Datsung GO-2014 Expected Febuary 2014 @ 2.5 lakhs

   

                                         

                                              Datsun GO Preview

The Datsun Go compact hatchback has been revealed by parent company Nissan. It is roughly based on the Nissan V platform that underpins the Micra but is a completely new vehicle and is the first one from a brand that has been revived after three decades. The car is aimed at emerging markets like India, Russia, Brazil and Indonesia and will be joined by an MPV as well as a compact sedan that will be unveiled later.

The Datsun Go looks quite snazzy for the price. It gets a hexagonal honeycomb grille with chrome surround, no fog lamps, unpainted mirrors, lift type door handles and a single wiper like the Toyota Etios. The hatchback sits on 13-inch steel wheels and the show car was shod with Apollo Acelere 3G tyres.

From the front three-quarter angle, the relation to the Nissan Micra can be seen in the overall shape and the headlamps. From the side, the silhouette is surprisingly like the Skoda Fabia – which means that the boot space will be good as well. You can see as many as four horizontal creases from this angle, but it doesn’t look busy. The 13-inch wheels look a little too small for the size of the car, though. The rear three-quarter angle reminds us of the Maruti Alto 800, and not just because of the choice of colour for the paint. There are more bodywork creases at the back, especially in the space between the tail-lamps.

The interior, while remaining bare essential, looks like it is from a car that is more expensive. Datsun has chosen beige as the predominant colour, something that should appeal to the Indian buyer. There is no lid for the glovebox much like the Evalia, which begs the question of where one will keep things like the documentation of the car and manual. Datsun has also chosen to place the gearlever at the base of the centre console much like the Hyundai i10. Where it deviates from the latter is in the placement of the handbrake: unlike a traditional car, it doesn’t sit between the seats; it is to the right of the gearshift lever like the Honda Civic, and the shape of the handle reminds one of the handbrake in the Chevrolet Tavera or Ford Endeavour. What has Datsun done with the space in between the front seats, you ask? Well, they’ve filled it with... seat. No, really. They’ve extended the passenger seat all the way to the driver’s seat, so if you’re someone who’s, er, horizontally ample, this is the seat for you. The seat base extension doesn’t encourage the occupant to sit offset to one side, so this is a puzzling thing for Datsun to do.

There is a depression on the top left of the dashboard – this makes it certain that a passenger airbag is not on offer. There are some bits that have been derived from the Micra, most notably the AC vents, door handles and the instrument cluster. However, it differs from the Micra in some other aspects: a tachometer is absent, the inside mirror doesn’t look like it has an anti-glare option and we’re reasonably certain that the information display will not be showing average or instant fuel consumption. The headlamp beam leveller looks likely to be a cable-operated one like in the erstwhile Mahindra Logan. Surprisingly, the press images hint that the mirrors will be electrically adjustable on the top-spec variant – or if Datsun has gone to the extreme opposite, you’ll have to poke and prod the glass to adjust it like you have to in a base-spec Toyota Innova.

Given that the current generation of the Nissan Micra is roomy despite its diminutive dimensions, the Datsun Go should have an upper hand over its competition when it comes to seating four people comfortably. The accessories for the interiors will be at a minimum in a bid to keep costs down; however on the higher spec variants we can expect features like an audio system with USB and aux, and front power windows.

The Datsun Go is powered by the three cylinder 1.2-litre petrol mill that sits in the larger Micra. This engine produces 76PS and 104Nm of torque. We expect it to have better fuel efficiency than the Micra, either with taller gearing or a slightly lower power figure – maybe both. Power is transmitted to the front wheels via a five speed manual gearbox. It will be lighter than the Micra, because it is not a global model and as such doesn’t need to meet the strictest crash safety norms in places like the European Union and the US market, which the Micra can achieve as is.

During the launch of the Datsun Go, Carlos Ghosn, president of the Renault-Nissan alliance, said that the car, when launched next year, will be priced below Rs four lakh and will join the other nation-specific Datsun models that will be launched over the course of the year in developing markets South Africa, Russia, Indonesia and Brazil.

The Go is Renault-Nissan’s entry into one of the most competitive segments in the Indian market, the A segment which accounts for a significant chunk of the sales in the 45 per cent that constitutes the hatchback market. It will compete with the Tata Nano, Maruti Suzuki Alto 800, Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, Nissan Micra Active (in higher variants), Chevrolet Spark and the Hyundai Eon. It will be officially launched at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo. 

2014 Mercedes S-Class launched in India at Rs 1.57 crore

Mercedes has launched its flagship car, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class in India at Rs 1.57 crore, ex-Delhi. The 'best car in the world' is currently available in a single trim (S500) in India and will be followed later by the S350CDI.

Powering the S500 is a petrol V8 engine which makes 460PS of power and 700Nm of torque. It is mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission. In our tests, the S500 zoomed past the 100kmph mark in just 5.7s with a top speed of 250kmph.

The S-Class arrives in India three months after its global debut. It has already received over 30,000 pre-orders globally. CKD models to come shortly.

