Bajaj launches new sporty discover 135cc

Bajaj Auto today introduced a new variant of its flagship product Discover 135cc. The new variant called as sporty discover gets Nitrox Suspension and Wider tyre at the rear. The sporty discover sports racing wheel stripes. Along with the introduction of sporty discover 135cc, Bajaj has upgraded all the variants of discover with number of new features. The new discover 135cc gets all new aggressive front fairing and Racer breed tank mounted spoilers with integrated indicators. The new discover 135cc also gets Digital speedometer with tachometer like its sibling pulsar and a reserve fuel indicator. However the 135cc DTSi engine remains unchanged. The 135cc DTSi mill develops 13.10 PS of peak power at 8500 rpm and 11.88 Nm of peak torque at 6500 rpm. It seems that Bajaj has decided to spruce up the existing variant of Discover instead of launching a new 150cc variant (shown in Auto Expo) of the bike.

Features Discover sports Discover ES Discover KS
Disc Brake Y — —
Wider Rear Tyre Y — —
Nitrox Suspension Y — —
Full Chain Cover Y Y Y
Tachometer Y Y Y
Tank Spoiler Y Y Y
Wheel Strip Y — —
Electric Start Y Y —
Digital Console Y Y Y
New Fairing Y Y Y

Hyundai to launch i20 in December

The much expected Hyundai’s next i-series hatchback i20 will be out by December 2008. i20 will make its debut at the upcoming Paris motor show. i20 will be a premium hatchback. Hyundai says that the i20 will be positioned above the Getz which means the i20 will be pitted against Skoda Fabia and upcoming Fiat Grande Punto and Honda Jazz.   Similar to the i10, the new i20 will be rolled out from Hyundai’s upcoming plant at Sriperumbudur. Hyundai has again insisted that the new i20 won’t replace the Getz in the indian market instead both the models will co-exist.Following the i20,Hyundai will launch a diesel variant of i10 and Santa Fe SUV next year.

Tata’s Indica electric to run for 200kms at single charge

As we earlier reported www.vicky.in/blog/tata-hybrid-electric–indica, Tata is developing an electric variant of its Indica hatchback. Tata Motors Chairman Ratan Tata has said that the Indica electric would have an approximate range of 200 kilometers. This is incredible considering the fact India’s only electric Reva return 70km in a single charge. However the increased mileage will come with the use of expensive lithium ion battery. Reva uses lead acid battery for its electric car.It is important to recall that Tata Motors has already showcase electric version of its Ace truck last year in auto show and finalised an agreement with Daimler to sell the electric Ace in USA. www.vicky.in/blog/tata–ace–electric-pictorial-preview

The electric Indica is being developed in Norway. The electric indica will be launched in Norway this fiscal and will go to other markets, including India thereafter.  The electric indica will be launched by end of this financial year (before April 2009). You must wonder why Norway? What is significance of Norway for Tata motors?

Unlike other countries, Norway, Sweden and France have surplus power and the respective Government is enocuraging customers to shift to battery-operated vehicles.  Already Norway is the home for two electric car makers – Th!nk and Kewet. For norway denizens car is to travel for short distances since the cities are very much closer. Also the climate provides an excellent environment for testing as well. The location of electric plugs close to parking spots may even be a factor.

Reliance launches Autozone in Gurgaon

Reliance has launched its Automotive speciality store in Gurgaon. Reliance Autozone would be retailing electric scooters by offering multi-brand choice under one roof. The product offerings at Reliance Autozone include a comprehensive range of car and bike accessories, electric scooters, tyres, batteries and many more useful accessories. Mr Arun Dey, Chief Executive of Reliance Autozone, said, “This new format provides a one-stop solution to automobile owners who face inconvenience by having to crisscross between various touch points for accessories, batteries, tyres and lubes etc. at different locations at different times.”

