Mercedes shows interest in Aston

 

 

 

The rumours of a possible Aston Martin buyout by the German auto major Mercedes-Benz, started after Chairman and Head Mercedes-Benz, Dieter Zetschedid not rule out the possibility of acquiring the iconic British brand.

Currently it owns about five per cent of the brand, and under a technical agreement, will see its new turbocharged AMG engine V8 powering the next generation Vantage. Over a period of time, this could evolve to even platform sharing, as senior executives from both sides have often hinted. Zetsche himself has shown his keenness for this collaboration.

“This is a fantastic brand, and we are willing to support its further development,” Zetsche told the automotive weekly, Autocar in an interview.

The potential benefits for Aston Martin are enormous, and would allow it to put previously mothballed plans into fruition, particularly the Lagonda SUV, which would be based on Mercedes GL underpinnings.

This change of investor is not new for Aston Martin, the company has had different owners over the past years, from giants like Ford to even small investment firms from the Middle East.

 

Jeep Renegade Unvieled, Find All Necessary Details Inside.

Fiat – Chrysler’s brand Jeep is known for their big, ground breaking SUVs which can conquer any terrain with ease. These Jeeps learnt all skill sets from their ancestors which defended their motherland in battlefield. Later on ‘Bigger is Better’ phenomenon grew on everyone around the world. Falling in line with the people’s love for big SUVs, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Patriot and Compass became Jeep’s legendary products and helped company to deepen their roots. But it is said that, when the larger ship can’t withstand the storms, it’s the small raft which saves lives. Similarly, Jeep has crafted one such raft named 2015 Jeep Renegade which was unveiled during Geneva Motor Show. This new Renegade tries to pack in all signature elements of company into compact dimensions. Many criticised it, from day one, for not being anywhere close to the brands heritage. It was previewed, few days ago, through leaked images and now we have all official details.

We are well aware about brand’s history, so let’s check what Renegade has borrowed from its elder sibling Jeeps and from its new parent, Fiat. Zoom – in onto the face and you’ll find many other Jeep’s faces influencing the design of it. Skid plates, toeing hooks, fog lamps, pilot lams and many more such fine details adds some muscle to design. Side profile is where this resemblance ends suddenly. Your eyes would wish to go further across the length, but actual car ends much sooner than expected. Wraparound rear windshield, taillight with silver ascents, black bumper with toeing hooks and creases around number plates puts together a soothing tail of the car. The choice mechanicals under the skin will depend upon the target country in which it will be launched.  Renegade is compatible with 16 different engines which is offered across the globe. For India, we expect that Fiat will put their highly localized, tried and tested 1.3 liter multi jet diesel. Initially, 1.4 liter turbo and 2.4 liter four cylinder engines will be offered on this baby SUV. Transmissions which will be offered are six speed manual and nine speed auto boxes.  Also, standard variant will be the front wheels driven vehicle, while dedicated off roader variant will get All Wheel Drive system.

–          My Sky, a manually removable twin sun roof panels.

–          Trailhawk variant will get Jeep Active Drive 4×4 system with 1 inch factory lift.

–          17 inch off road aluminium alloys with special tyres.

–          Large touch screen with embedded Chrysler UConnect Access system.

–          In case of situations, system will automatically call emergency number.

So certainly Renegade packs most of the true bleed Jeeps features in it and hence will have potential to leave many other compact SUVs behind. Off road handling capabilities will be the core competence of this car. In first phase, Renegade will be assembled in Fiat’s plant in Italy and later on depending upon the needs it can come out of assembly lines across the globe.  If assembled and launched in India, this baby Jeep can take away the bread butter segment of small SUVs, from many premium car manufacturers. This car is expected to come to India late next year. Do you feel that, Renegade will be a perfect beginning for Jeep’s innings in India?

Suzuki Inazuma coming soon

Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd plans to launch the Inazuma 250, also known as the GW250, in the coming months in India. The GW250 is a naked street bike, taking styling cues from the larger capacity B-King.

The Inazuma will house a four-stroke, 248cc, twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled and fuel-injected engine synced to a 6-speed gearbox, generating maximum power of 23.7bhp at 8500rpm and peak torque of 2.24kgm at 6500rpm. This quarter-litre Suzuki will find its way into the country via the CKD route.

