Two more to come...

My fellow nationals, with the growth in our country's GDP came the realisation that the middle-class Indian too can spend on luxuries! What the numerous Italian designers, Russian gun-makers and Chinese You-Go Boss cologne makers didn't comprehend before setting stores in India was that whatever be the product, we don't buy before saying "dena ka bhaav bolo". 

So they have to manipulate things. Make the script suit the hero who gave you dates (in a hindi film kind of way). Of course, that's why they call it a consumer's market. 

Stepping into 2011, Harley Davidson launched 2 new motorcycles as promised - 883 SuperLow and Iron 883. As the 883 suggests, both are powered by the same engine. With virtually no difference in any other area, the price space is filled by the dimensions and finish of both the bikes. The cheaper one SuperLow, is well, low! The Iron 883 is a relatively beefed up with black matt finish everywhere you can look. These are no VRods or Rockets, but then the USP of these bikes is the dena ka bhaav! Here are 2 bikes to give company to the entry league biker alongwith the XL883R Roadster.

At prices of 5.5 lacs and 6.5 lacs, this is as close as one comes to bite the sound potatopotato!

 

Any colour you like...

"Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black."

Except for trademark colours like the Ferrari race red (known as Rosso Corsa) or the Pearl Metallic Yellow Murcielago, there are few cars that look better colorful. Even lesser cars can carry off a head to toe white attire. White Range Rovers look particularly smashing!

Hollywood trying to create future in their studio basements has somehow always foreseen cars of the future to be chiselled and DARK. Either bold primary colours or black! Even though the sharp lines concur, more concepts are being unveiled in shades of white or grey. Classic reminds of chrome and shiny black. Future may depict matt black bumpers and white bodies. That to me, is not an exciting sight! We need innovation at being simple. Finding practical solutions to avoid unnecessary complications and not trying too hard to be different could be a the way forward.
 

Affordable (X)cstacy!

The leading German luxury car makers marched into India a few years ago with it's battalion of beasts and took away more than half the candy from Mercedes.
Here comes another brave new soldier from the BMW stable.

The lowest order link of the X series is here. This SUV has been a success in all other countries and the fate doesn't seem any different in India. It's booked for the next 3 months already.
The looks are typically new-age BMW. A perfect solution to the urban complexities in a grand fashion. Suspension is the key to a good ride and that's where BMW scores all its points on this one. The sharp hood lines convince of a low centre of gravity on this not so magnanimous car. Although, let the size not be a deception as this car has all that can be packed in a small package.
Among the 1800 CC petrol and 2000 CC diesel, the diesel one can be expected to be the better bet.
The engine is a gem and the looks are worth a few heads. Master stroke is the price tag! A BMW X1 can be owned within a price of Rs. 30 lacs.

Joy is what you make of it! And for that price tag, this is joy many can afford!

Autocar Performance Show 2010

I was yet to visit an auto-exhibit with more than wax-polishes and car scrubs on display. This time I got a chance and the visit was not only well-worth the Sunday, it came with a lot of surprises. Autocar India magazine organizes a performance show every year in the city of Bombay. As much as I am tempted to describe the beauty of the chin lines of each and every vehicle, it is intriguing to notice why Autocar holds these exhibitions in the first place. (There is a slideshow to your right for the pictures!)

Understandably, for the SMEs in the Automotive industry, there can be no better platform to showcase their abilities. But unfortunately, there are not many in our country who can pimp out your car or bike and give it a face-melting overhaul. Except for the engineering guys with their small yet effective racing car and 120 kmph-doing toy buggies, there were not many stands to spend time with when there were some staggering beauties waiting in line to be appreciated.

So then, what is the real advantage of pouring in some millions towards advertising high-end vehicles to a bunch of posers. For one, not many millionaires are true-blue enthusiasts! They buy cars for the bling and they prefer doing their shopping in a showroom. So, how many people coming to a show like that would actually be converts. Barely any!
Of course, if you have read even the index of a management book, you are going to tell me - "it's Branding dude!"
They are selling dreams! Ambitions. Almost every person coming home from such an exhibition promises him/herself to own a car that brilliant one day. That day doesn't come for most. By the time you actually deepen your pockets, you lose interest in buying vehicles. Apparently, real estate is a better deal, they say!
However, surely, the whole affair is a win-win situation for everybody. Companies get to advertise their brands, their technology, their mettle! Autocar gets more subscibers.
And we get the motivation. To love automobiles!
The biggest potential in such exhibitions still goes untapped. Our country does not have a glorious automotive history. And hence the ignorance and frugality towards vehicles. Almost all commercial big-wigs of automobiles have stepped into India. If it ever has to change, the time is now! Spreading the love for automobiles is the first step. And what better way than such exhibitions - these dreams spread out on carpets!

