2014 Jaguar XF 2.0-litre Petrol: Review
Jaguar started assembling cars in its new plant in Pune last year. This was an important step for the Tata owned British Car Company, especially when it comes to the Indian market where imports are taxed heavily and local assembly allows manufacturers to price their products more competitively. Given this the new XF 2.0-litre petrol that you see here is obviously much cheaper than its bigger engined siblings. But, will this new base version of the XF be enough to take on the might of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class,Audi A6 and the BMW 5 Series?
In our opinion the XF has always been one of the prettiest cars on Indian roads. Designing a good looking car is something that Jaguar has always done very well, and the Jaguar XF with its coupe like silhouette and its large, nostalgic, art deco grille certainly makes the average Joe turn around and give the XF another look. It is nearly impossible to differentiate the 2.0-litre petrol variant with the larger engined more expensive variants of the XF until you really start looking at the details.
For starters, the Jaguar XF 2.0 comes with smaller 17-inch wheels wrapped in a set of 235/55 R17 Pirelli tyres. The smaller wheels do take away a bit from the road presence, however, the smaller wheel and larger sidewall aids the ride quality and is certainly advantageous in India’s poor road conditions. The other difference though is at the rear, where the 2.0-litre losses the ‘S’ badge that all other variants come. While the Jaguar XF 2.2-litre diesel version comes with only one exhaust outlet though, the petrol 2.0-litre stays true to its original design and gets a dual exhaust setup which maintains the visual balance of the design.
Bultaco is back!
The Spanish motorcycle maker marks return with a high-performance electric motorcycle, the Rapitan.
Bultaco, a prestigious brand name is back with an international team and backed by the same core values: innovation, passion and competition. The announcement was made on the same day as the birth of the founder, Don Paco Bultó. The motorcycle range they have planned is aimed at those who seek a motorcycle but want alternative means of mobility. The innovation centre will be in Madrid, with production based out of Barcelona.
The motorcycles will feature an in-house developed propulsion system with future developments in electric and hybrid traction and the use of ultra-lightweight materials. So, then, they will be quick, fast and efficient. The prototype developed is the one you see here, the Rapitan. Production will begin in 2015 and the company is already in the process of setting up its network.
2014 Toyota Etios Cross: Review
In today’s day and age, the SUV is the de facto king of the automotive segment. This statement holds true not only in India but also globally where everyone has seen a trend of regular sedan and hatchback buyers move slowly towards the more practical and often better looking utility vehicle segment. In India for example, nothing stirs up the excitement of the masses like a new SUV. The hatchback then, the traditional favorite of the Indian consumer has had to step its game up recently and what better way to do it than to emulate the SUV in terms of its macho looks and rugged appeal. The cross hatchback then encompasses the practicality and size of a hatchback with the visual aura of a SUV and Toyota’s latest offering in this segment is the all-new 2014 Etios Cross.
While the Etios Liva, the hatchback the Cross is based on is rather plain and simple, Toyota have done a phenomenal job tarting the latter up. The first thing one notices is the large grille/bull bar in a shade of matte silver up front paired with a similarly finished skid plate. The grille itself now comprises of a set of vertically placed slats that continue with the 2014 Toyota Etios Cross’ chunky looks. Toyota has added visual bulk to the car with a set of well-crafted and high quality plastic claddings that adorn the car’s length. The bumpers, finished in matte black as compared to conventional body colored ones, too give a sense of purpose to the Etios Cross.
The sporty additions continue with a set of matte silver roof rails and mirrors with inbuilt turn signals. We particularly liked the well-placed strips of chrome on the door handles and the silver side skirts and rear bumper cladding that completes the look. The Etios Cross also comes with a rather well detailed, chunky and handsome set of diamond cut 15-inch wheels that gel extremely well with the overall design of the car.
Kawasaki Z1000 – Demonic Resurrection
Flashes of green and a menacing stare are the first things you notice on Kawasaki’s latest Z1000. It oozes evil, yes, but how does it fare as a personal monster?
