Vol 3 issue 2 by AutoLife (Nepal)

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EDITORIAL NEW EXPERIENCES

Motorsports is an exciting experience that promises plenty of high octane dramas. But as far as our foothold on this adrenaline filled sport is concerned, we still have a long way to go. However, last month was an exciting and encouraging one for a start. Two-time Formula 1 champion, Mika Häkkinen was here in town! The very few to have put out a great show in a straight fight against Michael Schumacher, Mika was here to promote a more noble cause on responsible drinking and in the process thrilled us with some crazy driving demonstrations of drifts and donuts on a slick Mercedes-Benz E250. Mika is also the Global Responsible Drinking Ambassador for popular whisky brand Johnnie Walker, and he arrived here on a three-day visit to promote Johnnie Walker’s ‘Join The Pact’ campaign. We just hope this is not the end of it and we have more of such exciting events happening in Nepal. Do not miss our extensive interview with the legend inside these hallowed pages. On the global side, the epic 2014 Dakar Rally ended on a high note and the exciting 2014 World Rally Championship season has commenced with the prestigious Rallye Monte Carlo stage flagging off the season. Another aspect that has been taking off by a storm is the cycling scene in the country. Kick-starting the cycling events for this year was the LifeCycle Downhill Championship and National Mountain Bike Cross Country Championship. And if we are to judge from our observations of the display of skills at the events, we are definitely headed in the right direction. Of course, with the chill of the winter slowly fading away, there is more of competitive cycling events lined up for the coming months. On the regular front, we have reviewed the sophisticated Mitsubishi ASX, ravishing Toyota RAV4 and sports cruiser UM Renegade Sport. And guess what? The Auto Expo 2014, taking place in India from the 5-11th of February, is already looking promising to be a world-class show. A host of exciting launches for the Indian market has been lined up and most of these products are going to find its way to Nepal. So, on to the good news. Thanks to the kind folks at CG | Moto Corp, we will be flying in to New Delhi to bring you back exclusive live coverage from the show!! Can it get any better?

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VOL 3 ISSUE 2 JAN/FEB 2014 SOFTROCK MEDIA PVT LTD PANIPOKHARI, KATHMANDU, NEPAL TEL: 977-01-4428504 REGD: 84553/068/069

FOUNDER/MANAGING EDITOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SUB-EDITOR EDITORIAL & PHOTOGRAPHY

Ajay Dhoj Thapa Shraddha Rajbhandari Ayush Dhaubanjar Ankit Shakya, Niren Tuladhar, Saurav Nepal, Yonten Yonjan, Samyukta Dawadi

CREATIVE HEAD DESIGNER BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Ajay Dhoj Thapa Niren Tuladhar Ankit Shakya, Ayusha Shrestha, Manish Sakya, Manish Chandi Shrestha

CTP & PROCESS ScanPrint, Pulchowk, Tel: 01-5010801

DISTRIBUTION Kasthamandap Distributors, Tel: 01-4247241

GENERAL ENQUIRIES hello@autolife.com.np

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES editorial@autolife.com.np

ADS AND MARKETING ENQUIRIES marketing@autolife.com.np

Autolife is an automotive magazine (DAO Regd 213/067/068), 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 omission. 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.

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SOPHISTICATED DRIVE MITSUBISHI ASX

CONTENTS 40

LITTLE BRUISER: UM RENEGADE SPORT

VOL 3 ISSUE 2

JAN/FEB 2014

14 16

READERS’ PHOTOS NEWS: LOCAL

NEWS: INDIA

20 LAUNCHPAD

SYM WOLF SB150Ni

AUTO SHOWS

TEST DRIVE

DOWNHILL BIKING SHOWDOWN

NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW MITSUBISHI ASX

32 INTERVIEW ONE-ON-ONE WITH MIKA HÄKKINEN 36 EVENTS MIKA HÄKKINEN IN NEPAL 40

TEST RIDE

UM RENEGADE SPORT

48 EVOLUTION HONDA AUTOMOBILES 10

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RAVISHING CROSSOVER TOYOTA RAV4

CONTENTS 52

VOL 3 ISSUE 2

JAN/FEB 2014

TEST DRIVE

TOYOTA RAV4

60 EVENTS DOWNHILL BIKING SHOWDOWN 62 CYCLING PUMPING IT UP AT E’S NEST!

32 66 12

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64 EVENTS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP

MIKA HÄKKINEN IN NEPAL

66 MOTORSPORTS WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

74 INFOGRAPHICS PARTS OF A CAR

70 MOTORSPORTS DAKAR RALLY

78 QUIZ 80 BUYING GUIDE

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AUTOLIFE READERS’ PHOTOS

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS AT hello@autolife.com.np 14

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AUTOLIFE NEWS: LOCAL

easier access for the driver. The wide sliding side doors and the high roof design make it easy for the passengers to get on or off the vehicle. There is ample amount of space and comfortable seats to take passengers any places near or far with a comfortable feeling. A combination of front double-wishbone torsion bar spring suspension and rear leaf spring suspension provides optimised stability and ride-comfort even at full load. Corrosion-resistant materials are used in key areas throughout the Hiace to provide longlasting protection against rust.

TOYOTA HIACE GETS AN UPGRADE United Traders Syndicate Pvt. Ltd. has offered the Toyota Hiace with a new 2.5 litre, 16 valves DOHC Common Rail Turbo Diesel engine. The new 2.5 litre, 16 valve DOHC D-4D (Common Rail Direct Fuel

Injection) Turbo engine offers a practical balance of power and fuel economy. The engine also provides high level of torque and reliable performance. On the inside, the intelligent and ergonomic design assures improved control and pleasurable driving experience on long trips and in stop-and-go city traffic. Essential indicators and switches are positioned for maximum visibility and

Hiace comes with standard safety features such as the Hiace's crumple zones which will absorb the front impact force and also the combined side, upper and front impact beams contribute to its safety. Further in case of frontal collision, the brake pedal folds away to minimize the risk of leg injury to the driver's leg. With such notable features and technology the Toyota Hiace continues to present its reliability and durability making it Nepal's favourite transporter.

5-YEAR WARRANTY ON ALL HERO MOTORCYCLES

HONDA NEW YEAR SUPER GEAR OFFER Syakar Trading Company, the authorized sole distributors for Honda motorcycles and scooters in Nepal, has brought yet another thrill to the market with a unique festive scheme for the New Year 2014 to benefit its customers. On Purchase of any Honda Motorcycles/Scooters, customers get a unique “Scratch Card”. The scratch card will gurantee them with the cash prizes from Rs. 4000 to Rs. 1,00,000/-. This scheme is available in all Honda Bike showrooms across the country for limited time period. STC has also shifted their dealer base in Putalisadak. The new showroom, which is located just a couple of blocks away from the previous location, was inaugurated by Vice Chairman for STC, Mr. Suhrid Jyoti. The showroom will be dedicated to address the exceeding demands of Honda motorcycles’ valuable customers by catering to the sale and service of the entire two-wheeler lineup available from Honda. 16

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Nepal General Marketing Pvt. Ltd, the authorized distributors of Hero Motorcycles will be offering a 5 year warranty on all its Hero motorcycles with an aim to give more to its customers. This is the first of its kind offer among the two-wheeler companies. The 5-year warranty is applicable on all the Hero two wheelers purchased on or after 10th January, 2014, but some conditions will be applicable. The warranty is valid for 5 years or 70,000 km on motorcycles/50,000 km on scooters, whichever is earlier. The company states that the 5-yr warranty is available in its 65 NGM Hero Service Centers spread across Nepal. Hero has more than 50 million two-wheelers on the road worldwide. The company claims that Hero bikes have superb mileage, trustworthy performance, unmatched style, low maintenance and great resale value.

MAXXIS INTRODUCE TREPADOR TIRES Bhagwati International, the sole distributor of Maxxis Tires in Nepal, has introduced their extreme-off road Trepador tires series in the market, aiming to target the market in mountainous region of the country where the road conditions are extremely bad. Maxxis tires have been in the market for the past decade and are doing very well owing to its superior rubber quality and high mileage. They are the current market leaders in the light commercial vehicle sector. For now, the Trepador series will be available in 185/185R16, 205/70R15c, LT235/75R15 and 205R16c sizes.

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AUTOLIFE NEWS: INDIA

NEW LAUNCHES FROM TATA MOTORS

TATA VISTA VX TECH The Tata Vista VX Tech is basically a Vista D90 that’s offered with reworked interiors and advanced features. On the mechanical front, the VX Tech is powered by a 1.3 litre engine capable of producing 74bhp of power and 190nm of torque, teamed with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Then there’s a new front Duo-float suspension system for a better ride. The new VX Tech, which is the top-of-the-line limited edition variant, has been priced at IC 6.19 lakh, and gets you added features like touchscreen multimedia system with USB and Auxin, Sat Nav, Bluetooth, Steering Wheel mounted audio controls and an advanced Driver Information System. It also gets a new Blue Chill exterior shade that, as per Tata, perfectly complements the VX Tech’s interiors. Rest of the Vista looks the same as before.

REVOTRON ENGINE Committed to increase their market share in the petrol passenger car segment, Tata has introduced a new family of engines called ‘Revotron’. The first derivative of this series of engines is a 1.2 litre turbocharged engine. It’s the first turbocharged petrol engine by Tata. This 4-pot engine puts 84bhp of power at 5000rpm and 140Nm of torque at 1750-3500 revs. Tata claims that a lot of R&D has gone into making this engine powerful, refined and efficient all at the same time. And they say that the secret behind achieving that is downsizing and boosting. The Revotron series will later introduce 3-cylinder petrol engines, and other 4-cylinder units with different cubic capacities. Tata has also hinted at the unveiling of all-new cars in the future, which will be powered by this brand new engine. But for now, this engine will be used in the existing line of cars with existing gearboxes.

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

TATA NANO TWIST If there was one thing that the Tata Nano missed sorely in its bag of city-centric tricks, it was the lack of power steering on any of the variants. Now, Tata has fixed that issue with the launch of the Nano ‘Twist’, a variant with power steering as its USP. The Twist, apart from its electricallyassisted steering unit with ‘Active Return’ (which selfcentres the steering wheel after you’ve made a turn), also gets a reworked driver information system with LEDs, new seats, an easier-to-use clutch pedal and refinements to cut down on Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) levels. The Nano Twist has been priced at IC 2.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

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AUTOLIFE LAUNCHPAD

SYM WOLF SB150Ni Shrestha Company, the authorized distributors of SYM Motorcycles in Nepal, has launched the Wolf SB150Ni. The Sym Wolf SB125Ni is a fuel-injected learner-friendly motorcycle from the Taiwanese giant. It is the lower capacity successor to the SYM Wolf SB250Ni which was launched nearly a year ago. The new bike from SYM aims to give riders the experience of its larger Wolf SB250Ni. Powered by a 150 cc 4-stroke, singlecylinder engine, the Wolf SB150Ni generates a maximum power of 12 bhp at 8500 rpm and a maximum torque of 10.1 nm at 6,500 rpm. It has claimed a top speed of up to 115 km per hour. The Euro III standard Wolf SB150Ni has a five-speed manual transmission and offers both kick and electric start. The bike uses ceramic coated engine that ensures longer engine life. A further 2 year warranty is provided on the engine for users. The bike is 2010mm in length, 770mm in width, 1050mm in height and has a wheelbase of 1345mm. It has a 216mm ground clearance. The design and the

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

frame of the bike are fitted for better strength, stability and sturdiness and the split seats provide an overall sporty appeal. It is equipped with front disc and rear drum brakes as well as tubeless tires for better braking system and smooth riding. The bike can hold 16 litres of fuel and weighs just 150 kg. It is set with telescopic front forks and a single swing rear suspension. The stylish headlamp of the bike looks very different and offers clear vision at night. It has a very tidy LCD dash – complete with sexy blue backlighting – that shows off a slick digital speedo, a trip meter, fuel gauge and the current time. The Wolf is loaded with a host of newer generation advanced technology, which offers greater comfort and relaxation to both the rider and the pillion. The new SYM Wolf SB150Ni will be available through the company´s main dealers at Teku and sub-dealers at Pokhara, Narayanghat and Birtamod. The company is also providing financing facilities via financial institutions as well as exchange offers. The Wolf comes in three colours - black, blue and yellow and has been priced at NRs. 2,99,900/-.

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AUTOLIFE AUTO SHOWS

WE TAKE A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING PRODUCTION VEHICLES AND CONCEPT DEBUTS AT THE 2014 DETROIT AUTO SHOW.

