Safety First

Bangalore is known for IT. I do not know why those businessmen back then chose this city, but that trend has followed since and now the place is full of them. Besides Google, MS, Yahoo! and the usual Infy, CTS, TCS and the like, there are other smaller companies that emerge from here. And the most interesting part is that a lot of these small start-ups would be initiated by an ex-employee of the big guns. So this is just how I visualise the environment in an IT firm. They make sure the employees have the right atmosphere to work, in every way. Else the people take a print of their resume, go to the adjacent IT Park, meet the HR, get a higher salary package fixed and confirm the switch. There was one thing that caught my eye when I went to one of the companies. The place was very neat. Im mean, very. There was a guy sweeping the floor. The only safety board I encountered in that building was in front of that wet floor where the sweepers did their work saying “WET FLOOR. CAUTION WHILE WALKING”. I agree that it is a nice thought to have placed that board. But having placed that there, one would expect them to have kept it at places where it is expected to be too.  This is my only visit to an ‘IT’ company. And to be honest, it was good. Forget the Safety board. AC room, individual cabin, personal computer/laptop, cafeteria, food court, the struggle to find guys amidst all the ladies who seem to be everywhere, flexible work timings, a chunk of scheduled holidays, plus unofficial holidays.. Oh Im sorry..  I meant “work from home”. How stupid of me to have misinterpreted that. And a big fat salary to match all that. How can you get bored of this life????? Ya ya I know what you’re thinking. “But we have so much work, they take every bit of soul from us to get the work done, blah blah”. If you still can’t stop cribbing, well, welcome to the world of core engineering my dear IT boys. Now think again. Wanna switch places or do you mind living your life happily ever after?? 

Safety First

It’s not until this new millennium that people really considered safety as a necessity rather than an extra that we get when buying a product. And probably the first name that comes to mind when asked to relate cars and safety will be Volvo. I do not know if there is an award for the safest car to drive. If there was one, I bet the judging panel would be scratching their heads over this one. The MC would stop at “And the nominees are……………….”

• Volvo S60
• Volvo S80
• Volvo XC 60
• Volvo XC 90

If you’re someone living in a metro, what is going through your mind now will be the sight of those big red/orange/green buses that the local Govt hired to provide a comfortable and tireless journey (read maintenance-free and higher tax). If you happen to be from the Tier II cities, then you’d be imagining a long AC buses with the name and logo of that private travel splashed on the front and side. And if you’re from neither of these places, then the chances of you having herd of a company beyond a ‘Benz’ is highly unlikely. Sorry folks, but you’re missing out on what is pretty much the most under-valued auto-brand in India. It’s got the potential to be one of the best with its new engine, seductive styling and packed performance; all at a price that could well shame the local auto makers. So why am I saying all this now? Because Volvo recently announced that they will be selling their range of vehicles at a reduced price with the entry level vehicle S60 at 23 lakh. Now when you argue that there are other cars at slightly lesser price with better dealership too, I will be thinking about Sonata, Superb, Passat, Accord and Camry. These are the major players in the segment. Well that is the difference. This ain’t the segment I’m talking about. Im talking about the actual luxury segment. Well logically speaking the better choice is to get the best value for money vehicle, irrespective of the ‘segment’. But that is where the off-paper factors come in. Besides the flooded luxury and overflowing safety equipments that come in when you have a Volvo tag on the front grille, what is also attached is the feeling of belonging to that elite group of Indians that own a proper ‘luxury’ car. And that, not many statisticians would be able to differentiate and fit that into their mathematics.


"Cars are driven by people. The guiding principle behind everything we make at Volvo, therefore, is and must remain, safety", Co-founder of Volvo.


