newsgaze

Jet Airways launches daily Delhi – Dehradun flights

Editorial Team — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:30:26 +0000

Jet Airways

Going ahead with its move to connect Indian metros with smaller cities, Jet Airways Konnect, Jet Airways’ all-economy, no-frills service, will introduce daily, direct services to Dehradun from New Delhi from March 28.

The new Konnect service will operate a state-of-the-art ATR 72-500 aircraft in this route.

According to the Konnect schedule, Flight 9W 2635 will depart New Delhi at 1015 hrs, arriving in Dehradun at 1115 hrs. Flight 9W 2636 will then depart Dehradun at 1145 hrs, arriving back in New Delhi at 1245 hrs, said a company release.

Nikos Kardassis, CEO, Jet Airways, says, “We are delighted to add Dehradun to our network with the introduction of the new daily flights to the city from New Delhi. Besides being the capital of Uttarakhand and a very popular tourist destination, Dehradun is also one of the country’s leading educational centres and as such, there has been growing demand for enhanced air connectivity on this sector. We are confident that our new Jet Airways Konnect service will prove very popular with our guests.”

Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 89 aircraft, which includes 10 Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, 12 Airbus A330-200 aircraft, 53 next generation Boeing 737-700/800/900 aircraft and 14 modern ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. With an average fleet age of 4.66 years, the airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleet in the world.

Flights to 61 destinations span the length and breadth of India and beyond, including New York (both JFK and Newark), Toronto, Brussels, London (Heathrow), Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jeddah, Sharjah and Riyadh.

Jet Airways Konnect is Jet Airways’ all-economy service on key domestic routes, designed to meet the needs of the low-fare segment with value-for-money fares. Jet Airways Konnect links five major metros- Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata. Jet Airways and its all-economy, no-frills Jet Airways Konnect service together operates over 300 flights daily.

Another wholly owned subsidiary of Jet Airways, JetLite, is an all-economy, no-frills airline and operates a fleet of 23 aircraft, which includes 16 Boeing 737 series and 7 Canadian Regional Jets 200 Series.

Dell launches Vostro 3000 laptops

Editorial Team — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:22:56 +0000

Dell Vostro 3000 Series Laptop

Dell has come out with its latest offer to business customers even more choice with the stylish Vostro 3000 series – a range of new thin, lightweight and durable laptop — after the successful launch of the ultrathin and light Vostro V13. Featuring powerful processors, high-end graphics and built-in security, the Vostro 3000 series is designed for small businesses that require robust mobile computing solutions.

The new Vostro 3000 series has been designed to meet the needs of the present SMBs and entrepreneurs. The Vostro 3000 series sports the latest powerful Intel Core processor technology, including, the optional, Core i7 Quad Core processor available on the Vostro 3700. The Vostro 3300 is one of the industry’s thinnest commercial 13” laptop with an integrated optical drive. The 14” Vostro 3400 offers a full-day of mobile productivity with up to 8 hours of battery life with an optional 9-cell battery, says the information provided on the company’s website.

“To succeed, small businesses need simple, reliable and affordable technology solutions,” said Alex Gruzen, SVP, consumer, small and medium business, Dell, Inc. “These entrepreneurs want technology that makes them more productive and helps them compete, and the Vostro 3000 delivers in a package they will be proud to show off in the airport or the boardroom.”

“Dell continues to sharpen its focus on SMB customers with the new Vostro 3000 series,” said Ray Boggs, VP of SMB Research at IDC. “Small and mid-sized firms are returning to the PC market after a year in the recessionary wilderness, and they are ready for the kinds of capabilities, including Microsoft Windows 7, that will get them to the next level of productivity.”

“As the first PC brand designed exclusively for small businesses, over the last year, Dell has introduced several new Vostro laptops and desktops to serve their distinctive needs. Ranging from our recently announced, super dependable Vostro 230 or future-proof and powerful Vostro 430 desktops, or the ultra-thin Vostro V13 laptop, Vostro products are designed for small businesses helping them stretch their budget and protect their data, and come with dedicated small business services and support to keep a small businesses moving,” added Gruzen.

