Over the past few years the auto scene of Nepal has developed manifolds, and we are very proud to have been involved in painting the auto industry red with our first of its kind English automotive magazine of the country. It’s been one hell of a journey reaching here gathering some very rave reviews from the market along the way. We sure do have more out of the box features in the pipeline that we plan to gradually introduce as we progress in the future. As you must have already noticed, it’s been a cricket crazy month with all that brouhaha about the little master Sachin Tendulkar scoring his ground breaking 100th international century and the glamorous IPL season taking off. Well most of us at AutoLife aren’t really big fans of the game, but between all that we too scored a little six of our own. It feels great to have this sixth issue of AutoLife reach your hands, with our dedication and passion still going at full throttle. Well, we aren’t really expecting us scoring a six to make the headlines like the master blasters achievement, but we just hope you did notice that and can’t thank you all enough for accepting our efforts.
vol 1 Issue 6 April/may 2012 Softrock Media Pvt Ltd Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 977-01-4415746 Regd. 84553/068/069
Founder / Managing Editor Ajay Dhoj Thapa Executive Director Shraddha Rajbhandari Editorial Ajay Dhoj Thapa Ankit Shakya Ayush Dhaubanjar Kushal Goyal Saurav Nepal Shraddha Rajbhandari Design Designer - Sushil Dhungana Supported by: Sworup Nhasiju Photography Ankit Shakya Ayush Dhaubanjar Kushal Goyal Shashank Pradhan
Apart from all that, we really can’t deny that we folks in Kathmandu have been having a hard time going around town with most of the streets bearing a stark resemblance to ravaged and deserted war zones. We appreciate the commitment of the current government to give us motorists a breather with more road space; but a phase by phase demolition and construction would have been more efficient and easier on the lives of us urbanites. We just hope the construction too takes place at the same rapid pace as the destruction. It really hasn’t been fun to go through all these dusty and broken roads with the additional brunt of the rising mercury. Otherwise with the monsoons around the bend, those without 4x4’s and gumboots could be in for a lot of dirty trouble.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Alize Shrestha Piyush Neupane
However, this still didn’t deter us from testing some new sets of wheels that was all recently launched on our streets. This time we have laid out for you, full blown reviews of the pretty little Hyundai Eon, improvised Skoda Fabia and the sturdy people mover Toyota Avanza. On the two wheelers side, there’s the rather mean looking bruiser of a cruiser, the Hyosung GV650 Aquila Pro presented in all its glory. This month we salute the Tour De France specialist Lance Armstrong, as part of our cycling endeavours and also cycled for a noble cause in the Laxmi Cares Cycle Rally. Our last month’s trip on the Nanos had Tata pretty satisfied and this time they decided to send us to Daman on the Tata Sumo Grande for another lovely weekend. The travel hungry motorheads that we are, we grabbed the keys and hit the highway. We just hope that we meet more companies like Tata Nepal in the future, who would love to join hands with us in promoting the various tourist destinations that lie scattered across the country.
Editorial enquiries: editorial@autolife.com.np
Take your time and enjoy this milestone issue of ours. And yes, unofficial researches say that it actually takes lesser time to go through our magazine than sitting through an entire cricket match. Or in true cricket fashion, isn’t this issue of ours to what you would shout out, ‘It’s a SIX!’
The Editorial Team
Printing Qualitech Pvt Ltd Tripureshwor T: 01-4261314 Distribution Kasthmandap Distributors T: 01-4247241 General enquiries hello@autolife.com.np
Ads and marketing enquiries marketing@autolife.com.np
Autolife is an automotive magazine (CDO Regd 213), published 12 times a year by Softrock Media. All rights reserved in respect of all articles, illustration, photographs, etc published in Autolife Magazine. The content of this publication may not be reproduced on whole or in any part in any electronics or print form, in any language, without the written consent of the publisher. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, who cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. Autolife has a dedicated review team for all test drives and rides. We research, study, plan and execute our tests and publish our real experience without any influences. We have our loyalty towards our readership and are not biased or inclined towards any specific brands or services. All advertisement insertions are a part of our marketing campaign, due to their relevance with the magazines content; and published only after authorization from clients or their respective media agencies.
contents vol 1 Issue 6 April/May 2012
EXCLUSIVE tests Skoda Fabia
32 Czech this out
Hyosung GV650 Aquila Pro
38 Freedom Calling
Hyundai Eon
48 Pretty Little Head Turner
Toyota Avanza
58
The Family Guy
ROAD TRIP
48
pretty little head turner 72
road trip
Regulars New Updates
18
News & Scoops from the Auto Industry
AL Wishlist
46
Harley Davidson
AL Salutes
68 Lance Armstrong
56
Movie Review
Bullitt and Easy Rider
Road Playlist
64 Our guy Kushal’s favourite road tracks
66
freedom calling
Subscribe Us Garage
38
80
Bike DIY & Car DIY
Complete Buying Guide
83 Listing of cars & bikes available in Nepal
contents vol 1 Issue 6 April/May 2012
32
czech this out
The
Cult The Brotherhood
46 wishlist CYCLIST Let there be Light
70 Laxmi Cares cycling rally experience
Interactive Mailbox & Photos
16 Readers Letters & Pictures
Readers Write
30 Exploring the Mid West
58
the family guy
PLAY THE QUIZ (PAGE - 54)
WIN
TICKETS
l autolife
INTERACTIVE
mail box
>>get in touch
hello@autolife.com.np
I am crazy about bikes and cars. I used to read AutoX magazine of India and I was hoping for a magazine like AutoX to be made in Nepal. Finally my wish has come true. You guys did a great job by launching AutoLife Nepal. Thanks for that. I have read all your issues and I really loved it.... Rojazz Shakya Like I said, here’s finally a local magazine catering to local auto lovers with international standard. Well done,keep it up! Pramod Shrestha Goofy I am so glad that people are beginning to visit this magnificent town Jiri. It would be nice to start doing such more rides to Far West Nepal and promote this area. Places like Dadeldura, Baitadi are worth visiting. Sherap Sherpa AL REPLY: Note taken.
SEND US IMAGES OF YOUR AUTOLIFE at HELLO@AUTOLIFE.COM.NP AND SEE IT HERE
14
April/May 2012
Autolife needs you.... to email us. Now. Send your words and pictures to editorial@autolife.com.np www.autolife.com.np
BAJAJ
l autolife
news updates
BMW i8 SPYDER REVEALED
AUDI EYEING DUCATI >> Volkswagen’s luxury car company Audi is negotiating with Ducati owner Investindustrial, in what could culminate in a buyout of the Italian exotic bike maker. The marriage of the two automotive giants fits well with Audi’s ambitious ‘Project Eagle,’ aimed at elevating VW into the world’s largest auto manufacturer, and Audi is learnt to have a dedicated task force working to decode the deal and add a feather to its cap. Earlier, Andrea Bonomi, Investindustrial head has stated Ducati is looking for a world-class industrial partner for its future growth and wants to sell the iconic brand for one billion Euros. Ducati sold 42,000 motorcycles through 2011 and commands a nine percent share in its segment. The company has been making all the right moves over the past few years, launching segment leading motorcycles like their versatile Multistrada 1200, the Diavel power-cruiser and 1199 Panigale race replica.
>> Look familiar? Yes? That’s because this is the same i8 supercar Tom Cruise took around the streets of Mumbai in Mission Impossible 4. The only difference is that this is the new i8 Concept Spyder and it only hints at the car inching closer towards production. Audi has already announced that their R8 E-Tron electric supercar will be launched by this year end and from the looks of it, BMW is hinting at a real production run of this electric supercar. This hybrid supercar is powered by a 129 bhp electric motor upfront driving the front wheels, coupled to a mid-mounted 1.5-litre turbocharged three-pot motor that powers the rear wheels with 220 bhp. The combined power output is nearly 349 bhp and a torque figure of 550 Nm, which results in a 0-100 kph run in less than 5 seconds and a top speed of 250 kph! Impressive! Even more impressive is the fact that this car, despite the performance, will manage nearly 33 kpl, according to the EPA cycle. The future doesn’t look so bad after all, does it? This is definitely a vision of the future we like.
SHELBY REVEALS TUNED MUSTANG >> They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. But more is definitively better than less. May we present to you the Shelby 1000. It is the most powerful Shelby ever built, and arrives on a wave of history: exactly 50 years ago Carroll Shelby premiered the Cobra at the '62 New York motor show, announcing the arrival of a new tuning house. So having already achieved big numbers with the 800bhp Super Snake, his team of mechanics took the GT500 Mustang, stripped its 5.4-litre Ford V8 down to the block and had it beefed up. The head was flowed, the cooling was revamped and the exhaust was upgraded, and there's now a choice of either a Kenne Bell 3.6-litre or Whipple 4.0-litre supercharger on offer. The street version produces around 950bhp, while an S/C 1000 track version offers up 1100bhp. Just 50 will be built, and it'll cost you close to $2,00,000 in the USA.
NEW HYUNDAI SANTA FE >> What you see here is the third-generation Santa Fe, which features Hyundai’s ‘Storm Edge’ design concept that hints at its future SUV designs. Hyundai calls the new look “strong, dynamic and refined, drawing inspiration from the shapes created by nature during the formation of a storm. Based on Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture design language, the third-generation Santa Fe sports a more aggressive and classic look than its predecessor. Underneath the new look, there’s a choice of petrol and two diesel engines, with outputs ranging from 148bhp to 197bhp. The range-topper is still the 2.2-litre ‘R’ all-aluminum diesel engine. The variable geometry turbo engine still produces a healthy 430Nm of torque, even if it is down 5.4Nm from its predecessor. The smaller 2.0-litre diesel engine makes 382Nm, and the 2.4-litre petrol makes a 190bhp. They’re mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed auto box, both fitted with an extra tall cruising gear. Inside, it looks marginally less vanilla than its forbear, but just as practical. The second row of seats slides and folds with a one-touch control, front and second-row legroom’s been increased by 38mm and 45mm respectively, there’s a 37mm deeper boot and there’s a big sunroof.
LIMiTED EDITION KTM 690 DUKE >> KTM has launched a limited edition track-only version of the new 690 Duke, based on the bikes competing in the 2012 KTM-sponsored European Junior Cup (EJC). Just 200 examples of the bike are to have the same specification as the EJC bikes that will see riders from more than 13 Nations battle across eight rounds as a support race for the World Superbike Championship. Priced under £10,000 but not homologated for road use, the 690 Duke Track is fitted with a host of KTM Power Parts, bespoke items and modifications to some standard parts to make a truly formidable circuit weapon – losing 10kg over its 150kg road counterpart and gaining 9bhp. The power increase – on what is already the most powerful production single cylinder motor – is achieved from a full titanium Akrapovic exhaust, modifications to the airbox and a PowerParts camshaft with a bespoke fuel map. Ergonomic changes come from a PowerParts seat – firmer, higher and more room for the rider to change position on the bike.
THE MILITARY DUCATI MONSTER H-D DESIGNER RETIRES >> Willie G. Davidson, Senior Vice President and Chief Styling Officer, is retiring from HarleyDavidson after 49 years of working as head of styling. He will though continue being a part of the company as an ambassador at motorcycle rallies and events. Over the course of his career, Willie revitalized the design team at Harley-Davidson which gave the company unrivalled leadership in custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles. The list includes the Super Glide, Low Rider, Heritage Softail Classic, Fat Boy, V-Rod and Street Glide. Willie G. has long served as ambassador of Harley-Davidson at rallies around the world – meeting riders, talking to customers, lending his famous signature to jackets and other apparel. We hope he continues to do the same for years to come.
www.autolife.com.np
>> Italian bike manufacturer Ducati has unveiled a restyled Monster 1100EVO called the Monster Diesel. The Monster Diesel gets a coat of army-green paint in matte finish with black treatment for its prominent trellis frame, exhausts, wheels and front forks, while the front brake calipers are now yellow. Ducati has also launched a collection of slim-fitting biker jackets, various apparel and accessories. The Monster Diesel will be available at Ducati stores globally from this July.
April/May 2012
17
l autolife
news updates
YAMAHA RAY SCOOTER
DATSUN TO BE REVIVED >> Nissan India has announced that the Japanese car brand, Datsun, would be revived for up and coming customers in high-growth markets. It has confirmed it will be coming to India in 2014. Renault-Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn has confirmed that the Datsun name is being revived as a budget car brand for high-growth markets such as India, Indonesia, and Russia. The cars under the Datsun brand will be built locally and will be designed to meet local customer needs, featuring the latest technologies.
>> At this year's India Auto Expo, Yamaha had showcased a pink-purple and black scooter named 'Ray'. Now the news is that this 125cc scooter is going to become a production reality. There had been rumours that Yamaha was entering into the scooter segment in India and recent news shows that the Japanese bike manufacturer will
be making an entry into the scooter segment with the Ray around Diwali. Their flagship scooter is set to target female customers primarily and will have chic styling, vivid colours, a smooth engine feel and a large underseat storage space. The pricing for this 125cc scooter hasn't been disclosed yet.
It's been over 30 years since Datsun appeared standalone before it was swallowed by the Nissan mothership (reportedly because Nissan then wanted a single global name to increase its presence). Rumours of Datsun’s return have periodically surfaced in the ensuing decades, but now Nissan thinks the time is right to revive the name to bolster its push into emerging markets.
BABY CBR LAUNCHED >> Say hello to the smallest CBR ever. Honda have launched the CBR 150R in India in two variants, Standard and Deluxe. While the Standard will retail for IC Rs.116385, the Deluxe variant will set you back by IC Rs.117385
(both prices, ex-showroom, Delhi). The Standard variant will be available in 2 shades– Black with Pearl Sunbeam White and Sports Red with Pearl Sunbeam White while the Deluxe model with special graphics will be available in Black with Candy Palm Green & Vibrant Orange with Pearl Sunbeam White colour. Powered by a liquid-cooled fuel-
18
April/May 2012
injected DOHC engine producing 18.3PS of peak power and 12.6 Nm of peak torque, this CBR packs a sizeable punch that belies its small package. Disc brakes are standard at both the front and the rear. Visually, the CBR 150R bears a striking resemblance to its bigger sibling, the CBR 250R, thanks to its adoption of Honda’s dual layered full body cowling, albeit smaller in every aspect. Apart from the powertrain, the only major difference is the twin tubular frame on the CBR 150R, which endows the bike with excellent rigidity and stability. www.autolife.com.np
VESPA IS BACK
REFRESHED HYUNDAI i20 >> Hyundai has refreshed its i20 hatchback, now to be called as i-Gen i20 in India. Propelled by the kappa 1.2 litre petrol engine that delivers 83 bhp of peak power, prices for the petrol variants start at IC Rs 4.73 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The 1.4 U2 CRDi diesel variant comes with 6-speed manual transmission that delivers 89bhp power. New features include a rear parking camera, a display in the cabin mirror, heated outside mirrors and auto headlight control. It also comes equipped with other tech features such as a smart key and Bluetooth connectivity. The new model has though stuck with the two tone interior as seen previously.
