The Future of Money is Plastic In More Ways Than One

This article is a direct result of the Demonetisation drive initiated by Mr. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India and the introduction of the new paper Rs. 2000 note. 

Our PM has been urging all sections of industry to not just “Make in India” but to use and adopt the latest technology for efficacy and efficiency. The one question that came unanswered in many discussions I’ve had was, “why have polymer notes not been used as replacement for the notified currency when a perfect opportunity presented itself?” 

Is it because Polymer Currency is not seen as eco-friendly or are we resistant to change (no pun intended)? 

The latest country to introduce polymer currency is Britain. People around Britain got their hands on the first polymer £5 notes issued by the Bank of England in September 2016. Discussions at the central bank over whether to replace the paper fiver with a tougher polymer version started much earlier in 2010. The plastic note that’s gone into circulation is smaller than the outgoing £5 note and features Sir Winston Churchill.

The Bank spent around £70 mn on the research, development and printing of the new banknotes. The team worked for years to develop its cutting edge security features, which include a see-through window. The £5 note is being printed by De La Rue, which also produces currency for countries such as Fiji, Mauritius and Guyana, as well as the UK passport and Microsoft’s certificate of authenticity.


So what are Polymer banknotes? 
Polymer banknotes are made from a very thin, flexible, see-through plastic film, such as biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) or polypropylene. Base print layers are added to the plastic for the purposes of durability, opacity and reducing static. Various security layers are added to the base foundation, which include the characteristic raised print or intaglio. Using polymers also means that security can be further beefed up with a clear plastic see-through window, something not possible with paper notes and the use of metameric inks. 

Most paper currency worldwide, including India, is made from cotton paper with a weight of 80 to 90 grams per square meter. The cotton is sometimes mixed with linen, abaca or other textile fibres. 

Polymer scores over paper on many parameters:
1. Shiny plastic doesn't get wet and dirty like paper.
2. Features like the see-through windows are difficult to copy, so it's harder for criminals to make fake notes.
3. Polymer won't tear as easily as paper, so the notes should last longer, 2.5 times longer. They're even expected to survive if they accidentally go into the washing machine, although they'd melt under extreme heat.
4. Polymer currency is also recyclable at the end of its lifetime.

The downsides are: 
1.  Polymer notes cost more to produce in the short-term, which could be a drawback for developing countries. The payback from their extra durability comes over time.
2. Polymer money is designed specifically to resist attempts at folding. Hence, those who use folding wallets or prefer to carry notes in their pocket will have a difficult time making do. Or land up with a permanent crease in the middle of the note. 
3. Polymer notes are more slippery than paper and their slipperiness makes them harder to count by hand.
4. Polymer notes are incompatible with existing sorting, automatic payment and vending machines that deal with paper currency.
5. Polymer notes tend to get stuck together, when wet and making them difficult to pull apart. They could potentially lead to a consumer handing two bills stuck together instead of one, when making a purchase.
6. All the accompanying inks, coatings and applied features also have to last longer to meet the increased lifetimes of the notes. This includes inks that are visible under ultraviolet or infrared light, as well as those which are visible in normal circumstances.

Polymer notes were first issued as currency in Australia during 1988 (coinciding with Australia's bicentennial year). Their need was felt when forgeries of the Australian $10 note were found in circulation in 1967. The Reserve Bank of Australia was concerned about an increase in counterfeiting because colour photocopiers also went on sale to the general public in that same year. 

Have a look at the latest Australian $5 note to see how much the technology has improved. Click to see video.

Today, more than 20 countries around the world already use polymer banknotes, including Scotland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. As with any emerging technology, countries have adopted polymer notes in their own way: some have used it across the whole range of banknotes, while others have used it only for harder working denominations where durability is paramount. 

It remains to be seen when we will see the 1st Indian polymer note. Recent articles have surfaced suggesting that the Indian Government is looking to introduce polymer notes. Will it be the hard working Rs 10 note or the high denomination Rs 500 note that has been counterfeited the most? 

How GST Will Change Car Buying Behaviour

Observers of Consumer Behaviour can look forward to interesting changes in consumer buying behaviour in India now that GST is going to become a reality. In particular, car buying behaviour.

