The ES90 can have a top-up of 300 kilometres range in just 10 minutes at 350 kW fast charging stations.

Volvo has unveiled the all-electric ES90 sedan. The EV sibling of the S90 sedan will be a flagship model for the carmaker.

The ES90 is built on Volvo's SPA2 architecture and is the second car based on the Volvo Cars Superset tech stack after the EX90. The Superset tech stack consists of one single set of hardware and software modules and systems that will underpin all upcoming electric cars. Volvo’s new 800-volt technology makes its debut in the ES90, which helps with faster charging, better overall performance, and more efficiency. The result is a car that goes further and charges faster than any electric Volvo before. The ES90 can have a top-up of 300 kilometres range in just 10 minutes at 350 kW fast charging stations. Featuring a 106 kWh battery pack, it offers a range of up to 700 kilometres under the WLTP testing cycle.

The exterior design features the trademark Thor Hammer headlights and a closed front grille. There are C-shaped tail lamps along with LED lamps in the rear windshield. Because of its notchback design, it has a large tailgate that opens up to 424 litres of boot space. Folding down the rear seats individually increases the space to 733 litres. The ES90 also gets a 22-litre frunk. Volvo is offering seven exterior colours and alloy wheel options that vary from 20 to 22 inches in size. It has a wheelbase of 3,100m and a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.25.

On the interior, the ES90's 14.5-inch centre screen houses navigation, entertainment climate control and other features. There is also a 360-degree camera with a new 3D view. Other features include a 9-inch digital instrument cluster, four-zone climate control, a large panoramic sunroof with UV protection of up to 99.9 per cent, six colour ambient lighting themes etc. The 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins gets Dolby Atmos and has a special mode that replicates the sounds of London’s legendary Abbey Road Studios.

The ES90 has a new generation infotainment system with Google built-in, which includes services such as Google Maps, Google Assistant and more apps on Google Play. It is 5G capable and is powered by the Snapdragon® Cockpit Platform from Qualcomm Technologies.

In terms of safety, it gets an advanced array of sensors, including five radars, seven cameras, twelve ultrasonic sensors, and a lidar from Luminar Technologies.

The new Volvo ES90 is now available for order in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Other markets will be added later this year and into 2026. There is no news on an India launch yet, but considering the S90 has been on sale here for many years, the ES90 could find its way to Indian shores too.

If or when the Mach 4 sees the light of day, it will be the first production Mustang sedan ever

Ford recently applied to trademark the ‘Mach 4’ name. This development suggests that the rumoured 4-door Mustang sedan may be in the works. The application was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and states that its usage is for “motor vehicles, namely gasoline and electric automobiles, pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles and their structural parts.”

Last year, Ford reportedly unveiled and showcased a Mustang sedan at a closed dealer meet. Additionally, Ford CEO Jim Farley has said that as long as the variants “have all the performance and attitude of the original,” a Mustang can be any shape. Apart from last year, Ford showed a concept to dealers in 2018 as well. Rumours had come up again in 2020. With this latest update, it seems that things have finally started rolling.

If or when the Mach 4 sees the light of day, it will be the first production Mustang sedan ever, and the first sedan in Ford’s U.S model portfolio in years.

The ‘Mach’ moniker has been synonymous with the Mustang for decades, with the first high-performance Mach 1 coming in 1969. It has been a very sought-after car with collectors. The other vehicle to sport the Mach badge is the Mach-E electric SUV. 

It remains to be seen when Ford officially makes an announcement. Everything, including the design and powertrain options, remains a speculation for now.

Source: TheDrive.com

What I have realized personally is that I enjoy MT more than AT. I seriously wish there were pure old school MT sedans with those 2.0Liter engines.

BHPian sunilch recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Are there any Modern (2021 or later) Premium Sedans that offer MT gearbox?

I have always had used cars purely from a VFM perspective and over a period been able to drive/experience multiple makes/models with both MT and AT gearboxes.

What I have realized personally is that I enjoy MT more than AT. I have a 2.0 TDI Laura with DSG. Now, that DSG is wonderful and enjoyable when I am zipping in the City when I get the chance. But out on the highway or on some curves/twists, I miss the old school MT gearbox.

I also have a BR-V MT now and had 3rd Gen MT Honda City earlier. I somehow enjoy the BR-V/City more than the Laura when I am driving on an open Highway. Or when I am headed to Igatpuri, or Pune/Lonavala for Sunday rides.

