Navigation Systems coming in India

TomTom, announced that it is introducing the VIA series of their PND (Portable Navigation Device) range in India. This announcement follows the setup of its sales office in India earlier this year.

The VIA series will be available from October at leading retailers and independent car accessories stores as well as on-line. Key features would include landmark navigation, hands-free calling advanced lane guidance and voice control.
 

"There is no doubt that the navigation market in India is growing briskly and looking for high quality, easy to use navigation solutions. With the extensive experience that TomTom is bringing to the region coupled with its global quality standards and processes we can change the current regional landscape" states Jocelyn Vigreux, Managing Director, TomTom India.

TomTom is the world’s leading provider of in-car location and navigation products and services focused on providing all drivers with the world’s best navigation experience. Based in Amsterdam, they have been around for twenty years now and listed in 2005 on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. They have over 3,500 employees and sell its products in over 40 countries.

Their research and development units are based in Holland, USA and in Pune, India. TomTom’s strategy in India has been based on the long run which is why they took time to develop an India centric system as a whole. Their products include portable navigation devices, in-dash infotainment systems, fleet management solutions, maps and real-time services, including the award winning HD Traffic. Their systems use very accurate algorithms and up to date maps along to take you quickly and safely to your destination.

The new systems will have a unique feature developed for India called ‘Landmark Navigation’, this feature will help people find locations on unnamed streets by being able to input a landmark near the destination. Other standard features in these systems will allow drivers to change maps and share it with their friends. The systems will also provide real time traffic information to drivers. 

TomTom have launched their ‘Via Series’ in India, which consists of three units, the Via 100, Via 120 and the Via 125. The satellite navigation units will be priced at Rs. 15,000, Rs. 17,000 and Rs. 19,000 respectively.

TomTom satellite navigation systems will be available at Reliance Digital, Reliance Autozone and in about 70 more car accessories shops across India.

2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

The 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS is the newest408-horsepower version of the legendary Porsche coupe and two things make itdifferent from the many, many 911s that have come before it: its torque-richengine and its magical transmission.

The standard Carrera S (again, the 997) comes equippedwith 385 horsepower from its 3.8-liter flat-six. The GTS ups the game to 408 horsepower at 7,300 rpm thanks tothe standard fitment of the $16,900 Powerkit option (tweaks to the intake andexhaust tracts) on the outgoing 997 S. But surprisingly, it's the torque thatimpresses from behind the wheel. Twist is up to 310 pound-feet at 4,200 rpm,but with 238 lb-ft available practically from idle, it's the linearity of itsdelivery that shines through and helps achieve a 4.4-second run to 100 kms perhour.

Coming at a price tag of $104,050, the transmissionchoices are a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch known as PDK. Thetrack-derived GT3 is powered by a 435-hp 3.8-liter flat six-cylinder engine andcomes exclusively as a rear-wheel drive coupe with a six-speed manualtransmission.

Porsche says a customer may choose among any of its tirevendors (Michelin, Pirelli or Bridgestone), but popular demand says Michelin-equipped 911s has been better.

Some vital information around this wild-machine:

Engine:	3.8L Flat-Six
Power:	408 HP / 310 LB-FT
Transmission:	6-Speed Manual
0-100 Time:	4.4 Seconds
Top Speed:	306 KPH
Drivetrain:	Rear-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight:	3,131 LBS
Seating:	2+2
Cargo:	3.71 CU-FT
MPG:	18 City / 25 HWY
Price tag:	$103,100 base

Below is the 2011 Porsche 911Carrera GTS Promotional Video -

Renault-vation completed: "KOLEOS" all the way

French cars have the reputation of being quirky, so whenever you step into a French car, you go in knowing the steering will be in the backseat and seats on the roof. You can’t help it. So imagine our surprise when we found everything in its right place. We’re talking about the Renault Koleos. The face-lifted Renault Koleos made its world debut in India on September 8th, piping the official launch in China by a few days.

The styling changes with the face-lift have yielded a smarter, more conventional looking car. If you liked the Fluence, you will like the Koleos. The headlamps are similar in shape and house projector lamps. The two piece grille of the original car has now been replaced by a big chrome affair with three horizontal slats and a big Renault logo in the middle. The rest of the car remains the same. This means you get a tried and tested base along with a whole bag of common sense. Not to mention the intelligent all-wheel drive system for when it comes time to put some dirt on the paint.

