Monthly Archives: August 2012

Cars Making Headlines For Their Star Status

Many of the car manufacturers have experienced a sudden spurt, a sudden elevation in status, only due to a simple decision on the part of a celebrity to invest in their brand. This action amounts to an endorsement, encouraging higher sales and brand recall for the car maker. For the celebrity, the choice of brand could be a personal preference or the implication of a certain snob value. Let’s take a look at some of the preferred cars of our bollywood biggies.

Priyanka Chopra owns a Porsche Cayenne

Priyanka Chopra, The Miss World turned Bollywood Actress, is the proud owner of a Porshe Cayenne which is priced between Rs. 64 lacs to 1.46 crore.

Porshe Cayenne-Priyanka Chopra

Launched in 2002, the Porsche Cayenne is one of the top selling models for Porsche with global sales figures touching 1,00,000 units. The car is equipped with powerful V8 petrol engine that churns out 300 bhp and a top torque of 400 Nm. It can accelerate from 0-100 kmph in just 7.5 seconds. The car has an option for a diesel engine which generates 240 bhp along with a torque of 550 Nm.

Reviews from various Cayenne users have revealed that the elegant exteriors with a convertible top and classy, spacious interiors of the SUV have contributed to a delightful experience. The German car has been one of the ultimate performers with a smooth and responsive handling along with amazing off road capabilities.

Hritik Roshan with his Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The style quotient of the Mercedes Benz S-Class just shot up when the Emperor of Bollywood, Hritik Roshan himself invested in the luxury car. The ageing brand just seemed more youthful! Mercedes Benz has been considered as the ‘epitome of luxury’ in India since ages! S-Class stands for German word, “Sonderklasse”, meaning ‘Special Class’.

The S-Class has been admired widely for its spacious and classy exteriors and interiors, ride quality, safety and comfort features. The car offers three versions with three engine and one transmission options. The diesel V4 engine generates a power of 210 bhp along with a torque of 490 Nm. The V8 petrol engine generates 271 bhp with a maximum torque of 505 Nm. Both engine options deliver a mileage of 6.8 kmpl on the city roads and about 9.4 kmpl on the highways. Mercedes Benz plans to bring forth its 9th Generation S Class Saloon in six guises during 2013, making the exciting car even more delectable. The luxury car is currently priced between Rs77 lakhs to Rs2.4 crores.

Keep an eye on this section as a lot more celebrity cars are on the way…

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Car Air Purifiers Going Green With Nanotechnology

Car Air Purifiers are increasingly going green off late with nanotechnology, bringing the best driving experience to car owners. The new technology ensures fresh air in the car at any point of time, proving to be a great product for those with sensitive breathing and those suffering from asthma and sinus. People who drive frequently with a different group of passengers each time or with those who smoke have had a rejuvenating experience with the green car perfume.
Car Air Purifier

From CFL and LED (Light emitting diodes), from self-cleaning equipments to energy efficient illumination systems, green energy sources seem to be pervading into our everyday lives. Nanotechnology is revolutionizing our way of life and touching our lives in every way possible. We now have instances of manufacturers of air purifiers also experimenting with the technology.

When used in perfumes, Nanotechnology helps us to get rid of bad odor and smoke including the smell of cigarette and various pungent food items and also eliminates germs, virus and bacteria. The technology is gaining tremendous momentum when incorporated in car purifiers as it also generates more oxygen, enhancing the alertness of the occupants. The in-built green technology continues to work even when the car is not in use, maintaining the freshness within.

The air fresheners are also found to eliminate harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and unsafe gases including Carbon Monoxide and Formaldehyde. Research has proved that the fresheners may also keep diseases including H1N1 at bay.

A great achievement for mankind, nanotechnology is now gaining importance and acceptance, finding application in various facets of our lives. If you are as impressed as we are about the amazing technology then go ahead and invest in a green air purifier. It would serve you well in the long run!

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Mahindra First Choice Launches Its 4th Authorized Dealership In Thane

Mahindra First Choice Wheels Ltd (MFCWL) has opened its fourth authorized dealership in Thane, Maharashtra, on 28th August 2012. The showroom offers a comprehensive range of services to customers including purchase and sale of certified used cars, insurance and finance and sale of accessories apart from providing assistance as may be required by customers.

