Audi India has kicked off a unique drive experience for its customers across various cities in India. Called the ‘Audi R-Drive’ , it is a unique initiative which will give participants (mainly customers) a chance to experience the award winning Audi R8 V10 Spyder and the Audi RS5 in all their glory - atleast we hope so! “The start of ‘Audi R-Drive’ reiterates Audi's our unwavering commitment to offer to their customers and prospects an experience of their products of highest technical perfection and design finesse.
The two Audi models used in this R-Drive , the Audi R8 V10 Spyder and the Audi RS5 exemplify the company's belief in developing and delivering world class automobiles to sports car enthusiasts in India.
“At Audi Delhi , we demonstrate our world-class services by keeping the customer at the center of everything we do. The ‘Audi R-Drive’ underscores this customer centric approach by creating a platform for us to exhibit our excellent services and technical precision of our sportscars. This initiative gives us an opportunity to offer a luxurious and sporty experience to our customers in the region” , said Raghav Chandra , Managing Director , Audi Delhi.
To make the experience even more exhilarating , Audi has put together a team of India’s most prominent motorsport experts at the helm of the event , guiding guests on how to handle these powerful machines. The schedule for other cities is as follows:
22 Feb 2012 7:11 PM by
Shantonil
in
Bikes,
Hero MotoCorp , One of the youngest brand and the largest two-wheeler manufacturer found a new technological partner in America. Today , Hero MotoCorp announced its partnership with Eric Buell Racing (EBR) for its debut in motorsport as well as transfer of technology for developing new bikes. The company also has plans to bring bigger capacity Buell bikes to Indian shore.
An ex-Harley Davidson engineer Erik Buell founded Buell Motorcycle Company and after 10 years of establishment , Harley-Davidson acquired 49% of Buell shares in 1993. In November 2009 , Buell and HD announced the launch of Erik Buell Racing , which became an independent company to produce the race only versions of 1125R model and Erik Buell became the head of the new company.
Hero MotoCorp recently bought the shares of Honda when Honda decided to move out of the joint Venture that was agreed upon in 1984. Subsequently , Hero MotoCorp launched a dual-purpose bike , Impulse that did not gain much popularity.
On the occasion , Pawan Kant Munjal , MD and CEO , Hero MotoCorp said , “We are entering into a strategic partnership with Erik Buell Racing (EBR) , which currently is more into high end and high performance racing bikes , as we are completely missing in this category of motorcycles. We have already started work on some of our existing products and on completely new products. i would tend to say that by calendar 2013 (a product will be launched). As stated in the past , we will not replace the current technology (Honda’s) with just one technology source or technology company or partnership , but we are looking at multiple technology tie-ups to go for specialised technologies wherever available. Ultimately , the idea is to build our own R&D capabilities to match the best in the world.”
The venture opened the doors for Hero’s entry into the big league of two-wheel Motorsports. The company will sponsor two teams – Team Hero and AMSOIL Hero for the AMA Pro racing National Guard Superbikes Championship. The riders , Danny Eslick and Geoff May will be controlling the flagship Buell 1190RS bikes when the race is flagged off in USA from 15th March.
Smelling some Buell rubber in India? Well , after a successful alliance with Honda for more than a decade , we hope the new alliance makes proves fruitful for both Hero and biking community in India.
22 Feb 2012 4:41 PM by
Manisha
in
Cycles,
The Audax Club Parisien (ACP) announced that they will serve as a booster for cycle enthusiasts because of poor road conditions and heavy traffic on roads. This is because of the enthusiasm and the rigorous passion that the cyclists or ‘randonneurs’ of the nation. Pune has promoted this endurance sport among the masses as five of the first 15 riders of India to take part in the rides organised by the ACP were from Pune. Besides Pune Randonneurs is the oldest club of the nation to participate in the endurance sport.
“That our country is ranked so highly by the prestigious club is a very big achievement for cyclists like us. Before 2010 , India didn’t exist anywhere in the ranking of the ACP and in 2011 , we are ranked 19th out of 43 countries , ’’ said Gagan Grover who recently represented India and travelled 1 , 200 km in 90 hours in the ‘Paris-Brest-Paris’ race. It is a long distance endurance cycling event conducted in France by the ACP.
Grover further said that the cyclists from various parts of the country participate in long distance endurance rides and are assessed by the ACP , following which they gain points.
In the short span of over a half year , Indian riders have taken part in 340 rides and gained 1 , 011 points. These include continuous rides of 200 km , 300 km , 400 km , 600 km and 1 , 000 km.
Divya Tate , who was One of the 15 pioneers , said , “Because of this kick-start , cycling has caught up with enthusiasts across the country.’’
