The Ford EcoSport Urban Discoveries contest has been moving along steadily one phase after the other. The only interface the general public has had with the contest and its participants is the website ecosportdiscoveries.co.in where you could check out the entries and vote for your favourites. The second phase of the contest has begun, where shortlisted contestants from various cities audition with hopes of being selected for the final 35 teams who will take part in the last stage.

Until now, we’ve been clueless as to whats happening backstage but for a couple of user posted videos on YouTube. Now Ford has a couple of behind the scenes videos on YouTube that show what goes into the mix.

Two vehicles have generated massive pre-launch hype this year. The Honda Amaze and the Ford EcoSport. While the Amaze was talked about a lot, awaited for and finally booked by the thousands, the EcoSport is yet to be launched but has been caught on camera by more people in the country than ever before.

So it isn’t really surprising that a large number of the contestants are ‘ordinary’ people, who probably haven’t been in front of the camera before and have been coaxed out of their comfort zones by the sheer enthusiasm for the EcoSport. Middle aged men with thick moustaches going on camera and naming Bipasha Basu to be their ‘dream’ passenger, scrawny youngsters coming up with ‘punch’ dialogues and delightful Sardars with their infectious enthusiasm, the Urban Discoveries auditions have them all! This is not your usual reality show, people, this is different.

Lest we forget, there’s one youngster who claims the EcoSport is ‘easy enough to drive that even your grandmother can drive it’. Whoa dude, what’s left for us to write about when we do review the EcoSport?

BMW 7 Series 2013 India Launch

The new BMW 7 Series with the Adaptive full LED and wing mirror integrated indicators has been launched starting at a price of Rs. 92.9 lakhs (ex showroom). BMW will assemble the diesel variant 730Ld in its Chennai plant. This is the most affordable 7 Series at a price of Rs. 92.9 Lakhs. The 3.0 litre diesel makes around 190kW / 258hp and boasts of a maximum torque of 560 Nm at 1,500 rpm and accelerates from 0 – 100 km/hr in 6.2 seconds to a top speed of 250 km/hr.

The BMW 740Li, BMW 750Li and the BMW 760Li will be imported as Completely Built-Up Units.

Mr. Philipp von Sahr, President, BMW Group India said, “For seven decades, the flagship from BMW has stunned the world through highest level of style and contemporary luxury with maximum driving dynamics. It represents the best we have to offer. The new BMW 7 Series makes a compelling individual statement convincing you not only with its high-quality, exclusive character, but also with its functionality. It achieves something extraordinary: you enjoy being a passenger as much as a driver.”

Prices all India ex-showroom

BMW 730Ld : Rs. 92,90,000
BMW 740Li : Rs. 1,12,70,000
BMW 750Li : Rs. 1,29,10,000
BMW 760Li : Rs. 1,73,00,000

You can order your new BMW 7 Series in ten metallic shades including Black Sapphire, Cashmere Silver, Glacier Silver, Havanna, Imperial Blue Brilliant Effect, Midnight Blue, Milano Beige, Sophisto Grey II Brilliant Effect, Space Grey and Mineral White.

You can also have the 7 in non metallic Alpine White.

The standard Dakota and exclusive Nappa leather upholstery is available in Barrique Red, Black, Ivory White, Oyster, Saddle Brown light and Veneto Beige colour combinations. Interior trims offered are Fine-wood trim Burr Walnut with inlays, Fine-wood trim Ash Grain Anthracite, Fine-wood trim Fineline high-gloss and Fine-wood trim Polar Grain Light high-gloss.

Audi R8 USB Pen drive

Audi has been steadily adding to its list of merchandise available at its dealerships. Now added to the list of Classic Chronograph watches, messenger bags, sports bags, travel bags, backpack, and garment bags is a 4GB pen drive shaped to look like the new Audi R8 V10. A 4GB pen drive isn’t something the casual shopper is in the market for, but the headlights glow when plugged in and for us ten year olds, that’s a clincher.