In the past, we had premium cars with MT - Octavia, Laura, Jetta - all came with MT gearboxes. But today when I search, the only good options in the premium segments with MT are large SUVs/MUVs such as the Crysta, Fortuner, XUV700, Compass, Hector, etc.

I seriously wish there were pure old school MT sedans with those 2.0Liter engines. I don't have the budget or the inclination for the BMW M2 that recently came out with MT gearbox. I know we have the VW/Skoda twins (Slavia or Virtus) but I am looking for some options with higher capacity engines.

Is there anything that may help me in getting a good recent used sedan that has MT gearbox?

If nothing comes in, I might get forced to get the MUV/SUV as my next car. Not that those are bad, I would personally prefer to have a sedan and relegate the family duties to a workhorse such as BR-V or Ertiga. And I don't like those paddleshifters. I hardly ever used those on the Civic. Even on the Laura, I hardly use the manual mode since it doesn't require any leg work.

Here's what BHPian kadanaJ had to say in this matter:

There are barely any premium sedans left in the market, let alone having choice of gearbox.

The Corolla Altis, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra all disappeared by end 2020 or early 2021. The Skoda Octavia I believe stayed around till 2023. The Superb and the Camry are the only 2 premium sedan options left.

A used Corolla is possibly your best bet, as it had the option of the 1.8L petrol with a manual gearbox. The Civic 1.8L petrol came only with a CVT, and the diesel engine which had a manual was a terrible engine. The Elantra had a 2.0L petrol and 1.6L diesel with manual gearboxes. The Octavia IIRC had a 1.4L turbo-petrol manual and a 2.0L diesel with a manual gearbox.

Out of the above, keeping long term reliability and spare parts availability in mind, I would recommend the Corolla Altis. Avoid the Elantra as it was a massive sales flop and spare parts may be an issue.

These 2 (Slavia or Virtus) are your best options. Get the 1.5L turbo-petrol manual. It has as much power as the 2.0L NA engines of yesteryear.

Meanwhile, here's BHPian sharmanova reply:

Most of the D-segment sedans post 2010s had only the option of an AT gearbox. Some cars like the Honda Civic i-DTEC, Skoda Octavia TDi had the option of a manual gearbox along with the AT.

If you're looking for a 2021 or later MT sedan that option seems impossible! Maybe you need to compromise with Octavia/Superb DSG or downgrade to something like Slavia/Verna MT.

Happy Shopping!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The gen 1, type 2 Honda City had gained a cult following among the enthusiasts. It had a lot of mod potential and the design was timeless!

BHPian TheStalwart recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Prelude - Early 2000s
Back in the day, there was a little boy in primary school, who was very fascinated by cars. Popular sedans he had heard about or seen were Mitsubishi Lancer, Maruti Suzuki Esteem, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Opel Astra, Opel Corsa, Ford Ikon, Daewoo Cielo, Hyundai Accent to name a few. One of the classmates of the boy said his parents bought a new car. One day, after school, when the boy stepped out of the school gate, there was a dark green sedan standing right there, shining in all its glory. It was the same car that the boy’s classmate had been talking about. The name was “Honda City”. It was such a beautiful car and had caught the boy’s attention. It was way above the boy’s league to even sit in one. But, the seed of desire had certainly been sowed deep into the boy’s heart.
That little boy in the above context is yours truly!

This was the colour of the car I had seen back then. Not sure what the colour was officially called.

I managed to find a link to brochure of the Gen 1 Honda City, courtesy of BHPian @mukeshgoel.

Fast forward to a couple of decades…

Mid 2024
The gen 1, type 2 Honda City had gained a cult following among the enthusiasts. It had a lot of mod potential and the design was timeless! I had heard a lot of good things about its engine too - the famous 1.5 VTEC. Every time I came across a gen 1 Honda City, I’d drool over it. There were a lot of conflicting thoughts running in my head - whether to look out for one or not. I’d try hard to suppress these thoughts but they’d surface again, each time more intense than the previous. We already had 2 cars at home - Hyundai Venue for all the long runs and my beloved Maruti 800 for all the city runs. There was no dire need to get another one, that too something that will definitely be a little over two decades old. With each month passing by, it felt like the time was running out. The breaking point was almost approaching. I silently started looking at classifieds to see if I can lay my hands on one. It was the same thing everywhere - either not well maintained, or too costly.

