Tag: 911

TRAI Recommends an American 911-like One Stop Emergency Number For India

“911 how may I help you?” This sentence is perhaps the most popular reference to the American government’s one-stop emergency number for all kinds of public discomfort. By dialling this one number, the citizens can get access to emergency services like police, fire department ambulance and disaster management organizations. Now TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has recommended that Indians should get a similar service and for this purpose they want to assign the telephone number, “112.”

Currently, the various emergency services have different contacts; citizens have to dial 100 for police, 101 for fire, 102 for ambulance and 108 for emergency disaster management. TRAI says that this move will allow users to save critical seconds during an emergency and will be able to alert the authorities immediately.

This move will be appreciated by the citizens who had to fumble previously with various number during emergency situations. TRAI has also proposed to keep the present number as a backup or secondary contact numbers. Even when the users make a call on those numbers, they will be re-routed to 112.

To add even more convenience during an emergency and offer ease of access, TRAI has asked that the calls to 112 be allowed even if the outgoing facility on the phones have been debarred or the temporarily suspended. There is also a proposal to allow access to emergency services through SMS.

TRAI has recommended the establishment of specialised call centers called the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). It will be manned by professionals trained in handling calls of distress. This is a fantastic move by the regulator and though the service should have been instituted long back, but all we’ll say is, better late than never.

April 9, 2015
Edit: The Best of the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed

For the uninitiated among you, The Goodwood Festival of Speed (FoS) is an annual hill climb featuring historic motor racing vehicles, held in the grounds of Goodwood House, West Sussex, England, every June/July. Visitors can expect to see lots of cars and motorbikes from over 100 years of worldwide motor racing history as well as newer models take a shot at the hill run. An immensely popular event, 1,50,000 people regularly attend the FoS. Here are some of the newer cars which were seen at the 2013 FoS, which was held over the last weekend.

Peugeot RCZ R

Dubbed the RCZ R, this striking coupe is the most powerful production Peugeot in history and was unveiled at the 2013 Goodwood FoS. The RCZ R uses an updated version of the 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in the standard RCZ, which produces an impressive 270 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. It can hit 100 kmph in 5.9 seconds and sports a beefier twin-scroll turbocharger, as well as a racing-derived steel exhaust manifold. Lots of mechanical upgrades have been done to the pistons, connecting rods, dampers and anti-roll bars making it a very capable little car. The Peugeot RCZ R will get its auto show reveal at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September before hitting European showrooms in early 2014.

McLaren P1

McLaren’s latest offering and part of the new breed of hyper cars, the McLaren P1 is the spiritual successor to the legend which was the McLaren F1. Unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, the P1 packs some serious performance under the extremely aerodynamic carbon-fibre body. With a 903 hp hybrid powerplant which will slingshot the P1 from a standstill to 100 kmph in under 3 seconds, and to 300 kmph in 17 seconds, the P1 is a member of a very small and elite group capable of crunching numbers like those. If you haven’t noticed yet, the body is styled with the McLaren logo making multiple appearances all over the car’s sleek construction. McLaren really wants you to recognise this car when you see it fly past on the expressway. And if you want another number to feed on, the base model retails for a cool US $1,150,000.

Citroën DS3 Cabrio Racing

We at iGyaan love hot hatchbacks. Brimming with character and ambition, they really epitomise everything that’s wonderful about car culture. The Citroën DS3 Cabrio Racing is one such sporty little car, and was shown for the first time to the world at the FoS. A roll-top version of the DS3 Racing that was introduced three years ago at the Geneva Motor Show, it keeps the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 202 horsepower and 19-inch wheels. The entire package is coated in a stunning textured Moondark matte grey with black chrome, Carmin Red and DS-pattern accents. In fact, according to a few reputed sources, this isn’t just a concept anymore and is expected to go on sale in the UK next year. Unfortunately, it seems like we’ll have to wait a couple years more for the hot hatchback segment to really hit Indian markets.