So what is all this hype about Volvos and safety. I mean it has got to be exaggerated. Ummmm.... No! For a start, what is the first safety feature that we recognise in a vehicle? A seat belt. A Volvo engineer invented and patented the modern say 3 point Safety Belt. The Volvos then introduced the first 3 point seat belt for the middle of the rear seat and a child safety cushion integrated in the middle armrest. In 1991, it introduced Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) which channeled the force of a side impact away from the doors and into the safety cage. To add to the SIPS, Volvo was the first to introduce side airbags and successfully install them as standard equipment needed in all models. In 1998, Volvo developed and was the first to install a head protecting airbag. Apparently the side head protecting curtain airbags can reduce the risk of death in a side impact by upto 40% and brain injury upto 55%. Impressive stuff i guess...!! Volvo also introduced its Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), a safety device to prevent injury to front seat users during collisions. in 2004, they developed BLIS system, which detects the vehicles entering the Volvo's blind spot with a side view mirror mounted sensor, and alerts a driver with a light. That year also saw Volvos sold in all markets equipped with side-marker lights and daytime running lights. In 2006, Volvo's Personal Car Communicator (PCC) remote control has been launched as an optional feature with all Volvo S80. Before the driver enters their car, he can review the security level and know whether they have set the alarm and if the car is locked. Additionally, a heartbeat sensor warns if someone is hiding inside the car.


And that's about it as for the Volvo's safety features. That's a lot of stuff they've done.. Wait!!!! There's even more...

Simple n Sensible

Volvo's Collision Warning with Auto Brake feature - It issues visual and audible warnings, begins to apply the brakes, and increases brake hydraulic pressure when sensing a likely collision with another vehicle. But Volvo is developing the technology one step further by detecting people with wide-angle radar technology that allows the vehicle to "see" people.


Volvo's Lane Departure Warning system - delivers an audible warning when the vehicle moves across lane markers without using turn indicators. In future applications. Volvo would like to integrate collision avoidance by Auto Steering - a feature that uses camera and radar to self-navigate a vehicle back into its original lane if it wanders into the path of oncoming traffic.

Proud to be a pedestrian?? This one's for you

While we most often think of the safety of a car's internal occupants, it's important to remember than a two-ton weapon of mass destruction moving at highway speeds is also extremely dangerous to pedestrians outside the car. In addition to a new Pedestrian Detection system, Volvo has introduced the world's first external airbag. Located at the base of the windshield, the airbag deploys from a cavity that expands upward from the rear of the car's hood in the event of a collision with a pedestrian.

“It’s better to be Mr.Late than Late Mr.” – That’s just a traffic police message that I happened to see near my place. Besides the lighter side, it makes sense too, dusnt it? But then there are unavoidable situations every time when even the most cautious of drivers gives a day off to patience and crosses the line. And what Volvo has done here is to make sure that if anything were to go out of hand, not just the passengers inside the vehicle but also the unfortunate soul who happen to be crossing the road at the wrong time, things would be much better than it could have been a decade ago. And for that, Volvo has to take home the credit for raising the bar and making sure its rivals also keep up. And to be honest, when it comes to saving lives, we wouldn’t mind a good competition as to who does it the best. Well Done Volvo!!

Heart says Yeah.. Mind says Hell Yeah..!! 

Well this is what it is if you’re a cricket fanatic. Consider you being the owner of a franchisee in IPL. You’re sitting at the auction for buying and setting up your team for the next season. You have room to fit in one more foreign player. You can prefer having to spend a little extra to get a Big Bang Chris Gayle or an express fast Dale Steyn. Or you can be a little smart. Pay a little lesser and get hold of the big Jacques Kallis. He may not be the fastest bowler on earth. He may not have a SR of 160 as some of the T20 specialists. But he has the right mix of all that’s needed to make him, in my opinion, the best all-rounder in world cricket.  That pretty much is the case here. The S60 still lacks the poise of the C-class, the dynamics of a 3-series or the sheer quality of an A4 - but it does offer a unique set of strengths – Luxury, safety, performance and a price tag that would make any manufacturer awe. This is the one - a convincing alternative to its more established German rivals. Finally.. But my heart says even this one will go down as one of those that always had but never did. Sad but admittedly 
true. 


For those Passat, Superb and the like aspirants, you really need to be sick not to have a look at this. Yes, Volvo's service network in India aint that great. But only if people buy their vehicle, will they setup any. And.... for those Bimmer, Audi takers, you've some decision making to be done. Go for prestige and invest the proven choice of style and pride. Or be a little smart and challenge the system.. Let the world know there is a new kid in town.

