BEST JAPANESE SPORTS CARS WORSHIPPED BY ENTHUSIASTS

Consider yourself a Petrolhead? These are the Japanese cars that you should worship both for their out-of-the-box perfomance capabilities & for their sheer tuning ability.

SUZUKI SWIFT SPORT:

The Suzuki Swift is one of the highest selling hatchbacks in India, which is why we are surprised as to why Suzuki has not yet bothered to launch the more expensive & much faster Swift Sport. Powered by a 1.6-litre engine making 140PS of peak power & combined with 6-speed gearbox, the Swift Sport has a 0-100kmph time of around 8.8-seconds, which makes it quick yet cheap little runabout that makes huge loads of sense for India. It even comes with sportier styling, sports seats, huge 17-inch wheels that would wake the boy racer in you & make you smile like a little child getting excited. Combine all of this with its staggering cheap price tag, Maruti Suzuki should seriously consider this car for the Indian market.

MAZDA MIATA:

The Mazda Miata is one of the purest sports cars ever offered by an automaker. Ever since it first went on sale in 1989, the Mazda Miata has offered a lightweight platform, a modestly-powered four-cylinder engine and of course a beautiful two-seat roadster design that provides a fun, well-connected driving experience. The 2015 Mazda MX-5 Miata is the most affordable roadster money can buy, allowing keen drivers to enjoy the wind in your hair experience at the price of an average family sedan. The Mazda MX-5 Miata has never been about crazy figures and power but always about handling finesse and one of the best handling chassis your money can buy. In fact, there are a few cars in the world that can keep up with a Miata in capable hands on a tight twisty mountain road. With 170PS and 190Nm of torque combined with a manual gearbox, The newest modern Miata available now might have added a retractable hardtop to its credit, but it remains remarkably light compared to the competition, and has stayed true to the original spirit of the compact Convertible.

MITSUBISHI EVOLUTION IX:

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX was the culmination of the brand's World Rally Championship know-how, expressed in a sedan platform that featured a host of high tech innovations. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making anywhere from 275 to 400PS of peak power was managed by an advanced all-wheel drive system, sport-tuned suspension, and race-inspired aerodynamics gave the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution tenacious grip and startling acceleration. Brembo brakes, Recaro seats, and a driver-controlled center differential rounded out the features that set the Evolution IX apart from other sports sedans of its time. 

TOYOTA COROLLA AE86:

If you've heard of the AE86 Corolla, you're likely one of two things: a fan of drifting or a fan of the cult anime series Initial D. Long before the Corolla became a sedated product of corporate evolution, it was one of the most basic and exciting cars you could buy. It is also possibly one of the most under rated cars globally outside of the drift arena since unlike its other brethren here, it has never been tuned to ridiculous horsepower figures.

SUBARU IMPREZA WRX 22B STi: 

Right over crest-Leading into fast left-into Jump. These are the words I most fondly associate a Subaru Impreza with. Possibly one of the most successful Rally and Rallycross cars of all time, the Subaru Impreza with its 4-cylinder 2.0-litre boxer engine is capable of more power than you can contend yourself with. Thankfully, with all-wheel-drive keeping the power in check, along with electronic differentials working overtime, the range topping WRX STi has always been the benchmark for most performance cars worldwide. But Impreza 22B coupe STi has been a personal favorite for true enthusiasts.

MAZDA RX-7 FD:

There are some who would say that the FD edition of the Mazda RX-7 is one the most beautiful automobile ever produce by any Japanese brand.  The Mazda RX-7 was also notable for its use of a rotary engine instead of a traditional piston-driven power plant. Like the Supra, the RX-7's 260PS engine was easily boosted past its stock rating, thanks to a turbocharger. Unlike the Supra, however, the RX-7 was light enough to acquit itself well on the race track even in factory configuration, as it maintained the automaker's philosophy that it was easier to reduce mass rather than add horsepower.

