Carz Stuffs and Th!ngs

Renault’s first product for the Indian car market as an independent entity (not counting the Logan which was built in association with Mahindra) was the Fluence sedan. First launched during 2011 in India, the Fluence sedan with a mid life facelift just went on sale in the country days go. Renault Fluence Facelift D-Segment Sedan used as an illustration The Fluence was launched with petrol and turbo diesel engine options initially but is now available only in diesel power. Renault India has discontinued the petrol variants of the Fluence sedan on account of poor sales. The car used to feature a 2 liter petrol engine (135 Bhp-190 Nm) mated to a CVT automatic gearbox. Poor fuel efficiency was a major bane of the petrol powered Fluence. This low fuel efficiency of the petrol sedan was further exacerbated by the excellent fuel efficiency that the 1.5 liter K9K turbo diesel engined variants delivered, aided to good measure by the more efficient 6 speed manual gearbox, compa...

Shell has formally opened its first lubricant and oil research facility in Shanghai, China. The Shanghai research centre becomes the company’s third facility which will focus on lubricants product development and its application for China and other countries such as India, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. The Shanghai centre will become a part of Shell’s network of lubricants laboratories, working closely with the other two centres, each located in Hamburg, Germany and Houston, USA respectively. These are part of a wider 10-centre strong global network of Shell R&D centres. The research centre sprawls a good 92,500 sq ft and will cover a wide range of product applications which include passenger car motor oils (PCMOs), motorcycle oils (MCOs), heavy duty engine oils (HDEOs), transmission fluids, as well as industrial and speciality oils and greases. The research work will also cover oils for the shipping centre. The Shanghai facility will also provide techni...

In what seems like a bolt out of the blue, Mahindra has launched a Special Edition version of the hugely popular Bolero MUV. The Bolero Special Edition gets a mild decal job on its flanks while a couple of new features have been added. Mahindra claims that only 500 units of the Special Edition Bolero will be built, in keeping with the MUVs “special edition” status. The price of the Bolero Special Edition is yet to be revealed. Mahindra Bolero Special Edition MUV Here’s a list of what’s new on the Bolero Special Edition: Pearl white paint job with decals on the flanks Bluetooth and USB connectivity for the factory fitted stereo system European leather seats “Rear ABS”, perhaps a reference to a load sensing and proportioning valve (LSPV) equipped rear brakes Of the new features, the rear ABS feature arouses curiosity given the fact that the Bolero is equipped with disc brakes on its front wheels. With drum brakes at the rear, the “Rear ABS” feature is likely ...

 In the land of the “Kitna Deti Hai”, diesel hatchbacks continue to rule the hustings, especially in the B+ segment space. CarToq rounds up India’s most fuel efficient diesel hatchbacks in an updated 2014 list. So, if you’re in the market for a diesel hatchback with an emphasis on fuel efficiency, you must stop by and go through this list. All fuel efficiency figures in this list are ARAI certified. Oh, and there’s a surprise in store. India’s best selling B+ Segment hatchback isn’t in this list. Whoever said Indians care only for mileage. Chevrolet Beat – 25.44 Kmpl Despite being the most fuel efficient hatchback in the country, the Chevrolet Beat doesn’t even sell half as much as the best selling B+ segment hatchback. The Beat Diesel manages 25.44 Kmpl, mainly due to its 936 cc – 3 cylinder turbo diesel engine that is a downsized version of the 1.3 liter Multijet diesel motor that Fiat and General Motors jointly developed. Although the engine is super frugal, the loss...

Tata Motors’ big launches for this year are the Bolt B+ segment hatchback and the Zest compact sedan. Both cars will be launched in the second half of the year, and have already been revealed in the run up to the 2014 Indian Auto Expo. The Zest is likely to be launched first with the Bolt to follow soon after. Websites of the  Bolt  and the  Zest  are already up and running even as Tata Motors is trying to build some buzz around these cars before their official launches. The Bolt and the Zest are based on a modified version of the X1 platform, one that has underpinned a wide range of Tata hatchbacks and sedans, from the Indica to the Vista, to the Indigo and the Manza. The platform is likely to see some refinement for the Bolt and the Zest. The cars will be offered with turbo petrol and turbo diesel engine options, along with manual and automated manual transmissions. The 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet turbo diesel engine –  Quadrajet in Tatatongue  – ...

