Renault Scala

You've probably heard that the Renault Scala is a rebadged Nissan Sunny. Yes, it is. The French carmaker hasn't had budget-busting development costs to roll out their fifth car in fifteen months as it's a Sunny in disguise. But hey, look again — although it looks familiar, Renault has thrown in some smart design cues to make it a unique product. Let's go into detail.

Design

Up front, the Renault Scala looks much better than the Sunny. The large hexagonal grille with chrome-plated bars and Fluence-inspired headlamps stay true to the 'lozenge' logo. The Sunny roots are more obvious in profile, however, the Scala gets trendy alloy wheels and chrome beading around the glasshouse. There's a decent amount of Renault-isation at the rear, too. The tail lights are of the same shape but have a different design. The white strips on the tail lights join a large chrome garnish across the boot lid. As we saw on the Duster, the name 'SCALA' is embossed on the chrome strip. Overall, Renault has done a neat job of disguising the Scala's origins.

The interior of the Renault Scala is not in the first flush of youth. Except for the chrome logo on the steering wheel, the cabin is pure Nissan Sunny. But does that mean it's a bad thing? No! Never were plaudits more deserved than those showered upon Sunny's cabin space, so it's no wonder Renault decided not to mess with the winning formula. Although space is Scala's USP, lack of rear seat thigh support impinges on comfort. Top variants come with leather seats and leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The interior is up to contemporary standards.

Features

Scala is available in three trims — RxE, RxL and RxZ and the features are similar to the ones of Sunny. The RxZ variant which I drove came with adjustable steering column, electric folding mirrors, rear defroster, rear comfort fan, push start button, keyless entry, climate control and steering mounted audio controls. My only quibble then was the absence of USB or Bluetooth supported audio system. The multi-info display shows tripmeter, instant consumption, average consumption, outside temperature and distance to empty. No compromise is made on safety as well; the Scala is equipped with ABS and driver airbags on all variants. Top variants get passenger airbags, too.

Performance, Ride and Handling

Scala buyers have the choice of a 1.5-litre dCi engine or a 1.5-litre petrol. The familiar K9K diesel engine produces 86 PS @ 3750 rpm and 200 Nm @ 2000 rpm, making Scala a quite responsive car once past some initial turbo lag. Yet, a little more oomph would be nice, especially when pulling out of a trafficky junction in second gear. Refinement is good, however, the diesel engine can be heard noisily in the cabin. The company claims a mileage of 16.95 kmpl for the petrol and 21.64 kmpl for the diesel.

Ranault had chosen a perfect test drive route from Chandigarh to Shimla. Thanks to the slightly tweaked suspension, the Scala hangs on well through sharp bends and feels stable on the highway. I was impressed with its ride quality and the way the suspension soaked up the gnarliest of roads. The steering is not as light as the Sunny but is responsive. However, Scala has a tendency to fishtail when thrown sharply into corners.

Renault is planning to launch Scala in the first week of September. Expect it to be roughly Rs. 30,000 costlier than its Sunny equivalent. Now you probably wonder why spend that extra money, but the Renault Scala certainly has sportier looks and better dynamics that make every extra penny worth the purchase.

Tata to launch eMO Electric Car

After showcasing theeMO EV concept as a part of the Michellin Challenge Design at the Detroit Auto Show, Tata is now working with French company Dassualt Systems to commercially produce the car that could cost around Rs. 10 lakh.

Design winners were invited to be an exhibitor in the Michelin Challenge Design at the 2012 NAIAS beginning January 9 and continuing through the public run of the show. “We are delighted to showcase our eMO concept alongside these innovative ideas,” said Fisher.

After showcasing theeMO EV concept as a part of the Michellin Challenge Design at the Detroit Auto Show, Tata is now working with French company Dassualt Systems to commercially produce the car that could cost around Rs. 10 lakh.

In a statement, Tata Technologies President (Vehicle Programs and Development Group) Kevin Fisher said the company is working on with Dassault Systemes to "leverage the talents of a global engineering team to meet numerous design and cost constraints, as well as create the targeted user experience, including a final vehicle price tag of under USD 20,000."

   “The eMO project symbolizes the coming of age of Indian automotive engineering,” said Warren Harris, Tata Technologies President and Global COO. “It is a tangible example of the capability of Tata Technologies to engineer a full vehicle – a first for any India-based engineering services company.” Harris noted that the unique strength of Tata Technologies is the organization’s global reach. “Because we are India-based, Tata Technologies is intimately familiar with developing markets.

  Additionally, our experience and presence in Europe and North America means we also have an understanding of developed markets; a combination that provides a competitive advantage to our clients,” he said.Tata Technologies’ Vehicle Programs & Development (VPD) Group, with more than 300 engineers operating from its four automotive engineering centers of excellence worldwide– Pune (India), Detroit, Coventry (UK), and Stuttgart (Germany) – had the responsibility of developing eMO.

