Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero Centuro Unveiling 01

Mahindra 2 Wheelers has kick started 2013 by unveiling the feature laden Centuro and the oft-spotted-testing Pantero. While both motorcycles share the MCi-5 engine that Mahindra claims to have developed indigenously at their R&D facility in a short span of 18 months, the motorcycles are poles apart on their positioning in the market.

Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero Centuro Unveiling 02

The Centuro plays host to a number of ‘patented category innovations’ like Central Locking Anti Theft System with an Engine Immobiliser and a Remote 128 bit encrypted Flip Key, ‘Find Me Lamps’ and ‘Guide Home’ headlamps. A white backlit digital dashboard with an in-built, Service Due Indicator and Distance-to-Empty Fuel calculator add to the list. While we do not understand the appeal of the ‘unique’ horizontal gold bars, we wouldn’t rule out the possibility that Mahindra’s hoping for some of the ‘Mojo’ to rub off on the Centuro.

Mahindra 2 Wheelers Centuro

The Pantero retains the styling of the Stallio buts wears snazzy decals that actually seem to work in its favour. The Pantero has an all 4-up constant mesh gearbox that greatly differs from the erstwhile Stallio’s one down three up gearbox. Read our Pantero review to find out how this gearbox performs.

Mahindra 2 Wheelers Centuro : Flip Key

It was a bright and sunny afternoon in Pune, and the temperature was pleasant, which was unusual for the city at this time of the year. I was glad of that, because this weather was perfect for the proceedings of the day. Mahindra had flown us down to this city for a test ride of the latest offering from the M2W stable, the Pantero, keeping up with Mahindra’s tradition of naming all their vehicles ending with an “oh”. The Pantero fits in the already established segment of 110cc commuter bike, but aims to be a bit more than that. Things stand at the state where Mahindra does not list any motorcycles on its website. A lot is expected of this new offering. Does the Pantero deliver? Read on.

Styling

Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero 01

I have always felt that looks are subjective and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As for me, I believe the Pantero does look good. The overall feel of the bike is fresh, with the sporty decals and the funky looking headlamp unit. The bike is modern and certainly the looks justify that, and the styling won’t get dated in any hurry. The head light unit is practical, with good visibility from the head light, and excellent visibility for on coming traffic through the LED pilot lamps. There are no features on the fuel tank except for the decals, and that in-turn translates into a bigger fuel tank. The LED tail lamps also provide safety as it can be seen from quite a distance, and so, reduces the risk of being hit from behind when visibility is poor. The dash is an all digital unit, which makes the bike look cool and provides more information than an analog dash.

Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero HeadlampsMahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero Tail lamp

Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero : Rear

Engine and Performance

Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero : MCi-5 Engine
Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero : MCi-5 Engine
The Pantero’s engine, named MCi-5 (which stands for Micro Chip Ignited 5-Curve), displaces 106.7cc and churns out a healthy power of 8.5PS@7500 rpm and torque of 8.5 NM@5500 rpm. Mahindra firmly veered us away from the assumption that this was a improvised version of the Stallio’s engine. Mahindra’s R&D centre in Pune is said to have completed the development of the engine in 18 months. The ARAI certified Fuel Efficiency figures suggest an overall Fuel Efficiency of 79.5 KMPL. At our test location in Pune, the roads offered some decent straight stretches of roads, and the top speed I could achieve was 85 Kmph. The vibrations are quite vivid after the speedo shows 60 kmph and thus discourages pushing it upwards. But considering the real world conditions in which this bike will be used, which is commuting, 60 kmph is pretty much what will be achievable. The location also offered some steep gradients, and the Pantero, considering the engine size, does get the job done well, provided you keep the bike in the correct gear. The engine does feel a bit strained going up a gradient, but it does keep going.The engine is mated to a 4 speed constant mesh transmission box. Mahindra has opted for an all 4-up shifting pattern instead of the one down three up pattern we’ve seen on the Stallio. The gearbox has definitely improved and shifts are no longer clunky. Finding neutral is still a trick that you get to pull off only after a while of being acquainted with the Pantero.

