Top 5 galleries: No. 1 - Cars Indian CEOs drive

Cars Indian CEOs drive

Azim Premji - Chairman, Wipro

Car - Toyota Corolla

Azim Premji, known for his austere lifestyle, drives a Toyota Corolla.

Top 5 galleries: No. 1 - Cars Indian CEOs drive

Cars Indian CEOs drive

Kumar Mangalam Birla - Chairman, Aditya Birla Group

Car - BMW 5 Series Sedan

Young and vibrant Kumar Mangalam Birla drives a BMW 5 Series Sedan.

Top 5 galleries: No. 1 - Cars Indian CEOs drive

Cars Indian CEOs drive

Ratan Tata - Chairman, Tata Group

Car - Tata Sedan

Ever humble Ratan Tata loves driving fast cars and flying jets. He drives a Tata Sedan to work.

Top 5 galleries: No. 1 - Cars Indian CEOs drive

Cars Indian CEOs drive

Vijay Mallya - Chairman, U B Group

Cars - Bentley Continental Flying Spur

The king of good times, Dr. Vijay Mallya loves driving a red Bentley Continental Flying Spur. He has a massive collection of other cars as well.

Top 5 galleries: No. 1 - Cars Indian CEOs drive

Cars Indian CEOs drive

Anil Ambani - Chairman, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group

Cars - Lamborghini, Porsche

Grandiose Anil Ambani drives a shinny yellow Lamborghini. He also owns several Porches and Mercs.

Automakers see brighter side in move to hike diesel prices

New Delhi: Automakers on Thursday said the government decision to allow "small" hikes in diesel prices was a step in the right direction although it could have some impact on sales. While car market leader Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said the move will not have any impact on its Rs 1,700 crore investments for a diesel engine plant at Gurgaon, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) was of the view that demand for petrol passenger cars in the small and mid-range could increase following the development.
The government on Thursday allowed oil companies to make small hikes in the price of diesel from time to time. "This is a step in the right direction for the country overall, as we cannot afford such a high subsidy burden... This will, however, not in any way affect Maruti Suzuki's plans for diesel engine plant. We don't have a problem with the proposed diesel price hike," MSI Chairman RC Bhargava said.
The company's new diesel plant is slated to start operations by June with an initial capacity of 1.5 lakh units per annum, and will be doubled by 2014. Welcoming the government's move, M&M President Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors, Pawan Goenka said: "Mahindra has always been supportive of narrowing the gap between diesel and petrol fuel prices by another Rs 5 per litre. In our opinion such an increase in diesel price will have very little impact on UV and CV demand but may slightly shift demand to petrol in the passenger car segment in the small and mid-range."

He, however, said an increase in diesel price beyond Rs 5 may start impacting overall industry volume. Despite the possibility of a temporary hit on sales due to the proposed diesel price hike, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) Vice Chairman and Whole Time Director Shekar Viswanathan said, "It is always better to have a realistic and market related pricing, and the earlier it is the better."
He further said instead of sudden increase of prices, it should be done in a gradual manner. When asked if sales of TKM, whose major contribution comes from diesel driven vehicles, will be impacted, he said, "We want the consumers to have the choice. If there is more demand for petrol vehicles, then we will be producing more petrol vehicles."
Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers has already stated that it would welcome any move to reduce the gap between petrol and diesel prices and also to deregulate diesel pricing.

2013 Lamborghini Aventador roadster launched in India at Rs 4.77 crore

Lamborghini has ushered the New Year in India with the launch of its 2013 Aventador roadster. The convertible model costs Rs 4.77 crore, ex-Delhi and will be on sale from mid-2013.
Its 700PS 690Nm 6.5-litre V12 engine married to a 7-speed ISR transmission is capable of reaching 100kmph in just three seconds, maxing out at 350kmph in with or without the roof guises. All this despite the roadster weighing1625kg, just 50kg more than the coupe.
Don't be surprised if you see a Lambo zipping past you. The company says that they sold 17 cars in India last year with a growth rate of 21 per cent. The next launch from the raging bull stable will be the 2013 Gallardo by March-April.

2013 Tata Indica Vista D90 launched in India at Rs 5.99 lakh

Tata Motors has launched a powerful diesel engine of the Vista in India. Called D90, the new Vista gets the 90PS 1.3-litre Multijet engine from the Manza and Punto 90Sport. Prices start from Rs 5.99 lakh (two variants - VX and GX+), approximately 15,000 bucks more than the corresponding 75PS Vista trim, ex-Delhi.

Visually, the exteriors aren't much different from the regular Vista apart from the black contrast roof seen on the 10th anniversary car. Then there is the D90 badging. Tata is offering a list of external accessories like side skirts and a rear spoiler. The biggest change though is inside with the Vista now getting the Manza dashboard, which essentially means the instrument cluster has moved to behind the steering wheel.
There is automatic air-con with three modes and a new touch screen stereo system with Bluetooth connectivity and GPS. Currently Tata is offering the Vista with a choice of three engines, two diesels and a petrol (65PS) in BS4 compliant cities.

Hyundai India raises vehicle prices by up to Rs 20,878

Mumbai:

Hyundai Motor Co's India unit, the country's second biggest carmaker, said it raised vehicle prices by up to

Rs 20,878 due to an increase in input costs and currency fluctuations.

Many companies in India, including No.1 carmaker Maruti Suzuki Ltd and the local unit of General Motors

Co, have hiked prices in recent months despite a slowdown in car sales, as rising costs threaten margins.

Hyundai India had also raised vehicle prices in November.

Nissan to launch automatic variant of Micra, Sunny soon in India

Chennai : As part of its plans to have a 10 per cent share in the domestic automobile market, Japanese auto giant Nissan said it would introduce an automatic transmission variant of its flagship hatchback 'Micra' and mid-sedan 'Sunny' soon in India.
"For financial year 2013, we will introduce a CVT variant which is a very fuel efficient engine (for Micra)", company's Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga told reporters here.
The new Continuously Variable Transmission engine is a global conventional product offering high fuel efficiency for its cars, a company official said

"Very soon..Very soon", company's Corporate Vice President (Africa, Middle East and India), Toru Hasegawa said to a query on when they planned to introduce the new variants.
Launched in 2010, Micra is the flagship product for Nissan Motor India.
Nissan Motor India and French auto major Renault have jointly set up a Rs 4,500 crore manufacturing unit at nearby Oragadam, with annual production capacity of 4 lakh vehicles.
Noting that Nissan has adopted a "Global '88" strategy - meaning achieving eight per cent market share by 2016 and an eight per cent growth on consolidated operating profits, Shiga said the company expects to reach 10 per cent market share in India by 2016 from the present 1.6 per cent.
He said the company had already sold 12,000 units of CVT equipped models globally and intends to increase it to 20,000 units by 2016.
Besides launching the new products, the company would also follow its French partner to introduce a compact SUV in India.
Renault India launched its compact SUV Duster ahead of its joint venture partner Nissan in the domestic market.
To a query, he said ahead of the company's launch of 'Datsun' in India by 2014, the two new products would be rolled out.
He said the company plans to have 300 dealers by 2016.
Nissan Motor India MD and CEO Takayuki Ishida said they planned to sell over 50,000 units by Mar 2013 and add about 30 to 40 dealerships in India in the next fiscal.
Asked if Nissan has enough capacity at its Oragadam plant, he said the existing two assembly lines are undergoing three shift operations partially. "We hope by next year both will be operating in three shifts", he said.

Fernando Alonso to miss first test of Ferrari's new car

Milan: Fernando Alonso will miss the first test of Ferrari's new Formula One car in Spain next month. Ferrari say Felipe Massa and recently recruited test driver Pedro de la Rosa will try out the new car in Jerez, while Alonso "will intensify his physical training."

Alonso will get behind the wheel for the first time at the Barcelona test, which starts February 19. The two-time champion will drive for the first three days before handing over to Massa for the final day.
The third and final test, also at the Circuit de Catalunya, will see Alonso and Massa get two days each.

Alonso finished runner up to Sebastian Vettel last season, same as in 2010.

