P.S. Much appreciation for the wonderful hospitality and support that the entire Ford India team provided to us with.

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2010 Toyota Prius Launched @ 26.55 Lakhs

Toyota Kirloskar Motor India have launched the 3rd generation Prius in the Indian market. The Prius comes in two variants which have been priced at Rs 26.55 Lakhs and Rs 27.86 Lakhs.

The latest Prius comes with a 1.8 litre engine with 100 ps of maximum power which when combined with the electronic motor delivers a total of 136 ps. The coefficient of drag is a low .25 cd while the engine comes with a electric water pump making it the only production engine that requires no accessory belts which improves performance and economy.

source: autoholiks

Speaking at the Prius launch in India, Mr. Sandeep Singh, DMD-Marketing, said “Through the launch of the Prius, Toyota is keen to demonstrate its commitment to offer the latest eco-friendly automotive technology to its customers in India.”

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Yes you read it right, 7 times world Moto GP champion is visiting the Yamaha stall on January 9th at the ongoing Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Yamaha reportedly will also unveil a limited edition Rossi Moto GP replica YZF R1 on the occasion which will come with all the numbers and figures from the champion’s bike. Not only this, the bike will be autographed by the champion himself on the fuel tank!

source: autoholiks

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Chevrolet India has launched their new small car Beat in the Indian market today. The very talented small new Chevvy has been priced at a shocking Rs 3.34 Lakhs for the base model with power steering and A/C as standard.

The super value for money pricing means that the new Beat is almost Rs 60,000 cheaper than its 1.2 Litre competition. Even the top end ABS and Airbags version is cheaper than Rs 45,000 when compared to the likes of Maruti Ritz and Hyundai i10.

Other variants include the mid tier LS, the top end LT  and the top end LT with option pack that comes with ABS and Airbags. The car will be available in showrooms today onwards and can be booked immediately

Keep coming for more information and our detailed coverage of the Auto Expo 2010.

Jump over for the detailed pricing information.

Model                                                        Price

Chevrolet Beat PS                                Rs 3.34 lakhs (Ex-Showroom, Delhi)

Chevrolet Beat LS                                Rs 3.54 lakhs (Ex-Showroom, Delhi)

Chevrolet Beat LT                               Rs 3.94 lakhs (Ex-Showroom, Delhi)

Chevrolet Beat LT Options Pk        Rs 4.34 lakhs (Ex-Showroom, Delhi)

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Michael Schumacher

Seven times Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher has announced his return to competitive Grand Prix racing by signing a three-year deal with Mercedes GP from next season.

Schumacher who retired in 2006 in reportedly being paid 7 million Euros to be on the grid when the new season starts with Bahrain GP on March 14th, 2010.

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Audi A6

Audi has announced the launch of limited edition A6 as a part of its global centenary year celebrations in the Indian market.

The limited edition Audi A6 has been priced at a very competitive Rs 37 Lakhs (Ex-Showroom Mumbai) and will come with a 2.7 Litre V6 common rail direct injection turbo diesel engine. The car will be available accross Audi dealerships from January 1, 2010.

“The Audi A6 is the most successful business sedan worldwide and one of the main contributors to our achievements in the Indian market,” Audi India Managing Director Benoit Tiers said.

“India has been a significant growth driver for Audi worldwide and this special offer is our way of thanking our valued customers in India who have made this possible,” he added.

The company has sold a total of 1,550 units in the country this year.

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Tata Nano Wins ICOTY

Tata’s little wonder has added yet another feather to its cap. The car has won the prestigious Indian car of the year award for the year running.

In its fifth year running, the awards modeled along the lines of the American, Japanese and European car of the year, the Indian Car Of The Year (ICOTY) award has been instituted by leading automotive publications in India in association with JK Tyes.

The awards are an expert and independent judgement of all the new cars and motorcycles launched during the calendar year in India. An 11 member jury consisting of automobile journalists from all the leading magazines in India get together to vote for the most impressive car and motorcycle on a number of set parameters which are similar to what are considered in the international awards.

Tata Nano won the Indian car of the year scoring a maximum of 63 points. The ten finalists considered for the award were the Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Jazz, Fiat Linea, Fiat Grande Punto, Maruti Suzuki Ritz, Mahindra Xylo, Skoda Superb, Tata Indigo Manza, and Toyota Fortuner.

The expert jury members of the 2010  ICOTY included Yogendra Pratap and Vikrant Singh of Auto Bild India, Gautam Sen and Bob Rupani of Auto India, Bijoy Kumar Y and Srinivas Krishnan of Business Standard Motoring, Aspi Bhathena of Car India, Sirish Chandran and Bertand D’souza of Overdrive and Vardhan Kondvikar and Girish Karkera of Top Gear India.

The Managing Director of Tata Motors, Mr. P.M. Telang, received the award from the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of JK Tyre Industries Ltd., Dr. R. P. Singhania, at a ceremony held in New Delhi.

