Namaste BS7

Namaste BS 7: What does it mean for you?

You pave, we follow. Colonialism has given us aplenty to develop and prosper as a country. That’s not to demean our countrymen, its leaders and formulators. A little helping hand, guidance or following a formula with suitable adaptations for the application is no bad thing, right? After the end of colonialism British legislations served as blueprints to make our own legislations for sovereign India. Likewise European Emission Standards have always served as a paradigm for our own Bharat Stage Emission Standards (BSES) ever since they both came into existence, precisely in the years 1992 and 2000, respectively. 

First up, a bit of introduction and history – What is Bharat Stage Emission Standards or BS Norms, as it is popularly referred to? BS norms are basically emission standards stipulated and instituted by the Central Government of India to keep a watchful and stern eye on output of air pollution from compression, internal combustion and spark ignition engines & equipment. The standards are adapted from the corresponding EURO norms and set by the Central Pollution Control Board of India. BS norms in India were first introduced in the year 2000, and progressively the norms were made more stringent following close on the heels of ever-evolving EURO norms. In October 2010 BS Stage 3 norms were implemented across the country, while only 13 major cities were to comply with BS Stage 4 norms from April 2010. Rest of the country followed suit for BS 4 norms in April 2017. In 2016, India took a bold decision of skipping BS 5 norms altogether and leapfrogging to BS 6 norms from 2020. It was a huge step, because it meant all stakeholders, not just auto makers but also ancillary industries went into a flurry. It meant huge investments in research & development of BS 6 compliant everything, including fuels.

Up until now BS norms keep a check on hydrocarbons (HC), oxides of Carbon (COx), oxides of Nitrogen (NOx), Sulphur from fuels, particulate matter (PM) form the tailpipes. 

For reference, below is the tabulation of maximum allowed emission of the above mentioned pollutants under BS 4 and BS 6 norms:

                             BS4 Petrol BS4 Diesel BS6 Petrol BS6 Diesel

CO (in mg/km): 1000 500 1000 500

HC (in mg/km): 100 300 100 170

NO (in mg/km): 80 250 60 80

PM (in mg/km): NA 25 4.5 4.5

The new standards on the above mentioned major pollutants have not been exactly decided upon yet, but last year in a closed door meeting with his technical committee, our Honourable Union Minister for Highways and Motor Transport, Mr. Nitin Gadkari urged automakers and all stake holders to start working on BS7 norms proactively, for a projected implementation by 2027 and not wait for the proverbial stick from the government. Historically, the industry has resisted every new stage because a new stage means huge costs in R&D, infrastructure, axing of some existing models of cars and motorcycles which are still profitable but it is not feasible enough to grant an upgrade to new norms, desperate & discounted sale of inventory not complying with new norms before the implementation deadline.

What to expect from BS7

Since the new standards of the major pollutants have not yet been decided upon, we will have to delve into the proposed EURO 7 norms, which will lend us a picture of what can be expected from BS7. The new BS7 norms will ensure cleaner vehicles on our roads and improved air quality vis-à-vis the current BS6 standards. The new norms are expected to make cars, vans, trucks & buses run much cleaner in “real driving conditions” that better reflect the situation in cities where air pollution problems are the largest. 

In case you are wondering why “real driving conditions” has been highlighted in quotes, I would like to take a short detour and shed some light on the Volkswagen Audi Group (VAG) emissions scandal that rocked the global automotive world in 2015. Infamously known as “Dieselgate” and “Emissiongate”, what VAG did was – they installed a pre-programmed chip in their diesel cars which detected when the cars were going through a check in a laboratory and upon detecting such conditions it would automatically bring down the emissions to the permissible levels. Whereas out in the real world driving conditions the NOx levels were found to be 40 times higher. VAG had deployed this chip in about 11 million cars worldwide in model years 2009 through 2015.

Coming back to BS7/EURO7 – it is expected to ensure reduction in pollutant emission in real world driving conditions, while also using digital technologies to better use (than what VAG did). All vehicles will need to comply with the rules for a more sustained period. Compliance for cars and vans will be checked until these vehicles reach 200000 kms and 10 years of age under EURO7. This doubles the durability requirements existing under EURO6 rules which were 100000 kms and 5 years of age. Similar increase is expected for buses and lorries as well. Since EURO7 is adopting this, we can expect increase in limits back home in our country too.