Porsche 918 Spyder

Another member of the new group of hyper cars, the Porsche 918 Spyder is truly an engineering marvel. The 918 is testament to Porsche’s belief that hybrid supercars will not only successfully exist, but they will dominate the automotive industry. By far the most complex vehicle ever to come out of the Stuttgart-based automaker’s labs, the 918 Spyder is propelled by a hybrid gasoline-electric unit making use of a race-spec 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 795 hp, supplemented by two electric motors drawing power from a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack. It starts up with the hum of a small electric fan, gently floats about without any combustion, and then takes off like a fighter jet when you put the pedal to the metal, onto a top speed in excess of 320 kmph. The base price is US $845,000 and considering the top-mounted exhaust pipes like the flare launchers on the 1966 Batmobile, we think its worth every penny.

Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

The successor to the Ferrari 599, the ~~F12berlinetta~~ F12 Berlinetta is one of the fastest production Ferraris ever built. The 6.3-litre V12 produces an unadulterated 740 hp and 509 lb-ft of torque propelling the big grand tourer from nought to 100 kmph in just 3.1 seconds. But the true measure of any Prancing Horse is the lap time around the Ferrari-owned Fiorano circuit near Ferrari’s hometown, Maranello. Ferrari claims that the F12 can go around the test track in 1:23. To put things into perspective, the previous record-holder was the 599 GTO at 1:24, while the Enzo clocked in at a ‘slow’ 1:25. A 0.299 Cd and 76 percent more downforce allows a top speed of over 337 kmph.

Ferrari SP12 EC

The only one of its kind in the world, the SP12 EC was specially built by Ferrari for legendary guitarist, Eric Clapton, who was happy to let them use his initials in the name. Based on the chassis of the 458 and the bodywork of the 512 BB, the SP12 EC was designed by Centro Stile in Maranello, in collaboration with Pininfarina, the famous Italian car design firm. Mechanically, it utilises the important bits of the 458 Italia, including a 4.5-litre V8 engine and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, but not many people know what the technical specifications of the one-off supercar really are. It reportedly set Mr. Clapton back by US $4.7 million.

Rolls Royce Wraith

On to the maker of the ‘best car in the world’, the Rolls Royce Wraith made its dynamic debut at the Goodwood FoS. The most powerful Rolls ever, the Wraith was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. Although we’re wildly guessing that most people who end up buying the Wraith won’t be plowing it down racetracks too often, they very well could if they wished to. The 6.6-litre twin turbo V12 engine under the long hood of the luxury coupe produces 625 PS of power and a massive 800 Nm of torque. This along with Rolls Royce’s unique Satellite Aided Transmission technology fitted eight-speed ZF gearbox means that you go from nothing to 100 kmph in 4.4 seconds. Keep in mind that this is a 5.3m long car weighing 2.36 tons and those figures become a whole lot more impressive. The interiors are typical Rolls Royce, providing the ultimate in luxury making use of all the features of the Ghost while also flaunting ‘premium’ creature comforts like the “Starlight Headliner” cabin ceiling southern French wood panelling featured in the superior Phantom models.

Mercedes Benz A45 AMG

The Mercedes Benz A-Class was recently launched in India, and its AMG variant may soon be on its way as well. The striking A45 AMG hatchback had an impressive showing at the FoS as well, and unsurprisingly so. The potent little Benz only has a 2.0-litre engine under the hood but turbocharging helps it attain the highest specific output among production car engines, an astonishing 355 bhp. The hot hatch features a four-wheel-drive system for greater traction which helps it get from a standstill to 100 kmph in 4.6 seconds onto a top speed of 250 kmph. Those are some serious numbers for a hatchback. The car is expected to be priced upwards of Rs. 50 lakh if it finds its way to India.

The coveted spot on the lawn of the Goodwood House was given to Porsche this year, where a sculpture is erected annually to serve as a backdrop to the FoS. This year, Porsche has put up three 911s, new and old, in celebration of 50 years of the iconic car’s existence.

