Entry posted on September 8, 2009 by
Shrawan Raja;
Read More on BMW
The BMW Z4 which was displayed at the North American International Show this year, will enter India via CBU route next month. The cars are produced at BMW’s Regensburg plant in Germany. It will be priced at around 50-60 lakh rupees according to the company official.
The 6-cylinder BMW Z4 engine line-up -
- 2,497 cc – 204 PS@6400rpm and 250 Nm@2750rpm
- 2,996 cc – 258 PS@6600rpm and 310 Nm@2600rpm
- 2,979 cc – 306 PS@5800rpm and 400Nm@1300-5000rpm twin-turbocharged
The engines that BMW will offer on the Z4 in India is not known at this point. As we near the launch date, more information is expected.
Police Inspector Mrityunjay Hiremath of the ANC, Bandra unit -
Around 10 months ago, our unit had arrested many drug peddlers in Ghatkopar and Borivali in two separate operations. In Ghatkopar, we seized 100 kilograms of cannabis from peddlers and in Borivali 15 kilograms of cannabis were seized from them. In both the cases, vehicles used by the accused were Tavera.
Not good news. The Tavera is not only popular among taxi cab operators in our country.
Apart from this event, during several other raids, police found drug peddlers using the Tavera to transport contraband. Police claim this is so as the Tavera is cheaper than the Sumo and offers more space and convenience to store the banned substances.
On Friday, while I was commuting to my work place, I spotted two Chevrolet Cruzes being tested here in Chennai. Going by the number plates, the vehicles are test mules put together at the company’s plant in Halol.
As there was too much traffic and noise, I was unable to get anything from under the hood of these moving mules. Possibly one vehicle could have been petrol, while the other, a diesel.
The Chevrolet Cruze will be launched in India in October and according to sources, only a diesel engine with manual and automatic transmissions will be launched during this event. The powertrains are borrowed from the Captiva, which we had been driving the whole of last week, and it will soon be joined by petrol models with automatic transmission later this year, possibly at the Auto Expo.
Hyundai Motor India Managing Director H S Lheem, announced the Sante Fe’s arrival in India next year at the SIAM convention held last month. But the spy shot of the Sante Fe you see here was scooped in Dhaula Kuan, Delhi by one of our close followers. It was coming from South Delhi and moving towards West Delhi, 6-7 months back.
The variants, details on engine options and prices are unknowns today. The vehicle could be made official at the all-important Delhi Auto Expo in January next year, but even that is pure speculation.
The Suzuki Splash (Ritz as we know it) has been awarded with the prestigious ‘Hungarian Quality Product’ certificate. The certificate is issued for the 12th year and this year, in the ‘Machines, units, equipment, vehicles’ category, the Splash was picked as the winner.
As the name describes, the certificate is issued to products that meet quality levels demanded by the judges. The Splash is mass-produced in Hungary and thus was eligible for receiving the award.
The following is a press release sent to us by our friends at REVA Electric Car Company They are going to display two unique cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month. India’s pride – Dilip Chhabria, has designed the soft top while the other model is a L-Ion powered car with 160km charge and a respectable top speed of 104kmph.
I will discuss about the models in a detailed post tomorrow.
REVA to Unveil Two New Models at the 63rd Frankfurt International Motor Show
NXR & NXG Feature REVive Technology, Addressing Range Anxiety
Bangalore, September 7, 2009: REVA Electric Car Company, pioneer and technology leaders in the EV market will unveil two new models at the upcoming 63rd Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) – REVA NXR (next revolution) and REVA NXG (next generation).
The Captiva comes with 2.0 litre VCDI (Variable Common Diesel Injection) Engine that churns out 150 Bhp and around 320 Nm of earth moving torque, this is basically the same engine that comes in Optra magnum minus the Variable Geometry Turbo.
Start the engine in the morning and you will realize it I am sitting inches away an Diesel engine. But as it settles after some time, and by the time you have clocked the first few kilometers, it turns ultra-refined and silent. The engine has already won accolades amongst power junkies for its sheer torque and performance in manual guise. The engine manages fairly well with everyday driving and expressway drives. Considering its almost 2 tonnes which makes it almost as heavy as Endeavour, this 4-cylinder unit does a decent job propelling the Captiva forward with utmost ease.
Gear Box
When I first drove the manual cousin of this Chevy I had to say this “like all the Chevy products in India, this Gearbox lives up to its family image of spoiling the party” but in this avatar the tranny has actually turned the cards in favor of Captiva. The drivability has improved by miles and the drive feels far more relaxing and enjoyable. There’s a tiptronic which can make you drive in manual mode too to satisfy Schummi inside you. The Auto box has got some limitations also it’s not very quick to shift as compared to the CR-V but the low end torque from the motor and taller gear ratios can make it on par with petrol competition.
Ride & Handling
This macho machine rides on 17” wheels which offer it one of the best ride qualities you can find in any SUV at this price point. The Captiva feels home on any tarmac and ride is supple and comforting. Though when I received the vehicle I found it to be bit bouncy but soon found out the culprit to be the over-pressured tyresand after re- pressuring the tyres to the correct level, the Captiva was ready to make the rides enjoyable.
The steering offers decent feedback and always responds to your ask, though it gets bit vague as it builds speed because of the bit softer suspension setup.
The Handling has also improved from its manual cousin because of the AWD, though you still can’t expect it to be in the leagues of CR-V which drives like a sedan. AWD system in Captiva majorly works as a front wheel drive but it detects and offers traction to the rear wheels as and when required, thus inspiring more confidence while cornering. Because of its size and higher ground clearance it has a bit of body roll but all in acceptable limits and it never rises to your alarming senses.