The last couple of years have been tough for the Indian car industry as a whole. Yet, most car makers are taking a long term view of the market in India and are keeping the car launch blitz intact. Although 2014 has been slow year in terms of the launches of all-new cars, a few big impact launches have already been ushered in even before the third month of the year has bowed out. Five major car launches of 2014. Honda City The first major car launch of the year, the 2014 City sedan has been a runaway success for Honda, mainly led by the 1.5 liter i-DTEC turbo diesel (100 PS-200 Nm) engined option. Although Honda has begun selling the City with a 1.5 liter i-VTEC petrol (118 PS-146 Nm_ as well, the lion’s share of sales still comes from the diesel engined model. The 2014 City, based on the new Jazz platform, is larger than the outgoing model and comes with a larger set of features too. However, the car is still priced competitively thanks to Honda aggressively localizing...

German automaker Volkswagen wants to become the biggest car maker in the world and the company’s current crop of car brands seem inadequate for it to achieve this outcome. What Volkswagen is currently missing in its vast portfolio of brands is a big-volume, low cost car brand.  Something on the lines of Renault’s Dacia or Nissan’s Datsun is what Volkswagen has been working towards for a while now and according to a German magazine  Manager Magazin ,  a breakthrough on this front could come as early as a few weeks from now .  The new brand could get the green light in the next few weeks and the first cars under the new low cost brand are likely to roll out in late 2016 or early 2017.  However, a top Volkswagen group official, Mr Heinz-Jakob Neusser, speaking on the sidelines of the recently concluded Geneva Motor Show, said that the automaker was finding it difficult to achieve cost targets for the low cost brand without diluting the traditional trait...

Nissan India is doing quite a bit to make the Go hatchback appeal to a wide segment of car buyers. While the sharp pricing along with 4 different variants, D1, D, A and T will do their bit to drive buyers to Nissan showrooms, the Japanese car maker has also added five interesting accessory packs to the mix. These pre-configured accessory packs offer a good level of customization, making the Go hatchback more attractive. Also, the accessory packs help tie up loose ends by bolstering the equipment offered on the Datsun Go. The accessories available for the Go are priced between 4.84 and 7,920 rupees. 

Hyundai India has just launched the Xcent compact sedan here, just a month after its unveiled the car in the run up to the 2014 Indian Auto Expo. The latest entrant to the compact sedan brigade, the Xcent measures just under 4 meters in length, and this puts the car in a lower excise bracket. The lower excise bracket has translated into price tags that are stunners to say the least. The Xcent starts at a price of 4.66 lakh rupees for the petrol version and at 5.56 lakh rupees for the diesel engined model, with both prices reflecting ex-showroom Delhi figures. These prices undercut those of the Dzire and the Amaze comprehensively. Bookings officially start today with deliveries to begin by the month end. The Xcent is available in a total of 12 variants, three (Base, S, S Option, SX and SX Option) in petrol and diesel, and two in petrol automatic (S and SX). The SX variant rides on 15 inch alloy wheels while the Base and S variants make do with 14 inchers. All variants of the car a...

In the automotive industry, constant innovations are the order of the day as car makers seek to keep pace with the changing times and offer something that their competitors don’t. In a similar bid to stay ahead of the competition, Nissan showcased the world’s first digital LCD rear-view mirror at the Geneva Motor Show 2014. It was showcased on the Nissan X-Trail SUV and the new rear view mirror aims to remove blind spots that would otherwise exist on conventional rear view mirrors. With car design aimed at bettering looks, the rearward visibility is usually the victim. High back deck covers and substantial rear pillars are major culprits that hinder visibility. The computerized mirror can additionally adjust for messy back windows, the glare of immediate daylight and the headlamps of car following.  The innovation from Nissan is also expected to give car designers greater freedom. 