A dramatic change is not expected as far as emissions from the tailpipe are concerned, because we have almost maxed it out. Broadening the range of driving conditions that are covered by the on-road emissions tests is definitely on the cards. These will now better reflect the range of conditions that vehicles can experience. However, there are certain new things expected this time around other than exhaust emissions.

Regulation on emissions from brakes and tyres. Yes, you read that right. Have you noticed a black soot like deposition on your rims, especially light coloured ones, after longer drives. That is brake dust. The new norms look forward to reduce brake dust, which are ultimately let loose in the air we breathe and on the road. New cladding technologies make it possible to manufacture low-wear brake discs. Today’s grey cast iron brake discs, in spite of good service lives, are subject to wear and tear and need to be replaced multiple times during the life of a vehicle. Cladding with laser technology enables the production of low-wear brake disc. The inexpensive base material can still be retained, but decisive parameters can be optimised by a powder based additional layer which can be welded on by means of a high power diode laser, in addition to a layer of tungsten carbide. Similarly a regulation will be applied to the emission of micro-plastics from the current tyres. Research & development of newer compounds for manufacturing of such tyres must be paved.

BS7 will also see an uptake of electric vehicles too. The new rules will regulate the durability of batteries installed in vehicles in order to increase buyers’ confidence in EVs. This will also help in reduction of need of replacing batteries early in the life of a vehicle, thus reducing the need for new critical raw materials required to produce batteries.

The new norms will also look forward to make full use of digital possibilities. It will also ensure that vehicles are not tampered with (as in the VAG Dieselgate) and emissions can be controlled by the authorities in an easy way, by using sensors inside the vehicle to measure emissions throughout the lifetime of the vehicle. Basically a more advanced version of what was deployed and phase 2 of the BS6 norms.

The new BS7 norms will aim to be “Fuel Neutral”. What that means is – irrespective of what fuel is used for the propulsion of the vehicle, the emission standards will remain the same. There will be no different standards for petrol, diesel, CNG, LPG or even battery operated vehicles for that matter.

Last, but not the least – Fumes from petrol, diesel, CNG, LPG during refueling of vehicles will also need to be kept under check. Measures will be taken to minimize the fumes, which are a potential health hazard too. On a lighter note – this reminds me of, how many of us, as children would enjoy the smell of petrol at gas stations. Our future generation won’t have any more of that experience. 

Footnotes for the car enthusiasts;

Yes, your new BS7 car will feel more choked and wheezier as compared to BS6. As your BS6 car felt compared to your BS4 car. As your BS4 car felt compared to your BS3 car. And so on. Yes, throttling of the performance of our beloved toys is saddening. But think of it this way – do we want to have all the fun and leave the earth in a sorry state or do we want our future generations to also experience and know the joys of driving, especially internal combustion engines, for the time to come? It is a small price to pay. At least we get to keep cars longer.

Electric Vehicles

EV (Electric Vehicle), 

My worse nightmare. The simplest way to define EV is – a vehicle driven by an electric motor powered electrically by a battery on-board. Most of the mainstream EVs’ power is channelled via a single speed transmission, so gear changes of any sort are also absent. So simple recipe, right? Just charge, sit, accelerate-break-steer. Yes, it is indeed simple from a user’s perspective, but it does come with its share of flies in the ointment. 

 First up – range and charging infrastructure limitations, about which everyone talks and is byword. One is just limited to city confines with most mainstream EVs having a real-world range in the 200 km ballpark. One ought to have a premises of their own equipped with the most basic charging point in the charging hierarchy at the least. If one intends to do long distances on a regular basis then an EV cannot be the only vehicle in the garage because our highways don’t have public charging stations at an average of every 200 kms. 

 Secondly, the very important point which the automotive fraternity and authorities hardly talk about – SUSTAINABLE DISPOSAL OF THE HUGE PILE OF DEFUNCT LITHION ION BATTERIES. Take my word for it, it is a humungous yet unaddressed issue. Go back to the era when we had mobile phones with self-removable batteries. Remember those batteries would have trash bin crossed symbol on them — implying the user is not entitled or authorised to self-disposal into conventional bins, because lithium ion is a highly toxic substance and its disposal is a professional task. Did we see the implementation of it? The answer is a resounding and jarring NO. Those batteries were a miniscule quantity when compared to tonnes of defunct lithium-ion batteries EVs would generate and yet there is little discourse on it. 

