Lamborghini is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. Walter De Silva, Head of Design for the Volkswagen Group, an Italian himself wanted to pay homage to this Italian brand that is close to many enthusiast’s hearts. The car was presented in Sant’Agata Bolognese to an audience a thousand strong. “This is a car made for one person only, to allow them to have fun and express their personality to the maximum. It is designed purely for hyper-sophisticated people who want only the most extreme and special things in the world. It represents hedonism taken to the extreme, it is a car without compromises, in a word: egoista (selfish),” explained De Silva.
The Egoista uses the Gallardo’s 5.2 L V10 and makes around 600 horsepower. The design is inspired by the Apache helicopter ( obvious, isn’t it?) and the cockpit is a removable unit that also ejects in case of an emergency! The profile is characteristically Lamborghini and represents a raging bull. Viewed from the top, Lamborghini says the Egoista has a ‘trimaran’ profile. A Trimaran is a multi hulled boat, with a main hull and smaller hulls on either side. The carbon fiber cover on the hood of the Egoista defines the main hull and the smaller hulls on either side hold the LED lights. We would rather not say ‘head lights’ since Lamborghini insists these do not function in a single plane, but in all three dimensions, not unlike an aircraft.
Other lights include the two red rear lights, a red flashing light in the upper part of the tail, two orange bull’s eyes as side markers, and a further two lights on the roof, red on the left and green on the right, make this four-wheeled UFO unique even in the dark. There are two xenon headlamps hidden at the joins between the central body and the two side ‘hulls’. The Egoista takes the aircraft inspiration to an all new level with ‘no-walk zones’ marked like you’ve seen on airliners. Think that was over the top? Well, the body of the Egoista is made from a special antiradar material, and the glass is anti-glare with an orange gradation. The rims are also made from antiradar material, flat and rough, embellished with carbon-fiber plates to improve their aerodynamics.
Stephan Winkelmann unveils the Egoista
The hidden xenon headlamps
The Egoista does not have a spoiler but rather two flaps that can rise up when required. Body work is mostly carbon fibre and aluminium keeping the weight down.
Walter De Silva’s explains about the design philosophy behind the Egoista, “It’s as if Ferruccio Lamborghini were saying: I’m going to put the engine in the back, I don’t want a passenger. I want it formyself, and I want it as I imagine it to be. It is a fanatical vehicle, Egoista fits it well.”
The bare cockpit is all about fuctionality. There is a racing seat with a four-point seatbelt, each strip a different color, the airbags, and the minimal instruments. The head up display is the focal point. The removable glass dome can be opened electronically. The extreme athleticism required to ‘pilot’ a Egoista is laid bare in the way one gets in and out of the car. The driver has to pop the dome, remove the steering wheel, place it on the dome, not unlike a Formula 1 driver and sit on the left side of the body work, and swivel around and put his/her feet on the ground. As Lamborghini points out, “the Lamborghini Egoista requires a pilot more than a driver, a real top gun.”
Get in the car, turn the ignition on and there ends all the familiarity you have had with Hondas in India till date. The atomized diesel fuel in the cylinder explodes under the immense pressure and as the pistons start thumping up and down, the Honda Amaze shakes off the shackles in a very obvious way. As the entire car shudders, the realization sinks in that this is India’s first diesel Honda. Unfathomable. How does one of the biggest names in the automotive industry decide to sit back and watch the competition gobble up their market share, standing steadfast on the principle that gasoline engines with their high revving nature are more suited for passenger cars than diesels? Nearly a decade after their first diesel, Honda has finally decided to bring to India a 1.5 L i-DTEC diesel under the hood of the Amaze. The Amaze is based on the Brio platform, and will try to knock the Maruti Suzuki DZire off its high perch. Something that seems entirely plausible if you take into account the 20,000 bookings made in the first three weeks of the launch of the Honda Amaze. Read on for our impressions.
Photography: RD, Pradeep Mohan
Disclosure : Riot Engine was not invited to drive the Amaze in Goa. While we waited, twiddling our thumbs for our turn to drive the media vehicle down south in Chennai, an enthusiast who also happens to be good friend of Riot Engine offered his spanking new Honda Amaze for the review.
Honda’s Tryst with Diesel
It was in 2003 Honda introduced its first diesel engine for passenger cars. This was the 2.2 litre i-CTDi that went on to win the Engine of the year Award in 2005 having served under the hood of the CR-V, the FR-V, the ’03 Accord and the Civic.
The first of the i-DTECs was introduced in 2006. The 2.2 litre i-DTEC was a cleaner diesel engine employing a NOx catalytic converter. This engine powered the CR-V starting from 2008 and continued to power the Accord, and the Civic. While the engine normally made 150PS, there was also a special 180PS variant that powered the Type S Accord.
It was in 2013 that the downsized 1.6-litre i-DTEC was introduced. This engine was designed to replace the 2.2 litre diesel and embraced Honda’s Earth Dreams Technology philosophies and was a lightweight unit with high performance and lowest emissions in its class. This 1.5 litre diesel that powers the Amaze shares a lot with the 1.6 litre diesel including the cylinder block with the same bore.
