Indian Autos Thread

Raju · Post by **Raju** » 31 Oct 2008 14:46

your best bet in that price range is to get a used Lancer or City with AT.

bart · Post by **bart** » 31 Oct 2008 14:57

vina wrote:Guru log.. I think I will need to buy a small urban runabout for SHQ for the office commute. I am not very kicked about the chauffeur business both from the safety aspect and also flexibility of will come at 9 and leave at promptly 6 kind of thing,plus adding to costs. Funnily enough , SHQ was the one who had the India license, while I had to come and get mine renewed, but she doesnt drive of course.

I think I can talk her into driving and not hiring a chauffeur if it is a car with an automatic transmission.

Is there a good Hyundai, Maruti,Chevy Spark kind of car that is safe (meets Euro NCAP norms , ie currently being sold in Europe ) has airbags and ABS and most importantly is automatic transmission , with a budget of around 4.5 to 5.5 lakhs max, with good fuel economy of course.

Most of the Maruti models (Alto, Zen, Wagon R) are way past sell by date and are due to be junked for new models.. What is the scene with i10 (how I wish they didnt have monkey khan in the adverts) , I am sure there are big discounts going around in that car. It was incredibly overpriced to start with. Does Chevy spark have an auto option ?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

If you are particular about auto-transmissions, you have only 2 options in that price range:
i10 and Santro

i10 with auto but without ABS/Airbags costs around 5 Lakhs. With ABS and Airbags the cost goes to 6 lakh.
Santro should be available for 4.5 lakhs but without ABS/Airbags and rear power windows

If you are not particular about auto, the i10 is still a good car, but for the same price range you can also consider Swift, Indica Vista Diesel which are bigger and more comfortable. But probably the best deal if space is not such a big issue is the Spark, which should be available with ABS/Airbag and manual transmission for around 4.2 lakh, with 3-year cashless service and maintenance included.

Both i10 and spark are very easy to drive and maneuver in the city. Maruti cars have good resale value etc, but the gearbox is rubbery and engine is outdated, except for Swift. If you are wait one month more, the Maruti A-Star (which is the global Alto replacement) should be out and it will come with ABS/Airbags but perhaps no automatic option. It should in the same price range of the Spark and good VFM.

If you wait till next year the Honda Jazz should be out, but it wont be cheap.

All the prices I mentioned are OTR, Chennai. In Blr because of higher tax it will likely be 20-30k more.

Himanshu · Post by **Himanshu** » 05 Nov 2008 16:06

2 Marcopolo Buses for Bangalore
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstyp ... stid=99386

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 06 Nov 2008 04:50

Demand slump: Tata Motors to shut Jamshedpur plant for 3 days

Auto major Tata Motors on Wednesday said it will shut down its Jamshedpur unit, the mother plant for its heavy commercial vehicles, for three days due to slump in demand.

“Tata Motors is taking a block closure at Jamshedpur from November 6 to 8, 2008, to match production with demand of vehicles produced at the Jamshedpur plant to avoid build-up of inventory either in the company or with our dealers,” a company spokesperson said.

rahulm · Post by **rahulm** » 06 Nov 2008 08:10

I am visiting Desh in Dec-Jan for 5 weeks and am exploring the possibility of buying a second hand car and reconnect with ancestors by doing the Pune - Wardha - Nagpur - Yavatmal - Amaravati - Daryapur - Pune route. I am calling this the Mahayatra.

The thinking is to buy a second hand 4 wheeler which I won't have to worry about too much e.g. Mahindra CJ, 7-8 year Indica, Premier Padmini maybe even a HM Ambassador, i.e a basic vehicle.

Since , I am travelling in winter, AC is not required. I am ambivalent about other goodies like power steering etc.

I am budgeting around INR 100,000 for the vehicle itself. The best case option is to sell it after the trip bit (and this may be easier if I buy from a dealer). However, if I can't then it will be used as a second car at home although it is really not needed as such.

I would like to buy either in Nagpur or Pune and the latter is preferred.

I had a look at Automart (i think its a Mahnidra venture) but the site appeared outdated.

A few years ago I did the Hyderabad - Wardha - Hyderabad trip via Adilabad in a Hyundai Santro and it was fun although the driving ergonomics led to fatigue.

Any ideas appreciarted or OK to call me crazy for even thinking of such a venture.

Also, I will be missing the NDA passing out parade by only a few days and try as hard as I might, I just can't seem to make the itinerary work.

Thanks

Rahul

bart · Post by **bart** » 06 Nov 2008 11:04

Saarji, save yourself a lot of trouble and rent an Innova with driver.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Nov 2008 12:05

second that. you'd need to fork up addl money to pay taxes , registration etc too
before the expedition can depart ulan bator for the steppe.

Manu · Post by **Manu** » 06 Nov 2008 12:08

Link

Posted without comment...