IMAGE COURTESY: www.autoblog.com

The North American International Auto Show, also known as the Detroit Auto Show, is one of the largest annual auto shows held globally. The NAIAS is among the most prestigious auto shows in the world, providing unparalleled access to the automotive products, people and ideas that matter most - up close and in one place. It is the mecca for gearheads the world over. The 26th Detroit Auto Show ran from January 13-26, 2014 at the Cobo Hall in Detroit, USA.

2014 Scion TC Monogram Series

2015 Ford F-150

2014 SRT Viper 2015 Ford Mustang

2015 Hyundai Genesis Sedan

2015 Chrysler 200

2014 Porsche 911 Targa

KIA GT4 Stinger Concept 22

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Acura TLX GT Racecar

Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Concept

2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge Concept

2015 GMC Canyon

Nissan Sport Sedan Concept

Volvo Concept XC Coupe

2015 Lexus RC F VW Beetle Dune Concept

2014 Mazda Skyactiv Prototype

Toyota FT-1 Concept facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

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AUTOLIFE TEST DRIVE

WORDS: AYUSH DHAUBANJAR, PHOTOS: AUTOLIFE TEAM

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MITSUBISHI ASX

I am driving out in the middle of the night on the six-lane Arniko Highway and this is turning out to be great fun. The powerful HID headlights has the scene lit up well ahead, there's a good view of the starry night above from the panoramic moonroof and I have an almost concert like ambience in the cabin with the Rockford Fosgate premium audio system crooning out in full glory. Of course, there's more to it. The 2014 Mitsubishi ASX that I am driving is the highest 4WD Automatic variant and has been fitted with flappy paddle-shifters behind the steering wheel. So there I am speeding down the highway, and every time I upshift or downshift the slick gearbox, I can't help but imagine myself as some racing driver as I shift gears via the paddle shifters and the refined engine on the ASX lives up to the imagination by responding with good pace. The ASX is a compact crossover SUV, but as I speed past the winding highway towards Dhulikhel, it leaves me wondering because this SUV oddly seems to handle the corners with ease and tends to behave more like a much smaller sporty car. So here's an early verdict. This is a fun vehicle to drive.

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The ASX The ASX stands for Active Sports Crossover. This latest version of the ASX dons a handsome exterior look with an aggressive and loud muscular grill at the front, a bulked up bonnet, sharp side profile lines and a subtle spoiler with a short overhang at the resculpted rear. Bulging wheel arches and the stylish 17-inch alloy wheels give the compact ASX a more purposeful big-car look. The tinted rear windows and the chrome accents around the gaping grille, silencer, foglamps, window line and in the side-view mirrors further add elegance to the car. The ASX is definitely one of the coolest looking crossover SUV's in the market which has been crafted with serious attention to the minute details. This is a car that is bound to enhance the look of your driveway.

The ASX is one of the coolest looking crossover SUVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the market which has been crafted with serious attention to the minute details.

The good impressions set by the well sculpted exterior design continue on the inside. There is a smart looking interior with a minimalistic front dashboard layout that has chromed accents for the air-conditioning dials and combination cluster meter. Essential driver information is displayed on a 3.3 inch colour LCD screen positioned between the main dials. The dashboard has soft touch materials and little touches like the brushed metal looking trim scattered around the cabin step up the ambience. For entertainment purposes, the ASX comes loaded with a 9-speakers Rockford Fosgate 710W premium sound system with a 6.1-inch touch screen, AM/FM radio, CD Player, Bluetooth hands-free telephony with voice control and an iPod/USB and Aux-In connectivity. The cabin

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experience is spruced up with a serene panoramic moonroof which gives you an unprecedented view above from inside your ASX. This adds an amazing sense of open space throughout the interior and the panoramic roof also features LED mood lighting to enhance the ambience. The glass has been treated with UV coating, allowing you to enjoy the sun as long as you wish and also features a builtin blind that can be closed and opened electronically. Other premium equipments on the highest variant includes leather seat trim with power adjustable heated front seats, leather wrapped steering wheel with audio and telephony controls, rain-sensing wipers, electrically folding mirrors, dusksensing HID headlamps with washers, automatic climate control, rear-park assist with camera, cruise-control and a smart key with one touch start-stop. The front seats are big and supportive and there are plenty of adjustable options for the driver with the power adjustable seats, telescopic steering and a sliding centre armrest. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not as good in the

You can shift to the manually controlled Sports mode and this offers six pre-determined ratios that can be selected via the shift lever or the steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters.

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rear because leg-space is limited for a vehicle of this size. Standard boot capacity is also less for its segment, but that grows significantly to more than 1500 litres when the 60:40 rear seats are collapsed. On the safety front, there is little that the ASX leaves out. There are seven Airbags, Active Stability Control with Traction Control and Hill Start Assist, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Brake Override System, sideimpact protection beams, a collapsible steering column and whiplash reduction seats. The Mitsubishi ASX is powered by a 2.0 litre MIVEC petrol engine capable of producing 150bhp of power and 197nm of torque. Once on the move, the engine responds well to throttle inputs, even from low revs. Steering can initially feel a bit light, but it later weighs up well

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

after spending more time driving the ASX. In the fully automatic mode, the continuously variable transmission (CVT) always operates the engine at the most efficient level by holding on to higher gears. So some power lag is there when there is an urgency to rush ahead. But there's a solution to that. You can shift to the manually controlled Sports mode and this offers six pre-determined ratios that can be selected via the shift lever or the steering wheel-mounted paddleshifters without having to take your hands off the steering wheel. And, this is where the fun lies! Even in this mode, for greater fuel efficiency, a gear shift indicator positioned directly in your line of sight between the speedometer and the rev counter recommends the best shift timing. The ASX steers and handles well across a variety of surfaces. The suspension

allows the vehicle to comfortably navigate through city streets or beaten down paths absorbing most of the bumps without unsettling the body. There is minimum body roll as well when charging through the corners. Stopping performance is good, with the brake pedal offering enough feel and modulation for accurate use even in hard driving. Although the ASX has been moreover designed for city driving, it will also be able to handle some light off-road stretches that come across your path. A 4WD push button selector allows a selection of three drivetrain mode settings for 4WD driving. The 4WD button can be pushed instantly at speeds of up to 100kmph and if you need increased traction on slippery or loose roads there’s also a ‘Lock’ mode, which provides drive to both the front and rear wheels judging by the traction of each wheel.

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The Mitsubishi ASX offers a solid package with the right balance between style, comfort, performance and practicality. The ASX’s body control and ride quality is impressive and surprisingly quite composed, despite the SUV’s higher centre of gravity. Feature packed and well-refined, this is definitely one of the best options if you are looking out for a compact crossover in the market. This is the kind of car that you take out for a test drive and just don’t want to give it back!

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine Type: 16 Valves Inline-4 DOHC MIVEC Displacement: 1998cc Fuel Type: Petrol Maximum Power: 150 Bhp @ 6000 rpm Maximum Torque: 197 Nm @ 4200 rpm Transmission: 5-Speed Manual / INVECS-III with 6-Step Sports Mode Drive System: 2WD or 4WD DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT Length: 4295 mm Width: 1770 mm Height: 1615 mm Wheelbase: 2670 mm Ground Clearance: 195 mm Tyre Size: 215/60 R17 Suspension Front: McPherson Strut Suspension Rear: Multi Link Brakes Front: Ventilated Discs Brakes Rear: Discs Curb Weight: 1415 kg Fuel Tank: 63L

Feature packed and well-refined, this is one of the best options if you are looking out for a compact crossover in the market.

PRICE: From Nrs. 75,00,000/- to Nrs. 83,50,000/CONTACT: Leon Motors Pvt. Ltd Ph. No: 4622074 | 4622485

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AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

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Owner’s Review As a vehicle service provider, my company owns a number of different automobile brands. I decided to buy the Skoda Rapid because I had heard a lot of good reviews about it. After having used it extensively for both personal as well as official purpose, I have to agree to the Skoda’s goodwill. I have found the Skoda rapid to be a good choice, especially for people like myself, who are looking for a mid-sized sedan. The seats are comfortable and even during long drives it does not cause fatigue. Since we are in the service sector where we have to deal with foreign guests, comfort and luxury is a must.

SANGE LAMA MANAGING DIRECTOR BUDDHA VEHICLE SERVICE P. LTD

In addition to all this, the car also seems to return a very satisfactory mileage, an average of 17/18 kmpl on the highway. Among the other cars in its segment, the engine also seems to be powerful and till now I haven’t had to face much problems regarding its performance. What I like best about the Skoda Rapid is the after sales service the company provides. They are very supportive and always ready to help even in cases of minor problems. In fact, they have promised a warranty of up to 200000kms. All in all, I have to say, it has been a very pleasant experience so far.

Skoda Rapid SPECIFICATIONS

Engine Type: MPI In-Line 4 DOHC 16-valve Displacement: 1598cc Max. Power: 105bhp @ 5250 rpm Max. Torque: 153nm @ 3800 rpm Fuel Consumption: 15kmpl Transmission: 5-Speed Manual Ground clearance: 168mm Dry Weight: 1145kgs Tank Capacity: 55L

CONTACT:

ŠKODA M.A.W., Thapathali, Ktm Dial: 01-4216835 Fax: 01-4266105 Email: skoda@mawnepal.com

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AUTOLIFE INTERVIEW

PHOTO COURTESY: PHOTO CHITRA/ARTUDIO

ONE-ON-ONE WITH

MIKA HÄKKINEN Hailed as one of F1’s fastest drivers, Mika Häkkinen is truly amongst the most successful drivers in F1 history with 2 Championship titles and 20 Grand Prix Wins. He is also featured in the F1 top 10 all-time lists for pole positions and fastest laps. Such is his legacy, that even F1 racing legend Michael Schumacher considered him one of the toughest rival in his career as he was the very few to have beaten Schumacher in a straight fight. So obviously, during his short visit here in Nepal, there was no way we would miss the chance to interview a racing champion of Mika’s calibre. Thanks to the good folks at Johnnie Walker and the energetic local event management team of V-Chitra, we had the chance to extensively question him on possibly everything that crossed our mind, from his F1 racing career to his current involvement with Johnnie Walker. Here’s how our chat with the back-to-back F1 Champion went…

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true. It is what every race driver wants to achieve and to do it twice in a row was especially great.

AL: So how did you first get into racing? MH: I started at a very young age go-

karting, when my parents hired a go-kart for me at a nearby track. Even though I crashed on my first lap, I wanted to keep going. I found it so exciting and eventually persuaded my parents to buy me my own!

AL: How often have you gone terribly wrong while racing? Something that still makes you regret? MH: Not really a regret, but at times

during my racing career, I had made 3 pitstops in a race when Michael Schumacher only made 2! It meant I had to push the car harder and faster, to its limit, and that caused me to be out of control at times.

AL: Is there any specific event in racing that you clearly remember as the best time you ever got behind the wheels? MH: Winning the season finale race at

Suzuka during the 1998 Japanese Gran Prix to claim my first ever F1 World Driver’s Championship title is something that I can never forget. AL: Your unfortunate crash at Adelaide in the 1995 Australian Gran Prix qualifying was a life-threatening mishap. Did that incident ever make you re-think about your commitment to racing? MH: Yes, but it was a mistake. I later

learned from it and came back more aware of what it takes to stay in control.

AL: Beating all odds, you made a remarkable comeback to professional racing and went on to become consecutive F1 World Champion in 1998 and 1999. So how does it really feel to be a back-to-back champion and very few to have accomplished that? MH: It felt amazing. It was a dream come

“DRIVING IS MY SOLE PASSION. IT IS WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BEST AT.”

AL: You are a two-time F1 world champion and undoubtedly one of the greatest drivers the sport has ever produced. But is there actually something else, unknown to most of us, which you can pull off better? MH: No, driving is my sole passion. It is

what I have always been best at.

AL: Finland has had 3 F1 World Champions, 7 WRC Champions and 2 Dakar Rally Champions, amongst other achievements. So what is it really about Finland and its ability to churn out excellent drivers? MH: The weather conditions in Finland

vary a great deal. There is lots of snow, ice and rain. So it creates a tough environment to drive in, making us all very competitive and wanting to win. AL: You have now retired from competitive motorsports. But can we soon expect to see you back in motorsports racing in any other possible role? MH: Though I retired a long time ago, I

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am still very interested in the sport and the management of young drivers, along with promoting responsible drinking with Johnnie Walker. AL: F1 has vastly changed over the years with improvised safety regulations, stricter calculated rules and various technical innovations. But many lament that, in this process of transformation, F1 has lost the true essence and sublime thrill of hardcore racing as in its yesteryears. So what’s your personal take on this? F1 now or back in the days? MH: Back in the days; the racing was

purer and it was more about the driver’s handling of the car.

