Volkswagen is getting ready to launch the Jetta in India. The car, which has been a success story for Volkswagen for the past several decades is finally coming to Indian shores in its fifth generation. This would be the third model of Volkswagen in India, with the Passat and Touareg already available in the CBU way.

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Many Indians might be unfamiliar with Volkswagen, and might even struggle to get the name right- but Volkswagen AG is the 4th largest automotive groups in the world, and has subsidiaries like Skoda (which is considered a luxury car in India!), Lamborghini, Audi and even Bugatti!

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Volkswagen Jetta was first introduced in 1979. Now, its fifth generation will be introduced in India. The launch will take place on July 16th in Mumbai. The engine options will include a petrol and a diesel with the choice of manual and automatic transmissions.

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Pricing is going to be the major concern for Volkswagen. Across the globe, Volkswagen commands a higher price than Skoda, and this should be the case in India as well. This could mean that the Passat will be priced higher than the Skoda Octavia II (Skoda Laura, which is also overpriced). The diesels with automatic could very well end up in the Honda Accord price territory, where it should prove to be totally out of place in size and value! The starting price for the petrols could be around 13 lakhs, while the top-end diesels will go be priced around 19 lakhs!

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Volkswagen entry into the Indian market was delayed by the AP bribe scandal. However, although late, its entry into the Indian market is significant being one of the leading players in the world when it comes to small and medium cars.

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The main competition would likely be the Skoda Laura (from its own stable!) and it remains to be seen whether Indians will suddenly give up their fascination for the Skoda brand.

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Rumours also suggest Volkswagen is working on a small car for the Indian market, which would most likely be based on the UP concept.

So, we all tend to think about the cars that set the sales charts on fire. But somehow, always tend to forget the ones that never made an impact. Sadly, there are cars that flopped because they were upto no good, and others flopped because of poor support and exhorbitant price tags.

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Three points should be made clear-

1. A flop car DOES NOT mean that the car was not good at all. Some cars were excellent for the time it came in, but overall as a package, it failed. So, a good car might feature in the list because it never sold. A bad car might not feature in the list because it sold well. Good and bad are considered subjective terms as far as cars are considered.

2. Sales (as used here) is also relative. A Mercedes Benz can never be expected to sell as much as a Maruti 800. Sales figures depend on the segment, positioning of the car, the target market etc. So, sales figures are compared based on company targets and competition.

3. Limited editions are not considered simply because they are produced in limited numbers as the name suggests.

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What are the recent flop cars in the market, as I see it? (In no particular order!)

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1. FIAT Palio- This car comes first in my list of one of the biggest flops in India, mainly because its an excellent car ruined by FIAT. It was received well by Indians, but after a few months FIAT somehow managed to turn everything around and sales plummeted to pathetic levels. The 1.3 JTD was the last ray of hope, but then FIAT again played spoilsport by allowing Maruti to take away all the glory. Current sales of the Palio Stile stand at around 400 cars as against around 9000+ for the Swift, which is a pity considering car-per-car the palio can give the swift a run for its money.

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2. FIAT Palio Adventure- Talking about the Palio, the conversation naturally shifts to the FIAT Adventure, which was an awesome car let down by the lack of a diesel option. Low mileage and pathetic after sales service killed the car, and the fact that it was an estate car in ‘woodland’ looks destroyed which otherwise was a wonderful package.

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3. FIAT Sienna Weekend- Estate car! End of story.

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4. FIAT Petra- To recover the sales of the dying Sienna, FIAT introduced the face lifted Petra, and tasted failure yet again!

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5. Maruti Suzuki Versa- At a time, it would seem impossible that Maruti could get a model wrong. Then came along the Versa and the Baleno. The Baleno suffered from its pricing and recovered well towards the end once the pricing was corrected. But the Versa never did!

A family car at less than the amount of a proper sedan, sounded like a very nice idea from Maruti. But what really hurt them was the lack of a diesel option. A high revving esteem derived petrol unit was not what was needed for a people carrier, and neither was the ad campaign projecting it as a luxury car.

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6. Baleno Altura- Estate car, although an awesome one! End of story.

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7. TATA Safari petrol- How many people even know there is a petrol version of the Safari? And all those who know, remember it from the jumping Safari ad, rather than any experience with the car.

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8. Ford Fusion- Overpriced, and payed the price. Fusion was a hatchback positioned as an SUV crossover with a 1.6L petrol engine infamous for its FE figures at the price of C- segment sedans. When the diesel finally came into to save the day, Ford slapped on another big price tag.

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9. Opel Vectra- Pricing, poor marketing and Opel brand! By the time, this one rolled out, it was time to close down the Opel brand to give way for Chevrolet.

