Skoda hikes rates of all its models

CZECH auto maker Skoda Auto’s Indian subsidiary Skoda India on Monday announced an increase in prices of all its models in the country.

A hike in the range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 would be effective from August 1. “ The price hike has been necessitated by a variety of cost- push factors like surge in freight costs and in prices raw materials,” Skoda India member of board of director for sales and marketing Thomas Kuehl said.

Tata Motors may revive Daimler

TATA Group chairman Ratan Tata has told investors he is considering making a super- luxury version of the car that is a favourite of Britain’s reigning monarch, a British daily reported on Monday.

Ratan Tata, whose Tata Motors bought the marque as part of its $ 2.3- billion purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover earlier this year, was looking to revive Daimler, the Times reported. The car, which is a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II, may be remodeled into a super- luxury version to rival Bentley and Rolls- Royce — funded from a kitty of a billion pounds earmarked to develop new models at Tata- owned manufacturing units in Britain.

The paper said Tata’s plans, which include selling these cars to rich customers in Britain, Asia, Russia and the Middle East, had the support of analysts. It quoted analyst Garel Rhys of Cardiff University as saying: “Tata could make a very good job of this, especially if they target the space between where the top of Jaguar’s current range ends and where manufacturers such as Bentley kick in. Daimler has a fantastic heritage.”

Luxury cars fly in ‘ recession- hit’ India

The Luxury car market in India is growing like never before. Sample this: In the first six months sales of luxury cars have almost doubled.

Mercedes

Mercedes India has sold 1,892 cars in the country compared to 2,491 cars sold last year.

BMW

BMW has sold 1,323 cars in the first five months, which is almost equal to the 1,387 cars the company sold during the full last year.

Volkswagen

The Volkswagen group has managed to sell 810 premium cars of its two brands Audi (470 units) and Volkswagen (340 units).

Audi

And Porsche is aiming to double the tally of its car sales this year by selling over 200 premium cars.

Clearly, financial sector meltdown and the consequent wealth erosion hardly seem to be dissuading buyers of high-end cars in India, even as the global luxury car makers pump in huge resources to lure the Indian customers.

“If you look at the segment we are operating in, price sensitivity of the product is not an issue,” says Kurt Rippholz, head, communications, Volkswagen India.

To this Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, chief executive officer and managing director, Mercedes India, adds, “Back in 1995 when we started operations in India, we were optimistic about the potential that India held and we are now convinced about it.” And why not?

According to the 2008 Wealth Report by Merrill Lynch Cap Gemini there are around 1,23,000 millionaires in US dollar terms in India. Also, the country has a significant number of young, rich and enterprising people in smaller cities who are spoilt for choice. And manufacturers are strutting their products to lure them.

Bentley

So, the top- end luxury cars such as Bentley and Lamborghini, which cost upwards of Rs 2 crore, and that can only sell around 25 and 10 cars, respectively, for exclusivity sake, have industrialist buyers queuing up — for four to six months — to get their cars. But it’s the entry- and mid- segment luxury cars that are selling like hot cakes among the class aspirants.

Lamborghini

This year till June, Mercedes sold 1,000 C-Class cars ( Rs 25 lakh onwards). In fact, in March alone, it sold over a 100 Mercedes S-Class cars ( Rs 70 lakh onwards).

Maybach

BMW sold 666 cars of its 5 Series and 355 units of its Series 3 cars upto end- May this year.

BMW

Last year Audi sold 107 units of its Q7 model while Porsche sold around 90 cars of its Cayenne model. “Along with corporate sales that are pushing the sales of these premium cars, aspirational sales are fast picking up.

Interior of a Rolls Royce

Professionals in their thirties who have a global lifestyle and hail from smaller towns are the main customers in this segment,” says Aulbur. And to sell these new cars, companies are expanding their distribution network thick and fast. New dealerships are being set up in Tier II, III cities.

There is a sizeable population of Mercedes cars in cities such as Kolhapur, Ludhiana, Madurai, Coimbatore and Kochi.

Volkswagen, in its second phase of expansion opted for cities such as Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Ludhiana for their dealerships and Porsche is looking at potential new dealerships in Punjab. “We are trying to have 120 distribution dealerships in the next three years as we expect a growth of 250 per cent in the Indian auto market over a period of ten years,” says Kurt. And he is not alone; Audi is planning to take the tally to 11 dealerships from the existing seven by the end of the year.

Porsche

Porsche is looking at having nine dealerships by 2010 from the current two and is also looking at building a steady relationship with Indian customers. So, it’s zip, zap zoom time ahead for the luxury car market in India.