MARUTI RITZ TO GET A FACELIFT
>> Maruti is all set to give the Ritz its first mid-cycle facelift and here is the proof. Some spy pictures were posted on the Ritz's facebook page. The updated Ritz will
www.autolife.com.np
feature a slightly-altered front fascia starting with a more prominent chin, an updated Audi-esque grille, restyled fog-lamp housing and bonnet. The facelifted Ritz will also feature updated interiors and lighter shades. Under the hood, it is expected to have the 84bhp 1.2-litre petrol and the 74bhp 1.3-litre diesel motors to be carried over.
>> Italian scooter giant Vespa, is set to make their official entry in India. Vespa, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Piaggio & Co. S.p.A. is back in India and this time they are flying solo. The Italian company is no stranger to the Indian two-wheeler market, having had a highly successful joint venture with LML from 1984 until its abrupt end in 1989. Piaggio Group President, Mr. Matteo Colaninno, will be commercially launching Vespa in its new avatar in Mumbai on 26th April, 2012. This will be followed by the plant inauguration at Baramati, on the outskirts of Pune. Their
first offering could be the trendy LX 125 scooter displayed at the Auto Expo this year, aimed at young and fashion conscious college-goers. The Vespa LX 125 is an automatic, retro looking scooter, paying tribute to the original 1946 Vespa with retro styling. The LX 125 for India will deploy a 124cc, four-stroke, fuel-injected, air-cooled single cylinder engine.
TRIUMPH FACILITY IN INDIA >> Triumph Motorcycles have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka government in India to set up a bike assembly plant in the state within a year. After the UK and Thailand, India is the third country where the company is going to set up its manufacturing facility. The new facility
will help Triumph price their motorcycles competitively in the world's second largest two-wheeler market. Following this, Triumph will be monitoring the Indian market and could at a later date consider developing smaller capacity motorcycles should there be a strong demand for such models.
April/May 2012
19
l autolife
news updates
NEW maruti SUZUKI SWIFT IN TOWN >> CG Automobiles, the sole authorized distributor of Maruti Suzuki for Nepal has officially added to its line-up, The New Swift. With the tagline of More Swift, the new Suzuki Swift is built on an all-new platform that outperforms the older model in all respect. The new version of the Suzuki Swift is equipped with a 1.2 litre advanced K-series petrol engine powered with
Variable Valve Timing. It can produce a maximum power output of 87 bhp at 6,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 114 Nm at 4,000 rpm. The Swift features a spacious interior which provides a comfortable ride even on long distance journeys. Keeping in mind the safety and comfort of the passengers, the car has been fitted with power steering, power window, airbags, electronic brake force
distribution system along with brake assist system. It has also got the antilock braking system (ABS). As for the exterior, the new Swift has a sporty and aggressive appeal with sleek and curvier body graphics, making it more attractive than the preceding version. CG Automobiles, has come up with an introductory offer of Rs. 23,99,000/- for VXi model and Rs 26,39,000/- for ZXi model along with free insurance, free road tax, free ownership transfer, 12 times free servicing and 2 years warranty for a limited period. The New Swift comes in 5 different colour-Silky Silver, Glistering Grey, Torque Blue, Blazing Red and Arctic White. The new car from Suzuki is expected to give stiff competition to popular hatchbacks like the Hyundai i20, Volkswagen Polo, Ford Figo, Honda Brio and Skoda Fabia.
REFINE YOUR VEHICLE WITH BG NEPAL >> BG Nepal Pvt. Ltd, established in 2009 is the Sole Distributor for BG Products, USA for Nepal. BG Products manufactures specially formulated chemicals, tools and equipments for professionals in the automotive industry which conforms to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. They ensure maintaining the operational systems of your vehicle just like how it was when it rolled out of the showroom. BG Nepal recently refreshed their product line with new range of products to improve engine efficiency. Their services can be easily availed at Bhagwati Bahal Marg, Naxal besides the Chevrolet Showroom. Some of the notable servicing that can be conducted using BG Products are: Decarbonizing BG Products have developed revolutionary products called BG Air Intake System
Cleaner and BG Fuel Injection System Cleaner. Wherever the deposits are building up along the fuel injection system and the air intake system, these products will efficiently clean them up. In every engine deposits will form behind the intake valves. Cleaning the valves with BG Products at regular intervals prevents these deposits from causing major problems. Any obstruction in the injector's orifices will also cause an uneven spray pattern, which cause uneven distribution of fuel, which reduces power and performance. BG Fuel Injection system Cleaner will ensure that the droplets of fuel are dispersed evenly throughout in an ultra fine mist. Engine Oil Servicing Engine Flushing is the complete removal of these deposits along with the used engine oil during an oil change. BG Quick Clean for Engines is the chemical used for the engine flushing. Engine flushing is done at the time of servicing before replacing the engine oil and is recommended at every alternate
servicing. When we manually drain oil because of the viscous nature, only 75%80% of the oil is drained and the remaining 20% of the used oil remains in the engine at various parts. The solution to this is using BG Quick Clean for Engine before draining the oil. This will reduce the viscosity of the used oil and sludge significantly and make it free flowing like the water. So when the used oil is drained, complete draining takes place cleaning the engine. Cooling System Servicing Similar to the Engine Oil Servicing, the Cooling System servicing is used for removing the deposits such as rusts and other particles present in the cooling system. This will help clean the system and also prevent seepage and minor leakages. The overall effect is efficient cooling and hence optimized performance.
l autolife
news updates
AUSTRALIAN VICTORY FOR BUTTON
ALONSO WINS AT MALAYSIA
>>Fernando Alonso held off Sergio Perez to take victory in a remarkable Malaysian Grand Prix, which saw changing weather, a long red flag, and a sensational lead battle between two unlikely contenders. Alonso's victory in this second race of the season took the Ferrari driver into the world championship lead, despite the team's tough start to the season. But only a late error prevented Perez passing the double champion to take what would have been one of Formula 1's most surprising wins ever for Sauber. Lewis Hamilton completed the podium, with his McLaren team-mate Jenson Button outside the points after a disastrous race. Sebastian Vettel also failed to score due to a clash in traffic, though his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber claimed fourth ahead of Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) and Bruno Senna (Williams).
MAHINDRA WINS THEIR 1st 125 GP RACE
Mahindra Racing Team and Riccardo Moretti took the victory in the season opening race at the 125GP Italian Championship on the Mugello Circuit. Mahindra Racing made their Italian motorcycle road racing championship debut at the circuit with a win in the 125 GP class. The team's Italian rider Riccardo Moretti had secured pole position, giving the team a positive start. Meanwhile, his team-mate, India's Sarath Kumar qualified 22nd on the combined grid of the 125GP and Moto3 classes. It was the first weekend for the young Indian rider on the Italian track and also the crash suffered during the wet second qualifying session didn't help. Moretti got a great start of the race and he both maintained and 22
April/May 2012
quickly extended his leadership on the opponents. In the race, Moretti was in the lead from start and built a gap of over 16 seconds by the end to cross the finish-line first. Kumar, on the other hand, managed to move up one place by the ninth lap but had to retire from the race on the next due to a mechanical failure in his bike.
Jenson Button opened the 2012 Formula 1 world championship with a commanding victory for McLaren in the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. World champion Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) managed to get up to second from sixth on the grid, fending off pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton's McLaren and the second Red Bull of Mark Webber. Vettel was still no threat to Button, though, as the 2009 champion confidently pulled away from his successor at the restart and left the Red Bull to fend off Lewis Hamilton through the final stint. Fernando Alonso salvaged fifth place from Ferrari's difficult weekend, having proved much more competitive in the race. Button claimed the lead at the start with a better getaway than his pole-sitting team-mate, and then quickly established a lead of three seconds, which stayed stable through the opening stint. Felipe Massa briefly made it into the top 10 in the second Ferrari, but struggled with poor pace and high tyre wear, making three stops and falling back to 13th before retiring with damage following a collision with Senna.
Muffadal Choonia, Team Mahindra Racing Principal optimistically stated "We feel ecstatic winning the first race of the Italian championship which is one of the toughest national motor racing championships in the world. A victory in our debut race is a shot in the arm. We are now in the right frame of mind to vie for the championship title." www.autolife.com.np
NEWS UPDATES
l autolife
2012 GTA Spano
Smart Brabus Electric Drive
Roding Roadster
Tata Megapixel
Range Rover Evoque Convertible
Mitsubishi Outlander
Sbarro Intencity Concept
Infiniti Emerg-E Concept
Wiesmann MF3 Final Edition
2012 BMW M3 DTM
2013 Mercedes Benz SL63 AMG
2013 Lexus RX 450H
he Geneva Motor Show (Salon International de l’Auto) is an annual auto show held in the Swiss city of Geneva. The show is hosted at the Geneva Palexpo and is organised by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobil. Since Switzerland lacks an auto industry of its own, the show is regarded as a level playing field for the world’s automakers
24
April/May 2012
and is considered an important international auto show. This year’s show attracted a wide range of production and concept cars from the entire spectrum of companies in the business. Every exotic and mainstream automaker vied for attention as the 82nd edition of the show opened its doors to the public from March 8-18, 2012. From chic city cars to stylish and powerful sports cars,
the new models also represented the latest technologies for the most ecological and economic motoring. The show is over and most of us for sure missed it again. So for your viewing pleasure, we have again compiled some pictures of those exotic machines that could have been experienced first-hand only at Geneva.
www.autolife.com.np
l autolife
NEWS UPDATES
2013 Mini Countryman John Cooper Works
Artega GT Panoramic
Citroen DS4 Racing ConceptPanoramic
Bentley Exp 9F Concept
2013 Porsche Boxster
Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
Bertone Nuccio Concept
Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse
Giugiaro Brivido Race Car Concept
Fiat 500 Abarth 695 Tributo Maserati
Gumpert Apollo Enraged
Lamborghini Aventador J
Koenigsegg Agera R
Jeep Wrangler Mountain
Jaguar XF Sportbrake
Hyundai i30 Wagon
Lotus LMP2
Volkswagen Amarok Canyon Concept
Magna MILA Coupic Concept
Touring Superleggera Disco Volante Concept
Valmet Automotive Dawn
26
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
HUNDAI EON
AL: Readers Write | Bikash M. Singh
EXPLORING THE MID WEST The road less travelled
It was just another every day morning. I woke up early and was going about my daily chores. Until then, I didn’t have anything in mind about doing this trip. But just two hours later, I found myself on the highway riding towards Lumbini! Turned out that Om, a friend of mine was leaving for his hometown the same morning. So after some instant decision, we decided to make it a motorcycle trip as the next days were off for both of us. I was also having that familiar itch of wanting to wanderlust towards the highway for too long now. And thus began our four day long 800km motorcycle ride towards Lumbini, around Palpa and Pokhara on the way back. As this was an unplanned spur-of-the-moment thing, we weren’t even sure where we would stop for the night. So we started off with my friend as the pillion on my Bajaj Kawasaki Eliminator - a reliable and comfortable ride that has 28
April/May 2012
To be on the safe side we had to lower our cruising speed from 80 to 40km/hr, as the carefree kids would ambush us with water and balloons. never let me down on long trips; the caveat here being, of course, regular and timely maintenance. We kicked off our journey via the usual highway route through Naubise, Mugling and Narayangarh. Since it was just a day after Holi in Kathmandu, the highway traffic wasn’t relatively deserted. Maybe most people were still recovering from yesterday’s hangover. The familiar twisties
and the occasional straights till Narayangarh still seemed enjoyable. We reached there by noon and after that it was almost all straight, stretched out roads beyond the horizon. Now that was a refreshing feel after those corner carvings. The Terai people were having their holi celebration that very day and everything around was colorful. To be on the safe side we had to lower our cruising speed from 80 to 40km/hr, as the he carefree kids would ambush us with water and balloons. By evening, we made it to Bhairawa and visited the massive Triveni Dam around the Nepal India border of Sunauli. The humid climate was almost unbearable out here and all those mosquitoes flying around added to our woes. Due to some power cut, even the fans and A/C in our room became redundant and I had to find solace in some shots of vodka to pass away the night in deep slumber.
The next morning we headed towards Lumbini and visited the common landmarks and pilgrimage sites consisting of – the birth site of Lord Buddha, The Ashoka’s Pillar, The World Peace Stupa and the Japanese, Chinese, Korean, German, etc monasteries. It was such a humbling and spiritual feeling after visiting all these sites and to have learnt much more about the birth site of someone who made a lasting impression in the world – the light of Asia – Lord Buddha. The calm and tranquil vibe around these sites makes you feel at such an ease. We spent almost half the day visiting these
www.autolife.com.np
sites and after lunch set out for Tansen, Palpa. After few hours of straight roads back to Butwal, we were once again twisting and turning along the mountain curves. Inspiration for a great motorcycle trip isn’t really hard to find in our country. The vivid and colorful sceneries, changing vistas after every corners, breathtaking views of mountains, the fresh smell of nature, friendly villagers, etc all adds up to the charm of a roadtrip. With the sound of the rumbling engine and wind whizzing around one’s ears and the motorcycle twisting and turning along the curves, one feels entranced and gets that superior feeling of becoming one with the road. By the time we reached Palpa, it was almost dark. We strolled around the old and charming town of Tansen, visited the under renovation old palace and moved in to a hotel for the night.
had to jump out of his seat to avoid the motorcycle from slipping and falling down. After about 3 hours of bumpy ride through enchanting forests and wilderness, we reached the end of the road. We left the motorcycle there and had to travel rest of the distance on foot. After half an hour of trek, we finally reached Rani Mahal.
The sound of the rooster announcing the break of dawn had me waking up early. The sun was just rising on the horizon, spilling the vast skies atop mountains with colorful hues. After a while, we set out for the Bhairav Temple - a much revered pilgrimage site in Palpa located at distance of about 10kms from Tansen. We spent some time there worshipping Lord Bhairav, the mighty god of power and trade and returned back to Tansen for breakfast. Our next destination was Rani Mahal - a place that I had always wanted to visit. After asking the locals the direction and condition of the road to Rani Mahal, we came to conclude that it wouldn’t be an easy ride. So it meant some off road fun to Rani Mahal from Tansen and we were hell bent to ride till the end of the road. And we did ride till the end of it! But tackling the extreme off-road wasn’t really easy on my heavy cruiser. The road was very rough and so steep at times that my friend
This fascinating palace was built by the late Khadga Shamsher in memory of his beloved queen Tej Kumari Devi in 1954 B.S and it took five years to complete this palace. So basically Rani Mahal is to Nepal what Taj Mahal is to India. I wonder how hard it must have been to build this palace in such a remote place and how beautiful it must have looked when it was just finished. Surprisingly the whole palace was built upon a single block of massive rock besides the vast Kali Gandaki River. Sadly the palace now lies in ruins with a rather awkward looking paintjob from the renovation. We spent few hours there taking photographs and strolling around Rani Mahal and along the Kali Gandaki river bank. Since had to reach Pokhara the same day, unwillingly we hurried back to our motorcycle. The ascent proved to be much harder than the descent due to the steep climbs. After about an hour of torturous
www.autolife.com.np
This is definitely a route that I would urge every motorcycling enthusiast to explore at least once.
off roading, we stopped by to replenish ourselves with some refreshments and snacks at a local hotel. By the time we were finished, we had already mingled with the friendly locals and playful kids there and it wasn’t easy to move on. This is definitely a route that I would urge every motorcycling enthusiast to explore at least once. So off we went once again ascending through the winding maze of steep off-roads. We reached Tansen after a few hours and immediately
checked out towards Pokhara in the dark. After nearly 125kms of riding in the dark through winding roads, we made it to Pokhara just in time as the nightlife was catching up. We chilled out at a bar with some drinks in hand, had dinner and dozed off to deep sleep after a back bending ride. The next day, we did a quick tour of Pokhara and left for Kathmandu early enough to reach home by noon. Never had I done such a trip where we rode through a mix of twists and turns of the mountains, the seemingly endless straights and extreme off road all packaged in one. So looking back, trust me when I say this - you have to see with your own eyes, smell the air with your own nose and personally experience the joys in little things along the way to feel the grandeur of such a ride.
