Archive for January, 2008
January 31, 2008 at 6:17 pm
· Filed under Volkswagen ·Tagged cars, Jetta, sedan, Volkswagen
An ode to Jetta
Anybody running for a D-segment test-drive? Hold your horses still. Volkswagen is soon to launch its worldwide winner Jetta in India some time this year. Jetta will be produced out of Skoda’s Aurangabad plant and will be introduced in three models, 1.6L petrol, 1.9L TDI and 1.9 TDI AT (also known as DSG dual clutch transmission.)
At entry level, Jetta boasts of 6 airbags, all-power-windows, electrically adjustable and heated outside mirrors, ABS, electro-mechanical power steering & 16-inch alloys. With money, it keeps getting better. Jetta is here to take the limelight (and should we say, the market share too!) away from Civic, Corolla & Octavia.
With a tantalizing silhouette, Jetta has what they call the “drool factor”. The grille is stylishly chrome and enhances an affinity to Passat. The interiors are sporty and elegant and the ride is smooth.
Since the news of Jetta coming to India, some of us at DriveInside have not been able to believe our luck. Finally Jetta! We’re whooping with joy! Wonder if there is any more competition left in the D-segment anymore!
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January 31, 2008 at 4:36 pm
· Filed under Hyundai ·Tagged Avante, cars, Elantra, Hyundai, sedan
Refined Elantra..oops..Avante
Hyundai introduced Avante- the new Elantra- in Auto Expo ’08. Avante is supposed to burn rubber on Indian roads by mid 2008. The car has an attractive front but Hyundai seems to be obsessed with Santro-like grille design and that is something you also get with the reincarnation of Elantra.
The tail end of this luxury sedan resembles Corolla’s rear with similar cluster of tail lights and also has a stark resemblance to Lexus IS (I have my doubts if this is just a “coincidence”.) The car is going to be powered by 2.0L VVT engine and 1.6L CRDi engine.
Avante is supposed to provide awesome ride quality with superb handling and irons out the imperfections of the roads (rather doesn’t let you feel them and that is something wonderful when Indian roads are in consideration.)
The most pleasing bit about the car is its interiors. It has a fluid, clean and contemporary feeling to it. The storage space is good and lots of cubbyholes to tuck your stuff in. Priced between 10-12 lakhs, Hyundai will try to best Civic, Corolla, Optra and Octavia with the new avtar of Elantra.
We’ve trusted Hyundai’s small cars. One look at Avante and you get the same feeling all over again…
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January 30, 2008 at 5:43 pm
· Filed under Maruti Suzuki ·Tagged cars, Concept cars, Kizashi, Maruti, sedan, Suzuki
Kizashi Teaser
Kizashi looks like its just been driven off the sets of Star Wars. This futuristic-looking all-wheel drive concept car hails Suzuki’s entry into the D-segment and is most likely to be powered by a 2.0L turbo diesel engine or 1.6L SX4 engine and geared with 6-speed transmission.
Kizashi will be a knock-on-the-door for Civic, Corolla, Octavia, Optra and Avante ( Hyundai’s soon-to-come D-segment offering). At an estimated 10 lakhs, this will be Suzuki’s departure from the tags “family car” and “small car” and a step towards luxury personified.
Kizashi’s front-grille is intimidating and once in front of it, you get an impression of being bitten into pieces and being chomped up. The LED lights make a kind of boomerang on the bonnet. The rear-end has an astoundingly smooth roofline but again, the impression one gets is of a smirk.
Kizashi literally translates to “foretaste” in Japanese. Well! If Kizashi is just the appetizer, we are very, very hungry. Bon Appétit!
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January 30, 2008 at 3:51 pm
· Filed under Maruti Suzuki ·Tagged A-Star, cars, Concept cars, hatchback, Maruti, Suzuki
Beyond Nano? A-Star…
Glamour. Galore. Appreciation. Applause. Maruti-Suzuki’s concept car A-Star’s launch at the Auto Expo (besides Nano’s) somehow became symbolic of India’s arrival at the automotive scene. This Indian brainchild looks stormy, dangerous, menacing and full of raw appeal.