Hyundai exports i10s to Sudan

HYUNDAI Motor India Ltd ( HMIL) on Wednesday shipped its first consignment of disassembled knocked down ( DKD) cars to Sudan. With an order for more than 2,000 units, the first shipment comprised 96 DKD units of Hyundai’s i10.



The company’s Sriperumbudur plant near Chennai has been nominated by Hyundai Motor Company as its global manufacturing hub for small cars meant for exports. Earlier, the company was exporting its Santro model to Sudan.

H. S. Lheem, Managing Director of HMIL said that Hyundai i10 has achieved over 100,000 units of export orders in record time of less than seven months from diverse countries spanning different continents making it one of the most popular cars to be launched recently.

Tata open to Fiat selling Nano abroad

TATA Motors Ltd is open to Italy’s Fiat SpA helping to sell the low-cost Nano model overseas, chairman Ratan Tata said on Tuesday.

Tata, India’s third- largest car maker, plans to launch the Nano later this year, priced at about $ 2,500 (Rs 1 lakh). “We have held talks about the Nano being marketed in markets where Fiat already has a strong presence. I am open to consider a partnership,” Tata said.

Fiat has a joint venture with Tata to manufacture and distribute cars, engines and commercial vehicles. Tata also said the Tata group was in talks with Italian defence and aerospace company Finmeccanica SpA about supplying helicopter parts. The head of Fiat’s Iveco truck unit told an Italian newspaper in May he expected to resume talks with Tata on possible accords after the India partner completed its acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover.

After the wikipedia, get ready for the wikicar now

TAKING a page out of the Wikipedia, a Finnish Internet community, eCars- Now!, is seeking to apply the collective approach taken by online collaborators like the authors of Wikipedia, to start converting used petrol-fuelled cars to electric ones, with the first roll- out due this year.

The Finnish- language forum claims to be first of its kind in the world, and wants to provide an alternative to what its members perceive as foot-dragging in the oil and auto industries. It is working in the tradition of ‘ open source’ projects laid down by information technology. “ If we succeed it will create similar projects across the world with whom we can share what we know,” said project participant Jukka Jarvinen, adding that a similar scheme was being launched in Denmark. “We’re hoping to create a global movement,” he said.

Electric cars have struggled to shake off a quirky image with tiny sales of often fantastical vehicles at prohibitive prices, or economy- sized golf carts with limited range. But because they are charged from the power grid and make more efficient use of energy, they produce fewer emissions and are seen as a promising clean- air alternative to petrol powered vehicles.

When it comes to promises, auto- makers are keen to capitalise on mounting consumer concern about high gasoline prices which are prompting trade- ins of gas- guzzling SUVs. But the Finnish group offers an outlet for fans who have so far been disappointed by the car industry. Some experts say it will still take 5-10 years for alternatives to petrol-fuelled cars to take root, given the capacity challenge for an auto industry that is adding 65 million new cars a year to a fleet of 1 billion.

The group is starting small. It has identified demand for more than 500 electric conversions in Finland and its website aims to begin introducing potential buyers to sellers of suitable used cars and components, and mechanics who can make the conversion with an electric motor and lithium batteries. Its first conversion model will be a Toyota Corolla which it says would have a range of 150 kilometres per charge and a top speed of 120 km/h.

Audi to launch sports car R8

GERMAN luxury car manufacturer Audi would launch its acclaimed sports car R8 in India in October- November as it seeks to build the brand in the Indian market, a top official of Audi India said.



“ We will launch R8 in October- November in the last quarter. We already have the first order ( in India),” Audi India vice president, marketing, Martin Birkner said in Bangalore.



Audi sold 350 cars in India in the calendar year 2007 and has a target to nearly triple that number, mainly driven by sales of A4 sedan that was launched in India this month.

“ As we target sales of 1,000 cars in India by the end of this year, the new Audi A4 will be a crucial product to help us achieve this goal,” Birkner said. Audi, which commenced business activities in India in 2007, is keen to build the brand here, where the luxury car market has seen rapid growth, particularly in the April- June quarter.

“ We have more or less launched the brand in India last year. We have to build up the brand and we would like to push the brand ( in India),” Birkner said.



Audi’s model range in India comprises A8, Q7, A6, A4 and TT. Birkner said Audi expects to sell 1,000 units of A4 within a year of its launch, indicating that the sedan would be a main driver of growth for the company in the near term.

Prices of the new Audi A4 start at Rs 29 lakh ( ex- showroom Mumbai without CST, transportation) The company sold 470 cars in the January- June period of 2008 and with Audi, A4 will definitely cross the 1,000- mark.