April/May 2012
29
l autolife
test drive
Review & Photography: AL Team www.autolife.com.np
ales in the auto industry have been less than inspiring this past fiscal year, but the hatchback segment not the one to be bothered by this trend, has already seen a number of new launches over the past few months. Of course hatchbacks do make a lot more sense for our dealers in this time of recession, as cheaper and affordable cars are easier to trade off the showroom floors. The latest in following suit is the refreshed Skoda Fabia. Though its initial debut some time back did not manage to make it a popular car as it was sold in limited numbers, it did build up some sort of following. So this re-introduction of the new Fabia will now see the local arm of the premium Czech manufacturer target a far bigger slice in the market with its more affordable introduction over its premium siblings.
looks bigger and up front the Fabia does shares a strong resemblance with the rest of the Skoda range. The logo takes pride of place in the middle of the horizontal chrome bar cleverly placed
atop the large radiator grille with vertical fins. Sleek lines follow on the rest of the car and terminate at the rear which is slightly reminiscent of the VW Polo, the platform it was based on. The roofline
EXTERIOR We were handed over the keys to the new Skoda Fabia Ambition+ variant for our review. So first of all, the Fabia sadly still isn’t the best looking hatch. But that doesn’t mean it’s ugly. The larger headlamps and grill makes it www.autolife.com.np
April/May 2012
31
gets lower at the rear and slopes at quite an angle. The smaller 14 inch steel wheels with the impressive alloy-like wheel covers on our test model though looked a bit lost under the arches. But it’s a very balanced design, with no other bits that look unwieldy or out of place. On the whole, the new Skoda
32
April/May 2012
Fabia exteriors do feel durable and gives away a sporty, aggressive and masculine feel.
INTERIOR Step inside and the cabin feels fresh and welcoming. The first thing you’ll notice is how similar the interior is to its larger premium sedan siblings. A combination of ivory and onyx hued interiors brings in an elegant feel. But our only grouse here is that it could be very difficult to save the cream colour interior from catching up with dirt and grime in our driving conditions. The centre console is a simple laid out affair with the boringly laid out air conditioner button above and a 2-DIN Mp3 player with Radio below. The two
The Skoda logo takes pride of place in the middle of the horizontal chrome bar cleverly placed atop the large radiator grille with vertical fins. round analogue instrument cluster has a digital display in its midst to give a wide variety of information like fuel level, time, temperature, odometer, etc. However, the Elegance option offers more readings through the multi function display. The dash and doors are pleasant enough to touch and feel, though not completely soft-touch. A double-deck glove box gives plenty
www.autolife.com.np
of oddment storage along with bottle holders and storage compartment in the centre, doors and even under the steering wheel. The driving position is superb and there’s plenty of seat adjustment along with reach and rake adjustment for the steering wheel. The taller body means more head room and even those over six-foot will easily cope in the front
as well as rear. Since it’s a longer car than its predecessor leg room is also improved. Boot space is also more than ample with 315 litres capacity and an impressive 1180 litre capacity with the rear seats folded down. It looks relatively compact outside, but the Skoda Fabia packs a lot of space into its dimensions.
It looks relatively compact outside, but the Skoda Fabia packs a lot of space into its dimensions. www.autolife.com.np
April/May 2012
33
The low-end torque is amazing and just like an ideal petrol hatch back it ran smoothly without any hiccups of lag.
34
April/May 2012
SAFETY ASPECTS The Fabia is also equipped with lot of safety features. The rear view mirror is covered with anti glare coat and ensures smooth drive without any obstacles. The Fabia’s safety credentials are further backed up by innovative safety features like pre-tensioner seat belts, motor speed regulator (MSR), engine braking control (EBC), Fuel Supply cut off (In case of a crash), dual airbags, anti-lock braking system etc. in the highest variant.
DRIVE QUALITY The 1198cc petrol mill pumps out a maximum power of 75bhp at 5400rpm and a torque of 110Nm at 3750rpm. The engine is slightly noisy at higher revs but on the move it’s extremely willing and delivers good pace. The low-end torque is amazing and just like an ideal petrol hatch back it ran smoothly without any hiccups of lag. But for sudden overtaking, you may need to downshift to get that surge of power. If the need for a bit of enthusiastic driving
www.autolife.com.np
SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Type: MPI In-Line 3 Cylinder 12V DOHC Displacement: 1198cc Fuel Type: Petrol Maximum Power: 75 Bhp @ 5400 rpm Maximum Torque: 110 Nm @ 3750 rpm Transmission: 5 Manual
arises, the Fabia also begs to be driven in its torque delivery rev range (20004500rpm) to perform seamlessly. The five-speed gearbox is pretty easy to use and the clutch operation was simple. Ride and handling are appreciable, thanks to the use of McPherson Struts mounted to a three-part sub frame and the rear that gets a semi-independent setup. Handling and cornering ability are well and above some of the competitors in its class. Steering is precise and assured, but it could benefit from more feel through the steering wheel. The relatively hard suspension tends to skip over poorly maintained roads but without too much upset and doesn’t lose any of the ride quality. Even so, the settings are soft enough to make for an easy city or highway drive. The Fabia also feels narrower for its segment, which is a boon in town and tight parking spaces.
VERDICT Overall, the Skoda Fabia is a welcome addition to the Skoda range and is certain to do good things for the brand. Practical, decently priced and with a spread of trim choices, there should be a Fabia to fit everyone. The car sits well against its competitions and is an absolute must try if you’re in the market for this segment of hatchbacks. With proven engineering credentials and the competitive pricing, your investment in a Skoda could never go wrong.
www.autolife.com.np
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT Length: 4000 mm Width: 1642 mm Height: 1522 mm Wheelbase: 2465 mm Ground Clearance: 158mm Tyre Size: 175/70R14 or 185/60 R15 Suspension Front: MacPherson Struts Suspension Rear: Compound Link Crank Axle Brakes Front: Discs Brakes Rear: Drums Dry Weight: 1070kg Fuel Tank: 45L PRICING AS PER VARIANTS Active Plus: 22,95,000/Ambition Plus: 25,75,000/Elegance: 26,95,000/COLOR OPTIONS Candy White, Cappuccino Beige, Deep Black Pearl, Brilliant Silver, Flash Red
ALTERNATIVE CHOICES Chevrolet Aveo U-VA, Fiat Punto, Ford Figo, Great Wall Florid, Hyundai i20, Kia Picanto, Maruti Suzuki Swift, Tata Indica Vista, Volkswagen Polo
April/May 2012
35
l autolife
36
Test ride
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
t can’t be denied that big names like Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki have been the apple of our eyes when it comes to the motorcycle market. Early sturdy classics like the Honda XL, Yamaha RD and Suzuki GN compelled us to have a soft spot for these brands. Hence we developed that general habit of writing off oriental-sounding marquees as unreliable Chinese brands; also thanks to those early Chinese motorcycle brands that did not fare too well in the hands of us Nepali riders. So firstly please take note. Though it may sound like one, Hyosung isn’t actually your run of the mill Chinese brand. It is in fact a South Korean company established in 1978 that started out by producing Suzuki motorcycles under license and is now a well known brand within the international motorcycling community. Thus it’s safe to say that Hyosung and other Chinese monikers have a world of difference between them.
Review: Ankit Shakya | Photography: Ayush Dhaubanjar
www.autolife.com.np
At first glance, the Hyosung GV650 Aquila Pro easily looks like a proper bad ass cruiser that nudges you to tear down the highway in your leather jackets and boots. The sleek fuel tank and the tubular frame wrapped around it instantly remind the onlooker of the Harley V-Rod, which of course isn’t a bad thing at all. Hyosung definitely pulled out all the stops when it comes to the amount of chrome on this machine. But surprisingly the chrome treatment has been
April/May 2012
37
Thus it’s safe to say that Hyosung and other Chinese monikers have a world of difference between them.
spared on the engines, which is actually where the chrome is primarily supposed to be in cruisers. Teardrop headlight, Korean made 41mm Shin Woo upside down forks and a slim 120/60 section tire strapped with two 300mm discs basically complete the front end of the GV650. The massive radiator upfront is also an eye catcher. Staying true to its sports-cruiser façade, the massive chrome exhaust perfectly complements the wide-arced red LED tail lights at the back end. It sports a humongous 180/55 section rear tire, but a meatier rubber would have demanded more respect for the power cruiser. The rear-view mirrors though are mediocre just like the front digital console, both of which are poorly laid out for a cruiser of this stance. 38
April/May 2012
As important as the aesthetics factor for the cruiser, is the overall feel of the ride. A low-slung seat at 700mm provides the perfect riding position and 2-position adjustable foot pegs make
sure that it is compatible to most riders. I emphasize on most because for short statured Nepali citizens the placement of the foot pegs will be a tad bit uncomfortable due to the stretched out feel even at
www.autolife.com.np
the nearest setting. At a standstill, the 220kgs of mass do pose a hindrance. From a standstill try to move back and forth seated on the motorcycle and you will begin to doubt on your muscular abilities. Even in traffic, manoeuvring the hefty machine was like straddling a sedated bull and carefully coaxing it out of a china shop by its horn. But all can be forgiven once you straddle this beast, ignite the engine and roll off onto the tarmac. Once you get your foot off the ground and on the move, the well-padded seat, sportster styled handlebars and slightly forward extending foot pegs ensure instant comfort and the
www.autolife.com.np
motorcycle becomes much easier to manoeuvre. The 647cc 90째 V-twin engine responds to the twist of the throttle without any drama of wheel spins that you usually experience in high capacity motorcycles. The power output of 72bhp @ 9000RPM and maximum torque of 61.4Nm @ 7250RPM easily pushes the bike forward with vigour and the belt drive provides a smooth operation. The wide view of the open black top road over the elevated front end is very soothing for the highways but in bumper to bumper traffic visibility is slightly compromised at the front. Even at speeds of over a ton, both bike and the rider felt composed with the braking pleasantly sufficient for controlling this huge mass
April/May 2012
39
At traffic stops, the Aquila easily dwarfed other normal motorcycles which felt miniscule due to its massive stance
on wheels. I was at complete ease while the cool wind beat across my chest. And I just did not want to stop as the breeze was also a relief from the rising mercury. The kilometres kept on rolling and the Aquila delivered an enjoyable cruising experience in style. At traffic stops, the Aquila easily dwarfed other normal motorcycles which felt miniscule due to its massive stance. However, there are some things on the GV650 that could be better. First off, it really isn’t the perfect motorcycle for our city roads. Albeit the experience of zooming through the six-lane 40
April/May 2012
highway aboard the cruiser was a feeling unparalleled, struggling through traffic and bumpy roads is a bother. Also, inspite of the massive radiators,
the engine quickly heats up in city traffic. But then again, a powerful engine does call for a rise in temperature. The vibrations need to be refined and gear www.autolife.com.np
SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE Engine Type: DOHC 8-valve Cylinder Layout: 90° V-Twin Cooling System: Liquid Cooled Displacement: 647cc Bore & Stroke: 81.5mm x 62mm Compression Ratio: 11.5 : 1 Maximum Power: 72 Bhp @ 9000 RPM Maximum Torque: 61.5 Nm @ 7250 RPM Starting Method: Electric Lubrication: Wet Sump Fuel System: Fuel Injection Clutch: Wet Multiplate Transmission: 5 Speed Final Drive: Belt FEATURES Frame Type: Semi-double-cradle Wheelbase: 1700mm Seat Height: 700mm Ground Clearance: 140mm Front Suspension: 41mm Upside down Telescopic (Compression, Rebound Adjustable) Rear Suspension: Hydraulic shock absorber (Preload Adjustable) Front Tire: 120/70-18 Rear Tire: 180/55-17 Front Brake: 2 x 300mm Discs, 2 pistons calliper Rear Brake: 270mm Disc, 2 pistons calliper Dry Weight: 220kg Fuel Tank: 16 Litres
PRICING: 13, 50,000/COLOR OPTIONS: Red, Solid Black, Silver THE BOTTOM LINE Cruisers mainly thrive on the looks of the machine and the feel of the ride; which the Aquila delivers all by the truckloads. The Hyosung GV650 Aquila Pro is a sports styled cruiser that is powerful enough and really fun to ride. Although the Hyosung brand is yet to catch the fancy of most people here, its outlook has been very much underestimated. You can’t always judge a book by its cover. Also if it’s any consolation for the hardliners, the engine on the Aquila is Hyosung-built but was derived from Suzuki’s excellent SV650 motor. So it should be reliable enough. shifting could be slicker and smoother. Lastly, the engine does not really produce the thundering decibels that you would expect from a power cruiser. As they say barking dogs seldom bite, the Aquila’s relative silence is perfectly compliment with its bite.
www.autolife.com.np
Come to think of it, the Aquila shouldn’t be a bad choice at all. It’s a ball to cruise around with that peppy performance on offer and the relaxed riding position which evokes a sense of freedom and superiority in the biker. Off course it can be a bit tiring to manage in the city but most of that is easily forgotten when the Aquila begins to pull crowd puller with its Harley-like presence giving you that celebrity level attention. So stand out from the crowd with the GV650.
April/May 2012
41
l autolife
wishlist
AutoLife Wish-list is a feature content where we focus on automobile brands or specific products, which we wish to see running in the roads of Nepal. Definitely, taxes are sky high in the country, but on a lighter note, it definitely does not kill anybody to make a suggestion.
The words : saurav nepal
Badass character, high on life, carefree, smeared in ink
and always on the move in search for freedom… That pretty much is what defines the essence and legacy of a true Harley Davidson ownership. Powered by powerful V-twins, decked in graceful amounts of chrome and shod with beefy rubbers, Harley Davidson’s are a behemoth of a motorcycle. Its colossal presence easily makes any punter want to hide somewhere rather than just encounter it. It’s a total no nonsense motorcycle; the BIG DADDY of every other motorcycle out there.
Cult The Brotherhood
Sportster Iron 883
Sportster Forty-Eight
This popular Harley comes with an aggressive look and is equipped with an 883 cc engine. It’s the big Harley without the big price tag.
This is the urban cruiser with a distinctive look from its fat front tire and steel peanut tank, and an ability to go anywhere.
$8000
$10500
Sportster XR1200X
Dyna Wide Glide
Fat Boy
This bike is a street-smart performer fused from the famous XR750 and built to push limits, with menacing blacked out looks enough to get that undivided attention.
This old-school chopper with the comfort of a modern ride comes with big Twin power and authentic classic bobber style stripped to the pure essentials.
