Ford Ecosport

The highly anticipated production version of the ford Ecosport was unveiled at the Beijing motor show. The SUV maintains most of the styling cues that we saw on the concept car that was unveiled  at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo, except it nope comes with conventional headlights, tail-lights and mirrors. The interiors, which were revealed for the first time, focus on space efficiency  and it’s no surprise that dashboard design is almost identical to the Fiesta. The rear seats have an upright seating position with legroom that is better than Fiesta’s. The boot is not particularly generous by SUV standards, with luggage space that is only marginally more than in a hatchback. An interesting detail is the electrically operated boot release housed in the left tail lamp cluster.

It is now confirmed that the EcoSport will duck under the sub-four-metre bar to avail of crucial excise benefits. Despite its small size, the muscular wheel arches, large trapezoidal grille, black cladding, chrome roof rails and high stance give it an SUV look. However, the 16-inch tyres look quite small in proportion, and Ford has deliberately not offered chunkier tyres in the interest of fuel efficiency. But it is likely that 17-inch ones will be offered on some versions.

The EcoSport will be powered by Ford’s new 1.0-litre, three-cylinder Ecoboost turbo-petrol engine, capable of developing power similar to a conventional 1.6-litre motor. The small capacity promises class-leading fuel economy. Taking into account the demand for diesel cars in India, Ford also plans to offer the 1.5-litre TDCi engine from the Fiesta in the EcoSport. Now what’s left to see is Ford prices the EcoSport competitively, as this will ultimately decide the car’s success. We expect it to be priced in the Rs 6-8 lakh price bracket.

New Nissan Sylphy to take on Corolla

The Nissan's New Challenge To The World.

Nissan's upward and onward march in India continues with the new Sylphy. The Japanese giant has long been missing a Corolla competitor, but now it finally seems to have one. Fresh from the eowen, the new Sylphy(code name L12F) is a car Nissan only recently previewed at the Beijing motor show, but already we can tell you it should be here sometime is 2014.

                What's immedietely clear is that Nissan has done a stellar job as far as the design is concerned. Looking for all the world like a car from a higher segment, the sew Sylphy uses a plenty of impressive infiniti design cues and attractive details. What you notice first are the sporty, swooping lines that are similar to the aggresive contours of the infiniti M. A sharp crease rises and falls over the front wheel arch, the nose of the car is tripped forward high-mounted headlights and a strong bonnet 'V'. Gaping inlets under the bumper., tight skinny on the bonet and flanks, and a coupe-like roof furthur enhance the appea. This could be the first car in the segment to get LED elements in its headlights.

                Nissan says this is also a practical design; that the interior space is more than its competitors in the segment, the gently sloping roof actually hides a massive boot, and that the chasis has been made extra stiff to help it deal with bad roads in China and southeast Asia.

                The big curves and swoops on the outside are carried over inside too. The dash is full of gentle flowing lines, there are plenty of attractive looking wooden and brushed aluminium bits, and the Sylphy has a nice, chunky steering wheel as well. Largeair-con vents, a neat looking climate control system and leather seats carry  the feeling of quality over to insides. What is crucial, however, is just how much rear legroom there will be.

                The Sylphy will be powered by two engines- one petrol and one diesel. The new 1.8 litere MR petrol motor promises much in terms of technology. A long-stroke motor that focuses on effortles  torque rather than outright horsepower, it should produce about Nissan tunes it for India. This all-aluminium motor has been engineered in collanoration with Renault, and features some truly unique technology. The enginealso featur4es tumble-control valves for the intake manifold , mirror-finished crank and camshafts and 'beehive' valve springs, adapted from drag racing. For India, Nissan will also have a diesel. The Sylphy will use the same, recently updated 108bhp 105 DCi(internally called K9K) motor as the Renault Fluence. a new variable- geometry turbo, seven- hole Piezo injector spray pattern have improved the performance of the engine and reduce turbo lag, and these changes also bode well for the Sylphy. A part froma six-speed manual, the petrol Sylphy is also likely to get a CVT automatic - one of Nissan's thoroughly updated ones that uses a metal belt and suffers 30 percent less friction.

                With a competetive price and a good spread of variant, this could be Nissan's ticket to the Rs10 lakh-plus segment, a part of the market is yet to tap.