Audi builds its A6 model at its Aurangabad assembly plant and plans to do the same with A4, which is currently being imported and would be completed by October.

Buyers’ guide to car stereo systems

HEAD UNITS

When you decide to buy a stereo system for your car or revamp your car’s audio system, you need to start with its music source —the in- dash receiver/ player. In- dash receivers/ players improve the overall sound quality of your music system. Most of them come with a CD player supporting various formats: CD- R, CDRW, MP3, and WMA. Some of them even support the Apple iPod and Satellite radio. Car audio manufacturers (Kenwood, Pioneer, Alpine, JVC and Sony) offer a wide range of head units to choose from. One should buy a head unit (in dash receiver) with optional preamp output. This is needed when you decide to put an amplifier in the future. Buy the head unit with a built- in CD Changer or add a CD Changer to your existing car stereo system so you don’t have to fiddle with controls and CD cases while you drive.

SPEAKERS
Good quality speakers maximise the sound potential of your car. Manufacturers such as JBL, Alpine, Nippon, Sony and Pioneer deliver a wide range of car speakers, varying in size, price, and power. To get the optimum output and quality of sound, first measure the areas of your car where you want to place your speakers. You can mount them in a variety of places, including the front and/ or back of a car, as well as inside car doors. Small cars don’t need speakers that have more than 4X45 Watts power. So the head units’ amplifier is good enough to drive the speakers. Always buy the speakers which have little higher wattage handling capacity than the head units, so that there isn’t any jarring in the speaker units even when you keep the sound volume to its maximum. There are two types of speaker systems: One is the full range speaker and the other is the component system. The full range speaker system has only one speaker handling all the frequency range from 40 Hz to 16,000 Hz. But in component speaker system the frequencies are divided and given to different speakers, which can handle those frequencies efficiently. So the quality of sound is good in component systems than the full range speaker system.

SUB WOOFERS
Sub woofers reproduce very low bass frequencies to provide thumping bass sound. You’ll need an amplifier to drive your sub woofer and a place to install an 8- to- 15- inch unit. You can mount it in a trunk enclosure, under a seat, or in aside panel or cargo tray. The larger the sub woofer, the lower the frequency it will produce.

AMPLIFIERS
Car amplifiers add to the overall volume of your car audio system, driving your speakers without causing distortion. Amplifiers tend to improve the clarity and detail of music being played. Amplifiers should be placed under a seat, inside the trunk of your car or in the rear of your car. Car amplifiers are recommended for big cars with a larger interior space. They come in all ranges from 100 Watts to more than 2000 Watts. Do some research and go for the big buy.

MUSIC ON THE MOVE

It is important to invest in a good car music system to make your daily commutes bearable.

In-car entertainment has come a long way from the days when there were just a few options: AM/FM radio and/or cassette tape player. Now, improved audio-visual technologies and increasingly sophisticated entertainment tastes mean that cars can become mobile concert halls, or even mobile video arcades or theatres for kids (and others) in the rear seats. A lot of focus is also being put on infotainment. There are a lot to expect from the state-of-the-art in-car entertainment system today. They are called multi-media on wheels.

Companies offer music systems that have a navigational device fitted on to the dashboard, with a microphone to attend calls, a parking camera to be able to park safe, roof mounted screens with DVD player, Bluetooth connectivity and game-port attached to the DVD. In-car-entertainment system makers have to quickly adapt to the changing entertainment trends. So blue-tooth connectivity to transfer songs from your mobile to the music systems is what the new age car drivers are looking for. Not to forget the option to connect the iPod with the car music systems.

The in-car entertainment system is not only for listening music but also for watching movies and television shows. New systems have the added advantage of its music being controlled not only by the driver but by those sitting at the back as well. You just have to sit back and chill. Since music is the best time-pass on Indian roads during peak hours, it makes good sense to buy a worthy audio system for your car.

Indian road conditions are harsh and the dust factor makes things worse. Consumer spending research points out that, after tyres the biggest accessory spend in the car market is on audio systems. While high-end cars pack quite a bit of technology into the humble car stereo, even volume-end cars are beginning to get a taste of designer decibels. A good music system for your car should be able to absorb shocks and vibrations in various road conditions. Also, depending on your driving habits, your passenger mix, your entertainment preferences and your budget, you can choose from a growing range of in-car products to turn driving into a vibrant, enveloping entertainment experience.