Enter 2025
I had seen too many videos and shorts about the City, hunted through a lot of classifieds that I constantly kept thinking about the gen 1 City. I would frequently remember the City which I first saw in my school days.
Then all of a sudden, it just snapped. The battle between the mind and the heart ended, with the heart finally winning. I decided to get serious with my efforts. I was sure that I wanted to experience the thrill of driving a City. The asks were simple, find a good car at a reasonable price, drive it for a couple of years and pass it on. I put forward this thought to my family. Convincing my parents was easy. Took some courage to get a go ahead from my in-laws. And boy, it took a lot of effort to convince my better half. Everyone had valid questions - “Why another car when we already have two?”, “Where will you park it?”, “Why are you behind such old cars when you have a newer one?”, “Do you know how expensive it will be to maintain such an old car?”, “Will you even find parts for it?”. To be frank, I did not have answers to most of them, and maybe I still do not. But I felt like it is now or never. With time, it will only get harder to find such beautiful cars. You can always buy a new car. But once gems like these vanish, all that would remain is regret. I did not want to fall in that bracket and started the hunt, full-fledged.
There was a garage near my home, which had a gen 1 City collecting dust. I had a constant urge to ask them about its background, and if it was for sale.
While researching, I found out that the City actually had 3 different engines - 1.3 EXI, 1.5 EXI and 1.5 VTEC. All the madness was mostly about the 1.5 VTEC, and I too wanted only a VTEC. Though it may sound creepy, I looked up the number in Vaahan portal and found out a few details about the car. It was a 1.3 EXI engine and the papers were not up to date, which meant staying away from this car is the most sensible thing to do.
There are some beautiful posts within this forum. Going through each of them imparted so much knowledge about the City.
This is one of my favourite posts about the City VTEC, by BHPian @Shreyfiesta. Truly a tribute to the legend.
Just as I was reading through various posts, I came across this post by BHPian @ByDesign. This was one of the posts that gave so many details about the 1.5 EXI, without VTEC. Little did I know how much this post would contribute to my decision. And, there’s another reason why I’ll remember this post fondly (you’ll know soon).
Since it was more of a “want” than “need” I decided to keep my search flexible. 1.5 EXI with or without VTEC. The difference in power and torque figures between the two variants was 6bhp and 4Nm. But the major difference was “VTEC KICKED IN YO!” after 5000 rpm.

6th January 2025
I called our trusted mechanic in Mysuru to see if there is any gen 1 Honda City for sale. To my surprise, he said there might be one. He asked me to give him some time to get the details. Though I was excited, I brushed it off and didn’t put much thought into it. Like, it was too good to be true. Not even in my dreams would I think a gen 1 Honda City is just a call away. For someone like me, getting my hands on one of these beauties needs a lot of hunting.

8th January 2025
Got a call from the mechanic. He told me the vehicle is indeed a gen 1 Honda City, which is in a really good condition. He gave me a little overview of the car. The owner was an elderly man, who wanted to buy a Tata Punch and was looking to exchange the Honda City at the Tata showroom. He was the third owner of the car and it had been with him for 10 years, clocking 2.3L kms in total. At first, I was skeptical about the car’s condition. Anything above 70k kms is a strict no for me. 2.3L kms was more than thrice of it. The main purpose of the car was to run between Bengaluru to Mysuru on a regular basis, which is why the high mileage. I had nothing to lose, so I decided to take a look at the car. I had a few other commitments due to which I told the mechanic that I would be able to visit him on 17th January 2025 and take a test drive. I asked him to send a few pictures of the car. Here’s what he sent me.

Remember the post I mentioned about 1.5 EXI earlier? Both the cars are Mint Opal Green!
The car looked to be in good shape. It did show a few signs of aging but I was not worried about the body. I just wanted a healthy engine and transmission. I asked my father-in-law to check the car out, whenever he found time, to which he agreed.

10th January 2025
My father-in-law visited the garage to check out the City. He took it for a quick spin and was in praises for the smoothness of the engine and the gear shifts. He told me the car was very well maintained and the engine had no problems. In fact, he said the engine was so smooth that you couldn’t even hear it when the windows are rolled up. He confirmed that the car was mechanically fit. I was elated to hear his unbiased opinion. I just had to visit the garage once, take it for a test drive and finalize my decision.
There was a small catch though. The owner of the car wanted to finalize the deal within a day or two. He couldn’t wait until 17th January since he had to arrange funds for his new car. The mechanic asked me if I could drop by and make a decision. I wasn’t sure about what to do. Looking at my excitement and knowing that it is difficult to find a well maintained City, my wife asked me to make a quick run to Mysuru and test drive the car. Based on that, I could decide if I wanted to proceed with this deal or not, without having to keep the owner waiting.
My father and I went to Mysuru, picked my in-laws and visited the garage. My heart was pounding. As dramatic as it can get. The car had gone for a quick wash. As I was waiting outside, I noticed a light bluish-green Honda City passing by on the other side of the road. It stood out from the rest of the cars around. It went towards the end of the road and took a U-turn. That’s when I realized it was the same car that I had come to see! It pulled over right in front of me and before I knew, I had its keys in my hand. Once I sat in, I took a moment to grasp everything that was going on. A couple of hours before, I’d be laughing if someone said I’d be sitting in a Honda City that very evening!

