Ford FIGO

Ford Motor Company President and CEO Alan Mulally today revealed the much-anticipated new car to be produced in India. Called the new Ford Figo, the car was unveiled at a press event in Delhi as a major addition to the Ford India brand portfolio.The Ford Figo, a new nameplate and a fresh face on the Indian market, signals Ford’s intention to compete in India’s largest and most important small car market segment.The Figo will come with a 1.2 petrol and a 1.5 diesel engine. Three variants Ambiente, Trend and Titanium. No word on pricing yet. That will only be known at the launch in March 2010. It is expected to be in the 5-6 lakh bracket

Ford Figo is the result of a significant Ford investment commitment to expand its plant near Chennai for volume production as a small-car centre of excellence regionally. Ford’s $500 million investment has doubled the plant’s production capacity to 200,000 units per year and introduces major advances in high-quality automation and innovative, eco-friendly production techniques.
Design-conscious Italy inspired the new Ford Figo’s name. Figo is colloquial Italian for “cool.”
From its modern headlamps, grille shapes and sculpted bonnet of its distinctive face to the subtle integrated spoiler and chamfered window shape at the rear, Ford Figo is filled with kinetic design touches. These also include sculpted shapes to the body side – chiseled front fenders, a “comet tail” undercut in the doors and additional light-catching sculpting in the lower bodyside – which combine to communicate the solidity, substance and protective safety of its design.With its wheels positioned at the four corners of the vehicle with minimal overhang, Ford Figo’s bold wheel arches self-assuredly signal its agility and solidity.


With more automation and high-tech new facilities, the new site reflects the latest Ford manufacturing processes globally and pioneers new technologies for Ford and India. Created with a “best of the best” approach, it has been benchmarked against other competitive facilities globally, as well as the current volume manufacturers in the Indian market, for quality and production efficiency.


The transformed plant introduces eco-friendly production techniques like its new Three-Wet High-Solids paint process. This approach produces beautifully painted vehicles with three wet coats – primer, base coat and clear coat – of high solids-content paint applied one after the other without oven curing between coats. A first for India, it produces fewer carbon dioxide emissions and reduces volatile organic compounds emissions by about 20 percent compared to current medium-solids solvent-borne paints. Use of high-solids content results in a paint finish with high levels of gloss and depth of colour which is more resistant to scratches and stone chips.

Yamaha V Max now in India!!!!

The new Yamaha VMAX is equipped with a 1679cc, 4-stroke, 4-valve, liquid-cooled, V-type, DOHC engine with a 6 speed gearbox. The 1679cc engine of Yamaha VMAX produces 200 PS power at 9000rpm and 166.8 Nm torque at 6500rpm. The 1679cc power plant of this bike offers great acceleration to cross the mark of 60 Mph(96 Kmph) speed in just 3.0 seconds and make it able to touch the top speed mark of 310 Kmph, with an electronic cut off at 220kmph. Yamaha VMAX will have a true super speed bike image and features.

The biggest change in technology in the new VMAX's engine is the switch to fuel-injection over the carbureted setup of the old 1,198cc mill. The end result is an engine that produces 200 PS of power and 166.8Nm of torque. To cope with the increased power outputs, the VMAX's engine now uses forged aluminium pistons and Fracture-split (FS) carburized con rods. Weight reduction and mass centralization is the new mantra here, with use of lightweight materials wherever possible. The engine also receives a healthy dose of Yamaha's G.E.N.I.C.H. (Genesis in Electronic engineering aimed at New, Innovative Control technology based on Human sensibilities) engineering philosophy that uses technologies like YCC-I (Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake) and YCC-T (Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle) which have been successfully implemented on the Yamaha R1 over the last few years.The YCC-I system is designed to vary the intake funnel length to give an optimized intake pulse that best suits the prevailing engine speed. In very general terms, a long intake passage tends to improve low to mid-range torque while a short passage helps at higher engine revs. In the VMAX, when the engine revs climb over 6,650rpm, electronic servomotors make each intake funnel separate instantly, creating a shorter intake measuring only 54mm, which enables the massive V4 motor to deliver even stronger performance from the mid-range right through to peak rpm. YCC-T on the other hand is a fly-by-wire system which using high computing speed assesses the engine's running conditions every millisecond and factors that into the equation along with the amount of throttle input from the rider to optimize the amount the throttle bodies need to open. This allows for instant throttle response at any engine speed along with the desired torque curve in all conditions and also prevents the engine from bogging down should the throttle be snapped open too quickly.