'iVauxhall' for teens

A two-seater electric concept looks cool and will be cheap and fun to use. The car fights back against teenager indifference

Personal mobility 'solutions' are the rage - after all, why go on foot or on a bicycle when you can ride in a cigar-shaped podule controlled by a gyroscope? Mindful of such Luddite cynicism Vauxhall/Opel have arrived at the personal mobility party armed with a new target audience: teenagers.

Toyota launches new version of `Fortuner’

New Delhi: Toyota Kirloskar Motor has said it has launched a new variant of sports utility vehicle Fortuner in five—speed automatic transmission, priced between Rs 22.33 lakh and Rs 22.93 lakh (ex—showroom, Delhi)


“Further adding to Fortuner’s strength of unmatched road presence and luxury, we have now introduced the five—speed automatic transmission... The five—speed AT will further add to the drive quality and comfort,” Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) Deputy Managing Director and COO (Marketing and Commercial) Sandeep Singh said in a statement.

Besides, the car maker has also decided to produce the Fortuner TRD Sportivo regularly that was introduced as a limited edition in October last year, he added.

“Looking at the overwhelming response and its popularity, we have now regularised this grade for all those looking for a unique sporty image. The bookings will open starting January 18, 2013,” Singh said.

The TRD Sportivo variant is priced at Rs 21.97 lakh (ex—showroom, Delhi).

Parx Super Car Show 2013 draws Mumbai in hordes to its fifth successful edition

The event witnessed a tremendous turnout as thousands of people strolled into the venue over the weekend to watch some of the sleekest super cars including Ferrari, Mercedes, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Bentley.



Mumbai : Parx Super Car Show 2013, organized by the Super Car Club (SCC), took off to a thundering start with thousands of enthusiastic Mumbaikars vying to catch a glimpse of the sleek line-up of super cars over yesterday and today at Polo Grounds, RWITC (Mahalaxmi Race Course). The roaring machines led by  Gautam Singhania paraded the city’s arterial streets this morning, amidst cheering by spectators. Legendary racer Hannu Mikkola was the Guest of Honour at the event, flagging off the parade.

The event witnessed a tremendous turnout as thousands of people strolled into the venue over the weekend to watch some of the sleekest super cars including Ferrari, Mercedes, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Porsche and BMW at a single location. City folks also got the opportunity to watch these cars in action as participants covered major parts of the city spanning Marine Drive, Bandra Worli Sea Link and the Western Express Highway all the way to Santa Cruz before returning to the venue.  Gautam Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director of Raymond Ltd. and Founding Chairman of the SCC, handed over trophies to the most desirable cars at the end of the show.

According to Gautam Singhania, one of India’s pioneering super car enthusiasts, “Since its inception in 2009, the Parx Super Car Show has covered new grounds every year. From being the first and only super car show in India, Parx Super Car Show today has become the forum for leading super car manufacturers to launch their automobiles. While this is indeed a great measure of success for the Super Car Club, what is most gratifying is the increasing number of people who are visiting us. It’s very encouraging to see to more and more people coming to the show, and a correspondingly increasing number of super car owners participating in all our events. In addition to the Parx Super Car Show, the Super Car Club has been organizing expeditions like the Leh-Ladakh expedition, ice-driving expedition and several other drives.”


 Hormazd Sorabjee, Editor of Autocar India, said “As India’s leading auto magazine, we’re delighted to see such an overwhelming response to the Parx Super Car Show from car enthusiasts all over the country.  In only its 5th year, the show has grown leaps and bounds. It has become the leading platform for super cars in the country thanks to the ingenuity of the concept and presentation.”

A one-of-its-kind auto show held in Mumbai, the Parx Super Car Show was first conceptualized and organized by  Gautam Singhania in April 2009 to enable auto enthusiasts and general public to view some of India’s best super cars, including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ariel Atom, Bentley, Rolls Royce, BMW and Mercedes amongst others. Encouraged by the response to the show, he launched the Super Car Club in June 2009 together with  Hormazd Sorabjee, Managing Editor of Autocar India.

The Super Car Club, the brainchild of Gautam Singhania, CMD of Raymond Limited as the Patron and Founder and Hormazd Sorabjee, Editor, Autocar India as the Co-Founder of the Club, has grown significantly since inception in 2009. The Club has been initiating various activities to promote the popularity of these super machines in India. The Club, last year undertook a thrilling expedition to Leh-Ladakh. SCC, under the leadership of Mr Singhania, is promoting drifting as an auto sports in the country.

Lotus F1 team launches 2013 car

Oxfordshire: Lotus has become the first Formula 1 team to unveil its car for the 2013 season after curtains were drawn from the Renault powered E21 in an online launch at the team's Enstone base here

The car was revealed to team partners on site, streamed live on YouTube and broadcast live on Sky Sports News in the UK.

The E21 will contest the 2013 Championship with drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. With only limited changes to the technical and sporting regulations from 2012, the car continues the design themes seen in its race-winning predecessor, the E20.

"However, it is pushing last year's concepts even further as well as incorporating some innovative technical solutions. The new car also features a slightly tweaked livery, incorporating an extra touch or red," said Lotus in a statement. Joining the team as third driver is reigning GP2 series champion Davide Valsecchi, whilst Nicolas Prost will perform development driver duties. Jerôme D'Ambrosio will continue with the team as a reserve.

Eric Boullier, Lotus team principal said: "I think it is fair to say that great things are possible from the team and the E21. The leap we made from 2011 to 2012 showed what we are capable of. Add to this the continuity and potential of our driver line-up and we have a very powerful cocktail for the season ahead."

First drive: 2012 Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II

A Rolls-Royce was best sampled from the rear seat, that's a belief I lived with for the longest time. A limousine of its stature being driven by its owner raises enough eyebrows, does it not? If someone could afford to spend a princely sum for a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a driver for it would be a negligible cost.

So when a Ghost pulled up outside the Nice Cote d'Azur airport with Adolf behind the wheel to pick me up I continued to profess faith in the idea that a Rolls-Royce big or small was best experienced perched on that ample gorgeously leathered rear seat.

Interestingly Rolls-Royce themselves don't share the same belief. According to their surveys most of their owners are also people who prefer driving themselves. Probably not everyday but definitely on a regular basis. And so I was handed the keys to the new Phantom II at the lobby of the very exclusive Cap Estel hotel.

 This new Phantom is still very much one of the most recognised grilles on the planet but a new age of buyers has inspired Rolls Royce to bring the Phantom up to date.

 The key I have been handed unlocks a three-door Phantom Coupe, which in abject size terms has exactly the same dimensions as the five-door limousine. Er, the doors are longer, and it opens up in the suicide fashion, so unless you have an arm the size of Africa there is no way you can reach out from your seat and shut the door. Suddenly the 'CLOSE' buttons at the base of the A-pillar seems such a sensible touch!
It's one of the traditional items that stays just where it is and the way it is. There are other things in the new Phantom however that are not so immovable.

 From the outside it's things like the new rectilinear LED headlights that possesses a slimmer outline than before but is still regally positioned up high. The oval xenon driving lamps are no longer there, in hindsight they did look a bit odd and out of place and the bumper and the area immediately under the head lamp is remodeled to look busy in an elegant fashion.

Apparently Rolls Royce owners are also very discerning and have a very strong eye for details, which is why the new grille is made from a single piece of stainless steel rather than the three it took in the older car. The oligarchs, dictators, generals and directors who can afford these cars wanted a Michelangelo like hewn from a single block of metal work of art, not a machine tooled component!

The one grouse I have with these subtle change is that the new Phantom now closely resembles the Ghost rather than the Ghost mimicking its older sibling! Having said that I'd also add that the Phantom II in no way loses its regality, imposing character and elegance. The Phantom still occupies real estate large enough to build three towers, a swimming pool and a small jogging park, in South Mumbai!


There are other changes too but they are so subtle and so few that it took a few minutes for those to be pointed out. These are and it really won't take you long to read this, the RR badge and indicator on the fender are one piece, the rear bumper is remodeled slightly, the glass on the C-pillar has been improved and there are a few more alloy wheel choices actually just three new wheel finishes to choose from.