Forget Nano, Chinese car maker eyes Bengal
KOLKATA: Nano may have veered off Singur, but there’s a sliver of hope for the troubled land yet.
Representatives of a Chinese automobile major met chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Tuesday, seeking 600 acres — about the same amount that is ‘undisputed’ in Singur — to set up a small car factory in Bengal.

While the government hopes the company would slip into the Nano site vacated by Tata Motors, it will also showcase other locations at Kalyani, Kharagpur and Haldia.

China’s First Automobile Works (FAW), in collaboration with Ural India, an Indo-Russian joint venture, wants to set up a Rs 1,500-crore automobile manufacturing unit in Bengal. And, the first vehicle to roll out of the plant in 2010 will most likely be a small car priced at a cool Rs 1.6 lakh.

A tie-up between Ural India, in which the state government has 11%, and FAW will be formalized through an MoU in the first phase. J K Saraf, chairman of Ural India and Ren Diansheng, vice-director of FAW, led the five-member delegation of the company that called on Bhattacharjee.

The company is expected to start manufacturing small cars and then go on to buses. “We plan to price the small car at Rs 1.6 lakh to keep it competitive,” Saraf said. However, Ural is yet to decide on the name of the car.

The officials, who are to scout for land in Kharagpur and Kalyani, are not talking about Singur to avoid getting into a controversy. “But, if the state government is willing to give us the plot at a cheap rate with other benefits, we can discuss it further,” said an Ural official. “No one wants trouble and so we are keeping our options open on Kharagpur and Kalyani.”

Industries minister Nirupam Sen said company officials were visiting different parts of the country and were keen on investing in the state.

Sridhar K · Post by **Sridhar K** » 06 Nov 2008 12:19

Rahul,
With a second hand car at 1 lakh, the whole trip could be a potential nightmare (breakdowns etc. ) in case you don't get a good car (which is very likely). If you are hell bent on self driving etc. you may look at Hertz etc. ( not sure whether they lease for a month + the cost factor)

krishnan · Post by **krishnan** » 06 Nov 2008 12:41

Buying a second hand car isnt as easy as you think it to be. Also you can never be sure about the quality. So just rent a car and a driver and enjoy the ride. Allows you to relax and enjoy the trip , and have fun people your family or who ever is going along with you.

rahulm · Post by **rahulm** » 08 Nov 2008 01:58

OK. The self drive in a second hand car is a bad idea due to the procurement difficulty and risks associated with a second hand car. Also, my mother is with me.

Problem is Maharashtra Rajya Parivahan (State transport) is not a good choice either for inter town and village travel in Vidharba due to over crowding.

I think doing Pune - Wardha - Pune by train and hiring a chauffeured taxi from Nagpur for 2 weeks for inter town travel seems to be the best solution. I don't think I stand a chance of hiring a taxi except in Nagpur.

Thank you to all.

John Snow · Post by **John Snow** » 08 Nov 2008 06:59

rahulm>> I had the same visions, of doing satavahana tour, (parts of AP, Maharashtra & Karnataka).

Having recently a pinkslip in hand (in US) and on a forced vacation in Desh since Oct 29, initially I was tempted to buy Bullet 350 and enact Motor cycle diaries (*ing John Snow, AP TN and Knataka are states of Mega Star dums, why not I be one even if part time?

),
then some one in family suggested that they were not ready yet for one funeral and four weddings even though it is season

( when out of dollars even in desh the respect you command diminishes along the same curve as utility diminishes

)

So I even toyed with the idea of being Ambassador (driver) of good will, then somebody started a whisper campaign behind my back this desi videsi guy is going to add hazard to the detached and non chalant drivers of our "mera Bharat Mahan" who drive with higbeams and occasionally talk in morse code like warships talking in radio silence zone to stop a head(lights)on collusions in collisions.

So I am torn between the love of country and the love of well wishers.

If you promise to buy the car from me I will buy a new Ambassador and sell you first hand condition second hand car when I take my flight to land of honey and milk after commiting couple of serious educational classes to King of the Roads and OK Tatas!

for the sake of complete education read on.

The Fast Lady is a 1962 British comedy film, directed by Ken Annakin. The screenplay was written by Henry Blyth and Jack Davies, based on a story by Keble Howard. It marked the film debut of Julie Christie.

[edit] Plot
Murdoch Troon (Stanley Baxter) is a dour Scot living and working for a local government authority somewhere in England. A shy young man, his main excitement comes from cycling. After he's forced off the road by an impatient car driver, he tracks down the owner, only to find that he is Commander Chingford (James Robertson Justice), the domineering and ascerbic owner of a sportscar distributorship. Chingford reluctantly pays for the damage to Troon's cycle, but more significantly, Troon meets Claire (Julie Christie), Chingford's beautiful blonde daughter. He is smitten with her and determines to buy a car so that he can take her out.

