Bajaj closes Akurdi plant, blames govt


Close on the heels of announcing a four-day week at its Akurdi (Pune) plant, Bajaj Auto today said it would close down the facility from September 1.

In a statement, Bajaj Auto Managing Director Rajeev Bajaj said: “The Akurdi plant closure is necessitated not for any failure on the part of the workmen or the management, but largely due to the impact of government policies on capacity rationalisation, chiefly the regional distortions created by inconsistent tax benefits, and the continuing evil of octroi in Maharashtra in contrast to the rest of the country.”

The company had declared four-day week at the plant from last Friday. The production at the 200-acre plant had declined sharply in the last two years. Besides, it was not clear whether the plant would ever regain its lost glory as the company had already created and planned large capacities in Pant Nagar in Uttarakhand and Chakan near Pune.

Upset with the company’s decision, workers’ unions had planned agitations as they saw this as a ploy to shut down the plant. The company statement said the workers would receive full wages for five days of the week and 50 per cent for the sixth day.

Allaying speculation that the company is planning a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for its 2000-odd workers at the plant, the company communication said there was no such plan as the company had offered VRS several times in the past.

The statement said no vehicles would be produced at this plant from September 2007 onwards though component production for supplies to other plants would continue and other corporate functions.

GEICO

Understanding Your Auto Insurance

Auto insurance can seem confusing. But once you understand the different types of coverages that make up your policy, it’s not hard at all. Your auto insurance is really a package of seven primary coverages. Taken together, these coverages make up a standard auto policy. Each of these coverages has its own separate premium. Your premium payment is the total of these separate premiums.

In addition to the primary coverages, for additional premiums you can also add on coverages such as GEICO’s Mechanical Breakdown Insurance and

1. Bodily injury liability provides protection if you injure or kill someone while operating your car. It also provides for a legal defense if another party in the accident files a lawsuit against you.
   
   In the event of a serious accident, you want enough insurance to cover a judgment against you in a lawsuit, without jeopardizing your personal assets.
   
   Bodily injury liability covers injury to people, not your vehicle. Therefore it’s a good idea to have the same level of coverage for all of your cars.
   
   
2. Medical payments, no-fault or personal injury protection coverage usually pays for the medical expenses of the injured driver and passengers in your car. There may also be coverage if you are injured by a vehicle as a pedestrian.
   
   
3. Uninsured motorists coverage pays for your injuries caused by an uninsured driver or, in some states, a hit-and-run driver, in a crash that is not your fault. In some states there is also uninsured motorist coverage for damage to your vehicle.
   
   Given the large number of uninsured motorists, this is very important coverage to have, even in states with no-fault insurance.
   
   
4. Comprehensive physical damage coverage pays for losses resulting from incidents other than collision. For example, comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car if it is stolen; or damaged by flood, fire or animals. To keep your premiums low, select as high a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket.
   
   
5. Collision coverage pays for damage to your car when your car hits, or is hit by, another vehicle or other object.
   
   To keep your premiums low, select as large a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket. For older cars, consider dropping this coverage, since coverage is normally limited to the cash value of your car.
   
   
6. Property damage liability protects you if your car damages someone else’s property. It also provides you with legal defense if another party files a lawsuit against you. It is a good idea to purchase enough of this insurance to cover the amount of damage your car might do to another vehicle or object.
   
   
7. Rental reimbursement coverage pays for a rental vehicle (usually up to $25 a day) when the insured's vehicle is out of commission as a result of a loss covered under comprehensive or collision coverages.

Policyholder Information

Policyholder Information Packet (free video and packet)

This contains information every policyholder should know about their policy and how to be prepared in case of an accident.

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LA Auto Show Bomb - Digity : Maybach Says ,

LA Auto Show Bomb - Digity : Maybach Says ,

" We're Still Dumb"

Jalopnik would like to express our deepest condolences to all the billionaires out there. Oh, how they must surely be suffering. Mercedes-Benz's MAYBACH brand, despite selling fewer than 300 cars a year and having their ascots handed to them by BMW's Rolls Royce Phantom in terms of gangsta desirability, will not give in to the insatiable haunting hotness that is the Exelereto. The company is flat refusing to build what to our eyes is one of the most stunning automotive designs of the past few decades. They're just teasing us, man! What is up with that? Don't they know that the Rolls 101 coupe is coming? It's like having a nuclear bomb and not using it. Maybach -- push the damn button! – Jonny Lieberman

Bajaj to show off car at 2008 Auto Expo

2008 Auto Expo will see a new concept car from Bajaj Auto. Production is a possibility, says Bajaj.

Talk of a Bajaj car has been around for a while. Now, the company has come out with a plan to showcase a concept car for the January 2008 Auto Expo. Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj has said that the company aims at bringing in a concept passenger vehicle by January 2008. And if the customers like it, Bajaj will opt for commercial production in three years. Better still, the first car from India’s trusted two wheeler maker will be priced between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.