Incepted in 2008, MFCWL has built a strong reputation as a trustworthy and credible company in the domain of certified used cars. The company is one of the preferred used car dealers in India and rules as the only organized multi-brand operator in the country. MFCWL currently operates through 180 outlets across 100 towns in India and aims to scale up the number to 500 outlets by 2015.  Thane is an important market for the company where it already commands a strong presence.

Mahindra First Choice offers a choice of two new warranty products to ensure a peaceful car-owning experience. WARRANTY FIRST provides the owners of a car with warranty for major mechanical and electrical components for a period of 12 months or 15,000 km, whichever is earlier. The CERTIFIRST warranty   provides a cover for the engine and transmission of the car for six months or 7,500 km, whichever is earlier. Both the warranties provide separate facilities for 24×7 roadside assistance anywhere in India, subject to a few terms and conditions.  The warranty assures the driver of assistance in the event of a car break down.

Each certified car of MFCWL is subjected to stringent quality checks to ensure the highest levels of quality. The company has employed trained engineers to thoroughly inspect the vehicles and to ensure that all the documents are in order. Once purchased, each car is revamped and subjected to an extensive assessment ensuring that the car conforms with 118 quality parameters before it is granted certification. Customers are thus assured for utmost quality, safety and a joyous tension-free driving experience.

The website of the company, www.mahindrafirstchoice.com, provides complete assistance to clients. MFCWL also helps the buyers to tie up for loans from leading financial institutions including HDFC Bank, Mahindra Finance and others.

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Conquest Evade The Most Expensive SUV In India

The Conquest Evade SUV has arrived at India, making waves as the most expensive SUV ever launched in the country with prices starting from Rs 8.5 crores (inclusive of  duties). The SUV is also the first unarmored and hand built SUV, inspired by the Conquest Knight XV, launched by Toronto based company Conquest Vehicles Inc in India.

The new Evade has been designed to set a new standard, expanding every possible limit to create a new user experience without compromising on the features of the Knight XV, an armored SUV which was launched by the company in 2010 to serve the top ranking government officials across the globe. Though the new SUV looks very similar to the Knight XV, the Evade has been skillfully crafted to make it more user-friendly and comfortable.

The 4×4 SUV will be available in diesel, gasoline and petrol versions and a 4WD system. The vehicle is fired by a 6.8 liter engine which generates a maximum power of 400 bhp along with a maximum torque of 2215 Nm. The car has been designed to be lightweight, ensuring better speed and fuel efficiency.

Built on the Ford F550 super duty chassis, the new Evade features a new exterior design with a broader frame with sleek new head and tail lights. The SUV has been endowed with a re-designed grille, hood scoop, a third tandem sunroof and an FLIR night vision camera in both the front and rear.   The car allows for a driver partition and has two electronic reclining seats in the rear.  The SUV allows the interiors to be customized according to the customer preferences. It provides an option for laptop trays and extra cabin space apart from allowing a choice of leather, alcantara, metals and other interior options

Conquest Vehicles has crafted the steering wheel, proprietary hinges and the key of the SUV with solid stainless steel while the handles are made of solid block aluminum. The car has roomy and luxurious interiors, comfortably accommodating six commuters over 400 cubic feet of elegant and rich finish. The luxurious car provides for a retractable flat screen television, three sun roofs, roof mounted searchlights and others.  The second and third row seats have been designed to face each other with the semblance of a limousine.

Expected to be available to the buyers by the end o f2012, The Conquest Evade will be sold exclusively in very limited numbers, distinctly making it a rare possession for the elite section of the society.

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Fiat Pioneers Diksha At Fiat And Don Bosco Experiential Skill Training Center

Fiat India Automobiles Ltd along with Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. has associated with Donbosco Vyawasaik Prashikshan Kendra (Don Bosco), Pune, to launch Diksha, a social initiative. Diksha aims to make avenues to orphans, economically backward and others who have the interest to learn but are deprived of good educational facilities. The programme recognises and trains such handpicked people, giving them the confidence and helping them to earn a respectable livelihood. Fiat has extended financial and intellectual support to launch a skill training centre, FIAT and Don Bosco Experiential Skill Training Centre, at Don Bosco in Chinchwad, Pune.