 Thirdly, comes the “Green” chip on the shoulder it comes with. There’s a huge hullaballoo about the green environmental credentials associated with it. Is it really green? Let’s look at some facts first; 

1. An EV leaves more carbon footprint in its production process itself compared to what an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) counterpart would generate in its entire lifetime. Beat that! 

2. The self-proclaimed green warriors would argue that at least running an EV is entirely green, right? Sorry, Team green, you recharge your batteries with electricity which is generated by another fossil fuel (coal), so ultimately you are still leaving behind carbon footprint. I would have given you the green-running credentials if you used wind, hydel or any other renewable source of energy. 

3. Cobalt – a very important mineral which is indispensable in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries. Cobalt reserves are found in abundance in African countries like Congo and Madagascar contributing a major chunk. It had been a non-issue, if the extraction was being done ethically and sustainably. The cheap labour in these poor countries is exploited to the core, and the damage caused to the environment for its extraction is a hushed topic still. Profiteering lobbies make sure these issues don’t come to light. 

 So, are EVs really the sustainable future especially in a country like ours? Are we ready? Simple answer is – NOT YET. Footnote of a driving and car enthusiast. There’s romance in the gradual and measured build-up of torque and power, as the analogue rev needle climbs and peaks at a specific rpm of the ICE and all the various ‘mechanical noises’ which it produces in the process is music to the ears, unlike the ‘whining’ of the electric motor. The symphony created by the orchestra of an ICE car is unsurpassed. From the diminuendo at idle to crescendo at the redline — that is pure, unadulterated joy

Autonomous Vehicles

ADAS

Arguably the hottest topics in the automotive scene today ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist System) The idea of Autonomous Cars and Electric Vehicles or EVs sent a chill down the spine of the car aficionado in me, even in my pre-teens – much before I learnt to drive. It still does. But, since it is one of the hottest topics in the industry and as an automotive blogger I can’t shirk off a subject if it’s even remotely automotive. I like my cars analogue – unadulterated driving. Period. Care for a 1986 BMW 316 (E30)? Heck, I even preferred The Flintstones over The Jetsons! 

What is an “Autonomous car”? To put it simply – it’s a car which can take cognizance of its environment and drive you or itself to a pre-determined destination with little to no human intervention. Autonomous cars basically use an array of sensors like radars, ultrasonics, video cameras and LIDARS (Light Detection and Ranging) to take cognizance of the environment and send all the information to high performance processors. The complex, pre-set algorithms, software and processors perform the task of driving the car via actuators which in a level-0 car a human would perform (tasks like accelerating, steering, braking, changing gears etc). All of this happens in REAL-TIME. Most of them use the Bayesian Simultaneous Localization & Mapping (SLAM) algorithms. 

SAE defines and demarcates six levels of automation; 

Level 0 – Little or no automation; human involvement is required at all times. 

Level 1 – Has some amount of automation like cruise control or park assist where the steering is automated and driver still controls the throttle and brake. 

Level 2 – This is where ADAS comes in and one of the topics of this piece. It’s the hot word today in the mass end of the Indian Automotive Spectrum. MG Astor, Mahindra XUV7OO, the latest iteration of the Hyundai Verna and Honda City are banking on their ADAS features as USPs, in their segments. Cars with ADAS have Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)—can keep a watch on lane and can even brake for you in an emergency. 

Level 3 – This is a conditional automation level in which the cars are capable of taking cognizance of its surroundings and can perform tasks expected from a driver, but human override cannot be ruled out. 

Level 4 – This is a high automation level but not fully autonomous yet. Level 4 cars can operate with optional human intervention provided there is geo-fencing in place (within specific areas, speed limits, markings and the whole shebang). 

Level 5 – This is the full autonomy level—no human intervention required, not even a steering wheel or pedals. This is where the car’s “CPU is without fear and the throttle is held high. Where knowledge is free….” Okay. That’s enough poetry and tomfoolery. 