India was due for a BS5 emission norms transition in 2015 and BS6 in 2017, but these timelines seem like a far-fetched dream now. Having different norms for different places in the country accounts for a logistical problem for vehicle manufacturers. To streamline the existing state of affairs, the BS4+ transition will be for the entire country, This move will help manufacturers produce uniform vehicles instead of the splitting vehicles (BS3 and BS4) to cater to different markets in India. A salient feature of the new BS4+ emission norms concern the sulphur levels. While BS3 norms allow for a sulphur level of 350 PPM (parts per million) whereas the BS4+ norms will result in a drop in sulphur levels to 40 PPM with BS5 ushering in a further drop to 10 PPM. While vehicle manufacturers would be ready for the new emission norms in the country as they already have the technology to produce cleaner vehicles,the BS5 norms could prove to be a big roadblock for petroleum companies. The oil co...

The Corolla Altis will be sold with petrol and turbo diesel engine options, with the engines from the outgoing model being retained. The petrol powered 2014 Corolla Altis will be powered by a 1.8 liter engine that outputs 138 Bhp-173 Nm. A 6 speed manual and a CVT automatic gearbox with 7 stepped shifts are the two transmissions offered with this engine. The diesel motor is a 1.4 liter D-4D turbocharged unit that outputs 88 Bhp-205 Nm. This diesel engine – a variable geometry equipped version that is similar to the ones outfitted on the Liva and Etios – makes do with a 6 speed manual gearbox. The petrol engine is likely to feature better fuel efficiency given the new, fine tuned CVT automatic gearbox. The Altis will take on the likes of the Chevrolet Cruze and the Volkswagen Jetta. The all-new Corolla Altis comes with a new design, replete with LED headlamps and tail lamps. The revised design ditches curves for an approach that adds more straight lines. The result is a more E...

The Indian GP has completed three races out of the five-race contract ever since its launch in 2011; however, it now seems that India will not be witnessing the 300 km/hr action anytime soon at the Buddh International Circuit. Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone confirmed that the motorsport event will not come back to the country in 2015, while India was off the F1 calendar this year as well. The problems cited for F1 to shy away from the country are the taxation issues and the bureaucracy that have left the teams and the F1 management in bitter taste. Considering that Formula One is classified as entertainment rather than a sport in India, it leads to different taxation norms. Moreover, the considerable bureaucracy involved governing the import equipment has also been an obstacle for hosting F1 motorsport event. Organizers Jaypee Sports International Limited’s (JPSI) financial issues have also been a hindrance in the overall development of F1 in India. JPSI has to pay a race h...

Tata Motors is in the process of turning around its fortunes in the Indian passenger vehicle market. It wants to explore more avenues of exporting its cars to markets around the world and China seems to figure high on the list of possible future markets for the Indian car maker. Tata Motors is believed to be in talks with Chery Automobiles of China for a partnership under which both the car manufacturers will share both platforms and technological bits.

The market demands high-performance tires now more than ever. New fuel efficiency regulations. Stricter labeling standards. More educated tire buyers and more specific application needs. All of which challenges tire makers to produce diverse and high-performance product offerings. PROPEL™ carbon blacks: Designed for performance. Cabot's new class of reinforcing materials is designed to accelerate tire makers' ability to deliver high-performance tires. Our new solutions are built for the long road ahead – and ready to push the boundaries of performance

Even as the launch of the Hyundai Xcent – a compact sedan – is just around the corner, Maruti Suzuki has released a limited edition version of the Swift Dzire LDi. Dubbed the Dzire LDi X, the limited edition version of the compact sedan gets a host of new features while remaining mechanically unchanged. The car is powered by the 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet turbo diesel engine that is good for 75 Bhp-190 Nm. A five speed manual gearbox is standard. The Dzire LDi X limited edition variant is priced at 6.86 lakh rupees, on-road Delhi, a price premium of about 37 thousand rupees from the regular LDi variant. Maruti Suzuki claims that the additional features on the LDi X model is worth about 46,500 rupees. By introducing the LDi X variant, Maruti Suzuki is offering a similar level of kit as it does on the VDi variant, albeit at a price that is about 67,000 rupees lower (Dzire VDi is priced at 7.53 lakh rupees on-road Delhi). The Dzire is sold in seven other variants, 4 in petrol and 3 in ...