Electrotherm to launch powerful electric bikes

Buoyed by the success of its high performance model Yo-speed, Yobyke maker Electrotherm plans to introduce a 1000W version of ebike. Yospeed launched barely a year ago has crossed sales of 10,000 bikes since its launch. Many scooterette users have opted for yospeed  for their daily use and to make substantial savings on their monthly fuel bill. To further ride the wave, electrotherm plans a series of high performance electric bikes.  “We always prefer to modify existing models. Our research and development team keeps updating the technology. The success of the 75 cc model has encouraged us to enter the higher segment,” Avinash Bhandari, director, Electrotherm India, said. Yobyke maker electrotherm also plans to export electric bikes to other countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

Maruti A-star Pictorial Preview

(Updated 19th November) To view the actual pictures, know the technical specifications, see the brochure and read the test drive of A-star visit http://www.vicky.in/blog/tag/a-star/

(updated 08th August )To read our latest report on Maruti Suzuki’s A-star and see real
pictures visit

Maruti Suzuki’s new Alto – A-star

The spurt in raise of  i10 customers is already making Maruti’s men to spend sleepless nights. i10 has largely lured the WagonR customers and Alto’s one to some extent. To ride on the success wave Hyundai has launched the i10 with a new Kappa engine and the i10 kappa is clearly aimed at Maruti Suzuki’s Swift customers. More than the success of i10 what makes Maruti Suzuki deeply worried is the i10 has defied the common perception that i10 would cannibalise the sales of santro. Rather than cannibalising, i10 is poaching Maruti’s customers. Koreans have learned the art of selling different generation small cars without affecting each other.  Maruti Suzuki desperately wanted a small car to take on the Hyundai’s latest showbiz i10. Infact Maruti Suzuki is said to be advancing the splash and A-star launch to counter the i10. We preview the Maruti new star the A-star. Other than the concept car and the interior picture sourced from team-bhp the we show you how the actual car will lookalike with our artistic impressions of A-star.

1) Maruti Suzuki A-star: Though Nano stolen the limelight at the Auto expo, A-star made its presence with its impressive styling. But we must admit the fact the concept cars are not just mirrors of actual car, it refelects the technological prowess of the designers and to invite attention from the customers.Intentionally or unintentionally the design of the A-star reminds the Hyundai’s i10 in most sense. The low slung grille, the flame shaped headlamps that extends from bonnet to the bumper and the prominent strip that houses the number plate has already become familiar to Indian customers through i10. However the vertical A-pillar and inverted C-pillar gives the A-star a bulged out apperance. We believe the A-star would be slightly more roomier. The large glass house at the rear will allow more light to come in. Gone are the boomerang headlamps as shown in the A-star concept, the 3D trapezoidal tail lamp cluster flows from the windshield to the bumper.

2) Maruti Suzuki A-star:

K-series engines for A-star – the twin attack

The ‘K’ has already become the important part of Indian Auto Industry. If Hyundai bets on kappa series engines, Maruti Suzuki bets on K-series engines. Similar to i10, Maruti Suzuki will be powered by two engines – an 1.0L and an 1.2L . These new K-series will eventually get under the hood of other hotcakes of Maruti soon. Zen Estilo, Wagon R and Swift will get this K-series before 2010. The new 1.0L, 3 cylinder 12-valve unit developing a maximum power output of 48kW (65hp) will power the A-star.  This 1.0L mill would run longer distance for a litre. However the refinement of this engine with the inferior 12 valve set up is yet to be seen. This engine will be mated with a five speed transmission. If you are not satisfied with the performance figures, then believe me Maruti is not going to let you down. To counter the Hyundai 1.2L kappa engine, A-star will come with high performance 1.2L engine. This four-cylinder, 16-valve unit producing a maximum power of 63kW (86hp) wil power the A-star. Remember this engine will also power the upcoming splash and the swift. Both these engines would be a Euro V compliant powerplant. However these engines will emit anywherebetween 120g/km and 140g/km higher than the i10 kappa’s 119g/km. According to Suzuki, these engines ensure low friction and plentiful flat torque delivery at low and mid-range speeds help to ensure good driveability across the rev range while promoting fuel economy.

3) Maruti Suzuki A-star: The newly developed A-star platform is based on the much successful Suzuki’s alto platform. A-star shares the same 2360mm wheelbase of other cars built on Alto platform. A-star will be the first car to be produced solely in India.

