Citroen Survolt Electric Car

There are no gears - you simply push the accelerator and away you go in one constant, addictive, thrust of torque. 0-62mph is over and done with with in just under 5.0 seconds. Because there are no gearchanges to interrupt the power, you feel like you could keep accelerating forever. Not that we can do that today - this exact car, the only one in the world and valued at £1,500,000, is the star of Citroen's stand at the Paris Motor Show in two weeks. No pressure then.

Especially as there's none of the normal engine braking you get in an ordinary car. Lift off and you've only got the wind resistance slowing you down - you can't heel and toe down the gearbox, there's just the firm brake pedal. Incidentally, this needs to be pressed with your left foot because the cabin is so tight there's no room to drag your right foot across. Like a go-kart. 

The second thing that strikes me is the amount of noise there is in the cabin. Sure, from the outside, the Survolt simply whirrs past, but from inside there's a real turbine whine from the gearbox.

BMW I3 Concept

The much publicized BMW i3 will make its public debut on July 29th and the world premier will be staged in New York, London and Beijing simultaneously. Germany will be the first car markety to get the i3, where it will go on sale for a starting price of EUR 34,950 (approx INR 27.51 lakhs) only.

BMW says that the i3 deserves the tagline of “Sheer Driving Pleasure” and the car’s good ride and handling characteristics are owing to the 50:50 weight distribution and a rear-wheel drive layout. As per BMW, the electric engine’s placement on the rear axle is responsible for offering “unbeatable traction” and optimum maneuverability. The upcoming BMW i3 has a turning circle of just 9.86 meters.

The i3 comes with a single-pedal control system, which means recuperation mode is activated as the the accelerator is pressed. The 168hp electric motor gets into generator mode (from drive mode) and starts pumping power into the lithium-ion battery, along with producing a “precisely controllable braking effect”.

The BMW i3 is equipped with systems such as the Driving Assistant Plus, Parking Assistant, a rear view camera and Speed Limit Info. The car’s battery can be replenished using either a BMW-supplied wall-box or a conventional domestic power socket.

A full charge of the battery takes around 8 hours using the omestic socket. The battery can also be charged up to 80 percent capacity in less than 30 minutes using the 50kW fast charger.

Honda NSX Prototype

Japanese auto giant Honda recently released the first image of the prototype version of its new 2016 Honda NSX supercar.

The Honda NSX prototype will be seen making its public debut at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course race circuit in Ohio on August 4th. Ohio is also the state where the car is being developed by Honda North America. Not just this, the car will also be produced in Ohio. The new Honda NSX will go on sale in 2015.

Regulars here would remember that we have reported a fair bit about the Honda NSX concept, which was unveiled at the Detroit motor show in 2012. The concept model got some revisions in January this year and now, it has emerged that the production spec 2016 Honda NSX would sport the concept model’s Sport Hybrid SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) system. The design and proportions of the concept model will also be seen on the production model.

The Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system consists of a mid-mounted V6 petrol engine mated to an electric motor. The powertrain sends power to the rear wheels via seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The twin electric motors on the front wheels contribute in making the NSX all-wheel drive.

The SH-AWD system will have a combined power output of 400bhp and thanks to the torque from the three electric motors, the car will have supercar challenging acceleration.

Volkswagen's Bentley to build world's most expensive SUV

Germany's Volkswagen gave its ultra-luxury Bentley division the nod to build its first sport-utility vehicle, venturing beyond its speciality of sleek, growling road cars in a move that could unsettle automobile purists. The new model, billed as the world's most expensive SUV, will go on sale in 2016, VW said on Tuesday. The project will create over 1,000 jobs in the UK, Europe's second-largest auto market, and require over 800 million pounds ($1.23 billion) of investment over the next three years.

Crewe, England-based Bentley aims to replicate the success that Porsche has had with the Cayenne SUV, which was launched over a decade ago and now accounts for half the sports-car maker's global sales. The push towards off-roaders is aimed at boosting profitability at Bentley, which accounted for no more than 1 percent of the VW group's first-quarter earnings of 2.34 billion euros ($3.09 billion). "SUVs continue to be in high demand and Porsche has shown that plush sport-utility vehicles have great potential," said Frankfurt-based Equinet AG analyst Tim Schuldt. But the Bentley SUV may face competition from VW stable mate Lamborghini, which recently won the backing of parent Audi to launch the Urus SUV in 2017, Maserati's Jeep-based Kubang and Land Rover's Range Rover Sport, analysts said.

The moves by Bentley and Lamborghini have dismayed some automobile fans, who fear that the push into four-by-fours betrays their history and will dilute the brands' exclusivity. Bentley is known for sleek models with a racing pedigree. Its redesigned Flying Spur has a 6-litre, 12-cylinder engine generating 616 horsepower and a top speed of 200 miles per hour.

$40 Million Bugatti World's Costliest Car

The world's most expensive car belongs to a 1938 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic sold in 2010

Suzuki WagonR Stingray Launching soon in India

The Stingray, first seen in February 2007, was a sportier version of the third generation Suzuki Wagon R. In addition to a more aggressive front end treatment, the Stingray also received clear taillights. Alloy wheels and an aero kit were also standard.