Passenger vehicles in India are currently taxed at four different excise rates, in addition to Value-Added Tax (VAT) and cess, depending on their length and engine size. Effectively, the tax rate on small cars, less than four meters in length, works out to 24.2%. In the case of sedans with engines upto 1500 cc, the tax works out to 36.2%, while those with larger engines are taxed at 39.05%. Effective tax for premium sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and luxury cars works out to 42.5%.

Understandably, seven in ten models sold in India are either hatchbacks or sub-four metre sedans/SUVs because planning has been skewed in favour of the sub-four metre vehicle. A concept that owes its origin to the current excise duty structure that favours such cars and is unique to the Indian market! 



A trend that began with the Indigo CS and which even a global player like Volkswagen followed with the launch of its Ameo. 
  

A trend that have made sub-four metre SUVs the seasons hottest trend!


The suggested tax structure under the model GST law proposes just a dual duty structure—18% for non-luxury cars and 40% for luxury cars! If this gets passed, compact cars (including hatchbacks and compact sedans) will be cheaper by Rs.30,000-35,000, while the price of sedans may fall by nearly Rs.1 lakh! So one may see a slowdown in passenger vehicle sales as buyers will tend to postpone purchases, anticipating a price reduction in the first quarter of 2017-18.

Even if the government, hypothetically, goes with a dual slab of 18% and 24% for cars in the mass segment, the excise duty gap that exists today between the hatchback/compact sedan and a full-size sedan is likely to come down to 6% from the current 12%. This will narrow the price difference between the two segments. 


It may also mean that buyers may no longer see merit in compromising and going for a hatchback/compact sedan but instead may prefer buying a full-size sedan. 

Or better still a more premium full-size sedan.







What this actually means is that cars have a premium positioning in the market will benefit from the unified tax structure. 

That said, all car marketers have their fingers crossed... knowing that the smart Indian car buyer is rubbing his hands gleefully in anticipation.

Phase Deux: Elon Musk's Master Plan

Green energy, new auto products, autonomous and vehicle sharing are the best words to describe Elon Musk's new "Master Plan".

The Rise of Mahindra

When Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) launched their XUV 300, their beautiful SUV was the toast of the town. At that time, in a small seminar at Symbiosis Institute of Media & Communication, their Director of Corporate Communication was called to speak on Branding. Naturally, questions were flying fast & furious!

One student then asked when Mahindra would make cars. The eminent lady turned to the student and told him that Mahindra would never make cars. That’s not the Mahindra brand.

M&M yesterday launched its latest SUV – the NuvoSport, giving a further boost to its leadership position in the UV segment!

The NuvoSport is all that a car owner or should I say, automobile owner, would want in a compact SUV- best in class width and height, AMT technology for clutch-free driving,  a 1.5-litre diesel engine that delivers 74.6 kW (100 bhp) of power and torque of 240 Nm, flexible 5+2 seating, a unique adjustable and reclining 2nd row, plush dual tone interiors, faux leather upholstery, a 6.2” Touchscreen Infotainment System, ABS with EBD and dual airbags available as options right from the base variant and standard from the mid variant upwards.

What you need to admire about Mahindra is that they have kept their 4-wheelers true to their DNA that is reflected in their Brand Identity. They stand for tough utility vehicles. Or at least they look tough, like the baby from the stable KUV 100 (Kool Utility Vehicle One Double Oh).

Their future flagship will be the Aero coupe-like SUV. Unveiled at the Delhi Auto Expo 2016, the aggressive styling reflects Mahindra's futuristic design concept, with inputs from Pinninfarina, the Italian auto design house, acquired in December 2015. 

With seven decades in the UV business beginning with the Willys, Mahindra has come a long way! This is the auto brand to watch.

The Car that Might Change the World

Imagine getting 135,000 bookings for a car on the very first day of the launch! With the car not hitting the roads in the US before 2017! Thats the Tesla Model 3 for you!

Elon Musk has finally unveiled the Tesla Model 3 on 31st March 2016 to a world waiting with baited breath. Elon Musk says the Model 3 is the high volume, low cost electric car Tesla has been working to since its inception - and the first Tesla for the masses. Hence, this car is more important for Tesla than the Model S saloon or the Model X SUV. 

The buzz was so much that people lined up outside dealerships just to put down a $1000 deposit for booking one. By the time Musk unveiled a Model 3 at the sprawling Space X campus here in Hawthorne, California, 115,000 customers had put their money down!

