Exciting Times Ahead
IT’S JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND NEW LAUNCHES HAVE already started with Mercedes fi rst out of the blocks with the GLE Coupé on the 12th, the second in line being the compact KUV100 from M&M and the big burly SUV, Ford Endeavour, on the 20th. The fi rst month has already witnessed three new launches and, with the Auto Expo 2016 round the corner, there is a lot to look forward to. The Indian automobile industry is set for exciting times in 2016.
With the new KUV100 M&M have pulled out all the stops and have produced a gem. The ride quality and NVH levels inside the cabin are very good, the quality of plastics marks a big improvement, though I won’t call it class-leading, and I am not too sure about three people sitting in the front row — this is like motorcycle manufacturers making long seats to accommodate three people. The three-cylinder mFalcon D75 is refi ned and has very good power and torque delivery from 1,500 RPM onwards. With a starting price of Rs 4.42 lakh for the petrol version and Rs 5.22 lakh for the diesel one M&M have a winner on their hands.
The government should improve public transport and make it safe for women to travel by bus and metro. The infrastructure and roads need to improve as traffi c congestion is one of the biggest causes for increasing pollution from automobiles. Similarly, the quality of fuel has to improve to bring down emission levels..
ASPI BHATHENA
EDITOR
