My car won’t start, what should I buy next?

I was brought up in the lush green tea gardens of Assam where everything runs like clock work. As expected, a tea planter is very particular about all the little things. Don’t know how I turned out to be, well me, but one of the lasting impressions that the lifestyle has had on me is related to cars.

We in the tea planter community like to keep our cars in absolute mint condition. We have had cars over 10 years old in spanking condition complete with a log book and everything. And I try to keep my ageing Zen in much the same condition. Although like the average Delhi resident, I do not have a garage for my car.

It therefore was quite a shocker for me one morning as my car refused to start. Upon closer inspection everything appeared to be fine on the face of things under the hood.

This got me thinking, maybe it’s time to think about another car, maybe this one has had it all. After all, how can a Maruti not start?

So I started wondering, which car in the Indian market should I buy. I want a hatchback, but one that is a joy to drive, comfortable and well kitted too. The only car that came to my mind was the Ford Figo, I don’t really like the way the new Swift looks and the Polo 1.6 is no more, as for the MINI Cooper S, that’s clearly out of my budget.

But then word is out that Ford will be launching the new Ford Figo powered by their cutting edge 1.0 litre EcoBoost petrol engine in 2014. And Ford makes some of the best affordable driver’s cars. So there is no way I’ am buying a car that will be outdated in less than two years, and if you are an enthusiast it’s a waste of money as real world performance is roughly on par with the Zen.

Then there is the direct injection turbocharged 1.2 litre Volkswagen Polo that has also been caught testing in India. Nice! But it still isn’t on the market yet.

Sedans? Don’t really need one and there isn’t anything for the enthusiast anyway.

You see the dilemma here. India is full of outdated petrol cars (in terms of engine technology) and there isn’t a single car for the enthusiast. Oh and forget about rear-wheel drive.

Ricardo has just been awarded for its new turbocharged spray-guided gasoline direct injection (T-SGDI) combustion system with five injections per cycle and electric supercharging that offers exceptional fuel economy, higher torque and performance all at the same time.

I always said, in the bid to improve diesel engines the petrol motor was almost completely left untouched until very recently. Technology will forever evolve, but it’s this next breed of light weight, direct injection, turbocharged petrol engines that will add a whole new definition of driving pleasure for petrolheads and indeed motorists for the near future.

Anyway, back to the Zen. I then managed to get a mechanic who also was equally puzzled as there wasn’t anything out of order under the hood. As it turns out one of the relay’s responsible for passing electricity while starting the car was a bit rusty.

Had the rust removed and now I’ am back to the Zen. Even though, this is a very old car the comfy coil spring suspension, smooth and precise gearshift, nimble handling, strong brakes and responsive engine give it an edge over big and heavy hatchbacks of today whose horsepowers are tuned more for economy rather than power.

With my mind now back to a state of Zen, my worries of buying a new car have been put to rest for good as Delhi is just not the place for a new car for an enthusiast on a budget. After all anyone who truly loves the automobile does not want a dent or scratch on it when they leave it parked at night.

Peugeot 208 GTi to smoke rubber by 2013

The year is 1984, and Peugeot has introduced their 205 GTi, a hot hatch with phenomenal performance that can top trump the hot hatch daddy, Volkswagen's Golf GTI.

Fast forward to 2012, and the Peugeot has made a comeback in the form of the 208 GTi. However, this time around the Peugeot and the Volkswagen are two quite different cars. The Volkswagen Golf GTI now in its sixth generation is a full sized family hatchback while the Peugeot 208 GTi stays true to its origins by staying in the supermini segment.

When Peugeot considered bringing back their original hot hatchback their intentions were simple, to create a small, modern, fun to drive car that harked back to the 205 GTi.

The end result is a compact hatchback with a 1.6 litre turbo charged petrol engine. Named the 1.6 THP (short for Turbo High Pressure) the engine has been lifted straight out of their 308 GTi. It develops 200PS of power and 275Nm of torque in the 208 GTi and is mated to a six-speed manual close-ratio gearbox.

When those statistics are put into the compact metal shell of the 208 GTi that weighs in at just 1,160 kgs, the end result is 0-100 km/h in less than 7 seconds and a touted top whack of 225 km/h. Combined with a traction control system that can be completely switched off the Peugeot 208 GTi is a recipe for unbridled fun.