AL: The upcoming 2014 F1 season is looking unpredictable with a major engine overhaul in the form of V6 turbocharged engines. Which of these three engine manufacturers from Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault are you looking forward to come out on top this season? MH: Mercedes AL: What first comes to your mind when each of these names come up? Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. MH: Ayrton Senna: Race. Speed.

Michael Schumacher: Never gives up. Sebastian Vettel: Young and enthusiastic. AL: You sure must miss the good old adrenaline filled days. But how do you manage to kill time now living away from the fast lane? MH: I now spend time with my family,

enjoying watching my kids grow up. And being the Global Responsible Drinking Ambassador for Johnnie Walker, I do get busy encouraging people to drink responsibly. AL: What made you join hands with Johnnie Walker to spread global awareness regarding the dangers of drinking and driving? Any specific personal reasons? MH: I wanted to use my profile in the

sport to encourage drivers to stay in control. As a former professional racing driver, I know the dangers of getting behind the wheel. So I do not want people to put themselves and others at risk by driving under the influence. AL: What do you think of Johnnie Walkers global initiative to encourage responsible drinking?

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MH: This is an ongoing initiative by Johnnie Walker that we will continue to push. If the campaign can keep saving lives, it has to be worth it. It’s great we are pushing globally for one million further commitments and that Johnnie Walker is rewarding consumers across the globe with free rides home. AL: How would you personally evaluate your progress as the ‘Global Responsible Drinking Ambassador’ for Johnnie Walker? MH: The campaign has been amazing till

date. I’ve been lucky enough to visit over 30 countries to spread the message. I have been able to meet so many different people and understand the challenges that cities face with drink driving. I am glad that we have been able to make a positive impact since the last 7 years. AL: From the world’s fastest racing circuits to the land of the highest mountains. So how does it feel to arrive in Nepal to promote this social cause? MH: It’s my first time here and Nepal

is a beautiful country with fantastic mountains. The people here are so welcoming and I would definitely love to come back and maybe visit the Himalayas. AL: Finally, what does it really take to make it big in the world of motorsports? Your valuable advice for enthusiasts here in Nepal who would want to nurture the dream of making it big in motorsports. MH: You need to start at a young age. It

takes time and investment and it helps to have a good family to support you. But most of all you need to be totally single minded and dedicated to achieving your goals. With a thinking like that anything is possible.

“AS A FORMER PROFESSIONAL RACING DRIVER, I KNOW THE DANGERS OF GETTING BEHIND THE WHEEL. SO I DO NOT WANT PEOPLE TO PUT THEMSELVES AND OTHERS AT RISK BY DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.”

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AUTOLIFE EVENTS

MIKA HÄKKINEN D RIVES NEPAL CR A Z Y WORDS: AYUSH DHAUBANJAR, PHOTO COURTESY: PHOTO CHITRA/ARTUDIO

It's a bright sunny day at the Syakar Safety Riding Center and a sizeable crowd has gathered around the barricades to witness a historical demonstration. All eyes are set on a slick white Mercedes-Benz E250 that's been parked in a corner of the make-shift circuit. The driver fires up the car and there is a brief moment of silence as everybody anxiously awaits the turn of high octane events that is about to unfold. The Mercedes Benz E250 aggressively spins its rear wheel on the tarmac and zooms off ahead leaving behind a long trail of rubber. A sharp tight turn at the end of the track is taken with precision and the audience is left in awe as the car gathers some more speed and begins to drift around the obstacles-ridden track. The front wheels are in opposite-lock 36

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and the Mercedes beautifully slides around the track in a well-controlled oversteer action, blowing up a huge cloud of smoke behind it. There is continuous screeching from the tyres as it tries hard to fight for some grip, but the driver is in no mood for mercy as he takes a handful of preselected lucky passengers around the track for a drive of a lifetime. After the crazy demonstration of a series of adrenaline filled drifts and donuts with perfectly executed precision, the driver parks the car and emerges out from the Mercedes. As he waves out to the gathered crowd, the Syakar Safety Riding Center erupts in applause, because behind the wheel isn’t just any ordinary driver. Back-to-back F1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen aka 'The Flying Finn' had just displayed some of his championship-winning driving skills and awed the fans with his speed and control behind the wheel. History had been made! This was the first time ever a F1 Champion had arrived in Nepal and put out such a spectacular show in front of the enthusiastic Nepalese crowd!! facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

Of course, to have been able to personally witness the demonstration seated beside the legend would have been a completely different experience on a whole new level. But nevertheless, standing in the media stand, I had just witnessed one of the finest sideways action right in front of my own eyes and that too delivered by one of the best drivers in the world. Capt. Bikash JB Rana, Actor Rajesh Hamal, Popular b Saurabh Jyoti, Banker Anil Shah, former Miss Nepal Malvika Subba and DJ Ash Roy of India were among the handful of lucky guests who had the privilege to be driven

“THE FRONT WHEELS ARE IN OPPOSITE-LOCK AND THE MERCEDES BEAUTIFULLY SLIDES AROUND THE TRACK IN A WELLCONTROLLED OVERSTEER ACTION, BLOWING UP A HUGE CLOUD OF SMOKE BEHIND IT.”

around the track by Mika Häkkinen on the 25th of January, 2014. The event was a promotional activity for popular whisky brand Johnnie Walker’s ‘Join The Pact’ campaign in Nepal. The globally running campaign encourages drivers to take the pledge to never drink and drive under the influence. Since 2005, Johnnie Walker has used its sponsorship of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One team as a platform to promote responsible drinking. Mika joined the programme in November 2006 and has played a significant role in raising awareness of the importance of not drinking and driving and always staying in control. Häkkinen, who is the Global Responsible Drinking Ambassador for Johnnie Walker, was here in Nepal on a three-day visit. Mika has already travelled to over 30 countries spreading the important message of responsible drinking, engaging with stakeholders, government officials, media and consumers.

You can participate by pledging in the “Join the Pact” campaign by using the hash tag - #ImNOTdrivingnepal - on social media and making your commitment at www.jointhepactnepal.com.

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JOHNNIE WALKER ‘JOIN THE PACT’ RESPONSIBLE DRINKING AMBASSADORS

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE

EVENT

LUCKY GUY FROM THE AUDIENCE WINNING A CHANCE TO GET A RIDE WITH MIKA

ROCKSTAR- ADRAIN PRADHAN

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MIKA SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS

ORGANIZING TEAM- VCHITRA

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AUTOLIFE TEST RIDE

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

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UM RENEGADE SPORT

LITTLE

BRUISER WORDS: ANKIT SHAKYA, PHOTOS: AUTOLIFE TEAM

UM Motorcycles

have been around town for quite a while now and the brand has been doing well in providing a range of stylish commuter motorcycles for the Nepalese enthusiasts. Now hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s another one in town to add to the line-up and this one looks all set to tear down the commuter motorcycle segment with its unconventional sporty bad-boy cruiser styling. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the UM Renegade Sport.

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THE DESIGN

The first striking feature of the Renegade Sport is its classic peanut tank, which has been made famous by the Harley-Davidson Sportster series. The front end sports a round headlight mounted with a small windshield. Hydraulic telescopic front forks station themselves above 18-inch stylish front rims with ventilated front disc brakes. There are also a number of LED lights up front that illuminate the UM logo right below the headlights and a few more on the forks. To be honest, they seemed a little too flashy for our liking. However, it will definitely appeal to people who don’t mind the attention. At the rear, there is a low slung rider’s seat, a sleek chrome exhaust and a removable stubby back rest equipped pillion seat above the massive fender. It can be clearly seen that the Renegade Sport has taken a lot of inspiration from the Harley-Davidson Sportster range and this definitely isn’t a bad thing. The blind spot mirrors are a good innovation, but it does take some time getting used to. The primary mirror appears to be too slim to properly see what’s behind you and the blind spot mirror leaves the rider slightly disoriented. The speedometer is an analog digital hybrid. The digital display shows the distance and fuel gauge while the speed indicator displays your speed both in miles and kilometres per hour. The speedometer also houses a USB charging port to charge

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“Staying true to its commuter basics, the motorcycle is at home in the city. The Sport feels refined and the gears shift smoothly.” your phone, which can be very useful if you can find a way to keep your phone secure during the ride.

THE RIDE

The ignition key is located under the tank, akin to more traditional cruisers. But it has been placed well and you don’t really have to fumble around to find ignition. Featuring a 140cc single cylinder 4-stroke engine, the Renegade Sport does not claim to be a very powerful bike. So, for those who are used to more punchy machines, the motorcycle may fall short of your expectations when you accelerate from a dead stop. Considering the machine’s modest engine capacity, aggressive overtaking is not really amongst its stronger suits. But look past the initial pickup and you will be surprised at how well the small machine fares once it gets rolling. Give it some open tarmac and it will happily gather good speeds. It doesn’t really inspire confidence when speeding past corners, but does the job well for its

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“There are a few cruisers in its range that can turn heads as well as the Renegade Sports can.”

capabilities. However, this is not where it excels. Staying true to its commuter basics, the motorcycle is at home in the city. The Sport feels refined and the gears shift smoothly. With the upright riding stance, you could ride the Renegade Sport throughout the entire day if you had to. It is surprisingly easy to navigate through the city. It also copes well with minor bumps and ditches, only feeling slightly unsettled when it comes to bigger bumps. And with an anti-flat system that boasts of a self-sealing property, you can ride it without a worry of encountering tyre flats. The brakes do their job well but the rear drums could do with more bite.

THE VERDICT

The Renegade Sport is a city commuter motorcycle and a good one at it. It may yet be too early to tell how reliable the motorcycle is going to be in the long run, but the Renegade Sport definitely did not disappoint. You get a refined engine, the gears shift smoothly and it’s surprisingly easy to handle. Also, there are a few cruisers in its range that can turn heads as well as the Renegade Sports can. 44

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SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE Engine Type: 4-Stroke Single Cylinder Cooling System: Air Cooled Displacement: 137.8cc Maximum Power: 10.97 bhp @ 7900 rpm Maximum Torque: 10.53 nm @ 5600 rpm Starting Method: Electric/Kick Fuel System: Carburettor Transmission: 5 Speed FEATURES Wheelbase: 1350mm Seat Height: 756mm Front Suspension: Hydraulic Telescopic Rear Suspension: Spring Shock Absorber Front Tire: 2.75 - 18 Rear Tire: 110/90 - 16 Front Brake: Disc Rear Brake: Drum Dry Weight: 110 kg Fuel Tank: 10 Litres PRICE: Nrs. 2,25,000/CONTACT: Import USA Ph. No: 4004664 www.importusanp.com

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AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

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laxmi

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AUTOLIFE EVOLUTION

HONDA AUTOMOBILES THE POWER OF DREAMS

WORDS: SAURAV NEPAL Based in Tokyo, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (HMC) is one of the world’s leading sellers of automobiles with a global reputation for superior quality, dependability and performance. It falls under the Honda group which is a huge multinational Japanese corporation that is based on the philosophy of “The Power of Dreams” of its visionary founder, Soichiro Honda (1906-1991). The transition from the world’s leading motorcycle manufacturer to automobile manufacturer took place only in the 1960s. It was during 1963 that the company decided to diversify its portfolio by foraying into automobile manufacturing. Honda then launched the Honda T360, a light car truck for the Japanese market and the S500, the company’s first sports car. This was later joined by the front-wheel-drive N-series minicar. The late ‘60s was also marked by the setup of Honda’s first overseas automobile production in Taiwan. The early ‘70’s saw the launch of Z and Vamos minicars. It was not until 1973 when the introduction of the Honda Civic changed the fortune of Honda automobiles. In 1975, Honda added another international manufacturing facility to its portfolio with the operation

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of the Indonesian plant. Then, a year later, the upscale Accord was introduced which took the American market by storm. By the same year, sales of the Honda Civic surpassed the one million mark. Then, in 1982, Honda started automobile production in the USA from its Ohio plant. As the Accord became more popular with the Americans, Honda established the Acura brand in USA in 1986. Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Honda Motor Company and the brand is now synonymous with luxurious and highperformance vehicles. By the end of the 1980s, Honda became one of the leading car manufacturers in the world. The company’s success continued in the next decade as well with its worldwide automobile production exceeding 30 million units. The ‘90s was best remembered for the exotic NSX sports car. The first generation NSX which was launched between 1991 and 1997 was the most advanced sports car of that era with technologies and chassis derived from F1. But after Soichiro Honda passed away in 1991, the company had started losing its share in the competitive automotive industry. So there was a comprehensive reorganization

with Nobuhiko Kawamoto taking the realms of the company. Faced by stiff competition, Honda started to experiment with alternative power sources for automobiles. In 1997, Honda launched new low emission and electric vehicles. Similarly, in 1999, the company introduced the revolutionary Insight hybrid. By early 2000, Honda again made headlines when their American automobile production reached 10 million units. Fit and Civic Hybrid were released after a year. The company is now progressing by making huge technological advances and capturing global automotive market share. Today, Honda has more than 100 technological patents under its name and they are the fore-runners in hybrid and fuel cell technologies. When you choose Honda, you know what you’re getting. It’s evident in every product they build; from small general purpose engines to sports cars. Honda’s cutting edge engine, performance technology and its expertise and leadership in a wide array of products have truly set a global benchmark, exceeding the expectations of not only its customers, but of their competitors as well.

