Thunderbird Twinspark

Thunderbird Twinspark is a stylish bike from Royal Enfield revolutionary Unit Construction Engine and is known for pleasurable riding experience. Thunderbird Twinspark is priced Rs1, 03,000 in (Ex-showroom) and was launched in 2008 in Chennai. The bike comes with the Twinspark feature and has a UCE engine that offer high power, torque, fast brakes and fuel efficiency.

The company Royal Enfield initially launched the Thunderbird model in 2001 and it expecting to sell around 5,000 units of the new bike. These high priced bikes are known for technological advancement and are environmental friendly, as they comply with stricter emission norms.

Look of the Thunderbird Twinspark

Thunderbird Twinspark bike has been launched in three monotone colors silver, red and black .The twin pod instrument cluster is placed with speedometer, RPM meter, odometer, fuel gauge, trip meter and the instrument panel is blue black in color that enables it to be clear even in sunlight and view mirrors shows the passing rider instead of vehicle at the rear.

Thunderbird Twinspark has the electric motor starter placed on the inner side of the engine and it helps the bike to have low wear and tear in mechanical parts and to reduce problems of sprag clutch. There are six clutch plates to reduce effort required for controlling clutches and riding is easy. Even kicking has been comforted by the auto de-compressor fitted with the engine of the bike.

Thunderbird Twinspark has the UCE features that enables it to pump oil at high pressures and have proper cooling, that increases fuel efficiency. The bike offers a mileage of 42kmpl on city roads and is easy to drive. You don’t feel vibrations at high speeds and even hard breaking from a high speeds makes the bike stable without vibration and stops the bike in seconds. The bike vibrates when you try to change gear in crowded area.

Engine and Power

Thunderbird Twinspark has a 350 cc UCE engine having twin spark feature. The engine produces 19.8 bhp @ 5250 rpm maximum power and 28 Nm @ 4000 rpm maximum torque. The twin spark badges can be seen on the side flanks and twinspark decal is found at the rear of the bike. The new engine of Thunderbird Twinspark is featured for efficient combustion that uses the hydraulic tappet and it helps the bike to have zero clearance of pushrod that helps it to have optimal valve timings.

The bike is equipped with an auto de - compressor that gets activated at 250rpm and helps the rider to start the engine without much effort.

Riding and Confort

The design of the bike is very attractive that has ergonomically designed high density foam seats. It is very comfortable to ride on the bike, in long distances in high speeds and the brakes are very quick and easy. The 19 inches tyre and gas charged suspension that are designed in away to offer lowest vibrations in the bike even in high speeds.

Although the kick lever is placed uncomfortably and if you hit clutch regularly in crowded areas it becomes bumpy. An oil window is also provided to check oil levels. A halogen lamp is provided in the bike that has a better life than the regular lamps and bike has foldable foot rest for easy parking in crowds. The bike is heavy 168kg machine and rear brake cable and chain is moved to right side of the bike. The bike has heat shield on silencer and a large CV carburetor BS-29.

Features of Thunderbird Twinspark

• 350 cc UCE engine with Twin spark
• Engine: Single cylinder, 4 Stroke, OHV, Dual spark ignition engine, air - cooled
• Power: 19.8 bhp @ 5250 rpm and Torque: 28 Nm @ 4000 rpm
• 280mm disc-front brake and 150mm drum-rear brake for instant stop
• Heat shield on silencer
• Rear gas filled shock absorber
• Fuel tank capacity: 15.5Liters and Fuel Efficiency: between 45 and 50kmpl

Positive and negative specifications of Thunderbird Twinspark

Attractions of the Thunderbird Twinspark

• Twin sparks engine that offers high power and speed
• Bike has internal gear and clutches
• Hydrolic tappet adjustment system is present
• Low vibrations in high speed
• Bike has quick powerful brakes
• Stylish looking comfortable bike for long distance traveling
• Electric motor starter is present and an electronic flasher is present it the bike
• Bike has multi focal reflector for easy tracking
• This is a high power fast bike that gives top speed of 102kmh and mileage of 42 kmpl

Problems found in Thunderbird Twinspark

• The bike is heavy and costly
• Bike is equipped with 6 plate clutches and engine pickup is sometimes not very smooth.
• In low speed and in crowds, on hitting clutches, it gets less comfortable to drive.
• Mirrors do not show the rear vehicle.
• Handle position is differently made.
• Bike can be equipped with long route accessories and have more choices for colors.
• Technology is dominating too much in this bike.
• Bike needs extreme care and kick lever is placed differently.
• You can even get low fuel efficiency and leakage kind of regular problems in this bike.

Cost:

The new Thunderbird Twinspark will be available for around Rs.105940/- on road.

Hero Honda Splendor NXG

Hero Honda’s Splendor has been improved by the company to Splendor NXG and NXG means next generation splendor bike. The bike has been brought into the market in two models that differ for the wheel types, one of the models has the 5-spoked aluminum alloy type wheels and other has cast wheels. A few new features have been added to the bike which includes the new engine and a new design. The splendor family of Hero Honda already contains the bikes splendor, splendor plus and 125cc super splendor.