Just like its predecessor, power to the rear wheels is sent through a shaft drive system. But the new VMAX's system has been made much slimmer and more compact, while reliability has been dramatically improved. Among the other race-bred technologies to make their way on to the new VMAX is a slipper clutch, which prevents rear wheel lock up when downshifting rapidly. The new 4-1-2-4 exhaust system with short upswept mufflers not only sounds and looks fantastic, it also features a 3-way honeycomb catalyser to reduce exhaust emissions and meet stringent EU3 regulations.

Yamaha V-Max India specifications

Top Speed: 220kmph
Seat Height: 77.5cm
Wheelbase: 1700mm
Ground clearance: 140mm
Weight: 310kg
Engine: Liquid Colled, dohc, 4 stroke, 4 valve, V4 cylinder, 1687cc
Max Power: 200bhp at 9000rpm
Max Torque: 17kg at 6500rpm
Engine Management: Fuel Injection
Transmission: 5 speed gears
Fuel Tank: 15 liters
Clutch: Wet, multiple disc hydraulic slipper clutch with diaphragm spring
Suspension: FRONT – Soqi telescopic forks, 52mm; REAR: Soqui Shock link type suspension
Brakes: FRONT – Dual Discs 320mm, REAR – Single Disc 292mm
Tyres: FRONT – 120/70 R18M/C Bridgestone; REAR – 200/50 R18M/C Bridgestone

Pricing

The new V Max will be imported as a CBU and will make your wallet lighter by Rs. 20 lakhs (Ex-showroom, New Delhi).

Chevy Cruze-Hitting the market by Oct 2009

General Motors is planning to launch Chevrolet Cruze in C-segment in Indian car market. It is expected that the price of this model came in the range of Rs 10 to 12 lacs to compete with other C-segment cars. Chevrolet Cruze is the first global vehicle that General Motors will launch. Chevrolet Cruze is developed by global designers and engineers team of General Motors and will be manufactured at multiple locations around the world. Chevrolet Cruze is a mid-sized sedan and it is expected that it might replace Chevrolet Optra and Daewoo Lacetti globally in year 2009. General Motors plans to launch Chevrolet Cruze with both petrol and diesel engine options in Indian market. The company official indicates that this luxurious sedan will hit the Indian road by the end of August this year.

Chevrolet Cruze is the first vehicle by General Motors that produced at a revamped Delta 2 platform, an architecture which will be used for all small cars of General Motors around the globe. General Motors has scheduled to launch Chevrolet Cruze in India in the month of August this year. The Chevrolet Cruze price would be around in the range of Rs 11 to 13 lacs. This price range is set to compete with the other C-segment sedans like Toyota Corolla Altis, Skoda Octavia and Honda Civic.

ENGINE
The petrol variants of Chevrolet Cruze will be launched with two different powered engines option – its 1.6L, 1598cc, DOHC petrol engine with 5-Speed manual transmission that produces 113bhp power at 6400rpm makes it able to break the barrier of 100kmph in just 11.8 seconds and to achieve the top speed mark of 184kmph. While other variant of Chevrolet Cruze that will also be powered by the same engine but packed with 6-Speed automatic transmission gearbox offers bit less acceleration but it is also able to cross the mark of 100kmph in just 12.9 seconds and are able to touch the top speed mark of 179.2kmph.

The other petrol variants of Chevrolet Cruze that will be powered by more powerful engine are well known for delivering high performance and its excellent acceleration. It’s 1.8L, 1796cc, DOHC petrol engine with 5-speed manual transmission gearbox produce maximum power of 141bhp at 6200rpm and maximum torque of 176Nm at 3800rpm and makes Chevrolet Cruze able to cross the mark of 100kmph in just 10 seconds and to achieve the top speed mark of 198.4kmph. On the other hand it’s other variant that will be powered by same capacity engine but will be equipped with 6-speed automatic transmission gearbox, are able to break the barrier of 100kmph in just 11.5 seconds and to touch the top speed mark of 188.8kmph

The diesel variants of Chevrolet Cruze will be equipped with a more powerful engine that delivers excellent performance and power. Its 2.0L, 1991cc, SOHC diesel engine with 5-Speed manual transmission gearbox that delivers 150bhp of maximum power at 4000rpm and 320Nm of maximum torque at 2000rpm, offers great acceleration so that it can cross 100kmph mark in just 8.7 seconds and can achieve the top speed mark of 108kmph.