Let’s address the elephant in the room now — is India ready for ADAS or Level 2 automation yet? Or do they just earn the car’s spec sheet some bragging rights and gimmicks? In my opinion – it’s the latter in the current scenario or even in the near future for that matter. For ADAS to work efficiently and unobtrusively the following are imperative: 1. Well-marked lanes. 2. Signboards which adhere to global standards. 3. Orderly roads and surroundings, with disciplined road users. It is needless to say majority of roads lack all the aforementioned attributes. 

The other major deterrent is – the psyche and psychic development of our populace. Let’s admit it we are a reckless lot and tend to misuse things more than using it appropriately. We’ve seen people making social media reels with ADAS on. ADAS never means “no human intervention”. It is only an “assist” and an alert driver is still required as long as the car is in motion. At the end of the day ADAS is based on electronics and they might crash at any moment. The other psyche which concerns me is the attentiveness and attention span of people since the integration of social media and smartphones in our lives. It has reduced drastically and man is not completely mentally present in congruence to his physical presence (and women too). Thus, to put it straight, India is not ADAS-ready yet in my opinion. 

The Advent of Small Turbo Petrol

          Off late we are witnessing the advent of small capacity but highly potent internal combustion petrol engines with generous help from turbo charging. Till a few years back forced induction with the help of turbo chargers was confined to diesel engines due to their inherent lack of horsepower vis-a-vis a similar capacity petrol counterpart. Thankfully turbo charging has trickled down to small petrol engines and what we have now is engines producing as much power and torque as engines 1.5 times their capacity. What that translates to is - a one litre turbo charged engine is producing power and torque figures similar to a 1.5 litre naturally aspirated motor.

          Its an interesting development which juxtaposes the appeasement of enthusiasts and also the environment to a certain extent. Although appeasement of environment is not as much as in the case of electric engines, but as cliched as it may sound 'something is better than nothing'.

          It kind of gives you the best of both worlds. Petrolheads (or petrosapiens as I prefer to call my ilk) can satiate their hunger for exciting performance, screeching of tyres with dollops of torque and horsepower at their disposal with a heavy right foot. When driven with a lighter foot they also stretch the kilometres per litre equation akin to small capacity engines. Hence, mileage seekers' needs also checked. So, sounds like a winning formula, ain't it?

          Yes, indeed it is. But its not all as rosy as it sounds. What's disheartening is the choice of odd number of cylinders (i.e. 3) almost all manufacturers are going with and in certain cases it's without a balancer shaft. Yes most of them are very refined and at certain rpms the three cylinder thrum is almost imperceptible, but the key words here are 'certain rpms'. At rpms, other than those 'certain rpms' the typical three cylinder thrum is definitely present. I need not tell a car enthusiast worth his/her salt that - he/she will not be able to keep the engine at those imperceptible rpms all the time.

          The thing is how much ever refined you might make a three cylinder unit it can never match a four cylinder's refinement. There's a symphony which only an even numbered unit can produce and an odd numbered unit can only dream of. Distantly. You can't defy the laws of physics, can you? Yes, you can if you are Rajnikanth. Sorry for the crass joke my Tamil readers.

          So, why three cylinders instead of four? Is it impossible to produce a small one litre engine with four cylinders? Hell, No. The Kawasaki ZX-25R is proof. Ok, its a bike but with a 0.25 litre engine comprising 4 cylinders. The Santro's 1.1 litre Epsilon engine was a 4 pot unit albeit naturally aspirated.

Is it costs? Is developing and producing a small 1 litre 4 cylinder unit an expensive proposition? Well, I would leave that question for my readers who are qualified mechanical engineers to answer. 

For the manufacturers my question is - why wasn't turbo charging their existing 1.2 litre 4 cylinder naturally aspirated engines considered over developing all new 3 pot engines?

          After all the symphony produced by the orchestra of 4 cylinders is also as important as the performance of the engine. From the crescendo at the redline to the diminuendo at idle and then back again to the crescendo. Its music to the ears. Ask an automotive aficionado!

Apposite Branding

Apposite branding & marketing of a car

I would like to start this piece with an example, since the human mind deduces best when offered illustrations. Let us rewind to circa. 1998 – The year when Hyundai jabbed at the Indian market with the quirky looking Santro. A relatively unknown brand to the Indian diaspora then, today is a force to reckon with in the domestic automobile scene. The Hyundai Santro is the perfect example of what a concoction of a good product and right marketing can do. From being an alien automobile marque to a household brand second only to Maruti in the country. It would not be unsafe to say that brand ‘Hyundai’ was built from scratch. As much as marketing strategies helped to build the brand it is also their products which are class leading. Like I said earlier, it’s the concoction that works and not any one single attribute.