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10. Hyundai Tucson- To start with, even owners didnt get the name right. The story continues with Hyundai’s difficulty in selling cars above D-segment in India. However, the car was a good package with diesel option, but sales never justified its existence.

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11. Hyundai Elantra- A classic example where styling can destroy a whole package. This was a phenomenal package at its time with ABS, Traction control (which is not present in the segment even now), a class leading CRDi engine and more goodies. However, the styling didn’t impress and so did the sales!

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12. Mahindra Voyager- Mahindra tried its luck with this old Mitsubishi and failed rather badly. The target segment never existed.

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13. Chevrolet Forester- This was a hardcore Subaru, hiding under the skin of a Chevrolet. However, the vehicle was introduced into an imaginary segment, and there was no demand.

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14. Chevrolet SRV- Its a sports hatch with a luxury car price tag, and manages to be neither sporty nor luxurious! Quite a looker though!

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15. Chevrolet U-VA- The hatch variant of the Aveo hasn’t had success in the Indian market. Now rumours indicate the chance of a 1.3 diesel engine coming in to save the day.

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16. Lancer Cedia- HM was real late in introducing this lancer in India, and when they finally did, the tried to position it above the existing Lancer. The car was brilliant, but the same can never be said about sales.

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17. Ford Mondeo- An excellent driver’s car, but let down by high maintainence costs, price tag and lack of image.

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18. Opel Corsa Sail- Pioneers mostly live a tough live. Corsa sail tried to open a premium hatch segment in India, and died trying.

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19. TATA Sierra- TATA trying to enter the passenger car segment. Although sales never clicked, this car had brought an image about itself thats helped TATA with the Safari too.

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20. TATA Marina- Another estate car, to add to the extensive list of estate cars that have flopped in India.

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Top Gear is back! The show featuring Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and defenitly the Stig (and his various cousins) had its last episode in March. The first episode of the 11th season was aired on June 22, 2008.

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The main attractions of the first episode were the efforts to find an economical supercar (the irony as usual!), Ferrari F 430 Scuderia and a top gear stunt man. Challenge: cheap cop cars.

Yes, its a 100 bhp hatch, and the only one in the list till the Getz CRDi came along! And yes, it was one of the first in the small car market to have modern safety features, and the first to realise that Indians don’t pay for safety! And yes again, it was built from a single piece of rock like no other at the time although the interior might look like a rock too.

And no, its not an Italian- its a decade old Brazilian made for third world developing countries on a modified Uno chasis!

But who cares as long as you can buy one for the price of a TATA Nano?

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Every Indian automobile enthusiast worth his salt loved the Palio 1.6 GTX to the core. They worshiped it, praised it, ogled it and sadly- not many bought it. The 100 horses under the hood was more than enough to make this car a legend in the Indian automobile industry. It was the car to own if you couldn’t get your hands on an OHC VTec and didnt like the looks of the Suzuki Baleno.

But then, it was discontinued around 2004 (production seems to have stopped end- 2002). The Palio 1.6 Sports was launched later on; but according to enthusiasts this seemed to be a more tamed down version of the legend. However, there is a surge (relative) of used 1.6 Palios’ in the market nowadays as owners might be looking for an upgrade, and this throws in a wonderful opportunity.

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The problem, or rather the blessing, is the resale value. Its pathetic or even worse for a Palio. There have been cases where lucky guys could pick one up for less than 1 lakh for a car that demanded around 5.5 lakhs five years back. Infact, you could pick one up for a lesser amount than an Suzuki Alto of the same age.

But… Is it worth it? Now, this, is not a simple question at all…

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The answer i have come up with is- Yes, if you know what you are getting into… And no, if you want a reliable, trouble free, easy to maintain car, easy on the pocket car.

Why yes? Because its a hatch that puts smile on your face. Its worth much much more than what you are paying for. It handles brilliantly, has solid build quality, feels European (Although it never got to see it) and in simple words- its in a class of its own when only the car matters.

Why no? Because its a FIAT. Service is a trouble, spares are hard to find and expensive, and everyone from your newspaper guy to your boss will ask the question- ‘Why FIAT’?

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Would i buy one? I wouldn’t buy a new Palio 1.6 even if it had a huge discount going for it. But a 1.6 GTX at 1 lakh, yes might be the answer…

Team- bhp forum has come up with one of the biggest scoops of recent times. The Maruti Suzuki A- Star and the Maruti Suzuki Splash both have been spotted. The cars look like production ready, and sources confirm immediate launch.

Engine options include the 1.3L DDiS engine, which has made the Swift the most desirable car in the country. Whats more interesting is that the Splash features DDiS, VDi and ABS badges- suggesting that a feature laden diesel option will be on the cards.