Now if you aren't rich, rich as in RICH, you probably won't understand why is it that just three or four new cosmetic additions to a car that hasn't changed in nearly a decade are so important? So to understand that you have to go back in time, to the founding philosophies of Sir Henry Royce, one half of the Rolls-Royce company. According to Sir Royce, the car company he founded made the best cars in the world and that philosophy has stayed that way.

Now if you were the best you really have no need to change do you? That is why Rolls-Royce firmly claim to have updated this car and not changed it. It's a clever stance to maintain, and any revision does not rubbish the best in the world claim and yet leaves enough room for modernisation. There is another way to look at this too.


The original design of the Phantom crafted and released in 2003 was timeless. Even today without having to make any drastic cuts the design is still fresh, inviting and contemporary. So change just for the sake of change is still not necessary and Rolls-Royce customers evidently like it that way.

 Inside the new Phantom subtle updates have been applied to the dashboard, the LCD screen for the multi information display for instance is now larger. The navigation systems have been updated which means you get the new BMW iDrive system, audio and mobile connectivity has improved and the controller knob of the Ghost that is a more functional unit thanks to the shortcut keys has been incorporated in the Phantom.

The Phantom however is not a Rolls-Royce because it has the finest entrapments. A Rolls-Royce above all is known for it's engineering, its engine which at idle can't be heard over the sound of the clock in the cabin or even felt for that matter is its testimonial.

 It's a marvelous piece of work and it's now complemented by a new eight-speed automatic gearbox sourced from parent company BMW. Those eight ratios improve the Phantom's performance, efficiency and sublimity.

It is truly amazing to drive a car whose football field sized hood shields an engine powerful enough to provoke the next continental drift with such serenity. In all my years as a journalist I have never ever felt this sense of calm while driving a car. Of course the narrow roads lining the Cote d'Azure find it a challenge to accommodate a car this big, so you really can't bring your racing gloves and thin soled shoes to this party.

 But that has little to do with the way this car accelerates, its linearity and smoothness is only contrasted by the numbers it punches out. At full bore acceleration it does 100kmph in just 5.8 seconds and I'm willing to bet even her Majesty at her age wouldn't feel the jolt.

The new transmission makes the Phantom even more sublime, but what truly amazes me is that it has no manual mode so no paddles behind the steering wheel or a stick with a small plus minus typeface that allows the driver to change gears. And yet this engine is incredibly sensitive to gear changes, knowing instantly which gear is required.

The Phantom Coupe I drove is of course more driver oriented than the stately limousine even though the entire family gets enhancements to its aluminum space frame. It's got the firmer suspension, is 20kg lighter and has a longer wheelbase with shorter overhangs.


The acceleration time I mentioned before belongs to the coupe and it's a second quicker than the limousine. Of the entire Phantom family it is the best example to drive, and lots of fun too soon as you understand just how much room you need to play with.


Yet calling this a driver's car is far from the truth, the Phantom Coupe is certainly a car you can drive joyously but even after the moderately long drive past the stunning Riviera I wrapped up feeling a bit exhausted and I don't suppose a Rolls-Royce is supposed to do that to you.

 The only reason I can pin this down to is focusing ever harder on maneuvering the car through those narrow roads.

That is why I'd prefer being driven around in something this stately. In fact later that night after dinner at the Philippe Starck designed A'Trego restaurant at Monaco harbor, I got driven around Monte Carlo in the Phantom. As we rolled in towards the casino complex we had to slow down for a minute.

That was enough invitation for the people who throng the pavements to whip out their cameras in the hope of capturing a photograph of someone celebrated. For those fleeting moments I did feel awkward and yet special, it was the perfect moment, the perfect setting, the perfect location and even the perfect car.

 All that remained was stopping the car, opening the door and stepping out... if I wanted to break the spell! Instead I kept mum, let the Phantom roll past and kept the magic alive!

Battle of the 7-seaters: Maruti Ertiga vs Toyota Innova

Mumbai: First things first. This can't be a straight comparison. Though the two vehicles subscribe to the MUV segment, the Innova is bigger and powerful and the Ertiga is trying to create a segment on its own. But those are technical details that can easily get brushed under the carpet when the requirement is just a seven-seater.

In terms of looks, both the Innova and the Ertiga have minimalistic designs with neither of them looking to stand out.

The refresh Innova got early this year has helped it keep up with the times. But step inside and the age begins to show. The Swift-derived interiors in the Ertiga give it a much more polished look as compared to the dated design of the Innova.

Under the hood, the Ertiga has a 1.3-litre engine which produces 90PS and 200Nm while the 2.5-litre unit in the Toyota produces 102PS and a similar 200Nm of torque.
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Though the Innova is more powerful, the 445kg extra weight translates into 4.4kmpl less fuel efficiency than the Ertiga. As for the ride and handling, the smaller Ertiga exhibits strong car-like characteristics which help it perform in the city as well as on the highway with ease.

The ladder frame construction of the Innova makes it a better bet over bad roads but the Ertiga doesn't do too badly either.

So has the country's favourite people mover finally met its match? It's all about space isn't it. You will be able to seat seven people comfortably in the Innova but that becomes a bit of a squeeze in the Ertiga.

The Innova also offers a boot space of 300 litres with all the seats folded as compared to the 135 litres in the Ertiga. But the third row of the Ertiga folds flat which is not the case in the Innova. The Maruti's middle row also slides more to liberate more space for the boot or legroom as per your requirement.

Another crucial thing that swings it in favour of the Ertiga is that despite being a less powerful engine, with a full complement of passengers, the Ertiga will perform as good as the Innova because of the similar torque output. That is clever engine design by Maruti.

The Maruti gives you an all-in-one package - a vehicle which you can use daily and also for the weekend trips.

And most importantly it does it at a much, much lower cost - Rs 4.74 lakh the difference to be precise (between the top-end variants. All prices ex-Delhi). And that makes it more for less – something's that's a sure winner in our country.

India road test: 2012 Maruti Ertiga

Shooting in the dark requires skill. You need to be an excellent archer, have the right equipment and at the same time hope that your guess about the position of the target is bang on. The Ertiga was Maruti Suzuki shooting in the dark. Surely they must have had reams and reams of research data to back this new product.
Surely they can firmly claim to have their finger on the pulse of the Indian automobile customer but still the element of risk, however miniscule, of the Ertiga becoming a Kizashi would have crossed their mind.
But now, having received about 32,000 bookings in the first month after its launch, India’s most preferred automobile brand can pat themselves on the back for having created a new segment. One where now there will be a flurry of activity from the other manufacturers trying to play catch up.

