SUV Adventure

2 Mahindra Scorpios go further and beyond

2010-04-27T05:32:00.000-07:00

“The future of India lies in its youth”. A lot of very wise men have emphasized this for as long as my memory serves me. In reality however, the youth were drawn inexplicably to urban life, and were disconnected from the grassroots reality which exists in the real India-the countryside. Which is why, for all its promise, the youth never really delivered what it promised.

As we speak though, a group of ten young fellas, all extremely well educated and representative of urban youth are planning to change all that. They are making their trip of a lifetime into the hinterland to see for themselves, what makes India the great country that it is. They have set out on a 45 day trip across the nation, leaving the comfort of their city lives behind. And corporate India is backing their ‘Discovery of India’.

Chacha Nehru would have been so proud.

Leading the corporate brigade is Mahindra, which has provided them with two state of the art, completely outfitted Scorpios. These Scorpios are just the beasts they need to tame the terrain as they go cross country.

Also, MTR with their ready to eat meals, STAR CJ, Map My India with GPS tracking and Nikon with their SLRs are also crucially involved.

This 45-day trip will see them travel across seven Indian states. They have already set out from Mumbai on their quest through central India. From the locally chaotic social life of UP, Bihar and the culturally exuberant Temple art of Khajuraho, they will then drive along the Himalayan range into Bhutan and then on to the virgin land of Arunachal Pradesh landing up at the farthest point of our country.

Alongside, they have also taken the time out to maintain a blog, which will let others of their generation peek into their experiences at the blog. For those of you on facebook, you can hear from them as it happens at the facebook page . Last heard, they were visiting India’s oldest university at Nalanda in Bihar. Hope this inspires many more undertake their own Scorpio expeditions across the country.

Source: Xerxes - Xomba

Off-roading Experience in India - Scorpio conquers Rajmachi

2010-04-19T04:34:00.000-07:00

Guest post by my friend Varun

Having lived in a city the best part of my driving life, the joy of driving had escaped me. Being stuck in traffic every single weekday on my way to work had ensured I hated the sight of the steering wheel on the weekends. Then, I hit upon the great idea of going off roading. This was around July last year.

To off road, I needed to find myself a good trail and a great SUV. I borrowed my friend’s Scorpio for the same, which was recommended by a few off roaders I met at the community meet for an off road forum in Mumbai. For a weekend getaway, they also suggested I hit the Rajmachi stretch, which provides ample opportunity for the kind of off roading I was looking at. The terrain is real challenging when it rains, and as luck would have it, it rained when I drove there!

Getting there:
Mumbai to Rajmachi is 121 km, and the drive from Mumbai to Rajmachi takes about 2 hours by car. Some off road essentials they suggested:

Hitch and Winch
A front-mount and/or rear-mount hitch. Say you or your buddy slide off of the trail and get buried in too much mud for the truck to handle. With your winch and a stable, secure mounting point (like a thick tree trunk or another vehicle) you can quickly and easily pull the truck back to safety

Off Road Recovery Kit
These kits typically contain heavy-duty tow straps, gloves and a spot light to help you get the most out of your winch system.

Tire Gauge and Compressor
To adjust tire pressure, depending on the terrain.
Bull bar / Grille Guard or Light Bar These guards protect your vehicle’s bumper, grille and headlights when you’re tearing through things.

Lights
If you plan on driving after dark, you can get some heavy duty lights.
The Ride: We (me and my girlfriend) set out in the morning around 8 from Bandra in Mumbai to avoid the morning traffic. Reached Rajmachi around 11(we stopped for breakfast). It had been cloudy throughout. Just as we hit the trail, it started to rain. We couldn’t believe our luck!

We decided to give the rain some time to slush up the terrain before we could tear it. We spent an hour by the roadside taking in the greenery. An hour later, the terrain was perfect and looked daunting. Just what we were looking for!
We tore the terrain, as slowly as we could, just to feel those bumps, and take in the sweet smell of slush as it rose from our wheels. That one ride and I fell in love with the wheel all over again.

And The Scorpio handled it like a dream. The suspension is both comfortable and intuitive at the same time, allowing you that satiation every time you negotiate the tricky road, while reassuringly securing you as well. The build of the Scorpio makes you feel like you own the terrain (The car you walk into, not crawl into!). And at the end of the road, it came out a winner.

As for us, the terrain helped us de stress and reconnect with nature, and is an experience I will remember for a while. I strongly recommend it to everyone who’s reading this.

-Varun

Mighty Muscular Scorpio Wins the Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm - NDure Category, 2010

2010-03-10T02:47:00.000-08:00

Mahindra

SUV MAHINDRA SCORPIO Mhawk all over Mumbai, Chandigarh, Narkanda, Karcham, kalpa, Sumdo, Tabo & back

2009-09-28T23:22:00.000-07:00

Mhawk all over Mumbai, Chandigarh, Narkanda, Karcham, kalpa, Sumdo, Tabo & back

The ingredients : 3 guys bored of city life + mahindra Scorpio Mhawk + 15 days of freedom.The itinerary : MumbaiChandigarhNarkandaKibberKarchammKalpaSumdoTaboPin ValleyKibberLosarGramphuManaliAnd then Driving back to mumbai.

For the whole story, Check this thread on TeamBHP:

http://bit.ly/2J5uiL

Pictures also on my picasa:

http://picasaweb.google.com/ncoutinho10/SUVMAHINDRASCORPIOMhawkAllOverMumbaiChandigarhNarkandaKarchamKalpaSumdoTaboBack

Mahindra Xylo MUV: Complete user review (updated: 4 year warranty): Xylo vs. Innova in India car buy

2009-09-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

Mahindra has been growing naturally and gradually along with India's growth since decades. A company, previously associated with tractors and jeeps catering to the rural segment, has now evolved into India's leading auto manufacturing company with products like the hugely successful Scorpio, India's highest selling SUV.

The Xylo was launched as the final product of Mahindra's project codenamed "Ingenio". The goal was simple, to build the ultimate MUV (Multi Utility Vehicle) for the Indian market with the best features, adequate power and at an extremely competent price. Now, talking about innovation in the Indian auto industry, the mainstream media has not talked about the Xylo as much as the Tata Nano. But all one has to do, is to take one look at the list of features in this car to realize that Xylo is an engineering marvel.

The Xylo sports the powerful 112 bhp mEagle, this very smooth, 2498 cc engine cruises from 0 to 60 in 5.8 secs. The dual pilot injection helps drivability of this vehicle in a major way. Slight body roll has been observed with the Xylo but it's really not an issue unless you like driving rashly through corners, something which is best avoided with any MUV.

Comfort & convenience is where the Xylo scores really big. The much-talked about flat-bed seats are extremely comfortable to rest in the car while someone else is driving. The tilt-steering and the ergonomically designed seats with 3-postion lumbar support are really good for long drives as proper back-support reduces those back-aches and switching drivers is not an issue. The foldable flight-trays, under-seat storage and the ambient lamps give a luxurious feel to the car and you wonder if you're really in a sub-10 lac vehicle! The two mobile charging points and the smart "anti-pinch" power windows are also a thoughtful addition.

The prime innovative features of the Xylo are showcased in the technology and safety features of the Xylo. The advanced Digital drive assist system shows the current speed, instantaneous mileage pattern, gear information pattern, internal & external temperature and humidity and the distance you can cover before you run out of fuel. These features are so incredible that once you get used to them, you get really dependent on them! It's something like the cell phone phenomenon; you can't go back to your 2001 cell phone, can you? This is one car that genuinely cares about its passengers it has ABS - so the wheels don't lock up, you don't lose steering control when you hit the brakes and it works like a charm on difficult/slippery surfaces. The engine immobilizer, as the name suggests, shuts the fuel supply is someone tries to steal your car using a fake key. The Intellipark reverse assist works beautifully as the vehicle starts beeping when it comes within 120 cms of any object. The tubeless tires and the warning system (for door-closing and seatbelts) are also handy features.

A lot of criticism has been aimed at the Xylo's looks, primarily at its tall body structure. I think it is a known fact that the longer a car is, higher the costs. So, if I want space (the prime purpose of an MUV) a short car is very uncomfortable and long cars are very expensive - also they don't fit 7-8 people. Why are SUVs so tall? Simple equation, Space=comfort. Xylo might not be the best looking car in the market, but it is the most comfortable, spacious and advanced car at its price besides the imposing grill with chrome slats and the angry look goes really well for a Mahindra car along with the smooth wrap around tail-lights showing its cooler side.

All in all, if you're looking for an advanced, powerful, spacious car and you don't have a very big budget, the Mahindra Xylo is the way to go! Mahindra has just started offering a 4 year warranty for those buying the Xylo till 31st October - a brilliant solution to all the maintenance cost headaches. They got 4000 bookings and sold 1788 units of Xylo in two weeks after the launch, I can only imagine the huge spike in demand because of this offer

For more info: http://bit.ly/3zbzps

Article by: Zubin Raheja from http://automotionz.blogspot.com/

How high is your Auto Quotient?

2009-09-08T08:33:00.000-07:00

Can you get these questions right?

Which was the first Car to be manufactured in India?

A bull killed a famous bull fighter, Felix Guzman in 1943. An automaker named its newest model after the famous Bull. After that, all the cars have been named after the bull. Which automaker is this and which was the first model?

Which car was used in the movie ‘Ghost Busters’?

The Answers:
Hindustan Motors’ Hindustan 10 (Or Morris 10).
Lamborghini Reventón
1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor aka Ecto-1

The most important thing to excel in today’s competitive world is a person’s Intelligent Quotient. But life is too demanding. Inevitably, Cars have become a major part of everyone’s life. It is not enough to just be intelligent. Knowing everything that is auto has also become quintessential. You need to know which is the costliest car in the world, how to repair your car when it breaks down, which is the hottest car in town, which car is a girl-magnet and much more.

Intelligent people have an Intelligence quotient. Auto enthusiasts have Auto Quotient.

For those who are into all things auto, Mahindra and Mahindra have initiated an innovative and exciting platform to share and accelerate their passion - Mahindra Auto Quotient.

The first flag-off in Auto Quotient, is India's first auto quiz. A quiz that will have engineering students from across the country pitted against each other for supremacy of auto knowledge. The stakes to be won are high.

The legacy of Auto Quotient has been passed ahead from Mahindra employees who have been battling it out in an elaborate internal auto quiz for the past three years. Now they have taken the initiative to bring these nail-biting, brain-twisting yet informative quizzes to auto enthusiasts outside Mahindra too.

The entries for this competition are open till 14th September, 2009 for bona fide students of any legitimate engineering college in India.

This is what the winners get: The first prize for the winners of AQ is a ticket to the Geneva Motor Show, annually held in Switzerland. It's a once in a lifetime chance to be amongst the greatest congregation of auto enthusiasts, looking at some of the greatest machines ever made. The first runners-up will get to feel the heat of some serious off-roading. They'll be sent for the exhilarating experience of dune bashing in Dubai. The second and third runners-up will be sent to a thrilling Mahindra Great Escape, India's favourite 4X4 rally, for exciting escapades through some of the most exotic locations across the country.

Interested participants can register at the Mahindra Auto Quotient Website. For everyone else, it is simply a platform to become an ardent auto enthusiast.

A Car that can be controlled by a Joystick? - The Drive-By-Wire Technology.

2009-09-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

Remember Knight Rider’s sentient talking car with artificial intelligence, KITT? Or Batman’s hi-tech Batmobile, Tumbler?

There are many a fantastical things shown in movies and cartoons that have come true. Gone are the days when futuristic cars which could be controlled by pressing buttons and turning some knobs were just fantastical things possible only in movies or in cartoons. Cars that can be controlled by the kind of joysticks kids use to play video computer games are one of them. They are not legal to drive on most of the streets but are now very much existent. The movement of the stick is exactly the movement of the car.

Auto giants like DaimlerChrysler AG and Mercedes-Benz have developed these futuristic ‘sidestick’ cars that challenge every notion of what it means to drive a car. It makes for an intricate combination of high-speed computers with the wheels, engine, steering and brakes.

Drive-by-wire, DbW, by-wire, or x-by-wire technology replaces the traditional mechanical and hydraulic control systems with electronic control systems using electro-mechanical actuators and human-machine interfaces such as pedal and steering feel emulators.

If the word ‘replaces’ in the above definition is substituted with ‘partially replaces’, bits and pieces of drive-by-wire are available in many modern cars in the Indian market.

Central Locking, Power Steering, ABS (Brake-by-wire assist), Electronic Stability Control and in a trivial sense even things like power windows and self starter form a part of the Drive-by-Wire Technology. The electronic throttle, which does away with direct mechanical linkage from accelerator pedal, is now commonplace. Fiat Palio, Swift diesel, SX4, Ford Fiesta, Honda City, Nissan Xtrail are all cars that come with electronic throttle. In UV’s, Mahindra’s Scorpio and Xylo come with a number of toys of the Drive-By-Wire Technology which include brake-by-wire (like in ABS) and throttle-by-wire (Electronic throttle). A fully Drive-by-Wire car essentially encompasses all the aspects of X-by-Wire including brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire, throttle-by-wire etc.

The motivation for drive-by-wire cars lies in the better positioning of the controls and better performance but the use of the technology is still restricted to research vehicles due to regulatory and safety issues.

Mechanical systems degrade over a period of time and one can change the parts that are subject to wear and tear, if the performance of the vehicle is dipping. Electronic systems on the other hand have a tendency to fail without warning. Imagine the joystick of the car conking off at break neck speeds. It could very well be the recipe for an unstoppable disaster.

It’s a Life and Death situation– Tips to avoid accidents

2009-08-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

No one likes accident and no one deliberately crashes his/her car into someone else’s or lets it just swerve out of control. But accidents do happen and it clearly defines the difference between Life and Death. Accidents are usually a split-second affair where the driver never realizes what has gone wrong. Although, in a lot of situations, steadfast presence of mind can help you avoid accidents. Here are some tips and precautions you ought to follow for safe driving.