While the S-Class may be fast what it truly excels at is isolating it passengers from the noise and harshness of the outside world and cocooning them in complete luxury. The interiors of the car are almost entirely constructed in wood, metal and leather and there's very little plastic around. The sound system is one of the best we've ever experienced in a car and you can feel rather than hear the bass.

This is because Mercedes has designed the very construction of the machine such that the body shell acts as a resonance chamber for the 24 speaker Burmester masterpiece.

2014 Honda City Diesel-Another Bestsleller in the Indian Market @ 8.62 lakhs

Honda has finally launched the much awaited City in India, and this shows how important the C sedan is for the Indian market. After all, the City has been Honda India's bestselling nameplate. In the last few years, the car lost out to a few rivals since it lacked a diesel motor and missed out on some vital features. Honda, however, hopes to regain top position with the new car. But does the new City then have the right ingredient to make it yet another best-seller?

Exteriors

The previous three Honda Citys looked completely different from each other, like they didn't belong to the same family. The first gen model was a simple yet good-looking three box car, the second version looked odd because it was more of a hatchback with an added boot than a sedan but the third new model was smart and attractive. This design worked for Honda and is the reason why it has evolved from there to the new City. It's actually an all new car and shares nothing with the outgoing model but there is a feeling of familiarity. Honda designers have used the new exciting H design language that debuts in India and will soon be seen in the new Jazz.

Despite the car being exactly the same length as the older City, the car does look slightly longer. This is because the wheelbase has grown by 50mm. The height has gone up slightly as well. However, the gap between the wheel and the arch is slightly on the higher side. While the older City featured a rather flat side, the new car has more character. Just like in the concept, the front fender features a prominent curvy line that runs from the bumper to the front door. It ends there because a deep shoulder line starts at the door and goes all the way to the taillamp.The new design philosophy's wing face is clearly seen in the City. It's dominated by a large chrome strip grille that contrasts well with darker shades while the lower half is the only opening. The grille neatly merges with the sharp headlamps that look very heavily inspired by the new Civic sold internationally. The headlamp itself is split in three sections that accommodate the blinkers, low beam and high beam lamps. The bumper too is angular and features two pointed sections while the fog lamp inserts are large and mimic a sporty air dam. It isn't an attractive face but quite smart.

A similar curved line is present on the rear fender too, it flows below the shoulder line to the rear bumper and then drops down to give a it a flat sided look. The roofline slopes down more and the silhouette is more coupe like. The only downside to the side is the wheel design, Citys have had striking wheels in every generation but the new wheels are bland and don't go well with the car's styling.

The rear end in our opinion is the most striking side of the car, it is unique and unlike any Honda we've seen before. The wraparound tail lights features sharp as well as curved sides that look very European. The unit is much shorter and wider than before and is split in two parts, with one half mounted to the trunk lid.

A thin chrome strip neatly sits between the lights while the lower section of the bumper has a lot of lines running across and runs through sleek reflectors. The car's overall width hasn't increased and with wider lights and increased height, the car looks narrower than before.

Interiors

Step inside the car and one will notice one of the best cabins in a C-segment car today. The design is modern yet not overdone. The all black dashboard uses a flat front that's detailed by a piano black panel all the way from the driver side air vent up to the centre console. The centre panel houses the touch screen stereo while a segment first touch screen climate control panel sits below.

It is covered by a matte layer to prevent fingerprints but the piano black housing is a finger print magnet. The air vents are unique since they are slim and still function well. A contrasting and sporty metallic element runs along the top and around the centre console.

The steering wheel is the new design three-spoke wheel that takes inspiration from the CR-V, while it gets the same steering controls for audio, telephone and cruise control (first in segment in a manual transmission) among other features. The quality of materials used and overall fit and finish is impressive too. The door pads and pillars are finished in the same beige seen in the older City. Top end variants even get a leather interior.

Engines

Diesel

The most important addition to the City however is the diesel motor, it's the same all aluminium 1.5-litre i-DTEC engine seen in the Amaze and the power figures haven't changed, max power is 100PS@3600rpm while max torque is 200Nm@1750rpm. However the engine is mated to a new 6-speed manual transmission with optimized gear ratios. Honda engineers felt that the torque was sufficient for the car and have focused more on the driveability and efficiency of the engine. Whether it's driving in town or on the highway, the engine feels effortless.

Petrol

The petrol City uses the same L15A i-VTEC engine seen in the earlier model but receives a few updates. Power has improved slightly while efficiency has gone up too. This has been possible by optimizing the valve timing and the use of a double needle plug. The piston gets a special coating to help reduce friction. Max power is now 119PS@6600rpm while maximum torque of 145Nm is available at 4600rpm.

The engine is a rev happy unit and redlines at 6800rpm. Power delivery is impressive and performance is still best in segment. The 5-speed manual transmission is the same slick unit seen before but with changes made to the gear ratios. The sprint to 100kmph now comes up in just 10.67 seconds making it quicker than the previous City by a second almost.