Automobile Blog

World’s fastest car Ultimate Aero to storm Indian roads

The Ultimate Aero – the world’s fastest car capable of reaching half the Electric and hybrid cars
Frankfurt Auto Show speed of a jetliner cruising at 30,000 ft – is set to Electric and debut in India with a price tag of over Rs 6 crore that will make it the costliest car sold in the country.

Its maker, the US-based Shelby Super Car (SSC), has decided to launch the car in Mumbai in the next few months and follow it up with a Delhi launch, said a person working on the launch who asked not to be named. An email query sent to the US firm on its India plans did not get a response.

India will be the third market where the car, with a recorded speed of 413 kilometres per hour (257 mph), is sold after the US and Russia. (more…)

Frankfurt 2009: Porsche

- New 911 Turbo
- GT3 RS
- Sport Classic special edition

What’s new
The Panamera four-door is big news at the Porsche stand, but there are also three new versions of the iconic 911.

What are they?
If the standard 911 just isn’t quick enough for you, there are three high-performance versions on show at Frankfurt.

First, there’s the updated 911 Turbo, which now has a 3.8-litre engine, rather than a 3.6-litre, and has a monumental 493bhp (and not the weedy 473bhp of its forebear).

The main consequence of this, of course, is that the new Turbo is even quicker than before, and not just by a little bit. (more…)

Hyundai to bring in LPG model of Santro this year

Hyundai Motors is going to increase the prices of its car models by 12 January. Mr Arvind Saxena senior vice-president, sales and marketing, Hyundai Motors India Ltd, said the company has decided to increase the price of most of its cars by Rs 5000. It includes ‘i10’ that was launched recently.

The company hopes to sell 5.3 lakh cars by 2008. The company said it would launch an LPG variant of the Santro by September to complement the CNG version.

“With rising crude prices, Santro LPG will provide a more economical option for our customers along with environment-friendly benefits,” Lheem said.

He said similar LPG variants would also be launched of other models like the Getz and Accent later this year, possibly by the third quarter. Hyundai is in talks with bus body-building firms to launch buses first. It will import the chassis and get the partner to assemble buses. He also said that “We will look to launch mid-size buses in the 25-seater category and large buses, initially:, and the “Trucks will follow later.” (more…)

Maruti Suzuki makes a splash with three concept cars

Suzuki Motor has showed three cars which will be manufactured only in India, at the Auto Expo being held in New Delhi. These include compact cars A-Star, Splash and the premium concept car ‘Kizashi’.

The company will start making the A-Star from October and aims to sell it in Europe, its Indian unit, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., said in a statement at the Delhi auto show today. Suzuki expects to sell 60,000 units of the Splash in Europe a year and the vehicle will be first produced in Hungary and later in India.

Suzuki and other foreign carmakers, including Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea’s largest carmaker, are expanding capacity to use the country as a global production center for small cars, taking advantage of cheaper labor costs. India’s government in 2006 cut taxes on small hatchbacks to seek investments for export-oriented projects.

Maruti Suzuki has lined up its fifth global car, ‘A-Star’, to be manufactured only in India, besides ‘Splash’ and its D-segment car ‘Kizashi’. It has also displayed the SX4 WRC Rally Car, with which Suzuki Motor Corporation is entering the World Rally Championship for the first time this year. (more…)

Ford unveils fuel-sipping Explorer Concept in America

Ford Motor is hinting at a more fuel-efficient direction for its iconic Explorer sport-utility vehicle which will debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The concept is built on a more car-like unibody frame, rather than the traditional truck frame, to reduce weight by 150 pounds and improve drivability. But Ford says the Explorer America is still roomy enough for six passengers and gear, and can tow 3,500 pounds.

One of the most impressive aspects of Explorer America concept is its ability to offer a 20 to 30 percent fuel saving compared with today’s V6 Ford Explorer. The new EcoBoost gas turbocharged direct-injection engine, a four-cylinder, two-liter engine, provides 205kW whereas the V6 puts out 254kW. (more…)

Hyundai Enters the Luxury Battle with Launch of Genesis

Hyundai Motor Co. launched its new rear-wheel drive Genesis luxury sedan. A car the South Korean company sees as its ticket into the ranks of the world’s top-end automakers.

They have taken the first step in a tough challenge to dominate the world’s premium car market with the launch of its Genesis luxury sedan.

The release of the Genesis is likely to intensify competition between Hyundai and high-end foreign brands in the local luxury market. It comes equipped with a long list of state-of-the-art features.

The rear-wheel-drive sedan comes with either a 3.3-liter or 3.8-liter V6 engine, both of which boast power, fuel efficiency, quiet and durability.

It also features a six-speed automatic transmission, smart cruise control that uses radar to measure the distance of the car ahead to keep the Genesis at a proper distance, and adaptive headlamps that position the focus of the light according to driving speed and turn direction. (more…)

Toyota 2008 Land Cruiser

Toyota has introduced its new 2008 Land Cruiser full-size SUV in the US with a new 5.7 L V-8 engines and transmission. Estimated fuel economy is 13 mpg city, 18 mpg highway, 15 mpg combined.

The 2008 Land Cruiser is powered by an all-new 5.7-liter V8 engine that produces 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated with ansix-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with a sequential shift mode. The SUV has a maximum towing capacity of 8,500 pounds, an increase of 2,000 pounds over the previous model.

The 2008 Land Cruiser is now endowed with the 5.7-liter double-overhead-cam V8 that was introduced in the 2007 Toyota Tundra pickup truck. Exceptionally smooth and powerful, in the Land Cruiser, it’s mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and delivers a considerable 381 horsepower and 401 lb-ft of torque.

With the newfound grunt, the Land Cruiser’s towing capacity has jumped from 6,500 to 8,500 pounds. The Land Cruiser is fitted with a total of 10 airbags – two front airbags, knee airbags for the driver and front passenger, two rows of side-impact airbags, and three-row curtain airbags. (more…)