Don’t be naughty, don’t drink and drive:

There are many smart alecs who are drunk to the point of no return but still think, “I am perfectly fine,” while driving. Even if you are mildly intoxicated you are still vulnerable. This happens because, no matter how much you deny it, your reaction time increases with alcohol and drugs. Never drive under the influence of intoxicants.

If you are Sleepy, Pull Over

Don’t stretch yourself by putting yourself behind the wheel when you are feeling tired and sleepy. It could make for the most dangerous situation. When feeling sleepy while driving, pull over on the side and catch a quick nap.

Red Light means stop, not jump the signal

You could get away from the friendly traffic cop at the signal when you jump a red light but you will never be able to reverse your car when there is another car coming right at you at that junction. Traffic rules are made for your safety. Follow them.

Good brakes, ABS (Anti-lock braking System)

Recent developments in technology have seen the ABS come into use. ABS keeps the car’s wheels from locking up under hard braking on slippery surfaces like sand, loose grave and oil. Drive vehicles like Mahindra Xylo which come with the ABS feature.

Maintain control at all times, avoid Overcorrecting

Some accidents can easily be avoided if you just stay calm. Many accidents happen due to overcorrection. Don’t swerve the car too much to avoid things like road-cones, tumbleweeds, tires, plastic bins etc. It won’t hurt too much even if you run into such things. Swerving your car hard to the right or left instead can throw it out of control.

Keep Safe Distance

You must have come across innumerable vehicles with the message “AIR BRAKE – Keep Safe Distance” painted in vivacious fonts on the rear bumper. Do not go and kiss the vehicles in front of you with the front bumper of your car. Maintain safe distance for your own safety.

Follow the speed limits and Caution signs

Following speed limits and paying heed to caution signs like “Accident prone area – Drive Slow,” will only help you be more secure in your journey. Ignoring this can land you in accidents which you could have easily avoided.

Be alert and pay attention all the time

Practices like changing the CD in the music system, frantically brushing off the cigarette that has fallen off your lips onto your pants, talking on your mobile phone, leaning down to pick up something are all recipes for disaster.

Never change lanes without looking

When changing lanes, always look in your rear-view mirror and make sure you are not cutting into anyone’s way.

One consideration which is not necessarily a compulsion for driving safety but nonetheless can be very vital is the build quality and how sturdy your car is. GM is known for its build quality, reliability and safety options. An SUV like Mahindra Scorpio also packs in a number of safety features like collapsible steering column, crumple zone, fire retardant upholstery, tubeless tyres and ABS can save you from severe damage.

Mahindra Xylo- the exterminator crushes competition

2009-06-16T01:48:00.000-07:00

“Thousands across India have outgrown their sedans and are getting set to have the time of their lives in the Xylo” said Mahindra officials. Well their statement definitely holds true as they did have 17000 booking since the launch 5 months back. Oh what a journey it has been! Although I am typically fond of my SUV but can’t help notice how well Xylo is doing. I observed that consumers consider Xylo the bigger Nano. I asked one of my colleague who purchased a Xylo as to why he preferred Xylo over Scorpio (I was convincing him to buy a Scorpio as if I were a salesman at the dealership). The dialogue that pursued is put below as is.

Friend: Bro I have a family of 6. Xylo provided me good leg room and the third seating was also comfortable to fit a 6 footer like me.
Me: Hmm for you it’s understandable. But is it any good for offroading and long highway drive. I thought you like doing that. Is it a compromise for your family?
Friend: No. Maybe it doesn’t look like an SUV but sure does perform like one. And it performs best on highway on high speeds. The traction on the wheel is great. It’s almost as if the vehicle is automated and I am the dummy. Plus come on it has all great tech features and the ABS. And I don’t need to tell you about its price. Its damn affordable! The price was another reason to choose it over Scorpio. I thought I would fit in a good audio-video system with the money I save. I think Xylo should have been renamed “Mahindra Macro”.
Me: Huh? Why??
Friend: Welll Tata has Nano. This is 3 Nano’s combined together plus it makes sense, has more features and is superb to carry friends and family, unlike Nano, So Xylo should have been named “Macro”. lol
Me: Bad joke bro. lol. I’ll still go for Scorpio. It looks more muscular. But well its fine at least you bought an MPV.

Well I realized many people are comfortable with MPV as an option to SUV while many can’t even differentiate between the two. I don’t fit any of the two and love my Scorpio. As long as it is an Indian manufacturer, has good mileage, comes with a great price tag, and helps the concept of carpooling I think its fine for people to buy Xylo. And as it shows they already are! I am worried about competitors like Innova, I wonder what they have up their sleeves because if they don’t have anything they better start looking.
Bad boys, Bad boys what you gonna do? What you gonna do? When Xylo comes for you! :)

Effective ways to save fuel – Tips which will save you some money

2009-06-14T01:39:00.000-07:00

With the budget coming in the fuel prices are expected to go up. I don’t need any market analyst to tell me that. Fuel is a finite source and the more we deplete it the more it will cost. Well trying to get a better mileage is not just good for your pocket but also for the environment. I am sure most of them don’t care about the latter so here are some tips to save you some money.

Don’t use your accelerator like a drum pedal. Stop alternating between high and low speeds. Accelerate your vehicle slowly and steadily and quickly jump into high gears. Always try and drive on high gears but at the same time on a hill slope always be on lower gears. Consciously practicing this can help you save 40% of your fuel consumption

Please drive your vehicle under the speed limit mentioned on the roads (wherever it is mentioned) not only because it will save your life or some fine but also because it will help save some fuel. Less fuel is consumed at slower speed (no theory needed to prove this). If you go from 60 km/h to 95 km/h your fuel consumption increases by 20%

Try buying the new micro hybrid variety of vehicles which Mahindra and Tata are giving as an option in higher variants. It basically cuts your vehicles idling time. I understand switching off your engine in traffic jams and restarting sometimes becomes a pain, the microhybrid technology does exactly that without you needing to interfere.

Under-inflated tires increase consumption by 6%. Keep a check on your tires air-pressure frequently. This practoise may spare your life and also save you some money

You can also reduce costs by using your air conditioner sparingly. If you think its cold enough outside, open the windows. This will also help you stay awake on long drives. Depending on the speed though, using an air conditioner can be efficient. So the faster you are, the more efficient it might be to turn the air conditioner on due to wind resistance on the windows.

In the owner’s manual there is detail of which fuel best suits the vehicle (yes there is something called as the owner manual which comes with the car). Always try and use the fuel best suited for your vehicle type. Apart from fuel it will also save you some engine maintenance.

As I always say, keep servicing your vehicle from authorized service centre. A properly tuned engine can increase 50% fuel consumption and a poorly maintained Air-filter can reduce 10 %

While parking your vehicle check on a few things:
Switch of all power accessories like the AC, music system etc so that the next time you start your vehicle it doesn’t need to draw extra power to start
Check if the fuel is cap is tightly sealed
Try to always try to park it under some shade. It keeps the car cool and the engine does not have to provide additional power to the AC to cool the interiors. It also helps prevent fuel evaporation.

New “Reclaim your life” campaign from Tata Safari-a fake!

2009-06-12T01:27:00.000-07:00

When I saw the new Dicor Ad first time I was floored, from shots of snow covered mountains to sunny terrains and waterfalls. New Zealand looked picture perfect and the narration said ‘If you looked back on your life, what would you remember? The corner office? The corporate power plays? The VIP lounge?’ and I was like how did they manage to make such a classy Ad till i unraveled the truth.

Here is the Safari Ad

Of course it did not do any justice to the brand as the film is about giving up the ‘corner room’ and then living life. The Ad must have been developed with the insight that majority of people aren’t following what they had dreamt of in their early days.

But an average Safari user is not the corner room, VIP lounge guy anyway – he is the earthy, outdoorsy guy and the Ad may miss the real Safari audience. And somehow I felt that they were not able to portray the ‘office slavery’ concept properly. There was no frustration or aggression which usually the ‘corner room guys’ have.

I felt deep inside that concept was fine but it does not fit safari properly. It looked more like an Ad for New Zealand tourism. Maybe a high end SUV would have fit into this classy, soft Ad that they have made for the corporate executives.

And guess what came as a shock. While looking around I came across a Landrover Ad which is based on the same concept. After seeing it I realized what a cheap imitation our Ad is. Here I thought that Indian creative guys are getting better but they couldn’t even copy the Ad as is. My hunch about safari being a mismatch in the Ad was right the ad was for Landrover. I am disappointed.

Here is the Landrover Ad

Top gadgets and accessory for Indian SUV 2009 - part 4

2009-06-10T00:43:00.000-07:00

ROAD SPEED LIMITER

This is for parents who are worried that their children maybe driving rash at great speeds. This gadget can surely prevent a lot of accident situations. The Road Speed Limiter controls the vehicle speed at a programmable set speed. So if you dont want your child to drive above 80 Kmph then you should look at this option. Your child will not able to change the settings as it is password protected. It also helps improve fuel economy, since set-speed does not cross the optimum vehicle speed. It also increases Engine life and reduces operating and maintenance cost. Well it sounds like a great option but would cost around 12-15,000 INR but if you look at the positives and the money you will save by installing this equipment you should get a return on investment within a year.
Things to check before buying

· Types:
A) DC Motor type (single speed)
B) Fuel Solenoid type (single speed and dual speed)
· Micro-controller based design
· The product should not reduce fuel flow to engine and ensure full power to it
· Password protected

Top gadgets and accessory for Indian SUV 2009 - part 3

2009-06-06T00:19:00.000-07:00

SAFE REVERSE ASSISTANT

I know, you are a great driver your estimations are never wrong and you can park your car on any terrain with ease. But well mistakes happen and if you are not sure you should use the reverse assistants. There are two types of reverse assistants: Back mounted camera and Back mounted sensor.

Back Mounted Camera

This arrangement has a camera fit to your rear bumper and an LCD to view it on your dashboard. Whenever you switch to reverse gear the camera activates giving you a low angle view on your background. This camera prevents you from bumping into sharp low lying object which you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. You can get this for around 6,000 INR

Things to check before buying
· Flush mount waterproof camera
· CMOS Night Vision Camera
· IR Distance: 3M-5M
· Power Consumption: DC12V

Back Mounted Sensor

For the ones who don’t want to spend a lot of money on reverse assistant you can install the back mounted sensor. Usually most cars are giving away this gadget in the high end versions. I Know for sure that Scorpio does. This arrangement works with a sensor on you back bumper which gives the distance between the car and the nearest object lying behind. The data is projected on a special mirror for the driver. Whenever you are too close to an object the sensors start to beep alarming the driver. You should get this for around 1,500 INR

Things to check before buying
· Choose sensor colour similar to your vehicle body colour ( so that it is not noticeable)
· Software programmed
· Distance measurement through display
· Alarm indication with different tones

To check more gadgets click here

Top gadgets and accessory for Indian SUV 2009 -part 2

2009-06-04T00:11:00.000-07:00

GEAR LOCK

Well manufacturers are trying their best to prevent theft of the vehicle. New Scorpio has vehicle immobilizer, vehicle tracker etc. but you can do your part for ensuring safety by installing a gear lock. It basically is a mechanical lock which locks the transmission / gear lever in the reverse position. It uses an unique type of key which is not easily duplicable. It shouldn’t cost you more than 1500 INR. It will protect your investment for sure. There are basically two types of gear lock: U Type and Pin Type. You can check out the difference by searching online.

Things to check before buying
· Superior grade hardened steel.
· Proper installment knowledge by the dealer

For more gadgets click here

Top gadgets and accessory for Indian SUV 2009

2009-06-02T22:37:00.000-07:00

ROOF MOUNT TFT LCD MONITOR

MUST MUST MUST have an LCD monitor in your SUV. It is definitely great entertainment for people sitting behind as well as you when someone else is driving. An SUV has great head room so I would advise you to have a roof mounted LCD. Not only because it fits perfectly for a good viewing angle but also because it will not distract the driver (LCDs on dashboard tend to do that). Usually people sitting in the back row of an SUV tend to feel claustrophobic because they can’t see anything right ahead. A roof mounted LCD will keep them relaxed. It is also useful to keep your kids from distracting you. So all in all a great deal. And you should find a good monitor for around 8000 INR

Things to check while buying

· English OSD Menu
· Display : TFT Active Matrix System
· High Resolution
· Two Video Inputs
· Full Function Remote Control
· Dome Lights
· Built in IR Transmitter
· Built in Clock

For more gadgets click here

How to get the best resale on your old SUV

2009-05-27T22:31:00.000-07:00

It is something that everyone must have noticed. The price of new automobiles is increasing day by day (i.e. if you take Indian car manufacturers like Mahindra and Tata out of the equation). I am telling you this because we have a very common tendency to trade our cars in 3-4 years for another. We do this because we worry that the resale value will further depreciate as the car gets older. I have promised myself that I wouldn’t trade my Scorpio until the wheels fall of. Any visitor looking at my car will never be able to guess that the car is 3 years old. It is still in prime condition.

Here I will tell you tips that will help you maintain your SUV just like I do. I guarantee you if you follow these tips religiously, you will get a better deal when you sell your vehicle. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Some will cost you moolah while the others won’t.

The most important thing for a car is their external appearance as that forms the first impressions; please never neglect the finish of your car. Wash your vehicle regularly and don’t let bird poop or road tar stay on your vehicle. It may seem harmless but eventually it will corrode your paint. If you stay near the coast you would want to dry clean your vehicle often to remove the salt that settles on the surface which causes rusting. Most modern car accessory stores have variety of protectant. Use this to protect the finish of your car. My vote would go to a PTFE based product. PTFE is the same thing which is applied on Teflon frying pans. My advice is that you don’t want wax on your car. Wax is a no good product which can only be used for candles. It is used to melt under heat, I am sure I wouldn’t want that for my SUV especially in India where it is always hot.

