2009 Honda Pilot Review

Introduction
While the name and a minute number of parts remain the same, the 2009 Honda Pilot is a new vehicle. Every piece of sheetmetal and glass, every mechanical component, and every feature has been gone through yielding a just slightly larger Pilot that put all the space to use inside. And unlike many similar designs it didn't gain too many pounds.

An eight-passenger Pilot can handle four adults and four kids easily, or four infant seats if you have the earplugs. It has useful cargo space beyond the third-row seats so you needn't fold one to fit a cooler or week's worth of groceries. And with six cupholders in the second row alone, eight door cargo pockets and the ability to carry a 4x8-foot sheet of building material flat inside, finding a place for everything isn't an issue.

Apart from perhaps flexibility and fuel economy for like vehicles the Pilot doesn't strike one as superior in any given aspect, but rather feels like a well balanced vehicle that maintains average or better performance in any number of areas; the utility moniker is apropos. Good carrying space, road manners, and comfort are now wrapped up in a much better looking box.

Reva plans to add one new model every year

As part of its expansion programme, the Reva electric car company (RECC) on Wednesday said that it planned to upscale its current production capacity from 6000 to 30,000 units and introduce one new model

The wait is finally over for all the people who have been putting off their car purchase because they’ve been waiting for the new Indica.

Tata Indica, when launched 10 years ago, was the first “true” Indian hatch. It has come a long way since but the recent auto expo showed us a new version, not just mere face lifts but more powerful engines, bigger, better interiors and improved quality.

First launched in 1998, the Indica model has achieved leadership in its class and became the second largest selling model in the segment this year, notching up a sale of 144,690 units in 2007-2008. So far, 1.12 million Indica cars have rolled out.

Vista is Tata Motor’s first all new passenger car platform after the original Indica platform which spawned a whole gamut of vehicles including the Indigo and Indigo XL Sedan, Indigo Marina the station wagon and most recently the Indigo CS.

The most prominent new features of Indica Vista are:

1) Swept back headlamp cluster.
2) Full length tail lamp cluster, making the car overall sleeker and smoother.
3) Centrally mounted instrument cluster like in Chevrolet Spark.
4) All new bumbers.
5) Space for double size music system.
6) Perfect thigh support and the cabin feels as good as Honda Cars.

The new Indica Vista sports dynamic and flowing lines which distinguishes it from the previous generation Indica. Except for the name and the layout everything seems different. If the new sweeping headlamp cluster fails to catch your attention, then the chrome handles is sure to catch everyone’s eye.

Tata has intentionally retained the family look and the new Indica vista is a clear evolution of the Indica. A new central character line on the bonnet gives character to the car. The all new grille with a new striking pedal shaped headlamps gives the indica vista a more upmarket look.

As most of you may remember, Tata unveiled the new Indica during the Auto Expo earlier this year. It looks like a grown up and better looking Indica. This now looks like a proper supermini. The winged shape headlight cluster looks striking and the crease on the bonnet gives it a unique identity. The side profile is more rounded than before but the core DNA of the original Indica remains.

There is not much change in side and rear profile of the car. The top end variant Indica vista aura gets a big wheels and body colored handles.However the full length pillar mounted tail lamp is an eyesore. But more than the exteriors, the interiors of new Indica Vista will be more exciting.

The ergonomic seating position, distinctive centrally mounted instrument panel, comfortable seats, generous space and more importantly the quality buttons, fit and finish will convey the Indian customers that Tata Motors has come of age.

Tata has been fine tuning the car for a longer time to upgrade its quality and thereby to give the car an upmarket feel. The new Indica vista will also come with host of special features. The exterior features of the new Indica Vista includes fog lamps and rear wiper.

Similar to any other Tata products, the Indica vista comes with host of comfort features and minimal safety features. An integrated CD player is surely likeable feature and is increasing finds a place in entry level cars. The Indica vista gets a 2-DIN integrated CD player with USB port and remote control.

Other comfort and luxury features in the new Indica vista includes front fog lamps, rear fog lamps, body coloured bumpers & door handles, de-mister, rear wipers, power windows for all doors, dual tone dashboard, Tachometer, height adjustable driver seat, lumbar adjustable front seats & 60:40 flodable rear seats.

Inside, the Indica Vista offers a much improved experience to the driver. It is more spacious, and the Vista is bit wider and longer than the last-generation Indica. Adjustable driver seat and steering wheel, better door handles and a centrally mounted speedo are the most noticeable changes. The Tata Indica was already quite spacious, and now the wheelbase has increased by 70 mm and the car is longer by 120 mm.

