TVS Star City Plus : Review

In a much-needed boost to it's motorcycle portfolio, TVS has launched the latest avatar from the Star bike family - Star City+. First showcased at this year's Auto Expo, the Star City+ is a refreshed and premium variant aimed to attract new young buyers who are now spoilt for choice in this continuously growing entry-level motorcycle segment.

Currently dominated by the likes of Hero, Bajaj and now Honda, TVS is pinning its hopes on the Star City+ with new styling and a fuel efficient EcoThrust engine. We got to ride the new Star City+ at TVS' Hosur track located inside its factory. So though not exactly real world conditions but still good enough to see what the 'Plus' in the Star City really means something.

The refreshed styling on the new Star City+ isn't quite apparent at first glance but look a bit closer and you will notice the more sharper creases on the tank and body. What is really impressive is the improvement in the overall fit and finish with better quality of switches and plastic and a good finish on the paint job.

TVS calls this new design language on the Star City+ as 'modern flow motion style' and says its future range of commuter bikes will also bear similar styling. The instrument panel gets a speedometer with a white background, digital trip and fuel indicators and an econometer that shows when you ride in economy or power mode. Other attractive design elements include alloy wheels, an alloy rear grab rail and a sleek looking tail light cluster.

The Star City+ gets the 109cc, 4-stroke, EcoThrust engine which comes with improvements to boost fuel efficiency and still offer decent power. TVS claims an impressive fuel efficiency on the new Star City+ of 86 kmpl although the mileage in real world conditions will be lower.

Maximum power of 8 bhp at 7000rpm, and peak torque of 8.7 nm at 5000 rpm offers good city riding dynamics especially at low speeds. The Engine feels fairly refined, though acceleration is a bit slow off the blocks; but the bike responds well in the mid-range. On the Hosur track, we managed to push the bike to its top speed to 90 kmph and the bike managed it without a fuss. But the gear shifts aren't the smoothest especially when trying to move up the gears but the clutch feel is fairly good.

The 4-speed gearbox is expected to take this bike from 0-60 kmph in 8.1 seconds. With telescopic forks in front and 5-way adjustable hydraulic shock absorbers at the rear, the ride on the new Star City+ is fairly smooth. The chassis is a tubular single cradle frame and the overall riding comfort is also aided by the nicely-padded seat and the tall, upright riding position.

Braking is fairly decent and does the job well but the disc brake option is missed here. With a kerb weight of just 109 kg, the bike doesn't feel light and handles well with the 17 inch front and rear rims even on the corners in the Hosur track.

Launched at Rs. 44,000 (ex-showroom Delhi), the new Star City+ is available in electric and kick start variants. With new features, styling and a reliable fuel efficient engine, the Star City+ packs all the right ingredients to bring back strong volumes for TVS in the entry-level motorcycle market.

http://www.tvsstarcityplus.com/experts-review.aspx

Geneva Auto Show 2014: New Audi TT and TTS Coupe revealed

The world premiere of Audi’s new TT and the sporty TTS coupe models has taken place at Geneva Motor Show. The new car is the third generation of this iconic machine. The pricing for the model is not yet released but the company says that the first deliveries will take place by the end of this year.

The front end of the car is dominated by the trapezoidal grille which is broader and wider than the previous version. The grille is flanked on the lower side by large air intakes having struts which divert some of the air from the front to the flanks of the car. The bonnet gets two lines which end at the inner edge of the headlight assembly. The headlights themselves come with Xenon plus bulbs as standard while LED come as options.

The side has flared wheel arches with wheels available in 17-20 inch sizes, depending on the model. The coupe has the same length of 4180mm as the second generation but at 2505mm has an extra 37mm of wheelbase. The swooping roofline lends a smooth visual allure along with a distinctly visible shoulder line. On the right side the fuel flap is a classic feature taken from the first generation, the only difference is that there is no filler cap beneath the flap- the pump nozzle directly goes in to the tank neck just like during pit stops in motorsports.

The rear gets round quad exhaust pipes with twin pipes at either end integrated in the diffuser. A spoiler is cleverly concealed in the tailgate and automatically deploys at 119kmph. The tail lights have light guides which act as DRLs and this same design is also seen on the headlamps.

The interior gets a clean and uncluttered look with the designers working with the ‘less is more’ theme in mind. The centre console looks sleek and minimal probably because the MMI screen and the instrument cluster have been integrated in to one digital unit behind the steering wheel. The air vents have the round traditional TT design and resemble the turbine of jet planes. The vents have a neat feature in which they show the information and also have controls pertaining to the air-conditioning system. The boot area has a luggage holding capacity of 305 litres which can be extended by folding the backrest of the rear seats forwards.

The engine options for the TT are the TDI and TFSI engines. The TDI engine is a 2.0litre, four cylinder unit producing 380Nm of torque. The engine mated to manual gearbox makes the dash to 100kmph in a claimed 7.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 235kmph. Company claims that the combined fuel efficiency is 28.5kmpl and emissions are just 110g/km.

The petrol is a 2.0litre TFSI unit generating 230PS/370Nm. Matched to a manual transmission and front wheel drive it will sprint from 0-100kmph in 6.0 seconds and go all the way to a top speed of 249kmph.The performance and efficiency figures are further amplified when the S-tronic transmission and Quattro four wheel drive systems are bought from the options list. All the engines come with the Stop & Start functionality as standard to enhance mileage figures.