Fiat will offer the best vocational training to students, helping them to carve out a career for themselves in the world of manufacturing. The company will support and work towards improving the knowledge, capability and proficiency of trainers and teachers by providing them with appropriate training. The company will also provide its vehicles, components, workshop equipment and other aids to the trainers and students to impart practical experience. Don Bosco will select the students, conduct the course and get them accredited from the Government of India.

Diksha will offer two programmes, accredited by the National Council for Vocational Training, New Delhi and jointly certified by FIAT and Don Bosco.

The first course, Multi Brand Basic Automobiles Awareness for Four Wheelers will be a short term training programme, lasting for four months. The course will train twenty five students in a batch and Diksha plans to conduct three such batches in a year.

The second course, Centre of Excellence, will be a long term training programme, lasting for two years. This programme will have a syllabus which will be on par with ITI courses. Each batch will train twenty one students.

Speaking on the development, Mr Rajeev Kapoor, CEO of Fiat India Automobiles Ltd commented that there is a great need to keep pace with the changing dynamics in the manufacturing domain. He also stressed the need to upgrade the vocational centres to generate skilled, tailor made talent to deliver the desired results. He hopes that the initiative will provide the automobile industry with the much required highly skilled and trained manpower while ensuring employment and self sustenance for the workers.

posted by somdatta.basu @ Friday, August 24th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post
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Five Cars That Should Feature In Every Man’s Wish List

Automotive obsession is inbred in men. After all, car has always been a masculine space, isn’t it? Possibly this is what explains a man’s fierce obsession for his machine. Can you tell a single guy who doesn’t dream about parading around in a red-hot Ferrari or a snazzy looking Aston Martin or a pretty Porsche or a flashy Lexus for that matter? There are no limits to a man’s automotive fancies. Up ahead are the five most electrifying high-end machines that every man would like to have parked in his garage.

For The Showman: Lexus IS 300

The IS 300 is all about style and sophistication! It drives like a dream, feels like a dream and is indeed a true driver’s dream. But mind you, it can be quite a brute with its 215-hp. Armed with Formula One style shifting, snazzy chronograph-style instrumentation, flashy 17-inch chrome rims, superior handling and braking, efficient ergonomics and a noiseless engine, this car is definitely a delight to cruise around in.

For The Dreamer: Ferrari 360 SpiderFerrari 360 Spider

It goes without saying that Ferrari is the hottest car in every man’s wish list. After all, it’s the most sought after, highest performing machine on the road. The 360 Spider with its exotic curves, stiffer shaft, crisp handling, top-class braking, heavy-duty leather coated tubing is good enough to make any man fall in love with it.

For The Family Guy:  Volvo V70 XC

This wannabe SUV is the ultimate wagon for the fashionable family man.  This sporty, outdoorsy, rugged-looking Volvo is ideal for off-roading, country cruising or highway dashing — depending on what you plan to do over a weekend. Plus, the all-wheel drive TRACS system means that you won’t get stranded in snow bank too. Last, but not the least, the top-notch safety features just ensure that your family is safe, no matter where you go.

For The Alpha Male: Panoz Esperante

If you adore burly cars with low set driving position that gives you the pleasure of driving a race car, this one’s your pick. This mean machine packs in plenty of horsepower with oodles of oomph which makes it just perfect for any car enthusiast. The handling is sharp and curves like a dream, even in astonishingly high speeds.

For The Collector: Qvale Mangusta

Love the rare and the exotic? Then Qvale Mangusta is your mean machine. This limited production car bears a bone-stock Ford SVT Mustang Cobra under its hood. Designed by Marcello Gandini, the renowned Italian car designer, this muscle car is all you need to sweep off a lady off her feet and fan your driver’s instincts.

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Toyota Flags Off The First Ever Etios Motor Racing Weekend

The eagerly-awaited Etios Motor Racing(EMR) Exhibition Race was being held at the Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai on 4th and 5th of August,2012. The race has been organised by Toyota Kirloskar Motors Pvt. Ltd. wherein 25 promising young racers have participated.

Apart from a show-stopping Grand Opening Ceremony that held the audience in a daze, other exciting events like Celebrity Races, Dealer/ Media Races, SUV Zone, Karting Zone, Children’s Learning Zone, ‘Design your EMR Car’ kept the audience across all ages hooked. Akira lida and Ben Collins, the two international guest drivers were also invited by Toyota.