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THE BEST OF HONDA CARS: WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR HONDA VEHICLES OVER THE YEARS. HONDA ACCORD

Introduced in the year 1976, the Honda Accord was originally available as a two-door hatchback. Then, in 1978, the four door sedan was introduced. The ‘80s was an era of notably sleeker Accord with the second and third generation Accord rolling out. The following decade saw the launch of fourth, fifth and sixth generation Accord which were bigger, powerful and boasted more standard safety features than ever. After 2003, the seventh generation Accord started becoming available. These new Accords were available in a 2.4L and 3.0L V6 options. In 2005, the Accord Hybrid was introduced. The eight generation Accords, which were launched in 2008, were full-size sedans offering more luxury, more features and better fuel efficiency. The ninth-generation Accord which was launched in 2013 is the most luxurious Accord ever with improved aerodynamics, performance and fuel efficiency. Currently, the Accord is available in sedan, coupe, plug-in and hybrid versions.

HONDA HYBRID CARS

Apart from the Accord, Fit/Jazz and Civic hybrids, Honda’s portfolio of other exclusive hybrid cars include the CR-Z, FCX Clarity and the Insight. The CR-Z is a gas-electric compact sports coupe while the FCX Clarity is a zero-emission electric sedan. Similarly, the Insight is a futuristic looking hybrid electric sedan.

Honda FCX Clarity

Honda CR-Z

Honda Insight

HONDA CR-V

The Honda CR-V, a crossover SUV, was introduced in the year 1997. The first generation model was produced from 1997 to 2001 and the second generation model was sold from 2002 to 2006. The first CR-V featured Honda’s “Real Time 4WD” system, in which 50 percent of power shifted to the rear wheels in the event of front-wheel slippage. It was loosely based on the Honda Civic platform and offered in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive formats. The second generation CRV received a major overhaul in looks and performance. In 2007, the third generation CR-V received a modest face-lift with segment defining updates. Today, the 2014 CR-V is more family-oriented with premium features.

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HONDA FUTURE VEHICLES

Honda’s future concepts include the sleek Honda FCEV (a futuristic next-gen electric vehicle), Urban SUV (a dynamic fuel-efficient crossover SUV), Honda NSX (a four-wheel drive hybrid supercar) and the next generation redefined Ridgeline pickup trucks.

Honda FCEV Concept

Honda NSX Concept

Honda Urban SUV Concept

HONDA FIT/JAZZ

Currently into its 3rd generation, the original Fit was introduced as a sub-compact car in Japan in 2001. The vehicle is known as the Fit in Japan, China and Americas while it is called the Jazz in Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, India, and Africa. The first generation Fit was built on Honda’s global small-car platform – a unique layout with shortened front end, big cabin, and centre gas tank coupled with G-control technology. The 2nd generation Fit which was launched during 2007-2013 were based on the same centre-tank layout as the first generations. The 3rd generation 2014 Fit follows Honda’s new design concept called “Exciting H Design”, which represents the three pillars of the styling language: High Tech, High Tension and High Touch. Currently, they are available in gasoline and EV variants.

HONDA CIVIC

The Honda Civic is probably the most reliable family car worldwide. It rolled off the assembly line in 1972 as two-door and three-door variants. The second generation Civic which was launched from 1979 to 1983 got a new sleeker body with increased wheelbase and base-model engine. The third generation Civic which was launched after 1983 was based on Honda’s ‘maximum space for people, minimum space for mechanisms’ concept. Honda then debuted its Hyper 16-valve engine in the fourth generation Civic (1988-1991) and launched the fifth generation Civic (1991-1996) with new VTEC engine variations. The sixth generation Civic (1996-2000) featured updated styling with 3-stage VTEC engine, boasting high output, high fuel efficiency and Honda Multimatic - a variable-speed automatic transmission system. The Seventh generation Civic (20012005) was launched in the year 2000. Honda also launched the Civic Si hatchback and the Civic hybrid in this generation. For the Eighth generation (2006-2011), Honda launched the Civic in both sedan and coupe models. As for now, the popular sedan is in its 9th generation. The current generation comes loaded with Honda's Eco Assist technology, ABS, VSA, EBD and a new multilink rear suspension as standard.

OTHER MODELS

Other popular models include the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck, Pilot, and the Crosstour.

Honda Crosstour

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Honda Pilot

Honda Ridgeline facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

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AUTOLIFE TEST DRIVE

WORDS AND PHOTOS: AUTOLIFE TEAM

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

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TOYOTA RAV4

Being the first always has its fair share of advantages. For instance, all of us remember the first men who climbed atop Mount Everest. But how many of you can recall the third one or the tenth one to do the same? Similarly, the Toyota RAV4 was the first vehicle to introduce us to the concept of compact crossover SUV vehicles and the segment of soft-roading. No wonder it's a brand that has been well instilled in the minds of people when they think about crossover SUV's. But the auto industry is a very aggressive market and just being the first doesn't help much anymore. Evolution is the key as now there are a handful of similar concept vehicles vying for the top spot. Still keen to maintain a favorable position in the industry, there is a new Toyota RAV4 in the market. So how does this latest and completely revamped fourth generation Toyota RAV4 stack up?

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EXTERIOR STYLING

The fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 features a completely new look and represents a dramatic redesign with no visual trace of earlier models. The bold edgy look is more contemporary and a radical departure from the chubby look of the previous RAV4. The RAV4â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exterior has been completely redesigned, with a sleeker roofline, bolder character lines, and a sharp front fascia that links the expressive LED Daytime Running Lights equipped headlights with the new horizontal line Toyota family grille. The side view features prominent sculpturing for the wheel fenders with tough black resin finished protective side skirts. Towards the rear, the belt line flows effortlessly into the taillight clusters that sport sharper lines, whilst the roof seamlessly meets the rear spoiler with its integrated LED brake light and rounds out the new aerodynamically effective design. Even better, the spare tire is now housed under the cargo floor, rather than on the tailgate, for a cleaner and sleek look. Overall, the new RAV4 is attractive and very contemporary with its solid aerodynamics.

THE BOLD EDGY LOOK IS MORE CONTEMPORARY AND A RADICAL DEPARTURE FROM THE CHUBBY LOOK OF THE PREVIOUS RAV4.

INTERIOR DESIGN

Inside, the new RAV4 offers more room and higher-quality finishes. Interesting textures and vibrant colours give the RAV4 a premium look. Soft Leather has been splashed across the horizontally laid dynamic dashboard and is merged well with premium hard black plastics and nice metal highlights. There is, however, a lot of old-school styling elements and dated technology in the cabin for this price range. There is only a manually controlled air conditioning unit for convenience and entertainment purposes are handled by a simple single din six-speaker multimedia 54

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unit that offers a CD player, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, Auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface. On the features side, there are automatic headlights, power folding mirrors, cruise control, tilt and reach steering adjustment and rear parking sensors. The steering wheel is equipped with access to cruise control, media navigation and driver information which includes fuel usage, drive history, distance to empty and car information. The huge cabin space and passenger

comfort is where the RAV4 excels. The manually adjustable front cloth bucket seats are very supportive and the rear seats have larger cushions, more recline angle and improved bolstering for better comfort. At the back, there is sufficient space which is abundant for fully seating large taller adults, even when overgrown adults are sitting up front. With 577 litres of boot space plus an extra 1199 litres with the 60:40 split seats folded down, there is also loads of room to transport plenty of stuffs.

SAFETY

The latest RAV4 is a step up from its predecessors when it comes to safety as it is equipped with the best-in-class safety features and intuitive technology. Standard safety features across the range includes Anti-Skid Brakes (ABS) on all wheels, Electronic Brake Distribution, Brake Assist, Traction Control, Vehicle Stability Control, Drivers Front Airbag, Passenger Front Airbag, Side Airbags for the front seats, Side Curtain Airbags for front and rear seats and a Drivers Knee Airbag.

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bumpy roads, and around corners the RAV4 behaves pleasantly, sitting flat and providing a decent amount of steering feedback from the well-weighted electric steering. The suspension works well to stop the nose diving under heavy application and braking performance is strong. Overall, ride comfort is pretty good and translates to great on-road feel.

PERFORMANCE

The 2.5-litre petrol drivetrain we test drove had more than enough power to get the RAV4 up to speed and the six-speed manual transmission does a good job of providing an enjoyable driving experience. It’s no firecracker, but the engine is willing and the transmission throws are smooth on the 6-speed gearbox. The gearshifts are light and positive while the clutch offers just the right amount of feel without tiring the left leg. While the engine was well matched to the task, revving the engine does result in a kind of thrashy exhaust note being transmitted into the cabin, which is quite unexpected from such a premium SUV.

It doesn’t exactly have a high ground clearance, but the RAV4 does navigate dirt tracks well. The smart AWD system helps in such conditions, using a whole bunch of sensors and a smart computer to control power to the front and rear axles (up to 50:50). Whereas the previous AWD system relied on slip detection (i.e. it only intervened when a loss of traction was detected on slippery roads), the new system controls the amount of torque delivered to the front and rear wheels based on road speed, steering angle and throttle input. Ground clearance was an issue in some places, but the RAV4 crawled and scurried its way up and down steep hills with surprising confidence. The unique Integrated Dynamic Drive System further sharpens driving performance and maximises traction over a range of surfaces.

There are also two driving modes on offer Eco and Sport. The default Eco mode gives the RAV4 a numb feeling and makes the gas pedal less responsive, all with the goal of better fuel economy. But in Sport mode, the RAV4’s steering and accelerator responses are automatically retuned for tighter and quicker responses. It makes a useful difference to the character of the engine and transmission when a bit more dynamism is called for. The ride is comfortable over

IN THE SPORT MODE, THE RAV4’S STEERING AND ACCELERATOR RESPONSES ARE AUTOMATICALLY RETUNED FOR TIGHTER AND QUICKER RESPONSES. 56

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VERDICT First off, the RAV4 does not redefine or revolutionise the segment. The new RAV4 maintains the spirit of freedom that began with the original RAV4 and is a pretty significant step forward for Toyota. With an expressive and rugged exterior styling and a roomy comfortable interior, the RAV4 is decidedly refined with agile handling and all-weather four-wheel drive capability. Yes, with the significant strengthening of the Japanese currency in the recent years, it does fall a bit on the pricier side for the level of equipments on offer. But Toyota has also built a well deserved reputation by building cars that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let you down and that reputation still stands strong.