The most significant changes are under the bonnet, where the latest-generation turbodiesel engines combine more power and better economy than the outgoing cars. The X3 can be ordered with a six-speed manual gearbox or eight-speed automatic transmission, depending on the chosen engine.   BMW's rear-wheel-drive X3 sDrive18d is equipped with a 1995cc TwinPower turbodiesel four-pot unit that produces 148bhp and 36.7kgm. Three other diesel variants come with all-wheel drive as standard. The X3 xDrive20d produces 187bhp and 40.7kgm. The X3 xDrive30d is powered by BMW’s 2993cc inline six-cylinder TwinPower turbodiesel and generates 254bhp and 57kgm. In the flagship X3 xDrive35d, the same engine puts out 309bhp and 64.28kgm,  accelerates from 0-100kph in 5.3sec and hits a top speed of 245kph. This variant’s claimed combined fuel consumption are improvements over the outgoing model.   Exterior changes include a new, sleeker headlight design, a new surround for the kidney...

Hyundai has since turned a new leaf. Marketing terms like Fluidic design and ‘storm edge’ have been used to describe new-age cars from the Korean firm. But don’t be put off by them because the cars look modern and racier. While its flagship ‘luxury’ sedan Sonata is struggling to leave dealerships, the slightly smaller Elantra is flying out of showrooms giving it a sot of confidence with cars closer to those made by traditional luxury car makers from Europe. The third-generation Santa Fe, unlike its predecessor, will be assembled in India and not imported as a CBU, and that is proof of the new age confidence. The new car is a much bolder and edgier design than its predecessor. Gone are the anonymous, bulbous curves and panels and instead we have nicely sculpted and flowing lines that run all along the car. The new car looks less tall boy and more squatter with a sleek sloping A-pillar. The third window has been cleverly designed into a triangle of sorts and gives the profile a coup...

The Aria gets a 2.2 liter VARICOR turbo diesel engine borrowed from the Safari Storme. This diesel motor now produces 148 Bhp of peak power, a 10 Bhp increase over its previous output of 138 Bhp. The torque output at 320 Nm remains unchanged though. The 5 speed manual gearbox has been retained.  Other major mechanical changes on the facelifted Aria are aimed at improving reliability and longevity. A new timing belt and an improved clutch are the two major changes in this regard. Increased fuel efficiency of an ARAI rated 15.05 Kmpl, a good 10 % improvement over the previous figure of 13.51 Kmpl, is another improved aspect of the facelifted Aria. 10 speaker (6 speakers and 4 tweeters) Harman Kardon music system with an 8 channel DSP amplifier is a major addition to the Aria’s infotainment system. Ex-Showroom Delhi prices of the Aria Facelift are listed below: Aria Pure LX 4X2 : Rs. 9,95,006 Aria Pleasure 4X2 : Rs. 12,00,010

The  Nissan  GT-R Nismo attracted an appreciative crowd at Geneva - the numbers extracted by the Japanese company's tuning arm are impressive - 600PS, 652Nm and close to £120,000. It's powered by the same 3.6-litre V6 as previous GT-Rs and as before, power is sent to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. There’s more than just an increased power output – the GT-R Nismo is also claimed to be more track-focused than the standard car, with increased body rigidity, revised dampers and suspension, optimised steering components and a stiffer anti-roll bar. Additionally the tyres have been specially developed for the GT-R Nismo by Dunlop. The aerodynamics have been changed too, with a new aero package designed to increase downforce and reduce drag. Downforce is equally distributed between the front and rear of the car. Five colour choices are offered – white, black, red, silver and an exclusive to Nismo matte grey. All Nismo models get black, si...