When the Model S was introduced in 2012, it had everything most people would ever want in a car—roomy, comfortable, practical, quick, and reliable. In fact, Motor Trend and Automobile Magazine called it the car of the year in 2013. Tesla has steadily improved the Model S in different areas such that 0-60 mph comes in an incredible 2.8 seconds! In October 2015, it introduced the Model X, a handsome, falcon-winged SUV based on the Model S. 

But to change the world, one must have a car that you can sell to everyone. Át $35,000, the Model 3 promises to do just that. Inside, the new car feels just like the Model S and X—sleek and minimalist. The whole roof is glass, which makes any sunroof look like a peephole. And Tesla’s trademark enormous center console screen—here 15 inches instead of the usual 17—has been flipped to sit horizontally.

Doing 0-60 mph under 60 seconds, going 2015 miles before the next recharge, having a 5-star safety rating as well as autopilot safety features, the Model 3 might just be in Musk's words that "you will not be able to buy a better car for $35,000".

Now, we wait and watch to see the disruption it will cause in the industry.

Vitara Brezza is a Strong Wind

Maruti Suzuki has finally launched its first compact urban SUV, Vitara Brezza, at a mouth- watering price... and it received 2500+ bookings in 24 hours!

But the cat was already among the pigeons when Maruti Suzuki had unveiled the Vitara Brezza at the Auto Expo 2016. The Vitara Brezza is the car maker's answer to the Ford EcoSport and Mahindra TUV300. 

The Vitara Brezza has clearly been one of the most awaited sub-compacts in 2016 and as seen in the spy shots and teaser images. Racy leaked images of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza suggested a box-like profile with wide chrome grille, and black cladding on bumpers, wheel arches and belt line get black cladding for a rugged appeal. So naturally it had onlookers salivating, esp. when it was announced that this was the same car that would be sold and at a price between Rs 7-9 lakhs.

Ford dropped the price of their Ecosport by close to Rs 1 Lakh in anticipation of consumers flocking to the Brezza. Nothing like this happened with the launch of the TUV by Mahindra. Looks like the market leader in the compact SUV segment was clearly outflanked this time. 

Suzuki Brezza is not sold at Maruti's Nexa showrooms and may seem to onlookers that it is not "premium". Yet the Vitara Brezza has clocked 20,000 bookings as of now... and counting! Clearly Indians love the youthfulness of the Brezza. 

The consumer today is really the king and the automakers are going all out to spoil him/her further. This segment is only going to grow!

Luxury Car Ad Pot Shots

Mercedes wishing BMW on its 100 Year Anniversary was a good show in camaraderie. This is heartening considering that the Big 3 of Germany BMW, Audi & Mercedes have tried to be one-up on their rivals not only on the race track and market place but also in the media. 

These media confrontations have been going on since 1987 but the ones that got coverage began in 2006 when BMW released an ad congratulating Audi for winning South African Car of the Year 2006.

Audi could not resist and congratulates BMW for Winning World Car of the Year 2006 award, albeit sarcastically.

Subaru joins the fun with an ad of its own congratulating BMW and Audi.

Another supercar maker also joins the party. It purposely does not mention its brand in the ad to show itself above this din.

The finale in this party is taken by Bentley which does not show its car.

Insane!

Mercedes Joins in BMW's 100-Year Celebrations

Many of you will remember the cola wars which spilled onto the media, TV and press. Those must have created more engagement that the garden variety ad campaigns.

You've also heard about the rivalry between luxury car manufacturers. This rivalry in fact goes beyond who trumps who in the automobile market, but you see them want to grab the top spot when it comes to racing too. Mind you, they acknowledge it too. We've seen them taking jabs at each other every time and the proof is in the billboards.

But one thing that all these manufacturers have for each other is respect. Respect for the rich history they share which is where we see the camaraderie between them. On BMW's 100th anniversary this year, the Mercedes-Benz offered its congratulations in a very cheeky manner.

Mercedes-Benz Museum did something even better. They've gone to the extent of inviting BMW employees to visit the museum in Stuttgart - with no admission charges between March 8 and 13, 2016. In fact has gone to the extent of saying that those who arrive in a BMW will be allowed to park and there will be no parking fees charged either and will get a prominent position directly outside the entrance on the hill. 

The museum has issued a special invitation to the first 50 BMW employees who arrive: following their tour of the exhibition, they are invited to enjoy a Swabian speciality citing the double kidney shape of the signature BMW radiator grille.

Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler invented the automobile independently of one another in 1886 and it's nice to see Mercedes-Benz join in to celebrate this milestone of a year with a rival. Way to go!

Budget 2016 - Your New Car Gets Costlier

Car makers normally hike the prices of new models as the year begins. This time it was involuntary, following the various taxes levied in the Union Budget 2016. 

The country's premier car maker, Maruti, announced in a press release that "Following the infrastructure cess on automobiles in the Union Budget 2016-17, prices of its models would go up in the range of Rs 1,441 to Rs 34,494 across its models." Maruti's portfolio includes entry-level car Alto 800 to premium crossover S-Cross which are priced between Rs 2.54 lakh and Rs 11.69 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

It goes without saying that all other automakers from Tata to Mercedes will do the same. 

The Finance Minister proposed that petrol/LPG/CNG driven motor vehicles of length not exceeding 4 meter and engine capacity not exceeding 1200cc would attract a cess of 1 per cent. He proposed to levy a cess of 2.5 per cent on diesel driven motor vehicles of length not exceeding 4 meter and engine capacity not exceeding 1500cc. Engines with a higher engine capacity and SUVs and bigger sedans would, attract a higher cess of 4 per cent.

The FM, however, gave some relief to the environment friendly vehicles. 

However, the cess was a bad surprise to automakers as they felt that they past couple of years have been challenging and signs of recovery were barely showing. The automakers were actually looking for reduction of excise duties so as to boost the industry. The various new cesses would result in price rise that would result in lower customer sentiment, impacting the car industry. The TDS on luxury vehicles with more than Rs 10 lakh would also dampen demand of luxury vehicles in the short term.

All those who plan to buy cars may possibly make a beeline for environment friendly vehicles that have been spared the cess.

BMW's Vision... The Next 100 Years

BMW celebrated the 100th anniversary of its 1st ever factory and how!

It unveiled the Vision Next 100, a car conceived to anticipate future mobility needs a century after the German car maker was originally established as the Bavarian Motor Works. While unveiling the car, BMW chairman, Harald Kruger, said that this was the first of a series of four similarly-themed concept cars under construction and planned to be unveiled during its centennial year.

The latest concept car provides an insight into the German car maker’s vision of autonomous driving and how it proposes to integrate it with the traditional manual driving that epitomises BMW cars with the driver at the centre. It showcases new construction and design techniques, as well as digital based interaction methods and autonomous driving technology that is already under development for inclusion on future BMW models. 

In anticipation of a shift away from conventional steel structures and the associated assembly process used today, the body uses a combination of carbon fibre and plastic. Many elements are made of residues collected during the production of other carbon fibre structures. For those who are not technically-inclined, Carbon fibre is the short form for Carbon-fiber–reinforced polymer, an extremely strong and light fiber-reinforced plastic which contains carbon fibers. 

The ultra-modern design provides a hint of things to come especially visual ties to the i brand lineup. The surfacing treatment points to the influence of design boss, Adrian von Hooydonk, and is similar to that of the i8. It also ties it to some elements that are intricately linked to BMW cars like the kidney grille and the Hofmeister kink. With flexible bodywork covering the wheels, allowing them to turn without interruption, a process called Alive Geometry by BMW design given the Vision Next concept an unbelievable drag co-efficient of 0.18! With a length of 4900 mm and height of 1370 mm, the Vision Next 100 is 10 mm shorter and 100 mm lower than the existing 5 Series.

Continuing the theme of keeping the driver at the centre, access to the inside is via wing-style doors that open automatically as the driver approaches with a smart key. The steering wheel retracts and sits next to the dashboard when the Vision Next 100 is parked so that there is ease of entry. The interior also uses more sustainable materials, including recyclable mono-materials, instead of wood and leather.

BMW vision of driving modes are two: manual and autonomous. 

Boost is the manual mode where the seat and steering wheel change position and the centre console turns towards the driver. As per BMW, the driver also gets a so-called Artificial Intelligence (AI) Companion that provides the driver with a host of support when required, such as proposing the best possible turn in points for a particular corner, advising on traffic jams or warning when a speed limit is exceeded. The Companion gathers information about the person at the wheel during a drive.

Ease is the autonomous mode where the Vision Next becomes a place to unwind: the seat, steering wheel and centre console self-adjust to provide extra space, and ambient lighting is used to create a more relaxing atmosphere while the autonomous driving technology takes you to your destination.