First impressions
I used to wonder why people explicitly said the car was too low and it is quite a task to get into it. I have a Maruti 800 and thought what could be lower in height than that. But I was so wrong. The City is very low slung. It really does take some effort to get into it.
The interiors were mostly clean with new seat covers, and a leather cover around the steering wheel. There were a few age related stains on the carpet liners, steering wheel, door panels and dashboard but nothing too bad. A good interior detailing should be enough to get rid of those stains. The AC vents were either broken or missing, the wooden trim around the AC controls had a small crack, the clock wasn’t working, the gear knob had a crack and the power windows switches were not always responsive lacking feedback. These were all minor issues that I could either get fixed, or live with. It wasn’t much of a deal breaker for me.
The suspensions and tyres were newly changed. That certainly avoids me quite some expenses from my pocket. The headlights had seen better days, the paint had faded in a few places and there was a little rusting that needed immediate attention. What I’ve heard is, usually the gen 1 Honda City has more rusting near the inner lining of the trunk. In this case, there was no rust anywhere on the inside. It was all on the outside like the trunk lid, roof line edges around the windshield and rear glass. I showed this to the mechanic and he said he can fix those before handing over the vehicle to me.

The engine bay

The headlights had faded

The paint had also faded in a few spots, like the bonnet, front fender etc

There were a few rust spots too, near the bottom right corner of the rear windshield, under the Honda emblem

The decision
If the non VTEC variant is so thrilling, I am certainly sure that the VTEC variant will be even more thrilling. Since I have never driven a VTEC City, I do not know how it feels. For now, I am willing to keep it that way. Whether I’m missing out on more fun or not, I do not know, but this car was good enough for me. At a later point, if I do not find a well maintained gen 1 City, I do not want to regret passing this deal. And if I do come across a nice VTEC someday, I can still think about replacing this, if things look feasible. Again, there’s nothing to lose. So with the conclusion of all my thoughts, I decided to buy this old timer. My in-laws were kind enough to let me keep the City in their house. Since we visit them frequently, I can keep swapping between the 800 and City. After negotiating, we came down to a price that worked for both parties and sealed the deal. I made the advance payment and went home.

The interiors were clean for the most part

The AC vents were broken, the gear lever and the wooden trim around the AC controls had a crack

The odo reading of 2.32L Kms!

The power window switches that lacked feedback

Thoughts after the deal
I am very well aware that maintaining it is not that easy and getting parts might also be difficult. I normally get very attached to my vehicles and find it hard to part ways with them. But I intend to keep the City for a couple of years and then sell it off (fingers crossed!). In case it gets too difficult to maintain, I might sell it off even earlier. Sometimes I feel like exploring some mods too. As of now, I am uncertain about the plans for it. I want to thoroughly understand the car first and then decide what to do. One thing is sure though. I had a wide smile while driving it and I feel that is what matters the most.

20th January 2025
As promised, the previous owner dropped off the car at the mechanic’s garage. The mechanic gave me a call, and informed me about that the vehicle was handed over and that he would start the body work from the next day. I sent the remainder amount and completed the payment.

21st January 2025
The car did have a few rust spots (nothing major) and the paint had faded in a few spots, with the bonnet being the most obvious. There were minor dents too, but I asked the mechanic to leave them for now since they weren’t too deep anyway. The mechanic began the body work and told me he would hand over the car in the same week. I was completely occupied with work, so I was not in a hurry. I asked him to let me know once everything is done.

22nd January 2025
My wife was anyway in Mysuru and completed the formalities required for the ownership transfer. The application was then submitted to the RTO.

24th January 2025
The ownership transfer was completed and the City was ours! Getting the smart card would take more time though. Nevertheless, the ownership transfer was very quick!

25th January 2025
The mechanic gave me a call that the car was ready. I told him I would let him know when I’d be able to pick the car. I discussed with my family, and we decided to take the delivery on 29th January 2025. Informed the same to the mechanic. But due to some other personal commitments, we had to postpone the delivery to the first week of February.

