Second Report on New Maruti Swift Dzire Zdi

Our first monsoon casualty! A branch had fallen on the Dzire & caused considerable damage. The rear windscreen was shattered, the boot lid dented & the roof had suffered some damage too. We got in touch with Maruti’s workshop, who informed us of the unavailability of the rear windscreen glass. The wait, coupled with the process of getting it fixed, took 15 days, & the hefty bill of Rs 21,161 came as a bit of a shock. It’s interesting to note that the rear windscreen cost us just Rs 1809, while the denting, painting & labour comprised the rest of the bill. As soon as the car came back, I took it to Nashik for one of my now rather infrequent trips home. Thanks to the late hour, driving out of Mumbai was hassle free, &...

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New Maruti Alto 800 is coming soon

Maruti’s all new Alto 800 is now inching closer to launch. The new Alto 800 will be based on the existing Alto platform & will be powered by the same 796cc three cylinder motor (F8D) from the Alto, which has been modified to meet the latest emission norms. The new Alto 800 will slot in below the Alto, is expected to have all new interiors, & will be a tad more spacious than before. The design is rather basic, with the nose getting high mounted headlights, a slim, slot like grille & a huge secondary air inlet opening above & below the bumper. Maruti has provided a wider, U shaped rear windscreen for better visibility, & there is a wide tailgate for better accessibility to the cargo bay. The new 800 is likely to share...

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Second Report on New Tata Nano Lx 2012

Come May, it’s holiday season, which means it’s ‘relatives visiting Mumbai’ time. & this holiday we had an extra special visitor, my grandmother. Unlike most grannies, however, this 88 year old loves to travel around the city; & her chauffer of choice, more often than not, is me. Now normally, the weekends are reserved for my beloved blue SS80, better known as the first generation Maruti 800. It’s a car I absolutely love, & driving it is a real treat. But though I love piloting it on weekends, my family doesn’t think very highly of it, especially when I ask them to squeeze themselves into the rear. Also, my gran finds it very uncomfortable to be sat so low. This holiday, however, I had at her disposal our very attractive,...

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All new Wagon R Pro

Maruti has launched a limited-edition Wagon R, the Wagon R Pro. This is another move by Maruti to push the petrol-only Wagon R in a market which has now severely tilted towards diesel cars. This limited edition Wagon R comes with a host of upgrades such as a double-din music system with speakers, a rear spoiler, bumper protectors, body graphics, seat covers & side mouldings. The installation of these accessories will be carried out at Maruti’s authorised dealerships. These accessories when purchased outside, will cost you Rs 30,000, but Maruti is offering them at Rs 20,000 for a limited time. The top-end Maruti Wagon R VXi is priced at Rs 4.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai) & Maruti is currently offering a cash discount of Rs 30,000,...

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Here is the all new camry

Toyota has launched the all-new Camry luxury saloon. The car will be assembled at the company’s Bangalore facility. The new Camry is priced at Rs 23.8 lakh (Ex-Showroom, Delhi) The new Camry comes with a more refined 2.5-litre 178bhp VVT-i petrol engine mated to new six-speed automatic transmission Despite retaining almost the same dimensions as the previous-generation car, the new Camry looks bigger & more substantial in the flesh. According to Toyota, more than 90 percent of the parts have been reworked, but there is no escaping the fact that the car is still based on the same basic platform. The exterior design gets a thorough re-working, while the interiors are luxuriously appointed with fully electrically-adjustable front seats...

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Chervolet Compact SUV

Small SUVs are making waves all around the world. Chevrolet announced its Trax a while back & has just revealed more details about its baby SUV. It might look like a beefed up Beat from afar, but the only thing similar between the two is the familiar family face with the bow tie. What you see here is the all new Trax, a compact SUV that is soon to hit international & the Indian market soon. "Trax provides Chevrolet an entry into a growing small SUV segment & delivers the flexibility, great fuel economy & car-like handling that urban explorers require," claimed Chevrolet Europe's president & managing director Susan Docherty at the teaser announcement. Externally, Chevrolet is keeping within its traditional design...