“Audi super sportscar fans are in for a real treat. Expanding our merchandise collection further, we have introduced to our enthusiasts a sporty way of storing their important data. The Audi R8 V10 USB memory stick is fun, sporty and designed to meet our customers’ need for being stylish. It’s a perfect mix of miniature car with USB. Audi memorabilia connects Audi fans and the brand on a more personal level and we are constantly striving to offer our enthusiasts with an innovative range of sporty, stylish and luxurious collectibles.” said Mr. Michael Perschke, Head, Audi India.

We aren’t exactly thrilled by the quality of the 1:72 model, more so since it isn’t die cast metal but plastic. At a price of Rs. 3299, this is exactly the kind of thing you hope you are gifted on your birthday and not something you have to pay for!

Mr. Pankaj Dubey, MD, Polaris India Pvt., Ltd.,

Image Credit: R. Balasailendran

We managed to catch up with Mr. Pankaj Dubey who was at the inauguration of two off road tracks in Bangalore where people would have the opportunity to ride a Polaris ATV for a small fee. We fired off a couple of quick questions and here’s what we learned during the interview.

Mr. Dubey had announced during the launch of the Polaris brand in India, that they hope to achieve revenues of $100 million by 2016. We asked if Polaris was on its way towards that goal. Dubey explained that the adventure sports was growing at a brisk pace in India. He explained that tourism and adventure sports were the biggest markets that Polaris has been catering to. He mentioned a three digit growth rate year on year which he explained would help them achieve the $100 Million revenue target by 2016.

We also questioned him about how Polaris was catering to the service needs of its customers. He pointed out that the entire Polaris range is not road legal and is purpose built to be ridden/driven off road. For customers to transport their Polaris ATVs to the workshop would be an additional expense. Instead, every Polaris dealer has trained mechanics who are dispatched to the customers place for service.

It was then we popped the question of if Victory Motorcycles was coming to India anytime soon. A very positive Dubey stressed that Victory Motorcycles as well as Polaris’ recent acquisition ‘Indian Motorcycle’ were coming to India soon.

Victory Motorcycles is a brand built from scratch by Polaris to take on Harley Davidson, the efforts have so far been futile. Although the brand has been around for 15 years, when Polaris’ current CEO Scott Wine came on board in 2009 the brand had a 2% market share in North America. While that number has grown close to 5% now, most of the share has been grabbed from the Japanese big four. Victory is yet to make a dent into the 80% market share that Harley Davidson has.

Scott Wine, hopes this is what the Indian brand will help them do. With over 25 motorcycles of the old Indian design that will be made, Polaris also has plans for a completely new design to be unveiled the summer of 2014. Polaris has also engineered a throaty new V-Twin called the Thunder Stroke 111, that will power the new Indian Motorcycle coming in 2014.

Indian Thunder Stroke 111 Engine

With the commercial success that Harley Davidson is enjoying in India, as well as the increasing number of models that are being assembled here instead of being imported as CBUs, Victory & Indian should wade into these strange waters without hesitation.

As the last question we asked Dubey if the company still had plans to introduce in India low speed electric vehicles, courtesy of Polaris’ acquisition of Global Electric Motors. Dubey pointed out that they were only conducting a market study last year and they have come to a conclusion that further study is required before a decision is made on this front. Our interpretation, well GEM isn’t coming anytime soon.

Skoda Rapid Prestige Side

Skoda has launched the Prestige variant of the Rapid which bestows the car with navigation, parking sensors, floor mats and other accessories like wind visors. There is of course, the Prestige badging on the exterior so people know you’re in a special car. So essentially, the Prestige edition is a jazzed up Active Plus variant.

The Prestige variant is available only with the 105 PS 1.6 TDI diesel mated to the 5 speed manual transmission box. If you need ABS and airbags you will have to step up and grab the Elegance. Driver airbag is available on the Ambition Plus variant, ABS is also available in the Ambition Plus variant but only on the petrol auto box model.

Update: Skoda has released the image below which says the Prestige edition is loaded with ABS and Dual airbags, give us a moment while we confirm the same. The Prestige Edition is priced lower than the Ambition Plus variant and this makes it quite a steal!