Ford EcoSport India review, test drive

It has easily been the most anticipated new launch of 2013, and after an unduly long 18-month gestation period the India-spec Ford EcoSport is finally here.  One reason for the delay is that Ford has been pursuing a very aggressive localisation programme for the car, and as a result of this, the ‘Indian’ EcoSport we’re driving today is almost 70 percent locally made.  So has it been worth the long wait?

We, and indeed the world, got our first glimpse of the car in concept form at the 2012 Auto Expo in January last year, and as we’ve seen from countless pictures since, the production car has stayed almost 100 percent true to the concept. In the metal, however, what is immediately apparent is the mini-SUV’s actual size on the road. It’s less than four metres long, and if not for its 200mm of ground clearance, it wouldn’t be much taller than most premium hatchbacks either. The clearance also allows the EcoSport to wade through 550mm of water, which should be useful during the monsoons. But Ford has done well with the detailing to give it the appearance of a ‘proper’ SUV. For starters, there’s the almost mandatory tailgate-mounted spare wheel, which also frees up boot space (of which there is still precious little; just 346 litres). There is rugged-looking black cladding on the bottom of the bumpers and beneath the doors, roof rails at the top of the car, and very prominent wheel arches. The the chunky flanks seem to dwarf the 16-inch wheels, and 17-inchers would have been more in keeping with the EcoSport’s aggressive stance. According to Ford insiders, larger wheels will be offered as an option at a later stage. At the rear, the wraparound windscreen adds to the tightly skinned look, and the angular tail-lamps look handsome too.

The most prominent detail, however, is the massive grille, which dominates the front fascia and gives it the bluff face of an off-roader.  An impressive stat is the car’s drag coefficient, which at 0.371, is not too bad for an SUV profile. While some might find the overall look a bit too aggressive and slightly overdone, remember, a similar styling concept worked wonders for the Mahindra XUV500. And we have no doubt that it will work well for the EcoSport too.

Move to the inside and you can instantly tell that the dashboard design resembles the Fiesta’s quite closely, with a similar angular dashboard layout and familiar controls. While the build and plastic quality of the top half of the two-tone dashboard is decent for this class of car (it seems a small notch above the Fiesta), there are quite a few panel gaps and the lower half of the dashboard feels a little  sub-par. It’s not as bad as the Renault Duster, another SUV to get an ‘Indianised’ interior, but it is lacking that quality feel all the same. Compared to the cars like the Fabia and Polo, the EcoSport’s cabin quality simply doesn’t come close.

By hatchback standards, the EcoSport’s cabin is quite spacious but as an SUV, the interiors lack the size and space you associate with this body style. The cabin is a little narrow, but head and legroom are decent both at the front and the back, and as mentioned earlier, boot space is not sufficient, but the rear seats fold forward with a 60:40 split (in all but the base Ambiente trim) for a total of 705 litres, which gives a bit more versatility. They also have a reclining backrest with three preset positions, and the small parcel shelf on higher variants will keep your luggage out of plain sight. The front seats are comfortable, with a high seating position, and the rear seats are quite flat but the cushioning and under thigh support is superb. In fact, the high-set rear seat is really comfortable, particularly if you don’t have a tall driver or passenger in front of you.

However, because of the rising shoulder line and small windows, like the Fiesta, the rear seats don’t feel as bright and airy as the Duster’s, and the black interiors in the EcoSport don’t help either.

The EcoSport is very generously equipped, with even the base Ambiente variant getting tilt and telescopic steering, a music player with Aux-in and Bluetooth, electric wing mirrors, remote locking, a multi-function display, and 16-inch wheels. However, the top end Titanium version (with the option pack) we are driving  is really loaded. It gets 16-inch wheels, and adds ABS, steering-mounted audio controls on a leather-wrapped wheel, driver-seat height adjustment, climate control, a cooled glovebox, front fog lamps, rear parking sensors, push-button start, leather seats, keyless entry, Ford’s voice-operated Sync system, and front, side and curtain airbags as well.

However, when it comes to safety and security the EcoSport really pushes the envelope with its Emergency Assist, which could be a life-saver in the case of an accident. This clever system, available on Sync-equipped variants, uses the driver’s paired phone to to send an emergency voice message to emergency operators (by dialling 108) when an airbag is deployed or the fuel pump is shut off.  It also sends the car’s GPS co-ordinates to the emergency operator to make finding you easier.