Earth Dreams Technology
This phrase has been bandied about by the boffins at Honda everytime they talk about their diesels. We thought it was only fair we give you a concise explanation of what exactly ‘Earth Dreams Technology’ is all about.
“The key focus of our Earth Dreams Technology philosophy is to balance environmental efficiency with the dynamic performance expected of a Honda,” says Suehiro Hasshi, Large Project Leader for Civic 1.6-litre i-DTEC. “It is important that our cars are fun to drive.”
While it is true that the majority of customers in the Europe prefer diesels for the phenomenal fuel economy numbers, Honda believes the consumer shouldn’t have to compromise on the driving dynamics of the car. All diesel engines developed with the Earth Dreams Technology philosophy, start with the basic premise of building a powerplant that will ensure there will be no compromise on the driving dynamics of the car. When the R&D folks at Honda developed the 1.6 litre diesel, they wanted the Civic diesel to be an additional variant to the existing petrol engine lineup and not a special edition riddled with compromises.
The key steps here would be to reduce the weight and dimensions of the various components of the engine, reduce friction and ensure every component works to its optimum levels of efficiency.
Powertrain
The 1.5L i-DTEC engine makes 100PS @ 3,600 rpm and 200Nm @ 1,750 rpm all the while claiming an ARAI certified fuel efficiency of 25.8 kpl! We saw a 19.7 kpl figure on this Amaze which had done around 500 kilometres, most of which was on the highway. As with most engines, expect the efficiency to improve as the engine completes its run in.
The 1.5 L i-DTEC is definitely on the better side of refinement compared to the competition and can hold its own even when thrashed about. The diesel engine can be only had with the fantastic 5 speed manual box.
The 1.2L i-VTEC petrol engine is also available and makes 88PS @ 6,000 RPM and 109Nm @ 4,500 RPM. The petrol engine can be had with either the 5 speed manual box or the automatic transmission.
Design
The Honda Amaze’s design starts at a concept Honda calls ‘Smart Micro Limousine’. The contradictory name in itself is a straight hint at what the Amaze wants to be. A family sedan with a small footprint but with excellent space inside, courtesy of ‘smart’ optimizations. The Amaze design takes Honda’s “man maximum machine minimum” concept to a new level, maximizing the space available for people and minimizing the space required for mechanical components. As we had mentioned in our walk around video earlier, even with a driver of average height up front, there’s enough space at the rear to be comfortable. The efficient packaging of Amaze works towards ensuring this rear occupant space does not come at the cost of boot space. The boot space is around 400L accommodating 2 piece of medium size luggage and 2 piece of small size luggage.
If you aren’t facing the Amaze head on, you’d be hard pressed to point out that this sedan was built on the same platform as the Brio. The Amaze has a well incorporated boot that doesn’t look like its been slapped on. The double creases on the shoulder line break the monotony of the side surface and make the Amaze look longer than it is.
The chiseled large tail lamps work in favour of the Amaze. The chrome touch at the rear isn’t excessive and adds a premium feel to the sedan.
The Amaze gets exclusive alloy designs, one for the petrol and one for the diesel variant.
Alloys on the diesel variant
Alloys on the petrol variant
Ride & Handling
The Amaze’s sprightly diesel and short throw transmission with the light clutch makes for a very fulfilling drive. The torque is spread out evenly over the rev band making it a very easy car to live with in traffic.
The Amaze uses McPherson struts up front and a torsion beam at the rear, not unlike the Brio. The Amaze has wheelbase of 2405mm which nearly 60mm greater than the 2345mm of the Brio. The suspension handles potholes well keeping occupants isolated from the bone jarring irregularities. The suspension is more on the softer side but the compromise on handling is minimal. Body roll is present but not enough to bother the enthusiast driver.
With a ground clearance of 165mm the Honda Amaze has no trouble handling the speed bumps on our roads.
The steering is balanced being easy enough to handle in the city and feels more weighted at higher speeds. Tyres are adequate for the intended purpose of the Amaze.
Suprisingly adequate rear legroom
Interiors
This is where you start to wonder if Honda should have a new brand for its ‘reasonably’ priced cars. Maybe that is an exaggeration, after all Honda did get some flak for the ridiculously finished central console on the new Honda City. The chocolate coloured textured plastic we’ve seen on the Brio continues its streak of havoc here. Of course, that’s just our opinion. The steering though, feels fantastic to hold. The seat fabrics are good but leather at least as an option on the top end variant would have been a nice addition.
There’s the ubiquitous Honda golf ball gear knob which is comfortable in your hand. The drivers seat is adjustable for height and the steering wheel for tilt.
The refinement of the diesel which is best experienced from outside the car, fails to translate into the interiors, thanks to poor sound insulation. We are not sure if this was a cost cutting measure or a weight saving measure ( oh that magic number of 25.8 kpl !) but Honda could definitely take a leaf out of Ford’s design books for the EcoSport and work on reducing how much of the engine noise makes its way inside.
Steering mounted audio controls are available on the S and VX variants. The utilization of space in the Honda Amaze is to put it simply, mind-blowing!