3rd February 2025
Since it was a weekday, I could not go to take the delivery. My in-laws visited the garage and took the delivery of our beloved City! They even got the customary pooja done and parked the City at their place. Now it was just a matter of time before I’d get to drive it. I was eagerly waiting. Part of me still in disbelief, as to whether all this was real!

After taking the delivery of the car

During the pooja

15th February 2025
I happened to make a quick visit to Mysuru and when I reached my in-laws’ house, there it was, so spick and span even after aging a little over 2 decades. My wife had got it washed that morning. What a timeless beauty! It was a sight to behold. I quickly grabbed the keys, got into the car and cranked it up. The engine roared to life. My father-in-law told me that the AC did not seem to be working. After fiddling with it for a while, I realized that it was just the fan that was working and not the AC. I called the mechanic and told him about the issue. He asked me to drop by, since he had also not noticed it. It was a good opportunity to drive the City and I headed straight to the mechanic. While driving to the garage, I was trying to understand the car. It was quite surprising that the car’s behaviour changed dynamically with input. Whether you’d want to cruise in the 4th/5th gear, or rev the nuts out of the engine, it was ready to take on anything.
Once I reached the garage, the mechanic inspected the AC and told me that it might be out of gas. He said we need to refill the gas, and check for any leaks. I could either drop the car or get it fixed later. Since I had very limited time in Mysuru, I decided to enjoy the driving experience first. I told him I’ll get it done at a later point, just before taking the car home.
From there, I drove to Chamundi hills. The car was so planted and was a hoot to drive in those curves. It didn’t even break a sweat. The ascent was so effortless and the engine had so much life that I could cruise in 4th gear at 2000RPM. I had a great time driving the City. By the end of the day, I had already covered around 70Kms in the City and I enjoyed every bit of it. After all, this was the experience I had been longing for.

The headlights were buffed

The paint was touched up, and the rust spots were removed

Conclusion
There are a few things pending and I will slowly get them done one by one, depending on the necessity. Getting the AC repaired is my first target and I have already ordered the vents for it.
Until now, I faintly believed that dreams do come true, and this entire episode just made it stronger! Who would have thought that a desire ignited at an early age, would become a reality decades later! Grateful to have gone through such a scintillating experience and for being able to share it with you fellow enthusiasts.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

My Volkswagen Virtus Topline AT completed 1 year in January 1st week. Few of the electronics are not working, that too randomly

BHPian dieselOmaniac recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Folks, need to check if anyone faced similar issues already? Issue is happening since last night:

1) While I parked the car at my residence (post office return - around 9pm), I noticed that ORVMs didn't retract back when I locked the car! I unlocked/locked a few times back-to-back, no joy either. Then after sometime it did work. I thought, it was an one-off issue & forgot after dinner.
2) Well well well, morning came with another surprise. When I started the car for the school-drop trip for my son, the mirrors didn't open up when I unlocked the car. I again tried a few times locking/unlocking, no joy. Then I was getting late for school so I started the trip anyway. And I could open the mirrors by manually operating the button situated at RH door.
3) Then another issue. After starting the journey, I discovered that I cannot lower-down the Power window of the driver-door. All 3 other windows I could operate but not the one of the driver side! I anyway had no option other than to continue the journey (because of school timing issue). And after driving about 20 mins or so, I tried again and that time it worked! (i.e. I could lower down the driver-side window)
4) And by this time, I also noticed that the one-touch functionality (of the power window) is not working for the driver door. And while parking at office, the ORVMs didn't retract back as well.

So, net net, few of the electronics are not working, that too randomly. Any thoughts / advise from anyone? I have no scope to visit ASS before weekend..:-(

NOTE: My Topline AT is going to complete 1 year in January 1st week. Last month (end of Sept) one of my DRL's got changed (incidentally the driver-side one) under warranty. Other than that, everything went smooth so far

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

AC vents were broken on the front sides. I opened the AC vents and used super glue to fix it – hardly a 30-minute job for 2 vents.

BHPian 5252rpm recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

One Year and 14000kms with Ujala

This October marked one year with Ujala/ Skoda Rapid Diesel, and odo stands at 46k. It was a seamless experience so far with the car - touchwood. It's a pleasure to drive around and experience the ample amount of torque it has. I have also learned how to ride the torque curve without frequent gear shifts. The 3rd gear pull is still additive, even after driving it around for a year and 14k km.