"The 208 was an excellent base for developing a sports hatchback. We have worked with particular attention on the steering response, the chassis dynamics and the rigidity of the suspension. The 208 GTi successfully combines performance, safety and driving pleasure." Marie Beaumont, 208 GTi Dynamics Manager

The chassis of the vehicle has been tweaked to create driver involving dynamics. The suspension, calibration of shock absorbers, anti-roll bars, enhanced front subframe and rear crossmember rigidity along with the 17 inch diamond carbon wheels all add up to create a driver’s car.

Stopping power is provided by 302mm ventilated discs at the front and 249mm at the rear that are cooled by air intakes that help them provide precise braking.

Staying with hot hatchback trademarks, the styling of the Peugeot 208 GTi involves design cues on the exterior of the vehicle with various chrome inserts (including the GTi badge next to the rear quarter window) and striking lines that convey its intentions. On the inside, the colour scheme involves red, black and satin chrome and red GTi overstitching throughout.

The recently launched 208 hatchback that has racked up over 9,000 bookings in the U.K has given Peugeot the confidence to confirm production of the 208 GTi hot hatchback, the car will hit the market in spring of 2013.

The car will be showcased at the upcoming 2012 Paris Motor Show.

Polaris celebrates one year India anniversary in style

Powersports vehicle maker Polaris recently completed a year in the Indian automobile market. In its one year tenure Polaris has played its cards right by taking part in and hosting a number of off-road events that showcased the capabilities of their all-terrain vehicles.

To mark the company’s successful year in the India Polaris organised an anniversary celebration near the village of Dhauj in Faridabad, Haryana. Much to my liking the celebrations included a fair bit of off-roading. 

Polaris had chosen Camp Wild, an adventure camp in Faridabad for the occasion. When we got there, Pankaj Dubey, Managing Director of Polaris India was there to greet us in his usual warm manner. At the time of the company’s India debut he had rightly said that the specialized automobile market is at a very nascent stage in India. A year later the M.D. confidently says that Polaris India has achieved its sales targets. 

The company is strategically going about carrying out its expansion plans throughout the country, on the 8th of August 2012 Polaris inaugurated its newest India dealership in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. 

Talking done, I buckled myself into a Ranger RZR once again and fired it up. The familiar sound of the engine reminded me of how capable this machine truly is. Eager to experience the capabilities of the Ranger RZR again I put the automatic gearbox into D, selected four-wheel drive and set off. 

Read my First Drive report on the Polaris Ranger RZR - http://www.zigwheels.com/reviews-advice/reviews/polaris-ranger-rzr-first-drive/9925/1

The path from Camp Wild to the off-road location had a tarmac section and in an instant I was reminded of how quickly the Ranger RZR could gather speed. The buggy’s light weight combined with the high revving 760cc fuel injected engine that churns out 53PS of power can catapult the Polaris Ranger RZR from 0-100 km/h in about 4.5 seconds and that’s proper sportscar territory.

As the fleet of Polaris Rangers and Sportsman ATVs gunned it to the off-road section a miracle took place. For the first time ever, cows literally ran off our path when they heard the buggies coming. Soon enough the leader of the pack swerved off the road and we followed. 

And this is where the Polaris Ranger RZR comes into its own. Its adjustable Dual A-Arm suspension up front and Independent rear suspension cushioned sharp bumps and rocks on the path like nobody’s business. The suspension irons out everything and when you do go over a huge boulder there is hardly any kickback from the steering wheel.

Carry decent speed into a corner and give it a bootful and the RZR kicks out its rear wheels even in four-wheel drive! Apply the right amount of steering correction and you have yourself an awesome powerslide. I then decided to check the effectiveness of the anti-lock brakes and the results were fantastic. Even over loose gravel the moment you step on the brakes the wheels somehow manage to find enough traction and bring the vehicle to a halt without any drama. 

