Tata Motors has just launched the much-awaited GenX Nano at Rs 1.99 – 2.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The biggest changes to this year's version of Tata's city car are an openable hatch, a considerable facelift and the option of an automatic gearbox.
This 'GenX' Nano, as Tata calls it, debuts a lot of new features never before seen on the car. Apart from the option of an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) gearbox, the boot can finally be accessed by an openable hatch. When the Nano was first rolled out in March 2009, the company did have to cut corners in order to achieve that famous starting price of Rs 1 lakh to make it the cheapest car in the world. But now, it has been repositioned as a city car, and therefore many comfort and convenience features have been added over the years.
The new GenX Nano will be made available in five trims — XE, XM, XT, XMA (AMT) and XTA (AMT). The AMT is a five-speed gearbox (unlike the manual, which remains a four-speed), which Tata calls 'Easy Shift’. Not only does it get a 'tiptronic' mode to shift gears manually, there's also a Sports mode for quicker responses, and a 'creep' function that moves the car forward slowly as soon as your foot is taken off the brake pedal.
The Nano GenX gets the same 624cc, two-cylinder, rear-mounted petrol engine, apart from some modifications to the ECU for slightly improved fuel efficiency. Storage capacity in the automatic car is 94 litres, while the manual car can take 110 litres. The car gets an audio system with four speakers, Bluetooth, aux-in and USB.
On the outside, the Nano GenX has smoked headlamps, a black band with a chrome strip to liven up the near-vertical bonnet, new front and rear bumpers, fog lamps and a new grille that gives the car a smiling face.
The financial year 2014-15 wasn’t great for the Tata Nano, as sales dipped 20 percent from the previous year to 16,901 units. However, with these few important and much required updates, the Nano is far better equipped at being an easy-to-use city car than it ever has been in the past.
Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi)
XE - Rs 1.99 lakh
XM - Rs 2.29 lakh
XT - Rs 2.49 lakh
XMA (AMT) - Rs 2.69 lakh
XTA (AMT) - Rs 2.89 lakh
Suzuki launches GSX-S1000 and F sportsbikes
Suzuki Motorcycle India has just launched a pair of new sportsbikes for the Indian market — the naked GSX-S1000 and the fully faired GSX-S1000F.
The new GSX-S1000 and the F, come with an engine similar to the one seen on Suzuki’s superbike, the GSX-R1000. This means that the GSX-S1000 and F are powered by a 999cc, four-stroke and liquid-cooled engine. A new catalyzer in the exhaust chamber also helps keep emissions low enough, to satisfy the strict Euro 3 regulations too.
Suzuki gives the bikes an advanced and lightweight chassis and a switchable 3-mode traction control system also. Upfront, 43mm inverted KYB forks make way with radial-mount monobloc Brembo brakes. The instrument console is fully digital.
The GSX-S1000 and its faired version will be available in India in two colour options —red, and black and blue. They are priced at Rs 12,25,000 for the naked GSX-S1000, and Rs 12,70,000 for the GSX-S1000F (All prices ex-showroom, Delhi).