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“We regret that we were not able to complete this transaction with Spyker Cars,” GM Europe President Nick Reilly said in a statement. “We will work closely with the Saab organization to wind down the business in an orderly and responsible manner.”

source: Autonews Europe

Reily also added that the closure isnt a result of bankruptcy nor a forced liquidation process.

“Consequently, we expect Saab to satisfy debts including supplier payments,” Reilly said, “and to wind down production and the distribution channel in an orderly manner while looking after our customers.”

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Aston Martin Cygnet Concept

Remember our story on the Cygnet, the small car by Aston Martin based on the tiny Toyota iQ? Aston Martin have now completed work on the exterior and the interior styling of the car and in process has released fresh images of the finished car.

The styling is a bit iffy to put it bluntly. The typical Aston Martin grille at the front looks a little too big for the car’s size while scoops look a little out of place on the small bonnet. The rest of the car is pretty much Toyota iQ with small touches like scoops on the sides and reprofiled LED tail lights.

On the insides, almost every surface has been draped with expensive looking red and black leather. While still a concept, Aston Martin is hoping to put it into production by 2010 for European customers.

Jump over for the Press Release and Image Gallery.

Image Gallery: Aston Martin Cygnet

Press Release

Aston Martin today releases the first official images of the ‘Cygnet’ – a new luxury commuter concept car.The Cygnet concept represents a creative, environmentally conscious solution, being small, yet with presence – and highly fuel efficient, now combined with the prestige of Aston Martin’s luxury brand ownership.

Work on the concept is ongoing and will continue into 2010 when it is hoped that it will become a production reality initially available to Aston Martin customers in the UK and Europe.

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Tata Sumo Grande MK II

Tata Motors have announced the launch of Sumo Grande MK II, an improved version of the original Sumo Grande with further refinements and quality improvements inside out.

The exteriors now feature chromed grille, side rub rails with chrome inserts and OVRM mounted side indicators to lend an upmarket look to the overall car. The interiors have been refreshed with new steering wheel which comes straight from the Indica Vista, new fabric upholstery, faux wood central console and two tone theme. Several ergonomic enhancements have also been made which includes smaller steering wheel with floating horns, grab handle on the ‘C’ pillar to make ingress and egress easier for the third row passengers and new inner door handles.

Mechanical changes to the Sumo Grande MK II include revised gear ratios for improved city performance, modified suspension which ensures a comfortable ride especially for the middle and third row occupants, optimized anti-roll bars to reduce body roll and lower NVH. The Grande MK II is still powered by the same 2.2 Litre DICOR engine with 120 ps of maximum power and 250 nm of maximum torque.

Other class leading features remain as it is which include lowest in its class turning radius at 5.25 meters, Dual HVAC with roof integrated louvers, electrically adjustable outside rear view mirrors, height adjustable drivers seat and a MP3/CD music system.

The Sumo Grande MK II comes in three variants - Top of the line GX, Ex and Lx with seating capacity between 7 to 9 seats depending on the seat configuration. With the upgrade Tata Motor have also introduced three new colors - Walnut Gold, Platinum Beige and Castle Grey.

Sumo Grande MK II has been priced between Rs 6.43 Lakhs for the base Lx going upto Rs 7.50 Lakhs for the top of the line Gx. It comes with a 2 years or 75,000 (whichever is earlier) warranty as standard while an additional 2 years warranty can be availed through the extended warranty option.

Jump over for the Press Release and the image gallery.

Image Gallery: Tata Sumo Grande MK II

Tata Motors launches the Sumo Grande MK II

Tata Motors today announced the launch of Grande MK II, an upgraded version of its premium Sumo offering in the domestic market. The Grande MK II seeks to deliver added value to customers through substantial changes in the exteriors and interiors combined with improvements in drivability, ride and handling and comfort. Tata Motors today announced the launch of Grande MK II, an upgraded version of its premium Sumo offering in the domestic market. The Grande MK II seeks to deliver added value to customers through substantial changes in the exteriors and interiors combined with improvements in drivability, ride and handling and comfort.

The exteriors have been accentuated by a new chrome lined grill, side rub rails with chrome inserts and indicators on ORVMs. The interiors have been refreshed to give the vehicle a completely new, contemporary look with a two tone theme complemented by a new faux wood centre console and new fabric upholstery.

The changed drive ratio in the Grande MK II gives a boost to low speed performance in city driving conditions. While a modified suspension ensures a comfortable ride, particularly for second and third row occupants, optimised anti-roll bars reduce body roll to a minimum during cornering. The existing low NVH levels have been further refined.

Several ergonomic improvements have been made in the Grande MK II — significant among these are a smaller steering wheel with floating horns, a grab handle on the ‘C’ pillar to aid egress of third row passengers, and new inner door handles.