Rapid Prestige Edition Creative

Polaris AKB Motors Sarjapur Yeswanthpur Off Road Track Inauguration 02

Polaris & AKB Motors have brought to Bangalore two off road tracks at different ends of the city to cater to off road enthusiasts. The track at Sarjapur has been built in association with ‘Play’ while the one in Yeshwanthpur in association with ‘Target Games & Facilities Pvt. Ltd,’. The Sarjapur track has 12 Polaris vehicles including the Outlaw 50cc, Sportsman 90cc, RZR 170cc, Phoenix 200cc, Sportsman 400cc and RZR S 800cc ( a must try!). The track is an exciting mix of climbs, axle breakers, a water pit, and two side inclined slopes. The Sarajpur facility also has a Polaris workshop. The Yeshwanthpur track has 5 Polaris ATVs including Sportsman 90cc, RZR 170cc, Scrambler 500cc, Sportsman 400cc and Sportsman 500cc.
Polaris AKB Motors Sarjapur Yeswanthpur Off Road Track Inauguration 01

Commenting on the ocassion, Mr. Pankaj Dubey, Managing Director, Polaris India Pvt. Ltd., said, “Bengaluru has a rich racing culture and has a wide variety of terrains, hence the off-road vehicle segment has the potential for growth. We are pleased to start Polaris Experience Zone with Play and Target Games & Facilities to offer off-road motor experience to motor sports lovers in Bengaluru. Southern India is an important market for us as it contributes majorly towards our growth story in India and hence strategic for us. We foresee huge interest and potential in this market and plan to introduce more off-road tracks in Southern India. We plan to increase the number of such tracks from 13 to 25 by this year-end.”

Directions to the Sarjapur ‘Play X Games Arena’ Polaris off road track


View Larger Map

Getting to the Polaris Off Road Track was a bit of a hassle without proper landmarks, so allow us to help you out. Hit the Sarjapur Road and head to the Total Mall on Sarjapur Road, after which you’ll cross the Sarjapur Fire Station on the left, and finally the Kaikondrahalli Lake on your right and then . A nondescript right turn which is officially called the Central Jail Road, Matha Amritha College Road but known better to locals as the ‘Hosa Road’ will take you to Play X Games Arena. Deep inside the Arena you have the Polaris Track where you should definitely try the Ranger RZR S 800 EFI!

Polaris AKB Motors Sarjapur Yeswanthpur Off Road Track Water PitPolaris AKB Motors Sarjapur Yeswanthpur Off Road Track Water Pit 01

Pankaj Dubey in the RZR and Anil Anthony on the Sportsman 400 tackle the water pit at the Sarjapur track

Tackling the off road track in the Ranger RZR S 800 EFI

Polaris AKB Motors Sarjapur Yeswanthpur Off Road Track Ranger RZR S 01

Offered an opportunity to drive the Ranger RZR S on the off road track, we simply couldn’t refuse. While the Sportsman series of ATVs let you know every second of the ride that you’re on a vehicle unlike any other you have driven, the Ranger series of side-by-sides leave you in a vague state that lies somewhere between I’m in something that’s as bare as a go-kart and Why is this 4×4 not as tall as the others I’ve driven. Once you get past the momentary disorientation, you fall into a rhythm and start to consider yourself the numero uno driving God. The pits, the inclines are good fun the first time around, but pose no challenge to the RZR S. You just modulate the throttle and rarely find the need to brake. We look forward to taking the Ranger RZR S 800 EFI out in the wild where it belongs, someday.

The RZR S and the rest of the ATVs all have the Polaris Variable Transmissions (PVT) with P/R/N/L/H positions on the lever. The RZR S has a High and Low mode, as with other 4×4 vehicles, L is for more torque and really tricky situations while H for a sprint. The Ranger RZR S has Polaris’ On Demand AWD. There a toggle switch for AWD and 2WD, but even in the AWD mode, the front wheels engage only when the rear loses traction.

