Datsun Go launched at Rs 3.12 lakh

Datsun has launched its Go hatchback today at a starting price of Rs 3.12 lakh, which plonks this Micra-sized hatchback right in Maruti Alto and Hyundai Eon territory. The new Datsun Go is available in three variants - D, A and T - and in four colours.

The base D trim, priced at Rs 3.12 lakh, is available in two versions, D and D1. The difference between the D and D1 trim is that the D1 variant gets a left wing mirror, and bottle holders and map pockets in the front doors, while the D doesn't.  What you do get on all trims though are follow-me-home headlamps, a digital trip computer, gear shift guide, engine immobiliser and a speed-sensitive wiper. Power steering, front power windows and central locking, however, are only available on the top T trim.

Since it's a budget hatchback targeted primarily at first-time car buyers, the base D trim of the Datsun Go comes with the bare essentials. You get black bumpers instead of body coloured ones, manual wind-down windows, and no power steering, air conditioning or music system.  

The middle A trim, priced at 3.46 lakh, gets air conditioning and a two-speaker audio system with only aux-in compatibility (there's not even a radio), a mobile phone stand, a USB port for charging only and Jacquard seat upholstery. 

The top-end Go T, priced at Rs 3.69 lakh, has all the features of the middle A variant and additionally gets front power windows, electric power steering, body-coloured bumpers, central locking and wheel covers. The top-end Go is, as mentioned earlier, priced at Rs 3.69 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The Go is powered by a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, and Datsun is claiming an ARAI-rated fuel efficiency figure of 20.63kpl. Nissan hopes that Datsun cars will account for at least one third or as much as half of its total India sales.

Customers can book the Go from any of Nissan's 125 dealerships and the company will also take care of servicing Datsun cars from its workshops. The Go comes with complimentary road-side assistance and an 2-year unlimited km warranty

Read More

Mercedes-Benz to buyout Aston Martin??

Jaipur: Rumours has it that the German automotive giant, Mercedes-Benz, is considering a deal to buyout Aston Martin, the sports carmaker. If that ‘actually’ takes place, Merc’s existing 5% stake in the British brand is certainly going to see new heights.

These speculations find their roots in an agreement where Aston is to be supplied AMG engines to be used in their next-gen sports cars. This deal totals to 5% share, however, a further investment in form of either a buyout or something is obviously going to benefit both the automakers.

Moreover, the supposed outcome, if further investment from Mercedes happens, can be a high-end off-roader, the one like the production version of the Lagonda concept in the image above. If that comes into existence, it can equip an AMG powertrain, to be based on the Mercedes’ ML 4X4 platform. However, the prospective business relationship may not be confined to just one model, and can open another gateway to a new set of customers.

Read More

Subaru, Mitsubishi small crossovers top new crash test

The Subaru Forester and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport have won top honors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, becoming the only small SUVs to ace the group's new "small overlap" crash test.
The Forester, which Subaru redesigned for the 2014 model year, earned Top Safety Pick+ accolades by scoring a "good" rating on the small overlap test, in which the front corner of the vehicle on the driver's side strikes a five-foot-tall barrier at 40 mph.
"With the redesigned Forester, Subaru's engineers set out to do well in our new test, and they succeeded," Joe Nolan, vice president for vehicle research at IIHS, said in a statement. "This is exactly how we hoped manufacturers would respond to improve protection for people in these kinds of serious frontal crashes."
Twenty vehicles have now received Top Safety Pick+ honors for safety in small overlap crashes, the IIHS said today.
The tests -- which replicate a crash in which the corner of a car collides with an object such as a tree or pole -- are not yet included in the federal government's five-star ratings, even though researchers say they are responsible for an outsized share of driving deaths.
5 others rated 'poor'
Also praised today was the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, which won Top Safety Pick+ honors but lagged the Forester with an "acceptable" score on the small overlap test.
Five small SUVs -- the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Buick Encore, Jeep Patriot and Ford Escape -- received "poor" ratings on the small overlap test.
The small crossover and SUV market is one of the auto industry's fastest-growing segments as U.S. consumers seek function, utility and enhanced fuel economy.

