Car India

festive impetus

THE FESTIVE SEASON GAVE AN impetus to car sales for the first time after months of downturn. Let us now see if this upturn continues in the coming months. The onset of winter brings with it cool and comfortable days when people do not have to use air-conditioners. At the same time, however, the level of pollution goes up due to the heavy atmosphere, especially in our capital city, Delhi. There are a number of reasons for this pollution, starting from the stubble burning in the fields in neighbouring states to construction and burning of coal at power stations to generate electricity, but it is always automobiles that get the blame. Last month I was in Japan with Toyota. They said that they have changed from being a car manufacturer to a…

what makes us different

UNLIKE OTHER AUTOMOBILE magazines, Car India is devoted cent per cent to CARs, SUVs and MUVs. There are no bikes or commercial vehicles to be found in Car India. Therefore, we have a very focused readership and also give our advertisers better bang for their buck! Our editorial team is passionate about cars. They live, drink, eat and breathe cars. This lends the crucial extra touch to their editorial efforts. Our editorial team is bound by a strict code of conduct. In an industry where foreign junkets and gifts are rampant in order to win over editorial staff, we strive hard to maintain our editorial integrity and balance. Our emphasis is on bringing out a quality, information-packed issue that does not rely on mere filling up of pages. We are not in competition…

car india

Editor Aspi Bhathena Executive Editor Sarmad Kadiri Copy Editor Deepak Upadhye Principal Correspondent Jim Gorde Senior Correspondent Harket Suchde Correspondents Anosh Khumbatta, Joshua Varghese, Zal Cursetji, Azaman Chothia Art Director Ramnath Chodankar Head Design & Production Ravi Parmar Designers Santosh Wadhai, Sandeep Naik Senior Photographer Sanjay Raikar Staff Photographer Saurabh Botre Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Administration Executive Roshni Bulsara PUBLISHER Marzban Jasoomani CEO Hoshang S Billimoria Head Circulation Manager Kapil Kaushik (North and East) REGIONAL MARKETING OFFICES General Manager Operations Ellora Dasgupta (North and East) Deputy General Manager Operations Chanchal Arora (North and East) Ahmedabad Devendra Mehta Srinivas Gangula, Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation), Hyderabad, India, Tel + 91 9000555756 Vidyasagar Gupta, Territory Sales Incharge, (Circulation), Kolkata 700035, India, Tel + 91 9804085683…

czech mate: new škoda octavia revealed

CZECH GIANT ŠKODA HAVE pulled the wraps off their all-new mid-size offering, the popular Octavia. It features the signature Škoda design elements while also bringing the next level of equipment, courtesy the VW Group’s enormous A4-sized catalogue. Built on the MQB (Modularer Querbaukasten or modular transverse matrix) platform, the new Octavia measures 4,689 millimetres long, 1,829 mm wide, and a wheelbase of 2,686 mm. It now has an even larger boot at 600 litres. The new front apron design is complemented by the sharp and narrow new headlights that feature LED units for low beam and high beam as well as the daytime lights as standard. LED Matrix headlamps with crystalline elements and dynamic turn-indicators are optional. The tail-lights, brake lights, and fog-lights also use LED lighting. Škoda, of course, still…

iv league hybrid

The new Octavia iV gets the same advanced plug-in hybrid petrol powertrain as the Superb iV shown earlier this year. The powertrain pairs a four-cylinder 1.4 TSI turbo-petrol making 156 hp with a 75-kW (102 hp) electric motor and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic direct-shift gearbox (DSG). The combined peak output is a healthy 150 kW (204 hp) and 350 Nm. A 13-kWh, high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack allows an electric range of up to 55 km on the WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light-vehicle Test Procedure). The Octavia iV gets a slightly smaller 40-litre fuel-tank instead of 45 litres in the other models, as well as a 450-litre boot.…

we hear

Citroën C5 Aircross Hybrid Incoming French auto major, Citroën, have revealed a plug-in hybrid model of the C5 Aircross, the model earmarked for India. The PHEV uses a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 13.2-kWh battery pack and an 80-kW electric motor for a peak output of 225 hp and 320 Nm. An eight-speed automatic transmission drives the front wheels. FCA and PSA Merger Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Groupe PSA are coming together to form what will become the fourth largest automotive group in the world. This 50:50 merger between FCA and Groupe PSA comes off the back of productive talks between the two companies. This merger is expected to achieve 80 per cent completion within four years and incur an expenditure of €2.8 billion (Rs 22,165 crore, approximately). Toyota Camry AWD Toyota have, after…