Enter Troon's friend and fellow lodger, Freddie Fox (Leslie Phillips), a used car salesman and serial cad. He sees a chance to ingratiate himself with Chingford, and also sell Troon a car. The car is a vintage Bentley, named The Fast Lady.

Troon has his first driving lesson in a less exciting car, an Austin A40, which proves to be a comedy of disasters, with a nervous instructor (Eric Barker), but Fox then offers to teach him. The results are equally disastrous.

Unwilling to give up, and determined to prove his love for Claire, Troon bets her father that he can drive the car. An experienced racing driver, Chingford is convinced that Troon has no hope of achieving this — and bets him that he cannot.

Troon takes Chingford for a drive in the Bentley and, as expected, loses the bet. But the tables are turned when Chingford loses Troon's counter-bet. He reluctantly allows Claire to go out with Troon in the car.

The day comes for Troon's driving test. Fox has set him up with a "bent" examiner, but Troon draws the "wrong" examiner. As the test comes to an end (and the examiner is almost certainly going to fail Troon), the car is commandeered by police to chase a Jaguar car driven by escaping bank robbers. The high speed chase takes them through town and country, across a golf course (leaving in its wake, a comical trial of disaster) and eventually the robbers are (of course) caught. Chingford so admires his driving skill that he allows the couple to get engaged.

The film features cameos and performances by many well-known comedy and character actors, including Dick Emery as a car salesman, Gerald Campion, Frankie Howerd, Fred Emney, Warren Mitchell and Kathleen Harrison.

rahulm · Post by **rahulm** » 09 Nov 2008 05:21

Jaan(i), my empathy for your pink slip. Its ferral out there and hope you are allright.

We are smitted by the same khatmal.

On an earlier Mahayatra, I have prostated at the Kanaka Durga Temple on the banks of the Krishna river on a Hyd - Vijaywada return trip in a Santro. Lots of fun and the driving was not too bad in the day.

Night driving required razor sharp eyesight and reflexes not so much from the high beams which are painful but more from pedestrains, cycles and assorted animals on the road which can't be seen. Reflector strips should be mandatory on all 3. Seriously.

Won the challenge with SHQ of not using the horn even once during the entire trip.

New Ambassador costs 4 lacs plus. We can be Ambassadosr (drivers) of goodwill and maybe we can do a deal but don't want to be saddled with ammbasadorial asset liability of heritage value at the end. Anyone want third hand car in first hand condition?

SHQ will be in your neck of the woods (assuming I have that right) but I am skipping AP totally this time.

Taking this to the Nukkad thread to avoid Adminullah's knife.

abhishek · Post by **abhishek** » 09 Nov 2008 22:25

Folks,
we should really try to keep talk about what cars you or your SHQs want to buy to nukkad....your request for feedback about various cars should also be in nukkad and not in this thread...this thread will be more interesting if we keep it as a purely auto industry/engineering thread and not use it as some kind of consumer report forum.

My two paisa’s....no intended to flame anyone....

AdityaM · Post by **AdityaM** » 10 Nov 2008 11:40

Compressed-Air Car Nears Trial

TATAs have a roll in it.
http://tech.slashdot.org/tech/08/11/09/0817254.shtml

Air France and KLM have announced plans to conduct a six-month trial of a new zero-emission, compressed-air powered vehicle. The AirPod seats three, can do 28 mph, and goes about 135 miles on a tank of compressed air. Motor Development International, the vehicle's developer, expects the AirPod to reach production by mid-2009, and to sell for around 6,000 Euro. Initially, it will be manufactured in India by Tata Motors, and distributed in France and India.

Himanshu · Post by **Himanshu** » 11 Nov 2008 10:07

Marcopolo on test in Mumbai

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthrea ... 12&page=67

Himanshu · Post by **Himanshu** » 12 Nov 2008 10:40

Saw a BEST TATA Starbus Marcopolo on A-461 route in front of Motoshree on JVLR towards Borivali. Bus belonged to Mulund Depot.

amitmas · Post by **amitmas** » 12 Nov 2008 22:21

Had a good look at the new Honda Citi today and must say that the car's dashboard looks SHABBY. Yes its a stunner from inside and is loaded for the price at which they are selling it but frankly the dashboard leaves much to be desired. Plastic quality looks cheap and even the I10 and sparks of the world are much ahead. The dealer did not allow a test drive but am waiting to see how it does on the road with the new engine and increased BHP.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 12 Nov 2008 22:39

Suzuki is launching the Hayabusa in the last week of this month.I am curious to know their strategy in the present market condition. Any news on the timeframe for the baby Ninja launch by Bajaj?

bart · Post by **bart** » 12 Nov 2008 23:10

amitmas wrote:Had a good look at the new Honda Citi today and must say that the car's dashboard looks SHABBY. Yes its a stunner from inside and is loaded for the price at which they are selling it but frankly the dashboard leaves much to be desired. Plastic quality looks cheap and even the I10 and sparks of the world are much ahead. The dealer did not allow a test drive but am waiting to see how it does on the road with the new engine and increased BHP.