4) Maruti Suzuki A-star: As evident from the picture the dashboard of the new A-star is lot more functional and practical. It has large air con vents at the centre, the control buttons are large and most importantly the instrument cluster occupies much small space. The instrument panel is nothing but a large speedometer with warning lamps arranged around it like a clock.  This is achieved through the clip on revolution counter. Suzuki seems emotionally attached with the swift. Steering wheel of swift is shared by swift dzire,SX4 and even the Grand Vitara. Now the upcoming splash and the new A-star will also share the same wheel. Cost cutting measure seems little bit overtoned. The A-star also shares gear shift lever and few control buttons of the swift. The open type glovebox and grey interiors is in no way match to the i10’s inspiring interiors.

5) Maruti Suzuki A-star: The car would be high on features (atleast the top end variant). Body coloured bumpers, mirrors,roof mounted stop lamp and fog lamps. A-star would also come with ABS, Fabric lining for seats and door trims.

6) Maruti Suzuki A-star: A-star will be priced in the range of Rs3-4lakh and would be out in October (around Diwali). Though this new A-star will replace the Alto in European markets, A-star will co-exist with the Alto and Wagon R in India.

Yamaha FZ 150cc – Pictorial Preview

If R15 is the second birth for the brand Yamaha in India, then the upcoming FZ 150cc is aimed to make Yamaha a stronger player in the market.  After making its presence felt with the R15, Yamaha is looking at FZ 150cc to pull crowds to its showrooms. This means unlike the R15 the price of FZ won’t be in the 1 lakh range.As the FZ 150cc is the next bike to look at, we preview the bike with some insider information and unseen pictures.

1) Yamaha FZ 150cc: If R15 is inspired from R1 then FZ 150cc is a clear derivative of Yamaha’s classic street motorycle FZ 1000cc. There is no large fairing to conceal the rude mechanicals, the large tank and heavy engine is out open. If you want to intimidate and want to have a commanding sense then FZ 150cc would be the ideal bike. Espescially the sharp edged frame mounted engine cowl, chunky fuel tank and stubby exhaust would frighten fellow riders. The other advantage of this design is the comfortable riding position you don’t have to crouch. The standard upright position is vastly superior for long drives.

2) Yamaha FZ 150cc: Unlike the R15 engine this one will not be a hi-fi one. The 150cc carburetted engine will be an air cooled unit. Power output is expected to be in the range of 14-15bhp. Power will be on par with competetion but what will excite you is the loads of torque this engine has. The torque will be available from a lower rpm. Gearshift would be through toe only lever and pattern would be the conventional 1up four down.

3) Yamaha FZ 150cc: At the front FZ 150cc sports telescopic front and at the rear the bike comes with a monoshock suspension. The macho wide tyres in the rear is sure to give a comfortable ride also your wheelie’s. The tyres would be tubeless both at the fore and apt.

4) Yamaha FZ 150cc: Instrumentation is simple with a digital speedo and large analog tacho. The trapezoidal instrument panel also houses a fuel gauge. The quality of Yamaha’s FZ1 invited critics from auto enthusiast in european countries. We have to keenly watch how the Fz150cc scores in the quality department.

5) Yamaha FZ 150cc: As we earlier said this FZ 150cc won’t be sci-fi. Unlike the R15 the bike will not come with a rear disc. However at the front the bike gets a 270mm disc.

6) Yamaha FZ 150cc: Expect this bike in October and the price will be around Rs70000 – Rs80000. Clealry Yamaha will look for buyer who loves performance but without compromising ergonomics with this Fz 150cc. Let’s wait and see! how this bike maker known for sports bikes with its street bike.

Maruti Suzuki to launch limited edition M800 uniq

Maruti Suzuki will soon launch limited edition of its oldest car M800. The special / limited edition will be called as M800 uniq. The M800 uniq 800 Uniq will come with new styling features such as body graphics, all new beige upholstery, trendy door trims with fabric patch and stylish dome decal to attract young consumers. M800 uniq will also get a smart lower console box and rear package tray. M800 uniq limited edition will be formally launched in August 4. M800 uniq limited edition would come at a price of Rs2,16,000 (Rs5200 extra over the regular model).

