Malaysian GP 2013 Podium Mark Webber Sebastian Vettel Lewis Hamilton

In a brilliant piece of writing by Marc Priestley, who worked with McLaren as a race mechanic and was part of the pit stop crew between 2000-2009, he talks about how damaging it is to the team to have two drivers who are as much rivals as team mates.

He delves into the Alonso-Hamilton debacle that probably cost the team the title in 2007. He also mentions an incident similar to that of Webber-Vettel, where Ron Dennis stepped in to coerce Hamilton over team radio to back down and conserve his engine, during the Monaco Grand Prix.

Hit the source link for an entertaining read.

Source PitPass

New Hyundai Sonata at the 11th Auto Expo 2012

While other manufacturers have been dropping discounts like candies last month owing to poor sales, Hyundai has announced that starting April 1st 2013, all of its models will see a price hike ranging from Rs. 575 to Rs. 2830.

Our understanding of what OBDC is limited, we gather this has something to do with the Ministry of Transport’s requirements that OBD II, which in turn is related to emission norms should be implemented by the 1st of April 2013.

Mr. Rakesh Srivastava, Vice President, Sales and marketing said, “The price increase was necessitated due to On Board Diagnostic Compliance Changes (OBDC). We have increased the prices in the range of Rs.575 to Rs.2,830 across all the models. We have tried to absorb the maximum cost to minimize the price increase to cause less inconvenience to our valued customers.”

The price increase listed below, across all the models would come with immediate effect i.e. April 1, 2013.

Eon Rs.2,500
Santro Rs. 2,830
i10 Rs. 600-900
i20 (Petrol & Diesel) Rs. 575
Verna (Petrol & Diesel) Rs. 1340
Elantra (Petrol & Diesel) Rs. 1,740
Sonata (Petrol only, nearly a year since launch!) Rs. 2,813
Santa Fe (Diesel) Rs. 2,813

Seriously. This is the best video you will see all week. For starters, there’s the 850hp monster truck with a staggering 34 inches of suspension travel. Then there’s the Nissan GT-R driven by a stunning brunette wearing high heels.

Via AutoBlog

Volkswagen Polo GT 1.2 TSI

Overdrive, in an exclusive report says Volkswagen is bringing to India the 1.2 TSI engine in the Polo GT replacing the existing 1.6 mill.

The report also points out that VW will make the formal announcement come April 25th.

The interiors are two tone and the door sills have the GT TSI badging. The 1.2 TSI will retain the 1.6 power but improve fuel efficiency.

Source Overdrive

Hormazd Sorabjee has also tweeted that the Polo GT will have the 7 speed DSG gearbox with no optional manual.

Vokswagen Polo GT 1.2 TSI

Maserati LaFerrari 01

Anton Gjorsev has penned what he imagines would be the LaFerrari based Maserati supercar that is due in 2015. Of course, as most renders go, there is a lot of exaggeration, especially the ground clearance. WCF also mentions that unlike the LaFerrari, the Maserati might not be a hybrid, but just go with the 6.3L V12 or a not very probable quad turbo variant of the Quattroporte’s biturbo V8.

Anton on DeviantArt

Triumph Motorcycles launched in India

As you might have noticed, we like to keep the news section quite ‘formal’, except for those rare occasions when the Editor gets quite snarky. This news article though, demands we lift our shirt tails out, kick off our shoes and jump off a cliff into water, preferably warm & bubbly with fair maidens sharing space. Triumph is coming to India! The capable Daytona 675 so beautiful that she burns through your eyeballs, the ever so slightly affordable yet aspirational Bonneville, the commu-tourers dream the Tiger 800XC and the street warrior’s choice of poison : Street Triple or the Speed Triple.

Come to papa, all of you!

You might want to revisit our elaborate story on Triumph’s line up for India, penned by DIESEL.

Watch this space as we bring you more info.

Source: BikeWale via THE Commutourer

Triumph Daytona R Crystal 01

Triumph Daytona Diablo Red 01

All New Range Rover Sport 2014 08

Sounds good! Hit our design story at this link for all the details on the new Range Rover Sport.

Honda Amaze India 01

Honda Motor Co is looking to invest nearly Rs. 2500 Crores in its Bhiwadi plant as part of its expansion operations. The plant in Rajasthan currently manufactures only components, Honda is looking to expand it to be able to manufacture around 120,000 cars per year.

ET reports that Honda will roll out its first car from the plant next year. ET also claims that the Honda went solo, buying out the shares of its joint venture partner, Usha International in August 2012 over a disagreement on this investment in the Rajasthan plant.

The Amaze holds promise for the Honda brand, as does the diesel engine scheduled to be plonked in the rest of the Honda line up when the next generation City and Jazz reach our shores. An investment towards expansions now seems just about the right thing to do.

Source: ET

Malaysian GP 2013 Sebastian Vettel Redbull Racing 01

Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

The drama surrounding the Malaysian GP seems to be having a ripple effect with no signs of going away anytime soon. Jacques Villeneuve voiced his opinion to Auto Bild.”It’s easy to make excuses but in the end, Vettel’s got the win and the points. Mark has nothing. It was a deliberate decision by Vettel.

“The team give you the contract and pay you the money, and so you do what they want you to do. It’s very simple.

“Ignoring is just plain wrong. The best example is my father and Didier Pironi. Just look at the problems that caused.

“(Vettel’s) behaviour was just stupid. Such negative energy does not help the team. If he now needs help from Mark, he cannot be sure he will get it.”

Villeneuve was making a reference to the spat between his father Gilles and teammate Didier Pironi. Pironi was instructed to hold his position at the 1982 San Marino Grand Prix, but he defied team orders to pass Gilles, establishing a strong rivalry. The next race at Zolder, Belgium, Gilles was killed in a qualifying session trying to beat the time set by Pironi. His furious state of mind is often considered to be one of the reasons for the accident that day.

Via: SkySports

Malaysian GP 2013 Podium Mark Webber Sebastian Vettel Lewis Hamilton

Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

This video features the race held on the 9th December 2012 at the Malta International Airport between an Air Malta Airbus A320 (9H-AEN) and a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta for the annual Paqpali Ghall-Istrina charity fund raising event.

Notwithstanding the adverse weather conditions the Maltese public flocked in hundreds to the event in a true show of solidarity! The total massive sum of Euro 178,820 was collected during the event which also featured the presence of international racing champion Lewis Hamilton.

We cannot help but wonder if a little more adrenaline could have been injected into the video. While the video description also mentions the presence of Lewis Hamilton, the video does not show him.

Via WCF