SPECIFICATIONS Engine Type: 4 Cylinders, 16V DOHC Dual VVT-i Displacement: 2494cc Fuel Type: Petrol Maximum Power: 176 Bhp @ 6000 rpm Maximum Torque: 233 Nm @ 4100 rpm Transmission: 6 Speed Manual DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT Length: 4570 mm Width: 1845 mm Height: 1670 mm Wheelbase: 2660 mm Ground Clearance: 160mm Tyre Size: 225/65 R17 Suspension Front: McPherson Strut Suspension Rear: Double Wishbone Brakes Front: Ventilated Discs Brakes Rear: Discs Curb Weight: 1580 kg Fuel Tank: 60L PRICE: NRs. Nrs. 92,80,000/CONTACT: United Traders Syndicate Pvt. Ltd Ph. No: 4478301 | 4478003 www.toyota.com.np

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AUTOLIFE EVENTS

In a spectacular show of skills and mettle, 45 mountain bikers charged down Hattibanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rugged trails in the Snickers LifeCycle Downhill Championship. WORDS AND PHOTOS: El Yak Mountain Biking | www.elyak.com

Braving the chilly weather and foggy drizzles on a gloomy Saturday, some 40-odd mountain bikers hammered down unforgiving downhill trails at the Snickers LifeCycle Downhill Championship. Held at the serene hilltop of Hattiban on the 18th of January 2014, the race had an enthusiastic mix of a huge crowd of spectators and adrenaline-pumped riders ready to dominate the trails. Organizers from LifeCycle Nepal had worked meticulously in days leading to the race working closely with the local mountain biking companies and Hattiban community. Moreover, Nepalese Army Rangers contributed greatly in building the track and as race marshals they ensured the race moved on smoothly. Indeed, such a collaboration reiterates the commitment of both local riders and the government showing an active interest in promoting downhill biking and cycling in general. Riders from the valley, Pokhara and Dharan as well as international riders from the U.S.A and Bhutan took part in the race that was divided into Elite and Open categories, the former for professional racers and the latter for amateurs. Among 22 riders in the Elite category who raced in a 2.5km track, Shakar Yakthumba from Life Cycle came in first with a timing of 3:38.9, followed by a tight chase by El Yakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mangal Lama (3:39.2) 60

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and Sambhu Gurung (3:41.0). The winners received a cash prize of Rs. 30,000, Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 5,000 respectively. Likewise, in the shorter Open category race, Nirakar Yakthumba from Life Cycle bagged the first position, followed by Prayash Tamang (Bike Station) and Alin Maharjan, who took away gift prizes. Though the light rain shortly past noon had compromised the track as the loose soil got slippery and visibility was limited, there was no looking back for the enthusiastic racers. “Racing conditions are always unpredictable and everyone has the same disadvantage. I knew the risks beforehand and did not race at my peak speed. I took it easy on turns and jumps, so I didn’t lose much time with falls and off-balances,” shared the race winner Shakar Yakthumba. Shyam Limbu, one of the organizers also maintained, “The weather could have definitely been nicer, but it’s a part of the game to prepare for all kinds of obstacles. However, we’re glad riders had a good time and spectators thoroughly enjoyed the event. We’re really pleased with the turnout too!” Though the numbers of downhill enthusiasts is increasing in Nepal, this rather expensive sport is still largely a niche in Nepal. For starters, a downhill bike could cost about Nrs. 1.5 lakhs! But with events like the Snickers LifeCycle Downhill Championship, the community will certainly grow and Nepalese downhill riders can further hone their skills to outperform in national and international downhill meets.

“Though the light rain shortly past noon had compromised the track as the loose soil got slippery and visibility was limited, there was no looking back for the enthusiastic racers.”

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AUTOLIFE CYCLING

PUMPING IT UP AT E’S NEST! 7 things that you can do at a cycling pump track

The The cycling industry has picked up a lot within the past decade, and it has been said over and over again. However, the entire industry seems to have found a comfort zone with most providing similar facilities like tours, hire, sale and maintenance etc. So how about breaking away from the norm and going crazy at the only cycling pump track in the country – E’s Nest Bike Park? A pump track is a continuous circuit of dirt rollers, berms, and jumps that loops back on itself, allowing you to ride it continuously. Pump tracks help in improving your cornering abilities, maintaining momentum/ speed and it works as an amazing workout. From learning the basics of balance and momentum for beginners to practicing rhythm and timing for professionals, it is the perfect place to learn and enjoy an adrenaline filled lifestyle in a fun and safe environment. It is a safe and great fun to ride for all ages and skill levels. Here are a few things you can master to show off your skills and gain respect at the track: 62

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WALL RIDE: A wall ride is a maneuver where you ride your bike up the face of a slope, or a wall, and defy gravity for a split second. Your body will be almost parallel to the ground while you pull off the wall ride and it’s a fun skill to master. Just make sure that you don’t shave off speed unless you want to experiment with the law of gravity and drop like the apple that fell on Newton’s head.

TABLE TOPS: Table-tops are jumps with a flat top that allow a rider to roll over the jump without being forced to catch air. Table tops are great for novice riders who are building up the confidence to leave the ground. Because there is no gap to clear, table-tops are less risky than gaps. facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

BERMS: A berm is a curved bank of earth that allows you to maintain your speed while riding around a corner. As you approach a berm, make sure you control your speed into it, and then maintain good cornering position through the berm. Try to exit on the other end with more speed than you entered. As you ride the berm, make sure you are looking well through the turn at your exit point, and as you approach the exit, make sure that you continue to look even beyond that. Otherwise, you are going to run yourself over the berm and find yourself lying on the track with a mouthful of the earth.

TRANSFER TOPS: A transfer is the movement of jumping over one area of a ramp onto another, or from one ramp to another. Check the picture where our rider Samuel is soaring from a smaller table top to a larger one to better understand the concept.

SKINNY The skinny is basically a wooden beam placed across two platforms where you can ride across from one end to the other. It’s easier to understand how it earns its name when you personally ride up to the ramp and see how skinny it really is. And if you have the cojones, you can try to pop a manual (wheelie) on it.

BIG AIR: If you like to defy gravity and believe that you can fly, you can choose to soar into the air from one of the ramps. This is strictly not for beginners! So take it easy. facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

ROLLERS/PUMPS: A roller is a stretch of small continuous bumps that you ride over on a pump track. They vary in height and length depending on the track. By using your body balance to absorb and compress the bike into the ground as you ride over the roller, you can pick up speed.

Special thanks to Umang Shrestha, Pabitra Samuel Ghising and Christopher Keeling for showing us how it’s really done without breaking a bone.

LOCATION COURTESY: E’s NEST BIKE PARK DHOBIGHAT LALITPUR NEPAL Ph. No: 01-5555021

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AUTOLIFE EVENTS

CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETENT RIDERS BLAZE THE CYCLING TRACK AT CHOBHAR FOR THE TOP TITLES IN THE 13TH NATIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKE CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP

PHOTOS: GAURAV MAN SHERCHAN

All pictures were taken with a Pentax K3. Gaurav Man Sherchan is a Travel & Adventure Photographer, and the official photographer for Yeti Travels and Pentax in Nepal.

BLESSED

Blessed with bright sunny skies, the National Mountain Bike Cross Country Championship welcomed the cycling season with style. The 25th of January 2014 marked the 13th edition of the championship which took place in Chobhar, Kathmandu. Jointly organized by the Chobhar Tourism Development Society, Jalbinayak Community Forest Group and other nongovernmental organizations as part of the First Lumbini National Championship, the event has further cemented the ever strengthening cycling community. The race was split into three categories. The elite category comprised of six laps of 4.8 km each, while the open, women and junior category had 4 laps of 3.5 km each. Competing through technical and rough terrains, the competitors laid it all on the line. Ajay Pandit bagged the first place for the fourth consecutive time clocking in a time of 1 hour 35 minutes and 28 seconds, defeating Narayan Gopal Maharjan and Raj Kumar Shrestha who crossed the finish line with a timing of 1 hour 37 minutes 50 seconds and 1 hour 41 minutes 42

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

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WINNERS OF OPEN CATEGORY

WINNERS OF THE ELITE CATEGORY

seconds respectively. The open category was dominated by Mandil Pradhan, finishing the four laps in 59 minutes and 3.5 seconds, followed by Rajeev Chand and Sakar Yakthumba with a time of 1 hour 8 minutes and 1 hour 33 minutes respectively. Similarly, Laxmi Magar, Keshari Thapa Magar and Humei Budamagar made it to the podium in the women category. Laxmi finished the race with a time of 1 hour 22 minutes 50 seconds while it was cut throat battle for the second and third position with Budamagar falling only 34 seconds behind Keshari who finished the race with a time of 1 hour 29 minutes 12 seconds. Winner of MegaKids Megavalanche 2013, Chris Keeling clinched gold in the junior category coming in at a blazing 55 minutes 54 seconds, followed by Kiran Rai and Arun Karki with times of 1 hour 1 minute and 11 seconds and 1 hour 4 minutes and 33 seconds. All of them finished with better times than the winners of the open category.

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AUTOLIFE MOTORSPORTS

An introduction to the crazy motorsport competition series that pits highly skilled drivers and technically superior production-based cars against some of the toughest and most varied conditions on the planet. INFO: www.wrc.com | PHOTOS: Red Bull Content Pool

Established in 1973, the WRC is widely regarded as the most challenging motorsport championship in the world. The World Rally Championship (WRC) is a rallying series organized by the FIA, the governing body for worldwide motorsport. The series spreads across a number of countries and consists of three-day events each driven on surfaces ranging from gravel and tarmac to snow and ice.

HOW THE RALLY WORKS Each rally is split into 15–25 special stages which are run against the clock on closed roads. Drivers tackle these stages one car at a time in an effort to complete them in the shortest time, with timing down to 1/10th of a second. Along the way, a co-driver reads detailed pace notes that explain what is coming up ahead. Most rallies follow the same basic itinerary. This starts with two days of ‘reconnaissance’ where driver and co-driver practise the route, at limited speed, to make pace notes. It is followed by ‘shakedown’ – a full speed test of their rally car – with the competition properly running for three days from Friday to Sunday.

PENALTIES AND POINTS Time penalties are applied if visits to the service park exceed the allotted time. Penalties are also given to competitors who arrive late at stage starts, or any other check-points throughout the event. The crew that completes all the stages in the shortest time is the winner. Points are allocated to the top ten finishers on a 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-42-1 point basis.

Because rallies go on for several days, competitors visit a ‘service park’ at predetermined points to allow technicians to perform mechanical work on each car. Service time is strictly limited, with each stop being either 10, 30 or 45 minutes. Away from the service park, only the driver and co-driver can work on their car, using only tools and spare parts carried on board. 66

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

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THE 2014 WRC SERIES THE COMPETITION CARS The high-tech performance cars that compete in the FIA World Rally Championship are the all-rounders of the motorsport world. Although they are based on standard road cars and are identifiable with the type of car that you buy in your local dealership, that is where the similarities stop. These cars are stripped from a basic road vehicle to a bare metal shell before being completely rebuilt and fitted with a steel tubular roll cage to provide maximum protection in the event of a crash. All unnecessary brackets and mounting plates are removed to save weight and after around 700 hours of work, the shell emerges vastly stronger and stiffer than before. They are capable of astonishing achievements on surfaces ranging from rocky and pot-holed dirt tracks to twisty and narrow asphalt lanes or rutted roads covered in snow and ice. These cars are capable of maintaining peak performance in conditions where temperatures can plunge to near -30C at one round and soar to almost 30C above freezing on the next. The competition cars are usually powered by 1.6 litre or 2.0 litre turbocharged engines which are built following the set technical regulations.

MAIN CATEGORIES WITHIN THE WRC There are four categories within the WRC, the fastest and most spectacular being for World Rally Cars. WRC is the principal category in the World Rally Championship. WRC2 is the major support series in the championship and the final stepping stone to the headline WRC category. WRC3 is the leading two-wheel drive category and was only recently launched in 2013 as the intermediate step on the WRC ladder. The JWRC (Junior World Rally Championship) is a complementary series to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and is specifically aimed at offering young drivers a chance to gain experience and notoriety at an affordable cost

This year’s rally commenced on 15th January, 2014 with the Rallye Monte-Carlo which is the WRC’s jewel in the crown and the oldest in the calendar being first run in 1911. For 2014, the roads on this epic motorsport adventure have been spread across 15 countries, with 13 rallies on everything from snow packed forest tracks to rock-strewn mountain passes.

WRC CALENDAR 14 - 19 Jan 2014 05 - 08 Feb 2014 06 - 09 Mar 2014 03 - 06 April 2014 08 - 11 May 2014 06 - 08 June 2014 27 - 29 June 2014 01 - 03 Aug 2014 22 - 24 Aug 2014 12 - 14 Sept 2014 3 - 5 Oct 2014 24 - 26 Oct 2014 14 - 16 Nov 2014

Rallye Monte Carlo Rally Sweden Rally Guanajuato Mexico Vodafone Rally de Portugal Rally Argentina Rally d Italia Sardegna Lotos Rally Poland Neste Oil Rally Finland ADAC Rallye Deutschland Coates Hire Rally Australia Rallye de France-Alsace RallyRACC -Rally de Espana Wales Rally GB

WRC FACTORY DRIVER LINE-UPS FOR 2014 VOLKSWAGEN MOTORSPORT

Sebastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala CAR: Volkswagen Polo R WRC DRIVERS:

VOLKSWAGEN MOTORSPORT II

Andreas Mikkelsen Volkswagen Polo R WRC

DRIVERS: CAR:

M-SPORT WORLD RALLY TEAM DRIVERS: Mikko Hirvonen and Elfyn Evans CAR: Ford Fiesta RS WRC

RK M-SPORT WORLD RALLY TEAM DRIVERS: Robert CAR: Ford

Kubica Fiesta RS WRC

JIPOCAR CZECH NATIONAL TEAM

Martin Prokop Ford Fiesta RS WRC

DRIVERS: CAR:

CITROEN TOTAL ABU DHABI WRT DRIVERS: Mads Ostberg, Kris Meeke and Khalid Al Qassimi CAR: Citroen DS3 WRC

HYUNDAI SHELL WRT DRIVERS: Thierry Neuville, Dani Sordo, Juho Hanninen and Chris Atkinson CAR: Hyundai i20 WRC

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chaitanya

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AUTOLIFE MOTORSPORTS

THE FINAL STAGE OF THE 2014 DAKAR RALLY SAW MARC COMA, NANI ROMA, ANDREY KARGINOV AND IGNACIO CASALE CROWNED CHAMPIONS OF THIS UNFORGIVING RALLY INFO AND PHOTOS: RED BULL CONTENT POOL

The 2014 Dakar Rally is finally done after two weeks of hard racing across 5000 kilometers of extremely challenging cross-country roads. The 2014 Dakar Rally plotted a course across Argentina, Bolivia and Chile as the toughest of all rally raids returns to South America from January 5-18, 2014. The 2014 route was marked out between Rosario in Argentina and Valparaiso in Chile, with a marathon stage in Bolivia for the bikers at the halfway point. Bolivia became the 28th nation to host a stage of the Dakar as this unique rally continued

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

to push the boundaries of Motorsport. Plenty of changes regarding the format of the stages were also cooked up to ensure nothing came easy at this ultimate test of endurance racing. The 2014 Dakar Rally had longer special stages, as well as several marathon stages where only the competitor could do mechanical work on his/ her machine, not the mechanics. Taking riders and drivers though Argentinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s northwest canyons and sandy valleys, it was an especially gruelling edition of the historic race.