All of the Vostro 3000 laptops have embedded webcam and microphone for collaboration through videoconferencing, while the Vostro 3500 and 3700 offer the option of high definition WLED screens and the 3700 offers the option of up to 1GB of NVIDIA GeForce discrete graphics to help ensure one of the best visual experiences. With the built-in HDMI port, users can even make high definition presentations to clients.

These new Vostro notebooks are also backed by a dedicated and specially trained small-business sales and support team of experts. Inclusion in Dell’s FastTrack program enables select configurations of the Vostro 3000 series to ship within 48 hours of ordering.

Durability is another feature that the Vostro 3000 series laptops offer and are encased in aluminum for extra protection while away from the office.

With the integrated webcam and microphone , the Vostro 3000 users can make Internet calls, conduct video conferences and remotely exchange files to help increase productivity. Users can go wireless with a full range of connectivity options: 802.11g/n wireless LAN, Bluetooth, and WWAN mobile broadband.

Memory to Spare: Run Windows 7 effortlessly while performing everyday tasks quickly with support for up to 6GB of DDR3 SDRAM memory.

Protect Your Work: Keep your critical data under lock and key with optional finger print reader and full-data-encrypted hard drives.

“Set & Forget” Online Data Protection: Easy, secure and automated Dell DataSafe online backup protects and helps recover business-critical data.

Coverage Now and Later: Users can extend their basic Limited Hardware Warranty from 1-3 years to stay covered into the future.

Remote On-Call Support: Small businesses can get help when they need it with DellConnect, which allows tech-support agents to troubleshoot and help resolve system issues remotely.

ProSupport to Simplify IT: Businesses can choose their own level of 24×7 IT support with optional Dell ProSupport™ services.

The Rs 2.9-crore Bentley Mulsanne makes India debut, to hit market by Oct

Editorial Team — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:53:50 +0000

Photo: New Bentley Mulsanne

British super luxury car brand Bentley launched its top-end model ‘Mulsanne’ in India. Mulsanne is expected to carry a price tag of around Rs 2.9 crore and may hit Indian roads by October this year.

Exclusive Motors India Private Limited unveiled Bentley’s Mulsanne in Delhi. Mulsanne is powered by a 6.7-litre V8 petrol engine, stated the company website. The V8 engine is lighter and features cylinder de-activation and variable cam phasing, a combination that can significantly reduce both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Chris Buxton, Bentley’s regional director, India, said, “India is a very important market for Bentley, our association with Exclusive Motors has been really rewarding and goes back a long way. India is the hub of luxury, the country of the erstwhile Maharaja’s, who were the true patrons of bespoke luxury. We have, in the past received a heartening response from our valued customers and I think the launch of the Mulsanne will truly delight our loyal and discerning audience.”

Bentley will commence production of the Mulsanne at the company’s Crewe (England) headquarters in the second quarter of 2010. A newly constructed body production facility, dedicated to Mulsanne, is being completed.

Chris Buxton said that about 600 units of Mulsanne would be produced annually for the global market and the quota for India was yet to be decided.

The Mulsanne offers a palette of 114 paint colours, 21 carpet colours, nine wood veneers and 24 interior leather hides, all of which will be tanned using a decades-old process to ensure this future classic retains its distinctive scent.

Photo: New Bentley Mulsanne

In addition, through Bentley’s bespoke service, unique colours can be developed which will match a customer’s vision and taste. With more standard leather and wood veneer than any other Bentley in the modern era, it is understandable that each Mulsanne will take nine weeks to build.

Bentley, which opened its first outlet in India in 1911, currently sells all its eight global models in the country. It has an outlet in Delhi and sales offices in Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Bentley used to produce the Mulsanne between 1980 and 1992 when it was discontinued but the new car will be entirely different from the earlier version.

