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Slick
sedans
Souping up the car
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Slick sedans There
was a time not too long ago cars were very basic and Spartan. Comfort and safety were unheard of. The sedan today, which is within the common man’s reach, priced around Rs 10 lakh, has a luxury quotient that a few years ago was the exclusive reserve of cars in the Rs 20 lakh range or above. Every car in its segment offers a variety of options to suit the pocket. The same car can vary in price from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. It is the trim level that decides the price.
Honda boasts the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) — a marvel of engineering. The fabric quality of the upholstery in any model is top quality. Front and rear seats have arm rests. The rear seats have AC vents. AC and heater are outdated. It is now climate control. The dash board displays information with two trip meters, average speed, average fuel consumption and distance to empty. Some cars don’t need a key for any of the functions you normally associate with the key. With the key in our pocket walk up to the car and open the door. There is a push button stop-start.
Volkswagen Vento has a service period of 15,000 km or one year. The car battery has a five-years warranty. The manufacturer has now focused his attention on in-cabin comfort and safety. It has seat belts for all passengers, in the front and rear. Seat
A steering wheel today has the audio controls on the spokes. Wiper controls, headlights flashers and indicators are all on the steering column. The auto-shift lever, which was on the centre console, is also combined with the steering wheel called ‘paddle shifts’. This technology has been taken from F1 cars. Power steering, power brakes, electric windows are almost taken for granted.
The Fiat Linea After a makeover, the updated Fiat Linea is now the Classic. The oodles of chrome impress and the number plate now sits on the boot lid. However, only the two front doors have power windows. The strongest point is the engine. The diesel Multijet engine, Turbo charged, 1300 c.c has proved itself over the years. A petrol engine option is also available.
Hyundai Verna
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Souping up the car it’s
a lock that no one can open except the owner. That’s because it has a wearable key. Iconic British carmaker Aston Martin, used by James Bond in many movies, has devised a car lock that will make Agent 007 proud. It can only be opened by a special wristwatch that comes with the car and has to be worn by the owner. The car gets unlocked only when the watch hand is moved to the area between 8 o’clock and 9 o’clock and it gets locked when the hand is moved between 3 o’clock and 4 o’clock. Though this may be stretching the limits of security, the point is that car accessories have today come a long way from the time when only floor mats, toy animals, hanging dolls, air freshners, wheel rims and spoilers were considered happening add-ons.
Digital gizmos Though these are still around, it is the digital gadgets that are making exciting news. From bluetooth-enabled gizmos to night-vision systems that help you see clearly up to a distance of 2,000 feet and from smart GPS devices to nifty tablet and iPad mounts, the accessories market is truly stirring the soul of car aficionados. In high-end cars, some accessories are so outlandish that these instantly get the pulse racing. Rolls Royce Drophead Coupe, for example, offers a tailgate that can double as a picnic table. The Audi A8 and S8 have a 1,000-watt audio system that incorporates 14 speakers with each speaker having its own amplifier. Keeping with the lifestyle of the owners, the Hyundai Equus has an optional rear-seat champagne cooler with a set of bohemian crystal stem glasses. The Ferrari goes a step further. It gives you a custom Ferrari-branded iPod to match the car. The Rolls Royce Ghost comes with an umbrella neatly stuffed in each of the two front doors which pop out at the touch of a button in case of rain. The Mercedes Maybach Zeppelin has an optional $5,000 (Rs 3 lakh) perfume atomiser that periodically sprays fragrance in the car.
Huge variety There is a mind-boggling variety of accessories in the market. Some make eminent sense with their ingenuity, others come only for their me-rich appeal, a few are simply laughable and a handful that are downright dangerous. The in-car microwave comes in the last category. It is powered by the car’s cigarette lighter plug-in and is said to be of help to people stuck in long traffic jams as they can make a cup of coffee or tea or pop some corn. However, experts say this is as big a distraction as a dashboard-mounted TV set. Similarly, great damage can be done to the car by two other accessories. People replace normal tyres with ridiculously huge ones. This interferes with the precisely engineered geometry of the car besides affecting the fuel economy and performance. The same goes for over-sized spoilers, which add weight and increase the drag of the car making it a fuel guzzler. Offsetting these are accessories tickle the funny bone. The most popular are giant fake eyelashes fixed on the headlights. Then there are car teeth, which make your automobile look like a monster with fangs. These car teeth stickers are pasted on the front air intake of the car between the headlamps.