Look of Hero Honda splendor NXG

Splendor NXG has been launched in five colors black having three stripe color variations, candy blazing red, force silver, vibrant blue and classy maroon. Hero Honda splendor NXG comes with powerful trapezoidal multi -reflector head -lamps that are accompanied with a high power battery that reflects DC high beam and the intensity of the head lamp doesn’t vary on engine rpm and the feature helps the lamps to burn, even at low speed. The variation in rpm doesn’t change the intensity of the lamp that has a circuitry to support low beam.

The bike is equipped with a new visor and a front look. The fuel tank has been placed comfortably with a chrome lid on the top. The body panels and graphics to the bike are new and instrument panel has a trip meter that is placed in the speedometer. A stylish tail lamp and a die –cast alloy grab rail is also added to the bike.

Engine and Power of Hero Honda splendor NXG

The bike is powered with 97.2 cc a air- cooled single cylinder 4 stroke OHC engine that offers maximum power of 7.7 PS at 7500 rpm ,that is five % more than Splendor plus ,that delivers a power 7.4PS at 8,000 rpm. The bike offers high torque of 7.6 N-m @ 6000 RPM. Splendor NXG has a 4 speed gearbox. The bike is convenient to drive in low speed and in 7.8 seconds it gains a speed of 60kph.The highest speed offered is 90kph.The bike has telescopic hydraulic fork front suspension and a hydraulic spring loaded type with both side action rear suspension.

Driving and comfort

Hero Honda’s Splendor NXG has a low Kerb weight of 100.3kg when it is compared to the previous bikes of Honda. The bike has a drum brake and has got a kick start option. The ground clearance of the bike is about 1 mm more than Hero Honda Splendor plus that is a ground clearance of 160 mm. The wheelbase is 1230 mm and the bike doesn’t make irritating noise even in low speed, in fourth gear.

In crowded areas and roads having curves, the bike delivers an average mileage of 77kpl.The fuel tank has a capacity of 10.3 liters and the reserve limit is 1.8 liter for fuel.

Features:

• Height: 1040 mm and Length: 1950 mm
• Wheelbase: 1230 mm
• Wheels : 5-spoked aluminum alloy type
• Ground Clearance: 159 mm
• Kerb weight: 100.3kg
• Fuel Tank Capacity:10.3 liters
• Engine: 4 - Stroke, air cooled 1 cylinder
• Displacement: 97.2 cc
• No. of Gears: 4
• Maximum Power: 7.1bhp/8500rpm
• Kick start type
• Brakes: Internal Expanding Shoe Type 130 mm (Front) 110mm (Back)
• Tyres: Front: 2.75 X 18-4 PR / Rear: 2.75 X 18-6 PR
• Ground clearance :160mm

Positive and Negative specifications of the bike:

Positive specifications:

• Although the bike resembles Hero Honda’s Ambition it has improved design to attract young bikers
• High Fuel efficiency, reliability and low cost
• Total weight of the bike is less than other Hero Honda models.
• Added pilot lamps feature
• Smooth city riding.

Negative specifications

• Complaints of poor wheel grip and skidding have been made.
• The electric start is a drawback
• You don’t have more cylinder bikes in Honda
• The bike is also not equipped with disc brakes
• The fuel efficiency is not as expected.
• Many complaints of vibrations at high speed

Cost:

Hero Honda Splendor NXG (97.2 cc) has been priced at Rs. 40,990/- and Rs. 41,990/- ex showroom Delhi.

TVS Star City 110cc

TVS Motors Company have unveiled seven models at a time and with an aggressive marketing the company sale numbers are high .The bikes launched are 125cc Flame, a 110cc Star City, Scooty Teenz and a Apache RTR 160.At the same time the company released three wheelers in petrol, CNG and LPG versions. The TVS bikes are known for easy handling and smooth rides and TVS expects to sell 75,000 bikes in a month.

TVS Star City bikes are low cost two wheelers that are coming with new features like improved shape, graphics, sporty silencer and RCF technology. The new 110 cc CVTI Engine bike is based on the principal of Swirl and Tumble. The new Star City has the electric start features and the looks have the new set of graphics.

Look of TVS Star City 110cc

TVS Star City is a good looking bike that is present in dual tone appearance. Previously the bikes were coming in chrome metal colors but the latest machines have modern plastic colors. The bike comes in four colors flaming red, black, purple and greenish grey.

The rectangular section swing arm is similar to the previous launched TVS star bikes and the rider can make adjustment in the rear shock absorber with some tools that are basically two ways adjustable and the speedometer assembly has got a blue backlit display. Instrumentation is simple; the speedometer has the econometer that has the “R” label attached to the fuel gauge.

Engine and Power of TVS Star City 110cc

The engine of the bike is called Charge Motion Variable Timing Intelligent engine CVTI Engine.
The air –fuel combustion is complete when the bike has turbulence that is created in the engine by the air –fuel mixture horizontally. The same features can be found in Bajaj XCD DTS-Si. The fuel mixing also helps in reduced emission.