Safety
Amaze’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body enhances self-protection while reducing damage to other vehicles in the event of a collision. The Amaze features a host of Honda’s active and passive safety technologies including Dual SRS airbags, ABS+EBD, pretensioner seat belts and impact mitigating headrests. The ABS with EBD is being offered as standard across all Diesel and AT variants. The Amaze is also pedestrian friendly with a front body structure that is designed to absorb impact energy.
Variants
The top end VX variants get dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, the stunning alloys, power folding ORVMs and audio controls on the steering wheel and segment first heat absorbing windshield. The segment first heat absorbing windshield is reported to reduce temperature by 6°C when under the sun for 20 minutes.
The petrol variants include the E,EX, S and VX in manual transmission while the SAT and VXAT have the 5 speed automatic transmission. There’s no option of an automatic transmission on the diesel. The technologically advanced 1.5L i-DTEC diesel is available in four variants of the Amaze, E,EX, S and VX.
The Amaze is available in the new shade Majestic Blue Metallic and the usual Urban Titanium Metalli, Taffeta White, Carnelian Red Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl and Alabaster Silver Metallic.
Variants Explained
ABS with EBD is standard on the diesel variants and the petrol automatic variants, and available only on the top end VX trim in the manual petrol.
E
EX In addition to the features on E Trim
S In addition to the features on EX Trim
VX In addition to the features on S Trim
Tilt adjustable Electric Power Steering
Front and Rear Power Windows
Central Locking and Immobilizer
Body coloured bumpers front and rear and chrome grille
Rear micro antenna,but no audio system
Eco Lamp, Fuel Consumption Display
1 DIN Audio
Front Speakers
Body Coloured Handles and outer rear view mirrors (ORVMs)
2 DIN Audio
Steering mounted Audio Controls
Driver seat height adjuster
Rear seat armrest with cup holder
Keyless entry
Power adjustable ORVMs
Full wheel trim
Front dual SRS airbags
Alloy Wheels
Integrated indicators in the power adjustable ORVMs
Front fog lamps and rear defogger
Dual tone interior
Heat Absorbing Front Windshield
Double Horn
Verdict
The Amaze is an all round excellent package. The 1.5 L diesel mill is a marvelous piece of engineering as is the fantastic utilization of space inside. With the prices being competitive enough, the Amaze is a home run in the making. Honda believes a number of customers will be first time car buyers, and a major chunk of them from Tier 2 cities. Efforts have been made to ramp up the reach of their sales and service network to these parts of the country. Rest assured, with the famed reliability of a Honda, most of these customers will lead a satisfied happy life with the Amaze. This begs the question though, what of the enthusiast?
In its quest to reach out to a wider market, has Honda risked alienating its existing customers? A diesel engine might be acceptable to the Honda enthusiast in this country taking into account the staggering prices of the lighter fuel. What might not go down well with the discerning customer is the shudder and roll when the ignition is turned on as well as the sound insulation inside the cabin which is average at best. One particular enthusiast we know pointed out how badly the inside edges of the wheel arches were finished, all in the short duration he spent with the car. Being a stranger to the Brio as well, he simply could not come to terms with the fact that this interior really belonged to a Honda.
All said, we’re still a nation that rushes straight to the diesel variant in the showroom. The 1.5 litre diesel mill just might turn out to be Honda’s ticket to setting the sales charts on fire again.
Pricing
Ex-showroom Delhi
Variant
Petrol
Diesel
Honda Amaze E
Honda Amaze EX
Honda Amaze S
Honda Amaze VX
Honda Amaze SAT
Honda Amaze VXAT
Riot Engine drove the all new Ford EcoSport in Goa for the better part of a day. This was the EcoSport Titanium variant powered by the 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine. Here’s our opinion on the spunky three cylinder engine which has a footprint that fits into an A4 sheet but makes 125PS of maximum power and peak torque of 170Nm. The engine owes this state of tune to direct gasoline injection and a compact turbocharger that revs upto 248,000 rpm. Ford spent nearly two hours talking us through all the tech that’s made it on to the EcoSport. An interesting product then?
Photography : R. Gopi Chandran, Ford India, Pradeep Mohan
Disclosure: Ford loves our comprehensive reviews so much that they were kind enough to fly us to Goa, put us up in a very fancy resort and pamper us senseless throughout the two day event.
Design
No number of pictures can prepare you for how compact the EcoSport actually is. Every line and surface on the EcoSport has been penned with the intent of making the compact SUV look menacing, dynamic and of course, much larger than it actually is. Not unlike the bulging wheel arches on the Renault Duster, the Ford EcoSport also has a number of distinct features that ‘grow’ the car visually.
Ehab Kaoud, Chief Designer at Ford North America for Car Exteriors, explained the thought that went into designing this compact SUV. The wheels were pushed as far out to the corners as possible, which has given the vehicle its stance. The cladding that surrounds the entire body works towards the same goal. The front of the EcoSport is defined by the new Ford family look, which we first saw in the EVOS concept. The headlamps are drawn out and as Kaoud put it, seem to be ‘laser cut’. The silhouette is aggressive too, with most lines that start at the front rising upward as they go to the rear. The door handles for the tail gate that is hinged at the side instead of the top, had to be incorporated without intruding into the stunning appearance of the rear. This is where the Ford engineers came up with the idea of integrating the door handles into the tail lamp. The Titanium Optional variant which gets the keyless entry uses a button on this handle, while the handle is itself is immovable.