The Grande MK II carries forward the class leading features of the earlier version such as best in class third row seats and lowest turning circle radius of 5.25 m in the category, in addition to having one of the best fuel efficiencies in its class. Dual HVAC with roof integrated louvers, motorised ORVMs, height adjustable driver’s seat and a state of the art CD/MP3 music system are some of the other features Grande MK II continues to sport. The vehicle is powered by the new generation 2.2 litre DICOR engine fitted with a variable geometry turbocharger which delivers maximum power and torque of 120 PS and 250 Nm respectively.

The Grande MK II will be available in 3 variants – top of the line Gx, Ex, and Lx with a seating capacity ranging between 7 and 9 seats in front and side facing configurations. The vehicle will be available in three new colours, Walnut Gold, Platinum Beige and Castle Grey. The Grande MK II is priced in the range of Rs. 6.43 lakhs to Rs. 7.50 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). It comes with a warranty of 2 years or 75,000 kms (whichever is earlier). An additional 2 years’ warranty can be availed through the extended warranty option. Customers would be able to accessorise the Grande MK II with a host of accessories available at dealerships across the country.

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Volkswagen India have started the production of the Polo hatchback which is all set to be launched very shortly in the Indian market. The first Polo rolled off the assembly line on the occasion which was graced by CM of Maharashtra Mr. Ashok Chavan, Volkswagen Group Board Member Prof. Heizmann and VW Group India Head Joerg Muller.

Volkswagen’s Chakan facility was built at a cost of $846 million and has the capacity to make 1,11,000 car annually. The company wants to capture 10% of the Indian car market within the next six years. The plant will also manufacture other cars from the VW stable namely the Fabia which will see a price revision once the local production started full steam.

The Polo has a localization content of 50% at present which will go up to 80% within the next few months! The car would be formally launched at the Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Jump over for the Press Release.

Volkswagen India starts production of its first made-in-India car Polo

Hon’ble Maharashtra CM, Shri. Chavan and Volkswagen Group Board Member, Prof. Dr. Heizmann rollout the first Polo at Volkswagen’s Pune Plant Heizmann: “Start of Production marks a Milestone in our Journey into a successful Future” Volkswagen Group India Head Joerg Mueller: “Families of our employees integral part of VW” Volkswagen India celebrates rollout of Polo with first Family Day for Employees

Pune – December 12, 2009: The Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Ashok Chavan and Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, with responsibility of ‘Group Production’, formally rolled out Volkswagen India’s first locally manufactured Polo from its plant in Chakan, Pune. Other honourable guests who graced the occasion with their presence were Shri. Rajendra J. Jarda, Minister of Industries and Employment for state of Maharashtra, Shri. Sachin Ahir, State Minister of Industries and Housing Development as well as His Excellency Mr. Thomas Matussek, German Ambassador to India.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann said, “Today’s start of production of our Polo is more than just the rollout of a car. It marks a milestone in our journey together into a successful future for the Volkswagen Group in India.”

Since India is a strategic market for the Volkswagen Group and holds enormous potential for it, Prof. Heizmann added, “We aim to achieve a market share of eight to ten percent in the next four to six years with the three Volkswagen Group brands, Audi, Skoda, and Volkswagen by ambitious plans for India. We offer outstanding products, which will soon be joined in the market by another one – the Polo. These products – and in particular our Polo – will help us to increase our market share of this growing market significantly.”

“The Polo is eagerly awaited here in India”, he added. “And quite rightly so, because our Polo stands for first-class German engineering and superior state-of-the-art technology. It is a young, fresh and cosmopolitan car. We have aligned the current model systematically and uncompromisingly with our customers’ expectations.”

In Europe, the Polo has become the benchmark for the small car segment and has now created its own class – the Polo class. Volkswagen has received more than 130,000 orders since the new model was launched in May this year. The Polo has also been voted The Car of the Year – one of the oldest and most prestigious honors.

According to Prof. Heizmann, “Customers need to be convinced of the benefits of owning a Volkswagen Group car and must want to buy it. Ultimately, the customer is a brand’s best ambassador. We are dead certain that we will bring forward the European success story of our Polo to India.”

Expressing his gratitude to the employees who shared the historical moment of the rollout together with there families, Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann stated: “Our employees worldwide ensure the high quality of our products with their skills and motivation. I am especially impressed with the abilities and the high level of commitment shown by the Indian staff we have recruited for our company. And we will continue to develop these skills of each and every employee by extensive ongoing training. Each individual will be put in the position to be able to build the best possible car.”

Volkswagen India commemorated the rollout of the Polo with the first Family Day for the employees. According to Mr. Joerg Mueller, Volkswagen Group Chief Representative India and President & Managing Director Volkswagen India Private Limited, “This is the first time that Volkswagen has celebrated the rollout of a new model together with the families of its employees. The families of our employees are an integral part of Volkswagen’s extended family.”

The timeframe leading up to the official start of production of the Volkswagen Polo is unusual as it is only two years since the first construction work began at the Volkswagen Pune site. “Since then, we have made great efforts to implement optimal processes and achieve a level of quality that is the standard in every Volkswagen plant throughout the world. This was a major challenge”, Mr. Mueller added. “Volkswagen is about more than just ‘cars’. It embodies a unique style that gives its products – our cars – a unique spirit.”