Losing the Battle; Winning the War...

I happen to ask couple of my friends about what comes to their mind when they think of Germany. Two of them said German Football, Ballack and Bundes Liga while one of them about German being a hard language to grasp and learn. The closest positive response I got was from a super-nerd classmate of mine. He suggested that Germany is the country that built the Autobahn; it’s the fastest motorway, so many lanes and thereafter continued on and on. Yes I agree, India is primarily an Asian car dominated market. Maruti, Hyundai and Tata claim 80% of the market. But cars to Germany are like cricket to India. And I was surprised not many people knew that Germany is home to the biggest car makers of them all.

For a petrol head, there are only three countries which concern them. Germany, Italy, USA. Yeah, that’s right. USA does get a place in that list. The reason being the US population themselves, for whom muscle seems to be the symbol of power and status. Yes, muscle cars happen to be a prominent category in the US, in fact analogous to luxury or sport cars in other parts of the world. And that’s exactly the reason why the US has built the best muscle cars in the world - something like saying Toyota makes the best engineered vehicles for the most efficient people. Ford Mustang - the Adam and Eve of muscle cars, Chevrolet Camaro - much more than the Bumble Bee cutiepie image, Dodge Challenger – muscle pedigree in its skin, Chevrolet Corvette – supercar symbol in the USA.

Italy, besides designer names and trend setting fashion statements, is also the home to multiple iconic car manufacturers. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Maserati, the upcoming Pagani and so on. The cars from Italy tend to live to the name of being a driver’s car. The passion for driving and the feeling of you being part of the car, rather than prioritising the luxury and techo aspects, has always been an Italian trademark.

Then there is Germany. The land where cars were born (quite literally) and is now home to the biggest names in the Auto industry. From VW, to the lux trio of Merc, BMW and Audi to the ever usable Porsche, the list goes on. And as mentioned, the Autobahn serves as battle ground for these biggies either to test their latest or to keep track of what the competitors are upto, cos in Germany that motorway comes above the president. Let’s zoom in on the big three of the German Auto industry. Mercedes Benz, Bavarian Motor Works (BMW) and Audi. Think of luxury and the names of cars that first pop up will be one of the above, unless you’ve seriously thought about the Jags or a VW Phaeton. If you’re thinking about a Bentley or a Rolls, nice meeting you, please click on the top right corner X button to continue.

Clash of the Titans... Or is it?????

So, for men like us who cannot afford a Rolls, let’s open up the options to the sub-rolls category. OK. What is the point of buying a car like that? It’s pretty much only larger in size, has a cosy seat and an engine more in power. A sub-10 lakh sedan would perform the same with reduced maintenance. Well, let me take you back, say 853 years. There would have been a Mughal ruler Jaganshid Khan and a poor peasant Jugalbog Singh. While the peasant would have walked to the farm, the king would ride on his artic white horse that has a ruby-studded cling cling add-ons on its nose. The peasant would have plain rice while the Mughal dude, rice and sabji with freshly made curd and a paan to finish it off. While the poor farmer wears just enough to hardly cover the skin, his holy highness would have a dress made from the finest of cotton, with stones and gems attached. Think of it. Whyyy?? If he could rule one of the largest empires in the world, how can he be so senseless. When you're a King, Live like one!

I bet this was what had gone through the minds of the BOD, Mercedes Benz, when they decided they’re gonna cash in on luxury cars. Make cars that might be on the higher end of the budget of an average customer wanting a vehicle to transport him from A to B. But make sure it has goodies that will turn on a certain section of the billion-numbered nation. That idea struck cords with the above average population and hence luxury cars were born in India. Merc being the first to invest in this idea took the lead, or should I say it remained a Numero Uno when it began operations in India in 1994. For a decade, it was the only player to have a say in this growing segment. People started liking the prospect of a luxury car. Knowing very well that, owning a Merc was like a status symbol, a sign of wealth and authority over the comrades around. The recent growth in the luxury car market in India is much more than mere market dynamics in a particular car segment. It is a reflection of the changing lifestyle of the affluent class in the country. In India, the luxury car segment has been growing at an average rate of 20% or above during recent years; it seems to be least affected by the global financial crisis. During worst recession period when world was facing low market demand trends, Indian luxury car segment grew at 23% despite a 0.5% decline in passenger car sales.