The Outlander Sport from Mitsubishi - another top safety pick.

When the Patriot crashed, for instance, the steering wheel moved 8 inches upward and 6 inches to the right, so the crash test dummy's head was able to slide off the airbag. The side curtain airbag in the Patriot did not deploy, and the safety belt did not restrain the dummy's head and chest, the IIHS said.
RAV4 test postponed
The IIHS continues to award its Top Safety Pick honors, which do not include the small overlap test. The small SUVs to receive Top Safety Pick honors include the BMW X1, Buick Encore, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Volkswagen Tiguan and Toyota RAV4. The 2014 Patriot also qualifies, as does the 2013 Patriot when equipped with optional side torso airbags.
The RAV4, one of the top-selling crossovers in the country and redesigned for the 2013 model year, was not subjected to the new small overlap test. Toyota asked to postpone the test to make changes that will help RAV4 passengers fare better in a small overlap crash, the IIHS said.
The insurance industry-funded group has tested several batches of cars since it introduced the small overlap test last year.
David Strickland, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, told Automotive News this year that NHTSA will soon have the research it needs to decide whether to add a similar test to the agency's five-star crash test program.

Read More

Lamborghini Egoista - one of a kind!

This is the Lamborghini Egoista, and it's not for sale. It, quite simply, is what the guys at Lamborghini felt like gifting themselves on their 50th Anniversary - an outrageous supercar that makes everything else look ancient

 

Clearly, the Veneno with its 3-piece production run wasn’t exclusive enough for a company like Lamborghini to be celebrating its 50th Anniversary with. Despite the Veneno’s outrageous design that embodied so many surfaces you’d spend an eternity soaking in all the details and its very track-inspired stance, that masterpiece unveiled in Geneva suddenly seems commonplace compared to what Lamborghini has shown off now.

his is the Egoista, which plain and simple translates to ‘Selfish’ in English and it is one of a kind, never to be sold. This is Lamborghini’s gift to Lamborghini – a creation that in its very existence represents the very essence of the Sant’Agata manufacturer.

The brainchild of none other than volkswagen Group’s top guy as far as vehicle styling is concerned, the Egoista brings together Walter De Silva’s talented team to bring to life every single way that Lamborghini has ever been described.

Read More

2014 Jaguar F-Type Roadster

When: Summer 2013
How Much: $50,000 to $60,000

Jaguar's C-X16 concept from 2011 makes its production debut as the new F-Type with a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 that should make 380 hp. Expect at least one turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder derived from the Range Rover Evoque, but that powerplant probably won't be sold in the U.S. Both engines will be mated to eight-speed automatics with start–stop technology.

An aluminum body will keep weight down but price up. Expect this Jag to compete with the Porsche Boxster as well as with the Audi TT-RS. The platform may also underpin a forthcoming XF sedan replacement.

Read More

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet Facelift Revealed

Mercedes-Benz that recently revised the Saloon and Estate models of its flagship sedan E-Class, has now completely revamped the Coupe and Cabriolet members of the E-Class Family. New additions include powerful and efficient BlueDIRECT four-cylinder engines featuring pioneering injection technology and trend-setting assistance systems, which come under the heading "Intelligent drive".


These are systems which can help to prevent accidents with crossing vehicles or pedestrians, Active Lane Keeping Assist or anti-glare, permanent high-beam headlamps, for example. Visually, both the Coupe and Cabriolet draw on the new Mercedes-Benz design idiom. Exclusive, luxurious equipment for sublime refinement underlines the close affinity with the E-Class family. The classic Coupe and the four-seater Cabriolet of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class are amongst the most desirable vehicles at the higher end of the mid-class segment. By combining intelligent, efficient technology with luxurious equipment that offers superb comfort, neither model compromises when it comes to indulging a passion for superlative driving enjoyment.