The Pune plant is a key element in Volkswagen’s India strategy. The scale of investment, commissioning local suppliers and employing people primarily from the region itself demonstrate Volkswagen’s commitment to India. Volkswagen is making an important contribution to the economic development in the region and in the Indian economy in general.

The factory, which is one of the most state-of-the-art in the Volkswagen Group worldwide, has an annual capacity of around 110,000 cars. With a total volume of around €580 million, it is the largest investment to date by a German company in India. It is also the only plant operated by a German automaker in India that covers the entire production process – from the press shop, through body and paint shops, to assembly.

The processes in the new plant have been flexibly designed. Based on the current plans, this means Volkswagen will produce three different models – the Škoda Fabia since May 2009, the Polo Hatchback from now on and a saloon that will be launched in the second half of 2010.

The Polo will reflect Volkswagen India’s efforts to reach the highest possible degree of localization. Almost 50 percent localization has already been achieved with a target of around 80 percent within the next two to three years. This will enable Volkswagen India to offer cars at competitive prices and with a high level of quality.

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Toyota Kirloskar motors is all set to unveil their new small car for the Indian market at the upcoming Auto Expo in New Delhi which starts from 4th of January 2010.

“Both hatchback and sedan version of concept vehicle of the compact car will be showcased at Auto Expo”, said TKM Deputy Managing Director Sandeep Singh.

The car will be one amongst a total of 14  production and concept models that will be displayed at the Toyota stall. The small car codenamed EFC (Entry Family Car) will be launched in the Indian market by late 2010 and will be built at Toyota’s brand new second plant in India which will be ready by December 2010.

This is a very important car for the japanese maker if it were to achieve its aim of becoming one the largest selling brand in the Indian automobile industry by 2012. Toyota currently has 93 dealerships in India which will be increased to 150 by the time EFC goes on sale.

Watch this space for more!

Jump over for the Press Release.

Toyota to Unveil New Compact Car Concept for India at New Delhi Show

Tokyo - TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announces its production and sales subsidiary in India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Private, Ltd. (TKM), plans to unveil a concept for a new compact car designed for the Indian market, as well as display 13 other concept and production vehicles, at the 10th Auto Expo automobile show in New Delhi from January 5 to 11, 2010.

The concept for the new compact car is to be unveiled at a TKM press conference on January 5. Other vehicles on display are to include the redesigned “Prado” and “Fortuner” SUVs and the India-market-leading “Innova” minivan.

The TKM display will also present Toyota’s active approach toward developing modes of transportation for the future by showing the “i-REAL” personal mobility vehicle, the “Fine-S” fuel-cell hybrid vehicle and other concept vehicles.

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Honda's CB Twister takes style rather seriously with the commuter taking inspirtion from the iconic CB1000R

Honda has announced its entry into the lucrative but very competitive entry level executive bike segment by launching CB Twister in the Indian market.

Honda’s formula here is very simple - a small capacity fuel efficient four stroke engine and add bold and distinctive styling and you have a winner (Kind of what Yamaha did with the FZ16 and the Fazer).

Honda Cb Twister 110 cc

The CB Twister comes with a 110 cc four stroke single cylinder engine which develops 9 bhp of maximum power and deliver a claimed mileage of 70 kmpl. The primary USP of the bike is styling which takes its inspiration from the CB1000R, no less! Apart from styling Honda has also loaded the Twister with some “first in its class” features like Tubeless tyres, maintenance free battery and viscous air filter element to improve performance and reduce maintenance costs. The bike also sports sleek styling bits like half naked chain, screenless layered front cowl, eye-catching headlight, floating side cowl, muscular fuel tank, sharp rear with short tail, multi reflector tail lamp and a short muffler.

The Twister CB comes in three variants all of whom have alloy wheels as standard fitment - Kick Start Drum Brakes, Self Start Drum Brakes and Self Start Disc Brakes.

The bike will be available in showroom by the end of February with prices starting from Rs 42,000 for the kick start drum brakes version.

Color options for all the variants include - Pearl Amber Yellow, Candy Sonic Green, Pearl Nightstar Black, Pearl Siena Red and Pearl Fuji Blue.

Jump over for the Press Release.

Press Release

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI), the 100% owned 2-wheeler subsidiary of the Honda Motor Company, Japan – the world’s largest manufacturer of 2-wheelers, today marked its foray into the mass segment through the launch of its first 110 cc bike CB Twister in the presence of senior Honda officials.

Living up to the style aspirations of Indian two-wheeler customers, CB Twister offers style, unmatched performance, good mileage and convenience at an affordable cost. The new age styling of the bike is inspired from world trend CB1000R. The screenless layered front cowl, eye-catching headlight, floating side cowl, muscular fuel tank, sharp rear with short tail, multi reflector tail lamp, short muffler and half chain case makes the bike style icon in the segment.