The twin-turbo engine car is handcrafted at the Crewe plant and each car will require 660 man-hours to assemble, as compared to 5-6 hours for any other car.

Advanced technology is exquisitely packaged within the Mulsanne’s opulent cabin. Behind its heritage-inspired dials and new glass-effect switches lay leading edge features including iPod and mp3 connectivity, Bluetooth and a SIM card reader, as well as a 3G MMI system. Those opting for NAIM’s premium audio system will be treated to the world’s most powerful system fitted to a production vehicle – a 20-channel 2,200-watt experience.

The Mulsanne will be available in 6.25 billion trims and colours and each car will be personalised according to the owners’ requirement and have steel body and aluminium handle with a 220 watt in-car amplifier.

Ford rolls out Figo at Rs 3.49 lakh

Editorial Team — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:59:08 +0000

Photo: New Ford Figo

The Ford Figo, which was launched in India in March, is a compact hatchback car and certainly will be a strong rival to the same-segment cars like Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai i20 and VW Polo in matters of multifarious factors including price and features.

Pricing of Figo models
It seems, Figo is priced aggressively to attract buyers keeping in mind the competitors as Ford has placed the entry level model at Rs 3,49,900 (1.2 L LXI) for petrol variant and Rs 4,47, 900 (1.4 L LXI) for the diesel variant. Four different Figo models – LXI, EXI, ZXI and Titanium – will be available with different trim levels and designed to suit the consumer tastes. All Figo models will also be available with a Duratorq 1.4-litre diesel engine option.

Pricing for the EXI model will start at Rs 3,81,900 for petrol and Rs 4,72,900 for diesel variant. The ZXI petrol models are priced at Rs 3,99,900 and Rs 4,96,900 for diesel and the top-of-the-line Titanium at Rs 4,42,900 for petrol and Rs 5, 29,900 for diesel model. The standard engine for all Figo models is the 1.2-litre Duratec petrol engine. All prices are ex-showroom Delhi. Importantly, these prices are less than the prices of the rivals like Maruti Ritz, VW Polo and Hyundai i10.

“We have kept our promise and priced all four Ford Figo models very competitively to emphasise Ford’s commitment to this huge segment of the growing Indian automobile market,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director of Ford India during the launch. “We are committed to setting new benchmarks with Figo in this segment. Figo offers more features, interior space, technology and durability than other vehicles at this price in the segment.”

“Our dealers are excited, customers are waiting and the new Figo is now ready to hit the streets,” said Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford Asia, Pacific and Africa. “From the start we wanted to offer all the features of a B-Segment car at a Sub-B price. We’ve accomplished that with Figo.”

Splendid interior
The vibrant interior of the Figo features five-passenger seating capacity. A first of its kind coral interior environment keeping the latest consumer trends in gadgets, consumer durables or even within homes, says the information provided on company’s website.

Seating comfort is enhanced with a design specific for Figo that is all-new and includes fabric seat inserts with a specific bolster and trim pattern. All models feature a black-themed interior highlighted with red or blue accents. Door panels on the up-level models include cloth inserts with distinctive red colour matching the seat pattern. On ZXI and Titanium models, consumers can choose a coral red-coloured instrument panel option. The Titanium model is extensively equipped and includes Antilock Braking System and standard driver and passenger airbags.

Generous front seat travel, at 210 millimetres, comfortably accommodates nearly every driver. The rear seat is designed for three adults and can easily fold down to offer generous storage. Combined with the 284 litres of storage capacity in the trunk, Figo has more available storage than any other vehicle in its class.

Figo also features a heater and air-conditioning system designed to provide best-in-class performance for a range of temperatures from -10 to 49 degrees Celsius. Other smart features include Lane Change Indication that flashes indicators three times, eliminating the need to hold the stalk. Hazard deceleration alerts trailing drivers when vehicle speed rapidly decreases. The hazard lamps automatically flash when vehicle speed suddenly decreases to below 96 kilometres per hour.