The black wraparound bit on the D-Pillar is the ‘kicker’
The ‘kicker’ at the rear is painted black. What we thought was a single wraparound piece of glass before the unveiling at the Auto Expo, is actually three parts. The rear windshield, the wraparound kicker on the D-Pillar and the rear side glass.
Tailgate handle integrated into the tail lamp
Aerodynamics
Considering the recent advances in powertrains and material engineering, car manufacturers are investing a lot of time and money in fine tuning the aerodynamics of a car to improve fuel efficiency. The less resistance a car has to slicing through air, the less fuel it uses up. Ford spared no expense here and claims a drag coefficient of 0.371 Cd after more than 160 hours in the wind tunnel. The optimization starts with the ridges up front on either sides of the hood which direct air optimally around the car. A front baffle built into the bumper helps avoid recirculation of air and improves airflow under the SUV. There’s better sealing between the hood and the front grille to help the air flow over the hood. The air that moves over the top of the car is deflected off the vehicle by the lip spoiler at the rear. The ‘kicker’ at the D-pillar also works to deflect flowing air away from the car avoiding the formation of vortexes thereby reducing turbulence around the car.
1.0 litre 3 cylinder EcoBoost Engine
‘EcoBoost’ is the brand Ford uses for its range of downsized, turbocharged, gasoline direct injection engines that deliver power and torque of much higher displacement engines while delivering impressive fuel economy figures. Here’s the low down on the 1.0 litre three cylinder EcoBoost engine that powers the EcoSport in India. This engine is intended to offer the performance of 1.6 litre petrol mill, while offering nearly 20% improved fuel efficiency. The engine uses direction injection technology, where the fuel injectors spray the fuel directly into the cylinders unlike in the conventional port injection method where the fuel is injected into the intake port. The low inertia Continental turbocharger is extremely responsive and can spool upto 248,000 rpm. The fast response ensures ‘virtually’ no turbolag.
This isn’t the first time Ford has experimented with Direct Injection. The quest for an engine with diesel like fuel economy and much loved petrol engine characteristics of performance, driverability and less noise led Ford to come up with what was named the PROCO engine, way back in the 70s. The PROCO (Programmed Combustion) engine was a ‘stratified charge’ engine where the fuel is sprayed close to the spark plug so that you have a rich mixture near the spark plug which enables easy initiation of combustion whereas the rest of the cylinder can have a leaner mixture thus improving fuel economy. Unfortunately though, the electronics were not as advanced as they are today and the PROCO engine was abandoned for use in production cars. Until the first EcoBoost engine was showcased in 2007, that is.
The 1.0 litre EcoBoost is an enigma. The engine brings the best of both worlds of petrol and diesel. Trundling around the streets of Goa, you realize there’s enough torque low down like a diesel, and a linear torque curve ensuring minimal shifting while you navigate through the traffic. Find some open roads and let her rip and the tacho needle revs freely all the way upto 6500 rpm reminding you that this is a petrol! The unfamiliar thrumming of the three cylinder mill is slightly unsettling but once you get over it, you realize how sporty the lil’ EcoBoost sounds. The aural symphony we are afraid, might split families/countries/civilizations. Some might like it, others might not. You have been warned, never get into an argument about this with your better half.
The other unsettling thing about this enginef is the lack of engine braking. The low friction components coupled with a turbocharger that works just as well on part loads means this engine has little resistance when you lift off the throttle. She keeps rolling!
This video beautifully explains the tech wizardry that goes into making the engine the masterpiece it is. Watch for the positions of the injector relative to the spark plug, the engine drive belts in oil and the split cooling system that allows for a quick warm up of the engine.
Torque curves : 1.0 litre EcoBoost compared with 1.6 L petrol and diesel
The 1.0 litre three cylinder unit is the first of Ford’s Fox family of engines. Downsizing is here to stay and Ford only knows it too well. The Fox family of engines are three cylinder compact units with a cast iron block and an aluminium head that is machined using Ford’s green MQL (Minimum Quantity Lubrication) machining methods. The Fox family of engines are developed for the European markets, and also the markets in China and India. It is also reported that the 1.0 litre three cylinder engine will also be made available as a naturally aspirated engine developing around 75PS for developing markets like South America. If you have the stomach for the one more speculative report, there’s whispers of a 180hp 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine, that will be powered by a larger turbo.
Ford PROCO 302 Experimental Engine with Mechanical Direct Fuel Injection – Hugo on Flickr
Dual ignition Direct-Injected 302 5.0 litre Proco Engine used in racing – Ford Racing
No balancer shaft in this three cylinder engine?
Instead of a counter rotating balance shaft, Ford engineers have taken an innovative approach and intentionally unbalanced the pulley and flywheel with weights placed precisely to counteract the natural shaking forces present in a three cylinder engine.
The special engine mounts also help reduce vibration.
