FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016 - California Superbike...

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MUMBAI � FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016

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After a lot ofspeculation,numerous spy shots

and some teaser images,Maruti Suzuki finallyunveiled the Vitara Brezzayesterday. With this newoffering, the Manesar-based car maker steps intothe competitive compactSUV class of cars. The

Vitara Brezza is possiblyone of the most importantcars for Maruti Suzuki thisyear. Although a bit late tojoin the sub-4 metre SUVparty with Ford alreadyreaping its sow andMahindra recently joiningthe pack, Maruti is quitehopeful about the VitaraBrezza and rightly so.

The design of the car isone of the most importantfactors for buyers in thisclass. And in that context,Maruti Suzuki seems tohave got it right. The longbonnet smoothly flows ontothe bold chrome grillestaying true to its newdesign philosophy. Thepseudo scuff plates ensure

At the 2016 Auto Expo, Maruti Suzuki has taken the wraps off its newcompact SUV – Vitara Brezza. We take a closer look at the car to tell you

what to expect

COMPACT CRUSADER

that the compact-SUV getsthat much needed ruggedlook. Headlights areprojector kind and areexpected to provide greatvisibility.

To ensure that the VitaraBrezza looks young, MarutiSuzuki has smartly givenits exterior design a dual-tone approach. Dependingon the exterior colour youchoose, the car gets acontrasting coloured roof.This floating roof designalong with the 10-spokealloy wheels helpsaccentuate the rathersimple looking profile. Fromthe rear too, the VitaraBrezza looks as smart asits front. The largewraparound taillight, strip ofchrome above theregistration plate and thelight crease above it, makethe rear look attractive.

On the inside, thesteering wheel and the

instrument cluster are astraight lift from otherMaruti Suzuki cars like theBaleno. All of this will helpMaruti Suzuki keep thecosts in check. Thedashboard gets a dual-tonetreatment and is made fromgood quality plastic. Theseats looked comfortableand well bolstered. Rearseats too seemed wideenough to seat three adultsfairly comfortably.

In terms of features, theVitara Brezza will comeheavily loaded. The top-end trim will come fittedwith steering mountedcontrols, button start andkeyless entry. The car getsthe same touchscreeninfotainment system thatwas introduced in the S-Cross. In fact, the VitaraBrezza will also come withthe Apple Car Play feature.Needless to say a car inthis class will come with the

now standard Bluetooth,AUX and USB connectivity.

Maruti Suzuki will launchthe Vitara Brezza with theDDiS 200 engine. This unitmakes 90PS of power and200Nm of torque from theFiat sourced 1.3-litrediesel. This engine comesmated to a 5-speed manual

transmission. AlthoughMaruti Suzuki hasn’tannounced anything as yet,they might even bring inthe Vitara Brezza with the1.6-litre diesel from the S-Cross.

Maruti Suzuki will launchthe Vitara Brezza in thenext few months. When

launched, it will competeagainst the likes of theFord EcoSport and theMahindra TUV300.Considering Maruti’s widespread service network andreliability, expect the VitaraBrezza to bring in goodnumber for the brand. Ravi Ved

2016 CALIFORNIA SUPERBIKESCHOOL TRAINS HUNDREDS

OF RIDERS IN INDIAIt's difficult to think of a better way to

spend a weekend for a motorcycleenthusiast than to hone his/her riding

skills at a race track, that too under themeticulous eyes of world-class coachesfrom around the globe. This was exactlywhat ensued at the recently organised2016 California Superbike School (CSS)in Sriperumbudur; as the sold-out event,considered to be one of the bestmotorcycle training grounds in the world,was choc-a-bloc with participants.

DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, COMMONPASSIONThe sixth edition of the CSS witnessedparticipation from more than 100 menand women, belonging to varied agegroups and riding skillsets. Coming fromequally diverse backgrounds such asbanking, fashion industry, entrepreneursand tinsel town, what bonded theseindividuals was their sheer passion formotorcycles.

The riders were split in two batches -the first conducted from February 5 to 7with 55 people, while the other, fromFebruary 12 to 14, which saw 57 entries.There were no less than 10 renownedriding coaches who had flown in fromvarious parts of the world including the

United Kingdom, Turkey and other parts ofEurope.

HOLISTIC RIDING IMPROVEMENTTARGETEDAlthough this workshop was held at arace circuit - the Madras Motorsport RaceTrack at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai,the focus was not on speed but to ratherimprove the overall riding ability by usingproven techniques. Everyday classroomtraining sessions were followed bypractical implementation on the racetrack for a better understanding of theriding practices. The objective was alsoto make the riders safer and more awareon the road.

GETTING BETTER BY THE YEARWith over three decades of experience intraining everyday commuters, MotoGPand World Superbike (WSBK) racers, theCalifornia Superbike School has trainedover 1.5 lakh riders in as many as 27countries. With the growing popularity ofrecreation motorcycling and the launch ofworld-class motorcycles in India, schoolslike the CSS are much-needed outlets totrain petrolheads for optimally using thepower on their saddles.Sarmad Kadiri

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PHOTOGRAPHY: ADITYA BEDRE

CSS coach gives feedback to a participant after a track

riding session.

Participants pose with the coaches after a gruelling training session.