We have already put a magnifying glass to the Ertiga when we drove it in Goa during the unveiling of the car to the media and came back impressed with the product or more to the point with the relevance of the product in today’s market. But we wanted to get a feel of how it feels like to live with the Life Utility Vehicle (LUV). Here are our observations.
Two things have played a key role in the success of the Ertiga. The competitive pricing and the familiarity card. We will come to the price later. The design of the Ertiga, as we have said in our first drive report, is one which doesn't polarise opinion. 'No marginalisation' is the motto of the design people at Maruti. The front has the Ritz look mated to the Swift head lamps.
When you look at it head on, you won't be able to make out that it’s a seven-seater. And that becomes a drawback when you are out driving on the road. We took it for a couple of trips to Pune and on the expressway the sight of an Ertiga in the rear view mirror is not intimidating enough for the vehicle in front to move aside. It doesn’t look like a seven-seater unless you look at it from the side where the length gives it away.
Step inside and the Swift interiors greet you. Taking away the all-black theme and replacing it with the black and beige theme has helped increase the feeling of space. This is where Maruti have played the familiarity card well. The Swift customer looking to upgrade will have no problem adapting to the Ertiga’s interiors. Even my mom, the last possible expert on anything to do with automobiles, said that the inside looked similar to the Swift we had for a while (Of course she didn’t know it was called the Swift).
This observation was made by my mom when the Ertiga was being used to ferry my sister and her three-month-old bundle of joy to her place. The entourage included, apart from me, three women, one uber energetic five-year-old and three month’s worth of baby 'equipment'.
So apart from the baby the rest of the configuration could be what, on an average, you can expect an Ertiga to handle. And it was a perfect fit. The kid went in the third row with his toys and the 135-litre boot was used to hold two duffel bags.
Two adults sat in the middle row but a third adult would have been a bit of a squeeze. The journey was comfortable with the air-con vents in the roof, above the front row of seats providing ample cooling.
The only complaint I have is that, even in the top-end variant of the Ertiga, you get knobs for the air con instead of the automatic climate control available in the Swift and Dzire. So overall, interiors that feel similar to the Swift and offer the same high level of comfort. And a layout that doesn’t need getting used to.
Now let’s get behind the wheel. The first thing that you notice is the high driving position. It feels like a Swift on stilts. In fact if it weren’t for this high position you could have safely assumed that you were in a Swift or a Dzire. That is until you look back and see the rear windscreen a little farther away than you would expect.
This car-like feel is evident even when the vehicle is on the move, especially when you push the Ertiga into a corner. The heavy steering provides you with the required feedback and the planted feel of the vehicle doesn’t give you the sense of it being a MUV.
The suspension is softer than the hatchback, translating into a plusher rider over bad roads with only a marginal increase in body roll. Within the city the Ertiga feels nimble and again, it’s the car-like feel which helps you steer it with ease through traffic (the 5.2-metre turning radius helps) but the only catch is that you have to keep reminding yourself that, even though it’s not as big as other MUVs, it’s not exactly a small vehicle.
Under the hood the Ertiga sports the 1.3-litre DDiS engine from the SX4. It also comes with a new K14B petrol engine – 95PS of power at 6000rpm and 130Nm of torque at 4000rpm but petrol vehicles currently are only for Arab sheikhs and Rajnikanth (insert suitable joke here).
So back to the diesel which produces 90PS of power at 4000rpm and 200Nm of torque at 1750rpm. It comes with a variable geometry turbocharger which helps in reducing lag.
Below 2000rpm, especially in higher gears, you can feel the delay but that doesn’t mean you get bad responses when the pedal is pushed. It pulls away in most gears, except for some reluctance in the fifth. But in the city traffic especially, the power delivery is more than enough to overtake that irritating rickshaw or the cabbie driving in the fast lane.
The Ertiga reaches the three figure mark in 13.33 seconds which is quite quick for its size, especially when you compare that time to the 14.24 seconds of the SX4 and the 14.98-second time of the Dzire. It did a top speed of 169.13kmph in our test which again is more than its siblings (SX4 – 165kmph, Dzire – 162kmph).
And despite this burst of speed it also returns a fuel efficiency of 13.20kmpl in the city and an impressive 21.25kmpl on the highway giving it an overall figure of 15.21kmpl. That would be just what the doctor ordered for the MUV segment – a healthy combination of power and fuel efficiency.
Now the price. Maruti have always been aggressive with the pricing and the Ertiga toes the line. With the top-end diesel variant, ZDi, that we tested being available for Rs 8.45 lakh, ex-Delhi, Maruti have managed to present the Ertiga as a strong alternative to those looking to graduate from a hatchback to a sedan.
It offers you the extra third row - for two energetic kids and also retaining the car-like feel which will make the transition from a hatch easier. It’s at home on both the highway and the city traffic.
Add to that the frugality of the engine and the aggressive pricing means that the current six-month waiting period isn’t going to come down any time soon.

Review: Honda Dream Yuga

It's been ages since I slung my leg over a commuter motorcycle, a segment I always steered away from as I thought them to be quite boring and slow. I got off the motorcycle ninety minutes later with a changed opinion on the segment and pleasantly surprised with the Dream Yuga.

Was this down to my changing perceptions or was it all credit to Honda's latest commuter?
The bike we have for the first ride is the top variant with electric start and alloy wheels and it fits the bill of a commuter. Understated and confirmative come to mind as I try to describe it.

The bike will be available in five colours brown, silver, grey, black and the colour that we have for testing - red. The instruments are laid out well in a basic twin pod layout with speedometer and odometer on the left and fuel gauge with the tell-tale lights on the right.

This is more or less the standard level of equipment in the segment. I wish Honda had given it more equipment in my heart of hearts, but I understand that this is the pragmatic way to spec this bike.

The switch gear is on the left handle bar and is similar to those on the CBR150R, easy to use with the only difference between the two being the addition of a pass switch on the Dream Yuga. On the right hand resides just the electric start button.

The engine has quite a bit of pep from its 110cc engine and is the same unit that we loved from the CB Twister, but it has been tuned for 8.6PS - still among the higher figures in the segment - and for more efficiency.

The gearing is quite low and in traffic on the way to work, I sometimes found myself crawling along in second gear in bumper to bumper traffic. On any other motorcycle I would probably have been in first.

This low gearing is a boon in traffic and pulling away from the lights is a breeze. I even had the front end get slightly light in one spirited dash from the lights, when I slipped the clutch a little too much.

The bike does get into fourth gear very quickly and you are in top gear before you cross 40kmph. This left me looking for fifth and I think the engine could easily take the extra cog. It would certainly help in the highway mileage figures with Honda claiming that the bike will deliver 72kmpl.

The riding position is neutral with your feet not too far forward and the reach to the handle bars seems just right. The ride quality is good over broken roads. The steering is light and the bike flicks easily through traffic. The suspension is neither too firm nor too soft but the seat is another matter.

 It seems too soft and after riding a distance of 30 kilometres I had a case of numb bum. A firmer seat might have made the ride more comfortable.

Another complaint I have with the Dream Yuga is the brakes, they are dull and the drum brake up front means that stopping with only the front brake is not an option. Even at speeds below 30kmph both brakes are needed to bring you to a stop before you dent a car bumper.

The Dream Yuga is available in three variants with the spoke wheels version priced at Rs 48,028, alloy wheeled for Rs 49,592 and Rs 51,678 for the alloy wheels and electric start, all prices being ex-Mumbai.
Delivery of the vehicles will start in July and Honda anticipates that it would take approximately a month to clear the existing bookings before delivery times become streamlined.

2012 Mercedes B-Class in India first drive

Think of a Mercedes-Benz in India and the first things that come to mind are long sedans, convertibles, SUVs and even a van or two. Despite having a sizeable number of cars in its portfolio, the marque is falling behind its German rivals.

Internationally, Merc competed with BMW and Audi in the compact car segment with the A and B-Class. Merc never dared to bring these cars to India. Why? Because no Indian in their right value-for-money-mind would buy a hatchback for more than Rs 7 lakh. But that was then. Now times have changed.

And the entry level luxury car pie is what Merc wants a piece of. Enter the newest members of the Merc family – the all new A and B-Class.

The two cars that have now been reworked to fit in the pie and are all set to take the game to the next level. Among the two, the B-Class will be the first to make its entry in India and we got our hands on it right here.


MPVs can be desirable too, look at the B and you will agree with me. The new design language used in the latest generation B-Class transforms it from being a boring family van to a more modern MPV (actually an overgrown hatchback) with a dash of sportiness and youth added to it.

In fact the Mercedes Benz design team has aimed at making the car emotionally appealing.


It’s an attractive car, viewed head on it looks very car like, the nose sits low with the only give away being the bonnet sweeping up till the windshield quite rakishly.

 Similar to most of the newer upper end models from the Merc stable, the B too gets LED strip lighting that blend well by following the upper part of the sleek headlamps.


The front bumper though looks rather small, smartly houses the air dam and day time running lights. The twin slat grille is prominent while the large three-pointed star takes centre stage. Speaking about the star, I like the transparent flat badge with the three dimensional star incorporated inside rather than the one we are otherwise familiar with in a Mercedes.


The side profile is like most modern European MPVs but what really stands out in the B are the lines that run around it. Inspired by the concept A-Class, the shoulder line begins at the front fender and sweeps downwards to the middle of the rear door while a low side line runs parallel and shoots up all the way till the rear taillamp. This gives the side a very sporty feel and character to an otherwise conventional MPV look.


The car we drove featured 18-inch wheels with low profile run flat tyres that add to the sport quotient. However, the Indian production model will feature smaller wheels with higher profile rubber and a spare tyre.

The outer mirrors are borrowed from the existing Mercedes parts bin. From the rear, the taillamp resembles the E-Class and ML-Class and this ensures the distinctive family look.