When you are not driving, try parking in a garage or under some kind of shade. If none of that is available buy yourself water and heat repellant cover. I have witnessed so many vehicles getting ruined because it was left naked under the sun and the paint got oxidized. Dark colors are more susceptible, especially red.
One of the things that can be classified under common sense is “regular maintenance”. Changing oil, engine tune-ups and things like circuit check and fan belt replacement are things which will help you run the extra mile. Of course you know all of the things I said but the problem is that we don’t act upon it. Really go out there and do it continuously for 3 months to see the difference.
It’s easy to for a second buyer to tell if the vehicles owner actually cared about his car. Sometimes the buyer pays more than the value of the car if he feels that the car has been handled with extreme care. There are many more things you can do to take good care of your vehicle but let’s take things one at a time.

Causes and Prevention of Rollover Accidents

2009-05-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

By far the deadliest risk facing SUV, minivan, and truck occupants is a rollover accident. Because of a higher center of gravity, SUVs are more prone to rollover accidents than typical sedans. Compounding the issue is the fact that SUVs often carry heavy loads with make them even more top-heavy and thus are more likely to be involved in rollover accidents.

Cause of Rollover Accidents

Rollover accidents are directly related to a vehicle's stability in turns. That stability is influenced by the relationship between the center of gravity and the track width (distance between the left and right wheels). A high center of gravity and narrow track can make a vehicle unstable in fast turns or sharp changes of direction--increasing the odds that it will tip over once it begins to skid sideways. The problem is most pronounced in 4-wheel-drive pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles, which have a higher ground clearance for off-road driving.

Prevention

Many SUVs have roll-stability control systems that work to prevent rollover accidents. But that won’t help. What a SUV driver needs to do is realize the purpose of his vehicle. Most don’t realize that SUVs are not built for speed it is built for off roading and tackling various terrains. If you are looking for just superior speed DONOT buy an SUV go for a sedan. Of course technically even SUVs will give you superior speed because of the engine built but it will not be easy to tame a SUV at high speeds

It is like the difference between a Harley and a Hayabusa. They are built for different purpose. One built for cruise the other for speed. The driver needs to check on his psyche. Are you the one who gets the shot out of adrenalin OR the one who enjoys and takes things at a slow pace and relishes every bit of his life? I am the latter so I chose an SUV

Other thing that one needs to realize is that the current SUVs have power steering. The vehicle swings wildly at a move of the steering. So under panic never pull your steering extremely to any direction. Doing that will undoubtedly seal your fate.

Most fatal 4WD rollovers are single-vehicle accidents that occur on weekend nights. The drivers are most frequently males under 25, and alcohol is usually involved. In three out of four fatal rollovers, the victims were ejected from the vehicle, indicating they weren't wearing a seatbelt.

Its all about loving your SUV

2009-05-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

The monsoons still show no signs of respite. Days get longer and the weather more humid. I say a road trip in your SUV sounds like a great way to get away. I’ve got a few tips to share with you to make sure that the road trip does not end in misery.

Send your SUV to the Spa - Before going on a long drive, always get your vehicle serviced. Keeping your SUV happy decides if you are man enough to ride her. It means taking your SUV for a dealer inspection. Tell the mechanic details of your trip, whether you are cutting through edgy mountains in Leh or surfing through the desserts of Rajasthan. Trust me the mechanics know their job, they will tune the vehicle appropriately for the conditions. Finally keeping you and your passengers safe should be the primary concern

Customize your emergency kit – It is a MUST! There is nothing more important than being ready for the worst. At the least, a roadside emergency kit should include a set of reflecting jackets, jumper cables, flashlight, multi-tool kit, a quart of oil and a water bottle. The customization of your kit will depend on what conditions you are going to be in. Some more items to consider including in the kit are: extra fuses, tools (flat head and screwdrivers, pliers, wrench), Tommy & jack, rags, paper towels, and duct tape. Most of these items can be stored in a duffel bag in the back of your SUV. Also please keep a medical kit to repair yourself.

Plan your route – We are not given the lavishes of a GPS system like the Americans do, so it is essential to plan your trip. Gather all information you need about the destination and its route. Take advices from online forums and people who have visited that place earlier. There are many digital route planners to ease your job; you can also seek it on mapmyindia.com. If you are travelling with your family then carry a big print out of the location map. While you are driving let the other choose places they want to halt. Great way to bond with your family on the trip!

Escaping the city – Escaping the city traffic is a major concern for most travelers. No one wants to get stressed out during vacation by being stuck in bad traffic, heat and pollution. And more importantly it is a major time waste. Try and figure how we could use that time more constructively. Find out when and where you would be likely to run into traffic and plan around it. Remember to relax and enjoy yourself!

Honey I shut the Kids!

2009-05-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

OK Indian parents! Please don’t get defensive when I say this but kids are annoying and real trouble makers. I know you all agree with me (come on no one is watching you- just nod your head). Do you remember those days when you used to ride with your lover alone? You could smell freedom in the air. It was pure pleasure, no interruption whatsoever.

Ok maybe I am getting a bit harsh. Children are also a great source of entertainment during travel if you know how to handle them properly. They can make the trip quite pleasurable indeed. But for that planning is very important. One way to avoid distractions during travel is to leave for the trip around the child’s sleeping time. Let them settle in and they would immediately go to sleep. This way you will cover initial part of the journey without little or no distractions. But you have to be careful to adjust your sleep timings in a way that you are refreshed when you begin your journey. It is crucial that the driver is very alert especially during night drives.

There are a few more things you can do to keep your kid engaged. Let him pack his own small backpack. Allow him to keep things that he is very used to playing at home (personally Sony PSP is my life saver). You may want to assist him pack his bag and explaining him why he would want to take certain things.

Following are some ideas which can be used while traveling.

Age appropriate reading material such as picture books for small children and reading books for older children.
Music playing devices such as MP3 or CD player. Remember to bring along an extra set of batteries.If you can, install a DVD player in the vehicle. Play a movie the child loves.
Age appropriate activity books such as puzzle books.
Child specific backpack with personal items of their choice. Plastic drinking cups with built in straws that can have juice or water frozen in them prior to trip will reduce spilling and the need for ice.
Electronic games
Snack package containing fruit snacks or wafers. The only thing to keep in mind is to buy snacks that will not leave sticky residue on fingers, face or automobile seats. Snacks can be packed to fit into a child’s personal backpack.

Keeping in mind the amount of time that will be required to travel to ones destination will help in determining just how many items the child should bring along. So these are few things I follow when I have to take my nephew along anywhere. I hope this helps you distract the kids from creating more distractions :)

India China War- I hate China!

2009-05-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

General Motors to sail away from bankruptcy agreed to sell its flagship brand the “Hummer” to China's Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co.

By selling hummer GM plans to secure 3000 jobs. After selling four of its US brands GM is planning to limp back to become a profitable company it used to be.

Tengzhong is not making a bad deal either. By buying hummer they plan to capture a large chunk of the china’s SUV market which has already surged by 25% last year. Also it would help them enter emerging markets and stand out as a global player.

"There are a lot of new rich in China who like niche brands such as Hummer," said Ricon Xia, a Daiwa Institute of Research analyst in Shanghai. "A lot of private companies like Tengzhong have emerged because of the economic boom and they will strike more surprising deals like this one."

The other brands that GM plans to sell are Saturn and Saab. They are also likely to cut down the production of Pontiac considerably.

"This is a good acquisition for Sichuan Tengzhong and a good sale for GM," said Wong. "They can do the manufacturing and marketing in the US, but in addition to that they can produce Hummer elsewhere for markets such as China, India and the Middle East."

The Hummer sale should be completed by the end of the third quarter.

Well China will do what China does best. Imitate! Once they get their hands on hummer they will start imitating the technology and make variety of international cars at cheaper rate. I can bet on it. I just wish That Mahindra would have bought the Hummer. Then we could have earned the profits that now China will. :) there is a Chinese walking past me while I write this, I am going to take the chance and kill one, will do my country a favor.

Renault- Sandero Details

2009-05-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

Renault, French car manufacturer has become a household name after its joint venture with Mahindra. It has proved its success after it launched the Mahindra Renault Logan - Mid Sized sedan in April 2007.

Well there is great news! The company has plans to launch the Sandero SUV which is first in the queue to be launched in India and it was actually built for the Brazilian markets.
The two basic qualities of the compact Sandero make it a good ‘Urban Sport’ vehicle includes roominess and robustness. The SUV will be matted with a 1.5-Litre dCi diesel engine similar to the one on the Logan and comes with a stylish bumpers and grille, chrome-finished exhaust pipe, cozy and spacious interiors with seating capacity of five adults, and roof rails.

The high-set position of the driver’s seat is an exclusive feature which makes driving extremely comfortable especially for women. It not only helps short drivers by aiding them in seeing the road better but also gives them a feeling of superiority in any urban road condition.

And believe it or not the best part of the Sandero Stepway is that it is expected to be priced at around Rs 5 Lakh. That’s right my friends. I am sure Mahindra will have to play an important role to play in getting the vehicle at the miraculous cost. Unlike other Renault cars, this revolutionary SUV is all set to invade the mid-size SUV segment and repeat the success of the Logan. Hail Renault! :)

Tips on how to test a test drive

2009-05-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

Well you went to an auto website and booked a test drive, few days later you have the keys in your hand. Now what? What are you supposed to check while have a test drive?

There are many things a person can check on basis of his personal preferences however I would just be mentioning the standard things to check out while taking a test drive.

Research
Go online and check out for test drive reviews for the vehicle you wish to purchase. note down the negatives and positives mentioned by other users.
Let’s Get Acquainted
There is no point in test driving a vehicle that doesn’t offer the desired features. Before requesting the keys from the salesperson, become acquainted with the vehicle. Inspect the exterior and interior thoroughly. Find out what features the vehicle has and where they are located. If the seats collapse or can be removed, test the feature. Open the trunk or cargo area with each form of access: key, button, remote. Open all of the doors, and sit in all of the seats to determine comfort and convenience.
The View from the Passenger Seat
Allow the salesperson to drive the vehicle first. While in the passenger seat, check the radio, air conditioning, windows, locks and other manual or electronic features. Listen for noises coming from inside and/or outside the vehicle. The vehicle should be well insulated so there shouldn’t be much noise from outside. Be aware of any rattles from the engine. This is a great opportunity to ask questions without the distraction of driving so don’t be shy.
Be Honest, Not Reckless
Adjust the seats, mirrors, steering wheel and pedals before starting the vehicle. Turn the radio off and buckle the seatbelt. Now the drive begins, but lets face it, most drivers do not drive well and a test drive is not the time to start. It’s important to know how the vehicle will respond to every day mistakes like keys left in the ignition, lights left on or unlocking the vehicle from the outside through the open window. While driving, test how well the vehicle handles your daily driving. Don’t take this opportunity to test the limits of the vehicle, just make sure it can sustain less-than-perfect driving habits. Remember to check visibility during parking and backing up, too. If more than one person will be driving the vehicle frequently, have both of them test drive the vehicle. Both drivers should feel comfortable and safe in the vehicle before purchase.
Once is Not Enough
Test driving a vehicle doesn’t not mean that a purchase has to be made that day. Take time to compare the features, comfort and drivability to other vehicles. Don’t be afraid to spend a few extra dollars to have your mechanic look at the vehicle and/or take it for a drive. It’s better to spend a little money now instead of a lot of money a few months down the road. Take the vehicle on a second spin and spend some time thinking before making a final decision.

Mahindra scorpio- Micro Hybrid technology

2009-05-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

The new ‘mighty muscular’ Scorpio was launched successfully to excellent customer response..

However, with all the attention riveted by the Scorpio’s new look, an important feature got sidelined. The revolutionary Micro Hybrid technology*.

Hence, I would like to give you some factual information about what this technology actually is, and what it can do to limit pollution and conserve our planet.

The start stop system automatically shuts down and restarts the automobile's engine. The engine begins effortlessly once a driver depresses a clutch prior to moving ahead. This in turn reduces the duration for which the engine is kept idling, thereby improving fuel economy. This start stop system comes into play when the automobile has to spend considerable amounts of time waiting at traffic signals or in traffic jams. This feature started in hybrid electric vehicles but now has also started appearing in vehicles without a hybrid powertrain like Scorpio and Bolero. Fuel economy can improve by 5 to 10 percent in non-hybrid vehicles with the start stop system.

Mahindra deserve credit for taking the lead in implementing Micro Hybrid technology. I am sure many will follow in the footsteps of this first Micro Hybrid car in the country.

In a nutshell, the Micro Hybrid technology:
• Switches off the engine when the Scorpio idles for a preset duration
• Switches the engine back on, the instant your leg touches the clutch pedal
• Burns less fuel, thus reducing pollution and conserving the environment

Volkswagen Polo Formel E, Fiat Regata ES and BMW were some of the earliest vehicles to use this technology. Smart Fortwo is a micro hybrid sold in Europe. Mahindra & Mahindra is the first in India to introduce Micro hybrid Technology with Scorpio and Bolero.

Bosch Tie up with Scorpio

2009-05-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

I don’t think anyone needs an introduction on Bosch. It is a global giant and a technology leader. A world fueled with the technological revolution is setting high standards for the role of safety in automotive electronics. It would be hard to find any vehicle in the world which runs without a Bosch component. They are definitely the trend setters in advanced motoring.

In the Indian automobile industry, which is also currently witnessing revolutionary changes with technological advancement, Bosch, the largest auto parts supplier in the country, made its larger presence by commissioning its electronic control unit (ECU) for diesel and gasoline fuel injection systems at Naganathapura in Bangalore.

So far the company was meeting the requirements of all the major OEMs in the country by importing ECUs from its overseas operations, including those in China and Europe. With an appreciable increase in automobile production in India since last few years, Bosch realized the urgent need to establish its indigenized manufacturing unit for ECUs at Naganathapura not only to meet the growing demand of its customers but also to ensure a quicker delivery at lower cost. However, there is no compromise on the quality of Bosch ECUs produced in India. The Indian production facilities indeed conform to the world standard similar to the company plants in Hungary, Mexico and China.

