Royal Enfield launches Thunderbird 500 and refreshes Thunderbird 350

After making its die-hard fans wait for 10 whole months since its unveiling at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi, Royal Enfield has finally launched the much awaited Thunderbird 500 in India. With a price tag of INR 182,571 on-road Mumbai, the Thunderbird 500 doesn't come cheap, but there are reasons for it. Armed with an array of new-age features, many of which are available on a Royal Enfield for the first time ever, the Thunderbird 500 represents a major step in the transformation of Royal Enfield into a lifestyle and leisure brand with a rich heritage and legacy to boot.

On first glance, the Thunderbird 500 appears to be an evolution of the regular Thunderbird 350. That is because it actually is, with that muscular fuel tank, the twin-pod instrument cluster and its low-slung stance resembling the older version. Perhaps the most striking elements of the Thunderbird 500 ought to be its lights, both front and rear. While the headlight comes equipped with a projector beam and a neon halo ring, the taillights are fitted with LED. That's not all, the bike also comes equipped with a digital LCD display for the instrument cluster, a 20-liter fuel tank, front and rear disc brakes and even hazard lights, all of them a first for Royal Enfield. The Thunderbird 500 comes painted in 3 different shades of black, with even 'matte finish' offered as an option.

Powering the Thunderbird 500 is the same 499cc, single cylinder, 4-stroke engine that has been a huge success for Royal Enfield in the Classic 500. This air-cooled Unit Construction Engine (UCE) comes equipped with technologies such as an electronic fuel injection system and Twinspark ignition. With a maximum power output of 27.2 bhp at 5250 rpm and a peak torque of 41.3 Nm at 4000 rpm, the Thunderbird 500 has what it takes to become the 'ultimate highway cruiser', a tag that Royal Enfield has rightfully chosen to endorse this model. Further enhancing its touring capability is its twin gas-charged rear shock absorbers with a 5-step adjustable pre-load, a feature that might come in handy for those long trips.

With the traditional Royal Enfield traits like comfortable ride, composed highway manners and the ability to cruise all day long without breaking into a sweat expected to be carried over, the Thunderbird 500 will make an excellent buy for those who love riding on two wheels. Royal Enfield has also taken this event to refresh the regular Thunderbird 350, giving it the looks and features of the 500 version. With an on-road Mumbai price tag of INR 143,346, the new Thunderbird 350 will replace the older model.

As always, expect waiting lists for both models to start as soon as you finish reading this post. Rush to your nearest Royal Enfield dealership now!

EDIT: We have driven the new Thunderbird 500. Read about our riding experience here.

Michael Schumacher set to retire at the end of 2012 season

Yes, you read the headline right. Michael Schumacher, the iconic, legendary and by far the most successful Formula 1 racer of our times has decided to retire from the sport, for a second time. Schumacher announced his intentions to the media in the run-up to the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, after months of letting the whole world speculate on his future. The news of his retirement comes just a week after Mercedes AMG Petronas announced that Lewis Hamilton would be joining their team in 2013 to partner with Nico Rosberg. Left without a seat in the Mercedes works team, Michael Schumacher didn't find it worthwhile to look for a drive elsewhere next year and chose to end his long racing career.

Announcing his decision, Schumacher said, "I have decided to retire from Formula 1 at the end of the season, although I am still able to compete with the best drivers of the world. This is something that makes me proud, and this is part of why I never regretted my comeback. I can be happy with my performance and the fact that I was continuously raising my game during the last three years. But then, at some point it is time to say goodbye."

Clearly, Schumi, as he is referred to by millions of fans across the world, wouldn't be happy that his second career is coming to an end this way. After achieving stupendous success in his first stint with Ferrari and initially Benetton, Schumacher's comeback with Mercedes was (and still is) a disappointment. It is not entirely his fault though, as Mercedes failed to deliver a car that was capable of winning grands prix. Since the team was formed with much fanfare in 2010, Mercedes has just won a solitary race till date, a statistic that they won't be proud of.

For his part though, Michael has been continuously upping the ante since his comeback, after a mediocre start in 2010 in which he was comprehensively beaten by his team-mate Nico Rosberg. This year saw the return of Schumi in full form, with his amazingly brilliant race-craft and never-say-die attitude coming to the fore on many a occasion. Unfortunately, Schumacher's car was plagued with reliability problems in the first half of the season. Pole position in Monaco proved that, at almost double the age of many of his competitors, Schumi was still competitive at the highest level of motorsport. Lady luck finally smiled on him as Schumacher finished on the podium in Valencia, a race in which the Mercedes car, for a change, lasted the distance to see the chequered flag.