Cast iron cylinder block?
Cast iron is quicker to warm up and reduces ‘warm-up’ energy required by 50%
Cast iron also absorbs sound energy reducing engine noise
Helps meet strict cost targets
Withstands higher cylinder pressure, especially with the 180hp engine with the bigger turbo being a possibility.
Exhaust Manifold integrated in the head
Lowers exhaust temperature
Optimum fuel to air ratio at high speeds
Lowers manufacturing costs
Split cooling system
During the cold start phase, the cooling system bypasses the cylinder jackets and water flows only around the exhaust manifolds, thereby allowing the cast iron cylinder block to achieve operating temperature faster. Once the engine gets going, the cooling system resumes normal operation, now also cooling the cylinder blocks.
Two stage variable oil pump
The variable displacement oil pump has been designed so that the oil pressure varies based on requirements of the engine at different speeds.
M12 thread spark plugs
While the larger EcoBoost engines use M14 thread Spark plugs, the compact dimensions of the cylinder block as well as the centrally mounted injectors mean Ford has had to use M12 thread spark plugs.
1.2mm cooling slits
The 1.0 litre EcoBoost also features specially machined 1.2mm wide cooling slits between the cylinder to reduce peak temperature. These slits cannot be formed during casting as they are so narrow.
550mm water wading
St. Jacinto’s Church
Ride & Handling
As with most Fords the EcoSport handles bad roads very well. The ride isn’t too supple yet the EcoSport can skip over potholes without causing the occupants any unease. Ford has implemented a simple hydraulic rebound stop as opposed to a conventional mechanical stop. What happens is, the tube in the front strut that holds the hydraulic fluid has a reduced diameter towards both ends of suspension travel. When the rebound stop platform in the strut hits the reduced diameter the sudden drop in diameter increases the pressure of the oil above the platform, increasing the damping momentarily and absorbing the force of the impact. In such a situation, the peak force would be at least twice to thrice in a setup using conventional mechanical rebound stop. This has enabled to avoid any compromise on the ride comfort of the SUV at the cost of handling.
While it may be a bit too early to make this declaration we do sincerely believe that the best drivers car priced around 10 Lakhs – the Fiesta – now has a sibling with the same title to its credit. The EcoSport is one of the best handling SUVs in the country. The twisties in Goa will swear to that. Body roll is barely noticeable while the EPAS steering is nothing short of delightful.
Turning radius of the EcoSport is 5.325m, which is still more than that of the Renault Duster at 5.2m .The EcoSport steering also is bestowed with Pull-Drift Compensation and Active Nibble Control. Pull-Drift compensation detects irregularities on the road surface that tend to pull the vehicle off the intended path, and crosswinds and helps the driver compensate for the resulting pulling and drifting the EcoSport may be subject to. Active Nibble Control reduces the vibrations that are transmitted from the road.
All’s not perfect though. The MRFs (the tyres that our EcoSport was shod with) have been greatly optimized for reduced road noise inside the cabin and on occasions we heard the tyres squeal under not so intensive braking.
The brakes on the EcoSport are progressive, with good bite early on. The Titanium variant comes with an arm rest for the driver which is best left in the upright position until you’re out of the city. The arm rest while comfortable, somehow ruins your shifting experience and it is quite easy to pin the blame on the transmission for shifts ending up not slick enough.
We had a complaint with the Fiesta, and we have it with the EcoSport too. This five speed box really needs shorter throws for a much more engaging driving experience. On that note, maybe a six speed transmission would have been a nice addition. Don’t get us wrong, with the five speed box the EcoSport can still manage to do a easy 100-120 kph, beyond which the EcoBoost engine starts to make you feel guilty about enslaving thirty hamsters to turn the cogs inside the engine!
Ford makes no claims of the EcoSport being a hardcore off-roader. The EcoSport is being advertised as an Urban SUV and with ground clearance of 200mm and approach angles of 25 degrees and a departure angle of 35 degrees, and we’d say that’s a valid claim. The EcoSport, Ford claims can also wade through water upto 550mm deep, a relief for those heavy monsoons and badly flooded roads. Ford mentions that while the EcoSport is available as a 4×4, India will not be one of those markets these variants will be sold in.
Interiors
It’s quiet. Eerily quiet inside. While a lot of work has gone into reducing the vibrations and noise from the three cylinder EcoBoost, Ford has also worked hard to make the cabin as quiet as it can be. Sound-deadening materials in the doors, roof and body minimise the noise making its way into the cabin. A double-sealing system for the doors and new technologies for improved glass sealing further reduce wind noise. Ford also points out that inside the cabin, the EcoSport has an acoustic headliner that helps absorb ambient noise.
While Ford won’t elaborate on what exactly it is, the company says a new compressor technology has been used that reduces the fuel spent when cooling the interiors of the car. Ford claims that if a car left under the sun for a while and temperature inside hovers around 65 °C the air conditioning can reduce it to under 30 °C in under ten minutes.