As we headed deeper into the bush the road became smaller and by this time we had splashed across a number of water filled potholes to be covered in mud, Polaris style. We waded through seriously deep water that flooded the passenger compartment of the vehicle that drains out the moment you drive out of water. There were some steep inclines and hillocks on the course that the Ranger RZR climbed with absolute ease. The vehicle’s short wheelbase combined with its long travel suspension means it can climb over the steepest of inclines and deep ruts without bottoming out.

All in all, if you want to experience the true sense of off-roading you have to drive a Polaris.

By the time we headed back towards the camp across the tarmac stretch, I once again felt new found respect for the Polaris Ranger RZR for the way it behaves off the road. If you are an off-road enthusiast you must experience it.

Maruti introduces limited edition WagonR Pro

The WagonR Pro is just another marketing gimmick by MSIL. Pay Rs. 7,000 more and buy the top of the line VXi

Maruti Suzuki has introduced yet another limited edition car in the form of the ‘WagonR Pro’. This limited edition WagonR is essentially a spruced up Wagon R LXi that gets a bunch of (13 to be precise) accessories.

All the 13 accessories put together are worth Rs. 30,000. It would be worth mentioning at this point that Maruti Suzuki is offering a 32 inch Sony Bravia LCD television free with the WagonR. Customers can either opt for the TV or take a cash discount on the car.

Maruti Suzuki has priced the WagonR Pro limited edition at Rs. 4,50,000 (on-road New Delhi) while the WagonR LXi is priced at Rs. 4,20,990 (on-road New Delhi).  That’s a difference of Rs. 29,010, which for a few frills is steep.

And if you consider that the better equipped WagonR VXi has a price tag of Rs. 4,50,000 (on-road New Delhi), the VXi happens to be better value for money.

The list of accessories with the WagonR Pro include

1. Double din stereo with USB connectivity                                       Rs. 9,490    
2. Floor mats                                                                                    Rs.    400
3. Rear spoiler                                                                                  Rs. 2,900
4. Car perfume                                                                                 Rs.    180
5. Bumper protection rubber strips                                                    Rs.    490
6. Wheel covers                                                                               Rs.  1,180
7. Side moulding                                                                               Rs.  1,200
8. 4 Speakers                                                                                   Rs. 1,200
9. Body graphics                                                                              Rs. 2,750
10. Seat covers                                                                                  Rs. 3,950
11. Security system                                                                            Rs. 4,925
12. Steering wheel cover                                                                    Rs. 250
13. Spoiler paint                                                                                Rs. 1,085

However, once the discounts on offer on the different variants are taken into consideration the situation becomes entirely different.

The limited edition WagonR Pro, includes a cash discount of Rs. 11,000 and if one opts out of the TV deal, another cash discount of Rs. 22,000 that brings the price down to Rs. 4,17,000 (on-road New Delhi).

The WagonR LXi currently has a cash discount of Rs. 11,000, a corporate discount of Rs. 5,000, again if you opt out of the TV deal, another discount of Rs. 30,990 bringing down its price to Rs. 3,74,000 (on-road New Delhi).

Considering the maximum discount available on both cars, the limited Edition WagonR Pro is Rs. 43,000 more expensive than the LXi. The major differences between the WagonR Pro and WagonR LXi being the absence of a stereo system and a security system in the LXi.   

The WagonR VXi has a cash discount of Rs. 3,000 and if you choose not to take the free television, another discount of Rs. 22,000 which pegs its price at Rs. 4,25,000 (on-road New Delhi).

The WagonR Pro is just another marketing gimmick by Maruti in an effort to boost sales of the WagonR that has taken a beating due to soaring petrol prices. While the free 32 inch TV definitely counts, Maruti Suzuki’s clever discount strategy places the limited edition WagonR Pro in the middle of the LXi and VXi variants making it an attractive proposition for buyers. Or is it?

I’d say, if you want a WagonR, just pay Rs. 7,000 more and get the VXi.

For that money you will get fog lamps, rear power windows, rear defogger and wash wipe. The only place you lose out on is USB connectivity for the stereo, instead you have to make do with an AUX port.

You can also get the side stickers from Maruti for Rs. 2,750. 

Mankind’s pathetic attempt at making a tail lamp

Humans have evolved over centuries to become a fairly sophisticated being. The renaissance was huge in terms of evolution of the human mind and its intelligence. The renaissance period led to the industrial revolution which led to the rise of technology. And for most of mankind the evolution has been one that has taken our breed forward in every way.