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THE RESULTS In the Moto category, defending champion Cyril Despres’ phenomenal form continued on stage 13, but it was his Red Bull KTM rival Marc Coma who took the overall victory. 18th place was all Coma needed to take his fourth Dakar title and his first since 2011. Marc Coma dedicated his win to his late teammate Kurt Caselli, who tragically died during the 2013 SCORE Baja 1000. Jordi Viladoms came home in sixth to take second place overall while Despres missed out on finishing the Dakar in third place by just 35 seconds when fellow Frenchman Olivier Pain crossed the line. In the cars, Nani Roma took his second Dakar title exactly ten years after taking the title in the bikes. 11-time Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel was running well but stopped at the 133km mark to wait for his Mini team-mates Roma and third-placed driver Nasser Al-Attiyah. Roma dedicated the win to former co-driver Henri Magne, who died in a race in 2006. It was a close contest in the trucks as Gerard de Rooy crossed the finish line in first on his IVECO, but had to wait for news on the Kamaz of Andrey Karginov. An accident in the cars category had halted Karginov's charge but he and his crew were later declared winners by over three minutes after their time was re-assessed. Eduard Nikolaev on a KAMAZ ended third. The quads saw Ignacio Casale take the Dakar title in style by winning the final stage. Casale won stage 13 by 54 seconds from Sebastian Husseini and over 3 minutes from Rafał Sonik. facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

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WHAT IS THE DAKAR RALLY? "A CHALLENGE FOR THOSE WHO GO. A DREAM FOR THOSE WHO STAY BEHIND." Formerly known as the Paris-Dakar Rally, this enduring challenge originated back in 1977, when Thierry Sabine got lost on his motorbike in the Libyan Desert during the Abidjan-Nice Rally. Saved from the sands, he returned to France and the Dakar Rally began. Despite its 'rally' name, the Dakar Rally is an offroad endurance race, properly called a rally raid rather than a conventional rally. The terrain that the competitors traverse through comprise of off-road, crossing dunes, mud, camel grass, rocks and erg among others. Unlike the modified vehicles used in other rallies, the vehicles used here are true off-road vehicles. A distance ranging from 500-1000 kms per day is covered during the nearly 15 day long cross country endurance rally. The major competitive groups in the

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

Dakar include the Moto class, Car class, Truck class and Quad class. Both a motor race and an orienteering challenge, the Dakar Rally pits some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest offroad drivers against amateur competitors, for whom the race is often the culmination of their dreams and who come to take up the challenge with their motorcycles, quad bikes, cars and trucks. Entering the Dakar is, in a certain way, like climbing Everest, sailing round the globe or rowing round the world. The places on the final podium represent an exceptional challenge, sometimes that of a lifetime. Participants of more than fifty nationalities come together every year for this race where competition and help go hand in hand, which is watched on television by over a billion viewers in 190 countries.

DAKARINRALLY FIGURES

The number of titles up for grabs at the Dakar, including the motorcycle, quad, car and truck categories.

The most victories in a single category, held by Vladimir Chagin with 7 wins in trucks.

The record number of victories at the rally, held by StĂŠphane Peterhansel with six wins on motorcycles and five in cars.

The age of Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli, the youngest competitor in Dakar history.

431

The number of racing days at the Dakar Rally.

The number of people, including 27 competitors, who have lost their lives in the Dakar Rally ever since its inception in 1978. The total number of vehicles that started from the beginning of the rally in 2014 which included 174 motorbikes, 147 cars, 70 trucks and 40 quads.

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AUTOLIFE INFOGRAPHICS

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

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Infographics courtesy: visual.ly

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Man of Steel Releasing on: June, 2013

one by two

Genre : Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fic Genre : Comedy, Romance Director : Zack Snyder Release Date : 31 Jan 2014 Cast : Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Length : 2 Hrs 5 Min Crowe Director : Devika Bhagat Synopsis: A child sent to Earth from aCast : Abhay Deol, Preeti Desai This is the story of Amit and Samara - two souls in Mumbai, a city of dying planet is adopted by a couple in rural millions and how the universe conspires to bring them together. This is a Kansas. Posing as a journalist, he uses his extraordinary powers to protect his newcoming of age film about how two people are destined to meet but only when their individual lives are ready for each other. Through a chance home from an insidious evil.

encounter, a series of coincidences and fates helping hand, Amit and Samaras lives intersect and affect each other. Whether they can find their true paths or not, only time will tell.

Monsters University Releasing on: July 2013

producer

Genre : Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Genre : Comedy Director : Dan Scanlon Release Date : 31 Jan 2014 Cast : Nathan Fillion, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi Length : 2 Hrs 22 Min Synopsis : Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are an Director : Janakdeep Parajuli inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the Cast : Babu Bogati, Sweta Bhattarai, Wilson Bikram Rai, Shyammoment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn’t Aryal’Producer’- story of four youths from new generation to make a movie stand each other. “Monsters University” unlocks the door to on new dimension and grievances of producers have been presented how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became romantically on comedy pattern in western style and presentation with the best of friends. delivering a social message ‘what will not succeed if tired?’. This real story of kollywood shows the colorful life of the star and the backstage story of related character with movie industry in humorous way with focusing how the hard effort team brings the new change ?

After Earth

Releasing on: June, 2013

jhola

Genre : Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi Genre : Drama Director : M. Night Shyamalan Release Date : 07 Feb 2014 Cast : Jaden Smith, Will Smith, Sophie Okonedo Length : 1 Hrs 30 Min Synopsis: One thousand years after cataclysmic events forced : Yadav Kumar Bhattarai Director humanity’s escape from Earth, Nova Prime has become mankind’s Cast : Garimanew Pant, Garima Pant, Desh Bhakta Khanal, Desh Bhakta Khanal, home. Legendary General Cypher Raige returns fromLaxmi an extended Giri, Laxmi Giri, Geeta Nepal, Geeta Nepal’Jhola, tells the tale of tour of duty to his estranged family, ready to be a father to hisboy 13-yeara little called Ghanashyam from a village in Nepal. Ghanashyam’s old son, Kitai. When an asteroid storm damages Cypher and Kitai’s mother, Kanchhi, is second wife to a sickly old man who is more than 40 years her and is on the verge of death. When the inevitable craft, they crash-land on a now unfamiliar and dangerous Earth. Assenior, his the old man dies, Kanchhi is directed to sacrifice herself father lies dying in the cockpit, Kitai must trek across happens, the hostile and terrain onwanted his pyre (Sati system- burn alive with her dead husband), an effort to to recover their rescue beacon. His whole life, Kitai has nothing away’ her own and her husband’s sins.’ more than to be a soldier like his father. Today, he gets‘wash his chance.

Hasee Toh Phasee

World War Z

Genre : Comedy Releasing on: June, 2013 Release Date : 07 Feb 2014 Length : 2 Hrs 10 Min Genre : Action, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fic, Thriller Director : Vinil Mathew Director : Marc Forster Cast : Siddharth Malhotra, Parineeti Chopra, Sharat Saxena, Karan Cast: Brad Pitt, James Badge Dale, Mireille Enos Johar Synopsis : United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap’s Hasee Toh Phasee directedworld by in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is Vinil Matthew has a fresh pairing in Sidharth Malhotra and Parineeti toppling armies and governments, and threatening to decimate Chopra. And the music directors too have come up with a refreshing humanity itself. and impressive album for this one. With a total of six tracks, the film has a perfect blend of foot tapping dance numbers and romantic ballads. 76

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AUTOLIFE QUIZ

1 On the 25th January 2014, who thrilled the crowd present at the Syakar Safety Riding Centre with crazy high speed drift and donuts on a Mercedes-Benz E250 as part of Johnnie Walker’s global ‘Join The Pact’ campaign? a. Anil Shah b. Mika Hakkinen c. Malvika Subba d. Adrian Pradhan

WIN QFX cinemas tickets POWERED BY

www.qfxcinemas.com

2 Who is the founder of the popular Honda Motor Company? a. Soichiro Honda b. Saurabh Jyoti c. Jagdeep Honda d. Yokozuna 3 Who won the 2014 National Cross Country Championship for the 4th consecutive time in the elite category? a. Ajay Pandit b. Mandil Pradhan c. Chris Keeling d. Laxmi Magar 4 4. What is the Dakar Rally? a. A disgusting Burping Competition b. An extreme Off-Road Endurance Motorsports Race c. A Protest against Nepal Bandhs d. A yearly Rally Against Burping 5 The UM Renegade Sport is a... a. Criminal Mastermind b. Secret duty of undercover Nepalese Agents c. New Superhero in the Avengers movie d. 140cc Cruiser Bike 3 WINNERS will receive 2 TICKETS each from QFX CINEMAS SEND US YOUR ANSWERS AT hello@autolife.com.np HINT: ALL ANSWERS TO THIS QUIZ CAN BE EASILY FOUND SPREAD ACROSS THIS ISSUE ITSELF. EVEN GOOGLE WILL NOT FIND YOU SOME OF THE ANSWERS! SO UNLESS YOU HAVE RAJNIKANTH’S PERSONAL NUMBER OR YOU CLAIM YOURSELF AS CHUCK NORRIS, THERE’S NO ANY OTHER OPTION THAN TO MAKE SURE YOU READ THROUGH THE MAGAZINE BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS QUIZ. BEST OF LUCK.

LAST MONTH’S WINNER ROSHESH PRADHAN SAGAR ADHIKARI GANGA MAYA RAI 78

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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 without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRs)

NEW CAR BUYERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE

Updated January 2014

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

17,90,000

Tiggo 2.0 A/T

36,75,000 1971 A 123 168 160 Y Y Y N Y N Y N Y

812

130

Sharda Group, KTM

CHEVROLET Models Optra Magnum

32,00,000 1991 5M 119 314 190 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Aveo

28,80,000 1399 5M 92 127 165 Y N Y N Y Y Y N N

Beat 1.2

21,50,000 to 23,25,000

1199

108

150

Spark 1.0

18,60,000 to 19,90,000

995

145

Captiva 2.0 Automatic LTZ

75,00,000 1991 5A 148 320 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Aveo UVA1.2 LS

21,70,000 to 24,70,000

1150

110

160

Tavera

29,50,000 to 40,70,000

2499

186

125

Hansraj Hulaschand & Co Pvt. Ltd, Maitighar Tel: 4239641 | 4231985

DAIHATSU Models Terios

48,99,000 to 55,00,000

1495

103

140

BATAS Brothers Pvt. Ltd, Gairidhara Tel: 4004644 | 4004645

FIAT Models Linea 2013 Model (Diesel)

35,89,000 to 40,79,999

1368

115

168

Punto 2013 Model (Petrol)

23,71,999 to 27,34,999

1172

175

Go Automobiles Pvt. Ltd, Thapathali, KTM Tel: 4244254 | 4257001

FORD Models Everest

75,00,000 to 2953 5A 153 380 165 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 80,00,000

All New Fiesta (Petrol)

34,00,000 to 1499 5M 107 140 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N 38,99,000

Fiesta Classic (Petrol)

24,50,000 to 1596 5M 99 146 175 Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N 29,90,000

Figo Petrol

All New Ranger

18,99,000 to 24,50,000

1399

160

150

48,50,000 62,00,000

2499

266

EcoSport 1.5 Petrol

29,99,000 to 41,90,000

Kuga 2.5

75,00,000 to 2521 5M 107 250 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N 79,00,000

