The Great Driving Challenge

Interstate Road trips can be a Luxury, howsoever the roads

02:00 PM

29 July 2009

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Now it explains better, why I Investibellied the CEDIA?

Posted By tirthankar

First Day First Show and here I was taking underbody snaps of the Cedia. Yeah, most might wonder is he a freak or what?

And then after the TOP12 - Posts after Posts of Gyaan on DRIVOBLOG® Mission, Vision, Passion and all other words that don’t rhyme well so not spelled here.

First Day First Show and here I was taking underbody snaps of the Cedia. Yeah, most might wonder is he a freak or what?

And then after the TOP12 - Posts after Posts of Gyaan on DRIVOBLOG® Mission, Vision, Passion and all other words that don’t rhyme well so not spelled here.

Here is how it connects!

But the Cedia Sports had not yet arrived. But ....why so serious?

The Cedia Saloon was there - A Milk White one and I investigated it thoroughly.

Test drive not allowed.. why so serious, there is a lot to investigate… especially the underbelly.

Simulating in my mind how the 2 litre piston thruster would perform.

The engine guard, that is what will save us from any untoward belly crashing if we ever get to drive in the GDC.

After those discussions about Horrible Indian Roads and Surprises, these Underbody photos truly instill confidence to the driver who takes ‘the journey’.

01:58 PM

29 July 2009

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DRIVOBLOG® | Cedia TD Videos

Posted By tirthankar

Statutory Warning: Driving maneuvers appearing in the featured videos has been performed by an experienced person, with careful planning and consideration of the generic risks and their consequences prevalent at that particular time, necessary for evaluation of performance of a vehicle. The author in no terms or situations whatsoever encourages practices which might put into danger people or property.

Aquaslicing (click on HQ Option)

The Wet ABS Test (click on HQ Option)

And what the ABS does to the braking performance - I will just say that when you aim and press the brake-pedal. It will stomp where you want it to, just as you see in a Grand prix bonnetcam or just as you see in a video game.

From cedia

Braving Rainspikes (click on HQ Option)

From cedia

01:38 PM

29 July 2009

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DRIVOBLOG® | Aeroslicing with a Torqueskate

Posted By tirthankar

You must be thinking, how could I miss the TD? Well Here it is.

It was a rainy midafternoon on July 15, 2009 and I received a Cedia from Shah Automobiles at Kolkata, for a pre-intimated test drive.

Preferred the Demo Car.

I am not an automag journo, nor a rally driver.

Just a couple of days back I expressed my perceptions on the vehicle to a friend of mine, stating - “I have studied the tech-specs of the Cedia and can very well simulate the way the vehicle will handle during ‘spirited driving’ especially with the rear disc brakes and awesome torque.” And just as always, my expectations came true.

The torque curve of the Cedia is so flat that the car runs unhesitatingly in 4th gear at sub-1000 rpm doing sub 20 kmph crawls.

n fact it can do a smooth run from 20kmph to all the way upto 120 kmph in 5th gear.

The NVH is of a true Luxury Cruise (I am an absolute snob when it comes to assessing NVH and I mean strict Opel Astra benchmark, as I have owned one). The Road Noise was absolutely minimal.

The sports addons are true badges for what this torqueskate is capable of. And the fit and finish is so taut you will never be able to sense body rattles, cause there aren’t any.

The handling is just so good that it did not scare even as I was doing ‘point & shoot’ manoeuvres, threading through traffic.

I had always been seeing the Cedia being used by a particular class of people - as just another Luxury Mid-Segment Sedan, but this test-drive was an eye-opener.

In the end instead of summing up points after points, I will just say: Devour it to BELIEVE all this

01:09 PM

29 July 2009

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DRIVOBHARAT

Posted By tirthankar

DRIVOBLOG® also intends to explore and capture the rural and urban transformation that India is undergoing and understand the macro & micro consequences it has had on local people and economy. The Pictures in DRIVOBLOG® endeavors to depict - aspects of the in-car experience, marvel of existing Infrastructure and of course the imperfections and incompletenesses.

