2014 Ford Fiesta

Americans are gradually getting over the idea that small cars are a consolation prize--something you might settle for--and understanding that in many cases today, subcompacts can be downright charming and sensible. The Ford Fiesta has been at that leading edge of the change in heart, with its flamboyant, sporty look and zippy driving experience. It's shown that small, inexpensive models don't need to be so soulless and appliance-like.

For 2014 it's poised to win many more hearts--with a new face, an improved interior, the tech-forward MyFord Touch system, and two new engines, both offering improved performance.

This year's new grille brings the Fiesta in line with the rest of the Ford lineup, and we think that it gives the hatchback especially a little added punch. Five-door hatchbacks are the sportier and better-looking of the two body styles, to almost all eyes, but there's a four-door sedan in the lineup, too. The five-door looks stylish and even a bit racy, with an urban-runabout element that had been missing from Ford's U.S. lineup, and in this respect you mostly get exactly what you see. With impressive steering and handling and a nimble, maneuverable feel that's better than most softened, numbed appliances its size, the Fiesta is securely on the fun-to-drive side of the ledger.

The 120-hp, 1.6-liter four returns as the base engine. For 2,600 pounds, it's quick enough, especially if you get the manual transmission and keep the revs up; although we're not big fans of the PowerShift automatic transmission. The high-performance FIesta ST is new this year and, in overboost mode, puts out 197 horsepower and 214 lb-ft from its 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine; it's mated only to a six-speed manual gearbox and, with upgrades to braking, suspension, steering, and even tires (summer performance), it's a hoot to drive and hits all the hot-hatch buttons. Later in the year the lineup will be joined by an EcoBoost 1.0-liter three-cylinder model that's perkier than the base four while returning better mileage than it.

Especially considering this year's interior upgrades, the Fiesta makes a great first impression. It has well-coordinated colors and textures inside, and it'll impress as well above its price class at first look. Although it's not quite perfect; the base front seats tend to be a little flat and unsupportive, back seats don't fold fully flat, and the suspension can hop on rough surfaces. A coarse-sounding engine can detract from base models, yet a Sound Symposer in the ST performance model helps give you the right kind of engine sound, when you want it. But the driving position is great no matter what the model, and with the available Recaros in the ST, there's enough support for demanding mountain roads or all-day cruising.

Base Fiesta S models tend to be quite basic, despite the spiced-up look, and their manual-winding windows and steel wheels with hubcaps betray some cost-cutting--although air conditioning is included. But Fiesta SE models add a lot more popular equipment, like a perimeter alarm system, upgraded cloth interior, and ambient lighting, while the Titanium model includes upgraded Sony audio, and a rearview camera system. Standard on the Titanium and available on the Fiesta SE and ST is MyFord Touch, Ford's advanced system for controlling audio, connectivity, and navigation functions via a touch-screen system, as well as voice commands. Although not everyone will love the system, it cleans up the look and raises the ambiance.

Hyundai Xcent launched at Rs 4.66 lakh

Hyundai has launched the Xcent today at a starting price of Rs 4.66 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The Xcent is the sedan version of the Grand i10, our compact car of the year. Naturally expectation is high from the compact sedan to replicate the hatchback’s success but this segment already has popular cars like the Maruti Suzuki Dzire and the Honda Amaze. It will be interesting to see if the Xcent can make a mark for itself and dent the fortunes of its competitors. The hatchback and the sedan are identical cars right back to the rear doors. But the C-pillar onwards, the Xcent is all new. The boot has been nicely integrated into the body and the taillights merge well with the rest of the design.

The Xcent is powered by the same petrol and diesel engines doing duty in the Grand i10. The petrol unit 1.2 litre 4-cylinder engine developing 83PS at 6,000 rpm and 114Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. The 1.1-litre 3-cylinder diesel engine is the same but has been tweaked for more low-end grunt. It develops 1PS more than the Grand i10 - 72 PS at 4,000 rpm and torque is 20Nm more at 180Nm between a lower 1,500-2,500 rpm band. The petrol unit is refined and a proven engine and returns an ARAI certified efficiency figure of 19.1kmpl. The diesel unit returns 24.4kmpl and boasts of better driveability in the city compared to the Grand i10. We will have to see how it performs on the highway with its uprated figures. Both petrol and diesel Xcents come with a 5-speed manual transmission. Lastly, there’s also a 4-speed automatic option, also borrowed from the Grand i10. The Xcent rides on larger 15 inch wheels to the Grand i10's 14 inchers. Crucially, the boot is the Xcent can swallow 407 litres of luggage.