Over the past few years, Bosch has been introducing its innovative products to the Indian market as part of its increased commitment to India. The company has already introduced the Common Rail Injection System for diesel vehicles, which has revolutionized the Indian diesel car and SUV markets. The system will also be made available in the commercial vehicle segment in India in the near future.

Another Bosch innovation is the Start-Stop System, which can save fuel consumption of 8-12 per cent, is already in use in Mahindra’s Scorpio and Bolero models. The next in the offing is the anti-lock braking system, which will be manufactured in India from this year.

Metrosexual SUV ??

2009-05-06T06:56:00.000-07:00

Recently I came up with the news that Audi is planning to launch Its Luxury vehicle Q5 in India. Well technically it’s a superior car and any new born would gleefully look at Q5 whizzing by an Indian road. But I am annoyed, because Audi calls it an SUV!

Here is the news snippet I came across “German luxury car maker, Audi, added a new vehicle in its sports utility vehicle (SUV) portfolio, launching new Q5 in diesel and petrol variants. The SUV comes with two engine options 2.0 TFSI and 3.0 TDI in price range of Rs. 38.29 lakh and Rs. 44.19 lakh respectively at all 11 dealerships of Audi in India.
Audi India Managing Director, Benoit Tiers said: “The Audi Q5 combines the dynamism of a sports sedan with Audi’s all-wheel drive to create a superior technology package for both on
and off-road driving.”
The company launched premium Q5 despite low demand across automobile segment. Earlier, it sold Q7, the bigger version of Q5, in the domestic market with sale of 1,050 cars in India.
It has set a target to sell 1500 units of its six models namely A4, A6, A8, TT, R8 and Q7 in the current fiscal.
Mr. Tiers further added, “The luxury car market is growing at a faster pace in India and we are targeting that. We plan to sell 100 Q5 SUV this year, and take it up to 500 by next year. Overall, we have set a target to sell 1,500 cars in 2009.”

I wonder why I hate foreign SUVs so much. Is it the bad fuel efficiency, the high price or simply that the SUVs made internationally are less of sport and more of luxury? The design is getting smoother day by day and the marketing promises comfortable city drive. City drive? Whatever happened to the use of “Off roading” as a synonym for SUVs. Well by the time I complain here they may have already sold a few pieces. The only point I am trying to make is that they should put all these ultra modern luxury vehicles into a new genre instead of ‘metrosexualising’ SUVs

Tata nano: a point of view / review

2009-04-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

Well the people's car is here. Dressed in yellow, this light-on-the-pockets car is available for a preview at most of the Westside and Croma outlets in the city. It claims to accomodate 5 passengers, this car is a rear engine drive and has a bootspace of 150 litres (which is in the front, where conventionally engines are supposed to be). Also, it satisfies the frontal crash test demands and is hence labelled as a ‘safe drive’. It’s a 624cc drive and has a 33bhp engine. Priced at less than Rs. 2 lakh (yes, the on road price reaches so far) is something which is bold and commendable. Impressive enough.
But I guess what Mr. Ratan Tata failed to notice are the factors that turn this dream car of the common man into a nightmare. Mr. Tata advised that this is not meant for highway drives and also that the petrol engines might turn out to be a bit noisy!! When he was asked about the emission which is not safe, he easily changed the topic by saying that its a vehicle which fulfills the massess right to have an individual transport. This fact is, essentially, something to be appreciated… but the product which fulfills the fact is definatly not.
With so many different companies in the market producing the best of products, installed with different gizmos and reasonably priced, the expectations of an Indian buyer has increased. Compared to its competitors, Tata Nano seems to be outdated as it is not equipped with the latest techs available in the market these days. In fact, if I compare it with the yesteryear cars like Maruti 800, it will have a hard time competing with them as well. With its 800cc power, Maruti 800 used to have constant hiccups while going through an incline. Nano, with its 4 bhp low would, I guess, go on a permanent strike while performing the same act. The wheels of the car seem to be stolen from an autorickshaw and will never be able to hold on to the road at a bend. Unfortunately Indian roads are not smooth and bend more. In my opinion Tata Nano, at best, is a car for people who have never tasted better and will get easily overwhelmed with the ‘cute’ and ‘chik’ looks of this one.
In the end I would say, Tata Nano is a like a Yash Chopra movie. Acceptable emotionally but definitely does not work in reality.

The Senseless Indian Auto Market

2009-04-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, so there are two car companies who will soon be coming out with a model each. The first one is Honda. They are launching a small car named Jazz. It is going to be the most expensive small car in the segment with an expected price tag of Rs. 7 Lakh (Delhi)!! It will have all the safety features of a sedan or an SUV along with a 1200cc VTEC petrol engine. It’s interesting to note that the competitors in terms of price, for this small car are: Ford Ikon, Tata Safari and Mahindra Scorpio!!
The other company is BMW. They are on the other extreme end of the spectrum with their plans to launch the coupe Roadster Z4. The price range for this, if anyone wants to know, is a staggering 50-60 Lakh. The Roadster has a hard-folding top and can run at speeds of 250 kmph.
Now the reason for the title of this article:
Why should I spend Rs. 7 Lakh on a vehicle (Honda Jazz) that has an engine displacement which around half of my current vehicle (Mahindra Scorpio) when it is costing the same?!
Also, why should I pay around 8 times the cost of my current vehicle to buy a car that I won’t even be able to use to half its capacity?!
This is one issue that I absolutely can’t understand. If anyone is spending Rs. 7 Lakh then why do it on a small car that stuffs 5 people inside? Or why pay Rs. 60 Lakh for a sports car that you can’t drive to its full potential simply because there are no roads to drive them on? Wouldn’t it be infinitely wiser to pay Rs. 7 Lakh and buy a stylish, comfortable SUV like, say, Mahindra’s Scorpio, that lets 7 people sit inside comfortably and can go anywhere in this beautiful country… irrespective of the fact whether there are good roads, bad roads or no roads!!

Gautam Gambhir unveiled the new Bolero stinger

2009-04-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

Mahindra and Mahindra unveiled its new Bolero Stinger which is an upgraded model of its classic model Bolero. Gautam Gambhir was present at the ceremony of unveiling of Bolero Stinger.
"I am extremely delighted to own the Mahindra Bolero Stinger and thank the team at Mahindra & Mahindra for this special gesture. With its stylish looks and power packed performance, I think the Mahindra Bolero Stinger is the perfect choice for anyone who thrives on the thrill of the open road and has an adventurous attitude. The Mahindra Bolero Stinger has everything I’ve ever wanted in an offroader and I'm really looking forward to driving the vehicle both in the city as well as on long road trips." said Gautam Gambhir while receiving the keys to the vehicle from Vivek Nayer.
The interiors of the new Bolero Stinger are color co-ordinated and also feature customised floor carpetting and leather suede upholstery for added glamour. The new Mahindra Bolero Stinger comes with same 97 bhp engine and is a customized version of plain vanilla CRDe Bolero. It also has a new MP3 player, leather seats, and reverse camera are available to increase the appeal of this lifestyle off-roader. The company has started using its new Haridwar plant in Uttrakhand as the second manufacturing unit for Bolero along with its Nashik facility.

Mercedes benz to launch SUV in India

2009-04-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Mercedes Benz announced the launch of its new SUV Mercedes M Class in India. "The new M-Class offers best of both the worlds—the highest levels of luxury, comfort and on-road refinement combined with excellent off-road capabilities and best-in- class safety standards," Mercedes-Benz India's CEO and Managing Director, Wilfried Aulbur, said in a statement in Mumbai. "We have maintained the same price for this product despite significant enhancements of equipment, features and performance...thus making the best value for money offering in this segment," he added.The new M class will be available in two engines – ML 350 CDI and ML 320 CDI. ML 350 is would be available at a price tag of Rs. 53.77 lacs, at the same time ML 320 CDI is priced at Rs. 54 lacs.Mercedes also plans to increase its R&D head count in India. It intends to India its key research and development hub within the next few years. The company is looking to hire as many as 700 new engineers in the next few years for its R&D operations in Bangalore, which is slated to become its second biggest research hub globally after Germany.

General Motors to file bankruptcy??

2009-04-24T07:20:00.000-07:00

As the speculations come to an end, the Obama administration and the President himself are contemplating options to let General Motors go ahead and file bankruptcy. The new plan comes as "controlled bankruptcy" plan which falls somewhere between pre-packaged bankruptcy and court chaos.

What Happens Now?
The government and the company are discussing a probable bankruptcy plan which spells into quickly forming another company. The new company will hold most of the profitable part of the parent company. Other units which are actually not-so-profit-making lie under longer government bankruptcy control. General Motors also has a word with the United Auto Workers Union before filing the bankruptcy that may probably be filed by June 2009. Although, automakers are still fighting to prevent the probable chance of filing bankruptcy but advisers at General Motors are working towards a common aim to preserve the best parts of the company or sell them off at the best price.
The basic aim of the whole plan is to show the consumers, tax payers and the government is that the new General Motors can still hold its ground in the auto world and survive on its own.

How Does It Happen?
The big brains at General Motors are thinking hard to shape up a new company and give a new face to the age old American auto giant. Old components such as Saturn and Hummer would definitely not form a part of the new company. They would be definitely under longer bankruptcy period and would be ultimately sold or dissolved.
The new company shall coordinate with the new company for some time and share some operational activities such as accounting and insurance until it eventually becomes independent.
Who Gets Affected?
Shareholders, bond holders, workers, trade unions, government and just about everyone associated with the General Motors does get affect. We are also talking about TCS here in India which will be badly hurt if General Motors goes bankrupt.
General Motors has already begun discussions with the United Auto Workers and has already won deep concessions on health care and entry level wages. However, the obligations to 775,000 retirees stills looms large over the company that is a major issue that still needs to be addressed. As the company still negotiates for certain retiree benefits, the union is asking for stake in the new GM, cash from sale of the new GM and any other sources of funds. Bondholders may have to accept a debt-for-equity swap to reduce the $27 billion in corporate debt they hold over General Motors.
Tata Consultancy Services in India may also face grave set back and biggest impact amongst other companies. Other auto component manufacturers may also face grave consequences who have been exporting to General Motors in the US. Many auto component manufacturers had increased their production capacities in the wake of constant demands. These auto component manufacturers also feel the heat of bankruptcy being discusses by the company. Many of the auto component manufacturers have already reduced their shipments to the company as they fear delayed payments and witness fall in fresh orders.
The Last Laugh….
Who has the last laugh…? Apparently no one! The bigger you are the greater is the fall…so the saying goes. General Motors has enjoyed the number one of position for as long as one can remember. If General Motors files bankruptcy then it would be something similar to the Italian diary giant Parmalat SpA which entered bankruptcy in December 2003 due to the accounting scandal. Most of the bad assets were liquidated but lawsuits between the company, creditors and lenders lingered until 2007.
Now the whole world watches with attention as the Obama administration asks General Motors to file for bankruptcy!
news source:cartrade

AirCar the new fantasy-will a Hummer buy it ? part 3

2009-04-18T05:42:00.000-07:00

The fuel shortage and high-prices are making people look for alternatives to the petroleum fuel everywhere and anything that burns at high temperature minus the pollution is a good option. So far, developments have been made trying to use grass, salt water, hydrogen fuel cells, the people of Bougainville have been using coconut oil in their vehicles… this was the less eye-popping-list. Apart from this, there have been experiments with using, believe it or not, beer, sawdust, solar paint, dirty diapers and dead cats. !!
The world is getting more and more desperate for alternatives, and it is more than visible. As a direct effect, the SUV sales have dropped in countries like U.S.A. but here in India it is not the same. The fuel scenario has not affected the SUV market here because of the earlier mentioned points.

So what if the polar ice caps melt. The Earth is a few degrees warmer and the atmosphere is a little thicker. We lose some animal species, the coasts are more inland, and winter is more tolerable. Do we think that the carbon dioxide atmosphere of Venus is an environmental problem? It is clearly a human problem, not an environmental one. Humanity is scared of being extinct. Maybe the dinosaurs will come back and be happy that the earth is warm again.
Some news source states that "The biggest advances in environmental technology will come from tiny little islands or independent powers like China, India, and Bougainville. Life is an education when we don’t rely on others."
So basically, the world can hit the panic button while we sit back and cruise along in our fuel efficient, nature-friendly, big, bold and most importantly, Indian SUVs like the Mahindra Scorpio.