Powered by a 3-cylinder, 1.0L aluminium petrol engine, this front wheel drive, Euro-V compatible, A-segment hatch will be produced out of Maruti’s Manesar plant and will be exported to Europe. The car, in all probability, should be available in India by end of this year and in Europe by spring 2009.
A-Star’s design is bold with large wheelarches, distinctive strong lines and a body language that screams “dynamic” all over the place. This car, when it materializes on the streets, should be priced around Rs. 3,00,000 according to educated guesses.
Suzuki’s move to produce the car for international market out of India seems like a move pronounced by its urgent need to retain its 50% share of Indian car market. That explains introduction of not only A-Star but also Splash and Kizashi by Maruti Suzuki.
Whatever the reasons, we are loving the attention. And all those boys out there planning on a new car, A-Star’s your man.
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January 29, 2008 at 3:40 pm
· Filed under Honda ·Tagged 2009, cars, hatchback, Honda, Jazz
The all new Jazzed up Honda
Honda enters the Indian small car segment in 2009 with Jazz. The car will be Honda’s answer to Swift, Getz, Aveo U-VA, Fabia, Indica, Fusion (and by the time Jazz is here, Grande Punto will already be on the roads.) So that’s a lot of competition!
Pricing of the car remains a question. Honda is a premium name; hence the pricing has to be in keeping with the attributes of the brand. We can assume it’ll be a couple of grand more than its rivals. Jazz will be made available in 1.2L petrol engine and though a B-segment car, will be a fairly big hatchback.
The car is versatility personified and the way it has performed in other countries, Jazz offers practicality to its customers with loads of oomph! The Jazz looks like a clever car and is remarkably spacious. It is touted as a fun car around city and a great ride too.
All that’s needed to be seen now is if Jazz charts success the way City, Accord, Civic and CR-V have. Our best wishes.
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January 28, 2008 at 5:57 pm
· Filed under Fiat ·Tagged 500, bravo, cars, CBU, cinquecento, Fiat, grande punto, hatchback, linea, palio, sedan
Fiat plans for India
It seems to going to rain Fiat in the months to come. The brand is being re-launched in India with 4 new international models, Linea, Grande Punto, Cinquecento(500) and Bravo.
While Linea and Grande Punto have been heavily localized and are being produced out of Ranjangaon plant near Pune, in technical collaboration with Tata, Cinquecento and Bravo will be imported as Completely-Built-Units.
In the same breath should also be mentioned the new Palio 1.3L multijet diesel engine that’s all ready to be rolled out of Ranjangaon assembly line. All these models are paraded with the new Fiat logo which embodies the synthesis of a distinguished past with a promising future.
The marketing for the locally manufactured cars will be aggressive to say the least, with the hatchback Grande Punto priced at around 5 Lakhs and rattling Getz, Swift, Indica, Aveo U-VA, Fusion and the newly launched Fabia. The sedan Linea, on the other hand, will take on SX4, Fiesta, City, Logan and Aveo, priced at around 6.5 Lakhs.
While Bravo will be the biggest hatchback in its segment, Fiat 500 is already getting rave reviews internationally and some more when it finally shows up on Indian streets.
The battleground is all set. Roll in Fiats.
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January 28, 2008 at 2:39 pm
· Filed under Fiat ·Tagged 500, cars, CBU, cinquecento, Fiat, hatchback
The iPod car
What do 4th of July, Dante Giacosa and Fiat have in common? Fiat Cinquecento, of course! The first Cinquecento (or 500 as its known now) was introduced on American Independence Day in 1957.Giacosa engineered this little wonder and it became an immediate hit in the Post-World War II Italy.
Now Fiat has come back with this legendary car to increase its dwindling sales all over the globe. Showcased in Auto Expo this year, the made-in-Poland Cinquecento will be available in India as a CBU from April 2008.