The Number Games 

Now there have been talks about how BMW has overtaken Merc in the luxury car race and Audi having 80% growth in India last year and is closing in on Mercs tail. I agree, the BMW is the driver’s car, the best in class steering and a drive feel that a Merc may not match upto. Audi’s generous techno gadgets and its youthful engine may be a master recipe to rope in the young guns. Merc engines on the other hand might not give you a stampede-in-your-chest feel in a drag race either. That’s the point isn’t it. For a country that has more than 150000 millionares, tell me how many of those would actually spend the time driving these high end saloons. It is a sad but true fact that this end of the market is primarily chauffer driven. That’s something which I wouldn’t prefer but then the sight of a company director stepping out from the rear doors pulled open by the driver in white uniform has unmistakably set in. You sign the cheque and the chauffer gets to have all fun at the wheel. That would be tragic. The fact remains that the three point star still stays true to its objective of providing ample space and comfort with the luxury that a millionaire deserves. When people buy a car spending this grand an amount, the company ought to spend generously for its proud owner. Not that the engine lacks power in comparison to the competition; it has pretty much enough, if not more. Just that it delivers all that power in a way that makes you feel easing. The engine noise does not enter the cabin to ruin the ambience either. The old SLK convertible had a flap on top of the wind screen in the driver’s cabin. When the head of another Auto company had come to investigate the Merc, he asked the sales man what the purpose of that electronic flap was. He explained when the roof goes down and the passengers want to get the open feel of a cabriolet, yet not disturb their well combed hair, press the button to open up the flap which will divert the air flowing over the wind screen, away from your hair. Although the majority wouldn’t use this feature every day, there will be instances when you’ll need them. The Boss was so impressed by the attention to details that he gave an order for one without even a phone call.

Safety First - SLS style

And of course, safety. If you have the cash to buy a car in this segment, it’s highly unlikely that you are not a big name in your company. Even if you might not, your boss and colleagues are interested in you being around for a longer while. Safety is another critical chapter to define a car in this class. And the benchmark was set long back by this same auto giant. The racing fans would have noticed, when the motorsport’s purest form, F1, decided in 1996 that Mercedes will be the car used as the official Safety car, it speaks a lot. If it was the CLS earlier, it’s the SLS now that leads the pack of mighty beasts behind it.

Now the question from my counterpart is what if Im rich, Im still young, I love luxurious cars but at the same time want to have mad fun in the driving seat. I doubt if an Audi or Bimmer can give you all of that in one package. Yet Merc answers those demands with little help from a good old friend of its. They call it the AMG. Holy Mother of Christ!! For those ambitious ones out there, get a load of this. So much for your ‘uncle’s car’. Yes, it comes at a price. But you were the one with all the demands!!

Operation Desperado

Its a fact that films that are a brand itself would try negotiating with companies and say that the actor would use only their cars in the movie an stuff. Mission Impossible did that with BMW. It was a sad sight that they did not have a supercar status vehicle to offer for Tom. And so they had to cover it up with a concept car. I mean c’mon. The damn thing does not even exist now. But then a lot of things in MI 4 is fictional. So….

There never was a race. Statisticians wanted to avoid unemployment, hence the number games to brainwash those innocent deep pocketed bosses. Think of the wish list that’s available in India alone.

C-Class             CL-Class            CLS-Class             E-Class Saloon, Coupe, Cabriolet            GL-Class              M-Class             R-Class              S-Class                 SL-Class            SLK-Class              Maybach        G 55                  SLS AMG

Based on the purpose, driver, bling factor, ruggedness, luxury or adrenaline, you can get your orders in the form of any one or more of the above cosy mobile lounges. Who wants to talk about the vehicles in the BMW and Audi stable now. Wake up people. For a company that build the first Automobile, you really think Mercedes Benz is bothered about sustainability issues??