It's a pity though that Schumacher did not get to add significantly to his tally of 7 World Championships, 68 Pole Positions, 91 Race Victories and 155 Podium Finishes (just 1 of these came with Mercedes in his second career) on his comeback. However, those are records that are going to be tough for anyone to close, let alone beat.

Schumacher continued, "Already during the past weeks and months I was not sure if I would still have the motivation and energy which is necessary to go on; and it is not my style to do anything which I am not 100% convinced about. I have said at the end of 2009 that I want to be measured by my success, and this is why I had a lot of criticism in the past three years which partly was justified. It is without doubt that we did not achieve our goal to develop a world championship fighting car within those three years. It is also without doubt that I cannot provide a long-term perspective to anyone. But then it is also clear that I can still be very happy about my overall achievements in Formula 1."

"In the past six years I have learned a lot, also about me, and I am thankful for it: for example, that you can open yourself up without losing focus; that losing can be both more difficult and more instructive than winning; something I had lost out of sight sometimes in earlier years. That you have to appreciate to be able to do what you love. That you have to live your convictions. I have opened my horizon, and I am at ease with myself."

"I would like to thank Daimler, Mercedes-Benz and the Team for their trust. But I also would like to thank all my friends, partners and companions, who over many good years in motorsport supported me. But most of all I would like to thank my family for standing always by my side, giving me the freedom to live my convictions and sharing my joy."

And in the shock, don't forget to watch the six remaining races of the 2012 F1 season, possibly the last ever season with 6 world champions (Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton & Jenson Button) racing on the grid and also the final races of Michael Schumacher, widely regarded as "the best" Formula 1 racer ever.

Forget the controversies and criticism surrounding him, Formula 1 will be left with a big void from 2013 that just can't be filled in by anyone else. We consider ourselves lucky for having grown up during his glory days. We will definitely miss you, Schumi!

Source of Images:

www.f1-pics.com
www.f1fanatic.co.uk
www.michael-schumacher.de

(Copyrights owned by respective owners)

Mercedes-Benz launches Sport Editions of C-Class & E-Class sedans

As Audi and BMW race their way to the top of the luxury car segment in India, they have left Mercedes-Benz far behind to even try and put up a fight. But Mercedes-Benz cannot let its fellow German brands hog all the limelight. The company is doing all it could to maintain the interests of its existing and potential customers and also to keep the media buzzing. The latest on that line is the launch of 'Sport Edition' of two of it's best-selling sedans, the C-Class and E-Class. The launch has been timed perfectly to coincide with all the excitement generated by the oncoming Indian Grand Prix, in which Mercedes AMG Petronas cars would be racing, piloted by the legendary Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.

So, what is new in the Sport Edition? The major buzz in the market is that Audi and BMW are Gen-X Brands that cater to the young, while Mercedes-Benz is mostly aspired by executives in their forties and fifties. This is an image that Mercedes-Benz wants to shred, given the fact that youngsters in rich families play an important role these days in influencing the buying decisions.

The Sport Editions thus gain exterior visual add-ons like the AMG Style Package that includes aprons in the front and rear bumpers and side skirts, sportier alloy wheels, a black-top roof and a 'Sport' badge. Needless to say, both cars look a whole lot more sexy with all these visual embellishments, that are further accentuated by the brilliant 'Polar White' body colour that they come coated with. The interiors also get a slight makeover with Artico upholstery, combined with a black piano lacquer trim in the C and a burr walnut wood trim in the E. While there are a few additional features, the full complement of safety features and other creature comforts that are trademarks of Mercedes-Benz models, are carried over in the Sport Editions.

Both the cars are powered by the same 2143 cc common-rail diesel engine with a rated power of 170 hp at 3000-4200 rpm and a rated torque of 400 Nm at 1400-2800 rpm, mated to a 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission. That is a sensible move, given the ever-rising gasoline prices and the ever-soaring demand of diesel cars in the market. The C220 CDI Sport Edition is priced at INR 29.9 Lakhs and the E220 CDI Sport Edition is priced at INR 39.9 Lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi. With close to 16000 and 21000 units respectively running on Indian roads till date, the C-Class and E-Class contribute a lot to the bottom-line of Mercedes-Benz India. The Sport Editions are sure to bolster the lineup even further.

Driven #16: Mahindra Quanto

The latest craze in the Indian automotive market are the so-called 'compact' Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV). Offering customers a nice blend of macho looks, high ground clearance and spacious interiors in a compact footprint that is often less than 4 meters to qualify for the excise duty cuts, it is not very difficult to understand why. The fact that these compact SUVs are not much expensive than many premium hatchbacks just make their business cases that much more simpler. The latest manufacturer to jump into this segment is Mahindra, that is still basking in the huge success of its XUV 500. Continuing the tradition of naming its models with words that end in "o", Mahindra has christened the new model as 'Quanto'.