This is the original fat custom icon with a burly style that’s often imitated but has never been duplicated. This custom icon is the big dog on the road.
$11800
$14850
$ 16650
Harley Davidson started operations in Milwaukee, USA in 1903 after William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson made public the first ever HD motorcycle. In 1907, Harley-Davidson Motor Company was incorporated with stocks shared by Harley and the three Davidson brothers Arthur, William and Walter. The famous ‘Bar & Shield’ logo was trademarked only later in 1911. HD motorcycles were purchased in large numbers by the US military during both the World Wars and this went a long way in catapulting it into the global arena. It definitely must not have been a pretty sight for the opposition to encounter thousands of Harley Davidson strapped with M1 Thompson submachine guns thumping towards them. In 1983 the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G) was formed and thus marked the birth of a cult that would rule the world and create a new breed of motorcycling religion. Though more popular with outlaw gangs like the ‘Hells Angels Motorcycle Club’ initially, today it’s a brand that’s on the wish list of every true motorcyclist. Be it Evel Knievel making insane ramp jumps on his HD XR750, Arnie riding the HD Fatboy in Terminator 2, Undertaker entering the wrestling arena on his HD Sportster Lowrider or our own ex-prince going about town in his infamous HD Heritage Softail Classic; we really can’t deny that Harley Davidson’s have now etched a soft spot for itself in our hearts. Come on, who doesn’t like to be
perceived as a badass, cruise down the highway or just simply garner attention on the streets with its trademark potato-potato sound and massive poise. Yes, HD motorcycles might not be a chick magnet like those sports motorcycles, but it has a huge community that you want to be identified with and is a religion that you would die to worship. With the success that the legendary motorcycle maker is currently enjoying down south in India and chances of cheaper India specific Harleys in the future, AutoLife’s wish for this iconic brand couldn’t have come at a better time. Surprisingly, the Harley Davidson bikes which has an engine capacity above 800cc, was granted entry into India only after USA agreed to import its mouth-watering mangoes. Only if we too could have such swap deals. Mustang Apples!! Anybody??
It’s a total no nonsense motorcycle; the
BIG DADDY
Harley-Davidson motorcycles are divided into seven categories: Sportster, Dyna, Softail, Touring, V-Rod, Trikes, and the Custom Vehicle Operations (CVO) line. While those with deep pockets and experience could have their sights set on Harley’s Touring, V-Rod and CVO editions, the affordable Sportster series with its blend of cruiser and sports styling will not only be easy on the pocket but also appeal to most.
of every other motorcycle out there
Softail Blackline
V-Rod Night Rod Special
Electra Glide Classic :
Long. Low. No BS. This perfect blend of classic, raw bobber style and contemporary power creates a modern ride with unmistakable old-iron attitude.
One hell of a demon bike with the menacing look of a raging bull. Massive power meets cutting-edge technology for a nimble ride that takes dark to pitch black.
$15500
$15300
This limited model comes fully-loaded to ride a step above the rest on all the miles ahead and takes touring to the next level with supreme luxury and added luggage capacity.
CVO Road Glide Custom
The three-wheel pioneer designed to be the ultimate badass touring machine. Long-haul comfort, convenience and storage capacity wrapped in unmistakable style.
A shark-nosed touring beast packed with premium tech, luxury, and plenty of street appeal. This is how you take the road with power and style.
$30500
$30700
(*All rates mentioned above are as listed in the official H-D website of USA)
Image courtesy: Manufacturer
Tri Glide Ultra Classic
$19500
E L T T I L ER N Y R T T TU RE P AD HE
l autolife
test drive
iew Rev
46
April/May 2012
: AL phy a r g hoto
Team
&P
www.autolife.com.np
et’s face it. Not everybody can afford a Mercedes Benz or a Range Rover. In fact, chances are high that most of us will never ever be able to afford one. Now that’s why small cars are there to cater to the needs of the people for an affordable drive. Small cars are easiest on the pockets of most car buyers and hence targeted towards a mass audience. Lately, Hyundai has been going berserk in this segment throwing over best sellers like Santro, i10 and i20. Now as if all this wasn’t already enough, Nepal recently saw the launch of the new Hyundai Eon. The importance of this car for our Hyundai dealers could be easily made out from their lavish 5-start launch party and post-launch marketing efforts. So does the Hyundai Eon have everything well packaged to please every entry-level car buyer?
EXTERIOR The Eon is an all-new car and brings in never seen before styling to this segment, making some of its competition look agricultural. Hyundai’s fluidic design language gives the Eon a funky and attractive
look when viewed from any angle. You need to be constantly reminded that it is indeed a budget hatchback. There are a lot of lines running across the car and a number of wedges and curves have been delivered in the name of fluidic design. Up front the car shares a resemblance with other Hyundai’s, with the characteristic hexagonal mouth and the swept back headlamps. There is no shortage of style on the front bumper either with the cool triangular headlamps besides the huge grill. View the Eon from the side and your attention will be drawn to the bold character line that flows seamlessly into the large front wheel arches and kinks upwards towards the tail-light. The wheel cap designs could actually pass off as alloy wheels to the casual observer. The exhaust pipe is neatly tucked under the rather huge rear bumper and nearly hidden out of view. Rear-end styling is smart with a large windscreen, half moon shaped taillights and an integrated rear spoiler rounding off the funky look.
INTERIOR The doors open to reveal a smart, modern and fresh interior. It’s definitely a notch above for its class. The hexagonal theme from the car’s
“Your attention will be drawn to the bold character line that flows seamlessly into the large front wheel arches” www.autolife.com.np
April/May 2012
47
frontal styling is carried over to the dashboard as well and the whole look is quite pleasing. The dual-tone colour scheme of beige for lower portions and black above immediately gives a richer and more luxurious feel. The Sportz variant we tested came with a well placed CD player that also featured an AUX and USB connectivity. Just below this rests chunky air-con dials which feels nice and solid. The large speedometer is flanked on either side by fuel and engine temperature gauges with interesting digital readouts. The three pot instrument cluster also has a small screen that houses the odometer and also suggests the ideal gear shifts to obtain the best fuel economy. Now that’s something you usually find
48
April/May 2012
in higher end cars only. However a tachometer is lacking. Fit and finish are impressive for the price you pay and the plastics do have a hard-wearing feel about them apart from looking good. There are a lot of storage bins and cup holders making the cabin quite practical. The glove box is big and there’s a large storage cavity on the dashboard for dumping stuffs that you might require within easy access. There’s also storage space behind the gear lever and in the doors. The single-piece front seat provides fair back support but under-
thigh support is not so impressive. At the back, two can sit in comfort, with a third managing to squeeze in. With a tall driver though, kneeroom can be pretty tight at the back and there is limited headroom for passengers on the other side of 6 feet due to the sloping roofline. But with your normal average nepalese on board, fitting in comfortably will be the last of your worries. The boot seems to have been given preference here and it is pretty spacious for a car this size. At 215 litres, it is large enough for its class and you have the option to fold the rear seats forward if more space is needed.
“Fit and finish are impressive for the price you pay and the plastics do have a hard-wearing feel”
www.autolife.com.np
PERFORMANCE Hyundai has equipped the Eon with a three-cylinder, 814cc engine that produces a maximum power of 55.2Bhp at 5500rpm and peak torque of 74.5Nm at 4000rpm. Turn the ignition on and the engine settles at a quiet idle with well contained vibrations inside the cabin. It is slightly jerky at low speeds but once you get going there is an appreciable mid range power delivery that is fit for keeping up with city traffic. Shifting down a gear helps when power is needed especially while overtaking bigger vehicles. But it’s impressive that the engine doesn’t feel bogged down when you switch on the air-con. The gear shifting though could have been more slick and refined with the light weighted clutch and you can feel some vibes coming through into the gear lever. The steering is also a bit lifeless and not communicative when driven enthusiastically.
www.autolife.com.np
April/May 2012
49
The Eon’s strength here is the ride quality. The car uses MacPherson struts in front and a torsion beam suspension at the rear. The ride is very absorbent even on pothole-laden streets and the good ground clearance makes it capable for taking on broken roads. The slightly firm springs serve to give the Eon good straight line stability on the highway and with more relaxed driving, the car takes corners competently. Handling inside the city is good and easy as well, helped largely by the Eon’s very direct Electric Power Steering unit. City driving requires little effort with its smaller turning radius and the brakes are adequate to control the small hatch.
Giant Nepali Guy
All in all it’s a decent performer for its segment though the gearbox isn’t one of Hyundai’s best and engine responses are a bit slow. The upside however is staggering fuel efficiency of 21.1kmpl that was claimed during ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) testing. Together with the alternator management system and a gear shift indicator, the Eon should definitely ensure an efficient performance in real time driving conditions.
50
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
VERDICT
Hyundai’s new hatchback Eon will attract with its chic styling, well-built interiors and promise of fuel efficiency. Yes the Eon may not be the most refined car in terms of performance like its sibling Santro but it ticks many boxes for the modern day car buyer. You get plenty for the price you pay. If Hyundai’s brand new hatchback works well in the market, then we could be very soon looking at a new king of the ring.
SPECIFICATIONS Average Nepali Guy
ENGINE Type: 3 Cylinder SOHC 9-valve Displacement: 814cc Fuel Type: Petrol Max. Power: 55 Bhp @ 5500 rpm Max. Torque: 75 Nm @ 4000 rpm Transmission: 5 Manual FEATURES Length: 3495 mm Width: 1550 mm Height: 1500 mm Wheelbase: 2380 mm Ground Clearance: 170 mm Tyre Size: 145/80R12 or 155/70 R13 Suspension Front: MacPherson Struts Suspension Rear: Torsion Beam Axle Brakes Front: Discs Brakes Rear: Drums Dry Weight: 715kg Fuel Tank: 32L PRICING AS PER VARIANT: D-Lite: 13,96,000/-, D-Lite+: 15,26,000/Era+: 16,26,000/-, Sportz: 18, 56,000/COLOR OPTIONS: Blue, Dark Grey Metallic, Mushroom Red, Sliver , White OTHERS IN THE SEGMENT: Tata Nano, Tata Indica V2, Maruti Alto, Chevrolet Spark, Chery QQ3, Perodua VIVA 850
www.autolife.com.np
April/May 2012
51
l autolife
INTERACTIVE
Quiz
Powered by
1
www.qfxcinemas.com
Acura is the luxury automobile division of which famous car maker? a Honda b Mitsubishi c Nissan d Toyota
True or False? The american military rode harley motorcycles in the battlefield during world war 1?
attempt all the questions choose the correct answer
win QFX cinemas tickets
2
a true b fasle
3
Which Austrian two-wheeler manufacturer is soon making its official debut in Nepal? a Husaberg b Puch c KTM d Rotax
Send your answers to hello@autolife.com.np
3 winners will receive 2 tickets each from QFX Cinemas Terms & Conditions 1) All quiz responses should reach Autolife Magazine by 15th May 2012. 2) Three lucky winners shall be selected through a random drawing system. Winners will be notified by 20th May 2012 by email. 3) Each winner will receive 2 Gold tickets to QFX Cinemas. Tickets are valid for use at QFX Jai Nepal and QFX Kumari for Weekday (Monday - Thursday) shows only. 4) The tickets cannot be exchanged for cash, credit or any other items and cannot be transferred to other persons.
5
Which one of these cars was driven by James Bond in the movie, ‘The World is not Enough’? a Aston Martin DB5 b BMW Z8 c BMW 750iL d Lotus Esprit Turbo
Which team did Michael Schumacher represent when he won his first F1 World Championship? a Williams b Ferrari c Benetton d McLaren
4
Last issue’s winners
Alina Shrestha Sahil Nepal Yudina Poudel Congratulations!!
l autolife
movie review
BULLITT
Robert L. Pike’s crime novel ‘Mute Witness’ makes the transition to the big screen in this film from director Peter Yates. In one of his most famous roles, Steve McQueen stars as tough-guy police detective Frank Bullitt. The story begins with Bullitt assigned to a seemingly routine detail, protecting mafia informant Johnny Ross, who is scheduled to testify against his Mob cronies before a Senate subcommittee in San Francisco. But when a pair of hitmen ambush their secret location and fatally injure Ross, things don’t add up for Bullitt. So he decides to investigate the case on his own. Unfortunately for him, ambitious senator Walter Chalmers, the head of the aforementioned subcommittee, wants to shut his investigation down, hindering Bullitt’s plan to not only bring the killers to justice but discover who leaked the location of the hideout. Steve McQueen is cool as ice in this thrilling police procedural that also happens to contain arguably the greatest movie car chase scene ever, through the streets of San Francisco. The movie devastated audiences with incredible scenes of leaping, screaming automobiles that seemed to fly off the screen. Along with Steve McQueen, the other main starring actor of this famous movie was The 1968 Mustang Fastback GT. Among all of Hollywood’s road movies, BULLITT unquestionably made film history with its original car chase sequences. Buckle up and brace for unbeatable action!
want to share your favourite
automobile movie???
EASY RIDER
Two young hippie bikers, sell some dope in Southern California, stash their money away in their gas-tank and set off for a trip across America, on their own personal odyssey looking for a way to lead their lives. Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper play the motorcyclists crossing the American Southwest with the aim of asserting their freedom. Along the way they are arrested on some minor pretext by the local sheriff and thrown in jail where they meet Jack Nicholson, a liberal alcoholic lawyer who joins their quest for awhile and articulates society’s problem with freedom as Fonda’s and Hopper’s characters embody it. The spaced-out trio of Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and funny Jack Nicholson tool down the ‘high’way, on motorcycles and ‘stuff’, as they head towards New Orleans for the Mardi Gras Festival. They cross their country disclosing a period of counterculture and intolerance through spectacular landscapes encountering a crazy quilt of good and bad people. Experience the real ‘60s counterculture such as the rise and fall of the hippie movement, drug use, and communal lifestyle in this compelling mixture of motorcycling, drugs, sex and armchair politics which Time Magazine once hailed as one of the ten most important pictures of the decade. This box-office hit from 1969 was an important pioneer of the American independent cinema movement, and is an inspirational take on the raw freedom of touring on motorcycles. Also, the two bikes seen in the movie, Captain America and the Billy Bike probably hold the title of the most recognizable custom bikes in the world till today.
So why wait! Send it to us right now at hello@autolife.com.np 54
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
l autolife
test drive
MPV’s are the perfect choice for those on the lookout for something larger than a hatchback but don’t want to buy a sedan. Toyota recently launched its entry level MPV, the new Avanza in the market. So if you are looking for a practical, no-nonsense, spacious and reliable family wagon or business solution, then this Toyota ought to make for a wise consideration. Especially for those people out there whose religion forbids them from buying anything other than a Toyota! Turns out that the name Avanza was taken from the Italian word avanzato, which means “advance”. So is it really that advanced?? Review & Photography: AL Team
But in true Toyota no-nonsense fashion, the build quality does feel like it’s built to last for generations
for improved readability. The front door pockets have been designed to hold three 600ml bottles while those at the rear doors can store two such bottles each. With ample storage space all around, you can now easily load up your belongings and goods. The Avanza has very light foam seats and headrests, and the slim-back construction seats offer good legroom and knee space for passengers at the last two rows. The second row features a one-touch foldand-tumble feature to gain access to the third row. The third row also has a 50:50 split seatback for a versatile seating arrangement. With the third row folded, you can definitely pile a lot of bags into the Avanza. So it can either seat six passengers in addition to the driver, or
ON THE INSIDE The interior however looks like it’s been inspired from some decade old design though there are some nice curves flowing on the panels. It definitely could have been more sophisticated and attractive as it seriously lacks what its Indian rivals already have on offer. But in true Toyota no-nonsense fashion, the build quality does feel like it’s built to last for generations. On the features side you get power windows, aftermarket Kenwood sound system, manual seat adjustment, air conditioner, rear glass heater with a wiper and electronic adjustable side view mirrors. The instrument panel include a 3D-like meter cluster with silver-painted rings 58
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
easily be adapted to transport fewer passengers and more luggages. On the safety side, you get Anti-Lock Braking System, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and driver and passenger airbags.