AirCar the new fantasy-will a Hummer buy it ? part 2

2009-04-16T05:34:00.000-07:00

So after some thought here is what i think on the Air car drama(follow up of aircar article-part 1)
The nearest competitor for the air powered engine is the battery powered engine and both still seem impractical to me (we all know what happened to Reva that was launched in India) for the following reasons stated
First let’s kick some air-engine butt
In the enthusiasm we may think that Air-engine might be revolutionary but if you think about it energy has just been displaced. It takes a lot of coal, nuclear or hydroelectric power to compress normal air.
Also the "refueling" process could be elaborated on. The embedded video states the car would be "refueled" by an air compressor at a station. This would mean the air compressor at the station is connected to the electrical grid.
One has to calculate the efficiency of the air compressor to truly understand the operational costs of this system.
This is a link to a PDF about air compressor efficiency:
http://www.p2pays.org/ref/32/31312.pdf
Here is a more in-depth article discussing the associated costs with operating air compressors:
http://www.mntap.umn.edu/energy/82-CompAir.htm
Quoting the above linked article:"Compressed air is one of the most expensive uses of energy in a manufacturing plant. About eight horsepower of electricity is used to generate one horsepower of compressed air."
Just from that one statement I would tend to favor an all electric vehicle.
Imagine one million compressed air cars. Take the tanks from every single one and create one huge compressed air "super tank" and one huge "super compressor" to do the work. Now imagine one million electric cars. Take all these batteries and create one "super battery" and one massive rectified transformer for converting the grid AC to DC for charging the "super battery. Now we have a lumped element circuit model.
Both systems will have heat losses at their energy conversion points. The compressed air system will be noisy yet light, the battery system will be quiet yet heavy.
Also, our supplies of cadmium and nickel are not enough to supply battery-powered cars for the entire earth. So which one will we choose? Hmm.
Follow up on part 3

New 2009 Mahindra Scorpio

2009-04-16T05:11:00.000-07:00

The all new Mahindra Scorpio comes in 4 variants - the base LX, the middle SLE and the top end VLX with manual transmission and optional Automatic. The ‘green’ concious among you can buy the VLX which comes with a BC-IV compliant engine already, a year before the norms will be implemented. The Scorpio in the process also becomes the first product in India to offer a BS-IV compliant version.
The front fascia is all new with new grille, bumper, bonnet scoop and new fog lamps. The sides feature new body cladding with embossed ‘Scorpio’. The rear is almost the same save for the new integrated footstep. The changes to insides have been subtle but they all contribute to make the Scorpio more comfortable and luxurious. The seats have been redesigned ergonomically after meticulous ‘body pressure mapping’ according to Mahindra speak but marketing jargon aside the new seats are actually a touch more comfortable than the current version and ‘hug’ you better while you are sitting on the perch. Other changes to the interiors include a new racing inspired gear lever which is easier to grip, an all new dual-din stereo aka Xylo with support for USB and SD Cards and two options for the interior upholstery - black allure and Tan and Beige combination.
Mahindra will also be debuting the micro hybrid technology with the new Scorpio. Mahindra’s radical Micro Hybrid technology allows the engine to intelligently switch into standby mode when not required, thus conserving fuel. A technological innovation developed by the Mahindra Research & Development team with the support of M/S BOSCH, the Micro Hybrid technology is based on the simple principle of not burning fuel when it is not required. It automatically detects moments, during the drive, when the vehicle is idle and switches off the engine. The engine starts seamlessly as soon as the driver depresses the clutch.
The vehicle, thus, burns less fuel, reducing pollution and conserving the environment. The system also monitors health of the battery, safety requirements, engine temperature, etc. for a trouble-free performance.
Micro Hybrid technology will now be available in the VLX and M2DI variants of the Scorpio.
"The Scorpio’s strong value proposition lies in its versatility, its ability to morph and mould itself according to the changing template of customer needs. The new Scorpio remains a true blue Mahindra vehicle at heart and with its macho, stylish looks and amazing go-anywhere capability it will further enhance our domination of the UV Market." said Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive Sector, M&M Ltd.
"Mahindra’s ingenious approach to driving efficiencies and costs have enabled us to provide additional customer value upto Rs 70,000/- The new Scorpio has the ability to expand the market and to appeal to a new set of customers", said Mr. Rajesh Jejurikar, Chief of Operations, M&M Ltd.
"We are especially pleased to be the first company to launch a BS-IV compliant version in India, more than a year before it becomes mandatory. We are also delighted to introduce Mahindra’s revolutionary Hybrid technology on the Scorpio VLX with mHawk," said Mr. Rajan Wadhera, Chief of Engineering & Development, Automotive Sector, M&M
The new Scorpio range is available starting from 7.2 Lakhs for the LX going upto 9.2 Lakhs for the VLX version, all prices Ex-Showroom Delhi.
With the launch Mahindra has also announced two new colors for the Scorpio - Mystique Purple and Toreador Red.

Air Car the new fantasy - will a Hummer buy it ? Part 1

2009-04-14T05:29:00.000-07:00

World desperate for alternative fuel: air, grass, garbage, anything!!
SUVs around the world are always criticised for being heavy fuel consumers and hence not nature friendly. Although here, in India, the SUVs that are produced by the likes of Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors, etc. give much better fuel economy. I have mentioned this earlier here:
Mahindra & Mahindra, in fact, have come out with the "Micro Hybrid" technology in their ever popular Scorpio that lets it intelligently switch the engine into standby mode when not in use. Thereby conserving the ever expensive fuel and the ever deteriorating nature.
But the world need not worry too much since if everything works out they may be equipped with engines that run on... hold your breath... AIR!! Yes, AirCars are being developed and are almost ready to hit the streets. The basically use compressed air to power the engine and a refill can be done in your garage but a full tank will take around 2 hours although technology is being developed to make refills faster (in up to 2 minutes!). The mileage of an Aircar will be 201 km per fill up and can go up to 110 kmph. It should supposedly cost only 1/10th of what we pay for petrol.
Well you must be sure that this must be some whacko Japanese design but hold it! The surprising part is that this initiative is lead by European and Indian Auto manufacturers.
Here is a Snippet from BBC news on the review of an Aircar

Before you get over-excited and drop all intentions of buying your next SUV because the technology is coming forth, let me tell you that this technology has developed only in small cars, for now. Its graduation into sedans and finally into SUVs may take a couple of years more. Also, there are many questions that seem unanswered. Follow up on part 2

New 2009 Mahindra Scorpio

2009-04-14T05:11:00.000-07:00

Well if anyone was wondering if Mahindra scorpio was going to be replaced by another SUV from Mahindra...Hold on! Mahindra and Mahindra have launched the latest edition of Scorpio and it is a beauty or what! Well actually it’s the classic case of beauty and the beast. It’s a mighty muscular beast which will crush anything that comes its way.
The all new Mahindra Scorpio comes in 4 variants - the base LX, the middle SLE and the top end VLX with manual transmission and optional Automatic. The ‘green’ concious among you can buy the VLX which comes with a BC-IV compliant engine already, a year before the norms will be implemented. The Scorpio in the process also becomes the first product in India to offer a BS-IV compliant version.
The front fascia is all new with new grille, bumper, bonnet scoop and new fog lamps. The sides feature new body cladding with embossed ‘Scorpio’. The rear is almost the same save for the new integrated footstep. The changes to insides have been subtle but they all contribute to make the Scorpio more comfortable and luxurious. The seats have been redesigned ergonomically after meticulous ‘body pressure mapping’ according to Mahindra speak but marketing jargon aside the new seats are actually a touch more comfortable than the current version and ‘hug’ you better while you are sitting on the perch. Other changes to the interiors include a new racing inspired gear lever which is easier to grip, an all new dual-din stereo aka Xylo with support for USB and SD Cards and two options for the interior upholstery - black allure and Tan and Beige combination.
Mahindra will also be debuting the micro hybrid technology with the new Scorpio. Mahindra’s radical Micro Hybrid technology allows the engine to intelligently switch into standby mode when not required, thus conserving fuel. A technological innovation developed by the Mahindra Research & Development team with the support of M/S BOSCH, the Micro Hybrid technology is based on the simple principle of not burning fuel when it is not required. It automatically detects moments, during the drive, when the vehicle is idle and switches off the engine. The engine starts seamlessly as soon as the driver depresses the clutch.
The vehicle, thus, burns less fuel, reducing pollution and conserving the environment. The system also monitors health of the battery, safety requirements, engine temperature, etc. for a trouble-free performance.
Micro Hybrid technology will now be available in the VLX and M2DI variants of the Scorpio.
"The Scorpio’s strong value proposition lies in its versatility, its ability to morph and mould itself according to the changing template of customer needs. The new Scorpio remains a true blue Mahindra vehicle at heart and with its macho, stylish looks and amazing go-anywhere capability it will further enhance our domination of the UV Market." said Dr. Pawan Goenka, President, Automotive Sector, M&M Ltd.
"Mahindra’s ingenious approach to driving efficiencies and costs have enabled us to provide additional customer value upto Rs 70,000/- The new Scorpio has the ability to expand the market and to appeal to a new set of customers", said Mr. Rajesh Jejurikar, Chief of Operations, M&M Ltd.
"We are especially pleased to be the first company to launch a BS-IV compliant version in India, more than a year before it becomes mandatory. We are also delighted to introduce Mahindra’s revolutionary Hybrid technology on the Scorpio VLX with mHawk," said Mr. Rajan Wadhera, Chief of Engineering & Development, Automotive Sector, M&M
The new Scorpio range is available starting from 7.2 Lakhs for the LX going upto 9.2 Lakhs for the VLX version, all prices Ex-Showroom Delhi.
With the launch Mahindra has also announced two new colors for the Scorpio - Mystique Purple and Toreador Red.

All scorpio commercial ( the latest scorpio video ad included )

2009-03-18T06:15:00.000-07:00

I just love Mahindra Scorpio. And if there’s something I love more that the Scorpio itself… is the Mahindra Scorpio commercials. It is the only Indian vehicle which brings out the style, class and urban masculinity. Every time when the Scorpio makes its grand entry in one of its commercial it gives me chills. It’s like I am watching some big budget Hollywood movie preview, complete with the use of the helicopters, snow, rain and now sand. All said and done, the commercials are just a class apart and when they say "nothing else will do" it feels like they mean it! I felt like I should collect all Scorpio commercials and put them in one place. SO HERE IT IS!

Mahindra Scorpio (latest commercial) – Corporate Dunes

The latest Mahindra Scorpio. Looks magnificent! It is amazing to see how Scorpio has evolved over the years. I feel like a proud father seeing his young boy grow into a fine man.
Mahindra Scorpio- Flight night

This is one of the best Scorpio commercial. It’s on such a grand scale

Mahindra Scorpio- Summer Lawn

This comes out of nowhere-a total surprise! I like this one.

Mahindra Scorpio – Snow Storm

Mahindra Scorpio- City Blues

Mahindra Scorpio - Rain

Mahindra Scorpio- Sunny wedding

Nostradamus 2010: Was Leonardo da Vinci an SUV freak ?!

2009-03-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Note: Well this is the first part of an interesting series I am intending to start. Here I will try and compare well known personalities from our history and give a logical reasoning on the kind of car the person was likely to drive if he was born in this century.

I know SUV's were not in existence when Leonardo da Vinci- the great Painter, Sculptor, Anatomy Expert, Architect and Engineer was alive. Leave SUVs aside, not even cars existed during his time but I have reason to believe that if they did exist… he would prefer SUVs over meek cars any day.

Think about it, here is a great Polymath who has not only painted the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper but has also been a sculptor. Somehow I don’t see people who carve life out of stones (not an easy task mind you) as traveling in meek cars. I see them as big tough people with a beard who want something bigger and more adventurous.

Speaking of adventurous, not many may know this but he was also the person who has been credited with being one of the first ever to design a moving vehicle (although he only sketched it and did not happen to make a working model because of lack of support, material, etc. maybe) And the guy did not even live past 1519 A.D.!! During that time no one would have even thought something like this possible but he was a person who designed not only a vehicle but also his own early designs for the Parachute, Submarine, Helicopter, Airplane and the Tank!!
Tell me, do you see such a person driving a slender sedan or a Big Rugged “Im-Gonna-Conquer-The-World” SUV?

Do subscribe to my articles through RSS or email to get the rest of this series

An Actual Tyre Burst / Blow Out – what to do when you are marooned !

2009-03-09T23:51:00.000-07:00

Ofcourse being the hot blood that you are, you must be on a road trip cruising through the lanes and then the tyres burst and then the adrenaline gush. you somehow manage to control the SUV. Great Job! Now what? After my article on handling a tyre burst situation- as in, how to handle the car. Now I present to you, how to get out of the dammed place you are stuck in.

Car Parked:
As per the last article, you would’ve parked the car to the side of the road. Make sure that it’s not on any such place where it may be of a hindrance to other cars- like a turning, blind spot, for instance. Don’t worry, in a slow speed your car will drag a few feet without damage… although only a few feet. Don’t over-do it please.
Emergency lights:
Again, if you’ve read the last article, these are already on.

S.O.S.:
If you have a spare tyre, change it or else… Call for help. And I don’t mean start shouting, I mean take out your phone and actually call. Although if you’re in a really deserted place you may want to give shouting a shot as well !!

If you don’t have any towing vehicle’s contact number with you, call “justdial” and get the number of a nearest towing facility. If that doesn’t help, try asking people around (be careful about the ready-to-help dhaba owners and toll personnel because they will have a share in the money you give for towing and you will end up paying more). If nothing works, you can always call the police. Don’t worry they won’t arrest you for asking them to help you, just make sure you are polite and inform them that you have tried everything else.

If it was a village where you were stuck, try asking for a tow-lift from one of the passing Mahindra Jeeps (they are sturdy enough to do the job) to get you to a nearest mechanic.

Towing:
Now you have a tow vehicle’s contact number. This is the part where you will get cheated, if not careful. They may tell you it will cost you around Rs. 2500 to tow the car but wherever you are stuck there will be a mechanic in a 5-6 kilometre radius. And for that don’t pay more than Rs. 800-1000. Do not forget to negotiate with the towing guys. You are bound to panic in such a situation and would agree to whatever costs the towing guys put on you. But remember that there is never one towing company around, there are many. And the worst case scenario if you don’t get any other towing company you can always agree to the costs they mentioned in the first place. So don’t be in a hurry to fix everything. The tyre, depending on the company will cost differently. What company you choose is up to you, just try keeping all four tyres of the same company and if purchasing a new one- make sure you have the warranty card with it. If purchasing a second-hand tyre (to get you to a more trustable place), check it thoroughly for tear, baldness and weak spots.

Move on and be careful next time:
You may never accept it but, unless you were driving in 50° heat on a long stretch of highway in the afternoon, the tyre burst has happened because of your fault. So you’ve learnt your lesson… I sure have!
· Periodically service your car.
· Always check your tyres before you go out, especially on long trips.
· If they show signs of weakness, change them.
· In fact even if they don’t, change them when their age/k.m. approaches (specified when you purchase them).
· Keep the correct air pressure in them. Both, less and excess air can cause a burst.
· Keep spare tyre ready.
· Have the jack and tommy with you.
· Do not speed more than what your car/tyre/law can handle.
· Love your car, love your life, and stay safe.