After announcing its name a couple of months back, Mahindra launched the Quanto late last month, just in time for the festive season highs. So, how does the mini Xylo, oops, the Quanto stack up? We find out with a test drive, albeit a really short one.

TO LOOK AT:

With the possible exception of XUV 500, none of the other Mahindra models can be called pretty. Until a facelift came by early this year, the Xylo was the worst among them all. With the Quanto being derived from and sharing most components inside and out with the Xylo, we never really expected it to be a good-looker. And the Quanto doesn't prove us wrong.

The front end is lifted straight out of the Xylo, with a mix of pre-facelift and post-facelift elements thrown in. After quite liking the redesigned front end of the 2012 Xylo, we certainly missed those nice touches in the Quanto. Take, for instance, the chrome inserts in the headlights and grille. They added a touch of class to the Xylo and would have done the same to the Quanto as well. Also, the top portion of the grille that extends into the hood is taken from the Genio pick-up. Here again, we would have preferred the much-better-looking clam-shell hood of the face-lifted Xylo that tapers down and merges beautifully with the grille and headlights. The Quanto's front is then a classic case of something that is good, but could have been a whole lot better.

In profile, the Quanto is very similar to the Xylo up until the C-Pillar. Mahindra's deliberate attempt to chop off the length and bring it under 4 meters is blatantly evident from then on, with the Quanto's rear ending abruptly. In certain angles from the rear, the Quanto looks like a mini sky-scraper on wheels. The superb taillights that are integrated in the D-Pillars and the slightly over-styled spare wheel cover are the highlights at the rear. Mahindra has purposefully added the roof rails and hooked on the spare wheel to the tailgate to give the Quanto that 'pseudo-SUV' look. The blackened pillars all around and side steps help in reducing the visual bulk of the car. The stylish 'Quanto' font needs a special mention here too.

Though the Quanto has many interesting bits and pieces of design, it's not-so-long profile does not gel well with its disproportionately tall body, making it look a little weird.

TO SIT IN:

Unlike the exteriors which had a few unique elements, the interiors of the Quanto are exactly similar to Xylo, save for the colour of the plastics. The 4-spoke steering wheel is dual colored, as are the dashboard and door pads. Thankfully, Mahindra has used a pleasant shade of greige (mix of grey & beige) as the base and a similar but slightly darker shade on certain places to break the monotony. The lower half of the center console incorporates the music system and rotary knobs for the air-conditioner, while the upper half has the triangular vents and the Digital Drive Assist System (DDAS) that displays data like outside and inside temperature, current speed, instantaneous fuel efficiency, etc.

There are 4 variants of Quanto on sale, starting from the sparsely-equipped C2 to the fully-loaded C8 variant. The C8 variant that we drove comes with a host of features that include ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), twin Airbags, reverse parking assist with graphic display in the rear view mirror, integrated music system with USB compatibility and 15-inch alloy wheels. Mahindra's much-hyped Micro Hybrid System, which is nothing but a Start-Stop System is also present to improve the fuel efficiency. Features like foldable snack tray for the middle seat, driver under-seat storage and a whole lot of mobile charging points, bottle holders and magazine pockets increase the utility quotient of the Quanto. As with all Mahindras, interior fit and finish and ergonomics are not upto the mark and definitely needs improvement.

While the front and middle rows are extremely spacious and fairly comfortable to be in, the same cannot be said of the third row with two side-facing jump seats. Though Mahindra is cleverly marketing it as a 7-seater, we would have preferred the Quanto as a 5-seater without those excuses called third-row seats in place. Seriously, the curtailed length of the Quanto makes it so narrow and cramped that only kids would be happy to be seated there. The presence of proper door handles and unlock button is the only positive thing about the third row.

Click on the image above to check out the specifications and comparison of features of all the variants.

TO DRIVE:

With the body itself being a chopped-off Xylo, will the engine be any different? The Quanto comes with a new 3-cylinder engine dubbed 'mCR100', with the number denoting the power output. As you might have guessed, this engine is derived from the 'mEagle' engine of the Xylo, with one of its cylinders cut off. This 1493-cc common-rail diesel engine develops a maximum power of 100 bhp at 3750 rpm and a peak torque of 240 Nm between 1600 to 2800 rpm. If you think the power output is high for a 3-cylinder unit, think again. The Quanto comes equipped with a twin stage turbocharger, a first for an Indian engine and amongst the first for a small displacement engine.

