We Recently covered a technology article on – VVT , VVTi And VVTLi In Plain English, continuing on one of the application of the same, this article will give some practical side of it.

Do you ever wonder how superb powerful cars like BMW gives such a wonderful power and performance without compromising the fuel efficiency ?

The answer is VANOS:

VANOS stands for "variable Nockenwellensteuerung", which means automobile variable valve timing. The technology was invented by BMW and first introduced in 1992 & entered in production in 1997.

The Double-VANOS continuously adjust the intake & exhaust manifold,  camshaft for better performance at Low & High speed. This leads to higher torque at low speed and higher fuel economy at high speed.

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For all those people who love Hyundai, another news is down the line about the transformed Hyundai Verna with a sporty new look , will very soon hit the Indian market. The transformed Verna is technically far more advanced than its previous version, and apart from this heavy exterior updates and a few minor interior upgrades is what this car has received. Currently the car has been launched  for the Korean market but it might reach the Indian market soon too.

What is New In New Hyundai Verna 2010?

The newer Hyundai Verna has better details with a strong line along the sides and new tires. The air intake on the front is quite exaggerated and wide open with a brand new grill design with two bars without any chrome finish which could be easily differentiated from the rest of the Hyundai models. The car has got much better and sportier front bumpers with redesigned fog lights and tail lights and redesigned rear bumpers giving the car an overall sporty look  resembling to a street racing car.

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Fuel Injection, Delta Frames, Disc Brakes, Digital gizmos are the desires that every young man wants to be an integral part of his life. So far no Indian company has evolved with their bikes, but TVS seems to be taking much interest in different technological stuff and even Bajaj is there with TVS. TVS already has one of the finest motorcycles in India in the form of TVS Apache RTR 180 which is not only one of the fastest in production but also upholds the tag of being the best stopper among all the machines produced in its segment  in India.

And apart from the gorgeous features that this bike offers TVS has taken up the concept of installing this bike with an ABS pretty seriously. The new Apache RTR180 with ABS was showcased in the 2010 Auto Expo. With a majority of Indian consumers still sticking with the conventional 100cc economical bikes TVS would take some time firming their feet in the auto sector with this new marvel.

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In continuation to our Automobile Technology Articles, this article talks about VVT, VVTi and VVTLi in simple English. We have heard a lot about the term VVT, VVTi and VVTLi, but not many of us really understand what it really mean? In this article, I will not try to go into depths of technology, but I will try to focus on telling you what it is and how its beneficial.

What is VVT – Variable Valve Timing ?

Variable Valve Timing often abbreviated as VVT is a term used in Diesel, Gasoline and CNG Engines to define the timing for which valves are opened. The lift, duration or timing of the intake and the exhaust valves is controlled by this VVT system , in numerous combinations while the engine is operating. In two stroke engines, to get the same form of result a Power Valve system is used.

In normal non-VVT or non-VVTi engines, the valve timings are controlled by a set of cam shafts and belts mechanism. This mechanism will open and close the valves at a particular angle of crankshaft position and will close at a particular angle. In short, this system has no flexibility to change the angle. You can also say that its a hard-coded logic where the valves open at particular angle and close at particular angle at all engine speeds and load conditions. The disadvantage of this lack of flexibility is that engine does not perform at its best at all the engine speeds as optimum valve timings vary with engine speed and engine load.

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In an effort to make the very popular TVS scooty brand to the next level TVS Motor Company has launched the all new, stylish and futuristic scooty Streak at Hosur in Tamil Nadu. The intention for this leading brand was not to lead in terms of sales only but also the first one to inspire innovation. Company has claimed that the Scooty Streak will be a complete blend of performance, style, comfort and convenience and will charm the young girls for whom its been designed specifically.

TVS Hybrid Scooty Specifications

TVS Scooty Streak comes with a smart and sleek unisex styling. The sharp head lamps, LED tail-lamps and contemporary styling takes the Scooty Streak into a different league making it the most stylish scooter for young girls. The LiTech engine makes the Scooty Streak light, zippy and the most fuel efficient bike in its class.The easy center stand allows one to put the bike on the stand almost effortlessly. The bike is fitted with a mobile charger and a lockable front glove box to store handy items.

The Li-tech petrol engine worth a displacement of 87.7cc incorporates an electric motor with it getting all its power through a lead acid battery, which makes it capable of running on petrol or electricity or on a combination of both petrol and electricity. To use the energy provided by the engine more efficiently the hybrid system charges the battery when brakes are applied and this saved energy could be used later when required. Another impressive thing is the vehicle conserves energy when it is not in motion, like on the traffic signals when the vehicle is stationary. TVS even claims to have achieved a phenomenal 30% reduction in CO2 emissions, 25% reduction in HC + NOx emissions with a 30% increase in the fuel economy. Such a vehicle is expected to ensure lower fuel consumption with lesser emissions while maintaining the desired performance.

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Auto Expo 2010 witnessed a lot of launches from Indian major car brands and one of the launch belongs to the Mahindra & Mahindra where they presented their small pick up truck the Maxximo.  Recently Mahindra also launched a 0.5 Tonne mini truck named Mahindra Gio which is slightly smaller than the Maxximo but the fact remains that currently its the Tata Ace which is ruling the market and the Gio as compared the Ace has been found to be very ugly indeed.

But does looks matter? Well when it comes to the truck segment it doesn’t but the price does, and so does the Fuel efficiency ,lower maintenance and the finance schemes. And we hope if Mahindra is asked to stand on all these factors it will be up to everybody’s expectations.

Rajesh Jejurikar, chief of operations – auto sector, M&M said, "The Maxximo offers unbeatable value proposition at an attractive price. It is also available with free maintenance for one year per 40,000 km – a first for the segment."

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