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

1499 5M 107 140 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N

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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)

TECHNICAL

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Saakha and Universal Automobiles, Kupondole Tel: 5011500

GEELY Models LC Panda LC Cross 1.3

16,75,000 1342 5M 85 110 NA Y Y Y N Y N N N N NA

1342 5M 85 110 165 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N Himchuli Auto International, Kupundole Tel: 5521730

GREAT WALL Models Florid 1.5L Elite

16,00,000 1497 5M 103 138 160 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

Wingle 5 2.5TCI SLX

30,95,000 2499 5M 107 300 140 Y N Y N Y Y Y N N

NEW CAR BUYERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE

All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRs)

Updated January 2014

Syakar Trading Company Pvt. Ltd, Kantipath Tel: 5549741 | 4225490 |4253522

HONDA Models Accord 2.4 MT

78,50,000 2354 5M 180 222 225 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

City SMT

38,50,000 1497 5M 118 146 175 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

Civic 1.8 SMT

58,00,000

CR-V 2.0L

99,00,000 1997 6M 167 218 180 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Jazz Select

32,25,000 1198 5M 89 110 175 Y Y Y Y Y N Y N Y

Brio VMT

26,70,000 1198 5M 88 109 NA Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

Amaze

1799

130

172

205

25,50,000 to 1198 5M 87 109 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y Y N 28,00,000 Laxmi Intercontinental, Thapathali Tel: 4101556 | 4101557

HYUNDAI Models Verna 1.4

32,96,000 1396 5M 107 135 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y

Accent GL

29,96,000 1399 5M 94 124 170 N N N N Y N Y N N

i10 Magna 1.2

21,56,000 1197 5M 66 99 140 N N Y N N N Y N N

i20 Magna O

26,56,000 1197 6A 90 220 160 Y Y Y Y Y N Y N Y

Santa Fe GLs Low Trim

99,96,000

Santro GL+

18,56,000 1086 5M 62 96 NA N N N N Y N Y N N

Sonata GL

65,96,000 1998 6M 165 198 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Tucson GL Petrol

69,96,000 1998 6M 177 382 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Elantra GLS

56,96,000 1591 6M 130 157 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N

Eon Dlite+

15,76,000 814 5M 56 NA NA Y N Y N N N Y N N

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2199

194

420

210

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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 without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRs)

NEW CAR BUYERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE

Updated January 2014

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Continental Associates Pvt. Ltd, Tinkune Tel: 2054003 | 2054004

KIA Models Cerato 1.6L

42,49,000 1591 5M 123 156 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Picanto 1.2 EX

25,49,000

Rio 1.4L

29,49,000 1399 5M 94 125 NA Y N Y N Y Y N N N

Sorento 2.2L Diesel

102,50,000 2199 6M 197 421 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Soul 1.6L

43,49,000 1591 5M 124 156 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Sportage 2.0 L Diesel

65,50,000 to 83,50,000

1086

1998

177

392

Agni Incorporated Pvt. Ltd, Uttar Dhoka Tel: 4414626 | 4414628

MAHINDRA Models

Bolero LX MDi 4WD

28,85,000

2523

180

Scorpio VLX 4WD

52,35,000

2179

120

290

150

XYLO

33,35,000 to 40,85,000

2498

112

240

135

Thar

22,15,000 to 30,55,000

2498

112

235

140

Quanto

31,75,000 to 35,90,000

1493

100

240

XUV500

54,00,000 to 63,00,000

2179

140

330

Padma Shree Pvt. Ltd, Gyaneshwor Tel: 4435688 | 4435631

MAZDA Models BT-50

47,50,000 2499 5M 140 330 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N

Mazda 3 Full Opt

66,50,000

1598

103

145

Mazda 2 Full Opt

46,00,000

1498

102

135

Mazda 6 Full Opt

76,50,000

2489

170

226

CX-7

82,00,000 to 2488 5M 161 218 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 85,00,000 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 Outlander

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

84,00,000

2360 6CVT 170 226 190 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

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Pajero Sport GLX

1,30,00,000

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)

TECHNICAL Pajero GLS 3.0 V6

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY

2972 5M 185 267 175 Y NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

85,00,000 2477 5M 175 400 N/A Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Dugar Automobiles Pvt. Ltd, Balaju Tel: 4362992 | 4350912

NISSAN Models Navara LE

45,90,000 2488 6M 175 403 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

New Sunny 1.5

37,50,000

110

148

Tiida Sedan M

1598

110

153

170

X-Trail

NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRs)

Updated January 2014

88,00,000 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

27,00,000 1298 5M 86 116 NA N N Y N Y N Y N N

Viva 850

19,45,000

847 5M 53 76 NA Y N N N Y N Y N N Constant Business Group Pvt. Ltd, Naxal Tel: 2297455

PROTON Models Models Savvy

20,75,000 1149 5M 74 NA NA N N Y N N N Y N N

Persona 1.6

30,75,000 1597 5M 110 148 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Gen 2 - 1.6

30,50,000

1597

125

150

Skoda M.A.W, Thapathali Tel: 4216835 | 4268788

SKODA

Models

Superb

81,90,000 to 83,90,000

1968

140

320

206

Fabia

23,95,000 to 28,95,000

1200

110

Laura 1.8

61,49,000 to 65,49,000

1798

118

250

225

Yeti 2.0

70,90,000 to 72,90,000

1968

140

320

210

Rapid

31,25,000 to 1598 5M 105 153 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y Y N 40,95,000

SSANGYONG

Constant Business Group Pvt. Ltd, Naxal Tel: 2297455

Models Korando Active

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

Actyon Sports

34,75,000 1998 5M 140 310 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N Y

SUBARU

Vijay Motors Pvt. Ltd, Naxal, KTM Tel: 4414158

Models Forester

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90,00,000 2498 5M 230 320 NA Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N 95,00,000 (A/T)

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014 83

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 without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRs)

NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

Updated January 2014

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY Arun Intercontinental Traders, Jhamsikhel Tel: 5547165 | 5547166

SUZUKI

Models Ertiga Lxi

31,00,000 1373 5M 94 130 170 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

Alto K10 Vxi

17,29,000

A-Star Zxi

22,29,000 1000 5M 67 90 160 Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

EECO STD 7Seater

17,85,000

Grand Vitara MT

70,00,000 1995 5M 164 225 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Ritz VXI

22,35,000 1200 5M 75 190 NA N Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Swift Vxi

25,49,000 1200 5M 75 190 160 N Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Dzire Zxi

29,99,000 1200 5M 75 190 160 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

SX4 Zxi

33,19,000 1586 5M 102 145 175 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

1000

1200

1000

101

145

New Wagon R Vxi

19,99,000

Zen Estilo Vxi

18,95,010 1000 5M 64 84 150 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N Sipradi Trading Pvt Ltd, Teku Tel: 4250610 | 4250612

TATA Models Aria Prestige AWD

53,85,000 2179 5M 138 320 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Indica Refresh

15,45,000 to 17,95,000

1405

100

145

Indica Vista Q-JET

26,55,000 to 27,95,000

1248

190

160

Indigo CS

21,45,000 to 24,75,000

1405

135

165

Manza Q-JET

29,95,000 to 33,25,000

1248

200

Nano

8,58,000 to 11,88,000

624

105

Safari Dicor

34,85,000 to 39,95,000

2179

138

320

Sumo Grande

30,55,000 to 34,85,000

2179

120

250

140

Sumo Gold

25,85,000 to 29,85,000

2956

223

175

Vista D90 ZX

26,95,000

1248

200

165

Y Y Y N Y N Y Y N

Safari Storme LX VX

37,85,000 51,85,000

2179 6M 138 320 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N United Traders Syndicate, Sinamangal Tel: 4478301-5, 4478003

TOYOTA Models Avanza

40,80,000

1298 5M 90 120 150 Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Corolla

72,50,000

1598 5M 104 145 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N N

Fortuner

96,00,000

2928 5M 160 343 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Land Cruiser Prado 16,500,000 2982 5M 129 343 170 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y Dual AC

THE WORLD’S

NO. 1

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

MULTIPURPOSE LUBRICANT

AUTOLAND PVT. LTD. 199 TEKU ROAD, KATHMANDU TEL: 4261433, 4212617 FAX: 4262069 EMAIL: INFO@AUTOLAND.COM.NP

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Sunroof

Bluetooth

Fog Lamps

Leather Seats

Steering Adjust

Climate Control

Remote Locking

ABS

Airbags

Top Speed (KMPH)

Torque (NM)

Power (BHP)

Gearbox

Price (NRs)

TECHNICAL

Updated January 2014

EXTRA FEATURES AND SAFETY

Yaris Sedan

54,50,000

1298 5M 86 120 NA Y Y Y N Y Y Y N N

Etios

34,45,000

1496 5M 90 132 NA Y Y Y N Y N Y N N

Rav 4 Auto

97,80,000

2362 5M/4A 167 224 NA Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y

Pooja International Pvt. Ltd, Panipokhari Tel: 4006605 | 4006606

VOLKSWAGEN Models

Passat CC Automatic 94,50,000 1798 6A 158 250 223 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Golf

48,00,000

NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE

All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Cubic Capacity (CC)

Updated April 2012

1595 5M 103 148 120 Y Y Y Y Y N Y N N

Passat A/T Loaded 85,50,000 1798 6A 158 250 220 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Polo

24,95,000 to 33,95,000

1198

103

153

185

Tiguan TDI

70,50,000 to 92,50,000

1964

138

320

Touareg 3.0D A/T (Full Option)

1,36,00,000 2967 8A 241 550 220 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Vento 1.6

32,95,000 to 43,95,000

1598

103

153

185

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)

Models

SYM

Shrestha Company Pvt. Ltd, Teku, Tel: 4251202 MAGIC 110 RR

1,59,900 110

N/A 7.2/6000 4 80 1890 N/A 1205 N/A 102 3.5 N/A

ORBIT II

1,84,900 125

N/A 8.33/6500 CVT 91 1905 N/A 1325 N/A 109 5.2 N/A

JET4

2,09,900 125

N/A 8.6/7000 CVT 85 1900 N/A 1330 N/A 113 5.2 N/A

5,99,900

N/A

WOLF SB250Ni

250

23.1/6000

KTM DUKE

2005

N/A

1320

150

173

N/A

Hansraj Hulaschand & Co. Ltd Naxal, Tel: 4415462 200 DUKE

3,89,900 199.5 25/1000 19.2/800 6 135 N/A 810 1350 165 126

ANNA LIFAN

140

NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRS)

Updated January 2014

COOL BOY

DUE

Annapurna Lifan Company Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4241521 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

APOLLO

4 70

Universal Super Impex Jyatha Tole, Tel: 4227337 ORION RX 250T

3,16,000 249.4 17.5/7500 18/5500 5 105 N/A 930 1420 280 118 8 35

ORION RX 250M

3,16,000 249.4 17.5/7500 18/5500 5 105 N/A 880 1420 280 118 8 35

THE WORLD’S

NO. 1

MULTIPURPOSE LUBRICANT facebook.com/AutolifeNepal

AUTOLAND PVT. LTD. 199 TEKU ROAD, KATHMANDU TEL: 4261433, 4212617 FAX: 4262069 EMAIL: INFO@AUTOLAND.COM.NP

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014 85

Fuel Tank (Litre)

Mileage (KMPL)

Ground Clearance (MM)

Wheelbase (MM)

Dry Weight (KG)

BAJAJ

Height (MM)

Length (MM)

Top Speed (KMPH)

Gears

Torque (NM)

Power (BHP)

Cubic Capacity (CC)

All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRS)

NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

Updated January 2014

140

Hansraj Hulaschand & Co. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4220094 | 4261200 Models AVENGER 220