Mahindra Renault’s new Logan edge

Mahindra Renault today launched the limited or special edition of its mid size sedan Logan.

What’s new in Logan Edge?

* The new Logan Edge comes with stylish body graphics and also gets a sophisticated Mystique purple shade.

* Logan Edge sports attractive features like Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with electronic brake distribution system

* Logan Edge also comes with a reverse parking sensor to facilitate easy parking

* Interiors of the logan edge is also afresh with new features like beige leather seat covers, a wood-finish centre console and a high-end Kenwood music system with remote control and USB / iPod connectivity.

However the Logan Edge will have the same petrol and diesel engines. “The new Logan edge is based on extensive customer feedback and is part of our endeavor to offer our consumers the best,” Mahindra Renault Pvt Ltd Chief Operating Officer Nalin Mehta told.Logan Edge is priced between Rs 5 Lakh and Rs 7.15 Lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi).

Update: Mystique purple colour with stylish graphics will be available only in special collector’s edition of Logan Edge.

* Logan Edge also gets a new chrome muffler cutter

* Logan Edge comes equipped with a nomad arm rest in the rear. Mahindra Renault claims this feature will ensure that you can work comfortably when you drive the car.

* The interiors of the Logan Edge sport plush beige leather upholstery and rich touches of a wood finish centre console.

Models ex-showroom Delhi
Logan Edge 1.4 GLX petrol Rs4,99,990
Logan Edge 1.6 GLS petrol Rs5,58,338
Logan Edge 1.6 GLSx petrol (ABS) Rs5,78,337
Logan Edge 1.5 DLS turbodiesel Rs6,95,319
Logan Edge 1.5 DLSx turbodiesel (ABS) Rs7,15,319

Honda CBF Stunner Pictorial Review

CBF stunner test drive

Gone are the ages of bland bikes in India, the urban young customers prefer sports look over the conventional commuter bikes. The presence of more sports bikes than the commuter bikes in the 150cc segment is a clear testimony of this trend. Following the 150cc segment the 125cc segment is itself getting divided into two – entry level executive bikes aimed at 100cc commuters and sports bike which is aimed at young, urban consumers. Sport is the one word to lure buyers. Manufacturers started this phenomenon with sports stickering. But as buyers becomes more demanding. Auto makers are being pushed to make indian specific sports models from scratch rather than after treatment. Honda has come up with a new 125cc bike named CBF Stunner. Honda says the design of this stunner inspired from CBR 1000. But this bike doesn’t feature the necessary items what you expect in a sports bike (International convention). It has a very small engine, the engine is neither fuel injected nor liquid cooled. The suspension is neither monoshock. Stop there, CBF Stunner has tubeless tyres, sporty seating position, integrated front cowl and few more. Whether the CBF stunner is the indian answer to the sports bike?

In this test drive we find out whether the CBF Stunner do justice to its name and how it fares with other 125cc bikes.

1) Honda CBF Stunner: This new 125cc bike comes jaw dropping styling. The razor sharp styling elements includes a elegant visor, larger tank shrouds,aircraft type fuel lid and forged rear cowls and a new tail lamp. Attention has been given to every part to make the CBF stunner to lookalike a race bike. The new scoops on both the side of the tank extends all the way to end just before the turn indicators. The sporty foot step holders and  The instrument cluster is away from the tank and nicely placed to suit the sporty stance.  17″ alloy at the front and rear enhances sporty character to the bike. The rear part of the bike proves this stunner is derived from CBR.  Whether it can be called as a best sports bike or not. CBF stunner easily replaces the Gladiator and TVS Flame and grabs the crown for the best looking 125cc motorcycle.

2) Honda CBF Stunner: An 125cc which cranks out 11bhp of peak power at 8000rpm and 11Nm of peak torque at 6500 rpm powers the CBF stunner. This high performance engine is mated with a five speed transmission (1 down four up). This 125cc mill has a deep, round tone at high revs, which lets you know it’s working hard and sounds pretty good.