The main talking point of the EcoSport is Ford’s internationally acclaimed 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged, direct-injection EcoBoost petrol engine which makes its Indian debut in the EcoSport.  And although diesel is the fuel of choice for SUV buyers in India, Ford really wants to focus on this new motor – and so it is the only one available  for the media drive. The two engines from the Fiesta will also return in the EcoSport – the 110bhp 1.5 petrol and 90bhp 1.5 diesel – and the former will also get the option of the Fiesta’s six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and will get a hill-start assistance system with a three-second hold.

Fire up the engine and it’s hard to believe it’s a three-cylinder unit. It’s remarkably quiet at idle with barely any vibration. The engine is mated to the tried-and-tested IB5 five-speed manual gearbox which has a pretty slick and accurate shift. Engage first gear and the EcoSport pulls away smartly. It works well on part-throttle and, for the better part, it’s hard to believe this is a 1.0-litre motor. It feels more like a 1.5, especially in the mid-range. However, the winding roads around Goa revealed this small motor’s Achilles heel – and will get ESP and a hill-start assistance system with a three-second hold. Floor the throttle at low revs and it feels noticeably sluggish until you cross the 1800rpm mark. Also, at high revs, a noticeable thrum creeps into cabin, which can be first felt through the pedals and gear lever, but it’s not too intrusive.

Fords are known to be great driver’s cars and the EcoSport more than lives up to this reputation. The steering is just phenomenal and and comes with Ford’s ‘Pull Drift Compensation’, which corrects the steering when it detects a pull caused by crosswinds or a crowned road surface. It’s light, yet full of feel and delightfully quick, which makes you want to throw this car around every corner. The brilliant suspension allows you to do just that. Ford has painstakingly tuned the suspension to strike a finely judged balance between ride and handling. The result is a car that feels surefooted at speed on any surface and yet pliant enough isolate you from road shocks. Playing no small role are the 205/60-R16 tyres, which offer superb grip and a cushy secondary ride. Be in no doubt, the EcoSport sets a new ride and handling benchmark for a car below Rs 10 lakh.

We didn’t get the chance to test the fuel consumption of the EcoSport but in the Indian Driving Cycle, the EcoSport gives a very impressive 18.9kpl. To put this into perspective, that’s more efficient than even the frugal Honda Brio, which gives 18.4kpl in the same cycle.

On the basis of its looks alone, the EcoSport is set to be a runaway success. This a car that tugs at the heart strings even before you drive it and once you’ve gotten behind the wheel, you’re completely smitten by the way it drives and its easy to overlooks its shortcomings like a slightly below par cabin and small boot.

With three engines offer and an automatic variant too, Ford has an EcoSport at many price points. The key question is what will the base model start at. Ford wants to really kill the market with the EcoSport and our guess is a starting price of Rs. 6.5 lakh going up to Rs. 12 lakh for the top-end Titanium with the option pack. Get your cheque books ready!

Yamaha introduces the Bolt

After a long, undisputed run in the entry-level cruiser/bobber segment, the Harley-Davidson 883/Iron/Superlow finally have competition. The name is Bolt. Yamaha Bolt. From a distance,you’d be hard pressed to tell it apart from a Harley, but it does have some interesting design elements that set it apart. Before you ask, the Bolt has only been released in the American market as of the moment and no plans, whatsoever, are disclosed about bringing it to India.

That said, it’s a pretty well-specced piece of engineering and at upwards of $7990 (Rs 4.3 lakh, roughly), could make for an exciting alternative to Harleys in the country. The Bolt, to give you the dope, is powered by a 942cc, fuel-injected V-twin motor that’s mated to a 5-speed gearbox. It’s belt driven and has a two-into-one exhaust that, for us at least, is the only sore thumb in the overall design. A good opportunity for a smashing cruiser-esque exhaust (some chrome/anodised effects) lost, we say. Nevertheless, a 12-litre fuel tank should endow the Bolt with an excellent range and while the pictures don’t say, there is a passenger seat kit available as an accessory, so it should tick the right boxes for your better half.

The details – a cool LED taillight, smoked-lens speedometer, a neat paintjob – all will appeal to bobber/cruiser fans and we only wish Yamaha does offer spoke wheels as well, at least as an option. There is also an R-spec version, with gold-painted callipers and higher-spec rear suspension, which is not much more expensive. Like the Bolt and want one, then? Move to the USA or start writing sugary emails to Yamaha India!

Maruti launches Dzire Regal

To counter the recently launched Honda Amaze, Maruti has launched the well-equipped Dzire Regal with updates to the interiors and exteriors.

