apparently, Mallika recently decided to buy herself a Rolls Royce. Now, the Brit luxury car maker does a background and status check before selling its cars. It seems like Mallika’s curves and X-factor could not impress Rolls and they denied selling her a car. As expected, Mallika is not agreeing to this news and she tweeted, “not true. Please don't believe silly rumours.”

Ferrari to introduce a special edition of 458 Italia for celebrating its 20th anniversary in China

2012 marks the 20th anniversary for Ferrari’s Chinese operations which commenced in the country with the launch of a 348 TS. Ferrari will be soon seen launching the 458 Italia special edition. Only 20 of these cars will be sold. The car will be available only in China and will come with a special paint job that will have unique Chinese elements and will be in a shade of Marco Polo Red, which has been specially developed for this car. The 458 Italia comes with an 8 cylinder mid-rear engine and which has won more than 35 awards globally. One of the major highlights of the special edition of the car will be the golden dragon on the hood. The monster will be seen offset by gold and black livery stripes. This unique design is enhanced by gold finish to the rims and the aeroelastic winglets. The interior also reflects the unique longma spirit and the celebration of Chinese culture with gold embroidery on the car's head rests, while the engine start button on each of the 20 cars is inscribed with the simplified Chinese characters for 'start', and a '20th Anniversary Special Edition' plaque is set into the dash.

Best Bikes

Ducati Diavel

Price: $16,995 (Carbon, $19,995)
Engine: L-twin
HP/torque: 162/94 lb.-ft.
Curb weight: 463 lbs. dry
(Carbon, 456 lbs.)
Seat height: 30.3 inches
There are plenty of fast cruisers, but none as aggro as Ducati’s diabolical Diavel. Sure, its 1,198 cc twin-cylinder churns out more power than some cars’ engines, but all those horses are kept in check by a sophisticated electronic system. Bonus: This pugnacious ride also has an eerie ability to take corners at speed.

Yamaha Fz 8

Price: $8,499
Engine: Inline four-cylinder
HP/torque: N/A
Curb weight: 467 lbs.
Seat height: 32.1 inches
The FZ8’s 779 cc engine spins revs like a rabid wildebeest, and a relatively upright posture makes the bike comfortable enough for long days in the saddle. Our favorite part? In this age of plasticky superbikes, the FZ8’s lack of bodywork reveals its mean blacked-out interior. Sort of like our souls!
BMW K1600 GT/GTL

Price: $20,900 (GT), $23,200 (GTL)
Engine: Inline six-cylinder
HP/torque: 160/129 lb.-ft.
Curb weight: 703 lbs. (GTL, 767 lbs.)
Seat height: 32.7 inches
BMW’s K 1600 mixes plus-size body with a stonking six-cylinder that launches this “touring bike” to 62 mph in a face-melting 3.2 seconds. Slick gizmos include a ride-by-wire system with “rain,” “road,” or “dynamic” modes, and the tall windscreen, GPS, stereo, and top case make for über-cruising. Düsseldorf, here we come!
Harley Davidson SuperLow

Price: $7,999 (black), $8,289 (colors)
Engine: V-twin
HP/torque: NA/55 lb.-ft.
Curb weight: 563 lbs.
Seat height: 25.5 inches (laden)
Craving old-school badass power at an actually affordable price? Harley-Davidson’s tough SuperLow is the way for cruiser-loving newbies to get in the game. This all-American ride combines classic U.S. under­pinnings—a punchy rubber-mounted V-twin and a suspension that’s been tuned for user-friendliness—making it one of the slickest yet mildest rides for new riders
Honda CBR 250R

Price: $3,999 ($4,499 with ABS)
Engine: Single cylinder
HP/torque: N/A
Curb weight: 359 lbs. (368 lbs. with ABS)
Seat height: 30.5 inches
Honda’s all-new CBR250R is one of the only options for performance-oriented beginners. And guess what? It rocks. This spunky sport bike features 18 patents on the frame alone. The kicker? Its starting price will leave you with extra dough for advanced riding lessons and string cheese. Because who doesn't love string cheese?
Kawasaki KLX 250SF

Price: $4,999
Engine: Single-cylinder
HP/torque: N/A
Curb weight: 302 lbs.
Seat height: 33.9 inches
If you’re long of leg yet crave a supermoto-style steed, the KLX250SF is a sweet alternative to larger bikes. Its adjustable suspension offers a lush 9.1 inches of front-wheel travel. And you can get it in any color you like, as long as that color is what Kawasaki calls “Oriental Blue.” We don’t even know if that’s racist!

Bajaj Auto confirms new Pulsar 350 launch in 2013

Bajaj Auto has unveiled his next generation Pulsar 2012 recently. At this launch Rajiv Bajaj, MD and CEO of Bajaj Auto has confirmed that the company will soon be launching 350cc bike from the Pulsar series at an affordable price.

When the KTM Duke 200 was launched, it was announced the KTM would launch Duke 350 in India. Following the heels of KTM, Bajaj will bring an affordable 350cc called Pulsar 350NS (NS refers to Naked Sports). It’s no wonder, duke 350 and Pulsar 350cc will share the engine and chassis. Now we can stop blaming the manufacturers. Global bikes at Indian cost are here.

Thus, we expect the Duke 350 to arrive before the Pulsar 350 in 2013. Bajaj will use its own technology on the lower half block of the KTM motor to differentiate the Duke and Pulsar. Expect a price below Rs. 1.75 lakhs, with the Pulsar 350 using a twin-cylinder motor, producing close to 33 BHP of power and 25 Nm of torque. The Pulsar 350 will be the flagship variant of the Pulsar series from 2013, pushing the 2012 Pulsar 200 NS off its perch.