Industry sources say that those music systems with front loading or what are more popularly known as the slip down variety, are the hottest selling variety. A poor car audio system will definitely spoil the experience when you are driving your favourite toy. Although the investment for a good system is steep, it is definitely worth the buy. However, not all expensive systems perform well — a lot depends on proper installation. The type of car you drive also plays an important role in what kind of car audio system you should build up. A great audio system is created with the acoustics of a car in mind. To get the best quality of sound, you should compare your audio system and experience it live in as many different environments as possible.

There are a number of features that set a good sound system apart from a bad one. Obviously, more expensive systems will usually offer more of these goodies than cheap ones.

Large, well-spaced buttons:
The whole idea about the operation of a music system is to make it as seamless as possible so that it causes a minimum amount of distraction to the driver: Large buttons are easier to find and use. Try to find a unit with generous spacing between the buttons. This makes the unit easier and safer to use.

Large, informative display:
A display with large numbers and a clear readout makes for an enjoyable listening experience. Try to find a head unit that shows all the pertinent data in one glance. Many units do this well, but some are designed to display only one piece of data at a time.

A generous power amp:
Look for a system with a good power amp. You can tell a good power amp by turning the system above half volume and still hearing clear amplification. If it distorts and begins to get "fuzzy" that means it's running out of steam.

Front loading CD changer:
This cool feature offer a six-disc changer built into the centre stack.

DRIVE HOME SAFELY

New generation cars are teamed with innovative and advanced technology to include wider options on safety. The key factors contributing to the increasing number of fatalities on roads are high speed, overtaking and alcoholism. The best way to add more number of years to life is to follow the traffic rules, road regulations and safe driving tips. The increasing number of vehicles in the country has catapulted the importance of safety. While we can’t do much about the circumstances we all are in, here are a few tips to keep you safe on road:

• Always follow lane while driving and avoid jumping lanes.
• Always stay within the speed limits.
• Look for road signs and give due importance to them.
• Don’t honk unnecessarily as it causes noise pollution.
• While pulling out a parked car, always look for other vehicles in the rear view mirror and then move forward slowly.
• Use indicators while turning the vehicle left or right and put the indicators on at least 30 meters before turning the way you want.
• Be extra careful while reversing and look for pedestrians and other obstacles.
• Overtake when it’s absolutely necessary and keep optimum distance from the vehicle which you are trying to overtake.
• Don’t speed past a bus which has just stopped to disembark passengers as people trying to cross the road will be blinded due to the stationary vehicle.
• Always park your car in a zone allotted for it.
• Don’t park at the corners of roads and always keep optimum distance from another car.
• Avoid speeding and leave for your destination a little early to avoid over speeding during the journey.
• Don’t stop abruptly. Slow down before stopping to give enough warning to the vehicles behind you.
• Drive slowly during the rainy season, brake repeatedly after you have come out of water logged patch.
• While driving at night make sure that all lights (head and tail) are working. Make sure to drive at night with the headlight in low beam to avoid bedazzling drivers of vehicles coming from the opposite direction.
• While driving on the highways make sure you maintain proper distances from heavy vehicles as they might not be able to stop at a short notice.
• Take adequate rest while going for long drives to prevent fatigue and exhaustion.

If these points are kept in mind when you taking your car out, chances are there that you will reach home safe and sound to be with your loved ones.

GM’s future now depends on small cars

GENERAL Motors Corp. is known for making top- notch trucks and sport utility vehicles. The company’s survival now hinges on the difficult task of convincing buyers that its upgraded cars are just as good as its trucks and worth some extra cash. That’s essentially the business plan for the reconstituted GM, the one that is trying to make it in a US market where people no longer want $ 42,000 Chevrolet Tahoes that get only 14 miles per gallon ( 5.95 kilometers per litre) in the city. Instead, the revenue to sustain the nearly century- old industrial giant will have to come from cars, which have typically made only hundreds of dollars in profits.

Better cars, and lots of them. The change has come quickly. Faced with high gas prices and a weak economy, GM's sales fell 16 per cent for the first half of the year, with trucks off 21 percent and cars down nearly 9 per cent. GM has lost billions of dollars during the last three years. The company on Tuesday announced a combination of cuts, borrowing and asset sales that would raise $ 15 billion to weather the recent slump in US auto sales and the rapid shift from trucks to cars. Henderson, who concedes that GM has some repair work to do on its car brand image, says the change will have to come one or two models at a time.

It will follow the path of the new Chevrolet Malibu, which saw sales jump 46 percent in the first half of the year and average sale prices rise $ 4,000 over previous Malibu models due to improved quality. “ One product launch does not a success make,” Henderson said. “ It’s how do you build on that? But I think it gave us some confidence that if we get the car right and we get the promotion right, we can make progress and we can actually bring people back to the car.” GM has big plans for cars and car- based crossover vehicles. Nearly every brand, including Cadillac, will be getting a small car soon. Eighteen of the 19 vehicles GM is launching between now and 2010 are cars or crossovers.