Dumb accessories Some of the dumbest accessories to come out in the recent times include the car bra, which is a stretchy fabric that slips on the front of the car to protect the bumper, hood and sides from scratches. Then there are ‘bullet hole’ stickers that give the appearance that the car has been sprayed by bullets. Interestingly, there are some accessories that are being phased out in some cars. The first is the cigarette lighter, which made its appearance in 1925, and even survived the arrival of the cigarette lighter. These days many Hyundai high-end variants have done away with it and replaced it with a USB socket even as the incidence of smoking comes down in many countries. In some cars, the ashtray, too, is disappearing, along with the lighter plug-in attachment. Indeed, as far as accessories go, times are changing and changing fast. Back in the 1950s, the ultimate add-on was a radio, which came fitted exclusively in top-of-the-line cars like Mercedes Benz, Rolls Royce, Porsche and later in Chevrolet and Buick. We’ve come a long way from that. Today these attachments are taken for granted even as cars get digitalised and connected to the world with voice-activated smartphones, tablets, iPads, cruise controllers, automatic cameras and a host of other amazing new-age technologies.
With the Contigo autoseal stainless-steel vacuum-insulated mug, you can have your beverage cold or warm while driving. The best part is that no liquid will spill out of it even when rolled on the floor of the car. To drink, all you have to do is to press a button opposite the spout and the beverage will start flowing. Price: Rs 1,200 Sometimes, the simplest devices can also be the most useful. Take, for instance, the super dash pad for cars. It is just a rubber square, uses no adhesives of any kind yet it is capable of keeping your iPhone, keys, spare change, even your wallet from sliding off the dashboard, even on rough roads and sharp turns. Price: From Rs 300 to Rs 900 SMART GPS. Price:
Rs 10,800
REAR-VIEW CAMERA.
Price: Rs 19,500 The Parrot Minikit smartcar kit is an in-car mobile phone holder with built-in bluetooth connectivity. It affixes to your car’s windscreen and holds your phone in place with a spring-loaded clamp. All you have to do is to say who you want to call, which it will instantly do through the voice-recognition function. Price: Rs 6,000 (£60)
If you need to transport your bike from one point to another in your car or SUV, then this is something you are likely to need. The bicycle rack by American bikes and accessories company 2×2 Cycles. This rack is simple, efficient, attaches and detaches a bicycle in minutes and is lockable for safety. Price: Rs 10,800 for single rack & Rs 16,800 for double rack Bracketron, the US manufacturer of mounts and accessories for cars, has launched a smart tablet mount called the Twist360°, which is primarily made for automobiles but is also very functional for air and rail travel. It allows for infinite viewing angles in both landscape and portrait modes. Price: Rs 4,200 Keep all your food, snacks, pen and paper at the tip of your fingers while on the road with the car swivel tray being offered on www.ebay.com. It swivels back and forth and can be raised or lowered. It locks securely in place to avoid accidental spills and has a textured surface that stops items from sliding. Price: Rs 6,000 Price: Rs 5,400 Price: Rs 2.5 lakh NO BLIND SPOT REAR-VIEW MIRROR. Price:
Rs 3,600
It tells you whether it’s safe to drive your car back home. If it flashes red, it would be best to ask someone else to drive or stay the night over. Price:
Rs 1,200
CAR REFRIGERATOR. Price in
India: Rs 8,200
A coffee experience that knows no boundaries — great espresso while rushing to work in your car. Price: Rs 12,000
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BOWLING BALL BILLIARDS
Price: Rs 23.40 lakh ($39,000) GLIDING OVER THE FAIRWAYS
Price: Rs 34.80 lakh ($58,000) BAG FOR THE BIG SPENDERS
Auctioned for Rs 75 lakh ($125,000) When a tablet GETS TOUGH
Price in india: Rs 1,75,000
Don’t be alarmed if these shoes start talking to you. Google’s new high-tech shoes for Adidas not just talk to you but track your speed and performance and compliment you if you are doing okay but are also capable of giving you a piece of mind for being lazy. The Talking Shoes connect to the web and make use of pressure sensors, an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a Bluetooth. Though yet in an experimental stage, the unique shoes when released will take wearable computers to new heights. Price: To be announced A throwback TO THE FUTURE
Price: Rs 2,100 ($35)
PACKING IT RIGHT Price: Rs 10,800 per cover ($180) SOFA ON CLOUD 9
Price: Yet to be announced
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There
it’s
Honda City
Set the temperature you want in the cabin and it is automatically adjusted irrespective of the outside temperature. The roof has a sun-glass holder. The sun visors are not just that. They have illuminated mirrors. The roof may also have a sun roof. Music system has USB ports with blue tooth connectivity.
belts have now been recognised as the greatest contributor in saving lives. Adding to this safety feature are air-bags. The brake drums evolved into disc brakes. 
What is impressive is ground clearance, best in its class and great for Indian roads. The wheel base, 2603 m.m. is the longest in its class. The boot space is a canaverous 500 litres. This should appeal to the Indian buyer who always has plenty of baggage to cart around. 
It also eliminates the need for a roof rack. A roof rack, especially when loaded up, kills the looks of the car and its aerodynamics. The interior, especially the dash board and the centre console have been improved. 