The company has brushed off descriptions of the vehicle as a ‘cheap car’, saying that the new offering would be a four-wheel passenger vehicle. That has got everyone a little confused though. Okay, it is a concept vehicle, might go into production, and it will not be a cheap ? So it is a not-cheap, small but not too small car, possibly a hatch or even a competitor for the Indigo or Logan - so what's the big deal in coming out and saying it clearly? Probably, its just the reporters who got it all wrong - or maybe they all read a confusing press release.

Meanwhile, the company has also said that it was working on the commercial launch of a four-wheel goods carrier by 2009. The engine, transmission and platform that the company will build would be the basis for its passenger car. According to Bajaj, the reason why the company was opting for a goods carrier is that there is no competition on that front. Bajaj is learnt to be setting aside an amount of Rs 750 crore for a four-wheeler production plant, which will have an annual production figures of 40,000 to 50,000 vehicles.

The company will not be alone in the small car mart, as many a automaker has lined up many a model in the the 1.2 million passenger car market. According to statistics, small cars account for 60 per cent of domestic sales. While Tata Motors is set to unveil its model at the next Auto Expo, the Renault-Nissan combo is mulling over a sub-$3,000 passenger car. Adding themselves to the list are Honda, Toyota and General Motors who are busy readying their Rs 5 lakh cars.

Does the four wheel vehicles foray mean that Bajaj is moving away from its bread and butter two-wheelers? Not really. The company brass has made it clear that Bajaj knows that the two-wheeler market will continue to grow for 20-25 years and so there was no question of shifting focus from two-wheelers.

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

‘Nothing happens unless first a dream’, and this ‘power’ to dream is what drives us to conquer the impossible. Proving the fact, this ravishing future iMac, conceptualized by illustrator and designer Adam Benton, stands apart, with respect to its both design and functionality and is truly an eyefreezer.

The full wireless system features a 30” LCD screen that is transparent when not in use. We are not sure whether it’s touch-sensitive or not, however, not to mention it must be. The keyboard too is transparent and is ergonomically designed for the kill embellished with light sensitive illuminated keys.

APPLE I MAC

specifications:-

In the box

• iMac
• Apple Keyboard
• Mighty Mouse
• Apple Remote
• Cleaning cloth
• Power cord
• Install/restore DVDs
• Printed and electronic documentation

Processor and memory

• 2.0GHz or 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, or 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme processor
• 4MB shared L2 cache at full processor speed
• 800MHz system bus
• 1GB (one SO-DIMM) of PC2-5300 (667MHz) DDR2 memory
• Two SO-DIMM slots support up to 4GB

Hard drive

• 20-inch model with 2.0GHz processor
  • 250GB Serial ATA 7200-rpm hard drive¹
  • Optional 320GB or 500GB Serial ATA 7200-rpm hard drive
• 20-inch model with 2.4GHz processor
  • 320GB Serial ATA 7200-rpm hard drive¹
  • Optional 500GB or 750GB Serial ATA 7200-rpm hard drive
• 24-inch model with 2.4GHz processor
  • 320GB Serial ATA 7200-rpm hard drive¹
  • Optional 500GB, 750GB, or 1TB Serial ATA 7200-rpm hard drive

Optical drive

• Slot-loading 8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
  • Writes DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL discs at up to 4x speed
  • Writes DVD-R and DVD+R discs at up to 8x speed
  • Writes DVD-RW at up to 6x speed and DVD+RW discs at up to 8x speed
  • Reads DVDs at up to 8x speed
  • Writes CD-R discs at up to 24x speed
  • Writes CD-RW discs at up to 16x speed
  • Reads CDs at up to 24x speed

Display

• Built-in 20-inch (viewable) or 24-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix liquid crystal display
• Resolution
  • 20-inch: 1680 by 1050 pixels
  • 24-inch: 1920 by 1200 pixels
• Millions of colors at all resolutions
• Typical viewing angle
  • 20-inch models
    • 160° horizontal
    
    • 160° vertical
  • 24-inch model
    • 178° horizontal
    • 178° vertical
• Typical brightness: 290 nits (20-inch models); 380 nits (24-inch model)
• Typical contrast ratio: 800:1 (20-inch models); 750:1 (24-inch model)