Changing tyres is usually neglected due the leak it will cause to your wallets. But then you need to decide are a few thousands more important than you and your family’s life?

In the next article I will tell you some layman techniques to notice problems in your tyre

Engine Oil: Functions and Hassles of Changing It. best practices

2009-03-09T23:26:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows the function of engine oil is to lubricate the various engine parts. But, my friends, it does not stop there… engine oil also serves two other purposes- cooling and cleaning.
Apart from keeping the temperature inside the engine under control (which can otherwise easily go above 135° Celsius), it also cleanses the engine from the carbon build-up and dirt particles with the help of the detergent in it (yes, detergent… but please don’t put surf in your engine to clean it!!).

A car running without engine oil will help in the friction increasing between the metal inside and thereby increasing the heat to such a level that their surfaces weld themselves to seize the engine.

On the other hand, oil that has not been changed for a long time will do three things:
1. it won’t cool as effectively:
old engine oil will lose it’s properties after the wear and tear in the heat inside to be able to provide proper cooling after some time, also the dust inside will amplify the problem.

2. it won’t clean as effectively:
the detergent will help clean the carbon and keep dust from sticking to the surfaces for some time but like the blood in our body, it needs to be recycled.

3. it won’t lubricate as effectively:
eventually, because it is not changed, the dust particles will start congesting inside and the faithful detergent will wear off. All this will contribute to the fact that, where oil was supposed to eliminate friction, the thick-abrasive-dirty oil will now itself be increasing it.

The above three points, with immense success, will lead to a much faster engine failure.

The process of regularly changing oil seems a bit annoying to many people and keeping the same in mind, Man, as usual, has made his own version of the natural oil and called it- the Synthetic Oil. Car companies have also started making advancements in technology to make oil last longer. The Synthetic oil mixed with new technologies can delay the time required for oil changes three-folds.

Mini Cooper comes with a recommendation of an oil change every 24,140 kilometers (15,000 miles) instead of the traditional belief of 4,828 kilometers (3,000 miles).

Coming back to oil changes, the earlier mentioned three points won’t happen all at once if you forget to change the oil one month or travel a couple of hundred kilometres. You will have to keep forgetting for a longer period of time and travel a couple of thousand kilometres before this can turn into a reality but please do also keep in mind that in your dear car’s dear engine, the process for all this has already begun. So, even if it is not happening instantly, don’t think all is fine. Your engine is taking the trashing of a lifetime and if you love your vehicle the way I do… do yourself a favour, do change the oil regularly.

XYLO bookings cross 4,000 mark: mahindra xylo press release

2009-02-02T22:48:00.000-08:00

Hey here is the press release from mahindra. seems like the new beast is doing very good for itself!

Mahindra sells 1,788 XYLOs in two weeks

XYLO bookings cross 4,000 mark

Synopsis:

· 1,788 Mahindra XYLOs sold between January 16 – January 31, 2009

· XYLO bookings cross the 4,000 mark

· Mahindra ramps up production to meet demand

· XYLO website registers over 7 lakh hits till date

February 2, 2009, Mumbai: Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., (M&M), one of India’s leading automobile companies, today announced that the recently launched Mahindra XYLO has sold 1,788 nos. in two weeks, with the first vehicle delivered on January16, 2009. Moreover, bookings for the XYLO have crossed the 4,000 mark since launch.

“Prior to the launch of the XYLO, a lot of excitement was generated amongst potential customers which is reflected in the sales and booking numbers. This demand has led us to ramp up production which was possible at short notice as both the Scorpio and the XYLO are manufactured on the same line,” said Mr. Rajesh Jejurikar, Chief of Operations, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

Since its launch on January 13, the XYLO has received a tremendous response with both auto enthusiasts and customers appreciating its strong value proposition of status and luxurious comfort. The XYLO website www.xylo.co.in has registered over 7 lakh hits till now, while dealerships are seeing a significant number of walk-ins every day. The XYLO offers an array of features including Flat Bed front seats, foldable flight trays, surround cool dual ACs, Intellipark Reverse Assist and the unique Digital Drive Assist System (DDAS), which has led customers to perceive it as an ideal alternative to premium sedans.

About The Mahindra Group
The US $6.7 billion Mahindra Group is among the top 10 industrial houses in India. Mahindra is the market leader in multi-utility vehicles in India. It made a milestone entry into the passenger car segment with the Logan. Mahindra & Mahindra is the only Indian company among the top tractor brands in the world.
The Group has a leading presence in key sectors of the Indian economy, including the financial services, trade, retail and logistics, automotive components, after-market, information technology and infrastructure development. Mahindra has recently made an entry in the two-wheeler segment which will see the company emerge as a full-range player with a presence in almost every segment of the automobile industry.

Mahindra's Farm Equipment Sector is also the proud recipient of the Japan Quality Medal, the only tractor company worldwide to be bestowed this honour. It also holds the distinction of being the only tractor company worldwide to win the Deming Prize. The US based Reputation Institute recently ranked Mahindra among the top 10 Indian companies in its Global 200: The World's Best Corporate Reputations list.
Mahindra is also one of only four Indian companies to receive an A+ rating from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) for its first Sustainability Report.

Hilarious Hyundai!

2009-01-30T22:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, so it’s not a bad deal. In fact it’s actually pretty thoughtful in the current financial scenario of the world... especially America. But whatever it may be... it sounds hilarious!

Here it is:-
Hyundai’s latest promotion technique:
“If you buy a car and then lose your income... Hyundai will buy your car back!!”

haha... I know the auto industry (especially in the US) is facing a slump and many companies are trying all sorts of different promotions but this technique is so in the face and direct that it makes you laugh. I don’t know if I’m laughing at the situation of the industry or of us people but it made me laugh and I though I should share it.

Few Facts:
This offer is only available in USA, as of yet.
Hyundai is not a big player in the American market (they constitute of 3% of the total market).
They may be seeing this as an opportunity to cash in on a little share of the big pie!
The owners will have to pay the first couple of instalments to be eligible for this offer.
The offer is for a maximum waiver of $7500 from the debt.
Those who pay cash do not qualify.

Buyers can avail the offer within 12 months of purchase if any of the following occur:
n Involuntary unemployment
n Physical disability
n Loss of driver’s license for medical reasons
n Job transfer overseas
n Personal bankruptcy filing by a self-employed worker
n Accidental death

The sales predictions for 2009 are down to 10-12 million from the 16.7 million average sales per year in the last decade. Amongst others, Toyota has tried the 0% financing scheme and GM has an offer to lock in Gas prices at $1.99 but none of them have proved too effective.

According to reports, a few American buyers have started showing interest but have not yet started making any significant buying. Their advertising campaigns have very smartly used the national sentiments of the country with the line: “We’re all in this together and we’ll get through it together.”

Here is what the president and chief executive of Hyundai Motor America, John Krafcik, had to say, "In this uncertain economy, we are looking for ways to reassure shoppers that Hyundai still represents the best value in the auto industry."

Auto V/S Manual... the final decision

2009-01-28T22:56:00.000-08:00

There are many never ending debates in the world. One of them being, of course, “are cars with Automatic transmission better or Manual?” Before we can answer that we need to know the basics:
The transmission in both, manual and automatic cars have the same job- to change gear ratios in order for the engine to give out the desired speed.

In simpler words, it allows the engine to work in its different, limited speeds, while giving the output of higher speeds. Or alternatively, to lower the speed.

Now, the practicality of it all:
Have you been in a traffic jam? Have you wanted to just cruise on a great patch of road / along the sea-coast / highway? Have you wanted to tow a vehicle on the road safely? Have you wanted to make driving less mechanical, more pleasurable and simpler?

If the answer to any of the above is YES... then you need to ‘delete’ the ‘C’ from the ‘ABC’ (Accelerator Brake Clutch)... in other words, you need to get a car with Automatic transmission.

Automatic cars are bliss in those horrible traffic jams where your legs are never off the Clutch. They are also great when you just wanna enjoy the ride. Once you get the car in the Drive mode you are cruising away to glory and your hands are free of the gear shaft. Even if you have to tow a vehicle on the road, Automatic vehicles will be better off, also safer, since you don’t have to Manually figure out the correct gear to tow in.

See, its simple, none of them is better or worse. It’s just a matter of preference. So if it’s a smooth and simple drive you want, Automatic is the way to go. If you want the smallest of control in your hand then go for the traditional Manual transmission. As for me... I cant handle the city roads anymore, I’m gonna let the smart engineering do the work for me while I sit back and relax... my next SUV is gonna be an Automatic!!

mahindra xylo review & analysis after launch

2009-01-13T01:29:00.000-08:00

What makes the XYLO unique and far superior to sedans is simply the manner in which it was conceived and designed. Completely created from the inside out, the XYLO keeps all the needs and wants of the would-be passenger in mind. This translates into surprising legroom, both in the second and third row. Theatre style seating ensures that none of the passengers feel left out of the conversation, even if they are seated in the back row.

Your browser may not support display of this image. Independent AC vents ensure that the Surround Cool Dual AC cools all corners of this spacious car with individual controls for each passenger. The car’s stylish exterior is aptly complemented by plush interiors available in three sophisticated shades – Black, Walnut and Granite.

The Mahindra XYLO is also the only car to offer flatbed front seats, just like in the business class of a world-class airline. Additional unique features include foldable flight trays behind the front seats, individual reading lamps for each passenger and conveniently placed laptop and mobile charging points.

Close attention to the finer details is what makes the XYLO a winner. The car’s doors are fitted with puddle lamps, giving passengers visibility while alighting from the car at night. Cabin lights in the XYLO shut gradually after a few minutes, giving passengers enough time to settle inside the car. A wide arm rest in the front row provides the driver and co-passenger with comfort, while an integrated foot rest allows easy entry and exit.

One of the most revolutionary features of the XYLO is the tech-savvy Digital Drive Assist System (DDAS). An alphanumeric display in the centre panel, the DDAS has features such as an onboard computer to calculate mileage and distance permissible. The system is easy to read and provides useful data at a quick glance. Standard information available includes date, time, inside and outside temperature and relative humidity. It also lets you know exactly which direction your Mahindra XYLO is headed in. Press a button and you are informed of your gear position and speed. The DDAS will even tell you how long your fuel will last and share information on your average speed and the instant mileage clocked by you. All of which ensures that you derive optimum mileage from your Mahindra XYLO.

The DDAS also has an inbuilt warning system which will prompt you to put on your seat belts in case you forget or if you attempt to drive with the handbrake engaged, for instance. The Intellipark Reverse Assist has a visual prompt in the rear view mirror which shows you the distance between the rear bumper and any object behind your car.

The 2 Din Entertainment System is also feature packed. It enables playback from MP3s and CDs, SD cards and USB devices, giving you a superlative acoustic experience on the road.

Plenty of innovation has gone into making the XYLO a superior vehicle to drive. The sporty dials, the centre bezel curves and the advanced Digital Drive Assist System combine to give you the feel of an aeroplane cockpit. The driver’s seat is ergonomically designed with height adjustment control to maximise comfort on long drives. Lumbar support can also be adjusted to three positions while the unique tiltable steering wheel gives you the perfect driving position.

An illuminated keyhole ring allows you to conveniently locate the keyhole even in pitch dark conditions. Utility spaces abound in the Mahindra XYLO with a well defined Centre Console housing space for CDs, magazines, etc.

This muscular car is powered by a state-of-the-art 2.49 litre mEagle CRDe engine which delivers a power-packed 112 bhp with 24 kilogram meter torque over a range of 1800 to 3000 rpm. The 2.49 litre engine is meshed with a five-speed manual gearbox and has been built on the Scorpio NEF CRDe engine family with relevant technological advancements. When a burst of power is needed, the top mounted intercooler delivers. Dual pilot injection increases the XYLO’s drivability scores, while advanced engine damping, hydraulic lash adjustor technology and auto tensioner ensure minimum service frequency and a pleasurable drive. On a long drive, you can zip down the straights with the long wheelbase and multi-link suspension keeping the XYLO composed and rock steady. The vehicle also tackles sharp bends effortlessly and skirts bumps with ease.

source: www.amitbhawani.com

Mahindra Xylo: A Case Study in Social media

2009-01-10T01:45:00.000-08:00

The power of media has shifted! Here is a Case study

If you have read my previous article I had mentioned in detail about Mahindra Xylo. I had also mentioned the use of social media by Mahindra. When I really went a step further I realized that Mahindra is actually interacting with people on one to one basis. They are taking back feedback from us. We ordinary guys who have an opinion about everything on this planet and a company couldn’t care less about us. I was actually impressed when I saw this conversation happening on orkut where the Xylo admin was talking to a guy named vibhor... here is the conversation(this is may not be

And in the conversation if you noticed Admin actually knew vibhor as an Autocar forum participant…Mahindra actually knew a GUY on the net who is just as ordinary as you and me... And you know what! They may also know what I am writing over here right now! It’s awesome! They know me! Hooray! On a serious note clearly hats off to these guys! They never cease to amaze me.
So all I got to say is whatever you write in my comment section or in forums or anywhere else about Auto is being heard by the people who matter and can bring about a change. Thankfully it is not like our government who never listen to what people have to say. So go ahead share your opinion about Mahindra and other auto manufacturers online because now online is no longer a personal space it is a full-fledged media and all of you out there have the power.
Cheerio!
PS: I am sure I am going to keep an eye on Mahindras’ activity on the web space and try to put it down here as it has now caught my attention. This is just the prelaunch activities let’s see what they do in the future. If any of you guys find something that Mahindra is doing online do let me know.

Analysis and Review of Mahindra Xylo

2008-12-23T02:57:00.000-08:00

Aaaah well I need to talk about this. If you are someone who has been surfing the web and is interested in auto, it will be hard for you to miss the buzz that is going on. Mahindra Xylo which was previously codenamed Ingenio was supposed to launch this month. But now it has been postponed to 13th Jan because of some idiots who created havoc in Mumbai with their AK’s. I cannot stop appreciating Mahindra for this decision they took considering peoples sentiments were already down.