Thumbnail pictures: Stunner badge/ split seats/ CBR copycat rear

3) Honda CBF Stunner: After getting advised by the doctor to wear boots to ride my shine (to get insulated from vibrations), we were apprehensive about the refinement of the Honda’s 125cc mill.  But to our surprise, the refinement level is high. The engine revs happily and gives excellent power at all speed ranges. The refined engine cannot take all the credit the five speed transmission make wonders. The Stunner’s gearbox follows the internationally popular one down, rest up shift pattern. Gearbox shift quality is impeccable and false neutral was almost non-existent. Stunner hits a top whack of 96kmph. While getting to 80kmph is a cakewalk, you have to spin the engine hard to move the speedo needle beyond that. You can crawl in the tight traffic even when you are in the fifth gear. We manage to chug as low as 16km/hr in fifth gear. Coming to the mileage, stunner returns 53kmpl in city and 58 kmpl in our highway drive.

4) Honda CBF Stunner: Toe only gear shift lever and sporty foot step holders are aimed to give the rider a sporty riding posture, The handlebars are mounted on the fork tops so your wrists don’t take a pounding and the seat isn’t massively hard either. The footpegs aren’t too high but i’m sure that it won’t suit for your mom. Also during hard braking, your spine has take care of inertia force and weight of the person sitting behind you. Blame the split seats which let’s the pillion to thrash on you during rapid deceleration. CBF stunner uses  telescopic fork suspension at the front and 3 step spring loaded hydraulic shock absorber with rectangular swingarm at the rear. Ride quality of the bike is on par with its competition.

5) Honda CBF Stunner: CBF stunner gets 240mm disc brake at the front and 130mm drum at the rear. The brake don’t grab and are smooth and progressive, although you’ll need to use both front and rear to get the best stopping distance.

The shorter handlebars is a boon to Stunner’s handling character. Stunner handles the corner with ease even at high speeds. For the first time in 125cc segment a bike comes with tubeless tyres at the front and the rear.  CBF stunner comes with 80/100 tubeless tyre at the front and 90/100 wider tubeless tyre at the rear. Thankfully, the result of new technologies is very much felt on the road.   However the larger shrouds of the bike diminishes its nimbleness atleast when the fellow motorcycle rider rubs your elbow.

Thumbnail pictures: Tank shroud/ foot sport holders/ yellow springs

6) Honda CBF Stunner: The dimensions of the CBF Stunner are (l- 2012mm, w- 734mm and h- 1113mm).  CBF Stunner weighs 129kg and comes with 10 liter fuel tank.

7) Honda CBF Stunner: The cock-pit and dials are “old-school analogue” with the large speedo and a relatively smaller round which houses the fuel gauge and  all with easy to read markings. There’s a odometer, trip meter and lights for main beam, neutral and turn indicators. However the notable absent from this list is the tachometer. The knob for the choke is mounted on the top yoke and easy to get at.

8) Honda CBF Stunner: comes in three variants. The variants of CBF stunner – kick start with drum brake and alloy wheels, self start with drum brake and alloy wheels and self start with disc brake and alloy wheels. Self disc alloy and self drum alloy will be available in four colours sports red, pearl sports yellow,space silver metallic and black while kick drum will be available in two colours – sports red and black.

Verdict:

Bajaj revolutionized the 125cc segment with the launch of Discover. Later Yamaha added the appeal to this segment with the Gladiator. With the new CBF Stunner, Honda has  lead this segment to a new direction. With its race steady stance, 11bhp engine, impeccable refinement,tubeless tyres and best in class fit and finish makes it the most exciting motorcycle in the 125cc segment. Don’t forget the price it is priced very sensibly. Don’t wait! just go and shock the fellow 150cc rider with this stunner.

Straight frm the heart:

Let’s come back to your our earlier questions. Can we call the Stunner a sports bike even though it defaults the universally accepted norm? Though this bike is superior to the bikes that exists in its class, it is no way nearer to the 125 CBR or other race replica smaller displacement bike. Honda India could have made a huge leap like Yamaha did it with YZF R15.

Models Chennai
Stunner with Kick start and alloy wheels Rs54,013
Stunner with self start and drum brake Rs57,034
Stunner with Self start and Disc brake Rs59,047

P.S: Our sincere thanks to Kun Honda, Adayar, Chennai (044 – 42070319 / 329 / 339).