In celebration of the Dzire’s fifth anniversary, Maruti has launched the limited edition Dzire Regal. The new trim will only be available on the VXi petrol spec and comes with updates to its interiors and exteriors, with no changes to the engine options.

The Dzire Regal is available with a new Serene Blue paint shade, body graphics, a silver-finish treatment to the upper and lower grille, fog lamps and wing mirrors, parking sensors and body-coloured mud flaps.

The cabin also gets the ZXi trim’s integrated audio system with tweeters and auto volume control, wood inserts on the armrests, stainless-steel door sills, beige faux leather cushions and embroidered seat covers, leather-wrapped steering wheel cover, beige floor mats and a car perfume. However, there is no auto climate control.

The updated interiors and exteriors should further the Dzire’s appeal in the market and help it take on the recently launched Honda Amaze. The Dzire Regal is on sale with a price tag of Rs 5.95 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

MotoGP: Lorenzo wins at Qatar, Rossi second

Rossi had only qualified sixth but jumped to fourth on the first lap.

Jorge Lorenzo dominated the 2013 MotoGP season-opener in Qatar as his Yamaha team-mate Valentino Rossi battled through to beat Marc Marquez to second.

The sensational podium tussle featured Rossi fighting back from an early mistake that dropped him to seventh, ultimately beating the Hondas of Marquez and Dani Pedrosa to the runner-up spot.

Lorenzo held his pole advantage into the first corner and immediately disappeared up the road. An opening-lap lead of 0.6 seconds soon became two seconds and 5.9s by the end.

While the world champion was a class apart, there was no shortage of action in the battle to be second best.

Having qualified in the middle of the front row, Cal Crutchlow was elbowed back to fifth in the opening corners, as Pedrosa took second and Andrea Dovizioso’s Ducati and Rossi surged to third and fourth.

Not keen to be behind ex-employer Ducati for long, Rossi twice dived past Dovizioso only to run wide.

While the first such error was mild, the second sent him over the Turn 1 run-off and down to seventh at the start of lap two.

Marquez had dropped to eighth on the opening lap but quickly sliced back up the order to get between Pedrosa and the recovering Crutchlow in their very close battle for second.

Rossi was stuck behind Stefan Bradl‘s LCR Honda until lap eight, by which time the works Hondas and Crutchlow were four seconds clear. Bradl crashed out soon after.

Though the podium battle appeared out of reach, Rossi was not to be denied.

By the time Marquez got ahead of Pedrosa for second with five laps left, Rossi was on the tail of this group.

He squeezed between Crutchlow and the pit wall for fourth in a cloud of dust, with the Briton then skittering over the run-off after sliding onto the Turn 1 kerbs.

Next on Rossi’s list were the Hondas, both of which he passed within half a lap.

But the battle was not over. Marquez stayed with Rossi as Pedrosa fell away, and thrust back ahead into Turn 1 with a bold move two laps from home.

Rossi was soon in front again, but Marquez never gave up, staying on the seven-time champion’s tail to the flag as he claimed a podium on his MotoGP debut.

Behind Pedrosa and Crutchlow, Alvaro Bautista broke away from the Ducatis of Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden to take sixth.

Aleix Espargaro comfortably led the CRT pack home for Aspar.

Tech 3’s rookie Bradley Smith crashed out early.

 

Results - 22 laps:

Pos  Rider             Team/Bike                Time/Gap
 1.  Jorge Lorenzo     Yamaha                 42m39.802s
 2.  Valentino Rossi   Yamaha                   + 5.990s
 3.  Marc Marquez      Honda                    + 6.201s
 4.  Dani Pedrosa      Honda                    + 9.473s
 5.  Cal Crutchlow     Tech 3 Yamaha           + 18.764s
 6.  Alvaro Bautista   Gresini Honda           + 22.148s
 7.  Andrea Dovizioso  Ducati                  + 24.355s
 8.  Nicky Hayden      Ducati                  + 24.920s
 9.  Andrea Iannone    Pramac Ducati           + 37.124s
10.  Ben Spies         Pramac Ducati           + 44.908s
11.  Aleix Espargaro   Aspar Aprilia           + 49.809s
12.  Randy de Puniet   Aspar Aprilia           + 56.495s
13.  Hector Barbera    Avintia FTR-Kawasaki  + 1m09.599s
14.  Yonny Hernandez   PBM Aprilia           + 1m10.742s
15.  Hiroshi Aoyama    Avintia FTR-Kawasaki  + 1m13.600s
16.  Claudio Corti     Forward Suter-BMW     + 1m29.444s
17.  Michael Laverty   PBM-Aprilia           + 1m34.341s
18.  Lukas Pesek       Ioda-Suter-BMW        + 1m34.683s