   
The Koleos comes in only one variant & is powered by a 2.0-litre common rail turbo diesel that puts out 149bhp and 320Nm of torque. Standard equipment includes six airbags, cruise control, parking sensors, automatic 4-wheel drive, and rain and light sensors. The highlight though is the 8 speaker BOSE music system that is a head banger's delight. This comes coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine is eager enough, but the slow-witted gearbox doesn’t like to be hurried through its ratios. However, the linear and lag-free nature of the engine encourages you to drive without a sense of urgency. And that's just as well, because when you rev it hard and past 3800rpm and there's a distinct vibration that creeps into the cabin. The gearbox can be a bit slow for spirited driving but shifting to manual mode enhances the experience dramatically.

The Koleos may not be a drag star, but is a fantastic cruiser. Highway stability is excellent and ride quality is brilliant. The Koleos handles pretty well too; the steering is sharp enough for a crossover and provides good feedback. The suspension is one of the highlights of the Koleos. It is pliant for the better part, soaking up bad roads with utter ease though an underlying firmness can be felt at lower speeds and over sharp edges where a mild thump sometimes filters through. On the inside, the Koleos’ rear bench is pretty spacious and supportive with the right amount of bolstering and adequate knee-room. Even the front seats (fully-powered for the driver) are comfortable, managing to keep aches or pains at bay even after a long drive. One thing we don’t like is the color of its interiors. The cabin is finished in beige and chocolate brown. Darker tones of grey and black would have looked better.

  

Aston-ishingly Rapide

“The Rapide is a sport car,” says Ulrich Bez, the chief executive of Aston Martin. He doesn’t want this car to be misunderstood. It is not a rival for the Bentley Continental Flying Spur or the uber-sedans from Mercedes, BMW and Audi and it differs fundamentally from its most obvious counterpart, the Porsche Panamera. Aston distinguishes it’s Rapide like this: the Porsche was designed as a low-line car providing generous space for four adults and the body was shaped accordingly, hence its hump backed look. Whereas the Rapide is an Aston Martin DB9 with more room for people and luggage but no compromise to its gorgeous, flowing style.

Rapide is not a car for the part-time driver who likes to conduct business from the back seat while the chauffeur negotiates weekday traffic. Neither is it suitable for making the grand entrance at a film premiere or society ball, or we should say, it would be difficult for a skirted lady (or a Scotsman) to retain modesty while emerging from the back. The Rapide’s rear doors hinge forward and slightly upwards-Aston calls this ‘swan wing’- and there has been extensive paring of the structure and trim around the seats to allow the maximum amount of space and ease of entry and exit through the small door apertures. There is more room in the Panamera but the Rapide’s rear passengers are cozier and also have better visibility because the seating position is slightly higher than in the front.

 
The 6-litre V12 engine is familiar and has the same power (474PS) and torque output as the latest DB9. The ubiquitous ZF six-speed automatic transmission is the only gearbox available. It works beautifully and allows manual operation from paddles behind the steering wheel. A fascia switch marked Sport speeds up the automatic shifts as well as sharpening the throttle response. Again, the effect is not as marked as in some other models, as Aston always seeks to make the Rapide a more comfortable Grand Tourer while maintaining its sporting character.
The Rapide’s performance - maximum speed 296kmph and 0-100kmph in 5.2 seconds -is only fractionally slower than the DB9. It has the same rich exhaust tone when the ‘active bypass valve’ in the exhaust is opened. But it has suppleness on undulating roads and broken surfaces that the other cars lack. 

 
If we talk about the in-car entertainment, the Rapide comes as standard with an impressive 1,000- watt Bang & Olufsen stereo system with 15 speakers including two ‘acoustic lenses’ that pop up from the top of the fascia. Options include a DVD player with screens in the back of the front seats and a cooling system incorporated in all four seats. Also available is a set of fitted luggage, in leather to match the car’s trim. Actually the advantage of the Rapide is that, unlike the two-door Astons, it can accommodate a reasonable amount of ordinary luggage, including suitcases. For many owners, this will be the clincher: an Aston Martin that you really can use for the family holiday.

Mercedes Benz CLS 2012

Although it's been officially launched at an ex-showroom price of 67.70 Lacs in India an year back, still giving a look at it is absolutely worthwhile.

This New CLS-Class comes with the newly developed and revolutionary technology ‘Electromechanical Direct-Steer System‘. This is an “Active Parking Assist” system with integrated PARKTRONIC provides an unmatched safety to the driver. Equipped with reversing cameras the technology enables the driver with information for the most suitable parking space. It is additionally equipped to help with active steering intervention, creating a more reliable mechanism for better driving comfort. In addition to this feature are audio and visual warnings aided by ultrasonic sensors in the front and rear bumpers.