It looks pretty ok when compared to the competition such as SX4

amitmas · Post by **amitmas** » 12 Nov 2008 23:28

Well obvisouly stuff like like and dislike is very personal. But IMHO both Sx4 and Fiesta looked and felt better (only on the inside). The integrated console on the new Citi and the plastic pannel around it seems like the only eye sore for this otherwise beautiful looking piece. I still beleibe if it drives well this would be something that can be easily ignored speacially at this price,

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 18 Nov 2008 05:30

http://deccanherald.com/Content/Nov1720 ... updatenews
ISRO's cyrogenic tech becomes H2 fuel cells for Tatas.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 21 Nov 2008 02:43

Vehicle dealers fear the worst as inventories pile up.

Vehicle dealers, including those who sell passenger cars across the country, fear they may be forced to start surrendering their dealerships if sales continue to slow down for another three months.

“We don’t think most of the dealers can sustain losses for more than three-four months,” a spokesperson for Federation of Automobile Dealers’ Association (FADA) told Business Line. He said the most affected would be the smaller dealers, and those situated in semi-urban areas may be forced to surrender their dealerships. “Several dealers are incurring losses of as much as 2 to 3 per cent of the cost for every unsold vehicle,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said that there are over 6,500 dealers across the country who sell the range from trucks to two wheelers. “The most affected are those dealers who sell heavy vehicles.Their inventory pile up is as high as 90 days,” he pointed out.

But a Hyundai spokesperson put down the lag in sales to the banks’ move to tighten norms for disbursing loans. “They have tightened their norms for lending and their stand is turning away customers,” the spokesperson said.

He said sales will continue to go down unless the banks start lending more and relax the norms.“We are trying to help our dealers to stay afloat through internal discounting so that the stock keeps getting cleared faster,” he said. He said most of the private sector banks have stopped lending and the remaining banks have increased their interest rates.The spokesperson said that the situation was turning out to be tougher for both the dealers as well as car manufacturers. “These are hard times. We are in it together,” he said.

But another dealer, who owns dealerships of multiple brands, said that car makers can help the dealers by giving more incentives and interest-free stocks. “It will give us higher margins for each car sold and we can sustain ourselves for a longer period,” the dealer who did not want to be named said.He said some of the State governments, especially those in south India which have extremely high road tax, should bring down the tax for at least six months to accelerate sales.

Maruti Suzuki’s Chief Executive Officer for Marketing & Sales, Mr Mayank Pareek, said that car makers should view the current situation as an opportunity to explore newer markets. He said his company has tried not to pressurise its dealers to sell more cars during the current downturn.

“We are giving them enough time to bring down the inventory through a series of measures,” he said.

Nayak · Post by **Nayak** » 22 Nov 2008 17:59

http://www.bsmotoring.com/bsm/wcms/en/h ... 81121.html

A-Star car?
22 Nov '08
Text: Srinivas Krishnan
Photos: Pablo Chaterji

So what do we think of the newest Maruti Suzuki around?

A-Star car? Cruising at about 110 kph, I somehow can't come around to the fact that it's a little three-cylinder motor that's powering this new supermini from Maruti Suzuki. The top-end ZXi version of the A-Star comes with a tachometer that's housed in a spherical pod above the main instrument console, looking as if you just got it fitted at your neighbourhood performance tuning shop. I take my eyes of the road to look at it, and the needle is nestled at 3500 rpm. If needed I could push the car a little more, and I do just that, till the little A-Star runs out of steam when it reaches the 155 kph mark on the speedo. This is okay by me in a car of this size.

Yup, it's quite a compact car. The A-Star is not in the tall-boy mode of small cars that we are getting too familiar with. It's like a grown-up Alto — which in fact it replaces in many markets across the world. But it is better looking than the Alto, and is indeed the 21st century version all right. But other than its newness in its appearance, it is what's inside that compact bonnet that's really special — a new engine and a new gearbox.

The A-Star is powered by a 998cc three-cylinder three valve per cylinder DOHC motor that produces 66 bhp at 6200 rpm and 9.3 kgm at just 3500 rpm. It's paired to a five-speed manual gearbox. Now the new drivetrain combination makes the A-Star a bit different to the other little Suzuki motors around. For one, it does not rev like a motorcycle engine and makes its torque a little early in life – the benefit of course is that in-city driveability is good, and ensures that you don't have to keep stirring that gear lever too often.