Retirements:     Colin Edwards     Forward Suter-BMW         15 laps
     Danilo Petrucci   Ioda-Suter-BMW            12 laps
     Stefan Bradl      LCR Honda                  8 laps
     Bradley Smith     Tech 3 Yamaha              4 laps
     Bryan Staring     Gresini FTR-Honda           1 lap
     Karel Abraham     Cardion Aprilia            0 laps

Honda Amaze review

With the Amaze, Honda embarks on a landmark innings in India. This is the company’s first compact saloon and first diesel car rolled into one and it has enormous potential here. The Japanese carmaker has a lot riding on the Amaze and it could very well catapult Honda to the pinnacle of the entry-level saloon segment. So, have they managed to get it right?

Based on the successful Brio hatchback, the new Amaze is almost specifically targeted at India. Its sub-four-metre length and options of a less than 1200cc petrol motor and less than 1500c diesel engine go towards ensuring that Honda can avail of the excise (tax on manufacturing) sops for small cars and make it affordable for the value-conscious Indian buyer.

What sets this car apart from other sub-four metre saloons is the cohesiveness of the design. Unlike the Maruti  Dzire, which is the best seller in this class, the Amaze does not look severely truncated or chopped from the rear. The lines of the car flow smoothly over the Brio’s nose, onto the elongated roof and down over what is a very traditional looking boot. The reason it doesn’t look like an afterthought is because it isn’t one. Honda planned this Brio-based saloon from day one. In fact it looks positively attractive, with the two slashes across the side of the car and the nicely styled tail-lights. What allows the Amaze to keep this regular saloon profile is the fact that, unlike the Swift Dzire, it has a very short and compact nose.

Where Honda has spent money is in lengthening the wheelbase. More space between the wheels, of course, means greater space inside the cabin, and in this area the Amaze is an absolute delight. You can easily fit four large adults inside, with enough head-, shoulder- and legroom for all. The fifth passenger, sat in the middle on the rear bench, has less shoulder room, but the seat is still useable for short journeys. The longer doors also make getting in and out of the back really easy. The front seats are similar to those on the Brio, and though they are slender, they are comfortable on long journeys as well. The driver of the Amaze gets seat height adjustment (not available on the Brio) and rear-seat passengers get a new fold-away elbow rest as well. Other plus points include the dashboard with its low cowl that gives you great forward visibility. The one piece front seats with fixed headrests, may not appeal to a lot of Indian customers as such a design is perceived as cheap.

The dashboard looks similar to that of the Brio, and while this works well on the hatchback, it does look a bit low-spec here. Quality isn’t really the issue – the plastics are acceptable (though not as good as the Dzire’s) and there’s no issue with functionality either (there are no less than seven 1-litre bottle holders), it’s just the design that’s a bit spartan. The vents, centre console and instrument panel don’t ‘line up’ in the traditional sense and then there are some odd looking bits, like the joint of the glovebox that stands out like an upturned lip.

Still, you can’t fault Honda on how well they have packaged the cabin –the dashboard has been pushed as tightly as possible to the front of the cabin and, as a result, takes up less space than a traditional one and this, combined with the slender seats, means there is more space for passengers. Compared to the Brio, the Amaze gets longer armrests and additional door pockets for rear- seat passengers, the rear speakers have been moved to the parcel tray and the rear seat cushioning is thicker too.

Otherwise, the audio system, sans CD player, the manual air-con control and three-spoke steering wheel remain the same. This top-end Amaze VX also gets electric folding mirrors, alloy wheels, a basic trip computer and a green ‘ECO’ light on the instrument console that lights up when you drive economically. Also, importantly, this car has a real boot which, at 400 litres, is pretty huge. It looks like it can easily swallow more than a couple of pieces of full-size luggage.

Now that we’ve established that the Amaze is truly spacious and comfortable on the inside, it’s time to find out what it is like on the move. Can it feel more grown up to drive than the compact hatch it is based on?

It is easy to get comfortable behind the wheel, the seat height adjustment for the driver makes a big difference here, and holding onto the thick-rimmed steering wheel feels good too.