Suspension and Handling

Mahindra has worked magic with the suspension of the Pantero. The ride is excellent. The roads at our location were quite bumpy but I hardly felt the shocks. Expect motorcyclists on Panteros to keep their hand steady on the throttle over bumps and potholes with abandon! It also handles the twisty stuff well. The Pantero is agile and flickable and boasts best in-class maneuverability.

..best in-class maneuverability

Where the Pantero does let itself down is in the brakes. There is no option of disc brakes in the bike and that clearly translates into less confidence in the front brakes. The bite in the rear is good, but the front brakes simply lack the feel. It may be argued that the the masses will hardly use the front brakes, and would much prefer to use the rear ones, but it is disconcerting nonetheless. The front brakes hardly give you any confidence while braking heavily into a corner.

Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero : Coiled 5-step adjustable Rear SuspensionMahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero : Telescopic Front Suspension

Features

Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero 07
Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero : Indicators
Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero 18While the Centuro is Mahindra’s offering that deserves a whole paragraph and more for just the features, the Pantero isn’t too far behind. The Pantero has a first-in-class, all digital dashboard and LED pilot and tail lamps, which are useful in conditions were visibility is low. The fully digital dash comes equipped with a speedometer, fuel gauge, tachometer, a clock and a trip meter. The Stallio was lauded for the long, wide seat that was the most comfortable in its class and then some. Pantero also boasts the largest seat in its class, which is pretty comfortable and can easily seat 2 adults.

Verdict

Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero 19The Pantero is an excellent commuter bike, with good looks, practical features, excellent ride, decent performance and with a 13.7 Liter fuel tank and a 79.5 Kmpl fuel efficiency, it has an excellent range as well. The prices of Pantero are yet to be announced, and so it remains to be seen how competitive the prices are in relation to the competition. We expect the price to be the deciding factor that will enable the Pantero to trump over the likes of the Honda CB Twister.


Mahindra 2 Wheelers Pantero 16

Technical Specifications

Engine Single Cylinder, 4-stroke, Air cooled, Mci-5 engine
Displacement 106.7 cc
Bore X Stroke 52.4 X 49.5 mm
Maximum Power 8.5 PS @ 7500 rpm
Maximum Torque 8.5 Nm @ 5500 rpm
Starting System Electric Start / Kick Start
Transmission: Gear Box Constant mesh 4 Speed
Frame Double cradle steel Tubular structure
Suspension: FRONT Telescopic , Coil spring
                       REAR Coiled 5-step adjustable
Brake:           FRONT Drum – 130 mm
                       REAR Drum – 130 mm
Tyre Size:     FRONT 2.75” x 18”
                       REAR 3.0” x 18”
Battery:        Electric Start 12V / 5 Ah
                       Kick Start 12V / 2.5 Ah
Headlamp 12 V – 35W/35W – Halogen (Multi-reflector)
Tail lamp LED Type
Speedometer Digital / Analog
Dry Weight 110.5 kg
Kerb Weight (90% fuel filled) 120Kg
Overall Length 2000 mm
Overall Width 735 mm
Overall Height 1050 mm
Seat Height 805 mm
Wheel Base 1265 mm
Minimum Ground Clearance 165 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 13.7 liters
Other Features White Twin Pilot Lamps -LED Type

Tata Aria

Tata has launched another two wheel drive variant of the Aria – the Aria Pure LX at an ex-showroom Bangalore price of 9.95 Lakhs. At the launch Mr. Ranjit Yadav, President, Passenger Car Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, “The Aria is already well received for its class leading comfort and versatility, refinement, safety, styling and a powerful yet fuel efficient engine. The new Aria Pure LX, with an unbeatable price, makes the proposition of the Aria’s finesse of a sedan with the muscle of an SUV, even more attractive.”

The Aria Pure LX retains features it was lauded for in its 4W drive guise, including keyless entry, driver information system, pillar-mounted dual air-conditioning units, disc brakes on all four wheels, in-built engine immobilizer with parametric alarm system, projector headlamps and the beige fabric upholstery. The Aria Pure LX skimps on features like airbags, ABS/EBD, ESP/TCS, stereo, front fog lamps, rain sensing auto wipers, auto fold mirrors, cruise cruise control and auto climate control.

The Aria Pure LX powertrain also gets a new ‘single mass flywheel’ as opposed to the ‘Dual Mass flywheel’ on the other variants.