This brings me to the second nice aspect about the A-Star. The gearshift quality is a vast improvement over most other Suzukis; the stubby gear lever borrowed from the Swift shifts much more positively and it is flickable, though I must mention that it's not as good as the Hyundai i10's.

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the way the engine moves the lightweight A-Star around makes you feel as if it's an inline-four inside. Though it gets a little buzzy at higher revs, most of the time, the engine comes through as pretty refined. The easy access to torque means that you can tuck your nose in between other cars in our tightly packed streets and get away with ease. Sitting on a wide track, the A-Star is well-planted and confident on the curves. Its handling is sorted and roadholding is decent too. When it comes to the rough patches, the ride is firm, but the damping is much better thanks to the gas-charged shock-absorbers that the A-Star gets.
The steering wheel is borrowed from the Swift; it feels a little large in this application and the steering setup could do with some more feel.

With its perfect, compact dimensions and the driver-friendly drivetrain, the A-Star looks quite promising as a good city runabout. Besides that, the quality of the plastics that has gone in is also an improvement over most of the existing Suzukis — its duo-tone grey is also a relief compared to the beige interiors. Still, it's a small car, so while you are quite okay at the front, seating three adults at the rear could only lead to a rather intimate experience. The base LXi version of the A-Star retails for Rs 3.61 lakh in Mumbai, while the top-end ZXi version (which comes with ABS/EBD and dual airbags) is priced at Rs 4.28 lakh ex-showroom Mumbai. The pricing, remember, is introductory. So till the moment Maruti Suzuki takes the price up, the A-Star pricing right now is quite competitive. Okay, it may have a three-cylinder motor like the M-800/Omni and the Alto, but it is pretty evident that Suzuki has ensured that you get four-cylinder engine like performance with the frugal fuel drinking habits of a three-cylinder motor... now who can argue with that?

For a more detailed driving impression of the new A-Star, do pick up the December 2008 issue of Business
Standard Motoring

Ameet · Post by **Ameet** » 24 Nov 2008 23:23

Jaguar seeking £1 billion loan from the British government

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Tata ... 748925.cms

LONDON: Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is in secret talks with the British government for a £1 billion loan, just nine months after Tata bought the luxury-car marque. The request demonstrates the sharp downturn in the global car market, which has already pushed a handful of the big car manufacturers to the edge of bankruptcy. ( Watch )

The speed of the economic decline has not just hit the motor industry. A number of large British-based industrial groups are also considering asking the government for financial support. If help is not given tens of thousands of jobs are at stake.

According to one government official familiar with the approach made by JLR, PM Gordon Brown is studying the request and an answer could be made in the next fortnight.

Tata paid $2.3 billion for JLR and financed the acquisition with a $3 billion (£ 2 billion) bridging loan. Since then sales of new cars have plunged which has caused big problems with the cash flow needed to service debt payments. It comes at a time when Tata — one of India's most successful companies — is also facing financial issues. It paid $11 billion 22 months ago for steelmaker Corus and since then the metal price has collapsed.

Similarly, shares in Tata Consulting Services, its American-listed IT business, have also tumbled, as have shares in Tata Motors. Ratan Tata, the conglomerate's chairman, has put on hold further acquisitions amid the difficulty in raising bank finance and in the face of the economic slowdown.

Tata still has confidence in the future of JLR but believes he needs government help to tide it over for the next two years. At the time of the purchase last March he said: "These are iconic brands that I respect enormously. Our plan is not to tinker with them in any way." David Smith, chief executive of JLR, has made a direct plea to the government for cash. He believes that with help being given on the Continent and in America to carmakers Britain has a good case for financial aid.

At the same time, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which is representing the interests of the wider British industry, is thought to want between £ 2 billion to £ 3 billion of state aid. Last week Honda announced it is going to close its Swindon factory in England for two months next year.

The Japanese carmaker will stop all vehicle production at Swindon in February and March, reducing output by 21,000 units on top of job cuts of 32,000 already announced. Toyota has also cut shifts at its UK plants, and Bentley, the luxury carmaker majority-owned by Volkswagen of Germany, has cut shifts at its plant in Crewe.

Despite success with its new Jaguar XF sedan model — particularly in America — JLR is facing similar issues. The group, which employs 15,000 workers in the UK, needs to slow production in order to sell a backlog of vehicles that have already come off the production line. Last year Land Rover produced 230,000 vehicles, while Jaguar made 54,000.

Around the world the market for JLR cars has fallen 25% and analysts fear this could further deteriorate. JLR has already cut shifts and production days at Solihull, Halewood and Castle Bromwich.

Tata is looking to the government for a bridging loan to help it over the next 24 months, a period where the industry will come under further financial pressure when it is difficult to access funding markets.

The component suppliers to the automotive industry are also in difficulties, many of them already facing issues with credit insurance.