These bikes are unique for having electric start features in its class and the alloy wheels increase the appeal of the vehicle that is equipped with adjustable two-way suspension. The vehicle Star city’s 110cc CVTi uses the Charge motion Variable Timing intelligence and it produce a power of 6.1 KW (8.1 Bhp) at 7500 RPM and torque of 8.1 Nm at 5000 RPM. The engine CVTi helps the vehicle have better combustion and high fuel efficiency.

TVS Star City 110cc is not better than TVS Star sports that has a better position and look of the silencer and a tail lamp .The TVS Star sport looks more elegant .The fuel tank is also sleeker and has the double - toned side panel. The sports bike also has the 5- spooked alloy wheels and the bike comes in three colors Silver, Black and Blue.

Comfort and Ride of TVS Star City 110cc

The bike comes with easy to use switches that have a pass light switch and a push to cancel indicators. The switches come with pass light and a push to cancel indicator. The other attachments of the bike like the mirrors, rubber parts and control levers are similar to the traditional TVS types. The bike has a weight kerb 108 kg and it has the keihin carburetor. The seating position in the bike is comfortable and suitable for average height riders.

The cable controlled clutch helps to control progression and control for rider and the motor helps the rider move easily from low gears to high gear high speed.

TVS Star City Specifications:

• Engine: 4-stroke, air-cooled OHC
• Engine Displacement (cc): 109.7cc
• Power (maximum) = 6.1 kW @ 7500 rpm
• Torque (maximum) = 8.1 Nm @ 5000 rpm
• Front Brake = 110mm / 130mm Drum ,Rear Brake = 110mm / 130mm Drum
• Front Tyre = 2.75 X18 tyre (1.6X18 rim) , Rear Tyre = 3.00 X18 tyre (1.6X18 rim)
• Fuel Tank = 16 litres, Reserve 2.5 litres
• Length = 2005mm, Wheel Base = 1250mm
• Ground Clearance = 165mm

Positive and Negative Specifications:

Positive specifications:

• The bikes come with electric start, alloy wheel and two way suspensions.
• It has 110cc CVTi engine with VTi technology
• Refreshing graphics and colors
• Handling on corners is easy and conformable.
• Light bike and above 60 average mileage.

Disadvantages of the bike:

• The bike had complaints of bad service after delivery.
• A few complaints of low mileage that never goes above 55 have also been made.
• Service after sale is not very satisfying.
• Difficulties with self start sometimes in the bike.
• On steep mountains it gets difficult to ride the bike uphill.

Cost:

TVS Star City bikes come with warranties that can be extended by paying extra bugs. The cost of TVS Star City 110cc is Rs 38,000 - 44, 875 in metro-cities.

Yamaha YZF R15 150cc

The Indian subsidiary of Yamaha Motors has planned to launch the new 150cc bike in India. The bike is expected to be based on the latest technology and it will be one of the fastest machines on roads. The new YZF R15 and FZ 150 cc bikes are being proposed by one of the best two wheeler company Yamaha and expectations about the specifications are being made by the buyers.

The company has currently not detailed upon, all the details related to the bike but assumptions are being made based on the display of the bike in the Auto Expo in New Delhi that was held in January. The bike may come up in market by Diwali.

Looks of the bike

The Yamaha bike YZF R15 has gorgeous looks and will be competent with the 150cc range contenders’ .The bike will come up with a complete black theme and it will be similar to the earlier YZF-R model of Yamaha. The look of the bike has been designed to keep up with the expectations of the rider and it will be truly amazing. It will have a fuel tank to store around 18 to 20 liters. The bike will have rear disc brake and liquid cooling facilities.

A delta Box frame will be present and various accessories like the riding gear and R1 style instrument console is also present in the bike. The headlights have the “2-eye” multi-reflector design that is found in the YZF-R kind of bikes.

Engine and Power of the Bike

Some of the specialties of the bike are new and for the first time the Yamaha bike will using a MotoGP technology .The engine of the bike will be a 4 stroke 150cc engine with SOHC and has a single-cylinder with a fuel-injected engine. The bike will be equipped with forged aluminum pistons in the engine, a Delta box frame and 6 speed gear box.

The bike will have a power of 15 bhp and has a non FI engine. The silencer in the bike will be unique and bigger than normal. The engine is a 4 stroke one equipped with 5 speed gearbox.

Comfort and Ride

The bike has an 80/90, 17 inch tubeless tyres in the front and 100/80 17 inch tubeless tyres at the rear. The tyres are made up of imported soft compound that provides better grip to the rider of the bike. The wheelbase will be 1290 mm and minimum ground clearance provided by the bike is 160mm

The bike has a disc brake in the front and drum brake at the back and on riding the fuel consumptions is expected to be less than 40 Kmpl. A R1 style instrument and a non digital console are present in the bike. The bike is one of the sports bike with high balancing and easy handling in crowds. The bike supports lovely movements on curves and crowds.

The bike has also cleared the environmental friendly tests to get clearance for the Bharat 4 emissions standards.