You would be hard pressed to find flaws with the usability of the interior space of this SUV. There’s around 20 storage spaces including 9 cup holders. While we have spotted the EcoSport with beige interiors it doesn’t seem likely that it will make it to production. The black and grey interior will continue to grace the interiors of the new age Fords. We aren’t big fans of beige unless executed properly, so we quite like the dark interiors of the EcoSport.
Clever engineering and innovative design aside, the EcoSport is still a compact SUV and it shows. You’re going to be often brushing elbows with the driver The knee room is pretty comfortable but three people at the rear becomes a squeeze. The rear seats can be reclined in stages and work best when they are at their most reclined position. This of course means the rear seats do eat up into the boot space.
The boot space, well, is just adequate. The parcel tray is a flap that can be spooled in and out of a roller that can removed. There is 346 litres of space which can be increased to 705 litres by folding down the rear seats. Upwards of the Trend variant,the rear seats can also split 60:40 so you can carry more cargo while also having a passenger at the rear.
The interiors of the EcoSport are swathed in different materials for different variants. On the Ambiente series, the theme was ‘techtronics’ where a fabric with a metallic yarn was used. The metallic yarn gives the cloth more depth and a high-tech look. The colour and trim team named the fabric Patna after the capital of the Indian state of Bihar.
On the Trend series, the buzz word was ‘modular’ with geometric shapes. Part of the seat fabric is a circular knit called Beijin, inspired by China. The insert fabric, called Dali and inspired by India, is specially embossed to give the cloth a three-dimensional feel.
The Titanium variant can be had in either leather or cloth. The leather is Torino leather with contrasting Cabarnet Red stitching. For cloth seats, there’s a motif of “Clay Art”, referencing painted pottery in China and Brazil. A microfiber fabric called ‘Shanghai’ which is extremely comfortable and easy to care for was used. The microfibers are water-repellent and resistant to stains.
The level of detail on the EcoSport is apparent from the pattern on the plastics. Ford calls these ‘Squareflec‘, random peppering of squares to break up the monotony of the pattern.
The audio system is mediocre at best. The system lacks bass, and a subwoofer is definitely in order.
Card holder for easy access to those smart cards
Under seat storage
Torino leather with Cabarnet Red Stitching
Squareflec
SYNC
The EcoSport is the first recipient of Ford’s SYNC system in India. SYNC is a set of technologies developed by Ford in partnership with Microsoft. Microsoft misses no opportunity to use the Windows brand name, and calls the innards of this system Windows Embedded Automotive. Right off the bat, we weren’t big fans of SYNC in the EcoSport. While the Voice Control on the Ford Fiesta was average and getting ‘Kate’ to understand our ‘Indian’ accent was a tiresome affair, the system did as much as it advertised. SYNC though, stands for a staggering set of services elsewhere.Ford customers abroad discover features month after month! The SYNC on the EcoSport available in India is too basic for our taste.
Not all is lost though. There are a couple of differences. Windows Embedded Automotive ensures that the data SYNC accesses from your phone cannot be accessed by a third party, say during service at the workshop or when you loan your car to a friend ( would you?). The phone has to be connected for the driver to be able to access the data. Multiple devices can be added and a single device is set as the primary phone.
SYNC can also read out text messages to you and you can respond with any of the 15 preset outgoing messages.
SYNC can also play music from a device through USB or Bluetooth. Voice Commands include Play Artist/Play Album/Play Genre and Play Similar where you allow the system to pick music for you.
Temperature can also be set with voice commands, which was as unsuccessful as with the Fiesta. We also loved SYNC’s ability to display the signal strength, battery charge on the SYNC screen in the dashboard.
Emergency Assistance
In the unfortunate case that an EcoSport is involved in a crash, the system activates Emergency Assist right after an airbag is deployed or the fuel pump is shut off. Emergency Assistance gives you ten seconds to cancel the call to 108 if your crash has not been severe enough to warrant an ambulance. If no action is taken by the occupants, the system understands that the occupants need emergency medical attention and dials 108 through the primary phone connected to SYNC, gives them an automated message with details including GPS coordinates. The system then automatically opens a line to an operator so the occupants can elaborate on their situation. The biggest advantage to this system is that for the first time in India, third parties are dispensed with and the system gets in touch with the emergency services directly through 108. GVK EMRI, a not for profit organization runs the 108 services in various states in India. Ford representatives have met with people from GVK EMRI and also the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Health to discuss Emergency Assistance.
Safety
The EcoSport comes with dual airbags and also available as options are side and curtain airbags. ABS+EBD should be available upwards of the Trend variant, while ESP is available only on the Titanium automatic tranmission variant. More than half of the structure of the EcoSport is made of high strength or Ultra High Strength Streel (UHSS) with critical areas being made of Boron steel. The automatic transmission variant also gets the Hill Launch Assist feature which allows a three second cushion for the driver from the time he/she gets off the brakes and gets on the accelerator. This works on inclines regardless of which direction the vehicle is facing. Lastly, upon rapid braking, the indicators start flashing rapidly giving the cars behind a heads up on what’s happening.
