Archive for July, 2009

Back from the Camry launch; attended a special conference with company heads

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I’m back to Chennai, back in front of my computer and I hope my colleague Clement David kept you informed throughout today about what was happening in Bangalore. The new Camry is just a mild face-lift, there is very little that sets apart the new car from the old.

After the launch and press conference, a private conference was held for a small number of invitees. I was lucky to be part of this elite group, who bombarded Mr. Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director (Marketing), TKM and Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) with questions on Toyota’s strategy in India in the coming years.

All that will be discussed tomorrow morning in a special post.

click through for additional image

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Entry posted on July 31st, 2009 and filed under Toyota

2009 Toyota Camry Launched – High-res gallery and Press Release

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Press Release

Toyota Introduces The New Camry In India

New youthful and dynamic design enhances sense of sophistication

  • Modern new styling – New design exterior styling adds a touch of class.
  • Two new exciting colours – Available in Dark Green Mica Metallic and Beige Mica Metallic.
  • Superior luxury features include Plasmacluster A/C with Minus Ion Generator, intelligent rain sensing wipers, Moonroof, Audio, AC and MID control on steering wheel and 8-Way Power Driver Seat.
  • To be available in four grades and priced between Rs. 21. 26 Lakhs and Rs. 23. 40 Lakhs (Ex-showroom, Bangalore)

Bangalore, 31st July 2009 – Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. today announced the launch of the New Camry in India. The New Camry has been distinctively designed in stylish modern frame, making it a perfect combination of dynamism and performance. The New Camry represents the best of global motoring experience and also strengthens Toyota’s commitment to the Indian market.

Commenting on the launch of the next generation Camry, Mr. Hiroshi Nakagawa, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said, “The Toyota Camry has already redefined the concept of the premium luxury car in India. We are delighted to now introduce the New Camry that will offer an exclusive blend of modern styling and luxurious features to our Indian customers.”

Mr. Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director (Marketing), TKM, added, “The New Camry takes luxury and performance to greater heights than ever before. Intended to appeal to the customer who seeks the ultimate combination of style, power and driving comfort, the New Camry will be available at all Toyota dealerships from today.”

“The New Camry will be promoted extensively through an integrated marketing campaign comprising web, print, magazine, direct marketing, SMS, etc. We will focus on customers who would like a sophisticated luxurious car which reflects their lifestyle,” he added.

Exterior features:

The eye-catching design of the New Camry, its sleek aerodynamic curves and bold flowing lines inspire a sense of superiority and strength. Some of the advanced features in the New Camry include:

• Stylish chrome-rimmed foglamps and built-in LED turn signals on outer mirror add depth and class.

• New design front grille, imposing front bumper, futuristic multi-reflector headlamps and ten spoke alloy wheels enhance appeal.

Luxury features:

• Luxurious interiors with excellent leg and head room.

• Air-conditioning system equipped with ‘Plasmacluster Technology’ and ‘Minus Ion Generator’, which helps eliminate germs from the air, resulting in cleaner/healthier driving conditions.

• Independent temperature controls for the driver and co-passenger, thus maximizing individual comfort levels.

• Multifunctional steering wheel with audio control, multi information display and air conditioning control enable a safe and comfortable drive free of distractions.

• High end Psychoacoustics CD/MP3/WMA/Aux-in music system for heightened listening experience.

• Rear AC vents to keep rear passengers cool and refreshed.

Performance:

• Available in both A/T and M/T, the New Camry has a 2.4L 4 Cylinder VVT-i engine which delivers 167PS @ 6000rpm and a maximum power of 224Nm @ 4000rpm.

• The New Camry’s automatic variant is equipped with a 5-speed ECT (Electronically Controlled Transmission), which utilizes advanced technology for a smooth shift feel and linear acceleration.

Safety features:

• Antilock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Break-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA) ensure appropriate braking power on all 4 wheels.

• Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) automatically controls engine output and braking power on each wheel and WIL (Whiplash Injury Lessening) Concept Seats prevent neck injuries in case of rear end collision.

• Six SRS airbags (Driver + Front Passenger + Front Side + Curtain), collapsible steering column, safe cabin structure and many other safety elements have been incorporated for superior safety considerations.

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Entry posted on July 31st, 2009 and filed under Toyota

Video – Fiat Palio Weekend Electrico

This video shows Fiat’s Electric car in more detail. The model was created in partnership with the Itaipu hydroelectric plant. The car runs on a 20HP motor, and can reach a top speed of 100 km/h.

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Entry posted on July 31st, 2009 and filed under Fiat

Mahindra Pik-Up to be sold in US by Feb 2010

Mahindra Pik-Up to be sold in US by Feb 2010

Following the Australian launch, Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) is ready to kick-start the production of ‘Pik-up’ for the US market by year end. Sales is likely to commence by February next year.

“We will start production of Mahindra ‘Pik-up’ utility vehicle by December this year for the US and by end-February next year, the vehicle will be sold there (in the US),” Mahindra and Mahindra President (Automotive sector) Pawan Goenka said.