Step inside, and one will notice the layout has also evolved directly from the A-Class concept. Three centre air blowers and a tablet like centre-mounted multimedia screen are perfect examples. In fact the control knobs and propeller-like aluminum-finished blower vents are shared with the all new production model A-Class (Both being from the same MFA family).


The design complements the modern exterior, the satin finish centre panel (India spec may have other trim options) exudes a fresh cool look especially with the neat honeycomb pattern trim.

The steering wheel looks like it came straight off an AMG model especially with the added support and brushed aluminum detailing.

The quality of the interiors is top notch while soft touch materials along with leather covered door pads give the B a very premium feel. We drove the left hand drive demonstration variant that featured all black interiors but expect the Indian version to feature dual tone black and light beige interiors.


The B-Class is 4.36 metres long and 1.8 metres wide (which slots it in between the Ertiga and Innova in terms of length but it is wider than the two MPVs). As expected, there is adequate space to seat five adults in comfort.

One sinks into the seats but the rear middle passenger tends to sit higher because of a small bump in the seat though there is no centre armrest. The rear however offers quite a bit of kneeroom, 900mm (maximum) to be precise which makes it just 65mm short of the much larger S-Class.


The only negative being the transmission tunnel at the rear (really don’t know why it’s present in a front wheel drive car with no four-wheel variant in the pipeline!) that intrudes into valuable space for the middle passenger.

The boot offers an ample 666 litres of boot space with the rear seats slided forward, enough to carry luggage for a small holiday and if needed the space can be increased to 1545 litres by folding down the rear seats further highlighting the B’s practical side.

There is also a glass panoramic roof that adds to the spacious feel.
Unlike the previous B-Class, the engine is transverse mounted with the gearbox alongside like a conventional FF layout car.

Talking about the engine, we drove the B200CGI powered by the new series of petrol engines, codenamed M270. The 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine uses some of the design features of the latest third generation direct injection Mercedes V6 and V8 units.


This will be the same engine option available in India. A diesel variant has not been confirmed as of now. The B we drove was equipped with a six-speed manual transmission but the Indian version will feature a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that shares a lot of components with the six-speed manual.
The undersquare SOHC engine puts out 156PS of maximum power at 5000rpm and 250Nm of torque available as low as 1250rpm. On the road, the engine feels very quiet and refined.

There is hardly any turbo lag and the power delivery actually feels like a naturally aspirated engine. Mid range power is impressive and the engine felt responsive. The gear shifts took very little effort and fell nicely into place.


In terms of performance, the B200 with the dual-clutch auto box crosses the ton in 8.4 seconds while the top speed is 220kmph. In terms of fuel efficiency, the B has an overall fuel economy of 16.14kmpl (all data being claimed figures)

The B is based on the new compact car platform developed by Mercedes-Benz. Codenamed MFA (Modular Front Architecture) which will spawn five different body styles including a compact SUV to take on the likes of the BMW X1 and Audi Q3.

 The B-Class MPV being the first of the range followed by the new A-Class hatchback that is also heading to India. The B claims to be the most aerodynamically efficient family car, with a drag coefficient of 0.26, a remarkable figure considering the shape of the vehicle.


The B features a MacPherson strut front suspension and a four-link independent arrangement at the rear, anti-roll bars and electric power steering. The car went around corners without complaint (a lower centre of gravity compared to the older B also being the reason) and only when we do a full road test will we be able to check if there is any noticeable understeer.


The steering is responsive and well weighted even at higher speeds. The ride quality is one of the B's plus points, though our car featured 18-inch wheels with low profile run flat tyres, the ride was impressive even on cobbled roads.

 The car feels well settled and though the wheelbase has come down from the previous B, the car is able to absorb bumps and bad roads better. The smooth ride over smooth and bad roads ensures that the car lives up to trademark ride quality Mercs are known for.


The B-Class will be launched as early as August 2012 and is expected to start at Rs 20 to Rs 22 lakh, ex-showroom and will boast of a long feature list.


At this price it will make it the most affordable Mercedes-Benz available in the country until the A-Class arrives. Will the new 'affordable' Mercs help the German giant to reclaim lost glory? Only time will tell but they sure do have the right weapons.

Piaggio launches the Vespa in India at Rs 66,661

Mumbai: The much awaited launch of the Piaggio Vespa has taken place with a price of Rs 66,661, ex-Maharashtra. Piaggio has dropped the LX125 tag for this scooter in India and it will be called just Vespa. (Read the review)

The scooter has a 10PS 125cc engine specially developed for India by Piaggio with a variomatic transmission, drum brakes and trailing link front suspension.

Piaggio intends to have just one version of the scooter on sale. The company is working towards a 50-dealer network across 35 major Indian cities which will be exclusively dedicated to the brand.

The scooter is being manufactured at Piaggio’s new two-wheeler plant at Baramati, the same place near Pune where it also manufactures its commercial three- and four-wheelers.

Originally launched in 1946, the Vespa, Piaggio officials say, is a best seller in Europe and has appeared in more than 200 Hollywood movies. Vespa till date is the only scooter in the world to use a single piece monocoque chassis.

"Right now there is no premium segment in the Indian scooter market but we believe there is a significant number of brand conscious young people who would like to make a statement.

Vespa is creating a premium segment by targeting those customers," Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Ravi Chopra said.

On the possibility of entering motorcycle segment, he said: "Piaggio has a range of products and brands from 50 cc scooters to 1,400 cc bikes and superbikes.

 Today we have just started the journey, we are committed to bring all the global brands that we have that will suit the market here."

Chopra, however, did not share details and timeline for launching other models saying the company is evaluating the market now.

The company has brands like Aprilia, Derbi, Gilera, Moto Guzzi and Scarabeo.
"By September the monthly production will reach 12,000 units which will be then gradually scaled up to 15,000 and 20,000 in a phased manner in due course of time," Chopra said.

KTM 200 Duke vs Yamaha R15 v2.0 vs Honda CBR250R

How many times have you discovered a new gadget, a new workflow, a new shop or a new piece of software and thought to yourself, "Well, this changes everything!" It doesn't happen often but when it does, it is usually wonderful. The KTM 200 Duke promises to be like that. But is it? If, like me, you have read all the online reviews then you will know that most people who rode the motorcycle at the Chakan test track preview thought the world of the KTM.

The question we are finding the answer to today is simple - is the KTM as dramatic, as market-changing as the first ride suggests it should be or not?

So we called in the obvious frames of reference for the KTM. In alphabetical order, the Honda CBR250R is first. It makes the same peak power as the KTM but takes a very different route to the enthusiast's heart.

It's a soft, civil, versatile, comfortable motorcycle which enjoys its sense of being large, spacious and planted. But it also commands a premium of roughly Rs 60,000 for the ABS model and Rs 25,000 for the non-ABS model over the KTM.

The other motorcycle is the Yamaha YZF-R15. The little Yamaha is a bit of a legend and is here because it is, in our eyes, the ultimate enthusiasts’ ride on the market today. We know from extensive experience that the R15 is friendly, forgiving and fast.

However, it has a displacement, power and consequently, a performance disadvantage here while being just Rs 6,000 cheaper than the Duke 200. Has Yamaha lost its serve in not bringing out its 250cc competitor early enough? So many questions!

Styling, build and finish

The CBR looks like a scaled down VFR. I personally don't like the VFR so I'm not particularly a fan of this design. But the CBR inescapably looks like a big motorcycle and ridden quickly in traffic creates and maintains the illusion that you are on something substantial.

It's well-finished and good looking and the sole clue to its real nature, really, is the rear tyre which looks extremely tall for its width when seen from the back and hence, a bit odd. Finish levels on the CBR are excellent and build quality is pretty good. There used to be a niggle with rusting nuts in the early batches but that has since been fixed.

The R15 version 2.0, as Yamaha like to call it, wasn’t as big an update as the name suggests. But it did serve to sharpen the focus of the motorcycle. The subframe on which the seats sit is kicked up at a wild angle and the tweaking of the lower body panels does work.

The fatter tyres are crowd-friendly and they make the styling look sharper and fresh. But where the first Yamaha’s weak spot, design-wise, was the rear-end, the v2.0 also has a back problem.