Communications

• Built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking (802.11n)²
• Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
• Works with 56K V.92 Apple USB Modem (sold separately)

Graphics and video

• 20-inch model with 2.0GHz processor
  • ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT graphics processor
  • 128MB of GDDR3 memory
• 20-inch model with 2.4GHz processor and 24-inch model
  • ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO graphics processor
  • 256MB of GDDR3 memory
• Mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, and composite video connections via adapter³
• Built-in iSight camera
• Support for external display in extended desktop mode
  • Digital resolutions up to 1920 by 1200
  • Analog resolutions up to 2048 by 1536
• Support for external display in video mirroring mode

Electrical and environmental requirements

• Meets ENERGY STAR requirements
• Line voltage: 100-240V AC
• Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz, single phase
• Maximum continuous power: 200W (20-inch models); 280W (24-inch model)
• Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
• Storage temperature: -40° to 185° F (-40° to 85° C)
• Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
• Maximum altitude: 10,000 feet

Size and weight (20-inch)

• Height: 18.5 inches (46.9 cm)
• Width: 19.1 inches (48.5 cm)
• Depth: 7.4 inches (18.9 cm)
• Weight: 20 pounds (9.1 kg)⁴

Size and weight (24-inch)

• Height: 20.5 inches (52.0 cm)
• Width: 22.4 inches (56.9 cm)
• Depth: 8.1 inches (20.7 cm)
• Weight: 25.4 pounds (11.5 kg)⁴

Peripheral connections

• One FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800 port; 7 watts each
• Total of five USB 2.0 ports: three ports on computer, two ports on keyboard

Audio

• Built-in stereo speakers
• Internal 24-watt digital amplifier
• Headphone/optical digital audio output (minijack)
• Audio line in/optical digital audio input (minijack)
• Built-in microphone

Software

• Mac OS X v10.4.10 Tiger (includes Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat AV, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Xcode Developer Tools)
• iLife ’08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand)
• iWork ’08 (30-day trial)
• Front Row
• Photo Booth

iMac Technical Specifications iMac Options

	20-inch iMac (MA876LL)	20-inch iMac (MA877LL)	24-inch iMac (MA878LL)
Processor	2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo	2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
L2 cache	4MB shared
Frontside bus	800MHz
Memory	1GB (one SO-DIMM) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300), supports up to 4GB
Hard drive	250GB Serial ATA1; 7200 rpm	320GB Serial ATA1; 7200 rpm
Optical drive	Slot-loading 8x SuperDrive with 4x double-layer burning (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Display	20-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD, 1680 by 1050 pixels, millions of colors		24-inch (viewable) glossy widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD, 1920 by 1200 pixels, millions of colors
Video	Built-in iSight; mini-DVI output port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video, and composite video connections via adapter3
Graphics	ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB of GDDR3 memory	ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB of GDDR3 memory
FireWire	One FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800 port; 7 watts each
USB	Three USB 2.0 ports on computer; two USB 2.0 ports on keyboard
Audio	Built-in stereo speakers with 24-watt digital amplifier, built-in microphone, optical digital audio output/headphone out, optical digital audio input/audio line in
Ethernet	Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit)
Wireless	Built-in AirPort Extreme (802.11n)2; built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module
Hardware accessories	Apple Remote, Apple Keyboard, and Mighty Mouse
Other	Built-in IR receiver		Built-in IR receiver, optional VESA mount adapter kit
Configure-to-order options	• 2GB Memory Upgrade (two 1GB) • 4GB Memory Upgrade (two 2GB) • 320GB or 500GB Hard Drive • Apple Wireless Keyboard • Wireless Mighty Mouse • Apple USB Modem • Software: iWork ’08, Aperture, Logic Express, Final Cut Express	• 2GB Memory Upgrade (two 1GB) • 4GB Memory Upgrade (two 2GB) • 500GB or 750GB Hard Drive • Apple Wireless Keyboard • Wireless Mighty Mouse • Apple USB Modem • Software: iWork ’08, Aperture, Logic Express, Final Cut Express	• 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme • 2GB Memory Upgrade (two 1GB) • 4GB Memory Upgrade (two 2GB) • 500GB, 750GB, or 1TB Hard Drive • Apple Wireless Keyboard • Wireless Mighty Mouse • Apple USB Modem • Software: iWork ’08, Aperture, Logic Express, Final Cut Express
Limited warranty and service	Your iMac comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year

First Drive: Fiat 500 (2007)

Summary

Fiat’s born-again city car offers the first genuine alternative to BMW’s ultra successful Mini.

