Hero Maestro review, test ride

We take Hero MotoCorp’s “male” scooter – the Hero Maestro for a quick spin around the city.

DETAILS

• Make  Hero MotoCorp 
• Model  Maestro 
• Edition  2012

The scooter segment in India is witnessing a noticeable transition. Manufacturers are now competing to give individuality to these utilitarian rides. Basic convenience of twist-and-go riding and storage space for daily needs is being complemented with sharper styling and more features as  Honda’s recent Dio, Suzuki’s new Swish 125 and Piaggio’s Vespa LX 125 have shown. Once again the industry leader Hero MotoCorp has defined its scooter by the sex of the rider; after the Pleasure, Hero’s new Maestro is trying to tempt the males.

The Hero Maestro appears as a sober looking scooter sporting conservative creases on its front apron and vast side panels. The front mudguard is well rounded while the front apron cleanly houses the clear lens indicators. The handlebar shroud features a bold headlamp and the rear view mirrors with two-tone casing lends the front profile a bit of style. The wide instrument panel is easy on eyes as it houses three pods – one each for analogue speedometer, a backlit  LCD information screen and the regular warning lights. On the handlebar section, the palm grips are impressive. Quality of switches and brake levers feel good too. However, the rear brake has a locking clamp which is inconvenient to operate. Maestro is equipped with a shuttered ignition key slot for safety. The setup includes a manual latch which can be pushed to lock the key access even in the absence of the key. This means that even if you forget to close the safety shutter after parking your scooter and you are not carrying the keys, you can still push the latch (which has a one-way movement) to shut the key access manually.

Sit on the scooter and you would instantly realize what the company means by positioning it as the scooter for males.  The flat floorboard is big in size which along with the bag-hook placed below the seat can be used to transport small goods. There is enormous amount of legroom which can easily accommodate taller riders. The glove box does not come as a standard option with the scooter; the Maestro gets the voluminous scooter-typical underseat bay. The vast side panels sport a boldly written ‘Maestro’ and lead to the tail section of the scooter which includes the brake light cluster and stylish rear grabs.

The scooter is powered by a four-stroke, single-cylinder, 109cc engine which generates smooth, vibe-free power. It quickly pulls from the stationery state with refinement and it churns out 8.09bhp at 7500rpm and a peak torque of 0.92kgm at 5500rpm. The transmission is the scooter favoured CVT.

The Maestro deploys dual linked shock absorbers in front and a single shock absorber at the rear. The scooter uses a steel fabricated underbone type chassis with the engine as the stressed member. The ride quality is comfortable with the suspension effectively doing their job. Also, the seat provides soft padding to the rider and the pillion against the road undulations. Braking is via 130mm drum brakes which use Honda’s combi-brake system (CBS).

The Hero Maestro comes at a price of Rs 44,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi) and is now available in six colour options – blue, green, red, white, black and silver.

Fact File

Price Range (in lakhs)*

Ex-showroom price

Rs 44,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi)

Engine

Fuel	Petrol
Installation	Single-Cylinder 109cc
Power	8.2bhp at 7500rpm
Torque	0.92kgm at 7500rpm
Power to weight	74.5bhp per tonne

Transmission

Type	Variomatic

Chassis & Body

Wheels	Pressed steel
Tyres	90/100 x 10 F/R

Suspension

Front	Linked, hydraulic dampers
Rear	Monoshock

Brakes

Front	130mm drum (CBS)
Rear	130mm drum (CBS)

Bajaj Discover 125 ST review, test drive

Our first impressions of the new Discover 125ST. It churns out 12.8bhp and comes with a 5-speed gearbox.

DETAILS

• Make  Bajaj 
• Model  Discover 
• Edition  125ST

The next generation of Bajaj’s Discover family is ready to roll in to showrooms this month. A pre-launch ride gave us a chance to get a sense of the new Discover’s potential. Lean, yet chiselled the Discover 125 ST certainly looks modern. The big headlamp, 10-spoke rims, ridged 10 litre fuel tank and stepped tail lights are very attractive.
The Discover ST’s motor is based off the 125cc twin-spark motor from the earlier Discover. However, it has been revised and now features a four-valve head for better breathing, and corrugated fins for improved cooling. As a result power is up to 12.8bhp and torque although the same is now developed 1000rpm higher.
On the road the Discover 125 ST proved to be a capable commuter, the engine offers a good spread of torque for good rideability. The smooth engine and slick 5-speed gearbox enhance the ease of operation. The handling is light yet confident. The front petal-disc brake has a strong bite for quick stops. A mono-shock at the rear is a first for this class and is a useful feature for potholed roads. Bajaj claims the Discover 125 ST delivers 65kpl.
As an executive commuter the Discover 125 ST has the equipment and the peformance to take on the competition. Expect cut-throat pricing for the Discover 125 ST when it is launched later this month.

Fact File

Engine

Fuel	Petrol
Type	4 valve, Air Cooled, 124.58cc
Bore/stroke	54x54.4
Power	12.8 at 9000rpm

Transmission

Gearbox

5-speed

Chassis & Body

Tyres

Front- 2.75x17-41p with tube, rear- 3.00x17-50P with tube

Suspension

Front	Telescopic, 30mm
Rear	Nitrox mono-shock with 9-step adjustment

Brakes

Front	Petal disc, 200mm
Rear	Drum 130mm

Economy

Tank size

10-litres

VW Group to import Porsches in India

The Volkswagen Group has announced that it will now act as the official importer and distributor of all Porsche cars into India.

Porsche is finally coming to India on its own. The Volkswagen Group has announced that it will now act as the official importer and distributor of all Porsche cars into India. Since 2007, Precision Cars India was the sole importer of Porsche cars in India. Post new arrangement, it will only sell and service Porsche models through its setup in India.