2014 Honda Jazz (2014 Honda Fit) Sport Hybrid

This is the new Honda Jazz, which will make its comeback to India sometime in mid-2014. The Jazz was always a great hatchback; in fact, we rated it as the best in its class. But it was let down by its price tag, and even a steep price cut didn’t help boost sales, forcing Honda to discontinue the model. However, with this new Jazz, Honda is looking to correct that. The new Jazz will come powered by the 1.5-litre i-DTEC ‘Earth Dreams’ diesel engine as well as a 1.2-litre petrol engine. It maintains the basic quasi-MPV-hatch proportions of the earlier car.

The car you see here is the hybrid model powered by Honda’s 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle engine and Honda’s Sport Hybrid Intelligent Dual Clutch Drive (i-DCD) gearbox that supposedly improves the car’s fuel efficiency by more than 35 percent and also features the best fuel economy of all the hybrid models in Japan. But, we doubt this engine and gearbox combo will make it to India. The conventional car will have subtle differences in styling such as differently designed wheels and tail-lamps.The car’s grille now sports more aggressive, almost Civic-like, headlamps and a sleeker grille as well. The new bumper is dominated by large air-vents which add to the sporty appearance of the front, and on the side, there’s a prominent rising beltline, not on the previous car, which flows neatly into the new tail-lamps. The headlamps come with metallic inserts. And there are turn indicators on the wing mirrors as well. The Jazz has always come with a spacious and extremely practical cabin, and this is a trait that will definitely be maintained.

Honda will produce the car at its Tapukara plant, using a large amount of content locally to keep costs down. And since the Jazz shares its platform with the new City (due here in early 2014), it will definitely be more affordable than the earlier car. Honda doesn’t want to go and make that mistake again. The new Jazz’s wheelbase has increased by approximately 50mm (resulting in better rear legroom) but we expect the overall length to stay similar to that of the older car. The older car measured in at 3900mm and if Honda sticks to its sub-four-metre length, the Jazz, with its 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine, will fall under the definition of a small car, making it eligible for an excise benefit. Honda was rumoured to be losing money on the earlier Jazz, leading to fewer models being produced than demand for the car, which meant long waiting periods and irate customers. Another factor was the introduction of the Amaze. Honda was anticipating huge demand for its Amaze compact saloon, and needed to concentrate its available resources towards the Amaze.

So, when the new Jazz does make its way here in 2014, it will be interesting to see where Honda positions it. Our sources say that it will slot right in between the Brio and the Amaze, which could possibly play in the Jazz’s favour. Good news for Honda Jazz fans in India.

2014 4x4 Suzuki Swift Facelift Revealed

Not much change has been made to the original Swift design except for a few changes to its exteriors and interiors.The changes in the exterior design consist of a high mounted LED stoplight. The car, which will be powered by the same 1.2-litre K-Series petrol engine and 1.3-Litre DDIS diesel engine, packs redesigned seat fabrics and six airbags.The Swift has been a global success and Suzuki really doesn’t need to mess with the already brilliant vehicle. So when it came to facelifting the Swift, Suzuki took a leaf out of Hyundai’s upgrade book.

No, Hyundai has never done such a minor facelift to any of its vehicle. However if you remember, last year the Korean automaker gave the i20 LED day time running lights. Looks like Suzuki has copied the same thing. We know DRLs are not a big deal and everyone does it nowadays but the location of the L-shaped LEDs on the 2014 Suzuki Swift is identical to the ones seen on the Hyundai i20, which is around the fog lamps. Positioning LEDs on the lower side of the bumper doesn’t really serve the purpose of having them in the first place.

Maruti Swift has been a successful endeavor in the Indian market since its launch in 2011. According to the company, the Swift and Dzire models contribute to over 40-50 percent of the company's total sales. Although the car lost its hot seller tag recently to Honda's Amaze, Swift model continues to draw accolades from various corners. Indian market is likely to get 2014 Maruti Suzuki Swift Facelift sometime in October..

Datsun India plans

It marks a significant milestone and a new chapter in the history of this legendary brand aimed for high-growth markets like India, Indonesia and Russia in 2014, to be followed by South Africa later in the year. Although Datsun models will be individually developed for different markets, the concept will follow a common inspiration. All future Datsun models will offer up-and-coming customers in high-growth markets an engaging driving experience, peace of mind ownership and accessibility at the right and transparent price. Datsun has unveiled its first new generation car called the GO on July 15, 2013, in Delhi. The five-door hatchback is expected to be priced under Rs 4 lakh when it goes on sale in India early 2014 

EXPECTED PRICE

Rs. 3,50,000 - Rs. 4,50,000

* Delhi. 

May vary.

Fast Facts

• Nissan launched the ‘Datsun’ brand in India on 15th July, 2013
• Datsun is the third Nissan Motor Company’s Brand
• Datsun stands for Dream Access and Trust (D.A.T)
• Datsun unveiled their 1st car in New Delhi, India
• Datsun GO is the first Datsun car for 21st Century
• Based on the platform of Nissan Micra
• GO has been locally developed in India
• It will be manufactured in India
• Expected to be launched in India by 2014
• Will also be launched in Indonesia, Russia and South Africa
• Will be powered by same engine which powers the Nissan Micra
• 1.2-litre petrol engine generates maximum power of 75 bhp with maximum torque of 104 nm
• The base variant of Datsun GO is expected to be priced under INR 4 lakhs