In the midst of all that the automobile was born. The automobile is a giant scene in the industrial world. Which is all very well and good, because, well, I have a job as a result. Anyway, someone realised that a car is going to need lights for safety reasons. Big and powerful ones at the front to let you see where you are going and lots of little ones at the back to stop things from crashing into the back of a car at night. And everything was fine really, until just over a decade ago.

You see the red lights at the back of a car, called the brake lights were happily doing their job very well until someone came along and said’ ‘we should make them brighter’. For what? We can see them glowing in the dark, and everything has been fine for decades! But, no! No one seems to have bothered with the sensible option and as a result the bright brake lights caught on.

             The left tail light has LEDs while the right one has an incandescent bulb 

The end result are cars with brake lights that manage to damn nearly make you blind at night. I’ am sure if you fix one of those on a space station you could see it all the way from here. But the automobile industry for some reason thinks it’s a good idea to fix the blinding LED bulbs or multi-reflectors in their cars, and my God do they fix a considerable number of them in a tail light. They must have like a vending machine for the same. And that’s just the start of it. Have you seen what happens when the driver hits the brake pedal at night? The whole thing lights up like a Diwali celebration. I bet even Lord Ram never had as many diyas to welcome him home.

When the brakes come on in a modern car, everything behind it goes red and all driver in cars behind it can do is blindly hit the brakes till the car in front continues to do so. I was behind a new Audi the other day and that thing had really bright LEDs, and to make matters worse these cars have automatic gearboxes which means at a traffic signal the driver simply stands on the brakes till he wants to move forward instead of putting the car in ‘park’ mode. In moments like those all you can do is sit in your car and pray for the red horror to get over as soon as possible.

Someone told me the bright lights help other drivers identify a car in front on a foggy night. I’ am sorry, but if the human race can invent an automatic flush toilet I’ am pretty sure we can make a decent tail light that can be spotted on a foggy night and for the rest of the time do the job of a tail light and not of a million watt search light.

So, this is an appeal to car makers across the world really. Stop making us blind and please go back to those normal tail lamps that you lot used on the back of cars till about 2002 in India and get rid of the new rubbish ones which are much too bright to serve any purpose at all.  

A new Hindustan Motors Ambassador after six decades

Hindustan Motors Limited the oldest automobile manufacturer in India is planning to give the six decade old Ambassador a new life. The HM brand along with the Ambassador seems to have faded away into oblivion. Hardly anyone knows that the car is still in production. Technically, the low sales figures should have put an end to the car. Thanks for once, to our corrupt ministers (as we know anything the bureaucracy wants will stay) the car lived on.

Now however, HM has announced that they will be producing a sub 4 meter long Ambassador to take advantage of low excise duty, just like the Indigo CS. The somewhat short Amby will have a smaller boot. Interior comfort and legroom will be the same as the normal Ambassador. Anyone who has taken a seat in the Ambassadors from the Euro II era onwards will tell that the rear seat is more comfortable than that of a Mercedes Benz E Class. The massive bucket seats upfront are criminally comfortable, more like those reclining TV couches. If you aren’t careful it’s very easy to fall asleep in them. I should also mention that the aircon if used on full blast for sometime can turn you into a giant icicle after some time.

The Ambassador always has been and still is a legendarily comfortable car. HM has woken up and finally decided to do the car justice by announcing that in about a year they will launch a brand new Ambassador. The new car will feature a new aerodynamic design along with modern interiors and electronics. The new car will also come loaded with equipment and safety features. HM has decided that while the car will be made modern it will not compromise on its dependability, space and comfort. That’s a good thing. The Ambassador is a bench mark for the perfect comfortable grand tourer. It can eat up kilometre after kilometre without a sweat and will transport you in uber comfort. I’ am a big fan of the Hindustan Motors Ambassador and can’t wait for the new Amby to hit the roads. Let’s hope you don’t have to spend a fortune to maintain it like the current car. Also, HM should address the panel gap issue as goats and elephants can slip in without you noticing through the huge gaps between the doors.