NISSAN SKYLINE GTR R32:

Having dropped the GT-R during the 1970s due to the global fuel crisis, the performance-centric trim returned in 1989 with all-wheel drive and rocking the absolutely legendary RB26DETT twin-turbo inline-6 engine rated by the factory at 276 hp, well below its actual output. With this combination, the GT-R competed in the All-Japan Touring Car Championship, killing the competition, including Porsches, and winning all 29 races to seal the Championship. The GT-R accomplished similar feats in Australia, earning the reputation of "Godzilla" from local press. Although later cars like the equally legendary R34 and the currently available R35 are more capable, the R32’s simple looks and insane performance makes it personal favorite for true enthusiasts.

TOYOTA SUPRA:

The fourth-generation Toyota Supra made its debut in 1993 and it quickly gathered a cult following based around the incredible capabilities of its optional 2JZ-GTE six-cylinder engine. This powerhouse featured twin turbochargers & output of 325PS in stock form, but aftermarket tuners quickly discovered that the engine could be tapped for over 1000PS without the requirement for substantial modifications. This robust motor, combined with a slippery body shape and a starring role in the Fast and Furious film franchise, has given the Toyota Supra one of the highest profiles in the world of Japanese sports cars.

HONDA NSX:

The Honda NSX was the car that proved that the Japanese could contend on the world stage against exotic supercar competitors.  The Honda NSX was a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive supercar that featured an all-aluminum monocoque body, handling input from F1 star Ayrton Senna, and a 3.0-liter V-6 that initially produced 277PS.  Over time, the Acura NSX would evolve to offer more power and slightly updated looks, but the vehicle itself never strayed from the original formula that proved that it was possible to build an exotic sports car that would start every time you turned the key, without the need for excessive, and expensive, maintenance. Honda will soon have a brand new Acura NSX out later this year.

USEFUL FEATURES OF A CAR

Over the years, driving a car has become a lot simpler & it wouldn't have been possible without the addition of some features. we are now so used to them, that we often forget to appreciate them. Did you know that almost 12 lakh people were killed in India in road accidents in the last decade? On an average one Indian is killed every four minutes in the mishap. These are some car features that can help you save your life when you are behind the wheel.

SEATBELTS:

Seatbelts were invented by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin. In the event of a crash, seat belts are designed to hold the occupant in place. They also reduce the risk of the person meeting with a crash from colliding with the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield. Wearing a seatbelt is not only mandatory for the driver, but also for the person sitting at the back. Reports suggest, that people died in road accidents last year seated at the back without wearing a seat belt, caused them serious injuries including cervical fractures. Around 45 per cent accidents in the world could have been avoided by the mere use of seatbelts, suggests reports. 

POWER STEERING: 

While cars like the Maruti 800 and the Premier Padmini did hit the high note in India, we have to admit they were pretty difficult to drive, especially in traffic. Moreover, it used to be a Tough task to park. But over the years, car technology has advanced and made the overall driving experience a lot easier. A lot of this can be attributed to the addition of power steering in all cars. The steering wheel now not only feels a lot lighter and easy to manoeuvre but is also more responsive to inputs.  

AIRBAGS:These are quite literally, bags of air that inflate in milli-seconds in case of an accident. When your car collides with an object, the air bags become active and inflate. This provides cushioning to your body to prevent injuries. Though, the front airbags are standard, some manufacturers give additional airbags on the side for extra safety.

ELECTRIC ORVM: Talking about cars back in the day, most of them either didn't have ORVMs or were manually adjustable. And although we did make it a habit to adjust them before driving off, we have to admit it was indeed quite a pain to adjust it. One had to make several attempts before finally setting it as per your driving position. But now thanks to the electronically adjustable ORVMs the task is a lot simpler. 

ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM: 

Electronic stability control is designed to assist drivers in maintaining control of their vehicles during extreme steering maneuvers. Electronic stability control senses when a vehicle is starting to over or understeer and it automatically applies the brake to a single wheel. It is intended to reduce the occurrence of crashes. ESP is an option available mostly on high-end cars in our market, but it would be good to see it filter down into more mainstream models in the future. 

REVERSE CAMERA WITH PARKING SENSORS: 

The population of cars on the road has increased and how. Traffic is always on the rise and that also makes finding parking a task. You would often find a human ‘parking sensor’ trying to guide you into that tiny little space which was just enough to fit your car. Now, the same task is done by parking sensors or in some cases reversing cameras.

ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM: 

Barring budget Hatchbacks, most cars in India offer at least one variant which has this feature. This mechanism prevents the car’s wheels from ‘locking up’ during emergency braking. ABS helps the driver to change the car’s direction and steer away from harm even under hard braking. A car without this system could get its wheels locked up, which leaves the car open to uncontrolled skidding and the driver with no way out of the tricky situation. This feature is beneficial during wet driving conditions.

POWER WINDOWS & CENTRAL LOCKING: 

You go out for a long drive with your family and each time you get in or out each of the doors have to be locked manually. Well, it didn't quite seem like a task in cars back more out of habit than anything else. But now with most cars being offered with a  central locking system, it sure is a lot easier. Along with central locking, power windows deserve a special mention as well for obvious reasons. And had we been genius mathematicians we would have done some permutation combinations to enlighten you about the time saved since the introduction of both these features.

ADJUSTABLE HEAD RESTRAINTS: 

Headrest is actually a safety feature designed to protect the occupant from injuries during a rear impact collision. This helps in reducing the chance of neck and shoulder injuries. The restraints should be locked in place according to the height of the seated occupant. In case if it is not locked properly, the protection that the headrest offers against collision gets compromised.

BLUETOOTH TELEPHONE: 

With  mobile phones getting cheaper by the day, staying connected to everyone is now a habit rather than a privilege. A healthy percentage of your ‘important calls’ are done while driving to work or back and with that in mind, Bluetooth connectivity in your car is among the top features that have made driving a lot easier. Needless to say it is also a lot safer than holding your phone with one hand and steering with the other.

REAR WIPER & DEFOGGER:

This is a feature that may seem minor, but is vital. The rear windscreen can get just as fogged up and dirty as the front windscreen, especially during the monsoon; this can affect your rear visibility and pose a hazard. The defogger clears the mist off your window and the wiper cleans off the water and slush. Defoggers are now available on most cars, while wipers are usually available on hatchbacks and SUVs. If not the rear wiper, you must at least opt for a defogger.

MOST UNDER RATED CARS AND BIKES IN INDIA

The Indian Automobile Market has witnessed a plethora of launches in the past decade or so but only a few models clicked to become successful offerings. These are the automobiles loved by enthusiasts but have been under appreciated by the audiences in India. We list down the automobiles which had all the makings of a superstar but flopped big on the box office. 

TATA NANO: 

The Tata Nano attracted more global press, both negative & positive to it than any other car in the history of India. Though most of us automotive journalists love this basic go-anywhere-do-anything automobile, the Nano saw ridiculous sales figures in the early days of its existence, the ‘one lakh car’ or ‘cheap car’ tag soon started to hurt it as much as it had promoted it pre launch. With a rear engine and spacious cabin combined with easy driving and good overall interior design, the Nano, now in its second avatar has never really attracted the audiences that it deserves making it one of the most under rated cars in India. Hopefully, now with a new look and an opening tailgate, the new Nano will do better. 

HERO IMPULSE:

The Impulse was the first motorcycle to be launched by the newly formed Hero MotoCorp after splitting from its ex-partner Honda. The Hero Impulse created quite a storm when it was launched as it was the only off-road motorcycle on sale at the time. It had the rugged design and the go anywhere chassis & suspension making it a fantastic motorcycle for our broken and undulated roads. Despite the initial hype, the Hero Impulse failed to pick steam with respect to sales. One of the main reasons for consumers giving the Hero Impulse a rejection was the fact that the 150cc motor felt underpowered for the machine, the other being it’s pricing. Both these factors & negative word of mouth reviews basically killed the Hero Impulse. The Hero Impulse is still on sale but only for the north-east markets. If Hero would launch the Impulse with the more powerful motor sourced from Karizma & pricing it under a lakh, it would have a better comeback. 