Special features of the bike

* Engine: 150cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke
* Delta Box Frame
* 6 Hole type Fuel Injector
* High capacity air cleaner/filter
* Brakes: Front- Disc, Rear- Drum
* Fuel Tank: 12 Liters
* Environmental friendly
* Multi reflector headlights

Positive and Negative specifications of the bike:

Positive specifications of the bike:

* Improved technology has been equipped to the bike to provide MotoGP race experience
* All aluminum “DiASil Cylinder” has been brought for the first time in a bike
* The “Deltabox frame” is proved for good balance
* New kind of 150cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke engine is provided
* It is a great ride on the bike that makes the it easy and comfortable even in high speed

Negative specifications of the bike:

* The cost of the bike is still not known but if it is too high then the riders may opt for Nano car instead of a bike

Cost

The cost of the bike is expected to be around Rs 80,000 though the companies will try to make an economical bid as Tata has announced the launching of the 1 lakh car Nano.

Technical Specifications Yamaha YZF R15 150cc

Engine: 150cc, V4, SOHC
Power: 20bhp
Clearance: 160.00
Fuel Tank: 12.00
Wheelbase: 1290.00
Gears: 6 Automatic
Brakes: Disc

Features

Fuel Guage: Digital
Self Start: Yes
Tacho Meter: Digital
Trip Meter: Digital-1
Stand Alarm: Yes
Alloys: Yes

Tata Nano

Tata Nano – The People’s Car

The unveiling of the 4-door Nano, which is a 1 Lakh rupee car made by Tata Motors was held at the Auto Expo in New Delhi. The car is grabbing attention from the people from all over the world not only for its low price but also for its beautiful looks and striking features.

The car was driven by the owner of the company Tata Motors Mr. Ratan N. Tata at the unveiling ceremony that was held at the 9th Auto Expo who said that the bringing out the car was a dream come true for him. The booking for the car will be started by the June – July of the year 2008 and by September and October the car will be on roads in India.

Look and Comfort

Nano is an attractive cute small 4-door car .The car is made for 5 people to be seated and the engine of the car is located at the back of the car. Initially the car is launched in three color Red, White and Light green. The car will also be coming in two versions one is the standard version that is marked by the single color interiors, two spoke steering wheel and vinyl trimmed seats.

The Luxury version will have dual color interiors, three spoke steering wheel, fabric seats and body color bumpers .The luxury version will also be equipped with stylized steel wheels, fog lamps, central locks, power windows and A/C with heater.

The length of the car is 3.1 meters that is 8% smaller from the exterior than the Maruti 800 but the car is 21% more spacious than Maruti 800.The width of the car is 1.5 metres and height is 1.6 metres.

Engine and Chassis

The car will be equipped with 2-cylinder, 623 cc engine. Currently the company is launching the petrol model but later the diesel models will also be launched. The multi-point fuel-injection petrol engine is rear mounted and for the first time the car has been equipped with two-cylinder gasoline engine. The design of the car has made it to be light weight machine and gets maximum power per unit of energy consumed.

Safety and driving the car

An electronic engine management system is equipped to control performance of the car. The car can run up to the speed of speed is 90km/h.The car has been tested for the safety measures. The sheet metal body of the car is tested for crumple zones and intrusion-resistant doors. The car has strong seat-belts, and anchorages and the rear tailgate glass is bonded to the body. The tyres of the car are tubeless.

The car has been designed to be environmental friendly and the pollution level is claimed to be lower than the two wheelers. The high performance by the engine and control on fuel efficacy will lower the greenhouse gases emission. The car has a fuel efficiency of 20 km/litre. The car has passed the full frontal crash tests and side impact tests.

Special features

* Design: 4 door, 5-seater
* Engine: The car is equipped with 624cc petrol engine, 33 HP, 4-speed manual gear shift, Rear engine, front boot.
* Pollution Check: The car meets the Bharat Stage-III emission norms and Euro 4 norms
* Brakes: Equipped with Front disk and rear drum brakes
* Mileage: The car gives an average of 20km per litre mileage but can go up to 26km per litre on highway
* Fuel Tank: 30 liter fuel tank
* Space: The length of the car is 8% smaller than Maruti 800 but provides 21% more interior space.
* Luxury version comes with AC
* No power steering in the car

Positive and Negative specifications of the car

Positive specifications of the car

* Cost is the most attractive specification of the car. The people who spend to buy high cost two wheelers can go for a four wheeler after the launch of this car.
* The looks of the car are very attractive that makes it look better than many luxury cars from outside.
* The mileage given by the car is good that is 20km/l but it can go up to 26km/l on highway. This also indicates high fuel efficiency provided by the car.
* The car is eco friendly as per the emission standard.
* The car has been tested for safety measures for full frontal crash tests and side impacts.
* The length of the car is good for people to park and keep.

Negative specifications of the car

* Though he car is launched for a 1 Lakh rupee mark the actual cost can go high
* Initially the availability of the car will be a problem for the buyers as the Tata Motors is launching only 250,000 units in a year.
* The car has a low maximum speed of 90km/h.
* Space inside the car is less for keeping luggage
* The car is not equipped with power steering
* The car has cleared emission tests but increase in number of car on roads can not be environmental friendly.