FUEL EFFICIENCY
As we stated earlier, Chevrolet Cruze will be launched with both petrol and diesel engine option – its petrol variants will be launched with two different powered engines while its diesel variants will be powered by 2.0L VCDi engine. Its petrol variants that will be powered by a 1.6L, 1598cc, DOHC petrol engine with MPFI (Multi Point Fuel Injection System) offers mileage 11kmpl in city roads and 16kmpl on highway on the other hand the variants that will be powered by the same engine but will be packed with 6-speed automatic transmission gearbox offers mileage 9kmpl in city roads and 15kmpl on highway.
The other petrol variants of Chevrolet Cruze that will be powered by 1.8L, 1796cc, DOHC petrol engine with MPFI (Multi Point Fuel Injection System) with 5-speed manual transmission gearbox offers mileage 10kmpl in city and 16kmpl on highway. While its variant that will be powered by same capacity engine but will be equipped with 6-speed automatic transmission gearbox offers mileage 9kmpl in city road conditions and 15kmpl on highway.

The diesel variants of Chevrolet Cruze that will be powered by a 2.0L, 1991cc, SOHC diesel engine with Direct Fuel Injection and with 5-Speed manual transmission gearbox, offers mileage 13kmpl in city traffic and 20kmpl on highway

INTERIOR
Chevrolet Cruze is a spacious and much luxurious sedan model which packed with lots of advanced and luxurious features that offers higher level of comfort and work as a stress buster. The comfortable features that will be available with Chevrolet Cruze are Climate Control AC, Advanced Audio System, Height Adjustable Comfortable Driver and Front Passenger Seat, 60/40 Split Folding Rear Seats, Rear Seat Centre Armrest, Pocket Front Seat Back, Tilt-able and Adjustable Telescopic Power Steering, Windshield Tinted Shaded Upper, Tinted Glass, Electrically Operated Front and Rear Windows with one touch down facility for driver side, Rear Parking Distance Sensors, Trip Computer, Additional Power Socket, Cigarette Lighter, Ashtray Front, Electro-Chromatic Rear View Mirror, Automatic Lighting Control, Cruise Control, Rain Sensitive Windscreen Wipers, Sun visors with Passenger Side Vanity Mirror, Sunglass Holder, Digital Clock, Front and Rear Cup Holders, Center Armrest with Storage and Illuminated Glove box.

EXTERIOR
Chevrolet Cruze is a dynamic styling sedan model that comes with stylish front with aggressive front grille with chrome affected surround and strong bonnet with chrome affected belt line that gives it muscular and aggressive front look. Other exterior feature that makes Chevrolet Cruze appearance more stylish includes Body Colored Bumpers, Front Fog Lamps, Body Colored Door Handles, Body Colored outside Rear View Mirror, 17 inch Alloy Wheels and Stylish Rear Combination Lamps.

Safety

Chevrolet Cruze will be packed with lots of advanced active and passive safety features for both driver and pedestrians. The active safety features that will be available with Chevrolet Cruze includes Dual Front Airbags, front Seat Side Airbags and Roof Curtain Airbags that offers safety in case of collision, ABS (Antilock Brake System) with EBD (Electronic Brake-Force Distribution) that enables the driver to maneuver the vehicle even during emergency braking, Front Ventilated Disc Brakes that de-accelerate the vehicle instantly, Traction Control and Electronic Stability Control. The other passive safety features that will be available with Chevrolet Cruze are Side Impact Beams, Height Adjustable Front Seatbelts, Front Seatbelts with Pretensioner, 3x3 Point Rear Seatbelts, Warning Lamp for Driver Seatbelt, Front Seatbelt Reminder, Height Adjustable Headrest with Tilting Function, Knee Protector, ISOFIX Child Seat Restraint System (2nd row outer rear), Child Locks and Central Locking.

Merc SLS-AMG->Gullwing Reloaded!!

Under the SLS AMG's long hood is a version of the V-8 that we've seen powering every Merc of this generation with an AMG badge--although, this time the engine actually displaces 6.3-liters. Output has been tuned to 563 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. The extra power comes partially from all-new intake and exhaust systems and a rejiggered valve train.