The Mahindra Alturas G4 is a transcendent product, period. There are no two ways to it. Arguably it’s the best in the segment. Let alone its contemporaries and competitors like the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour, it’s a product which punches well above its weight. And boy, does it punch hard! Hard is an understatement. It’s visceral. Kudos to Mahindra for building such a world class product and they certainly deserve a standing ovation. Alturas evokes a myriad of emotions within me and within me resides two distinct personalities too. Within one of the personalities it evokes patriotism, pride, dominion – look, we own the brand and it also appeals to the rationale.
Now coming to my alter ego – would he spend his 30 lakhs on a Mahindra, irrespective of it being a class leading product in every possible way, when for the same money he can buy a Toyota, Ford, Skoda, Hyundai etc. Yes, the car does appeal to the thinking man within me, but when it comes to the automobile aficionado within me, my knees go weak while heading to the showroom to buy the Alturas. Why is it that I am experiencing such a phenomenon when I know that the Alturas is the best in the segment? Well, it’s the badge on the front grille. By no means this piece intends to disrespect Mahindra in anyway, but a wise man is the one who plays his cards well.

Statistics show that Mahindra can sell a product priced in the 20 lakh range quite well. The XUV500 and top end Scorpios are proof of it. But, does the brand ‘Mahindra’ have enough steam (presently) go past the 30 lakh mark and challenge the might of Toyota, Ford, Skoda, et al? Or do we still have some way to go before Mahindra can take a stab at the 30 lakh segment?

It pains me a lot to see an exemplary product not doing the sales number it deserves to do owing to marketing and branding strategy gone wrong. It certainly deserves to do a lot better than it is doing. An unknown brand (Hyundai) from the same country (Korea) can go on to become a household name, proves it’s a feat not impossible to achieve.

The product is excellent without an iota of ambiguity. Then why not spend a few hundred crores in building the brand Ssangyong and position it as ‘The Ultimate SUV brand from Korea - Now in India’. In my humble opinion Mahindra should have given more effort, expertise and money in building the brand Ssangyong. The marketing campaign could have had points like 1) The SUV brand from Korea, 2) A good brand ambassador to endorse the brand, 3) The flag bearer of SUVs in Korea has finally come to India. It could have been positioned as the Land Rover of Korea. It just needed a good marketing and brand building team and some money of course. It needs to be built as a premium and aspirational brand. What Lexus is to Toyota or what Audi is to Volkswagen or what Alfa Romeo is to Fiat, Ssanyong could have been same for Mahindra if built as I seen it from my humble vision. Once the brand ‘Ssangyong’ had been established the way I see it from my perspective, I strongly feel the Alturas would have had a much, much better prospect in the market than what it has today.

Alternatively, the brand Mahindra could have also been built  to be able to sell a 30 lakh car, but that should have been done before launching the Alturas. The strategy of building the Mahindra brand is another topic of debate which needs another write-up. For now my focus is building the brand Ssangyong and it's positioning.

But it’s very painful as things stand today.

(Disclaimer: I do not mean to disrespect Mahindra. I am a car enthusiast and I feel a lot of pain in the gut when a product worthy of standing ovation doesn’t get its due owing to inappropriate marketing and branding strategy)

Mid size sedan vs mini (monocoque) SUV

I recently bought a Skoda Rapid Diesel only to get a lot of criticism from friends and relatives many arguing in favour of the new fad "the mini SUV. Or wait.... Monocoque mini SUV". The terms monocoque and ladder frame are alien to the 90% of the janta but I will have to include both in this debate.

The conversation which started the debate in my mind....
First sketch of both characters in this conversation.
Character one: Samuel. Owns an Ecosport.
1) Mr. Know it all
2) Has an opinion on anything and everything
3) Gets the best bargains and deals in the whole world (that's his own presumption).
4) His choices are the supreme and everything else is s**t.
There are more points but including all would dilute the point I am trying to make with this piece.