M&M has recently gained profits of Rs 400.85 crore in the first quarter of 2009, which is a giant leap against Rs 159.30 crore in the same quarter last year.

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Entry posted on July 31st, 2009 and filed under Mahindra

Toyota plans to enter A & B segments by 2011

At the Toyota Camry facelift launch in Bangalore, the Japanese car maker announced the likelihood of its entry into the A and B segments by end 2010 or start 2011.

The company stated that an all-new compact car platform for the Indian market is under development. The new platform will be underpinned to hatchback and compact sedan exteriors.

At present, Toyota plans to launch only petrol versions.

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Entry posted on July 31st, 2009 and filed under Toyota

Official:Toyota Fortuner to be launched on 24th August

Official:Toyota Fortuner to be launched on 24th August

The highly anticipated SUV – Fortuner according to Sandeep Singh, Deputy Managing Director(Marketing) Toyota Kirloscar Motors, will be launched on the 24th next month. There have been plenty of speculations about its price, but we expect it to be priced in the Rs 18 lakh – 19 lakh bracket.

The Indian Toyota Fortuner will be powered by a 3.0-Liter Common Rail Diesel engine (163hp, 35kgm), that drives all four wheels using a full-time four wheel drive system. A 2.7-liter VVT-i petrol engine might also be available.

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Entry posted on July 31st, 2009 and filed under Toyota, toyota fortuner

Toyota Camry Facelift Launch – Update

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The new upgraded Toyota Camry was launched a few minutes ago in Bangalore. Below are the details from the launch

  • Launched in four variants W1, W2, W3 & W4
  • Price range from Rs.21.26 – Rs.23.43 lakh
  • 2.4L VVT-i petrol engine to remain
  • Bookings and deliveries to start on 1st August 2009

Exterior

  • new Chrome Grille
  • new front bumper
  • Multi-reflector headlamps
  • Chrome Ringed fog-lamps
  • LED turn lamps
  • Aero wiper blades
  • Moon roof
  • New 10 spoke 16″ alloy wheels
  • New colours
  • Printed antenna on rear glass

Interior

  • New instrument panel
  • Optitron meter with Multi information display
  • 60/40 split rear seats
  • 6 CD changer stereo
  • ipod connectivity with AUX in ports

click here to view new Toyota Camry’s Interactive Dashboard

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Entry posted on July 31st, 2009 and filed under Toyota

IAB Coverage – Toyota Camry Facelift to be launched shortly

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Toyota Kirloskar Motors will be launching the refreshed Camry in a couple of hours. IAB is now in Bengaluru (Bangalore) ready to cover the launch and bring to its readers the latest info, images, interviews, etc.

Watch this space for more updates

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Entry posted on July 31st, 2009 and filed under Toyota

Spied – 2010 Hyundai i40/Sonata YF dashboard

Spied – 2010 Hyundai i40/Sonata YF dashboard

Filled with wires and electronics, this definitely is not how the production i40’s dashboard would look like. Last time we showed you the i40’s dashboard, it was blurry, not this time though.

Leftlane news has published a clean shot of the interior of the upcoming i40/Sonata YF. The dashboard has a range of shapes and objects, symmetric and non symmetric. The A.C vents is how chocolate would dissolve in hot milk. The tacho and speedo dials are like the big spot lights used in prisons to catch escaping inmates!

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Entry posted on July 30th, 2009 and filed under Hyundai, Hyundai Sonata YF, Spy pictures

Now Official – 2010 Suzuki Kizashi

The car we’ve been waiting for all year is out in the open! Suzuki has released an exhaustive press release and set of images that will sweep you off the ground. Welcome everyone, to what would be the most beautiful car you could buy for under twenty lakh rupees – the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi

Did you know? We have been tracking the footsteps of the Kizashi since we started blogging last year.

To start with, the Nurburgring-honed Suzuki Kizashi will come with a 2.4-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder engine that is coupled to a CVT or a six-speed manual transmission, which would the preffered car for Indian customers when it comes here next year.

The Kizashi stands on gorgeous 18 inchers, comes with standard eight airbags, ABS, EBD and ESP.

Now that the Kizashi is launched in the U.S, all we want to know is when it would come to India. Is it going to steal the thunder at the Auto Expo 2010?

click past the break for images and press release

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Entry posted on July 30th, 2009 and filed under Maruti Suzuki Kizashi, Suzuki

Live Feed 5 – Audi A4 3.2 FSI Quattro

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When you start the car, male or female, car lover or not, the exhaust grunt of the 3.2-liter V6 engine pumps up your adrenaline, it sounds like a sports car. Shift to drive from park, release the brake, and once you cross 1,200 rpm hurriedly, there is a massive power exchange between the engine and the wheels, which sucks you in. You’re pushed back into the seat, your head tries to cave into head rest. The acceleration is insane.

Steering feedback is tremendous. It is nothing short of a sports car’s steering system. The thick rubber also helps in this aspect.

Three modes namely Comfort, Auto and Dynamic are the drive settings. Comfort mode is for highway cruising, in Auto mode the ECU sorts out the the car and the dynamic mode is for the late night thrill ride. The suspension on the mode becomes stiffer (by a small margin), the throttle response also becomes sharper and the gear ratios are re-assembled closer.