Pic : A rainy drive to Chikkamagaluru, at Mullayangiri

We drove it around Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka without any hiccups, many times with a full load and boot full of luggage. Making this car look neat is a task, as it gets dirty really quickly due to its peculiar color. Fuel efficiency is also been decent, the car has been delivering 13.5kmpl for Bangalore B2B traffic (Avg speeds around 17kmph) and 20kmpl+ on highways. I have not scraped the running board of the car either – ground clearance is surprising. Sorry to repeat, but the car is a beast on highways and winding roads and keeps up with cars of 1 or 2 segments higher.

Service – Engineering Exponents:

It went on its annual periodic maintenance to Engineering Exponents in 10km intervals at 42k km. The damage to the wallet was 13k. Oil change (FUCHS instead of Motul), all filters, and brake fluid were major items. Brake fluid was not changed in its life, and I thought it was a good idea to do that. Rear RH ABS was also kaput (OBD showed a mechanical malfunction), but EE has only VW OE but without a warranty. EE went ahead and changed it in the service, but I asked them to revert, given the history of OE. As I read in the forum, Hitachi branded sensors have lower failure rates, and my friend has also used the same in his Polo for the past year without hassles at a much lower cost (INR 1500). He had procured it for me from Cochin, but I am yet to change it. Because, after the EE service, the ABS light never came back though the replacement was not done. Maybe it needed only refitting, not a replacement? Have had a few panic brakes and quick stoppings in this tenure post service, but the brakes never gave any surprises. So, I thought I’d get existing sensors run until it really dies.

Also, I didn’t find FUCHS very superior to Motul for the extra $$ spent, and will revert back to Motul next time. Also clutch has started becoming hard, but not so hard that it requires a replacement. EE suggested a replacement, but I decided to give it some time before I do the replacement. It has not become to a point where your knee aches or power loss is felt or there is a struggle to climb uphill. The estimates are around the INR 40k mark (clutch + flywheel).

Pic : Getting cleaned as part of Diwali!

Fuel Additive – IFTEX System D :

As advised by fellow BHPian gaurav.kokra, I have been using IFTEX system D for the past 2k kms. There are marginal improvements in fuel efficiency and refinement, but not so major to call out. But planning to use additives going forward as it is expected to improve injector lubrication etc, as we are forced to use BS6 diesel in a BS4 car. I have been fuelling only from COCO outlets or Jio BP/Shell.

Insurance – Acko:

I realized it's very difficult to get decent IDV and related premiums for Skoda VW cars. Tried known agents, local agents, CRED garage, Policybazar, etc but premium v/s IDV had no rationale – especially coming from experience of buying insurance for Maruti and Honda cars. Finally settled with Acko for decent premium and reasonable IDV, despite mixed reviews.

AC Vents DIY Repair:

AC vents were broken on the front sides. I opened the AC vents and used super glue to fix it – hardly a 30-minute job for 2 vents. Its actually a stop-gap arrangement, not really a robust fix. Now it's working fine so far, and we have been gently operating the same. I had enquired about the new vents, but the build quality is the same. I was told that the old Polo/Vento has a better build, and I will look to try from used sources. New ones, you will feel the flimsiness as soon as you touch them. It's built to break!

Pic: Note the broken flaps in AC vent

Future Plans:

Horn – It's not a Skoda type one but I took a resolution not to use Horn as much as I can. But living in Bangalore, I realized the need for a powerful horn. Have shortlisted Bosch ones.
Sun control films – I have a burning sensation on my hands, driving in scorching heat. I need a full control film with 70-80% visibility, so it doesn’t catch unnecessary attention from the Police. I have Garware in mind, but any suggestions?

Regrets:

While I was actively searching cars, a few cars that missed my shortlist were Nexon, XUV3OO, C3, Sonet, and Magnite. One year after my purchase, all of these cars got a facelift or upgrade and the exact same issue that I had with them was resolved to a great extent. On top of all these, Skoda themselves launched Kylaq at an aggressive price. Not to mention the impressive offer running on sticker prices. But considering the fact that the OTR Bangalore for the variants I had in mind is for these cars are easily more than double what I have paid so far for Rapid, it's not a 100% regret either.

Sharing some of the pictures for viewing pleasure.

Pic: Lost in Chikkamagaluru

Pic: Cockpit view

Pic: Favorite angle to shoot the car

Check out BHPian comments for more insights an information.

Coming from a VW Virtus, I can’t complain much.

BHPian Venkygupta recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

I don’t get how there is no review or a specific thread for a BMW 320d (G20).

