Skoda Rapid Complete Review

Skoda India has started the much-awaited C+ segment sedan ‘Rapid’, which will be man-made in the same plant (Chakan, Pune) where Vento is also manufactured. Skoda Rapid is based on the policy of Vento and shares most of the parts with it including the engine, gearbox and suspension.

Originally, it was expected that it will be sold as Rapid, then there were rumours that it will be christened 'Lauretta' but Skoda Auto India has again surprised everybody that finally their all-new entry level sedan will be sold as 'Rapid' in India. It is powered by same petrol and diesel engine which are doing duty under the hood of Volkswagen Vento. Skoda Auto recently changed the variant names of Fabia and Laura (Classic to Active and Ambiente to Ambition); Rapid will also bears new variant name: Rapid Active, Rapid Ambition and Rapid Elegance. Skoda Rapid gets design cues from the Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Vento, it was expected that it will be based on the MissionL design concept displayed the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, but to keep the costs down Skoda Auto has kept the design very basic and familiar. It will compete with the likes of Honda City, Volkswagen Vento, New Hyundai Verna, New Ford Fiesta, Chevrolet Aveo, Fiat Linea and Tata Indigo Manza.

“SKODA Auto India marks a crucial milestone in India with the launch of Rapid. We intend to strengthen our presence in the highly competitive C segment in the country with this launch. We are confident that this car will become the cornerstone for the SKODA brand in India. It‟s distinctly fresh, young, smart and clear-cut design makes Rapid a well-balanced car and therefore successfully fills the gap between SKODA Fabia and the current Laura”, Mr. Thomas Kuehl, Member of the Board & Director, Sales & Marketing, SKODA Auto India commented. With the central philosophy of “Clever engineering with a human touch” and the attitude of “Listen closely to customers’ wishes”, SKODA also unveiled its new corporate identity with a young, fresh and precise logo in India.

Mr. Thomas Kuehl further added, “The Rapid is positioned as a family car, compact enough for the city and spacious enough for longer trips. Our plans for the Rapid in India are fairly ambitious, given that we expect it to become the bestselling car in our model line-up in India, in the near future. We aim to penetrate in the competitive C segment and have an advantage over our competitors with our high quality design and unique features for the Indian market.”

Fast Facts about Skoda Rapid

- Skoda Rapid will be available in both petrol and diesel
- The main rival cars are Volkswagen Vento, Honda City, Fiat Linea, New Hyundai Verna Fluidic, New Ford Fiesta and Nissan Sunny
- Base model of Rapid petrol priced at Rs. 6.75 lakhs (ex-showroom New Delhi)
- Base model of Rapid diesel is priced at Rs. 7.96 lakhs (ex-showroom New Delhi)
- Is based on the platform of Vento and shares most of the parts with it including the engine, gearbox and suspension.
- Petrol engine is 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve - 105 Bhp power and 153 Nm torque
- Diesel engine is 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve - 105 Bhp power and 250 Nm torque
- Is available in eight variants: Active petrol, Ambition petrol, Elegance petrol, Ambition automatic, Elegance automatic, Active diesel, Ambition diesel and Elegance Diesel
- Available in five attractive shades: Deep Black, Candy White, Flash Red, Brilliant Silver and Cappuccino Beige
- Feature dual SRS airbags and ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)

Design and Interiors of Skoda Rapid

Skoda Rapid is based on the platform of Vento and shares most of the parts with it including the doors, windows and 90 percent of the interiors are same. Previously it was expected that it will feature latest design philosophy of Skoda Auto, which the company displayed at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show (MissonL Concept). The front is quite familiar featuring same style for the grille and headlamps like we have seen on Skoda Fabia. The side profile is similar to the Vento but the rear is altogether different with new design for boot and tail lamps. The interiors same like Vento; everything is same except the steering wheel and music system, the fit and finish is up to the mark. The top-of-the-line Rapid variant features power windows, power steering, 2-DIN music system with AUX-in and USB port, automatic climate control system, remote central locking, height adjustment for driver's seat, electric adjustment for the outside rear-view mirrors, alloy wheel, front and rear fog lamps, dual SRS airbags and ABS.

Price of Skoda Rapid

- Skoda Rapid Petrol Active - Rs. 6,75,000
- Skoda Rapid Petrol Ambition - Rs. 7,09,000
- Skoda Rapid Petrol Elegance - Rs. 7,99,000

- Skoda Rapid Petrol Ambition Automatic – Rs. 8,09,000
- Skoda Rapid Petrol Elegance Automatic – Rs. 8,99,000

- Skoda Rapid Diesel Active - Rs. 7,96,000
- Skoda Rapid Diesel Ambition - Rs. 8,29,000
- Skoda Rapid Diesel Elegance - Rs. 9,19,000

Skoda Rapid is priced very competitively at Rs. 6.75 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base petrol model and Rs. 7.96 lakhs (ex-showroom) for the base model of diesel. It is expected that at these prices Skoda Rapid will outsell Volkswagen Vento, Fiat Linea, New Ford Fiesta and Nissan Sunny.