Other eye-catching cars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed included the stunning Jaguar Project 7 Concept, which is based on the new F-Type as well as the Bentley Continental GT3 race car. The FoS also saw the record-breaking auction of a Fangio-driven Mercedes Benz W196R Silver Arrows F1 car, at an unbelievable price of US$ 29.65 million. The 285 hp sub-700 kg Mexican Vuhl 05 as well as the eyecatching Alfa Romeo 4C were on display, as was the new Caterham 620, which may look like a small buggy to those who aren’t aware of it, but has a 0-100 kmph time of 2.8 seconds, making it one of the most fastest cars in the world in terms of acceleration. The Pikes Peak record smashing Peugeot 208 T16 also got a run around the much less challenging Goodwood hill and the Volkswagen XL1, known as the world’s most fuel-efficient car (at a truly staggering 132 kmpl) was on show as well.

July 15, 2013
Porsche 911 50 Years Edition Is Here

Porsche is celebrating 50 years of the iconic 911 with a special edition version called the 911 50 Years Edition. The 911 50 Years Edition is based on the 911 Carrera S and like the original 911, it is a coupe with a flat-six rear engine and rear wheel drive. However it makes use of the wider body reserved for the 911 Carrera 4 models. It is powered by a 395bhp 3.8-litre engine and comes with either seven-speed manual or PDK. In homage to the year of birth of the 911, only 1963 units will be produced.

Features exclusive to the 911 50 Years Edition include ‘Fuchs’ inspired two-tone 20 inch alloys with matte black details and polished centres. The car comes in two exclusive colours, Graphite Grey and Geyser Grey, apart from black. Other changes include a bespoke vented engine cover as well as choice items from the regular 911’s options list, like SportDesign mirrors, aluminium door sill kickplates, and adaptive xenon headlights.

The interior includes colour-coded instrument dials, green digits and white needles, limited edition badging, brushed aluminium accents and retro designed upholstery on 14-way adjustable seats. A limited-slip differential with torque vectoring and specially tuned Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) are standard to complement its increased track width and to improve upon the excellent cornering dynamics of the 911.

With the seven-speed manual transmission the 911 50 Years Edition can accelerate from 0-100 kmph in 4.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 300 kmph. With the dual-clutch automatic ‘PDK’, 100 kmph comes in a quicker 4.3 seconds but goes on to 297 kmph.

June 4, 2013
Autogyaan: The XKR-S GT Is The Jaguar We Never Expected

If its tough to shave off those last few seconds per lap in your Jaguar XKR-S, the Tata owned British manufacturer has unveiled the XKR-S GT at the New York Auto Show just for you. Specifically tuned for the racing circuit, the GT managed a time of 7:40 at the hallowed Nurburgring race track, which is faster than the Murcielago SV, the SLS AMG as well as the Zonda S. It goes from 0 to 100 kmph in less time than you can say Jaaaaaaaaaag; well in 3.9 seconds actually. Safe to say, the XKR-S GT is blisteringly fast. It’s also very rare. Only 30 will be made and sold purely in North America with the US getting 25 of these beasts. Oh, and it costs a measly $175,000.

This car can produce some serious downforce, 145 kgs of it in fact, helped to no end with that massive carbon fiber wing at the back and all those aero bits added all over the body. It sports a sharp, equally large carbon fiber air splitter at the front, and diffuser at the back sits pretty right in between the quad-exhaust pipes. With bright yellow carbon ceramic brakes, Pirelli Corsa tyres and a high performance Eibach tuned suspension, the GT means business. It has a 5.0 litre supercharged V8 engine producing almost 550 BHP and even if the all the aero bits make it look like its come out of a Need for Speed game, this car definitely belongs on the track.

Jaguar has one of the richest racing heritages of all time, and in recent years has been working very hard to reassert itself among its peers and offer performance as well as comfort to its loyal customers. The GT is a reminder of what Jaguar can do when it comes to fast cars. It looks mental, and goes like it too.

So if you have $200,000 saved up to spend on a street-legal car tuned for the racetrack, should you buy the Jaguar XKR-S GT? In a word, no. You should buy this instead:

Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

April 3, 2013