For JLR, its need for additional finance, just months after it found a new owner, marks the start of another turbulent chapter in the group's history.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 26 Nov 2008 20:23

Suzuki launches the Busa at 12.5 Lakhs.

Shivani · Post by **Shivani** » 03 Dec 2008 08:16

www.thetruthaboutcars.com wrote:
Bailout Watch 227: Ford, Chrysler and GM Asking for $34b

Chrysler November Sales Drop 47%

GM Sales Plummet Apace, Down 41% In November

Ford November Sales Drop 30%

Autoblog wrote:

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 03 Dec 2008 15:19

finally! another long ranted BR demand met!

the honda city at has a 5sp auto trans with two modes - D & S.

in S you always use buttons on the wheel to upshift and downshift with no clutch. this is akin to racing cars.

in D it seems at low speed you need to use the buttons but at high speed it shifts to a conventional auto mode. I am not clear on what happens if some abdul presses the buttons at high speed or fails to press them at low speed -

but will soon find out since I just persuaded a old friend to
buy one.

mashallah, if I dont get hit by downturn will trade in my (then) 5 yr old santro in 2010 and get one of these - blood red ofcourse in keeping with the violent times.

John Snow · Post by **John Snow** » 03 Dec 2008 15:27

It will stay in first gear for the Jerk to ride

Seriously, Its all part of defensive programming the Servo and Chip software.

This brings to my mind a incident of 1980, when one my friends brother brought a Philips TV with wireless remote ( yes there were days when wired remotes also existed) to India. Our Mans kids were brilliant ( one step ahead of Bill G who invented the pressing of more than on button at time called Alt-Ctrl-Del

) and they pressed on and one more key on the remote simultaneously, Kaput went the remote so yours truly was summoned ( a Mech Engineer to solve TTL problem

, yes the owner of the TV did not know) ) upon arrival and inspection I declared in a solemn voice

'KHOLANA PADTHA' like scooter mechanic!

niran · Post by **niran** » 03 Dec 2008 15:42

In both modes the chip will adjust the gear accordingly.
Honda do not trust abduls to use the features correctly.

Raju · Post by **Raju** » 03 Dec 2008 17:57

>> blood red ofcourse in keeping with the violent times.

also colour of our party.

amdavadi · Post by **amdavadi** » 03 Dec 2008 18:42

JS that story is funny as hell...it remind of my own TV stories.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 03 Dec 2008 19:55

Honda is joining the super bike party in India.Is planning to introduce the CBR 1000RR and another 800 cc model in Q1 of 2009.

Skanda · Post by **Skanda** » 08 Dec 2008 16:53

New Auto Rescue Plan Focuses on Oversight

Congressional Democrats are drafting legislation that would give the teetering Detroit automakers at least $15 billion in emergency loans early next week and grant the federal government broad authority to manage a massive restructuring of their operations.

The proposal, which could be put to a vote in Congress as soon as tomorrow, would establish a seven-member "auto board" of Cabinet officials and a chairman to be appointed by President Bush to oversee both the short-term loans and a long-term effort to restore the faltering industry to profitability. If the companies take the cash, they would be accountable to the government for nearly every move, and for every transaction of $25 million or more.

As part of that restructuring, General Motors, Chrysler and Ford could be asked to jettison their top executives, one of the chief architects of the plan, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), said yesterday. Stating bluntly that "GM is in the worst shape" of the three auto giants, Dodd said that GM chairman G. Richard Wagoner Jr., the company's chief since 2000, "has to move on."

"You have got to consider new leadership," Dodd said on CBS's "Face the Nation." "If you're going to really restructure this, you have got to bring in a new team to do this."

President-elect Barack Obama seemed to echo that view during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" yesterday, saying "we have to put an end to . . . the head-in-the-sand approach to the auto industry that has been prevalent for decades now."

Obama expanded on the point later at a news conference in Chicago, saying management should be replaced if the "team that's currently in place doesn't understand the urgency of the situation and is not willing to make the tough choices and adapt to these new circumstances."

The president-elect also for the first time publicly endorsed the idea of a short-term loan program to keep GM and Chrysler afloat through the first three months of the new year. Ford is also seeking access to a government line of credit but says it would only ask for the money if the economy weakens significantly. By contrast, GM executives have said that, without government help, they could run out of cash within the month.

On Friday, Democrats in Congress broke a weeks-long stalemate with the White House over aid to the automakers, agreeing to draw funds from an existing loan program created by Congress to promote fuel-efficient technologies, as the White House had long proposed. Since then, the two sides have worked through the weekend to reach a compromise, but they have yet to agree on many details.

A White House official declined late yesterday to comment on the Democratic proposal, saying it has not been transmitted to the White House or to congressional Republicans. The Bush administration has drafted its own proposal for managing the bailout, including appointment of a "financial viability advisor" within the Commerce Department who would have vast power to force the car companies into bankruptcy unless their executives, their workers and their creditors make concessions.