The design of the exterior and interior alike is fresh and sharp, as befits many of the stand-out new technical aspects. According to Dr Joachim Schmidt, member of the Management Board of Mercedes-Benz Cars and responsible for Sales and Marketing: "Three words sum up both the E-Class Coupé and the four-seater Cabriolet model: captivating, athletic, passionate. It is especially pleasing that the two vehicles also incorporate the most intelligent technology ever.

This makes them true dream cars." Major change that the new Look E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet have received on the exterior is the revised front with new headlamps composing a single headlamp lens over all function elements. The headlamps are fitted with anti-dazzle LED lights as standard, with full LED technology now available for the first time in this class as an option. Flowing light elements within the headlamps reinforce the "twin-headlamp" look which is typical of the E-Class.

Moreover the car gets new front bumpers with a more pronounced V-Shape and large air intakes, new tail lamps and a wide-effect rear bumper with "wing design" and chrome-look trim serve to make it look even sportier and aggressive.

Mercedes-Benz has additionally updated the interiors of the new-generation E Class Coupe and Cabriolet, carefully coordinating them with the expressive exteriors. Inside the vehicles, stylish materials dominate alongside clean-cut surfaces and the two-part trim which stretches across the entire dashboard. It can be selected in a wood or aluminium look, thereby rounding off the high-quality overall impression made by each interior.

Also new are the three-tube instrument cluster with dials backed in white and the trapezoid-shaped, high-gloss framed display in the head unit with flat-frame look. The interior is characterised by the redesigned centre console without selector lever, as well as a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel with DIRECT SELECT lever and shift paddles in conjunction with automatic transmission. One special benefit of the new E-Class Cabriolet is that, thanks to the acoustic soft top with its particularly high-grade insulation, the vehicle has the lowest noise level in its class.

The unique acoustic soft top ensures that even at high speeds, only very little wind noise is heard in the interior. The E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet offer virtually unlimited scope for individualisation. Examples include new interior colours and colour combinations such as deep-sea blue to contrast with silk beige in the interior. This brings a breath of fresh air to the exclusive ambiance of the two sportier E-Class models. As for the Saloon and Estate models, new assistance systems that combine comfort with safety have found their way into the E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet. Mercedes-Benz refers to this development as "Intelligent drive".

Professor Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development: "The new E-Class represents a major step forward in every respect. The design elicits plenty of emotion, causing a stir in its segment. Its technical highlights are unique. For example, new assistance systems from the upcoming S-Class take the burden off the driver by automatically keeping the vehicle in its lane and also tracking traffic in tailbacks. For the first time, there are also systems that can help to prevent accidents involving crossing traffic or pedestrians.
What is more, with its new engines the E-Class achieves optimum values in terms of efficiency, offers an internet-enabled infotainment system, and boosts safety when driving at night thanks to advanced LED headlamps and permanent high-beam with no dazzling. The E-Class is absolutely packed with high-tech features and altogether makes a very attractive package." As standard, the Coupe and Cabriolet are fitted with the AGILITY CONTROL suspension with selective damping system. The shock absorbers adapt to road surface conditions, thereby ensuring a high level of ride comfort. Sporty handling is enabled while still delivering the comfort on long journeys that is typical of the brand.

Read More

BMW 530d M Sport Launched; Old 530d Discontinued

BMW India has introduced its latest offering to the Indian auto market in the form of a new trim level for its 5-Series line-up; the 530d M Sport. The new 530d M Sport will replace the currently existing BMW 530d which will still be on the sales shelf until stocks are depleted. The new 530d M Sport comes with a price tag of Rs. 51.99 lakh (Ex-showroom, Mumbai). However, for the moment dealers are offering an initial discount of Rs. 3 lakh in order to entice more buyers.

 The new 530d M Sport houses the same 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder diesel mill as the no discontinued one with the same 258bhp power output as before. However, the M Sport package does add to the looks and feel of the car. The interiors feature a multi-functional steering wheel wrapped in leather, M sport seats for driver and co-passenger, door sills with the ‘M’ badge and a special anthracite color headliner as part of the seat package. The i-Drive system is now featured on a bigger 10.2 inch LCD display screen.

Read More