After much wait and search picked up a 2020 BMW 320d with a ridiculously low ODO with just 6760Kms for 33L

Got a 360-degree checkup done before finalising at Infinity BMW, Delhi and got an absolutely clear report. Also, already drove the car 1200 km in 2 days as I decided to drive the car back rather than to transport it via a trailer.

Coming from a VW Virtus, I can’t complain much.

Overall, I wasn’t a bit tired even after driving 900 km in a single run with the car.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

he A6 sedan's EV sibling the A6 e-tron is already on sale in international markets and is expected to launch in India later this year.

Audi will unveil the new generation ICE-powered A6 sedan on 4th March 2025. While it was going to be called the A7 earlier, Audi's latest nomenclature strategy will see the car retain the A6 badging in what will be its sixth generation.

The A6 sedan's EV sibling, the A6 e-tron, is already on sale in international markets and is expected to launch in India later this year. However, the ICE and EV A6 are built on different platforms. While The A6 e-tron uses Volkswagen’s PPE skateboard, the ICE sedan will be built on the car maker's PPC platform.

The new Audi A6 will feature a design language similar to other recent Audi cars like the third-gen Q5 and A5. Expect similar-styled headlamps with Audi Matrix LEDs, large air intakes on the bumper along with Audi's trademark hexagonal grille. A light bar running across the width of the car connecting the tail lamps along with a new bumper design can be expected at the rear.

The new A6 will come with petrol and diesel options. However, the India spec car might only get a petrol motor.  Engines are likely to be the 2.0 turbo petrol in the TFSI and the 2.0 turbo diesel in the TDI. Both will come with a 48V mild hybrid system and 7-speed. DSG gearbox. Some international markets may even get the S6 featuring a 3.0 V6 turbo petrol engine.

The Audi A6 which is currently on sale in India was launched in 2019, so it will be interesting to see when our markets get the new car. Its rivals, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series are already on sale in India in their latest generation.

Source: Autocar India

The, albeit 18-year-old, naturally aspirated V6 performs like a dream, with instant power whenever I need it for those tight overtakes.

BHPian ImportedLlama recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

The Accord turned 18 this year and still runs like a charm. I used to limit driving to night rides or the weekends/day trips since it’s such a fuel guzzler and is also difficult to manage in traffic. Now, with college starting and the only options for transport being the metro, which would take about an hour and a half, or an auto, which is unreliable, I figured I’d take the car and see how it performs. Since I take 80 Feet Road, there usually isn’t much traffic, and it’s not a stressful drive. By car, it takes about 40 minutes to get to my college. It has been about a year and change since I bought this car, and I’d like to highlight some things that have come up.

The, albeit 18-year-old, naturally aspirated V6 performs like a dream, with instant power whenever I need it for those tight overtakes. The transmission is still a little finicky, but I manually slot into first gear whenever I need to. A problem I’ve been facing is the slight sound of an exhaust leak. Since my exhaust system is very jugaad, it doesn’t completely seal. This leads to a very annoying hissing sound when the valves are closed. You can’t hear it if you turn up the music, but it still annoys me a lot. I addressed this when I gave it to get serviced. After they had finished their job, I asked them to leave it on the lift so that I could come and do some work on the exhaust system. Since I was appointed a different service advisor this time, he was unwilling to allow me to do so, but I asked a supervisor who happened to be my initial service advisor, and she gave him the go-ahead and said I am a “mechanical guy” and that I know what I’m doing. That felt pretty nice.

With the car on the lift, I got to work unbolting the exhaust valve. I borrowed some tools that the workshop had to do this. I applied a generous layer of Permatex exhaust sealant that can withstand temperatures of up to 1000 degrees Celsius all over any connection points and also a layer around the edges of the butterfly valve. After aligning everything properly, I allowed it to cure for half an hour while I dealt with the service bill.

Coming to the service bill: I had ensured to only get what was necessary, as dealerships charge money for basic checks that can be done at home. For example, it costs about 400 rupees just for them to check all the fluids in the vehicle, which is atrocious. I opted out of that. I also opted out of a couple of other things which I am unable to remember. I know that there was a 900 rupee add-on to have the engine bay cleaned, which I also removed. Overall, I brought the bill down from 14,000 to 8,000. This includes air filter cleaning, running diagnostics, filling up the wiper fluid, an oil change, an oil filter, and all the labor charges. A little pricey, but servicing is required.