• Likes: Retro style, quality of the interior, easy driving characteristics, safety
• Dislikes: Tight space in the rear, modest performance

First impressions

You might not remember the original Fiat 500 as well as you do the old Mini, but the Italians certainly do. They still love that car with a passion, so when Fiat launched the new model on July 5 (the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the first Fiat 500) it spent 8 million Euros on a party in Turin. Over 25,000 joined the fun, including myself and 999 other journalists from around the world. The trick will be to see whether Fiat can generate the same enthusiasm in other countries with a car that is basically a re-worked version of the budget Fiat Panda.

Retro is popular, and it’s a major part of the new 500 offering. Six of the 12 colours are ‘vintage’, harping back to the original car. The bonnet, boot, door handles, the overall shape of the new 500, all mirror the original. Like the Mini, you can personalise the car to a ridiculous degree. 15 types of upholstery, 9 wheels, a couple of dozen sticker sets and a massive list of accessories means that there are 549,936 possible variants of the 500. It promises practicality too. It may look like the old 500, but just park it alongside and you’ll see it’s at least twice the size. Fiat has been very clever in capturing the spirit without too many compromises.

Performance

The initial offerings are familiar from the Panda. 1.2 69bhp, 1.4 100bhp and a 1.3 turbo-diesel with 75bhp. With 1000 journalists scrabbling for 180 new 500s, we bee-lined for the budget 1.2 to start with. It’s smooth, refined and will bat along at motorway speeds with few problems. But quick it is not. The engine needs working to its maximum to get decent acceleration, and even then, 62 mph takes close to 13 seconds. The diesel is hardly any quicker but the extra torque does allow a lazier driving style; both are pretty refined too. A performance assessment of the 1.4 will have to wait.

Ride and handling

The original 500, with its puny rear engine, never went quick enough to worry about handling. How things change. Now we get power steering with a push button setting that lightens it further for parking. There’s a host of electronic safety features to control the brakes and chassis balance. So though outright speed still isn’t a vital ingredient of the new 500, there’s still the opportunity to have an entertaining drive in an entirely modern sort of way. For the true enthusiast the electric power steering doesn’t transmit enough feel through the wheel, but by today’s standards it’s par for the course.

The roadholding and handling are right on the mark. The 500 feels taut and well connected with the road, and it’s possible to take bends at speeds that will send the front passenger hanging on for dear life. There’s plenty of tyre squeal to telegraph the message you are going too fast, but there’s some real agility here, helped by the fast reactions of the steering. The little Fiat rides well too. Small cars almost inevitably have issues surrounding the ride comfort, and Fiat has opted towards comfort at the expense of some body lean in the corners. The lower, wider Mini is sharper in the bends, but then it has never had the most comfortable ride.

Interior and safety

If the exterior of the new 500 looks appealing, wait until you get inside. The whole architecture of the interior manages to combine a great feeling of quality with hints of the past. The top of the fascia is black, while facing you is a body-coloured slash into and around which are built the controls. These cream plastic buttons and switches look like they came from another era yet Fiat has managed to incorporate all the modern touches, including the latest Bluetooth and iPod compatibility, without any unhappy compromises. It looks just right and is certainly a pleasing improvement on what BMW has achieved with the last Mini.

The front seats, in their vast array of colours, are large enough to be comfortable for most people and the driving position is reasonable without being great – the steering wheel adjusts for height but not reach. By any standards there isn’t much room for rear passengers, through the Fiat 500 is certainly better than a Mini in this respect. It has a compact but reasonable boot too, with the world’s smallest parcel shelf and rear seats that flop forward to extend the capacity. Seven airbags are the standard offering (unless you opt for the ‘Naked’ trim level) which helps the 500 get five stars on the EuroNCAP crash tests.

Economy

The diesel will average 67mpg according to the government test stats, the 1.2 55mpg and the 1.4 45mpg. Less impressive is the fuel tank capacity just 35 litres, not even eight gallons. In Italy prices will start at €10,500, which equate to roughly £7,500. But hold back the excitement. UK cars seem unlikely to start at less than £9,500 and may be as high as £10,500. Less than a Mini, then, but lots more than the Panda on which it is based. Fiat has some amazing finance packages in Italy too, which include a 5-year warranty, but who knows if the UK will follow.

The MSN Cars verdict: 4/5

We wholeheartedly support the idea that cars can be fun and great cars at the same time. The Fiat 500 isn’t quite great yet, but the fun element of 500 ownership readily swings the balance.