2,46,900

DISCOVER 100 DTS-SI

1,44,900 94.38 7.5/7500 7.85/5000 5 90 N/A 800 1305 165 108 8

DISCOVER 125 DTS-SI

1,63,900 (DISK) 124.6 11/8000 10.8/5500 5 N/A N/A 800 1305 165

110

DISCOVER 150

1,72,900

144.8

13/7500

12.75/5500

110

N/A

800

1305

115

PLATINA 100

1,22,900

99.27

8/7500

8/5500

N/A

805

1275

160

100

PLATINA 1,38,900 125 DTS-SI

124.58

9.5/7000

11/5000

100

N/A

785

1275

160

100

BOXER 150

1,39,900

144.8

12/7500

12/5000

100

N/A

803

1285

N/A

122

PULSAR 150 DTSI

2,09,900

149.01

15.06/9000

12.5/6500

115

N/A

785

1320

160

120

PULSAR 180 DTSI

2,26,900

178.60

17/8500

14/6000

120

N/A

785

1345

165

130

PULSAR 220F

2,49,900

220

21/8500

19/7000

135

N/A

795

1350

165

140

PULSAR 200 NS

2,64,900

200

23.2/9500

18.3/8000

135

2100

805

1363

167

145

219.89 19/8400 17.5/7000 5

120 N/A 710 1475

DAELIM

169

165

80 N/A

AKU Nepal Enterprises Kalimati, Tel: 4288339 | 4286018 Models ROADWIN 150R

2,88,500

150 15/10600 12.5/8400 5

5,00,000

249 23/9000 19/8000 5 140 N/A 780 1380 150 160

ROADWIN R250 FI

DEMAK

120 N/A 780 1380

150

135

N/A

15 N/A

Agni Incorporated Pvt. Ltd Uttar Dhoka, Tel: 4420964 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 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

N/A

MONSTER 796

18,90,000

803 87/8250 79/6250 6 220 N/A 800 1450 N/A 167

N/A

848 EVO

27,00,000

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

35,00,000

1198.4

150 / 9250

118 / 7500

N/A

850

1530

N/A

192

N/A

SPORTSCLASSIC GT1000

N/A

992

92 / 8000

90 / 6000

N/A

810

1425

N/A

185

N/A

GLOBAL

Jai Shambu Automotives Pvt. Ltd Ravi Bhawan, Tel: 4289933 | 4277049

Models

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

G-100

1,21,000

7.2/8000

6.5/6000

N/A

1280

150

100

N/A

UFO 150

1,56,500

149.6

8.5/7500

9.2/6000

AUTO

N/A

1275

135

100

N/A

XPRESSION+

1,48,994

124

10.5/8500

8.4/7500

N/A

1280

140

100

N/A

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Dry Weight (KG)

Fuel Tank (Litre)

Mileage (KMPL)

Ground Clearance (MM)

Wheelbase (MM)

103

N/A

860

1375

280

115

VR 200H

3,49,000

197

19/7500

15/6000

105

N/A

860

1375

290

130

HARTFORD

Height (MM)

Length (MM)

12.5/7500

Gears

13.5/8500

Torque (NM)

149

Power (BHP)

2,99,000

Cubic Capacity (CC)

VR 150H

Price (NRS)

All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

International Motor Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4265336 | 4265337

Models

HERO

Nepal General Marketing Pvt Ltd Jyoti Bhawan, Kantipath, Tel: 4225377 Models XTREME DSS 2,07,500 150 14.2/8500 12.8/6500 5 110 N/A 800 1325 145 135 15 60.25 HF DELUXE DRS

100

7.2/8000

7.5/5000

N/A

790

1230

165

100

10.5

GLAMOUR 1,89,500(DSS FI)

125

9/7000

10.35/4000

N/A

775

1265

150

115

HUNK 2,08,500(DDS)

150

14.2/8500

12.8/6500

110

N/A

795

1325

145

135

12.5

KARIZMA DSS

2,47,500

223

16.5/7000

18.3/6000

125

N/A

1355

150

135

KARIZMA ZMR

3,07,000

223

17.5/7000

18.3/6000

130

N/A

1350

160

145

1,33,500

795 795

NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

Top Speed (KMPH)

Updated January 2014

PLEASURE 1,44,500 102 7/7000 7.8/5000 AUTO 80 N/A 750 1240 125 95 5.5 50

SPLENDOR NXG

1,45,500

100

SPLENDOR PLUS

1,42,500

100 7.4/8000 7.2/5000 4

85 N/A 775 1230 160

110 10.5

SPLENDOR PRO

1,48,000

100

SUPER SPLENDOR

1,60,500

125

7.7/7500

7.6/7500

7.6/6000

8.04/4500

9.13/7000 10.35/4000 4

100

N/A

100 N/A

HONDA

785

1230

160

100

775

1230

160

100

775

1235

150

110

Syakar Trading Company Pvt. Ltd, Kantipath, Tel: 4253522 | 4163501 | 4256199 Models

ACTIVA

1,54,900

110

8/7500

8.8/5500

AUTO

N/A

765

1238

145

100

5.3

AVIATOR 1,64,900 110 8/8000 8.82/5500 AUTO 85 N/A 790 1256 145 95 6 52

CB SHINE 1,74,900(DRS)

125

10.3/7500

10.9/5500

100

N/A

790

1265

175

110

CB TWISTER

1,70,900(DSS)

110

9/8000

9/6500

N/A

800

1262

180

100

CB UNICORN

2,09,900 (DSS)

149.1

13.2/8000

12.8/5500

115

N/A

790

1340

180

135

CB UNICORN DAZZLER

2,12,900

150

14/8500

12.8/6500

120

N/A

780

1328

162

125

CBF STUNNER

1,89,900 (NEW)

125

11/8000

11/6500

100

N/A

790

1271

173

120

NEW DIO

1,60,900

110

7/7000

N/A

762

1235

145

100

CBR 250R

5,24,900

250

25.3/8500

23 7000

155

N/A

780

1370

145

150

CBR 600

600

118/13500

66/11250

240

N/A

820

1369

135

156

CB 600F HORNET

600

102/12000

63.510500

210

N/A

800

1435

135

CB 1000R

CBR1000RR

183

22,00,000 1000 125/10000 100/8000 6 240 N/A 825 1445 130 213 17 15

26,00,000

NXR150 BROS 5,25,000

CRF 250L

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7.8/5500 AUTO

7,75,000

1000 175/12000 112/8500 6

N/A N/A 820

1410 N/A

150 14/8000 13.6/6000 5 N/A N/A 830 1353 245

249.6 22.8/8500 23.8/7000 6

N/A N/A 875 1445 255

200

17.7

120

N/A

144

7.7

N/A

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014 87

Fuel Tank (Litre)

Mileage (KMPL)

160

N/A

647 72/9000 61/7250 6 190 N/A 790 1435 185 200

N/A

11,10,900

647

72/9000

61/7250

200

N/A

830

1435

165

200

N/A

RT 125D

4,68,900

124.5

13.5/10000

11/8000

N/A

790

1350

230

135

N/A

GV250

6,49,900

249 27/10500 22/7500 5 N/A N/A 710 1508 150 167

N/A

GV650P

13,50,000

249 80/9000 67/7250 5 N/A N/A 705 1700 160 220

N/A

Power (BHP)

HYOSUNG

Height (MM)

155

Length (MM)

Dry Weight (KG)

Ground Clearance (MM)

Wheelbase (MM)

Top Speed (KMPH)

N/A

Gears

Torque (NM)

160

Cubic Capacity (CC)

175

All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRS)

NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

Updated January 2014

Batas Motors Pvt. Ltd Naxal, 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

26.5/9000

21/6750

150

N/A

830

1435

150 N/A 830 1435

KAWASAKI

Hansraj Hulaschand & Co. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4220094 | 4261200

Models

NINJA 250R

NINJA 650R

7,49,900

249 32/11000 22/8200 6 160 N/A 790 1400 135

160

13,50,000 649 72/8500 64/7000 6 N/A 2110 805 1410 130 211 16 N/A

MAHINDRA 2 WHEELERS

SG Global Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4231057 | 4231058

Models

DURO RODEO

1,45,900

124.6

8/7500

9/5500

AUTO

N/A

770

1290

155

100

1,61,900 124.6 8/7000 9/5500 AUTO 85 N/A 760 1245 155 106 4.5 45

PIAGGIO

Anna Automobile Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4229855

Models

BYQ125

ISHINE 100

1,48,000

126.3

9.7/8500

1,49,000

96.21

8.6/7000

N/A

1295

180

N/A 6.81/6000 AUTO N/A N/A N/A 1340 130

ROYAL ENFIELD

115

6.5

Dugar Brothers & Sons Pvt. Ltd Balaju, Tel: 4362992

Models

SACHS

CLASSIC 350

4,31,000

346

20/5250

28/4000

N/A

800

1370

140

170

13.5

N/A

CLASSIC CHROME CLASSIC 500 DESERT STORM

5,55,000 5,15,000 5,35,000

499

27/5250

41.3/4000

130

N/A

800

1370

140

170

13.5

N/A

ELECTRA TWIN SPARK

4,15,000

346

20/5250

28/4000

115

N/A

800

1370

140

170

13.5

N/A

3,35,000

346

18/5000

32/3000

100

N/A

760

1370

140

150

14.5

4,11,000

346

20/5250

28/4000

115

N/A

770

1370

140

170

15.5

STD350 UCE

THUNDERBIRD TWIN SPARK

Saakha & Company Pvt. Ltd. Kupondole, Tel: 5011500 Models MADASS 125

1,85,000

125

8/8400

9/5400

N/A

SUZUKI

835

1235

130

100

5.1

N/A

Ganesh Enterprises Kamalpokhari, Tel: 4422818 | 4423444 Models ACCESS 125

124

8.5/7000

9.8/5000

AUTO

N/A

780

1250

160

110

N/A

GSR600 16,00,000 (ABS)

599

93/12000

65/9600

215

N/A

785

1440

130

185

16.5

GSX650F

16,50,000

656

85/10500

62/8900

240

N/A

770

1470

125

220

GSX-R600

22,00,000

599

125/13500

68/11500

265

N/A

810

1400

130

180

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

1,59,888

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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)

Models 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

SLINGSHOT

1,65,888 (DISK)

124

8.5/8500

10/6000

100

N/A

790

1265

160

115

B-KING

25,00,000

1340

181/9500

146/7200

240

N/A

805

1525

120

235

16.5

N/A

BURGMAN 400

16,50,000 400 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

N/A

680

1450

125

140

N/A

DR200SE

6,00,000

199

15/8500

17.7/7000

N/A

810

1405

260

115

TVS

NEW BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE

All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Please confirm with the showroom for accuracy.

Price (NRS)

Updated January 2014

AIT Pvt. Ltd Teku, Tel: 4253661 | 4261330 Models APACHE RTR 160

2,11,900

160

15.2/8500

13.1/6000

120

N/A

790

1300

180

120

APACHE RTR 180

2,26,900

180

17/8500

15.5/6500

125

N/A

790

1326

180

120

SCOOTY PEP+

1,29,900

5/6500

5.8/4000 AUTO

N/A

740

1230

135

SCOOTY STREAK

1,34,922

87.8

5/6500

5.8/4000

AUTO

N/A

740

1230

135

4.7

STAR CITY 110

1,43,900

110

8.2/7500

8.1/5000

N/A

790

1240

165

JIVE

1,52,889

109.7

8.4/7500

8.3/5500 AUTO

N/A

780

1260

165

WEGO

1,56,900

110

8/7500

N/A

770

1275

150

100

8/5500

AUTO

Import USA Pvt. Ltd Gairidhara, Tel: 4004664 Models X-TREET

2,79,900

230

RENEGADE(SPORT)

225000

140

RENEGADE COMMANDO

325000

230

18/8000 15.55/5500 5 10.97/7900 10.53/5600 5 18/8000 15.55/5500 5

147 2040 1100 1300

300

121

95 19758 1010

375

110

325

150

1350

120 2310 1168 1375

YAMAHA

Morang Auto Works Teku, Tel: 4261160 | 4268252 Models

ENTICER DLX

1,81,900

123.7

11/8000

10.4/6500

N/A

710

1375

140

105

13.5

N/A

FAZER

2,21,900

153

14/7500

14/6000

115

N/A

790

1335

160

130

13.5

FZ-16

1,99,900

153

14/7500

14/6000

115

N/A

790

1335

160

125

FZ-S

2,16,900

153 14/7500 14/6000 5 115 N/A 790 1335 160 125

SS 125

1,73,900

123

11/7500

10.4/6500

110

N/A

795

1295

155

110

SZ-R 1,88,900 (DISK)

153

12/7500

12.8/4500

105

N/A

802

1320

165

120

SZ-X

1,74,900

153

12/7500

12.8/4500

105

N/A

802

1320

165

120

YBR 110

1,42,900

106

7.5/7500

7.8/6000

100

N/A

795

1290

173

115

YBR 125 DX

1,60,900

123

10.8/7500

10.4/6500

105

N/A

795

1300

180

115

13.5

YZF R15 V2

3,22,900

149.8

17/8500

15/7500

135

N/A

790

1290

160

120

YZF-R6

20,47,900

599

122/14500 65.7/10500

N/A

850

1375

130

175

XJ6

15,17,900

600

78/10000

N/A

785

1440

140

190

17.3

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60/6100

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014 89

beko

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

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AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014 91

AUTOLIFE Jan/Feb 2014

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