Now the issue is that angle at which the tail piece is mounted. It’s extremely steep and makes the bike look focussed and sharp from the front. But from the rear, the lines haven’t resolved well and despite the LED tail lamp and the pointy end it looks like a local modifier redid the rear-end. The darker colours look far better than the lighter options, though.

The Yamaha has always been exemplary when it came to finish levels (except for the unpainted engine which turns white in the rain but is hidden from view in the fairing). Build quality is stellar - amongst the absolute best - and it also enjoys a well-deserved reputation for being as reliable as an AK-47.

The KTM then, turns up in a pair of torn jeans, a round-neck tee, one earring and canvas shoes at this black-tie evening. It looks dramatically different. Not sloppy, just vastly more hedonistic. And way more regular at the gym. Gerald Kiska, KTM’s design don has allowed the few body panels there are no fat whatsoever.

It's a distinctive, brutal composition made of planes meeting each other at sharp angles. I wouldn't call it beautiful but the design is proportionate and it is hard to peel your eyes off the motorcycle and look at the others. Part of the reason is the way the mass is centred around the engine.

This is a design choice we have seen on most international motorcycles recently. And the KTM nails this while the Yamaha comes close. And these two just make the CBR look a bit flabby.

The KTM's appeal is further reinforced by the chassis components and aggregates. As your eyes sweep from the lovely split-spoke design alloy wheels and its coating of low-profile radial rubber to the radial brakes to the trellis frame to the awesome looking aluminium swingarm to the well-matched rear tyre via the white-coloured rear monoshock... It's a lot of expensive looking detail that elevates the KTM to a high pedestal in equipment and perception terms.

But Bajaj haven’t rammed the dagger home as it were, which bugs and mystifies me. Because when you look closer the sky high impression is dulled a bit by a series of cheaper-looking components that are not only present, they are usually sited right next to the expensive bits.

The brake and clutch levers are completely unspecial, ditto swingarm axle bolt and nut, steering head bolt, the entire switchgear set. Also cheap looking are the subframes on which the footpegs are mounted. This is where the sharpness of the rest of the motorcycle is diluted in design and the finish looks downmarket. They are completely functional, of course, but it’s sort of like an unbranded red belt on a Armani suit.

So let’s close off the design discussion. Styling? I like the Duke more than the R15 which beats out the CBR. This being the most subjective discussion of this whole test, YMMV as the internet nerds like to add to all of their opinions (It means, I think, your mileage may vary).

Build quality is nearly even with the Duke and the R15 solidly first and the CBR a bit behind. That said, in feel, the KTM feels far more solid and together than the R15. Finish levels? There are no losers here on this front and any of the three will easily set the bar for the rest of the market.

Engines and performance

The three bikes here are separated by 50cc from each other. But these are three good engines, dramatically different from each other in nature and feel.

Because of the KTM, though, I'm going to talk about them including their gearboxes and gearing as one unit because the KTM makes a very interesting choice in this department and it transforms the nature of the motorcycle.

The KTM 200 Duke has a pretty solid engine in spec. It is a DOHC motor like the CBR and all three boast four valves. It employs a higher compression ratio to extract more power and torque from its smaller displacement.

The engine has what feels like a significantly lighter crankshaft than the other two. The result is an eye-widening appetite for revs. The exhaust is a unique design with the header pipe snaking its way past the left side of the engine into a massive grey collector that feeds down to the underslung exhaust tip.

Bajaj say this helps mass centralisation and enhances the handling. I know it causes two things. First, many people forget to ask the mileage and instead ask how you’re out riding without an exhaust.

Second, the exhaust gives the bike a surprisingly loud and gruff, though hollow, voice and makes you wonder how it came through noise emission tests in the first place.

And that sets the tone for the KTM engine. It's the least refined engine here. Both the other engines are quieter and more composed. But the KTM has almost no vibration to speak off and it sounds properly thrashy nearing redline. Technically, this is probably a reason for the KTM to lose points.

But start riding it and you understand clearly that the dramatic engine noise is part of the appeal of the package. It endows the KTM with a distinct, bohemian personality that makes the other two feel a bit bland in character. What the KTM loses in refinement points, it makes back in personality points.

And then you start riding it. In traffic, the CBR is a solid, fast, smooth knife. It can cleave through the mess in a quiet humming blur with superb swiftness.

The R15 also does this, but it likes more revs on board so it is a more involving, a more urgent experience. I think the earlier R15's ergonomics were better suited to daily use but the powertrain still works extremely well. You can trundle along a la CBR in higher gear at lower revs all day if you choose, but it just feels a lot happier with the revs up high.

The KTM possesses in this quiet ballroom, all the violence and drama of a falling chandelier. It’s highly strung like you wouldn't believe and while it can be ridden calmly like the other two motorcycles, it constantly whispers naughty things in your ear, encouraging mischief and more throttle.

In traffic, the engine and the short ratio gearbox are sublime. The gearing is so short that at, say, 50kmph, you can be in any gear you like except first and this makes for outstanding rideability.

But the come-on-go-harder nature of the motorcycle means this is a moot point. What actually happens is furious blur of gearchanges and revs. To the CBR’s knife, the KTM is a machine gun - one with snatchy low-rev fuel injection.

The numbers do not corroborate this sensory image, however. The 17PS (at 8500rpm) and 15Nm (at 7500rpm) R15 is obviously the slowest here. It manages 60 and 100kmph in 4.79 and 13.07 seconds respectively.

Which trumps other 150s nicely but the Duke and CBR are quicker by a hefty margin. The Duke always feels like it’s going a million miles quicker than the CBR but it actually isn’t. The Duke takes 3.58s to hit 60kmph, 0.22 seconds quicker than the CBR. The Honda, remember makes 22.9Nm of torque, 3.7Nm (or 19 per cent) more than the Duke at 7,000rpm, a whole thousand revs earlier. At 100kmph, the two are evenly matched and that story continues to the quarter mile as well.

The KTM does record slower numbers than expected because of its gearing and that's a bit ironic. The CBR requires two shifts to get to 60kmph where in the KTM requires one more. To a 100kmph, again, the KTM is in fifth while the CBR is in fourth - another half second lost to the gearchange.

The low gearing also causes the Duke to top out quickly and effortlessly at 132.67kmph in sixth where the CBR will run on to 146.82kmph. It must be noted that the CBR only gets to about 135kmph in a reasonable amount of space and time. The rest takes ages. The R15 hits 131kmph flat out and again 125kph comes up nice and quick but the final few kmphs take time.

But the Indian enthusiast doesn’t just ride in the urban environment, right? Out on the highway, all three are capable of 120kmph cruising if the fancy takes you. This means high revs on all three though and surprisingly, the CBR, which would appear to be the easiest to do this on, suffers at these speeds.

High rev vibes are the most obvious on the Honda. Riding smoothly, but this swiftly will quickly result in numb fingers. The R15 and the Duke are noticeably smoother. None of the three show any mechanical distress from this kind of extended high revs.

Take it down to a more reasonable 80 or 100kmph and all three are perfectly at home. The CBR’s ride quality and least committed, spacious ergonomics make it the easy pick for long-distance work.

The R15 in its new avatar has actually lost some of its versatility. The riding position is more committed and the steeper slope of the seat means you cannot squirm around to find relief on long rides. The pillion accommodations are also harder to live with as well.

The Duke is actually quite good at highway work in ergonomics terms and once more, pillions are largely being ignored here, but the position is definitely better than on the R15.

Overall, I’d like to rate the Duke engine on top for its dramatic nature, but I'd say even stevens to the CBR and the Duke. Their performance and economy is nearly the same and I ascribe no points to the extra top speed of the CBR - it is hard to achieve in almost all real world situations. The R15 is last here, but I’d be remiss if I called it the loser.

It's still a stormingly capable engine and if Yamaha were to do a 250cc engine that did everything the 150 does, the CBR and the Duke would both have another think coming.
Handling, ride and braking

The R15 is the current handling benchmark for the entire Indian-made motorcycle bracket in India. Its blend of forgiving but accurate handling, the stability at full lean, effortlessly natural turning behaviour et al is legendary.