Power flows through a SpeedShift 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox and down an exotic carbon fiber driveshaft before meeting the road at the rear wheels. The gearbox features three driving modes for Comfort, Sport, and Sport plus, as well as an automated manual mode. Sixty miles per hour happens in a blistering 3.7 seconds with a top speed of 197 mph.

Of course, the SLS' real draw is it's design homage to the 300SL Gullwing. In addition to the wingdoors that hinge upward from the roof, the also SLS features the classic long-hood, short overhang design of the sports cars of old, with a small passenger compartment mounted just ahead of the rear axle.

Lamborghini Reventon Roadster

For all those people who wished..if reventon was made a convertible, here is it for you guys,
The Reventón Roadster's made its pictorial debut ahead of Frankfurt.

Perhaps looks modeled after an F117A stealth fighter, the 650HP, 6.5 liter V12, 211 MPH top speed and strictly limited production of 21 units weren't quite enough to urge you to buy one for the trifling $1.3 million asking price. It just didn't come with an open top, and that was inexcusable. Your prayers have been answered as the Reventón Roadster addresses the issue with a lift-off targa top and even greater exclusivity — only 20 units for this model. We'd consider one ourselves, but you can't get it in chrome. Oh, the price? Still a lark at a mere $1.75 million.Still 20 oil sheikh's from Dubai have already ordered it to become the unique lucky owners of the Reventon Roadster.

Mahindra Marksman

he Mahindra Marksman Armoured Vehicle is Mahindra’s attempt at making India’s first armoured capsule based light bullet proof vehicle.The Marksman is developed by Mahindra Defense Systems and will be launched soon (not for purchase by civilians yet, though there might be a civil version later on). The Marksman very much resembles German bullet proof vehicles from 1940s which we get to see in the latest World War 2 games.
The body of the car is very tough, you can feel its bullet proof. Everything from the exterior to the interior has been designed with utmost detail. There is even a fire extinguisher, just in case. The pilot of the vehicle can make announcements via the speaker on the front bumper. The Marksman uses a 2.5L CRDE engine which is BS3 compliant. With 105bhp of power on tap at 3800rpm and 228Nm of torque between 1800-2200rpm the engine is good enough to haul the 3200kg (2600kgs unladen + 600kgs of payload) vehicle. The car can seat 6 [2 (driver, co–driver) + 4 (rear)]. The car has a 5 speed manual gearbox and 4 wheel drive along with power steering. Air conditioning is available as an option.
The front use discs & calliper whereas the rear uses drum brakes. The independent suspension (front) and rigid leaf spring along with shock absorber (rear) ensure this heavy vehicle will stay put on the road on any conditions. Though tires are not tubeless, Mahindra offer run flat system as an optional. Tire size is a good 245/75/16 of triangle make. The alloys seem to have been lifted straight from the Scorpio. Turning radius is a decent 5.8m for a vehicle of this size. The Marksman will hit a top speed of 100kmph, if need be.

The Mahindra Marksman provides a host of safety features and protection : -

Ballistic Protection

• Sides – Can withstand three direct hits of 7.62 X 51mm NATO Ball M80, 7.62 X 39mm Ball PS and 5.56 X 45mm Ball M 193 at a distance of 10m at 90º angle attack.
• Top – Can withstand three direct hits of above ammunition at a distance of 10m at 45º angle attack.
• Floor – Protection against two DM 51(German norm) hand grenades detonated under the vehicle simultaneously.
• Additional protection – All joints and welding have overlap. The rear stowage boxes provide protection to crew when using the rear door.
• Cuppola has an machine gun mount with 270º traverse and protection.
• Seven crew firing ports.
• Outward facing configured rear seat and wide bulletproof windows allows total operational orientation of the crew sitting at the rear.
• Search light mounted on top of the vehicle controlled from inside the vehicle by the driver/co driver.
• Rear view camera and a TV screen for the driver and co driver to see the dead zone behind the vehicle.
• Military/user specified stowage and fittings can be catered for.

  OPERATIONAL ROLES : -
  

  Counter Terrorist Operations

• Patrolling in high intensity areas
• Special Forces operations
• Quick Reaction Teams
• Mobile Check Points
• Convoy protection and escort