As described by Democratic aides, the Democratic proposal stops short of that model, treating the auto giants more like the banks and other financial institutions that have sought help under the $700 billion financial rescue program administered by the Treasury Department.

Under the Democrats' proposal, the Detroit Three would be eligible for low-interest loans to be disbursed by the Treasury on Dec. 15. The seven-year loans would carry a 5 percent interest rate for the first five years, and 9 percent thereafter -- the same terms offered to financial firms under the Treasury program.

As long as the loans are outstanding, the auto companies would be barred from paying dividends to their shareholders or bonuses to their top executives. And they would be required to submit a long-term restructuring plan to the auto board by March 31.

Skanda · Post by **Skanda** » 08 Dec 2008 16:55

The previous post continued....

The proposal also does not mention changing the companies' leadership, aides said. Reacting to Dodd's suggestion to oust Wagoner, GM spokesman Steve Harris said "the employees, dealers, suppliers and the GM board of directors feels strongly that Rick Wagoner is the right guy and best guy to lead us through these tough times."

Democratic leaders hope to bring their plan up for a vote this week, when lawmakers return to Washington for a special session. Dodd said he is optimistic that it would win congressional approval, despite distaste among lawmakers in both parties for the idea of pouring taxpayer dollars into companies on the brink of failure.

"Even people who don't like this idea, none of us want to wake up on January 1 and discover we don't have an industry to save," Dodd said.

Others were less sanguine. Richard C. Shelby (Ala.), the senior Republican on the Senate Banking Committee and a staunch opponent of government aid for the car companies, derided the developing plan as "a bridge loan to nowhere." Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Shelby said he may filibuster the proposal in the Senate, a move that would effectively kill it.

Asked whether Democrats have the votes to approve an auto bailout, Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) called that "a complicated question."

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 10 Dec 2008 20:05

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/12/10/sa ... index.html

more oppty for tatas and mahindras.

Yogi_G · Post by **Yogi_G** » 14 Dec 2008 21:37

SaiK wrote:http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/12/10/sa ... index.html

more oppty for tatas and mahindras.

If you meant the acquisition of Saturn by Tata and Mahindra, i doubt that the former will do so. Tata recently put a freeze on non-critical acquisitions and has asked the group companies to rein in spending.

Probably Mahindras might be interested in Chrysler's JEEP

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 15 Dec 2008 00:40

mahindras taking over gm jeep, and coming out with a diesel hybrid jeep would send reverberations in the auto industries.. this would be a fantastic move by an Indian company. can they do it? of course, if jeep onlee is available for sale.

Ameet · Post by **Ameet** » 16 Dec 2008 02:13

Jaguar XF Review. Given 4.5 out of 5

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/c ... page_autos

Jaguar has been something of an orphan brand since Ford (F) sold it and Land Rover to India's Tata Motors (TTM) earlier this year. Even by the miserable standards of the battered auto industry, sales are weak. Automotive News magazine estimates the combined U.S. sales of all Jaguar and Land Rover models in November at a mere 3,220, about the same as Suzuki.

It's a shame Jaguar is languishing because the new '09 Jaguar XF is one of the finest luxury sport cars I've ever driven. If you want a sporty, rear-wheel-drive sedan with a six-speed automatic transmission that can also be shifted manually via steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters—the package a large part of the buying public is opting for these days—the XF is a marvelous vehicle: Quick, fun to drive, with gorgeous exterior styling and a truly beautiful interior.

The XF isn't a classic driver's car because you can't get it with a stick shift. But it's designed to compete with premium models such as BMW's (BMW) 5 Series, Mercedes' (DAI) E Class, Audi's A6, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti M45, and the Lexus GS 460, and has similar speed, and handling, as well as styling and luxury appointments that match or surpass all of those rivals.

Not surprisingly, the XF also carries a premium price. It comes in three trim lines, Luxury (starting at $49,975), Premium Luxury ($55,975), and Supercharged ($64,475). The Luxury versions of the car are powered by a 4.2-liter, 300-horsepower V8. The engine in the Supercharged XF is a juiced-up version of the same V8 rated at 420 horsepower.

However, even the basic (if you can call it that) "luxury" version of the XF comes well loaded, with standard equipment that includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, keyless starting, a power operated tilting and telescoping steering wheel, rear parking assist, 10-way power adjustable front seats, an upscale sound system with a CD player, auto-dimming mirrors and full power accessories.

The Premium Luxury trim line adds 19-inch heels, more leather upholstery, a navigation systems, keyless entry as well as ignition, and 16-way power adjustable and heated front seats. Aside from the supercharged engine, the top-end version of the XF adds 20-in. wheels, an even better audio system with a six-CD changer and satellite radio, cooled as well as heated front seats, a power rear window shade, an active suspension system and bigger brakes.