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Good view of the road after the high seat setting boosted confidence. The graphical park assist system helped in commuting through thick traffic. The suspension was a bit bumpy and shaky. If you were driving on continuous stretches of bad roads, you would end up with a headache.

The ground clearance is very low, and we had a few minor underbelly contacts with the speed breaker even when we took them at 10kph. We learned the best way to take the speed breakers was by driving the car at an angle through them.

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We took control of the gearbox using the paddle shifters and in second gear, the car easily raced past 100kph. The paddle shifters are not advisable for the inexperienced.

Adaptive braking system helps in slowing the car at any speed. ABS and EBD work together, its braking system is the best in its segment.

We’ve explained the sensation of driving an A4 as short as possible. The painful part is the fuel economy of this thing – An average of around 5.5-6 kmpl of hard highway and city driving resulted at the end of the day. Around 200 kms, 60-70 kms city rest in the highway should not bring out such figures. It’s not going to be easy owning such a car. 200 bucks of fuel could run out the moment you pass the first intersection.

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Entry posted on July 30th, 2009 and filed under Audi, Car Reviews

Live Feed 4 – Audi A4 3.2 FSI Quattro

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Just like this sexy car, the tacho, temperature, fuel and speedo needles are bright red. The MID between speedo and needle projects useful information like gear mode, range and also displays the speed, if you are not for analog displays.

In park mode, no matter how much you step on the accelerator, the engine will not cross 4,000rpm. It is a safety feature to protect engine from damage. The note of this car’s exhaust is addictive, and this feature could have been a result of few addicted owners, whose cars ended up in an overhaul section of Audi’s service station.

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A.C vents have chrome lining. The dashboard material is soft and you can sink the edge of your finger into it. The engine can be started either by pressing the start-stop button (should not be confused with the fuel saving technology) or by slotting the whole key into the port between the A.C vent and steering wheel.

The main center LCD screen is not responsive to touch and not as big as on some of the other cars we’ve driven recently. The screen lets you control the radio station and CD sound track when you are not viewing information about the car, checking if everything is in working order.

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Below the audio system, there are controls for two-zone climate control.

The inside of the deep glovebox is coated with soft material. This will protect books and papers from getting tattered, as you take corners at three digit speeds. There is no vent inside the dashboard to store perishables, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

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The boot of this car is not its strongest point. We’ve not verified it, but it appears like it has less space than the C-Class, and unlike many cars, the loading pathway is wide, which is a big plus. You get a spare tire, which is non-alloy and non-radial. The spare tire is the “get me home” type, which is lighter and cheaper. Who said cost cutting is only for the Nano?

60:40 split seats help in increasing storage volume.

in the next update we’ll talk about the engine, gearbox, ride and handling. So stay tuned!

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Entry posted on July 30th, 2009 and filed under Audi, Car Reviews

Live Feed 3 – Audi A4 3.2 FSI Quattro

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At the back seat -

Getting into the back seat is a bit of a struggle. But once you manage to get in, you’re back into the comfort zone of the A4. The rear seats offer good support to your back, there is plenty of thigh and support for your head and neck. The roof is cut out in two places, which maximize head room.

The leg room is average, wait, it is ordinary. By our calculation, the Skoda Superb, which we drove a while back, offers two times the leg room of the A4, and costs almost half as much! OK, that’s not a fair comparison, but this is to give you an idea.

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There is a hand rest on the door which suits people of various sizes (and shapes). The rear seats have pores in them which channel cool air into your torso. Ahh! It feels like heaven.

The hump at the rear is dreadful. I think international governments should abolish the hump once and for all. It intrudes into useful cabin space, and makes life for the middle passenger like victims of Nazi concentration camps. The hump here is noticeably higher than the C-Class. Perhaps it is so because we’re seated lower.

There’s a central arm rest, which contains cup holders and a first aid kit. A remote sun visor on the rear windshield keeps sunlight at bay, makes life of the A.C easier. Talking about A.C, a feature that we appreciate – rear A.C vent.

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There are in fact two A.C vents on the slab, which beneath has an ash tray and power outlet. The netted map holder is a simple and brilliant idea – you never pick the wrong magazine if you are a bit of a voracious reader. The reading lamp, likewise is at your serice when it gets dark.

The power window switches are placed on the doors, but unfortunately, the window does not roll down completely. We’re seated lower than usual, and with the rear glass jutting out, some rear comfort is lost.

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But the sound! you have to listen to the Bang&Oflusen play Coldplay. Its whimsical. The speaker looks elegant, it should have complex diodes and circuits inside it, working hard to make such crystal clear music. By far the best audio quality we’ve been prone to inside an automobile.

The niceties continue with the keyless entry thing. As long as you have the key in your pocket, the Audi is your car, dancing to the tunes you play.

Next update, we’ll run a check on the dashboard materials and boot space, followed by the suspension and performance.

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Entry posted on July 30th, 2009 and filed under Audi, Car Reviews
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