Honda’s first diesel for India however, is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, power delivery and driving manners are brilliant, but on the other, it’s pretty noisy and nowhere near as quiet as other cars in its class. Let’s deal with the bad bit first. Start the engine and there’s a considerable amount of shock from under the bonnet, the engine rocking back and forth on its mounts as it fires up before settling down to a more quiet idle. The all-aluminium engine, though lighter, transmits more noise than a typical cast-iron-block diesel engine. Aluminium simply doesn’t have the sound absorbing properties denser metals have.

Honda’s 1.5-litre, 98.6bhp ‘Earth Dreams’ diesel engine is otherwise a peach. It has been tuned to be responsive from the word go and unlike many diesels, there’s no delay between you putting your foot downand the car shooting forward. It starts pulling well from as low as 1200rpm and power flows in a seamless manner all the way to 4000rpm. In fact, the Amaze’s linear power delivery masks its performance because there is no sudden spike or surge of power. The wide powerband makes the Amaze really nice to drive in city traffic, where you need a responsive engine. You don’t need to shift gears as often as in a Dzire and even when you do, you’ll find the clutch is nice and light and the gearshift is positive and crisp.

However, unlike Fiat’s 1.3-litre Multijet engine that is used by Maruti and others, the Honda engine doesn’t rev as freely. Honda engineers say they have tuned the Amaze to suit the Indian driving style of shifting up early and rarely exceeding 3,500rpm. This diesel motor’s elasticity more than makes up for any lack of top-end punch and in fact, full-throttle performance is actually quite good. It takes 12.47sec to get to 100kph, which is approximately a second quicker than the Dzire diesel.

As for the petrol motor, it is the same as the one in the Brio and that means it has good part throttle responses. But, push on and you’ll discover a weak mid-range, especially when you want a quick burst of power for overtaking. This engine performs best when you really wring it out — top-end performance (like most Honda motors) is where the action is and there’s plenty of fun to be had when you spin the engine past 6000rpm. Still, driven flat out, the Amaze petrol’s super-light kerb weight of 965kgs, helps it post a rather impressive 0-100kph time of 13.27sec

We also drove the automatic gearbox-equipped petrol Amaze and it felt quite sprightly and energetic. Initial responses to the throttle are good (the automatic gearbox helps disguise the lack of bottom-end grunt to a certain extent), and the Amaze takes off from rest with a considerable amount of energy. Gearshifts are not particularly seamless and at low speeds, the transmission is slightly jerky. However, for ease of use, this transmission does the job and makes incredibly light work of traffic.

Honda has also taken care to give the Amaze good ground clearance (at 165mm, it is the same as the Brio’s) and hopefully this clearance will keep the Amaze’s underbody clean on the worst of speed breakers even with a full load. The raised long-travel suspension also helps it ride well over our badly built roads. Apart from the odd shudder when you hit a sharp edge, the suspension tackles potholes and bumps rather well.

What’s also impressive is that the jacked up suspension doesn’t really compromise driving manners. The Amaze feels well planted and precise to punt around corners, and this feeling of confidence and poise remains even when you go faster. What also adds to the driving experience is the steering, which, though electrically power-assisted, is quite accurate and well weighted. It is both light at low speeds and not overly light as you go faster, which really is nice.

FIRST VERDICT

Honda has hit the sweet spot with the Amaze. Despite being a sub-four-metre saloon, it looks properly formed and not truncated or ill-proportioned. The interiors are incredibly spacious for such a compact saloon and, the boot is large as well and it’s great to drive. The all-new diesel motor is perfectly tuned for Indian driving habits, so there is plenty of power just when you need it. The headline news however is the fuel efficiency, which is a record breaking 25.8kpl in the official Indian Driving Cycle. Real world figures will of course be lower but we expect the Amaze to be incredibly frugal in daily use. To achieve such low fuel consumption with a 1.5 litre engine and near 100bhp is a monumental achievement. However, the  Amaze isn’t perfect. The diesel is noisier than the competition and the dashboard, carried over from the Brio, doesn’t feel as special. Saloon buyers will expect a richer interior.

Look at the overall picture, however, and the new Amaze clearly has almost everything else buyers in this class are looking for, especially if Honda can match the expected sticker price of Rs 5 lakh for the base petrol and Rs 6.5 lakh for the base diesel, which puts it smack against the Dzire. If you are buying a car in this class or even anything else in this price range, we strongly suggest you check the Amaze out, it’s that good.