FROM THE OUTSIDE At first glance, the Toyota Avanza definitely looks a little smaller than other MUV in its class. This new Avanza wears more sculptured styling for a more dynamic outlook compared to the previous generation. Sporting the new family face of Toyota, the bolder grille, wheel arches and muscular bumpers give it a likeable styling for its class. The curves and sharp line on its body adds beauty for the car. The rear tailgate though could have been better rather than the squashed-out looks it currently bears at the bottom. The lights at both ends wrap around the body and look sporty. The new Avanza is also slightly wider and longer than its predecessor, which translates into a roomier vehicle on the inside. The Avanza might not win any beauty contests with its semi futuristic looks but its looks are pleasant enough not to feel out of place among its competitors in the segment.
www.autolife.com.np
April/May 2012
59
ON THE ROAD The Toyota Avanza comes with a 1.3 litre well refined petrol engine that generates an acceptable power of 90Bhp at 6000 rpm and a torque of 117Nm at 4400 rpm. Start up the engine and enjoy a relatively quiet interior as the all new Avanza is fortified with sound-insulating materials, cancelling out unwanted noise and vibration. The electric power
60
April/May 2012
steering feels heavy initially, but once on the move it lightens up and offers good feedback. The five speed gearbox does not feel as refined as the engine and gear changes are a bit jerky. But once you adjust yourself to the clutch behaviour and time the gear changes well, the drive smoothens out. Its smaller dimension and good visibility makes it easy to tackle traffic jams.
www.autolife.com.np
SPECIFICATIONS To appreciate the all-new Toyota Avanza one really needs to put all prejudices aside and accept it for what it is – a family MPV With a minimum turning radius of 4.7m and a compact body, the Avanza was a joy to manoeuvre at narrow U-turns and even tight parking spots. It easily turned around at places where even some hatchbacks would have some difficulty. The disc-and-drum brakes combo feels pretty soft but has enough braking power to lock down the tires to a halt. It could have done with a bit
more torque as it suffers on steep inclines. It requires some gearing down to make the run up the hill. On the long road, the Avanza however drives well despite its van-like proportions. The ride is comfortable and it handles well with minimum body roll inside. But the suspension setup comprising a MacPherson strut front and multi-link with lateral rod rear could have been better for broken roads though it’s acceptable for normal city roads. For some it could also lack some power for hurtling it down the road with full passenger on board, but it makes up for that with a good mileage of nearly 12km/litre as the petrol engine has been tuned for lower emissions and better fuel economy compared with the previous generation.
OUR SAY
To appreciate the all-new Toyota Avanza one really needs to put all prejudices aside and accept it for what it is – a family MPV. The Avanza is not really an enthusiast’s car and also might not be as feature packed as its competitors, but it comes with the T-badge. And most people in Nepal actually trust Toyota more than their own families. All in all, it’s a small car-sized seven-seater MPV that offers honest motoring with a reputation for solid reliability. It’s the type of car that you will need rather than want. www.autolife.com.np
ENGINE Type: VVT-i In-Line 4-Cylinder, DOHC 16V Displacement: 1298cc Fuel Type: Petrol Maximum Power: 90 Bhp @ 6000 rpm Maximum Torque: 117 Nm @ 4400 rpm Transmission: 5 Manual FEATURES Length: 4140 mm Width: 1660 mm Height: 1695 mm Wheelbase: 2655 mm Ground Clearance: 200mm Tyre Size: 185/70R14 Suspension Front: MacPherson Struts Suspension Rear: 4 Link with Lateral Rod Brakes Front: Discs Brakes Rear: Drums Dry Weight: 1060kg Fuel Tank: 45L PRICING AS PER VARIANTS: 39,95,000/-
COLOR OPTIONS Black, Dark Gray, Grayish Brown, Silver,
OTHERS IN THE SEGMENT Chevrolet Tavera, Mahindra Xylo, Tata Aria April/May 2012
61
l autolife
INTERACTIVE
ROAD PLAYLIST
Kushal K. Goyal
Songs for the open roads
Take some free spirited guys, A classic ‘69 camaro and some tunes on the stereo -You have an ideal Hollywood Highway trip setting. We all have longed to make such a trip in the popular highway passes of Sierra Nevada in a Classic American Convertible. PLAYLIST OF Well,Change that to Arniko Highway and if you THE MONTH are planning on hitting it anytime soon we Brown Eyed Girl Van Morrison recommend these classic tunes to burn Stuck in the middle with you Stealers Wheel along and enjoy on the stretches of Sweet Home Alabama Lynyrd Skynrd Takin care of Business Bachman Turner Overdrive open roads. Let your love Flow Bellamy Brothers American Pie Don McLean Wild World Cat Stevens Maggie May Rod Stewart The things we do for love 10cc Drift Away Dobie Gray Show me the way Peter Frampton Signs Five Man Electrical Band
SUBSCRIBE US 2 GREAT REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE 1. Get 12 months issue for the price of 10 (NRs. 1,000/- for 12 months) 2. Get Autolife delivered to your doorstep
TO SUBSCRIBE Call +977-1-4415746
Email subscribe@autolife.com.np
OR Simply complete our online form at www.autolife.com.np
www.autolife.com.np www.autolife.com.np
www.autolife.com.np
NEPAL
February 2012 Issue 4 NRs. 100
D TESTME ONSTER
OTARD
I HYPERM
DUCAT MAZDA
April /May 2012 Issue 6 NRs. 100
DUCATI
3
IVE XCLUS
E
XPO AUTO-E VERAGE DELHI ETE CO COMPL
REVIEW
ALL NEW
SKODA FABIA
CYCLIST
SALUTES LANCE ARMSTRONG
LIKE US ON l]
[ AutoLife Nepa
D TRIP DIY CAR AND BIKE IZ AUTOMOTIVE QU
TATA SAFARI ROA
WISHLIST
Road Trip
Harley Davidson
THE CULT TESTED
ING / RIDING? NO MORE !!
DRINKING & DRIV
N
SO
EU
LIK
HYOSUNG GV650
TOYOTA AVANZA
HYUNDAI EON
life
Auto
pal
Ne
l autolife
Salutes
ittle did anyone know that on 18th September 1971, the world would be graced by an inspirational legend who would become an athletic wonder. Soon after Lance’s birth his parents split up and he was raised by his mother and step father. Lance developed a very close bond with his mother and they were the closest of friends. Despite financial woes, his mother bought him his first ever dirt bicycle on his birthday. Flying down the street on two wheels was where he felt most at home, and soon he began to discover his phenomenal athletic abilities. The first competitive sport he found he was good at was running, when he was able to outrun the fastest runner in the athletics team in the 5th grade. When he turned 12, he began to learn how to swim. And by 13, he was the star runner and swimmer of school. It was only a matter of time before he found his panache for cycling 66
April/May 2012
and soon became a winner at local Triathlons. Winning came easy to Lance, maybe that was why he was brash as a kid and bragged about his winnings. As a child, he was a little out of place and did not have many friends. Furthermore, his conflicting relationship with his step father seemed to fuel his competitive and sometimes aggressive nature. Whatever the case, Lance Armstrong was a force to be recognized. It was only a matter of time before he went professional in his favorite sport, cycling. Doctors said that Lance had the best body suited for the punishing sport. He could take in oxygen and use it most efficiently to ride longer and harder and absorb a lot of pain. And that is exactly what he did. He would jump on a bicycle and ride as hard as he could. But during his earlier years as a professional racer, he remained a less than likeable personality. Arrogant and aggressive, there were many that criticized his attitude in the sport. But no one could deny
his athleticism. However, it was Coach Chris Carmicheal who put a brain inside that body. Under his guidance, Lance competed in his first Olympics with great hopes, but he placed 14th overall. In his first race as a professional in Spain, he came in last. He was so far behind that they had already begun tearing down the staging by the time he reached the finish line. Undeterred by his initial shortcomings, he persevered into the US Pro Championship in June 1993. Fueled by the will to win, he pushed through the race and finished first, minutes before the racer behind him. Just after a year from coming in last, he won the US Pro Championship and he felt he was ready for the Tour de France, the most grueling of the cycling events. However, 12 days into the race Lance pulled out. He continued competing by entering in the Tour du Pont in which he won on his third attempt in 1995. He was also able to complete the Tour de France on his second attempt but his www.autolife.com.np
triumph was marred by the death of team mate Fabio Cassortelli. At the age of 25, Lance seemed invincible. With high hopes of placing higher this time, Lance Armstrong entered the Tour de France in 1996, but he had to drop out 5 days into the race as he had trouble breathing. On October 2, 1996, things started going drastically wrong. He was diagnosed with Advanced Testicular Cancer. He had ignored the symptoms for months assuming that pain comes with professional cycling, dismissing the soreness in his groin, headaches and difficulty breathing. His cancer then spread throughout his stomach, lungs and brain. If cancer is testicular cancer is discovered early, a man is usually given a 70% chance of survival. Because, Armstrong says he ignored warning signals, his chances of survival dropped as low as 40%. But the Lance Armstrong story does not end here. Lance’s combination of physical conditioning, strong support system and competitive spirit took over. He declared himself a not a cancer victim but a cancer survivor. He educated himself about the disease and treatment options. Armed with this knowledge, he underwent aggressive treatment and surgery. In fact he did not stop cycling during his chemotherapy. That is until he collapsed from exhaustion while cycling. During his treatment Lance underwent two surgeries, one to remove the cancerous testicle and another to
www.autolife.com.np
remove two cancerous lesions from his brain. Armstrong created the Lance Armstrong Foundation during his treatment. Everyone needs an inspiration sometimes, especially those in the battle against cancer. Lance gave them hope. Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death. He remained strong and after his last chemotherapy session in December 13, 1996, he was declared cancer free. But, after the setback, no one took him into their professional cycling team. Finally in the fall of 1997, an American
company sponsored by the US postal service took him on. On February 1998 he got back into racing in Spain and placed 15th. 3 weeks later, he entered a multi stage race in France but had to pull out in the middle. He was beginning to think about giving up, but his friends insisted he give it one last try. So, in April 1998, with the Chris Carmichael, the old competitive Lance was back to compete in
“If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or fight like hell.” Lance Armstrong
California for Tour DuPont. Powering through, he entered the Tour De France for his third attempt in July 3rd 1999 to win the first stage. On the 9th day he pulled ahead and it looked like he was in for the win. The American Press were awestruck by this amazing fete, however the European Press seemed skeptical and accused Lance of using performance enhancing drugs. These accusations only fueled his urge to win and on July 25th, he clinched the victory. A victory not only for him but all cancer survivors and victims. After his triumph, Armstrong’s salary and endorsements topped $7 million, and once again he seemed like an unstoppable force. But, in the spring of 2000 critics once again began to question his abilities. They believed that the 1999 TOUR DE FRANCE did not have the best racers competing in it and the victory for Lance was not something to brag about. Being the proud athlete Lance was, his retaliation to these criticisms came with a few more Tour De France victories, 6 more to be precise. In 1997, Armstrong founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which supports people affected by cancer. The foundation has become one of the top 10 groups funding cancer research in the U.S., raising more than $325 million from the sale of yellow Livestrong bracelets. Lance is a phenomenal athlete who is a winner not at just racing but a winner in living. A 7 time Tour De France victor, his greatest victory has to be his triumph over cancer. An inspiration indeed!! April/May 2012
67
autolife
al CYCLIST
Words by: SR
Let there be Light
ith my last proper essay written more than a decade ago, here I am sitting to write my experience of the Laxmi Cares Cycle Rally I took part in along with my two friends since school – one I’ve known since 1994 and the other I’ve been together for the past 15 years and married to for 3 years.
Laxmi Cares Annual Mountain Bike Rally was organized on 22nd March 2012 for the fourth consecutive year in lieu with its ‘Go Green’ campaign.
68
April/May 2012
Ok, coming back to the day of the event, my day started when the alarm went off at 5 am, and believe me I am not an early riser at all. Slowly and lazily I woke up, took a quick shower, got ready and waited for my husband to get ready (yes, you read it right). Together we left our place at 6:30 and jetted our car off to pick up a friend. The three of us had not had a cycling tour, let alone a moment, in the last decade, so with all excitement we reached Patan Durbar Square at 7 am sharp, and
got our car parked at a nearby spot. We were told to reach there by 7 am in order to choose the best mountain bikes as per our need, as bikes would be distributed on a first come first served basis. Alas, our excitement was a bit ticked off due to long waiting time to find out about the registration procedure at the startup point. It was a bit disappointing to move from one desk to another to find out where we could get our t-shirts and cycles from. Nevertheless, as we got hold
www.autolife.com.np
I still remember the feeling of cycling after ages and was as excited as a kid
of our cycles after choosing the best from a few, our excitement built up again. We changed our t-shirts and waited for the rally to begin. At 8:30 am, we rode off. I still remember the feeling of cycling after ages and was as excited as a kid. We took the route from Patan Durbar Square to Ring Road and then took the road to Godavari. Our final destination was St. Xaviers School at Godavari, which was a 12 kms ride from where we began. For the first couple of kilometres, the ride was smooth and exciting, but as we crossed Ring Road and took the road to Godavari, the hardship began. With minimum fitness level, it was a bit of a pain to get through the uphill. We often stopped at few junctions for our dose of glucose water and some fresh www.autolife.com.np
air. The day was warmer than usual and it was a breeze of fresh air whenever we reached any downhill inclines. But as you all know the twists and turns that lead to St. Xaviers School is more about high slopes and uphills, it felt like a lost battle won, when we finally reached the endpoint. Amongst the three of us, my husband was the first to reach the destination and eagerly waited about half an hour for us to arrive. We were served a satisfying buffet brunch and there were performances by Lyrics Indy, Yogeshwor Amatya, Jems Pradhan and others. Though it would have been motivating to cycle back from Godavari to Patan, we took a bus instead. Not because we were exhausted, but also because the hired mountain bikes were collected at Godavari. For us novices, it took 2 hrs in average to cycle 12 kms. This
is when I remembered a line from school about Sportsmanship –“The main thing is not to win but to participate”. The saying holds such a true meaning in itself. The sentiment of contributing for a noble cause, as ‘Ujyalo Abhiyan’ cannot be expressed in a few words. The funds raised from the event will be utilized to install 14 solar street lights at Bagmati Bridge, Thapathali. I am proud to be one of the 500 cyclists who rode their mountain bikes covering 12 kms to ensure that the Bagmati Bridge area stays lit with LED solar lights. With Laxmi Cares’ project, we are hopeful of a brighter Kathmandu and a brighter Nepal in the near future. April/May 2012
69
TEXT: Ankit Shakya WITH INPUTS FROM: AYUSH DHAUBANJAR PHOTOGRAPHY: Ankit Shakya | Ayush Dhaubanjar
l autolife
70
road trip
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
powered by
www.autolife.com.np
April/May 2012
71
72
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
hope you guys know how to ski!”,said Ayush Dai with a straight face that belied his shamming intentions, as the four of us drove out of Kathmandu towards Daman in the Tata Sumo Grande. Two of us had never been to Daman before and the only thing we had heard about the place was that it occasionally snowed here sometimes during the winter. Though Sachin and I found it hard to believe, we did have some hope and imagined ourselves to be learning some ice skiing, of course under the guidance of Ayush Dai. Saurav on the other hand had been here before and played the perfect wingman by not spilling the beans. And it didn’t stop here. “We definitely shouldn’t miss out the deer farm too when we get there.” There he went again as he kept on raining a barrage of fibs upon the two of us who had never been to Daman before. Somehow, the fact that we were not totally buying his preposterous ramblings did not seem to deter him from his absurd ambition of making us believe that Daman was the closest thing to Switzerland we could get in Nepal. Imagining to be skiing past deer farms wasn’t a bad thought after all. That is exactly what you would expect when four guys set out on the road to unwind and relax. A sunny day and with the i-pod compatible 6 speaker Alpine stereo
www.autolife.com.np
system on full blast, we were soon easily winding down from Nagdhunga 25kms towards Naubise on the Tata Sumo Grande. Its massive stance made it much easier to hold our ground against the monstrous trucks and buses that have a tyrannical grasp over smaller cars in the highways of Nepal. As Saurav continuously bombarded us with his thorough knowledge of “Did you know?” facts, the two of us lazed on the spacious second row seats like spineless slugs with our belongings flung on the other seats further back. Before we knew it, we reached Naubise and stopped for a late lunch. We started off with a couple of plates of Nepali style fried chicken, mutton, spicy potatoes, fried chicken intestines and beaten rice. I would like to warn our readers that all four of us are heavy eaters, and pretty adventurous when it comes to food. After we polished off the plates, we took maybe a 30second break and called for another round. Just then we realized that the ‘world famous in Nepal’ Rainbow Trout fish was available here too and to round off our feast, we ordered half a kg of that famous thing.