Character 2: Zeeshan. Owns a Rapid Diesel.
1) Car enthusiast. Eats drinks and breathes cars since he can recall his memory.
2) Almost everyone around him consults him atleast once before purchasing any car or bike.
3) Has a fair amount of knowledge about cars and bikes.

The conversation.....
Zee: I bought a Skoda Rapid
Sam: (partly disbelieving and partly smirking) you have already bought?
Zee: Yeah.
Sam: You've already paid the full amount?
Zee: Yeah.
Sam: The car's been delivered? Registered?
Zee: Yeah. (Starting to sense the course of the conversation).
Sam: Are you mad? U made such a big decision and didn't even ask me once
Zee: why? What's wrong?
Sam: Why didn't you go for an SUV when you were paying so much? Look at my Ecosport.
Zee: (Almost Scoffing). (patience loss just started). ( but keeping calm because no use getting into the monocoque - ladder frame debate, leave aside AWD systems, locking differentials, low ratio transfer case and the whole shebang). (took a deep breath and asked). Why ecosport and not rapid?

Sam: Its an SUV man. Do you still need to ask?
Zee: (Still maintaining composure). I wanted a Sedan.
Sam: You've lost it. Who buys Sedan when you can get an SUV for the same price?
Zee: (Exhausted and assertive now) I bought it because I wanted it. The ecosport is such a common sight on the roads. I didn't want to get lost in the sea of ecosports. Plus, apart from a bigger ground clearance and relatively better resale value tell me one thing which your ecosport has and my rapid doesn't?(realized that this was going nowhere and had to end it somehow).
Sam had no answer. He was blank.
End of conversation.

But it did not end for me there. It got me thinking. Deep. To be truthful I had test driven the Ecosport before buying the Rapid. I liked the vehicle per se. The dealership quoted me a price of 10.50 lakhs for the trend plus diesel variant without alloy wheels. 30000 extra for alloys. This was before Ford slashed the prices fearing competition from the Suzuki Brezza. Whereas, a similarly equipped Ambiente variant of the Rapid costed me 10.50 on road WITH ALLOYs, Teflon coating and parking sensors thrown in.
Now I would like to divide attributes which swayed me towards the Rapid under two sub-heads. Viz. The heart and the head.

Things which appealed to the head first.
1. Boot space 460 litres vs Ecosport's 346 litres
2. Better space and seat comfort especially rear.
3. Galvanised body. Laser welded and six years warranty on rusting.
4. 105 bhp, 250 nm of torque vs Ecosport's 100 bhp and 204 nm of torque.

Things which appealed to the heart.
1. Better acceleration.
2. Better handling owing to the lower ground clearance alone. (Not that the ford is a bad handler. Actually a good one in spite of the increase GC.)
3. The fact that Rapid has not flown off the shelf in large numbers gives it a certain amount of exclusivity. Atleast not as common as the sea of ecosports.

Now coming to the commerce aspect of this debate. Ford has to pay an excise duty of 8%. On the other hand Skoda is paying 20% on the Rapid. Technically speaking the ecosport is just a shade under 4000 mm (the Govt. norms don't take the spare wheel into consideration while calculating the vehicle length). But in reality the ford stands at more than 4200 mm with the spare wheels and its cover. Hence the ecosport is at not much of an advantage as far as parking in tight spaces is concerned.
Coming to the last and most important point, the ground clearance. Yes, the ford has an absolute advantage here. 32 mm more than Rapid and its by considerable margin. But the truth is 168 mm is not that bad. Add to that the Rapid's stiff suspension which doesn't sag. I have never scraped it even once till date.
I would take the lower centre of Centre of gravity any day over the increased ground clearance which is totally redundant in a metropolitan city and four lane highways.

Allow me to clarify myself, I have nothing against SUVs. In fact I love them. The attitude. The view over the roof of other cars. I am a proud owner of a Safari Storme.

The thing is I am purist as far as cars are concerned. I like purpose built cars.
If its a hatchback. It has to be low, zippy, should handle like on rails.
If its a sedan. It has to be low. Comfortable seats. Amazing handling. Acceptable ride.
SUV. Whoa. The bare minimum requirements are all wheel drive, locking differentials, low ratio et all. And off course atleast 210 mm of ground clearance.
I hate the pseudo character.
Ironically pseudo is the new mantra to success in the industry today.
Pseudo sub four meter sedans.
Pseudo (monocoque, front wheel drive SUVs).

