Hyundai i20 Era and i20 Sportz variants launched

Following the success of the i20, Hyundai today launched its latest model – the all new i20, a premium compact car with two new variants - the Era and the Sportz.

In addition to the existing models, these variants come with several new technology rich features which enhance its styling and also improve the fuel consumption. The Era has been introduced with both the petrol and diesel engine as the price leading variant while the Sportz will bridge the price and feature gap between the Magna and Asta.

The new i20 is the first in its segment to have six-speed manual transmission gears in the diesel variant. The additional sixth gear will facilitate smooth and fuel efficient driving, making highway driving seem like a cruise. The sixth gear will also enable low rpm operation of the engine, making the i20 diesel more fuel-efficient and leading to a lower NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) and lesser wear and tear of the engine.

PRICE (petrol model, ex-showroom Delhi)
i20 Era: Rs 4.5 lakh
i20 Sportz: Rs 5.3 lakh

Mercedes E350 coupe launched : price, specs, performance

Mercedes Benz today launched the two-door coupe, the E350 in India. To be sold at a price of Rs 56.38 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai), the E350 coupe comes with the same 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine that powers the E350 sedan. Two doors less, a slopping roofline and gorgeous 18-inch alloy wheels, the E350 coupe surely looks the part. Though a four seater, we strictly feel that the rear two seats are best for small sized adults.Interestingly, this E-Class Coupé is the most aerodynamic series production car in the world with a drag coefficient of 0.24 only. Brilliant!

Skoda launches Super 1.8 TSI with manual transmission

The Skoda Superb has always reflected terrific value for money. And it just got better. The petrol variant, with the 1.8-litre TSI motor will now come with a 6-speed manual transmission. For some, especially enthusiasts, this will translate into peppier driving feel. Also, with the manual tranny, the Superb now runs 13.14 km to a litre as per ARAI's figures.
The Superb 1.8 TSI MT is available in an aesthetic array of colors – Black Magic, Rosso Brunello, Cappuccino Beige, Diamond Silver & Candy White
Price - Ex-showroom, Delhi: Rs 18.28lakh
Price - Ex-showroom, Maharashtra: Rs 17.81lakh

First Toyota Prius sold in India

DSK Toyota Motors, dealers of Toyota vehicles in Pune, rolled out India's first hybrid car “Prius” on Wednesday. The car was sold to industrialist and Kirloskar Group Chief Atul Kirloskar making him the proud owner of this swanky environmental friendly car- Toyota ‘Prius’.
The Prius runs on both petrol and electricity and combines the power of an engine and a motor in the first mass produced hybrid car in the world. “Prius” comes with three driving modes- Power Mode, Eco Mode and Electric Vehicle (EV) Mode along with array of dynamic features that combine to give improved driving experience with superior environmental performances.
The model Prius-Z4, which Kirloskar has bought, comes with a price tag of cool Rs. 34.75 Lakhs. Its intelligent hybrid system allows it to realize the acceleration performance of a 2.4 L class car on its 1.8 L engine. Moreover, it gives exceptional fuel efficiency, evolving hybrid performances and extending hybrid capabilities.

Harley Davidson appoints five dealers in India

The American giant has finally revealed information on five dealers across India. These are:
1.Tusker Harley-Davidson in Bengaluru, led by Srinivas Reddy
2.Himalayan Harley-Davidson in Chandigarh, led by Siddharth Garg
3.Banjara Harley-Davidson in Hyderabad, led by K Jairam
4.Seven Islands Harley-Davidson in Mumbai, led by Arjun Bafna
5.Capital Harley-Davidson in New Delhi, led by Atul Aggarwal

The Harley-Davidson India dealerships are being designed to the company's global standards and will reflect the essence of the brand, offering customers the opportunity to experience what riders across the world have experienced for over a century. Bookings begin on the 20th of April. For more information, log on to http://www.harley-davidson.in/

VW launches the Passat 1.8 TSI and Jetta 2.0 TDI

The Passat now gets cheaper with the 1.8 TSI petrol mill

Volkswagen today officially confirmed the launch of two new variants, one each of the Jetta and the Passat. Here is a brief on the two cars

The smaller Jetta will now come with a new common rail 2.0-litre engine
Engine type: 4-Cylinder Common Rail Diesel Engine
Max. Power output: 81KW (110PS) @ 4200rpm
Max. Torque: 250 Nm @1500-2500 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed manual gearbox

Price: Rs 15.92 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)

The bigger Passat on the other hand with come with a new 1.8-litre TSI petrol engine - the same one doing duty on the Skoda Laura as well as the Skoda Superb