Its massive stance made it much easier to hold our ground against the monstrous trucks and buses that have a tyrannical grasp over smaller cars in the highways of Nepal
April/May 2012
73
Sadly the cook completely managed to destroy the specialty dish by deep frying the extremely frozen trout. So what we had on our plates was debris of dried out fish with hardly any flavour and that didn’t really look like it weighed half a kilo. When questioned why it was prepared so badly, out came the rather lame reply that this was how it was prepared there and we didn’t find a reason to argue further. So next time you are here, never waste your money on these. However, there was nothing left on the plates except for inedible fish scales. Drowsiness usually follows a late 74
April/May 2012
lunch, especially when you’re on the road. But of course unless you have three pesky friends who will not stop braying along to ‘Riders on the Storm’ and ‘Born to be Wild’. So as the absurdly expensive meal fermented in our bellies, the Tata Sumo nonchalantly climbed up the uphill loops to Daman. The 2.2 litre VTT Dicor engine on the Grande had enough torque to climb up the route and rarely required a downshift. As we ascended higher, the sun shone brighter and the air cleared out with hardly any trace of the city life we had left behind. Hasty pedestrians and annoying motorists were replaced by men and women chopping up wood www.autolife.com.np
for the night’s dinner and children lazily herding goats beside the roads. With our frequent photography breaks along the route, the 55kms to Daman from Naubise still seemed a long distance away. However, once we reached the village of Palung, Daman felt like it was just around the corner. As we ascended even higher and climbed through dizzying hairpin bends, the weather took a different turn. A misty fog slowly veiled the bright
www.autolife.com.np
sun that had shown throughout the day and the mercury dropped a couple of notches. We were then greeted by a tall white sign that read “Daman- 2232m” and yes, not an ounce of snow in sight. As we got out of the warm and cosy confines of the Grande that was blessed with Dual A/C even had integrated roof mounted ducts for the rear, we realized how chillingly cold it was outside. We stretched ourselves, put on an extra layer of clothes and breathed in a lung full of fresh cool air. We had a quick
With our frequent photography breaks along the route, the 55kms to Daman from Naubise still seemed a long distance away. However, once we reached the village of Palung, Daman felt like it was just around the corner
April/May 2012
75
We parked the Grande besides the road and made the long walk to the resort on foot. But suddenly the weather gods had a mood swing. Out of nowhere, we were pelted with tiny hail stones and had to scramble for shelter
76
April/May 2012
browse around and decided that going a little higher up towards Simbhanjyang would be worth it. As we did so, the misty atmosphere had us popping out of the dense fog in our Sumo Grande like Shahrukh Khan from the scenes of “Main Hoon Na”. It was almost 4 hours since our last feast and our stomachs were already grumbling with hunger. We returned back to Daman and decided to check in at the famous Everest Panorama Resort, from where one can get a panoramic view of various mountain ranges on a clear day. We parked the Grande besides the road and made the long walk to the resort on foot.
But suddenly the weather gods had a mood swing. Out of nowhere, we were pelted with tiny hail stones and had to scramble for shelter. Eventually, we scampered into the restaurant a little soggy and within a breath ordered our meal. It took them some time to get our food ready and it was disappointing that the food didn’t live up to the standard the luxurious resort boasted of. But still we cleared the plates like ravaging animals while the hailstones ricocheted off the window panes. After wiping our faces with a satisfied grin, we raced back to the Grande while the hail died out. www.autolife.com.np
It was already dark and we checked into a cosy hotel couple of kilometres downhill for the night. It was a chilly night and we were in deep slumber in no time, cocooned in our warm blankets. Sadly, the next morning too we didn’t get any view of the mountains as the weather was still foggy. So after some sightseeing around the vicinity, we headed back home after a heavy lunch at the hotel. It was going to be a long way down. Again we descended at a slow pace due to the frequent photo stops. But after a while we had to stow the camera away as it started to rain. We then got a bit enthusiastic on the Sumo Grande and raced it non-stop down the deserted winding roads. Despite of its heavy stance, the Grande flung out of the corners with little struggle and was enjoyable. On the way back, we came across a couple who were stranded because their car broke down. Despite the fact that they could be murderous hitchhikers waiting to rip out our intestines, we decided to be good Samaritans and gave them a lift as the Sumo Grande easily had the space to accommodate four more extras. But
it was like they weren’t even there as we continuously chatted along the way. A quiet couple indeed! We though had to censor our conversations, now that there was a woman present. Somehow, with the non-stop drive, the trip back seemed much shorter and the taxing uphill the previous day seemed a breeze when going back down. We reached Naubise by dusk and gradually climbed towards Kathmandu behind a lot of sluggish trucks. There are few things that could be improved in the Tata Sumo Grande but for its segment it proved to be a formidable and comfortable tourer. The power steering does feel on the heavier side and it might seem too huge a vehicle initially. But that should be the last of your worries as the engine packs enough power to move this huge mass, offers good visibility all around and has an imposing road presence which is a must need on our highways. The Tata Sumo Grande delivered a good experience with optimum performance, decent interior features and suitable fuel economy.
All in all, it was a great road trip, despite being a short one. Daman is the place to be especially in the summers, if you are looking for a respite from the heat and humidity at a short distance from the valley. On a clear day you can have a fine grandeur view of the Himalayan Range extending from Dhaulagiri in the west to Everest in the east. The Tribhuvan Highway is also one of the most adventurous highways in Nepal if you love corner carving on wheels. And, when it snows here during the winter you might just be able to ski provided you bring your own skiing gear and know the tricks of the trade!
www.autolife.com.np
April/May 2012
77
l autolife
garage
BIKE DIY
BRAKE FLUID BLEEDING AND REPLACING
Most Indian motorcycles that are found on our roads have disk brakes up front. So only some with dual disk brakes have up to two brake fluid reservoirs, one for the front, usually found on the handlebars and one for the back. These reservoirs should be checked regularly. Topping up should only be done from a new, sealed bottle, as brake fluid tends to absorb moisture over time. When the brake fluid turns from a clear to a darker hue, it is time to change the fluid. Here we show you how it’s done for the front disk brakes of the TVS Apache RTR160.
CAUTION
When undertaking the process of bleeding the brake oil on your motorcycle, prepare by covering up the relevant components to prevent them being affected by brake fluid. It is a very corrosive substance that can quickly cause damage to surfaces that it falls onto.
Tools needed
(1) One 250ml bottle of CASTROL DOT4 brake fluid (2) 10mm ring/open end spanner (3) Screw driver (4) Rags (5) A clear plastic tube for bleeding (6) A container/bottle
Step 1
Locate the brake fluid reservoir in the handlebar. You can see the brake fluid through the window, and on the top of the cylinder you will find two screws. Remove them and then the baffle and the diaphragm to reveal the old DOT3 fluid.
Step 2
Now move to the brake callipers in your wheel discs. Remove the cap above the bleeder nut and attach the clear tube to it, while the other end attached to the container so that the fluid can flow in it when the bleeder nut is loosened. Make sure the reservoir (master cylinder) is filled so that no air enters the circuit.
Step 3
Now loosen the bleeder screw a little using the spanner and you will see brake fluid coming out through the bleeder nut and to the tube. Then press the front brake lever so the old fluid is forced through the tube into the container. Keep holding the brake lever completely and tighten the bleeder screw again to prevent air entering in the circuit and then release the brake lever.
Step 4
Don’t let the reservoir run dry and repeat step 3 several times till you see clear DOT4 brake fluid coming out through the tube. Each time you had to loosen the bleeder nut, press the brake lever first. The fluid will then come out due to pressure. Again tighten the bleeder nut and then only release the brake lever.
Step 5
After you see clear brake fluid coming through the bleeder nut, tighten the nut fully and then only release the lever. Now fill the master cylinder with the CASTROL Brake Fluid to the required proportion. Don’t fill up to the brim, as the rubber diaphragm will occupy rest of the place. Put back the cover with the screws, pump the brake lever till you get the pressure and you are good to go.
l autolife
garage
CAR DIY
CHECKING FOR A DEFECTIVE
FAN CLUTCH
The fan clutch is a mechanism on engines with belt-driven cooling fans that will clutch the fan on and off depending on the need for more or less cooling air to flow through the radiator. When cruising at highway speeds in a moderate climate, the fan should be idling along turning just fast enough to add a little air flow when needed. At low speeds, the fan clutch will sense higher temperatures through the radiator and “clutch up” thereby increasing the fan speed to maintain constant engine temperature. CHECKING THE FAN CLUTCH If you think that your fan clutch is defective and not working properly, listed here are some recommended procedures to check the condition of the fan clutch 1. Start the engine with the hood open and note if the fan is turning. Now increase the engine RPM and check if the fan speed and noise increases. If it does, then it's fine. But if the speed/noise doesn't increase, then the clutch needs replacement. 2. If it’s working, then leave the engine running in idle and note after 2-5 minutes if the fan speed/noise slows down or not. While raising the RPM, the fan then should not make much noise as it did earlier. If the fan slows, it's fine. But if speed/noise does not decrease then it’s a sign of "frozen clutch" and hence needs replacement. 3. Leave the engine idle and also watch the temperature indicator in the dashboard. If the fan speed/noise increases in normal temperature when RPM is increased, it's a good sign. But if the temperature indication continues
to increase with no increase in fan speed/noise, then the fan clutch should be replaced. 4. After the engine is at normal operating temperature or above, take some newspaper and roll it up into a long narrow tube. Be very careful not to keep your hands and fingers near to the fan while performing this test. When the engine is idle and has reached operating temperature, insert the rolled paper on the back of the fan pushing it towards the centre hub of the fan while avoiding the blades. If the fan cannot be stopped then it's good but, if it can be stopped the clutch is defective and should be replaced. 5. Similarly, you can also check the fan clutch by spinning it when the engine is off. A good clutch should offer a certain amount of resistance when spun by hand. If the fan spins easily (more than 1 to 2 turns), the fan clutch needs replacement.
