Test and demo cars of Datsun Go spotted in Chennai

Ever since Nissan announced the revival of its Datsun brand for emerging markets like India, Russia and Indonesia, there was an air of optimism that the demands of these markets would be met perfectly with this new brand. And when Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Nissan, relaunched Datsun and unveiled its first model 'Go' at an event in Gurgaon last July, the expectations were kind of fulfilled.

Slated to go on sale sometime in 2014, Nissan seems to be getting busy with its preparations for the Datsun Go. Late last week, a regular reader of our blog spotted a Datsun Go being tested in Chennai with its badges and logos masked. Immediately afterwards, the same reader happened to spot a couple of dealership demo cars as well and shot a video of the cars passing by. The test car came with the same 'sky blue' shade that was used by Nissan during the unveiling. The demo cars however were painted white and beige. With the demo cars being the touch-point of customers, it is quite obvious that top-end variants, with a few accessories like rear spoiler thrown in, are earmarked for the purpose.

As we said before, the Datsun Go looks promising with the hexagonal grille up front and the prominent character lines in the profile and rear dominating an otherwise conservative design. The interiors are a mixed bag as well, with a few evident cost-cutting touches contrasting with many other parts shared with the relatively-premium Nissan Micra. With a wheelbase that's apparently the same as Micra, the Datsun Go promises to be amongst the most spacious cars in its segment. Expected to be powered by the same 1.2-liter engine that powers the Micra, the Datsun Go will be launched with a price tag that's less than INR 4 Lakhs and pitted against top-selling models like the Maruti-Suzuki Wagon-R and Hyundai i10.

Ticking all the necessary boxes like styling, competitive pricing, a frugal engine and a spacious and comfortable cabin, the Datsun Go has the potential to make it big in the Indian market. What remains to be seen is how Nissan positions, handles and markets the new brand.

Ford strikes gold with the all-new Mustang

Very few models from mass-market brands command as much respect and legacy as the Ford Mustang does. Often labelled the 'pony car', the Mustang, along with the Corvettes, Camaros, Vipers and Challengers of the world, form the American muscle car group that commands a crazy fan following across the globe.

With fifty years of heritage accumulated over five generations of existence, the Mustang is more than just a car for Ford. Apart from playing its role of an image-building halo performance car to perfection, the Mustang is a big-seller as well, raking in the volumes and the profits to the Blue Oval brand. Add the expectations of millions of customers and loyalists worldwide on top of it and its not hard to fathom why the all-new Mustang was one of the most eagerly awaited car launches in recent history.

After numerous spy-shots, a host of renderings, a couple of teasers and an official countdown in Ford Motor Company's official facebook page, the sixth-generation Mustang was finally unveiled to the global media earlier this month. And boy, does it look exciting.

With a design theme that combines Ford's latest styling elements with the traditional design cues of the previous Mustangs, the all-new model is, in a word, striking. The front end possesses a big trapezoidal grille flanked on either sides by thin headlight clusters garnished with three LED gills each. The profile is characterized by the long hood and the fastback shape that gives the car an athletic stance. The rear is just an evolution of the existing Mustang, but a beautiful one at that. The three vertical taillight lenses that defined the Mustangs of yore finds a place in the sixth-generation model too.

Keeping up with modern tastes, Ford has also given the interiors of the all-new Mustang a thorough make-over. The thick metallic strip that runs across the entire length of the dashboard looks great. So does the three-spoke steering wheel that's armed with a host of buttons. Be it around the gearstick in the center console or the chrome-highlighted door handles, Ford seems to have paid great attention to detail to the interiors. Engine options include a new, fuel-efficient 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine apart from the 3.7-liter V6 and the manic 5.0-liter V8 options. Ford hasn't released the full specifications yet.

The new Mustang is expected to go on sale sometime next year in the United States of America followed by other markets. With stunning looks, a range of powerful and fuel-efficient engines, a legacy to die for and thousands of loyalists spread across continents, the all-new Mustang is all set for a long and successful run at the top of Ford's global product portfolio. 