I had asked what grade of oil they would put, and I’m glad I did. He said 0W20, and I knew for a fact that my car takes 0W30. I asked him to double-check with the mechanics since this was a V6 and would require a more viscous oil, and he did. The mechanic told him the Accord used 0W30, and he promptly changed the oil grade. This concerns me, as someone who may not know too much about their car may get stuck with the wrong oil. If I hadn’t asked, my car would’ve been running 0W20. From now on, I’ll always ensure to double-check with everything being done to my car.

Talking about oil: I have been informed by the service center that a plethora of slow and small oil leaks have shown up. Although I don't know if these are new or have always been there and are being talked about now, they have indicated that a lot of the gaskets need replacing, which I would understand on a high-mileage car like mine. The cost to do so, however, is quite high. I was researching some oil additives that can help regenerate seals, but some people have shown that it causes the oil to sludge, and even if it isn’t true, I am not taking any chances.

If these oil leaks weren’t there before and started recently, the only culprit I can assume is 0W20 oil being put in before, which is less viscous and can cause leaks. I am unsure, however, if this is the case, so as of now, I will monitor the oil levels closely. When it comes time for the next oil change, I will switch to high-mileage oil, which is designed with more cleaners and additives that can help with older or leaking cars.

I had planned on wrapping the cutout section with exhaust wrap and the area near the catalytic converter, but upon noticing the rust, I decided against it. Exhaust wrap can hold water, which would accelerate the rust and possibly disintegrate the pipe. Regardless of that, I applied the exhaust sealant, and it worked like a charm. The idle sound with the valve closed is much quieter, and even while accelerating, it has become noticeably less irritating. So I would say my DIY exhaust fix was a success.

Apart from that, having a straight-piped V6 is a blast. It always turns heads when I enter college, and I get bonus points when I show it to my friends. The fuel cost is being split by three people, so it comes to around 170 per person, which is not bad considering around the same or more would go while dealing with metros and autos. Driving to college is also not that painful, and I actually enjoy it now, especially when I go through the Turahalli forest section on the way home. Even on the way home from the service center, a nice biker on a Royal Enfield Himalayan asked me to come closer to him as we were driving, upon doing so he gestured that my car was really nice, and that put the biggest smile on my face. I thanked him and we went our own ways. (I love enthusiasts)

I never thought I’d use this car as a daily driver, given how much fuel it consumes and how big it is, but I’m very, very happy to put more miles on this beautiful machine. Cars are made to be driven, and Toothless had enough of being a garage princess. I am always taken by surprise by how well this car handles. It is simply unbelievable that a car can stay this planted and stable with stock suspension. I was returning home from a friend’s place one night around 3 a.m., and I decided to have some fun. I was swerving and turning through the empty roads like it was nothing. A fresh service has the car running extra smooth and nimble. Throttle response also feels better. It effortlessly climbs to triple-digit speeds while singing the sweet symphony of a perfectly balanced motor. Stock braking is phenomenal and does a fantastic job even in the tightest of situations.

I absolutely adore this car, and I 100 percent recommend buying this generation of Accord if anyone is looking for a new car.

That about sums up the 5k review. Please let me know if you have any questions or advice about the stuff I mentioned above. Thank you for reading.

Drop a gear and disappear.

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Since the possibility of sourcing a new one would be extremely remote, we decided to get a refurbished OEM part.

BHPian Sanidhya mukund recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Steering rack replacement:

Last week, I noticed a puddle of oily looking liquid beneath the car. Dug around to identify what the fluid was, and realised that PS fluid was leaking from the rubber boots of the steering rack. Immediately rang my trusty mechanic up, who came along with his tools to have a look. I wanted him to replaced just the boots of the existing steering rack, because it wasn’t making any funny noises yet. However, he said that the internal seals would have perished and it is best to replace it. Since the possibility of sourcing a new one would be extremely remote, we decided to get a refurbished OEM part. Since my car isn’t allowed on the roads, the surgery had to be done at home.

They began by hoisting the car on a pair of jacks and removing both front wheels:

The rack was then unfastened from both ends:

The old rack that was pulled out. Notice the stuff that came out of it; A mix of PS fluid, water and other contaminants:

The refurbished rack that was procured. Notice the Ford logo embossed on it:

New-old rack going in:

Wheels go back on:

The steering column-rack socket joint was also lubricated:

Took the car for a short spin on closed off private roads and was satisfied with the steering feel and feedback. However, I found it to be a little sluggish in the lower gears. The mechanic sprayed the IAC valve with throttle body cleaner, and that certainly made a difference:

And that’s how a major mechanical repair was undertaken at home. I feel lucky to have a mechanic who agreed to do all this right in my driveway. All other mechanics would have insisted upon taking the car to their workshop.

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