If it binds, does not turn or offers more resistance, then the fan clutch is seized and needs to be replaced. 6. Try wiggling the fan blades by hand when the engine is off. If there is any wobble then there is a bad bearing in the fan clutch, or a worn bearing on the water pump shaft. If there's a worn bearing on the water pump shaft causing it to leak and/or make noise, the clutch should be replaced. A bad water pump bearing will usually cause the water pump to leak and/ or make noise, but not always. 7. Defective fan clutch causes problem in the vehicle's air conditioning system too. The reason is because the fan cools the air conditioners sensor which is in front of the radiator. Testing can be performed in any order but just make sure the conditions during testing are those that are specified for that specific test. Do not continue to operate the engine if the temperature continues to rise and certainly stop if the temperature approaches "redline". It's better if you can detect a fan clutch problem and leave the replacing to a professional mechanic. Just remember that a common symptom of the clutch fan failure is the car overheating when idling…
NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE
TECHNICAL
Sunroof
Bluetooth
Fog Lamps
Leather Seats
Steering Adjust
Climate Control
Remote Locking
ABS
Airbags
Top Speed (KMPH)
Torque (NM)
Power (BHP)
Gearbox
Cubic Capacity (CC)
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Price (NRs)
Updated April 2012
EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Bama Motors Pvt. Ltd, Thapathali, KTM Tel: 4226655 | 4223022
Chery Models A1 1.3L
17,99,000 1297 5M 82 114 155 N Y N N Y N Y N N
QQ3 Full Option
15,45,000
Tiggo 2.0AMT
34,00,000 1971 A 123 168 160 Y Y Y N Y N Y N Y
812
5M
67
90
130
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
N
Y
N
N
Vijay Motors Pvt. Ltd, Naxal, KTM Tel: 4414158 | 4433025
chevrolet Models Optra Magnum 2.0 LT
41,25,000 1991 5M 119 314 190 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
Aveo 1.4 LT
28,90,000 1399 5M 92 127 165 Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N
Beat 1.2 LT
23,50,000 1199 5M 80 108 150 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N
Spark 1.0 LT
19,50,000
Captiva 2.0 Automatic + LTZ
63,00,000 1991 5A 148 320 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
Aveo UVA1.2 LT OPTN
24,70,000
Cruze 2.0 LTZ VCDI
63,50,000 1991 5A 148 327 200 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Tavera LT-L8 NEO-2 8 SEATER
38,20,000 2499 5M 78 186 125 N N Y N Y Y Y N N
995
1150
5M
5M
63
75
90
110
145
160
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
Y
-
N
N
Y
Y
N
N
N
N
Hansraj Hulaschand & Co Pvt. Ltd, Maitighar Tel: 4239641 | 4231985
Daihatsu Models Terios Super DLX
49,00,000 1495 5M 103 140 NA Y N Y N Y N Y N N BATAS Brothers Pvt. Ltd, Gairidhara Tel: 4004644 | 4004645
fIAT Models Linea 1.3 JTD 90HP Dynamic
36,62,000
1248
5M
86
203
155
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
Punto 1.2 8V Emotion
27,32,999 1172 5M 67 96 175 N Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Go Automobiles Pvt. Ltd, Thapathali, KTM Tel: 4244254 | 4257001
FORD Models Everest 3.0 AT
NA
2953 5A 153 380 165 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Fiesta 1.5 TDCi Diesel Titanium+
NA
1499 5M 90 204 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N
Fiesta Classic Lxi Diesel
NA
1399 5M 67 160 155 Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N
Figo Diesel Titanium
NA
1399 5M 68 160 150 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N
Ranger 2.5 TDi 4wd Deluxe
NA
2499 5M 81 266 NA Y Y Y N Y N Y N N
NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE
TECHNICAL
Sunroof
Bluetooth
Fog Lamps
Leather Seats
Steering Adjust
Climate Control
Remote Locking
ABS
Airbags
Top Speed (KMPH)
Torque (NM)
Power (BHP)
Gearbox
Cubic Capacity (CC)
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Price (NRs)
Updated April 2012
EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Himchuli Auto International, Kupundole Tel: 5520764 | 5521730
GREAT WALL Models Florid 1.5L VVT
19,95,000 1497 5M 103 138 160 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N
Wingle 5 2.5TCI SLX
27,50,000 2499 5M 107 300 140 Y N Y N Y Y Y N N Syakar Company, Kantipath Tel: 5549741 | 2383223
HONDA Models Accord 2.4 MT
82,50,000 2354 5M 180 222 225 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
City S MT
38,50,000 1497 5M 118 146 175 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N
Civic 1.8S 5MT
NA
1799
5M
130
172
205
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
CR-V RVSI
76,00,000 1997 6M 167 218 180 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
Jazz Full Option
32,50,000
HUMMER
1198
5M
89
110
175
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
N
Y
Saakha and Universal Automobiles, Tinkune
Models H3
NA
3699 5M 242 328 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y Laxmi Intercontinental, Thapathali Tel: 4101556 | 4101557
HYUNDAI Models Accent GL
29,95,000 1399 5M 94 124 170 N N N N Y N Y N N
i10 Magna
19,35,000 1086 5M 66 99 140 N N Y N N N Y N N
i20 Asta 1.4 D
28,95,000 1396 6A 90 220 160 Y Y Y Y Y N Y N Y
Santa Fe GLS
72,95,000 2199 6M 194 420 210 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Santro GL+
17,35,000 1086 5M 62 96 NA N N N N Y N Y N N
Sonata GLS
53,95,000 1998 6M 165 198 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Tucson GLS
60,95,000 1995 6M 177 382 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
Elantra
42,96,000 1591 6M 130 157 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N
Eon
JONWAY
NA
814 5M 56 NA NA Y N Y N N N Y N N
Choice Motors, Lazimpat Tel: 4441080 | 4441081
Models UFO
28,25,000 1584 5M 100 135 150 Y Y Y N Y N Y N Y
NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE
TECHNICAL
Sunroof
Bluetooth
Fog Lamps
Leather Seats
Steering Adjust
Climate Control
Remote Locking
ABS
Airbags
Top Speed (KMPH)
Torque (NM)
Power (BHP)
Gearbox
Cubic Capacity (CC)
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Price (NRs)
Updated April 2012
EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Continental Associates Pvt. Ltd, Tinkune Tel: 2054003 | 2054004
KIA Models Cerato 1.6L
36,99,000 1591 5M 123 156 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N
Picanto 1.2L EX 11 m/t
22,75,000
Rio Sedan
26,49,000 1399 5M 94 125 NA Y N Y N Y Y N N N
Sorento 2.2L Diesel
66,99,000 2199 6M 197 421 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Soul 1.6L
38,99,000 1591 5M 124 156 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
Sportage 2.0 EX Diesel M/T
56,49,000 1998 6M 177 392 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
1086
5M
64
97
NA
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
N
N
Agni Incorporated Pvt. Ltd, Uttar Dhoka Tel: 4414626 | 4414628
MAHINDRA Models Bolero SLX Full Opt
28,95,000
2523
5M
63
180
NA
N
N
N
N
Y
N
N
N
N
Scorpio VLX 4WD
51,50,000
2179
5M
120
290
150
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
XYLO D2
32,65,000
2498 5M 112 240 135 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y CG Automobiles, Jhamsikhel Tel: 5547165 | 5547166
MARUTI SUZUKI Models Alto Lxi
13,99,505
796 5M 46 62 140 N N N Y Y N N N N
Alto K10 Vxi
16,89,350
796
A-Star Zxi
21,18,750
998 5M 67 90 160 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N
Eeco STD 7Seater
17,19,010
Grand Vitara MT
70,00,000 1995 5M 164 225 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Ritz VXI
22,28,360 1248 5M 75 190 NA N Y Y N Y Y Y N N
Swift VDi
25,97,870 1248 5M 75 190 160 N Y Y N Y Y Y N N
Swift Dzire ZDi
30,49,870 1248 5M 75 190 160 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
SX4 Zxi
33,19,940 1586 5M 102 145 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
Wagon R Vxi
19,21,000 1061 5M 64 84 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Zen Estilo Vxi
18,95,010 1998 5M 64 84 150 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
800 Std
10,67,850
1196
5M
5M
67
73
90
101
145
NA
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
Y
Y
Y
N
N
N
April/May 2012
N
796 4M 37 59 NA N N N N Y N N N N
Kuleshwor, Global Bank Building Kathmandu, Nepal Phone : 00977-1-4289051 84
N
www.autolife.com.np
NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE
TECHNICAL
Sunroof
Bluetooth
Fog Lamps
Leather Seats
Steering Adjust
Climate Control
Remote Locking
ABS
Airbags
Top Speed (KMPH)
Torque (NM)
Power (BHP)
Gearbox
Price (NRs)
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Cubic Capacity (CC)
Updated April 2012
EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Padma Shree Pvt. Ltd, Gyaneshwor Tel: 4435688 | 4435631
Mazda Models BT-50
48,50,000 2499 5M 140 330 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N
Mazda3 1.6MT
51,75,000 1598 5M 103 145 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
Mazda 2 Hatchback
N/A
1498 5M 102 135 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N
Mazda 6
N/A
2489 6M 170 226 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
Leon Motors Pvt. Ltd, Shantinagar Tel: 4622074 | 4622485
MITSUBISHI Models ASX 4WD GLX
79,00,000 1998 6CVT 150 197 190 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Lancer EX GLX
66,00,000 1998 6CVT 150 197 200 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
L200 Sportero 4WD 48,00,000 2477 NA 135 NA 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Double Cab L300 Minibus L
38,00,000
2477 5M 75 150 120 N Y NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Outlander
84,00,000
2360 6CVT 170 226 190 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Pajero GLS 3.0 V6
1,30,00,000
2972 5M 185 267 175 Y NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Dugar Automobiles Pvt. Ltd, Balaju Tel: 4362992 | 4350912
NISSAN Models Navara LE
42,00,000 2488 6M 175 403 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
Sunny 1.6EX
NA
1597 5M 110 148 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N
Tiida Sedan M
NA
1598
X-Trail LE
5M
110
153
170
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
85,00,000 1995 6A 150 320 185 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Nemlink Int’l Traders Pvt. Ltd, Panipokhari Tel: 4006528 | 4410323
PERODUA Models MYVI SX
24,95,000 1298 5M 86 116 NA N N Y N Y N Y N N
Viva 850
17,25,000
847 5M 53 76 NA Y N N N Y N Y N N Constant Business Group Pvt. Ltd, Naxal Tel: 2297455
PROTON Models Savvy
20,75,000 1149 5M 74 NA NA N N Y N N N Y N N Skoda M.A.W, Thapathali Tel: 4216835 | 4268788
SKODA Models Laura 1.8 TSI
54,49,000 1798 7A 118 250 225 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Yeti 2.0 TDi
61,90,000 1968 6M 140 320 210 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Pradeep Jain, M: 9849632938 Kuleshwor, Kathmandu,Tel: 01-4279496
Deals in Car, Accessories, Spare Parts, Seat Cover, Body Sticker, Wheel Cover, Music System etc.
86
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE
TECHNICAL
Sunroof
Bluetooth
Fog Lamps
Leather Seats
Steering Adjust
Climate Control
Remote Locking
ABS
Airbags
Top Speed (KMPH)
Torque (NM)
Power (BHP)
Gearbox
Cubic Capacity (CC)
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Price (NRs)
Updated April 2012
EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Skoda M.A.W, Thapathali Tel: 4216835 | 4268788
SKODA
Models Superb 2.0 TDi
71,90,000 1968 6A 140 320 206 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Fabia Elegance
26,95,000
1200 5M 75 110 NA Y Y Y N Y N N N N Constant Business Group Pvt. Ltd, Naxal Tel: 2297455
SSANGYONG Models Korando Active AWD
50,75,000 1998 5M 175 360 180 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Rexton
59,75,000 2696 5M 160 340 180 Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y
Kyron
49,75,000 1998 5M 140 310 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y
Actyon Sports New
34,75,000 1998 5M 140 310 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y
Vijay Motors Pvt. Ltd, Naxal, KTM Tel: 4414158 | 4433025
Subaru Models Forester
75,50,000 2498 5M 170 230 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N Sipradi Trading Pvt Ltd, Teku Tel: 4250610 | 4250612
TATA Models Aria Prestige
51,95,000 2179 5M 138 320 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Indica V2 Xeta GLS
15,95,000 1193 5M 64 100 145 N N N N N N N N N
Indica Vista Quadrajet Aura
24,95,000 1248 5M 75 190 160 Y Y Y N Y N Y Y N
Indigo CS LE TDI
24,00,000
1396
Indigo Manza Quadrajet 90
31,40,000
1248 5M 90 200 NA Y Y Y N Y N Y Y N
Nano LX
11,88,000
624 4M 35 48 105 N N N N N N Y N N
Safari Dicor VX 4WD
46,95,000
2179
5M
138
320
NA
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
N
N
Sumo Grande MK II
34,95,000
2179
5M
120
250
140
N
N
N
N
Y
N
Y
N
N
Sumo Vista DI Turbo
28,90,000
2956
5M
70
223
175
N
N
N
N
Y
N
Y
N
N
Xenon XT 4WD
29,60,000
2183 5M 138 320 160 N N N N Y N Y N N
5M
69
135
165
N
N
N
N
N
N
Y
N
N
United Traders Syndicate, Sinamangal Tel: 4478301-5
TOYOTA Models Avanza
39,95,000
1298 5M 90 120 150 Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N
Corolla Full Option
76,70,000
1598 5M 104 145 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N
Fortuner KUN51R
89,90,000
2928 5M 160 343 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Land Cruiser Prado 1,54,60,000 2982 5M 129 343 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Dual AC Land Cruiser GX
21,906,000 4461 5M 214 430 190 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Rav 4 Auto
97,95,000
2362 5M/4A 167 224 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
NA