For the first time, the car will feature engines from partner Fiat. A new 1.2-litre petrol engine called Saffire and the 1.3-litre common-rail diesel called Quadrajet will be part of the lineup, apart from Tata’s own 1.4-litre turbo diesel engine. The petrol version of the Indica Vista is seriously underpowered, we think. It is not a light car, and a 65 bhp petrol engine is not the way to go here.

The Quadrajet is also called the multijet and is also being produced by Maruti Suzuki Powertrain for the Swift and Swift Dzire models. The engines along with the cars will be assembled at Tata-Fiat’s Ranjangaon facility that boasts of an annual production capacity of 200,000 cars and 300,000 engines. A total investment of Rs 4,020 crore is being made by the 50:50 combine in Ranjangaon, Maharashtra.

On the Launch Mr. Tata said: “I have no doubt that our existing and potential customers will find the new Indica Vista a significant step up over the previous generation and in line with other world class offerings in the market.” With the launch of this car, Tata Motors have for the first time fitted the vehicle featuring engines from partner Fiat.

Stating that the company is greatly appreciative of the endorsement by the market of its first Indica offering, Mr Tata said: “I am very hopeful that the Indica Vista will surpass its predecessor in appeal.”

The country's largest automobile company, Tata Motors notched up revenues of USD 8.8 billion (Rs352 billion) in 2007-08. It has, through its subsidiaries and associate companies, operations in Britain, South Korea, Thailand and Spain.

On safety front it is a major disappointment that neither ABS or airbags are offered in the Indica Vista. Considering the traffic situation on our roads and lawlessness, this is a major sin in my opinion. There are Indica models already offering airbags and ABS, so it reflects badly on Tata to offer a newer, better and more sophisticaled version in the Vista without them.

Engine options in New Tata Indica Vista:

1. 1172cc Petrol Safire
---Maximum Power: 65bhp
---Maximum Torque: 96Nm

2. 1248cc Quadrajet Diesel
---Maximum Power: 75bhp
---Maximum Torque: 190Nm

3. 1405cc Turbo Diesel Injection (TDi)
---Maximum Power: 71bhp
---Maximum Torque: 135Nm

Tata Indica Vista Variants:

1) Terra - Available in 1.2 Safire Petrol & 1.4 TDi.
2) Aqua - Available in 1.2 Safire Petrol, 1.4 TDi & 1.3 Quadrajet.
3) Aura - Available in 1.2 Safire Petrol &1.3 Quadrajet.

2008 Tata Indica Vista Terra TDI

The new Indica Vista Terra TDI with a 1.4L powerful turbocharged engine, striking petal-shaped headlights, new vertical-stacked tail lamps and more excitement is going to take you to new heights.

Specifications
Transmission Type Manual
Fuel Type Diesel
Seating Capacity 5
Gearbox 5 Speed
Engine Description 1.4L 71bhp 4 cyl. In-line
Engine Displacement 1,405 cc
Maximum Power 71 @ 4,500 (PS@rpm)
Maximum Torque 13.8 @ 2,500 (kgm@rpm)
Features
Air Conditioner Standard
Power Steering Standard

THE NANO REVOLUTION

This is what the Tata Rs 1-lakh car looks like!

The Tata Rs 1-lakh car is here! And it's called the Nano!



Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata on Thursday unveiled the Tata Nano at the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi.

Details of the People's Car:

Ratan Tata, while unveiling the nano, said: "The car will meet all current safety norms and all emission criteria. The pollution it will cause will be lower than 2-wheelers."

The car, Tata said, is smaller than a Maruti [Get Quote], but has 21 per cent more volume or space inside than the 800. He said that the dealer price of the car will be Rs 1 lakh, plus value-added tax (VAT) plus transport charges.

The car will have a 624-cc petrol engine generating 33 bhp of power. It will sport a 30-litre fuel tank and 4-speed manual gearshift. The car will come with air conditioning, but will have no power steering. It will have front disk and rear drum brakes. The company claims mileage of 23 km per litre.

The car's dashboard features just a speedometer, fuel gauge, and oil light. The car does not have reclining seats or radio. The shock absorbers are basic.

Tata Nano. Photograph: Rajesh KarkeraNano, the world's cheapest car, costs almost half of the cheapest car currently available anywhere in the world.

''Since, a promise is a promise the standard dealer version will cost Rs 1 lakh,'' said Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata.

He informed that the car is 8 per cent smaller bumper to bumper, than the Maruti800 but at the same time 21 per cent larger in its interiors and can sit up to four people.

Dispelling myths that the car was not safe enough Tata said, 'The car has passed the full-frontal crash and the side impact crash''. He also side stepped emission concerns and said the car will meet Euro IV norms.

While critics had been sceptical throughout about the car meeting safety and emission norms, coming as it is at that price, Tata said he was happy to announce that Nano meets all norms as would a modern car.