Having said that, I think the current Ambassador Grand looks totally cool and retro, you still get those heavenly seats which you sink into. I wish I had the money to go buy one, in black. I know I would have to spend a fortune to maintain it but I don’t care. If Great Britain has the Rolls Royce Phantom we have the HM Ambassador, and we should be awful proud of it because, well at least we wholly own the company.

What I think HM should do is make the new car look like the late HM Contessa, more like a modern take on a muscle car. And they can continue to make the current Ambassador Grand as a classic car, albeit with better panel gaps and lower the cost of ownership by fitting quality parts.   

Here is to HM, although they took their own sweet time, may they make a great new Ambassador without losing its character and turn the old one into a retro luxury car.

Current Engine Trends

With increased environmental concerns and rising fuel prices car makers have come under pressure to build cleaner and more efficient engines. And they are driving down the road pretty well it must be said.

Car manufacturers are building smaller engines to reduce fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions. But it would be wrong to say that only a smaller engine is economical. If the engine technology is ancient you will end up with a small underpowered engine which consumes a lot of fuel and creates a lot of carbon emissions like the two cylinder engine in the Fiat 500 twinair.

Today, a number of technologies that go into making a small engine efficient, clean and powerful are technologies like Variable Valve Timing, Computer controlled power delivery through the Electronic Combustion Unit (ECU) to optimise fuel/air mixture in order to reduce wastage and optimise performance. A turbo charger can be bolted on to the engine to deliver adequate power out of a small engine.

In India, the Maruti Suzuki Swift has undergone this change. The old 1.3 liter petrol engine was replaced with the new K12 1.2 liter engine. The new 1.2 unit returns 14-15 km/pl while the 1.3 unit returned 12-13 km/pl. As a result it is more fuel efficient than the outgoing 1.3 liter and power delivery is better than the old unit too and acceleration off the line is faster. As a result the K12 Swift was a big hit for Maruti Suzuki as they created a win-win upgrade.

Earlier everyone though it was impossible to create a small diesel engine. Along came Fiat with their 1.4 Multijet engine which revolutionised the small diesel unit in India. It is a refined, powerful and economical unit. And the best example of that was in the Swift DDis which uses the same Fiat Multijet engine only Maruti have tweaked and made it more powerful. The Tata Indica’s diesel engine became crude and underpowered in front of the Multijet engine. With fuel prices soaring through the roof the cars powered by the Multijet engine like the Fiat Punto Multijet, Maruti Suzuki Swift DDis, Maruti Suzuki Ritz DDis, Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire DDis, Maruti Suzuki  SX4 DDis, Fiat Linea Multijet have become the ideal choice of the Indian car buyer.

Chevrolet India has stolen the show and announced that they are going to lead the small Diesel engine race by introducing a 3 cylinder 936cc engine which makes 58.5bhp in the Beat. When the Beat diesel goes on sale next month, it will be priced at about Rs.80,000 over the petrol models which will make it the most affordable diesel hatchback apart from the Tata Indica.

Ford India has announced that it will bring its 3-cylinder 1.0 liter ecoboost engine to India which will power its small cars. The engine will be equipped with a turbocharger, direct injection and twin independent variable camshaft timing. Ford say that the ecoboost motor will be as powerful as a 1.6 liter engine while managing to be more efficient.

While all that has been happening at the budget end of the market big manufacturers have taken a look at this small engine business. BMW which makes the ultimate performance saloon in the world, the BMW M5, has replaced the monstrous 5 liter V10 engine in the outgoing M5 with a 4.4 liter twin turbo charged V8 from the X5M.  BMW say it’s going to be more powerful, torquier and will also rev higher than the V10. The new engine will cut emissions by 25% over the old engine. While power has gone up from 500bhp in the old car to 560bhp in the new M5.

It is becoming clear now that engines are going to become not only smaller but also more powerful in the future with the growth of technology. A smaller engine consumes less fuel and reduces the weight of the car. It also helps better weight distribution which is why manufacturers are increasingly using turbochargers and superchargers in their cars. And not just in sports cars but also in regular hatchbacks to increase fuel efficiency and power. Very soon all our cars will be turbocharged or supercharged considering the mass production of turbochargers and superchargers will result in cheaper production costs.