Internationally, 500 has been launched in 1.2L 69bhp, 1.4L 100bhp petrol engines and 1.3L 75bhp multijet diesel engine. Indians will know the flavor of the multijet engine with the introduction of Palio Diesel in February and if rumors be believed, this is what the people hoping to buy Cinquecento will get.
The price that you ought to pay for the twin of the vintage car could be anything above 10 Lakhs. It will be laced with interiors which will be retro in appearance but not technologically challenged, so to say. Take this, MID, central display unit with digital display, digital climate control and high-end integrated sound system.
With this car in its bastion, we can surely say, Welcome back Fiat!
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January 28, 2008 at 11:21 am
· Filed under Volkswagen ·Tagged cars, Up!, Volkswagen
Up! and About
Up! seems to be a winner for the German biggie already. VW has tried reaping in on the Beetle image for this new city-car and it’s modeled on a rear engine like its predecessor. 
The boot space is up-front in the nose. The front and rear bumper have been fashioned into a “smile”. One “happy” car for you!
The car was showcased as a two-door coupe in the Auto Expo ‘08 but in all probability will be changed to four-door model for cutting costs. Similarly, changes will be in cue for the plastic tailgate with inscribed tail lamps which is appealing but might not be available to Indian customers in 3.3 (tentative) Lakhs.
The interiors of the displayed model were quite futuristic, with a LCD screen display that could be worked upon with hand signals. The interface was cleanest that I’ve ever seen but these might not be available in cost-crunched models.
When this VW finally hits Indian roads around 2010, it’ll be available in two and three-cylinder version. The small, dynamic and high-spirited Up! is sweet on environment too, if not a complete green car.
People’s Car indeed! And some car, we say! Look out for this one.
(P.S. Volkswagen originally carried the tag “People’s Car”)
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January 24, 2008 at 2:05 pm
· Filed under Skoda ·Tagged cars, hatchback, Fabia, Skoda
Feel special??
Team Skoda might be touting Fabia as the premium, SUPER hatch in the small car segment but (and it’s a big but!) LOOK at the price tag, will you?
Fabia is pitted against Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai Getz. While Getz’s 1.5 diesel engine gives you an awesome 110 bhp and Swift’s 1.3 diesel engine gives you 75 bhp, Fabia’s 1.4 diesel engine gives you a measly 69 bhp. Again, Fabia’s 1.4 petrol engine gives you 85 bhp while Swift’s 1.3 petrol engine gives you 87 bhp power.
The ground clearance of the car is poor and from what I have heard from the people who are already driving it, the engine is roary and noisy like a tractor’s.
On the flip side, the car looks good and Skoda seems to be expectant that its up-market image and the structure, feel and the finish of Fabia will take it a long way with the customers. And owing to the performance of previous models, current Skoda owners are already queuing up to “feel special”.
The car can be a good city-ride though. Priced at 6.6 lakhs, whether Fabia adds another feather to Skoda’s cap or not, only time will tell.
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January 24, 2008 at 10:21 am
· Filed under Audi ·Tagged A4, Audi, cars, executive sedan, Quattro
Et tu A4?
We were already head-over-heels in awe of Audi A4. But as if that was not enough, Audi has announced plans to introduce 3.2 FSI Quattro to give us sleepless nights. This new infusion in the existing Audi A4 line-up is a move, as I can fathom, to combat the BMW-3 series and the Merc C-Class.
It’s the second (or is it third? I am confused! Enlighten me somebody!) generation A4 and it just keeps getting better. Am I going too ga-ga over this svelte, sporty, exciting, attractive, high-performance, exquisite car? Well that’s because the new facelift that A4 has received has left it with an even more distinguished persona.
But just to show that Audi is not paying me out of its pockets to write this, I shall mention this, A4 TDI’s handling on the road is not that great. But then again, I/we haven’t tried Quattro.
It’s going good. It’s going very, very good.
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