Cost

The Tata Motors has launched the car for Rs 1 Lakh(US$2500, GB£1277, €1700 ). The car will be available in the market for about $3000 or Rs 1 Lakh 30 thousand after the taxes and insurance is added to the cost. The cost of the luxury version has not been declared by the Tata Motors and it is expected to be in high ranges. The car can be bought on installments of Rs 2,600 for three years or Rs 1,759 for five years.

Technical Specification

Hyundai Santro Xing

The Hyundai Santro Xing was introduced as the most facilitated and good looking car in Rs 4 lakh range cars in India. The car that was introduced in India to compete with Maruti Zen and Wagan R has many attractive features like remote controlled central lock, front electric window, and option for auto transmission, reliability, long life and power efficiency. The engine of the car is equipped with the ‘active intelligence’ feature.

The Total Customer Satisfaction (TCS) has given the reports after conducting research on automotives that the car Hyundai Santro Xing tops in its segment

Look of the car

The interiors of the car are extremely attractive and latest in design and its styling are called tallboy styling as it facilities tall drivers for easy driving. It is a spacious car of a family and has more head and leg room space. The seats are comfortably designed fitted with the best fabrics instead of vinyl.

The clutch is light and gear shift is easy. The vehicle on flat surfaces gives maximum 145km/h speed and speed goes to the maximum even when the AC is on. Even in high speeds and AC On the car engines works steady and smooth. The car suspension powered with McPherson in the front and H torsion in the rear wheel is also equipped with disc brakes in the front wheel and drum brake for the rear.

Engine, Power, Torque

The 1.1 liter petrol Santro Xing is powered with standard engine and is rated 43.3 kw that generated power 63Bhp.The use of ‘active intelligence’ in the car makes it to produce maximum power and provide good mileage. The ‘active intelligence’ helps the car to reduce wear and tear of the engine.

The low friction piston also helps reduction of the mechanical load and improves the mileage of the car even at higher speeds. The ignition of fuel uses the ELUs, klil that is programmed to get better ignition and low pollution emissions.

Comfort and Safety:

The dashboard is sunken integrated with two oddment trays. The speedometer fuel gauge and other instruments are fitted to the oval shaped binnacle. The controls are fixed to the plain black console ad the music player is fitted with the air conditioner at the centre. Two cup holders between the two seats in the front and the map packet and a glove compartment in the left are present. The plastic storage try under the seats are also provided.

Safety features are present like the vertical and lateral crumple zones, impact bars on the doors .The roof is designed to move up on impact.

Engineering and Style:

The car is styled in a way to get maximum fuel efficiency. The attractive large radiator grilled and huge bumper air dam increase the airflow into the radiator and it keeps the engine cool and gives out peak efficiency. The headlights are styled in the same way as the taillight and it looks fashionable as it has clear polycarbonate covers. The car is equipped with LED brake light and it is placed in the middle of the boot spiller.

The car is not equipped with an anti lock break system but the breaks are smooth and easy to handle. The ventilated front disk brake is built with air vents that releases the heat generated on braking and increases the life span of the brakes.

Special features

* Engine 4 cylinder, 12 valves having displacement: 1086 cc
* Power: 63ps of power at 5500 rpm
* Torque: 9.8kgm at 3000 rpm
* Length (mm): 3565 , Width (mm) :1525 , Height (mm) :1590
* Wheelbase (mm) is 2380
* Radial Tyres Size :155/70 R 13

Positive and negative specification of the car:

Positive specifications of the car

* Good looks - is a family car, comfortable for tall drivers
* The highly features McPherson Strut Suspension in the front and a torsion beam axle with a offset coil spring and damper in the rear helps the car to move without much jump on the pot-holed Indian roads.
* The wide tyres have good hold over the roads and your car doesn’t get slipped on the tough Indian roads.
* Engine powered with Distributorless Ignition System (DLI) that improves fuel efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.
* Light car having easy gear shift.

Negative specifications of the car

* Complaints of vibrations in higher gear
* Dark smoke from exhaust after using for some time
* Overhauling needed too early
* Complaints of replacement needed in crankshaft motor, dynamo and the catalytic converter.
* Ground clearance need to be better

Cost

The cost of the car is RS 430000 from a dealer in a metro city. The cost varies from one city to other.

Technical Specifications

Hyundai i10

Hyundai launched its new car i10 that is first to make a world debut from India. The car is powered wit 1.1 liter, iRDE petrol engine and is aimed to give great fuel efficiency to its users. The company Hyundai Motor India is aiming to achieve a target of 20% market share as compared to the current 18%.Hyundai i10 is a compact car and also is less expensive car in the range.

The car will be launched in London in March 2008. Cost wise the car is slotted between Santro and Getz in India and it will also be considered to be a replacement for Santro in the western markets. The company is currently testing the car in Chennai. The market is dominated by many mid range cars like Chevrolet spark, Zen Estilo, WagonR and Tata Indica Xeta and the new car will have to compete with these.