Indian Roads will remain unpredictable as long as we are living. They are broken, washed-off, water-logged, pot-holed, unfinished and even absent! Swerving cattle, dogs, jaywalkers and erring motorists are as much a challenge as avoiding crashing on to un-illuminated medians or doing a belly smash over unpainted speed breakers. India-worthy Vehicles, whether Hatchbacks, Sedans or SUVS, need not only to be able to hobble on such surfaces but also be able to endure hours of congestion idling and cruise safely on expressways at the same time.

It’s a dual irony. As much as the ‘Authorities’ ignores road infrastructure and takes us commuters for granted, so do we take poor roads for granted and cannot influence them. We may be ‘communicative’ but really don’t have much a role to play as there are very ‘less’ of us to ‘make a point’ strong enough to the ‘Authorities’.

It can take more or less INR 10 Million to build a kilometer of 2 lane – Dual Carriageway Road and the dilemma is that our economy just does not have the potency to do enough budgetary allocation for those things at the Federal & State Levels.

Yes, NHAI has truly transformed Indian Roadscapes, but developments are half-baked due to either un-preparedness, overwhelming administration or governance failure, whatever you may call it. The realization is - India is still underdeveloped (and will remain so throughout our lifetimes, going by what pace we trod on).

And contrary to popular belief that “Driving on Indian Highways is risky”, one should observe vehicles (private vehicles especially) on the highways. They are moving with family and what not. They drive in the darkest nights and the drivers are agile overtakers as they know the road stretches well.

True, their trips may be shorter, but as their drivers are mostly well experienced, they hence are able to take calculated risks. Just combine the capabilities of such random vehicles travelling at various coordinates along your route in your long haul trip, and you know what I mean.

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From : IIM Outdoor

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Beautiful drive from Nashik to Bombay, one of THE best roads we have driven on!

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Had fallen in love with Cedia. Now, it s time for detachment.

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Bright, blue sky.. Cotton candy clouds.. We head to Nasik

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Heavy rains in Konkan. Near zero visibility.

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Back to Maharashtra

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on the road again, heading from udaipur to baroda

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Rain welcomes us at Goa

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In pot-hole territory. Thank god we are on empty stomachs!

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Now on the fringes of Western Ghats

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Touched Kerala once more. At Bekal Fort

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Morning drive through misty Coorg

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Sent : 14th Aug 09 01:31:24 PM

just reached jaipur... Its super warm here

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Sent : 14th Aug 09 01:17:21 PM

300km from home! :) :) racing to indore!

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Still pouring, hoping its also raining in MP where the soyabean farmers are looking up hopefully at the sky

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2361 Shivpuri

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Pouring all the way from Agra into Jaipur

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On our way to Jaipur

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Blogging! The bed beckons..

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Just out after seeing the taj mahal!

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Madikkeri - Ghats, rains and pot-holed roads

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10km from Gwalior, pulled over by the police to be asked Kya yeh sports gaadi hai? ;D

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Had breakfast AND lunch today! Niiiice! :D

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Still on the road to Agra...

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Heading to Agra. Its going to be a long drive..

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On our way back to Mysore

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In Wayanad. Western Ghats Kerala episode

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Tan! Tandan!! .. Aaja aaja dilli chhodein! .. Delhi dropped from plans. We head straight to Agra!

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It s hot at the Hawa Mahal! :|

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In Varanasi, walking along the ghats and looking at the Ganga

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Through Nagarhole National Park

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Sent : 12th Aug 09 11:41:21 AM

At Akad Cars, the Mitsu showroom. Mr. Abhinav, the MD, is tellim us the best way around Jaipur.

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 12th Aug 09 09:13:27 AM

Good morning world! We are in Jaipur! Today s objective: getting Joe a pink shirt/kurta ;)

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In Varanasi, just got back to the room after the ganga aarti. Stunning.