Happy day for Tesla

The world has been going through financial worries for almost 2 years now. In the recent past, almost as many as 35 companies either postponed or cancelled their IPOs for the fear of not finding enough investors. But being so different from the rest of Wall Street is what gives Tesla Motors Inc. it's poise to be the first American automobile company to raise an IPO after 54 years.

True story.

The previous company to do it was Ford Motors in 1956.

That's a big name to draw parallels with. On top of that, Tesla has never ever booked a profit. Whereas Ford has been a standard for the industry for a century.

About Tesla

Evidently, the company borrows it's name from the great scientist - arguably the inventor of electricity - Nikola Tesla. It does so for a very good reason. Many companies have been attempting at providing carbon free cars with Toyota's Prius leading the path. Different engineers have reached different options - hydrogen, ethanol, electricity, etc. One guy called Stan Meyer even developed a car that works on water! Truly amazing engineers. However, Tesla is the only company till date to have successfully created a road-worthy car and it works purely on electricity. It has no exhaust pipe. The car is as silent as a snail but swift as a rattle snake. It's not worth picturing a Maini Reva when I say electric car. Tesla Roadster (picture given) is way ahead of that.

• Power - 288 horse power
• Torque - All the power is available at almost all levels with a few variations. From 0 to 14000 rpm. 
• Acceleration - 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. (Who would believe that of a non-petrol engine?)
• Top Speed - 125 mph (Electronically limited - which I assume is a polite way of saying, "the engine is capable of much more, but your State Traffic Law wont permit anyway!")
• Battery Life - 7 years or 100,000 miles
• Price - Base model $ 101,500/-   Sport Model $ 120,000/-

Ford was led by men of iconic stature. The brain child of Henry Ford and was later headed by Lee Iacocca. He was later fired from Ford. Lee Iacocca then presided over the Chrylser board and made the company a fierce competition for Ford itself. The story of Tesla is similar.

Tesla's is based in Palo Alto, California (the universe where ideas form the ether and college drop-outs become the stars) and although founded by Martin Eberhard & Elon Musk together, it is currently headed by Elon as the CEO.

Elon Musk is the same guy who founded X.Com which later became PayPal Inc. and is now a part of eBay.

Martin and Elon had a fall out and eventually Martin had to quit. Martin even filed a suit against Elon alleging that he was virtually made to leave. Supposedly, one of the clauses of the suit contains that Elon didn't let Martin have the first Roadster that rolled out of the factories.

The founders have not been the only people excited about driving a complete car that doesn't pollute. Media friendly celebs like Brad Pitt and George Clooney drive Roadsters. (Guess the Ocean's Eleven couldn't steal any gas.)

The car is a masterpiece. However, one can't help but notice that the car is never noticed! The price one pays for the car is definitely one major parameter in this regard. Not many can afford a $ 100,000 car. Even if they can, there are better options! The emission front doesn't persuade enough to indulge in an expensive car like the Roadster.

The company has recently launched another vehicle with the name Model S. Deliveries may begin in 2012 and the car currently can be booked for approximately $ 50,000/-.

What remains to be seen is whether the Model S can be our generation's Ford T ?

Nissan Micra

Seriously, what is with the hype surrounding the upcoming Nissan Micra? Why are all auto journos recommending this particular car in the midst of so many acclaimed small segment vehicles already available? And why are people actually postponing buying their first car only for a car which still has 1 month to open bookings? There definitely have to be more than one reasons.
Of course, to begin with, even though Nissan may not be a household name in India, the quality of product is an undebatable issue - Nissan is from Japan!!!
The car definitely has it unnatural charms. No doubt about that! The eyes bulge out, the roofline slants just at the right angle and not one part looks as if inspired from something else. Except the Mini Cooperish rear. (Sorry, could'nt help but notice) There is not one edgy corner to the entire structure. Yet by no means can you call this a girl's ride. Well, the Micra is a boy and a charming one at that!
If the looks were enough for you, getting into the passenger seat is going to be a treat. With so much space in the back, you begin to wonder if the car just expanded stealthily.
Getting into the driving seat you realise that this turtle face has pounding legs underneath the hood. The 1.2 litre engine can produce 80 horses and 104 kgm of torque. Move over Swifts and i10s!