The Intelligent lightweight construction plays a crucial role thereby making this car the first vehicle from Mercedes-Benz to have frameless, all-aluminum doors. These doors are made from deep-drawn aluminum panels with extruded sections, and in comparison with conventional steel doors, are some 24 kilograms lighter. Apart from the doors, the bonnet, front wings, boot lid, parcel shelf, various support profiles and substantial parts of the suspension and engines are all made of aluminum.

Mercedes CLS Class Sedan Specifications & Features In India 

Technical Data Sheet	CLS 350 BlueEFFICIENCY	CLS 63 AMG
Engine and performance
Cylinder arrangement/number	6/V	V8
Displacement (cc)	3498	5461
Rated output (kW [hp] at rpm)	225[306] at 6500	386 [525] at 5250
Rated torque (Nm at rpm)	370 at 3500-5250	700 at 1700 – 5000
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (s)	6.1	4.4
Top speed (km/h)	250	250
Fuel and Consumption
Tank capacity/with reserve (l)	80/9	66/14
Fuel consumption, urban (l/100km)	9.1-9.5	13.9
Fuel consumption, extra-urban (l/100km)	5.4-5.6	7.6
Fuel consumption combined (l/100km)	6.8-7.0	9.9
CO2 emissions (g/km) combined	159-164	231
Chasis (standard) and Wheels
Front tyres/wheels	245/45 R 17	255/35 ZR 19
Rear tyres/wheels	245/45 R 17	255/35 ZR 19

Fiat Offering discounts on Punto & Linea

 

Fiat, the Italian automobile major is offering discounts for its Punto hatchback and Linea sedan models, with an aim of increasing its sales during this festival season. The company offers discounts of up to Rs.75,000 and Rs.1,30,000 on Punto and Linea respectively and the offer duration is from September to October.

 

In addition, the company is providing schemes that include an option of adding Rs.20,000 in discounted purchase for customers who exchange their old-car for Fiat vehicles and also providing 50 months of roadside assistance package along with one-year insurance at the rate of one rupee.

Rajeev Kapoor, Chief Executive of Fiat India said that with the launch of this campaign, they portray their commitment towards the Indian market and informed that this campaign has been designed keeping in mind the emotions, sentiments and key values, deeply portraying their Indian connect.

2011 BMW 5 Series commercial "REFUEL"

Awesome commercial by the BMW team for their new variant of 5 Series, 2011 BMW 5 Series F10.

Honda mini wagon "Brio" getting launched on Sept 27

A bit late entry, though Honda has managed to enter into the Indian hatchback market with the launch of Honda Brio scheduled for September 27^th, 2011. This is a specially designed latest mini wagon for India keeping in mind better fuel efficiency, powerful engine and ‘affordable price’. 

Honda Brio is first serious attempt from Honda to capture growing Indian demands which can certainly be looked upon as a serious threat to Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Ford and now Toyota as it took Honda over 14 long years to introduce their first ‘small car’ for India. Honda Brio bagged great applaud from viewers when it was first displayed at the New Delhi Auto Expo and there started the story of its popularity.

The first hatchback from Honda, Honda Brio is powered by 1.2-litre Honda Jazz engine which is planned to get 1 litre motor in the near future. The wonderful car gives a displacement of 1198 cc which is one of the best figures to have in terms of engine in the hatchback segment. The engine used in Honda Brio runs on petrol and can give a peak power of 89 Bhp at 6200 rpm and beating torque of 110 Nm at 4800 rpm.

HONDA BRIO Variants:

Variant	Engine	Indicative price
Brio Petrol E	1198cc, i-VTEC	Rs. 4,00,000
Brio Petrol S	1198cc, i-VTEC	Rs. 5,00,000
Brio Petrol V	1198cc, i-VTEC	Rs. 5,50,000
Brio Diesel E	1.2 litre, 4 Cylinder	Rs. 4,50,000
Brio Diesel S	1.2 litre, 4 Cylinder	Rs. 5,50,000

The Brio is the fastest, strongest performer in its class. There’s a noticeable spike in power around 4500rpm and it enjoys being wrung hard all the way to the 6500rpm redline. This is also the only car in its class that’s quick enough to duck under the 13-second barrier to 100kph. However, the 1.2 i-VTEC lacks low-end grunt. But that doesn’t stop the Brio from outgunning most of the other hatchbacks when accelerating in any gear.

So overall, it is spacious, comfortable, looks good, has a fabulous engine and should deliver class-matching fuel economy, only thing of improvement could have been made is to have added a little more boot space. But there’s no deny in saying, Honda is here to stay !!