Porsche GT3 Cup 01

Nothing like a one make race to brighten your Sunday. There’s something about a pack of cars with near identical abilities racing on a track where the outcome is more weighted on the drivers’ performance than all other factors combined. The 911 GT3 Cup is Porsche’s candidate for its one maker series races. This 911 GT3 Cup is based on the seventh generation 911. The 3.8 litre six cylinder flat engine makes 460 bhp and delivers immeasurable dollops of excitement on track.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 04
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 03

The new GT3 Cup makes 460 hp at 7500 rpm, 10 horses more than its predecessor. A six speed gearbox developed by Porsche Motorsport transmit power from the rear mounted engine (duh!) to the rear axle. The new GT3 Cup is also the first Porsche trophy race car to have its transmission operated by shift paddles.

The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is produced in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen on the same assembly line as the road legal Porsches. The car is then taken to the Motorsport Centre in Weissach where it gets its superpowers courtesy of some fine tuning and is then tested by a professional race driver.

New components include the single piece race wheels with centre mount. The width of the Michelin race slicks was increased by two centimetres to 27 centimetres at the front, and by ten millimetres at the rear to 31 centimetres. Porsche says the 911 GT3 Cup also gets a newly developed race braking system. The biggest improvement is the endurance quality compared to the braking system in the previous generation GT3 Cup. The race spec 911 gets 380 millimetre slotted and inner-vented steel brake rotors at the front and six-piston aluminium fixed callipers. The rear axle features a four-piston calliper.

A newly designed safety cage & new race seat improves driver safety.The seat is distinctively shaped around the head and shoulders and can be adjusted individually with the help of padding. The 911 GT3 Cup also has a rescue hatch in the roof for easy access by medics in case of a crash.

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

The basic retail price for the vehicle, exclusively available to drivers of a Porsche racing series and in white exterior colour only is 181,200 Euros. The cost of course, does not include country-specific import duty and taxes.

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

S to me stands for Style, Sophistication, Speed and Safety! From the German stables the S drives ahead of its closest rivals, the BMW 7 Series and Audi A8. I am not great with words as I am with cars, wouldn’t bore you with the regular technical comparison between the in class competitors from the factories next door, or the English counterparts! I date the beautiful S more than the 7 to the A8! Hence I script with authority this Love Story with the S300L.

Love at first sight!

Mercedes-Benz S Class S300L Review by RD

smooth lines along with its majestic grill make it a couplet on wheels!

Mercedes-Benz S-Class S300L Review by RD
Mercedes Benz S Class Review Rd 18
Mercedes Benz S Class Review Rd 17
Mercedes Benz S Class Review Rd 16

Like any Bollywood movie would have it, it was love at first sight, although my heart was with the 7! The older S never had appeal to me, nor had the presence on road. The 2010 model was a game changer! Its smooth lines along with its majestic grill make it a couplet on wheels! As with young Entrepreneurs and Heads of state alike, this 17 feet artwork stole my heart!

Mercedes-Benz S-Class S300L Review by RD
My ex-love The 7 Series, definitely has an edge over my current love in performance. The engine is livelier, and the performance is great. But the S has more control, and the steering is less ‘sticky’. She moves with my every fleeting thought. City driving as well as the long drives are the same with her. The power to weight ratio is just perfect.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class S300L Review by RD : V6
With three drive modes, there is driving pleasure for all! The paddle shift with sport mode on is as good as a stick shift; with the V6 giving the required punch when overtaking at over 150 kph doesn’t feel all that heavy. The 7G-Tronic transmission coupled with the rear wheel drive, provides seamless performance. Just sad that I didn’t have the heart to drift her!

Mercedes-Benz S-Class S300L Review by RD

Interiors

When I step into the luxurious interiors and close the door behind me, I feel as though I am isolated from the world. The cabin is sealed perfectly. Even at a relatively higher speeds on rough surfaces, the road noise is almost nonexistent.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class S300L Review by RD : Rear legroomMercedes-Benz S-Class S300L Review by RD : Clock

The seating is much more comfortable than the A8. Especially with the seat adjustment controls on the door, it makes life easier. The extra long chassis provides extra long leg room for the passengers both at the front and at the rear. The Harmon/Kardon sound system is definitely an improvement to the previous systems! The suspension and braking complement each other. Auto height adjust that varies ground clearance depending on the surface, load and tyre pressure sensors, makes it like travelling on a flying carpet!!