The car is eight per cent shorter than Maruti 800 on bumper to bumper length, but is 21 per cent more spacious, claimed Tata.

Alluding to fears expressed by environmentalist R K Pachauri and green activist Sunita Narain that the car at that price would add more vehicles on the road leading to higher vehicular pollution, Tata said the 624 cc, 33 HP petrol engine meets Bharat Stage-III emission norms and can also meet the Euro 4 norms.

"Pachauri will not have a nightmare and Sunita Narain can also sleep," he quipped, while recalling that some people had suggested that the car should be called 'Pachauri' and some others said that it should be named 'Mamta' � probably referring to the position TMC leader Mamta Banerjee had taken against the setting up of the small-car project at Singur in West Bengal.

Commenting on the safety standard, he said the car has gone through a full frontal crash test as per norms.

The Nano will come in three variants -- standard and two deluxe models with AC. The standard car would be available for Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom), while VAT and transportation costs are extra.

The Nano is expected to be commerically launched in the second half of 2008. News reports say that Tata Motors [Get Quote] hopes to sell 500,000 units of the car, almost four times the number of Indicas it sells. Tata plans to focus on a market segment hitherto untapped.

Not since the launch of the Maruti 800 in 1983 has any car gripped the imagination of a nation and indeed car manufacturers the world over so intensely. If commercially successful, the Tata Nano can alter the passenger car market in India, and perhaps the world, beyond description.

Tata Motors unveils the People’s Car

A comfortable, safe, all-weather car, high on fuel efficiency & low on emissions







Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group and Tata Motors, today unveiled the Tata ‘NANO’, the People’s Car from Tata Motors that India and the world have been looking forward to. A development, which signifies a first for the global automobile industry, the People’s Car brings the comfort and safety of a car within the reach of thousands of families. The People’s Car will be launched in India later in 2008.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi, Mr. Ratan N. Tata said, “I observed families riding on two-wheelers – the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby. It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family. Tata Motors’ engineers and designers gave their all for about four years to realise this goal. Today, we indeed have a People’s Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel efficient and low on emissions. We are happy to present the People’s Car to India and we hope it brings the joy, pride and utility of owning a car to many families who need personal mobility.”

Stylish, comfortable
The People’s Car, designed with a family in mind, has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head room. It can comfortably seat four persons. Four doors with high seating position make ingress and egress easy.

Yet with a length of 3.1 metres, width of 1.5 metres and height of 1.6 metres, with adequate ground clearance, it can effortlessly manoeuvre on busy roads in cities as well as in rural areas. Its mono-volume design, with wheels at the corners and the powertrain at the rear, enables it to uniquely combine both space and manoeuvrability, which will set a new benchmark among small cars.

When launched, the car will be available in both standard and deluxe versions. Both versions will offer a wide range of body colours, and other accessories so that the car can be customised to an individual’s preferences.

Fuel-efficient engine
The People’s Car has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft. The lean design strategy has helped minimise weight, which helps maximise performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. Performance is controlled by a specially designed electronic engine management system.


Meets all safety requirements
The People’s Car’s safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements. With an all sheet-metal body, it has a strong passenger compartment, with safety features such as crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. Tubeless tyres further enhance safety.

Environment-friendly
The People’s Car’s tailpipe emission performance exceeds regulatory requirements. In terms of overall pollutants, it has a lower pollution level than two-wheelers being manufactured in India today. The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an affordable transportation solution with a low carbon footprint.
(For more information: www.tatapeoplescar.com )

About Tata Motors
Tata Motors is India's largest automobile company, with revenues of US $ 7.2 billion in 2006-2007. With over 4 million Tata vehicles plying in India, it is the leader in commercial vehicles and the second largest in passenger vehicles. It is also the world's fifth largest medium and heavy truck manufacturer and the second largest heavy bus manufacturer. Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and South America. Tata Motors and Fiat Auto have formed an industrial joint venture in India to manufacture passenger cars, engines and transmissions for the Indian and overseas markets; Tata Motors also has an agreement with Fiat Auto to build a pick-up vehicle at Córdoba, Argentina. The company already distributes Fiat branded cars in India. Tata Motors’ international footprint includes Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Co. Ltd. in South Korea; Hispano Carrocera, a bus and coach manufacturer of Spain in which the company has a 21% stake; a joint venture with Marcopolo, the Brazil-based body-builder of buses and coaches; and a joint venture with Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Company of Thailand to manufacture and market pick-up vehicles in Thailand. Tata Motors has research centres in India, the U.K., and in its subsidiary and associate companies in South Korea and Spain.




Tata Nano: Vital statistics

A comfortable, safe, all-weather car, high on fuel efficiency & low on emissions