Verdict
Ford has a fictional target customer who embodies the requirements of the product’s actual prospective customers. For the EcoSport, it’s Sameer. A young professional working in a MNC, is married, has a kid and leads a very active lifestyle during the weekends and uses his car in all kinds of city roads and takes frequent out-of-town trips. Sounds just about right. Only question is, does Sameer really want the 1.0 litre EcoBoost? Or is he going to buy the diesel? Or maybe the more easy to drive automatic variant powered by the 1.5 L Ti-VCT? The EcoBoost claims a fuel economy of 18.9 km/L and the instantaneous fuel economy meter hovered in the 15-16 km/L mark in our sprightly driving session, which still isn’t as good as that of the diesel. Yet, with the price of petrol and diesel inching closer and the sporty attitude of the EcoBoost appealing more to the enthusiast, it will be a battle well fought.
No word on pricing yet, although we have some information on the variants. Pricing will be the factor which decides the commercial success of this compact SUV, which can comfortably seat four adults, has enough space in the boot and holds a definite appeal to the driving enthusiast with its taut handling and excellent road manners. Bookings begin in June and deliveries should commence in July. Whew, finally!
We have spent the better of last week familiarizing ourselves with SYNC in anticipation of the launch of the EcoSport. One of our queries was with regard to the availability of the Emergency Assistance system, which has saved lives in the USA, with people living to tell the tale of how the system was a life saver. Ford India has now announced the availability of the service in India, when the EcoSport is launched. Emergency Assistance delivers a critical voice message directly to emergency operators, indicating that a vehicle has been involved in an accident in which the vehicle’s airbags have been deployed or fuel pump shut off has been triggered and opens the line for hands-free communication.
Emergency Assist is a no-cost, non-subscription call-for-help system that is already available in more than 5 million Ford vehicles globally, providing owners peace of mind when travelling. The service is provided free for the ownership cycle of the vehicle.
“We’re so excited about being the first automaker to provide this technology where EcoSport will be uniquely positioned amidst segment players,” said Joginder Singh, president and managing director, Ford India.
The Ford EcoSport will be sold in India in four variants. The base variant will be the Ambiente, which is loaded to the gill with features like electric exterior rear view mirrors with integrated indicators and an AUX, USB and Bluetooth audio system. The other variants are the Trend, Titanium and Titanium Optional. Of note is the fact that the much hyped 1.0 liter EcoBoost engine will be available only on the Titanium variant and above. Similarly, Ford’s acclaimed 6 Speed PowerShift transmission is available only on the Titanium variant and only with the 1.5 liter TiVCT petrol engine.
Compare Ford EcoSport Variant Features/Specs
Ambiente
Trend
Titanium
Titanium Optional
1.0L EcoBoost Petrol ( MT )
–
–
Y
Y
1.5L TiVCT Petrol
( Manual Transmission )
Y
Y
Y
Y
1.5L TiVCT Petrol
( PowerShift Auto )
–
–
Y
Y
1.5L TDCi Diesel
( Manual Transmission )
Y
Y
Y
Y
STYLING
Body Coloured Bumpers
Y
Y
Y
Y
Body Coloured Mirrors
–
Y
Y
Y
Chrome Handles,Center Stack, Air Wing
–
Y
Y
Y
Chrome Exteriors
–
–
Y
Y
Wheels
15″ Steel Wheels with Full Wheel cover
15″ Steel Wheels with Full Wheel cover
16″ Alloys
16″ Alloys
Leather Steering
–
–
Y
Y
Leather Seats
–
–
–
Y
Roof Rails
–
–
Y
Y
SAFETY
Dual Airbags
–
–
Y
Y
Side & Curtain Airbags
–
–
–
Y
ABS + EBD
N
Y
Y
Y
FEATURES
Ambiente
Trend
Titanium
Titanium Optional
Tilt Adjustable EPAS
Y
Y
Y
Y
Radio + AUX-in + USB + Bluetooth Audio System
Y
Y
Y
Y
Electric ORVMs with integrated indicators
Y
Y
Y
Y
Power Windows Front/Rear
Y/N
Y/Y
Y/Y
Y/Y
Rear defogger + wash & wipe
–
Y
Y
Y
Audio Controls on Steering
–
Y
Y
Y
Driver Seat Adjuster
–
Y
Y
Y
Power Outlet Front/Rear
Y/N
Y/Y
Y/Y
Y/Y
SYNC
–
–
Y
Y
Automatic Climate Control
–
–
Y
Y
Cooled Glove Box
–
–
Y
Y
Driver Seat Lumbar Support
–
–
Y
Y
Reverse Parking Sensors
–
–
Y
Y
Push Start/Keyless Entry
–
–
–
Y/Y
Ford EcoSport Ambiente
Ford India’s relentless pursuit for maximum localization, which is cited to be the prime reason for the delayed launch of the EcoSport, seems to have paid off. The Ambiente, supposedly the base variant of the EcoSport comes loaded with features. The aesthetics of the EcoSport are not ruined with black bumpers. All variants will have body coloured bumpers. The Electric Power Assisted Steering is the defacto Ford standard on all their vehicles. The steering vehicle is tilt/telescopic adjustable. Inside, you have an audio system which is AUX, USB and Bluetooth capable. This variant is available with either the 1.5 litre TiVCT petrol or the 1.5 litre TDCi engine with manual transmission only. Similar to what Ford did in the Figo, the EcoSport Ambiente does not get rear power windows.