Mercedes-Benz S Class S300L Review by RD

The S follows the standard safety measures and precautions of its class. With drive assist feature, warning the driver to take a coffee break when I am tired is the icing on the cake!! The multimedia console is more user friendly than the iDrive from the Beemer. With multiple screen flow nearly absent, it’s like one single window. And the instrument cluster is a sight for sore eyes. With hundreds of permutations and combinations to select from, this makes her the Queen of her segment.

Like poets say, love can’t be seen nor heard, but can only be experienced. So go to the nearest Merc dealer and experience love.

– Authored by RD

Mercedes-Benz S Class S300L Review by RD Interiors 01
Mercedes-Benz S-Class S300L Review by RD : The Rear

Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 Knightracer 01

Following on the heels of the launch of the Limited Edition A-Star Aktiv MSIL continues pushing its products out with the limited edition badges and new decals. The limited edition Alto K10 is packed with 11 new additional features on the LXi variant making it more stylish and dynamic says Maruti Suzuki. The cost you pay for these addition features is Rs 13,490.

More on what you get from the ‘Limited Edition’ straight from the press release.

The new features cover both exteriors and interiors of the Alto K10. On the exterior, rear end spoiler, trendy Knightracer body graphics, full wheel covers, body side moulding and left side ORVM have been provided. The interiors boast of new Knightracer fabric seat covers, rear parcel tray and steering wheel cover. In addition to all these features, the Alto K10 Knightracer is also equipped with the state-of-the-art JVC MP3 music system with USB, to make those long city-drives more enjoyable.

Mr. Manohar Bhat, Vice President (Marketing) Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, “The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, since the day of its launch, found immense appreciation amongst the performance-driven and value-conscious young buyers who always strive to do more in less time .The Alto K10 Knightracer is a special limited edition that adds to the Alto K10’s appeal with an enhanced style quotient. We are confident that this special edition will bring pride to the select owners.”

Nissan Evalia launched in India at the 11th Auto Expo 2012

Nissan India joins the rank of automotive brands in the country to raise prices this year. “The price increase is being contemplated to offset the rising input costs and currency fluctuation prevailing in the Indian market. The revision of prices will soften the negative impact and help the company stay competitive.” says the press release from Nissan India.

Mercedes Benz E Class 2014 03

The dual headlamps of the E-Class have been swapped for a single unit that was teased a while ago. The grille can now be ordered with either the usual horizontal slats with ornament on top design or the more sporty grille with the three pointed star inset. The ‘pontoon’ inspired rear fenders have been ditched for a more conventional look. The rear has also been reworked and is unique in the fact that it isn’t aiming to project a really wide look at the rear with all horizontal elements like the Beemers and Audis have been trying to do this year.

Mercedes Benz E Class 2014 02Mercedes Benz E Class 2014 01

The optional grille with the inset three pointed star

The whole car is now more organic and less Teutonic. Automotive Forums seem to be mostly in favour of the new design while some members think there might be too much happening up front for the car to age gracefully. Nothing beats seeing the car in flesh, so the wait begins.

Mercedes Benz E Class 2014 05

Mercedes Benz E Class 2014 04

German Car Forum via AutoBlog

Skoda Octavia Third Generation 2013 01

Usually the task of sifting through the muddle of superfluous adjectives in a press release and presenting you with a clear concise news story falls upon the correspondent penning the story. Skoda though, has saved us some work. ‘Never before has a ŠKODA Octavia appeared as dynamic and at the same time as timelessly elegant, as distinctive, refined and assured on the road as this bestseller’s third generation’ says Skoda and we can’t help but agree with every adjective there. The new Skoda Ocativa (to fans everywhere the Octavia III) is simply stunning to behold.