Within the VW Group Sales India Private Limited (Pvt. Ltd.), the Porsche division will focus on all distribution-related areas for Porsche in India; and increasing the brands presence through the further development of the Porsche dealer network. Anil Reddi, a market expert with almost 16 years of national and international automotive experience, will head the operation.

Head of Porsche Division at VW Group Sales, Anil Reddi says; “Building on the growing success of Porsche in India isn't a challenge; it's something we are looking forward to embracing with pride.

George Wills, MD, Porsche Middle East and Africa, adds; “With this new agreement, we are looking forward to exploring the opportunities across India even further. Development of emerging markets is clearly important for Porsche's future, and we are confident sales in the sub-continent will continue to grow in the coming years, especially with new Porsche models being introduced in the future.”

The first model to be launched under the new cooperation will be the next-gen Porsche 911 Carrera. As well as the continuing growth in sales of the Cayenne, Reddi expects a great deal of interest in the soon to be launched Panamera Diesel, and excitement is already building over the recently announced launch of the Macan – the new Porsche SUV which is expected to roll off the German production lines in 2013.

Yamaha FZ range gets visual updates

FZ range gets new graphics and colour shades.

Yamaha has added new colour shades and graphics to its FZ-S, FZ and Fazer range. These models also get a wider and longer pillion seat and a new grab handle. 

The updated bikes also come with a large and wide rear fender to help prevent mud splash, as well as a new chain protector. The FZ also gets a new instrument console containing the speedometer, tachometer, trip meter, fuel gauge and other indicators.

 

The new FZ is priced at Rs 69,250, the FZ-S at Rs 71,280, while the Fazer costs Rs 76, 380. (all prices ex-showroom Delhi)

Ferrari shows new hybrid V12 engine concept

Ferrari unveils its greenest engine at the Beijing Motor Show, an indicator of what to expect on the Enzo replacement.

Ferrari has unveiled its latest and easily most efficient engine concept at the Beijing Motor Show. The tech-heavy concept marries a traditional V12 engine with an electric motor via a dual-clutch gearbox and is an evolution of the HY-KERS motor of 2010. The earlier engine was conceptualised for a front-engined architecture, but the new one has been adapted to a mid-rear engine layout. Buzz suggests this engine will make it to the upcoming Enzo replacement due next year.

The engine borrows heavily from Ferrari’s F1 program, especially in the design of the KERS system to optimise torque management, traction control and brake distribution.

Regenerative braking allows the electric motor to juice up the batteries that also supply power to a second electric motor positioned ahead of the engine. This motor solely powers auxiliary systems like the power steering and air conditioning. Interestingly, the use of lightweight components means the combined gearbox and KERS system weighs only as much as the gearbox on a conventional car.

Also unique is how the V12 fires multiple (at least three sparks) per stroke in the interest of best combustion efficiency. Ferrari claims the combination of a more efficient V12 and electric motors reduces emissions by as much as 40 percent compared to a conventional V12. 

New Mercedes M-Class coming this May

All-new M-Class promises to be the most comfortable luxury SUV, better driving manners on the cards too. 258bhp ML 350 diesel to come first

Mercedes-Benz will launch the stylish new M-class this month at an ex-showroom, Mumbai price of around Rs 69 lakh. The first few lots of cars will be fully imported and fully loaded too. Dealers were pushing to keep the price under Rs 60 lakh, since the new M-class is only a five-seater, but post Budget, things have changed. Cars that come at a later stage will have more aggressive pricing

as they will be heavily localised, with even the diesel engine assembled by Force Motors.

The new M is 23mm longer and 15mm wider than the old car, and it sits 20mm lower too. These changes give the car a dynamic look compared to its predecessor. The pronounced wheel arches and eye-like headlights add to the SUV’s appeal.

The new Merc SUV is a much sweeter car to drive too. Mercedes has extensively reworked its predecessor’s chassis and double wishbone suspension to improve the dynamic properties and feedback of the over-two-tonne SUV.

The ML 350 CDI will be launched first, but there may be other engines on offer later. The 350 CDI develops 258bhp, 34 more than the old car, and a substantial 63.2kgm of torque.  Mated to Mercedes’ seven-speed 7G-Tronic auto ’box, the SUV gets tech like start-stop and permanent four-wheel drive as standard and an optional six-stage on/off-road package.

The interior of the SUV is as impressive as the exterior. It is built with high-quality materials, has a superb looking instrument cluster and gets a state-of-the-art entertainment system. The fly in the ointment is that it will, of course, be available only as a five-seater. There is no denying the SUV’s luxury credentials though, and if Mercedes prices it aggressively once assembly starts here, it will be hard to ignore.

New TVS Apache RTR launched

New RTR gets revised styling updates, prices start from Rs 67,505.

TVS has just revamped its Apache RTR series of bikes. The range gets revised styling, although all mechanicals remain unchanged. Chief among the visual updates are a new headlamp cluster that features LED pilot lamps, and a redesigned fuel tank.

Sadly, the bike does not look all that different from the current model and we feel TVS has missed an opportunity for a more comprehensive revision. Even the new dual-tone colours on offer fail to liven up the bike’s styling, which will have to stand its ground next to far more modern competition in the Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler, Yamaha FZ16 and the upcoming new Bajaj Pulsars. Other updates include a carbon-fibre look shroud for the digital instruments and a revised seat.

Given TVS’ R&D capabilities, the meek makeover comes as a huge disappointment. What TVS really needs is to bring out an all-new Apache to take on its modern and increasingly focused competition.  

The new RTR 160 is priced at Rs 67,505 (ex showroom Delhi), while the RTR 180 is priced at Rs 72,090 and the RTR 180 with ABS costs Rs 82,780.