1991 User Manual

Toyota has revealed its Toyota Corolla Furia concept car at the Detroit motor show, the firm’s first clues as to the future direction of its best-selling saloon. The Furia is the latest in a string of recent concepts from Toyota with bolder and more distinctive designs, following a personal plea from company chief Akio Toyoda for the firm to become more daring and break free of its conservative image and appeal to younger buyers. The concept is 4620mm long, 1805mm wide and 1425mm high, with a wheelbase of 2700mm giving it relatively short overhangs. The concept is boldest at its front, with the design a much more striking interpretation of the look found on the new European-market Auris. A sharply raked windscreen and low roofline ensure a lower, sleeker profile than that of Toyota’s current Corolla. A usual array of more outlandish concept features make it onto the Furia, including 19in alloys, lashings of carbonfibre trim and a large rear diffuser with integrated exhausts. “The Corolla Furia Concept is an early indicator of where our compact car design may lead in the future,” said Toyota vice president Bill Fay at the concept’s unveiling in Detroit. He hoped the design “would surprise a lot of people".

Renault’s first product for India, the Fluence, didn’t quite set the cash registers ringing for the French carmaker. Boosted by the enthusiastic response for its Duster SUV, however, Renault has the opportunity to address the saloon’s fortunes and simultaneously strengthen the brand image with the facelifted Fluence. It’s immediately evident that the Renault’s new identity gives the updated Fluence a contemporary and distinctive look. The majority of the changes are neatly housed in the big, one-piece bumper that also includes the grille. The bigger and bolder Renault lozenge is placed on a glossy black strip that connects both headlamps. Lower down, the air dam section is split into three parts, lending the Fluence a very sporty look.

New LED daytime running lights are visible above the fog lamps. Apart from the new 10-spoke alloy wheels, the Fluence looks the same and has no change in sheet metal. On the inside, the Fluence’s equipment list sees new entrants. An LCD display for the driver will now be standard across the 2013 range. Then there’s front and rear parking sensors, an automatic parking brake as well as better USB, Bluetooth and auxiliary input connectivity. Renault has also unveiled new upholstery options for the Fluence. The biggest and most important change, however, lies under the hood. At the launch of the Fluence, Renault didn’t read the market quite right, and it was customer feedback that spurred the introduction of the more premium E4 variant of the diesel Fluence. However, the demand for a diesel engine and automatic transmission combination remained unfulfilled. Renault is working to remedy that with an Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) gearbox for the diesel variant. This six-speed twin-clutch gearbox is rated for 24.4kgm of torque and is already offered in other markets. The EDC-equipped Fluence can crack the 100kph mark from standstill in a claimed 11.9 seconds, has a top speed of 185kph and fuel efficiency is only slightly lower than the manual version. Internationally, Renault has also introduced the hi-tech 1.6-litre dCI 130 motor to the Fluence line-up. Stop-start and energy recovery have been added too. Don’t expect this motor to join the India line-up just yet. Renault’s updated Fluence will go on sale in Turkey in January 2013 and it is expected to arrive in India in the first quarter of 2013.