Under the able stewardship of ŠKODA design chief Jozef Kabaň, the team started out with Volkswagen’s shared MQB platform and penned the lines afresh from hood to boot. The new Octavia is 90 mm longer and 45 mm wider than the second-generation Octavia. The wheelbase is now longer by 108 mm resulting in the increased space at the rear. As you would expect the front shares the new Skoda family look with the new logo, new position for the logo as well as the fantastic grille that we initially thought was too aggressive for a brand as elegant as Skoda. Skoda points out helpfully that the front overhang has been shortened, the C-pillar has been pulled more to the rear and add to these the increased wheelbase and you have a long, sleek and stunning silhouette. We still cannot fathom how much the designers at Skoda loosened their ties when they worked in the dynamic upswept line in the rear doors. They call it the ‘fin’ and it seems to add dynamism to the ensemble.

The rear looks just as fine with the trademark C shape rear lights. Interiors as with most Skodas, look good.

Skoda Octavia Third Generation 2013 Interiors

Skoda Octavia Third Generation 2013 03
Skoda Octavia Third Generation 2013 02
Skoda Octavia Third Generation 2013 08
Skoda Octavia Third Generation 2013 07
Skoda Octavia Third Generation 2013 06

“The new Octavia shows us resolutely continuing down a ŠKODA-typical road. It is a car with middle-class qualities at a compact-car price. It is an ideal car for demanding, confident customers expecting a modern Octavia with all its good values. It is our best,” says Frank Welsch, ŠKODA board member for technical development. Skoda builds on its strengths by offering the best bang for buck. Skoda says no other car in this compact segment offers more interior length (1,782 mm), more knee room (73 mm) and more headroom at the back (980 mm). The boot volume is said to be best in class at 590 litres.

Powertrain

At launch the new Octavia powertrain options will include four TSI petrol engines including the top end 1.8 TSI with 177 bhp as well four diesel engines including the base 1.6 TDI that power the Greenline version of the Octavia and enables fuel efficiency figures of 3.4 litres of diesel per 100 km and emissions of 89 g/km. Skoda says a natural-gas version has been planned for later. Except for the entry-level petrol and diesel option, all engines now are available in a Green tec version with a start-stop system and recuperation.

Manual and automatic DSG transmissions are available, with all-wheel-drive versions in the near future. Enthusiasts fret not, a ŠKODA Octavia RS is also in the pipeline.

Safety & Comfort

The new Skoda Octavia will also feature, for the first time on a Skoda – Adaptive Cruise Assistant. It automatically maintains a pre-set distance to the car ahead. Intelligent Light Assistant takes care of switching the lamps from high beam and back automatically. Automatic Parking Assistant makes parking the Octavia in and out easier. As part of the ‘Traveller Assistant’ package Skoda is offering another one of the firsts – the ability to recognize traffic signs. Electric panoramic sliding/tilting sunroof gets a place on the roof. It’s essentially a transparent panorama roof enhancing comfort and wellbeing on board the Octavia. The new Octavia is also available with KESSY (Keyless-Entry-Start-and-Exit-System), the automatic door and ignition-lock system.

From May 2013, the Octavia will be offered with Front Assistant/emergency braking function. Lane Assistant helps keep the Octavia in its lane. The Octavia is also programmed to automatically actuate the brake in a multicollision accident. Driver Activity Assistant alerts you when you’re falling asleep at the wheel. An active front hatch works to reduce the injuries to pedestrians in case of collision. Nine airbags including knee airbags and rear side airbags are available for the first time in a ŠKODA Octavia.

Skoda Octavia Third Generation 2013 05

Honda Urban Compact SUV 01

Honda has decided to cash in on the love for compact SUVs the people of the world seem to have developed. Honda announced today that an all-new Honda compact ‘URBAN SUV CONCEPT’ will premiere at the 2013 Detroit Motor Show (officially the 2013 North American International Auto Show) on 14th January 2013.

Details are scarce at the moment but Honda has said that the interior will be spacious with Honda’s usual centre-tank layout. Do note that the compact SUV will be based on the next generation Honda Jazz ( known as the Fit in the North American market) and not the current generation platform. BSM has previously reported that the compact SUV will be likely powered by the 1.2-litre and/or a 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine. It wouldn’t be far fetched to expect the compact SUV to be powered by the 1.5L i-DTEC from the Honda Amaze.

Honda has invested in a new plant in Mexico that’s expected to begin production in 2014. The plant is expected to begin production of the various models based on the Fit platform to be added to Honda’s stables.