The main option on the Supercharged XF is adaptive cruise control for $2,200. But most of the fancy standard gear on the Supercharged XF is available as optional equipment on the luxury versions of the car. Adaptive cruise control is available at the same $2,200 price, while 20-in. alloy wheels cost an extra $3,700 and a navigation system $1,000.

The XF hasn't yet been crash-tested in the U.S. but comes with standard safety gear than includes front, side, and head-protecting side curtain airbags, antilock brakes, active head restraints, and stability and traction control. A blind-spot monitor (which alerts the driver when the car is being overtaken by other vehicles) is optional on the luxury versions of the car and standard on the Supercharged XF.

With the smaller engine, the XF is rated to average 19 miles-per-gallon (16 in the city and 25 on the highway). Opting for the supercharged V8 lowers the rating to 17 mpg (15 in the city, 23 on the highway).

Behind the Wheel

The XF matches the speed of the BMW 5 Series, which is to say that it's very quick. With the smaller of the two V8 engines, the XF will accelerate from 0 to 60 in just over six seconds, according to Jaguar, which is about the same as the BMW 528i. However, with the transmission in sport mode and using the paddle shifters, I consistently clocked the Premium Luxury XF at 5.9 seconds. The Supercharged XF will do 0 to 60 in 5.1 seconds, Jaguar says, which is about the same as the 535i.

The XF has one of the most gorgeous cabins I've ever seen. The dash, seats, and door are covered in elegant stitched leather, complemented by beautiful burled walnut and dimpled aluminum trim. The front seats are unusually comfortable, with ample and well-positioned armrests both in the center console and on the doors. The shift knob, emergency brake, and starter button are on the left side of the center console next to the driver, leaving room for three large cup holders on the right side. When not in use, the cup holders can be concealed under stylish burled-walnut drawers.

There are numerous other distinctive design touches in the XF. For instance, the glovebox pops open when you push on the walnut dashboard trim. In the place of a shift lever, there's a knob that pops up when you push the starter button. The driver turns the knob to the right to set the electronic transmission in (in order) Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, or Sport mode.

In contrast to some competing models, putting the car in Sport mode makes a noticeable difference. The transmission shifts more quickly and the engine's appealing growl seems even angrier. The paddle shifters respond almost instantly when you do the shifting yourself.

Also in contrast to some competing models, the XF has a big trunk (nearly 18 cu. ft.) The rear seats fold down flat in an unusual 75/25 pattern. The backs of the middle and driver's side rear seats fold down together, creating a large open hauling space when you need one. If all you need is a small space for skis or other long objects, you can fold down the passenger-side rear seat alone.

One small negative about the XF is that head and legroom in the rear seat is slightly cramped, though that's true of other models in this category.

A bigger negative about the XF is that it doesn't do well on ice and snow (I know this for sure because I drove my test car extensively in bad weather). General Motors' (GM) Cadillac CTS, Mercedes E Class, BMW's 5 Series, Audi A6, and Infiniti M45 all are offered with optional all-wheel drive and are much better bets if you do a lot of winter driving.
Buy it or Bag It?

If you're thinking of buying a German or Japanese luxury sport sedan, and you don't need all-wheel drive or a stick shift, the Jaguar XF should be on your shopping list. I liked the car so much I found myself taking it for a spin just for fun, which is something a jaded reviewer like me doesn't do with most test cars.

The XF, however, is pricey. It sells for an average of $54,169, after an average cash rebate of $1,500, according to the Power Information Network (PIN). That's nine grand more than the $45,000 average price of all '09 models in the midsize premium category, PIN says.

At about $50,000, the average price of the '09 BMW 528i and '09 Mercedes E350 is considerably less, though the '09 BMW 535i averages about three grand more than the XF.

The '08 Infiniti M45 ($53,353) and the '08 Lexus GS 460 (about $52,000) both cost slightly less than the Jaguar, according to PIN. The '08 Audi A6, which is selling for about $46,000, costs a lot less, partly because A6 is getting a makeover for the '09 model year. (PIN, like BusinessWeek, is a unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies).

The bargain in the segment is the '09 Cadillac CTS, which sells for an average of $39, 247, PIN says. The Caddie can't match the Jag's elegance, but it's a very nice car for the money.

If you're considering any of the above models, give the Jaguar a test-drive before buying. I found its combination of beauty and brawn far more appealing than I expected to.

Yogi_G · Post by **Yogi_G** » 16 Dec 2008 05:18

hey all...I have had this question for a long time now....It is said that the Indica is the first indigenous car. Then what about the Tata Estate and Tata Sierra models which were quite popular in the mid-90s. Were they imported cars re-branded as Tata? If not what makes the Indica "Indigenous" while these mentioned cars are not???