Full Throttle

  • For a company whose fluidic design philosophy created quite a stir across segments, the absence of a D segmenter must have been very concerning… but not anymore, as the fluidic Hyundai Elantra has arrived in India.

    Remember Elantra? It's not time yet to forget a car that was pleasing to the taste of many, but failed to sell in great numbers and disappeared in 2006. A six-year long void is now filled with the all-new Elantra that marks the continuing evolution of Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture design language.

    Design

    One needs to work at Hyundai to differentiate the Elantra from its 'fluidic siblings' at the first glance. Even though the hexagonal grille presents a more sinister smile than the Verna, the fog lamps create a flavorless impression. Again, the head lamps are so similar to Verna's, but they extend further into the fenders. In profile, the Elantra too gets that well-defined line stretching from the front door to the tail light. The raked windshield, roofline flowing into the

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  • A little car, but a soaring presence nationwide... Indian automobile history witnessed a dramatic change on a chilly December morning in 1983 when the first Maruti 800 was rolled out of a factory in Gurgaon. Indian roads have never been the same ever since. When Maruti decided to bring the curtains down on the iconic 800, which has always remained a mainstay of personal mobility for the masses, the decision had left a lot of Maruti 800 fans emotional, and some even watery-eyed.

    Now, Maruti is gearing up to introduce an all new 800cc car that could potentially be a replacement for the Maruti 800. Faced with declining market share and falling sales of the best seller Alto, the company has already started testing the new car that certainly will be more fuel efficient and technologically advanced, but more expensive than the Alto.

    Rumours had it that the new ultra low cost car from Maruti would be the Cervo. However, it's almost certain by now that Maruti has no plans to bring Cervo to

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  • Ford's all new global compact SUV EcoSport has been the talk of the town ever since it was unveiled at the Auto Expo earlier this year. While Ford has confirmed that it won't be launching the EcoSport this year, testing on the home turf seems to be on full swing.

    Pictures of completely undisguised EcoSport being tested in Chennai have surfaced on the internet. The production-ready EcoSport doesn't look any different from the prototype displayed at the Auto Expo. Missing here are just the LED headlamps and chrome garnishing on that large trapezoidal front grille.

    Spied in Chennai is the Titanium TDCI model powered by the 1.5-litre diesel engine borrowed from the Fiesta. However, the highlight of the EcoSport is expected to be the new 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, EcoBoost petrol engine. Wonder how on earth does a 1.0- litre engine pull an SUV? That's the wizardry of the EcoBoost powertrain technology, which enables this tiny engine chug out the performance of a conventional 1.6-litre

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  • Sports cars are not an everyday sight on Indian roads. The reason is simple - many of them aren’t ‘daily drivers.’ They are mostly taken out of the garage on the weekend for a romp on the highways or a blaze up the twisties. But the Nissan 370Z flies in the face of the conventional wisdom that sports cars are not practical machines. The 370Z offers not just performance, but everyday practicality along with the technological edge.

    A bit of history

    The Nissan 370Z didn’t come down in the last shower of rain; it boasts of a rich lineage that dates back to 1960s. The original Z was sold in October 1969 in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z and then exported to the US with the 240Z nameplate. It took the Americans by storm with its muscular straight-six engine and the sleek design. Six generations of Nissan Z-cars followed and the 370Z pulls mainly from the 350Z, the model it replaces, but with more 240Z into it. The 370Z got curvier, more fluidic with its redesign – seductive to some eyes, moreRead More »

  • Never thought it would get to this; did you? Rs 80/litre just to get down the road! The need for more efficient vehicles was never 'in your face' as it is now. So, the time is right for Mahindra 2Wheelers to introduce the revamped Rodeo RZ, the highlight of which is certainly the impressive mileage of 59.38 kmpl under ARAI's test conditions.

    The new Rodeo is not just another facelift, but an attempt to incrementally improve an already very good product. The 125cc Z series engine got better with the Dual Curve Digital Ignition System (DCDI), which marginally increases the performance while not compromising mileage. Do not expect jaw-dropping acceleration since the power delivery is very linear and smooth, however, the RZ is zippier than its predecessor and rides seamlessly even with pillion on board. Moreover, Mahindra claims best in class 0-60 acceleration of 9.35 seconds, which is better than the Suzuki Swish's 9.4 seconds record.

    I rode the Rodeo RZ on various terrains of

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  • Be it UPA, BJP or any other acronym at the Centre, petrol prices will again head northwards. We can only feel helpless in the face of recurring and economy-driven price fluctuations.  Seeking measures to improve fuel economy is the only way to combat rising fuel prices. Do not disregard these simple guidelines; each little step can really start adding up to significant savings to your budget.

    Do Fuel Quality/Types/Additives Help Mileage?

    Petrol pump attendants often try to convince you to go for 'Speed petrol' or 'X-tra Mile diesel'. But this need not necessarily help improve your vehicle's fuel efficiency. Always use the grade recommended for the vehicle by the manufacturer. Higher octane fuel may not only be a waste of money but may harm the vehicle, as well. However sticking to one brand of fuel is always good for the engine. Know more about Octane Ratings

    Keep the Windows Closed

    Driving with your windows open considerably reduces mileage, far more than keeping the AC on

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