An interesting trivia to be noted is the immediate availability of a Right Hand Drive (RHD) model in the sixth-generation Mustang. That and the efficient EcoBoost engine bodes well for the Mustang's prospects in case Ford decides to go ahead and launch it in India. But, is that happening at all? Well, we don't know yet but we sincerely wish that it happens.

2014 ICOTY & IMOTY awards announced

As we get ready to bid adieu to yet another year of automotive awesomeness, the awards season has just begun. As it has always been for us, it all starts with the Indian Car of the year (ICOTY) and Indian Motorcycle of the Year (IMOTY) titles. Designed on the lines of popular international titles like the North American Car of the Year and European Car of the Year, a group of journalists from leading automotive publications in India get together, deliberate on the new cars and motorcycles launched in the country in the last one year and decide on the winners. 

2013 saw some very important segment-defining models being launched in the Indian market like the Ford Ecosport, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Grand i10, Mahindra e2O and Skoda Octavia. Bring in cars like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, BMW 1-Series and Nissan Terrano into the mix and deciding on a winner becomes all the more difficult. A total of 17 cars qualified for the award out of which 9 made it to the final shortlist. In the end, Hyundai Grand i10 emerged victorious, pipping Honda Amaze and Ford Ecosport to take the coveted title.

Of course, this isn't the first time the Grand i10 is being crowned the Indian Car of the Year as the first-generation i10 won this award handsomely in 2008. Following up on the great work done by the previous i10, Hyundai has emerged victorious yet again with the Grand i10, that's bigger, better and grander than its predecessor in every aspect.

2014 ICOTY RESULTS:

   Winner - Hyundai Grand i10

PREVIOUS ICOTY WINNERS:

   * 2013 - Renault Duster
   * 2012 – Maruti-Suzuki Swift
   * 2011 – Ford Figo
   * 2010 – Tata Nano
   * 2009 – Honda City

Moving over to motorcycles, the story is not dissimilar. There were quite a few big launches in 2013, what with Hyosung Aquila Pro, Kawasaki Ninja 300, KTM Duke 390, Mahindra Centuro and Royal Enfield Continental GT coming into the fray. Don't forget the 10-model blitzkrieg of Triumph that made headlines recently. The jurors didn't have it easy, we swear. After what would have been intense testing and deliberation, it is the Royal Enfield Continental GT that came on top, beating KTM Duke 390 and Hyosung Aquila Pro on the way.

The Continental GT is, by far, the best motorcycle from Royal Enfield in a few decades. With its gorgeous cafe racer styling, chassis tuned by Harris Performance of UK and firms like Paioli and Brembo supplying critical parts, the Continental GT marks the beginning of a new era for Royal Enfield in India and abroad.

2014 IMOTY RESULTS:

   Winner – Royal Enfield Continental GT

PREVIOUS IMOTY WINNERS:

   * 2013 - KTM Duke 200
   * 2012 – Honda CBR 250R
   * 2011 – Honda CB Twister
   * 2010 – Kawasaki Ninja 250R
   * 2009 – Yamaha YZF R15

The jury for ICOTY and IMOTY awards were Girish Karkera and Sriram Narayanan (BBC TopGear), Vikrant Singh, Bertrand D’Souza and Subhabrata Marmar (Overdrive), Yogendra Pratap and Rahul Ghosh (Auto Bild), Bob Rupani and Gautam Sen (Auto India), Dhruv Behl and Ashish Jha (AutoX), Pablo Chatterji, Rohin Nagrani and Kartik Ware (Motoring), Aspi Bhathena and Sarmad Kadiri (Car India & Bike India), Sirish Chandran (Evo India) and Muralidhar Swaminathan (The Hindu Business Line).

2013 Los Angeles - Subaru spins off WRX STi as a separate model

Since 1992, the Subaru Impreza has enthralled automotive enthusiasts around the world, plastering big, wide grins on their faces every time they sit behind the wheel. Notably, the high-performance WRX and WRX STi versions were hot favorites, offering incredible levels of grip and handling thanks to the permanent all-wheel-drive system and the perfectly-balanced chassis. After three generations of selling it as the range-topping variant of Impreza, Subaru has decided to spin off the WRX STi as a separate model sans the Impreza badge.