 

Polaris AKB Motors Sarjapur Yeswanthpur Off Road Track Climb

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Polaris AKB Motors Sarjapur Yeswanthpur Off Road Track 04

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Polaris AKB Motors Sarjapur HTRZ Stunts 07
Polaris AKB Motors Sarjapur HTRZ Stunts 04
Polaris AKB Motors Sarjapur HTRZ Stunts 06
Polaris AKB Motors Sarjapur HTRZ Stunts 05

Stunts by HTRZ

A stunt was organized prior to the inauguration of the track to keep the attendees entertained. Polaris’s Entry level Phoenix 200 ATVs were used along with a couple of Pulsars, Apaches and an FZ. The Phoenix 200 was a stunning machine that stood out in the crowd of heavily customized stunt machines. HTRZ is a stunting group based in Kerala and I sincerely hope they sent their second best to this event. While the group did manage to keep the audience engaged, the stunts didn’t have the rhythm and the style we’ve seen with other popular stunt groups.

Directions to the Polaris Off Road Track at Yeshwanthpur


View Larger Map

The Yeshwanthpur track is on the Tumkur Road east of Taj Vivanta. The track is in the Golden Grand Apartment complex. This facility has 5 Polaris ATVs including Sportsman 90cc, RZR 170cc, Scrambler 500cc, Sportsman 400cc and Sportsman 500cc.

As one if its methods to reach out to people, Polaris now has such off road tracks in cities including Greater Noida, Ahemdabad, Bhopal, Nagpur, Goa, Pune, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Munnar, Chennai.

Polaris India currently has a presence through dealerships in 13 major cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Cochin, Jaipur, Jammu, Ludhiana, Indore & Dehradun.

Regarding the current market scenario, Mr. Dubey said, “Currently, we are witnessing a increased interest towards adventure sports in India. With improving infrastructure facilities, awareness about this category of vehicles and the desire for adventure sports activities, Polaris finds it a perfect fit to offer its products to more and more adventure lovers in Bengaluru who can now experience the real thrill. With the introduction of off-road circuits across the country our purpose is to sensitize the consumers and create a new market for recreational vehicles and to generate more interest in these activities.”

Mr. Sharath Reddy, Owner, Play, stated, “We are delighted to be associated with Polaris India. The track not only offers riders a place to experience the excitement of Polaris off-road vehicles, but also serves as a wonderful place for family entertainment.”

Mr. Alok, Owner, Target Games & Facilities Pvt. Ltd, stated, “The aim is to provide a safe, family fun time filled with lot of thrill. Whether you are an off-road enthusiast looking for a thrill or motor sport lover, you will simply enjoy riding sturdy Polaris vehicles on the track.”

Some of the images used in this story were shot by R. Balasailendran

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The Audi Great Indian Quattro Drive powered by Autocar is an adventurous drive that will start from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan and culminate in Mawsynram in Meghalaya. ‘From the parched horizons of Rajasthan to the drenched forests of Meghalaya’ is how ACI describes it.

Autocar India wants you to register before the 22nd of April 2013, and will announce the winner and have you pack your bags, set your business in order and leave on the drive that will be flagged off on the 25th April 2013. An adventurous 2800 kilometres later, the drive will end on 3rd May 2013.

Register here at Autocar India’s facebook page.

We sincerely hope you register for this drive because we are not sure there are too many people out there who can leave on a trip like that at so short a notice. So there’s a much higher chance that its you who is going on the drive and not somebody else!

Mercedes Benz Shaman Wheels Navi Mumbai

The three pointed star continues its offensive in the Indian market with a steady expansion of its network even though it is currently the leading luxury car brand in India. Shaman Wheels Navi Mumbai is strategically located on the Satra Plaza, Palm Beach Road, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. This is a 5000 sq ft facility with an investment of Rs. 2.5 Crores.

Mercedes-Benz India also inaugurated a new world-class service center at Churchgate, Mumbai. This new service center from Shaman Wheels is spread over 45,000 sq. ft. area and is built with an investment of 3.5 Crores with 18 dedicated bays that can undertake service, repairs, body and paint jobs and can service up to 18 cars each day.