The standard power-assist steering system is tuned to require less effort for parking and tight traffic maneuvers and offers precision and agility at higher highway speeds.

Exterior
On the exterior, the tri-plane front end, distinct fenders and a “comet tail” side treatment that starts at the front fenders and carries through the doors into the quarter panels combine to give the car a sporty and aggressive appearance and develop its unique personality. The car’s large headlamps have a dynamic shape that helps define the element of speed and agility for the Figo.

Figo brings in two fuel-efficient engines
A new 1.2-litre petrol engine delivers 52.44 kW (71.35 PS) @ 6250 rpm and 102 Nm (10.4 kgm) @ 4000 rpm. Ideally geared for Indian traffic, fuel efficiency for the 1.2-litre is 15.6 kilometres per litre. The proven, class-leading 1.4-litre Duratorq diesel engine also will be available for Figo with outstanding fuel efficiency of 20 kilometres per litre. Horsepower is rated at 50.72 kW (69 PS) @ 4000 rpm. Torque is equally impressive with 160Nm (16.3 kgm) at 2000 rpm.

A five-speed manual transmission is standard equipment on both engines. The clutch has been designed for low effort due to frequent application for shifting in high traffic. Zero to 100 kilometres per hour performance is 15.5 seconds for the petrol engine and 15.8 seconds for the diesel variant.

Honda Accord V6 3.5L launched with a sunroof

Editorial Team — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:50:13 +0000

Honda Accord V6 3.5L with a sunroof

Honda Siel Cars India launched its latest version of flagship sedan Accord 3.5L V6 with an Electric Sunroof and additional luxury features to enhancing the exterior styling of the car.

The introduction of Sunroof will give the Accord an impressive panoramic feeling by making it look brighter and larger. The Sunroof introduction was found to be the most desirable feature in Accord V6 based on the customer’s feedback.

The new Accord V6 sunroof will give additional features that include Ambient Light and Footlight which accentuate the style and enhance visibility during darkness allowing enough light to see the controls.

The new Accord V6 sunroof car equipped with 2 sets of Keyless entry for added convenience to the customers. The Footlight and 2 sets of Keyless entry have also been introduced in the Honda Accord 2.4L MT/ AT variants.

In addition, Honda Accord 3.5L V6 and Honda Accord 2.4L now have a Bluetooth connectivity option for mobile phones. All these features are available with no hike in existing prices.

Honda Accord V6 is the flagship model of Honda Siel Cars India in the Indian market and is powered by an expanded range of innovative technologies designed for more power and performance making it the most powerful car from the Honda stable in India.

Accord’s V6 3.5-liter i-VTEC engine with 275 PS makes it the most powerful Accord ever built and provides driving performance at par with luxury vehicles from higher segments.

Photo: Honda Accord V6 3.5L with Sunroof

The V6 3.5-liter i-VTEC engine features an advanced Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system that switches between six-, four-, and three-cylinder combustion depending on the driving conditions and thereby delivering maximum power of 275 PS during six cylinder operation and impressive fuel economy in VCM mode while cruising. To achieve the same quietness and smoothness, as when running on all six cylinders, new Active Control Engine Mounts (ACM) and Active Noise Control (ANC) systems have been designed to complement the VCM technology.

All Honda Accord variants will be available at Rs .18,52,000 for 2.4L MT, Rs.19,27,000 for 2.4L AT and Rs 26,15,000 for 3.5L V6(Ex-showroom Delhi).

UNESCO ITALIA Photo Exhibition

Editorial Team — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:46:10 +0000

Basillica Palladiana by Luco Campigotto

UNESCOITALIA presents 41 Italian World Heritage Sites in Italy in the works of 14 Italian photographers, at the Hall of Vision, Nehru Centre, Mumbai.

UnescoItalia Photo Exhibition as part of the 8th edition of Festa Italiana. Organized with the support of the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Centre, this exhibition of contemporary photography.