Alive Geometry is also used inside the cabin and consists of some 800 moving triangles set into the instrument panel and side panels. BMW says that the aim of Alive Geometry is to enhance the interaction between the car and the driver by communicating information with intuitive signals to deliver “a form of pre-conscious communication that predicts an imminent real-time event”. 

https://www.facebook.com/SputnikNews/videos/10153882606676181/?pnref=story

This may sound like science fiction today but BMW is convinced that manufacturing methods will become sophisticated and in the future it will be feasable to produce more complex & flexible forms. Transformers 4 anyone?

The new Bugatti Chiron: 1479 horsepower for the Road

Chiron, the successor to the fastest car on the road, Veyron, was unveiled at Geneva. The International Geneva Motor Show (Salon international de l'auto) is an important auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. Its an important pit stop in the annual calendar of all the auto companies where many iconic cars have had their debut in the past.

If you thought that 1000 horsepower is a tad too much for street car then the new Chiron turns the Veyron's extreme specs up another notch: 0 to 100km/h in less than 2.5 seconds. The 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W16 motor that still sits behind the two-seat cabin now churns out a total power output of 1479 hp!

Maximum speed is limited to 420km/h for road use and the tires have been specially developed by a Bugatti-Michelin partnership. Only 500 Chirons will be produced, and a third of them have already been sold for €2.4 million ($2.6 million) apiece.

This new Bugatti still uses the aerodynamic tricks of having separate top-speed and handling modes, reaching out to 261 mph at the peak of its powers and 236 mph with the hydraulically raised rear wing set for maximum driving security. It also still uses the drag to its advantage, by sticking an airbrake up to help it slow down from very high speeds.

The Chiron's new adaptive chassis can be adjusted for different levels of ground clearance. Actually, most of the adaptive stuff is automated and adjusts as per how you are driving which brings us to the 5 preset modes that you can drive in. which include Lift (for keeping the nose out of trouble over gutters and speed bumps), Auto, Autobahn, Handling, and Top Speed. You need to use the separate ignition switch for top speed, which gives access to that formidable 261 mph (420km/h) max speed. And yeah, this car also has a "drift" feature!

The new Chiron was built with speed and driving pleasure as its foremost considerations but its no 'stripped-down racer'. Its interior continues the Veyron's promise of authentic materials, including leather, carbon fiber, and brushed aluminum. Driver safety is also kept in mind with the first airbag in the world that can deploy through the carbon fiber dash to protect the passenger.

Company president Wolfgang Dürheimer says, "The Chiron is the result of our efforts to make the best even better." I agree... and wait for deliveries to happen.

Budget 2016- New Car Buying Costlier

In his budget speech today, the Finance Minister made all new car buying a costlier exercise. While he announced that a 1% additional tax on cars costing above Rs 10 lakh, he has also made small cars more expensive.

FM Jaitley announced that a 1% infra cess will be levied on small petrol cars on one hand while on the other a 2.5% infra cess will be imposed on diesel cars. He also said that a 4% additional levy will be imposed on high-capacity passenger vehicles and SUVs.

According to CRISIL, "The additional 2.5-3.5% cess will further pull down demand for diesel cars & SUVs. Currently, 40% of total passenger vehicle sales are of diesel vehicles."

Exempted from the above infrastructure cess are three wheelers, electric, hybrid and hydrogen vehicles. Moreover, motor vehicles registered as a taxi, cars for physically disabled and ambulances are also exempt.

The Supreme Court earlier in December 2015 had banned sale of diesel vehicles with engines of 2000 cc and above in the National Capital Region till March 31,2016. Now, Mr. Jaitley announced that this is a move aimed at checking pollution and encouraging use of hybrid cars. Perhaps there is an opportunity for car makers in the guise of a road bump. 

Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow.

Fear not, you have not strayed on an NSFW site!

This is a very easy way for those who are mechanically-challenged to understand how a 4-stroke engine works. In fact, all modern light to medium engines used in motor vehicles today are 4-stroke internal combustion (IC) engines. The four stroke engine was first demonstrated by Nikolaus Otto in 1876, hence it is also known as the Otto cycle.  A mechanical engineer will describe the 4 strokes of the engine as the intake stroke, the compression stroke, the combustion stroke, and an exhaust stroke.

However, the diesel & petrol engines differ in the manner fuel is ignited in the power stroke.