World's Most Expensive Car

Revealed as a concept car at the Paris Motor Show last year, Lamborghini Sesto Elemento is coming to the selected showrooms in October 2011. With a 5.2 litre V10 engine and entire body constructed from visible, matte-finish carbon fiber the car is capable of reaching 62 mph in 2.5 seconds. Italian luxury car maker Lamborghini will produce only 20 units carrying a price tag of 1.9 million euro($2.9 million)

2012 Chevrolet Volt: Review

Most readers of Automoblog will be familiar with the issues that have been in the media surrounding the Chevy Volt. The Volt has been hampered by a number of issues, including customer confusion over its gas-and-electric technology and a government investigation into post-crash-test fires, which ultimately vindicated the car. For 2012, Chevrolet has added structural enhancements to the Volt to reduce the risk of battery damage in an impact. Seldom mentioned is that the fires occurred two days or more after the Volts were crashed, and after the cars had been left sitting without the post-crash storage steps recommended by Chevrolet. The most recent issue involved General Motors announcing it was replacing the cord and charging device that lets owners charge the car from a 120-volt household outlet. Some Volt owners have complained that their 120-volt charger “overheats during use and have even documented online videos of melted 120-volt chargers.” But Consumer Reports has said it has not had the problem in its testing of the car, and even put the Volt on its “recommended” list. Chevy Volt rear When you take away all the negative news, the 2012 Chevrolet Volt is an impressive engineering achievement. When the car made its debut, much of the general public and media assumed the Volt was a pure electric car. But that is a total misconception. The Volt is essentially a plug-in hybrid, and will run much faster and farther under electric power only, than a normal hybrid vehicle. In the Volt’s case, this means up to 100 mph and anywhere from 25-50 miles without using any gasoline. This gives many commuter’s the ability to drive to work and back, plug in the Volt when they get home, and essentially never need to buy gas. The Volt is a four-door, four-seat hatchback that is laid out with two bucket seats in front, two in the rear and a center console running the full length of the cabin. The Volt feels quite roomy in front, and the front buckets are handsome and some of GM’s best seats ever. The Volt’s hatchback design allows for convenient loading of cargo, and with the rear seats folded flat, cargo capacity is increased. Chevy Volt The 2012 Chevrolet Volt accelerates quickly from a stop light and once up to speed it is quick and responsive. The Volt has the kind of performance that is very typical of electric vehicles and offers a sporty driving experience. The placement of its battery pack creates a lower center of gravity than that in most sedans, and gives the Volt a sure-footedness in tight corners. The electric Chevrolet Volt will give most drivers a pleasant surprise with its quiet smooth operation and quick acceleration. But be ready for some sticker shock because the Volt is expensive compared to conventionally powered compacts, especially before government tax credits. A standard Volt has an MSRP of $39,145, and even with a $7,500 federal tax credit, a base Volt will still cost about $31,500. As you can see, how far you routinely drive would be a huge factor in determining how thrifty the Volt would be for you. Most urban owners will be able to take advantage of its electric range and use very little fuel. And electricity costs for recharging are but a fraction for the equivalent amount of gasol

Chrysler Unveils Wireless Charging System

The all-new 2013 Dodge Dart will be the first Chrysler model offering the new in-vehicle wireless charging technology, it will arrive in dealerships in the second quarter of this year. For easy access, a seamlessly integrated power bin, measuring 8.27 inches by 9.5 inches by 3.25 inches, is installed just below the center stack and in front of the center console. The bin has a built-in charging grid that is activated when customers place in their battery-powered device. The unit begins to charge when the vehicle is started. A phone case, specifically designed for a variety of smartphones, is required and included with the feature. Mopar in-vehicle wireless charging is available for $199.99, plus installation (part number 82213216).

Official Lamborghini Cigarettes to be launched on 18 April

Lamborghini fragrances and Lamborghini branded electronics later, we now have Lamborghini cigarettes. Recently, KT&G, leading tobacco manufacturer at South Korea, acquired the rights to officially introduce Lamborghini branded cigarettes. Korea Tomorrow and Ginseng ( KT&G) produces cigarettes like Lo Crux, Raison, Esse, Zest, This Plus, This, Arirang, Indigo, and The One. KT&G Lamborghini Cigarettes will hit the market on 18th April and will go for 2,700 Won (USD 2.4) each. KT&G said, "The new premium brand has been in development for the past three years to target both the domestic and overseas markets. The new cigarette has been made of top-of-the-notch materials and has been designed as a premium product with a global brand value." We just hope that the Lamborghini fans who are non-smokers, do not end up taking to smoking to get more loyal to the popular Italian supercar manufacturer.

BMW F650GS Launched In India for INR 9.99 lakhs

BMW Motorrad, the two wheeler wing of premium carmaker BMW, today launched the F650GS in India. The off roader bike has a 798cc parallel twin engine that gives out a peak power output of 71 hp along with 75Nm of peak torque. The F650 GS weighs at a rather heavy 200kg, but the healthy power, by Indian standards should make it one of the faster machines on two wheels here. With its impeccable off-road credentials, the F650 appears to be a great option for serious tourers who have some vitamin M to spare. The only trouble is the high 820mm of seat height which wouldn’t be very suitable for those with a short stature. The F650GS will come equipped with 17 inch wheels up front and 19 inchers at the rear, both alloys. Hardcore off-roaders may cry foul over the missing spoke wheels but for most others, the alloys would be more than enough to tackle any adversity thrown at them. The bike will have great tractability, easy riding position and a smooth, comfortable ride quality as its USPs. The bike will also be equipped with ABS to handle emergency situations more adeptly.