FIAT PUNTO:

Another all-time favorite of the automotive journalists & the automotive enthusiasts alike, the Fiat Punto was originally and is today the best looking hatchback you can buy in India today. In fact, the beautiful exterior combined with the equally beautiful interior makes it a rather tempting package. Also it handles really well too. So why does it not sell as much as it should? Well, mainly because of the fact that both the petrol and diesel engine are a little lethargic & of course, the biggest problem - the Fiat badge. In fact, even though Fiat’s history in India has been chequered with some of the best products India has seen, issues like sales & service are the main reason why people do not prefer considering them when in the market for a new car. That said, with the new Fiat Punto T-Jet Abarth around the corner, the enthusiast might soon fly back towards this historic Italian brand with some renewed interest.

SUZUKI GS150R:

Suzuki was on a revival path in the Indian two-wheeler market and launched its assault in the 150cc segment with the Suzuki GS150R. With it simple styling, good build quality & a refined engine, the Suzuki GS150R was the Japanese two-wheeler manufacturers weapon of choice against established motorcycles like the Honda Unicorn, Bajaj Pulsar 150, Hero Hunk. It was also the first bike in its segment to be offered with a 6-speed gearbox, the sixth being beneficial to extract good fuel efficiency on the highways. Despite all these advantages, the Suzuki GS150R just failed to click. Many cited the poor dealer network & the fact that Suzuki didn’t market the bike aggressively was also a reason as not many consumers were even aware of the bike. The Suzuki GS150R is still on sale but with the new Gixxer being a success, its days are numbered though. 

FORD FIESTA:

The Ford Fiesta has always been a personal favorite with the automobile journalists. In fact, every single enthusiast, will be feeling on how the Fiesta is one of the most under rated cars in India & deserves much more praise & of course sales than it gets today. With handling that is second to none with a well designed exterior & interior, the Fiesta ticks all the right boxes. Strangely though, although cars like the Ecosport do really well for Ford, the Fiesta has always struggled to sell. The Fiesta also has one of the best audio systems for any sub 10-lakh car & of course, one of the best set of seats we have ever uesd so far.

HONDA CBR 150R:

Full-faired body, liquid-cooled motor, fuel injection, 6-speed gearbox, fantastic handling dynamics, but still the Honda CBR 150R enters into this list. Honda felt that in the form of the CBR150R, they had a bike to kill the Yamaha R15. Despite being a faster bike than the Yamaha R15 in terms of outright acceleration, top speed & cornering speed, the Honda CBR150R just failed to capture the Indian consumer’s imagination. Firstly the CBR250R inspired styling didn’t go well down with the buyers & another factor was the switchgear, which was a straight lift from the Dream Yuga & it was just totally unacceptable at this price point. Talking about pricing it’s around Rs 20,000 dearer than the Yamaha R15, which although slower than the Honda offering; it looked more appealing & was cheaper also thereby winning this Japanese battle quite easily. 

HYUNDAI ELANTRA:

We recently drove the new facelifted Hyundai Elantra & came out quite impressed with how balanced it felt. But sadly, sales of the Elantra have always been negligible even though cars like the Verna & Elite i20 sell well. This is mainly due to the fact that Indian audiences still find it difficult to pay over 15 lakh for a budget brand like Hyundai, especially when they have more premium brand like Volkswagen & Skoda. That said, with both diesel and petrol engines available along with both manual & automatic gearboxes, the Elantra is a very genuine contender for the best car in its class. And of course, it gets a cooled seats – a feature for which alone we would consider buying the car.

TVS PHOENIX 125:

TVS achieved great success in the 110cc segment with the Victor & they planned to ape it with the Phoenix which was marketed as a premium 125cc commuter. The TVS Phoenix had a lot going for it, pleasing styling, good switch gear, build quality, an aptly powerful motor. Despite ticking all the right boxes, the Phoenix just couldn’t capture the Indian buyer’s imagination. This can be pointed out to the fact that it didn’t have any USP as such while the Honda CB Shine ruled the segment as a great overall package; the Discover 125 had features and technology working for it while the Hero Glamour wasn’t a great success according to Hero standards but it was clocking decent sales owing to the Hero brand name. Also it seemed that the TVS Phoenix entered the market a tad late to make an impact & it has to be among those capable breed of motorcycles that was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. 

