AUTHENTIC CARS

In the second price cut by oil marketing companies (OMCs) this month, petrol prices were reduced by up to Rs 3 per litre from midnight. In a statement, Indian Oil Corporation said: “It has been decided to revise petrol prices downwards by Rs. 2.46/litre (excluding state levies). The downward revision shall vary from Rs 2.46/litre to Rs 3.22/litre (including State levies) depending upon the State taxes. On June 2, the three OMCs – Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum – had reduced the base price of petrol by Rs 1.68 per litre excluding VAT/sales tax. The new prices of petrol per litre in some key cities are:  The Indian Oil press statement adds that, “During the current fiscal, the Corporation has already accumulated losses of Rs 1,053 crore (Industry: Rs 2,323 crore) on petrol sales during April-May 2012 due to the inability of OMCs to revise MS selling prices in line with high level of international oil prices and the eroded US dollar to Indian rupee exchan...

Authentic Cars  broke the news on the upcoming Maruti 800 way back in July last year   and now we bring you more info on the car that will finally replace the venerable Maruti 800.  This new car, to be called the Alto 800 (codename: YE3), is based on the Alto, but with significant modifications done to make it cheaper. Not to be confused with the Alto sold in Japan, the new Alto 800 is based on the current generation Alto (YG4) but with a new body and interior. As seen in the pictures, the design is rather basic but there is more than a passing resemblance to the Japanese Alto, especially from the front. The nose gets high-mounted headlights, a slim, slot-like grille and there is a huge secondary air-inlet opening above and below the bumper. The styling is in line with the current-generation Suzukis, and details like the slanting window-line point to an aggressive tip-forward stance. Also, there is a prominent character-line that runs on the sides, right from the head...

Aston Martin is shifting up a gear. With the launch of the brand-new ‘regular’ flagship, as opposed to the super-exclusive One-77 and Zagato V12 models — the company is preparing itself for a new era of model development while continuing to stress that evolution, not revolution, will always be its guiding philosophy.  A clear sign of evolution is the use of the Vanquish name for the new model, which is due to be launched in the summer with the first cars ready for delivery early next year. The original Vanquish, shown as a concept in 1998 and built between 2001 and 2007, was the first Aston to signal a move away from traditional construction methods.  This new edition introduces a much stiffer ‘Generation 4’ 
version of the adaptable ‘VH’ bonded aluminium monocoque chassis that arrived with the DB9 in 2003. It also introduces a completely re-engineered version of Aston’s 6.0-litre V12 engine, with variable valve timing, new heads, bigger inlet valves and throttle bodies, an...

Bentley has unviled the performance-version of the Continental, the GT Speed. The new flagship Bentley Continental GT Speed will have a 330kph top speed, the highest ever for a production model from Crewe, UK. The coupé’s sledgehammer performance betters that of Bentley’s Continental Supersports which is based on the previous generation Continental and will pitch it head to head with the new Aston Martin Vanquish. At the heart of the latest Speed is a significantly more powerful 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12 engine, with peak output hiked to 616bhp.  As a result, top speed is lifted 5kph above its predecessor’s 325kph, and its 0-100kph time is cut to 4.0sec from 4.3sec. In line with the higher performance, Bentley has stiffened the chassis and uprated some hardware in the air-sprung suspension. The result, according to Bentley, is a sportier and more engaging drive, with tauter handling 
and improved agility. “The new GT Speed, with its harder-edged, sportier character, rea...

Audi will announce plans for a new entry-level SUV at the Paris motor show with a Wolfgang Egger-penned concept that is set for production as the Q2. Earmarked for launch in 2015, the junior SUV will sit below the Q3 and compete head on with the Mini Countryman, complete with raised seating, a high-quality interior, svelte exterior styling and a range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. The Q2 is one of four additions to Audi’s current three-strong line-up of SUV models . It is based on the Volkswagen Group’s new transverse-engine MQB platform, which has just launched under the third-generation A3 and will also underpin a new Q3 in 2017. The Q2 is understood to sit on a unique wheelbase of around 2.5m, which slots it between the 2470mm A1 and 2605mm A3. Also unique are the track widths, which are described as being close to the 1570mm front and 1575mm rear measurements of the Q3. Overall, the Q2 is said to measure around 4150mm in length, or some 200mm longer than the A1. ...

Mercedes has unveiled a revised version of the SLS. Called the Mercedes SLS AMG GT, the new car features a retuned version of Mercedes-Benz AMG performance car off-shoot’s naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 producing an added 20bhp over that of the existing model at 583bhp at 6800rpm.   Combined with refinements to the SLS AMG’s seven-speed double clutch gearbox that are claimed to bring faster shift times, the boost in power is reported to knock a tenth of a second off the Mercedes-Benz flagship model’s 0-100kph time at 3.7sec in coupé guise. The German car maker also claims 0-200kph in 11.2sec and a top speed limited to 317kph.   Further modifications centre around the suspension, which receives a two-mode AMG ride control system running what Mercedes-Benz describes as “stiffer and more aggressive spring/damper tuning for a more dynamic feel”.  Previously, the SLS AMG used a three-mode system.   With the new AMG ride control system, the SLS AMG GT’s adaptive damper...

Was it you dream to own a mini MVP and carry you whole family for a long trip with all luggage? If yes then the wait for it will soon come to an end, as Honda will be announcing its own version of mini MVP by 2014. Till now Suzuki’s Ertiga was considered to be the best mini MVP but is still little big to call it a mini MVP.The company’s own version of mini MVP is based on the Honda Concept S that was shown at the Beijing motor Show.  The Japanese company hasn’t given much of information on the vehicle except that the mini MVP will be shown in China in next year and soon be announced in India with different name after that. This concept S will be based on global platform, which will be specially made for developing markets, India, China and Russia. The source of power will be from the 1.6 litre diesel engine from Honda that will be seen the next generation City and Civic, whereas the petrol engine will be seen as same as the 1.5 litre that is seen in current generation Honda ...