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Kawasaki NInja 650R review

Kawasaki & Bajaj have kept loyal fans of the Ninja 650R on tenterhooks for a while now. it is  taken an age for the 2012 model Ninja 650 to arrive to India, but you can blame this on Government red tape, & arrive it now has, in style. The earlier variant of this 650cc twin-cylinder bike impressed us no end, & this new model promises more, for what isn't a whole lot more money, a Bajaj hallmark now. The new 650 comes with up-to-date styling, potent twin headlights & extensively revised fairing panels that draw styling cues from larger Ninja models. Several rounded angles on the outgoing model are now sharper, making for a contemporary, meaner looking motorcycle. Bajaj tell us wider panel gaps are in the interests of...

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Honda had launched new City S A/T

Honda has added an another automatic variant to the City line up. Buyers of the Honda City have now an option for automatic gearbox in the mid spec S trim level as well. Earlier, the automatic gearbox was available only on the top end V variant.  The City S A/T is targeted at buyers who want the convenience of an automatic gearbox at a lower price point. The City S A/T lacks features found in the top end V A/T variant, such as turn indicators on the wing mirrors, chrome finish on the exhaust tip & door handles, fog lamps, cruise control & gun metal finish on the dash. The City S A/T also comes only with five spoke alloys instead of the ten spoke ones found on the V trim. All automatic Honda Citys come with a five speed automatic...

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Maruti India is Hoping to re open the operations at Manesar

With state government support Maruti hopes to re open operations at Manesar even as suppliers await more indications of a return to normalcy. The dark clouds of labour strife hanging over Maruti’s Manesar plant are expected to blow over soon. The carmaker is considering re starting production by August 16 say sources who spoke to our sister publication Autocar Professional. The lockout at Manesar continues to have a cascading effect on around 650 ancillary units in the Gurgaon Manesar Dharuhera industrial belt that employs over a million workers many of whom are contract workers besides those employed by the 270 parts suppliers in the vicinity. Meanwhile P K Gupta additional chief secretary Haryana Labour & Employment Department...

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New Maruti Ertiga full review and test drive

Design & engineering The Ertiga’s wheelbase, at 2740mm, is a considerable 310mm longer than the Swift’s & the kerb weight has increased by around 155kg. But this is impressive considering it’s a seven seater. Suzuki has kept the Ertiga’s weight in check with extensive use of lightweight high tensile steel in its construction. With a length of 4265mm, the Ertiga is a fair bit shorter than the other MPVs in the market, namely the Toyota Innova, Mahindra Xylo & Tata Aria. The Ertiga employs an independent, MacPherson strut, coil spring suspension at the front & a non independent torsion beam setup at the rear. The brakes are also a conventional front disc & rear drum setup. Styling is typically Suzuki,...

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Honda has revealed the new Accord

Honda has released some official photos of new Honda Accord saloon. As seen from the current designs the Accord gets many styled tweaks but overall this new design is very much on the conservative side except a strong character line that runs on the sides. As seen from the picture the new Honda Accord will get LED daytime running lights also. The new Accord will have more interior space thanks to the clever packaging. There is no update on the engine choices but we expect them to be carried over from the current car. The new Honda Accord will compete with the likes of the Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Skoda Superb and Volkswagen Passat. Expect Honda to launch the new Accord in India the next year. ...

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Full Review and Test Drive of new Toyota Camry 2012

In the global scheme of things, the Camry is one of Toyota’s best-selling models. It is seen as a sensible family car that is built to last an eternity. However, in India the Camry sells for its size and luxurious appeal. While the Toyota badge is a big draw for many, the lack of a diesel engine has always been the car’s Achilles’ heel. Moreover, being a CBU import, Camry prices have only risen over the years. Little wonder that Toyota has been unable to replicate the Camry’s global success here in India. While a diesel engine would have immediately brought the Camry back into contention, the fact is Toyota simply doesn’t have the right engine for the job. So if the Camry is to sell with only a petrol engine, it had better cost less....

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New Aston Martin Vanquish is launched

Aston Martin has expanded its India portfolio by adding the Vanquish grand tourer to its line up. Priced at Rs 3.85 crore (ex showroom, Mumbai), the Vanquish is the second most expensive Aston Martin on Indian roads, behind only the Rs 25 crore One 77. The car, which replaces the DBS, is powered by a naturally aspirated 6.0 litre V12 petrol engine that produces 565bhp & is mated to a six speed automatic gearbox. It gets to 100kph in 4.1 seconds. The British marque opted to bring the Vanquish to India based on the fact that three fourths of its sales in India come from its higher priced models. "The initial belief was that we will sell a lot of entry level cars like the Vantage & a few high end...

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