New TVS Scooty Zest preview

The new TVS Scooty is completely redesigned and gets fresh styling cues. The chic and easily visible indicators on the front and rear look sharp, with a new headlight and LED tail-light design. The front suspension uses telescopic forks, with a monoshock at the rear. The new, beefy tyres with all-black steel wheels should offer decent road grip and comfort over rough patches. The front foot rest base has been redesigned for more comfort and the pillion footrest mounts have been raised higher.

The new rear body panels with revised accents look more appealing. The redesigned seat looks wider and is expected to be more comfortable than the current Scooty. The Zest gets an air-cooled,  four-stroke, 110cc engine from the Wego mated to TVS' CVTI gearbox.

With new refreshed styling, a refined powerplant and ample features, we expect the new TVS Scooty Zest to be a good package. The Zest is expected to be priced competitively and will enter our showrooms by April 2014.

Suzuki unveils 150cc Gixxer motorcycle

Suzuki Motorcycle India unveiled their flagship 150cc motorcycle, the Gixxer, for the India market. The bike, that sits in  the premium 150cc segment is powered by a four-stroke single cylinder, air-cooled, 150cc engine that is equipped with SEP (Suzuki Eco Performance) technology. This new technology by Suzuki helps to deliver both good performance as well as better fuel efficiency. The company hasn’t disclosed the power figures yet, but we expect it to be slightly more than the GS150R which churns out 13.8bhp and 13.4Nm of torque. It gets a 5-speed manual gearbox, unlike the GS150R.

The company claims that the bike has been completely designed and developed by engineers who played a very important role in developing the GSX-R superbike. The engine is tuned to produce broad low-end torque and dynamic mid-range power for strong acceleration.  The overall styling of the bike is new and goes with the current design trend. The styling of the bike’s exhaust, which is something that grabs eyeballs at first sight, has traits  borrowed straight from the Suzuki GSX-R. Though the bikini fairing on the bike looks similar to the street-fighter fairing on the Pulsar 200 NS, this is a nice change in what is otherwise a bland line-up. With telescopic shocks in the front, the bike boasts of a neatly carved meaty tank. The motorcycle has a large drum brake at the rear and a mono shock suspension. The clean looking tail, which adds to the sportiness of the bike, comes with body coloured grab rails. The tail lamp is the normal multi-reflector one and not the swanky LEDs that are becoming common these days.

Suzuki India will disclose the price of the Gixxer at the 2014 Auto Expo but we expect it to be priced between Rs 70,000 and Rs 75,000. It will go on sale post mid-July. 

Suzuki Inazuma 250 launched

Suzuki Motorcycle India Limited (SMIL), launched the 250 cc Suzuki Inazuma today, a bike  that resembles the meaning of it's name — 'lightning that strikes during a thunderstorm'. The motorcycle projects big looks with a stylish design that will be appreciated by many.

Suzuki Inazuma packs in a two-cylinder, 249cc, liquid-cooled, four-stroke engine offering good low-end and mid-range power output. A six-speed gearbox transfers this power to the rear wheel through an exposed chain. Telescopic front suspension with a monoshock at the rear makes its way on the Inazuma. An 110/80 x17 tyre in the front along with a 140/70x17 at the rear, provided with three-spoke alloys and a single disc, adds up for better handling and braking performance. Other distinguishing features of the Inazuma are dual chromed exhausts and a distinctively shaped headlight.

Suzuki aims to offer a product at every price point and segment, with the Inazuma projecting itself as a practical offering in the competitive 250cc class and expanding Suzuki’s motorcycle portfolio towards a premium segment in the Indian market. Suzuki Inazuma will be available in two colours, black and red, and is priced at Rs 3.10 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi). 

Datson Go

The Datsun Go compact hatchback has been revealed by parent company Nissan. It is roughly based on the Nissan V platform that underpins the Micra but is a completely new vehicle and is the first one from a brand that has been revived after three decades. The car is aimed at emerging markets like India, Russia, Brazil and Indonesia and will be joined by an MPV as well as a compact sedan that will be unveiled later.

The Datsun Go is powered by the three cylinder 1.2-litre petrol mill that sits in the larger Micra. This engine produces 76PS and 104Nm of torque. We expect it to have better fuel efficiency than the Micra, either with taller gearing or a slightly lower power figure – maybe both. Power is transmitted to the front wheels via a five speed manual gearbox. It will be lighter than the Micra, because it is not a global model and as such doesn’t need to meet the strictest crash safety norms in places like the European Union and the US market, which the Micra can achieve as is.