One model, the sleek new Chevrolet Cruze due out in 2010, is the replacement for the clunky Chevrolet Cobalt small car. GM plans to power the Cruze with a 1.4- liter turbocharged four- cylinder engine, allowing it to get around 45 miles per gallon ( 19.13 kilometers per liter). Clark said in a statement, “ GM will likely face a sizable cash burn until it gets this part of the equation right.” GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said car prices also will rise because of demand, while truck and SUV prices will likely fall.

Volkswagen rolls out new sedan, Jetta

GERMAN auto major Volkswagen on Wednesday launched Jetta, a lower D segment sedan, in India. Jetta is available in one petrol and two diesel variants and has been priced in the range of Rs 12.97 lakh to Rs 16.67 lakh ( ex- showroom Delhi).



Jetta, launched 29 years ago in Europe, has established a name for itself in the US as the most popular car from a European manufacturer, claimed Volkswagen Group India’s president and managing director Joerg Mueller, adding that it has sold 80 lakh Jetta variants till date, globally.



Speaking on the occasion, Mueller said Volkswagen’s proposed India- specific small car, to be launched in 2010, would not take on Tata’s Nano as it will have some premium attached to it. “ Our small car will be an absolutely new and designed especially for India. This will be in the premium category and thus has nothing to do with Nano,” he said.

Hyundai packs i10 with Kappa punch

HYUNDAI Motor India Ltd (HMIL) on Tuesday rolled out a new model of the i10 compact car fitted with its latest and more powerful 1.2 litre Kappa engine that is expected to give five per cent more mileage than the existing 1.1 litre engine fitted in the car.The new engine also emits less exhaust fumes. The i10 will also have a 4-speed automatic transmission variant, which will be more convenient for women especially in heavy city traffic as they will not have to press the clutch and change gears, HMIL managing director HS Lheem told journalists.

The Kappa i10 is available with Hyundai dealers at an entry level price of Rs 3.9 lakh. This compares with the existing i10 which costs Rs 3.37 lakh. The car is being launched in three variants —the Magna, Sportz and Asta with the high-end automatic transmission model with a sunroof priced at Rs 5,43,644.

This variant will also be fitted with front airbags and an anti-lock braking system. Lheem said the new engine and transmission plant at Sriperumbudur near Chennai has the capacity to produce 2,50,000 units of the new Kappa engine every year for powering the i10 cars to be sold both in the domestic as well as European markets. “The engine has been developed at a huge cost of $450 million over 41 months and will be produced in India for the world market,” he added. Lheem said the existing 1.1 litre engine has been a success and will therefore, continue to power both the Santro and the i10 “but the new Kappa engine will significantly raise the bar in the segment.”

The Kappa engine has an aluminium block, which makes it much lighter than the other engines, improves the power- weight ratio as well as fuel efficiency. It also helps cool the engine more quickly. The engine is fitted with a double overhead cam shaft, 16 valves and 32 bit microprocessor, which enables it to deliver more power with less noise and vibration.

The engine meets the latest Euro5 emission norms and emits only 119 g/ km of carbon dioxide, which is the lowest for this class of cars, Lheem claimed. He said the i10 has been doing well in both the Indian and European markets. The company had sold as many as 7,500 units of the i10 in the domestic market in the last eight months and had an order book of 1.1 lakh units in exports over the last seven months. Over 70 per cent of the car market in India comprises of compact cars.

The fast growing sales of i10 have taken Hyundai’s market share in the country from 19.5 per cent to 25.4 per cent and cover part of the gap with market leader Maruti. Lheem said the company was also working on a diesel variant of the i10, which is currently being exported. However, the cost at the moment was too high for the Indian market. “We are working on ways to reduce the cost of the diesel engine and making it more affordable for the Indian customer, but this, however, will take some time,” he added. HMIL has emerged as the largest exporter of cars in the country. Lheem said that about 40 per cent of the products were being exported from the Indian plant while 60 per cent was sold within the country.

JAZZ UP YOUR CAR

Fancy accessories add up to a great looking car that gives you a comfy drive too.

Cars are not just for driving–as we all know. Cars are also meant for showing off, meant for comfort and meant for style. The six month or yearly trips to the workshop for a dose of maintenance are also not enough. Driving a great set of wheels means driving something that looks good, feels good and impresses the world. And no matter what type of car you drive, not matter what it costs, accessorising means adding a great deal of oomph value to the baby. It also improves the functionality of your car.

