Exclusive: Tata Aria LHD version caught testing

It�s been around six months since the Tata Aria was launched in the Indian market. This is roughly the amount of time Tata Motors admittedly takes to tweak its products, pack them with additional features and get them ready to be shipped out of the country. Seems like it�s time for the Tata Aria to to see some new land, as we have just spotted an LHD variant of the car testing around Pune.

Shashank Ramugade caught the on-test car on his way back from Goa. According to him, this was the top of the line Pride variant of the 4�4. There were no visible differences from the car sold in India on the exterior, with the steering wheel in the odd position being the only element giving away its intentions to go away from India.

Tata Motors plan to sell the Aria crossover in European markets and to SAARC nations, and the intent has been made public one of the company�s senior officials. While the European continent as a destination is confirmed, there is no official info available on the country where the crossover will land first with RHD. Later, the RHD version will be delivered to other countries all across Europe.

The Aria is quite a feature and technology rich vehicle, even for the advanced European market. The 2.2-liter DICOR engine is also quite potent with 140PS and 320Nm, and has a fair degree of chance to meet success in the European markets if Tata Motors manage to price it well.

Honda to introduce a small diesel engine for the Civic by 2013

Seems like Honda have finally managed to see what they were surprisingly blind to till now. The company has realized that the lack of diesel engines for its small and medium sized cars is turning out to be the major reason behind its cars taking a drubbing against its rivals in both developed and developing markets.

Honda UK�s managing director David Hodgetts has told �Fleet News� that the new diesel engine will be introduced once the new Civic has completed its one year in the market. The new engine may also be used on other models such as the Accord and Jazz.
Honda has not been a very keen diesel engine maker. The only diesel engine the Japanese company has made is the 2.4-liter i-CTDi engine, which later evolved into the i-DTEC and was utilized it in the Accord the CR-V and Civic. The engine was removed from the Civic later.

The new engine would most likely be in the 1.6-1.8-liter class with very low CO2 emission figures and powerful enough to present itself as fit enough to go under the Accord�s bonnet. Although nothing has been said officially about it by Honda, but the possibility of an even smaller version of this engine may power the likes of the Jazz and Brio cannot be denied. If that happens, the 2013 next-generation Jazz would feature it.

Will Honda bring the new diesel engines to India in the new City and Civic? Well, if they are sane enough, they should. Fingers crossed!

1999 Buick LeSabre Start Up, Engine, And In Depth Tour

1999 Buick LeSabre Start Up, Engine, and In Depth Tour

Mercedes-Benz E V12 1800 "Smith & Wesson" by Brabus

V12 / 6.233 cc / 1800 PS / 2.420 Nm @ 2.100 / biturbo / 4WD / 0 - 62 mph (100 km/h): 2,0 s / Vmax: 335 mph (540 km/h)

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