Honda Urban SUV crossover concept’s images leaks

Honda to unveil it Urban SUV crossover at Detroit Motor Show 2013.

Just before its debut at 2013 Detroit Motor Show, Honda’s new Jazz based Urban SUV crossover concept’s images have leaked on the internet. Like other Honda concepts, the new Urban SUV also looks futuristic, the theme Honda is obsessed off late. The concept though looks futuristic; some feel it to be interesting and horrifying. The new Urban SUV concept features Honda’s design philosophy. We feel the overall design of the vehicle is appealing.

The crease running from D pillar, through rear door to the front ones looks amazing. The front and rear wheel arches bulge to give an SUV look to the vehicle. Front end reminds us of the new CR-V with integrated grill and headlamps. The new nose design is the latest from Honda which is seen in Honda’s Concept S as well.

Honda Urban SUV crossover will compete with Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008 and the Fiat 500X. It will be built on same Jazz hatchback platform. Since Honda is unveiling the Urban SUV in North America, its Indian launch is remotely possible, at least not before 2015.

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Scoop: Mahindra’s Vertio hatchback spied

Mahindra coming up with Verito hatchback and compact sedan

Ever since Mahindra announced that its lone sedan will bear a hatchback and compact sedan avatar, the buzz in the automotive world has been very vibrant. Mahindra known for its value for money vehicles has aroused lot of hope for car buyers looking for a no non sense car which would give good fuel efficiency, space and reasonable price in spite of being not a beauty pageant winner.

Here we have some spy pictures of Verito hatchback, courtesy team-bhp doing its testing rounds. As seen from the picture, the boot has been chopped considerably and the tail lamps have been moved to the C pillar which is a wonderful thought. In fact the car looks like a big Ford Figo at least from the rear. The original place of the tail lamps does’t seam to bear anything which means the car looks bland at the rear. We feel Mahindra might do some scoop or bulge works on the tail gate to mask the rear bland image.

Apart from the rear changes, the Vertio hatch will have no major changes. The interiors too will same as the Verito sedan sans some features which will be missed in the base Verito hatch. The Verito CS might get a tail gate opening like an hatchback as seen in the Skoda Octavia.

The advantage Verito hatch and CS has in its side it the price factor. Mahindra will price them competitively as it has done with its SUVs. Will the Verito hatch be priced around the Indica? A car with the price of Indica, with almost same space and with a 1.5L dCi engine will definitely make its way for cabbies and we are sure Mahindra do not want it. Mahindra might price its two new products of Verito to compete against the best selling cars in the segment. So watch out Swift and Swift Dzire, a new competitor is coming...

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Audi launches Q5 facelift at Rs. 43.16 lakh

Audi today launched the Q5 facelift with price tag of Rs. 43.16 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi.

The Q5 along with the front facelift gets some changes to the engine as well which increase the fuel efficiency by 15%. The addition of new electromechanical power steering gives precise steering response at higher speeds. The Q5 facelift comes with 6 different colours. An off road package is available as an option. The interiors have also been spruced up to uplift the general feel and finish of cabin.

All New Audi Q5 at a glance

Styling and Body 

• Sporty SUV body with a sharper profile
• Xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights
• Engine hood and tailgate are made of aluminum
• Optionally available offroad style package

Engines

• Two TDI and one TFSI engine, all with direct fuel injection and turbo charging
• Power from 130 kW (177 hp) to 180 kW (245 hp)
• Fully updated 2.0 TFSI and 3.0 TDI
• Fuel economy improved by up to 15 percent, 2.0 TDI has fuel consumption of 14.6 Km/L[ARAI]
• Energy recovery – standard on all engines

Power Transmission

• quattro permanent allwheel drive for better acceleration, road handling and safety with registered selflocking centre differential and torque vectoring

Chassis

• Refined tuning, new electromechanical power steering; more precise steering response at higher speeds
• Audi Drive Select dynamic handling system and chassis with damper control