The interior, while remaining bare essential, looks like it is from a car that is more expensive. Datsun has chosen beige as the predominant colour, something that should appeal to the Indian buyer. There is no lid for the glovebox much like the Evalia, which begs the question of where one will keep things like the documentation of the car and manual. Datsun has also chosen to place the gearlever at the base of the centre console much like the Hyundai i10. Where it deviates from the latter is in the placement of the handbrake: unlike a traditional car, it doesn’t sit between the seats; it is to the right of the gearshift lever like the Honda Civic, and the shape of the handle reminds one of the handbrake in the Chevrolet Tavera or Ford Endeavour. What has Datsun done with the space in between the front seats, you ask? Well, they’ve filled it with... seat. No, really. They’ve extended the passenger seat all the way to the driver’s seat, so if you’re someone who’s, er, horizontally ample, this is the seat for you. The seat base extension doesn’t encourage the occupant to sit offset to one side, so this is a puzzling thing for Datsun to do.

The Go is Renault-Nissan’s entry into one of the most competitive segments in the Indian market, the A segment which accounts for a significant chunk of the sales in the 45 per cent that constitutes the hatchback market. It will compete with the Tata Nano, Maruti Suzuki Alto 800, Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, Nissan Micra Active (in higher variants), Chevrolet Spark and the Hyundai Eon. It will be officially launched at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo.

TVS Dazz 110 Review, Features and Price in India

TVS Dazz 110cc Scooter is an upcoming scooter from TVS in India. It is recently showcased at the 2014 auto expo. The Dazz is on now sale in Indonesia with good customer response. This  new automatic scooter will launch in upcoming years in India.  It features 115mm Ground Clearance and measures 5.3 litre petrol tank & 93 kgs  weight.

TVS Dazz Features

•  110 cc four-stroke air cooled engine
• 110cc engine displacement
• 8.34 bhp (6.14 kW) @ 7500 rpm power
• 8.3 Nm @ 5500 rpm torque
• 53.5 × 48.8 mm bore and stroke
• 115mm Ground Clearance
• 5.3 litre petrol tank & 93 kgs  weight
• Automatic gears transmission
• Front disc and rear drum brakes
• Telescopic shock absorber suspension

The TVS Dazz 110cc Scooter powered by the 110 cc four-stroke air cooled engine with 110cc engine displacement. The engine can churns out 8.34 bhp (6.14 kW) @ 7500 rpm power and 8.3 Nm @ 5500 rpm torque on ride. This powerful scooter have 53.5 × 48.8 mm bore and stroke.The engine mated with Automatic gears transmission. For safety it is equipped with Front disc and rear drum brakes. The suspension used is Telescopic shock absorber suspension.

TVS Dazz Specifications

Engine performance and mileage	Technical Specifications	TVS Dazz 110
	Engine	110 cc four-stroke air cooled engine
	Displacement	109.65 cc
	Max power	8.34 bhp (6.14 kW) @ 7500 rpm
	Max torque	8.3 Nm @ 5500 rpm
	Bore & Stroke	53.5 × 48.8 mm
	Gears and Transmission	Automatic
	Chassis	NA
	Top speed	NA
Look, style and Dimensions	Length x width x height(mm)	1875x675x1050 mm
	Wheelbase	1240 mm
	Weight	93 kgs
	Headlamp and Battery	Halogen & Maintenance Free
	Wheels/tyres	tubeless tires 80/90-14 M / C 40P Tubeless 90/80-14 M / C 43P Tubeless
	Ground Clearance	115 mm
	Fuel tank	5.3 litre petrol tank
Safety and comfort features	Suspension front	Telescopic shockabsorber
	Suspension rear	Single shockabsorber
	Starting system	Electric and kickstarter
	ABS & immobilizer	NA
	Pass-light	Yes
	Step up seat	Yes
	Low Fuel Indicator & Low battery Indicator	Yes
	Stand alarm	Yes
	Wheel type	Alloys
	Brake: front & rear	Disc 200 mm in front Drum 130 mm at rear
	Passenger back rest	No
	Speedo meter and fuel gauge	Analogue
	Tachometer	No
	Trip Meter	No
	Low Oil Indicator	NA
	Passenger footrest	Yes
Colors	NA	NA

Suzuki Let's scooter unvieled

Suzuki Motorcycle India is looking at doubling its market share in India. And that growth will come mainly from the scooter segment given this particular segment in the two wheeler sphere is actually registering handsome growth, while motorcycle sales have plateaued. Now, Suzuki already has the Access and the Swish in the scooter segment but the real numbers in the scooter segment are still coming from the lower priced 110cc class. And this is where the new Suzuki scooter Let's finds itself, taking the Honda Activa i head-on.