CB Twister will be the best in class in terms of acceleration & pick up. The CB twister is equipped with all new 110 cc engine, delivering 9BHP of power. The rigid twin pipe frame & V-shaped alloy wheels provides stability and enhances the maneuverability. Tubeless tyres are the unique feature of CB Twister, for the first time in the segment.

The introduction of this bike will create a new segment and expand the 2-wheeler market in India. Powered with 110cc engine, CB Twister will deliver a mileage of 70 kms per litre*. The bike is equipped with maintenance free battery & viscous air filter for more convenience. Strictly adhering to the BS-III norms which will come into effect from April 2010, CB Twister would be one of the most environment friendly bike. CB Twister is targeted at the customers who aspire for style and performance along with basic needs of mileage and comfort in limited budget.

The price image for ex showroom Delhi is Approx Rs. 42,000/- (Kick Drum)

CB Twister, depicts world’s latest trend with unmatched performance. The prefix “CB” has been derived from Honda’s stylish world-trend series symbolizing naked sports and the word “Twister” depicts swirling winds with great strength. Taking the inspiration for Drawing from the iconic CB1000R design.

The CB Twister is going to hit the Indian roads by end of February 2010. The bike will be available in three variants;
1. Kick Drum Alloy
2. Self Drum Alloy
3. Self Disc Alloy (with 240 mm front disc brake)

All variants will be available in five exciting colors i.e. Pearl Amber Yellow, Candy Sonic Green, Pearl Nightstar Black, Pearl Siena Red and Pearl Fuji Blue.

Excerpts from Company officials:
“Honda has been able to achieve the significant milestones because of its focus on developing products that meet the expectations and aspirations of the customers. Honda has continued to introduce innovative models with advanced technology and attractive features that are also environment friendly” – Mr. Masahiro Takedagawa, Operating Officer, Southwest Asia Honda Motor Co. and President & CEO, Honda Siel Car India & Honda Motor India

“We will continue to provide exciting products & lead the expansion in each two wheeler segment. The CB Twister meets the new age customers’ demand specially “value for money”. The bike is a perfect combination of new age style and unmatched performance with economy. With the latest cutting edge technology, the bike is bound to expand the 100-110cc segment further.” – Mr. Shinji Aoyama, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt Ltd.

“The CB Twister will be available to customers by end of February 2010. With never seen before in the segment new age style, unmatched performance, economy of 70 Kms / Ltr*, we expect to sell 2.20 lac units in the year 2010 -11” – explained during the new product presentation by Mr. N.K.Rattan, Operating Head, Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd

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Bajaj Pulsar 135 LS (Light Sports)

Bajaj Auto have launched yet another Pulsar variant in the Indian market, Pulsar 135 DTSi LS (Light Sports) which according to Rajiv Bajaj will further strengthen the ‘Pulsar’ brand. We have already showed you the leaked images of the bike here, so the regular at CC know how it looks.

Bearing a striking resemblance to the XCD sprint which was shown at the Auto Expo in 2008, the new Pulsar 135 DTSi LS comes with a brand new 135 cc engine which according to Bajaj is the world’s first 4 valve DTSi engine. The engine develops a maximum power of 13.5 ps @ 9000 rpm and a maximum 11.4 nm of torque @ 7500 rpm. The engine redlines to a dizzy 10500 rpm, all thanks to the 4 valve head.

Jump over for more details and the Press Release.

The bike weighs in at a relatively light 122 kgs which when coupled with the engine power endows it a power to weight ratio of a healthy 110.6 Ps/Tonne. Its no suprise then,  when Bajaj claims that the new bike will deliver performance comparable to any other 150cc in the market with superior fuel efficiency (68.1 kmpl certified by ARAI). The lighter weight also helps agility and comfort making it a veritable and I quote from the Bajaj press release “something would let you carve up traffic like a hot knife through butter?”.

As usual for a Bajaj product the new Pulsar 135 LS  comes with a long list of standard equipments which include sporty split seats, aluminium clip-on handle bars, alloy wheels, gas charged rear shock absorbers, LED tail lamps and electric start with auto choke for convenient cold starts.

The new bike will be built at Bajaj’s state-of-the-art Chakan plant in Pune with initial capacity of 35,000 bikes every month.

The Pulsar 135 DTSi LS has been priced at a very competitive Rs 51,000 Ex-Showroom, Delhi and comes in two color options - Wine Red & Midnight Black.

Press Release

BAJAJ AUTO LAUNCHES THE PULSAR 135LS TO LEAVES TRAFFIC JAMS BEHIND!