Engine Options of Skoda Rapid

- Petrol engine - 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve - 105 Bhp power and 153 Nm torque
- Diesel engine - 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve - 105 Bhp power and 250 Nm torque

Skoda Rapid is powered by same engines which power the Volkswagen Vento - the diesel engine which is 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve which develops 105 bhp and 250 Nm of torque. The petrol engine is 1598cc, 4 Cylinder, 8 Valve which develop 105 bhp and 153 Nm of torque. It is expected that both the engines will be more fuel efficient than Vento because Skoda has fine-tuned them and the weight of Rapid is less in comparison to Volkswagen Vento. The Ambition and Elegance variants of Rapid petrol have option of automatic gearbox.

Shades of Skoda Rapid

Skoda Rapid is available in five shades:

- Deep Black
- Candy White
- Flash Red
- Brilliant Silver
- Cappuccino Beige

Variants of Skoda Rapid

Skoda Rapid is available in eight variants:

- Skoda Rapid Petrol Active
- Skoda Rapid Petrol Ambition
- Skoda Rapid Petrol Elegance

- Skoda Rapid Petrol Ambition Automatic
- Skoda Rapid Petrol Elegance Automatic

- Skoda Rapid Diesel Active
- Skoda Rapid Diesel Ambition
- Skoda Rapid Diesel Elegance

Skoda Rapid is available in eight variants, the base variant (Active) will feature power windows, power steering, remote central locking, manual air-conditioner, rear defogger, steering adjustment, height adjustable driver's seat, designer wheel covers and single DIN music system. In addition to the above-mentioned features, the top-model of Rapid features 2-DIN music system with AUX-in and USB port, alloy wheels, fog lights, automatic climate control system, ABS and dual SRS airbags.

Safety Features of Skoda Rapid

- Dual SRS airbags
- ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)

The top variant of Skoda Rapid features Dual SRS airbags and ABS (Anti-lock Braking System).

Thanks:autos.maxabout.com

Giant Trucks World’s Five Heaviest And Biggest Trucks

The image of the giant truck in the Used Dump Trucks Info Sources article is once that catches the eye of any truck enthusiasts and seems to be a preferred amongst guests to Mack Dump truck. So I did a little research on about the giant trucks and thought to share some interesting facts about the giant trucks here considering they are also a kind of dump truck.

The giant trucks or the world’s biggest and heaviest trucks are classed as ultra class haul trucks. Amongst them the biggest, heaviest trucks are the Liebherr T282B mining truck made by Liebherr, the Terex 33-19 “Titan” by branch of General Motors in US, the Bucyrus MT6300AC truck, the Komatsu 960E-1 and the 797E Caterpillar trucks.

The Most well known these giant trucks is perhaps the giant Liebherr T282B truck you see in the picture here and likely have seen aired on TV documentaries and newspapers being used in coal and copper open pit mines across the world. They weigh an impressive 224 tons even without any payload. Size wise they are 47 feet long and above all 24 foot 3 inches tall! They can carry loads of up to 365 tonnes! Together with payload and truck weight a combined the truck can move with a load of nearly 570 tonnes. Compare that tonnage to your average normal dump truck’s load!

However, though giant trucks look like a hug dump truck and does the work of a dump truck, due the size and weight the internal operations, mechanics and engineering from driving and breaking systems to AC electric powered motors that turn the monstrous 12 foot tall wheels and so on are very different from normal dump trucks or any other trucks.

This T282B Liebherr truck which you see in the pictures here costs US $3million. It’s can carry 360 tonnes at a speed of 64 kph. It has a 2723-kilowatt diesel engine which powers two electric motors, making this the T 282 B truck also the biggest AC drive truck to-date.

The Terex 33-19 “Titan” truck you see in the above picture is arguably the biggest dump truck in the world! Unfortunately this metal Terex dinosaur was a prototype, there was only one ever built by Terex, a division of General Motors. Now the only one of its kind truck is in display in Canada after 13 years of service local mine. The Terex Titan truck has three axles and a diesel/AC electric powertrain haul truck design.

In addition to these there are also the Bucyrus MT6300AC, Komatsu 960E-1 and Caterpillar 797F which though not big as the Terex 33-19 Titan truck or the Liebherr giant trucks, they can nevertheless carry more than 350 tonnes and you won’t be able to touch the top of their tires even if you stand on toes and stretch your hands to the tips.

Thanks: mackdumptruck.net

Mahindra XUV 500 Review

Mahindra’s 1st global SUV platform is here. Designed with inputs from customers across the world, it is unmatched in terms of style, performance, technology, safety and comfort – a truly complete driving experience.