It's no surprise that every time we go back to the track, we see still more R15s warming up in the pits. The R15’s steel spar frame, smart suspension choices and sticky MRF rubber are the business right now.
And this idea the Duke threatens to smash out of the stadium. The trellis frame is super rigid, the tyres are pretty sticky (you do get the sense that stickier tyres still would be still more fun), and the way the motorcycle turns and leans over is incredible.

There's zero resistance to any steering inputs and Bajaj have done well to arrest the feeling of falling into corners on a motorcycle this sharp wearing such an aggressive tyre profile. But as great as the KTM is to handle, the tyre profile also creates a confidence issue at deep lean angles and after a certain point, unlike the R15, you’re never quite sure if you have more tyre tread left to lean on or not.

The CBR in contrast is much hairier at the limit, though far more encouraging at lower speeds. Turn in is neutral, it's planted when leaned over but when you raise the pace, the soft suspension gets in its way.

You find yourself waiting for the motorcycle to settle before you can make the next steering or throttle correction and that slows the CBR down. In our earlier track test, that was why the less powerful R15 calmly dismantled the challenge of the CBR. And I suspect, now the handling battle is firmly between the R15 and the Duke.

That said, the ride quality of the Duke puts a bit of a spanner in the wheels. The Duke is hard. It absorbs road imperfections with a heavy hand but it likes its stiffness. Which means you have to deal with the shocks that come through. This is very much in character with the violence of the engine but it makes riding the Duke hard on India's imperfect tarmac harder and still more frenetic. On smooth roads, the KTM is uncatchable.

But as soon as bumps appear, the KTM has to back off a bit and start making up any lost ground with its torque and quick revs. In fact, if ride quality is a primary candidate in your purchase decision, the KTM isn't the star. I believe the KTM, had it been tuned for a little more compliance, would have been epic.

Out in the twisties, the CBR will hum smoothly through, gobbling up good and bad tarmac without fuss. It needs that moment to compose itself when you’re pushing on, but it's peaceful, capable and cheerful.

The R15 likes being strung out at high revs, handles bumps and lumps with a smile, encourages you to try harder and is able to forgive riding mistakes quite easily. Which is why we keep calling it friendly.

The KTM is a beast. It wants you to make the right decision, reacts to all inputs instantly and does not have the capacity to forgive like the Yamaha. It will bite the careless hand. Personally, that kind of ruthless motorcycle is what I love, but I suspect this will be awesome for the youth but sensory overload for more mature riders.

Braking is pretty good on all three. The KTM’s height and stiff suspension means you have to adjust to its brake’s feel a bit, but once you do, braking performance is great. The R15 still has the best brakes when it comes to feel and feedback. And the CBR offers either the very expensive but ultra-effective ABS, or powerful brakes that allow excellent modulation - until the soft suspension gets upset.

Overall, I’d say the Duke and the R15 are neck and neck here with the CBR a hair behind the duo here. The Duke’s awesome handling is held back only by its stiff ride, where the R15 in its new version feels like the chassis has too much ability and grip and therefore needs more motor. The CBR does it all, but reacts slower, feels its heavy self in corners and loses out.

Verdict

These are dramatically different motorcycles in temperament and role and I think it is important to establish that fundamental distinction.

The Yamaha is billed as a supersport machine. That means it lives to lean over to its limit, stab apexes in the eye, and produce extremely fast lap times at the race track. On the other hand, the Duke 200 is billed as a street bike.

So far, we have used that term as a catch-all phrase that helps classify any and everything that is otherwise hard to deal with. But with the Duke the focus on being a great street bike is pin sharp and it helps define the term. It's meant to be a sharp, rapidly accelerating motorcycle that slips through traffic like a stealth fighter. As usual, the Honda wants to be versatile.

The CBR, unlike the other more focussed motorcycles that wear that name abroad, is not an all-out sports motorcycle. It chooses a softer ride quality and consequently a slower handling package, a comfortable riding position and that sense of weight to create a platform that’s calming, all-day capable and feels every inch a big motorcycle.

The CBR for me, here, comes third. It matches the Duke for performance and has the best touring ability here. But in traffic - where you spend most of your time - it’s outgunned by the other two. The R15 may not be quicker or faster but it’s distinctly sharper and more fun. At the track, again, the R15 is able to keep the CBR behind it without significant effort. But if you’re a tourer, the CBR is it for you.

The R15 comes in second. It’s still a stupendously good motorcycle although that lovely chassis-engine balance has skewed towards the chassis in the update. If you chose to not spend the extra Rs 6,000 on the Duke, I wouldn’t be surprised. In traffic, the R15 can be a lot of fun but unlike the Duke, it can also be ridden gently when you like.

The Duke isn't technically the best motorcycle here. But it assaults your senses like nothing else here. It backs that up with credible performance that overcomes its displacement disadvantage to the CBR. It handles well enough for us to drool at the prospect of taking on the R15 at the track. And it's a very good price for a very well-equipped motorcycle to boot.

The KTM reminds one strongly of an old, hungry two-stroke and it's this emotional appeal that makes the KTM such a special motorcycle to ride. And in the case of motorcycles, in my experience, it’s all about emotions. They change everything.

Husqvarna Nuda 900R first ride

BMW Motorrad is the Munich-based automotive giant's motorcycle division. They picked up Husqvarna's motorcycle division in 2007, and today operate it as its own brand and operation.

Rewind a bit and the Husqvarna name is Swedish, an ammunition maker that began making motorcycles in 1903, became famous for its off-road motorcycles in the 50s and 60s and then dominated the world motocross scene until the 70s.

And in the still more recent past, they've stolen the march in the Supermoto world on competing brands as well. The motorcycle division was purchased by BMW from MV Agusta, in fact, who owned the brand (and in turn acquired it from Cagiva) and as a result, the Husqvarna motorcycles are actually based out of Varese in Italy now.


As rich as the heritage of the Husky (as it is affectionate called everywhere in the world, more or less) is in the off-road arena, what we are riding today isn't an offroad motorcycle. In fact, while Huskies of old (as in pre-WWII) were in fact road going, the brand's name was made by their off-roaders. The Nuda, then is a break from tradition and a road bike.

The engine was sourced from BMW, from the F800 series of 800cc parallel twins and then the Husky engineers tuned it. They increased the compression, raised the bore as well as stroke and fiddled and tuned until they came up with this a 900cc fuel-injected, liquid-cooled parallel twin making 100Nm of torque as well as 105PS of power. In today's age of 200PS motorcycles that doesn't sound like much, we know.


But when you lay a fat, thick darkie through two gears coming out of a u-turn you learn that on most motorcycles, 105PS is a front wheel in the air and rear wheel smoking slightly at the same time if you are ham fisted enough. That said, once you get used to it, the Nuda is quite the charmer. The engine sounds mellow, large-hearted and throaty at idle and a harder edge and quicker revs can be released by using the first (the sportier) of two engine maps.


In the normal mode (the MAP1 indication on the digital display goes off), the motorcycle is distinctly sweeter in nature and response and feels more fluid and smooth. But pull on the throttle and she responds with an instant lunge forward that will have you shifting up as quickly as you can to keep up.

The Nuda enjoys a good mid range so once you get used to its engine and power, you will find yourself shifting up a bit before you actually hit the redline, and mostly, even peak power.


That lovely engine is matched to a trellis frame with an adjustable USD Sachs fork up front with radial mounted Brembo monobloc calipers and an Ohlins adjustable rear shock with a piggyback reservoir. All this makes the Nuda a 175kg (dry) welterweight. It feels very slim for a twin between the legs and is long and tall in initial feel like a dirt bike.

It is a stiff motorcycle but it also has relatively long travel suspension so bumps are absorbed better than almost any imported sports motorcycle you'd care to name. In the corners, the Husky is stable - something dirt bike-based road bikes find hard to do on longer, faster corners - and in the sharper turns, flicks quickly from side to side which is very impressive.

Match all that to a wide, leverage-happy handlebar and you have a recipe for an indefatigable way to commute to work, blast up and down the twisties and on occassion even try the highway tour (as in live with the tank range and the wind blast).