1298 5M 86 120 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N
54,50,000
1298 5M 86 120 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N
Yaris HB
Yaris Sedan
88
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE
TECHNICAL
Sunroof
Bluetooth
Fog Lamps
Leather Seats
Steering Adjust
Climate Control
Remote Locking
ABS
Airbags
Top Speed (KMPH)
Torque (NM)
Power (BHP)
Gearbox
Price (NRs)
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Cubic Capacity (CC)
Updated April 2012
EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Pooja International Pvt. Ltd, Panipokhari Tel: 4006605 | 4006606
VOLKSWAGEN Models Beetle AT
NA
Jetta 1.9 Trendline D
NA
1595 6A 115 172 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y 1896
5M
108
250
190
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Y
Passat 2.0 Trendline D 66,25,000 1968 6M 140 320 210 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Manual Polo 1.6 Highline P
28,45,000
1598 5M 103 153 185 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N
Tiguan TDI Diesel AT
76,25,000
1968
6A
138
320
NA
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Touareg 3.0 D Auto 1,10,00,000 2967 6M 222 500 220 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y (Full Option) Vento 1.6
36,95,000
1598 5M 103 250 185 Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N
Constant Business Group Pvt. Ltd, Naxal Tel: 2297455
ZOTYE Models Zotye Nomad II 1.5L 24,75,000
1500 5M 105 135 145 N Y N N N N Y N N
Anna Lifan
Mileage (kmpl)
Fuel Tank (Litre)
Dry Weight (KG)
Ground Clearance (MM)
Wheelbase (MM)
Height (MM)
Length (MM)
Top Speed (KMPH)
Gears
Torque (NM)
Power (BHP)
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Cubic Capacity (CC)
Updated April 2012
Price (NRS)
NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE
Safety Initiative
Annapurna Lifan Company Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4241521
Models
COOL BOY
DUE
N/A
www.autolife.com.np
1,55,900 149.4 13.5/8500 8.5/7500 5 95 N/A 830 1680 250 120 10.5 50 99,900
97 5.5/7500 6.6/5000 4 N/A N/A 750 1208 140 95
4 70
Gipsy
1,85,900 196.9 16/8000 13.8/6500 5 100 N/A 830 1350 240 125 10.5 45
Royal
1,09,900 97.2 6/8000 6/6000 4 80 N/A 760 1320 160 110KG 12 70
Desire
1,06,900 107 6.6/8500 7.5/5000 4 N/A N/A 750 1255 140 90 4.5 65
April/May 2012
89
NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE
apollo
Mileage (kmpl)
Fuel Tank (Litre)
Dry Weight (KG)
Ground Clearance (MM)
Wheelbase (MM)
Height (MM)
Length (MM)
Top Speed (KMPH)
Gears
Torque (NM)
Power (BHP)
Cubic Capacity (CC)
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Price (NRS)
Updated April 2012
Universal Super Impex Jyatha Tole, Tel: 4227337 Models Orion RX 250T
N/A
249.4 17.5/7500 18/5500 5 105 N/A 930 1420 280 118 8 35
Orion RX 250M
N/A
249.4 17.5/7500 18/5500 5 105 N/A 880 1420 280 118 8 35
Bajaj
Hansraj Hulaschand & Co. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4220094 | 4261200 Models
Avenger
2,43,900
219.89 19/8400 17.5/7000 5
120 N/A 710 1475
169
140
14
35
Discover 100 DTS-Si
1,42,900 94.38 7.5/7500 7.85/5000 5 90 N/A 800 1305 165 108 8
Discover 125 DTS-Si
1,60,900 (Disk) 124.6 11/8000 10.8/5500 5 N/A N/A 800 1305 165 1,55,900
110
8
Discover 150 DTS-Si
1,69,900
144.8
13/7500
12.75/5500
5
110
N/A
800
1305
115
8
65
Platina 100
1,19,900
99.27
8/7500
8/5500
4
90
N/A
805
1275
160
100
13
75
Platina 1,38,900 125 DTS-Si
124.58
9.5/7000
11/5000
4
100
N/A
785
1275
160
100
13
65
N/A
800
1325
170
110
8
65
165
80 N/A
Pulsar 135 LS
1,69,900
134.66
13.5/8500
11.4/6500
5
115
Pulsar 150 DTSi
2,06,900
149.01
15.06/9000
12.5/6500
5
115
N/A
785
1320
160
120
15
55
Pulsar 180 DTSi
2,23,900
178.60
17/8500
14/6000
5
120
N/A
785
1345
165
130
15
50
Pulsar 220F DTS-I
2,47,900
220
21/8500
19/7000
5
135
N/A
795
1350
165
140
15
45
Pulsar 220S DTS-I
na
220
21/8500
19/7000
5
135
N/A
795
1350
165
140
15
45
DAELIM
AKU Nepal Enterprises Kalimati, Tel: 4288339 | 4286018 Models Roadwin 150R
2,88,500
150 15/10600 12.5/8400 5
4,95,500
249 23/9000 19/8000 5 140 N/A 780 1380 150 160
Roadwin R250 FI
120 N/A 780 1380
Demak
150
135
15
N/A
15 N/A
Agni Incorporated Pvt. Ltd Uttar Dhoka, Tel: 4414626 Models Cougar 250
3,95,000
249 19/7500 N/A 5 N/A N/A 760 1480 140 140 14 40
2,38,000
150 13/8500 10/7500 5 N/A N/A 840 1380 270 120 8.5 50
DMX-R
DUCATI
Turbo Motors Trading Naxal,Tel: 4435720 Models
90
Hypermotard 796
18,50,000
803 81/8000 74/6250 6 200 N/A 825 1455 N/A 155 12.5 N/A
Monster 696
16,80,000
696 80/9000 69/7750 6 N/A N/A 770 1450 N/A 160
15
N/A
Monster 796
18,50,000
803 87/8250 79/6250 6 220 N/A 800 1450 N/A 167
15
N/A
848 EVO
N/A
849.4 140/10500 98/9750 6 N/A N/A 830 1430 N/A
168
15.5 N/A
1198
N/A
1198.4 170/9750 131/8000 6 N/A N/A 820 1430 N/A
171
15.5 N/A
Multistrada 1200 S
N/A
1198.4
150 / 9250
118 / 7500
6
N/A
N/A
850
1530
N/A
192
20
N/A
SportsClassic GT1000
N/A
992
92 / 8000
90 / 6000
6
N/A
N/A
810
1425
N/A
185
15
N/A
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE
GLOBAL
GLOBAL
Fuel Tank (Litre)
Dry Weight (KG)
Ground Clearance (MM)
Wheelbase (MM)
Height (MM)
Length (MM)
Top Speed (KMPH)
Gears
Torque (NM)
Power (BHP)
Price (NRS)
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Cubic Capacity (CC)
Updated April 2012
Jai Shambu Automotives Pvt. Ltd Ravi Bhawan, Tel: 4289933 | 4277049
Models
G-100
1,26,000
97
7.2/8000
6.5/6000
4
N/A
N/A
N/A
1280
150
100
10
N/A
UFO 0150
1,56,500
149.6
8.5/7500
9.2/6000
Auto
80
N/A
N/A
1275
135
100
5
N/A
Xpression Plus+
1,48,994
124
10.5/8500
8.4/7500
5
N/A
N/A
N/A
1280
140
100
15
N/A
Hartford
International Motor Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4265336 | 4265337
Models
VR 150H
2,99,000
149
13.5/8500
12.5/7500
5
103
N/A
860
1375
280
115
12
45
VR 200H
3,49,000
197
19/7500
15/6000
5
105
N/A
860
1375
290
130
12
30
Hero
Syakar Company Ltd Kantipath, Tel: 4225377 Models
Achiever
1,78,900 149.1 13.2/8000 12.8/5000 5 110 N/A 800 1290 160 125 12.4
60
1,86,900 (Old) CBZ X-TREME 1,95,900 (SD) 149.2 14.2/8500 12.8/6500 5 110 N/A 800 1325 145 135 15 60.25 2,03,900 (DD)
CD Dawn
CD Deluxe Glamour
1,09,900 1,19,900 (Kick) 1.24,900 (Self) 1,59,900(DRS) 1,70,900(DSS FI)
Hunk 1,91,900(SD) 2,01,900(DD)
97.2 7.2/8000 7.5/5000 4 85 N/A 790 1230 165 100 10.5 70 97.2
7.2/8000
7.5/5000
4
95
N/A
790
1230
165
100
10.5
72
124.8
9/7000
10.35/4000
4
95
N/A
775
1265
150
115
15
72
149.2
14.2/8500
12.8/6500
5
110
N/A
795
1325
145
135
12.5
50
1355
150
135
15
45
1350
160
145
15
48
Karizma DSS
2,36,900
223
16.5/7000
18.3/6000
5
125
N/A
Karizma ZMR
2,91,900
223
17.5/7000
18.3/6000
5
130
N/A
795 795
Pleasure 1,38,900 102 7/7000 7.8/5000 Auto 80 N/A 750 1240 125 95 5.5 50
Splendor NXG
1,42,900
97.2
Splendor +DRK
1,38,900
97.2 7.4/8000 7.2/5000 4
85 N/A 775 1230 160
110 10.5
60
Splendor Pro
1,42,900
97.2
90
Super Splendor
1,54,900
124.7 9.13/7000 10.35/4000 4
7.7/7500
7.6/7500
7.6/6000
8.04/4500
4
4
100
N/A
N/A
100 N/A
Honda
785
1230
160
100
10
77
775
1230
160
100
11
60
775
1235
150
110
12
75
Syakar Company Ltd Kantipath, Tel: 4225490 | 4226314 Models
Activa
109
8/7500
8.8/5500
Auto
90
N/A
765
1238
145
100
5.3
55
Aviator 1,55,900 109 8/8000 8.82/5500 Auto 85 N/A 790 1256 145 95 6 52
CB Shine 1,66,900(Drum) 1,71,900(Disk)
124.6
10.3/7500
10.9/5500
4
100
N/A
790
1265
175
110
11
80
CB Twister 1,55,900(Drum) 1,63,900(Disk)
109
9/8000
9/6500
4
95
N/A
800
1262
180
100
8
70
CB Unicorn
2,02,900
149.1
13.2/8000
12.8/5500
5
115
N/A
790
1340
180
135
13
60
CB Unicorn Dazzler
2,09,900
149.1
14/8500
12.8/6500
5
120
N/A
780
1328
162
125
12
55
CBF Stunner
1,78,900
124.7
11/8000
11/6500
5
100
N/A
790
1271
173
120
10
60
1,49,900
102
7/7000
80
N/A
762
1235
145
100
6
50
4,50,000 (Non ABS) 5,15,000(C-ABS)
249
25.3/8500
23 7000
6
155
N/A
780
1370
145
150
13
35
156
18
20
19
20
Dio
CBR 250R
7.8/5500 Auto
CBR 600RR
20,50,000
599
118/13500
66/11250
6
240
N/A
820
1369
135
CB 600F Hornet
16,99,000
599
102/12000
63.510500
6
210
N/A
800
1435
135
www.autolife.com.np
1,50,900
CB 1000R
183
21,99,000 999 125/10000 100/8000 6 240 N/A 825 1445 130 213 17 15
April/May 2012
91
Fuel Tank (Litre)
Mileage (kmpl)
Ground Clearance (MM)
Wheelbase (MM)
Height (MM)
Length (MM)
Top Speed (KMPH)
Gears
Torque (NM)
Power (BHP)
Price (NRS)
Dry Weight (KG)
NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Cubic Capacity (CC)
Updated April 2012
120
12
N/A
135 11.5
N/A
Models NXR150 BROS
5,25,000
149.2 14/8000 13.6/6000 5 N/A N/A 830 1353 245
XR250 Tornado 6,25,000
249 23.3/7500 23.7/6000 6
140 N/A 880 1427 281
Hyosung
Batas Motors Pvt. Ltd Gairidhara, Tel: 4004626 | 4004627
Models
GT250N
6,20,900
249
GT250R
7,05,900
249 26.35/9000 21/6750 5
GT650N
10,65,900
GT650R
RT 125D
RX 125D
NA
RX 125SM
NA
26.5/9000
21/6750
5
150
N/A
830
1435
175
160
17
N/A
155
160
17
N/A
647 72/9000 61/7250 6 190 N/A 790 1435 185 200
17
N/A
11,10,900
647
72/9000
61/7250
6
200
N/A
830
1435
165
200
17
N/A
4,68,900
124.5
13.5/10000
11/8000
5
N/A
N/A
790
1350
230
135
7
N/A
124.5 13/8500 11/8000 5 N/A N/A 850 1425 295 130
7
N/A
124.5 13/8500 11/8000 5 N/A N/A 825 1430 275 130
7
N/A
160
17
35
100
6
45
150 N/A 830 1435
Kawasaki
Hansraj Hulaschand & Co. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4220094 | 4261200
Models
Ninja 250R
7,49,900
249 32/11000 22/8200 6 160 N/A 790 1400 135
Mahindra 2 Wheelers
SG Global Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4251202
Models
Duro Rodeo
N/A
124.6
N/A
124.6 8/7000 9/5500 Auto 85 N/A 760 1245 155 106 4.5 45
PIAGGIO
8/7500
9/5500
Auto
85
N/A
PIAGGIO
770
1290
155
Anna Automobile Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4229855
Models
BYQ125
1,48,000
126.3
9.7/8500
8.6/7000
4
N/A
N/A
N/A
1295
180
115
14
45
Citypard 150
1,58,000
149
11.7/8000
11/6000
5
N/A
N/A
870
1400
150
115
14
45
1,49,000
90
6.5
50
iShine 100
96.21
N/A 6.81/6000 Auto N/A N/A N/A 1340 130
Rieju
Tunche Trans Himalayan Trading Concern Bhrikuti Mandap, Tel: 4268169 Models Marathon 185
3,88,000
125
15
20
6
115
Marathon 185 Pro
4,67,000
125
15
20
6
120 N/A 870 1395 n/a 115
6.5 N/a
Marathon 450
11,00,000
449
N/A
N/A
5
N/A N/A 900 1485 N/A
8.5
4,70,000 230 N/A
Tango 250
N/A
870
1395
N/A
115
115
6.5
N/a
N/A
N/A 5 N/A N/A 840 N/A N/A 100 5.5 N/A
Royal Enfield
Dugar Brothers & Sons Pvt. Ltd Balaju, Tel: 4362992
Models Classic 350
4,11,000
346
20/5250
28/4000
5
N/A
N/A
800
1370
140
170
13.5
N/a
Classic 500 desert storm
4,95,000 5,15,000
499
27/5250
41.3/4000
5
130
N/A
800
1370
140
170
13.5
N/a
Electra Twin Spark
3,95,000
346
20/5250
28/4000
5
115
N/A
800
1370
140
170
13.5
N/a
3,35,000
346
18/5000
32/3000
4
100
N/A
760
1370
140
150
14.5
35
4,11,000
346
20/5250
28/4000
5
115
N/A
770
1370
140
170
15.5
35
STD350 UCE
Thunderbird Twin Spark
92
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np
Mileage (kmpl)
Dry Weight (KG)
Ground Clearance (MM)
Wheelbase (MM)
780
1250
160
110
6
N/a
1,63,888
124
10/8000
10/7500
Auto
N/A
745
1255
120
110
7.8
N/a
Suzuki
Height (MM)
N/A
Length (MM)
Auto n/a
Gears
9.8/5000
Torque (NM)
8.5/7000
Power (BHP)
124
Cubic Capacity (CC)
1,59,888
Price (NRS)
Fuel Tank (Litre)
NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE
All prices are subject to change with the market scenario. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.
Top Speed (KMPH)
Updated April 2012
Ganesh Enterprises Kamalpokhari, Tel: 4422818 | 4423444 Models Access 125
AN 125HK
90
GN125H
1,67,888 124 12/8000 10/7500 5 110 N/A 735 1280 175 107 10.3 35
GS150R
2,07,888 149.5 13.8/8500 13.4/6000 6 110 N/A 790 1340 160 135 15.5 60
GT125 CD Slingshot
1,65,888
124
8.5/8500
10/6000
5
100
N/A
790
1265
160
115
12
60
B-King
25,00,000
1340
181/9500
146/7200
6
240
N/A
805
1525
120
235
16.5
N/A
Burgman 400
16,00,000 400 34/7300 36.3/5800 Auto 150 N/A 710 1585 125 210 13.5 N/A
GZ250
6,25,000
249
20/8000
18.7/7000
5
N/A
N/A
680
1450
125
140
13
N/A
DR200SE
6,00,000
199
15/8500
17.7/7000
5
N/A
N/A
810
1405
260
115
13
40
Hayabusa
N/A
1340
197/9800
154/10200
6
296
N/A
805
1480
120
220
21
15
GSR600
16,00,000
599
93/12000
65/9600
6
215
N/A
785
1440
130
185
16.5
20
GSX650F
16,00,000
656
85/10500
62/8900
6
240
N/A
770
1470
125
220
19
20
GSX-R600
22,00,000
599
125/13500
68/11500
6
265
N/A
810
1400
130
180
17
15
TVS
AIT Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4253661 | 4261330 Models Apache RTR 160
2,05,886
159.7
15.2/8500
13.1/6000
5
120
N/A
790
1300
180
120
16
50
Apache RTR 180
2,18,881
177.4
17/8500
15.5/6500
5
125
N/A
790
1326
180
120
16
45
Scooty Pep+
1,26,390
87.8
5/6500
5.8/4000 Auto
75
N/A
740
1230
135
90
5
55
Scooty Streak
1,34,922
87.8
5/6500
5.8/4000
Auto
80
N/A
740
1230
135
90
4.7
55
Star City 110
1,41,928
109.7
8.2/7500
8.1/5000
4
90
N/A
790
1240
165
95
16
67
Jive
1,52,889
109.7
8.4/7500
8.3/5500 Auto
95
N/A
780
1260
165
95
15
65
Wego
1,53,906
109.7
8/7500
85
N/A
770
1275
150
100
5
40
8/5500
Auto
Yamaha
Morang Auto Works Teku, Tel: 4261160 | 4268252 Models
Enticer DLX
94
1,78,900
123.7
11/8000
10.4/6500
4 n/a
N/A
710
1375
140
105
13.5
N/a
Fazer
2,21,900
153
14/7500
14/6000
5
115
N/A
790
1335
160
130
13.5
45
FZ-16
1,99,900
153
14/7500
14/6000
5
115
N/A
790
1335
160
125
12
45
FZ-S
2,15,900
153 14/7500 14/6000 5 115 N/A 790 1335 160 125
12
45
SS 125
1,72,900
123
11/7500
10.4/6500
5
110
N/A
795
1295
155
110
13
70
SZ-R
1,84,900
153
12/7500
12.8/4500
5
105
N/A
802
1320
165
120
14
50
1,74,900
153
12/7500
12.8/4500
5
105
N/A
802
1320
165
120
14
50
YBR 110 Alba
1,40,900
106
7.5/7500
7.8/6000
4
100
N/A
795
1290
173
115
13
65
YBR 125 DX
1,58,900
123
10.8/7500
10.4/6500
4
105
N/A
795
1300
180
115
13.5
60
YZF R15 V2
3,19,900
149.8
17/8500
15/7500
6
135
N/A
790
1290
160
120
12
42
SZ-X
April/May 2012
www.autolife.com.np