Bold lines outline the chiselled, aerodynamic body of the XUV500 with static-bending projector headlamps, LED parking lamps and racing-inspired twin exhaust give the vehicle both a ferocious and sophisticated look, making it a striking presence on road.

Mahindra seems to have decided to grab the attention of the entire nation with its new SUV- XUV 500. With this move, the undoubted king of the SUVs in India achieves the famous five figures.

It was originally code named as W201, and then received the name XUV 500 recently before its launch on 29 Sept, 2011.

The external Look

As far as the looks are anxious, it looks enormous with big front grille that’s dominated by the brand’s logo at the center. It brings in the goodness of luxury segment contenders like SUVs like the Honda CR-V & Hyundai Santa-Fe at a really modest price of under 15lakhs.

The mesh type look behind front grille and in between the front bumper doesn’t give premium or up-market look to the SUV. But, M&M has managed to come up with a really wide and huge SUV.

The fog lights, tail-and-headlights features clear lens for clear and bright view. Its huge wheel gives rugged and macho look that is further enhanced by wider 17-in alloy wheels.

In the interior

If you step inside the 500 XUV, you’ll understand that there’s something extraordinary in place inside it. Seven passengers can be accommodated comfortably in its interior.

The dash, housing a long middle console, grabs the attention of the person entering XUV 500. Central console houses six-in touchscreen color/monochrome display and there are 2 AC vents on central console, and smaller ones on the side.

The dash, housing a long central console, grabs the attention of the person entering XUV 500. Central console houses six-in touchscreen color/monochrome display and there are 2 AC vents on central console, and smaller ones on the side.

Comparing XUV500 with Toyota Innova

It is true that Indian patrons have been getting fairly reasonably priced small diesel cars when compared to massive SUVs, but it is also a fact that utility vehicles are having the engagements of true SUV lovers who can easily afford massive wheels.

Taking presentation into consideration, the close rival of XUV500 will be Toyota Innova as it comes with 2KD-FTV diesel turbocharger unit, delivering 102PS and 200Nm.

We can’t expect high fuel economy ratings from both as they are SUVs; the average gas mileage ratings of XUV500 and Innova are 11.5km/l and 10.2km/l respectively.

Talking about Innova, it is very reliable as it comes from the quality-conscious Toyota. If you are going to add an SUV to your auto collection, the new XUV500 is the best choice to entertain your adventurous legs with sporty and speedy drive along with essential safety attributes to make your journey safe.

Pricing

The base MSRP of the XUV500 W6 is Rs 10.8 lakhs, and the price of W8 2WD and W8 4WD is Rs 11.95 lakhs and 12.88 lakhs correspondingly.

Thanks:

mahindra-xuv500.org

mahindra.com/What-We-Do/

carsingh.com/new/

Red Bull launch new RB8 car for 2012

Red Bull has unveiled their new car for the approaching period, to be driven by world champion Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber.

Vettel, a two-time champion, praised the RB8 as "extremely comfortable".

Red Bull admitted that some of the 2012 design regulations mean the latest model of car could be described as "uglylooking".

Rivals Sauber and Toro Rosso have also revealed their cars ahead of the season opener in Melbourne on 18 March.

Designer Adrian Newey, speaking at the car launch in Milton Keynes, described the latest innovations and modifications.

"We've kept more or less the same chassis shape, but had to drop the nose just in front of the front bulkhead which, in common with many other teams, has led us to a slightly ugly looking nose.

"We've tried to style it as best we can, but it's not a feature you would choose to put in were it not for the regulation."

Red Bull came into last season as reigning drivers' and constructors' champions and have now added the extra dimension of improved reliability.

Thanks: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport

CORE Bike 2012 - Kinesis Racelight T2, Decade Tripster, Speedfill, Oval and Green Oil

There was a lot going on at the improve Bikes stand at CORE, as there always is. Peak of our list of things to see was the Kinesis Racelight T2 in a new come-and-get-me-on-cyclescheme build that gives you an excellent and reliable spec at a pound under the £1k mark.

If you're not familiar with the T2 then it's a proper winter training bike. That means a racy position but enough room to get a 25mm tyre plus mudguards. In fact, Dom the designer reckons you can even squeeze a 28mm under the 'guards if you like the really filthy conditions. The alloy frame is complemented by Kinesis' own DC07 carbon fork.

Transmission duties are taken care of by Shimano's new Tiagra 10-speed groupset. You get full Tiagra, save for the brake callipers which are subbed out for long-drops to give enough room for the mudguards. Wheels are ever-dependable Shimano R500s and Kenda Kriterium 25mm rubber is the standard issue.

All in all it looks like more or less the ideal winter trainer, and rack mounts mean you can press it into service as a commu-tourer too. We'll be getting one in to thrash about in the late winter grime, so we'll let you know how we get on with that

Thanks: http://road.cc/content/news