Harley-Davidson has come up with the Fat Bob, a new-generation cruiser for both city and highway riding. The author takes the stunning motorbike through its paces on Delhi's wide roads.

Lanky Yankee

Business Standard

The Indian car industry is officially going through its worst slump of the last decade. Car sales declined 6.7 per cent last year and dealers are trying every trick in the book to sell their stocks - be it attractive finance schemes, discount prices, gold coins or freebies, including free insurance. We take a look at some of the discounts and benefits car makers are offering in the above-Rs 20-lakh segment.

Auto motivation

I currently own a small hatchback, but it's just not enough to carry my growing family in, so I'm now looking at MPV options. I have shortlisted both the Mahindra Xylo and the Toyota Innova. My budget allows me to get a top-level Xylo or a mid-level Innova. Which one should I go for?Hiren Shah, via emailWhile the Xylo is a brilliant MPV, there's a reason there are so many Innovas running around on the roads. If offers great peace of mind and a comfortable experience for the passengers, so go for the Innova for years of trouble-free service. Alternatively, you can also take a look at the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. It's much better on the pocket and can still carry around seven people in good comfort.Box officeI'd like to get an automatic car, either a hatchback or a compact SUV. I'd be grateful if you'd help me out with this decision. I'm willing to wait a few months if there are new models coming, but an automatic transmission is more or less required. I don't plan on using the car much, so

Family man

The most famous 911s through time1963 - The Original The initial lot of 911s were light, agile and pretty simple. A 130 bhp, air-cooled, 2.0-litre six-cylinder horizontally opposed engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, two really small rear seats, simple dials with the rev-counter in the centre and that was it.1965-66 - 911 S and Targa Deriving its name from the famous Targa Florio races, the 911 Targa featured a prominent aluminium roll bar with the option of rolling down the rear windows to create a shape that exists to this day. In 1966, the 911 got its first serious bump in power with the S: 30 additional horses, those famous Fuchs wheels and skinny tyres. The legend of the 911 was thus born.1973-74 - RS & RSR The 2.7 RS propelled the 911 into the world of motorsport. About 150 kg lighter than the S, the RS's true weight was 980 kg and the big bore 2.7 now produced 210 bhp. In 1974, Porsche produced the RSR, which boasted of 20 bhp more but was nearly 200 kg heavier than

911 timeline

Does four-wheel drive change the fun quotient on the Porsche 911?

Porsche spice

I have been driving a petrol Maruti 800 A/C for the past 14 years and it has clocked only 48,000 km. If I plan to continue its usage beyond August 2013, I will need to spend approx Rs 20,000 in getting its registration renewed, mainly because of my visit to the place of purchase in a state other than the state of my present residence (approx distance 1000 km). Should I buy a new petrol car for my use for driving in the city (approx monthly commute 500 km) or get the registration renewed? In case of a new purchase, please suggest a car with minimum price range (except the Tata Nano), maximum fuel efficiency and low maintenance, even in the next higher price rangeHEMANT KUMAR, UdaipurWow, you really love your car, by the looks of it! We would suggest that it is time for you to invest in a new car, so that you get yourself something more modern and with better technology. Since you appear to be happy with Maruti Suzuki, we recommend the Alto 800 for you. It is compact and lightweight, mak

Old faithful

The Honda Amaze is finally out. Pablo Chaterji drives it for the first time in India

Diesel dreams

At present, I own a Maruti Suzuki Esteem and I want to upgrade to a compact diesel SUV.

People's car

Here are some of the other options out there if you're looking for a fun diesel hatchback

Torque of the town

How good is Tata's attempt at a hot hatch?

Boost is the secret

I would like to buy a powerful diesel car within a budget of Rs 8 to 8.5 lakh. Since I cannot afford a mid-sized sedan with the budget that I have, I am willing to settle for a hatchback. I have shortlisted the Hyundai i20 Sportz. Could you tell me whether I have made the right decision or are there better options to choose from? What about the Ford EcoSport?Gaurav Mishra, via emailThe i20 is a comfortable, spacious hatch with a good sized boot too. However, if you are keen on a mid-sized sedan, we suggest you go in for the Honda Amaze. It has more space than the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, especially at the rear, has a powerful and very peppy diesel motor and promises to be the most fuel-efficient car in the country. We believe it has all the ingredients that you would like from your diesel car, plus it should fit well within your budget too. It goes on sale this April.Good PuntoI have set my eyes on the Fiat Punto diesel, but have read on the Internet that a facelift is expected this

Diesel season

An electric car for the masses? Ruman Devmane drives the Mahindra e2o.

Current affairs

All of these cars are on sale in the market (just not here)

Electric dreams

The iconic Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler are coming to India

Jeep shot

I plan to buy an SUV that can seat seven people. I am thinking of buying the Toyota Fortuner five-speed automatic.

SUVivor

Gunning the new Hyundai i-Tech i10 down the Mumbai-Goa highway!

Hyundai i-Drive India: Mumbai-Goa

I plan to buy a new car within a budget of Rs 4.5 lakh for my parents, who have a daily commute of 40 km. I reckon it is safe for me to opt for a petrol car. I have taken a look at several cars and am now confused. Is the new Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 better than the Hyundai i10? I've noticed that Hyundai claims the i10 delivers 20.36 kmpl, however regular users tell me it delivers an average fuel economy of 11-12 kmpl. This is the main reason I was planning to stay away from the i10. Will the Alto 800 be better on this front? Also is the iRDE motor better than the Kappa engine? Is there a new i10 being launched that I must wait for instead?Kumar Shashank, via emailPlease don't go for the 800 when you have a budget that will get you better built, excellent small cars. The 800 is only if you have an extremely tight budget, which, as I can see, is not the case with you. As regards your queries, the answer is yes, the i10 suits your needs very well. It is a well built and good quality hatchb

Small wonder

Here are 10 cars from the 2013 Geneva Motor Show that you simply cannot afford to miss

Show stoppers!

The quest for making a motorcycle look completely different from other mass-produced machines has made many international custom builders like Arlen Ness, Orange Country Choppers, Roland Sands and Exile Cycles household names globally. So much so that avid motorcyclists can identify their individual styling cues by just looking at the bike.

Few in a million

A lot of young motorsport enthusiasts wish that they could become race car drivers. But most haven&rsquo;t a clue how to go about it. You need a race car, to begin with, and a team of mechanics. Add to that the cost of transporting things to racetracks for the duration of an event, the entrance fee and the like and you realise it&rsquo;s expensive and a lot of hard work. But things are slowly becoming easier, with the one-make racing series that have cropped up in India.

Racing stripes

I have been using a Fiat Palio 1.2 since 2002 and now plan on replacing it with another hatchback with a budget of around Rs 5 lakh.

Ritzy business

Auto News: Find the latest auto mobile industry news, launches of car & bike news on Business Standard. Explore now for more auto news from India and around the world.

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