The Nuda (as in without the R, the base version) gets lower spec equipment - non-adjustable shocks, a softer sear that is also lower, a lower spec Brembo brake and stuff. So while I, 6' in boots, got only my toes down on the Nuda R, I've read repeatedly that the Nuda is a bit easier on the lower slung. And definitely easier on the wallet.

Ah yes, the money bit. Huskies will be sold exclusively through Navnit Motors, who also distribute BMW motorcycles in India. They currently have outlets in Mumbai and Bangalore. The brand is to be represented by the Nuda and the Nuda R for now because the rest of the (amazing) range falls under the 800cc bracket and requires full homologation.

As of now, official word is that there is no plan on either BMW or Husqvarna's part for an Indian anything but CBU operation. And it's the fact that the Huskies are coming in through this route that makes them so expensive.

Navnit indicates that the final prices are under discussion but are likely to fall in the Rs 12-14 lakh bracket.

Bajaj Pulsar 200NS priced at Rs 94,280 on-road

Pulsar aficionados, the wait is over! Bajaj dealerships have started accepting bookings for the new Pulsar 200NS. The booking can be made for Rs 5000.

The Pune dealers have confirmed that the on-road price is Rs 94,280. Deliveries are expected to commence in 10-15 days.

The 200NS is Bajaj's latest motorcycle for the performance enthusiasts. It has a 199.5cc single cylinder liquid-cooled engine which produces 23.52PS of power and 18.3Nm of torque mated to a 6-speed gearbox.


Bajaj claim that this bike will do 0-100 in 9.8s and deliver 58kmpl if ridden at 55kmph and will go all the way to hit a top speed of 136kmph. It is the world's first motorcycle to feature three spark plugs. It is also the first Bajaj bike to feature a mono-shock suspension.

Hyosung launches the GT250R in India at Rs 2.75 lakh

Hyosung which recently teamed with DSK Motowheels has launched the new GT250R in India. It is priced at Rs 2.75 lakh, ex-Delhi.

The 250cc machine boasts of an air/oil-cooled 249cc, 75-degree, V-twin engine that runs an eight-valve, DOHC set-up with a peak power of 27.88PS and maximum torque of 22.07Nm.

The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The GT250R is available in three colours - white-red, silver-red and red-black and will be in showrooms in next five days.


Deliveries will begin in two weeks. Hyosung now has 18 dealers in the country and are working with DSK to localise components to be able to drop the prices, hinting at long term plans in India. DSK wants to have an assembly facility online in about 18 months with talks of Maharashtra and Gujarat being the ideal locations.

The company also has aims for 90 per cent localisation. With localisation in place, prices can be expected to drop as much as to Rs 1.5 lakh. Hyosung will be bringing the GV cruiser before Diwali and then other bikes towards the end of the year.

Launched: BMW M3 limited edition

Mumbai: To celebrate its first season clean sweep of the DTM race series, BMW has launched a limited edition M3 called the DTM Champion. The company says that only 54 of these will be made and production will start early next year. BMW is also offering owners, who by the way will be paying Rs 70.61 lakh for the limited edition M3, a chance to be part of the BMW M Fascination driver training at the legendary Nurburgring circuit.

The M3 DTM Champion is available in an exclusive Frozen Black metallic paint complemented by matte black wheels complete with M stripes across the bootlid and roof. To give it an authentic race car look, there are decals adorning the quarter window and fender. The interiors have door sills adorned with the race winning car driver Bruno Spengler's helmet design, his car's sequence number and also his signature.
BMW has announced that this car will be sent to various markets but hasn't specified which ones. We don't expect the Bavarian to include India as one of those various markets.

Review: 2012 Premier Rio CRDi4 compact SUV

Premier has taken another step in the right direction with their compact SUV - the Rio. It is now available with the 1.3-litre Fiat Multijet diesel engine. And this will allow Premier to sell the diesel Rio in large cities and metros where the old car, a BSIII level emission, 1.5-litre diesel engine couldn't be sold. The diesel will be available in two levels of trim, the LX you see in this test which is the top end version that retails at Rs 7.01 lakh and the DX (lower end) version which retails at Rs 6.74 lakh, both ex-Mumbai.

To look at, the Rio in its new 2012 avatar is much more a pleasing picture than its predecessor. Its lines bring back memories of the old Honda CRV and the wraparound headlamps, new body coloured bumpers and large round fog lamps give the front a more modern and youthful appearance. The CRV-ish look is quite familar now but still is a refreshing change and with the roof rails help the Rio look more SUV-like than over grown hatchback.

 That is until you pull up next to a real SUV and can't help feeling that the pretence is up.
Inside, the cabin layout is the same as the petrol we drove earlier this year (March issue) and leaves a lot to be desired. It's a mix of hard plastics, poor finish and colour mismatches. The placement and design of some of the buttons and switches could also do with a little more thought.

 Take for example the switches for the front power windows of which there are three different types of switches on the driver side. They are different in feel and operation and their functionality is not intuitive. Just one type of switch would have been simpler to operate and might have been cheaper to manufacture as well.

The instruments also are exactly the same as the petrol version and the tachometer is still redlined at 7000rpm even for the diesel mill which in reality can't rev past 4500rpm. Little niggles for sure, but something that Premier need to solve first before they attract buyers from metros and Tier-I cities.


The interior dimensions may be small but there is enough room to keep passengers' elbows from fouling up. The second row is adequate for two grown-ups with enough shoulder space and knee room, three would be a very tight squeeze. The problem is the seats themselves, they are flat, featureless and without contours to fit anybody. That bench is also quite upright, so long distance journeys are not going to be comfortable.

However the boot swallows up to 454 litres and when the second row of seats are folded you can carry up to 1158 litres of luggage which is comparable to the load space larger SUVs provide.

The Fiat partnership may have ended but the heart of the Premier Rio diesel is Fiat once again, and the 1.3-litre diesel driving the rear wheels is a great step up for the little SUV. The Multijet, multi-car engine (Maruti, GM, Tata and of course Fiat have many models with this very same engine) drastically improves the performance and driveability of the Rio. At 14.99s to 100kmph the new Rio is over seven seconds quicker than the old 1.5-litre mill. Fifth gear roll on figures which are faster than the old car by a whopping 14.4s too.

 We never got a chance to test the 1.5 engine's mileage but the Multijet figures (21.76kmpl highway, 16.63kmpl city) are better than the claimed figures for the old engine.
Refinement has improved significantly, thanks to the engine and some improved sound deadening. You can hear a faint diesel clatter in the cabin but it's not going to interrupt anything.

Driving the Rio is a mixed experience and while you do get good ride quality, with 200mm of ground clearance over bad roads, the trade off with this high stance is generous body roll around corners. Its the combination of that tallish stance and the small 15-inch alloys or 14-inch steel wheels, neither of which is conducive to tackling narrow and sharp urban allyways with urgency. Its small(er) size however means that this is an SUV that you can dart through traffic with and it does fit in surprisingly small gaps.

We even surprised a couple of autorickshaw drivers when we very easily maneuvered ourselves into spaces only they were expecting to go. The hydraulic power steering though is not quite up to the mark and is on the heavy side while manoeuvring slowly (while parking for instance) and gets light at highway speeds leaving you a little uncomfortable once the speedometer crosses the ton.

Braking from speed is also not confidence inspiring. While the ABS and EBD work and the Rio comes to a stop from 100kmph in just 3.39s it's not quite confidence inspiring in execution with one having to make steering corrections constantly to ensure it stays in a straight line as the electronics do their job of bringing the car to a stop.

The Rio was a pioneer in the compact SUV segment and does have some good things going for it, namely the multi jet diesel, its compact size and the price. It's ultimately let down by poor interiors that could have been better designed. It's monopoly in the compact SUV segment has ended and there are other options for buyers to choose from like the Renault Duster which is a better package and the entry level diesel variant is Rs 98K dearer than the LX. Another, bigger threat will inevitably come from the Maruti Ertiga which offers an extra row of seats, quality interiors and is Rs 70K more than the top of the line Rio.


Premier had a jump start on the competition and has even taken a step in the right direction to improve the Rio but I don't think they have done enough.