Knowing Suzuki, the pricing will be very competitive, as both the cars should be slotted between the Alto and the Swift. WagonR might be replaced, although the current sales of the WagonR stands at around 10,000 units a month- which might make Maruti think otherwise. However, Zen Estilo is struggling with around 3000 units a month, and might be killed by the new comers.

Hyundai i10 is the main player in the segment now, after the WagonR. With the diesel option of the Splash, Maruti Suzuki looks more than willing to fight it out with the i10.

Honda India has launched the Civic hybrid with an astronomical price tag of 22 lakhs! The hybrid version of the Civic has been positioned even above the companies flagship in India- the Accord. Honda says this high price is due to the Civic hybrid being a CBU which attracts more than 100% tax in the Indian market.

Will it sell? Don’t know if there are enough nature- conscious people in India to buy a Civic to 20 lakhs. However, it does seem like Honda is trying hard to promote its green values. This has also been echoed in the ad campaign for the Honda City a few months ago.

Here is what Honda says about its technology-

1) How does the Hybrid work, what does Hybrid mean?

Honda started development work on their Hybrid system in 1990. The Civic Hybrid uses the Honda Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology in which the internal combustion engine is directly connected to and assisted by an electric motor. The system itself is compact and as a result of the electric motor being directly connected, a smaller battery and inverters can be used. During acceleration, the electric motor will assist the engine, providing greater fuel economy and lower emissions. As soon as the brakes are applied to slow the vehicle down, the engine’s four cylinders are shut off allowing energy to be captured instead of wasted to re-charge the battery. When the car comes to a stop, the engine switches off, conserving energy. It re-starts automatically as soon as the brake pedal is released. One of the new features of Honda’s new Civic Hybrid system is that during low-speed cruising, it is possible for all 4 cylinders to be shut off and the Civic Hybrid to cruise on the electric motor alone.

2) Do the Hybrid batteries need charging?

The Civic Hybrid system has been developed so you don’t have to do anything different. The battery is automatically charged when the car is slowing, travelling downhill or braking. The vehicle is able to re-capture energy which is normally lost through friction when braking and use this energy to re-charge the battery. Remember, when the battery is not in use it’s being recharged by the electric motor. There is an override in the system that means you will always have at least 20% power in the battery. So you’ll find there’s no need to plug your car in to charge at the end of the day.

3) Are servicing costs in line with a normal car?

Honda offers the customer a standard warranty period of 2 years or 40,000 km which ever is earlier. In addition Honda covers the Civic Hybrid for an additional 2 years and 40,000 km extended warranty through the ‘Exclusive Honda Care Programme’. To top it up Honda is also providing to all Civic Hybrids the ‘Unique Hybrid Care Programme’ which takes care of maintenance of the car up to 4 years and 80,000 km. Which means that you have to just sit back and relax.

4) Does it drive like a normal car? / While cranking the engine why is the feeling different from a normal car?

Yes, it drives just like a normal car. We’ve used the same transmission system that can be found in the City – CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission). CVT is like an automatic in that you don’t change gear and do not have a clutch. CVT will select the optimum range for the speed and revs, so maximising fuel efficiency in all driving conditions. When the IMA battery is fully charged the engine is started by the IMA battery. Therefore the feel while starting is very smooth.

5) Is the battery component safe? / I also understand that high voltage current flows in the car’s circuits. Is there any electrical hazard?

No hazard at all, the battery is totally safe. The battery is housed behind the rear-seats and has been reduced in size to that of a slim suitcase to ensure it doesn’t interfere with passenger comfort. It is housed in a strong metal case, and has been tested to withstand both rear and side impacts. The unit is a ‘floating structure’ which means there is no risk at all to the occupants, even in a collision. The electrical circuits have some cables which carry high voltage current. However the car is designed with adequate safety measures including a manual control which can be switched off in case of any eventuality.

6) If I run out of fuel, can I drive on Electric power only?

No. You cannot drive solely on the electric motor; the Civic Hybrid relies primarily on its petrol engine. However, if the electric motor becomes inoperative, the gasoline engine will function on its own.

7) What is the idle stop feature in the Civic Hybrid?

Will the AC continue to work? When the vehicle stops, the IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) or the electric motor’s idle-stop feature temporarily shuts off the petrol engine to save fuel and minimize emissions. The system restarts the petrol engine. On Civic Hybrid equipped with the CVT, the idle-stop feature is engaged when the brake pedal is depressed and the car has come to a complete stop. Once the brake pedal is released, or on moving the gear shift lever from D to R or S, the engine will restart. This system will come into play if you brake from a speed higher than 12 kmph. In case you are moving in bumper-to-bumper traffic at speeds lower that 12 kmph, the engine may not shut off on braking. The AC will continue to function as it will draw power from the battery pack. However it is advisable not to use AC for long time when engine is shut off. The engine shut off can be identified by the tachometer. Long usage of AC in this condition may lead to battery discharge.