    Kevin Fisher, VPD President, explained the beginning of the eMO program. “In mid-2010, in anticipation of the April 2011 launch of VPD, we researched numerous concepts for an internal engineering study that would highlight both the Tata Technologies dedication to environmental responsibility and sustainability, and showcase our global experience, knowledge,capacity and innovation.”

The Tata Technologies VPD Group used its unique multidimensional approach to vehicle engineering and development on eMO that leverages the company’s intimate understanding of frugal engineering principles and its unique understanding of the demands of both developed and developing markets; utilizing its Global Delivery Model and proprietary Knowledge Based Engineering (KBE) platforms to develop products faster and more cost effectively

 The eMO architecture emphasizes “right size” personal urban transportation by minimizing its exterior footprint and maximizing interior space; including seating for four adults. Based upon research of city/urban usage, eMO has the flexibility – with rear seats articulated – to do double-duty as a personal cargo carrier, without the mass and cost of a dedicated trunk.

   As a ground-up EV study, eMO also incorporates design advantages over an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle like smoother aerodynamic surfaces and shorter overhangs.

   With sustainability in mind, eMO benefits from a low carbon footprint and a recyclability strategy. To reduce the overall carbon footprint of the manufacturing, assembly and other associated processes, Tata Technologies eliminated the traditional body shop and paint process, and utilizes many green product materials in eMO

The 2012 Michelin Challenge Design Theme, “City 2046: Art, Life and Ingenuity – Transforming Personal Mobility,” challenged participants to design a personal, ground-based vehicle that can transport between two and 10 people, meeting the anticipated needs of select cities in 2046, when more options for public and private transport will be offered. Michelin challenged entrants to create a vehicle that can inspire, as well as transport.

 As we have previously stated, this next decade will see an ever-increasing demand for more efficient and accelerated product development that also will need to incorporate more new technology than the auto industry has seen in 30 years,” Fisher said. “We are positioned to set the pace in automotive product development and technological innovation.”

Nissan unveils all-electric TeRRA SUV

With an innovative 4x4 fuel-cell electric powertrain and an athletic exterior that projects an unforgettable presence beyond its compact dimensions, TeRRA takes sustainable motoring into exciting new territory.

Nissan unveils all-electric TeRRA SUV

1.      The Nissan TeRRA SUV concept, unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show combines two outstanding Nissan strengths – SUVs and EVs – in a vehicle that is equally in its element off-road in the wild or gliding silently through a sophisticated urban setting. With an innovative 4x4 fuel-cell electric powertrain and an athletic exterior that projects an unforgettable presence beyond its compact dimensions, TeRRA takes sustainable motoring into exciting new territory.less 

2.      Envisioned as "the one and only Zero Emission SUV," TeRRA builds on Nissan's success with urban-relevant SUVs and crossovers like Murano and Qashqai and asserts that its zero-emission expertise extends all the way to fuel cells. Designed as a functional and flexible choice for tomorrow's youthful, "always on" consumers, TeRRA answers their aspiration for eco-friendliness along with a secure driving feel under any road conditions.less 

3.      "Our challenge was to take Nissan's strength in SUVs and crossovers forward into the zero-emissions era, fuel cells being our new frontier in zero emission mobility" said Francois Bancon, Nissan's devision general manager of product strategy and planning. "Not big and tough for the desert, the aim was a new approach to SUVs that's relevant to urban life. The unique diagonal seating layout that offers an exciting driving experience thanks to exceptional visibility that creates a sense of being in control under any conditions."less 

4.      Tough on the outside, warm and welcoming within
"We took our inspiration from the lifestyles of youthful customers in Northern Europe," said Shiro Nakamura, Nissan senior vice president and chief creative officer. "We heard their aspiration for sustainable mobility that can take them anywhere they want to go."

5.      "Exploring our imagination of that natural space with the exterior, we have redefined the power of the SUV heritage in a much more athletic way, one that expresses our vision of the zero emissions future," Nakamura said.

6.      "You have the big tires, high belt-line, thick pillars and thin side windows of the SUV vocabulary. But with a slender waist between pronounced fenders above the wheel arches, and a sculptured hood, we've created an ‘Implied Structure' of musculature under the skin. Sharp corners, short overhangs and sculptured lamps contribute to a clean, confident stance.

7.      An aerodynamically flat body pan in an eye-catching color, protecting the full length of the underside, completes the image of what we call ‘Modern Toughness.'"

8.      Open the door and exterior toughness gives way to a surprisingly warm and welcoming interior. The door panel is a sculpted fusion of blond wood trim and colored acrylic, layered in an intriguing pattern. Ringing the cabin at shoulder height is a metal frame that gives TeRRA's occupants a feeling of security.