Ford EcoSport Trend
The Trend variant gets ABS+EBD but no dual airbags. Rear power windows make an appearance as do steering mounted audio controls. Driver seat height is adjustable. This variant also has a power outlet at the rear and the mirrors are body coloured. At the rear
you get a defogger as well as a wiper. Powertrain options as well as other features of the Ambiente are carried over here.
Ford EcoSport Titanium
The much hyped 1.0 litre EcoBoost is available only upward of this variant. The EcoBoost engine can be had only with manual transmission. You can also opt for an automatic transmission but with the 1.5 L TiVCT. Microsoft SYNC is available. Dual airbags offer higher levels of safety. Rear parking sensors, cooled glove box, front armrest and automatic climate control make life easier in the EcoSport. Inside you have leather wrapped steering wheel and on the outside there’s more chrome garnishing.
Ford EcoSport Titanium Optional
Push button start, keyless entry, leather seats and side and curtain airbags are added to the Titanium package in this variant.
The Ford EcoSport seems to have most of its priorities right. The rumoured prices for the EcoSport have been fluctuating with every detail of the EcoSport revealed. With a feature laden base variant like the Ambiente, the rumours of Ford pricing the EcoSport in the Rs. 5 Lakh bracket does not seem to hold water now. Autocar India reports the prices might start at Rs. 7.5 Lakhs with the top end Titanium variant powered by the 1.0 litre EcoBoost engine going on sale close to the Rs. 12 Lakh mark.
Numbers seem to go well with the Honda Amaze. The claimed 25.8 kmpl seems to have caught the attention of customers, as the car has garnered 22,000 bookings in the three weeks since its launch. The package as a whole seems to go a long way in converting enquiries into confirmed bookings.
Business Standard also reports that the business hours of dealerships have extended to 10.30 pm as dealers are trying hard to accommodate every prospective customer.
While the Nano with its nip and tuck for 2013 was shooting for an ad, OVERDRIVE reader Shubhankar caught some images for the world to see. In a bid to make the Nano more premium Tata Motors has resorted to adding a chrome strip up front and another at the rear. Overdrive also points out that the new vents indicate a more powerful engine, maybe the diesel.
The diesel Tata Nano is reported to be powered by a 0.8L common rail engine making 40PS maximum power and 94Nm of torque. The Nano seems to be getting new wheel covers this year as well as a cool new blue shade.
While the discounts on the Brio And Jazz have helped Honda’s market share from plummeting any faster than it already was, the Central Board of Excise & Customs has directed Honda Cars India to pay an additional Rs. 164 Crores as excise duty for these models, based on the cost of production and not the discounted showroom prices.
This follows the Supreme Court judgement on the Fiat case last year, where the verdict was that if a manufacturer sells a model at loss for a considerable period of time, the excise duty should be based on the cost of production and a reasonable margin of profit.
ET also reports that the industry body CII had spoken to finance minister P. Chidambaram, to take into consideration the reasons for manufacturers selling goods at less than the cost of production. While the excise department has set up a panel to look into the implications of the Fiat judgement, it has has not submitted its recommendations yet.
Royal Enfield has caught the fancy of enthusiasts in India more so the last few years than in all the decades earlier put together. The 60 year old has has issues keeping pace with the demand. Anybody who has tried to buy a Classic 350/500 knows the woes of being made to wait for months. The good news is that, Royal Enfield has at last commenced production at its second plant at Oragadam, Chennai.
The plant is to be completed in phases, with the first phase spread over 50 acres now boasting a capacity of 150,000 units. This has increased Royal Enfield’s capacity this year to a combined 175,000 units.
Rolling out the first motorcycle from the Oragadam facility, Mr Siddhartha Lal, MD & CEO, Eicher Motors Ltd. said, “At Royal Enfield we have recorded a major milestone today with this plant at Oragadam becoming operational. Royal Enfield has witnessed a huge surge in demand in the recent past, recording a growth of over 50% for each of the last two years. We have been extremely successful in stretching the capacity of our existing 60 year old plant to record levels – achieving production of over 12,000 motorcycles in the month of March 2013. Yet the demand for our motorcycles has continued to outpace the supply. Therefore we have conceived of this new facility on a much larger tract of land and created a master-plan that can take the eventual production here to over 500,000 per year. With the speedy execution of the first phase of the plan, we have revised our production target upwards in 2013 – to 175,000 motorcycles from both plants. However, even as we start commercial production today, we have already begun working on the second phase of expansion at Oragadam, which will further increase the production capacity to 250,000 motorcycles in 2014. With this new facility, we now have the ability to scale our production quantity quickly in response to market demand.”
“This new plant has been benchmarked to achieve the highest level of quality and productivity. We have re-tooled many of the parts that make up our motorcycles – so that they are of exacting accuracy and finish. The substrate quality of the sheet metal parts, for example, is now at par with the best in the world; when these parts undergo the world-leading CED and paint process here at Oragadam – they will have a surface finish and life of the highest quality”, he further added.