Interior

• New leathercovered multifunction steering wheel in 4spoke design
• Controls with chrome finish
• Inner fascia of the radio system/CD player and the airconditioning are styled in highgloss black
• Premium Milano leather interior with 2 interior colors in beige and black

Exterior

• Available in 6 colours
• Bonnet: Kinked design with more powerful contoured lines
• Bumper: Trapezoidal design for robust appearance
• Diffuser brings sporty genes of the SUV to the fore
• Tailpipes: Flat bottomed section with chrome trim

Comfort

• Audi drive select
• Suspension with damping control
• Three zone automatic air conditioning
• Front seats electrically adjustable

Equipment

• Widerange of standard equipment
• Highly advanced driver assistance systems available
• Attractive infotainment systems extending to the top unit MMI navigation plus
• Parking system plus with optional reversing camera
• Hill descent assist
• Driver information system with rest recommendation

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Installing Car Decals

Car decals can be customized by shape, size, color, and design. This capability creates a major advantage for the product. Decals are made to look as if painted on the car’s body and along with the versatility of the material the possibilities it presents to a car owner are endless.

Installing custom decals can be an intimidating task. The adhesive on the vinyl material gives an owner just one shot to install correctly. It must be done slowly, but when done with precision the decals will look great.

Step 1

Clean the car and allow it to fully dry. If the car was recently waxed allow a few days for the wax to fully-cure so that it does that disrupt the decal applying to the surface of the vehicle. Non-cured wax will cause adhesion issues.

Step 2

Secure the decal to the body with masking tape so that it does not shift while you stick it on. If the decal is too big for one person, grab a partner.

Step 3

Begin to lift the decal upward and peel off the backing paper. Do not remove the entire backing paper at once, if you do the decal will curl and wrinkle. Remove small sections one at a time.

Step 4

Using a squeegee or fingers, apply the decal slowly. When squeezing out air bubbles start from the middle and move outward. Slowly go about the process.

Step 5

As soon as the entire decal is installed, double check for bubbles and any remaining wrinkles. If bubbles will not come out, use a pin to pop them and flatten out the material with your finger.

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Renault launches Scala CVT Automatic with 17.97 Kmpl of mileage

Renault has launched the Scala CVT Automatic with the next generaton X-tronic CVT transmission. 

It was Nissan Sunny which was expected to come with an automamtic transmission, but its partner Renault has taken an upper hand by launching the Scala automatic variant. Renault claims the Scala automatic variant will deliver 17.97 Kmpl of fuel efficiency. Nissan Sunny might follow soon with an automatic variant.

With increasing city traffic, automatic variants are slowly picking up in India. But as of now there is no diesel automatics offered by any car manufacturers here in under Rs. 10 lakh segment. The Scala automatic is not different; it comes in only petrol variants. So will the diesel automatics are the next big thing? We certainly think so...

Some bits about Renault Scala CVT -

1. It comes with the next-generation X-tronic CVT transmission.

2. Impressive figures of 17.97 Kmpl.

3. Available in RxL and RxZ petrol variants.

4. It is just 30 Kg heavier than the manual variant.

Here is what Marc Nassif – MD, Renault India Pvt. Ltd. Said during the launch of the car - “With more and more cars on the road as well as frequent stop-and-go traffic, India has been seeing an increase in demand for automatic sedans in recent years. However, despite the growing interest for these cars, petrol automatic vehicles are still limited to a 6% share in the premium sedan segment because they deliver lower mileage and higher cost of ownership. The Scala X-tronic CVT aims to bridge this gap by offering class-leading fuel efficiency, reliability and performance. With the next-generation X-tronic transmission, customers will be able to experience a new technological benchmark in automatic transmission, which offers a smoother ride, convenience and savings, making the Scala CVT an attractive choice for those opting for an automatic premium sedan.”

Renault has still not announced the price of Scala CVT, but we guess it will cost Rs. 50,000 more than the regular manual transmission model.

What is X-Tronic Transmission?

According to Renault –

The X-tronic CVT combines innovative structure and the flexibility of a CVT transmission to offer world-class fuel efficiency and performance. The transmission’s use of an auxiliary gearbox enables the world’s highest transmission ratio, even broader than 7-speed automatic transmissions, aimed at achieving light weight, compactness, and fuel efficiency.