Engine type 4-Cylinder TSI Petrol engine

Max. Power output 118 kW (160 PS) @ 4500- 6500 rpm

Max. Torque 250 Nm @ 1500- 4500 rpm

Transmission 6- Speed manual gearbox

Price: Rs 19.2 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi)

Hero Honda Hunk performance, 0-60km/h, top speed

Top speed : 107.16km/h
ACCELERATION
0-20km/h : 1.35 sec
0-40km/h : 3.05 sec
0-60km/h : 5.99 sec
0-400m : 20.35sec @101.4km/h
BRAKING PERFORMANCE
60-0km/h : 22.62m/2.76sec
FUEL EFFICIENCY
Overall : 51.0kmpl
In-town : 48.0kmpl
Highway : 60.0kmpl
Price(Top version, OTR, pune): Rs 63,738

Hero Honda HUNK vs Rivals

The Hero Honda Hunk vs Bajaj Pulsar 150 vs Honda Unicorn vs TVS Apache RTR

The 150cc Hunk faces stiff competition from other 150cc bikes.
This is what BIKE India magazine has to say about the Hunk

It’s a Hero Honda and under the skin we know there’s a tuned version of the Unicorn engine. But with its brilliant looks, the Hunk scores above its other stable mate, the X-treme, though it isn’t quite as refined as the Unicorn. Excellent, aggressive styling and sharp features make it one of the most aesthetically appealing bikes in the country today. The pseudo air-scoops around the sculpted tank and the sharply styled bikini fairing give it a masculine look. On board, the huge tank makes it look and feel more substantial and bigger than some other bikes in the class, all of which works in favour of quenching the male ego. The Hunk also manages to be one nice handler around the bends. The knee fits in snugly into the well contoured recesses and that makes a lot of difference. The handlebar-seat-footpeg positioning is such that you don’t feel nervous when shifting that butt out and leaning off the seat, which again makes it an easy ride while hard-cornering. Even with the bike leaned over nicely and the rider leaning off it, the main-stand stays out of the proceedings. There’s no bottoming out of the rear suspension either thanks to the gas charged shock absorbers. The smooth power delivery of the bike aided with the strong mid-range torque further compliments the brilliant cornering abilities of the bike by bailing you out of wrong shifts on tightening corners. The engine cranks out 14.40 PS@8500 rpm and produces a peak torque of 12.80 Nm@6500rpm. Gearing is relatively short, which means good acceleration, meaty pulling power and great rideability in the city. The top end, however suffers because of that fact. The bike registers a top-speed of 107.16km/h, making the Hunk the slowest bike of the lot. The bike reaches 80-85km/h quite fast, but after that, the engine tends to loose steam. The gears show some resistance before slotting in and there is that unpleasant, notchy feel about the gearshift which is absent in the Honda. Also, the Hunk weighs 3kg more than the CBZ Extreme – at 146kg, the Hunk is a whole 10kg heavier than the RTR! With Honda Unicorn taking the position of the power commuter and the TVS Apache RTR taking perch as the top performer, the Hunk’s positioning seems to be a little less spot-on. The bike however, should appeal to fans of Hero Honda’s reliability and are looking for a bike that feels big. The Hunk is priced on par with the Pulsar and the Apache, though it still doesn’t feature goodies like a digital speedo, rear-sets, LED tail lamps etc. It may seem a little overpriced, but as we stated earlier, the Hero Honda logo on the tank more than makes up for the initial costs in the long term.

For the complete comparison, see BIKE website

Top speed, 0-100km/h of Bajaj Kawasaki Ninja 250R

We all know this little 250cc bike is a rocket. However, we also know the fuel quality in India is below par as compared to international levels.

Here is what the Kawasaki Ninja 250R does in performance stakes in India, where it is sold by Bajaj

0-60km/h : 2.98seconds

0-100km/h : 7.9seconds

Top speed (5th gear) : 152km/h (genuine)

Kawasaki Ninja 250R road test review

Bajaj Kawasaki Ninja 250R road test done by BIKE India magazine.

First thing first - a sticker price of Rs 2.69 (ex-showroom) or approximately USD5800 for a 250cc motorcycle might seem very expensive in India. But when the motorcycle in question is a legend in itself with dozens of accomplishments to its credit including being the world’s best selling 250cc bike, you ought to rethink the value it offers. Add to it a high revving 33PS fuel injection liquid-cooled engine that will allow even an amateur rider to fly past the 150km/h mark with ease and a good rider to kiss the 170km/h mark on the speedometer, and you suddenly feel the so called ‘steep’ sticker price is well justified.

Read the complete road test review of the Bajaj Kawasaki Ninja 250R HERE