22 Feb 2012 12:43 PM by
Bunny
in
Luxury sedans,
If you love Hyundai's new Fluidic DNA philosophy that is seen on the Verna and the Eon , you are sure to love the way the all-new Sonata looks - smashing is the perect way to describe and that is exactly what it will do to the rivals - smash them! This was a long due product for the Indian premium market and was showcased to the public at the 2012 Auto Expo. The response was very positive and the news now out is that 7th of March is the day when Hyundai will officially launch it for commercial sale in the Indian market. Infact , dealers are already taking bookings for this new model. The prices will also be announced on the 7th. The new Sonata will initially come with only a petrol engine.
We take a first look at the vehicle and what sets it apart from the other rivals - this will happen this weekend and rest assured , we will bring out extensive details on the Sonata's design , cabin , engine and peformance.
No details on the pricing are available yet - what is your indication? What do you think will be a good price point for the new Sonata given the fact that it looks super premium and comes loaded with features and gadgets.
22 Feb 2012 11:42 AM by
in
Hatchbacks,
Nissan and Renault work closely around the world including in India. They often share the same engines , platforms and even other mechanical parts. The Renault Koleos and Nissan X-Trail for example share a lot in common and now , the new Pulse hatchback is another great example. Renault has always looked at a cost effective way of launching a new model under its port-folio and for India , after launching two premium products , the Fluence and the Koleos , looked at the Nissan Micra as the perfect donor vehicle for their (Renault's) entry in the Indian mass market segment .
Renault says that as per the market survey that they did , although people loved the way the Micra looked (cute and feminine) , they didnt really want to own one. Male egos? We think so and the reason why their designers got down to giving the Pulse a different identity from the exterior. The front end hence is changed and looks more sporty than cute. The headlamps , grille , bumper - everything is new. However , you can stil see and make out the oval body shell. At the rear , the blackened part of the bumper is new so are the prominent Renault badges.
On the inside though - everything remains same as the Micra - completely identical. Same goes for the diesel engine and the gearbox.
So , apart from the exterior design , where else does the Pulse differ from the Micra? These are:
1. Pulse is only sold with a diesel engine while the Micra has both
2. The Pulse is not sold in a base model configuration while the Micra is
3. The Micra diesel's price range is between Rs 5.58 to Rs 6.08 lakh (ex-Delhi)
4. The Pulse on the other hand carries a price range of Rs 5.88 lakh to Rs 6.50 lakh (ex-Delhi)
5. Renault also says that Pulse customers will be treated in a more premium way - will this be enough to justify the price difference?
We say , wait for a month to see the sales figures and how closely the Pulse gets to the Micra in this regard! In Jan 2012 , the month when the Pulse was launched , it managed to sell a decent 746 units. The Micra's Jan 2012 sales stood at 1855. Can the Pulse narrow this gap in Feb? Our guess is as good as yours!
Audi India has kicked off a unique drive experience for its customers across various cities in India. Called the ‘Audi R-Drive’ , it is a unique initiative which will give participants (mainly customers) a chance to experience the award winning Audi R8 V10 Spyder and the Audi RS5 in all their glory - atleast we hope so! “The start of ‘Audi R-Drive’ reiterates Audi's our unwavering commitment to offer to their customers and prospects an experience of their products of highest technical perfection and design finesse.
The two Audi models used in this R-Drive , the Audi R8 V10 Spyder and the Audi RS5 exemplify the company's belief in developing and delivering world class automobiles to sports car enthusiasts in India.
“At Audi Delhi , we demonstrate our world-class services by keeping the customer at the center of everything we do. The ‘Audi R-Drive’ underscores this customer centric approach by creating a platform for us to exhibit our excellent services and technical precision of our sportscars. This initiative gives us an opportunity to offer a luxurious and sporty experience to our customers in the region” , said Raghav Chandra , Managing Director , Audi Delhi.
To make the experience even more exhilarating , Audi has put together a team of India’s most prominent motorsport experts at the helm of the event , guiding guests on how to handle these powerful machines. The schedule for other cities is as follows:
Hero MotoCorp , One of the youngest brand and the largest two-wheeler manufacturer found a new technological partner in America. Today , Hero MotoCorp announced its partnership with Eric Buell Racing (EBR) for its debut in motorsport as well as transfer of technology for developing new bikes. The company also has plans to bring bigger capacity Buell bikes to Indian shore.
An ex-Harley Davidson engineer Erik Buell founded Buell Motorcycle Company and after 10 years of establishment , Harley-Davidson acquired 49% of Buell shares in 1993. In November 2009 , Buell and HD announced the launch of Erik Buell Racing , which became an independent company to produce the race only versions of 1125R model and Erik Buell became the head of the new company.
Hero MotoCorp recently bought the shares of Honda when Honda decided to move out of the joint Venture that was agreed upon in 1984. Subsequently , Hero MotoCorp launched a dual-purpose bike , Impulse that did not gain much popularity.