SKODA YETI:

The Skoda Yeti is the type of car you need to live with to fall in love with. Most auto journalists would tell you how they would have a Skoda Yeti in an instance if they had the chance (or the money) to buy one. Powered by both a petrol and diesel engine and a choice of gearboxes mated to a well made interior and a very classy exterior, the Yeti is a car for all occasions and all circumstances indeed. With its SUV like profile, combined with sedan levels of comfort & no real competition, the Yeti has always struggled to sell in India due to Skoda’s reputation for bad after sales service.

BAJAJ PULSAR 135LS:

With the Pulsar 135LS, Bajaj planned to make the “Pulsar” brand more accessible to youngsters but instead of introducing it with a 125cc which was mostly used by commuters they plonked a new 135cc motor to make it stand apart. The Bajaj Pulsar 135 LS (Light Sport) had very attractive styling with sharp and edgy lines, clip-on bars, split-seat and LED tail lamps. Bajaj marketed it as a bike with the fuel efficiency of a 125cc motorcycle and power of a 150cc bike which it had with 13.5PS and 11.4Nm of peak torque. The Bajaj Pulsar 135LS was also the first Bajaj motorcycle to feature 4-valves and DTS-i technology together & it tipped the scales at just 121kg. It even had the performance & handling dynamics to make it a competent bike. But what it lacked was bulk & mass like the Pulsar of yesteryears & consumers seemed to be turned off by its styling and the common perception was that if you want a Pulsar then buy the real Pulsar of 150cc or above.

2015 சுஸுகி ஹயாதே

ஜப்பானில், ஹயாதே என்றால் FRESH BREEZE அல்லது SWIFT WIND என்று பொருள். ஆனால் பெயருக்கேற்றபடி 2012 முதல், புதிய மாற்றத்தையோ, விரைவான விற்பனையையோ சுஸுகியால் செய்ய முடியவில்லை. தற்போது 2015ல், மேம்படுத்தப்பட்ட ஹயாதேவை தினசரி நகரத்தில் பைக் பயன்படுத்துவோரை குறிவைத்து களமிறக்கியுள்ளது சுஸுகி.

மாற்றங்கள்:

முதலில் தெரிவது 5 புதிய கலர்கள் மற்றும் கிராபிக்ஸ். புதிய 17 இன்ச் MRF டியுப்லேஸ் டயர்கள் போதுமான கிரிப்பை அளிக்கின்றன. அலுமினியம் அலாய் வீல்கள், பைக்கிற்கு நல்ல தோற்றத்தை தருகிறது. புதிய 10.5 லிட்டர் பெட்ரோல் டெங்க், கால்களுக்கு நல்ல சப்போர்ட் அளிக்கிறது. பைக்கின்   எடை 2 கிலோ உயர்ந்தாலும் [114 கிலோ], நகர டிராஃபிக்கில் பைக்கை வளைத்து நெளித்து ஓட்டும் வகையில் வடிவமைத்துள்ளது சுஸுகி. புதிய 5 வகை ADJUSTABLE ஸ்பிரிங் சஸ்பேன்ஷன், நல்ல ஓட்டுதல் தரத்தை அளிக்கிறது. மெயின்டனென்ஸ் FREE பேட்டரி சேர்க்கப்பட்டுள்ளது சிறப்பு. இந்த பைக்கின் சென்னை ஆன் ரோடு விலை ரு. 59, 905.

மாறாதது:

பைக்கின் நீள, அகல, உயர அளவுகளில் மாற்றமில்லாதது நல்ல விஷயம். 85கிலோ மீட்டர் அதிகபட்ச வேகம் மற்றும் 60 கிலோ மீட்டர் மைலேஜ் கொண்ட ஸ்முத்தான 112.8 சிசி  இன்ஜினில், SEP டெக்னாலஜி இல்லாதது மைனஸ். பெட்ரோல் டேங்க் முடி பழைய டிசைனில் இருப்பது நெருடலாக உள்ளது. அடிப்படையான பாஸ் லைட் ஸ்விட்ச் மற்றும் வென்பனி இண்டிகேட்டரை சேர்க்காமல் விட்டுவிட்டது சுஸுகி. டிஸ்க் பிரேக் ஆப்ஷன் இல்லை. இப்படி விலை குறைப்புக்காக சுஸுகி செய்திருக்கும் வேலைகள், பைக்கின் தனித்தன்மையான டிசைனை குலைத்துவிடுகிறது.  ஆனால் பைக்கின் பிரேக்கிங், கையாளுமை, நிலைத்ததன்மை, தரம் ஆகியவை நிறைவாக உள்ளது. ஸ்பிளேண்டர், டிஸ்கவர், ட்ரிம் சீரிஸ் பைக்குகளை பார்த்து சலித்தவர்களுக்கு, இந்த பைக் மாற்றாக அமையும் என்பதே உண்மை.