What kind of accessories do you get?
Think of all the hours you spend commuting to and fro when it comes to work. Think of the time you spend driving around your family, shopping for groceries, dropping the kids off to school... Seems like part of your life is spent inside the car, isn’t it? So it’s obvious that you’d want it all dolled up, with some fancy gizmos and extras to give you a comfortable drive. What are the accessories that you should be focusing on?

FOCUS ON INTERIORS
Car seat covers:
The first thing to remember after getting anew car is to get car seat covers. Apart from protecting the seats from grime and these also add padding to make seating comfortable. Seat covers in the market now cost anything from Rs 1500 to Rs 4500 and more... (the fancier the car or the brand the higher the prices). While choosing seat covers, pick one with extra padding if you need more cushion. Seat covers made of fabrics like neoprene or polyurethane keep the temperature regulated when the weather warms up. You can make a statement of sorts with leather covers or contrast cream interiors with brightly coloured covers.

Floor mats:
Your car will have a carpet when it comes from the manufacturer. To not ruin it thanks to the dirt and grime from your shoes and to add to the good looks of your car, floor mats are mandatory. Rubber or coir, there are various options for your car mats. Get one with some colour to brighten up the interiors of your car.

Steering wheels:
Ah! the thin, boring steering wheel that came with your new car... It made driving such a chore, didn’t it? Now, increase your car’s style quotient with something fancy... Like racing- style steering wheels, comfortable foam- padded steering wheels, leather steering wheels or something unusual.

Shift knobs:
Shift knobs, too, can be changed to something fancy. Today, the market will give you everything... from racing cars to classic cars.

Gauges:
Does your dash need some flash? If you don’t have twinkling and blinking instrumentation –something like the cockpit of a Boeing 737 –on your dashboard, it doesn’t feel like you are doing much driving, are you? If parts to improve the performance of your vehicle are added to your car, check out how these are working with gauges. Make sure they are in tune with the factory parts of your car.

Organisers:
Create order out of chaos. You find some fancy organisers in car markets nowadays and these come in use when you want to stash away your papers, cellphone, organisers and other important stuff.

EXTERIOR CAR ACCESSORIES
Ooh la la! This is a whole new ballgame altogether. Get the old lady glowing with fancy lights, grand fog lights –everything that add up to making her look more fancy on the speed bahn. However, before that it would be important to consult the little black book of traffic rules and find out what is challan- able and what is not. Do remember, however, that exterior car accessories can improve the safety quotient of your car.

Car lights:
The blue- white of Xenon bulbs make for bold cars –traffic rules permitting. Some people go in for neon under- car lights to add some drama to the drive. Fog lights, etc are also critical to safety when you are driving in foggy conditions. Always ensure that you get the best of makes when it comes to your car lights. Rear lights too are of various kinds. You can get something fancy for your number plates to show off too.
In-car entertainment systems:
From LCD monitors, ceiling ACs and ceiling monitors to DVD players for some super movie- watching and music- listening, entertainment inside cars is getting so hi- tech that there will come a time when you won’t just feel like stepping out of your car.

Roof racks:
Need extra space when you’re packing up your car for a vacation and some things just won’t fit in the trunk? Get some fancy roof racks and pile on the stuff. A great way to utilise space.

Grilles:
These don’t have much to do for the performance of your vehicle, but grilles make for some real fancy car decor. Stylish grilles are very popular with people who want to bling it on with style.

CREATE A LOOK
Sometimes, car designers can work wonders with your vehicle. Some TV programmes feature great ideas to dress up one’s drive. While you can get your mechanic to do some upgrades, you can use your creativity and work out some very stylish themes. Use a few accessories to create magic.

Batmobile anyone?
Get a great paint job, with some sleek xenon lights and silver car seats. See if someone can add tail fins.

Movie star looks:
Flashing a red car? Try to get under car lights in the same colour. See if anyone will tailor you seat covers with flecks of gold, or silvery tones. Add some really flashy gauges to make your dash look like something from outer space, and hooray... You are a star on the road.

Get eyeballs to stick:
Creative paint jobs –seen the ones that look like bullet holes? –fancy sunscreens, weird car colours, antennas in the front over the windscreens, everything that looks otherworldly and grand should be tried out. You are going from one place to the other, and giving people something to look at is not such a bad idea, is it?

Taking care of your CAR Tyres

Taking care of your tyres is easier than you think. Check out these important points to see if you’re doing the right thing.

BALANCING :Properly balanced tyres are important for driving comfort and long tyre life. Unbalanced tires can cause vibration, resulting in driver fatigue, premature tyre wear and ruined suspension. Tyres should always be balanced when they are mounted on wheels for the first time, or when they are remounted after repair. Tyre vibration may also be caused by poor tyre alignment or other mechanical problems.