TKM is following the new brand campaign”Waku Doki” which means “great excitement and fun” in Japanese. The EMR exhibition Race was hosted close to the launch of this concept.

Mr. Vikram Kirloskar, Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “With EMR, we are happy to carry forward Toyota’s glorious global motorsport heritage. The overwhelming response we got for the EMR driver selection is a proof that today more and more Indian girls and boys are working towards a career in motorsport, and Toyota is looking forward to being a part of their training and growth in the sport.”

Mr. Taro Hishida, Director, Toyota Technocraft (TRD), said, “TRD has been conducting one- make races in Japan and other parts of the world for many years now and has also been instrumental in supporting the development of racing cars. We have also successfully completed the design of the recently launched Liva TRD Sportivo and are honored to support the development of the Etios Motor Racing series, here in India. We would like to support TKM continually through EMR racing activity and TRD Sportivo products, hoping many customers in India will feel the excitement of “Wakudoki”.

The next Exhibition Race is being scheduled in the first weekend of October in Delhi and the EMR Trophy Series will be held in the second half of 2013.

Etios Motor Racing


TRD (Tyota Racing Development) is the corporate brand from the Toyota affiliate, Toyota Technocraft Co. Ltd. which will support the EMR by providing the racing parts and their technological expertise all through the series. The Etios racing platform would be a blessing for the young racers as it will motivate them and help them to intensify their skills and also help them to attain the emulous edge for their future in motorsports. They will be coached by the experts. This series will focus in bringing out the endurance levels of Etios and the “fun to drive” objective of the vehicle.

posted by somdatta.basu @ Thursday, August 9th, 2012 Comments Off links to this post
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Jaguar Ranks Second Best In Terms Of Vehicle Appeal, Range Rover Evoque Is The Most Appealing


A study conducted by J D Power and Associates has revealed that Jaguar stands in the second position amongst the various nameplates in terms of vehicle appeal while the Range Rover Evoque rules as the most appealing vehicle in the Entry Premium Crossover SUV segment, for the second consecutive year. The 2012 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APPEAL) Study, revealed on 25th July, 2012 in Mahwah, USA, ranked the cars after a study of 34 brands in the industry.

The study assessed the extent to which a new vehicle is rewarding and the experience of owning and driving, based on feedbacks from owners and a study of more than 80 vehicle attributes. The study has taken up a unique approach to assess the customer satisfaction, covering each aspect of the vehicle, providing an invaluable guide to influence future product launches. The study is based on feedbacks received between February-May 2012 from more than 74,000 vehicle owners and users of new 2012 model year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.

Andy Goss, President of Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC commented, “The J.D. Power and Associates APEAL study simply indicates how much your customers like their vehicles’ design, performance and features, and clearly our customers are quite smitten”. He added, “Jaguar Land Rover is dedicated, as a premium automotive company, to providing the customers of both our brands with quality vehicles that deliver extraordinary performance, innovative technology, and desirable styling.”

Ruling as the second most improved nameplate, the Jaguar XJ scored 901 points, being one of only three models in the industry to score above 900. Jaguar also qualified in the second most improved brand in the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Initial Quality Study (IQS). The study has revealed that the Land Rover, ruling in the sixth position (in a tie) amongst 34 brands, is held in high esteem by the customers due to its superior design and fuel economy. Leading in the Land Rover lineup, the new Range Rover Evoque has scored the highest amongst the other Entry Premium Crossover SUVs. The Evoque has bagged the 102nd global award and has been appreciated as a potent combination of class with performance and for its dynamic and agile handling across all terrains.

Jaguar Land Rover North America LLC, founded in 1922 in the United Kingdom, is one of the premier manufacturers of luxury sedans and sports cars since 1948. Jaguar manufactures all its cars exclusively in the United Kingdom at the Castle Bromwich manufacturing plant in the British Midlands. Land Rover and Range Rover business employ 16,000 people in the UK including 3,500 engineers at two product development centers and have global sales in excess of 2,40,000 units. The two models are built at the plants of the company at Solihull and Halewood, United Kingdom. Land Rover exports to 169 countries while Jaguar exports to 63 countries.

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