Okay a little info on what Xylo is for people who are oblivious to what is happening around them. As far as the word is out Xylo is an MPV with a 2.5 liter CRDe. The specifications are obviously not revealed but what we all know is that Scorpio CRDe engine which is 2600 cc produces 115bhp at 3800rpm and 28.3 kgm of torque between 1700-2200rpm and Xylo is supposedly to have the same engine.

Now you must be thinking why a guy who swears by an SUV is talking about an MPV...that is because I am not in love with the word SUV, I am in love with its features! I propagate the carpooling concept very strongly and I think an MPV is par excellence in that matter. The only reason I didn’t like MPVs’ were because of the looks and the power which is usually compromised. However Mahindra is successful in creating an MPV which looks neat and masculine (according to Autocar image) and is also loaded with power.

Mahindra also launched this sweet little teaser website (www.mahindraxylo.co.in) which gives you sneak peak of Xylo. But what I liked the most about the website is the interview with the international photographer Lou, his views on Xylo really matters as he has seen so many international models first hand. The second thing I loved was that the website has a ‘be linked’ section in the website which has links to official pages on digg, delicious, Orkut and Facebook. I was wondering when was the last time an Indian giant ever had social media links on their website let alone be present in social media.

Mahindra is still young, hip and trendy…it reflects in their car design, their website and their attitude...I am sure this is what will make them go all the way in the global market…won’t be long before Mahindra will be compared to the likes of Porsche and Ferrari..Way to go! And thanks to Mr. Pawan Goenka and team, India will be proud of them!

New Idea for a weekend date!! (In my Scorpio)

2008-12-20T02:20:00.000-08:00

Dates.
Not the fruit… the miraculous event where we guys end up spending our allocated budget for the entire year!!
So… Dates. Dates are a tricky thing. Where do you go? What do you wear?
Should you take her for dinner? or for movies? or for both?!
Should you… sorry, Are you… Are you supposed to get gifts? Flowers? Chocolates?... aaaaahhhhhhhh!!
You get the idea.

The Preface:
This weekend… 4th anniversary with girlfriend!!...
Had to try something new… She was in one of those ‘nothing is wrong’ mood…
Went for a date… in my Scorpio!!
Most memorable date till date!

The Date:
I picked her up from her house in Juhu and started off by giving her one of those big yellow flowers (her favourite… heaven knows what they are called). Then I attached my pen drive to the music player, reduced the bass from my woofer and played MLTR, James Blunt, etc. With the music system I’ve set up, it seemed like there was a band playing just for us! I kept changing the songs according to the moment and… I must say… having the remote attached to my Steering Wheel made it really convenient to keep holding hands every once in a while and also drive easily.

After getting a view of Juhu Beach we went straight to Carter road, then Band-stand. We had rolled the windows down to enjoy the cool sea breeze.
(note: she tied her hair so that she doesn’t get knots in them. Very important thing for girls but still very alien to me!)
Some times we would chat, some times we sang along and sometimes we just held hands, stayed quite and enjoyed the moment… basically, the idea was working, the drive was going well.
(note: wind on your face… sea… music… night- makes the atmosphere really romantic!)

It was time for the climax. I secretly called up a restaurant in Bandra (who I had spoken to before picking her up and also when we were leaving Juhu Beach) and said that I will be reaching in 5 minutes.
(note: no, after such a wonderful evening I wasn’t going to take her to some stupid restaurant!)
When I reached the restaurant many cars were parked there but i guess scorpio is not a car the waiter can miss. We picked up the food and went to Bandra Reclamation, where we parked the SUV with its back to the sea.
(note: the huge woofer in the rear seating space makes a good buffet table!)

The Climax:
We got out, had the Thai food - she loves it. Got back in the Scorpio, reversed it to face the sea now… pulled back our seats, reclined it a bit… I played her favourite songs that I was saving up for last… held hands… looked at the magnificent sea… looked at each other…then believe it or not we sat back and played snake and ladder like we used to when we were kids( the loser had to take the other shopping). Then an hour later I dropped her back home… before her mom would start calling!

The Best part:
And after I dropped her she kept messaging me as to how wonderful the evening was and that this was the best date ever!! The best part was that both of us never felt that we were sitting inside a car. Scorpio has got so much room it felt we were sitting in a planetarium and gazing at the marvels of nature!
I don’t want to put a cost to it but it was an anniversary date and it cost me just Rs. 1500!!
BEAT THAT!

PS:Next I am going to take her for a long drive...Longer than she can imagine ;)...Planning to touch Goa and back in 24 hours... I am sure my Scorpio can do it and that would be one more adventure to share with my first love (my Scorpio that is!)

The basics of Tyre Burst / Blow Out

2008-12-18T01:58:00.000-08:00

1. How To Handle A Tyre Burst:
a. What Not To Do:
DO NOT PANIC!!
Yes… no matter how many times you hear this about everything else in life, its true. If you panic, you tend to hurry and not think clearly and in that you may end up doing one of the following things that you are not supposed to do.

DO NOT SLAM THE BRAKES!!
Although it may seem like the wisest thing to do it is not. Why? Because one of your tyres is out of your control (it burst!) and when you apply brakes, it will do so to every tyre but only three will respond favourably. So, depending on the speed of the vehicle, it may end up skidding sideways or rolling around in circles like a ballerina till it hits something!!

DO NOT STEER IN ANY DIRECTION!!
Again, even though it is a reflex action that when a car gets out of control you tend to steer it immediately to the side, don’t do this because, as mentioned, one of your tyres is not responding and will only make matters worse.

Ok, yeah, I know it seems like I’m saying “just close your eyes and pray” but no, that’s not what I meant. Now comes:
b. What To Do:
Depending on how fast one’s reflexes are and how much one can remember at the particular time, here is the list, somewhat in order:

HOLD THE STEERING TIGHT!!
Hold the steering wheel tightly so that the vehicle doesn’t start banging into everything around it.

LEAVE THE ACCELERATOR… NOW!!
You have to get the machine to slow down. So that you can do something about it. Leave the accelerator so that the deceleration process begins.

TURN ON THE EMERGENCY / PARKING LIGHTS!!
It’s a wise thing to let the people behind know that something is wrong and they should also slow down a bit and definitely not try and overtake you.

GEAR BRAKE!!
Just because I said don’t slam the brakes doesn’t mean you don’t have to slow down! Gear brake (but not at once!! Don’t get it down from 5th to 1st!!). Slowly get it down.

SIGNAL AND GENTLY STEER ASIDE AFTER SPEED HAS DIED OUT!!
Had to steer eventually, but do it only after giving an indication of the same and after speed has died out considerably! AND do it gently! No sudden movements!

2. How Do You Know It’s a Tyre Burst?:

You may actually think it’s an earthquake but its not. The vehicle will vibrate. Steering it will become difficult. The steering will start tilting more to the side of the tyre burst. There will be a loud sound as if the vehicle hit something (in some small cases the air will flow out steadily and you wouldn’t even get to hear the sound). Naturally your vehicle is programmed to steer left when you take your hands off the steering, so don’t get confused, only when your steering wheel is tilting to any side even when you have your hands on the steering there is a grave problem. Either your axle is broken or you have a tyre burst situation.

3. Prevention:
Many people say that filling in too much air in the tyres will cause it to burst but the fact of the matter is that a person will purposely have to fill a crazy amount of air in the tyre to make it burst while driving. That being said, don’t fill in too much air. Mostly it is less air being filled into the tyre or old and peeling tyres that burst.

So, all being said and done, always maintain right air pressure, always use healthy tyres and always keep a spare tyre( it’s useless if you don’t have the jack and Tommy, so keep that too) … just in case!

Indian SUV are more fuel efficient than the big American SUV ?

2008-12-15T00:33:00.000-08:00

Are you waiting for me to answer??!!
Come on folks, we all know the answer... For anyone who is still in doubt, the answer is a big and loud YES! The single largest selfish reason for people in the U.S. to have started dumping the idea of getting an SUV is the rise in fuel prices. And because of this, the monstrous American SUVs (who are HEAVY fuel consumers) have become unaffordable and impractical. Our Indian counterparts, however, will keep finding a rising market share due to the practicality of the Indian SUVs.
I’m calling them practical because they keep in mind the needs and wants of the Indian consumer.

Big family? – More Space!
Wanna save money? – Fuel Efficient!
Horrible Roads? – Great Suspension and ground Clearance!
Neighbour’s envy? – Stunning Looks!

So, in the country where “Bada hai to behtar hai!” (bigger is better!), our car makers are offering the looks, the economy, the space, the comfort, the affordability… basically everything that the American consumers have been wanting from their SUVs. But then, the question arises, what is different? What are we doing different to make these mean machines purchasable?
The answer is pretty simple as well… we aint giving that much power.
Why? U may ask…
Well, because we don’t need it! I Can’t think of any mountain or “off-road” in any part of this country where these cars cant go!
I have been to a lot… and I mean A LOT of remote places in this country with horrible roads and found our rugged Mahindra Jeep running around! So big fancy SUV… not really a necessity.
What about the Himalayas? U may ask…
Let me inform you, Gypsy King is ruling the place for a long time now… even in rallies!
For the cities there are 3 major players, in the ‘absolute-affordable’ market I am talking about. They are- Tata’s Sumo Grande and Safari and Mahindra’s Scorpio. All three of them have a good market share of their own. The difference? Well this is the interesting part. New Sumo (Grande) and Safari have the same engine. In fact almost everything is similar, if not same (and I personally like Grande’s looks better)!
As for Safari and Scorpio (arch-rivals), Safari gives a little more bhp but then they are using more RPM to get there. I would have preferred if they used other methods to get there since that way they could have been able to maintain a good fuel economy. Since looks are a very individual choice… this is the point where Scorpio definitely scores one-up over Safari- Fuel economy.

does driving an SUV need SPECIAL SKILLS??

2008-12-08T02:15:00.000-08:00

I dont think anyone will disagree with the fact that there is a huge rise in the sheer number of SUV's that are being seen in the cities. In fact, this SUV trend is pretty evident throughout the country if u go to see (and i am happy!).
As i've already said in my last post(click here to see), the skills of the drivers are equal in both the cities (Delhi-Mumbai). That being said, many people think that driving an SUV specifically needs special skills since it is a bigger, heavier vehicle with the chances of a 'turtle' happening always at a high due to its high ground clearance... They are right and wrong.
Now, while driving an SUV is not half as difficult as driving jumbo jet! The above mentioned have been the issues that have been coming forward with SUVs in the past. But then we can also be assured that the companies who are investing millions on these cars will take care of any problem that arises (if they wanna continue earning the millions, that is!)
The latest mHawks, for instance, that have come out from the Mahindra stable, are equipped with features like:
ABS (or Anti-lock Braking System) that makes sure u don't lose the control of your car and if the car is in control it will never 'turtle'.
Cruise Control, this is perfect for long drives/highways where u can rest your feet and let the machine take over for a while as it continues to move at a constant, controlled speed.
The Parking Assist is a small but important feature that will be used the most often in the cities i guess. It is helpful while reversing the big beasts to park them. Ultra-sonic sensors judge the distance between the car and anything in the way and display it on the rear view mirror! Very Bond... James Bond!
Sounds so simple isn't it? Well, it actually is. ABS, cruise control and parking assist apart from stuff like 'fire retardant upholstery', 'rain sensor' and 'crash protection crumple zone' make the experience of driving a SUV further more enjoyable, safer and u dont need special training for it either!

are DELHI drivers BETTER than their MUMBAI counterparts??

2008-12-02T02:26:00.000-08:00

NO, period.
sorry to break the entire summary in the first line itself but its a fact. I am, today, breaking a myth I have been hearing of for a long time, every time traffic in the city is discussed.
Come on guys (and gals, since they have also commented to my posts), this is INDIA and every metro has similar drivers (I dont mean chauffeurs I mean drivers).
Driving pleasure is greater in Delhi, marginally, not due to the miraculous existence of better drivers in that city but because it is the goddamn capital of this country and due to that it is witness to:

better quality roads
more fly-overs
stricter police restrictions

how does being the capital result in these 3 ultra important points coming into creation? because my friends, the capital of our wonderful country has cars equal to Mumbai, Kolkatta and Hyderabad combined!
And most importantly, it has 90% of the VVVVVIPs (politicians) staying there and they do not like travelling on bumpy roads. Also, like Ostriches (who hide their face in the ground and think the predator cant see them), they make the city they live in look beautiful and think that the entire country looks like this!
Anyways, forget about them... if I start I wont be able to stop myself. Coming back to the main point, the drivers in both these cities are equally skilled, in fact the public transport is much better in Mumbai (im talkin about buses not metro) but our Pandus here are happy taking their small bribe n letting us go where as the thulle over their have an axe on their head to keep traffic in control.
Systematic traffic lines followed in Mumbai is very visible when you compare it with any other cities in India, therefore Mumbai definitely has more patient drivers than their counterparts.

Top 6 all time favourite indian SUV's

2008-11-17T23:12:00.000-08:00

I just thought of writing on some aged honchos with scope for improvement

Few would know that it was 1941 when the Jeep- car type and the brand, both- came into existence. India, thanks to Mahindra, had the Jeep (im talking bout the car type, not the brand) within 5 years. Further, few would know that Jeep (car type) is considered to be for SUVs… what monkeys are to humans. The only difference being that Jeeps and SUVs both continue to evolve till date. Also, you wouldn’t want to become a monkey but you would love to own a Jeep!!
The evolution to SUVs took 20 years in the US market. In India it took us 50 years!! It was Tata Sierra, in 1990s… remember that car? In the 50 years, Mahindra started making agricultural tractors, pick up vans and also more version of the Jeep, including the smaller, city-popular "Classic" but no SUVs.
After Tata Sierra, the market opened and SUVs are now as much a part of Indian roads as regular cars. This post of mine I have written to talk of such SUVs that hold potential for an upgrade or revamp or… you get the idea.
Tata Sierra:
The 3 door SUV.
· It holds nostalgic value for many.
· It design had potential to be worked on.
· It also carried a gear for overdrive.
· The engine will need to be worked on though… desperately… it gave 89bhp@4500rpm!! and 190Nm@2500rpm!!