CARE : New tyres feel different from the tyres that were replaced. Drive carefully as you become familiar with their performance and handling characteristics. Differences are most noticeable while braking, accelerating, cornering, and driving in the rain. You need new tyres when the tread is worn down to where you can see a solid bar of rubber across the width of the tread. Sometimes inserting a coin to measure the depth of the tread tells you how much your tyre is worn.

DRIVING:Avoid speeding if you want to increase the life of your tyres. Excessive heat is generated while driving at high speeds, increasing the rate of wear, and reducing its durability. Avoid fast turns on curves, fast starts and sudden braking.

INFLATION : Always use the air pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. You can find the proper tyre inflation level in your owner’s manual, posted on the edge of the driver’s door, on a door post or on the inside of the glove box door. Remember to check your air pressure when the tyres are cold. Don’t have time to go to the garage all the time? Keep a good pressure gauge handy. Also, it is very important to remember not to try any stunts and try to repair tyres yourself. It takes a trained professional to determine if your flat tyre is safe to repair. When a tyre loses its air pressure, it must be removed from the wheel for a complete internal inspection. Tyres driven a short distance while flat can be damaged beyond repair. Most punctures smaller than ¼"and confined to the tread area can be repaired by trained personnel using industry approved methods. Tyres with punctures on the sidewall or tyres worn below 1/ 16" can not be repaired.

ROTATION :Regular and proper tyre rotation promotes uniform wear. Tyres should be rotated in a"modified X" pattern, meaning only the tyres being moved to the drive axle are crossed to the opposite side of the vehicle. The remaining two tyres are moved from the drive axle to the free rolling axle, remaining on the same side of the vehicle. This method of rotation helps promote even and uniform tread wear pattern for all four tyres. These should be rotated at least every about 10,000 kms. It is a good idea to rotate four- wheel drive vehicles every 6,000 kms. Check your vehicle manual for information.

Audi: no city car, but more Q5s

Audi has no plans to introduce a car smaller than next year's A1 supermini, says CEO Rupert Stadler.

That means it won't be joining Seat and Skoda in borrowing the rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive city car platform that VW is developing.

The chassis has been doing the rounds of recent motor shows, in the guise of the VW Up!.

Stadler also said the company won't be looking to build anything more niche or extreme than the R8 supercar that has given the likes of Porsche, Aston Martin and Maserati a wake-up call.

However, he would like to see the Q5 family of compact 4x4s enlarged, which he thinks would be 'a very sensible step', and said he would 'not be against' a high-performance Q5, badged S or RS.

It's unlikely there will be a convertible Q5 like the concept car shown at the Los Angeles motor show last November, though.

'We got positive feedback from that car, but not enough to make us say "let's start it",' he said. 'There would not be sufficient markets interested in taking it.

'I have driven a development model and it feels very different to be sat so high up with the roof open, but it would be too much of a niche car.'

Safe Driving Tips

• Do not change lanes suddenly while driving. Use your indicators to show your fellow motorists that you wish to change lanes or take a turn as the case may be. If for any reason your indicator lights are not working please use hand signals.

• If your vehicle brakes down use help and push the same to the corner of the road so as not to obstruct traffic. Use the hazard warning lights to indicate a brake-down.
  

• Do not leave the keys hanging in the ignition switch if the driver of the vehicle is not in place. ( specially if children are in the vehicle) Always keep safe distance from the vehicle ahead of you to enable you to stop in time if urgent braking is required.

• Ensure no object that you may be carrying is kept loose or unsecured. In an accident or in urgent braking the same may hurt yourself or some pedestrian.
  

• If the vehicle is parked ensure that the hand brake is drawn and the vehicle is in gear to avoid any untoward mishap.
  

• Always ensure that you give right of way to an Ambulance. Please understand that there may be a patient in the vehicle to whom even a minute's difference would mean the difference between life and death. Also the same would apply in the case of the fire brigade.
  

• While travelling, both in the city and on the highway avoid using the High Beam of your headlights if other vehicles are approaching from the opposite side.
  

• Always ensure all the indicator lights and the operating gear of the same is operational. Pay attention to brake lights and headlights.
  

• If you are about to overtake or in the middle of an overtake on a two-laned national highway or a narrow road, indicate to the approaching vehicle with two to three flickers of the headlight, be it daytime or night to let him know of your intended maneuver. If in such a case the approaching vehicle flickers back, don’t overtake. This means he is too close to you for safely carrying out the overtake.
  