As a result, the Quanto feels sprightly and accelerates to 80 km/h without much of a fuss, after which it begins to struggle. Though we managed to drive it only for a few kilometers, the stretch was good enough for the Quanto to exhibit its strengths and weaknesses. While the engine is extremely responsive in the lower range of the power band, the output starts tapering soon afterwards. At the top-end of the power band, there is little or no progress at all. So, the city drive is as good as it gets for a Utility Vehicle while the out of city drives are sure to be a boring affair. Refinement is good and we were taken by surprise, knowing that it is a 3-cylinder unit. But the engine isn't rev happy though and growls and moans when pushed hard.

The gear lever is angled awkwardly and the shifts don't fall in place easily, similar to the Xylo. Mahindra definitely needs to work on its transmissions to make gear-shifting a smoother affair. One thing that Indians are going to love in the Quanto is its high seating position that offers excellent view of the road ahead. Bumps and potholes filter into the cabin, but the Quanto doesn't get unsettled over rough patches. But, this holds true only upto a certain speed. Come three digit speeds and the Quanto shows its true colors, the disproportionate height wrecking havoc with it's dynamics. Body roll is more pronounced and you just don't get enough confidence to change lanes, let alone corner hard. But then, Quanto is not targeted at people who expect road-hugging handling, isn't it?

SPECIFICATIONS:

* Engine Type: mCR100, In-line, Common-rail Turbo Diesel
* No of Cylinders: 3
* Displacement: 1493 cc
* Maximum Power: 100 bhp @ 3700 RPM
* Maximum Torque: 240 Nm @ 1600-2800 RPM
* Transmission Type: 5-speed MT
* Tires: 205/65 R15
* Brakes: Disc (Front), Drum (Rear)

WE VOTE FOR:

* Spacious interiors (first & second rows)
* Value for money
* Widespread after-sales service
* Availability of third row seats

WE VOTE AGAINST:
 
* Cramped third row seats
* Lack of top-end grunt
* Ride and Handling

TO SUM UP:

Mahindra has perfectly understood what Indians expect out of a compact SUV - a high seating position for a commanding view of the road ahead, high ground clearance to withstand the infamous potholes on our roads, a frugal engine that delivers great fuel-efficiency, spacious interiors for five passengers, provision to accommodate two additional passengers occasionally, lots of features and a not-so-expensive price tag. They have delivered all these in the Quanto. While doing so, they have also sadly ignored a whole lot of things that a select few of us love - good looks, a powerful engine, balanced ride, confidence-inspiring handling, off-roading capabilities and good fit and finish. Yes, majority of Indians might give a damn about these, but the Quanto would have been much better with all these traits added in.

Whatever it is, the Quanto is going to sell a lot for its strengths and that is ultimately what Mahindra wants.

Tata Venture with 'On Test' stickers spotted in Pune; Is it the new CR4 variant?

One of the most ambitious projects of Tata Motors in recent years, apart from the Nano and the Aria, is the Venture MUV (Multi Utility Vehicle). Developed on the highly successful Ace platform, the Venture was developed to cater to private buyers in semi-urban and urban market, with its attractive looks and features. But it has to be said that the Venture isn't that big a success as we, and obviously Tata Motors, expected it to be. Just like they do for most of their models, it seems Tata Motors is already hard at work to try and maximize the prospects of Venture in the Indian market. This top-end GX model of Venture that was spotted in Pune with "On Test" stickers just goes to prove our statement.

The exteriors of this test vehicle is exactly the same as stock Venture models and we couldn't find out any differentiating factor or tell-tale signs of what is new in it. That makes us believe that Tata Motors could actually be testing a new power-train or alternate fuel options in this vehicle. The CNG variants of Tata Motors usually come with green CNG stickers on the sides even when they are being tested (We spotted the Winger MPV with one earlier), but this model had none. With that option ruled out, is it the CR4 engine that Tata is testing on this Venture? The CR4 engine has been a big hit for Tata in the Indica eV2 and Indigo eCS models and has earned a name for itself with its excellent fuel-efficiency and relatively better refinement levels.

For those who do not know, the Venture is currently powered by the 1.4-liter IDI turbo diesel engine that churns out of 71 PS of maximum power. With Tata Motors targeting private buyers for the Venture, the CR4 engine would be a big step up in the right direction.

Is our speculation right? Will the CR4 be extended into the Venture range as well? Will this be the much-needed boost for sales of the Venture to pick up? A lot of questions remain unanswered.