The Let's uses a 112.8cc engine that makes 8.7PS and is mated to a CVT; specifications that are in line with what the competition offers. Also, like the Honda Activa, the Let's too uses a new fuel efficiency tech called SEP or Suzuki Eco Performance that promises class leading fuel efficiency. The engine itself is a brand new one developed for the Let's specifically.

The Let's also uses up-to-date cycle parts like telescopic forks upfront. But, given that Suzuki is looking at pricing the scooter aggressively, there's no disc brake option on the Let's. But, it does get 90/90x10 tubeless tyres. It's also a very light scooter weighing just 98kg, which should make it easy to ride in the city. The Let's, which is available in five colours, is meant mainly for newbie riders and for college students who look for ease of riding and fuel economy.

2014 Vespa S launched in India at Rs 75,424

Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. – the wholly owned Indian subsidiary of the Italian Piaggio Group announced the launch of the sporty new Vespa S in the presence of Bollywood star Imran Khan. The charismatic Imran Khan unveiled the chic new Vespa S in an all new orange and matt black colour.
The Vespa S signifies the Vespa culture and reinforces the mark made by the Italian brand in India. The introduction of the Vespa S, with its sporty style and design, strengthens Piaggio’s position in the premium scooter segment that the group has successfully created in the Indian market. Vespa S joins the earlier launched Vespa LX and VX thereby making for a strong statement on the Indian roads with their bright hues specifically designed as a symbol of aspirational lifestyle.
The Vespa S reinforces the Vespa’s Italian design and style that has endured many decades of changing lifestyles. Touted to be the sportiest and most youthful Vespa, the Vespa S’s clean, essential lines express a dynamic and lively character. It is a Vespa that makes minimalist design its distinguishing feature in order to definitively win the approval of the young enthusiasts. The square headlight and mirrors, new sporty speedometer cluster, the sculpted and contoured saddle, black alloy combination wheels are distinguishing features that make the Vespa S a cool and sporty model.
Speaking at the launch, Mr. Ravi Chopra, Chairman and Managing Director, Piaggio Vehicles Private Limited (India) said, “Piaggio is delighted to present Vespa S to the dynamic youth in India. As we move closer to our two year existence in the Indian market, we are proud to launch our third Vespa to further strengthen the premium segment we have successfully created. The Vespa S is truly a game changer. With its square design elements, it has opened up a new, non- conventional space. We understand the needs of the aspirational consumers and believe that the Vespa S will enable them to experience another notch in the Vespa lifestyle.”
The Vespa S rides on a very efficient 125cc, 3 valve engine delivering excellent performance and good mileage. The scooter is also loaded with features like disc brakes, tubeless tyres, single piece steel monocoque chassis and is available in 4 colours – matt black, Orange, red and white.

2014 Indian Auto Expo: Harley-Davidson Street 750 launched at Rs 4.1 lakh

Iconic US bike-maker Harley-Davidson has just come within kissing distance of becoming affordable. The company on Wednesday launched the entry-level Street 750 at Rs. 4.1 lakh (ex-showroom-Delhi), bookings for which will begin on March 1.

If you don’t mind waiting another year, the company is in the process of giving the finishing touches to the Street’s younger sibling, a 500-cc version, which is expected to bring the price point even lower.

Launching the Street 750 bike on the first day of Auto Expo 2014, Anoop Prakash, managing director, Harley-Davidson India, said: “We believe the new Street 750 will excite a new segment of urban riders in India and to experience the Harley-Davidson lifestyle at an accessible price.”

The Street 750 will be built at the company’s assembly facility in Bawal, Haryana and exported to select international markets.

The Street series are the company’s first new launch in 14 years. It had approached 3,000 bikers in 10 countries including some 600 from India — mainly Delhi and Mumbai — for inputs while designing the bike. “We will continue to adopt and invest in strategies that make our products and ownership experience accessible to more enthusiasts and customers in India,” Prakash said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch event, he said that lower price does not compromise on the quality or feel of the bike, which has a number of components sourced at lower costs from India.

Prakash refused to answer questions on whether Harley would make India a future hub for sourcing components.

However, one of the company’s 13 dealers in India said this has been one of the points they had raised to the company, and the company has promised to come back with a plan before year end.