There are several examples of the ‘stand out of the crowd’ cliché, and all of them are unique in their own way. No, it’s not about being the largest or the most powerful, it’s about being different; being unique in a way no one or nothing else is. It may be something as simple as one little detail you adhere to, or it may be an entire philosophy. Look at the old Z1000 – the one from a decade ago – with its mean face and twin sets of twin copper-ish exhaust pipes, making parallel look like a work of art. It was quite a piece of manmade creation, becoming the poster child or cherished scale model of many bike aficionados, young and old alike, the present writer included. Then the design team at Kawasaki took a turn to the dark side, following the call of the wild. What happened as a result completely blew us away!
Their new design philosophy, ‘Sugomi’, is supposed to mean ‘awe’, accorded to something that possesses a daunting stature or ability, commanding respect and leaving an indelible impression. Somewhere during translation, it somehow turned into pure evil. Stare into its slinky eyes and a reptilian gaze catches you. It’s evident from the very first time you lay your eyes on it that this bike means business. Everything about the design not just screams of aggression, but look closely and the attention to detail is more than evident. Every little add-on has been meticulously crafted to suit the theme and works outstandingly well in maintaining that awe-inspiring feeling. There are bits you wouldn’t even imagine and then there are the bits which make you appreciate how much thought has gone into making the Z just what it is: a rendering of the dark side, a wild beast answering its call, and summoning up all its might and making its presence felt.
That Kawasaki India have decided to go on a launch spree and start bringing what will soon be an extensive range is very encouraging and simply joy-inducing. No, it doesn’t matter that most of us will never really own a 1,000+cc motorcycle with over 100 horses at our beck and call, but that does not in the slightest mean that we don’t appreciate what they are and respect their abilities. We love to hear the sound of thunder, times four, coming from a Japanese inline and we love to hear it scream past as we can only gaze with a gawking expression, staring into the void that this motorcycle left behind. The Z1000 is a unique motorcycle. It’s about unadulterated design, immense power and massive appeal, and this time round, it brings impeccable quality and incredible levels of fit-and-finish. Whether you’re a Z fan or not, it instantly brings a smile to your face. For the former it’s even before they get astride.
The design is essentially street-bike with a mean makeover. The riding position is relaxed and ergonomics would make for comfortable journeys, long and short. It’s the kind of motorcycle you can take down to the shops even when you’re not out shopping or just strap on a bag or two and take off. The saddle is the right amount of firm and gives good support on the open road or even in traffic. The sculpted tank looks like it’s spent many weeks in the studio, with eyes, forced air and lights passing over it endlessly from every imaginable angle. The air scoops flanking the tank feed the radiator with cool air, directing it from specially designed ducts. It doesn’t feature ram-air, but that’s not really needed. It’s not a high-performance-oriented bike, but it can deliver! The 221 kg kerb weight makes it lighter and more manageable than even its smaller sibling, the Z800! That said, the Z1000 certainly scores high on comfort.
On the equipment front, you get superbike-spec grippy Dunlop tyres and petal disc brakes with Kawasaki-etched monobloc floating callipers, complete with ABS. The front suspension is adjustable for preload with the top ends of the Showa Separate Function: Big Piston (SFF-BP) fork offering the means to make changes. The blinking red light from the immobiliser warns others that the beast is never truly asleep.
Turn the key and the instrument cluster lights up with a unique, almost ‘Predator’ style self-destruct countdown light sequence before settling down and giving you a view of your fuel level, trip and odo. Kawasaki have even crafted a cable-holder to hold the wiring in place and it looks good and integral while doing so. And the details go on, and on!
The seat looks as if it’s made from snake-skin and then dyed black, when, in reality, it’s black leather and a barrage of those lightning-shaped ‘Z’ logos. The rear seat – yes, it’s there – is the green bit at the back. While it may look like a plastic cowl from afar, look closely, then touch it, and you feel your fingers sink into the soft material. The brain then registers it as a seat. Another thing to note, though: there are no grab-rails.
Peek lower and you see a set of twin-exhausts; and these are no copper-coloured parallel pipes. The stealthy, chunky exhaust enders look like they were forged by the coalition of Dwarven smiths and elite Dark Dwarf sorcerers – like fragmented metal armour polished to a smooth finish, but left without sheen, adorning this motorcycle, protecting human limbs from heat.