Look of the car

The i10 is a five seater and has five doors having length 3.56 m and width 1.59 m .The car is compact and spacious. The wheels of the car are pushed out to increase the space inside the car. The initial models of the car are launched with an inbuilt AC and electric front windows, central lock system, body color bumpers and six speaker stereos.

A proper tailgate is added feature rather than just a piece of glass. The car looks are very attractive with the black bumper and added black color mirrors.

Engine, Power, Torque

The car is powered with 1.1-litre iRDE petrol engine that generates a power of 66.7PS at 5500 rpm and torque of 10.1 kgm(7.44lb-ft) at 2800 rpm. The car is fitted with sunroof, rear spoiler, leather wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry, leather wrapped gear knob. The engine is fitted with an option to go for manual or automatic transmission. The gearshift is located on the centre console to provide more space inside.

Like a Satro , Hyundai’s new i10 also has the same wheelbase (2380mm/94inches) the length of the car is increased by 1550mm/61inches as compare to Santro. Hyundai i10 is wide in comparison to Satro by 70mm/2.8inches.

Comfort and Safety:

The car is styled like Ford verve having steeply raked windscreen and ellipsoidal glass area. The rear of the car has the tail lamps similar to Santro .The interior of the car are best in the market that involve dashboard integrated center console instead of floor shift pattern.

The safety facilities in most of the popular models are integrated to the car like the seat belts with pre-tensioner, anti-lock braking system(ABS), impact sensing auto door unlock system, 4 airbags, child seat fittings that can be fitted in the front, passenger side cut of switch and the mounted stop lamp.

Engineering and Style:

The car popularly known as Pa is powered with gasoline engine producing 65 horsepower, diesel car is rated to give 75 hp and the company will be bringing the 1.2 liter engine soon in to the market.

iRDE(intelligent Responsive Drive Engine) petrol engine with five speed manual transmission indicate the car is driven intelligently and has innovative designs and is safe luxurious car .The car has the alphabet “i” to indicate inspire that is mostly found in Hyundai brand cars .The i10 belongs to the A segment cars of Hyundai. The new dash that looks simple is equipped with smart controls and the three spoke steering wheel is provided for easy control and drive.

Special features

* Tremendous interiors, good space
* Power is 66.7PS at 5500 rpm, Torque is 10.1 kgm at 2800 rpm
* Engine is 1.1 litre engine / iRDE -i10 (pa)
* Length of car is 3565mm/140inches
* Wheelbase is 2380mm/94inches similar to Santro.
* Fog lamp in the front
* Alloy wheel and rear wiper
* A good midsize car

Positive and negative specification of the car:

Positive specifications of the car

1. Luxurious interiors

2. Gear lever position is good

3. Gear box placement is good

4. Spacious car

5. Seats are comfortable and drive is easy

6. Tubeless tyres are present.

Negative specifications of the car

1. The shape of the car is not very fashionable

2.The price of the car could have been reduced for the average middle class Indian customers

3. The car needs to get tested for Indian roads.

Cost

The Hyundai iTen that hit Indian market in October 2007 and the launch price is around Rs 4lakh .The car will be sold in India and overseas and will cost in range between Rs 3.39 lakh (U.S. $13322) and Rs 3.98lakh (U.S. $15641).

Technical Specifications of Hyundai i10

Bajaj XCD 125cc DTS-Si

The bike Bajaj XCD 125cc DTS-Si was launched by the company Bajaj in September and it was expected that the company will manufacture 20000 units of the bike initially that will be increased to 50,000 units in the coming months to increase the production to make it the highest produced bike of the market.

The key attractive feature of the bike is its cost and the introduction of the engine range XCD 125cc that will give it an increased performance in to be between the 100cc and 150cc.

Sporty Look of the Bike

The look and technical specification of the bike are taken from the alliance company of Bajaj, Kawasaki. The XCD design is also a feature imported from Kawasaki. The bike is stylish and decent .It has black visor. The bike had a bit aggressive in looks and has graphics on the tank. The bike had some traditional features like the clear lens indicator and 5 spoke alloy wheels and also some new added features are large headlamp and twin pilot lamp. The bike has a digital speedometer and has led tail lamps.

The bike has similarity in looks to gladiator as it has the scoops on each side and has a wide fuel tank. XCD’s body has a coloured SNS spring changed from orange in other Bajaj products Lines converge are made at the rear reaching up to triangular tail lamp. The bike has a simple and attractive digital speedometer.

Engine, Power, Torque

The new bike by Bajaj has the new 124.58 cc single cylinder, DTS-Si engine-powered Xceed. The power offered by the bike is 9.5 bhp at 7000 rpm and the torque given is 10.85 nm at 5000 rpm. The DTS-Si technology uses the twin spark plugs that are placed in the front and the rear of the cylinders.