The new Audi S1 received its public debut at the Geneva motor show this week. The launch of the three-door S1 and the Sportback means Audi has kept its promise to turn the limited-edition A1 quattro into a fully fledged series-production model. The S1 will be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine, which delivers 228bhp and 37.7kgm of torque. That’s 24bhp less but 2.07kgm more than the older ‘EA113’ turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine used in the A1 quattro which was produced in limited numbers in 2012. The S1 will come with a six-speed manual transmission in the UK, plus a Haldex-style multi-plate-clutch four-wheel drive system. An electronic differential lock has been incorporated within a two-stage electronic stability control system to limit wheelspin and further enhance traction. Audi quotes a 0-100kph time of 5.8sec for the three-door S1 and 5.9sec for the heavier five-door S1 Sportback. Top speed for both is limited to 250kph.  #genevamot...

The Black Diamond now has some extra power from the V12 power plant, thanks to an optimised engine-management system and a high performance exhaust system. With a total 744 horsepower, this beast will fly from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds. The interior is also decorated by carbon fiber

Renault Koleos facelift will be only offered with two-wheel drive option during the launch. Furthermore, in the absence of more details, it is expected that Renault will launch the crossover with lesser features and add-ons as compared to the current outgoing model. Renault Koleos facelift will get a reinvigorated 2.0-litre diesel mill that powers the existing model. Consequently, the rejuvenated engine will generate 171bhp of power and 36.7kgm of torque which is 23bhp of more power and 4.7kgm of torque than the previous version. The cut-price variant of the car will have a 6-speed manual transmission while the four-wheel drive version will remain attached to the 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Volkswagen India plans to refresh its best selling car models – the Polo hatchback and the Vento sedan –  later this year. Both cars will get mild makeovers and mechanical changes. An all-new Polo is on the cards next year, which is also the time when the Vento will see a more comprehensive facelift.  As polo is a leading car in this segment , guys you can wait should give a shot to this brilliant workpiece. Volkswagen India has already begun testing the  Polo Facelift on Indian roads . The facelifted Polo will be launched around July 2014. The car will get minor aesthetic changes that include new front and rear bumpers, chrome bits, revised headlamps, and subtly tweaked interiors with a new steering wheel and seat fab ric. share your thoughts in the comment section below...

The Sonata – which has been a best seller for Hyundai globally – has struggled in India due to the lack of a turbo diesel motor. The current generation car has a loaded feature set that betters the likes of the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord. However, the absence of diesel engine means that the Sonata isn’t finding many takers in India. While it remains unclear whether the new Sonata will come with a diesel engine option, we do know that the next generation model will have a nattier appearance.

A STAR: The A-Star is dead for good in India. Maruti Suzuki has discontinued the B-Segment hatchback, which was one of its perennial poor sellers. The A-Star managed to ring in  7,113 units during 2013, the worst selling Maruti Suzuki hatchback. For a company whose bread and butter comes from hatchbacks, the A-Star was an aberration, and the car maker has replaced this hatchback with the Celerio. Though a dud in India, the A-Star did well internationally, where it was sold as the Suzuki Alto/Celerio/Nissan Pixo. The car came with a quick revving 1 liter K-Series engine, with manual and automatic gearbox options. A sporty handler, the A-Star was heavily let down by its cramped innards. 

Automatic transmission in hachbacks : With the advancement in technology automatic transmission has brought a huge revolution in car making industry. With its availability many companies also started to adapt this system in their own models Cars manufacturer’s like Audi, Honda, Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai has also started to manufacture cars with this feature. But the question is whether it is profitable to bring auto transmission in low end hachbacks? It’s a good idea but customers who want to buy a low end car would spend a extra 90- 95000 bucks for auto transmission First of it’s a costly system to put in low end variant cars. Second, its maintenance cost is very high compare to normal manual transmission cars Third, it’s not good for Indian roads which have pits & holes very frequently Fourth, auto transmission leads to decrease in fuel transmission For low end variant hatchbacks, people expect high fuel efficiency and low maintenance cost which unfortunately...