New Honda City to kick ass from tomorrow

The car for which the whole of India has been waiting for is getting launched tomorrow.

The all new Honda City is powered by a 1.5L VTEC under the hood producing a whopping 118PS at 6000 rpm. The new CIty also gets paddle shifts like the CIvic. Only two variants are being planned as of now. This is due to the fact that the old City is to co-exist with the new City.

The City is being priced around Rs.9 Lakhs.

Keep checking this space for more details.

FZ-16 to scorch Indian roads

Following the success of the Yamaha R-15 in India, Yamaha plans to launch the FZ-16.

Unlike the R-15, the FZ-16 is a naked bike with the mean looks, based on FZ1000. Equipped with an air cooled 160 cc engine, it is expected to produce 15PS at 8,400 RPM. The street classic from Yamaha will sport telescopic suspension in the front and monocross suspensions at the rear. The FZ-16’s braking is powered by a disk brake in the front and a drum at the rear.

The bike is expected to be priced at around Rs.80,000.

Clearly, Apache RTR and Pulsar 180 has competition!

The bike is expected to be launched during Diwali 2008.

Hyundai i20 - Coming soon!

The much awaited Hyundai i20, the successor of Hyundai i10, is debuting at the Paris Mondial de l’automobile (Paris Motor Show) later this year. The latest offering from Hyundai in the i series sports a longer wheelbase and spacious interiors than the i10.

Aimed at replacing the Getz at European markets, the i20 will coexist in India alonside Getz and the i10. The entire research and development has been done in Hyundai Motor Company’s Germany division keeping the European markets in mind.

i20 i-blue

Hyundai is has also planned a very eco friendly variant chreistened, i20 blue where the regular 5 speed manual gearbox is replaced by a 6 speed unit. Also aerodynamics are improved due to the presence of full length under-body covers. Other modifications aimed at fuekl economy include 15 mm reduction in ground clearance, low rolling-resistance tyres and low-friction engine oil.

The carbon emission in Hyundai i20 i-blue is only 99 g/km and the car is expected to return close to 25 kmpl!

TVS Menace 180 - What to expect!

The Menace on two wheels is arriving and it looks hot too. Considering the sexiness that exists in the current RTR 160 beating all in that exist in its class and a few above too. Even if it manages to keep up with it predecessor it’ll be up there with the best… need I say more.

Design:
The bike will retain the basic lines of the current RTR, retaining the basic look of a naked sports bike. But with no front scoop this time. And for a good reason too, the front is now going to house a semi-full faring that will expose part of the engine and give it that naked bike look too.
The bike will have a digital speedometer with top speed, 0-60 timer, trips, and other extra functionality plus stunning looks.

Engine and Gearbox:
The race developed high reving180cc mill will be one of a kind, developing 18bhp and refined further, more than it is in the current RTR. The engine is expected to have a high compression ratio to deliver more power and will be powered by a fuel injection system.

Ride and Handling:
The current RTR handles like a charm with loads of feedback from both the front and rear end. TVS won’t make a mistake in the handling department, although the company is looking to keep the setup to a slightly sportier side. With front and rear disk brakes and a proposed mono-shock we have a new dream bike in development here.
Rumours are that TVS might be going overboard with the weight distribution and balancing and we might have a surprise exhaust this time.

Price and Competition:
Expect the price to be around 80,000+INR. This is a real good deal, considering the finish and performance of previous TVS products. The bike will compete with bikes above its segment like the pulsar 200 as the RTR is already taking care of the bikes in the 180cc segment.

Our take:
The bike is a bargain for what TVS is offering with the “Menace”. I’m sure TVS will break benchmarks with this 180cc. The bike is due this Oct-Nov (2008) - Those planning for a performance bike any time soon, do try this first.