Comfort and Ride

The sitting position of the bike is quiet comfortable but it has weak shockers. The bike is a light weight machine and easy to turn at corners. The tyre grip is strong enough to make you feel comfortably in control of the bike even at higher speeds. A small storage space is also provided to keep things in the bike. Rubber cushion are provided at the brake pedals and has a good switch gear attached to the bike.

Engineering and Styling

The new technology in XCD 125cc DTS-Si is the flexible plate mechanism that facilitates the bike to have an aggressive stand. The bike also has a digital console that is a microprocessor attached into the speedometer that processes the speed information to it.

The bike also has the LCD light facilities for night drives .LCD has orange backlight with black features. Bajaj Platine and Bajaj Discover are not fitted with the LCD features. The bike has a LED taillight that is present mostly in powerful performance bikes. The wide tyre at the rear and the reduced wheelbase that is 1265mm as compared to 1305mm in Bajaj discover enhances the control on the bike. Black color handlebar weights are added to control vibrations in the bike.

Mileage and Special features

The bike gives a mileage of 56 -62 kmpl in traffic and on highways its mileage can go above 65 kmpl. The first servicing needed for the bike will go from 45 kmph to 75 kmph (It depends on individual’s way of handling the bike).

* 124.58 cc single cylinder, DTS-Si engine
* Power: 9.5 bhp at 7000 rpm, Torque: 10.85 nm at 5000 rpm.
* Electric start
* No disc brake
* Large headlamp and pilot lamps
* Led taillights
* Wide rear tyres
* Reduced Wheelbase (1265mm )

Some positive and negative specifications of the bike

Positive Specifications

* Improved DTS-Si XCD engine
* Decent looks
* Comes with electric start
* Larger headlamp
* Easy handling
* Good grip on riding
* Easy to turn on corners
* Has LED taillight.
* Less Cost

Negative specifications

* No disc brakes
* Poor shockers
* Noise in engine
* Reduced wheelbase reduces stability

Cost

The priced of the bike is Rs 41,000 – 47,000 in an ex-showroom in metro cities.

Bajaj XCD 125cc DTS-Si Technical Specification

Honda Inspire

The luxury sedan Honda Inspire is marked by its sporty performance and improvements over the previous Honda models. The improvements have been made in making it easy to drive at corners and to apply brakes .The interiors of the new sedan has improved luxury not only in looks but also in the design, space, driving and other functional specifications.

The engine delivers an increased power of 207kW (280 PS or 276 hp).

Look and Comfort

The new sedan has a luxurious design, leather interiors and sporty in looks. The front headlights are wide and equipped with High Intensity Discharge. A full rear and large diameter pipes are fitted to the car. The interiors are comfortable and new .The instrument panel and centre panels are designed and positioned to keep the car in control of the driver. A better reach to things are possible while driving.

Interiors

Interiors are spacious and the floor of the car is low that makes it more compact and provides easy sitting to the back seaters. The fuel tank has been made slender and floor height is reduced.

Better Safety facility

The all new Inspire has a better safety facility that includes the airbag in the front seat and curtain airbag in the sides .Most of the Honda cars are equipped with these Advanced Compatibility Engineering body that make the driving secure and comfortable. The security system makes the car get less effected on collision.

Braking System

For braking Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS) is fitted in the car and a E-pretensioners is also integrated to it. These security options to aware the driver on rear fit.

Engine and Chassis

Engine

The new car has a V6 3.5-liter i-VTEC engine is equipped with advanced Variable Cylinder Management system (VCMS) that facilitates it to shift between six-, four-, and three-cylinder combustion. The improved combustion makes it to achieve better power output that goes to maximum 206kW (280PS) and torque to 342N•m (34.9kg•m).

Chassis

The improved chassis makes the sedan easy to handle and smooth to ride. The improved double wishbone configuration suspension makes the bar to have improved performance. Variable steering gear ratio (VGR) is fitted to the car that makes it smooth on turnings.

Driving the car

Operation of sudan is comfortable and noise level is less due to the presence of Active noise control. The vibrations in the machine are reduced due to the implementation of Active control engine. The actuators inside the mount absorb vibrations as it expands and contracts. The engine revolutions and signals through audio determine the frequency and the vibrations are hence reduced in the car.

Special features

* Inter vehicular distance control system asses the driving conditions with a radar and measures100m within a 16° arc distance ahead of the vehicle that reduces the burden on the driver.
* The car is facilitated with an Advanced vehicle speed to help the driver.
* The speed and lane of vehicle can also be controlled by the automated system
* The locking and unlocking of car doors are automatic
* Automatic ignition control
* Automatic temperature control that senses sunlight
* Disaster information provides signals related to weather condition through the InterNavi Premium Club.
* Cash safety technology G-force Control (G-CON) and Anti-lock Brake System(ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) are incorporate to the car

Positive and Negative specifications of the car

Positive specifications

* Improved Safety -Crash controlling design to tolerate 55km/h full-frontal collision, 55km/h side collision and 50km/h rear collision.
* Child seat bars provided
* Environmental friendly design
* PVC use reduced to facilitate recycling
* Improve air quality inside the car

Negative specifications

* No exterior differences compared to previous Honda models
* No extra (2002 BMW 745Li-esk) back lights on the trunk
* Reduced floor heights

Cost

The car costs ranges from $29200 to $34500

Yamaha MTR01 and YZF R1

Yamaha has launched its two bikes in India MTR01 and YZF R1.The Japanese Company’s spokesperson said that the company will be coming up with new products in the Expo held in January 2008.Both the bikes will initially be launched in major cities like Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai.