• Always obey traffic rules and signals. They are for the benefit of both yourself and your fellow motorists. Also by obeying the rules you will ensure safety and avoid confusion.
  

• Do not use a mobile phone while driving your vehicle, it is dangerous for both yourself and others. If you must speak on the mobile pull over to the side of the road and stop. Or have a hands free attachment that comes on automatically and switches off too.

Fuel Saving Tips

• Ensure that Tyre pressures are maintained as per manufacturer specifications. Over or under inflated tyres would mean better mileage or better handling respectively but will drastically reduce the Tyre life.
• Adjust Tyre pressure when the Tyre is hot, i.e when the vehicle has run for 15 to 20 km. Hot air expands if Tyre pressure is regulated, when cold you will mostly have excess air in the tyres.
  
• Try to fill fuel in the mornings, as specific gravity of fuel is high in the morning.
  
• Try to keep the fuel tank above the half mark in city driving conditions so that a proper pressure is maintained. Also this will ensure that the fuel lines are always clean and are not clogged by the gum like residue of slow flowing fuel. The Fuel tank too will not catch rust.
• Get the vehicle serviced at regular intervals from authorized service centers to ensure that the vehicle is in proper tune at all times.
  
• Use recommended fuel additives to keep the fuel system clean. (Please note these additives have recommended instructions and applications.)
• Higher octane fuels as X-tra Premium (91 octane), Speed 93 and Power 93 (both 93 octane) are recommended for cars with engines having higher compression ratios, viz., C segment and above. This results in improved mileage as well as enhanced performance. No additives need be used with these fuels.
  
• Drive your vehicle smoothly and avoid sudden acceleration or braking. Anticipate stops to avoid harsh braking.
• Try shifting to higher gears at lower speeds, especially in city driving to get the maximum mileage out of your car. Ideally, one should be in 5th gear or the highest possible gear at speeds above 50-60 km/h.
• Switch off your vehicle if you need to stop for more than three minutes.
  
• Avoid clutch riding i.e. make sure that your foot is not resting on the clutch pedal while driving. Clutch driving will reduce clutch life and mileage.
  
• While cruising at high speeds, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal just enough to maintain the speed while not keeping the accelerator pedal on the floor. This will ensure that excess fuel is not being burnt unnecessarily.

Car-mania continues despite inflation

HYUNDAI Motor India Ltd (HMIL) on Monday reported a34 per cent increase in domestic car sales during June at 21,881 units while the country’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki recorded a flat growth of 0.7 per cent selling 56,411 units during the month. SUV maker Mahindra &Mahindra (M& M), which markets diesel- run vehicles, recorded an eight per cent growth during the month. Hyundai did well with its i10 and Santro, while Maruti Suzuki notched up a high growth of 48 per cent in the A3 segment with its Swift Dzire and Sx4 models, selling as many as 5,807 units during the month, compared to 3,923 units in June last year. Inclusive of exports, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd reported a slightly higher growth of 2.22 per cent rise in total vehicle sales during June at 61,247 units, compared to 59,917 units in the same month last year.

In the A2 segment, comprising Alto, Zen Estillo, Wagon R and Swift, the company registered a marginal growth of 0.3 per cent at 37,767 units, against 37,646 units in the same month last year. Its M800 model recorded 13.73 per Maruti Suzuki’s sales grew 48 per cent year- on- year cent decline at 5,361 units in June, compared to 6,214 units during the corresponding month last year. Exports during the month stood at 4,836 units compared to 3,917 units in the same month last year, up 23.5 per cent. Hyundai’s overall sales, including exports, were up 45.3 per cent at 40,182 units during June compared to 27,653 units in the same month a year ago, said a company statement. Its exports for the month rose to 18,301 units, against 11,318 units during the same month of the previous year. HMIL sold 33,859 units of hatchbacks Santro, Getz and i10, 6,272 units of Accent and Verna, 47 units of Sonata Embera and four units of its SUV Tucson in June. “At a time when the industry is already under tremendous pressure because of higher interest rates, rise in fuel costs and rising inflation, it is indeed heartening to see that Hyundai products continue to be an affordable and attractive buy for most car buyers,’’ the company’s vice- president Arvind Saxena said.

The company’s i10 has done well and it has sold over 1,00,000 units in less than six months since its launch, he added. Mahindra &Mahindra said its domestic sales in June went up by 8.17 per cent to 18,179 units, against 16,805 units it sold in the same month last year. Its total sales, including exports, grew 8.78 per cent to 19,371 vehicles, compared to 17,807 units in the corresponding period last year, the company said in a statement.