First of its kind Light Sports bike launched in India

New Delhi, December 9, 2009: Nothing takes away more from the pleasure of biking, than the biggest bane of urban life – traffic! Unending jams, errant drivers and potholed roads turn every ride into a battle, leaving the rider hassled and exhausted. Wouldn’t it be great to have a light, yet zippy set of wheels, something that would let you carve up traffic like a hot knife through butter? The all new Pulsar 135 LS (Light Sport), the first of its kind in India, is designed to do just that. This bike is designed to add a whole new dimension to the motorcycle market by creating a new Light Sports segment.

The Pulsar 135LS is powered with a state of the art 4-valve DTS-i engine delivering 13.5 Ps power. With its chiseled lines and aggressive stance, a sporty split-seat, aluminum clip-on handlebars and a host of other features this power packed 135cc Pulsar delivers performance comparable to other 150-cc. The light kerb weight of only 122 kg gives it a great Power-to-weight ratio of 110.6 Ps/tonne to make it optimum balance of agility and comfort to maneuver hustle-and-bustle of urban traffic.

Equipped with a light-weight yet rigid frame, aided by gas-charged Nitrox shock absorbers at the rear, the Pulsar 135LS is well up to the challenges thrown by the urban jungle. It delivers class-leading top-end power, due to its 2-inlet and 2-outlet valves and ample pulling power in the low and mid-range. This is possible due to the light-weight character of the four smaller valves (as opposed to two heavier valves), which allow the engine to effortlessly rev to an eye-popping 10,500 rpm (electronically limited). And since safety is paramount on any Pulsar, DC lighting and a 240mm disc brake up front comes as standard.

According to Mr. S Sridhar, CEO 2-Wheeler, Bajaj Auto, “The Pulsar brand has been strongly associated with creating the sports segment in this country and our vision is to make India a country of bikers from a country of commuters. The new Pulsar 135LS leads the charge in democratizing the thrill of biking and accelerating the growth of sports segment in this country, in line with the overall Pulsar strategy of broad basing performance.”

The bike will be manufactured from the Chakan Plant and will have a capacity of 35000 bikes per month. Pulsar 135LS is attractively priced at 51,000 ex showroom (Delhi).

About superior 4 -valve DTS-i engine in Pulsar 135LS

A 4-Valve engine is designed for better performance than regular a 2-Valve engine. Combined with the revolutionary DTS-i (Digital Twin Spark-ignition) technology which maximizes combustion to deliver enhanced power and superior mileage with low emissions, the Pulsar 135 LS has one of the most efficient production engines ever.

1. More power: The 4 valve provides for a greater intake and exhaust area resulting in more power, almost equivalent a 2 valve 150cc engine.
2. Sustained top end power: The light-weight character of the four smaller valves (as opposed to two heavier valves), which allow the engine to effortlessly rev to an eye-popping 10,500 rpm (electronically limited)!
3. Sporty ride: Given the wider rpm band, the engine can be revved hard and high in each gear resulting in a genuine sporty ride.
4. More Mileage: Established superiority of DTS-i blended with 4 valve not only enhances the performance but also returns a very good fuel economy (68.1 km/l certified by ARAI)
5. More green: Comfortably meets BSIII regulations.

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Our good friends at worldcarfans.com have managed to click spy pictures of the all new 2011 Porsche Cayenne spotted with minimal camouflage.

The new Porsche SUV appears to be leaner, meaner and fitter and looks much more desirable (relatively) than the current Cayenne. The prototype on test had LED daytime running lights (required on a european car these days!) and four tailpipe exhaust system hinting that it could be the top of the line Turbo version.

The prototype also showed that the new Cayenne will come with black plastic body cladding, recessed fog lights, ‘power dome’ hood, wider grille and ‘Panamera’ style headlamps.

The interiors have also been inspired by the Panamera with almost the same central console with larger shifter and a large LCD screen which would be used for the entertainment system and satellite navigation.

Jump over for powertrain details and image gallery.

Engine options will include a naturally aspirated 4.8 litre V8 with 400 bhp and 369 lb-ft of torque, a force inducted version of the same engine with 500 bhp and 516 lb-ft of torque for the Cayenne with the Turbo S monikor. The engine range will also include two Audi sourced powertrains, the 3.0 litre V6 supercharged with 300 bhp and 310 lb-ft of torque and 3.0 litre turbodiesel V6 with 240 bhp and 405 lb-ft of torque. Porsche may also introduce a hybrid version with the 3.0 litre V6 petrol with combined power output of 333 bhp and 324 lb-ft of torque.

The all new Cayenne shares the platform with the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg and might adopt the same street focussed  setup. This would mean that Porsche may strip the current model’s heavy off-road equipment in favour of a lighter and more reponsive overall drive which to us is a bit of a downer. The ‘Off-roadbility’ of the first SUV from Porsche is one of its USP. An SUV which can do a four wheeled drift just as well as a four wheeled moutain climb is what we know and love the Cayenne for.

We will have all the information once the new Caynne is officially revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010.

Image Gallery: 2011 Porsche Cayenne Spy Pictures

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Aston Martin has announced the pricing of its first ever four door car - Rapide for the UK and US Market. The Rapide will cost £139,950 for the UK customers while the US customers will have to a minimum of $199,950 when the deliveries start early next year.