The initiative, under the aegis of the Italian Ministry of Culture, aims to spread knowledge, interpretations, emotions on the places listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy. Its mission is to identify, protect and transmit the Italian cultural and natural patrimony to future generations. The collection was ideated with the purpose of spreading Italy’s priceless heritage across the world through the network of the Italian Cultural Institutes.

To this end, the UNESCO World Heritage List office of the MiBAC (Italian Ministry of Culture) has invited some of Italy’s best contemporary photographers, who over several years have been capturing monuments and landscapes with their artistic skill so as to bring out their myriad identities through their lens. The unerring and sensitive eye of the authors represented in the over 120 works beckon the visitor to see afresh the World Heritage Sites not merely as an illustrated text but as an integral part of its quotidian reality. The exhibition has been brought to India in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of External Affairs, which is also responsible for its worldwide roadshow.

The idea is not only to offer a view of the artistic, architectural, landscape and archaeological wonders, but also to present an anthology of the main trends of contemporary Italian photography.

Date: March 11 – March 17, 2010

Time: 10.00 am – 9.00 pm

Venue: Hall of Vision, 2nd Floor, Nehru Centre

Entry: Free to Public

Keli presents 3 day Chhau Dance Festival featuring the Purulia, Mayurbhanj and Seraikella Chhau Traditions

HSCI launches select edition Jazz priced at Rs. 7.21 lakh

Editorial Team — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:05:01 +0000

Honda new select edition Jazz

Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) launched a “Select Edition” of its small car ‘Jazz‘ which is priced at Rs. 7.21 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The select edition of Jazz has been launched to commemorate the celebration of ‘Car of the Year’ award and ‘Small Car of the Year’ at the NDTV Profit – Car India and Bike India Awards 2010.

Honda Jazz was first introduced in the Indian market in June 2009. The Honda Jazz comes with a 1.2 L i-VTEC engine in 5-speed manual transmission and is loaded with all the values that are associated with Honda – global design, great drivability, fuel efficiency and safety.

The “Select Edition” of Honda Jazz would start getting despatched to the Honda dealerships from this week and will be available at the outlets from next week.

The “Select Edition” is an addition to the Jazz line-up which boasts of premium styling, spacious interiors, versatile utility and remarkable performance & fuel efficiency. The Honda Jazz becomes even more stylish and enhances its premium appeal by addition of Alloy wheels in the “Select Edition”. The new edition will additionally feature a Rear Parcel Shelf for added customer convenience & safety of the luggage and Front & Rear mud guards.

Ashok Leyland’s new plant inaugurated in Uttarakhand

Editorial Team — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:48:36 +0000

Ashok Leyland MD, R Seshasayee during the launch of Pantnagar Plant

Uttarakhand chief minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal inaugurated Hinduja’s flagship company, Ashok Leyland’s technologically world-class automobile manufacturing facility at Pantnagar. The new facility will increase Ashok Leyland’s current installed capacity of 100,000 vehicles by another 75,000. With the concessions available in Uttarakhand for new industries, the company will have a cost advantage of about Rs 40,000 – Rs 50,000 per vehicle, said a company release.

The new facility, which spreads across 190 acre, would initially roll out its latest U-Truck, and produce various medium and heavy duty vehicles in the later stages.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Pokhriyal also announced the launch of a unique career-education scheme that would spread the benefits of industrialization to reach the youth of the region.

Srichand P Hinduja, chairman, Hinduja Group, asserted that the group was long-term strategic investor and remained committed to India. “We will continue to support Ashok Leyland in its investment and growth plan,” he said. “Despite the downturn, the quick economic recovery augurs well for the auto industry. We have always looked ahead, and are committed to continued expansion in the future. This plant is an example of this commitment. We are delighted to see this cradle of ancient of civilization becoming the home of the latest and the most modern plant of our flagship company, Ashok Leyland.”

Speaking at the occasion, Ashok Leyland managing director R Seshasayee said, “With the opening of this new plant, Ashok Leyland’s centre of gravity will shift from South to North India. We will further consolidate our North India base when we will transform Alwar bus body making unit into an integrated bus manufacturing plant in the next 3-4 years.”