BEST MOVIES RELATED TO CARS

Whether it's a nail biting car chase sequence or some racing action around a circuit, we all love to watch the most aspirational cars burn some rubber. For all the movie buffs, here are some car movies you must watch.

CARS: 

A hot-shot race-car named Lightning McQueen gets waylaid in Radiator Springs, where he finds the true meaning of friendship and family.

RUSH: 

Released in 2013 this one is a must watch for all Formula 1 fanatics. The real life story of former champions, Rush stars Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt and Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda. It is a biographical sports drama film that centres around two very skilled Formula1 drivers who were fighting raced in the mid-70s. Rush not only has a lot of extremely well shot racing sequences but the cars used, the race tracks have been replicated well from the 1970s. Nominated for the best Motion Picture – Drama, Rush 2 hours of your time well spent.  

SPEED RACER: 

A young driver, Speed Racer, aspires to be champion of the racing world with the help of his family and his high-tech Mach 5 automobile.

GONE IN 60 SECONDS: 

Gone in 60 seconds is an American heist film starring Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie. Nicolas Cage plays a retired car thief who is forced to come back into the business to pay off his brother’s debt. And to do that, he needs to steal 50 exotic cars in one night. Starring Ferraris, Aston Martins, Bentleys, Jaguars and of course the universally loved Shelby Mustang GT500 ‘Eleanor’.  

BULLIT:

Back when it was released in 1968, Bullit set new standards for car chase sequences in cinema. The close to 11 minute battle between a 1969 Ford Mustang GT Fastback and a 1968 Dodge Charger changed the way car chase sequences were shot in Hollywood. Steve McQueen plays a no-nonsense cop Frank Bullit, who is on a hunt to find the bad guys who are trying to kill an important witness. Soon after this film was released, the ’68 Ford Mustang GT Fastback earned the name Bullit.

DAYS OF THUNDER:

Although this one didn’t work wonders at the box office, it makes for a good watch mainly for the intense car racing sequences it has. Starring, Tom Cruise as Cole Trickle as budding stock car racer who aspires to make his way into NASCAR and is willing to push it to the limit to get that race win. This one is essentially Top Gun for the petrol-head, and its directed by Tony Scott too. 

HERBIE FULLY LOADED:

Maggie Peyton, the new owner of Number 53 - the free-wheelin' Volkswagen bug with a mind of its own - puts the car through its paces on the road to becoming a NASCAR competitor.

ITALIAN JOB:

Whether it’s the one released in ’69 or the recent remake in 2003, you are watching Michael Caine or Mark Wahlberg, you have got to see them leading a crew of Minis past Turin’s landmarks. Charlie Croker along with a few accomplices plans an elaborate gold heist against a former ally.  

TRANSFORMERS SERIES:

An ancient struggle between two Cybertronian races, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, comes to Earth, with a clue to the ultimate power held by a teenager.

FAST AND THE FURIOUS SERIES:

Deckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto and his family for his comatose brother.

NEED FOR SPEED:

Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins..

DEATH RACE SERIES:

Ex-con Jensen Ames is forced by the warden of a notorious prison to compete in our post-industrial world's most popular sport: a car race in which inmates must brutalize and kill one another on the road to victory.

MAD MAX SERIES:

A woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in post apocalyptic Australia in search for her homeland with the help of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshiper, and a drifter named Max, who is anything but happy.

TRANSPORTER SERIES:

Frank is hired to "transport" packages for unknown clients and has made a very good living doing so. But when asked to move a package that begins moving, complications arise.

REDLINE:

A gorgeous young automobile fanatic--and front to the hottest unsigned band on the West coast--finds herself caught up in illegal drag-racing competitions organized by exotic car fanatics.