Where have all the purists gone?

Good products not well received.

Often the automobile market witnesses some reasonably good to excellent products, but somehow they fail to carve a niche for themselves. Its the same with Indian industry too, which has its own share of complexities. There are various reasons that a good product might prove to be a damp squib for a company. It can be bad marketing, wrong product placement, optimistic pricing or market not mature enough to accept the product owing to the product being ahead of its time. I will hark back to a decade and half, because it was after the turn of the millennium that india started waking up to world class cars. This piece is an ode to those manufacturers of gems and also an insight into why they failed to find their worth.
I will start with a Fiat Gem. How many of us remember the Fiat Palio? The aficionados among us would certainly remember it vividly, but my question is aimed at the average joe. It was the first true hot hatch India saw way back in early 2000s. The 1.6 litre gtx variant was capable of hitting the ton in 11 seconds. Yes, you heard (in this case: read) that right. This feat was unfathomable for its contemporaries then. Even today, 15 years after the legend, barring the Polo GT TSI, none can boast of such a feat. Let alone the contemporaries of the Palio then, Tata Indica, Maruti Zen, Hyundai Santro to name a few. All of them registered sales numbers manifold to what the Palio registered. Ironical to say the least. There was a 1.2 litre variant too for the average joe and mileage seeking one. The palio was not just about straight line performance. It also had the handling to harness all those ponies under the hood. Plus, the build was solid, the interior was quite well made. And did I mention it was droolworthy too. Initially it did quite well for itself, but the party was very shortlived. So what went wrong? Well, Its gas guzzling abilities became a byword. But this was more of a virtual perception and only partly true. The engines were powerful and vehicle was heavier than competition too (therefore bound to be relatively inefficient).  But, what not many of us know - the Palio sold in Brazil had smaller wheels. Fiat decided to give bigger wheels for India to increase the ground clearance for India's pothole ridden roads and skyscrapers which we refer to as speedbreakers, but overlooked calibration of the odometer according to the bigger wheels. This led on to the odometer registering less kilometres than what the car actually did. Hence, the perception was heaved down that the car runs less to every litre of gasoline. However, Fiat quietly rectified this faux pas in its next update which was christened Palio NV. Alas, it was too late by then.
To be continued.....  More such gems' waiting to find a mention. Hang on.....

Compact Sedan.A blot on Indian Automotive Scene.

Honourable erstwhile finance minister of our country, Mr. P Chidambaram wrote the definition of a small car. Length not more than 4 metres. Petrol engine not more than 1200 cc and diesel engine not more 1500 cc. This definition of small car was the father of the so called and exclusive to India "Compact Sedan". My dear readers, might be wondering who the mother is, eh? The mother is - 'Our countrymen's fixation with the sedan body style'. Indians love the three box style. I don't know why this body style is directly equated to status or where this perception came from!
Well, moving on - Tata became the first 'midwife' and helped in giving birth to the first unwanted child, the Indigo CS. Urgh! And then there was no looking back for more midwives like Maruti(Swift Dzire), Hyundai(Xcent), Mahindra(Verito Vibe), Honda(Amaze) and now Ford is latest one to join the bandwagon with its Figo Aspire and Volkswagen is also in line with its own derivation of the polo in Compact Sedan form. Icing on this not so tasty cake is most of the above feature in the top ten selling cars in our country.
Personally I hate this whole concept of so called CS (read: compact sedan). Seems like an unwanted child of Chidambaram's definition and our fixation with sedans. I am very tempted to use the popular and apt word, b**t**d for this thing, but google and my values stop me from using it in its full glory. The concept of CS is an insult to my senses and my passion for cars. I can imagine this world without underwears but not without cars. But if, CS were the only cars left in this world, I would leave my passion rather than embracing them. Come on guys, if the boot is so important go for the honda jazz, i20, polo etc. They have similar sized boots. What I mean to say is either go for a hatchback or go for a full fledged sedan. Where have all the purists gone? And where is the status in the three box style? How can one buy Dzire or Amaze over a Polo? What about the poor sods who own the Volkswagen scirrocco, Mercedes A class, BMW 1 series, Audi A3 hatchback, Renault Megane etc etc.... The list is long. Guys, go back in time and recall the BMWs, Audis and Benzs of 70s, 80s and 90s, Subaru Impreza, Mitsubishi Lancer. Those were sedans to behold and own to name a few.
Ford is one of my favourite companies in India for their focus on driving pleasure and their fine tuning of the suspension. When I first heard about their aspiration to join the CS bandwagon with the Aspire, I was really crestfallen. But still I was ready to turn a blind eye to the styling and looked forward to the Aspire because it was from Ford. I love the way the Ikon, Fiesta, Figo, New Fiesta handled. Since the Aspire was based on the new Fiesta's platform my expectations had snowballed. But ford messed up the suspension and handling this time. The verve and connected feel of Fords is gone in the Aspire. Thanks to Ford's messing up with the suspension i won't have to own a CS. Ford not a good midwife, eh!