Ratings out of five: Fiat 500

Performance	***
Ride & handling	****
Interior	*****
Safety	*****
Price	****
Practicality	***
Fuel economy	*****
MSN Cars verdict	****

Need to know

Petrol engines	1.2, 1.4
Diesel engines	1.3
Power (bhp)	69-100
Torque (lb/ft)	76-108
0-62 (secs)	12.9-10.5
Top speed (mph)	100-114
Combined mpg	44.8-67.1
C02 emissions (g/km)/tax (%)	115/15 - 149/16

On test: Toyota Land Cruiser Invincible (2007)

• Model: Toyota Land Cruiser Invincible
• Bodystyle: five-door SUV
• Engine: 3.0-litre turbodiesel
• Transmission: 5-speed automatic

what is it?

It’s the real deal, the Toyota Land Cruiser line stretches back 50 years and has a reputation for off-road ability matched only by Land Rover and Jeep. Unlike those two marques however, the Land Cruiser has absolutely no questions hanging over the way in which it has been put together and how long it will last – in a word, forever. No wonder so many are seen painted white and being driven by chaps in blue helmets with UN stenciled on them.

Where does it fit?

In Ultimate spec as tested this Land Cruiser sits, as the name suggests, at the top of the range with lashings of equipment thrown at it and an uprated 3.0-litre turbodiesel under the bluff bonnet, offering 210bhp (up from 164bhp) and lashing and lashing of torque, 347lb/ft of it to be exact. Size wise this is undoubtedly a full-size 4x4, easily eclipsing an old-model BMW X5 and giving the Discovery a run for its money thanks to an extra row of seats that can be deployed in the boot to turn it into a eight seater. Other rivals include the aging Volvo XC90, Mitsubishi Outlander and perhaps the only SUV with a similarly tough reputation, the Nissan Patrol.

Is it for you?

If you simply need a seven-seater for the school run then no. In fact don’t bother with an SUV at all, you’ll pay the penalty in fuel bills and poorer on-road dynamics, buy a decent people carrier. If however you regularly tow horseboxes, caravans or boats or drive further off-road than the Church fete car park then the Land Cruiser is definitely worth considering. It is perhaps not the best looking of the full-sized SUV bunch, the large chrome grille in particular is a bit bling but it could certainly be thought of as rugged.

What does it do well?

This is a serious piece of kit, dispensing with such niceties as the electronic terrain selector knob as used in the Discovery. Instead the Land Cruiser has honest to goodness levers for sliding big bits of metal around to engage low-ratios and lock diffs. We didn’t have the opportunity to test it to the full but it coped with severely waterlogged and churned up fields with ease where two-wheel drive cars and even lesser 4x4s sat uselessly spinning their wheels until a local farmer turned up with a tractor, a tow-rope and a money-making gleam in his eyes. The ride, controlled by Toyota’s EDC adjustable dampers really does make speedbumps and urban potholes disappear, albeit at the expense of float and wallowing.

What doesn’t it do well?

Toyota has retained traditional body-on-frame construction, which is much better able to deal with the sort of twisting forces encountered in extreme off-road conditions but does mean the Land Cruiser will never be able to compete with the on-road dynamics of monocoque rivals such as the X5. The steering is slow and the car isn’t exactly eager to change direction with alacrity which is just as well since despite the uprated engine, performance is best described as relaxed thanks to an all up weight of 2,850kg. 0-62mph takes a sluggish 10.8 seconds and it’s all done by 109mph. The five-speed automatic gearbox is swift to respond however and cleverly has been programmed to hold ratios when descending hills to provide engine braking.

What’s it like to live with?

It initially feels vast but visibility is extremely good, it’s possible to see every single corner of the vehicle from the driver’s seat, an advantage both when crawling over boulders and threading one’s way through urban width restrictors. We subjected it to the toughest test we could, Glastonbury Festival and it swallowed four tents and large back packs with ease although a cream leather interior is perhaps not the option to choose for a hard-working off-roader. An excellent sat-nav with integrated traffic management got us round the jams and a decent stereo kept us entertained although the silver trim around the centre console not only looked cheap but reflected badly in the windscreen. The rearmost seats fold out of the sides of the boot and are passably acceptable but with a very upright seat back and nowhere to put one’s feet are only suitable for short journeys and short people.

How green is it?

For a full-sized SUV with what Toyota claims is the most powerful four-cylinder diesel engine, not too bad. Official fuel consumption is 31.4mpg with CO2 emissions of 243g/km. Around 400 miles should be possible between fill-ups.

Would we buy it?

If we were in the market for a genuine off-roader rather than an X5 or XC90 pretender then certainly. The only thing likely to best it across rough terrain is a Chieftain tank and the only thing to stop it a substantial concrete wall. It is well equipped and keenly priced so well worth a look.