With Tata carrying out extensive exercises to constantly improve its range of cars, we’ve seen quite a few updates, facelifts and upgrades on several of the manufacturer’s products like the Manza. The latest in the line-up to get a new avatar is the Indica Vista with a 90PS (89bhp) diesel engine. It is powered by the 1.3-litre Fiat Multijet diesel engine that is shared with the likes of Maruti Swift and the new Chevrolet Sail. It makes the extra power (and pulling power) thanks to a different turbocharger and different engine tuning. The company claims this turbocharger, known as a variable-geometry turbo, improves the car’s low-speed responsiveness as well. Apart from the engine, a whole host of other changes have been carried out on this car to improve driving performance, ride and handling. The D90 has a new sound-deadening package to cut down on in-cabin noise when the car is on the move, and Tata has also tweaked the suspension to help the car handle the extra power. The good thing about the new engine is that it’s perfect for driving around in traffic – it’s responsive enough and has adequate power. However, if you want a sudden burst of power to, say, shoot into a gap in traffic, the engine will leave you wanting. There is quite a bit of throttle lag, but rev the engine past 2500rpm and a big burst of power comes in, which can get irritating. On the highway, the D90 will hold three-digit speeds quite comfortably and the engine is pretty refined as well. Other plus points include the light-action clutch and gearshift, and the way that it is rather easy to drive. Interestingly, the Vista D90 is slower getting to 100kph than the lower-powered Swift diesel. At 13.9sec, the Tata takes 0.3sec longer than the Maruti and we think this is because of the extra 150kg on the Vista over its competitors. Tata puts down the extra weight to the Vista’s extra-strong reinforced steel body shell. But it is a lot faster than the 75bhp Vista which takes 16.3sec for the same run. And if the engine impresses you, the cabin’s insulation from noise will completely bowl you over. Even at 140kph, the cabin is hushed, and you can actually have a conversation with your passengers without having to raise your voice. The tweaks to the suspension mean bad roads are dealt with comfortably and almost noiselessly. These improvements and the spacious cabin give the impression of being in a bigger car. Tata says the handling has improved, and this is true to a certain extent – the D90 does feel safe in the way it handles and high-speed stability is excellent – but it would be pushing things a bit to call it a sporty handler. Tata has also added new equipment to the Vista D90. In addition to the power windows and electric mirrors, the Vista gets a touchscreen audio system that includes voice-guided navigation, Bluetooth connectivity and an input for any possible form of media that you might feel like using (USB, aux-in, SD card and DVD). It’s also got climate control.

The manufacturer has also done a thorough job with the interiors, having upgraded a lot of the plastics, seat materials and even the air-con switches. Of course, close scrutiny will still reveal a few patchy bits – the volume knob on the audio system, for example. However, the Vista D90 is testament to the fact that Tata has come a long way in improving the interiors of its cars. The rest of the car remains as is. Good bits like the spaciousness and practicality are intact. The new two-tone dashboard is also nice. The beige lower cabin enhances the feeling of space and the smart (if a bit hard to read) dials lend a touch of sophistication. That said, the boot could definitely have been a bit bigger. At around Rs 6.6 lakh for the ZX+ trim and Rs 6 lakh for the lower-spec VX, the Vista D90 is a whole lakh cheaper than the Fiat Punto 90HP. It’s much better value than the Punto as well, simply because it’s got a lot more equipment and is a lot more practical.

We pit this pair of badge-engineered saloons against each other to find out which mid-sizer comes out on top. RENAULT SCALA SKODA RAPID Performance and refinement The Renault Scala employs a 1.5-litre diesel engine similar to the one in the Nissan Sunny. The motor churns out 84.8bhp and has plenty of pulling power. And while it is quite silent at idle, it sounds a bit gruff as you rev it. The mid-range has plenty of power available, which makes overtaking a simple task, but it is best to shift up a gear early once you get to higher engine speeds. In the Rapid however, the 1.6-litre diesel motor feels much stronger, and it always feels like it has power in reserve when you use lots of throttle. The engine itself is slightly bigger than the Scala’s, though it doesn’t feel as refined as the Renault’s. The clutch is also heavier, and there is a sudden spike in power initially, which causes it to get a bit jerky in traffic sometimes. Ride and handling The Scala’s low-speed ride is a bit stiff, but things improve at higher speeds where the ride smoothens out. Rutted surfaces tend to unsettle it a bit, though. Its light steering is a boon in the city and it weighs up sufficiently at highway speeds. Stability is impressive as well and it feels composed at cruising speeds. It’s well poised around corners, but is not happy being driven fast, and works better at a relaxed pace. The Rapid on the other hand is more involving to drive, and there is lots of grip on offer. Low-speed ride is pliant and keeps sharp-edged irregularities at bay, but as speeds increase, the Rapid’s soft front suspension tends to bob a bit, and you sometimes get a loud ‘whack’ over big holes. Straight-line stability is good and this makes it a good highway cruiser. While the light steering is perfect for city use, it doesn’t weigh up enough as you go faster. Interiors The Scala uses exactly the same dashboard as the Sunny, the only difference being the badge and the leather upholstery on this RxZ trim. The cabin is very spacious and the big windows and thin pillars aid good all-round visibility. Overall quality is good too but the interior plastics don’t feel as solidly built as the Rapid’s. The seats, though comfortable, are placed a bit low, which means thigh support is not that great. The Rapid’s two-tone interiors are almost identical to the Volkswagen Vento’s and the quality level is more consistent and slightly better than the Scala’s. But compared to other Skodas, the Rapid feels built to a price. The ergonomics are good; a comfortable driving position is easy to attain thanks to a height-adjustable seat and a steering which adjusts for reach and rake. The large front seat is high on comfort and is very spacious too. Space and practicality The Renault’s cabin feels very airy and spacious and the beige interiors further enhance this feeling. The back seat has more knee room than the Rapid but, like the front seats, it is slightly short on thigh support, and the sloping roofline also eats into headroom at the rear. The boot, at 490 litres, is quite generous, and the seats fold down to further increase the available luggage-carrying space. While the Rapid loses out in this aspect, with only 460 litres of boot space on offer, it is still quite useful.