Diary of a Mustang Lover

The Salt Plains of Utah, popularly known as The Bonneville Salt Plains. A bright red Ford Mustang with two white racing stripes, standing in the middle of God’s white masterpiece on earth. This combo would leave any motorhead salivating akin to a bulldog seeing the choicest hind legs of Mary’s little lamb. And I was there beholding the sight in person and walking towards the Mustang to drift it on the plains as if there was no tomorrow. The torque, the understeer and the plethora of horsepower under the hood of the Mustang is any drifter’s dream, especially at a play ground like Bonneville. Suddenly some moron started honking incessantly. I turned around to find no one behind me. It was my morning alarm. My perfect dream was shattered.                  

There is something about American Muscle Cars that evoke a myriad of emotions within car lovers that no other cult car evokes. The Japanese have their Nissan Skyline or the 350Z or 370Z, Subaru Imprezas or Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evo series and of course how can we forget the Mazdas. The Europeans have their, BMW M series, Audi R’s, The legendary Porsches GT’s, Lamborghini Countach and Diablo SV, Ferrari Maranello & Spider, Maseratis, Volkswagen Beetle. Phew! (Pardon me, my Japanese and European brothers if I am forgetting some of you).                

Imagine an auditorium full of car enthusiasts, say 5000 of them. And a folk standing at the podium calls out the name “Ford Mustang or Shelby Mustang”. May I dare to place a bet on the fact that 95% of the audience is bound to have an instant mini orgasm or call it “Cargasm” and the rest 5% will lie about it. We are talking about one of world’s largest mass orgasms.                

America has quite a few cult muscle cars to boast of and many like Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Charger, Buick Wildcat, Pontiac Firebird, Plymouth Barracuda or the ”Sir Pioneer”  Oldsmobile Rocket 88. Ford’s Mustang has had and will always have a following of its own, since its inception in 1964. The authority of this car as the king of American muscle was reinforced when a certain Texan racer, Mr. Shelby tweaked it with his recipe and thus was born the Shelby Mustang in 1967.                 

I agree these Mustangs were awful at braking then, were a handful when it came to handling, had terrible understeer and what not. The criticisms of the agnostics of the Mustang have stood the test of time. But, dude, give me a 1967 Shelby Mustang any day over a Lambo, Porsche or Ferrari for that matter.                 

Why can’t we have a ready-for-road prototype of this piece de resistance in our country? Is it so impossible? I agree the Mustang in its current form is not a good business prospect in our country. But, my fellow Mustang lovers picture this – take the current Fiesta’s chassis (we already know it’s an able one by seeing the Fiesta, Ecosport and the upcoming Figo Aspire). Elongate and widen the chassis to suit the American Muscle rank. Latch on the Mustang’s body on the platform. Under the hood put a 1500 cc Ecoboost engine for petrolheads and an 1800 cc turbocharged diesel engine for the dieselheads among us. Price it in the 10 to 15 lakh range. What say, folks? Don’t we see the cash registers ringing at Ford? Won’t it be a dream come true for Mustang fans like us on a tight budget? Mr. Nigel Harris, are you listening?                

Until then guys, find an HM Contessa in the best possible condition, under the hood put Hyundai’s diesel engine from the Verna or Elantra (it’s the same one), a good suspension system from Koni. Top it off with a loud exhaust. That’s the closest and best, we poor Mustangers can get to our ultimate stupor, if you may call it so.