A beefed up TTS version of the TT has also been unveiled at Geneva. The TTS is powered by the same 2.0litre, four cylinder, TFSI unit but now makes 310PS and 380Nm of torque. The 0-100kmph time comes in a blistering 4.7 seconds. All wheel drive Quattro and adaptive magnetic suspension system is standard on this version.

Geneva Auto Show 2014: McLaren launches 650S Coupe and Spider

650S Coupe

650S Spider

Mc Laren Automotive has unveiled their latest supercar the 650S at the ongoing Geneva Motor Show. The new car is available in both Coupe and Spider forms priced at 195,250 pounds (Rs 2,01,31,885) and 215,250 pounds (Rs 2,21,94,050) respectively.

The 650S has been introduced in to the lineup above the 12C which continues to be produced. The Spider version gets a two piece electrically retractable hardtop which opens and closes in less than 17 seconds and is functional at speeds up to 30kmph.

The look of the 650S is derived from the ‘form follows function’ McLaren design philosophy giving it a smooth, sleek and beautiful exterior.

Engine doing duty under the hood is McLaren’s acclaimed 3.8litre, twin-turbo V8 engine producing 650PS of max power and an impressive 678Nm of torque which is married to a 7-speed SSG gearbox. McLaren says the 650S Coupe completes the 0-100kmph in 3.0 seconds and the 0-200kmph mark is crossed in 8.4 seconds with the acceleration being felt all the way to its top speed of 333kmph. The Spider is also the claimed to hit the double ton in 8.6 seconds with a top speed of 329kmph.

The car has several functions to aid handling dynamics and augment driver experience. The chassis itself is a carbon fibre Monocell and features such as ProActive Chassis Control, Brake Steer, McLaren Airbrake and an improved steering system all make this a formidable track car which can also be used for everyday travel.

Interiors are luxurious and get full Alacantara trim or optional Nappa leather, four speaker Meridian audio system, IRIS satellite navigation and DAB digital radio.

TVS Qube, first hybrid scooter from India

TVS showcased the Qube Hybrd scooter concept at the 2012 Auto Expo. First shown at the 2010 expo, the Qube will now make its debut in India. The company would test market its hybrid scooter, TVS Qube from June 2012 and plans to initially test market 200 scooters before its commercial launch in 2013.

 TVS Qube has two sources of power, including a 100cc four-stroke engine and an electric hub motor. The rider has the option to choose from a range of modes, depending on his or her requirement. This hybrid system charges the battery (lithium ion) when the brakes are applied and utilizes this power whenever required, therefore making the most efficient use of the energy available. In addition, this two-wheeler conserves energy when the vehicle halts at a traffic signal or is in standstill condition by halting the power source. (Patents Pending)

The scooter also comes with the additional option of electric only with zero fuel (petrol) consumption and zero emissions and can be used for short trips. There is also an engine only mode, which can be used when the battery charge is very low.

The TVS Hybrid Scooter also has the options of Hybrid Economy Mode and Hybrid Power Mode. In the economy mode, the engine and electric motor run as per the programmed strategy while in the power mode, both engine and electric engage together for better acceleration.

This green technology delivers significant emission reduction and improved fuel economy in city traffic driving with 35 % reduction in CO2 emission, 30% HC + NOx reduction and an increase of 35% in fuel economy. The TVS Hybrid Scooter is therefore expected to deliver a fuel economy of around 70 kilometers in typical city riding conditions.

This product is proof of TVS Motor Company’s unwavering commitment to development of green technologies that will lead to substantial reduction in CO2 levels.

Toyota Etios Cross

Toyota Etios Cross Preview

Toyota recently launched the Etios Cross for the Brazilian market and it is expected to now make its Indian debut at the 2014 Auto Expo. Much like the Volkswagen Cross Polo and the Ford EcoSport, it will be the Japanese automaker’s entry into the rapidly expanding compact crossover segment. It has been spotted running in and around Pune which means that it is likely to have got its ARAI approval and will go on sale shortly after the Auto Expo.

Exterior

The Toyota Etios Cross is a beefed up version of the standard car and much like the Cross Polo, it gets a large plastic based body kit. This is further enhanced in terms of overall toughness through the use of taller wheels and contrast coloured roof rails which can hold luggage up to the range of 50kgs-55kgs. The overall design of the car is pretty much the same as the Etios Liva hatchback. Other changes from the standard car include the Etios Cross lettering on the side.

Interior

The interiors and the feature list remain the same as the standard car with the exception of some new seat fabrics and trim accents. We expect that Toyota will offer the Etios Cross only in the top spec petrol and diesel variants which means that it will get the same feature list and cabin design including the centrally mounted speedometer and gauges. This is currently the case with the Brazilian spec car so we expect that the Indian one will be no different.

Engines

The India spec Etios Cross will get the 1.2-litre petrol unit that produces 79bhp and 104Nm of torque as well as the 1.4-litre diesel unit that does 67bhp and 170Nm of torque. Both engines have been mated to a five-speed manual. There is a possibility of a TRD Sportivo unit that will get the 1.5-petrol engine and the same 1.4-litre diesel unit.

Competition and price

The Toyota Etios Cross will compete with the VW Cross Polo, Ford EcoSport, Renault Duster and the Nissan Terrano of which the latter two will be in the lower spec variants. It is also expected to get competition in the form of the Mahindra S-101 which will see the light of the day sometime this year. It is expected to be priced Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 more than the standard car. The model sold in India will be locally produced at Toyota’s factory outside Bengaluru and so will have a large amount of localisation, definitely more than the Cross Polo and so that should give it an advantage.

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.