Currently, conventional CVT transmissions use larger pulleys to achieve higher transmission ratio, but are often constrained by the space limitations of small cars. The new-generation X-tronic CVT overcomes this obstacle and achieves the widest range of transmission ratio coverage (3.46:1) using a sub planetary gear, allowing smaller pulleys to reach higher transmission ratio. It also achieves reduced oil stirring friction by increasing the distance between surface of transmission oil and pulleys. With this pioneering arrangement, the X-tronic CVT transmission produces around 30% less friction and is 10% smaller as well as 13% lighter than conventional CVT models.

In terms of ride quality, X-tronic CVT transmission allows for infinite gear change ratios, leading to smoother gear shifting, accurate speed control, smooth and stable engine braking, better responsiveness to quick throttle and, above all, a smoother driving experience. With its flexibility, the transmission avoids the shift-shock fluctuations in torque transmission experienced with conventional automatic transmission while also maintaining optimum torque.

Source: MotorBeam

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Start your Hyundai with a smart phone by 2014

Hyundai’s Near Field Communication and Blue Link technology to make cars more technologically advance.

Starting a car with the mobile phone is not far away. Be it banking or food processing, technology is moving forward to reach the common man and the automobile industry is not lagging behind. Hyundai recently demonstrated smart phone based connectivity concept for cars. Using smart phone NFC (Near Field Communication) Hyundai wants to use smart phones to unlock the car and to start it as well. Isn’t it technology at its best? Well how does it happen? Here it is...

You have to just swipe your smart phone at a sensor placed outside driver’s door and the car unlocks. Again by swiping the phone at the on-board touch screen you can start the car which means there will be no key knob. Paring the smart phone with the touch screen you can sync all your contacts and apps along with navigation destinations and streaming audio. With voice recognition features you can shout any commands and the system will respond to it, helping the drivers searching and reaching the destination easily.

Google has announced that Hyundai and Kia will integrate Google Maps and Places into its telematics systems. Hyundai’s Blue Link technology and Kia’s UVO services will soon help drivers to use Google Maps and Places on board the car. Since all these features are based on current technology, they could be available as early as 2014. So does the next generation i10 come with all these features? We feel definitely it does as Hyundai are good at tapping the market before anybody does.

Demo - Near Field Communications (NFC)

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Next Generation Hyundai i10 to come with a compact sedan version

Hyundai's Next Generation i10 hatch and sedan in the works.

The next generation Hyundai i10 has already been caught testing with heavy camouflage near Chennai. The new i10 will be premiered at the Frankfurt Motor Show held in September 2013 and is likely to be launched soon in India. The interesting news is that, the next generation i10 will also come with a compact sedan version which will be placed between i10 and i20 hatchbacks.

Hyundai Assan (JV between Hyundai and Turkey’s Kibar Holding) has confirmed that a compact sedan will be made using the next generation i10’s platform. So expect the Hyundai i10 compact sedan to be launched soon after the hatchback.

The highlight of next generation i10 is the 3 cylinder 1.1L diesel engine. The 1.1L diesel engine is the scaled down version of 1.4L diesel currently powering the i20 diesel hatchback. Hyundai might add a turbocharger and bring it in the Hyundai i10 compact sedan. As it is a compact sedan, it will be less than 4000 mm in length, the trend seen currently in Indian market.

         

Hyundai is investing $300 million at its Chennai plant to set up a flexible engine plant and new press shop facility. The new 1.1L diesel engine will be produced here and exported to Africa and South Eastern markets. Currently Hyundai manufactures its petrol engine at the Chennai plant and the diesel engines are imported from South Korea.

Apart from the diesel engine, the next generation i10 will feature a powerful petrol engine. The 1.0 litre TCI engine (unveiled at Hyundai’s power train conference in South Korea last October) produces 105 bhp and 137 Nm and is very likely to be ducked under new i10’s hood.

Source: IAB

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