1. The Intake Stroke:
During this time, the piston is moving downward and only air is drawn into the cylinder. This occurs on a normally aspirated engine as a result of the difference between atmospheric pressure and the depression created by the piston and the piston ring seal. The intake valve opens up and air is sucked into the cylinder.

2. The Compression Stroke:
The piston is moving upward in the bore and compresses the air into the very small volume of the combustion chamber and raises its temperature high enough to ensure auto-ignition of the fuel charge. The air is squeezed during the compression stroke by the movement of the piston. This intense squeezing raises the temperature of the air above 800 degrees.­­

3. The Power Stroke:
As the piston reaches the top of the cylinder, during the combustion stroke, atomized fuel is injected. On contact with the very hot air, the ignited gases expand (or go “bang).

In a petrol engine, the spark plug fires, igniting the compressed fuel. As the fuel burns it expands, driving the piston downward.

4. The Exhaust Stroke:
Finally, the byproducts of combustion are expelled from the cylinder and combustion chamber. First, by the pressure differential between the bore and the exhaust port of the head (this is identified as blow down), and then by the movement of the piston upward. The waste gases exit the cylinder bore through the exhaust port in the cylinder head into the exhaust system.

In the four-stroke cycle, the following sequence of events is then continuously repeated when the engine is running.

Why Volkswagen Cheated with their Diesel Engine

The engine cheat code scandal happened because Volkswagen (VW) is one of the biggest champions of diesel engines. 'Clean diesel' engines was how it planned to achieve its objective of becoming the world's largest car maker. This demanded a huge growth in North America, a market with strict rules regarding engine power, emissions standards, and fuel economy. But VW's engineers could not meet the twin goals of delivering both, a good fuel economy & low emissions and so they cheated.

What they did.

Most cars today including VW's cars have engines controlled by computer chips for optimum performance. VW added some software code so that the controllers of their 2.0-liter turbo diesel engines would recognise the protocols of the EPA's FTP-75 test. The controllers would then recalibrate the engine to reduce oxides of oxygen when undergoing testing thus ensuring that the engine was US EPA Tier 2 compliant. The controllers would revert the engine to its normal working parameters when it sensed the car was back on-road.

The EPA’s Tier 2 Test set extremely tough requirements, cutting allowable oxides of nitrogen by 83% over Tier 1 regulations. VW could have used Selective catalytic reduction (SCR), which involves spritzing small amounts of urea and water into the exhaust stream to facilitate the breakdown of NOx into nitrogen and carbon dioxide. But that meant reengineering cars like the Jetta & Golf popular in the US. So with the Tier 2 deadline looming in 2007, VW was faced with the prospect of spending millions on an aging product in the American market where just 0.2 percent cars were diesels.

So in 2009, out comes a totally compliant Jetta TDI model. It took care of emissions with an underfloor NOx trap, in which NOx is captured, then converted to nitrogen and carbon dioxide via occasional spurts of diesel fuel. It didn’t work quite as well as SCR, but it was a lot easier and cheaper to retrofit.  The advertised city and highway figures of 30 and 41–42 mpg (depending on the transmission) showed the engine to be very fuel-efficient. Its just that the engine was programmed to squirt less fuel into the exhaust when the car was on the road, allowing more NOx out of the tailpipe and raising mileage.

Tough NOx standards with Euro 6 regulations would come into effect in Europe (the market that VW dominates and has 55% diesel passenger cars) only in 2014.  VW engineers must have thought that they would go with the cheat code only until 2014, by which time better NOx-reducing technology would be incorporated through normal platform updating. Why VW would continue to include the cheat code in engines built in 2014 and later is the billion dollar question.

Its Tiago. Tata Tiago.

Following the outbreak of the ‘Zika’ virus, Tata has rechristened the Zica to ‘Tiago’. This follows post the online contest run by the company where the public could submit their choice of name for the small hatchback. The contest threw up three names – Civet, Adore and Tiago, of which Tiago came up trumps.

The model will be positioned between the Bolt and Nano, replacing the Indica eV2, This is Tata's way of fighting back in a segment dominated by Maruti and Hyundai with the Celerio and i10, respectively. Highlights of the upcoming car include a pair of all-new three-cylinder engines – petrol and diesel, as well as a strong suite of features. This hatchback is expected in the coming months with its compact sedan sibling expected in the second half of 2016.