Tata Safari:
It received an upgrade a little over a year ago but many things still need to be worked on. Im talking about their Dicor range, the others are not even worth talking about. Overall it had a very macho look
· The gear box, steering, irritating right-aligned placement of the pedals. The car is just not "fine-tuned" well enough; these are small but irritating things that you expect to be taken care of.
· The interiors! The interiors! Still not fine… just giving it a wooden look doesn’t make it good! The finishing is just not there and the plastic is bleh!
· Engine really shows itself only after reving it till about 1600.

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara:
Has come to India after visiting the world but not been able to make any mark here.
· Horrible mileage- below 10!
· High maintenance cost… weird for a Maruti car in India!
· Plastic interiors… really?!

Mahindra Scorpio:
It has been revamped with the mHawk and automatic versions within the next year and I think they have been spot-on with their research of what the consumers wanted more.
· The only thing they can still improve on further is lengthening the seating space but then, that is compensated by the nice and high seating.

Mahindra Bolero:
Another SUV by Mahindra, this time in the extremely cost-economical range. It received an upgrade last year but I still feel it has more potential.
· Looks can be upgraded (although personally speaking, considering the low cost, getting good modifications is a good option and that may be the reason why there are many modified Boleros around).
· Although it is working well as a pick-up truck also… more power can be provided.

Mahindra Jeep- Classic:
Last but not the least… back to the beginning. Classic should definitely be brought back… and if what I have heard is true, it is!!
· It has a strong nostalgia factor to it
· Its look can be modified by accessorising it according to personal preference.
· The interiors need to be up-to-date with the current scenario.
· Suspension, is probably the only major factor that needs to be looked at.

CRAZIEST TRAFFIC RULE IN INDIA!

2008-10-22T01:21:00.000-07:00

And yet again some more rules I have found...This has to be the craziest...god these many outrageous rules can only happen in India

Q. Can I use mobile phone while driving?
A. No. For 4 & 2 wheelers both.
(Neil: understandable law, I completely endorse it!)

Q. Can I keep my mobile phone switch on while driving?
A. If you are alone in the car, you shall switch off your mobile phone while driving any motor vehicle. (Section 250 (A)(2) of M.M.V.R.1989)
(Neil: what is this even supposed to mean?? be cut off from the world while driving? Your house caught fire behind u but sorry, u won’t know till u have completed your long drive from Mumbai to Goa because we couldn't contact u!!)

Q. After receiving call or SMS on mobile phone, Can I park my vehicle and use mobile phone?
A. No. Since the phone is supposed to be switched off.
(Neil: why? Just tell me why? What sense does this make?!)

u also cant smoke while driving! Its a serious offence and your licence can be cancelled with immediate effect.

Don't be sad though... u feel the need to take out the frustration on someone else? Well u can! Just find a rickshaw/taxi driver.

As per MMVR- 21(29)/177 u can take him to the police if u feel his rickshaw/taxi wasn't clean enough!

i love the law, i really do... but the nincompoops who make it are drunk while doing so, I guess!!
Whatever stupid laws the government creates Indians always get the best of them. I came across a lovely photo of how the SMART mallus obey the law in Kerela, where the pillion rider need not wear a helmet...

Also friends, remember, this is India... we have a way out for everything...
its also written that the 'Challaning officer' cannot stop your car until you do visible traffic offence. So basically do the crime, just hide it well.
lol... till later... CRIMINALS!!

1. To read Part 1 of the funny traffic rules click here
2. To read Part 2 of the funny traffic rules click here

MORE RULES BY TRAFFIC POLICE!

2008-10-20T00:43:00.000-07:00

I found some more funny traffic rules ....

now the circus, we r doomed if the police does not have a breath analyser but suspects u of drunken driving!

We will be instructed to take 9 steps, heel-to-toe but if we:
i. are unable to keep balance while listening to instructions.
ii. begin before instructions are finished.
iii. stop while walking, to regain balance.
iv. do not touch heel-to-toe.
v. use arms to balance.
vi. lose balance while turning. vii. take an incorrect number of steps.
We will be detained!!

We may also be instructed to keep one foot approx 6 inches off the ground and count aloud till further notice but if we:
viii. start swaying.
ix. use arms to balance.
x. hop to maintain balance.
xi. put the foot down.
We will be detained!!
note: i dont know about u guys but for a country that hardly ever wins any medals in the Olympics, this seems real tough to me!
and then,

driving without the rear number plate being illuminated is a serious offence!

we can not stop on a zebra crossing (start looking out for the ever fading line that no one cares about)

the driver can not leave the vehicle with the engine turned on. Not even if the car is in neutral with the hand-brakes pulled!! so basically anyone sitting inside should die in the heat! (maybe this is a population control method in disguise!)

1. To read the craziest traffic rule posted click here
2. To read some previously written funny rules click here

FUNNY NEW RULES BY TRAFFIC POLICE!

2008-10-17T02:01:00.000-07:00

Its surpirising that the rules i will mention here are not new rules but we have never heard about them
I firmly believe that the traffic police is working their a** off in the heat and pollution on the roads while being paid peanuts for it but they can't be taking all that frustration out on us! A recent incident got me pumped up and searching about the traffic laws in our wonderful country. Without further delay, I present to you, some useful, some useless and some absolutely psycho laws, etc. that need to be followed by us as well as the police.
Here goes...
lets start with the basics,

the process of getting a chalan (ticket) - officially called... “Challaning”!!

the dude who comes to us to give us a ticket - officially called... 'Challaning Officer'!

very hinglish, the traffic police are definitely up-to-date with the lingo it seems.
now something that will never happen,

Our 'Challaning Officers' are supposed to address us as “Sir/Ma'am”!! and... They cant talk rudely to us! It's the law!

moving on,

ever had that guy annoying u with his excessive honking? Drag him to jail!

According to Rule 170 (1) Motor Vehicles Rules, 1993 and Rule 178 (1) Motor Vehicles Rules, 1990, u have this right.

Ever annoyed someone with excessive honking? Did he drag u to jail?

Counter file a case on him! According to Section 122, Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 u have this right.
This one i love,

Realisation dawned upon the U.P. Govt. and they have given total exemption to women from wearing a helmet under rule 193 U.P. Motor Vehicle Rules '90 (because of absence of brains inside??!! :p)

I am still looking for more rules that are funny...let me know if any of you guys have had a funny incident with the ‘Challaning officer’..hehe

1. To read Part 2 of the funny traffic rules click here
2. To read Part 3 of the funny traffic rules click here

US ARMY: HUMMER… INDIAN ARMY:HUMMER?

2008-10-13T04:24:00.001-07:00

Everyone strives for their share of the Great American Dream, even if they are not American! And that should explain why two of India’s biggest companies are fighting for the ownership of General Motor’s ‘HUMMER’ brand.

According to Just-Auto an ‘unnamed official’ at Mahindra has said that "Mahindra is very keen on acquiring the Hummer". The other company is said to be (the one that is possibly going after every brand in the world) - Tata. Mahindra and Tata have, both, been similar-minded on the whole acquisition scene with them showing interest in bidding for Jaguar and Land Rover (both European but owned by Ford) and the right to own Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta. Jaguar and Land Rover, like almost all other companies that they bid for, fell into Tata’s lap. As for this new desire to get HUMMER, probably the most American of all American cars, we’ll have to wait and watch.

It would certainly be interesting to see Mahindra get HUMMER… for simple reasons:
· HUMMER is the car for the American army.
· Mahindra’s Jeep is its equivalent for India’s.

· In the SUV market, Tata’s got the good old Safari, the stunningly revamped Sumo and now to top it all off, Land Rover!
· On Mahindra’s side, we have the unbeatable Scorpio, the reliable Bolero and if it works out… HUMMER.
(you can count the good old jeep in it if you want, although its high time for an upgrade)

It would just keep the competition levelled and plus, I would really love to see the army get its hands on some HUMMERS!

It could still be wishful thinking though, since none of the companies have made an official statement on the same. The best we got is, the fact that General Motors is having meetings with its dealers regarding all the possibilities for its HUMMER brand. The reason for this may be the 60.2% dip in sales it saw in May ‘08, compared to May ‘07. Let’s also not forget the rising oil prices that can’t be helping the situation much for the car that falls in the worse group for fuel economy (actually that is a point even Mahindra may have to work on… if they get it, that is.).

Mahindra, moving on, also has plans to launch itself in the American car market in the coming few years. They’ve planned a four-cylinder diesel pick-up that was earlier named Appalachian (??!!) but reports say they have dropped the name and plan to go with something alpha-numeric. It will be galloping around 150 horses of power with its displacement standing at 2.2 litres. Its engine has been produced exclusively for the US with the help of Bosch and AVL. The car is expected to be hitting the American market by the end of 2009. (if they get HUMMER by then, their tag line can be: we paid you a lot of money, now we are here to make some back!)

Coming back to the Tata, their interest may have died down a bit after the big purchases it has already made. Mahindra’s unnamed source has been heard, sounding enthusiastic as ever (I can understand, I would be too!), saying that, "The U.S. market might not be able to afford their own HUMMER any longer, but India is a growing and strong economy. When Indians like something we go out and get it, no matter what the cost, because we know how to make it work for us."

So, are these my isolated feelings or maybe its all of us who want the competition going and more Hummer's on the Indian roads with the army's camouflage colours? What say?

How SUV’s can help the concept of carpooling

2008-09-24T04:46:00.000-07:00

There are a few things that no one likes. Say, depleting ozone layer, melting polar caps, traffic jams, getting late for work, pollution, heat, rising fuel prices, public transport… you get the idea.

It’s not as if there is no solution though, it is most probably the only solution that solves so many problems and more than ‘quite-a-few’ people have already started it. Without building further suspense I’ll tell you that I’m talking about carpooling. I’ve also seen websites that can be used to find fellow poolers- yes, in India! It has begun… In fact, a few sites also give the option of finding poolers through sms!

Now, I have not used it (till now) but it seems like the general way of functioning is that people travelling on similar routes can tag along with the person who owns the car and he gets some points from the websites. The points can be redeemed for petrol and stuff.

How is car pooling helpful??
The simplest example is- imagine 5 guys going to work in their 5 respective cars. They occupy their respective space on the roads, contribute their respective share of pollution and pay their individual share of fuel. Now imagine all 5 of them in 1 car. 5 times less pollution, 5 times more empty roads and 5 times reduced costs on fuel! Forget 5 guys, take just 2 people and you have still reduced pollution, congestion and fuel costs by HALF!

Now for my idea- using SUV’s for car pool. The main problem with car pool is the congestion that might happen inside the car… but SUV’s, as everyone knows, have that problem tackled already. They are more spacious and provide enough room for 5 people to sit extremely comfortably while also keeping their bags in the spacious last row (please don’t call it a dickey). With a little adjustment, 6-7 people can be seated inside happily with their bags. So the car owner, if using one of the websites, can easily adjust more people and earn more points (don’t get greedy and start stuffing people, though).

I know, not everyone travels in large groups but with SUV’s they have a comfortable option to try and expand the pooling group while reducing personal hassles.

SUV’s are also many-a-times accredited with better suspension (they should be, considering they are supposed to handle the “off-roads” as well). This is a plus point for the Indian roads especially if a group is going to be travelling inside the car.

You can say that a car working on full load will give reduced fuel efficiency and to top it off SUV’s, world over, are considered to be heavy fuel consumers. But, here in India we do things differently, Indian SUV’s do not follow the same route and give similar or sometimes more efficiency than the sedans (users, including me, have been able to achieve an economy of around 15 with their Scorpio).

(afterthought: maybe that is the reason Sumo was so popular with private taxi operators)

All in all, save the environment people… lets car pool (I’m registering myself today!). I really think car pooling may turn out to be a very good option when compared with public transport, once it actually catches on. It gives all the same benefits, in fact more, while reducing the disadvantage.

Why females should not drive a vehicle..

2008-09-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

disclaimer: I AM NOT A SEXIST!!

As I said, I’m not a sexist… but that doesn’t mean I can’t discriminate. Anyone who has ever been on the road (by anyone I mean even the poor frail street dogs) would know that this particular heading is one of the most important topics of our times.

Let’s get straight to the point, The Incident:

The day has gone well and I’m off from office a little early.

I’m comfortably sitting in my car with the air conditioning turned on along with some soft music.

The signal is red and I’m in the centre lane.

A female arrives to my right, in her CRV… and then it begins…

She tries to overtake me (on a red signal, on an empty road) and I later realised that she had somehow thought the right lane is best suited for her when she actually wanted to go left!! This part I still understand but what I don’t get is why she couldn’t wait for me and the one car behind me to pass? While she was cautiously trying this stunt (and I praying that she knows her turning radius well enough not to hit my month old Scorpio), a guy was about to cross the road in front of her.

She then, in an attempt to overtake that man as well, rev-ed up loudly and sped ahead for a feet or two before landing her tyres on the poor guy’s feet. Again, this part I understand but what I don’t get is why did she panic and put the car in reverse gear to come back and hit my front bumper?!!

The quarrel, etc. that happened after that is irrelevant to the point I am trying to make. If you have been observing the road of late, Females and SUV’s are becoming a more and more common match. I can’t remember how many times it has happened that I have guessed a female driver correctly by simply looking at how the car is moving, cutting, etc. I may be sounding too hard but it is really difficult to control my emotions, especially when my month old Scorpio that was standing quietly on a signal has taken a hit on one of the most empty roads I’ve seen.

Now, females can get panicked, nervous and confused a lot and very quickly too. It is because of this, that even a small car like Zen can turn into a mania on roads, so when they are given SUV’s to drive… I think I’ll be taking the train.