Rapide will be built in Magna Steyr owned plant in Graz, Austria making it the first Aston Martin to be built outside of Great Britain.  The plant said to be a “fusion of modern technology, advanced manufacturing process and handbuilt craftsmanship” where each car would take roughly 220 man hours to build. The special new plant was setup in co-operation with Magna Stery when the Gaydon facility making other Aston models was running at full capacity.

The company is expected to make 2000 Rapide’s in 2010 each of which comes with a 6.0 Litre V12 engine that develops 470 bhp and upto 600 nm of torque. The sprint from 0-100 kph takes a scant 5.1 seconds while the top speed is close to 305 kmph.

The company is expected to make the first delivery of the Rapide as early as April 2010.

jump over for the Press Release.

Gallery: Aston Martin Rapide

Press Release

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Volkswagen Beetle

Volkswagen has started the brand building exercise in the Indian market ahead of the Polo launch by introducing a couple of CBU’s, the iconic Beetle and the Touareg SUV. The new Beetle has been priced at Rs 20.45 Lakhs while Touareg can can be yours for Rs 51.85 Lakhs.

The Beetle comes powered by a 2.0 litre 4 cylinder engine with 115 bhp of maximum power @ 5400 rpm and is mated to a 6 speed automatic transmission.It also comes equipped with safety features like 4 Airbags, ABS (Anti Lock Braking System), ESP (Electronic Stability Programme)  and engine immobilizer. Comfort and convenience features include 6 CD Changer, power steering, body colored exterior mirror housing, 15″ alloy wheels and heat insulating tinted glasses.

Volkswagen Touareg

The Touareg comes with a 3.0 Litre TDI V6 Diesel engine which develops a maximum power of 240 bhp @ 4000-4400 rpm. The engine is mated to a 6-Speed DSG gearbox which drives all four wheels permanently for optimum performance under all conditions. The SUV accelerates from 0-100 kph in just 7.8 seconds. Touareg also comes with all the features of a luxury SUV like electric sliding sunroof, 12-way electrically adjustable seats, electrically foldable outside rear view mirrors, leather upholstery and 230V power socket in the luggage compartment. Its tough too with an impressive water wading depth of 500 mm, hill climbing ability of 45 degrees and 35 degree side slope angle..

Volkswagen will also start the production of the soon to be launched Polo hatchback at Chakan plant starting from 12th December 09. The booking for the new Polo will start in January.

Jump over for the press release.

Volkswagen New Beetle: -Return of a Legend
Volkswagen also introduces the Touareg – Road Dominating

Mumbai, December 4, 2009: Volkswagen, Europe’s largest car maker today announced the launch of the iconic - New Beetle, and its road dominating sports utility vehicle - The Touareg in India
The New Beetle will be priced at Rs 20.45 Lakhs and the Touareg at Rs. 51.85 Lakhs (all prices ex-Showroom Delhi)
Speaking at the launch, Mr. Neeraj Garg, Member of Board and Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said, “We are excited to bring this iconic Beetle, to India after its success across the world for decades.”
“The Beetle is the very first Volkswagen car people remember about; with its unique shape and reliability, it wrote motoring history. People’s fascination for this lovable bug shaped car has made the Beetle one of the world’s most popular cars across decades and Volkswagen is proud to bring its legend into India,” he said. He further added, “The launch of the Touareg is our marketing debut in the SUV segment. India has a great demand for SUV. The Touareg has been successful across countries and the entry will further enhance our presence in the market.” India is a key market for our overall strategic growth plans and we are sure that the launch of two of our best products will affirm our commitment to provide the latest technology and high value to our Indian customers”.

New BEETLE:

The New Beetle is a marvel design of German engineering based on the level of successful series. The New Beetle is equipped with a 2.0 litre 4 cylinder petrol engine with an output of 115HP at 5400 rpm. It is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Advanced occupant safety is one of the key features of the New Beetle which comes equipped with 4 Airbags, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stabilization Programme (ESP) and engine immobilizers. It is equipped with a 6 CD changer, power steering for better drivability, body coloured exterior mirror housings, tailgate handle and heat insulating tinted glass.

The large 15” alloy wheels, ensconced in their flared arches, give it a higher and more commanding stance. The lights, refined lines, fresh color palette and new fabric seat covers are few details that are additions to the new Beetle. The front centre armrests and the dashboard are proof of the sure instinct of high design quality which interprets the classic elements of the New Beetle in a contemporary way. The round stern, dome shaped roof, rear section, the fenders with the hint
of a footboard, the embedded round head and tail lights - bring back memories of the Beetle while the sharp accented lines and windows confirm the up-to-date design and express youthful energy.