Subaru made it official at the Los Angeles Auto Show last month when a blazing red WRX STi set the stage on fire. Well, it actually didn't, as what most people wished was to see a car that looked close to the stunning concept version. Though there is nothing wrong with the way the new WRX STi looks, there is also nothing that stands out. It might sound disappointing, but wait. Throw in a racy blue paint job, golden alloy wheels and a huge rear spoiler and the new WRX STi would come back to look smashing.

Along with a full redesign, there are a few changes along the way. The hatchback body-style is axed and the new WRX STi will only be made as a sedan. So, that marks the demise of one of the hottest hatches we have seen. A new 2.0-liter, direct-injected, turbocharged engine sits under the hood, putting out 268 horsepower fed by a huge bonnet scoop that has now become a trademark WRX element. A 6-speed manual transmission will be joined by a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with 6-speed and 8-speed manual modes.

What is not expected to change though is the excellent all-wheel-drive system that makes the WRX an all-weather sports car and the exceptional handling perfected over several years of rallying pedigree. With the future of its perennial rival, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, still a mystery, the Subaru WRX STi will continue to hold the Japanese flag high in a segment that promises insane sports-car experience at a sane price level.

Royal Enfield unleashes the Continental GT in India

These are exciting times for the motorcycling industry in India with all international brands making a beeline for entry in the Indian market while the domestic brands are going global in a big way. The Continental GT from Royal Enfield, that was unleashed in India late last month, promises to make it all the more exciting.

After sweeping the show-goers off their feet as a concept at the 2010 Auto Expo before coming back in production form at the 2012 edition, Royal Enfield finally unleashed the Continental GT to the discerning Indian customers. Retailing at INR 2.05 Lakhs on-road New Delhi, the Continental GT is the most expensive motorcycle from the Chennai-based manufacturer that enjoys a cult status inside and outside our country.

At first glance, this latest Royal Enfield looks 'different'. Though this might pass off as a controversial statement, we will have to admit that this motorcycle splits opinion like no other. While the Continental GT looks absolutely fabulous for some and from certain angles, there are quite a few who loathe its styling too. Eventually, it all boils down to what we think of the 'Cafe Racer' body-style that this motorcycle has revived. Said to be a rage in the fifties and sixties when youngsters used light-weight, stripped-down motorcycles with a sporty seating position to race from one cafe to the other, the Cafe Racers are characterized by a forward-leaning seating posture with back-set foot pegs and a near-naked chassis. Quite obviously, Cafe Racers catered to a niche market.

That applies even today, as the Royal Enfield Continental GT is a motorcycle for the serious enthusiast. Its prospects in matured international markets are much brighter than the novice Indian market that's just opening up to motorcycling. That probably explains why the Continental GT was launched in the UK even before India.

It might be the most-expensive Royal Enfield ever, but the Continental GT is also the most technically-advanced and the best from the Indian manufacturer. We haven't driven it yet, but then how are we declaring it so confidently? Read on, you will get to know.

Based on the Unit Construction Engine (UCE) platform that powers the Classic and Thunderbird, the Continental GT is equipped with a 535 cc, single cylinder, air-cooled engine that belts out 29.1 bhp of maximum power and 44 Nm of peak torque. Mated to a 5-speed constant mesh gearbox, this engine has a remapped ECU and lower inertia to differentiate it from the other Royal Enfields. The chassis has been developed by the legendary Harris Performance of UK while the shock absorbers are from Paioli of Italy. Brakes are supplied by none other than Brembo while the clip-on handlebars, bar-mounted mirrors, elongated fuel tank and wrap-around single seat would attract eyeballs everywhere.

Over the last few years, Royal Enfield has been doing everything right and the Continental GT is one more step in that direction. It might not sell in huge volumes but with every Continental GT plying on the road, the image and cult status of the brand is sure to shoot up further.