The launch bikes will be imported from European countries. The MTR01 has a 1,680 cc engine and YZF R1 is powered with a 998 cc engine. The bike may cost up to 10.5 lakhs when bought through an ex showroom in New Delhi and initially only five dealers will be given to sell the bikes. The dealers will increase to 50 by the end of the decade. The YZF-R1 is one of the most technically advanced bikes introduced in India by Yamaha that is one of the foremost Open-class production motorcycle.

Sporty Look of the Bike

The new bike has been improved with redesigned stylish head lights and a LED taillight. The design is fixed with a bigger ram-air intake and has got a screw less windscreen. The bike is attached with a multi-functional digital gauge that includes the adjustable shift light, dual trip meters, full-time clock, odometer, lap timer, temperature reader and a big 15,000 rpm analog tachometer.

The radial tyres are 120/70-ZR17 and 190/50-ZR17 that have great grasp on the roads and can be handled accurately by the biker. The foot pegs are also durable and light weighted. The hollow bolts and fasteners are helpful in reducing the overall weight of the bike. The toolkit is located conveniently and has a good storage space under the passenger seat of the bike. The drive chain is also a durable on having sealed O-ring. The bike is fixed with 8.6 AH battery light and compact battery.

Engine, Power, Torque

The bike is fixed with short stroke 4 cylinder (liquid cooled inline) powerful 998cc DOHC engine having 16-valves.The Yamaha’s Chip Control Throttle can also control the 32 bit ECU fuel injection system that helps it in giving a smooth power delivery .and it takes electronically adjusted funnel length between 65 or 140mm for a broad and immediate power liberation.

The fuel tank is located in the rear and the front has the Ram-Air-fed air box to increase power. The cylinder design helps in weight distribution and strengthens intake for improve cylinder filling and has a strong narrow engine and a narrow chassis.

The bike is equipped with high power and reduced frictions.MTR01 is strapped with a 1680 cc engine, YZF R1 has a 998 cc engine.

Comfort and Ride

Many changes have been made to the previous models of Yamaha as the earlier models were criticized for the power band and for it being out powered by other bikes like suzuki GSX-R1000 and kawasaki ZX-10R.The bike was inefficient in a crowded street due to the lack of low-end sound and the speed in mid ranges.

The new YZF-R1 bike is an advanced open class production motorcycle and all the 4 cylinders are powerful. The bike has the electronic variable length intake tunnel system and the throttle system has the YCC-T fly-by-wire system to provide control on the bike and the torque-limiting clutch is effective to slow the high speed of the bike. R1 has a very effective braking system. The bike has six-speed gearbox that makes it a compact bike that goes to higher velocities in less time

Engineering and Styling

Ramp-type slipper clutch helps it to stop with much ease and makes it fast on braking. The under seat exhaust system has a stainless steel midpipe and corner clearance is great. The radiator capacity on the new bike has been increased by 13% from the previous model and the aluminum liquid cooled oil cooler keeps the temp. stable of the bike. The ignition coils and dual-electrode spark plugs give an easy ignition as Deltabox frame is made up of aluminum.

The Open-class handling new truss-type swingarm improves the performance for the bike. The front brakes are 310 mm discs to give more braking power to R1.A new fully adjustable inverted KYB telescopic front fork has been added to the chassis. The calipers are also new that are six-piston radial-mount type and 5 –spoke wheel makes the bike to be easily brought in action and to be stopped immediately.

Special features

* MTR01 is a 1680 cc engine; YZF R1 has a 998 cc engine.
* Bike has 4 cylinder powerful 998cc DOHC engine having 16-valbes
* Bike has a Titanium underseat exhaust system having stainless steel midpipe
* Dual-electrode spark plugs system
* Dual 310mm front disc brakes
* High- and low-speed compression adjustable in the rear shock
* Five-spoke wheels
* 8.6 AH battery light
* Radial tyres are 120/70-ZR17 and 190/50-ZR17

Some positive and negative specifications of the bike

Positive features of the bike

* The bike has huge power and easy control system
* The gearbox functioning and brakes are powerful
* Grin factor is high
* Looks are just fantastic and stylish.
* Narrow bike with 8 headlights
* The bike is light and very fast.
* Replacement of exhaust is good.
* Road control is high

Negatives features of the bike

* At high speeds the bike makes sound and has vibrations
* A few bikers are complaining of uncomfortable riding position
* The seat gets heated on speeding the bike for some time due to the under seat pipes.
* Corner gets a bit wider and you need to put your weight to the front
* High wear factor

Cost

The bikes MTR01 and YZF R1 premium cost Rs 10.5 lakh in Indian in an ex-showroom in Delhi.

Technical Specification YZF R1