Model Honda Amaze Maruti Dzire Mahindra Verito Tata Manza Toyota Etios LxWxH 3990x1680x 1500mm 3995x1695x 1555mm 4247x1740x 1540mm 4413x1703x 1550mm 4265x1695x 1510mm Wheelbase 2405mm 2430mm 2630mm 2520mm 2550mm Engine 1.2 petrol/ 1.5 diesel 1.2 petrol/ 1.3 diesel 1.4 petrol/ 1.5 diesel 1.4 petrol/ 1.3 diesel 1.5 petrol/ 1.4 diesel Power 88bhp/ 98.6bhp 86bhp/ 74bhp 75bhp/ 65bhp 89bhp/ 89bhp 90bhp/ 68bhp Torque 11.1kgm/ 21kgm* 11.6kgm/ 19.3kgm 11.2kgm/ 16.3kgm 11.8kgm/ 20.4kgm 13.4kgm/ 17.3kgm

* – estimated

Fact File

Price Range (in lakhs)*

Ex-showroom price

Rs 6-7.5 lakh (estimated)

Engine

Fuel	Diesel / Petrol
Installation	Front, transverse, FWD
Type	4cyl DOHC i-DTEC, 4cyl SOHC i-VTEC
Power	98.6bhp at 3600rpm / 88bhp at 6000rpm
Torque	11.1kgm at 4500rpm / 20.39kgm at 1750rpm

Transmission

Type	front-wheel drive
Gearbox	5-speed manual/ 5-speed manual, 5-speed auto

Dimensions

Length	3990mm
Width	1680mm
Height	1500mm
Wheel base	2405mm
Boot volume	400 litres

Chassis & Body

Tyres

175/65R14

Suspension

Front	Independent, MacPherson struts
Rear	non-independent, torsion beam axle

Steering

Type

Electric

Brakes

Front	Disc
Rear	Drum

Royal Enfield Continental GT Café Racer spied

Royal Enfield’s sporty Café Racer, the Continental GT has already been warmly received wherever showcased at prominent international motor shows. It’s already confirmed the eagerly anticipated, all Indian classic bike will slip into showrooms here later this year, while a pre-production Royal Enfield Continental GT has just been photographed being tested in the Bangalore region by a Royal Enfield aficionado and Autocar India reader. The picture shows a cropped front mudguard, elongated fuel-tank, sporty clip-on handlebars and spoke rims, apart from a flat, comfortable riding saddle with ample room for two.

Expect the Continental GT to house a four-stroke, single-cylinder, 535cc, air-cooled and fuel-injected engine.

This café racer will be held together by a tubular steel constructed frame and swingarm, with telescopic fork front suspension and a pair of gas-charged shock absorbers at the rear. For stopping power, the café racer is expected to use single disc brakes front and rear. Chunky tyres will add muscle to this smart motorcycle and we look forward to getting astride the Continental GT in days to come.

 

KTM 390 Duke to get ABS

 

KTM is ready to step up the excitement in the Indian market with their upcoming 390 Duke. While we wait for the official launch in mid-2013, some details regarding the baby Duke are coming to light.

A significant feature on the 390 Duke for India will be the inclusion of Bosch’s 9M ABS option. The sensors at the front and rear wheels will be connected to an independent ECU for the ABS function, that also monitor engine torque to optimise braking. This is certain to be a big boon as demanding Indian riding conditions are known to throw many uncertainties at street riders, all the more pertinent when the power on tap increases, such as with the 390 Duke. However, riders could also have the option of switching off the ABS system.

 

Just looking at the 390 Duke’s performance potential makes the ABS option a sensible move. The 390 Duke is 25cc short of doubling the displacement of the 200 Duke, and 43bhp is considerably more power than the 200 Duke. Despite the jump in power, the 390 puts on just under 10kg, which means its power to weight ratio is a gob smacking 290bhp per tonne! The Ninja 650 has a power to weight ratio of 337bhp per tonne, so, it’s clear the 390 Duke is going to be a properly fast motorcycle.

What’s putting all the power down? The 390 Duke comes shod with 110mm section front and 150mm section rear tyres, like on the 200 Duke. There’s 300mm front and 230mm rear discs, again from the 200 Duke, and including ABS ensures the 390 Duke’s performance can be enjoyed with a lot less to worry about.