9.      The wood/metal contrast continues across the dashboard, a beechwood-acrylic fusion that exudes a soft warmth. On the driver's side, the steering and instrument console gently tapers out toward the driver, barely interrupting the clean lines of the dash.

10.    Seamless digital space
Facing the driver is a unique instrument cluster. It's an electronic tablet – just like today's popular portable devices – that serves as an "intelligent key." The driver docks it when entering the car and removes it when leaving. When docked in TeRRA, the tablet's default view displays speed and other key performance indicators. But the driver can easily toggle to entertainment, communications, navigation and other views.less 

11.    Outside the car it provides all the functions we expect from a tablet, plus it stays continually in touch with the vehicle.The idea is seamless information and communication, on the road and everywhere else.

12.    Offers a fresh perspective on the road
TeRRA's seamlessly connected driver sits front and almost center in a unique diagonal layout that positions rear passengers over the shoulders of those in front, rather than directly behind. "For the driver to be nearly centered, not seated off to one side, provides a fresh, enlightened perspective with exceptional visibility," Nakamura said. "The diagonal layout allows all passengers to share the vision of adventures up ahead."less 

13.    The seats themselves express a hexagonal motif that is carried through various aspects of the design. Fold the three passenger seats down and you notice that TeRRA's cabin deck is completely flat, presenting no obstacles to carrying bikes, kayaks or assemble-yourself furniture from Scandinavia. This flat surface is a function of the remarkably compact powertrain package that creates the possibility of this zero-emission concept.

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14.    Power, four-by-four; emissions, zero
Although TeRRA is presented as a design concept, not a technical exhibit, its proposed 4x4 fuel cell electric powertrain is far from imaginary.

Powering the front wheels is the electric propulsion system currently featured in the Nissan LEAF. In each back wheel, providing all-wheel power as needed, is an in-wheel electric motor, based on the working prototypes featured in three successive PIVO concepts. As no drive shafts are required to power the rear wheels, there is no hump in the cabin floor or on the underbody. This allows for the flat cabin deck and the underside bodypan.

15.    Under the hood is ample space for Nissan's proprietary hydrogen fuel cell stack: a flat, highly compact unit that features world-leading power density of 2.5kW/L. The latest in a series of Nissan fuel cells since 1996, the stack costs just one-sixth of its 2005 predecessor as the need for expensive precious metals has been slashed to one-quarter of the previous level.

16.    TeRRA is purely a concept car, but it signals that Nissan is ready to mass-produce fuel cell electric vehicles whenever hydrogen becomes widely available.

Would you buy an Apple iCar?

An Apple board member has revealed that Steve Jobs had dreamed of creating an iCar before his sad demise in October last year after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer.Speaking at a Fast Company conference, Mickey Drexler stated that the car industry is a tragedy in America and Steve's dream was to design an iCar which would give the automotive industry the shake-up it required.Italy based auto designer Liviu Tudoran has taken cues from the Apple products and designed a concept car called iMove for the year 2020.

An Apple board member has revealed that Steve Jobs had dreamed of creating an iCar before his sad demise in October last year after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer.Speaking at a Fast Company conference, Mickey Drexler stated that the car industry is a tragedy in America and Steve's dream was to design an iCar which would give the automotive industry the shake-up it required.

  Meanwhile, Italy based auto designer Liviu Tudoran has taken cues from the Apple products and designed a concept car called iMove for the year 2020.

Most of the car body is covered with transparent materials, so that even under the roof the driver get a cabriolet feeling.

Quite a fascinating insight, but don't start saving your coins just yet. Drexler, who is also CEO of fashion brand J. Crew, said that Jobs never did design it and it was just another great idea from the visionary, nevertheless reckoning if indeed it would had been a reality, the fantasy vehicle would've probably been 50 per cent of the total global market

   Steve's iCar would be loaded with features like uni-body aluminum presumably, with a touchscreen panel instead of a steering wheel. As long as sat-nav didn’t control it he added a bit cheekily.

  iMove will be electric and will feature the same design lines like all the latest Apple products.

    iMove will be able to acommodate three passengers and will have a ground-breaking luggage space.The concept offers various possibilities for customization, thus enabling the owners to change the car’s appliance according to its own preferences.

    Dexter also stated that he admires current Apple boss Tim Cook but if given an option he wouldn't want the Apple top honcho's job, and he made a good point stating that with visionary co-founder Jobs sadly no more the pressure on Cook to keep Apple trendy and profitable is a very huge task.

Would you buy a bike for Rs 1.6 crore?

 The engine is a 2-liter, machined from solid billet aluminium, chassis is a 4130 Chrome-moly TIG welded by hand, custom Öhlins, fully adjustable forks and rear shocks, dual 6-piston front brakes with 12 individual brake pads and does 0 to 100 in 2.8 seconds.

Donald Atchison