The cabin itself is fairly spacious though; there is good legroom for the rear seat passengers and the clever lever on the bottom of the front passenger seat helps slide it forward with ease (Elegance trim only). Importantly, the wide dimensions make sitting three-abreast quite easy. Also, the back seat is supportive and comfortable, despite the slightly upright backrest. Equipment The Scala comes in two trim levels. The lower RxL trim gets keyless entry, power windows, steering-mounted audio controls, alloy wheels and climate control. Safety kit like two airbags and ABS is standard across the range, which is commendable and makes it a value-for-money proposition. The top-end RxZ adds push-button ignition, leather upholstery and electrically folding wing mirrors.

The diesel Rapid comes in five trims. The base Active gets adjustable steering, while the Active Plus gets keyless entry and electric adjust for the wing mirrors. The Ambition gets ABS, a driver airbag, rear defogger and fog lamps. The Ambition Plus gets a two-DIN music system and electric wing mirrors. And the top Elegance variant gets alloy wheels, two airbags, climate control, a trip computer and the front seat adjust lever. Verdict The Renault Scala, then, comes across as an easy to drive saloon that is spacious, practical and better looking than its cousin, the Sunny. And while it does have enough power in its mid-range, its outright performance isn’t great and the low seats and poor rear headroom count against it too. The Skoda Rapid too has its shortcomings, like having certain essential equipment missing on the lower variants and its soft front suspension that makes the saloon bob a bit at higher speeds. However, with strong performance on offer and a comfortable cabin that has solidly built interior plastics, the advantage swings back in favour of the Skoda. And since the Rapid pips the Scala as the mid-size saloon that gets almost everything right, it gets our pick as the winner here.

A lightly disguised Ferrari California mule is said to be testing powertrains and running gear for the next-gen model, likely to be on sale around 2014/15. A key detail is the engine in the test car, which on-lookers reported to sound like a turbocharged unit and is likely to be a version of a new V8 family now in production at Maranello. The raised bonnet line and extra cooling vents could also be a sign that the turbo engine has a taller package height that needs more under-bonnet space and heat management.

The exhaust setup was also spotted to be unusual than the normal car. However, insiders say that the unusual exhaust arrangement on this mule is purely a test-car requirement, needed to clampdown on noise output at the Fiorano test circuit, where strict operating regulations are in force to pacify local residents. The new V8 family is Ferrari-designed and already in production having has just appeared in the Maserati Qattroporte in a twin-turbo 3.8-litre version, although there’s no word yet on whether Ferrari will use the same capacity. Despite appearing first in a Maserati, Ferrari is insistent that the unit is thoroughly theirs, having been designed and built in Maranello at a new facility. Ferrari has previously confirmed that it is working on downsized engines to meet tougher exhaust and emissions tests, with speculation suggesting that could even include the first road car V6 since the 1968 Dino. However, sources suggest that might be a step too far for the next California. Instead a lightly blown 3.8 V8 could easily match the 453bhp output of the current California’s naturally aspirated 4.3, while performing well in exhaust and emissions tests. The twin-turbo version in the Quattroporte, for example, already makes 523bhp, although Ferrari will want to ensure the engine delivers its power in the direct manner that owners are accustomed to. A date for the California replacement is also the source of some speculation. Ferrari’s mid-engined cars are on a five-year replacement cycle, its V12 models seven-years. Some commentators have suggested a six-year cycle for the California, suggesting a late 2014 reveal and early 2015 sale for a car that was first seen late in 2008 and launched early in 2009.