Mr. Eberhard Kern, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India stated: “Navi Mumbai is a crucial business district witnessing a steady rise in the demand of luxury cars in the recent past. We are happy to inaugurate our new facility here and provide the fascinating experience of owning a Mercedes-Benz to our discerning customers in Navi Mumbai. Shaman Wheels have been our long standing partner and the brand has been very well represented in the financial capital of India, Mumbai. We are confident of Shaman Wheels’ success in the Navi Mumbai market as well”

Mr. Amar Sheth, Managing Director, Shaman Wheels Pvt. Ltd. commented “We are associated with the legendary three pointed star for the last 4 years and are extremely proud to partner with the brand in India. This state-of-art facility adheres to all the latest branding guidelines of Mercedes-Benz and we will ensure our patrons are offered Mercedes-Benz’s globally famed vehicle ownership experience enabled through its fascinating and emotion evoking product range and benchmarking servicing standards. Our new world-class service centre at Churchgate will provide a fascinating vehicle ownership experience to our valued customers”.

Audi Sportscar Experience 01

The Audi Sportscar Experience, where participants could be at the wheel of various hot Audis was conducted at the BIC, Noida and MMRT, Chennai much to delight of enthusiasts in these cities and those nearby. Audi has gone all in this year, and will take the Audi Sportscar Experience to 14 cities around the country. Participants can get behind the wheel of an Audi RS5, Audi S4, the Audi TT and a select few can get a hot lap on the new Audi R8.

Audi Sportscar Experience 02

“Audi enthusiasts across the country are soon going to get a taste of thrill and exhilaration with the Audi sportscar experience. The program focuses on superlative driving techniques and handling techniques in sportscars under tutelage. Now, for the first time in India, Audi is bringing such a unique format to Mumbai as part of a multi-city program. This shows how important this market is, and how valued our customers and fans are to Audi. I am confident of more and more people signing up for the ASE”, said Mr. Michael Perschke, Head, Audi India.

If you are interested, make sure you get to your local Audi dealership before the slots are booked. The schedule is as follows, it might change, and we advise you to check with Audi for confirmation by sending an email to drive [at] audi [dot] in

Schedule : Audi Sportscar Experience 2013

Mumbai – 19th April to 21st April
Pune – 4th May to 5th May
Nagpur – 3rd August to 4th August
Hyderabad – 10th August to 11th August
Chennai – 16th August to 18th August
Bangaluru – 21st September to 22nd September
Coimbatore – 28th September & 29th September
Kochi – 5th October & 6th October
Ahmedabad – 19th October to 20th October
Indore – 26th October to 27th October
Lucknow – 9th November to 10th November
Jaipur – 16th November to 17th November
Chandigarh – 22nd November to 24th November
Kolkata – 21st December to 22nd December

Volkswagen North Goa Mohite 02

Volkswagen has a new address in North Goa. The Mohite Group which is a well known in the fields of education, textile, irrigation and motor racing, says this Volkswagen dealership marks their foray into the automotive business. The event was graced by celebrities like Nana Patekar, Purab Kohli along with Marathi actor Ajinkya Deo and playback singer Suresh Wadkar.

Commenting on the occasion Arvind Saxena, Managing Director of Volkswagen passenger cars said, “we have a strong line up of cars in the country and need to make this accessible to customers. Our opening of this dealership with Mohite Automotive is a step towards the same.”

Abhishek Mohite, Director Mohite Automotive said, “Mohite Group is happy to have made its foray into the automotive business with a company like Volkswagen and hope to continue to strengthen this association in the future.”

Mr. Dilip Mohite, Chairman Mohite Group, saying “Today marks an important day for Mohite Automotive as we begin our journey with Volkswagen Goa. We have the finest cars on offer with one of the best servicing and maintainance centres. We hope to expand our automotive business in the state of Goa, continuing to offer excellence, precision and quality to all our customers”

Volkswagen North Goa Mohite 01