On the occasion , Pawan Kant Munjal , MD and CEO , Hero MotoCorp said , “We are entering into a strategic partnership with Erik Buell Racing (EBR) , which currently is more into high end and high performance racing bikes , as we are completely missing in this category of motorcycles. We have already started work on some of our existing products and on completely new products. i would tend to say that by calendar 2013 (a product will be launched). As stated in the past , we will not replace the current technology (Honda’s) with just one technology source or technology company or partnership , but we are looking at multiple technology tie-ups to go for specialised technologies wherever available. Ultimately , the idea is to build our own R&D capabilities to match the best in the world.”
The venture opened the doors for Hero’s entry into the big league of two-wheel Motorsports. The company will sponsor two teams – Team Hero and AMSOIL Hero for the AMA Pro racing National Guard Superbikes Championship. The riders , Danny Eslick and Geoff May will be controlling the flagship Buell 1190RS bikes when the race is flagged off in USA from 15th March.
Smelling some Buell rubber in India? Well , after a successful alliance with Honda for more than a decade , we hope the new alliance makes proves fruitful for both Hero and biking community in India.
The Audax Club Parisien (ACP) announced that they will serve as a booster for cycle enthusiasts because of poor road conditions and heavy traffic on roads. This is because of the enthusiasm and the rigorous passion that the cyclists or ‘randonneurs’ of the nation. Pune has promoted this endurance sport among the masses as five of the first 15 riders of India to take part in the rides organised by the ACP were from Pune. Besides Pune Randonneurs is the oldest club of the nation to participate in the endurance sport.
“That our country is ranked so highly by the prestigious club is a very big achievement for cyclists like us. Before 2010 , India didn’t exist anywhere in the ranking of the ACP and in 2011 , we are ranked 19th out of 43 countries , ’’ said Gagan Grover who recently represented India and travelled 1 , 200 km in 90 hours in the ‘Paris-Brest-Paris’ race. It is a long distance endurance cycling event conducted in France by the ACP.
Grover further said that the cyclists from various parts of the country participate in long distance endurance rides and are assessed by the ACP , following which they gain points.
In the short span of over a half year , Indian riders have taken part in 340 rides and gained 1 , 011 points. These include continuous rides of 200 km , 300 km , 400 km , 600 km and 1 , 000 km.
Divya Tate , who was One of the 15 pioneers , said , “Because of this kick-start , cycling has caught up with enthusiasts across the country.’’
If you love Hyundai's new Fluidic DNA philosophy that is seen on the Verna and the Eon , you are sure to love the way the all-new Sonata looks - smashing is the perect way to describe and that is exactly what it will do to the rivals - smash them! This was a long due product for the Indian premium market and was showcased to the public at the 2012 Auto Expo. The response was very positive and the news now out is that 7th of March is the day when Hyundai will officially launch it for commercial sale in the Indian market. Infact , dealers are already taking bookings for this new model. The prices will also be announced on the 7th. The new Sonata will initially come with only a petrol engine.
We take a first look at the vehicle and what sets it apart from the other rivals - this will happen this weekend and rest assured , we will bring out extensive details on the Sonata's design , cabin , engine and peformance.
No details on the pricing are available yet - what is your indication? What do you think will be a good price point for the new Sonata given the fact that it looks super premium and comes loaded with features and gadgets.
Nissan and Renault work closely around the world including in India. They often share the same engines , platforms and even other mechanical parts. The Renault Koleos and Nissan X-Trail for example share a lot in common and now , the new Pulse hatchback is another great example. Renault has always looked at a cost effective way of launching a new model under its port-folio and for India , after launching two premium products , the Fluence and the Koleos , looked at the Nissan Micra as the perfect donor vehicle for their (Renault's) entry in the Indian mass market segment .
Renault says that as per the market survey that they did , although people loved the way the Micra looked (cute and feminine) , they didnt really want to own one. Male egos? We think so and the reason why their designers got down to giving the Pulse a different identity from the exterior. The front end hence is changed and looks more sporty than cute. The headlamps , grille , bumper - everything is new. However , you can stil see and make out the oval body shell. At the rear , the blackened part of the bumper is new so are the prominent Renault badges.
On the inside though - everything remains same as the Micra - completely identical. Same goes for the diesel engine and the gearbox.
So , apart from the exterior design , where else does the Pulse differ from the Micra? These are:
1. Pulse is only sold with a diesel engine while the Micra has both
2. The Pulse is not sold in a base model configuration while the Micra is
3. The Micra diesel's price range is between Rs 5.58 to Rs 6.08 lakh (ex-Delhi)
4. The Pulse on the other hand carries a price range of Rs 5.88 lakh to Rs 6.50 lakh (ex-Delhi)
5. Renault also says that Pulse customers will be treated in a more premium way - will this be enough to justify the price difference?
We say , wait for a month to see the sales figures and how closely the Pulse gets to the Micra in this regard! In Jan 2012 , the month when the Pulse was launched , it managed to sell a decent 746 units. The Micra's Jan 2012 sales stood at 1855. Can the Pulse narrow this gap in Feb? Our guess is as good as yours!