Union minister of heavy industries and public enetrprises Vilasrao Deshmukh was also present on the occasion.

Tata Motors showcase Tata Nano Electric Vehicle at Geneva Motor Show

Editorial Team — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:22:02 +0000

Tata Motors Nano Electric Car (EV)

Tata Motors showcased the electric version of the locally popular, Tata Nano at the 80th Geneva Motor Show. With the addition of Tata Nano EV, Tata Motors goes strong to the existing electric vehicle portfolio comprising Tata Indica Vista EV.

The Tata Nano EV will offer the practicality of a real car, without compromising in the quest of providing environment-friendly personal transportation for the modern consumer.

The Tata Nano EV will be able to accommodate four people and expected to have a predicted range of up to 160 km and an acceleration of 0-60 kmph in less than 10 seconds.

Tata Nano EV will boasts of super polymer lithium ion batteries, as in the Tata Indica Vista EV, which provide superior energy density to conventional batteries.

Earlier, during the last year’s Geneva Motor Show, Tata Motors had exhibited the other electric car Tata Indica Vista EV and expects to launch it in select European countries this year.

Mr. Ravi Kant, Vice Chairman, Tata Motors, said, “Electrification will be an integral part of our initiative to launch environment-friendly vehicles. The Indica Vista EV will be introduced in select European countries, beginning this year. We will progressively introduce electric vehicles in all relevant markets.”

Tata Motors also displayed Tata Aria, Tata Indigo Manza, Tata Xenon Double Cab pick-up vehicle and the Tata Indica Vista.

Nissan unveils Micra, India launch in July

Editorial Team — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:31:32 +0000

Exterior view of Nissan Micra

Nissan unveiled the fourth generation of the iconic city car, Micra at the 80th International Geneva Motor Show. Nissan Micra will be the first ‘Made-in-India’ compact car from the Nissan family and it will be manufactured at the soon-to-be inaugurated plant at Oragadam, near Chennai. Sales of the new Micra will start in Thailand in March, in India in July and European sales will begin in November this year.

Focused on the theme of ‘keeping small cars simple’, the new Nissan Micra is developed and built on Nissan’s all-new V-Platform. The new Micra was designed and tested in Japan (named as March in Japan) to be built in at least four overseas locations such as Thailand, Mexico and China along with India.

Retaining the compact dimensions, the new car is slightly longer and marginally lower. The Micra comes with a much roomier interior, thanks to its longer wheelbase. The boomerang-shaped grooves on the roof and ‘connected cocoon’ design featuring a dashboard design takes the new Micra on a ‘twin bubble’ theme.

Globally, equipment levels differ by market, but the new Micra is available with some key technological innovations which are designed to simplify day-to-day life for its owners.

The new Micra is available with reversing sensors and a new ‘parking space measurement’ (PSM) device with three skill levels (amateur, normal and expert) to lessen the burden of parking in tight spaces.

It also offers Nissan Connect, an Intelligent Key, Nissan’s accessible touch-screen combined audio and satellite navigation system, glass roof, automatic wipers, speed sensitive volume on the audio, a push button start-stop system in addition to a drive computer which supplies drivers with real time fuel economy information, cruising range and outside temperature.

On the security side, the car is also fitted with a speed-sensitive automatic door locking system. In Europe, the Micra will be fitted with ABS, dual front airbags, curtain and side airbags, Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) and pretensioner seatbelts as standard equipment.

“It is a victory day for Nissan and all Indian customers. The moment that we all at Nissan India have been waiting for has finally arrived. Fourth generation Micra has been designed in line with the discerning needs of the Indian customers and we believe that it is the right product at the right time,” said Kiminobu Tokuyama, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India Private Ltd (NMIPL). “We are on track to start production of this car in May 2010 and the sales would commence in July 2010. We will also be exporting the Micra to more than 100 countries including 35 countries in Europe from Sept 2010,” he added.