Hyundai refers to this delightful experience as ‘comfortainment’ — space or the mode of entertainment that combines comfort. The Verna, with its fluidic looks is by far the best in this category. The visual appeal is the
USP. As far as safety is concerned, it gives you options of 4 airbags.
AUTOSEAL TRAVEL MUG.
SUPER GRIP DASH PAD.
The Magellan SmartGPS is a powerful mobile information hub that keeps drivers informed, saves time and money while providing safer navigation. Its smartphone companion app delivers valuable local information like weather and traffic jams harnessing the power of cloud computing.
The rear-view camera system TFT7001, manufactured by Clover Electronics, has a large display and a long focal length. Once you have installed it, you will start reaping its benefits instantly. With this camera, there will be no more blind spots, which prevent drivers from seeing what’s behind or to the side of them.
SMART CAR KIT.
CAR BICYCLE RACK
TABLET MOUNT.
CAR SWIVEL TRAY.
CORDLESS TYRE INFLATOR.
NIGHT VISION SYSTEM.
This is the rear-view mirror used by drivers to eliminate blind spots. It is so powerful that in some places, it is even used by cops and professional race car drivers. It has a 180º field of view (standard view is 52º) that gives a distortion-free reflection of rear traffic across the entire highway.
PORTABLE DIGITAL ALCOHOL
BREATH TESTER.
The Waeco TB15 thermoelectric cooler is a fabulous accessory for the car. Interestingly, it can be used to keep things hot or cold. It is especially useful when going on a picnic or long drive. It attaches securely to the car’s seat with the safety belt, fastening rail and does not tilt in case of sudden braking.
AUTO ESPRESSO MAKER.
It’s a blend of two games — billiards and bowling and it is the latest fad in gaming. Though many bowling alleys usually have a billiards table, but this new game brings the two sports together like never before. The Bowling Ball Billiards is played like a real game of billiards except that you don’t have cues but use your hands as if you are bowling. The table is a massive 15 feet by 30 feet — the size of a bowling alley and the billiard balls are actually bowling balls. Confused? Quite possibly. But once you start playing you’ll discover it is fast-paced, entertaining and very addictive. Game for it? Go ahead and buy a table, provided you can afford it.
Getting around the golf course can be a tedious task especially when it comes to rampaging the distance from hole to hole. Now the Bubba Hovercraft will make sure you don’t have to do that any more. This all-terrain golf vehicle made famous by American golfer Bubba Watson is equipped to glide over sand traps and water hazards on a cushion of air as easily as over fairways. Powered by a twin-cylinder engine, its nine-blade fan propels the craft up to 75 kmph at nine inches off the ground, without harming the grass. It guarantees to turn the leisurely game of golf into an adrenalin-pumping sport.
It was an auction which had fashionistas gasping in disbelief. A Hermès “Geranium Porosus” handbag, made of matte crocodile and Togo leather, was recently put up at the company’s Holiday Luxury Signature Auction in America which happens around Christmas and New Year. This one-of-a-kind handbag, rather eccentric handbag, that stands on five red legs set the record for the top 10 most valuable Hermès bags ever sold at an auction further boosting the style quotient of the iconic French brand.
It’s as tough as nails. The Panasonic Toughpad FZ G-1, which runs on Windows 8 has a lot going for it in terms of performance, speed and looks but its unique selling point is its toughness. Not every tablet can take the bumps, knocks, drops and spills that come with extensive use. That’s where this rugged tablet triumphs. Engineered to not only withstand the hard knocks, the FZ-G1 is built to operate in every environment — from intense heat and sunlight to pouring rain and freezing temperatures. In fact, the hardy tablet can withstand any eventuality and is completely shockproof. Of course, the only shock you’ll get is from its price tag.
SHOES THAT TALK
With its innovative new product launches, Lego has never gone out of fashion. Whether it is the Lego Friends League or the Lego Bricks equipped with sensors or even Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Castle, the company has reinvented itself completely. It has now come up with its much-anticipated Back to the Future Time Machine. The set includes famous time travellers like Marty McFly (played by Michael Fox in the movie Back to the Future), Doc Brown and his Jules Verne Train and the DeLorean time machine. So go ahead and grab a set. You are never too old to play Lego.
Storage space is always a constraint when travelling long distance with the family. The car can look quite cluttered at the end of the journey. Now American auto accessories company Smittybilt has solved that problem. Its Gear Seat Covers come with a range of pockets, sleeves, and containers for all the stuff you'll need on your trip. The modular design lets you add and remove pouches to create your ideal storage space, customising them to accommodate whatever you choose to pack in them making road trips fun and secure.
A powernap is an elevating experience. This sofa takes relaxation to another level — quite literally. The Cloud Levitating Sofa, by Hong Kong-based design company D.K. & Wei, has a floating upper part which is held in the air by the magnetic force generated by a huge magnet on the ground. Unlike the floating bed, it’s not tethered with any steel cables. Still at the concept stage, it is likely to be produced commercially soon.