TOUAREG:

The Touareg is a powerful SUV. It has been specifically designed to satisfy the needs of customers in the areas of drivability, maneuverability and fuel efficiency. The Touareg sports the marvel of German engineering which is built to overcome every obstacle, on and off the road. The Touareg is a complete getaway car offering 4×4 permanent All wheel drive.

The tall aggressive stance is complimented by a robust 3 Litre V6 TDI (diesel) engine with 6 speed DSG gear box. The Touareg develops its enormous power of 240HP at 4000-4400 rpm. The SUV accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.8 seconds. The Touareg offers an electric sliding/tilting sunroof for driver comfort and enjoy the view from the inside. The car comes equipped with an electric 12 way adjustable seats which becomes convenient for the passengers, with three programmable memory options present for driver seat and electrically folding outside rear view mirror for better visibility. The Touareg further offers genuine leather seat upholstery and 230V power socket in rear luggage compartment. The vehicle has been designed keeping in mind the customers love of
traveling to hill regions and weekend retreats. The vehicle offers 45 degree hill climbing ability, 35 degree side slope angle and impressing wadding depth of 500mm, all this in a safe environment with 8 airbags. The Touareg has been designed to meet and even surpass the standards of some of the world’s leading SUV’s.

About Volkswagen:

Volkswagen, the largest carmaker in Europe sells its broad model range from the Fox to the Phaeton in more than 150 countries worldwide. Volkswagen currently offers the Passat and the Jetta in the Indian market.

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Remember the Audi e-Tron concept from Frankfurt Motor show this year. If you do then you must also remember the insane 4500 nm of maximum torque that it devlops.

The concept has now been confirmed for production in 2012 by none other than Audi Chairman, Rupert Stadler.

“Electric power will also give Quattro more possibilities, such as powering the rear axle like in the A1 concept, or four wheels in motors like the e-tron,”  “In fact, we want to launch a production e-tron in small volumes at the end of 2012.” he said.

The 4.2 meter long 1.9 meter wide e-Tron is powered by four electric motors at each corner developing a total of 313 bhp and earth moving 4500 nm of torque (we still can’t get over that figure!). 0-100 kph sprint takes 4.8 seconds while the roll-ons from 37-75 mph takes just 4.1 seconds.

source: autocar

This would be the first electric Audi which suggests companies intention of introducing electric powertrain from top down.

The e-Tron is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack which is mounted on the rear axle to keep the achieve perfect weight distribution. Audi also claims an impressive 250 kms of  range from the 42.4 KWh storage capacity.

The whole car sits on a modified version of Audi’s aluminium spaceframe chassis which has triangular double wishbones at the front axle and trapezoidal wishbone made of forged aluminium components at the rear axle.  The lighweight nature of the chassis and suspension components will also enable Audi to keep the kerb weight at a relatively light 1600 kgs.

To read more about the Audi e-Tron @ the Franfurt 2009, Click Here!

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Chevrolet will launch their next ‘big’ small car Beat in the Indian market on 4th January, 2010 on the eve of the Auto Expo 2010. We already shown you the undisguised pictures of the car when it was parked rather carelessly in Korea.

The car will be launched in three variants - Base, LS and LT. All the variants will come with a highly fuel efficient 1.2 litre petrol engine developing 79 bhp and 106Nm of maximum twist @ 4400rpm and has a ARAI certified fuel efficiency figure of 18.6 kmpl. The Beat will also be one of the safest car in its class with a Euro NCAP safety rating of 4 stars, bettering the chief rivals - Hyundai i10 and the Maruti Suzuki Swift. (We are extremely sorry for the mix-up, both Swift and i10 have scored 4 stars in the Euro NCAP).

Its well styled too with a very striking and bold looking front end that really makes it stand out from the rest and huge tailamps. The tipped forward stance is further accentuated by the rising beltline and the narrowing roofline at the rear. The clean side profile is further enhanced by the door handle which is integrated with the C-Pillar.

The latest chevvy doesnt skimp on equipments too with a dashboard integrated sound system that also supports USB and AUX input and even a multifucntion display (there is space for it although we dont know if it will make to the Indian Beat). The dashboard is well styled and features the Cruze inspired twin cockpit.

The pricing will start from a very competitve 3.7 Lakhs onwards for the base version which will come with Power Steering and A/C as standard.

Watch this space for more!

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Image Courtesy and Copyrights: Caters And Dailymail UK

Another one for the PETS (People for Ethical Treatment of Supercars). Italian Police officers have managed to wreck one of the Lamborghini Gallardo patrol cars in a road crash.

Image Courtesy and Copyright: Caters And Dailymail UK

The 200 mph capable, 1,50,000 pound supercar smashed into parked cars when the officers swerved to avoid another vehicle that had just pulled out of a petrol station.

The car was one of the two supercars which were donated to the Italian police by Lamborghini to keep up with speeding motorists driving other supercars. The two police officers involved managed to get away with only minor injuries. No other injuries were reported from the crash site.

The car which was shown to students was returning to its base Bologana after being resprayed in Police colors when the accident happened.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

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