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Swine flue alert in Hassan. We cancelled our stay and hit Mysore.

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On NH8, long day comin to an end.

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Dust storm outside, but IIM Outdoors is snugly cocooned in the Blackhawk :)

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30kms from Varanasi and its pouring..

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Leaving Jodhpur ... On our way to Ajmer.. Hoping to visit the dargah today .. Jodhpur was beautiful! *sigh*

From : TWaC

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Cedia Sports turns its SUV mode on. Climbs Kemmana Gundi peak.

From : One Foot Wild

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Superbly bad roads on route to Varanasi. Soaking in the last sights of Madhya Pradesh.

From : IIM Outdoor

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Just had a long conversation with Mr.Brijraj Singh - great-grandson of HRH Ratan Singh .. Visit to Mehrangarh Fort delayed

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Driving through coffee estates to Kemmana Gundi peak

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Bhadra dam & WLS. Touch & go.

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Just got up, not a single post been uploaded so far, gotta hurry.. ttyl :)

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Passing through the Panna Forest Reserve..stopped on a bridge..

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Heading from Khajuraho to Varanasi..

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Sitting at Raja Cafe having a European thali.. :)

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In Jodhpur old markets - SHOPPING!

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At Shimoga after a rainy day in rain forests

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Back at the hotel after seeing the absolutely stunning temples of Khajuraho.

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As the sun sets, we enter Jodhpur, today s travel - 396km, but not feeling blue at all :)

From : IIM Outdoor

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100 km away frm jodhpur, horrible truckyktraffic on the way. Had lunch for the second time in four days! :)

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 9th Aug 09 02:27:22 PM

Just had tea with Mr.Dhanraj Mallik, Rann veteran & advisor to the BBC. Right now, on our way to discover some salt pans, thts how we spend our Sunday! ;)

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 9th Aug 09 12:05:24 PM

On state highway 07. Namrata s driving while I m writing and Enrique s crooning.

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 8th Aug 09 07:30:34 PM

At the Vintage Villa of classic cars, droolin over the sports tourers. Got here after blastin the 88km NE1 Expressway in 42mins! Cedia, take a bow!

From : TWaC

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Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary A manmade forest spread over 84 sq km A haven for deers peacocks an many birds

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Ab hum bhi poore punjabi! ... Current track: Kangana .. For Gaurav from Chandigarh :)

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Just discovered d USB connector for the blackhawk s music sys... one of d best moments of d day! :D

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Reached our first destination Daman, it even has its own airport! :)

From : TWaC

Sent : 7th Aug 09 04:38:22 PM

We haven't heard the 'Suprabhatham' chant for many many years. While we were in Chennai and Kerala we used to hear that quite often. First day morning. And as we walk into this nice restaurant at Vashi for breakfast, the 'Suprabhatham' chant welcomes us. Perhaps a good omen on the first stop on first day.

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 7th Aug 09 04:19:19 PM

Just drove 21 km in our cedia, for the very first time! This vehicle is just so smooth!! :) 50 km from Daman. Joe s taken over coz we have to reach by 12

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Sent : 7th Aug 09 03:09:15 PM

Good morning! :) on our way frm thane to vapi. Jus done upma n rawa dosa at Kamat Vithals. Catch the pic on our flickr n twitter!

About us

Wedlocked since 3 long years, Mrs. Basu is an Ex-Kingfisher and I am a 'Dreamer' - of a DEVELOPED INDIA.

Our reasons to travel by road range from pure utilitarian to holidaying to just avoid carting around luggage on platforms and terminals. I suffer from 'Anti-Motion Sickness' which is a situation where one gets restless and lethargic, if not on the move (whether by Rail, Air, or Road).

Now it explains better, why I Investibellied the CEDIA?

DRIVOBLOG® | Cedia TD Videos

DRIVOBLOG® | Aeroslicing with a Torqueskate

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