Is there any problem that I may encounter while driving in waterlogged areas?

For all cars – any car of any brand – it is recommended not to drive on roads where water is deep. Driving through deep water will cause damage to the engine and electrical equipment and the car may break down. The same applies to the Civic Hybrid also.

9) Does the Civic Hybrid require any special kind of fuel?

The Civic Hybrid uses regular unleaded fuel.

10) What precautions should I undertake if I leave the Civic Hybrid without use for a long time?

Hybrid storage for less than 2 months does not create any problems. If you plan to store your Hybrid for a longer period, it is a good idea to have the car started up and run at 3500 rpm for 8 to 10 minutes every 30 days. Also confirm the full charge status on the instrument cluster after this.

11) How do I tow the car in case the situation calls for towing?

If your car needs to be towed be sure to contact a professional towing service. Using a flat bed transporter or wheel lift truck is the accepted method of towing. Additionally Honda is providing 24/7 roadside assistance as part of the ‘Exclusive Honda Care Programme’. In case of a breakdown call at: 18001033121 ( Toll Free) or 0124 4263121) What is the fuel consumption? The Civic Hybrid is one of the best fuel performers when it comes to fuel economy. However, fuel efficiency varies significantly based on driving conditions, road conditions, weather, accessory use and terrain. Fuel economy can get affected by a number of different factors including tyre pressure, excessive weight e.g. a full boot, increased wind resistance e.g. roof racks, open windows.

12) Why don’t you do a hatchback version? / When will you do a hatchback version?

Honda is committed to providing fuel efficient and environmentally friendly engine technology to everyone. The Civic Hybrid was therefore developed in the global preference of body shape – 4 door saloon. As the Hybrid system is developed further and becomes more compact, it may be possible to introduce it into other body styles.

Honda has launched an all new variant of its popular Civic. The Civic E has been given a price tag of 10.8L, which makes it not so good VFM considering the V spec has much more equipment with a marginal increase of money. However, for Honda, this could be a good mode to kill the soon- to be launched Toyota Corolla.

The good thing is that the base version retains essential safety feature like ABS, and airbags. Surprising from a company, that is hell bent on not offering these in the common models of its mid segment sedan, the City.

However, the lack of alloy wheels are an eyesore, the music system has been downgraded, no leather upholstery, all the chrome has disappeared, the centre arm-rest in the rear no longer contains the remote for the HU, and last bu not least, there is no climate control system! With a price tag of around 50k with the V version of the Civic, it makes you wonder whether all these equipment costs only 50k, or has Honda put a margin separately for the Honda brand name?

Honda launched the FCX Clarity internationally yesterday, 16th June 2008.

It runs 620 kms in a single re-fueling, and does a top speed of 160 kmph and Honda claims the only thing coming out of the exhaust will be water vapour.

Honda will soon launch a new variant of its best selling Civic in India. The Civic was formerly available in two variants- 1.8S and 1.8V, of which the 1.8V was the costlier one.

Now the ‘Civic 1.8S’ version has been discontinued, and a normal Civic will be introduced, along with the existing 1.8V. Most probably the new variant wont be having company alloy wheels, chrome coloured handles, climate control etc along with emission other such minor ‘luxuries’. Hopefully, Honda will retain ABS and airbags in this basic version.

The civic has been an astounding success story for Honda. However, sales have been sliding downwards in the past few months. Also, the all new Corolla threatens to give the Civic a run for its money. Hence, this new variant is expected to be priced very competitively.

Honda has also announced the launch of the hybrid versions of the Civic, but through the CBU route.

(Image is a type R, and not the expected version)

(Pics- Team-bhp forum)

Toyota is planning to launch the all new Corolla in India soon, replacing the ninth generation Corolla which is being sold in India now. Toyota has suffered severe setbacks in sales after the launch of the Honda Civic, and Toyota plans to set things right with the new Tenth generation Corolla.

Over the globe, Toyota Corolla is the best selling car and has sold at the rate of one every 40 seconds!

It remains to be seen whether Toyota comes out with a 2.0 D4D diesel option of the Corolla, and that alone would play a huge role in the success of the Corolla. Civic, its main competitor is planning to bring in hybrid technology, but that would mean a high price tag. With rising fuel prices, a quality diesel option from Toyota will be received whole heartedly in the Indian market.

Other engine options could include the current 1.8 VVTi.